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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More minions are coming. The Conjuring 4 sets a release date. Time Bandits shares its first trailer. Severance season two offers us a teaser and a look at Gwendoline Christie’s new character. Godzilla x Kong hits streaming. A Furiosa transformation. Eric Kripke talks about The Boys‘ comic twist the series will skip. Here are all these news odds & ends, and more.

Alien: Romulus

Cinemark Theaters wants you to enjoy Alien: Romulus and really dig your teeth into the film. The theater chain revealed its Xenomorph Alien: Romulus popcorn bucket and it is delightfully creepy.

Celebrate Summer with these French Fry Ice Cream Pops

What could be better than dipping french fries in ice cream? An ice cream pop that does it for you already. GoodPop and Ore-Ida have teamed up to create the ultimate frozen treat, “an all-in-one pop featuring a creamy dairy free oatmilk interior coated in frozen chocolate fudge and sprinkled with real crispy potatoes for a cleaned up classic treat that’s cold, creamy and completely crave worthy.”

You can try to snag a four-pack for $9.99, here, but don’t delay. These tasty treats are selling out quickly.

Minons & Despicable Me

As Despicable Me 4 reaches $255 million at the global box office, another franchise movie has been given a release date. Minions 3 will release on June 30, 2027.

The Conjuring

The Conjuring 4, which is now being referred to as the finale of the cinematic franchise, has set its release date. The next The Conjuring movie will release on September 5, 2025. The movie does not yet have a title.

Time Bandits

Everything old is new again and the latest reboot to hit our screens is Time Bandits. A reimagination of the 1981 film in series form, this Apple TV+ adventure is created by Jemaine Clement, Iain Morris and Taika Waititi. The series stars Lisa Kudrow alongside rising star Kal-El Tuck. It “will take viewers on a riveting journey through time and space with a ragtag group of thieves.”

The Time Bandits synopsis shares:

Guided by Lisa Kudrow, the eccentric crew of bandits embark on epic adventures while evil forces threaten their conquests, and life as they know it. As the group transports through time and space, the gang stumbles upon fascinating worlds of the distant past while seeking out treasure, depending on Kevin to shed light on each situation. The “Time Bandits” witness the creation of Stonehenge, see the Trojan Horse in action, escape dinosaurs in the prehistoric ages, wreak havoc during medieval times, experience the Ice Age, ancient civilizations and the Harlem Renaissance, and much more along the way. 

The 10-episode series will premiere globally, with the first two episodes on Wednesday, July 24, followed by two new episodes every Wednesday through August 21, 2024.

Severance

Severance season two has revealed its release date. The second chapter of the series will arrive on January 17, 2025. Additionally, the release date announcement teaser trailer gives us a look at Gwendoline Christie’s mysterious new character.

SpongeBob SquarePants

The trailer for Saving Bikini Bottom: The Sandy Cheeks Movie is here. This trailer brings us a whole new kind of SpongeBob SquarePants adventure. A little bit of live-action, a little bit of surface mayhem—what could possibly get better than this?

A release shares, “When Bikini Bottom and all its denizens are suddenly scooped out of the ocean, Sandy Cheeks and SpongeBob SquarePants journey to Texas to save the town from a villainous plot.” Sandy Cheeks is one (flying) squirrel not to be messed with. Honestly, we’re all the way in for this Sandy Cheeks star vehicle.

Saving Bikini Bottom: The Sandy Cheeks Movie releases on August 2.

Godzilla x Kong

Warner Bros. Pictures and Legendary Pictures’ Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire will release on July 4. The monster movie will stream on Max.

We’re also very excited to share that a version of the movie with American Sign Language (ASL) will also stream exclusively on Max the same day. Max shares, “This ASL version of the film was produced exclusively for Max, with ASL performer Otis Jones (Deaf West Theatre) providing interpretation. Jones was coached by Leila Hanaumi, who delivered a highly praised performance in Barbie with ASL last December, Max’s first ASL film interpretation. GODZILLA X KONG: THE NEW EMPIRE in ASL will be displayed as a unique title on the Max app, identifiable by its key art featuring the sign language symbol.” We absolutely applaud Max for these efforts to be as inclusive as possible with their programming!

Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga

If you’re a fan of Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga, you can check out Anya Taylor-Joy’s epic transformation into Furiosa below.

The Boys

The Boys showrunner Eric Kripke promises that unlike in the comics, Black Noir will not end up being a Homelander clone.

He tells Variety:

No, and I don’t mind saying it. In the comics he’s a clone of Homelander this entire time and is actually the one doing all these horrific things. And again, it’s a hell of a twist. But it’s like, well wait, the villain I’ve been following isn’t really the villain. And mileage varies, and I’m sure fans are mad I’m not going that way, but that felt not as satisfying to me. I’m like, if I’m going to follow this villain, I want this guy to be the villain. So I was never really into the clone idea.

Plus, cloning feels like too — I’m going to sound silly — but cloning feels too magical for the show. We try to say that superheroes are the only slippery banana, and that everything else we try to make as grounded as possible.

Netflix

Netflix is creating its own line of popcorn… and its own malls.

Netflix shares:

Today, we’re excited to announce that Netflix and Popcorn Indiana are teaming up to bring Now Popping, an all-new ready-to-eat popcorn line! With flavors like Cult Classic Cheddar Kettle Corn and Swoonworthy Cinnamon Kettle Corn, this partnership promises a snack experience tailored to every viewer’s taste. Discover your favorite flavor, nationwide at Walmart, today. 

The popcorn retails for $4.49, but no word on how much it is if you want to share a pack.

Additionally, the streamer has revealed it will be opening two entertainment, dining, and shopping complexes, a.k.a. malls. Per Variety, “They’re not exactly theme parks, but the new Netflix Houses — to open next year in King of Prussia, Pa., and Dallas — will feature a wide array of shopping outlets, eateries and experiential activities tied to the streamer’s major franchises like Bridgerton, Stranger Things and Squid Game.“

Marian Lee, Netflix’s chief marketing officer, shares “At Netflix House, you can enjoy regularly updated immersive experiences, indulge in retail therapy, and get a taste — literally — of your favorite Netflix series and films through unique food and drink offerings. We’ve launched more than 50 experiences in 25 cities, and Netflix House represents the next generation of our distinctive offerings. The venues will bring our beloved stories to life in new, ever-changing and unexpected ways.”

Netflix invites you to imagine, “waltzing with your partner to an orchestral cover of a Taylor Swift song on a replica of the ‘Bridgerton’ set –– and then walking around the corner to compete in the Glass Bridge challenge from ‘Squid Game.’” After that, you can enjoy “food inspired by Netflix shows from around the world” or buy “that Hellfire Club T-shirt you’ve always wanted from Stranger Things.”

Deadpool

Marvel is all set to kill Deadpool in Deadpool #6 by Cody Ziglar and Rogê Antônio. Marvel shared of the issue:

Wade Wilson triumphed against Death Grip! This is the first issue of a new arc and killing Deadpool NOW would be an INSANE thing to do. Which is exactly why we’re doing it.

Editor’s Note: Nerdist is a subsidiary of Legendary Digital Networks.

Originally published on June 20, 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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Every week, we eagerly anticipate a new episode of House of the Dragon. But to make that wait a little easier, Max is releasing teaser images from new episodes of the Game of Thrones series a little early. These images don’t tell us too much about what’s in store in the new chapters of House of the Dragon season two, but they are fun to speculate over. Let’s take a look at the sneak peeks the streamer has released for House of the Dragon season two, episode six. Of course, these are technically spoilers, so look away if you don’t want to know anything more.

New Images From House of the Dragon Season 2, Episode 6

Aemond looks like he’s adjusting to life in charge in these new images from House of the Dragon season two, episode six. But we bet the current King Aegon, grievously injured after a blast from Aemond’s dragon, might have something to say about that. The trailer for House of the Dragons season two, episode six, certainly hinted at a coming clash.

Click To View Gallery

Meanwhile, Alys Rivers is lurking around with an owl. Does that mean she really is one? We’ll have to wait for the episode to know for sure. Larys, Alicent, and Rhaneyra also feature in these new House of the Dragon images. We can’t wait to see how these sneak peeks come together as House of the Dragon season two releases its sixth episode this Sunday, July 28, at 9 pm on HBO and Max.

Originally published on June 21, 2024.

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Homelander is the ruler of America (with Sage’s guidance) and we are all very afraid for the Boys. The season four finale left things in a very chaotic place with most of our favorite collective in custody, quite a few people MIA, and some appearances and teases that will give us lots to speculate on as we wait for season five. Here’s all the biggest questions we have after The Boys season four finale.

Where Is A-Train and Will He Return to The Boys in Season Five?

Let’s start off with one of the most obvious questions following The Boys season four finale. Many people thought that A-Train would die in the season finale after he revealed the truth to the Deep and Black Noir. But there was far too much going on with the Robert Singer assassination plan and Homelander’s spiraling for anyone to even check on him. A-Train took off to parts unknown along with his entire family and did not appear in the season four finale. Maybe he took Ashely’s suggestion and went to Florence, Italy. No matter where he is, he will certainly have to keep a very, very low profile. The wrong person recognizing him and/or recording him could lead to disaster. 

It’s highly likely that A-Train will return in season five. Annie is essentially on her own, and she will need supe help to be able to save the Boys and take down Homelander for good. 

Will Queen Maeve Get Her Powers Back and Return to Fight Homelander and Soldier Boy Again?

At the end of season three, Queen Maeve took Homelander on and gave the Boys a chance to subdue Soldier Boy. She made the ultimate sacrifice by tackling Soldier Boy out of a window so his blast wouldn’t kill everyone. It left her without her powers, but it also gave her the perfect way to leave Vought forever. Outside of Ashley (and her assistant Ashely, who is now dead), no one else at Vought knows that Maeve is still alive. She’s living the good life with her girlfriend on a farm, but all the chaos in the world could lead to her suiting up again. She could easily take Compound V to regain her powers, like Kimiko did, and help A-Train and Annie/Starlight in this final push to take down Homelander and Vought. But will she? We’ll have to wait and see what the answer to this The Boys season four question is when The Boys returns to our screens once more.

What Happened to Ashely After Taking Compound V in The Boys Season Finale? Is Ashely a Supe Now?

Speaking of people taking Compound V, the latest person to inject themselves with the drug was Ashely. After Homelander gives the Deep, Black Noir, and Firecracker a list of Vought employees to kill, they realize that Ashley is the one who knows the most dirt about them. She overhears this and takes off running to Homelander’s apartment. Once there, she injects herself with Compound V, and a grotesque reaction appears to take place. We see her infamous wig fall off, but we never see what she looks like nor what powers she has now. It’s not even clear if she survives the injection or how “human” she is, if alive. We will have to wait for answers to questions about Ashely’s fate in The Boys season five.

What Did Cate Whisper to Frenchie?

After the media frames the Boys and Robert Singer for Victoria Neuman’s death, they split up with fake passports to live their lives. Unfortunately, Homelander and Sage are on the case, using police forces and supes to hunt them down. Gen V’s Cate Dunlap and Sam Riordan are the duo who catch Frenchie and Kimiko. Cate whispers something in Frenchie’s ear that causes him to go with her without a fight. This upsets Kimiko greatly to the point that she speaks for the first time, yelling “no” repeatedly. It is a sad ending for the pair, who finally kissed and were planning to make a life together. 

Will Kimiko Continue to Speak in The Boys Season Five?

A traumatic event took Kimiko’s voice away as a child and now another one restored her voice. We aren’t sure what will happen to Kimiko but we hope that she will continue to speak in season five. She deserves all the happiness in the world. 

Where Did Ryan Go, and Will He Return to Homelander?

Butcher and Grace Mallory tried to convince Ryan to stay in a government bunker and train to kill his father Homelander. It’s a lot to put on a mostly innocent kid, especially one who just found out that Homelander raped his mother Becca and killed an entire airplane full of people. (So much to digest.) Ryan wants to go, but Grace tries to keep him there. He pushes her into a wall and snaps her neck before leaving the facility as a horrified Butcher looks on. We don’t see Ryan return to Vought Tower, so his whereabouts are unknown at this time. Where he went is absolutely a question on our minds after The Boys‘ season four finale.

Will Sameer Find Zoe at the Red River Institute? 

Now that Victoria is dead, her poor daughter Zoe is a resident at Red River Institute. It is the one place that her mother didn’t want her to be. But it is rather strange that she’s there. Her father Sameer isn’t dead. He left the facility where Butcher was holding him hostage with one less leg, but still alive. Surely he’s gotten wind of Victoria’s death and will seek out his daughter, right?

Where the Hell Is Stan Edgar?!

Speaking of people missing in action, we haven’t seen Stan Edgar since all that mess at the farm. Victoria allowed him to leave instead of going back to prison, but where did he go? Will he look for Zoe? And what kind of revenge will he plot on the Boys for killing his daughter? We have so many Stan questions, but we shall wait patiently to see how Stan fits into season five. 

Who Is the Telekinetic Supe That Attacked Annie and Hughie? 

At the end of the finale, we see all the Boys come across supes working for Homelander. There’s one person who isn’t as familiar. She’s rocking a shaved head and sweatpants in the style of Stranger Things’ Hawkins Lab subjects. Quite a few fans won’t remember her because, well, we’ve barely seen her in this series. The supe that attacks Hughie and Annie is telekinetic supe Cindy from season two. She was a former patient at Sage Grove Center, a psychiatric hospital owned by Vought to experiment on humans.

After things go awry during a visit from Frenchie, Kimiko, and MM, Cindy escapes and walks off in the streets. Outside of a TV appearance that says she’s wanted for several crimes, this is our first time really seeing Cindy again. We assume Homelander has forgiven her for her crimes and will include her in his supe inner circle. Someone has to replace A-Train, I guess…

Where Is Butcher Going, and Will He Release the Virus?

This is perhaps the biggest question in The Boys universe right now. Butcher appears to be alive and well after letting that parasitic dark side to take over. He kills Victoria and goes off on his own to some unknown place. He has the virus in hand, but how he is going to get enough of it to cause a supe genocide? Where is he going? You never know what he’s up to but it sure doesn’t look like he’s gonna die. 

What Will Annie Do Without the Boys, and Where Will She Go Next?

Poor Annie is on her own. She escaped capture and flew off, finally regaining her powers at the best possible moment. But she’s still a wanted woman with a very recognizable face. She cannot go home to her mom nor back to any familiar place. Perhaps she will try to find A-Train or Queen Maeve so they can help her break the Boys out of wherever they are being held. 

 Does Anyone Work at Vought Anymore? What’s the Status of the Company?

Homelander’s takeover plan included killing any Vought employee who has dirt on them. That’s pretty much every person working at the company. It looks like they marked off most of the names on their sheet, so it begs the question who even works at Vought anymore on The Boys? What is the status of the company with Ashely officially gone (or dead) and the supes busy running America? The Boys season five could answer this question quickly and reveal that Vought is no longer a conglomerate to be reckoned with. 

What Does Sage Really Want? 

Sage is making the world burn because 1) she hates humans and 2) she can. It’s pretty clear she’s using everyone, including Homelander, for her own entertainment. But does Sage want something else out of the deal? Does she have an ulterior motive, or is she just chaotic for no reason? These are questions that The Boys may answer in season five, but Sage herself has some thoughts.

“I think she is processing so much information and so many possibilities all the time,” Susan Heyward, who plays Sage, told us in a recent interview. “…I think she needs something to make her excited, something to give her a reason to live. She has the opportunity to create chaos and a universe that was unlikely. I think it gives her a thrill to help her feel alive.” 

Now that’s diabolical. It will probably be a while before these questions get answers but in the meantime, we can watch The Boys season four all over again (and again). 

The post The Biggest Questions We Have After THE BOYS Season Four Finale appeared first on Nerdist.

Alas, although it’s been a heyday for gaming series adaptations, with shows like Fallout and The Last of Us making a huge impression on audiences, one gaming adaptation won’t be moving forward. Paramount+’s Halo series has been canceled after two seasons.

Paramount+ shared of Halo‘s cancellation: “We are extremely proud of this ambitious series and would like to thank our partners at Xbox, 343 Industries and Amblin Television, along with showrunner and executive producer David Wiener, his fellow executive producers, the entire cast led by Pablo Schreiber as Master Chief and the amazing crew for all their outstanding work… We wish everyone the best going forward.”

The path to the now-canceled Halo adaptation series was not an easy one. The show went through many iterations and changes in direction before finally premiering on Paramount+ in 2021. Ultimately, the reception of the show was not very positive. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the show’s producers will attempt to pursue a third season of Halo on a different platform. We wish fans of the Halo series luck in un-canceling it and finding it a new home!

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We all have to know our worth. And Netflix certainly knows theirs. They’re not closed to joining certain kind of bundles, but they won’t be entering into a streaming bundle with fellow streamers Disney+ or Max. And that’s because Netflix simply doesn’t need to join a group of its peers. According to the platform, Netflix won’t be bundling with other streamers because “Netflix already operates as a go-to destination for entertainment.” Alright Netflix, tell us how you really feel!

Recently, we’ve seen streaming bundles become more mainstream. On the one hand, we saw a Disney+, Hulu, and Max streaming bundle come into being. And on the other, we saw Peacock, Netflix, Apple TV+ join forces to create a streaming bundle of their own. But don’t expect Netflix to appear in any of these.

Netflix shares in a letter to shareholders that it will join a bundle with device and operator partners, which “mak[e] it simple for people to discover, sign-up, use and pay for Netflix.” And “In turn, our device and operator partners benefit through increased device sales from consumers seeking devices integrated with Netflix and greater customer acquisition and higher retention as well as the opportunity to upsell higher value data or content packages.” However, Netflix will not soon enter into a streaming bundle agreement with its peers.

The streamer shares, “We haven’t bundled Netflix solely with other streamers like Disney+ or Max because Netflix already operates as a go-to destination for entertainment thanks to the breadth and variety of our slate and superior product experience. This has driven industry-leading penetration, engagement and retention for us, which limits the benefit to Netflix of bundling directly with other streamers.”

Shots fired! Apparently, Netflix specifically called out the Disney+, Hulu, and Max bundle in its statement. It’s definitely a bold statement to make. We’ll see if Netflix maintains this position as the streaming industry continues to oscillate.

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Who would have ever thought that there’s a supe more dangerous than Homelander? That’s exactly what we got in The Boys season four, thanks to the arrival of Sister Sage. (Let’s just drop the “Sister” and call her Sage, okay?) The smartest person in the universe turned America’s government system and ongoing supe war into her own personal game of chess, using everyone around her as pawns to craft pure chaos.

Thanks to her sheer genius and others’ lack of emotional intelligence and self-control, supes are running the US and Homelander is their leader. Sage doesn’t care about societal conventions nor does she have powers that can protect her if she falters. Therefore, every move she makes is intentional, calculating, and downright diabolical. We caught up with The Boys actress Susan Heyward to talk about Sage’s psyche, fandom love, and the catharsis and life lessons from playing a radical character. 

Nerdist: What was your favorite Sage moment in this season and why? 

Susan Heyward: Oh, gosh, there’s so many! I have to say I loved Sage’s setup for Firecracker because I think it speaks to her nature. She met Firecracker and immediately got the “old boy racist” vibes from her. And Sage tucked that information away and waited for a moment when she knew that she could create a situation where Firecracker would go the direction that Sage wanted her to for her own benefit. The way Sage kind of stepped back and was like, ”I’m going to let you be who you are” and let her get her ass beat by somebody who has the power to do it… that was delicious to me. 

It was fantastic. I’m glad you brought up a big part of Sage’s personality which is withholding information and using people’s worst natures against them. We get a chance to see her surface level motivations for wanting to work with Homelander. She doesn’t really think humanity is worth saving, which I do get. Do you think Sage has other ulterior motives against Homelander or is she just a Machiavellian agent of chaos who only wants to see the world burn? 

Heyward: It is hard to choose, honestly, because I think she is processing so much information and so many possibilities all the time. I have to say it’s a little bit of both. I think she’s a survivor. The world has not necessarily been a kind place to her. So she’s always thinking about her own survival. Always thinking about how she can do what’s best for her. And I think she needs something to make her excited, something to give her a reason to live. She has the opportunity to create chaos and a universe that was unlikely. I think it gives her a thrill to help her feel alive.

It’s so interesting she’s doing all of this and purposely staying behind the scenes. To me, that makes her more threatening than anyone else on the show. Sage isn’t concerned with being loved nor adored by anyone and she’s certainly no one’s savior. As a Black woman, did you find any catharsis in being able to portray a woman who’s really unrestrained and rather radical? 

Heyward: Absolutely. I feel like there’s so much pressure in our culture as a woman, especially as a Black woman, to be liked, to be nice, to see how we can be of use and of service to everyone we meet. And I found it really liberating to play a character whose concerns were living life on her own terms… I liked seeing that play out with her. It is liberating and I feel like we are seeing [something similar] play out with women in real life. Women are not so concerned with being liked and they aren’t making that the focus of their forward phase. 

I absolutely love it! So, the season four finale sets Sage up to continue to play a big role in season five as Homelander’s advisor. What are some of your hopes and dreams for Sage’s storyline as we move forward? 

Heyward: Oh, there’s so many things I’m pitching ideas for! I would say world domination is clearly one. [laughs] I’m also interested in seeing some of her personal life. We’ve got glimpses of her relationship with A-Train before they ended up on the Seven together. I’m interested in that. I’m also interested in getting more about her family, whom we don’t see her ever talk to. I think one of the biggest lessons Sage has taught me is how important it is to stay connected to your community. We find her in an isolated moment surrounded by her books, but not people… that’s affecting who she is… So I’d love to see her either finding community or dealing with the community that she’s lost in season five. 

There’s definitely a possibility for that. A-Train was definitely disconnected from his community and his Blackness in many ways, and he’s found his way back. There’s hope for Sage to do that… somewhere in the mix of her world domination! 

Heyward: We could totally get those two working together.

I’d like to see that. When it comes to Sage’s persona, I assume a lot of it came from what was written on page. But what other sources and characters did you draw from to build her characterization? 

Heyward: That’s such a good question. I tried to watch a lot of chess matches because there’s this idea, I think especially in the media, that if you’re smart, you wear glasses and you don’t have a lot of confidence. That’s a media shorthand for what it means to be smart. And I wanted to watch people who were in the act of thinking, strategizing, and holding different possibilities in their mind. And there was such focus on the task at hand rather than the outside appearance or presenting or showing how much they’re working. 

I found a lot of power in stillness, which is not me. I’m a naturally gregarious person. I thought it really fun to bring that stillness to Sage, especially in a world where everyone is almost cartoonish… I wanted to bring a certain mystery and stillness to her. And in talks with [showrunner] Eric Kripke, he said he saw Sage as a sphinxlike character. So I wanted to bring that sense of reserve to her. 

That is a cool way to build a character. I enjoyed her juxtaposition to everyone else because, like you said, they can be so bombastic. Sage feels incredibly grounded, even down to her superpower of beyond genius intelligence. That seems like it could be tangible, minus the lobotomizing part. 

Heyward: [laughs] Yes. And I feel like not giving her those types of physical powers away affects her. She cannot take as many risks. So there’s this line that she’s always dancing, certainly with Homelander, Firecracker, and with anyone who has these huge physical powers. If she moves too fast in the wrong way, those laser eyes are going to catch her. So there’s a juxtaposition of her intelligence strength with her physical vulnerability that made for nice tension. 

It certainly puts her in a precarious place but she’s making it work! Now that the season is over and you’ve seen the fandom love for Sage, what does it feel like to be a part of something so bonkers yet beloved? And how has portraying Sage changed you as a person? 

Heyward: I’m deeply grateful and excited. I was a fan of the show from season one, and I personally was hoping for someone like Sage. So to be in a position to actually be that person and have the creative input, I feel very, very grateful and excited for what’s to come. It’s surreal, I have to say. There’s a bit of distance between who I am and the character.

So I feel like I’m on the sidelines watching the audience have this relationship with Sage that has only a little bit to do with me… I love seeing Black women see themselves. I think I saw one post on Instagram that was like, apparently people say Sage is my doppelganger. And then she put a picture of herself next to some stills of Sage and I was like, “Oh my gosh, she does look like me!” Long lost cousin, where you at?! What’s up?! [everyone laughs]  

Sage has helped me deal with my own need to be liked and confront my own habits of maybe people-pleasing or leaning into cuteness or niceness in order to survive this crazy world and get what I need. I’m letting my voice drop a little lower and have some bass when normally I would use a higher pitch. There are all of these unconscious ways that we make ourselves smaller or we make ourselves palatable for people. I’ve become far more aware of the ways I used to lean into that and I get to choose to do something else. And that’s thanks to Sage.

I feel you on that, deeply. Sage’s unapologetic boldness is inspiring. I know you say you are mostly not like Sage, so which The Boys character are you like?

Heyward: I think I’m most like Hughie.

Really?! That’s interesting. 

Heyward: Yeah, there’s something so beautiful about Hughie’s appeal to humanity. He does not want to become a monster in order to fight the monsters. He looks up to Butcher and also has this deep hope that Butcher doesn’t become one of the monsters. He’s fighting them and always appealing to mercy or inclusion or grace for people. Hughie is also struggling with the monster in himself, the ways he has internalized sexism, the way he deals with Starlight, the way he wants to be a good guy, but he’s always confronting the ways in which he’s not that great. I feel like that’s what it is to be human, to try to hold onto your humanity, but also be really interested in the ways you’re falling short of who you want to be. And always keep trying to be better. 

I love that about him. And I also love that Sage got to be a full force villain, too. It feels like a win for us, you know?

Heyward: Yes! Thank you so much for your questions, for being excited, and for watching. It’s truly the reason I do what I do, I want to create feelings like that.

The post THE BOYS’ Susan Heyward on Sage’s Machiavellian Mindset, Ulterior Motives, and Her Season 5 Hopes appeared first on Nerdist.

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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Although Star Trek: Discovery will soon end with season five, a new live-action StarTrek series will arrive to replace it. After years of rumors, Paramount+ has officially announced a series order for Star Trek: Starfleet Academy. This show will follow an all-new class of Starfleet cadets. And we’ll get to see students coming of age in one of the most legendary places in the galaxy. Alex Kurtzman and Noga Landau will serve as co-showrunners. Gaia Violo wrote the series pilot. The series will begin production in 2024.

Star Trek: Starfleet Academy Series Casts Its New Cadets

In the latest piece of casting news for Star Trek: Starfleet Academy, the series has cast two new actors to play the role of cadets in the upcoming show. Karim Diané (One Of Us Is Lying) and Zoë Steiner (Significant Others) have joined Star Trek: Starfleet Academy. For now, all we know is that they play “cadets.”

The series also found three additional new cadets. Kerrice Brooks (My Old Ass), Bella Shepard (Wolf Pack) and George Hawkins (Tell Me Everything) will join Diané and Steiner to play the newest cadets in the Star Trek universe.

Right now, we don’t know any more about their individual characters than that. But since the series is all about “a new class of Starfleet cadets as they come of age in one of the most legendary places in the galaxy,” we bet they’ll be very important. We can’t wait to learn more about these Starfleet Academy characters soon.

Paul Giamatti Joins Starfleet Academy as the Series’ Villain

Paul Giamatti has also come aboard the cast of Star Trek: Starfleet Academy. Giamatti will play Starfleet Academy‘s villain. A release shares, “Giamatti will play the season’s villain, a man with an ominous past connected to one of our cadets.” Very ominous indeed.

Giamatti will be a recurring guest star.

Star Trek: Starfleet Academy Casts Holly Hunter as Its Captain

In an exciting turn of events, Star Trek: Starfleet Academy revealed that it has cast Holly Hunter as the captain and chancellor of Starfleet Academy. A release reiterates that, “The series will follow the adventures of a new class of Starfleet cadets as they come of age in one of the most legendary places in the galaxy.”

Co-showrunners Alex Kurtzman and Noga Landau share, “It feels like we’ve spent our entire lives watching Holly Hunter be a stone-cold genius. To have her extraordinary authenticity, fearlessness, sense of humor, and across the board brilliance leading the charge on STARFLEET ACADEMY is a gift to all of us, and to the enduring legacy of STAR TREK.”

Star Trek: Starfleet Academy Synopsis

You can read the official description of the new Star Trek: Starfleet Academy series right here:

Star Trek: Starfleet Academy will introduce us to a young group of cadets who come together to pursue a common dream of hope and optimism. Under the watchful and demanding eyes of their instructors, they will discover what it takes to become Starfleet officers as they navigate blossoming friendships, explosive rivalries, first loves and a new enemy that threatens both the Academy and the Federation itself.

Paramount+ also released a special “recruitment announcement” from the legendary institution itself:

Admission is now open to Starfleet Academy! Explore the galaxy! Captain your destiny! For the first time in over a century, our campus will be re-opened to admit individuals a minimum of 16 Earth years (or species equivalent) who dream of exceeding their physical, mental and spiritual limits, who value friendship, camaraderie, honor and devotion to a cause greater than themselves.

The coursework will be rigorous, the instructors among the brightest lights in their respective fields, and those accepted will live and study side-by-side with the most diverse population of students ever admitted. Today we encourage all who share our dreams, goals and values to join a new generation of visionary cadets as they take their first steps toward creating a bright future for us all. Apply today! Ex Astris, Scientia!”

The mention of the Academy opening up for “the first time in over a century” suggests the new Star Trek: Starfleet Academy series will be a spinoff of Discovery. We learned in recent seasons that because of a terrible galactic incident, the Federation was reduced to just a few worlds by the 32nd century. But by the end of Discovery season three, Starfleet began the climb back, and the Academy reopened.

Recently, Doug Jones seemed to confirm this, noting of a possible Star Trek return, “It would be a character by character, case by case, kind of a thing. Just as an actor in general, if I’m presented with a story I want to help tell, a character that I would really love to play, you know, it’s a case by case thing. So yeah, never say never, yes. And if Saru were to be invited back to another, let’s say Starfleet Academy, that’s the right timeline for him, he could do. I’m absolutely game to do so.”

Many fans crossed their fingers and hoped that Starfleet Academy might take place in the post-Picard timeline. We would have loved to see characters from The Next Generation, Deep Space Nine, and Voyager as instructors. But it seems more likely we’ll see characters from Discovery instead. We do also hope the new Star Trek series won’t be completely Earthbound. It would be amazing to see cadets training on starships, as we did in The Wrath of Khan.

Star Trek: Starfleet Academy Release Date

Speaking to Collider, Executive Producer Alex Kurtzman shared Starfleet Academy is  “halfway through the writers room now” and preparing to film this summer. He additionally noted, “It could end up not airing until 2026. We don’t know. But by starting [shooting in late summer], just building the sets alone is a massive endeavor, then six months of shooting, then six to eight months of post.” The publication additionally notes, “While he confirmed they ‘haven’t started casting the kids,’ it sounds like some of the adult roles have already been filled.”

A recent article from Variety additionally notes that “this summer, the first Star Trek YA series, Starfleet Academy, will start production on the largest single set ever created for Star Trek on TV.” The article also describes “plans for the series’ central academic atrium, a sprawling, two-story structure that will include a mess hall, amphitheater, trees, catwalks, multiple classrooms and a striking view of the Golden Gate Bridge in a single, contiguous space. To fit it all, they plan to use every inch of Pinewood Toronto’s 45,900 square foot soundstage, the largest in Canada.” But rest assured, the article notes, there will be starships. Although since Starfleet Academy “is set in the 32nd century, an era so far into the future Kurtzman and his team need to invent much of its design language.”

Star Trek: Starfleet Academy will likely debut on Paramount+ sometime in 2024 or 2025, but we guess 2026 is also on the table.

Originally published on March 30, 2023.

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We knew that The Boys season four would end in an explosive way. With an assassination plot in progress against Robert Singer, a shape-shifting supe LARPing as Starlight, and the Boys trying to figure out how they are going to kill Homelander and stop all this chaos, there was going to be a death or two. But we did not expect Victoria Neuman to actually die in The Boys season finale, nor did we expect how it went down at all. Let’s recap Victoria’s final stand in this episode.

Homelander Outs Victoria Neuman as a Supe on National Television

Victoria Neuman starts the episode still on board with Homelander’s plans for her to become the first superpowered President. The duo, along with Firecracker, go onto VNN to talk about her role as VP only for Homelander to go left field. He’s already pissed about Ryan having a photo of Butcher and Becca in his bookbag and he goes rogue on live TV once again. Homelander outs Victoria Neuman as a supe. She’s livid but there’s not much she can do to refute it, especially after Homelander lasers at her head and she’s able to stop it.

Meanwhile, Homelander believes that the shapeshifter will kill Robert Singer so he can change the world alongside her. But things don’t go to plan when the Boys figure out that Starlight is actually the assassin in disguise. The real Starlight shows up and they eventually defeat the assassin, allowing agents to hide Robert Singer in a more secretive location. 

Victoria Neuman Attempts to Team Up With the Boys

She begins to deeply regret her alliance with Homelander, especially after he threatens to murder lots of people and rip Zoe to shreds if Victoria steps out of line. She calls Hughie, saying she cannot go along with this because she will just be Homelander’s puppet. Victoria says she will resign from her position without a fight. However, she needs the Boys to get the CIA off her back and help her and Zoe disappear. Hughie is upset at first for obvious reasons but she reminds him that they also betrayed her. She’s legitimately scared and doesn’t want her daughter to die over this mess.

Butcher Kills Victoria Neuman and Leaves With the Supe Killing Virus

The Boys eventually agree to work with him but are still on guard with the supe killing virus in case she makes a wrong move. Victoria tells them where to find Zoe and they all meet up to devise a plan but Butcher shows up looking miraculously healthy. Teaming up with his inner evil seems to do his body good. He uses tentacles from his chest to subdue everyone while he rips Victoria Neuman in half. Her eyes are covered so she’s unable to pop anyone’s head and save herself. Butcher says “you’re welcome” and leaves with the virus. Predictably, his choice does extreme damage to his former colleagues and the world.

The Impact of Victoria Neuman’s Death in The Boys Universe

The Boys Are Blamed for Victoria Neuman’s Death and Taken Into Custody

This all actually works into Sage’s overall plan, some of which she kept from Homelander because he is, well, not that smart. The shapeshifting supe recorded Singer in the bunker saying that the Boys should have killed Victoria Neuman like he said. Singer gets taken into custody and the Boys become fugitives. They attempt to go on the run but legal forces and several supes, including Cate, Sam, and Love Sausage, track down everyone and take them into custody. The only one who escapes is Starlight, who is able to use her powers to fly away.

Homelander Basically Becomes the President and America Is Under Supe Control

Zoe ends up at Red River Institute, which is probably the last place her mother wanted her to be. (It is unclear where Stan Edgar is at this time nor if Sameer will resurface to claim his daughter.) Now, the next in line to be President is Speaker of House, Mr. Calhoun. He pledges allegiance to Homelander and immediately puts the country under martial law with supes in charge. All of the supes patrolling the streets will report to Homelander. Sage is thrilled that she could pull it off (she’s one twisted chick) and will continue to advise Homelander.

Butcher Goes Off on His Own to Be Absolutely Unhinged

Meanwhile, Butcher drives off to an unknown destination with the supe virus in hand. He has no team, no Ryan, and no Grace Mallory to ground him. The only voice of reason is Joe Kessler, who is unreasonable. The death of Victoria Neuman was what the Boys thought they wanted so badly. But it is perhaps the worst thing that has happened to them so far. The wait begins to see how this saga will end when The Boys returns for its fifth and final season.

The post THE BOYS Kills Off a Major Character and Changes the Course of America appeared first on Nerdist.

The Boys season four finale leaves America in a scary place. Victoria Neuman is dead, Robert Singer is locked up, and the new President Calhoun is Homelander’s puppet. Sage is back in his ear and most of the Boys collective is locked up after they are framed as the assassins. Oh, and most, if not all, of the Vought staff is dead. As if that wasn’t enough, The Boys dropped a mid-credits scene that hints at Soldier Boy’s return. 

The very short scene shows Homelander and President Calhoun going into a holding facility. Calhoun admits that he found out during a security briefing that morning that Soldier Boy was being held in a chamber. It is the same one we saw Grace Mallory put him in at the end of season three. Vought positioned Soldier Boy as a traitor and his statue was toppled, so he’s definitely not seen as a hero anymore. Homelander looks upset to see Soldier Boy there, who is interestingly not wearing the mask that was subduing him. It isn’t clear what the CIA planned to do with him considering Grace Mallory is now dead.

We don’t know what his plans are next but we can only assume that he will be trying to awaken Soldier Boy. Perhaps he thinks he can use him as a tool of sorts against the Boys and anyone else who opposes this supe regime. Homelander still wants a father and to be loved so he refuses to see that Soldier Boy doesn’t care about him. A part of Homelander feels threatened by Soldier Boy so he probably wants to kill him. The problem is, he has no idea how to do it. We will eventually see how Soldier Boy plays into The Boys season five.

The post THE BOYS Mid-Credits Scene Brings Back a Familiar Face appeared first on Nerdist.

Just when you thought Homelander was down, he once again gains the upper hand. The end of season three seemed as terrible as it could get with him lasering a Starlighter’s head off and his fans cheering for his senseless violence. But that’s nothing compared to the season four finale. This very wild episode basically makes Homelander the President of the United States AND the Secretary of Defense in one hell of a twist. Here’s what happens to Homelander in the season four finale of The Boys. 

Sure, we knew Homelander wouldn’t die this season. What good is a show if it doesn’t have its main villain? However, we hoped his stint as sad and depressed Homelander would last longer. In the season finale, Homelander outed Victoria Neuman as a supe on national television. He thought that it didn’t matter considering President Robert Singer would be dead by the end of the day.

Thanks to the Boys, that didn’t happen but Butcher’s rogue choice to rip Victoria in half caused chaos that leaned in Homelander and Sage’s favor. A video of Singer telling the Boys that they should have killed Victoria Neuman and her dead body led to all of them (sans Butcher, who wasn’t present) being charged with the crime. Their faces are all over the news as Starlighters who infiltrated the government and killed a good American.

Victoria’s death and Robert’s arrest enacts the 25th Amendment. This puts the next person in succession, Senator Calhoun, in the highest office of America. That’s a bad move because he is a known Homelander supporter. Calhoun’s a puppet for Homelander to control with Sage pulling the strings behind-the-scenes. President Calhoun immediately declares martial law with supes patrolling America and essentially replacing the current military. And, of course, their leader is the one and only Homelander. Vought is barely existent at this point after Homelander ordered the Deep, Firecracker, and Black Noir to kill anyone with dirt on them at the company.

It is a new world indeed and it is not looking like a bright place to live at all. Starlighters and those who oppose Homelander will get a one-way ticket to prison camps. Most of the Boys are in custody and separated from each other. And Butcher doesn’t care about the Boys or anything else except killing supes, especially Homelander, who happens to be sad again after finding Soldier Boy’s body in a chamber. What a way to end things.

The post What Happens to Homelander in THE BOYS Season Four Finale? appeared first on Nerdist.

Four seasons later, The Boys is still one of the wildest shows to ever hit TV. This season is already full of totally diabolical moments, plot twists, and so much blood. Homelander has a new advisor, Sister Sage, who is amping up the violence in an ongoing war. Victoria Neuman aims to pop Robert Singer’s head and become the President of the United States. And the Boys are causing trouble every time they step on the scene. We have no idea where things will go. But one thing is for sure. The Boys season four is packed with shocking, gross, and plain weird moments. 

Here are all the things that made us gasp, groan, cringe, and laugh out loud. 

Jump To: Episode One // Episode Two // Episode Three // Episode Four // Episode Five // Episode Six // Episode Seven // Episode Eight

The Boys Season Four, Episode One’s Most Shocking, Gross, and Wild Moments – “Department of Dirty Tricks” 

Victoria Neuman’s Daughter Zoe Rips Kimiko’s Arm Off 

It doesn’t take long for The Boys to get back into its supe shenanigans and wild, shocking moments. The team is at election night and trying to quietly assassinate Victoria Neuman. Of course, things go wrong when Victoria’s daughter Zoe catches Frenchie, Kimiko, and a few CIA agents in their hotel room. Zoe, who got a dose of Compound V last season, finally displays her powers and they are gruesome. Tentacles shoot out of her mouth, crushing and ripping apart her adversaries with ease. She tears through a couple of agents before going one-on-one with Kimiko, ripping her arm off in the process. Thankfully, Kimiko’s powers include her ability to heal from pretty much anything…

Kimiko’s Face-Off Moment

…including her jump out of a window. Starlight flies up to catch Frenchie but Kimiko slams into the pavement in front of MM. She sits up shortly afterwards but her entire face is peeled off. Kimiko puts it back in place and heals pretty quickly. 

A Shot to the Head and Victoria Is Not Dead 

It seems head-popping isn’t the only power that Victoria has. She survives Hughie’s acid attack and Butcher shooting her point blank in the head with humorous ease. Victoria tells them that they are getting worse at her job before casually strolling off.

Homelander Is Plucking His Pubic Hairs 

Homelander continues to be an enigma to us all. He’s plucking grey pubic hairs and storing them in a container. It is obvious that he’s not happy about his body aging but why the hell is he saving them? 

The Deep Is Willing to Go Down on A-Train 

Everyone is so afraid of Homelander that it is destroying Vought. Ashley and company agree with his every thought, which is beginning to frustrate him. Homelander expresses his annoyance with this after asking the Deep to give A-Train a blowjob, which he nearly does out of fear. The problem is, Homelander likes to punish and/or kill people who oppose him. So what is everyone supposed to do?!

Firecracker’s Endless Lies

This one will probably apply for every episode. But Firecracker is an unhinged truther who accuses Starlight’s organization for at-risk teens of having some “LGBTQ dungeon,” child trafficking, and more. 

Frenchie’s Hot New Romance

Frenchie and Kimiko do not seem destined for a relationship despite being very close. He’s in a romance with Colin, a guy who works at Starlight House. They have apparently been meeting up in the bathroom for hookup sessions. Kimiko knows what’s going on and she’s cool with it. 

The Seven Beat Three Homelander Fans to Death, Including Todd

Sage’s first idea to cause discord and turn people against Starlight is a brutal one. She invites three of Homelander’s biggest fans, including Todd, to meet him. Things quickly go violent when the true reason behind this meeting is revealed. Homelander tells the Deep, A-Train, and Black Noir to beat them all to death with bats. They hesitate but the Deep and Black Noir do it. A-Train eventually places the bodies at a protest outside of Homelander’s verdict reading at the courthouse to frame a couple of Starlighters. This is very, very nasty work. 

Black Noir Speaks?!

Hold on…this character has always been silent but deadly. Whoever is under that mask speaks and it is jarring. 

Sister Sage Starts a Brutal Fight 

Sage appears in the crowd dressed as a Starlight supporter. After he’s found not guilty, she throws something at a Homelander fan and yells at him, starting a massive fight between the opposing sides. It gets brutal with Colin and another Starlight House worker suffering injuries. The bodies are placed and discovered, making it seem like these deaths happened because of Homelander’s verdict.

Butcher’s Butthole Attachment

Butcher considers sending Victoria Neuman the Red River files that she desperately wants from Hughie. But, after Becca’s spirit appears to him, he has a change of heart. Instead, he sends over an attachment of a hairy butthole. Is it his butthole? We will never know and don’t really want to know.

The Return of Hughie’s Mom 

Hughie’s mom, who inexplicably left when he was very young, returns in the wake of his father’s coma. We don’t know why she’s there or what she’s been up to but it is a shocking twist for him, indeed. 

The Boys Season Four, Episode Two’s Most Shocking, Gross, and Wild Moments – “Life Among the Septics” 

Butcher Reveals His Diagnosis 

The Boys are all shocked that Butcher is going to die in a matter of months. He’s been sick for six months and, according to Homelander’s senses, he probably only has another six months left to live. It angers MM, who kicks him out of the Boys for being deceptive. 

Ryan Is “Homeboy”

This is more funny than anything else. The entire pitch for Ryan’s supe story is hilariously stupid and Sage is the only person that admits it blows. Using the word “homeboy” for a white kid is so unserious. 

Sister Sage’s Takedown of Ashley

Ashley thinks she can verbally bully Sage like she does with others. But Sage puts her in her place, saying that she’s so afraid of Homelander that she’s bald and the only way Ashely will be useful is if she starts lactating so he can suck on her breasts. Good Lord. She then immediately tells the Deep to stop taking crap from someone who is genetically inferior like Ashley. Honestly, I love it.

The Deep’s Takedown of Ashley (With a Toilet Threat) 

Ashley tries to get smart with the Deep during a rehearsal and he tells her that he will drown her in a used toilet if she talks to him like that again. She’s shocked and clearly afraid while he feels empowered for the first time in a while. 

Kimiko’s Drunk Escapades

After tracking Sister Sage to a hotel with a weird truther convention going on, Kimiko is upset when she sees a post that’s triggering to her. She finds beer and drinks eight of them and her behavior gets super funny, including her stealing Frenchie’s phone and sending a sext to Colin. 

Splinter Eats His Own A** (Again and Again) 

Frenchie and Kimiko always end up in some BS. MM tells them to follow Splinter, a supe who can splinter himself into duplicate versions, as he wanders off from Firecracker’s ongoing alt-supe rant. They find him in a spa room with several versions with their mouths deep in buttcrack while the main one is, um, pleasuring himself to her photo. Good lord. 

MM Beats the S**t Out of Butcher

This moment has been brewing for a while. MM’s frustration over Butcher’s behavior and general lack of care for anyone else in the Boys comes to a head at the aforementioned convention. He punches Butcher a few good times before telling him to stay away for good. Sure, Butcher doesn’t listen but it’s a wild and rather sad moment to see two former friends have such animosity between them. 

A-Train Is Trying to Be Good?!

A-Train seems to be turning over a new leaf this season after his previous actions led to his brother being in a wheelchair. He noticeably didn’t beat anyone’s brains in when requested and, after his brother calls him out for being a fraud, he decides to do the right thing. A-Train shows up at the Boys headquarters and drops off a video that will clear the two wrongly accused Starlighters. Annie still hates him for obvious reasons but Hughie appreciates his actions. 

Ryan (Accidentally) Splatters a Man Onto a Building

The staged rescue scene that Vought planned for Ryan goes awry. Ryan is still very young and not fully aware of his true strength. He’s supposed to lightly fling the (fake) robber but instead he launches him into the side of a building. Yikes. 

Splinter, Firecracker, and the Boys Crash a Bat Mitzvah and Oh S**t There Are Penises

Obviously, Sage set the Boys up by luring them into a room. She tells Firecracker and Splinter to kill them so they can get to the next level with Homelander. The fight spills into another innocent party room, where naked Splinters run everyone away. Firecracker manages to toss in a few racist comments, bullets litter the floor, and Butcher comes in for a brave moment to help his comrades. It’s an all-around rad scene.

Frenchie Killed Colin’s Family

Frenchie reveals that Colin was a judge’s son and that, in his previous line of work, he murdered his whole family. It’s obviously tearing him up inside and won’t end well when Colin finds out. 

Jump To: Episode One // Episode Two // Episode Three // Episode Four // Episode Five // Episode Six // Episode Seven // Episode Eight

The Boys Season Four, Episode Three’s Most Shocking, Gross, and Wild Moments – “We’ll Keep the Red Flag Flying Here” 

Ashley Becomes the Vought Mascot and Homelander Lasers a Head

Damn. Sage swoops in for her next power play and becomes the CEO of Vought, leaving Ashley as its “Ronald McDonald.” She’s on the verge of resigning and leaving for Disney until she sees Homelander laser a woman’s head in the middle of trying to tell the truth. Oh, and she’s still literally crushing her boy toy’s balls. 

Frenchie’s Drug Trip and Ducks 

Frenchie goes with Kimiko to dig into her past a bit more but he’s not very helpful. He’s higher than the moon and seeing rubber ducks as well as hallucinating people he’s killed. Great job, buddy. 

Starlight Was a Mean Pageant Girl Who Ruined Firecracker’s Career 

We finally know why Firecracker hates Starlight so much. She reminds Annie that they were on the same circuit until she told everyone that Firecracker had an “a**f**ck gangbang” with the judges. Annie called her white trash and said it was the only way she was in the competitions. Firecracker believes that Annie hasn’t changed deep down and will do what she can to destroy her. 

The Ice Capades Jesus Show Massacre

Vought is putting on a holiday show that’s all about putting the Christ back in Christmas. (Sigh.) While the skaters are running through their performance, Hughie and MM are spying on Homelander, Victoria, and Sage, who are cooking up some nefarious deals. Sweaty Hughie captures the attention of Homelander, who lasers a skater while trying to get Hughie. Things go full panic as skaters accidentally cut each other to shreds with their blades. Yikes. We guess this show will not proceed as planned. 

The Deep and Sister Sage Hook Up 

What an odd couple. Sister Sage is eating a blooming onion when the Deep comes in to chat with her. They weirdly have a few interests in common and, the next thing you know, she’s rubbing a fried onion across his lips.

The Boys Season Four, Episode Four’s Most Shocking, Gross, and Wild Moments – ”Wisdom of the Ages” 

Homelander’s Homecoming Revenge

There’s so much to say about this that we wrote up a separate piece about Homelander’s bloody homecoming. But of course it is on this list because his visit is gross, shocking, bloody, and gets very weird at times. From making Marty masturbate in front of everyone to barbequing a human to lots of bloody body parts, Homelander gave us perhaps his most awful moment yet.

Kimiko and Hughie’s Big Bloody Battle

Kimiko is not happy with Hughie. She goes with him to be his muscle for a situation, only to realize they are meeting A-Train. Hughie wants Compound V to save his father, which Kimiko doesn’t agree with. They quickly have to set aside their differences when a band of people from Kimiko’s past pop up. Hughie gets pretty bloody as he slices a man open and, well, Kimiko is always ripping up bodies.

Firecracker Is a Pedophile… and Uses It to Her Advantage

Firecracker is still on Annie/Starlight’s behind, so Butcher and MM attempt to get her to shut up. They find out that she committed statutory rape of a 15-year-old boy and threaten to tell the world. Firecracker pulls a fast one on them, tweeting it out herself and then “confessing her sin” in front of the world. Her weirdo followers eat up her words and it doesn’t affect her.

Annie’s Righteous Revenge Against Firecracker

Firecracker chooses to tell the world that Annie had an abortion when she was six weeks pregnant. This is horrifying to Annie, not because she’s ashamed of her decision. It is terrible because 1) it is her private medical business and 2) it will tank her plans to align with Robert Singer. Annie finally loses her cool and beats Firecracker up in front of cameras. She deserved it, tbh.

Butcher Fights a Stretchy Supe and Gets the Upper Hand

Butcher gets into a fight in Firecracker’s trailer and we assume he’s going to be killed. But, Butcher gets the upper hand. How is that possible? Well, he took Compound V to cure himself and he’s super strong, yet still dying. Butcher turns the other guy into mincemeat, which MM later discovers.

Sister Sage’s Lobotomy

Sister Sage asks the Deep to do her a favor. Apparently, her brain has a superhuman ability to heal, which means she can get a lobotomy and eventually become her normal self again. Her brain regenerates constantly. She asks him to do it, which “dumbs her down” and says she will have anal sex with him.

Someone Gave Hughie’s Dad Compound V (and It Wasn’t Hughie)

After a chat with Butcher, Hughie decides to not give his father Compound V and accept that he’s dying. But at the end of the episode, we see that blue juice running through his IV and he wakes up with a start.

Jump To: Episode One // Episode Two // Episode Three // Episode Four // Episode Five // Episode Six // Episode Seven // Episode Eight

The Boys Season Four, Episode Five’s Most Shocking, Gross, and Wild Moments – “Beware the Jabberwork, My Son”

A-Train Admits He’s a Traitor to Ashely

A-Train knows that Sister Sage will soon figure out that he’s a traitor. So, he admits it to Ashley, making her an accomplice and instructing her to help cover his tracks. And boy does she do that by framing Cameron, her ex-boyfriend, whom Homelander has beaten to death.

Victoria Neuman’s Lab of Farm Animal Horrors

MM and Butcher manage to free Stan Edgar in exchange for his help to find out where Victoria is hiding the supe-killing virus. This takes them to a remote farm property Stan owns, which is where he’s sure Victoria is keeping secrets. And it turns out she has a lab of people who are studying how the virus impacts Compound V.

Things go awry when the Boys (minus Hughie), Victoria, and Stan go looking for Sameer, a scientist who happens to be Zoe’s father. They traverse the farm and run into some wild s**t, including diabolical chickens and a flying flock of murderous sheep. It is very, very ridiculous.

Hughie’s Dad Experiences the Worst of Compound V

We wrote more extensively about Hughie’s dad and what happens to him. But his final moments are incredibly bloody, erratic, and sad. He develops a power to basically teleport through things, including human flesh, but his damaged brain means he cannot control them. Hugh Campbell accidentally kills a couple of people and is very, very scared. Hughie eventually gives him a medication that allows him to pass away peacefully, but not after much blood is shed.

Ryan Becomes a Mini Homelander

Homelander finally cracks the code on how to win over his son Ryan. He asks Ryan what he wants and Ryan tells his dad he really wants to help people. So Homelander gives him a chance to help Brenda, a Vought employee who is being sexually harassed by Adam Bourke. Ryan asks Brenda in front of Adam if she’s okay, to which she replies no. Ryan makes Adam apologize but it is not enough. After having Adam get on his knees and beg, Ryan decides that isn’t enough.

Homelander coaches him through it, which eventually leads to them allowing Brenda to repeatedly punch Adam as he begs for mercy. While Adam deserves some good punches to the face, this is the beginning of setting Ryan up to deal with all things by inciting violence. Homelander and Ryan smirk at each other, sipping milkshakes as Adam cries out. It is a chilling moment, indeed.

Butcher Makes Demands for More Supe-Killing Juice

Butcher decides to go rogue with (ghost) Joe Kessler. He cuts off Sameer’s leg (well, part of it) and demand that he make some of the supe-killing virus. This should go over very well with Victoria Neuman.

The Boys Season Four, Episode Six’s Most Shocking, Gross, and Wild Moments – “Dirty Business”

MM Gives Webslinger Drugs in the Butt and Gets a Wet Surprise

MM, Annie, Hughie, and Kimiko are on a mission to infiltrate Tek Knight’s conservative douchebag party to find out more information. In order to get Hughie in undetected, MM goes to to see Webslinger, a supe whose a drug user. He has a web hole near his butthole and he likes to take drugs in the latter area. MM, whom we all know hates germs, gives him a drug strong enough to knock him out in the butthole. And, Webslinger thanks him with a white squirt from his webhole that goes onto his face. Hughie comes in just in time to hand him ample hand sanitizer. Poor MM.

Sister Sage Reveals Why She Hates Humans

In order to get Victoria fully onboard with Homelander’s plan, Sage tells her about her tragic childhood. Her grandmother was dying from leukemia and she actually came up with a cure but no one took her seriously. Now, she believes it is not worth solving the world’s problems because humans are awful. She is not totally wrong. 

Tek Knight’s Tek Cave Activities

We have an entire post about all the weird s**t that happens in the Tek Cave but it has to be on this list. From Hughie sitting his bare bottom on a cake and passing gas to Ashley’s many kinky desires, it is a wild, wild place. This might be the grossest episode of the show so far.  

A-Train Saves MM…and Likes Being An Actual Hero 

After a run-in with Sage, who verbally pushes him to the brink, MM suffers a panic attack and passes out. Poor Kimiko, who is not verbal, eventually convinces A-Train to help MM. He runs out of Tek’s mansion and drops MM off at the hospital. While there, he pauses as a Black boy smiles at him. For the first time (maybe ever), A-Train sees value in being a supe who does something good. Unfortunately, when a character has this sort of revelation and changes drastically, it usually means death is on the horizon. 

Butcher Is Losing His F**cking Mind

Butcher’s Compound V drenched mind is slipping far from reality. We discover that the real Joe Kessler is not alive but a figment of his imagination. Joe’s image represents the dark, chaotic side of Butcher, a contrast to his visions of Becca that appeal to his more humane nature. It is sad to see our Boys leader spiral this way. But it’s also kind of humorous that Sameer has watched him talk to himself for a while without asking why he’s talking to thin air.  

Tek Knight’s Death 

It is a little shocking that The Boys killed off Tek Knight. He dies by the hand of his butler Elijah after admitting that he was working with Homelander and Sage to create prison camps for non-supes. After years of dealing with Tek’s gross ways, Elijah decides to take matters into his own hands and prevent Tek from continuing to hurt people through his prison industrial complex. 

Firecracker’s Milky Surprise for Homelander

Firecracker affirms her loyalty to Homelander by revealing that she’s been taking a drug to produce breast milk.This really hits his button as he lays down to suckle at her boob while she cradles him like a baby. This show is something else, man.

The Boys Season Four, Episode Seven’s Most Shocking, Gross, and Wild Moments – “The Insider”

A Shapeshifting Supe Nightmare

Butcher, Annie, and Hughie get a gross surprise as they chase a shapeshifting supe. She’s able to touch people and then rip off her skin to reveal a new body that looks like someone else. We see her do this in very gross fashion as she litters a stairwell with flesh. 

MM and Monique Are Back Together (Sort Of) 

MM has been dreaming of a normal life with his ex and their daughter for a while. He got a taste of that this episode when Monique kissed him and said she wanted him to come with them on that trip to Belize. Marvin considered it deeply, even putting Butcher back in charge so he could step away. But A-Train (of all people) changed his mind and rightfully said that this problem wasn’t one they could run (hehe) away from. MM decided to let his family go away and fight with the Boys once again. Damn. Hopefully Monique will still be willing to reconcile with him after all this chaos. 

Webweaver Spills Out of His Webhole Before Homelander Rips Him in Half

Determined to continue one-upping Sage, Firecracker goes on a mission to find the leak. She believes it is Webweaver, so she brings him in for an interrogation. He admits to giving Butcher information but the entire time he’s spewing white stuff from his webhole. Webweaver says this happens when he’s nervous and he has a right to feel that way. Homelander eventually rips him apart and leaves the room, frustrated with it all. 

Kimiko Reveals How She Lost Her Voice

We thought we knew how Kimiko lost her voice. Her brother previously said it happened after the Shining Light Liberation Army killed her parents in front of her. But that’s not true. Kimiko actually lost her voice after she had to murder another girl during her first night at the camp. She wasn’t allowed to make a sound but, when they gave her permission to speak again, she couldn’t. So it is still childhood trauma, but from a different source. 

A-Train Reveals Himself as the Leak

We have a whole post about this but it is shocking that A-Train decides to out himself as the leak. He shows up in the nick of time to save Annie and Butcher from getting beat down by the Deep and Black Noir. It’s really lovely seeing him fight alongside MM and become the hero he’s meant to be. Hopefully he will survive and perhaps get to build a new Seven in a better way. 

Homelander Fires (and Doesn’t Kill) Sage

Of course, the Deep and Black Noir tell Homelander that A-Train is the leak. He finds out that Sage already knew and quickly sends her packing back to Detroit. Honestly, it is shocking that he didn’t rip her into a million pieces. Maybe he was too sad. 

The Deep Kills Ambrosius 

This is probably the most shocking moment in this episode. The Deep believes Sage actually loves and respects him as an intelligent being, so he begins to abandon his relationship with Ambrosius. They get into an argument where she tries to convince him that Sage is simply using him. He believes Ambrosius thinks he is stupid and allows his anger and fragile ego to make him irrationally angry. He breaks her aquarium open and allows her to suffocate. Absolutely awful. 

Kimiko Loses a Leg

Kimiko and Frenchie decide to do the right thing and let Sameer go. But he’s very wired up after being held captive, so he stabs Kimiko in the leg with the supe-killing virus and makes a run for it. Frenchie has to save Kimiko quickly and takes a saw to cut her leg off. Now she’s growing back her leg but thankfully still alive. At least the virus works, right? 

Ryan Stands Up and Butcher Falls Down

Ryan stands up to Vought’s problematic messaging during that dumb kids’ Christmas special and Butcher is a proud dad. But his excitement doesn’t last long as the ongoing effects of Compound V cause him to pass out on the floor. He looks a lil dead but we are sure the show wouldn’t take him out so unceremoniously. 

Starlight Is Held Captive

The shape-shifting supe hit Starlight with the okie-doke at the bar. She kidnaps her and takes her place, even wearing her costume and having sex with Hughie. Lord.

The Boys Season Four, Episode Eight’s Most Shocking, Gross, and Wild Moments – “Assassination Run”

Shapeshifter Annie/Starlight Proposes to Hughie

Hughie’s having the time of his life with Annie, including some pretty kinky sex. She decides to propose to him (mainly to anger the real Annie) and he happily accepts, still not getting that his girlfriend is, well, not his girlfriend. 

Homelander Outs Victoria Neuman as a Supe on TV

Homelander is known to go left field but this is a wild move, even for him. He proves Vicky is a supe by lasering at her head while her eyes are graying for head-popping purposes. This marks the true beginning of this episode’s downward spiral. 

Grace Spills All the Beans and Ryan Kills Her 

Well damn. Grace decides to push Ryan into helping them take down Homelander by revealing some brutal truths. She tells him that Homelander raped his mother Becca and killed everyone on that airline flight, among other things. Ryan is heartbroken but he still wants to leave. He realizes that the walls are thick and made to hold supes. After feeling frustrated and betrayed, Ryan pushes Grace out of his way, causing her to snap her neck and die on the floor as a sickly Butcher watches in horror. 

Ashley Takes Compound V and Perhaps Becomes a Monster 

Homelander comes up with a plan to make sure there are no more leaks and betrayals at Vought. He makes a list for Firecracker, the Deep, and Black Noir with all the employees to kill. They decide that there’s one person who should be at the top of the list: Ashley. She does have a ton of dirt on all of them and they frankly don’t need her anymore. Ashley runs to Homelander’s place and takes a dose of Compound V in hopes of being able to fight back and survive. It begins to mutate and disfigure her body but we don’t see the final results of that. 

Annie Rips her Skin Off to Save the Boys

Annie is handcuffed in an undisclosed location. She drags her hands through handcuffs and shows up just in time to fight her doppelgänger and save her comrades. This episode and season was all about Annie facing herself—literally and figuratively—and realizing that she’s not such a sweetheart after all. 

The Deep Punches Through a Man’s Head 

We see a part of Homelander’s murder plan at Vought Tower, including a gruesome scene where the Deep punches through a man’s head. He’s becoming more violent and twisted by the day, especially after killing his octopus bae. 

Frenchie and Kimiko Kiss!

There’s not a ton of good-natured romance in this show. But thankfully we have Frenchie and Kimiko, who finally affirm their love for each other with a kiss. It’s too bad their happiness doesn’t even last until the end of the episode. 

Butcher Is Back and Kills Victoria Neuman

The plan to work with Victoria fails miserably when Butcher, hyped up on more V and with Joe Kessler in his head, shows up and kills Victoria Neuman. He’s got tentacles sprouting from his chest and he uses them to his advantage. He takes the supe virus and leaves, hurting his former colleagues in an immeasurable way. 

Sage and Homelander Win and Run the USA 

Victoria’s death leads to a big win for Homelander and Sage, who had been planning to kill Victoria and frame Robert Singer and the Boys for it all along. The new President is a Homelander fan and allows supes to patrol the country with Homelander as their leader. 

Kimiko Speaks!

Kimiko talks for the first time (outside of dreams) in this show and it is heartbreaking. To avoid capture, she goes on the run with Frenchie but they don’t make it very far. Cate and Sam subdue them and Kimiko screams “no” as her love is taken away.

Jump To: Episode One // Episode Two // Episode Three // Episode Four // Episode Five // Episode Six // Episode Seven // Episode Eight

We cannot wait to see what other gross, shocking, bloody, and plain weird moments will pop up in The Boys season four.

Originally published June 14, 2024.

The post The Most Shocking, Gross, and Plain Weird Moments of THE BOYS Season Four appeared first on Nerdist.

Marvin T. Milk a.k.a Mother’s Milk b.k.a. MM, played by the fantastic Laz Alonso, is one of the most grounded and well-crafted characters on The Boys. He isn’t the fearful Hughie nor the often callous and unpredictable Butcher. He’s not a supe but instead a highly skilled medic, loving father, clever fixer, and a man whose past haunts him. And, in the midst of many hijinks, he’s the serious yet caring guy who’s often unintentionally funny as hell. But, there’s one more claim to fame for MM: T-shirt God. It’s a small detail that many may not notice; however, it says a lot about his personality and style.

Alonso himself spilled the details about his threads, affirming that the shirt choices are intentional. “I work with our onset costume coordinator, the head of the costume department, and every episode, we pick a shirt that kind of thematically encompasses what MM is going through and where we are in the story,” he tells Nerdist. “We have always done groups and artists and this season, we also started doing songs. For example, we did Childish Gambino’s ‘This is America.'”

And that’s just one of many incredible choices. In honor of his style, here’s an ode to a bunch of the awesome shirts that Mother’s Milk wears on The Boys. 

Jump To: Season 1 Shirts // Season 2 Shirts // Season 3 Shirts // Season 4 Shirts

The Best T-Shirts That Marvin “MM” Milk Wears in Season 1

Episode 7 – De La Soul

When we first meet Marvin Milk, we don’t know much about him. In fact, he’s the last member of the OG Boys crew who begrudgingly returns. Soon, we uncover more about his life in almost perfect tandem with the intro of his incredible shirts, majority of which lean into Black culture. This one’s an ode to the eclectic hip-hop trio responsible for songs like “Me Myself and I.” It’s a nice nod to a group that was highly influential when MM was likely coming of age. 

Episode 8 – The Big X

Mother’s Milk wears a black T-shirt with a big X scrawled across the front. It’s presumably a sign for “don’t cross me,” which, well, says a lot about him. (Sometimes, an X is used to represent the Bronx; however, MM is a Harlem native so that’s probably not it.) He doesn’t have the powers (or twisted mind) of supes like Homelander but he’s still a force when pissed off. And, he looks really, really good in black. Or anything, to be honest. Moving on…

The Best T-Shirts That Marvin “MM” Milk Wears in Season 2

Episode 1 – Wu-Tang Clan

Wu-Tang ain’t nuthing ta f*** with and neither is Marvin. Once again, this logo shirt speaks volumes. I’m pretty sure that Laz Alonso himself likes Wu-Tang (because why wouldn’t he?!) but it is a known fact that MM is a Wu fan. And if you don’t know about Wu-Tang, you better ask somebody. 

Episode 2 – Boogie Down Productions 

Boogie Down Productions was a hip-hop collective in the ‘80s featuring the legendary KRS-One, DJ Scott La Rock, and D-Nice, the DJ who infamously made the beginning of covid more tolerable with his “Club Quarantine” live DJ sets. Strong political and social commentary anchored their storytelling about the harsh realities of the South Bronx. It’s very dope to see him show such a pivotal and frankly underrated group so much love. 

Episode 3 – Public Enemy 

Once again, MM doesn’t miss, this time paying homage to Public Enemy. Long before Flava Flav became a reality show icon, he was a part of this collective alongside Chuck D. There isn’t a person over the age of 30 who doesn’t know “Fight the Power,” which is essentially what MM does as a Boys member. A true king of the people. Too bad it gets whale guts all over it. 

Episode 4 – NY Giants Love

MM is a NY native, so it’s not surprising to see this Giants shirt. This one has those nice pops of color that we all recognize from the NFL team’s uniform colors. More blues and reds, please. 

Episode 4 – Power to the People 

MM rarely gives us a double dose of T-shirts in one episode. He is a busy guy, after all. But we get a wardrobe change into a Black Panther shirt. No, not the comic character but the organization. His shirt is particularly about the program ran in the late 1960s-early 1970s to feed Black youth breakfast before school. And, I must admit, the material looks soft and cozy against his muscles.

Episode 5 – Run-DMC 

The odes to NY hip hop abound with the infamous Run-DMC shirt that MM rocks with his signature leather jacket. MM’s taste in music and T-shirts is truly unmatched. 

Episode 6 and 8 – Black Fist Hoodie 

A shirt looks great but a hoodie. Wow. Perfection on MM. This hoodie is actually a part of Mississippi rapper and humanitarian David Banner’s “Black Fist” clothing collection. Love to see him in a hoodie so nice that he wore it twice.  

Episode 7 – Camouflage Yankees 

The New York Yankees get some love in this episode with a camouflaged logo shirt. Marvin is a former Marine (and yes, they do wear camo sometimes) so it’s a small homage to his past.

Episode 7 – Phife Forever

MM pays homage to Phife, a member of A Tribe Called Quest. The rapper died in 2016 and Forever is the name of his final album, which was mostly completed at his time of death. 

The Best T-Shirts That Marvin “MM” Milk Wears in Season 3

Episode 3 – N.W.A.

Our precious guy links up with the Boys and gets back on his T-shirt bullsh*t in the best way. He rocks an N.W.A. shirt as the crew reunites. We even hear the group’s single “Express Yourself” playing as MM does his usual meticulous cleaning. And he brings back the jacket AND shades. Very hot content. 

Episode 4 – Ruff Ryders 

RIP to DMX. MM’s Rough Ryders shirt is for the label and rap collective that included X, Eve, Swizz Beats, The Lox, and more. The “R” is instantly recognizable to ‘90s hip-hop fans, appearing on shirts as well as pendants for chains. 

Episode 5 – Stop the Violence

What a phrase to wear when you’re always in the midst of it. We’ve seen MM wear a Boogie Down Productions shirt and “Stop the Violence” is one of their song titles. Interestingly, this coincides with the division among the Boys when Butcher and Hughie start taking sh*t too far. 

Episode 6 – This Is America 

MM is tired of taking the high road and having to keep a level head as a Black man. (I’m not a man but whew, I get it.) This lines up well with his “This Is America” shirt, which shares a title with Donald Glover’s song about the injustices that Black people face. I don’t think MM will ever wear this shirt again, cause, well, Herogasm. 

Episode 6 – The TNT Smile Time Hour

This is one shirt that’s actually just specific to this universe and something that MM would never wear. It’s a shirt from the supe twins’ former show but you gotta wear what you can wear when your shirt gets… messed up. I must say, that color looks impeccable on his skin. 

Episode 7 – Dark Man X

Like the Ruff Ryders logo, DMX’s is also iconic. And MM continues his deep love of Black shirts, rocking one with a red logo on it. Love to see it. Alonso tells us more about why he wanted MM to wear this shirt in episode seven. “We did a shoutout to DMX and the Ruff Ryders this season,” he says. “The DMX one is in the episode where I knock out Todd. That [moment] was declarative. And we wanted to have that shirt during a moment when MM exhibits a moment of gaining back his family and control.”

Episode 8 – Snoop Dogg 

The West Coast gets a little love with this Snoop Dogg shirt. Perfect 10, no notes. 

Episode 8 – 2Pac 

He ends the season and this episode with a shirt that makes total sense considering his Snoop shirt. 2Pac is heavily associated with Cali thanks to his Death Row days; however, he’s an East Coast native who spent his high school years in the DMV, Baltimore to be specific. It turns out that Laz Alonso is himself a native of the area, hailing from DC. 

The Best T-Shirts That Marvin “MM” Milk Wears in Season 4

Episode 1 – GangStarr

MM starts The Boys season four off right with a Gang Starr shirt in the show’s opening scene. This Boston, MA hip-hop duo found success primarily in the ’90s and early 2000s. DJ Premier continues to work in the music industry to this day. Unfortunately, Guru passed away after a bout with cancer in 2010. Leave it to MM to always honor legends.

Episode 1 – EPMD

The crew is back at Boys headquarters and a perpetually stressed MM is trying to log into his damn CIA account. In this scene, he’s wearing an EPMD T-shirt, which obviously honors the influential hip-hop group featuring Erick Sermon and Parrish Smith. They came to rise in 1987 and gave us hits like “Strictly Business” and “You Gots To Chill.”

It’s the perfect shirt for MM, who is trying to handle being the leader of the Boys and always standing on business.

Episode 1 – The LOX – “Money, Power & Respect”

At first, it is hard to make out what this shirt is while MM, Frenchie, and Kimiko are tracking Todd. But, during the Starlighter/Homelander supporter showdown, we can clearly see the shirt honors The LOX, a rap trio comprised of Styles P, Jadakiss, and Sheek Louch, who were popular in the late ’90s as a group prior to each person finding their own success.

Episode 2 – Eric B & Rakim

Eric B & Rakim are a classic rap duo, much like MM and Butcher are a great pair. Well, they used to be. MM is wearing this shirt when Butcher tells everyone about his diagnosis and he subsequently kicks him out of the Boys. Then, he beats Butcher up with this shirt on. Good lord. Eric B & Rakim rocked the mic during the golden age of hip-hop in the late ’80s with classics like “Paid in Full” and “I Know You Got Soul.”

Episode 2 – OutKast

OutKast is everlasting and also a great addition to MM’s T-shirt lineup on The Boys. The Southern rap legends Andre 3000 and Big Boy are two of the most influential and successful musicians of all-time. MM slides this great shirt in at the end when he chats with Butcher and decides he’s truly done with his s**t.

Episode 3 – MF DOOM

MF Doom is what’s on MM’s chest when he is at the headquarters and suggesting that he will get A-Train to work with them. It’s a simple black hoodie (it is near Christmas and cold, apparently) with white lettering that honors the late, great British rapper who died in 2020.

Episode 4 – Big Pun

As MM decides to bring Butcher back into the fold, he’s wearing a Big Pun shirt. The Bronx rapper rose to fame in the mid-’90s with hits like “Still Not a Player.” Sadly, he died in the midst of a growing career in 2000. It’s lovely to see MM continue to honor rappers who are no longer with us. It is the only shirt he wears throughout the episode.

Episode 5 – Big Pun (Again!)

At the beginning of the episode, MM keeps his long-sleeved Big Pun T-Shirt for this episode. This makes makes sense considering time isn’t passing very quickly. But he soon goes for a quick change that’s closely related with a fun hoodie.

Episode 5 – Fat Joe

MM honors Big Pun’s partner-in-music Fat Joe with an all-black hoodie. His hoodie gets quite dirty, thanks to some Compound V-fueled chickens at Victoria’s hellacious farm.

Episode 6 – The Notorious B.I.G.

Outside of his professional attire, we only see MM in one hip-hop shirt this episode. It is an obvious reference to the Notorious B.I.G., a ‘90s rapper who became an eternal legend after his shooting death in 1997. The East vs. West Coast battle between his crew and 2Pac’s is a sad era of rap history that ended with both of the promising rapper’s untimely demises. 

Episode 7 – Black Sheep

MM sticks to one shirt and his ongoing penchant for wearing black with this shirt. Black Sheep is a late ’80s-early ’90s hip-hop duo who found success with “The Choice Is Yours.” (Most people recognize the song’s “you can get with this or you can get with that” lyrics with “uhh come on” ad-libs.)

Episode 8 – Dead Prez

This is a pitch perfect shirt to wear for this season finale, considering the plot against President Robert Singer. Dead Prez is a hip-hop duo that has been around since the mid-1990s whose music encourages social justice through force and Black pride. They eschew media influence and are pioneers of the “conscious rap” subgenre.

I’m thankful for every dope ass T-shirt he wears and how they fit. Give that costume person and Laz Alonso a raise!

Originally published July 8, 2022.

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Strap in! There’s a lot of information coming your way if you’re a Cobra Kai fan. Of course, fans will already know that season six of Cobra Kai will be its final outing. But now, Netflix has shared more details about the release of the season and it’s turning into a major event. Cobra Kai season six will release its final episodes in what Netflix is calling “a three-part event.” The final season of Cobra Kai is actually super-sized, and its release will take place in two different years. Netflix has also revealed the first for Cobra Kai season six, part one. Let’s take a look at everything that’s been shared.

Cobra Kai‘s Final Season Shares a Season 6, Part 1 Trailer

Cobra Kai season six, part one will arrive on July 18. You can learn more about the series’ release date schedule below. But first, check out Netflix’s trailer for season six, part one.

A synopsis from Netflix notes about the first part of season six, “Picking up with Cobra Kai eliminated from the Valley, our senseis and students must decide if and how they will compete in the Sekai Taikai — the world championships of karate.” It’s one thing to be the best in town, it’s a whole other thing to be the best in the world.

World championships, here we come… But not before a lot of drama, bickering, and could it be, one last lesson from Mr. Miyagi? We guess we’ll have to tune in to find out.

What Are the Release Dates for Cobra Kai‘s Three-Part Final Season?

We’re going back to the dojo… and we’ll be going more than once. Netflix has revealed the following release dates for Cobra Kai‘s final season:

• Part 1 premieres July 18, 2024.
• Part 2 was slated to premiere on November 28, 2024, but will now release on November 15, 2024.
• The Finale Event comes in 2025.

Netflix notes that “All three batches will consist of five episodes each.” Happily, part one will arrive this summer, so that’s not too long to wait for more of the

How Many Episodes Will Cobra Kai Season 6 Have?

Cobra Kai‘s season six will have 15 episodes. To date, every other Cobra Kai season has had only 10. So the final season of Cobra Kai will contain another extra half of a season. That’s a pretty good deal for fans.

Cobra Kai Season 6 First-Look Images

You can check out a few more first-look images from the final season of Cobra Kai below.

Click To View Gallery

“Cobra Kai is back,” and how!

Originally published on May 2, 2024.

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With Dune: Part Two earlier this year, fans got to see Paul Atreides rise to power on Arrakis. But we know there’s way more story to tell both ahead of him, and from generations past. HBO’s new series Dune: Prophecy will depict the struggles and political maneuvering of the Bene Gesserit Sisterhood 10,000 years before Muad’dib’s ascension. In the first teaser, we get to see Emily Watson, Travis Fimmel, and more begin to weave a tapestry of Imperium’s past.

The series follows two Harkonnen sisters as they combat forces that threaten the future of humankind, and establish the fabled sect that will become known as the Bene Gesserit. From our Dune expert Matt Caron, we can assume the following:

Watson plays Valya Harkonnen, the Reverend Mother Superior of the Bene Gesserit Order by the time of the show. It looks like also get flashbacks to when she first joined the sisterhood and began her training. We see a key shot of her using “the Voice,” which was a skillset she taught herself and developed before using it in full when she became a Bene Gesserit.

We also see Travis Fimmel’s character, Desmond Hart, who appears to be warning someone about how the Bene Gesserit are the ones on the inside actually pulling the strings. How did he know?! Additionally we get a glimpse of what appears to be the Emperor’s palace, which could be on Kaitain or on Salusa Secundus before it was irradiated. Guess we’ll find out!

Based on Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson’s Sisterhood of Dune, the series, co-produced with Legendary Television, will debut its six-episode season this November on HBO and will be available to stream on Max. 

Editor’s Note: Nerdist is a subsidiary of Legendary Digital Networks

Kyle Anderson is the Senior Editor for Nerdist. He hosts the weekly pop culture deep-dive podcast Laser Focus. You can find his film and TV reviews here. Follow him on Instagram and Letterboxd.

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The Boys‘ spinoff series Gen V (mostly) did its own thing with the mystery at Godolkin University. But that doesn’t mean these shows aren’t closely intertwined. For college supes like Marie Moreau, the deification of superheroes led their parents to inject them babies with Compound V in hopes that they’d gain powers. This drug is a big part of The Boys’ overall history and future storylines. So, let’s dig into all things Compound V, its different forms, and what it means for the characters of Gen V and The Boys. 

The History of Compound V and Compound V24 in The Boys, Explained

The first season of The Boys introduces us to Compound V. It is a blue serum that can give both humans and animals extraordinary abilities. Nazi scientist Frederick Vought created it during WWII to turn adult soldiers into supes. Over the years, Vought International continued to make and manipulate his formula. The abilities a person can get are random and, if there are multiple doses, the powers can change based on how it mutates in the body. Interestingly, Compound V has a better survival and success rate with babies and young children versus adults. It is not a guarantee that anyone who takes Compound V will develop powers at any point in their lives. And, as expected, higher doses for those who can successfully process Compound V makes them stronger/faster/etc. This is why Queen Maeve and Homelander are so wildly strong.

In The Boys, we see an adult and already superpowered A-Train and his then-girlfriend Popclaw take Compound V. They use it in regular, small doses to enhance their abilities, much like a steroid does for normal human athletes. Unfortunately, it can cause the opposite effect and weaken their powers or cause major damage to their organs. That’s what happens to the speedster A-Train, who ends up needing a heart transplant.

The Boys season three gives us a different form of the serum with Compound V24, which is also known as Temp V. Compound V24 is a green super serum that allows a regular person to be a supe for 24 hours with just one dose. It is expensive—two million dollars, to be exact—and doesn’t seem to be addictive. Well, unless you count a person’s ego boost as addictive. Butcher gets his initial dose from Queen Maeve in hopes of being able to fight Soldier Boy and the Payback collective. Hughie also takes some of it so he can gain powers and feel more useful in general. 

Like any drug, Compound V24 has side effects. It made Butcher vomit green blood, drizzle goo out of his ears, and eventually led to such severe sickness that he only has months to live (allegedly). Starlight reveals that Compound V24 is fatal after three doses and Butcher has hit that mark.

Compound V24 comes into play in The Boys season four as we learn more about Butcher’s fate. The first three episodes show how it is affecting his body, with wormlike crawling happening under his skin. He’s hallucinating and seeing Becca, often unable to stand, and just looks like s**t in general. We discover in episode four that Butcher tried to take regular Compound V to save his life and, while he does have some serious physical strength, it is not enough. Later on, we discover that Joe Kessler is not even alive but a figment of his Compound V-drenched brain. He was a real person and former colleague whom Butcher left to die and now he’s manifesting as Butcher’s bad side.

We see how dangerous Compound V can be through Hughie’s father, who gets a dose from Hughie’s mom. He initially pops up like toast from a serious coma but, in episode five, he gains an uncontrollable and deadly power along with some mental instability. Hughie ends up giving him a drug so he can pass away peacefully.

We also see that it causes some serious deviant behavior in animals, thanks to Victoria Neuman’s farm experiments. From deadly flying sheep to chickens that will fly right through your torso, Compound V is a mess of a drug. In the season finale, we see Vought CEO Ashley take it and it appears to disfigure her in some way. We don’t see the final result of her decision but it is probably not good.

Compound V in Gen V, Explained

It’s pretty obvious that Compound V plays a role in Gen V. It is right there in the show’s name. According to Indira Shetty’s conversation with Ashely Barrett in episode two, 400 kids (including Marie) found out that they weren’t born special but were drugged with Compound V as babies. Luke and Sam further discuss this in an episode three flashback. Sam is understandably furious when he finds out but Luke tries to defend his parents, saying they just thought they were giving them powers.

Why would a parent give their child a dangerous and potentially fatal drug? We assume most parents did this in hopes of making their kids wealthy/famous like the Seven. That is the case with Emma’s mom for sure. As we discover in Gen V, many of these young supes don’t know how to control their abilities when they first activate. Like Marie, some of their powers don’t kick in until puberty or another life-altering event and they are completely shocked.

They often end up in places like the Red River Institute, which is a supe orphanage. After a certain age/timeframe, they “transition” to a facility like Sage Grove psychiatric hospital or Elmira Adult rehab center where they are locked up or killed. Some supes like Sam have to grapple with mental health hurdles, too.

Marie’s power may not be as “marketable” as being a speedster or having super strength; however, she’s still one of the lucky ones. Landing at God U seemed like the best fate given her traumatic past. But we now know that the school is a front for gruesome experiments. Interestingly, we discover more about Marie’s powers, including her ability to suss out Compound V in a person’s bloodstream.

The mysteries of that weird facility known as “the woods” revealed that there’s a supe killing virus that presumably deadens the Compound V in a being’s system. The Boys season four will probably reveal something new about Compound V, so let’s stay tuned.

Originally published September 29, 2023.

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The Boys season four is over and, to quote the great MM, it was truly “the bold and the bats**t.” Butcher’s choice to kill Victoria Neuman literally changes America and leads to his former colleagues being locked away. Homelander is running the country with President Calhoun under his thumb after Robert Singer goes down for Vicky’s death. And Sage is enjoying all of it. Despite having a ton of superheroes, no one on this show is truly a hero. But some characters activities are more nefarious than others. Quite a few villains are at play in The Boys season four, so let’s look at how they are shaking up this universe.

Homelander

Of course, the chief antagonist is Homelander. He’s trying to mold Ryan in his own twisted image and is willing to do anything to take down Annie/Starlight and the Boys for good. Homelander is threatening Victoria Neuman, lasering the heads of innocent people, and being an all-around d*ck to most of his Vought family. He’s also unraveling mentally so he could do or say literally anything at any moment, like when he went back to his birthplace and killed pretty much everyone in horrific fashion. In episode five, he even starts to turn Ryan into a diabolical mini-me by appealing to his son’s desire to help others while offering his twisted guidance. The longer Ryan stays with him, the less chances of Butcher being able to save Ryan before he becomes a full-fledged baddie. We saw Ryan warming up to him as the season progressed; however, things change in episode seven. Ryan is not feeling a Christmas TV spot encouraging kids to tell on their adults if they are not pro-supe and stands up to Vought and Homelander. Ryan does kill Grace Mallory (mostly by accident) but it is not clear if he goes back to Homelander or on his own.

Homelander forms a supe army with the Seven members as well as Gen V‘s Cate Dunlap and Sam Riordan. He’s also working with Victoria Neuman to overthrow the POTUS so she can take his place. It’s all very scary, indeed. Homelander’s crumble over the season has been quite the spectacle. He is heartbroken about A-Train’s betrayal, which resulted in him firing Sage from the Seven. (She obviously knew it was A-Train.) But Sage gets the final laugh when things all work according to her wild plan and Homelander gets President Calhoun to enact martial law that puts supes in charge of America and gets the Boys out of his hair.

Sister Sage

Homelander brought her into the fold to help sustain Vought’s power and destroy everything that Starlight has built. And boy is she using her smarts to the wildest extent. She convinces Homelander to have A-Train, Black Noir, and the Deep murder three of Homelander’s biggest fans and pin it on two Starlight supporters. (Her doing this as a Black woman and framing two Black men is exceptionally nasty work.)

She’s also turned the Deep against Ashley, which helped her secure power as Vought’s CEO. And, she brought Firecracker, a dangerous conspiracy theorist with a rabid following, into the fold to tell her lies on a really large platform. Having someone as calculating yet even-keeled as her to balance out Homelander is frightening. And, after discovering that she and Homelander were working with Tek Knight to set up prison camps, she’s really on some wild stuff. She knows A-Train is the leak but says nothing (despite them not liking each other), which indirectly results in the unnecessary deaths of Cameron Coleman and Webweaver.

In episode seven, Homelander fires her and she leaves Vought Tower in a huff. But the season finale reveals that Sage got video of Robert Singer chastising the Boys for not killing Victoria as he instructed, which allows all of them to go down for her murder. Homelander has Sage by his side once again as he basically becomes the leader of a nationwide supe militia. Sister Sage may not be killing people directly but she is certainly a villain in The Boys season four. 

Firecracker

Being a dangerous “truther” aside, Firecracker is dangerous because of her deep-seated hatred for Starlight. In episode three, we discover Firecracker was shunned from the pageant world after Annie told people she had sex with judges. She’s certainly within her rights to hate Annie’s guts but she’s also putting a lot of innocent people in danger with her lies and twisted propaganda. Homelander’s followers are bad, but her devotees are 10 times worse because they will literally believe anything she says. Sounds familiar, right? 

From sharing Annie’s very private information on a national platform to her gross statutory rape of a teenage boy, Firecracker is absolutely a villain in The Boys. She’s also Homelander’s new sidekick after, um, making milk for him. Firecracker is happy as can be in the season four finale with a country run by Homelander that will establish the “good values” that Jesus wants for America. Good grief.

Victoria Neuman

Victoria is also up to no good for most of season four. She’s working with Homelander and Sister Sage to get Robert Singer out of the way so she can be the President. Once installed, they want Victoria to give supes ultimate power in every city and get rid of any educational platforms/theories that are “anti-supe.” After what happened with Soldier Boy killing MM’s grandfather and Blue Hawk’s murder of an innocent Black man, this certainly isn’t good for society. 

In episode five, we discover that she’s taken the supe-killing virus from God U and has (sorta accidentally) created an entire farm of Compound V-powered deranged animals. She wants to take Homelander down but she also wants to make sure that she obtains the highest level of power. Right now, she’s playing nice with the Boys and Stan Edgar, but Butcher’s decision to hurt Zoe’s father and force him into making more of the virus will probably lead to her popping a few heads. Hughie tries to get her to abandon the assassination plan in episode seven, but she refuses to go along with it. Victoria looks slightly guilty, but her desire for self-preservation (and protecting Zoe) will not allow her to do the right thing.

However, she sings a different tune in the finale after Homelander outs her as a supe. She’s willing to give up her VP title and run away from it all but Butcher kills her before that can happen. Welp.

Is Billy Butcher a Villain in The Boys Universe?

Butcher has never been an exceptionally morally just person. But he’s more of an anti-hero than villain… until now. His decision to push back against his team and murder Victoria, who was trying to do the right thing, is bad. He has no MM, Becca, nor Grace to reel him in. The only voice in his head is that darn Joe Kessler and that could lead to supe genocide.

We will have to wait and see how the surviving villains move in The Boys season five, which probably won’t come our way until 2026.

Originally published on June 13, 2024.

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The Dexter prequel series is starting to come together. Paramount+ with Showtime announced the cast of Dexter: Original Sin, including Patrick Gibson as Dexter and the always fantastic Christian Slater as Harry Morgan, Dexter’s adoptive father and a homicide detective. Molly Brown, who will portray Debra Morgan, Dexter’s younger sister, also joins. And now, we can see the whole Morgan family in action because Dexter: Origin Sin has officially revealed first-look photos from the prequel series. You can check out Harry Morgan, Dexter Morgan, and Debra Morgan in their new forms below.

Dexter: Original Sin Reveals First-Look Photos of the Prequel Series

We must say, these Dexter: Original Sin first-look photos look good. They really evoke the spirit of the original series. Patrick Gibson is giving Dexter Morgan in the best ways. As a release notes, these “photos unveil the iconic Morgan family, with Golden Globe winner Christian Slater as Harry Morgan, Patrick Gibson as Dexter Morgan and Molly Brown as Debra Morgan.” The series will take place 15 years before Dexter, and let us see how Dexter became Dexter. The prequel “chronicles America’s favorite serial killer…in training.”

Click To View Gallery

Dexter: Original Sin‘s Synopsis

Here’s a brief synopsis of Dexter: Original Sin to accompany these first-look photos: 

Set in 1991 Miami, DEXTER: ORIGINAL SIN follows Dexter (Gibson) as he transitions from student to avenging serial killer. When his bloodthirsty urges can’t be ignored any longer, Dexter must learn to channel his inner darkness. With the guidance of his father, Harry (Slater), he adopts a Code designed to help him find and kill people who deserve to be eliminated from society without getting on law enforcements’ radar. This is a particular challenge for young Dexter as he begins a forensics internship at the Miami Metro Police Department.    

Dexter: Original Sin Cast and Characters

In addition to Christian Slater as Harry Morgan, Patrick Gibson as Dexter Morgan and Molly Brown as Debra Morgan, Patrick Dempsey will also be a part of the Dexter: Original Sin cast. Deadline reveals that he will play Aaron Spencer, “the Captain of the Miami Metro Homicide department who has a decades-long relationship with Harry Morgan (Christian Slater).”

Additionally, James Martinez (Love Victor), Christina Milian (Falling Inn Love), Alex Shimizu (The Blacklist) and Reno Wilson (Mike & Molly). According to a release, “These four actors star as members of the Miami Metro Police Department. Martinez plays Angel Batista, an up-and-coming homicide detective who leads with his heart; Milian plays Maria LaGuerta, Miami Metro’s first female homicide detective; Shimizu plays Vince Masuka, a forensic analyst who eagerly shares his expertise while relishing the chance to boss around his new intern, Dexter Morgan; and Wilson plays Bobby Watt, Harry’s longtime partner and confidant.”

Joe Pantoliano, Brittany Allen, Randy Gonzalez, Aaron Jennings, Raquel Justice, Jasper Lewis, Carlo Mendez , Isaac Gonzalez Rossi, and Roberto Sanchez have also joined the cast. Per Deadline, “Pantoliano plays Mad Dog, Allen plays Dexter’s biological mother, Laura Moser, Gonzalez plays Santos Jimenez, Jennings plays Clark Sanders, Justice plays Sofia, Lewis, Lewis plays Dexter’s adoptive mom and wife of Harry, Doris Morgan, Mendez plays Hector Estrada, Gonzalez Rossi plays Gio and Sanchez plays Tony Ferrer.”

Finally, Sarah Michelle Gellar will guest star on Dexter: Original Sin as Tanya Martin. She will play, ” the CSI Chief at the Miami Metro Police Department and Dexter Morgan’s (Patrick Gibson) new boss.”

What Is the Release Date for Dexter: Original Sin?

The release date for Dexter: Original Sin is unknown at this time. The Dexter prequel series will be ten episodes long.

Originally published on May 23, 2024.

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In the first episode of The Boys season four, we finally get to meet Joe Kessler, the mysterious character played by Jeffrey Dean Morgan. Until now, we only knew that he used to work with Butcher in some capacity. We didn’t really know who he was until episode six, when it is revealed that he’s basically the devil on Butcher’s shoulders opposite of Becca’s angelic/morally just apparition. Here’s everything we know about Jeffrey Dean Morgan’s Joe Kessler in The Boys. 

Related: Joe Kessler Is Dead in The Boys, Actually

Episode one takes place six months after the events of season three. Billy Butcher is sick, no longer the leader of the Boys,and, well, pretty much everyone around him hates him. After a failed mission to kill Vice President-elect Victoria Neuman, Grace Mallory and President-elect Robert Singer call MM in for a heavy scolding. Butcher is not welcomed into the room but he is shocked when Joe Kessler “appears” at the CIA office. They worked together at the CIA and were in a war on some covert s**t. It’s been over 10 years ago, so they exchange some pleasantries and jokes before catching up over coffee.

Joe asks why Butcher is still trying to be down with the Boys. Butcher says he will get his leadership position back. Butcher is laser focused on killing Homelander and saving Ryan while Joe is clearly frustrated about Mallory’s preoccupation with killing Victoria Neuman. Joe says they need someone like him before supes start rounding up humans and putting them into camps. It’s not totally clear who the “they” is but we can assume that Joe is working on something behind Mallory’s back. 

We see Jeffrey Dean Morgan as Joe Kessler again in episode three after Butcher admits to the Boys that he only has months to live. MM is unwilling to help Butcher with his dying mission of getting Ryan away from Homelander for good. So he goes to Kessler for assistance. Joe gives Butcher a powerful drug that will knock Ryan out and allow them to essentially hold him hostage at Grace’s safehouse. Butcher bakes the drug into cookies but, after opening up about his fears of dying, decides to earn his trust instead.

Joe feels like Butcher is wasting precious time. He reveals that he looked into Butcher’s medical files and knows about his diagnosis. He also says they “need” Ryan because the whole world is about to burn. This angers Butcher because he doesn’t want Ryan to be a killing asset. Joe warns that they either figure out how to train him or they may have to figure out how to kill him. Honestly, they are both making valid points. Ryan is only 12 years old and maybe shouldn’t be trained to be a soldier. However, his lack of training could prove to be dangerous. He did (accidentally) fling a man into the side of the building and crush him, after all. The question is whether Joe is someone with good intentions or not.

In episode five, Butcher meets with Joe and gives him photos from The Woods at God U. Joe says that he and Butcher should do the job of killing Homelander without the rest of the Boys because, well, they are all a mess. (He’s not wrong.) Joe says that the two of them don’t belong with decent people. Later on, Butcher goes with the crew, Stan Edgar, and Victoria Neuman. They find Sameer, a scientist working at Victoria’s secret lab who is also her daughter Zoe’s father. He argues with Annie/Starlight about whether they should use the last bit of the supe-killing virus to take a shot and make a run for it from the Compound V animals or try to use it on a man’s corpse to kill the deranged animals. MM talks sense into everyone and they make the latter choice to save everyone, but Butcher never goes with the flow.

At the end of the episode, Butcher brings Joe to the secluded farm after he’s tied up Sameer and cut one of his legs off at the knee. Butcher threatens Sameer to make more of the supe-killing virus, lest he wants to lose more body parts. This brutality pleases Joe, who smiles in the background.

Except… Joe is not involved in any of this. Why? He died way back in the Panjshir Valley. Butcher did not save Joe Kessler but instead left him to die. This shows just how down bad he is, thanks to Compound V24. Joe and Butcher are now in the midst of a conflict, with Joe unhappy that Butcher isn’t down to follow his violent plans.

In episode seven, we don’t see Becca at all but Joe appears a couple of times. He berates Butcher for telling the group the truth about the supe-killing virus’ instability. Joe even “abandons” Butcher during a massive fight against the Deep and Black Noir. At the very end of the episode, Butcher tells Joe that he knows Ryan can be saved after seeing him go off script during that ridiculous Christmas spot. He collapses on the floor as Joe looks over him with some amusement.

Butcher is in the hospital and in very bad physical shape in the finale. He even calls and basically tells Hughie goodbye, asking him to tell the Boys that he’s sorry. But after Ryan kills Grace after refusing to go along with their plan to train him to kill Homelander, Butcher decides to let Joe truly become a part of him. We can only assume that between this mental shift and Butcher probably taking more V, he’s back and completely unhinged.

He kills Victoria Neuman in front of his former crew (and her daughter!) and takes the supe killing virus with him. Joe Kessler is seen in the back seat as Butcher drives down a snowy abandoned road. The Boys (except for Starlight) are now in custody and Butcher will probably attempt supe genocide in season five under Joe’s guidance.

Joe Kessler Will Return in The Boys Season Five

This is pretty much a given based on the season four finale. Butcher is being driven by this dark part of him to the point that Becca doesn’t even show up anymore. Joe will likely push Butcher to his brink, perhaps even causing him to sacrifice himself to defeat Homelander. Will Butcher have to kill Ryan? Can he ever reconcile with the Boys after this? We will have to wait and see what happens.

Is Jeffrey Dean Morgan’s The Boys Character Joe Kessler From the Comics?

There isn’t a Joe Kessler in The Boys comics but there is a Howard Kessler. He’s a CIA analyst who feeds the Boys information. Butcher calls him Monkey due to a gross incident that happened at a brothel. Howard Kessler is a terrible person who tries to sexually assault a woman. Butcher responds to this by having his dog Terror deliver sickening justice. I’d rather not get into all that but it seems that Joe’s last name is simply a nod to that character and nothing more.

Originally published on June 13, 2024.

The post Who Is Jeffrey Dean Morgan’s Character Joe Kessler on THE BOYS? Butcher’s Former Colleague, Explained appeared first on Nerdist.

The Boys’ fourth season is a game changer in many ways. Butcher is officially on his own, the other Boys (except Annie) are in custody for Victoria Neuman’s murder, and Homelander is basically running America. This is truly scary times for humanity. Throughout the season, The Boys ties in Gen V in quite a few ways, including appearances by Cate Dunlap, Tek Knight, and Sam Riordan. Let’s dive into all the diabolical mess. 

Butcher Tells the Boys About the Supe-Killing Virus at God U 

The desperation to get rid of awful supes like Firecracker, Homelander, and Victoria Neuman is at an all-time high at the beginning of the season. So Butcher decides to tell the team about a virus that can kill supes by basically frying the Compound V out of them. MM and the others are annoyed but not shocked that he was withholding information once again. Butcher knows that Victoria has the goods, so he works with MM to strike a deal with Stan Edgar. They visit the former Vought leader in prison and say that they will help exonerate him and assist him with getting custody of Zoe. Stan is very angry that Victoria betrayed him and gave Zoe Compound V, so he agrees to help. 

Butcher is so obsessed with getting more of the supe-killing virus that he kidnaps Victoria’s baby daddy Sameer, cuts off his leg, and threatens to do more if he doesn’t make more of it. He doesn’t want to do that because it would become airborne and kill anyone with Compound V in their veins. Yikes.

In the end, Frenchie is able to replicate the virus but Butcher swoops in, kills Victoria Neuman, and takes the virus with him. It looks like he will go the genocidal route and the Boys don’t know how to stop him. He’s suped up and shooting deadly tentacles from his chest.

Victoria Neuman Led Experiments on Animals, Regrets Her Homelander Team Up, and Dies in The Boys Season Four Finale

The Boys team (minus Hughie) and Stan travel to a remote home he owns to see if Victoria is stashing the supe-killing virus there. She was not only keeping it there, but also having a crew of researchers, including Zoe’s father Sameer, experiment on small animals. Victoria likely wants to perfect it so she can take out Homelander. One hamster went rogue, Compound V got into the water supply, and the farm became a not-so-pleasant space. The crew battles deadly flying sheep and chickens before they eventually discover that there’s only one dose of the supe-killing virus left. 

She’s not going to be happy about Butcher taking Sameer. She’s also not super thrilled about working with Homelander and Sage but she’s willing to do whatever to become the next POTUS. She has billionaires in her back pocket and is determined to become the leader of America. But after Homelander outs her as a supe and gets incredibly violent, Victoria decides to work with the Boys to take him down. She’s even willing to resign as VP but it is too late. Butcher shows up and uses his tentacle powers (wtf) to rip her in half in front of her own child and his horrified former teammates. Now, Robert Singer and the Boys (minus Butcher and Annie) are in custody for her murder and Homelander is running the country with President Calhoun as his puppet. Jesus.

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Gen V Characters Tek Knight, Cate Dunlap, and Sam Riordan Are in The Boys Season Four

We get a few familiar faces from Gen V at a convention to announce Vought’s next media phases. Tek Knight announces a film called The Tek Knight with a dark sequence and a great soundtrack. (God, I love this show.) Then, the “Guardians of Godolkin” come out to announce their show Flipped. Cate plays a stuck-up sorority girl, Sam is a nerd, but a gypsy swaps their bodies. Honestly, that show sounds awful.

Sam and Cate also appear at Vought with Homelander and the Seven. Homelander says they will now be wrathful gods and Cate happily agrees to do whatever he wishes. Sam, on the other hand, looks afraid and doesn’t have much to say. But he apparently gets on board by the season finale when the duo capture Frenchie and Kimiko to take them to some unknown place.

We see a brief mention of Marie and the other captured Godolkin supes on TV but they do not make an appearance in The Boys.

Episode six features a lot of Tek Knight and his freaky a** Tek Cave, where we discover he was working with Homelander to use his prisons as camps. Yikes. He’s dead now, thanks to his butler, but we don’t know how far they got in their plan.

Does The Boys Finale Set Up Gen V Season Two?

The Boys season four ends in a way that doesn’t give us too much for Gen V‘s second season. Perhaps the Boys will be taken to the same holding facility as Marie and her friends. We will have to see how The Boys and Gen V continue to blend their narratives.

The post Here’s How GEN V Ties Into THE BOYS Season Four appeared first on Nerdist.

Until season four, we thought we knew the truth about how Kimiko lost her voice in The Boys. Her brother said that she stopped speaking after the Shining Light Liberation Army killed her parents in front of her. But season four’s seventh episode finally gives us the truth about Kimiko and why she is silent. While Frenchie and Kimiko are looking after Sameer, they have a conversation about the bad things they’ve done and forgiveness. Kimiko tells Frenchie that the story her brother told about her losing her voice is not true. In reality, she lost her voice the first night when she was taken into the army’s camp and forced to become a silent killer. And Kimiko spoke for the first time (outside of dreams) in The Boys season four finale! (More on that later.) There would be so much to explore in a Kimiko spinoff series, right?

A flashback reveals that Kimiko fought a girl and killed her without making a sound. When she was given permission to speak again, Kimiko wasn’t able to do so. So Kimiko did lose her voice due to childhood trauma, but not in the way we originally thought. This revelation brings a lot of her character arc into focus, specifically why she struggles with morality and often regrets violence. Kimiko hates herself because of her past but she’s trying to find forgiveness.

Kimiko Gets Her Voice Back in The Boys Season Four Finale

We knew it was possible for Kimiko to speak again. Mutism stemming from trauma can be addressed with a lot of therapy with a professional and patience. Sadly, Kimiko hasn’t gotten any therapy nor peace. Instead, Kimiko spoke for the first actual time (dreams don’t count) in The Boys season four finale. And it was heartbreak and trauma that broke her silence.

At the end of the episode, Frenchie and Kimiko decide to go on the run together after their kiss to avoid capture following Victoria Neuman’s death. Cate and Sam show up with the former whispering something in Frenchie’s ear to control him. Kimiko screams “no” repeatedly as the pair are separated. Her only dream was to spend a happy life with the man she loves and that’s in serious jeopardy.

We hope that Kimiko will continue to be able to use her voice and find happiness at the end of The Boys.

The post THE BOYS Delivers a Shocking Kimiko Moment in Its Season Four Finale appeared first on Nerdist.

The final episode of The Acolyte teased several things we know are playing an important part in Star Wars lore. The biggest was the reveal of who is almost certainly Darth Plagueis, the Sith master of the future Emperor Palpatine. The other big status quo shift was Osha (Amandla Stenberg) becoming the titular acolyte for the Stranger, also known as Qimir (Manny Jacinto). Even with these big reveals, we have many questions. Specifically, we want to know whether or not the Stranger is a Sith, or one of the Knights of Ren. Perhaps he is the very first Ren. And how do the dark-side-powered Knights of Ren even connect to the Sith Order, if it all? Maybe the finale of The Acolyte just gave us a clue.

Darth Plagueis Reveals Himself in The Acolyte

On the mysterious planet where the Stranger resides, we see a mysterious dark side figure literally lurking in the shadows. He silently watches as the Stranger talks to Osha, attempting his dark side seduction. The general assumption, based on descriptions in non-canon Legends material, is that this was our first on-screen appearance of Darth Plagueis the Wise. His look appears very similar to his appearance as a Muun in Legends, specifically the James Luceno novel, Star Wars: Darth Plagueis. So what’s he doing there? We have some ideas.

One theory we have is that he is the true Sith master, and the Stranger is his apprentice. “Always two there, no more, no less.” That’s the creed of the Sith “Rule of Two.” However, this rule is always broken. At some point, the Sith apprentice takes on their own student, and overthrows their master, starting the cycle over. In The Clone Wars, Count Dooku started training Asajj Ventress, but when she grew too powerful, his master Darth Sidious/Palpatine commanded him to kill her. He wasn’t allowing any threat to his power to exist.

Was Darth Plagueis the Master of Qimir/The Stranger?

Our feeling is that some time after being the Padawan learner to Master Venestra Rwoh, Qimir (or whatever his true name is) became the apprentice of Darth Plagueis, following the rule of two. But also, at some point, instead of trying to kill his master and replace him, he merely abandoned the Sith creed. He still obviously uses the dark side of the Force, and has his Sith training, but he may no longer consider himself a Sith Lord. That doesn’t mean that Darth Plagueis isn’t keeping tabs on him though. Especially if he knows his former pupil is on to something when it comes to a pair of mysterious children born of the Force on Brendock.

Does the Stranger Connect the Sith and the Knights of Ren?

We think that The Acolyte is showing us the origins of not just the Sith who will rule the galaxy with the Galactic Empire a century later, but also the origins of the Knights of Ren. Many things in The Acolyte have hinted at The Stranger having a connection to the Knights of Ren. The least of which was the use of John Williams’ Kylo Ren theme in association with Manny Jacinto’s character. And Leslye Headland certainly didn’t deny a Kyle/Qimir connection to us at all.

If the Stranger was the former Sith apprentice to Darth Plagueis, that means Plagueis would need a new one eventually. Who is to say a potential second season of The Acolyte won’t give us a significant time-jump? We may see an older Osha and Qimir starting the Knights of Ren together, while Plagueis makes his move on seducing a young Palpatine to the dark side. That’s certainly a story Star Wars fans have been waiting to see (in canon) for decades now. And Headland said she knows how The Acolyte connects directly to The Phantom Menace.

And yes, even with a time jump, we could see the same actors playing Qimir and Osha. Qimir already hinted that he was a Jedi “A long time ago.” That means he may be far older than he looks. As Palpatine told Anakin in Revenge of the Sith, “The dark side of the Force is a pathway to abilities some would consider to be unnatural.” It’s very possible one of those unnatural abilities in unnaturally prolonged youth. If there is a season two of The Acolyte, it may finally connect the dots between Darth Plagueis, the Stanger, Osha, the Knights of Ren, and ultimately, the Emperor himself.

The post The Stranger in THE ACOLYTE Could Be the Link Between the Sith and Knights of Ren appeared first on Nerdist.

In episode five of The Acolyte, we learn that its evil Sith-esque villain, Qimir, once trained to be a Jedi “a really long time ago.” But as Qimir tells Osha, his Jedi Master “threw him away,” abandoning him, failing him, and leaving him with a scar. (At least the way he tells it.) Of course, The Acolyte was a series that thrived on its mysteries, so it let the identity of Qimir’s one-time Jedi Master hang in the air. But finally, during the ending of the show, The Acolyte revealed just who helped Qimir get further along on his path toward darkness and Jedi-killing. So, just who is Qimir’s old Jedi Master on The Acolyte? Here’s what we learned in The Acolyte‘s finale.

Vernestra Rwoh Is Qimir’s Old Jedi Master

The character of Vernestra Rwoh, played by Rebecca Henderson, was an exciting inclusion in The Acolyte. Vernestra Rwoh hails from the Star Wars High Republic books and was one of the only familiar faces to appear in this live-action series. But it turns out that Rwoh’s story is about to become even more complicated than it was before. The Acolyte reveals that Vernestra Rwoh has been Qimir’s old Jedi Master all along.

Although there were hints and teases throughout The Acolyte, which we’ll detail below, this reveal was offered to the audience in a pretty straightforward manner. In the final sequences of The Acolyte‘s ending, Vernestra Rwoh tells a now mind-wiped Mae, “I need you to help me find someone, a pupil of mine before he turned to evil.” And there you have it. It was Vernestra Rwoh who once taught Qimir the ways of the Jedi and the Force as his Master. But clearly, their relationship went very sour along the way.

The Clues to Vernestra Rwoh and Qimir’s Jedi Connection Were There All Along

The connection between Qimir and Vernestra Rwoh did not come as a huge surprise to many The Acolyte viewers, although we are happy to receive confirmation of its existence. Fans had theorized that Vernestra Rwoh was indeed Qimir’s old Jedi Master since the question came up in episode six. The best kinds of mysteries leave clues to their solutions, after all. And The Acolyte did leave a certain trail between Master and pupil.

Vernestra Rwoh, Her Lightwhip, and Qimir’s Scar

The biggest clue to Vernestra Rwoh’s identity as Qimir’s teacher on The Acolyte was the juxtaposition of Qimir’s scar with Rwoh’s lightsaber whip in episode six. Those who knew Rwoh from the High Republic books eagerly anticipated her unique weapon making it into live-action. Rwoh herself modified her lightsaber and was the first in canon to wield a lightwhip. The crystals in her lightwhip have internal fixings that make the blade flexible and allow it to flow out of the hilt; the lightwhip blade is also thinner than that of a traditional lightsaber. Interestingly, Rwoh’s lightwhip did not make many appearances in The Acolyte, appearing only once when Rwoh killed an umbramoth in episode six.

It seems like Rwoh really did not need to use her lightwhip to kill the moth, but the appearance of the weapon came just in time for viewers to see it in action just as they first witnessed Qimir’s scar. Qimir confirms to Osha that his old Jedi Master gave him his scar. Osha notes that it looks like Qimir was stabbed, but it really looks much more like he was whipped. And who was that character just wielding a Jedi whip? Oh yes, Vernestra Rwoh. At that point, it seemed highly likely that Vernestra Rwoh was indeed the person who gave Qimir his scar and, thus, his Jedi Master on The Acolyte.

Qimir and Vernestra Rwoh Have Both Been Around a Long Time

If that weren’t enough, The Acolyte also ensured we knew that Qimir has been around for a long time, so long that the only other character who could have trained him as a Jedi is Vernestra Rwoh. Qimir reveals that he was a Jedi “a really long time ago.” He makes it sound as though he’s lived an unnaturally long life. (And now that we know he’s been hanging out with Darth Plagueis, we might assume he’s been living an unnaturally long life extended by dark side dealings.) If that’s the case, we know quite a bit of time has passed since Qimir has trained to be a Jedi. Since, of course, the Jedi are very particular about training Padawans from a young age.

No other major character on The Acolyte could bridge that span of time in order to be Qimir’s Jedi Master except Vernestra Rwoh. As a Mirialan, Vernestra Rwoh lives a much longer life than a human. And we know from the High Republic books that she’s been in the Jedi Order for a very long time.

The Tension Between Them

As The Acolyte neared its season one ending, Vernestra Rwoh and Qimir found themselves on Brendok together. Rwoh seemed to sense Qimir immediately upon arriving on the planet, noting, “You, you’re alive,” as the camera flashes between the pair of them. Qimir, of course, immediately dons his cortosis helmet to escape being sensed by her further and block her Force powers. Despite that, the two of them seem keenly aware of one another. Qimir watches Vernestra from a distance, and though he disappears before she notes him, she seems to be able to tell he was there. These moments of recognition tease a lot of history between the pair.

The Relationship Between Qimir and His Old Jedi Master Will Likely Be a Season 2 Story on The Acolyte

Ultimately though, the real story of Jedi Master Vernestra Rwoh and Padawan Qimir is yet to be told on The Acolyte. Though we now know the history the pair shares in broad strokes, we really don’t know any more about their relationship than we did in episode six. We know more or less that Qimir felt Vernestra threw him aside. And that Vernestra seems to think she’d killed Qimir, or at the very least that he was dead. But the true story between them is likely incredibly complex.

The Acolyte‘s ending teases that in season two, Vernestra Rwoh will be searching for Qimir. So we’ll have to wait for a potential season two in order to see the two of them meet face-to-face again. But we’re sure when we finally do see this meeting, it will be explosive.

The post Who Is Qimir’s Old Jedi Master? THE ACOLYTE’s Ending Reveals the Answer appeared first on Nerdist.

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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2023 was a major year for nerdy Emmy nominations; we saw The Last of Us, Wednesday, and other Nerdist favorites get more than a few nods. But 2024’s full list of nominees is a bit quieter when it comes to genre hits. One major reason for that is that many shows like House of the Dragon, Interview with the Vampire, and The Boys were delayed by the Hollywood strikes to a point where they don’t qualify for the 2024 Emmy nominations. Instead, we’ll see them return to the Emmys race next year in 2025. Still, the 2024 nominees aren’t totally lacking in shows for us to cheer for. One series that we loved this year, Fallout, has made a splash in the 2024 Emmy nominations. We also see Shōgun, 3 Body Problem, What We Do in the Shadows, and True Detective: Night Country making meaningful appearances.

Below, we break down the nods our favorite properties achieved and then share the full list of 2024 Emmy nominations for your reading pleasure.

Walton Goggins stole hearts on Prime Video’s Fallout series adaptation. Fans loved him in his dual role in the series, portraying both the charming Cooper Howard in the time before Fallout‘s Great War and the devilish Ghoul of the Wastelands. Walton Goggins became the true leading man of the year. And that’s why we’re thrilled to see the Emmys honoring his exquisite performance in Fallout. Yes, Walton Goggins is a 2024 Emmy nominee in the category of “Lead Actor in a Drama Series.” He’s up against some tough contenders, including Shōgun‘s Hiroyuki Sanada. But we just have to ask, did any other lead actor have to act without a nose? There should be a category in the Emmys just for that. In addition to Goggins’ nod, Fallout was also nominated in the 2024 Emmy category of “Outstanding Drama Series” overall. And boy, does it deserve that one as well.

Speaking of Shōgun, the stunning historical drama, which will now have a season two, qualifying it to be a series and not a limited series, is also up for “Outstanding Drama Series.” Shōgun received five nominations in four different categories in the 2024 Emmy race, including “Lead Actor in a Drama Series” for Hiroyuki Sanada, “Lead Actress in a Drama Series,” for Anna Sawai, “Outstanding Drama Series,” and “Supporting Actor in a Drama Series” for Tadanobu Asano and Takehiro Hira.

What We Do in the Shadows meanwhile is up for “Lead Actor in a Comedy Series” for Matt Berry and “Outstanding Comedy Series.” Finally True Detective: Night Country, another show which we truly loved, received 2024 Emmy nominations in the areas of “Lead Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series” for Jodie Foster, “Outstanding Limited or Anthology Series,” “Supporting Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series” for Kali Reis, and “Supporting Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series” for John Hawkes. That’s four nominations overall for True Detective: Night Country, and we definitely hope it sweeps.

Of additional note, X-Men ‘97 was nominated in the category of Outstanding Animated Program.

When Will the 2024 Emmys Take Place?

The 76th Emmy Awards will air on Sunday, September 15, from 8 p.m. to 11 p.m. ET/5 p.m. to 8 p.m. PT on ABC. The broadcast also stream on Hulu the next day. You can check out the full list of 2024 Emmy nominations below with more at the Emmy Awards’ site.

The Full List of 2024 Emmy Award Nominees

Lead Actor in a Drama Series

Idris Elba (“Hijack”)

Donald Glover (“Mr. & Mrs. Smith”) 

Walton Goggins (“Fallout”)  

Gary Oldman (“Slow Horses”)  

Hiroyuki Sanada (“Shōgun”)

Dominic West (“The Crown”) 

Lead Actress in a Drama Series

Jennifer Aniston (“The Morning Show”)

Carrie Coon (“The Gilded Age”)

Maya Erskine (“Mr. and Mrs. Smith”)

Anna Sawai (“Shōgun”)

Imelda Staunton (“The Crown”)

Reese Witherspoon (“The Morning Show”)

Outstanding Drama Series

“The Crown” (Netflix)

“Fallout” (Prime Video)

“The Gilded Age” (Max)

“The Morning Show” (Apple TV+)

“Mr. and Mrs. Smith” (Prime Video)

“Shōgun” (FX)

“Slow Horses” (Apple TV+)

“3 Body Problem” (Netflix)

Lead Actor in a Comedy Series

Matt Berry (“What We Do in the Shadows”)

Larry David (“Curb Your Enthusiasm”)  

Steve Martin (“Only Murders in the Building”)  

Martin Short (“Only Murders in the Building”)  

Jeremy Allen White (“The Bear”)

D’Pharaoh Woon-A-Tai (“Reservation Dogs”)

Lead Actress in a Comedy Series

Quinta Brunson (“Abbott Elementary”)

Ayo Edebiri (“The Bear”)

Selena Gomez (“Only Murders in the Building”)

Maya Rudolph (“Loot”)

Jean Smart (“Hacks”)

Kristen Wiig (“Palm Royale”)

Outstanding Comedy Series

“Abbott Elementary” (ABC)

“The Bear” (FX)

“Curb Your Enthusiasm” (Max)

“Hacks” (Max)

“Only Murders in the Building” (Hulu)

“Palm Royale” (Apple TV+)

“Reservation Dogs” (FX)

“What We Do in the Shadows” (FX)

Lead Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series

Matt Bomer (“Fellow Travelers”)  

Richard Gadd (“Baby Reindeer”)  

Jon Hamm (“Fargo”)  

Tom Hollander — “Feud: Capote vs. the Swans” 

Andrew Scott (“Ripley”)

Lead Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series

Jodie Foster (“True Detective: Night Country”)  

Brie Larson (“Lessons in Chemistry”)  

Juno Temple (“Fargo”)  

Sofia Vergara (“Griselda”) 

Naomi Watts (“Feud: Capote vs. the Swans”)

Outstanding Limited or Anthology Series

“Baby Reindeer” (Netflix)

“Fargo” (FX)

“Lessons in Chemistry” (Apple TV+)

“Ripley” (Netflix)

“True Detective: Night Country” (Max)

Outstanding Talk Series

“The Daily Show”  

“Jimmy Kimmel Live!”   

“Late Night With Seth Meyers”

“The Late Show With Stephen Colbert”

Outstanding Reality Competition Program

“The Amazing Race”

“RuPaul’s Drag Race”

“Top Chef”

“The Traitors”

“The Voice”

Supporting Actress in a Drama Series

Christine Baranski (“The Gilded Age”)

Nicole Beharie (“The Morning Show”)

Elizabeth Debicki (“The Crown Netflix”)

Greta Lee (“The Morning Show”)

Lesley Manville (“The Crown”)

Karen Pittman (“The Morning Show”)

Holland Taylor (“The Morning Show”)

Supporting Actor in a Drama Series

Tadanobu Asano (“Shōgun”)

Billy Crudup (“The Morning Show”)

Mark Duplass (“The Morning Show”)

Jon Hamm (“The Morning Show”)

Takehiro Hira (“Shōgun”)

Jack Lowden (“Slow Horses”)

Jonathan Pryce (“The Crown”)

Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series

Carol Burnett (“Palm Royale”)

Liza Colón-Zayas (“The Bear”)

Hannah Einbinder (“Hacks”)

Janelle James (“Abbott Elementary”)

Sheryl Lee Ralph (“Abbott Elementary”)

Meryl Streep (“Only Murders In The Building”)

Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series

Lionel Boyce (“The Bear”)

Paul W. Downs (“Hacks”)

Ebon Moss-Bachrach (“The Bear”)

Paul Rudd (“Only Murders In The Building”)

Tyler James Williams (“Abbott Elementary”)

Bowen Yang (“Saturday Night Live”)

Supporting Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series

Dakota Fanning (“Ripley”)

Lily Gladstone (“Under The Bridge”)

Jessica Gunning (“Baby Reindeer”)

Aja Naomi King (“Lessons In Chemistry”)

Diane Lane (“Feud: Capote vs. The Swans”)

Nava Mau (“Baby Reindeer”)

Kali Reis (“True Detective: Night Country”)

Supporting Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series

Jonathan Bailey “(Fellow Travelers”)

Robert Downey Jr. (“The Sympathizer”)

Tom Goodman-Hill (“Baby Reindeer”)

John Hawkes (“True Detective: Night Country”)

Lamorne Morris (“Fargo”)

Lewis Pullman (“Lessons In Chemistry”)

Treat Williams (“Feud: Capote vs. The Swans”)

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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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Netflix is about to get a heavy dose of AMC programming, according to The Hollywood Reporter. The network has signed the dotted line on a new deal with the streaming giant which will bring several of its most popular shows to Netflix starting next month. These include the first season of The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon, and all eight seasons of Fear the Walking Dead. Also included are Interview with the Vampire season one and Mayfair Witches season one. Other shows on the list are Preacher and Into the Badlands. In total, 13 AMC series will drop on Netflix on August 19. You can see the complete list of series below:

A Discovery of Witches
Anne Rice’s Interview with the Vampire S1
Anne Rice’s Mayfair Witches
Dark Winds
Fear the Walking Dead
Gangs of London
Into the Badlands
Kevin can F*** Himself
Monsieur Spade
Preacher
That Dirty Black Bag
The Terror S1
The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon

The Walking Dead: Dead City season one and The Ones Who Live season one will follow suit. Both release on Netflix on Jan 13. 2025. AMC notes that the shows will be available commercial-free, even on Netflix’s ad tier. AMC and Netflix have a long history together. It was streaming on Netflix where Breaking Bad truly became a cultural juggernaut. The fallout led to massive ratings for its post-Netflix seasons. Mad Men also got a major bump in its final seasons thanks to exposure on Netflix for its earlier seasons. The Walking Dead also got an incredible boost via the Netflix effect, also helping to make it a significant pop culture IP.

This new Netflix/AMC deal has an end date, with the “curated” series only available for one year. However, if any of these series get ratings bumps on AMC thanks to all of their Netflix exposure? Then it would not be shocking at all to see this deal extended further. Earlier this year, several AMC shows appeared on Max, but that was designed as a mere “pop-up,” and not an indicator that AMC and Max would partner up in a larger sense. We’ll have to wait and see what the future brings for AMC and Netflix going forward.

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Stranger Things 5 is still in production but the Duffer Brothers are already looking towards their next series at Netflix. Sure, we know that there will be some Stranger Things spinoffs coming at some point. And maybe one of our brilliant ideas about what they could do will come true. But for now, there’s another world that this duo wants to immerse us in. Netflix announced that it has greenlit Something Very Bad Is Going To Happen, a horror series by Haley Z. Boston and the Duffer Brothers’ Upside Down Pictures. 

Here’s a quick logline/synopsis for this series: 

Something Very Bad Is Going To Happen is an atmospheric horror series set at a wedding, following a bride and groom in the week leading up to their ill-fated nuptials. That’s not a spoiler – just read the title…

Interesting. Something Very Bad Is Going To Happen will have Boston as its creator/showrunner/executive producer alongside the Duffer Brothers and Hilary Leavitt as executive producers, thanks to their Upside Down Pictures overall deal with Netflix. The brothers are quite excited for this new venture, which they expressed in the following statement: 

 “We were knocked flat when we first read Haley’s script. She is a major new talent with a singular voice — her writing is twisted, terrifying, funny, and just… very Haley. We feel so lucky to be producing her first show, and we can’t wait to share her vision with the rest of the world.”

Right now, there’s no more information about the Duffer Brothers series Something Very Bad Is Going To Happen. If it is anything like Stranger Things, this series will have lots of characters that we will fall in love with. In the meantime, we are keeping up with everything that we’ve seen from Stranger Things 5 so far.

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Prime Video’s Fallout series made quite a splash when it arrived on our screens this year. In fact, one might say it exploded onto the scene. Not only did the Fallout series beautifully adapt the beloved video game franchise, but in many ways, it actually enhanced it. The show actively added to the universe’s lore and brought us Easter eggs with deep roots. Of course, it also introduced us to a trio of main characters that we absolutely adore, including Walton Goggins’ Ghoul. However, the live-action Fallout show is still a relatively new series, which means it doesn’t yet have a ton of merchandise to go along with it. But we have great news for Fallout fans. Mutant is releasing two versions of a gorgeous new Fallout poster, and we have an exclusive new look at it below.

Mutant’s Fallout Poster Will Release a Timed Version Online

Fallout‘s Wasteland has quite literally never looked better than it does in Mutant’s new poster celebrating the Prime Video series. Like the series itself, this Fallout poster by Daniel Danger spotlights our three main characters, Lucy MacLean, Maximus, and the Ghoul, and then hides a ton of fabulous Easter eggs into the mix. We spy the famous Fallout quote, “War never changes,” a bottle of Nuka Cola, and more in this exquisite poster. Of course, Mutant’s poster understands that the true fourth main character of the Fallout series is the Dogmeat-like companion CX404. And we’re glad to see this good boy get his day. Hopefully, he can climb on up to visit with The Ghoul soon. Speaking of The Ghoul, we’re obsessed with his tiny likeness on this poster, front and center where he deserves to be.

This warm-colored version of Mutant’s Fallout poster is the Timed Edition, which will be available online. We love how the reds, oranges, and yellows reflect the apocalyptic and desert-like setting of the Fallout show. It’s a perfect combination. You can check out how to buy this version of Mutant’s Fallout poster below.

How Can You Buy the Timed Edition of Mutant’s Fallout Poster? When Does It Release and How Much Does It Cost?

The Timed Edition of Mutant’s Fallout poster will be available to purchase online at madebymutant.com so everyone can snag one for themselves. Instead of having a specific edition number, this version of the poster will be available for a specific time-frame, so as long as you get online during that period of time, you can get a Fallout poster of your own from Mutant. The Timed Edition will be on sale from 10am PT/12pm CT on Wednesday, 7/24, until 10am PT/12pm CT on Wednesday, 7/31. That’s a good long time to take one home.

The Timed Edition will cost $65. As mentioned, its artwork is by Daniel Danger. The poster will be a 24″x36″ Screenprint.

Mutant’s Fallout Poster Will Also Have a Limited Variant Edition Available as an SDCC Exclusive

However, video game players will know that some prizes are rarer than others. And if you want to get an extra rare poster or just want to have a complete set, take note. Mutant will a limited Variant Edition of its Fallout poster available at San Diego Comic-Con as an SDCC exclusive. This limited-edition SDCC version of Fallout offering has the same artwork as its Timed Version. But, this time, the Mutant poster will be all done up in Fallout‘s signature colors. Blue and yellow take center stage for this limited variant. And that’s a pretty nifty Easter egg for the die-hard Fallout fan.

You can take a closer look at the Variant Edition of the Fallout Mutant poster above.

How Can You Buy the SDCC Variant Edition of Mutant’s Fallout Poster? When Does It Release and How Much Does It Cost?

The SDCC Variant Edition of Mutant’s Fallout poster will be available Mutant’s booth (616) during SDCC. The Fallout poster will become available at the Mutant booth beginning Wednesday, 7/24. It will have a Variant Edition of 140—so if this is on your must-have list, don’t delay in visiting the Mutant booth.

The Variant Edition of the Fallout poster will cost $80. It will otherwise have the same details as the Timed Edition.

Should the world end, we know we’d want this poster on the walls of our Vault. (Or hanging inside our power armor, or in whatever corner of the Wasteland we end up in.) Whichever version of Mutant’s Fallout poster you have your eye on, it’s definitely worth the space in your inventory.

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Even if you’re familiar with J.R.R. Tolkien’s Middle-earth, much changes between the Second and Third Ages. The creatives behind The Rings of Power shared the map below to help us understand where men, elves, dwarves, and Harfoots live. Maps have always been an important part of Tolkien’s world, both in and out of universe. Handily, on The Rings of Power, we get to see the map a lot to keep us grounded. But with all the overlapping storylines in the show, things can still get confusing. So we made a The Rings of Power map locations guide to help you keep everywhere the characters visit straight.

Every The Rings of Power Middle-earth Map Location; Jump to: Númenor // Khazad-Dûm // Eregion // The Southlands // Orodruin or Mount Doom // Mordor // Lindon // Rhovanion // Rhûn // Forodwaith // Valinor // The Sundering Seas

The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power Teases Season 2 Locations

Soon The Rings of Power will return for its second season. And ahead of its August release, we’re getting a hint of the locations to come in The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power season two. New posters from the season are giving us gorgeous looks at the places we’ll be going to in the upcoming The Rings of Power episodes, both new and familiar. You can check them out below.

Click To View Gallery

Númenor, an Island Kingdom of Men

You may recognize the white tree and architecture of Gondor in Númenor, and there’s a long history connecting the two cities of men. The people of Númenor are called the Dúnedain. They received the island as a gift from the Valar after fighting against Morgoth. We see the capital city, home to Queen Regent Míriel. It is a beautiful and grand place, with huge statues overlooking the port. Though we also get to see the less glamorous side—a blacksmith shop, pub, and even a prison cell. Galadriel and Isildur also travel to a second city, one where the Hall of Laws holds much history. And perhaps the key to finding Sauron.

On The Rings of Power‘s map, Númenor lies west of Middle-earth and far to the south of the world.

Khazad-Dûm, Realm of the Dwarves

Ruled by King Durin III, this great land under the mountain is also known as Moria. We see Khazad-Dûm in full splendor, with waterfalls and even plants growing below the surface. Shafts of light from above the mountain penetrate into the great halls. Elrond is a friend to Prince Durin IV, though the dwarfs first rebuff him from the West Gate on the edge of Eregion (see below). Princess Disa talks of mining for silver and other treasures, resonating the rock with her voice. She alludes to parts of the mountain that should be left alone. We know the dwarves will delve too greedily here in the future, awakening the Balrog. On The Rings of Power, the dwarves have also come across the first of the mithril that the mines will become known for.

Although relations between elves and dwarves are not always friendly, as Elrond and Durin’s are, they do sometimes live in proximity. As The Rings of Power Middle-earth map reveals, Eregion, an Elven realm, and Khazad-Dûm are practically entangled with one another. This closeness could yield greatness or great disaster.

Eregion, Realm of the Elven-Smiths

Celebrimbor brings Elrond to Eregion, the Elvish city along a river and the realm of Elven Smiths. Celebrimbor, a master smith himself, endeavors to build a great forge to make objects of both beauty and power (like rings, perhaps?). For some reason, this also requires a tower to be built, and Celebrimbor simply doesn’t have the workforce to finish the project on his desired timeline. He and Elrond travel to nearby Khazad-Dûm to enlist the help of the dwarves in this great engineering feat.

Every Rings of Power Location We’ve Seen; Jump to: Númenor // Khazad-Dûm // Eregion // The Southlands // Orodruin or Mount Doom // Mordor // Lindon // Rhovanion // Rhûn // Forodwaith // Valinor // The Sundering Seas

The Southlands, the Lands of Men (Destroyed)

On The Rings of Power, the people who live in this vast land, termed the Southlands for its southern location on Middle-earth’s map, are ancestors of those who sided with Morgoth centuries earlier. The elves keep watch over them from a high tower but also patrol to nearby towns. Arondir and the others are called home after High King Gil-galad declares the enemy fully vanquished. Tirharad, where Bronwyn and her son Theo live, is a simple Southland village of farmers and tradesmen. The nearby town of Hordern is destroyed by orcs, its people enslaved for their nefarious trench-building purposes.

Tower of Ostirith

As orcs encroach, Bronwyn rallies the people of Tirharad to take refuge in the tower. The Tower of Ostirith sits high on a cliff with only a narrow road leading to it. After half of those people defect and swear allegiance to Sauron once again, the orcs march to the tower. Arondir and the free men and women turn the fortress into a trap and the tower itself into a weapon, taking out hoards of orcs as they bring it down upon their heads. The tower no longer stands, but the altar amongst its ruin still serves a purpose. The sword is the key to unleashing water into the tunnels and trenches the orcs made, awakening the mountain.

Arriving by Ship

Galadriel, Halbrand, and the ships of Númenor sail northeast from the island to arrive in Middle-earth. From the Bay of Belfalas, they continue sailing upriver. It is a day’s journey to where they must mount their horses. It’s another day’s ride to pass through the mountains and arrive at the village with no time to spare.

Orodruin or Mount Doom

What will eventually be known as Mount Doom was a quiet, dormant volcano looming over the village of Tirharad known in The Lord of the Rings book as Orodruin. But now it has been awoken by water rushing down into its core, a chain reaction using the mysteriously powerful sword. The eruption forms not only the volcano as we know it in the Third Age, but likely the barren wastelands of Mordor as its evil spreads as quickly as ash can fill the sky. The Rings of Power hasn’t referred to this volcano as Mount Doom yet, but we know we’ve just witnessed its creation. It seems The Rings of Power will continually need to update its map of Middle-earth.

Mordor

By episode seven, the Southlands have a new name on The Rings of Power‘s map—Mordor. Adar’s orcs now have a home free from daylight as ash from the erupting volcano blocks out the sun. The villages and farmlands of men burn, and most of the people flee west. This Lord of the Rings location begins to look like we know it in the Third Age, a billowing volcano in a land fortified by mountains. As The Rings of Power continues, we expect Sauron will come to claim the land.

Every The Rings of Power Middle-earth Map Location; Jump to: Númenor // Khazad-Dûm // Eregion // The Southlands // Orodruin or Mount Doom // Mordor // Lindon // Rhovanion // Rhûn // Forodwaith // Valinor // The Sundering Seas

Lindon, Capital of the High Elves

High King Gil-galad rules over this westernmost point of Middle-earth. Lindon is the capital Galadriel returns to after her sojourns to seek out Sauron. Like all Elven places, it is beautiful, with groves of trees perfect for Elrond to sit while writing speeches. There are waterfalls and stunning towers. It is also home to the Grey Havens, the harbor where ships depart for the Undying Lands. Since Valinor sits to the west of Middle-earth according to The Rings of Power‘s maps, it makes sense for Lindon to house this important harbor.

Rhovanion, the Wilderlands of Middle-earth

The residents of this area are the migrating Harfoots. East of the Anduin River, they make a temporary camp. Hunters also trek through this area. To them, the Harfoots are a myth, even though they are right underfoot. Clearly, blending into their surroundings has kept the Harfoots alive. They are masters of disguising themselves, their wagons, and even their entire camps. The Wilderlands is also where the meteor lands, bringing the Stranger into their lives.

The Harfoot Migration

After harvesting all each area has to offer, the Harfoots pack up and move along. The caravan heads south from the Rhovanion Hills, adding places like Weedbrook and Undercliffs to The Rings of Power‘s map before reaching the Grey Marshes (which will one day be known as the Dead Marshes).

From there, their path heads east along the northern border of the Southlands, now known as Mordor. These areas are mostly not detailed on any Tolkien map that has appeared before The Rings of Power. Through Trout Bend, Thistledell, and The Braids, the Harfoots are heading to their autumn home. A place Nori simply calls The Grove. The trek is montaged together with scenes of the ups and downs of the perilous journey while Poppy sings her mother’s beautiful walking song. But when they arrive at The Grove, they see that lava bombs from the erupting volcano were flung far enough to devastate some of these lands as well.

Greenwood

The Stranger strikes out on his own journey from The Grove and comes to a forest known as Greenwood. In Eryn Galen, Sauron’s white-robed supporters catch up with him at last. But thankfully Nori and her friends find him soon after and they all break free of the danger. This forest may be what is one day known as Mirkwood. After the Stranger returns to The Grove with the Harfoots, he and Nori strike out once again into the wilderness.

Rhûn, The East and Eastlands

On the far east of the map of Middle-earth lies Rhûn. The white-cloaked figures come from this mysterious land, seeking Sauron. They plan to bring him to Rhûn, where the men and mystics living there are ready to support his return to power. They carry signs of the Hermit’s Hat, the constellation that the Stranger is seeking. The stars are only visible in the far east. So even though he is not Sauron, he clearly has a purpose in Rhûn. We didn’t see it on-screen in season one, but it’s likely we will at some point in The Rings of Power.

Every Rings of Power Location We’ve Seen; Jump to: Númenor // Khazad-Dûm // Eregion // The Southlands // Orodruin or Mount Doom // Mordor // Lindon // Rhovanion // Rhûn // Forodwaith // Valinor // The Sundering Seas

Forodwaith, the Northernmost Part of The Rings of Power’s Map

Dominated by snow and ice, this beautiful but harsh land also suffers from the cold of evil. A great castle sits atop a cliff that Galadriel and her lieutenants conquer in their search for Sauron. It is the keep where orcs fled after Morgoth’s defeat. But Forodwaith, the Northernmost Waste is home now only to snow trolls. But its existence, and the sigil found there, convince Galadriel of evil still lurking in Middle-earth. And indeed, Adar confirms that Sauron used the fortress to study dark arts in the pursuit of power in The Rings of Power‘s later episodes.

Valinor, the Undying Lands

Valinor is the original home of the elves. It sits across the great Sundering Seas from Middle-earth. From what we see of Galadriel’s childhood there, it is a beautiful and idyllic place. Until Morgoth attacks. The elves left for Middle-earth to fight against the evil. And now returning to it is essentially a reward for those who are worthy. King Gil-galad awards Galadriel and her lieutenants passage from the Grey Havens after their long search for Sauron. To reach it, they travel across the sea and are welcomed by birds, light, and music. The Sundering Seas sit between Middle-earth and Valinor on The Rings of Power‘s map, making the realm highly inaccessible.

The Sundering Seas, A Deadly The Rings of Power Map Location

Who doesn’t love a map with some monsters on it? But the sea serpents and other mysteries that appear on The Rings of Power‘s map also turn out to be real. Though the seas are calm for Galadriel’s journey to the Undying Lands, they are less forgiving once she rejects that fate. She must swim in the Sundering Seas. Even when the survivors of a shipwreck bring her aboard a makeshift sailboat, bad luck prevails. Referred to as the Worm, a huge beast attacks. Halbrand and Galadriel survive that long enough to weather a raging storm. They are eventually rescued and taken to Númenor, though their troubles continue.  

Although we do not see it fully on The Rings of Power‘s map, as mentioned, the Sundering Seas cut off Middle-earth from Valinor, the Elves’ treasured lands.

The Rings of Power Brings Middle-earth’s Map to Life

The Rings of Power shows off a Middle-earth we’ve never seen before as it continues to change in the Second Age. The natural beauty of New Zealand is once again on display, as it was in Peter Jackson’s trilogies. Assisted by stunning visual effects, the show creates the realms we’ll come to know and love during the series. And we love that The Rings of Power weaves the map of Middle-earth in and out of the amazing locations we see to ensure we always know where the path leads.

Every Rings of Power Map Middle-earth Location; Jump to: Númenor // Khazad-Dûm // Eregion // The Southlands // Orodruin or Mount Doom // Mordor // Lindon // Rhovanion // Rhûn // Forodwaith // Valinor // The Sundering Seas

Originally published on September 8, 2022. Original reporting by Melissa Miller.

The post A Guide to the Locations THE RINGS OF POWER Map Has Shown Us So Far appeared first on Nerdist.

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.

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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.

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In WandaVision, it was Agatha all along. And now it really will be all about Agatha Harkness. Kathryn Hahn’s MCU witch will soon star in her own Disney+ Marvel series, Agatha All Along While we don’t have too many details yet about what this series will entail, we can already tell it will serve up some delightfully magical fun.

Here’s everything we know about Agatha All Along.

Title

Although the first title we heard for Agatha’s MCU series was Agatha: House of Harkness, and the second was Agatha: Coven of Chaos, it seemed the series would actually be called Agatha: Darkhold Diaries. But now a fourth title has emerged, just Agatha. But in the end, the actual title is Agatha All Along.

Agatha All Along‘ Plot

Marvel Studios has finally revealed plot details and a trailer for Agatha All Along. You can check them out above and below.

The series focuses on Kathryn Hahn’s character, Agatha Harkness, from the acclaimed Marvel Studios’ series “WandaVision,” as she sets off on a dangerous, mysterious adventure filled with trials and tribulations. Showrunner Jac Schaeffer, who was the creative force behind “WandaVision,” directs the pilot episode.

In “Agatha All Along,” the infamous Agatha Harkness finds herself down and out of power after a suspicious goth Teen helps break her free from a distorted spell. Her interest is piqued when he begs her to take him on the legendary Witches’ Road, a magical gauntlet of trials that, if survived, rewards a witch with what they’re missing. Together, Agatha and this mysterious Teen pull together a desperate coven, and set off down, down, down The Road…

The last time we got to see Agatha, the witch lost in a fight to Wanda Maximoff. And then Agatha ended up trapped in her Agnes persona.

We imagine the show will reveal to us how Agatha breaks out of the spell she’s under and then follow her along on some exciting shenanigans. And it seems like we’ll get to meet a number of witches from the pages of Marvel Comics. And we do love a witch.

“Witches are defined by deception, treachery, villainy and selfishness,” said creator Jac Schaeffer previously. “What do you do when you have a group of witches who [demonstrate] those notions and you need them to work together?” We’d imagine things would get very dark and chaotic.

Whatever helps happens, we hope that Agatha gets yet another catchy jingle to her name. “Agatha All Along” needs a successor.

Behind the Scenes

WandaVison‘s Jac Schaeffer returns as executive producer and head writer on Agatha All Along. Additionally, according to The Hollywood Reporter, Schaeffer, alongside Wednesday‘s Gandja Monteiro and Resident Evil‘s Rachel Goldberg, will direct different episodes of the show.

Agatha All Along‘ Cast

We’ve learned about quite a number of potential coven members cast so far. Of course, Kathryn Hahn returns to play the titular MCU witch Agatha Harkness. Joining her is Emma Caulfield Ford, who will reprise her role as Dottie for the Disney+ show. Dottie was one of the women Wanda trapped in her Westview fantasies. Could Dottie be another secret witch? Only time will tell. Variety also reports Heartstopper‘s Joe Locke has joined the cast in an undisclosed role. However, many fans speculate Locke will play the role of  Billy Kaplan, a.k.a. Wiccan, the son of Scarlet Witch and Vision. Mashable further notes that Miles Gutierrez-Riley will play “Billy’s boyfriend, Hulkling.”

Aubrey Plaza will also star in the series, potentially as a more villainous character on the Agatha show. Ali Ahn and Maria Dizzia have reportedly joined the cast as well, as has Patti LuPone. LuPone revealed she will play the role of Marvel Comics’ Lilia Calderu. Debra Jo Rupp is reportedly in the cast, too, presumably reprising her role of Mrs. Hart from WandaVision. Sasheer Zamata, meanwhile, is confirmed to play the role of sorceress Jennifer Kale. Ahn will play the role of Alice.

Agatha All Along‘ Release Date

For now, Agatha All Along will be a part of the MCU’s Phase Five. According to Mashable, it will be nine episodes long, a bit longer than the typical Disney+ Marvel show. Agatha All Along will be released on September 18 with a two-episode premiere.

Originally published on November 4, 2022.

The post Everything We Know About AGATHA ALL ALONG 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.

In episode four of House of the Dragon, the Greens and the Blacks finally clashed in a proper conflict at the Battle of Rook’s Rest. While Rhaenyra and the Blacks suffered a powerful loss, the death of Rhaenys and her dragon Meleys, the Greens did not come out of the conflict unharmed. However, a great deal of the damage dealt to the Greens came not from Rhaenyra’s side, but from the choices that Aemond Targaryen made in battle, especially where it concerned his brother King Aegon. Aemond sent out a blast of dragonfire that grievously wounded both his brother Aegon and Aegon’s dragon, Sunfyre. But does that make Aemond Targaryen the King of the Seven Kingdoms on House of the Dragon? Not exactly, but Aegmond has taken on a great deal of power.

Aemond Is Not King on House of the Dragon Season 2, But He Is Prince Regent

No, despite (what we consider) to be Aemond’s attempts to kill his brother on House of the Dragon season two, episode four, Aemond has not yet become King. For the moment, Aegon remains alive in episode five, although badly injured. To get the full title of King of the Andals and the Rhoynar and the First Men, Aemond probably should have moved quicker and actually stabbed his brother in the prior episode of House of the Dragon.

However, Aemond has now gained considerable power on House of the Dragon. Aemond is named Prince Regent by Aegon’s small council. As Queen Alicent notes, “A king cannot rule in his sleep, the realm will have noticed his absence… we must name a Regent to take his place until he recovers… or does not.” To keep the crown appearing stable, someone must rule.

Queen Alicent Lobbies to be Named Regent, But Aemond Is Placed in Charge Instead

Queen Alicent aims to become Regent and rule in Aegon’s stead on House of the Dragon. She wishes to keep justice and order, and not merely strength as an important part of the ruling strategy. However, in a reminder of the intense misogyny that exists in House of the Dragon‘s world, Alicent gets overruled by all the men around her. And Aemond becomes Prince Reagent instead (although, again, not King).

Alicent notes that she served as Queen Reagent for her husband and is well-prepared to do it again. But her years of actual experience are dismissed because she has only ruled during peacetime. And, of course, there’s the matter of her being a woman. (“What would it say if, in response to Rhaenyra’s crowning, we raised up a woman of our own.”)

Not even Alicent’s allies, whom she has intimate relationships with in different ways, Ser Larys Strong (responsible for the last quote) and Ser Criston Cole, rally to her defense. Instead, they abandon her, citing that Aemond is next-in-line to be King, and thus, the better choice for Reagant on House of the Dragon. Only Grand Maester Orwyle speaks in support of Alicent.

Ultimately, Alicent is ignored as Aemond is named Prince Reagent and takes one step closer to being King.

Is Aegon Dead on House of the Dragon?

As mentioned, for now, King Aegon II is not dead and remains alive. Unless he meets his death, Aemond cannot take over as king on House of the Dragon. However, although Aegon lives, he remains incredibly injured. It will likely take him a long time to fully recover. And with Aemond now in a far more powerful position, should he be able to successfully prove himself in the position of Regent, it could strengthen his cause to volley for the position. There’s also the fact that Aegon wasn’t really a very good ruler to begin with.

Will Aemond Become King on House of the Dragon? And Will He Be a Good King?

Will becoming Prince Regent be the first step Aemond takes toward becoming King on House of the Dragon? Obviously, those who want an informed, immediate answer can pull out their copy of George R.R. Martin’s Fire & Blood. Of course, the series continues to change things from the source material, so it’s possible Aemond and Aegon’s fates could shift as well, and the ultimate position of King could end up somewhere unexpected.

Prince Regent Aemond obviously desires Kingship and believes he is a more suitable candidate than his brother for the crown. If he had his way, Aemond would become king, and he’ll likely continue to push for the role. But would Aemond make for a good king on House of the Dragon? As Prince Regent, and beforehand, he has made some, at least strategically sound decisions. For instance, Aemond instigated the battle of Rook’s Rest and demanded the Ratcatchers’ bodies removed from sight. However, as his mother points out, he is young and lacks restraint. (Although no more than Aegon.) He also bars exit from King’s Landing in episode five of season two, which does not seem to sit well with the people. So it’s a mixed start for Aemond’s go at ruling.

Aegon’s actor Tom Glynn-Carney chimed in on what kind of a King Aemond would make, noting, “He’d be a steel fist, wouldn’t he? I think he’d be quite cutthroat and a cold king, probably. At least from the outset, he’d want people to fear him. He often talks about being bullied as a child, so he probably wants to reinstate himself as a secure, powerful man who won’t be messed with, which could be dangerous in a kingly position.”

We’ll have to wait and see who ultimately rules the Seven Kingdoms. But our two cents is better Aemond as King than Aegon on House of the Dragon.

The post Is Aemond King on HOUSE OF THE DRAGON? Here’s Who Is Ruling Right Now appeared first on Nerdist.

It’s no secret that George R.R. Martin often uses real history to inspire events in Westeros. From William the Conqueror being the template for Aegon Targaryen’s conquest of the Seven Kingdoms to the Wars of the Roses serving as an influence on the conflict between the Starks and Lannisters, Martin’s work is filled with allusions to medieval history. And House of the Dragon, which brings Martin’s Fire & Blood book is no exception. The political and familial turmoil in Westeros parallels to a 12th-century English civil war known evocatively as “The Anarchy.” Just as the Targaryen civil war sprung from a succession crisis, The Anarchy came about the same way. (All of this without dragons, of course.) Let’s dive into the real life history that inspired the Dance of the Dragons war in House of the Dragon.

What Happened During The Anarchy and How Does It Compare to House of the Dragon‘s Dance of the Dragons?

King Henry I, King of England and Viserys Targaryean’s historical counterpart, had two legitimate children. His son and heir, William, and his daughter Matilda, named after Henry’s wife Matilda of Scotland. On November 25, 1120, Henry, William, and the rest of the English court were in Normandy across the English Channel. William the Conqueror originally held the Duchy of Normandy in France before conquering England. Therefore the lands remained under the control of his family. It’s not a perfect analogy, but think of Normandy like Dragonstone in House of the Dragon: ancestral holdings of the ruling dynasty separated from the rest of the kingdom by the sea.

Henry’s daughter, Matilda, was not present as she was in Germany fulfilling her duties as Holy Roman Empress. She married to Henry V (yes, there are a great deal of Henrys in this story) several years earlier. When it came time to return across the channel, William and his friends and hangers on decided to drink (a lot). They were aboard a beautiful, sleek, new ship—simply known as the White Ship—that was the fastest in the entire English fleet. 

The drunken revelry continued and, that night, the crew and patrons decided they would head to England. That captain confident that they would beat the old king back to the English coast, despite his head start. Unfortunately for all aboard, disaster struck shortly after casting off. The ship hit a rock formation in the harbor and it was overtaken by the sea. Like a medieval Titanic, the flower of the English nobility drowned in the freezing water. We guess the real life history parallels go beyond House of the Dragon.

When word reached Henry about his son William’s death, his grief was unbearable. Chroniclers claimed that he never smiled again after that night. In addition to his personal loss, the shipwreck presented an immense political problem for Henry. Without a legitimate son to pass the crown to, who would succeed him? An unclear answer to that question would rip the unstable realm apart between rival claimants as male relatives came out of the woodwork to press their claims. 

The King Chooses His Daughter as His Successor

Like Viserys choosing Rhaenyra to succeed him, Henry designated his daughter Matilda as his heir. But, wasn’t Matilda the Holy Roman Empress? Well, she was, but the marriage had not produced any children. When her husband Henry V died unexpectedly in 1125, Empress Matilda returned to England.

This decision did not sit well with the English barons, but Henry would not be swayed from his choice. In fact, he brought the great lords of England before him three separate times to swear sacred oaths that they would obey Matilda as their queen when he died. And each of those times, the lords swore their oaths. 

So, when Henry I suddenly died in 1135, the succession seemed secure for his daughter. Unfortunately, a rival claimant saw his opportunity and pounced. Matilda was out of the country when Henry died, and as House of the Dragon showed us, that is the most dangerous time for the heir to the throne to be absent from the center of power. 

A Man Steps in to Take a Woman’s Claim to the Throne

Matilda’s cousin Stephen heard the news of Henry’s death and raced to London. He was acclaimed as king by the common people there. Stephen quickly moved on to Winchester, where his brother was the Archbishop, to secure the royal treasury. With the gold of the realm under his control, and the powerful symbol of being chosen as king by the people of the capitol, Stephen was officially crowned mere weeks after Henry’s death.

The fact that he had sworn a sacred oath before God and King to recognize his cousin as the heir did not concern him or those who supported him overmuch. The truth was that a woman succeeding Henry did not sit well with many in the Kingdom. They were more than happy to throw their support behind a man with a weaker claim, especially if it meant quickly crowning a new monarch to ensure the stability and security of the realm. It was even rumored that on his deathbed Henry, wracked with guilt over appointing Matilda as his heir, absolved the barons of their oaths.

The parallels to Aegon II and the seizure of power by the Greens immediately following Viserys’ death are clear. It must be said, being a son of the previous king made Aegon’s claim to the throne infinitely stronger than Stephen’s. When news reached Matilda that Stephen had been crowned, she could choose to accept that she had been robbed of her promised inheritance, or she could choose to fight. 

Matilda Chooses to Fight for Her Crown, Just as Rhaenyra Does in House of the Dragon

Like Rhaenyra did on House of the Dragon, Matilda chose to fight in real life, sparking a conflict that changed history. The war was brutal. There were many swings between Stephen and Matilda, with lords and the Church switching sides to support whoever seemed to be winning. As the Anglo-Saxon chronicle evocatively put it: “It was as if Christ and his saints were asleep.”

After 15 years of brutal fighting, an agreement was reached when it was clear that neither side would fully win. Stephen would continue to sit the throne, but he would be succeeded not by his own son, but by Matilda’s son Henry. When Stephen died of stomach issues in 1154, Matilda’s son became Henry II.

She wasn’t able to sit the throne, but her direct descendants would rule England for the next 300 years. Though lacking in dragons, real medieval history can be just as dramatic and shocking as the tales weaved by George R.R. Martin. House of the Dragon brilliantly brings the real life history of The Anarchy to life.

Will the conflict between the Greens and the Blacks end the same way as the struggle between Stephen and Matilda? We’ll have to keep watching to find out.

Editor’s Note: The author’s primary source for the information in this article is from The Plantagenets: The Warrior Kings and Queens who Made England by Dan Jones.

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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.

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Somehow, House of the Dragon season two is closer to its finale than its premiere. And things are certainly heating up if the House of the Dragon season two, episode six trailer is to be believed. On the side of the Blacks, Rhaenyra Targaryen and her son Jace are searching for new dragonriders to ride the unclaimed dragons at their side. Meanwhile, the Greens are facing interpersonal conflict as the injured Aegon wakes up to face his brother, Aemond, who felled him. There’s a lot of tension and a lot of fire on the way.

You can check out the full trailer for House of the Dragon season two, episode six, below.

As always on House of the Dragon, episode six’s trailer promises many complicated relationships coming to a head. Rhaenyra vs. Daemon. Daemon vs. Aemond. Aemond vs. Aegon. That’s just a drop in the bucket of the intense familial struggles we’ll soon see explode. And that’s only if no one dies in dragon fire first.

As episode five of House of the Dragon set up, House of the Dragon episode six’s trailer teases more dragons will be coming back into play. It looks like the dragon Silverwing may be joining in on the House of the Dragon season two excitement. But remember, to claim a dragon, you must also be prepared to die. We have a few ideas about which characters might make for good dragonriders, but we’ll have to wait and see who becomes a new dragonlord in episode six.

House of the Dragon season two, episode six, will air on July 21 at 9 PM on HBO and Max. You can check out more about House of the Dragon season two’s full release schedule here. In the meantime, brush up on your dragon names and get ready for some major clashes as House of the Dragon continues.

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House of the Dragon is all about characters with complicated motivations. But in the latest episode of House of the Dragon, viewers witnessed one of the most complicated character decisions yet. During the huge battle at Rook’s Rest, it really seemed like Aemond Targaryen willingly blasted his brother, King Aegon, and his brother’s dragon, Sunfyre, with a stream of fire from his own creature, Vhagar. But was Aemond intentionally trying to kill Aegon in House of the Dragon episode four? Let’s examine the evidence.

Was Aemond Really Trying to Kill Aegon on House of the Dragon?

There are many reasons why it would make sense, or it wouldn’t, for Aemond to have intentionally been trying to kill his brother Aegon on the battlefield. Of course, there’s the question of family and loyalty… and dragons. If Aemond really intended to kill the king and the king’s dragon, it would leave his immediate family’s side of the war in a significantly weakened position. In fact, Aemond’s attack on Aegon made it so that the Greens did not come out of the battle of Rook’s Rest with a clear victory. Yes, Rhaenyra Targaryen lost an ally dragon, but so did Aemond’s side of the fence. (At least for now.) That’s a huge sacrifice to make and doesn’t seem like all that rational of a decision.

However, Aemond also seems to look down on his brother, who really does not have the strategic mind or correct attitude to be King. Aemond seems to (rightfully) believe he possesses the superior skills to lead a war and a better temperament to rule. With Aegon out of the way, Aemond could also imagine ascending to kingship himself.

In season one of House of the Dragon, Aemond even notes, “Here I am, trawling the city, ever the good soldier in search of a wastrel who’s never taken half an interest in his birthright. ‘Tis I the younger brother who studies history and philosophy; it is I who trains with the sword, who rides the largest dragon in the world. I’m next in line to the throne. Should they come looking for me, I intend to be found.” The desire to be king instead of Aegon burns bright in Aemond, and the way he has taken over the strategic efforts of the war for the Greens indicates this desire has not gone anywhere.

Perhaps, ultimately, Aemond did not really intend to kill Aegon with his whole heart, but in the heat of the moment, he could not resist the impulse to try.

Aemond’s Actor Chimes in on His Intentions Toward Aegon

Just watching the episode, one might lean toward the side of Aemond sincerely attempting to kill Aegon. But Aemond’s actor, Ewan Mitchell, feels it’s more complicated than that, and he is the best source of knowledge on Aemond, after all. Mitchell shares, “It was no secret that he felt like Aegon was inferior to himself… He felt like Aegon lacked the perseverance to be a leader. Also, it’s no secret that Aegon was almost the ringleader to a lot of Aemond’s childhood torment and trauma.”

But Mitchell also adds of whether Aemond would actually kill Aegon, “I think that maybe Aemond would never have intended to burn Aegon, but it just so happened that Aegon was there tangled with Rhaenys and Meleys when he was on top of Sunfyre. It raises the question of whether or not he would’ve done that or if Aegon was just collateral damage. I think that’s compelling. Maybe it was when Aegon brought in the Pink Dread [as children] when Aemond was like, ‘I’m going to burn him one day for this.’ Who knows?”

Ultimately, the House of the Dragon episode’s director Alan Taylor concludes, “We wanted to sustain multiple motivations that might have happened there. It’s a battle move, but he did deliberately join the battle late, and he is being a little bit indiscriminate with how he’s blasting fire. So I think you can believe whatever you want to believe about his motivations there.”

We Feel Like Aemond Did Intend to Kill Aegon on House of the Dragon

If whatever we say goes, we’re going to have to go with Aemond really attempting to kill his brother Aegon in House of the Dragon episode four. The framing of the shot when Aegon believes Aemond has arrived to help him and is instead blasted with fire seems to speak to the idea that Aegon was fully wrong in his belief. And what’s the opposite of helping someone? Harming them. In that moment, it’s clear that Aemond has not arrived to save his brother.

Add to this Aemond drawing his sword on his fallen brother toward the end of the episode, and all the ingredients for desired murder are there.

What Happens Now with Aemond and Aegon on House of the Dragon?

In episode five of House of the Dragon, we get a sense of the fallout from Aemond’s decisions. Aegon is gravely injured—he is burned from dragonfire and has many broken bones from the fight and fall. Grand Maester Orwyle implies he has many internal injuries as well. It remains unclear whether he will survive and live; death remains a totally plausible outcome for Aegon on House of the Dragon. In the meanwhile, the Greens must elect a Regent to rule in his stead. Although Alicent attempts to advocate for herself to be placed in the role, everyone, from Ser Larys Strong to Ser Criston Cole, turns on her, and Aemond is instead declared the Prince Regent. Although Aemond is not King, he is now in control, as, ostensibly, he planned to be. At the end of the episode, we see Aegon looking longingly at the Iron Throne.  Helaena asks him if his actions were worth it. But undoubtedly, Aemond considers that they are.

For now, King Aegon remains alive . But if Aegon does die from these injuries, it is surely Aemond who really killed him on House of the Dragon.

Originally published on July 10, 2024.

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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.

The post The Woman In Daemon’s Creepy Sex Vision Is Actually His Mom on HOUSE OF THE DRAGON appeared first on Nerdist.

Buck in 2023, Netflix’s TUDUM event gave us many tidbits of information. But it could not be a Netflix event without a word from Stranger Things. The show is heading into its fifth and final season, bringing this epic story about a superpowered girl and her growing band of friends to a close. We don’t know much about Stranger Things 5 at this point, but we do know that yet another ‘80s icon is coming to the scene. Linda Hamilton, otherwise known as Sarah Connor of Terminator fame, will join the cast of Stranger Things 5.

It was only right for Arnold Schwarzenegger to tease her casting right before we saw Hamilton herself on video. Of course, Linda Hamilton is a Stranger Things fan like the rest of us. Right now, we know nothing about her character. Will she be on Eleven’s side, or is she evil like Vecna? We will see. We do know that things are in a dire place with the Upside Down basically taking over Hawkins. And if anyone can save the day in Stranger Things 5 (outside of El), it is Linda Hamilton.

In its most recent tease of Stranger Things 5, Netflix gave us a look at Linda Hamilton arriving on set for the final season of the show. Linda Hamilton notes of her Stranger Things casting, “I love this show so much. I really am a fan.” Although this behind-the-scenes look at Stranger Things 5 didn’t reveal anything further about Linda Hamilton’s character, not even a peek at her costuming, we still love seeing the Terminator actress get one step closer to Stranger Things.

While Linda Hamilton has arrived on set, we still don’t know when the final season of Stranger Things is arriving just yet, but this new casting annoucement makes us even more excited for its return.

Originally published on June 20, 2023.

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Thasmin fans, rejoice! The Thirteenth Doctor and Yaz’s relationship made many fans swoon but it also brought some levels of frustration. First, there’s the very murky nature of the Doctor’s actual feelings toward Yaz. Were Yaz’s romantic feelings unrequited or not? And, after Ryan and Graham left the TARDIS, the duo time we thought we would get simply did not happen. Doctor Who instead added another companion, Dan, almost immediately to many folks’ chagrin. Thankfully, there’s always Big Finish Audios to give us things that either didn’t happen onscreen or we wanted to see in the show. Jodie Whittaker and Mandip Gill are returning to Doctor Who as the Thirteenth Doctor and Yasmin Khan for Big Finish Audio adventures! 

This is a shock to many fans because it often takes many years before a Doctor and/or companion actor decides to return to the series. It has only been two years since the Thirteenth Doctor’s final episode aired in 2022. But, that seems to be enough of a break for the pair and we are totally okay with that. Doctor Who – The Thirteenth Doctor Adventures is a series of twelve hour-long, full-cast audio adventures that will be released in July 2025. Right now, there are no details about the storylines nor other actors that will appear in the Thirteenth Doctor and Yaz Big Finish audios. But Jodie Whittaker is excited to slip back into her role as the beloved time-traveling alien.

“I’m over the moon to be joining Big Finish for more adventures in the TARDIS,” she said in a press statement. “Recording the Thirteenth Doctor and Yaz is a really lovely thing to revisit. One of the things Mandip and I used to love on Doctor Who was getting in, doing a new episode and meeting a brand-new cast. I just can’t wait to step back into the boots, pull on the coat and get cracking. One thing’s for sure, it’s going to be brilliant.”

Mandip Gill added to this excited statement, saying: “Doctor Who has been a huge part of my career and personal life and I am looking forward to seeing how I can further enrich my character through this exhilarating series. To be able to work with Jodie again is a dream come true, we have such a special friendship, I’m sure the recordings will be filled with laughter.”

What Is the Release Date and Cost for the Thirteenth Doctor and Yaz Big Finish Audios?

As previously stated, Doctor Who – The Thirteenth Doctor Adventures won’t materialize until July 2025 but fans can pre-order these stories. 

Check out the following pricing information:

We love to see this news and cannot wait to have Thasmin adventures in our ears soon.

The post The Thirteenth Doctor and Yasmin Khan Return to DOCTOR WHO for Big Finish Adventures appeared first on Nerdist.

Stranger Things 4 Volume 2 left us with quite a cliffhanger, so it makes sense that people are ready beyond ready for more. This long-running saga of a superpowered girl, her nerdy friends, and a small town with a dark dimension beneath is wrapping up its story for good, making people extra excited. Stranger Things 5 will be the last season, a plan that the Duffer Brothers have had since the beginning. So naturally, they have been dropping information here and there for a while. Here’s what we know so far about Stranger Things 5. 

An Official Look at Stranger Things 5‘s Production and Teases of the Final Season

Stranger Things 5 just released our biggest look at the season yet. We break it down here, but you can watch the tease for yourself below.

A Mysterious Name on Stranger Things 5‘s Cast/Character List

Ross Duffer took to Instagram to tease fans about the characters who may appear in the upcoming season. It’s all the usual suspects, but there’s one name overtly blocked out. Who that name is, of course, has set fans buzzing. Of course, many hope it says “Eddie Munson” under that sharpie, but mostly likely it’s the name of a new character being hidden from us. Linda Hamilton is joining the cast after all.

Still, we’ll hold onto hope while we can.

Production to Begin in January 2024

Production on Stranger Things 5 was paused when Hollywood’s studios refused to fairly compensate and support their creatives. But now, with the strikes finally resolved, production is moving forward, and hopefully, that will yield a wealth of new information and teases for eager fans.

Although the exact date of Stranger Things 5 production start is still in flux, it appears it will be in early January 2024, somewhere around the 5th or 8th of the month, per Deadline.

Stranger Things 5 Chapter One, Scene One

In celebration of Stranger Things Day 2023, the Stranger Things writers’ room released a tease of the very first scene of Stranger Things 5. It shares, “Darkness. The sound of cold wind. Groaning trees. And… A child’s voice. Singing a familiar song:”

Could that song be Dustin and Suzie sharing a tune? Or perhaps Will and Jonathan Byers are rocking out to, “Should I Stay or Should I Go.” Perhaps someone is singing “Running Up That Hill” to Max. Hopefully, whoever is singing, it’s not in a bid to keep Vecna away.

Stranger Things 5 Releases Pre-Vis First-Looks at Episode One

Who would have thought we’d have our first-look at Stranger Things 5 so early. At least, a technical first-look. In support of the SAG-AFTRA strike, the Stranger Things 5 writers, who were recently allowed to return to work, posted a very interesting-looking Steve Harrington.

FYI this is pre-vis for a scene in ep 1. So technically your first look at season 5. We told Joe he has to perform it EXACTLY like this.

— stranger writers (@strangerwriters) September 28, 2023

They followed up the slightly freaky image by noting, “FYI, this is pre-vis for a scene in ep 1. So technically your first look at season 5. We told Joe he has to perform it EXACTLY like this.” This Stranger Things 5 “first look” doesn’t actually reveal anything… But we are glad to see Steve, regardless.

They did Charlie dirty pic.twitter.com/NOWxnTou4l

— stranger writers (@strangerwriters) September 29, 2023

The writers also shared a continuation of the moment and revealed that Jonathan is also present in it. It looks like they might be working on a car or something of the sort together. We honestly wouldn’t mind seeing a little bit more of their tenuous friendship.

Lastly, Stranger Things‘ writers have revealed pre-viz for a scene in Stranger Things 5 that features Nancy, Jonathan, and Dustin. They’re screaming a lot in a car… and also appear to possibly be heading into the Upside Down by way of Stranger Things 2 location McCorkle’s farm. Very interesting.

Stranger Things 5 Will Be a Return to Season One and More

The Duffer Brothers teased the tone we can expect from Stranger Things 5. They shared:

Five, the way we see it, is kind of a culmination of all the seasons, so it’s sort of got a little bit from each… Whereas before, each season was so [distinct]… [Season] 3 is our big summer blockbuster season with big monsters, and [Season] 4 was the psychological horror. Five, the way we see it, is kind of a culmination of all the seasons, so it’s sort of got a little bit from each. I think that what we’re trying to do is go back to the beginning a little bit, in sort of the tone of 1.

While having an Eleven-centric final season is a no-brainer, The Duffer Brothers affirm via a Variety interview that Will Byers is going to once again become a big focus in Stranger Things‘ final season. There’s no outright onscreen confirmation that Will is indeed gay (we do get lots of heavy hinting); however, actor Noah Schnapp did reveal his truth via TikTok as well as previously stating that his character is gay. In an interview with Variety, Schnapp affirms his own journey would inform how he portrays Will in the final season.

“I think the way I act in season five, honestly, might be a little different,” Schnapp says. “I will be fully aware of who I am. Knowing all of that about myself and being able to invest that in my character, I’m honestly just excited.”

Ross Duffer further adds, “Will really takes center stage again in [season five]. This emotional arc for him is what we feel is going to hopefully tie the whole series together. Will is used to being the young one, the introverted one, the one that’s being protected. So part of his journey, it’s not just sexuality—it’s Will coming into his own as a young man.”

In terms of scale, the episodes are still as epic as Stranger Things 4‘s were. In fact, Stranger Things’ writers had quite a visceral way of describing the upcoming season. Take a look.

Additionally, the script for Stranger Things 5 made Netflix executives cry, according to the creators… And David Harbour refers to it as “very, very moving.” So strap in folks.

Will There Be a Time Jump Between Stranger Things 4 and Stranger Things 5?

If you’re wondering whether we’ll see a major time jump between Stranger Things 4 and Stranger Things 5, it sounds like the answer is no, but the door does remain open.

In an interview recorded before the SAG-AFTRA strike began, David Harbour chatted to the Happy Sad Confused podcast about when Stranger Things 5 will pick up the story. He offered, “…when you watch us on that hill looking at the ash and the smoke and fires—we’re going to start somewhere after that. So you’ve got to imagine the world is a different place.” Of course, somewhere after that could mean more than a little time, but it does feel like the ash is still hanging in the air when the cameras begin to roll.

The Title of Stranger Things 5‘s First Episode

To celebrate Stranger Things Day 2022, Netflix gave us a tease of what we might expect in the final season of the show. Well, a tiny tease, anyway. Netflix released the title of Stranger Thing 5‘s first episode. The episode’s title? “Chapter One: The Crawl.”

Hrm… The doesn’t really clear much up. But for our money, that better mean Eddie Munson’s crawl back to life from his death in the Upside Down. Listen, it could happen. We guess we’ll just have to hang on for now. But we feel sure thousands of theories about this Stranger Things 5 title are already brewing.

Stranger Things 5 Will Be Shorter Than Stranger Things 4

Stranger Things 5 will be shorter than this very, very long season. According to an interview on Josh Horowitz’s Happy Sad Confused podcast, the reason for this is pretty simple. “The only reason we don’t expect [Season 5] to be as long is because, this season, if you look at it, it’s almost a two-hour ramp-up before our kids really get drawn into the supernatural mystery,” Matt Duffer said. “You get to know them, you get to see them in their lives, all while they’re struggling with adapting to high school and so forth … Steve’s trying to find a date. All of that.” 

For now, it looks like the Duffer brothers and other Stranger Things writers are teasing us with an eight-episode Stranger Things 5.

Based on the end of Stranger Things 4, this all makes sense. There’s plenty going on with them immediately in Stranger Things 5, to be honest. And this doesn’t mean we’ll get a shorter finale. The runtime for the very last episode will be movie length and have a Return of the King type of deal with eight endings. Goodness. 

Stranger Things 5 Will Only Be Set in Hawkins 

Stranger Things 4 felt like that song about the dude who’s been everywhere, man. There were so many locations in several states (and even Russia). But the final season will stick to the place where we began this adventure: Hawkins, Indiana. According to Matt Duffer, returning to home base is what it’s all about. “We wanna go back to a lot of the things we did in season one,” Duffer told Entertainment Weekly. “A lot of the original groupings and pairings that we had in season one–there’s something nice about coming full circle.”

This is interesting considering the new faces we’ve added on like Robin and Erica. Where will they fit into these groups in Stranger Things 5? We know the first season was heavy on Mike, Dustin, and Lucas being together while Will was missing. Uh, oh. Does this mean Will will separate from his buddies again? 

One thing we got confirmed: the Duffer Brothers know how Stranger Things will end. And we can only speculate what they have up their sleeves. 

The Work Is Currently on Hold for Stranger Things 5 

In a Collider interview, Ross Duffer confirmed that the writers’ room will be back to work in August 2022. However, things came to a grinding halt in May 2023 with the writers’ strike. The Stranger Things writers room made a post on Twitter affirming that production would stop until a fair deal was reached.

This likely means we won’t get Stranger Things 5 until 2025. And that’s okay. The most important issue is to make sure that actors and writers are being treated fairly.

The Stranger Things Spinoff Will Connect to the Series

That elusive Stranger Things spinoff that only the Duffer Brothers and apparently Finn Wolfhard know about will have “connective tissue” with the series. They will be involved in putting it together but they also want to put the reins in someone else’s hands so they can take a step back. In the aforementioned podcast interview, they admit to wanting to stay involved. But they also say they are looking for “that right person to pass the baton to” so they can do new things. Makes sense considering they have been in Stranger Things land for several years. 

Max Is in a Really, Really Bad Situation 

The Duffers also confirm some really sad news about Max and her fate on Stranger Things. Apparently, she is alive but “brain dead, blind, and all her bones are broken.” So, at least for now, Max is certainly not the same person she was before. It’s not clear how this will play into Stranger Things season five but hopefully, she won’t end up being some vessel for Vecna or anything. We can’t bear to see anything else happen to Max. Save her, please! 

Originally published on July 5, 2022.

The post Every STRANGER THINGS 5 Tease Released So Far appeared first on Nerdist.

It feels like Stranger Things has been a phenomenon for as long as we can remember. But now, our favorite party is all grown up, and the time has come for the series’ last chapter. Stranger Things 5 will be the Netflix hit’s final season, but we have no doubt that these concluding episodes will have a ton of meat on their bones.

For now, let’s roll for initiative and head back to Hawkins one more time. Here’s everything we know about Stranger Things 5.

Stranger Things 5‘s Plot

Stranger Things 4 ended with a bang as the Upside Down erupted right into the middle of Hawkins. Although everyone came together to try to stop Vecna, the villainous monster, who is actually One, who is actually Henry Creel, succeeded in merging his evil world with the reality every day people inhabit. The party managed to injure Vecna and seemingly save Max from his clutches. However, the fallout remained apocalyptic. In the final moments of the season, the Upside Down’s ash arrives to cover everything, and a full-out war with the monstrous creatures of the dark world seems imminent.

While we don’t know much about Stranger Things 5 yet, we assume it will have just a little to do with how Stranger Things 4 ended. The Duffer brothers haven’t provided many plot specifics but have offered several teases about Stranger Things 5. Among other bits, they shared that the action will remain centered in Hawkins and that likely we’ll see an eight-episode season. Additionally, the Duffers have noted that Will Byers will take a central role in the final season.

Finally, the series’ creators describe Stranger Things 5 as follows, “Five, the way we see it, is kind of a culmination of all the seasons, so it’s sort of got a little bit from each… Whereas before, each season was so [distinct]… [Season] 3 is our big summer blockbuster season with big monsters, and [Season] 4 was the psychological horror. Five, the way we see it, is kind of a culmination of all the seasons, so it’s sort of got a little bit from each. I think that what we’re trying to do is go back to the beginning a little bit, in sort of the tone of 1.” Or, “Season 5 is like if season 1 and 4 had a baby. And then that baby was injected with steroids.” Make of that what you will.

You can take an official look at the season with a new behind-the-scenes featurette celebrating Stranger Things 5.

Behind the Scenes

Of course, the Duffer brothers, Matt and Ross Duffer, will once again take the helm of Stranger Things 5. Additionally, long-time Stranger Things director Shawn Levy will return to direct at least one episode of the season. Superstitiously, the Deadpool 3 director likes to take on episodes three and four if he can.

Stranger Things 5‘s Cast

All our favorite characters and actors will be back for Stranger Things 5. We know for sure that Joyce Byers, Jim Hopper, Mike Wheeler, Nancy Wheeler, Jonathan Byers, Eleven, Lucas Sinclair, Dustin Henderson, Will Byers, Karen Wheeler, Stever Harrington, Robin Buckley, and Murray Bauman will be back. (And with them, their respective actors.) Sadie Sink’s Max survived season four and should return with the rest. We, of course, are still holding the torch for the surprise resurrection of Joseph Quinn’s Eddie Munson. Stranger Things takes place in a supernatural world, after all. And it just wouldn’t be a good season without one Erica Sinclair.

When it comes to new faces, we know that Linda Hamilton has joined the cast of Stranger Things 5. But her role remains a secret for now. Additionally, Nell Fisher, Jake Connelly, and Alex Breaux have joined the cast.

Stranger Things 5‘s Release Date

Stranger Things 5 does not yet have a release date, but it will not arrive in 2024.

Originally published on January 4, 2024.

The post Everything We Know About STRANGER THINGS 5 appeared first on Nerdist.