It’s been a very long road, cross mountains and through forests and even into the land of Mordor and the domain of a fire-breathing dragon who humbly called himself “Death,” but the cinematic trek into the lands of Middle-earth, at least those done by Peter Jackson and company are coming to an end this December in The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies, which puts a capper on six films and 16 years (with a break in the middle) of production on Tolkien movies. That’s a damn hefty chunk of time. Some of us were only 14 when the whole thing began, and also weren’t involved in the production at all. Me is who I’m talking about.

To end the final film, which the trailer claims is “the defining chapter” of the whole thing, they couldn’t leave it to just anyone to do the end credits song; they had to give it to someone in the family, and someone whose vocal flourishes are well documented, as is his ability to wear fake feet and shoot forced-perspective shots. It’s Billy Boyd, of course, the actor who played Peregrin “Pippin” Took in The Lord of the Rings Trilogy and who sang in the third of those films a really lovely tune that he composed himself, which Jackson later used in the teaser for Armies.

The new song, “The Last Goodbye,” was written by Boyd, Jackson, Fran Walsh, and Philippa Boyens and, as it says, is more than just an ending to the last Hobbit movie, but a final goodbye to this cinematic world. And it’s a sad one, for sure.

Entertainment Weekly had an exclusive music video of the song, as well as an interview with Boyd about it: “The Lord of the Rings films were such a special time for me in many ways—working with Pete, Fran and Philippa, being in New Zealand, being part of Professor Tolkien’s work or even just the incredible friends I made,” says Boyd. “And being asked to go back to that, to work in that wonderful fantasy world again and to be singing the song that says goodbye to Middle-earth for everyone involved and the fans who took this beautiful journey with us is truly a great, great honor.”

Enjoy the video, complete with clips from all 6 films and behind-the-scenes footage, and get your hankies ready.