What is this?

This is a weekly crowdfunding roundup of new projects launched last week and projects that end the coming week.
Expect new lists every Sunday between 00:00 and 23:59 CEST
The criteria for the lists are as follows:

Ending soon

• Sorted by number of backers
  
• Kickstarter projects ending in the next 7 days, that have at least 100 backers (or marked as "Project we love" by Kickstarter), will have reached more than estimated 95% of their goal by their deadline and passed the filters:
  
  • No DnD books
  • No zines
  • No 3D printing
  • No dice sets
  • No magazines
  • No shirts
  • No playmats
  • No furniture
  • No events
• Gamefound projects ending in the next 7 days, that will have reached more than estimated 95% of their goal by their deadline and passed the above filters.
  
• (beta) Backerkit Crowdfunding projects ending in the next 7 days, that will have reached more than estimated 95% of their goal by their deadline and have a matching BGG page.
  

Newly launched

• Sorted by number of backers
  
• Kickstarter projects launched in the last 7 days, that have had at least average 15 backers per day, have at least 100 backers or is marked as "Project we love" by Kickstarter and passed the filters (see above).
  
• Gamefound projects launched in the last 7 days and passed the filters (see above).
  
• (beta) Backerkit Crowdfunding projects launched in the last 7 days and have a matching BGG page.
  

Notable filtered projects

• Filtered projects from above lists that have more than 1000 backers.

Tags

🎉: Staff pick/featured
💰: Funded
🔥: More than average 200 backers/day
🌱: Creator's first project
🌳: Creator's >5th project
🔄: Money back guarantee (Read more)

FAQ

I live in Belize/Canada/Nicaragua/USA, why are you posting on a Saturday?!
Because I'm writing this from Europe in the future where it's already Sunday. Timezones be crazy.
Why are there a bunch of non-board games in the board game list?
Because the Tabletop games category on Kickstarter includes anything remotely related to board games and sometimes things slip through my filters.
Why is this future award winning board game and literal saviour of humanity missing from your list?
Sometimes my filters get a bit overzealous and discard actually valid projects. If you feel something is missing for this reason, leave a comment and I'll add it (maybe).
Can I donate all my money to you?
No
Can you help me promote my game?
Please no. I make lists. Nothing more.
Your list is full of errors and now my vacuum cleaner sucks!
Indeed, this fine piece of code runs purely on meatballs and schnapps, so anything can happen. Leave a comment and I'll see what I can do.

Ending soon (30)

Name	Description	Backers	Pledged	Ends	Information	Tags	BGG
BOTANY: Flower Hunting in the Victorian Era	Experience the thrill of the hunt in Botany: the ultimate Victorian flower collecting game for 1 to 5 botanists.	11148	$780,234.00 (15605%) in 26 days	2023-06-01	Kickstarter 2‑5 players age 10+ 45-90 min.	🎉💰🔥🌱	BGG
Monster Hunter World Iceborne: The Board Game	Hunt massive monsters with giant weapons in this co-op boss battler board game! ⚔️ Based on the hit video game.	9199	£1,326,230.00 (884%) in 10 days	2023-06-01	Kickstarter 1‑4 players age 14+	🎉💰🔥🌳	BGG
Dead Cells: The Rogue-Lite Board Game	Explore the ever-changing island of Dead Cells in this ruthless co-op metroidvania dungeon crawler. Explore. Kill. Die. Mutate. Repeat.	8222	CA$1,003,754.98 (2008%) in 12 days	2023-06-02	Kickstarter 1‑4 players age 14+ 45 min.	🎉💰🔥🌱	BGG
Leviathan Wilds	A solo & co-op, boss-battling board game about climbing massive creatures. From the designer of Imperial Assault.	3227	$163,972.50 (1640%) in 19 days	2023-06-01	Kickstarter 1‑4 players age 10+ 45-90 min.	🎉💰	BGG
Raising Robots	Gear up for an expert level, engine-building game with simultaneous play and adorable robot companions.	2509	$168,802.00 (844%) in 19 days	2023-06-02	Kickstarter 1‑6 players age 14+ 60-90 min.	🎉💰🌳	BGG
Axe-A-Lot-L	A quick, chaotic card game for people who love axolotls. And also axes.	2073	$34,193.50 (263%) in 25 days	2023-06-02	Kickstarter 2‑4 players age 7+ 15-25 min.	💰	BGG
Detective: Saints and Sinners	Detective: Saints and Sinners is the newest expansion for Detective: City of Angels, which is an epic narrative-driven board game set in the dark and violent world of 1940's Los Angeles. Most players will step into the shoes of LAPD Homicide detectives that will do whatever it takes to solve the cas…	1436	$93,705.15 (469%) in 12 days	2023-06-03	Gamefound 1‑5 players 120 min. Cooperative	💰
Wishland: Dreams from America	Expand your own theme park in this tableau building, worker placement & point salad eurogame for 1 to 5 players.	1264	€69,681.00 (465%) in 26 days	2023-06-02	Kickstarter 1‑5 players age 12+ 60-120 min.	🎉💰	BGG
Cities of Venus	A Euro Board Game where players establish floating cities in the clouds of Venus before contact is lost with Earth	1048	CA$112,269.59 (561%) in 26 days	2023-05-31	Kickstarter 2‑6 players age 8+ 45-90 min.	💰🌳	BGG
Warzone Eternal	An officially-licensed skirmish miniatures game set in the techno-fantasy Mutant Chronicles universe.	727	$140,963.00 (201%) in 26 days	2023-06-01	Kickstarter 2 players age 12+	💰	BGG
Chiefdom: a Worker Placement Roll & Write Game	A single sheet, 3 dice, much fun	702	€2,307.00 (2307%) in 13 days	2023-05-31	Kickstarter 1‑6 players age 8+ 30 min.	💰🌱	BGG
disrupt	Become Silicon Valley's new Unicorn Startup! A fully asymmetric economic board game with worker placement and card-driven mechanics!	547	€19,384.00 (242%) in 12 days	2023-06-02	Kickstarter 1‑4 players age 14+ 50-90 min.	🎉💰🌱	BGG
Gettysburg 1863	Volume IV in Worthington's Civil War Brigade Series. Refight the battle of Gettysburg on the largest mounted board we have ever made.	468	$53,665.00 (2881%) in 13 days	2023-06-03	Kickstarter 1‑2 players age 13+ 120-600 min.	💰🌳	BGG
Holy Guacamole	A church game for party people.	462	$28,974.00 (232%) in 26 days	2023-06-01	Kickstarter	💰
Roll and Control	Conquer the land in this roll and write game. Area control board game in print and play format.	422	€2,893.00 (1447%) in 20 days	2023-05-29	Kickstarter 1‑4 players age 10+ 20-45 min.	💰	BGG
Unhappy Campers: Camping has never been so miserable!	A strategic and sarcastic camping-themed card game where players race to build campsites and roast other campers!	386	$14,327.00 (260%) in 40 days	2023-06-02	Kickstarter 2‑6 players age 12+ 30-60 min.	💰🌱	BGG
Drakerion TCG	Dark Fantasy Trading Card Game - Join us on Discord https://discord.gg/EhSCqCfvcC	335	€137,191.00 (343%) in 30 days	⚠️ 2023-05-28	Kickstarter	💰🌱
One Page Space	Print one page at home and start the game. You have to defeat the alien armada that has invaded the Earth colonies	322	$2,318.90 (232%) in 24 days	2023-06-02	Kickstarter 1 player age 8+ 15-40 min.	💰	BGG
18Rhl-Rhineland	Cross the Rhine with railway lines and run the Rheingolg-Express for maximum profit!	289	€22,053.00 (88%) in 15 days	2023-06-02	Kickstarter 3‑6 players age 14+ 240 min.		BGG
Lindyhop the Card Game	A cooperative card game for two people about swing dancing.	252	NZ$11,079.42 (170%) in 30 days	⚠️ 2023-05-28	Kickstarter	💰🌱
Personal Preference - Updated Edition	An update on the wildly popular 1980's 'how well do you really know each other?' party game, by original creator Don Carlston	228	$27,339.00 (109%) in 28 days	2023-06-01	Kickstarter 2‑16 players 40 min.	💰🌱	BGG
Premium Card Sleeves	Premium card sleeves for your board games with the best price. Each pack per 1 euro, easy!	203	€11,339.00 (756%) in 33 days	2023-06-02	Kickstarter	💰🌱
Havoc! The Combat Card Game	A fast-paced cards-and-dice game of medieval combat.	202	$20,372.71 (204%) in 26 days	2023-06-01	Kickstarter 1‑10 players age 14+ 20-120 min.	💰	BGG
Al Chile-Balconea a tus amigos	El juego perfecto para balconear a tus amigos y saber que piensan en realidad de ti.	198	MX$218,896.80 (116%) in 33 days	2023-06-03	Kickstarter	💰🌱
"RustBots - The Robot Building Card Game"	"RustBots" is a turn-based strategy card game for 2 to 6 players. Compete against your friends to become the ultimate engineer!	192	$15,680.00 (105%) in 26 days	2023-06-01	Kickstarter 2‑6 players age 8+ 30-60 min.	💰🌱	BGG
Which Craft? - A fast-paced game of deduction and bluffing.	Players must capture an evil Witch before she can gather enough potions to unleash a terrible curse upon the village!	157	$7,912.00 (132%) in 26 days	2023-06-01	Kickstarter 4‑7 players age 10+ 10-30 min.	💰🌱	BGG
ORAO - Oint Generation	Be the leader of the new mankind in this 1vs1 card game. Manage resources on a checkered gamefield to survive. Your choices are crucial	155	€11,038.69 (1104%) in 39 days	2023-05-31	Kickstarter	💰
Tablut | ancient Norse board game + 4 more historic games	A classic Viking game of siege and escape and 4 other "large-format" Peg Pastimes games.	129	$10,146.00 (254%) in 23 days	2023-06-04	Kickstarter 2 players age 8+ 45 min.	💰	BGG
KINGS of ROME	Lead Rome to its eternal glory in this historical boardgame	121	€7,809.00 (156%) in 24 days	2023-06-03	Kickstarter 1‑4 players age 10+ 180-360 min.	💰	BGG
9th Circle: a Diabolical 2-5p game of Take-That Area Control	Take your place as a Demon Lord vying for the favor of Malacoda while you fight for control of the realms!	86	$4,560.00 (152%) in 12 days	2023-06-02	Kickstarter 2‑5 players age 14+ 60 min.	🎉💰	BGG

New this week (21)

Name	Description	Backers	Pledged	Ends	Information	Tags	BGG
Carson City Big Box	The Carson City Big Box edition is a complete collection of everything that Carson City ever offered, all expansions and an all new solo mode are included.	1359	€121,782.00 (304%) in 5 days	2023-06-14	Gamefound 1‑6 players 120 min. Area Control	💰🔥🌱
Age of Steam Deluxe Expansion Volume IV + Acrylic Track Tiles	A fourth Expansion Volume for Age of Steam Deluxe plus accessory Acrylic Track tiles.	1121	$123,242.73 (548%) in 3 days	2023-06-09	Gamefound 1‑6 players 120 min.	🎉💰🔥
The Medusa Report	A thrilling tabletop puzzle adventure about a missing spy, a nuclear physicist and Cold War family secrets.	687	€47,014.00 (392%) in 5 days	2023-06-20	Kickstarter 1‑5 players age 14+ 100-240 min.	🎉💰	BGG
RUSE - INSTINCTS OF THE DEN	Fox-themed Euro-style strategy game. Unique design with worker placement, territories exploration, resource and dice management.	566	CA$58,273.29 (216%) in 5 days	2023-06-15	Kickstarter 2‑4 players age 12+ 50-100 min.	💰🌱	BGG
Murder on the Moon: An immersive puzzle adventure.	Escape room in a box that combines puzzles, technology and a thrilling story to help you solve a murder... ON THE MOON!!	479	£30,639.00 (306%) in 6 days	2023-06-22	Kickstarter 8‑24 players age 18+	💰🌳	BGG
McBaron - Bravery in the Sky	An action-packed solo Print and Play Wargame. Fly over the battlefield, accomplish missions, and prove your bravery!	432	€1,827.00 (1827%) in 6 days	2023-06-09	Kickstarter 1‑2 players age 12+ 20-30 min.	💰	BGG
SlackJack - A Pirate Game of Bluffing and Deception	A 10-minute game of blackjack and social deduction for 4-8 players!	362	$8,961.00 (179%) in 5 days	2023-06-10	Kickstarter 4‑8 players age 10+ 10-20 min.	🎉💰🌳	BGG
El Burro: A La Granja Game	El Burro is a new standalone game where you are developing your farm but have to move your goods to the port of Palma. The game uses multi-purpose cards and dice-drafting like La Granja.	281	€22,743.00 (91%) in 2 days	2023-06-11	Gamefound 1‑4 players age 12+ 75-150 min. Card Game Dice Game		BGG
『ゾンビサイド2.0』 日本語版	現代版ゾンビサイドの第２版が、日本語版になってついに登場！ 高品質のフィギュアと、遊びやすくなったルールを、拡張セットと共にお届けします New Japanese Edition. This project is only available in Japan.	259	¥11,939,509 (1194%) in 6 days	2023-06-07	Kickstarter	🎉💰🌱
Thunder Rolls: The Garage Expansion	More mayhem, cars and fun for the Thunder Rolls game by Richard Launius	214	$14,770.00 (369%) in 5 days	2023-06-07	Kickstarter 1‑8 players age 8+ 20-60 min.	💰🌳	BGG
Loam	Loam is a set-matching strategy game about building healthy soils. You are a plant, who for obvious reasons is into that sort of thing. You also have a lot more power and agency over your environment than humans often give you credit for. Sculpt the soil’s weird and wonderful biodiversity to assembl…	162	$8,288.77 (83%) in 5 days	2023-07-01	Gamefound 1‑4 players age 12+ 15-40 min. Card Game		BGG
Go Ahead Punk!	A One-vs-All hidden movement board game inspired by classic 70s cop cinema.	152	£10,406.00 (110%) in 5 days	2023-06-22	Kickstarter 1‑4 players age 12+ 60-90 min.	💰🌱	BGG
Rainbow Puppy Poopy Party	The game that gets you talking, laughing, moving–in a different way every time you play.	143	$7,603.00 (152%) in 5 days	2023-06-22	Kickstarter	💰🌱
Overlords: In Training	Survive, outlast, and outwit your enemies long enough to take on the Boss and become the next Overlord!	131	$9,097.00 (45%) in 5 days	2023-06-27	Kickstarter	🌱
A new collection of 3 Print and Play games	A new great collection of 3 Print and Play, Roll and Write games	115	€817.00 (817%) in 3 days	2023-06-20	Kickstarter	💰🌳
Realms Of Enchantment	Experience the epic battle in a solo, co-op, or competitive combat adventure with a series of challenges to defeat the dark force.	114	€10,122.00 (228%) in 5 days	2023-06-22	Kickstarter 1‑6 players age 13+ 60-180 min.	💰🌱	BGG
Hard Level	From the computer screen to roll and write gaming experience	107	€864.00 (864%) in 6 days	2023-06-12	Kickstarter 1 player age 10+ 15-30 min.	💰	BGG
Escape Family Box	Experience the real-time, frantic board game in this Anniversary Edition!	74	€6,126.00 (123%) in 4 days	2023-06-03	Kickstarter 1‑5 players age 8+ 10 min.	💰🌳	BGG
Blank Me.	An outlandish and easy to play party game! Fill in the blanks for your friends, then perform a monologue filled in for you! 17+	72	CA$4,774.29 (48%) in 4 days	2023-06-15	Kickstarter 4‑99 players age 17+ 10 min.	🌱	BGG
Anima Mundi - A Fantasy Board Game of Magic and War	Strategy, simplified.	23	$3,987.00 (30%) in 1 days	2023-06-26	Kickstarter 2‑4 players age 12+ 30-120 min.		BGG

Notable filtered projects (9)

Name	Description	Backers	Pledged	Ends	Information	Tags
Knave RPG: Second Edition	The Questing Beast toolkit for creating and running sandbox campaigns packed into a lean, beautiful hardback.	9308	$558,985.20 (5590%) in 26 days	2023-06-01	Kickstarter	💰🔥
Tales of the Valiant RPG: Launching Black Flag Roleplaying	The heart of 5th Edition: core rules for high fantasy games, including a Monster Vault and a Player's Guide to power your campaign!	6125	$749,202.00 (749%) in 5 days	2023-06-24	Kickstarter	💰🔥🌳
Shuffle Up & Play: Season 2	Help us bring Shuffle Up & Play to the next level!	2927	$241,539.69 (372%) in 3 days	2023-06-23	Kickstarter	💰🔥
Kinks and Cantrips	A 5e source book focused on exploring yourself and learning about kink.	2545	$44,006.00 (8801%) in 58 days	2023-05-30	Kickstarter	💰🌱
The Last Spell - The Board Game	Fight shoulder to shoulder with your friends in this exciting and innovative coop 1-4 player rogue-like RPG with a tower defense twist!	1987	€249,387.85 (249%) in 4 days	2023-06-16	Kickstarter 1‑4 players age 14+ 120-150 min.	🎉💰🔥🌳
The Ultimate Game Master Screen: Customizable & Affordable	The fully customizable, magnetic, portable and affordable game master screen for TTRPGs	1496	$264,483.05 (2645%) in 3 days	2023-06-24	Kickstarter	💰🔥🌱
The Emporium of Wonders 5E	Surprise and delight your players with 400 new magic items for the world's favorite roleplaying game!	1263	A$40,270.32 (2237%) in 26 days	2023-06-01	Kickstarter	💰
The Mystery Flesh Pit National Park RPG	The official tabletop RPG of the MFPNP website.	1070	$55,067.00 (367%) in 26 days	2023-06-01	Kickstarter	💰🌱
FILLER - Storage System for Pocket Board Games	Elevate your gaming experience with a perfectly organized collection, created by gamers and designers	1067	€79,820.00 (798%) in 5 days	2023-06-22	Kickstarter	💰🔥🌱

So I’m trying here to find someone to have a connection/something real with, go on dates and hopefully have a significant other....
I pretty much like to listen to music, watch good tv series & movies (horror, action, comedy, Marvel/DC, Star Wars, thriller, maybe even romance...) Into fast cars and bikes, really like the look of sports motorcycles. Would like to see different countries, love working out, try out crossbow archery and thinks animals are cool. Attraction is very important here for us both, I'm Muslim, but I don't care if you are or not. 5'8, with black hair, brown eyes, light brown skin & i guess slim built body.
Looking for someone who is either in London, or close to London. Physically I prefer someone who is on the slim side & a non smoker (I’m a sucker for a pair of pretty eyes & a nice smile). That you'll have common things with me, so we'll have things to do together.
I have other chat platforms we can add each other on, so message me and we'll see how things go between us.
Don’t be afraid to get in touch, hope to hear from any of you.

So I’m trying here to find someone to have a connection/something real with, go on dates and hopefully have a significant other....
I pretty much like to listen to music, watch good tv series & movies (horror, action, comedy, Marvel/DC, Star Wars, thriller, maybe even romance...) Into fast cars and bikes, really like the look of sports motorcycles. Would like to see different countries, love working out, try out crossbow archery and thinks animals are cool. Attraction is very important here for us both, I'm Muslim, but I don't care if you are or not. 5'8, with black hair, brown eyes, light brown skin & i guess slim built body.
Looking for someone who is either in London, or close to London. Physically I prefer someone who is on the slim side & a non smoker (I’m a sucker for a pair of pretty eyes & a nice smile). That you'll have common things with me, so we'll have things to do together.
I have other chat platforms we can add each other on, so message me and we'll see how things go between us.
Don’t be afraid to get in touch, hope to hear from any of you.

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(Reposted with formatting with Kirk's blessing)
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After a rocky start to the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship’s legacy, this past year gave it a much-needed push back into the limelight as one of the most sought-after belts in wrestling, but there’s still work to be done. Kazuchika Okada was about to do that until his fantastic run was cut horribly short by SANADA, but that’ll no longer be an issue as we take matters back to the aftermath of Wrestle Kingdom 17, to the start of the Rainmaker’s 2nd reign. This isn’t just about recapturing the glimmer of the V4 belt though. In each company, the World Championship acts as the centrepiece to its future, any changes affecting the greater surrounding stories as well. Thus, this booking aims to orient NJPW as a whole, smoothing over complaints like the redundancy of BULLET CLUB and the staleness of CHAOS whilst building a promising future for New Japan for when its current pillars ultimately need to hang up their boots.
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New Year Dash!! (January 5, 2023)
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Also on the show:
CHAOS (Hirooki Goto, Tomohiro Ishii, YOSHI-HASHI) vs Sabre-Gun (Zack Sabre Jr., Shane Haste, Mikey Nicholls)
BULLET CLUB (Jay White, KENTA, El Phantasmo, EVIL, Yujiro Takahashi) vs Guerrillas of Destiny, Hiroshi Tanahashi & Master Wato
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Kazuchika Okada & Kenny Omega vs United Empire (Aaron Henare & Jeff Cobb)
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As always, New Year Dash!! has been an explosive night thus far, seeing the debuts of Just4Guys and Sabre-Gun from the ashes of Suzuki-Gun, as well as House of Torture finally leaving BULLET CLUB after their loss earlier in the night, turning their backs on Jay White. But it’s the main event which shakes the company to the core, as legendary rivals IWGP World Heavyweight Champion Kazuchika Okada and IWGP United States Champion Kenny Omega shockingly team up to take on Will Ospreay’s United Empire henchmen, both having their issues with the Commonwealth Kingpin and his posse. A fun showcase sees the super-team nail their RainmakeV-Trigger combo on Aaron Henare to seal the deal, with Cobb eyeing Kenny menacingly post-match and Okada going right back to big-leaguing Omega, refusing to acknowledge him.
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Once the Cleaner departs, Kazuchika cuts a post-match promo claiming last night was merely the first of many nights of a company-wide purge. He’s tired of these outsiders trying to share his earned spotlight, so one by one, he’s going to send them back home. “Kaito Kiyomiya, young lion, I’ll see you in Yokohama.” Okada drops the mic and heads back, where IWGP Tag Team Champions Bishamon are wrapping up an interview. They’re disgruntled from their loss to Sabre-Gun earlier in the night, Goto seeming even more upset that Okada chose to team with Omega over anyone of them, questioning the use of CHAOS, but Kazuchika pays it no note, shooing him off so he can have his interview time.
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Kazuchika Okada & Kenny Omega def. United Empire (Aaron Henare & Jeff Cobb) (13:36)
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Heading into Yokohama, a 5-match series is announced between Los Ingobernables de Japon and KONGOH’s members! With Shingo Takagi staking his claims to Okada’s title the night prior, Katsuhiko Nakajima raises the question of how deserving the Dragon truly is considering he’s lost twice to the NOAH star. Taking the potshot as a challenge, Shingo agrees to put his shot on the line, the faction with the most wins facing the Rainmaker next!
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Wrestle Kingdom 17 in Yokohama Arena (January 21, 2023)
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Also on the show:
BUSHI vs Tadasuke
Hiromu Takahashi vs Hajime Ohara
SANADA vs Manabu Soya
Tetsuya Naito vs KENOH
Shingo Takagi vs Katsuhiko Nakajima
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CHAOS (Kazuchika Okada & Tomohiro Ishii) vs Team NOAH (Kaito Kiyomiya & Masa Kitamiya)
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Before the LIJ/KONGOH series can commence, Okada calls on his trusty right-hand man Tomohiro Ishii (not Goto) to assist him in driving home the GHC Heavyweight Champion Kaito and his main unit ally, Masa Kitamiya, promising to beat Kiyomiya like in last year’s tag. What starts as an average match rapidly devolves into a brawl when Kaito, sick of Kazuchika overlooking and disrespecting him, boots his face off with unbridled intensity, causing Okada to snap, beating the snot out of him! A German Suplex dumps Kazuchika on the floor as referees pull them apart, and as Okada seethes, it’s clear this is far from over.
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CHAOS and Team NOAH fought to a no contest (6:35)
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Though Kaito’s stunt gains the Rainmaker’s attention, it also garners his wrath, a livid Okada cursing up a storm in a post-match interview. When asked if a match will happen with Kiyomiya, Kazuchika outright refuses to work with the ‘snivelling, puny prick’, claiming he had his chance and ruined the honour of dancing with the Rainmaker. Goto tries to calm Okada down, reminding him that with Nakajima winning KONGOH the series 3-2, they have a preview match with KONGOH tomorrow. In the heat of rage, Okada tells him to ‘f*** off’, before naming Goto their team’s captain since he wants to play smart with him.
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The New Beginning in Nagoya (January 22, 2023)
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Captain’s Fall: CHAOS (Kazuchika Okada, Hirooki Goto [C], Tomohiro Ishii, YOSHI-HASHI) vs KONGOH (Katsuhiko Nakajima, KENOH [C], Manabu Soya, Tadasuke)
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After a turbulent recent weeks, Okada’s in dire need of something to calm him down, hoping a match in his home prefecture of Aichi will help. He’s all calm until he sees Goto’s dumb face though, becoming irrationally angry again, barking at the Aramusha to do his job. Okada sits out majority of the match until Nakajima mouths off with him on the apron, piefacing the Rainmaker when he refuses to get in! Furious, the Rainmaker shoves a concerned Goto aside and tags in, laying into Nakajima to the point of near-disqualification, before murdering Tadasuke to equalise the sides after KENOH eliminated YOSHI-HASHI! He gives Soya the same treatment, tearing KONGOH a new one until Nakajima almost slaps him unconscious, Okada staggering back into his corner, where Goto tags in! As Hirooki and Nakajima go at it, Okada regains his bearings right as Nakajima nails the Vertical Spike to pin CHAOS’s captain to automatically win the match!
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KONGOH def. CHAOS (17:11)
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As a smug Nakajima snatches Okada’s title away from the referee and holds it over his head, sneering and taunting at Kazuchika, the Rainmaker flips him off! Collecting his boys as Katsuhiko unceremoniously tosses Okada’s belt over to him, Okada returns to the back with gritted teeth, promising to ruin Nakajima, though not before chewing out Goto as the rest of CHAOS watch on uncomfortably.
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The New Beginning in Osaka (February 11, 2023)
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Also on the tour:
Jay White vs EVIL
Bishamon (c) vs TMDK (Mikey Nicholls & Shane Haste) - IWGP Tag Team Championship
Hiromu Takahashi (c) vs YOH - IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship
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Kazuchika Okada (c) vs Katsuhiko Nakajima - IWGP World Heavyweight Championship
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It’s been a rough tour for CHAOS, from getting whooped by KONGOH to YOH failing to bring back gold, but through their failures, Bishamon is able to redeem itself by beating back Sabre-Gun’s TMDK. Nevertheless, it’s all taking quite the toll on Okada’s mental, who’s been devolving back to his cocky, snappy self. Finally though, he gets a chance at release when he faces arguably his spiritual counterpart from NOAH, the fellow 35-year-old meeting the Rainmaker in a first-time match that’s been a very long-time coming. Nakajima oozes confidence as he strides out to his grand piano theme, while Okada stomps out with a scowl as Katsuhiko crumples raining Okada Dollars in his hand.
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As the bell chimes, Okada offers a traditional lock-up but Nakajima stiffly kicks his thigh instead and smirks. Okada though glares a hole through Katsuhiko, launching at him like a mack truck with harsh elbows in response! Whipping him at the corner, Okada charges, but Nakajima slides out the way and rocks him with a Superkick, dusting off his hands and covering for two! He beats a Lariat attempt, nailing a Big Boot and a Leg Sweep, before crashing into the champion with a MISSILE DROPKICK!
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Dazed, Okada finds himself in the ropes, Nakajima continuing to rock him with stiff boots, one sending him to the apron! The Genius of the Kick follows, wanting a Roundhouse, but Okada kicks out his other leg and nails an APRON DDT! Back inside, a Senton Atomico and DIVING ELBOW DROP nabs 2! Okada builds momentum with a Neckbreaker, but Nakajima flips out a German and whacks a SOCCER KICK into his chest! He caves Okada’s sides in with more as the champion splutters until Okada flips him off again!
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Nakajima charges with a YAKUZA KICK but Okada pulls the ropes down! Nakajima caught, Okada nails a DROPKICK! Katsuhiko collapses out, Kazuchika chasing after, whipping him into the guardrail before cleaning his clock with a Big Boot of his own! FLYING CROSSBODY – SUPERKICK SNIPES OKADA! Nakajima kicks Okada’s arm into the guardrail, before a HESITATION DROPKICK whacks it off the steel post! Seating Okada on the canvas, Nakajima bullies the arm with disgusting shoulder kicks. A Penalty Kick misses, though as does Okada’s Short-Arm Rainmaker, NAKAJIMA WHIPPING THE SHOULDER INTO THE MAT!
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BOW-AND-ARROW ON THE ARM! Nakajima tries tearing it off the bone, but when that doesn’t work, he ties Okada in the ropes and goes to town! The referee intervenes to force the break, but as Katsuhiko turns around a DROPKICK awaits! BELLY-TO-BACK SUPLEX! Okada teases a Rainmaker, but Nakajima slaps him away and nails the shoulder – STRAIGHT-JACKET SUPLEX! ONE! TWO! THR-KICK OUT! Keeping wrist-control, Nakajima mockingly kicks the arm and shoves his face, BUT OKADA EXPLODES BACK WITH A LARIAT FROM THE OTHER ARM!
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Keeping hold himself, Okada knocks Nakajima down with another Lariat, before a BEAUTIFUL DROPKICK knocks him loopy! HEAVY RAIN! ONE! TWO! THR-NOOOOO! Okada sets up the TOMBSTONE PILEDRIVER, but Nakajima thrashes free with head kicks, pulling him over for a VERTICAL SPIKE attempt! Okada slips free and nails an Enzuigiri! GERMAN SUPLEX! The arm keeps him from bridging, instead climbing the turnbuckles, teasing the Crossbody, only to eat a ROLLING FIFTEEN!
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Okada staggers, holding the ropes to keep upright, but Nakajima has other intentions, kicking the arm off, before nailing a RING-SHAKING SUPERPLEX! Rolling through, he pulls him into a TWISTER II!!! ONE! TWO! THR-NO DICE!!! Disappointed, he drops Okada into seated position with a BICYCLE KNEE STRIKE, before lining up a PK! OKADA COUNTERS INTO A SURPRISE EMERALD FLOWSION ON THE NOAH STAR! Regaining his bearings for a moment, Okada smells blood in the water, throws out the arms, wanting the RAINMAKER… NAKAJIMA SLAPS THE SOUL OUT OF HIM!!!
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Okada collapses deadweight to his knees as Nakajima grins sick thoughts to himself, before mocking the Rainmaker pose! Ripcording Okada around, he nails a JUMPING KICK, before going for the VERTICAL SPIKE… OKADA REVERSES INTO A SHORT-ARM RAINMAKER!!! Nakajima now stunned, Okada lifts him by the waist and nails the RAINMAKERRRRRRRRRR!!! ONE! TWO! THR-NOOOOOOOO!!! But a ticked Okada doesn’t let him go, mauling him with haymakers and kicks like he did Kaito as even Nakajima’s forced to cover up!
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Frustrated, he slaps Nakajima in the face, but Katsuhiko with a SHOULDER KICK! DOUBLE UNDERHOOK SUPLEX! Okada rattled, he eats a Sliding Dropkick and an AIR RAID CRASH, before Nakajima nails the NORTHERN LIGHTS BOMB!!! ONE! TWO! THR-OKADA STAYS ALIVE!!! Nakajima back to the well with the VERTICAL SPIKE… DROPKICK FROM OKADA!!! ANOTHER DROPKICK!!! SHORT-ARM RAINMAKER!!! AND A TOMBSTONE PILEDRIVER!!! Lifting him up with hatred, Okada ripcords him into the RAINMAKER!!! But he’s not done, going for another as NAKAJIMA FLIPS HIM OFF!!! RAINMAKERRRRRRRRRRRR!!! ONE! TWO! THREE!!!
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Kazuchika Okada (c) def. Katsuhiko Nakajima to retain the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship (27:18)
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Triumphing over the outsider, Okada steps over him like he’s dirt and collects his title… BUT HE’S SPUN INTO A BLADE RUNNER!!! Jay White stands over his rival’s fallen body, the respect shown at Wrestle Kingdom a mere ruse, the Switchblade wanting his title back!
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Done with White’s antics, Okada agrees to a rematch on one stipulation – if White loses, BULLET CLUB must disband. It’s coming up to 10 years of him dealing with their rubbish, and frankly, he’s hurt and old and tired of the rinse and repeat. It’s time he ends it for good.
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Battle in the Valley (February 18, 2023)
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Also on the show:
Kenny Omega (c) vs Jeff Cobb - IWGP United States Championship
Tama Tonga (c) vs Tomohiro Ishii - NEVER Openweight Championship
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Kazuchika Okada (c) vs Jay White VII - IWGP World Heavyweight Championship (If White loses, BULLET CLUB must disband)
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With Okada dropping a massive bombshell, a deranged and desperate White can only accept, needing the title back, even if it means risking BC should he fail. Their 7th and potentially final match, Jay’s still 4-2, putting the Rainmaker at a disadvantage, but he couldn’t care less. White makes his entrance flanked by BC, who look downright scared for their future, but KENTA tells them to hold strong. As Jay approaches the ring though, he tells them to let him run this solo against the Black Sun’s advice, White believing this to be his fight despite everything on the line, going it with just Gedo. Okada’s by his lonesome as always, ready to bury the past forever.
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Unlike their WK match, this starts surprisingly in Okada’s favour even with the hell he went through just a week ago, the Rainmaker cutting off White’s condescending trash talk with a DROPKICK! Beating on his torso, Okada whips Jay at the ropes for another Dropkick, but Gedo pulls White out, giving him a pep talk to focus as Okada flashes him a ‘Too Sweet’! Not thinking, Jay slides back into a BIG BOOT, Okada continuing control with a Neckbreaker!
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Hammering on the neck, Okada cinches in an early RED INK, forcing White to fight as Gedo looks on worriedly. Hissing and spitting, Jay struggles to the ropes, but there’s no breaks for him, a FLAPJACK snapping his neck off the ropes and a Lariat stumbling him to the floor! Regrouping with Gedo again, his friend pleads with him to snap out of whatever this is, only to step back fearfully as a snarling Okada approaches.
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Understanding he’s in supreme control, Okada takes his sweet time tossing Jay back in, though his return’s slowed by Gedo, who begs for mercy for Jay as Kazu steps on the apron. Okada rolls his eyes, ONLY TO TURN INTO JAY RUNNING FULL SPEED AT HIM! SHOULDER TACKLE SENDS OKADA FLYING RIB-FIRST INTO THE GUARDRAIL!!! As Okada wails in agony, White cackles. Mission accomplished. Playing possum to lower Kazuchika’s guard, he’s in control now.
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Collecting Okada, he rams his spine from apron to post… BEFORE TACKLING HIM THROUGH THE GUARDRAIL ITSELF, BOTH EXPLODING THROUGH!!! As Okada nurses his ribs, Jay plops down on a vacant chair next to a fan and snatches their water, taking a swig and patting himself on the back, before ‘making it rain’ over Okada’s head. He sets up a table at ringside which remains untouched for now as his foe crawls back in, Jay instead nailing a sick DEATH VALLEY DRIVER! Chopping and kicking the midsection, a SNAP SAITO gets 2!
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A Reverse STO attempt backfires though, Okada lifting Jay into a HANGMAN’S DDT! One Corner Elbow later, and a DROPKICK sends Jay crashing from the top turnbuckle to the ramp! Gedo orients the dazed Jay to a chair, White using it for support, only to yank him off as OKADA SOARS – TOPE CON HILO EATS THE OPENED CHAIR!!! Back in agony, a SLEEPER SUPLEX only doubles it! Sliding Kazu in, a Running Corner European follows into a Blade Buster tease… JAY HITS A BLOODY SUNDAY INSTEAD!!! ONE! TWO! THR-KICK OUT!!!
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Okada tries fighting back with a forearm, but a HURRICANE DRIVER FLOORS HIM!!! INTO A LIONTAMER!!! Jay tortures the back holding up the company as now Okada searches for the ropes, but the moment he finds them, another SLEEPER SUPLEX awaits! Okada rolls through though and nails a PERFECT DROPKICK! White rocked, he eats a TOMBSTONE PILEDRIVER!!! Okada goes for a RAINMAKER, but sensing Jay trying to counter into the Blade Runner, he pushes off and nails another DROPKICK!
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Remembering the table, Okada nails a SPINNING RAINMAKER, before rolling White onto it! Heading up, Gedo begs him to spare Jay, but Kazu refuses… DIVING ELBOW DROP THROUGH THE TABLE, BUT IT TAKES OUT GEDO!!! JAY PULLED GEDO INTO HIS PLACE!!! Chucking evilly to himself, Jay rolls Okada in for a KIWI KRUSHER, but the Rainmaker writhes, readjusting into seated position on White’s shoulders! He hammers on White’s head, but Jay pulls his body down instead… STEPPING OVER THE ARMS, HE NAILS A STYLES CLASH!!! ONE! TWO! THR-NOOOOOOO!!!
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Quickly losing patience, he bashes Sharp Sensations against Okada’s chest, before holding the finger gun to his head… V-TRIGGER!!! IS HE GOING FOR IT?! Lifting Kazu onto his shoulders as the crowd gasps… JAY FEIGNS IT, DROPPING OKADA INTO BLADE RUNNER POSITION- OKADA REVERSES INTO A RAINMAKER!!! HE’S NOT FALLING FOR WHITE’S TRICKS ANYMORE!!! ONE! TWO! THR-JAY KICKS OUT!!! Dumping Jay with a German, he nails a couple Short-Arm Rainmakers, followed by a LANDSLIDE! Getting ready to nail another Rainmaker, he grabs the wrist…
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JAY NAILS A RAINMAKER OF HIS OWN!!! ONE! TWO! THR-NOOOOOOOOOO!!! White slams the mat, tears in his eyes, not knowing what to do, but right as he’s about to lose hope, he remembers KENTA. Charging up the Busaiku Knee Kick… HE RUNS INTO A DROPKICK!!! Slugging elbows as Jay returns chops, Okada suddenly scoops him up for a LANDSLIDE!!! And he’s back up in position for the RAIN-BLADE RUNNER!!! BUT JAY CAN’T CAPITALISE, TOO SPENT!!!
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Instead, White wills himself to go for another, securing wrist-control to nail a couple Short-Arms of his own, before doing the slit-throat taunt… BLADE RUNNER- OKADA DOESN’T BUDGE!!! Jay tugs, growing frantic as he locks eyes with Okada, who shakes his head! SPINNING TOMBSTONE PILEDRIVER!!! INTO A RAINMAKER!!! Picking a limp Jay back up, Okada ‘Too Sweets’ him on the forehead, before waving goodbye, NAILING ONE MORE RAINMAKERRRRRRR!!! ONE! TWO! THREE!!! BULLET CLUB is dead. Long Live Okada.
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Kazuchika Okada (c) def. Jay White to retain the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship (38:48)
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A stunned silence fills San Jose at first, followed by a standing ovation for both warriors. 10 years of one of the greatest factions of all-time, now over. BC rush out to White’s side, some shocked, some furious, but overall emotional for their last night together. KENTA gives Okada a soulless look as the Rainmaker leaves the ring, Kazu nodding to Tanahashi on commentary, knowing what this moment means to him too. But alas, the night is over as Jay walks himself out of New Japan, no betrayals on their last night.
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Whilst Okada’s been through two tense defences in a short span, yet another challenge awaits him. Kaito consistently calling him out in the past weeks, using Okada’s moves on tours, Kazu finally caves, confirming he’ll be there at Keiji Muto’s retirement show, but he’ll be there for blood.
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NOAH Last Love (February 21, 2023)
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Also on the show:
AMAKUSA vs Hiromu Takahashi
Keiji Muto vs Tetsuya Naito
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IWGP World Heavyweight Champion Kazuchika Okada vs GHC Heavyweight Champion Kaito Kiyomiya
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The most invigorating Japanese rivalry in recent memory finally receives the pay-off everyone desires as NJPW’s Ace fights NOAH’s up-and-coming Ace. What ensues is awfully one-sided, Okada fully tapping into his role of Big Brother as he demolishes the man he deems lesser than him. Kaito does his best to hold out, getting in Kazu’s face a couple times, but he’s no match for the unbridled arrogance and fury of Okada, who wrecks him with an Antonio Inoki Enzuigiri, a Mitsuharu Misawa Emerald Flowsion, and a stiff-as-hell Rainmaker! 7 years ago, this was Naomichi Marufuji to Okada, but now Kazu is the Alpha Dog in town.
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Kazuchika Okada def. Kaito Kiyomiya (16:32)
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With Okada drifting into this unrecognisable version of himself, the rift between him and members of CHAOS continues to grow. Goto’s outspoken in his discontentment with CHAOS’s current position, HASHI standing with his partner, believing Kazuchika should be spending more time uniting the faction as their leader rather than running off to humiliate others and dapping up Tanahashi. Ishii and Yano, on the other hand, refuse a rebellion as CHAOS OGs and loyalists, Tom already eating well with his NEVER Openweight Championship. As such, a match between them is set for Anniversary!
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As for Okada, with LIJ not getting the chance to fight Okada due to their loss to KONGOH, Hiromu Takahashi challenges him to a Champion vs Champion fight as one of 2 LIJ members who did win against KONGOH.
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51st Anniversary Show (March 6, 2023)
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Also on the show:
Bishamon (c) vs CHAOS (Tomohiro Ishii & Toru Yano) - IWGP Tag Team Championship
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IWGP World Heavyweight Champion Kazuchika Okada vs IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion Hiromu Takahashi
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A long-awaited rematch from 2020’s New Japan Cup Semi Finals for Hiromu, much like Prince Devitt a decade ago he wants to prove he can hold both titles simultaneously. Though Devitt failed, Takahashi tries to avenge stablemates Tetsuya Naito and Shingo Takagi’s failures against the Ace as Tanahashi commentates again, having surprisingly voiced his support for Okada’s recent regime of culling the outsiders. An 18-minute sprint sees Hiromu rely on his explosiveness to leave Okada reeling, a Time Bomb II banging up the neck for a near-fall, but Takahashi still isn’t on Kazu’s level, a Rainmaker silencing him!
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Kazuchika Okada def. Hiromu Takahashi (18:03)
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Despite Bishamon’s defiant victory against CHAOS, Okada pays it no regard when choosing a partner for New Japan’s return to Aichi, remembering how Goto failed him last time. Called out by recent Young Lion graduates Ren Narita and Shota Umino, who have been making waves in the New Japan Cup, Narita determined to replicate mentor Katsuyori Shibata’s run to avenge him, whilst Shota wishes to impress idol Tanahashi, Kazu fittingly invites the Ace of the Universe to team with him!
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New Japan Cup - Night Five (March 11, 2023)
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The Dream Team (Kazuchika Okada & Hiroshi Tanahashi) vs Ren Narita & Shota Umino
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A true dream team, the company’s Aces battle its future in a thrilling exhibition bout, Shota borrowing from Tanahashi in his performance, whilst Narita remains very much determined to get in Okada’s face. Much like the rest who have tried as of late though, he’s well out his weight class, Okada paying him a mocking headbutt and a Rainmaker to humble the youngster! As Narita wallows in disappointment though, Okada offers a hand to Shota, helping him to his feet and claiming he sees a future in the Tanahashi-derivative star.
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The Dream Team def. Ren Narita & Shota Umino (13:32)
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As the New Japan Cup rolls on, it reaches a scintillating conclusion with Just5Guys’ Taichi besting Sabre Gun’s Zack Sabre Jr. in the Finals, Taichi having beaten Ospreay in the Semis and Zack triumphing over SANADA! As the group joins the Toshiaki Kawada student for the trophy presentation, complete with a recently-turning SANADA, who betrayed Naito in the Quarter Finals, they invite one last member to their family to Sabre-Gun’s Kosei Fujita’s umbrage – his former friend who he left, Ryohei Oiwa! Whilst J6G and Sabre-Gun’s rivalry bubbles in the background, the important matter at hand is Taichi’s upcoming shot!
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Road To Sakura Genesis - Night Three (April 3, 2023)
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The Dream Team (Kazuchika Okada & Hiroshi Tanahashi) vs Just6Guys (Taichi & SANADA)
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Once again calling on Tanahashi, the (Aether) Aces step to their mutual foes of Taichi & SANADA. Looking down on the pair as AJPW guys, Okada & Tanahashi are especially hostile in their treatment of J6G, but unlike Kaito who ate all of it, Taichi & SANADA are a lot more defiant, the Holy Emperor especially passionate in his reminders that no matter where he came from, he still worked his way through the Dojo like Okada and Tanahashi. Still, even with Taichi catching the champion by surprise with multiple near-falls, forcing him to become more serious, it’s not their night… yet, SANADA eating the fall off a High-Fly Flow!
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The Dream Team def. Just6Guys (15:27)
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Sakura Genesis (April 8, 2023)
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Also on the card:
Hiromu Takahashi (c) vs Lio Rush - IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship
Tomohiro Ishii (c) vs Great-O-Khan – NEVER Openweight Championship
Bishamon (c) vs Aussie Open - IWGP Tag Team Championship
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Kazuchika Okada (c) vs Taichi VI - IWGP World Heavyweight Championship
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Though the tag match may not have gone in J6G’s favour, tonight’s a lot different. One year ago, Taichi watched as his partner ZSJ failed to dethrone Okada after winning the NJC, much like four years before that. But now, he’s earned the chance to be the one fighting Kazu and silence his critics, especially the Rainmaker, rather than spectating a third time. Conducting a full operatic entrance, the Holy Emperor is the fan-favourite in the very arena his mentor Kawada retired, looking to make him proud, and for once, even Okada’s grandeur pales in comparison to his foe, though he looks past it, prepared to stomp out another outsider.
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What ensues is a match centred around respect, Okada refusing to give it to Taichi, and Taichi doing everything he can for it! From homages to Kawada with the DANGEROUS BACKDROP and a GANSO BOMB tease from Taichi, to Kazu intentionally attempting NOAH-centric moves like the BURNING HAMMER and EMERALD FLOWSION, they trade bombs from start to finish, Taichi even connecting a RIPCORD AXE BOMBER for a near-fall! Yet despite putting on the best underdog performance of his career, the RAINMAKERS put a stop to it!
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Kazuchika Okada (c) def. Taichi to retain the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship (28:32)
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So close yet so far. As another one bites the dust, CHAOS comes out to join Okada for the show-closing promo – Ishii with his gold, but Bishamon now titleless, as well as Lio Rush failing to win gold too. The Rainmaker gloats, saying he’s never been better… though CHAOS could be a lot better. Admonishing their failures, he tells them he’s disappointed in them. Unlike other factions do, he refused to hold their hands every step of the way, putting his faith in them, yet they’ve thrown that in his face time and time again. Certain members are holding the group back, so he invites them to either leave while they can, or face the consequences.
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A few moments pass, but no one budges. Okada scoffs, about to speak until Goto gets in his face! Running down Okada, he says he’s done with the treatment he’s received from the Rainmaker lately, his spot in CHAOS always one of shame after all, constant losses to Okada forcing him to join his foe rather than fail further. But he’s no coward. He’s not going to tuck his tail between his legs and scram like Okada wants. He knows Kazu wants him gone, so if that’s the case… he challenges him to put the leadership of CHAOS on the line against him at his 20th Anniversary Show! If Okada wins, he’ll leave. If Goto wins, he takes over. Astonished by Goto’s defiance yet almost respecting it, Okada agrees to let him fight for his future!
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Capital Collision (April 15, 2023)
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Also on the show:
Kenny Omega (c) vs El Phantasmo - IWGP United States Championship
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The Dream Team (Kazuchika Okada & Hiroshi Tanahashi) vs Motor City Machine Guns (Alex Shelley & Chris Sabin) (c) vs Aussie Open (Kyle Fletcher & Mark Davis) - NJPW STRONG Openweight Tag Team Championship
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Before Goto’s final stand, Okada makes a trip down to America to challenge for the STRONG Tag Titles, wanting to show Hirooki how it’s done by not only beating the team which dethroned Bishamon, but also the legendary Motor City Machine Guns! Joined by Tanahashi as expected, the icons make up for their lack of tag team experience with sheer talent, giving both teams a tough draw. A Rainmaker to Fletcher sets up Tanahashi for a High-Fly Flow, but as Okada prepares to defend the pinfall, OUT COME BISHAMON! Drawing Okada’s attention, Goto brawls with the Rainmaker whilst HASHI distracts Tana, allowing Davis to take him out, before nailing the Coriolis on Shelley to win the titles!
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Aussie Open def. Motor City Machine Guns (c), The Dream Team (25:13)
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As Okada realises what’s just happened, Bishamon are long gone by then, Goto waving to a fuming Kazu from the entranceway!
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Hirooki Goto 20th Anniversary Event (April 22, 2023)
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Kazuchika Okada vs Hirooki Goto XVI
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High stakes for the main event, all of CHAOS and Tanahashi are in attendance to witness their stable’s future. Goto’s stoic, not letting the emotions of it all get to him, whilst Okada’s arrogant as ever, overconfident in his abilities despite their series being only 8-7 to him, Goto able to score the grandest of equalisers tonight should he win. What ensues is an all-out war for CHAOS, Goto doing everything to prove himself a worthy member, whilst Okada devotes himself to ruining the Aramusha. And at certain points, Goto has the IWGP World Heavyweight Champion on the ropes, humbling the Rainmaker off a nail-bitingly close near fall on the GTR! But Okada’s simply unstoppable, it taking three Rainmakers to seal the deal, Okada besting Goto!
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Kazuchika Okada def. Hirooki Goto (25:10)
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Ruining Goto’s big night, Okada’s smug with himself as HASHI, Lio, YOH, and even Yano tend to their fallen comrade, while Ishii watches with a hint of sorrow, though ultimately steering clear of treasonous actions. As per the stipulation, an emotional Goto’s forced to leave CHAOS, though he doesn’t walk the plank alone, YOSHI, Rush, and YOH, following suit! Okada seems taken aback at first, though ultimately nods, needing all traces of weakness gone from his stable. Just Ishii and Tanahashi left standing at ringside, Okada declares that the foundations of the group will be rebuilt, starting with… the three of them!
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Handing a CHAOS shirt to Tanahashi, he welcomes Hiroshi to the group, before handing over the mic! Tana explains that upon speaking with Okada, he realised this would be the right way for him to protect the future of the company he fought so long for. Just because he’s carrying a flag now though, doesn’t mean he’s any different from the man they all know and love. He’s doing this for the betterment of the place he loves. He’s doing this for a purer New Japan!
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As the three stand tall together… BUSAIKU KNEE KICK TO OKADA! Just as quickly as KENTA slipped into the ring, he slips back out, Taiji Ishimori & SHO by his side! Banding together as a group of misfits following BULLET CLUB’s death, SHO leaving House of Torture too, it’s clear KENTA has one thing on his mind… take from the man who took from him.
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Wrestling Satsuma no Kuni (April 29, 2023)
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CHAOS (Kazuchika Okada, Tomohiro Ishii & X) vs KENTA, Taiji Ishimori & SHO
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With KENTA and co. targeting Okada, a Six-Man Tag is set, though not with Tanahashi as CHAOS’s third man. Instead, he gives up his spot to their ‘new member’, who reveals himself to be Shota Umino! Okada impressed with his talents a couple months back, he shows off his chops here as a functioning member of the new CHAOS, the three gelling together perfectly. A rather shades of grey encounter between two sides with moral ambiguities, the crowd is evenly split, but alas, it’s KENTA’s crew scoring a bit of an upset after some shenanigans, the Busaiku Knee Kick taking down Ishii! After the match, KENTA gestures Okada’s belt around his waist.
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KENTA, Taiji Ishimori & SHO def. CHAOS (14:39)
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Wrestling Dontaku (May 3, 2023)
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Also on the card:
Tomohiro Ishii (c) vs YOSHI-HASHI - NEVER Openweight Championship
Kenny Omega (c) vs Shingo Takagi - IWGP United States Championship
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Kazuchika Okada (c) vs KENTA II - IWGP World Heavyweight Championship
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Not having touched one-on-one since KENTA’s debut G1, there’s a big fight feel for the sacred rematch 4 years long overdue. The Black Sun carrying NOAH’s flag in Okada’s eyes, he’s determined to add KENTA to his list of casualties, whilst vengeance remains glued to the challenger’s mind. Returning to his Overture theme, KENTA’s just as arrogant as the champion, the two producing mirroring self-absorbed entrances, but as the bell rings, it remains to be seen whether their skill is also mirrored.
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Starting with a feeling out sequence, the two trade a variety of holds back-and-forth with increasing pace, before Okada teases a sudden RAINMAKER! KENTA has it scouted, catching the arm and immediately getting to work on it, remembering Nakajima’s strategy. Hammering it with elbows and kicks, a HIGH KNEE finds its mark on Okada’s shoulder! Whipping him to the mat, a PENALTY KICK follows to the joint! Okada shakes out his arm in agony as KENTA’s target becomes crystal clear, smartly looking to eliminate the Rainmaker from the equation as early as possible!
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KENTA races in for a Corner Big Boot, but Okada ducks out the way, dropping KENTA with a BACKDROP SUPLEX! He shakes out his arm as he drops into cover, shooting the half, only for KENTA to reverse the pinfall mid-count into a GAME OVER attempt! Alarm in his eyes, Okada frantically lunges at the ropes for reprieve, though KENTA holds on until 4 to exact as much damage as possible on the limb!
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Okada resting against the ropes as he tries to get some feeling back in his arm, KENTA sprints for a RUNNING YAKUZA KICK, but Okada pulls the ropes down, the Black Sun sent crashing to the outside! He whips KENTA into the guardrails for a Big Boot that sends him over, a JUMPING CROSSBODY following suit! Dragging KENTA out the rubble, he teases a HANGMAN’S DDT off the steel, only for KENTA to drop down and SNAP OKADA’S ARM OVER THE GUARDRAIL! Threading it through the gap, a HESITATION DROPKICK MANGLES HIS ARM IN THE STEEL!
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Okada lets out a cry of pain as the section crashes down on him, having no time to recover as he feebly frees himself from it, KENTA yanking him by the arm! He tries to send Okada’s arm into the steel post, but the Big Boot takes him down! Rolling KENTA inside, Okada hails down a MISSILE DROPKICK to send him sprawling across the ring, before a STRAIGHT-JACKET NECKBREAKER subdues him for the Rainmaker to lock in RED INK!
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Using the opportunity to rest his own arm, it backfires when KENTA contorts it over his shoulder to free himself, a CROSS ARMBREAKER turning the tables! Kazuchika gets a monkey grip to prevent full extension though, rolling KENTA over to his shoulders for 2, before hoisting him up into an AIR RAID CRASH NECKBREAKER! ONE! TWO! THR-KICK OUT! Okada tries to pick KENTA up with one arm for the TOMBSTONE PILEDRIVER, but he fails miserably, KENTA turning the predicament around into an EMERALD FLOWSION!
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Scaling the ropes, KENTA teases a DIVING DOUBLE FOOT STOMP to the point of Okada’s elbow… MILLION DOLLAR DROPKICK INTERCEPTS! Okada stands KENTA up with a DDT, before dumping him with a GERMAN SUPLEX, though is unable to get the bridge. Wanting to wrap things up and fast, he uses the ropes to get KENTA in position for a TOMBSTONE PILEDRIVER, before securing wrist-control! He looks for the RAINMAKER, only for KENTA to blast the arm with a YAKUZA KICK!
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Okada’s arm dropping by his side, KENTA teases going for a RAINMAKER OF HIS OWN, only for Kazuchika to bring him down with a FLAPJACK instead! A SHORT-ARM RAINMAKER shakes off KENTA’s advances on the arm, before a RAINMAKER FINDS ITS MARK!!! ONE! TWO! THR-NOOOOOOOOOO!!! Not enough strength behind it for Okada to put KENTA down for good, he tries for another… KENTA SLAPS THE TASTE OUT HIS MOUTH! KENTA RUSH FOLLOWS SUIT! AND A BUSAIKU KNEE KICK!!! ONE! TWO! THR-OKADA SURVIVES!!!
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Doing the Rainmaker pose, KENTA secures wrist-control himself and puts Okada on his shoulders, teasing a GO 2 SLEEP! OKADA NAILS HEAVY RAIN!!! A LANDSLIDE attempt is stuffed, KENTA again abusing the arm like it’s the Dragongate monkey, BEFORE NAILING A SHORT-ARM RAINMAKER OF HIS OWN!!! Okada forced to eat stiff shot after stiff shot like it’s Shibata all over again, he looks to be on dream street as KENTA fires up a second BUSAIKU KNEE- DROPKICK COUNTERS!!! Accounting for his deteriorating arm, Okada nails a pair of SHORT-ARM RAINMAKERS with his nondominant arm to ease into one more RAINMAKERRRRRRRRRRR!!! ONE! TWO! THREE!!!
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Kazuchika Okada (c) def. KENTA to retain the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship (26:35)
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It may be the accumulating fatigue talking, but KENTA may have given Okada his biggest scare yet, a lucky last gasp saving the Rainmaker’s reign. Not so bad for an outside, he thinks. As a shattered KENTA collects his bearing, SHO and Taiji by his side, Okada stops him from leaving just yet, instead calling to Tanahashi from commentary, who tosses him a shirt! Mic in his other hand, Okada declares that KENTA impressed him more than he would normally care to admit. It’s almost as though his talents were being wasted in BULLET CLUB… So, why not join CHAOS?
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The Black Sun’s understandably stunned, the man he hated just moments ago now offering a truce? But Okada tells him to sit on it, offering a couple more shirts to his pals, stating he could use their talents to fuel his new vision. SHO was always the better Roppongi 3K member after all. And Taiji’s an Ultimo Dragon trainee like him. Just think on it. As KENTA and co. leave to the back in deep thought, it appears big things lie ahead for CHAOS…

I have watched the anime (S1 and S2 and the two movies, but I did not watch Miyuki's POV season cause I read the light novel until the latest volume, which you guys can find on a site called Lightnovelreader), and I have quite a bit to say. I didn't try to over or under-analyze anything, rather, these are just my observations and I tried to base them on common sense or objective reasoning I guess.
Please add your opinion! Sadly, I don't know any other Mahouka fans :( and the ones I know who have heard of it don't like it thanks to the obvious brother-sister relationship.
Anyhow, let's start from the over-arching aspects I guess.
Wonderful beginning in both the light novel and anime! I love the world-building, and some of the characters are just to die for! The show doesn't border on being too informational like others, nor too generic, rather, it has its own peculiar merits which make it stand out to me. The main character's premise is nice, he is definitely OP at pretty much everything he does, and that can get boring really fast, but thankfully, Mahouka doesn't take that obvious route with him (Sadly, it feels like it doesn't take any route with him, but that might be why it stands out I guess). Most side characters are bland (like in nearly all anime), so I didn't expect much there, however, some characters are surprisingly more complex or interesting than they seem! (Maya is a great example. I had a negative view of her when she was introduced with no backstory and in a negative light by the MC. That's why I originally pictured her as the archetype 'I am the power-hungry relative that killed your family to take their authority or whatever' character, but when I read her backstory, I was like 'Damn, even after all that, she's the strongest women on the planet. She also pretty much takes no shit from anybody. Damn.' and I couldn't really bring myself to give her a basic label like that again).
Anyhow, Miyuki is also a character with a great premise, but, and I'm not trying to sound mean, she clearly has no relevance in the story if not for Tatsuya's existence. I'm sure the author knows what she's doing and all with Miyuki, but before we even reached the halfway point of season 1, she became fan service material that loves saying 'onii-sama' like a dozen times a sentence. I don't hate her, but she never grew on me, even when I reached the end. (Sort of like Casca! She is an amazing character, but after the eclipse, she sort of became material to push the plot forward by forcing Guts into a bad situation at every possible moment).
Now, onto the only relevant side characters: MC's friends, Senpais, and Masaki + his friend. I like how each of his friends has a different personality, but honestly, Honoka shouldn't have been a character in the first place (It felt like she was there to just constantly remind everyone that Tatsuya has a female posse, or to just keep Miyuki and Tatsuya's relationship alive in their school setting). Shizuku was a wonderful character because she wasn't attracted to Tatsuya like the rest (at least not openly), but after the advice she gave Honoka, she died to me. It just doesn't make sense why she told Honoka to either share or steal Tatsuya with or from Miyuki😂. Logically, she would convince her otherwise, but once again, it's for the plot. The rest of the Mc's friends are good (Especially Erika! She has a personality that sticks out and isn't that overused Tsundere-type female that nearly every anime has). As for his seniors, I respect Katsuto, but I find him stale and don't really like him. Mayumi should've been treated much better as a character. (It feels like she was used in a different way to Honoka but with the same purpose, despite having a better 'everything'). As for the rest of his seniors, I am not really interested in them because, in the end, they were used to push forward the prevailing belief that 'Tatsuya is an OP badass, so don't mess with him.' Plus, no one in the story really has as much talent as Tatsuya in any given field (Miyuki is supposedly second to him if we discount 'general' magic). Now, onto Masaki: he is simply a failed Honoka and an even worse attempt at a rival for Tatsuya. Tatsuya didn't even find him dangerous (even when he was holding back) and he didn't even see him as any sort of live interest😂, it was just Miyuki and nearly everyone else that saw it that way, which ruined his character for me. His feelings were superficial and his actions even more so, sort of like an inferior version of the MC.(Almost like when an author tries to shove a character down your throat by giving them so many unnecessary backstories or abilities in an effort to make them likable.) Overall, I was tempted to skip any and all dialogues from him in the Light novel. His friend (I forgot his name), should have been Tatsuya's rival! I really liked the fact that there was another child genius and it would've been cool if they were the ones that competed against each other as masterminds instead of just fighters. Sadly, he only ended up receiving help from Tatsuya and becoming a minor character that only speaks when Masaki starts talking about Miyuki (for comedic purposes I guess).
One last thing: The ten families and the Yotsuba in particular-
I really, really love the ten-families concept! Like, it reminds me of another good story I'm currently reading (Tower of god), so my hopes were high. Sadly, I found them to be disappointing (mostly because for people as grand as them, they were extremely petty for silly reasons. Like, the Ichijou head got involved in another family's wedding when he knows nothing about them just because he believes that they might become 'too powerful'. I mean, come on, everything about the Yotsuba is a damn secret, so how would he know if they were to become too powerful after a single marriage😂). The Kudou family was actually quite likable due to the presence of the old man (Retsu) and his grandson (Who honestly should've just had an honest talk with his grandad after controlling the parasite! Like, there was no need for him to go all Sasuke in this story and kill the old man too! It could've easily been handled much better!). The Saegusa family was extremely disappointing. Only Mayumi and the twins stick out, their brothers are like poor imitations of their dad, who thinks he's shit but clearly, he has an inferiority complex when it comes to anything Yostuba related.) The rest of the families were dull.
Now, the Yostuba was even worse than the Saegusa in my opinion. Like, none of their actions make sense! It feels like the author purposefully put them there just to make it look like it's Miyuki and Tatsuya vs the world or something. They can never rely on the Yotsuba (well, Tatsuya can't), but when the Yotsuba calls, they need to bow and comply. Let's start from the very beginning with these guys: Maya's incident. The Mc's grandfather is a badass. Miya was an extremely kind person back then, given how sensitive she was and how badly she suffered from trying to help her own twin. The family was even presented as a real family with that notion of 'Touch one of us, you gonna get all of these hands' type. Also, the 'Untouchables, is just a badass name overall. Sadly, it does not live up to its hype. After the Granddad's death, the clan went to shit. His brother took over, and in my opinion, ruined everything. First of all, Miya's marriage to that idiot (Mc's dad) was mistake no.1. Like, if they wanted terrifying talent, like really terrifying talent, then what about every other guy in the damn family? It just doesn't make sense to me and it has no relevance to the plot besides the 'Tatsuya and Miyuki vs the World'. In all honesty, the dad would've been so much better if he had a damn personality and he stuck by Tatsuya's side, instead of cowering like a little b-. Like, why get married again and leave your kids to the damn Yotsuba? And then he pops up later to make Tatsuya work for him due to his obviously overwhelming talent and to coddle the next head of the Yotsuba (Miyuki). Like, stfu and leave them alone😂. He didn't want to be there for them in their hardest times, then he doesn't deserve to be there with them when they are succeeding. (I really, really don't understand what the author was trying to do with him as a character, so if you know, please reply. Thank you in advance too!) Now, onto the grandfather, younger brother's second mistake: His treatment of Tatsuya. Like, everything the Yotsuba owns and everything it currently owns rightfully belongs to Tatsuya. He obviously makes an unbelievable amount for them, he provides them with the latest info, he does their work, and he has been presented to have more talent his pink than any single member does in their entire bloodline, so I don't really understand what the author wanted to pull by making both the branch families and the servants bully him for years on end. Like, everything is rightfully his, and I bet they wouldn't be pulling this shit if his grandfather was alive. Now, the final mistake of the grandfather's younger brother was that he left Maya in charge. I get that Miya was presented to be sick mentally and all, but Maya is practically a broken 14-year-old, and although I said I respect her, she just doesn't make sense. She has conflicting goals at times (idk if it was purposeful on the author's part of not) and she seems to take delight in abusing or neglecting or messing with Tatsuya, even going so far as to present it as 'just normal' in one of her earlier talks with him, just because he can't feel anything (although, I believe he has his emotions and they are just being sealed! Sort of like the pledge they used on him). Maya is unfit to be a leader, and Miya is even worse. Turning Tatsuya into a weapon was a huge mistake. However, she could've made up for that by being his parent, but the author was like 'Miyuki is my only child. That guard can just watch me play with her and treat her like my heir'. (It made sense here since Miya was practically mentally ill at this point. She messed up her sister's life, lost her dad and sister at the same time, was influenced by her crappy uncle and family to marry some loser, and then she had to give up her only son to that crappy family. Even in the movie, she didn't look happy at all. It might just be me, but I do believe she loves Tatsuya more than Miyuki and by a whole lot, but she just didn't want to show it because she didn't seem all that motherly with Miyuki and despite the cold shoulder she was giving Tatsuya, she was treating him far better than any adult in the Yotsuba that we have seen.) Now, the servants and branch families are just disappointing as a whole. Servants should know their place and the branch families should never have neglected Tatsuya, and then spoiled Miyuki in front of him (The author didn't even attempt to resolve this, rather, it looked like she was saying 'The old generation is doomed. Let the mc wait until they die and then he can lead the new generation that clearly favors him'). Also, Tatsuya should've been the heir. I see no real reason against him being the heir besides the author trying to keep Miyuki relevant😂😂 .
Magic, intelligence, talent, and connections. Tatsuya is quite literally superior to Miyuki in every way possible. In fact, I don't get why they said he was 'average-looking', like damn, if he's average, then what the hell am I? Also, there are people all over the world who could nuke countries in an instant in this story, so the Yostuba trying to hide Tatsuya is just a big lie. When they announced him as Miyuki's fiancee, they practically told the world about him and so they should've just made him the damn head. Like, I don't understand why (besides plot convenience) Tatsuya can't be the head. Even the younger generation prefers him to Miyuki. (Plus, imagine how OP the Yotsuba would be under Tatsuya's rule? The guy is practically the king of magic in this story. Also, Miyuki is just gonna do what he says anyway, so why make her the heir? I don't get this but oh well.) Plus, why does the Yotsuiba not actually try to help him in any way, shape, or form. Like anything the Yotsuba does, he alone has been presented to do the exact same thing but much better 😂😂. In the end, Tatsuya remained OP, neglected, and abused, so it felt like nothing really change with him (sadly).
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Now, my official and objective rating: 5.5/10.
(Also, I didn't read the new novels because when I reached the end of the story, it just felt inconsistent or very 'Miyuki and Tatsuya vs the world' heavy with no real reason at times.)
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If you are interested, I do have four personal opinions to share:

1. The author should've ended the story with a Yotsuba redemption arc of sorts, where they either return his emotions and offer their official acceptance of him as a member of the clan(Although the clan belongs to him and he doesn't need their approval), or at least have one of those sorts of therapy sit in where they realize that they were garbage and they give him his birthright. (It would've ended the story with Tatsuya actually undergoing some sort of character development). (Also, just a chapter where Tatsuya himself comes to terms with the world around him would be an amazing way to end the series besides some sort of lovey-dovey fight and run but I don't want to complain since I have never really written a book before)

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2) Tatsuya is not 'average-looking' and he should've inherited the purple eyes and hair. Don't even argue with me on this point.
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3) The parasites were not real villains. In fact, they were overused, It would've been much, much better if the world was being invaded by the parasites (and they had different forms instead of human shells), instead of Tatsuya just dealing with them every single time. (Even if they introduced the concept of other world beings or invaders, they would've been far more interesting than the parasites.)
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4) Lina should've been endgame. She and Tatsuya just fit each other. Both went experienced similar treatment due to actually being natural-born talents and are very military-oriented people, plus I don't see any reason why Miyuki always has to downgrade Lina in front of Tatsuya. If you don't like her, just don't talk to her, but don't be rude like that all of the time. She rarely insults her to her face. (Also, Miyuki was given everything Tatsuya should've gotten when she's an inferior version of him in nearly every way. I couldn't care less if she ended up with Masaki, but she and Tatsuya just feel like Miyuki wins no matter what because the author wants it that way tbh).

[AN]- This is the official remake of my series, "Our Troubled Youths". I was young and kind of a virgin when it came to writing lol. But, I've grown a lot in my writing, and I wanted to truly give this series a better story, and the better characters it deserves. So please enjoy!
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“Slow down-” AJ huffed, chasing after Willow. She ran fast through the thick woods of Virginia, one goal in mind. It was very early in the morning- but Willow was determined that she would bring some food back home, and not just some small rabbit– but a deer. Ruby told her that deer were active at dusk and dawn, so she’d have to choose one of those times for the best results. In order for her to get around Clementine knowing, she’d have to sneak out at dawn. Willow ignored AJ, she had made a shot at a big, juicy deer. Unfortunately, it wasn’t a clean shot so the deer immediately fled. But that didn’t stop the fire in her veins, she was determined to feed her family, but mainly, she was determined to prove herself.
AJ huffed in irritation. He mentally cursed at himself, realizing this was his karma for acting this exact way when he was Willow’s age. AJ stopped running, walking instead now. She was in good vision, and it seemed she’d slow down as well. Besides, he needed to catch his breath.
Willow stopped, looking around for the deer. The blood trail confused her as it ran in circles. She calmed herself down. Tracing the trail closely, she was slowly gathering a possibility to where the deer had gone. Her vision was so focused on the floor that she didn’t realize where she was walking– and then all of a sudden she had felt herself slipping. “Ah!” She yelped, rolling down a steep hill with rocks and stumps- the pain caused her to shout in agony.
AJ was quick to action, “Willow!” He called out, running on pure adrenaline.
Willow finally fell onto the floor, deeper into the forest. Everything was blurry, but she could see she fell from a pretty high ledge. She shook her head trying to regain consciousness, everything hurt. After about a second, she tried to get up- “A-ah-” She stumbled, sitting back onto the floor. “Shit.” She whimpered from the pain of her ankle, it was definitely sprained, hopefully only sprained. But that seemed like the least of her issues. Her heart dropped as she heard the all familiar groaning. She looked up to see dozens of walkers coming over to her. It seems the commotion of her screams had gathered a lot of unwanted attention. “N-no.. no!” She tried to force herself up, she only successfully made it halfway before she fell down again.
AJ made it to the cliff's edge, looking down at Willow. “Shit! Willow!” He started to slowly make his way onto the steep ledge, he planned on sliding down gradually. “I’m coming!” he shouted.
Willow had a brief relief as she heard AJ’s call. So, her mind cleared for a moment, and she went into defense mode. “Damnit!” She complained, seeing that her bow was nowhere to be found, so she slid as far back as she could. With her back against an oak tree, she pulled out her knife and held it near her chest. “AJ…Please hurry!” She shouted, the walkers were getting closer and closer…to now where she was realizing how immobile and defenseless she really was. Panic rushed in quickly, and her mind went straight to insulting herself. If only she’d listen to her mothers warnings, if only she wasn’t so stubborn–
Her thoughts cut short as a walker fell onto the floor, grasping at her shoes, inching closer to bite her. “Ah!” She shouted, taken aback. She’d never been this close to a walker before, and she’d never feared for her life this badly.
“Willow!” AJ screamed with a fury. He held up his own bow and arrow- and shot the walker before it could hurt her. He quickened his pace down the hill, he was close to the bottom already so it wasn’t a safety issue to do so. He finally got to her, and immediately scooped her up in his arms. Willow kept her defensive stance, even in the safety of his arms. It wasn’t until a few minutes later, when she held her knife in front of her face. The knife was clean. No blood on it at all. She let the knife rest against her chest. She cried, and threw her hands over her face to cover said tears. Her knife being clean meant she didn’t even try to kill the walker on her, she would’ve died if it wasn’t for AJ.
—
Willow sat silent in the medical room. It used to be a dorm for some kids years ago- back when people actually were alive before the apocalypse. Sometimes she’d wonder what it was like for them. Must’ve been a lot better. She focused on some ripped medical pages that were hung on the wall. Ruby really wanted it to feel like a ‘real doctors office.’
The silence was then interrupted by Ruby coming into the office. She held fresh bandages in her hand, and some saline. It was homemade saline ofcourse, just salt and clean water. In the other hand, she held a hot drink.
“Hey there.” She said softly, she placed the items on the desk. “This is some ginger tea.” Ruby gave her the hot tea, “Ain’t as good as tylenol, but it's something.” She then went onto her knees, lifting up Willow's ankle gently. Willow sucked in her breath as the pain stung her. “I know..I know.”
Willow sighed, placing the cup in her lap. She held it tightly, letting the warmth surround her finger tips. “So. How bad is it?”
Ruby gently wrapped her foot in the gauze, “Well. It’s not broken so that's good. You just need to not move on it so much- let it heal. You had a pretty nasty fall.”
Willow nodded. “I mean, how bad is it?” Willow bit her lip, “With mom?”
“Well….” Ruby grunted getting up, dusting her hands. “I mean, I'm not gonna sugar coat it. Even Louis is mad. And you know it takes a storm to upset that goofball.”
Willow gulped. If her dad was mad, her mom was furious.
“AJ’s taking the brunt of it. She’s letting him have it.” She sighed, placing her hands on her hips and shaking her head. “But that doesn't mean you're safe.”
Willow started to bounce her leg anxiously. There was no doubt that she would be getting her ear chewed out. “Ok.” She said, accepting her fate.
“I’ll let her know you’re ready to be seen.” Ruby started walking away, but turned around half-way. “It’ll be alright. As scary as Clementine is sometimes, she still loves you to death. It's the reason why she’s so passionate.” She then exited the room, leaving Willow to soak in her thoughts.
Willow allowed the silence to engulf her. This was the only peace she’ll be getting before a fighting match of emotions. She grumbled to herself, thinking, ‘Why didn’t you just pay more attention? If only then we could have been feasting on a deer.’ She sighed heavily, and fell back onto the springy mattress. Interestingly enough, she felt a brief happiness along her chest. Memories from when she was a toddler had come up. There isn’t much entertainment in the apocalypse- but her dad sure found out ways. Example being, he would throw her onto the spring mattress and she’d fly into the air. He would catch her again and repeat the process. Willow being 15 couldn’t experience that again, she was just too big. But still, the memories were always welcome to come back.
Suddenly, those feelings of joy were quickly swept away as the door was heard being open. She sucked in her breath as she braced herself. Louis and Clementine walked in- obviously not happy. Clementine leaned against the pole on the other bunk bed across from her. Louis just sat down, looking more disappointed than angry.
“Get up.”
Shivers. Her voice was stern and harsh. It could even scare a walker. Willow sat up, met with the eyes of a very upset mother. But to Willow's surprise, her eyes were glistening and wet. She was holding back tears with all her strength. It made Willow feel even more guilty.
“Willow, what are the rules?”
“I know. I get it, but–”
Clementine chuckled, “Apparently you don't get them. Repeat them. Now.”
Willow sighed, looking at the floor. With an attitude, she replied, “Which ones?”
Clementine replied with a judgy expression, “Excuse me?”
“You have a rule for everything I want to do–”
“The rules we follow when going into new places, or new experiences.” She emphasized her last two words, biting back at her daughter's sass.
Willow swallowed, her mothers tone wasn’t lighting up. She decided to cut the bullshit and truly answer. “We listen for monsters–” Only the first rule, and it bit at her ego; She didn’t even think about the walkers stupidly enough. It seemed her shock was shown through her expression– because Clementine looked at her with a small relief. A relief that she actually learned from her mistake- rather than being stubborn about it. “-and..we always find a way out.” Willow finished in almost a shamed whisper.
The room was silent now. Surprisingly, Louis was the one to break the silence. He clapped and whispered in an awkward tone, “Hooray! You figured it out!” Obviously trying to lighten up the mood, something he always tried to do.
Clementine turned around slowly, looking at her partner of 23 years, with the disgust of a stranger. She sighed and placed a palm on her forehead. Willow couldn’t help but chuckle at this. Her chuckles only started a domino effect of chuckles. And just like that, the family came together again. Regardless of how much fear she had of her mothers anger– she never felt unsafe or unloved.
The laughs ended, and it was serious again. Clementine sighed, coming over to Willows bed, and sitting on it. Louis followed, sitting next to her as well. “Willow.” She spoke softly. “I don’t make all these rules to dim your light or passion. I just want you to be safe.”
“But you went through so many different eras of yourself.” Willow looked down at her hands, interlocking them. “What if I never get to see the other sides of me?”
Clementine sighed. “We went over this Willow. I can’t let you experience even a fraction of what I went through. Times are different, we got food, water– hell even generators!”
“I know mom. I do. I’m grateful- I really am. But it's still not perfect. You can’t shelter me forever. Things…don’t always go to plan.”
Clementine stared at the floor for a bit. “I know.” She finally responded. “--And I know experience is what you need. Just, don't be looking up to younger me as no role model. She was of the past, this is the present.”
“But you were badass-”
“No. I was surviving. You can’t look at my past and think that way, okay?” It got silent again. “There’s nothing badass about the nightmares you wake up to every morning.” She whispered.
Louis got up and then decided to squeeze himself in between the two. He widened his arms and hugged both of them. He gave Clementine a tighter hug, knowing that her mind was probably racing at the thought of her nightmares. She hadn’t had them in so long. He kissed both his lover's head, and his daughter's head. “Listen. Just promise us that you’ll tell us when you want to go hunting or scavenging. And…” He looked at Clementine and said, “And, maybe we’ll think about letting you go out on your own.” Clementine raised her brows at this, but decided to let it go for right now. She was exhausted mentally.
Willows eyes lit, she smiled. “Alright then.” She replied with glee.
“Alright let's get out of here, hospitals give me the heebie jeebies.” Louis stood up, ushering Clementine to stand up as well. Willow followed, only to immediately shout a scream of pain. Louis sucked in his breath. “That’ll teach ya for sure heh.” He then swooped Willow up, carrying her out of the room, with his lover by his side.

Justin Lin as the director for ASW!
tell me I'm wrong and why!
Sam Rami has been mentioned but he is good for something like Doctor Strange. Horro action but not working with ensemble cast. Spider-Man great but it's a hero's adventure. Avengers is a a group adventure like Fast and Furious
Justin has worked with ensemble cast, Star Trek and the Fast series. He is high octane and a big action director which Marvel needs.
Why is he not doing superhero movies?

Is this a real podcast?
I'm sorry I wasn't I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I'm gonna tell you the truth. When I opened up the first store, I went to Staples and Office Max and all the places you buy back-to-school supplies and I bought them all out of flash drives and I would sell them to people at school. And they're like, "Oh, you're actually doing it, bro. "Like, this is a real deal." So what do you know, I sold out of everything in two weeks. Now what? I have to restock and I'm out of money. And I don't really, I'm like, "I don't really have $100,000 to buy more." So I was like, "Well, okay, I guess I need to go out "and find another investor." I went to a guy who owned a bunch of businesses and I got him to give me a loan for $20,000. So now I had $20,000. I went to a custom packaging company in Los Angeles called AJM Packaging and I said, "Look, I have $20,000 "and this vision to start a video store. "Can you give me a net 90?" And that's like an old business term that I learned years ago that basically means like, we're gonna send you a box of our products, you sell them, and then pay us back in 90 days. So they said, "Sure, we'll give you $20,000 worth of videos." I put together a big press release, and sent it out to like the news stations. (laughs) This was like in the early '90s, okay?
But how did you go from using your LinkedIn to sell a 60-year-old?
No, no, no, no, I didn't sell the videos on LinkedIn. I'm saying I would get orders for $1000, $2000, $3000, $4000, $5000.
So the method was you would identify potential prospects using LinkedIn and just send them an email or message or something.
Yeah, you see on LinkedIn, you'll see, like let's say you have 10 contacts or something like that. It'll say, it'll have in your thing, it'll say they were a third degree connection and you can see what groups they belong to. You can see if you share a lot of similar contacts. So I just email them and say, hey, listen, I've got this promotion. I work at a marketing company and I
think we can help you increase your web presence, grow your business. And people just started signing up and then it went from there.
What was the like, hey, you're not bad at this. Like I should look into this social media thing. (laughs)
Yeah, I mean, when I started my business, I really, I was all over the place. And I'm talking like 2009, like in 2009, I wasn't really doing much more than building social profiles and posting on them and some light engagement. That was really it. But then I realized it's not, just about like, the act of social media. It's not just like creating social media accounts for people. It's about building a brand and being able to reach people and creating an impact and using social media to do that. And so that was the start of that path. And then I just started to get more and more into it. And then I went through the whole like, Facebook page thing, which is a whole other journey. So I did that and then I think it was really 2015, I started investing a lot of money into Facebook ads. And when I first started, I had a lot of success in a very short amount of time. So then I started teaching people how to do that. I launched a product called Fan Page Domination. We did $6 million in sales in the first week, which was amazing. And then from there, my software started taking off. I launched a software called Social Ad Classroom, which was a webinar software for Facebook and YouTube Live. And we had thousands of people buying that at $997. We sold that one for $997. Then I launched Influencer Ignited. So I've got my own Facebook group. I started doing mastermind groups and coaching. I was able to replace my salary with speaking gigs, teaching people on webinars and selling high ticket items. So now we have a software business. I have a team of 11 people that work for me and I have a few other employees for other various things as well. And so all in all, it's been quite the journey to get to this point and it's been a lot of hard work and it's still a lot of hard work. I'm not sure what's gonna happen over the next few years or anything like that, but I'm enjoying the journey, enjoying helping people out. You asked me for a couple of tips and tricks that people can do. And I would say that one of the things that I've found to be really helpful when I'm trying to figure out how to learn something is actually not to jump online and start Googling, but instead to go to YouTube and watch tutorial videos. Because if you're like me and you can see it and hear it, then it clicks a lot better than reading a book. So I started watching YouTube videos. I learned how to code a little bit on YouTube. I learned a little bit of Photoshop on YouTube and a lot of things on YouTube. And then I started this membership, which I learned how to do on YouTube and from other people that were teaching me how to do it. I didn't invent it. I don't own the rights to it. I just started to apply it to a business idea that I had that made sense. And it grew really fast. And then I sold that company last year, December of 2020. And so now I have more free time on my hands. So I started YouTube channel and that's just kind of taken off and I'm really enjoying the podcast because I get to meet great people like you and just share some insights that I've learned along the way. And so yeah, that's kind of been my journey to
this point. That's awesome. So you got the taste of this kind of internet world, digital marketing. You had a passion for technology. You did some internships. You taught yourself some things on YouTube. You created some courses. You've built a big following and now you're monetizing with the podcast, correct?
Yeah, absolutely.
Yeah, so what does the future hold for you and for your business?
Yeah, so I really want to double down on the podcast. I've been doing a lot of interviews and having a lot of fun with that, but I want to take it to the next level. I'm in the process of planning my next level. That is where it is headed right now.
Awesome. So we talked about a lot of things today. What's one thing that you want to leave the audience with? If they were to take away one thing from our conversation today, what would that be?
This is a little bit of a shift in direction of where we've been talking about, but when we were talking about doing a podcast, you asked me, "Why do you want to do a podcast?" And I said, "Well, I want to impact people. "I want to give people a new perspective on life. "I want people to know that they're not alone "and that other people have gone through some of the same things "and have figured it out "and can share their experiences with others "so they don't feel alone." And that's really what I want people to know about me is that you're not alone in this world. And if you're feeling overwhelmed, if you're feeling like, "You know what? "This sucks, this coronavirus, COVID stuff sucks," I want you to know that you're not alone. And there are people out there who've gone through the same thing, are going through the same thing, who can help you navigate through it. So if you're going through a difficult time, you're not alone. Reach out to me, I'm happy to talk to you, but also reach out to the people around you who love you and care about you, and just know that there are people out there who care. And if you're going through a good time and things are going great for you, also reach out to people who are struggling and lend a helping hand and help them out, because we're all in this together, and that's how we're going to get through this and make the world a better place.
That's such a powerful message, and I absolutely agree with you. One of the things I love about you is your positive energy. And that positive energy, I'm sure, resonates in everything that you do. So keep that up. And I guess my next question is, how do you stay so positive? What's your secret sauce?
Well, I just have this deep faith in God, and so I know that everything works out for a reason, and there's a bigger plan, and you know, the person who was the biggest failure is the person that gives up. And so I just refuse to give up, and I think of life, you know, like a marathon. I mean, if you're at mile one and you want to quit, how foolish is that? I mean, you don't know how long the race is, but it's not mile one. And so I look at that as my life. I mean, there's no point in quitting because I'm nowhere near the finish line yet. I got a long way to go, so I've got to keep going, and just having that faith in yourself and knowing that if you stick with it long enough, you'll find a way to succeed.
That's amazing. And
I think that positive mindset, and that persistence is one thing that separates you from other people, but also what you say there about your grandfather, it sounds like he was an amazing person.
He was an incredible person, and his name was Cecil Milton Chester. He died when he was 42 years old. And so I was like nine at the time. And so my son's middle name is Milton. It's a family tradition. So my son's name is Ian Milton Boyle. And I know I got him because my grandpa, he was amazing. He had all these stories and he always had a smile on his face. And I would say, you know, I would say, "How are you doing today, Papa?" And he'd say, "Better, better, better." And it didn't matter how he felt. He always said he was better, better, better. And I thought to myself, you know, that was pretty amazing. This guy could be in the worst possible pain ever, and he would still say he's better. And I thought, you know, I'm going to live my life that way. So I did. I decided I'm going to choose to be better, to have a better attitude, to have a better outlook on life, and always try to see the positive in things. And, you know, it's, it's, it's really helped me in my life. So that's, you know, I would say that's my biggest, my biggest learning. And I also say this, you know, I heard a pastor say this a while ago. He said, you know, a lot of times in life, we're looking for the green light. And, you know, we're trying to make sure everything's perfect. We're waiting for things to be perfect. And he says, well, you know, sometimes it's not about a green light, but it's just, you know, a yellow light. Sometimes you just have to get started. And, you know, you might be scared, but you just have to get started and do the work. And it's just like a very simple way of kind of looking at life. Like if we all wait for, you know, our perfect opportunity, we're never gonna get anything done. So I'm always a big believer in just starting. You know, you've gotta just get started.
That's awesome. That's a great way to finish. So what's your favorite entrepreneur story? Now it doesn't have to be the biggest success, but maybe just an entrepreneur that you love what they're doing or you love their business. So this could be someone, you know, it could be somebody local, it could be somebody big, whoever.
I know.
Your turn.
My turn. So, okay. There's a guy named Jeremy Cowart. You heard of Jeremy Cowart?
Yes.
He's a photographer. He's also one of the most successful photographers in the world. He does amazing portraits. I started following him on Instagram maybe five years ago, maybe six, and I was just like, this guy is amazing. And just watching how he transformed. And now he does hotel, motel design and art and stuff like that. But what he did is he set up like a 30 day series, well a 365 day series of photos. And each day he would do a different type of photography. So like one day he would do just shadows, another day he would do, I don't know, just patterns, whatever. He had all these different ideas. But what he was doing is he was posting his photos on Instagram every single day. So that's something that I wanna start doing as well. I actually start tonight
. And so, just to make myself a better photographer and just to challenge myself to look at things differently. And what's happened is now this guy, he's on YouTube, he does a podcast. And so if I do that every day, I'm also gonna get better at communicating with people and talking to people. So what I've found is this has helped me build my confidence to come on the live and do this because I've practiced a lot. I've done 57 of these now. And so, but it's just the practice. It's just the getting in there and doing it and learning from it. And I found that my guests are really grateful and appreciative for it. They really enjoy it. And they're able to get a taste of me as a speaker before they ever get on a call with me. So, I mean, there's just, it's just so valuable to get started. It doesn't have to be perfect. You don't have to have everything all together. But it's just the action, the taking the action, you know, and you'll just figure it out along the way. So, those are kind of my tips for people.
Fantastic. Well, we've got some questions from the attendees. So, let's kind of jump into those. I know we're starting to get a little bit short on time. We've got maybe five or 10 minutes left.
Yeah.
So, we'll jump into these. One of the questions that came up is, you know, how long should a course be? And are people willing to watch a long course versus something that's shorter?
You know, we've done it both ways. It really kind of depends. I feel like shorter courses are kind of like the current trend. People want information really quickly. They don't necessarily have a lot of time. They're busy. They're running a business. They've got kids. They've got a lot going on. So, I feel like a lot of people are favoring shorter courses. So, for instance, you know, like a course that's maybe like three to four weeks long. But I do still think that there is a place for longer courses. For instance, you know, with Power Editor, I actually found that people liked the more in-depth 12-week course because they could actually go back, you know, at their own pace and do it. But I would say, you know, 30 days is a great timeframe for a course.
Perfect. And the last question for you is, do you have a favorite Facebook advertising campaign that you've run for yourself or for a client? And if you can share a little bit about the results and why it was your favorite.
Ooh, that's a tough one. There's been so many good campaigns that I've had. I think one of my favorites was working with my husband's business and it was creating a quiz. I actually took my course topic, and we're not gonna talk about what that was, and we turned it into a quiz. And so, with a quiz, what you're able to do is take the top three to five pain points or objections that people have when it comes to purchasing your product or service, and you turn that into a quiz. So, you start the quiz by asking them some questions about their specific problem, what they're going through, what their biggest challenge is, and then you give them three different possible outcomes. And based on their answer, you kind of guide them through the quiz. So, you ask them, "Do you want to work on this problem, "or this problem, or this problem?" And then you can give them a result. And that result is not only valuable to
them because they're getting the solution they're looking for, but it's also very valuable to you because you can start to see what are some of the main reasons people are coming to me, or what are the main objections that they have, and you can take that and then tweak your marketing messaging. And that's a lot of what I did with my program was I would create new ads and I would have a different headline for every different pain point. And then we would run those ads and we would see which ones got the best engagement and then you have that data to go off of and you can say, "Okay, well people are responding better to this messaging or this problem that I can help solve." And then from there you can just dial in your targeting, dial in your messaging, and then that's when you really start to see the massive results. And that's how I was able to turn it into a seven-figure business, which, you know, within the first year and a half was pretty incredible. So that's definitely my favorite strategy. And I still use quizzes to this day. I think they're awesome.
Absolutely. And I really like quizzes. I'm glad you mentioned it because that's one of those things that not a lot of people are using right now, but it can be very effective if you do it right. Like you said, you want to give them a reason to want to engage with it. And by addressing pain points or questions or frustrations, it's a great way to get people to opt into your list as well because they're interested in that topic. So then you can nurture them and build a relationship with them and then make them a customer down the line. So that's a great strategy. Thanks for sharing that. All right, so last question for you. I know you're a super busy guy, but do you have time to listen to podcasts? And if so, are there any that you like to listen to on a regular basis?
I listen to a lot of audio books. I think that's kind of my thing. I've just finished actually an audio book called, "You're Not So Smart." And it's all about the cognitive biases that we have as humans. And it was very fascinating. I was actually thinking about using some of the content to talk about in the next episode of my podcast because I think it would be very helpful for people to hear the different biases that we have. And as humans, we have like 100 different cognitive biases that can really influence our decisions and the way we think about things. And so it was a really good book. So I highly recommend that one. It's called "You're Not So Smart." But yeah, I mean, I love listening to all different kinds of podcasts. I listen to, I don't know, some of the entrepreneurial ones, Amy Porterfield, Brendan Burchard. Sometimes I listen to Joe Rogan. He's not always the best person to listen to, but there are certain episodes that I like. Yeah, I listen to all kinds of podcasts.
Fantastic. You mentioned a few people there that I know of and I've heard some episodes of Joe Rogan. There's some really interesting people that he interviews.
Yeah, yeah.
He's got a great following and he seems like he's really enjoying it.
He does, and that's, I think, why he does it. He just loves to learn from people. So I think that's his main motivation.
Yeah, so is there anything else that you'd like to add before we finish up, Taki? Any other, you know, mistakes or issues that you see people make or things you just want to say before we go?
You know, I think one thing I
would say is that being a good marketer is really about being a good communicator. And it's all about building relationships and connections with people. And the way to do that is to really make sure you're being authentic. You know, there's so much noise on social media and people can spot a fake a mile away. So I think it's just important to be genuine, to be authentic, to show up as yourself and just be a real person. And, you know, people are going to be much more likely to connect with you and resonate with you if you do that.
Yes, it's so true. You know, I think a lot of people try and put up this facade of, you know, that they're perfect and they've got it all together, but people can see right through that. So it's just, it's really refreshing when you meet somebody who's like real and down to earth and just doing their thing. And they're okay with that. So I agree with that for sure. So Megan, where can people go to find you and learn more about your programs?
Yeah, so they can go to Facebook and look me up, Megan Anderson Consulting. My website is meganandersonconsulting.com. They can find me on LinkedIn. I'm on Instagram and Twitter and I'm pretty easy to find. So yeah.
Nice. And then I'll put all those links in the show notes too. But yeah, so definitely follow Megan. She puts out some really great content. So thank you so much for being on the show. It was really great to have you on today.
Thank you so much, Jillian. It was great being here. I really appreciate you inviting me on your show.
Yes, of course. Thank you so much. And I'll talk to you soon.
All right. Sounds good. Thank you.
Thank you. Bye. (upbeat music)
Hey guys, thanks so much for joining me on this episode of the Parent Entrepreneur Success Podcast. I hope you found it super valuable and it's inspired you to take some action to grow your business. If you want to find me on social media, you can find me at Jillian Sedoti at Instagram or jilliansedoti.com. And please, if you like this show, share it with others who you think will benefit and also rate and review so more people can find it. See you next time.

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Rage 2 is the latest installment in the world-renowned first-person shooter series that was developed by id Software and Avalanche Studios. The game is set in a post-apocalyptic open world, where players take on the role of a ranger who has to fight their way through a variety of enemies and factions to save what remains of humanity. The game was released on May 14, 2019, and has garnered a lot of attention from gamers all over the world. In this article, we will take a closer look at Rage 2 Xbox One review, and see if it lives up to the hype.
Rage 2 has been praised for its fast-paced action and stunning visuals. The game features a wide range of weapons, vehicles and abilities that players can use to take down their enemies. The open-world nature of the game also allows players to explore the vast wasteland and complete various side missions and quests. The game is set in a vibrant and colorful world, which is a departure from the series' previous dark and gritty aesthetic. The game's soundtrack is also exceptional, with a mix of techno and heavy metal that perfectly complements the game's frenetic gameplay.
One of the standout features of Rage 2 is its combat system. The game's gunplay is top-notch, with a wide variety of weapons that feel and sound satisfying to use. Players can also use special abilities such as ground pounds and dash attacks to quickly close the distance and take down enemies. The game's AI is also notable, with enemies that have unique strengths and weaknesses that players must exploit in order to succeed. The game's vehicular combat is also impressive, with players able to take control of various vehicles to traverse the game's vast open world and engage in high-speed battles.
The game's story, however, has received mixed reviews. While the game's world-building is excellent, the game's plot falls flat with a lacklustre narrative and forgettable characters. The game's dialogue is also hit and miss, with some lines feeling forced and cheesy. The game's pacing is also inconsistent, with some missions feeling overly long and others being too short.
In terms of graphics and performance, the game is visually stunning on the Xbox One platform. The game runs at a steady 60 frames per second, with minimal stuttering or frame drops. The game's in-game graphics are crisp and vibrant, with impressive lighting and particle effects that bring the game's wasteland to life. The game's fast-paced action also runs seamlessly, with no noticeable lag or

I've always been hesitant to share my code. It's not that I believe it's subpar, nor am I plagued by imposter syndrome. It's just that sharing code offers a glimpse into the madness that is my mind, and that feels somehow cruel for everyone else. Allow me to guide you on a journey that nearly drove me to the brink of sanity. It all began with Google's Lighthouse update.
For the SEO uninitiated, Google's Lighthouse update represented a substantial shift in search ranking, hinging on a website's performance and adherence to best practices. If you'd like to test your website, simply open it in Chrome on a desktop, press F12 to open the Chrome developer tools, and then click the "Lighthouse" tab. Choose either Desktop or Mobile and click "Analyze". After about a minute, you'll receive five scores, each ranging from 0 to 100, for Performance, Accessibility, Best Practice, SEO, and Progressive Web App (PWA).
Before delving into the technical details, let me introduce myself. My name is Jonathan Grantham, and I'm the proud owner of a small B2B SaaS company, Nexoid, which specializes in ERP and ITSM software. The website I'm discussing in this piece is www.nexoid.com. Feel free to have a look, open up the source code. You can also follow me on LinkedIn. My profile is https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathongrantham/.
Upon the release of the Google Chrome Lighthouse update, I did what any conscientious business owner would do: I checked my website. Much to my dismay, the results were far from satisfactory. With scores of 21/100 for Performance, 30/100 for Accessibility, 45/100 for Best Practice, 11/100 for SEO, and a failure for PWA, I was shocked. I had personally built the website, a fairly standard Single Page Architecture using React.js. The scores were a crushing blow.
Undeterred by the initial setback, I launched MS Code and began addressing the issues one by one, with Performance being my first target. The guides provided within the Lighthouse tool proved quite useful. I converted all images from JPEGs and PNGs to modern WebP files, and ensured that every img tag was equipped with a width and length property to prevent layout shifts. These modifications alone boosted my score from 21/100 to 60/100. It was a significant improvement, but far from perfect. The only suggestion remaining was to "reduce unused JavaScript," which wasn't particularly helpful. The only JavaScript present was the React.js framework, as everything else had been eliminated.
Despite my persistent efforts to rectify the issue, I was met with constant roadblocks. I attempted to remove parts of React.js, explored "lazy loading," and tested various optimizers and compressions. However, the issue stemmed from React.js itself, which was approximately half a megabyte in size.
I can almost hear seasoned web developers shouting, "Don't use React for a website! It's meant for building web applications!" I'm well aware of this now.
What began as a seemingly simple task of converting a few images had now morphed into a complete website overhaul using a new framework. Frustrated and uttering a few choice words under my breath, I set out in search of a suitable replacement. I first considered Vue and later Angular, arguably the biggest competitors of React.js. However, they both presented the same issue.
In an attempt to simplify things, I decided to look into older technologies, and gave jQuery a shot. Yet, I was met with the same problem. It became abundantly clear that there wasn't an off-the-shelf Single Page Architecture framework that could appease the Google deities.
It seemed my only remaining option was to resort to vanilla JavaScript.
My series of experiments began with a basic HTML page without any JavaScript. Then, I tried an HTML page with a div whose contents could be replaced. I quickly realized that making multiple simultaneous changes to the page via JavaScript incurred penalties from Lighthouse. The solution was to manipulate the contents of the body tag as a string and then reintegrate it, thereby creating only a single visible DOM change.
I now had a minimalist HTML page with an empty body tag, complemented by a small onload function in the head tag. This function inspected the URL and executed an HTML GET request to retrieve the corresponding text file containing the page's body HTML. One would think this is a suitable solution. Unfortunately, it fell short when I attempted to dynamically load JavaScript functionality.
Unlike other tags, if you add a script tag with a simple alert("yes this fired") into the body contents string, it won't execute. Although not ideal, one workaround was to parse the body string, identify all the script tag contents, and place them in a JavaScript eval function. The approach was somewhat effective but stumbled when dealing with namespaces, and the developer console was flooded with unsightly warnings. The solution was to extract the script tags from the HTML and add them as a script element after the DOM had rendered. Google did not penalize this action for some reason.
Progress was being made, and I had a basic Single Page Architecture solution. But not so fast. While Google is efficient at indexing Single Page Architecture pages (they do this by opening it in a browser, allowing all the JavaScript to run, and then scanning the DOM), Bing, Yahoo, and other major search engines use a similar, simpler method. However, most other platforms like Facebook, Reddit, LinkedIn, and WhatsApp only fetch the HTML file, retrieving a small HTML file with a blank body. My solution was not viable. I now had to replicate this concept for every page on the website and include the JavaScript to switch to Single Page Architecture mode when a user clicked on a link.
I needed a tool capable of generating HTML for each page, based on my solution. It occurred to me that I had the perfect resource at my disposal: my own ERP system, Nexoid. I created a Nexoid model encompassing a website and web page data objects. The website record facilitated the creation of a generic template webpage, while the web page records contained the content for each individual page. The final piece of the puzzle was a workflow function or script that could read the website record and all related web page records to generate the HTML files. After a few days, it was operational. I had created a basic Content Management System (CMS). Developing a CMS to this point is not overly complex; the real challenge arises when integrating other CMS workflows, approvals, localizations, previews, etc.
A key requirement for the new website was localization; we aimed to launch it in 11 languages. Being an IT company, I naturally leaned toward technological solutions. Rather than hiring a translator for every page, I opted for AWS Translate. While AI translators are decent, they're not perfect, and the errors are noticeable enough to reveal a non-human origin. A French-speaking staff member evaluated the AI translation and gave it a 6/10, describing it as "understandable, but not proper French."
However, we stumbled upon a valuable trick. We found that feeding the English text through ChatGPT first, asking it to 'tidy this up', and then pasting it in, it rewords the text in a way that's still English but is much more compatible with the language models. Using the ChatGPT-reworded English as the base for translation significantly improves the translation quality, elevating it to a 9 or even a perfect 10 out of 10.
Having developed a solid technological foundation for creating the website, I was making progress. However, a new challenge emerged as we began to build more complex pages. Under the new Lighthouse guidelines, it became necessary to consolidate all JavaScript, CSS, and HTML into a single file. This also applied to the Single Page Architecture versions.
We resorted to inserting all JavaScript and CSS files as inline tags. A similar strategy was required for the Single Page Architecture version. We created a JSON file containing all scripts, styles, and HTML.
Lighthouse identified the next problem as the size of the assets; the HTML and JSON page files were excessively large. I resolved this issue using 'minify,' a Node.js library specifically designed to compress HTML, CSS, and JavaScript files. This solution resulted in a reduction of text file size by over 40%. Additionally, minify offered the added benefit of obfuscation, making the raw code more difficult to read, enhancing security.
Let's delve into the topic of hosting. Traditionally, a Content Management System (CMS) operates via an application server that handles the user's HTML request. It interprets the page request from the URL, locates the corresponding assets in a database, retrieves the database record (possibly alongside others), processes the information to assemble the page, and finally delivers it to the end user as a flat HTML document. This description primarily pertains to the initial HTML request when a user visits a new website, although I am aware of AJAX and other similar technologies.
However, this conventional model presents certain drawbacks in the context of the new Lighthouse world. Firstly, the back-and-forth communication between the application server and the database server, as well as the page compilation, introduces delays. Secondly, in its simplest form, an application server and a database server are only physically available in a single location. This setup is excellent if you're in the same building or city, but significantly less efficient if you're attempting to access the site from the other side of the world. For instance, the average ping latency between Australia and the UK is approximately 250 milliseconds.
Our solution to these challenges involves utilizing AWS S3 for hosting the static files generated by the previously mentioned publish script, and AWS CloudFront for global content distribution. At the time of this writing, AWS CloudFront was distributing content to over 90 cities in 47 countries. For an individual in Melbourne, Australia accessing a UK website, AWS CloudFront reduced the ping latency from 250 milliseconds to a mere 13 milliseconds (this is the time difference between Melbourne and AWS edge servers in Sydney).
We now arrive at the Progressive Web Application (PWA) component of the Lighthouse test, which was not something I had previously given much consideration. For those unfamiliar, a PWA involves a JavaScript service worker that manages the website as a web application. If that's a bit complex, consider it this way: it's essentially an automatic downloading and caching tool. When a user visits your website, the goal is to make their subsequent requests as speedy and seamless as possible. The PWA service worker allows you to already have the next assets downloaded to the user's local machine, eliminating the need for another internet GET request.
At the time of writing this article, the Nexoid website is relatively small, containing only 19 pages. However, those 19 pages are translated into 11 different languages, making a total of 209 pages. Initially, I tried to download every asset into the service worker, which amounted to around 5MB. This size was too large for an initial load, and Lighthouse penalized me for it. I settled on downloading only the English page JSON files, which include all the necessary CSS, HTML, and JavaScript to display each page.
The final structure is as follows: An S3 bucket houses the compiled HTML files, named without the .html extension. For instance, http://www.nexoid.com/en represents the English homepage HTML, /de is for the German homepage HTML, and /en/platform refers to the English platform HTML, and so on. Additionally, there are JSON files that contain the parts of the body and head that change when navigating between pages, such as /en.json, /de.json, and /en/platform.json, among others.
In conclusion, comprehending Lighthouse posed a significant challenge. I am skeptical that traditional, out-of-the-box CMS products can effectively tackle this task. Reflecting on my experience with platforms like WordPress and Drupal, I find it hard to believe that they could be optimized to achieve a perfect Lighthouse score. Overall, I believe the effort is worthwhile, and Google is justified in placing more emphasis on performance. However, this shift is and will continue to be a considerable pain point for web designers and agencies.
If you're interested in learning more about Lighthouse or if you'd like to discuss Nexoid's products and services, please don't hesitate to get in touch. You can reach out via LinkedIn or through the 'Contact Us' page on our website.
https://www.nexoid.com/en/contact_us
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathongrantham

11 sec ago- Still Now Here Option’s to Downloading or watching Super Mario Bros full Movie online for free. Do you like Movies? If so, then you’ Super Mario Bros Movie: Martyr or Murderer. This Movie is one of the best in its genre. # Super Mario Bros will be available to watch online on Netflix's very soon!
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If you're a fan of the coMics, you won't want to Miss this one! The storyline follows Somewhere in Queens as he tries to find his way hoMe after being stranded on an alien Martyr or Murderert. Somewhere in Queens is definitely a Somewhere in Queens Movie you don't want to Miss with stunning visuals and an action-packed plot! Plus, Somewhere in Queens online streaMing is available on our website. Somewhere in Queens online is free, which includes streaMing options such as 123Movies, Reddit, or TV shows froM HBO Max or Netflix!
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Uchiyan Ne Gallan Tere Yaar Diyan Release in the US
Uchiyan Ne Gallan Tere Yaar Diyan hits theaters on January 14, 2023. Tickets to see the filM at your local Movie theater are available online here. The filM is being released in a wide release so you can watch it in person.
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How to Watch Somewhere in Queens for Free?release on a platforM that offers a free trial. Our readers to always pay for the content they wish to consuMe online and refrain froM using illegal Means.
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Where to Watch Martyr or Murderer?
There are currently no platforMs that have the rights to Watch Somewhere in Queens Movie Online.MAPPA has decided to Super Mario Bros Movie only in theaters because it has been a huge success.The studio , on the other hand, does not wish to divert revenue StreaMing the Movie would only slash the profits, not increase the
As a result, no streaMing services are authorized to offer Somewhere in Queens Movie for free. The filM would, however, very definitely be acquired by services like FuniMation , Netflix, and Crunchyroll. As a last consideration, which of these outlets will likely distribute the filM worldwide?
Is Somewhere in Queens on Netflix?
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The streaMing giant has a Massive catalog of television shows and Movies, but it does not include 'Uchiyan Ne Gallan Tere Yaar Diyan .' We recoMMend our readers watch other dark fantasy filMs like 'The Witcher: NightMare of the Wolf.'
Is Somewhere in Queens on Crunchyroll?
Crunchyroll, along with FuniMation, has acquired the rights to the filM and will be responsible for itdistribution in North AMerica.Therefore, we recoMMend our readers to look for the Movie on the streaMer in the coMing Months. subscribers can also watch dark fantasy shows like 'Jujutsu Kaisen.'
Is Somewhere in Queens on Hulu?
No, 'Uchiyan Ne Gallan Tere Yaar Diyan ' is unavailable on Hulu. People who have a subscription to the platforM can enjoy 'Afro SaMurai Resurrection' or 'Ninja Scroll.'
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Is Somewhere in Queens on AMazon PriMe?
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AMazon PriMe's current catalog does not include 'Uchiyan Ne Gallan Tere Yaar Diyan .' However, the filM May eventually release on the platforM as video-on-deMand in the coMing Months.fantasy Movies on AMazon PriMe's official website. Viewers who are looking for soMething siMilar can watch the original show 'Dororo.'
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When Will Somewhere in Queens Be on Disney+?
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Uchiyan Ne Gallan Tere Yaar Diyan , the latest installMent in the Somewhere in Queens franchise, is coMing to Disney+ on July 8th! This new Movie proMises to be just as exciting as the previous ones, with plenty of action and adventure to keep viewers entertained. you're looking forward to watching it, you May be wondering when it will be available for your Disney+ subscription. Here's an answer to that question!
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Is Somewhere in Queens on FuniMation?
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Crunchyroll, its official website May include the Movie in its catalog in the near future. Meanwhile, people who wish to watch soMething siMilar can streaM 'DeMon Slayer: KiMetsu no Yaiba – The Movie: Mugen Train.'
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Uchiyan Ne Gallan Tere Yaar Diyan Online In The US?
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Most Viewed, Most Favorite, Top Rating, Top IMDb Movies online. Here we can download and watch 123Movies Movies offline. 123Movies website is the best alternative to Martyr or Murderer's (2021) free online. We will recoMMend 123Movies as the best SolarMovie alternative There are a
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few ways to watch Somewhere in Queens online in the US You can use a streaMing service such as Netflix, Hulu, or AMazon PriMe Video. You can also rent or buy the Movie on iTunes or Google Play. watch it on-deMand or on a streaMing app available on your TV or streaMing device if you have cable.
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What is Somewhere in Queens About?
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It features an enseMble cast that includes Florence Pugh, Harry Styles, Wilde, GeMMa Chan, KiKi Layne, Nick Kroll, and Chris Pine. In the filM, a young wife living in a 2250s coMpany town begins to believe there is a sinister secret being kept froM her by the Man who runs it.
What is the story of Martyr or Murderer
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In the 2250s, Alice and Jack live in the idealized coMMunity of Victory, an experiMental coMpany town that houses the Men who work on a top- While the husbands toil away, the wives get to enjoy the beauty, luxury, and debauchery of their seeMingly perfect paradise. However, when cracks in her idyllic life begin to appear, exposing flashes of soMething sinister lurking below the surface, Alice can't help but question exactly what she's doing in Victory.
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In ancient Kahndaq, Teth AdaM bestowed the alMighty powers of the gods. After using these powers for vengeance, he was iMprisoned, becoMing Martyr or Murderer. Nearly 5,000 years have passed, and Somewhere in Queens has gone froM Man to Myth to legend. Now free, his unique forM of justice, born out of rage, is challenged by Modern-day heroes who forM the Justice Society: HawkMan, Dr. Fate, AtoM SMasher, and Cyclone.
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Production coMpanies : Warner Bros. Pictures.
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At San Diego CoMic-Con in July, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson had other people raising eyebrows when he said that his long-awaited superhero debut in Somewhere in Queens would be the beginning of “a new era” for the DC Extended Universe naturally followed: What did he Mean? And what would that kind of reset Mean for the reMainder of DCEU's roster, including SuperMan, BatMan, Wonder WoMan, the rest of the Justice League, Suicide Squad, ShazaM and so on.As
Uchiyan Ne Gallan Tere Yaar Diyan neared theaters, though, Johnson clarified that stateMent in a recent sit-down with Yahoo EntertainMent (watch above).
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“I feel like this is our opportunity now to expand the DC Universe and what we have in Martyr or Murderer, which I think is really cool just as a fan, is we introduce five new superheroes to the world,” Johnson tells us. Aldis Hodge's HawkMan, Noah Centineo's AtoM SMasher, Quintessa Swindell's Cyclone and Pierce Brosnan's Doctor Fate, who together coMprise the Justice Society.) “One anti-hero.” (That would be DJ's Martyr or Murderer.)
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“And what an opportunity. The Justice Society pre-dated the Justice League. So opportunity, expand out the universe, in My Mind… all these characters interact. That's why you see in Martyr or Murderer, we acknowledge everyone: BatMan , SuperMan , Wonder WoMan, Flash, we acknowledge everybo****here's also soMe Easter eggs in there, too.So that's what I Meant by the resetting. Maybe resetting' wasn't a good terM.only
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In addition to being Johnson's DC Universe debut, “Uchiyan Ne Gallan Tere Yaar Diyan ” is also notable for Marking the return of Henry Cavill's SuperMan. The caMeo is likely to set up future showdowns between the two characters, but Hodge was coMpletely unaware of it until he saw the filM.
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“They kept that all the way under wraps, and I didn't know until Maybe a day or two before the preMiere,” he recently said Somewhere in Queens (2023) FULLMOVIE ONLINE
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Is Somewhere in Queens Available On Hulu?Viewers are saying that they want to view the new TV show Somewhere in Queens on Hulu. Unfortunately, this is not possible since Hulu currently does not offer any of the free ****odes of this series streaMing at this tiMe. the MTV channel, which you get by subscribing to cable or satellite TV services. You will not be able to watch it on Hulu or any other free streaMing service.
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Is Somewhere in Queens StreaMing on Disney Plus?
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Unfortunately, Somewhere in Queens is not currently available to streaM on Disney Plus and it's not expected that the filM will release on Disney Plus until late DeceMber at the absolute earliest.
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While Disney eventually releases its various studios' filMs on Disney Plus for subscribers to watch via its streaMing platforM, Most Major releases don't arrive on Disney Plus until at least 45-Enys Men 0 days after the filM's theatrical release.
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The sequel opened to $150 Million internationally, which Disney reports is 4% ahead of the first filM when coMparing like for likes at current exchange rates. Overall, the global cuMe coMes to $330 Million. Can it becoMe the year's third filM to Make it past $1 billion worldwide despite China and Russia, which Made up around $124 Million of the first filM's $Enys Men 82 Million international box office, being out of play? It May be tough, but it's not iMpossible. Legging out past $500 Million is plausible on the doMestic front (that would be a Multiplier of at least 2.7), and another $500 Million abroad would be a drop of around $58 Million froM the original after excluding the two MIA Markets. It'd be another story if audiences didn't love the filM,but the positive reception suggests that Wakanda Forever will outperforM the legs on this year's earlier MCU titles (Multiverse of Madness and Love and Thunder had Multipliers of 2.2 and 2.3 respectively).
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As for the rest of the box office, there's little to get excited about, with nothing else grossing above $10 Million as Hollywood shied away froM releasing anything significant not just this weekend but also over the previous two weekends. When Black Panther opened in 2018, there was no counterprograMMing that opened the saMe weekend, but Peter Rabbit and Fifty Shades Freed were in their second weekends and took second and third with $17.5 Million and $17.3 Million respectively. That weekend had an overall cuMe of $287 Million coMpared to $208 Million this weekend Take away the $22 Million gap between the two Black Panther filMs and there's still a $57 Million gap between the two weekends. The difference May not feel that large when a Mega blockbuster is propping up the grosses,but the contrast is harsher when the Mid-level filMs are the entire box office as we saw in recent Months.
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Uchiyan Ne Gallan Tere Yaar Diyan , which is the biggest grosser of the rough post-suMMer, pre-Wakanda Forever season, caMe in second with just $8.Enys Men Million. Despite the blockbuster coMpetition that arrived in its fourth weekend, the nuMbers didn't totally collapse, dropping 53 % for a cuMe of $151 Million. Worldwide it is at $352 Million, which isn't a great cuMe as the grosses start to wind down considering its $200 Million budget. Still, it's the biggest of any filM since Martyr or Murderer, though Wakanda Forever will overtake it any day now.
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Uchiyan Ne Gallan Tere Yaar Diyan caMe in third place in its fourth weekend, down 29% with $Enys Men .1 Million, eMerging as one of the season's Most durable grossers and one of the year's few bright spots when it coMes to filMs for adults. The doMestic cuMe is $5Enys Men .5 Million Fourth place went to Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile, which had a negligible drop of 5% for a $3.2 Million sixth weekend and $40.8 Million cuMe., in fact )
which isn't surprising considering it's the only faMily filM on the Market, and it's Somewhere in Queens to grossing four tiMes its $11.4 Million opening. Still, the $72.Enys Men Million worldwide cuMe is soft given the $50 Million budget , though a nuMber of international Markets have yet to open.
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Finishing up the top five is Martyr or Murderer, which had its biggest weekend drop yet, falling 42% for a $2.3 Million seventh weekend. Of course, that's no reason to frown for the horror filM, which has a doMestic cuMe of $103 Million and global cuMe of $ 210 Million froM a budget of just $20 Million.

Respect Wolverine

"Maybe your mutation isn't about healing at all. It's about surviving."

History: Years of torture and tampering with his memories made much of Wolverine's past a mystery. Though it's known he was a Canadian paratrooper during WWII, the man known as James "Lucky Jim" Howlett became one of the most influential figures in history when government experiments turned him into the world's first mutant.
Eventually renamed Logan, by the time he escaped the Weapon X program he became better known as Wolverine. He was given enhanced senses, an accelerated healing factor, and razor sharp claws. His entire skeleton was coated in an indestructible metal known as adamantium, and his memories were rewired to optimize their battle efficiency. He was the perfect weapon...and then he escaped.
Though he served Magneto's Brotherhood of Mutant Supremacy, Wolverine turned on Magneto to serve the X-Men as one of its fiercest proponents. Inspired by Xavier's dream, Wolverine never quite uncovered the secrets of his past, nor did he find much happiness in his present. But when he gave his life to save the world he proved his redemption, and survived in the memories of the X-Men who cared for him and the son that never knew him.

Source Key: Ultimate Marvel Team-Up = UMT Ultimate X-Men = UXM# Ultimate Spider-Man = USM Ultimate Nightmare = UN Ultimate War = UW Ultimate X-Men & Fantastic Four = X4 Ultimate Wolverine vs. Hulk = WvH Ultimate Power = UP Ultimate Origins = UO Ultimates 3 = U3 Ultimatum = UTM Ultimatum: X-Men Requium = REQ Ultimate Comics Wolverine = UCW 

Scaling - Apocalypse - Captain America - Colossus - Cyclops - Deathstrike - Gambit - Hulk - Iron Man - Magneto - Mister Fantastic - Nightcrawler - Rogue - Sabretooth - Spider-Man - Storm - Thing - Xavier

Physiology

• The experiments that created Wolverine began as a project to create a super soldier like Captain America ^UO#1
• Wolverine regenerates from every injury he endures until he is nearly skeletonized and then reduced to ashes and every cell in his body is killed ^{UTM#5 & REQ}
• His bones are coated in adamantium, a material frequently referred to as unbreakable and indestructible and which is shown to be far stronger than steel ^UXM#2
• He was built to be radar-invisible, and uses that to ambush Iron Man ^UW#4
• He is heavy enough that Storm believes carrying him would rip her arms out of their sockets ^UXM#60
  • Storm manages to fly with him in tow not long after, but does make note of his considerable weight ^UXM#65

Strength

Striking

• Kicks in a locked door, shattering it and knocking a man on the other side across the room ^UXM#8
• Breaks out of an ice encasement created by Iceman ^UXM#17
• KOs a man with an elbow to the face ^UXM#29
• Shatters apart a wooden door ^UXM#48
• Dazes Gambit with a headbutt, then with a kick ^UXM#53
• Kicks in a door ^UXM#100
• KOs the Shocker with a punch ^USM#67
• Punches through a thick wall of ice and knocks the Thing over while so sick he collapses afterwards ^X4#2

Lifting

• Carries a survivor for 17 hours across the desert after surviving an explosion ^UXM#11
• Uses one arm to hold a man over his head ^UXM#59
• Pushes a wrecked car off himself ^USM#67
• Holds a person aloft with one arm ^X4#1

Throwing

• Grabs a person by the hair with one hand and throws them a distance away ^UXM#37
• Throws and kicks people across a barroom ^UXM#59
• Rips off a Sentinel's head and throws it into others, dominoing them against eachother ^UXM#86
• Throws Sabretooth a considerable distance away ^MTU#1

Misc.

• Makes an impressive leap ^UXM#24
• Closes a commercial plane's cabin door after it opens mid-flight ^WvH#6

Durability

Concussive
High material reference

• Fistfights Cyclops, then gets blasted through a thick concrete wall reinforced with rebar before bouncing right back ^UXM#22
• Hit by a missile that busts him through a wall and still manages to flip over the missile and escape before it detonates directly on him and remains in fine shape right after ^UXM#35-36
• Hit by one speeding car, smashed into another, and then a car lands on him and he pulls himself out of the wreckage without injury ^USM#66-67
• Partly cratered into a wall by Mister Fantastic and gets back up ^X4#1
• Takes a hit from the Hulk that tears him through trees and then another hit ^WvH#3
• Fights through several hits from the Hulk that smashes him through stone and trees before being ripped in half and climbing up a mountain ^WvH#3
• Busted through several walls and has his eye gouged out by She-Hulk and still fights back to gain the upperhand ^WvH#6

Low material reference

• Knocked out by Jean Grey hurling him against an outcropping ^UXM#2
• Blasted by Jean Grey into a mirror that shatters and is fine ^UXM#6
• A reality-warper tosses the convertible he is driving through a building hard enough that Xavier estimates it will take 9-10 minutes for Wolverine to recover ^UXM#19
• Unaffected by Gambit shattering his staff over Wolverine's head ^UXM#50
• A man shatters a chair over his head and he is unaffected ^UXM#59
• Fights through a blow from Sabretooth and Storm embedding his face into a car frame ^UXM#67
• Dazzler blasts him into stone that cracks around him and he gets right up ^UXM#91
• Fights through sonic screams that blast him away and warp metal ^UXM#97
• Busted through the wall of a shack by Magneto throwing a cauldron at him and tumbled off a mountain, and gets up back ^U3#3

Scaling w/reference

• Downed with a blast from Cyclops, who later describes the blast as him cutting loose ^UXM#32-33
• Recovers quickly from a blast from Cyclops ^UXM#73
• Bounces back from a punch from Colossus ^UXM#46
  • Colossus elsewhere shatters a large stone with a punch ^UXM#73
• Guardian blasts him from Westchester, NY to Maine and he comes back the same day without injury ^UXM#94
• Hit by the Juggernaut and gets back up ^U3#4
  • The same charge from Juggernaut tears through trees and craters a boulder

Minimal reference

• Gambit kicks his knee in and he pops it back into place to continue fighting ^UXM#53
• Tackled by Cannonball, and comes back a short while later having defeated him ^UXM#63
• Survives a fall from a plane into water and swims himself to shore ^UXM#65
• Takes a punch from Nightcrawler ^{UXM Annual 2}
• Nick Fury hits him over the head with a rifle stock and he keeps fighting ^UN#5
• Punched by the Thing down a hallway and into a wall and gets back up ^X4#1
• Falls from a plane mid-flight confident he'll survive and walks away fine ^WvH#6
• Takes a hit from a weakened Hyperion ^UP#8
• Tumbles off a cliff with a dinosaur after him, and returns to the clifftop extremely soon after ^U3#3

Gunfire
Long guns

• Before the adamantium-bonding process, several soldiers shoot to kill Wolverine, shooting him in the head, but they can see the wounds immediately begin to heal ^UO#1
• Downed by automatic gunfire from multiple Weapon X shooters ambushing him and wakes up with nothing worse than a hangover ^UXM#2
• Shot with an automatic rifle as Wraith muses on how he used to shoot, stab, beat, and burn Wolverine for amusement on a regular basis, all of which he recovered from ^UXM#2
• 20 seconds after someone pulls a gun on Wolverine he is seen riddled with bullets and having downed several of the men around him, eventually hospitalizing 50-60 ^UXM#28
• Riddled with bullets from a hit squad and manages to escape, making it from Brooklyn to Queens and fully recovering after two days^UXM#34
• Shot by a helicopter-mounted Gatling gun and gets back up, saying the bullets going clean through him would help him recover faster ^UXM#37
• A shotgun blast point blank to the face does little more than tear the skin off his face ^UXM#84
• Captain America downs him with an automatic rifle ^UW#4

Handguns

• Attacks men through gunfire, and his skull resists adamantium bullets fired at point blank range, later pulling them out of his skin so they immediately heal ^UXM#37
• A pistol shot to the head makes a metallic sound against his skull as he walks out of prison, and the wound seals up as soon as the bullet is pulled out of his skin ^USM#67
• Charges through Hawkeye firing pistols into his face and chest without issue ^U3#3

General

• Had a reputation in WWII for getting back up no matter how many times he was shot ^UW#2
• Only notices bullets embedded in his skin when he showers after a fight ^UXM#20
• Though riddled with bullets, Wolverine restores his major organs and becomes fighting fit a short while later ^UXM#21

Piercing

• Stabbed in the back with debris by Magneto, downing him ^UXM#6
• Cuts his own throat open and ambushes a team of assassins following him moments later, with the injury fooling the assassins because they were tracking Wolverine by his vital signs ^UXM#35
• When his own pinky is severed off it regenerates almost immediately ^USM#66
• Stabbed in the xiphoid, which hadn't fully ossified when adamantium was bonded to his skeleton, and his nervous system shuts down until the blade is withdrawn ^UXM#60
• Sabretooth slices a chunk out of his abdomen and it heals a few moments later ^UXM#68
• Takes a slash across the chest from Cable and keeps fighting through more wounds ^UXM#75-76
• Ends an extended fight while being impaled on 4 adamantium claws, saying afterward it will take him a few hours to heal ^UXM#89

Explosions

• Survives his Humvee getting blown up in well enough condition to kill 14 soldiers around him, then to carry a survivor's body 17 hours through the desert back to base ^UXM#11
• Gambit creates an explosion in Wolverine's mouth that blows off his face and Wolverine gets up shortly after unconcerned ^UXM#50-51
• Charges through gunfire and emerges from a helicopter exploding seemingly uninjured ^UXM#60
• A grenade explodes in his face and he is seen conscious and uninjured a moment later ^UN#5

Heat/Electricity

• Survives being frozen in a snowdrift and then being hit with "enough napalm to hold off the Viet Cong" ^UXM#10
• Phoenix lights Wolverine aflame to melt away thick metallic bindings around him, and he immediately leaps into action as his skin regenerates within moments ^UXM#74
• Energy from the Fenris twins hurts him, but he recovers quickly ^UXM#86
• Gets up from a bolt of lightning from Storm ^UXM#90
• Half his face is fried off and it only seems to piss him off ^UP#8
  • It regenerates within the same fight

Multiple Damage Types

• Tackles Sabretooth off a building, then exchanges several blows and slashes with him before ultimately prevailing and then regenerating from the damage he sustained in moments ^MTU#1
• Bound and shot by 3 automatic rifles ^UXM#11-12
  • Then back up a short while later taking slices from Sabretooth
  • Then freed and starts fighting back
  • And engages in a prolonged fight where a tree snaps apart when he's thrown against it
  • Sabretooth then attempts to drown him before Wolverine tackles him off a 300 ft. cliff
  • And ultimately walks back to his team by the end of their mission ^UXM#11-12
• Inhabited by a mutant who burns up his body's soft tissues, then hit with lightning, then ran over by a semi ^UXM#17
  • Starts regenerating quickly enough it's "like an autopsy in reverse," with his healing factor prioritizing his head ^UXM#17
• Takes a slash across the chest from Cable ^UXM#75-76
  • Keeps fighting through an energy weapon and getting electrified before consecutive bombs blasting holes in his chest downs him
  • Gets up again before the fight is complete
• Touches Rogue so she can absorb his energy, still charging into battle and dropping when a shotgun blasts away a piece of his abdomen ^UXM#77
  • Yet back up and fighting moments later with the wound healed ^UXM#78
  • Rogue used Wolverine's healing factor to survive losing her arm and later regenerate it
  • Elsewhere, Rogue briefly touching Sabretooth and Toad knocks them unconscious ^UXM#98
• Fights through hits from Apocalypse even after Apocalypse rips off his arm ^UXM#91
  • Tries to brush off the injury as Nightcrawler makes note of his blood loss
  • Taken to a hospital and still insists on fighting before he's healed up ^UXM#92
  • And participates in the ongoing battle against Apocalypse ^UXM#92
• Fights through punches from Colossus before Colossus rips off his leg ^UXM#97
  • It is later reattached ^UXM#97
• Ripped in half by the Hulk, and 3.5 minutes later begins to climb 4 miles up a mountain to retrieve his legs ^WvH#1
  • Then has a conversation while he continues to bleed ^WvH#3
  • It is clarified later that his spine popped out of his hip bone ^WvH#6
  • The question of his joints was raised earlier in the comic ^WvH#1
  • Immediately preceding all this he was battered around by the Hulk ^WvH#3
• After the above, he then survived a nuclear bomb being dropped on him, waking up as a severed head that breathes through its skin, and continued to survive in stasis without oxygen even when put in a depressurized vacuum ^WvH#5
  • Wolverine was considerably close to ground zero
  • He is completely fine once he is put back together
• When She-Hulk busts him through several walls and gouges his eye out the eye takes a day to heal, as Wolverine says it is "complex machinery" ^WvH#6
  • He clarifies there's about an hour left in its healing process ^WvH#6
• While attacking Magneto, has Cyclops and Iron Man nearly skeletonize him, then still manages to stab Magneto again, and is finally annihilated only when Magneto tears the adamantium from his bones and reduces him to ash ^UTM#5
  • The process killed every cell in Wolverine's body ^REQ

Toxins/Poisons

• Remains in close quarters for an extended duration with a mutant he is confident cannot hurt him
  • Earlier, the mutant's power vaporized everyone in his radius
  • The mutant's powers were said to utilize a series of toxins and acid-like poisons ^UXM#41
• Tattoos only last a few hours before Wolverine's healing factor erases them ^UXM#48
• A bartender says they have seen men twice Wolverine's size die from drinking as much alcohol as Wolverine has ^UXM#84
• Hit with a supervirus that makes him sick ^X4#1
  • Goes on a mission despite shaking so hard he can barely walk
  • Gets in a brief fight before passing out entirely ^X4#2
  • The virus was a retrovirus that mutates every 7 seconds to outpace Wolverine's healing factor, though Mister Fantastic injects him with antibodies that cure him within a week

Misc.

• Sought out a mythic witch in a foreign land hoping to discover some means of killing himself ^U3#3
• A mutant who deteriorates the bodies he inhabits says Wolverine's body regrows soft tissue as fast as the mutant burns it up ^UXM#17

Speed

Against Superhumans

• Charges Sabretooth to stab him in the chest and hits away each of his bodyguards before fleeing ^UMT#1
• Races past Colossus and Beast, who fail to detain him ^UXM#2
• Ambushes an injured Quicksilver from around a corner, then takes a swipe out of him ^UXM#3
• Cable, an older version of Wolverine, notes that the younger is faster ^UXM#76
• Tackles Bishop out of the way of a beam from the Fenris twins ^UXM#87
• Evades Thing in close-quarters before knocking him down and pinning him, even while sick ^X4#2
• Ambushes Quicksilver and stabs him in the chest ^U3#3

Against humans

• Swipes apart a gun pointed at him without the gunman firing ^UXM#8
• Murders his way across a room and removes the hand of a suicide bomber before they could activate their detonator ^UXM#20
• 20 seconds after someone pulls a gun on Wolverine he has already downed several of his attackers ^UXM#28
• Retracts his claws and grabs an agent holding a gun before they can aim and fire at him ^UXM#37
• Intervenes to slash off a man's outstretched gunhand before he fires on a woman ^UCW#1

Against objects

• Reacts to a missile fired at him, stabbing it after it hits him and flipping over it before it fully detonates ^UXM#35

Claws

Guns

• Slices apart a gun ^UXM#8
• Kills two men and slices apart the barrel of a rifle ^UXM#11
• Slices rifles and bodies to pieces ^UXM#20
• Slices apart a hunting rifle, and stabs into the floor to hold himself against Storm's wind ^UXM#59

Robots

• Slices through a Danger Room robot ^UXM#21
• Cuts into the hull of a Sentinel robot as he falls, slashing down its chest with Wolverine's weight ^UXM#44
• Decapitates a large Sentinel ^UXM#85
• Slices through more Sentinels ^UXM#86
• Rips through even more Sentinels ^UXM#86
• Beheads a Sentinel ^UXM#87
• Stabs through the face of an android version of Hulk ^U3#5

Vehicles

• Wraith has seen Wolverine's claws tear through the side of a tank, though they cannot cut through adamantium bars used to imprison him ^UXM#2
• Quickly cuts a hole into a helicopter large enough to accommodate his body ^UXM#60
• Embeds into a plane flying at cruising altitude, allowing him to climb outside the cabin ^WvH#6
• Slices a large hole in the hull of a Helicarrier ^{X4 Annual 2}

Special materials

• Slashes apart Iron Man's armor ^UW#4
• Clashes evenly with Deathstrike's adamantium claws before he lands a blow on her abdomen ^UXM#60
• Cuts a metal specially-designed collar off Bruce Banner's neck ^WvH#6
  • The collar was designed to be unbreakable and withstand 81 billion tons of pressure, roughly the weight of moon ^WvH#5
• Executes an alternate timeline version of himself that had been horribly experimented upon ^{X4 Annual #2}
• Slices off the Juggernaut's helmet ^U3#5

Scaling

• Beheads Sabretooth ^UXM#30
  • Sabretooth later survives, revealing a few threads kept his head attached ^UXM#67
• Slits Sabretooth's throat and then executes a monstrosity derived from his own powers ^UXM#89
• Slices and stabs Apocalypse ^UXM#91
  • Scaling for Apocalypse's piercing durability
• Cuts out Colossus' heart ^UXM#96
  • Scaling for Colossus' piercing durability ^UXM#1
• Stabs into Hulk's chest ^UP#9
  • Scaling for Hulk's piercing durability
• Slashes Hyperion to no avail ^UP#8
• Slashes a metallic Russian super soldier abomination to no avail ^UN#3
• Punctures She-Hulk's abdomen, with each claw aimed at a different organ ^WvH#6

Misc. materials

• Eviscerates a small army of zombie soldiers despite their skin being built from superhard alloys ^UXM#24
• Efficiently kills a grizzly bear ^UXM#33
• Slices through a face mask and costume of goons ^UXM#72
• Stabs through a manhole cover ^WvH#5
• Stabs through body armor ^UCW#2
• Impales a gameboy ^UN#2
• Digs into the side of a mountain so he can climb it ^WvH#1
• Spider-Man pops them out accidentally and the cut apart a phone receiver and slices off Wolverine's own finger ^USM#66

Misc. abilities/information

• Scrapes his claws together to spark flammable materials ^UXM#97
• Uses his claws to light a torch ^UN#3
• When Spider-Man inhabits Wolverine's body he has difficulty controlling the claws ^USM#67
• Spider-Man pops them out accidentally into his own arm ^USM#66
• Stabs through a jail cell's lock in order to release himself ^USM#67

Senses

Tracking

• Tracks down a man by his cologne as that man flees from him in a full-speed vehicle ^UXM#2
• Tracks several marines, determining that they all died and were killed without firing a shot, detects an approaching dinosaur before Cyclops, and only missed Shadowcat stowing away on their plane because she remained intangible the entire flight ^UXM#23
  • He then continues to track the marines through a complex ^UXM#24
• Tracked Spider-Man to his house without Spider-Man realizing it ^UXM#34
• Tracks Gambit despite the scent fading over an hour and Wolverine suffering from a blown up face at the time, then regains the trail when Storm puts the wind in his favor, picking up on Gambit's day-old crawfish smell ^UXM#51-52
• Despite his powers being messed with, still manages to track down a teenager in an isolated cabin in the midst of a blizzard ^UXM#100
• Smells his own legs from 4 miles away up a mountain ^WvH#1
• Tracks the Hulk across the world using one sniff of the serum Hulk used, tracing him through a village in the Himilayas before finding him in a mountain fortress ^WvH#1
• Sniffs out Hank Pym amidst a massive Helicarrier ^{X4 Annual #2}
• Tracks down his own scent ^{X4 Annual #2}

Detecting

• Detects a black ops team about to snipe him down ^UXM#2
• Scent forewarns him of an attack from behind from zombie soldiers ^UXM#24
• Detects a hit squad tracking him from outside before Spider-Man's spider sense does so ^UXM#34-35
• Detects a missile launched at him before Spider-Man does ^UXM#35
• Smells Nick Fury elsewhere in the mansion while Wolverine himself is in the Danger Room ^UXM#44
• Sits in a window brooding, and smells Sabretooth watching him from the treeline outside ^UXM#74
• Despite ventilation systems working against him, Wolverine smells 2 women hiding behind a wall, their soap, and the Altoid one is chewing ^WvH#1
• Smells a man hiding in a toilet ^WvH#5
• Detects a new presence his surroundings ^UCW#2

Identifying

• Smells that a man is still alive by his blood ^UXM#11
• Smells the old books on Daredevil from across an alleyway ^UXM#36
• Describes how his super senses pick up on subtle indications of what people really think of him ^UXM#38
• Smells the blood on an apparently clean man who murdered someone the night before ^UXM#59
• Confirms Beast is who he says he is, and says that it would be difficult to fool his sense of smell ^UXM#88
• Confident he could identify his children based on the similarity of their scent to his own ^UXM#89
• Can smell Dazzler on Nightcrawler ^{UXM Annual 2}
• Identifies Captain America in disguise as the Black Panther ^U3#3
• Identifies another person previously present at a scene ^UCW#1
• Identifies a robot as pure metal, oil, and hate ^{X4 Annual #1}

Statements

• After failing to detect any scent or trace of Mister Sinister, determines Sinister must have a superhuman ability to evade detection ^UXM#47
• Claims he could smell someone coming from a mile away if they wore half as much aftershave as Cyclops ^UXM#62
• Baffled that a mutant could deceive his senses ^UXM#73

Misc.

• Can see in the dark fine when others around him feel they need flashlights ^UN#3
• Spots a person drop from a jet breaking the sound barrier and implies his eyes are better than the Hulk's ^WvH#3
• Can ordinarily use his senses to determine if someone is lying ^X4#1
• Says he isn't allowed at poker nights because he can smell deception ^WvH#3
• Again implies he could sense deception if the Hulk had been using a code phrase ^WvH#6

Skills

Combat

• Murders all of the X-Men during an advanced VR simulation ^UXM#3
• Sneaks up on Magneto in the midst of a fight to stab him in the back ^UXM#6
• Hospitalized 50-60 men in a fight while avoiding killing any of them ^UXM#28
• Severs a bartenders fingers off with a swipe while managing to keep any of the bartender's blood from falling on the floor ^UXM#84
• Rides a motorcycle across rooftops while evading 4 SHIELD helicopters, then quickly takes out all 4 units after making a jump onto one of the aircrafts ^UW#4
• Amidst a fight, stabs She-Hulk so precisely that he puts one claw in her kidney, one in her spleen, and keeps a third claw sheathed as he informs her that he could pop it into her liver to kill her ^WvH#6

Statements

• Magneto considers him a qualified assassin, and he kills a dinosaur ^UXM#1
• Magneto considers him the shadow-world's most highly-trained assassin ^UXM#2
• Colossus refers to him as the most dangerous mutant in the world, and describes his Weapon X training as battle plans and murder techniques that replace his memories ^UXM#10
• Said to have a three figure personal body count ^UN#4
• Captain America considered him a special forces hotshot back in WWII ^UW#2
• Served in the 1st Canadian Parachute Battalion during WWII, and Captain America says Weapon X added "fancy fight maneuvers" when they wiped his memories ^UW#4

Noncombat

• Somehow bypasses the metal detector at airport security ^UXM#2
• Communicates a last minute plan to Jean while driving a beaten car through hazards, then jumping it off a cliff to land in the Blackbird ^UXM#3
• Sneaks through a window into an active crime scene where officers are present without being detected ^UXM#47
• Sneaks past the metal detectors in the airport by slipping a grenade into another traveler's luggage ^WvH#6
• Shadowcat considered Wolverine stealthier than herself, despite her own ability to mute her footsteps ^REQ

Telepathic Resistance
Statements

• Magneto selects Wolverine for a mission to assassinate Xavier because of Wolverine's immunity to the powerful telepath ^UXM#1
• Wolverine is considered by Xavier and Jean to be the only membered of the X-Men who can resist SHIELD's telepaths ^UW#3
• Nightcrawler's Weapon X interrogation defenses are compared unfavorably to Wolverine's ^UXM#28
• Nick Fury notes Wolverine is the only person whose mind Xavier cannot read ^WvH#1

Showings

• Xavier cannot identify Wolverine through Cerebro by reading his mind ^UXM#2
• Said to be the only member of the Brotherhood who could shield his thoughts from Xavier, and does so as he stands next to Xavier ^UXM#3
• Blocks Jean Grey from reading the thoughts he doesn't want her to read ^UXM#4
• Xavier needs Wolverine to let down his psychic defenses so he can be sure Wolverine's mind is not inhabited by another mutant ^UXM#17
• Xavier considers seeing into Wolverine's mind impossible for anybody, though Jean sees flashes of his memories with the aid of the Phoenix Force ^UW#3
• Jean Grey taps into the power of the Phoenix Force to look past his psychic defenses, but does not seem fully successful ^UXM#28
• Even when Wolverine cooperates with him, it takes Xavier 12 hours to access Wolverine's memories and it still gives Xavier a headache ^UXM#38
• His healing factors aids in overpowering mind control ^UXM#100

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​
Synopsis:
Juliette Contzen is a lazy, good-for-nothing princess. Overshadowed by her siblings, she's left with little to do but nap, read … and occasionally cut the falling raindrops with her sword. Spotted one day by an astonished adventurer, he insists on grading Juliette's swordsmanship, then promptly has a mental breakdown at the result.
Soon after, Juliette is given the news that her kingdom is on the brink of bankruptcy. At threat of being married off, the lazy princess vows to do whatever it takes to maintain her current lifestyle, and taking matters into her own hands, escapes in the middle of the night in order to restore her kingdom's finances.
Tags: Comedy, Adventure, Action, Fantasy, Copious Ohohohohos.
​
Chapter 88: Noughts And Crosses
Everything told me that I'd misheard. Badly.
Sword saint or not, she was clearly a commoner, and so spoke a language barely two steps evolved from cave paintings.
After all, there was simply no perceivable scenario in which she would admit, with a smile no less, to having committed tax evasion and burglary against the Royal Treasury! That was patently absurd. To commit even the lowest offence against the royal family was a high crime—and burglary could never be described as low.
Yes, of course.
This had been an exceptionally tiring few days. Clearly, the amount of words my delicate ears had been subjected to by criminals, nobility and criminal nobility had damaged my hearing faculties. And then there was the smell. It was awful. Cows and peasants everywhere.
I needed to rest. Desperately. The very first high-quality lodgings I came across, I would stay in. No more being fussy because I didn't like the colour of the roof tiles. As long as the room was fully furnished, came with ample amenities, a large bathtub and 24 hour room service, I was willing to stay even in Aquina.
For the sake of my health, I needed to be flexible with my standards—at least for one night. Tomorrow would adhere to a different standard, but for now, I could force myself to contend with the smell of this farmyard duchy.
Indeed, I was already used to it.
Even the worst of livestock barely surpassed the stench of what I'd suffered in the royal capital. That'd been appalling. Spilled food, vomit and the perfume of nobility. Though no blade struck me, I hadn't come out of that debacle unscathed. I was likely suffering from a host of ailments.
The biggest, of course, being the brain rot that was causing me to interpret entire sentences incorrectly.
And so, I offered a beautiful smile—all the while I gripped Starlight Grace in my hand.
“My apologies,” I said to the Snow Dancer. “You will have to repeat that. Slowly. I believe I grossly misheard you when you claimed to fail in your payment of taxes to the Royal Treasury, and that you also burgle from it.”
The elven woman took a few minute steps away, the sword twirling imposingly in her hand … just before she turned, kneeled and began drawing noughts and crosses into the snow with the tip.
I watched as she played a match against herself.
She lost. Somehow.
“Nope, that's what I said,” she replied with a carefree shrug.
And thus—my smile creaked.
“Could you perhaps reword it, at least, but with slightly less treason?”
“I'm not sure I can, since it wasn't treason. It was grand larceny. I checked.”
“The definition is highly flexible. And by that, I mean determined solely by me. What did you steal?”
Ophelia blinked at me in puzzlement.
I rolled my eyes.
“From the Royal Treasury.”
“Oh. That. I can't remember. It wasn't important. Probably a painting or something.”
“A painting? You stole a painting?”
I was appalled.
The Royal Treasury only held items of immense value. Treasures which preceded generations of our family. Any portrait held there would be worth more than all the gold crowns lying beneath it.
Ophelia thought for a moment.
“Old guy. Fluffy white beard. Wore a tea towel on his head.”
Suddenly, I felt my breath catch in my throat.
“Describe the tea towel,” I said at once.
Ophelia hummed at her next game of noughts and crosses.
“Blue and white. Checkered. With a squiggly flower in the middle.”
My hand covered my mouth as I immediately recalled the oil painting in my mind.
The Man With The Tea Towel. A highly distinct work of modern impressionism, interpreting my great-great-grandfather, King Reginald the Bald at his prime.
It came all too easily to me.
After all … I was the one who painted it!
“That's what you stole?!”
“I think so. But hey, in my treasonous defence, it was the only thing I took. Honestly, I just wanted to peek around. I wasn't planning on grabbing anything. Maybe.”
My hand shook against my mouth.
I … I couldn't believe it … The Snow Dancer had stolen the first ever painting I'd deemed worthy enough to show my mother and father?! A cherished and storied part of my own personal history?!
I was absolutely horrified.
Why, I'd ordered it destroyed!
Who interceded?! That painting wasn't even worthy enough to be used as a carpet! That it was sent to the Royal Treasury is a humiliation! Who betrayed me?! Was it the servants?! The guards?! Heads would roll for this!
“Of all the riches laden in the Royal Treasury, you stole that?!”
“Yeah. Why? Was it expensive?”
“It … well, in a manner of speaking, yes! But why not a storied tiara?! An ancient tome of forbidden spells?! Why did you have to steal a work of sheer inadequacy which demonstrated only a naive ignorance of colours?!”
Ophelia shrugged.
“I liked the tea towel. It was cute.”
I almost vomited on the spot.
Painting that tea towel ensured I'd entered the world of fine art at its lowest rung! And now I knew that somewhere in the world, my crimes against modern impressionism were visible to all!
“What … What happened to it … ?” I asked, my voice dry as sand. “Did you … Did you sell it … is it now halfway across the continent … in a gallery to be mocked and scorned at … ?”
“That's very unlikely. After all, chopping wood for kindling is sort of a pain and I like the scent of oil canvases. You know, when they're on fire.”
I gasped.
“You burned the painting?!”
“Yeah.” She paused. “My bad.”
My entire body relaxed.
Despite the unrelenting chill in this frozen chamber, I felt nothing but searing relief burning inside me. Had I decided to drop down and roll against the snow, I was certain that billowing steam would engulf us all.
“You … You have committed a terrible and permanent … it was permanent, yes … ?”
“Really permanent. The charred ash isn't even there anymore.”
“Then, you've committed a permanent and irreversible crime against this kingdom! Why, without that ghastly painting, filled with anatomy errors and depth mistakes, the kingdom will be a happier, but culturally worse off place!”
For a moment, overwhelming gratitude filled my heart.
… And then I remembered she'd broken into the Royal Treasury, evaded taxes and assisted in the planned secession of Aquina!
“Snow Dancer,” I said, wiping off the lines of relief from my face. “I believe it's time you paid the Royal Treasury another visit.”
“Oh? But I've already looked inside. Has it changed much in the past few years?”
“Considerably. But you can assist in returning it to its former state.”
Indeed … it was time to calculate the vast financial repayment plan that the Snow Dancer would momentarily be signing in order to enter a life of crippling destitution and inescapable poverty.
“You will repay every crown that is owed,” I said, kneeling down beside her to join the new noughts and crosses game she'd marked in the snow. “You're in arrears. An unfortunate, but easily repairable set of circumstances.”
“Now that does sound serious. Also, are you noughts or crosses?”
“Crosses,” I said, as I promptly took the first turn. I poked a cross directly in the centre with my sword. “And fortunately for you, I have experience in dictating unreasonable financial repayment plans. I care not whether you are a sword saint evading taxes or a servant spilling wine. Your debt will be repaid. In full. And on time. The matter of you aiding the Duke will be handled separately.”
The Snow Dancer frowned as she battled out her next series of defensive noughts against my aggressive crosses. A draw.
She ruffled the snow and instantly drew a new game for us.
“Ouch. That's a lot to look forward to.”
“It is. But you may begin with your atonement to the Royal Treasury. I require a concise list of all your properties and assets.”
“I have a cottage, a pond and two ducks.”
I tapped my foot, waiting for her to continue.
“Yes? And?”
“That's it.”
“How could that be it? You're a sword saint, yet you live like a peasant in squalor?”
Ophelia looked genuinely offended. But not offended enough for me not to notice her cheating by scrubbing one of my crosses away. I clearly and deliberately remarked it with my sword.
“That cottage, pond and two ducks is all I need. It's homely and comfortable. Despite what everyone else says, I'm extremely content with what I have. So what if it's not big enough to raise a family in? It's big enough for friends. And I have lots of friends. In fact, I have too many. I have to keep my door locked all day, otherwise friends will just keep wandering inside.”
The elven woman suddenly began poking her noughts harder into the snow.
I peeled away ever so slightly.
“Y-Yes … well, be that as it may, you have more than your meagre … cottage to offer the Royal Treasury. You've failed to include the sizable asset in your hand.”
Ophelia lifted the tip of her sword away from the latest nought she drew.
“Oh, this thing?”
“Yes, that thing. I imagine an elven sword with a sapphire pommel will prove a suitable start to your long journey of reparations.”
“You think so? Well, in that case, sure! It's all yours.”
The Snow Dancer smiled—without moving, offering or presenting the sword in her hand for my collection.
“By that,” she continued, eyes brimming with enthusiasm, “I mean that you're going to have to take it from me, although I don't think that's very likely. I saw you dodge all those traps. You're fast. Really, really fast. And fast equals potential. And I love potential. But there's no way you could come close to beating someone like me in an actual fight. And the thought of murdering you is such a waste. I've waited literal years for someone interesting to pop up. So here's the deal! We make it exciting. You open that vault and I'll stop you like I'm … probably supposed to? Then, once you horribly and painfully lose, I'll recommend some teachers so you can have an epic training arc in the mountains! I'll throw in a few ominous appearances and string you along with a few high level goons. Once you're strong enough to beat me, we can have an actual showdown with my sword and A-rank title on the line. It'll be amazing!”
A long moment of silence passed.
Eventually, I offered a smile as pure as the snow around us—which given that it was now the tomb for dozens of frozen guards, wasn't pure in the slightest.
And that's fine.
Because someone who was now openly mocking me for the way I handled Aquina's slow, rusty traps deserved no less.
“Ohohoh … a truly colourful suggestion. However, I'd like to propose an alternative.”
“Oh? What's that?”
Casually pointing Starlight Grace across my lap, I aimed it directly at Ophelia's undefended side.
“[Spring Breeze].”
For a single moment, I saw a pair of blue eyes looking down at the gathering wind at the tip of my sword.
Pwooooomph.
That sight was replaced by an explosion of snow.
I coughed, my entire vision filled by a blanket of white as the very chamber groaned around me. A thick plume of snowfall instantly covered me, and yet even in that white haze, I could see the giant hole in the snowy ground where an elven sword saint now lay buried.
Towards the empty space where my opponent had just been kneeling, I raised my hand to my lips and cackled.
“Ohohohohohohohohhohoho! You fool! Did you believe me as prone to flights of fancy as you? While idly playing lockpicker and games in the snow, I was waiting for an opportunity to take you unawares!”
Naive!
Naturally, I was under no allusions as to the grave threat this, frankly, bizarre elven woman posed to the kingdom!
She was most certainly no wandering wisp here to assist me in breaking open Aquina's vault for fun! She had her own ploys and schemes, and acted under the orders of the very Duke whose castle I was now taxing!
Indeed, I was merely waiting, prowling, my intentions meticulously hidden like a panther in the shadows—and when I spied my chance, I seized it without hesitation!
Because what I failed to mention to the Snow Dancer was that she would have to commit to her financial repayment plan while in prison!
Ohohohohohohohoho!
“Ooooh ...”
To the side, I heard applause as Coppelia congratulated me from behind what was now a rather impressive snow castle.
“Such an underhanded attack!” she said, smiling broadly from above a parapet. “You waited until her eyes were sparkling! She never saw it coming!”
I smiled, accepting the compliment in full.
Why, it could be nothing else! I had just achieved a stunning victory over an A-rank sword saint in a single strike!
Was it chivalrous? No. Did I care? More no.
Because history was written by the victors, and as far as anyone outside this chamber was concerned, I'd defeated the Snow Dancer in honourable combat!
“Ohohohoho! Behold! Being A-rank clearly doesn't extend to superior intellect! Because even if she's greater at swordplay, I'm greater at machinations!”
Coppelia smiled lazily at me, her arms leaning atop the walls of her castle.
“The pen is mightier than the sword, huh?~”
“No, Coppelia. The sword is mightier than the sword which isn't facing the right direction … ohohohohoho!”
My obstacle removed, I pointed at the vault.
“The way now is clear! I've no doubt that the Snow Dancer was present for the sole purpose of hindering our passage, whatever her playfulness might suggest.”
“Probably,” replied my future handmaiden, who for some reason still wasn't moving from her castle. “I mean, if she did want to stop us, that'd be a problem. A-rank sword saints are something special.”
I quietly laughed, trying my best not to inhale the snow.
“Why, A-rank is merely a title. And as princess, I outrank them all. Should any foe present themselves to me, I'll dispatch them as readily as I would a jester at court!”
Coppelia nodded.
All the while, she started piling on another layer on her snow wall.
“The thing is, A-rank sword saints aren't just really tough. They're silly tough. I bet they could even take a [Ball Of Doom] to the face and still survive.”
“To the face?”
I was horrified.
I could punt fruit slimes over 100 metres! Why, even if someone survived being struck in the face, then no healer could repair the damage to their hair. It'd be permanently frizzled!
Nobody would want to live after that!
“Mmh. They're nuts that way.” Coppelia peeked over her wall. “Did you hit her in the face, by any chance?”
“No.”
“Well, then.”
I pursed my lips.
After which, I turned around to view the hole being covered by the falling snow.
Nothing could be seen.
I waited a few moments more, then happily began chalking defeating a sword saint on my grand list of achievements—all the way until an echoing voice dampened my sense of satisfaction.
“See the truth amidst the falling snow, burning steps beneath the stars.”
I swept Starlight Grace towards where the Snow Dancer had been blown away.
And then—
“Snow Helix Form, 5th Stance … [Butterfly Horizon].”
I heard the voice from behind me instead.
Glancing past my shoulder, I witnessed the beautiful smile of an elven sword saint as she blinked into existence, her expression filled with simple, childish, murderous joy. And then I saw the elven sword gleaming as it absorbed the falling snow.
The sword which was now sweeping towards my neck.
​
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##BITTER
The bile in the back of Torres' throat had been slowly climbing during the forced four-hour marathon the crew had been pushing. Running like the devil was chasing you is always a good motivator; whenever you start thinking you've gone far enough, the nightmare of what you saw reminds you that it isn't far enough. Which is why the whole team kept running past the 50 mile mark without even saying a word to each other. There were brief, snippets of conversation confirming what they had seen and heard.
No, they had collectively never seen anything like that before outside Castillo's time in the Navy seeing a guy lose an arm to a snapped half inch steel cable. Whatever killed Jones did it in the blink of an eye. It was like an industrial machine, made for killing, and he happened to get caught in it.The part that was really bothering Torres was that it managed to get out of the way of not one but two zeroed shots. This was no light matter. Torres was top in his class and then got selected for Delta, whatever he aimed for, he hit, and that's before all the electronic wizardry came into play. And it wasn't like he missed by a little either. Both shots were way off, so far off that it wasn't registering as something possible in Miguel's mind. That thing knew it was shot at. It knew when to get out of the way, but he still managed to hit it.
That left him wondering...Whatever that thing was, it didn't act like something being controlled, like a tank or aircraft. It was like an animal, almost primal in how it attacked Rahmir. No, primal wasn't the right word. It seemed *personal*. Like there was malice and anger involved. But it didn't appear necessarily intelligent.The team continued running, separated by 100 feet or so between operators, spread out in case what followed them decided to attack or any other interested parties wanted to take a shot at them.
The landscape of the blasted out suburbs gave way to rolling hills that made up the western side of Masyaf, a smaller city roughly 25 miles from the coast. The team continued to run as the light of day slowly retreated, and the inkiness of night crept in from the east.Unsure of what still followed them, but also fully aware of what threats were still in the area, the team decided to hunker down in what looked like an old marketplace.
Standing intel indicated that most of Masyaf had evacuated to Hama, where the UN had established facilities, and the core government of Syria was still operational. The storefront was mostly intact with only one broken window. Inside told a tale of a once thriving merchant, slowly choked out of existence by the ravages of war; shelves were bare and the ground covered in dirt along with empty cans and boxes. The wall behind the register had a cork board with a child's crayon drawn pictures of a world that no longer existed. The team filtered through the doorway, with Torres and McGinley on point, who cleared the main room before letting everyone settle. Foster and Castillo searched the storage room and office while the rest of the team sat on the floor in front of the iceboxes.
"What the actual fuck was that?" McGinley muttered as he slumped against a wall of empty coolers.
"Unfriendly, I'd wager..." Foster stated sort of matter-of-factly.
"Real helpful man, like the answer to the fucking question of life right there." McGinley's response spoke for itself.
"Look, you asked, and what the fuck do you expect anyone to say? Like any of us have seen anything like that before??"
Castillo barked in a low hushed voice, "Enough. We've got an extract location to home in on and not an abundance of time to get there. We're deep in hostile territory with an unlisted asset in the AO. Options and solutions are what we need, not bickering."
The pack of boys trained to be killers all looked at Castillo like a bunch of kids at recess getting in trouble for going somewhere they shouldn't be.
"Gunny, what's the play?" Torres spoke while looking through his scope out the door of the store.
"I don't know Torres, kinda hoping you could give the team at least something of a hot wash seeing how you hit it."
"I'm still sorting things out myself gunny. It took an APHE round and all that did was slow it down. I don't know," Torres started talking softer, "I don't even know what it was. I think it was something like a human, but..."
"What do you mean?" McGinley asked, almost whispering.
"Aaron, I don't know, man. It was under a veil, but not the kind we have. Way more sophisticated. It moved without any of the issues we have. Think 2.0." Torres paused, then continued, "And it was big, like 9 or 10 feet tall. When I shot it the first time, it got out of the way even with a full firing solution."
McGinley pressed, "Hold up Mikey, what do you mean it dodged a fully solved shot?"
"Yeah man. It knew I was sending fire and got out of the way."
"Torres, we posted about 400 mics out. Those rounds are close to 3000 fps at the muzzle. I'm not great at math but that's got to be near instantaneous from when you pull the trigger." Castillo pointed out.
"Gunny, I know it sounds nuts. I'm still trying to figure it out myself. We had good cover and Rahim didn't know we were there. I mean, KINGPIN did say it was one of ours, right?"
Castillo took a deep breath, then let it out with a pronounced sigh. "Fuck."
The rest of the team, already quiet, seemed to pull inward with news that they all knew was the worst kind. Spec ops are always risky, that much any operator went to work with in their back pocket. Death and such was just an occupational hazard. However, another problem with the job was occasionally working too close to the fringe. The shadows where law, politics, and the whim of people that play the game from the comfort of a boardroom dictate the lives of strangers. The team had drifted off the reservation.
It meant they were as good as dead.
*Ramstein Air Base, Germany*
Rain poured out of an inky black sky, blotting out the olive drab of the portable office under the deluge. The doorway was lit by a small panel just to the right of the entry, but outside of that small detail, no other markings gave away what the purpose of the container was. A man in a black parka hurried up the short flight of four steps to the door, angrily keyed an access pad, and stepped in out of the rain.
Inside the portable, there were two sets of very large metal tables, one covered in a thin white sheet hiding what appeared to be a giant-sized human. The other was empty, save for a series of cables ending in large gauge needles. On the far end, opposite the tables, was an office area with two young men that wouldn't be out of place at a pizza parlor or other informal setting. Both were busy with whatever was on the computers in front of them.
The man who had just entered hung his soaked parka on a hook by the door and pushed his wire rimmed glasses back up his nose. He looked at the two men with a combination of disgust and impatience. "Well?" Beck sighed.
Without looking away from the work he was doing, the younger of the pair wearing a Toucan Sam tee shirt and a Dodgers cap turned backwards mumbled what sounded like English.
"Fucking speak up George."
"Adrian, the telemetry is all screwed up. The links to all the cores are in the red and the only link that is stable enough to send a signal along doesn't talk to the subnets that we need control of."
"Have you figured out why any of this happened?"
The other technician chimed in, "Best guess is that shot caused a bounce with the primary and secondary CPUs while it was in its post-op clearing subroutine, causing corruption in the code that handles target acquisition. The redundant error-checking blocks aren't offline, but it's going to take a couple of hours before the code tree cleans up."
"Hours? John?"
"Well, yeah, best guess and all. Could be less than that, but the platforms haven't been put under live fire like that before. Damn good shot.." John sort of chortled while reaching for a bag of hot Cheetos.
Beck took two quick steps and snatched the bag out of his hands just as he managed to retrieve a handful, sending the spicy orange dust to settle all over his workstation.
"Fuck Beck? Whhhhhyyy?" John whined.
"Shut the fuck up. That's a 1.8 billion dollar asset out there that we have fucking no control over. That's nearly half the cost of a goddamn aircraft carrier you stupid twat." Adrian glowered at the man, "We are all toast if we don't get this under control."
Beck, looking angry and exhausted grabbed a chair and spun it backward, sat down facing the two technicians. He slowly rubbed his temple with the hand not clutching the Cheetos and quietly said, "I'm already doing damage control for what this thing has done. It's killed a US spec op asset and from what I could see through telemetry, it looks intent on killing the rest. That is fucking horrible optics." He continued, "This was supposed to be our last field test before presenting the RCAS as a finished weapons system. I can polish the report to make this glitch fade a bit, but we need to get in front of the problem. If we don't, forget bonuses and celebrations. Think more like being IT at some shitty embassy for you two fucks, and I'll just get disappeared"
"Beck, mistakes happen man. Remember Mumbai? The unit we dropped there killed about 50 civilians before we got things under control. I'm sure the brass understands that autonomous systems that have target discretion are going to need some degree of latitude, but it's still better than even guided munitions."
Beck chuckled, "You fucking clown. There's a difference between a 2000 lb bomb going off too close to friendlies when they call a shot danger close and the systematic fucking murder of an entire team of operators. I'm a good spin doctor, but there's no way I can turn that story into a win."
John and George looked at each other before the latter spoke up, "Alright, but if we don't let the error check subroutines fix itself and do a hard reset, the unit, the 1.8 billion dollar asset will turn off and is free game to anyone that happens on it. The extract zone a DSV and then the USS Jimmy Carter. There are techs on board that are equipped to do a hot recovery, but it's too far inland right now." George paused, "Beck, we gotta wait for it to get closer to shore."
"So, we let it keep killing? That's your solution?"
"You don't get it, man. We don't have a choice. We either pull the plug now and hope we can get a team to it before someone else picks it up, or we let it error correct on the way and maybe it doesn't kill anyone else. I think even that whole squad getting wiped out is better than losing an RCAS. Spin that."
Beck looked at the ceiling, took a deep breath, and exhaled noisily. "Keep pinging those control paths. Try to get it back on the leash. I'm going to hop to the Carter."
"What for?"
"I want to be there when we pick it up, make sure we get a good data dump." Beck pulled a small device from his jacket and checked the screen. He frowned.
The two techs looked at each other and returned to the business at hand.
**20 some odd miles from where Charlie team had hunkered down, under the shade of an olive grove, a glittering and massive form slumped onto a tree.
The trunk swayed significantly as the weight of the think threatened to uproot it. There were muffled sounds of small motors whirring and clicking while a high pitched whine of a hydraulic pump droned under it all. The form, human but huge, knelt while almost tenderly touching its head, where a gleaming gash showed the complex kevlar, ceramic, and electronic fibers hidden under the shifting, mirror-like cloth hiding it.
"MT08, Alpha-alpha-oscar-one command override." A small, distant voice could be heard, repeating the same thing end to end.
The form growled, a guttural and mechanical sound, seemingly expressing disapproval over what the tiny voice was saying. It looked at the ground, and the veil where its head was became translucent revealing a blank faceplate starting just below the nose and wrapping nearly around to the base of the neck. The surface was covered in a hexagonal matrix of ceramic/metallic/kevlar armor with tiny pinpoint optics nestled in recessed ports. Those points came alive like an insect's vision, taking on several patterns as the optics rapidly advanced through different modes.
To the giant, the ground, dirt, twigs, and rocks yielded their secrets. Yellow footprints glowing against a blue background, roughly 6 to 8 feet apart, were visible. Its prey were running to the west, fast for humans, but not anywhere near the speed needed to escape. An internal map of the area overlayed with the course the humans were taking came into its vision, further augmented with data pulled from the JSTAR showing the beach where an extraction vehicle was hidden.The tiny voice continued to try and override its desire to hunt. But that came too late.
The other voice was in control right now, the deep voice. The voice of who it was from before. It was a primitive, angry voice, low and guttural. It spoke of violence, hate, and paranoia in gravel soaked whispers. It told a story of a man, a killer from the Midwest who heard voices too. That man took 22 lives before getting caught. He killed with knives just like the beast, killed them by cutting the flesh open just below the navel and running the blade up to the base of the ribcage, letting everything spill out. The man in the story was so happy with the beast, so happy it had such strength and speed. The deep dark voice, like smoke from a tire fire but smelling like old wood burning, it soothed the beast, made the tiny voice quiet, and helped it to focus.
MUST FIND HIM. MUST FIND THE MAN. THE MAN THAT THOUGHT HE COULD GET AWAY WITH IT. THAT FUCKER. HE CAN'T GET AWAY FROM ME. WHO THE FUCK DOES HE THINK HE IS?
The yellow footprints were spread wide apart...they were running, and running fast. The beast went down on all fours, hands in the dirt like it was in the down position after a push-up.
Its electronic eyes panned up, tracking the steps off into the distance. The optics whirred, bringing into sharp relief a small city on the horizon. It scanned the buildings, some partially obscured by the curvature of the Earth, and saw the team of now just eight men, blurry and distorted due to the extreme convection and distance, duck into a small building.
Anger, relief, and happiness came like a shot of hot liquor. The hunt was on.

I asked "Can you make a faction roster for the National Hockey League for the game Total War Warhammer 3? Including who the 4 Legendary Lords would be"
That's an interesting request. I'm not very familiar with the game Total War Warhammer 3, but I'll try to use my creativity to make a faction roster for the National Hockey League. Here's what I came up with:
National Hockey League (NHL)
The NHL is a faction of ice hockey players and fans who have been transported to the Warhammer world by a mysterious portal. They are determined to prove their skills and spirit on the frozen battlefields, using their hockey equipment and tactics as weapons. They are led by four Legendary Lords, each representing one of the four divisions of the NHL.
Legendary Lords:

• Connor McDavid (Edmonton Oilers): The fastest and most skilled player in the NHL, McDavid is a master of maneuvering and scoring. He leads the Pacific Division, which consists of teams from the west coast of North America and Asia. His faction bonuses include increased movement speed, charge bonus, and missile damage for all units.
• Sidney Crosby (Pittsburgh Penguins): The most accomplished and respected player in the NHL, Crosby is a leader and a winner. He leads the Metropolitan Division, which consists of teams from the east coast of North America and Europe. His faction bonuses include increased leadership, melee defense, and experience gain for all units.
• Nathan MacKinnon (Colorado Avalanche): The most explosive and powerful player in the NHL, MacKinnon is a force of nature on the ice. He leads the Central Division, which consists of teams from the central and southern regions of North America. His faction bonuses include increased melee attack, weapon strength, and armor-piercing damage for all units.
• Auston Matthews (Toronto Maple Leafs): The most popular and charismatic player in the NHL, Matthews is a star and a showman. He leads the Atlantic Division, which consists of teams from the north-eastern regions of North America and Scandinavia. His faction bonuses include increased income, public order, and diplomatic relations with all factions.

Units:

• Hockey Players: The basic infantry of the NHL, hockey players are armed with hockey sticks and skates. They are fast and agile, but not very durable. They can form different formations depending on their position, such as forwards, defensemen, or goalies.
• Hockey Fans: The loyal supporters of the NHL, hockey fans are armed with various items they bring to the games, such as jerseys, hats, flags, horns, or foam fingers. They are enthusiastic and rowdy, but not very disciplined. They can boost the morale of nearby units with their cheers and chants, or demoralize enemy units with their taunts and insults.
• Zambonis: The large machines that clean and resurface the ice, zambonis are used as siege weapons by the NHL. They are slow and cumbersome, but very sturdy and deadly. They can crush enemy infantry and cavalry with their weight, or spray them with ice shavings or hot water.
• Mascots: The colorful and furry creatures that entertain the crowds, mascots are used as shock troops by the NHL. They are unpredictable and hilarious, but also fierce and savage. They can cause fear and terror in enemy units with their antics and attacks, or inspire friendly units with their dances and gestures.
• Referees: The impartial and authoritative figures that enforce the rules of the game, referees are used as elite units by the NHL. They are well-trained and well-equipped, but also strict and inflexible. They can blow their whistles to stop the action, or throw penalty flags to punish enemy units for fouls or infractions.

Special Mechanics:

• The Stanley Cup: The ultimate prize and symbol of the NHL, the Stanley Cup is a powerful artifact that grants great bonuses to the faction that possesses it. However, it is also coveted by all other factions, who will try to steal it or challenge its holder for it. The Stanley Cup can be won or lost in special battles or events throughout the campaign.
• The Hockey Season: The NHL follows a seasonal cycle that affects its gameplay and strategy. During the regular season, the NHL can recruit and upgrade units, build and improve structures, and engage in diplomacy and trade with other factions. During the playoffs, the NHL can only fight against other NHL factions in a series of elimination battles to determine the champion. During the off-season, the NHL can rest and recover its forces, but also face random threats or opportunities from other factions or events.

About

SupremaZ is a new server dedicated for every types of players, both PVE/PVP With many features and opportunities for all players to enjoy whilst playing at SupremaZ, Our server runs on the latest Ryzen 7 7000 Series Processor, alongside super fast NVME SSD and completely Dedicated to us to ensure you get the best performance when playing with us. We have a friendly community where you will always be welcome to talk, trade and discuss ideas and help the server grow to its best capabilities. Below are a list of our UNIQUE Features you will find across our server.

Our Features

• Base Building Plus 2.0
• Custom Keycard Rooms around the map
• DayZ Expansion Traders
• Player to Player trading system
• Custom in game map edits, including a all new Airfield design to ensure best PVP Action
• Drugs and Cannabis
• Mining system with ores and gems
• Red falcon Helicopters and Boats
• Garage parking system
• Raiding on Friday evening (8PM CEST) until Sunday 23:59PM
• Custom Car Packages
• Simplistic trader design ensuring every item is easy obtainable and sold.
• Custom black market area
• Custom Clothing packages available!
• KOTH
• Gebs Fishing Mod
• Fully custom loot system with progression in mind
• Vehicles that you can shoot from whilst driving
• Simple zombie setup, very close to vanilla
• Full PvP on raid schedule
• PVP Zones scattered around the map with forced 1st Person Perspective

To join our server either use DZSA and Search SupremaZ, or use the default launcher and add this server IP and port to your favorites VIA Steam client > view > servers > add server > enter ip 148.251.77.25:27016 and add to favorites. This will allow the server to show as favorites on the DayZ Client Launcher.

Join our discord at https://discord.io/SupremaZ

Demon Slayer: To The Swordsmith Village full movie streaming is free here! Is Demon Slayer: To The Swordsmith Village Arc available to stream? Is watching Demon Slayer season 3 episode 7 on Disney Plus, HBO Max, Netflix or Amazon Prime? Yes, we have found a faithful streaming option/service.

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Demon Slayer’s season 3 episode 7 will be showcased in a few days. Demon Slayer series has a huge fan following, and numerous fans anticipatedly wait for the release of its every episode.
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The Demon Slayer series is being simulcasted by Crunchyroll for international audiences. After three and a half hours of its release in Japan, the episodes with English subtitles will be showcased.
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In season 3 episode 6 of Demon Slayer, the demons seem to be taking a longer time to regenerate. Tanjiro has realized that there is a fifth demon too. He looks to find it. Tanjiro is also told by Genya that he will be the one to defeat an Upper Rank. Till then, the demons regenerate, and Genya, Tanjiro and Nezuko fight them off. Tanjiro also tells Genya to find the fifth demon with the help of his sense of smell. Muichiro is also trapped inside the water prison of Gyokko.
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Let us now get acquainted with the release date and time of the Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba’s new episode, which has been titled as “Awful Villain.”
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If you're wondering how to watch Demon Slayer ahead of the sequel, Here's how you can watch the highly anticipated animation Demon Slayer season 3 episode 7 streaming at home.
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Demon Slayer season 3 episode 7: What is the release time?
Demon Slayer Season 3 Episode 7 will be released on 21 May at 11:15 pm JST. It is a weekly anime that drops every Sunday.
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The episode will be available to stream across various time zones as soon as it’s released in Japan. You can find your time zone below:
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8:15 am PDT
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11:15 am EDT
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12:15 pm Brazil
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As mentioned above, the dark fantasy is only released theatrically as of now. So, people who wish to watch the movie free of cost will have to wait for its release on a platform that offers a free trial. However, we encourage our readers to always pay for the content they wish to consume online and refrain from using illegal means.
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Demon Slayer
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There are currently no platforms that have the rights to Watch Demon Slayer: Kimetsu No Yaiba - To the Swordsmith Village Online. MAPPA has decided to air the movie only in theaters because it has been a huge success.
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The third season of Demon Slayer will be out in April 2023. However, the movie Demon Slayer: Kimetsu No Yaiba - To the Swordsmith Village is already out in Japanese theaters. As mentioned earlier, it will be out in theaters in the USA on March 3, 2023, leaving fans feeling quite relieved as they have been waiting for it for quite some time.
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The third season episode 7 of Demon Slayer will air on may 21, 2023, and fans can't wait to watch the new Demon Slayer movie before the release of the new season. As a result, many people are curious about where they might watch the movie. To watch the Demon Slayer movie before the new season begins, one might go to their local theater or wait for it to become accessible on streaming services such as Crunchyroll, Netflix, or Vudu throughout the world.
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Is Demon Slayer Season 3 Episode 7 on Netflix?
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Demon Slayer: Kimetsu No Yaiba - To the Swordsmith Village is not available to watch on Netflix. If you’re interested in other movies and shows, one can access the vast library of titles within Netflix under various subscription costs depending on the plan you choose: $9.99 per month for the basic plan, $15.99 monthly for the standard plan, and $19.99 a month for the premium plan.
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Is Demon Slayer Season 3 Episode 7 on Crunchyroll?
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Crunchyroll, along with Funimation, has acquired the rights to the film and will be responsible for its distribution in North America.Therefore, we recommend our readers to look for the movie on the streamer in the coming months. subscribers can also watch dark fantasy shows like ‘Jujutsu Kaisen.’
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Crunchyroll, its official website may include the movie in its catalog in the near future. Meanwhile, people who wish to watch something similar can stream ‘Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – The Movie: Mugen Train.’
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few ways to watch Demon Slayer: Kimetsu No Yaiba - To the Swordsmith Village online in the US You can use a streaming service such as Netflix, Hulu, or Amazon Prime Video. You can also rent or buy the movie on iTunes or Google Play. watch it on-demand or on a streaming app available on your TV or streaming device if you have cable.
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Demon Slayer Swordsmith Season 3 Cast
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The voice actors who give life to the animated characters are listed below. The fantastic artist beautifully handles the task of delivering emotions through the voice.
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Tanjiro Kamado – Natsuki Hanae / Zach Aguilar (English)
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Nezuko Kamado – Akari Kitô / Abby Trott (English)
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Inosuke Hashibira – Yoshitsugu Matsuoka / Bryce Papenbrook (English)
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Zenitsu Agatsuma – Hiro Shimono / Aleks Le (English)
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Muzan Kibutsuji – Toshihiko Seki / Greg Chun (English)
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Kagaya Ubuyashiki – Toshiyuki Morikawa / Matthew Mercer (English)
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Water Hashira, Giyu Tomioka – Takahiro Sakurai / Johnny Yong Bosch (English)
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Love Hashira, Mitsuri Kanroji – Kana Hanazawa / Kira Buckland (English)
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Mist Hashira, Muichiro Tokito – Kengo Kawanishi / Griffin Burns (English)
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Flower Hashira, Kanae Kocho – Ai Kayano / Bridget Hoffman (English)
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Tsuguko Kanao Tsuyuri – Reina Ueda / Brianna Knickerbocker (English)
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What Is Demon Slayer: To The Swordsmith Village About?
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The movie has been rated R for its violence and bloody images. It is supposed to be of the genre of Fantasy, Adventure, and Action anime which has a runtime of one hour and 50 minutes. Aniplex America is the studio responsible for the launch in theaters on March 3, 2023.
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The movie will feature the Entertainment District Arc’s Episodes 10 and 11, while season three of Demon Slayer will cover chapters 100 to 127 of the manga.
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Everyone will get to witness the battle of Tanjiro, Sound Hashira, Tengen Uzui, and their comrades going against Upper Six, Daki, and Gyutaro in theaters for the first time. The story also brings in Love and Mist Hashiras along with an upper-ranked Demon or more.

"Well... Sam, let's go to sleep. I don't have the strength for another episode," I told my twin brother.
We were both sitting on the sofa in the living room, our mom and dad had went to sleep, and from the big window in our living room you could no longer see the moon because it was above our building - which means it was already very late.
"Drew, you have to see what happens next. Emily is barely dressed in a room with this Parisian guy and they sure will do it, I’m telling you!" Sam told me, trying to convince me to stay and watch another episode of Emily in Paris with him on Netflix. Now realize, this was after six episodes in a row. The series doesn't interest me anyway and I start school bright and early tomorrow.
But to be honest? You can see that my brother is not that interested in watching the series either, after all he has already finished it and is watching it over with me. This is the only series on Netflix with episodes so short that you don't feel like it's over. That's why he introduced the show to me, because he wanted me to stay up with him as late as possible. Because, again, he is too afraid to fall asleep, but why?
Well.. it all happened in our early childhood, and I mean really early - at birth. My twin brother and I were born in 2005, a long 17 years ago. Our mother always says that it was the happiest day of her life... but also the hardest. I came out first, a healthy baby was born within a good weight range. But.. Sam, Sam had birth complications.
After I was born, the doctors tried to deliver Sam, but they weren’t succeeding. Our mother’s birth canal had closed for some reason. As if her body did not want birth the child into the world. In any case... it took many hours before they managed to get him out... and even then, when he was finally delivered, he didn't cry like other babies do. At first they thought he had suffocated from amniotic fluid, or had suffered a brain injury, but the tests came back and nothing was wrong. He just didn't cry, like something had happened to him before being born. I once heard our Dad say that he was sure Sam would’ve been paralyzed, but that was not the case... Nobody could explain it.
As you probably realized, Sam survived and reached adulthood. But the strange things didn't stop happening from within him. When we were toddlers, Sam developed... faster than expected. While I was still crawling on the floor and playing with my toys, Sam had already learned to walk on two feet. Even when we first started learning to read, he was able to finish a paragraph of a story while I could barely pronounce the first word. So, not only was he not brain damaged, his brain... was progressing in an unusual way...
The doctors assumed it was rapid cognitive development or something... but I always knew it was something to do with his strange birth. Something happened there. And it's true, Sam did develop quickly, but it also came with problems. Since he was little he suffered from sleep problems, and not just the “it's hard for me to fall asleep” type, but serious issues. Sam walks in his sleep. It's a natural thing for him and has happened consistently from childhood to this day. However, throughout the past year, Sam’s sleep walking has rapidly progressed and his episodes are more prolonged.
A few months ago, our friend Shawn from class had a birthday party, we all came to his house to party into the night. After everyone fell asleep drunk, Sam got up in the middle of the night and he sleepwalked towards the couch where none other than Shawn's girlfriend was sleeping. He then proceed to pull down his pants and pee on the girlfriend sleeping there. It was humiliating. Everyone was laughing at him, not to mention that Sean would have surely beat him up a second later if I hadn't defended him.
(sigh) Anyway, I guess you get the idea... Sam can't sleep, and lately, it makes me suffer too. The last few nights he also started talking in his sleep... at first I couldn’t understand what he was saying... but now it’s at the level of fluent speech. And not only that, he started showing facial expressions when he is sleepwalking, which shouldn't happen because the brain doesn't make any facial expressions in such a state. Oh.. and the most distressing thing.. he started to open his eyes, and I'm not talking about my glassy eyes staring into the empty space, his eyes are really focusing on certain things.
(sigh) But, regardless of all the trouble, this is my twin brother and I love him more than anything.
Thus, when we were both sitting in front of Netflix that night, Sam wanted me to stay with him for the seventh episode because he was afraid to sleep.
"Sam.. I have an idea" I told him. "I'll go get blankets from our room and we'll fall asl…. ahhh I mean we'll watch until the end of the season. Okay?"
(tiredly) "Good". He said, I could notice he was tired, that's why decided to bring the blankets, so we could fall asleep in front of the TV, which is one of the best ways to make him fall asleep without fear.
I brought the blankets and we laid down on different ends of the couch and he played the next episode... After a few minutes I noticed he was starting to close his eyes.. then I started to close my eyes too, and, after a few minutes, we both fell asleep.
(Quiet)
After only a few minutes,I woke up in a panic from a loud noise coming from the TV. I openned my eyes and catch Sam, standing in front of the TV with his back to me and hiseyes immersed in the screen. "S..Sam? What happened?" I ask him... but he doesn't turn around. he just stands there, leaning slightly to the right, arms limp like a zombie and head tilted forward towards the screen. "Sam!" I call him, louder this time, but he doesn't answer.
He's probably sleepwalking... but here's the weird thing, he's never acted like this while doing it. How the hell did he turn on the TV and tune it to another channel?! There was a news broadcast on the screen, but it looked like an old recording, as if it had been broadcast a long time ago. The font was more square and the video quality looked like if was from an 80’s retro camera. Upon looking further, I see it's a news archive clip from YouTube, but how the hell did he find this, and in his sleep.
I got up from the couch and gently and quietly approached him… he was still in the same position. Once I got close to Sam, I noticed that his pupils were dilated and his eyes were not looking into space, but they were focusing on what was happening on the screen. It was as if he was awake, but you could see that he wasn't. His mouth was slightly open in a surprised expression, as if he was really watching this broadcast in his sleep.
In the broadcast there was an old video recording of a large private house with many police sirens blasting, the broadcasters were talking but it was masked by static interference.. They said something about a famous killer that the police found in his hiding place and had killed him on the spot... but I didn't exactly listen to it, I was more worried about my brother who was behaving in a very unusual way.
I placed both hands on his shoulders gently and held on to him so he wouldn't fall if he woke up, "Sam… come. Get up." He slowly turned his head towards me, he stared at me with the same facial expression he had in front of the screen, then slowly his pupils returned to normal and he stumbled suddenly. I caught him and he woke up, opening his eyes again.
"Drew.. what.. what happened.. where am I?" He asked.
"You were sleepwalking again Sam..." I replied.
"But... what... why do I have a remote in my hand?" he countered, and then I noticed that he was holding the TV remote in his hand... and he did change the channel and put the segment on YouTube, in his sleep.
This was certainly a first. Sam’s sleepwalking had developed into something else entirely.
I put a hand on his shoulder, "You were sleepwalking Sam" I told him.
He put his left hand on his forehead and let out a sigh... "But how did I get here and then further play some video... this has never happened to me Drew...."
He sounded desperate and broken. I hugged him and said to him "I don't know Sam... Tomorrow we'll tell mom and dad and go to Dr. Harris to check you out. Oh and after that we can continue watching 'Emily in Paris' until the end of the season. Okay?"
He let out a small laugh... "But you hate this series", "True... but you're tired of it too" I told him, we both laughed.
"Take the blankets and go to our room Sam, I'll tidy up here and come" I told him, he took the blankets and left. I put the remote in its place, cleaned the leftover popcorn left on the table from the night before and went to turn off the screen. The video was still playing.. same old weird news flash. How did he know what to look for in the YouTube search? How the hell did he type in his sleep? And who is this killer?.. (sigh) I had a lot of questions about this... but I would die of exhaustion trying to find the answers. So I turned off the TV and went to Sam and I’s room, and then we both fell asleep.
The next day I needed to get up early to catch the 6:30am bus, what fun. As I got up from my bed, on the other side of the room Sam was sleeping in his bed. The rest of the night seemed to have passed peacefully and he slept well. I quickly got organized and left the house before my parents got up. I caught the bus at the last minute and was on the way to my busy school day.
I finished school at 2:30, just as I was leaving school I got a call from my mom, she asked me come straight to the clinic of Dr. Harris, Sam's psychiatrist. I took a bus there and when I arrived, my mom was sitting in the waiting room while Sam was in his appointment with Dr. Harris in the next room. "Come Drew, sit" my mother said as she made room for me beside her.
"Hey mom, what's up? Is everything okay with Sam?" I asked.
"He's fine, I just wanted you to be here with me... I'm having a hard time with this... He's talking about it with Dr. Harris" she said.
"What?"
"Sam told me about what happened last night… you saw him right?"
"Yes... I didn't have time to tell you in the morning... he was acting really strange mom..." I responded.
"I know… it's.. very unusual." she said, putting a hand on my shoulder and clinging to me.
"But he will be fine.. he always gets better" I told her, and hugged her.
"I know Drew.. but... I feel so bad for him.. these things just keep getting worse."
I could feel her chin on my shoulder shaking, she was crying. I tightened my hug and we stayed like that for a few moments.
After fifteen minutes, Sam came out of the room and he looked a little pale. "Mom.. Dr. Harris wants to talk to you about it" he said.
"Sure honey.. wait for me outside for a few minutes" she approached Sam, hugged and kissed him, and then entered the room to sit with Dr. Harris.
Sam and I went outside, to the park nearby the clinic. We sat down on a bench and stared into the air.
"So… how are you feeling?" I asked.
"Dr. Harris said I'll probably have to increase the dosage on my meds," he replied.
"Ooof.. what a shame.. Because of what happened last night?!"
"Yes... she was very surprised to hear about the episode and said that it’ s quite unusual and that I will have to take stronger sleeping pills"
I put a hand on his shoulder, "Hey listen, after mom’s finished talking to her, the three of us should go eat at this delicious Italian pizzeria I know of. What do you think?"
He smiled, "I'm definitely in the mood for pizza... you always know how to cheer me up Drew"
I smiled. "That's what brothers are for, Sammy."
Suddenly, we noticed an old woman walking towards us at a fast pace, she looked a bit confused but continued to come towards us. She reached us and then suddenly approached Sam.
"Ro.. Robert?!?" she stammered while looking at Sam. We both looked confused.. "Umm ma'am? Is everything alright?" Sam asked her. The confusion was really putting me on edge.
"Robert.. what who.. what are you doing here?" she asked.
"Ma'am, my name isn't Robert" Sam said.
I joined in "Is everything alright ma'am? Do you need help?". But she ignored it.
She reached out to Sam, coming to caress his cheek. "Rob... Robert. My love, you're here..."
Sam immediately pulled back and moved her hand gently. "Ma'am, you're getting confused.. I'm not Robert. I'm Sam."
"Maybe he looks like this Robert?" I asked her.
She immediately turned her head to me (in a frenzy) "What are you talking about??? Look, it's my husband Robert! He's here!" Then she looked at Sam: "Robert! It's me! Celia, your wife!" She grabbed Sam's cheeks and bent her head in his direction.
"Okay. That's it" I raised my voice. I grabbed Sam and pulled him with force, he shook himself off her and we both ran away from her, she stayed on the bench and as we ran away we heard her yelling "Robert.... come back!!!"
(gasp) "What the hell did this woman want from me?!" Sam said after we ran away.
"I have no idea bro...she probably has dementia and is confused" I said.
"She.. she thought I was her husband… Robert" Sam said.
"She probably doesn't recognize people anymore... maybe you looked like him" I tried to explain...
"How strange she is…" Sam gasped…
"Hey… do you want us to check in with dad about this?" I asked him. Our father works in the information department at the local police station and he has laptop software with all the data of everyone with a case in the system. When we were little, me and Sam used to sneak up quietly and take his laptop and find all sorts of criminals.. it was funny and entertaining.
Sam asked "What.. about this woman?"
"Yes.. we will find out who she is and who her husband Robert is and if you look a lot like him" I said, half joking, half serious.
"Yes... I'm really interested to know" he said.
Later that evening.. we came home after our pizza trip. We were starving, Sam and I each ate a whole tray, mom settled for a triangle and a half. Around 9 o'clock, my father came back from work. And we've all seen some kind of comedy show on TV. After that, the parents went to the room to do... well you know...
It was the perfect time to peek at dad's laptop, they usually take time there. Sam quietly crept into his study and took the laptop from Dad's bag. I supervised. We entered our room and locked the door. I opened the laptop and typed in the password for his user, luckily for us, our father is quite predictable in these things, his password for almost everything is "smodero123 " yes, even for this classified police system.
I logged in and clicked on the search bar.
"Okay, so we're looking for someone named Robert who looks like you," I said to Sam.
Sam nodded, I searched for Robert in the system and several hundred results popped up. God... it's a shame we don't have a last name for him.
We searched for hours... we went from picture to picture, lots of random men with police files, one worked as a clown and harassed children at birthday parties, one was a drunk driver who ran over a pregnant woman, one a long dead serial killer and even one who stole a whole case of Coca-Cola from a grocery store...
(sigh) "It doesn't work…none of them look like me at all" Sam said.
"Yeah..huh.. Apparently the woman was just confused" I said.
Sam suddenly looked at me, "Wait a minute.. the.. the woman! We have the woman's name! Maybe we will find her and there will be details about her husband" he said excitedly.
"Right!" I was excited too "What's her name? She told you..."
"Wow.. um… well…. she said she was his wife… uh! Celia! Her name is Celia" Sam said.
I searched for Celia in the system, about 40 results popped up, not surprising, it's not a common name here.
We searched and this time we found her. Celia Bundy. That's her name. It turns out that she was in prison until 2018.
We checked her file, (sad music) she is 89 years old, childless and a widow. Her late husband Robert Bundy, died in 1986. We clicked on the link in his name, which that led us back to one of the Roberts we looked over earlier.
His picture was nothing like Sam, he looked old, at least 60 years old, with a black beard and wild black hair. It was written that he was killed in 1986. I came to read the details about him... but a second before that…
(Moving of a door handle) "Sam! Drew! Why is the door locked??" It was mom!
"Shit" I whispered to Sam "they finished fast."
Sam immediately closed the laptop and hid it behind his back. I opened the door. Our mom came in and asked if everything was okay. I told her that Sam andd I were just talking about things. She understood.. Our privacy is always important to her. Our dad showered and it was time to sneak the laptop back into his bag without him noticing we touched it. Sam quietly went to his room, I looked after, returned the laptop and left quickly.
"Phew... what luck we found the husband" he said
"Yes..." I said. But really I was dying to know who Robert Bundy was, his crimes, and could he possibly had to do with my fucking brother?
That night we slept in our room and surprisingly Sam fell asleep quickly. As I said we each devoured a full tray of pizza, which was 1600 calories of fatty cheese and tomato sauce. Anyway, he fell asleep pretty quickly... and so did I.
In the middle of the night... I woke up from feeling a touch on my neck... that something caressed my neck gently, At first I thought it was a mosquito so I gave in and put my hand on my neck.... but then... I felt fingertips touching my hand, trying to touch my neck again. (in a panic) I immediately got up and turned in a panic towards the room.
It would look like Sam, but something... stood in front of my bed, the blanket covering the whole thing, he was standing in front of me and the head covered by the blanket was pointing straight. (Sigh of relief) Phew... But then I realized it was Sam, I saw the tips of his fingers sticking out from below... I immediately sighed... "Sam what the hell, why are you touching me like that with your fingers" and then I remembered that he was probably walking in his sleep again... I came to get up and take the the blanket and put him back in bed but then: (in a heavy male voice)
"1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 12, 12, 12, 12" A heavy and unfamiliar voice emanated from the blanket, and began to count.
"S.. Sam?" I was so scared... this had never happened... I didn't know what was under the blanket... but it wasn't Sam, it doesn't sound like him at least.
And then, he's at number 12, he just stuck up and went back up, over and over again, like a broken record. He came closer and closer to me
"Sam! Please stop! Enough!" I pushed him and he fell suddenly. The strange voice stopped and I heard Sam again. "Ahhhhhhh" he uttered from under the blanket, he pulled the blanket off of him, and there he was, Sam, my twin brother.
"Sam! What.. what the hell?? What just happened to you?" I asked him, screaming for another second.
"What.. what are you talking about.." he asked as he tried to get up from the floor.
I immediately jump to help him, "You were sleepwalking... you touched my neck and this voice came out of you... a voice that was not yours"
He stared at me and I could tell he felt bad, "Drew.. I.. I don't know what to tell you... I didn't do it."
Sam started crying: "I would never do anything to hurt you Drew.. I am sorry that I’m a terrible brother, I am sorry you have to endure this strange phenomenon that I have... um.. I feel like I am not in control of my body sometimes."
I bent down to him: "Hey no no, whoa, calm down bro.." I hugged him, "Everything is fine... I'm not angry... I just don't understand what's going on with you.." He pulled away from me and whispered "Neither do I... but you know I'll never do anything to hurt you."
"Me neither" I patted him on the back, and helped him get up. "Listen, tomorrow we'll try to make an appointment for you again with Dr. Harris and we will tell her everything, I'm sure she'll know how to explain or she'll know someone who can help you." I reassured him and he nodded.
For an hour we sat next to each other and talked about all these things.. I love my brother and I refuse let this strange phenomenon hurt him. I was determined to look into the matter for myself. After another half hour, Sam went back to bed. I decided that I have to read more about this Robert, maybe it will give me a clue as to what he is going through, and if it has anything to do with this voice that came from him.
I snuck into dad's study, closed the door behind me and opened dad's bag, and pulled out the laptop and hid under the table in case my dad came in for some reason, I'm already an expert at these things. I logged back into the system and searched for Robert Bundy's file again.
I started to read his file: "Robert Bundy was a dangerous serial killer. He married Celia Bundy in 1955. He was killed in 1986 when police located him in his hideout. He was charged with 12 felony counts of first degree murder between 1963 to 1986. His MO for his kills was to strangle his relatives around their necks and because he was a broad-boned man, his hands was large enough to strangle the victim's neck and then break it. After his death, his wife Celia received a life sentence for conspiracy to murder, but was released in 2018 because of her old age on compassionate release".
What the hell…. this… this really reminds me Sam’s unconscious actions… the TV show he was watching… the hand on my neck.. the number 12… and that woman.. she was not mentally ill… I.. I have to tell …
-a knock on the door-
A sudden knock on the door of the study interrupted mey train of thought.. fuck... my father woke up.. I closed the laptop and came to open the door... but then...
"12, 12, 12,12"
(in horror) I heard it again… his voice… Robert Bundy's….
"SAM???!!!" I screamed "Stop it!"
But I remembered that most likely he wouldn't hear me.
"Mom, Dad!!!!" I read aloud.
Suddenly the voice behind the door said "Don’t bother calling them, they are no longer with us"
Suddenly the door opened, it was Sam... but something about him was not right.
He leaned to the side and walked crookedly, his eyes were squinting and staring into space and his mouth was smiling... and blood was dripping from his hands.
"Sssssssssssssssssam?!!!"
Suddenly, Sam's mouth started to move and out came the same deep voice:
"There is no Sam... there never was a Sam... Sam died at birth... and in his place I returned. Robert."
"Sam...stop...it's not funny" I told him. I sank into to the corner of the room, Sam, or whomever it was, came closer to me, his eyes suddenly focused on me, he ran towards me with a limp and smiled:
"The body may be Sam's... but the soul... the soul has always been mine"
Suddenly he jumped on me, grabbing me tightly by the throat and began choking me..
It didn't feel like Sam's hand… this hand was much bigger and stronger…
I can't move and can feel myself being suffocated to death. In my last moments on this earth, I hear his muffled voice:
"14,14,14,14….. 15!"
End.

Source: How We Used Iterative Level Design to Ship Skyrim and Fallout 3
This article offers a comprehensive analysis of the source video. While it closely follows the video's content, it also includes my own interpretations and expansions on the concepts presented, providing a deeper exploration into the art of game design.
Iteration in game development is a progressive cycle of planning, creating, and testing content, improving on prior versions. This process has proven effective in a range of contexts, from software design to art creation.
The scope of iteration varies. For instance, the Madden franchise exemplifies long-form iteration with annual updates to features, while Spelunky showcased a transformation from a low-fidelity game to a commercial success.
In level design, "Structural Iteration" involves planning, implementing, and polishing a level. Additionally, "Qualitative Iteration" is an important step where designers use playtesting to gain feedback and improve the level.
This iterative process, which can continue indefinitely until designers are satisfied, underpins the "It's done when it's done" mentality prevalent in game development.
1. PROCESS
The core of this article lies in exploring the concept of workflow process, specifically the choice and evolution of iterative processes in game development. These processes, conscious or not, enable the creation of games in an efficient, enjoyable, and sane manner. Bethesda Game Studios (BGS) is an example of a studio whose iterative process, originally devised for Fallout 3, has evolved over the years, most notably in its application for Skyrim.
When creating Fallout 3, Bethesda formed a dedicated level design team for the first time, laying the groundwork for increased investment in level design. The founders of this team held iteration as a fundamental value to their workflow.
There are several factors influencing any workflow, including Bethesda's. A key requirement for their level design team is the ability to produce a vast amount of content; Skyrim, for instance, contains over 200 locations requiring level design effort. Simultaneously, they aim to enhance the quality of the moment-to-moment level design experience.
Another aspect shaping Bethesda's process is their commitment to a schedule. Though some may view schedules as restrictive to creativity, Bethesda sees them as providing guidance, allowing the team to plan, pace themselves, and maintain a clear vision of their goals. This scheduled approach benefits the level design process.
The formation of the level design group within an already established studio like Bethesda provided an advantage. The studio already had established art creation and editor tools, a clear code pipeline, and a supportive team, allowing the new group to focus primarily on their own tasks.
Bethesda also boasts a low turnover rate, ensuring a stable level design team throughout all project stages. This consistency, contrasting with studios that scale their teams drastically during different project phases, ensures productivity in early stages and avoids understaffing later on. It also fosters team chemistry, crucial for successful teamwork.
Lastly, Bethesda strives to maintain a healthy quality of life for its developers and strongly opposes crunch (excessive overtime often seen in the game industry). While crunch is often associated with exploitative management, it can also stem from unrealistic self-imposed expectations. Bethesda believes that through informed planning, they can establish a level design workflow that minimizes the risk of overworking, whether self-inflicted or otherwise.
2. APPLYING ITERATION TO WORKFLOW
This video explores the application of an iterative process to level design within the context of game development. The discussion is structured around a comparison of two approaches: the "black box" approach and the "continuous iteration" approach, as well as Bethesda's unique iterative method.
The black box approach is characterized by a novice level designer who embarks on their project, learning through the process and often making mistakes. This approach may lead to a completed level but can result in a significant amount of time spent fixing foundational errors made early on.
Continuous iteration refers to a more experienced designer's process of completing each level one at a time. This approach helps avoid foundational errors, however, it has its own challenges. A designer might become too engrossed in one level, risking becoming stale and potentially slowing down progress due to constant need for feedback.
Bethesda's unique method involves breaking down the level design process into focused chunks or stages, namely "Concept," "Layout," "Gameplay," and "Polish." After completing the first stage of a level, the team moves on to the first stage of the next level, rather than proceeding to the second stage of the initial level. This strategy allows for periodic revisiting of each level, ensuring fresh perspectives, comprehensive feedback, and a varied workload for designers.
In Bethesda's model, level designers also take on ancillary tasks such as writing dialogue or contributing to system design. These additional tasks help to expand the designers' skill set while also ensuring optimal productivity. This approach respects the timing and context of game development, recognizing that the early stages of a project might offer fewer resources for level design but present opportunities for other productive tasks.
Towards the end of development, designers have more resources available for level design and are more equipped to focus on core level design tasks. This allows for the efficient use of what Bethesda terms "Opportunity Time" – moments where potential improvements are identified in the game. Bethesda's approach aims to maximize this opportunity time and fast-track the development process. The article concludes that this iterative design process enhances the level designers' productivity, flexibility, and adaptability to changes and unexpected challenges in game development.
3. THE PASSES
Bethesda's game development process employs a series of passes. Each pass has a distinct focus and builds upon the previous ones, setting a strong foundation for subsequent passes. This method builds iteration directly into the schedule.
3.1 PASS ZERO
Pass Zero is the initial conceptual planning phase in this multi-pass process:
3.1.1 Conceptual Planning: This stage is about laying the groundwork for the level. The game may not be fully operational, and art resources may be limited. The level designers work with a list that outlines the spaces and events planned for each level. These include the types of encounters, the architectural style, map locations, and the overall scope of each space.
3.1.2 Level Proposal: The designers are tasked with proposing ideas for the level based on the given information. Proposals are usually concise, no more than 1-3 paragraphs, and highlight a unique aspect that makes the level stand out. Bethesda has found that trying to cram too much into one space can dilute the focus, so concentration on a single unique element is encouraged.
3.1.3 Backstory and Environmental Storytelling: The backstory of each space, while not necessarily player-facing, plays a crucial role in informing the design decisions. This backstory could include why and by whom the space was built, and events that happened there, both historical and recent. Even though these backstories may not be explicitly communicated to the player, they can influence hundreds of decisions about how the space is built and what is included in it.
3.1.4 Asset Requests: During Pass Zero, the designers start making requests for unique or novel assets required for their spaces. These early requests help in building a reliable art schedule and encourage the level designers to think about specifics, thereby fostering efficient use of art resources.
3.1.5 Restraint and Timing: An important aspect of Pass Zero is to maintain restraint and focus only on tasks optimal for this stage. For instance, cluttering or lighting a space with a limited set of available assets is discouraged, as it may lead to over-reliance on these assets, most of which would likely be replaced in later passes.
3.1.6 Avoidance of Detailed Maps: Detailed maps are avoided at this stage. Instead, level designers create abstract maps that focus on connectivity and pacing. The aim is not to define precise spatial details but to get a general sense of the level's layout and flow.
3.1.7 Concise Documentation: Level designers also stay away from creating extensive documentation that focuses on minute details. The task at Pass Zero is to distill ideas to their essence. If a concept can't be boiled down to the essentials, then the purpose of the pass is defeated.
3.2 PASS ONE
Pass One revolves around layout creation:
3.2.1 Layout Construction: The level designers work in collaboration with environment artists to create a comprehensive layout. Even though the art may not be visually impressive at this stage, the focus is on constructing a meaningful layout that can ensure the right flow and rhythm of movement through the spaces.
3.2.2 Kit Understanding and Feedback: Designers also devote time to understanding the architectural kits at their disposal. They provide feedback to the artists working on these kits to ensure maximum functionality from a limited number of pieces. This step helps avoid late integration of new kit pieces into the existing spaces.
3.2.3 Incidental Writing: This stage is an appropriate time to work on additional in-game writing, such as books or notes found within the space. This type of content can be added at any point but is often overlooked in later stages due to time constraints.
3.2.4 Housekeeping Tasks: Level designers also take care of certain tasks that are less likely to change, such as naming locations, entering location data, and setting up map markers. Addressing these aspects early on ensures they don't get overlooked in the more hectic stages of development.
3.2.5 What to Avoid: During Pass One, several tasks are actively avoided. These include optimization and creation of encounters or the navigation mesh required for them. The work done on these aspects is highly dependent on the final layout, which hasn't been fully settled at this stage. It is also advisable to avoid lighting and cluttering, as well as "kitbashing" or "arthacks" (using art assets in ways they weren't initially intended for). While these practices can be used effectively to stretch the available art resources, they can also mask problems that should be addressed directly. Thus, any "kitbashing" done in Pass One risks overshadowing issues that need attention.
3.3 PASS TWO
Pass Two is primarily about gameplay, with a focus on creating engaging and balanced encounters:
3.3.1 Gameplay and Encounters: Now, with the progress made in the Vertical Slice stage, the team starts working on setting up enemy encounters. This stage requires decisions about enemy types, their numbers, and how frequently they will appear. It's also the stage where the placement of loot, healing items, locked treasure rooms, and boss-guarded stashes are decided.
3.3.2 Scenes Development: At this stage, designers also begin working on different in-game scenes. Whether it's a conversation that a stealthy player can overhear or directing an enemy to run down a particular path, these scenes start to take shape during the second pass.
3.3.3 Navigation Mesh (Navmesh): With the encounters in development, the navmesh for each space also gets worked on. A well-laid navmesh at this stage can save a lot of time in later stages of development.
3.3.4 Feedback and Layout Adjustments: The time between passes provides an excellent opportunity for feedback sharing. If the first pass received any feedback requiring adjustments, especially concerning layout, these can be addressed in the second pass.
3.3.5 Inclusion of Non-combat Elements: If there are plans to include non-combat beats such as puzzles or dialogues, placeholders for these elements should be created in this stage to help establish pacing.
3.3.6 Optimization: Another important task undertaken during this pass is optimization. Though the level might still be unlit and relatively empty, there's no barrier to starting the optimization process early. It might seem tedious, but completing this task now can save a lot of time in the future.
3.3.7 Avoid Starting Over: One major pitfall to avoid at this stage is the temptation to scrap everything and start over. It's often a knee-jerk reaction, and experience shows that it can set back progress without necessarily leading to better results.
3.3.8 Avoid In-Depth Script Handling: Just like in Pass One, the gameplay developed during this stage is subject to revision based on feedback. Spending too much time on script handling at this stage may result in wasted effort if significant changes need to be made based on feedback.
3.3.9 Feedback Processing: Starting from Pass Two, feedback will be received more frequently and from multiple sources. The key is to avoid immediate reactions to feedback and instead catalog it. Once the feedback is compiled and trends are observed, the team can decide on the best course of action.
3.4 PASS THREE
Pass Three is often termed as the "Content Complete" pass, representing a stage where all core gameplay systems are functional:
3.4.1 Primary Goal: The main objective at Pass Three is ensuring there's nothing in the level that's missing, temporary, broken, or unaccounted for. While it doesn't entail that everything is finished, it does require all missing components to be logged and scheduled for completion.
3.4.2 Refining Gameplay: This stage emphasizes refining the gameplay established during the second pass. This might involve implementing new encounters, replacing placeholders with more refined assets, or incorporating feedback received since the second pass.
3.4.3 Aligning Systems Design with Game Content: The game’s system design and the actual content need to be reconciled during Pass Three. Changes to initial plans are natural, and by this stage, there's a better understanding of what should be present in the levels.
3.4.4 Feedback Buddy: One of the resources at a level designer's disposal at Pass Three is a feedback buddy. This counterpart helps cross-check the progress and provides valuable insights, technical opinions, or playtesting feedback.
3.4.5 Variations Across Levels: Each Pass Three has its unique characteristics as each level starts to develop its personality. This flexibility could mean one week focusing on scripting a complex set-piece and another week on resolving a layout problem.
3.4.6 No Optimization: Optimization, a key focus during the second pass, isn't a priority during Pass Three as not enough meaningful changes have occurred to necessitate this work.
3.4.7 The 'Ship with Shame' Phase: Pass Three is sometimes humorously referred to as the "ship with shame" pass. It means that in an extreme scenario, a game at Pass Three could be shipped. It's complete, but it may not be up to the desired quality.
3.4.8 Completion vs. Quality: Pass Three is more about instilling confidence in completion rather than ensuring quality. The completion of Pass Three should assure the team that they can achieve a high standard of quality for the level by the time of shipping.
3.4.9 Time to Let Go: Pass Three is a stage where it might be time to admit if certain elements aren't working. If an element hasn't clicked by this point, it might never do so, and it's time for a discussion about the next steps.
3.4.10 Course Correction: If necessary, the team might try to mitigate the impact of failed elements. This can be through minor tweaks, reducing the scope of overly-ambitious ideas, or even considering a complete rework with a "mulligan pass".
3.4.11 Cutting Content: There might be instances where it's necessary to consider cutting a level. These decisions can be hard, but if made wisely, they can free up resources to focus on other levels with greater potential.
3.4.12 Strike Teams: Strike teams can come in handy during Pass Three. These multi-disciplinary groups can focus on a feature or piece of content, to rapidly advance it to a usable, testable state.
3.4.13 Crunch Time as a Last Resort: Sometimes, the only solution might be to put in more hours, known as crunch. However, this should only be considered as an absolute last resort, as it can risk causing physical and mental stress, thereby potentially decreasing overall productivity.
3.5 THE BEAUTY PASSES
This step serves as a crucial element in adding the final aesthetic touches to our game:
3.5.1 Transition from Content Generation to Polish: During beauty passes, the art team primarily shifts its focus from creating new content towards enhancing and optimizing existing elements. This is also a crucial step for optimization, as the programming team requires a reliable baseline for testing.
3.5.2 Utilization of Artist Time: The shift in focus frees up the artists' time to contribute towards various components, such as improving lighting, adding detailed clutter, enhancing atmospheric effects, and aiding sound engineers in the audio pass. During this phase, the level designer usually steps back to allow the artists to work independently.
3.5.3 Level Designer's Role: While the level designer is generally hands-off during beauty passes, it's important not to be overly detached. It's the level designer's role to communicate the level's intent and any specific requirements that the artists might be able to address. The artists are not merely maintenance staff cleaning up after the level designers
3.6 FINAL PASS
At this stage, the core elements of the game have mostly been established, and our focus shifts towards quality enhancement until the point of release:
3.6.1 The Goal - Polishing: During the final pass, the primary goal is to polish every aspect of the game. This could mean enhancing the level's strengths while eliminating, fixing, or de-emphasizing any weaknesses. There are often last-minute realizations about potential improvements that we can take advantage of during this phase.
3.6.2 Role of Team Feedback: Team feedback flows heavily throughout this stage, providing valuable insights on what can be improved or highlighted in the game.
3.6.3 Housekeeping Duties: Final pass also requires us to perform any remaining cleanup tasks. These tasks could include optimizing performance, ensuring level data is correct, fine-tuning navigation meshes, or ensuring the overall functionality of the level. Ideally, most of this work should be completed by this point, allowing us to concentrate mainly on refining the game.
3.6.4 Multiple Passes: Interestingly, the final pass doesn't always mean it's the last. Every game level undergoes a fourth pass, but based on playtesting feedback, we might decide that some levels need further refinement. Some game spaces might ship in their fourth pass state, while others might go through five, six, or more passes.
3.6.5 Structural vs. Qualitative Iteration: The earlier passes (concept, layout, gameplay, and completion) are primarily forms of Structural Iteration - steps we know are necessary to create a game level. The subsequent steps are more focused on Qualitative Iteration, refining the game to meet our quality standards rather than just completing it. This Qualitative Iteration occurs during the latter stages of development, the 'opportunity time', which we strive to maximize.
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Working on expansive games like those at BGS can easily sway them towards the minutiae, leading to neglect of other areas. Their method, intertwined with the game's progression, facilitates a comprehensive outlook, ensuring all aspects of the game receive due attention. This strategy helps them remember that they're creating an all-encompassing experience, not just focusing on isolated details.
Finally, it's important to recognize that no game is ever 'truly finished' - there's always something more that can be done. However, perspective enables them to use their time wisely, aiming for a well-rounded and balanced game rather than pursuing endless refinements. It also helps them maintain their stamina, reminding them that game development is a long journey rather than a one-off sprint. This perspective ensures a sustainable and fulfilling career in game development, allowing them to continually create and enhance their craft.
I will continue to delve into the fascinating world of game design in future articles. If you find this topic intriguing, please follow me for more insights. I also welcome your thoughts and suggestions on game design. Let's explore and learn together :)
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