A first-look image from Jurassic World: Dominionteases Bryce Dallas Howard's return in the third film, set to premiere June 10, 2022. The first Jurassic World film, released in 2015, takes place 22 years after the plot of Steven Spielberg's seminal Jurassic Park. Howard stars as Claire Dearing, the operations manager of the new Jurassic World theme park, alongside Chris Pratt as dinosaur trainer Owen Grady.
Two decades afterJurassicPark was deconstructed, a new theme park was erected in its place to honor John Hammond's (Richard Attenborough) dying wish. In the first Jurassic World film, visitors and employees at the park are terrorized by a manmade dinosaur, the Indominus rex, when the transgenic creation is released from its enclosure. In the sequel, Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom, the abandoned park's dinosaurs have been left to their own devices on Isla Nublar. When a volcano threatens the animals' lives, Claire and Owen relocate them to the estate of Hammond's old business partner, Sir Benjamin Lockwood. To save them from a gas leak, Lockwood's granddaughter Maisie frees the captive dinosaurs, inducing a "neo-Jurassic Age" in which dinosaurs have re-entered the world in the third film.
Now, Universal has released the first official image from the movie, to be published in Total Film's 2022 Preview issue, which teases what Howard's character has in store during the new era. In the picture, Howard is frantically swimming through the algae of a tropical river, surrounded by what appears to be a thick rainforest. Upon closer inspection, the stalks behind her are not trees, but rather the legs and arms of a pursuing dino. From the looks of it, the dinosaurs' transition into the civilized world isn't going to be a peaceful one. Here's a first look at Jurassic World: Dominion:
In November, Jurassic World released a prologue video to drum up anticipation and set the scene for Dominion. The prologue takes viewers all the way back to a time when dinosaurs roamed the earth 65 million years ago. The moving, Planet Earth-like recounting of the Earth's history is quickly thrown into chaos when those same dinosaurs are thrust into the modern age, where they terrorize the puny humans who previously owned the place. Director Colin Trevorrow has said that the film will not see dinosaurs stomping around metropolitan areas à la Gozilla, but rather imagine them more like the wild animals in the world today. Details about Claire's storyline haven't been released, but it's safe to assume she'll be at work trying to save the world.
Claire's simultaneous pragmatism and respect for the dinosaurs create a constant internal ethical dilemma that leads her to make contradictory decisions despite her intelligence. Owen suffers from this same disadvantage: both are idealists who believe in the animals' fundamental rights, but both are smart enough to recognize that those animals can't be allowed to roam free if humans are to be protected. In a world where the dinosaurs now have the upper hand, Claire may finally have to set aside her sympathies and join the battle in Jurassic World: Dominion.
Whitney Way Thore from My Big Fat Fabulous Life isn't shy when it comes to posting pictures of her life from many years ago. The dancer is an open book and often posts heartwarming snaps. However, there are a couple of throwbacks that stand out from the rest. These retro pictures are major fan favorites.
The Greensboro native has been sharing her story for nine seasons. Along the way, viewers have met her family and friends, and some of her pals have known her since she was a teenager. Grown-up Whitney has fallen in and out of love. She had an engagement that barely lasted a few months, but found love again after serious heartbreak. Through the highs and lows, she has had her closest friends and family to lean on. Therefore. it's not a surprise that she gives the special people in her life shout-outs via social media. Since Whitney is known for her Instagram photos, it's time to rank her top three blasts from the past.
Without a doubt, Whitney loves to take a stroll down memory lane. From high school prom pictures to choreographing her first junior production, her memories are all well-documented. My Big Fat FabulousLife fans really enjoy it when Whitney shares a glimpse of her childhood since it was so drastically different from her life now. Whitney's top three photo throwbacks, ranked from the worst of the best to the greatest, are all well worth a closer look.
Whitney and Heather Sykes have been friends since 2002. Their friendship started in high school when ice-blue eye shadow ruled, and Hot Topic was still the scariest mall store to walk into. This photo jumped out at fans because it showed how close the two women have become. Whitney first met Heather on the set of her high school's production of Grease, when she choreographed the dance steps. Heather was Rizzo (and dating Todd Beasley) while Whitney was the mean girl, Cha-Cha.
Who could deny that baby girl Whitney was one cute newborn? In the photo, she is getting lots of love from her parents, Babs and Glenn Thore. Whitney was only a day or two old in the image, and her mom and dad were celebrating bringing their newborn home from the hospital in North Carolina. Fans often think that Babs and Glenn need their own spin-off, as they often poke fun at their daughter.
Whitney's classy but sassy Southern attitude has won fans over, and it looks like she has always had a lot of star quality. In what is one of the star's best throwbacks, Whitney, who always put haters on blast, decided to share a photo from 1988. While rocking her blue dance leotard, she struck a pose for the camera. It is easy to see why the My Big Fat Fabulous Life fans (and TLC cameras) love her so much.
Patty Jenkins is reportedly still directing Star Wars spinoff movie Rogue Squadron despite a delay over creative differences. The upcoming project was announced during Disney's Investors Day in December 2020 and scheduled for a December 2023 release, making it the first new Star Wars movie since The Rise of Skywalker. During the reveal, Jenkins spoke passionately about Rogue Squadron, using her personal love of flying as a springboard to tell a story in the galaxy far, far away. With Jenkins helming the successful Wonder Woman movies for WB, there was much excitement to see what she could bring to Star Wars.
Unfortunately, Rogue Squadron has had some trouble getting off the ground. Earlier this year, it was announced Rogue Squadron was delayed, with reports citing creative differences between Jenkins and Lucasfilm. Since Disney purchased Lucasfilm in 2012, these kinds of behind-the-scenes issues have been quite common, raising questions if Jenkins would stick around or leave the project altogether. Based on the newest info, it sounds like Rogue Squadron is still on her docket.
In Deadline's report on Jenkins stepping down from directing Cleopatra, it's mentioned her decision was made so she could focus on franchise installments Wonder Woman 3 and Rogue Squadron. The outlet does not mention how far along Rogue Squadron is, or how close the previous problems are to being resolved. As of now, Rogue Squadron is still slated for a 2023 release.
Typically, if a director experiences creative differences with a studio, it ends with them departing the project. But based on this, it sounds like Jenkins and Lucasfilm are still committed to working together. Perhaps whatever disagreements the parties have aren't so severe, and Jenkins will be able to rework the story so it better aligns with Lucasfilm's overall vision for the Star Wars franchise. Of course, there's still a chance Jenkins eventually steps down from Rogue Squadron should these differences persist, but it's encouraging to hear she remains on board for the time being. After some public falling outs with high-profile filmmakers, it would be nice if Lucasfilm was able to make things work with Jenkins.
It will be interesting to see if Wonder Woman 3 or Rogue Squadron comes to fruition first. The former does not have a release date, but the Wonder Woman 3 script is currently being worked on and it will definitely be a priority for WB moving forward. At the same time, Gal Gadot is still starring in Cleopatra despite Jenkins moving to a producing role, which could impact the Wonder Woman 3 timeline. Since Paramount decided to bring Kari Skogland in to direct Cleopatra, they seem keen on getting that one into production sooner rather than later. Depending on Gadot's schedule, Jenkins may ultimately choose to make Rogue Squadron before Wonder Woman 3.
Sydney Lotuaco, who appeared on Bachelor in Paradise season 6, recently announced she is engaged to her boyfriend of over a year, Nick Wehby. Viewers were introduced to Sydney for the first time when she competed on Colton Underwood's season of The Bachelor. Sydney made it to week six before she realized her relationship with Colton was going nowhere. She decided to self-eliminate at the time, as she didn't want to continue a relationship with someone she felt wasn't serious about her.
After her first stint on the ABC reality show, Sydney chose to give Bachelor in Paradise a chance. She joined the season from the beginning and developed a few connections with the men on the beach. However, it didn't last very long. In fact, Sydney left the show after week five when Mike Johnson broke up with her. Despite none of her relationships working out on the show, Sydney never gave up on love, and it seems everything worked out in her favor in the end.
On December 5, Sydney announced on Instagram that she and her boyfriend Nick were engaged. The 29-year-old shared a series of snaps from the magical day, with Sydney looking surprised but excited by the proposal. "One and DONE! I love you forever [Nick]," the BIP alum wrote in her caption. After her engagement, Sydney did an interview with People where she talked about how she and Nick first connected at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic during quarantine. "Nick had watched me on The Bachelor and for whatever reason took a liking to me," Sydney, who is a former dancer, revealed. "We [started] talking back and forth via Instagram, then texting, and eventually FaceTimed for 3 months before ever meeting in person." Sydney also told the publication that before joining the franchise, she never had a serious boyfriend before. Sydney knew that whoever she ended up dating "would be the real thing."
After her stint on BIP, Sydney continued to search for the one and eventually met her now-fiancé. The couple knew they had something special when they began exchanging direct messages over IG, and after meeting up for the first time in August 2020, Sydney chose to take a leap of faith and move in with Nick. Syndey, who first competed on Colton's season of The Bachelor, admitted that she and Nick were able to develop a great connection over the phone and she saw "what an amazing man he is." Sydney revealed that Nick once told her he'd never walk again after breaking his neck, but he was able to do it just three days later. His courage and strength really stood out to The Bachelor alum. Nick surprised Syndey with the proposal by inviting her to do a holiday photoshoot with the couple's favorite photographer. Syndey said yes without any questions and is excited to spend the rest of her life with Nick.
Sydney always knew that her first and only boyfriend would be the man she would eventually marry. Luckily, the Bachelor in Paradise alum connected with Nick when she did. Now, the couple is ready to spend forever with each other.
The Harry Potter cast is coming back together to celebrate the saga’s 20th anniversary in a special event for HBO Max, but there’s one notable name left out of the guest list: Harry Potter creator J.K. Rowling. The fantasy genre has seen many worlds aimed at a young audience, but few have had the impact and success that the Wizarding World has, and it all began in 1997 with the novel Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone. The story of Harry Potter ended up covering seven novels through which readers saw the main characters grow alongside them, earning a special place in the hearts of many around the world.
The success of the Harry Potter book series was such that it didn’t take long for Hollywood to take notice and adapt the Wizarding World to the big screen. The Harry Potter saga was released between 2001 and 2011 (with the final novel, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, divided into two movies) and it expanded the books’ fanbase, further becoming a worldwide phenomenon. The Harry Potter movies boosted the careers of its young cast and set the example for other novels that made the jump to the big screen, and while the saga came to an end ten years ago, the Wizarding World is still kept alive thanks to its many fans all over the world.
The entertainment industry is currently going through a nostalgia trend with reboots, remakes, and reunion specials, many of these released exclusively on streaming platforms, and the Harry Potter universe is about to join this trend. To celebrate the 20th anniversary of the beginning of the movie saga, the cast of Harry Potter will reunite in a special event, appropriately titled Harry Potter 20th Anniversary: Return to Hogwarts, to be streamed on HBO Max. The golden trio – Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, and Emma Watson – is confirmed to appear in the reunion along with many others, but the creator of the Wizarding World, J.K. Rowling, isn't part of the list of guests, and while there’s no official word on why, there are a couple of reasons why she might be staying away from this specific event.
J.K. Rowling is constantly working on new projects, so it’s possible that the reason she’s skipping the Harry Potter reunion is that she’s busy. However, there are other, more serious reasons why the creator of the Wizarding World isn’t on the list of guests for the Harry Potter reunion, and they are all about those controversial comments she has made. Rowling has shared anti-trans comments on social media since 2018, leading to a lot of backlash and fans voicing their dislike towards her, and given the sensitivity and complexity of this problem, it wouldn’t be surprising if Warner and HBO Max are actively avoiding more backlash and the risk of having their Harry Potter reunion overshadowed by the controversy around Rowling by doing something as simple as not inviting her.
Fans of Harry Potter might not even notice her absence with all the familiar faces they are about to see, among those Robbie Coltrane (Hagrid), Matthew Lewis (Neville Longbottom), Mark Williams (Arthur Weasley), Helena Bonham Carter (Bellatrix Lestrange), Ralph Fiennes (Lord Voldemort), Gary Oldman (Sirius Black), Tom Felton (Draco Malfoy), and more. Unless Warner is keeping a brief appearance from Rowling a secret, the Harry Potter creator is not expected to appear in any new content for the reunion (this as reported by People), and given everything that has happened, it’s understandable that she won’t show up.
A Minecraft fan has managed to discover the smallest mushroom biome. Following the latest Minecraft Caves & Cliffs Part 2 update, the long-running sandbox game's world generation rules changed. These changes appear to have resulted in a uniquely small biome.
In Caves & Cliffs Part 2, Minecraft got a massive update to how its worlds generate. Caves were massively updated, with the new Dripstone Cave and Lush Cave biomes being added. The dimensions in which a world could generate were also greatly expanded, allowing a player's world to stretch to new heights (and depths) compared to the previous version of Minecraft. The Snowy Mountain, Snowy Slopes, and Frozen Peak biome also added new treacherous paths that players could encounter, with goats and patches of snow that players could fall through and eventually freeze to death. There were also changes and additions to biomes like the Meadows and Grove, which were not necessarily a part of the update that the name would suggest. One biome that was definitely not touched in the Caves & Cliffs Part 2 update was the Mushroom Forest biome. Yet it was this biome that was the subject of a new oddity discovered recently.
Redditor Calamithros shared their discovery of a one-block mushroom island in their survival world, which registered as a completely separate biome from the surrounding ocean. The block, which is registered as a Mushroom Fields biome, encapsulates the smallest-possible biome in Minecraft. It's unclear whether this is a glitch or feature of a new world-generation rules brought on by Caves & Cliffs Part 2.
The fact that Minecraft players are still managing to discover small details and quirks within the game over a decade after its release shows the depth and care Mojang has put into its creation. Of course, part of Minecraft's incredible staying power is owed to the constant updates that Mojang puts out. Players are constantly showing off new creatures they've discovered, new ways to build, new traps and farms that can be made, and other discoveries, big and small. This one-block Mushroom Fields biome might be a small discovery, but it does go to show how Minecraft's world generation can produce unconventional biomes.
While fans are already awaiting Minecraft's next update, titled The Wild Update, there is still clearly much to be explored in the Caves & Cliffs update. From the brand new biomes to new Redstone contraptions, every day Minecraft players seem to find something new and unique. Unfortunately, it all can't quite fit onto the smallest Mushroom Fields biome.
Shortly after launch, Battlefield 2042's seasonal content cycle is beginning to wind up, and cosmetic skins that were inadvertently viewable early highlight a dissonance between the game's narrative and its actual in-game content. Of the upcoming cosmetic items, a Battlefield 2042 Santa Claus skin is being mocked the most by players, but these new cosmetics are just the most visible example of a deep rooted issue that is prevalent throughout the game. Battlefield 2042 takes place in a setting in which nations are collapsing and climate disasters are frequent, yet the tone of the characters and content, and even some gameplay mechanics, don't accurately reflect the dire circumstances.
Going all in on a live-service content model which entirely abandoned any form of single player campaign, Battlefield 2042 has used a variety of methods to build up its setting and a backdrop for the conflict in which players participate. Trailers, in-universe social media posts, and even a short film titled Exodus - starring the late Michael K. Williams as Battlefield's Irish - crafted the fictional near future of 2042 in the lead up to launch. As a result of increasingly severe natural disasters produced by climate change, many countries have entirely collapsed by the year 2042, leading to a population of Non-Patriated individuals numbering in the billions. Fighting over the Earth's dwindling resources, the last two global superpowers of the United States and Russia fight a global proxy war through the use of No-Pat mercenaries.
When booting up Battlefield 2042 for the first time, there is an introductory cutscene which relays this information to players who may have been unaware. The story will likely progress in some fashion as 2042's in-game seasons progress, and there was a lot of potential to create a game which, at least to some degree, broaches important societal issues like climate change, mass migration and displacement, and the exploitation of those in need through militarism, but 2042 has so far shirked its interesting setting with an incredibly nonchalant tone. Battlefield 2042 wasn't expected to deliver some great, impactful narrative, but the characters, gameplay, and now aesthetics tend to seem silly when considered inside of their context.
2042 made the controversial decision to abandon the series' signature class structure, and instead put players in control of Specialists which take cues from the popular hero shooter genre. At launch there are 10 Specialists, each with their own personality and unique, in-game ability. Any Specialist can use any combination of weapons, gadget, and throwable, giving 2042 an unparalleled level of load out freedom for the series. The system could certainly be improved with a few changes to the Battlefield 2042 Specialists, but one of the greatest concerns for 2042 is now being realized through the recently added holiday cosmetics. Prior to launch, a commonly held sentiment within the dedicated Battlefield community was a fear that the unique characters borne out of the Specialist system was little more than a vehicle for micro-transactions, and that this would eventually result in skins that undermined the serious backdrop of 2042's setting.
Many hoped that this would be a gradual process - one that many would argue has happened to games like Rainbow Six Siege and Call of Duty: Warzone - with at least the first few batches of new cosmetics remaining militaristic in looks. Unfortunately, the very first content drop for Battlefield 2042 includes skins that are wildly unbelievable for military action. It should go without saying that wearing a bright red Santa Claus coat in combat is incredibly ill-advised. The Battlefield Direct Communication Twitter account claims the developers "presently have no plans to utilize all of [the skins] this Holiday," but this suspiciously sounds like backtracking considering the leaked screenshots from Battlefield Bulletin very clearly show unlock requirements tied to 2042's ongoing preseason.
Regardless of whether or not the skins will actually be used this year, the existence of these skins all but confirms that DICE and EA don't plan on cultivating a believable aesthetic in regards to the Specialists. Their personalities are already far too casual for the in-universe circumstances. Sure, the No-Pats have been hired specifically to kill, and people who sign up for such work might have a certain kind of bravado, but the Specialists' cringe-inducing dialogue is ridiculously game-ified. Battlefield 2042's characters already feel like caricatures of mercenaries disconnected from the collapsing world around them, and now the cosmetics are starting to make them feel even more so.
The Specialists are just the most immediately obvious example of dissonance between Battlefield 2042's setting and gameplay. The game's maps feel like a half-step in utilizing the rampant natural disasters that were frequently promoted through the trailers' use of tornadoes. These tornadoes happen to be the only extreme weather scenario in the game, which is very disappointing considering the potential. There's a chance for the tornado to show up on Hourglass, which brings a sandstorm with it, but this is the only variation in the game. The climate disasters had a chance to be the successor to the much celebrated Levolution elements from previous Battlefield games, but the novelty of the tornado starts to wear off since its the only dynamic event.
Discarded and Manifest, two maps on the coast, could have had a chance to flood mid-game, completely changing the match's flow. Battlefield 4's Flood Zone was a wonderfully inventive map that demonstrates the variety flooding can bring to the game. Unfortunately 2042 doesn't even have naval vehicles aside from the Battlefield 2042's gravity-defying LCAA Hovercraft, so a waterlogged map isn't even feasible. Breakaway, the map set in the frozen Queen Maud Land region of Antarctica, doesn't even feature a snow storm. The advanced climate change of 2042 would have surely affected the polar ice caps' glaciers, and a crumbling wall of ice could have been a spectacular dynamic event for Breakaway.
Many Battlefield fans had hoped that the series would return to a modern setting after two historical entries in 1 and V. 2042's near-future is the next best thing, giving the developers a two decade removal from present day for some prospective fiction in the world design. Unfortunately the maps hardly utilize the geo-political and environmental frameworks that were constructed for 2042's ongoing live service narrative. There's still hope of the game's setting eventually becoming more involved in the gameplay, but even after all the changes in Battlefield 2042's recent update, fixing the rest of the game's performance issues should be the top priority. The Specialists are just the most noticeable instance of Battlefield 2042's narrative dissonance, and the absurd holiday skins don't inspire much confidence of the game's setting being adequately utilized.
The Munsters reboot's director Rob Zombie posts a picture with him and the principal cast during a day off from shooting. The cast features Jeff Daniel Phillips, Sheri Moon Zombie, and Dan Roebuck, taking on the roles of the Munster family, a family of benign monsters who deal with everyday problems. Sylvester McCoy has also been cast in the movie as Igor, a new character to the franchise. This adaptation is just one of many attempts to bring The Munsters to a modern audience.
The Munsters is based on the 1960s sitcom of the same name, where the titular Munsters would deal with the problems facing the average American family, in a satire of suburban American and classic Hollywood monster movies, in the vein of Frankenstein and Dracula. The film is set to be a reboot of the old series, with Zombie recreating the original The Munstershouse for shooting. The film is to be released in theaters as well as streaming through Peacock in the fall of 2022.
Zombie posts a photo of himself with Phillips, Roebuck, McCoy, and his wife Sheri Moon Zombie during lunch on a day off from shooting the movie in Hungary. The photo is in black and white, keeping with most of the social media posts Zombie has made about the movie, possibly as a reference to classic Hollywood movies, or a way of indicating the film will be in black and white. All the actors have extensively collaborated with Zombie before, with the exception of McCoy, previously known for his work as Radagast the Brown in The Hobbit film series. Check out the post below:
Zombie, known for his work in the horror genre, may have initially been an odd choice for The Munsters reboot. Zombie's work is characterized by its high amounts of gore, most notably in House of 1000Corpses and The Devil's Rejects. Though similar to Eli Roth, a horror director who found success in the kid-friendly The House With A Clock In Its Walls, Zombie could channel his love for horror into a much tamer package, allowing his passion for the genre to reach a wider audience.
The Munsters left a legacy on television, along with The AddamsFamily, that sitcoms could have a much more macabre tone and still be suitable for a large audience. This realization contributed to the sitcom as a medium, showing that audiences were no longer interested in the bland Leave It To Beaver depiction of home life that emerged in the 1950s. With so many failed reboot attempts, The Munsters will finally reach a modern audience, and hopefully Zombie's passion for the material will make it a reboot worth celebrating.
From his WWII service with the Invaders to his rocky history as ruler of Atlantis, Namor McKenzie is without a doubt one of the proudest beings in the Marvel Universe, and yet the popular antihero just bent the knee to an Avenger. The moment comes in Avengers #50 (by Jason Aaron, Christopher Ruocchio, Rafael Fonteriz, David Baldeon, Aaron Kuder, Steve McNiven, Javier Garron, Ed McGuinness, Frank D'Armata, Rachelle Rosenberg, Alex Sinclar, David Curiel, and Matt Hollingsworth), and has major consequences for both Namor and Earth's Mightiest Heroes.
Namor's kingdom of Atlantis was recently threatened by the Red Widow and her Winter Guard. The Russian super-powered group detonated a gamma-bomb on the outskirts of the undersea capital of Atlantis. Luckily, the Avengers were there and She-Hulk absorbed 68 megatons of gamma power inside her body, saving more than 12,000 Atlanteans at the risk of her life. Jennifer Walters fortunately did not die, but discharging the gamma energy did return her to her previous Hulk form, one where she is in total control. After that, Namor summoned her to the ruins of Atlantis, and did the unthinkable.
It is understandable that Namor would want to thank Jennifer for saving his people, but his gesture of kneeling in front of her is still highly atypical. Since his first appearance, Namor has been defined by his volatile attitude and his immense pride. He challenged the Avengers at the beginning of their career (together with the Hulk) and stood his ground against the Earth's Mightiest Heroes, a feat he repeated in recent stories when he single-handedly held off the likes of Thor, Captain Marvel, the Ghost Rider, Iron Man and She-Hulk.
Namor did, however, get on his knees on one other occasion, but it was for a very different reason. When the forces of Wakanda lay waste to Atlantis (in retaliation for a Phoenix-powered Namor attacking their nation), Namor decided to live up to his nickname of Avenging Son and directed his wrath towards the Black Panther. Namor pledged his allegiance to Thanos, the Mad Titan, by kneeling in front of his agent Proxima Midnight. While on the surface he did that to spare more suffering to his people, he actually wanted to lead Thanos and his forces to Wakanda, in an act of spite and revenge.
This time, however, Namor's grand gesture comes from a very different place. Life has not been easy for the King of Atlantis lately, as Jennifer duly noted in their conversation, saying, "You have been a pretty terrible king lately". The coming of the Final Host of the Celestials did as much damage to Atlantis as it did to the surface world, and Namor's people were in need of a guiding hand more than ever. What he did, instead, was assemble a team of underwater super-villains, antagonize the Avengers, try and fail to gain control of the Phoenix and the surface world, and finally put all of Atlantis under martial law. The explosion of the gamma bomb was the last straw. The people of Atlantis have abandoned their disappointment of a king and scattered among the seas, leaving him free to fulfill a new role.
Now that Namor has cast aside his pride, it is time for him to turn over a new leaf. What is next then, for a king without a kingdom? Joining the Avengers, of course. Namor's gesture of gratitude towards She-Hulk came with a promise of doing anything in his power to repay his debt. Considering that he appeared shortly after on the shore of Avengers Mountain "to make amends," it is highly likely that She-Hulk asked him to join the team. This is the perfect next step for Namor - if he and Black Panther can avoid killing each other, his surety and experience will make him a major asset as the Avengers face a whole multiverse of trouble.
The Dark Pictures Anthology: House of Ashes features several famous actors such as Nick Tarabay, Ashley Tisdale, and Clare McConnell. Some of the actors are not as well known, while others, like Tisdale, are breaking into the horror genre for the first time. House of Ashes has an intimate cast of talented, recognizable actors that make the game interesting and the morally questionable choices that much more difficult to make.
Along with a brand new cast for this installment in TheDark Pictures Anthology, Pip Torrens returns as the curator in the enjoyable tale of House of Ashes. Each of TheDark Pictures Anthology games has included Torrens as the curator, who acts as a guide to players as they move through each chapter. Torrens is the only returning character in House of Ashes, but he's far from being the only famous face in the game.
Saving everyone in House of Ashes is even more rewarding when considering the performances given by each actor. The characters are flawed but relatable, and their strong need to survive comes through in their believable personalities and the intense moments that threaten to end them. House of Ashes wouldn't be as enjoyable, emotional, or thrilling without its talented cast.
Although new to the horror genre, Ashley Tisdale has had a long and successful career. She is most known for her Disney Channel roles in such as Sharpay Evans in all three High School Musical movies, Candace Flynn in Phineas and Ferb, or Maddie Fitzpatrick in The Suite Life of Zack & Cody. Her role as Rachel King in House of Ashes is far from what fans are used to seeing her in, but she does an excellent job of making her character dynamic and enjoyable to play as.
Alex Gravenstein portrays one of the playable characters in House of Ashes, Eric King. Gravenstein has played a variety of minor roles, including a NASA tech in X-Men: Dark Phoenix. He was also a voice actor for Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings of Ruin, so he has some experience voicing video game characters. In House of Ashes, he plays Eric King, an Air Force officer, and estranged husband to Tisdale's Rachel King. The conflict between Eric and Rachel is well executed throughout the game thanks to the performances given by Gravenstein and Tisdale.
Clarice Stokes isn't a playable character in House of Ashes, but Clare McConnell makes her one of the most memorable characters in the game. She plays a physicist that eventually falls ill, and players must decide how to handle her being infected. The choices surrounding Clarice are some of the hardest decisions to make in House of Ashes.
Clare McConnell is most known for her role as Dennas in Star Trek: Discovery, and she appears in a variety of additional television series such as Murdoch Mysteries and American Gods. McConnell also has some experience voice acting for video games as she provided her voice in 2015's Rainbow Six: Seige. Her role in House of Ashes showed that she is able to stand out even as a non-playable character.
The curator has been featured in every installment of The Dark Pictures Anthology, including Man of Medan and Little Hope. Pip Torrens acts as both a guide and a chronicler of all the choices players have made while moving through the story in House of Ashes. Torrens is recognized for his roles in films such as Pride & Prejudice, Tomorrow Never Dies, and Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens. In House of Ashes, Torrens constantly makes players second guess their choices and often suggests that players approach each new situation with caution.
House of Ashes' Salim Othman, played by Nick Tarabay, is a playable high-ranking soldier in the Elite Iraqi Republican Guard, and he gets trapped with the American soldiers. The conflict between Salim and the others creates intense situations and difficult choices that can potentially lead to an unexpected, and somewhat strained, friendship between Salim and other characters. However, the conflict can also lead to early deaths if players aren't careful.
Nick Tarabay has been featured in titles such as Star Trek: Into Darkness, Pacific Rim: Uprising, and the widely popular DC television series, Arrow. Tarabay also has video game roles as The Butcher in 2019's Call of Duty: Modern Warfare and Haluk in Anthem. Salim Othman is an interesting, conflicted character in House of Ashes that Nick Tarabay brings to life.
Jason Kolchek is the squad leader of Mailman 2-1 in House of Ashes and is played by Paul Zinno. Jason is one of the playable characters and initially has a big problem with Salim, but the two can resolve their issues if players make the right choices. Zinno's portrayal of Jason fits well as players uncover the truth about his personality and beliefs. Zinno has had minor roles in several television series such as Future Man and Transplant.
Nick Kay is one of the five playable characters with several unique deaths in Hosue of Ashes. Kay is voiced by Moe Jeudy-Lamour who has recently appeared in Ted Lasso and Tom Clancy's Jack Ryan. Moe Jeudy-Lamour has also had small roles in popular movies like X-Men: Days of Future Past and Immortals. Nick Kay in House of Ashes is part of the squad commanded by Jason Kolchek, and he is also secretly seeing Rachel King behind Eric King's back.
Merwin Lazarus isn't playable in House of Ashes, but he has a major role in the game, and a few important decisions revolve around saving him. Merwin is played by Alex Mallari Jr., who has prior video game experience as a voice actor in the large-scale PvP game, Ghost Recon Breakpoint. Mallari also appeared in a variety of television series, including several in the horror genre.
In House of Ashes, players need to make important decisions revolving around Merwin. Although he isn't playable, Merwin is one of the more important characters and is under the command of Jason Kolchek as a squad member to Nick Kay. Keeping Merwin alive as long as possible can potentially save others, and Mallari's performance makes Merwin a likable character that players want to save anyway.
Captain Dar Basri is one of the antagonists in House of Ashes and leads the Iraqi patrol, which includes Salim Othman. Basri is voiced and motion-captured by Nabeel El Khafif, who appeared in films like The Mist, and X-Men: Apocalypse as well as Assassin's Creed: Origins and Watch Dogs. Khafif's prior experience shows in his performance as the ruthless Captain Dar Basri.
Sammy Azero, who recently played Enrico Marini in Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City, portrays Joey Gomez in House of Ashes. He is another Mailman 2-1 squad member along with Nick Kay and Merwin Lazarus, making his connection to the other characters strong. Gomez generally acts as the voice of reason for the squad and his personality is conveyed through a strong performance by Sammy Azero.
Zaydun Khalaf plays Balathu in the prologue of House of Ashes. Balathu is the first playable character in the game, and players must make a few decisions regarding his fate and the fate of those around him. Zaydan Khalaf is known for his roles in Wonder Woman 1984 and A Hologram for the King, and he also did voiceover work for the 2013 game Total War: Rome II.
Kurum is another character that appears in the prologue for House of Ashes, and he is played by newcomer Waleed Hammad. His brief but convincing performance may lead to larger roles in future games, films, or television series. Hammad recently appeared in an episode of The Great as Molotov, but it is unclear if he is currently working on any new projects.
House of Ashes features many recognizable names and a few relatively new actors. The performances in House of Ashes make for an intense survival game with difficult choices and potentially heart-wrenching death scenes. Between cast members like Pip Torrens who constantly questions the player's choices, and Clare McConnell, who can be very difficult to save in House of Ashes, The Dark Pictures Anthology: House of Ashes offers players an exciting experience with memorable performances that should excite those looking forward to the Dark Pictures Anthology season one finale.
Tom Holland wants to be the Iron Man to the next young Spider-Man or Spider-Woman. The actor is currently busy promoting Spider-Man: No Way Home, which is due exclusively in theaters on December 17. Beyond that, Holland is also confirmed to star in a new Spider-Man trilogy. Despite that, he's also willing to step into a mentor role in case new wall-crawlers are introduced in the MCU.
In 2015, Marvel Studios and Sony entered a historic partnership to collaborate on Holland's new iteration of the superhero. The next year, he debuted in Captain America: Civil War, with Tony Stark functioning as his entry point to the bigger MCU. The genius billionaire recruited Peter Parker into Team Iron Man amidst his conflict with Captain America (Chris Evans) about the Sokovia Accords. Since then, the pair developed a mentor-mentee relationship that eventually became more personal over time until Stark's death in Avengers: Endgame. The death of his mentor immensely affected the young hero, but after getting the time to properly grieve the loss, he now must gear up for what could be his biggest personal mission yet in Spider-Man: No Way Home.
Holland has time and again expressed how important the role of Spider-Man is to him. If it's up to him, he'll continue playing Peter Parker for years to come. However, he also tells Associated Press in a new interview that if he needs to step back in order to let other versions of the character be the focus of storytelling, he would graciously do so, as Iron Man did for him when he was just starting in the MCU. Read his full answer below:
I love this character more than anything. It's changed my life. I have a relationship with my fans that's so wonderful, I couldn't ask for it to be any better. But I wanna do what's best for the character. If it's time for me to step down and the next person to step up, I'll do so proudly... I'd love to see a more diverse Spider-Man universe which would be really exciting. If I could be a part of that, I could be the Iron Man to the next young Spider-Man or Spider-Woman, that would be great. But at the moment, all I have to think about is the character and what's best for Peter Parker.
Not everyone is thrilled with the way Marvel Studios handled Iron Man and Spider-Man's relationship. Some criticize that Peter's story in the MCU has been highly dependent on Stark's when he should have a separate identity on his own. With the MCU, however, it made sense that the young hero was mentored by the genius, billionaire, considering that he'd been the face of the Avengers in the Infinity Saga. Luckily, with a new Spider-Man trilogy in the works, Marvel Studios has the opportunity to address these concerns by developing the wall-crawler's individual arc. That doesn't mean that his previous relationship with Stark will never factor into his journey moving forward, however.
When Holland says that he wants to be the Iron Man to the next Spider-Man or Spider-Woman, he isn't talking about tying Peter's story to them the same way Marvel Studios did with him and Iron Man. Instead, he's referring to playing a mentor figure who's well aware that he isn't the center of the story. Despite the criticisms of their on-screen relationship, Downey did play a great supporting character in Spider-Man: Homecoming. Aside from that, Downey and Holland also developed a friendship in real life, something that has stuck even after the events of the Infinity Saga.
Warning: contains spoilers for Darkhold: Black Bolt #1!
Marvel has just used the Inhumans franchise to tell one of their most effective horror stories in recent memory, and all while centering a tale around a superhero who can't speak: Black Bolt. The King of the Inhumans, Blackagar Boltagon (his true name) is burdened with a terrible responsibility and a powerful superhuman ability. Unfortunately, neither can save him from a Twilight Zone-esque terrible truth.
In the world of Inhumans, the titular people live in a community upon Earth's moon, calling it Attilan. The majority of stories revolve around the human family, and as the king, Black Bolt presides over all Inhumans. Unfortunately, his brother Maximus desires the throne for himself, and inDarkhold: Black Bolt #1, the king finds himself on a barren planet, marooned after a plot by Maximus has left him stranded.
Spotting a ship flying above, Black Bolt presumes the pilot is Maximus coming to finish him off. He shouts at the craft, causing it to plummet to the ground below (Black Bolt's shout can destroy entire cities, so no single ship can stand a chance here). Unfortunately, the occupant is Black Bolt's trusted steward, who tells him he isn't Black Bolt at all...he's Maximus. The steward outlines a plan years in the making.
Maximus ordered the steward to transform him into Black Bolt using a device that perfectly mimicked the King - even granting Maximus Black Bolt's powers. But the real king grew wise to the plot and installed memory detectors around the kingdom to weed out anyone wearing a disguise. As such, the steward implanted Maximus with false memories; thus, Maximus believes he is now Black Bolt. For the plot to work flawlessly, Maximus' original memories had to be completely erased. "In effect, I had to kill you, my prince," explains the steward. But while Maximus had Black Bolt's powers, he didn't have a lifetime of training to control those incredible powers. One errant shout betrayed his true identity, and Maximus/Black Bolt escaped in a shuttle to a distant planet...where he has just killed his only ally.
Maximus/Black Bolt is left with a disturbing question: is he truly Maximus, who now has no hope of taking the throne...or he is truly Black Bolt, tricked into believing he is his own brother as a plot by the real Maximus? As is the case with so many Twilight Zone episodes, the question is left unanswered, namely because there is no way to know a true answer until other Inhumans retrieve Maximus/Black Bolt. Marvel's Inhumans has never been more horrifying, and all through a simple question about Black Bolt's true identity.
No matter who weighs in, here's why the debate about Die Hard being a Christmas movie will likely never end. One thing there seems to be no real debate about is that Die Hard, directed by John McTiernan and starring Bruce Willis as the iconic hero John McClane, is an all-time classic movie. As far as action movies go, few hit the heights of Die Hard. Sure, there are movies with more spectacular stunts, but Die Hard's overall package is second to almost none.
Die Hard has a great hero in McClane, a devilishly entertaining villain in the late Alan Rickman's Hans Gruber, lots of hard-hitting, practically realized battles in the days before CGI, a sharply sarcastic sense of humor, and a surprising amount of nail-biting tension. Die Hard is one thrilling time, and it's no wonder the movie has been preserved in the U.S. Library of Congress. For lots of people though, Die Hard is definitely a Christmas tradition, something as comforting to put on as Home Alone or The Santa Clause.
For as many people who believe with zero doubt that Die Hard is a Christmas movie staple, however, there are just as many who believe it doesn't even belong in the conversation. Die Hard certainly doesn't fit the traditional Christmas movie mold, as there's no heartwarming sentimentality, no Santa Claus, and the plot doesn't revolve around buying presents or family gatherings. With those factors, and all the factors the opposing side would offer up in rebuttal, the debate over whether or not Die Hard is a true Christmas movie has grown bigger than the movie itself. It's now to the point where arguing about its merits as a holiday film is itself a Christmas tradition.
By now, Die Hard stars Bruce Willis and Rejinald VelJohnson, director John McTiernan, and co-writer Steven E. de Souza have all publicly weighed in on the Die Hard Christmas movie debate. Fittingly, this did nothing to settle things, as Willis and McTiernan fall on the side of it not being a Christmas movie while VelJohnson and de Souza are in the camp of those who believe it is. If the people involved with the movie can't agree on whether Die Hard is a Christmas movie, it's not really fair to expect the general public to be any less divided.
Even if everyone who made Die Hard agreed that it was or wasn't a Christmas movie, though, that still likely wouldn't end the Die Hard Christmas movie debate, because realistically, no one wants it to end. Every year, the arguments for and against are rehashed, but instead of causing frustration, the debate just offers another opportunity to talk about Die Hard, one of the most beloved action movies ever. The debate itself is just another fun way to spend the holiday season, with those who think it's a Christmas movie choosing to watch it to get in the yuletide spirit, and those who don't watching the more traditional holiday classics. While both sides offer their various hot takes leading up to Christmas Day, no hard feelings are had, with everyone moving on until the Die Hard Christmas movie debate rolls around again next year. After all, the one thing both sides have in common is that they think Die Hard is a great movie that's worth discussing and the best of the franchise.
The early access for the eagerly anticipatedFinal Fantasy XIV Onlineexpansion,Endwalker has drawn in thousands of players, but due to massive congestion in servers across all regions, they were unable to log in and were met with error messages. Fans of the successful massively multiplayer online RPG went onto social media to laugh and vent about their frustrations while waiting in the queue. Due to this ongoing situation happening prior to the expansion’s official December 7th release date, Producer and Director ofFinal Fantasy XIVNaoki Yoshida wrote out a notice explaining the dilemma and offering free game time as compensation.
Final Fantasy XIV: Endwalkermarks an end to the Hydaelyn and Zodiark stories that were established in previous expansions while potentially setting up the future of the game. The hype is definitely high. Final Fantasy XIV players found creative ways to pass the time while waiting in the queue, such a watching trailers or even drawing fanart if they are artistically inclined.
On theFFXIV’sofficial community site, Producer and Director Naoki Yoshida apologized for the recent congestion situation. He explained that each server in every region has been hitting the login cap to the point of reaching the hardware limit for theFFXIVservice as a whole. This has been happening for extremely long periods of time, resulting in the long queue waits. To compensate for this ongoing situation, Yoshida and his team have decided that onEndwalker’srelease date of December 7th, they will be giving seven days of free game time to active subscribers who own the full version of the game. This includes players who have registered the full version and are playing the 30-day free play period.
Square Enix preemptively told fans that login issues were to be expected prior to Endwalker’s early access. Yoshida further elaborated on each error message that players might have encountered that caused them to disconnect from the queue. One of the more common errors would be Error 2002, which is caused by one of two issues. One way this error could occur is by logging into a regional data center (Aether, Primal, and Crystal in North America), but there are more than 17,000 players in the queue. The second and more common way players would receive an Error 2002 is due to a period of internet connection instability. Since queue wait times are so long, there is a higher chance of a momentary disconnection.
Yoshida explained other errors that occur due to waiting too long in the login queue. The login management server times out after a certain period of session time. TheFFXIVteam is in the process of extending that time period. Yoshida also shared that the peak hours of congestion in the North American data center are from 12:00 PM to 10:00 PM (PT). If players managed to get past the queue but encountered inconveniences on their way toEndwalker’s first dungeon, Tower of Zot, Yoshida’s notice has an explanation for that as well.
It is refreshing to see the transparency and commitment from Naoki Yoshida and hisFFXIVteam. They are attentive to their community of fans and are known to diligently work on solving the game’s inconveniences. Yoshida himself even apologized for delayingEndwalkerby two weeks. Seven days of free game time as an apology for overloaded servers is very welcome. WhatFinal Fantasy XIVfans do with that time is ultimately up to them.
With years of friendship behind them, Archie and Betty have kept fans guessing if they will end up together. They have a very special connection that doesn't fit neatly into 'friendship' or 'relationship' - they love each other at different times, leaving their love unrequited for the most part.
Naturally, such a complicated bond leaves them and their romantic partners in vulnerable positions and people get hurt (a lot). The decisions they make and things they do lead to heartbreak and highly complicated love triangles in Riverdale. However, they don't mean to hurt each other or their friends, they just can't seem to stay away from each other.
After years of friendship, Betty (with Veronica's encouragement) confesses to Archie that she wants them to be a couple. However, unbeknownst to Betty, Archie is secretly involved with Ms. Grundy at this time and he explains to Betty that he loves her as a friend.
Although Archie is right to be honest about his feelings towards Betty, it is one of the times he hurts Betty the most. At this stage, she cares about Archie so much and cannot understand why he doesn't feel the same way.
Although Betty actually does nothing wrong here, because Archie has told her that he sees her as a friend, Archie can be caught staring at them and it appears as if seeing Betty with Jughead has stirred up Archie's feelings for Betty. Archie gets himself into this situation, but it clearly pains him to see Betty happy with Jughead.
During one of Riverdale's best mysteries, Betty's mother believes that FP might have something to do with Jason's murder, and Veronica and Archie begin looking into it. Despite Betty saying they shouldn't because FP is Jughead's father, they search FP's trailer anyway. When Jughead finds out, he is upset and thinks Betty must be involved too.
Although Archie's trip to the trailer makes them realize FP is being set up so it is ultimately worthwhile, he does betray Betty by going. He causes a rift between Betty and Jughead, and he should've been honest with Betty about his plans.
When Betty finds out that Archie has been seeing his high school music teacher, she becomes concerned and breaks into her car, where she finds a gun and discovers that 'Ms. Grundy' is actually an alias. Unfortunately for Betty, her pushy and overbearing mother finds out and gets involved.
Although this all actually works out for the best because Ms. Grundy leaves town (having abused her position of power), Archie specifically asked Betty to back off. As Betty goes behind Archie's back and destroys his (highly inappropriate) relationship, it's unsurprising Archie is upset.
When Betty and Archie share a kiss just prior to their graduation, they are confused by their feelings. Eventually, they agree to keep the kiss a secret and not to tell Veronica or Jughead. However, Archie has a change of heart and comes clean at prom.
Archie is right to tell Veronica, but he betrays Betty's trust by not telling her he's going to confess. Although Veronica holds no grudge against them, it had the potential to ruin Betty and Veronica's close friendship, or even Betty and Jughead's relationship if Veronica had passed the information on.
After the gang return to Riverdale six years after their graduation, Betty and Archie begin being intimate with each other. It starts as a fairly casual thing, but as time goes on they realize they need to make a decision about the nature of their relationship. However, Archie confesses to Betty that he has started having feelings for Veronica again.
The same night Betty confesses her long-standing feelings for Archie, he kisses Veronica during a game at Cheryl's party. Distraught, Betty leaves the party and asks Archie not to tell her what happened.
Although Archie does not reciprocate Betty's romantic feelings at this time, he really ought to have been kinder and more considerate of her feelings given their long friendship. Kissing anyone at a party Betty was at would have been inconsiderate, but kissing her new friend was just cruel.
After Betty and Archie become particularly close while hiding that Jughead is really alive and investigating the secrets of Stonewall Prep, they kiss and realize they have feelings for each other. While Archie is keen to explore his feelings for Betty further, Betty ultimately chooses Jughead while Veronica and Archie break up.
While they are both unfaithful and the kiss shouldn't have happened to begin with, Archie is clearly devastated by Betty's choice. However, Archie has sporadic and inconsistent feelings for Betty, meaning Jughead is certainly the right choice for her.
When the Black Hood threatens to harm Jughead if Betty does not end it with him, Betty asks Archie to break up with him for her. Although Archie takes a lot of convincing, he eventually agrees and does the deed.
As someone who cares about both Archie and Jughead, Betty asks too much of Archie in this instance. As they are such close friends, Archie really has no choice but to agree, but of course, this drives a wedge between him and Jughead. Even though Betty is in a difficult position, it is unkind of her to make it Archie's responsibility.
In a very recent episode in the strange town of Rivervale, Betty teams up with Cheryl and helps sacrifice Archie in an effort to make an offering to the town. This is particularly surprising given that Betty is with Archie romantically and is carrying his child, and fans definitely still have questions about this season 6 storyline.
Although the nature of Rivervale is unknown (it could be a parallel world or the setting of Jughead's new book), Betty still helps kill Archie. It goes without saying that this is pretty much the biggest betrayal of all.
Blade & Soul, a free-to-play MMORPG, has received an update and is now looking better than ever due to its upgrade to Unreal Engine 4. This not only updates the game's older graphics, but optimizes other areas of the game like lighting, character models, and game performance. This upgrade does not affect player progression.
Initially released back in 2012, Blade & Soul was sporting some outdated textures and graphics before this recent update. The game was previously run on Unreal Engine 3, which left its appearance lagging behind other more recently released MMORPGs like Amazon Game's New World. While this switch to Unreal Engine 4 does revive the game's appearance, it has not received an entire graphical revamp and some older textures are still implemented.
The graphical updates are apparent immediately on loading up the refreshed game. The once dull colors are gone and replaced with a richer tone overall. Fine details have been enhanced, and distinctive foliage allows for sunlight to shine through organically. Reflections are explicit, and light and shadow are rendered more effectively, with high contrast lighting in certain settings also providing an improved atmosphere. Even volcanic rooms now emanate a sense of heat rather than relying on particle effects.
The Dual Blade class was also added in this update as the 14th player class for Blade & Soul, allowing players to dual wield weapons as they can in Biomutant. This class is playable by the Jin or Yun races and features two specializations, the Way of the Shifting Blades and the Way of the Lotus. These specializations both offer different gameplay mechanics that can result in some deadly combinations when used together effectively. The Way of the Shifting Blades will have players changing stances between attack rotations to unlock different abilities, while the Way of the Lotus will have players manage a resource called Petals, which will build up to unlock Primordia allowing for various effects.
Along with Blade & Soul's graphical improvements, the upgrade to Unreal Engine 4 has helped to refine game performance. Combat will run more smoothly, with fewer framerate drops and less lag. This optimization comes from the ability to prioritize visual data differently and lessen the load on the system, maintaining stability during even the most hectic battles with enemies rivaling Elden Ring bosses.
Players can expect many benefits from this upgrade including shorter loading screens, more detail in the world and on their characters, and more upcoming expansions. The first new dungeon redesigns are already in production for Blade & Soul. The improvements made likely make this game worth a revisit to any veteran players that were holding out for a more modern version of this MMORPG.
Since wrapping up its eleven-year journey earlier this year, Hajime Isayama’s Attack on Titan has divided its fanbase with a decidedly difficult take on moral relativity, and the dangers inherent in the traditional depiction of shonen manga's “heroes vs monsters” narrative.
Through many a twist and turn, Isayama both thrilled and challenged readers with what amounted to a long-form study on the dual nature of heroism and monstrosity, eventually capping off the story by plunging its protagonist, the tortured Eren Yeager, into the depths of irredeemable villainy. Imperfect but strangely beautiful, Attack on Titan demonstrates that wrestling with demons can have unexpected consequences, and while something of a messy parable, it pulls no punches in the delivery.
Attack on Titan began simply enough as a zombocalypse/monster hunting yarn featuring the members of the Survey Corps, a military regiment whose mission involves protecting the last vestiges of humanity from an army of cannibalistic giants. As the story expands beyond the confines of its original walled city, traitors are revealed within the ranks of the Survey Corps, including the very Titans whose actions led to the death of Eren's mother and the resulting lust for vengeance that drives him. Eventually, these traitors are revealed to themselves be victims of a fascist state known as Marley, indoctrinated from an early age into hating their ethnic kinsman in the walled city, known as Eldians, whose bloodline carries with it the latent power of the Titans.
As the series reaches its peak amid a labyrinth of nightmarish destruction, soul-crushing choices and pulse-pounding action, the origin of the Titans' powers is revealed to be magic in nature, granted by an ancient, luminous, centipede-like being whose abilities include reality-warping and genetic manipulation, known as "the Source of All Life." The Titans are a product of the original carrier of the Source, the ancestress of the Eldians, Ymir, who exists as a ghost in a metaphysical plane known as "the Coordinate," where she governs the Titans' power among her descendants. Enslaved in life by the cruel King Karl Fritz of the Eldians, then nothing more than a rural chieftain, Ymir bonded with the centipede-like vector of energy during her attempted execution for leaving the gate to King Fritz’s pigpen open, becoming the first Titan. After her death, she became a being of immense power, responsible for sculpting the forms of all Titans, which explains the basis of their grotesque appearances as arising from childish fear.
Much of the endgame in Attack on Titan is set up during Chapter 122 when Eren usurps the power of the Founding Titan from his half-brother (and archvillain) Zeke by breaking through to Ymir’s spirit and allying himself to her, in the process manifesting himself as a gargantuan, skeletal ruin before unleashing a literal tidal wave of Colossal Titans to trample the world into oblivion. During the episode, Eren (who in the physical world is just a disembodied head, having been decapitated by Gabi) manages to seduce Ymir to his side by preying upon her desire to break free of the Eldian royal family’s control and finally rid the world of the Titans, an act which Isayama hints is an emotional struggle for the childlike avatar of Ymir.
The result of this seduction finds Eren taking upon the godlike powers of the Founding Titan and completing his total heel-turn by commencing an act of wanton destruction so terrible it leaves eighty percent of the world’s population dead, brutally killed under the feet of millions upon millions of rampaging Titans Eren activated from the city's massive walls. This apocalypse was only turned back at the final hour thanks to the efforts of the surviving members of the Survey Corps and Marley's Eldian Warriors, at the cost of Eren's life.
Following Eren's death in the penultimate chapter, Isayama reveals the final twist of the series: that Ymir obeyed the will of the royal family long after her death not out of fear or blind obedience, but out of honest love for King Fritz, who used her power to subjugate the world. Being a mirror to Ymir, the revelation in many ways casts Eren's actual struggle throughout the series as less of a vengeful but necessary fight for freedom, and more of a gradual coming to acceptance that his desire to destroy a world that constantly abuses innocent people outweighs his feelings of obligation to his friends. In other words, Attack on Titan is ultimately a story about what happens when hate conquers love.
At the outset of the series, much of Eren's actions seem to be motivated by his desire to take back what he believes the Titans took from him, namely by avenging his mother's death and taking back the home in Shiganshina District he saw overrun by Titans. Along the way, he discovers his own Titan powers and with them, a way to solve what he believes to be his real problem: his own sense of powerlessness. As Eren grows more and more powerful with each unlikely victory, it becomes clear that none of his supposed previous emotional touchstones, such as his commitments to his friends and fellow soldiers Mikasa and Armin, are really the things that matter to him: what matters is transcending his own limitations and becoming powerful enough to disregard any human, relatable sense of morality.
With Eren ultimately becoming the exact threat he set out to address, the series can obviously be seen as a Nietzschean parable, acting as a long-form realization of the admonition, "battle not with monsters, lest ye become a monster." Isayama's thesis seems to be that a world of violence and cruelty is simply far more likely to create a champion of violence and cruelty than it is a true, classic savior, and this was always part of Eren's character. Eren is indeed a cynical figure at the end of the story, believing that the only way to ultimately save humanity is to callously murder it, but his story is not one that should be seen as unexpected or without precedent.
Eren’s motivation was always revenge, as quickly and effortlessly as possible. He always relied on his Titan abilities in fighting rather than genuine skill like someone such as Captain Levi, and he clearly falls into the "chosen hero" archetype at his father's (and future self's) own hand. In this way, Isayama takes a common trope and points out that, if someone were designated as a "chosen hero" from a young age, the odds are that no matter how morally pure this person is believed to be, they will not grow up to be a spotless hero. Aside from the obvious pitfalls and growing pains of developing a nuanced personality and moral inventory, the pressure would likely be too much for a person to take if such a responsibility was thrust upon them. This axiom is the beating heart of realism in the horrific yet fantastical world of Isayama’s moral fable. It is these qualities, despite the often left-field approach Isayama takes in unfolding his story, that make Attack on Titan such a brilliant and cohesive narrative at the consummation of its arc.
