The world has changed. I feel it in the water. I feel it in the earth. I smell it in the air. The pull of Middle-earth grows stronger, a whisper that calls me back to the Shire, to Rivendell, to the very fires of Mount Doom. Much that once was known is lost… for none now live who remember all the extended edition scenes by heart. The dialogue, the epic battles, the gentle wisdom of Gandalf—all have faded from memory.
And so, I must re-watch the trilogy anew. One does not simply resist the call of The Lord of the Rings. For the road goes ever on, and I find myself yearning to walk it once more, to laugh at Pippin's antics, to shed a tear for Boromir, and to feel the triumph of Frodo's journey. Yes, my friends, it is time to return to Middle-earth, to the memes that celebrate this beloved tale, and to the movies that will forever hold a place in our hearts.