I despise endings and goodbyes

Have you ever gotten to the end of a book and immediately looked for the next part? If you love a story, then you don't want it to end. You want to see more of the world, hear the next adventure of the heroes, or simply want to hang out with them some more. It's awful to reach the end and know there's nothing more. I well remember when "Return of the Jedi" ended, I was satisfied and torn and wanted to keep experiencing the Star Wars universe. Because of that, I read many of the novels and comics that came out, simply to extend my time in their world. Love is like that.

The final part of a story is typically called the anti-climax--because it's the bit immediately following the exciting climax--and is where plot threads get wrapped up and characters are set free to go on their way. Mostly these segments are short and to the point, to lessen the pain of saying goodbye. There are types of stories that never fully say goodbye (any series with a recurring character is a good example). I think this may be the reason for the incredible surge of long-running movie franchises. I can't imagine any other reason why we've seen the continuing success of the Marvel movies (aside from having some really fun stories).

Audiences enjoy falling in love with characters who last more than a single story, who can influence their worlds, and who matter for the long term. My first love is certainly the hobbits from the Lord of the Rings books, particularly Sam and Frodo. It's refreshing to see a greater acceptance for extended stories, even ones that last for over 10 years (such as the Marvel movies). Maybe this means that people's attention spans are finally growing? I hope so.

- M