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Going to save all these thoughts and questions for my first viewing on New Year’s Eve day. I read the books when I was too young so hardly remember them but the way you, Rachel Sherlock and others go on about the movies you’ve convinced me I have to see them. I went to the movies to watch episode one when it first came out but I was just a tad hungover and fell asleep. 🤡

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Now if you hadn't read the books, THAT would be a tragedy! As it is I think you've just postponed a delightful viewing experience :) I hope you enjoy! Let me know what you think!

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I also like to think about how (in the books, at least) Gimli gets a glimpse of the Glittering Caves of Aglarond, a glimpse of the wonders he will experience in the next age of Middle Earth, though, at the time, he has no way to be certain that he will even survive even that very night at Helms Deep.

Great work here, Katie.

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I love that insight Jason! I had forgotten that about Gimli. It's impossible to include everything in the films, of course, but there are so many rich details like this that bring out these themes even more. Thank you for reading!

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I am adoring this series. The movies are what finally made me read the book, so, despite their flaws in comparison to the source material, I love them and owe them a debt of gratitude. One place I see a lot of faith/trust and self-sacrifice is in the storyline of the Ents too. Treebeard marching on to attack Orthanc, knowing this could very well be the end of his dwindling people, is such a beautiful example of the self-sacrifice practiced by characters like Theoden and Aragorn, and is an act of faith too-that his people’s commitment to doing what is right and uprooting evil will make a difference even if they don’t live/thrive to enjoy it. And man is that an advent hope-that our good deeds will bear fruit even if we don’t reap it, and even if it costs us.

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