We don't even really know how else to say this than to just jump right and state our claim: "Wide Awake" may literally be Katy Perry's best video to date. And if you knew how intensely we bawled during the car crash scene in "The One That Got Away" you'd realize that fully comprehend the gravity of that statement.

Watch Katy Perry's "Wide Awake" video after the jump. 

As we all know, "Wide Awake" was written for Katy's forthcoming "Part Of Me 3-D" film, and it's an emotional, gut-wrenching ballad that speaks to Katy's life and love. And unsurprisingly, Katy's "Wide Awake" video is equally as moving. After a flashback scene, the video begins with with a goth Katy, who seems to be lost and confused in a labyrinth. Holding only a dim light, Katy stumbles upon the forbidden fruit (a strawberry, obviously -- remember her strawberry motif from her early days?), and once she takes a bite, everything goes to crap. Somewhere along the way, Katy meets a little girl who we later learn is a version of her younger self. The two travel through magical worlds, get trapped in a hall of mirrors, bust their way out of a psych ward (which we see as Katy bouncing back from her darkest moments), and end up in a lovely magical garden. There's also a very telling scene that's clearly a reference to her divorce from Russell Brand where Katy punches the bejesus out of a knight in shining armor when she realizes he is crossing his fingers behind his back. False promises, yo! Not at all cool. (Also, we doubt Katy condones violence -- the TKO is probably just a METAPHOR, so chill.) Towards the end of the coming-of-age video, Katy emerges alone, but she's victorious, standing strong, and ready to take on her true calling: Her role as a performer. (In fact, we even started to hear "Eye Of The Tiger" just thinking about the kind of ass Katy is capable of kicking now.)

In sum, a beautiful, well-thought out video and the perfect way for Katy to conclude her Teenage Dream era. Oh, and the punching. 'Cause that was kinda cool.

+ Watch Katy Perry's "Wide Awake" video, and watch her exclusive "MTV First: Katy Perry" interview.