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House of the Dragon S3 Ep 1 Review

Remember back when Game of Thrones was in its heyday, and every episode was enough to make the Internet shake? The battles were epic, the betrayals and drama had us on the edge of our seats, and we cared when the characters we liked bit the dust? So many of us were hoping that House of the Dragon would recapture that feeling, but outside of a few key moments, last season was a snooze-fest. For all this talk about a civil war between the Targaryens, there was barely any war involved. But that has now changed. The fight at Rook’s Rest was a good warm-up, but Season Three opened up by giving us the best battle the franchise has seen since the original series! Smoke and salt, fire and blood, the gullet runs red!

So Much to Keep Up With!

It’s been two years or so since we last saw House of the Dragon, so I was a little disappointed to see the new season not open with a recap. Plus, I still don’t know if I like the tapestry intro. It was hard for me to keep track of things on this new tapestry, but that’s just one small gripe.

Given how massive the show’s cast is, there’s a lot of jumping around, with some moments proving to be more important than others. However, the most important aspects of the episode center around a few key plot points. Firstly, Alicent has now decided to sell out the Greens to stop the war that she partially started, offering Rhaenyra King’s Landing in exchange for sparing her and her daughter. Her plans are almost derailed, though, by Aegon’s flight (the irony that he’s captured by Rhaenyra’s supporters is not lost on me), and Aemond now declaring himself King like he always wanted.

Which reminds me. Remember how I said that I respected Aemond more than his older brother, and thought that he at least had the potential to be a king? What respect I did have for him is largely gone now, and it all has to do with that one scene with him and his mother. I know that incest is common in the Targaryens, but kissing your own mother? Somehow, that feels even worse than kissing your sister! What the heck were the writers thinking with that? Furthermore, it feels like Alicent’s attempts to trick her son out of King’s Landing were way too telegraphed! Aemond should be smart enough to realize his mom was up to something, but no! He falls for it hook, line, and sinker.

I know the show is trying to follow the established history, but come on. The writers can do better!

Speaking of doing better, we have one of the moments that I wanted to see only for it to get rushed: Rhaena and Sheepstealer.

Sheepstealer Didn’t Disappoint…but his Rider did

I was excited when the season two finale gave us a look at Sheepstealer, the wild dragon that will come to have a role to play in the Dance of the Dragons, and while I’m sad that his rider from the books was written out, I’m happy to see another dragon. Though I have to admit, Sheepstealer is one ugly-looking SOB! His scales are jagged, his teeth are crooked, and it’s obvious that he’s had a hard life. I guess the dragons the Valyrians raise tend to look much healthier, given how they’re probably well-fed and groomed. Beyond that, though, I didn’t like how quickly Rhaena was able to gain Sheepstealer’s trust onscreen. It should have taken her more than a single episode to win him over, but she does so by eating some of the sheep he cooked? That doesn’t make much sense! In all honesty, it feels like the show was rushing things just so it could get to the real highlight of the episode, the Battle of the Gullet.

Why didn’t we get the Battle of the Gullet in Season Two?!?

This was the kind of battle that we expected to take place in season two. The Battle of the Gullet is the biggest naval battle that we’ve ever seen in the franchise, and HBO clearly went all out on it. The sight of ships being set aflame, the brutal melee combat on the decks, and the sight of dragons flying overhead all made for spectacle that we haven’t seen since the heyday of Game of Thrones. I think that the franchise has improved its combat scenes since then, if this is any indication. I especially appreciated the one on one between Corlys Velaryon’s crew and Admiral Lohar of the Triarchy. That chase between the shallows was nail-biting! And then seeing Corlys lose the will to fight as Driftmark was sacked! Watching his legacy be tarnished while his own ship, the Sea Snake (I’m assuming), died under him is just incredible! Even if he survives the war, House Velayron may never recover what it has lost.

Speaking of which, this battle sees Rhaenyra suffer another devastating loss: her son, Jaceaerys. And the worst part is that it was his decisions that got him killed.

RIP, Jace

I think we all saw the red flags waving when Jace ordered his Mom be kept in her room so she couldn’t join the battle. I know he was trying to keep her safe, but he was depriving himself of another dragon rider in a situation where that was desperately needed. Maybe if she and Syrax had been there, Jace wouldn’t have had to die. Of course, it wasn’t just Jace’s desire to prove himself that did him in. Why Rhaena thought it was a good idea to take Sheepstealer into battle right after she got him to let her ride on his back is beyond me. She wanted a dragon so badly, she forgot the training that goes with it. And now, her cousin’s death is on her hands.

The Battle of the Gullet is nothing short of a bloodbath that neither side can say they won. The only real winners were us, the viewers, who got to see the bodies hit the floor, and it’s only going to get worse. By the time the show’s done, almost everyone on the cast will likely be dead, and the show knows it. Steel yourselves for what’s to come, guys.

I Give “Salt and Sea, Fire and Blood” a 5/5

Rick and Morty S9 Ep 7 Review

Have you ever heard of the concept of Saṃsāra? It’s the Hindu/Buddhist belief that all life is part of a cycle of death and either reincarnation or rebirth, and thus is filled with pain and suffering. The only way to break the cycle is by achieving enlightenment and understanding. But what if you did that and found out that whoever’s controlling the cycle is a jerk who uses the suffering to sustain themselves? Replace Saṃsāra with the cycle of life and the food chain, and the one in charge with a sentient tree, that sums up Rick and Morty’s latest adventure. It’s a bizarre look at the circle of life, death, rebirth, and how it ultimately benefits those at the top. It’s bizarre, but also oddly entertaining to watch. Break the circle!

Jerk Tree Enforces Circle of Life

It all starts when Rick and Morty go to this planet orbiting a black hole. Their goal is to get this tree sap that Rick claims gives this crazy high, because why not? Unfortunately, the tree turns out to be sentient and doesn’t take kindly to intruders ruining nature. It traps the two in an ecosystem underneath its roots as single-celled organisms alongside countless other victims in a cycle of death and evolution. They can evolve into more advanced forms of life, but they have to start at the beginning every time they die.

Death is not a new concept to the likes of Rick and Morty. They’ve seen countless beings die and get reborn throughout their adventures, themselves and other versions of themselves included. And considering what the duo have done throughout the show, you could argue that is the perfect punishment for their antics. Well, mostly Rick, but Morty has done some crazy stuff, too. Going back to the concepts of reincarnation and rebirth, it’s like the idea of Saṃsāra masked as the circle of life. You would think that the whole point of this experience would be to teach them, and us, a lesson about respecting life. But this isn’t some eco-friendly program or Ferngully: The Last Rainforest. This is Rick and Morty. They’ll either refuse to learn their lesson, or, as I bet on, it would turn out the Tree was just being a jerk. To my amusement, I ended up being right.

After trying to make it through evolution together for a while, Rick and Morty try their own methods of escaping the cycle of death and reincarnation. Rick, naturally, refuses to bend to the rules and tries to escape using the other prisoners as fodder for experiments. Meanwhile, Morty opts for the nonviolent route by evolving into a tree that eventually makes it to the surface. However, the Tree reveals that there was never a lesson it wanted everyone to learn. It was just capturing them and using the circle of life to feed himself! That’s like making it to Nirvana or Heaven and then finding out that God is gatekeeping everyone for their own amusement!

Screw the Circle of Life!

After the big reveal, it doesn’t take a genius to figure out how things are going to pan out. Rick and Morty rally the other prisoners to break the cycle of pseudo-Saṃsāra by refusing to kill each other. They lay low for the Tree to grow weak, and when it investigates, they jump it. What follows is a pretty satisifying moment where the captives manage to kill their tormentor, ending the cycle. Unfortunately, no one turns back into their orignal forms right away, and Rick and Morty just bail with the sap like they wanted.

This was honestly a good episode, if you ask me. I know that some people care more about the overarching lore, but in my experience, it’s the one-off adventures in a show that I’m most likely to go back and rewatch. If there was any lesson to be learned, it’s that either nature is cruel and comes at someone’s expense, or not to mess with Rick and Morty. Break the circle!

I Give “Mortgully: the Last Rickforest” a 4.5/5

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One Piece Chapter 1187 Review/Recap

On the last piece of One Piece, Brook finished telling th Straw Hats about how Shuri was brainwashed by Imu and helped destroy Esperia. Meanwhile, Loki continued to do battle with Imu, but it was clear that the Giant was in a losing battle. Fortunately, Luffy had finished eating everything at the Walrus School to recover his strength. With Straw Hat back at full power, he jumped in and gave Imu one of the most satisfying of punches in the entire series! Luffy is about to whip somebody’s ass! HARD!

Recap

Imu was caught off guard by Luffy’s surprise attack, but he doesn’t let that stop him for long. He summons these black flames onto Loki’s body near his previous injury, and then he turns them into a sword that runs him through! Loki is sent flying all the way back to Brook’s group, and Ragnir ends up hitting the ice block holding Shuri, prompting it to melt. Imu tries the same thing with Luffy, but he dodges it.

Meanwhile, Zoro and Sanji are currently confronting Sommers and Qillingham, respectively. Sommers says that they’re too awesome to be beaten right now and they’re going to take the Giant kids with them, but Zoro boasts that Qillingham won’t be making it out alive. As for Sanji, he won’t hit a fake monster woman, but he’s smart enough to know that Qillingham is the real target. And that his weakness is Conquerer’s Haki, something he has the potential to unlock. But to do so, he has to become a King himself if he wants to make Luffy THE King.

And Luffy? He’s standing face to face with Imu in Gear Five, who calls him Joy Boy, who responds by telling him not to call him whatever he wants. He’s Luffy, the man who’s gonna be the King of the Pirates!

Review

It should be pretty clear to us by now, but I’m going to say it anyway: we are near the climax of the Elbaph Arc. The fact that we are about to see the Monster Trio face off with the strongest enemies of the arc is proof of that. And judging by just how locked in they are, I think that we are about to see them whip the bad guys’ asses! But for now, let’s go over the state everyone is in.

I would be lying if I said that I wasn’t disappointed that Loki might be out of the fight. Given how strong he is, I wanted to see him and Luffy tag-team Imu to run the tyrant out of Elbaph for good. Yet, it also makes sense when you think about it. He was already beaten up by Shuri and Shamrock earlier, and I doubt he had enough time to get to full strength. Add in everything he’s done since then, and he must be exhausted beyond belief. However, that doesn’t make him weak. If anything, the fact that he’s held his own for so long shows just how strong he is. Plus, Ragnir did manage to melt the ice trapping Shuri.

At this point, I’m calling Shuri a wildcard in the fights to come. There is the risk that she could still be under Imu’s mind control, but I don’t think that will be the case. Imu was already losing control of her when Brook got to her, and that was before he decided to show up on Elbaph. He might be able to power up Sommers and Killingham, but I think he’ll be too focused on Luffy to notice. If Brook can get through to her, she could be the deciding factor in defeating Imu and the God’s Knights.

Sommers and Qillingham are gonna Die

Speaking of the God’s Knights, they are screwed. Zoro and Sanji are the two strongest members of the Straw Hats after their captain, the former already has Conquerer’s Haki while the latter’s almost certainly about to unlock it. The question is, how does Sanji do that? Based on what Gaban said and what we’ve seen of other users, I think that means casting away any doubts and uncertainties someone may have and having total faith in their abilities. I’m guessing this because, looking back on the manga, one trait most characters with Conquerer’s Haki all share is a supreme confidence in who they are and what they want to do. I’m guessing that, in Oda’s eyes, that is what being a King is meant to be about.

Luffy is gonna whip Imu’s Ass!

And now we get to the moment we’ve all been waiting for: Luffy vs Imu. From the moment that Oda introduced him to the story, I think we all knew that Luffy was going to fight Imu one day. As the demon who rules the world from the shadows, he’s responsible for much of the pain and suffering the World Government has inflicted on the cast throughout the series. If not directly, then indirectly by enabling people to be the worst versions of themselves. Not only that, he’s the ancient enemy of Joy Boy, the one whose will Luffy has taken up. And while part of me wishes that Luffy knew how important that is, I think it’s more fitting that he doesn’t. He’s not trying to be Joy Boy or Nika or continue their story, but to tell his own story, hence why he tells people that he’s Luffy. Which, ironically, might be the reason why his Devil Fruit chose him to have Joy Boy’s powers!

Either way, this is beyond exciting for One Piece fans! The kind of excitement that you only get in a Shonen series when the main protagonist is about to fight the big villain that has been built up for years. Like when Goku was about to fight Frieza on Namek! And I have full confidence that Luffy is going to whip Imu’s ass all the way back to Mariejois, no matter what the fans might say! I can’t wait for the next chapter to see what will hopefully be one of the most important battles of the entire series!

“The Root of the Problem” a 4/5

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My Adventures With Superman S3 Ep 4 Review

So, the last episode established that the prospect of being a mom is something that freaks Lois out to no end. She knows that her and Clark are meant to be and does want a future with him. At the same time, though, she’s at that point in her life where she doesn’t want to give up the chance to have fun and be free! It’s a legitimately scary prospect for someone like her! So imagine when a boy who looks a lot like the two of them comes out of nowhere and starts calling them mom and dad. I could practically hear Lois’ brain go into meltdown, and I was enjoying every minute of it!

Surprise! Your Son’s Here to Visit!

So, Clark and Lois are happy on a little date to get away from the chaos (Kara and Jimmy’s dating attempts). Just when they’re at Lois’ favorite restaurant, this happens!

This is our official introduction to Jon Kent, AKA Superboy, after the brief teaser we got at the end of the last episode. And he is…not what I was expecting at first. I mean, I knew from the teaser for the season that he was going to be energetic, but that was underselling it. He’s a full-blown male keet, constantly flying around everywhere, asking everyone a billion questions at once, and behaving like someone half his age probably would. And it is absolutely precious!! Though, given what we saw of the future, the way he’s acting is perfectly understandable.

It isn’t until the end of the episode where Jon drops the energetic act and gets serious, but we didn’t to wait until the end to know why he’s acting like this. In his time, his parents are dead, most likely before he even got the chance to know them. Now that he’s been sent back to stop the apocalypse, he wants to get to know his mom and dad. It’s understandable that he would want to spend the whole day hanging out with them! And, if I’m being honest, it’s really wholesome to see how he’s the best of both of his parents. He’s got his dad’s desire to do good and help and protect people, and he’s got his mom’s mischievous streak. In other words, he’s perfect! And not even Lois is immune to his charms.

Lois, Jon is your Son!

So, Lois was already freaking out about her future and how it might be set out for her. But she spends most of the episode in complete meltdown. Because the fact that her future son is here means that it might actually be set in stone! For someone as free-spirited as her, it’s a total nightmare! Thus, Lois spends the entire episode trying to come to terms with the likelihood that she’s going to be a mom in the near future. But, as the day goes on, and she sees how much like his parents Jon is, Lois stops worrying so much about the future. She thinks that Jon being from it means that it’s going to be great.

And that’s the real tragedy of the episode. Because Jon spent so much time trying to live the family life he never had, he might be too late to change the future.

Hank Henshaw is Gone. There is only Cyborg Superman

It’s crazy to think that it’s already happening, but Hank Henshaw is now the big bad of the season. After getting rejected by everyone, from the citizens of Metropolis, to his former friend Lois, to even Lex, Cyborg Superman crashes out. He’s no longer trying to be a hero. Instead, he’s embraced his inner Homelander, and after breaking free of Luthor’s control, he wants to make the entire world burn. And having taken control of the Kryptonian Drones Luthor has, he can pull it off! And the fact that the show made Henshaw’s rebellion the B-plot and Jon’s time with his family the A-plot can only mean one thing: something bad is about to happen.

It’s happened in every season of the show. The fourth episode of the season sets us up for some big wham moment. Then the fifth episode upends the status quo and leaves us brokenhearted and worried about what comes next. Also, it should be noted that the title for next week’s episode, “The Death of Superman,” is a dead giveaway. The future that Jon tried to prevent may already be set in motion, and I am genuinely afraid for Superman and Supergirl as they go to fight Henshaw. Even moreso when you consider how this is only the halfway point of the season. If this is the halfway point, then what more could they have to throw at us!

This next week could be agonizing for me since I don’t know what will happen next, and I hate that! Thank heavens I have plenty of other shows to watch!

I Give “Guess Who’s Slammin’ to Dinner?” a 4.5/5

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Rick and Morty S9 Ep 6 Review

I know that some people are at war with themselves, but I think Rick might have just taken that concept to a new level of hilarity. When a portal mishap leads to Rick’s head and body getting separated, we get treated to an entire episode of them first trying to reunite before trying to kill each other. And it is freaking hilarious!

Who let Rick get that Drunk?

It all starts with Rick on a drinking and eating binge with Summer and Morty acting as his chaperones. The show has been putting a lot of emphasis on Rick’s alcoholism this season, and I can’t help but wonder if this is going somewhere. That gets put on the back burner, though, when a portal mishap (that was all Summer’s fault) leads to Rick’s decapitation! The good news is that Rick’s cybernetics let his head and body survive for the time being. The bad news is that Morty and Summer are on opposite sides of the planet, and Rick’s Portal Gun is broken. So now both parties have to fight their way past doctors, bounty hunters, thugs, and police to reunite their Grandpa.

I dont know who came up with this concept, but it’s actually pretty genius. We get to see each Smith sibling deal with their own struggles to try and fix Rick, with each of them running into different problems because of it and resolving them in different ways. Morty and Rick’s Head get chased by the police due to a misunderstanding and are forced to use their wits to get out of trouble. In contrast, Summer has to fight her way through the slums while using the weapons in Rick’s Body to fight off their attackers. It’s just so entertaining to watch, and I remember openly laughing at several points. The show could have simply had this play out for the entire episode and it would have been fine. However, all of this only counts for the first half of the episode. The second half centers around Rick’s Head and his Body trying to kill each other.

Don’t Lose your Head Over this, Rick!

As it turns out, both halves of Rick start to like not having the other to make act in a self-destructive fashion. Rick’s Head is thinking clearer without any beer or lust clouding his judgment, while his Body is able to express himself emotionally without logic getting in the way. It really highlights just how at war with himself Rick is as a person, to the point that we get a literal war of the body and mind, and it’s as destructive as it sounds.

In the end, the status quo demands that Head Rick and Body Rick recombine, and so they do. As for what Head Rick promised his body, I dont think I want to know. Rick doesn’t really learn a lesson about treating himself better, as he just makes Morty and Summer get fit before joining him in a binge eating session at the same place this all started. He even uses what happened as a joke. So, pretty good episode. Great reminder that I need to take care of myself in the future.

I Give “Erickerhead” a 4.5/5

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One Piece Chapter 1186 Review/Recap

Ever since we learned from Brook that “Gunko” the God Knight was actually a princess he knew from his life before he became a pirate, fans have been trying to understand why. Why would Imu go out of his way to turn some random princess into one of his most dangerous minions? Why brainwash her into forgetting who she really was? I’ve been wracking my brain this whole flashback, and I still can’t understand it. At this point, though, does it even matter? It’s just another example in an incredibly long list of atrocities that Imu needs to answer for. And come hell or high water, Luffy and Loki are going to make him pay!

Recap

In the past, Brook was left in complete shock at the sight of a demonic Shuri cutting down King Leuven. He tries to revive his adoptive big brother, but it’s already too late. Outraged, Brook demands to know what the stranger, Manmayer Groh, did to Shuri, only for Shuri to reveal that Leuven wasn’t her biological father. She says that she’s actually a Celestial Dragon by birth and that this war was started because Leuven refused to hand her over. Brook is so in shock that he doesn’t even try to fight back as Shuri runs her sword through his skull.

Miraculously, Brook survived this injury, having been saved by the few guards left. Shuri had already boarded a WG ship, and most of the citizens of Esperia had fled. The country had fallen.

Back in the present, Brook admits he thought he had hallucinated everything like a nightmare. However, if it were real, and after everything they’ve learned, he asks his crew if they can help him save Shuri. The others don’t hesitate to lend their support as they try to come up with a plan to free Shuri from the ice.

Elsewhere, Loki and Imu continue their battle as the demon goes on a monologue, saying how the Giants bent the knee in the Void Century to save their kids and history is just repeating itself. Before he can go any further, though, they’re interrupted. Luffy just finished recharging from all the food he ate, he has no clue who Imu is, and probably doesn’t care. He just charges in and tells Imu to get out of Elbaph before landing a devastating punch to his face!!!

Review

The following clip represents my reaction to that final panel of the chapter:

OH, THAT WAS BEAUTIFUL! I HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR YEARS FOR LUFFY TO DO THAT TO IMU! And the spoilers were right; that was exactly like the iconic moment that Luffy punched Charloss at Sabaody! To this day, that remains one of my all-time favorite moments in any work of fiction. The moment when Luffy showed us he was willing to defy the so-called gods of his world to do what he thinks is right. Is it any wonder why people started using his flags at protests?

All fanboying aside, though, I now get why Brook had such a strong reaction to seeing Shuri again. The man was so traumatized by what he saw that he had to convince himself he had imagined it just to stay sane. I don’t blame him, either. Seeing the first person who ever cared about you dead at the hands of the girl you think is their daughter would break anyone. Not to mention Shuri’s claims about Leuven not being her real dad, and that she was actually a Celestial Dragon. The only way that could be true is if she had been fathered by one of them when Candelle visited Mariejois (I can’t remember when that was, though.) And the worst part? I don’t think that it was a lie.

We already know from the stories of Bonney, Shanks, and Shamrock that the Celestial Dragons are not above fathering kids with people from the lower world, regardless of the willingness of the other parent. I wouldn’t put it past them to have forcibly gotten Candelle pregnant, which is disgusting in itself. However, we should take everything Shuri said with a massive grain of salt. She was clearly under Imu’s Domi Reversi while she said this, and that technique is known to bring out a person’s dark side and make them say things they don’t actually believe. And Brook himself points out that even if she wasn’t related to Leuven, he still raised her as his daughter. Remember, one of the big themes about One Piece is that sometimes, the family you choose is more important than your actual family. Especially when your actual family is scum.

Regardless of whether or not what Shuri said is true, it feels pretty obvious that she was just saying what Imu wanted her to say. She has spent all these decades being a prisoner trapped inside her own body, likely unable to even think of rebelling against the master who took everything from her. It might be even worse if she was aware on some level of what was happening to her, as she couldn’t do anything about it. I don’t know why Imu wanted her, but something tells me that saving her from his control might be the key to driving Imu away from Elbaph. As much as I hate to admit it, Luffy and Loki are going to need help if they want to stop Imu from enslaving the land of the Giants. Plus, having Shuri defy Imu would make for one hell of a middle finger to the being who has been responsible for much of the pain and suffering the world has had to endure for all these centuries.

LUFFY! LOKI! KICK IMU’S ASS!!

I Give “Once More” a 4/5

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