A Deep Dive into Rey Skywalker's Character Arc
The opinions and views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not reflect the opinion of Byte or Byte’s editorial board.
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The opinions and views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not reflect the opinion of Byte or Byte’s editorial board.
When it comes to superheroes, there is none more widely known than Bruce Wayne / Batman. Ever since his debut in Detective Comics #27 in 1939, the character has graced every form of media that you can imagine: comic books, TV shows, video games, etc. One arena in which the Caped Crusader has truly flourished is film. Since 1943, there have been nine actors who have portrayed the character in film, most notably Adam West, Michael Keaton, and Christian Bale.
NOTE: There are spoilers present throughout
Welcome back to this special edition of How It's Played! In this first edition of a two part series, we discuss the 2021 Game Awards and predict who will take home coveted title of "Game of the Year." Which of our lovely contestants accurately predict this year's winners? Find out on this edition of How It's Played!
By Anthony Herring Warning: This review contains spoilers for the first season of "Loki” Back in Avengers: Endgame, the Avengers enacted a “Time Heist” where they traveled through time to gather all six Infinity Stones. One of the places that they went to was New York City in 2012, where the final battle of The Avengers occurred. After a dangerous mishap involving the Hulk and a flight of stairs, the Avengers fail in gaining the Tesseract (Space Stone), and it ends up in the hands of none other than Loki. With the Stone in his possession, he disappears. That was the last time we all saw him, and none of us knew when he would see him again. Everything changed in 2019, where it was revealed that Loki’s story would continue in a Disney+ show, aptly titled 'Loki'. After several delays due to COVID-19, Loki premiered on Disney+ on June 9th, 2021 and ended on July 14th. It is the third MCU show on the platform, following WandaVision and The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, and is the third installment of Phase Four. Overall, Loki ultimately proved to be a wacky ride from start to finish.
I’m just going to come out and say it: I love The Last of Us Part II. Sure, it made some controversial choices that didn’t sit well with everyone—Joel’s death primarily. Yes, it also made you play as the woman that killed him—who I found to be a compelling character. And yes, it was a pretty depressing game all around.
Words cannot express my love for Naughty Dog’s Uncharted series. I first played the initial three games—Drake’s Fortune, Among Thieves, and Drake’s Deception—back in high school, and wow, what a ride. The adventures of Nathan Drake and his friends captured both my imagination and my attention for months on end; I couldn’t stop playing them (resulting in play sessions that I labeled “Uncharted Days”).
by Anthony HerringI’m just going to come out and say it: I love The Last of Us Part II. Sure, it made some controversial choices that didn’t sit well with everyone—Joel’s death primarily. Yes, it also made you play as the woman that killed him—who I found to be a compelling character. And yes, it was a pretty depressing game all around.Despite all of that, I still loved it.
by Anthony HerringWords cannot express my love for Naughty Dog’s Uncharted series. I first played the initial three games—Drake’s Fortune, Among Thieves, and Drake’s Deception—back in high school, and wow, what a ride. The adventures of Nathan Drake and his friends captured both my imagination and my attention for months on end; I couldn’t stop playing them (resulting in play sessions that I labeled “Uncharted Days”).It was around this time that the next Uncharted game, titled A Thief’s End, was announced. The first teaser released for the project held a dark tone, with Drake waking up wounded in a jungle. While doing so, a voice over of his mentor, Victor “Sully” Sullivan, was playing; he asked Drake if he was willing to continue on the dangerous quest that he’s currently on. The trailer then ended with the title card.As the release date drew closer, Naughty Dog announced more about the game: Drake had an older brother named Sam, who was never mentioned before. Along with that, this was to be the final entry in Drake’s story, and the series creator, Amy Hennig, was no longer helming the project. Taking her place was Neil Druckmann and Bruce Straley, the two directors behind the critically acclaimed, survival horror masterpiece The Last of Us. Needless to say, this game was shaping up to be familiar, yet different from its more light-hearted predecessors, and I couldn’t have been more excited.With A Thief’s End having celebrated its fifth birthday this past May, I wanted to discuss why I feel that this is the best installment in the series.
By Anthony Herring The Marvel Cinematic Universe has officially entered a new era of storytelling. Having utilized feature-length films for 11 years straight, Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige announced that the MCU would venture into the world of television. At Comic-Con in 2019, he revealed that these shows would be released on Disney+, starting with five: The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, WandaVision, Loki, What If…?, and Hawkeye. The Falcon and the Winter Soldier was scheduled as the first show to be released, with a tentative date of Fall 2020. Everything changed when the COVID-19 pandemic began. Every MCU show was delayed, resulting in the schedule being shuffled around to accommodate production changes. As a result, the first show to be released on Disney+ was WandaVision (back in January 2021), with The Falcon and the Winter Soldier following suit on March 19th. The show—part of the MCU’s Phase Four slate—manages to tell a compelling and timely story, despite a few stumbles here and there. Two peas in a pod Set six months after Avengers: Endgame, Sam Wilson (played by Anthony Mackie) struggles with the fact that Steve Rogers chose him to be the next Captain America. Rather than take up the mantle, he decides to give it away to the U.S. government—a decision that backfires. What ultimately makes Wilson’s arc gripping is not only due to Mackie’s insanely likable performance, or that Wilson proves himself worthy of being Captain America time and time again—but because the show chooses to discuss how he is a Black man in America. He gives up Cap’s shield for this reason, as he believes that there’s no way that the country will accept him as this symbol of Americanism. The inner conflict presented here is portrayed well, and ultimately has a satisfying conclusion. The second half of this duo is none other than Bucky Barnes, played by Sebastian Stan. Before this show, it can be argued that Barnes didn’t really have any discernible character traits. The best I could give you regarding that is that he was both Steve Rogers’ best friend and the Winter Soldier. (Infinity War and Endgame did him no favors, as Barnes had barely any screen time in those films.) Thankfully, the show actually takes the character’s past and uses it in impactful ways, demonstrating how he seeks redemption for his crimes as the Winter Soldier. Not only that, but he feels like a real character, as there are multiple facets of his personality on display, such as his remorse and personal growth. The chemistry that Stan shares with Mackie is wonderful too (which is great, or else the show’s premise would’ve fallen flat). The Star-Spangled Man without a plan One of the show’s newest characters is John Walker, who is played by Wyatt Russell (the son of Kurt Russell, who was also in the MCU as Ego the Living Planet). The U.S. government chooses Walker—which goes against what Wilson wanted when he gave the shield away. To make matters worse, Walker is shown to be the perfect soldier: brave, in peak physical condition, and highly decorated—but not a wholly good man, which is in stark contrast to Wilson and Rogers. As a result, he is revealed to be emotionally unstable and slightly insecure, making dangerous and reckless decisions at the worst possible times. Russell does an incredible job showing these aspects of Walker’s character, so much to the point that many have thrown hate towards him. (Frankly, that hate should be thrown at Walker, not Russell, he’s just doing his job as an actor.) Despite all that, there are moments where the character expresses his humanity, which ultimately makes him a rather compelling anti-hero instead of a full-on villain. Chillin’ with a villain(s) Speaking of villains, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier has a group of them in the name of the Flag-Smashers. They are led by Karli Morgenthau (portrayed by Erin Kellyman), and their goal is to make the world how it was during the Blip (the five-year period between Infinity War and Endgame). While their goals were clearly illustrated, Morgenthau and her accomplices as characters themselves were pretty uninteresting and unmemorable. Thankfully, the same cannot be said for Daniel Brühl’s Baron Helmut Zemo (who returns from Civil War). While it can be argued that Zemo didn’t have to be in the film—the Sokovia Accords provided enough for the Avengers—he definitely was one of the highlights of it. Zemo is one of the better MCU villains we’ve gotten, and it was delightful to see him return. The show reveals more about his backstory, gives a deeper insight into his hatred towards superpowered individuals, and manages to do the impossible: turn him into a meme. (That last part is a sight to behold.) Lastly, Emily VanCamp’s Sharon Carter returns as well (with her last appearance being in Civil War). Unlike the more benevolent portrayals of the character in the past, she is instead cast in a more suspicious light. She lives in the city of Madripoor (a staple from Marvel’s X-Men comics) and partakes in very mysterious dealings. Without getting into major spoilers, it is an interesting route to take Carter—considering that she’s the niece of the heroic Agent Peggy Carter. Sources: The Verge, Entertainment Weekly, CBR, IMDB Images: The Mary Sue, USA Today, Deadline Featured Image: MediaScrolls
The hugely popular Batman: Arkham franchise is one of my favorite video game franchises (alongside Uncharted and The Last of Us). I’ve been a fan of Rocksteady and Warner Bros. Games Montreal’s titles since I was 13, as they provided the ultimate experiences imaginable for me to become Batman. Now, while all of the Arkham series games are good at the very least, some are better than others. (Note: I will only be ranking the console releases. Therefore, I will not talk about the handheld entry Batman: Arkham Origins Blackgate, which came out on the Nintendo 3DS and PS Vita.)
The hugely popular Batman: Arkham franchise is one of my favorite video game franchises (alongside Uncharted and The Last of Us). I’ve been a fan of Rocksteady and Warner Bros. Games Montreal’s titles since I was 13, as they provided the ultimate experiences imaginable for me to become Batman. Now, while all of the Arkham series games are good at the very least, some are better than others. (Note: I will only be ranking the console releases. Therefore, I will not talk about the handheld entry Batman: Arkham Origins Blackgate, which came out on the Nintendo 3DS and PS Vita.)
On Nov. 17, 2017, Warner Bros. released Justice League, the first live-action film to star the titular DC Comics superhero team. Unfortunately, it wasn’t the same film that director Zack Snyder was originally making. Earlier that year, he stepped down from the project after his daughter, Autumn, passed away. In his place, the studio hired Avengers director Joss Whedon to finish it. What resulted was a heavily reshot and rewritten mess of a film, not exactly the winner Warner Bros. was hoping for. Even now, it’s been implied that the studio knew what a disaster the theatrical cut really was.
By Anthony Herring On Nov. 17, 2017, Warner Bros. released Justice League, the first live-action film to star the titular DC Comics superhero team. Unfortunately, it wasn’t the same film that director Zack Snyder was originally making. Earlier that year, he stepped down from the project after his daughter, Autumn, passed away. In his place, the studio hired Avengers director Joss Whedon to finish it. What resulted was a heavily reshot and rewritten mess of a film, not exactly the winner Warner Bros. was hoping for. Even now, it’s been implied that the studio knew what a disaster the theatrical cut really was. After the theatrical cut’s critical and commercial failure, Snyder’s fanbase began to campaign for the release of his original version—famously labeled the “Snyder Cut.” For three-and-a-half years, the fanbase, naysayers, and Justice League actors like Jason Mamoa went back and forth on the existence of the film. Zack Snyder himself even entered the fray in 2019, confirming that his film really did exist after all. The campaign completed its goal in May 2020, when it was announced that the film—officially titled Zack Snyder’s Justice League―will be completed and released on the HBO Max streaming service. This version was eventually released on March 18, and unlike whatever the theatrical cut tried to accomplish, it wholly delivers on its thrilling and action-packed premise.
By Anthony Herring WARNING: CONTAINS SPOILERS FOR ‘THE MANDALORIAN’ SEASON 2 On Nov. 12, 2019, Disney unleashed its streaming service, Disney+, into the world. Out of all the touted original content for the platform, one was widely anticipated: The Mandalorian. Created by Jon Favreau, who started the Marvel Cinematic Universe with Iron Man, the series followed the titular Mandalorian (played by Pedro Pascal), who operated as a bounty hunter five years after the events of Return of the Jedi. During the show’s first season, the Mandalorian--whose real name is Din Djarin (pronounced “jar-en”)--found himself protecting the Child, a baby that was being hunted by an Imperial Moff named Gideon (played by Giancarlo Esposito). As The Mandalorian progressed, the show became insanely popular. Many viewers were enthralled by the everyday escapades of Djarin and the Child, who was given the nickname “Baby Yoda” since he was of the same species as Master Yoda. Others also compared it far favorably to the then-concluding Star Wars sequel trilogy, widely considered a mixed bag by the fandom. The show’s first season ended with Djarin managing to escape from Gideon and his forces, with his new mission being to bring Baby Yoda--whose real name is revealed to be Grogu in “Chapter 13: The Jedi”--to, well, the Jedi. However, this would prove to be difficult, as the Jedi were practically extinct around this time. Thankfully, the second season of the show, which began on Oct. 30 and ended on Dec. 18, provided a thrilling and emotionally satisfying outcome for the Mandalorian’s quest. Din and Grogu’s bogus journey The second season begins with Djarin looking for other Mandalorians in the hopes they can lead him and Grogu to any surviving Jedi. Their mission first takes them to the planet Tatooine. There, they meet Cobb Vanth (played by Timothy Olyphant), a marshal of a small settlement called Freetown, who wears Mandalorian armor that he stole. Djarin, who wants the armor from Vanth, helps him stop a monster called a Krayt Dragon from destroying Freetown. After leaving Tatooine, Djarin and Grogu are whisked throughout the Outer Rim, meeting many characters that eventually lead them to the Jedi. Fortunately, these additions never detracted from the heart of the show, which is the relationship between Djarin and Grogu. Due to the perils of their adventure, Djarin’s growing love for his newfound son is constantly tested. For instance, in “Chapter 16: The Rescue” (the season finale), Djarin gives Grogu away so he can finally be trained as a Jedi. At this moment, he removes his helmet--which is against his code of honor--so Grogu can finally see his face. It’s a stirring and powerful moment, illustrating how much he has grown as a father-figure, with Pascal’s performance giving him that much more humanity. Boy meets world Returning characters from last season appear during Djarin and Grogu’s journey, like Greef Karga (played by Carl Weathers) and Cara Dune (played by Gina Carano). However, due to season two’s larger scale, The Mandalorian includes characters previously introduced in other Star Wars media, such as Star Wars: The Clone Wars and Star Wars Rebels. One such character is Bo-Katan Kryze (pronounced “kreeze”), who is played by Katee Sackoff (who voiced her in The Clone Wars and Rebels). She first appears in “Chapter 11: The Heiress” and again in “The Rescue.” Kryze’s inclusion in the show is a welcome one, as Sackoff does a great job with the character’s steely determination and stern attitude. This provides a compelling contrast with Djarin, as his demeanor is that of a man who is wrestling with forces that he doesn’t fully understand. Interestingly enough, Kryze’s storyline both ties into the threat of Moff Gideon (who also returns from season one) and provides some scintillating hints for the show’s future. Another character that leaves her mark on The Mandalorian is former Jedi Ahsoka Tano, who is played by Rosario Dawson. (Ashley Eckstein previously voiced the character in The Clone Wars and Rebels). Ahsoka’s only appearance is in “Chapter 13: The Jedi,” where she reveals that Grogu survived Anakin Skywalker’s attack on the Jedi Temple (as depicted in Revenge of the Sith). Dawson did a decent job with her portrayal, giving viewers a matured and subdued version of the character. However, it was rather jarring having someone else play the character when Eckstein spent a decade doing so. Post-Endor paracosm With The Mandalorian set within the 30-year gap between Return of the Jedi and The Force Awakens, it was important for the show to provide details about this era of Star Wars. The first season gave details by revealing Gideon was leading a sizable military force of Imperial troops. This was surprising, as the Empire was not in power at this point, having been defeated by the New Republic four years before the show. Fortunately, this season doubles down, showing that Gideon also controls a laboratory and several starships. Despite all of that, his most mysterious item is the Darksaber, an ancient Mandalorian weapon that Kryze is hunting him down for. Their rivalry brings greater depth to Gideon’s foothold in the galaxy, demonstrating how his actions have affected other characters. What makes this even more complicated is Djarin, who won the Darksaber from Gideon in “The Rescue”, and is now the rightful owner of the weapon. Such a development illustrates how obsessed Kryze is with getting the Darksaber, due to her refusing to take it from Djarin as she wants to win it during combat. Unfortunately, this plotline isn’t resolved; surely, season three will recognize this and make it the central conflict. Lastly, the criminal underworld--one of season one’s main selling points--is also given more context on its place during this era. Fan-favorite character Boba Fett (played by Temuera Morrison, who also played Jango Fett in the prequel trilogy) returns, where it’s explained that he survived his “death” in Return of the Jedi. He ends up helping Djarin protect Grogu, and when that mission is over, soon takes control of Jabba the Hutt’s palace on Tatooine with Fennec Shand (played by Ming-Na Wen, another veteran from season one). The decision to include Fett in the season was worthwhile since he was a competent and fearsome bounty hunter--something the original trilogy failed to capture. With him and Shand now soon-to-be crime lords, the future has grown all the more exciting, and we only have to wait till next year to see how it all unfolds. Sources: Entertainment Weekly, Observer Featured Image: IMDB Images: Syfy Wire, Meaww, Newsweek
Disclaimer: This article contains spoilers for the storyline of ‘The Last of Us Part II’
Disclaimer: This article contains spoilers for the storyline of 'The Last of Us Part II' The opinions and views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not reflect the opinion of Byte or Byte’s editorial board. By Anthony Herring [caption id="" align="alignright" width="430"] Image from YouTube[/caption] With its recent Game of the Year win at the 2020 Game Awards and its six-month anniversary quickly approaching, I figured now would be the perfect time to revisit ‘The Last of Us Part II.’ When the game released on Jun. 19, its thrilling performances, pulse-pounding gameplay, and breathtaking visuals were all acclaimed. However, the same cannot be said for its narrative. Said narrative saw 19-year-old Ellie, one of the protagonists from 2013’s ‘The Last of Us’, go on the warpath in order to avenge the death of Joel, her father figure, and the other protagonist from the original game. The person responsible for Joel’s death was a young woman named Abigail “Abby” Anderson. In a shocking twist, players were made to control her for nearly half the game’s runtime. Such a tactic allowed for her perspective of the game’s storyline to be illustrated. The double whammy of having to witness Joel die at the hands of Abby and having to play as her for such a long span of time, caused many players to find the narrative worthy of derision. They felt Joel’s death was stupid, meant to be simple shock value and nothing more. Some believed Joel should’ve come out a hero, sacrificing his life to save Ellie from...something. And others felt it was ludicrous they play as “Joel’s killer” and be forced to sympathize with Abby. Unfortunately, this hatred towards Abby and her actions spilled into the real world. The talented Laura Bailey, who portrayed the character, received numerous death threats over this when the game first released. I don’t need to tell you that the actions committed by these people are heinous and utterly vile. (Mind you, not everyone who disliked the game sent these threats; it was only a select few). But I digress. Instead, I want to talk more about Abby Anderson, and why I think she doesn’t deserve the hatred many have given her. Who is Abby Anderson? Before I give my thoughts, it’s important I give some background on who Abby is. In the world of ‘The Last of Us,’ she is the daughter of Dr. Jerry Anderson, a doctor in league with the Fireflies. This militia group formed after a fungal outbreak decimated 60% of humanity, and they desperately desired to create a cure. This led to Joel and Ellie’s journey in the original game, as Ellie was the only known person immune to the infection. When they arrived at Saint Mary’s Hospital in Salt Lake City, the Fireflies’ headquarters, Ellie was to be prepped for surgery, with Jerry being the head surgeon. While Jerry doubted his abilities, especially considering how Ellie was to die during the operation, Abby reassured him. Unfortunately, Joel was made aware of Ellie’s fate and he subsequently killed many of the Fireflies in Saint Mary’s, Jerry included. This event devastated Abby, causing her to become obsessed with finding Joel for the next four years. Culminating with her and a group of her friends, and finding him near his home in Jackson, Wyoming. It was here where Abby killed him, sending Ellie down her own path of vengeance. A hole-in-one Here’s where I’m going to get controversial, so strap yourselves in: I strongly believe Abby is a great character. Do I still have your attention? Good, because I would like to explain why. [caption id="" align="alignleft" width="334"] Image from Den of Geek[/caption] For starters, I would like to address the elephant in the room. I believe the only reason people hate this character is due to the fact she killed Joel. Now, don’t get me wrong: I hated Abby for this same reason during my first playthrough. In fact, I utterly despised her during the first half of the story. Much like Ellie, Abby was the antagonist in my eyes. She killed Joel, our precious Joel, and both Ellie and I wanted to take her down. What makes Abby think she can get away with such a crime? Well...with a viewpoint like that, it really hampers how Abby’s character is perceived, and it glosses over the ample development her side of the story gives to the overall experience. As I mentioned earlier, you have no choice but to play as Abby during the second half of the story. During these sections, you play through the same length of in-universe time (which is three days in Seattle, Washington) as Ellie, but from Abby’s perspective. Through this, you discover that even after avenging her father’s death, Abby has found no sense of peace. She still suffers from the nightmares that plagued her since Jerry died, and her relationships with those close to her have been irreversibly fractured. The greatest victim of this was her relationship with her ex-boyfriend Owen. Although I didn’t see it at first, it took me until my second play through to sympathize with Joel’s killer. I no longer saw her as some inhuman monster that needed to be stopped, but rather as a flawed human being. Although it is something I don’t condone, I found Abby’s drive to kill Joel understandable. He killed her father so he could save Ellie, who was essentially a second daughter to him. However, the decision left Abby as an orphan. Such feelings of anger, rage, and revenge are entirely within reason for anyone who goes through this, especially when you figure out who was responsible. Moving onward, Abby grows more compassionate upon the arrival of two new characters: Lev and Yara. The brother-sister duo are members of a religious sect called the Seraphites, who are embroiled in a turf war with the Washington Liberation Front, a militia group that Abby herself is a member of. Lev and Yara end up saving Abby’s life when she is captured by the Seraphites. Because of this, she develops a protective attachment to them. Her connection to the siblings allows Abby to feel some semblance of humanity for the first time in years, and it allows her to find closure over her father’s death. In a way, Abby’s character mirrors Joel’s from the original game. There, Joel was a survivor who had been hardened due to the death of his daughter, Sarah, at the onset of the outbreak. However, Joel regains his humanity through his relationship with Ellie, finding his sense of purpose in protecting someone other than himself. The fact that Abby shares similarities with him is quite interesting, but I feel it highlights something I love so much about her character: no matter how far you fall, you can still find a way to get back up. I have one last thing to discuss: the resolution of Abby’s arc. At the end of the game, she and Lev have been held captive for months by a group called the Rattlers. Thankfully, they are freed by none other than Ellie, who tracked them to Santa Barbara, California. By this point in the game, Abby is no longer the obsessive, revenge-driven woman she once was. She is now a weakened yet determined older sister to Lev, wanting to protect him as they journey to Catalina Island. At this point, they are searching for the Fireflies, who are revealed to be actively regrouping. After a brutal fight with Ellie, which ends with letting her go, Abby takes a boat she uses to go to the island with Lev. With that, her journey has reached its conclusion. While it was a turbulent ride, I inevitably found Abby Anderson to be a fascinating and gripping character. Yes, what she did to Joel was unforgivable, but the world of ‘The Last of Us’ is in itself unforgivable. Joel himself has done horrible things in order to survive. Ellie has taken numerous lives in pursuit of Abby. And even in spite of that, these three, along with the many other characters who inhabit this world, have also shown compassion and love for others. Nothing is black and white here, just shades of grey—and Abby Anderson is a great example of that. Sources: CNET, Forbes, Kotaku, Polygon, TechRadar Images: Den of Geek, YouTube Featured Image: Inverse
The ‘Uncharted’ series is without a doubt one of the most popular PlayStation franchises. Created by the now-former creative director at Naughty Dog, Amy Hennig, the series began in 2007 with ‘Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune’ on the PlayStation 3. Unlike the developers’ previous efforts, ‘Drake’s Fortune’ sought to replicate the experience of watching an action film: it was plentiful with charismatic characters, brisk pacing, and wildly bombastic set pieces. Naughty Dog was hugely successful in their endeavor, as ‘Drake’s Fortune’ was positively received by both critics and players alike. The game’s success spawned three sequels, a prequel, and a spin-off: ‘Among Thieves’ (2009), ‘Drake’s Deception,’ (2011), ‘A Thief’s End’ (2016), ‘Golden Abyss’ (2012), and ‘The Lost Legacy’ (2017).