Although the ceremony had other highlights, this year’s MTV Video Music Awards were all about Britney Spears coming back as a sobered-up-back-on-her-track artist. Not only was everyone talking about her appearance, but MTV as well promoted the event as a mise en scène for her grand comeback. Brit had a smiling appearance on the VMA promos starring British comedian Russell Brand, the show’s host, and an elephant in the room that no one seemed to notice.

The night of the actual show everyone was curious how she would surprise us this time, considering last year’s performance was a complete disaster and made her sink even lower in tabloid hell, as well as all the other shows she put on during the years, including the striptease, the dancing with a snake on her shoulders and the kissing of Madonna and long-time rival Christina Aguilera.

So Britney gave the world the biggest surprise of them all: she was nice, she had a bright innocent smile on her face, she didn’t take off any of her clothing and looked really healthy and happy. She didn’t even perform, but she kept the whole audience electrified in her presence. The fact that she has been through so many ups, but mostly downs in the last few years and that she managed to leave all those things aside made her look like a hero.

And a hero she was, as, after 16 nominations she received at the VMAs since she first came out, this was the first time she actually won an award. Britney took home three Moonmen, including the most important trophy, Video of he Year Award for “Piece of Me.”