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  • ‘MORTAL KOMBAT’: A Beginner’s Guide to Every Kombatant

    ‘MORTAL KOMBAT’: A Beginner’s Guide to Every Kombatant

    The release of Warner Bros.’ Mortal Kombat reboot is fast approaching. While die-hard fans of the infamously bloody franchise are no doubt excited to see their favorite fighters on the big (or small) screen, newcomers may be feeling a little overwhelmed by the wealth of over-the-top characters included in the film. Luckily, dissecting fictional universes is what we at Murphy’s Multiverse do best, and I’ve taken the liberty of breaking down every person, half-person, and monster confirmed to pop up in the movie. Welcome to the tournament and here are its combatants:

     

    Cole Young

     

    Cole, played by Lewis Tan, is the outlier on this list. As far as we know, Mortal Kombat‘s main protagonist is an original character created for the film. According to Entertainment Weekly, Young is a washed-up MMA fighter with little knowledge of his heritage. He has a mysterious birthmark in the shape of the Mortal Kombat tournament’s logo on his chest and a major chip on his shoulder. Down-on-his-luck, he finds himself pulled into the world of MK when Shang Tsung sends Sub-Zero to hunt him down, but his story after that is still a giant question mark. Although, we may have some ideas on that.

     

    Scorpion

     

    Mortal Kombat‘s mascot, and by far the most famous character of the bunch, is an undead warrior hell-bent on revenge. Born Hanzo Hasashi, he became the greatest warrior in the Shirai Ryu ninja clan, an off-shoot of the storied Lin Kuei clan. During a raid on his village by the bitter Lin Kuei, Hanzo and his family got slain by Sub-Zero. Luckily for Hasashi, he was resurrected by the evil sorcerer Quan Chi as a specter from the Netherrealm and given a second chance at evening the score. He enters the tournament to face his rival and eventually succeeds in killing him. After completing his initial task, Scorpion spends the rest of his existence balancing attempts at a peaceful life with rage-induced killing sprees against those who’ve wronged him. Along with Sub-Zero, the character has appeared in every installment in the series. Hiroyuki Sanada will wield the character’s iconic kunai when the movie premieres.

     

    Sub-Zero

     

    As one of the franchise’s most iconic characters, Sub-Zero is a respected member of the Lin Kuei clan with the ability to harness ice as both a tool and a weapon. The first Sub-Zero, and the one in the movie, was Bi-Han, a cold-hearted assassin who murdered Hanzo Hasashi and his family in cold blood. After Hasashi’s resurrection as Scorpion, the two became embroiled in an intense rivalry. The feud made its way to the Mortal Kombat tournament, where Scorpion would eventually get his long-awaited revenge. After his death, Bi-Han’s younger brother would take up the Sub-Zero name and Scorpion rivalry as a more honorable version of the character, while Bi-Han himself would become a ghostly wraith known as Noob Saibot. Joe Taslim will don the blue armor as the film’s main antagonist.

     

    Liu Kang

     

    The original series protagonist. 1992’s debut Mortal Kombat game introduced Liu Kang as an honorable Shaolin monk. He finds himself recruited to fight in the tournament when its previous champion, Goro, and host, Shang Tsung, threaten Earth’s existence. Kang defeats them both and becomes the new Mortal Kombat champion, falling in love with the princess Kitana along the way. He returns as the protagonist and becomes champion for the first four games in the franchise. Kang defeats the likes of both world-conqueror Shao Khan and evil sorcerer Shinnok. Although he eventually takes a back seat to allow new characters to shine, as he has remained a staple in almost every iteration and installment of the series. Oh, and sometimes he can turn himself into a giant fire dragon. Ludi Lin will play Kang in the upcoming movie.

     

    Shang Tsung

     

    Shang Tsung is an evil sorcerer intent on stealing the souls of the tournament’s victims. He uses the souls to maintain a youthful visage and temporarily steal their inherent abilities. He spent 500 years as the host of Mortal Kombat on his private island, with Goro as his champion and Shao Khan as his only master. He came close to allowing Khan to conquer Earth but was finally defeated in combat by Liu Kang and removed from his position as head of the tournament. Following this, he spends much of the series on the sidelines, concocting nefarious schemes and continuing to serve the Khan in exchange for his eternal life. Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa played the character in the original Mortal Kombat from 1995. Chin Han is taking over for the reboot.

     

    Sonya Blade

     

    Sonya is a no-nonsense member of the United States Special Forces. Alongside her partner, Jax Briggs, she formed an intense rivalry with the Black Dragon crime organization and its top mercenary, Kano. Her pursuit of Earth’s scum led her to Shang Tsung’s island, where she got forced to participate in the tournament. Her military training allowed her to assist Liu Kang in becoming champion, and she found her tough exterior cracked by the romantic advances of cocky movie star Johnny Cage. Since then, Blade has committed her career to defending Earth from otherworldly threats, settling scores, and even starting a family along the way. She will be portrayed on screen by Jessica McNamee.

     

    Raiden

     

    Raiden is the assigned protector of Earthrealm and the franchise’s resident thunder god. The original game saw Raiden join the Mortal Kombat tournament to save his realm from Shang Tsung. After Liu Kang’s victory, he became an advisor of sorts to the heroes of Earth. He spends much of the series stoically guiding protagonists through their problems, stepping in to shoot some lightning when need be. Though recent entries have taken the character down a darker conflicted path, it seems the movie will stick to the lighter version we know and love. Tadanobu Asano will tackle the godly role in the upcoming film.

     

    Kano

     

    A threat from down under, Kano is the leader and top mercenary of the Black Dragon crime organization. His skill with a knife and an array of cybernetic enhancements, like his laser eye and the ability to turn himself into a spinning death ball on occasion, allow him to be a formidable fighter when he needs to be. Kano originally joined the tournament in search of riches on Earth but quickly found himself taking advantage of his newfound connections to become a real player in Outworld’s criminal underworld as well. He’s been everything from a general in Shao Khan’s army to a secret Special Forces informant, but one thing has remained consistent: Kano is the scum of the Earth. Josh Lawson will take on the role of the film.

     

    Jax Briggs

     

    Jax is Sonya Blade’s faithful and physically imposing Special Forces partner. He first appears in 1993’s Mortal Kombat II, venturing into Outworld to save a captured Blade. He quickly becomes a mainstay, joining his partner as one of Raiden’s chosen warriors to protect Earth. His larger-than-life personality, inspired by Marvel’s Luke Cage, is complemented by powerful robotic arms fitted to enhance his favored style of combat – boxing. It already looks like the movie will take liberties with his origins (the trailer shows Sub-Zero removing his organic arms). Mehcad Brooks‘ performance seems like it will bring the same energy that made the character lovable in the games.

     

    Kung Lao

     

    He is Liu Kang’s best friend and a fellow member of the Shaolin monks. He is the last living ancestor of the Great Kung Lao, the former Mortal Kombat champion who lost his life to Goro and Shang Tsung 500 years prior. Known to be every bit as honorable as Liu Kang, his ultimate goal is to find eternal peace on Earth, and he often chooses the route of non-violence when possible. Despite this, he is well-known to be a deadly combatant with the aid of his razor-tipped hat and extreme proficiency in martial arts. Max Huang will embody the role on screen.

     

    Mileena

     

    She is the monstrous clone of Princess Kitana. After conquering the realm of Edenia, Shao Khan took the former ruler’s family as his own. Fearing his newly adopted daughter would eventually rebel (she did), he created a more loyal copy with the essence of both Kitana and a warrior from the terrifying Tarkatan race. Known as Mileena, the disfigured clone was raised as Kitana’s sister until her taste for flesh and violent tendencies turned her into an efficient assassin. Though Kitana has not gotten confirmed yet to appear in the film, Sisi Stringer will bring her evil counterpart to life.

     

    Kabal

     

    He is one of the more minor characters appearing in the movie. Kabal is an on-again-off-again member of the Black Dragon crime organization. The Black Dragon member got introduced as a reformed mercenary in Mortal Kombat 3, who used his expertise with hook swords and surprising super-speed abilities to act as both a hero and a villain of Earthrealm. He was renowned for his intense body scars, which resulted from an attack by Shao Khan. It left him reliant on high-tech respirators for survival. A man of few words, he will be played by stunt actor Daniel Nelson in live-action with Damon Herriman providing his voice.

     

    Nitara

     

    A winged vampiress, Nitara is a freedom fighter masked by a haunting facade. Only making a handful of appearances in the franchise, the character is an inhabitant of Outworld hell-bent on freeing her homeworld from its unwanted bond with Shao Khan’s empire. Elissa Cadwell and Mel Jarnson will team up for Nitara’s cinematic debut.

     

    Goro

     

    He is a prince and the reigning Mortal Kombat champion for 500 years. This four-armed beast became the brawn to match Shang Tsung’s brain and helped place a stronghold on the fighting tournament to take over Earth. After centuries of easily vanquishing opponents ill-equipped to deal with his hulking frame, Goro finally tasted defeat at the hands of Liu Kang. He would return, however, as one of Shao Khan’s favored warriors. Goro would consistently be a threat to the heroes of Earth. Angus Sampson will voice the Shokan in the movie.

     

    Reiko

     

    For all you Justice League fans out there, Reiko is the Steppenwolf to Shao Khan’s Darkseid. The leading general in Outworld’s world-conquering army, Reiko has a knack for brutalities with a variety of large weaponry. He possesses a brilliant strategic mind despite looking like a cliché meathead. There was once a fan theory that Reiko and Khan were one-in-the-same, and though the games have since proved it to be false, I wouldn’t put it past the upcoming film to adapt the theory into a reality. Especially with Khan look-alike Nathan Jones in the Reiko role.

     

    Reptile

     

    This guy didn’t get confirmed for the movie, but the first trailer included some footage of a lizard creature that looks a lot like him. So, I’ll keep you informed just in case. Reptile is one of the last remaining members of his species. They were wiped from the map by Shao Khan. He became a sort of Grima Wormtongue-type slimeball character (you’re welcome, LOTR fans) who serves Khan in the hopes that the conqueror will bring his race back to life. Often underestimated by his opponents, Reptile has many natural abilities that help him in a scrap, including sharp claws and venom spit. If it is Reptile in the film, it’s unknown who is playing him.

    Source: IMDb

  • ‘American Horror Stories’ Returning to Fan Favorite Location

    ‘American Horror Stories’ Returning to Fan Favorite Location

    Last year, Ryan Murphy shared that FX had given the green lit to an anthology spin-off of the popular horror series American Horror Story. The series is set to include 16-one hour episodes that share solo storylines contained to that episode. Further details given by Murphy confirmed that the series would dive into “Horror, myths, legends, and lore” as well as the return of familiar faces from AHS past. While no details on casting or any of the episode themes have been shared yet, some recent activity at a familiar setting from AHS past may lead to some answers.

    Production on the series seems to be kicking off with crew setting up around Rosenheim mansion and even putting the black fence that surrounded the house in season one back up. It’s unclear what exactly we’re going to see happening at the mansion but considering its long history, we could see an episode surrounding its previous owners. Considering that AHS season 10 is currently filming, it’s possible we could see multiple stars from that season return such as Evan Peters as Tate Langdon, or even Frances Conroy as Moira O’Hara in what could be flashback episodes diving deeper into their characters. Maybe we could even see the return of Sarah Paulson’s Billie Dean Howard, as she returns to the murder house for a special, sorta like her brief appearance in Hotel where the ghost of serial killers’ past scared her away.

    American Horror Stories currently has no set release date and has yet to officially add anyone to its cast but as production ramps up, casting will follow. In the meantime production of AHS season ten titled Double Feature has begun and will feature two separate and smaller storylines. The cast for the upcoming season is star-studded with the highly anticipated returns of Evan Peters and Sarah Paulson alongside Frances Conroy, Macaulay Culkin, Leslie Grossman, Billie Lourde, Adina Porter, and Angelica Ross.

    SOURCE: Instagram

  • Official Look at the CW’s ‘Powerpuff’ Girls New Outfits and First Character Details Revealed

    Official Look at the CW’s ‘Powerpuff’ Girls New Outfits and First Character Details Revealed

    We’ve just recently got a glimpse at the upcoming CW live-action adaptation of the Powerpuff Girls. In a recent set video, we saw the trio of Chloe Bennett, Dove Cameron, and Yana Perrault filming the pilot. They were wearing costumes that seemed heavily inspired by the original Cartoon Network show. Well, it looks like CW wanted to tease their new outfits as the girls grow up in the newly titled Powerpuff series. The newly released image confirms that the girls will not be running around in their cartoon dresses, but they will be adapting their clothing style to fit their new lifestyle as they left their superheroics behind.

     

     

    They also include some first descriptions of how these incarnations of the crime-fighting trio are going to be betrayed in their late 20s. Bennett‘s Blossom is facing her anxiety and trying to become a leader again on her own terms after a life of being a superhero and a Little-Miss-Perfect. Cameron‘s Bubbles seems to have changed the least and still retain her bubbly personality. However, she now has an obsession with recapturing her fame as an adult. In contrast, Perrault‘s Buttercup has been trying to live her own life away from any attention. An uncertain event will force the three to reunite and embrace their destiny once again after trying to leave it all behind.

    Source: Variety

  • Latest ‘What If’ Merchandise Teases Party Thor and Zombie Captain America

    Latest ‘What If’ Merchandise Teases Party Thor and Zombie Captain America

    It looks like some more merchandise has found its way online. Yesterday, a poster was uncovered that teased the Guardians of the Multiverse. It included a variety of characters that we have seen in past trailers. Yet, it also gave us a look at some new characters that might get the spotlight with their own episode. Interestingly enough, The Direct discovered some more merchandise on the site Ocio Stock that highlighted a missing member of the multiversal guardians, the zombified version of Captain America. It was odd that he was missing, as he was one of the earliest reveals for the series, but he might not be the main focus of his episode.

     

     

    Now, there is one rather surprising reveal, as it looks like the merchandise revealed the Thor-focused episode. It seems that he is going to throw quite the party, as he is highlighted as “Party Thor” in the merch alongside his iconic hammer. The trailer from Disney’s Investors Day did offer a glimpse at Thor recovering his iconic hammer similar to what we witnessed in the first Thor film. Perhaps this version of the character ends up pulling the hammer out and wants to celebrate his victory.

     

    There are a few other pieces of merchandise, but nothing as revealing as the Party Thor shirt and baseball caps. There is also a unique logo that gives us the duality of Jeffrey Wright‘s Watcher. We get his “human” form with half of his face turning into the galactic version we have seen throughout most of the teasers. It was only the latest poster that gave us a look at the character’s physical form. It’ll be interesting to see if more merchandise hits the web and if we can expect a new trailer alongside a release date soon.

    Source: OcioStock via The Direct

  • Eli Roth’s ‘Borderlands’ Adds Janina Gavankar as Commander Knoxx

    Eli Roth’s ‘Borderlands’ Adds Janina Gavankar as Commander Knoxx

    It looks like the cast of the upcoming Borderlands adaptation continues to grow. Deadline has just learned that Janina Gavankar has joined Eli Roth‘s attempt at bringing the gaming franchise to life on the silver screen. The Indian actress will play the character of Commander Knoxx, who is a new key character being introduced to the franchise. It is interesting they are calling this character new, as there exists a Knoxx in the games.

    General Knoxx was introduced in the third DLC for the first Borderlands game. Now, the interesting thing is that she could be playing his daughter and they are setting up the character for a future appearance. Borderlands has franchising potential. So, it wouldn’t be too surprising if they are leaving some hints at other game characters for later down the line. Now, they could also be adapting the character to fit the story. It is just odd that they describe her as playing a character who is being introduced to the franchise.

    The actress has recently finished production on Invasion, where she starred opposite Riz Ahmed and Octavia Spencer. She is joining a stacked cast list that includes Cate Blanchett, Kevin Hart, Jamie Lee Curtis, Ariana Greenblatt, Florian Munteanu, Edgar Ramirez, Haley Bennett, Olivier Richters, and Jack Black. We’ll see a plethora of familiar characters from the gaming franchise who might get a unique spin. It’ll focus on Blanchett‘s Lilith as she returns to her home planet Pandora and joins a ragtag team of unlikely heroes to face a planet overtaken by aliens.

    Source: Deadline

  • ‘Kong: Skull Island’s Jordan Vogt-Roberts Adapting ‘Gundam’ for Netflix

    ‘Kong: Skull Island’s Jordan Vogt-Roberts Adapting ‘Gundam’ for Netflix

    It looks like Netflix is continuing its reign over anime adaptations. Legendary Entertainment is tackling a live-action adaptation of Mobile Suit Gundam for the streaming service. Not just that, they’ve also attached Kong: Skull Island’s Jordan Vogt-Roberts to tackle the project. The project is currently under the working title GUNDAM and Brian K. Vaughan is adapting the screenplay. He will also act as an executive producer of the film. Legendary’s Cale Boyter will be overseeing the project and is also working with the original Gundam‘s studio, Sunrise.

    Of course, Netflix isn’t revealing anything about the film’s upcoming plot. The franchise has an extensive library to pull from and may even be a completely original storyline. Gundam‘s conflict as space colonies fight over their independence is what grounds the show’s bombastic space fights. Vogt-Roberts is a perfect choice to bring that balance to life, as he tackled larger-than-life events before. It won’t be a cheap film to produce, as most of the series’ takes place with giant mechs fighting in the vacuum of space.

    Netflix has been quite successful dipping its toe in the Anime industry. They have been working on a variety of other live-action adaptations, such as One Piece and Cowboy Bebop. The latter has already finished up production of its first season, as confirmed by Daniella Pineda on Social Media. The project was in development in 2017 and there is no sign of life for One Piece right now. There is a chance that Gundam might also be on the back burner, as Vogt-Roberts is also scheduled to film Oscar Isaac as Solid Snake in the upcoming live-action adaptation of Metal Gear Solid. It’ll be interesting to see when the space opera film enters production.

    Source: IGN, AWN, Deadline

  • Lucy Liu Joins “SHAZAM: FURY OF THE GODS” in Villainous Role

    Lucy Liu Joins “SHAZAM: FURY OF THE GODS” in Villainous Role

    The upcoming Shazam sequel has added another iconic actress in a villainous role. Lucy Liu, star of hit films like Kill Bill and Charlie’s Angels, has joined Shazam!: Fury of the Gods as the goddess Kalypso. Her character is the sister of the previously announced antagonist Hespera, who will be portrayed by Helen Mirren. Their characters are both the daughters of Atlas. So far, we haven’t heard anything on his casting and are waiting to find out who plays the younger sibling. Shazam!: Fury of the Gods will see the return of Zachary Levi in the title role and David F. Sandberg in the director’s chair. The rest of the supporting cast is expected to return from the first film, performing a screenplay written by Henry Gayden.

    The character Kalypso does not have a counterpart in the comics, and will instead be based on real Greek mythology. Her father, the aforementioned Atlas, is one of the two “A”‘s in the name Shazam. He’s where Billy Batson gains his superheroic stamina. The other Gods that make up that title are Solomon, Hercules, Achilles, Zeus, and Mercury. There is still no word on whether any of these Gods will appear to exact their fury, or if the film will focus squarely on the family of Atlas. While details surrounding the movie’s plot are still mostly under wraps, it is expected to tie into Dwayne Johnson‘s long-awaited Black Adam spin-off. While Johnson‘s anti-hero may not be a vengeful god himself, he traditionally likes to act as though he were one.

    Source: Variety

  • ‘THE FALCON AND THE WINTER SOLDIER’: Sam Wilson’s Time is Now

    ‘THE FALCON AND THE WINTER SOLDIER’: Sam Wilson’s Time is Now

    “My world doesn’t matter to America, so why should I care about its mascot?”

    Through three episodes, I kept asking myself “why did Steve pick Sam to wield the shield?”, and at the end of this episode, I FINALLY understood. When Dr. Abraham Erskine created the Super Soldier serum, he told Steve that it was not that he was a better soldier that made him the ideal choice over Hodge but that he was a fundamentally better person. Through his time in the MCU, Captain America’s arc was driven by two things: his willingness to be a better person regardless of the consequences and his constant belief in people. Sam Wilson, in this episode and really the entire series so far, displayed that in spades. He doesn’t want to break Zemo out, he wants to help Sharon, and, yes like Steve, he believes in Bucky. He doesn’t want to see the Dora Milaje beat up Walker; he, also, doesn’t want to beat him up himself despite Walker antagonizing him. This episode gave us our first confirmation that Sam was really the best person to wield the shield in a post-Steve Rogers world. What stood out was that the moment that solidified it came after some micro and macro-aggressions.

    Falcon and Winter Soldier episode 4: New Captain America takes an extreme turn - CNET

    At this point, the Flag Smashers have been cast in an ambiguous light. More revolutionaries than terrorists, their goal is to ensure that everybody has what they need. That’s an equity lens if I’ve ever seen one, and them bombing a location in order to achieve that goal is no different than the Black Panthers being ready to kill law enforcement if need be. By any means necessary didn’t mean “except for violence” when uttered by Malcolm X, and Karli’s decision to use violence doesn’t suddenly make her a supremacist. Movements led by people who identify as Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC) tend to always be labeled as such, and it was nice to see Sam push back when Zemo pointed that out: none of us are free if we’re all not free and all that. It reminded me of Steve Rogers’s willingness to trust Wanda Maximoff in Age of Ultron and to defend her when Tony Stark labeled her a weapon of mass destruction. Steve didn’t have to want to help Wanda the same way Sam didn’t have to want to help Karli, but they both chose to try because of who they are. Yet Walker is so blinded by a hate that had really been on the surface for most of the show but now really came out when a Black woman proceeded to wash him all over Zemo’s villa.

    The writers gave Walker a Black partner and a Black colleague and, yet, in interactions with Sam you could tell he viewed Sam as lesser than him. When he referred to Wilson as Cap’s sidekick? Check. When he told Wilson to stay out of his way? Check. When he refused to acknowledge Cap’s last wish regarding who would get the shield? Check. All of this despite the fact that Sam’s military prowess is the stuff of legend, as highlighted by Black Widow in Captain America: The Winter Soldier, and that they both enlisted to serve their country. That didn’t seem good enough for Walker, who has spent the entire series genuinely being annoyed at Sam. Our own Anthony Canton highlighted what finally broke Walker in this episode and I keep coming back to him not being able to punch his way through a Black woman. He thought he could flex his symbol in front of Ayo, a warrior from the Country that is responsible for that symbol existing. Steve respected T’Challa enough to call him “Your Highness” and it’s no accident that the first person through the portals in Endgame is the King of Wakanda: there is a nod of acknowledgment and respect from T’Challa to Cap because Cap had succeeded in bringing them back. Sam was there too, flying in out of the Wakandan portal with Ayo and the Dora Milaje, so there is that level of respect there as well. Walker doesn’t seem to pick up on it, to be generous, or he just doesn’t care, to be frank, and ceremoniously gets his ass kicked. When Bucky intervenes, Ayo proceeds to take his arm right off. A fate worse than beating him up, to be honest, because it serves as a reminder to Bucky that his loyalty should’ve been to the Wakandans and the woman who had a hand in giving him back his humanity. All Walker can say is “they weren’t even super soldiers”, and it’s in THIS moment that we get confirmation that Walker really never understood what made Steve a Super Soldier. The Dora Milaje didn’t need strength or a serum: they were there on a rightful mission to bring Zemo to justice, and Walker couldn’t fathom being both told what to do and then subsequently getting beaten up by a Black woman. This pushes him to the brink, despite Sam trying to reason with him beforehand.

    The Falcon and the Winter Soldier Episode 4 – What Did You Think?!

    The final straw, as Anthony mentioned, would seem to be Battlestar being killed by Karli. However, I don’t think its that at all: its that Sam tried to reason with Karli first instead of letting him handle it. It’s Sam taking the lead despite Walker being Captain America. It’s Sam being given the shield in the first place despite Walker feeling like he was more qualified. It was Sam not staying out of his way and not willing to work for him that set Walker off to the point where he killed a man of color in broad daylight with the whole world watching. As the Derek Chauvin trial is occurring, another white man who murdered a man of color in broad daylight, we are treated to a pan of people with their camera phones out recording the entire thing as art mirrors life. What we land on is Walker holding the shield that doesn’t belong to him as it’s covered in the blood of a revolutionary. Forget for a second that Zemo has escaped and that Sharon Carter has access to a satellite: the takeaway from this episode should be that Walker, in his anger, killed an innocent man of color in broad daylight because he couldn’t stomach his own insecurities without the serum and ended up taking it. Erskine said the serum magnifies who you are: we saw that with Emil Blonsky in The Incredible Hulk, and this seems to be no different as we see a man with insecurities try to circumvent them with something they don’t fully understand.

    Sam looks on shocked at the symbol his friend gave him is no longer representative of what Steve meant. Sam has tried his hardest to carve his own path, but all along he was very much the person Steve saw when he handed him the shield. Walker spent the entire episode reminding us why Sam was the best choice and, like Steve, he just wanted to do the right thing. How often have people of color been brought in to clean up the mess that a beloved bigot makes? Our country is littered with moments like these in recent memory alone, and this show has done a really good job of touching on these themes without making it overt. You have to make it palatable, I guess, but every BIPOC person I know can relate to that very moment when Sam is looking at Walker. It’s the realization that the country you try and save still will lift up the worst version of you in your place.

    Sam’s world may not matter to America, but he’s about to become its mascot.

  • ‘THE FALCON AND THE WINTER SOLDIER’: Sebastian Stan Doesn’t Know What’s Next for Bucky

    ‘THE FALCON AND THE WINTER SOLDIER’: Sebastian Stan Doesn’t Know What’s Next for Bucky

    The final act of Season 1 of Marvel Studios Disney Plus streaming series The Falcon and The Winter Soldier kicks off this Friday with an hour-long 5th episode that will begin to wrap up the season-long arcs of Sam, Bucky, John Walker, the Flag-Smashers and more. The series has been incredibly popular with fans and, since the beginning, has been lauded for the character development of its leads. Sebastian Stan, who’s been a part of the MCU for over a decade, has been given a chance to show a side of his character (and the range of his own abilities) that we haven’t previously seen and already has fans hoping for more. As it turns out, Stan is hoping for more as well, but when asked in an interview with Collider if he had discussed a second season of the series with Marvel Studios One-Above-All Kevin Feige, Stan had this to say:

    No, we have not, and I’ll tell you that honestly, we have not. As per usual, I don’t quite know what the next step is. We never really do. Maybe some people do, maybe [Robert] Downey [Jr.] used to know, I don’t know. I got on the phone with him just to catch up, and I was saying to him, ‘Dude, you could fucking tell me to go swim under[water], I’ll do anything.’ It doesn’t matter. Or if this is it, my heart is just as big.

    As we head towards the conclusion of Season 1, a few things feel pretty inevitable, but Bucky’s arc doesn’t really seem to feel like one of them. Fans are expecting Sam to take up the mantle of Captain America, for John Walker to become U.S. Agent and for a few other loose ends to be tied up, but it’s still unclear where Bucky’s road will take him once this series wraps. Has he burned bridges with Wakanda or will he be welcomed back as the White Wolf? Will he continue to work through his notebook to make amends for his actions as the Winter Solider? Could he and Sam find common ground as parters? And is Zemo willing to let him do any of those things with his plan to wipe Super Soldiers off the planet? With only 2 episodes left, we’ll get answers sooner than later.

     

    Source: Collider

     

  • Murphy’s Law: Episode 87

    Murphy’s Law: Episode 87

    Charles and Charles are back after Spring break! They ramble on about the Loki and Black Widow trailers, the Shang-Chi collectibles and what they might mean about the film, Oscar Isaac and Ethan Hawke prepping for Moon Knight, the streaming deals of the week and more!