Thursday, December 29, 2022

Wednesday, December 28, 2022

Sensei Starman Plays Sam & Max: The Devil's Playhouse - Part 9

In which Sam and Max (er Sameth and Maximus) begin to explore an ancient Egyptian tomb and fall prey to several curses. Get ready to watch a number of humorous deaths play out!

Monday, December 26, 2022

Sensei Starman Plays Sam & Max: The Devil's Playhouse - Part 8

In which we continue exploring Little Arctic Circle as Sam and Max's ancestors and switch the reels to see their adventures on a disoriented express train.

Friday, December 23, 2022

Thursday, December 22, 2022

Sensei Starman Plays Gotham Knights - Part 22

In which, after showing you how to keep unwanted people out of your game, we start dealing with the rest of the GCPD drones so we can start fast-traveling around the city.

Wednesday, December 21, 2022

Sensei Starman Plays Sam & Max: The Devil's Playhouse - Part 6

The thrilling finale of Chapter 1, in which we try to replay the opening of this chapter, but without the benefit of all the psychic powers Max had earlier. Wow!

Tuesday, December 20, 2022

Sensei Starman Plays Gotham Knights - Part 21

In which we start trying to take down the GCPD drone network before meeting with Rene Montoya, the one honest cop left in Gotham City. Well, the only honest cop willing to talk to us, at least.

Monday, December 19, 2022

Friday, December 16, 2022

Sensei Starman Plays Sam & Max: The Devil's Playhouse - Part 4

In which we start to learn the full scope of General Skun-ka'pe's plans and start working out a way to trap him in the Penal Zone. For real this time!

Thursday, December 15, 2022

Sensei Starman Plays Gotham Knights - Part 20

In which we contend with a kidnapping and a game crash, before focusing on hunting down all the hidden caches of Bat-Gear Bruce left behind.

Wednesday, December 14, 2022

Sensei Starman Plays Sam & Max: The Devil's Playhouse - Part 3

In which we (finally) enter into General Skun-ka'pe's ship and try to revive our psychic brain friend that we haven't actually befriended yet. We also start mastering Max's newfound ability to see the future and perverting this gift for our own amusement.

Tuesday, December 13, 2022

Sensei Starman Plays Gotham Knights - Part 19

In which we do more random street-cleaning missions and have another random person get into our game, somehow. (I eventually figured out the game defaults to you playing on-line.)

Monday, December 12, 2022

Sensei Starman Plays Sam & Max: The Devil's Playhouse - Part 2

In which, having completed the tutorial and exhausted all our conversation options with Max, we go pester the proprietors of Stinky's Diner before exploring our street and do everything we can to avoid getting down to the business of investigating General Skun-ka'pe, who is clearly up to no good! (We know that from the tutorial set IN THE FUTURE!)

Friday, December 9, 2022

Sensei Starman Plays Sam & Max: The Devil's Playhouse - Part 1

In which we start a new adventure and do battle with an awkward new interface while doing battle with the sinister General Skun-ka'pe.

 Also, Max has psychic powers now. Don't worry this will get explained. Eventually.

Wednesday, December 7, 2022

Sensei Starman Plays Sam & Max Beyond Time and Space - Part 26

The thrilling finale of Sam and Max Season 2, in which we face off with the Soda Poppers to reclaim the throne of Hell for Satan! Better the Devil you know, and all that...

Monday, December 5, 2022

Sensei Starman Plays Sam & Max Beyond Time and Space - Part 25

In which we set about thwarting the Soda Poppers scheme to become the new Lords of Hell... after shooting some rats. But they're evil rats, so that's okay!

Friday, December 2, 2022

Sensei Starman Plays Sam & Max Beyond Time and Space - Part 24

In which, having made Hell less efficient, we confront Satan and wind up trapping Sam in his own personal Hell. Naturally, Peepers is there.

This reveals the real dark power behind our recent troubles and sends us to the most depressing bachelor party in history.

Wednesday, November 30, 2022

Sensei Starman Plays Sam & Max Beyond Time and Space - Part 23

In which we set about freeing Santa, an Elf and Grandpa Stinky from Hell. We also send Timmy Two-Teeth to Hell. (Don't worry! He gets out! Eventually!)

Tuesday, November 29, 2022

Monday, November 28, 2022

Sensei Starman Plays Sam & Max Beyond Time and Space - Part 22

In which Sam and Max go to Hell. Literally. This leads to us interacting with some of the villains we've sent to their eternal punishment, as we try to figure out a way to free the relatively innocent people who have been sent to Hell because of us.

Thursday, November 24, 2022

Sensei Starman Plays Sam & Max Beyond Time and Space - Part 21

In which we begin Chapter Five, and discover the gates of Hell are under our street! Harry the Moleman has a new job as a Grim Reaper, but he seems pretty happy about it. Not that he gets in the way of our exploring the neighrborhood and seeing what the Hell (pun intended) is going on.

Wednesday, November 23, 2022

Sensei Starman Plays Gotham Knights - Part 13

In which we finally get past Mr. Freeze's henchmen only to run into another unbeatable nemesis - the clunky gliding controls, as we attempt the South Side Speed Challenge.

Tuesday, November 22, 2022

Sensei Starman Plays Sam & Max Beyond Time and Space - Part 20

The thrilling finale of Chapter 4! In which we wrestle control of the ship from the Mariachi by answering an important philosophical question. Also, stuff blows up!

Monday, November 21, 2022

Friday, November 18, 2022

Sensei Starman Plays Gotham Knights - Part 11

In which we return to the Belfry and level up, do some crafting and some training before heading out for another night and an emergency call at STAR Labs' Gotham branch.

Sensei Starman Plays Sam & Max Beyond Time and Space - Part 19

In which we finally pull Bosco together, only for him to fail to bring body and soul together. We also uncover the mystery of those birthday-loving mariachis that keep showing up for no apparent reason.

Tuesday, November 15, 2022

Sensei Starman Plays Sam & Max Beyond Time and Space - Part 18

In which we head into the not too distant future and continue futzing with the timeline trying to save the existence of the Bosco we know and... well, the Bosco we know.

Mind you, fixing things so Superball is his dad seems to be an improvement, but that's not for us to decide. Is it? No. No, I guess it is not.

Monday, November 14, 2022

Sensei Starman Plays Gotham Knights - Part 9

In which we take out a few more Freaks before breaking into Blackgate Penitentiary so we can see why Harley Quinn is so anxious to talk to Batman.

Friday, November 11, 2022

Sensei Starman Plays Gotham Knights - Part 8

In which we start a new night with a new costume, new weapons but the same old problems with getting around. We do, however, manage to complete Barbara's personal side-quest completely by accident, before beating up more Freaks and Mobsters, as you do.

Thursday, November 10, 2022

Sensei Starman Plays Sam & Max Beyond Time and Space - Part 17

In which our time-traveling brings us to Momma Bosco, the White House of JFK (where Agent Superball is still stopping us from going into the War Room) and Stinky's Diner back when Stinky was still stinking up the joint. We also get a disturbing look at Sam and Max as socially maladjusted and nerdy teenagers!
 
The horror... the horror...

Wednesday, November 9, 2022

Sensei Starman Plays Gotham Knights - Part 7

In which, after a brief meeting with Talia al Ghul, we return to The Belfry to end our first night of patrol with some crafting and analyzing the clues we've found.

Tuesday, November 8, 2022

Monday, November 7, 2022

Sensei Starman Plays Gotham Knights - Part 6

In which we continue our first night of patrol and have our first respawn after a group of random thugs decide to come chasing after Bat-Cycle. Still, we do manage to clean the streets up somewhat and get a fix on where we can have a chat with Talia Al Ghul.

Friday, November 4, 2022

Sensei Starman Plays Meteor Mess - The Michael and Syd Playthrough

In which, after a brief divergence to show the ending where Wendy gets her moment in the sun instead of Dave (well, almost), we play through the game with Michael the photographer and Syd the musician. The endings are pretty much the same, but the path to get to them quite different.

WARNING: This is a complete playthrough with SPOILERS on how to reach the end of the game with Michael and Syd!

Download Meteor Mess For Free At: https://www.meteormess.de/

Thursday, November 3, 2022

Sensei Starman Plays Gotham Knights - Part 5

In which, after training ourselves to better interrogate random thugs, we hit the streets to search for information and hit a lot more than streets.

We also beat up some random civilian totally by accident trying to interact with her and ponder where all these gangs buy the giant cages they use for holding hostages?

Wednesday, November 2, 2022

Sensei Starman Plays Meteor Mess - The Wendy and Bernard Playthrough

In which we play through Meteor Mess with the one team that actually requires Dave to do something useful, because Wendy is afraid of the Green Tentacle now. This allows us to show off multiple alternate endings, based around whether or not Dave dies, what happens when all your teens die at once and what happens if you don't beat the time clock at the end.

This also features the special Halloween 2022 Easter egg planted by the developers!

WARNING: This is a complete playthrough with SPOILERS on how to reach the end of the game with Wendy and Bernard!

Download Meteor Mess For Free At: https://www.meteormess.de/

Tuesday, November 1, 2022

Sensei Starman Plays Gotham Knights - Part 4

In which one mispressed button causes us to fail a stealth mission and then replay the last level a bit so that we can do it right. Featuring Talia al Ghul and the absolutely real destruction of Ra's Al Ghul's body.

Right. Sure. Absolutely. Totally buying it.

Monday, October 31, 2022

Sensei Starman Plays Meteor Mess - The Jeff Playthrough

In which I play through Meteor Mess - Vampyre Games' fan-made remake of Maniac Mansion. But this is no simple remake. Beyond rebuilding the Edison Mansion in 3D with full voice-acting, this game also adds new content, including a new pathway to beating the game that gives Jeff the Surfer Dude something to do besides fixing the phone!

WARNING: This is a complete playthrough with SPOILERS on how to reach the end of the game!

Download Meteor Mess For Free At: https://www.meteormess.de/


Friday, October 28, 2022

Sensei Starman Plays Return To Monkey Island - Part 20

Will Guybrush give in to sociopathic madness in pursuit of his quest? Will he discover the Secret of Monkey Island (TM)? Will it have been worth all the psychological trauma we've endured trying to solve these cursed puzzles? All will be revealed (mostly) in this, the thrilling conclusion of... RETURN TO MONKEY ISLAND (TM)!

Thursday, October 27, 2022

Wednesday, October 26, 2022

Sensei Starman Plays Return To Monkey Island - Part 19

In which we set about retrieving the final keys to the Secret of Monkey Island and enter into the fifth and final chapter of the game! Can you say cliffhanger ending?!?!

Tuesday, October 25, 2022

Sensei Starman Plays Gotham Knights - Part 2

In which we endure the first driving level and some unpleasant Arkham Knight flashbacks. Thankfully, we're soon free to peruse the files on the Bat Computer before going out on our first independent patrol in our fancy new Batgirl Beyond armor.

Monday, October 24, 2022

Sensei Starman Plays Return To Monkey Island - Part 18

In which, after revealing how we overlooked a few things in our exploration of Terror Island, we venture deep into the bowels of that hellish place and run into an old friend. We then set about getting three of the keys we need to unlock the safe containing THE SECRET OF MONKEY ISLAND (TM)!

Sunday, October 23, 2022

Sensei Starman Plays Gotham Knights - Part 1

In which we watch the opening cinematic, learn how Gotham City has become even worse than usual in the wake of Batman's death and play through the first tutorial level with Barbara Gordon aka Batgirl!

Friday, October 21, 2022

Wednesday, October 19, 2022

Monday, October 17, 2022

Sensei Starman Plays Return To Monkey Island - Part 15

In which, after a brief recap and bluffing our way through customs, we travel to the frozen island of Brrr Muda. It is here we find Stan, doing time in an ice quarry, and finally meet that mysterious lady from the cut scene and learn of the trials to become Queen of Brrr Muda.

Friday, October 14, 2022

Sensei Starman Plays Return To Monkey Island - Part 14

In which we finish re-exploring Melee Island and learn of the semi-secret order of fish story tellers known as the Chums. We then set sail for Scurvy Island - home to the largest lime crop in the Caribbean and our beloved Elaine!

Wednesday, October 12, 2022

Sensei Starman Plays Return To Monkey Island - Part 13

In which, after surviving the literal cliff-hanger ending of last chapter, we return to the earthquake-devastated Melee Island and begin the hunt for five golden keys that unlock the way to the Secret of Monkey Island. Naturally this hunt involves grabbing everything we can get our greasy mitts on.

Monday, October 10, 2022

Sensei Starman Plays Return To Monkey Island - Part 12

In which, after showing off a handy new game feature that reminds us of what we were doing if we hadn't played in a while and weren't sure which save file we needed to open, we start assembling a cryptic xylophone and begin a side quest to find out LeChuck's favorite dish, catch-phrase and theme song.

Friday, October 7, 2022

Sensei Starman Plays Return To Monkey Island - Part 11

In which, after seeing the secret ending of Return To Monkey Island in which you seriously die, we get back to the business of actually Returning to Monkey Island. Before we wander around our old digs picking up everything we can... which is mostly old skulls.

Wednesday, October 5, 2022

Sensei Starman Plays Return To Monkey Island - Part 10

In which we start trying to win over LeChuck's crew with various acts of skullduggery. And speaking of skullduggery, we finally get to shoot Murray out of the cannon! Huzzah!

Monday, October 3, 2022

Sensei Starman Plays Return To Monkey Island - Part 9

In which, after trying to drown ourselves for the sake of a silly achievement, we get back to the pressing business of making Murray into a pressed skull. This leads to an equally pressing need to get to know the other members of LeChuck's crew, so we can get them to vote for our plan to reach Monkey Island.

Sunday, October 2, 2022

Sensei Starman Plays Return To Monkey Island - Part 8

In which, after greasing our way out of LeChuck's hold, we start exploring the rest of the ship and trying to solve the problem of where to find a pressed skull and how we can press Murray into filling that role.

Saturday, October 1, 2022

Sensei Starman Plays Return To Monkey Island - Part 7

In which we engage in some creative larceny to steal a mystic eyepatch and some creative voodoo to charge it up. This takes us to the end of Act I and the start of Act II... where we are stuck in a hold with no obvious means of escape.

Wednesday, September 28, 2022

Sensei Starman Plays Return To Monkey Island - Part 6

In which, after admitting defeat and checking the in-game hintbook on how to write a proper apology for Carla, we venture to the Pirate History Museum and find it is full of all our old stuff. We then try and puzzle through understanding Wally's map, in search if the legendary mop handle tree of yore!

Friday, September 23, 2022

Sensei Starman Plays Return To Monkey Island - Part 5

In which, having bought everything of interest we can carry out of the Voodoo Lady's shop, we catch up with our old pal Wally, bust Otis out of jail and try to do the chef a solid in dealing with a difficult diner. Unfortunately, this does lead to our first major roadblock in the game, as I spend far too long trying to craft the perfect apology to Carla for losing one of her books.

Thursday, September 22, 2022

Sensei Starman Plays Return To Monkey Island - Part 4

In which we make our way back to the International House of Mojo to chat with the Voodoo Lady and get some guidance. Unfortunately, it seems that we have no option but to make our way onto the Ghost Pirate LeChuck's ship incognito and hope we can stage a mutiny. This requires we create a mop of our own, hewn from the magic wood of Melee Island itself!

(It sorta makes sense in context.)

Wednesday, September 21, 2022

Sensei Starman Plays Return To Monkey Island - Part 3

In which we start to explore Melee Town proper and run into some old friends at the town jail. We also meet the town's new locksmith, listen to the seemingly nonsensical ramblings of an old woman that will doubtlessly turn out to be important later and round the evening off with an encounter with our wife, Elaine, and the formerly Very Important Pirates.

Being A Hero - Thoughts On Cosplay And Doctor Who

Originally Posted on Superheroesque on Febrauary 19. 2014.

***

A couple of years ago, I was asked by a friend if I'd write something about cosplay for their blog. This led to my first and only appearance talking about cosplay at an Anime convention, which was a bit confusing as I hardly knew anything about Anime at the time and have yet to cosplay an Anime character.

Still, I recall being very proud of this piece at the time and being told more than a few people were moved to tears by it.

Naturally I never thought of republishing it on my personal site. Until now. Which was prompted by my finally getting around to listening to the audio book of Doctor Who: Scratchman by Tom Baker and being astonished that the final "PS From The Doctor" ended with the words "Mind you, if someone like me could get away with being the Doctor... Well, who's to say you can't too...?"

With that in mind, I delved into archive.org, recovered this lost text, and restored it here.

I dedicate this, with respect, to Tom Baker, for all the inspiration, and to anyone who ever donned a costume to make children smile.

Now read on...

***

Not too long ago, actor Tom Baker - most famous for playing The Doctor on Doctor Who - celebrated his 80th Birthday. On this occasion, he granted an interview where he spoke a bit about the role and the show. He said many interesting things (as he usually does in his interviews) but the one thing that stuck with me was that he stayed in the role as long as he did because of how happy it made him and how much he enjoyed “being a hero.”

I can relate. Because that is how I feel every time I am The Doctor.


It is worth noting at this point that I have never played The Doctor in any professional capacity. Nor, being an American and a Texan, am I ever likely to do so without the ravens leaving The Tower of London and King Arthur rising from the dead in response! But I have played The Doctor many a time in an amateur capacity, clad in a long coat and longer scarf.

I’ve managed this trick despite not looking very much like Tom Baker apart from having brown curly hair and a striking voice. He is tall. I am not. His eyes are bluish-grey and usually wide open. Mine are brownish-green and usually half-closed. And yet, for many young children at sci-fi conventions, I am The Doctor.

The first thing I learned being The Doctor is that you must always have a bag of Jelly Babies upon your person. Because it is certain that if you don’t offer them to everyone who recognizes you upon meeting them, they will ask if they might have one. And if you don’t have one to give them, you’d better have a good excuse why not. My best one is that convention security confiscated them AND my Jammie Dodgers thinking they were deadly weapons.

The second thing I learned about being The Doctor is that dressing in an outlandish and instantly recognizable outfit does little to dissuade parents that you are not a dangerous maniac when you offer their children strange candies. Until the first time I had a parent look nervous after I asked their toddler “Would you like a Jelly Baby?”, it had never occurred to me that I was doing precisely what we instruct young children to watch out for strangers doing. For all they knew, I might have a windowless white van instead of an old blue box!

After that, whenever a child asked me for a Jelly Baby, I’d smile and say “Thank you for asking so politely, but that’s up to your parents.” This worked quite well for a time. And yet no matter how well you plan these things you can still get thrown for a loop, as I was this past fall.

I was dressed as The Doctor at a shop in the Dallas/Fort Worth area - The British Emporium - which holds a yearly Doctor Who festival. There were two little girls who recognized me and shyly came up to me to say they liked my scarf. I thanked them and complemented their Dalek-knit caps, noting they did make me nervous until I remembered that Daleks weren’t that small.

The older of the two asked if she might have a jelly baby. Before I could get my line out, her mother - who was watching this from a distance - said “I’ve told you not to take candy from strangers!”

“He’s not a stranger! He’s The Doctor,” said the girl with all the gravity a pre-schooler could manage.

At that moment, I was both inspired and mortified in equal measure. I was touched that this girl could believe in me like that… even if the reward for that belief was free candy. And I was frightened as I pondered just how easily the monsters of this world could take that trust and abuse it.


(Photo Credit: BBC)

The Doctor could look like anyone, after all. And he’s turned to children for help before. How many children might be lured away from their homes by a cunning liar promising Jelly Babies and a quick trip around the universe? It’s a frightening thought and one that never entered my head until that moment. Because when you’re The Doctor, these things never enter your head. You’re so busy focusing on the smiles of the people and laughter of children around you that such things never occur to you.

This is why, I think, The Doctor becomes so very angry and very horrible whenever something takes him out of that place. Because he’d like nothing more than to just enjoy how wonderful the universe is yet can’t stand idle while bad things are happening. And that’s why he’s made it his business to be the thing that monsters everywhere have nightmares about.

I can’t make claims to such heroism in my occupation as a youth services librarian. I’ve never disabled a Dalek or stopped a Sontaran. But I have helped a boy hide from the father he wasn’t supposed to let pick him up from school. And I have confronted a patron who thought the best way to deal with a teen whose phone went off in the middle of the library was to slap the phone out of the young man’s hand then forcibly drag him to my desk.

Not exactly saving planets, admittedly. But I did help a boy to run from his monster. And I got another monster to see himself for what he was by politely but firmly pointing out that it’s generally unacceptable to strike and grapple a child that isn’t yours in full view of 20 people in the middle of a library that is two minutes away from the nearest police station.

Most afternoons I run an after-school program that gives the local teens a place to get away from their problems for an hour or two. It’s not a ride on the TARDIS, but it gets the job done most of the time. When it doesn’t, I can be that one other thing a lot of kids don’t have - an adult who will listen. Not advise. Not lecture. Not preach. Just listen.

Because that’s the final thing I learned by being The Doctor. It’s that while there are monsters in this world and they can look like anyone, there are also heroes. And like The Doctor, they can look like anyone. So anyone could be The Doctor. Anyone could be a hero. Even you.

Tuesday, September 20, 2022

Sensei Starman Plays Return To Monkey Island - Part 2

In which we Return To Melee Island!

(Okay. That doesn't sound as impressive.)

Still, we check out several of our old haunts, catch up with some old acquittances and start scrounging up the cash and a ship for a trip to Monkey Island.

Monday, September 19, 2022

Sensei Starman Plays Return To Monkey Island - Part 1

In which we... Return To Monkey Island!

Well, the Monkey Island series, at any rate.


Actually, we return to the end of Monkey Island 2: LeChuck's Revenge, after a quick flip through Guybrush Threepwood's scrapbook. It isn't clear what's going on, but that's par for the course in a Monkey Island game.

At any rate, hijinks ensue and we get a chance to know the new interface.

SEE THE EARLY ADVENTURES OF GUYBRUSH AND SENSEI STARMAN!

LET'S PLAY: THE SECRET OF MONKEY ISLAND

LET'S PLAY: MONKEY ISLAND 2: LECHUCK'S REVENGE

LET'S PLAY MONKEY ISLAND 3: THE CURSE OF MONKEY ISLAND

Sunday, September 18, 2022

Starman Plays Sam & Max Beyond Time and Space - Part 15

In which we fight to get our souls back and save the world. But first we have to make the perfect man for Sibyl and try to convince him that Sibyl will be the prefect bride. Ah love!

Saturday, September 17, 2022

Starman Plays Sam & Max Beyond Time and Space - Part 14

In which, in defiance of traditional Lucasfilm Game rules, Sam and Max die! But you can't keep our heroes down for long. Unfortunately, being zombies does make our vampire slaying efforts a bit more difficult, but we still find a way to protect our neighborhood and help Sibyl in her quest to find the perfect man.

Friday, September 16, 2022

Starman Plays Sam & Max Beyond Time and Space - Part 13

In which we confront the mastermind behind the zombie apocalypse and start to work on a plan that will make the vampiric prince of darkness lose his cool. This requires us dropping some mad beats and returning to our careers as the stars of Midtown Cowboys. (Remember that?!)

Thursday, September 15, 2022

Starman Plays Sam & Max Beyond Time and Space - Part 12

In which we seek out the zombie factory and the mastermind of the evil undead plot... after pestering Stinky and playing the latest COPS mini-game, of course! This time it's a thinly veiled tribute to Paperboy... with zombies!

Wednesday, September 14, 2022

The Flash Episode Guide: Season 8, Episode 20 - Negative, Part 2

For a summary of the episode guide layout & categories, click here.

Plot

With Barry having suffered a major loss, the team rally around him in the darkest hour yet.

Influences

The Flash
comics of Joshua Williamson. 


Flash Facts

This is the last episode to feature Jesse L. Martin as a series regular.

With this episode, The Flash surpassed Arrow as having the most episodes of any Arrowverse series.

Reportedly, this was originally planned to be the series finale, but a new ending was written when the series was renewed for Season 9.

Impulse describes a situation as "all aster, no dis." This is a nod to Young Justice, where the young heroes routinely took apart words, such as when Robin wondered why people were overwhelmed or underwhelmed but never just whelmed.

The flash forward at the end of the episode takes place on June 29, 2049. This episode originally aired on June 29, 2022.

The blue crystal in the future shown in the final scene may be a nod to the villain Cobalt Blue - a Flash villain from the comics with connections to both the Allen and Thawne families.


Technobabble

Barry plans to enter the Negative Speed Force by using a concentrated blast of dark matter and negatively-charged lightning in conjunction with his tachyon harness.

Chester reports detecting a huge influx of negative kinetic tachyons right before the Reverse-Flash appears in downtown Central City. He later detects negative kinetic isotopes with temporal, geothermic, and electric chemical readings, corresponding to the effects of the other Forces.


Dialogue Disasters

Impulse: (on seeing Reverse-Flash's new costume) Who's his new tailor? Satan? 


Continuity

The reborn Reverse-Flash confirms that the Negative Forces brought him back to serve as the Negative Speed Force avatar, due to them being too weak to function without a fourth member of their circle.

Barry tries to kill the Reverse-Flash, but is stopped by XS and Impulse.

Barry finally relents on killing Reverse-Flash when XS and Impulse point out that if they're still alive, Iris couldn't have died yet. (Or that there's still a chance of fixing the timeline.)

Barry plans to go into the Negative Speed Force, theorizing it is the only place Thawne could hide from him after Chester can't find any sign of him on Earth-Prime.

Barry continues to insist that he felt Iris die and that he can't feel their connection anymore. He also fears she may have been erased from reality completely but the changes haven't caught up with them yet.

Iris wakes up in the same empty space dimension from 805 and is greeted by a remnant of Damien Darhk's memories.

Meena volunteers to use her powers to give Barry the Negative Speed Force charge he needs to enter the Negative Speed Force.

Cecile tells Barry she can feel him radiating anger.

Cecile suddenly feels an intense sensation of frustration, right before having a vision of Bashir (aka Psych) the Sage Force Avatar.

Cecile believes Bashir wants her to find him and the other Positive Force Avatars.

The Negative Force avatars take the Reverse-Flash into a space resembling the Reverse-Flashpoint from 804.

The Negative Forces reveal that Eobard Thawne did not tap into the Negative Speed Force with his machine.  The Negative Force tapped him, choosing him as an avatar because it fed off of his hatred for Barry Allen to empower itself.

Damien confirms that the Negative Forces used Iris as an incubator to create a new Negative Speed Force, in much the same way Barry and Iris' love allowed the Speed Force to be reborn.

Damien explains that the Time Stone he gave Joe acted to save Iris, because she wasn't meant to die at this point in time and that there's something important she's meant to do in the future.

Meena almost destroys her Artificial Negative Speed Force trying to give Barry a jump-start. Barry persuades her to charge herself up so that she can give her power to him.

Joe West is shown at his home, praying for Iris to return home safe, when the Jay and Joan Garrick of 2049 show up. They explain that they followed Iris' particle trail across time to Joe's house. This eventually leads them to the Time Stone, which Jay recognizes, having heard about it in his travels.

With the reluctant help of Queen and Top, Cecile attempts to make contact with Psych. He appears briefly and confirms that the time sickness that infected Iris and Deon Owens spread to the Sage Force and Strength Force.

Psych also explains that he saw potential in Cecile and opened the floodgates in her mind. This caused her to steal the powers of Queen and Top by accident.

Barry travels into the Negative Speed Force and confronts the other Negative Forces.

The Negative Forces explain that Barry disrupted the cosmic balance in 805 when he depowered the Reverse-Flash instead of allowing him to be erased from existence. Before that, they had no idea it was possible to upend the balance in such a fashion, This gave them the idea do the same thing, but to their benefit, turning the Reverse-Flash into an avatar of all the Negative Forces.

The Reverse-Flash dons a new black version of his original costume when he returns to Central City.

Damien Darhk gives Iris a pep-talk, telling her that she is a survivor who is too stubborn to die and that even if the spark between her and Barry is dead, it can still be reignited.

Reverse-Flash hits Impulse with lightning and sends him back in time a billion years.

Using the Psych mask, Cecile is able to transfer her power to Bashir. This somehow allows him to heal the rest of the Positive Forces.

The Positive Forces Show up and give their power to Barry, giving him the chance to fight Reverse-Flash evenly.

Iris reappears at Joe's house.

Barry is able to hold his own against Reverse-Flash, but the two of them wielding all the Forces is threatening to destroy Central City, if not all of reality.

Jay runs Iris to the battle so that Barry can see she is alive.

Instead of fighting Reverse-Flash, Barry meditates on maintaining everything. 

Reverse-Flash burns himself out trying to summon more power to destroy Barry.

Barry uses all the power he has to restore things so his children and Meena return.  

The universe rights itself after.

Chester confirms that Barry's extra Force powers are gone and that Iris' time sickness is cured.

Gideon confirms there are no more Eobard Thawne remnants anywhere in the timeline.

Jay, Joan, XS and Impulse return to 2049.

Meena confirms the BLOC is no longer working and that she's lost her powers.

Barry and Iris give Meena the yellow tie worn by the reformed Eobard Thawne she loved.

Barry and Meena both offer each other help with whatever they might need help with in the future.

The Top and Queen are both confirmed to have their powers back, with The Queen being locked up in Iron Heights again.

Cecile is revealed to have developed telekinetic powers.

Allegra, Chester and Cecile decide to collective call themselves Team Badass.

The Flash reunites Tinya Wazoo and her mother Renee. 

The cryonic chamber Chillblaine build malfunctions. He tries to take Caitlin Snow out of it, but is confronted by someone he doesn't recognize. She has the same voice as Caitlin and Frost, and introduces herself as "A friend, I think."

Barry and Iris enjoy a quiet night in, but Iris worries that the Negative Speed Force will find another avatar to replace Thawne.


Location

Central City - June 29, 2049


The Bottom Line

A messy end to a messy season. The best that can be said is that it does tie up all the loose ends except for what is happening to Caitlin and Frost. (This was likely due to the need to work around Danielle Panabaker's second pregnancy.) Hopefully Season 9 can give the series and the Arrowverse a proper ending.

Tuesday, September 13, 2022

Starman Plays Sam & Max Beyond Time and Space - Part 11

In which we start in medias res with Sam and Max in the clutches of a vampiric villain and flashback to before they got in this mess. Said mess involves a zombie apocalypse and something strange in the neighborhood. Unfortunately, they call the Freelance Police instead of the Ghostbusters.

Superman and Lois: Season 2, Episode 15 - Waiting For Superman

For a summary of the episode guide layout & categories, click here.


Plot

The two Earths are merging and only Superman can stop it, yet he's been left powerless by Ally Allston. Only a miracle can save the world now, but will it come in time? Or will others rise up to save the day?


Influences

Superman: Our Worlds At War
, The Final Night (Superman entering the sun to kickstart his powers) and Superman: Miracle Monday


Goofs

The episode doesn't make it clear what happened to Jon-El and Lana-Rho after their capture in the last episode. If they are locked up on the normal Earth, why doesn't it pain Jonathan Kent and Lana Lang? (Perhaps John Henry Irons got his device from 211 working?) Alternatively, they could have been sent back to Bizarro world, but then why wouldn't they separate the two Allys?

The revelation that Superman and Lois is not set on Earth-Prime and that there are no other superheroes creates something of a plot hole regarding John Diggle's cameo appearance in 112, where he mentions "...Doppelgangers, other worlds, glowing boxes, losing the people I love..." as well as someone named Oliver saying Superman is the best we have. (This could be a different Oliver than Oliver Queen, or the Oliver Queen of this world is an ARGUS agent rather than a vigilante.) 


Performances

With this episode, Tyler Hoechlin establishes himself as the Superman of a generation.


Artistry

The special effects work is fantastic all around as the worlds merge and shift at random, but the battle between Superman and Parasite is bar none the best use of CGI in the Arrowverse ever.


Super Trivia

The episode title comes from a song recorded by Daughtry in 2013. It is not to be confused with the similarly titled Flaming Lips song "Waitin' For A Superman.

The biggest revelation to come out of this episode was that it revealed that Superman and Lois is set on an alternate Earth apart from Arrowverse Earth-Prime and that Superman is the only superhero on it.

Chrissy Beppo's message, as relayed by the Department of the Defense, is almost a word for word copy of the episode's official synopsis as released by The CW.

Lana references Superman's revised motto in the comics from 2021 onwards: "Truth, Justice and a Better Tomorrow." Beyond referencing Superman's original nom de plume as "The Man of Tomorrow," the change also reflected Superman's status as a global hero rather than a purely American one.

The day Superman defeated Ally Allston is declared Miracle Monday. This was the name of a classic Superman novel written by Elliot S! Maggin. The story features Superman fighting a being of pure chaos, winning by virtue of simple goodness and establishes the titular holiday as being held on the third Monday of every May in the DC Universe.

This became the last episode of the series to feature Jordan Elsass as Jonathan Kent. He stepped down from the role between seasons, due to unspecified health issues.

John Diggle makes mention of Intergang and Bruno Mannheim. In the Superman comics, Intergang is a criminal group that makes use of advanced alien technology in their crimes. Bruno Mannheim is their leader. It is suspected that he will be the chief villain of Season 3.


Technobabble

General Lane makes reference to a DoD program that used bufotoxin secreted by toads as part of an experiment.

John Henry's plan is to explode X-Kryptonite inside the void between worlds, using it to destroy the portal to Bizarro World.

Natalie suggests that instead, the transfer the power of their suits into the pod and use that to disrupt the portal.


Dialogue Triumphs

Chrissy: With the authorization of the Department of Defense, today I can relay to you, not only is the merging of the planets real, it is happening, and Ally Allston, or whoever she is now that she and her Bizarro self are one, is responsible. If Ally succeeds in merging these two worlds, each of us will be forced against our will to merge with our other selves, turning us into... I don't know what. And I can also confirm that for the first time in 20 years we can't wait for Superman to save us. Our world's hero is now powerless because of this parasite twin. So I urge everyone watching this video, please stay home, be with your loved ones, and pray for a miracle. 

Superman: How do we stop Ally?
Tal-Rho: Well, brother, we aren't going to stop her. I am.
Superman: Tal, she drained me of all my energy, nearly killed me. I don't know that you alone is gonna be enough.
Tal-Rho: Perhaps, but what other choice do we have? Brother, for years I've watched you do things no other hero is capable of. It's rather inspired me to have a go myself.
Superman: So this time last year, you were trying to destroy the world, and now you're fighting for it.
Tal-Rho: I'm not fighting for the world, Kal. I'm fighting for you. You and your family. The only people on this planet that truly matter to me.

Sam Lane: Boys! I've been working for the DOD for a long time. I've seen things you would not believe. Glimpses of other worlds and the leagues of superheroes they have on them. And even though we only have your father on this planet, thank God that we do, because he's the finest of any Earth. So don't go losing hope yet. I sure as hell haven't. Your mother hasn't and I guarantee you, neither has Superman. 

Superman: Have some more.


Continuity

Chrissy is allowed to broadcast the truth about Superman being depowers and the worlds merging.

Kyle Cushing disappears as the worlds start to merge.

Lana takes her daughters to look for Kyle.

Superman says that he's never encountered something like this in his career. This is another major clue that the events of Crisis on Infinite Earths didn't take place in this reality.

Natalie's tablet begins beeping as the worlds start merging.

Natalie picks up a signal from John Henry and guesses that he is in the void between worlds. She makes out enough to hear him say he needs her escape pod.

Tal-Rho shows up for the first time since 212, having also been transported to Bizarro World. He says that since Superman is powerless, he figured he might be needed and possibly welcomed.

Lois is left behind on Bizarro World after the rest of her family is sent back to their Earth.

Sam Lane finds Lois, having been left on Bizarro World after his jeep disappeared while he was driving to the Kent Farm.

Sam and Lois go searching for Bizarro Chrissy Beppo, after Lois remembers that she helped Anderson find Bizarro Lois in 210.

Bizarro Lois appears on the regular Earth, which Natalie takes as a sign that she needs to help her father.

Jordan and Jonathan both acknowledge Natalie as part of their family and she says she liked having brothers.

Superman says that one year has passed since Tal-Rho tried to take over their Earth.

Tal-Rho goes after Ally, but she is too much for him.

Jordan saves Tal-Rho from falling. He thanks him and says he is in his debt.

Superman says the only one who can stop Ally at this point his him.

Superman asks Tal-Rho to throw him into the sun, hoping it will kick-start his powers again.

Superman affirms that Lois is the smartest person in the Kent family.

Natalie transports her pod into the Shuster Mines and through the portal into the void.

Lana discovers that Kyle vanished along with Mitch and Fuller from some of the other fire-fighters.

Lana tells the fire-fighters to go home and stay with their families rather than try and keep the peace in Smallville.

Sam and Lois find the Bizarro Chrissy, but she vanishes just as they start communicating.

Planes around the world start crashing as their pilots are sent to the other Earth.

Kyle finds Lois.

John Henry is in the middle of recording a final message for Natalie when she finds him. Unfortunately, she missed a part of his message - the one where he asked her to use the escape pod to bring him as much X-Kryptonite as possible.

Natalie and John Henry use their suits to try and disrupt the portal with an energy wave unleashed by the escape pod, even though this will leave them trapped in the void.

Kyle thinks that being taken from his family is karma for his cheating on Lana.

Kyle disappears after Lois tells him that she doesn't believe that.

Sam Lane goes back to Earth and finds Jonathan and Jordan after the latest world shift. They tell him about Clark's plan to kick-start his powers.

Sam Lane tells his grandsons that he and Superman have seen other worlds and the leagues of superheroes that exist on them. He also confirms Superman is the only superhero on their Earth. This proves conclusively that Superman and Lois is not set on Earth-Prime.

Superman's plan to be supercharged by going into the sun works.

Natalie and John Henry tell one another that they are their personal heroes, as they disrupt the portal.

Superman saves John Henry and Natalie from Ally.

The submarine with Superman saved in 201 crashes near the Kent farm as a side-effect of the Earths demerging.

Superman defeats Ally Allston by giving her more energy than she can absorb. This causes the two Allys to demerge.

Natalie and John Henry catch the Allys, as Superman demerges the Earths with a solar flare release of all the energy he absorbed.

A holiday is established in honor of Superman saving the world, called Miracle Monday.

Clark apologizes to Lana for not being there when she was running for Mayor. He also promises to be completely honest with her from now on about his life.

Lois says she needs to tell Chrissy the truth about Clark. Chrissy takes this to mean that Clark lied on his resume about working places beyond The Daily Planet. Instead, Lois tells her that Clark is Superman.

Lois apologizes for lying to Chrissy in the past, but says if they are going to be partners on the paper they will need to be able to trust each other completely.

Jonathan Kent is shown with Candice Pergande, with the implication they are dating again.

Sarah and Jordan make-up, agreeing to reset, be honest and talk to each other about their feelings as they figure out where they stand. Jordan apologizes for not telling her about his powers. She apologies for not talking about her kissing a girl at summer camp.

Kyle asks Lana to dance at the celebration. She turns him down and says she isn't there yet and doesn't think she ever will be. He accepts that.

Both Ally Allstons are revealed to be in DoD custody, kept in the same cell.

Lois interviews Ally to ask if she ever did get the "complete" feeling she was looking for while she was merged. It turns out she didn't.

Jonathan is still working at the general store and has to wear an apron to work.

Tal-Rho has matching work trucks delivered to the Kent farm as gifts to his nephews, with a card saying they came from "Uncle Tal." 

Tal-Rho is revealed to have made his way to Bizzaro World, figuring that it needs a hero now that its Superman and Tal-Rho are dead.

John Henry Irons meets with John Diggle, who last appeared in 112.

Diggle reveals that Bruno Mannheim, the head of Intergang, killed the John Henry Irons of this Earth and that he is investigating why.

Sam takes Lucy on a trip to Metropolis.

Clark takes the rest of the family on an ocean trip, where he build a new Fortress of Solitude using a crystal to create an island. He says that this one, however, will be a lair for the entire family.


Location

Bizarro World


Untelevised Adventures

At some point in the past, both Superman and General Lane worked with the superheroes of other Earths.


The Bottom Line

A fantastic episode, which has the unfortunate effect of starting to shut the door on the Arrowverse.  With Superman and Lois established as its own beast and The Flash's upcoming season 9 confirmed as its last, there's a sad sense of ennui to the episode despite the hopeful ending. Hopefully this will be the start of something big, much like how Arrow progressed from a Smallville spin-off into a fresh start for superhero television.

Friday, September 9, 2022

Starman Plays Sam & Max Beyond Time and Space - Part 10

In which, having finally entered the lost, forbidden Cave of Mystery (TM), we discover an equally lost underground city and set about proving to the wholesome and hapless sea monkeys that Max is their prophesized god before they kill us at sundown. No pressure.

Tuesday, September 6, 2022

Starman Plays Sam & Max Beyond Time and Space - Part 9

In which we continue exploring Rapa Nui and discover what happened to Amelia Earhart and D.B. Cooper. We also find Glenn Miller, for some reason. All of this sets up our finding a way to manipulate the Fountain of Youth, all so we can get past Jimmy Hoffa. (Yes. He is here too.)

Friday, September 2, 2022

Starman Plays Sam & Max Beyond Time and Space - Part 8

In which we learn of a prophecy of great import that requires us to save the world. And not get paid. But rather than seek out the mystic cave that is said to be impossible to find, we head back to our neighborhood and play the latest COPS mini-game.

Tuesday, August 30, 2022

Starman Plays Sam & Max Beyond Time and Space - Part 7

In which we start Episode 2 and try to save Sibyl from a rogue Bermuda Triangle. Right after we pester everyone else in the neighborhood, of course.

Sunday, August 28, 2022

Wednesday, August 24, 2022

Starman Plays Sam & Max Beyond Time and Space - Part 5

In which, after catching up with Sybil and Lincoln's stone head, we rig a trivia contest and get ready to rid Santa of a sinister demonic influence. Shame we misread a certain situation entirely and now must appease the Spirits of Christmas in order to save the world.

Friday, August 19, 2022

Tuesday, August 16, 2022

Starman Plays Sam & Max Beyond Time and Space - Part 3

In which we head home in search of four mint-condition Horseman of the Apocalypse action figures. Oddly enough, they seem to be close at hand, but before we can nab them we have to play a few mini-games, boxing rats and running over Torture-Me-Elmer dolls.

It makes sense in context!

Thursday, August 11, 2022

Starman Plays Sam & Max Beyond Time and Space - Part 2

In which our investigation reveals that Santa Claus is out to kill us. This sets up a trip to the North Pole, where we run into some old "friends:" before we start grabbing everything that isn't nailed down. Well, this IS an adventure game, after all.

Tuesday, August 9, 2022

Starman Plays Sam & Max Beyond Time and Space - Part 1

In which we embark on a new adventure with the Freelance Police and match wits with a killer kaiju robot! But first we have to go through the tutorial. Well, we don't HAVE to, but we do!

Thursday, August 4, 2022

Starman Plays TMNT: Shredder's Revenge - Part 8

The thrilling finale, in which we fight a robotic Statue of Tyranny AND the mutated Super Shredder! And as an extra added bonus, we replay the first level with a super secret character you don't unlock until you beat the game once!

Tuesday, August 2, 2022

Thursday, July 28, 2022

Starman Plays TMNT: Shredder's Revenge - Part 6

Did you like our trip through the ruins of the Technodrome last time? I hope so... because we're about to replay that level twice trying to get the achievements we missed out on the first time!

Tuesday, July 26, 2022

Starman Plays TMNT: Shredder's Revenge - Part 5

In which we take on the factory making all the Mousers, before taking a jump into Dimension X and the ruins of the Technodrome!

Friday, July 22, 2022

Starman Plays TMNT: Shredder's Revenge - Part 4

In which we take the fight with the Foot Clan to Coney Island , continuing to let April vent some long restrained frustration on the idiots who have been taking her hostage for all these years.

Tuesday, July 19, 2022

Starman Plays TMNT: Shredder's Revenge - Part 3

Damsel in distress? Ha!

The shoe is on the other foot in this chapter, as we tackle Level 6 as April O'Neil and then slip on the robe of Master Splinter for Level 7. We then give April a chance to take to the air on a flying skateboard for Level 8.

Thursday, July 14, 2022

Starman Plays TMNT: Shredder's Revenge - Part 2

In which we show off how to play as Donatello and Raphael, as we chase Bebop and Rocksteady only for the two to get captured by a different gang of disagreeable mutants right before the inevitable sewer level. (Yes, I know the turtles live in a sewer, but even then all video games have to have at least one sewer level!)

Tuesday, July 12, 2022

Starman Plays TMNT: Shredder's Revenge - Part 1

In which we hit the mean streets of New York City (and hundreds of Foot Clan robots) as we play through the first two levels as Leonardo and Michelangelo.

Sunday, July 10, 2022

Starman Plays Sam and Max Save The World - Part 25

The final chapter! Will Max subdue his stomach? Will Hugh Bliss establish his multicolor monarchy? Wil Sam and Max SAVE THE WORLD?! (Well, I hope so. The title would be really anticlimactic and ironic if they did not.)

Saturday, July 9, 2022

Starman Plays Sam and Max Save The World - Part 24

In which, after helping the giant stone head of Lincoln to make a love connection and gaining the mystic power to make people vomit (something I think Max already has), we set about confronting Hugh Bliss only to have to find a way to help Max bring Body, Mind and Soul back together. Or Stomach, Tail and Gun-Hand, but close enough!

 

Wednesday, June 29, 2022

The Flash Episode Guide: Season 8, Episode 19 -- Negative, Part 1

 For a summary of the episode guide layout & categories, click here.

Plot

Team Flash go into the fight of their lives, as Iris discovers the true cause of her time sickness. 

Influences

The Flash
comics of Joshua Williamson. 


Goofs


It's weird that nobody at STAR Labs in 2022 didn't check Iris to see if she had negative tachyons in her system after all the work they've done previously with tachyons and negative tachyons.


Performances

Matt Letscher and Kausar Mohammed have great chemistry together as Eobard and Meena.


Artistry

The effects for the fight between the three speedsters and the Negative Force Hosts are good.


Flash Facts

The video game which Impulse and XS play as the episode opens feature a race of squid/clam warriors known as the Klamulons. In Young Justice, the Klamulons are a fictional alien race in the fictional television series Space Trek 3016.

Chester is able to briefly trap the Negative Strength Force host using an inverse energy trap that generates a stronger force field the more power is thrown against it. This is similar to the technology used by the hero Rocket in Milestone Media's superhero universe. 


Technobabble

As of this episode, Mena's top speed is Mach 1.78, which is double her last recorded speed. She tries to push herself to Mach 2, but her heart gives out.

The satellites at STAR Labs can detect major temporal isotopic energy surges.

Chester can't track Deon using STAR Labs isotopic sensor.

The pod Chillblaine designed uses cerebral circuitry that should stimulate, and then reactivate Frost's residual subconscious left inside Caitlin's mind. Once that is done, they can work on creating a new body for her.

Chester uses an inverse energy trap to contain the Negative Strength Force.


Dialogue Triumphs

(Barry has revealed his secret identity to Meena.)
Meena:
So the fastest man alive is a badge with a day job? That's so... Ordinary.
Barry: Yeah, that's my point. You'd be surprised at people's capacity to rise up and help others during a crisis. They just need to be given the opportunity. That suit, that's your opportunity. I think you're gonna be surprised at how well it fits, but you have to give yourself the chance.


Continuity

As the episode opens, XS and Impulse are playing video games together in 2049. XS is naturally talented at the game, to Impulse's disappointment.

Impulse tries to lie to Iris about studying for midterms, but she sees through his deception.

By 2049, Iris has won two Pulitzer Prizes for her reporting.

Iris called to ask Nora to write a follow up to her last article, but suddenly fades out of existence on the phone.

Just after the older Iris vanishes, the 2022 Iris appears in the loft apartment.

Iris says the last thing she remembers is being in her office with Taylor. This occurred in 814.

The 2049 Barry is said to be off world with Jay Garrick.

XS tries to run Iris back to 2022, but a barrier prevents her from doing so. She recognizes the particles that she runs into as being part of the Still Force and thinks that Deon is trying to keep Iris in the future, for some reason.

Back in 2022, Chester and Barry have made a superhero costume for Meena, modeled on the Flash suit, but in black. Like Barry's suit, her costume has sensors that allow her vitals to be tracked at STAR Labs.

Meena doubts that she'll ever be a hero.

Barry reveals his secret identity to Meena and tells her that if someone ordinary like him can help people, so can a genius like her.

Meena struggles with an idea for a superhero name. Barry suggests Fast Track, like her lab.

On Lian Yu, Deon uses his powers to kill the Reverse Flash, seemingly aging him to death in seconds.

Barry runs to Lian Yu after Chester detects a major energy surge there.

Cisco installed a secure comm link on Lian Yu after the last time Barry visited there in 818.

Barry discovers what is left of the Reverse Flash.

Joe discovers that Cecile was patrolling the streets as a superhero. He is upset because she lied about working late.

Cecile says she can now induce vertigo in people, like The Top.

The Top is confirmed to be the figure who was watching Cecile in 818.

Cecile reveals that she got the idea that she could temporarily borrow the mental powers of nearby psychic metahumans.

The Top says it is not temporary and Cecile stole her powers outright.

Joe calls in a favor with Chief Singh to get two visitor passes to the metahuman wing of Iron Heights to test the theory that is why Cecile had done.

In 2049, Jay's wife, Dr. Joan Williams, confirms that the cause of Iris time sickness is her body being flooded with negative tachyons.

Iris has a vison of the Force Hosts - Deon, Bashir and Alexa - but they seem different some how.

XS tries to go back in time to get the 2022 Barry, while Impulse stays behind to protect Iris.

Meena is continuing to push herself harder, despite Eobard telling her she's risking her life doing it.

Deon, Bashir and Alexa appear to Meena and Eobard, saying they've come to kill him.

Deon, Bashir and Alexa claim to be incarnations of the Negative Still Force, Negative Sage Force and Negative Strength Force. They claim to be manifestations of "the true Forces of the universe, ones written in darkness" and say they have come to kill Eobard, the last variant of Eobard Thawne in the timeline, so that he can fulfil his purpose. 

The Negative Force Hosts are responsible for the disappearance of the regular Force Hosts, including Speed Force Nora.

When Eobard asks why they are trying to kill him he is told that he is "not the Avatar" and that his being here makes the Negative Forces weaker.

The Negative Force Hosts also tell Barry that he will pay for what he did.

XS arrives in 2022 at STAR Labs.

Back at Caitlin's apartment, Caitlin and Chillblaine have finished work on the pod he designed.

When XS asks why there is no Negative Speed Force Nora, Barry guesses that he might have erased her from existence when he broke the connection between Reverse-Flash and the Negative Speed Force. He guesses that maybe they think killing all the Thawnes will somehow bring back the Negative Speed Force.

Barry sends XS back to 2049 to help Impulse protect Iris.

STAR Labs detects massive energy spokes of three isotopic energy masses - Electrochemical, Temporal and Geothermal - the energies controlled by the Sage, Still and Strength forces respectively. 

Cecile and Top confront Queen of the Royal Flush Gang (i.e. Mona) while she is in custody.

Cecile steals Queen's telepathic powers and is able to read the mind of every person in Cenrtal City, despite being in a meta-dampened prison cell.

Meena continues to push herself because she's afraid of letting Eobard down.

Eobard says that Meena makes him proud and that he loves how she's using the gift she wanted to give him to help others.

Barry says he thinks he knows a way that Meena can share her power with Thawne, using the connection they share through their love for each other.

Barry gives Eobard a ring containing the Reverse-Flash costume.

Cecile, Allegra and Chester work together to try and delay the Negative Force Hosts as Barry tries to help Meena empower Thawne.

The Negative Still Force sends Cecile, Allegra and Chester away.

In 2049, Iris has more time visions, saying that she can see things changing, but not with any clarity.

Iris goes back to 2022 to see what is happening, arriving just as Barry is trying to throw lightning at the Negative Force Hosts. This seems to kill Iris, who vanishes in a puff of green particles.

The Reverse-Flash with the face or Harrison Wells emerges from the body of Eobard Thawne, after ripping himself out of it.


Location

Central City - 2049
Lian Yu - 2022


The Bottom Line

A bit of a mess, all over. Nobody was clamoring for the Force Avatars to return, and their evil twins are even more shallow and nonsensical somehow. One suspects the story doesn't really make sense and there's way too many subplots that don't go anywhere. Maybe the ending can make this worth it, but I doubt it.

Starman Plays Sam and Max Save The World - Part 23

In which we discover Sibyl's new career and Bosco's latest (and most disturbing) disguise, as we catch up on events in the neighborhood before returning to the moon and meeting a bunch of oddly familiar Prismatologists in Hugh Bliss' secret elite retreat.

Tuesday, June 28, 2022

Superman and Lois: Season 2, Episode 14 - Worlds War Bizarre

For a summary of the episode guide layout & categories, click here.


Plot

Strange things begin to occur as Ally Allson's plan to merge Earth-Prime and Bizarro World rolls out. With Superman powerless, John Henry and Natalie Irons throw themselves into the task of understanding how Ally's powers work and finding a way to counter them. Meanwhile, Chrissy and Lois threaten to go public with the truth about the worlds merging, as Lana tries to keep the peace in Metropolis.


Influences

Superman: Our Worlds At War
(partial title lift, idea of war between two planets)


Goofs

Why does merging Earth-Prime and Bizarro World change the sun? Is Ally merging whole dimensions rather than just a single planet? 


Performances

Tyler Hoechlin gets some of his best Superman speeches ever in this episode.


Artistry

The fight between Jordan and Natalie against Jon-El and Lana-Rho is fantastic.


Super Trivia

John enables something called the Vaporlock Protocol to prevent Natalie from following after him into the space between worlds. In the comics, Vaporlock was one of the codenames used by Natasha Irons as a superhero.


Technobabble

John Henry and Natalie guess that Ally can absorb energy from anything she connects with physically, based on the fact that his suit has no loose wires, no effective diodes and that his shields were up and running and yet somehow she was still able to stop his hammer and drain power from his suit.

The Lara hologram confirms that Clark's cells have been damaged and until they heal it will limit his ability to absorb solar energy at the rate to which he's accustomed. 

The DoD cover story for the double sun, also known as a parhelion, is an optical illusion caused by sunlight refracting off atmospheric ice particles.

John Henry determines that the red sun of Bizarro World outputs less than 3% of the total solar radiance of the yellow sun of Earth-Prime. However, that output is growing fast, as the sun phase-shifts into Earth-Prime's dimension. 

John Henry and Natalie believe the merging of people is a complete subatomic recombination.


Dialogue Triumphs

Sam: Clark. Clark. Hey. You gotta stop beatin' yourself up. This isn't on you.
Clark: Look, Sam...
Sam: And the only reason Ally can do this right now is because you stopped her from killing me. If you did anything wrong, it was saving me.
Clark: Saving a life is never a mistake, Sam.

Lois: (To Lana) There have been moments in my life and in my career where I have withheld facts from people because I thought it would protect them more than it would hurt them. Sometimes that was the right thing to do, and sometimes it wasn't. I am telling you all this so that you are armed with the truth. As mayor of this town and all the people in it who you love, it's up to you to decide what to do with it. 

Clark: Yeah, and I'm Superman. I'm supposed to keep people safe.
Lois: Okay. Then do that.
Clark: How? What am I supposed to do? I've never been like this.
Lois: You are more than just your powers.
Clark: (sighs) People look to me to save them.
Lois: No, people look to you for hope. That's what Superman does. He inspires. You inspire me and the boys every day, and it's not because you can fly or because you're strong. It's because of your heart.
Clark: I don't want to give people false hope.
Lois: That's not what I'm saying. The world needs you. You're Superman. Be Superman. 

Superman: I hope by now you all know me as a friend. It's as a friend that I've come here to assure you that your mayor is telling you the truth about everything, and that does not mean that all is lost. I saw what this town was capable of last year, the way you all protected each other. And I know you can do it again. That's starts by listening to your leader. Because I know she's here for you, not to serve her own interest.


Continuity

As the episode open, Clark wakes up in a military hospital, where Lois is sitting at his bedside, waiting.

When Clark and Lois return to the Kent farm, Clark is barely able to walk and trips on the porch steps.

According to the Department of Defense, Clark's cells were completely drained of solar energy.

Clark says that he can't feel himself recharging in the sun like he normally does and thinks they have to consult with the hologram of Lara to figure out what is wrong.

Jordan is nervous about trying to fly Clark to the Fortress, noting that he still can't control his landings.

Lois says Jordan doesn't have to fly if he doesn't want to and they can ask John Henry for help instead.

Sarah is uncharacteristically late getting ready for school, driving Lana crazy.

Ally Allston appears on TVs all across Earth-Prime.

Chrissy's computer at the Smallville Sentinel is glitching when Lois comes in to work,

Chrissy wants to report on everything they know about Ally, but Lois is afraid it would start a panic.

As the computer glitches, the text of it suddenly appears to be backwards.

John Henry takes Clark to the Fortress.

Lara says Clark's cells were altered during the fight with Ally and it may take time for his body to adjust and start absorbing solar energy at the same rate as before.

Clark didn't develop powers until he was four years old.

Clark asks if there is a way to speed up his energy absorption. Lara says there is one but it could kill him before she begins glitching.

Everyone goes outside and sees that a second red sun, shaped like a cube, is overlaying Earth's yellow sun.

Lucy Lane is reportedly working with some DoD analysts, but she only knows what Ally already told the world in her broadcast.

John Henry and Natalie plan to go into the stratosphere and gather data on the red sun.

Lois tells Sam that Chrissy and Lana are having a meeting to discuss what she knows at a town hall meeting in Smallville.

Lois has come around to Chrissy's way of thinking and believes they should be honest with the public.

Lois tells Jordan to listen for trouble and to stay with Jonathan.

The people of Smallville don't believe the DoD story about why there's a second red square sun.

Lana asks Kyle to take the girls and arrange for the firefighters to be at her town hall meeting to help keep the peace.

Chrissy and Lois tell Lana about Bizzaro World and Ally Allston's plan.

When Lana asks why Superman doesn't do something, Lois tells her that Superman list his powers.

Lois tells Lana that they are giving this information to her so she can decide what people find out.

Jordan tells Jonathan that he can hear how much weaker Clark's heartbeat is.

Lana-Rho shows up at the Kent farm.

Jordan moves to protect his father, but Lana-Rho is more powerful than him.

Clark tries to surrender to her, but Lana-Rho flees when John Henry and Natalie arrive in their armor.

At this point, John Henry estimates that they have less than 12 hours until the worlds merge.

John Henry decides to go into the space between worlds and confront Ally with every weapon he can, after tracking her energy trail to the mines.

Kyle senses that something has Lana upset but doesn't ask for the details. She asks him if he thinks it is better to know something terrible is going to happen or live in ignorance. 

Kyle says that the truth comes out eventually, but you have to be brave enough to tell it when it matters. He admits this is part of why he hid the truth about his affair with Tonya from Lana - it was easier to live the lie and hope he could control how the truth came out.

Lana says she wants to talk to their daughters before the town hall meeting.

Jordan is upset because he wasn't able to fight to protect Clark.

Clark is upset because he's not used to being powerless and unable to help, but Lois tells him he can still help by inspiring people.

Lana reveals the truth about Bizarro World at the town hall and tells people to avoid anyone who is acting strangely or looks like them. She also tells the public about Superman losing his powers.

The crowd turn on Chrissy and Lana after they reveal that Chrissy didn't publish the news before now at Lana's request.

The former mayor tries to turn the people against Lana, saying it is clear she doesn't know what she's doing and this is some desperate ploy to stay in power.

Clark shows up at the town hall as Superman and vouches for everything Lana and Lois and Chrissy say.

Sarah figures out that Jordan knew about the Bizarro World crisis and guesses that is why he was acting so weird and wasn't there for her the past few weeks.

Natalie reinforces John Henry's armor with the X-Kryptonite polymer she created that made her armor stronger than his.

John Henry activates a protocol, Vaporlock, which keeps Natalie from activating her armor until ten minutes after he leaves. He says she needs to stay behind to help protect the Kents, because they are their family in this new Earth.

Lana-Rho and Jon-El arrive on Earth-Prime.

Jon-El uses a Kryptonite inhaler to boost his powers.

John Henry confronts Ally Allston in the space between worlds, using missiles rather than his hammer. Unfortunately, they have no affect on her and she sends an energy blast back at him that sends him flying, When we last see him, he's flying through space, unconscious.

Sarah seems ready to forgive Jordan, but asks why he didn't just tell her the truth. Jordan says he wanted to but it wasn't his decision and there was something else.

Lana interrupts them before Jordan can tell Sarah about his powers, but then Lana-Rho arrives.

Jordan reveals his powers to Sarah as his eyes glow red, when he tells her and Lana to run.

Jon-El goes after Superman and starts strangling him.

Natalie decides to join the fight against Jon-El rather than go after her father.

Jon-El and Lana-Rho are taken into custody by the DoD.

Sam goes off to manage the crisis management at the DoD.

Natalie tells the Kents that she lost her dad's signal and she's afraid she'll never see him again.

Sarah figures out that Lana knew Jordan had powers and that the reason she disappeared for six hours in 211 had something to do with her finding out his secret.

Sarah is furious with Lana, but before they can discuss what happened, the world changes around them.

The episode ends with the Kent Farmhouse becoming the rundown house on Bizarro World.


Location

The new Fortress of Solitude.



Untelevised Adventures

Lana's talk with her daughters about the crisis takes place off camera.


The Fridge Factor

Lois turns into a damsel in distress when Jon-El goes after Superman.


The Bottom Line

A great episode with an epic cliffhanger heading into the finale.