Star Wars The Clone Wars season 5

 As I wanted to complete or at least reduce all the Star Wars and superheroes series and movies still on my To Watch list (some for years if not nearly a decade), I sat down for the fifth season of Clone Wars.

 

These animated series is pretty fun viewing for sure, and tie in a lot of stories from the movies of the prequel as well.

 

And this season seems to focus mostly on the rise of the crime syndicates and underground resistances, on the one hand the return of Darth Maul who gains more and more influence and takes over Mandalore, and on the other hand Hondo's pirate band as the often go to solution.  And a fun droids only adventure arc, which broke the pace nicely. 

 

But the heaviest arcs lie at the end of the season, first with how Maul is being overcome and recruited by Palpantine to serve him again, though not as an apprentice, and at the cost of his brother's, Savage Opress's, life.  And then we get the big finale arc, where Ahsoka is falsely accused and set-up for a bombing inside the Jedi temple, and how it leads to her leaving the Order as a result.

 

Definitly a very intresting season, with some very strong arcs having been set up.  Now to one day see those final two seasons and complete it all for this animated series. 

 

Dead Mount Death Play season 2

 I didn't get the hype after the first season, though I must say the second was better in my opinion.

 

And the reason for this was pretty simple, less comedy, more mystic horror, which was the premises of the series to begin with.

 

The second season focusses more on the battle between criminal organisations and the police force, with Polka (aka the Corpse God) and his band in there as a wild card.  Heck, one might even say that for a large part of the season, he has become a side character...  until all the arcs start to converge, and his friends get threatened as a result.

 

In order to protect them, he must use his necromantic powers to uncover all the connections and be able to save them, resulting in a large threeway confrontation that bridges bot his old and his new life.  The whole Sabaramond arc gets more intense, which also helps phasing out the often comical relief (or attempts at...) that where in the first season.

 

So yeah, this was a good season, though I won't call myself a fan of the franchise at all, it was let's say in enjoyable in between watch.  But as I didn't get hooked like crazy, took way to long to get through the 12 episodes of the season, so for my next series I'll better pick something that grabs me and wants me to binge through it all to get back on viewing schedule for this year.

 

Let's go and choose something from my to large to watch list... 

Rumble

 A while ago while scrolling through the Netflix catalogue, me and Noshi stumbled upon this 2021 animation movie about monster wrestling.

 

So kaiju and wrestling, what could be wrong?

 

Well actually, not much, this is trulky an enjoyable film.  Of course, with the topic being wrestling, half the WWE has some voice role in it (Becky Lynch, Roman Reigns, ...) but also other sports illumini like Charles Barkley (yeah, the Dream Team one), and the main lead is for Will Arnett.

 

The movie is basically of a franchise threatening to go away to another town and arena after they have been betrayed by their star.  To that end, the daughter of a legendary coach, Winnie, goes out to find another monster, and finds it in the son of a former legendary beast, Rayburn Jr.  Who is used to getting paid for losing on purpose in an underground wrestling ring.

 

Together they start training, but ise very, very unorthodox methods making them a laughing stock, yet keep winning.  When the city is about to sell the lifework of her dad, they challenge the ruling champion (the monster that betrayed them), and defeat him eventually.  Not only saves this the city, but it also brings the belt and the franchise back to it's glorious home!

 

So yeah, it is a bit of a predictable story of course, but it is great fun.  Salsa dancing wrestling moves, a heartwarming coming of age story, and a great finale match for certain with all that typical wrestling drama in it.

 

Sit down and have a watch, the movie is worth it! 

See season 3

 While I enjoyed, but not really loved the previous seasons, I still wanted to know of course how it will all play out.

 

And I must say, I liked this final season actually the most of all.

 

This season is mostly aimed at politics and ways to stop the war before it escalates, as Pennsa must find a way to survive against the larger Trivantian force.  Who also have a secret weapon in the form of boms as Baba found out while hiding in the woods to refresh his spirit and body.  Which is a thing to do when your people are of course being besieged and your son fathered a child with the disgraced Queen Kane... because priorities.  But within Trivantian borders things are stirring as well, as the triadic nature of the council is being played, and Pennsa becomes an unwilling accomplice in this.

 

A scientist, Tormada, backed by the banking arm of the government, has a plan in place for a coup, as the Pennsa send a group to the House of Enlightenment to destroy his arsenal and the production facilities.  They succeed in doing this, but he still has a sizeable stock.  When the Trivantian plot is discovered, he throws in his lot with the escaped Queen Kane to besiege Pennsa and destroy her enemies, leading to a huge battle and the sacrifice of Baba Vos in the end, but the series really picked up pace in this final season.  My issue with the earlier ones was often the slowness of the series, as a lot was literally blind shuffling along a forest or a city.   

 

So yes, I actually enjoyed this season as I said, and not just as background material while painting or building army lists, so that's a good thing for certain.  Doesn't happen to much in my idea that a series goes crescendo instead of dwindling down, and it is all excellently wrapped up at the end, including a very cool revelation...

 

Guess it leaves a good aftertaste then in the end... and it was okay to 'See' it afterall.... 

 

 

Vinland Saga season 2

 Time for the second season of the fantastic Viking anime Vinland Saga, following the life of Thorfinn.

 

A young boy taken from his village, he became a ruthless assassin in the first season, but fell out with the king near the end...

 

Now, the studio that produced this changed to MAPPA, but they brought forth a true gem in animation, art and atmosphere, so that is already one thing you will enjoy.  And for me, it was better on the eyes to be honest then the final seasons of Attack on Titan.

 

It's also one of those animes that runs longer then most, having an episode count of 24 instead of the usual 12 of these days.

 

The season takes place years after the first one, and Thorfinn has changed, becoming a pacifist after reflecting on all the death and suffering he caused.  He has become a farmhand slave for Kjetil, and he meets a slave brought in from England, Einar.  They form a strong bond and look to carve a peacefull life out for themselves.  

 

But slowly, Thorfinn's seemingly broken spirit starts to mend through their friendship, even though he still refuses to take up arms, He stands up to the bullies at the farm, but doesn't retaliate.  In the meantime in England, king Canute is on the march as he tries to conquer the throne of England and unite all vikings and people under his banners.  

 

The story jumps forward several years at times, with Thorfinn and Einar continue to work to their goals, while suffering setbacks along the way.  King Canute wishes to requisition farmlands to support his kingdom, but Kjetil stands up to him, marking him as an enemy and the king sails out to claim the land with his forces.  This results in the old friends meeting up again, and Thorfinn manages to convince Canute to stop the bloodshed.  Kjetil's son, as he is now incapacitated, however decides to surrender and merge into the kingdom, as Thorfinn comes to an agreement with Canute that he will vanish.

 

Thorfinn and Einar travel back to Thorfinn's birth village, where he was taken from all those years, and is eventually accepted back into his family.  Here he explains his plans to travel to Vinland and create a peaceful land, and sets out to put his dream in motion...

 

Another fantastic season, with a totally different tone of the first.  While season one was about vikings and their violent ways, season 2 focusses on the themes of slavery and pacifism, and how lives can be influenced by making peaceful choices. Certainly one of the best anime produced in the past decades, it is well worth checking it out!

 

You won't regret it in the slightest! 

Star Trek Starfleet Academy

 The rumours where true, this wasn't bad, it was awful!

 

Well, not Section 31 awful, but it's getting there, only saved by some shiny performances.

 

And I'm not going into the whole "woke" debate, because at it's core, Star Trek has ALWAYS been woke, even back in the 60s with the Kirk / Uhura kiss.  No, this is bad for a couple of reasons, and even not the "Beverly Hills 90210" vibe for those that remember that.  Aka are old enough to see captain Picard actually debut on screen...

 

But, there are some saving graces, which I will come to later.  The problem I had with this series, which ran for 10 episodes, is that I liked a single one (the finale with how Jett Reno ran the ship in a crisis), and two or three in between (basically, all those that featured Nus Braka, the highlight of the series).  But there where so many "meugh" moments though: the lack of a strong captain (granted, she is actually a teacher and not a full captain), the bad use of The Doctor who we know from Voyager can be so much more but they only use his cliches like opera in the series, and then that whole explanation during the trial in the finale.  Which was good upon the moment "wonder boy Caleb" explains the whole of Nus's trauma... by a colouring book!  "Starfleet weapons are blue, enemy weapons are red"... and let's just ignore the fact this has always been done to distinguish special effects of battles on screen, and nothing with any specific technology.  The Federation has had red coloured phasers as well.  But I guess Kurtzman never saw the Enterprise E or the Defiant in action, which wouldn't amaze me as he has no clue how Star Trek "works"...

 

That said, there where highlights.  Nus Braka was just an awesome villain, misguided and piratey, manipulative, yet somehow you rooted for him.   Jett reno was her own sarcastic self, always a joy on screen, and the whole "dressing up" and special effects where of a very high quality.  

 

But I can't say I "enjoyed" the series, as frustrations at times took the upper hand.  Am I sad it will be cancelled?  No, not at all to be honest, but I don't think that some of the critiques (gay Klingons, Jem'Hadar / Klingon hybrids,...) are correct, a lot can happen and evolve in those 600+ years between the end of the Picard era and the Discovery era.

 

But just to point out the colouring book BS:

 

 

Only You Can Save Mankind - Terry Pratchett

 Sir Terry Pratchett didn't only write Discworld, he ventured into other series as well, and this was the first book of the Johnny Maxwell trilogy.

 

Written back in 1992, it takes place in contemporary Britain compared to his usual fantasy settings.

 

Now, at 173 pages long, this is a short but actually fun book written for younger audiences, with the then upcoming world of videogames it's central theme.  Written in his usual tongue-in-cheeck style, it's a sort of Ender's Game / Ready Player One style of story, with a young boy, Johnny, becoming involved in the tales of the ScreeWee.  He encounters these newt like aliens during the playthrough of a pirated videogame, and together with a friend, Kirsty, must find a way to bring them home (and back in everyone's copy of the game).

 

It's a rather innocent story, but plays with the ideas of perception really well, as both Johnny and Kirsty view the ScreeWee totally different, putting them opposite each other initially in the dreamlike world where they encounter the aliens.  But, even for an adult, it is one of those books you take along on public transportation (you know, those 3 adults on a whole bus not scrolling all the times on their phones) for a few pages, and before you know it you finished the little book.

 

Certainly fun to check out, and I might pick up the other two volumes when I bump into them... 

Barbarian Queen

 Nothing says lazy painting saturday afternoon as an 80s (semi) fantasy movie, and this time it was Barbarian Queen from 1985.

 

Which is full of exposure to boot, so best not watch it with young kids around...

 

The plot, for as far as these movies really had one bar "show nudity, do poorly co-ordinated swordfights with slow motion movements" is that a barbarian village prepares for the wedding of Queen Amethea and prince Argan.  But the forces of Lord Arrakur attack, including gang-raping the queen's younger sister Taramis, who together witht he prince is taken prisoner.

 

Together with two other survivors, Estrild and Tiniara, Amathea sets out on a quest for vengeance, and come in contact with an underground resistance to the evil overlord.  She reunites with Argan who serves in the gladiator pits, and even though captured and tortured (yes, she kills her torturer by squeezing her vagina so hard...) they escape and lead an uprising, killing lord Arrakur and freeing the lands.

 

So yeaaaaaah, you can see where that went.  And still, even with all the nudity, it was actually an enjoyable albeit short (it runs for an hour and a quarter) movie from the era, I definitly saw worse of these kind of flicks.  But it is what you can expect from these Roger Corman movies that where strife in the 80s, and the "thigh fu" scene has to be seen to be believed.

 

Good fun, but don't expect high acting quality from this B-movie fantasy story! 

 

 

The Haul Report 436: beasties for Frostgrave and themepark exclusives

 So it's time for another instalment of The Haul Report, and let's have a look at the things added to the collections in the past weeks.

 

And now with the Frostgrave campaign kicked off, I took it upon myself to get (as much as possible) the Random Encounter table ready for next session, but first, something else on a figure level.

 

 

Purchases included an Illusionist and Apprentice blister.  While I'm playing a Witch in the current campaign, that remains my favorite school and will be using him probably in a solo campaign in the future! 

 

Efteling held a Pin Parade for it's 500th official pin, and thanks to Noshi's collegue I managed to obtain both the goodie bag with the pin, as well as the special book they released with all 500 numbered pins in.  

 

And the new Hooghmoed one just for completeness sake hehe. 

 

But there is more amusement park goodness, as we went for a 3 day trip to Disneyland Paris last weekend, where I grabbed some souvenirs.  Of course first and foremost a pin, this time a 2026 edition, for the pinboard of visited parks.  But I also grabbed one of those Grogu figures you can carry along on your shoulder, and a coin of Pirates of the Carribean.

 

And that's it for this episode, lots of themepark stuff for the collections, and some figures to keep me painting the next weeks.