It’s no secret that Game of Thrones and its prequel House of the Dragon draw inspiration from real-life history, particularly the Middle Ages. Yet one of the shows’ biggest nods to true events – dragons as a metaphor for Weapons of Mass Destruction – is decidedly more contemporary.

Related: All Dragons & Their Riders in House of the Dragon

George R.R. Martin, author of the A Song of Ice and Fire series on which Game of Thrones and House of the Dragon are based, highlighted the dragons/WMD subtext in a 2011 Vulture interview. “Dragons are the nuclear deterrent… But is that sufficient?” he said. “These are the kind of issues I’m trying to explore. The United States right now has the ability to destroy the world with our nuclear arsenal, but that doesn’t mean we can achieve specific geopolitical goals. Power is more subtle than that. You can have the power to destroy, but it doesn’t give you the power to reform, or improve, or build.”

It’s fascinating stuff, however, we’ve never seen it fully realized on the small screen – until now. Indeed, with its last four episodes, House of the Dragon has finally delivered on Martin’s WMD metaphor in ways that Game of Thrones Seasons 1-8 didn’t.

How Game of Thrones’ Approached the Dragons/WMD Metaphor

In fairness to Game of Thrones, its ability to engage with Martin’s WMD metaphor was limited by its scarcity of dragons. In keeping with the A Song of Ice and Fire canon, the show’s eight-season run featured just three of the winged beasties, all (almost) exclusively under Daenerys Targaryen’s command. As such, there’s not much scope to get into the “nuclear arms” race of it all. Even so, there’s at least some commentary in Game of Thrones about the power imbalance created when only one side in a conflict has warhead-level weapons. Daenerys using her dragons to flatten King’s Landing in Season 8 touches on Martin’s “creation versus destruction” point, too.

Related: House of the Dragon: Mysaria’s Neck Scar, Explained

So, if nothing else, Game of Thrones showrunners David Benioff and D. B. Weiss leave us in no doubt that, whether it’s firebreathers or nukes, might doesn’t make right. But the deterrent aspect of Martin’s metaphor is almost completely absent. We never truly get the sense that Daenerys will rule unopposed thanks to her dragons, because we barely see her ruling. Sure, she’s technically the boss of Slaver’s Bay in Seasons 4 to 6. Yet she’s constantly challenged by the uncowed locals. As Martin rightly observed, so much of nuclear weapons’ effectiveness comes from the fear they evoke; Daenerys’ dragons don’t quite have the same effect.

House of the Dragon Season 1 Built on Game of Thrones’ Dragon/WMD Metaphor

Fortunately, House of the Dragon Season 1 edges the franchise closer to what Martin had in mind. From the jump, we appreciate that dragons have devastating, history-altering potential, even though we never see it firsthand. In Episode 1, King Viserys I Targaryen provides a handy recap of Westeros’ backstory: the dragons are what allowed his house to conquer Westeros and maintain its hold over the realm. After all, nobody wants to go toe-to-toe with a dragon and its rider.

Related: Is Daemon Targaryen Really Responsible for the Blood and Cheese Scene?

Throughout the rest of Season 1, this “dragons as a nuclear deterrent” is baked into the subtext. Viserys even has an Oppenheimer-esque moment of reflection, questioning the Targaryen dynasty’s decision to unleash dragons on the world. At the same time, he can’t exactly give them up. Otherwise, what’s to stop the other Great Houses from mounting a rebellion? So, the WMD metaphor is definitely there – but even so, you could conceivably miss it.

House of the Dragon Season 2 Runs Back the Cold War

That’s not the case in House of the Dragon Season 2, though. Unless you know nothing about world history post-1945, you’re not missing the dragon/WMD overlap here. Indeed, Episodes 1-3 play out as Westeros’ answer to the Cold War. There’s a tangible sense that the likes of Rhaenyra and Rhaenys Targaryen and Otto and Alicent Hightower know all too well that letting their dragons loose (like launching warheads) is a point of no return. Heck, Rhaenyra says as much in Episode 3.

It’s why House of the Dragon Season 2 starts slowly with saber rattling and proxy conflicts, not full-scale war. The realm’s cooler heads appreciate that dragon-on-dragon combat could result in the same mutually assured destruction that kept the US and Soviets in check back in the day. If the nukes-on-wings run riot, chances are there’ll be hardly anything left (and nobody left to rule it).

Related: Who Is Daeron Targaryen in House of the Dragon?

That’s also why, when the Green and Black Targaryen camps at long last “fire” their living arsenals in House of the Dragon Season 2, Episode 4, it’s suitably apocalyptic. Daenerys torching King’s Landing was one thing, a multi-dragon aerial slugfest is another entirely. Soldiers crumble to ash. The earth is scorched black. True, there’s no radiation, but the visuals are clearly meant to evoke what happens when you split the atom. What’s more, it’s evident there’s no going back. The fiery holocaust we’ve dodged in our world (for now) is coming to Westeros.

And that’s arguably showrunner Ryan Condal and his team’s biggest achievement with House of the Dragon Season 2’s first four episodes: dragon fighting is now more than just about spectacle. they’re a fully realized WMD metaphor. Yes, seeing these overgrown lizards mix it up is awesome. However, it’s forever tainted by our knowledge that each fight will bring the Targaryens (and Westeros itself) closer to annihilation. In effect, it blows up House of the Dragon‘s blockbuster appeal – but then, what do you expect from a WMD metaphor?

House of the Dragon Season 2 is currently airing on HBO and Max, with new episodes dropping Sundays.

House of the Dragon Season 2’s latest episode, “A Dance of Dragons,” seemingly kills off two major characters – but did they really die? Or was it a fake-out?

Related: Are Daenerys’ Dragon Eggs in House of the Dragon Season 2?

House of the Dragon Season 2, Episode 4’s Big Deaths, Explained

House of the Dragon Season 2’s first dragon versus dragon showdown — and it’s a sight to behold. First up are Princess Rhaenys’ Meleys and King Aegon II’s Sunfyre, with the former proving more than a match for the latter. After the battle-hardened Rhaenys and Meleys are through with relative noobs Aegon and Sunfyre, they’re in bad shape. Rhaenys and Meleys don’t have the upper hand for long, though.

Prince Aemond and his super-sized mount Vhagar soon launch a sneaky counter-attack, and the much smaller Meleys is visibly outgunned. Rhaenys and her dragon aren’t the first to go down, though. Instead, that dubious honor goes to Aegon and Sunfyre, who are quickly caught in the crossfire and plummet from the sky. Meleys lasts much longer, however, she’s ultimately no match for Vhagar, who kills her with a vicious chomp to the neck.

Related: Is Balerion in House of the Dragon?

Meleys’ demise spells disaster for Rhaenys, too. Miles in the air and strapped to the back of a rapidly descending dragon, the so-called “Queen Who Never Was” can only close her eyes and wait for impact. It arrives soon enough — and there’s no way Rhaenys survives. Not only do she and Meleys collide with Rook’s Rest castle’s battlements, but Meleys bursts into flames immediately after.

By contrast, Aegon II’s fate is slightly less clear. True, when Aemond and Ser Criston Cole come upon the king and his dragon, both are in pretty bad shape. Yet Sunfyre is still breathing and Aegon — while he’s definitely unconscious — isn’t necessarily dead. Does this mean Aegon’s fall wasn’t as fatal as it looked? Only time (and House of the Dragon Season 2, Episode 5) will say for certain!

Do Rhaenys and Aegon II Die in George R.R. Martin’s Book?

Yes and no. Yes, Rhaenys dies during Battle of Rook’s Rest in House of the Dragon Season 2’s source text, Fire & Blood. No, Aegon II doesn’t go out with her. That said, Fire & Blood author (and House of the Dragon co-creator) George R.R. Martin makes it clear that Aegon almost didn’t make it. The monarch’s injuries include broken bones and serious and extensive burns — his armor even melted into his left arm (ewwww).

Related: House of the Dragon Season 2: Who Is Alys Rivers?

Fortunately for the live-action Aegon, his condition looks less serious (or less graphic, at any rate) in House of the Dragon Season 2. Notably, he doesn’t have any noticeable burns. Presumably, this is because House of the Dragon‘s parent series, Game of Thrones, established that in TV continuity, Targaryens are more resistant to fire than other folk.

House of the Dragon Season 2 is currently airing on HBO and Max, with new episodes dropping Sundays.

Hallucinations and Headaches at Harrenhal

House of the Dragon Season 2, Episode 4 opens in maybe cursed/definitely creepy castle Harrenhal. Prince Daemon Targaryen (Matt Smith) dreams of young Rhaenyra Targaryen (Milly Alcock) perched on the Iron Throne. Rhaenyra accuses Daemon of undermining her rule. She also declares that her father (and Daemon’s brother), King Viserys I Targaryen, loved her more. In response, Daemon lops off Rhaenyra’s head, but the taunting doesn’t stop.

Daemon is woken from his nightmare by Ser Simon Strong (Simon Russell Beale), but not before hallucinating blood on his hands. Ser Simon brings news that Houses Rosby and Stokeworth have raised their banners for King Aegon II Targaryen (Tom Glynn-Carney). Aegon’s army, headed up by Ser Criston Cole (Fabien Frankel), is now three times as big — and it’s partly Daemon’s fault. The Blood and Cheese scandal (which Daemon set in motion) helped sway both houses to side with Aegon.

Related: Are Daenerys’ Dragon Eggs in House of the Dragon Season 2?

Ser Simon warns Daemon that Ser Criston and his troops will likely make a beeline for Harrenhal. If they do, the odds of Daemon coming out on top don’t look great, as there’s no time for him to raise a big enough army of his own (plus, the castle is still busted). Hoping to improve his chances, Daemon meets with Ser Oscar Tully (Archie Barnes), the tween heir to the powerful House Tully.

Ser Oscar confirms that his grandfather (and current House Tully head), Grover Tully, is seriously ill but still very much alive. Daemon’s less than thrilled to hear this, as it means Ser Oscar can’t hand him control of House Tully’s forces. The rogue prince disparages House Tully and storms out of the meeting. As he goes, he orders Ser Simon to summon House Blackwood, as they (unlike the Tullys) proved they’re “men of action” in House of the Dragon Season 2, Episode 3.

Off-the-Books Offspring on Both Sides of the Divide

From here, House of the Dragon Season 2, Episode 4 shifts its focus to Driftmark. Princess Rhaenys Targaryen (Eve Best) encounters Alyn of Hull (Abubakar Salim) and observes that — based on his looks — his mother must have been a beautiful woman. It’s a slightly awkward moment that makes more sense once Lord Corlys Velaryon (Steve Toussaint) shows up and sends Alyn away.

The conversation between husband and wife that follows heavily implies that Alyn is Corlys’ illegitimate son. Rhaenys also announces that she’s heading back to Dragonstone to support Lady Baela Targaryen (Bethany Antonia) and Prince Jacaerys Velaryon (Harry Collett) in Queen Rhaenyra’s (Emma D’Arcy) absence. When Corlys grumbles about Rhaenyra going AWOL, Rhaenys retorts that the queen is the only Black Targaryen trying to avert all-out war.

Related: House of the Dragon: Who Is The Prince That Was Promised?

Meanwhile, in King’s Landing, Grand Maester Orwyle (Kurt Egyiawan) brings Dowager Queen Alicent Hightower (Olivia Cooke) a dose of moon tea. Alicent pretends the birth control potion is for another unnamed member of the royal household, but it’s clearly for her. Before Orwyle exits, Alicent asks him whether he believes Viserys truly wanted Aegon as his successor. He can’t say one way or the other, leaving Alicent to mull over the subject (and quaff her moon tea).

Cut to: Dragonstone. The Black Targaryen Small Council members are their usual ornery selves, lamenting their lack of concrete intel, resources, and leadership. Rhaenys, Baela, and Jacaerys try keeping the session on the rails, but it’s no use. However, just as things reach rock bottom, Coryls swaggers in and gets everyone back in line. With order restored, Rhaenys implores the council to trust Rhaenyra to do whatever it takes to end the Targaryen civil war.

Aegon Learns Who’s Really Steering the War Effort

In the Crownlands, Ser Criston’s army has defeated Rhaenyra loyalists House Darklyn. As Ser Gwayne Hightower (Freddie Fox) watches on, Cole invites the defeated soldiers to throw in with the Green Targaryen camp. Lord Darklyn himself refuses to bend the knee and Cole removes his head from his shoulders for his troubles. Cole then receives a raven and tells Gwayne they’re headed northeast next. When Gwayne points out that Harrenhal lies to the west, Cole agrees without altering his orders.

Back in King’s Landing, Aegon is throwing one of his now-standard tantrums during a Small Council session. The king is a bit miffed that Daemon has control of Harrenhal. The castle’s official owner, Lord Larys Strong (Matthew Needham), assures Aegon there’s nothing to worry about. Not only is Harrenhal in bad shape without any cash flow but, while Daemon focuses his energies there, Ser Criston’s forces roll through the Crownlands virtually unopposed.

Related: House of the Dragon: How Does Rhaenyra Targaryen Die in the Book?

Aegon’s partly mollified; however, he still wants to take back Harrenhal for appearance’s sake. That’s when Prince Aemond Targaryen (Ewan Mitchell) pipes up. He’s already sent Ser Criston’s army (via the raven seen earlier) to Rook’s Rest. Despite its seeming insignificance, taking the small castle would have big strategic benefits for the Green Targaryen campaign. Aegon’s not convinced, nor is he happy that Aemond and Criston are effectively waging the war without him. But after a pitifully one-sided debate between the siblings in High Valyrian, Aegon submits to Aemond’s plan.

A brief interlude follows, during which Larys pays the unwell Alicent a visit in her chambers. Larys seemingly deduces that Alicent has taken moon tea and hints that he’s aware of her affair with Criston. He also probes Alicent’s role in Aegon’s ascent to the throne, before both agree that Viserys I’s true intentions are now meaningless.

The Haunting of Prince Daemon Continues

House of the Dragon Season 2, Episode 4’s next stop is Harrenhal. As in Episode 3, an unseen figure lurks behind Daemon’s bed chamber door. Rattled, Daemon grabs a sword and sets off in his pajamas after this ethereal interloper. He finally tracks them down, and they turn out to be … Daemon in an eyepatch? It’s more of the trippy goings-on we’ve come to expect from this plot thread.

Rounding a corner, Daemon comes across Alys Rivers (Gayle Rankin), who shares her backstory. It turns out she’s Harrenhal’s unofficial maester, after the legit maester fled one night. She also touches on the castle’s supposed curse, recalling how a forest of ancient Weirwood trees was chopped down during its construction. Daemon’s bed is made from the same trees, and Alys puts forward the theory that this is responsible for the rogue prince’s night terrors.

Related: Who Is Alyrie Florent in House of the Dragon?

Her potted history lesson concluded, Alys then sets about psychoanalyzing Daemon. She cuts close to the bone, playing on Daemon’s fears that his actions at Harrenhal are designed to elevate him and undercut Rhaenyra. This comes with a sleeping potion to wash it down, which Daemon drains. This seems like a rash move on his part, especially given Daemon’s erratic performance at the meeting with House Blackwood the following day. Still, Daemon makes a tentative deal with the Blackwoods despite being haunted by a vision of his late wife, Lady Laena Velaryon (Nanna Blondell), throughout.

Back in King’s Landing, Aegon gets fed up with reports of Ser Criston and Aemond’s successes and huffs out of the Small Council meeting. He heads for his chambers, where he finds Alicent looking for Viserys I’s old history books. Aegon bitches to his mother about nobody taking him seriously. However, Alicent isn’t in a coddling mood and hits Aegon with some hard truths about his inadequacies as king. Her final counsel? Sit there, shut up, and do nothing.

The Battle at Rook’s Rest

This brings us to House of the Dragon Season 2, Episode 4’s final third, which is devoted to the second season’s first big set piece: the Battle at Rook’s Rest. Cole orders his troops to attack the castle, over Gwayne’s objections that a daytime assault leaves them vulnerable to nearby Dragonstone’s dragons. He’s not wrong, either. When Rhaenyra returns to Dragonstone, she (eventually) dispatches Rhaenys and her mount, Meleys, to Rook’s Rest.

A montage of action across Westeros follows, accompanied by Rhaenyra’s narration about a Targaryen monarch’s purpose and duties. Aegon defies Alicent and saddles up on his dragon, Sunfyre. Rhaenys and Meleys share a tender moment (foreshadowing, anyone?). Capping it all off, Rhaenyra prepares to share the Song of Ice and Fire — the prophecy foretelling the events of Game of Thrones — with Jacaerys.

Related: Who Did Viserys Want to Succeed Him in House of the Dragon?

And then it’s go-time at Rook’s Rest. Rhaenys and Meleys arrive with the battle underway and start roasting the Green Targaryens’ ranks. Yet Ser Criston isn’t phased — because Aemond and his dragon, Vhagar, are playing possum in the forest. But before Criston and Aemond can spring their surprise attack, Aegon arrives. He and Sunfyre are no match for Rhaenys and Meleys, although Aemond and Vhagar’s intervention looks set to tip the scales.

Unfortunately for Aegon, Aemond fires (literally) indiscriminately, sending the already badly injured Sunfyre tumbling to the ground. Rhaenys, Aemond, and their respective mounts go head-to-head next, wreaking havoc on the battlefield below. Aemond and Vhagar ultimately defeat Rhaenys and Meleys, killing both. What about Aegon? When a distraught Cole locates him, he’s badly — maybe even fatally — injured. It’s a victory for the Greens, but at what cost?

House of the Dragon Season 2 is currently airing on HBO and Max, with new episodes dropping Sundays.

We followed two criteria when compiling this list: audio-visual quality plus the quality of the film itself. After all, what’s the point of owning a 4K Blu-ray you don’t enjoy watching? And remember: this is just a “starter pack” (so don’t get too upset if your fave flick didn’t make the cut).

10. Apocalypse Now: Final Cut

Francis Ford Coppola’s 1979 Vietnam War fever dream, Apocalypse Now, has never looked or sounded better than it does on 4K Blu-ray. HDR10 and Dolby Vision do justice to the movie’s lush colors and rich blacks, and the Dolby Atmos audio is equally kind to its Oscar-winning sound design. What’s more, Coppola and his restoration team have subtly enhanced both for home media set-ups. You won’t believe you’re watching a 45-year-old movie! Oh, and if you buy the Apocalypse Now: Final Cut Collector’s Edition, you also get the theatrical and Redux versions of the film (so everybody’s happy).

9. The Lord of the Rings Trilogy

This is a controversial pick. While Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings trilogy is rightly regarded as a three-part cinematic masterpiece, the Kiwi director’s decision to re-grade the Ultra HD Blu-ray release polarized cinephiles. The color timing across The Fellowship of the Ring, The Two Towers, and The Return of the King is far more consistent now — but also noticeably different from the theatrical versions. That said, the movies still look and sound terrific (the Balrog’s roar in Dolby Atmos is spine-tingling stuff). Plus, Jackson mercifully avoided the urge to do any Star Wars: Special Edition-style tinkering, so The Lord of the Rings movies’ real magic — its story — remains intact.

Related: How Many Lord of the Rings Movies Are There?

8. 2001: A Space Odyssey

The late Stanley Kubrick’s films rank among the most visually striking ever. So, it’s hardly surprising that three of his most acclaimed flicks — 2001: A Space Odyssey, A Clockwork Orange, and The Shining — are up there with the best 4K Blu-rays available today. But if we had to choose just one, we’d go with 2001. Warner Bros.’s restoration team scanned the 1969 film’s original 65mm negative, lending depth and crispness to 2001‘s iconic sci-fi visuals. The legendary “Star Gate” sequence is trippier than ever in HDR, too. About the only knock on the 2001: A Space Odyssey 4K UHD Blu-ray is that there’s no Dolby Atmos to augment its classical soundtrack. It’s a must-own, just the same.

7. The Revenant

The Revenant is a heavy hang — but also an undeniably great movie. And once you’ve seen the 4K Blu-ray version of Alejandro G. Iñárritu’s 2015 Western drama, you’ll find revisiting it a whole lot easier. Iñárritu and cinematographer Emmanuel Lubezki played a hands-on role in The Revenant‘s 4K UHD release, optimizing its visuals for the format. The overall result is more naturalistic than previous home media versions. From Leonardo DiCaprio’s grimy skin tones to the delicate interplay between light and dark, you’ll think you’re peering through a window into the frontier-era Dakotas.

Related: Indiana Jones Movies Ranked

6. Blade Runner: The Final Cut

The definitive version of one of the greatest sci-fi films of all time, Blade Runner: The Final Cut is as visually and aurally dazzling as you’d expect in 4K Blu-ray. Director Ridley Scott supervised a 4K remaster of Blade Runner in 2007, which HDR brings to life even better than the standard Blu-ray release. Everything looks richer and sharper. Blade Runner: The Final Cut sounds superior on 4K Blu-ray too, courtesy of its Dolby Atmos track. The belated sequel, Blade Runner 2049, also deserves a place in your collection, however, the original movie is the more essential purchase.

5. My Fair Lady

There’s room for lighter fare in every 4K Blu-ray collection — especially when the UHD version of My Fair Lady is such a feast for the eyes. Produced from an 8K scan of the 1964 musical comedy-drama’s 65mm/Super Panavision 70 negative, the My Fair Lady 4K Blu-ray looks as crisp as any 2024 release. From the vibrant hues of Audrey Hepburn’s hats to the subtle details of the Covent Garden market, every frame is straight-up sumptuous in HDR. My Fair Lady‘s depth-of-field effects are more pronounced in the UHD format, as well. If only all classic films received the same amount of care when making the jump to 4K!

Related: All Mad Max Movies, Ranked From Worst to Best

4. Mad Max: Fury Road

The bombastic visuals of George Miller’s Mad Max: Fury Road wowed audiences in 2015, and they’re just as spectacular on 4K Blu-ray. Like several other entries on this list, Fury Road underwent a re-grading process for its HDR release, and its striking palette pops as a result. Fire effects and explosions are more vivid in Fury Road‘s 4K Blu-ray version, although the night scenes arguably benefit the most from the re-grade. Mad Max: Fury Road‘s Dolby Atmos audio track is outstanding as well, especially during the chaotic sandstorm sequence.

3. The Dark Knight Trilogy

Like his idol Stanley Kubrick, Christopher Nolan has cranked out multiple worthy candidates for this best 4K Blu-rays list. Interstellar, Dunkirk, Oppenheimer, and, yes, even Tenet, all belong on your shelf. But none of these titles are a match for the combined bravura brilliance of Nolan’s Dark Knight trilogy. This is particularly true of The Dark Knight and The Dark Knight Rises, in which Wally Pfister’s IMAX cinematography — expertly calibrated for HDR — shines. Unfortunately, there’s no Dolby Atmos with this set, however, The Dark Knight trilogy’s DTS:HD Master Audio still sounds pretty good.

Related: Ranking Christopher Nolan Movies

2. Jaws

C’mon: it’s Jaws — one of the most iconic movies of all time. It’s also one of the most masterful 4K Blu-ray remasters of all time, too. Universal scanned Jaws‘ original 35mm negative for the 1975 thriller’s UHD release, and everything — the colors, the fine details, even the film grain — sparkles in HDR. Better still, the restoration team clearly worked overtime to preserve the aesthetic that director Steven Spielberg and cinematographer Bill Butler had in mind. The Jaws 4K Blu-ray’s Dolby Atmos audio is also best-in-class, elevating John Williams’ classic score and the ambient sound effects.

1. John Wick: Chapters 1-4

Rounding out this list of the best 4K Blu-rays is John Wick: Chapters 1-4: the full set (for now at least) of the Keanu Reeves-led, neo-noir action flicks. All four movies scrub up great in 4K UHD, thanks in no small part to their stylish use of color and lighting. That said, of the bunch, John Wick: Chapter 2 arguably boasts the best HDR-enhanced visuals (although Chapter 4 gives it a run for its money!). What about the audio? Let’s just say John Wick’s punches land twice as hard in Dolby Atmos!

And there you have it: the best 4K Blu-rays on the market today!

Related: All Major Actors & Cast List for Wicked

No, not the colorful costumes. Or even the stylized visuals and overall sense of hyper-reality. Yes, song-and-dance features and cape-and-tights adventures are founded on both, but that’s not what I’m talking about here. Instead, I’m hung up on how Hollywood markets musicals today, and how closely it mirrors the industry’s approach to superhero movies more than two decades ago.

In both cases, the tactic is the same: don’t tell the audience what you’re selling them. That way, they might actually turn up for a brand of entertainment they typically can’t stand. It’s deeply dishonest – and wildly effective. So, really, is it any surprise that musicals have become the superhero movies of the late ’90s and early 2000s?

The Secret to a Good Musical Trailer: No Singing

In the last 18 months alone, we’ve seen several high-profile examples of 2000s-era superhero movie marketing applied to musicals. 2023 Timothée Chalamet vehicle Wonka didn’t outright obscure its true nature, however, the Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory prequel’s trailers didn’t foreground them either. Indeed, plenty of moviegoers didn’t realize they were buying tickets to a musical until Chalamet belted out his first tune (at least if the audible groans at my screening are any guide).

Meanwhile, the promotional campaign for Mean Girls took things to a new level. Nothing about the 2024 stage show adaptation’s marketing suggested that it was, in fact, based on a musical. Heck, the trailers didn’t feature a single song! The only clue Paramount Pictures supplied viewers was a small musical note in Mean Girls‘ logo – an easily missed detail. Paramount was clearly confident the Mean Girls IP could get folks through the door. But the musical bit? Not so much.

And then there’s Wicked: Part One. Here, Universal has adopted a middle-of-the-road stance. It’s virtually impossible to hide what Wicked is; the stage show is one of the longest-running (and most lucrative) in Broadway history. What’s more, Wicked‘s soundtrack is its major selling point. So, leaving songs out of Part One‘s trailer was obviously a non-starter. Yet the studio hasn’t completely given up on luring in the uninitiated. That’s almost certainly why the Wicked: Part One trailer doesn’t include any clear shots of its cast actually, y’know, singing.

Related: Wicked Already Changed Disney’s Fairy Tale Princesses, so Do We Need a Film?

Don’t Say ‘Superhero,’ Say ‘Sci-Fi’ or ‘Horror’

It’s all a bit sneaky – and very familiar to those of us who grew up before the current superhero movie boom. In the late 90s, ‘superhero’ was a dirty word in Tinseltown. The Superman and Batman franchises had both crashed and burned, along with the likes of The Rocketeer, The Shadow, The Phantom, and Spawn. The knock-on effect was that if you wanted to get a superhero film off the ground, you had to repackage it as something else.

So, 1998’s Blade became a hybrid horror flick, 2000’s X-Men leaned more into its sci-fi elements, and so on. Even so, these movies (and others like them) were still recognizably superhero-oriented. M. Night Shyamalan’s Unbreakable made room for entire monologues on comic book history, for crying out loud! Yet the advertising of these late ’90s/early ’00s superhero movies – not to mention that of 2002’s Blade II and 2003’s X2: X-Men United – was decidedly less honest.

On the contrary, if you were a horror, sci-fi, or thriller fan who fronted up for Blade, X-Men, or Unbreakable, you straight-up didn’t get what you paid for. You may have enjoyed these films, however, with the possible exception of Blade, they only vaguely aligned with the story you were promised. In Unbreakable‘s case, there’s a decent chance this disconnect even led to lukewarm reviews and lower-than-expected box office (a theory backed by no less than Quentin Tarantino!).

Indeed, it wasn’t until 2002’s Spider-Man – with its unmistakably spandex-clad protagonist – that superhero movie marketing started playing fair.

Related: How Many X-Men Movies Are There?

Eventually, Hollywood Will Be Honest About Its Musicals

Fittingly, the Spider-Man seachange also hints there’s hope yet for musicals’ marketing. After all, the underlying reason for superhero movies embracing their source material more fully – on screen and in adverts – was a gradual shift in audience taste. As more and more people became comfortable with superhero-inspired fare (ironically, thanks to the dubious tactic I’ve railed against all article), studios worried less and less about disguising it. They didn’t need to anymore; moviegoers were finally in the market for what they were selling.

The same could happen with musicals. Wonka raked in over $600 million worldwide, and if Mean Girls faltered by comparison, it still more than doubled its budget. Plus, industry pundits are already pegging Wicked: Part One as one of 2024’s safe bets. Willingly or otherwise, it seems people are gradually vibing with big screen musicals – just like they did with superhero movies in the early 2000s. Perhaps someday soon, Hollywood will finally feel safe marketing their musicals as musicals. Now, wouldn’t that be super?

Wicked: Part One arrives in theaters on Nov. 27, 2024.

The latest episode of Disney+ Star Wars series The Acolyte is making waves for a bunch of reasons – including scenes where Mae Aniseya’s Sith Master shrugs off several lightsaber attacks. Shouldn’t that be impossible, given lightsabers can supposedly cut through anything?

Related: Is The Acolyte’s Sith Master Connected to the Sequel Trilogy’s Knights of Ren?

But that’s the thing: lightsabers can’t cut through anything – and Star Wars devotees have known this for a long time. As far back as the first Star Wars movie, 1977’s A New Hope, the franchise’s most iconic weapon has shown there are limits to its (admittedly incredible) cutting power. And in the 47 years since then, the list of saber-proof substances has only grown.

With that in mind, here’s a brief history of everything lightsabers can’t cut through, from A New Hope to The Acolyte!

The Original Star Wars Trilogy

So, what was A New Hope‘s inaugural exception to lightsabers’ superior slicing abilities? It’s kinda obvious: other lightsabers. While Obi-Wan Kenobi and Darth Vader’s blades crackle and hiss during the duel midway through the movie, they nevertheless remain completely unharmed. The original Star Wars trilogy’s two remaining entries, The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi double down on this. Not even Vader’s superhumanly strong saber swings can damage another laser sword. Almost everything else – even the AT-AT’s thick armor – doesn’t fare half as well.

Related: The Acolyte: Was Amandla Stenberg Fired From the Disney+ Star Wars Show?

I say “almost” because the original trilogy also has a handful of easy-to-miss instances of lightsabers failing to cut through something. For example, when Luke Skywalker tags Vader’s shoulder pad in The Empire Strikes Back, he breaches it – but doesn’t slice the Sith Lord’s arm off, as well. Clearly, whatever Vader’s armor is made of (and current canon says it’s a durasteel alloy) is lightsaber-resistant. Similarly, during Luke and Vader’s Return of the Jedi rematch, the Death Star II’s guard rails withstand Luke’s less intense saber strokes. It’s not until the Jedi-in-training really hacks at one that it gives way.

The Expanded Universe

Still, instances such as these proved that – as far as the Star Wars films were concerned – a lightsaber could (eventually) cut through whatever non-lightsaber object you threw at it.

The Expanded Universe of books, comics, and video games begged to differ, however. Notably, 1998 novel I, Jedi introduced cortosis: a super rare metal that shorts out lightsabers on contact. Cortosis subsequently cropped up in a bunch of other EU projects. This included the Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic and Jedi Knight video game series, both of which replaced the metal’s shorting out property with more gameplay-friendly increased durability.

Cortosis wasn’t the EU’s only lightsaber-resistant substance, either. Sith alchemy-forged swords, Mandalorian iron, Yuuzhan Vong armor and amphistaffs, and even conventional melee weapons reinforced with Force power weathered lightsaber assaults in the EU. Energy shields had a decent track record against lightsabers, too. Indeed, by the time the Star Wars prequel trilogy rolled around in 1999, lightsabers were looking less potent than ever.

Related: The Acolyte: Did the Sith Master Really Kill [SPOILER]?

The Star Wars Prequels and Star Wars: The Clone Wars

The prequels did little to dispel lightsabers’ flagging reputation, despite sabers doing more slicing and dicing than ever across the three flicks. The first installment, 1999’s Star Wars: The Phantom Menace, cemented the whole “patchy against energy shields” thing, with the Theed Power Generator’s laser gates. As Darth Maul learns through trial and error, nothing – not even a lightsaber – can penetrate these red, floor-to-ceiling barriers.

Three years later, Star Wars: Attack of the Clones‘ tie-in media ushered in yet another lightsaber-resistant material: armorweave clothing. According to that film’s Visual Dictionary, Count Dooku’s cape is made from this vaguely defined, partially saber-proof fabric. Then in 2005, Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith armed General Grievous and his MagnaGuard goons with electrostaffs. Manufactured from a new anti-saber alloy, phrik, and spurting electricity at either end, electrostaffs were an effective foil for the Jedi’s signature weapon. They also appeared in the Star Wars: The Clone Wars animated series, where they proved equally resilient.

Speaking of The Clone Wars, that show gave us the Darksaber. Supervising director Dave Filoni and his crew developed this lightsaber variant after Star Wars creator George Lucas rejected the idea of a cortosis-weave vibroblade standing up to a lightsaber. Essentially an ancient lightsaber variant, the Darksaber possesses the same strengths and weaknesses. A lightsaber can’t chop through the Darksaber, however, the reverse is also true. The Clone Wars also equipped Nightsister Mother Talzin with a magick-infused sword capable of parrying sabers. Oh, and the show continued the EU’s tradition of ultra-tough creatures (such as the Zillo Beast) being unphased by lightsaber blows.

Related: The Acolyte: How Does the Sith Master’s Helmet Short Out Jedi Lightsabers?

The Star Wars Sequel Trilogy and Disney+ Shows

That brings us to 2012, when Disney bought Lucasfilm (and Star Wars along with it). The House of Mouse hit reset on Star Wars continuity, relegating almost everything outside the six movies and The Clone Wars to non-canonical “Legends” status. Even so, plenty of lightsaber-resistant substances remained in play as part of this streamlined continuity – and even more were on the way. The Star Wars sequel trilogy ushered in the First Order’s Z6 baton and the Elite Praetorian Guards’ armor and high-tech melee weapons, all of which could block a saber to differing degrees.

Meanwhile, The Mandalorian reintroduced Mandalorian iron as Beskar, which was, if anything, even more impervious to lightsabers. 2019 novel Master & Apprentice featured kohlen crystal-powered energy barriers – the latest in saber-stumping shield technology. And Marvel’s licensed Star Wars comics depicted Solo: A Star Wars Story‘s Qi’ra holding off lightsaber-wielding opponents with her electro daggers.

Related: Is the Star Wars Prequels’ Ki-Adi-Mundi in The Acolyte?

Which brings us full circle to The Acolyte. The show’s fifth episode marked the live-action debut of cortosis (although the metal had already slid into the revised Star Wars canon via 2014 tome A New Dawn). What’s more, The Acolyte‘s version of cortosis produces exactly the result an EU aficionado would expect. Not only do the Sith Master’s Jedi foes struggle to cleave through his cortosis helmet and vambrace, but their sabers short out whenever they try. Now, as in 1998, cortosis is arguably the ultimate lightsaber deterrent.

But then, as the above potted history lesson proves, it’s far from the only material to beat Star Wars‘ most “unbeatable” weapon in the franchise’s 47-year run.

The Acolyte Season 1 is currently streaming on Disney+, with new episodes dropping Tuesdays.

The Boys Season 4’s latest installment, “Dirty Business,” reveals that correctional facilities run by Tek Knight are a key part of Homelander and Sister Sage’s master plan. So, what do Homelander and Sage want to do with Tek Knight’s prisons, exactly?

Related: What Happened to Hughie’s Mother and Father in the The Boys Comic, Explained

Homelander and Sister Sage’s Plans for Tek Knight’s Prisons, Explained

Tek Knight’s importance to Homelander and Sage’s scheme to control America (if not the world itself) is first hinted at early on in The Boys Season 4, Episode 6. During an awkward social encounter, Homelander freely admits that he and Sage “need” Tek Knight, at least in the short term.

Despite this, the leader of the Seven expresses contempt for Tek Knight, throwing shade at his deduction-based powers. The implication is that Homelander and Sage are interested in something Tek Knight possesses, rather than the Supe himself. It’s not until the Boys corner Tek Knight in his Tek Cave headquarters (in reality, a sex dungeon) that we learn the truth, though.

Related: The Boys: Why Aren’t Starlight’s Powers Working in Season 4?

Here, Tek Knight spills the beans on his part in the strategy Homelander and Sage have spent The Boys‘ last few episodes cooking up. “They made me a deal […] to use my prisons,” the depraved detective confesses. “Homelander and Sage, they need places across the country to put their ‘dissidents.'”

Tek Knight insists that’s all he knows about Homelander and Sage’s plans, however, it’s more than enough to fill Hughie Campbell, Annie January/Starlight, and the rest of the team with terror. “He’s talking about internment camps,” Hughie says, visibly horrified. So, that’s what Homelander and Sister Sage want with Tek Knight’s prisons: somewhere to lock up anyone who gets in their way.

Are Tek Knight’s Prisons Part of Homelander and Sage’s Plan in The Boys Comic?

Nope, for several reasons. For starters, Tek Knight doesn’t own any prisons in Garth Ennis and Darick Robertson’s The Boys comic books. And even if he did, he almost certainly wouldn’t rent them out as internment camps. In the comics, Tek Knight is one of the few genuinely heroic Supes (his rampant homophobia notwithstanding). As such, he’s not the kind of guy to go along with Homelander and Sage’s plan to put people behind bars without following due process.

Related: The Boys: What Does Homelander Want With Cate and Sam From Gen V?

Oh, and while we’re on the subject of Sister Sage, she’s got zero connection to Tek Knight in The Boys comics. Indeed, she’s not connected to anyone, as The Boys showrunner Eric Kripke and his team created Sage specifically for the show. So, when Homelander makes his world domination play in the comics, he does so without Sage’s input (or Tek Knight’s prisons).

The Boys Season 4 is currently streaming on Prime Video, with new episodes dropping Thursdays.

In The Acolyte Season 1, Episode 6, Osha and Qimir/The Stranger seemingly stop off at a key location from the Star Wars sequel trilogy: Ahch-To. But do Osha and the Stranger really visit Ahch-To in The Acolyte‘s latest episode, or are they on another, equally legendary planet?

Related: The Acolyte: Who Is Rayencourt?

Is Ahch-To in The Acolyte Season 1, Episode 6?

No, the Stranger and Osha probably aren’t on Ahch-To in “Teach / Corrupt.” After all, the on-screen caption that introduces the pair’s location simply reads “Unknown Planet.” This doesn’t track with Ahch-To, which – despite it’s near-mythical status – is very much known, to viewers at least.

Even so, it’s easy to see why some folks are nevertheless convinced the Stranger and Osha are kicking around Ahch-To. For one thing, the unknown planet and Ahch-To look remarkably similar. Notably, the former’s “islands rising out of endless water” aesthetic is very Ahch-To. The shape and terrain of both world’s landmasses are virtually identical, too.

Related: Who Was the First Sith Lord in the Star Wars Canon?

Plus, the Star Wars sequel trilogy establishes Ahch-To as the Jedi Order’s birthplace, so there would be a certain dramatic irony in it keeping the Sith Order afloat, as well. It’s also not as if The Acolyte has shied away from linking in with the Star Wars sequels, either. For example, sequel trilogy antagonist Kylo Ren’s musical motif features in Season 1, Episodes 5 and 6.

So, it wouldn’t come as a shock of The Acolyte showrunner Leslye Headland had indeed recycled Ahch-To as the Stranger’s hideout. But (pending any official word from Lucasfilm), that’s almost certainly not what happened.

Did The Acolyte Just Re-introduce Bal’demnic to Star Wars Canon?

Alongside the Ahch-To truthers, there’s another contingent of fans who believe the Stranger’s lair is on another planet from earlier Star Wars lore: Bal’demnic. Never heard of it? That’s probably a sign you’re not au fait with the Star Wars Expanded Universe.

In this version of the franchise’s continuity – most of which was erased after Disney acquired Lucasfilm in 2012 – Bal’demnic was an ocean world that (you guessed it) had islands all over it. What’s more, Bal’demnic was full of cortosis: the lightsaber-resistant metal the Stranger fashioned his helmet from. So, a lot of overlaps here.

Related: Is The Acolyte’s Sith Master Connected to the Sequel Trilogy’s Knights of Ren?

Does this mean The Acolyte just sneakily reinstated Bal’demnic’s canonical status? It might. Again, we’ll have to wait for official word from Headland or a Lucasfilm rep to know for certain. But if Bal’demnic is back, it lends further weight to theories The Acolyte will feature Sith Lords Darth Tenebrous and Darth Plagueis (as the pair investigated Bal’demnic’s cortosis in the EU).

The Acolyte Season 1 is currently streaming on Disney+, with new episodes dropping Tuesdays.

Old Rivalries Boil Over in the Riverlands

House of the Dragon Season 2, Episode 3 opens on the border between Blackwood and Bracken lands. A pair of young lords — one from House Blackwood and one from House Bracken — bicker over the boundary markers. Things quickly take a nasty turn after the quarrel shifts focus to the wider divisions within Westeros.

The Blackwoods support Queen Rhaenyra Targaryen’s (Emma D’Arcy) claim to the Iron Throne, while the Brackens back King Aegon II Targaryen (Tom Glynn-Carney). More squabbling ensues before we jump forward in time, with the same field now covered in dead Blackwood and Bracken troops. The boys’ tiff clearly snowballed into a major inter-house dust-up.

From here, the episode changes viewpoint to Dragonstone. Rhaenyra and Prince Jacaerys Velaryon (Harry Collett) oversee the burial of Arryk and Erryk Cargyll, who died in Episode 2. Jacaerys is keen to hit back at the Green Targaryens (who sent Arryk to assassinate Rhaenyra); however, she’s non-committal. He skulks off and Princess Rhaenys Targaryen (Eve Best) takes his place.

Rhaenys rejects the idea that Ser Otto Hightower (Rhys Ifans) ordered the assassination; she blames Aegon II and his fellow young hotheads instead. She then unsuccessfully proposes that Rhaenyra link up with Dowager Queen Alicent Hightower (Emma D’Arcy) to avoid an endless cycle of reprisals.

Related: Who Is Daeron Targaryen in House of the Dragon? Answered

Rhaenyra Targaryen Gets Her House in Order

Meanwhile, in King’s Landing, Ser Criston Cole (Fabien Frankel) attends his first Small Council meeting as Hand of the King. Several council members (including Alicent) take Criston to task for masterminding Arryk’s failed mission, which they believe makes all-out conflict virtually inevitable. At this point, Prince Aemond Targaryen (Ewan Mitchell) pipes up about the Bracken/Blackwood battle, noting that the civil war has effectively started.

Much squabbling follows before Criston lays out a plan. With a small group of men, he’ll rally support for the Greens, subdue the Riverlands, and take over Harrenhal Castle. Alicent scoffs; however, Aegon is a fan of the idea. He even wants to come along with his dragon, Sunfyre. But Criston and Aemond talk Aegon down, using the old “you’re too important to lose” gambit. Regardless, the Green camp has taken a big step closer to war with their enemies.

Back on Dragonstone, Rhaenyra meets with Mysaria (Sonoya Mizuno). As hinted in House of the Dragon Season 2’s last episode, Mysaria warned Ser Erryk that his twin brother was out to get Rhaenyra. The Black Queen asks Mysaria to name her reward, and she requests a place at court. She’s impressed by Rhaenyra’s sense of honor and mercy, as shown in Episode 2. Rhaenyra agrees to add Mysaria to her inner circle as her Mistress of Whisperers.

The next item on Rhaenyra’s itinerary is a meeting with Lady Rhaena Targaryen (Phoebe Campbell). Rhaenyra announces she’s sending her son, Joffrey, and his baby dragon to live with her cousin, Lady Jeyne Arryn. She gets an army, Joffrey gets to live somewhere safer, and Jeyne (technically) gets a dragon. Rhaenyra wants Rhaena to accompany Joffrey (along with Joffrey’s siblings, Viserys II and Aegon III). Rhaena grudgingly agrees; however, it’s clear she feels inferior to her dragon-rider sister, Lady Baela Targaryen (Bethany Antonia).

Related: House of the Dragon: Did Arryk or Erryk Win the Fight in Season 2 Episode 2?

Daemon and Caraxes “Conquer” Harrenhal

House of the Dragon Season 2, Episode 3’s next port of call is Harrenhal. Prince Daemon Targaryen (Matt Smith) lands atop the castle on his dragon, Caraxes, and slinks through its creepy corridors. Daemon needn’t have bothered drawing his sword, though. Harrenhal’s caretaker, Ser Simon Strong (Simon Russell Beale), immediately surrenders. He even pledges his loyalty to Rhaenyra before rattling off the supper menu!

During the meal that follows, Ser Simon explains that he holds no loyalty to Harrenhal’s absentee owner, Lord Larys Strong (Matthew Needham). On the contrary: he (correctly) suspects that Larys murdered his nephew and great-nephew for control of Harrenhal. Daemon and Simon then discuss the former’s plans for the fortress. The royal consort wants Harrenhal repaired and full of Riverlands troops ready to march on King’s Landing. To this end, Daemon orders a meeting between himself and the frail head of House Tully, Grover Tully.

Back in King’s Landing, Ser Criston is about to embark on his mission. On his way out, he’s stopped by Alicent, who’s accompanied by her brother, Ser Gwayne (Freddie Fox). Ser Gwayne takes some shots at Criston, obviously sore about the Lord Commander replacing Otto as Hand of the King. Alicent then adds Gwayne to Criston’s company, despite Criston’s objections. She and Criston are briefly left alone, and the coolness between them continues. Yet before he departs, Ser Criston secures the dowager queen’s favor.

On Dragonstone, Rhaenyra’s Small Council is keen to make some proactive moves of its own. The Black Targaryen campaign in the Riverlands is floundering and nobody’s heard from Daemon. Ser Alfred Broome (Jamie Kenna) is keen to unleash their side’s dragons, but Rhaenyra’s not having it. She believes that dragon-on-dragon combat risks mutually assured destruction and suspects the Greens think the same. The council suggests Rhaenyra go into hiding and let them conduct the war on her behalf, resulting in a thinly veiled threat from Rhaenyra and a dressing down from Rhaenys.

Related: House of the Dragon: Is Daemon Targaryen Really Responsible for the Blood and Cheese Scene?

A Brief Detour to Driftmark

Later, Rhaenys visits Lord Corlys Velaryon (Steve Toussaint) in Driftmark. They discuss Joffrey, and Corlys laments that his heir lacks the maritime know-how that defines House Velaryon. Rhaenys proposes that Corlys name Rhaena his successor instead; however, he’s not impressed with her seafaring skills either. The reunion ends on a downbeat note when Corlys exits without making concrete plans for the future, despite Rhaenys’ pleading.

At Dragonstone, Rhaena receives her final orders from Rhaenyra ahead of her trip to Lady Jeyne’s stronghold. Rhaena’s still grumpy about the situation until the queen presents her with three dragon eggs. They’re coming too, with the implication that Rhaena will one day get her own dragon.

After a suitably striking sunset, House of the Dragon Season 2, Episode 3 returns to King’s Landing. Alicent is with Queen Helaena Targaryen (Phia Saban) in the Red Keep. Helaena expresses sadness over the death of her son, Jaehaerys, in Episode 1. At the same time, she also questions her right to grieve, given how much harder life is for the smallfolk of King’s Landing. The conversation ends with Helaena seemingly forgiving Alicent for her affair with Ser Criston.

Elsewhere in the Red Keep, Aegon II is being fitted for Aegon the Conqueror’s armor. Larys shows up and secures a private audience with the king. He shares rumors (supposedly from his network of spies) that the people suspect Alicent of sending him into battle to usurp his power. Visibly shaken, Aegon appoints Larys his Master of Whisperers. He also decides not to fly into battle as originally planned. Instead, he’s going out on the town with his newly appointed Kingsguard.

Related: House of the Dragon: Mysaria’s Neck Scar, Explained

Harrenhal Lives Up to Its Spooky Reputation

We stick with this narrative strand, venturing out into King’s Landing’s seedy underbelly. Following a brief comedic tangent involving a self-proclaimed Targaryen bastard-in-hiding, Aegon and his entourage arrive at a brothel. They quickly stumble across Aemond, who is with the same older prostitute as in Season 2, Episode 2. Humiliated, Aemond feigns indifference to his companion before striding off buck nekkid.

From here, a short interlude sees Rhaenyra crack open a sealed scroll Alicent previously sent her. Once that’s over, we catch up with Ser Criston. He’s already butting heads with Ser Gwayne, and their feuding allows Baela (astride her dragon, Moondancer) to spot them. Baela promptly reports back to Rhaenyra’s Small Council, who demand action. Rhaenyra still won’t budge, however.

Meanwhile, in Harrenhal, Daemon pursues an unseen figure who tries barging through his barricaded chamber door. He doesn’t find them but instead stumbles upon a vision of the young Rhaenyra (Milly Alcock) singing to Jaehaerys’ corpse. Rhaenyra admonishes Daemon for his reckless ways while sewing Jaehaerys’ head back onto his body. Snapping back to reality, Daemon encounters Harrenhal’s healer, Alys Rivers (Gayle Rankin). Alys proclaims that Daemon will die on the castle’s grounds (bummer).

This brings House of the Dragon Season 2, Episode 3’s detour into light horror to a close, and we’re back to the usual political intrigue on Dragonstone. Rhaenyra meets with Mysaria, who figures out how to smuggle the queen into King’s Landing for a clandestine catch-up with Alicent. The plan works, and the former friends are reunited. Rhaenyra almost convinces Alicent that Aegon II’s claim to the throne is based on an unwitting mistake, but ultimately fails. As the episode ends, Rhaenyra’s face hardens — she’s finally ready for war.

House of the Dragon Season 2 is currently airing on HBO and Max, with new episodes dropping on Sundays.

Related: Doctor Manhattan’s Big Blue Package Is Still the Ultimate Litmus Test for Zack Snyder’s Watchmen

That’s not a knock on Watchmen Chapters 1 & 2‘s cast and crew. You can tell from the trailer that everyone involved worked hard to faithfully recreate the comics (to a fault, if anything). All the dialogue we hear is lifted directly from Moore’s scripts. The character models, framing, and color palette emulate Gibbons’s artwork and layouts. Indeed, chances are Watchmen Chapters 1 & 2 will be a solid set of superhero flicks when they finally arrive.

But here’s the thing: it’s 2024. We’ve spent 38 years (and counting) watching the Watchmen already. It’s time we all moved on.

Even A Story as Deep as Watchmen Has a Bottom

Admittedly, Watchmen is a famously rich text that rewards multiple readthroughs. Whether it’s noting the symmetry between panel layouts or clocking a key clue to the mask killer’s identity buried in backmatter, you’ll want to thumb through Watchmen more than once. But eventually, the well runs dry and the story and its characters have nothing left to say. Comic book scribe Grant Morrison touched on this in a 2015 interview, while discussing his Watchmen pastiche Pax Americana.

“We all know those moments when we’re sitting with friends, and we’re really enthusiastic about something we all love,” Morrison said. “And we keep wanting to talk about it. We keep wanting to get further and deeper, and there comes a moment where you go, all we’re left with is the pieces here [laughs]. It doesn’t seem very palatable anymore. I think there’s an inescapable thing when you do dissect something down, the dissection is always done from a point of enthusiasm and excitement or a need to engage with something a lot more. What you’re doing in a lot of cases is ending up with something dead in your hands.”

Related: Watchmen Is Still the Best Superhero Movie

And that’s the problem with Watchmen Chapters 1 & 2. By aiming to replicate the comics as closely as possible, it’s bound by the same constraints as its source material. There’s no room for additional plot beats or themes for long-time fans to grapple with. It’s just the same old stuff they’ve spent years picking over already. Watchmen Chapters 1 & 2 can’t serve up anything truly new. Which begs the question: why should it even exist?

Heck, it’s not even the first attempt at an ultra-faithful Watchmen adaptation. Zack Snyder’s 2009 live-action version takes that honor (unless you count 2008’s Watchmen: The Motion Comic). True, Snyder tweaked aspects of Moore and Gibbons’ story – and DC devotees still debate the overall impact of these changes today. But giant squid notwithstanding, Watchmen Chapters 1 & 2 is essentially just Snyder’s movie, in animation form. It’s hard to get excited about.

Watchmen Chapter 3 Wouldn’t Be Any Better Than 1 & 2

That’s not to say Warner Bros. should’ve produced an animated Watchmen sequel, instead. Not only have we seen Watchmen follow-ups before, but the results have been mixed, at best. DC’s 2012 Before Watchmen line of prequel comics was wildly uneven. 2017 quasi-sequel (and DC Universe crossover) Doomsday Clock was downright bizarre. 2020 DC Black Label limited series Rorschach was compelling, if unnecessary. And HBO’s Watchmen was good TV, but arguably never felt like a “true” continuation of Moore and Gibbons’s narrative.

Ironically, what ultimately hurt all these projects (even the more successful ones) is one of Watchmen‘s biggest selling points: its standalone nature. Watchmen is designed to have a definite beginning and end. It’s not supposed to have prequels or sequels and wasn’t built to sustain either (especially sequels). So, no matter how clever the creators involved are, whatever they add to the Watchmen canon paradoxically subtracts from it. Like the folks behind Watchmen Chapters 1 & 2, they’re damned if they do something new, and damned if they don’t.

That’s no doubt why the HBO Watchmen series’ showrunner Damon Lindelof opted not to make another season. He presumably understood how lucky he and his team were to get away with stretching Watchmen‘s inflexible mythos as far as they did the first time. Anything further was almost certainly doomed to fail, with a level of inevitability Doctor Manhattan would appreciate. As such, a “Watchmen Chapter 3” animated feature wouldn’t have fared much better.

Related: Watchmen’s Alan Moore Is Donating All His Screen Royalties to Black Lives Matter

Warner Bros. Knows We Won’t Stop Watching the Watchmen

That’s ultimately what it boils down to: the exploits of Rorscharch, Nite-Owl, Silk Spectre, and their fellow Crimebusters (yes, I know “Watchmen” isn’t a team name) aren’t evergreen or unending like those of, say, Superman or Batman. Sure, new readers will always discover Moore and Gibbons’ story, and existing fans will (and absolutely should) revisit it from time to time. But it’s not something we should be focusing all our energy on. Neither should Warner Bros., for that matter. Think of all the other, never-before-adapted DC tales they could’ve turned into an animated movie.

But instead, they went with Watchmen, because they know we’ll watch it – even though it’s high time we stopped.

Watchmen Chapter 1 and Chapter 2 do not yet have release dates.

The Acolyte just unmasked unassuming ex-smuggler Qimir as Mae Aniseya’s Sith teacher – while also hinting at his ties to another Dark Side outfit, the Knights of Ren. So, how exactly is Mae’s Sith Master connected to the Knights of Ren in The Acolyte?

Related: The Acolyte: Was Amandla Stenberg Fired From the Disney+ Star Wars Show?

Qimir’s Knights of Ren Connection, Explained

It’s currently unclear how (or even if) Qimir is associated with the Knights of Ren. Mae’s ex-instructor doesn’t even mention the shadowy cabal – who first appeared in Star Wars: The Force Awakens – in The Acolyte Season 1, Episode 5. Instead, Qimir (or whatever his real name is) identifies as a Sith Lord, although his wording is slightly ambiguous. “Jedi like you might call me a Sith,” Qimir says, which isn’t quite the same as declaring himself a Sith outright. What’s more, audio and visual clues littered throughout Episode 5 hint that Qimir is part of the Knights of Ren, not the Sith.

Notably, The Acolyte samples Kylo Ren’s musical motif when Qimir approaches the unconscious Osha Aniseya in Episode 5’s final scene. While this is hardly concrete proof that Qimir is aligned with the Knights of Ren, The Acolyte showrunner Leslye Headland surely didn’t recycle the theme tune of the group’s one-time boss by mistake. Another detail linking Qimir and the Knights of Ren is their similar attire. In particular, Qimir’s cortosis helmet bears a striking resemblance to the headgear sported by the Knights.

That said, there are several counterarguments to the apparent Qimir/Knights of Ren connection. For starters, Qimir is a highly skilled Force user. By contrast, the Knights of Ren were (aside from Kylo Ren) notoriously ill-trained Dark Side practitioners. Then there’s the fact that Qimir doesn’t simply name himself a Knight of Ren. After all, he’s got little to gain from throwing the S-word around! There’s also a potential conflict with the Star Wars timeline, which we’ll unpack in the next section.

Related: The Acolyte: Did the Sith Master Really Kill [SPOILER]?

Did the Knights of Ren Exist During The Acolyte’s High Republic Era Setting?

Nope – and (as noted above) that could cause continuity problems if The Acolyte does introduce the Knights of Ren further down the line. According to the current canon, the Knights of Ren weren’t active until around the same time as Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back – more than 100 years after The Acolyte‘s High Republic era setting.

Related: The Acolyte Highlights Disney’s Big Problem With Streaming Shows

As such, Qimir naming himself a Sith and not one of the Knights of Ren makes sense, since the latter don’t exist yet! There’s a possible loophole here, however. Star Wars canon also alludes to another, far more ancient incarnation of the Knights of Ren. Could The Acolyte reveal Qimir is in league with them, instead? Don’t rule it out.

The Acolyte Season 1 is currently streaming on Disney+, with new episodes dropping Tuesdays.

The Acolyte‘s latest installment bumps off several characters, including two key supporting players: Jecki Lon and Yord Fandar. But did Mae’s Sith Master really kill Jecki and Yord in The Acolyte Season 1, Episode 5, or will they turn up alive and well in Episode 6?

Related: The Acolyte Highlights Disney’s Big Problem With Streaming Shows

The Acolyte Season 1, Episode 5’s Shocking Jedi Deaths, Explained

As noted above, Jecki Lon and Yord Fandar both seemingly meet their demise in The Acolyte Season 1, Episode 5, “Night.” Neither death is particularly pleasant, either. In Jecki’s case, the Sith Master stabs her repeatedly in the chest. The young Padawan manages to slice off the Sith’s helmet – exposing him as ex-smuggler, Qimir – before she goes, however, it’s little consolation to her master, Sol. Meanwhile, Yord finds himself on the wrong end of a neck snap attack, after shorting out the Sith Master’s lightsaber. It’s a brutally abrupt end to Yord’s peace-keeping career that highlights how ill-prepared he and his fellow Jedi are for a Dark Side-wielding opponent.

Related: The Acolyte: How Does the Sith Master’s Helmet Short Out Jedi Lightsabers?

Of course, Star Wars isn’t above death-related fake-outs, so there’s still a chance Jecki and Yord somehow survived their Episode 5 ordeals. We wouldn’t count on it, though. After all, the pair both suffered mortal injuries that look pretty hard to bounce back from. Jecki would need an immediate bacta tank bath (she doesn’t get one), and even then, her saber wounds likely damaged her internal organs beyond healing. Yord’s odds of returning in The Acolyte‘s next episode are even worse. He seemingly dies the instant Qimir breaks his neck – and no amount of bacta can undo that!

Why Did the Sith Master Kill Jecki and Yord?

The obvious answer is “because he’s a Sith Lord.” Qimir (or whatever the Sith Master’s real name is) rattles off his motivations after being unmasked midway through The Acolyte Season 1, Episode 5. It’s a predictably anti-Jedi rant, rooted in the Sith’s defiance of the Jedi Order’s mission to stamp them out. Like all Sith, Qimir wants the freedom to practice the Dark Side and exert power over the galaxy. Jecki, Yord, and Qimir’s other victims got in the way of this, so he killed them.

Related: The Acolyte: What Is the Jedi High Council in Star Wars Lore?

That said, Qimir’s actions may be driven by something more personal than Sith philosophy. Indeed, the Sith Master seemingly has a specific grudge against Sol separate from his wider animus towards the Jedi Order. Future Acolyte installments will presumably explore the pair’s connection, and why Qimir is apparently keen to expose Sol as a fraud to Osha.

The Acolyte Season 1 is currently streaming on Disney+, with new episodes dropping Tuesdays.