Narrative Designer (Writer) (Temporary) - Infinity WardActivisionWoodland Hills California 91367 United States of America1 hour agoApplyJob Title:Narrative Designer (Writer) (Temporary) - Infinity WardRequisition ID:R025334Job Description:Your PlatformFounded in 2002, Infinity Ward is the original studio behind the Call of Duty® franchise. The titles developed by Infinity Ward have won more than 200 "Game of the Year" awards and 100 "Editor's Choice" awards, among many other industry accolades. Some of our previous titles include: Call of Duty®: Ghosts , Call of Duty®: Infinite Warfare and most recently, Call of Duty®: Modern Warfare II .A critically acclaimed studio, Infinity Ward is proud to have one of the most passionate and talented development teams in the industry. We love to have as much fun as the games we create, and it shows in our relaxed, yet diligent, workplace environment. We believe that making the best games relies on having the best people, so we like to look after ours. We enjoy having fun with top-notch events that everyone gets involved with.Infinity Ward is wholly owned by Activision. To learn more about our studio, please visit us at https://www.infinityward.com/, on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/InfinityWard/, and @InfinityWard on Twitter.As a Narrative writer, you will act as one of several key contributors to the story of our games. Your work will support the vision driven by the Creative and Narrative Directors. The ideal candidate will have previous success as a Game Writer and Developer, outstanding communication skills, excellent understanding of story and game structure, and the ability to work within established narrative canon and gameplay goals. Experience in first person shooter, military and action-adventure games is highly preferred.Priorities can often change in a fast-paced environment like ours, so this role includes, but is not limited to, the following responsibilities:Develop fresh and compelling interactive stories, consistent with company game philosophy and visionProactively champion a story vision that supports overarching project goals through structure, character, and themeParticipate in the development of assets related to narrative/scripted events (gameplay, audio, art), as well as in their implementation and debug. Own and master tools and systems related to narrativeUnderstand gameplay elements and assess how they could affect the development of the story. Present collaborative solutions for adjustments as conflicts ariseWrite for various media (e.g., in-game copy, cinematic scripts, story bible documentation, pitch documentation, short stories, promotional copy)Promote excellence in storytelling craft through feedback and directionIdentify, assess, and mitigate project risksQualifications:3+ years of game development experience1-2+ shipped titles with a narrative design or writing creditBachelor’s degree in a creative or communication-focused field, or equivalent work experienceExcellent creative writing abilitiesExcellent verbal communication skillsStrong understanding of game productionPassion for storytelling and interactive mediaOur WorldAt Activision, we strive to create the most iconic brands in gaming and entertainment. We’re driven by our mission to deliver unrivaled gaming experiences for the world to enjoy, together. We are home to some of the most beloved entertainment franchises including Call of Duty®, Crash Bandicoot™, Tony Hawk’s™ Pro Skater™, and Guitar Hero®. As a leading worldwide developer, publisher and distributor of interactive entertainment and products, our “press start” is simple: delight hundreds of millions of players around the world with innovative, fun, thrilling, and engaging entertainment experiences.We’re not just looking back at our decades-long legacy; we’re forging ahead to keep advancing gameplay with some of the most popular titles and sophisticated technology in the world. We have bold ambitions to create the most inclusive company as we know our success comes from the passionate, creative, and diverse teams within our organization.We’re in the business of delivering fun and unforgettable entertainment for our player community to enjoy. And our future opportunities have never been greater — this could be your opportunity to level up.Ready to Activate Your Future?The videogame industry and therefore our business is fast-paced and will continue to evolve. As such, the duties and responsibilities of this role may be changed as directed by the Company at any time to promote and support our business and relationships with industry partners.RewardsWe provide a suite of benefits that promote physical, emotional and financial well-being for ‘Every World’ - we’ve got our employees covered! Subject to eligibility requirements, the Company offers comprehensive benefits including:Medical, dental, vision, health savings account or health reimbursement account, healthcare spending accounts, dependent care spending accounts, life and AD&D insurance, disability insurance;401(k) with Company match, tuition reimbursement, charitable donation matching;Paid holidays and vacation, paid sick time, floating holidays, compassion and bereavement leaves, parental leave;Mental health & wellbeing programs, fitness programs, free and discounted games, and a variety of other voluntary benefit programs like supplemental life & disability, legal service, ID protection, rental insurance, and others;If the Company requires that you move geographic locations for the job, then you may also be eligible for relocation assistance.Eligibility to participate in these benefits may vary for part time and temporary full-time employees and interns with the Company. You can learn more by visiting https://www.benefitsforeveryworld.com/ .In the U.S., the standard base pay range for this role is $29.81 - $55.14 Hourly. These values reflect the expected base pay range of new hires across all U.S. locations. Ultimately, your specific range and offer will be based on several factors, including relevant experience, performance, and work location. Your Talent Professional can share this role’s range details for your local geography during the hiring process. In addition to a competitive base pay, employees in this role may be eligible for incentive compensation. Incentive compensation is not guaranteed. While we strive to provide competitive offers to successful candidates, new hire compensation is negotiable. Create Your Profile — Game companies can contact you with their relevant job openings. Apply

Table of Contents Table of Contents Bad Thoughts (2025) All American (2018-) Dark Winds (2022-) It’s a fantastic month for new TV shows on Netflix. Tina Fey, Steve Carell, and Colman Domingo join forces in The Four Seasons, a romantic dramedy about three married couples whose group goes into peril when one opts for divorce. Other new shows in May include the final season of Big Mouth and Love, Death + Robots volume 4. After scanning the Netflix homepage, dive deeper into the genre sections to find even more quality television. Three of the underrated offerings this month include a sketch comedy show, a teen soap drama, and a mysterious crime thriller. Recommended Videos We also have guides to the best new shows to stream, the best movies on Netflix, the best movies on Hulu, the best movies on Amazon Prime Video, the best movies on Max, and the best movies on Disney+. Related Bad Thoughts (2025) Comedian Tom Segura has exploded in popularity thanks to his burgeoning stand-up comedy career and lucrative podcast company. Segura is betting on himself and trying his hand at sketch comedy in Bad Thoughts. Segura plays multiple characters in a series of vignettes that put the comedian in precarious situations, including an emergency landing, an assisted living facility, and the apocalypse. One of the funnier sketches involves Segura playing a country who starts a cult in hopes of becoming more relatable. Bad Thoughts is not I Think You Should Leave, but there’s enough humor in this sketch show to keep you satisfied. Watch Bad Thoughts on Netflix. Before being acquired by Nexstar a few years ago, The CW was the network for teen soaps. Riverdale, Nancy Drew, Stargirl, and The Vampire Diaries all became teen favorites and grew even bigger on Netflix. The only drama left standing is All American, a sports show set in the world of high school football. Spencer James (Daniel Ezra) is a talented high school football player from South Central Los Angeles. Spencer’s prowess draws the attention of Billy Baker (Taye Diggs), the head football coach at Beverly Hills School. Coach Baker offers Spencer a scholarship. Now a fish out of water, Spencer must navigate life on and off the field. This is a teen show, so expect a lot of relationship drama. Watch All-American on Netflix. Dark Winds was in a good position to be successful due to its critically acclaimed source material, Tony Hillerman’s Leaphorn & Chee series. Add in Robert Redford and George R.R. Martin as executive producers, and Dark Winds has become a sneaky hit for AMC. Joe Leaphorn (Zahn McClarnon) is a veteran police lieutenant in Navajo County. Leaphorn is paired with former FBI agent Jim Chee (Kiowa Gordon) to solve a serial killer wreaking havoc on the community. The deeper they dig, the further they uncover a conspiracy tied to a robbery. Backed by a terrific leading performance from McClarnon, Dark Winds is an eerie crime thriller with a suspenseful mystery at the heart of each season. Watch Dark Winds on Netflix.

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. .

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.

This article contains spoilers for Andor season 2 episodes 10, 11, and 12 and Rogue One. It feels like the Tony Gilroy-created Andor Star WarsAndor season 2 would tie directly with the start of Gareth Edwards’ Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. Though we all know how that tragic tale goes, the fact that a number of Andor’s major players are nowhere to be seen in the 2016 war epic had us worrying about their fates. After the shocking death of Kyle Soller’s Syril Karn during the Ghorman Massacre of episode 8, the final arc of episodes quickly whittled down the Andor cast to make room for the Rogue One crew. The inclusion of Ben Mendelsohn’s Orson Krennic, Forest Whitaker’s Saw Gerrera, and Diego Luna’s titular Cassian AndorRogue One, the same couldn’t be said for Stellan Skarsgård’s Luthen Rael and Anton Lesser’s Lio Partagaz. However, it’s arguably Andor’s greatest villain who gets a fate worse than death.  Denise Gough’s Dedra Meero seemed like the perfect little Imperial drone after being raised in an Imperial Kinder-block and being molded into a high-ranking supervisor in the Imperial Security Bureau (ISB). Unfortunately, this put her on a collision course with Krennic, who’s never been afraid to show he’s only looking out for himself. Things started to unravel in Andor episode 10, and after having dispatched ISB mole Lonni Jung (Robert Emms), Luthen set about erasing his existence as the Rebel spy known as Axis. It was too late for Luthen, but when Dedra arrived at his antiquities shop to confront him, things didn’t go the way she’d planned. It’s here that Dedra unveiled the Imperial N-S9 Starpath Unit that had put her on Luthen’s trail four years earlier. It’s her obsession with Axis that brings her here, and just like Syril’s vendetta against Cassian Andor sealed his fate just a few episodes earlier, she’s the architect of her own downfall. Luthen was never going to go quietly, but having achieved his goal of spreading the rebellion across the galaxy, he tries to take his life by stabbing himself with a Nautolan bleeder. Although he survives his injuries, the fact that a smug Dedra thought she could take him in and claim the glory for himself by making an unsanctioned arrest attempt without backup has riled Krennic. Things only got worse when Krennic learns Lonni had accessed Meero’s files regarding the Death Star, and although she bats off his (incorrect) assumption that she’s a Rebel spy, the catalogue of errors sees her sent to one of the Narkina moons where Cassian was locked up in season 1.  Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter, Gilroy expanded on how Meero served as an unwilling way for the Rebels to access the information on the Death Star, which ultimately catapults the story into Rogue One. “The whole ISB is coming to an end. If you think about it, if that was the CIA or any intelligence bureau,” mused Gilroy. “With those kinds of breaches and that kind of disaster happening simultaneously, it would be a cleaning of house. So she’s definitely going to go down.” Speaking to TV Line, Gough described how she was “so happy” for the audience for Dedra to end up where she is. Discussing how she’s left locked up in an Imperial prison, Gough cheered: “It’s so gratifying” to see Dedra’s location because we know what goes on in Narkina 5. Saying it’s “a perfect little button at the end of this season. You can’t have a character like that just get away with [the things she did].” As for the idea that Dedra could’ve gone the way of so many other iconic Star Wars villains, she concluded, “I’m glad she wasn’t killed. I’m really glad that we get to see her in that uniform, in that Narkina 5 [cell].” Soller similarly reflected on Dedra’s indefinite incarceration, saying how it’s poignant to see “someone who’s been so about control being put into the ultimate controlled space.” Star Wars has a habit of killing off its villains, with everyone from Emperor Palpatine (twice) to Count Dooku getting their comeuppance. Darth Maul (twice) and Jabba the Hutt all met their makers, while Grand Admiral Thrawn faced a similarly dismal fate to Dedra when he was marooned in space – although he returned in Ahsoka to presumably be killed further down the line. Just like how Syril, Partagaz, and eventually Krennic were chewed up and spat out by the system, Dedra’s fate was written in the stars as the Emperor put his plans for the Death Star into play. Even though the repeated imagery of Meero feeling choked after she was assaulted back in the season 1 finale had some believing we’d get a last-minute cameo from Darth Vader to kill her off with one of his iconic Force chokes, she gets a much better send-off.  Knowing that Dedra is presumably forced to help finish the Death Star or construct the second Death Star when the first is destroyed is equally ironic. It’s a tragic arc akin to Cassian helping build the weapon that will kill him in Rogue One, but more than this, Dedra will likely never know what happens to the ISB or the Empire. Taking Andor and Rogue One as a complete story, the high body count leaves a handful of characters like Dedra, Bix (Adria Arjona), Kleya (Elizabeth Dulau), and Vel (Faye Marsay) alive when Rogue One’s credits roll. Whereas the others get something of a happy ending, Dedra’s is far from it.  While leaving Dedra on one of the Narkina moons leaves the door open for her to return further down the line, there’s no need to. What happens to these prisons in the aftermath of the Empire’s fall is also unknown, but leaving her to rot Both seasons of Andor are available to stream on Disney+ now. Join our mailing list Get the best of Den of Geek delivered right to your inbox!

Marvel’s next genius is Riri Williams, who sets out to build something iconic in the first trailer forIronheart. After first appearing in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, MIT student Riri (Dominique Thorne) returns to Chicago with plans to build an armor suit similar to the one worn by Tony Stark. Riri’s quest leads her to Parker Robbins (Anthony Ramos), aka The Hood, a mysterious figure who offers the young heroine a chance to complete her vision. However, Robbins is willing to bend the law and do some “questionable things” to get the job done. Riri’s loved ones warn her about Robbins’ intentions, fearing it will send her down a dark path. Ultimately, it will be Riri’s decision as to how she wants to achieve greatness. Related Ironheart’s cast includes Lyric Ross, Alden Ehrenreich, Regan Aliyah, Manny Montana, Matthew Elam, and Anji White. Marvel Televison/Disney+ Chinaka Hodge is the creator and head writer of Ironheart. Executive producers include Zoie Nagelhout and Black Panther’s Ryan Coogler. The series balances elements of magic with science, resulting in a “crazy combination.” “Riri is definitely in conversation with a street-level show like Daredevil,” Coogler explained to Marvel.com. “You’ve got characters trying — both heroes and villains — to make do with what they have. Then you combine that with cosmic Marvel, characters who would be at home in Doctor Strange or WandaVision. That [mix] of street-level Marvel and magical Marvel is a pretty crazy combination.” Ironheart will conclude Phase Five of the MCU. The Fantastic Four: First Steps will kick off Phase Six in July. Ironheart will consist of six episodes that stream on Disney+. The first three episodes will premiere at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT on June 24.

They achieved the "dream of medieval alchemists."GoldfingerThe mad geniuses over at CERN have accomplished what alchemists of yore never could: they turned lead into gold.As detailed in a paper published last week in the journal Physical Review C, researchers working with the European Organization for Nuclear Research's (CERN) atom-annihilating Large Hadron Collider (LHC) accidentally transformed humble lead into temporary gold nuclei.The researchers are part of CERN's A Large Ion Collider Experiment (ALICE) project, which, put simply, involves scientists smashing atomic particles together at close to the speed of light in an attempt to replicate the conditions that followed the Big Bang.The discovery, they say, is an incidental outcome of their experimentation with collisions between lead nuclei, which contain three more protons than gold.Sometimes, as the paper explains, rather than hit each other directly, the ions graze past each other. And when that happens, the combined power of the ions' electromagnetic fields causes lead nuclei to release three of their protons in a process known as electromagnetic dissociation, effectively transmuting a lead nucleus into one of noble gold.Flashes of GoldBefore anyone gets too excited: CERN scientists aren't about to unleash the hand of Midas.As Nature reported, the researchers estimate that LHC collisions conducted between 2015 and 2018 resulted in 86 billion accidental gold nuclei. While that may sound like a lot of gold, it isn't — it only comes out to around 29 trillionths of a gram, which is worth next to nothing.The nuclei were also short-lived and likely only lasted for a microsecond or so.This would also be a wildly inefficient way to try and create gold from lead at scale, as The Register pointed out, given how much time, energy, and money go into powering the LHC.Regardless, researchers are chalking this up as a fascinating scientific finding that could pave the way for future experimentation."Understanding such processes is crucial for controlling beam quality and stability," Stony Brook University physicist Jiangyong Jia, who has worked at the LHC, told Nature.While the gold flakes may be temporary, it's a stunning result nonetheless."The transmutation of lead into gold is the dream of medieval alchemists," reads the paper, "which comes true at the LHC."More on the Large Hadron Collider: Something Wild Just Happened at the CERN Particle AcceleratorShare This Article

Most of the first trailer for Ironheart reminds viewers of what we learned in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever: that Riri Williams (Dominique Thorne) is a genius. Under pressure and threat of danger, she figures out a way to escape an elevator death trap, establishing her credibility as the greatest engineering mind since Tony Stark. But there’s one thing that Riri Williams has in common with most people, including those watching the trailer at home. As her friend puts it, “You know nothing about this man.” The man in question is Parker Robbins, played by Anthony Ramos. He appears in the trailer as a sort of morally dubious benefactor to Riri, but the most notable part of him is his unique style of dress. In most scenes, Robbins wears a leather cloak, which appears to have mystical powers. Marvel Comics readers (and Marvel Snap players) recognize Robbins as “The Hood,” a relative newcomer to the world of comics but a character with the power to shake up the MCU. Robbins made his debut in 2002’s The Hood, written by Brian K. Vaughan (Y: The Last Man, Saga) and penciled by Kyle Hotz. As part of Marvel’s mature-readers MAX line, The Hood took a sideways glance at the Peter Parker archetype, giving us a likable everyman who operated in the world of Marvel’s criminals. When Parker took a burglary job to pay for his sick mother’s treatment, he discovered a mystical cape and pair of boots, clothing that granted him the powers of flight and invisibility. While that initial story made Parker more of a normal guy who makes bad choices in difficult situations, subsequent tales have leaned into soap opera, transforming him into more of an unrepentant supervillain. In Daredevil, he sought to become the new Kingpin of Crime and he regularly butted heads with the New Avengers. During the Secret Invasion and Secret Wars storylines, Parker became a member of the Cabal, a sort of evil Illuminati, alongside villains such as Norman Osborn and Doctor Doom. Later, he joined the Thunderbolts and clashed with Hawkeye, then the team’s leader. More recently, stories about the Hood have emphasized his mystical powers, tying him to Ghost Rider and Doctor Strange’s arch-enemy Dormammu. And that’s where Parker has real potential to change the MCU. Magic has always been a key part of the MCU, ever since Thor and the first scene of Captain America: The First Avenger. More recently, movies such as Spider-Man: No Way Home and shows such as Agatha All Along have explored the magical side of the universe, indicating how it underpins everything the characters do. As seen briefly in the Ironheart trailer, the MCU version of the Hood has those same mystical powers and, if the brief shot of Parker writhing as runes form on his back is any indication, the powers may overwhelm him. Clearly, the abilities are greater than even he realizes. Furthermore, rumors have once again suggested that Mephisto, the Marvel Universe’s equivalent to Satan and a character tied to the comic book version of the Hood, will finally appear in Ironheart, played by Sacha Baron Cohen. Yes, people have been saying that since WandaVision but, given the recent Mephisto name drop in Agatha All Along, it now seems more likely. All of which raises a question: Why all this magic in Ironheart, a show about a technical genius who uses her science skills? The answer is that this clash between technology and magic has long been a theme in the Marvel Universe, going back to Iron Man‘s battles with the Mandarin, a far more magical (and far more racist) character in the comics. The bigger question involves the show’s depiction of Parker Robbins. A veteran of Hamilton and, more recently, Twisters, Ramos knows how to play a fresh-faced and likable character. Will he be able to keep audiences on his side, even as he goes deeper into the dark arts? Or will he quickly become an unrepentant villain, like his comic book counterpart. Join our mailing list Get the best of Den of Geek delivered right to your inbox! Ironheart comes to Disney+ on June 24, 2025

The UK government has outlined how it will utilise the new electronic visa (eVisa) system and “modern biometric technology” to support immigration enforcement and “strengthen the border”. Published 12 May 2025, the Home Office’s 82-page immigration whitepaper – titled Restoring control over the immigration system – contains a range of proposals for how the UK government will use data-driven technologies to track migrants and clamp down on “visa abuse” by those staying and working in the country illegally. During a press conference the same day, prime minister Keir Starmer said the whitepaper “is absolutely central to my Plan for Change”, and that it will allow the government to “take back control of our borders” after net migration quadrupled between 2019 and 2023. “Nations depend on rules – fair rules. Sometimes they’re written down, often they’re not, but either way, they give shape to our values,” he said. “Now, in a diverse nation like ours, and I celebrate that, these rules become even more important. Without them, we risk becoming an island of strangers, not a nation that walks forward together.” The whitepaper outlined how a key plank of the government’s overall approach would be using “newly gathered intelligence” from the UK’s new eVisa system – which has so far been plagued by data quality and integrity problems – to keep track of who is allowed to be in the country. “The move to digital evidence of immigration status will enable us to update records in real time when status changes, ensuring those who are no longer entitled to access public services, work or rent will have this reflected on their eVisa, rather than continuing to hold physical evidence of status which is no longer up to date,” it said, adding the intelligence provided by digital visas will allow the state to “maintain and increase contact” with people as they move through the immigration system. “Put together, the comprehensive, intelligence-led and effective roll-out of eVisas to all foreign nationals resident in the UK will have a transformative impact on our immigration controls: telling us when each individual leaves the country and when they have returned; telling us whether they have the right to work, to rent, to claim benefits or use public services, and telling us how long they have the right to stay. “Importantly, eVisas will make it much easier for Immigration Enforcement to identify those who try to stay and work in the UK illegally, to track them down and take action against them.” The government added it will also “continue to harness the latest developments in artificial intelligence [AI], facial recognition and age assessment technologies” to gather “the most accurate information” possible on every individual entering the UK, and that work is ongoing to enhance the accuracy and quality of the data held to ensure people’s status information remains up to date. Enny Choudhury, co-head of legal at the Joint Council for the Welfare of Immigrants (JCWI), said the government’s push to expand eVisa and biometric surveillance “is yet another step towards a dystopian immigration regime where people who’ve made the UK home are tracked, monitored and targeted simply because of their immigration status”. She added that the tools have nothing to do with security and are instead about giving the illusion of control: “Used alongside immigration raids and enforcement crackdowns, they will deepen mistrust, isolate communities, and expose people to errors and abuse in an already chaotic system. The eVisa roll-out has already shown itself to be riven with errors, and has left many unable to prove their status. “If ministers were serious about fairness, they’d invest in clear, compassionate immigration routes – not surveillance infrastructure that treats people as threats, not neighbours.”Computer Weekly contacted the Home Office about the criticisms levied against the whitepaper’s technology proposals, but received no response. While the government claims in the whitepaper that “the transition to eVisa has been successfully providing a significantly better end-to-end experience for individuals throughout their entire journey”, the system ran into problems almost immediately. Within the first few weeks of the eVisa system going live, for example, many reported issues when flying back to the UK, with travellers struggling to prove their immigration status to airport staff. Others have reported issues from within the UK as well, including with GPs not accepting the share codes issued via their UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) digital account, which people are supposed to be able to use to prove their immigration status when dealing with a range of third parties, including employers and letting agencies. The issues are also affecting refugees, who are reportedly having problems connecting their passports to their online visa, according to digital rights groups supporting them. Other refugees are also unable to set up or log in to their UKVI accounts – which they need to set up a bank account, claim benefits or rent housing – as they have not been forwarded the necessary details by the Home Office. “As a result of the flawed e-visa scheme, people with the legal right to be in the UK have been held at airports, denied jobs and even made homeless. Others are having to rely on [Biometric Resident Permit] documents that expired over five months ago,” said Sara Alsherif, the migrant rights programme manager at Open Rights Group (ORG). “It is outrageous that the government has the audacity to refer to the shambolic eVisa scheme as ‘successful’. But it’s beyond comprehension that they are considering relying on this flawed scheme to carry out raids and deport people.  “With the use of technology, automated decision-making and AI, we can expect to see a Windrush scandal on steroids, and the Labour government really needs to ask whether it wants to be the architect of such human rights abuses.” Digital rights campaigners have long contended that the online-only, real-time nature of the Home Office’s eVisa scheme – which trawls dozens of disparate government databases to generate a new immigration status each time someone logs in – is error-prone and “deeply problematic”. “When users enter their details to log into the Government View and Prove system [in their UKVI account], they are not accessing their status directly, but rather their credentials are being used to search and retrieve dozens of different records held on them across different databases,” said ORG in a September 2024 report. It added that research has identified more than 90 different platforms and casework systems that immigration data may be pulled from within the UKVI ecosystem to determine a person’s status: “View and Prove uses an algorithmic and probabilistic logic to determine which data to extract and which e-records to use when it encounters multiple records, i.e. in instances where people have renewed or changed their immigration status, or appealed an incorrect decision. “It is these real-time and opaque automated checks that generate a person’s immigration status, which they can then share with an employer, landlord or international carrier.”  The ORG said the online-only design choice creates multiple problems for users, including making it “impossible” for an individual to be certain that they will get a correct result on any particular occasion; increased potential for incorrect decisions as a result of people’s records being pulled from “numerous servers”: and the details of two different people being conflated in instances where they, for example, share the same name or date of birth. In its whitepaper, the government also outlined proposals to deploy “modern biometric technology” to frontline immigration enforcement officers, specifically highlighting that they will play a role in facilitating immigration raids. It added that, over the coming months, it would also roll out bodyworn video cameras to frontline teams, “together with an advanced data management system and improved mobile biometric kits, improving identity verification, transparency, accountability and officer safety”. It claimed that, taken together, “these improvements will provide an objective record of interactions, strengthen evidence gathering and increase public confidence in enforcement activity while supporting the professional standards of our staff”. According to a blog post published by home secretary Yvette Cooper – which does not mention the extensive tech-related proposals contained in the whitepaper – the new requirements laid out in the document will “[restore] order to a failed system that saw net migration quadruple between 2019 and 2023.” These measures include raising the skilled worker threshold, ending overseas recruitment for social care visas, reducing the length of time graduates can stay in the UK after studying, new penalties for businesses employing workers illegally, and streamlining the deportation process to further increase “returns of foreign national offenders”. The government has also outlined how it will prevent the “dependents” of immigrants from coming to the country if they are not proficient enough in English. Fizza Qureshi, CEO of the Migrants’ Rights Network told Computer Weekly that “immigration raids are a racist fear mechanism that disproportionately impact migrant and racialised communities”, and that the use of eVisas, Electronic Travel Authorizations (ETAs) and increased biometric data collection has been “an insidious tool” to create a database of migrants. “We were unsure of how it would be used to further surveil migrants and intensify enforcement operations,” she said. “Now, we finally know the measures set out in the new immigration whitepaper will be weaponised to further target and terrorise migrants and racialised people.” Responding to the whitepaper, trade unions and trade associations highlighted how the proposed measures could also undermine the UK’s ambitions to create a thriving, world-leading technology sector by undercutting access to talent and skills. “Continually increasing visa costs and requirements has the potential to undermine efforts to attract critically important collaboration and could undermine success in AI, tech, science, engineering and a host of other areas,” said Sue Ferns, deputy general secretary at the Prospect union. Antony Walker, deputy CEO of TechUK, added that the UK tech sector’s continued success is linked to the diverse talent it attracts from around the world: “As the demand for skilled workers in fields such as AI, cyber security, and quantum continues to grow, it is crucial that the UK grants and maintains immigration pathways that enable tech companies to access the talent they need. “A well-designed and fairly priced visa system is essential to maintaining the UK’s global competitiveness. We have the opportunity to reassess the UK’s immigration system to enhance public confidence and better support businesses. In particular, reviewing costs associated with visas and other related charges such as the Immigration Skills Charge could help ensure the system is not only fair but also effective. “If government wants to reduce reliance on the immigration system, it must urgently invest in skills and training, otherwise businesses will be left without the workforce they need to survive and grow.” Read more about immigration and technology Interview: Petra Molnar, author of ‘The walls have eyes’: Refugee lawyer and author Petra Molnar speaks to Computer Weekly about the extreme violence people on the move face at borders across the world, and how increasingly hostile anti-immigrant politics is being enabled and reinforced by a ‘lucrative panopticon’ of surveillance technologies. Greek authorities subject refugees to invasive surveillance: Greek border authorities are subjecting asylum seekers to invasive phone confiscations and artificial intelligence-powered surveillance, in another potential violation of European data protection laws. English Channel surveillance used ‘to deter and punish migrants’: Instead of opening safe and legal routes to the UK, the country’s border control ecosystem is deploying surveillance technologies in the English Channel to deter migrant crossings, it is claimed.

As promised, Marvel just released the first proper trailer for its upcoming Ironheart series on Disney Plus. Ironheart takes place after the events of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, and follows Riri Williams (Dominique Thorne) as a genius inventor with a badass mech suit (she also made her first appearance in Wakanda Forever). The new trailer starts out with just about the worst-possible job interview — which, naturally, Riri aces in her own unique way — before shifting to her actually designing the suit of armor itself, and dealing with some shady characters to get it done. By the end of the clip, of course, are some beautiful shots of a suit that would make Tony Stark jealous. Black Panther director Ryan Coogler, who also made a splash recently with Sinners, will serve as executive producer, while Chinaka Hodge (Snowpiercer, The Midnight Club) is the head writer. Ironheart starts streaming with a three-episode premiere on June 24th. It’s one part of a fairly busy 2025 for Marvel, which so far has included a return to Daredevil and a new animated Spider-Man series.