"foX-Men" Re-Watch: "Deadpool"

 "Deadpool" (2016)

Wade Wilson aka Deadpool aka the Merc with a Mouth made his first appearance in "The New Mutants" #98 which was published in February of 1991. He was created by Fabian Niceiza and Rob Liefeld. It was his second solo series that was written by Joe Kelly and drawn by Ed McGuinness when Deadpool really came into his own and became the character we all know today. It introduced his sidekicks, Weasel and Blind Al. It was the series that gave him the character traits he is best known for and what the movie really pulls from i.e. the wisecracking, breaking the fourth wall, mercenary with a heart of gold. 

Development on a solo "Deadpool" film began in 2010, shortly after his disastrous first appearance in "X-Men Origins: Wolverine." Ryan Reynolds has been devoted to this character from the beginning and was heavily involved in the making a more comics faithful version of the character. Director Tim Miller was hired in 2011, but it wasn't until leaked test footage from 2014 earned a rapturous response from fans that the film was finally greenlit. Principal photography began on "Deadpool" in March 2015 and concluded in May 2015. The film starred Ryan Reynolds as Wade Wilson/Deadpool, Morena Baccarin as Vanessa, Ed Skrein as Francis Freeman/Ajax, T.J. Miller as Weasel, Gina Carano as Angel Dust, Brianna Hildebrand as  Negasonic Teenage Warhead and Stefan Kapicic as the voice of Colossus. The film was written by Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick. It was directed by Tim Miller. "Deadpool" was released on February 12, 2016.

"Hated and Feared" Re-Watch: "Whatever It Takes" & "Red Dawn"

 X-Men

The Shadow King is also known as Amahl Farouk. He made his first appearance in "Uncanny X-Men" #117 back in January of 1979. Farouk became a crime lord in Cairo, Egypt where he employed young Ororo Munroe as a pickpocket. When she pickpocketed a young Charles Xavier, Xavier got his wallet back but was hit by a psionic bolt. Farouk and Xavier meet and battle on the astral plane. Xavier defeats him, the first "evil" mutant he's ever encountered. This meet is what inspires Xavier to create the X-Men.

Omega Red also known as Arkady Gregorivich Rossivich made his comics debut in "X-Men" #2 in January 1992. Omega Red has a colored past. There isn't a lot known about it. He was a serial killer who as chosen to undergo experiments to turn him into a Soviet super soldier a la Captain America. The Soviets implanted him with tentacles made of carbonadium, a metal that is similar to adamantium but more malleable. The implants slowly poisoned him but he was able to use them to drain the life force of people. Omega Red needed something called a carbonadium synthesizer to stay alive but it was stolen by Wolverine, Maverick and Sabretooth, which began a lifelong adversarial relationship between Wolverine and Omega Red.

"Shield Bearers" The Falcon and the Winter Soldier Recaps: "Truth" & "One World, One People"

 The Falcon and the Winter Soldier

Man, these six episode seasons fly by don't they? We are at the last two episodes of the season and once we are done someone will have taken over the mantle of Captain America from Steve Rogers. Don't know who or hankering for a refresher? Read on.

"Fuck Batman" Titans Recap: "Lady Vic" & "51%"

 Titans

I've decided to utilize this introduction space in the gayest way possible and queen out about the outfits that Kory Anders wears. Costume designer Laura Jean Shannon is killing it. Just look at the short purple dress with the lighter lavender corset like overlay that Kory rocks in "Lady Vic." It's killer. Not to mention the purple faux fur coat that she wears throughout "51%." "Titans" disappoints me pretty regularly but the outfits never do.

A Long Time Ago, During the Clone Wars: "Corruption," "The Academy," "Assassin" & "ARC Troopers"

 Star Wars The Clone Wars

We are back to trying to make some solid Padmé episodes and while they are getting slightly better, they still aren't all the way there. But, we do get some solid Ahsoka action, so plus side? Let's take a look at the FOUR(!) episodes we are looking at in this episode.

"In the Name of the Moon" Re-Watch: "Usagi Abandoned: The Falling-Out of the Sailor Guardians" & "Usagi's Awakening: A Message From the Distant Past"

 Sailor Moon

Oh my gosh, you all. Can you believe that after this we only have two episodes left before we wrap up the classic first season of "Sailor Moon." It all comes down to these last four episodes as the girls gear up for their final confrontation with the Dark Kingdom, but first they learn about their past lives.

"Last Son" Re-Watch: "Fun and Games" & "A Little Piece of Home"

 Superman The Animated Series

One of the many things that "Batman: The Animated Series" excelled at was the music. "Superman: The Animated Series" is following suit. The main theme of the show is a re-interpretation of John Williams' classic score from the 1978 original movie. It is similar enough to the original to give you those same feels, but different enough that it's not a carbon copy. 

"The Truth Is Out There" Re-Watch: "Firewalker" & "Red Museum"

 The X-Files

Scully's back! I know, she's technically been in every episode except for one. But she and Mulder have been so apart that it feels like she's been gone. But now she's back where she belongs, at his side, pointing out the flaws in his logic. Let's see how these episodes fare now that our dynamic duo is back in the saddle.

"foX-Men" Re-Watch: "X-Men: Days of Future Past - The Rogue Cut"

 "X-Men: Days of Future Past -The Rogue Cut" (2014)

"X-Men: First Class" was a new start for Fox and the X-Men. Matthew Vaughn did a great job rebooting the franchise in the swinging Sixties and using the characters rich histories to add new pathos and depth. Vaughn was all set to return for the sequel that would adapt one of the most famous X stories for film, taking place in the early Seventies and in a post apocalyptic future featuring returning cast from the original trilogy. Vaughn ended up jumping ship to direct the first "Kingsman" movie and the "Fantastic Four" reboot. One good choice balanced by a really bad choice. Fox decided to bring back director Bryan Singer who had directed the best X movie up to this point.

Principal photography on "X-Men: Days of Future Past" began in April 2013 and concluded in August 2013. Additional filing took place in November 2013 and February 2014. The film starred Hugh Jackman as Logan/Wolverine, James McAvoy & Patrick Stewart as Charles Xavier, Michael Fassbender & Ian McKellen as Erik Lehnsherr/Magneto, Jennifer Lawrence as Raven/Mystique, Halle Berry as Ororo Munroe/Storm, Anna Paquin as Rogue, Eliot Page as Kitty Pryde, Peter Dinklage as Dr. Bolivar Trask, Nicholas Hoult as Hank McCoy/Beast, Shawn Ashmore as Bobby Drake/Iceman, Omar Sy as Bishop, Evan Peters as Peter Maximoff/Quicksilver, Josh Helman as Major Bill Stryker, Daniel Cudmore as Peter Rasputin/Colossus, Fan Bingbing as Blink, Adan Canto as Roberto DaCosta/Sunspot and Booboo Stewart as James Proudstar/Warpath. The film was written by Simon Kinberg. It was directed by Bryan Singer. "X-Men: Days of Future Past" was released on May 23, 2014. 

"Hated and Feared" Re-Watch: "Til Death Do Us Part" Parts 1 & 2

 X-Men

The season two premiere of "X-Men" was notable because it featured the wedding of Scott Summers and Jean Grey. Scott and Jean had been dating since the '60's but they had never taken that extra step. Their wedding was planned for the comics, but the animated series beat them to it. The second season premiered on October 23, 1993, but the couple's comic counterparts wouldn't tie the knot until "X-Men" #30, which hit stores in March of 1994. 

A little bit of interesting background on where the comic team was at the time. In the '90's, the X-Men were one of the most popular teams in comics. The two main X-books, "Uncanny X-Men" and the adjective less "X-Men," had two distinct teams. Storm led Jean, Iceman, Bishop, Colossus and Archangel as the Gold team in "Uncanny" and Cyclops led Wolverine, Gambit, Rogue, Psylocke, Beast and Jubilee as the Blue team in adjective less. Mutants were being ravaged by the mutant targeting Legacy Virus, but they found time to come together to celebrate these nuptials. The other main X-teams of the time: X-Force, Excalibur and X-Factor, were all on hand. Just like in the episode, Wolverine skips out on the wedding. The issue was written by Fabian Nicieza and drawn by Andy Kubert. It's not terribly difficult to hunt down a copy and I'd highly recommend a re-read before watching these episodes.

"Shield Bearers" The Falcon and the Winter Soldier Recaps: "Power Broker" & "The Whole World Is Watching"

 The Falcon and the Winter Soldier

Let's use this space to talk a little about the comics version of John Walker. Walker was a former soldier who went through a training process with the Power Broker. He eventually becomes the Super Patriot believing he represents the ideals of America more than Steve Rogers. He eventually became a super hero and ended up taking over the mantle of Captain America when Steve abandoned it and became Nomad. Walker eventually became U.S. Agent, briefly joined Force Works and continuously struggles with being a "good guy."

"Fuck Batman" Titans Recap: "Blackfire" & "Lazarus"

 Titans

"Titans" season three is pulling from a lot of Batman lore, so I thought it might be fun to use these intros to give a little background on some of the characters. We will start with Jason Todd aka the Red Hood. Jason Todd was the second Robin. He was a lot different than Dick. His father was a petty criminal who ended up in jail and never returned to the family after he was released. Jason was noticed by Batman when he tried to boost the wheels off the Batmobile. After finding out that Jason's mother had died from an overdose, Bruce took him in. Jason's rage was an issue from the beginning. On his first official mission as Robin, he found out that Two-Face killed his father. 

Jason was not a super popular character when he was introduced. DC decided they were going to let fans decide Jason's fate. There was a toll-free number they could call to decide whether Jason would live or die. Overwhelmingly, they decided he needed to die. That led to Jason being beat with a crowbar by Joker and left for dead in a warehouse. Jason was dead until Infinite Crisis where some inter dimensional punching from a tantrum throwing Superboy brought him back to life and caused Jason to become the Red Hood. Red Hood is now back in pseudo good standing with his Bat brothers and sisters, but he's always ready to cross the line Batman won't if he feels it's needed.

A Long Time Ago, During the Clone Wars: "Death Trap," "R2 Come Home" & "Lethal Trackdown"

 Star Wars: The Clone Wars

This post we are going to be spending some time with the last surviving Fett, young Boba. This is really great, completely unplanned timing since "The Book of Boba Fett," the bounty hunters Disney+ show will be premiering at the end of this month.

"In the Name of the Moon" Re-Watch: "I Won't Run Away From Love Anymore: Ami Vs. Mamoru" & "Sailor Venus' Past: Minako's Tragic Love"

 Sailor Moon

We are getting down to the wire, Moonies. We are almost finished with the inaugural season of "Sailor Moon." After this, we have four episodes left and things are getting real. We have callbacks and a look into a Sailor Guardian's past in today's episodes. Sounds intriguing, doesn't it?

"Last Son" Re-Watch: "The Last Son of Krypton" Part 1, 2 & 3

 Superman The Animated Series

I had planned on finishing out my "Batman: the Animated Series" recaps with a look at the first "season" of the comic continuation, "Batman: The Adventures Continue," but I'm still figuring out how I want to do those. So, while I worked that out, I figured I would move on to the next series in the "Timmverse" of the DCAU: "Superman: The Animated Series."

S: TAS is much like it's predecessor, "Batman: The Animated Series." About 10 years prior to the series, comic creator, John Byrne, did a soft-reboot of the Man of Steel, making him much more in line with the Superman that we know today. "Superman: The Animated Series" uses this approach. It was acclaimed for the top notch writing, the portrayal of Superman and his various allies and enemies and the voice acting, specifically Tim Daly, Dana Delany and Clancy Brown as Clark Kent/Superman, Lois Lane and Lex Luthor respectively. The show premiered on September 6, 1996.

"The Truth Is Out There" Re-Watch: "3" & "One Breath"

 The X-Files

Season two of "The X-Files" has been good, but kind of different from season one. Gillian Anderson's pregnancy caused her to film less so Mulder and Scully have spent a lot of the season so far separated. Now she's been abducted and Mulder is truly on his own. How's he handling that? Read on to find out.

"foX-Men" Re-Watch: "The Wolverine"

"The Wolverine" (2013) 

"X-Men: Origins" was a disaster. It was hot garbage. Literally one of the worst movies I've ever seen. It would have been understandable if 20th Century Fox had wanted to just shutter it and just save Logan for appearances in the X-Men movies. But they had faith they could turn it around. They initially hired Darren Aronofsky to direct the movie, but he had to drop out. James Mangold who directed the Oscar winning film "Walk the Line" stepped in. This is all good news for Logan fans.

Principal photography on "The Wolverine" began in July 2012. It wrapped in October 2012. The film stars Hugh Jackman as Logan/The Wolverine, Tao Okamoto as Mariko, Rila Fukushima as Yukio, Hiroyuki Sanada as Shingen, Svetlana Khodchenkova as Viper, Brian Tee as Noburo, Haruhiko Yamanouchi as Yashida, Will Yun Lee as Harada and Famke Janssen as Jean Grey. The film was written by Mark Bomback and Steve Frank. It was directed by James Mangold. "The Wolverine" was released on July 26, 2013.

"Hated and Feared" Re-Watch: "Days of Future Past" Parts 1 & 2 & "The Final Decision"

 X-Men

"X-Men" continues to reimagine classic comic arcs in it's first season. It tackles, arguably, one of the most famous arcs in it's decades long run in the two-parter, "Days of Future Past." The comic story was part of the epic, series defining run of writer Chris Claremont and artist Johny Byrne. The story took place in "Uncanny X-Men" #141-142. The basic story from the comic is the same. Veteran X-Man Kitty Pryde is sent from the year 2013 to 1980 to prevent the assassination Senator Robert Kelly. If you've never read the original comic story, what are you waiting for? You should definitely read it before you watch these episodes. For those of you who have read it, here we go.

"Shield Bearers" The Falcon and the Winter Soldier Recaps: "New World Order" & "The Star-Spangled Man"

 The Falcon and the Winter Soldier

"The Falcon and the Winter Soldier" was initially planned as the first of the four Disney+ Marvel series to premiere. Due to the pandemic, filming was delayed so "WandaVision" became the first to premiere. I'm not sure if that did this show any favors. "WandaVision" was a big leap for the MCU and "The Falcon and the Winter Soldier" feels much more in line with what we've come to expect. That's not a bad thing, necessarily and as the series progresses it does tackle some heavier subjects. I'm excited to see if I get more out of the show the second time around then I did the first time.

"Fuck Batman" Titans Recap: "Barbara Gordon," "Red Hood" & "Hank & Dove"

 Titans

We have made it to season three. And we are going to get a lot of Batman stuff because... people like Batman stuff? I do think it is funny that on a show about the Titans, it is basically all about Batman, but if it is good, I can forgive it and hope that they circle back to more Titans specific things in season 4. So how are these first three episodes? Let's find out.

A Long Time Ago, During the Clone Wars: "The Mandalore Plot," "Voyage of Temptation" & "Duchess of Mandalore"

 Star Wars The Clone Wars

You have maybe heard of a little show that launched when Disney+ launched called "The Mandalorian." I know it's kind of niche and a lot of people haven't heard of it, but if you're reading this, you probably enjoy it because this is a post about "Star Wars." You're in luck, because the three episodes that we are covering today all feature Mandalore. I'm joking. Of course, you've heard of the Emmy nominated, Grogu pimping sensation. But even, if you hadn't seen "The Mandalorian," you'd still enjoy these episodes.

"In the Name of the Moon" Re-Watch: "Paired with a Monster: Mako, the Ice Skating Queen" & "The Legendary Lake Yokai: The Bond of Usagi's Family"

 Sailor Moon

It's ice skating and the unbreakable bonds of family, both the one you are born into and your chosen family in today's post. Those things definitely go together, right? Makes a lot of sense.

"I Am the Night" Re-Watch: "Batman and Harley Quinn"

 The New Batman Adventures

This is it. The last of the animated films set in the B: TAS universe. Next time, we will look at the comic continuation of B: TAS, but this is it for things to watch. So, let's get right into it, shall we?

"The Truth Is Out There" Re-Watch: "Duane Barry" & "Ascension"

 The X-Files

These episodes are not just classic episodes of "The X-Files." The things that happen in these episodes have consequences that reverberate through the remainder of the series.

"foX-Men" Re-Watch: X-Men: First Class

 "X-Men: First Class" (2011)

After the critical flops that were "The Last Stand" & "X-Men Origins: Wolverine," it was pretty clear that they needed to do something different, especially since this is the first Fox "X-Men" film being released during the MCU era. What better way to jump start the franchise then doing an origin story set in the swinging '60's directed by a grungy British director. Will this be the bright shiny modern re-vamp they are hoping for?

Principal photography in August 2010 and ended in December 2010. The film stars James McAvoy as Charles Xavier, Michael Fassbender as Erik Lehnsherr, Kevin Bacon as Sebastian Shaw, Rose Byrne as Moria MacTaggert, Jennifer Lawrence as Raven/Mystique, Oliver Platt as Man In Black Suit, Alex Gonzalez as Janos Quested/Riptide, Jason Flemyng as Azazel, Zoe Kravitz as Angel Salvadore, January Jones as Emma Frost, Nicholas Hoult as Hank McCoy/Beast, Caleb Landry Jones as Sean Cassidy/Banshee, Edi Gathegi as Darwin/Armando Munoz and Lucas Till as Alex Summer/Havok. The film was written by Ashley Edward Miller, Zack Stentz, Jane Goldman and Matthew Vaughn. It was directed by Matthew Vaughn. "X-Men: First Class" was released on June 3, 2011.

"Hated and Feared" Re-Watch: "The Cure" & "Come the Apocalypse"

 X-Men The Animated Series

"X-Men: The Animated Series" continues to serve up classic heroes and villains and we are only on the ninth episode. I think everyone is ready to meet the oldest mutant out there, En Sabah Nur aka Apocalypse. 

"An Unusual Couple" WandaVision Recaps: "Breaking the Fourth Wall," "Previously On..." & "The Series Finale"

 WandaVision

It's "Eternals" eve and based on the reviews, I am a little nervous. So, it's nice to watch "WandaVision" and wrap myself in it's accolade filled trauma like a warm blanket. We are dealing with the final three episodes here and they are the best of the series for me, which is saying something.

"Fuck Batman" Titans Recap: "E.L._O.", "Faux-Hawk" & "Nightwing"

 Titans

We've reached the final three episodes of season two of "Titans." I haven't seen a show that has so much potential that squanders it in a long time. I'm kind of glad that we are going right into season three after this because I'm rooting for these crazy kids.

A Deep Dive Into the Discography: Tori Amos Part 1

 A Deep Dive Into the Discography: Tori Amos

One thing I don't talk a ton about on my blog is music. I love music. It really comforts me when I'm sad. It makes me happier. It can help bring me out of depression or calm my anxiety. There are so many artists that have impacted me in really profound ways, so I thought I would start a new little series that I would update periodically called "A Deep Dive Into the Discography," where I would take a look a the discography of some of my favorite artists and rank their albums based on my preferences. I'm also paying homage to one of my favorite podcasts "Race Chaser." Just a little housekeeping. Most of the artists will be women because female artists are my jam. And in order for me to cover a discography the artist needs to have released five albums.

Tori Amos is my number one. If you know me, you know that. She is a goddess. I'm obsessed with her. I love her. She is getting ready to release her sixteenth studio album, "Ocean to Ocean," tomorrow, so now is the perfect time for a deep dive. Tori initially was in kind of like a synth  group called "Y Kant Tori Read," but she released her first full solo album, "Little Earthquakes" in 1992. I am ranking all of Tori's albums except for "Gold Dust," which is technically a studio album but contains no new material. It's all old songs with orchestral arrangements. I will say that I can find lots of good in most Tori releases, even if they are not my favorite. So, just because it may rank lower, it doesn't mean that the album is bad or I don't like it. As always, music is subjective and these are opinions. Now, let's get to it with 14-8.

A Long Time Ago, During the Clone Wars: "Grievous Intrigue," "The Deserter," & "Lightsaber Lost"

 Star Wars The Clone Wars

We are getting deeper into "The Clone Wars" television series and the show is starting to branch out and use the war to tell interesting stories maybe on the outskirts and that is what two out of the three episodes here do.

"In the Name of the Moon" Re-Watch: "Let's Become a Princess: Usagi's Bizarre Training" & "The Snow, The Mountains, Friendship and Monsters"

 Sailor Moon

Tuxedo Mask has been brainwashed by the Dark Kingdom, we are entering the endgame of season one but "Sailor Moon" will always have time for fun, frivolous, funny episodes. I appreciate that. Things need to be light sometimes.

"I Am the Night" Re-Watch: Mystery of the Batwoman

 The New Batman Adventures

Based on the success of "Mask of the Phantasm" and "Batman & Mr. Freeze: SubZero," "Mystery of the Batwoman" is the third film in the B: TAS universe. It introduces Batwoman to the animated series, though a very different Batwoman than the comics. If you're a current comics reader or Arrowverse watcher, you're probably familiar with Kate Kane as Batwoman. A kick ass lesbian who is Bruce Wayne's cousin. This movie came out before she premiered so the movies Batwoman is based loosely on the Silver Age Batwoman. She was Kathy Kane a Gotham City heiress and former circus performer who became Batwoman to help out but mainly to get Batman's attention because she had the hots for him. This was all a an editorial ploy to quash rumors that Batman and Robin were super gay. Ah, the Silver Age. "Batman: Mystery of the Batwoman" was released on October 21, 2003, about 4 years after the final episode of "The New Batman Adventures."

"The Truth Is Out There" Re-Watch: "Blood" & "Sleepless"

 The X-Files

I'm sure we've talked about this, but isn't interesting how sometimes episodes of "The X-Files" will follow a theme? Like, there is always the overarching themes of government conspiracy, unrequited love and sexual tension, etc., but sometimes two episodes will feature some of the same things. Take "Blood" and "Sleepless." They each feature suggestion to a degree. I'm sure none of it is planned, but it is interesting.

"foX-Men" Re-Watch: X-Men Origins: Wolverine

 "X-Men Origins: Wolverine" (2009)

I mean, I don't even know how to introduce this. So, after "X-Men: The Last Stand," a solo Wolverine movie seemed like a good idea. He's mega popular. Hugh Jackman is great at playing the character. He's got charisma to spare, so why not have him star in the first solo X-Men origin story? What could possibly go wrong? Nothing, right?

Principal photography on "X-Men Origins: Wolverine" began in January 2008 and concluded in May 2008. Production was the definition of troubled. It faced multiple delays due to weather and Jackman's other commitments. The script still wasn't finished while shooting was happening, the director and Fox executives were fighting about the direction of the movie and an unfinished work print of the movie was leaked on the internet a month before its release. All great things. The film stars Hugh Jackman as James Howlett/Logan/Wolverine, Liev Schreiber as Victor Creed/Sabretooth, Danny Huston as William Stryker, will.i.am as John Wraith, Lynn Collins as Kayla Silverfox, Kevin Durand as Fred Dukes, Dominic Monaghan as Bradley, Taylor Kitsch as Remy LeBeau, Daniel Henney as Agent Zero and Ryan Reynolds as Wade Wilson. The film was written by David Benioff and Skip Woods. It was directed by Gavin Hood. "X-Men Origins: Wolverine" was released on May 1, 2009.

"Hated and Feared" Re-Watch: "Slave Island" & "The Unstoppable Juggernaut"

 X-Men The Animated Series

We are getting a lot of iconic X characters in these two episodes. A lot of them don't have speaking roles, but we do get to see them at least. This is another reason to love "X-Men." We get Easter eggs for fans from the very beginning.

"An Unusual Couple" WandaVision Recaps: "We Interrupt This Program," "On a Very Special Episode..." & "All-New Halloween Spooktacular"

 WandaVision

"WandaVision" won Marvel its first Emmys a few weeks ago, which is a big deal. It was up for some acting Emmys and didn't win any of those, which was odd to me. I definitely thought Paul Bettany and Kathryn Hahn would take it home, but I wonder if Emmy voters couldn't get past the fact that this was a superhero show. All in all, it's pretty impressive that Marvel is starting to snatch some trophies.

"Fuck Batman" Titans Recap: "Jericho," "Atonement," & "Fallen"

 Titans

Oh "Titans." There really is so much to like here, especially after that super rocky first season, but you struggle so much to get your shit together. Let's see how they are doing as we get closer to the second season finale.

A Long Time Ago, During the Clone Wars: "Weapons Factory," "Legacy of Terror" & "Brain Invaders"

 Star Wars The Clone Wars

The Battle for Geonosis Part 2 continues on these three episodes of "The Clone Wars." Obi-Wan and Ki Adi are recovered and more Jedi and Padawan's are showing up to clash with Anakin and Ahsoka. Let's get right to it.

"In the Name of the Moon" Re-Watch: Returning Memories: Usagi and Mamoru's Past" & "Usagi's Confusion: Is Tuxedo Mask Evil?"

 Sailor Moon

We kind of got left with a little bit of a cliffhanger at the end of the last episode. Usagi was revealed to be the Moon Princess was looking for. I'm always curious if there's anyone out there who hasn't seen the anime or read the manga who doesn't see this coming. It just feels so obvious, but there has to be someone who was completely shocked, right? I'd love to meet this person.

"I Am the Night" Re-Watch: "Beware the Creeper" & "Judgement Day"

 The New Batman Adventures

We did, Joe. We did it. These are the last two episodes of "Batman: The Animated Series." It's pretty exciting for me to finish this. I started it back in 2017 and four years later we are finishing the series. There will be a couple of loose ends we will have to tie up, but it's crazy to think this blog series outlasted my marriage. Without further adieu, let's get to it.

A Long Time Ago, In a Republic Far, Far Away: Pre and During the Phantom Menace

 Star Wars

I know what you're probably thinking. It's not time for a Star Wars post and this isn't about The Clone Wars. Correct on both counts. This is a special edition post, which we will have from time to time. I'm doing my best to cover the new canon in chronological order, but they are going to keep releasing new content, so sometimes we may have to backtrack a little bit, which is what we are doing today. We have a new entry into the life of Padmé Amidala that takes place after her election as Queen of Naboo.

"The Truth Is Out There" Re-watch: "Little Green Men" & "The Host"

 The X-Files

The second season of the X-Files premiered on September 16, 1994 and became a bonafide hit. It rose in the ratings every week and in total viewership. It climbed overall from 111 to 63 out of all shows on television at the time. That is not too shabby for a series that aired on Friday nights.

The second season also solidified a formula that would be relatively successful for the series moving forward. Mulder and Scully confront an unexplainable problem. They encounter roadblocks, sometimes thrown in their way by the very government they serve. The problem either resolves itself on it's own or with some help from the titular agents. Rinse. Repeat. This may seem like a critique, but it's really not, especially in these early seasons. Each episode, even at it's most ridiculous, is suspenseful. If there was one thing that holds this season back a little bit, it's that, aside from one or two episodes, humor is largely missing from these 25 episodes. The inclusion of that humor and sort of wink at the audience is what makes season 3 the best of the series. But we are getting ahead of ourselves.

Without further adieu, let's begin our journey back through season two.

"foX-Men" Re-Watch: X-Men The Last Stand

 "X-Men: The Last Stand" (2006)

After the triumph that was "X2: X-Men United," things kind of fell apart behind the scenes. Bryan Singer left the film to make a pretty terrible Superman movie. He was replaced by director Brett Ratner, a guy who was best known for the "Rush Hour" movies. Oh yeah. This is going to be great.

Principal photography on "X-Men: The Last Stand" began in August 2005 and ended in January 2006. At the time of it's release, it was also the most expensive film made. The film stars Patrick Stewart as Charles Xavier/Professor X, Ian McKellen as Erik Lehnsherr/Magneto, Hugh Jackman as Logan/Wolverine, Halle Berry as Ororo Munroe/Storm, Famke Janssen as Jean Grey, Anna Paquin as Rogue, Kelsey Grammer as Hank McCoy/the Beast, James Marsden as Scott Summers/Cyclops, Rebecca Romijn as Raven Darkholme/Mystique, Shawn Ashmore as Bobby Drake/Iceman, Aaron Stanford as John Allerdyce/Pyro, Vinnie Jones as Cain Marko/Juggernaut, Elliot Page as Kitty Pryde, Daniel Cudmore as Peter Rasputin/Colossus, Ben Foster as Warren Worthington III/Angel, Michael Murphy as Warren Worthington II, Dania Ramirez as Callisto and Shoreh Aghdashloo as Dr. Kavita Rao. The film was written by Zak Penn and Simon Kinberg. It was directed by Brett Ratner. "X-Men: The Last Stand" was released on May 26, 2006.

"Hated and Feared" Re-Watch: "Captive Hearts" & "Cold Vengeance"

 X-Men The Animated Series

If you are a comic book nerd, or any sort of nerd, you've probably seen the joke about Jean Grey fainting a lot in this show. I'm going to say, that is never something I noticed during my first watch through. It's probably because I am a blatant Jean Grey apologist and was willfully not looking for it or ignoring it. Well, I will be watching this time and I will say in this first episode, they do Jean a little dirty.

"An Unusual Couple" WandaVision Recaps: "Filmed Before a Live Studio Audience," "Don't Touch That Dial" & "Now In Color"

 WandaVision

I know what you're all thinking. Didn't he already post a long form, full series recap/thoughts piece on "WandaVision" as part of his Re-Visiting the MCU series? Yes, I did. But, I love "WandaVision." It's my favorite of the MCU shows and I really wanted to re-watch it, so I thought, why not do an episode by episode breakdown. It will be quick and painless. Three episodes per post. Three posts total. And then we will move on to The Falcon and the Winter Soldier. 

"Fuck Batman" Titans Recap: "Deathstroke," "Conner" & "Bruce Wayne"

 Titans

It's been a minute since we have talked about "Titans." Life happened and I fell away from the show. Now that the show is about midway through season 3, I thought why not go back. We will take a break from the movie DC Murderverse and dive back into the television DC Murderverse.

Previously, Dick, Rachel, Gar, Donna and Kory dealt with Trigon. Dick re-opens Titans Tower, which upsets the OG Titans and causes their greatest foe, Deathstroke, to come out of retirement. While Kory is dealing with some familial drama, Hank, Dawn and Donna are questioning Dick's decision, especially when he brings Rose, Deathstroke's daughter into the fold. The teams old foe Dr. Light, working with Deathstroke pops back up. Gar and Robin go after him alone and Robin ends up being kidnapped. A flashback reveals that Deathstroke killed former member and Donna's paramour, Garth aka Aqualad, and Dick befriended and killed (?) Deathstroke's son, Jericho, as revenge? For my thoughts on the first four episodes you can go here and here.

A Long Time Ago, During the Clone Wars: "Senate Spy" & "Landing at Point Rain"

 Star Wars The Clone Wars

I'm always really excited when I realize one of the episodes is focused on Padmé seeing as how she is one of my favorite Star Wars characters and definitely my favorite prequel trilogy characters. I am always let down. We have another one today. Will I actually be happy with it? Let's find out together.

"In the Name of the Moon" Re-Watch: "Enter Venus, The Last Sailor Guardian" & "The Shining Silver Crystal: The Moon Princess Appears"

 Sailor Moon

I have been waiting for these episodes ever since I started this recap of "Sailor Moon's" first season. Sailor Venus is my favorite of the Sailor Guardians and she finally makes her debut in these two episodes. These episodes are big on lore and they help to set up the final thrust of the second half of the season. 

"I Am the Night" Re-Watch: "Mad Love" & "Chemistry"

The New Batman Adventures

 I have to thank everyone who has been reading these recaps of "Batman: The Animated Series." It's been a few years, but we are closing in on the finish line. Including these episodes, there are four left. I've really enjoyed recapping one of my favorite shows and I'm really thankful for anyone who has read even one of these.