Over the course of the three movies in the Lord of the Rings trilogy, there are countless memorable moments. So many scenes and lines from the series are endlessly quoted and have become the subject of memes, such as the famous "One does not simply walk into Mordor." The whole trilogy is very effective at hitting the viewer right in the feelings, and taking them on this emotional journey with these characters.

One of the best moments in the whole trilogy comes right at the end of the third movie, Return of the King. It's the scene where the peril is over, the Ring has been destroyed, and Aragorn is finally crowned king of Gondor. He walks through the crowd, encountering other characters he took this journey with, and is reunited with Arwen. In the final section of the scene - which is the greatest moment in the film - he approaches the four hobbits where they have been standing watching the ceremony, and they start to bow to the new king. He stops them and with a voice overflowing with emotion, says, "My friends, you bow to no one," and the entire crowd takes a knee for the four halflings standing in front of them.

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This moment is incredibly emotional, and hits just as hard with every viewing of the film. It feels like a sort of catharsis; after three movies of intense stakes and near-constant danger, this moment acts as a release and a giant payoff to the viewer for following the journeys of these hobbits. Even though this is Aragorn's moment of taking the throne, he acknowledges that none of this would have been possible without these hobbits that he met at The Prancing Pony as Strider.

viggo mortensen aragorn

In this moment, when everyone around them is on their knees, the hobbits stand taller than anyone else there, despite their small stature. It's a perfect representation of one of the themes of these films: no matter how small you are, your actions carry great impact, and you can make a difference. Small is powerful, and these hobbits certainly show that throughout the course of the trilogy.

All four of the hobbits had an important part to play, not just Frodo. None of them needed to go on this journey; they could have chosen to go back to the safety and comfort of the Shire, but Frodo chose to take the burden of the Ring upon himself, and Sam, Pippin, and Merry all decided not to leave him, but to support him on this journey. Though their paths diverged, they were all necessary to the eventual defeat of Sauron. Merry and Pippin were able to mobilize the Ents against Isengard, and then each had important roles to play in Gondor and Rohan respectively. Pippin was the one who lit the first beacon at Gondor, and signaled to Rohan that they needed assistance in battle.

Frodo and Sam obviously had a very important and arduous journey with the Ring, as they took it to Mordor to be cast into Mount Doom. Frodo, while constantly affected by the Ring, continues to make the choice to take it to be destroyed, right up until the pull becomes too much for him when they're in the fiery cavern. When Gollum takes the Ring (and Frodo's finger), and falls to the lava below, leaving Frodo hanging from a ledge, there is an extended moment where the ring sits atop the lava, still calling to Frodo. He has to make the conscious choice to reject it and let it sink. Of course, it's Sam, his constant companion through this harrowing adventure, that convinces him to keep fighting.

Many have argued (for good reason) that Sam is the true hero of The Lord of the Rings. His innate kindness and goodness are compelling to watch and make the viewer really connect with the character. He has this sense of optimism, even in the face of grave danger, and he would go to the ends of the Earth for Frodo and wants nothing more than to keep him safe. Frodo may have been the main character, but in his own words: "Frodo wouldn't have got far without Sam".

This final tribute to the hobbits near the end of Return of the King is a very fitting and well-earned tribute to these characters that had an immense impact on the fate of Middle Earth. They started off naive and even a little silly (in the case of Merry and Pippin), and knew nothing of the world outside of the Shire, but they proved to be some of the most valuable and important beings in this world. Aragorn's acknowledgment of this - that it is not just his story, but theirs as well - is an emotional wrap-up to the journey that the viewer has gone on with all of these characters. It shows that even this early into Aragorn's rule, he is going to be a great king. He is a ruler who cares deeply for his friends and his people and knows to acknowledge the contributions of those around him who helped him on his own journey.

The way that the film pauses for a moment to recognize the importance of the hobbits is truly beautiful, and the way the main theme swells over the scene is incredibly emotional. It's the kind of scene that makes you tear up, even if you're not usually one to cry at a movie. In a movie trilogy with so many impactful moments, it's difficult to pick just one that so fully encapsulates what the series is about, but this scene certainly comes the closest.

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