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1-> "...a movie bursting with so much manly compassion, you'll think you're watching ''[[Film/BrokebackMountain Brokeback Mount Doom]]''."
2-->-- '''[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AOIi9SjJvgU Screen Junkies]]''' {{WebVideo/Honest Trailer|s}} for ''The Lord Of The Rings''
3
4''Literature/TheLordOfTheRings'':
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6* From a contemporary standpoint, the relationship between [[HeterosexualLifePartners Frodo Baggins and Samwise Gamgee]] often goes way past mere friendship, or boss-subordinate.
7** There was that bit in the [=RotK=] film where Sam helps Frodo to his feet on Mount Doom by grasping him by the hips from behind? On top of that (pun intended) the great reunion after the ring is destroyed, where Merry and Pippin's first instinct on seeing their friend is awake is to climb into bed with him under the gleeful eyes of a maniacally laughing Creator/IanMcKellen!
8** In fact, when Sam is battling Shelob to save Frodo, Tolkien specifically describes him as having the ferocity of a wild animal defending its '''mate.'''
9*** And don't forget: the author also wrote that ''Sam tenderly took Frodo's hand and blushed''.
10*** On top of all this, Sam has to go rescue Frodo from the Orcs' tower... and Frodo is ''nude'' when Sam eventually finds him.
11** Even in RealLife, the [[http://i40.tinypic.com/2hdzdqx.jpg actors]] [[http://images7.fotki.com/v106/photos/2/20909/691168/seanlij-vi.jpg are]] [[http://11.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_krk6k2HBC01qzyw65o1_500.jpg suspiciously]] [[http://images25.fotki.com/v953/photos/2/20909/691168/seanlijnzprem003-vi.jpg close.]] They appear to take Sam's and Frodo's relationship seriously and they apparently [[InnocentInnuendo don't know the implications of that.]]
12** The actor that plays Sam said: "...they don't need to talk about what they are to each other, they just ''are''", [[MisaimedFandom so the fandom has become even more misaimed than it was, regarding the characters' relationship.]]
13** The Crowning Moment of Ho Yay in the books is when Gollum comes sneaking up and finds Sam, asleep, with the also-asleep [[HehHehYouSaidX Frodo's head]] in his lap. As if that weren't enough, there's also plenty of PurpleProse about the fact that Sam's cradling Frodo's face. Even for the most physically demonstrative platonic friendship, that's way over the line. Heck, if Frodo had been ''dying'', face-cradling would still be a bit much.
14** Ah, and let's not forget Sam constantly referring to Frodo as "my dear". And how Sam occasionally kisses Frodo on the forehead or hand in the book.
15** Randal Graves lampshades the HoYay between Sam and Frodo in ''Film/ClerksII'' when he points out the "very gay look" that Sam gives Frodo in the scene where he wakes up from his coma with Pippin and Merry. He then goes on to make fun of them so cruelly that it causes a ''Rings'' fanboy customer to throw up.
16** The last chapter of the book also has this gem, where Bilbo asks Sam when he is going to move in and join him, and Sam just looks at him awkwardly. Then, when Sam hesitates, Frodo reassures him that his grandfather (with whom he lived up until then) will be close by, so he won't miss him. When Sam reveals he is going to marry a girl he met, Frodo, without skipping a beat, suggests that she can move in too. And they do.
17** Even when Sam calls Frodo "master," this trope makes it take on a BDSM connotation.
18* Since almost all of the characters are men, some can find HoYay all over the place. It was even mentioned in Lord of the Fans.
19* Not to mention the "great love that grew between Gimli and Legolas", quote from Return of the King. They warm up to each other during the course of the books, then travel to Middle-Earth together and end up sharing a boat bound for Valinor. (The last time an elf brought a non-elf to Valinor for affection rather than medical reasons was (probably) Idril Celebrindal bringing Tuor son of Huor. Her husband.) ''HeterosexualLifePartners'' at the very least.
20** Sure, it's Legolas and Gimli in the novels. But the love belongs more to Legolas and Aragorn in the films.
21*** As evidenced by this famous [[http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m7qsdtnaZ51rbkwr1o1_400.jpg promotional picture]].
22*** There's a scene in Two Towers where Legolas returns the Evenstar to Aragorn after he returns from his fall off the cliff. Meanwhile, Éowyn looks on from a distance, shocked, apparently under the impression that Legolas and Aragorn are romantically involved. The intensity of eye contact and gratuitous touching doesn't really make a case against her assumption.
23* Oh, and let's not forget how Sméagol addressed Déagol as ''my love'', and how Déagol mentioned giving Sméagol "more than he could afford" on his birthday.
24* Not to mention Pippin and Merry. Yeah, they're cousins, but Merry's wife Estella was also his cousin. Pippin also married, but that doesn't stop the fans from seeing Ho Yay. After all, the two tend to stay as close together as possible, when they are separated it's like some sort of tragedy, and after the war they not only buy a house together and stay there for as long as they can, they also left the Shire together to go off and die with the humans, leaving wives and children behind. Although it's notable that while Merry and Pippin are joined at the hip from their first second on-screen in the movies, in the books the closeness isn't apparent until later. In fact, it's actually Merry and Frodo who seem to be the bestest buds in ''Fellowship'', and Merry even lived with Frodo for a while after Bilbo left.
25* In the novels there seems to be something between Faramir and Aragorn. Faramir only wakes when he hears the voice of his 'King', and the at-first-glance adoration and loyalty is rather intense.
26** Mind that Éowyn, who has been unhappily in love with Aragorn for most of the book ''does not'' wake up at the sound of his voice (her brother succeeds in the task). Faramir on the other side...
27** Also when Éowyn tells Faramir the reasons why she thought she was in love with Aragorn (noble, strong, wise and kind), Faramir's respone amounts to "[[EvenTheGuysWantHim Yeah, who wouldn't love Aragorn.]]"
28* Not to mention the words between Aragorn and Éomer when they meet at the battle of the Pelennor Fields...
29* Then there's Aragorn and Boromir. The heartfelt, almost desperate confession in Lothlórien... And of course: My brother, my captain, my King. Boromir is the first person to acknowledge Aragorn as King, and basically propel him into wanting to be King at all.
30* The gender ratio being what it is, it's easy to see lots of HoYay in ''Literature/TheSilmarillion'' as well. Ah, all the manly friendships out there...Maedhros/Fingon, Beleg/Túrin, Gil-galad/Elrond...Anything goes.

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