juniper | Reading

S	M	T	W	T	F	S
	1	2	3	4	5	6
7	8	9	10	11	12	13
14	15	16	17	18	19	20
21	22	23	24	25	26	27
28	29	30

All the New Science Fiction Books Arriving in July 2025

tordotcom_feed

Tuesday, July 1st, 2025 06:00 pm

Posted by Christina Orlando

https://reactormag.com/new-science-fiction-books-july-2025/

https://reactormag.com/?p=816983

Books new releases

All the New Science Fiction Books Arriving in July 2025

Meet an aeralist in a Martian circus, an ancient sorcerer in a distant galaxy, and a genetically engineered supersoldier in July’s new SF titles!

By Reactor

Published on July 1, 2025

Collection of 8 covers of the new science fiction releases for June 2025.

Here’s the full list of science fiction titles heading your way in July!

Keep track of all the new SFF releases here. All title summaries are taken and/or summarized from copy provided by the publisher. Release dates are subject to change.

July 1

Inferno’s Shadow (Artillerymen #4) — Taylor Anderson (Ace)
Colonel Lewis Cayce and his forces were a group of American soldiers bound to fight in the Mexican-American War—until they were stranded in a strange new world inhabited by vicious monsters, new friends, and deadly foes. Now Cayce has brought his army of displaced Americans and their indigenous allies into the heart of the loathsome, blood-drenched Dominion’s stronghold. If he can take the enemy’s holiest city and support the elevation of a new “Supreme Holiness” who seeks to moderate the Dominion’s thirst for expansion, slavery, and blood sacrifice, Cayce’s own goal for his army and new people to live in security and freedom will be assured. But no matter how good of a soldier he is, Cayce is ruled by reason, and the madness and seemingly suicidal treachery of his adversaries, not to mention the sheer titanic scope of the force arrayed against him, might finally be more than he can cope with. Which side will ultimately discover that even victory can end in defeat?

Infinite Archive (Midsolar Murders #3) — Mur Lafferty (Ace)
Mallory Viridian has had a quiet few months. Even with the increased influx of humans visiting Station Eternity, she hasn’t seen so much as a bar brawl. Used to people dying left and right around her, the lack of murders to solve has left her unexpectedly… bored. But humanity’s favorite way to waste time is on its way to her sector of the galaxy. A giant, one-of-a-kind data ship called Metis is bringing the entire Internet from Earth—as well as a mystery fan convention. On top of that, Mallory’s literary agent is aboard, and he tells Mallory that she’s the keynote speaker. It’s almost a relief when a killer decides to strike at the convention. When Mallory finds her agent dead, she knows she has to work fast to find the murderer. With a strange new alien with unknown motives, a ship with impossible abilities, a lonely living, comprehensive Internet, and a deadly crime to solve, Mallory has her work cut out for her

The Presence Malign (Deep Man #3) — Michael Mersault (Baen)
The heavy cruiser Salahdiin is the most powerful private warship in the history of the Myriad Worlds, and bears a Letter of Marque, the Imperial charter for legalized piracy. As the most successful fighting captain of the Imperial Fleet, Saef Sinclair-Maru is the ideal choice to command the privateer, but exchanging egotistical admirals for demanding shareholders carries its own unique challenges, particularly when the fate of humanity lies in the balance. While war rages within the Imperium, few comprehend the inhuman instigators at the heart of the conflict or their genocidal ambitions, but Saef and his counterpart, Inga, draw a surprising coterie of allies to their campaign of desperate resistance, including spy master Winter Yung, former Molo Ranger Kyle Whiteside, and even Erik Sturmsohn, a Thorsworld war chieftain sworn to overthrow the emperor. Together, in the face of approaching annihilation, they each must choose: Obedience to the edicts of their leaders, or loyalty to a deeper motivation that defines the very heart of humanity.

The Winds of Fate (Make the Darkness Light #2) — S.M. Stirling (Baen)
In a world where history can be rewritten at will, the threads of destiny intertwine in ways no one could have foreseen. Years after their groundbreaking journey into the past, Artorius and his team stumble upon a devastating revelation: the Chinese government has dispatched five time-travelers and a trove of advanced technology back to 165 CE, during the waning days of the Han dynasty. The team believed they were guiding Rome toward a new era of modernization and unity, but the emergence of Chinese influence threatens to unravel everything they have fought for. As whispers of innovation ripple through the ancient world, Artorius and his companions realize they are in a race against time—not just to protect their vision for a united future, but to prevent a catastrophic clash that could bring about nuclear war centuries sooner than they ever imagined. With their own presence now at risk of exposure, they must navigate the treacherous waters of politics, technology, and culture in a world caught between two colossal powers. As the balance of history teeters on a knife’s edge, loyalties will be tested, alliances forged, and the very fabric of fate will hang in the balance.

July 15

A Rebel’s History of Mars — Nadia Afifi (Flame Tree Press)
Kezza, an aerialist in the Martian circus, can never return to Earth—but she can assassinate the man she blames for her grim life on the red planet. Her murderous plans take an unexpected turn, however, when she uncovers a sinister secret. A thousand years into the future, Azad lives a safe but controlled life on the beautiful desert planet of Nabatea. His world is upended when he joins a crew of space-traveling historians seeking to learn the true reason that their ancestors left Mars. Separated by time and space, Kezza and Azad’s stories collide in the Martian desert.

The Immeasurable Heaven — Caspar Geon (Solaris)
The galaxy of Yokkun’s Depth has been settled since time immemorial. There is only one frontier left, and it’s a one-way journey: to pierce the skin of existence and delve the countless younger universes beneath. Running through these universes is the fabled Well, a fissure formed in the distant past into which horrors have been flung for millions of years. Amongst their number was an impossibly ancient sorcerer, cast down to the wastelands of a thousand apocalyptic worlds, never to return. Until now. Whirazomar is crossing the stars in the belly of a sentient spore, hoping she can make it to the Well before her masters’ rivals realise what she’s hunting: somewhere far below them, a hapless explorer has drafted a map of reality. A map that the exile is sure to seek out. A map so valuable that a kaleidoscope of beings will run the gauntlet of every universe to get it, even at the cost of their lives.

Ghost Cell (Ander Rade #2) — Zac Topping (Tor Books)
Ander Rade is doing his best to stay under the radar after the mess in Atlanta when he’s contacted by the Special Activities division for the Genetic Compliance Department. The mission: infiltrate a secret organization of rogue mods known as the Ghost Cell in order to find out what they’re doing and who they are doing it for. The catch: Rade’s old team leader, Sevrina Fox, is a member. But Rade’s been searching for her since his liberation from the fight pits, and he refuses to betray her now. So in exchange for his cooperation, the GCD agrees to extend their promise of an official pardon for his rogue status to her as well. As if gaining acceptance into the Ghost Cell isn’t challenging enough, Rade is forced to walk a tightrope between avoiding suspicion and minimizing collateral damage from the organization’s violent and unsanctioned operations. But as his investigation gains steam, he soon realizes that the Ghost Cell’s true ambitions are far more dangerous than anyone thinks, and that the time to act is running out. With powerful forces out to stop him, Rade must decide if there are limits to his loyalty to Sevrina, and whether that line has already been crossed, and above all, how far he’s willing to go for a pardon he’s not likely to live long enough to see.

July 22

Volatile Memory — Seth Haddon (Tordotcom Publishing)
With nothing but a limping ship and an outdated mask to her name, Wylla needs a big pay day. When the alert goes out that a lucrative piece of tech lies hidden on a nearby planet, she calls on all the swiftness of her prey-animal instincts to beat other hunters to it. What you found wasn’t your ticket out—it was my corpse wearing an AI mask. When you touched the mask, you heard my voice. A consciousness spinning through metal and circuits, a bodiless mind, spun to life in the HAWK’s temporary storage. I crystallized and realized: I was alive. Masks aren’t supposed to retain memory, much less identity, but the woman inside the MARK I HAWK is real, and she sees Wylla in a way no one ever has. Sees her, and doesn’t find her wanting or unwhole. Armed with military-grade tech and a lifetime of staying one step ahead of the hunters, Wylla and HAWK set off to get answers from the man who discarded HAWK once before: her ex-husband.

The post All the New Science Fiction Books Arriving in July 2025 appeared first on Reactor.

https://reactormag.com/new-science-fiction-books-july-2025/

https://reactormag.com/?p=816983

All the Pieces Matter: “Afterward” by Edith Wharton

tordotcom_feed

Tuesday, July 1st, 2025 05:00 pm

Posted by Sarah

https://reactormag.com/all-the-pieces-matter-afterward-by-edith-wharton/

https://reactormag.com/?p=817158

Books Dissecting The Dark Descent

All the Pieces Matter: “Afterward” by Edith Wharton

By Sam Reader

Published on July 1, 2025

Book cover of The Dark Descent horror anthology

Welcome back to Dissecting The Dark Descent, where we lovingly delve into the guts of David Hartwell’s seminal 1987 anthology story by story, and in the process, explore the underpinnings of a genre we all love. For an in-depth introduction, here’s the intro post.

Edith Wharton is a name that deserves to be invoked far more often, especially in the gothic world. While many know her novella-length character portrait Ethan Frome and her classic novel The Age of Innocence, she was a lifelong fan of ghost stories, even writing several herself while incorporating her knowledge of shifting social mores, class issues, and complex studies of characters into the mix. “Afterward” is perhaps one of her more transfixing written works, a story that uses a more “realistic” approach to its gothic horror to add greater complexity and nuance to this tale of ghosts and karmic retribution. With its introduction of realism and deeper interest in the psychological landscape of its characters, it’s every bit as horrifying and strange as the other tales of the fantastic included in The Dark Descent, but contains enough emotional truth to linger long after its haunting final lines.

Relocating from the Midwest, Mary Boyne and her husband move to Dorsetshire, where they plan to live at an old house called Lyng. Cut off from modern conventions such as indoor plumbing and electricity (the Boynes were determined to live in a very old house), Lyng’s distinguishing feature is a ghost that “no one knows is there,” with previous inhabitants only realizing that they’d had a spiritual encounter “long, long afterward.” Despite this disappointing development, the nouveau riche Boynes happily move into Lyng and set about their new life of leisure, Ned Boyne writing a book while Mary paints and takes care of the household. When a strange young man shows up at Lyng and mysteriously vanishes (taking Mr. Boyne along with him), Mary’s hunt for her husband uncovers a series of unnerving secrets about both her husband’s business affairs and the ghost of Lyng, the full extent of which will not be fully revealed until “long, long afterward.”

In the moment, people don’t usually process all of what’s happening to them. They know, of course, if something strange is going on or if something feels off. It’s a warning sign that they should pay attention, but most of the time, we don’t piece together the full picture until we’ve had time to process, to genuinely reflect on what felt so weird. In this sort of situation, it’s not until someone starts putting all the pieces together that suddenly the unnerving truth of an odd encounter or a small, weird moment is revealed to them. It’s an effect that’s used frequently in horror—you can set your watch by how many stories or visual works will allow small, sinister details to pile up until the trap is finally sprung—but Wharton’s use here feels more realistic and true to life.

Throughout “Afterward,” Mary notices various unusual details, but as they’re small moments, she doesn’t chalk them up to anything in particular. Boyne’s strange behavior can be attributed to a thousand little anxieties—moving to England, starting his book, and at points perhaps even his awareness of Lyng’s mysterious ghost, which Boyne himself might have seen. Boyne always has a handy excuse to explain away everything, from insisting that there’s no merit to his former partner Elwell accusing him of “every crime in the calendar” to claiming the first time he and Mary see the ghost of Lyng, it’s merely the man he wanted to see about the gutters. It’s not stated outright, but the glimpses start to add up. While Mary has no real reason to suspect Boyne of anything, the reader has every reason to suspect, and the way Wharton calls attention to the small details Boyne and Mary dismiss only underlines their sense of wrongness, especially on repeat readings.

It’s a common feature of toxic relationships. The person being harmed or manipulated will attempt to explain away the details that don’t jibe with their vision that everything is all right, because the truth is too psychologically devastating. Even if something is definitely wrong, even if there’s tension and quiet menace, the longer you believe everything is all right, the more likely it will be and the less likely there will be some kind of incident. You find yourself accepting any explanation for the strangeness solely in the hope that doing so will mean that things can go back to normal or return to how they were when they felt good. In Mary’s case, the more she accepts her husband’s rationalizations, the faster she can get back to enjoying life at Lyng, with its secret passages and ghosts.

The sense of small details Mary is either ignoring or doesn’t want to directly confront also applies to the oft-discussed ghost of Lyng. Mary’s friend Alida claims that no one knows they’ve seen the ghost until “afterward,” but in the few encounters Mary has with the ghost in the form of Elwell, she first explains away the figure’s indistinct appearance with her nearsightedness, and then when the ghost comes for her husband, notices that “he had an American intonation” but not the accent as well as an indistinct appearance. Mary registers that something weird is going on, but (much in the same way that her husband does with her questions) rationalizes it away as Boyne’s business and not hers. After Elwell’s eventual death, Boyne still keeps her in the dark and Mary internalizes his rationalizations, waking up the morning of his strange disappearance with a sense of “security.”

This is, in fact, the thing that ultimately proves Boyne’s undoing. Boyne, keeping his malfeasance secret from Mary and working hard to rationalize everything away, succeeds on making Mary complicit when the ghost finally comes to take him away. There’s something clearly weird about the whole thing, but it’s not until Boyne vanishes without a trace that the key details start to slam home. Wharton’s use of a more “realistic” style of haunting—most true ghost story accounts have the witness only realizing what happened after the person they were talking to walks through a wall or mysteriously vanishes—reinforces the horror, that somehow Mary let the ghost in and unwittingly played a role in dismantling what she (falsely) saw as an idyllic existence. Trying to avoid an incident led the incident directly to their door.

Modern readers, of course, know that she had nothing to do with any of this and that Boyne got what was coming to him—he was a shady businessman dragged to the netherworld because he manipulated everyone around him and refused to face the consequences of his actions. Knowing that Mary is better off and feeling that Mary is better off are, however, two different things entirely. It’s here where Wharton’s realism has its harshest sting—the hole torn in the world by the shady, manipulative Mr. Boyne still leaves horror and trauma behind, and even if karmic retribution is just, justice sometimes looks unfathomably cruel to those like Mary who don’t see the complete picture until long, long afterward.

And now to turn it over to you. Was your main experience with reading Edith Wharton Ethan Frome, or another work? Do you think Mary will recover from her terrible ordeal now that Boyne has vanished? Does Wharton’s attention to mirroring accounts of “authentic” hauntings heighten or lessen the horror?

Please join us in two weeks as we explore an area of singular loneliness with “The Willows,” by Algernon Blackwood.[end-mark]

The post All the Pieces Matter: “Afterward” by Edith Wharton appeared first on Reactor.

https://reactormag.com/all-the-pieces-matter-afterward-by-edith-wharton/

https://reactormag.com/?p=817158

Story for Story’s Sake: Wanderstop and SFF Books That Reward Reflection

tordotcom_feed

Tuesday, July 1st, 2025 04:00 pm

Posted by Sarah

https://reactormag.com/story-for-storys-sake-wanderstop-and-sff-books-that-reward-reflection/

https://reactormag.com/?p=817162

Books storytelling

Story for Story’s Sake: Wanderstop and SFF Books That Reward Reflection

Immersive tales that bring you into the telling…

By Cole Rush

Published on July 1, 2025

Credit: Ivy Road

[Error: Irreparable invalid markup ('<a [...] w-[18px]>') in entry. Owner must fix manually. Raw contents below.]

<p class="syndicationauthor">Posted by Sarah</p><p class="ljsyndicationlink"><a href="https://reactormag.com/story-for-storys-sake-wanderstop-and-sff-books-that-reward-reflection/">https://reactormag.com/story-for-storys-sake-wanderstop-and-sff-books-that-reward-reflection/</a></p><p class="ljsyndicationlink"><a href="https://reactormag.com/?p=817162">https://reactormag.com/?p=817162</a></p><post-hero class="wp-block-post-hero js-post-hero post-hero post-hero-horizontal"> <div class="container container-desktop"> <div class="flex flex-col mx-auto post-hero-container"> <div class="post-hero-content"> <div class="post-hero-tags font-aktiv text-xs tracking-[0.5px] font-medium uppercase"> <span class="mr-3"> <i class="inline-block w-2 h-2 rounded-full mr-[5px] bg-blue"></i> <a href="https://reactormag.com/articles/books/" class="inline-block link-no-animation" aria-label="Link to term or tag Books 0"> Books </a> </span> <span class="mr-3"> <i class="inline-block w-2 h-2 rounded-full mr-[5px] bg-blue"></i> <a href="https://reactormag.com/tag/storytelling/" class="inline-block link-no-animation" aria-label="Link to term or tag storytelling 1"> storytelling </a> </span> </div> <h2 class="post-hero-title text-h1">Story for Story’s Sake: <i>Wanderstop</i> and SFF Books That Reward Reflection</h2> <div class="prose post-hero-description prose--post-hero">Immersive tales that bring you into the telling…</div> <div class="post-hero-wrapper"> <div class="post-hero-inner"> <p class="post-hero-author text-xs font-aktiv uppercase font-medium [&_a]:link-hover">By <a href="https://reactormag.com/author/cole-rush/" title="Posts by Cole Rush" class="author url fn" rel="author">Cole Rush</a></p> <span class="post-hero-symbol relative top-[-2px] hidden tablet:block">|</span> <p class="text-xs uppercase post-hero-publish font-aktiv"> Published on July 1, 2025 </p> </div> </div> <div class="post-hero-caption post-hero-caption-vertical [&_a]:link"><p>Credit: Ivy Road</p> </div> <div class="quick-access post-hero-quick-access mt-[17px] tablet:hidden"> <div class="flex gap-[30px] tablet:gap-6"> <a href="https://reactormag.com/story-for-storys-sake-wanderstop-and-sff-books-that-reward-reflection/#comments" class="flex items-center text-sm font-aktiv tracking-[0.6px] font-semibold uppercase translate-x-[1px] translate-y-[1px]"> <svg class="w-[22px] h-[22px] mr-[7px] icon-hover" viewbox="0 0 18 18" aria-label="comment" role="img" aria-hidden="true" aria-labelledby="icon-comment-quick-access-"> <title id="icon-comment-quick-access-">Comment</title> <g fill="none" fill-rule="evenodd"> <path fill="#FFF" fill-rule="nonzero" d="M6.3 18a.9.9 0 0 1-.9-.9v-2.7H1.8A1.8 1.8 0 0 1 0 12.6V1.8A1.8 1.8 0 0 1 1.8 0h14.4A1.8 1.8 0 0 1 18 1.8v10.8a1.8 1.8 0 0 1-1.8 1.8h-5.49l-3.33 3.339a.917.917 0 0 1-.63.261H6.3Z" /> <path stroke="#000" d="M5.9 14.4v-.5H1.8a1.3 1.3 0 0 1-1.3-1.3V1.8A1.3 1.3 0 0 1 1.8.5h14.4a1.3 1.3 0 0 1 1.3 1.3v10.8a1.3 1.3 0 0 1-1.3 1.3h-5.698l-.146.147-3.324 3.333a.417.417 0 0 1-.282.12H6.3a.4.4 0 0 1-.4-.4v-2.7Z" /> </g> </svg> 0 </a> <details class="relative quick-access-details"> <summary class="quick-access-share flex items-center text-sm font-aktiv tracking-[0.6px] font-semibold uppercase"> <svg class="w-[22px] h-[22px] mr-[7px] icon-hover" viewbox="0 0 22 22" aria-label="share" role="img" aria-hidden="true" aria-labelledby="icon-share-new-quick-access-"> <title id="icon-share-new-quick-access-">Share New</title> <g fill="none" fill-rule="evenodd"> <circle cx="11" cy="11" r="11" fill="#FFF" fill-rule="nonzero" /> <circle cx="11" cy="11" r="10.5" stroke="#000" /> <path fill="#FFF" d="M5.993 13.464c.675 0 1.323-.266 1.806-.743l4.11 2.396a2.639 2.639 0 0 0 .368 2.451 2.583 2.583 0 0 0 2.227 1.043 2.59 2.59 0 0 0 2.09-1.3 2.64 2.64 0 0 0 .08-2.477 2.58 2.58 0 0 0-4.292-.54L8.344 11.94c.28-.616.31-1.319.086-1.958l3.952-2.303a2.564 2.564 0 0 0 4.263-.537 2.623 2.623 0 0 0-.078-2.46 2.573 2.573 0 0 0-2.075-1.293 2.566 2.566 0 0 0-2.213 1.033 2.622 2.622 0 0 0-.37 2.433L7.96 9.158a2.573 2.573 0 0 0-4.316.603 2.632 2.632 0 0 0 .172 2.501 2.58 2.58 0 0 0 2.178 1.202Z" /> <path fill="#000" d="M6.936 9.577c.322 0 .631.137.859.383.228.245.355.577.355.924 0 .347-.127.68-.355.925a1.172 1.172 0 0 1-.859.383c-.322 0-.63-.138-.858-.383a1.36 1.36 0 0 1-.356-.925c0-.347.129-.679.356-.924.228-.245.536-.383.858-.383Zm6.17-3.837c.323 0 .631.138.86.383.227.245.355.578.355.924 0 .347-.128.68-.356.925a1.172 1.172 0 0 1-.858.383c-.322 0-.631-.138-.859-.383a1.36 1.36 0 0 1-.355-.925c0-.346.128-.678.356-.924.227-.245.536-.383.858-.383Zm0 7.883c.323 0 .631.138.86.383.227.245.355.578.355.925 0 .346-.128.679-.356.924a1.171 1.171 0 0 1-.858.383c-.322 0-.631-.138-.859-.383a1.36 1.36 0 0 1-.355-.925c0-.346.128-.678.356-.923.227-.245.536-.383.858-.384Zm-6.17-.681c.499 0 .978-.21 1.334-.586l3.036 1.888a2.194 2.194 0 0 0 .272 1.93c.385.555 1.003.863 1.645.822.641-.04 1.221-.425 1.544-1.024a2.203 2.203 0 0 0 .059-1.952c-.286-.62-.841-1.044-1.48-1.13-.637-.085-1.272.18-1.69.705l-2.984-1.854c.207-.486.23-1.04.064-1.543l2.92-1.815c.415.522 1.046.784 1.68.7.633-.086 1.184-.507 1.468-1.123a2.188 2.188 0 0 0-.058-1.938c-.32-.595-.895-.977-1.532-1.018-.638-.041-1.251.264-1.635.813a2.179 2.179 0 0 0-.273 1.917L8.389 9.55c-.423-.534-1.07-.798-1.715-.702-.645.096-1.2.54-1.472 1.177a2.194 2.194 0 0 0 .126 1.97c.352.59.958.948 1.61.947Z" /> </g> </svg> Share </summary> <div class="quick-access-bubble"> <ul class="flex gap-6 text-black list-none"> <li class="flex"> <a class="flex items-center hover:text-red" href="https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Story for Story’s Sake: <i>Wanderstop</i> and SFF Books That Reward Reflection&url=https://reactormag.com/story-for-storys-sake-wanderstop-and-sff-books-that-reward-reflection/” target=”_blank” title=”Twitter”> <svg class=" w-[18px]="w-[18px]" h-[15px]"="h-[15px]"" width="18" height="15" viewbox="0 0 18 15" fill="none" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" aria-label="twitter" role="img" aria-hidden="true"> <path d="M17.7143 2.56767C17.2122 3.28347 16.6053 3.89336 15.8934 4.39734C15.9009 4.4996 15.9046 4.65298 15.9046 4.8575C15.9046 5.80703 15.7623 6.75472 15.4775 7.7006C15.1928 8.64649 14.76 9.55401 14.1793 10.4232C13.5986 11.2924 12.9073 12.0611 12.1055 12.7295C11.3037 13.3978 10.3371 13.931 9.20558 14.329C8.07408 14.7271 6.86392 14.9262 5.57505 14.9262C3.54435 14.9262 1.68601 14.3966 0 13.3375C0.262269 13.3667 0.554506 13.3813 0.876722 13.3813C2.56274 13.3813 4.06514 12.8774 5.38397 11.8694C4.59717 11.8548 3.8928 11.6192 3.27085 11.1627C2.6489 10.7062 2.22178 10.1237 1.98949 9.41523C2.23677 9.45175 2.46531 9.47001 2.67513 9.47001C2.99734 9.47001 3.31581 9.42984 3.63053 9.3495C2.79127 9.1815 2.09627 8.77431 1.5455 8.12789C0.99474 7.48148 0.719362 6.73099 0.719362 5.87641V5.83259C1.22891 6.11015 1.77592 6.25988 2.36041 6.28179C1.86584 5.96041 1.47245 5.54043 1.1802 5.02184C0.887961 4.50325 0.741842 3.94084 0.741842 3.3346C0.741842 2.69184 0.906694 2.09656 1.2364 1.54875C2.1431 2.63707 3.24649 3.50807 4.54659 4.16178C5.84669 4.8155 7.23857 5.17887 8.72226 5.25192C8.66232 4.97436 8.63234 4.70411 8.63234 4.44116C8.63234 3.46241 8.9864 2.62793 9.69452 1.9377C10.4027 1.24746 11.2588 0.902344 12.2629 0.902344C13.3119 0.902344 14.1962 1.27485 14.9155 2.01987C15.7323 1.86648 16.5004 1.58162 17.2197 1.16529C16.9425 2.00526 16.4104 2.65532 15.6236 3.11548C16.3205 3.04244 17.0174 2.85984 17.7143 2.56767Z" fill="currentColor" /> <path d="M17.7143 2.56767C17.2122 3.28347 16.6053 3.89336 15.8934 4.39734C15.9009 4.4996 15.9046 4.65298 15.9046 4.8575C15.9046 5.80703 15.7623 6.75472 15.4775 7.7006C15.1928 8.64649 14.76 9.55401 14.1793 10.4232C13.5986 11.2924 12.9073 12.0611 12.1055 12.7295C11.3037 13.3978 10.3371 13.931 9.20558 14.329C8.07408 14.7271 6.86392 14.9262 5.57505 14.9262C3.54435 14.9262 1.68601 14.3966 0 13.3375C0.262269 13.3667 0.554506 13.3813 0.876722 13.3813C2.56274 13.3813 4.06514 12.8774 5.38397 11.8694C4.59717 11.8548 3.8928 11.6192 3.27085 11.1627C2.6489 10.7062 2.22178 10.1237 1.98949 9.41523C2.23677 9.45175 2.46531 9.47001 2.67513 9.47001C2.99734 9.47001 3.31581 9.42984 3.63053 9.3495C2.79127 9.1815 2.09627 8.77431 1.5455 8.12789C0.99474 7.48148 0.719362 6.73099 0.719362 5.87641V5.83259C1.22891 6.11015 1.77592 6.25988 2.36041 6.28179C1.86584 5.96041 1.47245 5.54043 1.1802 5.02184C0.887961 4.50325 0.741842 3.94084 0.741842 3.3346C0.741842 2.69184 0.906694 2.09656 1.2364 1.54875C2.1431 2.63707 3.24649 3.50807 4.54659 4.16178C5.84669 4.8155 7.23857 5.17887 8.72226 5.25192C8.66232 4.97436 8.63234 4.70411 8.63234 4.44116C8.63234 3.46241 8.9864 2.62793 9.69452 1.9377C10.4027 1.24746 11.2588 0.902344 12.2629 0.902344C13.3119 0.902344 14.1962 1.27485 14.9155 2.01987C15.7323 1.86648 16.5004 1.58162 17.2197 1.16529C16.9425 2.00526 16.4104 2.65532 15.6236 3.11548C16.3205 3.04244 17.0174 2.85984 17.7143 2.56767Z" fill="currentColor" fill-opacity="0.2" /> </svg> </a> </li> <li class="flex"> <a class="flex items-center hover:text-red" href="https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https://reactormag.com/story-for-storys-sake-wanderstop-and-sff-books-that-reward-reflection/" target="_blank" title="Facebook"> <svg class="w-[9px] h-[18px]" fill="currentColor" viewbox="0 0 12 22" width="100%" height="100%" display="block" transitionduration="normal" transitionproperty="none" transitiontimingfunction="ease-out" class="w-[9px] h-[18px]" aria-label="facebook" role="img" aria-hidden="true"> <path d="M11.558.004L8.677 0C5.44 0 3.349 2.125 3.349 5.416v2.496H.452A.45.45 0 000 8.36v3.618a.45.45 0 00.452.447h2.897v9.127A.45.45 0 003.8 22h3.778c.25 0 .451-.2.451-.448v-9.127h3.387c.25 0 .451-.2.451-.447l.003-3.618a.452.452 0 00-.456-.448h-3.39V5.795c0-1.017.245-1.534 1.582-1.534h1.941c.25 0 .452-.2.452-.447V.457a.45.45 0 00-.452-.448l.01-.005z" fill-rule="nonzero"> </path> </svg> </a> </li> <li class="flex"> <a class="flex items-center hover:text-red" href="https://pinterest.com/pin/create/button/?url=https://reactormag.com/story-for-storys-sake-wanderstop-and-sff-books-that-reward-reflection/&media=&description=Story for Story’s Sake: <i>Wanderstop</i> and SFF Books That Reward Reflection” target=”_blank” title=”Pinterest”> <svg class=" w-[18px]="w-[18px]" h-[18px]"="h-[18px]"" width="18" height="18" viewbox="0 0 18 18" fill="none" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" aria-label="pinterest" role="img" aria-hidden="true"> <path d="M16.4962 4.49458C17.2844 5.84153 17.6786 7.31473 17.6786 8.91423C17.6786 10.5137 17.2844 11.9888 16.4962 13.3396C15.7079 14.6904 14.6384 15.7599 13.2876 16.5482C11.9368 17.3364 10.4617 17.7306 8.86223 17.7306C8.01273 17.7306 7.17856 17.6081 6.35967 17.3632C6.81121 16.6515 7.10967 16.0239 7.25508 15.4806C7.32396 15.2203 7.53059 14.413 7.87498 13.0584C8.02804 13.3568 8.30738 13.6151 8.71299 13.8332C9.1186 14.0513 9.55483 14.1604 10.0217 14.1604C10.9477 14.1604 11.7742 13.8983 12.5013 13.374C13.2283 12.8498 13.7908 12.1285 14.1888 11.2101C14.5867 10.2918 14.7857 9.25862 14.7857 8.11066C14.7857 7.2382 14.558 6.41933 14.1027 5.65402C13.6473 4.88871 12.9872 4.26499 12.1224 3.78285C11.2576 3.3007 10.2819 3.05964 9.19513 3.05964C8.39156 3.05964 7.64157 3.1706 6.94513 3.39254C6.2487 3.61448 5.65751 3.90912 5.17154 4.27647C4.68556 4.64382 4.26848 5.06665 3.92026 5.54497C3.57205 6.02329 3.31567 6.51882 3.15113 7.03157C2.98659 7.54433 2.90432 8.05708 2.90432 8.56984C2.90432 9.36576 3.05738 10.066 3.3635 10.6706C3.66962 11.2752 4.11732 11.6999 4.70661 11.9448C4.93621 12.0367 5.08161 11.9601 5.14284 11.7152C5.15814 11.6617 5.18876 11.5431 5.23467 11.3594C5.28059 11.1757 5.3112 11.0609 5.32651 11.015C5.37243 10.839 5.33034 10.6744 5.20024 10.5214C4.80993 10.0545 4.61478 9.47673 4.61478 8.78795C4.61478 7.63233 5.01464 6.63936 5.81439 5.809C6.61414 4.97864 7.66069 4.56346 8.95406 4.56346C10.1097 4.56346 11.0108 4.87723 11.6575 5.50479C12.3042 6.13234 12.6275 6.94739 12.6275 7.94994C12.6275 9.25097 12.3654 10.3568 11.8412 11.2675C11.3169 12.1783 10.6454 12.6336 9.82651 12.6336C9.35967 12.6336 8.98468 12.4672 8.70151 12.1343C8.41835 11.8013 8.33034 11.4015 8.43748 10.9346C8.49871 10.6668 8.60011 10.309 8.74169 9.86129C8.88327 9.41359 8.99807 9.01946 9.08608 8.67889C9.17409 8.33833 9.21809 8.04943 9.21809 7.81219C9.21809 7.42953 9.11478 7.11193 8.90814 6.85938C8.70151 6.60683 8.40687 6.48055 8.02422 6.48055C7.54972 6.48055 7.14794 6.69866 6.81886 7.13489C6.48977 7.57112 6.32524 8.11448 6.32524 8.76499C6.32524 9.32367 6.4209 9.7905 6.61223 10.1655L5.47575 14.964C5.34564 15.4997 5.2959 16.177 5.32651 16.9959C3.74997 16.2994 2.47575 15.2242 1.50381 13.7701C0.531863 12.316 0.0458984 10.6974 0.0458984 8.91423C0.0458984 7.31473 0.440027 5.83962 1.2283 4.48884C2.01657 3.13807 3.08607 2.06857 4.43684 1.2803C5.78761 0.492029 7.26273 0.0979004 8.86223 0.0979004C10.4617 0.0979004 11.9368 0.492029 13.2876 1.2803C14.6384 2.06857 15.7079 3.13999 16.4962 4.49458Z" fill="currentColor" /> <path d="M16.4962 4.49458C17.2844 5.84153 17.6786 7.31473 17.6786 8.91423C17.6786 10.5137 17.2844 11.9888 16.4962 13.3396C15.7079 14.6904 14.6384 15.7599 13.2876 16.5482C11.9368 17.3364 10.4617 17.7306 8.86223 17.7306C8.01273 17.7306 7.17856 17.6081 6.35967 17.3632C6.81121 16.6515 7.10967 16.0239 7.25508 15.4806C7.32396 15.2203 7.53059 14.413 7.87498 13.0584C8.02804 13.3568 8.30738 13.6151 8.71299 13.8332C9.1186 14.0513 9.55483 14.1604 10.0217 14.1604C10.9477 14.1604 11.7742 13.8983 12.5013 13.374C13.2283 12.8498 13.7908 12.1285 14.1888 11.2101C14.5867 10.2918 14.7857 9.25862 14.7857 8.11066C14.7857 7.2382 14.558 6.41933 14.1027 5.65402C13.6473 4.88871 12.9872 4.26499 12.1224 3.78285C11.2576 3.3007 10.2819 3.05964 9.19513 3.05964C8.39156 3.05964 7.64157 3.1706 6.94513 3.39254C6.2487 3.61448 5.65751 3.90912 5.17154 4.27647C4.68556 4.64382 4.26848 5.06665 3.92026 5.54497C3.57205 6.02329 3.31567 6.51882 3.15113 7.03157C2.98659 7.54433 2.90432 8.05708 2.90432 8.56984C2.90432 9.36576 3.05738 10.066 3.3635 10.6706C3.66962 11.2752 4.11732 11.6999 4.70661 11.9448C4.93621 12.0367 5.08161 11.9601 5.14284 11.7152C5.15814 11.6617 5.18876 11.5431 5.23467 11.3594C5.28059 11.1757 5.3112 11.0609 5.32651 11.015C5.37243 10.839 5.33034 10.6744 5.20024 10.5214C4.80993 10.0545 4.61478 9.47673 4.61478 8.78795C4.61478 7.63233 5.01464 6.63936 5.81439 5.809C6.61414 4.97864 7.66069 4.56346 8.95406 4.56346C10.1097 4.56346 11.0108 4.87723 11.6575 5.50479C12.3042 6.13234 12.6275 6.94739 12.6275 7.94994C12.6275 9.25097 12.3654 10.3568 11.8412 11.2675C11.3169 12.1783 10.6454 12.6336 9.82651 12.6336C9.35967 12.6336 8.98468 12.4672 8.70151 12.1343C8.41835 11.8013 8.33034 11.4015 8.43748 10.9346C8.49871 10.6668 8.60011 10.309 8.74169 9.86129C8.88327 9.41359 8.99807 9.01946 9.08608 8.67889C9.17409 8.33833 9.21809 8.04943 9.21809 7.81219C9.21809 7.42953 9.11478 7.11193 8.90814 6.85938C8.70151 6.60683 8.40687 6.48055 8.02422 6.48055C7.54972 6.48055 7.14794 6.69866 6.81886 7.13489C6.48977 7.57112 6.32524 8.11448 6.32524 8.76499C6.32524 9.32367 6.4209 9.7905 6.61223 10.1655L5.47575 14.964C5.34564 15.4997 5.2959 16.177 5.32651 16.9959C3.74997 16.2994 2.47575 15.2242 1.50381 13.7701C0.531863 12.316 0.0458984 10.6974 0.0458984 8.91423C0.0458984 7.31473 0.440027 5.83962 1.2283 4.48884C2.01657 3.13807 3.08607 2.06857 4.43684 1.2803C5.78761 0.492029 7.26273 0.0979004 8.86223 0.0979004C10.4617 0.0979004 11.9368 0.492029 13.2876 1.2803C14.6384 2.06857 15.7079 3.13999 16.4962 4.49458Z" fill="currentColor" fill-opacity="0.2" /> </svg> </a> </li> <li class="flex"> <a class="flex items-center hover:text-red" href="https://reactormag.com/feed/" target="_blank" title="RSS Feed"> <svg class="w-[17px] h-[17px]" width="18" height="18" viewbox="0 0 18 18" fill="none" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" aria-label="rss feed" role="img" aria-hidden="true"> <g clip-path="url(#clip0_1051_121783)"> <path d="M2.67871 17.4143C2.12871 17.4143 1.65771 17.2183 1.26571 16.8263C0.873713 16.4343 0.678046 15.9636 0.678713 15.4143C0.678713 14.8643 0.874713 14.3933 1.26671 14.0013C1.65871 13.6093 2.12938 13.4136 2.67871 13.4143C3.22871 13.4143 3.69971 13.6103 4.09171 14.0023C4.48371 14.3943 4.67938 14.865 4.67871 15.4143C4.67871 15.9643 4.48271 16.4353 4.09071 16.8273C3.69871 17.2193 3.22805 17.415 2.67871 17.4143ZM14.6787 17.4143C14.6787 15.481 14.312 13.6683 13.5787 11.9763C12.8454 10.2843 11.841 8.80097 10.5657 7.52631C9.29171 6.25164 7.80871 5.24764 6.11671 4.51431C4.42471 3.78097 2.61205 3.41431 0.678713 3.41431V0.414307C3.02871 0.414307 5.23705 0.860306 7.30371 1.75231C9.37038 2.64431 11.1704 3.85664 12.7037 5.38931C14.237 6.92264 15.4497 8.72264 16.3417 10.7893C17.2337 12.856 17.6794 15.0643 17.6787 17.4143H14.6787ZM8.67871 17.4143C8.67871 15.1976 7.89971 13.31 6.34171 11.7513C4.78371 10.1926 2.89605 9.41364 0.678713 9.41431V6.41431C2.21205 6.41431 3.64538 6.70197 4.97871 7.27731C6.31205 7.85264 7.47471 8.63597 8.46671 9.62731C9.45805 10.6186 10.2414 11.781 10.8167 13.1143C11.392 14.4476 11.6794 15.881 11.6787 17.4143H8.67871Z" fill="currentColor" /> <path d="M2.67871 17.4143C2.12871 17.4143 1.65771 17.2183 1.26571 16.8263C0.873713 16.4343 0.678046 15.9636 0.678713 15.4143C0.678713 14.8643 0.874713 14.3933 1.26671 14.0013C1.65871 13.6093 2.12938 13.4136 2.67871 13.4143C3.22871 13.4143 3.69971 13.6103 4.09171 14.0023C4.48371 14.3943 4.67938 14.865 4.67871 15.4143C4.67871 15.9643 4.48271 16.4353 4.09071 16.8273C3.69871 17.2193 3.22805 17.415 2.67871 17.4143ZM14.6787 17.4143C14.6787 15.481 14.312 13.6683 13.5787 11.9763C12.8454 10.2843 11.841 8.80097 10.5657 7.52631C9.29171 6.25164 7.80871 5.24764 6.11671 4.51431C4.42471 3.78097 2.61205 3.41431 0.678713 3.41431V0.414307C3.02871 0.414307 5.23705 0.860306 7.30371 1.75231C9.37038 2.64431 11.1704 3.85664 12.7037 5.38931C14.237 6.92264 15.4497 8.72264 16.3417 10.7893C17.2337 12.856 17.6794 15.0643 17.6787 17.4143H14.6787ZM8.67871 17.4143C8.67871 15.1976 7.89971 13.31 6.34171 11.7513C4.78371 10.1926 2.89605 9.41364 0.678713 9.41431V6.41431C2.21205 6.41431 3.64538 6.70197 4.97871 7.27731C6.31205 7.85264 7.47471 8.63597 8.46671 9.62731C9.45805 10.6186 10.2414 11.781 10.8167 13.1143C11.392 14.4476 11.6794 15.881 11.6787 17.4143H8.67871Z" fill="currentColor" fill-opacity="0.2" /> </g> <defs> <clippath id="clip0_1051_121783"> <rect width="17" height="17" fill="white" transform="translate(0.678711 0.414307)" /> </clippath> </defs> </svg> </a> </li> </ul> </div> </details> </div> </div> </div> <div class="post-hero-media "> <figure class="w-full h-auto post-hero-image"> <img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="740" height="423" src="https://reactormag.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/wanderstop-keyart-740x423.png" class="w-full object-cover" alt="Keyart from the video game Wanderstop, depicting two characters — a woman with her arms crossed looking angrily to the side, and a smiling man wearing an apron and holding a steaming cup — sit together on a bench" srcset="https://reactormag.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/wanderstop-keyart-740x423.png 740w, https://reactormag.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/wanderstop-keyart-1100x629.png 1100w, https://reactormag.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/wanderstop-keyart-768x439.png 768w, https://reactormag.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/wanderstop-keyart.png 1400w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 740px) 100vw, 740px" /> </figure> <div class="post-hero-caption post-hero-caption-horizontal [&_a]:link"><p>Credit: Ivy Road</p> </div> </div> </div> </div> </post-hero> <div class="wp-block-more-from-category"> <div> </div> </div> <p>When entering the world of <em><a href="https://www.wanderstopgame.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Wanderstop</a></em>, players take on the role of Alta, an injured warrior who collapses in a forest and awakens in an idyllic and colorful clearing. She sits on a bench next to a man named Boro, who eventually becomes a spiritual and emotional recovery guide. Boro owns the titular Wanderstop, a tea shop nestled in the clearing.</p> <p><em>Wanderstop</em>—broadly characterized as a cozy game about making tea—contains endless depth and vibrant themes. Experienced gamers will expect as much from developer Ivy Road, the same team behind <em>Gone Home </em>and <em>The Stanley Parable</em>. The themes make the game a must-play for anyone in search of a heartfelt and visceral story about trauma recovery, burnout, and self-actualization. If you’re interested, I encourage you to read more about those themes <a href="https://www.theverge.com/games/627549/wanderstop-davey-wreden-interview?" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">elsewhere</a>, as many writers have covered the game’s origins and the way the creators wove their own experiences into the premise and gameplay. I’ll take a different approach today and discuss something <em>Wanderstop</em> does just as well: story that exists purely for its own sake, to be reflected on and enjoyed in the moment.</p> <p>Within the world of the game, I, as Alta, wandered the glade in search of ingredients. I planted seeds, harvested quirky fruits, and imbued the landscapes’ wonders into my tea. Travellers would mosey into the <em>Wanderstop</em> clearing and request unique brews. I’d make them tea and listen to their stories. They might go away, off to their next adventure. They might return later; they might not. Either way, they always left me with bits of their stories and glimpses into their personalities. Early on, I brewed a cup for a “knight” who was really just a normal guy who donned the armor to impress his son. Later, I made tea for a warrior who knew of Alta’s reputation and sought her secrets to success in the arena.</p> <p>When I’d completed a particular request, <em>Wanderstop</em> rewarded me with a bit of lore. These chunks of story were charming and felt real and engaging enough to keep me playing. There were times when I had no pending requests, so I jogged over to Boro and asked, “What’s next?” He reassured me that sometimes, there would be nothing to do, strictly speaking, redirecting me to passive options like collecting leaves or making a cup of tea for myself.</p> <p>In <em>Wanderstop</em>, there are no achievements to chase, no upgrades to unlock, no enemies to defeat. Its deepest reward is the story itself—quiet, heartfelt moments that accumulate not into progress, but into presence. Like a certain kind of book, its purpose is not propulsion but reflection.</p> <p>How utterly refreshing. <em>Wanderstop</em> didn’t mince words: It asked me to slow down, appreciate the small things, and worry about ticking off that big box <em>later</em>. Whenever I reached such a point in the game (there were many), I found myself thinking back to reading. I’ve read a lot of books for purposes other than <em>just</em> enjoying the story, over the years. Maybe I’m reviewing a book for my site, The Quill to Live. Perhaps I’m trying to stay ahead of Hollywood’s relentless adaptation schedule (the inspiration for <a href="https://reactormag.com/hollywood-is-shaping-my-tbr-stack-and-i-love-it/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">my first-ever Reactor piece</a>). To be clear, I never mind these self-imposed deadlines, and they can spur my motivation and help me make real dents in my TBR stack. But there’s a distinct magic to books I’m able read <em>just because</em>, not tied to work or other factors, and that magic is amplified when the book itself seems to exist for no other reason than to celebrate the joys of storytelling, to invite the reader into a world that’s made to be explored at their own pace, as their own impressions and reflections help it coalesce and take shape in their mind.</p> <p>I don’t mean to minimize the contributions of an author, editor, or artist to a particular work. On the contrary, I applaud these creators for having both the ingenuity and restraint to offer us stories that feel both satisfying and unconstrained in the same liberating way that <em>Wanderstop</em> does. Stories that set out to build a world, draw you into it, and invite you to think and reflect as part of the process, rather than driving relentlessly toward what happens next.</p> <p>When I tried to think of examples of other stories that have given me a similar sense of wandering through a fictional world and simply enjoying the experience of being there—learning to live there, in a way, rather than racing to get to the end of the story (or set up a sequel, or a longer series)—my first thought was <a href="https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-spear-cuts-through-water-simon-jimenez/15671411?ean=9780593156612&next=t" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><em>The Spear Cuts Through Water</em> by Simon Jimenez</a>. Admittedly, the book is challenging in a way <em>Wanderstop</em> isn’t. <em>Spear</em> shifts between first-, second-, and third-person narration and touches on many mysteries to which the solutions aren’t readily apparent, even after spending some time with the book. And yet, reading <em>Spear</em> feels rewarding in itself. Its story tells of two warriors travelling with a fallen goddess. They encounter any number of creatures and people that have a role to play in the larger fabric of the mythical world they inhabit.</p> <p>Every chapter feels like a prized possession you’re meant to hold close and cherish, right up to the bittersweet ending. The book’s second-person passages can feel very challenging at the outset, but they serve to strengthen the story’s fabric as it unfolds. Jimenez constructs a world full of fable-worthy characters and beings that feel like a treat to encounter (though some treats can be sour, mind you). <em>Spear</em> shares <em>Wanderstop</em>’s passion for the act of storytelling and its desire to reward the reader with the thing they want most—an immersive tale that brings you into its own telling.</p> <p><a href="https://bookshop.org/p/books/piranesi-susanna-clarke/15861178?ean=9781635577808&next=t" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Susanna Clarke’s <em>Piranesi</em></a> also revels in story for its own sake. Both <em>Piranesi</em> and <em>Wanderstop</em> plunge you (the reader or the player, respectively) into a relatively unknown world. You’re tasked with discovering the world through the means provided by the medium. In <em>Wanderstop</em>, that’s interacting with the world as Alta and making tea for customers. In <em>Piranesi</em>, that means exploring the House (aka the world, as our narrator knows it) via the nameless protagonist. Clarke’s short but very deliberate novel relishes discovery. It showcases the unique joy that comes from details clicking meaningfully into place, and the bittersweet feeling when the resulting discoveries carry unexpected emotional heft.</p> <p><em>Piranesi</em>’s labyrinthine House is like <em>Wanderstop</em>’s idyllic clearing. You’re not there to conquer it, but to witness and marvel at what it has to offer.</p> <p>Finally, we come to <a href="https://bookshop.org/p/books/this-is-how-you-lose-the-time-war-amal-el-mohtar/18270911?ean=9781534430990&next=t" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Max Gladstone and Amal El-Mohtar’s <em>This Is How You Lose the Time War</em></a>. The novella sees Red and Blue, members of opposing factions, exchanging letters with one another in different timelines and elaborate settings ranging from the ancient past to the distant future. The book’s power comes from the gradual accumulation of ideas and impressions, gingerly collecting over time, rather than the forceful advancement of plot.</p> <p><em>Time War</em>’s most glorious moments are fragmented glimpses into the disparate lives of two connected people. While a savvy reader can and will connect <em>some</em> dots, that isn’t the point. The point, insofar as there <em>is</em> one, is to enjoy the gentle back-and-forth between the two characters. In writing to one another, they question. They learn and grow. They experience their own stories in new ways, recontextualized by their letters to the other. <em>Time War</em>’s narrative feels like it somehow exists both within its own distinct timeline and free from time, much like the mysterious clearing in <em>Wanderstop</em>.</p> <p>Reflection isn’t just a theme in <em>Wanderstop</em> and the stories I’ve mentioned: It’s a necessity, an integral part of the experience of engaging with these worlds. I found it was the joy of discovery that piqued my interest—the way these stories (and so many others) let the reader and/or player live in a world where taking part in the story surrounding them is its own reward. There’s no need to tick a box or complete a task for any reason other than the sheer happiness it brings.</p> <p>Sometimes a story isn’t a mountain to climb, but instead, a vista. Enjoy the view.[end-mark]</p> <p>The post <a href="https://reactormag.com/story-for-storys-sake-wanderstop-and-sff-books-that-reward-reflection/">Story for Story’s Sake: <i>Wanderstop</i> and SFF Books That Reward Reflection</a> appeared first on <a href="https://reactormag.com">Reactor</a>.</p><p class="ljsyndicationlink"><a href="https://reactormag.com/story-for-storys-sake-wanderstop-and-sff-books-that-reward-reflection/">https://reactormag.com/story-for-storys-sake-wanderstop-and-sff-books-that-reward-reflection/</a></p><p class="ljsyndicationlink"><a href="https://reactormag.com/?p=817162">https://reactormag.com/?p=817162</a></p>

Reading The Wheel of Time: Egwene Embraces Pain and Makes Headway in Knife of Dreams (Part 18)

tordotcom_feed

Tuesday, July 1st, 2025 03:00 pm

Posted by Stefan Raets

https://reactormag.com/reading-the-wheel-of-time-egwene-embraces-pain-and-makes-headway-in-knife-of-dreams-part-18/

https://reactormag.com/?p=817318

Books The Wheel of Time

Reading The Wheel of Time: Egwene Embraces Pain and Makes Headway in Knife of Dreams (Part 18)

Egwene’s resilience begins to gain her support in the White Tower…

By Sylas K Barrett

Published on July 1, 2025

[Error: Irreparable invalid markup ('<a [...] w-[18px]>') in entry. Owner must fix manually. Raw contents below.]

<p class="syndicationauthor">Posted by Stefan Raets</p><p class="ljsyndicationlink"><a href="https://reactormag.com/reading-the-wheel-of-time-egwene-embraces-pain-and-makes-headway-in-knife-of-dreams-part-18/">https://reactormag.com/reading-the-wheel-of-time-egwene-embraces-pain-and-makes-headway-in-knife-of-dreams-part-18/</a></p><p class="ljsyndicationlink"><a href="https://reactormag.com/?p=817318">https://reactormag.com/?p=817318</a></p><post-hero class="wp-block-post-hero js-post-hero post-hero post-hero-horizontal"> <div class="container container-desktop"> <div class="flex flex-col mx-auto post-hero-container"> <div class="post-hero-content"> <div class="post-hero-tags font-aktiv text-xs tracking-[0.5px] font-medium uppercase"> <span class="mr-3"> <i class="inline-block w-2 h-2 rounded-full mr-[5px] bg-blue"></i> <a href="https://reactormag.com/articles/books/" class="inline-block link-no-animation" aria-label="Link to term or tag Books 0"> Books </a> </span> <span class="mr-3"> <i class="inline-block w-2 h-2 rounded-full mr-[5px] bg-blue"></i> <a href="https://reactormag.com/tag/the-wheel-of-time/" class="inline-block link-no-animation" aria-label="Link to term or tag The Wheel of Time 1"> The Wheel of Time </a> </span> </div> <h2 class="post-hero-title text-h1">Reading The Wheel of Time: Egwene Embraces Pain and Makes Headway in <i>Knife of Dreams</i> (Part 18)</h2> <div class="prose post-hero-description prose--post-hero">Egwene’s resilience begins to gain her support in the White Tower…</div> <div class="post-hero-wrapper"> <div class="post-hero-inner"> <p class="post-hero-author text-xs font-aktiv uppercase font-medium [&_a]:link-hover">By <a href="https://reactormag.com/author/kjbarrett/" title="Posts by Sylas K Barrett" class="author url fn" rel="author">Sylas K Barrett</a></p> <span class="post-hero-symbol relative top-[-2px] hidden tablet:block">|</span> <p class="text-xs uppercase post-hero-publish font-aktiv"> Published on July 1, 2025 </p> </div> </div> <div class="quick-access post-hero-quick-access mt-[17px] tablet:hidden"> <div class="flex gap-[30px] tablet:gap-6"> <a href="https://reactormag.com/reading-the-wheel-of-time-egwene-embraces-pain-and-makes-headway-in-knife-of-dreams-part-18/#comments" class="flex items-center text-sm font-aktiv tracking-[0.6px] font-semibold uppercase translate-x-[1px] translate-y-[1px]"> <svg class="w-[22px] h-[22px] mr-[7px] icon-hover" viewbox="0 0 18 18" aria-label="comment" role="img" aria-hidden="true" aria-labelledby="icon-comment-quick-access-"> <title id="icon-comment-quick-access-">Comment</title> <g fill="none" fill-rule="evenodd"> <path fill="#FFF" fill-rule="nonzero" d="M6.3 18a.9.9 0 0 1-.9-.9v-2.7H1.8A1.8 1.8 0 0 1 0 12.6V1.8A1.8 1.8 0 0 1 1.8 0h14.4A1.8 1.8 0 0 1 18 1.8v10.8a1.8 1.8 0 0 1-1.8 1.8h-5.49l-3.33 3.339a.917.917 0 0 1-.63.261H6.3Z" /> <path stroke="#000" d="M5.9 14.4v-.5H1.8a1.3 1.3 0 0 1-1.3-1.3V1.8A1.3 1.3 0 0 1 1.8.5h14.4a1.3 1.3 0 0 1 1.3 1.3v10.8a1.3 1.3 0 0 1-1.3 1.3h-5.698l-.146.147-3.324 3.333a.417.417 0 0 1-.282.12H6.3a.4.4 0 0 1-.4-.4v-2.7Z" /> </g> </svg> 3 </a> <details class="relative quick-access-details"> <summary class="quick-access-share flex items-center text-sm font-aktiv tracking-[0.6px] font-semibold uppercase"> <svg class="w-[22px] h-[22px] mr-[7px] icon-hover" viewbox="0 0 22 22" aria-label="share" role="img" aria-hidden="true" aria-labelledby="icon-share-new-quick-access-"> <title id="icon-share-new-quick-access-">Share New</title> <g fill="none" fill-rule="evenodd"> <circle cx="11" cy="11" r="11" fill="#FFF" fill-rule="nonzero" /> <circle cx="11" cy="11" r="10.5" stroke="#000" /> <path fill="#FFF" d="M5.993 13.464c.675 0 1.323-.266 1.806-.743l4.11 2.396a2.639 2.639 0 0 0 .368 2.451 2.583 2.583 0 0 0 2.227 1.043 2.59 2.59 0 0 0 2.09-1.3 2.64 2.64 0 0 0 .08-2.477 2.58 2.58 0 0 0-4.292-.54L8.344 11.94c.28-.616.31-1.319.086-1.958l3.952-2.303a2.564 2.564 0 0 0 4.263-.537 2.623 2.623 0 0 0-.078-2.46 2.573 2.573 0 0 0-2.075-1.293 2.566 2.566 0 0 0-2.213 1.033 2.622 2.622 0 0 0-.37 2.433L7.96 9.158a2.573 2.573 0 0 0-4.316.603 2.632 2.632 0 0 0 .172 2.501 2.58 2.58 0 0 0 2.178 1.202Z" /> <path fill="#000" d="M6.936 9.577c.322 0 .631.137.859.383.228.245.355.577.355.924 0 .347-.127.68-.355.925a1.172 1.172 0 0 1-.859.383c-.322 0-.63-.138-.858-.383a1.36 1.36 0 0 1-.356-.925c0-.347.129-.679.356-.924.228-.245.536-.383.858-.383Zm6.17-3.837c.323 0 .631.138.86.383.227.245.355.578.355.924 0 .347-.128.68-.356.925a1.172 1.172 0 0 1-.858.383c-.322 0-.631-.138-.859-.383a1.36 1.36 0 0 1-.355-.925c0-.346.128-.678.356-.924.227-.245.536-.383.858-.383Zm0 7.883c.323 0 .631.138.86.383.227.245.355.578.355.925 0 .346-.128.679-.356.924a1.171 1.171 0 0 1-.858.383c-.322 0-.631-.138-.859-.383a1.36 1.36 0 0 1-.355-.925c0-.346.128-.678.356-.923.227-.245.536-.383.858-.384Zm-6.17-.681c.499 0 .978-.21 1.334-.586l3.036 1.888a2.194 2.194 0 0 0 .272 1.93c.385.555 1.003.863 1.645.822.641-.04 1.221-.425 1.544-1.024a2.203 2.203 0 0 0 .059-1.952c-.286-.62-.841-1.044-1.48-1.13-.637-.085-1.272.18-1.69.705l-2.984-1.854c.207-.486.23-1.04.064-1.543l2.92-1.815c.415.522 1.046.784 1.68.7.633-.086 1.184-.507 1.468-1.123a2.188 2.188 0 0 0-.058-1.938c-.32-.595-.895-.977-1.532-1.018-.638-.041-1.251.264-1.635.813a2.179 2.179 0 0 0-.273 1.917L8.389 9.55c-.423-.534-1.07-.798-1.715-.702-.645.096-1.2.54-1.472 1.177a2.194 2.194 0 0 0 .126 1.97c.352.59.958.948 1.61.947Z" /> </g> </svg> Share </summary> <div class="quick-access-bubble"> <ul class="flex gap-6 text-black list-none"> <li class="flex"> <a class="flex items-center hover:text-red" href="https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Reading The Wheel of Time: Egwene Embraces Pain and Makes Headway in <i>Knife of Dreams</i> (PartÂ 18)&url=https://reactormag.com/reading-the-wheel-of-time-egwene-embraces-pain-and-makes-headway-in-knife-of-dreams-part-18/” target=”_blank” title=”Twitter”> <svg class=" w-[18px]="w-[18px]" h-[15px]"="h-[15px]"" width="18" height="15" viewbox="0 0 18 15" fill="none" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" aria-label="twitter" role="img" aria-hidden="true"> <path d="M17.7143 2.56767C17.2122 3.28347 16.6053 3.89336 15.8934 4.39734C15.9009 4.4996 15.9046 4.65298 15.9046 4.8575C15.9046 5.80703 15.7623 6.75472 15.4775 7.7006C15.1928 8.64649 14.76 9.55401 14.1793 10.4232C13.5986 11.2924 12.9073 12.0611 12.1055 12.7295C11.3037 13.3978 10.3371 13.931 9.20558 14.329C8.07408 14.7271 6.86392 14.9262 5.57505 14.9262C3.54435 14.9262 1.68601 14.3966 0 13.3375C0.262269 13.3667 0.554506 13.3813 0.876722 13.3813C2.56274 13.3813 4.06514 12.8774 5.38397 11.8694C4.59717 11.8548 3.8928 11.6192 3.27085 11.1627C2.6489 10.7062 2.22178 10.1237 1.98949 9.41523C2.23677 9.45175 2.46531 9.47001 2.67513 9.47001C2.99734 9.47001 3.31581 9.42984 3.63053 9.3495C2.79127 9.1815 2.09627 8.77431 1.5455 8.12789C0.99474 7.48148 0.719362 6.73099 0.719362 5.87641V5.83259C1.22891 6.11015 1.77592 6.25988 2.36041 6.28179C1.86584 5.96041 1.47245 5.54043 1.1802 5.02184C0.887961 4.50325 0.741842 3.94084 0.741842 3.3346C0.741842 2.69184 0.906694 2.09656 1.2364 1.54875C2.1431 2.63707 3.24649 3.50807 4.54659 4.16178C5.84669 4.8155 7.23857 5.17887 8.72226 5.25192C8.66232 4.97436 8.63234 4.70411 8.63234 4.44116C8.63234 3.46241 8.9864 2.62793 9.69452 1.9377C10.4027 1.24746 11.2588 0.902344 12.2629 0.902344C13.3119 0.902344 14.1962 1.27485 14.9155 2.01987C15.7323 1.86648 16.5004 1.58162 17.2197 1.16529C16.9425 2.00526 16.4104 2.65532 15.6236 3.11548C16.3205 3.04244 17.0174 2.85984 17.7143 2.56767Z" fill="currentColor" /> <path d="M17.7143 2.56767C17.2122 3.28347 16.6053 3.89336 15.8934 4.39734C15.9009 4.4996 15.9046 4.65298 15.9046 4.8575C15.9046 5.80703 15.7623 6.75472 15.4775 7.7006C15.1928 8.64649 14.76 9.55401 14.1793 10.4232C13.5986 11.2924 12.9073 12.0611 12.1055 12.7295C11.3037 13.3978 10.3371 13.931 9.20558 14.329C8.07408 14.7271 6.86392 14.9262 5.57505 14.9262C3.54435 14.9262 1.68601 14.3966 0 13.3375C0.262269 13.3667 0.554506 13.3813 0.876722 13.3813C2.56274 13.3813 4.06514 12.8774 5.38397 11.8694C4.59717 11.8548 3.8928 11.6192 3.27085 11.1627C2.6489 10.7062 2.22178 10.1237 1.98949 9.41523C2.23677 9.45175 2.46531 9.47001 2.67513 9.47001C2.99734 9.47001 3.31581 9.42984 3.63053 9.3495C2.79127 9.1815 2.09627 8.77431 1.5455 8.12789C0.99474 7.48148 0.719362 6.73099 0.719362 5.87641V5.83259C1.22891 6.11015 1.77592 6.25988 2.36041 6.28179C1.86584 5.96041 1.47245 5.54043 1.1802 5.02184C0.887961 4.50325 0.741842 3.94084 0.741842 3.3346C0.741842 2.69184 0.906694 2.09656 1.2364 1.54875C2.1431 2.63707 3.24649 3.50807 4.54659 4.16178C5.84669 4.8155 7.23857 5.17887 8.72226 5.25192C8.66232 4.97436 8.63234 4.70411 8.63234 4.44116C8.63234 3.46241 8.9864 2.62793 9.69452 1.9377C10.4027 1.24746 11.2588 0.902344 12.2629 0.902344C13.3119 0.902344 14.1962 1.27485 14.9155 2.01987C15.7323 1.86648 16.5004 1.58162 17.2197 1.16529C16.9425 2.00526 16.4104 2.65532 15.6236 3.11548C16.3205 3.04244 17.0174 2.85984 17.7143 2.56767Z" fill="currentColor" fill-opacity="0.2" /> </svg> </a> </li> <li class="flex"> <a class="flex items-center hover:text-red" href="https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https://reactormag.com/reading-the-wheel-of-time-egwene-embraces-pain-and-makes-headway-in-knife-of-dreams-part-18/" target="_blank" title="Facebook"> <svg class="w-[9px] h-[18px]" fill="currentColor" viewbox="0 0 12 22" width="100%" height="100%" display="block" transitionduration="normal" transitionproperty="none" transitiontimingfunction="ease-out" class="w-[9px] h-[18px]" aria-label="facebook" role="img" aria-hidden="true"> <path d="M11.558.004L8.677 0C5.44 0 3.349 2.125 3.349 5.416v2.496H.452A.45.45 0 000 8.36v3.618a.45.45 0 00.452.447h2.897v9.127A.45.45 0 003.8 22h3.778c.25 0 .451-.2.451-.448v-9.127h3.387c.25 0 .451-.2.451-.447l.003-3.618a.452.452 0 00-.456-.448h-3.39V5.795c0-1.017.245-1.534 1.582-1.534h1.941c.25 0 .452-.2.452-.447V.457a.45.45 0 00-.452-.448l.01-.005z" fill-rule="nonzero"> </path> </svg> </a> </li> <li class="flex"> <a class="flex items-center hover:text-red" href="https://pinterest.com/pin/create/button/?url=https://reactormag.com/reading-the-wheel-of-time-egwene-embraces-pain-and-makes-headway-in-knife-of-dreams-part-18/&media=&description=Reading The Wheel of Time: Egwene Embraces Pain and Makes Headway in <i>Knife of Dreams</i> (PartÂ 18)” target=”_blank” title=”Pinterest”> <svg class=" w-[18px]="w-[18px]" h-[18px]"="h-[18px]"" width="18" height="18" viewbox="0 0 18 18" fill="none" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" aria-label="pinterest" role="img" aria-hidden="true"> <path d="M16.4962 4.49458C17.2844 5.84153 17.6786 7.31473 17.6786 8.91423C17.6786 10.5137 17.2844 11.9888 16.4962 13.3396C15.7079 14.6904 14.6384 15.7599 13.2876 16.5482C11.9368 17.3364 10.4617 17.7306 8.86223 17.7306C8.01273 17.7306 7.17856 17.6081 6.35967 17.3632C6.81121 16.6515 7.10967 16.0239 7.25508 15.4806C7.32396 15.2203 7.53059 14.413 7.87498 13.0584C8.02804 13.3568 8.30738 13.6151 8.71299 13.8332C9.1186 14.0513 9.55483 14.1604 10.0217 14.1604C10.9477 14.1604 11.7742 13.8983 12.5013 13.374C13.2283 12.8498 13.7908 12.1285 14.1888 11.2101C14.5867 10.2918 14.7857 9.25862 14.7857 8.11066C14.7857 7.2382 14.558 6.41933 14.1027 5.65402C13.6473 4.88871 12.9872 4.26499 12.1224 3.78285C11.2576 3.3007 10.2819 3.05964 9.19513 3.05964C8.39156 3.05964 7.64157 3.1706 6.94513 3.39254C6.2487 3.61448 5.65751 3.90912 5.17154 4.27647C4.68556 4.64382 4.26848 5.06665 3.92026 5.54497C3.57205 6.02329 3.31567 6.51882 3.15113 7.03157C2.98659 7.54433 2.90432 8.05708 2.90432 8.56984C2.90432 9.36576 3.05738 10.066 3.3635 10.6706C3.66962 11.2752 4.11732 11.6999 4.70661 11.9448C4.93621 12.0367 5.08161 11.9601 5.14284 11.7152C5.15814 11.6617 5.18876 11.5431 5.23467 11.3594C5.28059 11.1757 5.3112 11.0609 5.32651 11.015C5.37243 10.839 5.33034 10.6744 5.20024 10.5214C4.80993 10.0545 4.61478 9.47673 4.61478 8.78795C4.61478 7.63233 5.01464 6.63936 5.81439 5.809C6.61414 4.97864 7.66069 4.56346 8.95406 4.56346C10.1097 4.56346 11.0108 4.87723 11.6575 5.50479C12.3042 6.13234 12.6275 6.94739 12.6275 7.94994C12.6275 9.25097 12.3654 10.3568 11.8412 11.2675C11.3169 12.1783 10.6454 12.6336 9.82651 12.6336C9.35967 12.6336 8.98468 12.4672 8.70151 12.1343C8.41835 11.8013 8.33034 11.4015 8.43748 10.9346C8.49871 10.6668 8.60011 10.309 8.74169 9.86129C8.88327 9.41359 8.99807 9.01946 9.08608 8.67889C9.17409 8.33833 9.21809 8.04943 9.21809 7.81219C9.21809 7.42953 9.11478 7.11193 8.90814 6.85938C8.70151 6.60683 8.40687 6.48055 8.02422 6.48055C7.54972 6.48055 7.14794 6.69866 6.81886 7.13489C6.48977 7.57112 6.32524 8.11448 6.32524 8.76499C6.32524 9.32367 6.4209 9.7905 6.61223 10.1655L5.47575 14.964C5.34564 15.4997 5.2959 16.177 5.32651 16.9959C3.74997 16.2994 2.47575 15.2242 1.50381 13.7701C0.531863 12.316 0.0458984 10.6974 0.0458984 8.91423C0.0458984 7.31473 0.440027 5.83962 1.2283 4.48884C2.01657 3.13807 3.08607 2.06857 4.43684 1.2803C5.78761 0.492029 7.26273 0.0979004 8.86223 0.0979004C10.4617 0.0979004 11.9368 0.492029 13.2876 1.2803C14.6384 2.06857 15.7079 3.13999 16.4962 4.49458Z" fill="currentColor" /> <path d="M16.4962 4.49458C17.2844 5.84153 17.6786 7.31473 17.6786 8.91423C17.6786 10.5137 17.2844 11.9888 16.4962 13.3396C15.7079 14.6904 14.6384 15.7599 13.2876 16.5482C11.9368 17.3364 10.4617 17.7306 8.86223 17.7306C8.01273 17.7306 7.17856 17.6081 6.35967 17.3632C6.81121 16.6515 7.10967 16.0239 7.25508 15.4806C7.32396 15.2203 7.53059 14.413 7.87498 13.0584C8.02804 13.3568 8.30738 13.6151 8.71299 13.8332C9.1186 14.0513 9.55483 14.1604 10.0217 14.1604C10.9477 14.1604 11.7742 13.8983 12.5013 13.374C13.2283 12.8498 13.7908 12.1285 14.1888 11.2101C14.5867 10.2918 14.7857 9.25862 14.7857 8.11066C14.7857 7.2382 14.558 6.41933 14.1027 5.65402C13.6473 4.88871 12.9872 4.26499 12.1224 3.78285C11.2576 3.3007 10.2819 3.05964 9.19513 3.05964C8.39156 3.05964 7.64157 3.1706 6.94513 3.39254C6.2487 3.61448 5.65751 3.90912 5.17154 4.27647C4.68556 4.64382 4.26848 5.06665 3.92026 5.54497C3.57205 6.02329 3.31567 6.51882 3.15113 7.03157C2.98659 7.54433 2.90432 8.05708 2.90432 8.56984C2.90432 9.36576 3.05738 10.066 3.3635 10.6706C3.66962 11.2752 4.11732 11.6999 4.70661 11.9448C4.93621 12.0367 5.08161 11.9601 5.14284 11.7152C5.15814 11.6617 5.18876 11.5431 5.23467 11.3594C5.28059 11.1757 5.3112 11.0609 5.32651 11.015C5.37243 10.839 5.33034 10.6744 5.20024 10.5214C4.80993 10.0545 4.61478 9.47673 4.61478 8.78795C4.61478 7.63233 5.01464 6.63936 5.81439 5.809C6.61414 4.97864 7.66069 4.56346 8.95406 4.56346C10.1097 4.56346 11.0108 4.87723 11.6575 5.50479C12.3042 6.13234 12.6275 6.94739 12.6275 7.94994C12.6275 9.25097 12.3654 10.3568 11.8412 11.2675C11.3169 12.1783 10.6454 12.6336 9.82651 12.6336C9.35967 12.6336 8.98468 12.4672 8.70151 12.1343C8.41835 11.8013 8.33034 11.4015 8.43748 10.9346C8.49871 10.6668 8.60011 10.309 8.74169 9.86129C8.88327 9.41359 8.99807 9.01946 9.08608 8.67889C9.17409 8.33833 9.21809 8.04943 9.21809 7.81219C9.21809 7.42953 9.11478 7.11193 8.90814 6.85938C8.70151 6.60683 8.40687 6.48055 8.02422 6.48055C7.54972 6.48055 7.14794 6.69866 6.81886 7.13489C6.48977 7.57112 6.32524 8.11448 6.32524 8.76499C6.32524 9.32367 6.4209 9.7905 6.61223 10.1655L5.47575 14.964C5.34564 15.4997 5.2959 16.177 5.32651 16.9959C3.74997 16.2994 2.47575 15.2242 1.50381 13.7701C0.531863 12.316 0.0458984 10.6974 0.0458984 8.91423C0.0458984 7.31473 0.440027 5.83962 1.2283 4.48884C2.01657 3.13807 3.08607 2.06857 4.43684 1.2803C5.78761 0.492029 7.26273 0.0979004 8.86223 0.0979004C10.4617 0.0979004 11.9368 0.492029 13.2876 1.2803C14.6384 2.06857 15.7079 3.13999 16.4962 4.49458Z" fill="currentColor" fill-opacity="0.2" /> </svg> </a> </li> <li class="flex"> <a class="flex items-center hover:text-red" href="https://reactormag.com/feed/" target="_blank" title="RSS Feed"> <svg class="w-[17px] h-[17px]" width="18" height="18" viewbox="0 0 18 18" fill="none" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" aria-label="rss feed" role="img" aria-hidden="true"> <g clip-path="url(#clip0_1051_121783)"> <path d="M2.67871 17.4143C2.12871 17.4143 1.65771 17.2183 1.26571 16.8263C0.873713 16.4343 0.678046 15.9636 0.678713 15.4143C0.678713 14.8643 0.874713 14.3933 1.26671 14.0013C1.65871 13.6093 2.12938 13.4136 2.67871 13.4143C3.22871 13.4143 3.69971 13.6103 4.09171 14.0023C4.48371 14.3943 4.67938 14.865 4.67871 15.4143C4.67871 15.9643 4.48271 16.4353 4.09071 16.8273C3.69871 17.2193 3.22805 17.415 2.67871 17.4143ZM14.6787 17.4143C14.6787 15.481 14.312 13.6683 13.5787 11.9763C12.8454 10.2843 11.841 8.80097 10.5657 7.52631C9.29171 6.25164 7.80871 5.24764 6.11671 4.51431C4.42471 3.78097 2.61205 3.41431 0.678713 3.41431V0.414307C3.02871 0.414307 5.23705 0.860306 7.30371 1.75231C9.37038 2.64431 11.1704 3.85664 12.7037 5.38931C14.237 6.92264 15.4497 8.72264 16.3417 10.7893C17.2337 12.856 17.6794 15.0643 17.6787 17.4143H14.6787ZM8.67871 17.4143C8.67871 15.1976 7.89971 13.31 6.34171 11.7513C4.78371 10.1926 2.89605 9.41364 0.678713 9.41431V6.41431C2.21205 6.41431 3.64538 6.70197 4.97871 7.27731C6.31205 7.85264 7.47471 8.63597 8.46671 9.62731C9.45805 10.6186 10.2414 11.781 10.8167 13.1143C11.392 14.4476 11.6794 15.881 11.6787 17.4143H8.67871Z" fill="currentColor" /> <path d="M2.67871 17.4143C2.12871 17.4143 1.65771 17.2183 1.26571 16.8263C0.873713 16.4343 0.678046 15.9636 0.678713 15.4143C0.678713 14.8643 0.874713 14.3933 1.26671 14.0013C1.65871 13.6093 2.12938 13.4136 2.67871 13.4143C3.22871 13.4143 3.69971 13.6103 4.09171 14.0023C4.48371 14.3943 4.67938 14.865 4.67871 15.4143C4.67871 15.9643 4.48271 16.4353 4.09071 16.8273C3.69871 17.2193 3.22805 17.415 2.67871 17.4143ZM14.6787 17.4143C14.6787 15.481 14.312 13.6683 13.5787 11.9763C12.8454 10.2843 11.841 8.80097 10.5657 7.52631C9.29171 6.25164 7.80871 5.24764 6.11671 4.51431C4.42471 3.78097 2.61205 3.41431 0.678713 3.41431V0.414307C3.02871 0.414307 5.23705 0.860306 7.30371 1.75231C9.37038 2.64431 11.1704 3.85664 12.7037 5.38931C14.237 6.92264 15.4497 8.72264 16.3417 10.7893C17.2337 12.856 17.6794 15.0643 17.6787 17.4143H14.6787ZM8.67871 17.4143C8.67871 15.1976 7.89971 13.31 6.34171 11.7513C4.78371 10.1926 2.89605 9.41364 0.678713 9.41431V6.41431C2.21205 6.41431 3.64538 6.70197 4.97871 7.27731C6.31205 7.85264 7.47471 8.63597 8.46671 9.62731C9.45805 10.6186 10.2414 11.781 10.8167 13.1143C11.392 14.4476 11.6794 15.881 11.6787 17.4143H8.67871Z" fill="currentColor" fill-opacity="0.2" /> </g> <defs> <clippath id="clip0_1051_121783"> <rect width="17" height="17" fill="white" transform="translate(0.678711 0.414307)" /> </clippath> </defs> </svg> </a> </li> </ul> </div> </details> </div> </div> </div> <div class="post-hero-media "> <figure class="w-full h-auto post-hero-image"> <img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="740" height="407" src="https://reactormag.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/ReadingWOT_KODbook11-740x407.png" class="w-full object-cover" alt="Reading The Wheel of Time on Tor.com: Knife of Dreams" srcset="https://reactormag.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/ReadingWOT_KODbook11-740x407.png 740w, https://reactormag.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/ReadingWOT_KODbook11-768x422.png 768w, https://reactormag.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/ReadingWOT_KODbook11.png 951w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 740px) 100vw, 740px" /> </figure> </div> </div> </div> </post-hero> <div class="wp-block-more-from-category"> <div> </div> </div> <p>I have returned! This week, Reading The Wheel of Time is going to tackle chapter 24 of <em>Knife of Dreams</em>, in which Egwene wages war against Elaida from inside the White Tower. Although not much technically happens, it’s an incredible chapter that, I think, shows us Egwene’s quality and strength of character even better than the chapters in which she learned to be Amyrlin. I am so ready for this, so let us dive into the recap.</p> <hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-dots" /> <p>Egwene endures her first punishment from Silviana by trying to embrace the pain the way the Aiel do. After letting herself cry and scream, she finds that she recovers quickly once the punishment is done. As Egwene leaves, she doesn’t curtsey to Silviana, earning herself a second penance. She considers leaving it alone, then decides to tell Silviana that the Amyrlin Seat curtsies to no one, and receives a third.</p> <p>Outside Egwene passes Alviarin going into Silviana’s study, and Egwene hears her shouting. She wonders why Alviarin is undergoing penance.</p> <p>She returns to her rooms, trailed by her two Red Ajah guards, and makes sure she looks as calm and cool as she feels inside before going to breakfast. All the novices fall silent when she enters, and one sticks out a foot to trip her as she passes. Egwene catches herself and turns, calmly asking the novice’s name.</p> <figure class="wp-block-pullquote has-text-align-left"><blockquote><p>“Alvistere,” the young woman replied, her accent confirming her face. “Why do you want to know? So you can carry tales to Silviana? It will do you no good. Everyone will say they saw nothing.”<br><br>“A pity, that, Alvistere. You want to become Aes Sedai and give up the ability to lie, yet you want others to lie for you. Do you see any inconsistency in that?”</p></blockquote></figure> <p>Alvistere asks who Egwene is, to lecture her, and Egwene responds that although she is a prisoner, she is also the Amyrlin Seat. All the novices in the room are shocked that she is sticking to the claim.</p> <p>After breakfast she is given a dose of the weak forkroot tea and sent to a novice class, where the Accepted instructor, Idrelle, attempts to humiliate her by ordering her to make a ball of fire. Since Egwene can only channel a small amount, the ball of fire is very small, but she begins to divide the flows, channeling different colored balls of fire and making them dance around each other. Idrelle orders her to release the source, but Egwene ignores her, even after Idrelle makes a switch of Air and hits her with it. She only stops once the Reds in charge of guarding her order her, twice, to release <em>said</em>ar. When she doesn’t run as instructed, Katerine strikes her with blows of air until the other Red, Jezrail, stops her.</p> <p>Egwene is sent back to Silviana so often that by the end of the day Silviana decides that Egwene must receive Healing, though she warns Egwene that she’ll hit her harder to make up for that momentary relief.  </p> <p>This pattern continues in the Accepted classes, so it is decided that Egwene will have one-on-one classes with Aes Sedai instead.</p> <p>Egwene visits Leane, who is also being given forkroot, though she is shielded as well, according to custom. Egwene tells Leane her plan to undermine Elaida from inside the Tower. Under Egwene’s direction, Leane starts challenging the other Aes Sedai who visit her. Egwene herself tells a Brown named Bennae about the secret histories in the Thirteenth Depository, though only Amyrlins and Sitters are supposed to know about that. She also talks about times Amyrlins have been controlled or deposed by the Hall, bluntly planting a seed for the idea of overthrowing Elaida.</p> <p>She makes other forays, some seeming more promising than others, and continues to work on embracing the pain as she is sent to Silviana multiple times every day. After being told that she is now to receive Healing twice a day and that Silviana is going to start using the strap, Egwene finds herself smiling.</p> <figure class="wp-block-pullquote has-text-align-left"><blockquote><p>She had realized how to welcome the pain. She was fighting a war, not a single battle, and every time she was beaten, every time she was sent to Silviana, it was a sign that she had fought another battle and refused to yield. The pain was a badge of honor. She howled and kicked as hard as ever during that slippering, but while she was drying her cheeks afterward, she hummed quietly to herself. It was easy to welcome a badge of honor.</p></blockquote></figure> <p>Things begin to change with the novices as well. Nicola and Areina are spreading tall tales about Egwene, and a few novices try to emulate Egwene’s behavior, though trips to Silviana quickly set them straight again. This increases their sense of awe around Egwene, and she begins giving individual lessons and advice. She also offers comfort when novices see the dead or realize that the interior of the Tower has changed.</p> <p>The rest of Egwene’s time is spent on chores, but she never stops looking for opportunities to slip in a comment about Elaida’s handling of the White Tower and of Rand.</p> <p>One day while working in the gardens, Egwene is approached by Alviarin, who alludes to being willing to help Egwene escape. She continues to approach Egwene every few days after, making the same offer, and getting frustrated when Egwene replies, continually, that she is content with her situation.</p> <p>She also has an encounter with Mattin Stepaneos, who is being “escorted” by a Red sister named Cariandre. After being approached by the King, Egwene disabuses him of the notion that he was in danger from Rand. She tells him the truth about Colavaere’s death and the attack on the Sun Palace, and explains that Morgase was murdered by Rahvin, not the Dragon Reborn. She also points out the way the Reds have been handling him, and the conflict between the Ajahs.</p> <p>When Egwene sees Beonin in the Tower, she assumes that this betrayal means that Beonin is Black Ajah, and accuses her. Beonin takes Egwene aside and explains that she swore to obey Egwene as Amyrlin, and held to it for as long as Egwene was Amyrlin. Egwene isn’t having it, and deduces guilt in Beonin’s desire to explain herself. She learns that Beonin has given Elaida the names of the rebel sisters in the Tower, and orders her to warn them.</p> <p>After some back and forth, Egwene cows Beonin into agreeing to do as Egwene orders. After telling Leane everything, Leane deduces that Beonin must have been a spy for Elaida all along. Egwene is relieved to learn that sisters are still asking Leane to teach them Traveling, which means that Beonin hasn’t told anyone how to make that weave.</p> <p>On the ninth day of her captivity, Egwene manages to have a conversation with Silviana. After one of her visits, she asks about Shemerin, an Aes Sedai who was reduced back to Accepted by Elaida and later fled the Tower. Silviana admits that while there is no provision for taking away the shawl, there is no actually prohibition, either.</p> <figure class="wp-block-pullquote has-text-align-left"><blockquote><p>“The problem was that Shemerin accepted it. Other sisters told her to ignore the edict, but once she realized pleading wouldn’t change the Amyrlin’s mind, she moved into the Accepted’s quarters.”</p></blockquote></figure> <p>Silviana explains that some of Shemerin’s friends tried to talk sense into her, while others tried to force her to see sense by sending her to Silviana. Silviana herself thought Shemerin should be behaving as an Aes Sedai and treated the visits as a private penance. Silviana trails off as she begins to compare Shemerin’s fortitude with Egwene and sends Egwene to breakfast, but Egwene is elated to have made this progress.</p> <p>All the Novices stand when Egwene enters the dining hall, and one of them runs into the kitchen to bring Egwene’s tray out for her. There is a cushion on her seat as well, although Egwene moves it before she sits down. The Novices themselves only sit when she has begun to eat, and she finds honey in her tea—something Novices only get on special occasions.</p> <p>She has to fight a smile. The sisters she has begun to sway are more important than the Novices, but this is yet another sign that she is winning her war.</p> <hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-dots" /> <p>I’d like to thank Robert Jordan for specifying that the conversation with Silviana about Shemerin and the incident of the standing Novices occurred on the ninth day of Egwene’s captivity, because I would otherwise have thought that these events took place over a few weeks at least, if not a few months.</p> <p>In general, I find it a bit baffling that the whole series takes place over so short a timeframe. It’s a bit like in superhero and action films, where the main character has a training montage where they go from zero to hero in, like, a week or two? Not all movies do this, but so many of them do, and it never makes any sense to me. If you’re having a montage, you can say it took as long as you want, months or years even, without having to make real time pass for the audience. And in the process you could actually make the transformation of the protagonist somewhat realistic.</p> <p>The same issue applies to The Wheel of Time, in my opinion. There is no compelling reason I can think of that the development of our heroes’ abilities and the massive change that has come upon the world needs to take such a short timeframe. I don’t think it increases the urgency or the power of the story to say only two or three years pass rather than seven or eight or ten, and it does make the reader wonder at how quickly the Two Rivers kids and their allies are transformed.</p> <p>But while I might make an argument for a slightly longer timeline feeling more realistic, Jordan does provide reasons for the quick advancement of our heroes’ skills and powers. Egwene’s forcing, for example, both through her time wearing the <em>a’dam</em> and at Siuan’s direction. The fact that Perrin, Mat, and Rand are <em>ta’veren</em> and that Egwene, Elayne, Nynaeve, and Aviendha often seem to be having a similar effect on the people around them as the boys do, especially Egwene. And of course, the mere fact that they are all some of the most powerful channelers born in several generations can explain a lot; the most powerful channelers seem to be designed to learn quickly, like the way they are usually able to recreate a weave after only seeing it completed once. Sometimes they’re even able to weave instinctively, even if they have never seen a particular weave before, such as the first time Aviendha made a gateway. Talents in general seem to help speed the learning process quite a bit; again, Aviendha’s ability to know what a <em>ter’angreal</em> does simply by holding it for a while is a prime example of a Talent overcoming a huge logistical hurdle in a very simple and quick fashion.</p> <p>So, as much as part of me is tempted to dismiss the speed with which Egwene is making inroads with Elaida’s followers as a poor pacing choice, I’m also aware of how much precedent there is in this story for events to move so rapidly. And as Egwene herself points out, the decay and disarray of the White Tower makes her job a lot easier. She isn’t coming up against Sisters who believe in Elaida and convincing them that they are wrong, she is coming up against Aes Sedai who are already deeply disappointed with Elaida and feel disconnected from the White Tower because of the separation and mistrust between the Ajahs. Sure, they are going to hang onto tradition and appearances, perhaps harder than ever, but as Egwene pushes them to admit the truth of the problems in the Tower, she is also poised to offer them an alternative.</p> <p>However radical it might seem to long-standing sisters, Egwene has a strong vision for the White Tower and the will to make that vision a reality. She also has a sense of how she wants to handle the Last Battle, and is connected to Rand al’Thor. Elaida can offer none of these things, not a sense of unity, nor a vision for the future that takes in more than her own grandeur, nor a way to work with the Dragon Reborn—a need all but the most prejudiced sisters must eventually recognize as necessary.</p> <p>Throughout this chapter, I couldn’t stop thinking about how similar Egwene and Rand’s journeys are. Nynaeve, Elayne, and Aviendha have all grown rapidly in skill and power as channelers, but only Egwene’s incredible transformation can really rival Rand’s, in my eyes. And though there is plenty of trauma in everyone’s journeys, Egwene and Rand are specifically both haunted by their time as prisoners—Rand because of the torture he underwent at Galina’s hands and Egwene by her time imprisoned as a <em>damane</em>.</p> <p>Actually, now I think about it, Egwene’s time wearing the <em>a’dam</em> has probably served her in more ways than rapidly advancing her ability to channel. Being a prisoner of Elaida is certainly no picnic, with the near-constant corporeal punishment and the derision that many sisters (and Novices, and Accepted) are sending Egwene’s way. But when compared to being a slave, to being designated as less than human while having not only your body but your very <em>thoughts</em> magically controlled, it really isn’t that bad. Egwene is being treated like a particularly stubborn runaway, but she isn’t being told that she’s an animal or having every scrap of her autonomy of thought taken away from her. She can still reach friends through <em>Tel’aran’rhiod</em>, and visit Leane, and even chat with Aes Sedai occasionally. It’s enough to plant her seeds of doubt and change, at least, which one could never say about any <em>damane</em>’s treatment.</p> <p>There is a reason so much of Egwene’s focus is on learning to embrace pain the way Aiel do. She never worries about breaking under the derision of the Accepted or the disapproval of the Aes Sedai. She knows her sense of self is more than strong enough to withstand other people’s judgments of her. Her sense of who she is wasn’t destroyed by the Seanchan, so it certainly won’t be by some random Red sisters. She is less confident in her physical prowess, though. She experienced beatings when she met her <em>toh</em> for lying to the Wise Ones and was sometimes given pain through the <em>a’dam</em>, but she has little experiencing resisting the kind of punishment—torture, rather—that the White Tower is trying to use to break her of believing herself to be the true Amyrlin.</p> <p>Her eventual conclusion about how to welcome the pain made so much sense to me, and was so powerful a moment that I’m actually considering employing it in my own life. Not to cope with torture, of course, but as a tool to reframe struggle and conflict. Egwene is taking her suffering and holding it up like a symbol, like a talisman, because it is proof of her own strength. Every time she receives punishment, it is because she refused to yield, and every refusal to yield is a victory. Once she knows that the beatings won’t force her to give in, she has nothing left to fear from them.</p> <p>Rand has had his own journey in embracing pain, both physically and emotionally. Physically he seems to repress his awareness of the pain as much as possible, making me wonder what would happen if he were able to bring in a little Aiel philosophy. Would embracing the pain ease his suffering? Could he feel a little better about those unhealing wounds if he considered them a mark of his triumphs, proof of his own strength and resilience? Proof that people cared for him when he was sick and worked to save him?</p> <p>And maybe he could apply that same thinking to the emotional wounds, too. Instead of self-flagellating over the death of every woman, perhaps he could take comfort in the fact that he still cares about the people around him. That he has allies, and that the fight for the Light isn’t his alone.</p> <p>That would require a few other perspective shifts, of course, but Cadsuane is coming for that.</p> <p>Anyway, to get back to Egwene, it’s interesting to see how her journey parallels Rand’s, especially now that she is getting closer to becoming the Amyrlin of a reunited White Tower. As the Amyrlin Seat in her full power, she will be the counterpart to Rand, the leader of Black Tower. I find myself wondering how they will eventually make their own alliance, given Rand’s continued suspicion of Aes Sedai and the fact that Egwene does believe many of the Aes Sedai precepts calling them the true leaders of the world.</p> <p>That reminds me of Elaida’s Foretelling, which occurred way back in the Prologue of <em>A Crown of Swords</em>. I had to look it up again, so here it is for anyone else who doesn’t remember it exactly.</p> <figure class="wp-block-pullquote has-text-align-left"><blockquote><p>“The White Tower will be whole again, except for remnants cast out and scorned, whole and stronger than ever. Rand al’Thor will face the Amyrlin Seat and know her anger. The Black Tower will be rent in blood and fire, and sisters will walk its grounds. This I Foretell.”</p></blockquote></figure> <p>Elaida took this to be confirmation of her own coming victory, both in uniting the White Tower and in tearing down the Black Tower, but even then it was clear to the reader that she was misinterpreting her own vision. The Foretelling mentions the Amyrlin Seat but says nothing about who will be the Amyrlin Seat when the Dragon Faces her. It certainly doesn’t say who will reunite the White Tower and make it strong again, nor does it specify who will rend the Black Tower in blood and fire. </p> <p>Sisters are already walking the grounds of the Black Tower, if the Foretelling is referring to those who were Bonded by Asha’man. But even if it’s not, some Aes Sedai will be bonding Asha’man as Warders and traveling there to meet them, which would also fulfill that part of the Foretelling. Or maybe it just predicts a truce between the two, and lots of visiting.</p> <p>I think it’s pretty obvious that the White Tower is going to be stronger than ever because of the changes Egwene is bringing, the relationship to the Kin, and the opening of the novice book to those of all ages. We’ve already seen how many more women with high potential there are among the older novices in the rebel camp, after all, and ties to the Kin, the Wise Ones, and maybe even recruits from the Seanchan will practically remake the White Tower, I think. Those “cast out remnants” might refer to a few sisters who can’t accept the new order, or possibly to some Black sisters who might escape once Egwene is filled in on the Black Ajah’s doings by Seaine and the rest.</p> <p>But the part of the Foretelling that I find the most intriguing, and which I as yet have no answer for, is that the Dragon will face the Amyrlin and “know her anger.” This seems to portend a fight between Rand and Egwene, and it made me think of Lews Therin and Latra Posae, and the conflict between the male and female Aes Sedai that resulted in only men attempting to seal the Bore and the taint being placed on <em>saidin</em> in the process.</p> <p>We can’t know for certain what would have happened if there had also been women channelers with them, if the Hundred Companions would have been more successful, or if <em>saidar</em> would have been tainted alongside <em>saidin</em>. But thematically speaking, the division between the Aes Sedai in the Age of Legends made things worse for the side of the Light. The division between male and female channelers of the current Age is a constant wound on the world, and division in general (between allies, between families, within the heart of the White Tower itself) seems to be one of the Dark’s greatest weapons. Given all that, and given that we know there is some kind of confrontation between Rand and Egwene, the Dragon Reborn and the Amyrlin Seat, coming, I can’t help but feel that this is going to be a pivotal moment for the series, and for the future of mankind.</p> <p>Rand isn’t exactly one for compromises, but I don’t think they’ll be able to face the Last Battle either entirely on his terms or entirely on the Tower’s. Only through understanding each other and being able to truly work together as allies will the Black and White Towers be able to find victory against the Dark. After all, as we are constantly reminded, when <em>saidin</em> and <em>saidar</em> are wielded together, they can perform feats that neither can accomplish alone.</p> <p>Speaking of Black sisters in the Tower, I’m very relieved that Egwene isn’t buying what Alviarin is selling, both because it isn’t what she wants but also because her instincts are warning her against trusting the former Keeper. Alviarin does seem a little desperate, which might just have to do with everything she’s been through, and the weight of expectation after Shaidar Haran marked her. But I’m wondering if maybe she was ordered to help Egwene escape. In order for the Shadow to kidnap her, maybe? We know Halima’gar was supposed to keep her close, and even if the Forsaken don’t know what she’s up to or expect her to succeed, they clearly know she’s important.</p> <p>I’m also intrigued by Silviana. She’s been described once or twice as harsh but fair, and if she is coming around to Egwene, I can imagine a lot of other sisters following suit. It’s a bit like Verin’s cobbled-together version of compulsion—you can convince people to see something your way, but they’re still going to do it for their own reasons. Silviana might respect Egwene’s strength. Beonin just wants to stick it to Elaida, as possibly many of the other sisters do. Doesine perhaps.</p> <p>And then there’s sisters like Jezrail, who are hardly on Egwene’s side but might end up even less on the side of the others. If Katerine’s overzealous attack on Egwene prompted the other Red to interfere, when else might she do so? Who else might finally object to how often Egwene is beaten, or to how much extra work she is given, or to the fact that she is already more powerful than most Aes Sedai and yet is being kept as a novice?</p> <p>I think, ultimately, that what we saw from the Novices at the end of the chapter is what we are going to see from the rest of the White Tower, sooner or later. Nicola was hardly a fan of Egwene’s when they were both in Salidar, and now she is calling her “Mother” and encouraging all the other Novices to look up to her. The way she uses logic against Alvistere is, after all, very similar to the way she imparts the secret information from the Histories to Bennae, or deduces Beonin’s guilt, or eventually finds a subject that persuades Silviana into conversation. Egwene thinks like an Aes Sedai; she knows how to use their customs, their logic, and their drives to her own advantage. There are already Aes Sedai who have developed a grudging respect for Egwene. How long, especially with Leane and possibly Beonin’s help, will it be before that respect turns to support? And after that support is gained, it will no doubt spread.</p> <hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-dots" /> <p>Next week Egwene will attend Elaida, and then we’ll be heading back to see what Tuon and Mat are up to, something I am especially excited for since we are going to finally get a section from Tuon’s point of view! See you then.[end-mark]</p> <p>The post <a href="https://reactormag.com/reading-the-wheel-of-time-egwene-embraces-pain-and-makes-headway-in-knife-of-dreams-part-18/">Reading The Wheel of Time: Egwene Embraces Pain and Makes Headway in <i>Knife of Dreams</i> (Part 18)</a> appeared first on <a href="https://reactormag.com">Reactor</a>.</p><p class="ljsyndicationlink"><a href="https://reactormag.com/reading-the-wheel-of-time-egwene-embraces-pain-and-makes-headway-in-knife-of-dreams-part-18/">https://reactormag.com/reading-the-wheel-of-time-egwene-embraces-pain-and-makes-headway-in-knife-of-dreams-part-18/</a></p><p class="ljsyndicationlink"><a href="https://reactormag.com/?p=817318">https://reactormag.com/?p=817318</a></p>

Glen Powell Takes Off in the Trailer for Edgar Wright’s The Running Man

tordotcom_feed

Tuesday, July 1st, 2025 01:53 pm

Posted by Molly Templeton

https://reactormag.com/glen-powell-the-running-man-first-trailer/

https://reactormag.com/?p=817325

News The Running Man

Glen Powell Takes Off in the Trailer for Edgar Wright’s The Running Man

Yes, there are Stephen King adaptations about running AND walking in theaters this fall.

By Molly Templeton

Published on July 1, 2025

Screenshot: Paramount Pictures

[Error: Irreparable invalid markup ('<a [...] h-[15px]">') in entry. Owner must fix manually. Raw contents below.]

<p class="syndicationauthor">Posted by Molly Templeton</p><p class="ljsyndicationlink"><a href="https://reactormag.com/glen-powell-the-running-man-first-trailer/">https://reactormag.com/glen-powell-the-running-man-first-trailer/</a></p><p class="ljsyndicationlink"><a href="https://reactormag.com/?p=817325">https://reactormag.com/?p=817325</a></p><post-hero class="wp-block-post-hero js-post-hero post-hero post-hero-horizontal"> <div class="container container-desktop"> <div class="flex flex-col mx-auto post-hero-container"> <div class="post-hero-content"> <div class="post-hero-tags font-aktiv text-xs tracking-[0.5px] font-medium uppercase"> <span class="mr-3"> <i class="inline-block w-2 h-2 rounded-full mr-[5px] bg-blue"></i> <a href="https://reactormag.com/articles/news/" class="inline-block link-no-animation" aria-label="Link to term or tag News 0"> News </a> </span> <span class="mr-3"> <i class="inline-block w-2 h-2 rounded-full mr-[5px] bg-blue"></i> <a href="https://reactormag.com/tag/the-running-man/" class="inline-block link-no-animation" aria-label="Link to term or tag The Running Man 1"> The Running Man </a> </span> </div> <h2 class="post-hero-title text-h1">Glen Powell Takes Off in the Trailer for Edgar Wright’s <i>The Running Man</i></h2> <div class="prose post-hero-description prose--post-hero">Yes, there are Stephen King adaptations about running AND walking in theaters this fall.</div> <div class="post-hero-wrapper"> <div class="post-hero-inner"> <p class="post-hero-author text-xs font-aktiv uppercase font-medium [&_a]:link-hover">By <a href="https://reactormag.com/author/molly-templeton/" title="Posts by Molly Templeton" class="author url fn" rel="author">Molly Templeton</a></p> <span class="post-hero-symbol relative top-[-2px] hidden tablet:block">|</span> <p class="text-xs uppercase post-hero-publish font-aktiv"> Published on July 1, 2025 </p> </div> </div> <div class="post-hero-caption post-hero-caption-vertical [&_a]:link"><p>Screenshot: Paramount Pictures</p> </div> <div class="quick-access post-hero-quick-access mt-[17px] tablet:hidden"> <div class="flex gap-[30px] tablet:gap-6"> <a href="https://reactormag.com/glen-powell-the-running-man-first-trailer/#comments" class="flex items-center text-sm font-aktiv tracking-[0.6px] font-semibold uppercase translate-x-[1px] translate-y-[1px]"> <svg class="w-[22px] h-[22px] mr-[7px] icon-hover" viewbox="0 0 18 18" aria-label="comment" role="img" aria-hidden="true" aria-labelledby="icon-comment-quick-access-"> <title id="icon-comment-quick-access-">Comment</title> <g fill="none" fill-rule="evenodd"> <path fill="#FFF" fill-rule="nonzero" d="M6.3 18a.9.9 0 0 1-.9-.9v-2.7H1.8A1.8 1.8 0 0 1 0 12.6V1.8A1.8 1.8 0 0 1 1.8 0h14.4A1.8 1.8 0 0 1 18 1.8v10.8a1.8 1.8 0 0 1-1.8 1.8h-5.49l-3.33 3.339a.917.917 0 0 1-.63.261H6.3Z" /> <path stroke="#000" d="M5.9 14.4v-.5H1.8a1.3 1.3 0 0 1-1.3-1.3V1.8A1.3 1.3 0 0 1 1.8.5h14.4a1.3 1.3 0 0 1 1.3 1.3v10.8a1.3 1.3 0 0 1-1.3 1.3h-5.698l-.146.147-3.324 3.333a.417.417 0 0 1-.282.12H6.3a.4.4 0 0 1-.4-.4v-2.7Z" /> </g> </svg> 0 </a> <details class="relative quick-access-details"> <summary class="quick-access-share flex items-center text-sm font-aktiv tracking-[0.6px] font-semibold uppercase"> <svg class="w-[22px] h-[22px] mr-[7px] icon-hover" viewbox="0 0 22 22" aria-label="share" role="img" aria-hidden="true" aria-labelledby="icon-share-new-quick-access-"> <title id="icon-share-new-quick-access-">Share New</title> <g fill="none" fill-rule="evenodd"> <circle cx="11" cy="11" r="11" fill="#FFF" fill-rule="nonzero" /> <circle cx="11" cy="11" r="10.5" stroke="#000" /> <path fill="#FFF" d="M5.993 13.464c.675 0 1.323-.266 1.806-.743l4.11 2.396a2.639 2.639 0 0 0 .368 2.451 2.583 2.583 0 0 0 2.227 1.043 2.59 2.59 0 0 0 2.09-1.3 2.64 2.64 0 0 0 .08-2.477 2.58 2.58 0 0 0-4.292-.54L8.344 11.94c.28-.616.31-1.319.086-1.958l3.952-2.303a2.564 2.564 0 0 0 4.263-.537 2.623 2.623 0 0 0-.078-2.46 2.573 2.573 0 0 0-2.075-1.293 2.566 2.566 0 0 0-2.213 1.033 2.622 2.622 0 0 0-.37 2.433L7.96 9.158a2.573 2.573 0 0 0-4.316.603 2.632 2.632 0 0 0 .172 2.501 2.58 2.58 0 0 0 2.178 1.202Z" /> <path fill="#000" d="M6.936 9.577c.322 0 .631.137.859.383.228.245.355.577.355.924 0 .347-.127.68-.355.925a1.172 1.172 0 0 1-.859.383c-.322 0-.63-.138-.858-.383a1.36 1.36 0 0 1-.356-.925c0-.347.129-.679.356-.924.228-.245.536-.383.858-.383Zm6.17-3.837c.323 0 .631.138.86.383.227.245.355.578.355.924 0 .347-.128.68-.356.925a1.172 1.172 0 0 1-.858.383c-.322 0-.631-.138-.859-.383a1.36 1.36 0 0 1-.355-.925c0-.346.128-.678.356-.924.227-.245.536-.383.858-.383Zm0 7.883c.323 0 .631.138.86.383.227.245.355.578.355.925 0 .346-.128.679-.356.924a1.171 1.171 0 0 1-.858.383c-.322 0-.631-.138-.859-.383a1.36 1.36 0 0 1-.355-.925c0-.346.128-.678.356-.923.227-.245.536-.383.858-.384Zm-6.17-.681c.499 0 .978-.21 1.334-.586l3.036 1.888a2.194 2.194 0 0 0 .272 1.93c.385.555 1.003.863 1.645.822.641-.04 1.221-.425 1.544-1.024a2.203 2.203 0 0 0 .059-1.952c-.286-.62-.841-1.044-1.48-1.13-.637-.085-1.272.18-1.69.705l-2.984-1.854c.207-.486.23-1.04.064-1.543l2.92-1.815c.415.522 1.046.784 1.68.7.633-.086 1.184-.507 1.468-1.123a2.188 2.188 0 0 0-.058-1.938c-.32-.595-.895-.977-1.532-1.018-.638-.041-1.251.264-1.635.813a2.179 2.179 0 0 0-.273 1.917L8.389 9.55c-.423-.534-1.07-.798-1.715-.702-.645.096-1.2.54-1.472 1.177a2.194 2.194 0 0 0 .126 1.97c.352.59.958.948 1.61.947Z" /> </g> </svg> Share </summary> <div class="quick-access-bubble"> <ul class="flex gap-6 text-black list-none"> <li class="flex"> <a class="flex items-center hover:text-red" href="https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Glen Powell Takes Off in the Trailer for Edgar Wright’s <i>The Running Man</i>&url=https://reactormag.com/glen-powell-the-running-man-first-trailer/” target=”_blank” title=”Twitter”> <svg class=" w-[18px]="w-[18px]" h-[15px]"="h-[15px]"" width="18" height="15" viewbox="0 0 18 15" fill="none" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" aria-label="twitter" role="img" aria-hidden="true"> <path d="M17.7143 2.56767C17.2122 3.28347 16.6053 3.89336 15.8934 4.39734C15.9009 4.4996 15.9046 4.65298 15.9046 4.8575C15.9046 5.80703 15.7623 6.75472 15.4775 7.7006C15.1928 8.64649 14.76 9.55401 14.1793 10.4232C13.5986 11.2924 12.9073 12.0611 12.1055 12.7295C11.3037 13.3978 10.3371 13.931 9.20558 14.329C8.07408 14.7271 6.86392 14.9262 5.57505 14.9262C3.54435 14.9262 1.68601 14.3966 0 13.3375C0.262269 13.3667 0.554506 13.3813 0.876722 13.3813C2.56274 13.3813 4.06514 12.8774 5.38397 11.8694C4.59717 11.8548 3.8928 11.6192 3.27085 11.1627C2.6489 10.7062 2.22178 10.1237 1.98949 9.41523C2.23677 9.45175 2.46531 9.47001 2.67513 9.47001C2.99734 9.47001 3.31581 9.42984 3.63053 9.3495C2.79127 9.1815 2.09627 8.77431 1.5455 8.12789C0.99474 7.48148 0.719362 6.73099 0.719362 5.87641V5.83259C1.22891 6.11015 1.77592 6.25988 2.36041 6.28179C1.86584 5.96041 1.47245 5.54043 1.1802 5.02184C0.887961 4.50325 0.741842 3.94084 0.741842 3.3346C0.741842 2.69184 0.906694 2.09656 1.2364 1.54875C2.1431 2.63707 3.24649 3.50807 4.54659 4.16178C5.84669 4.8155 7.23857 5.17887 8.72226 5.25192C8.66232 4.97436 8.63234 4.70411 8.63234 4.44116C8.63234 3.46241 8.9864 2.62793 9.69452 1.9377C10.4027 1.24746 11.2588 0.902344 12.2629 0.902344C13.3119 0.902344 14.1962 1.27485 14.9155 2.01987C15.7323 1.86648 16.5004 1.58162 17.2197 1.16529C16.9425 2.00526 16.4104 2.65532 15.6236 3.11548C16.3205 3.04244 17.0174 2.85984 17.7143 2.56767Z" fill="currentColor" /> <path d="M17.7143 2.56767C17.2122 3.28347 16.6053 3.89336 15.8934 4.39734C15.9009 4.4996 15.9046 4.65298 15.9046 4.8575C15.9046 5.80703 15.7623 6.75472 15.4775 7.7006C15.1928 8.64649 14.76 9.55401 14.1793 10.4232C13.5986 11.2924 12.9073 12.0611 12.1055 12.7295C11.3037 13.3978 10.3371 13.931 9.20558 14.329C8.07408 14.7271 6.86392 14.9262 5.57505 14.9262C3.54435 14.9262 1.68601 14.3966 0 13.3375C0.262269 13.3667 0.554506 13.3813 0.876722 13.3813C2.56274 13.3813 4.06514 12.8774 5.38397 11.8694C4.59717 11.8548 3.8928 11.6192 3.27085 11.1627C2.6489 10.7062 2.22178 10.1237 1.98949 9.41523C2.23677 9.45175 2.46531 9.47001 2.67513 9.47001C2.99734 9.47001 3.31581 9.42984 3.63053 9.3495C2.79127 9.1815 2.09627 8.77431 1.5455 8.12789C0.99474 7.48148 0.719362 6.73099 0.719362 5.87641V5.83259C1.22891 6.11015 1.77592 6.25988 2.36041 6.28179C1.86584 5.96041 1.47245 5.54043 1.1802 5.02184C0.887961 4.50325 0.741842 3.94084 0.741842 3.3346C0.741842 2.69184 0.906694 2.09656 1.2364 1.54875C2.1431 2.63707 3.24649 3.50807 4.54659 4.16178C5.84669 4.8155 7.23857 5.17887 8.72226 5.25192C8.66232 4.97436 8.63234 4.70411 8.63234 4.44116C8.63234 3.46241 8.9864 2.62793 9.69452 1.9377C10.4027 1.24746 11.2588 0.902344 12.2629 0.902344C13.3119 0.902344 14.1962 1.27485 14.9155 2.01987C15.7323 1.86648 16.5004 1.58162 17.2197 1.16529C16.9425 2.00526 16.4104 2.65532 15.6236 3.11548C16.3205 3.04244 17.0174 2.85984 17.7143 2.56767Z" fill="currentColor" fill-opacity="0.2" /> </svg> </a> </li> <li class="flex"> <a class="flex items-center hover:text-red" href="https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https://reactormag.com/glen-powell-the-running-man-first-trailer/" target="_blank" title="Facebook"> <svg class="w-[9px] h-[18px]" fill="currentColor" viewbox="0 0 12 22" width="100%" height="100%" display="block" transitionduration="normal" transitionproperty="none" transitiontimingfunction="ease-out" class="w-[9px] h-[18px]" aria-label="facebook" role="img" aria-hidden="true"> <path d="M11.558.004L8.677 0C5.44 0 3.349 2.125 3.349 5.416v2.496H.452A.45.45 0 000 8.36v3.618a.45.45 0 00.452.447h2.897v9.127A.45.45 0 003.8 22h3.778c.25 0 .451-.2.451-.448v-9.127h3.387c.25 0 .451-.2.451-.447l.003-3.618a.452.452 0 00-.456-.448h-3.39V5.795c0-1.017.245-1.534 1.582-1.534h1.941c.25 0 .452-.2.452-.447V.457a.45.45 0 00-.452-.448l.01-.005z" fill-rule="nonzero"> </path> </svg> </a> </li> <li class="flex"> <a class="flex items-center hover:text-red" href="https://pinterest.com/pin/create/button/?url=https://reactormag.com/glen-powell-the-running-man-first-trailer/&media=&description=Glen Powell Takes Off in the Trailer for Edgar Wright’s <i>The Running Man</i>” target=”_blank” title=”Pinterest”> <svg class=" w-[18px]="w-[18px]" h-[18px]"="h-[18px]"" width="18" height="18" viewbox="0 0 18 18" fill="none" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" aria-label="pinterest" role="img" aria-hidden="true"> <path d="M16.4962 4.49458C17.2844 5.84153 17.6786 7.31473 17.6786 8.91423C17.6786 10.5137 17.2844 11.9888 16.4962 13.3396C15.7079 14.6904 14.6384 15.7599 13.2876 16.5482C11.9368 17.3364 10.4617 17.7306 8.86223 17.7306C8.01273 17.7306 7.17856 17.6081 6.35967 17.3632C6.81121 16.6515 7.10967 16.0239 7.25508 15.4806C7.32396 15.2203 7.53059 14.413 7.87498 13.0584C8.02804 13.3568 8.30738 13.6151 8.71299 13.8332C9.1186 14.0513 9.55483 14.1604 10.0217 14.1604C10.9477 14.1604 11.7742 13.8983 12.5013 13.374C13.2283 12.8498 13.7908 12.1285 14.1888 11.2101C14.5867 10.2918 14.7857 9.25862 14.7857 8.11066C14.7857 7.2382 14.558 6.41933 14.1027 5.65402C13.6473 4.88871 12.9872 4.26499 12.1224 3.78285C11.2576 3.3007 10.2819 3.05964 9.19513 3.05964C8.39156 3.05964 7.64157 3.1706 6.94513 3.39254C6.2487 3.61448 5.65751 3.90912 5.17154 4.27647C4.68556 4.64382 4.26848 5.06665 3.92026 5.54497C3.57205 6.02329 3.31567 6.51882 3.15113 7.03157C2.98659 7.54433 2.90432 8.05708 2.90432 8.56984C2.90432 9.36576 3.05738 10.066 3.3635 10.6706C3.66962 11.2752 4.11732 11.6999 4.70661 11.9448C4.93621 12.0367 5.08161 11.9601 5.14284 11.7152C5.15814 11.6617 5.18876 11.5431 5.23467 11.3594C5.28059 11.1757 5.3112 11.0609 5.32651 11.015C5.37243 10.839 5.33034 10.6744 5.20024 10.5214C4.80993 10.0545 4.61478 9.47673 4.61478 8.78795C4.61478 7.63233 5.01464 6.63936 5.81439 5.809C6.61414 4.97864 7.66069 4.56346 8.95406 4.56346C10.1097 4.56346 11.0108 4.87723 11.6575 5.50479C12.3042 6.13234 12.6275 6.94739 12.6275 7.94994C12.6275 9.25097 12.3654 10.3568 11.8412 11.2675C11.3169 12.1783 10.6454 12.6336 9.82651 12.6336C9.35967 12.6336 8.98468 12.4672 8.70151 12.1343C8.41835 11.8013 8.33034 11.4015 8.43748 10.9346C8.49871 10.6668 8.60011 10.309 8.74169 9.86129C8.88327 9.41359 8.99807 9.01946 9.08608 8.67889C9.17409 8.33833 9.21809 8.04943 9.21809 7.81219C9.21809 7.42953 9.11478 7.11193 8.90814 6.85938C8.70151 6.60683 8.40687 6.48055 8.02422 6.48055C7.54972 6.48055 7.14794 6.69866 6.81886 7.13489C6.48977 7.57112 6.32524 8.11448 6.32524 8.76499C6.32524 9.32367 6.4209 9.7905 6.61223 10.1655L5.47575 14.964C5.34564 15.4997 5.2959 16.177 5.32651 16.9959C3.74997 16.2994 2.47575 15.2242 1.50381 13.7701C0.531863 12.316 0.0458984 10.6974 0.0458984 8.91423C0.0458984 7.31473 0.440027 5.83962 1.2283 4.48884C2.01657 3.13807 3.08607 2.06857 4.43684 1.2803C5.78761 0.492029 7.26273 0.0979004 8.86223 0.0979004C10.4617 0.0979004 11.9368 0.492029 13.2876 1.2803C14.6384 2.06857 15.7079 3.13999 16.4962 4.49458Z" fill="currentColor" /> <path d="M16.4962 4.49458C17.2844 5.84153 17.6786 7.31473 17.6786 8.91423C17.6786 10.5137 17.2844 11.9888 16.4962 13.3396C15.7079 14.6904 14.6384 15.7599 13.2876 16.5482C11.9368 17.3364 10.4617 17.7306 8.86223 17.7306C8.01273 17.7306 7.17856 17.6081 6.35967 17.3632C6.81121 16.6515 7.10967 16.0239 7.25508 15.4806C7.32396 15.2203 7.53059 14.413 7.87498 13.0584C8.02804 13.3568 8.30738 13.6151 8.71299 13.8332C9.1186 14.0513 9.55483 14.1604 10.0217 14.1604C10.9477 14.1604 11.7742 13.8983 12.5013 13.374C13.2283 12.8498 13.7908 12.1285 14.1888 11.2101C14.5867 10.2918 14.7857 9.25862 14.7857 8.11066C14.7857 7.2382 14.558 6.41933 14.1027 5.65402C13.6473 4.88871 12.9872 4.26499 12.1224 3.78285C11.2576 3.3007 10.2819 3.05964 9.19513 3.05964C8.39156 3.05964 7.64157 3.1706 6.94513 3.39254C6.2487 3.61448 5.65751 3.90912 5.17154 4.27647C4.68556 4.64382 4.26848 5.06665 3.92026 5.54497C3.57205 6.02329 3.31567 6.51882 3.15113 7.03157C2.98659 7.54433 2.90432 8.05708 2.90432 8.56984C2.90432 9.36576 3.05738 10.066 3.3635 10.6706C3.66962 11.2752 4.11732 11.6999 4.70661 11.9448C4.93621 12.0367 5.08161 11.9601 5.14284 11.7152C5.15814 11.6617 5.18876 11.5431 5.23467 11.3594C5.28059 11.1757 5.3112 11.0609 5.32651 11.015C5.37243 10.839 5.33034 10.6744 5.20024 10.5214C4.80993 10.0545 4.61478 9.47673 4.61478 8.78795C4.61478 7.63233 5.01464 6.63936 5.81439 5.809C6.61414 4.97864 7.66069 4.56346 8.95406 4.56346C10.1097 4.56346 11.0108 4.87723 11.6575 5.50479C12.3042 6.13234 12.6275 6.94739 12.6275 7.94994C12.6275 9.25097 12.3654 10.3568 11.8412 11.2675C11.3169 12.1783 10.6454 12.6336 9.82651 12.6336C9.35967 12.6336 8.98468 12.4672 8.70151 12.1343C8.41835 11.8013 8.33034 11.4015 8.43748 10.9346C8.49871 10.6668 8.60011 10.309 8.74169 9.86129C8.88327 9.41359 8.99807 9.01946 9.08608 8.67889C9.17409 8.33833 9.21809 8.04943 9.21809 7.81219C9.21809 7.42953 9.11478 7.11193 8.90814 6.85938C8.70151 6.60683 8.40687 6.48055 8.02422 6.48055C7.54972 6.48055 7.14794 6.69866 6.81886 7.13489C6.48977 7.57112 6.32524 8.11448 6.32524 8.76499C6.32524 9.32367 6.4209 9.7905 6.61223 10.1655L5.47575 14.964C5.34564 15.4997 5.2959 16.177 5.32651 16.9959C3.74997 16.2994 2.47575 15.2242 1.50381 13.7701C0.531863 12.316 0.0458984 10.6974 0.0458984 8.91423C0.0458984 7.31473 0.440027 5.83962 1.2283 4.48884C2.01657 3.13807 3.08607 2.06857 4.43684 1.2803C5.78761 0.492029 7.26273 0.0979004 8.86223 0.0979004C10.4617 0.0979004 11.9368 0.492029 13.2876 1.2803C14.6384 2.06857 15.7079 3.13999 16.4962 4.49458Z" fill="currentColor" fill-opacity="0.2" /> </svg> </a> </li> <li class="flex"> <a class="flex items-center hover:text-red" href="https://reactormag.com/feed/" target="_blank" title="RSS Feed"> <svg class="w-[17px] h-[17px]" width="18" height="18" viewbox="0 0 18 18" fill="none" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" aria-label="rss feed" role="img" aria-hidden="true"> <g clip-path="url(#clip0_1051_121783)"> <path d="M2.67871 17.4143C2.12871 17.4143 1.65771 17.2183 1.26571 16.8263C0.873713 16.4343 0.678046 15.9636 0.678713 15.4143C0.678713 14.8643 0.874713 14.3933 1.26671 14.0013C1.65871 13.6093 2.12938 13.4136 2.67871 13.4143C3.22871 13.4143 3.69971 13.6103 4.09171 14.0023C4.48371 14.3943 4.67938 14.865 4.67871 15.4143C4.67871 15.9643 4.48271 16.4353 4.09071 16.8273C3.69871 17.2193 3.22805 17.415 2.67871 17.4143ZM14.6787 17.4143C14.6787 15.481 14.312 13.6683 13.5787 11.9763C12.8454 10.2843 11.841 8.80097 10.5657 7.52631C9.29171 6.25164 7.80871 5.24764 6.11671 4.51431C4.42471 3.78097 2.61205 3.41431 0.678713 3.41431V0.414307C3.02871 0.414307 5.23705 0.860306 7.30371 1.75231C9.37038 2.64431 11.1704 3.85664 12.7037 5.38931C14.237 6.92264 15.4497 8.72264 16.3417 10.7893C17.2337 12.856 17.6794 15.0643 17.6787 17.4143H14.6787ZM8.67871 17.4143C8.67871 15.1976 7.89971 13.31 6.34171 11.7513C4.78371 10.1926 2.89605 9.41364 0.678713 9.41431V6.41431C2.21205 6.41431 3.64538 6.70197 4.97871 7.27731C6.31205 7.85264 7.47471 8.63597 8.46671 9.62731C9.45805 10.6186 10.2414 11.781 10.8167 13.1143C11.392 14.4476 11.6794 15.881 11.6787 17.4143H8.67871Z" fill="currentColor" /> <path d="M2.67871 17.4143C2.12871 17.4143 1.65771 17.2183 1.26571 16.8263C0.873713 16.4343 0.678046 15.9636 0.678713 15.4143C0.678713 14.8643 0.874713 14.3933 1.26671 14.0013C1.65871 13.6093 2.12938 13.4136 2.67871 13.4143C3.22871 13.4143 3.69971 13.6103 4.09171 14.0023C4.48371 14.3943 4.67938 14.865 4.67871 15.4143C4.67871 15.9643 4.48271 16.4353 4.09071 16.8273C3.69871 17.2193 3.22805 17.415 2.67871 17.4143ZM14.6787 17.4143C14.6787 15.481 14.312 13.6683 13.5787 11.9763C12.8454 10.2843 11.841 8.80097 10.5657 7.52631C9.29171 6.25164 7.80871 5.24764 6.11671 4.51431C4.42471 3.78097 2.61205 3.41431 0.678713 3.41431V0.414307C3.02871 0.414307 5.23705 0.860306 7.30371 1.75231C9.37038 2.64431 11.1704 3.85664 12.7037 5.38931C14.237 6.92264 15.4497 8.72264 16.3417 10.7893C17.2337 12.856 17.6794 15.0643 17.6787 17.4143H14.6787ZM8.67871 17.4143C8.67871 15.1976 7.89971 13.31 6.34171 11.7513C4.78371 10.1926 2.89605 9.41364 0.678713 9.41431V6.41431C2.21205 6.41431 3.64538 6.70197 4.97871 7.27731C6.31205 7.85264 7.47471 8.63597 8.46671 9.62731C9.45805 10.6186 10.2414 11.781 10.8167 13.1143C11.392 14.4476 11.6794 15.881 11.6787 17.4143H8.67871Z" fill="currentColor" fill-opacity="0.2" /> </g> <defs> <clippath id="clip0_1051_121783"> <rect width="17" height="17" fill="white" transform="translate(0.678711 0.414307)" /> </clippath> </defs> </svg> </a> </li> </ul> </div> </details> </div> </div> </div> <div class="post-hero-media "> <figure class="w-full h-auto post-hero-image"> <img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="740" height="311" src="https://reactormag.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/running-man-trailer-740x311.jpg" class="w-full object-cover" alt="Glen Powell in The Running Man" srcset="https://reactormag.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/running-man-trailer-740x311.jpg 740w, https://reactormag.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/running-man-trailer-1100x462.jpg 1100w, https://reactormag.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/running-man-trailer-768x323.jpg 768w, https://reactormag.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/running-man-trailer-1536x646.jpg 1536w, https://reactormag.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/running-man-trailer-2048x861.jpg 2048w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 740px) 100vw, 740px" /> </figure> <div class="post-hero-caption post-hero-caption-horizontal [&_a]:link"><p>Screenshot: Paramount Pictures</p> </div> </div> </div> </div> </post-hero> <div class="wp-block-more-from-category"> <div> </div> </div> <p>Glen Powell just keeps having a need for speed. The star of <em>Top Gun: Maverick</em> (the one who’s not Tom Cruise, that is) is now the star of <em>The Running Man</em>, director Edgar Wright’s take on the Stephen King story that was previously made into a film in 1987. That one starred Arnold Schwarzenegger at the height of his action movie career.</p> <p>The premise, of course, remains the same. Here’s the synopsis:</p> <figure class="wp-block-pullquote has-text-align-left"><blockquote><p>In a near-future society, <em>The Running Man</em> is the top-rated show on television—a deadly competition where contestants, known as Runners, must survive 30 days while being hunted by professional assassins, with every move broadcast to a bloodthirsty public and each day bringing a greater cash reward. Desperate to save his sick daughter, working-class Ben Richards (Glen Powell) is convinced by the show’s charming but ruthless producer, Dan Killian (Josh Brolin), to enter the game as a last resort. But Ben’s defiance, instincts, and grit turn him into an unexpected fan favorite—and a threat to the entire system. As ratings skyrocket, so does the danger, and Ben must outwit not just the Hunters, but a nation addicted to watching him fall.</p></blockquote></figure> <p>Probably the game is rigged. I mean, Josh Brolin is in charge of it, and he seems sketchy.</p> <p>Powell’s characters is, uh, a bit of a jerk, which seems like it’s mean to say that even dickheads don’t deserve a future where they have to fight this hard just for health care, but the tone of this trailer is so all over the place that it’s hard to say what writer-director Wright (the film is co-written by Michael Bacall) is doing with it. The cast is pretty great—Michael Cera is here helping Ben get away, Lee Pace trying to stop him, William H. Macy doing what William H. Macy does, Colman Domingo hosting it all, and <em>Sinners</em>’ incredible Jayme Lawson as Ben’s wife. Katy O’Brien has a brief moment in the trailer as another game contestant; Emilia Jones and Daniel Ezra are here too.</p> <p>It’s a first trailer, so way too early to get anything resembling a grip on Wright’s aims here. But the vibe is weird. Matches the logo, though. </p> <p><em>The Running Man</em> tears into theaters on November 7th.[end-mark]</p> <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> <site-embed id="15946"/> </div></figure> <p>The post <a href="https://reactormag.com/glen-powell-the-running-man-first-trailer/">Glen Powell Takes Off in the Trailer for Edgar Wright’s <i>The Running Man</i></a> appeared first on <a href="https://reactormag.com">Reactor</a>.</p><p class="ljsyndicationlink"><a href="https://reactormag.com/glen-powell-the-running-man-first-trailer/">https://reactormag.com/glen-powell-the-running-man-first-trailer/</a></p><p class="ljsyndicationlink"><a href="https://reactormag.com/?p=817325">https://reactormag.com/?p=817325</a></p>

Revealing Half City by Kate Golden

tordotcom_feed

Tuesday, July 1st, 2025 01:30 pm

Posted by Christina Orlando

https://reactormag.com/cover-reveal-half-city-by-kate-golden/

https://reactormag.com/?p=816941

Books publishing news

Revealing Half City by Kate Golden

A dark academia novel arriving Winter 2026 from Ace Books.

By Reactor

Published on July 1, 2025

[Error: Irreparable invalid markup ('<a [...] h-[15px]">') in entry. Owner must fix manually. Raw contents below.]

<p class="syndicationauthor">Posted by Christina Orlando</p><p class="ljsyndicationlink"><a href="https://reactormag.com/cover-reveal-half-city-by-kate-golden/">https://reactormag.com/cover-reveal-half-city-by-kate-golden/</a></p><p class="ljsyndicationlink"><a href="https://reactormag.com/?p=816941">https://reactormag.com/?p=816941</a></p><post-hero class="wp-block-post-hero js-post-hero post-hero post-hero-vertical"> <div class="container container-desktop"> <div class="flex flex-col mx-auto post-hero-container"> <div class="post-hero-content"> <div class="post-hero-tags font-aktiv text-xs tracking-[0.5px] font-medium uppercase"> <span class="mr-3"> <i class="inline-block w-2 h-2 rounded-full mr-[5px] bg-blue"></i> <a href="https://reactormag.com/articles/books/" class="inline-block link-no-animation" aria-label="Link to term or tag Books 0"> Books </a> </span> <span class="mr-3"> <i class="inline-block w-2 h-2 rounded-full mr-[5px] bg-blue"></i> <a href="https://reactormag.com/tag/publishing-news/" class="inline-block link-no-animation" aria-label="Link to term or tag publishing news 1"> publishing news </a> </span> </div> <h2 class="post-hero-title text-h1">Revealing <i>Half City</i> by Kate Golden</h2> <div class="prose post-hero-description prose--post-hero">A dark academia novel arriving Winter 2026 from Ace Books.</div> <div class="post-hero-wrapper"> <div class="post-hero-inner"> <p class="post-hero-author text-xs font-aktiv uppercase font-medium [&_a]:link-hover">By <a href="https://reactormag.com/author/reactor/" title="Posts by Reactor" class="author url fn" rel="author">Reactor</a></p> <span class="post-hero-symbol relative top-[-2px] hidden tablet:block">|</span> <p class="text-xs uppercase post-hero-publish font-aktiv"> Published on July 1, 2025 </p> </div> </div> <div class="quick-access post-hero-quick-access mt-[17px] tablet:hidden"> <div class="flex gap-[30px] tablet:gap-6"> <a href="https://reactormag.com/cover-reveal-half-city-by-kate-golden/#comments" class="flex items-center text-sm font-aktiv tracking-[0.6px] font-semibold uppercase translate-x-[1px] translate-y-[1px]"> <svg class="w-[22px] h-[22px] mr-[7px] icon-hover" viewbox="0 0 18 18" aria-label="comment" role="img" aria-hidden="true" aria-labelledby="icon-comment-quick-access-"> <title id="icon-comment-quick-access-">Comment</title> <g fill="none" fill-rule="evenodd"> <path fill="#FFF" fill-rule="nonzero" d="M6.3 18a.9.9 0 0 1-.9-.9v-2.7H1.8A1.8 1.8 0 0 1 0 12.6V1.8A1.8 1.8 0 0 1 1.8 0h14.4A1.8 1.8 0 0 1 18 1.8v10.8a1.8 1.8 0 0 1-1.8 1.8h-5.49l-3.33 3.339a.917.917 0 0 1-.63.261H6.3Z" /> <path stroke="#000" d="M5.9 14.4v-.5H1.8a1.3 1.3 0 0 1-1.3-1.3V1.8A1.3 1.3 0 0 1 1.8.5h14.4a1.3 1.3 0 0 1 1.3 1.3v10.8a1.3 1.3 0 0 1-1.3 1.3h-5.698l-.146.147-3.324 3.333a.417.417 0 0 1-.282.12H6.3a.4.4 0 0 1-.4-.4v-2.7Z" /> </g> </svg> 0 </a> <details class="relative quick-access-details"> <summary class="quick-access-share flex items-center text-sm font-aktiv tracking-[0.6px] font-semibold uppercase"> <svg class="w-[22px] h-[22px] mr-[7px] icon-hover" viewbox="0 0 22 22" aria-label="share" role="img" aria-hidden="true" aria-labelledby="icon-share-new-quick-access-"> <title id="icon-share-new-quick-access-">Share New</title> <g fill="none" fill-rule="evenodd"> <circle cx="11" cy="11" r="11" fill="#FFF" fill-rule="nonzero" /> <circle cx="11" cy="11" r="10.5" stroke="#000" /> <path fill="#FFF" d="M5.993 13.464c.675 0 1.323-.266 1.806-.743l4.11 2.396a2.639 2.639 0 0 0 .368 2.451 2.583 2.583 0 0 0 2.227 1.043 2.59 2.59 0 0 0 2.09-1.3 2.64 2.64 0 0 0 .08-2.477 2.58 2.58 0 0 0-4.292-.54L8.344 11.94c.28-.616.31-1.319.086-1.958l3.952-2.303a2.564 2.564 0 0 0 4.263-.537 2.623 2.623 0 0 0-.078-2.46 2.573 2.573 0 0 0-2.075-1.293 2.566 2.566 0 0 0-2.213 1.033 2.622 2.622 0 0 0-.37 2.433L7.96 9.158a2.573 2.573 0 0 0-4.316.603 2.632 2.632 0 0 0 .172 2.501 2.58 2.58 0 0 0 2.178 1.202Z" /> <path fill="#000" d="M6.936 9.577c.322 0 .631.137.859.383.228.245.355.577.355.924 0 .347-.127.68-.355.925a1.172 1.172 0 0 1-.859.383c-.322 0-.63-.138-.858-.383a1.36 1.36 0 0 1-.356-.925c0-.347.129-.679.356-.924.228-.245.536-.383.858-.383Zm6.17-3.837c.323 0 .631.138.86.383.227.245.355.578.355.924 0 .347-.128.68-.356.925a1.172 1.172 0 0 1-.858.383c-.322 0-.631-.138-.859-.383a1.36 1.36 0 0 1-.355-.925c0-.346.128-.678.356-.924.227-.245.536-.383.858-.383Zm0 7.883c.323 0 .631.138.86.383.227.245.355.578.355.925 0 .346-.128.679-.356.924a1.171 1.171 0 0 1-.858.383c-.322 0-.631-.138-.859-.383a1.36 1.36 0 0 1-.355-.925c0-.346.128-.678.356-.923.227-.245.536-.383.858-.384Zm-6.17-.681c.499 0 .978-.21 1.334-.586l3.036 1.888a2.194 2.194 0 0 0 .272 1.93c.385.555 1.003.863 1.645.822.641-.04 1.221-.425 1.544-1.024a2.203 2.203 0 0 0 .059-1.952c-.286-.62-.841-1.044-1.48-1.13-.637-.085-1.272.18-1.69.705l-2.984-1.854c.207-.486.23-1.04.064-1.543l2.92-1.815c.415.522 1.046.784 1.68.7.633-.086 1.184-.507 1.468-1.123a2.188 2.188 0 0 0-.058-1.938c-.32-.595-.895-.977-1.532-1.018-.638-.041-1.251.264-1.635.813a2.179 2.179 0 0 0-.273 1.917L8.389 9.55c-.423-.534-1.07-.798-1.715-.702-.645.096-1.2.54-1.472 1.177a2.194 2.194 0 0 0 .126 1.97c.352.59.958.948 1.61.947Z" /> </g> </svg> Share </summary> <div class="quick-access-bubble"> <ul class="flex gap-6 text-black list-none"> <li class="flex"> <a class="flex items-center hover:text-red" href="https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Revealing <i>Half City</i> by Kate Golden&url=https://reactormag.com/cover-reveal-half-city-by-kate-golden/” target=”_blank” title=”Twitter”> <svg class=" w-[18px]="w-[18px]" h-[15px]"="h-[15px]"" width="18" height="15" viewbox="0 0 18 15" fill="none" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" aria-label="twitter" role="img" aria-hidden="true"> <path d="M17.7143 2.56767C17.2122 3.28347 16.6053 3.89336 15.8934 4.39734C15.9009 4.4996 15.9046 4.65298 15.9046 4.8575C15.9046 5.80703 15.7623 6.75472 15.4775 7.7006C15.1928 8.64649 14.76 9.55401 14.1793 10.4232C13.5986 11.2924 12.9073 12.0611 12.1055 12.7295C11.3037 13.3978 10.3371 13.931 9.20558 14.329C8.07408 14.7271 6.86392 14.9262 5.57505 14.9262C3.54435 14.9262 1.68601 14.3966 0 13.3375C0.262269 13.3667 0.554506 13.3813 0.876722 13.3813C2.56274 13.3813 4.06514 12.8774 5.38397 11.8694C4.59717 11.8548 3.8928 11.6192 3.27085 11.1627C2.6489 10.7062 2.22178 10.1237 1.98949 9.41523C2.23677 9.45175 2.46531 9.47001 2.67513 9.47001C2.99734 9.47001 3.31581 9.42984 3.63053 9.3495C2.79127 9.1815 2.09627 8.77431 1.5455 8.12789C0.99474 7.48148 0.719362 6.73099 0.719362 5.87641V5.83259C1.22891 6.11015 1.77592 6.25988 2.36041 6.28179C1.86584 5.96041 1.47245 5.54043 1.1802 5.02184C0.887961 4.50325 0.741842 3.94084 0.741842 3.3346C0.741842 2.69184 0.906694 2.09656 1.2364 1.54875C2.1431 2.63707 3.24649 3.50807 4.54659 4.16178C5.84669 4.8155 7.23857 5.17887 8.72226 5.25192C8.66232 4.97436 8.63234 4.70411 8.63234 4.44116C8.63234 3.46241 8.9864 2.62793 9.69452 1.9377C10.4027 1.24746 11.2588 0.902344 12.2629 0.902344C13.3119 0.902344 14.1962 1.27485 14.9155 2.01987C15.7323 1.86648 16.5004 1.58162 17.2197 1.16529C16.9425 2.00526 16.4104 2.65532 15.6236 3.11548C16.3205 3.04244 17.0174 2.85984 17.7143 2.56767Z" fill="currentColor" /> <path d="M17.7143 2.56767C17.2122 3.28347 16.6053 3.89336 15.8934 4.39734C15.9009 4.4996 15.9046 4.65298 15.9046 4.8575C15.9046 5.80703 15.7623 6.75472 15.4775 7.7006C15.1928 8.64649 14.76 9.55401 14.1793 10.4232C13.5986 11.2924 12.9073 12.0611 12.1055 12.7295C11.3037 13.3978 10.3371 13.931 9.20558 14.329C8.07408 14.7271 6.86392 14.9262 5.57505 14.9262C3.54435 14.9262 1.68601 14.3966 0 13.3375C0.262269 13.3667 0.554506 13.3813 0.876722 13.3813C2.56274 13.3813 4.06514 12.8774 5.38397 11.8694C4.59717 11.8548 3.8928 11.6192 3.27085 11.1627C2.6489 10.7062 2.22178 10.1237 1.98949 9.41523C2.23677 9.45175 2.46531 9.47001 2.67513 9.47001C2.99734 9.47001 3.31581 9.42984 3.63053 9.3495C2.79127 9.1815 2.09627 8.77431 1.5455 8.12789C0.99474 7.48148 0.719362 6.73099 0.719362 5.87641V5.83259C1.22891 6.11015 1.77592 6.25988 2.36041 6.28179C1.86584 5.96041 1.47245 5.54043 1.1802 5.02184C0.887961 4.50325 0.741842 3.94084 0.741842 3.3346C0.741842 2.69184 0.906694 2.09656 1.2364 1.54875C2.1431 2.63707 3.24649 3.50807 4.54659 4.16178C5.84669 4.8155 7.23857 5.17887 8.72226 5.25192C8.66232 4.97436 8.63234 4.70411 8.63234 4.44116C8.63234 3.46241 8.9864 2.62793 9.69452 1.9377C10.4027 1.24746 11.2588 0.902344 12.2629 0.902344C13.3119 0.902344 14.1962 1.27485 14.9155 2.01987C15.7323 1.86648 16.5004 1.58162 17.2197 1.16529C16.9425 2.00526 16.4104 2.65532 15.6236 3.11548C16.3205 3.04244 17.0174 2.85984 17.7143 2.56767Z" fill="currentColor" fill-opacity="0.2" /> </svg> </a> </li> <li class="flex"> <a class="flex items-center hover:text-red" href="https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https://reactormag.com/cover-reveal-half-city-by-kate-golden/" target="_blank" title="Facebook"> <svg class="w-[9px] h-[18px]" fill="currentColor" viewbox="0 0 12 22" width="100%" height="100%" display="block" transitionduration="normal" transitionproperty="none" transitiontimingfunction="ease-out" class="w-[9px] h-[18px]" aria-label="facebook" role="img" aria-hidden="true"> <path d="M11.558.004L8.677 0C5.44 0 3.349 2.125 3.349 5.416v2.496H.452A.45.45 0 000 8.36v3.618a.45.45 0 00.452.447h2.897v9.127A.45.45 0 003.8 22h3.778c.25 0 .451-.2.451-.448v-9.127h3.387c.25 0 .451-.2.451-.447l.003-3.618a.452.452 0 00-.456-.448h-3.39V5.795c0-1.017.245-1.534 1.582-1.534h1.941c.25 0 .452-.2.452-.447V.457a.45.45 0 00-.452-.448l.01-.005z" fill-rule="nonzero"> </path> </svg> </a> </li> <li class="flex"> <a class="flex items-center hover:text-red" href="https://pinterest.com/pin/create/button/?url=https://reactormag.com/cover-reveal-half-city-by-kate-golden/&media=&description=Revealing <i>Half City</i> by Kate Golden” target=”_blank” title=”Pinterest”> <svg class=" w-[18px]="w-[18px]" h-[18px]"="h-[18px]"" width="18" height="18" viewbox="0 0 18 18" fill="none" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" aria-label="pinterest" role="img" aria-hidden="true"> <path d="M16.4962 4.49458C17.2844 5.84153 17.6786 7.31473 17.6786 8.91423C17.6786 10.5137 17.2844 11.9888 16.4962 13.3396C15.7079 14.6904 14.6384 15.7599 13.2876 16.5482C11.9368 17.3364 10.4617 17.7306 8.86223 17.7306C8.01273 17.7306 7.17856 17.6081 6.35967 17.3632C6.81121 16.6515 7.10967 16.0239 7.25508 15.4806C7.32396 15.2203 7.53059 14.413 7.87498 13.0584C8.02804 13.3568 8.30738 13.6151 8.71299 13.8332C9.1186 14.0513 9.55483 14.1604 10.0217 14.1604C10.9477 14.1604 11.7742 13.8983 12.5013 13.374C13.2283 12.8498 13.7908 12.1285 14.1888 11.2101C14.5867 10.2918 14.7857 9.25862 14.7857 8.11066C14.7857 7.2382 14.558 6.41933 14.1027 5.65402C13.6473 4.88871 12.9872 4.26499 12.1224 3.78285C11.2576 3.3007 10.2819 3.05964 9.19513 3.05964C8.39156 3.05964 7.64157 3.1706 6.94513 3.39254C6.2487 3.61448 5.65751 3.90912 5.17154 4.27647C4.68556 4.64382 4.26848 5.06665 3.92026 5.54497C3.57205 6.02329 3.31567 6.51882 3.15113 7.03157C2.98659 7.54433 2.90432 8.05708 2.90432 8.56984C2.90432 9.36576 3.05738 10.066 3.3635 10.6706C3.66962 11.2752 4.11732 11.6999 4.70661 11.9448C4.93621 12.0367 5.08161 11.9601 5.14284 11.7152C5.15814 11.6617 5.18876 11.5431 5.23467 11.3594C5.28059 11.1757 5.3112 11.0609 5.32651 11.015C5.37243 10.839 5.33034 10.6744 5.20024 10.5214C4.80993 10.0545 4.61478 9.47673 4.61478 8.78795C4.61478 7.63233 5.01464 6.63936 5.81439 5.809C6.61414 4.97864 7.66069 4.56346 8.95406 4.56346C10.1097 4.56346 11.0108 4.87723 11.6575 5.50479C12.3042 6.13234 12.6275 6.94739 12.6275 7.94994C12.6275 9.25097 12.3654 10.3568 11.8412 11.2675C11.3169 12.1783 10.6454 12.6336 9.82651 12.6336C9.35967 12.6336 8.98468 12.4672 8.70151 12.1343C8.41835 11.8013 8.33034 11.4015 8.43748 10.9346C8.49871 10.6668 8.60011 10.309 8.74169 9.86129C8.88327 9.41359 8.99807 9.01946 9.08608 8.67889C9.17409 8.33833 9.21809 8.04943 9.21809 7.81219C9.21809 7.42953 9.11478 7.11193 8.90814 6.85938C8.70151 6.60683 8.40687 6.48055 8.02422 6.48055C7.54972 6.48055 7.14794 6.69866 6.81886 7.13489C6.48977 7.57112 6.32524 8.11448 6.32524 8.76499C6.32524 9.32367 6.4209 9.7905 6.61223 10.1655L5.47575 14.964C5.34564 15.4997 5.2959 16.177 5.32651 16.9959C3.74997 16.2994 2.47575 15.2242 1.50381 13.7701C0.531863 12.316 0.0458984 10.6974 0.0458984 8.91423C0.0458984 7.31473 0.440027 5.83962 1.2283 4.48884C2.01657 3.13807 3.08607 2.06857 4.43684 1.2803C5.78761 0.492029 7.26273 0.0979004 8.86223 0.0979004C10.4617 0.0979004 11.9368 0.492029 13.2876 1.2803C14.6384 2.06857 15.7079 3.13999 16.4962 4.49458Z" fill="currentColor" /> <path d="M16.4962 4.49458C17.2844 5.84153 17.6786 7.31473 17.6786 8.91423C17.6786 10.5137 17.2844 11.9888 16.4962 13.3396C15.7079 14.6904 14.6384 15.7599 13.2876 16.5482C11.9368 17.3364 10.4617 17.7306 8.86223 17.7306C8.01273 17.7306 7.17856 17.6081 6.35967 17.3632C6.81121 16.6515 7.10967 16.0239 7.25508 15.4806C7.32396 15.2203 7.53059 14.413 7.87498 13.0584C8.02804 13.3568 8.30738 13.6151 8.71299 13.8332C9.1186 14.0513 9.55483 14.1604 10.0217 14.1604C10.9477 14.1604 11.7742 13.8983 12.5013 13.374C13.2283 12.8498 13.7908 12.1285 14.1888 11.2101C14.5867 10.2918 14.7857 9.25862 14.7857 8.11066C14.7857 7.2382 14.558 6.41933 14.1027 5.65402C13.6473 4.88871 12.9872 4.26499 12.1224 3.78285C11.2576 3.3007 10.2819 3.05964 9.19513 3.05964C8.39156 3.05964 7.64157 3.1706 6.94513 3.39254C6.2487 3.61448 5.65751 3.90912 5.17154 4.27647C4.68556 4.64382 4.26848 5.06665 3.92026 5.54497C3.57205 6.02329 3.31567 6.51882 3.15113 7.03157C2.98659 7.54433 2.90432 8.05708 2.90432 8.56984C2.90432 9.36576 3.05738 10.066 3.3635 10.6706C3.66962 11.2752 4.11732 11.6999 4.70661 11.9448C4.93621 12.0367 5.08161 11.9601 5.14284 11.7152C5.15814 11.6617 5.18876 11.5431 5.23467 11.3594C5.28059 11.1757 5.3112 11.0609 5.32651 11.015C5.37243 10.839 5.33034 10.6744 5.20024 10.5214C4.80993 10.0545 4.61478 9.47673 4.61478 8.78795C4.61478 7.63233 5.01464 6.63936 5.81439 5.809C6.61414 4.97864 7.66069 4.56346 8.95406 4.56346C10.1097 4.56346 11.0108 4.87723 11.6575 5.50479C12.3042 6.13234 12.6275 6.94739 12.6275 7.94994C12.6275 9.25097 12.3654 10.3568 11.8412 11.2675C11.3169 12.1783 10.6454 12.6336 9.82651 12.6336C9.35967 12.6336 8.98468 12.4672 8.70151 12.1343C8.41835 11.8013 8.33034 11.4015 8.43748 10.9346C8.49871 10.6668 8.60011 10.309 8.74169 9.86129C8.88327 9.41359 8.99807 9.01946 9.08608 8.67889C9.17409 8.33833 9.21809 8.04943 9.21809 7.81219C9.21809 7.42953 9.11478 7.11193 8.90814 6.85938C8.70151 6.60683 8.40687 6.48055 8.02422 6.48055C7.54972 6.48055 7.14794 6.69866 6.81886 7.13489C6.48977 7.57112 6.32524 8.11448 6.32524 8.76499C6.32524 9.32367 6.4209 9.7905 6.61223 10.1655L5.47575 14.964C5.34564 15.4997 5.2959 16.177 5.32651 16.9959C3.74997 16.2994 2.47575 15.2242 1.50381 13.7701C0.531863 12.316 0.0458984 10.6974 0.0458984 8.91423C0.0458984 7.31473 0.440027 5.83962 1.2283 4.48884C2.01657 3.13807 3.08607 2.06857 4.43684 1.2803C5.78761 0.492029 7.26273 0.0979004 8.86223 0.0979004C10.4617 0.0979004 11.9368 0.492029 13.2876 1.2803C14.6384 2.06857 15.7079 3.13999 16.4962 4.49458Z" fill="currentColor" fill-opacity="0.2" /> </svg> </a> </li> <li class="flex"> <a class="flex items-center hover:text-red" href="https://reactormag.com/feed/" target="_blank" title="RSS Feed"> <svg class="w-[17px] h-[17px]" width="18" height="18" viewbox="0 0 18 18" fill="none" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" aria-label="rss feed" role="img" aria-hidden="true"> <g clip-path="url(#clip0_1051_121783)"> <path d="M2.67871 17.4143C2.12871 17.4143 1.65771 17.2183 1.26571 16.8263C0.873713 16.4343 0.678046 15.9636 0.678713 15.4143C0.678713 14.8643 0.874713 14.3933 1.26671 14.0013C1.65871 13.6093 2.12938 13.4136 2.67871 13.4143C3.22871 13.4143 3.69971 13.6103 4.09171 14.0023C4.48371 14.3943 4.67938 14.865 4.67871 15.4143C4.67871 15.9643 4.48271 16.4353 4.09071 16.8273C3.69871 17.2193 3.22805 17.415 2.67871 17.4143ZM14.6787 17.4143C14.6787 15.481 14.312 13.6683 13.5787 11.9763C12.8454 10.2843 11.841 8.80097 10.5657 7.52631C9.29171 6.25164 7.80871 5.24764 6.11671 4.51431C4.42471 3.78097 2.61205 3.41431 0.678713 3.41431V0.414307C3.02871 0.414307 5.23705 0.860306 7.30371 1.75231C9.37038 2.64431 11.1704 3.85664 12.7037 5.38931C14.237 6.92264 15.4497 8.72264 16.3417 10.7893C17.2337 12.856 17.6794 15.0643 17.6787 17.4143H14.6787ZM8.67871 17.4143C8.67871 15.1976 7.89971 13.31 6.34171 11.7513C4.78371 10.1926 2.89605 9.41364 0.678713 9.41431V6.41431C2.21205 6.41431 3.64538 6.70197 4.97871 7.27731C6.31205 7.85264 7.47471 8.63597 8.46671 9.62731C9.45805 10.6186 10.2414 11.781 10.8167 13.1143C11.392 14.4476 11.6794 15.881 11.6787 17.4143H8.67871Z" fill="currentColor" /> <path d="M2.67871 17.4143C2.12871 17.4143 1.65771 17.2183 1.26571 16.8263C0.873713 16.4343 0.678046 15.9636 0.678713 15.4143C0.678713 14.8643 0.874713 14.3933 1.26671 14.0013C1.65871 13.6093 2.12938 13.4136 2.67871 13.4143C3.22871 13.4143 3.69971 13.6103 4.09171 14.0023C4.48371 14.3943 4.67938 14.865 4.67871 15.4143C4.67871 15.9643 4.48271 16.4353 4.09071 16.8273C3.69871 17.2193 3.22805 17.415 2.67871 17.4143ZM14.6787 17.4143C14.6787 15.481 14.312 13.6683 13.5787 11.9763C12.8454 10.2843 11.841 8.80097 10.5657 7.52631C9.29171 6.25164 7.80871 5.24764 6.11671 4.51431C4.42471 3.78097 2.61205 3.41431 0.678713 3.41431V0.414307C3.02871 0.414307 5.23705 0.860306 7.30371 1.75231C9.37038 2.64431 11.1704 3.85664 12.7037 5.38931C14.237 6.92264 15.4497 8.72264 16.3417 10.7893C17.2337 12.856 17.6794 15.0643 17.6787 17.4143H14.6787ZM8.67871 17.4143C8.67871 15.1976 7.89971 13.31 6.34171 11.7513C4.78371 10.1926 2.89605 9.41364 0.678713 9.41431V6.41431C2.21205 6.41431 3.64538 6.70197 4.97871 7.27731C6.31205 7.85264 7.47471 8.63597 8.46671 9.62731C9.45805 10.6186 10.2414 11.781 10.8167 13.1143C11.392 14.4476 11.6794 15.881 11.6787 17.4143H8.67871Z" fill="currentColor" fill-opacity="0.2" /> </g> <defs> <clippath id="clip0_1051_121783"> <rect width="17" height="17" fill="white" transform="translate(0.678711 0.414307)" /> </clippath> </defs> </svg> </a> </li> </ul> </div> </details> </div> </div> </div> <div class="post-hero-media "> <figure class="w-full h-auto post-hero-image"> <img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="740" height="407" src="https://reactormag.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/half-city-reveal-header-740x407.png" class="w-full object-cover" alt="Cover of Half City by Kate Golden" srcset="https://reactormag.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/half-city-reveal-header-740x407.png 740w, https://reactormag.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/half-city-reveal-header-1100x605.png 1100w, https://reactormag.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/half-city-reveal-header-768x422.png 768w, https://reactormag.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/half-city-reveal-header.png 1400w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 740px) 100vw, 740px" /> </figure> </div> </div> </div> </post-hero> <div class="wp-block-more-from-category"> <div> </div> </div> <p><strong>Welcome to Harker Academy for Deviant Defense. Keep your daggers sharp, and your wits even sharper.</strong>.. </p> <p>We’re thrilled to share the cover of <a href="https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/778207/half-city-by-kate-golden/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Kate Golden’s <em>Half City</em></a>—available in February 2026 from Ace, an imprint of Penguin Random House.</p> <div style="height:5px" aria-hidden="true" class="wp-block-spacer"></div> <figure class="wp-block-pullquote has-text-align-left"><blockquote><p>Viv Abbot is an average twenty-one-year-old girl. She lives in an expensive city where the rent is too high, works long hours at a thankless job, and is dating a guy she doesn’t even like in the hopes of winning her prickly mother’s approval.<br><br>She just also happens to be a demon hunter.<br><br>Ever since her father’s murder, she’s been forced to hunt deviants alone, meaning everyone, including her family, sees her as an outsider… Until the day she crosses paths with a dangerously alluring demon, Reid Graveheart. The reformed deviant tells her of a school for people just like her: Harker Academy for Deviant Defense. If she enrolls, she’ll learn to hone her craft, work with other hunters, and never be alone again.<br><br>But Viv has a deadly secret. One that not even her new friends at Harker can know about. Not when the school might hold the answers to untangling the mystery surrounding Viv’s father’s death. When strange occurrences begin to plague the students, Viv will have to figure out who she can trust, and fast. All while trying to ace her classes, not fall for a demon, and make it through her first year at Harker in one piece. <br><br>How hard could that be?</p></blockquote></figure> <figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1100" height="1705" src="https://reactormag.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/HalfCity-1100x1705.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-816946" srcset="https://reactormag.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/HalfCity-1100x1705.jpg 1100w, https://reactormag.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/HalfCity-740x1147.jpg 740w, https://reactormag.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/HalfCity-768x1190.jpg 768w, https://reactormag.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/HalfCity-991x1536.jpg 991w, https://reactormag.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/HalfCity-1322x2048.jpg 1322w, https://reactormag.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/HalfCity-scaled.jpg 1652w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1100px) 100vw, 1100px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Cover illustration by Hoàng Lập and cover design by Katie Anderson</figcaption></figure> <section class="wp-block-shop-the-book shop-the-book"> <h2 class="shop-the-book-headline">Buy the Book</h2> <div class="shop-the-book-content"> <figure class="shop-the-book-image-desktop image-cover"> <img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="300" height="450" src="https://reactormag.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/HalfCity-1.jpg" class="attachment-full size-full" alt="Half City" /> </figure> <div class="grow shrink basis-0"> <div class="flex items-center"> <figure class="shop-the-book-image-mobile image-cover"> <img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="300" height="450" src="https://reactormag.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/HalfCity-1.jpg" class="attachment-full size-full" alt="Half City" /> </figure> <div class="grow shrink basis-0"> <h3 class="shop-the-book-title text-h3">Half City</h3> <p class="shop-the-book-author">Kate Golden</p> </div> </div> <button type="button" class="inline-block px-8 py-4 text-center btn tablet:py-3 text-h6 bg-red text-white shop-the-book-button" id="buy_book" data-trigger="modal" data-target="#modal-1751377774" aria-open="false" aria-label="Buy Book"> <span class="inline-flex items-center button-label btn-label"> Buy Book </span> </button> </div> </div> <div id="modal-1751377774" class="shop-the-book-modal"> <div class="shop-the-book-modal-inner"> <button class="js-modal-close absolute top-5 right-5 z-10" type="button" aria-label="close modal"> <svg class="w-[19px] h-[19px]" width="18" height="19" viewbox="0 0 18 19" fill="none" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" aria-label="close" role="img" aria-hidden="true"> <path d="M1 17L17 1" stroke="black" stroke-width="2" stroke-linecap="round" /> <path d="M1 17L17 1" stroke="black" stroke-opacity="0.2" stroke-width="2" stroke-linecap="round" /> <path d="M17 17.0809L1 1.08093" stroke="black" stroke-width="2" stroke-linecap="round" /> <path d="M17 17.0809L1 1.08093" stroke="black" stroke-opacity="0.2" stroke-width="2" stroke-linecap="round" /> </svg> </button> <div class="shop-the-book-modal-content"> <figure class="shop-the-book-modal-image-desktop image-cover"> <img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="300" height="450" src="https://reactormag.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/HalfCity-1.jpg" class="attachment-full size-full" alt="Half City" /> </figure> <div class="grow shrink basis-0"> <div class="flex items-center"> <figure class="shop-the-book-modal-image-mobile image-cover"> <img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="300" height="450" src="https://reactormag.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/HalfCity-1.jpg" class="attachment-full size-full" alt="Half City" /> </figure> <div class="grow shrink basis-0"> <h3 class="shop-the-book-modal-title">Half City</h3> <p class="shop-the-book-modal-author">Kate Golden</p> </div> </div> <p class="shop-the-book-modal-label">Buy this book from:</p> <ul class="not-prose ebook-links ebook-links-shortcode"><li><a class="btn" target="_blank" href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0F88X3LP9?tag=tordotcomgeneral-20" data-book-title="Half City" data-book-store="Amazon"><span class="inline-flex items-center button-label text-h6 text-white font-aktiv">Amazon</span></a></li><li><a class="btn" target="_blank" href="https://www.anrdoezrs.net/links/7992675/type/dlg/sid/tordotcomgeneral/https://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/9780593953433" data-book-title="Half City" data-book-store="Barnes and Noble"><span class="inline-flex items-center button-label text-h6 text-white font-aktiv">Barnes and Noble</span></a></li><li><a class="btn" target="_blank" href="http://itunes.apple.com/us/book/isbn9780593953440" data-book-title="Half City" data-book-store="iBooks"><span class="inline-flex items-center button-label text-h6 text-white font-aktiv">iBooks</span></a></li><li><a class="btn" target="_blank" href="https://www.indiebound.org/book/9780593953433" data-book-title="Half City" data-book-store="IndieBound"><span class="inline-flex items-center button-label text-h6 text-white font-aktiv">IndieBound</span></a></li><li><a class="btn" target="_blank" href="https://www.target.com/s?searchTerm=9780593953433" data-book-title="Half City" data-book-store="Target"><span class="inline-flex items-center button-label text-h6 text-white font-aktiv">Target</span></a></li></ul> </div> </div> </div> </div> </section> <hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity" /> <p>Kate Golden is the USA Today bestselling author of The Sacred Stones trilogy. She lives in Los Angeles where she works in the film industry developing movies with screenwriters and filmmakers. When she isn’t telling stories, Kate is an avid book reader, puzzle addict, and game night enthusiast which she hosts with her husband and puppy, Milo. You can find her on Instagram at @<a href="https://www.instagram.com/kategoldenauthor/?hl=en">KateGoldenAuthor</a> and on TikTok at @<a href="https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&opi=89978449&url=https://www.tiktok.com/%40kate_golden_author%3Flang%3Den&ved=2ahUKEwiukcTEto-OAxW_v4kEHePJBGwQFnoECB8QAQ&usg=AOvVaw0OtkCXKVC2B1r4miJW7UP0">Kate_Golden_Author</a>.</p> <p>The post <a href="https://reactormag.com/cover-reveal-half-city-by-kate-golden/">Revealing <i>Half City</i> by Kate Golden</a> appeared first on <a href="https://reactormag.com">Reactor</a>.</p><p class="ljsyndicationlink"><a href="https://reactormag.com/cover-reveal-half-city-by-kate-golden/">https://reactormag.com/cover-reveal-half-city-by-kate-golden/</a></p><p class="ljsyndicationlink"><a href="https://reactormag.com/?p=816941">https://reactormag.com/?p=816941</a></p>

In the Loop: Is AI Making the Next Pandemic More Likely?

nerdworld_feed

Tuesday, July 1st, 2025 12:05 pm

Posted by Billy Perrigo

https://time.com/7298731/in-the-loop-pandemic-ai-study/

https://time.com/?p=7298731

Welcome back to In the Loop, TIME’s new twice-weekly newsletter about AI. Starting today, we’ll be publishing these editions both as stories on Time.com and as emails. If you’re reading this in your browser, why not subscribe to have the next one delivered straight to your inbox?

Subscribe to In the Loop

What to Know

If you talk to staff at the top AI labs, you’ll hear a lot of stories about how the future could go fantastically well—or terribly badly. And of all the ways that AI might cause harm to the human race, there’s one that scientists in the industry are particularly worried about today. That’s the possibility of AI helping bad actors to start a new pandemic. “You could try to synthesize something like COVID or a more dangerous version of the flu—and basically, our modeling suggests that this might be possible,” Anthropic’s chief scientist, Jared Kaplan, told me in May.

[time-brightcove not-tgx=”true”]

Measuring the risk — In a new study published this morning, and shared exclusively with TIME ahead of its release, we got the first hard numbers on how experts think the risk of a new pandemic might have increased thanks to AI. The Forecasting Research Institute polled experts earlier this year, asking them how likely a human-caused pandemic might be—and how likely it might become if humans had access to AI that could reliably give advice on how to build a bioweapon.

What they found — Experts, who were polled between December and February, put the risk of a human-caused pandemic at 0.3% per year. But, they said, that risk would jump fivefold, to 1.5% per year, if AI were able to provide human-level virology advice.

You can guess where this is going — Then, in April, the researchers tested today’s AI tools on a new virology troubleshooting benchmark. They found that today’s AI tools outperform PhD-level virologists at complex troubleshooting tasks in the lab. In other words, AI can now do the very thing that forecasters warned would increase the risk of a human-caused pandemic fivefold.

We just published the full story on Time.com—you can read it here.

Who to Know

Person in the news – Matthew Prince, CEO of Cloudflare.

Since its founding in 2009, Cloudflare has been protecting sites on the internet from being knocked offline by large influxes of traffic, or indeed coordinated attacks. Now, some 20% of the internet is covered by its network. And today, Cloudflare announced that this network would begin to block AI crawlers by default — essentially putting a fifth of the internet behind a paywall for the bots that harvest info to train AIs like ChatGPT and Claude.

Step back — Today’s AI is so powerful because it has essentially inhaled the whole of the internet — from my articles to your profile photos. By running neural networks over that data using immense quantities of computing power, AI companies have taught these systems the texture of the world at such an enormous scale that it has given rise to new AI capabilities, like the ability to answer questions on almost any topic, or to generate photorealistic images. But this scraping has sparked a huge backlash from publishers, artists and writers, who complain that it has been done without any consent or compensation.

A new model — Cloudflare says the move will “fundamentally change how AI companies access web content going forward.” Major publishers, including TIME, have expressed their support for the shift toward an “opt-in” rather than an “opt-out” system, the company says. Cloudflare also says it is working on a new initiative, called Pay Per Crawl, in which creators will have the option of setting a price on their data in return for making it available to train AI.

Fighting words — Prince was not available for an interview this week. But at a recent conference, he disclosed that traffic to news sites had dropped precipitously across the board thanks to AI, in a shift that many worry will imperil the existence of the free press. “I go to war every single day with the Chinese government, the Russian government, the Iranians, the North Koreans, probably Americans, the Israelis — all of them who are trying to hack into our customer sites,” Prince said. “And you’re telling me I can’t stop some nerd with a C-corporation in Palo Alto?”

AI in Action

61% percent of U.S. adults have used AI in the last six months, and 19% interact with it daily, according to a new survey of AI adoption by the venture capital firm Menlo Ventures.

But just 3% percent of those users pay for access to the software, Menlo estimated based on the survey’s results—suggesting 97% of users only use the free tier of AI tools.

AI usage figures are higher for Americans in the workforce than other groups. Some 75% of employed adults have used AI in the last six months, including 26% who report using it daily, according to the survey. Students also report high AI usage: 85% have used it in the last six months, and 22% say they use it daily.

The statistics seem to suggest that some students and workers are growing dependent on free AI tools—a usage pattern that might become lucrative if AI companies were to begin restricting access or raising prices. However, the proliferation of open-source AI models has created intense price competition that may limit any single company’s ability to dramatically increase their costs.

As always, if you have an interesting story of AI in Action, we’d love to hear it. Email us at: intheloop@time.com

What we’re reading

‘The Dead Have Never Been This Talkative’: The Rise of AI Resurrection by Tharin Pillay in TIME

With the rise of image-to-video tools like the newest version of Midjourney, the world recently crossed a threshold: it’s now possible, in just a few clicks, to reanimate a photo of your dead relative. You can train a chatbot on snippets of their writing to replicate their patterns of speech; if you have a long enough clip of them speaking, you can also replicate their voice. Will these tools make it easier to process the heart-rending pain of bereavement? Or might their allure in fact make it harder to move forward? My colleague Tharin published a deeply insightful piece last week about the rise of this new technology. It’s certainly a weird time to be alive. Or, indeed, to be dead.

Subscribe to In the Loop

https://time.com/7298731/in-the-loop-pandemic-ai-study/

https://time.com/?p=7298731

Today’s AI Could Make Pandemics 5 Times More Likely, Experts Predict

nerdworld_feed

Tuesday, July 1st, 2025 12:00 pm

Posted by Billy Perrigo

https://time.com/7298645/ai-pandemic-5-times-more-likely/

https://time.com/?p=7298645

Recent developments in AI could mean that human-caused pandemics are five times more likely than they were just a year ago, according to a study of top experts’ predictions shared exclusively with TIME.

The data echoes concerns raised by AI companies OpenAI and Anthropic in recent months, both of which have warned that today’s AI tools are reaching the ability to meaningfully assist bad actors attempting to create bioweapons.

[time-brightcove not-tgx=”true”]

It has long been possible for biologists to modify viruses using laboratory technology. The new development is the ability for chatbots—like ChatGPT or Claude—to give accurate troubleshooting advice to amateur biologists trying to create a deadly bioweapon in a lab. Safety experts have long viewed the difficulty of this troubleshooting process as a significant bottleneck on the ability of terrorist groups to create a bioweapon, says Seth Donoughe, a co-author of the study. Now, he says, thanks to AI, the expertise necessary to intentionally cause a new pandemic “could become accessible to many, many more people.”

Between December 2024 and February 2025, the Forecasting Research Institute asked 46 biosecurity experts and 22 “superforecasters” (individuals with a high success rate at predicting future events) to estimate the risk of a human-caused pandemic. The average survey respondent predicted the risk of that happening in any given year was 0.3%.

Crucially, the surveyors then asked another question: how much would that risk increase if AI tools could match the performance of a team of experts on a difficult virology troubleshooting test? If AI could do that, the average expert said, then the annual risk would jump to 1.5%—a fivefold increase.

What the forecasters didn’t know was that Donoughe, a research scientist at the pandemic prevention nonprofit SecureBio, was testing AI systems for that very capability. In April, Donoughe’s team revealed the results of those tests: today’s top AI systems can outperform PhD-level virologists at a difficult troubleshooting test.

In other words, AI can now do the very thing that forecasters warned would increase the risk of a human-caused pandemic fivefold. (The Forecasting Research Institute plans to re-survey the same experts in future to track whether their view of the risks has increased as they said it would, but said this research would take months to complete.)

To be sure, there are a couple of reasons to be skeptical of the results. Forecasting is an inexact science, and it is especially difficult to accurately predict the likelihood of very rare events. Forecasters in the study also revealed a lack of understanding of the rate of AI progress. (For example, when asked, most said they did not expect AI to surpass human performance at the virology test until after 2030, while Donoughe’s test showed that bar had already been met.) But even if the numbers themselves are taken with a pinch of salt, the authors of the paper argue, the results as a whole still point in an ominous direction. “It does seem that near-term AI capabilities could meaningfully increase the risk of a human-caused epidemic,” says Josh Rosenberg, CEO of the Forecasting Research Institute.

The study also identified ways of reducing the bioweapon risks posed by AI. Those mitigations broadly fell into two categories.

The first category is safeguards at the model level. In interviews, researchers welcomed efforts by companies like OpenAI and Anthropic to prevent their AIs from responding to prompts aimed at building a bioweapon. The paper also identifies restricting the proliferation of “open-weights” models, and adding protections against models being jailbroken, as likely to reduce the risk of AI being used to start a pandemic.

The second category of safeguards involves imposing restrictions on companies that synthesize nucleic acids. Currently, it is possible to send one of these companies a genetic code, and be delivered biological materials corresponding to that code. Today, these companies are not obliged by law to screen the genetic codes they receive before synthesizing them. That’s potentially dangerous because these synthesized genetic materials could be used to create mail-order pathogens. The authors of the paper recommend labs screen their genetic sequences to check them for harmfulness, and for labs to implement “know your customer” procedures.

Taken together, all these safeguards—if implemented—could bring the risk of an AI-enabled pandemic back down to 0.4%, the average forecaster said. (Only slightly higher than the 0.3% baseline of where they believed the world was before they knew today’s AI could help create a bioweapon.)

“Generally, it seems like this is a new risk area worth paying attention to,” Rosenberg says. “But there are good policy responses to it.”

https://time.com/7298645/ai-pandemic-5-times-more-likely/

https://time.com/?p=7298645

Cynthia Erivo & Michael Bay to Adapt Adrian Tchaikovsky’s Saturation Point

tordotcom_feed

Monday, June 30th, 2025 07:55 pm

Posted by Vanessa Armstrong

https://reactormag.com/cynthia-erivo-michael-bay-to-adapt-adrian-tchaikovskys-saturation-point/

https://reactormag.com/?p=817303

News Saturation Point

Cynthia Erivo & Michael Bay to Adapt Adrian Tchaikovsky’s Saturation Point

Universal Pictures will be adapting the novella from The Children of Time author.

By Vanessa Armstrong

Published on June 30, 2025

Erivo screenshot: Universal Pictures

[Error: Irreparable invalid markup ('<a [...] w-[18px]>') in entry. Owner must fix manually. Raw contents below.]

<p class="syndicationauthor">Posted by Vanessa Armstrong</p><p class="ljsyndicationlink"><a href="https://reactormag.com/cynthia-erivo-michael-bay-to-adapt-adrian-tchaikovskys-saturation-point/">https://reactormag.com/cynthia-erivo-michael-bay-to-adapt-adrian-tchaikovskys-saturation-point/</a></p><p class="ljsyndicationlink"><a href="https://reactormag.com/?p=817303">https://reactormag.com/?p=817303</a></p><post-hero class="wp-block-post-hero js-post-hero post-hero post-hero-horizontal"> <div class="container container-desktop"> <div class="flex flex-col mx-auto post-hero-container"> <div class="post-hero-content"> <div class="post-hero-tags font-aktiv text-xs tracking-[0.5px] font-medium uppercase"> <span class="mr-3"> <i class="inline-block w-2 h-2 rounded-full mr-[5px] bg-blue"></i> <a href="https://reactormag.com/articles/news/" class="inline-block link-no-animation" aria-label="Link to term or tag News 0"> News </a> </span> <span class="mr-3"> <i class="inline-block w-2 h-2 rounded-full mr-[5px] bg-blue"></i> <a href="https://reactormag.com/tag/saturation-point/" class="inline-block link-no-animation" aria-label="Link to term or tag Saturation Point 1"> Saturation Point </a> </span> </div> <h2 class="post-hero-title text-h1">Cynthia Erivo & Michael Bay to Adapt Adrian Tchaikovsky’s <i>Saturation Point</i></h2> <div class="prose post-hero-description prose--post-hero">Universal Pictures will be adapting the novella from The Children of Time author.</div> <div class="post-hero-wrapper"> <div class="post-hero-inner"> <p class="post-hero-author text-xs font-aktiv uppercase font-medium [&_a]:link-hover">By <a href="https://reactormag.com/author/vanessa-armstrong/" title="Posts by Vanessa Armstrong" class="author url fn" rel="author">Vanessa Armstrong</a></p> <span class="post-hero-symbol relative top-[-2px] hidden tablet:block">|</span> <p class="text-xs uppercase post-hero-publish font-aktiv"> Published on June 30, 2025 </p> </div> </div> <div class="post-hero-caption post-hero-caption-vertical [&_a]:link"><p>Erivo screenshot: Universal Pictures</p> </div> <div class="quick-access post-hero-quick-access mt-[17px] tablet:hidden"> <div class="flex gap-[30px] tablet:gap-6"> <a href="https://reactormag.com/cynthia-erivo-michael-bay-to-adapt-adrian-tchaikovskys-saturation-point/#comments" class="flex items-center text-sm font-aktiv tracking-[0.6px] font-semibold uppercase translate-x-[1px] translate-y-[1px]"> <svg class="w-[22px] h-[22px] mr-[7px] icon-hover" viewbox="0 0 18 18" aria-label="comment" role="img" aria-hidden="true" aria-labelledby="icon-comment-quick-access-"> <title id="icon-comment-quick-access-">Comment</title> <g fill="none" fill-rule="evenodd"> <path fill="#FFF" fill-rule="nonzero" d="M6.3 18a.9.9 0 0 1-.9-.9v-2.7H1.8A1.8 1.8 0 0 1 0 12.6V1.8A1.8 1.8 0 0 1 1.8 0h14.4A1.8 1.8 0 0 1 18 1.8v10.8a1.8 1.8 0 0 1-1.8 1.8h-5.49l-3.33 3.339a.917.917 0 0 1-.63.261H6.3Z" /> <path stroke="#000" d="M5.9 14.4v-.5H1.8a1.3 1.3 0 0 1-1.3-1.3V1.8A1.3 1.3 0 0 1 1.8.5h14.4a1.3 1.3 0 0 1 1.3 1.3v10.8a1.3 1.3 0 0 1-1.3 1.3h-5.698l-.146.147-3.324 3.333a.417.417 0 0 1-.282.12H6.3a.4.4 0 0 1-.4-.4v-2.7Z" /> </g> </svg> 0 </a> <details class="relative quick-access-details"> <summary class="quick-access-share flex items-center text-sm font-aktiv tracking-[0.6px] font-semibold uppercase"> <svg class="w-[22px] h-[22px] mr-[7px] icon-hover" viewbox="0 0 22 22" aria-label="share" role="img" aria-hidden="true" aria-labelledby="icon-share-new-quick-access-"> <title id="icon-share-new-quick-access-">Share New</title> <g fill="none" fill-rule="evenodd"> <circle cx="11" cy="11" r="11" fill="#FFF" fill-rule="nonzero" /> <circle cx="11" cy="11" r="10.5" stroke="#000" /> <path fill="#FFF" d="M5.993 13.464c.675 0 1.323-.266 1.806-.743l4.11 2.396a2.639 2.639 0 0 0 .368 2.451 2.583 2.583 0 0 0 2.227 1.043 2.59 2.59 0 0 0 2.09-1.3 2.64 2.64 0 0 0 .08-2.477 2.58 2.58 0 0 0-4.292-.54L8.344 11.94c.28-.616.31-1.319.086-1.958l3.952-2.303a2.564 2.564 0 0 0 4.263-.537 2.623 2.623 0 0 0-.078-2.46 2.573 2.573 0 0 0-2.075-1.293 2.566 2.566 0 0 0-2.213 1.033 2.622 2.622 0 0 0-.37 2.433L7.96 9.158a2.573 2.573 0 0 0-4.316.603 2.632 2.632 0 0 0 .172 2.501 2.58 2.58 0 0 0 2.178 1.202Z" /> <path fill="#000" d="M6.936 9.577c.322 0 .631.137.859.383.228.245.355.577.355.924 0 .347-.127.68-.355.925a1.172 1.172 0 0 1-.859.383c-.322 0-.63-.138-.858-.383a1.36 1.36 0 0 1-.356-.925c0-.347.129-.679.356-.924.228-.245.536-.383.858-.383Zm6.17-3.837c.323 0 .631.138.86.383.227.245.355.578.355.924 0 .347-.128.68-.356.925a1.172 1.172 0 0 1-.858.383c-.322 0-.631-.138-.859-.383a1.36 1.36 0 0 1-.355-.925c0-.346.128-.678.356-.924.227-.245.536-.383.858-.383Zm0 7.883c.323 0 .631.138.86.383.227.245.355.578.355.925 0 .346-.128.679-.356.924a1.171 1.171 0 0 1-.858.383c-.322 0-.631-.138-.859-.383a1.36 1.36 0 0 1-.355-.925c0-.346.128-.678.356-.923.227-.245.536-.383.858-.384Zm-6.17-.681c.499 0 .978-.21 1.334-.586l3.036 1.888a2.194 2.194 0 0 0 .272 1.93c.385.555 1.003.863 1.645.822.641-.04 1.221-.425 1.544-1.024a2.203 2.203 0 0 0 .059-1.952c-.286-.62-.841-1.044-1.48-1.13-.637-.085-1.272.18-1.69.705l-2.984-1.854c.207-.486.23-1.04.064-1.543l2.92-1.815c.415.522 1.046.784 1.68.7.633-.086 1.184-.507 1.468-1.123a2.188 2.188 0 0 0-.058-1.938c-.32-.595-.895-.977-1.532-1.018-.638-.041-1.251.264-1.635.813a2.179 2.179 0 0 0-.273 1.917L8.389 9.55c-.423-.534-1.07-.798-1.715-.702-.645.096-1.2.54-1.472 1.177a2.194 2.194 0 0 0 .126 1.97c.352.59.958.948 1.61.947Z" /> </g> </svg> Share </summary> <div class="quick-access-bubble"> <ul class="flex gap-6 text-black list-none"> <li class="flex"> <a class="flex items-center hover:text-red" href="https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Cynthia Erivo & Michael Bay to Adapt Adrian Tchaikovskyâs <i>Saturation Point</i>&url=https://reactormag.com/cynthia-erivo-michael-bay-to-adapt-adrian-tchaikovskys-saturation-point/” target=”_blank” title=”Twitter”> <svg class=" w-[18px]="w-[18px]" h-[15px]"="h-[15px]"" width="18" height="15" viewbox="0 0 18 15" fill="none" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" aria-label="twitter" role="img" aria-hidden="true"> <path d="M17.7143 2.56767C17.2122 3.28347 16.6053 3.89336 15.8934 4.39734C15.9009 4.4996 15.9046 4.65298 15.9046 4.8575C15.9046 5.80703 15.7623 6.75472 15.4775 7.7006C15.1928 8.64649 14.76 9.55401 14.1793 10.4232C13.5986 11.2924 12.9073 12.0611 12.1055 12.7295C11.3037 13.3978 10.3371 13.931 9.20558 14.329C8.07408 14.7271 6.86392 14.9262 5.57505 14.9262C3.54435 14.9262 1.68601 14.3966 0 13.3375C0.262269 13.3667 0.554506 13.3813 0.876722 13.3813C2.56274 13.3813 4.06514 12.8774 5.38397 11.8694C4.59717 11.8548 3.8928 11.6192 3.27085 11.1627C2.6489 10.7062 2.22178 10.1237 1.98949 9.41523C2.23677 9.45175 2.46531 9.47001 2.67513 9.47001C2.99734 9.47001 3.31581 9.42984 3.63053 9.3495C2.79127 9.1815 2.09627 8.77431 1.5455 8.12789C0.99474 7.48148 0.719362 6.73099 0.719362 5.87641V5.83259C1.22891 6.11015 1.77592 6.25988 2.36041 6.28179C1.86584 5.96041 1.47245 5.54043 1.1802 5.02184C0.887961 4.50325 0.741842 3.94084 0.741842 3.3346C0.741842 2.69184 0.906694 2.09656 1.2364 1.54875C2.1431 2.63707 3.24649 3.50807 4.54659 4.16178C5.84669 4.8155 7.23857 5.17887 8.72226 5.25192C8.66232 4.97436 8.63234 4.70411 8.63234 4.44116C8.63234 3.46241 8.9864 2.62793 9.69452 1.9377C10.4027 1.24746 11.2588 0.902344 12.2629 0.902344C13.3119 0.902344 14.1962 1.27485 14.9155 2.01987C15.7323 1.86648 16.5004 1.58162 17.2197 1.16529C16.9425 2.00526 16.4104 2.65532 15.6236 3.11548C16.3205 3.04244 17.0174 2.85984 17.7143 2.56767Z" fill="currentColor" /> <path d="M17.7143 2.56767C17.2122 3.28347 16.6053 3.89336 15.8934 4.39734C15.9009 4.4996 15.9046 4.65298 15.9046 4.8575C15.9046 5.80703 15.7623 6.75472 15.4775 7.7006C15.1928 8.64649 14.76 9.55401 14.1793 10.4232C13.5986 11.2924 12.9073 12.0611 12.1055 12.7295C11.3037 13.3978 10.3371 13.931 9.20558 14.329C8.07408 14.7271 6.86392 14.9262 5.57505 14.9262C3.54435 14.9262 1.68601 14.3966 0 13.3375C0.262269 13.3667 0.554506 13.3813 0.876722 13.3813C2.56274 13.3813 4.06514 12.8774 5.38397 11.8694C4.59717 11.8548 3.8928 11.6192 3.27085 11.1627C2.6489 10.7062 2.22178 10.1237 1.98949 9.41523C2.23677 9.45175 2.46531 9.47001 2.67513 9.47001C2.99734 9.47001 3.31581 9.42984 3.63053 9.3495C2.79127 9.1815 2.09627 8.77431 1.5455 8.12789C0.99474 7.48148 0.719362 6.73099 0.719362 5.87641V5.83259C1.22891 6.11015 1.77592 6.25988 2.36041 6.28179C1.86584 5.96041 1.47245 5.54043 1.1802 5.02184C0.887961 4.50325 0.741842 3.94084 0.741842 3.3346C0.741842 2.69184 0.906694 2.09656 1.2364 1.54875C2.1431 2.63707 3.24649 3.50807 4.54659 4.16178C5.84669 4.8155 7.23857 5.17887 8.72226 5.25192C8.66232 4.97436 8.63234 4.70411 8.63234 4.44116C8.63234 3.46241 8.9864 2.62793 9.69452 1.9377C10.4027 1.24746 11.2588 0.902344 12.2629 0.902344C13.3119 0.902344 14.1962 1.27485 14.9155 2.01987C15.7323 1.86648 16.5004 1.58162 17.2197 1.16529C16.9425 2.00526 16.4104 2.65532 15.6236 3.11548C16.3205 3.04244 17.0174 2.85984 17.7143 2.56767Z" fill="currentColor" fill-opacity="0.2" /> </svg> </a> </li> <li class="flex"> <a class="flex items-center hover:text-red" href="https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https://reactormag.com/cynthia-erivo-michael-bay-to-adapt-adrian-tchaikovskys-saturation-point/" target="_blank" title="Facebook"> <svg class="w-[9px] h-[18px]" fill="currentColor" viewbox="0 0 12 22" width="100%" height="100%" display="block" transitionduration="normal" transitionproperty="none" transitiontimingfunction="ease-out" class="w-[9px] h-[18px]" aria-label="facebook" role="img" aria-hidden="true"> <path d="M11.558.004L8.677 0C5.44 0 3.349 2.125 3.349 5.416v2.496H.452A.45.45 0 000 8.36v3.618a.45.45 0 00.452.447h2.897v9.127A.45.45 0 003.8 22h3.778c.25 0 .451-.2.451-.448v-9.127h3.387c.25 0 .451-.2.451-.447l.003-3.618a.452.452 0 00-.456-.448h-3.39V5.795c0-1.017.245-1.534 1.582-1.534h1.941c.25 0 .452-.2.452-.447V.457a.45.45 0 00-.452-.448l.01-.005z" fill-rule="nonzero"> </path> </svg> </a> </li> <li class="flex"> <a class="flex items-center hover:text-red" href="https://pinterest.com/pin/create/button/?url=https://reactormag.com/cynthia-erivo-michael-bay-to-adapt-adrian-tchaikovskys-saturation-point/&media=&description=Cynthia Erivo & Michael Bay to Adapt Adrian Tchaikovskyâs <i>Saturation Point</i>” target=”_blank” title=”Pinterest”> <svg class=" w-[18px]="w-[18px]" h-[18px]"="h-[18px]"" width="18" height="18" viewbox="0 0 18 18" fill="none" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" aria-label="pinterest" role="img" aria-hidden="true"> <path d="M16.4962 4.49458C17.2844 5.84153 17.6786 7.31473 17.6786 8.91423C17.6786 10.5137 17.2844 11.9888 16.4962 13.3396C15.7079 14.6904 14.6384 15.7599 13.2876 16.5482C11.9368 17.3364 10.4617 17.7306 8.86223 17.7306C8.01273 17.7306 7.17856 17.6081 6.35967 17.3632C6.81121 16.6515 7.10967 16.0239 7.25508 15.4806C7.32396 15.2203 7.53059 14.413 7.87498 13.0584C8.02804 13.3568 8.30738 13.6151 8.71299 13.8332C9.1186 14.0513 9.55483 14.1604 10.0217 14.1604C10.9477 14.1604 11.7742 13.8983 12.5013 13.374C13.2283 12.8498 13.7908 12.1285 14.1888 11.2101C14.5867 10.2918 14.7857 9.25862 14.7857 8.11066C14.7857 7.2382 14.558 6.41933 14.1027 5.65402C13.6473 4.88871 12.9872 4.26499 12.1224 3.78285C11.2576 3.3007 10.2819 3.05964 9.19513 3.05964C8.39156 3.05964 7.64157 3.1706 6.94513 3.39254C6.2487 3.61448 5.65751 3.90912 5.17154 4.27647C4.68556 4.64382 4.26848 5.06665 3.92026 5.54497C3.57205 6.02329 3.31567 6.51882 3.15113 7.03157C2.98659 7.54433 2.90432 8.05708 2.90432 8.56984C2.90432 9.36576 3.05738 10.066 3.3635 10.6706C3.66962 11.2752 4.11732 11.6999 4.70661 11.9448C4.93621 12.0367 5.08161 11.9601 5.14284 11.7152C5.15814 11.6617 5.18876 11.5431 5.23467 11.3594C5.28059 11.1757 5.3112 11.0609 5.32651 11.015C5.37243 10.839 5.33034 10.6744 5.20024 10.5214C4.80993 10.0545 4.61478 9.47673 4.61478 8.78795C4.61478 7.63233 5.01464 6.63936 5.81439 5.809C6.61414 4.97864 7.66069 4.56346 8.95406 4.56346C10.1097 4.56346 11.0108 4.87723 11.6575 5.50479C12.3042 6.13234 12.6275 6.94739 12.6275 7.94994C12.6275 9.25097 12.3654 10.3568 11.8412 11.2675C11.3169 12.1783 10.6454 12.6336 9.82651 12.6336C9.35967 12.6336 8.98468 12.4672 8.70151 12.1343C8.41835 11.8013 8.33034 11.4015 8.43748 10.9346C8.49871 10.6668 8.60011 10.309 8.74169 9.86129C8.88327 9.41359 8.99807 9.01946 9.08608 8.67889C9.17409 8.33833 9.21809 8.04943 9.21809 7.81219C9.21809 7.42953 9.11478 7.11193 8.90814 6.85938C8.70151 6.60683 8.40687 6.48055 8.02422 6.48055C7.54972 6.48055 7.14794 6.69866 6.81886 7.13489C6.48977 7.57112 6.32524 8.11448 6.32524 8.76499C6.32524 9.32367 6.4209 9.7905 6.61223 10.1655L5.47575 14.964C5.34564 15.4997 5.2959 16.177 5.32651 16.9959C3.74997 16.2994 2.47575 15.2242 1.50381 13.7701C0.531863 12.316 0.0458984 10.6974 0.0458984 8.91423C0.0458984 7.31473 0.440027 5.83962 1.2283 4.48884C2.01657 3.13807 3.08607 2.06857 4.43684 1.2803C5.78761 0.492029 7.26273 0.0979004 8.86223 0.0979004C10.4617 0.0979004 11.9368 0.492029 13.2876 1.2803C14.6384 2.06857 15.7079 3.13999 16.4962 4.49458Z" fill="currentColor" /> <path d="M16.4962 4.49458C17.2844 5.84153 17.6786 7.31473 17.6786 8.91423C17.6786 10.5137 17.2844 11.9888 16.4962 13.3396C15.7079 14.6904 14.6384 15.7599 13.2876 16.5482C11.9368 17.3364 10.4617 17.7306 8.86223 17.7306C8.01273 17.7306 7.17856 17.6081 6.35967 17.3632C6.81121 16.6515 7.10967 16.0239 7.25508 15.4806C7.32396 15.2203 7.53059 14.413 7.87498 13.0584C8.02804 13.3568 8.30738 13.6151 8.71299 13.8332C9.1186 14.0513 9.55483 14.1604 10.0217 14.1604C10.9477 14.1604 11.7742 13.8983 12.5013 13.374C13.2283 12.8498 13.7908 12.1285 14.1888 11.2101C14.5867 10.2918 14.7857 9.25862 14.7857 8.11066C14.7857 7.2382 14.558 6.41933 14.1027 5.65402C13.6473 4.88871 12.9872 4.26499 12.1224 3.78285C11.2576 3.3007 10.2819 3.05964 9.19513 3.05964C8.39156 3.05964 7.64157 3.1706 6.94513 3.39254C6.2487 3.61448 5.65751 3.90912 5.17154 4.27647C4.68556 4.64382 4.26848 5.06665 3.92026 5.54497C3.57205 6.02329 3.31567 6.51882 3.15113 7.03157C2.98659 7.54433 2.90432 8.05708 2.90432 8.56984C2.90432 9.36576 3.05738 10.066 3.3635 10.6706C3.66962 11.2752 4.11732 11.6999 4.70661 11.9448C4.93621 12.0367 5.08161 11.9601 5.14284 11.7152C5.15814 11.6617 5.18876 11.5431 5.23467 11.3594C5.28059 11.1757 5.3112 11.0609 5.32651 11.015C5.37243 10.839 5.33034 10.6744 5.20024 10.5214C4.80993 10.0545 4.61478 9.47673 4.61478 8.78795C4.61478 7.63233 5.01464 6.63936 5.81439 5.809C6.61414 4.97864 7.66069 4.56346 8.95406 4.56346C10.1097 4.56346 11.0108 4.87723 11.6575 5.50479C12.3042 6.13234 12.6275 6.94739 12.6275 7.94994C12.6275 9.25097 12.3654 10.3568 11.8412 11.2675C11.3169 12.1783 10.6454 12.6336 9.82651 12.6336C9.35967 12.6336 8.98468 12.4672 8.70151 12.1343C8.41835 11.8013 8.33034 11.4015 8.43748 10.9346C8.49871 10.6668 8.60011 10.309 8.74169 9.86129C8.88327 9.41359 8.99807 9.01946 9.08608 8.67889C9.17409 8.33833 9.21809 8.04943 9.21809 7.81219C9.21809 7.42953 9.11478 7.11193 8.90814 6.85938C8.70151 6.60683 8.40687 6.48055 8.02422 6.48055C7.54972 6.48055 7.14794 6.69866 6.81886 7.13489C6.48977 7.57112 6.32524 8.11448 6.32524 8.76499C6.32524 9.32367 6.4209 9.7905 6.61223 10.1655L5.47575 14.964C5.34564 15.4997 5.2959 16.177 5.32651 16.9959C3.74997 16.2994 2.47575 15.2242 1.50381 13.7701C0.531863 12.316 0.0458984 10.6974 0.0458984 8.91423C0.0458984 7.31473 0.440027 5.83962 1.2283 4.48884C2.01657 3.13807 3.08607 2.06857 4.43684 1.2803C5.78761 0.492029 7.26273 0.0979004 8.86223 0.0979004C10.4617 0.0979004 11.9368 0.492029 13.2876 1.2803C14.6384 2.06857 15.7079 3.13999 16.4962 4.49458Z" fill="currentColor" fill-opacity="0.2" /> </svg> </a> </li> <li class="flex"> <a class="flex items-center hover:text-red" href="https://reactormag.com/feed/" target="_blank" title="RSS Feed"> <svg class="w-[17px] h-[17px]" width="18" height="18" viewbox="0 0 18 18" fill="none" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" aria-label="rss feed" role="img" aria-hidden="true"> <g clip-path="url(#clip0_1051_121783)"> <path d="M2.67871 17.4143C2.12871 17.4143 1.65771 17.2183 1.26571 16.8263C0.873713 16.4343 0.678046 15.9636 0.678713 15.4143C0.678713 14.8643 0.874713 14.3933 1.26671 14.0013C1.65871 13.6093 2.12938 13.4136 2.67871 13.4143C3.22871 13.4143 3.69971 13.6103 4.09171 14.0023C4.48371 14.3943 4.67938 14.865 4.67871 15.4143C4.67871 15.9643 4.48271 16.4353 4.09071 16.8273C3.69871 17.2193 3.22805 17.415 2.67871 17.4143ZM14.6787 17.4143C14.6787 15.481 14.312 13.6683 13.5787 11.9763C12.8454 10.2843 11.841 8.80097 10.5657 7.52631C9.29171 6.25164 7.80871 5.24764 6.11671 4.51431C4.42471 3.78097 2.61205 3.41431 0.678713 3.41431V0.414307C3.02871 0.414307 5.23705 0.860306 7.30371 1.75231C9.37038 2.64431 11.1704 3.85664 12.7037 5.38931C14.237 6.92264 15.4497 8.72264 16.3417 10.7893C17.2337 12.856 17.6794 15.0643 17.6787 17.4143H14.6787ZM8.67871 17.4143C8.67871 15.1976 7.89971 13.31 6.34171 11.7513C4.78371 10.1926 2.89605 9.41364 0.678713 9.41431V6.41431C2.21205 6.41431 3.64538 6.70197 4.97871 7.27731C6.31205 7.85264 7.47471 8.63597 8.46671 9.62731C9.45805 10.6186 10.2414 11.781 10.8167 13.1143C11.392 14.4476 11.6794 15.881 11.6787 17.4143H8.67871Z" fill="currentColor" /> <path d="M2.67871 17.4143C2.12871 17.4143 1.65771 17.2183 1.26571 16.8263C0.873713 16.4343 0.678046 15.9636 0.678713 15.4143C0.678713 14.8643 0.874713 14.3933 1.26671 14.0013C1.65871 13.6093 2.12938 13.4136 2.67871 13.4143C3.22871 13.4143 3.69971 13.6103 4.09171 14.0023C4.48371 14.3943 4.67938 14.865 4.67871 15.4143C4.67871 15.9643 4.48271 16.4353 4.09071 16.8273C3.69871 17.2193 3.22805 17.415 2.67871 17.4143ZM14.6787 17.4143C14.6787 15.481 14.312 13.6683 13.5787 11.9763C12.8454 10.2843 11.841 8.80097 10.5657 7.52631C9.29171 6.25164 7.80871 5.24764 6.11671 4.51431C4.42471 3.78097 2.61205 3.41431 0.678713 3.41431V0.414307C3.02871 0.414307 5.23705 0.860306 7.30371 1.75231C9.37038 2.64431 11.1704 3.85664 12.7037 5.38931C14.237 6.92264 15.4497 8.72264 16.3417 10.7893C17.2337 12.856 17.6794 15.0643 17.6787 17.4143H14.6787ZM8.67871 17.4143C8.67871 15.1976 7.89971 13.31 6.34171 11.7513C4.78371 10.1926 2.89605 9.41364 0.678713 9.41431V6.41431C2.21205 6.41431 3.64538 6.70197 4.97871 7.27731C6.31205 7.85264 7.47471 8.63597 8.46671 9.62731C9.45805 10.6186 10.2414 11.781 10.8167 13.1143C11.392 14.4476 11.6794 15.881 11.6787 17.4143H8.67871Z" fill="currentColor" fill-opacity="0.2" /> </g> <defs> <clippath id="clip0_1051_121783"> <rect width="17" height="17" fill="white" transform="translate(0.678711 0.414307)" /> </clippath> </defs> </svg> </a> </li> </ul> </div> </details> </div> </div> </div> <div class="post-hero-media "> <figure class="w-full h-auto post-hero-image"> <img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="740" height="494" src="https://reactormag.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Erivo-and-Saturation-Point-740x494.jpg" class="w-full object-cover" alt="Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba in Wicked next to cover of Adrian Tchaikovsky's Saturation Point" srcset="https://reactormag.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Erivo-and-Saturation-Point-740x494.jpg 740w, https://reactormag.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Erivo-and-Saturation-Point-1100x734.jpg 1100w, https://reactormag.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Erivo-and-Saturation-Point-768x512.jpg 768w, https://reactormag.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Erivo-and-Saturation-Point-1536x1025.jpg 1536w, https://reactormag.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Erivo-and-Saturation-Point.jpg 2000w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 740px) 100vw, 740px" /> </figure> <div class="post-hero-caption post-hero-caption-horizontal [&_a]:link"><p>Erivo screenshot: Universal Pictures</p> </div> </div> </div> </div> </post-hero> <div class="wp-block-more-from-category"> <div> </div> </div> <p>Universal Pictures has picked up <a href="https://reactormag.com/author/adrian-tchaikovsky/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Adrian Tchaikovsky’s </a>2024 novella <em>Saturation Point </em>and is set to make a feature adaptation, which will potentially be the start of a franchise.</p> <p><em><a href="https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/cynthia-erivo-saturation-point-for-universal-1236302933/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Hollywood Reporter</a></em> broke the news that none other than Michael Bay (<em>Ambulance!</em>) and Cynthia Erivo (pictured above as Elphaba in the feature adaptation of <em><a href="https://reactormag.com/cynthia-erivo-elevates-a-wicked-thats-mostly-just-fine/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Wicked</a></em>) are attached to the project as producers.</p> <p><em>Saturation Point</em> is a climate thriller where part of Earth has gotten so hot and humid that humans can’t survive there. Here’s the summary of the story, per Goodreads:</p> <figure class="wp-block-pullquote has-text-align-left"><blockquote><p>Doctor Jasmine Marks is going back into hell.<br><br>The Hygrometric Dehabitation Region, or the “Zone,” is a growing band of rainforest on the equator, where the heat and humidity make it impossible for warm-blooded animals to survive. A human being without protection in the Zone is dead in minutes.<br><br>Twenty years ago, Marks went into the rainforest with a group of researchers led by Doctor Elaine Fell, to study the extraordinary climate and see if it could be used in agriculture. The only thing she learned was that the Zone was no place for people. There were deaths, and the program was cut short.<br><br>Now, they’re sending her back in. A plane crash, a rescue mission, a race against time and the environment to bring out the survivors. But there are things Marks’ corporate masters aren’t telling her. The Zone keeps its secrets, and so does Doctor Fell…</p></blockquote></figure> <p><em>THR </em>also adds that “not all forms of intelligent life in the Zone are necessarily human.”</p> <p>Minnie Schedeen, the creator of <em>The Beautiful Liar</em> podcast series, will write the script for the adaptation, which will be her feature debut as a screenwriter. It’s not clear whether Erivo will also star in the film as well as produce, or where the project is in the development process.[end-mark]</p> <p>The post <a href="https://reactormag.com/cynthia-erivo-michael-bay-to-adapt-adrian-tchaikovskys-saturation-point/">Cynthia Erivo & Michael Bay to Adapt Adrian Tchaikovsky’s <i>Saturation Point</i></a> appeared first on <a href="https://reactormag.com">Reactor</a>.</p><p class="ljsyndicationlink"><a href="https://reactormag.com/cynthia-erivo-michael-bay-to-adapt-adrian-tchaikovskys-saturation-point/">https://reactormag.com/cynthia-erivo-michael-bay-to-adapt-adrian-tchaikovskys-saturation-point/</a></p><p class="ljsyndicationlink"><a href="https://reactormag.com/?p=817303">https://reactormag.com/?p=817303</a></p>

Sinners Heads to Streaming, Including Black American Sign Language Version

tordotcom_feed

Monday, June 30th, 2025 07:49 pm

Posted by Vanessa Armstrong

https://reactormag.com/sinners-heads-to-streaming-including-black-american-sign-language-version/

https://reactormag.com/?p=817293

News Sinners

Sinners Heads to Streaming, Including Black American Sign Language Version

The movie makes its way to HBO Max on the Fourth of July.

By Vanessa Armstrong

Published on June 30, 2025

[Error: Irreparable invalid markup ('<a [...] h-[15px]">') in entry. Owner must fix manually. Raw contents below.]

<p class="syndicationauthor">Posted by Vanessa Armstrong</p><p class="ljsyndicationlink"><a href="https://reactormag.com/sinners-heads-to-streaming-including-black-american-sign-language-version/">https://reactormag.com/sinners-heads-to-streaming-including-black-american-sign-language-version/</a></p><p class="ljsyndicationlink"><a href="https://reactormag.com/?p=817293">https://reactormag.com/?p=817293</a></p><post-hero class="wp-block-post-hero js-post-hero post-hero post-hero-horizontal"> <div class="container container-desktop"> <div class="flex flex-col mx-auto post-hero-container"> <div class="post-hero-content"> <div class="post-hero-tags font-aktiv text-xs tracking-[0.5px] font-medium uppercase"> <span class="mr-3"> <i class="inline-block w-2 h-2 rounded-full mr-[5px] bg-blue"></i> <a href="https://reactormag.com/articles/news/" class="inline-block link-no-animation" aria-label="Link to term or tag News 0"> News </a> </span> <span class="mr-3"> <i class="inline-block w-2 h-2 rounded-full mr-[5px] bg-blue"></i> <a href="https://reactormag.com/tag/sinners/" class="inline-block link-no-animation" aria-label="Link to term or tag Sinners 1"> Sinners </a> </span> </div> <h2 class="post-hero-title text-h1"><i>Sinners</i> Heads to Streaming, Including Black American Sign Language Version</h2> <div class="prose post-hero-description prose--post-hero">The movie makes its way to HBO Max on the Fourth of July.</div> <div class="post-hero-wrapper"> <div class="post-hero-inner"> <p class="post-hero-author text-xs font-aktiv uppercase font-medium [&_a]:link-hover">By <a href="https://reactormag.com/author/vanessa-armstrong/" title="Posts by Vanessa Armstrong" class="author url fn" rel="author">Vanessa Armstrong</a></p> <span class="post-hero-symbol relative top-[-2px] hidden tablet:block">|</span> <p class="text-xs uppercase post-hero-publish font-aktiv"> Published on June 30, 2025 </p> </div> </div> <div class="quick-access post-hero-quick-access mt-[17px] tablet:hidden"> <div class="flex gap-[30px] tablet:gap-6"> <a href="https://reactormag.com/sinners-heads-to-streaming-including-black-american-sign-language-version/#comments" class="flex items-center text-sm font-aktiv tracking-[0.6px] font-semibold uppercase translate-x-[1px] translate-y-[1px]"> <svg class="w-[22px] h-[22px] mr-[7px] icon-hover" viewbox="0 0 18 18" aria-label="comment" role="img" aria-hidden="true" aria-labelledby="icon-comment-quick-access-"> <title id="icon-comment-quick-access-">Comment</title> <g fill="none" fill-rule="evenodd"> <path fill="#FFF" fill-rule="nonzero" d="M6.3 18a.9.9 0 0 1-.9-.9v-2.7H1.8A1.8 1.8 0 0 1 0 12.6V1.8A1.8 1.8 0 0 1 1.8 0h14.4A1.8 1.8 0 0 1 18 1.8v10.8a1.8 1.8 0 0 1-1.8 1.8h-5.49l-3.33 3.339a.917.917 0 0 1-.63.261H6.3Z" /> <path stroke="#000" d="M5.9 14.4v-.5H1.8a1.3 1.3 0 0 1-1.3-1.3V1.8A1.3 1.3 0 0 1 1.8.5h14.4a1.3 1.3 0 0 1 1.3 1.3v10.8a1.3 1.3 0 0 1-1.3 1.3h-5.698l-.146.147-3.324 3.333a.417.417 0 0 1-.282.12H6.3a.4.4 0 0 1-.4-.4v-2.7Z" /> </g> </svg> 0 </a> <details class="relative quick-access-details"> <summary class="quick-access-share flex items-center text-sm font-aktiv tracking-[0.6px] font-semibold uppercase"> <svg class="w-[22px] h-[22px] mr-[7px] icon-hover" viewbox="0 0 22 22" aria-label="share" role="img" aria-hidden="true" aria-labelledby="icon-share-new-quick-access-"> <title id="icon-share-new-quick-access-">Share New</title> <g fill="none" fill-rule="evenodd"> <circle cx="11" cy="11" r="11" fill="#FFF" fill-rule="nonzero" /> <circle cx="11" cy="11" r="10.5" stroke="#000" /> <path fill="#FFF" d="M5.993 13.464c.675 0 1.323-.266 1.806-.743l4.11 2.396a2.639 2.639 0 0 0 .368 2.451 2.583 2.583 0 0 0 2.227 1.043 2.59 2.59 0 0 0 2.09-1.3 2.64 2.64 0 0 0 .08-2.477 2.58 2.58 0 0 0-4.292-.54L8.344 11.94c.28-.616.31-1.319.086-1.958l3.952-2.303a2.564 2.564 0 0 0 4.263-.537 2.623 2.623 0 0 0-.078-2.46 2.573 2.573 0 0 0-2.075-1.293 2.566 2.566 0 0 0-2.213 1.033 2.622 2.622 0 0 0-.37 2.433L7.96 9.158a2.573 2.573 0 0 0-4.316.603 2.632 2.632 0 0 0 .172 2.501 2.58 2.58 0 0 0 2.178 1.202Z" /> <path fill="#000" d="M6.936 9.577c.322 0 .631.137.859.383.228.245.355.577.355.924 0 .347-.127.68-.355.925a1.172 1.172 0 0 1-.859.383c-.322 0-.63-.138-.858-.383a1.36 1.36 0 0 1-.356-.925c0-.347.129-.679.356-.924.228-.245.536-.383.858-.383Zm6.17-3.837c.323 0 .631.138.86.383.227.245.355.578.355.924 0 .347-.128.68-.356.925a1.172 1.172 0 0 1-.858.383c-.322 0-.631-.138-.859-.383a1.36 1.36 0 0 1-.355-.925c0-.346.128-.678.356-.924.227-.245.536-.383.858-.383Zm0 7.883c.323 0 .631.138.86.383.227.245.355.578.355.925 0 .346-.128.679-.356.924a1.171 1.171 0 0 1-.858.383c-.322 0-.631-.138-.859-.383a1.36 1.36 0 0 1-.355-.925c0-.346.128-.678.356-.923.227-.245.536-.383.858-.384Zm-6.17-.681c.499 0 .978-.21 1.334-.586l3.036 1.888a2.194 2.194 0 0 0 .272 1.93c.385.555 1.003.863 1.645.822.641-.04 1.221-.425 1.544-1.024a2.203 2.203 0 0 0 .059-1.952c-.286-.62-.841-1.044-1.48-1.13-.637-.085-1.272.18-1.69.705l-2.984-1.854c.207-.486.23-1.04.064-1.543l2.92-1.815c.415.522 1.046.784 1.68.7.633-.086 1.184-.507 1.468-1.123a2.188 2.188 0 0 0-.058-1.938c-.32-.595-.895-.977-1.532-1.018-.638-.041-1.251.264-1.635.813a2.179 2.179 0 0 0-.273 1.917L8.389 9.55c-.423-.534-1.07-.798-1.715-.702-.645.096-1.2.54-1.472 1.177a2.194 2.194 0 0 0 .126 1.97c.352.59.958.948 1.61.947Z" /> </g> </svg> Share </summary> <div class="quick-access-bubble"> <ul class="flex gap-6 text-black list-none"> <li class="flex"> <a class="flex items-center hover:text-red" href="https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=<i>Sinners</i> Heads to Streaming, Including Black American Sign Language Version&url=https://reactormag.com/sinners-heads-to-streaming-including-black-american-sign-language-version/” target=”_blank” title=”Twitter”> <svg class=" w-[18px]="w-[18px]" h-[15px]"="h-[15px]"" width="18" height="15" viewbox="0 0 18 15" fill="none" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" aria-label="twitter" role="img" aria-hidden="true"> <path d="M17.7143 2.56767C17.2122 3.28347 16.6053 3.89336 15.8934 4.39734C15.9009 4.4996 15.9046 4.65298 15.9046 4.8575C15.9046 5.80703 15.7623 6.75472 15.4775 7.7006C15.1928 8.64649 14.76 9.55401 14.1793 10.4232C13.5986 11.2924 12.9073 12.0611 12.1055 12.7295C11.3037 13.3978 10.3371 13.931 9.20558 14.329C8.07408 14.7271 6.86392 14.9262 5.57505 14.9262C3.54435 14.9262 1.68601 14.3966 0 13.3375C0.262269 13.3667 0.554506 13.3813 0.876722 13.3813C2.56274 13.3813 4.06514 12.8774 5.38397 11.8694C4.59717 11.8548 3.8928 11.6192 3.27085 11.1627C2.6489 10.7062 2.22178 10.1237 1.98949 9.41523C2.23677 9.45175 2.46531 9.47001 2.67513 9.47001C2.99734 9.47001 3.31581 9.42984 3.63053 9.3495C2.79127 9.1815 2.09627 8.77431 1.5455 8.12789C0.99474 7.48148 0.719362 6.73099 0.719362 5.87641V5.83259C1.22891 6.11015 1.77592 6.25988 2.36041 6.28179C1.86584 5.96041 1.47245 5.54043 1.1802 5.02184C0.887961 4.50325 0.741842 3.94084 0.741842 3.3346C0.741842 2.69184 0.906694 2.09656 1.2364 1.54875C2.1431 2.63707 3.24649 3.50807 4.54659 4.16178C5.84669 4.8155 7.23857 5.17887 8.72226 5.25192C8.66232 4.97436 8.63234 4.70411 8.63234 4.44116C8.63234 3.46241 8.9864 2.62793 9.69452 1.9377C10.4027 1.24746 11.2588 0.902344 12.2629 0.902344C13.3119 0.902344 14.1962 1.27485 14.9155 2.01987C15.7323 1.86648 16.5004 1.58162 17.2197 1.16529C16.9425 2.00526 16.4104 2.65532 15.6236 3.11548C16.3205 3.04244 17.0174 2.85984 17.7143 2.56767Z" fill="currentColor" /> <path d="M17.7143 2.56767C17.2122 3.28347 16.6053 3.89336 15.8934 4.39734C15.9009 4.4996 15.9046 4.65298 15.9046 4.8575C15.9046 5.80703 15.7623 6.75472 15.4775 7.7006C15.1928 8.64649 14.76 9.55401 14.1793 10.4232C13.5986 11.2924 12.9073 12.0611 12.1055 12.7295C11.3037 13.3978 10.3371 13.931 9.20558 14.329C8.07408 14.7271 6.86392 14.9262 5.57505 14.9262C3.54435 14.9262 1.68601 14.3966 0 13.3375C0.262269 13.3667 0.554506 13.3813 0.876722 13.3813C2.56274 13.3813 4.06514 12.8774 5.38397 11.8694C4.59717 11.8548 3.8928 11.6192 3.27085 11.1627C2.6489 10.7062 2.22178 10.1237 1.98949 9.41523C2.23677 9.45175 2.46531 9.47001 2.67513 9.47001C2.99734 9.47001 3.31581 9.42984 3.63053 9.3495C2.79127 9.1815 2.09627 8.77431 1.5455 8.12789C0.99474 7.48148 0.719362 6.73099 0.719362 5.87641V5.83259C1.22891 6.11015 1.77592 6.25988 2.36041 6.28179C1.86584 5.96041 1.47245 5.54043 1.1802 5.02184C0.887961 4.50325 0.741842 3.94084 0.741842 3.3346C0.741842 2.69184 0.906694 2.09656 1.2364 1.54875C2.1431 2.63707 3.24649 3.50807 4.54659 4.16178C5.84669 4.8155 7.23857 5.17887 8.72226 5.25192C8.66232 4.97436 8.63234 4.70411 8.63234 4.44116C8.63234 3.46241 8.9864 2.62793 9.69452 1.9377C10.4027 1.24746 11.2588 0.902344 12.2629 0.902344C13.3119 0.902344 14.1962 1.27485 14.9155 2.01987C15.7323 1.86648 16.5004 1.58162 17.2197 1.16529C16.9425 2.00526 16.4104 2.65532 15.6236 3.11548C16.3205 3.04244 17.0174 2.85984 17.7143 2.56767Z" fill="currentColor" fill-opacity="0.2" /> </svg> </a> </li> <li class="flex"> <a class="flex items-center hover:text-red" href="https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https://reactormag.com/sinners-heads-to-streaming-including-black-american-sign-language-version/" target="_blank" title="Facebook"> <svg class="w-[9px] h-[18px]" fill="currentColor" viewbox="0 0 12 22" width="100%" height="100%" display="block" transitionduration="normal" transitionproperty="none" transitiontimingfunction="ease-out" class="w-[9px] h-[18px]" aria-label="facebook" role="img" aria-hidden="true"> <path d="M11.558.004L8.677 0C5.44 0 3.349 2.125 3.349 5.416v2.496H.452A.45.45 0 000 8.36v3.618a.45.45 0 00.452.447h2.897v9.127A.45.45 0 003.8 22h3.778c.25 0 .451-.2.451-.448v-9.127h3.387c.25 0 .451-.2.451-.447l.003-3.618a.452.452 0 00-.456-.448h-3.39V5.795c0-1.017.245-1.534 1.582-1.534h1.941c.25 0 .452-.2.452-.447V.457a.45.45 0 00-.452-.448l.01-.005z" fill-rule="nonzero"> </path> </svg> </a> </li> <li class="flex"> <a class="flex items-center hover:text-red" href="https://pinterest.com/pin/create/button/?url=https://reactormag.com/sinners-heads-to-streaming-including-black-american-sign-language-version/&media=&description=<i>Sinners</i> Heads to Streaming, Including Black American Sign Language Version” target=”_blank” title=”Pinterest”> <svg class=" w-[18px]="w-[18px]" h-[18px]"="h-[18px]"" width="18" height="18" viewbox="0 0 18 18" fill="none" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" aria-label="pinterest" role="img" aria-hidden="true"> <path d="M16.4962 4.49458C17.2844 5.84153 17.6786 7.31473 17.6786 8.91423C17.6786 10.5137 17.2844 11.9888 16.4962 13.3396C15.7079 14.6904 14.6384 15.7599 13.2876 16.5482C11.9368 17.3364 10.4617 17.7306 8.86223 17.7306C8.01273 17.7306 7.17856 17.6081 6.35967 17.3632C6.81121 16.6515 7.10967 16.0239 7.25508 15.4806C7.32396 15.2203 7.53059 14.413 7.87498 13.0584C8.02804 13.3568 8.30738 13.6151 8.71299 13.8332C9.1186 14.0513 9.55483 14.1604 10.0217 14.1604C10.9477 14.1604 11.7742 13.8983 12.5013 13.374C13.2283 12.8498 13.7908 12.1285 14.1888 11.2101C14.5867 10.2918 14.7857 9.25862 14.7857 8.11066C14.7857 7.2382 14.558 6.41933 14.1027 5.65402C13.6473 4.88871 12.9872 4.26499 12.1224 3.78285C11.2576 3.3007 10.2819 3.05964 9.19513 3.05964C8.39156 3.05964 7.64157 3.1706 6.94513 3.39254C6.2487 3.61448 5.65751 3.90912 5.17154 4.27647C4.68556 4.64382 4.26848 5.06665 3.92026 5.54497C3.57205 6.02329 3.31567 6.51882 3.15113 7.03157C2.98659 7.54433 2.90432 8.05708 2.90432 8.56984C2.90432 9.36576 3.05738 10.066 3.3635 10.6706C3.66962 11.2752 4.11732 11.6999 4.70661 11.9448C4.93621 12.0367 5.08161 11.9601 5.14284 11.7152C5.15814 11.6617 5.18876 11.5431 5.23467 11.3594C5.28059 11.1757 5.3112 11.0609 5.32651 11.015C5.37243 10.839 5.33034 10.6744 5.20024 10.5214C4.80993 10.0545 4.61478 9.47673 4.61478 8.78795C4.61478 7.63233 5.01464 6.63936 5.81439 5.809C6.61414 4.97864 7.66069 4.56346 8.95406 4.56346C10.1097 4.56346 11.0108 4.87723 11.6575 5.50479C12.3042 6.13234 12.6275 6.94739 12.6275 7.94994C12.6275 9.25097 12.3654 10.3568 11.8412 11.2675C11.3169 12.1783 10.6454 12.6336 9.82651 12.6336C9.35967 12.6336 8.98468 12.4672 8.70151 12.1343C8.41835 11.8013 8.33034 11.4015 8.43748 10.9346C8.49871 10.6668 8.60011 10.309 8.74169 9.86129C8.88327 9.41359 8.99807 9.01946 9.08608 8.67889C9.17409 8.33833 9.21809 8.04943 9.21809 7.81219C9.21809 7.42953 9.11478 7.11193 8.90814 6.85938C8.70151 6.60683 8.40687 6.48055 8.02422 6.48055C7.54972 6.48055 7.14794 6.69866 6.81886 7.13489C6.48977 7.57112 6.32524 8.11448 6.32524 8.76499C6.32524 9.32367 6.4209 9.7905 6.61223 10.1655L5.47575 14.964C5.34564 15.4997 5.2959 16.177 5.32651 16.9959C3.74997 16.2994 2.47575 15.2242 1.50381 13.7701C0.531863 12.316 0.0458984 10.6974 0.0458984 8.91423C0.0458984 7.31473 0.440027 5.83962 1.2283 4.48884C2.01657 3.13807 3.08607 2.06857 4.43684 1.2803C5.78761 0.492029 7.26273 0.0979004 8.86223 0.0979004C10.4617 0.0979004 11.9368 0.492029 13.2876 1.2803C14.6384 2.06857 15.7079 3.13999 16.4962 4.49458Z" fill="currentColor" /> <path d="M16.4962 4.49458C17.2844 5.84153 17.6786 7.31473 17.6786 8.91423C17.6786 10.5137 17.2844 11.9888 16.4962 13.3396C15.7079 14.6904 14.6384 15.7599 13.2876 16.5482C11.9368 17.3364 10.4617 17.7306 8.86223 17.7306C8.01273 17.7306 7.17856 17.6081 6.35967 17.3632C6.81121 16.6515 7.10967 16.0239 7.25508 15.4806C7.32396 15.2203 7.53059 14.413 7.87498 13.0584C8.02804 13.3568 8.30738 13.6151 8.71299 13.8332C9.1186 14.0513 9.55483 14.1604 10.0217 14.1604C10.9477 14.1604 11.7742 13.8983 12.5013 13.374C13.2283 12.8498 13.7908 12.1285 14.1888 11.2101C14.5867 10.2918 14.7857 9.25862 14.7857 8.11066C14.7857 7.2382 14.558 6.41933 14.1027 5.65402C13.6473 4.88871 12.9872 4.26499 12.1224 3.78285C11.2576 3.3007 10.2819 3.05964 9.19513 3.05964C8.39156 3.05964 7.64157 3.1706 6.94513 3.39254C6.2487 3.61448 5.65751 3.90912 5.17154 4.27647C4.68556 4.64382 4.26848 5.06665 3.92026 5.54497C3.57205 6.02329 3.31567 6.51882 3.15113 7.03157C2.98659 7.54433 2.90432 8.05708 2.90432 8.56984C2.90432 9.36576 3.05738 10.066 3.3635 10.6706C3.66962 11.2752 4.11732 11.6999 4.70661 11.9448C4.93621 12.0367 5.08161 11.9601 5.14284 11.7152C5.15814 11.6617 5.18876 11.5431 5.23467 11.3594C5.28059 11.1757 5.3112 11.0609 5.32651 11.015C5.37243 10.839 5.33034 10.6744 5.20024 10.5214C4.80993 10.0545 4.61478 9.47673 4.61478 8.78795C4.61478 7.63233 5.01464 6.63936 5.81439 5.809C6.61414 4.97864 7.66069 4.56346 8.95406 4.56346C10.1097 4.56346 11.0108 4.87723 11.6575 5.50479C12.3042 6.13234 12.6275 6.94739 12.6275 7.94994C12.6275 9.25097 12.3654 10.3568 11.8412 11.2675C11.3169 12.1783 10.6454 12.6336 9.82651 12.6336C9.35967 12.6336 8.98468 12.4672 8.70151 12.1343C8.41835 11.8013 8.33034 11.4015 8.43748 10.9346C8.49871 10.6668 8.60011 10.309 8.74169 9.86129C8.88327 9.41359 8.99807 9.01946 9.08608 8.67889C9.17409 8.33833 9.21809 8.04943 9.21809 7.81219C9.21809 7.42953 9.11478 7.11193 8.90814 6.85938C8.70151 6.60683 8.40687 6.48055 8.02422 6.48055C7.54972 6.48055 7.14794 6.69866 6.81886 7.13489C6.48977 7.57112 6.32524 8.11448 6.32524 8.76499C6.32524 9.32367 6.4209 9.7905 6.61223 10.1655L5.47575 14.964C5.34564 15.4997 5.2959 16.177 5.32651 16.9959C3.74997 16.2994 2.47575 15.2242 1.50381 13.7701C0.531863 12.316 0.0458984 10.6974 0.0458984 8.91423C0.0458984 7.31473 0.440027 5.83962 1.2283 4.48884C2.01657 3.13807 3.08607 2.06857 4.43684 1.2803C5.78761 0.492029 7.26273 0.0979004 8.86223 0.0979004C10.4617 0.0979004 11.9368 0.492029 13.2876 1.2803C14.6384 2.06857 15.7079 3.13999 16.4962 4.49458Z" fill="currentColor" fill-opacity="0.2" /> </svg> </a> </li> <li class="flex"> <a class="flex items-center hover:text-red" href="https://reactormag.com/feed/" target="_blank" title="RSS Feed"> <svg class="w-[17px] h-[17px]" width="18" height="18" viewbox="0 0 18 18" fill="none" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" aria-label="rss feed" role="img" aria-hidden="true"> <g clip-path="url(#clip0_1051_121783)"> <path d="M2.67871 17.4143C2.12871 17.4143 1.65771 17.2183 1.26571 16.8263C0.873713 16.4343 0.678046 15.9636 0.678713 15.4143C0.678713 14.8643 0.874713 14.3933 1.26671 14.0013C1.65871 13.6093 2.12938 13.4136 2.67871 13.4143C3.22871 13.4143 3.69971 13.6103 4.09171 14.0023C4.48371 14.3943 4.67938 14.865 4.67871 15.4143C4.67871 15.9643 4.48271 16.4353 4.09071 16.8273C3.69871 17.2193 3.22805 17.415 2.67871 17.4143ZM14.6787 17.4143C14.6787 15.481 14.312 13.6683 13.5787 11.9763C12.8454 10.2843 11.841 8.80097 10.5657 7.52631C9.29171 6.25164 7.80871 5.24764 6.11671 4.51431C4.42471 3.78097 2.61205 3.41431 0.678713 3.41431V0.414307C3.02871 0.414307 5.23705 0.860306 7.30371 1.75231C9.37038 2.64431 11.1704 3.85664 12.7037 5.38931C14.237 6.92264 15.4497 8.72264 16.3417 10.7893C17.2337 12.856 17.6794 15.0643 17.6787 17.4143H14.6787ZM8.67871 17.4143C8.67871 15.1976 7.89971 13.31 6.34171 11.7513C4.78371 10.1926 2.89605 9.41364 0.678713 9.41431V6.41431C2.21205 6.41431 3.64538 6.70197 4.97871 7.27731C6.31205 7.85264 7.47471 8.63597 8.46671 9.62731C9.45805 10.6186 10.2414 11.781 10.8167 13.1143C11.392 14.4476 11.6794 15.881 11.6787 17.4143H8.67871Z" fill="currentColor" /> <path d="M2.67871 17.4143C2.12871 17.4143 1.65771 17.2183 1.26571 16.8263C0.873713 16.4343 0.678046 15.9636 0.678713 15.4143C0.678713 14.8643 0.874713 14.3933 1.26671 14.0013C1.65871 13.6093 2.12938 13.4136 2.67871 13.4143C3.22871 13.4143 3.69971 13.6103 4.09171 14.0023C4.48371 14.3943 4.67938 14.865 4.67871 15.4143C4.67871 15.9643 4.48271 16.4353 4.09071 16.8273C3.69871 17.2193 3.22805 17.415 2.67871 17.4143ZM14.6787 17.4143C14.6787 15.481 14.312 13.6683 13.5787 11.9763C12.8454 10.2843 11.841 8.80097 10.5657 7.52631C9.29171 6.25164 7.80871 5.24764 6.11671 4.51431C4.42471 3.78097 2.61205 3.41431 0.678713 3.41431V0.414307C3.02871 0.414307 5.23705 0.860306 7.30371 1.75231C9.37038 2.64431 11.1704 3.85664 12.7037 5.38931C14.237 6.92264 15.4497 8.72264 16.3417 10.7893C17.2337 12.856 17.6794 15.0643 17.6787 17.4143H14.6787ZM8.67871 17.4143C8.67871 15.1976 7.89971 13.31 6.34171 11.7513C4.78371 10.1926 2.89605 9.41364 0.678713 9.41431V6.41431C2.21205 6.41431 3.64538 6.70197 4.97871 7.27731C6.31205 7.85264 7.47471 8.63597 8.46671 9.62731C9.45805 10.6186 10.2414 11.781 10.8167 13.1143C11.392 14.4476 11.6794 15.881 11.6787 17.4143H8.67871Z" fill="currentColor" fill-opacity="0.2" /> </g> <defs> <clippath id="clip0_1051_121783"> <rect width="17" height="17" fill="white" transform="translate(0.678711 0.414307)" /> </clippath> </defs> </svg> </a> </li> </ul> </div> </details> </div> </div> </div> <div class="post-hero-media "> <figure class="w-full h-auto post-hero-image"> <img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="740" height="455" src="https://reactormag.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/sinners-michael-b-jordan-740x455.jpg" class="w-full object-cover" alt="Michael B Jordan in Sinners" srcset="https://reactormag.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/sinners-michael-b-jordan-740x455.jpg 740w, https://reactormag.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/sinners-michael-b-jordan-1100x677.jpg 1100w, https://reactormag.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/sinners-michael-b-jordan-768x473.jpg 768w, https://reactormag.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/sinners-michael-b-jordan.jpg 1300w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 740px) 100vw, 740px" /> </figure> </div> </div> </div> </post-hero> <div class="wp-block-more-from-category"> <div> </div> </div> <p><a href="https://reactormag.com/movie-review-sinners-ryan-coogler/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Ryan Coogler’s <em>Sinners</em> is one of the best movies to come out this year</a>, and if you missed seeing it on a big screen (which is a bummer, especially given how much thought Coogler clearly put into making it <a href="https://reactormag.com/sinners-director-ryan-coogler-explains-film-stock-and-aspect-ratios/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">look good on different theaters across the country</a>), you can now catch it on HBO Max starting this Friday, July 4, 2025.</p> <p>HBO Max will have more than one version available for streaming too. In addition to what was shown in cinemas, the streamer will have a version with Black American Sign Language (BASL) interpretation done by Nakia Smith. HBO Max will be the first platform to release a feature-length film in BASL.</p> <p>BASL is a dialect of American Sign Language (ASL) that has its own history and unique grammar, signing space, rhythm, facial expressions, and cultural nuances. “Accessibility within streaming is not a one-size-fits-all approach,” Naomi Waibel, SVP of Global Product Management at Warner Bros. Discovery, said in a statement. “Our goal at Max is to make these great stories accessible to all audiences in a way that is authentic to the content and the communities we serve. <em>Sinners</em> with Black American Sign Language is an example of how culturally nuanced access can enrich the viewing experience for our audiences.”</p> <p>Check out the trailer with Black Sign Language interpretation below, and get ready to (re)watch <em>Sinners</em> this holiday weekend.[end-mark]</p> <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> <site-embed id="15944"/> </div></figure> <p>The post <a href="https://reactormag.com/sinners-heads-to-streaming-including-black-american-sign-language-version/"><i>Sinners</i> Heads to Streaming, Including Black American Sign Language Version</a> appeared first on <a href="https://reactormag.com">Reactor</a>.</p><p class="ljsyndicationlink"><a href="https://reactormag.com/sinners-heads-to-streaming-including-black-american-sign-language-version/">https://reactormag.com/sinners-heads-to-streaming-including-black-american-sign-language-version/</a></p><p class="ljsyndicationlink"><a href="https://reactormag.com/?p=817293">https://reactormag.com/?p=817293</a></p>

Rebuilding journal search again

alierak

dw_maintenance

Monday, June 30th, 2025 03:18 pm

We're having to rebuild the search server again (previously, previously). It will take a few days to reindex all the content.

Meanwhile search services should be running, but probably returning no results or incomplete results for most queries.

Squid Game Season 3 Is Unhinged

tordotcom_feed

Monday, June 30th, 2025 07:00 pm

Posted by Emmet Asher-Perrin

https://reactormag.com/squid-game-season-3-is-unhinged/

https://reactormag.com/?p=817256

Movies & TV Squid Game

Squid Game Season 3 Is Unhinged

Did the show really need two seasons more?

By Christina Orlando

Published on June 30, 2025

[Error: Irreparable invalid markup ('<a [...] w-[18px]>') in entry. Owner must fix manually. Raw contents below.]

<p class="syndicationauthor">Posted by Emmet Asher-Perrin</p><p class="ljsyndicationlink"><a href="https://reactormag.com/squid-game-season-3-is-unhinged/">https://reactormag.com/squid-game-season-3-is-unhinged/</a></p><p class="ljsyndicationlink"><a href="https://reactormag.com/?p=817256">https://reactormag.com/?p=817256</a></p><post-hero class="wp-block-post-hero js-post-hero post-hero post-hero-horizontal"> <div class="container container-desktop"> <div class="flex flex-col mx-auto post-hero-container"> <div class="post-hero-content"> <div class="post-hero-tags font-aktiv text-xs tracking-[0.5px] font-medium uppercase"> <span class="mr-3"> <i class="inline-block w-2 h-2 rounded-full mr-[5px] bg-blue"></i> <a href="https://reactormag.com/articles/movies-tv/" class="inline-block link-no-animation" aria-label="Link to term or tag Movies & TV 0"> Movies & TV </a> </span> <span class="mr-3"> <i class="inline-block w-2 h-2 rounded-full mr-[5px] bg-blue"></i> <a href="https://reactormag.com/tag/squid-game/" class="inline-block link-no-animation" aria-label="Link to term or tag Squid Game 1"> Squid Game </a> </span> </div> <h2 class="post-hero-title text-h1"><i>Squid Game</i> Season 3 Is Unhinged</h2> <div class="prose post-hero-description prose--post-hero">Did the show really need two seasons more?</div> <div class="post-hero-wrapper"> <div class="post-hero-inner"> <p class="post-hero-author text-xs font-aktiv uppercase font-medium [&_a]:link-hover">By <a href="https://reactormag.com/author/christinaorlando/" title="Posts by Christina Orlando" class="author url fn" rel="author">Christina Orlando</a></p> <span class="post-hero-symbol relative top-[-2px] hidden tablet:block">|</span> <p class="text-xs uppercase post-hero-publish font-aktiv"> Published on June 30, 2025 </p> </div> </div> <div class="quick-access post-hero-quick-access mt-[17px] tablet:hidden"> <div class="flex gap-[30px] tablet:gap-6"> <a href="https://reactormag.com/squid-game-season-3-is-unhinged/#comments" class="flex items-center text-sm font-aktiv tracking-[0.6px] font-semibold uppercase translate-x-[1px] translate-y-[1px]"> <svg class="w-[22px] h-[22px] mr-[7px] icon-hover" viewbox="0 0 18 18" aria-label="comment" role="img" aria-hidden="true" aria-labelledby="icon-comment-quick-access-"> <title id="icon-comment-quick-access-">Comment</title> <g fill="none" fill-rule="evenodd"> <path fill="#FFF" fill-rule="nonzero" d="M6.3 18a.9.9 0 0 1-.9-.9v-2.7H1.8A1.8 1.8 0 0 1 0 12.6V1.8A1.8 1.8 0 0 1 1.8 0h14.4A1.8 1.8 0 0 1 18 1.8v10.8a1.8 1.8 0 0 1-1.8 1.8h-5.49l-3.33 3.339a.917.917 0 0 1-.63.261H6.3Z" /> <path stroke="#000" d="M5.9 14.4v-.5H1.8a1.3 1.3 0 0 1-1.3-1.3V1.8A1.3 1.3 0 0 1 1.8.5h14.4a1.3 1.3 0 0 1 1.3 1.3v10.8a1.3 1.3 0 0 1-1.3 1.3h-5.698l-.146.147-3.324 3.333a.417.417 0 0 1-.282.12H6.3a.4.4 0 0 1-.4-.4v-2.7Z" /> </g> </svg> 1 </a> <details class="relative quick-access-details"> <summary class="quick-access-share flex items-center text-sm font-aktiv tracking-[0.6px] font-semibold uppercase"> <svg class="w-[22px] h-[22px] mr-[7px] icon-hover" viewbox="0 0 22 22" aria-label="share" role="img" aria-hidden="true" aria-labelledby="icon-share-new-quick-access-"> <title id="icon-share-new-quick-access-">Share New</title> <g fill="none" fill-rule="evenodd"> <circle cx="11" cy="11" r="11" fill="#FFF" fill-rule="nonzero" /> <circle cx="11" cy="11" r="10.5" stroke="#000" /> <path fill="#FFF" d="M5.993 13.464c.675 0 1.323-.266 1.806-.743l4.11 2.396a2.639 2.639 0 0 0 .368 2.451 2.583 2.583 0 0 0 2.227 1.043 2.59 2.59 0 0 0 2.09-1.3 2.64 2.64 0 0 0 .08-2.477 2.58 2.58 0 0 0-4.292-.54L8.344 11.94c.28-.616.31-1.319.086-1.958l3.952-2.303a2.564 2.564 0 0 0 4.263-.537 2.623 2.623 0 0 0-.078-2.46 2.573 2.573 0 0 0-2.075-1.293 2.566 2.566 0 0 0-2.213 1.033 2.622 2.622 0 0 0-.37 2.433L7.96 9.158a2.573 2.573 0 0 0-4.316.603 2.632 2.632 0 0 0 .172 2.501 2.58 2.58 0 0 0 2.178 1.202Z" /> <path fill="#000" d="M6.936 9.577c.322 0 .631.137.859.383.228.245.355.577.355.924 0 .347-.127.68-.355.925a1.172 1.172 0 0 1-.859.383c-.322 0-.63-.138-.858-.383a1.36 1.36 0 0 1-.356-.925c0-.347.129-.679.356-.924.228-.245.536-.383.858-.383Zm6.17-3.837c.323 0 .631.138.86.383.227.245.355.578.355.924 0 .347-.128.68-.356.925a1.172 1.172 0 0 1-.858.383c-.322 0-.631-.138-.859-.383a1.36 1.36 0 0 1-.355-.925c0-.346.128-.678.356-.924.227-.245.536-.383.858-.383Zm0 7.883c.323 0 .631.138.86.383.227.245.355.578.355.925 0 .346-.128.679-.356.924a1.171 1.171 0 0 1-.858.383c-.322 0-.631-.138-.859-.383a1.36 1.36 0 0 1-.355-.925c0-.346.128-.678.356-.923.227-.245.536-.383.858-.384Zm-6.17-.681c.499 0 .978-.21 1.334-.586l3.036 1.888a2.194 2.194 0 0 0 .272 1.93c.385.555 1.003.863 1.645.822.641-.04 1.221-.425 1.544-1.024a2.203 2.203 0 0 0 .059-1.952c-.286-.62-.841-1.044-1.48-1.13-.637-.085-1.272.18-1.69.705l-2.984-1.854c.207-.486.23-1.04.064-1.543l2.92-1.815c.415.522 1.046.784 1.68.7.633-.086 1.184-.507 1.468-1.123a2.188 2.188 0 0 0-.058-1.938c-.32-.595-.895-.977-1.532-1.018-.638-.041-1.251.264-1.635.813a2.179 2.179 0 0 0-.273 1.917L8.389 9.55c-.423-.534-1.07-.798-1.715-.702-.645.096-1.2.54-1.472 1.177a2.194 2.194 0 0 0 .126 1.97c.352.59.958.948 1.61.947Z" /> </g> </svg> Share </summary> <div class="quick-access-bubble"> <ul class="flex gap-6 text-black list-none"> <li class="flex"> <a class="flex items-center hover:text-red" href="https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=<i>Squid Game</i> Season 3 Is Unhinged&url=https://reactormag.com/squid-game-season-3-is-unhinged/” target=”_blank” title=”Twitter”> <svg class=" w-[18px]="w-[18px]" h-[15px]"="h-[15px]"" width="18" height="15" viewbox="0 0 18 15" fill="none" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" aria-label="twitter" role="img" aria-hidden="true"> <path d="M17.7143 2.56767C17.2122 3.28347 16.6053 3.89336 15.8934 4.39734C15.9009 4.4996 15.9046 4.65298 15.9046 4.8575C15.9046 5.80703 15.7623 6.75472 15.4775 7.7006C15.1928 8.64649 14.76 9.55401 14.1793 10.4232C13.5986 11.2924 12.9073 12.0611 12.1055 12.7295C11.3037 13.3978 10.3371 13.931 9.20558 14.329C8.07408 14.7271 6.86392 14.9262 5.57505 14.9262C3.54435 14.9262 1.68601 14.3966 0 13.3375C0.262269 13.3667 0.554506 13.3813 0.876722 13.3813C2.56274 13.3813 4.06514 12.8774 5.38397 11.8694C4.59717 11.8548 3.8928 11.6192 3.27085 11.1627C2.6489 10.7062 2.22178 10.1237 1.98949 9.41523C2.23677 9.45175 2.46531 9.47001 2.67513 9.47001C2.99734 9.47001 3.31581 9.42984 3.63053 9.3495C2.79127 9.1815 2.09627 8.77431 1.5455 8.12789C0.99474 7.48148 0.719362 6.73099 0.719362 5.87641V5.83259C1.22891 6.11015 1.77592 6.25988 2.36041 6.28179C1.86584 5.96041 1.47245 5.54043 1.1802 5.02184C0.887961 4.50325 0.741842 3.94084 0.741842 3.3346C0.741842 2.69184 0.906694 2.09656 1.2364 1.54875C2.1431 2.63707 3.24649 3.50807 4.54659 4.16178C5.84669 4.8155 7.23857 5.17887 8.72226 5.25192C8.66232 4.97436 8.63234 4.70411 8.63234 4.44116C8.63234 3.46241 8.9864 2.62793 9.69452 1.9377C10.4027 1.24746 11.2588 0.902344 12.2629 0.902344C13.3119 0.902344 14.1962 1.27485 14.9155 2.01987C15.7323 1.86648 16.5004 1.58162 17.2197 1.16529C16.9425 2.00526 16.4104 2.65532 15.6236 3.11548C16.3205 3.04244 17.0174 2.85984 17.7143 2.56767Z" fill="currentColor" /> <path d="M17.7143 2.56767C17.2122 3.28347 16.6053 3.89336 15.8934 4.39734C15.9009 4.4996 15.9046 4.65298 15.9046 4.8575C15.9046 5.80703 15.7623 6.75472 15.4775 7.7006C15.1928 8.64649 14.76 9.55401 14.1793 10.4232C13.5986 11.2924 12.9073 12.0611 12.1055 12.7295C11.3037 13.3978 10.3371 13.931 9.20558 14.329C8.07408 14.7271 6.86392 14.9262 5.57505 14.9262C3.54435 14.9262 1.68601 14.3966 0 13.3375C0.262269 13.3667 0.554506 13.3813 0.876722 13.3813C2.56274 13.3813 4.06514 12.8774 5.38397 11.8694C4.59717 11.8548 3.8928 11.6192 3.27085 11.1627C2.6489 10.7062 2.22178 10.1237 1.98949 9.41523C2.23677 9.45175 2.46531 9.47001 2.67513 9.47001C2.99734 9.47001 3.31581 9.42984 3.63053 9.3495C2.79127 9.1815 2.09627 8.77431 1.5455 8.12789C0.99474 7.48148 0.719362 6.73099 0.719362 5.87641V5.83259C1.22891 6.11015 1.77592 6.25988 2.36041 6.28179C1.86584 5.96041 1.47245 5.54043 1.1802 5.02184C0.887961 4.50325 0.741842 3.94084 0.741842 3.3346C0.741842 2.69184 0.906694 2.09656 1.2364 1.54875C2.1431 2.63707 3.24649 3.50807 4.54659 4.16178C5.84669 4.8155 7.23857 5.17887 8.72226 5.25192C8.66232 4.97436 8.63234 4.70411 8.63234 4.44116C8.63234 3.46241 8.9864 2.62793 9.69452 1.9377C10.4027 1.24746 11.2588 0.902344 12.2629 0.902344C13.3119 0.902344 14.1962 1.27485 14.9155 2.01987C15.7323 1.86648 16.5004 1.58162 17.2197 1.16529C16.9425 2.00526 16.4104 2.65532 15.6236 3.11548C16.3205 3.04244 17.0174 2.85984 17.7143 2.56767Z" fill="currentColor" fill-opacity="0.2" /> </svg> </a> </li> <li class="flex"> <a class="flex items-center hover:text-red" href="https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https://reactormag.com/squid-game-season-3-is-unhinged/" target="_blank" title="Facebook"> <svg class="w-[9px] h-[18px]" fill="currentColor" viewbox="0 0 12 22" width="100%" height="100%" display="block" transitionduration="normal" transitionproperty="none" transitiontimingfunction="ease-out" class="w-[9px] h-[18px]" aria-label="facebook" role="img" aria-hidden="true"> <path d="M11.558.004L8.677 0C5.44 0 3.349 2.125 3.349 5.416v2.496H.452A.45.45 0 000 8.36v3.618a.45.45 0 00.452.447h2.897v9.127A.45.45 0 003.8 22h3.778c.25 0 .451-.2.451-.448v-9.127h3.387c.25 0 .451-.2.451-.447l.003-3.618a.452.452 0 00-.456-.448h-3.39V5.795c0-1.017.245-1.534 1.582-1.534h1.941c.25 0 .452-.2.452-.447V.457a.45.45 0 00-.452-.448l.01-.005z" fill-rule="nonzero"> </path> </svg> </a> </li> <li class="flex"> <a class="flex items-center hover:text-red" href="https://pinterest.com/pin/create/button/?url=https://reactormag.com/squid-game-season-3-is-unhinged/&media=&description=<i>Squid Game</i> Season 3 Is Unhinged” target=”_blank” title=”Pinterest”> <svg class=" w-[18px]="w-[18px]" h-[18px]"="h-[18px]"" width="18" height="18" viewbox="0 0 18 18" fill="none" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" aria-label="pinterest" role="img" aria-hidden="true"> <path d="M16.4962 4.49458C17.2844 5.84153 17.6786 7.31473 17.6786 8.91423C17.6786 10.5137 17.2844 11.9888 16.4962 13.3396C15.7079 14.6904 14.6384 15.7599 13.2876 16.5482C11.9368 17.3364 10.4617 17.7306 8.86223 17.7306C8.01273 17.7306 7.17856 17.6081 6.35967 17.3632C6.81121 16.6515 7.10967 16.0239 7.25508 15.4806C7.32396 15.2203 7.53059 14.413 7.87498 13.0584C8.02804 13.3568 8.30738 13.6151 8.71299 13.8332C9.1186 14.0513 9.55483 14.1604 10.0217 14.1604C10.9477 14.1604 11.7742 13.8983 12.5013 13.374C13.2283 12.8498 13.7908 12.1285 14.1888 11.2101C14.5867 10.2918 14.7857 9.25862 14.7857 8.11066C14.7857 7.2382 14.558 6.41933 14.1027 5.65402C13.6473 4.88871 12.9872 4.26499 12.1224 3.78285C11.2576 3.3007 10.2819 3.05964 9.19513 3.05964C8.39156 3.05964 7.64157 3.1706 6.94513 3.39254C6.2487 3.61448 5.65751 3.90912 5.17154 4.27647C4.68556 4.64382 4.26848 5.06665 3.92026 5.54497C3.57205 6.02329 3.31567 6.51882 3.15113 7.03157C2.98659 7.54433 2.90432 8.05708 2.90432 8.56984C2.90432 9.36576 3.05738 10.066 3.3635 10.6706C3.66962 11.2752 4.11732 11.6999 4.70661 11.9448C4.93621 12.0367 5.08161 11.9601 5.14284 11.7152C5.15814 11.6617 5.18876 11.5431 5.23467 11.3594C5.28059 11.1757 5.3112 11.0609 5.32651 11.015C5.37243 10.839 5.33034 10.6744 5.20024 10.5214C4.80993 10.0545 4.61478 9.47673 4.61478 8.78795C4.61478 7.63233 5.01464 6.63936 5.81439 5.809C6.61414 4.97864 7.66069 4.56346 8.95406 4.56346C10.1097 4.56346 11.0108 4.87723 11.6575 5.50479C12.3042 6.13234 12.6275 6.94739 12.6275 7.94994C12.6275 9.25097 12.3654 10.3568 11.8412 11.2675C11.3169 12.1783 10.6454 12.6336 9.82651 12.6336C9.35967 12.6336 8.98468 12.4672 8.70151 12.1343C8.41835 11.8013 8.33034 11.4015 8.43748 10.9346C8.49871 10.6668 8.60011 10.309 8.74169 9.86129C8.88327 9.41359 8.99807 9.01946 9.08608 8.67889C9.17409 8.33833 9.21809 8.04943 9.21809 7.81219C9.21809 7.42953 9.11478 7.11193 8.90814 6.85938C8.70151 6.60683 8.40687 6.48055 8.02422 6.48055C7.54972 6.48055 7.14794 6.69866 6.81886 7.13489C6.48977 7.57112 6.32524 8.11448 6.32524 8.76499C6.32524 9.32367 6.4209 9.7905 6.61223 10.1655L5.47575 14.964C5.34564 15.4997 5.2959 16.177 5.32651 16.9959C3.74997 16.2994 2.47575 15.2242 1.50381 13.7701C0.531863 12.316 0.0458984 10.6974 0.0458984 8.91423C0.0458984 7.31473 0.440027 5.83962 1.2283 4.48884C2.01657 3.13807 3.08607 2.06857 4.43684 1.2803C5.78761 0.492029 7.26273 0.0979004 8.86223 0.0979004C10.4617 0.0979004 11.9368 0.492029 13.2876 1.2803C14.6384 2.06857 15.7079 3.13999 16.4962 4.49458Z" fill="currentColor" /> <path d="M16.4962 4.49458C17.2844 5.84153 17.6786 7.31473 17.6786 8.91423C17.6786 10.5137 17.2844 11.9888 16.4962 13.3396C15.7079 14.6904 14.6384 15.7599 13.2876 16.5482C11.9368 17.3364 10.4617 17.7306 8.86223 17.7306C8.01273 17.7306 7.17856 17.6081 6.35967 17.3632C6.81121 16.6515 7.10967 16.0239 7.25508 15.4806C7.32396 15.2203 7.53059 14.413 7.87498 13.0584C8.02804 13.3568 8.30738 13.6151 8.71299 13.8332C9.1186 14.0513 9.55483 14.1604 10.0217 14.1604C10.9477 14.1604 11.7742 13.8983 12.5013 13.374C13.2283 12.8498 13.7908 12.1285 14.1888 11.2101C14.5867 10.2918 14.7857 9.25862 14.7857 8.11066C14.7857 7.2382 14.558 6.41933 14.1027 5.65402C13.6473 4.88871 12.9872 4.26499 12.1224 3.78285C11.2576 3.3007 10.2819 3.05964 9.19513 3.05964C8.39156 3.05964 7.64157 3.1706 6.94513 3.39254C6.2487 3.61448 5.65751 3.90912 5.17154 4.27647C4.68556 4.64382 4.26848 5.06665 3.92026 5.54497C3.57205 6.02329 3.31567 6.51882 3.15113 7.03157C2.98659 7.54433 2.90432 8.05708 2.90432 8.56984C2.90432 9.36576 3.05738 10.066 3.3635 10.6706C3.66962 11.2752 4.11732 11.6999 4.70661 11.9448C4.93621 12.0367 5.08161 11.9601 5.14284 11.7152C5.15814 11.6617 5.18876 11.5431 5.23467 11.3594C5.28059 11.1757 5.3112 11.0609 5.32651 11.015C5.37243 10.839 5.33034 10.6744 5.20024 10.5214C4.80993 10.0545 4.61478 9.47673 4.61478 8.78795C4.61478 7.63233 5.01464 6.63936 5.81439 5.809C6.61414 4.97864 7.66069 4.56346 8.95406 4.56346C10.1097 4.56346 11.0108 4.87723 11.6575 5.50479C12.3042 6.13234 12.6275 6.94739 12.6275 7.94994C12.6275 9.25097 12.3654 10.3568 11.8412 11.2675C11.3169 12.1783 10.6454 12.6336 9.82651 12.6336C9.35967 12.6336 8.98468 12.4672 8.70151 12.1343C8.41835 11.8013 8.33034 11.4015 8.43748 10.9346C8.49871 10.6668 8.60011 10.309 8.74169 9.86129C8.88327 9.41359 8.99807 9.01946 9.08608 8.67889C9.17409 8.33833 9.21809 8.04943 9.21809 7.81219C9.21809 7.42953 9.11478 7.11193 8.90814 6.85938C8.70151 6.60683 8.40687 6.48055 8.02422 6.48055C7.54972 6.48055 7.14794 6.69866 6.81886 7.13489C6.48977 7.57112 6.32524 8.11448 6.32524 8.76499C6.32524 9.32367 6.4209 9.7905 6.61223 10.1655L5.47575 14.964C5.34564 15.4997 5.2959 16.177 5.32651 16.9959C3.74997 16.2994 2.47575 15.2242 1.50381 13.7701C0.531863 12.316 0.0458984 10.6974 0.0458984 8.91423C0.0458984 7.31473 0.440027 5.83962 1.2283 4.48884C2.01657 3.13807 3.08607 2.06857 4.43684 1.2803C5.78761 0.492029 7.26273 0.0979004 8.86223 0.0979004C10.4617 0.0979004 11.9368 0.492029 13.2876 1.2803C14.6384 2.06857 15.7079 3.13999 16.4962 4.49458Z" fill="currentColor" fill-opacity="0.2" /> </svg> </a> </li> <li class="flex"> <a class="flex items-center hover:text-red" href="https://reactormag.com/feed/" target="_blank" title="RSS Feed"> <svg class="w-[17px] h-[17px]" width="18" height="18" viewbox="0 0 18 18" fill="none" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" aria-label="rss feed" role="img" aria-hidden="true"> <g clip-path="url(#clip0_1051_121783)"> <path d="M2.67871 17.4143C2.12871 17.4143 1.65771 17.2183 1.26571 16.8263C0.873713 16.4343 0.678046 15.9636 0.678713 15.4143C0.678713 14.8643 0.874713 14.3933 1.26671 14.0013C1.65871 13.6093 2.12938 13.4136 2.67871 13.4143C3.22871 13.4143 3.69971 13.6103 4.09171 14.0023C4.48371 14.3943 4.67938 14.865 4.67871 15.4143C4.67871 15.9643 4.48271 16.4353 4.09071 16.8273C3.69871 17.2193 3.22805 17.415 2.67871 17.4143ZM14.6787 17.4143C14.6787 15.481 14.312 13.6683 13.5787 11.9763C12.8454 10.2843 11.841 8.80097 10.5657 7.52631C9.29171 6.25164 7.80871 5.24764 6.11671 4.51431C4.42471 3.78097 2.61205 3.41431 0.678713 3.41431V0.414307C3.02871 0.414307 5.23705 0.860306 7.30371 1.75231C9.37038 2.64431 11.1704 3.85664 12.7037 5.38931C14.237 6.92264 15.4497 8.72264 16.3417 10.7893C17.2337 12.856 17.6794 15.0643 17.6787 17.4143H14.6787ZM8.67871 17.4143C8.67871 15.1976 7.89971 13.31 6.34171 11.7513C4.78371 10.1926 2.89605 9.41364 0.678713 9.41431V6.41431C2.21205 6.41431 3.64538 6.70197 4.97871 7.27731C6.31205 7.85264 7.47471 8.63597 8.46671 9.62731C9.45805 10.6186 10.2414 11.781 10.8167 13.1143C11.392 14.4476 11.6794 15.881 11.6787 17.4143H8.67871Z" fill="currentColor" /> <path d="M2.67871 17.4143C2.12871 17.4143 1.65771 17.2183 1.26571 16.8263C0.873713 16.4343 0.678046 15.9636 0.678713 15.4143C0.678713 14.8643 0.874713 14.3933 1.26671 14.0013C1.65871 13.6093 2.12938 13.4136 2.67871 13.4143C3.22871 13.4143 3.69971 13.6103 4.09171 14.0023C4.48371 14.3943 4.67938 14.865 4.67871 15.4143C4.67871 15.9643 4.48271 16.4353 4.09071 16.8273C3.69871 17.2193 3.22805 17.415 2.67871 17.4143ZM14.6787 17.4143C14.6787 15.481 14.312 13.6683 13.5787 11.9763C12.8454 10.2843 11.841 8.80097 10.5657 7.52631C9.29171 6.25164 7.80871 5.24764 6.11671 4.51431C4.42471 3.78097 2.61205 3.41431 0.678713 3.41431V0.414307C3.02871 0.414307 5.23705 0.860306 7.30371 1.75231C9.37038 2.64431 11.1704 3.85664 12.7037 5.38931C14.237 6.92264 15.4497 8.72264 16.3417 10.7893C17.2337 12.856 17.6794 15.0643 17.6787 17.4143H14.6787ZM8.67871 17.4143C8.67871 15.1976 7.89971 13.31 6.34171 11.7513C4.78371 10.1926 2.89605 9.41364 0.678713 9.41431V6.41431C2.21205 6.41431 3.64538 6.70197 4.97871 7.27731C6.31205 7.85264 7.47471 8.63597 8.46671 9.62731C9.45805 10.6186 10.2414 11.781 10.8167 13.1143C11.392 14.4476 11.6794 15.881 11.6787 17.4143H8.67871Z" fill="currentColor" fill-opacity="0.2" /> </g> <defs> <clippath id="clip0_1051_121783"> <rect width="17" height="17" fill="white" transform="translate(0.678711 0.414307)" /> </clippath> </defs> </svg> </a> </li> </ul> </div> </details> </div> </div> </div> <div class="post-hero-media "> <figure class="w-full h-auto post-hero-image"> <img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="740" height="493" src="https://reactormag.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/squid-game-s3-2-740x493.jpeg" class="w-full object-cover" alt="Squid Game S3 Lee Jung-jae as Seong Gi-hun carrying a baby in Squid Game S3 Cr. No Ju-han/Netflix" srcset="https://reactormag.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/squid-game-s3-2-740x493.jpeg 740w, https://reactormag.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/squid-game-s3-2-1100x733.jpeg 1100w, https://reactormag.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/squid-game-s3-2-768x512.jpeg 768w, https://reactormag.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/squid-game-s3-2-1536x1024.jpeg 1536w, https://reactormag.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/squid-game-s3-2-2048x1366.jpeg 2048w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 740px) 100vw, 740px" /> </figure> </div> </div> </div> </post-hero> <div class="wp-block-more-from-category"> <div> </div> </div> <p>The first season of <em>Squid Game</em> was a global phenomenon—after going unfunded in Korea, the thriller from creator Hwang Dong-hyuk skyrocketed to success once it was released on Netflix. It felt incredibly timely in the fall of 2021 in America to talk about death games; billionaires profiting off of and being entertained by the suffering of average people. <em>Squid Game</em>, along with its spiritual siblings <em>Battle Royale </em>and <em>The Hunger Games</em>, no longer felt (feel, still) like such far off dystopian concepts. Life is becoming less and less affordable, the climate’s stability is declining, debt is increasing, people are dying from preventable causes, and the rich and powerful care not as long as they continue to be rich and powerful. </p> <p>I loved the first season of <em>Squid Game</em>. Despite being a horror baby, I <em>love </em>death games. I love the intensity of human drama within them, the trauma bonds, the slow steeling of inner strength as our protagonists set their sights on the gamemakers. I love characters that discover a well of capability they didn’t know they had and band together despite their differences. And I love the mechanics of the games themselves—all the insane ways characters could possibly die, and all the ways they discover how not to. <em>Squid Game</em>’s first season was the perfect encapsulation of these concepts. Tell me you didn’t hold your breath as you watched Kang Sae-byeok pull shards of glass from her stomach, knowing she’s going to bleed out, but mustering everything she has left anyway in the hopes of saving her little brother. </p> <p>Unfortunately, in true capitalist fashion, <em>Squid Game’</em>s success also sparked a slew of unnecessary follow-ups, including the Squid Game reality show (for why), a million branded products (imagine my horror at seeing Young Hee makeup palettes at the Korean beauty store), legions of cosplayers in pink jumpsuits (akin to cosplaying stormtroopers tbh), and, the most egregious in my opinion, the Squid Game Experience here in New York, just in case you’re an adult who needs an excuse to play Red Light Green Light with your friends and wants to microdose being shot at or whatever. </p> <p>The other unnecessary spin-off was, unfortunately, season two. See, I’m of the mind that <em>Squid Game</em> didn’t need a follow-up. Season one’s ambiguous ending enhances its thrill—the unanswered questions plague our minds and stoke our fears, leaving a lasting grip on our hearts. Gi-hun is safe, maybe, but the island is still out there. The games are still running, and we have no idea who is making it all happen. The machinations of capitalist greed are massive and never-ending, the extent to which we may never know. Our imaginations, therefore, take up the mantle of storyteller. </p> <p>Or, ya know, Netflix can give Gi-hun a gun I guess. </p> <p>But let’s go over it from the very beginning, because there is… a lot. </p> <div style="height:10px" aria-hidden="true" class="wp-block-spacer"></div> <p><strong>SEASON ONE</strong></p> <figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1100" height="733" src="https://reactormag.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Squid-Game-stairs-1100x733.jpg" alt="An image from the TV series Squid Game: masked figures walk single-file on a series of brightly-colored staircases" class="wp-image-787085" srcset="https://reactormag.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Squid-Game-stairs-1100x733.jpg 1100w, https://reactormag.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Squid-Game-stairs-740x493.jpg 740w, https://reactormag.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Squid-Game-stairs-768x512.jpg 768w, https://reactormag.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Squid-Game-stairs.jpg 1500w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1100px) 100vw, 1100px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Credit: Netflix</figcaption></figure> <p>At the start of season one, our man Seong Gi-hun (Lee Jung-jae) is insufferable. He’s whiny as fuck and in debt up to his eyeballs, pursued by violent collectors as he gambles away the little money he has to buy his daughter a birthday present. It’s made to seem like he’s a screw up, which he is to a certain extent, but it’s not as if his story is unusual—his life fell apart years ago and he’s struggled to get his shit together ever since. One day at a train station, he is approached by the handsomest man alive (Gong Yoo)—known to the fandom as The Salesman or The Recruiter—and engaged in a game of ddakji, which involves throwing one paper square at another until one flips over, and in Gi-hun’s case, getting ₩100K (which is about 73 USD) when you win and slapped when you lose. Thus he is recruited for the Squid Game, a hellish situation he is unable to say no to, especially once he discovers that his mother is in the hospital and will need extensive care. Because the winner of Squid Game will receive up to ₩456 billion. That is, if they survive. </p> <p>Seong Gi-hun (#456), along with his childhood friend Sang-woo (#218, a failed businessman who SUCKS), immigrant factory worker Ali (#199, who deserved better), Il-nam (#001, an elderly man suffering from a brain tumor), and loner Sae-byeok (#067, who is caring for her brother while trying to get her parents over from the North), engage in a series of games in which the competitors are both killed by the squiddies (the homies in the jumpsuits and shape masks) and are responsible for killing each other. This includes the now world famous dalgona challenge, tug-of-war, marbles, and a hopscotch-like game played on a glass bridge. Contestants die en masse, each time causing the prize pot to increase, and the survivors’ greed to get the better of their morality. Overseeing all this is a man in a black mask known simply as the Front Man, who watches each death on screen with a glass of whiskey. </p> <p>At the same time, we follow Detective Hwang Jun-ho (who looks like the hottest guy in the college math department), who follows Gi-hun in hopes of finding his missing brother. Jun-ho is able to disguise himself as a squiddie and infiltrate, to a certain extent, its operations. Jun-ho successfully finds records of past contestants, and gets himself into the room with the VIPs—a group of international billionaires who come together to watch the final game as they drink champagne and bet on the outcome. It’s a disgusting display of wealth and cruelty. Jun-ho escapes, but not before being shot off a cliffside by the Front Man—who, unmasked, is revealed to be Jun-ho’s missing brother, In-ho. </p> <p>This all culminates in a bloody and emotional battle between Gi-hun and Sang-woo during the final game—the titular squid game. Sang-woo ends up stabbing himself, leaving Gi-hun the sole survivor. </p> <p>And we love Seong Gi-hun, our incredibly reluctant and traumatized winner. He’s charming and compassionate throughout, always looking out for others while facing certain death. There’s a particularly compelling moment, at the start of episode 5 during tug-of-war, where Gi-hun realizes they’re winning and is horrified by it—the look in his eyes conveys a thousand thoughts even though the moment only lasts a few seconds. As Gi-hun is taken home, exhausted and broken, he can only wonder about who is running these games and why they’re doing it. After finding out Il-nam (#001) was the creator of the games, the sight of Hot Recruiter Man causes him to turn back from the chance to see his daughter again in favor of seeking justice and ending the games altogether. </p> <p>Season one has everything. There’s organ harvesting, there’s Chekov’s scuba gear, there’s creepy voice overs and music. There’s so much interpersonal drama it would overheat my laptop to write it all down. This shit slaps aesthetically, too, with its neon Escher-esque stairs, blood spattered playgrounds, and coffins with big pink bows on them—the juxtaposition of bright Kindergarten-ish set decor against the slaughter of 455 people is delightfully head-spinning. </p> <p>It also successfully does what death game stories ought to do, which is to explore the way our humanity is warped under oppressive systems. It asks the big questions: What would you do to save yourself? What <em>could</em> you do? Why do we keep saying yes to participating in a system which wants to see us suffer? Whose hands are your life really in? Because Squid Game is not really the enemy—capitalism is the enemy, and the way the players’ emotions are manipulated over the course of these games is a heightened reflection of the dehumanizing conditions that landed them there. And the dehumanizing conditions of the real world. People screw each other over in the face of greed, but they also find moments of beautiful, genuine connection. Gi-hun’s journey shows how important those connections are, how clinging to one’s humanity is the only way to really make it through intact. </p> <p>Which is why it’s so disappointing to see him turn into fucking John Wick in season two.</p> <div style="height:10px" aria-hidden="true" class="wp-block-spacer"></div> <p><strong>SEASON TWO</strong></p> <figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1100" height="733" src="https://reactormag.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/squid-game-s2-1100x733.jpeg" alt="Squid Game S2 (L to R) Yang Dong-geun as Park Yong-sik, Kang Ae-sim as Jang Geum-ja in Squid Game S2 looking up into light" class="wp-image-817277" srcset="https://reactormag.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/squid-game-s2-1100x733.jpeg 1100w, https://reactormag.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/squid-game-s2-740x493.jpeg 740w, https://reactormag.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/squid-game-s2-768x512.jpeg 768w, https://reactormag.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/squid-game-s2-1536x1024.jpeg 1536w, https://reactormag.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/squid-game-s2.jpeg 1758w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1100px) 100vw, 1100px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Credit: Netflix</figcaption></figure> <p>I’m just not convinced there’s a way to do the <em>Jack from Lost voice</em> “We have to go back!” thing without it feeling like a bit of a cash grab. Season two of this show felt forced, mostly unnecessary and skippable, with a lack of real character development over its seven episodes. It’s clearly milking as much as possible out of a conclusion that probably could have been eight episodes total instead of two seasons. If you ask me, the best thing season two gave us was more time with psycho hottie Gong Yoo as the Recruiter, who gets some time to shine in the first episode, “Bread and Lottery.” </p> <p>We meet Seong Gi-hun three years later—he’s hardened, and he’s pooled all his money into finding the people responsible for the games. He’s gathered a squad of goons who are searching for a man in a suit playing ddakji in the train station. After a long summer the attempts succeed, which leads to a heated game of Russian Roulette between Gi-hun and the Recruiter, which in turn leaves Hottie McHotterson with his pretty brains splattered all over the wall. Hwang Jun-ho, alive after being rescued by a fisherman, finds Gi-hun and they decide to tackle this shit together. They chase the lead, resulting in Gi-hun asking to be put back in the games, presumably because he believes the only way to take it down is from the inside. Meanwhile, Jun-ho teams up with the goons and the fisherman who rescued him to search for the mysterious island where the games take place. That’s pretty much his whole storyline this season. </p> <p>So now we’re back in it, right? But in the past three years, the squiddies have learned to cover their bases—players now sign a consent form before they play (though they still don’t know they’re going to be fucking killed but whatever, consent is important), and this time they are given the chance to vote whether to continue after each individual game. If the players choose to stop, the prize money will be split amongst the remaining. </p> <p>Gi-hun, again #456, attempts to get everyone through Red Light Green Light alive which works only semi-successfully. The new crop of players—including Gi-hun’s friend from the outside Jung-bae (#390), rapper Thanos (#230, played by K-pop idol T.O.P.), failed crypto bro Myung-gi (#333, who several players feel is responsible for their crypto-induced debt) and his pregnant ex-girlfriend Jun-hee (#222), gambler Yong-sik (#107) and his elderly mother (#139, an angel), and the badass Hyun-ju (#120, a transwoman looking to fund her gender confirmation surgery)—barely believe Gi-hun is a former winner, and even after watching people get shot in the head, go mostly unswayed by his big hero speech. The final vote is decided by player #001—revealed to be In-ho, the Front Man, who has come down to mansplain manipulate manslaughter. </p> <p>We also get a look behind the scenes as a lot of the squiddies are unmasked—we follow sniper No-eul (who is !!! a GIRL!! SCANDALOUS), who is totally down with shooting people who lose the games but is not cool with the organ harvesting that’s going on. The show attempts to do the whole “humans are the real monsters” thing, while also revealing the highly organized and technical system behind the whole operation. The progression of games and beats effectively predicts human behavior within it—they know exactly when people will beg and when they will turn on each other, it’s all manipulated from top to bottom. The squiddies know that desperate people will do desperate things, that each death makes the money seem more and more worth it, and that players will ultimately always vote against going home. </p> <p>Now, Gi-hun is stuck having to do this all over again. How do we tell him that the real bad guy is capitalism—that if the squiddies have enough money to keep running the games (which is at least ₩456 billion every time) plus the cost of the facility and employing all those people, AND there’s 456 people to fill the games every time, there’s bigger issues at hand than just shooting some masked dudes will solve. Gi-hun, get your shit together and run for office. Organize the masses instead of these goons. If it’s not the squiddies, it’s <a href="https://www.thecity.nyc/2025/06/09/cuomo-super-pac-fix-the-city-donations/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">super PACs</a> funding corrupt politicians, it’s tech investors pouring millions into AI that’s <a href="https://news.mit.edu/2025/explained-generative-ai-environmental-impact-0117" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">killing the environment</a>, its <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2025/03/28/us/politics/trump-doge-federal-job-cuts.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">non-elected officials</a> slashing government jobs and programs for no reason, it’s a <a href="https://www.them.us/story/jk-rowling-fund-anti-trans-lawsuits" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">rich fantasy writer</a> funding anti-trans legislature. But that’s taking the metaphor out of the fiction, I guess. </p> <p>Anyway. They play some games, do some voting, Gi-hun forms some manly bonds. Somewhere out in the ocean, Jun-ho’s search is made futile by the fact the boat captain has been tampering with their drone. By the time the players are all trying to stab each other in their sleep, Gi-hun’s organized a hostile takeover. There’s a shootout in the neon stairwell, which fails, leaving Jung-bae dead and Gi-hun defeated. In-ho returns to his role as Front Man. </p> <p>And, like… it’s fine, we’re getting where we need to go. </p> <div style="height:10px" aria-hidden="true" class="wp-block-spacer"></div> <p><strong>SEASON THREE</strong></p> <figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1100" height="733" src="https://reactormag.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/squid-game-s3-3-1100x733.jpeg" alt="Squid Game S3 (L to R) Lee Jung-jae as Seong Gi-hun, Lee Byung-hun as Frontman confronting each other in Squid Game S3 Cr. No Ju-han/Netflix" class="wp-image-817279" srcset="https://reactormag.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/squid-game-s3-3-1100x733.jpeg 1100w, https://reactormag.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/squid-game-s3-3-740x493.jpeg 740w, https://reactormag.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/squid-game-s3-3-768x512.jpeg 768w, https://reactormag.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/squid-game-s3-3-1536x1024.jpeg 1536w, https://reactormag.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/squid-game-s3-3-2048x1366.jpeg 2048w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1100px) 100vw, 1100px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Credit: Netflix</figcaption></figure> <p>I went into the final season thinking it would have to pull off something major in order to convince me more <em>Squid Game</em> needed to be made. Good news is, it’s tense as hell from the start and a very emotional watch. </p> <p>The big (unnecessary from a narrative perspective, IMO) shoot-out was a bust. Everybody blames everybody, but mostly Gi-hun blames Kang Dae-ho, who failed to bring more ammunition, and spends the whole time staring daggers into him. Fortunately (sort of), for the next game, he is given a literal dagger. A cool Sailor Moon-ass lookin one too. Aesthetically, this shit still slaps. </p> <p>The remaining players are divided into two teams for a game of hide & seek. Blue players are given keys that will unlock doors to hide behind in the arena, and need to find the exit to succeed. Red players are given a dagger and need to kill one other player to pass the game. Pairs are split up—Yong-sik holds a knife while his mother Mrs. Jung holds a key, Gi-hun is on the hunt for Dae-ho who he eventually does strangle (that’s a whole ass thing, I did not like Terminator Gi-hun one bit), and Myung-gi promises to find and protect the pregnant Jun-hee after he makes his kill. The blue team women (Hyun-ji, Jun-hee, and Mrs. Jung) team up, with Hyun-ji serving as protector and total badass. Somewhere along the way, Jun-hee breaks her ankle, and then her water breaks also. Because of course it does. Because of course she’s gonna give birth in the middle of the most directly murderous game so far. Why the fuck wouldn’t she. </p> <p>And like, here’s the thing. There are a lot of impracticalities with this baby. Beyond this being so very not a safe place for a newborn, there are no diapers. There is no crib or anything. None of this shit is clean, there are a million infections waiting to happen. The biggest gripe I have with this season is that the baby sleeps <em>through the night</em> in a twin bed with its mother, on its back the whole time. And that’s not even the half of it. </p> <p>After the baby is born, my wife Hyun-ji is stabbed by babydaddy Myung-gi, who has finally come to take care of Jun-hee, and does not know that Hyun-ji was protecting them and knew the way out. Jun-hee rightfully tells Myung-gi to fuck off. By the time Yong-sik arrives, time is running out—he has failed to kill someone and knows he will die because of it. His mother tells him to kill her, but ends up stabbing him instead when he makes a play for Jun-hee. It is really brutal, and I did need to call my own mother afterwards. The ante is upped when its revealed that the VIPs have donned jumpsuits and masks to participate in shooting the contestants themselves—and that this group is mostly younger than the last. A lot can be said about the nature of contemporary wealth here, as most likely these are meant to be energetic and emotionally detached tech CEOs instead of lecherous old businessmen. </p> <p>On the boat, Main Goon Woo-seok expresses concerns about Captain Park and decides to stay on shore the next day and look into it. He discovers the captain’s home filled with pictures of his fishing buddies, one of whom is the Recruiter (eagle-eyed viewers will also spot the Front Man on that wall), plus a pile of cash and a squiddie uniform buried in the backyard. </p> <p>Now we kick the drama into high gear. Players vote to continue the games despite there being a baby in the room. In the morning, they wake not only to find Mrs. Jung has hung herself, but that the game is a large scale jump rope, played on a platform. I will now remind you that Jun-hee, the baby’s mother, has a severely broken ankle. Gi-hun, having snapped out of Terminator mode after a conversation with Mrs. Jung the previous evening, offers to help the baby across and then go back for Jun-hee. We spend the entire time waiting for babydaddy Myung-gi to get his shit together and step up, but Jun-hee refuses his assistance again. Time runs out, and in a highly emotional moment, Jun-hee asks Gi-hun to take care of her child before stepping off the platform to her death. </p> <p>Again: impractical. How are they going to feed that baby. Do they know that the first week of breastfeeding provides babies not only with essential nutrients, but immunity as well? This baby is <em>fucked</em>. On top of that, the vicious VIPs decide that the baby is now a player, and will inherit its mother’s number. The others riot, especially considering this lessens their share of the prize money. A discussion about inherited debt ensues, which I wish was more dystopian than it is. </p> <p>Woo-seok gets caught by the police, who call Captain Park to inform him, which means Hwang Jun-ho is vulnerable. Jun-ho gets Captain Park with a spear gun and interrogates him, though is unable to learn the location of the island. It isn’t until they run into the contestant No-eul has helped escape that he gets pointed in the right direction and makes it to the island.</p> <p>The remaining contestants get their fancy steak dinner, AND FINALLY THE BABY GETS FORMULA. This is the only thing I care about, thank you. Gi-hun is taken to see the Front Man, and is given a knife with which to “kill the trash” who have obviously decided to kill him and the baby. It is also at this time that In-ho removes his mask, revealing himself to be the man who played beside Gi-hun in season two. There is shock, there is tension. They don’t kiss. But there is no winning Squid Game, not really, and so Gi-hun is forced to once again reckon with his own humanity and face a high stakes trolley problem. In the best moment of the series, we are given a flashback to In-ho’s own time as a player—he is given the same option by a man in a mask (Chairman Oh), the same knife, and is able to complete the task. In the present, Gi-hun has visions of Kang Sae-byeok, and the moment in his first games when she begged him not to commit murder. “You’re not that kind of person”, she says. And he’s not, except for that one time he strangled that guy. </p> <p>Needless to say, the next game continues as planned—and it’s “Sky Squid Game,” taking place on three large platforms. Now, the six remaining douchebags have already decided who to eliminate, including Min-su who is having a severe withdrawal from taking what I assume to be MDMA <em>twice, </em>plus Gi-hun and the baby. Because they’re douchebags. Myung-gi successfully convinces the rest of the men to try to separate the baby from Gi-hun, which spirals into the reveal that Myung-gi is in fact its father. Now, I have been waiting for this idiot to step up for two seasons now, and it is a little too late at this point. Surprising absolutely no one, he does it only to make sure he’s got someone to throw overboard on the last platform. But after a fight with Gi-hun he falls, before the third round has technically started, and Gi-hun is left to sacrifice himself so that the baby can live.</p> <p>I assume this was meant to be emotional, but I think we all saw that coming. </p> <p>I spent a lot of this season saying “oh they’re fucked! You’re fucked, bro!” out loud to no one, pausing and switching to <em>Taskmaster</em> when things got too tense for me to handle, and sending enraged voice notes to friends who don’t even watch this show because I had to get my feelings out. Which is a great viewing experience. However, I’m still not entirely convinced more <em>Squid Game</em> was necessary. It just didn’t feel as urgent or nuanced as the first season, and the more I sit with it, the more bothered I am by how it all played out. I was waiting for a big twist that didn’t come, a confrontation between Jun-ho and his brother In-ho that barely took place, and a taking down of the system that didn’t really happen. The closest we get to resolution is that the baby survives, and Gi-hun’s money is given to his daughter in Los Angeles, which like, thank god, because they entirely dropped that storyline up until this point. </p> <p>And they did kill all the women. Not a one makes it to the finals, and honestly I would be curious to test the philosophy posed in season one that everyone is equal in the games—can I get a list of all the winners, broken down by gender? I have my suspicions. I also really want to know more about the world as a whole. Are the VIPs different each year? Who does the creepy voice overs? Who makes all the props and sets for the games? Why does In-ho have that weird puppet “Fly Me to the Moon” thing instead of a normal ass record player? And why did he choose to stay instead of taking his winnings back to the world?</p> <p>I’m left with lots of questions, but none of them are good ones, or ones that I actually want answered with another season. The ideas posed by the show’s original conceit are still interesting–capitalism’s grip on society and the callousness it creates, and the importance of human connection in combating that—but failed to come through its final seasons. Thrills were had, mostly during the hide-and-seek game, but heartstrings were only half tugged at. Gi-hun’s action hero transformation left an emotional distance and ultimately, his death felt like the easiest narrative choice, but not the most impactful one.  </p> <p>The one question I had that <em>did </em>get answered, sort of, is if there are games in different countries. Because as In-ho makes his way back to LAX, he spots two people in an alleyway playing ddakji—one of whom is CATE. BLANCHETT. THAT IS CATE BLANCHETT. SHE HAS TWO OSCARS. WHAT IS SHE DOING RECRUITING PEOPLE FOR SQUID GAME.</p> <figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1100" height="550" src="https://reactormag.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/squid-game-s3-1100x550.jpeg" alt="Cate Blanchett in episode 306 of Squid Games" class="wp-image-817280" srcset="https://reactormag.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/squid-game-s3-1100x550.jpeg 1100w, https://reactormag.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/squid-game-s3-740x370.jpeg 740w, https://reactormag.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/squid-game-s3-768x384.jpeg 768w, https://reactormag.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/squid-game-s3-1536x768.jpeg 1536w, https://reactormag.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/squid-game-s3-2048x1024.jpeg 2048w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1100px) 100vw, 1100px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Image: Netflix</figcaption></figure> <p>And there are no cameras, it’s not like they’re making an in-world Squid Game show, there’s no Squid-ception happening. It’s just fucking Cate Blanchett playing a Korean kid’s game. I’ll be mad about this forever. Why was this choice made. Why use one of the most recognizable faces in the world to make this point. Is it that Squid Game hires the most handsome person in the country to do the Recruiter job? In between movies, has Cate Blanchett been donning a pink jumpsuit? Make it make sense. How absolutely unhinged. </p> <p>I’d let her slap me though.[end-mark]</p> <p>The post <a href="https://reactormag.com/squid-game-season-3-is-unhinged/"><i>Squid Game</i> Season 3 Is Unhinged</a> appeared first on <a href="https://reactormag.com">Reactor</a>.</p><p class="ljsyndicationlink"><a href="https://reactormag.com/squid-game-season-3-is-unhinged/">https://reactormag.com/squid-game-season-3-is-unhinged/</a></p><p class="ljsyndicationlink"><a href="https://reactormag.com/?p=817256">https://reactormag.com/?p=817256</a></p>

Nautilus Premiere Is Engaging, But Can It Do Justice to Captain Nemo?

tordotcom_feed

Monday, June 30th, 2025 06:00 pm

Posted by Tim Ford

https://reactormag.com/tv-review-nautilus-premiere-is-engaging-but-can-it-do-justice-to-captain-nemo/

https://reactormag.com/?p=817221

Movies & TV Nautilus

Nautilus Premiere Is Engaging, But Can It Do Justice to Captain Nemo?

Of the many changes to Jules Verne’s story, the role of its central character prompts the biggest questions.

By Tim Ford

Published on June 30, 2025

[Error: Irreparable invalid markup ('<a [...] w-[18px]>') in entry. Owner must fix manually. Raw contents below.]

<p class="syndicationauthor">Posted by Tim Ford</p><p class="ljsyndicationlink"><a href="https://reactormag.com/tv-review-nautilus-premiere-is-engaging-but-can-it-do-justice-to-captain-nemo/">https://reactormag.com/tv-review-nautilus-premiere-is-engaging-but-can-it-do-justice-to-captain-nemo/</a></p><p class="ljsyndicationlink"><a href="https://reactormag.com/?p=817221">https://reactormag.com/?p=817221</a></p><post-hero class="wp-block-post-hero js-post-hero post-hero post-hero-horizontal"> <div class="container container-desktop"> <div class="flex flex-col mx-auto post-hero-container"> <div class="post-hero-content"> <div class="post-hero-tags font-aktiv text-xs tracking-[0.5px] font-medium uppercase"> <span class="mr-3"> <i class="inline-block w-2 h-2 rounded-full mr-[5px] bg-blue"></i> <a href="https://reactormag.com/articles/movies-tv/" class="inline-block link-no-animation" aria-label="Link to term or tag Movies & TV 0"> Movies & TV </a> </span> <span class="mr-3"> <i class="inline-block w-2 h-2 rounded-full mr-[5px] bg-blue"></i> <a href="https://reactormag.com/tag/nautilus/" class="inline-block link-no-animation" aria-label="Link to term or tag Nautilus 1"> Nautilus </a> </span> </div> <h2 class="post-hero-title text-h1"><i>Nautilus</i> Premiere Is Engaging, But Can It Do Justice to Captain Nemo?</h2> <div class="prose post-hero-description prose--post-hero">Of the many changes to Jules Verne’s story, the role of its central character prompts the biggest questions.</div> <div class="post-hero-wrapper"> <div class="post-hero-inner"> <p class="post-hero-author text-xs font-aktiv uppercase font-medium [&_a]:link-hover">By <a href="https://reactormag.com/author/tim-ford/" title="Posts by Tim Ford" class="author url fn" rel="author">Tim Ford</a></p> <span class="post-hero-symbol relative top-[-2px] hidden tablet:block">|</span> <p class="text-xs uppercase post-hero-publish font-aktiv"> Published on June 30, 2025 </p> </div> </div> <div class="quick-access post-hero-quick-access mt-[17px] tablet:hidden"> <div class="flex gap-[30px] tablet:gap-6"> <a href="https://reactormag.com/tv-review-nautilus-premiere-is-engaging-but-can-it-do-justice-to-captain-nemo/#comments" class="flex items-center text-sm font-aktiv tracking-[0.6px] font-semibold uppercase translate-x-[1px] translate-y-[1px]"> <svg class="w-[22px] h-[22px] mr-[7px] icon-hover" viewbox="0 0 18 18" aria-label="comment" role="img" aria-hidden="true" aria-labelledby="icon-comment-quick-access-"> <title id="icon-comment-quick-access-">Comment</title> <g fill="none" fill-rule="evenodd"> <path fill="#FFF" fill-rule="nonzero" d="M6.3 18a.9.9 0 0 1-.9-.9v-2.7H1.8A1.8 1.8 0 0 1 0 12.6V1.8A1.8 1.8 0 0 1 1.8 0h14.4A1.8 1.8 0 0 1 18 1.8v10.8a1.8 1.8 0 0 1-1.8 1.8h-5.49l-3.33 3.339a.917.917 0 0 1-.63.261H6.3Z" /> <path stroke="#000" d="M5.9 14.4v-.5H1.8a1.3 1.3 0 0 1-1.3-1.3V1.8A1.3 1.3 0 0 1 1.8.5h14.4a1.3 1.3 0 0 1 1.3 1.3v10.8a1.3 1.3 0 0 1-1.3 1.3h-5.698l-.146.147-3.324 3.333a.417.417 0 0 1-.282.12H6.3a.4.4 0 0 1-.4-.4v-2.7Z" /> </g> </svg> 3 </a> <details class="relative quick-access-details"> <summary class="quick-access-share flex items-center text-sm font-aktiv tracking-[0.6px] font-semibold uppercase"> <svg class="w-[22px] h-[22px] mr-[7px] icon-hover" viewbox="0 0 22 22" aria-label="share" role="img" aria-hidden="true" aria-labelledby="icon-share-new-quick-access-"> <title id="icon-share-new-quick-access-">Share New</title> <g fill="none" fill-rule="evenodd"> <circle cx="11" cy="11" r="11" fill="#FFF" fill-rule="nonzero" /> <circle cx="11" cy="11" r="10.5" stroke="#000" /> <path fill="#FFF" d="M5.993 13.464c.675 0 1.323-.266 1.806-.743l4.11 2.396a2.639 2.639 0 0 0 .368 2.451 2.583 2.583 0 0 0 2.227 1.043 2.59 2.59 0 0 0 2.09-1.3 2.64 2.64 0 0 0 .08-2.477 2.58 2.58 0 0 0-4.292-.54L8.344 11.94c.28-.616.31-1.319.086-1.958l3.952-2.303a2.564 2.564 0 0 0 4.263-.537 2.623 2.623 0 0 0-.078-2.46 2.573 2.573 0 0 0-2.075-1.293 2.566 2.566 0 0 0-2.213 1.033 2.622 2.622 0 0 0-.37 2.433L7.96 9.158a2.573 2.573 0 0 0-4.316.603 2.632 2.632 0 0 0 .172 2.501 2.58 2.58 0 0 0 2.178 1.202Z" /> <path fill="#000" d="M6.936 9.577c.322 0 .631.137.859.383.228.245.355.577.355.924 0 .347-.127.68-.355.925a1.172 1.172 0 0 1-.859.383c-.322 0-.63-.138-.858-.383a1.36 1.36 0 0 1-.356-.925c0-.347.129-.679.356-.924.228-.245.536-.383.858-.383Zm6.17-3.837c.323 0 .631.138.86.383.227.245.355.578.355.924 0 .347-.128.68-.356.925a1.172 1.172 0 0 1-.858.383c-.322 0-.631-.138-.859-.383a1.36 1.36 0 0 1-.355-.925c0-.346.128-.678.356-.924.227-.245.536-.383.858-.383Zm0 7.883c.323 0 .631.138.86.383.227.245.355.578.355.925 0 .346-.128.679-.356.924a1.171 1.171 0 0 1-.858.383c-.322 0-.631-.138-.859-.383a1.36 1.36 0 0 1-.355-.925c0-.346.128-.678.356-.923.227-.245.536-.383.858-.384Zm-6.17-.681c.499 0 .978-.21 1.334-.586l3.036 1.888a2.194 2.194 0 0 0 .272 1.93c.385.555 1.003.863 1.645.822.641-.04 1.221-.425 1.544-1.024a2.203 2.203 0 0 0 .059-1.952c-.286-.62-.841-1.044-1.48-1.13-.637-.085-1.272.18-1.69.705l-2.984-1.854c.207-.486.23-1.04.064-1.543l2.92-1.815c.415.522 1.046.784 1.68.7.633-.086 1.184-.507 1.468-1.123a2.188 2.188 0 0 0-.058-1.938c-.32-.595-.895-.977-1.532-1.018-.638-.041-1.251.264-1.635.813a2.179 2.179 0 0 0-.273 1.917L8.389 9.55c-.423-.534-1.07-.798-1.715-.702-.645.096-1.2.54-1.472 1.177a2.194 2.194 0 0 0 .126 1.97c.352.59.958.948 1.61.947Z" /> </g> </svg> Share </summary> <div class="quick-access-bubble"> <ul class="flex gap-6 text-black list-none"> <li class="flex"> <a class="flex items-center hover:text-red" href="https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=<i>Nautilus</i> Premiere Is Engaging, But Can It Do Justice to Captain Nemo?&url=https://reactormag.com/tv-review-nautilus-premiere-is-engaging-but-can-it-do-justice-to-captain-nemo/” target=”_blank” title=”Twitter”> <svg class=" w-[18px]="w-[18px]" h-[15px]"="h-[15px]"" width="18" height="15" viewbox="0 0 18 15" fill="none" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" aria-label="twitter" role="img" aria-hidden="true"> <path d="M17.7143 2.56767C17.2122 3.28347 16.6053 3.89336 15.8934 4.39734C15.9009 4.4996 15.9046 4.65298 15.9046 4.8575C15.9046 5.80703 15.7623 6.75472 15.4775 7.7006C15.1928 8.64649 14.76 9.55401 14.1793 10.4232C13.5986 11.2924 12.9073 12.0611 12.1055 12.7295C11.3037 13.3978 10.3371 13.931 9.20558 14.329C8.07408 14.7271 6.86392 14.9262 5.57505 14.9262C3.54435 14.9262 1.68601 14.3966 0 13.3375C0.262269 13.3667 0.554506 13.3813 0.876722 13.3813C2.56274 13.3813 4.06514 12.8774 5.38397 11.8694C4.59717 11.8548 3.8928 11.6192 3.27085 11.1627C2.6489 10.7062 2.22178 10.1237 1.98949 9.41523C2.23677 9.45175 2.46531 9.47001 2.67513 9.47001C2.99734 9.47001 3.31581 9.42984 3.63053 9.3495C2.79127 9.1815 2.09627 8.77431 1.5455 8.12789C0.99474 7.48148 0.719362 6.73099 0.719362 5.87641V5.83259C1.22891 6.11015 1.77592 6.25988 2.36041 6.28179C1.86584 5.96041 1.47245 5.54043 1.1802 5.02184C0.887961 4.50325 0.741842 3.94084 0.741842 3.3346C0.741842 2.69184 0.906694 2.09656 1.2364 1.54875C2.1431 2.63707 3.24649 3.50807 4.54659 4.16178C5.84669 4.8155 7.23857 5.17887 8.72226 5.25192C8.66232 4.97436 8.63234 4.70411 8.63234 4.44116C8.63234 3.46241 8.9864 2.62793 9.69452 1.9377C10.4027 1.24746 11.2588 0.902344 12.2629 0.902344C13.3119 0.902344 14.1962 1.27485 14.9155 2.01987C15.7323 1.86648 16.5004 1.58162 17.2197 1.16529C16.9425 2.00526 16.4104 2.65532 15.6236 3.11548C16.3205 3.04244 17.0174 2.85984 17.7143 2.56767Z" fill="currentColor" /> <path d="M17.7143 2.56767C17.2122 3.28347 16.6053 3.89336 15.8934 4.39734C15.9009 4.4996 15.9046 4.65298 15.9046 4.8575C15.9046 5.80703 15.7623 6.75472 15.4775 7.7006C15.1928 8.64649 14.76 9.55401 14.1793 10.4232C13.5986 11.2924 12.9073 12.0611 12.1055 12.7295C11.3037 13.3978 10.3371 13.931 9.20558 14.329C8.07408 14.7271 6.86392 14.9262 5.57505 14.9262C3.54435 14.9262 1.68601 14.3966 0 13.3375C0.262269 13.3667 0.554506 13.3813 0.876722 13.3813C2.56274 13.3813 4.06514 12.8774 5.38397 11.8694C4.59717 11.8548 3.8928 11.6192 3.27085 11.1627C2.6489 10.7062 2.22178 10.1237 1.98949 9.41523C2.23677 9.45175 2.46531 9.47001 2.67513 9.47001C2.99734 9.47001 3.31581 9.42984 3.63053 9.3495C2.79127 9.1815 2.09627 8.77431 1.5455 8.12789C0.99474 7.48148 0.719362 6.73099 0.719362 5.87641V5.83259C1.22891 6.11015 1.77592 6.25988 2.36041 6.28179C1.86584 5.96041 1.47245 5.54043 1.1802 5.02184C0.887961 4.50325 0.741842 3.94084 0.741842 3.3346C0.741842 2.69184 0.906694 2.09656 1.2364 1.54875C2.1431 2.63707 3.24649 3.50807 4.54659 4.16178C5.84669 4.8155 7.23857 5.17887 8.72226 5.25192C8.66232 4.97436 8.63234 4.70411 8.63234 4.44116C8.63234 3.46241 8.9864 2.62793 9.69452 1.9377C10.4027 1.24746 11.2588 0.902344 12.2629 0.902344C13.3119 0.902344 14.1962 1.27485 14.9155 2.01987C15.7323 1.86648 16.5004 1.58162 17.2197 1.16529C16.9425 2.00526 16.4104 2.65532 15.6236 3.11548C16.3205 3.04244 17.0174 2.85984 17.7143 2.56767Z" fill="currentColor" fill-opacity="0.2" /> </svg> </a> </li> <li class="flex"> <a class="flex items-center hover:text-red" href="https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https://reactormag.com/tv-review-nautilus-premiere-is-engaging-but-can-it-do-justice-to-captain-nemo/" target="_blank" title="Facebook"> <svg class="w-[9px] h-[18px]" fill="currentColor" viewbox="0 0 12 22" width="100%" height="100%" display="block" transitionduration="normal" transitionproperty="none" transitiontimingfunction="ease-out" class="w-[9px] h-[18px]" aria-label="facebook" role="img" aria-hidden="true"> <path d="M11.558.004L8.677 0C5.44 0 3.349 2.125 3.349 5.416v2.496H.452A.45.45 0 000 8.36v3.618a.45.45 0 00.452.447h2.897v9.127A.45.45 0 003.8 22h3.778c.25 0 .451-.2.451-.448v-9.127h3.387c.25 0 .451-.2.451-.447l.003-3.618a.452.452 0 00-.456-.448h-3.39V5.795c0-1.017.245-1.534 1.582-1.534h1.941c.25 0 .452-.2.452-.447V.457a.45.45 0 00-.452-.448l.01-.005z" fill-rule="nonzero"> </path> </svg> </a> </li> <li class="flex"> <a class="flex items-center hover:text-red" href="https://pinterest.com/pin/create/button/?url=https://reactormag.com/tv-review-nautilus-premiere-is-engaging-but-can-it-do-justice-to-captain-nemo/&media=&description=<i>Nautilus</i> Premiere Is Engaging, But Can It Do Justice to Captain Nemo?” target=”_blank” title=”Pinterest”> <svg class=" w-[18px]="w-[18px]" h-[18px]"="h-[18px]"" width="18" height="18" viewbox="0 0 18 18" fill="none" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" aria-label="pinterest" role="img" aria-hidden="true"> <path d="M16.4962 4.49458C17.2844 5.84153 17.6786 7.31473 17.6786 8.91423C17.6786 10.5137 17.2844 11.9888 16.4962 13.3396C15.7079 14.6904 14.6384 15.7599 13.2876 16.5482C11.9368 17.3364 10.4617 17.7306 8.86223 17.7306C8.01273 17.7306 7.17856 17.6081 6.35967 17.3632C6.81121 16.6515 7.10967 16.0239 7.25508 15.4806C7.32396 15.2203 7.53059 14.413 7.87498 13.0584C8.02804 13.3568 8.30738 13.6151 8.71299 13.8332C9.1186 14.0513 9.55483 14.1604 10.0217 14.1604C10.9477 14.1604 11.7742 13.8983 12.5013 13.374C13.2283 12.8498 13.7908 12.1285 14.1888 11.2101C14.5867 10.2918 14.7857 9.25862 14.7857 8.11066C14.7857 7.2382 14.558 6.41933 14.1027 5.65402C13.6473 4.88871 12.9872 4.26499 12.1224 3.78285C11.2576 3.3007 10.2819 3.05964 9.19513 3.05964C8.39156 3.05964 7.64157 3.1706 6.94513 3.39254C6.2487 3.61448 5.65751 3.90912 5.17154 4.27647C4.68556 4.64382 4.26848 5.06665 3.92026 5.54497C3.57205 6.02329 3.31567 6.51882 3.15113 7.03157C2.98659 7.54433 2.90432 8.05708 2.90432 8.56984C2.90432 9.36576 3.05738 10.066 3.3635 10.6706C3.66962 11.2752 4.11732 11.6999 4.70661 11.9448C4.93621 12.0367 5.08161 11.9601 5.14284 11.7152C5.15814 11.6617 5.18876 11.5431 5.23467 11.3594C5.28059 11.1757 5.3112 11.0609 5.32651 11.015C5.37243 10.839 5.33034 10.6744 5.20024 10.5214C4.80993 10.0545 4.61478 9.47673 4.61478 8.78795C4.61478 7.63233 5.01464 6.63936 5.81439 5.809C6.61414 4.97864 7.66069 4.56346 8.95406 4.56346C10.1097 4.56346 11.0108 4.87723 11.6575 5.50479C12.3042 6.13234 12.6275 6.94739 12.6275 7.94994C12.6275 9.25097 12.3654 10.3568 11.8412 11.2675C11.3169 12.1783 10.6454 12.6336 9.82651 12.6336C9.35967 12.6336 8.98468 12.4672 8.70151 12.1343C8.41835 11.8013 8.33034 11.4015 8.43748 10.9346C8.49871 10.6668 8.60011 10.309 8.74169 9.86129C8.88327 9.41359 8.99807 9.01946 9.08608 8.67889C9.17409 8.33833 9.21809 8.04943 9.21809 7.81219C9.21809 7.42953 9.11478 7.11193 8.90814 6.85938C8.70151 6.60683 8.40687 6.48055 8.02422 6.48055C7.54972 6.48055 7.14794 6.69866 6.81886 7.13489C6.48977 7.57112 6.32524 8.11448 6.32524 8.76499C6.32524 9.32367 6.4209 9.7905 6.61223 10.1655L5.47575 14.964C5.34564 15.4997 5.2959 16.177 5.32651 16.9959C3.74997 16.2994 2.47575 15.2242 1.50381 13.7701C0.531863 12.316 0.0458984 10.6974 0.0458984 8.91423C0.0458984 7.31473 0.440027 5.83962 1.2283 4.48884C2.01657 3.13807 3.08607 2.06857 4.43684 1.2803C5.78761 0.492029 7.26273 0.0979004 8.86223 0.0979004C10.4617 0.0979004 11.9368 0.492029 13.2876 1.2803C14.6384 2.06857 15.7079 3.13999 16.4962 4.49458Z" fill="currentColor" /> <path d="M16.4962 4.49458C17.2844 5.84153 17.6786 7.31473 17.6786 8.91423C17.6786 10.5137 17.2844 11.9888 16.4962 13.3396C15.7079 14.6904 14.6384 15.7599 13.2876 16.5482C11.9368 17.3364 10.4617 17.7306 8.86223 17.7306C8.01273 17.7306 7.17856 17.6081 6.35967 17.3632C6.81121 16.6515 7.10967 16.0239 7.25508 15.4806C7.32396 15.2203 7.53059 14.413 7.87498 13.0584C8.02804 13.3568 8.30738 13.6151 8.71299 13.8332C9.1186 14.0513 9.55483 14.1604 10.0217 14.1604C10.9477 14.1604 11.7742 13.8983 12.5013 13.374C13.2283 12.8498 13.7908 12.1285 14.1888 11.2101C14.5867 10.2918 14.7857 9.25862 14.7857 8.11066C14.7857 7.2382 14.558 6.41933 14.1027 5.65402C13.6473 4.88871 12.9872 4.26499 12.1224 3.78285C11.2576 3.3007 10.2819 3.05964 9.19513 3.05964C8.39156 3.05964 7.64157 3.1706 6.94513 3.39254C6.2487 3.61448 5.65751 3.90912 5.17154 4.27647C4.68556 4.64382 4.26848 5.06665 3.92026 5.54497C3.57205 6.02329 3.31567 6.51882 3.15113 7.03157C2.98659 7.54433 2.90432 8.05708 2.90432 8.56984C2.90432 9.36576 3.05738 10.066 3.3635 10.6706C3.66962 11.2752 4.11732 11.6999 4.70661 11.9448C4.93621 12.0367 5.08161 11.9601 5.14284 11.7152C5.15814 11.6617 5.18876 11.5431 5.23467 11.3594C5.28059 11.1757 5.3112 11.0609 5.32651 11.015C5.37243 10.839 5.33034 10.6744 5.20024 10.5214C4.80993 10.0545 4.61478 9.47673 4.61478 8.78795C4.61478 7.63233 5.01464 6.63936 5.81439 5.809C6.61414 4.97864 7.66069 4.56346 8.95406 4.56346C10.1097 4.56346 11.0108 4.87723 11.6575 5.50479C12.3042 6.13234 12.6275 6.94739 12.6275 7.94994C12.6275 9.25097 12.3654 10.3568 11.8412 11.2675C11.3169 12.1783 10.6454 12.6336 9.82651 12.6336C9.35967 12.6336 8.98468 12.4672 8.70151 12.1343C8.41835 11.8013 8.33034 11.4015 8.43748 10.9346C8.49871 10.6668 8.60011 10.309 8.74169 9.86129C8.88327 9.41359 8.99807 9.01946 9.08608 8.67889C9.17409 8.33833 9.21809 8.04943 9.21809 7.81219C9.21809 7.42953 9.11478 7.11193 8.90814 6.85938C8.70151 6.60683 8.40687 6.48055 8.02422 6.48055C7.54972 6.48055 7.14794 6.69866 6.81886 7.13489C6.48977 7.57112 6.32524 8.11448 6.32524 8.76499C6.32524 9.32367 6.4209 9.7905 6.61223 10.1655L5.47575 14.964C5.34564 15.4997 5.2959 16.177 5.32651 16.9959C3.74997 16.2994 2.47575 15.2242 1.50381 13.7701C0.531863 12.316 0.0458984 10.6974 0.0458984 8.91423C0.0458984 7.31473 0.440027 5.83962 1.2283 4.48884C2.01657 3.13807 3.08607 2.06857 4.43684 1.2803C5.78761 0.492029 7.26273 0.0979004 8.86223 0.0979004C10.4617 0.0979004 11.9368 0.492029 13.2876 1.2803C14.6384 2.06857 15.7079 3.13999 16.4962 4.49458Z" fill="currentColor" fill-opacity="0.2" /> </svg> </a> </li> <li class="flex"> <a class="flex items-center hover:text-red" href="https://reactormag.com/feed/" target="_blank" title="RSS Feed"> <svg class="w-[17px] h-[17px]" width="18" height="18" viewbox="0 0 18 18" fill="none" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" aria-label="rss feed" role="img" aria-hidden="true"> <g clip-path="url(#clip0_1051_121783)"> <path d="M2.67871 17.4143C2.12871 17.4143 1.65771 17.2183 1.26571 16.8263C0.873713 16.4343 0.678046 15.9636 0.678713 15.4143C0.678713 14.8643 0.874713 14.3933 1.26671 14.0013C1.65871 13.6093 2.12938 13.4136 2.67871 13.4143C3.22871 13.4143 3.69971 13.6103 4.09171 14.0023C4.48371 14.3943 4.67938 14.865 4.67871 15.4143C4.67871 15.9643 4.48271 16.4353 4.09071 16.8273C3.69871 17.2193 3.22805 17.415 2.67871 17.4143ZM14.6787 17.4143C14.6787 15.481 14.312 13.6683 13.5787 11.9763C12.8454 10.2843 11.841 8.80097 10.5657 7.52631C9.29171 6.25164 7.80871 5.24764 6.11671 4.51431C4.42471 3.78097 2.61205 3.41431 0.678713 3.41431V0.414307C3.02871 0.414307 5.23705 0.860306 7.30371 1.75231C9.37038 2.64431 11.1704 3.85664 12.7037 5.38931C14.237 6.92264 15.4497 8.72264 16.3417 10.7893C17.2337 12.856 17.6794 15.0643 17.6787 17.4143H14.6787ZM8.67871 17.4143C8.67871 15.1976 7.89971 13.31 6.34171 11.7513C4.78371 10.1926 2.89605 9.41364 0.678713 9.41431V6.41431C2.21205 6.41431 3.64538 6.70197 4.97871 7.27731C6.31205 7.85264 7.47471 8.63597 8.46671 9.62731C9.45805 10.6186 10.2414 11.781 10.8167 13.1143C11.392 14.4476 11.6794 15.881 11.6787 17.4143H8.67871Z" fill="currentColor" /> <path d="M2.67871 17.4143C2.12871 17.4143 1.65771 17.2183 1.26571 16.8263C0.873713 16.4343 0.678046 15.9636 0.678713 15.4143C0.678713 14.8643 0.874713 14.3933 1.26671 14.0013C1.65871 13.6093 2.12938 13.4136 2.67871 13.4143C3.22871 13.4143 3.69971 13.6103 4.09171 14.0023C4.48371 14.3943 4.67938 14.865 4.67871 15.4143C4.67871 15.9643 4.48271 16.4353 4.09071 16.8273C3.69871 17.2193 3.22805 17.415 2.67871 17.4143ZM14.6787 17.4143C14.6787 15.481 14.312 13.6683 13.5787 11.9763C12.8454 10.2843 11.841 8.80097 10.5657 7.52631C9.29171 6.25164 7.80871 5.24764 6.11671 4.51431C4.42471 3.78097 2.61205 3.41431 0.678713 3.41431V0.414307C3.02871 0.414307 5.23705 0.860306 7.30371 1.75231C9.37038 2.64431 11.1704 3.85664 12.7037 5.38931C14.237 6.92264 15.4497 8.72264 16.3417 10.7893C17.2337 12.856 17.6794 15.0643 17.6787 17.4143H14.6787ZM8.67871 17.4143C8.67871 15.1976 7.89971 13.31 6.34171 11.7513C4.78371 10.1926 2.89605 9.41364 0.678713 9.41431V6.41431C2.21205 6.41431 3.64538 6.70197 4.97871 7.27731C6.31205 7.85264 7.47471 8.63597 8.46671 9.62731C9.45805 10.6186 10.2414 11.781 10.8167 13.1143C11.392 14.4476 11.6794 15.881 11.6787 17.4143H8.67871Z" fill="currentColor" fill-opacity="0.2" /> </g> <defs> <clippath id="clip0_1051_121783"> <rect width="17" height="17" fill="white" transform="translate(0.678711 0.414307)" /> </clippath> </defs> </svg> </a> </li> </ul> </div> </details> </div> </div> </div> <div class="post-hero-media "> <figure class="w-full h-auto post-hero-image"> <img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="740" height="493" src="https://reactormag.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/N_01904-740x493.jpeg" class="w-full object-cover" alt="Shazad Latif as Nemo helming the Nautilus in Nautilus" srcset="https://reactormag.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/N_01904-740x493.jpeg 740w, https://reactormag.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/N_01904-1100x734.jpeg 1100w, https://reactormag.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/N_01904-768x512.jpeg 768w, https://reactormag.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/N_01904-1536x1024.jpeg 1536w, https://reactormag.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/N_01904.jpeg 1600w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 740px) 100vw, 740px" /> </figure> </div> </div> </div> </post-hero> <div class="wp-block-more-from-category"> <div> </div> </div> <p>We are awash in nostalgia.</p> <p>There is a veritable tide of works made new again; intellectual properties entering the public domain, adaptations and re-imaginings of classics, and sequels tugging at our childhood heartstrings.<em> </em>Amidst the multitude of re-treads that make up so much of the cultural lexicon on the big and the small screen, it seems inevitable that there would surface yet another take on one of science fiction’s seminal and iconic adventure novels: Jules Verne’s <em>Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea</em>.</p> <p>The new iteration is named <em>Nautilus</em>, after the submarine ship that served as the main setting in the original story, here realized in full steampunk glory, with stunning sets and a great production design.</p> <p>Steampunk—a nostalgic subgenre of science fiction—leans into the Victorian era as inspiration for aesthetic and plot. Most stories turn on “what if” alternate histories; timelines involving some means by which the sun truly never set on the British Empire, where steam-powered technology continues to reign supreme. It experienced a surge in popularity in the aughts, taking conventions by storm, even generating fully-fledged clubs and societies. Some fans stay strong to this day, but for the most part the genre has subsided from its dizzying heights.</p> <p>This has the effect of making <em>Nautilus </em>feel oddly dated from the outset. Had it come out 15 years ago, it would likely have been an instant hit among the top-hatted, be-monocled lovers of the genre. As it is, it still has a degree of resonance from its premise: fighting the man. <em>Nautilus </em>takes a prequel approach to Nemo, the captain of the submarine from Jules Verne’s original novel, imagining him as a troubled but brilliant young Indian man enslaved by the British East India Company during their brutal reign of his country.</p> <p>In the pilot episode, “Anahata,” Nemo leads a slave revolt to steal the <em>Nautilus</em> out from the Company, who has been building it in secret as a weapon of domination against China. From there, Nemo offers promises of sunken treasure to keep his motley crew—composed of some fellow conspirators, as well as some other labourers who were, depending on your point of view, in the wrong or right place at the wrong or right time—to escape.</p> <p>The crew are as diverse as the territories conquered by the British East India Company. They include Kai, a Māori man, Suyin, a Chinese woman, Boniface, from Zanzibar (modern-day Tanzania), Turan, a poet from Iraq, Jiacomo, a mysterious white man who speaks a language none understand, and Indian labourers Ranbir and Jagadish. They are led in part by Nemo, and also by Benoit, a French inventor who is chiefly responsible for designing the titular <em>Nautilus</em>. They are soon joined by three passengers—or, more accurately, hostages—who were travelling on a Company ship that Nemo sinks by ramming it with his submarine: Blaster, a powder boy, Humility Lucas, a wealthy woman en route to be married, and Humility’s maid/bodyguard, Loti. </p> <p>Literal diversity notwithstanding, the crew are efficiently and uniquely defined with a few key lines and scenes in the pilot episode, quickly set up for various roles in the vessel. Boniface, for instance, assumes the role of first mate with a natural leadership ability and a cool-headed approach to dealing with Nemo’s mercurial temper. Kai, meanwhile, takes on the position of quartermaster and chef with a skilled hand at tallying items up in a record book – and masterfully wielding a meat cleaver both to cook and to ward off would-be food thieves.</p> <p>What is unfortunate is that Nemo is comparatively poorly etched. He spends a significant amount of time brooding, and being rather unreasonable and hostile towards his crew. Actor Shazad Latif, who has some experience in Steampunkery—and brooding—from his earlier turn on <em>Penny Dreadful </em>as a re-imagined Dr. Jekyll, is nevertheless well-cast in the cryptic role. He brings a stoic intensity that makes a cypher on paper into someone who feels compelling to watch, although the writing keeps him at arm’s length from the audience. Latif also deftly captures the rebellious spirit of the Nemo from the books, where Nemo proclaimed, after rescuing an Indian pearldiver: “That Indian, sir, is an inhabitant of an oppressed country; and I am still, and shall be, to my last breath, one of them!” That spirit is carried on in<em> Nautilus’ </em>Nemo, fiercely ready to fight the Company. But where the premise falters for Nemo is twofold: First, there is a degree of “show, don’t tell” at play here. When one of Nemo’s fellow rebels is tragically killed during the escape, he ruthlessly instructs his remaining sailors to execute some captive British soldiers. Benoit interjects, saying “this isn’t you.”</p> <p>It’s an unearned moment, because at this point, so early in the show, the audience really has no way of knowing if Benoit is right. <em>Is</em> it Nemo, to fight the Company to the point of murder? So far, it seems like it is.</p> <p>Secondly, that fight, while a good way of injecting momentum and purpose into the show, does chip away at the literary foundations of Nemo as a character. In <em>Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea</em>, the <em>Nautilus</em> is Nemo’s invention, and built to his specifications. Here, Benoit is mainly responsible for the design, and the Company is responsible for the construction. Benoit nevertheless repeatedly insists that without Nemo, “there would be none of this,” and the engine design was his.</p> <p>It’s another moment of telling instead of showing, undercut all the more by the pilot’s closing cliffhanger, which involves some mechanical chicanery in the <em>Nautlius</em>’ guts—and which Nemo is apparently incapable of resolving himself.</p> <p>If we consider that as a prequel, <em>Nautilus </em>is a kind of superhero origin story, it can be forgiven for not immediately giving us the stern, confident, commanding Nemo from Verne’s book. But by making the origin of Nemo’s powers an invention not of his own, as it is in the book, and rather the main tool of Benoit, a colonial man (albeit an altruistic one), and funded by colonial powers, <em>Nautilus</em> undercuts Nemo’s agency.</p> <p>It also undercuts his focus by hiding his motivations and backstory, and being too quick to make Nemo seem villainous. First, by his threat to execute prisoners, and second, by his ramming of a Company ship and hostage-taking. There is a tonal judgement in these story beats, with side characters looking on in a mix of horror and dismay at Nemo as ominous music plays, that reads like the show is more concerned about Nemo being vengeful than with exploring the conditions and backstory that pushed him here. The crew, by comparison, feels lively and interesting, while the captain skulks in his cabin and snarls commands, betraying the trust of his companions almost immediately.</p> <p>This all being said, nine more episodes make up the season run, and if the series can better centre Nemo as a character and as the main driving force of the action, <em>Nautilus </em>can be set up for interesting adventures with a crew of engaging supporting players and a strong purpose. Nemo just needs to be given ample space to show what makes him special as a character—and a hero.</p> <p>Disney+ cancelled <em>Nautilus </em>before it even learned to swim, and AMC rescued it from the depths of obscurity so that US audiences could take a dip in it. If it is a catch worth keeping remains to be seen, but if nothing else, it deserves a chance to be weighed.[end-mark]</p> <p>The post <a href="https://reactormag.com/tv-review-nautilus-premiere-is-engaging-but-can-it-do-justice-to-captain-nemo/"><i>Nautilus</i> Premiere Is Engaging, But Can It Do Justice to Captain Nemo?</a> appeared first on <a href="https://reactormag.com">Reactor</a>.</p><p class="ljsyndicationlink"><a href="https://reactormag.com/tv-review-nautilus-premiere-is-engaging-but-can-it-do-justice-to-captain-nemo/">https://reactormag.com/tv-review-nautilus-premiere-is-engaging-but-can-it-do-justice-to-captain-nemo/</a></p><p class="ljsyndicationlink"><a href="https://reactormag.com/?p=817221">https://reactormag.com/?p=817221</a></p>

The 1990 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Are About to Cowabunga Onto the Big Screen Again

tordotcom_feed

Monday, June 30th, 2025 05:24 pm

Posted by Molly Templeton

https://reactormag.com/teenage-mutant-ninja-turtles-1990-in-theaters/

https://reactormag.com/?p=817261

News Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

The 1990 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Are About to Cowabunga Onto the Big Screen Again

Hope they’re showing it in theaters that serve pizza.

By Molly Templeton

Published on June 30, 2025

Screenshot: New Line Cinema

[Error: Irreparable invalid markup ('<a [...] w-[18px]>') in entry. Owner must fix manually. Raw contents below.]

<p class="syndicationauthor">Posted by Molly Templeton</p><p class="ljsyndicationlink"><a href="https://reactormag.com/teenage-mutant-ninja-turtles-1990-in-theaters/">https://reactormag.com/teenage-mutant-ninja-turtles-1990-in-theaters/</a></p><p class="ljsyndicationlink"><a href="https://reactormag.com/?p=817261">https://reactormag.com/?p=817261</a></p><post-hero class="wp-block-post-hero js-post-hero post-hero post-hero-horizontal"> <div class="container container-desktop"> <div class="flex flex-col mx-auto post-hero-container"> <div class="post-hero-content"> <div class="post-hero-tags font-aktiv text-xs tracking-[0.5px] font-medium uppercase"> <span class="mr-3"> <i class="inline-block w-2 h-2 rounded-full mr-[5px] bg-blue"></i> <a href="https://reactormag.com/articles/news/" class="inline-block link-no-animation" aria-label="Link to term or tag News 0"> News </a> </span> <span class="mr-3"> <i class="inline-block w-2 h-2 rounded-full mr-[5px] bg-blue"></i> <a href="https://reactormag.com/tag/teenage-mutant-ninja-turtles/" class="inline-block link-no-animation" aria-label="Link to term or tag Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 1"> Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles </a> </span> </div> <h2 class="post-hero-title text-h1">The 1990 <i>Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles</i> Are About to Cowabunga Onto the Big Screen Again</h2> <div class="prose post-hero-description prose--post-hero">Hope they’re showing it in theaters that serve pizza.</div> <div class="post-hero-wrapper"> <div class="post-hero-inner"> <p class="post-hero-author text-xs font-aktiv uppercase font-medium [&_a]:link-hover">By <a href="https://reactormag.com/author/molly-templeton/" title="Posts by Molly Templeton" class="author url fn" rel="author">Molly Templeton</a></p> <span class="post-hero-symbol relative top-[-2px] hidden tablet:block">|</span> <p class="text-xs uppercase post-hero-publish font-aktiv"> Published on June 30, 2025 </p> </div> </div> <div class="post-hero-caption post-hero-caption-vertical [&_a]:link"><p>Screenshot: New Line Cinema</p> </div> <div class="quick-access post-hero-quick-access mt-[17px] tablet:hidden"> <div class="flex gap-[30px] tablet:gap-6"> <a href="https://reactormag.com/teenage-mutant-ninja-turtles-1990-in-theaters/#comments" class="flex items-center text-sm font-aktiv tracking-[0.6px] font-semibold uppercase translate-x-[1px] translate-y-[1px]"> <svg class="w-[22px] h-[22px] mr-[7px] icon-hover" viewbox="0 0 18 18" aria-label="comment" role="img" aria-hidden="true" aria-labelledby="icon-comment-quick-access-"> <title id="icon-comment-quick-access-">Comment</title> <g fill="none" fill-rule="evenodd"> <path fill="#FFF" fill-rule="nonzero" d="M6.3 18a.9.9 0 0 1-.9-.9v-2.7H1.8A1.8 1.8 0 0 1 0 12.6V1.8A1.8 1.8 0 0 1 1.8 0h14.4A1.8 1.8 0 0 1 18 1.8v10.8a1.8 1.8 0 0 1-1.8 1.8h-5.49l-3.33 3.339a.917.917 0 0 1-.63.261H6.3Z" /> <path stroke="#000" d="M5.9 14.4v-.5H1.8a1.3 1.3 0 0 1-1.3-1.3V1.8A1.3 1.3 0 0 1 1.8.5h14.4a1.3 1.3 0 0 1 1.3 1.3v10.8a1.3 1.3 0 0 1-1.3 1.3h-5.698l-.146.147-3.324 3.333a.417.417 0 0 1-.282.12H6.3a.4.4 0 0 1-.4-.4v-2.7Z" /> </g> </svg> 0 </a> <details class="relative quick-access-details"> <summary class="quick-access-share flex items-center text-sm font-aktiv tracking-[0.6px] font-semibold uppercase"> <svg class="w-[22px] h-[22px] mr-[7px] icon-hover" viewbox="0 0 22 22" aria-label="share" role="img" aria-hidden="true" aria-labelledby="icon-share-new-quick-access-"> <title id="icon-share-new-quick-access-">Share New</title> <g fill="none" fill-rule="evenodd"> <circle cx="11" cy="11" r="11" fill="#FFF" fill-rule="nonzero" /> <circle cx="11" cy="11" r="10.5" stroke="#000" /> <path fill="#FFF" d="M5.993 13.464c.675 0 1.323-.266 1.806-.743l4.11 2.396a2.639 2.639 0 0 0 .368 2.451 2.583 2.583 0 0 0 2.227 1.043 2.59 2.59 0 0 0 2.09-1.3 2.64 2.64 0 0 0 .08-2.477 2.58 2.58 0 0 0-4.292-.54L8.344 11.94c.28-.616.31-1.319.086-1.958l3.952-2.303a2.564 2.564 0 0 0 4.263-.537 2.623 2.623 0 0 0-.078-2.46 2.573 2.573 0 0 0-2.075-1.293 2.566 2.566 0 0 0-2.213 1.033 2.622 2.622 0 0 0-.37 2.433L7.96 9.158a2.573 2.573 0 0 0-4.316.603 2.632 2.632 0 0 0 .172 2.501 2.58 2.58 0 0 0 2.178 1.202Z" /> <path fill="#000" d="M6.936 9.577c.322 0 .631.137.859.383.228.245.355.577.355.924 0 .347-.127.68-.355.925a1.172 1.172 0 0 1-.859.383c-.322 0-.63-.138-.858-.383a1.36 1.36 0 0 1-.356-.925c0-.347.129-.679.356-.924.228-.245.536-.383.858-.383Zm6.17-3.837c.323 0 .631.138.86.383.227.245.355.578.355.924 0 .347-.128.68-.356.925a1.172 1.172 0 0 1-.858.383c-.322 0-.631-.138-.859-.383a1.36 1.36 0 0 1-.355-.925c0-.346.128-.678.356-.924.227-.245.536-.383.858-.383Zm0 7.883c.323 0 .631.138.86.383.227.245.355.578.355.925 0 .346-.128.679-.356.924a1.171 1.171 0 0 1-.858.383c-.322 0-.631-.138-.859-.383a1.36 1.36 0 0 1-.355-.925c0-.346.128-.678.356-.923.227-.245.536-.383.858-.384Zm-6.17-.681c.499 0 .978-.21 1.334-.586l3.036 1.888a2.194 2.194 0 0 0 .272 1.93c.385.555 1.003.863 1.645.822.641-.04 1.221-.425 1.544-1.024a2.203 2.203 0 0 0 .059-1.952c-.286-.62-.841-1.044-1.48-1.13-.637-.085-1.272.18-1.69.705l-2.984-1.854c.207-.486.23-1.04.064-1.543l2.92-1.815c.415.522 1.046.784 1.68.7.633-.086 1.184-.507 1.468-1.123a2.188 2.188 0 0 0-.058-1.938c-.32-.595-.895-.977-1.532-1.018-.638-.041-1.251.264-1.635.813a2.179 2.179 0 0 0-.273 1.917L8.389 9.55c-.423-.534-1.07-.798-1.715-.702-.645.096-1.2.54-1.472 1.177a2.194 2.194 0 0 0 .126 1.97c.352.59.958.948 1.61.947Z" /> </g> </svg> Share </summary> <div class="quick-access-bubble"> <ul class="flex gap-6 text-black list-none"> <li class="flex"> <a class="flex items-center hover:text-red" href="https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=The 1990 <i>Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles</i> Are About to Cowabunga Onto the Big Screen Again&url=https://reactormag.com/teenage-mutant-ninja-turtles-1990-in-theaters/” target=”_blank” title=”Twitter”> <svg class=" w-[18px]="w-[18px]" h-[15px]"="h-[15px]"" width="18" height="15" viewbox="0 0 18 15" fill="none" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" aria-label="twitter" role="img" aria-hidden="true"> <path d="M17.7143 2.56767C17.2122 3.28347 16.6053 3.89336 15.8934 4.39734C15.9009 4.4996 15.9046 4.65298 15.9046 4.8575C15.9046 5.80703 15.7623 6.75472 15.4775 7.7006C15.1928 8.64649 14.76 9.55401 14.1793 10.4232C13.5986 11.2924 12.9073 12.0611 12.1055 12.7295C11.3037 13.3978 10.3371 13.931 9.20558 14.329C8.07408 14.7271 6.86392 14.9262 5.57505 14.9262C3.54435 14.9262 1.68601 14.3966 0 13.3375C0.262269 13.3667 0.554506 13.3813 0.876722 13.3813C2.56274 13.3813 4.06514 12.8774 5.38397 11.8694C4.59717 11.8548 3.8928 11.6192 3.27085 11.1627C2.6489 10.7062 2.22178 10.1237 1.98949 9.41523C2.23677 9.45175 2.46531 9.47001 2.67513 9.47001C2.99734 9.47001 3.31581 9.42984 3.63053 9.3495C2.79127 9.1815 2.09627 8.77431 1.5455 8.12789C0.99474 7.48148 0.719362 6.73099 0.719362 5.87641V5.83259C1.22891 6.11015 1.77592 6.25988 2.36041 6.28179C1.86584 5.96041 1.47245 5.54043 1.1802 5.02184C0.887961 4.50325 0.741842 3.94084 0.741842 3.3346C0.741842 2.69184 0.906694 2.09656 1.2364 1.54875C2.1431 2.63707 3.24649 3.50807 4.54659 4.16178C5.84669 4.8155 7.23857 5.17887 8.72226 5.25192C8.66232 4.97436 8.63234 4.70411 8.63234 4.44116C8.63234 3.46241 8.9864 2.62793 9.69452 1.9377C10.4027 1.24746 11.2588 0.902344 12.2629 0.902344C13.3119 0.902344 14.1962 1.27485 14.9155 2.01987C15.7323 1.86648 16.5004 1.58162 17.2197 1.16529C16.9425 2.00526 16.4104 2.65532 15.6236 3.11548C16.3205 3.04244 17.0174 2.85984 17.7143 2.56767Z" fill="currentColor" /> <path d="M17.7143 2.56767C17.2122 3.28347 16.6053 3.89336 15.8934 4.39734C15.9009 4.4996 15.9046 4.65298 15.9046 4.8575C15.9046 5.80703 15.7623 6.75472 15.4775 7.7006C15.1928 8.64649 14.76 9.55401 14.1793 10.4232C13.5986 11.2924 12.9073 12.0611 12.1055 12.7295C11.3037 13.3978 10.3371 13.931 9.20558 14.329C8.07408 14.7271 6.86392 14.9262 5.57505 14.9262C3.54435 14.9262 1.68601 14.3966 0 13.3375C0.262269 13.3667 0.554506 13.3813 0.876722 13.3813C2.56274 13.3813 4.06514 12.8774 5.38397 11.8694C4.59717 11.8548 3.8928 11.6192 3.27085 11.1627C2.6489 10.7062 2.22178 10.1237 1.98949 9.41523C2.23677 9.45175 2.46531 9.47001 2.67513 9.47001C2.99734 9.47001 3.31581 9.42984 3.63053 9.3495C2.79127 9.1815 2.09627 8.77431 1.5455 8.12789C0.99474 7.48148 0.719362 6.73099 0.719362 5.87641V5.83259C1.22891 6.11015 1.77592 6.25988 2.36041 6.28179C1.86584 5.96041 1.47245 5.54043 1.1802 5.02184C0.887961 4.50325 0.741842 3.94084 0.741842 3.3346C0.741842 2.69184 0.906694 2.09656 1.2364 1.54875C2.1431 2.63707 3.24649 3.50807 4.54659 4.16178C5.84669 4.8155 7.23857 5.17887 8.72226 5.25192C8.66232 4.97436 8.63234 4.70411 8.63234 4.44116C8.63234 3.46241 8.9864 2.62793 9.69452 1.9377C10.4027 1.24746 11.2588 0.902344 12.2629 0.902344C13.3119 0.902344 14.1962 1.27485 14.9155 2.01987C15.7323 1.86648 16.5004 1.58162 17.2197 1.16529C16.9425 2.00526 16.4104 2.65532 15.6236 3.11548C16.3205 3.04244 17.0174 2.85984 17.7143 2.56767Z" fill="currentColor" fill-opacity="0.2" /> </svg> </a> </li> <li class="flex"> <a class="flex items-center hover:text-red" href="https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https://reactormag.com/teenage-mutant-ninja-turtles-1990-in-theaters/" target="_blank" title="Facebook"> <svg class="w-[9px] h-[18px]" fill="currentColor" viewbox="0 0 12 22" width="100%" height="100%" display="block" transitionduration="normal" transitionproperty="none" transitiontimingfunction="ease-out" class="w-[9px] h-[18px]" aria-label="facebook" role="img" aria-hidden="true"> <path d="M11.558.004L8.677 0C5.44 0 3.349 2.125 3.349 5.416v2.496H.452A.45.45 0 000 8.36v3.618a.45.45 0 00.452.447h2.897v9.127A.45.45 0 003.8 22h3.778c.25 0 .451-.2.451-.448v-9.127h3.387c.25 0 .451-.2.451-.447l.003-3.618a.452.452 0 00-.456-.448h-3.39V5.795c0-1.017.245-1.534 1.582-1.534h1.941c.25 0 .452-.2.452-.447V.457a.45.45 0 00-.452-.448l.01-.005z" fill-rule="nonzero"> </path> </svg> </a> </li> <li class="flex"> <a class="flex items-center hover:text-red" href="https://pinterest.com/pin/create/button/?url=https://reactormag.com/teenage-mutant-ninja-turtles-1990-in-theaters/&media=&description=The 1990 <i>Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles</i> Are About to Cowabunga Onto the Big Screen Again” target=”_blank” title=”Pinterest”> <svg class=" w-[18px]="w-[18px]" h-[18px]"="h-[18px]"" width="18" height="18" viewbox="0 0 18 18" fill="none" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" aria-label="pinterest" role="img" aria-hidden="true"> <path d="M16.4962 4.49458C17.2844 5.84153 17.6786 7.31473 17.6786 8.91423C17.6786 10.5137 17.2844 11.9888 16.4962 13.3396C15.7079 14.6904 14.6384 15.7599 13.2876 16.5482C11.9368 17.3364 10.4617 17.7306 8.86223 17.7306C8.01273 17.7306 7.17856 17.6081 6.35967 17.3632C6.81121 16.6515 7.10967 16.0239 7.25508 15.4806C7.32396 15.2203 7.53059 14.413 7.87498 13.0584C8.02804 13.3568 8.30738 13.6151 8.71299 13.8332C9.1186 14.0513 9.55483 14.1604 10.0217 14.1604C10.9477 14.1604 11.7742 13.8983 12.5013 13.374C13.2283 12.8498 13.7908 12.1285 14.1888 11.2101C14.5867 10.2918 14.7857 9.25862 14.7857 8.11066C14.7857 7.2382 14.558 6.41933 14.1027 5.65402C13.6473 4.88871 12.9872 4.26499 12.1224 3.78285C11.2576 3.3007 10.2819 3.05964 9.19513 3.05964C8.39156 3.05964 7.64157 3.1706 6.94513 3.39254C6.2487 3.61448 5.65751 3.90912 5.17154 4.27647C4.68556 4.64382 4.26848 5.06665 3.92026 5.54497C3.57205 6.02329 3.31567 6.51882 3.15113 7.03157C2.98659 7.54433 2.90432 8.05708 2.90432 8.56984C2.90432 9.36576 3.05738 10.066 3.3635 10.6706C3.66962 11.2752 4.11732 11.6999 4.70661 11.9448C4.93621 12.0367 5.08161 11.9601 5.14284 11.7152C5.15814 11.6617 5.18876 11.5431 5.23467 11.3594C5.28059 11.1757 5.3112 11.0609 5.32651 11.015C5.37243 10.839 5.33034 10.6744 5.20024 10.5214C4.80993 10.0545 4.61478 9.47673 4.61478 8.78795C4.61478 7.63233 5.01464 6.63936 5.81439 5.809C6.61414 4.97864 7.66069 4.56346 8.95406 4.56346C10.1097 4.56346 11.0108 4.87723 11.6575 5.50479C12.3042 6.13234 12.6275 6.94739 12.6275 7.94994C12.6275 9.25097 12.3654 10.3568 11.8412 11.2675C11.3169 12.1783 10.6454 12.6336 9.82651 12.6336C9.35967 12.6336 8.98468 12.4672 8.70151 12.1343C8.41835 11.8013 8.33034 11.4015 8.43748 10.9346C8.49871 10.6668 8.60011 10.309 8.74169 9.86129C8.88327 9.41359 8.99807 9.01946 9.08608 8.67889C9.17409 8.33833 9.21809 8.04943 9.21809 7.81219C9.21809 7.42953 9.11478 7.11193 8.90814 6.85938C8.70151 6.60683 8.40687 6.48055 8.02422 6.48055C7.54972 6.48055 7.14794 6.69866 6.81886 7.13489C6.48977 7.57112 6.32524 8.11448 6.32524 8.76499C6.32524 9.32367 6.4209 9.7905 6.61223 10.1655L5.47575 14.964C5.34564 15.4997 5.2959 16.177 5.32651 16.9959C3.74997 16.2994 2.47575 15.2242 1.50381 13.7701C0.531863 12.316 0.0458984 10.6974 0.0458984 8.91423C0.0458984 7.31473 0.440027 5.83962 1.2283 4.48884C2.01657 3.13807 3.08607 2.06857 4.43684 1.2803C5.78761 0.492029 7.26273 0.0979004 8.86223 0.0979004C10.4617 0.0979004 11.9368 0.492029 13.2876 1.2803C14.6384 2.06857 15.7079 3.13999 16.4962 4.49458Z" fill="currentColor" /> <path d="M16.4962 4.49458C17.2844 5.84153 17.6786 7.31473 17.6786 8.91423C17.6786 10.5137 17.2844 11.9888 16.4962 13.3396C15.7079 14.6904 14.6384 15.7599 13.2876 16.5482C11.9368 17.3364 10.4617 17.7306 8.86223 17.7306C8.01273 17.7306 7.17856 17.6081 6.35967 17.3632C6.81121 16.6515 7.10967 16.0239 7.25508 15.4806C7.32396 15.2203 7.53059 14.413 7.87498 13.0584C8.02804 13.3568 8.30738 13.6151 8.71299 13.8332C9.1186 14.0513 9.55483 14.1604 10.0217 14.1604C10.9477 14.1604 11.7742 13.8983 12.5013 13.374C13.2283 12.8498 13.7908 12.1285 14.1888 11.2101C14.5867 10.2918 14.7857 9.25862 14.7857 8.11066C14.7857 7.2382 14.558 6.41933 14.1027 5.65402C13.6473 4.88871 12.9872 4.26499 12.1224 3.78285C11.2576 3.3007 10.2819 3.05964 9.19513 3.05964C8.39156 3.05964 7.64157 3.1706 6.94513 3.39254C6.2487 3.61448 5.65751 3.90912 5.17154 4.27647C4.68556 4.64382 4.26848 5.06665 3.92026 5.54497C3.57205 6.02329 3.31567 6.51882 3.15113 7.03157C2.98659 7.54433 2.90432 8.05708 2.90432 8.56984C2.90432 9.36576 3.05738 10.066 3.3635 10.6706C3.66962 11.2752 4.11732 11.6999 4.70661 11.9448C4.93621 12.0367 5.08161 11.9601 5.14284 11.7152C5.15814 11.6617 5.18876 11.5431 5.23467 11.3594C5.28059 11.1757 5.3112 11.0609 5.32651 11.015C5.37243 10.839 5.33034 10.6744 5.20024 10.5214C4.80993 10.0545 4.61478 9.47673 4.61478 8.78795C4.61478 7.63233 5.01464 6.63936 5.81439 5.809C6.61414 4.97864 7.66069 4.56346 8.95406 4.56346C10.1097 4.56346 11.0108 4.87723 11.6575 5.50479C12.3042 6.13234 12.6275 6.94739 12.6275 7.94994C12.6275 9.25097 12.3654 10.3568 11.8412 11.2675C11.3169 12.1783 10.6454 12.6336 9.82651 12.6336C9.35967 12.6336 8.98468 12.4672 8.70151 12.1343C8.41835 11.8013 8.33034 11.4015 8.43748 10.9346C8.49871 10.6668 8.60011 10.309 8.74169 9.86129C8.88327 9.41359 8.99807 9.01946 9.08608 8.67889C9.17409 8.33833 9.21809 8.04943 9.21809 7.81219C9.21809 7.42953 9.11478 7.11193 8.90814 6.85938C8.70151 6.60683 8.40687 6.48055 8.02422 6.48055C7.54972 6.48055 7.14794 6.69866 6.81886 7.13489C6.48977 7.57112 6.32524 8.11448 6.32524 8.76499C6.32524 9.32367 6.4209 9.7905 6.61223 10.1655L5.47575 14.964C5.34564 15.4997 5.2959 16.177 5.32651 16.9959C3.74997 16.2994 2.47575 15.2242 1.50381 13.7701C0.531863 12.316 0.0458984 10.6974 0.0458984 8.91423C0.0458984 7.31473 0.440027 5.83962 1.2283 4.48884C2.01657 3.13807 3.08607 2.06857 4.43684 1.2803C5.78761 0.492029 7.26273 0.0979004 8.86223 0.0979004C10.4617 0.0979004 11.9368 0.492029 13.2876 1.2803C14.6384 2.06857 15.7079 3.13999 16.4962 4.49458Z" fill="currentColor" fill-opacity="0.2" /> </svg> </a> </li> <li class="flex"> <a class="flex items-center hover:text-red" href="https://reactormag.com/feed/" target="_blank" title="RSS Feed"> <svg class="w-[17px] h-[17px]" width="18" height="18" viewbox="0 0 18 18" fill="none" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" aria-label="rss feed" role="img" aria-hidden="true"> <g clip-path="url(#clip0_1051_121783)"> <path d="M2.67871 17.4143C2.12871 17.4143 1.65771 17.2183 1.26571 16.8263C0.873713 16.4343 0.678046 15.9636 0.678713 15.4143C0.678713 14.8643 0.874713 14.3933 1.26671 14.0013C1.65871 13.6093 2.12938 13.4136 2.67871 13.4143C3.22871 13.4143 3.69971 13.6103 4.09171 14.0023C4.48371 14.3943 4.67938 14.865 4.67871 15.4143C4.67871 15.9643 4.48271 16.4353 4.09071 16.8273C3.69871 17.2193 3.22805 17.415 2.67871 17.4143ZM14.6787 17.4143C14.6787 15.481 14.312 13.6683 13.5787 11.9763C12.8454 10.2843 11.841 8.80097 10.5657 7.52631C9.29171 6.25164 7.80871 5.24764 6.11671 4.51431C4.42471 3.78097 2.61205 3.41431 0.678713 3.41431V0.414307C3.02871 0.414307 5.23705 0.860306 7.30371 1.75231C9.37038 2.64431 11.1704 3.85664 12.7037 5.38931C14.237 6.92264 15.4497 8.72264 16.3417 10.7893C17.2337 12.856 17.6794 15.0643 17.6787 17.4143H14.6787ZM8.67871 17.4143C8.67871 15.1976 7.89971 13.31 6.34171 11.7513C4.78371 10.1926 2.89605 9.41364 0.678713 9.41431V6.41431C2.21205 6.41431 3.64538 6.70197 4.97871 7.27731C6.31205 7.85264 7.47471 8.63597 8.46671 9.62731C9.45805 10.6186 10.2414 11.781 10.8167 13.1143C11.392 14.4476 11.6794 15.881 11.6787 17.4143H8.67871Z" fill="currentColor" /> <path d="M2.67871 17.4143C2.12871 17.4143 1.65771 17.2183 1.26571 16.8263C0.873713 16.4343 0.678046 15.9636 0.678713 15.4143C0.678713 14.8643 0.874713 14.3933 1.26671 14.0013C1.65871 13.6093 2.12938 13.4136 2.67871 13.4143C3.22871 13.4143 3.69971 13.6103 4.09171 14.0023C4.48371 14.3943 4.67938 14.865 4.67871 15.4143C4.67871 15.9643 4.48271 16.4353 4.09071 16.8273C3.69871 17.2193 3.22805 17.415 2.67871 17.4143ZM14.6787 17.4143C14.6787 15.481 14.312 13.6683 13.5787 11.9763C12.8454 10.2843 11.841 8.80097 10.5657 7.52631C9.29171 6.25164 7.80871 5.24764 6.11671 4.51431C4.42471 3.78097 2.61205 3.41431 0.678713 3.41431V0.414307C3.02871 0.414307 5.23705 0.860306 7.30371 1.75231C9.37038 2.64431 11.1704 3.85664 12.7037 5.38931C14.237 6.92264 15.4497 8.72264 16.3417 10.7893C17.2337 12.856 17.6794 15.0643 17.6787 17.4143H14.6787ZM8.67871 17.4143C8.67871 15.1976 7.89971 13.31 6.34171 11.7513C4.78371 10.1926 2.89605 9.41364 0.678713 9.41431V6.41431C2.21205 6.41431 3.64538 6.70197 4.97871 7.27731C6.31205 7.85264 7.47471 8.63597 8.46671 9.62731C9.45805 10.6186 10.2414 11.781 10.8167 13.1143C11.392 14.4476 11.6794 15.881 11.6787 17.4143H8.67871Z" fill="currentColor" fill-opacity="0.2" /> </g> <defs> <clippath id="clip0_1051_121783"> <rect width="17" height="17" fill="white" transform="translate(0.678711 0.414307)" /> </clippath> </defs> </svg> </a> </li> </ul> </div> </details> </div> </div> </div> <div class="post-hero-media "> <figure class="w-full h-auto post-hero-image"> <img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="740" height="493" src="https://reactormag.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/TMNT-1990-740x493.jpg" class="w-full object-cover" alt="A screenshot from the trailer for the 1990 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles film" srcset="https://reactormag.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/TMNT-1990-740x493.jpg 740w, https://reactormag.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/TMNT-1990-1100x733.jpg 1100w, https://reactormag.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/TMNT-1990-768x512.jpg 768w, https://reactormag.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/TMNT-1990.jpg 1500w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 740px) 100vw, 740px" /> </figure> <div class="post-hero-caption post-hero-caption-horizontal [&_a]:link"><p>Screenshot: New Line Cinema</p> </div> </div> </div> </div> </post-hero> <div class="wp-block-more-from-category"> <div> </div> </div> <p>If you were a certain kind of child of the ’80s and ’90s, Elias Koteas was IT. He was a surly punk in <em>Some Kind of Wonderful</em> (the actual best John Hughes-written movie) and he was Casey Jones in <em>Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles</em>. The only Casey Jones necessary (with apologies to all those who have come along in his wake). </p> <p>The 1990 <em>Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles</em> film was not exactly high art—and it is, shall we say, very of its time. But it did help me survive babysitting a screaming redheaded terror. And one of the film’s greatest qualities is—as <a href="https://gizmodo.com/teenage-mutant-ninja-turtles-1990-re-release-new-footage-tmnt-2000622059" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">James Whitbrook so aptly puts it at io9</a>—”Judith Hoag and Elias Koteas creating a pre-<em>Mummy</em> cinematic bisexual crisis as April O’Neil and Casey Jones.”</p> <p>Naturally, a film like this needs an anniversary release, no? And that’s what it’s getting courtesy of Fathom Entertainment: Two nights! In cinemas! With additional footage!</p> <p>Here’s the synopsis Fathom provides:</p> <figure class="wp-block-pullquote has-text-align-left"><blockquote><p>Four baby turtles come in contact with a mysterious substance called ooze and then are transformed into human sized crime fighters. The leader of the turtles is a human sized rat who has come into contact with the same green ooze. The rat was a former pet of a ninja master and therefore uses his skills to train the four turtles in martial arts. They befriend a local journalist and with her help attempt to find the group behind a crime wave in New York City. Starring Josh Pais (<em>The Station Agent,</em> <em>A Beautiful Mind</em>), Elias Koteas (<em>Zodiac</em>, <em>Fallen</em>), and Judith Hoag (<em>Armageddon</em>, <em>Cadillac Man</em>).<br><br>The turtles live again… In the “Turtles Unmasked” featurette before the movie, produced in collaboration with the creators of TMNT: Evolution, Mutation & Reboot, experience never-before-seen footage from the archives, extended scenes left to history on the cutting room floor, home-recorded behind-the-scenes footage, and 1-on-1 time and commentary with the Director Steve Barron, as he reflects on the day-to-day in crafting the absolute best version of Turtles brought to the big screen.</p></blockquote></figure> <p>The absolute best! Look, they said it, not me.</p> <p>Director Barron has most recently been working on an assortment of televised murder mysteries—and the David Tennant-starring <em>Around the World in 80 Days</em>. As for the Turtles, they’ve been quite busy; I truly cannot begin to summarize the number of <em>TMNT</em> projects, cartoons, games, and comics that have been running since Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird created the Turtles in the 1980s. The latest movie version, <em>Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem</em>, came out in 2023; a sequel is due in 2027.</p> <p>Get your tickets for these limited showings of the first TMNT film from <a href="https://www.fathomentertainment.com/releases/teenage-mutant-ninja-turtles-35th-anniversary/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Fathom Entertainment.</a> Side note: The runtime of this film is 1 hour 40 minutes. This is a normal runtime for a movie about mutant turtles, or any other kind of mutants, for that matter. Marvel: take note. [end-mark] </p> <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> <site-embed id="15942"/> </div></figure> <p>The post <a href="https://reactormag.com/teenage-mutant-ninja-turtles-1990-in-theaters/">The 1990 <i>Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles</i> Are About to Cowabunga Onto the Big Screen Again</a> appeared first on <a href="https://reactormag.com">Reactor</a>.</p><p class="ljsyndicationlink"><a href="https://reactormag.com/teenage-mutant-ninja-turtles-1990-in-theaters/">https://reactormag.com/teenage-mutant-ninja-turtles-1990-in-theaters/</a></p><p class="ljsyndicationlink"><a href="https://reactormag.com/?p=817261">https://reactormag.com/?p=817261</a></p>

Babylon 5 Rewatch: “Interludes and Examinations”

tordotcom_feed

Monday, June 30th, 2025 05:00 pm

Posted by Sarah

https://reactormag.com/babylon-5-rewatch-interludes-and-examinations/

https://reactormag.com/?p=817239

Column Babylon 5 Rewatch

Babylon 5 Rewatch: “Interludes and Examinations”

Sheridan’s first victory against the Shadows comes at a price…

By Keith R.A. DeCandido

Published on June 30, 2025

Credit: Warner Bros. Television

[Error: Irreparable invalid markup ('<a [...] h-[15px]">') in entry. Owner must fix manually. Raw contents below.]

<p class="syndicationauthor">Posted by Sarah</p><p class="ljsyndicationlink"><a href="https://reactormag.com/babylon-5-rewatch-interludes-and-examinations/">https://reactormag.com/babylon-5-rewatch-interludes-and-examinations/</a></p><p class="ljsyndicationlink"><a href="https://reactormag.com/?p=817239">https://reactormag.com/?p=817239</a></p><post-hero class="wp-block-post-hero js-post-hero post-hero post-hero-horizontal"> <div class="container container-desktop"> <div class="flex flex-col mx-auto post-hero-container"> <div class="post-hero-content"> <div class="post-hero-tags font-aktiv text-xs tracking-[0.5px] font-medium uppercase"> <span class="mr-3"> <i class="inline-block w-2 h-2 rounded-full mr-[5px] bg-blue"></i> <a href="https://reactormag.com/articles/column/" class="inline-block link-no-animation" aria-label="Link to term or tag Column 0"> Column </a> </span> <span class="mr-3"> <i class="inline-block w-2 h-2 rounded-full mr-[5px] bg-blue"></i> <a href="https://reactormag.com/tag/babylon-5-rewatch/" class="inline-block link-no-animation" aria-label="Link to term or tag Babylon 5 Rewatch 1"> Babylon 5 Rewatch </a> </span> </div> <h2 class="post-hero-title text-h1"><i>Babylon 5</i> Rewatch: “Interludes and Examinations”</h2> <div class="prose post-hero-description prose--post-hero">Sheridan’s first victory against the Shadows comes at a price…</div> <div class="post-hero-wrapper"> <div class="post-hero-inner"> <p class="post-hero-author text-xs font-aktiv uppercase font-medium [&_a]:link-hover">By <a href="https://reactormag.com/author/keith-decandido/" title="Posts by Keith R.A. DeCandido" class="author url fn" rel="author">Keith R.A. DeCandido</a></p> <span class="post-hero-symbol relative top-[-2px] hidden tablet:block">|</span> <p class="text-xs uppercase post-hero-publish font-aktiv"> Published on June 30, 2025 </p> </div> </div> <div class="post-hero-caption post-hero-caption-vertical [&_a]:link"><p>Credit: Warner Bros. Television</p> </div> <div class="quick-access post-hero-quick-access mt-[17px] tablet:hidden"> <div class="flex gap-[30px] tablet:gap-6"> <a href="https://reactormag.com/babylon-5-rewatch-interludes-and-examinations/#comments" class="flex items-center text-sm font-aktiv tracking-[0.6px] font-semibold uppercase translate-x-[1px] translate-y-[1px]"> <svg class="w-[22px] h-[22px] mr-[7px] icon-hover" viewbox="0 0 18 18" aria-label="comment" role="img" aria-hidden="true" aria-labelledby="icon-comment-quick-access-"> <title id="icon-comment-quick-access-">Comment</title> <g fill="none" fill-rule="evenodd"> <path fill="#FFF" fill-rule="nonzero" d="M6.3 18a.9.9 0 0 1-.9-.9v-2.7H1.8A1.8 1.8 0 0 1 0 12.6V1.8A1.8 1.8 0 0 1 1.8 0h14.4A1.8 1.8 0 0 1 18 1.8v10.8a1.8 1.8 0 0 1-1.8 1.8h-5.49l-3.33 3.339a.917.917 0 0 1-.63.261H6.3Z" /> <path stroke="#000" d="M5.9 14.4v-.5H1.8a1.3 1.3 0 0 1-1.3-1.3V1.8A1.3 1.3 0 0 1 1.8.5h14.4a1.3 1.3 0 0 1 1.3 1.3v10.8a1.3 1.3 0 0 1-1.3 1.3h-5.698l-.146.147-3.324 3.333a.417.417 0 0 1-.282.12H6.3a.4.4 0 0 1-.4-.4v-2.7Z" /> </g> </svg> 54 </a> <details class="relative quick-access-details"> <summary class="quick-access-share flex items-center text-sm font-aktiv tracking-[0.6px] font-semibold uppercase"> <svg class="w-[22px] h-[22px] mr-[7px] icon-hover" viewbox="0 0 22 22" aria-label="share" role="img" aria-hidden="true" aria-labelledby="icon-share-new-quick-access-"> <title id="icon-share-new-quick-access-">Share New</title> <g fill="none" fill-rule="evenodd"> <circle cx="11" cy="11" r="11" fill="#FFF" fill-rule="nonzero" /> <circle cx="11" cy="11" r="10.5" stroke="#000" /> <path fill="#FFF" d="M5.993 13.464c.675 0 1.323-.266 1.806-.743l4.11 2.396a2.639 2.639 0 0 0 .368 2.451 2.583 2.583 0 0 0 2.227 1.043 2.59 2.59 0 0 0 2.09-1.3 2.64 2.64 0 0 0 .08-2.477 2.58 2.58 0 0 0-4.292-.54L8.344 11.94c.28-.616.31-1.319.086-1.958l3.952-2.303a2.564 2.564 0 0 0 4.263-.537 2.623 2.623 0 0 0-.078-2.46 2.573 2.573 0 0 0-2.075-1.293 2.566 2.566 0 0 0-2.213 1.033 2.622 2.622 0 0 0-.37 2.433L7.96 9.158a2.573 2.573 0 0 0-4.316.603 2.632 2.632 0 0 0 .172 2.501 2.58 2.58 0 0 0 2.178 1.202Z" /> <path fill="#000" d="M6.936 9.577c.322 0 .631.137.859.383.228.245.355.577.355.924 0 .347-.127.68-.355.925a1.172 1.172 0 0 1-.859.383c-.322 0-.63-.138-.858-.383a1.36 1.36 0 0 1-.356-.925c0-.347.129-.679.356-.924.228-.245.536-.383.858-.383Zm6.17-3.837c.323 0 .631.138.86.383.227.245.355.578.355.924 0 .347-.128.68-.356.925a1.172 1.172 0 0 1-.858.383c-.322 0-.631-.138-.859-.383a1.36 1.36 0 0 1-.355-.925c0-.346.128-.678.356-.924.227-.245.536-.383.858-.383Zm0 7.883c.323 0 .631.138.86.383.227.245.355.578.355.925 0 .346-.128.679-.356.924a1.171 1.171 0 0 1-.858.383c-.322 0-.631-.138-.859-.383a1.36 1.36 0 0 1-.355-.925c0-.346.128-.678.356-.923.227-.245.536-.383.858-.384Zm-6.17-.681c.499 0 .978-.21 1.334-.586l3.036 1.888a2.194 2.194 0 0 0 .272 1.93c.385.555 1.003.863 1.645.822.641-.04 1.221-.425 1.544-1.024a2.203 2.203 0 0 0 .059-1.952c-.286-.62-.841-1.044-1.48-1.13-.637-.085-1.272.18-1.69.705l-2.984-1.854c.207-.486.23-1.04.064-1.543l2.92-1.815c.415.522 1.046.784 1.68.7.633-.086 1.184-.507 1.468-1.123a2.188 2.188 0 0 0-.058-1.938c-.32-.595-.895-.977-1.532-1.018-.638-.041-1.251.264-1.635.813a2.179 2.179 0 0 0-.273 1.917L8.389 9.55c-.423-.534-1.07-.798-1.715-.702-.645.096-1.2.54-1.472 1.177a2.194 2.194 0 0 0 .126 1.97c.352.59.958.948 1.61.947Z" /> </g> </svg> Share </summary> <div class="quick-access-bubble"> <ul class="flex gap-6 text-black list-none"> <li class="flex"> <a class="flex items-center hover:text-red" href="https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=<i>Babylon 5</i> Rewatch: âInterludes and Examinationsâ&url=https://reactormag.com/babylon-5-rewatch-interludes-and-examinations/” target=”_blank” title=”Twitter”> <svg class=" w-[18px]="w-[18px]" h-[15px]"="h-[15px]"" width="18" height="15" viewbox="0 0 18 15" fill="none" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" aria-label="twitter" role="img" aria-hidden="true"> <path d="M17.7143 2.56767C17.2122 3.28347 16.6053 3.89336 15.8934 4.39734C15.9009 4.4996 15.9046 4.65298 15.9046 4.8575C15.9046 5.80703 15.7623 6.75472 15.4775 7.7006C15.1928 8.64649 14.76 9.55401 14.1793 10.4232C13.5986 11.2924 12.9073 12.0611 12.1055 12.7295C11.3037 13.3978 10.3371 13.931 9.20558 14.329C8.07408 14.7271 6.86392 14.9262 5.57505 14.9262C3.54435 14.9262 1.68601 14.3966 0 13.3375C0.262269 13.3667 0.554506 13.3813 0.876722 13.3813C2.56274 13.3813 4.06514 12.8774 5.38397 11.8694C4.59717 11.8548 3.8928 11.6192 3.27085 11.1627C2.6489 10.7062 2.22178 10.1237 1.98949 9.41523C2.23677 9.45175 2.46531 9.47001 2.67513 9.47001C2.99734 9.47001 3.31581 9.42984 3.63053 9.3495C2.79127 9.1815 2.09627 8.77431 1.5455 8.12789C0.99474 7.48148 0.719362 6.73099 0.719362 5.87641V5.83259C1.22891 6.11015 1.77592 6.25988 2.36041 6.28179C1.86584 5.96041 1.47245 5.54043 1.1802 5.02184C0.887961 4.50325 0.741842 3.94084 0.741842 3.3346C0.741842 2.69184 0.906694 2.09656 1.2364 1.54875C2.1431 2.63707 3.24649 3.50807 4.54659 4.16178C5.84669 4.8155 7.23857 5.17887 8.72226 5.25192C8.66232 4.97436 8.63234 4.70411 8.63234 4.44116C8.63234 3.46241 8.9864 2.62793 9.69452 1.9377C10.4027 1.24746 11.2588 0.902344 12.2629 0.902344C13.3119 0.902344 14.1962 1.27485 14.9155 2.01987C15.7323 1.86648 16.5004 1.58162 17.2197 1.16529C16.9425 2.00526 16.4104 2.65532 15.6236 3.11548C16.3205 3.04244 17.0174 2.85984 17.7143 2.56767Z" fill="currentColor" /> <path d="M17.7143 2.56767C17.2122 3.28347 16.6053 3.89336 15.8934 4.39734C15.9009 4.4996 15.9046 4.65298 15.9046 4.8575C15.9046 5.80703 15.7623 6.75472 15.4775 7.7006C15.1928 8.64649 14.76 9.55401 14.1793 10.4232C13.5986 11.2924 12.9073 12.0611 12.1055 12.7295C11.3037 13.3978 10.3371 13.931 9.20558 14.329C8.07408 14.7271 6.86392 14.9262 5.57505 14.9262C3.54435 14.9262 1.68601 14.3966 0 13.3375C0.262269 13.3667 0.554506 13.3813 0.876722 13.3813C2.56274 13.3813 4.06514 12.8774 5.38397 11.8694C4.59717 11.8548 3.8928 11.6192 3.27085 11.1627C2.6489 10.7062 2.22178 10.1237 1.98949 9.41523C2.23677 9.45175 2.46531 9.47001 2.67513 9.47001C2.99734 9.47001 3.31581 9.42984 3.63053 9.3495C2.79127 9.1815 2.09627 8.77431 1.5455 8.12789C0.99474 7.48148 0.719362 6.73099 0.719362 5.87641V5.83259C1.22891 6.11015 1.77592 6.25988 2.36041 6.28179C1.86584 5.96041 1.47245 5.54043 1.1802 5.02184C0.887961 4.50325 0.741842 3.94084 0.741842 3.3346C0.741842 2.69184 0.906694 2.09656 1.2364 1.54875C2.1431 2.63707 3.24649 3.50807 4.54659 4.16178C5.84669 4.8155 7.23857 5.17887 8.72226 5.25192C8.66232 4.97436 8.63234 4.70411 8.63234 4.44116C8.63234 3.46241 8.9864 2.62793 9.69452 1.9377C10.4027 1.24746 11.2588 0.902344 12.2629 0.902344C13.3119 0.902344 14.1962 1.27485 14.9155 2.01987C15.7323 1.86648 16.5004 1.58162 17.2197 1.16529C16.9425 2.00526 16.4104 2.65532 15.6236 3.11548C16.3205 3.04244 17.0174 2.85984 17.7143 2.56767Z" fill="currentColor" fill-opacity="0.2" /> </svg> </a> </li> <li class="flex"> <a class="flex items-center hover:text-red" href="https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https://reactormag.com/babylon-5-rewatch-interludes-and-examinations/" target="_blank" title="Facebook"> <svg class="w-[9px] h-[18px]" fill="currentColor" viewbox="0 0 12 22" width="100%" height="100%" display="block" transitionduration="normal" transitionproperty="none" transitiontimingfunction="ease-out" class="w-[9px] h-[18px]" aria-label="facebook" role="img" aria-hidden="true"> <path d="M11.558.004L8.677 0C5.44 0 3.349 2.125 3.349 5.416v2.496H.452A.45.45 0 000 8.36v3.618a.45.45 0 00.452.447h2.897v9.127A.45.45 0 003.8 22h3.778c.25 0 .451-.2.451-.448v-9.127h3.387c.25 0 .451-.2.451-.447l.003-3.618a.452.452 0 00-.456-.448h-3.39V5.795c0-1.017.245-1.534 1.582-1.534h1.941c.25 0 .452-.2.452-.447V.457a.45.45 0 00-.452-.448l.01-.005z" fill-rule="nonzero"> </path> </svg> </a> </li> <li class="flex"> <a class="flex items-center hover:text-red" href="https://pinterest.com/pin/create/button/?url=https://reactormag.com/babylon-5-rewatch-interludes-and-examinations/&media=&description=<i>Babylon 5</i> Rewatch: âInterludes and Examinationsâ” target=”_blank” title=”Pinterest”> <svg class=" w-[18px]="w-[18px]" h-[18px]"="h-[18px]"" width="18" height="18" viewbox="0 0 18 18" fill="none" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" aria-label="pinterest" role="img" aria-hidden="true"> <path d="M16.4962 4.49458C17.2844 5.84153 17.6786 7.31473 17.6786 8.91423C17.6786 10.5137 17.2844 11.9888 16.4962 13.3396C15.7079 14.6904 14.6384 15.7599 13.2876 16.5482C11.9368 17.3364 10.4617 17.7306 8.86223 17.7306C8.01273 17.7306 7.17856 17.6081 6.35967 17.3632C6.81121 16.6515 7.10967 16.0239 7.25508 15.4806C7.32396 15.2203 7.53059 14.413 7.87498 13.0584C8.02804 13.3568 8.30738 13.6151 8.71299 13.8332C9.1186 14.0513 9.55483 14.1604 10.0217 14.1604C10.9477 14.1604 11.7742 13.8983 12.5013 13.374C13.2283 12.8498 13.7908 12.1285 14.1888 11.2101C14.5867 10.2918 14.7857 9.25862 14.7857 8.11066C14.7857 7.2382 14.558 6.41933 14.1027 5.65402C13.6473 4.88871 12.9872 4.26499 12.1224 3.78285C11.2576 3.3007 10.2819 3.05964 9.19513 3.05964C8.39156 3.05964 7.64157 3.1706 6.94513 3.39254C6.2487 3.61448 5.65751 3.90912 5.17154 4.27647C4.68556 4.64382 4.26848 5.06665 3.92026 5.54497C3.57205 6.02329 3.31567 6.51882 3.15113 7.03157C2.98659 7.54433 2.90432 8.05708 2.90432 8.56984C2.90432 9.36576 3.05738 10.066 3.3635 10.6706C3.66962 11.2752 4.11732 11.6999 4.70661 11.9448C4.93621 12.0367 5.08161 11.9601 5.14284 11.7152C5.15814 11.6617 5.18876 11.5431 5.23467 11.3594C5.28059 11.1757 5.3112 11.0609 5.32651 11.015C5.37243 10.839 5.33034 10.6744 5.20024 10.5214C4.80993 10.0545 4.61478 9.47673 4.61478 8.78795C4.61478 7.63233 5.01464 6.63936 5.81439 5.809C6.61414 4.97864 7.66069 4.56346 8.95406 4.56346C10.1097 4.56346 11.0108 4.87723 11.6575 5.50479C12.3042 6.13234 12.6275 6.94739 12.6275 7.94994C12.6275 9.25097 12.3654 10.3568 11.8412 11.2675C11.3169 12.1783 10.6454 12.6336 9.82651 12.6336C9.35967 12.6336 8.98468 12.4672 8.70151 12.1343C8.41835 11.8013 8.33034 11.4015 8.43748 10.9346C8.49871 10.6668 8.60011 10.309 8.74169 9.86129C8.88327 9.41359 8.99807 9.01946 9.08608 8.67889C9.17409 8.33833 9.21809 8.04943 9.21809 7.81219C9.21809 7.42953 9.11478 7.11193 8.90814 6.85938C8.70151 6.60683 8.40687 6.48055 8.02422 6.48055C7.54972 6.48055 7.14794 6.69866 6.81886 7.13489C6.48977 7.57112 6.32524 8.11448 6.32524 8.76499C6.32524 9.32367 6.4209 9.7905 6.61223 10.1655L5.47575 14.964C5.34564 15.4997 5.2959 16.177 5.32651 16.9959C3.74997 16.2994 2.47575 15.2242 1.50381 13.7701C0.531863 12.316 0.0458984 10.6974 0.0458984 8.91423C0.0458984 7.31473 0.440027 5.83962 1.2283 4.48884C2.01657 3.13807 3.08607 2.06857 4.43684 1.2803C5.78761 0.492029 7.26273 0.0979004 8.86223 0.0979004C10.4617 0.0979004 11.9368 0.492029 13.2876 1.2803C14.6384 2.06857 15.7079 3.13999 16.4962 4.49458Z" fill="currentColor" /> <path d="M16.4962 4.49458C17.2844 5.84153 17.6786 7.31473 17.6786 8.91423C17.6786 10.5137 17.2844 11.9888 16.4962 13.3396C15.7079 14.6904 14.6384 15.7599 13.2876 16.5482C11.9368 17.3364 10.4617 17.7306 8.86223 17.7306C8.01273 17.7306 7.17856 17.6081 6.35967 17.3632C6.81121 16.6515 7.10967 16.0239 7.25508 15.4806C7.32396 15.2203 7.53059 14.413 7.87498 13.0584C8.02804 13.3568 8.30738 13.6151 8.71299 13.8332C9.1186 14.0513 9.55483 14.1604 10.0217 14.1604C10.9477 14.1604 11.7742 13.8983 12.5013 13.374C13.2283 12.8498 13.7908 12.1285 14.1888 11.2101C14.5867 10.2918 14.7857 9.25862 14.7857 8.11066C14.7857 7.2382 14.558 6.41933 14.1027 5.65402C13.6473 4.88871 12.9872 4.26499 12.1224 3.78285C11.2576 3.3007 10.2819 3.05964 9.19513 3.05964C8.39156 3.05964 7.64157 3.1706 6.94513 3.39254C6.2487 3.61448 5.65751 3.90912 5.17154 4.27647C4.68556 4.64382 4.26848 5.06665 3.92026 5.54497C3.57205 6.02329 3.31567 6.51882 3.15113 7.03157C2.98659 7.54433 2.90432 8.05708 2.90432 8.56984C2.90432 9.36576 3.05738 10.066 3.3635 10.6706C3.66962 11.2752 4.11732 11.6999 4.70661 11.9448C4.93621 12.0367 5.08161 11.9601 5.14284 11.7152C5.15814 11.6617 5.18876 11.5431 5.23467 11.3594C5.28059 11.1757 5.3112 11.0609 5.32651 11.015C5.37243 10.839 5.33034 10.6744 5.20024 10.5214C4.80993 10.0545 4.61478 9.47673 4.61478 8.78795C4.61478 7.63233 5.01464 6.63936 5.81439 5.809C6.61414 4.97864 7.66069 4.56346 8.95406 4.56346C10.1097 4.56346 11.0108 4.87723 11.6575 5.50479C12.3042 6.13234 12.6275 6.94739 12.6275 7.94994C12.6275 9.25097 12.3654 10.3568 11.8412 11.2675C11.3169 12.1783 10.6454 12.6336 9.82651 12.6336C9.35967 12.6336 8.98468 12.4672 8.70151 12.1343C8.41835 11.8013 8.33034 11.4015 8.43748 10.9346C8.49871 10.6668 8.60011 10.309 8.74169 9.86129C8.88327 9.41359 8.99807 9.01946 9.08608 8.67889C9.17409 8.33833 9.21809 8.04943 9.21809 7.81219C9.21809 7.42953 9.11478 7.11193 8.90814 6.85938C8.70151 6.60683 8.40687 6.48055 8.02422 6.48055C7.54972 6.48055 7.14794 6.69866 6.81886 7.13489C6.48977 7.57112 6.32524 8.11448 6.32524 8.76499C6.32524 9.32367 6.4209 9.7905 6.61223 10.1655L5.47575 14.964C5.34564 15.4997 5.2959 16.177 5.32651 16.9959C3.74997 16.2994 2.47575 15.2242 1.50381 13.7701C0.531863 12.316 0.0458984 10.6974 0.0458984 8.91423C0.0458984 7.31473 0.440027 5.83962 1.2283 4.48884C2.01657 3.13807 3.08607 2.06857 4.43684 1.2803C5.78761 0.492029 7.26273 0.0979004 8.86223 0.0979004C10.4617 0.0979004 11.9368 0.492029 13.2876 1.2803C14.6384 2.06857 15.7079 3.13999 16.4962 4.49458Z" fill="currentColor" fill-opacity="0.2" /> </svg> </a> </li> <li class="flex"> <a class="flex items-center hover:text-red" href="https://reactormag.com/feed/" target="_blank" title="RSS Feed"> <svg class="w-[17px] h-[17px]" width="18" height="18" viewbox="0 0 18 18" fill="none" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" aria-label="rss feed" role="img" aria-hidden="true"> <g clip-path="url(#clip0_1051_121783)"> <path d="M2.67871 17.4143C2.12871 17.4143 1.65771 17.2183 1.26571 16.8263C0.873713 16.4343 0.678046 15.9636 0.678713 15.4143C0.678713 14.8643 0.874713 14.3933 1.26671 14.0013C1.65871 13.6093 2.12938 13.4136 2.67871 13.4143C3.22871 13.4143 3.69971 13.6103 4.09171 14.0023C4.48371 14.3943 4.67938 14.865 4.67871 15.4143C4.67871 15.9643 4.48271 16.4353 4.09071 16.8273C3.69871 17.2193 3.22805 17.415 2.67871 17.4143ZM14.6787 17.4143C14.6787 15.481 14.312 13.6683 13.5787 11.9763C12.8454 10.2843 11.841 8.80097 10.5657 7.52631C9.29171 6.25164 7.80871 5.24764 6.11671 4.51431C4.42471 3.78097 2.61205 3.41431 0.678713 3.41431V0.414307C3.02871 0.414307 5.23705 0.860306 7.30371 1.75231C9.37038 2.64431 11.1704 3.85664 12.7037 5.38931C14.237 6.92264 15.4497 8.72264 16.3417 10.7893C17.2337 12.856 17.6794 15.0643 17.6787 17.4143H14.6787ZM8.67871 17.4143C8.67871 15.1976 7.89971 13.31 6.34171 11.7513C4.78371 10.1926 2.89605 9.41364 0.678713 9.41431V6.41431C2.21205 6.41431 3.64538 6.70197 4.97871 7.27731C6.31205 7.85264 7.47471 8.63597 8.46671 9.62731C9.45805 10.6186 10.2414 11.781 10.8167 13.1143C11.392 14.4476 11.6794 15.881 11.6787 17.4143H8.67871Z" fill="currentColor" /> <path d="M2.67871 17.4143C2.12871 17.4143 1.65771 17.2183 1.26571 16.8263C0.873713 16.4343 0.678046 15.9636 0.678713 15.4143C0.678713 14.8643 0.874713 14.3933 1.26671 14.0013C1.65871 13.6093 2.12938 13.4136 2.67871 13.4143C3.22871 13.4143 3.69971 13.6103 4.09171 14.0023C4.48371 14.3943 4.67938 14.865 4.67871 15.4143C4.67871 15.9643 4.48271 16.4353 4.09071 16.8273C3.69871 17.2193 3.22805 17.415 2.67871 17.4143ZM14.6787 17.4143C14.6787 15.481 14.312 13.6683 13.5787 11.9763C12.8454 10.2843 11.841 8.80097 10.5657 7.52631C9.29171 6.25164 7.80871 5.24764 6.11671 4.51431C4.42471 3.78097 2.61205 3.41431 0.678713 3.41431V0.414307C3.02871 0.414307 5.23705 0.860306 7.30371 1.75231C9.37038 2.64431 11.1704 3.85664 12.7037 5.38931C14.237 6.92264 15.4497 8.72264 16.3417 10.7893C17.2337 12.856 17.6794 15.0643 17.6787 17.4143H14.6787ZM8.67871 17.4143C8.67871 15.1976 7.89971 13.31 6.34171 11.7513C4.78371 10.1926 2.89605 9.41364 0.678713 9.41431V6.41431C2.21205 6.41431 3.64538 6.70197 4.97871 7.27731C6.31205 7.85264 7.47471 8.63597 8.46671 9.62731C9.45805 10.6186 10.2414 11.781 10.8167 13.1143C11.392 14.4476 11.6794 15.881 11.6787 17.4143H8.67871Z" fill="currentColor" fill-opacity="0.2" /> </g> <defs> <clippath id="clip0_1051_121783"> <rect width="17" height="17" fill="white" transform="translate(0.678711 0.414307)" /> </clippath> </defs> </svg> </a> </li> </ul> </div> </details> </div> </div> </div> <div class="post-hero-media "> <figure class="w-full h-auto post-hero-image"> <img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="740" height="493" src="https://reactormag.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/babylon-5-Interludes-and-Examinations-01-740x493.jpg" class="w-full object-cover" alt="Babylon 5 "Interludes and Examinations"" srcset="https://reactormag.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/babylon-5-Interludes-and-Examinations-01-740x493.jpg 740w, https://reactormag.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/babylon-5-Interludes-and-Examinations-01-1100x733.jpg 1100w, https://reactormag.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/babylon-5-Interludes-and-Examinations-01-768x512.jpg 768w, https://reactormag.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/babylon-5-Interludes-and-Examinations-01.jpg 1200w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 740px) 100vw, 740px" /> </figure> <div class="post-hero-caption post-hero-caption-horizontal [&_a]:link"><p>Credit: Warner Bros. Television</p> </div> </div> </div> </div> </post-hero> <div class="wp-block-more-from-category"> <div> </div> </div> <p><strong>“Interludes and Examinations”</strong><br>Written by J. Michael Straczynski<br>Directed by Jesus Treviño<br>Season 3, Episode 15<br>Production episode 315<br>Original air date: May 6, 1996</p> <p><strong>It was the dawn of the third age…</strong> We get voiceover narration from Ivanova bringing us up to speed: the Shadows are now fighting overtly, attacking worlds on the rim; they’ve hired more security, but without Earth’s resources, it’s harder to vet them (to prove that point, we see one security guard sneaking Morden onto the station in exchange for gemstones; said guard winds up dead shortly thereafter); the senior staff is handling things well, at least (to prove her wrong, we see Franklin taking stims); there’s been no sign of Kosh (which worries Ivanova greatly); and Mollari is still Mollari.</p> <p>We see Mollari being fitted for a new suit and informing Vir that he wants to rent the largest suite on the station: Adira is returning! Mollari is happy for the first time in forever because the woman he loves is coming back to him <a href="https://reactormag.com/babylon-5-rewatch-born-to-the-purple/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">as promised</a>.</p> <p>Sheridan meets with representatives of the Brakiri—who have been badly damaged by the Shadows—and the Gaim—who haven’t. Sheridan can’t promise protection from Earth, as B5 has broken away. The Gaim refuse to provide assistance to the Brakiri because the Shadows have ignored them until now and they have no wish to draw attention to themselves. However, the Gaim might change their mind if they know that the Army of Light has a chance against the Shadows.</p> <p>Later, Sheridan is brooding in the war room, telling Delenn that they need some kind of serious victory against the Shadows to prove that there’s at least a chance of victory. Without that, everyone’s going to be like the Brakiri (victims) or the Gaim (staying the hell out of it until the Shadows inevitably target them). Delenn says that in that case, they need a victory, and she’s sure he’ll think of something. After she leaves him to it, Sheridan grumbles that everyone’s starting to sound like Kosh, which then prompts an idea…</p> <figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1100" height="825" src="https://reactormag.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/babylon-5-Interludes-and-Examinations-07-1100x825.jpg" alt="Babylon 5 "Interludes and Examinations"" class="wp-image-817252" srcset="https://reactormag.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/babylon-5-Interludes-and-Examinations-07-1100x825.jpg 1100w, https://reactormag.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/babylon-5-Interludes-and-Examinations-07-740x555.jpg 740w, https://reactormag.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/babylon-5-Interludes-and-Examinations-07-140x105.jpg 140w, https://reactormag.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/babylon-5-Interludes-and-Examinations-07-768x576.jpg 768w, https://reactormag.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/babylon-5-Interludes-and-Examinations-07.jpg 1200w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1100px) 100vw, 1100px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Credit: Warner Bros. Television</figcaption></figure> <p>There’s chaos in medlab, as Franklin and Dr. Lillian Hobbs disagree on a diagnosis. Franklin gives the wrong instructions to the medtechs working on an alien, nearly killing the patient, then snaps at Garibaldi, who brings in one of his people to be worked on. Franklin explodes in near-hysterical anger.</p> <p>Morden confronts Mollari regarding the fact that Refa isn’t returning his calls. Mollari accepts credit for convincing Refa to do so. Morden reminds the ambassador that they carved up the galaxy together, but Mollari doesn’t see that it’s any of Morden’s concern how the Centauri handle their portion, and Mollari would prefer not to overtax their military on multi-front wars. Morden’s counter that they need those multi-front wars fall on uninterested ears, as do Morden’s threats, as Mollari doesn’t see that there’s anything Morden can threaten him with at this point. After the ambassador leaves in a huff, Morden tells the Shadows that they shouldn’t kill him yet, they can still use him.</p> <p>Garibaldi confronts Franklin in his quarters, expressing concern that he’s overextended himself and that maybe he’s back on stims. Franklin tells him to fuck off, and Garibaldi reminds him that he went to him as a friend first.</p> <p>Garibaldi’s next stop is the Zocalo to talk to Hobbs. He wants access to the regular blood tests that all medical personnel undergo regularly due to constant exposure to alien biologies. Hobbs refuses on privacy grounds. Garibaldi points out that he can do it through channels as security chief, but that brings a lot more people in on it, and he wants to spare Franklin that. Hobbs does at least tell him where in the system the blood tests can be found. Unbeknownst to either, Franklin sees the two of them talking.</p> <p>Vir is going over all the stuff that’s to go in Adira’s suite. After taking his leave, he bumps into Morden. After Vir tells him to screw off and die, Morden goes back to the merchant and pretends to be a friend of Vir’s in order to find out what Vir and the merchant were talking about.</p> <p>Garibaldi goes to medlab and starts the process of retrieving Franklin’s blood samples, but then decides against it at the last minute. Franklin walks in, surprised that Garibaldi chickened out. However, Franklin did his own blood test, to prove Garibaldi wrong. Except he didn’t—the levels of stims in his blood is way too high, past the addictive stage. Garibaldi leaves it to Franklin to decide what to do next.</p> <figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1100" height="825" src="https://reactormag.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/babylon-5-Interludes-and-Examinations-02-1100x825.jpg" alt="Babylon 5 "Interludes and Examinations"" class="wp-image-817247" srcset="https://reactormag.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/babylon-5-Interludes-and-Examinations-02-1100x825.jpg 1100w, https://reactormag.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/babylon-5-Interludes-and-Examinations-02-740x555.jpg 740w, https://reactormag.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/babylon-5-Interludes-and-Examinations-02-140x105.jpg 140w, https://reactormag.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/babylon-5-Interludes-and-Examinations-02-768x576.jpg 768w, https://reactormag.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/babylon-5-Interludes-and-Examinations-02.jpg 1200w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1100px) 100vw, 1100px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Credit: Warner Bros. Television</figcaption></figure> <p>Sheridan asks Kosh for help. If the Vorlons can just make one big strike against the Shadows, show that there’s a chance, it’ll help. Kosh refuses, as the Vorlons are too few in number, at which point Sheridan loses it. Kosh has been great at manipulating things and staying behind the scenes, but now the Shadows are destroying entire worlds, plus Sheridan’s own government is out to kill him. He’s got nothing to lose, and no way to fight this war without Kosh’s more overt help. Kosh gets sufficiently angry, calling Sheridan “impudent,” and telekinetically knocking him around. But eventually he accedes, with the caution that he will not be with Sheridan when he goes to Z’ha’dum. Sheridan already has been told that if he goes to Z’ha’dum, he’ll die, and if that’s the price he has to pay, so be it.</p> <p>Another Shadow attack in Brakiri space is thwarted by a Vorlon fleet that wipes them out.</p> <p>Mollari and Vir wait for Adira to disembark, but the final passenger comes out saying there’s no one behind him. (That same passenger meets with Morden and is given a bag of gems.) Then Hobbs wheels out a corpse, which turns out to be Adira. There’s no sign of trauma on the body, and Mollari—remembering his poisoning of Refa—tells her to search for poison in the autopsy.</p> <p>Ivanova informs Sheridan that the various worlds in the League of Non-Aligned Worlds are backing him now. Sheridan wants to thank Kosh in person, but it’s two a.m., and he gets some sleep, planning to thank Kosh in the morning.</p> <p>Morden breaks into Kosh’s quarters and watches as the Shadows tear Kosh apart. Meantime, Sheridan has a very vivid dream of his father, but it soon becomes obvious that this is Kosh communicating with him. He apologizes for getting angry, but he knew what the inevitable result of this attack would be, and he didn’t want to face it. He agrees that it’s time for Sheridan to fight the war his way. Kosh/David’s final words to him: “As long as you’re here, I’ll always be here.” Thus Kosh ends his life the way he lived it: cryptically.</p> <figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1100" height="825" src="https://reactormag.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/babylon-5-Interludes-and-Examinations-05-1100x825.jpg" alt="Babylon 5 "Interludes and Examinations"" class="wp-image-817249" srcset="https://reactormag.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/babylon-5-Interludes-and-Examinations-05-1100x825.jpg 1100w, https://reactormag.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/babylon-5-Interludes-and-Examinations-05-740x555.jpg 740w, https://reactormag.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/babylon-5-Interludes-and-Examinations-05-140x105.jpg 140w, https://reactormag.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/babylon-5-Interludes-and-Examinations-05-768x576.jpg 768w, https://reactormag.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/babylon-5-Interludes-and-Examinations-05.jpg 1200w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1100px) 100vw, 1100px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Credit: Warner Bros. Television</figcaption></figure> <p>Garibaldi reports that Kosh’s quarters look like it’s been through a war. But there’s no sign of a body, just a very badly damaged encounter suit. Delenn says there won’t be a body. The Vorlons do not wish to reveal Kosh’s death publicly; they will send another ambassador, who will pretend to be Kosh. Delenn requests that Kosh’s encounter suit and belongings be placed on his ship, which is alive and bonded to Kosh, so it too must die. It flies into the sun.</p> <p>Franklin resigns his position as chief of staff of medlab. He needs to get his shit together. Sheridan is stunned, but accepts the resignation.</p> <p>Mollari meets with Morden. He wishes to renew his association with Morden. The rest of the galaxy can burn for all he cares. But he wants his revenge on Refa for killing the only thing he loved. Morden says he is the ambassador’s humble servant.</p> <p><strong>Get the hell out of our galaxy!</strong> Sheridan confronts Kosh once and for all, speaking one of his iconic lines (quoted at the top of the review segment).</p> <p><strong>Ivanova is God.</strong> Ivanova provides exposition, and probably saves Sheridan’s life by telling him to wait until morning to talk to Kosh, since if he’d gone before going to bed, he probably would’ve been there when Morden and the Shadows showed up and been collateral damage.</p> <p><strong>The household god of frustration.</strong> Garibaldi does everything he can to get Franklin to confront his stim addiction without actually doing any paperwork on it. Luckily, Franklin realizes that he’s an addict before Garibaldi gets to the point where he has to make it an official report.</p> <p><strong>If you value your lives, be somewhere else.</strong> Delenn plays the role of helpmeet to Sheridan, encouraging him and supporting him while he tries to figure out how the hell to fight this war…</p> <p><strong>In the glorious days of the Centauri Republic…</strong> Mollari’s threat to Refa apparently worked. Luckily for Morden, he had a way to get Mollari back into the Shadows’ thrall….</p> <figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1100" height="825" src="https://reactormag.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/babylon-5-Interludes-and-Examinations-08-1100x825.jpg" alt="Babylon 5 "Interludes and Examinations"" class="wp-image-817253" srcset="https://reactormag.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/babylon-5-Interludes-and-Examinations-08-1100x825.jpg 1100w, https://reactormag.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/babylon-5-Interludes-and-Examinations-08-740x555.jpg 740w, https://reactormag.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/babylon-5-Interludes-and-Examinations-08-140x105.jpg 140w, https://reactormag.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/babylon-5-Interludes-and-Examinations-08-768x576.jpg 768w, https://reactormag.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/babylon-5-Interludes-and-Examinations-08.jpg 1200w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1100px) 100vw, 1100px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Credit: Warner Bros. Television</figcaption></figure> <p><strong>The Shadowy Vorlons.</strong> We get our first Vorlon-Shadow confrontation, as the Vorlons make short work of the Shadows invading Brakiri space.</p> <p><strong>Looking ahead.</strong> Kosh says that he won’t be with Sheridan when he goes to Z’ha’dum. This will turn out to not <em>entirely</em> be the case…</p> <p><strong>No sex, please, we’re EarthForce.</strong> It’s obvious that Mollari plans a great deal of debauchery with Adira, as most of what he requests for her suite consists of booze and lingerie.</p> <p><strong>Welcome aboard.</strong> Jennifer Balgobin debuts the recurring role of Hobbs; she’ll be back in “Walkabout.” Rance Howard officially becomes recurring, returning as the image of David Sheridan from “<a href="https://reactormag.com/babylon-5-rewatch-severed-dreams/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Severed Dreams</a>” (though, truly, he’s playing Kosh cosplaying as Sheridan’s Dad); he’ll return as the real David in “Rising Star.” Meanwhile, we have other recurring regulars Ed Wasser as Morden, back from “<a href="https://reactormag.com/babylon-5-rewatch-ceremonies-of-light-and-dark/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Ceremonies of Light and Dark</a>,” to return in “Z’ha’dum”; and Ardwight Chamberlain as the voice of Kosh, back from “<a href="https://reactormag.com/babylon-5-rewatch-dust-to-dust/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Dust to Dust</a>.” He’ll return as the voice of another Vorlon, Ulkesh, in the very next episode, “War Without End, Part I,” and return as Kosh in “Walkabout.”</p> <p><strong>Trivial matters. </strong>Kosh is killed in this episode, though “Walkabout” will establish that he’s only mostly dead, not all dead. Franklin resigns his position, and will remain a civilian doctor until he’s reinstated in “Shadow Dancing.”</p> <p>Mollari blackmailed Refa via poison to cut off communication with Morden and the Shadows in “<a href="https://reactormag.com/babylon-5-rewatch-ceremonies-of-light-and-dark/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Ceremonies of Light and Dark</a>,” as we see in flashbacks to that episode.</p> <p>The Gaim, whose encounter suit design is similar to the helmet worn by Dream of the Endless in <em>The Sandman</em> comic book, are named after that comic’s writer, Neil Gaiman. Gaiman will later write an episode of the show in season five, “Day of the Dead.” (One suspects that J. Michael Straczynski regrets that particular bit of nomenclature these days…)</p> <p>While Adria plays a large role in the episode, Fabiana Udenio only appears in flashbacks to “<a href="https://reactormag.com/babylon-5-rewatch-born-to-the-purple/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Born to the Purple</a>.” The actor will return in the aforementioned “Day of the Dead.”</p> <p><strong>The echoes of all of our conversations.</strong></p> <p>“I’m sorry, I can’t talk—I have things to do.”</p> <p>“Well, apparently so. Anything I can do to help?”</p> <p>“Short of dying? No, I can’t think of a thing.”</p> <p>—Vir and Morden bantering.</p> <figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1100" height="825" src="https://reactormag.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/babylon-5-Interludes-and-Examinations-03-1100x825.jpg" alt="Babylon 5 "Interludes and Examinations"" class="wp-image-817248" srcset="https://reactormag.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/babylon-5-Interludes-and-Examinations-03-1100x825.jpg 1100w, https://reactormag.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/babylon-5-Interludes-and-Examinations-03-740x555.jpg 740w, https://reactormag.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/babylon-5-Interludes-and-Examinations-03-140x105.jpg 140w, https://reactormag.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/babylon-5-Interludes-and-Examinations-03-768x576.jpg 768w, https://reactormag.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/babylon-5-Interludes-and-Examinations-03.jpg 1200w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1100px) 100vw, 1100px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Credit: Warner Bros. Television</figcaption></figure> <p><strong>The name of the place is Babylon 5.</strong> “Unless your people get off their encounter-suited butts and <em>do</em> something, I’ve got nothing to lose!” Something that bothered me about this episode when I first watched it in 1996 and which bothered me even more in 2025: why does Mollari go to Morden in the end? Yes, Refa is definitely a suspect in Adira’s murder, but he’s hardly the only one. What about Morden himself? Mollari knows as well as anyone how devious Morden is and how powerful the Shadows are and how much Morden wants Mollari back in his thrall. Yes, Refa has a powerful motive and the means, but so does Morden. The fact that Mollari never even suspects Morden of committing this crime doesn’t make any kind of sense, and it makes even less sense because the viewer is shown quite clearly that Morden is the one who had Adira killed. It’d be different if Morden did something—anything—to more aggressively frame Refa. The use of poison by itself isn’t enough.</p> <p>And it’s too bad, because in the grand scheme of things, this is an important moment for Mollari. He’s lost the only thing that brings him joy, which makes him far more dangerous. And I love the way Morden is written in his interactions with Mollari, in particular how he addresses him. When he confronts him in the corridor about Refa’s sudden silence, he calls him “Mollari” with the same dismissive tone that G’Kar uses. When Morden “learns” of Adira’s death, he refers to him as “Londo,” acting the sympathetic friend. And once Mollari reengages in his deal with the devil, Morden respectfully refers to him as “Ambassador,” pretending to be his humble servant when he is, in fact, neither.</p> <p>It’s also an important moment for Franklin and for Sheridan. The former finally confronts his addiction, which he’ll continue to deal with going forward. And Sheridan finally gets to put his coalition together, using the Vorlons to carry a big stick.</p> <p>For all that the yell-at-the-person-until-they-beat-you-up-and-then-do-what-you-wanted-in-the-first-place scene is a tired cliché, it’s sold by Bruce Boxleitner’s desperation and Ardwight Chamberlain’s ability to put a great deal of feeling into just a few words. (Just saying, “Impudent,” at Sheridan is pretty devastating.)</p> <p>Franklin’s storyline is less compelling, partly because Franklin himself is just not a very good or nice character, and partly, with all due respect to the memory of Richard Biggs (who was an absolute sweetheart in real life), because the character isn’t very well acted. His breakdown in medlab is incredibly mannered and not very convincing, ditto his screaming at Garibaldi in his quarters. To his credit, he does sell the character’s quiet self-revelation to Garibaldi and his resignation speech to Sheridan.</p> <p><strong>Next week:</strong> “War Without End, Part I.”[end-mark]</p> <p>The post <a href="https://reactormag.com/babylon-5-rewatch-interludes-and-examinations/"><i>Babylon 5</i> Rewatch: “Interludes and Examinations”</a> appeared first on <a href="https://reactormag.com">Reactor</a>.</p><p class="ljsyndicationlink"><a href="https://reactormag.com/babylon-5-rewatch-interludes-and-examinations/">https://reactormag.com/babylon-5-rewatch-interludes-and-examinations/</a></p><p class="ljsyndicationlink"><a href="https://reactormag.com/?p=817239">https://reactormag.com/?p=817239</a></p>

Five Books Set in A Weird Version of the Wild West

tordotcom_feed

Monday, June 30th, 2025 04:00 pm

Posted by Sarah

https://reactormag.com/five-books-set-in-a-weird-version-of-the-wild-west/

https://reactormag.com/?p=817086

Books weird west

Five Books Set in A Weird Version of the Wild West

Gunslingers and cowboys vs. werewolves, zombies, space outlaws, and more…

By Lorna Wallace

Published on June 30, 2025

Detail from the cover of Red Rabbit by Alex Grecian

Setting a story in the Wild West tends to lead to a plot filled with adventure and danger. While Stetson-wearing gunslingers can bring enough excitement to the party all on their own, I can’t help but love it when the genre is given a weird twist with the inclusion of sci-fi, fantasy, and/or horror elements.

The five books on this list land in different places on the Weird Western spectrum. On one end are classic cowboy tales, but with the addition of supernatural creatures, and on the other are more out-there stories (and by “out-there,” I mean one of these books is set on the Martian frontier).

Deadman’s Road by Joe R. Lansdale (2010)

Collecting together one short novel and four short stories, Deadman’s Road follows Reverend Jebediah Mercer as he travels through the West on a mission to hunt down and kill various supernatural monsters. While preachers are typically expected to be peaceful and God-loving, Jeb has a lethal quick-draw and not much affection for his maker.

The stories all follow a fairly similar shoot-‘em-up plotline, but with different monsters to battle in each. For instance, Dead in the West sees Jeb ride into a busy Texan town that is soon to be overtaken by a cursed zombie horde, while “The Gentleman’s Hotel” sees him fight off werewolves in a small derelict settlement with the help of a working girl.

The stories are all pulpy, gory, and crass—which feels pretty fitting for the Wild West setting. Jeb may not exactly be a beacon of godliness, but in this nasty landscape his own brand of morality certainly stands out.

Dread Nation by Justina Ireland (2018)

Seventeen years before the action of Dread Nation kicks off, the Battle of Gettysburg ended with the dead rising. This new zombie threat derailed the Civil War and led to enslaved people being drafted into the new war against the undead. The plot then picks up in 1880, with Black teenager Jane McKeene having spent the last few years being trained in the art of zombie killing.

The first half of the book is set in Baltimore—or “The Civilized East” as the section’s heading has it—with Jane making her first bold moves in a society ruled by political machinations. The second half of the book sees Jane and her enemy-turned-friend Kate winding up in Summerland, a small town in Kansas—or “The Cruel West”—where things are just as shadowy and secretive.

With Jane as its kick-ass driving force, Dread Nation skilfully weaves together alternate history and zombie-killing action with just-as-relevant-today social commentary. Even more Western adventure can be found in the sequel, Deathless Divide (2020).

The Strange by Nathan Ballingrud (2023)

The setting (Mars) and time period (1931) of The Strange may not initially make it seem like a Western, but trust me, it absolutely is. New Galveston is a small colony on the Martian frontier and life there has been extra hard for the settlers ever since communication, supplies, and people suddenly stopped coming from Earth.

Fourteen-year-old Anabelle Crisp is still in the depths of mourning her mother—who returned to Earth just before ties between the planets were mysteriously cut—when things go from bad to worse. A group of outlaws storm her family’s diner one night and inadvertently steal the only thing she has left of her mother: a recording of her voice. After getting no help from the law, Anabelle boldly—some might say foolishly—ventures out into the Martian wilderness to retrieve the recording herself.

The Strange reads as though Ballingrud took the heart and mettle of Charles Portis’ True Grit (1968) and set those elements loose within his own creative and fantastical vision of Mars.

Red Rabbit (2023) by Alex Grecian

Red Rabbit is a story that self-consciously plays with the tropes of classic Westerns. It starts with a bounty being placed on the head of accused witch Sadie Grace. Old Tom—a self-proclaimed witch hunter—is convinced that he’s the man for the job and while venturing through Kansas to collect the bounty he ends up amassing a motley crew of travelers.

The eclectic posse encounter more than just the expected outlaws and bandits on their journey, with demons and ghosts also crossing their path. Morality can often be quite clear-cut in classic Westerns, but many of the characters in Red Rabbit resist being boxed into the binary of good versus evil. The story has all of the ingredients needed for a fun adventure: compelling characters, gruesome ghouls, and a pace that could outrun a galloping horse.

If you want more from the world of Red Rabbit, then the short story “The Price of Rye” (2023) and the novel Rose of Jericho (2025) are both set in the same spooky and magical landscape.

The Buffalo Hunter Hunter by Stephen Graham Jones (2025)

The Buffalo Hunter Hunter opens with an old diary being found in a wall. Written by Lutheran pastor Arthur Beaucarne, the diary switches back and forth between Arthur’s own thoughts and his transcription of a strange story told to him by a Blackfeet called Good Stab, who claims to be a vampire (although that isn’t the word he uses).

Arthur and Good Stab’s conversations take place in Miles City, Montana, in 1912. Although the Wild West was starting to fade into history by that time, Good Stab’s bloody and emotional narrative is set years earlier, firmly in chaos of the Old West.

At its heart, The Buffalo Hunter Hunter is a revenge tale. While classic Westerns often have a starry-eyed view of the American frontier, Jones’s book faces the terrible violence inflected upon Native people and buffalo head-on. As might be expected from such a story, copious amounts of blood are shed—and since it’s a vampire story, a copious amount of blood is also drunk.

There are, of course, many more stories set in weird versions of the Wild West beyond just these five examples. If I’ve missed any of your favorites, please leave the recommendations in the comments below![end-mark]

The post Five Books Set in A Weird Version of the Wild West appeared first on Reactor.

https://reactormag.com/five-books-set-in-a-weird-version-of-the-wild-west/

https://reactormag.com/?p=817086

Killer Orcas

tordotcom_feed

Monday, June 30th, 2025 03:00 pm

Posted by Sarah

https://reactormag.com/killer-orcas/

https://reactormag.com/?p=817220

Column SFF Bestiary

Killer Orcas

Anyone who has worked with large animals can tell you how easy it is to get hurt…

By Judith Tarr

Published on June 30, 2025

Image of a postal stamp from the Soviet Union, depicting two orcas underwater (1990)

It’s amazing that in sixty years of captive orcas, including orcas bred in captivity, the human body count is quite low. Small weak humans and large, powerful animals can be a volatile mix, with the humans very much on the losing side. And yet in all that time, there’s been a scarce handful of fatalities in the orca tanks.

Injuries there have been. Trainers, handlers, and more or less random persons have been bitten, battered, and nearly drowned. Some injuries have been serious, if not actually fatal.

Anyone who has worked with large animals can tell you how easy it is to get hurt. They don’t always know their own strength, and a moment’s lapse on the part of either human or animal can have unfortunate results.

[Content warning: This article contains descriptions of serious injuries, trauma, and death, as well as a discussion of animal welfare that some readers may find upsetting.]

One of the most notorious non-fatal incidents happened at Sea World in 1971. Shamu, the first intentionally captured orca, had been showing signs of mental distress, but money ruled, and the show had to go on. As part of a publicity stunt, a park employee in a bikini was ordered to ride the orca.

Shamu had been conditioned to respect trainers in wet suits, but a human in a bikini was a different animal. She dumped the rider, Anne Godsey, and pulled her under. Godsey survived, but needed 200 stitches in her leg and hip, and suffered severe emotional trauma.

So did Shamu. She was retired from performance after that incident, and died four months later, at the terribly young age of nine.

That did not deter the park from continuing its “Shamu” shows. In 2010, almost forty years later, trainer Dawn Brancheau was performing in front of a large audience with an adult male orca named Tilikum. Brancheau was an experienced trainer, and she believed she had a special relationship with Tilikum.

The day she died, she had completed a lunchtime show and lain down on a ledge beside the tank for a “relationship session” with the orca. Her long ponytail trailed out in the water. Tilikum seized it and pulled her in.

Brancheau fought hard, and her fellow trainers did their best, but there was nothing they could do to stop six tons of orca. Brancheau died in full view of a horrified crowd.

Brancheau was not the first trainer to be killed by one of the park’s orcas. Keto, a male who had been born and raised in captivity (unlike Tilikum, who was born in the wild), had killed Spanish trainer Alexis Martinez two months before during a training session at Loro Parque in Tenerife. It was a similar situation: trainer working with orca, orca pulling trainer down and resisting efforts to save the trainer.

Tilikum’s very public attack was not his first. He came to Sea World in 1991 from Sealand in Canada, where he and two female orcas had drowned a trainer who fell into their tank. At Sea World in 1998, his caretakers came in one morning to find a naked and very dead man draped over his back. Daniel P. Dukes had hidden in the park before closing and apparently gone swimming with the whale in the night. He did not survive the experience.

After Brancheau’s death, Tilikum continued to perform solo or with other orcas, but never again with humans in the water. He died in 2017 at the age of 35; he had sired a number of offspring and grandoffspring, and was one of the longest-lived males in captivity.

Was Tilikum a serial killer? Did his life in orca hell—ripped away from his family, confined to concrete and metal tanks, subjected to training and conditioning, forced to perform day in and day out—cause his mind to snap? The first killing may have been accidental, with a surprise human-shaped toy thrown into the tank he shared with a pair of aggressive females. The second could have been an accident, too: no one knows; apparently there were no cameras in the tank.

The third happened in full public view, and there is video. Did he intentionally kill Dawn Brancheau? Had he been pushed to the limit of what he could stand, and he took it out on a convenient target?

He did indicate that something was not right. His quality time with his trainer normally ended with her commanding him to dive down toward the observation windows and offer a photo op for the patrons below. That day he didn’t wait for the command. He grabbed her hair instead and dragged her down with him.

Or was it essentially a cultural clash? An orca can stay underwater for long periods. It might not have occurred to him that a human can hardly stay under at all by orca standards. When Branchard’s long hair slipped into the water and streamed out, maybe, like a cat, he pounced on it as if it had been a toy. She just happened to come along with it.

Once he had her, he wouldn’t let her go, though park staff did their best. He shook her and dragged her and pushed her along with his nose, until eventually he let himself be herded to a small tank with a floor that could be lifted to confine him and to extricate Brancheau from his jaws. Did he think he had a toy? Prey? Toward the end, was he trying to do what orcas will do with one of their own who is injured or sick, supporting her and carrying her up to the surface?

Or maybe it was a combination of all of these things. He was in no way suited to the life he was living. He was designed for the open ocean, for a complex culture and a close-knit family. Just about everything he did during his life in captivity conflicted, in one way or another, with his nature and instincts.

Sea World insisted that it gave him and the rest of its orcas the best possible facilities and care, with expert trainers and a wide range of enrichment activities. Dawn Brancheau believed sincerely that she had a wonderful relationship with him; she loved him and was convinced that he loved her. Maybe that was true—right up until it wasn’t.

Anyone who lives and works with animals learns sooner or later that animals are not humans. Even dogs and cats, who live intimately with us, still have their own agenda, to which they will default. The dog who digs up your garden, the cat who claws your furniture, is doing what comes naturally.

Training and conditioning only go so far. There comes a point when nature takes over. With a truly wild animal, which hasn’t been bred for generations to cooperate with humans, even the most careful training and handling can fail.

It says a lot for the nature of the orca that there are no verified cases of humans killed by wild orcas, and that captive orcas have only killed a handful in sixty years. These huge predators with their powerful jaws are literal death to fish, squid, and marine mammals, but aside from their natural prey, they’re very much into live and let live. It may be that Shamu and Tilikum and Keto simply snapped. It’s remarkable that dozens of other orcas haven’t and didn’t.

Marine parks are still holding orcas captive, and still putting on shows. Sea World announced in 2016 that it was ending its captive breeding program, but it refused to consider either retiring its orcas or releasing them into the wild. What remains, according to them and other parks, is the study of cetaceans in captivity and in the open ocean. They’re too educational (and too lucrative) to let go. It’s probably too late for these animals anyway, barring a Keiko-style, full-on, complex and expensive project. The ones who were captured in the wild can’t return to their families—it’s been too long. The ones who were born in captivity have nowhere to go and lack the knowledge or the skills to survive outside of the tanks. The only viable option is what Sea World is doing: letting time and attrition put a gradual end to their programs. Eventually there may be no captive orcas, but the knowledge gained from the them may help protect and manage the wild population.[end-mark]

The post Killer Orcas appeared first on Reactor.

https://reactormag.com/killer-orcas/

https://reactormag.com/?p=817220

Ryan Gosling Might Reluctantly Save the World in Project Hail Mary

tordotcom_feed

Monday, June 30th, 2025 02:14 pm

Posted by Molly Templeton

https://reactormag.com/ryan-gosling-might-reluctantly-save-the-world-in-project-hail-mary/

https://reactormag.com/?p=817219

News project hail mary

Ryan Gosling Might Reluctantly Save the World in Project Hail Mary

They’re all astronauts; he’s just Ken.

By Molly Templeton

Published on June 30, 2025

Screenshot: Amazon MGM Studios

[Error: Irreparable invalid markup ('<a [...] h-[15px]">') in entry. Owner must fix manually. Raw contents below.]

<p class="syndicationauthor">Posted by Molly Templeton</p><p class="ljsyndicationlink"><a href="https://reactormag.com/ryan-gosling-might-reluctantly-save-the-world-in-project-hail-mary/">https://reactormag.com/ryan-gosling-might-reluctantly-save-the-world-in-project-hail-mary/</a></p><p class="ljsyndicationlink"><a href="https://reactormag.com/?p=817219">https://reactormag.com/?p=817219</a></p><post-hero class="wp-block-post-hero js-post-hero post-hero post-hero-horizontal"> <div class="container container-desktop"> <div class="flex flex-col mx-auto post-hero-container"> <div class="post-hero-content"> <div class="post-hero-tags font-aktiv text-xs tracking-[0.5px] font-medium uppercase"> <span class="mr-3"> <i class="inline-block w-2 h-2 rounded-full mr-[5px] bg-blue"></i> <a href="https://reactormag.com/articles/news/" class="inline-block link-no-animation" aria-label="Link to term or tag News 0"> News </a> </span> <span class="mr-3"> <i class="inline-block w-2 h-2 rounded-full mr-[5px] bg-blue"></i> <a href="https://reactormag.com/tag/project-hail-mary/" class="inline-block link-no-animation" aria-label="Link to term or tag project hail mary 1"> project hail mary </a> </span> </div> <h2 class="post-hero-title text-h1">Ryan Gosling Might Reluctantly Save the World in <i>Project Hail Mary</i></h2> <div class="prose post-hero-description prose--post-hero">They’re all astronauts; he’s just Ken.</div> <div class="post-hero-wrapper"> <div class="post-hero-inner"> <p class="post-hero-author text-xs font-aktiv uppercase font-medium [&_a]:link-hover">By <a href="https://reactormag.com/author/molly-templeton/" title="Posts by Molly Templeton" class="author url fn" rel="author">Molly Templeton</a></p> <span class="post-hero-symbol relative top-[-2px] hidden tablet:block">|</span> <p class="text-xs uppercase post-hero-publish font-aktiv"> Published on June 30, 2025 </p> </div> </div> <div class="post-hero-caption post-hero-caption-vertical [&_a]:link"><p>Screenshot: Amazon MGM Studios</p> </div> <div class="quick-access post-hero-quick-access mt-[17px] tablet:hidden"> <div class="flex gap-[30px] tablet:gap-6"> <a href="https://reactormag.com/ryan-gosling-might-reluctantly-save-the-world-in-project-hail-mary/#comments" class="flex items-center text-sm font-aktiv tracking-[0.6px] font-semibold uppercase translate-x-[1px] translate-y-[1px]"> <svg class="w-[22px] h-[22px] mr-[7px] icon-hover" viewbox="0 0 18 18" aria-label="comment" role="img" aria-hidden="true" aria-labelledby="icon-comment-quick-access-"> <title id="icon-comment-quick-access-">Comment</title> <g fill="none" fill-rule="evenodd"> <path fill="#FFF" fill-rule="nonzero" d="M6.3 18a.9.9 0 0 1-.9-.9v-2.7H1.8A1.8 1.8 0 0 1 0 12.6V1.8A1.8 1.8 0 0 1 1.8 0h14.4A1.8 1.8 0 0 1 18 1.8v10.8a1.8 1.8 0 0 1-1.8 1.8h-5.49l-3.33 3.339a.917.917 0 0 1-.63.261H6.3Z" /> <path stroke="#000" d="M5.9 14.4v-.5H1.8a1.3 1.3 0 0 1-1.3-1.3V1.8A1.3 1.3 0 0 1 1.8.5h14.4a1.3 1.3 0 0 1 1.3 1.3v10.8a1.3 1.3 0 0 1-1.3 1.3h-5.698l-.146.147-3.324 3.333a.417.417 0 0 1-.282.12H6.3a.4.4 0 0 1-.4-.4v-2.7Z" /> </g> </svg> 0 </a> <details class="relative quick-access-details"> <summary class="quick-access-share flex items-center text-sm font-aktiv tracking-[0.6px] font-semibold uppercase"> <svg class="w-[22px] h-[22px] mr-[7px] icon-hover" viewbox="0 0 22 22" aria-label="share" role="img" aria-hidden="true" aria-labelledby="icon-share-new-quick-access-"> <title id="icon-share-new-quick-access-">Share New</title> <g fill="none" fill-rule="evenodd"> <circle cx="11" cy="11" r="11" fill="#FFF" fill-rule="nonzero" /> <circle cx="11" cy="11" r="10.5" stroke="#000" /> <path fill="#FFF" d="M5.993 13.464c.675 0 1.323-.266 1.806-.743l4.11 2.396a2.639 2.639 0 0 0 .368 2.451 2.583 2.583 0 0 0 2.227 1.043 2.59 2.59 0 0 0 2.09-1.3 2.64 2.64 0 0 0 .08-2.477 2.58 2.58 0 0 0-4.292-.54L8.344 11.94c.28-.616.31-1.319.086-1.958l3.952-2.303a2.564 2.564 0 0 0 4.263-.537 2.623 2.623 0 0 0-.078-2.46 2.573 2.573 0 0 0-2.075-1.293 2.566 2.566 0 0 0-2.213 1.033 2.622 2.622 0 0 0-.37 2.433L7.96 9.158a2.573 2.573 0 0 0-4.316.603 2.632 2.632 0 0 0 .172 2.501 2.58 2.58 0 0 0 2.178 1.202Z" /> <path fill="#000" d="M6.936 9.577c.322 0 .631.137.859.383.228.245.355.577.355.924 0 .347-.127.68-.355.925a1.172 1.172 0 0 1-.859.383c-.322 0-.63-.138-.858-.383a1.36 1.36 0 0 1-.356-.925c0-.347.129-.679.356-.924.228-.245.536-.383.858-.383Zm6.17-3.837c.323 0 .631.138.86.383.227.245.355.578.355.924 0 .347-.128.68-.356.925a1.172 1.172 0 0 1-.858.383c-.322 0-.631-.138-.859-.383a1.36 1.36 0 0 1-.355-.925c0-.346.128-.678.356-.924.227-.245.536-.383.858-.383Zm0 7.883c.323 0 .631.138.86.383.227.245.355.578.355.925 0 .346-.128.679-.356.924a1.171 1.171 0 0 1-.858.383c-.322 0-.631-.138-.859-.383a1.36 1.36 0 0 1-.355-.925c0-.346.128-.678.356-.923.227-.245.536-.383.858-.384Zm-6.17-.681c.499 0 .978-.21 1.334-.586l3.036 1.888a2.194 2.194 0 0 0 .272 1.93c.385.555 1.003.863 1.645.822.641-.04 1.221-.425 1.544-1.024a2.203 2.203 0 0 0 .059-1.952c-.286-.62-.841-1.044-1.48-1.13-.637-.085-1.272.18-1.69.705l-2.984-1.854c.207-.486.23-1.04.064-1.543l2.92-1.815c.415.522 1.046.784 1.68.7.633-.086 1.184-.507 1.468-1.123a2.188 2.188 0 0 0-.058-1.938c-.32-.595-.895-.977-1.532-1.018-.638-.041-1.251.264-1.635.813a2.179 2.179 0 0 0-.273 1.917L8.389 9.55c-.423-.534-1.07-.798-1.715-.702-.645.096-1.2.54-1.472 1.177a2.194 2.194 0 0 0 .126 1.97c.352.59.958.948 1.61.947Z" /> </g> </svg> Share </summary> <div class="quick-access-bubble"> <ul class="flex gap-6 text-black list-none"> <li class="flex"> <a class="flex items-center hover:text-red" href="https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Ryan Gosling Might Reluctantly Save the World in <i>Project Hail Mary</i>&url=https://reactormag.com/ryan-gosling-might-reluctantly-save-the-world-in-project-hail-mary/” target=”_blank” title=”Twitter”> <svg class=" w-[18px]="w-[18px]" h-[15px]"="h-[15px]"" width="18" height="15" viewbox="0 0 18 15" fill="none" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" aria-label="twitter" role="img" aria-hidden="true"> <path d="M17.7143 2.56767C17.2122 3.28347 16.6053 3.89336 15.8934 4.39734C15.9009 4.4996 15.9046 4.65298 15.9046 4.8575C15.9046 5.80703 15.7623 6.75472 15.4775 7.7006C15.1928 8.64649 14.76 9.55401 14.1793 10.4232C13.5986 11.2924 12.9073 12.0611 12.1055 12.7295C11.3037 13.3978 10.3371 13.931 9.20558 14.329C8.07408 14.7271 6.86392 14.9262 5.57505 14.9262C3.54435 14.9262 1.68601 14.3966 0 13.3375C0.262269 13.3667 0.554506 13.3813 0.876722 13.3813C2.56274 13.3813 4.06514 12.8774 5.38397 11.8694C4.59717 11.8548 3.8928 11.6192 3.27085 11.1627C2.6489 10.7062 2.22178 10.1237 1.98949 9.41523C2.23677 9.45175 2.46531 9.47001 2.67513 9.47001C2.99734 9.47001 3.31581 9.42984 3.63053 9.3495C2.79127 9.1815 2.09627 8.77431 1.5455 8.12789C0.99474 7.48148 0.719362 6.73099 0.719362 5.87641V5.83259C1.22891 6.11015 1.77592 6.25988 2.36041 6.28179C1.86584 5.96041 1.47245 5.54043 1.1802 5.02184C0.887961 4.50325 0.741842 3.94084 0.741842 3.3346C0.741842 2.69184 0.906694 2.09656 1.2364 1.54875C2.1431 2.63707 3.24649 3.50807 4.54659 4.16178C5.84669 4.8155 7.23857 5.17887 8.72226 5.25192C8.66232 4.97436 8.63234 4.70411 8.63234 4.44116C8.63234 3.46241 8.9864 2.62793 9.69452 1.9377C10.4027 1.24746 11.2588 0.902344 12.2629 0.902344C13.3119 0.902344 14.1962 1.27485 14.9155 2.01987C15.7323 1.86648 16.5004 1.58162 17.2197 1.16529C16.9425 2.00526 16.4104 2.65532 15.6236 3.11548C16.3205 3.04244 17.0174 2.85984 17.7143 2.56767Z" fill="currentColor" /> <path d="M17.7143 2.56767C17.2122 3.28347 16.6053 3.89336 15.8934 4.39734C15.9009 4.4996 15.9046 4.65298 15.9046 4.8575C15.9046 5.80703 15.7623 6.75472 15.4775 7.7006C15.1928 8.64649 14.76 9.55401 14.1793 10.4232C13.5986 11.2924 12.9073 12.0611 12.1055 12.7295C11.3037 13.3978 10.3371 13.931 9.20558 14.329C8.07408 14.7271 6.86392 14.9262 5.57505 14.9262C3.54435 14.9262 1.68601 14.3966 0 13.3375C0.262269 13.3667 0.554506 13.3813 0.876722 13.3813C2.56274 13.3813 4.06514 12.8774 5.38397 11.8694C4.59717 11.8548 3.8928 11.6192 3.27085 11.1627C2.6489 10.7062 2.22178 10.1237 1.98949 9.41523C2.23677 9.45175 2.46531 9.47001 2.67513 9.47001C2.99734 9.47001 3.31581 9.42984 3.63053 9.3495C2.79127 9.1815 2.09627 8.77431 1.5455 8.12789C0.99474 7.48148 0.719362 6.73099 0.719362 5.87641V5.83259C1.22891 6.11015 1.77592 6.25988 2.36041 6.28179C1.86584 5.96041 1.47245 5.54043 1.1802 5.02184C0.887961 4.50325 0.741842 3.94084 0.741842 3.3346C0.741842 2.69184 0.906694 2.09656 1.2364 1.54875C2.1431 2.63707 3.24649 3.50807 4.54659 4.16178C5.84669 4.8155 7.23857 5.17887 8.72226 5.25192C8.66232 4.97436 8.63234 4.70411 8.63234 4.44116C8.63234 3.46241 8.9864 2.62793 9.69452 1.9377C10.4027 1.24746 11.2588 0.902344 12.2629 0.902344C13.3119 0.902344 14.1962 1.27485 14.9155 2.01987C15.7323 1.86648 16.5004 1.58162 17.2197 1.16529C16.9425 2.00526 16.4104 2.65532 15.6236 3.11548C16.3205 3.04244 17.0174 2.85984 17.7143 2.56767Z" fill="currentColor" fill-opacity="0.2" /> </svg> </a> </li> <li class="flex"> <a class="flex items-center hover:text-red" href="https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https://reactormag.com/ryan-gosling-might-reluctantly-save-the-world-in-project-hail-mary/" target="_blank" title="Facebook"> <svg class="w-[9px] h-[18px]" fill="currentColor" viewbox="0 0 12 22" width="100%" height="100%" display="block" transitionduration="normal" transitionproperty="none" transitiontimingfunction="ease-out" class="w-[9px] h-[18px]" aria-label="facebook" role="img" aria-hidden="true"> <path d="M11.558.004L8.677 0C5.44 0 3.349 2.125 3.349 5.416v2.496H.452A.45.45 0 000 8.36v3.618a.45.45 0 00.452.447h2.897v9.127A.45.45 0 003.8 22h3.778c.25 0 .451-.2.451-.448v-9.127h3.387c.25 0 .451-.2.451-.447l.003-3.618a.452.452 0 00-.456-.448h-3.39V5.795c0-1.017.245-1.534 1.582-1.534h1.941c.25 0 .452-.2.452-.447V.457a.45.45 0 00-.452-.448l.01-.005z" fill-rule="nonzero"> </path> </svg> </a> </li> <li class="flex"> <a class="flex items-center hover:text-red" href="https://pinterest.com/pin/create/button/?url=https://reactormag.com/ryan-gosling-might-reluctantly-save-the-world-in-project-hail-mary/&media=&description=Ryan Gosling Might Reluctantly Save the World in <i>Project Hail Mary</i>” target=”_blank” title=”Pinterest”> <svg class=" w-[18px]="w-[18px]" h-[18px]"="h-[18px]"" width="18" height="18" viewbox="0 0 18 18" fill="none" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" aria-label="pinterest" role="img" aria-hidden="true"> <path d="M16.4962 4.49458C17.2844 5.84153 17.6786 7.31473 17.6786 8.91423C17.6786 10.5137 17.2844 11.9888 16.4962 13.3396C15.7079 14.6904 14.6384 15.7599 13.2876 16.5482C11.9368 17.3364 10.4617 17.7306 8.86223 17.7306C8.01273 17.7306 7.17856 17.6081 6.35967 17.3632C6.81121 16.6515 7.10967 16.0239 7.25508 15.4806C7.32396 15.2203 7.53059 14.413 7.87498 13.0584C8.02804 13.3568 8.30738 13.6151 8.71299 13.8332C9.1186 14.0513 9.55483 14.1604 10.0217 14.1604C10.9477 14.1604 11.7742 13.8983 12.5013 13.374C13.2283 12.8498 13.7908 12.1285 14.1888 11.2101C14.5867 10.2918 14.7857 9.25862 14.7857 8.11066C14.7857 7.2382 14.558 6.41933 14.1027 5.65402C13.6473 4.88871 12.9872 4.26499 12.1224 3.78285C11.2576 3.3007 10.2819 3.05964 9.19513 3.05964C8.39156 3.05964 7.64157 3.1706 6.94513 3.39254C6.2487 3.61448 5.65751 3.90912 5.17154 4.27647C4.68556 4.64382 4.26848 5.06665 3.92026 5.54497C3.57205 6.02329 3.31567 6.51882 3.15113 7.03157C2.98659 7.54433 2.90432 8.05708 2.90432 8.56984C2.90432 9.36576 3.05738 10.066 3.3635 10.6706C3.66962 11.2752 4.11732 11.6999 4.70661 11.9448C4.93621 12.0367 5.08161 11.9601 5.14284 11.7152C5.15814 11.6617 5.18876 11.5431 5.23467 11.3594C5.28059 11.1757 5.3112 11.0609 5.32651 11.015C5.37243 10.839 5.33034 10.6744 5.20024 10.5214C4.80993 10.0545 4.61478 9.47673 4.61478 8.78795C4.61478 7.63233 5.01464 6.63936 5.81439 5.809C6.61414 4.97864 7.66069 4.56346 8.95406 4.56346C10.1097 4.56346 11.0108 4.87723 11.6575 5.50479C12.3042 6.13234 12.6275 6.94739 12.6275 7.94994C12.6275 9.25097 12.3654 10.3568 11.8412 11.2675C11.3169 12.1783 10.6454 12.6336 9.82651 12.6336C9.35967 12.6336 8.98468 12.4672 8.70151 12.1343C8.41835 11.8013 8.33034 11.4015 8.43748 10.9346C8.49871 10.6668 8.60011 10.309 8.74169 9.86129C8.88327 9.41359 8.99807 9.01946 9.08608 8.67889C9.17409 8.33833 9.21809 8.04943 9.21809 7.81219C9.21809 7.42953 9.11478 7.11193 8.90814 6.85938C8.70151 6.60683 8.40687 6.48055 8.02422 6.48055C7.54972 6.48055 7.14794 6.69866 6.81886 7.13489C6.48977 7.57112 6.32524 8.11448 6.32524 8.76499C6.32524 9.32367 6.4209 9.7905 6.61223 10.1655L5.47575 14.964C5.34564 15.4997 5.2959 16.177 5.32651 16.9959C3.74997 16.2994 2.47575 15.2242 1.50381 13.7701C0.531863 12.316 0.0458984 10.6974 0.0458984 8.91423C0.0458984 7.31473 0.440027 5.83962 1.2283 4.48884C2.01657 3.13807 3.08607 2.06857 4.43684 1.2803C5.78761 0.492029 7.26273 0.0979004 8.86223 0.0979004C10.4617 0.0979004 11.9368 0.492029 13.2876 1.2803C14.6384 2.06857 15.7079 3.13999 16.4962 4.49458Z" fill="currentColor" /> <path d="M16.4962 4.49458C17.2844 5.84153 17.6786 7.31473 17.6786 8.91423C17.6786 10.5137 17.2844 11.9888 16.4962 13.3396C15.7079 14.6904 14.6384 15.7599 13.2876 16.5482C11.9368 17.3364 10.4617 17.7306 8.86223 17.7306C8.01273 17.7306 7.17856 17.6081 6.35967 17.3632C6.81121 16.6515 7.10967 16.0239 7.25508 15.4806C7.32396 15.2203 7.53059 14.413 7.87498 13.0584C8.02804 13.3568 8.30738 13.6151 8.71299 13.8332C9.1186 14.0513 9.55483 14.1604 10.0217 14.1604C10.9477 14.1604 11.7742 13.8983 12.5013 13.374C13.2283 12.8498 13.7908 12.1285 14.1888 11.2101C14.5867 10.2918 14.7857 9.25862 14.7857 8.11066C14.7857 7.2382 14.558 6.41933 14.1027 5.65402C13.6473 4.88871 12.9872 4.26499 12.1224 3.78285C11.2576 3.3007 10.2819 3.05964 9.19513 3.05964C8.39156 3.05964 7.64157 3.1706 6.94513 3.39254C6.2487 3.61448 5.65751 3.90912 5.17154 4.27647C4.68556 4.64382 4.26848 5.06665 3.92026 5.54497C3.57205 6.02329 3.31567 6.51882 3.15113 7.03157C2.98659 7.54433 2.90432 8.05708 2.90432 8.56984C2.90432 9.36576 3.05738 10.066 3.3635 10.6706C3.66962 11.2752 4.11732 11.6999 4.70661 11.9448C4.93621 12.0367 5.08161 11.9601 5.14284 11.7152C5.15814 11.6617 5.18876 11.5431 5.23467 11.3594C5.28059 11.1757 5.3112 11.0609 5.32651 11.015C5.37243 10.839 5.33034 10.6744 5.20024 10.5214C4.80993 10.0545 4.61478 9.47673 4.61478 8.78795C4.61478 7.63233 5.01464 6.63936 5.81439 5.809C6.61414 4.97864 7.66069 4.56346 8.95406 4.56346C10.1097 4.56346 11.0108 4.87723 11.6575 5.50479C12.3042 6.13234 12.6275 6.94739 12.6275 7.94994C12.6275 9.25097 12.3654 10.3568 11.8412 11.2675C11.3169 12.1783 10.6454 12.6336 9.82651 12.6336C9.35967 12.6336 8.98468 12.4672 8.70151 12.1343C8.41835 11.8013 8.33034 11.4015 8.43748 10.9346C8.49871 10.6668 8.60011 10.309 8.74169 9.86129C8.88327 9.41359 8.99807 9.01946 9.08608 8.67889C9.17409 8.33833 9.21809 8.04943 9.21809 7.81219C9.21809 7.42953 9.11478 7.11193 8.90814 6.85938C8.70151 6.60683 8.40687 6.48055 8.02422 6.48055C7.54972 6.48055 7.14794 6.69866 6.81886 7.13489C6.48977 7.57112 6.32524 8.11448 6.32524 8.76499C6.32524 9.32367 6.4209 9.7905 6.61223 10.1655L5.47575 14.964C5.34564 15.4997 5.2959 16.177 5.32651 16.9959C3.74997 16.2994 2.47575 15.2242 1.50381 13.7701C0.531863 12.316 0.0458984 10.6974 0.0458984 8.91423C0.0458984 7.31473 0.440027 5.83962 1.2283 4.48884C2.01657 3.13807 3.08607 2.06857 4.43684 1.2803C5.78761 0.492029 7.26273 0.0979004 8.86223 0.0979004C10.4617 0.0979004 11.9368 0.492029 13.2876 1.2803C14.6384 2.06857 15.7079 3.13999 16.4962 4.49458Z" fill="currentColor" fill-opacity="0.2" /> </svg> </a> </li> <li class="flex"> <a class="flex items-center hover:text-red" href="https://reactormag.com/feed/" target="_blank" title="RSS Feed"> <svg class="w-[17px] h-[17px]" width="18" height="18" viewbox="0 0 18 18" fill="none" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" aria-label="rss feed" role="img" aria-hidden="true"> <g clip-path="url(#clip0_1051_121783)"> <path d="M2.67871 17.4143C2.12871 17.4143 1.65771 17.2183 1.26571 16.8263C0.873713 16.4343 0.678046 15.9636 0.678713 15.4143C0.678713 14.8643 0.874713 14.3933 1.26671 14.0013C1.65871 13.6093 2.12938 13.4136 2.67871 13.4143C3.22871 13.4143 3.69971 13.6103 4.09171 14.0023C4.48371 14.3943 4.67938 14.865 4.67871 15.4143C4.67871 15.9643 4.48271 16.4353 4.09071 16.8273C3.69871 17.2193 3.22805 17.415 2.67871 17.4143ZM14.6787 17.4143C14.6787 15.481 14.312 13.6683 13.5787 11.9763C12.8454 10.2843 11.841 8.80097 10.5657 7.52631C9.29171 6.25164 7.80871 5.24764 6.11671 4.51431C4.42471 3.78097 2.61205 3.41431 0.678713 3.41431V0.414307C3.02871 0.414307 5.23705 0.860306 7.30371 1.75231C9.37038 2.64431 11.1704 3.85664 12.7037 5.38931C14.237 6.92264 15.4497 8.72264 16.3417 10.7893C17.2337 12.856 17.6794 15.0643 17.6787 17.4143H14.6787ZM8.67871 17.4143C8.67871 15.1976 7.89971 13.31 6.34171 11.7513C4.78371 10.1926 2.89605 9.41364 0.678713 9.41431V6.41431C2.21205 6.41431 3.64538 6.70197 4.97871 7.27731C6.31205 7.85264 7.47471 8.63597 8.46671 9.62731C9.45805 10.6186 10.2414 11.781 10.8167 13.1143C11.392 14.4476 11.6794 15.881 11.6787 17.4143H8.67871Z" fill="currentColor" /> <path d="M2.67871 17.4143C2.12871 17.4143 1.65771 17.2183 1.26571 16.8263C0.873713 16.4343 0.678046 15.9636 0.678713 15.4143C0.678713 14.8643 0.874713 14.3933 1.26671 14.0013C1.65871 13.6093 2.12938 13.4136 2.67871 13.4143C3.22871 13.4143 3.69971 13.6103 4.09171 14.0023C4.48371 14.3943 4.67938 14.865 4.67871 15.4143C4.67871 15.9643 4.48271 16.4353 4.09071 16.8273C3.69871 17.2193 3.22805 17.415 2.67871 17.4143ZM14.6787 17.4143C14.6787 15.481 14.312 13.6683 13.5787 11.9763C12.8454 10.2843 11.841 8.80097 10.5657 7.52631C9.29171 6.25164 7.80871 5.24764 6.11671 4.51431C4.42471 3.78097 2.61205 3.41431 0.678713 3.41431V0.414307C3.02871 0.414307 5.23705 0.860306 7.30371 1.75231C9.37038 2.64431 11.1704 3.85664 12.7037 5.38931C14.237 6.92264 15.4497 8.72264 16.3417 10.7893C17.2337 12.856 17.6794 15.0643 17.6787 17.4143H14.6787ZM8.67871 17.4143C8.67871 15.1976 7.89971 13.31 6.34171 11.7513C4.78371 10.1926 2.89605 9.41364 0.678713 9.41431V6.41431C2.21205 6.41431 3.64538 6.70197 4.97871 7.27731C6.31205 7.85264 7.47471 8.63597 8.46671 9.62731C9.45805 10.6186 10.2414 11.781 10.8167 13.1143C11.392 14.4476 11.6794 15.881 11.6787 17.4143H8.67871Z" fill="currentColor" fill-opacity="0.2" /> </g> <defs> <clippath id="clip0_1051_121783"> <rect width="17" height="17" fill="white" transform="translate(0.678711 0.414307)" /> </clippath> </defs> </svg> </a> </li> </ul> </div> </details> </div> </div> </div> <div class="post-hero-media "> <figure class="w-full h-auto post-hero-image"> <img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="740" height="309" src="https://reactormag.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/ryan-gosling-project-hail-mary-740x309.jpg" class="w-full object-cover" alt="Ryan Gosling in Project Hail Mary" srcset="https://reactormag.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/ryan-gosling-project-hail-mary-740x309.jpg 740w, https://reactormag.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/ryan-gosling-project-hail-mary-1100x460.jpg 1100w, https://reactormag.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/ryan-gosling-project-hail-mary-768x321.jpg 768w, https://reactormag.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/ryan-gosling-project-hail-mary-1536x642.jpg 1536w, https://reactormag.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/ryan-gosling-project-hail-mary-2048x856.jpg 2048w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 740px) 100vw, 740px" /> </figure> <div class="post-hero-caption post-hero-caption-horizontal [&_a]:link"><p>Screenshot: Amazon MGM Studios</p> </div> </div> </div> </div> </post-hero> <div class="wp-block-more-from-category"> <div> </div> </div> <p>It’s been a long minute since we had a huge blockbuster about people reluctantly going to space to save the world. In the trailer for <em>Project Hail Mary</em>—based on the novel by <em>The Martian</em> author Andy Weir—there’s just one guy, though. (Readers of the novel, or even just of the synopsis of the novel, will know this is not <em>exactly</em> the case, though the trailer seems to really want you to think he’s all by his lonesome the whole time.) And he’s not even an astronaut.</p> <p>No, Ryland Grace (Ryan Gosling) is a middle school science teacher who just so happens to have studied something that might be useful at a moment when all the stars are getting “infected” with something dire and the sun is gonna die, taking all life on Earth with it. No big deal, buddy! You got this! </p> <p><em>Project Hail Mary</em> was, like Weir’s <em>The Martian</em>, a huge smash, and the movie looks to follow in its footsteps. The movie is directed by Phil Lord and Christopher Miller (<em>Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse</em>) and written by Drew Goddard, who also wrote the adaptation of <em>The Martian</em>. Like that story, <em>Project Hail Mary</em> centers on one guy trying to do the work of many people while not dying in space. This time there’s just a whole lot more at stake. And whatever this trailer may or may not give away plot-wise, Gosling feels note-perfect as an amiable guy who’s in way over his insecure little head.</p> <p>And he gets to make a friend! This deliciously long trailer kind of feels like it might be showing us the whole movie, but I’m informed by reliable sources (people who read the book) that it really, really isn’t. You’ll have to wait a while to find out for yourself, though: The movie is in theaters March 2o, 2026.[end-mark]</p> <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> <site-embed id="15941"/> </div></figure> <p>The post <a href="https://reactormag.com/ryan-gosling-might-reluctantly-save-the-world-in-project-hail-mary/">Ryan Gosling Might Reluctantly Save the World in <i>Project Hail Mary</i></a> appeared first on <a href="https://reactormag.com">Reactor</a>.</p><p class="ljsyndicationlink"><a href="https://reactormag.com/ryan-gosling-might-reluctantly-save-the-world-in-project-hail-mary/">https://reactormag.com/ryan-gosling-might-reluctantly-save-the-world-in-project-hail-mary/</a></p><p class="ljsyndicationlink"><a href="https://reactormag.com/?p=817219">https://reactormag.com/?p=817219</a></p>

Wind and Truth Reread: Chapters 74-76

tordotcom_feed

Monday, June 30th, 2025 02:00 pm

Posted by Drew McCaffrey

https://reactormag.com/wind-and-truth-reread-chapters-74-76/

https://reactormag.com/?p=817096

Books Wind and Truth Reread

Wind and Truth Reread: Chapters 74-76

A death rattle, a surprising encounter with Mishram, and bad news…

By Paige Vest, Lyndsey Luther, Drew McCaffrey

Published on June 30, 2025

[Error: Irreparable invalid markup ('<a [...] w-[18px]>') in entry. Owner must fix manually. Raw contents below.]

<p class="syndicationauthor">Posted by Drew McCaffrey</p><p class="ljsyndicationlink"><a href="https://reactormag.com/wind-and-truth-reread-chapters-74-76/">https://reactormag.com/wind-and-truth-reread-chapters-74-76/</a></p><p class="ljsyndicationlink"><a href="https://reactormag.com/?p=817096">https://reactormag.com/?p=817096</a></p><post-hero class="wp-block-post-hero js-post-hero post-hero post-hero-vertical"> <div class="container container-desktop"> <div class="flex flex-col mx-auto post-hero-container"> <div class="post-hero-content"> <div class="post-hero-tags font-aktiv text-xs tracking-[0.5px] font-medium uppercase"> <span class="mr-3"> <i class="inline-block w-2 h-2 rounded-full mr-[5px] bg-blue"></i> <a href="https://reactormag.com/articles/books/" class="inline-block link-no-animation" aria-label="Link to term or tag Books 0"> Books </a> </span> <span class="mr-3"> <i class="inline-block w-2 h-2 rounded-full mr-[5px] bg-blue"></i> <a href="https://reactormag.com/tag/wind-and-truth-reread/" class="inline-block link-no-animation" aria-label="Link to term or tag Wind and Truth Reread 1"> Wind and Truth Reread </a> </span> </div> <h2 class="post-hero-title text-h1"><i>Wind and Truth</i> Reread: Chapters 74-76</h2> <div class="prose post-hero-description prose--post-hero">A death rattle, a surprising encounter with Mishram, and bad news…</div> <div class="post-hero-wrapper"> <div class="post-hero-inner"> <p class="post-hero-author text-xs font-aktiv uppercase font-medium [&_a]:link-hover">By <a href="https://reactormag.com/author/paige-vest/" title="Posts by Paige Vest" class="author url fn" rel="author">Paige Vest</a>, <a href="https://reactormag.com/author/lyndsey-luther/" title="Posts by Lyndsey Luther" class="author url fn" rel="author">Lyndsey Luther</a>, <a href="https://reactormag.com/author/drew-mccaffrey/" title="Posts by Drew McCaffrey" class="author url fn" rel="author">Drew McCaffrey</a></p> <span class="post-hero-symbol relative top-[-2px] hidden tablet:block">|</span> <p class="text-xs uppercase post-hero-publish font-aktiv"> Published on June 30, 2025 </p> </div> </div> <div class="quick-access post-hero-quick-access mt-[17px] tablet:hidden"> <div class="flex gap-[30px] tablet:gap-6"> <a href="https://reactormag.com/wind-and-truth-reread-chapters-74-76/#comments" class="flex items-center text-sm font-aktiv tracking-[0.6px] font-semibold uppercase translate-x-[1px] translate-y-[1px]"> <svg class="w-[22px] h-[22px] mr-[7px] icon-hover" viewbox="0 0 18 18" aria-label="comment" role="img" aria-hidden="true" aria-labelledby="icon-comment-quick-access-"> <title id="icon-comment-quick-access-">Comment</title> <g fill="none" fill-rule="evenodd"> <path fill="#FFF" fill-rule="nonzero" d="M6.3 18a.9.9 0 0 1-.9-.9v-2.7H1.8A1.8 1.8 0 0 1 0 12.6V1.8A1.8 1.8 0 0 1 1.8 0h14.4A1.8 1.8 0 0 1 18 1.8v10.8a1.8 1.8 0 0 1-1.8 1.8h-5.49l-3.33 3.339a.917.917 0 0 1-.63.261H6.3Z" /> <path stroke="#000" d="M5.9 14.4v-.5H1.8a1.3 1.3 0 0 1-1.3-1.3V1.8A1.3 1.3 0 0 1 1.8.5h14.4a1.3 1.3 0 0 1 1.3 1.3v10.8a1.3 1.3 0 0 1-1.3 1.3h-5.698l-.146.147-3.324 3.333a.417.417 0 0 1-.282.12H6.3a.4.4 0 0 1-.4-.4v-2.7Z" /> </g> </svg> 2 </a> <details class="relative quick-access-details"> <summary class="quick-access-share flex items-center text-sm font-aktiv tracking-[0.6px] font-semibold uppercase"> <svg class="w-[22px] h-[22px] mr-[7px] icon-hover" viewbox="0 0 22 22" aria-label="share" role="img" aria-hidden="true" aria-labelledby="icon-share-new-quick-access-"> <title id="icon-share-new-quick-access-">Share New</title> <g fill="none" fill-rule="evenodd"> <circle cx="11" cy="11" r="11" fill="#FFF" fill-rule="nonzero" /> <circle cx="11" cy="11" r="10.5" stroke="#000" /> <path fill="#FFF" d="M5.993 13.464c.675 0 1.323-.266 1.806-.743l4.11 2.396a2.639 2.639 0 0 0 .368 2.451 2.583 2.583 0 0 0 2.227 1.043 2.59 2.59 0 0 0 2.09-1.3 2.64 2.64 0 0 0 .08-2.477 2.58 2.58 0 0 0-4.292-.54L8.344 11.94c.28-.616.31-1.319.086-1.958l3.952-2.303a2.564 2.564 0 0 0 4.263-.537 2.623 2.623 0 0 0-.078-2.46 2.573 2.573 0 0 0-2.075-1.293 2.566 2.566 0 0 0-2.213 1.033 2.622 2.622 0 0 0-.37 2.433L7.96 9.158a2.573 2.573 0 0 0-4.316.603 2.632 2.632 0 0 0 .172 2.501 2.58 2.58 0 0 0 2.178 1.202Z" /> <path fill="#000" d="M6.936 9.577c.322 0 .631.137.859.383.228.245.355.577.355.924 0 .347-.127.68-.355.925a1.172 1.172 0 0 1-.859.383c-.322 0-.63-.138-.858-.383a1.36 1.36 0 0 1-.356-.925c0-.347.129-.679.356-.924.228-.245.536-.383.858-.383Zm6.17-3.837c.323 0 .631.138.86.383.227.245.355.578.355.924 0 .347-.128.68-.356.925a1.172 1.172 0 0 1-.858.383c-.322 0-.631-.138-.859-.383a1.36 1.36 0 0 1-.355-.925c0-.346.128-.678.356-.924.227-.245.536-.383.858-.383Zm0 7.883c.323 0 .631.138.86.383.227.245.355.578.355.925 0 .346-.128.679-.356.924a1.171 1.171 0 0 1-.858.383c-.322 0-.631-.138-.859-.383a1.36 1.36 0 0 1-.355-.925c0-.346.128-.678.356-.923.227-.245.536-.383.858-.384Zm-6.17-.681c.499 0 .978-.21 1.334-.586l3.036 1.888a2.194 2.194 0 0 0 .272 1.93c.385.555 1.003.863 1.645.822.641-.04 1.221-.425 1.544-1.024a2.203 2.203 0 0 0 .059-1.952c-.286-.62-.841-1.044-1.48-1.13-.637-.085-1.272.18-1.69.705l-2.984-1.854c.207-.486.23-1.04.064-1.543l2.92-1.815c.415.522 1.046.784 1.68.7.633-.086 1.184-.507 1.468-1.123a2.188 2.188 0 0 0-.058-1.938c-.32-.595-.895-.977-1.532-1.018-.638-.041-1.251.264-1.635.813a2.179 2.179 0 0 0-.273 1.917L8.389 9.55c-.423-.534-1.07-.798-1.715-.702-.645.096-1.2.54-1.472 1.177a2.194 2.194 0 0 0 .126 1.97c.352.59.958.948 1.61.947Z" /> </g> </svg> Share </summary> <div class="quick-access-bubble"> <ul class="flex gap-6 text-black list-none"> <li class="flex"> <a class="flex items-center hover:text-red" href="https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=<i>Wind and Truth</i> Reread: Chapters 74-76&url=https://reactormag.com/wind-and-truth-reread-chapters-74-76/” target=”_blank” title=”Twitter”> <svg class=" w-[18px]="w-[18px]" h-[15px]"="h-[15px]"" width="18" height="15" viewbox="0 0 18 15" fill="none" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" aria-label="twitter" role="img" aria-hidden="true"> <path d="M17.7143 2.56767C17.2122 3.28347 16.6053 3.89336 15.8934 4.39734C15.9009 4.4996 15.9046 4.65298 15.9046 4.8575C15.9046 5.80703 15.7623 6.75472 15.4775 7.7006C15.1928 8.64649 14.76 9.55401 14.1793 10.4232C13.5986 11.2924 12.9073 12.0611 12.1055 12.7295C11.3037 13.3978 10.3371 13.931 9.20558 14.329C8.07408 14.7271 6.86392 14.9262 5.57505 14.9262C3.54435 14.9262 1.68601 14.3966 0 13.3375C0.262269 13.3667 0.554506 13.3813 0.876722 13.3813C2.56274 13.3813 4.06514 12.8774 5.38397 11.8694C4.59717 11.8548 3.8928 11.6192 3.27085 11.1627C2.6489 10.7062 2.22178 10.1237 1.98949 9.41523C2.23677 9.45175 2.46531 9.47001 2.67513 9.47001C2.99734 9.47001 3.31581 9.42984 3.63053 9.3495C2.79127 9.1815 2.09627 8.77431 1.5455 8.12789C0.99474 7.48148 0.719362 6.73099 0.719362 5.87641V5.83259C1.22891 6.11015 1.77592 6.25988 2.36041 6.28179C1.86584 5.96041 1.47245 5.54043 1.1802 5.02184C0.887961 4.50325 0.741842 3.94084 0.741842 3.3346C0.741842 2.69184 0.906694 2.09656 1.2364 1.54875C2.1431 2.63707 3.24649 3.50807 4.54659 4.16178C5.84669 4.8155 7.23857 5.17887 8.72226 5.25192C8.66232 4.97436 8.63234 4.70411 8.63234 4.44116C8.63234 3.46241 8.9864 2.62793 9.69452 1.9377C10.4027 1.24746 11.2588 0.902344 12.2629 0.902344C13.3119 0.902344 14.1962 1.27485 14.9155 2.01987C15.7323 1.86648 16.5004 1.58162 17.2197 1.16529C16.9425 2.00526 16.4104 2.65532 15.6236 3.11548C16.3205 3.04244 17.0174 2.85984 17.7143 2.56767Z" fill="currentColor" /> <path d="M17.7143 2.56767C17.2122 3.28347 16.6053 3.89336 15.8934 4.39734C15.9009 4.4996 15.9046 4.65298 15.9046 4.8575C15.9046 5.80703 15.7623 6.75472 15.4775 7.7006C15.1928 8.64649 14.76 9.55401 14.1793 10.4232C13.5986 11.2924 12.9073 12.0611 12.1055 12.7295C11.3037 13.3978 10.3371 13.931 9.20558 14.329C8.07408 14.7271 6.86392 14.9262 5.57505 14.9262C3.54435 14.9262 1.68601 14.3966 0 13.3375C0.262269 13.3667 0.554506 13.3813 0.876722 13.3813C2.56274 13.3813 4.06514 12.8774 5.38397 11.8694C4.59717 11.8548 3.8928 11.6192 3.27085 11.1627C2.6489 10.7062 2.22178 10.1237 1.98949 9.41523C2.23677 9.45175 2.46531 9.47001 2.67513 9.47001C2.99734 9.47001 3.31581 9.42984 3.63053 9.3495C2.79127 9.1815 2.09627 8.77431 1.5455 8.12789C0.99474 7.48148 0.719362 6.73099 0.719362 5.87641V5.83259C1.22891 6.11015 1.77592 6.25988 2.36041 6.28179C1.86584 5.96041 1.47245 5.54043 1.1802 5.02184C0.887961 4.50325 0.741842 3.94084 0.741842 3.3346C0.741842 2.69184 0.906694 2.09656 1.2364 1.54875C2.1431 2.63707 3.24649 3.50807 4.54659 4.16178C5.84669 4.8155 7.23857 5.17887 8.72226 5.25192C8.66232 4.97436 8.63234 4.70411 8.63234 4.44116C8.63234 3.46241 8.9864 2.62793 9.69452 1.9377C10.4027 1.24746 11.2588 0.902344 12.2629 0.902344C13.3119 0.902344 14.1962 1.27485 14.9155 2.01987C15.7323 1.86648 16.5004 1.58162 17.2197 1.16529C16.9425 2.00526 16.4104 2.65532 15.6236 3.11548C16.3205 3.04244 17.0174 2.85984 17.7143 2.56767Z" fill="currentColor" fill-opacity="0.2" /> </svg> </a> </li> <li class="flex"> <a class="flex items-center hover:text-red" href="https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https://reactormag.com/wind-and-truth-reread-chapters-74-76/" target="_blank" title="Facebook"> <svg class="w-[9px] h-[18px]" fill="currentColor" viewbox="0 0 12 22" width="100%" height="100%" display="block" transitionduration="normal" transitionproperty="none" transitiontimingfunction="ease-out" class="w-[9px] h-[18px]" aria-label="facebook" role="img" aria-hidden="true"> <path d="M11.558.004L8.677 0C5.44 0 3.349 2.125 3.349 5.416v2.496H.452A.45.45 0 000 8.36v3.618a.45.45 0 00.452.447h2.897v9.127A.45.45 0 003.8 22h3.778c.25 0 .451-.2.451-.448v-9.127h3.387c.25 0 .451-.2.451-.447l.003-3.618a.452.452 0 00-.456-.448h-3.39V5.795c0-1.017.245-1.534 1.582-1.534h1.941c.25 0 .452-.2.452-.447V.457a.45.45 0 00-.452-.448l.01-.005z" fill-rule="nonzero"> </path> </svg> </a> </li> <li class="flex"> <a class="flex items-center hover:text-red" href="https://pinterest.com/pin/create/button/?url=https://reactormag.com/wind-and-truth-reread-chapters-74-76/&media=&description=<i>Wind and Truth</i> Reread: Chapters 74-76″ target=”_blank” title=”Pinterest”> <svg class=" w-[18px]="w-[18px]" h-[18px]"="h-[18px]"" width="18" height="18" viewbox="0 0 18 18" fill="none" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" aria-label="pinterest" role="img" aria-hidden="true"> <path d="M16.4962 4.49458C17.2844 5.84153 17.6786 7.31473 17.6786 8.91423C17.6786 10.5137 17.2844 11.9888 16.4962 13.3396C15.7079 14.6904 14.6384 15.7599 13.2876 16.5482C11.9368 17.3364 10.4617 17.7306 8.86223 17.7306C8.01273 17.7306 7.17856 17.6081 6.35967 17.3632C6.81121 16.6515 7.10967 16.0239 7.25508 15.4806C7.32396 15.2203 7.53059 14.413 7.87498 13.0584C8.02804 13.3568 8.30738 13.6151 8.71299 13.8332C9.1186 14.0513 9.55483 14.1604 10.0217 14.1604C10.9477 14.1604 11.7742 13.8983 12.5013 13.374C13.2283 12.8498 13.7908 12.1285 14.1888 11.2101C14.5867 10.2918 14.7857 9.25862 14.7857 8.11066C14.7857 7.2382 14.558 6.41933 14.1027 5.65402C13.6473 4.88871 12.9872 4.26499 12.1224 3.78285C11.2576 3.3007 10.2819 3.05964 9.19513 3.05964C8.39156 3.05964 7.64157 3.1706 6.94513 3.39254C6.2487 3.61448 5.65751 3.90912 5.17154 4.27647C4.68556 4.64382 4.26848 5.06665 3.92026 5.54497C3.57205 6.02329 3.31567 6.51882 3.15113 7.03157C2.98659 7.54433 2.90432 8.05708 2.90432 8.56984C2.90432 9.36576 3.05738 10.066 3.3635 10.6706C3.66962 11.2752 4.11732 11.6999 4.70661 11.9448C4.93621 12.0367 5.08161 11.9601 5.14284 11.7152C5.15814 11.6617 5.18876 11.5431 5.23467 11.3594C5.28059 11.1757 5.3112 11.0609 5.32651 11.015C5.37243 10.839 5.33034 10.6744 5.20024 10.5214C4.80993 10.0545 4.61478 9.47673 4.61478 8.78795C4.61478 7.63233 5.01464 6.63936 5.81439 5.809C6.61414 4.97864 7.66069 4.56346 8.95406 4.56346C10.1097 4.56346 11.0108 4.87723 11.6575 5.50479C12.3042 6.13234 12.6275 6.94739 12.6275 7.94994C12.6275 9.25097 12.3654 10.3568 11.8412 11.2675C11.3169 12.1783 10.6454 12.6336 9.82651 12.6336C9.35967 12.6336 8.98468 12.4672 8.70151 12.1343C8.41835 11.8013 8.33034 11.4015 8.43748 10.9346C8.49871 10.6668 8.60011 10.309 8.74169 9.86129C8.88327 9.41359 8.99807 9.01946 9.08608 8.67889C9.17409 8.33833 9.21809 8.04943 9.21809 7.81219C9.21809 7.42953 9.11478 7.11193 8.90814 6.85938C8.70151 6.60683 8.40687 6.48055 8.02422 6.48055C7.54972 6.48055 7.14794 6.69866 6.81886 7.13489C6.48977 7.57112 6.32524 8.11448 6.32524 8.76499C6.32524 9.32367 6.4209 9.7905 6.61223 10.1655L5.47575 14.964C5.34564 15.4997 5.2959 16.177 5.32651 16.9959C3.74997 16.2994 2.47575 15.2242 1.50381 13.7701C0.531863 12.316 0.0458984 10.6974 0.0458984 8.91423C0.0458984 7.31473 0.440027 5.83962 1.2283 4.48884C2.01657 3.13807 3.08607 2.06857 4.43684 1.2803C5.78761 0.492029 7.26273 0.0979004 8.86223 0.0979004C10.4617 0.0979004 11.9368 0.492029 13.2876 1.2803C14.6384 2.06857 15.7079 3.13999 16.4962 4.49458Z" fill="currentColor" /> <path d="M16.4962 4.49458C17.2844 5.84153 17.6786 7.31473 17.6786 8.91423C17.6786 10.5137 17.2844 11.9888 16.4962 13.3396C15.7079 14.6904 14.6384 15.7599 13.2876 16.5482C11.9368 17.3364 10.4617 17.7306 8.86223 17.7306C8.01273 17.7306 7.17856 17.6081 6.35967 17.3632C6.81121 16.6515 7.10967 16.0239 7.25508 15.4806C7.32396 15.2203 7.53059 14.413 7.87498 13.0584C8.02804 13.3568 8.30738 13.6151 8.71299 13.8332C9.1186 14.0513 9.55483 14.1604 10.0217 14.1604C10.9477 14.1604 11.7742 13.8983 12.5013 13.374C13.2283 12.8498 13.7908 12.1285 14.1888 11.2101C14.5867 10.2918 14.7857 9.25862 14.7857 8.11066C14.7857 7.2382 14.558 6.41933 14.1027 5.65402C13.6473 4.88871 12.9872 4.26499 12.1224 3.78285C11.2576 3.3007 10.2819 3.05964 9.19513 3.05964C8.39156 3.05964 7.64157 3.1706 6.94513 3.39254C6.2487 3.61448 5.65751 3.90912 5.17154 4.27647C4.68556 4.64382 4.26848 5.06665 3.92026 5.54497C3.57205 6.02329 3.31567 6.51882 3.15113 7.03157C2.98659 7.54433 2.90432 8.05708 2.90432 8.56984C2.90432 9.36576 3.05738 10.066 3.3635 10.6706C3.66962 11.2752 4.11732 11.6999 4.70661 11.9448C4.93621 12.0367 5.08161 11.9601 5.14284 11.7152C5.15814 11.6617 5.18876 11.5431 5.23467 11.3594C5.28059 11.1757 5.3112 11.0609 5.32651 11.015C5.37243 10.839 5.33034 10.6744 5.20024 10.5214C4.80993 10.0545 4.61478 9.47673 4.61478 8.78795C4.61478 7.63233 5.01464 6.63936 5.81439 5.809C6.61414 4.97864 7.66069 4.56346 8.95406 4.56346C10.1097 4.56346 11.0108 4.87723 11.6575 5.50479C12.3042 6.13234 12.6275 6.94739 12.6275 7.94994C12.6275 9.25097 12.3654 10.3568 11.8412 11.2675C11.3169 12.1783 10.6454 12.6336 9.82651 12.6336C9.35967 12.6336 8.98468 12.4672 8.70151 12.1343C8.41835 11.8013 8.33034 11.4015 8.43748 10.9346C8.49871 10.6668 8.60011 10.309 8.74169 9.86129C8.88327 9.41359 8.99807 9.01946 9.08608 8.67889C9.17409 8.33833 9.21809 8.04943 9.21809 7.81219C9.21809 7.42953 9.11478 7.11193 8.90814 6.85938C8.70151 6.60683 8.40687 6.48055 8.02422 6.48055C7.54972 6.48055 7.14794 6.69866 6.81886 7.13489C6.48977 7.57112 6.32524 8.11448 6.32524 8.76499C6.32524 9.32367 6.4209 9.7905 6.61223 10.1655L5.47575 14.964C5.34564 15.4997 5.2959 16.177 5.32651 16.9959C3.74997 16.2994 2.47575 15.2242 1.50381 13.7701C0.531863 12.316 0.0458984 10.6974 0.0458984 8.91423C0.0458984 7.31473 0.440027 5.83962 1.2283 4.48884C2.01657 3.13807 3.08607 2.06857 4.43684 1.2803C5.78761 0.492029 7.26273 0.0979004 8.86223 0.0979004C10.4617 0.0979004 11.9368 0.492029 13.2876 1.2803C14.6384 2.06857 15.7079 3.13999 16.4962 4.49458Z" fill="currentColor" fill-opacity="0.2" /> </svg> </a> </li> <li class="flex"> <a class="flex items-center hover:text-red" href="https://reactormag.com/feed/" target="_blank" title="RSS Feed"> <svg class="w-[17px] h-[17px]" width="18" height="18" viewbox="0 0 18 18" fill="none" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" aria-label="rss feed" role="img" aria-hidden="true"> <g clip-path="url(#clip0_1051_121783)"> <path d="M2.67871 17.4143C2.12871 17.4143 1.65771 17.2183 1.26571 16.8263C0.873713 16.4343 0.678046 15.9636 0.678713 15.4143C0.678713 14.8643 0.874713 14.3933 1.26671 14.0013C1.65871 13.6093 2.12938 13.4136 2.67871 13.4143C3.22871 13.4143 3.69971 13.6103 4.09171 14.0023C4.48371 14.3943 4.67938 14.865 4.67871 15.4143C4.67871 15.9643 4.48271 16.4353 4.09071 16.8273C3.69871 17.2193 3.22805 17.415 2.67871 17.4143ZM14.6787 17.4143C14.6787 15.481 14.312 13.6683 13.5787 11.9763C12.8454 10.2843 11.841 8.80097 10.5657 7.52631C9.29171 6.25164 7.80871 5.24764 6.11671 4.51431C4.42471 3.78097 2.61205 3.41431 0.678713 3.41431V0.414307C3.02871 0.414307 5.23705 0.860306 7.30371 1.75231C9.37038 2.64431 11.1704 3.85664 12.7037 5.38931C14.237 6.92264 15.4497 8.72264 16.3417 10.7893C17.2337 12.856 17.6794 15.0643 17.6787 17.4143H14.6787ZM8.67871 17.4143C8.67871 15.1976 7.89971 13.31 6.34171 11.7513C4.78371 10.1926 2.89605 9.41364 0.678713 9.41431V6.41431C2.21205 6.41431 3.64538 6.70197 4.97871 7.27731C6.31205 7.85264 7.47471 8.63597 8.46671 9.62731C9.45805 10.6186 10.2414 11.781 10.8167 13.1143C11.392 14.4476 11.6794 15.881 11.6787 17.4143H8.67871Z" fill="currentColor" /> <path d="M2.67871 17.4143C2.12871 17.4143 1.65771 17.2183 1.26571 16.8263C0.873713 16.4343 0.678046 15.9636 0.678713 15.4143C0.678713 14.8643 0.874713 14.3933 1.26671 14.0013C1.65871 13.6093 2.12938 13.4136 2.67871 13.4143C3.22871 13.4143 3.69971 13.6103 4.09171 14.0023C4.48371 14.3943 4.67938 14.865 4.67871 15.4143C4.67871 15.9643 4.48271 16.4353 4.09071 16.8273C3.69871 17.2193 3.22805 17.415 2.67871 17.4143ZM14.6787 17.4143C14.6787 15.481 14.312 13.6683 13.5787 11.9763C12.8454 10.2843 11.841 8.80097 10.5657 7.52631C9.29171 6.25164 7.80871 5.24764 6.11671 4.51431C4.42471 3.78097 2.61205 3.41431 0.678713 3.41431V0.414307C3.02871 0.414307 5.23705 0.860306 7.30371 1.75231C9.37038 2.64431 11.1704 3.85664 12.7037 5.38931C14.237 6.92264 15.4497 8.72264 16.3417 10.7893C17.2337 12.856 17.6794 15.0643 17.6787 17.4143H14.6787ZM8.67871 17.4143C8.67871 15.1976 7.89971 13.31 6.34171 11.7513C4.78371 10.1926 2.89605 9.41364 0.678713 9.41431V6.41431C2.21205 6.41431 3.64538 6.70197 4.97871 7.27731C6.31205 7.85264 7.47471 8.63597 8.46671 9.62731C9.45805 10.6186 10.2414 11.781 10.8167 13.1143C11.392 14.4476 11.6794 15.881 11.6787 17.4143H8.67871Z" fill="currentColor" fill-opacity="0.2" /> </g> <defs> <clippath id="clip0_1051_121783"> <rect width="17" height="17" fill="white" transform="translate(0.678711 0.414307)" /> </clippath> </defs> </svg> </a> </li> </ul> </div> </details> </div> </div> </div> <div class="post-hero-media "> <figure class="w-full h-auto post-hero-image"> <img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="740" height="407" src="https://reactormag.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/wind-and-truth-reread-header-740x407.png" class="w-full object-cover" alt="Cover of Brandon Sanderson's Wind and Truth" srcset="https://reactormag.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/wind-and-truth-reread-header-740x407.png 740w, https://reactormag.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/wind-and-truth-reread-header-1100x605.png 1100w, https://reactormag.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/wind-and-truth-reread-header-768x422.png 768w, https://reactormag.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/wind-and-truth-reread-header.png 1400w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 740px) 100vw, 740px" /> </figure> </div> </div> </div> </post-hero> <div class="wp-block-more-from-category"> <div> </div> </div> <p>Welcome to yet another Stormlight Reread Monday, Cosmere Chickens! Paige, Drew, and I invite you to join us on another deep dive into the novel as we experience a crushing loss along with Sigzil, come face to face with an Unmade, take a look back in time to watch a young Szeth beginning his pilgrimage, and witness Adolin receiving some very bad news. Things are looking pretty bleak for our heroes this week, and they’ll get darker still before the end, so let’s discuss…</p> <p>The book has been out long enough that most of you will hopefully have finished, and as such, this series shall now function as a re-read rather than a read-along. That means there <em>will</em> be spoilers for the end of the book (as well as <strong>full Cosmere spoilers</strong>, so beware if you aren’t caught up on all Cosmere content).</p> <div style="height:10px" aria-hidden="true" class="wp-block-spacer"></div> <h3 class="wp-block-heading"><a></a>Paige’s Commentary: Plot Arcs</h3> <p>We haven’t seen Sigzil in a while, and it’s hard to witness his anguish in the opening of chapter 74, titled “What He Made Of Us,” as he’s screaming over his dying squire, Deti, who utters a Death Rattle:</p> <figure class="wp-block-pullquote has-text-align-left"><blockquote><p>“It comes! The Night of Sorrows! I stand on the precipice of dawn and watch it advance, consuming all light, all life, all hope. IT COMES!”</p></blockquote></figure> <p>Ugh, poor squire, Deti. And poor Sig. Raging, he rips into some direform Regals who are surrounding some of his soldiers, wielding Vienta as a dagger and a Heavenly One’s spear, which had drained Deti’s Stormlight. Its sphere is cracked, so as he stabs Regals, their voidlight leaks away into the night. Vienta tries to talk sense into him. He’s the commander; he can’t afford to kill in a rage. He needs to retreat. But he continues to attack until his logical side takes over and finally he retreats, abandoning Narak Four.</p> <p>This was his plan, but he wishes they’d lasted longer—and also that his forces had more Stormlight. It’s in short supply as Dalinar has yet to return, so they have to ration it and they’re getting pummeled by Odium’s forces. Now they have to plan how to get the enemy to focus on Narak Three, the other plateau they can afford to lose. But first Sig informs Leyten and Skar that Moelach is there, based on the fact that Deti spoke a Death Rattle. Leyten states that Moelach doesn’t take part in fighting but Sig warns that there might be another Unmade in the area, as well. And, as a matter of fact, he’s right. He’s seen it, after all, hasn’t he? Sig then asks if they’d seen Moash and Leyten offers the perfect reply:</p> <figure class="wp-block-pullquote has-text-align-left"><blockquote><p>”The moment he appears, we’ll make sure you know. Then there will be a reckoning.”</p></blockquote></figure> <p>There won’t be, unfortunately, but it’s nice to hear the guys talking about it. *sigh*</p> <p>POV SHIFT!</p> <p>Back to Shallan, who emerges from the chaos of the Spiritual Realm to the <em>outside</em> of a vision. It’s as if she’s looking through a cloudy glass wall which forms a pillar surrounded by wooden scaffolding. Her spren appear, and then Renarin, Rlain, and their spren appear on another level of the scaffolding. She finds a good spot to peek in and observes a battle taking place on the other side. Dalinar and Navani have been moving through Desolations and they used the pillar in order to watch, seeing the early Knights Radiant but skipping over the days of Nohadon and the founding of the Radiants.</p> <p>There has been no sign of the Ghostbloods they’re hunting, but they continue to follow Dalinar as the Ghostbloods believe that his quest will also lead them to Mishram, so they must be following him somehow, as well. They observe that the weapons and the battle tactics are more modern but that this is still long in the past. Rlain notes that the battles are against his people.</p> <figure class="wp-block-pullquote has-text-align-left"><blockquote><p>“The Fused wouldn’t exist if the humans hadn’t begun to outgrow the land given them. The Heralds wouldn’t exist if the Fused hadn’t been created to stop this incursion.”</p></blockquote></figure> <p>He’s not wrong, all of the fighting began with the arrival of the humans. They just destroy everything! Stupid humans.</p> <p>Shallan points out that the singers <em>did</em> serve Odium. Rlain states that was because the other gods refused to help them. He asks if the only acceptable answer is that one people or another must be subjugated, as happened to his people. It’s rather an uncomfortable discussion between human and listener, but it’s an important one, because if the Fused and Odium’s forces win, they will subjugate the humans. If, on the other hand, the humans were to win, they would also want to subjugate the singers. Renarin tells him that his father is trying to end the war with peace and that there have to be other answers. Rlain is skeptical that it <em>can</em> end with peace, and I don’t blame him one bit for it.</p> <p>Shallan wants to move to the top of a hill but Renarin says he can’t just zoom them around like with one of her maps. This really cracks me up. I know a lot of people don’t like familiar real-world expressions like “zoom” appearing in these books. They say it pulls them out of the story. It never pulls me out—I personally find it amusing, and I enjoy the way Brandon uses words like “zoom” and “awesome” in the books. What say you, Sanderfans? What are your thoughts on this topic?</p> <p>Shallan asks Renarin to try to move their location and after some discussion with Glys, he’s able to jump them to a different hilltop. She sees Dalinar and Navani and they remind her of Adolin, which makes her smile. Oh, my heart. *sad face* Then she spies a darkened area and Renarin announces that Glys says it’s an Unmade: specifically, Mishram. Not the NOW Mishram, but it’s her in the historical vision. Shallan takes a moment to be annoyed at the fact that while they’d seen Unmade in other battles, they hadn’t been shown their creation, which remained a mystery even to the spren.</p> <p>Shallan wants to go inside and interact with Mishram; after arguing with Renarin about it, Rlain agrees with Shallan. Promising to signal if something goes wrong, she enters the vision…</p> <p>Chapter 75—ahh, so much for seeing Shallan approach Mishram in the vision, right? Soon, Sanderfans… soon. But <em>this</em> chapter is a Szeth flashback titled “Family” and it takes place sixteen years ago, around the same time as his last vision. It’s the day he’s to leave on his pilgrimage to train with all of the Honorblades (barring Taln’s), and he’s in the monastery’s rock garden, praying to a stone there with a vein of crystal running through its center. He asks for wisdom and touches the stone. And oddly…</p> <figure class="wp-block-pullquote has-text-align-left"><blockquote><p>For a moment he felt… memories. As if… this stone had come from another place, and remembered being carried… with a group of terrified people…</p></blockquote></figure> <p>This stone, of course, was brought from Ashyn, and it’s interesting that Szeth can feel that memory from the stone. He speaks to it, asks if it’s the spren he follows. And then the Voice pops up again and tells him that it hasn’t been ignoring him and that they will meet once his pilgrimage is complete. It says that it has orchestrated everything that has happened to Szeth and that <em>his </em>meaning is part of <em>its </em>meaning. And Szeth really needed that reminder that his life was not an accident. Poor Szeth, always needing validation from others.</p> <p>Then Elid appears, interrupting his meditation; she tells him that their father is planning to follow him. Szeth feels relief at this; he says he didn’t think that his father would come with him, though he’s not surprised. Elid says Szeth needs to tell Neturo to stay because he’s built something there—he’s the mayor. Szeth says their father will do what he likes, that maybe he has reasons to go to the Willshaper monastery. Elid is shocked that Szeth knows about Sivi and asks if he thinks what they’re doing is wrong. He replies that their mother left <em>him</em>; Elid says she might come back, though she then argues that their father following Szeth every few months would mean the end of him and Sivi. Wishy-washy, that one.</p> <p>They briefly talk about missing their mother and then Elid declares she’s not going on the pilgrimage and again tells Szeth to talk their father out of going. She calls out that she hates him as he leaves. Poor Szeth. And really, poor Elid, too. Her life was dramatically altered because of what Szeth went through, too. Following him from place to place first with her parents, and now just her father. She has never really had her own place, but she’s made this city her home and won’t be following Szeth again.</p> <p>He leaves the monastery with only the clothes on his back and his sword, and is soon joined by his father. He asks his father to stay behind. Neturo asks if Szeth wants that or if he thinks it’s what he <em>should</em> want. Szeth tells him he has a life there with his family and Neturo tells him that going with Szeth is the only way he knows how to help. Szeth thanks him, grateful that his father is going with him despite telling him to stay behind.</p> <p>Chapter 76 is titled “Concessions” and despite sporting an Adolin chapter icon, the chapter opens with Shallan inside the vision, in a dying singer body. She can speak to Pattern in her mind now and asks him to have them pull her out and put her in a different body, but then she sees Mishram approaching.</p> <figure class="wp-block-pullquote has-text-align-left"><blockquote><p>The Unmade took the shape of a black mass of smoke, with hands growing out of it to move. Powerful hands, entirely black, stretching out and gripping the ground to pull her along.</p></blockquote></figure> <p>That’s not creepy at all. But as the mass reaches another dying singer, the hands and arms disappear and the mass of smoke turns into a female singer with billowing robes and long black hair. She leans over the dying singer and speaks to her, forming extra arms to hold her. Shallan whimpers at the pain in her side and Mishram turns to her… which kind of freaks her out. Mishram leans toward her and whispers for her to live, to heal. Shallan asks why Mishram healed her and she responds that he “does not love us… [so] we must love ourselves.” Shallan follows Mishram to where she’s healing another singer and asks what her plots are. Mishram tells her to live, feel, be. Shallan follows Mishram and lets Radiant take control. The Unmade has found a human, and Radiant asks Mishram if she will heal him. She says she cannot and would not, though she sings to him to make his transition more peaceful.</p> <p>This really challenges our sense of Mishram as some kind of psychotic Unmade. We’ll know why she changed, of course, but it’s so sad to see how compassionate she was before she was betrayed.</p> <p>When Mishram—the present day Mishram—suddenly <em>SEES</em> Shallan, it’s pretty freaking scary, to be perfectly honest. I know that I got the creeps from it, in a major way. They pull Shallan out of the vision and she creates a Lightweaving of herself to remain inside. Mishram rants about all the pain she’ll cause and Shallan asks why Odium is afraid of her, about whether she could replace Odium. Mishram feels taken aback and then Shallan is back in the Spiritual Realm, surrounded by Mishram’s essence.</p> <figure class="wp-block-pullquote has-text-align-left"><blockquote><p>“How do you know?” Mishram demanded. “<em>How do you know?</em>”<br><br>“I’ve been there,” Shallan whispered. “I killed those who created me as well.”</p></blockquote></figure> <p>And here we see Shallan’s oft repeated fixation, her guilt and fear that she’s killed or hurt everyone who has helped her, which has made her hesitate to kill Mraize when she’s had the opportunity. Of course, she hasn’t killed all of her mentors and allies—Adolin, Dalinar, and Jasnah are still alive, among others. She really needs to start working through this particular belief and coming to grips with her guilt.</p> <p>Mishram’s essence reaches for Shallan but Rlain steps in front of her. I really love this part: Rlain, tall, in warform but wearing an Alethi uniform, protects her. Then Renarin steps up beside Rlain… and takes the listener’s hand. Mishram pauses and they try to convince her to help them to find her, explaining that it would be far better than their enemies finding her. And of course Mishram vanishes, leaving them no information to help them on their (Shallan’s) quest to locate her prison.</p> <p>Mraize appears in the vision with a dagger as if he’s going to attack Shallan’s Lightweaving and then the vision falls apart. Odium is now searching for them, alerted by the fact that Mishram was seeing and speaking with them. Tumi announces they need to hide and they all disappear, leaving Shallan alone.</p> <p>POV SHIFT!</p> <p>Adolin! Yay! He’s playing towers with Yanagawn after sparring. They discuss the tactics of the game as it stands and Yanagawn makes a game-winning move. Then they discuss their troops and how exhausted they are, but Adolin assures the young emperor that they can win. (He’s wrong, in the sense that they can win the battle against the singers and Fused, but we all know what happens and we’ll get there.) The point is that Adolin never seems to let go of his optimism. His outlook will change once he’s injured, but at this point in the book, he’s still confident that they can hold out against the enemy.</p> <p>They talk of other things, such as war “out there” among other planets. Yanagawn reveals that there are legends about other worlds in their records. Which is surprising, but kind of makes sense, in a way. Of course the Azish would have knowledge of other worlds!</p> <p>It will come up later so I’ll mention that they use aluminum flatware and have candelabras and such that are made of aluminum. Adolin remarks that they might be able to use the metal, so the emperor arranges for some to be taken to the armory. Adolin’s guard switches and none other than Hmask enters the tent. Turns out that Yanagawn can speak Thaylen and Adolin finally learns the reason for Hmask’s loyalty toward him: His son was the child that Adolin rescued during the battle in Thaylen City when the Thunderclast was attacking. I’m not crying, you’re crying!</p> <p>Scribes relay information to Noura. Adolin guesses that the reinforcements aren’t going to make it to Azimir in time. Emul and Tashikk have taken up with Odium and attacked the reinforcements so the Azish and Alethi forces in the city have three and a half days to hold out, alone and exhausted, against the singers and Fused. We know how it will go, but the sad thing about this turn of events is how downtrodden Adolin feels. The betrayal and subsequent loss of hope is hard to take, even for our optimistic Highprince.</p> <div style="height:10px" aria-hidden="true" class="wp-block-spacer"></div> <h3 class="wp-block-heading"><a></a>Lyndsey’s Commentary: Character Arcs & Maps</h3> <figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1100" height="598" src="https://reactormag.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Wind-and-Truth-Chapter-Arch-Chapter-74-1100x598.png" alt="Wind and Truth Chapter Arch - Chapter 74" class="wp-image-817111" srcset="https://reactormag.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Wind-and-Truth-Chapter-Arch-Chapter-74-1100x598.png 1100w, https://reactormag.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Wind-and-Truth-Chapter-Arch-Chapter-74-740x402.png 740w, https://reactormag.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Wind-and-Truth-Chapter-Arch-Chapter-74-768x417.png 768w, https://reactormag.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Wind-and-Truth-Chapter-Arch-Chapter-74.png 1500w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1100px) 100vw, 1100px" /></figure> <p>Chapter 74 begins with another degraded chapter arch, featuring Chana (who actually makes an appearance in the chapter), Kalak (Herald of the Willshapers) and Palah (Herald of the Truthwatchers) in two positions. Palah’s likely here for Renarin and Rlain, but Kalak’s a bit more of a mystery. We do know that he’s the only Herald who seemed to have a relationship with Mishram, calling her by shortened name… but that’s a hell of a reach. Even his attributes of Resolute/Builder don’t seem to make much sense. I suppose it could be for Sigzil, who’s resolutely holding Narak against the enemy.</p> <figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1500" height="829" src="https://reactormag.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Wind-and-Truth-Chapter-Arch-Chapter-75.png" alt="Wind and Truth Chapter Arch - Chapter 75" class="wp-image-817113" srcset="https://reactormag.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Wind-and-Truth-Chapter-Arch-Chapter-75.png 1500w, https://reactormag.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Wind-and-Truth-Chapter-Arch-Chapter-75-740x409.png 740w, https://reactormag.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Wind-and-Truth-Chapter-Arch-Chapter-75-1100x608.png 1100w, https://reactormag.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Wind-and-Truth-Chapter-Arch-Chapter-75-768x424.png 768w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px" /></figure> <p>Chapter 75, a Szeth flashback chapter, features Vedel, Ishar x2, and Taln. Taln’s Blade is mentioned in this chapter, and Ishar often shows up in Szeth’s flashback arches since he’s the Voice guiding Szeth on his journey. But Vedel…? Patron of the Edgedancers? My theory is that she’s symbolic of Szeth’s father, who is (as always) nothing short of amazing. Neturo insists on staying with his son and keeping their little family together, which is in line with Vedel’s attributes of “Loving/Healing.”</p> <figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1100" height="603" src="https://reactormag.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Wind-and-Truth-Chapter-Arch-Chapter-76-1100x603.png" alt="Wind and Truth Chapter Arch - Chapter 76" class="wp-image-817112" srcset="https://reactormag.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Wind-and-Truth-Chapter-Arch-Chapter-76-1100x603.png 1100w, https://reactormag.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Wind-and-Truth-Chapter-Arch-Chapter-76-740x406.png 740w, https://reactormag.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Wind-and-Truth-Chapter-Arch-Chapter-76-768x421.png 768w, https://reactormag.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Wind-and-Truth-Chapter-Arch-Chapter-76.png 1500w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1100px) 100vw, 1100px" /></figure> <p>Finally, we have chapter 76’s arch, which features Shalash (I think), Vedel, and the Wild Card. (These Heralds are getting harder and harder to make out!) Shalash is here for Shallan, clearly. I suspect that the Wild Card is due to Yanagawn and Adolin’s discussion about the broader Cosmere. And Vedel is often used for Adolin’s POV chapters, since he’s closely linked to the Edgedancers.</p> <p>In this week’s chapter, we see Sigzil’s forces (in blue) on the Shattered Plains retreating, yielding Narak Four to the enemy (in red). They plan to attempt to lure the enemy towards Narak Three next (circled in yellow below).</p> <figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="468" height="308" src="https://reactormag.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Wind-and-Truth-map-detail-5.jpg" alt="Map detail from Wind and Truth by Brandon Sanderson" class="wp-image-817115" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Art: Dragonsteel</figcaption></figure> <h4 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Sigzil</strong></h4> <figure class="wp-block-pullquote has-text-align-left"><blockquote><p>“You’re not blaming yourself for this, are you?”<br><br>“Trying my best not to, but you know how it feels.”<br><br>Leyten nodded. “I wish I didn’t, but I do.”</p></blockquote></figure> <p>Sigzil’s POV, which starts off chapter 74, centers around the loss of his squire and the guilt of command. He’s doing a great job, but he’s still losing people, and dealing with the emotional aftermath of those losses is no easy feat. Thankfully he’s got Skar and Leyten to help him out. All three of them are gaining a newfound understanding of what drove Kaladin to leave the army.</p> <h4 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Shallan</strong></h4> <figure class="wp-block-pullquote has-text-align-left"><blockquote><p>She forced herself to look back. At a woman with red hair, walking beside Jezrien the king.<br><br><em>The implications of this are daunting</em>, Radiant thought.<br><br><em>We have to acknowledge them anyway</em>, Veil said.</p></blockquote></figure> <p>Shallan’s clearly still struggling with her mother’s identity, though she’s at least willing to face it now, though she hasn’t had time to really process this reality. She’s got more pressing matters to deal with before she can begin to dig into those <em>implications</em>. That’s strikingly mature for her, showing just how far she’s come.</p> <figure class="wp-block-pullquote has-text-align-left"><blockquote><p><em>Our bond has been strengthening. You have said the proper truths. We thought maybe this would start to work.</em></p></blockquote></figure> <p>An interesting note here on the bond between Pattern and Shallan. She’s been admitting a lot of hard truths to herself, so it makes sense that their bond is growing stronger.</p> <h4 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Szeth</strong></h4> <figure class="wp-block-pullquote has-text-align-left"><blockquote><p><em>Your life has purpose, Szeth. Everything that has happened to you, I orchestrated. You have meaning because your meaning is part of my meaning.</em></p></blockquote></figure> <p>We can’t blame Szeth for being relieved at this. It must be incredibly validating to be reassured that you’re on the right path, that your life is meaningful. And to hear this from what is basically a deity, to Szeth? A hundred times more validating!</p> <figure class="wp-block-pullquote has-text-align-left"><blockquote><p>“Father is planning to <em>go with</em> you. Again. When you leave on pilgrimage.”<br><br>Szeth felt a sudden, deep sense of relief.</p></blockquote></figure> <p>Of course he does. Being sent off alone is a terrifying prospect. The only constant in his life so far has been his father.</p> <figure class="wp-block-pullquote has-text-align-left"><blockquote><p>“Szeth,” Father whispered to the sound of splashing rain, “what happened between your mother and me was <em>not</em> your fault. We were struggling long before you found that stone.”<br><br>“Really?”</p></blockquote></figure> <p>Neturo once again angling for that “best dad” award… not like he’s got a ton of competition, though. Dalinar, Elhokar, Lirin… most of the Rosharan daddies have some work to do on their fathering skills.</p> <h4 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Elid</strong></h4> <figure class="wp-block-pullquote has-text-align-left"><blockquote><p>“I used to feel sorry for you,” Elid said. “Used to want to protect you, like Father. But… then she left us…”</p></blockquote></figure> <p>Both of the siblings have had rough lives, and I definitely feel for Elid here too. Being dragged around after her brother, with no stable home environment, and then to lose her mother as well? It’s no wonder that she’s troubled and angry.</p> <figure class="wp-block-pullquote has-text-align-left"><blockquote><p>“Why he’s always willing to follow you? Why he doesn’t care about me as much as he does you? Why are you his favorite?”</p></blockquote></figure> <p>Ah, and mix in a little sibling rivalry and lack of self-confidence just for good measure.</p> <h4 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Neturo</strong></h4> <figure class="wp-block-pullquote has-text-align-left"><blockquote><p>“Elid hates me, Szeth.”<br><br>“What? No! She loves you.”<br><br>“That’s not what she says,” Neturo said softly.</p></blockquote></figure> <p>Neturo’s not perfect, of course. In his insistence that he must watch over and protect his son, he’s neglected his daughter, and she feels the loss of their relationship.</p> <h4 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Mishram</strong></h4> <figure class="wp-block-pullquote has-text-align-left"><blockquote><p>“Will you heal him?” she asked.<br><br>“I cannot,” the Unmade said. “And I would not.” She hesitated. “Yet we should sing for him. That will make his final transition more peaceful.”</p></blockquote></figure> <p>Oh, fascinating. Mishram does at least have empathy for the enemy, even if she can’t (and won’t) heal them.</p> <h4 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Adolin</strong></h4> <figure class="wp-block-pullquote has-text-align-left"><blockquote><p>He expected other military leaders to put up with the way he led his troops—he should probably try a little harder to appreciate the Azish system.</p></blockquote></figure> <p>A consistent through-line for Adolin’s character; his insistence on trying to break through his own ingrained prejudices and see other perspectives.</p> <figure class="wp-block-pullquote has-text-align-left"><blockquote><p>What <em>did</em> he believe? Storms, that was a good question. […] One would think that with literal Voidbringers coming down to assault the land, he’d be <em>more</em> devout, not less.</p></blockquote></figure> <p>Adolin’s faith has certainly taken a major hit. I can’t entirely blame him for heading down Jasnah’s path, considering everything that’s happened.</p> <figure class="wp-block-pullquote has-text-align-left"><blockquote><p>“Thunderclast,” Adolin said. “Yeah. I wasn’t able to beat it. Honestly, I barely inconvenienced it.” He thought back to that whole ordeal with shame at his failure. <br><br>[…] <br><br>“I think,” Yanagawn said, “you saved his son’s life.”</p></blockquote></figure> <p>While he may have failed on the grand scale, he still made all the difference in this one family’s life. That’s something that Adolin needed to be reminded of.</p> <figure class="wp-block-pullquote has-text-align-left"><blockquote><p>He’d never expected their allies—those they’d fought to protect—to turn on them.</p></blockquote></figure> <p>This betrayal cuts Adolin deep, all the more because he knows how many more of his own men he’ll lose because of it.</p> <div style="height:10px" aria-hidden="true" class="wp-block-spacer"></div> <h3 class="wp-block-heading"><a></a>Drew’s Commentary: Invested Arts & Theories</h3> <figure class="wp-block-pullquote has-text-align-left"><blockquote><p>“It comes! […] The Night of Sorrows! I stand on the precipice of dawn and watch it advance, consuming all light, all life, all hope! <em>IT COMES!</em>”</p></blockquote></figure> <p>Nope, that’s not an epigraph. Chapter 74 kicks off with a bang, dropping a portentous Death Rattle as Sigzil’s squire Deti falls in battle.</p> <p>The Death Rattles have largely been sorted out, at this point, though there are still a few potentially outstanding examples. During a first read of <em>Wind and Truth</em>, this likely feels like one that we know about; so much in the earlier books seemed to equate what we knew as the Everstorm with the Night of Sorrows, so this could be written off as fairly humdrum.</p> <p>But with hindsight, knowing what the <em>real</em> Everstorm is, what the True Desolation and Night of Sorrows <em>actually</em> entail, this is a flashing neon red sign.</p> <p>And when I say that, I have to point out that we really haven’t seen what all those things will look like for Roshar in the long term. We know the landscape has changed, though not how; we’ll probably have to wait for book six to see what the map looks like. We also know that darkness covers all the land but Azimir and Urithiru.</p> <p>But there’s so much more to worry about. Plant growth is a potential issue, of course, requiring the blessing of Retribution via midnight prayers to gain Warlight. The iron grip of Retribution has nearly all the world in hand. El seems primed to be the steward on Roshar while Retribution tries to figure out what the heck to do about all those other pesky Shards… and he’s a loose cannon if we’ve ever seen one.</p> <p>And what of the Unmade? Ba-Ado-Mishram is free now, and doesn’t have any Shards to contend with. It’s very possible we get another version of the False Desolation in the future.</p> <p>This chapter makes mention of Moelach, of course, given the presence of Death Rattles during the battle. But we are reminded of the potential other Unmade, though they don’t show up—and those are also worth keeping in mind for the back five books. What’s going on with Dai-Gonarthis and Ashertmarn? What about Re-Shephir, the Midnight Mother? Shallan drove her off, back at the beginning on <em>Oathbringer</em>, but she was by no means neutralized or incapacitated. And her Midnight Essence could be a pure terror in the Night of Sorrows.</p> <figure class="wp-block-pullquote has-text-align-left"><blockquote><p>“Why is Odium afraid of you?” Shallan said. “Could you actually <em>replace </em>him?”</p></blockquote></figure> <p>So Mishram is still a bit of an enigma, even after all the focus on her in this book. She was freed, but other than being one piece in the puzzle to allow Dalinar’s erstwhile Ascension, she really had very little impact on the plot of <em>Wind and Truth</em>. She was mostly a MacGuffin for Shallan to chase.</p> <p>But one theme kept getting hammered on, over and over, throughout this novel: Odium is afraid of Ba-Ado-Mishram because she could potentially Ascend and replace the current Vessel.</p> <p>But then nothing ever came of that. Dalinar Ascended to Honor, then Taravangian became Retribution, and Mishram just sort of faded into the background after Renarin and Rlain freed her.</p> <p>I <em>have</em> to imagine that this is all part of a long game, and her potential is still to be explored. Maybe she does end up supplanting Taravangian, and becoming not Odium but Retribution—something that sure does seem to fit with what we see of Mishram’s actions in chapter 76 and what we hear of her across the history of the conflict on Roshar.</p> <p>It’s not super satisfying to have essentially nothing happen with Ba-Ado-Mishram in <em>Wind and Truth</em>, but she has been spoken about in such a unique manner and generally built up too much to never get taken down from the proverbial mantel as the story continues.</p> <figure class="wp-block-pullquote has-text-align-left"><blockquote><p>Shallan’s illusions no longer froze when she wasn’t directing them. The one inside, for example, had clasped its hands and was staring thoughtfully, shifting occasionally as a living person might.</p></blockquote></figure> <p>Shallan keeps having these little moments of magical development. This isn’t as spectacular as her work with substantiation against Abidi back in Day One, but it’s yet another indicator of just how special Shallan’s double bond is. She keeps popping up with these weird or crazy applications of her Surges.</p> <p>And we <em>still</em> have the whole Soulcasting thing yet to unravel with her. Who knows what bonkers things she’s gonna be doing in the last five books…</p> <div style="height:10px" aria-hidden="true" class="wp-block-spacer"></div> <h3 class="wp-block-heading">Fan theories via Social Media</h3> <p><strong>Lyn</strong>: There’s a theory thread over on Reddit which is going a bit more in-depth on my “<a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/Cosmere/s/saKBIAOpo2" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">was the thing that destroyed Ashyn a nuclear explosion</a>” theory from a while ago. Worth a look if you’re intrigued by that sort of thing!</p> <hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-dots" /> <p>We’ll be keeping an eye on the comment sections of posts about this article on various social media platforms and may include some of your comments/speculation (with attribution) on future weeks’ articles! Keep the conversation going, and PLEASE remember to spoiler-tag your comments on social media to help preserve the surprise for those who haven’t read the book yet.</p> <p>See you next Monday with our discussion of chapter 77 and the next two interludes (11 and 12) as we wrap up Day Six![end-mark]</p> <p>The post <a href="https://reactormag.com/wind-and-truth-reread-chapters-74-76/"><i>Wind and Truth</i> Reread: Chapters 74-76</a> appeared first on <a href="https://reactormag.com">Reactor</a>.</p><p class="ljsyndicationlink"><a href="https://reactormag.com/wind-and-truth-reread-chapters-74-76/">https://reactormag.com/wind-and-truth-reread-chapters-74-76/</a></p><p class="ljsyndicationlink"><a href="https://reactormag.com/?p=817096">https://reactormag.com/?p=817096</a></p>

Fortnite Players to Receive More Than $126 Million in Refunds. Here’s How You Can File a Claim

nerdworld_feed

Saturday, June 28th, 2025 07:12 pm

Posted by Rebecca Schneid

https://time.com/7298518/fortnite-refund-process-how-to-file-a-claim-deadline/

https://time.com/?p=7298518

The Brief June 30, 2025

Updates on an ambush in Idaho, trade talks between the U.S. and Canada, and more

Podcast ID – Short Length: 07252f55-0240-468b-b65e-d8048bda1280

Podcast ID – Long Length: 8fabea66-f7a7-489b-b5b1-904bcfa20f14

Players of Epic Games, Inc.’s popular video game Fortnite could be eligible for a refund from the Federal Trade Commission (FTC).

[time-brightcove not-tgx=”true”]

“The Federal Trade Commission is sending refunds totaling more than $126 million to players of the popular video game Fortnite who were charged for unwanted purchases while playing the game,” the FTC said in a statement on Wednesday. This latest round of payments come after $72 million was issued out to players in the first round of refunds, sent in December 2024.

The deadline for additional claims has been extended, allowing further eligible consumers, who have not yet submitted a claim, the chance to request a refund.

The FTC’s action against Epic involves “two separate record-breaking settlements.” In December 2022, it was announced that Epic would have to pay $245 million in refunds for “tricking users into making unwanted charges.” The FTC alleged that the gaming company “used dark patterns to trick players into making unwanted purchases and let children rack up unauthorized charges without any parental involvement.” The FTC further alleged that Fortnite‘s “counterintuitive, inconsistent, and confusing button configuration” aided in these unwanted purchases.

It was also announced that Epic would be required to pay a $275 million penalty for “violating” the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act.

Epic issued a statement regarding the settlement in December 2022. “The video game industry is a place of fast-moving innovation, where player expectations are high and new ideas are paramount,” the statement read. “Statutes written decades ago don’t specify how gaming ecosystems should operate. The laws have not changed, but their application has evolved and long-standing industry practices are no longer enough.”

The company went on to say: “Over the past few years, we’ve been making changes to ensure our ecosystem meets the expectations of our players and regulators, which we hope will be a helpful guide for others in our industry.”

Here’s what you need to know about whether you’re eligible to file a claim and how you can go about doing that.

Who is eligible to file a claim?

If you filed a claim after Feb. 14, 2025, you don’t need to do anything else right now, per the FTC’s instruction, as they are “still reviewing claims filed after that date and will provide more information soon.”

For those who haven’t already filed, Fortnite players who were charged for “unwanted purchases” may be eligible to seek a refund.

The first eligible party is someone who was charged “in-game currency” for items they did not want, between January 2017 and September 2022. The second is a parent whose child made charges in Fortnite using their credit card, without their knowledge, between January 2017 and November 2018. The third is a player who was locked out of their account when they complained to their credit card company about “wrongful charges” between January 2017 and September 2022.

Players of all ages are eligible for the refund, but the FTC stipulates that those under 18 must have a parent or guardian fill out the claimant form on their behalf.

The refund is also currently only available to players in the United States.

When is the deadline to make a claim and apply for a refund?

The FTC has reopened the claiming process for eligible people to submit a refund request. People now have until July 9 to file a claim.

How can you apply for a refund?

Eligible persons can apply for a refund via the official Fortnite refund website, using either a claim number sent to their email address or their Epic Games account ID.

In December 2024, the FTC said the average refund amount that an individual would receive was $114, but it now says that the amount of each refund depends on multiple factors, including how many people file a claim.

When can you expect to receive payment?

The next round of refunds are expected to be sent to players in 2026, after all claims are validated.

Claimants can reach a representative through the email admin@fortniterefund.com or by calling 1-833-915-0880, if they have questions about their payment status.

The refunds are due to be sent by check or via PayPal from the FTC. It’s recommended that successful claimants cash checks within 90 days and redeem the PayPal payment within 30 days.

https://time.com/7298518/fortnite-refund-process-how-to-file-a-claim-deadline/

https://time.com/?p=7298518

Navigation

Links

Page Summary

Style Credit

Expand Cut Tags

All the New Science Fiction Books Arriving in July 2025

July 1

July 15

July 22

All the Pieces Matter: “Afterward” by Edith Wharton

Story for Story’s Sake: Wanderstop and SFF Books That Reward Reflection

Reading The Wheel of Time: Egwene Embraces Pain and Makes Headway in Knife of Dreams (Part 18)

Glen Powell Takes Off in the Trailer for Edgar Wright’s The Running Man

Revealing Half City by Kate Golden

What to Know

Who to Know

AI in Action

What we’re reading

Cynthia Erivo & Michael Bay to Adapt Adrian Tchaikovsky’s Saturation Point

Sinners Heads to Streaming, Including Black American Sign Language Version

Squid Game Season 3 Is Unhinged

Nautilus Premiere Is Engaging, But Can It Do Justice to Captain Nemo?

The 1990 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Are About to Cowabunga Onto the Big Screen Again

Babylon 5 Rewatch: “Interludes and Examinations”

Five Books Set in A Weird Version of the Wild West

Deadman’s Road by Joe R. Lansdale (2010)

Dread Nation by Justina Ireland (2018)

The Strange by Nathan Ballingrud (2023)

Red Rabbit (2023) by Alex Grecian

The Buffalo Hunter Hunter by Stephen Graham Jones (2025)

Killer Orcas

Ryan Gosling Might Reluctantly Save the World in Project Hail Mary

Wind and Truth Reread: Chapters 74-76

The Brief June 30, 2025

Updates on an ambush in Idaho, trade talks between the U.S. and Canada, and more

Who is eligible to file a claim?

When is the deadline to make a claim and apply for a refund?

How can you apply for a refund?

When can you expect to receive payment?