Well, we’ve reached the end of the road. Andor’s second and final season brought us 12 episodes of (mostly) exceptional Star Wars drama released in three-episode chunks, a format which served the structure of the show brilliantly, with each chunk representing one year in the four years leading up to Rogue One, but also meant that we didn’t get to savor the show for nearly as long.Suggested ReadingFallout Season 2 Teaser Confirms Lucy and Ghoul are Heading to New Vegas Share SubtitlesOffEnglishview videoSuggested ReadingFallout Season 2 Teaser Confirms Lucy and Ghoul are Heading to New Vegas Share SubtitlesOffEnglishEach week, we’ve gathered to discuss our reactions to the show’s latest episodes (you can find last week’s conversation here), and now, we do so for the last time. Join us as we say goodbye to this extraordinary series. Ethan Gach: I’m in camp Kleya, who called her arrival on Yavin in the final stretch of Andor “a bitter ending,” but perhaps somewhat more consoled than she was by Cassian reassurance that “nothing’s ending.”The final three episodes of season 2 were always going to be somewhat disappointing and bittersweet since we knew the show was ending and in some cases we knew where it would need to funnel people to set up Rogue One, but the final chapter still managed a surprising amount of high-stakes tension and unexpected backstory. How would you both rate the final episodes and what are you feeling now that the journey’s over?Carolyn Petit: I thought episode 10, with its look at how Luthen and Kleya formed their bond and her undertaking the terrible task of doing what needed to be done, was outstanding. (It also gave us an alien who instantly became one of my favorite Star Wars creatures ever!) Episodes 11 and 12 weren’t peak Andor, but I have to admit that the final slow-motion montage sequence really worked for me, and they had a political dimension I found somewhat surprising that I’ll discuss a bit more later.Zack Zwiezen: I was worried that the final episode would run out of steam as Tony Gilroy and co literally ran out of space for storytelling and had to slam the brakes to set up Rogue One. And while I enjoyed the montage slow-walk, I wonder if that works if you haven’t seen Rogue One. But overall, the final three episodes are really good. And I think the Kleya-Luthen focused episode is one of my favorite Andor episodes ever. I’m so happy she got a big spotlight before the end.CP: Me, too. That episode also helped cement, I think, that the show recognizes how necessary all of Luthen’s efforts were, even if those fussy ineffectual bureaucrats on Yavin don’t. This is an issue I’ve long had with how Star Wars has at times sanded away its own political dimensions in my view, something that Andor not only seeks to undo but takes farther than ever before. In truth, the act of blowing up the Death Star in the first film, that act which people cheered for in theaters in 1977 and that Star Wars fans for decades since have loved and admired, would, in universe, be considered an act of terrorism. That’s what the Empire would call it. That’s what governments do: they present their own violence as “legitimate” or “necessary” and the violence of those rebelling against them as “terrorism.” But there were times in Star Wars history where I felt like the people at the reins of the franchise wanted to send a message that you shouldn’t be “too extreme” in your resistance, don’t be a Saw Gerrera, do it through “proper channels.” And so I loved that Andor gave us that scene with Bail and some other politicians all kind of hemming and hawing over Luthen while the show, I think, was emphatically telling all of us, “Luthen was right. Maybe not every single little decision he made was right, but his ethos was fundamentally right and without someone like him, none of this would have been here.” And I loved it for that.ZZ: I think, and they talk about this in the behind the scenes, it’s very important that Luthen’s fight against the empire was really because Kleya wanted revenge.CP: Right. She’s the humanity that he’s fighting for. She’s what radicalizes him.ZZ: If he hadn’t found her and saved her, Luthen likely doesn’t become the rebel we know in Andor. And it also adds a new layer of complexity to their relationship. He was part of the army that brutalized her people. So she still has some lingering hatred for him. And yet she does care about him. And in that moment when she sneaks into the hospital to finish the job, you can feel that.EG: I think that scene with the Rebel Alliance leaders also helps show the Senate mentality creeping back in as the insurgency professionalizes itself.It’s easy to see why even after defeating the Empire in key battles it might struggle to rebuild or retain power, issues explored in Ahsoka and The Mandalorian. These last few episodes help situate Cassian between the uncompromising logic of Luthen’s spycraft and the “no one left behind” mentality of the Rebellion. Luthen’s final sacrifice is to die, and Cassian’s is to go back and risk everything just to save someone.ZZ: We should rewind a bit and talk about that moment between Luthen and Dedra. Or even further actually, and pour one out for Lonni, who I knew was dead the moment he sat down at that bench.CP: Yeah. When he mentioned his wife and kid, for a moment I thought mayyyyyyyybe Luthen would be like “You know what? I owe this guy.” But alas, no.ZZ: I also loved that line Luthen gave Klaya before the meeting: “I think we used up all the perfect.” CP: So good.LucasfilmZZ: And then we get Dedra Meero walking into Luthen’s shop as he’s destroying evidence. My wife literally gasped “OH SHIT!” at seeing Dedra at the door.EG: Only two artifacts may not be what they seem!CP: In a show that so often demands that characters put on a performance to blend into their surroundings, it was great seeing those two feel each other out and Luthen pretend for a bit that she was maybe not there to arrest him. But then, of course, he tries to kill himself, and you see that he was thinking a few steps ahead when he picked up the knife, though he made it seem like it was just part of their friendly dealings.ZZ: When he picked up the knife I was so distracted by him mentioning it being a Nautolan artifact (Kit Fisto’s species) that I didn’t realize why he picked a knife.CP: Hahaha, the perils of having a database of Star Wars knowledge in your brain!ZZ: And then after he’s taken to the hospital, we get that wonderful sequence with Klaya sneaking in and taking him off life support. Anybody else want a Hitman-like Star Wars game now?CP: If that alien Kleya pushes around as she’s pretending to be hospital personnel is in it, absolutely! But yes, that was a great infiltration sequence, both thrilling and kind of excruciating because we knew what she was going there to do.EG: It included some of the best Coruscant backdrops we’ve ever gotten, I think.CP: One other moment from that episode that I can’t stop thinking about was the flashback scene in which we see Imperial officers drag some civilians through town, put them up against a wall, and kill them. It was another gut-wrenching reminder of the Empire’s evil and another moment that felt weirdly resonant as more and more people are being arrested by agents who often won’t even show warrants or identification in the streets of our towns.ZZ: On the flipside of that horrible moment that made me feel a pit in my stomach, we have Dedra getting arrested for being reckless and not following orders by chasing after Luthen long after she was supposed to be off the Axis investigation. I have to admit I smiled when I realized it was all over for her.CP: Man, I don’t know. I mean I absolutely hate her, don’t get me wrong, and yet that final shot of her, where we see that she’s in a prison very much like the one Cassian was in last season (if not the same one) was complicated for me. Like, I think that kind of incarceration is just wrong in and of itself and so it elicited this weird moment of something like sympathy for her, which in no way means I forgive her for what she’s done. It’s just one of those reminders that it’s ultimately a systemic evil that will sometimes grind up the people operating inside of it and supporting it as much as those being actively persecuted.The leopards ate her face, in other words.ZZ: Space leopards.But I agree, yes, that the Empire is evil and the way it operates (like many real-world countries) is to crush people up to fuel the fires of growth and war. And I think it was very arrogant of her to believe she would be spared. Or maybe she truly bought into the lies that the Empire was good and doing the right thing? Surely, she won’t end up in some horrible place and left to rot forever.CP: Yep.ZZ: Meanwhile, her boss, after all of these failures and letting the info on the Death Star slip out, realizes what’s coming for him and knows he doesn’t want to be ripped apart by the machine he helped create. And takes an easier way out. CP: That was the first and only indication we ever got that Nemik’s manifesto is actually spreading around, right, that people are listening to it? That was a cool moment, I thought, where at first we think it’s non-diegetic, just the writers and filmmakers reminding us one last time of Nemik’s stirring words, but then we see, oh, no, Partagaz was actually listening to it, the fire is spreading. It’s out there.EG: I loved the scene right outside when the gun shot goes off.CP: Yeah, so clear that the guy knew Partagaz wasn’t just taking a moment to “collect his thoughts,” he knew exactly what was coming.ZZ: The slight “stand down” gesture to the troopers.EG: I appreciate the minor moments of humanity Andor evokes even between the worst people.CP: Yeah, they’re essential IMO.ZZ: It makes them more evil. They are human beings. People with feelings and thoughts. And yet they still do this shit.EG: Something also given to Krennic when he and Partagaz wish each other luck at facing Palpatine’s wrath. Unlike the more buffoonish bad guy energy he gives off in Rogue One.ZZ: Also, very fun to see a character call out the Death Star name. Partagaz thinks its dumb. It’s just one of those reminders that [the Empire is] ultimately a systemic evil that will sometimes grind up the people operating inside of it and supporting it as much as those being actively persecuted.ZZ: I’m so happy to see K-2SO back!CP: Yes. Not unlike C-3P0 he can be so exasperating at times (in an endearing and funny way), but when he goes full Terminator on Empire goons, man it feels good.For me, the whole tone of the scene with Andor and Melshi in the safehouse with Kleya and the communications jammed changed from “Oh shit, oh shit, get outta there!” to “LMAO y’all are about to get owned” as soon as K-2SO left the ship to go in for them, and it was glorious.ZZ: Yeah. The moment K-2SO shows up, it’s basically over for those imperial assholes and I loved it so much. I also like that the show uses its limited time with K-2SO to really develop a relationship between him and Cassian. They seem like buds!The part where they are playing space poker or whatever was great. Gilroy mentioned that after Bix leaves the place becomes a frat house, with Melshi moving in and them all drinking and partying between missions.CP: Ah, that totally makes sense!ZZ: I wonder if Andor is trying to drink away some pain and fill his life with friends to deal with losing Bix? That’s my read. He needs some buds and suds.CP: Definitely. There’s a part of me that still feels like Andor, the title character, could have maybe used a little bit more character development in this show, that with all of its moving pieces his own journey, both ideologically and as a person, maybe got a smidge sidelined. But I do like that we see him dreaming about his sister, since finding her was the big obsession driving him in the early episodes of season one. Now, I feel like he’s accepted that she’s gone but still the idea of her, his depth of feeling for her and the pain of losing her is part of what drives him to create a better world, not entirely unlike Luthen being driven by his love for Kleya. And speaking of love and the things that drive us, how did y’all feel about that final-final image of the show?ZZ: I loved it! To me it worked perfectly with a theme in Andor: hope.EG: “There is another.” lmao.CP: Right, to me it did in part feel like a nod to Star Wars’ obsession with dynasties and legacies, like we have to believe that, though Andor himself dies, what he stands for will live on not just as an idea but because he literally has a child. And yet, I still kinda liked it. We didn’t get a lightsaber but we did get a continued bloodline!ZZ: I think the show needed some hope at the end.EG: I think it was very thematically appropriate, even if I’m torn on the merits of mixing insurgency and family. It’s a division that feels a bit too tidy.ZZ: I think it did provide more reason for Bix leaving like she did. She was pregnant. She wanted to give her child a peaceful life and knew Andor would follow her if he knew. And in her mind, she’s thinking that they’ll get back together one day after the Empire has fallen. It’s both a very tragic final scene and also this reminder that there is more. This isn’t an ending.Screenshot: Lucasfilm / KotakuCP: Vel even tells him not to wait too long to reconnect, and we already know he never gets the chance! Really loved that those two, Cassian and Vel, got a moment here, too, and got to acknowledge all those they’ve lost along the way. But yes, you’re right, it was a lovely mix of deeply sad and hopeful, that final image. Luthen, Cassian, Saw, and so many others know they’re fighting for a world they themselves will likely not live to see. But that kid might.ZZ: And before we leave, I did like that we got one more tiny moment with Mon’s husbasndHe seems to be with the mother of the boy his daughter married? It was very fast. Couldn’t tell. But him just getting drunk in a limo on Coruscant, presumably throwing his wife under the bus and pledging loyalty to the Empire, seemed like all we needed to know about what happened to him.CP: Exactly. He is who we knew he was and his sad empty privileged life is his reward for it.I’d be curious to know how that final montage plays for folks who haven’t seen Rogue One. It really worked for me, seeing Cassian all dressed up for his fateful mission, the cuts to Dedra and other characters, and all around him, the Rebel base on Yavin, active and buzzing, about to change the galaxy, and now we know it’s all because of the efforts of so many people but among them, one Luthen Rael, an unsung hero of Star Wars. Are either of you planning on rewatching Rogue One any time soon?ZZ: I wanted to hold off until after this VG chat so I came into this without the weight of Rogue One on my mind. I plan on watching it this weekend! EG: I will say, as a parting thought, I don’t know that I needed the show to try and line up so neatly with Rogue One, perhaps the worst part of which is that silly blueprint handoff that directly leads into A New Hope. I do think some of the broader thrust of Andor and the unease and disquiet within its characters ended up being subsumed a little to neatly by the end of episode 12.CP: Oh, I agree. At a certain point in the final episode you really feel the show shift into “Okay, let’s get all the pieces in place for Rogue One” mode.ZZ: Yeah. It reminds me of the ending of Star Wars Episode III, where George Lucas sets up all the pieces for A New Hope and it feels less like an actual ending and more like a checkpoint.CP: And I think heading right from Andor into Rogue One will be quite jarring because—sorry Rogue One!—your dialogue is just not on the same level!ZZ: Nope! And what happened to Bail Organa! Did he get a haircut?CP: Hahaha.ZZ: But really, if that’s my biggest complaint about Andor—that its ending isn’t as strong as it could have been because of Rogue One—I’m still really happy.I’m not sure we’ll ever get a show like this again, or at least not for a long time. Real sets. Lots of actors. Incredible writing. Big budgets. Set in a large franchise. All this freedom. Even Gilroy has stated he’s not sure if this kind of thing will ever happen again.CP: It was glorious, and while I really hope we see more like it, I’ll try to just be grateful for the miracle that we ever got it at all. Now I just need Disney to put it on Blu-ray so I have it on physical media and it’s not trapped on a streaming service forever!ZZ: Rebellions and physical libraries of movies we love are built on hope. .

ParalegalBlizzard EntertainmentIrvine California 92618 United States of America1 hour agoApplyTeam Name:LegalJob Title:ParalegalRequisition ID:R025341Job Description:Job Title: ParalegalLocation: IrvineAt Blizzard Entertainment, we are dedicated to creating the most epic entertainment experiences…ever, driven by our core values and passion, Blizzard creates worlds with the focus to entertain the universe!We are looking for an experienced, motivated, and highly organized legal professional to join our in-house legal team as a Paralegal. You’ll partner with a close-knit team and staff across the business to draft contracts and other documents, review and clear marketing and promotional materials, and establish clear and responsive communication with internal and external clients.What You’ll DoDraft various types of contracts, including ‘Work for Hire’ agreements, services agreements, advertising insertion orders, voice-actor and talent agreements, music agreements, marketing agreements, promotional agreements, license agreements, and non-disclosure agreementsReview and clear marketing and promotional materials relating to Blizzard’s games and distribution platform, including advertising assets, email marketing messages, videos, and website and mobile application assetsAssist with the preparation of contest rules, affidavits of eligibility,y and releasesPrepare written communications to internal and external contactsPartner closely with the US legal team and business; liaise as needed with international colleaguesEnsure compliance and adherence to proper protocols in all matters related to contract drafting, validation, and record keepingTake on special projects and other duties as requestedRequirementsA Bachelor’s degree or equivalent work experienceA paralegal certificate from an ABA-accredited program5+ years of experience in a professional legal role, preferably in a contract management or paralegal roleExtensive experience drafting a variety of agreements with an emphasis on entertainment and intellectual property contracts and licensesSignificant experience reviewing and clearing marketing and promotional materialsExceptional legal research and analytical skillsThe ability to independently handle multiple projects simultaneously and under a deadlineExcellent written and oral communication skillsStrong critical-thinking skillsImpeccable organizational skills, time-management abilities, and attention to detailThe ability to act with discretion when handling confidential mattersCommon sense, good judgment, and a desire to work hard in a fast-paced environmentExperience and proficiency in the use of Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and OutlookAdvantagesExperience as a legal professional in a video game, entertainment, or media companyInternational experienceA passion for video gamesYour PlatformBest known for iconic video game universes including Warcraft®, Overwatch®, Diablo®, and StarCraft®, Blizzard Entertainment, Inc. 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amara Member Nov 23, 2021 5,483 Dynasty Warriors Origins’ gay undertones were kind of an accident, series producer admits - AUTOMATON WEST According to Dynasty Warriors Origins producer Tomohiko Sho, the game's homoerotic lines weren't entirely intentional. automaton-media.com If you found yourself thinking "Were musou games always so homoerotic?" or "Why does Lu Bu want to make me his?" while playing the franchise's latest AAA entry Dynasty Warriors Origins – you're probably not alone. In fact, even the game's producer himself, Omega Force's Sho Tomohiko, admits to being caught off guard by how fruity some of the lines in there ended up. He recently addressed the topic in an unusual three-way discussion with Denfaminicogamer and 4chan founder Hiroyuki Nishimura. Click to expand... Click to shrink... Denfaminicogamer interview said: Sho: That BL vibe was… not something I intended at all. Honestly, I'd say, "Sorry, I wasn't keeping a close enough eye on things." Hiroyuki: So you're saying that if you're not watching carefully, things just naturally veer off into BL? (laughs) Sho: I'm not saying the team did anything wrong, of course, but honestly speaking – yeah, that's kind of what happened. I came up with the core outline and worldbuilding for the game, and we were aligned on major points. However, I left the actual scenario to the writing team. (via Denfaminicogamer) Click to expand... Click to shrink... Sho mentions having a "Wait, what? moment when playing Dynasty Warriors Origins voiced for the first time (after recording was completed), as the BL fanservice was "beyond his expectations." However, he clarifies that Omega Force's team didn't make these choices on a whim, but after considering what longtime musou fans would like – and they were on the mark it seems, as Sho mentions that there were plenty of fans who loved it. On the other hand, given that things went a bit overboard for his taste, Sho says that Origins' potential sequel will tone down the gay undertones. "If we do a sequel, I think I'll personally check all the text. Although the team will probably hate that (laughs)." Click to expand... Click to shrink...   PlanetSmasher The Abominable Showman Member Oct 25, 2017 132,520 I'm gonna be honest, it made the game better. I hope they don't swing hard in the other direction for the next game out of embarrassment.   Lord Vatek Avenger Jan 18, 2018 24,670 Cowards. If you tap into the BL fanbase, you own that shit.   LordGorchnik Member Oct 30, 2017 3,656 DO THEY NOT UNDERSTAND THE POWER OF THE BL FANBASE? I am not one of them but those folks throw hard $$$$ at anything with it haha.  Fodder Aplenty Member Sep 10, 2018 305 I thought Moot was the 4chan founder? And why would he do an interview with a person like that anyway?   Pai Pai Master Member Oct 25, 2017 37,121 Atlanta GA wait this game is kinda gay? now i really need to play it   pronk Member Oct 26, 2017 2,019 Yeah it made the game way better, if anything they should go harder on it   Linus815 Member Oct 29, 2017 23,977 Fodder Aplenty said: I thought Moot was the 4chan founder? And why would he do an interview with a person like that anyway? Click to expand... Click to shrink... 4chan is just a side gig for hiro really   SirKai Member Dec 28, 2017 10,122 Washington Them making a conscious effort to avoid queer subtext and tone in future entries is coward shit. So fucking lame.   Primus Member Oct 25, 2017 4,558 "However, he clarifies that Omega Force's team didn't make these choices on a whim, but after considering what longtime musou fans would like – and they were on the mark it seems, as Sho mentions that there were plenty of fans who loved it." Click to expand... Click to shrink... There we go, see, you get it. People were super thrilled by the more overt BL in Origins, well done! "On the other hand, given that things went a bit overboard for his taste, Sho says that Origins' potential sequel will tone down the gay undertones. "If we do a sequel, I think I'll personally check all the text. Although the team will probably hate that (laughs)." Click to expand... Click to shrink... And now you've just thrown it all away! Well done! justintimberlakesideeye.gif  Starphanluke ▲ Legend ▲ Member Nov 15, 2017 8,478 The way this kind of makes me want to play the game. Annoying that they're backing down, though.   Renteka-Bond Chicken Chaser Member Dec 28, 2017 6,012 Clearwater, Florida Pai Pai Master said: wait this game is kinda gay? now i really need to play it Click to expand... Click to shrink... It's super gay. Like "if you replaced every character with a girl, it'd be a harem anime" gay. It's the best part lol Edit: Sad to see he's a huge coward though. "Everyone liked it, but fuck that, because reasons!"  cursed knowledge Member Mar 15, 2019 3,588 Brazil what is BL exactly?   nded Member Nov 14, 2017 11,793 So the producer wasn't expecting it but it sounds like the writing team knew exactly what they were doing.   Greywaren Member Jul 16, 2019 13,008 Spain Most of my interest in this game comes from the fact that I've been told there are gay undertones, so I think this worked out for them.   HStallion Member Oct 25, 2017 69,538 Don't pursue Lu Bu. He's going to pursue you   Fodder Aplenty Member Sep 10, 2018 305 Linus815 said: 4chan is just a side gig for hiro really Click to expand... Click to shrink... But he owns it, and has owned it for 10 years. He's responsible for it. I don't think we can just hand wave his connection here.  Callibretto Member Oct 25, 2017 10,344 Indonesia cursed knowledge said: what is BL exactly? Click to expand... Click to shrink... boy love or yaoi   PlanetSmasher The Abominable Showman Member Oct 25, 2017 132,520 Pai Pai Master said: wait this game is kinda gay? now i really need to play it Click to expand... Click to shrink... Your entire social link with Lu Bu is basically him actively being like "YOU ARE NOT STRONG ENOUGH TO BEAT ME BUT YOU ARE ALMOST STRONG ENOUGH AND THAT MEANS WE ARE MARRIED".  SirKai Member Dec 28, 2017 10,122 Washington cursed knowledge said: what is BL exactly? Click to expand... Click to shrink... Boy Love, a romantic sub-genre of manga.  AuthenticM Son Altesse Sérénissime The Fallen Oct 25, 2017 35,087 On the other hand, given that things went a bit overboard for his taste, Sho says that Origins' potential sequel will tone down the gay undertones Click to expand... Click to shrink... boooooo   Valcrist Tic-Tac-Toe Champion Member Oct 25, 2017 10,824 PlanetSmasher said: I'm gonna be honest, it made the game better. I hope they don't swing hard in the other direction for the next game out of embarrassment. Click to expand... Click to shrink... On the other hand, given that things went a bit overboard for his taste, Sho says that Origins' potential sequel will tone down the gay undertones. "If we do a sequel, I think I'll personally check all the text. Although the team will probably hate that (laughs)." Click to expand... Click to shrink... If that's the case they should just not make a sequel tbh.  Cantaim Member Oct 25, 2017 35,047 The Stussining cursed knowledge said: what is BL exactly? Click to expand... Click to shrink... It's usually male on male relationships written for women.   CrazyHal Member Nov 1, 2017 1,811 Pai Pai Master said: wait this game is kinda gay? now i really need to play it Click to expand... Click to shrink... It's not "kinda" gay. It's SUPER gay.  zoodoo Member Oct 26, 2017 14,520 Montreal Cantaim said: It's usually male on male relationships written for women. Click to expand... Click to shrink... That's a thing?   PlanetSmasher The Abominable Showman Member Oct 25, 2017 132,520 zoodoo said: That's a thing? Click to expand... Click to shrink... Are you surprised? It's a massive, massive slice of the fanfic sphere.  Richietto One Winged Slayer Member Oct 25, 2017 25,967 North Carolina No don't fuckin tone it down you fuckin coward what???   kubev Member Oct 25, 2017 8,130 California Lord Vatek said: Cowards. If you tap into the BL fanbase, you own that shit. Click to expand... Click to shrink... I have to say, seeing people bitch about playing as a woman in GTA6 had me thinking how funny it'd be if Rockstar gave people a choice to replace Lucia with a guy named Luke or something and with no other changes to the game but also no further explanation prior to launch, with the characters being in a relationship either way.   DyCy Member Oct 25, 2017 558 cursed knowledge said: what is BL exactly? Click to expand... Click to shrink... Bu Lu  Renteka-Bond Chicken Chaser Member Dec 28, 2017 6,012 Clearwater, Florida cursed knowledge said: what is BL exactly? Click to expand... Click to shrink... Boy kissing baby~ zoodoo said: That's a thing? Click to expand... Click to shrink... 95% of Gacha games is written with super blatant girlkisser bait and "Yuri undertones" for men. This is like that, except unintentional on their part. In the anime community, any popular anime that likely has majority men and useless women characters probably has a big BL community of artists under its belt, both because it's an underserved market but also because, most often, the relationships between men are written infinitely better than whatever female character the protag has as a love interest.  L Thammy Spacenoid Member Oct 25, 2017 54,753 It's probably accurate to the period, honestly.   L Thammy Spacenoid Member Oct 25, 2017 54,753 Liu Bei, Zhang Fei, and Guan Yu used to all sleep in the same bed.   delete12345 One Winged Slayer Member Nov 17, 2017 21,892 Boston, MA DyCy said: For context: 呂布 is pronounced as Lü Bu, one of the strongest and mightiest warriors in the Romance of the Three Kingdom.   Silvergun-Blue Member Oct 26, 2017 10,887 Flame Flamey Member Feb 8, 2018 5,316 Just saying that Rise of the Ronin has actual implied gay sex scenes, since anyone can do every romance option.   thetrin Member Oct 26, 2017 10,578 Grand Junction, CO zoodoo said: That's a thing? Click to expand... Click to shrink... I mean, everything under the sun "is a thing". It's a massively successful subgenre.  texhnolyze Shinra Employee Member Oct 25, 2017 26,308 Indonesia What, so it was a mistake and will be fixed in the sequel? lol   Atom Member Jul 25, 2021 15,257 Don't course correct just give the player a character creator next time ffs. Dial up the self insert stuff and you'll probs get even more positive buzz.   Magister Xehanort Member Sep 5, 2021 4,094 Pai Pai Master said: wait this game is kinda gay? now i really need to play it Click to expand... Click to shrink... Yes, all the characters seem obsessed with the protagonist in Dynasty Warriors Origins.   Lord Vatek Avenger Jan 18, 2018 24,670 Magister Xehanort said: Yes, all the characters seem obsessed with the protagonist in Dynasty Warriors Origins. Click to expand... Click to shrink... "Accident" my ass.   GravaGravity Member Oct 27, 2017 4,687 Brother you stumbled into the bisexual motherload you can't bury the mine now   JJD Member Oct 25, 2017 5,226 Hahaha as someone who is not used to musou games I loved it! It was just fun  Dinoegg_96 Avenger Nov 26, 2017 2,802 Honestly, that tends to happen a lot in anime.   MidasTouch Member Dec 29, 2023 1,328 Pretty weak for them to consider toning it down or removing it in future entries. Part of DW's charm is just how absurdly campy and gay it is. They especially can't walk away from this very easily when they make most every male character a prettyboy in some fashion.  Tagyhag Member Oct 27, 2017 15,103 Magister Xehanort said: Yes, all the characters seem obsessed with the protagonist in Dynasty Warriors Origins. Click to expand... Click to shrink... Lmfao, they knew exactly what they were doing, I love it. Also, if anyone knows the national DW Community, this is not surprising and I'm sure they're loving it.  Mental Atrophy Member Oct 30, 2017 1,196 I'm so oblivious that I didn't even notice while playing the game. Guan Yu certainly is dreamy, though. He can be my god of war any time.  

Get the Popular Science daily newsletter💡 Breakthroughs, discoveries, and DIY tips sent every weekday. Poison dart frogs are hard to miss. They’re bright, agile, and as their name suggests, toxic. But at least a few  of these showy amphibians have gone under the radar, until now. Scientists surveying a difficult to reach area of the Brazilian Amazon report two new species in a set of recent papers. The first, published in April in the journal ZooKeys, describes the teal and black Ranitomeya aquamarina. The second, released May 14 in the journal PLOS One, introduces the light blue striped Ranitomeya aetherea.Despite how frequently novel amphibian species are found elsewhere,  the frogs are the first newly described members of their genus in 13 years. Reaching their habitat requires flying on a small plane, followed by a 10-hour boat journey along the river, Esteban Diego Koch, a study co-author and PhD candidate in evolutionary biology at the National Institute of Amazonian Research, tells Popular Science.  That long trek for humans is a major part of why the species stayed formally undiscovered for so long, he says. It takes years to properly prepare to survey such a remote region and to build relationships with the local Indigenous community, who were instrumental in assisting and guiding the outside researchers.  The metallic poison frog (Ranitomeya aquamarina) is less than two centimeters long from snout to butt. CREDIT: Alexander Tamanini Mônico. Both of the poison dart species were discovered in pockets of open forest about 30 miles apart, along the banks of the Juruá River in western Brazil, near the border of Peru, Each species has an affinity for the same palm-like plant, with tadpoles that grow up inside the small, ephemeral pools of water that collect at the base of the leaf stalks. They spend their days perched on these plants or foraging in the nearby leaf litter, likely eating the toxic insects that help them build up their own reserves of deadly chemicals.  The frogs are named in reference to the color of the striking stripes on their backs. R. aquamarina has an array of bright turquoise lines running against a jet black background, while R. aetherea (Latin for ‘heavenly’), displays angelic, sky blue stripes against brick red. The two species share copper-colored, spotted metallic legs that resemble safari-print pants and are both about 15-17 millimeters long, about the diameter of a dime.  A male Ranitomeya aetherea sitting on a leaf. CREDIT: Alexander Tamanini Mônico. Despite all their similarities, the amphibians seem to lead divergent lives, especially when it comes to mating.R. aquamarina in pairs, suggesting the frogs couple-up to breed and stay together for an extended period of time. This type of monogamy is rare in amphibians and was only first discovered 15 years ago in another dart frog species. In contrast, R. aetherea appears to play the field. Males of the sky blue species were generally sighted solo, emitting frequent advertising calls, and switching to a courtship call when approached by females, who don’t stick around in one place for very long.  It’s a testament to how deceiving looks can be. Dart frogs have a complex evolutionary history of species emerging and subsequently re-hybridizing. In this genus of frogs, “very distinct species can have the same appearance: the same colors and the same pattern,” Koch says. Adding to the confusion, “sometimes a single species can have multiple patterns of color,” he notes.An R. aquamarina couple. The males in this species emit frequent advertising and courtship calls. CREDIT: Alexander Tamanini Mônico. Since going by appearance alone isn’t enough, the scientists conducted extensive analyses of both types of frogs to confirm that the striped and spotted dart frog specimens truly represented two new species. They used genetic sequencing, compared the sound waves of mating calls, and took exceptionally accurate measurements of dozens of frogs under a microscope. They found that the two species were quite distinct, and not as closely related as one might expect. The frogs are nested in different areas of the evolutionary tree, with separate sister species, according to the genetic analysis. However, Koch notes that more data is needed to confirm the exact relationships.  With more research, additional surprises are likely to emerge. At least one more possible new species was collected in the recent surveys, Koch says. He and his colleagues just have to finish their assessment to know for sure. Beyond what’s already been found, Koch  imagines that many more unidentified amphibians are lurking in similarly difficult to access corners of the Amazon.  The hard part is getting to them before they’re gone. Deforestation, climate change, increasingly frequent wildfires, and pet trade poaching all threaten poison dart frogs. The frogs of these two new studies were collected across two expeditions in 2023 and 2024. In just that one year gap, Koch says his colleagues noted a big change, with clear cuts and deforestation moving much closer to the amphibians’ habitat. The scientists currently don’t have enough information to know exactly how secure or at-risk either species is. Yet, given that they found each amphibian in a small range, spotted across just a couple of miles of forest, it seems likely that the toxic frogs themselves are in much more danger than their poison poses to their predators. Losing them would mean losing two especially beautiful branches on the tree of life. It would also stymie our ability to harness their potential power. Chemicals from the skin of specific dart frogs have shown promise as possible medicines. “It’s a long road,” from discovering a species to discovering its potential human applications, says Koch. “Someday, they might be useful,” he says. But, to get there, we have to let the frogs stick around. 

Australia and South America weren’t always so separate. At one time, many millions of years ago, these two continents were connected, along with others, in the southern supercontinent of Gondwana. Gondwana was a warm, forested place — a perfect home for tree frogs. In fact, the supercontinent fostered the common ancestor of the Australian pelodryadid frogs and the South American phyllomedusid frogs that are still seen, stuck to leaves and branches, today. But when did this common tree frog ancestor appear, and when did it diverge into these two separate frog families?A new study published in the Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology provides some answers. Identifying a new species of Australian tree frog from the Early Eocene around 55 million years ago, the study suggests that the Australian and South American tree frog lineages split apart at around that time, too, or even earlier than that. All in all, the study rethinks the timeline of tree frog evolution and suggests that these lineages are a lot older than traditionally thought.The Australian-South American Frog SeparationTo be sure, the new study isn’t the first to investigate the divergence of the Australian and South American tree frogs. By following the genetic transformations of these two families over time, prior molecular studies have shown, for instance, that the pelodryadids and the phyllomedusids split apart approximately 33 million years ago.The fossil record has supported that timing in the past, with the earliest Australian tree frog fossils previously appearing in Australia after 33 million years ago, in the Late Oligocene and the Early Miocene epochs about 26 and 23 million years ago. But the new species undermines this timeline, suggesting that the separation of Australian and South American tree frogs actually occurred around 55 million years ago at a minimum, or at least around 22 million years earlier than previously thought. The new species, named Litoria tylerantiqua, is now the earliest identified species of Australian tree frog there is. Represented by fossilized pelvic bones from the Murgon fossil site in Queensland, Australia, the pelodryadid species is approximately 55 million years old, or about 30 million years older than any other Australian tree frog found in the fossil record. “While molecular studies are important for understanding the evolutionary relationships of different groups of animals, these studies should be calibrated using knowledge from the fossil record,” said Roy Farman, the lead study author and a lecturer at the University of New South Wales, according to a press release. “In this case, the fossil record provides a more accurate time for separation of the southern world’s tree frogs.”Tree Frogs, Fossilized and PickledThree fossilized ilia (pelvic bones) represent a new species of Australian tree frog, Litoria tylerantiqua. (Image Credit: UNSW Sydney/Roy Farman) To confirm the species’ identification as a pelodryadid, the study authors compared the pelvises of the new species with the pelvises of pickled frogs, including Australian and South American tree frogs, from museums in Australia. “We were able to determine from the shape of the fossil ilia — one of three bones that make up each side of the pelvis — that this new Murgon species of frog is more closely related to the Australian tree frogs (pelodryadids) than the South American tree frogs (phyllomedusids),” Farman said in the release. Though the structure of the pelvic bones from the new species was relatively simple to study, the structure of the bones from the pickled species was not. “We had a real problem at the start of this study,” Farman added in the release, because the bones of the pickled specimens were “invisible,” being obscured by the specimens’ soft tissues. “Museums understandably want to ensure these often unique or rare pickled specimens remain intact for molecular studies because DNA can be obtained from their soft tissues,” Farman said in the release. “This meant that instead of [skeletonizing] these specimens, we needed instead to make CT scans of them, enabling us to create 3D models of their otherwise invisible skeletons.”The new species is named after the Australian herpetologist Michael Tyler, who was famous for studying the fossil record of Australian frogs and toads. “It is only fitting to name Australia’s earliest tree frog in [honor] of a man who was a giant in Australian frog research,” Farman said in the release. Article SourcesOur writers at Discovermagazine.com use peer-reviewed studies and high-quality sources for our articles, and our editors review for scientific accuracy and editorial standards. Review the sources used below for this article:Sam Walters is a journalist covering archaeology, paleontology, ecology, and evolution for Discover, along with an assortment of other topics. Before joining the Discover team as an assistant editor in 2022, Sam studied journalism at Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois.

YouTube announced a range of initiatives designed to attract more TV ad dollars to its platform at Brandcast, its annual Upfront event for advertisers. Notably, the Google-owned video service is expanding its relationship with the NFL and plans to exclusively stream the NFL’s first Friday game of the 2025-2026 season. It’s also preparing to pilot a new way for creators to reach the audience that watches YouTube on TV through easily organized and bingeable TV shows. The latter was first announced at YouTube’s Made On YouTube event last September, where CEO Neal Mohan explained that creators making a majority of their revenue on TV screens was up more than 30% year-over-year. A new feature being offered to select creators in the pilot program will allow them to organize their content into seasons and episodes — just like a “real” TV show. In addition to new efforts around “shoppable TV” and tools that let advertisers target major cultural moments like awards season or The PGA Championship, for instance, the company is once again sending a message to advertisers that it’s not just an online video service, it’s actually the new way people watch “TV.” As part of its NFL deal, YouTube says it will exclusively stream the first Friday game hosted in São Paulo, Brazil, to a worldwide audience. This marks the first time that YouTube has served as a live broadcaster for the NFL, it notes. (In the U.S., the game will be available to YouTube TV subscribers.) The company pointed out that users last year watched over 350 million hours of NFL content on the platform, according to its internal data, and had pulled in over 6 million live views when it streamed the NFL’s Super Bowl LIX Flag Football Game. Its expanded deal with the NFL will see it streaming that Flag Football game over multiple years to come. For creators, YouTube’s pitch focuses on bringing their content to the living room. Hundreds of creators will be a part of the initial pilot, expected to launch in the U.S. this summer, that will allow them to organize their content into a viewing experience designed for the big screen. Creators like Michelle Khare’s Challenge Accepted and Good Mythical Morning with Rhett & Link will use the new tools to turn their content into “seasons” and “episodes,” to make their content more bingeable on TV. The company is also rolling out ways to shop from YouTube with QR codes and other send-to-phone functionality, and will look to Gemini AI to match ads to popular, relevant content. During Brandcast, YouTube featured various case studies from brands like Volvo, Inspire Brands (Dunkin’), Hilton, and State Farm, that have used its advertiser tools to reach their audiences. It also reminded marketers that YouTube has been No. 1 in streaming watch time in the U.S. for more than two years, putting it ahead of Netflix, Disney, and Prime Video as of March 2025. The company also touted its more recent focus on podcasts, where it now sees over 1 billion monthly active podcast users.

Author and designer Ingrid Fetell Lee is no stranger to mood-boosting interiors. In 2009, she founded her lifestyle blog, The Aesthetics of Joy, to shed light on the relationship between our environment and our emotions, and to share ideas and inspiration for living a more joyful life through design. That endeavor led to a book on the same subject, as well as a popular TED Talk. (It's worth a watch!) Most recently, Ingrid teamed up with boutique wallpaper brand Hygge & West on a wallpaper collection that is sure to infuse any space with a more cheerful point of view. (Our personal favorites include the tomato-embellished heirloom print, the picnic stripe, as well as the graphic green-and-blue parasol motif.)In honor of Ingrid's newest endeavor, we asked the designer to share a few of her favorite ways to happy up a home. Wallpaper Your ClosetMichael PartenioA closet-turned-home office features a unexpected hit of wallcovering."A splash of wallpaper inside a closet turns an everyday moment—grabbing a coat or putting away laundry—into a small delight," says Ingrid. "Our brains are wired to notice novelty, and when something is partially hidden, like a bold pattern behind a door, it gives us the chance to rediscover it again and again." Ingrid suggests that you can create similar moments of delight by painting the inside of a cabinet a vibrant hue, adding a whimsical hook to your bathroom, or lining drawers with a cheerful print. "These elements of surprise break the monotony, keeping your environment feeling fresh," she says.Add Some CurvesMatthew KisidayA round mirror—and pretty floral wallcovering—in a powder room designed by Kendall Rabun Interiors. "Round forms—circles, spheres, arches—are more than a design preference. They’re tied to our emotional response system," says Ingrid. "Neuroscientific studies have shown that sharp angles can activate the amygdala, a part of the brain associated with fear and anxiety, while curved forms set us at ease." To soften your space, Ingrid suggests trying a circular mirror, a round coffee table, or patterns with curved shapes. "These soft forms subtly signal playfulness, making a room feel more relaxed and joyful," she says.Paint Your Door Edges (Or Stair Risers)Annie SchlechterIn the home of Brent Ridge and Josh Kilmer-Purcell, a painted stairwell brings playful energy to a more formal foyer You don’t need a lot of color to make a big impact in your space. "Just a small hit of a bright, saturated hue—like painting the edge of a door in coral or lemon yellow—can instantly lift the mood of a room," says Ingrid. "Color affects us in powerful, often subconscious ways. Research shows that people working in more colorful environments feel more alert, confident, and joyful than those in dull, neutral spaces." Ingrid also notes that the brighter the color, the less you need. "Start small by adding it in unexpected places: the back of a bookshelf, the trim of a window, or a stair riser," she says.Bring the Outside InDavid HillegasIn a Lowcountry bedroom designed by Heather Chadduck, freshly clipped branches bring the outdoors in.Natural elements have a direct connection to our well-being. "Biophilic design—a term that references our innate love of nature—has been shown to reduce stress and increase positive emotions," says Ingrid. "Plants are an ideal way to do this, but even if you don’t have a green thumb, patterns with nature motifs like vines, leaves, and flowers can bring a sense of lushness and vitality to a space. Whether it’s a lush wallpaper, a botanical print, or a natural fiber rug, these touches help create a calming, grounded feeling that reconnects us with the natural world."Embrace Repeating PatternsCourtesy of Hygge and WestA stripe repeat—like this one from Ingrid’s new collection with Hygge & West—provides comfort in its predictability.There’s something inherently joyful about repetition. "Whether it’s stripes, polka dots, scallops, or another shape, repeated motifs create rhythm and order," says Ingrid. "Psychologists believe our brains find comfort in this kind of visual predictability — it’s both soothing and energizing."Engage All of the SensesSTACY ZARIN GOLDBERGCandles? Check. Blanket? Check. Branches? Check. This breakfast room by Winsome Interior Design hits all the right notes. (Also: That blue floor!)Joy isn’t just something we see. It’s something we feel, hear, and even smell. "Soft textures, cozy materials, the scent of citrus or pine, the sound of a crackling candle or birdsong outside: all of these layer into a sensory experience that deepens our emotional connection to a place," says Ingrid. "A joyful home doesn’t just look good. It feels alive."Related StoriesRachel Hardage BarrettRachel Hardage Barrett has written for and edited lifestyle publications for more than 20 years. As the editor-in-chief of Country Living, she has covered all things related to country life—including design, gardening, food, travel, antiques, crafts, and country pop culture—for more than a decade. Before Country Living, Rachel spent several years at Southern Living, where she served as Executive Editor covering travel, food, style, and features. Before Southern Living, Rachel was the Special Projects Director of Real Simple, where she wrote and oversaw books and special issues about food, travel, weddings, organizing, and parenting in addition to working on international editions and licensed products. Before working at lifestyle brands, Rachel started her magazine career at Glamour, where she wrote and edited relationship articles, celebrity interviews, as well as fashion and features content. When she’s not working on the magazine, she can likely be found poking around an antiques shop, perusing country real estate listings, or dreaming of opening a general store.

Grok was caught earlier this year censoring results critical of President Trump and Musk himself, sowing more doubt of its factual integrity.Read More

Space Marine II now has official mod support baked into the base game, fresh from the devs’ hands to your eyeballs. This is big news, albeit for a very particular kind of fan. Allow me to give you some necessary context. Space Marine II is based in the Warhammer 40,000 universe. Which, in terms of pop culture settings, is about as deep as it gets. Starting with a tabletop strategy game that was itself a spinoff, the setting has been going strong since the late 80s, with ten editions of the main game, all with deep accompanying lore; several alternate games (ditto); hundreds of novels; and dozens of video games. All of that is, to a greater or lesser degree, canon to the game’s story. A story that takes place across literally millions of planets and tens of millions of years, dozens of human and alien species, psychic magic, demons, and sci-fi tech, all rolled together in one miserable, glorious heap of grimdark fiction. Focus Entertainment It’s a lot. I think it’s very possible that Warhammer 40K might have the most information and lore of any media property, ever. It is so deep and so wide that it makes Star Trek look like Captain Simian and the Space Monkeys. (What? Exactly.) And here’s the crazy thing: That’s just the official material. As a tabletop war game that also includes building, painting, and customizing your own incredibly delicate, tiny, and expensive army, 40K attracts the kind of fan who loves to literally get their hands dirty. You can spend thousands of hours and a small fortune painstakingly choosing your perfect fighting force, assembling them, and showing off your skills. And a lot of players aren’t content to simply go along with the game’s official story; they’d rather invent their own “chapters” or “factions” of the game’s various sci-fi legions. They do the same with the fiction itself. There are decades of fan content, an entire culture, surrounding this game, its stories and lore, and even its basic mechanics. I’m not exaggerating when I say you could spend the rest of your life obsessed with Warhammer 40,000 and still never see everything there is to see. Here’s one of my favorites, playing off the Ork’s latent psychic powers. 40K’s space Orks aren’t smart enough to make things like cars or spaceships, but because they believe a car-shaped thing should work like a car, it does. They also believe that painting a car red makes it go faster. For them, it actually does. Space Marine II knows this, knows that its most dedicated fans want to dive into all of that headfirst. While a single video game can only encapsulate a fraction of the full breadth of 40K’s official material and can’t even begin to accommodate all the unofficial stuff, it includes an impressive customization tool that lets you equip and “paint” your giant, grimdark supersoldier in an incredible variety of ways. It’s exactly the sort of thing that makes a 40K fan’s heart go pitter-patter. But for the most dedicated 40K fan, that’s still not enough. Which is why the game now has official, native support for player-created mods. It’s a formula that’s worked well for tons of PC games, from Skyrim to Cities Skylines to Baldur’s Gate III. But because of Warhammer 40K’s unique relationship with both its own medium and its fans, it’s inevitable that an explosion of user-generated content is coming. Within the first release of the official Integration Studio, modders will get access to tools for making new levels, new modes, new NPCs and enemy behavior, and even the base game’s logic. But that’s just the bones of what players can make. They can recreate essential moments from 40K fiction, like, say, the Fall of Cadia or the throne room battle of the Horus Heresy. (That would be roughly equivalent to the bombing of Pearl Harbor or the Charge of the Light Brigade, for those not in the know.) They can add in iconic allies and enemies, from an Avatar of Khaine to Ciaphas Cain. They could bring in some Exodite Eldar and play as an alien elf riding a dinosaur, which Games Workshop has yet to give players in the real game. And again, that’s just emulating the stuff from the official fiction. Warhammer 40K fan content goes hard and crazy, often leaning into the setting’s most ridiculous elements or its largely forgotten satirical bent. (The humans and Space Marines are unequivocally and almost universally bad guys, if not necessarily the Bad Guys, something that’s often overlooked in the video games.) I can’t wait to see Buzz Lightyear marines, or the Angry Marines, or the best unofficial chapter: the Space Maids, who go around in pink maid dresses giving aid and comfort to the armies of the Imperium. This is a joke. But also it isn’t. The Space Maids have semi-official lore, as official as fan content can get. They have divisions of their army with documented insignias, and they have a “Primarch” or founder like all the other Space Marine chapters/legions. They’re based on cutesy anime tropes, including lots of catgirls and baked goods. They’re wonderful. Space Maid Marines are coming to Space Marine II. It is inevitable, and it’s going to be glorious.