Ah, the endgame feeling. There's little
else in this world that so perfectly encompasses the true meaning of the
word 'bittersweet' as the endgame feeling. Now, while I'm certain that
you've all felt what I'm talking about at some point or other, I
imagine you're still wondering exactly what I mean. Allow me to
elaborate.
The endgame feeling is the surge of emotion that you feel when
completing some sort of media event of an adventurous nature for the
first time.. In case you're still not sure what I mean, allow me to
illustrate with one of the strongest examples I've ever experienced.
I started reading Harry Potter books in the year 2000; I was seven
years old at the time. Over that year, I managed to work through the
four books that had been published at the time. I became absolutely
enthralled with the world of Harry Potter. I learned its lore, its
terminology, and I was aching to know how the story progressed. Each
time a new book was published, I made a point to buy it as soon as
possible and read it quickly, and so I was further drawn into and
captivated by all the ins and outs of the universe. Every character was
fully fleshed out, and all were amazingly detailed, even the ones I
didn't like; in short, I was completely immersed. And then, summer 2007
rolled around and the final book was finally released. Absolutely
chock-full of the wonderful world I had come to know and love, I read
the entire thing in one day. Every page brought more of the amazing
story to me, building up and turning and spinning and showing me the
amazing conclusion. And then that was it. The book was over. The
story was over. The end. I felt amazing, having experienced everything
that I did with those books, but at the same time, knowing I would
never read any further exploits from Harry and the gang filled me with a
great sadness. There would never be anything new in the story for me
to find out. There was nothing next. And that, that great happiness
and that terrible sadness, that is the endgame feeling.
I'm sure you know what I'm talking about now; as sure as I am that you've experienced it before.
Maybe you felt the endgame feeling after watching some great films. I
know I felt it when I first watched the Lord of the Rings Trilogy.
Maybe you felt it when you watched a great TV series. I know I felt it when LOST ended.
Maybe you felt it when you finished an incredible game. I know I felt it when I first finished Ocarina of Time.
But you know what I'm talking about now.
That feeling, that great and terrible feeling, is one of the most
amazing parts of a great experience. That's why you wish you could do
something again for the first time. To feel the endgame feeling and all
of the glory and sorrow it entails. Because it's never the same. I've
reread Harry Potter and rewatched the Lord of the Rings and replayed
Ocarina of Time, and it's never the same. Because once you feel it for
the first time, you'll never feel it the same way again.
