What does it mean to be a true fan?

[Lady Gamgee]

Personally, I think that anyone who would be called a TRUE fan of LOTR has to truly enjoy the books & movies, perhaps even relate some of it to real life. It seems that the truer fans find out as much as they can about Tolkien, all of his works, the movies, the characters backgrounds, etc .... If there's one thing I can't stand is, what I like to call, a "bandwagoneer". For those who don't know what that is, it's someone who automatically decides they're gonna "like" something or someone just because it or they are popular ... when really they wouldn't give a second thought about it. Anyone who likes a movie, actor, etc... just because he's "cute" or "I like her", or any other countless things cannot call themselves true fans. There is much more to a movie, person, or music than what they're wearing or what color eyes they have.

Therefore, I think to be a True Fan, you must understand much about the people, places, and characters in these movies & books. True fans can also be collectors. For me, right now I'm collecting movie posters & books ... and plan on collecting the action figures too (gotta take one at a time ). True fans have gotta read the books, no doubt about it. If you don't, you're truly missing out. I am a fairly new fan to LOTR, but I am a TRUE FAN, and will remain loyal to my fellow Middle Earth inhabitants