Stranger Things is a cultural powerhouse, with it's 80’s styling, brilliant writing and acting, and just the right amounts of horror and innocence… What's not to love? Since 2016 (exact same time the ETG podcast was born) we have been captivated by the Duffer brothers creation. Well, they have shared this little clip on an old-school TV and we cannot wait to see what happens next!
https://twitter.com/Stranger_Things/status/1676561572599156737?t=ySN_Y2gcdOY4MMsHf9XUSg&s=19
Jason O’Toole
Credit: Sony Interactive Entertainment
These are strange times we are currently living in. The typical conventions are being replaced with digital events to help us get hyped about the things we love. While Sony had made it clear they were not going to have a presence at this years E3, which was canceled due to the ongoing pandemic, they were definitely going to get us hyped with their own presentation regardless. On Thursday June 11th they did just that with an hour long reveal that showcased not only the hardware, which we’ll come back to in a minute, but also more than 20 games that are going to take all your money this holiday season and beyond. The lineup they showed off looked amazing. From old favorites returning like Spider-Man, Ratchet & Clank, Oddworld and Demon’s Soul’s to new IP’s like Project Athia, Bugsnax and Deathloop just to name a few. Sony also revealed that this console will actually release in 2 different forms, one with a disc drive and one that will be digital only. The digital console will likely be cheaper because it gets rid of the disc drive entirely. It seems like a good move as a good chunk of gaming consumers have started buying exclusively digital titles. I know many people whose entire collection is digital. It’s an interesting move that I think will pay off for them for them in the long run. While I may not like that physical media is dying, I am still a gamer and look forward to every minute of what the future holds. Check out the entire game and hardware presentation below and stay tuned as we will be highlighting specific games in the days to come. Leave us a comment letting us know which game or games you’re most excited about.
Stay Geeky!
Jason O’Toole
Credit: Lucasfilm
Today marks a yearly tradition that we call Star Wars day. The unprecedented situation we find ourselves in right now has put a damper on so many things we normally celebrate. But Disney is not letting that stop them from celebrating this May 4th. They have released several things to help all of us while we have to stay at home. They have also completely overhauled the Star Wars section of the Disney+ streaming service with new art and posters for the movies and shows they have on their site.
Star Wars: Rise of Skywalker
The Skywalker Saga is finally finished and Disney has decided to release it on Disney+ early in celebration of Star Wars day. This ending has been pretty divisive among fans, but all of these new movies have divided the fans. I personally don’t have any pre-conceived notions about what Star Wars should be. However you feel about the new movies, we can now watch the entire saga beginning to end in one place and celebrate all the good times and bad times across all nine films. For many people who have only got into this as a result of the new films now have a chance to experience all that this epic sci-fi fantasy has to offer. My father introduced me to Star Wars when I was a small child and one day I hope to share it with my own children. Happy Star Wars day.
Star Wars: The Clone Wars
The timing on this is beautiful because Lucasfilm has released the series finale to Star Wars: The Clone Wars today to celebrate May the 4th. I cannot say enough how much I think that Clone Wars is the best example of the prequel era of Star Wars history. It follows Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker during the war. I would say the main character of this story however is Ahsoka Tano, Anakin’s padawan. The character has become a fan favorite among fans and will be played by Rosario Dawson as she makes her jump to live action for season 2 of the Mandalorian. The story also gives us an up close and personal look at the clones, who in the movies are really just one dimensional. It is a fantastic show and while you have the time I would highly recommend checking it out. All 7 seasons are now available on Disney+.
Disney Gallery: The Mandalorian
I was very wary when Disney announced they were going to start making live action Star Wars television shows. How wrong I was because the first series The Mandalorian is excellent. To celebrate Star Wars day Disney has release a documentary about the making of the series. Jon Favreau and the people at Lucasfilm take us behind the scenes to give us a look at their process as they brought this beautiful series to life. The series is an amazing take on the mythology and just like the original trilogy feels very lived in and real. Pedro Pasqual does a fantastic job bringing to life a character that constantly keeps his face hidden from the viewer. The Mandalorian takes something very interesting about the mythology, the Mandalorian mantra, and fleshes it out a little more than I think we even expected them to. I would highly recommend this show and the documentary about it.
May The Fourth Be With You!
Jason O’Toole
Credit: Capcom / Playstation
Resident Evil 1, 2 & 3 / Playstation 1
I was organizing my Playstation game shelf the other night and an interesting thing occurred to me, my shelf looks very similar to what it was back in 1998. My collection in the late 90s consisted of games like Final Fantasy, Resident Evil, Metal Gear Solid, Spider-Man and Tomb Raider. This is strikingly similar to what my shelf looks like now and while some of these games are sequels, more often than not they are remakes. The FF7 remake and the RE2 and RE3 remakes are beautiful games that I would highly recommend. I never could have imagined that I would be playing the same games again in a whole new light. Let me say as well, this in not an indictment of remake culture as I love pretty much every remake I’ve played. This sparked an interesting conversation.
Resident Evil 2 & 3 Remake / Playstation 4
Their has been a lot of back and forth online about whether remake culture is hurting the gaming industry by selling us the same games we bought back in the day. I take the side that this is what is keeping the industry alive and thriving. This has given new and younger gamers a chance to experience some of the games that have helped shape the industry. These games defined their respective genres and had a special place for many of us. Often times these remakes offer deviations from the original story that give even old guys like me something new to experience. Also, when you look at the sales numbers it is clear we are all fine with buying these games again. With that being said I think that nostalgia will clearly keep us playing games for years to come. That’s not to say that developers will not continue to make new games that will also push the industry forward but they clearly have seen we want remakes as well.
In conclusion, I will continue to support the industry no matter what that means. Whether it is a Resident Evil remake or an evolution like Uncharted, which is basically Tomb Raider with a man. With the PS5 and XBOX Series X coming this winter it looks like these trends aren’t going anywhere anytime soon. Check out our review of the FF7 Remake here and stay tuned to ETG for all the latest from the nerd world.
Stay Geeky!
Jason O’Toole
Credit: Square Enix
After playing through the Final Fantasy 7 Remake for a fourth time I can easily say Square Enix has released a masterpiece of gaming. The first part of this multi part remake project takes you up to the end of the Midgar section. The game is breathtaking to say the least. The amount of extra content and characters really do make this feel like a complete gaming experience with a little leftover to set up the future installments. Some of the new characters are in a lot of ways more interesting than the main characters, cough Andrea Rhodeo cough. The original game came out way back in 1997, cue the obligatory “I’m getting old” statement, and revolutionized how we looked at the JRPG genre and Final Fantasy as a whole. How does the remake compare to something like that? The answer is simple, Square Enix have again, like we’ve come to expect from the company, revolutionized the industry. Let’s break down some of the elements that make this game stand out from its predecessor.
Story
Cloud and the Shinra Building
As I said in the title of this article this will be a spoiler free review so instead of talking details I would like to compare this remake to the original. I am happy to say that the major story elements follow almost beat for beat the story of the original. Exploring locations from the original that we are all very familiar with at this point feels new and exciting. Obviously the visual upgrade is the first thing to take note of but it’s interesting to me how even the mundane details feel new. The way the story weaves to its conclusion will leave you with a great sense of nostalgia, while still throwing in a surprise or two to keep you guessing. It is clear that Nomura and his team have a great respect for the source material but are not shy about changing it to fit within the larger narrative they are crafting. Bottom line is, this isn’t your daddy’s Final Fantasy 7 and that’s a good thing. I think it would be quite boring if the game was exactly as we remember. I’m excited by the ending and the possibilities it opens up and I think you will be too.
Combat
Cloud in Punisher Mode
We all remember issuing commands to our party as they stood in a single line against an enemy that does the same. Like some Revolutionary War battlefield, we would just stand facing each other until one force emerged as the victor. While that may have worked for RPG games in 1997, those same tactics cannot be applied to RPGs today. With the likes of Witcher, Mass Effect and Dragon Age changing how we view RPG games Final Fanatsy had no choice but to evolve as well. To that end I think they have succeeded in creating a game that will become a metric for how we judge other games from now on. The combat is fast paced and visceral while still retaining some of that classic flair. The ATB gauge is a meter that fills as you use your basic attacks or take damage. Once it is filled you can execute devastating physical attacks, cast magic or even use items. Each character has their own gauge to fill and you can speed that process along by taking direct control of the character, which is a blast to do by the way and necessary if your going to tackle the game on hard mode. Final Fantasy games have always been compared to anime and this remake lets you feel that like never before. The first time Cloud leaped into the air to attack a flying enemy made me feel like I was indeed in an anime world. The battles only serve to reinforce this by having the characters perform impossible feats that defy the laws of physics and gravity. As a modern take on an outdated combat system goes, this one takes the elements you remember and re-mixes them into something truly spectacular to behold.
Characters
Honeybee Inns own Andrea Rhodeo
“This is a onetime gig. When it’s done, we’re done.” These are the first words Cloud utters in the game and it was clear to me then that this is is indeed the character I remember. It only got better from there as Barrett is still the same loudmouth eco-terrorist you know and love. Tifa is still a loving old friend of Cloud who wonders if their is something more to their relationship. Aerith is still the lovable silly pacifist that she always was and Red XIII is still the stoic intelligent beast we all loved back in 1997. The Shinra employees are still convinced they can find the promised land and will do whatever they have to in pursuit of that goal. Sephiroth is still the former Soldier turned megalomaniac that wants to destroy the planet to please his mother Jenova. The main characters are still what you would expect them to be but it’s the new players that really make this game something truly special. They really make this world feel real and lived in. One who stood out to me the most was the owner / star of the Honeybee Inn, Andrea Rhodeo. He is a fantastic man who teaches us a lesson about gender fluidity that is more relevant now than it was way back when. Point is, there is a whole bunch of new and returning characters that have so much to offer in terms of fleshing out the world that it feels more different than I ever could have expected while still retaining the feel of the original.
In conclusion, play this game! It has enough content to feel like a complete package and offers players new and old a beautiful experience that is as relevant now as it was way back in 1997. I really can’t wait to see where Nomura and his team are headed.
Stay Geeky!
Jason O’Toole
Credit: Lucasfilm
Amazing news from Lucasfilm this week as they have cast Ahsoka Tano for the second season of The Mandalorian. The former apprentice turned outcast from Star Wars Clone Wars will be played by none other than Rosario Dawson. This report is especially great as it has long been rumored and wished for by the fans that Ahsoka would crossover into live action eventually. Based on the timeline that Mandalorian takes place in we will definitely be seeing adult Ahsoka. It will be interesting to see how the former Jedi will fit in with the more grounded spaghetti western style of the Mandalorian. Stay tuned to ETG for all the latest updates.
Stay Geeky!
Jason O’Toole
Credit: Capcom / IGN
We finally have a demo for the upcoming remake of Resident Evil 3 Nemesis. I have had my hands on time with it for a couple of days now and I have a few thoughts to share.
The Controls Are Perfect
If you’re like me then you have probably played the RE2 remake from last year quite a bit at this point. Now that I’ve got to play the next remake from Capcom, I will say that the controls are nearly identical. As soon as I was granted control of Jill I knew exactly what to do. The demo pauses to give quick tutorials but they are not necessary if you played RE2. The only change is the addition of the quick dodge that allows you to sidestep the enemies in the game, which was a core element from the original. This brings me to my next point.
The Quick Dodge Is Your Best Friend
Something that is constantly on your mind while playing a survival horror game is that you need to conserve ammo for the bigger moments such as boss fights or other monsters besides zombies. This often necessitates avoiding smaller enemies which the quick dodge will help with. It allows you to sidestep incoming attacks and if timed well will even slow down time temporarily to help you reorient yourself quickly or run away. I even tested it on the Nemesis during the encounter near the end of the demo. The fact that it works on him is good evidence that this mechanic will work on all the different enemy types in the final game. Which brings me to my final point.
The Nemesis Is Terrifying
Everyone remembers the panic they would feel when the booming footsteps of Mr. X would grow louder as he approached. He would slowly stalk you through the police station when he would hear you running or firing a gun. While this was chilling it was manageable. The Nemesis however plows at you like a freight train. He runs at full speed and can even jump around the map to cut off escape routes. It is absolutely shit your pants scary as he can kill you quickly if you react too slowly to his presence. I can’t wait to experience this mechanic in the full game. Resident Evil 3 Remake will release on April 3rd.
Stay Geeky!
Jason O’Toole
Credit: DC Entertainment
Way back in February of 2016, Justice League #50 and DC Rebirth #1 released and teased an interesting mystery for the Batman to solve. When Batman sat in the Mobius chair he asked 2 simple questions: Who really killed his parents, that answer was Joe Chill so no surprise there. The second was: What is the Joker’s true name, to that the chair simply answered, There are three. This mystery was set up and then seemingly forgotten about, until now that is. Batman: Three Jokers finally has a release date of June 17th. The book will be published under DC’s Black Label and will be written by Geoff Johns and illustrated by Jason Fabok. Check out the cover from Fabok below and leave us a comment with your thoughts. Also, stay tuned to ETG for all the latest updates.
Stay Geeky!
Jason O’Toole
Credit: Netflix
After the success of She-Ra Princess of Power, it was only a matter of time before a reboot of He-Man was in the works. The new cartoon, which will have Kevin Smith as its showrunner and executive producer, titled Masters of the Universe: Revelation will apparently feature some new faces as well as some well known characters from the original series.
The reboot has found its Skeletor as none other than the man himself Mark Hamill is set to voice the series main villain. Hamill is no stranger to playing menacing baddies as he has voiced the Joker for the original Batman animated series as well as Fire Lord Ozai on the much loved Avatar The Last Airbender. Rounding out the rest of the main cast is Chris Wood as He-Man / Prince Adam, Lena Heady as Evil-Lyn, Liam Cunningham as Man-At-Arms, Sarah Michelle Gellar as Teela and Kevin Conroy as Mer-Man.
Netflix has had great success recently with animated shows such as the final season of Bojack Horseman, Disenchantment, Big Mouth and the much anticipated return of Castlevania. After how well She-Ra has done, it seems obvious that He-Man will have the same success. With names like Kevin Smith and Mark Hamill on board how could it not. Stay with ETG for all the latest updates.
Stay Geeky!
Jason O’Toole
Credit: Lucasfilm
A day of big announcements from Lucasfilm. The Rise of Skywalker comes to Digital on March 17th and DVD / Blu-Ray on March 31st. It will close out the Skywalker saga. Lucasfilm has released a trailer as well as a list of the special features that will be included with the home video release.
The Skywalker Legacy – The story lives forever in this feature-length documentary that charts the making of Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker.
Pasaana Pursuit: Creating the Speeder Chase – Dive into the making of the movie’s epic landspeeder chase and discover how this spectacular sequence was brought to the screen.
Aliens in the Desert – See what it took to create the Pasaana desert scenes, from the sheer scale and complexity of the shoot to its colorful details.
D-O: Key to the Past – Explore the ship that connects Rey to the mystery of her missing parents and get to know the galaxy’s newest, irresistible droid.
Warwick & Son – Warwick Davis, who played Wicket in Star Wars: Return of the Jedi, dons the Ewok costume once more; this time joined by his son Harrison.
Cast of Creatures – The team behind the film’s memorable creatures reveal the puppetry, makeup, prosthetics and digital magic that bring them to life.
Along with this release we will also be getting the entire saga in a 4K blu-ray box set. This will mark the first time the original trilogy and the prequel trilogy will be released in 4K. This box set will release the same day as Rise of Skywalker and retail for $249.99. Both Items are currently available for pre-order.
Stay Geeky!
Jason O’Toole
Credit: DC Comics / Tom King
Art by David Finch
Tom King may have ended his run on Batman at #85, but his time with the caped crusader is far from over. We still have a maxi series entitled Batman / Catwoman and a story in the upcoming Catwoman 80th Anniversary special by King and artist Mikel Janin. Today, we got a tease for the latter with an image that King shared on Instagram. It would appear that even though Bruce and Selina have decided against marriage they have still been enjoying each others company….wink wink, as the image shows Selina to be heavily pregnant. What does this mean for the future of their relationship? Check out the image below and leave us a comment with your thoughts.
Baby On Board. Art by Mikel Janin
Stay Geeky!
Jason O’Toole
Credit: DC Entertainment
Back at the end of 2017, Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo capped off an amazing run of Batman books with the finale Dark Nights Metal. Well, here it is 2020 and they are doing it again, this time concluding a 39 issue run of Justice League as well as some ongoing Year of the Villain stories. The sequel will be Dark Nights Death Metal and looks to not only be poised to conclude Year of the Villain, but also serve as a sequel to Metal. This time around Snyder and Capullo are putting Wonder Woman front and center for this series. Perpetua, the mother of the multiverse, and the Batman who Laughs, who made his debut in Metal, will be the main villains of Death Metal. Snyder left Justice League #39 with a hell of a cliffhanger that Death Metal will be the conclusion of. Check out the cover gallery below as well as the solicitation for number one. Dark Nights Death Metal will hit comic shop shelves on May 15th.
Dark Nights: Death Metal #1
Written by SCOTT SNYDER
Art by GREG CAPULLO and JONATHAN GLAPION
Card stock foil cover by GREG CAPULLO and JONATHAN GLAPION
Batman variant cover by DAVID FINCH
Superman variant cover by FRANCESCO MATTINA
Wonder Woman variant cover by STANLEY “ARTGERM” LAU
1:100 variant cover by GREG CAPULLO and JONATHAN GLAPION
Black and white party variant cover by GREG CAPULLO and JONATHAN GLAPION
Get ready for the earth-shattering encore! The legendary team behind Dark Nights: Metal and Batman: Last Knight on Earth take center stage and reunite for one last tour.
When the Earth is enveloped by the Dark Multiverse, the Justice League is at the mercy of the Batman Who Laughs. Humanity struggles to survive in a hellish landscape twisted beyond recognition, while Batman, Wonder Woman, and Superman have all been separated and fight to survive. Unleash the beast and let the head banging begin!
In comic shops and online May 15th, 2020.
Stay Geeky!
Jason O’Toole
Credit: HBO
After two years of waiting, the final season of Game of Thrones has arrived. In light of this, we here at ETG thought it prudent to break down the highlights from each of the final six episodes of this monumental series. Through the years this series has made the fantasy genre more mainstream than anything since Lord of the Rings. It has been a fantastic journey with some great moments and some very sad ones. This conclusion will no doubt carry with it the most devastating emotional bombs the show has brought thus far. Beware of SPOILERS for the second episode of season eight of Game of Thrones. Stay tuned each week to ETG for all the highlights from this final season. Also, if you missed out on our breakdown of episode one you can check that out here.
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We open this episode immediately where we left things with the arrival of Jaime Lannister. He is being grilled by Daenerys about the murder of the Mad King and the fact that he is alone and not leading the army that Cersei promised. This seems strange because Dany is definitely aware that her father was a crazy person that needed to be stopped. She seems to be using this as an opportunity to assert her dominance as the future Queen of Westeros. Luckily for Jaime, Brienne is quick to jump to his defense claiming that he is an honorable man. She recounts their time together and relays that without him she would have been raped and most likely killed. Dany still does not seem convinced until Sansa claims that no one is more honorable and loyal than Brienne. If she vouches for Jaime than that should be good enough for anyone. Jaime claims that he promised to fight for the living and that is what he is here to do. The scene is a very tense moment of an otherwise calm episode as all involved prepare for the coming battle with the Night King.
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The greatest moment in this writer’s opinion comes when several characters gather to relax and unwind before the coming battle in the great hall. This gathering consists of people that at one time or another have tried to kill the Starks, yet here they all are about to put their lives on the line to defend Winterfell. We get to see Tyrion, Jaime, Brienne, Podrick, Davos and Tormund Giantsbane, who has the greatest moment in the episode recounting his tale of drinking giants milk to make him strong, gathered around the fire sharing drinks and stories. The conversation quickly turns to Brienne and how she never got to be a knight. She claims that is never something she needed until Jaime realizes that it doesn’t take a King to make a knight. Another knight is all it takes. He commands Brienne to step forward and kneel for her Knighthood. He commences with the ceremony and for the first time ever we see Brienne smile, which is extremely creepy. It is a beautiful moment and most likely the last happiness these characters will have. Ser Brienne will lead her troops into battle next week.
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One big highlight from this episode continues something set up last week as Jon finally reveals to Dany that he is a Targaryen and her nephew, which doesn’t seem to bother her as much as it should. Even though Jon has repeatedly stated that he doesn’t want to be a King, Dany seems worried that this revelation means her claim to the throne is weakened. The thing I really don’t understand about this scene is that it seems like this should be a good thing as both Jon and Dany are Targaryen and can be the future King and Queen of Westeros. This seems like a no brainer but Dany doesn’t take the news that way. We will have to wait until the dust settles to see how this plays out. We are also still unsure who the third dragon is. The dragon has three heads and rumors have been circulating for a while that Tyrion might be the third dragon. It would be amazing to see that his mistreatment at the hands of his family was not for nothing. I’m not quite sure I believe this rumor but we will all find out soon enough as Game of Thrones brings this epic tale to a close in the coming weeks.
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Oh, and a quick bonus one. Arya and Gendry have sex and I have to say that this made me all kinds of uncomfortable. I understand that this is a move that is done to humanize her a little bit but we have watched Maise Williams grow up before our eyes. It’s a beautiful scene and not near as explicit as other sex scenes the show has given us but it is still uncomfortable. The directors let Maise Williams decide how far she wanted to go which is a good thing because it could have been much worse. Everyone may very well die once the Night King arrives, so just like with other scenes in the episode everyone is going for broke. Stay with ETG every week for more on this final season of Game of Thrones.
Stay Geeky!
Jason O’Toole
Credit: HBO
After two years of waiting, the final season of Game of Thrones has arrived. In light of this, we here at ETG thought it prudent to break down the highlights from each of the final six episodes of this monumental series. Through the years this series has made the fantasy genre more mainstream than anything since Lord of the Rings. It has been a fantastic journey with some great moments and some very sad ones. This conclusion will no doubt carry with it the most devastating emotional bombs the show has brought thus far. Beware of SPOILERS for the first episode of season eight of Game of Thrones. Stay tuned each week to ETG for all the highlights from this final season.
Arya (Maisie Williams) & Jon’s (Kit Harrington) Emotional Reunion.
The first highlight from episode one is all the reunions. Everyone is arriving at Winterfell for the coming battle against the undead armies of the Night King. Jon first reunites with Bran, whom he hasn’t seen since he left home to join the Nights Watch. Bran has definitely grown up since then and now has a creepy vibe about him that seems to make Jon uneasy. We get to see Sansa reunite with Tyrion for the first time since the death of Joffrey. They have a catching up moment that really sells how much they have both changed since last seeing each other. Sansa is obviously in a bad position because of Jon’s actions renouncing his title as King in the North and thus she comes across as very dismissive of everyone, especially Tyrion. The most emotional reunion definitely has to be Jon and Arya. Their love for one another is on full display as they compare swords and catch up. For some reason, Arya seems unwilling to tell Jon of her adventures and the revenge she has taken on her families enemies. It leaves their reunion feeling a little awkward, but nonetheless a welcome one. Our final reunion of consequence comes right at the end of the episode when a hooded rider, revealed to be Jamie Lannister, comes face to face with Bran, whom he tried to kill way back in the first episode. Bran doesn’t seem to show any emotion at seeing the man who tried to murder him so long ago. We will have to wait until the next episode to see this reunion play out.
Jon (Kit Harrington) Riding Rhaegal.
My personal favorite moment from the episode has Jon claiming his birthright and learning to ride a dragon. He and Daenerys give us the most fan service moment of the episode as they take to the skies for some calm before the storm. The significance of this scene is not lost on fans as Jon rides Rhaegal, the dragon that is named after his true father Rhaegar Targaryen, more on that later. This scene provides the only comic relief we get, and will probably get all season, from the episode. Jon is obviously worried Rhaegal will not accept him and might even eat him. When he finally gets up he hilariously fumbles while trying to get control. Eventually, much to Danys surprise, he is able to gain control of the beast and begins to really let loose. Seeing the full grown dragons streak across the sky is absolutely breathtaking. We end the scene with a tender moment between Jon and Dany near a cave, Jon really like getting it on in caves, where Jon comments that horses are now ruined for him. This will likely be the only moment of peace these two will get until this war is over. Will Jon ride into battle on Rhaegal? We will have to wait until next week to find out.
Jon (Kit Harrington) Grapples With His True Heritage.
Finally, one of the moments we have all been waiting for happens at the close of the episode. Sam, after having just been emotionally devastated hearing his father and brother were put to death, is told by Bran that the time has come for Jon to learn the truth of his heritage. Sam feels the information would be better coming from his brother but Bran reassures Sam that Jon trusts him more than anyone. Sam finds Jon down in the family crypt honoring his “father” Ned. He reveals to Jon that he is not Ned’s son and indeed not a bastard. “You’re the true king: Aegon Targaryen, Sixth of His Name, Protector of the Realm, all of it.” Yes, it’s finally been revealed to Jon that his true parents are Rhaegar Targaryen and Lyanna Stark. This is information that book fans theorized for years. We are left wondering how Jon will react to this information, and how Dany will feel considering she is in a relationship with her nephew. This first episode does all the setup necessary to hit the gas starting with episode two. Stay with ETG over the next six weeks for all the highlights from the finale.
Bran (Issac Hempstead Wright) Stares Into Your Soul.
Oh, and a bonus one. It seems Bran’s whole job now is to sit in his wheelchair and stare creepily into the souls of all who walk the grounds of Winterfell. It’s almost comical every time the camera pans to Bran staring at whoever happens to be caught in his gaze. Here’s hoping he has a larger role in the coming episodes. We will find out next week on Game of Thrones.
Stay Geeky!
Jason O’Toole
Credit: Disney / Lucasfilm
In case you’ve been living under a rock and are unaware, Star Wars Celebration is going on this weekend in Chicago. The annual convention is your one stop shop for all things Star Wars. Here is the schedule of events for the weekend. Stay with ETG for all the latest updates.
Celebration Stage Schedule
Wintrust Arena
The Celebration Stage will shine with bright stars and original entertainment all weekend. Hosted by Celebration fan-favorite actor Warwick Davis, the Celebration Stage will present not-to-be-missed productions, intimate conversations, and live events that Star Wars fans will be sure to add to their Celebration weekend plans.
There’s not just a show on the Celebration Stage, but there’s a pre-show, too! DJ Elliott and Mark Daniel will get the stage rocking before every performance.
Thursday, April 11
No Stage Programing
Friday, April 12
11:00AM – 12:00PM
Star Wars: Episode IX
Live on the Celebration Stage; streamed to the Galaxy and Twin Suns Stages
With the culmination of the Star Wars saga arriving before the end of the year, the Star Wars: Episode IX panel is one you will definitely not want to miss! With Lucasfilm President Kathleen Kennedy and Star Wars: Episode IX director J.J. Abrams appearing onstage, you can count on plenty of surprises and special guests to keep your imagination buzzing for the rest of Celebration! Live on the Celebration Stage; streamed to the Galaxy and Twin Suns Stages.
1:30PM – 2:30PM
Vader Immortal: A Star Wars VR Series
Join ILMxLAB and Oculus for a sneak peek at the first Star Wars story series designed for virtual reality, Vader Immortal. Learn more about this immersive descent into Darth Vader’s fiery Mustafar fortress from the people behind its story, design, and technology.
4:00PM – 5:00PM
The Creatures, Droids & Aliens of Star Wars
Take a deep dive into the Pinewood Studios-based Star Wars creature shop, where Creative Supervisor Neal Scanlan and team designed and built every alien, beast and droid for this new era of Star Wars movies. Step-by-step, the process of crafting amazing creatures and droids will be explored, from design and sculpting to fabrication, animatronics, painting and puppeteering.
Saturday, April 13
11:00AM – 12:00PM
Bringing Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge to Life at Disney Parks
Discover new details and stories about Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge – the new, fully immersive lands coming to Disneyland Resort in summer 2019 and Walt Disney World Resort in fall 2019. Join team members from Walt Disney Imagineering and Lucasfilm as they share stories about what it takes to bring Star Wars to life and how visitors can live their very own Star Wars story. And, there might just be a few surprises, too!
1:30PM – 2:30PM
The Galaxy-Wide Premiere of Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order
Join the head of Respawn Entertainment, Vince Zampella, and Game Director, Stig Asmussen, along with many special guests, to be the first to learn about this holiday’s highly anticipated action-adventure game, Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order. Hear how Respawn and Lucasfilm collaborated on this original Star Wars story, following a young Padawan’s journey in the Dark Times following Order 66. And, of course, we’ll have a few surprises in store.
4:00PM – 5:00PM
Sisters of the Force, A Celebration of Women and Star Wars
Star Wars is full of powerful women, from its characters to its actors, its creators and executives to its fans! It takes countless stories and people to keep our beloved Star Wars universe thriving, and this panel will celebrate the role women play in making it all happen! Join moderator Ashley Eckstein and guests, Vanessa Marshall, Catherine Taber, Amy Ratcliffe and many others (including some surprises) for an incredibly inspiring, empowering and fun discussion!
Sunday, April 14
11:00AM – 12:00PM
The Mandalorian
Live on the Celebration Stage; streamed to the Galaxy and Twin Suns Stages
Learn about the perilous world of The Mandalorian with executive producer and writer Jon Favreau and executive producer and director Dave Filoni. Live on the Celebration Stage and presented simultaneously at the Galaxy and Twin Suns Stages.
1:30PM – 2:30PM
In Conversation with Alan Tudyk
Alan Tudyk, who played the unforgettably surly and defiant Imperial-turned-rebel droid hero K-2SO in Star Wars: Rogue One, joins the stage with host Warwick Davis to discuss his role in the fan-favorite stand-alone Star Wars film along with other memorable characters he’s portrayed throughout his career.
3:30PM – 4:30PM
Star Wars: The Clone Wars Sneak Peek
Live on the Celebration Stage; streamed to the Twin Suns Stage
Dave Filoni and special guests celebrate the return of Star Wars: The Clone Wars and share a sneak peek at what’s to come.
Monday, April 15
11:00AM – 12:00PM
Star Wars: The Phantom Menace 20th Anniversary Celebration
Live on the Celebration Stage; streamed to the Galaxy Stage
Every saga has a beginning. Join host Warwick Davis as we honor 20 years of Star Wars: The Phantom Menace! We’re turning the pages back with rare, behind-the-scenes content and special guests brought together to share their memories and insights into the film’s creation. Now this is celebrating!
1:30PM – 2:30PM
Short Stories with Warwick Davis
Buckle up and enjoy an unexpected and unpredictable retrospective into the prolific roles and career of the host of the Celebration Stage, and the record holder for the actor who has played the most Star Wars characters – Warwick Davis. Wicket, Wald, Weazel, Wollivan, Weeteef, Wodibin (are you detecting a pattern here?) and other Star Wars characters have all been masterfully played by Warwick, along with several characters from other popular movie franchises.
3:30PM – 4:30PM
Celebration Chicago Closing Ceremony
Live on the Celebration, Galaxy, and StarWars.com Stages
Gather with your friends and fellow Star Wars fans to relive the best moments of the weekend and bid farewell to the 20th anniversary of Star Wars Celebration. Featuring special guests, weekend highlights and much more, this is a send-off you won’t want to miss!
Star Wars Galaxy Stage
Skyline Ballroom E&D, Level 3 West Building
The Galaxy Stage is home to a wide variety of shows featuring the depth and breadth of the Star Wars universe. Catch conversations with the masters, celebrity appearances, and other legendary Star Wars entertainment. Enjoy the pre-show before each session, too. The Galaxy Stage is hosted by Celebration veteran David W. Collins.
Some programs on the Celebration Stage will be streamed to the Galaxy Stage. We clear the Galaxy Stage after every performance.
Thursday, April 11
No Stage Programing
Friday, April 12
11:00AM – 12:00PM
Star Wars: Episode IX
Live on the Celebration Stage; streamed to the Galaxy and Twin Suns Stages
With the culmination of the Star Wars saga arriving before the end of the year, the Star Wars: Episode IX panel is one you will definitely not want to miss! With Lucasfilm President Kathleen Kennedy and Star Wars: Episode IX director J.J. Abrams appearing onstage, you can count on plenty of surprises and special guests to keep your imagination buzzing for the rest of Celebration! Live on the Celebration Stage; streamed to the Galaxy and Twin Suns Stages.
1:30-2:30pm
20 years of the LEGO Star Wars Story – A Retrospective and Forward Look
Join LEGO and Lucasfilm in celebrating the 20th anniversary of LEGO Star Wars through a retrospective look into the rich history of the franchise as well as a dive into the current outlook. LEGO Star Wars marks the first time that the LEGO Group licensed a property and turned someone else’s story and characters into a build and play opportunity. Over the past 20 years, the partnership has evolved from traditional building sets into so much more as LEGO Star Wars continues to inspire play at all ages. This panel will take a journey through LEGO Star Wars consumer products, content/animation and video game evolution from the beginning into present day and a glimpse into the future.
3:30pm-4:30pm
The Music of Star Wars: The Phantom Menace with David Collins
Come celebrate the music of Star Wars: Episode 1 – The Phantom Menace as host David Collins explores the musical connections between the story and characters, breaking down both new and classic themes.
5:30-6:30pm
ILM Presents: Making Solo
Rob Bredow, Academy Award nominee and VFX Supervisor for Solo: A Star Wars Story will share his personal stories and photos in this exclusive behind-the-scenes talk. Get a sneak peek into his new photo book covering the film. Bring your filmmaking questions and learn how the Falcon made the Kessel Run in less than twelve parsecs.
Saturday, April 13
10:45AM – 11:45PM
Droids and Animatronic Creatures of Star Wars
Exploring your favorite droids and creatures from The Force Awakens, Rogue One, The Last Jedi and Solo. Join Matt Denton, Josh Lee and Lee Towersey as they discuss the challenges faced bringing complex droid and animatronic creatures to life, including behind the scenes stories of their work in demanding environments both in the studio and on location around the world.
12:45PM – 1:45PM
Star Wars Rebels Remembered
Star Wars Rebels may have ended but the Ghost Crew is far from forgotten! Dave Filoni and special guests take a look back at the show that deepened our knowledge of the Force, broke our hearts and always gave us hope. Full disclosure – we are not announcing a new series in this panel.
3:30PM – 4:30PM
Star Wars Cosplay Competition
Both veteran and amateur cosplayers alike will join the most exciting Cosplay Competition in the galaxy at Star Wars Celebration Chicago! It is more than just a competition – it’s a fun-filled celebration of the very best Star Wars cosplayers that want to share their talent, skill, and determination with the universe.
5:30PM – 6:30PM
A Star Wars Let’s Play
Love classic Star Wars games like Super Star Wars, Star Wars: Bounty Hunter, or Star Wars Racer Revenge? Hosted by David Collins, join Star Wars special guests as they play their favorite Star Wars classics all while having a great time and answering audience questions along the way.
Sunday, April 14
11:00AM – 12:00PM
The Mandalorian
Live on the Celebration Stage; streamed to the Galaxy and Twin Suns Stages
Learn about the perilous world of The Mandalorian with executive producer and writer Jon Favreau and executive producer and director Dave Filoni. Live on the Celebration Stage and presented simultaneously at the Galaxy and Twin Suns Stages.
1:15PM – 2:15PM
Doug Chiang: The Evolution of Star Wars Design – Designing Episode I
Episode I Design Director – and Lucasfilm’s VP and Executive Creative Director for Star Wars – Doug Chiang is joining the 20th anniversary celebration of The Phantom Menace with an in-depth look at the film’s conceptual designs. Doug will showcase rare artwork with insights into his creative process and share memories of working alongside director George Lucas. Attendees will also have the chance to ask Doug their own questions.
3:15PM – 4:15PM
ILM Model Shop: Building a Galaxy
Get a behind-the-scenes peek at the magic created in the legendary ILM Model Shop, which was one of the first departments created at ILM in 1975. You’ll learn how model-making is still a vital part of the Star Wars movie-making process, with special highlights to celebrate the 20th anniversary of The Phantom Menace.
Monday, April 15
11:00AM – 12:00PM
Star Wars: The Phantom Menace 20th Anniversary Celebration
Live on the Celebration Stage; streamed to the Galaxy Stage
Every saga has a beginning. Join host Warwick Davis as we honor 20 years of Star Wars: The Phantom Menace! We’re turning the pages back with rare behind-the-scenes content and special guests brought together to share their memories and insight into the film’s creation. Now this is celebrating!
1:30PM – 2:50PM
Star Wars Resistance Season Two Sneak Peek
Join Star Wars Resistance Executive Producers Justin Ridge, Athena Portillo, Brandon Auman and special guests for a look back at the shocking season one finale and an exclusive preview of what’s to come!
3:30PM – 4:30PM
Celebration Chicago Closing Ceremony
Live on the Celebration and Galaxy Stages
Gather with your friends and fellow Star Wars fans to relive the best moments of the weekend and bid farewell to the 20th anniversary of Star Wars Celebration. Featuring special guests, weekend highlights and much more, this is a send-off you won’t want to miss!
Twin Suns Stage
W196ABC, Level 1 West Building
Celebration’s Twin Suns stage covers the ins and outs of what goes into creating the Star Wars universe, hosting guests who make it happen for the movies, television, toys, books, comics and more. Returning for her third Celebration hosting gig, but certainly not just her third Celebration, is Star Wars expert and host Amy Ratcliffe.
Thursday, April 11
No Programing
Friday, April 12
11:00AM – 12:00PM
Star Wars: Episode IX
Live on the Celebration Stage; streamed to the Galaxy and Twin Suns Stages
With the culmination of the Star Wars Saga arriving before the end of the year, the Star Wars: Episode IX panel is one you will definitely not want to miss! With Lucasfilm President Kathleen Kennedy and Star Wars: Episode IX director J.J. Abrams appearing on stage, you can count on plenty of surprises and special guests to keep your imagination buzzing for the rest of Celebration! Live on the Celebration Stage; streamed to the Galaxy and Twin Suns Stages.
1:15 PM – 2:30 PM
Star Wars Collectibles Update with Lucasfilm’s Brian Merten
The things we collect and bring into our lives really do show our affinity for the story we love.
Come celebrate with us and find out what’s happening first hand with your favorite Star Wars collectibles. We’ll chat about Prop Replicas, statues and more, probably with a surprise or two along the way.
3:00PM – 4:00PM
Star Wars Hasbro
Join members of the Hasbro team from a galaxy far, far away as they discuss the popular Hasbro Star Wars product line. Attendees will get an in-depth look at Hasbro’s latest action figure offerings & more. No, this is not a trap!
4:45PM – 5:45PM
Lucasfilm Publishing Panel
Join some of the biggest and best Star Wars authors to discuss new and upcoming stories set in a galaxy far, far away. Plus, get exclusive sneak peeks and announcements into the future of Star Wars publishing. Featuring Jeffrey Brown, Zoraida Córdova, Delilah Dawson, Claudia Gray, Justina Ireland, E.K. Johnston, Cavan Scott, Timothy Zahn, and more! Moderated by Lucasfilm’s Michael Siglain
6:30PM – 7:30PM
I’ll Take Droids for $500, Obi-Wan: An Intergalactic Game Show
We are inviting fans to test their Star Wars knowledge, competing head-to-head with their favorite Star Wars authors in categories like “Never tell me the odds”, “Going Solo”, “A Long Time Ago” and “Far, Far Away” and more, using audio clips from Star Wars audiobooks. Hosted by Marc Thompson. Prizes awarded!
Saturday, April 13
11:00AM – 12:00PM
Inside Fantasy Flight Games
Go behind the scenes with Fantasy Flight Games, creators of the world’s premier Star Wars board games, card games, collectible games, miniatures games, and roleplaying games! Here, you’ll get the chance to ask your own questions for Head of Studio Andrew Navaro, Visual Creative Director Brian Schomburg, Miniatures Game Manager John Shaffer, and Producer Molly Glover. You’ll also catch a glimpse of what FFG has planned next for X-Wing!
12:45PM – 1:45PM
Del Rey Behind the Scenes
Del Rey has been publishing Star Wars books since 1976. Find out what we have in the works for 2019 and beyond. Join authors Claudia Gray (Master & Apprentice; Bloodline), Timothy Zahn (The Thrawn Trilogy), Alexander Freed (Alphabet Squadron; Twilight Company), and Delilah S. Dawson (Black Spire; Phasma) as they discuss current projects and preview other books to come.
2:30PM – 3:30PM
Marvel Comics Presents: Star Wars
Join Marvel Comics writers Greg Pak (Star Wars: Age of Rebellion) and Ethan Sacks (Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge) and a host of other Mighty Marvel Guests in this can’t-miss panel! Greg Pak’s Age of Rebellion series spotlights the fan-favorites of the classic trilogy, while Sacks’ Galaxy’s Edge is the riveting comic series tie-in to the highly-anticipated theme park! Don’t miss your chance to get a behind-the-scenes look at the House of Ideas’ parsec of the Galaxy Far, Far Away – including a glimpse of what’s to come!
4:15PM – 5:15PM
Step Into Our Star Wars Stories: ILMxLAB
From your Jedi Trials on Tatooine, to a visit to Darth Vader’s mysterious Mustafar abode, and beyond, ILMxLAB is taking Star Wars fans on multiple journeys to a galaxy far, far away…. Join us as we explore those adventures with some of the people who brought them to life and give away a few items that bring the Force home!
5:45PM – 6:45PM
Star Wars: The Force of Funko
Come meet the crew responsible for bringing the greatest story in the galaxy to the world of POP!, Mystery Minis, Wacky Wobblers and more. Hear the stories behind their own deeply personal connections with “a galaxy far, far Away” and how they channel that passion into constantly growing, ever-evolving Star Wars expressions. From their life-long dreams to a literal dream come true, the story of Star Wars and Funko is one built from the hearts of true-blue fans.
Sunday, April 14
11:00AM – 12:00PM
The Mandalorian
Live on the Celebration Stage; streamed to the Galaxy and Twin Suns Stages
Learn about the perilous world of The Mandalorian with executive producer and writer Jon Favreau and executive producer and director Dave Filoni. Live on the Celebration Stage and presented simultaneously at the Galaxy and Twin Suns Stages.
1:00PM – 2:00PM
Behind the Scenes of the Cantina
Go behind the scenes like never before as cantina expert and FX artist Tom Spina (Regal Robot, Tom Spina Designs) and stage host Amy Ratcliffe once again dive into the most wretched hive of scum and villainy with rare behind the scenes images, video and stories from geniuses who helped create everyone’s favorite Tatooine hang out!
3:30PM – 4:30PM
Star Wars: The Clone Wars Sneak Peek
Live on the Celebration Stage; streamed to the Twin Suns Stage
Dave Filoni and special guests celebrate the return of Star Wars: The Clone Wars and share a sneak peek at what’s to come.
5:30PM – 6:30PM
Into the Archives
Author Paul Duncan takes you into the Lucasfilm archives to show you how he researched and assembled images and texts for his book The Star Wars Archives: Episodes IV-VI, published by TASCHEN. Illustrated with concept art, storyboards, photos, script and production documents from Episodes IV, V and VI, Duncan will explain the working processes of both the main unit and ILM. The talk will include ideas that never made it into the book, including the timeline of Boba Fett’s creation. This is a unique opportunity to see previously unpublished materials. To quote Paul Duncan, “I cannot take people into the archives, so I want to bring the archives to them.”
Monday, April 15
10:30AM – 11:30AM
Lucasfilm Publishing: Writers Roundtable
Join all-star Star Wars authors Claudia Gray (Master & Apprentice; Bloodline), Justina Ireland (Lando’s Luck), Daniel José Older (Last Shot), Cavan Scott (Tales from Vader’s Castle, The Choose Your Destiny series), and Charles Soule (Darth Vader: Dark Lord of the Sith, Poe Dameron) as they discuss their approach, process, and reception to writing stories set in a galaxy far, far away. Plus, get some exclusive news into future Star Wars publishing! Moderated by Lucasfilm’s Michael Siglain.
12:15PM – 1:15PM
Star Wars Celebration Tattoo Competition
The Star Wars Tattoo Competition at Celebration is where fans who have Star Wars tattoos (some just having gotten them at Celebration Chicago!) will show off their ink. Presented by Marc Draven (Ink Fusion Empire), the competition will feature these categories: small/medium color, large color, small/medium black and grey, large black and grey and tattoo of the weekend, with awards created exclusively for Star Wars Celebration.
2:00PM – 3:00PM
Check the Celebration Show App for Updates!
3:45PM – 4:45PM
IDW Publishing: The Adventures Continue!
From Forces of Destiny to Tales from Vader’s Castle and beyond, IDW’s line of Star Wars kids comics continue to delight readers of all ages and walks of life. Come hear from the writers and artists of your favorite Star Wars Adventures tales—including Nick Brokenshire, Delilah Dawson, Tony Fleecs, Michael Moreci, and Cavan Scott. Then stay for the best Q&A of Celebration, since every question is open only to non-adults! Plus, prizes for all kids in attendance!
Stay Geeky!
Jason O’Toole
Credit: DC Entertainment
Art by Greg Capullo
Since the end of Dark Nights: Metal, the Batman Who Laughs has been lurking at the edges of the DC universe waiting for his chance to strike. He first resurfaced in Scott Snyder’s Justice League comic, locked up by Lex Luthor in the basement of the Legion of Doom headquarters. He is now starring in a mini-series also written by Snyder with art by Jock. The last time these two teamed up was to tell the excellent Detective Comics story Black Mirror prior to the New 52 relaunch. Having read the first half of the six issue series, a question has come to my mind. Should the Batman Who Laughs replace the Joker as the arch nemesis of the Batman? If these first three issues are any indication, I would say definitely yes.
Let me start out by making one thing perfectly clear, I love the Joker. This is not an indictment of the laughing maniac. He is and has been a perfect foil to the Batman for nearly 80 years. The Batman Who Laughs represents what is arguably the darkest version of the character that we as fans have ever seen. He is a version of Batman who, when pushed to the absolute extreme, murdered the Joker. In this moment a toxin was released that slowly started turning Batman into the Joker. What we are left with is a man who has the drive and fighting ability of Bruce with the moral compass and psychosis of the Joker. Snyder inadvertently created a perfect replacement for the creepy clown, a creepier clown. A version of Batman that absolutely embodies his deepest fears. How do you take down a hero whose power is using fear and terror as weapons against his foes? You take that power away.
Art by Jock
Batman’s greatest weapon is fear. “Criminals are a cowardly and superstitious lot, so my disguise must be able to strike terror into their hearts. I must be a creature of the night, dark and terrible. Yes Father, I shall become a bat.” With these words an icon was born. The first half of the Batman Who Laughs mini-series shows us our hero as we’ve never seen him before, desperate and afraid. This evolution has led to some amazing new avenues for Batman storytelling. For the last 40 years or so the relationship between the Bat and his greatest villain has remained relatively unchanged. The introduction of this new dynamic has forever changed how we will look at a character like the Joker. In a way, the publisher has made the character less threatening, even going so far as to have the Bat team up with the Clown to defeat the Batman Who Laughs at the end of Dark Nights Metal. This new villain embodies more than ever the statement that has been etched into the minds of readers of these comics for years, “The Batman always wins.” We will see if the response to the character is enough to convince DC Comics to keep him around. The Batman Who Laughs 1-3 are now available from DC Comics, as well as a one shot about his sidekick, the Grim Knight.
Stay Geeky!
Jason O’Toole
Credit: Marvel Entertainment
After many months of waiting and many, many incorrect guesses as to when it would debut, Marvel Studios has finally released a trailer for Avengers Endgame. While the trailer doesn’t give away many details, there are definitely some things to pour over and some new theories to discuss. Before we start though I would just like to vent my frustration at the fact the Russo brothers lied to us regarding the title. They explicitly stated in several interviews that the title was not spoken aloud in Infinity War. I would just like to say that I’m fine with studios keeping things a secret, but straight up lying is something Hollywood need to stop doing to the fans. With that out of the way, let’s dive in to this new trailer and see what we can figure out about Endgame.
The trailer opens with Tony alone adrift in space leaving a final message for Pepper. Having run out of food and the oxygen supply dwindling, Tony has reserved himself to death. It’s a devastatingly sad opening that definitely brought this fan to tears. Questions arise from this opening, like how is it possible that between Stark and Nebula, they could not repair a craft well enough to get them safely back to Earth? Is Nebula even on board the Milano, or did she rush off to get her revenge on Thanos? Who will rescue Tony before his oxygen runs out? My thoughts immediately go to Captain Marvel. Heading to Earth puts her on the same trajectory as Stark. I think it’s safe to assume Tony will not die alone in space. Somehow, he will get his reunion with the surviving Avengers, and get a chance at revenge. However, we will have to wait until April to find out. I personally can’t wait to find out.
After the downer of an opening, we cut to the peaceful and content planet Thanos seems to be retiring on. We see a shot of his old armor re-purposed as some kind of scarecrow. This pays homage to the 1991 Infinity Gauntlet comic, which inspired some of the events of Infinity War. In the story, Thanos retires after completing his mission and becomes a simple farmer. It also seems as though he is still wearing the broken Infinity Gauntlet from the end of the last film. We still do not know what planet he is on or what his motives are now that he has wiped out half the life in the universe. Clearly, whatever plan the Avengers have in store will most likely cause Thanos to cut his retirement short. With Thor able to now travel freely anywhere thanks to Stormbreaker, the question becomes how will they know which planet the Mad Titan is on? My thought is that Nebula’s role in the movie will be tracking down Thanos. We’ve seen her team up with the Guardians, it would be great to see her team up with the Avengers as well. They all have plenty of motive for revenge.
After some quick shots of Cap and Widow discussing the devastation of the snap, we cut to what is possibly the most emotional moment in this new trailer, the arrival of Hawkeye. He is now in the guise of Ronin, a persona he took on in the comics following his death and resurrection. It is pretty clear from the sadness in his eyes that all of his family was likely wiped out in the snap. Clint didn’t have a family in the regular Marvel universe, but he did in the Ultimate universe. It was a dark time for Clint when his thoughts turned to suicide and he began pushing himself farther than he could handle. It is clear the movie is drawing inspiration from both of these versions to build their own version of Hawkeye. He seems to have ditched the bow and arrows and is now wielding swords instead. He is surrounded by several dead men that he has apparently just killed. The big question is why is he killing? If his goal is to find out what happened when his family turned to dust, he appears to be going about it in an extreme way. The two characters that were left out of Infinity War, Hawkeye and Ant-Man, are apparently going to get their time to shine. Speaking of Ant-Man…
The trailer ends on what is the only moment of hope to be found at all in this teaser. The arrival of Scott and his quantum tunnel van definitely seems to lift the spirits of Cap and Widow. How did he get out of the quantum realm? Has he figured out how to us it to time travel? We have until April before we will know for sure. It is likely we will get more details and a proper theatrical trailer in the coming months. Stay with Entertain the Geeky for all the latest updates.
Avengers Endgame hits theaters on April 26th, 2019
Jason O’Toole
Credit: Marvel Entertainment
A new Captain Marvel trailer has dropped and with it comes a whole bunch of new theories and speculation. The trailer is fantastic and shows off some great new footage of Carol in action. With Kevin Feige calling the film “a different kind of origin story”, it will be interesting to see how this differs from all the other origins we’ve seen from Marvel. Let’s take a look at some of the moments from the trailer to try to understand just what we’re in store for this March. Captain Marvel stars Brie Larson as Carol Danvers/Captain Marvel, Jude Law as Yon-Rogg, Ben Mendelsohn as Talos, Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury, Lee Pace as Ronan, Djimon Hounsou as Korath and Clark Gregg as Agent Phil Coulson. It is directed by Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck and rockets into theaters March 8th, 2019.
Click to Enlarge
We get a better look at the Kree super team Starforce and our first look at their homeworld Hala. Starforce is a Kree intergalactic strike force formed to protect Hala and the rest of the Kree empire. They are commanded by the Kree Supreme Intelligence, which we’ll come back to in a bit. The Kree-Skrull war seems to play an integral part of the plot of this origin. How exactly they end up going to war still remains a mystery, but it does seem like the Kree might not be completely altruistic in this conflict. Hala looks fantastic and proves once again that Marvel are great at bringing these iconic locations from the comic to life. The technologically advanced society immediately calls to mind Wakanda without the tribal architecture. I look forward to once again being impressed by a new alien world to add to the already great galactic side of the MCU that the Guardians movies have set up.
Click to Enlarge
A new detail has emerged in the form of Annette Bening’s character, whom many believe to be the Kree Supreme Intelligence. In the comics the Supreme Intelligence was a giant floating blue head in a jar, seriously look it up. In all reality a change is necessary and they couldn’t have found a better actress than Bening. She explains to Carol that they saved her life and infused her with Kree blood to give her power and extend said life, not unlike what happened to bring Coulson back in Agents of SHIELD. We also get a closer look at Ben Mendelsohn’s character Talos, the leader of the Skrulls. They have clearly infiltrated SHIELD in much the same way HYDRA did. The trailer implies that Nick Fury is not yet director and maybe Talos might be higher up as he appears to be chasing Fury and Carol. Marvel has done an amazing job bringing the Skrulls to life and it seems the war will have just as much punch on the big screen as it did on the comic page.
In the final moments of the trailer we finally get to see Carol flying and fighting in space without a ship. This may not seem significant but way back when Guardians of the Galaxy came out I was a bit disappointed that the Nova Corps were flying around in ships instead of just flying like they do in the comics. I was starting to get worried that this would happen to Carol as well. Fortunately, this new trailer has alleviated this concern as she destroys a fleet orbiting Earth. The sequence of shots is amazing and I can’t wait to see it on the big screen. Just like Black Panther, this movie looks like it will shatter records and bring us a great new chapter in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Leave us comment below with your thoughts.
Stay Geeky!
Alright... Welcome back everyone. I hope you took the moment to check out the Global Frequency Pilot from the last article. Since I'm a little crunched for time this time around I thought I would share some little bits of everything that I interact with on basically a daily basis. Not my EDC, no one wants to hear about a backpack full of pens and a beaten down Chromebook... though it is a very nice backpack. No, I'm talking about my YouTube subscriptions.
I'm going to try to leave some stuff out (Not everyone would like to watch as much of of the daily news as I do) and save some of the deeper discussions for other future articles.
I basically watch YouTube almost exclusively on my phone. I will occasionally wander on to the site when I am using my computer but mostly my phone is how I interact with YouTube (Just in case anyone was wondering I have been an Android user since my first smartphone and currently use the Essential PH-1). When I turn to YouTube it's mostly to engage with something that I will find entertaining or informative. So I've broken things down by category below and I'll include a playlist of some fun videos from each category at the bottom so you guys can check some new stuff out.
Entertainment: When I look to be entertained by YouTube I'm often looking to be able to look into the lives of others or see videos of people doing the things that they are great at. Other times I want to hear about things that are new in the world of gaming or pop culture. But also, especially, music. Some channels that are in regular rotation for me are: WhatCulture, Pretty Good Gaming, Peter McKinnon, Jack Coyne, Dan Mace, Casey Neistat, NPR Music
News: When I am looking to see news from outside of the network news outlets I often look for something that is either going to look to be informative first and opinionated second or, at times, something that has a little more of a long form feel. That's why I love Philip DeFranco. His videos every weekday keep me up on important developing news items and provide opinions that are not always my own. It's nice to challenge your views from time to time. Other times I look to Vice New, which is helpful on a variety of fronts but often gives me that kind of longer form looks at a topic that I like. I enjoy getting to spend a half hour or so looking into one thing rather than just pinballing from one topic to the next.
Tech: I love Tech review channels. There are a lot of them out there and they look to cover different topics often but PCs and Telephones are pretty much my go to tech topics. Given that I would highly recommend these channels to make sure that you are well informed about the next phone you're going to buy or the next time you're going to need to build a computer: UrAvgConsumer, Unbox Therapy, MKBHD, Linus Tech Tips.
Food: Much of what I watch on YouTube is actually food related. I'm foodie and a fat guy... what did you expect. The following channels offer great looks at great foods and while I might not ever make it to some of these restaurants it's nice to know that they're out there and that I might be able to visit them someday. Check out these to get your salivary glands going: First We Feast, Burger Gang TV, Binging with Babish, Sous Vide Everything, Strictly Dumpling, Thrillist.
Games: When I'm looking to think about the games that I play the most often (5th Edition D&D and Magic The Gathering) these are the channels that I tend to check out first. Matthew Colville, Rhystic Studies (Especially great for looking at a game from a perspective you never thought you'd see things through), Tolarian Community College.
Inspiration: And finally these channels sort of defy categorization. The first, GaryVee, could very easily fall into the first category but what I look to this channel for the most often is to see how I might start doing my job (as the manager of a comic & game store) better. And the second, Lessons from the Screenplay, helps me learn how to do something that I'd like to one day call my profession, writing, better.
So, what do you watch on YouTube? Let me know. I'm always up for trying something new. This article is a little shorter than my normal missives from the realms of everything but I kind of think that in this particular situation that videos might speak louder than words. Check out some great selections from the channels listed above in the playlist embedded below! And until next time... Keep being.
