The Fellowship of the Ring is a fantasy movie that only gets better with age. Even though it has been over twenty years since it hit theaters, it continues to cast a long shadow over the fantasy genre, establishing a standard that almost all other movies of this kind have to live up to.
As serious and epic as its story is, that hasn’t stopped the wits of the internet from creating a number of memes around the movie that lightly poke fun at this very somber and almost operatic piece of filmmaking.
Fellowship Metal Jacket
The friendship between Merry and Pippin is one of the most touching and moving in the trilogy, and they have a bond that almost nothing can break. This very funny meme, however, imagines what it would be like if this pair of rascals had assault weapons.
On the one hand, it probably would have kept them from falling into the hands of the Orcs and their other enemies. However, given how easily they got into trouble, they probably would caused unimaginable chaos.
Not Very Helpful Elrond
Elrond is one of Hugo Weaving’s best roles, and he plays a key part in getting the Fellowship together and dispatching them to Mount Doom. However, as this meme hilariously points out, there’s a problem with this whole arrangement, in that out of all of them, he is the only one who has actually ever been there.
Nevertheless, he doesn’t even bother offering to help, even though his assistance would have been invaluable as they sought to navigate the terrifying and dangerous territory of Mordor.
There’s Never Enough
One of the most noteworthy aspects of The Lord of the Rings is that multiple versions exist. What’s more, the extended editions add quite a lot of material to the already lengthy run times. While this helps to flesh out some of the stories that were ultimately left on the cutting room floor, it has to be said that this makes all of the movies very long indeed.
However, as this meme points out, there’s always the possibility for more, and there are without a doubt avid fans who would watch every hour.
Comparisons
There’s no question that JRR Tolkien had one of the most expansive imaginations in the history of fantasy. As most people know, he invented the languages for his world and then built the world around them.
The irony, of course, is that all of this largely recedes into the background of the children’s book The Hobbit. This meme humorously pokes fun at this by comparing it (somewhat unfavorably) to two of the other giants of the fantasy genre, JK Rowling and George RR Martin.
Betty Grey
The late Betty White was in many great roles, in many of which she played a very likable character. This meme has been circling the internet for quite a while, and it brings her venerable career together with that of Gandalf, one of the most powerful beings in Middle-earth.
If any actress could be said to have likely battled a Balrog and lived to tell the tale–becoming a reborn version of herself in the process–it would have been Betty White, who stayed active right up until the end.
Denethor And That Scene
Even though The Lord of the Rings is a very serious trilogy, it does have its share of gross-out and funny moments, and Denethor’s rabid consumption of tomatoes is one of the latter.
This meme cleverly pokes fun at that particular moment by combining it with the popular Anakin/Padme meme in which she expresses concern about something ominous that he has said. It’s a brilliant little send-up and a reminder that even very serious and somber movies have their funny moments.
What’s In A Name?
The hobbits of the Shire are a unique group of people in Middle-earth. They have a homespun wisdom and earthiness about them that is unmatched by any of the peoples that surround them.
However, as this meme points out, they also have some rather strange naming conventions, particularly around their boys and their girls. While the latter often have strange names (like Frodo), the former are often flowers. It’s a peculiarity all their own, and one that is ripe for a bit of gentle mockery.
Sheer Perfection
For some time, there has been a bit of a split in the fandom between those who love the books and those who love the movies. However, as this meme humorously points out, there are some out there who believe that both versions are actually quite flawless in their own ways.
It’s a reminder, couched in the particular humor that can only be conveyed via meme, that it can be rewarding to take an adaptation and its original text on their own terms rather than trying to compare them.
Shady Bilbo
There are few sitcoms quite as funny as Brooklyn Nine-Nine, so of course, it was inevitable that someone would use it to poke a little bit of fun at The Lord of the Rings.
In this case, it draws a comparison between the blissfully unaware Gina and Bilbo, who got to spend his declining years in Rivendell while others cleared up the mess that he had inadvertently created by bringing the One Ring out of Gollum’s cave. It might be a bit unfair to the old hobbit, but that doesn’t decrease how funny it is.
The Choices Of Boromir
Boromir remains one of Sean Bean’s best roles, and he imbues the man from Gondor with a powerful and imposing nobility. However, the Ring preys on his desire to protect his people, leading him to turn against Frodo and try to take it for himself.
It’s a somber moment, but fortunately, this meme takes some of the terror out of it and makes it very funny. Given Boromir’s ultimately unfortunate fate, it’s a cheeky reminder that even the most serious scenes have the seeds of humor in them.