Search Results

During the first season of My Adventures With Superman , Clark (Jack Quaid) had to figure out how to balance his personal life and being the Man of Steel. Picking up shortly after the explosive events of Season 1, we’re beginning to see Clark struggling with that balance and feeling more alienated than ever. However, there is a glimpse of hope that he may not be the only Kryptonian. Much like the Season 1, Season 2 adds new twists to the classic Superman mythos introducing a new backstory to the destruction of Krypton and the Fortress of Solitude. In addition, Season 2 shakes up the status quo of our favorite trio for better or for worse. Lois Lane (Alice Lee) is still a headstrong reporter willing to jump into any dangers however after the revelations of Season 1 regarding the invading Kryptonians and the fact Superman could eventually become evil, Lois may not have Clark’s best interest in mind and may side with her father. Jimmy Olsen (Ishmel Sahid) on the other hand has allowed his recent success and millionaire status affect his judgement in humorous ways and may have inadvertently gave Lex Luthor the inspiration he needed to become Superman’s greatest foe. The first episode of this season “More Things in Heaven and Earth” jumps headfirst into the burgeoning romance between Clark and Lois. Love is in the air in Metropolis and Clark struggles to plan the perfect Valentines for Lois. As for Jimmy, he’s now the head of Flamebird Video Division of the Daily Planet and is willing to spend top dollar to fund the trio’s antics. There’s an ongoing visual gag seeing Jimmy’s finances dwindle. This episode was a bit unbalanced. Instead of focusing on the Valentine’s Day shenanigans, we’re thrust to the attic for a major plot revelation setting the stage for the remainder of the season. It’s here where Clark learns more of his Kryptonian heritage by Jor-El (Jason Marnicha)  and the revelation that his cousin, Kara Zor-El is alive. Luckily episode 2 “Adventures with my Girlfriend” maintained its focus and sets up the larger narrative of this season. Though Amanda Waller (Debra Wilson) and Slade (Chris Parnell) made a brief appearance in the first episode, Waller and Task Force X are front and center here. Superman and Lois must perform a half hazard prison break to retrieve General Lane while Jimmy is sidelined to manage his newly minted Flamebird team consisting of interns and a Steve Lombard. Waller shined in this episode showcasing her true nature. She’s ruthless and will subjugate innocent civilians to experimentations to serve their country. In addition, the episode showcases the beginnings of a fissure between Clark and Lois due to General Lane’s disdain for Superman. Clark wants to find his cousin and Lois is hesitant on the idea for more kryptonians. Though Jimmy is sidelined in this episode, we’re introduced to a particularly interesting dynamic between him and Lex Luthor giving Jimmy more to do in the overall story of this season. This season starts off little over the place, but luckily finds its footing. It’s going to be interesting to see how the ramifications of the main trio’s choices will have on their relationships. Season 2 shares the same humor and charm that surprised us in Season 1. The show is not afraid to mix things up on the Superman formula giving us a fresh take on the character. I can’t wait to see how this season shapes up, especially seeing the growing tension between Clark and Lois and the introduction of Supergirl.   Less than a year after season 1, the first 2 episodes of My Adventures with Superman Season 2 will premiere on Adult Swim on May 25th and stream on Max the following day (followed by a weekly release).   Official Synopsis for Season 2: In the latest season, the three best friends face a host of new threats. Powerful foes will emerge from Clark’s alien past, Amanda Waller will take aim at Superman, Lois will grapple with the future, and Jimmy Olsen will spend an unbelievable amount of money. Krypton is coming for our young heroes, and its arrival will test their strength, loyalty, and love like never before.

Though the only official responses we’ve received regarding the Lanterns series have been emojis from DC Studios Co-CEO James Gunn, the show is rapidly taking shape behind the scenes. It has been previously reported that Chris Mundy was writing the series and serving as the showrunner (first reported by r/DCULeaks), and Damon Lindelof was in talks to produce (reported by Daniel RPK). We’ve now uncovered that the following names are officially attached to the Lanterns series thanks to their WGA profiles, and while the specific roles of these names are not yet confirmed, we can make some educated guesses: Update on 25.05.2024 : James Gunn has confirmed some of the names we've listed alongside Tom King. Chris Mundy Since it is officially confirmed that Chris Mundy is attached to Lanterns , this supports earlier reports about Mundy being the showrunner and a writer for the series. Mundy has previously served as a showrunner on the crime drama Ozark , and as an executive producer on crime series Criminal Minds . Damon Lindelof and Justin Britt-Gibson Damon Lindelof, known for his work on The Leftovers and Lost , is another significant addition to Lanterns . This isn't Lindelof’s first venture with DC and Warner Bros. Television; he previously served as the showrunner for the critically acclaimed series Watchmen . Since the previous reports line up with his addition to this series, it is likely that Lindelof will be a producer on the series. Whether he will also write for Lanterns remains unclear, as his specific roles haven't been listed. Justin Britt-Gibson, known for writing Counterpart and Into The Badlands , is likely to be a writer for Lanterns as well. It’s notable that Lindelof and Britt-Gibson were initially brought in as screenwriters for a Star Wars project, but departed in March 2023, according to Deadline . This departure seemingly paved the way for their involvement in Lanterns . Breannah Gibson and Vanessa Baden Kelly Breannah Gibson, one of the story writers on DC's The Penguin , is likely to take on a similar role in Lanterns . Vanessa Baden Kelly, executive story editor of Max's The Sex Lives Of The College Girls , is another addition to the Lanterns series. Kelly is likely another writer/story editor for the series given her past credentials. Even though much remains under wraps, James Gunn has said Lanterns is part of DC Studios' Chapter One: Gods and Monsters slate: We call it Lanterns and it is starring two of our favorite Green Lanterns — Hal Jordan and John Stewart. It’s going to be with HBO Max, as all of our series are that we’re going to talk about today. It is more of a True Detective –type mystery with our two Lanterns. A terrestrial-based mystery. This description aligns with Gunn's vision for the series, considering the writers and producers we've listed have extensive experience in crime dramas, sci-fi, and mystery genres. Now that the writing and producing team is officially attached to Lanterns , we can anticipate more announcements and updates in the near future. This story is still developing.

HBO's House of the Dragon returns for Season Two and along with it comes a roster of five highly skilled and talented directors to once again bring the story from page to screen. House of the Dragon Season Two premieres June 16 on HBO. Alan Taylor EPISODE 201 | EPISODE 204 Alan Taylor is a 65-year-old Emmy-award-winning film-making veteran who directed some of history's most iconic productions. From Sex and the City to The Sopranos to our very own Game of Thrones , Taylor has maintained a rich and transformative relationship with HBO. The director will now return his skills and expertise to the network in House of the Dragon Season Two, premiering June 16. While working with HBO on the famed Game of Throne s, Taylor found himself directing some of the most awe-inspiring and renowned episodes of the acclaimed series. Season One's 'Baelor,' the infamous episode that saw the death of the beloved Lord Eddard Stark, along with 'Fire and Blood,' the great finale that bore witness to the birth of Daenerys Targaryen's dragons, are both to his credit, among several other episodes within the show. Taylor is distinguished by his ability to portray passion through the screen as well as by being "virulently allergic to gratuitous directorial flourishes," he says of himself. Emilia Clarke, who starred as Daenerys Targaryen, has spoken of his director's touch and how he helped draw out emotions in the behind-the-scenes book Fire Cannot Kill a Dragon . Alan has a talent for showcasing the emotions of characters without negating their strength. Now, Alan has once again returned to the World of Ice and Fire in House of the Dragon Season Two, where he will direct episodes one and four of the fiery series. If reports serve us well, episodes one and four will showcase explosive and divisive events that are sure to leave a new staple on the Game of Thrones franchise. View Alan Taylor's full filmography here on IMDb. Clare Kilner EPISODE 202 | EPISODE 205 Clare Kilner is a multi-award-winning director and screenwriter. Clare's director's touch can be noted by her playful comedic style and strong understanding of performance. In her recent filmography, Clare has directed some of social media's most beloved and discussed productions, such as two new series for Prime Video, Gen V and Fallout . Kilner is no stranger to the world of ice and fire either, bosting directorial credits on three episodes from House of the Dragon Season One in 'King of the Narrow Sea,' 'We Light the Way,' and 'The Green Council.' Kilner has countlessly demonstrated her talent in moving forward the narrative in dramatic and divisive events as well as translating action in place of dialogue. In the upcoming new season of House of the Dragon , Kilner returns to the royal fold as she takes on directorial duties for episodes two and five. As it stands we currently have no information on what conflict episodes two and four may depict, or which characters will feature. However, Kilner has in the past served as a director who helms episodes that enhance the narrative and develop its characters for the larger story. Therefore we can hope to be reassured that her time with the new season will be just as transformative for both the show and the audience as it has been in the past. View Clare Kilner's full filmography here on IMDb. Geeta Patel EPISODE 203 | EPISODE 208 Geeta Patel is an Emmy award-winning director, screenwriter, and producer who is best known for her work on Meet the Patels , House of the Dragon , and Ahsoka . From the Middle Ages to the future, Patel has had a hand in diverse and innovative storytelling. As no stranger to the World of Ice and Fire , Patel's directional talents shined through in House of the Dragon's (Season One) highest-rated episode, 'The Lord of the Tides.' Patel was praised for showcasing the power of the cast through heavy and emotional moments and passionately delivered scenes. Now, Patel has returned for House of the Dragon Season Two to tackle episodes three and eight, and since this season is shortened from ten episodes to eight, this means she will helm what is sure to be an explosive season finale. View Geeta Patel's full filmography here on IMDb. Andrij Parekh EPISODE 206 Andrij Parekh is an award-winning television director and cinematographer distinguished by his distinctive visual storytelling abilities and his character-driven approach to film. As a television director, Parekh helmed the fourth episode of HBO's Watchmen (2019) to widespread critical acclaim and earned himself a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Directing for Season Two, episode four of HBO's Succession . He also performed cinematography duties on both acclaimed shows, as well as serving as Director of Photography on the controversial Netflix series 13 Reasons Why .   Parekh will now make his directional debut in the World of Ice and Fire in House of the Dragon Season Two, where he will helm episode six. As he is already acquainted with family disputes over succession, Parekh brings a familiar and recognized understanding of character nuance that serves to enhance the narrative of the story. View Andrij Parekh's full filmography here on IMDb. Loni Peristere EPISODE 207 Loni Peristere is an award-winning television producer-director and former visual effects supervisor who co-founded his own visual effects studio Zoic Studios. Peristere is noted for his visual effects shot design for the beloved television series Firefly and Battlestar Galactica , which creatively inspired the look of modern visual effects cinematography. The producer-director has a long list of projects that have his artistry as a creator attached to them, most notably Banshee , American Horror Story , Warrior , and The Witcher . His multi-talented versatile approach to storytelling makes Peristere capable of working across different genres and formats. Now the time has come for Peristere to lend his talents to the World of Ice and Fire . Peristere will helm episode seven of House of the Dragon Season Two, and with the season shortened from ten episodes to eight, episode seven will now serve as the infamous penultimate episode event of the Game of Thrones franchise. For those who are unaware, in Game of Thrones  fashion the penultimate episode has historically featured some of the most shocking or awe-inspiring events of the season. What House of the Dragon Season Two's penultimate episode has in store for us is a mystery, but given that the war for the Iron Throne has officially begun, we can look forward to witnessing something special. View Loni Peristere's full filmography here on IMDb. The list of Directors and their episodes were confirmed by Steve Toussaint (Corlys Velaryon) sharing a commemorative Clapperboard plaque that was given at the ‘ HOUSE OF THE DRAGON ’ Season Two Wrap Party. ' HOUSE OF THE DRAGON ' Season Two premieres June 16 on HBO. Follow @ westerosies and @ nexuspointnews on X/Twitter and Instagram for all the latest updates.

An official new trailer has been released, and it has made a fiery debut back into the World of Ice and Fire . Let’s dive into the new footage and break down everything we saw. DISCLAIMER: Possible spoilers below! All images shown are courtesy of HBO and Max . Prince Daemon’s hallucinations? These scenes seem to depict Prince Daemon Targaryen hallucinating being on the Iron Throne while at Harrenhal, which can be the doing of Alys Rivers.   The hallucinations may even go as far as to make Daemon think he is sleeping with his brother's wife, Queen Aemma Arryn, in what appears to be her character’s short return. The trailer may be misdirecting the audience to think that Daemon is actually in King’s Landing and not hallucinating after stating his intentions to be there. Queen Alicent wades through the grass. Queen Alicent wades through the grass in what appears to be a very lush and green environment. The setting is likely the field areas near King’s Landing.   This scene could also possibly be the same scene from earlier footage where she stood in white clothing on the shores of a lake. Queen Rhaenyra at Dragonstone. Rhaneyra at Dragonstone sometime after the funeral for Lucerys. Prince Lucerys’ funeral. Rhaneyra and Rhaenys at Lucerys’ funeral are standing over some form of his resting place. This appears to be the same scene in earlier footage of Rhaenys urging caution before the war starts, given that this is in a moment where she would think Rhaenyra is most angry. Queen Rhaenyra wields a sword. Another scene of Rhaenyra picking up the sword, but from the official trailer and not the behind-the-scenes footage. It seems that she was presented with many different options for a blade but made a choice. Rhaenyra lifting the sword could either be symbolic or it could have a plot behind it. Green small council meeting. Green council meeting, with several notable members in attendance. Lannister soldiers. House Lannister sides with King Aegon II Targaryen. Strategy over dinner. Rhaneyra sits down with Jace, Baela, and some Dragonseeds to discuss the war. Trouble in paradise. Rhaneyra and Daemon appear to have a disagreement which leads Rhaenyra to ask Daemon to restate it vows. Prince Jacaerys and Lord Cregan Stark. Prince Jacaerys and Lord Cregan Stark are traveling in the North together and visiting the Wall. In season one, Jacaerys‘ was tasked with swaying houses to support his mother's claim to the Iron Throne.   Cregan Stark has taken Jacaerys to the Wall and made him look beyond it. Battle at Rook’s Rest. Scenes from the Battle at Rook’s Rest, which will take place in episode 4. Three Dragon Eggs. The three dragon eggs that are surrounded by fire being displayed are likely a nod to Daenerys Targaryen. However, given we have yet to have in-show universe confirmation on how dragon eggs reached Daenerys, the writers could want to officiate this connection on House of the Dragon. Baela the Brave. Princess Baela Targaryen and her dragon Moondancer chase Ser Criston Cole. This scene seems to take place likely during or after the Battle at Rook’s Rest. Prince Aemond and a woman. Aemond appears to be naked and seeking comfort from someone who appears to be a woman. After identifying the scar on the woman's hand we now know the woman to be the Brothel Madame from season one episode nine played by actress Michelle Bonnard. Alyn of Hill. Our first look at Abubakar Salim as Alyn of Hull. Alyn was the alleged bastard son of either Laenor Velaryon or Corlys Velaryon. In the scene, he appears to be leading or is a part of a House Velaryon group of soldiers arriving somewhere by row boat. House Velaryon soldiers. House Velaryon soldiers on the seas and arriving somewhere under the cover of nightfall. Riots in King’s Landing. Queen Alicent Hightower and Queen Helaena Targaryen are being chased through the streets of King’s Landing by the common people after a riot breaks out. Both can be seen being ushered to safety by the Kingsguard, but the disheveledness indicates a very tense situation. Princess Rhaenys and Prince Aemond at the Battle at Rook’s Rest. Rhaenys and Aemond sharing the skies above the battle. Cargyllbowl. The Cargyll twins duel while Erryk Cargyll is protecting someone behind him who appears to be Rhaenyra. Mystery knife. A knife appears to be pointing towards the stomach of either Alicent or Helaena, given the pattern and color of the dress the character has on. However, it can potentially be a playful moment of some sort, as the character can be seen possibly having agency over moving the blade. Mystery girl. A new face with platinum hair brings up several questions. She appears to be a part of a group of either dancers or potential bedwives that are being presented to someone. The character's name is reportedly Copper Penny and she is played by actress Kika Green. Princess Rhaena Targaryen. Rhaena appears to be in the Vale. Mysaria & Blood and Cheese. Mysaria tells a character off-screen (likely Daemon) that “there is more than one way to fight a war.” With Blood and Cheese sneaking into the Red Keep as well as a money exchange between two people occurring afterward. Queen Rhaenyra and King Aegon II in mourning. Dragons Seven different dragons appear in the official trailer: Caraxes Daemon and Caraxes, likely leaving Dragonstone as it appears to be an exit for dragons as well as the boat port below. Seasmoke Sunfyre Aegon and Sunfyre flying above the city of King’s Landing. Moondancer Baela and Moondancer, likely at the Battle at Rook’s Rest. Meleys Rhaenys and Meleys, likely at the Battle at Rook’s Rest. Vhagar Aemond and Vhagar, likely at the Battle at Rook’s Rest. Vermithor Our first better look at Verminthor. In the trailer, Queen Rhaenyra stands before him, but he is not hostile. Vermithor is one of the largest and oldest of the current flock of Targaryen dragons, once ridden by the Old King Jaehaerys Targaryen. House of the Dragon season 2 premieres on June 16 on HBO . Follow @ westerosies and @ NexusPointNews for all the latest Game of Thrones news.

" Stop fighting the future. And embrace it. " WARNING : This review contains spoilers  for X-Men ‘97: Season 1, Episode 10! Season 1 of X-Men '97 has made waves refreshing the MCU with new energy and passion. But can the show stick the landing? In the shadow of last episode where Wolverine tastes some cruel, metallic justice at the hand of Magneto, Xavier strikes back and uses the full brunt of his telepathic powers to tear apart the Master of Magnetism's mental defenses. While fixing the earth in the process, he also resurrects the Prime Sentinels. Should have listened to Scott. A good chunk of the episode is dedicated to Xavier and Magneto, bridging their long history and their perilous present. We even get a flashback of the two sharing a drink, younger and less hardened. It is here that it is revealed how they come out to one another as mutants, and bonded over it. As the two mutants find solace in one another, one can appreciate the gay allegory this "coming out" scenes acts as. Within Magneto's shattered mind that Xavier attempts to repair, water represents his past trauma and pain, building up and threatening to drown him. It's their bond that saves Magneto from the depths of his past, as Xavier swears to stick with him "even if I'm pulled too". The importance of community in marginalized communities cannot be understated. If we look to the comics, the time that Xavier used his powers on Magneto not only reduced him to a catatonic state [X-Men (1991) #25], but resulted in the birthing of a psionic entity known as Onslaught—the combination of Magneto's hate and Xavier's repressed feelings. With the two Could we be seeing this psionic demon rear its head soon? With the Earth is restored, the awakened Prime Sentinels resume their work, during which we are blessed with a slew of cameos which are sure to make any Marvel fan smile. Iron Man accompanies Captain America with President Kelly Daredevil Doctor Strange working on a patient Black Panther (T'Chaka) with the Dora Milaje Cloak & Dagger Omega Red & the Winter Guard Mutants like Northstar, Aurora, Psylocke, among other Genoshan survivors Morph as Mister Fantastic Blue Team captured by Bastion is saved by Jean in her crowning moment of the season. She summons the Phoenix as she rises from the ashes in phoenix-fashion. Jean fans will be happy to see her proclaim, "I AM PHOENIX!"  as she uses a remnant of the Phoenix Force to burn away all the genetic tampering Mister Sinister has done to himself, reducing him to a withered husk. Deservedly so. This is the culmination of Jean's arc this season, stepping into realization that she's the only Jean that ever was and ever will be, and the Phoenix's one true host, now and forever. Even Morph gets his lick in. Theo James' Bastion continues to be cold, calculated, and relentless. As vile as Bastion is, his harrowing voice has to be applauded. It feels like there's spiders crawling down your spine every time he speaks. It's great. And as we watch Bastion sustain damage from the ongoing battles, coming apart, there's some delicious body horror as his body warps and deteriorates.  " Did you just try appeal to my humanity? " Even though Jean manages to deactivate the Prime Sentinels, Bastion makes his escape after using Cable's techno-organic arm to obtain a cool upgrade that references his appearance during the X-Men: Second Coming crossover event. He then heads to Asteroid M intent on crashing it down to exterminate humans because he wouldn't be a real robot villain if he didn't turn against his human creators! Rogue has her moment of the season when Gold Team, reunited once more, is forced to face Bastion when he arrives on Asteroid M. It's cathartic to see her fight in Remy's name, bringing on a beatdown that puts Captain Marvel to shame. Again, Sunspot comes into the fray, boasting pride of his mutant status, but this moment of his arc still feels half-baked and undeserved. One can't help but to wonder why he's still here. With the all the X-Men reunited on Asteroid M, Cyclops decides again to attempt to reach out to the sociopathic and genocidal cyborg. Again we taste the parallel between the mutants and sentinel-ized Bastion, and Cyclops reveals that Xavier had in fact attempted to reach out baby Bastion, but was turned down by his mother. Parents do their best to protect their children in the only ways they know how, but they aren't perfect. Just like Magneto with his children: the Scarlet Witch, Quicksilver, and Polaris, who we catch a quick glimpse of within his shattered psyche. However, it appears none of their pleas matter when humanity activates the Magneto Protocols and fires upon Asteroid M, causing it to plummet to the Earth. Bastion is seemingly destroyed in the ensuing chaos (thank God). But humanity isn't doomed thanks to the X-Men, who decide to move Asteroid M by constructing a mutant circuit for the decades: a combination of their powers. We get a heartfelt goodbye between Cyclops and Jean Grey to their son Cable, who stayed back on Earth after being critically injured. Cable expresses his regret not being in the stories he heard about his parents, growing up in the future. Cyclops expresses he doesn't want to make the mistake of not saying goodbye again. This is the heart of the X-Men, poured out for all of us. This is why they fight. For the children. It is only the return of Magneto with his mind repaired that is able to help the X-Men finish the job. The closing of Magneto and Xavier's conversation about family, dreams, community, and new beginnings beautifully ties into the conversation between Cable and his parents. "A dream that made us a family. And like that dream, any family worth having is worth fighting for." With Magneto's help the X-Men stabilize Asteroid M, only to have it disappear in a bright blue flash. In the eyes of all that are watching, the X-Men are gone. If you think this is the end of the X-Men, you must be new around here. In the end of the episode we get a basket of nuggets that will hopefully keep fans satiated until the already greenlit season 2 . Bishop makes his return (after 7 episodes!) and introduces himself to one of the only survivors left, Forge, and explains that something yanked the X-Men through time. Behind Forge, we can see a board of mutants, active and missing—could Forge be planning an X-Men team of his own? Among the names we can see: the Scarlet Witch, Colossus, Dust, Magik, Iceman, Havok, Exodus, Quicksilver, Shadowcat, and Emma Frost. We also see the fates of the missing X-Men. Jean and Cyclops were sent forward in time to 3950 AD, where they are greeted by a mysterious woman named Mother Askani and a younger version of their son, Cable. Meanwhile the rest of the X-Men (Magneto, Charles, Rogue, and Nightcrawler) were sent backwards in time to Egypt in 3000 BC, where they meet a man who goes by En Sabah Nur. X-Men fans will recognize him as a young version of the notorious villain, Apocalypse. X-Men '97's first season concludes on a strong note, tying together the themes of resilience and unity that speak to all the fans the team has amassed over the years. With the redemption of Magneto, return of the Phoenix, and christened with a mutant circuit, this show cements itself as a new beginning for the X-Men in the animated medium. And with the teasers we are given, there is absolutely much, much more to come.

After 27 years away, Marvel continues the story from 1997 with X-Men ‘97. The series captures the nostalgia of the original animated series and has electrified its way back into our lives with a drama filled and action packed new season. Nexus Point News was fortunate enough to sit down with Lenore Zann, the voice actor for Rogue. Let's dive in! (NPN): How does it feel to be back in this role and continuing this story with Rogue 27 years after the original series ended? Zann: It's mind-blowing really. I mean how many actors get an opportunity to play a superhero anyway, let alone twice in their lifetime and like 27 or 30 years apart. It's kind of surreal, but in another way, it just feels right. It feels like it's the right timing for this show to come back and for my character to be as strong as she is when the world in real life is facing so much danger, so many extreme right-wing crazy ideologies that are so harming so many people, and when you have you know political people trying to roll the clock back and take away rights that people have fought to get for many many years and whether that is you know racialized community or the lgbtq community. It's really sad to see that humanity is once again at each other's throats and I think that it's time for the X-Men to make a reappearance so it's perfect timing. (NPN): Over the past 27 years, did you ever think you would be returning to this world and this character and continuing this story?  Zann: About five years ago we were invited to a Comic Con in Texas, and it was the first time we'd been invited to a Comic-Con. We hadn't done any before that and it was like the original cast, about six of us and at that point we met for the very first time, we met Larry Houston, our original director, and we met Eric and Julia Leewald, the original writers. We'd never met before because they were in Los Angeles and we were in Toronto recording. So we all got together, we fell in love with each other. It was so nice, it was like a homecoming. We went out for dinner, the final night we said ‘Wouldn't it be nice if somehow our show got rebooted, and we got asked back and we got a chance to continue with the stories we never got to tell?’ We had a moment, we're putting it out there to the universe to bring us back. Image Courtesy of Convention Life (NPN): I didn't realize you hadn't met until recently, that's a long time! Zann: They had a voice director in Toronto, who was guiding us but the voice director in Toronto was hearing what the people in Los Angeles were saying. Once in a while, a couple of the producers would fly in. So the interesting thing was when I did my audition, I skipped the first audition just because I was doing movies and television. and theatre. I just came back from New York, I did a play off-Broadway for like nine months. So the idea of doing an animation wasn't exactly my main go-to place. I only had done one animated series before. I just kind of didn't take it that seriously and I didn't go to those first auditions, but when the agent called me back and said “Lenore they still haven't found the right actress for that one role and it's because it's you”.  When I did the audition I looked at the picture of the drawing of Rogue with her hand on her hip [with] sassy attitude and I went “Oh yeah I could do that”. Then I went into the booth and I just said the first little paragraph that they had of dialogue for her and it started “My dad liked to kill himself when he found out that I was a mutant” and then it went on from there. Then I heard the screams in the headphones from the producers and it turns out Larry Houston in LA said “oh my God! That's her, don't let her leave the building!” (NPN): When I read comics and I'm reading a Rogue scene, I just hear your voice so I can't imagine anyone else doing this role. Zann: Oh, thank you! I like to tell the fans I should be paying them because I've been living rent-free in their heads for 30 years. (NPN): How does it feel to get that call saying “Lenore, Marvel wants to bring back the show, they want to bring all their original actors back?” and continue with what you guys did you know back in the 90’s?  Zann: First of all, it started as an email from the comic-con agent who had brought us to Texas that very first time for that reunion five years ago. He emailed me and said, “Hey Lenore don't know what you're up to,” but I was in Truro Nova Scotia, and I'd been in government for the last 12 years as a member of Parliament. He said, “I'm getting the word that Disney's trying to find you for something like a new show, not sure what it is but I have an idea so would you be interested in doing an audition for a show for Disney,” and I was kind of like, “oh yeah right, Disney's trying to find me.” I said, “Look, if it's serious, if it's real, get give them my phone number and tell them to call me,” and then I got the call from Meredith Lane, who is the casting director and the voice director for the show, and she said, “hi Lenore, yeah actually I'm working for Disney and Marvel and we're working on a new show, they asked me to try and find you, and would you be interested in auditioning?” I was like, “Yeah, of course, yeah,” but she still didn't say what it was, and she said, “Well, I'm gonna send you a script, like a script with a few lines, and if you could just record them and send them back, that'd be great.” I said, “Okay,” so I got the page and I looked at the lines, and the lines were lines I had already recorded years ago but with the name Maria or something, I was like, “Oh my God, this is X-Men, I went oh my God,” so I just conjured up, I just brought up my Rogue, and I did my Rogue, and I sent it off and thanked her. About a month and a half later, I got word back from her that the producers loved it, and that they wanted to meet with me on Zoom, so she set up a meeting with Beau DeMayo and Charlie Feldman. We had an amazing time on Zoom, and they got me to read it one more time, and then Beau just broke down, “Oh my God, Lenore, I don't even know what we're doing this, we want you, you know, we are geeking out here, we are, and we are fanning all over the place, you are hero, would you please come back and prize at the role of Rogue in a new series X,” and I don't even think of the name yet, so I was like, “hell yeah, sugar, sign me up!” It was touching and it was emotional. I had been grieving because my niece had passed away. I've talked about that in a few interviews, my 17-year-old niece, and I had just lost an election. I won four elections in a row and then we had the terrible pandemic, but then we had this awful tragedy, a mass shooting in my constituency, and I was asked on television as the Member of Parliament, “Is it too soon to talk about more gun control,” and I said, “it's never too soon to talk about more gun control if it's going to save lives of our citizens.” They got hold of that and they said they were going to take me down in the next election, and I started getting death threats, and I had defense for like a year.  My niece died, and then I ran for election and I lost my seat, so I was devastated. I was really, really depressed, and then X-Men called it to come to me, my accent to me, my X-Men, it was like “You can't make this stuff up.” I feel like it's one of those moments where it's the right time. Everything happens for a reason. It was great that I was available. I went through a lot of pain to be available, but I was available. (NPN): How did you apply your personal experiences to some of the scenes that we see in ‘97?  Zann: I mean, I have lived, I have fully lived, and I have experienced a lot of the high points and the low points of life. And to be honest, when I set out when I was a young person, I wanted to do that. I wanted to experience everything because I felt that if I experienced everything, then I could put that into my work as an actor. And it would just make it that much more, give it that much more depth and make it more attentive. So now I have this pool of experiences deep inside me to draw from when I'm performing. And it makes my job much easier, to be honest. I also believe that really good acting and really good storytelling can lead an audience to a cathartic experience where they can be taken away from their own lives and lifted to this sort of spiritual place, where they experience whatever the character is going through. And they feel it. They are, in that way, able to feel their feelings and other emotions that maybe they've repressed or they just haven't dealt with. We're able to do that and then bring them back down to Earth again. Hopefully, they can find healing in that. That's what I hope that I could do with episodes five and seven in particular. (NPN): How does it feel to be telling these more mature and darker storylines as compared to the original series? The original show was a Saturday morning kids cartoon so I can only imagine the limitations to the stories you guys were able to tell back in the 90’s.  Zann: We've never talked down to an audience; we've always elevated them to think about things from a different level. Our audience, we believe, is a lot of the children of the 90s who are now older and have kids of their own, some of them, many of them. And the world has changed, and we've seen so much destruction and wars and hatred and bigotry and all of these ugly things rising yet again. And so it's very easy to lose hope and to be overwhelmed by all the enormity of what's going on around us. So I think this new show addresses that and also is going to give people hope that we can change things. And it's a story, you have to follow the storyline. It will take you down some very different and dark paths, but you have to ultimately believe there is light at the end of the tunnel. And I believe that, and I've been through that in my own life, so I know that we can do that with this show as well. (NPN): I love that and it's a great way to look at the show - I have more of a fun question that folks fight about every day, they want to know… Remy or Magneto?  Zann: I believe Remy is Rogue's soulmate, and I believe they are star-crossed lovers like Romeo and Juliet, only, they act out their passionate play on a whole different level or in a different universe. And true love is true love no matter what, the person is alive or they've passed. I know that everybody's broken-hearted about Remy, as am I. But again, what I would say to the fans is that this is a story, let it play out and keep the faith. (NPN): I have to ask, you know, what does it feel like when you get the script and you know you're reading it and you're seeing all of these darker moments play out? What was your reaction to that?  Zann: I was as shocked as everybody else and brokenhearted, and I just took it for what it was. I took it for a reality that had happened. And sadly, I mean, as I said, my niece had just died eight months before, and she was only 17, so I'd already wrestled with the whole thing of fairness and how come some people live to be a hundred and some people die at 17 before they've even had a chance to live their life. So it just touched my heart and my soul, and I was able to use it to express my grief and also to hopefully help others heal, and that's how I saw it. I just hope that because of the pandemic and everything, so many people have experienced loss. I felt like, well, the show is now just showing what happens in real life and allowing people to feel the feelings that are associated with losing somebody that you, truly, deeply loved.  And there was this moment with Magneto on the dance floor when we were dancing, we touched and we kissed. Rogue has made up her mind for the greater good, she's going to do this, like to help all of the mutants and also because she wants to have a life with somebody whom she can maybe even have children with at some point. So she kisses him, but then she pulls back, and the first line is, “Sorry, thanks for the dance, sugar”. And then they had another line, but I said, “Hey, Beau, how about if I repeat what Remy said earlier in the episode and I say, ‘Thanks for the dance, sugar, but Remy was right, some things are deeper than skin,’” and he went, “oh my God, that's it, do that.” I just felt like it expressed so much to so many, and including people in real life, it's like, yeah, it's deeper than skin, yeah, yeah, right, it's so much deeper than skin, oh my gosh, all right. So I thought it good that I was able to contribute to that moment, you know, and then, of course, the fans are upset that she never got a chance to, tell Remy, by the way, I'm coming back to you, I'm not with him anymore, you know, they just start going on trying to have to say, people, yeah, I'm thinking about to episode 5, not just so good, so good, all right. I mean, it's like watching a movie, isn't it, like people say that, it's not like watching a cartoon at all, it's like they feel like these are living breathing characters. (NPN): Exactly, I can't wait until everything is out so I can rewatch everything and just like one continuous watch. Zann: Yeah, I can't wait! (NPN): We know there's only so much you can say and we know how they are at Marvel - is there one word to describe, you know, what to expect for next week for Rogue, and what fans should expect for next week?  Zann: Well, I would just reiterate that at this point that Rogue has a purpose now. She has a new purpose, a newfound purpose and that purpose is really to get justice for Remy, for all those other mutants that were murdered. That's her modus operandi and that will continue, so just you know all I can say is hold on to your hat. (NPN): I also have to ask you about the MCU. Are you an MCU fan? Do you get the chance to watch those movies? Have you been following?  Zann: Well, I love the Marvels, I do. I loved it, I loved it, I loved that so much fun. Oh, it was so much fun, I laughed, I cried, it was great, it was great to see those three incredible actresses for one thing, and you know, and I was really sad that people just sort of wrote it off so fast and then even seen it really and even the people that were like well I didn't even get that cats one, I'm like it was brilliant the cats music started playing and I mean I've done Broadway musicals right so I mean yeah, you know, I'm a musical babe so it, I loved it, I loved everything about it. I have enjoyed all of their recent movies, the Multiverse of Madness, I loved that one. I was lucky at Christmas time. I went home to Australia where I'm originally from and spent Christmas and New Year's with my Australian cousins. They love Marvel and they have a big home screen like a home theatre in their home so we sat every night would watch Marvel movies and we just had the best time.  (NPN): Would you be willing to maybe ever bring your character Rogue into any other of the different animation series? There’s a Spider-Man series coming up, there's Eyes of Wakanda coming up and we have What If season 3. Would you ever be interested in pulling your character into any of those projects or any, you know, new projects? Zann: Of course, I mean that would be fun. It would be fun. I mean, I love the crossover into Spidey [90’s show]... But I'd love to see like a feature film, an animated feature film, yeah, you know, I love that.  We were able to see [X-Men ‘97] on the screen, on the big screen, so we saw the first episode and I'll probably be at El Capitan Theater, Hollywood Theater, but I loved watching it and the fans just went crazy, so I think from what I've heard from fans that an X-Men animated feature film would go over extremely well, so I'm hoping that that might happen at some day. I think people are more open to the idea.  One other thing I just like to say too is as a woman I appreciate the opportunity to show a really strong Kick-Ass woman who takes no prisoners, but it was also vulnerable. You know, that her greatest strength which is her ability to touch people and drain them of all their life forces and take it upon herself and become even stronger is also her Achilles heel, in Greek tragedies oftentimes the hero has an Achilles heel which is a fatal flaw, and her flaw is her strength is her weakness in that she just, she can never be closed to anyone, she can never let her guard down and allow herself to fall in love and to be with somebody which makes her so alone and makes her go through life as kind of a lone wolf, so I think that that it's just made for a very interesting character and one that I think the world needs to see. (NPN): Have you started recording your lines for Season 2? Zann: I have yes! I've done them yes. Of course, we keep being drawn back to do like ADR and make little changes here and there, but yes, I've done my lines and I love it. It's an incredible script, see, you're gonna love it, the same as this one, it's just fantastic.  Be sure to catch up on the first 9 episodes of X-Men ‘97 before the season 1 finale premieres May 15th on Disney+. Follow @ XMenUpdate & @ NexusPointNews for all the latest X-Men news!

After nearly four years away, Netflix’s Blood of Zeus has electrified its way back into our lives with a fiery explosive new season. Nexus Point News was fortunate enough to sit down with show creators Charles and Vlas Parlapanides to talk in depth details and analyze season 2, so let’s dive into it! (NPN) : We observed that Seraphim is a very tragic character in the show. We see it from season one, we see it in season two. He grew up in a different situation than his brother, found [the] love of his life, but instead of wanting to pursue that, he wanted to pursue vengeance because it was something that was burning inside him. He killed his mother unknowingly, and he has been constantly a pawn of the Gods. He’s been used for their own ends and means. It has been putting him in a situation where it pits him and his own brother against each other. Our question is, taking all of this into consideration, is this a part of the reason you wanted to start off a redemption arc for him in this second season?  We do see him doing things that are more positive than the first season [where] he actively tries to take a hand in helping, especially the protagonist characters. What’s your view on that [Seraphim’s redemption arc]? Vlas Parlapanides : You’re spot on! -  Charles Parlapanides : Great question. One thing that I would say is anytime it’s Greek related, it either has to be a comedy or a tragedy, so, of course, Seraphim’s story is suited more for tragedy. There is some Oedipus Rex in his story unknowingly. Instead of killing his father, he unknowingly kills his mother. The great thing when you do a longer format with TV shows, you have more time to explore characters and have their arcs and trajectories cross paths. I think that’s a big part of what you get to see here. The idea is if you do a pure “this is the black hat villain versus the hero with the white hat,” we’ve done a hundred years of movies and TV shows – people know how that’s going to work out. If you can relate to everyone, but they’re really just driven by something that they want, then you’re rooting for them and the conflict is seeing them clash. That’s the idea you’re getting at, and I do think because he [Seraphim] is such a fan favorite that they [the fans] will be cheering for him if he does have an arc that takes him in a slightly different direction going forward. Vlas Parlapanides : I second all that. It is by design. We have the characters start over here and we want to gradually bring them over here. We want to follow that character arc. We want it to be organic. We want it to be true to the characters, but we want to see multiple layers in that character. In addition to tracking his [Seraphim’s] personal arc, we want to also bridge the divide between the brothers. We want to do it gradually, we want to do it organically. We started where it’s very adversarial and we took steps where we got that divide a little bit smaller. It’s still not what it needs to be, but it’s all by design leading to a place for, god willing, more seasons. [I’m] just really glad that you picked up on that. Everything that you articulated was spot-on. It’s something, as Charlie mentioned, that he’s a character we’ve enjoyed writing because, for us, the most interesting characters are the characters that have multiple layers. We don’t see, as Charlie mentioned, our characters as necessarily evil: We see them as protagonists, antagonists. They have very strong wants. We want the audience to know what those wants are [and] to even empathize with our characters at times where you would feel like “Oh wow. Am I really empathizing with this guy that did these horrible things?” [while] recognizing that they do have some good in them even if those characters don’t recognize it. That journey for us… going from here to there [antagonist to protagonist] is an interesting one, as long as it’s earned and it’s done organically [and] true to the nature to the character. It’s not manipulated by us, or contrived or forced in some way.  Charles Parlapanides : Also, the last thing I will say is that while we kind of pitched our executive at Netflix the idea that we’re going to see the Hades and Persephone story in season two, and that he felt slighted and cheated. This is kind of his opportunity to be reunited with his wife. He [our exec] said “Oh, that’s very cool, but remember this show is really built on these two brothers, on Heron and Seraphim.” We really took that note and feedback to heart. We do a lot of other characters and a lot of other things going on, but at the heart of this story and season one, and still at the heart of season two, is the story of these two brothers. That was always the inspiration going back all the way from taking that Hercules story and flipping it on its head, which is what Blood of Zeus is.  (NPN) : Regarding Hera, we see her take a background role this season. Instead of being at the forefront of the conflict, she’s taking a step back. We see her very remorseful of her ways in Season one and now she’s trying to be the central voice of reason. In the final episode, she’s also the one who attempts to intervene between the battle, which is a big contrast to season one. [In season one] where we see Hera gung ho, coming into battle, she’s ready for this huge conflict with the Gods, but now she’s like “listen, I’ve been there, and it’s not going to get you what you think you want.” The desire that they believe in and the conflict that you want is not going to have a winner. Did you guys want Hera to have that redemption arc this season where she learns the consequences of her ways following Zeus’ sacrifice? Vlas Parlapanides : You really watch these closely! That’s really impressive. You could teach a class, I feel. That’s just very impressive and very well said. What I would say, and I’m curious what Charlie says, adversity has a way of humbling. What she went through in season one, she was going through a tremendous amount of adversity - she had her arm cut off. What we hoped is that it humbled her in some way. It allowed her to look at things and reflect and take everything in its totality. She realized, what you had said, that it doesn’t work this way and it’s not going to work this way, blood against blood. She is exactly everything that you just articulated and that came from a place of… she went down this rabbit hole and realized that that’s not the way to get what she wants. She definitely pivots and feels humbled a bit. She still needs more humbling, but she’s humbled a bit. That’s definitely, again, by design.  Charles Parlapanides : In mythology, she was known as being very fair and just, [but] she always had this weak spot. She’s trying to kill Hercules, she tries to kill Apollo and Artemis, she’s always trying to kill these bastard children of Zeus. That’s her blind spot. That’s her one weakness. It’s something that we’d talked a lot about with our season one director, Shawn, where he was asking “So, does she go fully on tilt? Will she just lose it?”. He felt that it would be good if she did, because then she goes too far. In some ways, that can be tragic. Is it okay? Yes. Have her go full tilt. She just loses it. She’s going in with blind rage. Then, we don’t want her to just be this one-known character, especially since she’s described as wise and just. She lost it, understandably so, she has good reason. Ares even says it. She’s normally very fair, but because Zeus was such a bastard. She lost it, but now she’s this enforcer to reexamine everything and she doesn’t want to continue going down this route. That, for us, is a way to make sure she’s not just a one-known character and we can do justice to some of the stories that are told about her while not neglecting the fact that she always tries to kill every kid Zeus had outside his wedlock in mythology.  Vlas Parlapanides : With jealousy, that’s the beauty of the Gods. They share many of the characteristics that we have. Jealousy is her weak spot; That just gets her enraged, she puts the blinders on, and I think that’s relatable. I think people can understand that, but you can also grow. It’s important as a person to always recognize your faults and to try to become a better person. She’s trying to grow and become a better God. Goddess, excuse me. There’s definitely a character component to it. We want to try to make her as multi-layered as we can. We love shows where you see characters start on this side and then they make allegiances with other characters… I don’t want to spoil anything, maybe that they were fighting earlier in that first season. Like Game of Thrones , even when you see Jaime Lannister when you first really don’t like him. As the story goes on, you go “Oh, I kind of like that character. I empathize with him.” Then, he switches “sides” and we always thought that was interesting. It was something that we would like to try to do, if we can, with some of these characters without spoiling anything.  Charles Parlapanides : It’s also tradition in ancient Greek culture, going back to ancient Athens, where each citizen had a jar. If you didn’t like someone, you could put a chip or stone in their jar. If they accumulated say 30 [or] 50 chips, they would be banished for several years. It even happened to the Mysticalise who was their general who led them three-against-one against the Persians attack. We like this idea of someone - they’ve done wrong, they can be banished. She willingly accepts that and is willing to walk away, but she wants to try and make amends for what she’d done and what has happened.  (NPN) : I like that. I love one thing that you guys really did is depict the Gods as someone who even though they were seen as these higher figures, they have all the personality traits as a regular human. They make their mistakes, big mistakes, and these mistakes -  Charles Parlapanides : They can be petty! (NPN) : Yeah! They can be petty. I love that depiction of them because it’s very true to the source. (NPN): In regards to callbacks: we see many different callbacks throughout the season, not only in Greek mythology, but possibly to other media as well. It was interesting to see some of those consequences of the famous Greek myths played out as Hades was flying through. That was very interesting to see the one with prometheus and his liver. I love that attentio n to detail because it was giving fans a little glimpse into famously known myths. When Hades was speaking with Seraphim, there was a part that rang in my ear like maybe it is [a callback] that, and I wanted to ask you about. When Hades is telling the tale of what happened when he says “for all of them were deceived.” Was that a line callback to Lord of the Rings  in the prologue? (NPN) : Was that something that was intentional? Charles Parlapanides : We love the trilogy, the books, all of it. At least once a month, I’ll watch that opening prologue of Lord of the Rings. When the Australian actress -  Vlas Parlapanides and  (NPN) : Cate Blanchett. Charles Parlapanides : When she says “for all of them were deceived,” I loved that. (NPN) : I’m glad that I picked up on that, it’s perfect! Charles Parlapanides : A little shoutout! (NPN) : Yeah, a little shoutout.  Charles Parlapanides : Showing some love to something that I love. Vlas Parlapanides : DId we mention you watch very closely, my goodness. It’s fantastic! Yeah, that’s a little tip of the hat. We love Lord of the RIngs , it was a huge influence. Tolkien’s a huge influence. Game of Thrones  is a huge influence. There’s something when you watch Lord of the Rings  where you’re brought into a world and you’re engaged and you go on this journey. It’s so much fun. We love watching those films in the theater. They had a big influence on us, absolutely.  (NPN) : It’s really great to hear that. I’m glad that my catch was right. Charles Parlapanides : Your silver sense was spot on. Vlas Parlapanides : You’re the only one that’s caught that by the way. (NPN) : That’s crazy. There was another one with the connection at the end. I made the connection with cordyceps. I was just wondering if that was a connection to The Last of Us  series/game? Charles Parlapanides : You know what’s funny: I’ve played the game, I know that’s a big part of it. My daughter was in middle school at the time and she was doing a biology unit. They had that and they sent the video of the cordyceps and how the fungi would take over them. We thought “what about their power can we give Demeter?” There’s only so many times Persephone can have branches and roots come out of the ground. What if she can do almost chemical warfare, and this is biological warfare. It is indeed - you know, that [series] hadn’t come out while we were writing that. Obviously the game I’ve played before then. That was funny. When I saw the pilot of The Last of Us  and they were having those scientists discuss it, I was like “Oh my God, this is too perfect! What a great job by Craig Mazin to tackle that into that show.” I think it’s just another little layer of things that we find interesting. That’s what always happens: you take things that you find interesting that you feel might fit and you keep feeding the machine with it.  (NPN) : For Hades and Persephone now; moving into their love story. We see that they have a very tragic love story, but they also seem to hunger for power by ruling the Gods. I love the fact that you took the Greek myth of Hades kidnapping Persephone and turned it right on its head. Not only were the Gods deceived, but the audience was as well this whole time in your version.  Charles Parlapanides : You’re spot on. (NPN) : Not only were they deceived, but it has tricked everyone in the process and now we finally get this revelation that “no, they had a true and genuine love.” We get to see that side of Hades as a character. Vlas Parlapanides : Are you, like, a professor? Are you, like, a teacher or something like that? (NPN) : [Laughs]  Vlas Parlapanides : Honestly, that is perfect! (NPN) : I like to watch and study media very critically. Vlas Parlapanides : That’s perfect. That’s exactly it. Charles Parlapanides : Can we use your answer for other interviews? Vlas Parlapanides : [Laughs] that’s exactly it. I couldn’t articulate that any better. The other day, I was trying to and I fumbled. I should’ve just said what you said! Charles Parlapanides : It’s absolutely spot on. That was Vlas’ idea. I’ll add that Zeus and Hera had the most toxic relationship ever. A really  toxic relationship. We wanted Hades and Persephone to almost be the antithesis of that. We would talk about the first few seasons of House of Cards  where the Underwood’s love each other, work together, plot together, and them having a healthier relationship. Truthfully, when you’re adapting something that’s thousands of years old, to say that Hades kidnapped her is even the PG version. It’s worse than that. We didn’t want to do that. Vlas had the idea of “what if they’re really in love?” Being raised Greek,  there’s a lot of overbearing mothers in the Greek community. Every Greek family will tell you that they want you to marry this person or that person. What if Demeter was this overbearing mother who didn’t want Hades and didn’t want her daughter to be in the Underworld? What we try to do is take the myth, look at it, and then break it down and make it an emotional reaction. So, because her daughter can’t be there, she makes the world suffer for six months and have a miserable winter. That’s a pretty spiteful person. I know it sucks, but you’re going to make the whole world suffer? If she’s willing to do that, then maybe she’s a little bougie in what she wanted and how she wanted it to go. She was a little overbearing, so why not have it be a love story where they love each other but the Mom doesn’t want it? When it does happen, she punishes the world and she spreads rumors about her son-in-law - even though that’s her brother, which is a little weird. That’s just Greek mythology.  Vlas Parlapanides:  What I would add to it too, for someone who is as smart as you are and knows the Greek mythological tales, can appreciate what we just did there. What we found out from season one, there are people that are really seeped into the mythological tales and know the nuances of those tales. They appreciate it when we take it and spin it a little bit. For those who are not familiar with them, the story works for them. The story works for both sets of audiences. What I would also add that touches upon Seraphim’s journey as well, you empathize with Hades because his family is torn apart. He wants to stop that suffering. He doesn’t want that. Imagine your family is torn apart year after year for all eternity? The question becomes how far is too far? Of course we’re going to try and protect our loved ones. Of course we’re going to protect our families. It reaches a point where you have to decide if what you’re doing is taking things a step too far. That’s something we wanted to explore. For Seraphim, he feels guilty about what happened to the Priestess and he wants to undo a wrong that he made that fateful night. He wishes he could go back and maybe meet up with her. Maybe he wouldn’t become the monster that he is. Of course we want to help our loved ones. The question becomes how far can we go? How much will he sacrifice? How far is too far? (NPN) : Speaking of Seraphim, I had an observation that I wanted to ask about. When he calls himself Icarus as his fake name, I felt like that was really fitting to his whole character because Icarus is someone who flew too close to the sun and got burned. Seraphim is someone who has gathered all this power, all this strength, and in the end quote on quote “got burned.” His ambitions grew too large to handle.  Charles Parlapanides : You don’t miss a thing! (NPN) : I really felt like there was a strong connection with the fake name and his arc and his story.  Charles Parlapanides : He has definitely been flying too close to the sun, that was the idea. That’s awesome, wow. Sometimes as writers, you talk about stuff and you think nobody’s going to understand this and that we’re overthinking it. Then someone catches it and it’s nice.  Charles Parlapanides : Honestly, with Greek mythology, one thing we found is that everyone has read Percy Jackson . Those books have helped our show tremendously. What got you into Greek mythology if you don’t mind me asking. I’m just so surprised. (NPN) : I’ve never actually read Percy Jackson . For a lot of years now, I’ve been a very big fan of Greek mythology. I don’t want to say that I’m an expert and that I know everything, but I definitely know a lot. Charles Parlapanides : You have an affinity for it. (NPN): I wanted to speak about Hades and Demeter. Hades is given this role this season where you see these stories about him aren’t true. In my opinion, Hades was the protagonist of this season, even though he had to do what he had to do in some cases. He’s not only in the spotlight, but his actions are as well. If we’re looking at it in a critical lens, he’s not doing anything that’s overtly evil. He’s calling out Zeus for his mistakes and he’s putting him on trial for that. He put Seraphim on trial. These are fair trials, it’s not like he’s trying to manipulate things too much. His drive, at the end of the day, is for his family. We get to see a brief glimpse of their children together and it really drives home that Hades is a man who’s hurt. Hades has been scarred, left out of the conversation, burned by his own family, banished to Hell to rule. I can have a little sympathy for this guy! He’s not doing anything that’s inherently evil. Then you have Demeter, on the other hand, where her drives are her daughter and her selfishness. She’s pushing her evil directly on innocent people and completely upending their lives. Those two are two different sides of the same coin that have been completely flipped from how we usually know them. Can you talk a little about that? Vlas Parlapanides : I love that. Again, we’ve done a bunch of interviews now for season one and now this season. You’re by far the most astute. Wow, just really, really well done. You have great questions and great observations. They’re very insightful. You just encapsulated exactly what we were trying to do. You said it in your own words. One thing as we’ve been doing this, and as we’ve been thinking about it, is that we also love this idea of antagonists [and] protagonists. I love introducing characters like Demeter and Seraphim that have a very strong point of view. Her [Demeter’s] actions, in this season, are very selfish. I’ve even shared this with Charlie that I want to capture why does she feel that way. Why is she so guarded with her daughter? Are there more layers to her? That would be something that we would love to explore god willingly if we get more seasons. You articulated that beautifully in terms of Hades doing what he’s doing for the reasons you mentioned. You [want to] empathize with it, you really do. We listen to the fans. We listen to the critics. We say “that was valid” when they say this, or “that was valid” when they say that. One of the things Charlie cites that we got repeatedly was “don’t make Hades the mustache-twirling, evil bad guy as he’s been depicted in the media.” Charles Parlapanides : Lots of other media. Vlas Parlapanides : Yeah. It was very important for us to do exactly what you encapsulated. [We’re] just really making it clear that this is Hades’ story and we kept asking what if. What if he was betrayed by Hera and Zeus? What if he’s really doing this because he really loves Persephone? What if he’s doing this because he wants to protect his family from suffering that they’re enduring? Slowly, that kind of morphed and became his story. We’re glad, so far, that Hades is one of the most… is probably the favorite character so far of everyone that has seen season two. The way you described that interpersonal relationship between Demeter and Hades is spot on.  Charles Parlapanides : We were just hoping that people would be willing to go on this journey with Hades. We thought that he was really cool. Even if you go back to the guys that created all the DC Comics , they said that the inspiration was the three brothers from Greek mythology. Zeus, who was always described as the most powerful of all the gods, that was Superman. Aquaman was obviously Poseidon. Then they said Batman was Hades. For us, of those three, Batman was always our favorite. We’ve always loved this idea of Hades in this realm. A lot of the ancient texts described him as being very wealthy, but also very lonely because his wife would always have to leave. For us, that is a cool character. We like the idea that one guy gets the Heavens while the other guy gets the ocean. The third guy is made a prison warden, and that sucks. These other guys are surfing and hanging out in the clouds while you’re seeing people get tortured and punished for the wrongs that they’ve done. For us, he’s a tortured soul. We’re rooting for that guy to be honest with you.  (NPN):  I love that. I love Batman too. He’s my favorite superhero by far. Charles Parlapanides : Batman? You’ve got good taste! (NPN) : In a potential season three, are you guys going to have it fall over an all out war that’s being hinted at and prophesied? What is the direction with Typhon being released now? Vlas Parlapanides : That’s a great question.  Charles Parlapanides : I don’t know what we can and can’t say, but there’s a reason why in episode 7 that you see Kronos, who is the leader of the Titans. What do you think? What can we say? Vlas Parlapanides : I don’t know! I think what you’re saying is very good. There’s a reason why you see Kronos. There’s an introduction there. There’s, obviously, a reason why you see Typhon. Just imagine if the Gods are split, divided is a better word. Imagine if the Gods are divided. Imagine if Kronos and Typhon were to team up. Imagine if Kronos, Typhon, and the rest of the Titans were all to get together and the Gods were divided. One would have to think the only way that they could possibly overcome all of that would be for them to come together.  Vlas Parlapanides : The Gods are like the fingers. They’re strong, but when they’re together like that, they make a fist. They’re that much stronger. Maybe it’ll go down that road, I don’t know. What I can tell you is that god willing, if we get enough people to watch season two and it does well, is that there won’t be a three and a half year stretch. We’ll have season three by -  Charles Parlapanides : In less than a year. Vlas Parlapanides : In less than a year, that’s the good news. The other thing: we’re begging people to please season two. Watch it in the first ten days and the first month because if it does well, Netflix will greenlight our Medusa animated show.  Charles Parlapanides : That’s an awesome story! I would cut off my pinkies to make that show, if I’m being honest. I just hope people show up and watch because that would be super, super cool. (NPN) : I’m hoping! I’m a very, very big Medusa enthusiast.  (NPN): As our final question today, whose character would you say that you are most excited for fans to see and experience during this second season of Blood of Zeus? Vlas Parlapanides : That’s actually an easy one for me, like Charlie said: it’s Hades. I’m excited for them to get to know the character and get to see a Hades that, we feel, hasn’t been depicted in media before. This is an original take for him and his character arc and journey. The close second would be what we do with Seraphim. For the reasons you’ve mentioned, to see where we’re bringing him down a route that leads to redemption, god willingly, [if we get a third season]. Charles Parlapanides : I agree. For me, it’s Hades and Seraphim. I really love the Hades and Persephone storyline. For me, I’m most excited about that. People seem to be really responding to it well. At least critics and you hope that the audiences do as well because it’s like that old saying Steven Spielberg said: you don’t know what you have until the audience tells you. We hope that people will like it! We like it. We think it’s cool. It seems like you liked it as well. We hope other people feel that way too.  (NPN) : Yeah, I hope so as well. This was a great interview. I really, really loved talking to you guys and just discussing everything to do with Greek mythology, this show, [and] other callbacks.  Charles Parlapanides : You’re very perceptive. Very perceptive. The pleasure was ours.  Vlas Parlapanides : The sentiments are mutual. Thank you so much for really watching it carefully and coming in with smart questions. It’s the most insightful interview we’ve had. (NPN): Thank you. Thank you so much for coming on. Thank you for supporting us and the fans and people who do things like this. It really does mean a lot when creators take time out of their busy schedule to connect with us. Vlas Parlapanides : We thank you guys. You guys help and give this stuff to the fans. Without the fans, there is no show! Charles Parlapanides:  We wouldn’t have a job! Vlas Parlapanides : We wouldn’t have a job! We’re grateful to you and we’re grateful to the fans because you make the fans happy. We need the fans to be happy, and the fans need to hear about the show. They need to tune in so that there could be a show. So, thank you.  Netflix’s Blood of Zeus is now streaming! Follow @ NexusPointNews for the latest updates in entertainment.

The Olympians have returned in Netflix’s Blood of Zeus Season Two, and with them, all of the characters we last left behind back in 2020. Heron, Seraphim, and the rest of the gang are back at the helm, and we have watched, studied, and dissected the entire season to provide our review. With that said, let’s dive right back into the tragic world of gods and monsters. Season two of the animated Greek mythology epic begins where Season one concluded, and for a time, it remains there. Given that it has been nearly four years since the show’s original debut, the opening few episodes of the second season do a heavy load of exposition back to season one’s events and finale. However, the audience is now made aware of the all-powerful Eleusinian Stone, which, while never mentioned in the first season, has a strong effect on the overall plot. Fans of Greek mythology can rejoice. Season two features several callbacks to some of the most iconic and famous Greek myths that will satisfy even the most casual of engagers. The action this season is exhilarating. Powerhouse Animation has once again delivered flawless and detailed work that enhanced the plot of the season through striking visuals and vibrant colors. The character designs continue to be a staple with their distinctive and diverse looks, which grant them even more personality. Blood of Zeus season 2 still courtesy of Netflix The second season does a tremendous job of developing character storylines and shifting the spotlight. Viewers are taken on blasts of the past that add layers to some characters, most notably the tragic love story between the God of the Underworld and the Goddess of the Harvest and Fertility. Hades is given agency through a central role opposite our main protagonists, whom he outshines at every turn. His story, partnered with Persephone, is by far the most compelling and inspiring of all the characters in season 2 and leaves fans questioning who is right and what is right. In this tale, the writers offer the world a new twist on the myth we have come to know regarding the kidnapping of Persephone and the implication of her mother, Demeter. Blood of Zeus season 2 still courtesy of Netflix Alongside this, Seraphim continues to show why he was season one’s most beloved figure through his continuing tragic journey. He remains used as a tool for the gods, and we are given more insight as to why he allies himself with those who overpower him. Blood of Zeus season 2 still courtesy of Netflix Heron finds himself on another journey of self-realization as he struggles to try and place himself in his new reality amongst the deities. However, other than a few heroic moments and until the plot requires an update on his whereabouts, Heron's journey seems to take a back burner for other characters to take the spotlight. And this is not exclusive to him. Hera, the goddess of women, marriage, and childbirth, who was season one’s most notable antagonist, takes a heavy step back in season two. When the goddess does appear, she is accompanied by strong character development after realizing the error in her actions that led to the death of her beloved Zeus. Blood of Zeus season 2 still courtesy of Netflix Seraphim and Heron build more upon their complicated relationship and continue to show why the tragic sibling storyline is always a joy to consume. The emotional vulnerability amongst all the characters breathes life into each of their paths, showcasing how flawed both God and man are and how thin the lines between the powerless and all-powerful truly are. The season is very character-driven, which adds a tremendous amount of heart to an already tragic story. However, there are moments where the plots could use some enhancement and more focus on some characters than others. The sometimes unbalanced amount of time spent on one aspect of the story compared to another is often blatant. All in all, season two of Blood of Zeus is an epic joyride of character-driven narrative that provides long-awaited fans with the pleasure of its return. The question of season three is left by the cliffhanger conclusion of season two, and let’s just say, this means war. Season 2 of Netflix’s Blood of Zeus is now streaming!

All image assets sourced from trailer and featurette released by HBO. Disclaimer: The breakdown below contains no spoilers for major plot points that will occur during season 2. Pyrotechnics Two behind the scenes shots of the use of pyrotechnics on set. The first image can be noted to be next to the large ship set possibly indicating a fiery battle involving dragons at sea. The second image is most definitely either a practice shot or an actual shot that will later be finished in post-production of a dragon burning someone. Aemond Targaryen Aemond Targaryen finds the tunnels behind the walls of the Red Keep in King’s Landing and investigates. Rhaneys Targaryen Rhaenys Targaryen can be seen walking through the painted table hall. King’s Landing throne room Two scenes (or the same scene) taking place in the King’s Landing throne room. Note that in the first image you can see the pillars of the past kings in the background. In the second frame, we all know the look of those two enormous doors from years of Game of Thrones and now House of the Dragon. Criston Cole at the Battle of Rook’s Rest Criston Cole looks to the skies in what appears to be shock or fear. This scene could potentially be when he hears or sees a dragon in the sky. Finding Lucerys’ remains Beach scene in behind the scenes trailer Beach scene in House of the Dragon team black trailer The beach scene in the new behind the scenes video is the same scene in the trailer where Rhaenyra finds/is given the remains/clothing of Lucerys. In the scene Syrax is in mourning indicating her rider Rhaenyra is as well. With a now wider shot we can speculate that a group of pirates or sailors find Lucerys’ remains and somehow makes contact with Rhaenyra in order to give them to her. It might be perhaps that they saw Lucerys and Arrax fall from the sky. Daemon Targaryen on Caraxes Deamon Targaryen on Caraxes in what is speculated to be the Riverlands as he expressed his intention to travel for the ruined fortress of Harrenhal. Soldiers of House Arryn and House Frey appearance Soldiers of House Arryn Banner of House Frey The soldiers of the Vale and the banner of House Frey can also be seen briefly. In Game of Thrones House Frey is forever remembered as the House that betrayed and killed Catelyn, Robb, and Talisa Stark at the Red Wedding. Meanwhile the famed Knights of the Vale and House Arryn soldiers are remembered for rescuing Jon Snow during the Battle of the Bastards when he was surrounded by Bolton men. Aegon’s soldiers and House Hightower soldiers The first image shows the soldiers of Aegon II Targaryen marching through the streets of King’s Landing. The second image shows House Hightower soldiers marching down what could be the Gold Road to converge at King’s Landing with the rest of the Green forces. The Green Council The Greens sit down for a Council meeting. Notable members who are visibly present are Alicent Hightower, Otto Hightower, Criston Cole, Larys Strong, Tyland Lannister, Orwyle, and Jasper Wilde, with Aegon Targaryen and Aemond Targaryen joining the group later. Marching soldiers Footmen from a variety of different Houses who are Green allied march through the forest. This is likely a scene from the Rook’s Rest episode. Rhaenyra’s sword Rhaenyra Targaryen wields a sword. She is pointing it at something or someone which could mean she has combat scenes with the sword this season, or it is just a one of scene where she picks it up to intimidate someone. The Black Council The Black council stand together for a Council meeting. Notable members who are visibly present include Rhaenys Targaryen, Baela Targaryen, Rhaena Targaryen, Daemon Targaryen, Gerardys, and Lorent Marbrand. Rhaenyra Targaryen, Corlys Velaryon, and Jacaerys Velaryon are all notable absent. Lord Corlys Velaryon grieves Corlys Velaryon can be see grieving while sitting upon the Driftwood Throne. Riots in King’s Landing Riots taking place in King’s Landing where the smallfolk are seemingly unhappy with their Green rulership. A rioter can be noted to be swinging a Rhaenyra Balck House Targaryen banner in the midst of the defiance. Scorpion A scorpion weapon can be seen being used by Green soldiers pointing upwards to the sky likely trying to hit a dragon. Scorpions were used in both season 7 and 8 of Game of Thrones when Bronn and Euron shot down Drogon and Rhaegal from the sky, the latter, fatally. Baela and Rhaena embrace Baela Targaryen and Rhaena Targaryen appear to be emotionally embracing one another. This could be in the aftermath of numerous different possible tragic events. Baela with a crossbow Baela Targaryen can be seen wielding a cross bow. It appears she is aiming it and about to fire at someone or something. This can be an indication of the children of the Dance having a more active role in the show than they did in the books. Rhaenyra and Jace at Lucerys’ funeral Rhaenyra and her son Jace as well as Rhaenys Targaryen behind both of them can be seen throwing dirt unto the burial of Lucerys. The Black Council and The Green Council Notable members of each House Targaryen faction. House of the Dragon season 2 premieres June 16 on HBO. Follow @westerosies and @NexusPointNews on X/Twitter for the latest Game of Thrones universe news.

Doctor Who is a science-fiction television show that follows The Doctor, a Time Lord who seeks to end catastrophic events after running away in a blue box to save the universe. While traveling the universe, The Doctor has the help of his companion (or companions, depending on the era in question) to assist him with helping people in need across the galaxy. THE DOCTOR The Doctor is an over one thousand year-old time traveling alien with a brilliant mind, or minds, from the planet of Gallifrey. The Doctor turned his guilt of witnessing the death of the Time Lords (his alien race) during the Time War as a catalyst to help the oppressed.  The lore of the Doctor spans over 60 years with 15 different Doctor incarnations. The first Doctor, played by William Hartnell, established the stepping stones for the character in 1963. The original seasons of Doctor Who ran from then to 1989 before the establishment of modern-day Doctor Who with Christopher Eccleston’s ninth Doctor. Other actors who follow in suit to Eccleston include David Tennant, Matt Smith, Peter Capaldi, Jodie Whittaker and Ncuti Gatwa.  In order for different Doctor incarnations to arise, the Doctor has to go through a stage called regeneration. Regeneration is the physical and physiological change of the Doctor’s body typically caused by an immense amount of stress on his physique. This provides the room for a new actor to step in the Doctor’s shoes typically for a few seasons. The current actor to take on the role of the Doctor is Ncuti Gatwa. Gatwa’s 15th Doctor follows Tennant’s 14th after the first occurrence of a bi-regeneration (that’s another story for another day if you’re new to the Who world). Ncuti Gatwa’s era of Doctor Who marks the start of a new era for the series made for new and returning viewers alike. THE TARDIS The Doctor needs a mode of transportation to travel across the galaxy, and time; here enters the TARDIS . The TARDIS (which stands for Time and Relative Dimension in Space) is a spaceship from the planet of Gallifrey stolen by the Doctor. It’s notorious for its British 1950s phone box design with an interior suitable for living since it’s “bigger on the inside”. The TARDIS’ interior often changes its design along with the Doctor’s reincarnation with more to offer each time.  While the TARDIS’ main function is to act as a spaceship for the Doctor and Co., it has a number of other functions as well. The TARDIS comes with numerous circuits to assist the Doctor and his companions including a Chameleon circuit that changes the exterior of the TARDIS to blend in with its surroundings (that's currently broken in canon), a Telepathic circuit implemented to send messages to both the Doctor and other people, and a Translation circuit that gets into a TARDIS passenger’s brain to translate any language to their native tongue, just to name a few.  COMPANIONS The Doctor typically doesn’t travel alone ─ people who tag along with him are called companions . There isn’t a specific requirement to become a companion besides for traveling with the Doctor. Their stories act as a second narrative in the show with as much complexity as the lead story. These stories can drive the narrative of the season and support the Doctor's actions as well. Most companions stay with the Doctor for a few seasons before leaving the show. Some companions have even returned later to help more people across the galaxy. The newest companion in the world of Who is Ruby Sunday (Millie Gibson), who first met Ncuti Gatwa’s Fifteenth Doctor in The Church on Ruby Road . Previous companions of the modern era include Rose Tyler, Martha Jones, Donna Noble, Amy Pond, Rory Williams, Clara Oswald, Bill Potts, and Yasmin Khan to name a few.  Gatwa’s Fifteenth Doctor already has a few companions joining his cosmic joyride. Along with Millie Gibson’s Ruby Sunday, Yasmin Finney’s Rose Noble (Donna Noble’s daughter) is expected to make an appearance in Season 1 . Varada Sethu will join Gatwa and Gibson in Doctor Who season two, now in production for Disney Plus set for a release in 2025.  WHERE TO WATCH DOCTOR WHO If you're new to Doctor Who and want to tune into Ncuti Gatwa's first season as it's airing, don't worry about trying to get caught up on prior seasons before May 10. While you should watch the other seasons eventually, this new era was formulated to be welcoming to new viewers. I recommend watching The Church on Ruby Road to see the first adventure of the Fifteenth Doctor with Ruby Sunday on Disney Plus in the meantime. All episodes of modern-day Doctor Who  (Doctor incarnations from Eccleston to Whittaker) are available on Max. If you want to see content from David Tennant’s Fourteenth Doctor, head over to Disney Plus to watch Doctor Who: The Star Beast , Doctor Who: Wild Blue Yonder , and Doctor Who: The Giggle . Season One of Doctor Who ’s new era, starring Ncuti Gatwa and Millie Gibson, premieres with two episodes on May 10th at 7PM ET/4PM PT in the US and worldwide (minus Ireland and the UK) on Disney Plus and May 11 at 12AM GMT in Ireland and the UK on BBC iPlayer.

After the conclusion of Nickelodeon's groundbreaking animated series, 'AVATAR: THE LAST AIRBENDER,' a new cult classic was born, and along with it came its very own cult following. Together, fans worldwide watched as a twelve-year-old boy was unleashed from a 100-year slumber by a brother and a sister and was subsequently taken on the adventure of a lifetime. Along the way, they allied with the forces of good, battled the forces of evil, and picked up some of the most unlikely of friends, all on a quest to end the famed Hundred Year War. In their victory, they transformed into legend, their story into history, and from that adoration came Nickelodeon's 'THE LEGEND OF KORRA.' The Legend of Korra Season 1 poster The Legend of Korra takes place 70 years after the events of the original series, at a time when an era of peace has been ushered into the world. In this tale, Aang's time as the Avatar has ended with his spirit transforming itself into a little girl named Korra, from the Southern Water Tribe. Korra is shown to be vastly different from her predecessor, headstrong and temperamental, while sharing some of his other qualities, like bravery and empathy. Since seven decades have passed since the Hundred Year War, Korra is luckily not left to pick up the broken pieces of the old world; instead, she must navigate her path as the avatar in a technologically and socially changed society. In the original Avatar series, there were several overreaching themes, such as genocide, imperialism, trauma, and governmental corruption, to name a few. However, in its sequel, themes of populism, religion, anarchism, and fascism were personified within each season through the arrival of a different antagonistic character. The Legend of Korra Season 1-4 antagonists. While both shows addressed mature themes to their audiences, The Legend of Korra can be noted to possess a distinctively specific mature atmosphere that submerges its viewers into a more adult-led world. One can argue that this is due to the older set of protagonist characters we follow along with, while others can cite how character actions, and especially their ultimate fates, are showcased within the show. With this framework in mind, there is no denying that The Legend of Korra gave an original new take on the world of Avatar while remaining true to elements from the original series, and although it was received with mixed reviews, its impact on the franchise is everlasting. It is here, in this space, that the possibility of a live-action adaptation can thrive. Throughout our time with Avatar Korra, we witnessed her experience many trials and tribulations that tested her wit, strength, faith, and resilience. Korra showcased to the world how even the most powerful of people could use a helping hand from the ones we love, and how this is not something one should be ashamed of. In her personal life, Korra faced the friend zone, heartbreak, and, in the end, epic love, which is likely how one would expect the story of a 17-year-old girl to go. Asami and Korra endgame Korra's journey served as a perfect catalyst to hold a coming-of-age story alongside her duties as the Avatar. These topics of the forces of good and evil and love and heartbreak are exactly why The Legend of Korra would make for an astounding live-action young adult series. Audiences around the world would be allowed to resonate with Korra on a deeper level should a talented writer be allowed to enhance and improve upon the shortcomings left by the animated series. A noted misstep in the production process for The Legend of Korra was the initial lack of cohesion in the overall story. For seasons 1 and 2, Nickelodeon had only greenlit the show on a season-to-season basis, leaving creators unsure if they would receive a renewal, while with seasons 3 and 4, both were renewed simultaneously, allowing for a more cohesive end to the series. This differs from the Avatar: The Last Airbender animated series, where the entire show received its green light from its initial onset, allowing the creators to create a cohesive story. Additionally, unlike Avatar: The Last Airbender's average of 20-episode-long seasons, The Legend of Korra had an average of 12 -14 episodes per season. With a previously established shortened length, the live-action show creators have the opportunity to fit The Legend of Korra within an 8-10 episode season length without omitting and rearranging major plot details from the original show. As it stands, Netflix has created a live-action Avatar: The Last Airbender series that received masses of mixed reviews, most distinctly negative. However, given its record-breaking viewership, the streaming giant has officially renewed the show for seasons 2 and 3, allowing the creators to bring to life the entire original animated series. As for The Legend of Korra, despite interest shown by Netflix's Avatar: The Last Airbender executive producer Jabbar Raisani to bring Korra into live-action, Netflix does not currently have the rights to adapt the series as the rights are currently held by Paramount. Netflix's Avatar: The Last Airbender Live-Action series poster Would a live-action Legend of Korra series work? It would seem so. However, to properly adapt Korra's journey as the avatar, the right writer and creators should be attached to the series. Who that may be is a question for another day. Follow @DiscussAvatar and @NexusPointNews for all the latest news and coverage on the Avatar Universe.

" If you don't trust me, trust my X-Men ." WARNING : This review contains spoilers  for X-Men ‘97: Season 1, Episode 9! In the wake of Magneto's worldwide electromagnetic pulse , the X-Men's war against Bastion has only arrived at a momentary lull. With the return of Charles Xavier, the X-Men reckon with the lie surrounding his faked death, which their old professor attempts to justify in classic Charles Xavier fashion, claiming the favoring of their free will outside his influence. So why has he made his return now? To preach to them after his timely departure spared him the fallout of Genosha, and act as their righteous savior? Charles Xavier everyone, the immortal hypocrite upon his infallible soapbox. The X-Men are made whole again (or whole-er?) with the awakening of Rogue, who once again finds herself in a world that is still missing her love, Gambit. In a one-on-one conversation with the old professor, she calls him out on his inability to see the X-Men as people with entire lives, and not students that need to reprimanded. Storm and Jean Grey also have a heartfelt reunion, and Forge and Beast nerd out when the former finally claims his rightful spot on the team as well. With thousands dead, worldwide infrastructure still down, and the planet's electromagnetic field dying, the X-Men deduce that action against Magneto is crucial. Although, the Master of Magnetism approaches the X-Men first in a sea of aurora borealis, shadowed by a floating island in which he intends to make a new mutant state—a new Genosha, but one not shackled to the dying planet. Instead freely existing in space. In the wake of surviving yet another genocide, Magneto has chosen to forsaken the dying planet entirely, understanding he is condemning the billions left to their demise. Xavier's dream is dead, he proclaims. It's important to showcase the nuance surrounding Magneto's rage and truly acknowledge the conditions that crafted him. Magneto is in pain . He's reeling from witnessing thousands die on Genosha and being unable to save them. He's reeling from understanding that the oppression of the minority group that he belongs to is caught in a constant cycle. He's reeling from holding a boy in his arms and watching him die. Weaker men fall. Stronger men stand. Magneto's revenge only exists because of a world that has done little to nothing in the face of mutant oppression. This man simply does not exist otherwise. To rebuke Magneto, to diminish him to a supremacist or a tyrant or a madman is to be utterly disingenuous. It's to not see the patchwork of conditions that forces someone like Magneto to see that they have no other option for survival. When we perceive resistance in the face of oppression—in the face of blatant genocide like we are seeing happening right now in Gaza, we must keep that in mind. People are not created in vacuums. We are victims of our environment, our perception, and our love for our communities. We have to recognize the factors that make us who we are, and fight against that which strips of us our facilities to imagine a world without pain and loss. Pain breeds rage. Magneto's speech is enough to sway X-Men veteran Rogue and X-Men newcomer Roberto to join his side. Rogue had also witnessed the genocide in Genosha firsthand, and Roberto was handed over to the Prime Sentinels by his mother. Who can blame them? Comic readers will note the parallel of Rogue's ascension to Magneto's side with that of X-Men veteran Colossus, in the comic crossover Fatal Attractions . While Rogue was spurred by the murder of her lover and surviving Genosha, Colossus was spurred by the death of his younger sister, Illyana, at the hand of the mutant-killing Legacy Virus. There's been enough talk—it's time for the X-Men to get to work. Gold Team consisting of Storm, Jean Grey, Cable, Morph, Forge, and Beast are sent to neutralize Bastion and his sentinels. Meanwhile, the Blue Team consisting of Cyclops, Wolverine, Jubilee, Nightcrawler, and Xavier travel to space to apprehend Magneto. (Although, why nobody realized that sending Logan, a man with metal lining his bones after the Master of Magnetism was a terrible idea is beyond me. More on that later.) The X-Men have noticeably ditched their '90s attire to sport their classic looks, which doesn't have an explicit explanation for within the narrative. Not that I'm complaining, more comic media should allow their heroes to stunt in different attire purely because why not. Jean's green dress, gaudy mask, and dishwasher gloves don't have to be earned! Personally, my belief is that they saw Ororo rocking different threads and all felt compelled to follow in the footsteps of the queen. Although, I do wonder why we got no moment explicitly outlining why Roberto even suited up in the first place. There's the beginning of the hero's journey for him, coming to terms with his mutant status and his disapproving mother, but here it falls flat and receives no attention to cinch that plot thread. Where is the call to action for him? Roberto joining Magneto is an interesting take on their Headmaster and student relationship (see 1983's The New Mutants! ), but otherwise, this character continues to be fumbled visually and narratively. Gold Team fractures early on, with Forge and Ororo staying in the sky to draw out the sentinels so the rest of the team can continue on land. There are personal gripes to be had about taking Ororo away from the meat of the conflict, again , and hand-waving this with a flashy demonstration (that's even shorter than the ones we've gotten before). However, we are given are heartfelt moment between the X-Men's two strongest members before her departure which I appreciate. " Make them mind your weather, sister. " " And them weather your mind ." Morph continues to fulfill their weekly cameo quota, this time morphing into the Incredible Hulk. Jean Grey takes the fight to Sinister head-on, displaying the might of a world-class telekinetic. Again the animation delivers on this front—it's delicious, riveting, and filling in a way that the live-action movies routinely failed to be. The tides turn however when we see the members downed one by one. Sinister manipulates Cable to turn on his mother's genetic sister, and though Jean attempts to reach out, Cable's telekinetic might seemingly overwhelms her. Simultaneously in Magneto's new mutant state, Blue Team clashes with Magneto and their former teammates, Rogue and Roberto. (With the clashing between Roberto and Jubilee, one can only hope and pray that this means a breakup is on the horizon!) Xavier and Magneto of course do their classic "This isn't you!" retort in a different flavor, and the Master of Magnetism says what we're all thinking when he tells Xavier to "shut up!" Blue Team is seemingly more successful when Wolverine gets Magneto's helmet off, which would allow Xavier to get into his mind and force him to fix the damage done to the Earth. The sh*t hits the fan when Jean telepathically links with Scott during her fight with Cable. She tells him she loves him before the link breaks. (Is she dead? Maybe? Probably? As Rogue said earlier in the episode, "Jean? Ha! Been there, done that".) This causes Scott to blast his old professor as he believes the Gold Team needs more time, which in turn allows Magneto to regain the upper hand. The episode ends promptly when Wolverine impales Magneto with his claws, though only a fool would believe the omega-level mutant would go down that easily. Remember what I said about a man with metal bones versus a man who can control metal? Magneto flips over the chess board when he uses his power to painfully extract the adamantium from Wolverine's body in a glorious display that does justice to the comic moment it mirrors. (Also from Fatal Attractions! ) Has the X-Men's boy Scott truly gone rogue ? Is Wolverine dead? Is Jean? Will Roberto and Jubilee finally break up? Will Storm finally have a central role in the narrative? How will Professor Xavier patronize us next? Find out next week in the season finale of X-Men '97!