Starting at about 1:30, can we talk about this scene?
I have feels. So many feels regarding this scene.
There are no words between the parents but this scene is my favourite from the movie because it tears my heart out.
The way the queen wipes the king away. Their expressions. The pain in their face. That short dialogueless scene so clearly showed how much pain they felt. Every year, they sent the lanterns out but they don't know how much longer they could do this. They're losing hope and they know that they've missed their precious baby's entire childhood.
They don't know if she's alive. They don't know if she'll ever see the lanterns and find her way home. They don't know if she'll even want to return home if she does.
But they still send the lantern without a single word because no words could properly convey how they feel. The kingdom releases the lanterns and the city lights up and maybe seeing all those lights the little flame of hope within them gains some more strength.
They're the king and queen of a vast land. They have all the wealth and all the power, but they can not bring their child home. They see all the lights and wonder how many of their people know their pain. How many of them have lost their child like they have? They have so much power and yet they are powerless in this situation.
Maybe, they think as they look at the lanterns, they'll finally find out what happened. Maybe she'll come home. Maybe they'll find closure.
This scene, this heartbreaking scene....