It didn't have to be this way. Justin Timberlake could have capped his comeback year with a final single from the year's top-selling album, The 20/20 Experience—perhaps the breezy "That Girl"—before heading out on an upcoming victory-lap arena tour. He could have left us with images of a dignified pop star, as seen in David Fincher's flawless "Suit & Tie" video, or the beguiling second half of the visual for "Mirrors", where he offers graceful steps inside of a mysterious, reflecting maze. He could have simply coveted the unlikely staying power of "Mirrors", a smash that manages to deliver broad messages of fidelity, selflessness, and co-dependence while being intimate, addictive, and touching (and eight minutes long). He could have basked in his marathon hit parade at the VMA's; while it wasn't the show's most talked-about performance, it solidified the 32-year-old's position in the pop firmament—somewhere high above the blog-churning din, peering down on the foam hands, Beetlejuice suits, and oversized stuffed animals with a wry chuckle. He could have left us wanting more. He didn't.
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