Return of the King

Hints about the ship’s final destination appear early in the episode, including a significant clue at the halfway point, but the truth comes into focus by the end. Alan and Eileen’s relationship is badly strained—Alan prioritizes his work over his wife—leading to a heated argument at the ship’s bar where they decide to break up once they reach port. Eventually, Alan experiences a Scrooge-like epiphany, realizing he has been valuing the wrong things in life, and they reconcile. Along their journey, a passenger comments on how the modern world is leaving his generation behind. Initially, it seems the episode might adopt this bitter outlook, but the elderly passengers reject these ideals. They place the young couple, Alan and Eileen, on a lifeboat, setting them free before the ship sails into oblivion. Acknowledging their time is up, the older generation chooses to leave the world better by sparing the innocent.

In the closing scenes of “The Return of the King,” hobbits Frodo, Sam, Merry, and Pippin travel to the Grey Havens to see Frodo’s uncle, Bilbo Baggins, embark on a journey to what is essentially the afterlife. In a heart-wrenching moment, Frodo reveals he will also take this journey across the seas, leaving the innocent Sam—arguably the true hero of the entire “Lord of the Rings” saga—behind to aid in rebuilding a broken world.

The concept of a ship sailing into the afterlife has been central to various mythologies since ancient times. The Egyptians believed their sun god, Ra, would sail across the sky in a boat during the day and travel to the afterlife at night. They even buried actual boats with royal corpses to ensure their resurrected kings could sail with Ra. Similarly, the ancient Greeks placed coins on the eyes of the deceased to pay Charon, who ferried souls across the River Styx to the underworld. The scholarly Tolkien wove this trope into his own mythology, and “The Twilight Zone” used it to contrast a fading generation with a rejuvenated marriage in “Passage of the Lady Anne.”

The narrative intertwines timeless themes of mortality and renewal. Alan and Eileen’s journey, set against a backdrop of mythological symbolism, serves as a broader commentary on life’s transitions. The episode’s resolution, with the older passengers ensuring the young couple’s escape, underscores a recurring message: the inevitability of change and the enduring hope for future generations. Much like the parting scenes in “The Return of the King,” where Frodo leaves Sam to rebuild and thrive, Alan and Eileen are entrusted with a fresh start, free from the impending doom facing the older generation.

These stories reflect a deep-seated human desire to find meaning and continuity amid life’s inevitable endings. The ship, whether ferrying ancient souls, hobbits, or modern-day passengers, symbolizes both a journey’s end and a new beginning. These mythological and literary references resonate with audiences across time, bridging the ancient with the contemporary, and lending a profound depth to the characters’ experiences. The young couple’s liberation from the doomed ship encapsulates this timeless transition, offering a glimmer of hope and renewal in the face of inevitable mortality.

At its core, the episode and its mythological allusions invite viewers to reflect on their lives, priorities, and the legacies they leave behind. The narrative serves as a poignant reminder that while time marches on, each generation has the power to leave a lasting, positive impact—a sentiment echoed through the sacrificial yet hopeful acts of both the mythical and contemporary elders.

The themes explored in these narrative arcs hold universal appeal, addressing the cyclic nature of life and the perpetual hope for a better future. By integrating these motifs, the episode not only tells a compelling story but also connects deeply with its audience, urging them to consider the enduring effects of their actions and the importance of cherishing their loved ones before it is too late.

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