Super7 is bringing the Ultimates! Voltron back to the collectibles market, now with a galaxy black and gold paint job. The defender of the universe features the same action figure and accessories as the previously released Ultimates! toy. These pieces include the Blazing Sword, Shield, and two pairs of lion hands. Pre-orders will continue until January 3rd; the expected shipping window is in the Fall of 2023.
Like other characters in this series, Voltron is priced at $55. The original Ultimates! figure was released in April 2021 and has become a pricy collectible. The 6″ tall figure goes for anywhere between $150-$200 on reseller sites. Is the $55 price tag a bit too much? Super7 also offers Voltron in smaller, less expensive forms. The Shogun and cartoon versions of the robotic hero are also available for $20 each.
Suppose you’re concerned about the quality of the Ultimates! figures, check out our review of Super7’s Radioactive Red Rage Toxie figure for an idea of what you can expect from these premium toys.
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Included accessories:
4x Interchangeable hands
2x Lion hands
2x Open mouth Lion hands
1x Blazing Sword
1x Shield
One look at its imposing black and gold colorway and you know that this Voltron means business! Inspired by vintage Japanese die-cast robots, this 7” scale highly articulated Galaxy Black Voltron ULTIMATES! figure features an exclusive black and metallic gold color scheme, includes interchangeable hands along with Blazing Sword and shield accessories, and comes packaged in a collector-friendly deluxe slipcase style box with gold foil accents.
Voltron is made from injected plastic. I noticed many issues with the paint in my review mentioned above. Hopefully, this figure won’t have problems with the gold color. Nothing ruins an all-black toy like messy gold paint. It’s not uncommon in these cases to find flaking paint or gold fingerprints in some areas.
The British supernatural thriller TV series ‘The Devil’s Hour’ was brought to a North American audience through Prime Video, which aired all nine episodes of the Tom Moran and Steven Moffat series. Amazon Studios and Hartswood Films announced that the show has been renewed for a second and third season.
“Prime Video will take viewers into The Devil’s Hour twice more, as the hit UK Original thriller is confirmed to return for a second and third series. Jessica Raine (Patrick Melrose) and Peter Capaldi (Paddington) will reprise their roles as Gideon and Lucy Chambers, alongside Nikesh Patel (Starstruck), Phil Dunster (Ted Lasso), Meera Syal (Yesterday), Benjamin Chivers, and new characters,” they said on their website.
“The next two installments of the critically acclaimed Amazon Original will continue the story of Lucy Chambers (Jessica Raine), a woman caught up in the hunt for serial killer Gideon (Peter Capaldi) in ways she never could imagine. In Series Two, Gideon’s true intentions are finally revealed, as he attempts to involve Lucy in his mission to stop an elusive force of evil. Simultaneously a sequel and a prequel to the first chapter, expect nothing but the unexpected,” Amazon added.
Writer and creator Tom Moran said about the renewal, “Telling a story on television is a precarious business.”
“Series One of The Devil’s Hour was just the beginning—the opening act of a TV novel. I’m so thrilled that we get to keep turning those pages and slotting the puzzle pieces into place. If you thought the final episode of Series One had all the answers, then you haven’t been asking the right questions,” he continued.
You can watch the trailer for season one below:
Dr. Who alumni Peter Capaldi, who played the twelfth Doctor, was cast in ‘The Devil’s Hour’ in June 2021. He had previously worked with Moffat as the Timelord.
Sentai Filmworks announced that they are releasing seven anime films and TV shows for home video and streaming. Fans will be able to access musicals, action flicks, rom-coms, and historical fiction are all heading to audiences in December 2022.
SYNOPSIS: As the last surviving member of her clan, Mirai Kuriyama was born with the ability to control her blood and wield it as a weapon, a power so terrifying she’s been cursed and cast out for the rest of her days. Akihito Kanbara’s blood is only half human, and while the healing abilities of the monstrous half of his lineage let him recover from any wound, it also dooms him to eternal life alone. Perhaps it’s more than just chance that has brought them together, for there are few bonds in creation as enduring as those written in blood. Now, in a world where the creatures of legend are real and nightmarish monsters tread the earth, they will seek out their destiny together in the complete collection of BEYOND THE BOUNDARY!
Language: English & Japanese with English Subtitles
SYNOPSIS: A funny thing happened when Chiyo Sakura worked up the courage to confess her feelings to her high school crush: he thought she was applying for a job as his art assistant! Because, unbeknownst to Chiyo, Nozaki secretly creates manga under a feminine pen name, and he’s badly in need of help! This is certainly not what Chiyo had hoped would happen but, since it’s at least a chance to get to know him better, she accepts. And then everything goes sideways when her new boss realizes that he can use his “really a girl” assistant to “research” how girls think and what they find romantic! Can an increasingly frustrated Chiyo pretend to be professional while a clueless Nozaki has all her buttons pushed in the right way for the wrong reasons? It happens when producing the MONTHLY GIRLS’ NOZAKI-KUN!
Language: English & Japanese with English Subtitles
JUST BECAUSE
SYNOPSIS: Relationships are living things: if they’re not constantly nurtured, they can wither, die, or even worse. Haruto Soma, Mio Natsume, and Hazuki Morikawa are in their final semester at Kashiogawa High, and while there are some simmering undercurrents in how they feel about each other, the main focus in their lives is to keep studying until they get their diplomas. But into this perfectly reasonable plan falls a monkey wrench named Eita Izumi, who was their classmate and friend until his family moved away four years ago. Now Eita is suddenly back and fitting him into the current dynamic is going to be awkward. Because people and friendships can change, and when they do, there’s always the chance that someone will be hurt. Not because of malice or deliberate intent, just because that’s the way life can be. JUST BECAUSE.
Language: English & Japanese with English Subtitles
SYNOPSIS: Kamitsumihara is a beautiful but mysterious place, a land where traces of ancient magic still exist and a drama two millennium old has yet to play through to its final chapter. For all this time, the Kamiazuma clan have acted as protectors, a fact that Toka Kamiazuma, whose body holds the stone sword Sekiken, has inherited as his duty. But when an unusual girl named Momoka Kawakabe enters his life unexpectedly, Toka begins to discover that they are connected by more than just physical attraction. How are their destinies linked and why? As the strands of fate and bindings to legend pull them ever closer, they will have just a short time to discover their own secrets and undo the ancient tragedy that forever changed their world in TOKA GETTAN: THE MOONLIGHT LADY RETURNS!
Language: Japanese with English Subtitles
CHAIKA ~ THE COFFIN PRINCESS
my face when someone says "Anime is only for kids!" [via Chaika – The Coffin Princess -] pic.twitter.com/vwRF2YYucG
SYNOPSIS: The war against the Empire was brutal, and in the final barbaric act, the slain Emperor’s body was cut apart, with the Heroes who slew him each taking home a grisly trophy. Yet while the heroes returned in glory, many of those who fought beneath them were left to fend for themselves in a world that no longer needed their skills. So, when former saboteurs Toru and Akari encounter a strange young girl carrying a giant coffin, they soon find themselves joining her odd mission: to retrieve all of the pieces of the Emperor’s body. But why is she collecting them and who is this girl? The dead Emperor’s daughter, perhaps? Or, as other girls also carrying coffins are spotted across the lands, could she be a vanguard of something far more sinister in the complete collection of CHAIKA – THE COFFIN PRINCESS!
Language: English & Japanese with English Subtitles
CAROLE & TUESDAY
SYNOPSIS: It’s not easy being an orphaned refugee, especially when you’re not on the planet where you were born, but Carole Stanley still has big ambitions. However, while she dreams of forging a career in music, something isn’t quite right yet. There’s a spark that’s missing. Tuesday Simmons has lived a life of comfort, so no one expects it when the shy young woman suddenly runs off to another city, taking little more than her beloved guitar and a need to perform with her. When they meet, Tuesday’s spark ignites Carole’s fire, and their musical ambitions begin burning anew. Achieving their dreams will be hard in a world where music is created by AIs, but if they don’t give up, soon all the worlds will know the names CAROLE AND TUESDAY!
Language: English & Japanese with English Subtitles
TEASING MASTER TAKAGI-SAN 3
Teasing Master Takagi-san had such beautiful moments 🥺 Comment down below your favorite moment! via [Teasing Master Tagaki-san Season 3] pic.twitter.com/aehx8svMBd
SYNOPSIS: Nishikata has become a very confused middle school student. That bothersome girl Takagi has been teasing and pulling tricks on him for what seems like forever now! Nishikata’s initial response of fighting fire with fire by taunting and pranking her back hasn’t been working so well. In fact, it’s been working horribly, because she almost always seems to outthink him. And the really disturbing part? He seems to be getting used to it! No, it’s worse than that! He seems to be getting used to HER! Like she’s worming her sneaky way into his brain! And is he… gasp… starting to care about her sometimes? Is that what their classmates think? Is that what SHE thinks? Exactly what is going on in her mysterious and calculating mind in TEASING MASTER TAKAGI-SAN Season 3?
Language: English & Japanese with English Subtitles
What titles are you looking forward to? Let us know in the comments below.
The Adams Family has always been creepy, yet funny group of characters with multiple iterations on film and television. The last major outing for them was the 3D animated films released in 2019 and 2021, which were goofy fun for families. But the Adams Family may have now gotten the reinvigoration needed by putting Tim Burton as the series director of a spinoff focusing mostly on one member of the family. Wednesday is a twisted dark comedy, with some mystery thrown into the mix, that brings together the weirdness of the Adams Family out into the spotlight for modern audiences. The result is a series that is not only fun to watch but intriguing enough to want a second season.
The series takes place in the school of Nevermore Academy, where Wednesday Adams is sent after getting in trouble for taking revenge on bullies that hurt her brother Pugsley. It’s the same school that her mother Morticia and Gomez Adams once attended years prior, but things have changed drastically. Throughout the eight episodes of the show, Wednesday struggles with fitting into the social climate of her new school, while a dark mystery that can affect everyone in the school unfolds progressively. It’s just enough secrets and revelations brought forth for viewers to ask questions, but never overshadow the dark humor and teen angst story that Wednesday is faced with.
The overall tone of the show is dark, edging on the mature parts of horror aspects of the Adams Family. There is blood and suspense in some parts, but never taking it to a point of being gratuitous or gruesome. Luckily the show is able to maintain its horror vibe by letting the mystery take Wednesday and her peers to places that build up tension. At times you might be able to figure out where the plot is going, only to have the show throw a twisted curveball at you to keep you guessing. The visuals of the series are great, with haunting locations that look very good in the dark but bright enough to see what is happening. Special effects are used sparingly here and make sense in the spots needed, but nothing stands out to the point where it takes you out of the show. The monstrous beings and quirky characteristics of people look and feel like they belong together at Nevermore.
At the heart of the show is Jenna Ortega as Wednesday Adams, a casting that couldn’t be more perfect for the series as a whole. Her harsh attitude, dead-pan rebuttals, and weird moments stand out phenomenally among the rest of the cast. While everyone in the show delivers great performances for their roles, it’s Jenna’s take on the character that makes everything around her work so well. There is a wide range of scenarios and emotions we see from a character that is normally so one-note, but Jenna manages to make Wednesday more complex and likable, even when she’s doing things that are mean or horrible to others. By the time the show reaches its finale, we understand why Wednesday was so closed off to others but ultimately opens up after everything she experiences. It’s both heartwarming and goofy, but awkward in a way that is relatable for anyone who remembers what it was like to grow up with peers in school.
Wednesday’s supporting cast is pretty good, with a variety of characters on all sides. A lot of the teen drama and love triangle from Wednesday’s classmates is believable, with some funny moments here and there. The dichotomy of Wednesday’s goth persona and her roommate’s bubbly nature is fun to watch play out on screen, with all of the conflict and emotional baggage that young friendships come with.
A lot of the gags and goofy scenarios stem from this friendship, but never overshadow the darker elements of the show. The same can be said about the love-triangle Wednesday finds herself in between multiple boys on the show, including a classmate and a local coffee shop worker. It runs parallel to the main plot, with big details emerging as the mystery of the show continues to unfold.
But what about the rest of the Adams Family, do they appear or impact the show? Every member of the Adams Family shows up at some point and has their moment, with some being around for at least one episode. Gomez and Morticia are equal parts creepy, lovey-dovey, and parental to Wednesday. The casting of Catherine Zeta-Jones and Luis Guzman is spot on for this version of the characters. Both look great and have a unique vibe when present, leaning on the Spanish roots of the characters and immeasurable passion when they’re around each other.
At the same time, having Thing around Wednesday as both a guide and servant leads to some pretty great moments, both unexpectedly funny and suspenseful. Uncle Fester also makes an appearance in the later parts of the season, with Fred Armisen giving a great performance as the kooky member of the family checking in on his niece. How and when he shows up is just as creepy and weird as his reasoning for appearing, but with relevance that moves the main plot along nicely. Other Adams Family members do get little moments too, with Isaac Ordonez having a few key exchanges with Wednesday that help her out. Unfortunately, the only Adams Family member to not show up in the series is cousin It, who only makes a brief cameo via a photograph.
Even with some minor faults, Wednesday is a very enjoyable show with a great main character and an intriguing story to follow. The ending leaves a door open for a second season to happen, which it rightly deserves. As a reimagining of the Adams Family for modern-day audiences, Wednesday is both successful and respectful of its roots. While it’s difficult what new directions the show can take from here, you can definitely bet that whatever comes next for Wednesday will be exciting and positively dark for everyone.
Have you gotten to watch Wednesday on Netflix yet? What do you think about the Adams Family? Post all of your thoughts in the comments and let us know!
Who is the Dark Magician Girl? I have no clue; I’ve never played Yu-Gi-Oh! or seen any other media associated with the franchise. What I do know is that she is part of First4Figure‘s newest collectible statue series. And, of course, First4Figures will let you pick up multiple editions at once with the Definitive ($284.99) and Exclusive ($749.99) combos. Regardless of your choice, they’re all slated for release during the last quarter of 2023. The “early bird” discount ends in just about three weeks, and then the prices go up by $15 to $40.
The four variants of the Dark Magician Girl statues are broken out into the following:
Dark Magician Girl is a six-star level spellcaster and her spells are not to be taken lightly. She has trained with the best—Dark Magician. Dark Magician Girl helped Yugi defeat many foes from Battle City to the Duel Festival. For this statue, Dark Magician Girl is high up in the air and with her wand in front, ready to go into battle! Behind her is the Magician’s Seal, and colorful magic orbs sprout from the base.
First4Figures
First4Figures
First4Figures
First4Figures
Dark Magician Girl is a six-star level spellcaster and her spells are not to be taken lightly. She has trained with the best—Dark Magician. Dark Magician Girl helped Yugi defeat many foes from Battle City to the Duel Festival. For this statue, Dark Magician Girl is high up in the air and with her wand in front, ready to go into battle! Behind her is the Magician’s Seal, and colorful magic orbs sprout from the base.
Knowing nothing about Yu-Gi-Oh!, I couldn’t tell you one thing about this character. What I do know is that the colors on the Vibrant Edition really pop. The added LED lights also make it one excellent display piece. However, I think HR would have an issue if I put this busty and panty-flashing collectible in my office.
Assassin’s Creed III took Ubisoft’s series out of the Old World and into the new one. The action now centered around the colonies in America. With it, we got a great new gameplay mechanic: ship battles! To celebrate the game’s 10th anniversary, PureArts has revealed a new premium statue of AC 3’s protagonist Connor Kenway.
Ratonhnhaké:ton stands in the snowy landscape with his tomahawk at the ready, his spirit animal leaping over his shoulder. The background features translucent Animus effects pieces that glow with the help of built-in LEDs. The statue stands 27″ tall and costs $899. The Exclusive Edition, which includes a bear claw replica necklace, is limited to only 250 pieces. The Non-Exclusive Edition will have 2,250.
Although it is not explicitly stated, I’m pretty sure that the bear claw necklace is not made from an animal. The claws are probably polyresin or ABS. (6) AA batteries power the LEDs in the statue, and there is no option for a USB plug. Batteries are probably not included. The expected delivery window is during the fourth quarter of 2023.
PureArts
PureArts
PureArts
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PureArts
Young Ratonhnhaké:ton learned to master patience and restraint before earning his two Hidden Blades and the title of Assassin Connor Kenway. His campaign now brings him to the esteemed legion of PureArts Animus statues! Our Assassin’s Creed®: Animus Connor Statue features LED lit animus feature on a snowy rock bluff. In his hand he holds his iconic tomahawk and behind him stands a mystical wolf: his fierce spirit animal. Seventh in the Animus collection, Connor is our most idealistic and endearing Assassin to date!
The statue is officially licensed by Ubisoft and is made from polystone. No soft goods are included with this statue, which is a little odd considering the high price tag. All cloth items on the statue are sculpted.
Is Connor worth the asking price? Let us know your thoughts below.
Super7 keeps chipping away at the massive library of TMNT characters and action figure variants. It may be a few years before we see some of the more laughable Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles figures, but we are getting a few gimmick toys here and there that went unsold for a long time in the 1990s.
The 6th Wave of ReAction Figures is pretty strong, with three great figures, including an army-builder character. The $20 figures include Chrome Dome, Napoleon Bonafrog, a Triceraton, and Heavy Metal Raph. I’m hopeful that Chrome Dome will have shiny chrome parts rather than the dull metallic paint we’ve seen on previous figures, including some TMNT Ultimates figures.
As far as army-builder figures go, we’ve got a Triceraton. Like Napoleon, the alien triceratops is a larger action figure. He comes with a Neutron Neutralizer and Laser Phaser. There’s plenty of open space on the figure’s armor and body to individualize each one with some customization.
Our one and only Turtle in this wave is Heavy Metal Raph. The original Playmates version of this figure debuted in 1991, at a time when the toy line was still going strong. It would be a couple more years before the TMNT license lost steam, but this was also a period where the figures were getting more and more gimmicky. ’91 also gave us Hose ’em Down Don, Shell Slammin’ Mike, the Movie Star Turtles, and the Talkin’ Turtles.
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Super7
Shredder built Chrome Dome to oversee the Technodrome and destroy all Turtles!
Accessories:
Gigobyte Goupillion
Servo Sai
Super7
Peace or die, dudes!
Accessories:
Serpent Slasher
Sewer Gas Shield
Super7
Heavy Metal Raph’s radical riffs are not just for foot stompin’, they’re for stomping Foot Soldiers too!
Accessories:
Drumstick Sais
Bass Bashin’ Guitar
Super7
Grrr, all he wants is to eat rats and destroy Turtles!
Accessories:
Neutron Neutralizer
Laser Phaser
Super7
Will you be picking any of these up? Let us know below.
What is the conversion rate between gold-pressed latinum and the American dollar? Do the Rules of Acquisition say anything about adults buying Star Trek commemorative plates? What would the Ferengi have done if they were investors in FTX? We’ll never know.
What we can say for sure is that EXO-6 has finally gotten around to giving us one of the best characters in all of Deep Space 9: Quark. Sporting his multi-colored outfit and standing 12″ tall, Quark is ready to take your $235 Earth bucks in exchange for his presence on your toy shelf. Expect him to arrive around the 2nd quarter of 2023. The pre-order window will end on December 15th.
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The latest in the EXO-6 “Out of this World” alien collection of one sixth scale museum quality figures is Quark as seen in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. Quark is wearing one of his multi-colored suits which was recreated and scaled down by the expert tailors at EXO-6. He comes with his gold-pressed latinum, the Ferengi Rules of Acquisition book and a Ferengi PADD.
Ferengi suit: This multi-color suit was a popular outfit for Quark on Deep Space Nine and was also featured in the pilot for Voyager and his appearance in Lower Decks.
Boots: His boots are sculpted to match the style of the original footwear.
Ferengi PADD: Quark’s Personal Access Display Device in the Ferengi style.
Gold-pressed Latinum: Quark’s favorite substance – included are 3 bars of Gold-pressed latinum in varying sizes.
Book of Acquisition: The Rules of Acquisition are the Ferengi bible, and this 1/6 scale book has been created based on the actual prop as seen in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine.
Display Base: A hexagonal display base will provide additional support for the figure.
Armin Shimerman’s Quark was the main reason I tuned into Deep Space Nine when it premiered in the 1990s. The Ferengi were a species motivated purely by acquisition. Coming back each week to see if Quark had a new scheme or attractive financial offer added some much-needed levity to a series that sometimes handled some very depressing subject matter.
Which character from DS9 was your favorite? Let us know in the comments section below.
Halloween may be over, but you can always plan for next year’s festivities. Toy Snobs just launched a new pre-order campaign for the company’s next bootlegish line of totally-not-ninja-turtles toys. Previously, the company mashed Masters of the Universe with the “Toitles.” Now the heroes in a half shell are merging with two iconic horror movie villains. The end result is Donny Krueger and Mikey Myers.
Like Toy Snobs’ other TMNT figures, each vinyl action figure stands 5.5″ tall, has four points of articulation, and comes in two different price points. For $49.99, you’re getting an “opener” figure. This means that the figure’s packaging will not be mint. The $59.99 “non-opener” option means you’ll receive an inspected and carefully wrapped figure. That’s an odd pricing system.
The delivery time on these two is lengthy. Don’t expect Donny or Mikey to show up for another six months after the pre-order period has ended. It is unclear when the pre-orders will end. The toys are manufactured outside of the States.
Judging by the renders, the paint application looks like it will be minimal. Don’t expect Super7 or NECA’s level of detail regarding these two. I just hope that the Mikey Meyers figure gets some sort of paint applied to the recesses of the mask because the promo images make the toy look incomplete.
Toy Snobs
Toy Snobs
The Toitles have dressed up for Halloween, and thanks to Dan Polydoris for the inspiration, we got the green light to create a full production toys of the Sewer Slashers. Wave 1 features Donny Krueger and everyones favorite Mikey Myers.
I’ve yet to see one of Toy Snobs’ figures firsthand, but we came across a YouTube review from Pixel Dan. Check the video out if you’re on the fence about the abovementioned figures.
Let us know what you think about these new Turtles below!
Fandom of any kind can normally be fun to get involved with. Engaging with a community of people who share the same enthusiasm for media can be amazing, but that’s not always the norm. When it comes to most fandoms, there’s always an element of conflict or drama that pops up for one reason or another. In the worse scenarios, it can give off an impression of hostility that is never fun to be caught in. Star Wars fandom is one of the oldest and greatest fan communities around, but even its massive popularity and resonance with so many people doesn’t make it immune to this problem. Unlike other large communities of fans, however, much of the conflict often starts from within, resulting in bullying and bitterness, and a disguised form of toxicity.
Toxicity can appear in many different forms, not just the obvious that people will recognize. But the ongoing results are always the same, dividing people in ways that are both ignorant and stupid, with a lack of empathy and understanding on multiple sides. It can stem from misrepresentation, the inability to talk to people honestly, and even come from good intentions that become warped into bitter feelings of resentment or jealousy. It’s nothing new, but only in recent years has it gotten a spotlight through social media and various content creation platforms. Whether it’s YouTube and Twitch, or Twitter and TikTok, you know it and feel it immediately when you see it.
Most recently, discussions surrounding Star Wars media have been a whirlwind of debates, with mudslinging all around. This includes the reception of shows like Andor and Obi-Wan Kenobi, as well as the ongoing back and forth about Disney Star Wars films and other show, including supplemental media like books and comics. A lot of the tension and hostility comes from multiple people, including content creators with significant audiences, within the Star Wars fandom that benefits from the hostility online, putting on an image of perceived positivity that is questionable. It’s a combination of many things that urge people to take sides and bully others with an opposite opinion. Attacking and demoralizing those who see things from a different perspective. It’s not something that contributes to a greater discussion, but an attempt to annihilate an opposing viewpoint to look good towards peers for little to no reason at all. What good comes from any of that?
This is where we have major problems within Star Wars fandom. It’s not the media or journalists misrepresenting or attacking the Star Wars community, but individuals or cliques of the fandom doing so. Different examples of this over the last few years from various sections of Star Wars fandom has put this on full display for all to see. From out-of-context misrepresentation of live streams and video clips, to bold lying about community figureheads and creators on platforms like YouTube and TikTok.
One of the largest personalities within the Star Wars community is content creator Star Wars Theory, who has a YouTube channel with over 3 million subscribers. Criticism and scrutiny often come with the territory of being a large content creator, but many portions of his videos and live streams are often taken out of context and misrepresented by detractors. This at times comes from fellow creators within the scene that have an axe to grind. After the release of Andor on Disney Plus, clips of his videos talking about the show have circulated in various circles, decrying his opinions and making fun of his statements to a very harsh and toxic degree.
One statement passed around referred to the screws and bricks shown on structures in different episodes that he felt affected the show’s presentation and connection to the Star Wars universe. The clip that was judged by many was less than 1 minute out of a nearly 4-hour watch party stream of the show’s season finale, where Theory discussed many aspects of the show before and after the clip. This included parts he liked and felt were good, not just what Andor lacked.
Sadly, the trending conversation among many was how the largest content creator in the Star Wars fandom said the show was bad because it had screws and bricks being shown, and that’s all. This prompted many on social media to scrutinize and borderline character-assassinate Star Wars Theory over a benign opinion from a short clip. Along with memes about his take, much of the conversation became about attacking Star Wars Theory as a person, poking fun at his mental stability and the bitterness people have towards him within the Star Wars community. It became a hateful de-characterization of a person that was cosigned by multiple content creators (including some large ones) within the Star Wars fandom. While clowning around and poking fun at takes has always been part of internet culture, at what point is a line drawn, and when is it crossed? Since when did it become OK to misrepresent a person and bully them out of having a pretty mild opinion about Star Wars media? It’s not something many within the Star Wars fandom that are doing the dogpiling are willing to address, let alone come up with a fair and honest answer.
Another example of this was the crazy treatment of entertainment content creator Matt Ramos, also known as Supes on TikTok. While Supes was often criticized for his opinions about Marvel and DC films, he caught a wave of hostility while covering the Obi-Wan Kenobi Disney Plus show. Most of his statements on TikTok and YouTube involved pointing out missteps of the show and how much Obi-Wan Kenobi could have been better to him. The backlash from this was so severe that Matt decided to avoid talking about Andor when it was released on Disney Plus. Yet despite that, he continued to receive hostility and blatant misrepresentation of his statements in videos.
Many people in comment sections and replies turned the conversation about his takes into attacks on Matt’s character and how much they hate his existence. This was echoed by multiple content creators on both platforms, using the dogpiling as an opportunity to boost their following and be seen as good eggs by people hating on Supes. Who could honestly blame him, or anyone, for feeling like they should never talk about Star Wars topics to avoid that kind of response?
Once again, the fandom had a wave of hatred and toxicity that was more about attacking someone who offered an opinion that was different. It wasn’t a fair outlook on someone, nor was it a conversation about Star Wars. It became about bringing down someone and keeping them out of the discussion about Star Wars as a whole. Where is the line between genuine discussion and toxicity get drawn?
And yet, there are others within both the Star Wars fandom and other fandoms for a long time that get similar reactions. Joshua Lucas, the creator of the Den of Nerds YouTube Channel, is another creator affected by the same thing for little to no reason. Josh has made multiple videos and live streams talking about Disney-era Star Wars media, with his general thoughts about it.
When Andor was released, he stated he wasn’t happy with the direction of the franchise and pointed out how people were ignoring some major issues with the quality of Star Wars projects getting made. This was followed up by him with multiple live streams, including the Nerd Theory podcast hosted with Star Wars Theory, that touched upon how the reception of Andor and other Star Wars media has been divisive and openly hostile online. Josh’s content and perspective were scrutinized and misrepresented in multiple places, proving his point many times over, with clips on social media taken wildly out of context by those who disagreed with him.
A clip of him and Star Wars Theory from live stream podcast discussing what other projects could be a good idea for a Star Wars show, such as a General Grevious show or more Tales of the Jedi stories, was used as points of contention and ridicule. Multiple creators within the fandom and others over social media attacked Josh relentlessly, going even as far as to wildly suggest he and Star Wars Theory didn’t support certain underrepresented communities with their takes on Star Wars. While this was 100% not true, many ran with the narrative and continued to make bold claims like this and attack Josh over every little thing in mass.
While Josh responded to a lot of the statements about him in videos and streams, multiple places continued to dogpile many times over, to the point where Josh decided to break away from talking about Star Wars content for a short time. Things had turned ugly, where the discussion about something Star Wars-related took a back seat to people feeling like they could throw insults at someone they personally didn’t like. It made one person’s opinion they disliked into a reason to be hateful in order to defend a show.
The contention continues even now to this day, despite Josh having multiple pieces of content putting forth ideas and perspectives for how Lucasfilm and Star Wars can make things better. Some people within the Star Wars fandom continue to feel like they have a green light to dehumanize someone over an opinion. We have to ask ourselves again, where is the line? How did disagreeing with others become an excuse to attack and push them out of fandom over bitterness or hatred for them personally?
There are many more examples of the cavalcade of debates and vitriol brought out by conversations about Star Wars. It’s bad enough to the point where the blind positivity and lack of open-mindedness have had a negative effect on how the fandom is perceived. At what point do we see toxicity for what it actually is and stop ignoring the obvious elephants in the room? At what point do fans of Star Wars hold people accountable to a better standard by not bringing others down, and not encouraging the very toxicity they claim to stand against? Something has to give one way or another because the engagement and attention for one’s personal brand should never outweigh the well-being of the community everyone is part of. But beyond that, everyone within the Star Wars fandom needs to see the disguised toxicity for what it actually is, and not let it continue to linger around any longer.
Are you a fan of Star Wars and like engaging with the community? What are your thoughts about Star Wars fandom? Post your thoughts in the comments!
