The dragons of George R.R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire are as curious as they are magical. No one really knows how those mystical, highly intelligent creatures came into the world. Each one also has its own unique personality, yet also shares a special bond with its rider. Some believe Game of Thrones and House of the Dragon‘s dragons can change their gender whenever they like. It’s impossible to even identify a she-dragon until it lays eggs. And no one understands exactly why those beasts called “fire made flesh” allow certain people to claim them and not others. But while episode six of House of the Dragon‘s second season explored established dragon lore with Ser Steffon Darklyn’s fatal attempt to become a dragonlord, the series also created its own with the Vale’s wild dragon and Seasmoke’s search for Addam of Hull.

The Dragon Seasmoke Rejects Ser Steffon Darklyn in House of the Dragon

The one (almost*) unquestioned rule for dragonriders in the lore of George R.R. Martin’s fantasy world is that they must have at least some blood of Old Valyria. The dragonlords of the former Valyrian Freehold were the only dragonlords in the world. In Westeros, that means someone must have ancestry with either House Targaryen or House Velaryon (even though Velaryons were not dragonriders).

(*One character’s uncertain birth is the only possible example of this not being true. We’ll get to that in the next section.)

Prince Jacaerys thought that rule might have simply been ahistorical propaganda meant to “gild” Valyrians. His mother still took the matter of blood seriously enough to search for forgotten relatives in old scrolls. On House of the Dragon, Rhaenyra believes even someone with “thin” Valyrian blood was more likely to successfully claim a dragon than someone without any. Especially since unquestioned family members can’t always become dragonriders, like Daemon’s daughter Rhaena. Aemond couldn’t successfully bond with a dragon either in House of the Dragon‘s world until he claimed the biggest one in the world, Vhagar.

On House of the Dragon‘s sixth episode, Rhaenyra asked the Lord Commander of her Queensguard, Ser Steffon, if he’d be willing to try to claim a dragon because his grandmother’s grandmother was a Targaryen. She reminded him to try and claim a dragon was to risk death itself, but he was honored by her even asking. Like many in Westeros, he views dragons as gods.

Seasmoke did not care about Ser Steffon’s thin Valyrian blood, commitment to Rhaenyra, or his noble heart, though. The dragon still refused to obey the Lord Commander on House of the Dragon. Worse, he bathed Ser Steffon in dragonflame for even trying.

That outcome was not a surprise for any House of the Dragon viewer who knows about dragon lore in this fantasy realm. That was not true for the other two big dragon moments during this episode of House of the Dragon, though.

Rhaena Learns the Vale Has a Wild Dragon

The last thing young Princess Rhaena expected to find in the Vale was a wild dragon, because dragons don’t live in places like the Vale on House of the Dragon. They stay close to seats of House Velaryon, either in King’s Landing or on Dragonstone. Before they came to Westeros, they only lived in the Valyrian Freehold, leaving for any extended periods of time solely when taken someplace by their dragonrider.

Having a dragon burning sheep far away from dragons’ established homes means that House of the Dragon breaks established canon and dragon lore from Fire & Blood and A Song of Ice and Fire. George R.R. Martin himself confirmed that weeks before episode six debuted. From his “Not a Blog” (emphasis our own):

My dragons are creatures of the sky. They fly, and can cross mountains and plains, cover hundreds of miles… but they don’t, unless their riders take them there. They are not nomadic. During the heyday of Valyria there were forty dragon-riding families with hundreds of dragons amongst them… but (aside from our Targaryens) all of them stayed close to the Freehold and the Lands of the Long Summer. From time to time a dragonrider might visit Volantis or another Valyrian colony, even settle there for a few years, but never permanently. Think about it. If dragons were nomadic, they would have overrun half of Essos, and the Doom would only have killed a few of them. Similarly, the dragons of Westeros seldom wander far from Dragonstone. Elsewise, after three hundred years, we would have dragons all over the realm and every noble house would have a few. 

Why would House of the Dragon violate one Martin’s few, hard-and-fast dragon lore rules? To answer that, we must discuss something from Fire & Blood. We’ll note that this discussion will provide enough context clues to spoil something that now seems inevitable on House of the Dragon. It’s up to you if you want to read it. If you don’t, skip past the remaining text in this section (which is between two images) until you reach the next sub-headline, which explores another show-specific piece of dragon lore.

By moving this specific, sheep-killing dragon from Dragonstone to the Vale, the show appears to be cutting out a major, beloved character from Fire & Blood named Nettles. She is the person whose uncertain birth/bloodline we referenced earlier. House of the Dragon seems to be giving Nettle’s storyline to Rhaena.

Obviously since we mentioned Nettles’ uncertain birth/blood line, she does go on to claim a dragon in Fire & Blood. And since we’re talking about her in this section about Rhaena and the Vale, you can guess which dragon she bonds with.

Does that guarantee Rhaena will now claim that wild dragon on the show instead? It’s a possibility the series is definitely raising, but it’s not a guarantee. Not when House of the Dragon is making such drastic changes in the first place. But we still think it’s likely on a series that also made another significant change to an unlikely dragonrider’s story in this same episode.

Seasmoke Claims a Dragonrider on House of the Dragon (Possibly While His First Still Lives)

Addam of Hull is the bastard son of Lord Corlys Velaryon and, therefore, strong with Old Valyrian blood. It doesn’t go against known dragon lore, and thus is not completely shocking, that a “dragonseed” like Addam could claim a dragon, which is clearly what happened at the end of House of the Dragon episode six. What is unprecedented is a) how the two bonded and b) the fact they bonded at all.

There are two ways humans typically bond with dragons in A Song of Ice and Fire. The first is babies of House Targaryen have dragon eggs put in their crib with them. If healthy dragons hatch from those eggs they form that special dragon/dragonrider connection. The second way is that a person approaches a living dragon who then either accepts them or not. No one knows how or why this happens, only that there’s some kind of mystical element to their connection.

Rhaena, daughter of Daemon Targaryen and Laena Velaryon, has tried to claim a dragon many times on House of the Dragon and only has burn scars to show for it. Ser Steffon Darklyn tried once, and he paid with his life for his efforts. Yet somehow, Addam of Hull didn’t even have to try to become a dragonlord. In a complete role reversal, Seasmoke claimed his human. The “lonely” dragon hunted Addam down before the two took to the sky on House of the Dragon.

That was unusual enough, but what what makes this bond entirely new dragon lore for House of the Dragon is that Seasmoke seemingly already has a dragonrider. His first mount, Laenor Velaryon, isn’t actually dead on House of the Dragon like he is in Fire & Blood. The show changed his story so that he conspired with his wife Rhaenyra to fake his death so he could live freely in Essos. But dragons only accept one dragonrider at a time. They will not accept another so long as theirs lives.

Unless we learn Laenor died in Essos offscreen without anyone on Dragonstone knowing, we know have House of the Dragon-specific dragon lore. (Which still has its own internal logic, since Seasmoke sought out the half-brother of his missing rider.)

How you feel about that is as personal as a dragon/rider bond, but what it actually means is not. Whether or not you’re familiar with both Fire & Blood and George R.R. Martin’s dragon mythology, none of us know what else could happen in the Dance of the Dragons.

Mikey Walsh is a staff writer at Nerdist. You can follow him on Twitter and Bluesky at @burgermike. And also anywhere someone is ranking the Targaryen kings.

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The Spider-Verse is about to get even bigger via the small screen. It is also about to get a lot darker, mysterious, and funny. And, let’s be honest, a lot weirder. Prime Video has officially done what Spidey fans have been waiting to hear. The studio has formally ordered a new live-action series starring Nicolas Cage as Spider-Man Noir, the character he originally voiced in Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse. Now joining Cage in the series, as per Deadline, is Fargo and New Girl star Lamorne Morris.

Amazon used its inaugural upfront presentation in New York City to announce it has finally ordered Noir to series. The Spider-Man Noir show will see Nicolas Cage playing the live-action version of his character from Sony’s animated 2018 Oscar winner. Morris has been cast as Robbie Robertson, the nice editor of The Daily Bugle who traditionally works under the surly publisher J. Jonah Jameson. Variety also reported The Banshees of Inisherin star Brendan Gleeson has been cast as well, though in an undisclosed role. The series, based on the Marvel comic Spider-Man Noir, will air on Prime Video and MGM+.

Also announced to appear as a series regular is Wu Assassins star Li Jun Li. According to Deadline, Li will play a “singer at the premier nightclub in New York.”

Harry Bradbeer (Fleabag, Killing Eve) will direct and executive produce the Spider-Man Noir‘s first two episodes. Oren Uziel (22 Jump Street) and Steve Lightfoot (Marvel’s The Punisher, Shantaram) will serve as co-showrunners and executive producers. They developed the show with the Spider-Verse‘s Phil Lord, Christopher Miller, and Amy Pascal. All three are also on board as executive producers.

For those who have (for some absurd reason) not yet seen Into the Spider-Verse or are unfamiliar with the character’s comic history, Amazon also shared a brief synopsis for the Spider-Man Noir series.

Noir tells the story of an aging and down on his luck private investigator (Cage) in 1930s New York, who is forced to grapple with his past life as the city’s one and only superhero.

Vernon Sanders, head of television, Amazon MGM Studios, explained why the studio wants to make this series in a release. (As though we need an explanation.) “Expanding the Marvel universe with Noir is a uniquely special opportunity, and we are honored to bring this series to our global Prime Video customers,” he said. “The extremely talented Nicolas Cage is an ideal choice for our new superhero, and the accomplished producing team with Phil Lord, Christopher Miller, Amy Pascal, and the incredible team at Sony is dedicated to expanding this franchise in the most authentic way.” 

We’re ready to dedicate our time to watching when it debuts. The Spider-Verse is an infinite place of possibilities and heroes. But we very much want to spend more time with this version of the character. And obviously, more time with Nicolas Cage.

Originally Published May 14, 2024

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Post-apocalyptic wastelands have never been hotter. Prime Video’s Fallout was not only a huge hit for the studio, it has led to a massive surge of interest in Bethesda’s video games. But unlike its playable counterparts which each feature their own characters and storylines, the show’s second season will stay on the same path. Fallout will continue to follow season one’s main figures when it returns.

Variety‘s new piece about the incredible interest in Fallout video games that has followed the debut of Prime Video’s hit show has some important information about Amazon’s adaptation. Bethesda Game Studios’ Todd Howard said the show won’t continue the video games model of introducing all new characters. Instead the TV series will continue to focus on the stars of season one. That includes its three main characters: Lucy, Maximus, and the Ghoul. But it also means more of Norm and Chet, too.

 Amazon MGM Studios chief Jennifer Salke and head of TV Vernon Sanders recently echoed these sentiments. Salke noted, “We are committed to our journey with our beloved characters. Such a great Season 2 coming…  I saw some of the talk of, is this an anthology? And it does have a lot of doors we can go through, which is the beauty of the IP. But we are fully committed, and we’re all on this journey with the characters that we’ve met and loved in Season 1.”

Sanders meanwhile notes, “I think the fans of Season 1 will really love where we’re going for Season 2.” And adds, “We’ve been fortunate because this was the vision all along. I think we’re ahead of schedule, in terms of being able to get Season 2 back. We don’t have an exact launch date yet, but we’ve already gotten scripts in hand.”

This news isn’t a surprise. It doesn’t mean we won’t see any new faces, either, just that we’re not moving on from the old ones. But it should ensure this post-apocalyptic wasteland stays hot.

Originally published on May 30, 2024.

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The Acolyte takes place during the High Republic Era, the “golden age of the Jedi Order.” Star Wars fans know that time period is followed by total darkness. A century later, the Sith will emerge from the shadows, slaughter their ancient enemy, and rule the galaxy far, far away. Jedi hubris during the Clone Wars will help make their downfall possible. But now, we’ve seen firsthand how the Order could have avoided their own destruction long before Sheev Palpatine even become a Sith apprentice. The Acolyte‘s Senator Rayencourt saw something the Jedi couldn’t: their own flaws. And if they had accepted the kind of oversight we know the Order so desperately needed, its golden era might have never ended.

Master Vernestra spent season one of The Acolyte trying to hide a terrible truth from the Galactic Senate. She did not want any outsiders—even the elected officials whom the Jedi were supposed to answer to—to learn about the murder of their own kind by an unauthorized Force user trained by a former Jedi Padawan. Vernesra and her colleagues didn’t even tell their own High Council what was happening, because the Jedi governing body made up of the wisest, most experiences Masters reported directly to the Senate.

Before Vernestra went to Brendok and learned the truth about what happened there, she spoke with the Order’s biggest critic, Senator Rayencourt. His name came up during the season because he was hoping the Galactic Senate would order an independent, external investigation into the Jedi. In his confrontational meeting with Vernestra he laid out his honest, unvarnished reason for questioning the Jedi.

“I think the Jedi are a massive system of unchecked power, posing as a religion, a delusional cult that claims to control the uncontrollable,” he said. When Vernestra responded (without challenging anything else he said) she told him the Jedi don’t control the Force. That wasn’t what he meant. “Not the Force. Your emotions,” he said. “You project an image of goodness and restraint, but it’s only a matter of time before one of you you snaps. And when, not ‘if’ that happens, who will be strong enough to stop him?”

The specter of Anakin Skywalker hung over the entire scene. Everything Rayencourt said will happen. Anakin will be unable to control the very emotions the Jedi failed to teach him to command. His lack of restraint over fear, pain, and sadness, will overcome his goodness and he will snap. No one will be able to stop him when he does. Many will die. The Jedi will fall. Darkness will consume the entire galaxy.

Rayencourt could see that tragic fate coming even if the rest of the Senate could not. “The majority of my colleagues cannot imagine a galaxy without the Jedi, and I can understand why,” he said. “When you’re looking up to heroes you don’t have to face what’s right in front of you.” He’s right, and not just about the people who put their faith in the Jedi. It will be true of the Jedi themselves.

They will be so sure of their position, held for millennia, they will not see what’s right in front of them. Rather then serve as guardians of peace and justice for all, they will foolishly serve as generals in a war secretly led by a Sith Lord. Their unquestioned belief in their own abilities, in their own goodness, and in their own heroism will lead to their own fall. They will put themselves on a pedestal and never question why they’re up there. From their perch, lies will sound good. Wars will be justified. And a Sith will operate in the shadow they create.

It didn’t have to be that way and it shouldn’t have been. Rayencourt’s review could have brought to light the obvious issues with the Jedi Order, both the danger of its beliefs and its position in the galaxy. Unchecked power, even for those with “noble intentions,” will ultimately lead you astray. Especially when it requires you to deny the very thing that connects you to others: your emotions. Putting yourself above anyone will blind you to your own flaws. The longer those flaws go untreated the larger they grow and the more vulnerable you become.

The Jedi ruled for thousands of years, unaware their own shortcomings were getting larger with every generation. Eventually they stretched themselves so thin the Sith saw a chance to capitalize. And they were able to do so manipulating the very Senate the Jedi had kept in the dark.

Master Vernestra told terrible lies unbecoming a Jedi for what she thinks is a greater cause. She believes the Jedi, and only the Jedi, know what is best for themselves, and by extension the whole galaxy. Because Vernestra believed that she wanted to protect herself and her Order from the prying eyes of outsiders. If only she’d been willing to hear some hard truths she might have done just that.

Mikey Walsh is a staff writer at Nerdist who spent decades waiting for Darth Plagueis to show up. You can follow him on Twitter and Bluesky at @burgermike. And also anywhere someone is ranking the Targaryen kings.

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In space no one can hear you scream. But your cries of anguish definitely reverberate through a spaceship. That is if you’re even capable of screaming. That’s hard to do while a facehugger is using your throat to make you a human incubator. And that’s why so many unfortunate scavengers in Alien: Romulus won’t be able to call out for help when the meet the galaxy’s greatest terror. At least they won’t be able to until it’s too late. The horror-action film’s final trailer features a plethora of those iconic parasitic creatures running wild.

20th Century Studios describes Alien: Romulus as a film that takes the franchise “back to its roots.” Everything we’ve seen from it so far more than confirms that. This entry from writer-director Fede Alvarez (Evil Dead, Don’t Breathe), which takes place between the first and second film, looks and feels like those two entries.

But there also seems to be more going on here than just an “unlucky” encounter for some colonizers “scavenging the deep ends of a derelict space station.” They come “face to face with the most terrifying life form in the universe.” Literally and often. Those facehuggers are everywhere. Why are there so many onboard in the first place? And what does that mean for this group’s already low survival chances? Probably not high considering what baby Xenomorphs grow into.

Alien: Romulus also comes from co-writer Rodo Sayagues (Don’t Breathe 2), with Ridley Scott serving as a producer. It stars: Cailee Spaeny (Civil War), David Jonsson (Agatha Christie’s Murder is Easy), Archie Renaux (Shadow and Bone), Isabela Merced (The Last of Us), Spike Fearn (Aftersun), and newcomer Aileen Wu.

How many of them will escape with their lives and how many of them will see a baby Xenomorph escape from their chest? We’ll find out when we hear their screams later this summer. Alien: Romulus flies into theaters on August 16, 2024.

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The dead have all the time in the world to regroup, replan, and return. And that’s exactly what the Ghost With the Most will do when Tim Burton’s long-awaited Beetlejuice sequel comes to theaters this year. Michael Keaton’s iconic dead man finally has the opportunity to get everything he always wanted, because the latest trailer for Beetlejuice Beetlejuice teases an even bigger threat in the afterlife. And that will lead Winona Ryder’s Lydia Deetz to ask for help from the last person, dead or alive, she’d ever want to see.

Waiting rooms, weddings, and a whole lot of worms, this latest trailer for Beetlejuice Beetlejuice has everything. That includes a missing teenager (Jenna Ortega’s Astrid) who accidentally ends up in the realm of the dead. And we know who calls that place home. Here’s the film’s official synopsis from Warner Bros. Pictures:

After an unexpected family tragedy, three generations of the Deetz family return home to Winter River. Still haunted by Beetlejuice, Lydia’s life is turned upside down when her rebellious teenage daughter, Astrid, discovers the mysterious model of the town in the attic and the portal to the Afterlife is accidentally opened. With trouble brewing in both realms, it’s only a matter of time until someone says Beetlejuice’s name three times and the mischievous demon returns to unleash his very own brand of mayhem.

The movie will also mark the return of Catherine O’Hara as Delia Deetz. New cast members include Justin Theroux, Monica Bellucci, Arthur Conti, and Willem Dafoe, maybe the most perfect human you could want for a Beetlejuice movie.

Will Beetlejuice finally marry Lydia? Or will Astrid prove to be the rotten apple of his eye this time? And why is the Ghost With the Most so cared of Monica Belluci’s spooky specter? We’re dying to find out the answers to all these questions. And we’ll get them when Beetlejuice Beetlejuice comes to theaters this fall on September 6, 2024.

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The “heart” of a lightsaber, the very thing that gives laser swords power, is a kyber crystal. They are special, extremely rare Force-sensitive gems inherently full of light side energy only found on a few planets in the galaxy far, far away. They even have their own kind of mystical sentience. Despite the weapons they create, though, kyber crystals have no color. They are naturally clear and only take on a specific hue when “first attuned and connected to a Jedi.” Star Wars fans know that while a Jedi’s lightsaber can be anything from blue green, orange, purple, or yellow, every dark side users’ turns red.

That’s because Sith and Ren alike bend kyber crystals to their sinister side of the Force. That process is known as “bleeding.” And The Acolyte‘s season finale finally let us see a bleeding lightsaber happen in live-action.

Osha fell to the dark side during The Acolyte‘s eighth episode. She finally learned the truth about what the Jedi did to her coven on Brendok long ago. Full of rage and pain, Osha responded by Force choking Sol, her former Master who had lied about killing her mother. As she murdered him Osha held the Jedi’s lightsaber hilt. As the life drained from Sol’s body we saw one of the most notorious moments in the entire franchise. His blue kyber began to bleed. Osha was dominating it, turning the crystal red as she turned to the dark side.

After he died Osha turned to attack Qimir who had had put a hand on her shoulder. She turned Sol’s lightsaber on. It was blue at first, but it’s light changed to the signature red of evil. It did not do so without a fight though. The crystal tried to maintain its hold to the light side of the Force. In the end Osha’s new allegiance won out, as Sol’s lightsaber turned for good. When it did his former Padawan had left the light side of the Force completely.

It was a powerful, shocking moment, an incredible piece of Star Wars lore come to life. It’s something no Star Wars fan has ever seen happen on screen. Before The Acolyte, the process of bleeding a kyber crysta was only ever shown in Star Wars comics. The bleeding of a lightsaber happened in both Charles Soule stories about Darth Vader and Kylo Ren. Yet, for as cool as it was it was also terrible to watch. It was the physical embodiment of darkness corrupting a soul.

Kyber crystals aren’t just special rocks. Neither are they just a power source for a weapon. They’re an important part of the Force, both to themselves and as a tangible representation of the person who bonded with it. One that turned red are sad reminders of the fate that can befall even great heroes. Actually seeing that happen was an unforgettable reminder of the line thin between good and evil.

Mikey Walsh is a staff writer at Nerdist who spent decades waiting for Darth Plagueis to show up. You can follow him on Twitter and Bluesky at @burgermike. And also anywhere someone is ranking the Targaryen kings.

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Master Vernestra used her dead friend Sol as a scapegoat to avoid accountability in The Acolyte‘s season finale. She claimed the compassionate Jedi Knight had gone rogue. Vernestra told the Galactic Senate Sol killed everyone who helped him hide the dark truth about Brendok before ending his own life. Vernestra thought it was a lie worth telling for a greater good, just as Sol had with Osha. But her deception not only dishonors Sol, it dishonors the entire Jedi Order. In keeping the truth about Qimir, Mae, and Osha from getting out, the guardians of peace and justice are only protecting their own position in the galaxy far, far away.

Star Wars fans know Vernestra’s lies about this existential threat will contribute to her Order’s eventual downfall. Yet her final moment raised the possibility a more famous Master will also play a big part in their near annihilation. She visited one of the most important Jedi in all of Star Wars, someone who will still be on the High Council when Palpatine rises to power, Master Yoda.

Throughout The Acolyte Jedi Master Vernestra worked to avoid Galactic Senate oversight. Even as she investigated the murder of her colleagues, she tried to keep their deaths as quiet as possible. Not just from politicians, either. She conspired with fellow Jedi to keep the truth from their own High Council.

During the High Republic Era of the show, the Jedi Order had a High Council. That governing body responsible for guiding the Order is the same structure seen during the Skywalker Saga era. But The Acolyte also revealed that a different group of Jedi led by Vernestra also wielded immense power. It operated outside the Council in secrecy, because the High Council needed to report directly to the Senate. The only way to keep secrets from political oversight—especially a terrible secret about a dark side Force user clearly trained by a Jedi—was to keep the truth from the most important, wisest members of the Order.

That became impossible by episode eight after Vernestra visited Brendok herself. Her powerful connection with the Force allowed her to learn what had happened there long ago. While she recognized her dead colleagues had meant well, she used the revelation of their deception to create an even bigger lie. Rather than tell anyone about her former student she once tried to kill because he turned to the dark side, she blamed Sol for the murders committed by Qimir, Mae, and Osha.

That lie confirmed everything Senator Rayencourt feared. He worried eventually a Jedi, a member of a group he believes already has too much unchecked power, would turn against the Order and the Republic. That concern drove his desire for an external investigation into the Jedi. But Vernestra saying that’s exactly what happened with Sol was a lie far more convenient than the truth. She would have otherwise had to admit the Jedi lost control of a former Padawan and then let him get away. She also would have had to admit he now had a powerful new apprentice with a personal vendetta against the Jedi. And the she would have had to tell everyone how Mother Aniseya created her twins. Forget an investigation into the Jedi, that shocking revelation would have threatened the Order’s position and power in the galaxy.

Everything Vernestra did in the season finale she did to protect the Jedi and herself. Her lie is better than frightening truths that could lead to panic. Her story also made it seem as though the Jedi had nothing to hide. Why would the Senate need to investigate a group being so truthful about their failures? But that kind of oversight is exactly what the Jedi needed.

Everything Senator Rayencourt and Aniseya both said will come true more than a century after The Acolyte. The Jedi’s “noble intentions” will destroy them. Their actions, well-intentioned they may be, along with their hubris, will blind them to the growing evil around them. That evil will ultimately engulf the galaxy in darkness. An outside perspective might have helped them see what was coming. Instead Sheev Palpatine will take over the very Republic Vernestra worked so hard to keep in the dark.

Star Wars fans know why Vernestra’s deception will prove fatal. But her final moment during the episode raises monumental questions about whether or not she also kept Master Yoda in the dark. He’s the only member of the High Council to appear on the show. She visited him after her meeting with the Chancellor and Senators.

What did she “need” to talk about with him? Did she let him in on the truth about Sol, Qimir, Mae, Osha, and Brendok? Did she trust Yoda would support her lies and not inform the Senate? And did she seek advice on how to stop the Order’s greatest threat in millennia?

Or did Vernestra only tell Yoda part of the truth or different lie altogether? Did Vernestra merely go to him for advice on how to deal with the guilt and burden of her lies without naming them, just as Anakin will do one day? Even if she was okay with what she had done, she sullied a good man’s memory to do that. Even a Jedi Master would struggle with that burden.

On The Acolyte Jedi Ki-Adi-Mundi agreed with Venestra they should not tell the High Council about their secret enemies. In The Phantom Menace he is a member of that same High Council alongside Yoda. When presented with Qui-Gon’s report of a Sith Lord, Mundi (believably) says no one has seen a Sith for thousands of years. The camera then turns to Master Yoda, who gives a curious look to Mace Windu.

What did that look mean? Vernestra went to Yoda for a reason. If we find out why we’ll finally know just how much Yoda knew about the darkness that brought down the Jedi Order.

Did Yoda know about Qimir, Mae, and Osha at that moment? Did he help Vernestra bring them down? And did that “victory” blind Yoda to the fact an actual Sith Lord was (literally) lurking in the shadows and the Jedi were in even greater peril all along? Or will we discover Vernestra never told him the truth and Yoda always remained ignorant about happened on Brendok. Will her failures be hers alone? It seems likely Yoda, a good and noble Jedi, didn’t know everything Vernestra did. If that’s the case, a single hard truth could have prevented so much eventual suffering.

Mikey Walsh is a staff writer at Nerdist who spent decades waiting for Darth Plagueis to show up. You can follow him on Twitter and Bluesky at @burgermike. And also anywhere someone is ranking the Targaryen kings.

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It finally happened. The Acolyte‘s season one finale brought one of Star Wars‘ most infamous figures to live-action. The Stranger wasn’t the only dark side user hiding out on his unknown planet. Once Qimir and Osha flew off, Sheev Palpatine’s Master, a Muun Sith Lord “so powerful and so wise, he could use the Force to influence the midi-chlorians to create life,” emerged from the shadows. Darth Plagueis is here. And more importantly he knows about the galaxy far, far away’s most incredible creation.

For all its many battles and lightsaber fights, one of the prequel trilogy’s most exciting moments came during a quiet conversation at a space opera. In Revenge of the Sith Chancellor Palpatine regaled Anakin Skywalker with an enticing Sith legend. Palpatine told him a story the Jedi never would, “The Tragedy of Darth Plagueis the Wise.”

Anakin was suffering from visions of Padmé’s death, a future he desperately hoped to avoid. Palpatine preyed on the young Jedi’s fears with a tale of the incredible “unnatural” abilities offered those who walked a different pathway in the Force. He told Anakin about the Sith Lord Plagueis, who “had such a knowledge of the dark side, he could even keep the ones he cared about from dying” by manipulating midi-chlorians. For a young man hoping to save his pregnant wife from death, it was enough to begin pulling Anakin away from the light.

What made the story of Plagueis so enduring, though, wasn’t the power he supposedly learned but the end he met. It suggested Plagueis was far more important to the story than just being a tool of manipulation. Palpatine said Plagueis grew so powerful the “only thing he was afraid of was losing his power, which eventually, of course, he did.” Plagueis’ own apprentice, having learned everything he could from his Master, killed the Sith Lord in his sleep. “Ironic, he could save others from death, but not himself,” said Palpatine.

Was Palpatine lying about all of it? Only telling a partial truth? Or was he being completely honest with Anakin? If everything he said actually happened the implication was clear and exciting: Palpatine was the very apprentice who killed Plagueis.

Off-screen Star Wars stories confirmed he was, and that has remained true in the franchise’s new canonical Disney-era. Plagueis was everything Palpatine said he was, a massively powerful Sith Lord who could create life and save others from death. But Star Wars has explored more of Plagueis, most notably that became so obsessed with the science of immortality—a power Sith Lords had long sought—he grew distracted. His very quest to live forever doomed him, because the Sith Rule of Two meant there could only be two Dark Lords at one time. For Palpatine to become a Master he needed to kill his own.

Plagueis the Wise should have recognized his apprentice’s ambition and plot. He should have known Palpatine was planning to kill him. Instead he never saw his murder coming.

While Plagueis died, his work endured and changed the galaxy far, far away forever. His apprentice took everything he learned from his Master and spent generations trying to cheat death himself. Without the work of Plagueis, Palpatine never would have returned after Anakin Skywalker killed him in Return of the Jedi. He never would have made a clone body in the first place. Nor would he have created Snoke and lured Ben Solo to the dark side of the Force.

Now we know the very obsession that cost Plagueis his life was directly connected to The Acolyte‘s unique twins. He learned about what Mother Aniseya accomplished with Osha and Mae. She created life, two from one, using the Force. Her accomplishment could have sent Plagueis on a path to not only learn how to control life himself, but to master it, and therefore death. His work, which became Palpatine’s work, would probably not have been possible without the twins.

How did he know about Mae and Osha? Why was he even hiding in a cave on that unknown planet in the first place? It seems unlikely, though not impossible, that Qimir knew Plagueis was there, let alone that he was Plagueis’ apprentice. The Sith Rule of Two would have prevented Qimir from claiming a true apprentice of his own. Plagueis’ surprise appearance, Qimir’s use of the word “acolyte,” and his own lack of a Master indicate Qimir probably isn’t even a Sith. Plagueis definitely is. And he’s a powerful one.

That unknown planet might be strong in the dark side and drew Plagueis there for the same reasons Qimir called it home. Or it might have been Osha’s arrival that led Plagueis there. He was powerful in the dark side of the Force, and Osha’s presence on a dark side planet might have been like a beacon to a Sith.

Whatever brought him there is less important than what he found. Mother Aniseya’s daughters have a lot in common with Anakin Skywalker, but they aren’t as powerful as him. As The Acolyte showrunner Leslye Headland told us, the twins were “guinea pigs” in the galaxy’s most important experiment. Darth Plagueis learned about it firsthand and dedicated his life to improving upon it. Unfortunately the powers he will soon unlock in the dark side of the Force will help his apprentice bring down both the Jedi and the Sith. But only after he kills Plagueis the Wise first.

Mikey Walsh is a staff writer at Nerdist who spent decades waiting for Darth Plagueis to show up. You can follow him on Twitter and Bluesky at @burgermike. And also anywhere someone is ranking the Targaryen kings.

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Thanks to its fantastic trailers, I went into Twisters with high hopes. Thanks to my love of its 1996 predecessor, I also went in with high standards. That’s a double dose of heavy expectations for any movie. The fact I walked out of my theater happy says a lot, even though Twisters is far from perfect. Its obvious flaws—including a sometimes clunky script, weird pacing issues, and occasional hokeyness—prevent the movie from true greatness. But those problems are overcome by three fantastic leads, great visual effects, and an engaging mix of fun, excitement, terror, and well-earned heart.

Twisters‘ script is sometimes genuinely funny, sometimes genuinely moving, and sometimes genuinely bad. Some scenes, including the big finale, seem to come out of nowhere, as though director Lee Isaac Chung forgot to film some scenes. Just like a tornado that sprouts up without warning, those structural issues cause damage. There are portions of the film where it feels like a collection of scenes rather than a cohesive story.

The movie also suffers from a few moments or lines of dialogue that cross over from the film’s frequent “good silly” vibe to “bad silly.” On a few occasions, my packed theater laughed at something a character said or plot points that were clearly not meant to be funny. Considering one such moment is a key “conflict” between good guys and bad, that wasn’t ideal. Those failures are especially frustrating because there are scenes where everything in Twisters is absolutely clicking and you know the movie could have avoided its biggest mistakes.

One of those mistakes is that Twisters comes up short in its attempts to recapture the original film’s fundamentally important group dynamic. It never fully commits to that element of the story. We don’t spend enough time with the ragtag storm chasers to feel like we truly know who they are, either as individuals or as friends. It’s not terrible nor bad (and the actual group members are all enjoyable in limited parts); it’s just an aspect of Twisters that feels incomplete even as it’s unfolding.

The film also takes a little while to get going after its predictable yet engrossing opening scene. Fortunately things pick up when Glen Powell’s cowboy storm chaser Tyler Owens shows up. He arrives with a rodeo arena-sized amount of charm and swagger. Powell’s a capital “L” Leading Man and an absolutely perfect fit for the Twister franchise’s ethos. (Which this sequel fully understands.) Powell’s entertaining, funny, brash, smart, and vulnerable.

What—or rather who—really makes Powell shine is his co-star, Daisy Edgar-Jones. She carries the emotional weight of the film that is a big part of why the movie works. An even bigger reason it does is their off-the-charts onscreen chemistry. They’re excellent every single time they’re together and elevate the movie past its issues. Powell and Edgar-Jones as a duo are easily my favorite part of the film.

They aren’t the only standouts in the cast. Twisters‘ third star is Anthony Ramos. He plays an old friend of Edgar-Jones’ tornado whisperer Kate that comes calling with a new opportunity. His offer to her drives the plot (which is perfectly cromulent). Ramos has a tough role, both in terms of the character and his place in the film. It would have been really easy for his Javi to feel like an afterthought or plot device, but Ramos feels just as important to the story as his co-stars. His arc also contributes to the film’s biggest theme about why any of these people do what they do. A lesser performance would have dragged the Twisters down. Instead, like Powell and Edgar-Jones, Ramos lifts up the movie.

As do the movie’s tornadoes. They look totally believable and totally terrifying, even when they’re relatively smaller twisters. I just wish there were more of them. The movie would benefit from at least one more big tornado sequence, but two more would have been even better. Fortunately one of the biggest ones we see is among the scariest natural disaster sequences ever put on film. It takes place at night and I think I forgot to breathe as it unfolded. Watching was like getting caught up in a horror movie you didn’t plan on seeing. I want to see Twisters again on the biggest, loudest screen I can just for this one moment.

If Twisters delivered a better structured ending, one that didn’t feel rushed and out of nowhere, I would have absolutely loved it even despite its obvious flaws. Instead I really liked it. For a film I expected a lot from, that’s still really good. Twisters, which made me laugh, grip my seat, and worry over who would survive, captures a lot of what made the original movie so entertaining and memorable. And it did that while creating even more believable, more terrifying tornadoes, which spun alongside fantastic acting and characters I cared about. It’s not a perfect storm of a movie, but it’s still a damn entertaining one.

Twisters ⭐ (3.2 of 5)

Mikey Walsh is a staff writer at Nerdist and is all ready preparing to see Twisters again. You can follow him on Twitter and Bluesky at @burgermike. And also anywhere someone is ranking the Targaryen kings.

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The Acolyte finally unmasked Mae’s master during the show’s shocking fifth episode. The mysterious Jedi killer in The Acolyte is the person we suspected from the very first time we met him: Manny Jacinto’s Qimir. The soft-spoken trader is actually a deadly dark side Force user. But what is he exactly? What does he have against the Jedi Order? And what does he ultimately want? The answers to those questions reveal that an unleashed Qimir is even more dangerous than one operating in the shadows.

What Did The Acolyte Reveal About the Jedi Killer Qimir’s Past? Was Qimir Once a Jedi Padawan?

The Acolyte revealed Qimir has a personal connection to the Jedi and that the Order once knew him. Qimir called his opponent “Master Sol” when the two faced off. The dark side user then said, “You don’t remember me,” when the Jedi asked who he was. Sol must have known him at some point, because the Jedi said he “sensed something familiar” in the Jedi killer.

While Sol doesn’t say Qimir had once been a Padawan, The Acolyte strongly suggested he was. Qimir called Sol “Master.” Considering Qimir’s own protege, Mae, was also someone the Jedi tried to recruit to join their ranks, denying her the freedom of using her powers as her coven saw fit, it seems more than possible Qimir was once a student of the very Jedi he now aims to kills.

Is The Acolyte‘s Qimir a Sith?

Qimir told Sol he has “no name,” but that the Jedi would might call him “Sith.” Star Wars fans know the significance of that phrase. They also know the Sith kill Jedi and use red lightsabers. But it is noteworthy Qimir didn’t actually call himself a Sith, let alone a Sith Lord. That could be nothing more than a turn of phrase, or it could be a subtle clue Qimir is actually something else. (That could explain why a century later a Jedi Master will say no one has seen a Sith in a thousand years.)

The Sith spent millennia in hiding after the Jedi Order nearly wiped out their dark side foes. Yet the Sith always planned to reveal themselves one day. That’s when they would usurp the Jedi as the dominant Force users in the galaxy. That day is coming soon to the galaxy far, far away. The seeds for Palpatine’s rise might have begun with Qimir’s attack in the forests of Khofar.

There is one other major reason to believe Qimir truly is a Sith, too.

What Does Qimir Want on The Acolyte?

Qimir told Sol he wants two things. The first is “freedom, freedom to wield my power the way I like, without having to answer to Jedi like you.” As Osha and Mae’s coven knew, the Jedi do not allow other Force users to use their powers as they like. The Jedi Order believes they, and they alone, can control the Force and dictates who can use it and how. Qimir does not believe in the ways of the Jedi. “The Jedi makes the rules,” and the Jedi say Qimir—who doesn’t follow any rules—“can’t exist.”

Qimir has accepted and embraced his “darkness” (same as a Sith), while he believes Jedi deny theirs. That’s what he accused Sol of when he asked what the Jedi had done with his own darkness. But it’s the second thing Qimir wants that indicates he really is a Sith

“I want a pupil,” he told Sol, “An acolyte.” The Sith, which is a religious dark side order, have existed in the shadows for thousands of years thanks to the Rule of Two. There can only ever be two Sith Lords at once a Master and an Apprentice. Qimir wants his own apprentice, and he thought he found it in Mae (someone he seems to have both a common past and common cause with), but she betrayed him.

Qimir might have already found a replacement, though.

Why Did Qimir Save Osha on The Acolyte?

Qimir survived a giant bug attack and found an (accidentally) abandoned and unconscious Osha on the ground. He did not strike her down or even leave her alone, though. Instead he healed her while saying, “What extraordinary beings we are. Even in the revelation of our triumph, we see the depth of our despair.”

Qimir won a fight against many Jedi. He revealed himself to his enemy and triumphed, yet in his moment of revelation, he stood over a former Jedi Padawan and saw “despair.”

What exactly did he mean? Well, Qimir sees himself in Osha because he, too, was a Jedi student once. Did they take him like they tried to take Mae and Osha? He knows the Jedi did something “dark” on Brendok long ago. Will he reveal their secret to Osha in an attempt to make her embrace the dark side and become his Acolyte?

Osha wouldn’t be the first good person to turn the dark side and a charming master in her moment of despair. And if Qimir really is the Sith Lord who will make Palpatine’s rise possible someday, it’s only fitting he had his own Anakin as the Sith Rule of Two demands.

Originally published on June 26, 2024.

Mikey Walsh is a staff writer at Nerdist and Manny Jacinto superfan. You can follow him on  Twitter and  Bluesky at @burgermike. And also anywhere someone is ranking the Targaryen kings.

The post THE ACOLYTE Revealed the Identity of Its Secret ‘Sith’ Master—Qimir appeared first on Nerdist.

The Acolyte‘s fifth episode revealed the identity of Mae’s dark Master, but the person underneath that mask wasn’t the only fascinating thing we learned about that helmet. Qimir’s terrifying headgear on The Acolyte is made from cortosis. But what is cortosis exactly? Well, cortosis is a legendary material from Star Wars lore. That powerful, rare metal can withstand blows from a lightsaber and even cause them to short circuit, as we saw on The Acolyte’s fifth episode. Without that helmet, the Jedi might have stopped their most dangerous enemy. But more worrisome than what it can do in battle is what the presence of a cortosis helmet indicates about the danger the Jedi now face.

What Is Cortosis, the Metal Qimir Used to Make His Helmet on The Acolyte?

Qimir wears a cortosis helmet on The Acolyte. Cortosis is an uncommon metal that is among the strongest and strangest in the galaxy far, far away. It’s found on two Star Wars planets: the Mid Rim planet Dinzo and the Outer Rim planet Mokivj.

Cortosis is extremely fragile unless refined. Then, it becomes incredibly powerful. Timothy Zahn’s Thrawn: Alliances explained why. The rare metal has an “unusually high energy absorption and transmission coefficients.” That allows cortosis to “dissipate” energy blasts along fibers without damaging them. While cortosis has its limits, notably lengthy energy attacks, it still poses a unique problem for Jedi fighting a dark side user.

Cortosis Can Short Out Jedi Lightsabers, as We Saw on Star Wars: The Acolyte

In short, refined cortosis can withstand a lightsaber blast while causing the weapon to short out. Qimir used his helmet to do both while fighting multiple Jedi on Khofar. His helmet provided a shield that blocked lightsaber strikes, allowing him to fight in a unique style. It also made the Jedi weapons temporarily malfunction and shut down. Those brief moments bought Qimir extra time to defeat his confused, briefly unarmed opponents.

Without his cortosis helmet, Qimir likely would have died on that planet in The Acolyte‘s fifth episode. Master Sol bested Qimir after the dark Master lost his mask.

Star Wars‘ official website shares, “Cortosis is not particularly strong. In its purest state, it can easily be fractured, which means the metal is not as durable as beskar — illustrated by Jecki Lon’s fierce takedown of the Stranger’s cortosis helmet in The Acolyte. However, its unique ability to absorb, dissipate, and transfer energy makes it a valuable tool against blaster fire, and even lightsaber blades. In fact, cortosis will temporarily short out a lightsaber upon contact, making it a potentially surprising shielding material that renders a Jedi vulnerable.”

The Acolyte Reveals That Cortosis Can Also Be Used for Sensory Deprivation

The Acolyte reveals that cortosis can be used for more than just shorting out lightsabers, though. It can also be used to create an experience of sensory deprivation. Qimir notes that his cortosis helmet is handy against lightsabers, but is also a “sensory deprivation headpiece,” like the Jedi use as Younglings. He notes that while wearing a cortosis headpiece not only are all your senses blocked, but “It’s just you and the Force and what you bring with you.”

Where Is Cortosis Mined?

The Acolyte also reveals where cortosis is mined, sort of. Qimir lives on an “Unknown Planet.” That planet really reminded us of Star Wars‘ Ahch-To, but it turns out that it’s really a planet where cortosis is mined. Cortosis is a rare metal, so it’s not found many places in the Star Wars universe. We’ll have to wait for The Acolyte to reveal which planet this is exactly and what other secrets it holds.

Showrunner Leslye Headland notes, “the idea is that cortosis is mined on this planet, so I don’t think that’s the case with Ahch-To. Part of the reason this is his home base is that cortosis is a very rare metal. I don’t think we say it explicitly in the show, but that’s a reason it’s not Ahch-To.”

When Was Cortosis First Introduced in Star Wars?

Cortosis dates back known to the franchise’s non-canonical, pre-Disney “Legends” era. It notably appeared in Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic and Darth Bane stories. There cortosis was best utilized as an anti-lightsaber weapon that also caused them to short circuit.

Ten years before The Acolyte, Cortosis made its canonical Disney-era Star Wars debut in 2014 in John Jackson Miller’s novel New Dawn. In its new form, it still closely resembles the original Legends iteration in terms of both properties and uses. Cortosis’ new canonical history also traces back millennia to the Era of the Sith. That’s when Star Wars’ legendary Null Blade was created to fight against the dark side order. During the Clone Wars, Count Dooku also used cortosis to create a protective shield that he employed against the Republic. And a possessed Doctor Aphra even used the Null Blade in a battle with Darth Vader.

What Does Qimir’s Use of Cortosis Mean for The Acolyte?

The Jedi haven’t faced a real threat in so long that they didn’t even know what Qimir was. He had to tell Sol they might call him a Sith, an enemy no Jedi has seen for thousands and thousands of years. Qimir was too much for them. Yord said he showed a flagrant disregard for the “rules” of fighting. That included how he used his cortosis helmet, which rendered The Acolyte‘s Jedi weaponless and defenseless.

With his helmet back in hand, Qimir once again has something that can help him defeat Jedi. But more than that, his cortosis helmet shows he knows secrets from Star Wars‘ past that the Jedi have long forgotten. They couldn’t stop him when he only had a helmet on. What if he also found other uses for cortosis that they don’t know about?

Mikey Walsh is a staff writer at Nerdist and lover of fictional metals. You can follow him on Twitter and Bluesky at @burgermike. And also anywhere someone is ranking the Targaryen kings.

The post Why Did the Jedi’s Lightsabers Keep Shorting Out on THE ACOLYTE? STAR WARS’ Cortosis, Explained appeared first on Nerdist.

U.S. viewers can now watch one of 2023’s best, biggest, most emotional, most exciting movies from the comfort of their own home. Godzilla Minus One is available to both rent and buy at digital platforms and also on Netflix. That’s right, subscribers can stream the movie there right now.

The Best Visual Effects winner at the 96th Academy Awards has stomped its way to digital media. Godzilla Minus One is now available to buy and rent digitally in addition to streaming on Netflix. It’s also found its initial North American streaming home at Netflix. Customers can opt to watch it subtitled and dubbed in either Japanese or English. It’s also available in other languages, as most countries outside North America can also stream the film there as well. (Sorry France and Japan!)

Netflix will also bring the black and white version of the movie Godzilla Minus One / Minus Color to streaming on August 1.

Originally published on June 3, 2024.

The post GODZILLA MINUS ONE Is on Netflix, Available to Buy and Rent on Digital Platforms appeared first on Nerdist.

House of the Dragon might not have White Walkers, but the show’s cast is just as sprawling as Game of Thrones‘ was. Houses Targaryen, Hightower, and Velaryon aren’t the only ones destined to find themselves fighting in a civil war of fire and blood. The Dance of the Dragons will ensnare nearly every family in the Realm. Of course, identifying the many characters of Westeros has never been easy, and it remains tricky on House of the Dragon. Fortunately, you don’t need a maester to know who everyone is, not even with all those “new” families popping up. We’re tracking every major new character introduced on House of the Dragon during season one and season two. Here’s everyone we meet, what happens to them, and who’s still around on House of the Dragon….for now.

The Latest Character Additions on House of the Dragon

Lord and Lady Frey

Jace flew to the Twins, site of the Red Wedding, to meet with the Freys on House of the Dragon. Fortunately for him there was no bloodshed. He made a deal with Lord and Lady Frey. They will allow Cregan Starks’ Northmen soldiers to cross their bridge and will bend the knee themselves to Rhaenyra. That gives the Queen an ever-growing army in the Riverlands. In exchange, Jace said both he and his Uncle Daemon would protect the Twins with their dragons. And at the end of the war, the Blacks will grant the Freys Harrenhal. Allegiance always comes with a big prize for the ambitious Freys.

Dyana

A minor season-one character is now a major player in the Dance of the Dragons. The barmaid Dyana previously worked in the Red Keep but left after Aegon sexually assaulted her. Queen Alicent helped Dyana get an abortion and politely threatened Dyana if she went public with assault in House of the Dragon season one. Now Elinda, an emissary for Rhaenyra, has arrived in King’s Landing to begin spreading Rhaenyra propaganda to the smallfolk, a plan that involves Dyana. When Elinda knocked on the mystery King’s Landing door in House of the Dragon‘s fifth episode, it was Dyana who answered the summons.

Lord Amos Bracken

The ancient enemy of House Blackwood preferred to die in dragon flame rather than bend the knee to Daemon. The King Consort realized that’s exactly the type of soldier he needs for his army, so instead of burning the Brackens he instructed Willem Blackwood to do his “worst” to bring the Brackens to heel. After a series of atrocities committed on women and children, Lord Amos Bracken bent the knee.

Ser Willem Blackwood

Willem Blackwood appeared during House of the Dragon’s first season as a young man. He was vying for Princess Rhaenyra’s hand in marriage before he slew a Bracken boy in a duel. He’s now the regent for House Blackwood. Willem Blackwood swore his house to Rhaenyra’s cause in exchange for Daemon defeating House Bracken. He committed horrible war crimes against the Brackens, enraging other Riverlands lords and ladies.

Ser Oscar Tully

Ser Oscar Tully is the young grandson of Lord Grover Tully, the old, infirmed Lord Paramount of the Trident. Grover is unable to make any decisions, so Daemon told Oscar, Grover’s heir, to put a pillow over his grandfather’s head so he could rule and swear allegiance to Rhaenyra. The horrified knight said he loved his grandsire and could never.

Hugh Hammer the Blacksmith

House of the Dragon has spent much time with the white-haired Hugh Hammer, the blacksmith, a member of King’s Landing’s smallfolk. Hugh believed King Aegon when the monarch said he would pay the blacksmiths quickly, but that never happened. Hugh’s wife wanted them to flee the city with their gravely sick daughter, but new Iron Throne regent Aemond barred the gates before they could leave.

Ulf the White

The white-haired, gregarious Ulf told strangers at a tavern-brothel in King’s Landing he is a “dragonseen,” a bastard of House Targaryen. He specifically said he is the bastard brother of the late King Viserys and Daemon Targaryen. Ulf said this even though he believes some would kill him if they knew that. He’s either a liar or not very smart. He’s also definitely a coward. After saying he supported his supposed niece Rhaenyra, Ulf quickly paid tribute to Aegon when he unexpectedly showed up at the bar.

New House of the Dragon Characters—After Extending “Read More,” Jump To: House Targaryen // House Hightower // House Velaryon // House Strong // House Lannister // House Royce // House Stark // Other Major Characters (Baratheons, Coles, Hulls, and More)

House Targaryen

King Viserys Targaryen

King Viserys Targaryen was the king of sat on the Iron Throne when House of the Dragon began. Of all the new House of the Dragon characters, he definitely wanted peace the most. But the matter of succession was of high importance to King Viserys during the end of his reign. He bypassed his brother Daemon and named his daughter Princess Rhaenyra as heir to the Iron Throne. However, that was before Viserys had a son with his second wife, Alicent Hightower, which brought Targaryen civil war into motion. King Viserys died at the end of season one, and this caused the rift in his family to turn into war.

Daemon Targaryen

Daemon Targaryen is among House of the Dragon‘s most dynamic characters. He seemed volatile and untrustworthy at first, but then seemed to mellow over time. Or so we thought. He and Rhaenyra married after the death of his second wife, Laena Velaryon, and the staged death of her husband Ser Laenor Velaryon. Together, they fight for her place on the throne as we move into House of the Dragon season two, though some question if he truly fights for himself.

Jacaerys (“Jace”) Velaryon

Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen had three black-haired boys with her first husband Ser Laenor. They named their oldest son Jacaerys, heir to the Iron Throne, after Rhaenyra. However, many believed (correctly) their real father was Ser Harwin “Breakbones” Strong. Jace is Rhaenyra’s heir to the Iron Throne (she doesn’t actually have).

Lucerys (“Luke”) Velaryon

Rhaenyra and Laenor’s second child was Prince Lucerys Velaryon, his grandfather Ser Corlys Velaryon’s heir as the Lord of Driftmark. Prince Lucerys never got to inherit that seat, though. He died high over Storm’s Landing after his uncle Aemond Targaryen’s dragon Vhagar attacked Luke and his dragon Arrax. His death helped trigger the main events on House of the Dragon.

Joffrey Velaryon

Joffrey Velaryon was the third, black-haired son of Rhaenyra and Laenor. His lawful father named him after his late paramour, Joffrey Lonmouth, whom Criston Cole murdered years earlier. Joffrey is yet to play a major role on House of the Dragon, but we’re sure we’ll see more of this character in season two.

Aegon Targaryen (Son of Rhaenyra and Daemon)

Daemon and Rhaenyra’s first child together was Prince Aegon Targaryen. (Not to be confused with Alicent’s first child, also a House of the Dragon character named Aegon. That much older Aegon is now King, Second of His Name.)

Viserys Targaryen (Son of Rhaenyra and Daemon)

Rhaenyra and Daemon named their second child after her father, King Viserys. Their third child, a daughter, died during childbirth after Rhaenyra learned her father passed away and Aegon had been crowned King.

Aegon Targaryen (Son of Viserys and Alicent)

Queen Alicent and King Viserys named their oldest child and firstborn son Aegon after the Conqueror. A known rapist and spectator of child fighting rings (where one of his own bastards might be forced to fight), Aegon himself said he is unfit to rule. However, he allowed his grandfather Otto Hightower, the green council, and his mother to crown him King, bypassing Viserys’ named heir, Aegon’s older half-sister Rhaenyra. He wears the crown and holds the Valyrian sword Blackfyre of Aegon the Conqueror.

Helaena Targaryen

Helaena, the first daughter and second child of Queen Alicent and King Viserys, married her older brother Aegon. She became Queen of Westeros after his coronation. They had twins, a son named Jahaerys and a daughter named Jahaera. Blood and Cheese killed Jaeherys in season two’s premiere. (The show did not introduce their third son from Fire & Blood, Prince Maelor.)

The quiet, kind, strange Helaena also seems to be a dreamer. A number of her cryptic quotes proved prophetic, most notably about her brother Aemond needing to lose an eye to gain a dragon, “the beast beneath the boards,” and her fear of the rats in King’s Landing.

Aemond Targaryen

Aemond, the third child and second son of Alicent and Viserys, lost his eye as a child during a fight with his cousins. Aemond grew up to be a great warrior who resented his bastard-born nephews. He frequently wears an eyepatch over his sapphire eye and, unlike his lazy brother, Aemond takes his duties seriously. He spent his life studying and training. Aemond assured war after his dragon Vhagar killed his nephew Lucerys Velaryon in the finale of House of the Dragon season one.

Season one did not introduce Aemond’s younger brother, Alicent’s fourth child with Viserys, Prince Daeron, as a character on the show. He was finally mentioned early in season two, so we know he exists and is living in Oldtown.

House Hightower

Ser Otto Hightower was the first Hand of the King to Viserys (a job Otto filled with the previous king). Viserys eventually relieved Otto of his duties, but Otto returned to the position after the death of Lord Lyonel Strong. He’s also father to Queen Alicent and grandfather to four Targaryens. However, Otto Hightower is not the Lord of his own family. That title belongs to his older, clean-shaven brother, Lord Hobert Hightower, head of one of Westeros’s oldest and most important noble families.

Otto was an instrumental character in crowing Aegon as King on House of the Dragon.

Lord Hobert Hightower

Lord Hightower wanted to ensure his great-nephew became king rather than Aegon’s older half-sister, and House Hightower stands behind the new King.

Ser Gwayne Hightower

Alicent’s arrogant brother, Ser Gwayne Hightower, reminded Criston Cole of his “modest beginnings” when they first met, as Cole had just replaced Gwayne’s father, Otto Hightower, as Hand of the King. But Gwayne sang a different tune after he foolishly left himself exposed during a march to war. Cole saved Gwayne from a dragonflame bath, earning the smug knight’s thanks.

House Velaryon

Ser Corlys Velaryon

Ser Corlys Velaryon, husband to Princess Rhaenys Targaryen (The Queen Who Never Was), abandoned his position as master of ships on the small council to fight in the Stepstones with Daemon Targaryen. Two major characters from House Velaryon—his son and his brother—joined him in this early House of the Dragon battle.

Ser Corlys Velaryon is known as the Sea Snake, the most celebrated and accomplished sailor in the history of Westeros. He controls the most powerful fleet in the world, which he has sworn to Queen Rhaenyra. After debating sitting out the war, he declared for her side to protect his grandchildren. His wife will also fight for Rhaenyra, vowing to use her dragon Meleys for their side.

Princess Rhaenys Targaryen

Rhaenys Targaryen, the Queen Who Never Was, should have sat on the Iron Throne long ago, but it was not to be. Instead, Viserys was voted heir by the lords of Westeros.. Rhaenys serves as the Lady of Driftmark and helps her husband to shrewdly navigate the world of Westeros. Rhaenys’ chief allegiance is to the good of her family and she considers her loyalties from that perspective. In House of the Dragon, Rhaenys made a splash when she rode her dragon Meleys through King Aegon II’s coronation. She didn’t kill them (as she should have), but has vowed her loyalty and dragon to Rhaenyra.

Laenor Velaryon

Corlys and Rhaenys’ oldest son Laenor and his dragon Seasmoke helped defeat the Crabfeeder in his character introduction on House of the Dragon. He then married Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen, an arrangement where they both vowed to do their duty while seeking happiness in the bed of another on the side.

Laenor conspired with his wife, her uncle Daemon, and his paramour Ser Qarl Correy to fake his death following a quarrel with Correy. The pair then fled to Essos, allowing Rhaenyra to marry her uncle. We did not see this character again after that and it isn’t clear if he will ever return on House of the Dragon.

Laena (née Velaryon) Targaryen

Lord Lyonel Strong suggested Laenor as a strategic suitor for Princess Rhaenyra, just as he had once recommended King Viserys wed Laenor’s older sister, Laena. Ultimately Laena married Prince Daemon Targaryen. The two had twin daughters, Rhaena and Baela, but Laena died after she was unable to deliver their third child. Rather than die in bed, she had her dragon Vhagar bathe her in dragon flame.

Baela Targaryen

The older daughter of Daemon and Laena’s twins, Baela, rides the dragon Moondancer. She also stayed at Driftmark with her grandmother after the death of her mother, Laena. She is betrothed to Jacaerys Velaryon and fights for her aunt/step-mother, Rhaenyra.

Rhaena Targaryen

Daemon and Laena’s younger daughter was the only member of the family not to be a dragonrider while they lived in Pentos. She is still without a mount at the start of the Dance of the Dragons and serves as Rhaenyra’s cupbearer. This character was also betrothed to Lucerys Velaryon before his death on House of the Dragon.

Vaemond Velaryon

Ser Corlys’s brother Vaemond was ready to mutiny against Daemon Targaryen before their side’s victory in the Stepstones. He also sought to have himself named as Lord of Driftmark when it looked like Ser Corlys might die. After King Viserys affirmed his grandson Lucerys as the lawful heir to Driftmark, Vaemond called Rhaenyra’s boys bastards and her a whore. Daemon then sliced Aemond’s head in half. (He left him his tongue.)

(Note: In the books, Vaemond is Corlys’ nephew, not his brother.)

New House of the Dragon Characters; Jump to: House Targaryen // House Hightower // House Velaryon // House Strong // House Lannister // House Royce // House Stark // Other Major Characters (Baratheons, Coles, and More)

House Strong

Lord Lyonel Strong of Harrenhal first served on King Viserys’ small council as master of laws before becoming Hand of the King. He had two sons. The oldest, Harwin, died alongside his father during a fire at Harrenhal started by Lyonel’s youngest son, Larys.

Ser Harwin “Breakbones” Strong

Considered “the strongest knight” in the Seven Kingdoms, Ser Harwin “Breakbones” Strong was quite a knight in Westeros. We saw how the character earned his nickname early in House of the Dragon, during Viserys’ royal hunt. He was the only knight to hold the stag with his bare hands. Everyone else rode atop a horse.

Harwin Strong later became Commander of the City Watch in King’s Landing and was the real father of Princess Rhaenyra’s three oldest sons. Harwin died alongside his father at Harrenhal shortly after his banishment from King’s Landing for attacking Criston Cole.

Larys Strong, The Clubfoot

Harwin’s younger brother Larys is known as “The Clubfoot” because he was born with a twisted foot. He cited his foot as the reason he could not go on the royal hunt. Instead, he stayed at the King’s pavilion and quietly sat with the high ladies of the hunt. (That group included Lady Ceira Lannister and Lady Joselyn Redwyne, character created for House of the Dragon.)

Larys proved himself to be far more than just cunning and perceptive, though. He murdered his father and brother to appease his close friend and ally, Queen Alicent. Their deaths also made him Lord of Harrenhal. An unofficial master of whispers for the “Greens,” Larys is an amoral killer with a memorable proclivity.

Ser Simon Strong

Ser Simon Strong, uncle to Larys Strong, is an older knight and the castellan of Harrenhal. He willingly gave the enormous castle in ‘disrepair” to Daemon Targaryen and said he does not accept his nephew as Lord because he believes (correctly) that Larys caused the fire at Harrenhal that killed his father and brother.

House Lannister

The widowed Lady Ceira has twin sons, each of whom holds a major position in Westeros.

Jason Lannister

The older of the twins, the prideful, long-haired Jason Lannister is Lord of Casterly Rock and Warden of the West. Princess Rhaenyra spurned his offer of marriage, which he made after believing Prince Aegon had supplanted her as heir. His assumption also upset King Viserys, who called such talk “treason.” Jason Lannister is head of House Lannister, which supports King Aegon.

Ser Tyland Lannister

Tyland Lannister—who sports a shorter, neater haircut than his older twin brother—replaced Ser Corlys Velaryon on the small council as master of ships. His brother considers Tyland “frightfully dull.”

Tyland Lannister conspired with Otto Hightower and the green council to place Aegon on the Iron Throne. The House of the Dragon character remains on the new King’s small council as master of coin.

New House of the Dragon Characters; Jump to: House Targaryen // House Hightower // House Velaryon // House Strong // House Lannister // House Royce // House Stark // Other Major Characters (Baratheons, Coles, and More)

House Royce

House Royce of Runestone in the Vale is an old, noble family descended from the First Men. (They also played a meaningful role on Game of Thrones.) Though kings long ago, they are sworn bannermen to House Arryn, Princess Rhaenys’ family (her mother was an Arryn). The Royce sigil features black iron studs and rune markings on a bronze field, which is where Daemon Targaryen got his uncouth nickname for his late wife.

Lady Rhea Royce

Prince Daemon hated his wife, Lady Royce, and the feeling was mutual. He killed the skilled rider (who was obviously much prettier than any sheep) after Lady Rhea fell from her horse. She died without an heir, which led Daemon to appeal to Lady Jeyne Arryn directly for the rights to Runestone.

Ser Gerold Royce

Lady Rhea’s cousin Ser Gerold Royce believes Daemon killed his first wife, an accusation he made during a feast for Rhaenyra and Laenor’s wedding. But he was taken aback by Prince Daemon’s plans to claim Runestone as his own. The castle has been House Royce’s seat of power for thousands of years. It remains to be seen how the altercation between these two characters will play out.

House Stark

Lord Cregan Stark

House of the Dragon‘s second season brought viewers back to the North where we met the Lord of Winterfell Cregan Stark. The head of House Stark promised Prince “Jace” he would honor his family’s oath and support Queen Rhaenyra, but that he was limited in how many men he could send to her cause. Winter has arrived, and Cregan has an even more sacred duty to the Wall.

Other Major New Characters on House of the Dragon

Alyn and Addam of Hull

Season two has introduced the brothers Alyn and Addam of Hull. Hull is a recent surname given to bastards born in the town of Hull, which sits on Driftmark, the domain of Corlys Velaryon. The bald, stern, no-nonsense Alyn is a talented seaman and adventurer who saved Lord Corlys’ life in the Stepstones. His gregarious brother Addam is a shipwright (who also makes a mean goat stew). Addam also believes Lord Corlys “owes” the two of them something.

Alys Rivers

Alys Rivers last name reveals she’s a bastard born in the Riverlands. Her appearance (and jarring American) accent in Daemon’s unsettling vision reveals she’s a mysterious presence. Alys Rivers is the character tells Daemon, “You will die in this place” at Harrenhal.

Ser Alfred Broome

Ser Alfred Broome, knight of House Targaryen, is a member of Queen Rhaenyra’s black council. He also politely accused her of ordering the brutal death of young Prince Jaehaerys even after Rhaenyra swore she played no part in the child’s death.

Lord Lyman Beesbury

Lord Lyman Beesbury served as master of coin under King Jaehaerys. He continued in that role as part of Viserys’s small council, but Criston Cole killed him after Lord Lyman refused to go along with the plan to crown Aegon.

Lord Jasper Wylde

Lord Jasper Wylde joined King VIserys’s small council as master of laws. He conspired to place Aegon on the Iron Throne. This House of the Dragon character serves on the new King’s small council.

Lord Commander Ser Harrold Westerling

Ser Harrold of House Westerling (House Lannister’s most important bannermen) served as Lord Commander of King Viserys’ Kingsguard. He refused to go along with the green council when it planned to install Aegon as King. We don’t know where this character has ended up as of the finale of House of the Dragon season one.

Ser Criston Cole

Criston Cole called his ascent to the Kingsguard the highest honor anyone in his (minor) family from the Stormlands’ Dornish marches ever achieved. He owed that position to Princess Rhaenyra and was originally her sworn protector. But after they had an affair and she refused to run off with him, he became Queen Alicent’s sworn shield. This House of the Dragon character now hates Rhaenyra and helped usurp her throne.

Criston Cole, Lord Commander of Aegon’s Kingsguard, crowned Aegon at the Dragonpit. He is now Aegon’s Hand of the King, a role he is ill-suited for.

Mysaria

Prince Daemon’s former paramour, sometimes called “Misery,” hails from the Free City of Lys in Essos. Daemon wanted to make Mysaria his second wife, but his brother and the laws of Westeros forbade the marriage. She then became known in King’s Landings as the “White Worm,” a purveyor of secrets. She traded her information to Otto Hightower and also turned Prince Aegon over to him for coin and promises of reform after King Viserys’ death.

Mysaria has so many spies in King’s Landing and not even Larys Strong knows all of them. The Clubfoot and Alicent burned down Mysaria’s manse in season one, but no bodies were shown in the building. She tried to flee, but was intercepted by Daemon, who offered her freedom in exchange for information (which he used to hire Blood and Cheese). She also helped saved Rhaenyra from Ser Arrky Cargyll’s assasination attempt.

Lord Boremund Baratheon

The show’s first Lord of Storm’s End in the Stormlands hosted Princess Rhaenyra during her tour of suitors. Lord Boremund Baratheon was the only son of Lord Rogar Baratheon and former Queen Alyssa Velaryon. (She was first married to King Aenys I Targaryen and was mother to King Jaehaerys I.)

He was also a supporter of his cousin Rhaenys Targaryen’s claim to the Iron Throne before swearing an oath to support Rhaenyra as Viserys’ rightful heir. Boremund had one son of his own, Borros, who followed his father as Lord of Storm’s End after Boremund’s death.

Lord Borros Baratheon

The new, illiterate, prideful Lord of Storm’s End ignored his late father’s vow to keep Rhaenyra as heir after Aemond Taragryen promised to marry one of his daughters in exchange for Storm’s End’s support in the coming war.

Grand Maester Mellos

The first Grand Maester of King’s Landing under Viserys provided the king and his family with questionable care. His service was bad enough to make us wonder if the Grand Maester Conspiracy theory is absolutely true and House Targaryen should be weary of the order. Mellos also served Princess Rhaenyra Moon Tea, a libation used to end a pregnancy, a vital secret that got out immediately. This character died during Viserys’s reign on House of the Dragon.

Grand Maester Orwyle

Archmaester Orwyle tried offering King Viserys a different, more effective course of treatment during House of the Dragon‘s fifth episode, but was shut down by his boss, Grand Maester Mellos. Orwyle eventually became Grand Maester of King’s Landing, which earned him a seat in Viserys’ small council. He is a member of the green council that crowned Aegon king.

Maester Gerardys

The maester of Dragonstone and member of the black council continues to serve and advise Rhaenyra during the Dance of the Dragons began.

Ser Qarl Correy

The paramour of Ser Laenor Velaryon helped fake Laenor’s death. The couple then fled to Essos.

Lord Caswell

Lord Caswell was among the first people to congratulate Rhaenyra and Laenor on the birth of their third son. He asked the couple if there was anyway he could serve the family, which he did when Aegon was about to be named king. He lied about swearing allegiance to Aegon and tried to flee King’s Landing to warn Rhaenyra. Larys Strong had him captured, and Otto Hightower hanged Lord Caswell for treason.

Sers Erryk and Arryk Cargyll

The identical twin brothers, Sers Erryk and Arryk Cargyll, served on King Viserys’s Kingsguard. Erryk was Aegon’s sworn protector, but refused to help crown him King. He knew Aegon was unworthy of the position, so he stole Viserys’s crown and brought it to Dragonstone for Rhaenyra, whom he swore to protect as a member of her Queensguard.

Arryk Cargyll remained behind in King’s Landing as part of Aegon’s Kingsguard against his brother’s urging. They both died after Criston Cole sent Arryk to impersonate his brother in a failed assassination attempt.

Ser Steffon Darklyn

Ser Steffon Darklyn of Viserys’s Kingsguard was with Rhaenyra on Dragonstone when The Dance of the Dragons began. This character joined her Queensguard (under threat of death by Daemon) rather than swear allegiance to Aegon in the final episode of House of the Dragon season one.

Ser Lorent Marbrand

Ser Lorent Marbrand was also a member of Viserys’s Kingsguard at Dragonstone when The Dance of the Dragons began. And like Ser Steffon he joined Rhaenyra’s Queensguard (under the same threat of death by Daemon).

Lord Bartimos Celtigar

The Lord of Claw Isle, Lord Bartimos Celtigar, took an immediate and important spot on Rhaenyra’s small council at the start of the Dance of the Dragons.

Lord Simon Staunton

Lord Simon Staunton of Rook’s Rest was also a member of Rhaenyra’s black council on Dragonstone when war broke out over the Iron Throne.

New House of the Dragon Characters; Jump to: House Targaryen // House Hightower // House Velaryon // House Strong // House Lannister // House Royce // House Stark // Other Major Characters (Baratheons, Coles, and More)

Originally published on September 6, 2022.

The post Every Major New Character on HOUSE OF THE DRAGON appeared first on Nerdist.

“Mark my words, this is a black omen.”
“Tis an abomination.”
“I thought the dragons was gods.”

Criston Cole turned his side’s “victory” at Rook’s Rest into a public relations disaster. He thought marching the head of Meleys through the streets of King’s Landing would rouse the public to Aegon’s cause like the death of Prince Jaehaerys did. Instead the Green’s latest propaganda parade turned the people against them, because the smallfolk revere dragons as divine creatures. That’s an important part of House Targaryen’s mythology, something Game of Thrones never had the chance to fully explore. The Lord Commander’s ill-advised procession is also an ill-omen for what awaits the dragonriders on House of the Dragon.

The people of Westeros knew about dragons long before the Targaryen family relocated to Dragonstone roughly two hundred years before House of the Dragon. The dragonlords of Old Valyria conquered much of Essos atop their majestic beasts. Everyone in the world feared the power of dragons. But the Realm did not truly appreciate the unmatched strength of “fire made flesh” until Aegon the Conqueror and his two sisters arrived with fire and blood. As Tywin Lannister told Arya Stark on Game of Thrones, Aegon “changed the rules” of warfare.

Now, via the smallfolk’s reaction to Meleys’ death, House of the Dragon has deftly shown another reason House Targaryen was able to not just conqueror the Seven Kingdoms, but to earn the acceptance of Westeros’ people. It’s an important aspect of the family’s reign that Game of Thrones couldn’t delve into simply because no normal living person (a.k.a. not people like Melisandre) had ever seen a dragon before Daenerys briefly called Westeros home. People caught in the middle of a vicious war only had time to respond to dragons as weapons of mass destruction. They didn’t have a chance to love them like people two centuries earlier had.

The Realm is a land of old, noble families with histories going back thousands of years. They were also very insular. Until House Targaryen from Essos, no one had ever unified Westeros’ many kingdoms. For an insular continent to truly accept outsiders as their rulers, the people of the Realm had to believe in more than just the power of dragons. The people also had to believe in the magic and majesty of dragons as being more than just animals.

The reaction to Meleys’ smoking head showed just how much the people adored dragons. The smallfolk loved them just as much as they feared them. Those magical creatures offered protection. They made Westeros and those who lived there feel special. No one else in the world had dragons. Who could mess with Westeros with dragons around? And if only Westeros had them, Westeros must be special. Maybe even more special than the Valyrian Freehold had been, since dragons were plentiful then.

All of that adoration of dragons also made the Targaryens who rode them special, too. They were closer to gods among men than they were monarchs. Only, gods can’t die, something the people of Westeros knew could happen to dragons but didn’t fully appreciate until they saw a decapitated Meleys. The she-dragon wasn’t old. Vhagar bit her neck and killed her because Meleys wasn’t indestructible.

Coming face to face with that reality shattered everything people believed about both dragons and House Targaryen. Meleys’ death wasn’t proof of the Greens strength. It was proof of their vulnerability. All Cole accomplished was to display that what Hugh the blacksmith said is true: dragons are just “meat,” same as every other living thing.

Two sides of House Targaryen are fighting over their ancestor’s Iron Throne. It’s a throne Aegon created on the back of dragons. He used his creatures’ physical power and their exalted status in the world to raise his family up as gods. Now the inexperienced Hand of the King Criston Cole has smashed the mythology House Targaryen relies on to rule. He’s shown the smallfolk dragons aren’t as special as they thought. Neither are their riders who rule them.

What happens when people who considered their rulers specual gods who can keep them safe from everything suddenly realize the beings they put their faith can die the same as them? Both the Greens and the Blacks are about to find out.

Mikey Walsh is a staff writer at Nerdist always happy to bash Criston Cole. You can follow him on Twitter and Bluesky at @burgermike. And also anywhere someone is ranking the Targaryen kings.

The post HOUSE OF THE DRAGON’s Ill-Advised Dead Dragon Parade Both Captured and Destroyed a Major Targaryen Mythos appeared first on Nerdist.

House of the Dragon brought viewers back to one of Game of Thrones‘ most notorious locales during the prequel’s fifth episode of season two. Prince Jacaerys took it upon himself to fly his dragon to the Twins, home of House Frey, the Red Wedding, and Arya’s ultimate revenge. House of the Dragon‘s visit to that infamous stronghold wasn’t as deadly, but even without any murder, Jace’s encounter with Lord and Lady Frey still had major connections with Game of Thrones. House Frey was always willing to let a Northern army cross its valuable bridge… for the right price.

With Meleys and her dragonrider Rhaenys dead, Queen Rhaenyra’s position has never been more tenuous. She desperately needs the Riverlands and its massive armies to join her cause if she has any hope to defeat the Greens and claim the Iron Throne. With her husband Daemon out of pocket—and possibly out for himself at Harrenhal—a frustrated Jacaerys flew off on his dragon Vermax without his mother’s knowledge or permission. He’d grown tired of being confined to Dragonstone while others serve (and die for) his mother’s cause. His proactive, unsanctioned mission took him to the Twins of House Frey. Jace hoped to find both an ally and a path forward in the war.

House Frey is one of the newer noble house in Westeros. At the start of the Dance of the Dragons, its history only dated back four hundred years. That’s nothing compared to the millennia some other families have been around. House Frey rose to prominence thanks to its identical dual castle home the Twins. Also known as the Crossing, those structures are connected by a long stone bridge over the Green Fork River, one of three rivers that make up the Trident.

(In George R.R. Martin’s books, the bridge also has a tower in the middle. From there guards can fire on anyone who crosses without permission. HBO’s shows do not include the tower.)

The Freys got rich and powerful by charging others to use their well-placed river passage. They never lacked for willing customers, either. The Twins greatly reduces the time needed to move between the North and Riverlands. The Crossing provides speed, safety, and convenience, all things especially valuable to armies on the move who would otherwise be forced to go a long way around a much more treacherous path.

That swift passage is exactly what Jace hoped to secure for his mother on his mission. Cregan Stark has sworn the North to Rhaenyra’s cause. The Lord of Winterfell is sending 2,000 seasoned, older troops to immediately fight on her behalf. If they could cross at the Twins they would be able to join the fight much faster. Without House Frey’s permission the Northmen might be too late to be of any use. The war could be lost before they arrive. Lannister forces sworn to King Aegon are already amassing in the West.

At first Lord and Lady Frey were wary of providing Cregan’s men passage. They have no issue with Rhaenyra’s claim, but their Lord Paramount has not declared for either side. “The oaf” Lord Grover Tully is too sickly to make any decision. (That led Daemon to tell his grandson to put a pillow over his grandsire’s head so the young man could begin his reign and back Rhaenyra.) Supporting the Queen without their Lord’s permission would be treasonous. Even letting Cregan’s men cross would amount to picking a side.

More importantly, House Frey rightfully fears Aemond and Vhagar. They are the most destructive power in the world. If there were any question about that before, the whole Realm already knows what just happened at Rook’s Rest.

Jace assuaged their concerns by swearing both his dragon and his Uncle Daemon’s would protect House Frey. While that made the Freys happy, the Prince recognized they wanted more. When pushed they asked for Harrenhal, an even bigger, more valuable castle in the Riverlands. It belonged to Larys Strong before Daemon took it.

Prince Jacaerys was willing to give the grant them the infamous, cursed stronghold at the end of the war, but he needed more for a prize that big. To earn Harrenhal his mother Rhaenyra requires “bent knees.”

The Freys sworn support is far more valuable than a couple thousand Northmen walking across a bridge, because the wealthy family can amass a well-regarded army that is even bigger than the one their own lords at House Tully can call on. (The Riverlands are really important because it’s centrally located, fertile, and full of soldiers. Houses Blackwood and Bracken, both now sworn to Rhaenyra as well, can also gather more men than the Tullys.)

Lord and Lady Frey accepted the Prince’s offer, and Rhaenyra said her son did their cause a great service. The Blacks now have a fighting chance to win. But while Jace’s meeting at the Twins went very differently from the last time viewers saw a dark-haired member of a noble family there—when Arya poisoned every Frey man while disguised as Lord Walder—Jace’s scene at the Twins was ripe with connections to Game of Thrones.

Robb Stark’s ill-fated alliance with Lord Walder Frey on Game of Thrones also arose from Robb’s own need to move his Northern army quickly. He was trying to march south against the Lannisters. They had his father Ned imprisoned as a traitor in King’s Landing and were holding Sansa as a de facto hostage. (No one knew where Arya was.) To save his family and advance against the Lannister army, Robb needed safe passage for his men at the Twins.

His mother Catelyn knew the prickly Lord Walder personally and went as an emissary for her son. She returned with an offer for both safe crossing and Frey fealty. The deal included Robb’s oath to marry one of Walder’s daughters after the war.

Robb accepted and the Northmen crossed at the Twins. But Robb did not keep his promise to the notoriously dangerous, untrustworthy Lord Frey. Robb fell in love with a healer from Essos named Talisa. After the two married, against Catelyn’s advice, House Frey withdrew their support from Robb’s cause. A desperate Robb’s later efforts to bring House Frey back to his army resulted in the Red Wedding.

Lord Walder wanted much more than what Robb was now offering. The new deal would see his uncle, Catelyn’s brother and new Lord of Riverrun Edmure Tully, marry one of Walder’s many daughters instead. This new marriage would unite the two Riverland families by marriage.

That marriage happened, but Lord Walder got his revenge anyway. He conspired with Tywin Lannister and Roose Bolton to pull off the Red Wedding. The Freys killed Robb, Catelyn, Talisa, and all the Northmen Walder had sworn to protect at the Twins.

Lord Walder, who always felt disrespected and looked down upon by older, noble houses, specifically cited his desire to have his family marry a King as his reason for this unimaginable act. House Stark had broken their oath and embarrassed House Frey. Robb denied the Freys the one thing all their money and soldiers could never buy: respect. For that disrespect, Robb and the North paid with their lives, as did Lord Walder. In the end, winter came for House Frey.

Lord Walder’s actions did not represent House Frey, but it did capture some things that were always true about them. The Twins was always extremely valuable during war when Northmen needed to go south. And even two hundred years before the Red Wedding the Freys were just as ambitious when someone came knocking. House Frey wanted more power, more money, and more respect.

For Jace that meant giving them a bigger castle. For Robb it was supposed to mean his hand in marriage. And for everyone else it’s a reminder that an upstart family smart enough to build a highly valuable bridge at an important locale should never be underestimated.

Mikey Walsh is a staff writer at Nerdist who is always looking for a reason to mention Cregan Stark. You can follow him on Twitter and Bluesky at @burgermike. And also anywhere someone is ranking the Targaryen kings.

The post How HOUSE OF THE DRAGON’s Visit With the Freys Connects to GAME OF THRONES appeared first on Nerdist.

On House of the Dragon, keeping track of the many dragons flying around is a little complex. In Game of Thrones, it was much easier to account for the creatures. Daenerys Stormborn took three eggs into the flames and rose unscathed from the ashes with three “children.” That was it! But the skies of Westeros are overrun with “fire made flesh” on House of the Dragon. The prequel series shows us House Targaryen at its strongest, when they had 17 dragons prior to the civil war known as the Dance of the Dragons. And the dragons play important roles both in the personal and political machinations of House of the Dragon. But with that many beasts in the air, the question becomes: How will you keep straight the identities of all of House of the Dragon‘s numerous dragons from season one and two of the show and beyond?

The good news is you don’t have to. We’ve got you covered—with as few spoilers as possible. Here’s a list of all the dragons you’ll see on House of the Dragon, along with their riders. And we’ll keep updating this post every time a dragon appears on the prequel series or does something major on the show. For now, this list of House of the Dragon‘s dragons is complete through season one and will be updating throughout season two. So, who are House of the Dragon‘s 17 dragons? Let’s find out.

House of the Dragon’s Dragons; Jump to Rhaenyra Targaryen’s Dragon, Syrax // Daemon Targaryen’s Dragon, Caraxes // Laenor Velaryon’s Dragon, Seasmoke // Rhaenys Targaryen’s Dragon, Meleys // Jacaerys Velaryon’s Dragon, Vermax // Laena (Velaryon) Targaryen and Aemond Targaryen’s Dragon Vhagar // King Aegon Targaryen II’s Dragon Sunfyre // Prince Lucerys Velaryon’s Dragon Arrax // Baela Velaryon’s Dragon Moondancer // The Unclaimed Dragons, Stormcloud and Tyraxes, Plus Four Eggs // Unhatched Dragon Egg // The Unclaimed Dragon, Dreamfyre // The Unclaimed Dragon, Vermithor // The Deceased Balerion // House of the Dragon Future Dragons

How Many Dragons Will Appear During House of the Dragon Season Two?

As House of the Dragon season two begins, the question of dragons returns to the table. And thanks to showrunner Ryan Condal, we know exactly how many dragons we’ll see this season. Per Deadline, Condal noted, “There will be five new dragons in season two” of House of the Dragon. He recently confirmed that season two dragon number, again noting that “five new ones that you haven’t seen before” are coming to House of the Dragon.

You can see season two’s dragons in action in the new House of the Dragon trailers released by Max. And the trailers even revealed a couple of the new dragons we’ll be meeting in season two of House of the Dragon, Sunfyre and Moondancer. You can read about these new dragons in full below.

How Many Dragons Appeared During House of the Dragon Season One?

House of the Dragon‘s co-showrunner Miguel Sapochnik told Empire that season one would feature nine of House Targaryen’s 17 dragons before the season began. And that’s exactly what happened, plus a couple of other dragon mentions. While each dragon has its own look, the Game of Thrones alum says the creatures are easier to differentiate by their individual traits, as each dragon has its own personality.

That’s no surprise. We already know Game of Thrones‘ dragons are highly intelligent creatures with minds of their own. But with so many different personalities flying around, it will be fun to see how they interact with their fellow dragons. And it will be entertaining to see how the dragons’ attitudes either mirror or conflict with their riders. Dragons only accept a single rider—of Valyrian blood—while both still live.

For now, let’s meet every House of the Dragon dragon that we get to see in season one and season two.

Which Dragons Have Already Appeared on House of the Dragon?

Syrax (Dragon Rider: Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen)

A giant yellow-scaled she-dragon who took young Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen as rider in 104 AC. House of the Dragon opened with the princess riding high over King’s Landing while in a saddle on Syrax’s back. Thanks to her parents, we also now know you can smell like a dragon after taking one for a spin. Syrax features in an early standoff with Rhaenyra’s uncle Daemon Targaryen. When Daemon disrespects the crown during the first episodes of House of the Dragon, Syrax and Caraxes have a tense dragon stand-off, as their riders battle wills below. Without Syrax, there would have been no reasoning with Daemon. But the presence of two dragons serves as insurance and prevents a fight. The dragon was greatly featured earlier in House of the Dragon season one, but we will likely see more of her in season two. In the first episode of the series, Syrax accompanies Rhaenyra in her vigil over Lucerys and Arrax. It is believed that Syrax is the mother of Arrax, which adds to the grief shared by the duo as they discover their lost children.

Syrax is still laying dragon eggs, however—three in episode eight of House of the Dragon season one—setting the stage for more dragon riders to come in House Targaryen’s internal battle. As the Dance of the Dragons war heats up on House of the Dragon, we know Rhaenyra will be glad to have this Syrax by her side.

House of the Dragon’s Dragons; Jump to Rhaenyra Targaryen’s Dragon, Syrax // Daemon Targaryen’s Dragon, Caraxes // Laenor Velaryon’s Dragon, Seasmoke // Rhaenys Targaryen’s Dragon, Meleys // Jacaerys Velaryon’s Dragon, Vermax // Laena (Velaryon) Targaryen and Aemond Targaryen’s Dragon Vhagar // King Aegon Targaryen II’s Dragon Sunfyre // Prince Lucerys Velaryon’s Dragon Arrax // Baela Velaryon’s Dragon Moondancer // The Unclaimed Dragons, Stormcloud and Tyraxes, Plus Four Eggs // Unhatched Dragon Egg // The Unclaimed Dragon, Dreamfyre // The Unclaimed Dragon, Vermithor // The Deceased Balerion // House of the Dragon Future Dragons

Caraxes (Dragon Rider: Daemon Targaryen)

In 105 AC, Daemon Targaryen became the second member of his family to mount Caraxes, the large red dragon known as the Blood Wyrm. Caraxes’ original dragonrider was Prince Aemon Targaryen, but Daemon took him as his dragon after Aemon’s murder. Caraxes made a big impression in House of the Dragon‘s premiere. That included how it brought out the tender side of Prince Daemon.

Don’t let that fool you, though. Caraxes is a fearsome creature. We see him devour his prey with great ferocity, and that’s just lunch. Throughout House of the Dragon‘s episodes, we’ve mostly seen the giant dragon menacing in the background. But it looks like in the season two trailer of House of the Dragon, we see this dragon do battle. And it makes for quite a sight. Especially since it seems Caraxes will battle other dragons in the sky.

Although Caraxes hasn’t seen much action yet in season two of House of the Dragon, we got a very good look at the dragon in episode two, and in episode three, we saw Daemon ride him through a storm on his way to the very wet Harrenhal.

In episode five of House of the Dragon, Daemon used Caraxes to menace the men of the Riverlands to his side.

Seasmoke (Dragon Rider: Laenor Velaryon)

The silver-gray dragon accepted Laenor Velaryon (son of Rhaenys Targaryen, which makes him eligible for dragon-riding) as its rider by the year 101 AC. The duo didn’t make their House of the Dragon debut, though, until the show’s third episode. That’s when Laenor and Seasmoke helped Laenor’s father Lord Corlys Velaryon and Prince Daemon Targaryen defeat the Crabfeeder in the Stepstones. Although Laenor does not die in season one of the Game of Thrones prequel series, he fakes his own death and goes into hiding. And that means he has to leave Seasmoke behind.

Presently, it seems that Seasmoke resides in Driftmark. Daemon Targaryen hoped to use the dragon to help secure Princess Rhaenyra’s claim to the throne on House of the Dragon, but it is not yet clear what will happen with the dragon since Laenor, his rider, remains alive. As mentioned, typically dragons can only bond with another rider when their rider is dead. But it remains for us to see how House of the Dragon tackles this particular bit of dragon-lore. Potentially, Seasmoke will simply not find a new rider on the show. Or perhaps Rhaenyra’s need for another dragon on her side will find Laenor returning to the world of House of the Dragon.

In season two, episode two of House of the Dragon, we see Seasmoke briefly flying around, hinting a potential return could come sooner rather than later. And we see Seasmoke again in episode three of House of the Dragon. This time the show more overtly suggests the dragon may be searching for a new rider.

House of the Dragon’s Dragons; Jump to Rhaenyra Targaryen’s Dragon, Syrax // Daemon Targaryen’s Dragon, Caraxes // // Laenor Velaryon’s Dragon, Seasmoke // Rhaenys Targaryen’s Dragon, Meleys // Jacaerys Velaryon’s Dragon, Vermax // Laena (Velaryon) Targaryen and Aemond Targaryen’s Dragon Vhagar // King Aegon Targaryen II’s Dragon Sunfyre // Prince Lucerys Velaryon’s Dragon Arrax // Baela Velaryon’s Dragon Moondancer // The Unclaimed Dragons, Stormcloud and Tyraxes, Plus Four Eggs // Unhatched Dragon Egg // The Unclaimed Dragon, Dreamfyre // The Unclaimed Dragon, Vermithor // The Deceased Balerion // House of the Dragon Future Dragons

Meleys (Rider: Rhaenys Targaryen), Dragon and Rider Are Deceased

Rhaenys, “The Queen Who Never Was,” became the second Targaryen to sit upon the swift red and pink she-dragon Meleys when they bonded in 87 AC. The first Targaryen to ride Meleys was Princess Alyssa Targaryen. But unfortunately, Meleys lost her dragonrider when the Targaryen princess died while giving birth. In her prime, Meleys was known as one of the fastest of dragons. With time she slowed, but she remained no less cunning.

We finally saw Rhaenys flying Meleys in House of the Dragon‘s fifth episode of season one. As House of the Dragon revealed, this rosy-hued dragon has a “crown” of thorns around her head, hence Meleys’ nickname the “Red Queen.” But after the show’s ninth episode, we can also call the dragon the “Beast Beneath the Boards.” Rhaenys rode Meleys up into the arena of the Dragonpit during Aegon II’s coronation, killing quite a few citizens and causing general mayhem. Rhaenys did not, however, use this chance to spew dragon-fire against her enemies, including Queen Alicent and Aegon II, who had her imprisoned. She instead escapes to safety.

In the finale of House of the Dragon season one, Rhaenys pledged her dragon to Queen Rhaenyra. In season two, she used her dragon to strengthen the Velaryon blockade of The Gullet. But sadly, service to Queen Rhaenyra cost Rhaenys and Meleys their lives. In House of the Dragon season two, episode four, we saw our first major dragon death on House of the Dragon. Rhaenys and Meleys rode out to defend Rook’s Rest from Criston Cole and his Green army, but unfortunately, the Greens had a trick up their sleeve. Aemond and his dragon Vhagar lay in wait for any of Rhaenyra’s dragons to appear. And on top of that, King Aegon II appeared by surprise at the battle with his dragon, Sunfyre. Both dragons attacked Meleys and Rhaenys, and though the duo put up a good fight, they did not prevail.

Vhagar fatally bit his fellow dragon’s neck at the end of the House of the Dragon season two episode, and both Meleys and Rhaenys went tumbling to their doom.

Sadly, our last look at Meleys is of the dragon’s severed head being ignobaly dragged through King’s Landing. We take heart in the fact the people of the city do not look upon the posturing kindly. We do, however, get the sweet story of how Rhaneys claimed Meleys as her dragon. She snuck into the dragonpit, a place she is said to have known exceptionally well. And the firece creature, who shunned all others, bent her neck to Rhaneys and Rhaenys alone.

Despite Meleys and Rhaenys’ deaths, both dragon and rider will always be remembered as a House of the Dragon pair not to be trifled with.

Vermax (Rider: Jacaerys Velaryon)

Prince Jacaerys, Rhaenyra Targaryen’s son, bonded with the young green dragon after it hatched in his crib. This helped cement his place as heir to the throne after Rhaenyra because some in King’s Landing questioned his heritage. Jace and Vermax start off on shaky footing, with the dragon only barely obeying his rider. But by the time of the House of the Dragon finale, they seem to have settled into their dragon and rider bond.

In Game of Thrones’ book, Fire & Blood, it is noted that Vermax especially disliked ice, snow, and cold. This probably means the dragon won’t love the trip North he set out on with “Jace” in House of the Dragon‘s season one finale. Vermax and Jacaerys head to familiar territory in early season two, the Eyrie and Winterfell, in the hopes of finding support for Rhaenyra’s cause among the northern houses.

While we learned they were successful on their mission in episode one of season two, we didn’t get to see the dragon itself again until House of the Dragon season two, episode five. In the episode, Jace takes Vermax to meet with the Freys who control the crossing at the twins, a direct route into the Riverlands. We see the green dragon perching nearby as the political negotion takes place, but no use of force becomes necessary as Jace pledges the protection of his dragon and Daemon’s to the Freys, with the promise of Harrenhal in the future, and wins them to Rhaenyra’s side for now.

Vhagar (Rider: Laena (Velaryon) Targaryen / Rider: Aemond Targaryen)

The Dragon Vhagar in Season One of House of the Dragon

Vhagar was one of the three dragons that helped Aegon and his sisters conquer Westeros. She was first claimed by Queen Visenya. According to the Game of Thrones books, the dragon was so huge, a hore could be ridden down her throat. And Vhagar’s breath was said to be hot enough to melt armor and cook a knight inside of it. Later, the bronze she-dragon with green-blue coloring and green eyes took Laena Velaryon as its rider. But the dragon didn’t establish its importance on House of the Dragon until the show’s sixth episode

Instead of facing death during childbirth, Laena took matters into her own hands. She told Vhagar “dracarys” until the dragon engulfed her in flame.

After Laena’s funeral on Driftmark, young Aemond Targaryen claimed the massive Vhagar as his own, though not without a cost. An ensuing fight with his cousins led to Aemond losing an eye. The young prince was happy to pay that “price,” though. He had long desired a dragon of his own.

Vhagar helped set the coming Targaryen civil war in motion when he killed Prince Lucerys and his dragon Arrax in House of the Dragon‘s season one finale. Seeing this intense violence between dragons in House of the Dragon was shocking, but only the beginning of things to come. And it seems that though Aemond has a certain smugness in himself and his abilities, his dragon still does not fully respect him. This makes sense because Vhagar is an ancient dragon who has lived a long life and seen many riders. And, unlike his dragon, Aemond only has a narrow outlook on the world.

The Dragon Vhagar in Season Two of House of the Dragon

House of the Dragon’s Dragons; Jump to Rhaenyra Targaryen’s Dragon, Syrax // Daemon Targaryen’s Dragon, Caraxes // // Laenor Velaryon’s Dragon, Seasmoke // Rhaenys Targaryen’s Dragon, Meleys // Jacaerys Velaryon’s Dragon, Vermax // Laena (Velaryon) Targaryen and Aemond Targaryen’s Dragon Vhagar // King Aegon Targaryen II’s Dragon Sunfyre // Prince Lucerys Velaryon’s Dragon Arrax // Baela Velaryon’s Dragon Moondancer // The Unclaimed Dragons, Stormcloud and Tyraxes, Plus Four Eggs // Unhatched Dragon Egg // The Unclaimed Dragon, Dreamfyre // The Unclaimed Dragon, Vermithor // The Deceased Balerion // House of the Dragon Future Dragons

In season two of House of the Dragon, Aemond and Vhagar returned to cause yet more chaos that will surely intensify the Targaryen civil war. In House of the Dragon season two, episode four, the dragon and its rider flew to battle. Aemond and Vhagar set a clever trap for Rhaenyra and her supporters. Criston Cole boldly attacked Rook’s Rest, the seat of House Staunton, whose lord is a member of Rhaenyra’s small council. Rook’s Rest also is located only a short distance away from Dragonstone, where Rhaenyra has settled. But the small castle was not really the aim. Instead, Aemond and Cole sought to draw out one of Rhaenyra’s dragons so Aemond could attack it with Vhagar.

Their plan succeeded. Rhaenyra sent the dragon Meleys and her rider Rhaenys to attack the host. Though Aemond’s plan was temporarily disrupted by the appearance of his brother, King Aegon, and his dragon, Sunfyre, it ultimately worked just as he’d imagined. Aemond and Vhagar attacked Meleys, who already had to contend with battling Sunfyre, and managed to kill the other dragon by biting its neck and sending it tumbling to the ground. Both Meleys and Rhaenys perished. However, that wasn’t the only potential casualty Vhagar caused. Unfearing for his brother’s life or his brother’s dragon, Aemond ordered Vhagar to send out a fireblast during the battle, which caught Aegon and Sunfyre in its path. Both Aegon and his dragon seemed in bad shape at the end of the House of the Dragon episode. Aemond and Vhagar seem to have escaped unscathed.

Sunfyre (Rider: King Aegon Targaryen II)

We first caught glimpses of the dragon Sunfyre in House of the Dragon season two’s trailers and the creature made its grand appearance in episode four of the season. On House of the Dragon, Sunfyre is King Aegon II’s dragon. True to its name, this House of the Dragon dragon has golden scales that shine like the sun. We didn’t see Aegon claim Sunfyre but the king has been restless to ride his dragon all season. And finally, in episode four of season two, Aegon and Sunfyre rode out to battle.

Unlike in the original Fire & Blood novel, Aegon’s joining the battle was not part of the plan that his brother and Ser Criston Cole concocted to try to kill one of Rhaenyra’s dragons. Instead, Aegon impetuously flies to the battle of Rook’s Rest, interrupting Aemond’s designs for the clash. Aegon and Sunfyre attack the dragon Meleys and her rider Rhaenys when they appear on the scene, but do not put up a very good fight. When Aemond and his dragon Vhagar join the House of the Dragon battle, Aegon believes he is saved, but Aemond sends a blast of dragonfire into the fray, uncaring if Sunfyre and Aegon survive it.

Dragon and rider are gravely injured at the end of House of the Dragon season two, episode four. It is not yet known if they will survive on the series. In House of the Dragon episode five, Criston Cole refers to Sunfyre as “long in the dying” while Rhanerya refers to the dragon as slain. It seems we cannot yet clearly assess whether Sunfyre remains alive at this time. Aegon remains alive for the moment. (Although, of course, the curious can read about their Fire & Blood fates in the source novel.)

Arrax (Rider: Prince Lucerys Velaryon), Dragon and Rider Are Deceased

The small, young dragon Arrax appeared on House of the Dragon with blue scales. Though quick and agile, the dragon was unable to outrun or outfight Vhagar high above Storm’s End in season one. Vhagar bit Arrax in half, killing Prince Lucerys and killing the dragon. In season two of House of the Dragon, we see the sad remains of Arrax wash up on the shore. It is believed that Arrax is the son of Syrax, meaning that both Rhaenyra and her dragon lost a child.

Moondancer (Rider: Baela Velaryon)

Only one daughter of Daemon Targaryen and his late wife Laena is a dragonrider, Princess Baela. She rides the swift, pale green she-dragon Moondancer noted for her pearl-colored horns and bones. Moondander might be young, but she is as fierce as her rider. In season two, episode three of House of the Dragon, we see Baela riding on her dragon, scouting for Queen Rhaenyra. Baela gives Criston Cole, Gwayne Hightower, and the other Greens quite a scare but ultimately loses them in the forest.

House of the Dragon’s Dragons; Jump to Rhaenyra Targaryen’s Dragon, Syrax // Daemon Targaryen’s Dragon, Caraxes // // Laenor Velaryon’s Dragon, Seasmoke // Rhaenys Targaryen’s Dragon, Meleys // Jacaerys Velaryon’s Dragon, Vermax // Laena (Velaryon) Targaryen and Aemond Targaryen’s Dragon Vhagar // King Aegon Targaryen II’s Dragon Sunfyre // Prince Lucerys Velaryon’s Dragon Arrax // Baela Velaryon’s Dragon Moondancer // The Unclaimed Dragons, Stormcloud and Tyraxes, Plus Four Eggs // Unhatched Dragon Egg // The Unclaimed Dragon, Dreamfyre // The Unclaimed Dragon, Vermithor // The Deceased Balerion // House of the Dragon Future Dragons

Stormcloud and Tyraxes (Unclaimed) Plus Four More Dragon Eggs

Though they have yet to appear, Rhaenyra entrusted Baela’s sister Rhaena with looking after two young, small dragons, Stormcloud and Tyraxes. The latter belongs to Prince Joffrey Velaryon, Rhaenyra’s youngest son with her first husband Laenor Velaryon. (Though the late Harwin Strong is Joffrey’s real father.) No one has yet claimed Stormcloud. Rhaena is also responsible for looking after four unhatched dragon eggs, three of which we know won’t hatch for two hundred years.

The two small dragons are mentioned again in House of the Dragon episode five, which visits Rhaena at Vale of Arryn, in the Eyrie. Lady Arryn is not very impressed with the two dragons Rhaenyra sent her way, calling them “wet from the egg.” But as Rhaena points out, they will grow. We still do not get to see the little dragonlings.

Dreamfyre (Unclaimed)

Dreamfyre, the slim, blue she-dragon with silver wings, was once the dragon of Princess Rhaena Targaryen, Aegon I’s granddaughter. Dragon and rider stayed together until Rhaena passed after a long and troubled life. And then Dreamfyre settled in the Dragonpit at King’s Landing. We first hear of Dreamfyre on House of the Dragon when Daemon admits to having stolen one of her eggs, falsely insisting he had a child on the way. Aemond Targaryen next comes across Dreamfyre in the Dragonpit around 120 AC, but the dragon is not to be claimed by him.

While we know Dreamfyre’s rider from Fire & Blood, the show has yet to establish which member of House Targaryen rides her. Dreamfyre might also connect House of the Dragon and Game of Thrones together. Some theorize that Dreamfyre laid the eggs that became Daenerys Targaryen’s dragons, Drogon, Rhaegal, and Viserion. We are sure that Dreamfyre’s lack of rider will become an object of interest for both sides of the upcoming war.

Unhatched Dragon Egg

Technically, episode two of House of the Dragon season one didn’t feature a new dragon. But we’re positive there’s one inside the egg Daemon stole in the early episode. How can there not be when that egg—originally meant for King Viserys’s son Baelon—already feels like Chekhov’s dragon? For now, all we know is that the egg belongs to the dragon Dreamfyre. But we think it could ultimately hatch and bond with one of Viserys’ offspring.

Vermithor (Rider: King Jaeherys I (Deceased) / Unclaimed)

One of the largest dragons to ever fly over Westeros, the bronze beast belonged to House Targaryen’s longest-reigning ruler in the Realm, The Old King Jaeherys I. Vermithor outlived the King and remained unclaimed at the start of the Dance of the Dragons.

The beast finally appeared on House of the Dragon during the show’s season one finale, when Daemon sang a song in High Valyrian to lure the dragon from its rest. Rhaenyra’s forced to hope they will find a rider for Vermithor, a hope that she and Jace will soon press more earnestly. One dragon could make all the difference in the upcoming fight on House of the Dragon.

Balerion (Rider Aegon the Conqueror/Viserys I)

We do not ever get to see Balerion the Black Dread alive in House of the Dragon, but the presence of the mighty beast is felt throughout the show. In episode one, Balerion’s giant dragon skull looms over Viserys and Rhaenyra as Viserys imparts crucial words of prophecy onto her.

Aegon the Conqueror was, of course, the first to ride Balerion. And the dragon played a crucial role in Aegon’s conquering of Westeros. It is fitting that Balerion be a party to Viserys and Rhaenyra’s discussion because Viserys speaks of exactly why Aegon the Conqueror felt so moved to conquer.

Balerion was a dragon born in Valyria and was the last dragon to exist in its mighty Freehold. Balerion’s wings and body were black. And his fire was also said to be black. Balerion was one of the largest dragons to ever exist, and his wingspan was enormous. He had sharp teeth and a vicious temperament. But, with time, age took him. The dragon is, in fact, a fitting analog for his final rider Viserys on House of the Dragon. Like Balerion, we see Viserys succumb to the languor of age until he finally fades away. Though once mighty, the time of his rule, like that of his dragon, ends in season one of House of the Dragon.

ADDITIONAL READING

Aegon’s Conquest, When Dragons Came to Westeros
Dragonstone, Birthplace of a Dynasty and Home of Dragonglass
Rhaenyra Targaryen, the First Woman to Sit on the Iron Throne
The Dragonpit and the Demise of Dragons
The Chilling Legend of Ice Dragons

House of the Dragon’s Dragons; Jump to Rhaenyra Targaryen’s Dragon, Syrax // Daemon Targaryen’s Dragon, Caraxes // // Laenor Velaryon’s Dragon, Seasmoke // Rhaenys Targaryen’s Dragon, Meleys // Jacaerys Velaryon’s Dragon, Vermax // Laena (Velaryon) Targaryen and Aemond Targaryen’s Dragon Vhagar // King Aegon Targaryen II’s Dragon Sunfyre // Prince Lucerys Velaryon’s Dragon Arrax // Baela Velaryon’s Dragon Moondancer // The Unclaimed Dragons, Stormcloud and Tyraxes, Plus Four Eggs // Unhatched Dragon Egg // The Unclaimed Dragon, Dreamfyre // The Unclaimed Dragon, Vermithor // The Deceased Balerion // House of the Dragon Future Dragons

What Other Dragons Exist During the Dance of the Dragons?

Silverwing, Tessarion, and More

In addition to the dragons mentioned above, House Targaryen also had four other dragons before civil war pitted the beasts against one another in 129 AC. That included the full-sized dragons Silverwing, Tessarion, as well as two hatchlings too small to ride: Morghul and Shrykos. Silverwing is mentioned in season two, episode five of House of the Dragon, but we have yet to meet the creature properly.

Wild Dragons on House of the Dragon

During the time of House of the Dragon, three wild, unbonded dragons also lived on Dragonstone: Grey Ghost, Sheepstealer, and the Cannibal. Daemon mentions these dragons briefly in the finale of House of the Dragon season one as Rhaenyra and company hope they can join their side of the conflict to come.

In a war pitting dragon-against-dragon, both in the air and on the ground, you can imagine the possibilities a wild dragon presents. But there’s a reason those three had no riders by the time war broke out.

House of the Dragons‘ Future Dragons

So what about the dragons we didn’t see in season one and haven’t met yet in season two? Who flew them high above the Seven Kingdoms? Well, we’ll let you learn all of that on your own when House of the Dragon brings those many magical creatures to life throughout this season.

Don’t worry, though, we’ll make sure to update this post to help you can keep track of all of them. It was a lot easier when Daenerys only had three of them.

This post originally published on August 17, 2022.

Mikey Walsh is a staff writer at Nerdist. You can follow him on Twitter at @burgermike. And also anywhere someone is ranking the Targaryen kings.

The post Who Are HOUSE OF THE DRAGON’s 17 Dragons? appeared first on Nerdist.

Daemon Targaryen’s Harrenhal nightmares continued during House of the Dragon‘s “Regent.” His latest bad dream/waking vision was pretty scary for viewers, too. The King Consort dreamt about sleeping with a different member of his House, and it was weird even for a family that constantly marries siblings. Daemon Targaryen had an Oedipal nightmare—at least we hopes he considers it a nightmare—about having sex with his dead mom, Alyssa Targaryen.

Who Did Daemon Have Sex With During His Nightmare on House of the Dragon?

During House of the Dragon season two’s fifth episode Daemon Targaryen had an explicit, uncomfortable (to say the least) sultry sex dream about his dead mom, though he didn’t realize who she was at first. When he did his happiness turned to fear and shock.

This is what Alyssa Targaryen said during the nightmare:

Daemon, you were always the strong one. The finest swordsman…the fearless dragonrider. Your brother had great love in his heart, but he lacked your constitution. Viserys was unsuited for the crown, but you…Daemon, you were made to wear it. If only you’d been born first. My favorite son.

This was Daemon’s latest waking dream at Harrenhal. He was actually eating lunch with members of the Strong family during his creepy vision. The blood he saw on his mother’s bare chest at dream’s end wasn’t actually dripping from his own hands. It was from the bloody duck on his fork, the latest blending of dreams and reality for the King Consort.

Who Was Daemon and Viserys’ Mother Alyssa Targaryen?

Alyssa Targaryen was born 69 years before the Dance of the Dragons. She was the fifth child of King Jaehaerys and Queen Alysanne. They named Alyssa after her grandmother.

Alyssa married her older brother Baelon the Brave, who was briefly heir to the Iron Throne before he died of appendicitis. (Baelon is also the Targaryen Ulf the White claims is his father on House of the Dragon.) Together Alyssa and Baelon had three children: Viserys, Daemon, and (a totally different) Aegon who died before his first birthday.

As a child Alyssa preferred to spend her time sword fighting, riding horses, and playing with boys rather than spending time with girls and participating in activities considered more appropriate for a Lady or Princess of Westeros. Many thought the strong, smart Alyssa had the heart and spirit of a warrior. Meanwhile, she thought she was as “bawdy a wench as any barmaid in King’s Landing.”

Her infamous wedding night supported her claim. Those in attendance said the sounds that came from Baelon and Alyssa’s bedchamber could be heard miles away. She was also not shy about sharing how much she loved being intimate with her husband and that she planned to have many more such nights with. She also told Baelon she hoped to give him twenty sons.

How Did Daemon’s Mother Alyssa Targaryen Die?

Alyssa gave birth to Viserys the future King, in 77 AC. Daemon followed four years later in 81 AC. But Alyssa never recovered from Aegon’s long and challenging birth in 84 AC. She passed away at the age of 24 later that year. Aegon died without reaching his first nameday. Viserys was seven when his mom died, Daemon only three.

Was Alyssa Targaryen a Dragonrider?

Alyssa Targaryen was the first person to ever ride Meleys. She claimed the swift she-dragon the same year she married her brother. The two frequently flew together. (Baelon rode Vhagar, the same dragon that would one day kill Meleys and her only other rider ever, Rhaenys.)

Alyssa took each of her infant sons Viserys and Daemon for a ride on Meleys shortly after giving birth to them. But everything we know about her reveals which one of the boys took after her dragonrider warrior spirit : Daemon.

What Did Daemon’s Oedipal Dream About His Mom Mean on House of the Dragon?

Daemon loved his late brother Viserys, but he also resented him. He believes Viserys was too weak to be King and that he was better suited for the role, if only he’d been born first. Daemon is also still upset Viserys bypassed him and named Rhaenyra heir, when the laws of Westeros (and past precedent) said Daemon should have been heir. The reckless, selfish, ambitious Dameon also desperately wants his family to love him and validate him. He wants them to accept him, but his very nature is why they can never fully trust him.

This Oedipal dream with his mother gave him everything he wanted. Alyssa validated his feelings of superiority. She confirmed his belief that both fate and the Seven Realms wronged him before just as it is wrong him now by denying him the Iron Throne. And she also said said Daemon was “her favorite,” giving him the love he so desperately craves.

It was a dream that gave everything the amorous Daemon ever wanted until he realized exactly what was going on. When he realized he was having sex with his own dead mother, a woman he doesn’t remember, his ecstasy turned to horror. Targaryens might marry their own siblings, and Daemon himself might have married his own niece, but even a man of fire and blood wouldn’t have sex with his own mother. That’s the stuff of nightmares. The question is why did he have such a terrible dream in the first place?

Did Alys Rivers Cause Daemon’s Dream About His Mom on House of the Dragon?

Even before “Regent,” we wondered what is causing Daemon’s nightmares on House of the Dragon. Is it his guilty, insecure subconscious? Cursed Harrenhal itself? Or is it our favorite owl-witch, Alys Rivers? Is she just an astute woman who pays attentions to her surroundings and can read people? Or does she know a lot about Daemon because she’s more than just the castle’s de fact maester?

The episode hinted at her having magical abilities, unnatural knowledge, or both when she curiously mentioned Daemon’s mother later in the episode. Her comment about how it’s too bad he didn’t know his mom might have just been a huge coincidence. (Though not an impossible one, since Daemon’s war crimes might have simply made Alys wish he’d had a motherly influence growing up). Or it was a dead giveaway she knew all about his creepy sex dream, either because she caused it or she has a way of reading his mind.

Daemon’s still at Harrenhal, so there’s still time to learn more about Alys and whether she’s messing with his mind. If she is responsible for his nightmares hopefully that’s the last time she makes us watch him have sex with his mom. Alyssa Targaryen’s notorious escapades with another family member was more than enough.

Mikey Walsh is a staff writer at Nerdist. You can follow him on  Twitter and  Bluesky at @burgermike. And also anywhere someone is ranking the Targaryen kings.

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With Princess Rhaenys and her dragon Meleys both dead, Queen Rhaenyra’s claim has never been more dire. Fortunately, her son Jace had a “mad thought” at the end of House of the Dragon season two’s fifth episode about how they can turn their fortunes around. The Blacks still have more dragons than the Greens on House of the Dragon; what they don’t have are enough Dragonriders. They need to quickly find some so Rhaenyra, forced to avoid battle, can go “forth in strength and not from necessity.” But who will claim those magical beasts of fire? History says only those with the blood of the dragon can become dragonriders in House of the Dragon and Game of Thrones‘ world.

The problem is, in Westeros, only Houses Targaryen and Velaryon trace their ancestry back to old Valyria. Fortunately, the Targaryens have intermarried in the Realm for a century. They’ve also sired many bastards known as “dragonseeds.” All of those distant relatives could try and claim one of the Blacks’ riderless dragons. So who might risk their life to do so? House of the Dragon has been hiding characters who could become potential new dragonriders in plain sight throughout season two.

Note: For this list, we are only relying on (at this point obvious) context clues from House of the Dragon. The HBO series’ adaptation has already had some major deviations from George R.R. Martin’s Fire & Blood, so anything we might “know” from his book could prove to be totally irrelevant to the show. That includes the possibility House of the Dragon will exclude certain dragons and characters entirely. If it does—and there are already signs it will—that will greatly change what can happen in the prequel.

Who Can Claim a Dragon on House of the Dragon and Become a Dragonrider?

The histories say dragons will only accept a dragonlord as its rider, which is another way of saying a dragon will only accept someone with blood that traces back to Old Valyria. Prince Jacaerys pointed out those histories might not be totally accurate, though. He called them “Valyrian histories, written to gild us in glory.” He might be right. Those tales also conveniently discouraged anyone else from trying to claim a dragon as their own, leaving Valyrian power unchallenged.

If the histories are wrong, that means anyone, regardless of where they came from, could ride a dragon. In that case every single character on House of the Dragon is a potential dragonrider.

Jace might be wrong, though. Valyrians themselves seemed to believe in the specialness of their bloodlines. Families married their own kin to keep their lines “pure.”

Finding out the truth will mean individuals risking a painful death. Even those strong with the blood of the dragon are not guaranteed to claim one. Rhaena, whose father is Daemon Targaryen and whose grandmother was Rhaenys Targaryen, almost burned to death when she tried to claim a dragon on House of the Dragon. Someone whose Valyrian blood is “thin,” as Rhaenyra said, would be even less likely to bond with a dragon on House of the Dragon. Dragons are very picky about who they accept as a rider. There’s a special connection between dragon and rider no one fully understands.

Thin blood would still matter if the histories are correct. Then anyone related to a Targaryen, even partially, is a potential dragonrider on House of the Dragon. And therefore, someone who can change this civil war. (That’s also true of Velaryon kin, even though House Velaryon were not dragonlords in Old Valyria.)

The blood of old Valyria is not limited to just denizens of King’s Landing, Dragonstone, and Driftmark. Both houses married into Westeros families prior to the Targaryen Civil War. Each also has sired bastards. But it’s clear House of the Dragon has been strongly foreshadowing which specific characters are likely candidates to answer Rhaenyra’s call. Here are the House of the Dragon characters most likely to become dragonriders on House of the Dragon.

Alyn and Addam of Hull Have Velaryon Blood

The last time Rhaenys spoke with her husband she told Lord Corlys Velaryon, she told him that she knew the truth about Alyn of Hull. The wise, astute Princess recognized Alyn was more than just the man who rescues Corlys. She recognized Alyn is Corlys’ bastard son in House of the Dragon‘s worlds.

Rhaenys did not hold Alyn’s birth against the brave sailor. She instead encouraged Corlys to honor Alyn. “He should be raised up,” Rhaenys said. Nothing would raise Alyn higher than a dragon…

We know something Rhaenys didn’t, though. Alyn has a brother, Addam. They look a lot alike, and Addam talked about what Lord Corlys “owes” both of them. What else could the Lord of Driftmark owe Addam than the truth? And if that wasn’t a big enough hint, House of the Dragon keeps showing Addam watching the lonely dragon Seasmoke, previously ridden by his half-brother Laener, taking to the sky.

Alyn and Addam clearly have the blood of Old Valyria. Their widowed father, who would not recognize them while Rhaenys lived, is now also Hand of the Queen for Rhaenyra Targaryen, a woman desperate for dragons.

There are no two stronger, more obvious candidates to try and claim dragons and become dragonriders than the bastard sons of the Sea Snake on House of the Dragon. Yet they might not be the best candidate.

Ulf the White Could Become a House of the Dragon Dragonrider

While the show has all but confirmed Alyn and Addam are bastards of a powerful man with Valyrian blood, another character has openly claimed to be exactly that. Ulf the White told his tavern friends he is a “dragonseed,” a term for Targaryen bastards. Ulf specifically said in House of the Dragon episode three that he is the unacknowledged son of Baelon the Brave, father of the late King Viserys and Daemon Targaryen.

The not entirely stupid/not entirely smart Ulf was willing to quietly make that claim to strangers when it meant free drinks, even though he said it could cost him his head. However, he’s not exactly brave. At first, he supported his (supposed) niece Rhaenyra’s claim to the Iron Throne. Ulf even declared her son Jace as the rightful heir to the Iron Throne. But when King Aegon showed up unexpectedly, a terrified Ulf was the first one to pay homage to Aegon.

Ulf’s cowardice is not the best omen for a potential dragonrider. He’s also certainly not the only person to ever make a wild claim for a free mug of ale. But he might really be a dragonseed. His distinct white hair is unusual for anyone his age in King’s Landing. It’s unusual for someone from Westeros. Narratively it also wouldn’t make sense that the show has spent any time with Ulf and his familial claims if we aren’t supposed to at least consider him a future dragonrider on House of the Dragon.

Hair color and the amount of attention House of the Dragon has given to an otherwise unimportant member of the smallfolk also point to one other person in King’s Landing as a possible dragonrider for Rhaenyra.

Hugh Hammer the Blacksmith Could Become an Unexpected Dragonrider

Ulf is not the only denizen of King’s Landing with peculiar hair. House of the Dragon has spent even more time with another such character, Hugh the Blacksmith. Ulf and Hugh Hammer are the only members of the smallfolk with such a distinct physical trait. And, while Hugh Hammer and his family’s story has added to the show’s theme about how innocent people suffer during war, House of the Dragon has spent a lot of time on his story. He’s clearly more important than a single theme.

Hugh Hammer wants to bring his dying daughter and desperate wife somewhere safe, but nowhere in Westeros is safe. Dragonstone and its unclaimed dragons might be the best place for him to go. It offers him something he doesn’t have: the power to do something to save his family.

Aegon broke his promise to pay Hugh for his work. Now that broken promise could work against the Greens, because while Meleys is dead, Rhaenyra has more dragons. She and Jace also now have a plan that is not as mad as it sounds. Perhaps Hugh Hammer, the Blacksmith, will join the ranks of dragonriders.

The Blacks will now go searching through old scrolls for forgotten ancestors. But House of the Dragon has already presented us with some possible dragonriders that we already know about.

Mikey Walsh is a staff writer at Nerdist and dragon historian. You can follow him on  Twitter and  Bluesky at @burgermike. And also anywhere someone is ranking the Targaryen kings.

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Two of Hollywood’s biggest stars will soon return to make movie magic again. Practical Witch magic, to be specific. Warner Bros. Pictures has announced it’s finally making a (movie, not TV) sequel to its beloved 1998 film. And original stars Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman will reprise their roles as the Owens sisters. It is not clear if any other original characters will come back but we do know this film will adapt Alice Hoffman’s The Book of Magic, a sequel novel to her Practical Magic book that inspired the first film.

“I think [fans are] going to be very pleased. We’re going to be very faithful. We’re cognizant to how important those characters and that movie are to so many people. We’re not going to reinvent the wheel,” said producer Denise Di Novi to Entertainment Weekly. “We’re going to draw from Alice Hoffman’s books, as the first movie did, and we’re going to be true to the chronology of how many years later it is.”

Warner Bros. went to TikTok to announced its producing a long-awaited followup to its beloved witchy drama. Oscar-winner Akiva Goldsmith (A Beautiful Mind) will write the script for Practical Magic 2. More important is the possible involvement of two other Oscar winners. But happily, Kidman confirmed they will both return for Practical Magic 2.

Speaking to People, which we say via Deadline, Kidman noted, “Yes, I will be in it. And Sandy will be in it. And that’s that. There’s a lot more to tell, which is why we go, ‘OK, this is kind of interesting now to be able to do this.’ [We] found a way in.” That’s that!

Could Practical Magic 2 have been successful without them? Maybe, but it will be far more magical now that the duo will be back as the Owens sisters.

Originally published on June 10, 2024.

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In The Acolyte‘s third episode Sol told young Osha her twin sister started a fire that killed everyone on Brendok. We know Mae survived that calamity, but the show’s seventh episode “Choice” also suggested another member of the coven also escaped death that fateful night. Mother Koril dematerialized her body before a possessed Kelnacca attacked his fellow Jedi. That was the last we saw of the powerful witch, and it was far from a definitive end. But does that mean she’s actually still alive? The Acolyte showrunner Leslye Headland told us there’s a very good reason to believe she is. Even more tantalizing is that Headland also hinted at where Mother Koril likely went after leaving that planet. It’s an important, infamous, dark magic world full of her own kind that Star Wars fans know well.

During “Choice” Mother Koril said she would die before she let the Jedi take her children. Yet despite that exact thing happening with Osha, it didn’t appear as though the witch actually met her end. Headland didn’t deny that possibility when we asked her during a lengthy interview following the episode. She actually affirmed why we questioned Koril’s fate. “No body, no death,” Headland said.

…Exactly.

Koril being alive would have obvious ramifications for everyone involved in Mae and Osha’s story. One of their mothers, a woman with immense powers, is out there and angry at the Jedi. But considering there’s another Jedi-hating Force user also causing havoc, we had to ask Headland if that meant Koril is also part of Qimir’s story. She was clear “they do not know each other,” but she did provide a bigger clue about Koril’s whereabouts, one that could still factor into the ultimate fate of the Jedi. “What I will say, as a tease, if we are able to explore this story more, (Koril’s) species will tell you a little bit about where she ends up.”

Considering what we know about Mother Koril that’s as good as teases get. Koril is Zabrak, a humanoid species identifiable by distinct horns on their head. They’re native to two planets. One is Irodonia, a minor world in the galaxy far, far away. The other is :insert ominous music: Dathomir, a massively important location in Star Wars. It’s home to the franchise’s most famous, most important witches, the Nightsisters. It’s also home to their subordinates, the Nightbrothers.

During our interview Headland explained how The Acolyte‘s witches are both similar and different to that notorious group of dark magick users. But Koril was always more like the Nightsisters than anyone else who lived on Brendok, and not just because of her horns. She was more aggressive and willing to fight. She even instructed Mae to fight back against the Jedi, despite Mother Aniseya’s efforts to avoid violence. The Nightsisters had a history of warring with the Jedi until both sides agreed to leave each other alone.

With her coven gone it makes sense Koril would look for kindred spirits in the galaxy, and she has no more kindred spirits than her fellow Zabrak witches who call Dathomir home. If that is where Mother Koril went after Brendok it opens up major possibilities for how she might contribute to the Jedi Order’s eventual demise.

The Acolyte is exploring the beginning of what will ultimately be the fall of the Jedi. That will come at the hands of the Sith and Sheev Palpatine. And his first big screen apprentice was Darth Maul, another Zabrak Force-user from Dathomir.

Could Koril end up having some relationship with Maul, either by blood or by training? If so that will be one more way “noble” Jedi intentions helped bring about their own demise. They came for Koril’s daughters and made a very powerful, very angry enemy in the process.

Mikey Walsh is a staff writer at Nerdist and Nightsisters enthusiast. You can follow him on Twitter and Bluesky at @burgermike. And also anywhere someone is ranking the Targaryen kings.

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The great Kathryn Hahn just spent her week filling in as guest host on Jimmy Kimmel Live. Typically that job is about promoting other celebrities upcoming projects. But the Agatha All Along star made sure to get in a “shameless plug” via some good old fashioned “corporate synergy” during her last night in the late night chair. Normally those terms make us recoil, but this was the best kind of sales job. Hahn helped ease viewers worries about having to see every MCU release before Agatha All Along by singing the entire history of the MCU.

WandaVision‘s villain is set to lead her own Disney+ spinoff this fall. Hahn and a quartet of MCU costumed singers made sure to remind viewers of her spinoff’s upcoming release with a big catchy musical number about everything in the Marvel Cinematic Universe that has already happened. Hahn sang her way from the events of Phase 1 all the way into the franchise’s current Phase 6.

Obviously with “like 800 more movies and shows” to get through, Hahn had to skip a few stories and characters. That made all of the people and events she did include even funnier. We can’t really disagree with any of them, either. Especially not the part where she admires Steve Roger’s most enduring trait. Obviously she didn’t mention his bravery or honor. Hahn paid homage to America’s ass.

That wasn’t the only thirsty reference in this song. Not by a long Hawkeye shot. From the banKability of the OG Avengers to Thanos’ unfortunate chin, this song makes the MCU sound way less sexless than it really is. Actually, this musical number has us wondering if that’s actually true. The franchise is nothing but good looking people running around in spandex. Isn’t the whole thing thirsty?

It is, right? Guess we just needed Kathryn Hahn to sing about that to notice. That’s why it’s the kind of “shameless” plug we can support.

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For the first time since 1996, cinemas across the globe are on high alert because once again it’s tornado season. A long-awaited sequel to the beloved natural disaster classic Twister is coming to theaters this summer. But you don’t have to wait for the film to spin onto screens to find out what drives this newest generation of storm chasers. Nerdist has an exclusive look at a new clip from Twisters that features its two stars explaining why they love tornadoes so much.

It’s not just the science that drives them. Their life work is sacred.

In this all-new clip, Kate (Daisy Edgar-Jones) and Tyler (Glen Powell) each independently mirror one another while offering insights into how tornadoes form. What makes their shared loved even better is they do so while watching a tornado come together in the sky.

This scene is full of fancy meteorological terms we don’t fully understand (and never will). But we don’t need to know all the science behind tornadoes to appreciate this moment. This sequence’s real purpose is to express the majesty of these natural phenomena and why they’re so alluring. Accepting you can’t know everything about tornadoes is part of loving. That’s not something these scientists have to accept, it’s something they embrace. Chasing these storms is a religious experience just as much as it is a scientific one.

We’re not saying we’re ready to go actually hunting twisters after seeing this clip. What we are saying we’re more excited than ever to watch Kate and Tyler do exactly that while we enjoy popcorn and Goobers from the comfort of a movie theater.

Just not an outdoor movie theater. We remember what happened at that drive-in during the original movie. Seeing that taught us everything we need to know about tornadoes: stay very far away from them. There’s a reason we went into a profession where we write about movies instead of becoming the new generation of storm chasers.

Twisters crashes into theaters on July 19.

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Nerdist spoke to The Acolyte showrunner Leslye Headland after the show’s seventh episode “Choice.” The wide-ranging interview touched on just about everything, including a moment that might have been easy to miss among the chaos on Brendok. During the standoff with Mother Aniseya and Mother Koril, Sol misidentified Mae as Osha. That’s an easy mistake for a normal person to make, especially during an emotionally charged moment, but not a Jedi. And definitely not for a Jedi claiming an instant connection with a girl he believed should be his Padawan. So what did Sol’s confusion reveal? According to, Headland it’s the latest sign the Jedi was never meant to guide Osha. Instead, it’s Qimir who is Osha’s true Master on The Acolyte.

When we asked Headland what Sol’s mix-up meant on The Acolyte, she said it shows the limits of their connection. “(Sol) doesn’t know her as well as he thinks he does,” she said. Headland also noted this was at least the second time the Jedi made this exact mistake. He also thought Mae was Osha after the fight with Qimir on Khofar. That’s not the type of error we’d expect a powerful Force user to make with his own student.

Headland also touched on the Jedi’s instant reaction to Osha and her immense power. It’s why Sol quickly believed he was meant to train her. Headland said Qimir had the same exact reaction to meeting Osha on The Acolyte. “Osha walks into the apothecary, he knows that it’s not Mae. He can feel that this is something different,” she told us. “He can feel that he wants to teach her. Qimir wants to be a part of her journey in reaching her full potential.”

According to Headland, the similar reaction Qimir and Sol both had to meeting Osha isn’t as important as the difference between them. She pointed out that, unlike Sol, Qimir never mistakes Mae for Osha on The Acolyte.

The subtext of that observation is foreboding enough on its own. But Headland wasn’t shy about pointing out exactly what it might mean. She said, “That’s also meant to foreshadow who Osha’s real Master will be.”

The Acolyte hinted at the worrisome possibility that Qimir might become Osha’s true Master in episode six, but if their interactions on that “Unknown Planet” were a warning sign about Osha’s fate, Headland’s comments feel like a galatic-wide alarm going off.

Does that mean Osha is truly going to turn to the dark side? Is Qimir her “true” Master? We’re not optimistic about her future, but we’re not giving up hope, either. Qimir could be Osha’s real Master. But Osha doesn’t need to accept him as such. Like the title of the episode we spoke to Headland about, Star Wars has always been about characters making a “choice.” Osha still controls her destiny, even if Qimir is the only one who can always tell her apart from Mae.

Mikey Walsh is a staff writer at Nerdist who thinks he could fix the Jedi. You can follow him on Twitter and Bluesky at @burgermike. And also anywhere someone is ranking the Targaryen kings.

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From a powerful Force vergence and a coven of witches experimenting with immense power, to a possessed wookiee and deadly Jedi mistakes, The Acolyte‘s seventh episode had a lot to dig into. And that’s exactly what we did with showrunner Leslye Headland. Nerdist went deep on everything that happened during “Choice” and what it all meant. That included how Mae and Osha’s very existence is both similar and different from Anakin’s, how Sol’s story reflects Qui-Gon’s, and we also got some big clues about what might await in the season finale.

Nerdist: At what point in the creative process for The Acolyte did a “vergence” become such an important part of the story?

Leslye Headland: When we crafted the storyline of this sort of David O. Russell’s Three Kings version of the Jedi being stuck on this planet. Once we cracked that as a plot point, where a lot of other things were going to come from, it felt like the North Star for them had to be something incredibly important. It couldn’t just be that they were on a planet and on a routine mission. It had to be something that was arduous, a little boring, but ultimately had an endpoint that would establish stakes for any Jedi that came in contact with a vergence.

Once we broke episode three and seven we decided that Brendok had to be a location of a vergence for a couple different reasons. One for the motivation of the Jedi, in terms of their mission and why they’re on Brendok in the first place. We also felt it was very important the witches had found that planet, because their power alone would not match an outside threat. They would need to have the augmentation or the amplification of a vergence. We did not want the witches to just automatically be as powerful as Jedi.

The witches needed to feel like a nomadic community that had finally found a place that would not only give them shelter and protection, but would also grant them more and more power and control over their ability.

My backstory to the witches of Brendok and where they are is that Torbin mentions it’s an old mining company. So I sort of imagine that it’s a little bit like John Carpenter’s The Thing, right? There are all these miners there, they were drilling, they found something, and then everybody was gone. And the next thing you know, 50, 60, a hundred years later, this coven moves in. A couple years after that, the Jedi start to move there. It’s almost like a magnet that’s pulling these characters toward it.

A lot of different narrative reasons to put it there, as opposed to after the fact of, “Oh, also let’s explore this cool aspect of the Star Wars vocabulary.”

A vergence can hide Force-sensitive people. Is that the reason that the coven chose that planet? I ask because I want to know what came first: they found the planet, they moved there, and then decided to create the girls, or they moved to Brendok specifically to create the girls?

Headland: It’s a really good question. It’s also a backwards question because we haven’t confirmed that the witches created them. [laughs]

Fair enough.

Headland: But yes. Yes, yes, yes. Obviously, yes, it’s intimated very strongly that’s what happened. I believe that the former is true for the coven, and the latter is true for Aniseya. I think Aniseya, not unlike Vernestra, they are these very compelling leaders that have very intense senses of foresight. And Aniseya was always thought of as this religious figure that gained followers more and more as she moved out into the world.

So for her, I think she always sort of knew that she needed to settle somewhere in order to bring to fruition. Not a grand scheme, but what the next step of her journey would have been. The height of her powers. And I think she also knew that at some point in utilizing the extent of her powers, that her destruction would come pretty soon after that.

Vernestra’s having a similar experience, of something will tip the scale. She’s understanding they have this destiny. They believe that they have the destination spiritually. Vernestra is putting the pieces together for herself that this is it, this is what’s coming. Not unlike Aniseya, what’s coming is going to be the fulfillment of that particular destiny.

Vergences have played an important part in Star Wars since the original trilogy, even if not everyone is familiar with the term. But there are different types. What can you tell us specifically about the nature of the vergence on Brendok?

Headland: This was very important to me, Dave Filoni, and to Pablo Hidalgo, that the girls are not a vergence. The girls themselves are not a vergence in the Force. They needed…again, however they got here…the act of creating them was going to need amplification. Therefore, we came around to the decision that the vergence was on Brendok, and that it would remain mysterious. So that way, if we went back there in future tellings of the story, we could uncover a little bit more about what is actually there.

It was important that this type of vergence was a natural one as opposed to within a human being or an alien.

Okay, this is not even my question. It is Sol’s: “The twins, where did they come from? How were they created?”

Headland: [she laughs] Well…uh…tune in next week. Also subscribe to Disney+.

Tune in next week. Tune in next week. We definitely aren’t going to leave you hanging. You do a show like this, you take a lot of risks, you don’t really save a lot of those types of questions for season two. There are a lot of things you do save for a season two, but that kind of question is not one of them.

Do you know if you’re definitely getting a season two?

Headland: No! [big laugh]

I had to ask.

Headland: I have no idea. Well, not that I have no idea. I would say there are conversations. And I don’t know when that will happen. I don’t know when that decision will be made.

Aniseya’s ability to be in Torbin’s mind while physically existing in the real world was very reminiscent of Mother Talzin’s powers. As was Aniseya’s ability to change her corporal form into shadows. You’ve talked about your love and appreciation of the Nightsisters before. Were those powers directly inspired by Talzin?

Headland: Absolutely. Talzin is a figure that looms really large in Star Wars for me. On The Clone Wars, obviously, I responded to them immediately because it was more Star Wars content. It was George (Lucas) Star Wars content. But I was blown away by the Nightsisters arc. Asajj’s storyline? I was just like, “Hold on. This can happen? This is in Star Wars?” I loved the character design. I loved the differentiation between their powers and the Jedi’s powers. It was all just really great.

So in making this show I knew one of the first things I wanted to take a look at was creating my own version of witches, because I think that the Nightsisters are a bit more mercenary. (The Acolyte‘s) witches, I think, basically want to stay out of everyone’s way and aren’t grasping for any sort of power. They’re not getting involved in any kind of political or any political skirmish or any war movement. That would be the last thing they would want to do. So very different, but still echoing and calling back to the influences that those characters had on me.

In terms of their specific powers, how are The Acolyte‘s witches different from the Nightsisters?

Headland: The Nightsisters utilize magic exclusively. With my witches, it’s a bit of a hybrid. They’re definitely dabbling in the Force and calling the Force by a different name. They’re trying to cultivate their sensitivity to it without having to be trained by the Jedi. Is that even possible?

But I also think that in the Ascension ceremony you see how they’re utilizing not just wherever the vergence may be physically on the planet, but the eclipse. These powerful movements of heavenly bodies and whatever’s under the earth, that type of thing, what is meant to be expressed there is that they are drawing their power from nature, magic, and the Force. So we never sort of go, “They’re using magic the way that the Nightsisters are. They’re using the Force even though they’re not Jedi.”

To me it felt more interesting to show a group of people, a group of witches, having abilities that the Jedi could not pinpoint. That they Jedi weren’t going, “Oh, well, that’s magic. Oh, well, that’s the Force.” That’s one of the reasons they get so thrown off by what they’re seeing. It’s so unpredictable, and it’s difficult for them to categorize and then report back to the Council.

The Jedi are trying to get as much information as they can, but each time they interact with the witches they’re getting different impressions of what the coven is doing.

Going into this episode, the show definitely suggested that the Jedi might’ve done something truly terrible on Brendok. But I think this episode showed that all of their actions were either genuinely noble, totally defensible, or at least understandable mistakes. What was the thematic purpose of raising the possibility of hidden Jedi crimes if you were then going to reveal that they were flawed rather than evil?

Headland: I’m so glad it read that way for you.

It’s a show about the bad guys in every sense of that word. And because my previous work before coming into the Star Wars world was almost always concerned with some sort of morality, immorality, or amorality, it was always about characters running through a spectrum of those things as opposed to having a good character and a bad character. A good girl and a bad girl. A nice guy and a womanizer. That these characters could be all of these things at once was so it was important to me. I’m glad that you got that impression from watching the episode, that the Jedi are not performing evil acts.

They’re not being willfully oppressive. They’re not manipulating or tricking anyone. So if the show, with all the other characters, is exploring the spectrum of morality, the Stranger being a great example, Mae being a great example, it felt to me that the Jedi also had to have that particular treatment. The Jedi could not be part of that thematic element of the show.

Why does Sol feel a connection to Osha so immediately? And specifically, why does he feel like she’s meant to be as Padawan?

Headland: I wanted to keep some mystery around that. I wanted to definitely call back to Qui-Gon and Anakin. Qui-Gon almost immediately zeroes in on the potential that Anakin has, the specialness of Anakin, the exceptionalism of Anakin. I think Sol feels the same way about Osha. There’s just something that he feels within his connection with the Force, her strength in the Force, and how he recognizes that.

And I always wondered, having seen The Phantom Menace, and seeing Qui-Gon behave the way he did, I did wonder,”Is this how it happened? Or do you just get matched up with somebody?” And a much more compelling, interesting storyline is as a Jedi Knight moving into Master, you identify your apprentice in a deep spiritual connection, whether it’s out in the world or at the temple, as opposed to being paired up with someone.

I’m glad you brought up Qui-Gon, because I want to ask about Anakin. I think the connections between the twins and Anakin were obvious even before this episode, but I want to focus on their differences. Specifically, this idea that their one consciousness split into two bodies. Why would that make them stronger, a.k.a, “the power of two,” and not weaker if they’re two halves of one whole?

Headland: I think it’s both. The girls are guinea pigs. They’re patient zero for this sort of power. It didn’t work perfectly. Therefore the girls on their own can never be as powerful as Anakin. Their full potential together has yet to be explored. They’ve been separated too long.

It’s like when you’re doing an experiment and it’s the first round of it. They are maybe not the first, but one of the first experiments of this particular use of power.

So the twins are weaker than Anakin, for sure. They are going to fall short of what will eventually become the Chosen One. They will never achieve what that is, because in my mind, Aniseya could only do so much. She’s not powerful enough to create one person. The twins split, Aniseya’s power split, and therefore a lot of her philosophy is about the power of two. About the fact that they must stay together. They must stay together. The twins are stronger together if she keeps them together. And obviously there’s an analogy to this of the isolationist feeling, not just of the coven, but also of family. “If I can keep you safe, if I can keep you safe then you won’t get hurt. You won’t get hurt.

This is why the Jedi blowing up this dynamic, both in episode three and seven, is so important to see. Because Aniseya starts to essentially go into this crisis as a parent. “Of course, I know they need to stay together, but they also need to be their own person. So perhaps I need to let go of my own design and trust that this is what’s meant to be. Because what’s the other option? That I force my children to be people they’re not.”

Why are the twins the coven’s future and why would letting Osha go with the Jedi sacrifice their future? Why does a powerful coven of witches need new leaders anyway?

Headland: Not unlike what I was just saying, that Aniseya and the coven do believe, to the extent that the witches understand them, that “the power of two” will breed “the power of many.” Meaning that these young girls will start a legacy that could actually grow and grow and grow. That is unlike the Sith, who are going to operate with only two always, one to have the power and one to crave it. That dynamic and that balance is how the Sith stay around.

Part of what the coven wants, even if it’s not what Aniseya wants, is this legacy. This feeling of the two girls ascending into becoming the leaders of the coven. Of being little Dalai Lamas they can worship. That they would proliferate being able to create more children or being able to create more. The witches are powerful, very powerful, but they’re only powerful together. As you can see with what happened with Kelnacca. They would not be able to, one-by-one, do what they did with them.

Why did they all die when Indara freed Kelnacca?

Headland: This was a big question when we were working on the episode. To me, it was very important because it told two stories. One, that Indara, despite her being completely and utterly the consummate Jedi in this episode, I did feel it was important that she also misjudged something. If we were going to explore those themes, she couldn’t just be this infallible Jedi, she also had to have something else going on with her. And I think what she did is, in the moment, in trying to sever the connection between Kelnacca and the witches, she dealt with a power that she did not understand and was unfamiliar with.

Did she kill them?

Headland: Yeah. She didn’t know what was going to happen to them.

So it wasn’t intentional?

Headland: No, she did not know. All she was thinking was, “I have to save him.” Again, it starts to become a selfish want. “I must save this colleague of mine. I have to do this. If I don’t do this, then something terrible could happen to him. We’ve seen what they’re capable of. I’ve seen them do this to my Padawan. They’re now doing it to an incredibly powerful Jedi master. What do I do? Okay, I’m going to make this decision.”

But she doesn’t know what the consequences of that decision will be. The same way that Sol doesn’t know what his actions will mean for Osha’s future. Torbin doesn’t really put together, because he’s so young that, the consequences of his actions are going to lead to all of this falling apart. Indara had to also make that mistake in order to continue exploring that idea.

Koril says she would die before she let the Jedi take her children. Then the Jedi take Osha. So is it okay to assume she’s dead? Because the episode definitely suggests she survived.

Headland: [laughs] Yeah. No body, no death. That’s what I’ll say about that one.

Considering this angry, powerful Force-sensitive witch might be out there, and we also have this unexplained, powerful Dark side user out there as well, is it possible that Koril and Qimir know each other?

Headland: Oh, I can answer that. They do not know each other. But what I will say, as a tease, if we are able to explore this story more, her species will tell you a little bit about where she ends up.

We know Aniseya is right when she says, “Someday those noble intentions you all have will destroy every Jedi in the galaxy.” But how exactly does she know that? Is it just a prediction from a very smart person? Or is that comment related to the twins’ destiny?

Headland: I think she’s seeing the way (the Jedi) are reacting to her children. And she may not know this exactly, but she knows they will make the same mistake with Anakin.

When Mae asks for help Aniseya not only starts dematerializing her own body, she makes Mae turn into a a shadow as well. What can you tell us about what exactly is happening there and why?

Headland: Aniseya’s main concern is that violence will be used in this confrontation. Jodie (Turner-Smith) and I talked about that meaning two things. One, that Aniseya must have come from someplace that utilized violence. It’s something she would have seen when she was a child, something that she would’ve endured in her coming of age. So the main concern is obviously the safety of her children, the physical safety of them. The secondary concern is, “I do not want my children or my legacy to be affected by something violent. I want to remove them from whatever that is.”

The “why” (about the dematerializing) is the first thing that Jodie and I talked about in seeding the character. What she is doing is what Jecki says in episode four, that it’s an honor to see anyone transform into the Force. I believe that Aniseya is transforming herself and Mae into the Force in a way that doesn’t kill them.

Sol confuses Mae for Osha during the standoff right before he kills Aniseya. What does that mix-up reveal about Sol, both in that moment and for his presumed connection with Osha?

Headland: That he doesn’t know her as well as he thinks he does. Qimir has a similar reaction to Osha that Sol has. Sol has that Qui-Gon/Anakin connection with her. “This is a powerful Force-sensitive child. This child is meant to be my Padawan. I’m drawn to this particular power, which means I need to help this young woman reach her full potential as a Jedi.”

Qimir has the exact same experience with her in episode two. The second Osha walks into the apothecary, he knows that it’s not ae. He can feel that this is something different. He can feel that he wants to teach her. Qimir wants to be a part of her journey in reaching her full potential.

What I think is interesting is that Qimir, and later the Stranger, never mistakes Osha for Mae. And Sol mistakes Osha for Mae at least twice. That’s also meant to foreshadow who Osha’s real Master will be.

Indara thinks Sol is letting his emotion and feelings get in the way. But he insists that’s not what is happening. Who’s right?

Headland: I think she’s right as a Jedi. She’s right in terms of the institution they’re a part of. He’s right because if you’re not going with your instinct and your emotions, when you are looking for a Padawan, or feel children are in danger, or sense the misuse of power, what else would you be relying on?

When the Council says no in The Phantom Menace, Qui-Gon’s like, “Fuck it. I’ll do it myself.” He respectfully says no. What I wanted to explore here was, “We asked the Council, they said no,” and everybody kind of going, “We can’t stand up. We can’t say those things.” What’s great about Qui-Gon is that he is able to maintain his emotional sobriety while also advocating for his new relationship with his Padawan.

Sol was unable to do that, but I don’t think that’s a flaw as a human. I think as a human or a father Sol is right, but I think as a Jedi Indara is right. Those are the two sides of Sol that are in conflict here.

With Mae talking about walking through fear and everyone being sacrificed to fulfill their destiny, was Sol correct that the girls were in danger?

Headland: No. Mae misremembered what her mother said. Sol misinterpreted it, but it’s because the child did. He was believing what the child said and genuinely thought, “Well, she says sacrifice, so this is bad.” But she’s misremembering what her mother said, which is that you have to sacrifice a “part” of yourself.

What were the natural desires Torbin was suppressing? Was he really homesick or was he missing someone or something instead?

Headland: No, he wanted to go home. I like the idea. It just seemed so human to me. “I just want to go home. I don’t want to be here anymore.”

Where older, more experienced Jedi would understand how to stay within meditative states, how to put one foot in front of the other, how to stay in the moment, a young, undisciplined, unbalanced Padawan is still thinking, “If I don’t know when I’m leaving, how am I expected to stay here?” He’s missing a big lesson here, which is something that Indara is trying to impart for him.

She’s very right that she can’t just tell him that. I can see a viewer saying, “Well, just tell him that.” But she explicitly says, “I have to teach him. He has to learn this. If I just tell it to him, it’s not going to sink in at all. It will be my idea. It will be my thing that I’m telling him.” So he has to be taught the challenging circumstances of being a Jedi.

Episode seven gives us a totally different perspective of what happened on Brendok compared to what we saw in episode three when Mae tells Osha, “I’ll kill you.” Did that actually happen, or is that Osha misremembering that night?

Headland: We talked about this a lot in the writer’s room. There was a healthy discussion about, “Do you utilize this kind of language as a child?” And I said, I think so, yeah. I remember when I was little, I have two sisters, I have a younger brother, we said insane things to each other. Just absolutely wild, crazy things. I don’t think it got to that level of violence, of course, but I don’t think Mae means that at all. She doesn’t mean she’s actually going to kill he sister.

But we did talk about the fact that possibly Osha is misremembering it because she felt so threatened in that moment. So I’d leave it up to the viewer. We did discuss both of them.

Will we learn whether Qimir is truly a Sith or not in the season finale?

Headland: What I will say is you don’t hear it from his mouth, but there are a couple small things that happen that intimate the answer to that question.

Will we learn if Qimir has any connection to the Knights of Ren? That’s a theory I’ve been working on all season.

Headland: [takes long pause] It’s a really good theory. What an interesting theory. What an amazing…that’s…wow. Wow wow.

What aspect of the series that will prove important in the finale do you think people haven’t focused on enough up to this point?

Headland: That’s a good question. I haven’t been following the coverage of the show enough to really answer that. I did hear that there was a bit of a dust up in terms of the girls stepping on Anakin’s creation storyline line, which I had mixed feelings about.

It’s probably for another deep dive to kind of talk about that. I would say that you might be missing the forest for the trees in starting an argument about that, instead of seeing that this is a power that could have existed in the world way before Anakin. And that power was being pursued by someone. So it’s not an issue of “paying attention to,” but I did hear about that, and I just think people aren’t taking into account the era that we’re in.

If there’s anything we know about the fifth in Sith in sequels or prequels, one of the things we do know about them is their quest for these abilities like we’re seeing Aniseya being able to execute with the twins.

It just seemed to me any power like that that does not belong to one faction. It is not something that Aniseya was born with either. It’s a power that belongs to the Force. And that it’s up to the practitioner to be able to understand and figure out and pull apart how do you harness that particular power.

I understand what people were complaining about, or were maybe confused by, but I think they’re sort of paying attention to the wrong aspect of it. They’re not seeing the long game of the lineage of the Sith pursuing any sort of evidence of this type of power in the galaxy and then tunnel visioning toward it. And improving upon it. Again, if the girls are a test run, being able to improve on what that power is and being able to perfect it, that would be something if I were a Sith I would be interested in.

This one’s for me. I’ve been waiting many years for Darth Plagueis to show up. Do you know how the whole story of the galaxy far, far away, from The Acolyte to him training Palpatine, connects?

Headland: Yes, I do. If I continue to get to tell this story, I know how I would like that to play out. And I would say I think it’s pretty complicated and messy.

Mikey Walsh is a staff writer at Nerdist who always thinks Darth Plagueis is showing up any second. You can follow him on Twitter and Bluesky at @burgermike. And also anywhere someone is ranking the Targaryen kings.

The post THE ACOLYTE’s Leslye Headland on Episode 7, Witches, Vergences, Qui-Gon, and Anakin appeared first on Nerdist.

After many false starts and canceled projects, Star Wars is finally ready to return to theaters. Lucasfilm announced three new upcoming standalone movies during the opening of Star Wars Celebration 2023. These new Star Wars movies include a story about the founding of the Jedi, a movie that will serve as the finale to this era of interconnected Disney+ shows, and the return of Daisy Ridley’s Rey. Additionally, in January 2024, LucasFilm also announced a fourth new movie was heading to theaters, The Mandalorian & Grogu, a big-screen adventure starring our favorite Disney+ duo. Finally, the once canceled Rogue Squadron may rise to join the line-up (but nothing official has been reported.)

And with that, the galaxy far, far away is finally going back to the big screen. Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy revealed James Mangold (Logan, Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny), Dave Filoni (The Mandalorian, Ahsoka), Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy (Ms. Marvel, Saving Face) have all been tapped to direct these new Star Wars movies. Meanwhile, Jon Favreau will take on the Mando movie. Additionally, if what Patty Jenkins says is true, she will direct an upcoming Star Wars movie as well. And lastly, it seems that Shawn Levy will also direct a Star Wars movie.

While Lucasfilm shared few official details about the films, the little they tell us says a lot. Here’s what we know about these new Star Wars movies so far.

Jump to: James Mangold’s Story of the Force // Dave Filoni’s Disney+ Series Team-Up // Rey Will Return in Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy’s New Star Wars Movie // Jon Favreau Brings Us The Mandalorian & Grogu // Patty Jenkins’ Rogue Squadron Is Back in Play // Shawn Levy Is Set to Direct a Star Wars Movie

James Mangold’s New Star Wars Movie Tells the Story of the Force

James Mangold’s “will go back to the dawn of the Jedi,” a time set tens of thousands of years earlier than anything we’ve ever seen on screen before. That might mean we’ll meet the figure known as Prime Jedi. That’s the person who founded the Order on Ahch-To sometime around 25,000 years before the events of A New Hope. Fans already know Ahch-To well. They first saw it in The Last Jedi when it served as Luke Skywalker’s hideaway. A release additionally shares, “James Mangold will take audiences deep into the past, telling the tale of the first Jedi to wield the Force and harness it as a liberating power in an era of chaos and oppression.”

Mangold further noted to Empire that his new Star Wars movie “takes place 25,000 years before Episode IV, and it’s about the discovery of the Force.” He further shares, “I told Kathy [Kennedy, head of Lucasfilm] I wanted to make a kind of Bible movie, a kind of Ten Commandments of Star Wars – kind of a Cecil B DeMille film about the arrival of the Force, and that’s what I’ve been pecking away at between press events. That’s the idea.”

According to The Hollywood Reporter, playwright and screenwriter Beau Willimon will co-write the script with Mangold. In addition to his playwriting career and his Emmy-nominated scripts for House of Cards, Willimon also wrote the prison three-parter in season one of Andor. Writing the best episodes of the best Star Wars show is some real bonafides.

James Mangold’s New Star Wars Movie Connects with Rey’s Next Appearance

Kennedy also recently shared that this movie will help inform the new Star Wars movie featuring the return of Rey. She noted to Total Film, “I think it’s a really nice compliment to what we’re doing with moving into the future with Rey, and then understanding a bit more of where this all came from,” she explains. “Because it will be at the heart of creating the new Jedi Order, so to get a real sense of where that might have began with the dawn of the Jedi could be pretty cool.” 

According to a new official Star Wars eras list revealed by LucasFilm, this movie will most likely take place in the “Dawn of the Jedi” era, but could even take place earlier than that.

Dave Filoni’s Film Will Bring Together Many Current Disney+ Series

The next new Star Wars movie will come from franchise veteran Dave Filoni. His film “will focus on the New Republic and close out the interconnected stories told in The Mandalorian, The Book of Boba Fett, Ahsoka, and other Disney+ series.” That’s huge news for both the television and movie side of Lucasfilm. When we get a release date for Filoni’s film, we’ll know just how many more seasons of The Mandalorian we might see. Clearly, there’s already an end in sight to Din Djarin and Grogu’s story. Although, we suppose they could continue on beyond a culminating movie. A release further shares, “Dave Filoni will orchestrate the escalating war between the Imperial Remnant and the fledgling New Republic.”

Rey Will Return in Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy’s Star Wars Movie

The third and final new Star Wars movie announced will focus on the future. Obaid-Chinoy’s movie will take place after The Rise of Skywalker. It will mark the return of Daisy Ridley as Rey. Set 15 years after the ultimate defeat of the Sith, she will be trying to build a new Jedi Order. Hopefully, that goes a lot better than her mentor Luke Skywalker’s attempts. According to the new list of Star Wars eras, it seems like this movie will take place in the “New Jedi Order” era.

The Plot of Rey’s Upcoming Star Wars Movie

Kathleen Kennedy shared more about the movie with Variety. She noted:

Well, we’re 15 years out from ‘Rise of Skywalker,’ so we’re post-war, post-First Order, and the Jedi are in disarray. There’s a lot of discussion around, ‘Who are the Jedi? What are they doing? What’s the state of the galaxy?’ She’s attempting to rebuild the Jedi Order, based on the books, based on what she promised Luke, so that’s where we’re going.”

Speaking to Empire, Kennedy added, “The First Order has fallen, the Jedi are in chaos – there’s even a question of how many exist anymore – and Rey’s building the New Jedi Order, based on the text that she was given and that Luke imparted on her.” She also offers, “Rey has made a promise to Luke, and that’s really the core of where we’re going and what this story will be. And I think it offers just tremendous opportunity to introduce new characters and start with something fresh, because we culminated with what George [Lucas] was creating, and now we take all of that and move it to the next chapter.” 

On the topic of a possible Luke Skywalker presence in the new Star Wars movie, Kennedy said: “I don’t know if we’ll spend a lot of time in flashbacks or [on] Force ghosts or things like that, but certainly, the spirit of what he represents to her is going to be significant.”

Ridley previously noted, “I know bits and bobs… I know there’s an introduction of new characters… I don’t know about previous characters.” But she also didn’t rule out anyone’s return. When asked about the popular idea of John Boyega’s Finn returning as a Jedi in the new Star Wars movie, Ridley responded, “That is above my pay grade. [Laughs] I would love to see that, but that is not a decision for me.” She also recently told The Hollywood Reporter that it feels like she and Boyega should reunite in the movie, noting, “Absolutely, of course…It feels like we should, yeah.”

But Ridley does have some information, according to Empire, “she knows the story beats for what the new film will be.” And, as of May 2024, she notes that she still hasn’t read a script “but it is imminently about to change.”

A Jedi Academy Is in Rey’s Future

Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy further noted about the new Star Wars movie, “At the heart of it, for me, is Rey Skywalker, Daisy Ridley, and her story, and taking her on an adventure to a Jedi Academy and sort of creating a world that is a natural dovetail to the story that we’ve seen her go through in the last three episodes.”

Obaid-Chinoy additionally adds, “I’ve had conversations with JJ Abrams. I’ve had conversations with George Lucas and, of course, Dave Filoni, who is a big part of the Star Wars universe now. We speak very often, and Kathy Kennedy, Carrie Beck, and Simon Emanuel – I think the team is really taking time to make sure that we do justice to telling the story of Daisy.”

Rey’s Future in the New Star Wars Movie

But will Rey’s upcoming Star Wars movie continue the common franchise trend of introducing new characters that are somehow related to other characters in the world? Daisy Ridley doesn’t really think so. Speaking to Deadline, Ridley noted it seemed unlikely that Rey would have kids in the new Star Wars film. She shared, “I would say she probably doesn’t have children seeing she’s a Jedi.” Of course, we know hypothetically Rey still could have children, like Anakin before her, but it sounds like this won’t be the path of the movie.

Daisy Ridley also notes that Rey will take a different approach to teaching the next generation of Jedi than Luke Skywalker did. Speaking to Den of Geek, she says about Rey’s tactics diverging from Luke’s, “I would say, from what I understand, yes. Short answer.”

Daisy Ridley and Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy Give Updates on the New Film

Daisy Ridley noted to Collider, “I’m very excited. The story is really cool. I’m waiting to read a script because, obviously, I don’t have any other updates. It’s not what I expected, but I’m very excited.” And additionally told The Hollywood Reporter, “I’m genuinely really excited about the next one [Star Wars movie]. I haven’t read anything, but I know the story. It’s really worth telling, worth exploring, and I think people will be excited.”

Daisy Ridley on Returning as Rey

The actress also offered a bit of a further tease about the film to AlloCiné. She said of the upcoming Rey Star Wars movie, “Once I knew what the story was and everything, I knew that it was something I really wanted to do. I think it’s a really fantastic exploration of the Star Wars world. It’s a really cool way of taking the story on in a bit of a different direction.” In conclusion, as Ridley noted to Variety, the story of this Star Wars movie is “cool as sh*t.”

Ridley also recently shared that this time around, she feels more ready to be Rey. “I suppose I feel more like I’m owning it. I suppose I owned it the first time. Basically, I’m an adult now. I certainly did not feel like an adult at the time. Obviously, personally, things have changed, and professionally, I’ve had lots of other experiences, and so I definitely feel like it’s a different thing this time. There’s just a lot of joy with me and these films. Honestly, if I wasn’t excited, I wouldn’t have done it. It feels like a great thing to be a part of.” However, the actress also expressed reprising the role could be a strange experience, saying, “I honestly have had moments where I’m like, ‘I don’t know if I remember what I did [as Rey]… It’s really strange. I think the whole thing will feel so different anyway, with a totally different team. I’m in a very different place than I was. I’m probably going to be one of the adults, and initially, I was the youngest person on set, which is a weird feeling.”

Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy on Tackling a Star Wars Story

Meanwhile, Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy noted to CNN, “I’m very thrilled about the project because I feel what we’re about to create is something very special… We’re in 2024 now, and it’s about time that we had a woman come forward to shape a story in a galaxy far, far away.

We couldn’t agree more. But something tells us it won’t be smooth sailing for Rey. The dark side of the Force has a way of always creating shadows over the galaxy far, far away, especially in theaters.

The director also added, “The story that interests me most is in Rey’s journey as a female Jedi. That’s how I can best bring my experiences to it.”

A Release Date for Rey’s New Star Wars Movie

There is now a reported filming date in play for Rey’s upcoming Star Wars fim. According to Productionlist.com, which tracks production updates for the Film & Television Industry Alliance, the Rey movie will start shooting on April 7, 2024 in London. Hopefully, that means we will get casting news soon.

Recent rumors speculated that the Rey movie might have been delayed indefinitely due to creative differences between Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy and writer Steven Knight. However, according to Gizmodo, Lucasfilm has confirmed the movie is still moving forward without issue. According to the publication, a source at Lucasfilm noted, “Knight continues to write and be a part of the process. In fact, the company is waiting on his latest draft as you read this.”

Jon Favreau Takes Our Favorite Duo to the Big Screen in The Mandalorian & Grogu

In addition to joining Dave Filoni’s big group Star Wars movie, the Mandalorian and Grogu will also star in a new Star Wars movie of their own (aptly titled, The Mandalorian & Grogu). Few details are known about it for now, but it will go into production in 2024.

As previously noted, this movie is expected to start shooting in April 2024.

Patty Jenkins Returns to Direct the Once Canceled Star Wars Movie Rogue Squadron

In 2020, Lucasfilm announced Patty Jenkins would direct a new Star Wars movie, Rogue Squadron. But the movie was removed from the company’s lineup in 2022. Now, Jenkins has revealed she’s back to work on the film, and she’ll take on the roles of writer and director. You can see what she had to say in full, here.

Shawn Levy Is Reportedly Set to Direct a Star Wars Movie

Deadline reports that Shawn Levy is set to direct a Star Wars movie of his own. The publication notes that the movie will be written by Jonathan Tropper. Levy’s Star Wars movie has not yet been officially announced, and no further details are available.

It’s a busy time for Shawn Levy; his MCU movie Deadpool & Wolverine will be released in theaters on July 26 and reportedly he is in talks to direct the next Avengers movie as well.

Originally published on April 7, 2023.

The post Five New STAR WARS Movies Announced, Including Daisy Ridley’s Return as Rey appeared first on Nerdist.

Listen, we won’t blame you for remaining skeptical. We’re not exactly sure whether to believe this news ourselves. But it really does seem as though, after years of false promises and roadblocks, The Crow is getting resurrected. And the reboot will star someone who knows something about wearing face paint to scare others. IT‘s Pennywise, Bill Skarsgård, will bring the vengeful character back to the big screen. After this long wait, The Crow has finally shared first-look images of Skarsgård in the romantically gothic role and an official trailer.

The Crow Reboot’s Release Date

It seemed like The Crow reboot finally had a release date. According to Deadline, it was set to release on June 7, 2024. But now, the publication reveals that The Crow will actually release on August 23.

The Crow Reveals Its Trailer and First-Look Images

We finally have our first good look at The Crow and its stars. And well, they certainly look good. Director Rupert Sanders shares with Vanity Fair, “I think the beauty of Bill [Skarsgård] is that he has a disturbing beauty, and as he transforms through his loss he becomes this thing that even he can’t control. It’s that famous line: ‘Whoever fights monsters must be careful that they don’t become one.’ That look was me in the ’90s when we were squat-raving in London, [mixed with some modern influences] like Post Malone and Lil Peep. I hope people who are 19 today look at him and go, ‘That guy is us.’”

You can check out The Crow‘s trailer and images below:

Of the first-teased image of the crow, Vanity Fair notes, “That image captures the beginning of his transformation into the Crow.” And Sanders adds, “It’s the moment we realize bad things are coming.” An additional couple of first-look images from The Crow were also released.

The Crow Reboots Synopsis and More

So what do we know? Well, James O’Barr’s supernatural comic series is getting a long-awaited new adaptation. Rupert Sanders (Snow White and the Huntsman) will direct with a script from Zach Baylin (King Richard) and Will Schneider. Skarsgård will play the titular hero out for revenge, Erik Draven. Erik returns to the world of the living thanks to a crow, where he seeks vengeance against those who killed him and his fiancée.

Or at least he did originally. THR also reports the British singer and dancer FKA Twigs will play Erik’s fiancée. But, unlike previous iterations, the character will play a much bigger role and serve a co-lead in the film. What that means for her fate remains to be seen. But in a supernatural thriller where crows bring people back to life, the possibilities are endless.

Deadline shares the film’s synopsis, which is as follows:

Soulmates Eric Draven (Skarsgård) and Shelly Webster (FKA twigs) are brutally murdered when the demons of her dark past catch up with them. Given the chance to save his true love by sacrificing himself, Eric sets out to seek merciless revenge on their killers, traversing the worlds of the living and the dead to put the wrong things right. 

Additionally, Vanity Fair notes, “While Eric’s and Shelly’s onscreen deaths occur in the opening minutes of the 1994 version of The Crow, Sanders says that he always wanted his version of the story to have a more even balance between light and dark. So we will see more of the smitten couple before tragedy steps in to tear them apart, making Eric’s quest for vengeance more emotionally resonant.”

More About the Original Movie

Fans first entered the dark and brooding world of The Crow more than 30 years ago. The indie comic debuted in 1989. However, many know it from its first ill-fated big screen adaptation. The original 1994 film starred Brandon Lee, the son of the legendary Bruce Lee. Brandon Lee sadly died on set from an improperly loaded prop gun. Lee had filmed most of his scenes when he died, though, and the studio still released the movie.

Sanders shares, “Obviously, it was a terrible tragedy, and it’s definitely something that we’ve always had in mind through the making of the film. Brandon was an original voice and I think he will always be synonymous with The Crow and I hope he’s proud of what we’ve done and how we’ve brought the story back again. His soul is very much alive in this film. There’s a real fragility and beauty to his version of the Crow, and I think Bill feels like he is a successor to that.”

The original movie was a box office success and more sequels with different actors in the starring role followed. A short-lived TV series, The Crow: Stairway to Heaven, also had a one-season run in 1998. But since the last film, 2005’s The Crow: Wicked Prayer, the franchise has had a series of false starts while it mired in developmental hell.

The franchise seems to have truly left Hell behind now. So yes, this seems as though this The Crow reboot really is happening. And yet, like many of you, we’ll fully believe The Crow is back when we’re sitting in a movie theater once again watching Bill Skarsgård in face paint.

Originally published on April 4, 2022.

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After more than two decades, the thought of Ridley Scott making a Gladiator sequel still seems hard to believe. It’s not like the Best Picture winner set itself up for a sequel. Plus, you know, its titular character DIED at the end. That’s not exactly the type of movie you imagine getting a second installment. But Gladiator II is definitely happening. We know for sure because we officially have our first photos and posters from the film. The Gladiator 2 first-look photos feature stars Paul Mescal, Pedro Pascal, Denzel Washington, Joseph Quinn, and Connie Nielsen fighting to save a decaying Rome from its worst leaders.

They look so good that we’re truly excited to see what happened after Maximus gave his life to give Rome back to the people.

Get your best sword and sandals out, because it’s time to return to the Colosseum. Paramount Pictures’ long-developing sequel is officially ready to enter the arena.

But be warned if you love Joseph Quinn with dark hair. The Stranger Things alum is blonde now.

Anti-warning: Denzel Washington is already the coolest ancient Roman ever.

Hopefully these photos indicate a full Gladiator 2 trailer is on the horizon. It’s not as though we have to wait much longer for the movie anyway.

Click To View Gallery

Gladiator 2 Posters

Gladiator 2 has also hit us with some massively cool posters for all of the above characters. You can check them out below.

Click To View Gallery

What Is the Release Date for Gladiator 2?

Gladiator 2 takes a chariot into theaters this fall on November 22, 2024.

The post GLADIATOR 2 Shares First Photos and Posters of Paul Mescal, Pedro Pascal, and Denzel Washington in Ancient Rome appeared first on Nerdist.

Christian Bale has never been shy about transforming his body for a role. He famously lost an unhealthy amount of weight for both The Machinist and The Fighter. He then went in the opposite direction to play the rotund Dick Cheney in Vice. Now he’s undergoing a different kind of cinematic transformation. Bale is turning himself into a legendary sci-fi monster. The first images from director Maggie Gyllenhaal’s The Bride show Bale and co-star Jessie Buckley as the iconic creations.

Gyllenhaal took to Instagram to post the first official photos (which we first heard about at Variety) for The Bride, her upcoming take on a classic Frankenstein story. The images come from camera tests for her two leads. Gyllenhaal’s version will take place in 1930s Chicago and see Buckley’s reanimated murder victim launch an entire new social movement.

The Warner Bros. production will reunite Buckley and Gyllenhaal. Buckley earned an Oscar nomination for Gyllenhaal’s previous film, 2021’s The Lost Daughter. This time the actress will star as the titular bride of Frankenstein. But these photos show the two are not exactly the same.

Bale’s monster has an entirely different energy in his photo. His scarred, terrifying take on the character—which feels strangely reminiscent of Jared Leto’s Joker, only with giant stitches rather than a forehead tattoo—evokes the horror of Mary Shelley’s character. Buckley’s blonde Bride looks far more human. She has a black blotch on the side of her mouth, but otherwise her wounds seem far more internal than her pieced-together counterpart.

The Bride will also feature Penélope Cruz, Annette Bening, and Peter Sarsgaard. It will arrive in theaters next year ahead of Halloween on September 26, 2025.

What will Christian Bale look like by the time the film premieres? We don’t know. We just know we can’t rule any kind of transformation out.

Originally published April 4, 2024.

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Daemon Targaryen claimed Harrenhal on House of the Dragon, but he hasn’t found no peace in that haunted castle. What he has found instead is a mysterious woman named Alys Rivers. Who is this strange figure and fan-favorite from George R.R. Martin’s Fire & Blood? Is this bastard of the Riverlands nothing more than a wise woman who minds her surroundings? Or is she something much more magical and sinister? Here’s everything we’ve learned about Alys Rivers on House of the Dragon.

Who Plays Alys Rivers on House of the Dragon?

Gayle Rankin (GLOW, Perry Mason) plays Alys Rivers on House of the Dragon. She joined the prequel series during season two. While she is known to readers of Martin’s Fire & Blood, the in-world history reveals less about her than many other figures in the book.

Alys Rivers Arrives With an Ominous Warning (Season 2, Episode 3)

Alys Rivers made her debut (without being named on-screen) in House of the Dragon season two’s third episode. She first appeared in Harrenhal’s dining hall when Daemon Targaryen claimed the castle for Queen Rhaenyra (and himself). Alys was the only person not to kneel to his “Grace.”

She truly made her presence felt later in the episode when she showed up during Daemon’s nightmare-turned-waking vision. After dreaming about his wife (who appeared as a young woman) sewing the head of little Prince Jaehaerys onto his body, Daemon suddenly found himself outside. He was standing near a dying weirwood tree overlooking the sacred Gods Eye lake. A confused Daemons then saw Alys Rivers appear below him. She only said one thing, but it made a major impact. She ominously told him, “You will die in this place,” before walking away.

Alys Rivers: Maester, Owl, or Witch? (Season 2, Episode 4)

Another nightmare once again led Daemon to walk directly to Alys Rivers during House of the Dragon season two’s fourth episode. He found her working late at night in what appeared to be a kitchen.

She explained she was the castle’s de facto maester after the last one fled in the night. Like Daemon, the measter found no peace at Harrenhal. Alys said the castle is responsible for Daemon’s nightmares because Harrenhal is haunted and has been since its first stone was laid. The King who built the massive structure, Harren the Black, felled a grove of sacred weirwood trees for the land. He then used the wood of the heart trees to make the castle’s furniture. According to Alys, the spirits who lived in those ancient trees still roam the castle. She said you can hear them whispering in the night.

When Daemon asked who she really is, Alys jokingly said she’s really an owl trapped in a human woman’s body. (At least it sounded like a joke. In a world with wargs that isn’t totally unbelievable.) Later Daemon accused her of being a witch because she seemingly knew things she shouldn’t. That included how she seemed to know everything Daemon has left unsaid about how he feels over his wife’s ascension. Alys didn’t claim witchcraft or other magical powers for her insights. She cited the many clues he’s unhappy being below Rhaenyra, including how he arrived alone but had yet to send a raven back saying he claimed the castle.

The alluring, wise, mysterious Alys then easily got Daemon to drink an unknown potion just days after he feared someone poisoning him. It was as though she had placed him in a trance and he couldn’t refuse her. Whatever she gave him was powerful. It knocked him out completely. Daemon has lost a huge chunk of time from the moment he took her potion. He awoke the next day, in the middle of a meeting, with no idea how he’d gotten there.

Is House of the Dragon‘s Alys Rivers Really a Witch?

Is Alys Rivers a witch? Is she the one actually causing Daemon’s nightmares? Or is she an owl? Could she possess amazing greenseer abilities like Bran on Game of Thrones? Is that how she knows so much about the past, present, and future? And, maybe most importantly, was she predicting his death at Harrenhal as a prophecy or simply warning him what will happen if he stays there because every Lord of the castle has died before?

There’s still much to learn about Alys Rivers, and we can’t rule out any possibility about who, or what, she might be. The mysterious bastard of the Riverlands could just be a smart woman with a keen eye. Or she could be so much more.

Mikey Walsh is a staff writer at Nerdist. He’s still mad we didn’t get GLOW’s final season. You can follow him on Twitter and Bluesky at @burgermike. And also anywhere someone is ranking the Targaryen kings.

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Twisters might be spinning into theaters this summer, but before it does fans will get a chance to see the the original 1996 film in an all-new way. The first-ever 4K Ultra HD version of Twister is now available in stores and on digital platforms. What does this new, upgraded remaster offer viewers? To find out, Nerdist spoke to the man who oversaw both the film and this restoration, director Jan de Bont. He talked to us about the challenges of making the film nearly 30 years ago, why Twister‘s tornadoes have never looked more believable, and the greatness of Bill Paxton and Philip Seymour Hoffman.

Nerdist: It’s been 30 years since you started working on Twister. How have your own feelings and opinions about the movie changed since the day it premiered in theaters?

Jan de Bont: After this transfer, I think it almost could be re-released, because I was able to make so many really positive changes to the visuals, the color, the depths, and the soundtrack, the kind of amazing surround soundtrack you feel at home. It’s almost a better experience than in the theater. I don’t want to compare the two, because it’s a completely different thing, of course. In the theater you also have the reaction of people. But as an individual or with your family, it becomes really personal. You have a direct connection with the screen.

And the quality right now is also better than it was in the theater. The quality is so high. It’s much sharper, it’s much more focused. I see many more colors. There’s much more detail in the darkness that didn’t exist before and didn’t exist on film, either.

Were there any aspects of the movie that you weren’t totally, 100% happy with back then that you are totally on board with now?

de Bont: Yeah, because I was able to do those changes. [laughs] I hate when you have to actually develop a whole new technology to make things visible and make them look real and authentic. It’s a long process. One tornado would take months for a couple of animators to do. Then those would have to be transferred. The rendering of one shot would take 24 hours. Just for one single shot. And we had 300 plus shots and the time was close. We had to start right away. We knew when [the film] was going to be released and we had to work up against that day. And since the technology didn’t always work, we had to just try again and again.

I was very happy to finally be able to correct the issues that I saw. But I think everybody would see them too, if you saw it many times. I wanted to really integrate all those different elements much better. At the time it wasn’t even really possible, the way I would have liked it.

Which scene or moment would you say is the most enhanced by this 4K Ultra Hi-Def version?

de Bont: All the tornado scenes. Almost all of them. Because it’s not like you’re looking at one thing only. It’s not like with the first one you look at the tornado and then there’s a landscape around it. Now the tornado is actually in the landscape. I was able, with the transitions from the visual effects to the live action and the sometimes special effects on the foreground, to make it look like one. For me that was so important. That makes this kind of new transfer so unique. I think it’s really, really incredible. High quality. It’s really amazing.

We’re talking a lot about the visuals and obviously it’s a very visual movie, but that’s not the only reason Twister is so beloved. It also has a really amazing cast led by the late Bill Paxton. Three decades later, what stands out the most about working with him?

de Bont: From day one he was on the set, he became an actual storm chaser. He really completely believed in it and he started speaking their language. He used lingo that the chasers used nonstop. Words I’d never even heard of. [I was] like, “Oh, well that sounds good. If it’s true, he can actually do that.” Almost phonetic. He was really so into his character. You cannot direct an actor like that. I mean, he did it himself. It was really fantastic to see that. I was so happy with him.

He also felt a little bit like a leader, to keep that whole team together as a personality. That whole group feeling and how great they talk together. The banter between them. Everybody jumps in whenever. I never intervened when the actors jumped on somebody else’s line, because that to me was real. I said, “No, it’s fine. It’s crazy. It’s better.” And Bill was really good at that too. And he interrupted all the time, so it was really great. [laughs loudly] That was really funny. Really. I mean, the movie wouldn’t be like that without him, that’s for sure.

You also cast the late Philip Seymour Hoffman during the early part of his career, I think before everyone realized he was one of the greatest actors alive. What was it like to direct someone that talented in a role that I would imagine on the page read much smaller than he made it on the screen?

de Bont: It was actually really little on the screen (originally), because a lot of the dialogue still had to be written. And when I saw him, it was like the dialogue became almost automatic. He kind of instigated what he was going to say in combination with what I wanted him to say. But it became so natural. He was just laid back, incredibly laid back. Fun, almost over-the-top at times. A grand actor that really brought so much lightness to the movie, and that was so needed. And he was so good at that. He made it so easy, doing something that people thought was very funny to watch. He was absolutely brilliant.

I mean, I was afraid that nobody wanted to play the part. Because on the page it’s like, “Dusty work for me to today,” and it’s like, “Oh God.” But the way he arrived, I always bring that up because it was so amazing to me. He arrived on the very last day of casting. We still hadn’t found anyone. And he arrived, sloppy himself. Baggy pants, loose shirts, wild hair. And I said, “That’s exactly what it should be.” It was so funny. I mean, maybe he already saw the character when he read that. Maybe he already saw what he could do with it. And he did, and he totally lifted the movie. I mean, he was clearly a brilliant talent.

The new Twister 4K UHD from Warner Bros. Discovery is now available in stores, online, and on digital.

The post TWISTER Director Jan de Bont on the Film’s First 4K Remaster, Bill Paxton, and Philip Seymour Hoffman appeared first on Nerdist.

Russell Crowe might have died at the end of Gladiator, but the first trailer for Gladiator II shows the dream of Maximus still lives. The young boy he once inspired is now grown, full of fury, and ready to help bring down childish rulers who needlessly toy with peoples’ lives. Because this film isn’t just about one man’s fight for survival in the Colosseum or even a request for revenge. It’s about the very soul of the Roman Empire.

The Gladiator II Trailer Is Here (And It’s Glorious)

This first incredible, action-packed Gladiator II trailer declares all-out war on Rome and its cruel leaders. How did it come to this after Maximus gave his life to return the Empire to the people? Here’s the film’s official synopsis from Paramount Pictures:

From legendary director Ridley Scott, Gladiator II continues the epic saga of power, intrigue, and vengeance set in Ancient Rome. Years after witnessing the death of the revered hero Maximus at the hands of his uncle, Lucius (Paul Mescal) is forced to enter the Colosseum after his home is conquered by the tyrannical Emperors who now lead Rome with an iron fist. With rage in his heart and the future of the Empire at stake, Lucius must look to his past to find strength and honor to return the glory of Rome to its people.

How do you say, “Let’s f***ing go!” in Latin?

Everything here is genuinely great, but nothing is better than Denzel Washington. He could not possibly be having any more fun. We’re not sure who the greatest Ancient Roman was before this Gladiator II trailer, but they’re now second behind his Macrinus. Maybe third, depending on what Pedro Pascal’s General Acacius ultimately does in this movie.

As though those three stars weren’t enough, the loaded cast also features Joseph Quinn, Fred Hechinger, and Lior Raz, whom we also see in action in the Gladiator II trailer above. Original Gladiator star Derek Jacobi is also back. As is Connie Nielsen, who returns as Lucilla.

What Is Gladiator II’s Release Date?

What will Lucilla do when she learns her son Lucius is back and full of righteous fury? We’ll find out when Gladiator II releases in theaters this fall on November 22.

The post GLADIATOR II’s First Incredible Trailer Is an All-Out War for Rome’s Soul appeared first on Nerdist.

“A war is like to be fought over this treachery, to be sure. But that war is not mine to begin.”

Princess Rhaenys refused to kill the Greens in House of the Dragon‘s first season during Aegon’s coronation. She justified her inaction by saying the coming Targaryen civil war was not hers to start. It was (at best) a frustrating moment that immediately seemed like a mistake. Yet it wasn’t totally out of line for Eve Best’s character. The Queen Who Never Was did not wish for fire and blood to consume the Realm. Rhaenys was a decent, wise person who knew what a war of dragons would mean. But being a good person did not save her during the Battle at Rook’s Rest, where the very people she spared at the Dragonpit killed her.

Rhaenys’ demise gets to the very core of George R.R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire, a story about what it means to lead that asks if it’s even possible to be both a good person and a good ruler. And like Rhaenys, Ned Stark also paid with his life to learn why you can’t on Game of Thrones.

The kind, insightful Rhaenys was a fearsome warrior who did her best to avoid combat if she could. She was a keen observer of people who also recognized the pitfalls of power and glory. Like Ned Stark, Rhaenys was everything you’d want in a leader, and though she never got to rule, she was a huge and steadying influence over many who did. Rhaenyra had no greater ally than Rhaenys, the very best of House Targaryen. Westeros was lucky to have her.

And what was Rhaenys’ reward for being a good, decent, honorable person on House of the Dragon? Her own kin, the very same people she let live, killed her. Being the best Targaryen in a Targaryen civil war wasn’t enough to keep her safe. But once she entered the war, that was all but inevitable. Rhaenys ultimately supported Rhaenyra in the Queen’s fight for the Iron Throne and went to war on Rhaenyra’s behalf. There were only two outcomes once she did. As Cersei Lannister will tell Ned Stark two hundred years later, “When you play the game of thrones, you win or you die.”

Ned Stark will die in Game of Thrones, same as Rhaenys does in House of the Dragon. And for the same reason. He tried to be a good person in a world that often demands you be ruthless. The Lord of Winterfell learned the terrible secret that Cersei’s children were not King Robert’s kids. But rather than arrest Cersei and her brother Jaime, Ned infamously told the Queen what he knew. He wanted to give her a chance to flee with her children, lest Robert kill them all. Eddard Stark did the noble, decent thing, just as he always did. His reward for being good was losing his head.

A Song of Ice and Fire is a story about what it means to be a good leader. The demands of power rarely lend themselves to being a good person because being decent and “winning” are rarely compatible.

That’s a lesson Jon Snow, who survived the game of thrones, learned over eight seasons in which he was constantly forced to choose between doing what was “good” and what was “necessary.” Jon needed to “kill the boy” he was and accept the hard responsibilities of ruling, just as Maester Aemon told him. Those responsibilities were often unthinkable, like when Jon didn’t want to behead Olly. Executing a child certainly wasn’t something any decent person would do. It was something the Lord Commander of the Night’s Watch was forced to do.

Jon was a decent, noble person like the man who raised him, but Jon didn’t make the same mistakes Ned did. He adapted to the world around him, and he accepted his duties, even the ones that went against his very nature. Neither Ned Stark, nor Rhaenys were able to do this and so they seemingly sentenced themselves to death in respective Game of Thrones stories.

If Ned Stark hadn’t been so kind and noble to Cersei, he would have lived. If Rhaenys had burned the Greens at the Dragonpit, she would never have had to fight at Rook’s Rest. Who was wrong, though: Ned Stark and Rhaenys, or the world? Can we really fault people for doing the “right” thing even in a world that can be so evil? The answer, as it so often is in A Song of Ice and Fire, is not an easy one. Their goodness was commendable, and the world would be better if everyone was like Ned Stark and Rhaenys. Yet ultimately, their good actions were not good for them, their families, their allies, or even the Realm. Their decency led to war and countless more bloodshed.

Rhaenys was wise and temperate. She was good. And now she’s dead on House of the Dragon, and the very fire and blood she tried to prevent from happening will consume the Realm. Too bad that good Ned Stark didn’t learn from Rhaenys’ mistakes.

Mikey Walsh is a staff writer at Nerdist and #1 Ned Stark super fan. You can follow him on Twitter and Bluesky at @burgermike. And also anywhere someone is ranking the Targaryen kings.

The post The Tragic Connection Between HOUSE OF THE DRAGON’s Rhaenys and Ned Stark appeared first on Nerdist.

Young Rhaenyra is haunting Daemon Targaryen on House of the Dragon. But why? Is his own guilty conscience the reason for his nightmares? Is his last meeting with his wife, where she challenged everything he’s ever done or wanted, weighing so heavily on his mind that self-doubt is keeping him up at night? Or are those terrible dreams really the work of cursed Harrenhal’s ghosts? It could be all three. Or it could be none of them, because it’s possible the mysterious Alys Rivers is causing Daemon on that grief on House of the Dragon.

King Consort Daemon Targaryen arrived at Harrenhal during House of the Dragon‘s third episode in season two. His nightmares in that cold, wet, ruined castle began immediately. He had a dream—or was it a waking vision?—of his wife as a young woman (played once again by Milly Alcock). She was sitting by a fire sewing the head of little Jaehaerys back onto his body. The young, innocent prince was the victim of Daemon’s despicable Blood and Cheese assassination plot. “Always coming and going, aren’t you?” said Rhaenyra. “And I have to clean up afterwards.”

That scene clearly upset Daemon in the moment. It also reflected his own guilt. He’d caused Rhaenyra a problem and then left her to deal with it herself yet again. He’d also murdered a child and now had to literally face what he’d done. Yet what happened next troubled him even more.

After seeing the dead Jaehaerys, Daemon suddenly found himself outside standing near a dying weirwood tree at night. Was he still dreaming? Had he ever been? Or had he slept walk to this eerie place where he was now awake?

Those questions didn’t matter as much when he realized he wasn’t alone. Below him stood the woman he’d seen earlier during his arrival, the only person at Harrenhal who didn’t kneel to him. She then delivered the most ominous of messages: “You will die in this place.” In episode four, he learned exactly who she is. Maybe.

Before that Daemon had another nightmare about his wife as a young woman. In this dream he entered an otherwise empty throne room in King’s Landing. Alcock’s Rhaenyra was there, sitting on the Iron Throne wearing her father’s crown and speaking High Valyrian. A frustrated Daemon could not understand her. When she came down to talk to him directly she said he “created her” as heir yet was now “intent on destroying her.” And all because Viserys loved her more. An agitated, scared Daemon kept telling her to “stop it” but when she wouldn’t, he decapitated her with his sword.

Rhaenyra’s disembodied head, streaming blood from its neck, then opened its eyes and said, “This is what you always wanted, is it not?” When Ser Simon Strong then woke Daemon up, Daemon saw blood on his hands. It quickly vanished, once again blurring the lines between Daemon’s dreams and real life. By the episode’s end, they felt like one-in-the-same.

Is Daemon’s subconscious simply relaying thoughts his waking self won’t dare admit are true? Or is he merely afraid he’s the monster Rhaenyra said he might be when they last spoke? Might these nightmares simply be the manifestation of guilt—guilt borne from being a terrible, selfish husband (and before that uncle)—he’s harboring but won’t acknowledge? It’s possible his dreams are a sign he’s not sure who he really is and what he really wants. Daemon’s own wife, the person he crowned and swore to take as his Queen, questioned all of his motives as a husband, brother, Targaryen, and man.

No matter the ultimate meaning of his dreams about Rhaenyra (which almost certainly have many layers he’ll never understand and we’ll only ever be able to debate), they show some obvious truths. Daemon is not at ease with himself, his marriage, or his station in life. He’s battling insecurity on many personal fronts. His own mind is holding him account from a lifetime of mistakes and selfish, reckless behavior.

Those questions about whether he serves himself or his own ambition took a backseat during his next nightmare. This one was about who he fears and why. In this dream, he chased his nephew Aemond through Harrenhal. Only when Aemond turned around it was Daemon himself with an eyepatch. Like his other dreams there are multiple meanings to this dark vision. For one the King Consort fears himself, as well he should. Daemon has always been his own worst enemy. But he also fears Aemond because he knows deep down just how alike he and his nephew are.

Both Targaryen princes are skilled warriors with a desire to rise above their station and rule. The two dragonriders are both fearsome and fearless, and each will do whatever it takes to destroy the other. Aemond is Daemon’s only equal. Aemond might even be his better.

Why is Daemon having these horrible dreams where he’s not even sure if he’s awake or asleep? He might have got his answer when he continued following his eye-patch doppelganger. That’s when he found Alys Rivers. The bastard of the Riverlands is now acting as the de facto maester of the castle. The last one “fled in the night” after he “never settled in.”

Alys could tell Daemon was having the same trouble getting comfortable in that damp place. She could see he’s not getting rest at a place where sleep “can be thin.” She didn’t cite Harrenhal’s leaky ceiling as the source for his obvious torture, though. Alys claimed the castle itself is the problem.

Harrenhal’s been cursed since its first stone was laid. Black Harren felled the the grove of weirwood tress that grew on these lands. Heart trees, imbued with the spirits of those who lived long before he came. It’s said their whispers can still be heard some times….

Weirwood trees are more than just religious symbols of the old gods. The Children of the Forest carved faces into them and their greenseers could see through them across time itself. And as Alys said, those heart trees were thought to house ancient spirits within them. When Harren (Hoare) the Black, last King of Isles and Rivers who followed the Drowned God, went to build his enormous castle, he chopped down all those sacred trees. He then used the wood to build furniture in Harrenhal, including the very bed Daemon is having nightmares in.

Aegon the Conqueror killed Harren and all his children the day work on Harrenhal finished. Since then everyone who has claimed the castle as their own has died. (That’s exactly what happened on Game of Thrones. Good luck to Larys Strong, current Lord who inherited it after murdering his father and brother.) Harrenhal might very well be cursed in the most literal sense, just as Alys says. Those spirits whispering to Daemon might be real and they might be preying on his insecurities, guilt, and fears trying to drive him away. Or they could be exposing him to his deepest fears to drive him mad and bring about his ruin.

Or it might not be the castle at all. It might not even be Daemon’s subconscious causing his nightmares. Alys Rivers, the strange, alluring, insightful woman who keeps showing up in the middle of his horrible visions, might be behind everything.

She was at the weirwood just as she was working in the middle of the night when his nightmare led him right to her. And rather than being afraid of her and everything she knew about him, the man who was weary of poison when he first arrived at Harrenhal, willingly took a drink from her when she offered it to him. It was though she had a control over him he wasn’t even aware of.

Whatever that potion was it was powerful. It left him in a stupefied state. Daemon lost a huge amount of time after taking it. He went from that room at night to being in a meeting with Willem Blackwood during the day.

During that meeting, where it was obvious Daemon was not okay, he saw his late wife Laena enter the room, another blurring of reality and dreams. She was maybe the only person who ever accepted Daemon for who he is and loved him fully. Her showing up in that moment, though, was anything but comforting. It was another painful reminder of a life with little happiness.

What did Alys give him and why? Why was she at that weirwood tree foretelling of his death at Harrenhal? And how did she know so much about what’s bothering Daemon? Was her keen, spot-on insight into his marital problems, his place in Targaryen pecking order, and his ambition nothing more than a smart woman picking up clues? (She cited some of those very clues.) Or is there more to Alys? And not just because she might be manipulating Daemon?

Is she actually “a barn owl, cursed to live in human form” like she jokingly said? That’s not as wild an idea as it seems. Not in a world with wargs. If a human can enter an animal’s mind, why can’t an animal enter a human’s? Or is she exactly what Daemon called her: a witch? Witches also exist in this world, and Game of Thrones‘ fans know exactly how powerful they can be. Melisandre lived for centuries and was capable of incredible magic. Maybe Alys was actually there when Harren felled those weirwoods. (IF she was an owl Harren might have cut down her home.)

Or maybe Alys is everything and more. Maybe’s she’s a witch, an owl, a warg, and a greenseer who can see across time and space. That would explains how she knows so much about Daemon.

There’s so much we don’t know about Alys Rivers just yet, but everything is on the table for the strange bastard of Harrenhal. But Daemon better hope she’s nothing more than a wise woman who gave him something to help him sleep. He better hope she’s acutely aware of her surroundings and learns through observation and experience rather than sorcery. Because if she’s more than just an intelligent woman toying with him, Daemon might truly be cursed in more ways than one.

Mikey Walsh is a staff writer at Nerdist. You can follow him on Twitter and Bluesky at @burgermike. And also anywhere someone is ranking the Targaryen kings.

The post What (or Who) Is Causing Daemon’s Nightmares on HOUSE OF THE DRAGON? appeared first on Nerdist.

House of the Dragon has finally shown why Westeros remembers the first Targaryen civil war as “The Dance of the Dragons.” Season two’s fourth episode brought to life the infamous moment from Fire & Blood when those creatures first fought one another high above the Realm. The Battle at Rook’s Rest was a brutal, terrifying, impressive sequence that was also a mostly faithful adaptation of George R.R. Martin’s in-world history. But the prequel series did make some meaningful changes, and they will have long term ramifications on House of the Dragon.

The Similarities Between House of the Dragon and Fire & Blood‘s “Battle at Rook’s Rest”

House of the Dragon followed the same general story about the “Battle at Rook’s Rest” as told in Fire & Blood. It began when new Hand of the King Criston Cole left behind both King’s Landing and the letter-writing campaign of his predecessor, Otto Hightower, to be Aegon’s “steel fist.”

Cole began by moving his small force swiftly through the Crownlands, the region surrounding King’s Landing, which is also close to Dragonstone. The Lord Commander easily took both the castles Rosby and Stokeworth when their namesake lords swore fealty to King Aegon. Those houses’ forces then joined Cole’s army on the march to Duskendale. There, the “Kingmaker” beheaded Lord Darklyn, who refused to bend the knee. Those at Duskendale who did also joined the new Hand of the King’s army.

Rather than turn his growing army towards the vital Harrenhal, Cole instead marched towards Rook’s Rest, seat of House Staunton. Lord Staunton, a member of Rhaenyra Targaryen’s small council, tried to stay safe inside his castle’s walls. But the attack on Rook’s Rest was nothing more than a ploy. Cole’s real plan was to draw one of Rhaenyra’s dragons into battle. It worked. Princess Rhaenys and her experienced dragon, Meleys, came to the rescue. When she arrived, she bathed many of Cole’s soldiers in dragonflame.

Rhaenys wasn’t alone in the sky for long. She soon found herself facing two dragons, Aegon’s Sunfyre and Aemond’s Vhagar. The brave Rhaenys refused to flee and led Meleys into a fight for their lives. When the civil war’s first dragon dance ended, both Rhaenys and Meleys lay dead, having fallen when Vhagar bit Meleys’ neck.

It was not a total victory for the Greens. Aegon and Sunfyre also lay greatly wounded on the ground, with both rider and dragon burned and battered.

What House of the Dragon Changed from Fire & Blood‘s “Battle at Rook’s Rest”

While not completely inaccurate, Fire & Blood‘s account of the Dance of the Dragon is notoriously unreliable. (Sometimes, in ways we can’t even know that are unknowable or obvious.) That gives House of the Dragon the freedom to tell its own version of the story and fill in gaps without technically “changing” anything. However, the HBO series still made some choices that are clearly different from the history presented in Fire & Blood.

House of the Dragon‘s Aegon Almost Screws Up the Plan

One of House of the Dragon‘s biggest changes at Rook’s Rest was Aegon’s role in the battle. The King was not part of Cole’s plan like in Fire & Blood. On the show, the rash, impetuous King, determined to prove his worth to his family and small council, flew off to the invasion alone atop Sunfyre. On House of the Dragon, he forced Cole to call on Aemond and Vhagar much sooner.

This made Cole’s plan on the show less impressive. Having two dragons in hiding is smarter than only one, especially when the Greens had no way of knowing how many dragons Rhaenyra would send. It also changes what we know about Aegon, making him even more of a fool than his book counterpart. But neither of those mean this change was bad or indefensible. It completely fit with the story House of the Dragon is telling about Aegon. He felt weak and unimportant, as his Hand and brother plotted without him. They also had already refused to let him in on their secret plans, as well, lest he interfere needlessly. This scene showed why they were right.

House of the Dragon‘s Aemond Is Not Loyal To His Family

Fire & Blood presents the stern, humorless Aemond as ambitious but also fiercely loyal to his family. Book Aemond would seemingly never do anything to harm any member of the Greens, no matter how much he wanted to rule. It’s arguably his best trait and adds immense depth to his character in Fire & Blood.

House of the Dragon‘s “Battle at Rook’s Rest” changed what we thought we knew about Aemond. At best, he was completely reckless with his brother’s life and, at worst, actively tried to kill Aegon. Rather than come to his King’s rescue when Meleys had Sunfyre in her grasp, Aemond had Vhagar shoot fire without worry, endangering Aegon’s life. (The nature of Aegon’s role in this sequence also changed that Fire & Blood says all three dragons fought at once.)

If there was any doubt Aemond wasn’t worried about saving his brother’s life, it looked as though Aemond was about to finish off either Aegon, Sunfyre, or both on the ground before Cole showed up an stopped him.

Aemond hates his brother (with good reason), and that hatred, combined with his ambition, seemed to push Aemond to a place we didn’t know he could go. He’s still a fascinating, dynamic character, just a different version than Fire & Blood‘s.

Gwayne Hightower Fights at the “Battle at Rook’s Rest”

House of the Dragon has already greatly changed Ser Gwayne Hightower’s story from Fire & Blood. Alicent’s brother was not at Rook’s Rest that faithful day because he was serving as second-in-command of King’s Landings City Watch at the time. His father installed him in that role at the start of the Dance because the Greens feared the City Watch was still loyal to its former Commander, Daemon Targaryen. Gwayne had also already lived at King’s Landing for many years with his family and new Criston Cole for a long time.

A Quick Attack on Rook’s Rest Instead of a Siege

Fire & Blood tells us that Criston Cole surrounded Rook’s Rest and burned its nearby fields. Lord Staunton then sent ravens to Dragonstone begging for help. Nine days later Rhaenys arrived alone.

House of the Dragon changed this by having Cole attack the castle immediately. Rhaenyra instead preemptively sent Rhaenys atop Meleys to help her sworn bannerman after her other allies had already falle. However, Rhaenyra sensed something about Cole’s movement didn’t make sense, as Rook’s Rest had little obvious value. Despite her sixth sense, Rhaenyra fell for Cole’s trap, losing the Black’s most valuable dragon.

Rhaenyra Keeps Jace Behind to Tell Him About Aegon the Conqueror’s Dream

In Fire & Blood, Rhaenyra prevented her sons Jace and Joffrey (no longer at Dragonstone on the HBO show) from joining Rhaenys out of fear for their lives. The history stresses that the death of Luke and the recent loss of her unborn child made Rhaenyra scared to send her other children into battle.

On House of the Dragon, Rhaenyra kept Jace behind (at least in part) so she could finally tell her heir about Aegon’s prophetic “A Song of Ice and Fire” dream about the inevitable White Walker invasion. She also cited that responsibility as part of her reason for finally unleashing dragons on her enemies, but no one else knows that but her son.

What the “Battle at Rook’s Rest” Means for House of the Dragon

No matter his reason for being there, Aegon is either dead or badly wounded. That calls into question how many people supporting his claim will still back the Greens now. Alicent’s callousness towards her son also contributed to him flying off into battle, another tragedy she will now have to live with. How much guilt and pain can she withstand?

Meanwhile, Aemond might have just tried to steal the crown (and possibly did), showing he’s not the loyal family member history remembers him as. With little Prince Jaehaerys dead (and the show omitting Aegon’s youngest son Maelor entirely) Aemond would likely be named King if Aegon died. What other treachery is Aemond One-Eye capable of? What might he do to rule? Can anyone trust him if he would willingly maim his own brother and king?

Things are even more dire for Rhaenyra. She lost her wisest adviser and biggest advocate. She also lost her best, most experienced fighting dragon and her allies in the crownlands. Rhaenyra also allowed Rhaenys to go off to battle alone while keeping her son and his dragon safely on Dragonstone. How will Lord Corlys and the rest of the (already frustrated) small council react to this disaster? How much will they trust Rhaenyra’s judgement both as a leader and a person? Where do her loyalties lie? To her sons or to her kingdom?

Who Won the “Battle at Rook’s Rest?”

The Blacks lost the “Battle at Rook’s Rest” in more ways than one. But the Greens did not win that day. Each side suffered losses that will shape the future of the Targaryen civil war on House of the Dragon. Unfortunately, it seems unlikely either faction will learn the one lesson they should have when dragons met high above the Realm, because the dancing has only just begun.

Mikey Walsh is a staff writer at Nerdist and the world’s leading Criston Cole hater. You can follow him on Twitter and Bluesky at @burgermike. And also anywhere someone is ranking the Targaryen kings.

The post How HOUSE OF THE DRAGON Brought a Major FIRE & BLOOD Battle to Life appeared first on Nerdist.

In The Acolyte‘s sixth episode, Osha found herself on Qimir’s secret hideaway. That place was first seen in the series’ premiere when Mae’s Master appeared atop a rock along crashing ocean waves. Unlike every other world on the series, though, the Star Wars series didn’t give Qimir’s world a name. The Acolyte labeled it only as an “Unknown Planet.” But it was impossible for Star Wars fans not to wonder if we already know what it’s actually called, Ahch-To. The Acolyte‘s Unknown Planet looked nearly identical to the planet of Ahch-To from the sequel trilogy. But though showrunner Leslye Headland has now confirmed that the “Unknown Planet” is not Ahch-To, the similarities still ring loudly. Qimir living on a planet that reminds us of Ahch-to creates immediate parallels between the tale of the very dark side user who will put the Jedi on a path to near ruin a century later and the story of how a reclusive Luke Skywalker trained Rey.

What Is The Acolyte‘s Unknown Planet? Here’s Why It Reminded Fans of Star Wars‘ Ahch-To

The Acolyte‘s “Unknown Planet” and the Star Wars planet Ahch-To share all the same physical properties. They’re both mostly covered in water dotted with lush, green rocky islands. Each is also home to adorable little bird-like creatures, though the new Disney+ show’s animals are not porgs. Simply put, they look identical in every way.

Those similarities are only part of the reason why it was impossible not to think Osha found herself on Ahch-To on The Acolyte. The Acolyte also framed many shots in ways that clearly hearken back to The Last Jedi. The camera watched from behind as she walked out of a tunnel to look out at the ocean. We saw similar shots of Rey and Luke framed just like that. Osha then followed Qimir around the Unknown Planet just as Rey followed Luke on Ahch-To. The Acolyte intentionally referenced shots and sequences from Ahch-To on a place that was indistinguishable from it.

Does Qimir Actually Live on the Planet of Ahch-To on The Acolyte?

So, is that actually where Qimir lives? Did the Jedi Killer make the very planet where the Jedi Order was founded thousands of years before as his base of operations? It turns out the answer is, no. The “Unknown Planet” is not Ahch-To. Instead, Qimir resides on a planet where it is possible to mine the rare Star Wars metal, cortosis.

Headland shares in response to whether Qimir’s Unknown Planet is actually Ahch-To on The Acolyte:

It’s not Ahch-To. I know it’s similar, and it was intentionally supposed to be similar in terms of terrain and feeling isolated and surrounded by water and less lush green and more rocky. But the idea is that cortosis is mined on this planet, so I don’t think that’s the case with Ahch-To. Part of the reason this is his home base is that cortosis is a very rare metal. I don’t think we say it explicitly in the show, but that’s a reason it’s not Ahch-To.

But though Qimir’s planet is not the famous Star Wars setting, the fact his world looks so much like Ahch-To is what matters.

The Unkown Planet’s Resemblance to Ahch-To Is Important for The Acolyte Even If It’s a Different Planet

Of course, had The Acolyte‘s “Unknown Planet” ultimately been revealed to be Ahch-To the significance would have been obvious. The very dark lord—a former Jedi Padawan and possible Sith—who put the Order on a path of destruction would have used the Jedi’s own home to bring them down.

We still wonder if there are other secrets on the island, though. Had it been Ahch-To, we might have speculated that Qimir used Sacred Jedi Texts and ancient Jedi knowledge found on Ahch-To to better understand his enemy on The Acolyte. This could have explained why he’s able to tap into the Force with as much power as he can.

(But perhaps other knowledge from the Unknown Planet will help explain why the Jedi couldn’t sense his real identity initially. And that would also help explain why they won’t sense Palpatine’s more than a century later.)

But though Qimir’s planet is not Ahch-To on a cloudy day and is instead a totally different world, The Acolyte clearly wanted us to make that Star Wars connection. There’s obvious meaning in making us think about Ahch-To. It’s Star Wars “rhyming” like poetry, just as George Lucas said it should.

Osha becoming Qimir’s apprentice on The Acolyte on an island much like Ahch-To means another place exists where a powerful Force user trains a student who will go on to lead their order, just as occurs when Rey arrives at Ahch-To to find Luke Skywalker. Only the roles will flip now, with Qimir’s student reluctant to learn and Rey’s Master reluctant to teach.

In the galaxy far, far away there are two identical worlds, neither inherently good or bad. How those who call them home use those planets will determine which side they fall on, just as the Force is neither inherently good or bad. We’ll remember one planet for light, the other for dark. They, fittingly, balance each other.

Is The Acolyte‘s “Unknown Planet” really Ahch-To? No. But the fact we had to ask is meaningful enough on its own.

Mikey Walsh is a staff writer at Nerdist and Manny Jacinto superfan. You can follow him on Twitter and Bluesky at @burgermike. And also anywhere someone is ranking the Targaryen kings.

The post Is THE ACOLYTE’s ‘Unknown Planet’ Really STAR WARS’ Ahch-To? appeared first on Nerdist.

Qimir is not the first Force user in the galaxy far, far away to try and lure a good person to the dark side, but his attempt to make Osha his new apprentice in The Acolyte‘s sixth episode was bigger than just two people. The moment she put on his cortosis helmet was an ominous sign of what might await her, with a scene that directly ties Osha to major Star Wars figures like Darth Vader, Luke Skywalker, Kylo Ren, and Rey.

“Cortosis, handy against lightsabers, but also a sensory deprivation headpiece. Like we used as younglings,” Qimir said to Osha. That sinister helmet was unlike any Jedi Padawan training headgear. Instead, it was more like some infamous locations that have played important roles in the lives of Star Wars‘ greatest heroes and villains.

In The Empire Strikes Back Yoda told Luke Skywalker to enter the swamp planet’s notorious cave. Also known as the Cave of Evil, Yoda said that place was “strong with the dark side of the Force” and a “domain of evil.” When Luke asked what was inside, Yoda answered, “Only what you take with you.”

Qimir’s words about his cortosis helmet echoed the same idea. What was inside of his helmet. “It’s just you and the Force,” he told Osha. “And what you bring with you.”

On Dagobah Luke saw a vision of Darth Vader that he struck down in anger. Vader’s mask then disappeared to reveal Luke’s face, a warning of the future awaiting Luke if he succumbed to the dark side. If not for his experience in the Cave of Evil, Luke might have gone on to kill his father and join the Emperor.

Kylo Ren (who shares many connections with Qimir) did kill his father, in part because he also went through Dagobah’s cave of evil under Snoke’s guidance. Inside it Kylo saw a vision of his uncle and former Master, whom he was able to strike down. However, the former Ben Solo was unable to kill the visions of his parents Leia and Han. (Rather than face his own “failure,” he destroyed the cave.)

If not for what happened on Dagobah, Kylo Ren might not have murdered his father when they met on Starkiller Base years later. The death of Han Solo allowed Kylo Ren to become even more powerful.

The Jedi who rescued Ben Solo’s soul also underwent her own dark side tribulation. On Ahch-To (a place remarkably similar to Qimir’s secret planet!) Rey entered the mirror cave. Despite being on the world where the Jedi Order was founded, that cave had strong ties to the dark side. The Jedi used it to train their Padawans for the same reason Yoda sent Luke into Dagobah’s evil cave. The Order knew an evil path tempts all Jedi some day. The best way to avoid walking it was to prepare for the day it came for them.

That dark place had called out to Rey, who felt compelled to enter. Her inability to ignore the mirror cave’s call greatly troubled Luke Skywalker. Yet Rey never succumbed to the dark side, which teased her with information about her parents and true identity. Like Luke before her, Rey passed her real test when Kylo Ren offered to rule the galaxy with her.

Anakin Skywalker also had to see his possible dark future long before his visions of Padmé’s death began haunting him. Anakin—whose tragic story is already intimately tied to Osha and Mae’s—once saw what would become of him if he did not become ruler of the planet Mortis, the center of the Force itself. The powerful figure the Son, the manifestation of the dark side, showed Anakin what he could become some day.

The horrible vision did not make Anakin stay and replace the leader of Mortis, the Father, who then wiped Anakin’s memory. But if it had Darth Vader would never have existed.

Anakin would eventually fall to the dark side just as the Father had feared. And The Acolyte made sure we remembered Anakin’s fate when Osha put on Qimir’s dark side helmet as he suggested. What did she bring in there with her? She found darkness and the sound of her own breathing.

It was a sound that evoked Darth Vader’s own iconic mechanical breathing.

Osha doesn’t know anything about Anakin Skywalker or Darth Vader, nor of Dagobah’s Cave of Evil, Mortis, or Ahch-To’s mirror cave. But we do. We also know that not everyone who sees a vision of a terrible future avoids it. Sometimes good Jedi fall to the dark side.

What did Osha bring with her into that helmet? The real question is what will she bring out with her when she takes it off? Hopefully whatever it is doesn’t sound anything like Darth Vader and Kylo Ren’s story.

Mikey Walsh is a staff writer at Nerdist still hoping Qimir is Darth Plagueis even though he’s not. You can follow him on Twitter and Bluesky at @burgermike. And also anywhere someone is ranking the Targaryen kings.

The post How THE ACOLYTE Connects Osha to Darth Vader, Luke Skywalker, and Other Major STAR WARS Figures appeared first on Nerdist.

“You speak as if you were a Jedi.”
“I was. A long time ago.”

The Acolyte‘s sixth episode confirmed what its previous installment only hinted at: Qimir was once a member of the Jedi Order. The powerful dark side user’s past means the Jedi helped create the very enemy who will help destroy them in the future. It also makes Qimir even more dangerous than we thought. Qimir has an institutional knowledge of his enemy and a personal reason to hate the Jedi. More troubling is that Qimir also has an intimate understanding of the fear and anger that former Jedi Padawan Osha also carries. That gives him a huge advantage in his attempts to recruit her as his new apprentice.

Qimir might talk like a Sith—and resemble a Knight of Ren—but he’s long shown a deep understanding of the Jedi Order. Now we know that’s because he was a Jedi with a Master “a really long time ago.” His time in the Order showed him the limits of being a Jedi and ultimately pushed Qimir to the dark side on The Acolyte.

Their methods are why he says Osha can no longer use her immense powers. “The Jedi teach there’s only one way to access the Force,” Qimir said. “If you don’t do it their way, it fades.” But Qimir knows there’s another way. He told Osha, “Below the surface of consciousness are powerful emotions. Anger. Fear. Loss. Desire.”

Osha called that “the path to the dark side,” and as all Star Wars fans know, she’s correct. Qimir didn’t even disagree with her. He simply called that “semantics,” because what the Jedi see as “dark,” The Acolyte‘s Qimir sees as freedom. That’s what Qimir said he wants in The Acolyte episode five, a freedom to use his power as he sees fit rather than how the Jedi say he can. He wants the freedom to live the way he wants.

Qimir also wants other things, including revenge. Osha asked about the scars on his back and Qimir didn’t deny they came from his former Jedi Master. That person “threw him away,” the same way he says the Jedi threw Osha away while making her think she failed them. In reality, Qimir says the Jedi couldn’t deal with the powerful emotions each lives with. Those feelings make Qimir and Osha a threat to the Jedi way.

(Who was the Jedi Master who gave Qimir his weird-shaped scar on The Acolyte? It’s not straight like the lightsaber slashes he gave to Wookiee Jedi Master Kelnacca. Its vaguely V-shaped pattern looks more like the kind of scar you’d get from a whip. And this episode saw Master Vernestra use her unique lightsaber whip on screen for the first time. She also clearly held something back about her fears over the Jedi slaughter on Khofar, the latest shady action she’s taken on the show.)

Qimir also wants something else on The Acolyte: “the power of two.” For that, he needs an acolyte. He thought that could be Mae, but he was wrong about her. Mae only wants revenge. He wants something more. Now Qimir thinks he’s found a kindred spirit in a fellow former Jedi Padawan who lost “everything” on The Acolyte. That loss has always held Osha back. Qimir wants her to see that loss is what “finally” set her free, just as he is free. And that freedom offers the opportunity for Osha to see that her immense strength in the Force is hers and hers alone, not the Jedi Order’s as they taught her to believe.

It’s an enticing offer to someone carrying a lifetime of anger, fear, loss, and desire, even someone “not so easily corruptible” as Osha. (Qimir didn’t even need to read her mind to know what she holds in her soul. Nor did she need to draw a lightsaber to his neck for him to know he was right.)

She’s not immune to his pitch. On The Acolyte, Qimir is offering her the very same path the powerful, heroic Jedi Knight Anakin Skywalker will walk someday. Anyone can fall to the dark side, especially when a charming, manipulative dark side user with ulterior motives knows how to appeal to their biggest insecurities.

No one knows Osha’s insecurities as well as her fellow former Jedi Padawan, Qimir. He can reach her in a way Sol never could.

If Qimir can use his Jedi past to recruit Osha to the dark side on The Acolyte, the power of two will give Master and Acolyte the power to destroy the entire Jedi Order. We know because more than a century after we learned about Qimir’s past, that’s exactly what his fellow dark side users will do.

Mikey Walsh is a staff writer at Nerdist and Manny Jacinto superfan which makes him at least willing to listen to Qimir. You can follow him on Twitter and Bluesky at @burgermike. And also anywhere someone is ranking the Targaryen kings.

The post What Qimir’s Jedi Past Means for THE ACOLYTE appeared first on Nerdist.

The Michelle Yeohaissance continues. Just days after going to the White House to be awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, she’s got another big time gig lined up. A new report says our beloved Michelle Yeoh—an Everything Everywhere All At Once Oscar-winner—is joining Prime Video’s limited series Blade Runner 2099. But in true franchise fashion, we have no idea if she’ll be playing a human or a replicant.

Michelle Yeoh Joins Blade Runner 2099 Series

Deadline reports Yeoh has signed on to Prime Video’s upcoming series, which is currently filming in Prague. The show is a sequel to Denis Villeneuve’s 2017 film Blade Runner 2049, which itself was a sequel to Ridley Scott’s iconic 1982 film. (Which was itself an adaptation of author Philip K. Dick’s classic story Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?.) Scott is an executive producer on the series alongside showrunner Silka Luisa (Shining Girls). And Shogun‘s Jonathan van Tulleken will also serve as an executive producer and direct the first two episodes.

Yeoh’s exact role on the show is the latest unknown about the series. Prime Video has yet to release any plot details about the story. Its title does reveal it will take place half a century after Blade Runner 2049. A lot can change in five decades on a dying planet full of humans and replicants alike, and yet we know that even with a lot of time a lot of things in the world of Blade Runner always remain the same.

Other Cast Announced for the Blade Runner Series

Joining Yeoh are a slew of other actors. Hunter Schafer is also set to star. Additionally, Deadline reports that Dimitri Abold (The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes), Lewis Gribben (Somewhere Boy), Katelyn Rose Downey (The Nun II), and Daniel Rigby (Renegade Nell) join Blade Runner 2099 as series regulars. Meanwhile, Johnny Harris (A Gentleman in Moscow”), Amy Lennox (Only Child), Sheila Atim (The Woman King) and Matthew Needham (House of the Dragon) will be recurring guest stars.

When Will Blade Runner 2099 Release on Prime Video?

The series was considered a priority for Amazon in 2022. It was “fast tracking scripts and eyeing potential production dates.” However, Hollywood studios unnecessary delay in giving the writing and acting unions fair contracts delayed work on the show. Now it’s in full swing with an Oscar winner in the cast.

And whether Michelle Yeoh is playing a real person or a copy of one, we know she’ll be good.

Originally published on May 7, 2024.

The post Michelle Yeoh Will Star in Prime Video’s BLADE RUNNER 2099 Series, More Cast Announced appeared first on Nerdist.

House of the Dragon‘s Criston Cole is not an all-time Westeros villain because he has no redeemable qualities. He wasn’t born a total monster like Joffrey Baratheon. Criston Cole is a worse monster because he chooses to be one. The Lord Commander and new Hand of the King could easily be a good, noble knight if didn’t love violating his oaths and responsibilities more than Tyrion loves brothels. And we saw just how true that is during season two’s third episode. His situational awareness saved the life of the arrogant Gwayne Hightower. Cole’s swift actions provided a brief—and truly unwelcome—reminder he’s actually good at some things. Fortunately the episode also gave us a new reason to detest him. It took away the one unquestioned positive thing even a hater like me would never deny someone as awful as Ser Criston Cole: his amazing hair.

Ser Criston Cole might be a vile, evil, amoral, craven lickspittle who sullies his white Kingsguard cloak with every breath he draws, but at least he always did so while sporting amazing hair. His dark flowing locks belied the ugly darkness lurking in the empty space where his heart should be. But at least he had the thin shadow of decency to look good while being so bad.

We know he’s a disgusting pig, but his hair was that of a brave and heroic knight they write stories about, the kind Sansa grew up loving. Ser Criston Cole had the hair of a leader.

Now House of the Dragon has taken that away from him and given him a stupid little haircut of a child. It looks like he asked for boy’s regular…from a barber’s apprentice…on their first day…when the barber wasn’t even present…and the scissors were broken and he only had a dull knife.

Why did he feel he needed a haircut in the first place? Why cut glorious hair voluntarily? Did he think hair that good was somehow revealing his “modest beginnings?” Did he think it wasn’t appropriate for the Hand of the King or for war? Who cares why he got it cut?! He’s a big dummy who doesn’t think before he acts. He just sent Ser Arryk to his death on a scheme too silly for Mr. Bean. Criston Cole never needs a good reason to do something bad and this haircut is no different.

Normally Criston Cole doing something indefensible would anger his biggest haters (:raises both hands and both feet:). Instead this is the best development of the season and maybe the series so far.

Losing his luscious locks is the best thing he’s ever done. We no longer have to give it up to Ser Criston Cole for anything. We don’t have to acknowledge there’s a single thing about him worth liking because he cut that one thing off. We’re free to fully, without guilt or disgust, bask in pure hatred.

His beautiful hair is gone. Long Short live his dumb little haircut.

Not short because we want him to grow his hair back out, which with any other character we would. Short because we hope he never gets the chance. Hopefully his next haircut does not come via scissors held by a barber who lost their glassed and was drinking all day. Hopefully Criston Cole’s next hairstyle comes via a dragon’s flame.

Mikey Walsh is a staff writer at Nerdist, great hair appreciator, and the world’s leading Criston Cole hater. You can follow him on Twitter and Bluesky at @burgermike. And also anywhere someone is ranking the Targaryen kings.

The post Criston Cole’s Stupid Haircut Is Another Reason to Hate Him appeared first on Nerdist.

House of the Dragon‘s “The Burning Mill” saw Rhaenyra Targaryen task her young niece/step-daughter with a vital mission. The Queen not only entrusted Rhaena to look after her three young sons, she gave the princess two baby dragons and four dragon eggs to protect. If everything comes to “ruin” for Rhaenyra’s side, Rhaena is their backup plan. That plan that will include hatching new dragons ultimately earmarked for Pentos. But that’s where another Targaryen princess will be gifted three dragon eggs during her wedding to Khal Drogo centuries later. So are House of the Dragon‘s dragon eggs the exact same ones Daenerys Targaryen will one day hatch on Game of Thrones? Yes, they are. The series has confirmed Rhaenyra gave Rhaena the very same eggs that appeared on Game of Thrones.

House of the Dragon‘s Gives Daenerys Targaryen’s Dragon Eggs an Origin Story

Episode director Geeta Vasant Patel told Mashable the dragon eggs seen during House of the Dragon season two’s third episode are historically important. Three of those pristine eggs become fossilized by Game of Thrones‘ time period almost two hundred years later. These House of the Dragon eggs are the exact same dragon eggs gifted to Daenerys Targaryen at her first wedding. As we know, she will eventually walk into a fire with them, emerging with her fire-breathing “children,” she’ll name her dragons Drogon, Rhaegal, and Viserion.

“All of us who work on this show are big Game of Thrones fans,” Patel said. “So it was very exciting to shoot that scene.” Considering Daenerys will quite literally prove to be her family’s “hope for the future” as Rhaenyra Targaryen called her niece on House of the Dragon, it was a fitting send-off for those dragon eggs. They’ll eventually, one way or another, reach Pentos and fall into the hands of the Free City’s Magister Illyrio Mopatis. He’ll then give the priceless artifacts to curry favor with Daenerys and her brother Viserys.

Game of Thrones Lore Suggests a Different History for Daenerys’ Dragon Eggs Than House of the Dragon

House of the Dragon‘s Patel needed to verify the dragon eggs’ connection between shows because it’s a change from established Game of Thrones lore. While never officially confirmed, George R.R. Martin’s in-world history Fire & Blood seems to all but establish those dragon eggs arrived in Essos many decades before the Dance of the Dragons.

The accepted tale is that the three eggs came from the she-dragon Dreamfyre. Her current rider is Queen Helaena, but before Helaena that dragon belonged to a totally different Targaryen princess, (frustratingly) also named Rhaena. That Princess was the child of King Aenys and one of King Jaehaerys’ many siblings. She’s also the Targaryen infamous for letting her lover, Elissa Farman, steal a clutch of dragon eggs.

Elissa desperately wanted to build her own boat and set sail in the Sunset Sea. Rhaena simply loved Elissa too much to let her go, so eventually Elissa took matters into her own hands. She did so by taking dragon eggs. She stole some and sailed to Braavos where she sold them to the Sealord for gold. That gave her the coin needed to build her very own ship, which she used to sail under another name, evading capture.

The theft of the dragon eggs wounded House Targaryen, the only remaining dragon lords in the world. The shame of the scandal was bad enough. Far worse, though, was the fear someone would hatch the eggs themselves. All efforts to get the eggs back failed, and over time, they are believed to have eventually ended up in Pentos.

What About the Fourth House of the Dragon Dragon Egg?

Eventually, the three dragon eggs end up in a fire with Daenerys Targaryen. It’s a good thing they did, regardless of the specifics of how they got there. Without Daenerys’ dragons, the living might not have held off the Night King long enough to stop him. But we knew that already.

What we don’t yet know is what happens to the fourth dragon egg Rhaenyra entrusted to her niece. But for that, we guess we’ll have to wait for House of the Dragon to reveal its secrets.

Mikey Walsh is a staff writer at Nerdist. You can follow him on Twitter and Bluesky at @burgermike. And also anywhere someone is ranking the Targaryen kings.

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House of the Dragon might be a story about a Targaryen king and queen fighting over the Iron Throne, but its latest episode introduced a member of the family who is certainly not royalty. Or at least that man claimed to be dragon-born during “The Burning Mill.” A commoner named Ulf said he’s the bastard brother of King Viserys and Prince Daemon. Was the gregarious, well-liked bar patron telling the truth? Or was he telling a tall tale when he said he’s Rhaenyra’s unacknowledged uncle? Whether or not Ulf truly is who he claims doesn’t matter as much as whether or not he truly believes that he’s a Targaryen.

Ulf first appeared in episode two of House of the Dragon‘s second season wandering the streets near the Red Keep. There he asked about the ratcatchers hanging from the walls. But the next episode showed he’s much more than just a random denizen of the city. He visited a King’s Landing tavern/brothel, one he clearly frequents often, and began greeting many patrons excited by his arrival. Ulf was also there looking for a free drink. To get one, he regaled his table mates, one a complete stranger, with something he claimed he shouldn’t even be telling. It’s a story he brought up entirely on his own.

“It’s said even Dorne mourned the passing of my grandsire,” Ulf calmly told the Dornish man who ordered him a flagon. “They call him The Conciliator.” That was one of the many nicknames of King Jaehaerys, the longest ruling Targaryen king in Westeros’ history. House of the Dragon showed the beloved old King in its first episode at the Great Council. There Jaehaerys convened all the lords of the Realm to name his heir.

One of the many reasons Jaehaerys had no obvious successor was that the very father Ulf claims as his own died. “I’m the Son of Baelon the Brave,” Ulf said. Baelon was the second son of Jaehaerys. Until he died from appendicitis he was also briefly the king’s heir to the Iron Throne after the death of Baelon’s older brother.

Could the renowned, noble, heroic Baelon Targaryen have sired a bastard son named Ulf? Definitely. It’s not like otherwise good men haven’t committed adultery a million times in Westeros, including royalty. Baelon was also a young widower, so it’s possible he didn’t cheat on his wife at all, but instead sired a child out of wedlock either before he married or after his wife died. It’s also very possible Ulf’s mother simply lied about his father being a Targaryen entirely. Or she could have lied because his father was a totally different, less important Targaryen. (His unusual hair at least suggests some Targaryen blood.)

Why lie about Baelon if she slept with a different Targaryen? Maybe she told Ulf that Baelon Targaryen was his dad when he was heir to the Iron Throne.

If Ulf is telling the whole truth about his father, though, he really is an uncle to Rhaenyra, whom he called “the One True Queen.” Or at least he did until his supposed nephew Aegon showed up and a scared Ulf quickly yelled out, “All hail the King!”

Was anything Ulf said 100% true? At least thing one thing was. After claiming “the blood of the dragon runs through” his veins, Ulf said, “men would take my head” over it. He then called himself a “dragonseed,” a well-known term for Targaryen bastards usually used for kids born on the family’s ancestral home island. (There are countless dragonseeds there, though after a century King’s Landing definitely has its own fair share. We might have seen one of Aegon’s bastard kids in season one at the child fighting pit.)

Ulf also said a dragonseed “must watch his own neck when he has no white cloack guardsman to do it for him.” That’s not usually true, but it definitely is right now during a Targaryen civil war. Anyone foolish enough in King’s Landing to claim—to strangers no less—they are Prince Daemon’s brother is putting their life on the line. Even if he’s lying just saying that in jest for free wine and ale, it could be a death sentence.

So why do it? Free drinks are always nice, yet hardly worth the risk of losing one’s head. (They’re hanging ratcatchers for seemingly no reason down the street!) Being a little more popular with bar patrons isn’t worth that kind of danger, either. Plus, Ulf doesn’t seem brave enough to risk making such a bold claim, not even at an establishment where he’s well-liked. He’s not exactly brimming with courage.

Ulf’s obviously not that smart, but he’s obviously not completely stupid. He was smart enough not to speak too loudly. And he assessed the danger he was putting himself in correctly. Yet he still did it, as though he felt compelled to share his “secret” against his better judgement, just as he felt the need to openly support Rhaenyra (until he was frightened). All of this indicates he might actually believe what he said about his father.

House of the Dragon obviously included that scene for an important reason. Smallfolk don’t get that much characterization in the Seven Kingdoms unless they matter. Ulf—known as “the White” because of his hair in George R.R. Martin’s Fire & Blood—is obviously a character worth paying attention to even if you don’t know what awaits him in the future. But even if you do, all viewers should pay attention to whether or not he truly believes what he says.

Mikey Walsh is a staff writer at Nerdist. You can follow him on Twitter and Bluesky at @burgermike. And also anywhere someone is ranking the Targaryen kings.

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Two hundred years after House of the Dragon Cersei Lannister will blow up the Great Sept of Baelor in one of Game of Thrones’ best episodes. Unfortunately the prequel series used a sacred spot in King’s Landing to deliver one of its worst episode. Rhaenyra’s ridiculous, inane, out-of-character reunion with Alicent is among the most abominable scenes in Game of Throne‘s franchise history and a bad omen House of the Dragon is already making the fatal mistake that ruined its predecessor’s final two seasons.

There were many reasons for Game of Thrones’ greatness, including acting, directing, writing, and production design. Yet, what attracted many viewers to the Realm was the idea “anything could happen” in the Seven Kingdoms. This was both true and false. But, from the moment Game of Throne‘s pilot ended with a handsome knight, caught having sex with his twin sister, the Queen, pushing a child out of a tower window it seemed clear the series was not afraid to go unexpected places. When season one’s unquestioned main character, Ned Stark, eventually lost his head, there was no doubt. Subsequent seasons confirmed the idea.

A willingness to do “anything,” even killing off important characters, is not what made HBO’s Game of Thrones series special, though. Other shows, both before and since, have also done that. They’ve also been just as shocking, violent, or graphic. Yet those series’ most notorious moments never generated a shred of Game of Thrones’ emotional impact or its audience.

The true reason why Game of Thrones is special better explains why so many viewers loved it. It was special because, unlike most shows, it didn’t care about being a TV show. Not in any traditional sense, at least. It was concerned with telling its story honestly and without compromise, no matter what. Its most outrageous, painful, gruesome moments weren’t there to simply surprise or upset the audience. Game of Thrones didn’t chop off a character’s hand or slit their throats just to do it.  It wasn’t trying to emotionally manipulate its audience, either. It generated real pathos because those moments were authentic, well-earned events borne from uncompromising storytelling. Game of Thrones went where its story took it.

A sprawling tale of war in a land of magic, dragons, ice zombies, political intrigue, and familial infighting naturally wanted to go to some unbelievable places, and Game of Thrones never shied away from going to them. If that meant killing off an incredible actor in an amazing role, so be it. Charles Dance gave an all-time great performance as Tywin and was a major anchor of the show. That didn’t keep him safe when he betrayed his son. That dedication to the story is why we had to see Oberyn Martell’s head popped like a zit. Every other TV series would have rewritten the character’s arc so Pedro Pascal could stick around a lot longer.

That kind of unflinching commitment to the story, one free of worry over about TV stars, Q-ratings, or making anyone, from executives to the audience, “happy” came from George R.R. Martin’s novels. But that’s exactly why adapting A Song of Ice and Fire was such an unlikely endeavor in the first place. His epic fantasy actively violated the general principles of most television shows. Ned Stark’s actions put his head on a chopping block, but most shows would have found a way to save their biggest actor from his fate. The Red Wedding was clearly too devastating for some, but that wasn’t Game of Thrones fault, it was Robb Stark’s. He broke his vow to a dangerous ally.

Game of Thrones’ willingness to eschew normal TV conventions and practices helped make it special. And then it stopped doing that and turned into every other television show.

Rather than following its story’s natural path over its last two seasons, Game of Thrones began reverse engineering big moments. Spectacle suddenly trumped authenticity and logic. Previously, armies needed an entire season to cross a single continent. Now, they moved halfway across the world in an hour. Meanwhile, dragons flew at lightspeed to save idiots who marched beyond the Wall without a horse to kidnap the dead. Major characters, even the smartest, most experienced people in Westeros, were suddenly stupid because the plot needed them to be. Sisters didn’t tell their brother a giant army was coming to help.

Just as unforgivable was that characters’ absurd actions suddenly had no consequences. Game of Thrones had done the unthinkable and outfitted them with plot armor. Keeping an actor around for another season suddenly seemed important than what the story wanted.

During its much-derided final two seasons, Game of Thrones abandoned the logical, honest storytelling that it had built an empire on. The show, in all aspects, got really dumb. Unfortunately, Rhaenyra’s scheme to speak face-to-face with Alicent on House of the Dragon warns the prequel series might follow in those footsteps.

There is simply no way someone as smart as Rhaenyra Targaryen would sneak into King’s Landing to meet with the mother of her enemy as she does on House of the Dragon, especially not after the death of her own son Lucerys and the brutal murder of Alicent’s little grandson Jaehaerys. Even with Rhaenyra’s genuine desire to avoid a bloody war, she would not put herself in that kind of situation because it would endanger her family and everyone who ever supported her.

The mere chance Alicent had either lied in her letter, changed her mind after Blood and Cheese, or would naturally freak out and and bar the city gates or sept’s doors the moment she got away from Rhaenyra was reason enough for Rhaenyra not to try this cockamamie reunion scheme. Anyone with half a brain would know that. There is no way to defend this House of the Dragon plot development unless you think Rhaenyra is actually that stupid.

Even if Rhaenyra is that idiotic (and until now, she hasn’t been), the reunion scene also required Alicent to be just as dumb. Either the Queen Dowager wants to win the war, or she wants peace. In either case, taking Rhaenyra hostage would give her what she wants. The moment Rhaenyra let Alicent walk away, Alicent should have called her guards.

This House of the Dragon scene can only exist if both people involved are as unintelligent as the scene needs them to be. This was an interaction, at best, devoid of logic and, at worse, actively antagonistic to the story. It’s hard to believe House of the Dragon couldn’t see why when it brought this reunion to life.

So why include the moment in show? Because that House of the Dragon scene wasn’t about Rhaenyra, Alicent, or even the Dance of the Dragons. It was about a TV show that simply wanted to once again have two great actresses in a scene together. Since there was no logical way to make that reunion happen (at this point in the story, at least), House of the Dragon invented an illogical one.

Is it fun to see great performers with incredible chemistry on-screen together again? In a vacuum, for sure. Do Alicent and Rhaenyra have a complicated and fascinating relationship in House of the Dragon that makes the thought of what they’d say to each other interesting? Again, in a vacuum, yes. And did the scene serve any purpose? It did, because Alicent now knows she helped launch a war on a misunderstanding. That reframes everything she does going forward. But do any of those things justify this House of the Dragon reunion scene’s existence? Absolutely not, because it doesn’t exist in a vacuum. It was too inauthentic and obviously silly to be good. It once again violated everything that has made Westeros a place worth revisiting on Sunday nights, bringing to mind the mistakes of the past.

This wasn’t House of the Dragon’s first time caring about being a TV show rather than an honest story. Rhaenys emerging from the dragonpit only to let her enemies live was just as silly. But this Rhaenyra-Alicent meeting was much worse because of who it involved. Alicent and Rhaenyra are House of the Dragon‘s two main characters, the beating hearts of the Blacks and the Greens. The Dance of the Dragons is their story. Now a big part of their story is them being morons. (We don’t mean Emma D’Arcy or Olivia Cooke, though. Both excelled in that scene despite its inanity.)

As we watch the two Queens’ story continue to unfold on House of the Dragon, we’ll have to think about their meeting scene in the Sept of Baelor, just as we had to think about when Daenerys “kind of forgot about the Iron Fleet.” That wasn’t really Daenerys’s fault, not like it was Ned Stark’s fault when he got himself killed. It was the fault of its creators then, just as it’s House of the Dragon‘s creators’ fault now. The characters, of course, don’t know they exist on a TV show, and anything that reminds us they do is bad for viewers.

If House of the Dragon continues to worry about making a TV show instead of telling a genuine story, we’ll remember it the same way we remember Game of Thrones’ final two seasons, and those are two seasons we’d rather forget.

Note: A previous version of this post misidentified the sept Rhaenyra met Alicent in as the Great Sept of Baelor.

Mikey Walsh is a staff writer at Nerdist. You can follow him on Twitter and Bluesky at @burgermike. And also anywhere someone is ranking the Targaryen kings.

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There’s a phrase that will make any superhero movie fan’s soul sparkle like an Infinity Stone: “Marvel Studios, San Diego Comic-Con, Hall H.” Any time Marvel heads to the hallowed hall of pop culture’s biggest event it means fireworks. And those fireworks are going to return this year. Deadline reports Marvel Studios is heading back to Hall H next month.

The same weekend Deadpool & Wolverine hits theaters, Marvel Studios is hitting San Diego Comic-Con. The premier industry gathering will take place from July 25-July 28. Now we know the MCU will be there (likely Saturday night) with its own panel.

What news will Marvel announce? Which stars will be in attendance? And how will this Marvel Hall H showing reshape our expectations for the future of the franchise? We’ll have to wait to find out. For now our superhero-loving hearts can just enjoy the possibilities.

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The Acolyte revealed the true identity of its dark side Master in the Disney+ show’s memorable fifth episode. Qimir is no mere trader; he’s Mae’s mysterious mentor and the villain of the series. When Sol confronted Qimir on The Acolyte, the unmasked Force user said he has no name, but the Jedi might call him “Sith.” There’s plenty of reason to believe that’s exactly what he is, but there’s also reason to believe he’s something else. Qimir might be the forefather of the group that Kylo Ren will one day command, the Knights of Ren.

Is The Acolyte‘s Qimir a Sith Lord or a Knight of Ren Ancestor?

Qimir might be precisely what he said the Jedi would name him, a Sith Lord. He embraces the dark side, wields a red lightsaber, has an incredible mastery of the Force, fighting abilities few have ever matched, hates the Jedi, and wants a pupil. That sounds exactly like a Sith.

Yet, The Acolyte gave us reason to doubt if Qimir is one. Sith Lords always have “Darth” monikers and aren’t exactly shy about calling themselves Sith. Yet he did not actually call himself a Sith. Qimir also did not use the Sith term for a Padawan. He didn’t tell Sol he wants an apprentice. Qimir wants an “acolyte,” a word with clear religious connotations.

The Sith Rule of Two demands the Order always has a single Master with a single apprentice. The Acolyte‘s Qimir is searching for his own when he should already have one, if he is a Sith Lord. (Mae clearly was not truly Qimir’s Sith apprentice before she betrayed him.) And while the Sith are a religious order, there’s another group of dark side users in the galaxy far, far away who are more overtly religious in their beliefs.

That sect always wear masks, unlike the Sith. They also worship a red lightsaber and not a person or even the Force. This dangerous tribe is also known for its fearsome fighting abilities, especially in close combat. Its members even live in the shadows, enemy of both the Jedi and the Sith. (Two groups that have sought to control who had the “freedom” to use the Force.) That Star Wars group is known as the Knights of Ren, who will one day be led by the fanatical Kylo Ren, and it could just be The Acolyte‘s Qimir connects to them.

The Connections Between Qimir, Star Wars‘ Ren, and Kylo Ren

That might seem like a tenuous connection on the surface. (Even if Qimir dresses more like a Knight of Ren than a Sith.) For one, the evidence that Qimir is a Sith is compelling. The other is that the Knights of Ren won’t be founded for many more years after The Acolyte. They form only a few years after Luke Skywalker blows up the first Death Star. That’s more than a century after the era of the Disney+ series. But The Acolyte‘s fifth episode gave us plenty of reason to wonder if Qimir will ultimately be the person thought of as the first Knight of Ren.

Qimir Resembles Ren, the Leader of the Knights of Ren

For starters, Qimir wholly resembles the infamous Star Wars character known as Ren.

Star Wars comics introduced the leader of the Knights of Ren. He’s the one who lured Ben Solo to the group and, therefore, the dark side. Known simply as Ren, this gregarious, friendly, charismatic figure was unconcerned with concepts of good or evil. He simply embraced the dark side and did what he wanted. He lived without rules and answered to no one. As Qimir might say, Ren had freedom.

Ren didn’t even want others to follow him. He wanted them to follow the ideas he believed in. That made his Knights more akin to acolytes than apprentices. The skilled warrior who could kill Jedi also had great hair under his sinister mask. He also wore a cape and had muscular arms he was happy to display.

That all might as well be describing Qimir. If not for the huge gap in their stories, we might think that Qimir and Ren are the same person. (Which we can’t actually rule out, considering lifespans in the galaxy far, far away. But for now, that possibility seems doubtful.)

Qimir Played Kylo Ren’s Theme During The Acolyte Episode Five’s Final Moments

If Qimir’s resemblance to the Knights of Ren leader wasn’t enough, The Acolyte actually played Kylo Ren’s theme music during Qimir’s final scene in The Acolyte‘s fifth episode. If there was any doubt, The Acolyte wanted us to at least notice the possible connection between its dark Master Qimir and the Knights of Ren leader, it made sure we heard that connection. Viewers certainly did.

When Qimir healed Osha and spoke of triumph and despair at the end of the episode, The Acolyte played Kylo Ren’s theme. In the language of Star Wars, that musical is basically big flashing red lights.

Does any of this prove The Acolyte‘s Qimir will go on, even indirectly, to found the Knights of Ren? No, we don’t have enough evidence of confirmation yet. What we can’t do is dismiss the possibility.

Nor can we ignore the even more intriguing potential the show has raised.

The Story of the Sith, the Ren, the Jedi, and the Force May All Unite Through The Acolyte‘s Qimir

We’ve been waiting to meet the Sith who will bring the dark Order out of the shadows and onto a path of prominence. It’s the one that leads to the near-total destruction of the Jedi and Darth Sidious becoming Emperor. But what if Qimir is something more than even that? What if he is the dark side figure who will not only make the Jedi fall possible, but give birth to Kylo Ren?

Those two stories are one and the same already. The Knights of Ren’s own journey will lead them into the arms of the Sith they hated. Kylo Ren will lead them, but he’ll do so while unknowingly following Palpatine. It would be fitting if the story of the Sith, the Ren, the Jedi, and the Force was always connected as all things are.

The Sith will one day claim Anakin Skywalker as their own. It might also be the story of how Ben Solo will follow his grandfather to the dark side following a different way that leads to the same place.

The post Is THE ACOLYTE’s Dark ‘Sith’ Master Connected to Kylo Ren and the Knights of Ren? appeared first on Nerdist.

Most sequels to good films don’t live up to their predecessor’s legacy. The hit rate for the third installments in a franchise is even lower. And yet, the latest trailer for A Quiet Place: Day One has us thinking it could be one of the rare part three’s that actually end up being the best entry in the entire series. This intense, horrifying promo shows a swarm of alien invaders turning New York City into a silent, isolated wasteland. But that’s just the start of their fight for suvival.

Every war starts somewhere, and in this latest look at A Quiet Place: Day One that place is in the Big Apple. The prequel will take viewers back to when mankind’s desperate to stay alive began. The film opens with the monstrous beings who hunt by sound crash landing into The City That Never Sleeps. But as the trailer for A Quiet Place: Day One reveals, it’s not just the killer aliens New Yorkers will have to overcome.

The good citizens of NYC (and Frodo the cat!) are left stranded with seemingly no way out of the city, as the government opts to pin both humans and extraterrestrials alike inside the island. The effect is a story that looks like The War of the Worlds set inside the fantastic flashbacks from I Am Legend. That’s a movie we very much want to see.

A Quiet Place: Day One comes from writer-director Michael Sarnoski. He developed the story with franchise creator John Krasinski. It also stars some big-time horror film luminaries. The cast is led by Lupita Nyong’o (Us), Joseph Quinn (Stranger Things), and Alex Wolff (Hereditary). And A Quiet Place Part II star Djimon Hounsou is also back for more silent terror. Frodo the cat is played by true stars Nico and Schnitze.)

The prequel comes to theaters this summer on June 28, 2024. Tickets are now on sale. Try not to scream when you see it, though, even if it does end up being the best A Quiet Place movie yet. With these aliens, it’s best to keep it down.

Originally published on May 9, 2024.

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Here’s an idea that definitely makes sense: Dwayne Johnson and Chris Evans co-starring in an action-comedy. No-brainer, really. Sign us up. Now here’s an idea that…uh…we’re not as sure about (to be polite): Dwayne Johnson and Chris Evans co-starring in an action-comedy Christmas movie that looks like a fake Saturday Night Live sketch. Who would produce such a strange film about a manhunt for Santa Claus? Amazon MGM Studios. We know because they just released the first trailer for Red One.

Buff Santa Claus is missing and the North Pole needs help. As do we after seeing this trailer, which is really silly, really cheesy, and really unbelievable. No, seriously, we’re having a hard time believing it. We’re positive this isn’t a practical joke, right? The official press release we got would indicate it’s not. As would the movie’s official synopsis:

After Santa Claus – Code Name: RED ONE – is kidnapped, the North Pole’s Head of Security (Dwayne Johnson) must team up with the world’s most infamous bounty hunter (Chris Evans) in a globe-trotting, action-packed mission to save Christmas.

Directed by Jake Kasdan (Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle) the script comes from longtime Fast & Furious scribe Chris Morgan. The film also stars Lucy Liu, Kiernan Shipka, Bonnie Hunt, Kristofer Hivju, Nick Kroll, Wesley Kimmel, and J.K. Simmons as Old Swole Nick.

We pretty much like everyone involved in this film, so we’re not dismissing it out of hand. It could prove to be the good kind of silly. But hoo boy some of the “jokes” in this trailer are truly painful. If saying so gets us put on the naughty list so be it. Or at least that’s what we would say if we weren’t so scared of buff Santa and his giant head of security.

Red One comes to theaters just in time for the holiday season, on November 15, 2024.

The post RED ONE Trailer Sends Dwayne Johnson and Chris Evans on a Hunt for Santa Claus appeared first on Nerdist.

When I sit down to review a movie, there’s one thing I don’t have to worry about: figuring out whether I enjoyed it or not. That’s the easiest part of this job. When I walk out of a theater I tend to know, like most people, how I generally feel about what I just saw. Expressing why I feel that way specifically is where the actual work begins. But not today. Today is the exception, because I have no idea if I like Kinds of Kindness or if I actually hate it. This anthology-style film is a captivating mess filled with world-class performances in absolutely bizarre plots. It also intentionally, frustratingly keeps viewers on the outside rather than letting them fully enter this strange world of unusual people and supernatural phenomena. Kinds of Kindness is a movie that dares you to like it while not caring if you don’t.

And that seems to be exactly how director Yorgos Lanthimos’ wanted me to feel when I left my theater. His film is not interested in generating typical reactions, either emotional or academic. It’s only interested in doing what it wants to do at its own pace and in its own way.

It’s almost impossible to describe the three different plots of Kinds of Kindness without getting into major, movie-ruining spoilers. To even hint at what it is, we need Searchlight Pictures’ official synopsis. It’s technically correct in the same way you would be technically correct if you described Neil Armstrong’s Moon landing by saying, “A guy went out for a walk.” Yes, but no.

Kinds of Kindness is a triptych fable, following a man without choice who tries to take control of his own life; a policeman who is alarmed that his wife who was missing-at-sea has returned and seems a different person; and a woman determined to find a specific someone with a special ability, who is destined to become a prodigious spiritual leader

Those all sound like normal stories, but nothing about Kinds of Kindness qualifies as normal. This is an overtly weird film. At times, especially in the first segment, it feels like being weird is the only thing it wants to be. All three connected mini-movies are full of unusual people, possibly supernatural beings, bizarre relationships, sex cults, and uncomfortable power dynamics.

The three short films (which are all close to being feature length) have a through line. The meaning of that through line is so ambiguous the internet is going to provide 500 different “explainers” that all claim a different meaning. Some viewers will find that kind of ambiguity fascinating and worthy of deep exploration. Others will find it frustrating and so widely open-ended that it seems to be pointless. Only those who claim to know definitively what Lanthimos meant will be wrong. Kinds of Kindness doesn’t provide many answers (sometimes it provides zero), because the answer is not the point. This movie is less a movie and more an experience defined by ideas.

Even its ideas are up for debate. When the movie ended, I asked someone at my screening what they thought the major themes were. I didn’t totally disagree with anything they said, yet they hadn’t even considered my biggest takeaway which I think is clearly the biggest theme. Some people will love that kind of freedom to find their own meaning, the way some people love a painting that is open to countless interpretations. Others will find it pretentious and off-putting. I, somehow, feel both ways, which is a big reason why I have no idea if I like this movie or not. It’s interesting, yet infuriating. Mesmerizing, yet tedious. Alluring, yet inaccessible.

(Note: I’ve opted not to share what I believe the film’s major theme is because even putting that idea in your head will completely change your experience watching this movie. Kinds of Kindness is the rare case where telling you an “idea” is a much bigger spoiler than telling you a major plot point. That alone tells you a lot about the nature of this film and whether you might like it.)

For as strange as Kinds of Kindness is, it’s still a movie with basic elements that are easily assessed. Lanthimos (The Favourite, Poor Things) is a brilliant director who knows how to establish a sense of place and time. Here he creates a unique vibe that perfectly matches the off-kilter nature of his story/stories. Everything is working together in harmony, even when he’s constantly using discordant piano notes as his score.

Also not a surprise is how incredible the cast is. Having Jesse Plemons and Emma Stone as your leads and letting them play multiple characters is even better in practice than it sounds in theory. They both create three distinct, dynamic characters (sometimes as a lead, sometimes as a supporting character). This film is a testament to their immense talents and without their performances, I wouldn’t be struggling with my feelings for this movie. The same is true of the rest of the cast: Willem Dafoe, Margaret Qualley, Hong Chau, Joe Alwyn, and Mamoudou Athie. They’re all great pulling triple duty. (Or in one case, quadruple duty.)

For as much as I loved the cast and aesthetics of Kinds of Kindness, the pacing often felt like torture. It has a lengthy two hours and 45 runtime that feels more like 17 hours. Thankfully the three stories get more engaging as they go on, so that helped… a little. The first installment is more of an interesting idea than an actual story and it really drags. (It’s also the least accessible/most mysterious.) The second feels like a short film with a familiar plot that goes on too long, but could easily have been its own feature with more focus. The third section is the closest to a typical narrative, and no surprise it’s easily the most emotionally fulfilling. That’s a much needed dynamic and anchor desperately missing from the rest of the film.

What doesn’t come too late is the comedy. Kinds of Kindness‘ closest genre is probably black comedy, and it realy works when it is. The first segment is only funny in a few spots, but the second is laugh out loud funny. Same with the third, which is hilarious even though it’s the most personal and human.

In the end, it feels like everything works together exactly as Yorgos Lanthimos wanted it to, including my unusual reaction it generated. I’m sure he hopes everyone loves this film, but he also doesn’t care if we hate it. Kinds of Kindness isn’t concerned with anything so basic. It’s operating on its own bizarre frequency and how you hear it, and what you make of it when you do, is entirely up for you. The result is a movie that is equally fascinating and frustrating.

Did I ultimately like it or hate it? Today I’m going to give it a positive star rating in large part because I can’t watch Plemons and Stone be this good in a movie and give it a negative one, yet my score doesn’t actually answer that question. Like Kinds of Kindness, I’ll leave that up to you to decide.

If you do figure that out please tell me. Knowing how I feel about a movie is usually the easiest part of this job.

Kinds of Kindness ⭐ (3 of 5)

Mikey Walsh is a staff writer at Nerdist. You can follow him on  Twitter and  Bluesky at @burgermike. And also anywhere someone is ranking the Targaryen kings.

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King Aegon Targaryen, Second of His Name, is an amoral, depraved man-child without honor. So when he finds an idea grotesque, it must surely be too terrible for anyone with a shred of decency to entertain. Yet in House of the Dragon‘s “Rhaenyra the Cruel,” the measured Otto Hightower proposed something that horrified his otherwise unethical grandson. The (now former) Hand of the King turned the brutal murder of little Prince Jaehaerys into a funeral progress of propaganda against Rhaenyra. It was a monstrous, sickening plan that turned his family’s private grief into a public spectable. And Otto was right to do it.

That’s not an easy thing to admit, but not for the reason you might think. Defending Otto Hightower’s actions on House of the Dragon means you are also legitimizing Tywin Lannister pulling off the Red Wedding on Game of Thrones.

It’s hard to imagine anything could make Alicent’s son Aegon recoil with horror. He grew up drinking and whoring his way through Flea Bottom where he frequented kids fighting pits, even though some of those children might have been his own unacknowledged bastards. He’s completely craven, and sitting the Iron Throne has only brought out the worst in him. Yet his grandfather’s ploy to turn little Jaehaerys’s murder into a public relations opportunity on House of the Dragon shocked the King. Even a despicable pig like Aegon recognized what anyone with an ethical bone or beating heart did instantly: this was a truly repellent suggestion, even for war.

But as Otto had told his daughter in private before the small council meeting, “Some good may yet come of this.” He wasn’t going to let Jaehaerys “die in vain,” even if that meant doing something Otto must have known in his soul was disgusting. He wouldn’t simply name Rhaenyra a “slayer of infants” without proof (totally unseemly on its own). Otto Hightower wanted to hold a funeral progress to let the people of King’s Landing physically look at a decapitated six-year-old so they could “look upon the works of this pretender to the throne.”

From there, word spread to the lords of Westeros, who would inevitably revaluate their loyalty to the Queen. But Otto Hightower wasn’t going to leave anything to chance on House of the Dragon. He was going to milk this unthinkable tragedy for every ounce of publicity he could. “The Realm must see the sorrow of the crown,” he said. “A sorrow best expressed through its most gentle souls.” Those souls were his guilt-stricken daughter and Jaehaerys’ sweet, traumatized, neurotypical mother, Queen Helaena. They’d have to sit behind the boy’s body as they were quite literally paraded through the city.

Otto’s reprehensible idea was even worse in reality. We had to see Jaehaerys, stitched back together, get stuck in a rut in the streets. We had to watch an overwhelmed Helaena made to suffer even more when she should have been left to grieve in private. And we had to hear Rhaenyra, a grieving mother herself, falsely labeled a monster to smallfolk being manipulated. Aegon, miraculously, was right to find the mere suggestion of the propaganda event so vile. Yet Otto Hightower’s reasoning for this House of the Dragon funeral progress is totally defensible. “Jaehaerys will do more for us now than a thousand knights in battle,” he said to the green council on, which ultimately agreed with him.

The Dance of the Dragons is here. There’s no stopping it now. Jaehaerys’ death will just be one of many still to come. Lots of people are going to die, many of them smallfolk and children as innocent as the little prince. Why not turn the boy’s death into a spectacle if it saves lives? What better outcome could there be? Wouldn’t lessening the pain and suffering of others be the kindest thing the greens can do, especially if the only price is their own pain?

Saying something is “the lesser of two evils” doesn’t mean something is not evil, which Otto Hightower’s House of the Dragon funeral progress surely was. But “lesser” is a relative term, and his plan might lessen the overall amount of evil in the world.

You don’t have to like anything about Otto Hightower’s otherwise unethical House of the Dragon scheme to recognize its merits. But the real quandary begins once you do. Because when you admit Otto had a point you also have to accept that you’re making the case for Tywin Lannister conspiring with Walder Frey to pull off the Red Wedding two centuries later on Game of Thrones.

Inviting people into your home under a banner of peace and protection only to slaughter them is obviously reprehensible. It’s the kind of unimaginable act that seems an obvious bridge too far (intended!) even when done against people you are literally at war with. Tyrion will raise the same argument with his father when he learns about what happened at the Twins. But Tywin Lannister will raise the same type of argument as Otto Hightower long before him: “Explain to me why it is more noble to kill ten thousand men in battle than a dozen at dinner,” Tywin will say.

Is he right? Was Game of Thrones’ Red Wedding—as plainly devious and cruel as it was—justified? If we acknowledge Otto had legitimate cause to use his grandson’s murder to save lives, don’t we have to admit Tywin will have legitimate cause to kill a dozen men in a dishonorable manner because he thinks it will save thousands from dying with honor? What’s honor to the dead anyway? Plus, Tywin didn’t attack innocents victims at the Red Wedding. He only killed soldiers engaged in a war against him and his family, the family he was trying to protect. How is one okay and not the other?

The answer is not obvious because there’s an obvious distinction between exploiting a death that has already happened versus committing literal murder. One is personally repugnant and exploitative, while the other is a war crime. Yet the distinction between the two probably isn’t large enough to make fans of the Seven Kingdoms comfortable. The only real lesson we can take comfort in is one both Game of Thrones and House of the Dragon have left unquestioned: the only way to truly save lives in war is never to fight one.

Mikey Walsh is a staff writer at Nerdist. He is sick to his stomach for having defended Otto Hightower in any way. You can follow him on Twitter and Bluesky at @burgermike. And also anywhere someone is ranking the Targaryen kings.

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House of the Dragon‘s second episode of season two delivered another iconic moment from George R.R. Martin’s Fire & Blood. Identical twins Erryk and Arryk Cargyll, two members of the late Viserys’ Kingsguard who split over which of his children to support, fought to the death on Dragonstone. The show’s emotional, intense duel answered some major question raised by the book. But the tale of that heinous assassination attempt was bigger than just the two dead knights. It’s also a major part of the story about the cretin responsible for the reprehensible plan, Ser Criston Cole. The reason he sent Ser Arryk has firmly established that unaccountable, dishonorable monster is one of Westeros’ all-time great villains.

After making fundamental changes to “Blood and Cheese,” House of the Dragon opted for a more faithful take on the infamous Cargyll duel. Just as all historians agree, Ser Arryk, member of Aegon’s Kingsguard, snuck onto Dragonstone to pose as his own brother, Erryk, member of Rhaenyra’s Queensguard. Fire & Blood‘s sources never agreed whether Arryk was there to kill the Queen or one of her children, only that the plot was a response to the murder of Prince Jaehaerys. The show made clear Rhaenyra was always his target.

The prequel also added a new wrinkle by having Mysaria play a role in preventing Rhaenyra’s death. On House of the Dragon the White Worm was on Dragonstone at the time, rather than in King’s Landing like in Fire & Blood. That made it possible for Mysaria to see a Cargyll twin walking up from the shore’s of Dragonstone. She knew that knight couldn’t be the same man she’d just see inside the castle protecting the Queen. Without the spymaster’s keen eye, Arryk very likely would have cut down the Queen in her bed.

(Fire & Blood says he never reached Rhaenyra’s bedchamber, but it’s easy to see why the Queen’s supporters would hide that fact. It makes her look weak and vulnerable. Aegon didn’t want people to know what happened to Jaehaerys for the same reason.)

The show then took full creative advantage of the conflicting historical sources the series is based on to give us an incredible adaptation. One source, Grand Maester Munkun, said the two brothers fought for nearly an hour. No one could intervene because it was impossible to tell which brother was which. (Something the show also included.) Munkun says the two then died crying in each other’s arms. Another source, the ribald Mushroom, said the fight was quick, brutal, and filled with hate. The victorious Ser Erryk then died four days later “screaming in horrible pain and cursing his traitorous brother all the while.”

Fire & Blood makes clear neither account is likely definitive. (The third, from Septon Eustace, only says the twins slew each other.) What history does make clear is which version people came to accept. The book says after the war “the singers and storytellers” showed a “marked preference for the tale as told by Munkun.” Why wouldn’t they? It makes for a better, more tragic song. That makes people cry and willing to pay coin. What House of the Dragon delivered, though, was a far more emotional and honest duel than anything described in Fire & Blood.

The prequel’s duel had both professions of both love and anger. The two brothers, who were essentially once one, fought violently. Each tried uphold their sacred vows even against the person they actually cared about most in the world. They still loved each other and hated what they were doing, but as Cregan Stark said, “Duty is sacrifice.” In the end, Ser Erryk did protect his Queen from her would-be assassin as Mushroom wrote, but he didn’t die from his wounds days later. Killing his brother was too much for Erryk to live with. In his final moment he apologized to his Queen before falling on his own sword.

It was a truly heartbreaking sequence, one of the show’s best yet. It’s also a scene that captures the personal tragedy that defines the Dance of the Dragons.

And it was all Criston Cole’s fault.

Fire & Blood says the Lord Commander concocted the plan, just as he did on the show. (One slight HBO change is that Aegon had already named Ser Criston Hand of the King before Cole put his assassination scheme in motion.) What House of the Dragon expanded on was the real reason Cole sent Ser Arryk on his ill-fated mission. Into wasn’t just to “pay the princess back in her own bloody coin” after Blood and Cheese. It wasn’t to end a war before it started. It was to make Criston Cole feel less guilty.

At the episode’s start, for a brief moment, Criston Cole showed a tiny shred of humanity. He felt remorse for his role in little Prince Jaehaerys’ death. Rather than doing his sworn duty to protect the Royal family, the Lord Commander was violating it by sharing a bed with Alicent Hightower.

The Dowager Queen could see Cole was troubled by what had happened. The unimaginable murder of a child had shaken the arrogant Cole. Alicent then asked if he’d told anyone about what they’d been doing. When Cole wondered what kind of idiot she took him for, she said, “One who seeks absolution.” Cole answered, “There is none for what I’ve done.”

That correct acknowledgement was as close as Cole would come to taking any accountability for his unforgivable, dishonorable transgressions. Instead of reflecting on his failures and holding himself responsible for his own sins, Cole turned his self-anger and failures onto another, just as he did in season one. He shamelessly begged young Rhaenyra to run off with him not out of love but so he could he could restore his self-worth. That emotional manipulation didn’t work on her. It did work on Ser Arryk. And the way Cole manipulated a knight of actual nobility showed the full, monstrous depths of the craven Lord Commander.

“The white cloak is a symbol of our purity, our fidelity,” Cole said to Arryk about a cloak Ser Cargyll got dirty during a funeral for a child. The audaciousness of that statement would have been laughable if it wasn’t so disgusting. Cole then kept piling on as blatant, knowing hypocrisy poured out of his mouth like a waterfall of sewage. “Kingsguard are a sacred trust. Will you so easily sully our ancient honor?” he said.

The way the righteously indignant Arryk responsed also showed why Cole was even more responsible for Jaehaerys’ death than it seemed. When Cole questioned where Arryk was during the assassination (protecting the King), Arryk answered, ““Where were you, Lord Commander? And why has Helaena the Queen been granted no sworn protector? Surely once she ascended she should have…”

Helaena had no sworn protector because Cole is breaking his vows with the old Queen. If he were not, he would have rightfully had a Kingsguard protecting the new Queen instead. If Cole wasn’t sleeping with Aegon’s mother, his son would still be alive.

The despicable Cole couldn’t actually respond to an accurate asessement without admitting his heonous wrongs. So instead he changed the subject and attacked Arryle’s integrity, something Cole lacks entirely. Ser Criston said since Erryk is a traitor and a thief no one could trust Arryk completely. That is unless Arryk went on this shameful scheme, one no respectable member of the Kingsguard would ever ask another to do. Arryk knew he shouldn’t go. He knew this was a vile scheme unbecoming of their order. But he also wanted to keep his vows and prove his loyalty. So he went. And he died. As did his brother.

When a heartbroken Ser Erryk fell on his sword, he ended his life. Ser Criston Cole, named Hand of the King as reward for his treachery, responded by returning to Alicent’s bed, once and forever sullying his white cloak and all that it stands for.

The reason that tragic duel on Dragonstone happened ensured Criston Cole’s true place in Game of Thrones‘ infamy. The Lord Commander knows deep in his black green heart he has “brought disgrace” upon his sacred ranks. But it’s not that he he just doesn’t care and refuses to take personaly responsibility that makes him so vile. It’s that he makes his failings, dishonor, and guilt everyone else’s problem, a problem they pay for with their lives. That’s why he’s truly one of the greatest, most hatable villains in the history of the Seven Kingdoms.

Mikey Walsh is a staff writer at Nerdist and the world’s leading Criston Cole hater. You can follow him on Twitter and Bluesky at @burgermike. And also anywhere someone is ranking the Targaryen kings.

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