After years of only ever being part of an ensemble or a supporting character, Natasha Romanoff is set to headline her own solo movie later this year in the upcoming Black Widow, which takes place after the events of Captain America: Civil War and before her death in Avengers: Endgame. But there may be more solo adventures in store for the character in the future.
Star Scarlett Johansson recently referred to Black Widow as a "standalone franchise." In an interview, Johansson talked about working with Florence Pugh -- who plays Yelena Belova in the movie -- for Black Widow in an interview. "I am very excited about Florence Pugh," Johansson said, "She is my costar in the Black Widow standalone franchise, and I'm, you know, like, learning from her."
It is worth noting that, as of yet, Marvel Studios has not officially announced any plans to produce more Black Widow solo films in the future.
The film will be the second female-led Marvel film, the first being 2019's Captain Marvel, which saw Brie Larson in the title role. Originally scheduled to open on May 1, Black Widow was pushed back to Nov. 6 due to concerns regarding the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
Directed by Cate Shortland, Black Widow stars Scarlett Johansson as Natasha Romanoff/Black Widow, Florence Pugh as Yelena Belova, David Harbour as Alexei Shostakov/Red Guardian, O-T Fagbenle as Rick Mason and Rachel Weisz. The film arrives in theaters Nov. 6.
The immense success that One Piece has garnered over the years is by no means a fluke. When millions of fans world-wide stay loyal for many years with little to no complaints; that could only mean that the series has real substance to it.
One Piece, unlike its counterparts, is a series that gives meticulous attention to each of its aspects. The worldbuilding is among the best in the anime platform, the storyline is unique, completely original to One Piece, and the cast is full of amazing and diverse characters-- it's only in One Piece that you see a minor antagonist with a backstory sad enough to attract the sympathy of the viewer. Every character in One Piece is great on their own right, but only a few could be considered as fan favorites. We rank them via votes from the website MyAnimeList.
10 Katakuri (6,000+ Users)
Charlotte Katakuri is Big Mom's 3rd child and her strongest commander. He technically was an antagonist during the Whole Cake Island arc, but through his mannerism, he not only gained the respect of Luffy, but he also gained the respect of fans as well.
During his confrontation with Luffy, Katakuri had the upper hand for almost the entirety of the fight. If he aimed for Luffy's life from the get-go, Luffy's pirate career would've been over by now.
9 Ace (8,000+ Users)
Ace was the man in charge of one of the series' grandest arcs, if not the grandest. From the start of the series, he only got so much screentime. But using whatever little screentime he got, he managed to leave a lasting impression on the fans.
The death of Ace was so much more than a lost life; it overturned the very dynamics of One Piece. Not a single soul foresaw this event considering how Oda never killed off even a minor antagonist, let alone an important character.
8 Chopper (9,000+ Users)
Tony Tony Chopper is -depending on the narrative- either the genius doctor of the Straw Hats or their mascot. As all the loyal fans already know; Chopper was originally an unassuming reindeer-- that was until he ate the Human Human fruit.
Eating the Human Human fruit not only granted Chopper human-level sentience but it also somehow awakened a supreme talent in medicine lying dormant within him. By the endgame of the series, it won't be surprising if Chopper became the greatest doctor.
7 Usopp (9,000+ Users)
'God' Usopp is a brave warrior of the sea-- or so he likes to introduce himself. What we do know is that he is indeed a 'warrior' of the sea; as for the brave part, that's questionable.
Usopp was one of the first to join Luffy in his journey. Of all the Straw Hats, he is the closest to Luffy age-wise and is always seen clowning together with him. It's frankly arguable whether Usopp's main duty is to be the marksman of the crew or their comic relief.
6 Nami (11,000+ Users)
"Cat Burglar" Nami is the navigator of the Straw Hats, and one of the core members. She is, in many ways, the brains of the crew. If Usopp's role was to humor along Luffy's goofy side, Nami's role is to keep Luffy's goofy side in check.
Now more than ever, Nami's role in the crew is one of the most vital. If anyone of the Straw Hats is responsible for getting the crew to Laugh Tale, then it's definitely Nami.
5 Trafalgar D. Law (14,000+ Users)
Law's position is ahead of multiple Straw Hats in this list; which is in itself a statement to how amazing of a character he is. From his debut at Sabaody Archipelago all the way to the New World, Law never failed to deliver. And currently, in Wano, his role is more cemented than ever.
Ever since the start of the Pirate-samurai-mink alliance, Law has been getting more and more screentime. With that being said though, it's never enough to satisfy the fans.
4 Robin (17,000+ Users)
Robin is the only Straw Hat who asked to join the crew rather than be invited by Luffy. The arc dedicated to her, Enies Lobby, still remains to this date, one of the most well-executed arcs in One Piece.
Robin is the archaeologist of the Strawhats; she is fascinated with all things history. Her role in the grand scheme of things is just as important as the navigator. Without her deciphering the Poneglyphs, finding One Piece would be much harder, to say the least.
3 Sanji (20,000+ Users)
The Fallen prince Sanji is yet another core member of the Strawhats. Some would argue that his role as the cook is less important than the navigator or archaeologist, but Luffy would definitely argue otherwise-- but that's to be expected from a guy who thinks with his belly.
Sanji's strength ranking is in the top 3 amongst the crew; he is an all-rounder with both power and intellect.
2 Zoro ( 65,000+ Users)
Roronoa "Pirate Hunter" Zoro is the second in command and Luffy's right-hand man. We know Zoro as a character, but his past remains pretty a mystery. The possibility of Wano arc being the arc where Zoro's past gets unveiled is a topic often discussed by the One Piece fandom.
1 Luffy ( 82,000+ Users)
And last, but definitely not least, is Monkey D. Luffy. The man who aspires to be the Pirate King and the goofy main protagonist of this series.
It's only natural for Luffy to be the most fan-favorite character of the series. Because not only is he the face representing One Piece, he is the face representing anime as a whole media.
The Seven Deadly Sins'cast is comprised of some of the most endearing characters in the shounen genre. One of which is the talking pig Hawk, who serves as the obligatory comedic relief character typically found in shounen series. Hawk is The Seven Deadly Sins equivalent of Dragonball's Oolong, being that he is responsible for the series's funniest moments and quotes.
Contrary to general face value, there's much more to Hawk than just being the comedic relief character. There are some interesting facts about Hawk that fans may have never known. Some facts haven't been translated from the manga to the anime just yet.
10 He Was Born In Purgatory
Hawk was originally born in Purgatory. A nightmarish dimension that's located in between the afterlife and the living realm. A place with such unbearable conditions that any mere mortal were to visit there, they would not survive for long. For instance, Merlin's father was aged several decades older in there and he was there for only one minute.
It's understandably hard to believe someone like Hawk was born there and survived. Especially when there are other powerful characters who have a better survival chance.
9 Hawk Is 16 Years Old
Now that Hawk's place of birth is unveiled, it seems only appropriate to reveal his age. Hawk is 16 years old. Making him one of the youngest members of Team Seven Deadly Sins, tied with Elizabeth. Also, he is undeniably the least powerful of the group.
So Hawk is basically a teenager. Although he's 16 years old, that may be in his race's years. So Hawk may be much older than what his age suggests.
Both voice actresses pulled off brilliantly hilarious performances in their own right. They sounded wholly convincing as the talkative, male creature, and from their energetic performances, it sounds like they're having an absolute blast.
7 His Real Name Is Mild
That is correct, it turns out Hawk isn't even his real name. His real name is actually Mild. This was the name given to Hawk at birth. Of course, his name was changed when he was brought to the living realm with his mother, Hawk Mama.
Since leaving Purgatory, Hawk and his mother lived a peaceful life within a forest for quite some time. One day Hawk stumbled upon Meliodas, unconscious and lying on the side of the road. And thus, that marked the start of their beautifully dysfunctional friendship.
6 Weighs 309 Pounds
Despite his small size Hawk weighs around 309 pounds. Which equates to 140 kilograms. Obviously his size and weight pale in comparison to his gargantuan mother, the Demon King, and the Supreme Deity. Still, 309 pounds is still relatively heavy for normal standards. For a regular human, it would pose quite a challenge to simply lift Hawk off the ground, let alone carry him.
For strong characters like Meliodas, Daytime Escanor, and Ten Commandment member Drole, it'll be like picking up a soft Hawk plushie from a merch store.
5 He Has A Brother
It turns out Hawk isn't an only child. Hawk has an older brother named Wild. The two brothers shared a loving sibling relationship with Wild serving his duty as the protective older brother. One day the brothers are sadly separated from each other because of the Demon King, Meliodas' father.
Wild spent the next million years, that's in Purgatory time, scouring the hellish dimension for his long lost brother. Throughout his time in Purgatory, Wild has built an infamous reputation for himself from his various battles with the Demon King.
4 Ranked Last In The First Popularity Poll
Not only does Hawk rank the lowest among many characters in terms of power, but it seems like he also ranks the lowest for popularity as well. In 2015 fans of The Seven Deadly Sins partook in a poll to determine which characters rank in the popularity scale.
According to the poll's wiki page, Hawk is ranked eleventh, last place. With Elizabeth, Diane, Gowther, and Ban outranking him. The top spot belongs to none other than King. Fans did favor Hawk more this time around in the second popularity poll. With Hawk claiming the fifteenth place, beating out fifteen other characters.
3 His Name's Original Translation Was Hork
Mild isn't Hawk's only other alias. Captain Leftover's original name translation was actually Hork with Hawk being his Romanized name. It's quite ironic that his name's original translation rhymes with pork. Rhyming coincidences aside, there's more to his original name translation than that.
According to his wiki page, "In urban English, Hork can be defined as to vomit. This has reference to the manga, as he is frequently shown to clean up the customer's vomit." In retrospect, Hork seems to be a suitable name for him.
2 He's Unknowingly The Demon King's Spy
There's a reason why Hawk left Purgatory, and it wasn't of his own volition. The Demon King kidnapped Hawk from his brother and exiled him into the living world. All for the reason to use Hawk to spy on his son, Meliodas. According to his wiki page, Hawk is a living portal that connects the Purgatory with the living world. Which in turn allows the Demon King to spy on Meliodas, by peering through Hawk's eyes.
1 He Is Not A Pig
Yes, that entry title does not lie. He may look like a pig, eat like a pig, but he is not a pig. In actuality, Hawk is a Purgatory creature that looks like a pig. This goes the same for his Wild, who is a boar-like Purgatory creature.
The indigenous denizens of Purgatory generally resemble normal animals but with noticeable demonic features. Also, since they were born there they are accustomed to Purgatory's unbearable conditions. This explains Hawk's transformation power and how he survived Hendricksen's fatal attack.
Fans of Steve Rogers and Bucky Barnes’s tandem have coined the term “Stucky” as their ship name, paying tribute to how much their relationship drives their characters throughout the MCU. Both Captain America and The Winter Soldier have appeared in several Marvel Cinematic Universe movies and have fulfilled major roles.
While they have an on-and-off relationship throughout the entire MCU, we cannot deny the fact that they are one of the best pairs with remarkable scenes. Steve and Bucky's chemistry is near perfect, quite unparalleled compared to others. Here are the most unforgettable scenes featuring Captain America and The Winter Soldier!
10 "Your Mom’s Name Is Sarah"
After Zemo triggered Bucky’s dormant memories, the old Winter Soldier got into a fistfight with the Avengers which ended up with Steve trying to rescue his best friend. Bucky getting back his memories slowly & mentioning them to Steve is not enough reason to be 'cool' with it, as Falcon said. But, they are sweet enough to prove that Bucky still remembers bits and pieces of Steve’s childhood. Steve and Bucky’s friendship has been a roller coaster ride, but one thing’s for sure— they will always end up finding each other in the most unlikely situations.
9 "Who The Hell Is Bucky?"
The bridge fight scene is one of the most memorable and highly-praised moments in Captain America: The Winter Soldier. Their first encounter after Bucky’s accident in The First Avenger was as exciting as a welcome back party. Surprised, Steve calls him 'Bucky,' to which the latter replied hesitantly. Bucky lost all of his memories after HYDRA administered the super-soldier serum into him and brainwashed his mind using a series of Russian trigger words.
8 "Pick On Someone Your Own Size"
Before Steve became Captain America, he was a small and lanky guy from Brooklyn who persistently aspired to join the US Army. In an alley corner, he was beaten and bullied for his small figure. Bucky then arrived arrives and threatened the bully, telling him to pick on someone his own size.
At the time, Bucky was physically fitter and bigger than Steve. He was naturally suited for the army even without the super-soldier serum. Because of this, Bucky always looked out for his best friend.
7 "I Thought You Were Smaller"
Bucky was held captive during a mission and as usual, Steve came to his rescue despite his orders. Upon seeing each other, Bucky was surprised to see his best friend in an unusual physique. His body was bigger and more muscular, and Steve was way taller than him now. This time, it was Steve who drove away the bully. Now Bucky wouldn't have to look after him because he could take care of himself. No one is going to get bullied again with those muscles!
6 "Till The End Of The Line"
A promise made by one another in different eras, Steve and Bucky will always be inseparable despite distance and time. Even in times of desperation and crisis, Steve was always on Bucky’s side. He never left him, nor had the slightest thought of turning him in to the police. They say promises are made to be broken, but not on Steve’s watch, not in this relationship. As an American patriot, he knows by heart the value of keeping one’s promise.
5 "He Was My Friend"
The heart-pounding fight scene between Tony Stark and Steve Rogers over Bucky was the main climax of Civil War. It was a heartfelt moment and to be honest, we all felt sorry for Tony. Steve defends Bucky, telling Tony that he’s not letting him get hurt because he is his friend. Tony, unlike himself, reminds Steve that he’s also his pal. It very clear that Steve will break all the rules and cut all of his relationships to save Bucky. He lost the trust of his comrade in exchange for Bucky’s life.
4 "I Had Him On The Ropes"
There is just something about Steve and Bucky’s teamwork during fight scenes. If you look closely, they seem to act and react based on each other’s movement. One attacks and the other automatically defends. Maybe it’s because of their military training, but we’re guessing it’s mainly instinctive.
In The First Avenger, Bucky mentioned this line to Steve after he saved him from the enemy. Then, there’s also a mention of the line in Civil War. Obviously, these two are borrowing lines from one another.
3 "This Doesn’t Have To End In A Fight"
Bucky clearly knew what was going to happen when Steve visited him in his apartment. Steve took advantage of the military to locate Bucky’s whereabouts and helped him escape in the end. For someone who is bound by duty, Steve must have know the repercussions of his actions. He knows that obstructing justice will make him a fugitive, and out of love for Bucky, he did not mind at all. He’s prepared to fight any day, all day.
2 "You’re My Mission"
Bucky was so heavily brainwashed that he does not remember anything about Steve or his past in The Winter Soldier. No matter what Steve says or does, Bucky just won’t give in. “You've know me your whole life,” said Steve, to which Bucky responded with a loud smash on his face. Steve just wouldn't surrender and told Bucky that he was not going to fight his friend. Bucky, without doubt or remorse, punched Steve and told him that he is the mission that he needs to finish.
1 "Tell Them I’m In Pursuit"
The first time we see Bucky got a hold of the glorious Captain America shield happened after he spied on Nick Fury in Steve’s apartment. The mission was compromised and Steve saw Bucky from afar, chasing him up to the rooftop. Steve threw his shield with his whole might and was surprised to see Bucky catch it like a softball.
More than 70 years after their tragic ice escapade, the two veteran soldiers finally met in a clash that changed the rest of their lives.
The man of many mysteries, Ging Freecss, is a character that HxHfans will never forget. The world of Yoshihiro Togashi's, Hunter x Hunter is vast and nuanced, just as its slew of characters. Their motives and morals keep fans guessing. The majority of the characters pale in comparison to that of Ging Freecss. The double star Ruins Hunter has been making a name in the Hunter Association for positive and negative reasons, for years.
His achievements such as finding and refurbishing ruins, in order to open them to the public, have both garnered him praise and wealth. His personality, however, has rubbed some of his peers the wrong way, for lack of a better term. Abandoning his child that has also made him a plight for criticism.
10 Overrated: Stubborn and Shy
One of the reasons Ging is loathed amongst his peers is not just because he abandons his only son; its mainly because he is stubborn as a mule. He will disregard anyone's opinion in an instant.
Ging only wants things to go the way he sees fit. For instance, although Gon completes the game, Greed Island, his father still refuses to see him, if Gon is not by himself. The woman he tells this to, Elena, believes him to be afraid of strangers. This is mainly one of the reasons why he is unable to become a triple star Hunter.
9 Underrated: He’s Helped A Lot Of People, Even When He Didn’t Have To
Togashi is a mastermind at giving his characters a morally gray aspect of their personalities. Although Ging has questionable parenting skills and a “Devil May Care” attitude, he still encompasses this notion to help others.
Razor, for example, was a convict on death row. Despite his criminal past, Ging Freecss decides to take him on as an employee for his Greed Island game. Razor tells Gon his father is a kind man and always tries to see the best in people, despite their past. He is forever grateful.
8 Overrated: Doesn’t Work Well With Others
For many years, Ging has had issues working with other people. It's true, many people hold him in high regards, such as Razor and Kite. The former Chairman of the Hunter Association, the late Netero also favors the Greed Island creator.
As a matter of fact, he is so partial to him, he appoints Ging as one of the Zodiacs, and that is an honor. Unfortunately, many individuals still don’t care much for the Boar Zodiac, especially the other Zodiacs.
7 Underrated: Genius Level Intellect
Due to his manic behavior, many tend to underestimate Gon’s father's intellect. The man has created a business and amassed a lucrative amount of wealth, from a very young age as Ruins Hunter, so he’s no fool. Secondly, he manipulates the Zodiacs into going with his ideas for the election rules, without them knowing he plans this, two days prior.
Lastly, by deducing his son will want to be a Hunter one day, he creates a game, which will teach him the advanced techniques of Nen. The man is just brilliant.
6 Overrated: Has A Lack Of Respect For His Friends
Seeing that Ging isn't the most favored around other Hunters, one would fathom he is at least courteous to his friends. This isn't the case, unfortunately. Ging has been known to treat his friends poorly, at times.
For example, he legally changes one of his friend's names who assists in creating Greed Island, WDwun to Dwun, without his consent. Ging claims he did this so his name can fit with the game's acronym, G.R.E.E.D I.S.L.A.N.D.
5 Underrated: He’s Very Perceptive
Ging has exemplified in many ways he can perceive a situation. For instance, he informs Pariston and Leorio both that he isn't concerned about his son dying because he knows that he’s not going to die. Ging knows Gon has made great friends throughout his journey as a Hunter. Therefore, he feels they will never let him die.
He warns his fellow Zodiac, Cheadle she is not going to beat Pariston in the election, by playing fair. Pariston knows how to sway voters. He also adds she is predictable, and he will exploit this. As much as she can't, stand Ging she trusts his ability to perceive, which is why she asks for his advice.
4 Overrated: The Guy Is Just Selfish
Ging selfishness knows no bounds; despite being very wealthy, he never thought to send his family on Whale Island some money? He does have a son that lives there. Gon needs clothes, food, etc. From what is seen in the anime, Gon’s family does not seem as they are struggling, however, the gesture is still greatly appreciated.
It's not as if Ging lacks the resources. Lastly, letting your relatives raise your only child, and not remaining in contact with them, is a strong sign of selfishness.
3 Underrated: He Attempts to Raise His Son His Own Way
Ging always knew he wasn’t well equipped to be a father, so he did find some way to raise his son, but from a distance. There is a high chance Gon is going to have prospects of becoming a Hunter, so Ging decides to prepare him for that. He does this by leaving clues to assist him in finding him, such as leaving a box that requires Nen to open it. Furthermore, Ging has entrusted the growth of his son with the right people such as Kite and Razor.
While searching for evidence of Ging's whereabouts on Whale Island, Kite saves Gon’s life when was younger from a wild animal. Years later, he takes him on as a pupil. Razor gives Gon the greatest dodgeball game of his life. Ging did instruct Razor not to go easy on his son. Although Gon may have been devoid of Gings s fathering, for the majority of his life, Ging makes sure Gon has father figures in his life to guide him.
2 Overrated: Ging Is A Horrible Father
Ging has done some great things in life, but being a good father is not one of them. He leaves his son with his younger cousin and doesn’t contact Gon for over a decade. He leaves him a cassette tape which explains that he doesn’t want to see him, but he can still look for him if he wants to.
What type of father says that to his own son? After Gon completes Greed Island, Elena follows Ging’s instructions to send Gon to Kite, if Gon isn't by himself. Even when Gon eventually finds Ging, he still tries to weasel out of hanging out with him.
1 Underrated: One Of the 5 Best Nen User’s
Nen is one of the main components of Hunter x Hunter's lore. Fans enjoy seeing the unique abilities many of the characters encompass. It is stated by Netero that Ging is one of the 5 best Nen users he has seen. In the anime, sadly fans are unable to see Ging actually use his Nen.
The manga, however, gets a little more into detail about his Nen powers. Judging by his status and acclaim as a Hunter, however, it's not surprising Ging has powerful Nen abilities. Netero also stated this once, so it's true.
Many cool characters populate the action anime series Bleach, from Ichigo Kurosaki to Uryu Ishida and Rangiku Matsumoto. Meanwhile, there's also Captain Byakuya Kuchiki, the head of Squad 6 and brother-in-law to Rukia Kuchiki. Captain Kuchiki is one of the most popular Bleach characters of all, and he's certainly earned it.
Captain Kuchiki is an aristocratic man from a noble house and his skills in combat are formidable. It's a comfortable life, but still, Byakuya has undergone some changes and realized that he still has a few things left to learn. In some ways, he's a new man, but in others, he's the same classic Byakuya Kuchiki. How has he changed over the years — and how has he not?
10 Changed: Temper
Chronologically, this is one of the first things that ever changed about Byakuya Kuchiki. The "Turn Back the Pendulum" arc revealed that as a youth, he was rather hotheaded and stubborn, acting rather like a riled-up Ichigo.
He didn't take it well when Yoruichi teased him, and Ginrei Kuchiki commented to himself on this. Needless to say, Byakuya chilled out when he grew up, and became the stoic and disciplined Captain fans know today. There's no trace of his boyhood temper remaining.
9 Same: Noble Title
Only death or a seriously dishonorable and criminal deed could sever Byakuya's ties with the noble Kuchiki house. He was born into nobility and power, and he was destined to become the family's head one day. He knew that from the start.
Byakuya has since then fulfilled his destiny, and there is no sign that he's about to relinquish that title or do anything to tarnish it. He's proud of his family and has a strong sense of responsibility. The Kuchiki estate is safe in his hands.
8 Changed: Attitude Toward Ichigo
For a time, Byakuya found Ichigo downright repulsive, and for many reasons. Ichigo was just a mortal human who dared to suggest that he could challenge a Soul Reaper, and he even invaded the Soul Society and openly ridiculed Soul Reaper law. This led to a showdown between him and Byakuya.
But no more. Byakuya and Ichigo are on the same side, and like Renji, Byakuya was deeply impressed and inspired by Ichigo's stubborn and selfless desire to rescue Rukia from her cruel and unjust fate. Now Byakuya trusts Ichigo with Rukia's life.
7 Same: Kido Master
Byakuya isn't quite the #1 Kido master, since the likes of Kisuke Urahara, Sosuke Aizen, and Hachigen Ushoda can outperform him. Still, Byakuya is an accomplished Kido user and he neatly weaves Kido into his battles.
He demonstrated the use of Byakurai in his duel with Ichigo, and he used Rikujokoro to lock a possessed Rukia in place while fighting Zommari Rureaux. Also, Byakuya is skilled enough to bypass the incantations and use the spells right away.
6 Changed: Relationship To Senbonzakura
A proper zanpakuto isn't just a weapon; it is a conscious being with a soul, and it's more like a partner for a Soul Reaper (almost like the weapons in Soul Eater). Byakuya has a solid connection with Senbonzakura, but he can do more.
After getting his bankai stolen by As Nodt, Byakuya reclaimed i, and said that he took this chance to reassess his relationship with Senbonzakura and form a stronger bond. For that, he thanked As Nodt, who could only stare in horror and disbelief.
5 Same: Rank
Byakuya was introduced as a Captain Soul Reaper and he has maintained that rank ever since. But doing so isn't easy in this era, since many captains end up getting killed or incapacitated.
Sajin Komamura used up all his power to fight the Sternritter, and Ukitake and Yamamoto lost their lives. There's been a lot of turnover in the Gotei 13, but one constant is Byakuya Kuchiki's captaincy of Squad 6. He's not going anywhere anytime soon.
4 Changed: Relationship To Rukia
Recent events (and some brushes with death) have encouraged Byakuya to rethink some of his interpersonal relationships, and he's starting to change them for the better. For example, he was once rather distant with Rukia, his sister-in-law.
Byakuya was merely honoring the late Hisana's wishes when he took Rukia in and helped her start training, but now, she is his pride and joy, and he struck down Zommari not out of duty, but to protect Rukia and punish that Espada for trying to finish her off. At last, Byakuya has become the ultra-protective big brother.
3 Same: Cool Attitude
Byakuya has undergone some personal changes for the better and has mellowed out, as Ichigo once put it. But don't count on Byakuya wearing those warm, fuzzy feelings on his sleeve. He'd rather keep a cool exterior.
Ever since becoming a captain (or even earlier), Byakuya has been calm, stoic, stern and polite, as one would expect from a high-ranking Soul Reaper and head of the Kuchiki family. He's got a reputation to uphold, and he's not about to ruin it by goofing off.
2 Changed: Relationship To The Law
This is yet another relationship that Byakuya has made sure to reassess and modify to better himself. As the Kuchiki family head and a captain, he's expected to uphold the law to the letter, and never break it even for personal reasons.
This drove him to defend Rukia's death sentence, but that has certainly changed. Now, he's a little more willing to break the rules, such as when he went behind Yamamoto's back to help Rukia and Renji sneak off to Hueco Mundo to to reinforce Ichigo.
1 Same: Popularity
Byakuya is quite popular in the Gotei 13, and not just for his combat skills. He's the type to attract a lot of fans, and he's a popular topic for photography and calendars for the Shinigami Women's Association.
Not much of this is shown in the anime, but it's there in fluff details and bonus products, and it's quite amusing to see. No doubt after defeating Espada and Sternritter, Byakuya has become even more popular and will stay in the limelight for some time. He might be stingy with autographs, though.
Much like western media and entertainment, anime covers a wide variety of genres and subgenres. There's something for everyone regardless of one's demographic or age, even for people as picky or as meticulous as INTJs. INTJs tend to be rare, according to the Myers & Briggs Foundation, and thus, art forms that suit their preferences tend to also be rare.
Still, certain anime have proven to be INTJ magnets, especially ones that explore philosophical themes, big ideas, and complex plots or protagonists. At the same time, certain anime will likely repulse or even bore INTJ for their lack of mental stimulation. Here are five examples of each from both ends of the INTJ's (somewhat snobbish) preferential spectrum.
10 Love: Death Note
The sad part about having to watch Death Note again is knowing all the twists and turns and not being surprised anymore. It's jam-packed with suspense and intellectual acrobatics between the two INTJ main characters (Light and L) that it's perfect for INTJ viewers.
More than that, Death Note boldly explores morality and justice in a way that most anime never did before it existed. It became a controversial playground of ideas with frequent bouts of crime drama and suspense.
9 Hate: One Piece
Hate is a strong word and in One Piece's case; it might not be applicable for INTJ. Some would simply just stop continuing the series after the first few dozen episodes given how blunt and simple the protagonists and characters can be.
Most of them are aimed for children, which is why they're either just one-dimensional or lack apparent flaws other than being weaker than the most powerful villains or the protagonist. As for the plot and the story, there's nothing of major substance here that'll inspire an INTJ. Besides, the fan service has gotten more frequent lately.
8 Love: Code Geass
If viewers can look past the plot holes and the teen angst, Code Geassis actually a serviceable anime for INTJs. It gets a lot of comparisons with Death Note, even though Code Geass is primarily a mech anime.
That's because the protagonist, Lelouch, is also an INTJ whose mind is constantly thinking of ways to outsmart everyone and be resourceful with his Geass. The alternate history take, as well as more mature subject matters, are also welcome aspects of this anime.
7 Hate: Most Sports Anime
Sports anime are pretty much like every other Shonen anime, except the protagonist doesn't have any powers. If they're not slice-of-life, then they tend to be comical caricatures of the sport.
The plot and story are then predictable; the protagonist just wants to be the very best like no one ever was, and they'll only be able to achieve it through the power of friendship and perseverance. That kind of simplicity can be monotonous.
6 Love: Steins;Gate
Here's something more complicated than Death Note's rules, Steins; Gate is one of the best sci-fi anime to ever exist. It tackles time travel to a certain extent, since the protagonist was able to invent a device that allows messages to be sent across time.
The implications of such a device are a lot larger than fruits that give powers or a notebook that can kill people. For that matter, Steins; Gate to anime is what Inception is to western movies. It explores huge ambitious backdrops larger and more important than the characters themselves, and that's one surefire way to attract INTJs.
5 Hate: Deadman Wonderland
Speaking of big and wild ideas, Deadman Wonderland could have been amazing. The manga was certainly imaginative and insanely atmospheric despite the lack of depth. The anime, on the other hand, just didn't do the source material any justice.
Deadman Wonderland was not only visually disappointing compared to the manga, which is bad enough for an anime. but the pacing and how the show just rushes from action to action gets repetitive and dull. Moreover, it's hard to like Ganta Igarashi, the protagonist.
4 Love: Psycho-Pass
For a good discourse about society and the human mind, Psycho-Pass ought to trigger some analytical questions. A lot of fans refer to it as the anime version of Minority Report, except it's less about a personal crime drama conspiracy and more about humanity.
Psycho-Pass explores this notion through the guise of a crime-drama though. It follows the story of a rookie police inspector and her jaded colleagues along with the equally jaded world.
3 Hate: High School Of The Dead
No one's complaining about fan service, necessarily. Yet, fan service without a plot or something substantial to distract from it is just cheap softcore pornography. High School of the Dead is too guilty of this.
Remove the fan service, and the whole anime is just a generic zombie apocalypse shooting gallery that's been done to death. Every once in a while this kind of dumb fun might be welcome to an INTJ, but treating it as the main course instead of just a snack is just poor taste. Viewers deserve better.
2 Love: Neon Genesis Evangelion
Here's an example of a deep anime peppered with fan service. The creators can remove all the slashy posteriors and bosoms as well as the suggestive themes, and Neon Genesis Evangelionwill still be an iconic mech anime.
It explores the philosophy of individuality, depression, and even responsibility in the guise of psychologically unstable teens piloting killer sentient mechas. In fact, one episode even references Soren Kierkegaard's book. That's when you know that the creators love their work enough to pour their creative juices into it.
1 Hate: Classroom Of The Elite
If there's one thing INTJs hate more than cheap, low-quality media, it's media trying to look intelligent. Classroom of the Elite is one such anime; the main character is an insufferable edgy and underrated "genius" whose goal is to get to the top class in the country.
Not only does he misuse his smarts for something so petty, but the anime also keeps trying to tell instead of show the philosophical themes it wants to convey. As a result, it feels forced, and, suddenly, the main character is suddenly proficient in martial arts, too, on top of being smart. It's one thing to copy Death Note's Light Yagami, but, making him a "good guy" protagonist is questionable.
He's not a household name by any means, but Moon Knight has slowly been picking up steam in terms of popularity, especially when the rumors of Keanu Reeves playing him cropped up. It's a good thing too because Moon Knight may be one of the most intriguing characters in Marvel's universe, a true vigilante.
Only the Punisher matches up to the body count that Moon Knight has on record. He may not kill every bad guy that he runs into, but he's not afraid to get extremely brutal when it calls for it. It's why narrowing it down to 10 deeds is a bit difficult. Moon Knight is not known for his subtlety in how he disposes of people.
10 Becoming A Mercenary
No matter how you shake it, being a mercenary is never going to be a good thing. You can have all your moral codes and rules that you want, but the fact is, your still taking lives for nothing more than money. It took being paired with a maniac like Raul Bushman to make Marc realize he should get into a different line of work. Bushman mortally wounded him and left him for dead in the desert, leading to the eventual creation of Moon Knight.
9 Carving Off Bushman's Face
Bushman is a villain that most certainly deserved to meet his end, as most of those that routinely go up against the heroes do. You can't necessarily fault Moon Knight for finally crossing that line and trying to do him in for good. The issue is that he literally cut off the man's face with his crescent dart. No matter the situation, that's pretty extreme. You could count on one hand the number of heroes who've been pushed to those lengths of violence before. And among them, only the Punisher would likely enjoy it.
8 Turning To Pills & Alcohol
Spiraling out of his conflict with Bushman, Moon Knight was left crippled. The entire fight had been a set up by the Committee, a means of taking him out once and for all. They weren't successful, but they did manage to make him despondent, forcing him to turn to medication and alcohol to cope with what happened to him.
It may be a bit of a troupe in comics, yet, it's one that's rarely done as well as it is here. Marc trying to numb his pain made total sense in the situation, as did the event that spurred him back into being Moon Knight.
7 Pushing Away His Friends
During his battle with booze and pills, Marc also pushed away everyone he held dear, including his long time friend Frenchie and his lover, Marlene. This left him in that perpetual state of feeling alone, that he had no one else besides the bottle. While it lacks the violence of many of his deeds, it shows what a broken man Marc is. His friends are all that help keep him together, keep him from completely breaking down, and losing sight of who he is.
6 Stabbing Midnight With A Clock Hand
Moon Knight may not be the Punisher in terms of killing his foes, but he's right up there. It isn't just that he kills them either, it's how. No one dies from a simple shot to the head or knife wound like the gangsters that Punisher kills. No, Moon Knight truly makes them feel vengeance. In terms of Midnight, he killed the man by stabbing him through the head with a clock hand. The strange thing is, it was oddly deserved when you consider the fact Midnight was trying to rip out Marc's vertebrae with a pair of pliers.
5 Impaling Bushman On A Machine Gun
Bushman is frequently the cause of Moon Knights ire, a fact that didn't change when Hood revived him during the Dark Reign era of Marvel. The two came to blows yet again, Moon Knight not only impaling him but preparing to cut his face off yet again.
Between Khonsu yelling at him and Bushmaster pleading that he leave his face alone, Marc managed to hold himself back. It was one of those moments where you could see he was genuinely trying to be more like a hero.
4 His Loose Grasp On Reality
This hasn't gotten him in as many sticky situations as you'd think, but there have been more than a few times his dissociative disorder has caused problems. Thankfully, most of the time that's just to himself rather than others. The arc that stands out the most for this is his One Man Avenger story, where he thought he was working alongside Cap, Spider-Man, and Wolverine, only to find out they were all in his head. It made for an incredibly interesting comic as they all vied for control at certain points.
3 Believing In Khonshu
Marc's relationship with Khonshu is checkered at best. The god did save him from the brink of death, so some level of gratitude should be given. In the same token, the two have always been at odds with each other, Marc wanting to be more of a hero while Khonshu is a spirit of vengeance, always pushing him to be a vigilante. It's always been a struggle until recently when Marc's given into Khonshu, working with him to battle other deities. He's become more of the vessel of vengeance that Khonshu always wanted, a dangerous thing for heroes and villains alike.
2 Absorbing Mystic Powers
Marc is currently on a quest to absorb any mystical artifact or power he can find into ankhs. He doesn't seem to care if a hero is in the possession of it or not. He's solely focused on collecting them so he can gain enough power to defeat The Devil. This has brought him into conflict with numerous heroes and former allies. He's battled Iron Fist, Dr. Strange, and even stolen Ghost Rider's bike. Perhaps most shocking of all is his defeat of Thor, the god of thunder, allowing him to claim Mjolnir.
1 Carving Crescent Into His Victims Foreheads
The crescent moon is as tied to Moon Knight as his unstable mind is. It's both his weapon of choice and his symbol, one that he's taken to carving into the foreheads of many of those who have opposed him. Moon Knight, unlike most heroes or even vigilantes, thrives on creating fear. It's why he wears white, he wants them to see him coming. The moons conjure up the same symbol of fear, letting others know he's always out there, watching.
What makes the action anime series JoJo's Bizarre Adventureso fun is the fact that it's an anthology of sorts. There's no single lead character; instead, the Joestar family is the "lead," and there are eight main Joestar heroes, if the manga is counted. The first five have been featured in the anime, and the punkish Josuke Higashikata is the fourth Joestar hero. He wields Crazy Diamond, a melee stand.
It doesn't take long for Josuke to prove himself a tough fighter, with a resourceful and clever mind that works well with his stand's repair ability. Excepting Josuke's own body, he can heal people and fix items, usually by attracting the item's disparate parts and fusing them back together. But some characters are even more cunning, hard-hitting, or tricky than Josuke, and whether or not they could beat him in a fight, they're definitely stronger stand users. Which are they? And which characters don't measure up to Josuke after all?
10 Stronger: Carne
Don't underestimate this hulking, creepy fellow from Golden Wind. He may not be very clever (his only trick is to entice his opponents into shooting him), but he is a deadly stand user who has few equals. He single-handedly nearly wiped out Giorno's gang and crashed their airplane.
His stand is Notorious B.I.G., which only activates upon Carne's death. Thus, Notorious B.I.G. is exceptionally difficult to fight, as incapacitating the stand user isn't an option. This stand also has great speed and the capacity to eat nearly anything to grow bigger and stronger.
9 Weaker: Narancia Ghirga
Narancia is part of Giorno's and Bucciarati's gang, and he's the most punkish of all. He wields the stand Aerosmith, which takes the form of a red airplane that can fire machine guns and drop a single bomb.
Aerosmith also allows Narancia to track people with radar, and while this is a cool stand, it's not as flexible and powerful as Josuke's Crazy Diamond. Narancia is better off in a fire support role rather than being the main hero.
8 Stronger: Daniel J. D'Arby
Part of the fun of stands is their sheer variety. Some of them, like Star Platinum or Sticky Fingers, are melee stands. Others have ranged abilities or have their powers activated when certain conditions are met.
Daniel J. D'Arby doesn't even need to fight. Instead, he challenges enemies to games of chance and being the incredibly skilled cheater he is, he nearly always wins. Then his stand, Osiris, can claim the soul of the loser. He's a one-man casino.
7 Weaker: Muhammad Avdol
Appearing early in Stardust Crusaders, Muhammad Avdol proved that stands are capable of ranged attacks as well as melee attacks. He wields Magician's Red, which can launch fireballs and jets of flame from its body.
This stand is fearsome, but it has limited melee abilities and its fire attacks don't have any clever twist to them; it's just flames and heat, nothing more. Josuke's stand has superior hitting power and creativity, putting him a step ahead of Avdol for sure.
6 Stronger: Joseph Joestar
Joseph is the grandson of Jonathan Joestar, and he shared his grandfather's affinity for Hamon, while being much more creative and observant in battle. While Joseph may act like a doofus, in reality, he is anything but.
It was Joseph who, as a mere 19-year-old, challenged the mighty Pillar Men and felled them one at a time, using just Hamon and his wits. He defeated Wamuu in a tense chariot battle, and he launched a seemingly invincible Kars into space while surviving a horrific plane crash (and a volcano). All that sets an extremely high bar that Josuke has yet to clear.
5 Weaker: Jean-Pierre Polnareff
Polnareff is the master of Silver Chariot, a melee stand that boasts astonishing speed and a rapier for slicing and dicing action. It can even create after-images.
This stand is impressive, but its achievements and victories don't measure up to Crazy Diamond's, and Silver Chariot doesn't have any special tricks except shedding its armor to boost its speed. Worse yet, Polnareff, has a bad habit of stumbling into trouble.
4 Stronger: Jotaro Kujo
While Stardust Crusaders hero Jotaro Kujo is technically Josuke's nephew, despite being older, he wielded stands for years before Josuke was even born. Jotaro's stand is Star Platinum, and it is indeed a star.
This stand matches or even slightly outclasses Crazy Diamond in melee capacity, and Jotaro matches Josuke's creative mind and quick thinking. Better yet, Star Platinum has learned to use The World's time-freezing ability, a major trump card that Josuke could never pull off.
3 Weaker: Okuyasu Nijimura
Okuyasu is Josuke's friend and ally, though these high school students started off being at total odds with one another. Okuyasu has a stand named The Hand, which can erase anything (even space) with swipes of its right hand.
The Hand has some melee capabilities, but they don't match that of Crazy Diamond, and Okuyasu is in big trouble if an opponent can restrain his stand's right hand or wrist. He's also less than clever in battle and isn't quick-thinking like the Joestars are.
2 Stronger: Risotto Nero
Risotto is an assassin who once squared off against Doppio, and proved just how deadly he can be. His stand is Metallica, which has a serious affinity for metal, especially iron. Risotto also has a very clever mind that can easily use deductive reasoning make predictions.
As for Metallica's abilities, this stand can rearrange the iron in an opponent's body to form sharp objects, which shred the opponent from the inside out. If that technique doesn't finish the job, then the loss of blood iron will cause the opponent to lose oxygen and suffocate.
1 Weaker: Koichi Hirose
Koichi is Josuke's other best friend, and he was a timid boy who soon learned to become a brave hero and a stand user. He wields Echoes, which evolves a few times and has different abilities with each incarnation. It can affect gravity or modify objects based on writing sound effects on them.
This is a cool stand, but more wily opponents will always find a way to escape Echoes' abilities and turn the tables on Koichi, or at least escape. He did, however, use Echoes' ability to save Yukako's life when she nearly fell on a sharp rock.
People like to think that wrestling is easily choreographed to the point where every action inside the ring is "fake." But when things go wrong in a wrestling match, it's anything but fake. Wrestlers put their bodies on the line every time they step into the ring and even highly experienced professionals can have a match with a bad botch, or error performing a move.
Every wrestling company has had its fair share of terrifying botches, including the biggest in the world, WWE. Here are five of the scariest botches that took place during an in-ring match in WWE's history.
Owen Hart is one of the best to ever lace up a pair of boots. But a big reason why WWE banned the piledriver (outside of exceptions for The Undertaker and Kane) was because even he couldn't protect Stone Cold Steve Austin at SummerSlam 1997.
Austin had feuded with The Hart Foundation as a rising star throughout 1997 and was booked to win his first WWF singles title over Owen Hart at SummerSlam. The piledriver had been one of Hart's signature maneuvers throughout his career, but this time Austin wasn't protected well enough and his neck was broken. Austin improvised a roll up pin to win the match and the title, but the course of his career had been significantly altered.
Despite the devastating injury, Stone Cold still went on to have one of the greatest main event runs in the history of the business. However, his underrated in-ring skills had to be adjusted to account for his neck injury, and in less than six years Austin was done wrestling for good. Like Mickey Mantle, Austin's star shone bright, but injuries still make him one of the biggest "What If"s in history.
Arguably the most tragic in-ring botch in WWE history took place during a Smackdown taping on October 5, 1999 in a match between Darren Drozdov and D'Lo Brown. When Brown attempted his signature running powerbomb, he couldn't get a proper grip on Droz and Droz didn't properly jump up to aid the move. Droz landed on his head and fractured two vertebrae in his neck, which left him quadriplegic. The match itself was never aired.
Drozdov has remained an inspirational figure since his injury. He became a writer for WWE magazine and has since regained movement in his arms and upper body. Drozdov has never held any animosity towards Brown, as he discussed in an appearance in Season Two of Dark Side of the Ring.
Brock Lesnar and Kurt Angle are two of the greatest athletes to ever step in a WWE ring. Their WWE championship match was picked as the WrestleMania XIX main event because the company knew it was a dream match capable of being a classic. This is why it's shocking to think that the most memorable moment of their match was Brock Lesnar's near-disastrous attempt at a shooting star press.
Having pulled off the move a few times in OVW, Lesnar decided to debut the shooting star press in the WWE to finish off his mat classic with Angle. Angle and head writer Brian Gerwirtz actually talked Lesnar into using it for the special occasion and Lesnar bought in. The only problems were that Angle was too far away from the ring post and Lesnar did not fully rotate his body, leading him to land on his head and neck. What was supposed to be a special WrestleMania moment turned into a terrifying scare.
Miraculously, Lesnar and Angle managed to finish the match and award the young Beast the WWE title, but Lesnar was too concussed to celebrate fully.
While it's been overshadowed by John Morrison's successful tag-team run with The Miz, back when Morrison was still known as Johnny Nitro, his MNM stable featuring Melina and Joey Mercury was an underrated tag team during the mid-2000s. Unfortunately, the most famous moment in the tag team's history took place in an impromptu four way tag team ladder match at Armageddon in 2006.
In a seesaw spot between MNM and The Hardy Boyz, Jeff Hardy jumped off the top rope to push the ladder up towards Nitro and Mercury's faces. However the ladder accidentally broke Mercury's nose and orbital bone, requiring 15 stitches. Morrison/Nitro recalled the accident in WWE Magazine, saying "I happened to be looking up, so it hit me in the throat. But Mercury was looking straight at it and it hit him square in the nose and the orbital bone. It really could have been any one of us. I was just lucky that the ladder hit him first."
The injury became so notorious that it became part of a big angle between MNM and The Hardy Boyz afterwards.
"I was two inches away from making my wife a widow and my kids fatherless." That revealing line by The Undertaker in The Last Ride sums up how disastrous his Super Showdown match with Goldberg was.
While both The Undertaker and Goldberg were well into their fifties for this dream match, no one expected things to g0 down that horribly. Goldberg busted his head open before the match even began (allegedly headbutting the dressing room wall to psych himself up) and did it again to the ring post. The Deadman was unable to hang onto Goldberg for the tombstone piledriver. But the scariest moment of this match was Goldberg's attempted jackhammer to the near three hundred pound Phenom that fell short.
Goldberg was only inches away from breaking Undertaker's neck. Thankfully, The Undertaker escaped without injury was able to finish the match with a choke slam -- but the dejected look on his face immediately afterwards said it all.
Captain America, one of most enduring symbols of freedom and justice is celebrating a birthday on the Fourth of July: Steven Grant Rogers, born July 4, 1918, turns 102 years old on Saturday, at least according to Marvel's timeline. As the nation comes together to celebrate its birth, it’s also a great time to look back at whyCaptain America: The Winter Soldier deserves special recognition on Independence Day.
Released in 2014, The Winter Soldier captures the essence of what Steve Rogers believes in and represents. Directors Joe and Anthony Russo crafted a terrific spy thriller; it's a terrific bait-and-switch under the noses of Marvel Cinematic Universe fans accustomed to seeing more traditional superhero fare. The murky world of espionage provided a clear backdrop to illustrate why Captain America is so enduring.
The movie helped illustrate the difficulty in defending black-and-white beliefs in a gray world of divided loyalties and mixed agendas. The film shows Captain America leaning on the virtues he holds dear for guidance on his way forward. He is continually challenged to make his own decisions while trapped in a world he can’t fully trust.
As the movie gets under way, Captain America voices his unease with doing “cleanup work” for S.H.I.E.L.D. He reveals the inner conflict in keeping his moral compass aligned with his mission. True to Cap’s sense of duty, he performs his job believing he is doing what’s right. When Black Widow’s secret side mission is revealed, however, the audience feels Cap's sense of betrayal at the hands of his superiors. The brooding distrust is clearly mutual.
The flagrant display of his employers' moral ambiguity tests Steven Rogers’ convictions. His entire existence has been carrying out orders against an obvious enemy. Fighting Nazis is uncomplicated. But as a World War II veteran like Rogers knows well, the excuse of “just following orders” isn’t good enough. He can’t sit idly by and allow evil to triumph while good men do nothing.
Captain America is an essential pillar of the MCU, serving as its moral compass. The Winter Soldier allows Rogers to face enemies both physical and ideological that are antithetical to everything he represents. The movie gives the character breathing room without being drawn into a superhero-ensemble story arc. Crowding the movie would detract from this well structured Cap-centered feature.
The movie rewards viewers with a titular hero who has grown into role he fully embraces. War heroes like Captain America find purpose in serving the greater good and sacrificing for people they will never know. It is a continual theme as Cap navigates the complex disentanglement of Hydra and S.H.I.E.L.D.
The movie never lets you forget Cap's humanity. Steven Rogers is driven by love for his country, a love of freedom and a love of liberty with all the privileges it provides. But also something even more personal – a desire for companionship. He pines for Peggy Carter and the life he could have had back in his own time.
The MCU is populated with one of the most diverse arrays of layered and complex characters in entertainment. One thing the MCU has mastered, beyond crafting dynamic heroes and villains, is providing a fertile playing field for life shaping events to impact our favorite heroes. We see them grapple with their convictions and beliefs, even grow and change, sometimes with mixed results.
In Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Steven Rogers is continually challenged by characters and situations slathered in ambiguity, uncertainty and deception. When left standing at moral crossroads, with only his deep rooted personal convictions left to guide him, the film never betrays the character’s legacy. It captures a complete portrait of everything Captain America represents to the MCU and his fans.
WARNING: The following contains spoilers for "Ephesians 6:11" the fourth episode of Warrior Nun, now streaming on Netflix.
At the very beginning of Netflix's original series Warrior Nun, its eponymous protagonist Ava lay dead from unknown causes in a Spanish morgue, only to be brought back to life after having a holy relic implanted in her spine. As Ava reacclimated to her surroundings and her restored mobility, the exact circumstances of her death remained a mystery to her. Meanwhile, she learned of her new role as a pivotal figure in an ongoing secret war between the forces of Heaven and Hell, with all of creation hanging in the balance.
By the halfway point of the first season, Ava began training with the Warrior Sisters, a clandestine order of nuns who use a variety of holy weapons against the forces of Hell, with Ava's mythical halo making her one of the most powerful figures in the order. As she learned more about her divine destiny, one of the nuns informed Ava that she had apparently committed suicide in her previous life. This was potentially linked to a tragic car accident that had killed her mother and left her paralyzed and abandoned in an unpleasant orphanage prior to her holy rebirth. However, as Ava's memories begin to return, she reaches a shocking recollection about her death: She didn't her own life but was murdered by her primary caregiver instead.
After being admitted to the orphanage, Ava was cared for by Sister Frances, a strict nun that oversaw the facility. Ava and Frances butted heads, with Ava frequently standing up to the nun's authoritarian treatment. Realizing the truth behind her original demise, Ava returns as Frances attempts to murder Diego, a young boy Ava had befriended in her final days at the orphanage, with a syringe loaded with poison. Shocked by Ava's return from the grave, Frances reveals that she killed her before she could age out from the orphanage's care to prevent her a lifetime of pain due to her previous physical condition and solitude. To make matters even more horrifying, Frances admits to having killed countless young people under her care for similar reasons years before Ava's arrival.
Even faced with Ava, Frances remains as unrepentant as ever, deciding to finish what she started by injecting Ava with the poison, seemingly killing her once again. Of course, just as the holy relic in her body had resurrected her at the start of the series and healed her completely from any subsequent injuries, Ava survives the lethal dose of poison and quickly recovers. Ava then seizes Frances and snaps her neck to avenge her own death and prevent any more innocent children from dying by her hand, save one: Ava was too late to save Diego.
As Ava is wracked with guilt over the realization she has taken human life, even one as clearly evil as Sister Frances, she is consoled by Diego's spirit rising from his corpse. Reminding her that she is still very much a good person, Diego moves on to the afterlife as Ava takes comfort from his words. Still, this revelation about her death is one of Warrior Nun's most shocking twists during the first half of its first season, clearing up one of the last major mysteries about Ava's past before dialing up the apocalyptic intensity of the holy war.
Based on the comic book series by Ben Dunn, Warrior Nun was developed for television by Simon Barry and stars Alba Baptista and Tristan Ulloa. The series is available to stream now on Netflix.
LEGO will soon be releasing a special LEGO Art Marvel Studios Iron Man set.
A single LEGO set can be configured in one of three unique Iron Man portraits featuring Tony Stark in different versions of his armor. Fans can choose to build portraits of Stark's Mark III, Hulkbuster Mark I or Mark LXXXV suits, and there's even the option to purchase three sets in order to combine them into the "ultimate Iron Man piece."
Included in the LEGO Art set is a soundtrack that will provide "stories and cool details about the set as you build." These include history and details about Iron Man's creation, the evolution of Tony Stark and his plethora of Iron Man suits. Once completed, fans can proudly display their finished piece alongside a Marvel Studios signature plate.
The full list of products specs is below:
If you’re a Super Hero fan, we have a thrilling set for you. Build 1 of 3 portraits of the iconic Iron Man suits of armor with this LEGO® Art Marvel Studios Iron Man (31199) set, while you relish a creative escape from everyday life.
Ingenious projectBuild 1 of 3 detailed portraits of Iron Man’s armor, the MARK III, the HULKBUSTER MARK I or the MARK LXXXV. If you want more, buy and combine 3 sets into an ultimate Iron Man piece. As part of this new LEGO building experience, listen to the included Soundtrack for stories and cool details about the set as you build. Finish the project with a Marvel Studios signature plate, then display it on a wall or shelf.
Artistic mindfulnessYou don’t need to be an artist or have loads of LEGO models to enjoy the satisfaction of completing this wall art kit. This LEGO Art set is part of a collection of building kits focused on music, art, design and architecture, which make great gifts for anyone (including yourself) seeking a new project.
Build this LEGO® Art Marvel Studios Iron Man (31199) set, featuring a model with 3 build options. Display your favorite version of Iron Man’s armor on your wall or shelf after you spend quality time making it.
Set your creative side free with this 3,156-piece LEGO® set that includes 9 canvas wall decor plates, a Marvel Studios signature plate, brick-built LEGO frame, new hanging element and piece separator for easy rebuilding.
Relieve stress while you create a unique LEGO® portrait of the MARK III, the HULKBUSTER MARK I or the MARK LXXXV armored Iron Man suits. With the immersive Soundtrack, you can learn unexpected details as you build.
Revel in your love of Super Heroes while building this unique LEGO® kit. To really push your creativity, buy and combine 3 of the sets to create an ultimate Iron Man wall piece to display in your home or office.
This 3in1 LEGO® Art set measures over 15.5” (40cm) square. Display it on a wall or shelf, where its details help it stand out. It makes a great gift for you or another creative builder who’s into Super Heroes or Iron Man.
No batteries needed. This art set for adults offers an immersive build with LEGO® pieces and a unique Soundtrack. Escape your daily routine and create an incredible display piece.
The coffee-table-quality instructions guide you through the project, starting with a deep dive into Iron Man before you begin building. Enjoy the Soundtrack made for this LEGO® set while you assemble the piece.
Perfect to display on a wall or shelf, LEGO® Art models of iconic artworks, musicians, Super Heroes and Sith Lords offer you a rewarding building experience while you explore your passion for creative arts and crafts.
LEGO® building pieces meet exacting quality standards, which ensures they are consistent, compatible and work every time – it’s been that way since 1958.
LEGO® pieces are tested to ensure that every LEGO Art building set meets strict safety standards, making this Marvel Studios Iron Man wall decor piece as robust as it is beautiful.
LEGO Art Marvel Studios Iron Man retails for $119.99 and has yet to receive a release date.
WARNING: The following contains spoilers for Dark Nights: Death Metal #1 by Scott Snyder, Greg Capullo, Jonathan Glapion, FCO Plascencia and Tom Napolitano, available now.
The Metalverse is a dark, decimated version of the DC Universe that's controlled by the denizens of the Dark Multiverse, as featured in Dark Nights: Death Metal. Since the Batman Who Laughs reshaped the world, many villains have found ways to fourish to this hellish new landscape, including a relatively minor Superman villain with a great deal of destructive potential.
The newly released interactive map of the DC Metalverse reveals that Solaris now controls Metropolis, and it's even turned an iconic location from the city into essentially its throne.
Megapokolips is one of the main four continents of the Metalverse, the newly corrupted and splintered DC Universe. The continent is a largely technologically-influenced part of the world, where corrupted figures have conquered many of the remnants of the DC Universe. This includes the remains of Metropolis, now a desolate city at the northern tip of the continent. Although most of the continent is controlled by Darkfather (a version of Batman who seems to have been fused with the corrupting influence of Darkseid), the new map of the Metalverse reveals that Metropolis itself is ruled over by a major threat from the distant future: Solaris, the Tyrant Sun.
Solaris was introduced by Grant Morrison and Val Semeiks during the events of the DC One Million crossover. As a robotic force created to counteract a destructive computer virus created in the far future, Solaris tried to turn on humanity but was forced to the edge of the universe by the future incarnation of Starman. This massive artificial star is fated to become a consistent threat to Superman and his long line of descendants, eventually becoming one of the single greatest enemies of the Superman dynasty. Solaris eventually attacked the galaxy again in the 700th century, leading a series of wars against the universe until he's confronted by the return of Kal-El, the original Superman.
Working with Vandal Savage in the 853rd century to try and destroy Superman once and for all, the two tyrants hatched to trap the Justice League of the present within the distant future and assassinate Kal-El when he leaves the Sun after centuries of being within it. However, this plot was foiled by the actions Justice League members who'd remained in the past, and Solaris was eventually destroyed by Superman, who wielded the power of a hidden Green Lantern ring. Solaris also appeared in All-Star Superman as an ally of Lex Luthor. Battling Solaris for the fate of the Earth became one of Superman's legendary labors. Solaris was able to destroy the Sun-Eater that Superman released, but it couldn't withstand Superman's powers and was defeated. However, Superman didn't destroy Solaris, because it was fated to ply an important role in the future of the DC Universe.
However, Solaris now rules over the remains of Superman's city of Metropolis, even positioning itself in the place of the giant globe atop the Daily Planet. It all seems like an insult by the villain towards Superman, a shattered remnant of the world that was and a reminder of just how bad things have gotten for the DC Universe. With the actual sun transformed into New Apokolips -- a prison for the remaining superheroes and powered by a captured Superman -- Solaris has finally achieved its ultimate goals. With most DC heroes are corrupted, captured, or killed, there's little recourse to take against Solaris. But if Superman were to eventually be freed from his prison, then there might yet be a chance to beat back this sun and rescue Metropolis.
Mel Gibson will not be reprising his role of Rocky the Rooster in Chicken Run 2. No explanation was provided for why Gibson was left out of the upcoming project, until now.
According to Variety, the role will be re-cast, but it has nothing to do with Gibson's past examples of controversial behavior. The decision apparently has been made some time ago and stems from the simple fact that Chicken Run 2 will focus on younger chicken characters and will thus require voice actors that are considerably younger than Mel Gibson.
Aardman Animation, the studio behind the Chicken Run movies, had no official comment on the recasting. There has also been no word on which actor will be replacing Gibson in the role of Rocky the Rooster.
Production on Chicken Run 2 is due to start in early 2021. The premise for the sequel concerns Rocky and Ginger hatching a daughter named Molly. Shortly afterwards, they begin to hear rumors of a new and terrible threat to chickens on the mainland. The hook is that this time, the chickens are "breaking in" instead of breaking out.
Set to be directed by Sam Fell, Chicken Run 2 will be released on Netflix on an as of yet unspecified date.
While some battles might be more pitched than others, Yu-Gi-Oh protagonists typically win their duels. Whether it be with the aid of an Ancient Egyptian artifact, dragons that at one point helped to seal away evil forces beneath the surface, or even duel spirits, these protagonists help restore a sense of normalcy to their respective worlds when they're put in danger. Across the franchise's various installments, Yugi Moto is perhaps the most popular protagonist, as he led the original series. However, Yugi is far from the best duelist protagonist in the franchise.
Despite his prowess, Yugi wasn't undefeated, and several of his duels featured questionable moments. For example, Yugi lost his first battle to Pegasus in a sort of Shadow Game, failing to defeat the villain within the time limit provided due to the limitation of his cards. Still, losing this duel is what actually forced Yugi to travel to Duelist Kingdom and kickstart his dueling career in the professional circuit.
Another well-known loss occurred when the Pharaoh took on Rafael during the "Seal of Orichalcos" arc. Headed by the villainous Dartz, the evil organization Doma collected souls for the purposes of waking up the Great Leviathan and bringing an end to life as the characters knew it. Over the course of this arc, Yugi and his friends had a lot of struggles. It started with Yugi losing the Egyptian God Cards to the group, despite the fact that he won the duel where these cards were waged. Mai Valentine then switched sides and joined the villains. With all of that going on, The Pharaoh dueled Rafael and lost, causing Yugi's soul to be put in danger.
This duel itself represented a low-point for the protagonist of the original Yu-Gi-Oh series. Normally, Yugi and the Pharaoh served to complement each other. However, with Yugi out of the picture, the Pharaoh felt as if he was alone inside. Of course, Yugi's other friends supported the Pharaoh and ultimately helped save the hero, but he went through his own period of grief. This showed that not even the "King Of Games" was the perfect duelist.
Most Yu-Gi-Oh franchise protagonists have losses of one type or another. Examples include Jaden's loss to Aster Phoenix in Yu-Gi-Oh GX, Yuma's multitude of losses in Yu-Gi-Oh Zexal, Yuya's very first duel in Yu-Gi-Oh Arc-V and Yuga's loss to Rook in the ongoing Yu-Gi-Oh Sevens.
Surprisingly, Yu-Gi-Oh Vrains and Yu-Gi-Oh 5D both featured a protagonist who never really lost. While technically speaking Yusaku Fujiki/Playmaker lost in flashbacks set in his childhood, those duels occurred mostly off-screen and didn't hold the same weight as the series' key battles. 5D's Yusei Fudo, for his part, only really lost to Jack Atlas, which was also in a flashback. If the best duelist among the Yu-Gi-Oh protagonists was determined by who experienced the fewest losses, Playmaker and Yusei would be the two number one contenders for the crown.
However, what he has in wins he lacks in overall duels. Playmaker didn't duel nearly as often as other leading figures in the Yu-Gi-Oh franchise, with his series instead giving a lot more time for other side characters to shine. Admittedly, with their track records, Yusei and Playmaker could probably have beaten anyone. However, Jaden Yuki battled the most of any Yu-Gi-Oh protagonists by far, wracking up more wins overall than even those who went virtually undefeated.
Overall, either Playmaker, Yusei or Yuki is the Yu-Gi-Oh franchise's top duelist protagonist, though just who is actually the best is more a matter whether percentage of wins or volume of battles is given more weight. Regardless, a great duelist isn't necessarily the same thing as a great protagonist, and one's favorite hero is, at the end of the day, a matter of preference.
WARNING: The following article contains spoilers for Chainsaw Man #75 by Tatsuki Fujimoto, Amanda Haley and Sabrina Heep, available in English now from Viz Media.
At long last, Chainsaw Man has revealed the Gun Devil in its terrifying entirety. The massive Devil debuts in a six-page spread in Chapter #75, amid the names of victims from one of its attacks. While this grizzly introduction is on par with what we've heard about the Gun Devil so far, it's hard not to make a comparison between its menacing appearance and Denji's chainsaw form. Though the two seem leagues apart in both manner and power, the pistol-headed Devil could serve as a glimpse at Denji's future.
Chainsaw Man follows Denji, a destitute young man whose heart fuses with his dog-like Devil friend named Pochita, which allows him to sprout multiple chainsaws from his limbs. He is then tracked down by the Public Safety Devil Hunters, an organization he joins after forfeiting his freedom for a steady stream of food, a comfortable place to sleep and a compulsion to follow Makima, the enigmatic leader of Division 4.
For a Devil, their strength is directly linked to how feared they are. As general fear of them began to rise, humans started to mass-produce guns as a way to combat them. However, this only caused a spike in both a fear of guns and Devils alike, a combination that made the Gun Devil particularly formidable. In an apparent attempt to diminish humans' rising concerns, every nation implemented firm gun laws with added restrictions on news coverage of violent crimes.
Though initially, we believe that everyone was aiming to destroy the Gun Devil, the truth, as Makima reveals, is that it "had already been taken down by someone else and was in an unconscious state." Its body then divvied up among various nations who, through fear-mongering, are all vying to strengthen their portion of the Gun Devil. By gaining control of the Devil itself, they can exploit its power for their ends.
Similarly, Denji and the Chainsaw Devil seem to inspire both fear and respect, with Beam -- the Shark fiend -- even referring to him as "Lord Chainsaw." This isn't the only time there have been hints of a dangerous power at play within Denji. Much like the Gun Devil, Denji's heart, or the Chainsaw's, is consistently pursued, with it being a central target during the International Assassins arc. These attempts indicate that people view Denji as a threat and likely aim to control him in a way not unlike the Gun Devil, with the Future Devils' words to Aki seemingly corroborating that fear.
Aki, who began the series hating all Devils, has developed a soft spot for Power and Denji. The trio has experienced plenty together, including a harrowing encounter with the Darkness Devil that had profound effects on them. This budding friendship is why Aki initially attempts to have the three of them removed from the Gun Devil mission. Still, following Makima's denial of the request, they all remain a part of it. To add to the situation, the Future Devil then shows Aki a vision where Denji kills both him and Power.
The Future Devil describes the vision to Aki as a soon-to-come, inevitable future where "You and Power will be slaughtered by Denji. After that, the Devil that Devils fear most shall appear." If it does happen, the deaths of Aki and Power would have massive implications for the plot and profoundly affect Denji. Especially if the Devil in reference is the Chainsaw Devil, then the death of Denji's friends could serve as a catalyst that pushes him closer to the Gun Devil.
The most enticing unexplained detail, though, is the mysterious door that haunts Denji through a reoccurring nightmare. From behind the strange door, he can hear Pochita, the dog-like Chainsaw Devil he fused with, calling to him, saying never to open it. Even if Pochita is intentionally keeping itself locked away in a reverse Naruto/Kurama situation, it does seem like only a matter of time before whatever power is sealed away could break free.
While the Gun Devil and Denji are both encompassed by reverence and fear, it's not too late for the Chainsaw to forge his own path. If he can use the trajectory of the Gun Devil as any indication, then Denji must be wary of those around him. Even if Denji is poised to become the series' most daunting Devil yet, exactly how his fate plays out is still within his hands (or chains, rather).
Americans are wary about returning to movie theaters amid the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
According to a poll of 2,200 people conducted by THR/Morning Consult between June 26-29, 7% are very likely to return to theaters immediately upon reopening while 65% are very unlikely. Looking two weeks beyond reopening, those numbers change to 8% and 56%, respectively; at one month, 10% and 48%; and at any point in 2020, 12% and 37%.
This is bad news for theater chains like AMC Theatres (which has already lost over $2 billion) or Cinemark, which have been forced to shut down over multiple months of 2020 due to the pandemic. Both companies have also faced backlash over their initial reticence to require guests to wear masks. However, AMC has since reversed its position, requiring masks to be worn, but has delayed the reopening of its theaters to July 30. Meanwhile, both of the company's largest competitors, Regal and Cinemark, have implemented similar policies, with Regal set to reopen its theaters on July 31. Cinemark's theaters have been open since June 19, although popular tentpole releases like Tenet or Mulan have been delayed, with Tenet set to release in mid-August.
Given that AMC had expressed "substantial doubt exists about [its] ability to continue" if it can't reopen theaters by the summer, that initial reluctance of moviegoers to return might prove dangerous for the company.
Sony is among the major companies that have decided to boycott advertising on Facebook for the month of July.
Sony has confirmed it will not run PlayStation ads on the social media site or its sister company Instagram for the entire month as part of the #StopHateForProfit campaign. "In support of the #StopHateForProfit campaign, we have globally suspended our Facebook and Instagram activity, including advertising and non-paid content, until the end of July," the company announced. "We stand for working (and playing) together for good."
The company joins organizations including the NAACP and Anti-Defamation League, which have accused the social media site of allowing hate speech and bigoted language to remain posted on the site. Sony also joins Microsoft, which has taken a similar hard-line stance against advertising on Facebook throughout July. Other boycotting companies include Verizon, Coca-Cola and Honda.
Sony has previously expressed its solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement. The company even delayed the presentation of its upcoming slate of games for the PlayStation 5 by a week, so as not to detract from ongoing protests against racial discrimination and police brutality around the country following the death of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police officers.
PORTLAND, Ore. 07/03/2020 — Fan favorite Steve Orlando (Wonder Woman, Doom Patrol: Milk Wars, Martian Manhunter) teams up with Davide Tinto (Marvel Action: Spider-Man) for a superhero story unlike any other in the forthcoming Commanders in Crisis. This new ongoing series is produced by Arancia Studio—the Italian media company which worked on Mirka Andolfo’s bestselling Image Comics titles—and will launch from Image Comics this October.
"Commanders in Crisis is all the energy and creativity I've served for the past five years, now completely unchained!" said Orlando. "No rules, no restraints, the type of strange and passionate ideas that brought me into the medium in the first place. Comics should be bold, comics should be big, and comics should be badass. This is my first freelance launch since 2015, and we're taking a nuclear shot across the bow. No vanilla vengeance here! This is a fight for comics as they need to be."
The last survivors of the Multiverse live among us under new, superheroic identities, five survivors of doomed worlds...taking a second chance to ensure our world lives on. A new twist on strange superhero comics, with a bleeding-edge eye on the modern moment, Commanders in Crisis follows in the footsteps of Doom Patrol and Thunderbolts as five unexpected heroes come together to solve a murder unlike any other. The victim? Compassion itself…This is ideacide!
Tinto added: "I am really happy about being onboard for Commanders In Crisis. Steve is a great guy and a fantastic writer and publishing with Image Comics, which put out Invincible, my favorite superhero comic, is a dream come true. I am very thankful for the opportunity."
This intense, weird action thriller will remind readers of the importance of compassion and hope in the present moment—all while putting fists to faces along the way!
Commanders in Crisis #1 will be available at comic book shops on Wednesday, October 14.
Commanders in Crisis #1 will also be available for purchase across many digital platforms, including Amazon Kindle, Apple Books, comiXology, and Google Play.
