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House of the Dragon S1, Ep 6 Review

Until tonight, I thought the Lannisters were the most messed up family in Westeros. Emotionally abusive dad, incestuous twins, and alcoholic son. However, after seeing what House Targaryen was like in their heyday, it’s clear that I was mistaken. The Targaryens take the top spot as Westeros’ most messed up family. A family that’s only staying civil while the King lives. Once he dies, the House of the Dragon will go to war…and it already has its first casualties.

New Girls on the Block

This episode marks the debut of Emma D’arcy and Olivia as the now adult Princess Rhaenyra and Queen Alicent, and they hit the ground running and don’t stop. I was skeptical that we couldn’t replace Milly Alcock and Emily Carey as the female leads, but these post-timeskip actors do a wonderful job. In their first scene as Rhaenyra, we see Emma play the Princess as she goes through the labors of childbirth, which the show depicts in vivid detail. Ten years have not softened Rhaenyra one bit, as no sooner has she given birth than she heads off to see Alicent with her newborn son, even while trailing blood on the way.

While Rhaenyra’s now the mother to three sons, there’s a problem, and everyone but the King seems to know it: they’re not Laenor’s sons. They’re all bastards, born from Rhaenyra and Ser Harwin Strong of the City Watch. And the more that are born, the more frustrated Alicent gets. Her attitude makes it clear: she doesn’t understand how her husband doesn’t see that his daughter’s undermining the marriage he worked to build.

In all fairness, Viserys might be aware of what’s going on, but chooses to ignore it. What matters to him is Rhaenyra’s sons are of his blood, regardless of who the father is, though everyone else may not feel the same way. Or maybe he’s just deluding himself in the hopes that his family will be as happy as he wants them to be.

Targaryen Family Is Messed Up

Truthfully, the whole Targaryen family is messed up, best shown through how Rhaenyra and Alicent’s kids interact with each other. Rhaenyra’s eldest boys, Jace and Luke (they’re nicknames) are nice enough, but it’s Alicent’s kids that are odd. Aemond laments how he’s the only Targaryen without a dragon, leading him to be the butt of a cruel prank by his brother.

As for Aegon? He acts like a spoiled brat. We see him standing naked on a window doing his…business, which is not something I want to remember. He’s basically a foolish boy.

Daemon Has a Happy Family, Though.

Ironically, the family that has it best ends up being Daemon’s new family with Laena Velaryon. They’re now living in Pentos as guests with their dragons, and this marks the first time that we see Vhagar, the largest dragon alive and the last one from the time of Aegon the Conqueror. She easily dwarfs all other dragons and is a triumph of CGI. 

In other words, Daemon goes from being unhappy to having a loving wife, two daughters, and another one on the way. Best of all, he’s away from the toxic environment of King’s Landing.

If only fate would be kind enough to spare the kids the heartache of what’s to come. Westeros doesn’t work like that, though.

Scandal Rocks the Royal Family

After what he did at the end of last week’s episode, Ser Criston’s gone from golden boy to hated by the show’s fans, and it only gets worse from there. This week, he provokes fights between the Targaryen kids, and when Ser Harwin steps in, he accuses him the things he’s guilty of. So, Harwin beats him up, and the resulting scandal opens the floodgates.

And from here, the bodies start dropping.

The First Big Casualties

I never mentioned him last week, but there’s another member of House Strong, Larys Strong. And he’s this era’s Littlefinger, acting the mild-mannered servant in public. In private, though, he’s just as cunning. Maybe even more so, to the point that Alicent fears him.

Case in point, when Lord Strong takes Hardin back to Harrenhal to quell the rumors of Rhaenyra’s children, he burns them alive. He wipes out his own family, which isn’t new, but still disturbing. It also prompts Rhaenyra to take her family and leave for Dragonstone, depriving her of her power base.

Meanwhile, Laena dies from the stresses of childbirth in Pentos. In a moment meant to contrast Viserys’ decision to sacrifice his wife to save their child, Daemon hesitates to take the same route. However, Laena takes the choice out of his hands by approaching Vhagar and having the ancient dragon immolate her. It’s a tragic example of female agency and one that leaves everyone saddened. 

A Family Divided Against Itself

Thus, the episode ends with the die already being cast. The first members of the house of the dragon have fallen, and more will follow.

Watching all this, I’m mentally berating everyone for pushing things to this point out of pride. At one point, Rhaenyra even offers an olive branch by promising to marry Jace to Alicent’s daughter, Helaena. The latter refuses to marry her daughter to a bastard, and another chance to make peace flies out the window.

Right now, I’m glad I promised not to become attached to the characters in House of the Dragon. It lets me see the entire Targaryen family for what they’re being: dumb. And once King Viserys dies, fire and blood will consume them all. Meanwhile, I’ll be munching on popcorn, lamenting the foolishness of everyone.

That, and the sight of Prince Aegon doing his business in a window. Who does that?!? Even if that was David Tennant’s son playing him.

I Give “The Princess and the Queen” a 4.5/5

House of the Dragon Ep 5 Review

WHAT. THE HECK. JUST HAPPENED? I knew knives would come out on House of the Dragon, since this is Westeros, but damn. I didn’t expect that to happen so soon! We are now past the point of no return for House Targaryen. In what should be a “joyous” royal wedding, instead becomes a tragedy. And for once, Daemon wasn’t at fault.

No, seriously, Daemon wasn’t at fault this time. 

In the episode’s opening minutes, we get our first look at Daemon’s “bronze bitch,” Rhea Royce. It’s also the last because Daemon kills her.

The books say Rhea died when she fell off her horse. The show takes some creative liberties that would make George RR Martin proud. Daemon tricks Rhea into causing her own fall…and then just kills her. The knives have come out, and Dameon’s taking crap from no one.

A Mutually Beneficial Relationship?

For the players in King’s Landing, though, there’s plenty of crap to go around, especially for Rhaenyra and Set Criston Cole. Rhaenyra heads to Driftmark to meet her betrothed, Ser Laenor Velaryon. On the surface, it seems like an ideal match. Both houses are Valryian, and both have dragons. However, there’s an issue: Laenor’s gay, and Rhaenyra knows it. While the parents discuss inheritance, Rhaenyra and Laenor come to an understanding. They essentially agree that after they do their duty, they’ll have an open relationship. It’s not that bad of a deal, honestly. Unless your Ser Criston Cole.

Poor Ser Criston Got His Heart Broken

Oh, poor Criston. My heart couldn’t help but go out to you just as much as I wanted to slap you across the face. Rhaenyra made him break vows of celibacy as part of the Kingsguard, something he deeply regrets. Being the idealist he is, he gives Rhaenyra an offer: walk away from all this madness. They can leave for Essos, forget everything, and leave the insanity behind. 

Hindsight has never felt more painful than it does here. Because if you know the story, then you know how it will likely end. What Ser Criston’s offering is the best chance Rhaenyra could get for a happy life. If this weren’t Game of Thrones, then maybe Rhaenyra would take that offer. Instead, her sense of duty, pride, and desire for the Iron Throne make her turn him down. And he’s not happy with the idea of sharing Rhaenyra with someone else. 

Again, I feel for Ser Criston. From his perspective, he feels like Rhaenyra just used him for her own amusement. The Lords and Ladies can afford that kind of slip-up, but someone common born like Ser Criston? He tarnished himself as part of the Kingsguard for nothing. It’s painful to watch, especially when he just admits it to Alicent when she lightly prods him. 

Knives Come Out With Blood in the Water

Things come to a head at the feast that’s supposed to mark the start of Rhaenyra and Laenor’s weeklong wedding celebrations. Alicent comes dressed in Hightower green, which is her way of saying to Rhaenyra, “I know what you did. I know you lied to me, and our friendship is over.” 

It gets worse. In the middle of the dancing, Ser Criston lets the guilt and resentment he’s feeling get to him, and he snaps. What happened next was a tragedy that left people horrified and me with my jaw on the floor. Thus, Rhaenyra and Laenor hastily wed in a private ceremony, even while blood lays dripping on the floor as a rat comes by.

So, to recap: two minor characters are dead. Any relationship Alicent and Ser Criston had with Rhaenyra’s damaged beyond repair. And if it’s not clarified, King Viserys won’t live to be old. 

Knives Out, Lines Drawn, Bonds Destroyed

Can someone ring the gong to announce the impending doom for the Targaryen’s? Because, as Princess Rhaenys said this episode, knives will come out. People will fight over who sits on the Iron Throne. All because they can’t accept having a woman as a leader. 

What’s especially tragic about all this is that Rhaenyra had an out. She had the chance to walk away with Ser Criston. They could’ve taken Syrax and left for parts unknown, but pride and duty made her stay. Now she must face the consequences of what comes.

This episode also marks the final appearance of Milly Alcock and Emily Carey as Rhaenyra and Alicent. Starting next episode, they’ll be played by older actresses to signify the big time skip. They both did an amazing job as these two women, and I hope they find success in the future. 

Alright, people, the knives are out. Let’s watch the Dragons tear at each other’s throats!!

I Give “We Light the Way” a 4/5

House of the Dragon S1, Ep 3 Review

I know it doesn’t need to be said at this point, but I’m saying it anyway: Westeros sucks. As much as I love the world and the plot at times, it drives me nuts how self-serving so many of the Elite are. Almost every Lord or Lady we meet does something for their gain rather than the good of all, and the people who are good people get eaten alive. Or worse, they become the thing they hate the most. This is a fact that House of the Dragon cruelly reminds us of in this week’s new episode with the arrival of the new Prince, Aegon

Aegon, Second of his Name

In the next of the show’s time skips, Kong Viserys has married Alicent as he said he would. What’s more, they now have an infant son, Aegon, and another child on the way. Everyone in court showers praise upon the Prince and act like he’s the second coming of his namesake.

Anyone who’s watched Game of Thrones long enough knows that most of this is empty flattery, trying to brown nose the King for favor. It gets to the point where even Rhaenyra’s sick of it.

Despite being made the heir, something that Viserys reminds her of, she never receives such praise, not that she wants it. Moreover, her relationship with her friend/mother-in-law, Alicent, has gotten much colder. She fears, rather rightfully, that Alicent’s children will supplant her as heir to the throne. Despite Alicent dismissing that for the moment, Rhaenyra’s right. Already, Alicent’s father is scheming to make Aegon the future King. He’s trying to pull a Tywin Lannister centuries before Tywin is born.

The Lannisters are Back

As for the Lannisters, they make their formal return in Jason Lannister, ancestor to the family we see in the show. He tries to make a marriage proposal to Rhaenyra, but arrogance must run in the Lannisters because he comes off like a self-entitled jerk. Rhaenyra flatly turns him down.

This won’t be the end to her problems, though. Now that Rhaenyra’s old enough to marry, her Dad’s been getting marriage proposals from all over. Most of them are from people who want to use her for her power, something she doesn’t want, and prompts her to run off into the Kingswood with Ser Criston Cole while the court is on this big hunt for Aegon’s birthday. Not that anyone can blame her, though. At one point, Otto Hightower suggests marrying her to her infant half-brother, Prince Aegon! Political machinations aside, how disgusting is that, marrying her to a two-year-old?

Rhaenyra+Criston Cole?

I may not be as familiar with the prequel to Game of Thrones as I would like to be, but I know chemistry when I see it. And Rhaenyra and Ser Criston have a lot of chemistry. They talk to each other so casually, and they work well together. This is made more apparent when they end up saving each other from a wild boar. Then, as if to hammer home how she’s meant to be in charge, Rhaenyra finds the White Hart her father’s lord’s have been hunting, but lets it go. In her mind, this will solidify her as the rightful next ruler of the Seven Kingdoms…which only makes what will happen harder to watch.

Not that I care. I swore I wouldn’t get emotionally attached to the characters again.

Wrath of the Dragon

Meanwhile, Prince Daemon and House Velaryon have spent the time skip fighting in the Stepstones. Their opponent is the pirate prince of the Free Cities, the Crab Feeder. Despite having a dragon on their side in the form of Caraxes, though, they continue to lose the war. Then, word reaches Daemon that his brother’s sending them aid. Rather than be happy that his brother’s helping him, Daemon snaps.

What happens next is what we anime fans would call “Pulling a Vegeta.” Daemon pretends to surrender to the Crabfeeder, but it’s an obvious lie. Despite committing what would be considered a war crime (I.E. attacking while waving the white flag), Daemon’s plan works. With all their attention on him, the pirates fail to notice the Velaryon’s and Caraxes sneak up on him until it’s too late. In the second of the episode’s big battle scenes, the Westerosi forces massacre the pirates. As for Daemon, he single-handedly slays the Crabfeeder, leaving him the undisputed ruler of the Stepstones. And he intends to let all of Westeros know he’s in charge.

A Storm is Coming to Westeros

So, by the end of the episode, the cracks continue to grow in House Targaryen as Rhaenyra continues to get ignored. And now Daemon’s ruling over the islands of the Narrow Seas. As for me, I refuse to become emotionally invested in anyone in this show. That way, I won’t be upset when characters start dropping like flies. And drop they will.

Irritation at sychophant’s aside, House of the Dragon has done good so far. Whether they can keep it up for the rest of the series will be another matter entirely. They have a chance to redeem the mistakes of the final seasons of Game of Thrones. For HBO’s sake, they shouldn’t mess it up.

I Give “Second of His Name” a 4/5

House of the Dragon S1 Ep 2 Review

If you’ve seen Game of Thrones (or read a book on Medieval Europe), you’ll know there’s one constant. That constant being that the elites would rather have a man ruling than a woman. Not many women broke that glass ceiling in the days of old, and that number’s even fewer in Westeros. Fans remember how paranoid Daenerys became when she learned Jon Snow was a Targaryen, which helped lead to her fall. She had good reason to be paranoid, as she likely knew what her ancestor, Rhaenyra, dealt with in her time. As we see in the second episode of HOTD, that disrespect continues when King Viserys makes the biggest mistake of his life. 

Also, click here if you want to see my thoughts on the new intro.

Where’s Rhaenyra’s Respect?

So, six months have passed since the death of the Queen and Viserys decided to name Rhaenyra his heir. In a nicer world, that would be the end of matters. Since this is Westeros, though, it’s not, as the Small Council keeps pressuing King Viserys to take a new wife. They argue (as does Viserys later to his daughter) that this is so that their bloodline isn’t in danger of extinction. However, their motives couldn’t be more obvious. They still want the King to have a son who can inherit the Iron Throne in place of Rhaenyra. 

Much like most of Medieval Earth, Westeros remains stuck in this sexist mindset. They think that being a good ruler means being a man. Or, as Rhaenys tells her relative:

More than anything, the show hammers home that this mindset is a big part of the reason why things will go south for House Targaryen. Much of the Small Council ignores Rhaenyra and her sound advice. While using Dragons to intimidate the Free Cities of Essos might be a bit excessive, it’s an effective tactic, and Rhaenyra’s right to suggest it. Instead, she’s brushed off as the Small Council keeps scheming to manipulate King Viserys to take a new wife. 

Marriage in Westeros Stinks!

Since child-marriage laws don’t exist in Westeros, one candidate is Laena Velaryon. Like the Targaryen’s, the Velaryon’s are one of the few survivors from Old Valyria, so the match seems perfect. Except she’s twelve in the show. Even King Viserys isn’t comfortable with that. However, who he ends up choosing ends up sealing the fates of everyone involved in this era.

Meanwhile, Daemon’s squatting on Dragonstone and refuses to move out, despite his brother’s pleas and the Small Council’s demands. Things come to a head when he flat-out steals a dragon egg and says he’s going to take a second wife himself, purely to anger the people at King’s Landing. It works, too. Otto Hightower goes to confront him and demands he leave while giving back the egg.

Rhaenyra Has More Stones Than Most Men

How did it not occur to him that would be a bad idea, since Daemon has his own dragon, Caraxes? His stupidity almost gets him killed…until Rhaenyra pulls up and gets things done.

In one move that demonstrates that she deserves the Iron Throne, Rhaenyra makes her uncle back down by calling his bluff. He doesn’t act like it, but he does love his family; or at least his niece. Thus, he goes to vacate Dragonstone, and returns the egg.

What does Daenerys get for acting decisively? No recognition beyond a reprimand from her concerned father. While King Viserys has the right to scold her, he should also praise her for defusing the mess his Hand caused. Later, it doesn’t even appear that Otto feels grateful as he continues his schemes for power.

The Sound of Doom For All

And they work. King Viserys announces that he’s going to wed Otto’s daughter and Rhaenyra’s best friend, Alicent. It’s a move no one besides the Hightower’s are happy over. Corlys Velaryon, his master of ships and relative by marriage, walks out on the Small Council and decides to team up with Daemon to head to the Stepstones and clear out the pirates there.

So, by the end of this, King Viserys has let the Game of Thrones make him make what viewers know is a terrible mistake. By remarrying, he will have to have more children. And since one of them will be a son, that will put Rhaenyra’s claim to the throne in question. He’s undermining his own family’s power. 

The seeds are already sewn, though. The House of the Dragon’s going to go through its greatest crisis ever. And if you know the history of Westeros, then you know that it won’t end well for anyone. So, good going, King Viserys.

This is why I’m not trying to get attached to anyone in this show. 

I Give “The Rogue Prince” a 4/5

This past Sunday, House of the Dragon surprised fans with the reveal of its opening credits. It had the opening score from the original Game of Thrones, yet now juxtaposed against a River of blood running towards the sigil of House Targaryen. While some fans felt excited hearing the original opening score from Game of Thrones, there’s a problem with it that I think needs addressing:

It doesn’t make sense.

Say what we might about Game of Thrones, but for all its faults, the opening wasn’t one of them. While it changed with each season, it always remained consistent in conveying something:

• The rings around the sun told the story of the Rise and Fall of House Targaryen.
• It introduced the world like one big mechanical board game, with the major locations having gears and all.
• It focused on the areas that would play an important role in the season.
• It changed to reflect the current state of things in the show.

The opening to Game of Thrones was one of its most recognizable qualities. It’s the one that got parodied and copied by other shows and YouTube. The intro to House of the Dragon, though? Nothing about it makes sense.

The Problems With HOTD Opening

I understand that the river of blood represents the House Words of House Targaryen, “Fire and Blood.” However, the scenery and everything about it makes little to no sense from my perspective. Is it supposed to be a labyrinth that the Targaryens lie at the center of? Does it represent Old Valyria? It doesn’t make sense at first glance.

I read somewhere that the whole thing’s meant to represent the bloodline of House Targaryen up to this point. Each gear represents a different member of the house of the dragon and whatnot. However, casual viewers who haven’t dived deeply into the lore of Game of Thrones will not understand this. That’s not good for the show.

Bottom-line, while the opening does look cool, there’s a lot about it that doesn’t make sense in the scheme of things. Do better, HBO.

House of the Dragon S1, Ep. 1 Review

It’s been three years since the end of Game of Thrones, and I thought that the world had moved on from it. I know I did; the final season left me as disillusioned as everyone was with Daenerys Targaryen. And with how much flak HBO Max’s gotten with their recent Purge of the Batgirl film and shows like Infinity Train, I had even less motivation to support their Game of Thrones prequel. Yet, as last Sunday night came around, I found myself sitting in front of the TV, ready to watch House of the Dragon. I convinced myself I wanted that I wanted to see it simply for the dragons. I didn’t want to deal with the hot mess that was House Targaryen again anytime soon.

It looks like I was lying to myself. I got sucked right back into the world of Westeros, albeit one that’s far different from what we know. 

Westeros Under Targaryen Rule

Taking place almost 200 years before the events of Game of Thrones, House of the Dragon shows us a much different Westeros. One ruled by the Targaryens at the height of their power, with plenty of dragons to go around. It’s a Westeros that’s, for the most part, free of the corruption and rot prevalent in Game of Thrones, and the madness of the Targaryens. At least in the beginning. After all, the whole point of House of the Dragon is to show the events that would lead to House Targaryen’s slow decline over the next two hundred years.

For those who don’t know, House of the Dragon aims to cover the Dance of the Dragons. In a nutshell, it’s a civil war that pits House Targaryen against itself over who gets the right to sit on the Iron Throne. One of the candidates has yet to be born, but the other one gets introduced in the show’s opening scene riding her own dragon: Rhaenyra Targaryen, the eldest child of King Viserys I. 

Whether intentional or not, there is a lot of Daenerys in Rhaenyra. They’re both beautiful, smart, and skilled dragon riders. The main defining difference is that Rhaenyra’s a lot happier overall since she got to have a happy childhood with loving parents. Since this is Westeros, though, don’t expect that happiness to last. Count on it not to last. 

The Players Emerge

Much of the first half of the episode sees most people in good spirits in the Royal family. Viserys is due to have another child any day, with the whole realm participating in a tournament to celebrate the birth of his soon-to-be heir. However, cracks already start forming with the arrival of his brother, Daemon, played by Matt Smith, aka the 11th Doctor (and one of my favorites!)

I was initially hesitant to see Matt Smith play someone who, according to lore, is the deadliest man in Westeros during this time. However, my doubts burned away after seeing Matt’s performance as Daemon. He plays him as this arrogant, self-assured jerk who’s abrasive to everyone except his niece. Unlike Joffrey, though, he’s got the chops to back up all these claims and the dragon. 

As fun as it is to see Westeros at the height of the Targaryens, nothing lasts forever. Pretty soon, trouble comes when the Queen goes into labor. In what has to be one of the bloodiest things HBO’s ever done, we watch as the Queen dies due to a C-Section, and her infant son not long afterward. Everything gets worse from there, and soon, it’s clear that the Iron Throne will be contested.

The Big Twist About House Taragaryen

It’s not until the final minutes of the episode, though, that we get the biggest plot twist, which affects everything about Game of Thrones. In a conversation between father and daughter, Viserys reveals there was another reason why their family conquered Westeros. Aegon the Conquerer had a dream about the future, where death marches from the far north and threatens to destroy all life. In other words, the White Walkers. So, Aegeon knew that the only chance the world had was if Westeros was united, leading to his conquest of the Seven Kingdoms. 

So, all that talk about Jon Snow being the “Prince That Was Promised” wasn’t just a red herring. The Targaryens tried to set themselves up so that one of them would be the one to save the world from the White Walkers, and they’ve passed that knowledge down from King to King for generations as a warning. 

This Only Means They Screwed Up Even Worse Than We Thought

Of course, this only makes what happens during Game of Thrones all the more important since Aegon’s dream became a reality, though not in the way he thought it would. Of course, it also makes the Targaryen’s fall all the more tragic. They forgot their true purpose, squandered their potential, and almost left Westeros in ruins before the Night King ever marched south. Even though they ultimately succeeded, they lost everything, with their last remaining member exiled to the far north. 

I thought this inclusion was a cop-out meant to make up for what happened with Game of Thrones ending. However, the revelation that this reveal was due to info directly from George R.R. Martin, I’m willing to tolerate it. I’ll like it even more if Martin finally finishes the last two books and gives us a better ending. 

So, despite my reservations, I find myself hesitantly returning to Westeros. I will try and avoid getting attached to any characters, though, since I expect many of them to die before the series ends.

I Give “The Heirs of the Dragon” a 4/5. Don’t Waste this, HBO.

Why the Ending to Attack on Titan Makes Sense

The following was written by me for the website The Game of Nerds. I am reposting it here with their permission.

Good lord, it’s Game of Thrones all over again. If you follow the world of anime and manga, then you may have heard that last week, Attack on Titan, the popular manga by Hajime Isayama, released its final chapter. And the fan response was…divisive. Fans took to social media in droves to talk about the ending and what happened to Eren Yeager. Many people cried. Some looked back on how much Attack on Titan meant to them. And some just threw their hands up and complained about it.

To all the haters out there, I get it. I know what it’s like to feel disappointed by the ending to a beloved story. Me and countless others went through that same experience two years ago with the end to Game of Thrones. I hated how rushed things were, how they mishandled some characters, and I hated how Cersei died. I got more of an emotional reaction from the series finale to a Disney cartoon that aired the same morning than Game of Thrones. In other words, I feel your pain.

Here’s the thing, though. While some people may criticize how Eren Yeager dies and act like it’s Daenerys all over again, it’s not. From my point of view, this was the best ending for Eren Yeager and Attack on Titan. Don’t believe me? Then allow me to give my perspective on Eren’s plan and why this was the best possible ending.

By the way, if you’re reading this, I’m assuming you’ve read the manga, watched the anime, or saw a recap video online.

Don’t Hate the Player, Hate the Game (Or the Titans)

For those who remember, Eren was only able to activate the Rumbling because he fooled his half-brother, Zeke, into thinking he was on his side. Zeke was a self-loathing man who hated himself and his people, the Eldians, for their ability to turn into Titans. His solution? Team up with Eren to use the power of the Founding Titan to render all Eldians sterile. That way, the power of the Titans would die with them and the world would be saved.

As soon as I read about that in the manga, I thought that Zeke’s “plan” was stupid because it doesn’t really solve anything. And I had a feeling that Eren wasn’t going to go along with it. In fact, I remember thinking that if I was Eren, I would just use the Founding Titan to get rid of the power of the Titans for good.

Think about it. The reason why the Eldians are hated is because they’re cursed to turn into Titans. Any people who could do that would be feared and hated by the rest of the world! Eren understood that the Titans are another prison for the Eldians; one that almost none of them realized. His solution? Follow through with the promise he made as a kid: end the Titans for good. In other words, destroy the power of the Titans. Which is what he did in the end!

But ending the Titans wasn’t enough. He had to leave the Eldians in the best position to survive after he was gone.

Eldians Become the Saviors of the World

If Eren destroyed the power of the Titans the first chance he got, that wouldn’t solve anything. It would just leave the Eldians waiting to be wiped out by the rest of the world. So, he made it so that the rest of humanity couldn’t retaliate. At all. Ergo, he activated the Rumbling and wiped out most of humanity. However, he also gave his friends and the remaining Warriors the chance to take him down for good. If his master plan was to destroy everything outside of Paradis, why would he do that?

It’s as Armin said: he wanted them to stop him. Whoever would kill Eren Yeager would be a hero. A near-messiah who saved the world and ended the threat of the Titans forever. As the world would rebuild itself, that hero would hold a lot of influence in what happened next. So, what if said savior was from Paradis? By letting an Eldian of Paradis Island kill him, Eren would force the world to acknowledge something important. That the people of Paradis were no more devils than the rest of the world. They were just people, both good and bad. In other words, human.

From what we saw at the end of the manga, what Eren hoped for came to pass. His remaining friends became heroes of humanity. While Armin acknowledges that the hate and violence will never fully fade from the world, humanity can finally move on, free from the Titans forever. And while Paradis remains a militarized nation, Armin holds out hope that seeing the Warriors and Scouts working together will convince them to trust the rest of the world. And you know what? So do I. At least now people will be killing themselves normally than worrying about giant man eating monsters.

About Eren’s Outburst….

I’ve heard a lot of people complain about one scene from the final chapter in particular. As Eren’s talking to Armin via the Paths, Eren’s trying to act like he no longer cares about what happens to him. However, as soon as Armin says he hopes that Mikasa will eventually move on and find someone else to love, Eren breaks down. He starts lying on the ground and crying about how he doesn’t want that, that he wants Mikasa to only love him forever, because he loves her.

As Armin points out, and Eren acknowledges, he looks really pathetic in that moment. Instead of the cold and stoic man he’s become post time-skip, he’s reduced to the same emotional wreck we first met. And while some fans hated it, I didn’t. Why? Because it proved that all that stuff he said about hating Mikasa was a lie.

Eren knew for years the future that was going to come to pass. He knew that he would start the Rumbling, almost destroy the world, and then die at the hands of Mikasa, and it terrified him. However, no matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t find a way to change the future that the world (and his future self) had created for him. So, knowing he couldn’t fight it, he chose to embrace it. He chose to bury his emotions and severed ties with his friends so they wouldn’t feel guilty for killing him.

But in that moment where he takes off the mask, Eren Yeager showed us that he was still the same scared teenager that we’ve come to know, love, and hate. He never wanted to become a genocidal maniac, and despite all his posturing, he was disgusted with what he’d become. However, he knew that if he didn’t do this, everyone he loved would die. So, this wasn’t a sudden turn to madness like Daenerys, but a calculated sacrifice for his friends and for the world.

I Liked the End to Attack on Titan

I want to make one thing clear: in no way do I approve of what Eren Yeager did. What he ended up doing is wrong in every sense of the word. As much as I deplore his actions in the end, though, I still think that this was the best possible ending for Attack on Titan.

When Eren started the Rumbling, he wanted to do three things:

1. Make himself into the enemy of the world
2. Turn his friends into the saviors of mankind
3. End the curse of the Titans forever.

He managed to do all that and more. Through his actions, the world had to realize that it was their blind hatred of a people they never even met that led to this outcome, and would have to deal with it. By dying at the hands of his friends, they became the heroes that everyone left will listen to, Eldian or not. And with his death, the Titans vanished from the world forever. They were free.

If this all sounds like the ending to Code Geass, that’s because its the exact same scenario. And while some fans may have a problem with that, I don’t. Code Geass had one of the most brilliant endings I’ve ever seen in an anime, so I see that as a compliment rather than a criticism. Attack on Titan started as this supernatural, post-apocaylptic fantasy, but then turned into this story about the nature of war, humanity, and freedom. As for Eren Yeager, all I have to say is: well played.

My Picks for the Most Heinous Fathers in Fiction

They are the pinnacle of horrible parenting at it’s absolute worst. Happy Father’s Day everyone, and today, I wanted to take a look at some examples of characters that I consider to be the worst dad’s in fiction. Whether they neglected their children or were verbally or physically abusive to them, these are the deadbeats that Child Protective Services would love to put behind bars. That is, if they could.

Also, it goes without saying, but I despise each and every one of these guys. Okay, maybe not one of them.

Tywin Lannister

I cannot lie: I have a grudging respect for the Patriarch of House Lannister for being one of the smartest characters in Game of Thrones. As the head of House Lannister in the first half of the show, Tywin manipulated events to ensure his family would remain on top. No matter how immoral the methods may be (*cough* Red Wedding *cough*). Yet for all his talk of the importance of family, Tywin failed to practice what he preached. While each of his kids got scarred by their dad’s neglect, it was Tyrion who got the worst of it.

From the moment he was born, Tywin sought to make Tyrion’s life a living hell, all by virtue of being a dwarf. From denying him his birthright to allow him to be framed for the assassination of Joffrey, he went out of his way to be rid of his son. So, can you blame some of us for cheering when Tyrion killed his father as payback for all the abuse? Considering how he was going to have Tyrion killed, I’d say it was justified.

Aku

He is the shape-shifting master of darkness, the Shogun of sorrow, and the mortal enemy to Samurai Jack. Aku is one of the most evil beings in cartoon history, with atrocities that span centuries of tyrannical rule. However, it turns out he’s also… a dad? In the penultimate episode of the show, we learn that he left part of his essence with a cult that worshipped him. And when the High Priestess drank it, she somehow got pregnant and gave birth to Aku’s half-human daughters, the last of which was Ashi, Jack’s companion and love interest.

Now, Aku’s more or less on here because of all of his past actions. He didn’t have enough time to develop a real relationship with Ashi. However, in the short time he knew of her existence, he used his essence to control her body against her will and become his unwilling puppet. Fortunately, Ashi proved that her heritage didn’t define her and overcame her father’s control, which led to Aku’s downfall and Jack getting back to the past at last.

Darth Vader

As a Sith Lord, Darth Vader was responsible for countless atrocities in the name of his master, many of which would physically and emotionally scar his children, Luke and Leia. The first movie alone saw him order the deaths of Luke’s Uncle Owen and Aunt Beru, torture Leia, and force her to watch as her home planet was destroyed. Then came Empire where he cut off Luke’s arm, and then proceeded to shatter his son’s world with this now famous scene.

I would also hold the fact that he was absent from his kid’s lives for twenty years, but to be fair, he was led to believe that they were dead. He may have redeemed himself in his final moments, but that doesn’t take away from the fact that Vader was a bad dad.

By the way, this is the one that I don’t hate. I’m more disappointed in Vader.

Mr. Stotch

If you thought that I would put Randy Marsh on this list as the dad I hate most on South Park, guess again. While I find some of Randy Marsh’s antics annoying, I understand that he’s just an idiot and doesn’t mean any harm. Most of the time. The dad that I hate the most has to be Mr. Stotch.

Mr. Stotch is, in my eyes, the epitome of a dad that is far too strict with the way he treats his son, Butters. He will rail on Butters for the most minor of mistakes, real or imaginary, and his main form of discipline is to simply ground Butters. In the context of the show, it’s played for laughs, but if this was in real life, Mr. Stotch would be arrested by Child Protective Services. When I got to fight him in South Park: The Fractured But Whole, it felt cathartic to give him his just desserts.  

Fire Lord Ozai

And here he is, the man I consider to be the epitome of terrible fatherhood, Fire Lord Ozai. I could write an entire article on why Ozai was not just a horrible dad, but a horrible person in general, and overall waste of human DNA. Instead, I’ll just paraphrase all of the horrible things he’s done:

• Jealously tried to have his wife’s ex-boyfriend (and true love) killed
• Was willing to kill his own son to appease his equally abusive father
• Murdered his own father in order to usurp his brother’s birthright and become Fire Lord
• Challenged his own son Zuko to an Agni Kai just for talking out of turn, and then permanently scarred him and banished him when he refused to fight.
• Was emotionally abusive to Azula and pushed her into becoming a cold-blooded, sociopathic perfectionist, contributing to her eventually loss of sanity.
• Was going to burn the entire world to the ground to create a new world where he ruled as a god-king

All said, Ozai was, without a doubt, the worst father that I had ever seen on TV while I was growing up. Everyone universally agreed that the world would be better off without him, with Zuko even encouraging Aang to kill him. While he would have deserved it, I think that Aang’s punishment was far more fitting. Taking away his bending forever, stripping him of all his power, and leaving him to rot in prison for the rest of his life was a fate worse than death. And a fitting punishment for such a sad, pathetic bully. Good riddance.

Happy Father’s Day, Everyone!

So, now that that’s out of the way, I want to say thanks to all the wonderful fathers out there. And I hope that seeing these failures of parenthood in action will make you appreciate your old man even more.

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DuckTales Season 3, Episode 7 Review

I don’t remember where I read it, but a big theme to the third season of DuckTales is legacy. Huey, Dewey, and Louie are starting to realize that, for better or worse, Scrooge will have to pass the torch down to them one day. While that is awesome, it makes wonder if they’re capable of stepping into Scrooge’s shoes someday. And what prompts this question, you may ask? A trip to Valhalla to fight a world-eating snake in a wrestling match. It’s one of those episodes of DuckTales.

Snake Smackdown in Valhalla

Once every ten years, Scrooge travels to the Norse afterlife of Valhalla to keep the world-eating serpent Jomungandr at bay. However, the means of doing so is through a wrestling match, complete with all the smack-talk, fans, and metal chairs we’d expect to see from the sport. Honestly, it’s hilarious to watch, especially since Jomungandr’s voiced by Game of Thrones alumni Kristofer Hivju. What makes it even funnier is that in Valhalla, Scrooge plays the bad guy, and how he just embraces the role. His alter ego of the “Millionaire Miser” plays up his stinginess and I enjoyed every second of it. Unfortunately, he hurts his back after Round One, leaving Webby and Dewey to fight in his stead.

Wrestling tropes aside, the heart of the episode focuses on Huey and Dewey facing different dilemmas. Huey’s still coming to terms that he may not be as good at everything as he thinks. Dewey, meanwhile, has to learn that not everyone will like him, no matter how much his need for attention wants. In a heart-to-heart in the locker room, the two openly question if they can live up to Scrooge’s legacy. It’s a real world problem people have to face growing up: can they measure up to their parental figure’s expectations?

Real Wrestling Rules

The episode ends on a predictable note: Dewey ends up beating Jomungandr and makes him lose the respect of the people of Valhalla for being a jerk. It may seem to counter what the episode is about, but honestly, I don’t care. I enjoyed the wrestling.

This episode may not be for everyone, and I doubt I’ll remember it in the long run. However, not every episode of a good show has to be this ground-breaking thing. I was entertained, and that’s all that matters.

I Give “Rumble for Ragnarok” a 3.5/5

Stray Observations

• Leave it to DuckTales to take a one time joke from their Christmas Episode and build a premise behind it.
• Too bad Della and Donald didn’t appear. They would have destroyed that Serpent.

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Things that came to an end in 2019

In my look ahead at 2019 that I did at the end of last year, then you’ll recall what I dubbed 2019. I called it “the Year of Endings.” The name came from the fact that several great stories in the form of movies, shows, and games would be ending this year. It felt appropriate.

With the year now largely wrapped up, I decided to take a look back on everything that came to an end. In addition, I wanted to share my thoughts about the way these things ended. Too often have I seen a good story ruined by a bad ending.

Infinity Saga

When Iron Man came out in 2008, I don’t anyone knew what it was starting. As a result of that film, a cinematic universe the likes of which had never been done was born. Now fast forward to 2019, and supeheroes dominate our culture, with Marvel capping off one of the most ambitious stories in history: the Infinity Saga.

I’ve been a fan of Marvel since I was a kid. So when I saw Thanos appear in that mid-credits scene in Avengers, I knew what Marvel was building to. However, never in my wildest dreams did I expect the Infinity Saga to end like it did. The franchise had plenty of high moments, a few low points, but through it all, it remained an incredible ride. The final clash between the Avengers and Thanos was one of the greatest moments in cinematic history. As a result of the MCU, I don’t think our culture will ever be the same again, and I’m happy about that.

Game of Thrones

Game of Thrones was, without a doubt, the definitive show of the decade. Based on George R.R. Martin’s books and inspired by Shakespeare’s plays, this show gave us a modern spin on a medieval world. The sheer amount of success it’s had is mind-boggling. From giving dozens of actors their big break, to all the memes and references in pop culture, Game of Thrones was a show that only came around once a generation. Then, we got the finale.

If you’ve read my reviews for the final season, then you know how I thought it was a let-down. Yeah, all the characters I hated died, but the way they did made it feel like a hollow victory. While I don’t agree with how the show ended, I’ve since come to a conclusion. While I think the final season could have been done better, I don’t think it changes the fact that Game of Thrones is one of the best shows ever made. The ride alone made the whole thing worth it in the end. Also, I could at least celebrate Littlefinger’s death.

Kingdom Hearts: The Xehanort Saga

Fourteen years. That’s how long fans had been waiting for Kingdom Hearts 3 to come out. In that time, we had to go through several mid-quels, prequels, and remasterings. However, in January 2019, Square Enix finally gave us the final chapter in the Xehanort Saga for their crossover RPG, Kingdom Hearts.

Personally, I enjoyed Kingdom Hearts III. I loved the updated graphics, the new game play mechanics, and the new worlds based on Disney properties that we could explore. However, my enthusiasm for it was marred by my belief that Square Enix delayed it longer than necessary. Then when I got to the end and saw what happened, I felt more frustrated than sad with how it turned out. Despite this, I still think Kingdom Hearts is one of my all-time favorite series.

Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga

After forty-two years, eleven movies, and hours worth of content, it seems that Star Wars is dropping the curtain on the Skywalkers. After Disney bought Lucasfilm in 2012, they announced their intent to create a Sequel Trilogy, culminating in the release of The Rise of Skywalker earlier this month. The film’s supposed to put an end to the story of Skywalker family. However, I don’t buy it for a second.

Ever since The Rise of Skywalker was announced, people talk like its the end of the franchise. In reality, that couldn’t be further from the truth! Star Wars proved a long time ago that it can tell great stories without involving the Skywalker family. In fact, some of the best content didn’t involve the Skywalkers or their friends at all! In other words, I see The Rise of Skywalker as the first chapter in a new era for a franchise that can go on for decades.

Star vs the Forces of Evil

This year saw one of the best cartoons put out in years come to an end. At one point, Star vs. the Forces of Evil was almost as popular as Steven Universe and Gravity Falls. However, that didn’t stop Disney from rushing bringing the show to a somewhat quiet end in May of this year. The question, though, is why I keep bringing this show up.

I think my obssession with Star vs. can be explained with three different reasons. Firstly, I think after being so thoroughly disappointed by it, I subconsciously transferred my love of Game of Thrones to Star vs as a means of coping. Secondly, I felt like Disney rushed to get the show’s final season out, throwing in multiple episodes in the span of a few weeks. As a result, it ended before we could get ready for it. Finally, I think that they could have told more stories in the show. Daron Nefcy has openly said she’d come back to do more with Star vs if Disney asked. Thus, I don’t think the story of Star Butterfly’s done just yet.

My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

I used to think that My Little Pony was a toy line meant for little girls. Then I saw Rainbow Dash beat the snot out of Starscream on an episode of Death Battle. That made me realize that these ponies could actually be cool. After that, I got into the show, and ended up becoming a brony.

In October of this year, Discovery Family and Hasbro brought My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic to an end. However, unlike Game of Thrones or Star vs., this show came to an end on a very satisfying note. Discovery Family went out of its way to promote it by re-running every episode ever, and the finale managed to tie up any remaining plot threads. In other words, it had a good ending. Best of all, IDW Comics will be continuing the story in comic book form starting next year, so this won’t be the last time we see these characters. I thought it was great seeing one of the decade’s best cartoons go out on a high note, and I only wish other shows could do the same thing.

Happy New Year

Do you agree with my picks? What other great things came to an end in 2019 that I missed? Let me know in the comments below, and happy New Year.

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