Eighty-eight years is how long The Lord of the Rings universe has been in existence (outside of Middle-earth, anyway), with The Hobbit being published way back in 1937. Yet somehow, in 2025, the series and everything that it has inspired feels more alive than ever. A big part of this is, of course, the classic trio of early 2000s movies that created a whole new generation of fans and continues to create Tolkien converts to this day. There is also the fact that the entertainment industry simply can’t resist the promise of yet another spinoff. Topping all of that off is the thriving fandom community of meme makers, always here to give us another burst of silliness inspired by the greatness of Tolkien’s works. At this point, can you really say that you’re a LOTR fan if you aren’t clued in on the memes? They are becoming a part of the canon.