The following article contains spoilers for The Last of Us season 2, episode 2.
If the first episode of The Last of Us season 2 was the scene setter, then episode 2 is the catalyst for everything that comes next. It features – SPOILERS! – the death of Joel Miller, and it takes place in pretty much the exact same way as it did in the game. The devil is in the details, though, and not everything about that scene is a 1:1 recreation. That’s where our TV show vs game comparison comes in.
We’ve taken the major scenes of episode 2 that are taken from the game and compared them against the original source material, analysing what’s changed and what’s stayed the same. You can see both versions in the video above, or read on below for our written explanations.
Joel’s Death
As the instigating incident of the game and the big main event of the season’s second episode, Joel’s death was naturally going to be a meticulously recreated sequence. Both the broad strokes and many of the small details are all here; Abby blasts his leg with a shotgun and then proceeds to lay into him with a golf club. Kaityn Dever delivers the “You don’t get to rush this” line exactly as her game counterpart did. When Ellie arrives on the scene, the direction largely follows in the footsteps of the original cutscene, using the same floor-level camera angles and high-pitched sound break as Abby deals the final blow.
Lurking between the many game-accurate details are several changes, though. First and foremost is that Joel is with Dina for this scene, not Tommy. Furthermore, Dina is drugged for the whole event, which means Ellie is the only Jackson resident to witness Joel’s murder. Abby’s behaviour is also slightly different; in the show she reveals to Joel who she is and why she’s about to kill him. In the game there’s no such scene, and we’re left to believe that Joel died without truly knowing why Abby hated him so much.
Oh, and then there’s the matter of Abby’s hole in… well, not quite one. The game depicts the blow that finally kills Joel as a horrible bit of blunt force trauma to the skull, using the actual head of the golf club. In the show, the club is broken in Abby’s assault, and so all that’s left is the sharp broken end. Abby uses this as a shiv, stabbing it into Joel’s neck.
Abby’s Flashback
Episode two features a sequence in which a young Abby searches the Fireflies’ hospital for her dad. It’s a recreation of the end of Tracking Lessons, the chapter of the game where the perspective shifts from Ellie to Abby. While the setting of this scene remains the same – the hospital corridor bathed in red emergency lighting – the actual events are rather different.
In the show, older Abby confronts her younger self, cementing that this is a dream sequence rather than a flashback. Abby tells herself not to look inside the operating room, as she’ll have to see her dead father. Younger Abby does go into the operating room, but the camera does not follow, and so we’re left with just the older Abby’s restrained tears to relay the horror found inside. In the game, since you are in control of Abby, you get to see the inside of the room and Abby’s reaction to finding her father.
This reframing of the scene is likely due to its shifted position; in the game, this is the moment you learn that Abby’s father was killed in Joel’s attack on the Fireflies, and so the raw emotion of seeing Abby cry on the operating room flaw is necessary to humanise a character who has been portrayed as a villain for the prior 10 or so hours. The show reveals Abby’s motive from the very start and moves this sequence to much earlier in the story, and so it serves a different purpose.
Ellie’s Awkward Morning
The most faithful scene recreation of episode two arrives when Jesse comes knocking at Ellie’s door to go out on patrol. What follows is an awkward exchange regarding Ellie and Dina’s kiss the previous night at the barn dance – Dina, of course, had only recently split up with Jesse. The dialogue here is a 95% match to the game’s script, and the camera work also does its best to recreate the conversation in exact detail.
The main difference here is context. In the game, the barn dance isn’t shown until right near the end of the campaign, and so when playing this sequence you’re using the information provided by the characters to piece together an event you’ve not witnessed. In the show, you know exactly what Jesse and Ellie are talking about, as you watched it happen in the previous episode.
Bigot Sandwiches
Similar to Ellie’s conversation with Jesse, her encounter with Seth the morning after the dance is largely a 1:1 replication of the same scene in the game. Seth has once again prepared steak sandwiches as an apology, and much of the dialogue around this awkward exchange is taken straight from the game’s script. The main difference here is that Jesse is now part of the scene, and he thanks Seth for the sandwiches rather than Maria. Additionally, the building itself is visually very different to that in the game, looking more like a canteen than a timber-constructed bar.
Eugene’s Weed Farm
The show sees Jesse and Ellie head out on a patrol that recreates the middle section of the game’s first chapter. Fans of the game will instantly notice a key difference, as Ellie’s discovery of Eugene’s weed farm actually takes place during the same patrol depicted in episode one where Ellie and Dina explore the supermarket. These events have been split up and changed, as it’s now Jesse, not Dina who accompanies Ellie. That means the show removes the sequence in which Ellie and Dina smoke weed and are implied to have sex.
Despite this, there are still several key elements of the sequence that are kept intact. Ellie still discovers Eugene’s Firefly pendant, as well as his once-impressive marijuana operation (which is far less well hidden in the show.) Among the belongings scattered about, Ellie finds Eugene’s bong gas mask, which can also be found in the game. Jesse, however, is much less impressed with Eugene’s ingenuity than Dina was.
Abby’s Escape
Abby’s fateful encounter with the infected horde plays out much like it does in the game’s first chapter. A chase sequence results in Abby becoming trapped behind a chainlink fence that begins to collapse under the weight of the clawing runners. If anything, this sequence is even nastier than it was in the game thanks to a shot of a hand being pushed through the fence, the wire cutting through the flesh. Aside from that, the broad direction of this scene is very close to the framing of the game, right up to the way Joel’s revolver appears from the side of the shot to blast the infected that pins Abby to the ground.
For more from The Last of Us, check out our spoiler-free season two review and our spoiler-filled review of the second episode. We’ve also asked the show’s creators about how canon can change, and what that means for the show's biggest plot points.
Whether you're building a pile of shame, or you just love a good scroll through sweet savings, today's discounts are stacked with some genuinely irresistible cuts. From blockbuster RPGs to creative indies and even a slice of motorsport hardware, there’s a little something for every kind of gamer. I say make your Monday bearable with a bargain.
This Day in Gaming 🎂
In retro news, I'm using a Flaming Crossbow to light a 25-candle cake for MediEvil 2. Sadly, this was the last entry in what should have been a much longer PS One franchise (the best the series got was a PSP reboot). Once again, we had to lose an eyeball and slip into the mouldy armour of Sir Dan Fortesque, a resurrected noob who dropped in the first arrow salvo of his battlefield debut. In this sequel, he was chopping heads and collecting crap with a ghost sidekick and a mummy love interest, all for the purposes of thwarting Jack the Ripper. No, really.
On Nintendo Switch, Cities: Skylines is going for the cost of a servo sausage roll, and it’s a steal. Meanwhile, Burnout Paradise Remastered delivers arcade mayhem and open-world crashes galore. It still holds up thanks to its seamless sense of speed and the underrated joy of the “Showtime” crash mode.
Over on Xbox Series X, Mass Effect Legendary Ed. is a must-grab. BioWare reportedly rebuilt over 30,000 textures for this remaster, giving Commander Shepard’s space saga the polish it always deserved. Maybe pair that with Red Dead Redemption 2 at 75% off, where devs once spent weeks capturing real horse audio. Seriously.
On PS5, Carrion flips the script by letting you play as the monster. It was, to my delight, born from a dev’s sketchbook obsession with John Carpenter’s The Thing. For a blockbuster vibe, Hogwarts Legacy: Del. Ed. lets you explore the wizarding world before Harry was even a twinkle in Rowling’s quill.
PC gamers should know that Prey is down to just three bucks. Arkane's immersive sim hides a Dungeons & Dragons character sheet in the dev room; a nod to their own tabletop campaigns. And if you've never played Psychonauts, now's the time. Tim Schafer wrote much of the hilarious script on post-it notes.
The following contains full spoilers for The Last of Us Season 2 Episode 2.
Let’s face it, this week’s The Last of Us is all about one thing: the death of Joel Miller. As such, it creates certain expectations: Abby killing Joel will leave as big an impact as possible – a crater in Ellie’s life that she can only fill with vengeance – and everything else in the episode will be geared toward making sure that happens. It’s the inciting moment for the rest of the story. The most crucial moment in the series (perhaps, outside of Joel’s fateful choice at the end of season 1). It’s therefore disappointing that for most parts of season 2 of The Last of Us’ second episode, it feels like an afterthought – a sideshow to an explosive, albeit exciting, battle sequence. Neither halves of this story are executed poorly – far from it, with both thrilling visual style and character-led substance – they just don’t fuse together into a satisfying whole.
Mark Mylod of Succession fame (and seemingly HBO’s go-to pair of hands when it comes to an episode ticking down to a father’s death) has a lot to juggle when directing this chapter. It’s partially an ode to The Lord of the Rings’ Helms Deep sequence (plus some Hardhome from Game of Thrones), and partially a cold, brutal examination of murder as a means of closure. The latter is the most crucial piece of the jigsaw, and for the first half of the episode, the tension is ratcheted up beautifully, culminating in a wonderfully claustrophobic sequence that sees Abby struggling through the snow under a wire fence buckling under stacks of infected. The pressure generated is suffocating, and a true display of the rabid relentlessness of the infected.
It’s preceded by a truly haunting image of her pursuers emerging from the ground and defrosting themselves like some incredibly angry frozen peas, as the camera pulls up to reveal the sheer scale of their numbers. It’s a clever representation of the layers of evil being exposed to us in this second season. The avalanche of human fungus makes us fear for Abby, a character we should show little sympathy towards, considering what brought her to Jackson – the irony of Joel rescuing her is not lost on anyone.
It’s therefore a shame that such tension in that scenario is then completely let out by a lengthy detour back into the town, the new target of the infected’s ire. It takes all of the emotional stakes out of the episode for a good chunk of time as the characters we’ve grown most attached to (Joel and Ellie included) find themselves outside the walls and away from the onslaught.
The battle, as a result, almost serves as a distraction from Joel's death, which is overshadowed by the bombast.
Episode 2 is a budget-flexer, and whereas the first season was restrained in its infected approach, it’s enjoyable to see mayhem take hold and fire meet ice in a way only HBO knows how to pull off. There’s no doubting the skill at hand when it comes to the production design and performances that breathe life into it. The invasion is stunningly shot at times, with vast mountain faces beautifully photographed as characters dot them like ants and snarling Clickers rise from the snow in incredible detail. There’s no denying the spectacle that the battle itself delivers – the Bloater breach and subsequent flamethrower retaliation is a real standout piece of staging. But Tommy and his family aside, our ties to these characters are limited.
The battle, as a result, almost serves as a distraction from Joel's death, which is overshadowed by the bombast. The fateful scene itself is well constructed, but just feels at odds with much of the episode. I should make it clear that I’m a huge fan of The Last of Us Part 2 and the bold decisions the game makes; when I first played the game, this turn packed a hell of a gut punch, shocking me with its stark violence and sudden nature. Maybe I’ve grown desensitized to its brutality after experiencing it several times, but I think my muted reaction to episode 2 is also due to a lack of calm before the storm. With some of our attention directed to what’s going on a few miles from the lodge that’s been commandeered by Abby and her WLF comrades, we’re ushered into the torture suddenly before the re-creation of the game’s swift, devastating shotgun blast to Joel’s knee.
Once we’re fully in the lodge, however, the scene mostly achieves its goals. The unsteady camera takes on the palpable unease as it floats around the room and Owen, Mel, Manny, and Nora share uncomfortable glances with each other. They’re in stark contrast to Abby, who is cold and menacing, and taken hold by an anger that instills fear in her closest allies. It’s a great showcase for Kaitlyn Dever’s range, which is fully on display as she slips into an almost sadistic mindset – the slow focus pull from her determined face to a nearby set of golf clubs almost met with a smile.
I am torn about the actual method of Joel’s departure, though. On the one hand, I like the finality of the mangled club shaft nestling into his neck and the way Abby leaves sitting there almost like a monument to her victory. It also offers some nice symmetry to when Joel finds himself impaled in season 1, but this time, there is nothing Ellie can do about it. And though it’s undoubtedly violent, some of the shock is dulled, falling short of the blunt punctuation delivered by Abby’s final swing in the game.
Of course, Pedro Pascal is no stranger to having his head pulped on HBO (the GoT parallels abound in this episode), and in depicting the death of the show’s antihero (or villain, depending on your viewpoint), he delivers a note-perfect performance. There’s an acceptance in his eyes that his time has come and an acknowledgment that he must pay for his decisions. It may be barely believable that Pascal is portraying a 60-year-old Joel here, but I completely bought into his softer portrayal of a character Troy Baker originally brought a gnarlier edge to. A word should also go out to Bella Ramsey who excels at conveying Ellie’s devastation. Her cries are heartfelt and genuine, but laced with an anger towards Abby that seemingly won’t soon dissipate.
So there is some shock in this sequence – and within the 15 minutes or so where it’s the sole focus of the episode – it’s just a shame then that so much of the runtime is dedicated to a story that arguably could have been told as a separate chapter. It’s breathtakingly rendered at times, but watching people we barely know fall prey to waves of infected takes us away from the episode’s emotional core all too often. (Give or take Tommy’s alleyway blowout with a Bloater.) This is a rare miss from a creative team that has historically weaved together its big moments with much less strain.
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Now here is something cool. Ubisoft has released a free demo for Star Wars: Outlaws, which is now available on both Steam and Ubisoft Connect. This demo will let you experience the iconic planet of Tatooine as the scoundrel Kay Vess alongside her loyal companion, Nix. In the demo, players will seek out a mercenary … Continue reading Star Wars: Outlaws Free Demo Available for Download→
Star Wars Celebration not only revealed that Volume 3 of Star Wars: Visions will be released on October 29, 2025, but also that a new spin-off series is in the works that will debut with the next chapter of The Ninth Jedi story that began in Volume 1.
Star Wars: Visions Volume 3 will feature nine short films from different Japanese anime studios, including Studio Trigger (Cyberpunk: Edgerunners), WIT Studio (Attack on Titan), David Production, Kamikaze Douga, ANIMA, Kinema citrus Co., Polygon Pictures, Production I.G., and Project Studio Q.
It was also confirmed that three of the episodes will be a continuation of stories from previous seasons, and those are Kamikaze Douga's The Duel, Kinema citrus Co.'s The Village Bride, and Production I.G.'s The Ninth Jedi.
Speaking of The Ninth Jedi, writer and director Kenji Kamiyama stopped by Star Wars Celebration to share that Kara's journey will be continued in this new spin-off series that will allow for longer stories from the larger Star Wars: Visions universe.
While we didn't get many more details, we do know that Kara will appear alongside Juro in the upcoming 'Child of Hope' episode in Volume 3.
Fortnite is celebrating Star Wars in a big way as its next season - Galactic Battle - is arriving on May 2 and will feature not only a Star Wars-themed Battle Pass and a five-part saga with plenty of surprises, but also the arrival of Darth Jar Jar to the Battle Royale.
The surprising yet incredible news was shared during Star Wars Celebration, and we got a tease of even more of the Star Wars fun headed our way next month, including that Force Lightning will be joining the game as an in-game ability.
✔️ Star Wars Themed Battle Pass ✔️ Weekly Gameplay Content ✔️ Culminating in a Live End of Season Narrative Event ➡️ Fortnite Galactic Battle arrives May 2, 2025 pic.twitter.com/JmRStRA2Um
It was also confirmed that Emperor Palpatine and mashups like Wookiee Cuddle Team Leader will be part of the Battle Pass, new Item Shop offerings will include Mace Windu, players will be able to pilot and co-pilot X-Wings and TIE Fighters, there will be themed map locations, and much more.
As for the Star Wars saga we will be experiencing, each week will have a "different overarching theme," and they are as follows;
Imperial Takeover – May 2, 2025
The Pull of the Force – May 8, 2025
Mandalorian Rising – May 22, 2025
Star Destroyer Bombardment – May 29, 2025
Death Star Sabotage – June 7, 2025
And yes, this saga will culminate in an in-game narrative live event that will "surely have players feeling like they've got the fate of the whole galaxy in their hands."
Star Wars Celebration gave us a sneak peak at the future of Disney Parks experiences, and IGN had the chance to talk to Walt Disney Imagineering's Asa Kalama and Disney Live Entertainment's Michael Serna about The Mandalorian & Grogu-themed update headed to Millennium Falcon: Smuggler's Run, the impossibly adorable BDX droids headed to Disney Parks, and so much more.
Alongside revealing these exciting new experiences headed to Disney Parks around the world, Kalama and Serna also gave us a look into how they bring this Disney Magic to life and allow us to experience our favorite stories and characters in moments that will last with us for a lifetime.
The Mandalorian and Grogu-Themed Update to Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run Will Let Engineers Take Care of Grogu
One of the biggest reveals at Star Wars Celebration was that Engineers will be able to take care of Grogu aboard Millennium Falcon: Smuggler's Run when The Mandalorian and Grogu-themed update arrives on the attraction alongside the film on May 22, 2026.
While the storyline featured on the attraction will follow a "different path" than the film, it will put each crew member on a team with Mando and Grogu. The Engineer, however, appears to be the seat fans should be looking forward to sitting in as they will get to not only interact with Grogu, but also choose where in that galaxy far, far away we'll be headed to.
"Throughout the mission, we're going to be giving the engineers the opportunity to actually get to communicate with Grogu," Kalama said. "So, we think it's going to be a ton of fun. There may be times when Mando has to deboard the Razor Crest and Grogu, left to his own devices, might get a little happy on the control panel. So, we love the idea of there being these fun little vignettes and moments where you're sort of on the comm with Grogu."
As for the choose-your-own-adventure side of it, Kalama tells us there will be "sort of a critical moment in your adventure where you are strapped for time and have to make a lightning quick decision about which of our particular bounties we want to pursue. And that's going to be the sort of inciting incident that allows us to decide which are the different destinations we go to."
That choice looks to take players to Bespin, the Death Star wreckage above Endor, and the newly-announced location of Coruscant. And yes, all of this is wrapped around a new story where "Hondo Ohnaka catches wind of a deal on Tatooine between ex-Imperial officers and pirates, setting the stage for a high-stakes chase across the galaxy. Guests will team up with Mando and Grogu to track them down and claim a bounty in a dynamic, galaxy-spanning adventure."
The BDX Droids Will Be Traveling From Disney Parks Around the World Right Into Your Heart
The wonderful BDX Droids that have been taking over the hearts and minds of Star Wars fans around the world will officially be headed to Walt Disney World, Disneyland, Disneyland Paris, and Tokyo Disney, and we couldn't be happier.
These droids, that will also appear in The Mandalorian & Grogu, have been under development for some time, and the goal was to bring new experiences to guests at Disney Parks that will immerse them more in the stories they love.
"The goal of the BDX Droids was to look at how we bring characters to life in our parks in different ways, and this is really technology merging with this piece of entertainment and a backstory we created specifically for the parks because these kind of originate with the parks," Kalama said. "They've appeared in games and other places, but we created an original story just for us and we've sort of evolved that as we've moved on to sites all over the world."
"And they have lot of fun childlike qualities and do all sorts of cute things that people would do," Serna added. "So, we realized we kind of needed to identify each one of them with a personality. It made it much more interesting to engage with them and allowed us a lot of flexibility and a lot of ways to continue to expand that world. So, in the same way we love R2-D2 and other droids that we become connected to, we think you'll become connected to certain colors of the BDX droids. Each color is really a unique personality."
These BDX Droids are just one way the teams at Disney are evolving Disney Park's experiences, and Kalama and Serna discussed how they are all thinking about making these interactions and moments we all cherish even better.
"The technology behind the animatronics is influencing how we're looking at robotics and character experiences and these up close experiences that continue to inspire us," Serna said. "So, we see those amazing animatronics in, for example, the Frozen attraction, and we start to think how we bring those out of an attraction and onto a street. I think you're going to see a lot more of those kinds of things in our parks around the world, which means using technology in ways you're not expecting when they are so close to you."
"I think that idea of using technology in both unexpected ways and invisible ways is really important to sort of how we approach all of this stuff," Kalama added. "I think we are very much in the business of creating that sense of suspension and disbelief, and oftentimes there's no other way to bring a character to life than through robotics. But one of the things that's incredibly unique to the work that we do, as compared to what you might see in an automotive factory, is we have to figure out how to bring character, emotion, and personality to life. That's an entirely different technical challenge than just getting a robot to be able to balance on its own as a for instance. How do you get it to do that in a way that makes you feel something?"
From Peter Pan and Star Tours to Creating the Future
In a smiliar fashion to many of us, those like Kalama and Serna at Disney grew up loving Disney Parks and certain attractions that inspired them to one day be part of the team that creates new experiences they hope will do the same thing for a new generation.
We spent a few moments talking about our shared love of certain attractions and it was a surprising insight into how the future is crafted.
"As a little kid, riding Peter Pan was most exciting for me," Serna said. "To fly in this vehicle... I think it really blew my mind. I had no idea how it worked. I just thought, "Oh my God, we're flying!" And then, as I got a little older and became a huge Star Wars fan, Star Tours was really the ride that changed my life as far as what I thought theme parks can do. Peter Pan was an amazing story, but it was sort of something from the past. However, seeing something that I love from the Star Wars films represented that way... I mean, if you remember back then, we were in an era of no new Star Wars stuff and this was a new adventure and I couldn't believe I was now in a Star Wars story myself.
"And so I think when we do our jobs well, we invite the entire family, regardless of how old you are right now, to feel truly transported and completely lost in a fantasy."
"I think that inspires me every day when I think about the work we do. It's not necessarily about what I want to do, but it's mostly what 10-year-old Michael really wanted to do. That's what I want to put out there for our guests. I feel like if 10-year-old Michael will love it, you're probably going to love it too, whatever age you are."
"I only had the opportunity to visit the park one time before I became a cast member, and I was probably eight years old and I was so obsessed with all things science fiction," Kalama shared. "I literally refused to leave Tomorrowland. So, the first time I ever encountered any of the other lands was as an adult. But again, for me, as Michael said, I have one vivid memory and it was Star Tours. That was the attraction for me. I mean, the suspension of disbelief was through the roof and I fully believed that I was on a star speeder and that I had traveled through the galaxy. I think that sense of magic of disassociation with reality and entering into this complete fantasy world is powerful, not only for kids, but I think it's just as important for adults. And so I think when we do our jobs well, we invite the entire family, regardless of how old you are right now, to feel truly transported and completely lost in a fantasy."
And now, thanks to these rides, Kalama and Serna are helping craft the future of Disney Parks experiences. To end, we wanted to see what they were proud of in the work they've done so far, and they shared a couple great stories.
Serna helped bring to life Shadows of Memory: A Skywalker Saga at Disneyland, which is a projection show at Galaxy's Edge that let's guests experience not only the fireworks with a Star Wars flair but also a special story even on nights when there aren't any.
"That was actually about a two year process of looking at something that was happening in the parks daily, which was fireworks. People would sit in Batuu and watch the fireworks, but there was no music or anything. You were just sitting there in silence watching fireworks. So, we sort of looked at that as an opportunity to say, well, maybe we need to create something here and create it in the world of Star Wars.
"So, we worked really closely with Lucasfilm to sort of look at what would a fireworks type show be in Galaxy's Edge. We created a character that was our storyteller. We created a droid that was part of the experience. We created a whole sort of performative piece around it and that actually led us to our next stage. There are some nights when there aren't fireworks. What are you going to do those nights now? So, Shadows of Memory: A Skywalker Saga is really looking at using the spires as a projection space and creating something immersive that we've never done in a theme park before. This is the idea of a storyteller who has traveled around the galaxy, who has heard the story of Anakin Skywalker, and has now created an experience for us to sort of learn that tale in a new way."
For Kalama, it's all about those little touches you may never know but add up to something spectacular.
"I think something that I hope is invisible to our fans, but something that they appreciate, is that there is just an obsessive level of attention to detail that we put into everything," Kalama said. "The number of very serious conversations we've had around the type of screw head that we should put on a panel wall, because... well... Phillips doesn't exist in the Star Wars timeline or the receipt paper that comes out of the printer when you make a purchase. We really go above and beyond to think about what are all of the small infinitesimal details that might not seem all that important on their own, but when they add up together they make the space feel truly authentic and immersive."
Adam Bankhurst is a writer for IGN. You can follow him on X/Twitter @AdamBankhurst and on TikTok.
Star Wars Celebration revealed some exciting new details for The Mandalorian and Grogu-themed update headed to Millennium Falcon: Smuggler's Run alongside the new movie, including that Engineers will be able to take care of Grogu and that Coruscant will be another planet you'll be able to visit during this choose-your-own-adventure-style storyline alongside Tatooine, Bespin, and Endor.
This new update to Smuggler's Run will arrive on May 22, 2026, and will follow "a different path" from The Mandalorian & Grogu movie, but it will still feature both Din Djarin and Grogu in exciting new ways. In this new story, Hondo Ohnaka "catches wind of a deal on Tatooine between ex-Imperial officers and pirates, setting the stage for a high-stakes chase across the galaxy. Guests will team up with Mando and Grogu to track them down and claim a bounty in a dynamic, galaxy-spanning adventure."
While we don't have all the details yet, we do know that the Engineer will have a much bigger role to play this time around as Grogu will be under their care, and what could be better than that?!
To learn more, we had the chance to speak to Walt Disney Imagineering's Asa Kalama, and he shared a bit more about what we can expect.
"Throughout the mission, we're going to be giving the engineers the opportunity to actually get to communicate with Grogu," Kalama said. "So, we think it's going to be a ton of fun. There may be times when Mando has to deboard the Razor Crest and Grogu, left to his own devices, might get a little happy on the control panel. So, we love the idea of there being these fun little vignettes and moments where you're sort of on the comm with Grogu."
As for the choose-your-own-adventure side of it, Kalama tells us there will be "sort of a critical moment in your adventure where you are strapped for time and have to make a lightning quick decision about which of our particular bounties we want to pursue. And that's going to be the sort of inciting incident that allows us to decide which are the different destinations we go to."
Nintendo has tapped actor Paul Rudd to hype up the Nintendo Switch 2 in a brand new commercial that pays corny-yet-adorable homage to a beloved 90s commercial he did for the Super Nintendo.
The original commercial, which aired in 1991, shows Rudd in a long black jacket, beaded necklace, and really, uh, interesting hairdo stomping up to a drive-in movie theater, SNES in hand. He hooks it up and begins playing a number of favorites on the big screen: The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past, F-Zero, Sim City, and others, while a crowd of interested onlookers forms around him. The commercial ends with the famous SNES slogan: "Now you're playing with power."
In the new Nintendo Switch 2 commercial, Rudd is 34 years older but somehow looks...kind of the same? He's still got the coat, and the necklace, and the hair. But this time, he stomps into a living room and hooks up a Nintendo Switch 2 to play with comedians Joe Lo Truglio and Jordan Carlos, as well as a kid that calls him "Uncle Paul." They play Mario Kart World using the system's new GameChat feature, and the others tease Rudd about his get-up and wacky 90s ad attitude, which includes the commercial lampshading a fog machine and a fan blowing to make the atmosphere look as intense as it did in the 90s. The commercial concludes with Rudd voicing that instead of playing with power, "Now we're playing together." The whole thing is cheesy as heck, but goes along with the bit and acknowledges the goofiness of the original commercial to what amounts to a pretty cute effect.
IGN had the pleasure of sitting down with Rudd to talk to him about his experience shooting a follow-up Nintendo hardware commercial over 30 years after his first crack at it. During our chat, we learned that Rudd suspects he was wearing his own beaded necklace in the original commercial, and that he kept playing Mario Kart World on the set in between takes. Unfortunately, he says, they didn't let him take a Nintendo Switch 2 home with him. You can watch our full interview right here:
Rebekah Valentine is a senior reporter for IGN. You can find her posting on BlueSky @duckvalentine.bsky.social. Got a story tip? Send it to rvalentine@ign.com.
Mark Hamill's Luke Skywalker showing up in The Mandalorian remains one of the biggest surprises in Star Wars history, and Rosario Dawson told us at Star Wars Celebration that she had no idea his cameo was happening until Hamill walked onto the set of The Book of Boba Fett.
It's already been revealed that Dave Filoni and Jon Favreau had used Jedi Master Plo Koon as a decoy when trying to hide Luke's cameo, but during our chat they also helped share the hilarious story of how Dawson had one of the biggest surprises of her career because, by accident, no one told her the truth of what was going on.
Speaking exclusively with IGN at Star Wars Celebration, Filoni, Favreau, and Dawson gave us all the details of the hilarious incident
To keep this megaton secret, the scripts involving Luke had him replaced by Plo Koon, and Dawson was no exception to this safeguard against potential leaks. She recalled reading about Plo Koon's arrival in the script for The Book of Boba Fett, and it confused her just as much as it would have for any Star Wars fan because we all saw the Jedi Master tragically meet his end in Revenge of the Sith.
"I was like... I don't know... but people disappear and then they come back, so maybe it's possible?" Dawson said. "And then Mark Hamill was on set and surprised me and it was a whole thing. He even said, 'Plo Koon? That wouldn't even make sense!' and I'm like, 'I know it didn't make sense, but I still had to think it made sense because I got the script and everything!'
Favreau and Filoni immediately shared their regret over not telling her sooner, saying, "That was bad on us!"
"I think we assumed you'd gotten told the right information," Filoni added with a laugh. "We were in it so much."
"There were two secrets we knew we had to keep on the show," Favreau said. "One was Grogu's reveal at the end of the first episode, and the other one was Luke Skywalker at the end of season two. We were biting our nails all the way the whole way through, and we somehow miraculously made it cleanly to both of those because everything else leaked. But, unfortunately, we didn't fill in our partner here."
Dawson laughed it off as well, saying, "I love it, they know I can't be trusted."
From the classic Incredible Hulk TV series to the network hits Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. all the way through the violent Netflix street level shows that introduced characters like Daredevil and Luke Cage to streaming audiences, Marvel Comics have long inspired small screen adaptations. Previous attempts to connect the live action TV shows to the wider Marvel Cinematic Universe have often stumbled and stalled — who remembers Runaways and Cloak and Dagger? — but in 2021 Marvel Studios embarked on a new era. This watershed moment began with the Mouse House stacking their flagship streaming service Disney+ with new series that were deeply interconnected to the multi-billion dollar film franchise for which Marvel Studios is best known.
With the charming Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man swinging onto our screens as the 13th Disney+ Marvel show in just four years, we thought it was the perfect time to look back on the Marvel Studios television that came before. Like the Avengers eating shawarma in the ruins of New York, the Marvel experts here at IGN came together and chopped it up, each ranking all 12 of the Disney+ Marvel TV shows so far and aggregrating that ranking. Stay tuned for Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man’s addition after the series is over.
14. Secret Invasion
It feels extremely strange to be writing about the fact we got a Secret Invasion series and it was so bad that it was pretty much unanimous across the voting board that it was the worst series that Marvel TV has made yet. From the comic book perspective Secret Invasion stands as one of the most important and game-changing events in Marvel Comics history, but this show wasn't bothered about any of that. Director Ali Selim regularly talked about how he hadn't read the comics and didn't think he needed them to tell a good story. The MCU has proven that when creators have a vision those changes can bring vibrant new takes on iconic stories, but Secret Invasion simply didn't have the range.
Trying to recreate the cold war inspired espionage tone of Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Secret Invasion focused on Nick Fury (Samuel Jackson) attempting to take down a Skrull invasion. But slow storytelling, an AI-made opening, the unceremonious fridging of a beloved female character, and an extremely weird new superpowered character that we'll likely never see again left this one at the bottom of the barrel of the MCU television series on Disney+.
13. Echo
The quality leap from Secret Invasion is a pretty big one, so despite the fact that Echo ended up in our 11th place spot, it wasn't anywhere closely as maligned as our bottom scorer. Alaqua Cox returned from Hawkeye as the deaf Cheyenne superhero Echo in this intimate action-packed story about her life as she heads back to the reservation trying to balance her powers, her past, and her relationship with the man who raised her, Daredevil villain and nefarious bad guy, Kingpin (Vincent D'Onofrio).
Like many of the later waves of Marvel Studios TV, Echo was chopped and changed with a shortened run of episodes that left some fans feeling unsatisfied. Despite that there are some killer action sequences including a radical fight against Matt Murdock (Charlie Cox) himself that opened the series on a high note. It was also a groundbreaking series showcasing a predominantly indigenous cast of creatives both on and off the screen. While it may not have had the impact of some of our higher ranked shows it's still worth a watch and stands as a unique, emotionally charged, and interesting entry into the MCU.
12. Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man
As probably the strongest Spider-Man cartoon since the much-loved, criminally short-lived The Spectacular Spider-Man, Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man is definitely worth a watch for Marvel fans who aren’t too sick of the wallcrawler. While set in a universe that shares some similarities with the MCU, the series succeeds in blazing its own trail. It owes as much to the classic Silver Age Spider-Man comics as it does the newer movies, and it makes some surprising and clever twists to the Spidey formula all its own.
Sure, the animation in Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man takes some getting used to, and not everyone will be thrilled by the absence of certain Spider-Man mainstay characters like Mary Jane Watson and J. Jonah Jameson. But rarely have we seen a Marvel series so successful at blending old and new into one satisfying whole.
11. Moon Knight
You might be shocked to see this Oscar Isaac star vehicle so low in our ranking, but this series just didn't move the needle enough with our voters to climb to loftier heights. The multiple personalities of Marc Spector populate this dark antihero story with mystery and mayhem as the titular antihero struggles to maintain his sanity amid flurries of fisticuffs. This surrealist series mixes elements of One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, Indiana Jones, and Marvel's own X-Men-inspired series from the Fox era, Legion.
As with most Marvel shows — produced both before and during the current Disney+ regime — the storytellers made sure to introduce a new hero in the form of Scarlet Scarab (May Calamawy), who became a series standout character by the end. Along with F. Murray Abraham as the voice of Khonshu and Ethan Hawke as the villainous Dr. Arthur Harrow, Moon Knight sported a strong cast but simply couldn't fight its way to the top of our list or a second season.
10. The Falcon and the Winter Soldier
While it should have been a soaring hit, The Falcon & the Winter Soldier struggled to lift off. Anthony Mackie and Sebastian Stan returned from the Marvel films as the title characters of the series, and fans responded positively to their on-screen chemistry, but this second ever Marvel TV show released on Disney+ was dragged down by murky morals, a heavy reliance on the Blip timeline, and an emphasis on espionage instead of high-flying action.
Interestingly, this was the first TV show to be developed by Marvel Studios and for a time it was slated to be the first one released as well. However, the COVID pandemic shuffled around the release schedule and eventually WandaVision took the debut slot. It's hard to say how much the eventual quality of The Falcon and the Winter Soldier was changed by the worldwide health crisis, but the production was no doubt impacted, halting from March 2020 until August of that year. Regardless of the outcome, many narrative aspects of this show have become essential to understanding the current state of the MCU, most notably this year's Thunderbolts* film.
Rank the Marvel TV shows of the Disney+ era yourself with the Tier List tool below!
9. What If...?
Only just edging past The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, What If...? is most notable for its first season which introduced fans to wild alt-universe versions of their fave MCU heroes. Loosely inspired by the classic Marvel anthology series of the same name, over three seasons the show has gone across the multiverse, following heroes like T'Challa (Chadwick Boseman), Captain Carter (Hayley Atwell), Doctor Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch), and more.
While your mileage may vary on all the episodes, most fans have a favorite. Whether it was Doctor Strange destroying his universe to reconnect with Christine Palmer (Rachel McAdams) or Marvel Zombies finally adapted to screen — or perhaps the new Mohawk hero, Kahhori, who was so popular she made the rare jump from the TV to the comics — there really is an episode for everyone. It's also notable as the first entry from Marvel Studios' burgeoning Marvel Animation group, which would go onto bring X-Men '97 to the screen as well as Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man and the upcoming Eyes of Wakanda series from Ryan Coogler.
8. She Hulk: Attorney at Law
She-Hulk: Attorney at Law and its oddly prophetic sense of humor got it pretty close to the top half of our list. Though it did share some of the same production issues as the later stage Disney+ TV series, this hilarious meta Marvel still outshone any troubles it may have gone through. Jennifer Walters finally made it to live-action brought to life by Orphan Black star Tatiana Maslany, and the green-skinned gal was just as badass, quippy, and fourth-wall-breaking as her comic book counterpart.
One of the longer Marvel Disney+ TV shows — at least so far as episode count is concerned given its thirty-minute entries — She-Hulk also broke new ground with its genre-defying finale that smashed its way out expectations to bring the trailblazing fourth-wall-breaking comic tradition to the screen. The series is also notable as one of the shows with the most deep-cut and varied Marvel character cameos and appearances in it from mutants to the Wrecking Crew, Porcupine to Aguila. And, of course, Daredevil fans got a hearty dose of Matt Murdock as Jen’s boyfriend? Bootycall? They’re probably not labeling it.
7. Agatha All Along
The most recent live-action MCU series from Disney+ delivered a delightfully dark and hilarious story while becoming an instant and memeable hit. Created by WandaVision head honcho Jac Schaeffer, the series follows Agatha Harkness (Kathryn Hahn) coming out of the televisual trance she was put into by the Scarlet Witch (Elizabeth Olsen) and heading down the Witches Road with a new coven.
With a stacked cast of brilliant women including the legendary Patti LuPone, Agatha All Along built on the fantastic work of WandaVision while introducing a key new character who will likely go on to change the shape of the franchise. Despite being one of the newer entries to the MCU it also stands as one of the most unique and interesting.
6. Daredevil: Born Again
The Man Without Fear joined the list of resurrected pre-Disney+ era characters in Daredevil: Born Again. While the show went through some production woes that resulted in the final product being a Frankensteined series from two sets of creative teams, Daredevil: Born Again still manages to deliver on everything we know and love about Daredevil and then some. Loki and Moon Knight helmers Justin Benson and Aaron Moorhead returned to right the ship, with the final product being a bloody, prescient and emotional chapter in the then-Netflix-now-MCU hero's story. Season 1's finale promises an upcoming war, leaving us with major The Empire Strikes Back vibes. Better still, there's the exciting promise of more heroes — maybe even more of The Defenders — coming in and joining the fray.
While we're not able to judge the series in its entirety just yet, what we saw in Season 1 gives us hope that Daredevil: Born Again will be one of the Disney+ era's all-time greats.
5. Ms. Marvel
In easily the best bit of casting in the MCU since Robert Downey Jr. stepped into Tony Stark's Iron Man armor, Iman Vellani as Ms. Marvel felt every bit as natural and revolutionary as the one-time bad boy who led the MCU to Hollywood-changing heights. The joyous premiere episodes of Ms. Marvel were like a breath of fresh air with a new younger look and a slice of life feel, and that vibrant new take on the MCU launched Ms. Marvel into our top five.
The series has a political and historical resonance that speaks to the ability of superhero stories to reflect the realities of our real world as well as entertain us. Vellani quickly jumped from the small screen to the big screen with her infectious energy being just as appealing in The Marvels as it was in her titular debut. So if you still haven't checked out this charming and fun entry into the Marvel canon, it's high time.
4. X-Men '97
One of the most anticipated and widely acclaimed Disney+ series so far was this direct sequel to the beloved 90s X-Men: The Animated Series. While fans were excited to return to that nostalgic world, X-Men '97 became a breakout hit with a weekly release schedule that allowed theories and word of mouth to take hold. Speaking to a wide audience both familiar with the original Saturday morning cartoon and new to the lore, X-Men '97 was a phenomenon in the summer of 2024. It certainly didn't hurt that the show's sophisticated storytelling managed to distill classic X-Men comic book arcs into individual episodes that sped through Chris Claremont's long-gestating plot points without sacrificing meaningful character development.
The devastating impact of X-Men '97's standout episode — the midseason shocker, "Remember It" — combined with Channing Tatum's performance in Deadpool & Wolverine to reinstate Gambit as a core member of the mutant strikeforce. The animators' fondness for the Ragin' Cajun and the voice acting of A.J. LoCascio made the pink-powered playboy a fan favorite again for the first time since the 90s. Season 2 may be at least a year away, but the effects of this brilliant animated series can be felt in the current state of Marvel's publishing line, with Gambit featured in the current Uncanny X-Men series. So hop over to the comics to sate your appetite for more mutant action until the next episodes drop.
3. Hawkeye
A literal Christmas present, this holiday set series came wrapped in a bow, blessing Disney+ viewers with a truly great entry. Centering on Clint "Hawkeye" Barton (Jeremy Renner) as he deals with trying to acclimatize to life outside of the Avengers, this series took heavily from the beloved Matt Fraction and David Aja Hawkeye run that saw Clint team up with Kate Bishop on a ground level romp through New York. Hawkeye the younger was brought to life on screen by the brilliant Hailee Steinfeld, who introduced a reimagined Kate who was inspired to become a hero after the Chitauri Invasion of New York.
Somehow combining the cheer of Home Alone with the grit of street level superhero stories, this has become a firm holiday favorite among Marvel lovers. It was also the first time we saw Vincent D'Onofrio return as Kingpin, making (at least parts of) the Netflix Marvel shows MCU canon. There were also memorable moments for soon-to-be Thunderbolts member Yelena Belova (Florence Pugh), and a big reveal about Clint's loving wife Laura (Linda Cardellini). Hawkeye is one of the series that feels like its been most impactful to the wider MCU and we can still feel its fingerprints on the upcoming Daredevil: Born Again, Thunderbolts*, and the long-discussed but yet-to-be-official Young Avengers.
2. Loki
Loki ended up being something really special. This esoteric and emotionally driven show was never afraid to take big swings, which makes sense seeing as the first one was that it had to find an inventive way to resurrect one of the most popular MCU characters of all time in Tom Hiddleston's Loki. His death at the hands of Thanos in Infinity War was one of the franchise's most emotional moments, so the show had to deliver something worthy of its complicated protagonist.
Thanks to the timey wimey shenanigans of the Time Variance Authority, Loki managed to bring back multiple iterations of the anti-hero, posing existential questions of the nature of self and heroism while also introducing a new MCU legend in Mobius M. Mobius (Owen Wilson). With gorgeous visuals, impactful storytelling, and relationships that everyone rooted for, Loki probably stands alongside Hawkeye as one of the wider appeal series from the roster that managed to hook viewers who might not have watched Marvel otherwise.
1. WandaVision
The original and still the best. WandaVision rose to the top with near consistent number one rankings to no one’s surprise. Unexpected, meta, and utterly unique, this superhero series was a breakout hit despite its unusual metatextual framing. A love letter to the history of American television that was also an emotionally devastating exploration of grief and romance, there was nothing like WandaVision then and there hasn't been since.
Grief, motherhood, loss, love, and how those can all manifest when you're a superpowered witch dealing with massive amounts of trauma may seem like a reach for a TV series to launch the MCU, but WandaVision managed to pull it off despite The Falcon and the Winter Soldier being the originally intended launch series. As Wanda navigated a surreal Easter egg filled TV dreamscape, viewers were quickly sucked into the dramatic, melancholy, and often hilarious life of Wanda, Vision (Paul Bettany), and their two children. WandaVision made a statement that Disney+ was here and ready to shake things up. Whether or not the streamer and its MCU programming have lived up to the hype is still up for discussion, but almost half a decade later WandaVision's legacy is still unquestionable.
Rosie Knight is a contributing freelancer for IGN covering everything from anime to comic books to kaiju to kids movies to horror flicks. She has over half a decade of experience in entertainment journalism with bylines at Nerdist, Den of Geek, Polygon, and more.
The weekend is officially here, and we've rounded up the best deals you can find! Discover the best deals for April 19 below:
Dragon's Dogma 2 for $30
You can score Capcom's massive RPG for just $30 this weekend at Amazon. We gave the game an 8/10 in our review, stating, "It is a retelling and reimplementation of all of those wonderful ideas from the 2012 cult-classic, including an awesome dynamic world and some of the best combat in the genre that integrates a subtle but amazingly complex physics system."
Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii for $49.99
The latest Like a Dragon game stars everyone's favorite ex-yakuza, Goro Majima, on an adventure to sail the seas as a pirate. When Majima wakes up unable to remember anything about himself, he embarks on a quest to regain his memories, and of course, in true Like a Dragon fashion, things get crazy. This is the lowest we've seen this game so far, so be sure to pick up a copy while you can.
Save 55% Off The 4K Middle-Earth 6-Film Collection
The Lord of the Rings trilogy is simply one of the greatest experiences you will ever have. I try my best to watch through the extended editions once each year, but the fun doesn't stop there. There's also The Hobbit trilogy, which is another incredible set of films. This weekend at Amazon, you can score all six films in beautiful 4K for only $94.68. Previously, both trilogies were priced just below this separately, so this is a great deal.
Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin for $19.99
Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin is arguably one of the most unique entries in the entire Final Fantasy series. Developed by the team behind Nioh, this action RPG is one you won't forget anytime soon. There are references to numerous Final Fantasy games, with a significant link to a certain character. Oh, and expect plenty of Chaos.
Super Mario Party Jamboree for $44.99
With the recent reveal of Nintendo Switch 2 Edition games, it's no question that you are going to want to save anywhere you can. The Nintendo Switch 2 Edition of Super Mario Party Jamboree is set to cost $79.99, but you can upgrade from a Nintendo Switch copy for presumably $20. This weekend, save your cash and pick up a copy of Super Mario Party Jamboree from Woot for only $44.99.
Paradise Killer for $25
This weekend, you can save $15 off a physical PS4 copy of Paradise Killer. In our 9/10 review, we wrote, "Paradise Killer marries a beautifully repulsive world with a gratifyingly open-ended approach to detective work, but its real achievement is in how it ties everything you’ve learned together."
Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster Collection for $39.99
The Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster Collection has hit a new all-time low at Woot, priced at just $39.99. The first six Final Fantasy titles paved the way for the series as we see it today. Many fans still regard both Final Fantasy IV and Final Fantasy VI as some of the best that Final Fantasy has to offer, with gripping narratives and engaging gameplay. This package includes all six Final Fantasy Pixel Remasters, which feature updated graphics, soundtracks, font, and more.
Super Monkey Ball Banana Rumble for $19.99
Super Monkey Ball Banana Rumble is the return to form many Monkey Ball fans have waited years for. You've got over 200 courses, tons of guest characters, and all sorts of modes—what's not to love? In our 8/10 review, we wrote, "Super Monkey Ball Banana Rumble is a brilliant return to form. Monkey Ball has finally found its way home again with a set of 200 fantastic courses that range from delightfully charming to devilishly challenging, backed up by tight mechanics and predictable physics that put me in total control of my monkey’s fate."
Save on LEGO Flowers
Finally, you can save on select LEGO Flowers this weekend ahead of Easter! If you're on the hunt for a last-minute gift, these are a perfect choice for any family member, friend, or significant other.
One of the biggest bits of news out of Star Wars Celebration is that Hayden Christensen will be returning as Anakin Skywalker in Season 2 of Ahsoka. Following the big reveal, we had the chance to speak to Christensen about playing Anakin again after nearly 20 years, why he likes when Star Wars goes dark, and even which Anakin meme is his favorite.
We began our chat talking about what other Anakin stories Christensen would want to bring to the screen, and he shared with us how much he would "love to get to do some more of the Clone Wars-era." This tracks as, besides that great scene in Ahsoka and some smaller parts in the films, most of the Clone Wars-era Anakin we've seen has been in animation, where he was played by Matt Lanter.
"I know my friend Ewan would be game for that as well," Christensen added. "It's a cool look. It's a cool sort of period in Star Wars and I think there are great stories that we could tell there. So who knows, maybe one day."
While we'd all love to see that happen, Christensen understands it would "require a little bit of aging" magic to make that happen. However, that doesn't discourage him much or make him think of leaving the character anytime soon if he has his way.
"I love this character," Christensen said. "I would love the chance to continue to explore Anakin's story some more and hopefully do the Darth Vader timeline a little bit more too. I think there are more stories there to be told."
Our conversation then shifted to Revenge of the Sith, as it is gearing up to celebrate its 20th anniversary on May 19, 2025. The film remains one of the darkest in the whole franchise for many reasons, but Christensen likes when Star Wars isn't afraid to explore tough topics.
"George Lucas made some very bold choices and I love that he did that," Christensen said. "However, he did it in a way that we could still digest everything. For example, Anakin is killing younglings, but we don't actually see it. But yeah, I like it when Star Wars goes dark. That works for me."
"I feel even more connected to Anakin now than I ever have because I've had more time to think about him and sort of try to understand him."
Revenge of the Sith was also the last time Christensen played Anakin/Darth Vader on the big screen, and he then took some time to reflect what it was like to return to the character after almost 20 years.
"Of course it feels different. I'm different," Christensen said. "I've had 20 years of life that I didn't have before, and that just sort of changes your perspective on things. But in a lot of ways, I feel even more connected to Anakin now than I ever have because I've had more time to think about him and sort of try to understand him.
"It's a very unique thing coming back to a role after all of these years and an interesting sort of exercise in the craft of acting, having to sort of account for that passage of time. But I feel very fortunate that I have the opportunity to do it."
To end our conversation, we shifted focus to Star Wars movies in general and we wanted to know if Christensen had any thoughts on the never-ending debate of what order the films should be watched.
"Not really," Christensen said. "I don't know that there is a right way or a wrong way, and I think there's merit to both. I think George Lucas would like you to start with episode one and experience the story in a linear fashion, but there's definitely something to be said for starting with episode four. I've thought about it myself as I have yet to show my daughter the films... I mean she is going to see her dad do some sort of gnarly stuff."
Lastly, we had to ask Christensen his thoughts on the many memes featuring Anakin and if he has a favorite. While he's seen the sand one a million times and enjoys the one of him and Padmé in the field, his recent favorite is one of Emperor Palpatine begging Anakin to not let Mace Windu kill him, and Anakin says, "He's just reflecting your lightning back you... just stop shooting lightning!"
This column entry contains spoilers for the series finale of Mythic Quest.
For those who may have missed it, Mythic Quest, Apple TV+’s beautifully weird show about a game studio and its messed up leadership, has come to an end. Apple TV+ announced that the series was cancelled after Season 4’s, uh, polarizing season finale about two weeks after it aired on March 26, leaving fans of the show somehow more frustrated than they were before. As a result of the cancellation, Apple TV+ has decided to pull the original ending entirely, replacing it with a different finale meant to “tie up loose ends”. But the change isn’t only unsuccessful, it also continues an ugly precedent in streaming.
The original finale was met with mixed response due to a sudden kiss between leads Ian (Rob McElhenney) and Poppy (Charlotte Nicdao). Some found the out of the blue smooch jarring, while others have been waiting the duration of the series for it to finally happen. But the real ire came when fans learned that the shocking moment wouldn’t have any followup after the series’ messy leads finally made out. The original plan had been that Mythic Quest Season 5 would explore the fallout of Ian and Poppy’s kiss.
With future episodes off the table, series producers Megan Ganz, David Hornsby and Rob McElhenney issued a joint statement that ended with “Because endings are hard, with Apple’s blessing we made one final update to our last episode — so we could say goodbye, instead of just game over.”
The updated episode, released on April 18, removes the controversial kiss, swapping it out for a hug and returning Ian and Poppy to their previously existing status quo as they plan to continue work on their game expansion. Is the new ending more palatable? Perhaps. But no one has ever once described a good finale — season or series — as palatable. Big swings might not always work but they are, at least, always interesting. The update does nothing to assuage the disappointment of the cancellation and, worse still, the original ending no longer exists on Apple TV+ at all. This means that the change to the ending doesn’t just mean the series comes to a close with a whisper instead of a bang, it also opens a complicated can of worms when it comes to movie and TV curation and streaming as a whole.
Ultimately, the fact that Poppy and Ian work as characters because of their complicated platonic relationship doesn’t end up being what’s most important here. Hell, even the fact that they made a weaker ending for their series isn’t even the biggest issue. It’s that the original ending was removed entirely that leaves me with so much concern. Alternate endings existed long before streaming, though they’re mostly relegated to film rather than television. But removing access to the original ending entirely is a separate can of worms, one more akin to what Max and Netflix have been up to as they’ve started disappearing films and television series from their respective platforms.
When you exist solely in a digital space, erasure from platforms means that you simply cease to exist. Though there’s a chance that Apple TV+ eventually decides to add the original ending back or offer it later in special features should the series ever get a physical release, its current non-existence continues a frustrating trend in digital media. Having a boring ending is obnoxious in and of itself, but knowing that there was another one that dared to take a risk even when that risk didn’t ultimately pan out? Infuriating!
The change was made to “tie up loose ends,” but all it really accomplishes is watering down the final version for all to see. The creators may have instituted the change themselves, but erasing the original version entirely is a disservice to both them and the fans of the series. Said erasure feels especially egregious given that we were discussing Netflix playing with the Mandela Effect just last week when the streamer released two different versions of the same episode of Black Mirror to mess with fans’ heads. There is absolutely no reason that both versions of the finale can’t exist alongside each other.
It’s a pity that Season 4 of Mythic Quest came and went with little fanfare despite Apple TV+ having enough confidence in the story to give it a spinoff (an anthology series set in the world but without any of the existing characters), but it’s a much bigger bummer that we’re seeing the trend of art disappearance continue, whether that art is good, bad, messy or absurd notwithstanding.
With Sony revamping the service back in 2022, PlayStation Plus has changed a lot in the last few years. Learning from the success of services like Xbox Game Pass and implementing a library of games players could download and enjoy for one fixed cost, it's quickly become a go-to spot to catch up on old classics, play major new AAA releases, and generally scratch entries off your backlog without breaking the bank.
However, with such a wealth of games available on PlayStation Plus at any given time, you're spoiled for choice on where to start. So, to help you find some great games off the bat, here are a few of our recommendations for what to play on each PlayStation Plus tier right now.
PlayStation Plus Tiers
Following PlayStation Plus' revamp, the subscription service was split into three separate tiers: Essential, Extra and Premium. So, let's quickly cover what each tier offers so you know what you're getting before you buy.
Essential - Essential gives you all the benefits PlayStation Plus used to offer before the introduction of the Game Catalog. You get online multiplayer, a small lineup of free games selected by PlayStation each month and exclusive discounts. It's worth noting that this doesn't provide access to PlayStation Plus' game catalog. It costs $9.99 a month, $24.99 for 3 months, and $79.99 for 12 months.
Extra - Extra is the step up from the Essential tier. It provides all the benefits of Essential plus access to the standard Game Catalog, which contains a selection of games released originally on the PlayStation 4 and 5. On top of that, you'll also be able to access the Ubisoft+ Classics collection. It costs $14.99 a month, $39.99 for 3 months, and $134.99 for a year.
Premium - Finally, Premium is the highest tier available and includes everything from Essential and Extra. On top of that, you get access to the Classic Collection, which contains a range of emulated PlayStation 1 and 2 games, as well as cloud streaming and Game Trials, which let you play a selection of newly released games for a limited amount of time. It costs $17.99 for a month, $49.99 for 3 months, and $159.99 for a year.
Now we've covered what each tier includes, let's get to what matters. What games should you be playing when you finally get your hands on the Game Catalog?
Not only recently added to the PlayStation Plus Game Catalog but also a brand new release in of itself, Blue Prince is a critically acclaimed puzzler where you enter the shifting hallways of Mt Holly; a mysterious manner hiding an array of secrets. Concocting an unusual cocktail by combining roguelike elements with a puzzle game, you'll be tasked with searching an ever-changing mansion that's full of tricky puzzles to conquer, all the while uncovering a rich story through clues left behind by the former owners. Blue Prince has already garnered huge buzz since its release, with our own review saying "If The Witness, Portal, and Myst are already emblazoned on the Mount Rushmore of first-person puzzle games, I wouldn’t be surprised to see Blue Prince carved alongside them soon enough."
Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown
A hugely underrated hit from last year, Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown marked Ubisoft's grand return to one of its most beloved franchises, and it did not disappoint. Harkening back to the series' roots with a stylish 2D perspective, The Lost Crown is a Metroidvania that sees players battle their way through an interlinked world, taking the fight to enemies in intense, acrobatic combat and navigating precise platforming segments. In essence, it took everything that made the Sands of Time trilogy great, then reimagined and refined it in a 2D perspective, with our review noting that it was "a worthy successor to the best of the Prince of Persia legacy."
Lost Records: Bloom and Rage - Tape 2
Although technically part of February's PlayStation Plus lineup, Don't Nod's latest cinematic, moral-choice driven drama, Lost Records: Bloom and Rage, launched the second half of its campaign as free DLC earlier this month. Telling the tale of a group of rebellious misfits who uncover a mysterious supernatural phenomena during their teenage years, players take on the role of Swann as the story hops between a life-changing summer shared with her best friends in the 90s and a reunion between the group in the present day. As expected from Don't Nod, it features plenty of moral choices to fret over and an emotional coming of age story about found family, growing up and the regrets you try to leave buried in your past. If it's the kind of game that speaks to you, then it's definitely worth a look.
Best Games To Play on PlayStation Plus Extra
For those with PlayStation Plus Extra, here's a few recommendations for our favourite games currently available in the standard Game Catalog.
God of War (2018) & God of War Ragnarok
If you want to immediately dive into Sony's biggest and best AAA offerings, you can't go wrong starting with God of War (2018) and its sequel, God of War Ragnarok. Transforming the franchise's notoriously ruthless protagonist into a grieving father embarking on an adventure to scatter his wife's ashes with his son, God of War's recent reboot tells an immensely powerful story across its two critically acclaimed entries, reimagining Kratos as a distinctly human, flawed hero coming to terms with the weight of his past. Combine that with immensely satisfying, visceral combat, a creative adaptation of Nordic mythology and jaw-dropping visuals, and you have yourself a pair of absolute must-play adventures.
Bloodborne
As the cries for a remake or sequel make abundantantly clear, Bloodborne is a once-in-a-generation kind of RPG. Coming from the minds behind Dark Souls, Elden Ring and Sekiro, it's unsurprisingly a tough game, throwing players into a nightmarish Victorian realm swarmed by Cronenbergian monsters and tasking them with learning a combat style that's quick, precise and efficient to survive. But as with all of developer FromSoftware's releases, every area you conquer, secret you uncover and seemingly unbeatable boss you manage to topple brings a sense of satisfaction few games can rival. If you don't mind a steep learning curve, this Lovecraftian hellscape is among the best FromSoft has ever designed, and that's saying a lot.
Disco Elysium - The Final Cut
There are very few games quite like Disco Elysium. A surreal, otherworldly detective roleplaying adventure, it plants players in the boots of an amnesiac detective who has to solve the murder of a man found hanging behind a hostel. The problem is our hungover hero has no idea who he is, what he's supposed to be doing and, more crucially, is constantly hearing his emotions and thoughts warring for control in his head. It's a zany set up that leads to wholly unique adventure, as players explore and solve the case their way, building their stats, following leads and attempting to uncover key clues, with their actions affecting exactly how the story plays out. In short, it's one of the best RPGs ever made, and it's worth a try even if more technical roleplaying games aren't quite your cup of tea.
Ghost of Tsushima: Director's Cut
Sucker Punch finally answered the cries of players everywhere back in 2020. We'd been clamoring for a meaty, AAA samurai action extravaganza, and boy, did they deliver. Ghost of Tsushima not only immerses you in the fantasy of living out a classic samurai film from the perspective of its highly skilled hero; it takes that premise and turns it into a hyper-violent, immensely satisfying open-world adventure, as players fight to liberate the scenic island of Tsushima during the Mongol invasion. With stunning visuals, stylish combat, an emotional story and a vast world to explore, it's an easy recommendation, especially with its sequel, Ghost of Yotei, well on the way.
Inscryption
The latest release from developer Daniel Mullins, Inscryption is one of the most original and utterly unique horror games of the modern era, which is surprising considering its a rougelike card game. Handed a deck of bizarre cards, you find yourself trapped in a small log cabin with an ominous stranger, forced to keep playing an unsettling tabletop game with him while you try to stack the deck in your favour and solve puzzles. But the longer you play Inscryption, the deeper the rabbit hole goes, leading you to discover there's far more to its simple premise than meets the eye. It's hard to talk about why its so special without spoiling its best kept secrets, so trust us and give it a go. We promise you won't regret it.
Shadow of the Colossus (2018)
The original Shadow of the Colossus is an absolutely unforgettable experience, and, somehow, Bluepoint's 2018 remake of the same name takes that legacy and manages to preserve, refine and sand off the rough edges to make it even better. Tasking you with exploring an eerie forgotten kingdom in search of 16 ancient monsters lying dormant among its ruins, Shadow of the Colossus is essentially a multitude of jaw-dropping boss battles stacked back to back. You chart a dying world and face off against towering foes, figuring out how to scale them and chip away at their weak spots to bring them crashing down. It's part puzzle platformer and part high-stakes action game, and the cherry on top is a mesmerising story that's told largely through atmosphere and the state of the world itself. It's a classic for a reason, and with the remake making it more accessible than ever, it's a very easy recommendation.
The Last of Us: Part I
If you've owned a PlayStation for a little while, chances are you've already played The Last of Us' iconic first entry in some shape or form. But, if you haven't, The Last of Us: Part I is the definitive way to experience it. A from the ground up remake, Part I boasts visuals matching its absolutely stunning sequel, refined combat and AI, and plenty of major quality of life updates that make charting this apocalyptic hellscape even more intense, visceral and immersive. And that's without even mentioning that it's The Last of Us, so you'll be getting one of the best cinematic video game stories ever told. In short, if you haven't played The Last of Us before, Part I is a surefire addition to your download queue.
Undertale
Absolutely blowing up back in 2015 and amassing a ravenously passionate fanbase, Undertale is indie game royalty at this point, and it's not hard to see why. A heavily-meta riff on old school JRPGs that casts players as a child exploring a forgotten land teeming with quirky monsters, it initially seems like a sincere, emotional, tongue-in-cheek adventure with plenty of zany characters and heartfelt moments. But as you delve deeper into Undertale, you discover it's a game that reacts to how you engage with it. The more sinister you act within the game, the more you'll see the seedy underbelly and morbid secrets it's concealing beneath the surface. Whether your version of Undertale is a charming odyssey or a dark masterpiece, it's one of the most inventive games of the modern era, with a fourth-wall breaking story that simply has to be experienced.
Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart
If you want a pure summer popcorn flick that looks gorgeous on a 4k TV set-up, Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart is easily a go-to pick. Insomniac's latest entry in its long-running action platformer series, it may be cliche to say, but Rift Apart truly is like playing a Pixar movie. And what's better, the entire thing is an absolute ton of fun, with satisfying shooting mechanics, rewarding exploration, and some of the best platforming in the series. If you want a charming adventure that runs, looks and plays like a dream, Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart is a hearty slice of action platforming excellency.
Dishonored 2
Dishonored 2 is front to back one of the best immersive sims ever made. From the moment you step foot on its sun-drenched but deeply corrupt shores, the coastal city of Karnaca is filled to the brim with inventive ideas, both through its dual protagonists' varied skill sets and the way they can interact with the world itself. From offering you a range of shadowy supernatural powers that you're welcomed to experiment with and combine to pull off creative kills, to the way each mission constantly reveals new routes to seek out your targets and execute the ultimate assassination, no one does it quite like Arkane, and this stealth action masterpiece is truly their magnum opus. So, if you want to dive into one of the last generation's finest offerings, do yourself a favour and get Dishonored 2 downloaded.
Hollow Knight: Voidheart Edition
Ever wondered why "Silksong" trends every single time a publisher holds a game showcase? Well, it's because its predecessor, Hollow Knight, was so damn good. This action RPG casts you as a silent, sword-wielding bug venturing through a dark, forgotten kingdom on a quest to cleanse it of an infection that violently transformed its inhabitants. It's the set-up to a darkly beautiful masterclass in 2D metroidvania design, as our small but mighty hero takes on fearsome foes in incredibly challenging combat encounters while exploring, growing stronger and learning exactly how this kingdom fell to ruin. If you want to join the agonising wait to finally see Silksong hit shelves, get this downloaded and be prepared to lose all your free time until you hit the credits.
Returnal
One of the most underrated first-party games released in the last few years, Returnal is a roguelike shooter that's tough as nails but among the most satisfying games you'll ever learn to master. Planting you in the boots of Selene, a pilot who crash lands on a mysterious alien planet, you'll find yourself stuck in a time loop with only one escape route: fight your way through hordes of aliens to earn your freedom. What follows is a symphony of frantic, first-person bullet hell action, as players fight for their lives while bolstering their gear on each run, all in an attempt to push through the onslaught of monsters blocking their path. When you combine that with a very effective psychological horror story, this is a gem that you can't miss.
XCOM 2
If you love strategy games, XCOM 2 is among the finest the modern era has to offer. Firaxis' second foray into rebooting its classic series, this masterclass of a sequel sees players wage war across the tattered remains of Earth in a bid to rid it of its invading alien overlords. And, as expected from XCOM, that means building a team of personalised soldiers you begin to invest in and care for across dozens of hours before watching them be unceremoniously torn to shreds by a pack of ravenous chryssalids. XCOM's strength has always been its ability to organically create stories through the harsh consequences of its intense, fast-thinking tactical strategy gameplay, and XCOM 2 absolutely doubles down on that.
Best Games to Play on PlayStation Plus Premium
If you're subscribed to PlayStation Plus' highest tier, here's a few extra games you should check out that are exclusive to the Classics Collection.
The Sly Cooper Trilogy
If you want to play a trifecta of bonafide PlayStation 2 classics, Sucker Punch's Sly Cooper trilogy is absolutely among the Classics Collection's top shelf offerings. Widely remembered as one of the most colourful and character-filled mascot platformers of its day, each game has you take on the role of Sly Cooper: the titular raccoon thief who pulls off daring heists with his group of loyal friends. Sneaking through wacky levels, snatching treasure and taking down zany bosses, the trilogy still holds up to this day, and is an easy recommendation for those wanting to relive their childhoods or discover why the series still has such a passionate following all these years later.
Ape Escape & Ape Escape 2
Japan Studio recently had its most successful hit to date, with Astro Bot going on to win multiple game of the year awards and becoming a major success, and if you liked the studio's recent platforming nostalgia tour, it's well worth a trip down memory lane to revisit one of the their best former franchises. Ape Escape and its sequel see players take on a simple quest: enter a series of small open levels to catch mischievious apes that have broken free and are causing havoc. However, that simple concept soon unravels into utter carnage, as players tour bright, colourful environments while learning to outsmart their zany primate counterparts and send them hurtling into a well-placed net. Both games are pure, unbridled fun, and are well worth a play if you have the hours to spare.
Dino Crisis
Ever wondered what Resident Evil would be like if, instead of facing off against the shambling undead, you were pitted against dinosaurs? Well, Dino Crisis went ahead and answered that very specific question all the way back in 1999. Bringing all of the fixed camera angles, the tense survival horror action and the frantic resource management of the original Resident Evil games, it pitted you against blood thirsty dinosaurs roaming the halls of a mysterious research facility. In essence, it's Resident Evil meets Jurassic Park, and if that concept understandably sounds awesome to you, well, this is well worth investing a few hours to see if it clicks.
The Jak and Daxter Trilogy
While Naughty Dog may be remembered today for the cinematic setpieces and emotional stories of The Last of Us and Uncharted series, they also have a legacy of creating some of the finest platformers of the PlayStation 1 and 2 era. And if you want to get a taste of exactly why they earned such a stellar reputation, The Jak and Daxter trilogy is a great place to start. All three entries are some of the most finely designed and hugely fun platformers of their era, boasting imaginative open worlds, tons of collectables to find and, in the case of Jak 2 and 3, even some experimentation with Grand-Theft-Auto-esque mechanics and systems. They're all well worth a play if you're looking to indulge in some beloved PS2 hits.
LocoRoco & LocoRoco 2
Two of the best games to launch on the PSP, LocoRoco and its sequel are essentially pure, unfiltered joy condensed into two superb video games. Playing a small colourful blob across a series of 2D worlds, you don't control the movement of your character, but instead the angle of the screen, tilting it right or left to maneuver your way to the finish line while jumping and dividing your character into smaller blobs. It's a simple concept, but the amount Japan Studios does with this base premise is sensational, creating a series of inventive puzzles and platforming sections which show just how malleable the idea can be. If you never got to experience either of the LocoRoco games on your PSP back in the day, it should definitely be on your radar.
Dark Cloud
If you're looking to catch a game you may have missed upon release, then Dark Cloud is easily one of the most underrated gems on the entire platform. This PlayStation 2 cult classic dungeon crawler has one of the most compelling gameplay loops of its generation. The majority of the game is spent delving into procedurally generated dungeons, fighting enemies while upgrading your gear and searching for resources. However, once you leave these dungeons, you use the resources to repair the protagonist's destroyed village, stitching together both the hack and slash dungeon crawler and town builder genres as you try to keep your villagers happy and reassemble your home base. Considering Dark Cloud never found its true audience back in the day, it's definitely worth diving into now to see exactly what you missed.
TimeSplitters 2
If you want to take a trip back in time to one of the best shooters of its day, TimeSplitters 2 is a chaotic, tongue-in-cheek multiplayer carnagefest that absolutely holds up all these years later. Set across a range of time-warped zones, TimeSplitters was renowned for its chaotic arena-based showdowns and its range of wacky characters, leading to matches where you'd venture through the halls of a futuristic space station as a snowman with an AK-47 just for a monkey with a rocket launcher to blow you to smithereens. If that very specific scenario appeals to you, then it's absolutely worth spending a few hours checking it out.
What Games Are Coming to PlayStation Plus In The Future?
As of right now, we're still waiting to hear what's next for the PlayStation Plus Catalog. PlayStation usually announces what games will be hitting the service around two weeks in advance, so we'll be sure to update this section when we know more!
For now, the newest games to launch on the service include The Lost Records: Bloom and Rage - Tape 2, Hogwarts Legacy, Blue Prince, Alone in the Dark 2, and EA Sports PGA Tour. PlayStation Plus Essential members can also redeem three new games from now until May 5. The current titles available to claim are: RoboCop: Rogue City, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, and Digimon Story: Cyber Sleuth - Hacker's Memory.
Callum Williams is an IGN freelancer covering features and guides. When he's away from his desk, you can usually find him obsessing over the lore of the latest obscure indie horror game or bashing his head against a boss in the newest soulslike. You can catch him over on Twitter at @CaIIumWilliams.
The specifics of the claim are contested, but the ability to precisely stimulate the retina with lasers is cool whether or not it's really a 'new color.'
Every year but one for the last half-century, one of the biggest, baudiest, most excessive movies ever made graces the small screen, courtesy of the ABC network. As surely as the seasons change, come spring Cecil B. DeMille’s The Ten Commandments returns to TV in a massive four-and-a-half-hour block of ad-supported religious television... and people are still watching. As recently as 2023, it topped broadcast TV viewership for the week of Passover. It’s a time of year I look forward to immensely.
Not that I’m watching it on ABC... who needs that many Ozempic commercials interrupting the 10 plagues of Egypt? But I still stream it just before Easter every year, just as I have since I was a little kid and it was on TV the Saturday night before we all got dressed up in our Easter best the next day.
1956’s The Ten Commandments is not a good movie, but it’s a massively important one, and it’s certainly one of my favorites. Its hammy, sometimes wooden, deeply pretentious and overly concerned with itself, with long pseudo-biblical narration in pretentious King James-ish tones. But it’s also huge, bawdy, violent, sensual, packed with Hollywood legends, and stunningly entertaining thanks to its colossal scale and its extraordinary commitment to exploiting its audience.
Now I want to be very clear here: I’m not particularly talking about the Exodus story. I’m talking about the film. I’m a Quaker, and I take Exodus with a lot of theological weight: Even if I doubt much of it ever happened historically, the story itself still says some very powerful, meaningful things. It lays a foundation for three great religions, and establishes the extraordinary character of Moses, a deeply flawed, deeply reluctant, and empathetic cultural hero. And The Ten Commandments themselves represent something quite powerful historically... a legal code that, while theistic, endeavors to be truly just, promoting a peaceful and civil society.
The (Covertly Exploitative) Ten Commandments
The Ten Commandments is an epic, certainly, and a feat of filmmaking at scale. But more than anything else, it’s an exploitation flick. I think that in the modern world, when many of us hear “exploitation flick” we instantly travel to the 1970s grindhouse aesthetic. But exploitation flicks have existed much longer, and The Ten Commandments is easily the biggest, most expensive, and most brazen ever made.
What makes an exploitation flick not just another movie is its overt appeal to a very specific audience; in this case, people of faith and “family” moviegoers looking for a moral and ethical play to confirm their own biases. And once the viewer is in the seat, a proper exploitation film delivers enough sordid, tantalizing material to keep them invested.
The moral and religious trappings of The Ten Commandments are the bright paint and swan facade on the entrance to the Tunnel of Love. The theological and patriotic nuances fully justify a ticket purchase for even the most prudish. But once through the doors and in the darkness, our riders sail over a world of temptations, sins, and horrors: murder, political intrigue, lust, sex, dancing girls, kidnapping, assault, infanticide, sorcery, and revolution, all culminating in the most famous and spectacular Hollywood special effect of all time.
The Ten Commandments is easily the biggest, most expensive, and most brazen exploitation flick ever made.
The Hays Code had neutered movie storytelling for over 20 years, forcing filmmakers to create largely sanitized universes of bloodless cowboy violence and gee-gosh-darn-it language. Sexuality was still present, but heavily curtained, hidden behind layers of innuendo... Lauren Bacall’s famous “You just put your lips together, and blow” in To Have or Have Not being the best example.
But The Ten Commandments was no Republic Pictures cowboy flick. It was a Big Important Movie about Big Important Things, like God, a morality play where good is rewarded and evil is punished. And that framing allowed DeMille to get around the Hays code in some absolutely amazing moments. Moses’ story in scripture is plenty violent and miraculous, but it lacks what audiences always want: sex appeal. And Cecil B. DeMille had absolutely no difficulty rectifying that omission on the part of the Bible.
At least six-and-a-half of The Ten Commandments are broken in the story of The Ten Commandments. Near the film’s climax, a golden idol is crafted and worshipped... that’s one and two. Rameses bears false witness against Moses. There’s a lot of killing at the beginning (babies) and again at the end (more babies and the Egyptian cavalry). Dathan and Baka covet what they do not yet possess. Theft and graft are integral to the plot. And while we don’t see overt adultery, Egypt is very thirsty, with affairs and alliances heavily inferred.
If this seems like a cynical take on a famous film, I ask you to consider the history of exploitation cinema. Take, for example, the cautionary tales and health films of early Hollywood, which overtly engaged sexual material under the guise of moral teaching. Reefer Madness is probably the most famous example of this bit; there were plenty of others. The Ten Commandments is exploiting morality and faith to get butts into theater seats... then using sex and violence to keep them there.
The film is incredibly horny. The Ten Commandments weaves a lust triangle between dreamy, chiseled Moses, his much hotter adoptive brother Rameses, and the princess Nefretiri, played by the sultry Anne Baxter. Whichever of the two rival men becomes Pharaoh will marry her. Nefretiri is team Moses all the way, but the sexual tension between the two men and Nefretiri is palpable. Consider this dripping exchange when Nefretiri and Rameses are finally alone:
Shirtless Yul Brynner: “Remember, my sweet, that you must be wife to the next Pharaoh. That you are going to be mine, all mine, like my dog or my horse or my falcon. Only I will love you more, and trust you less. You will never do the things to me you would have done to Moses.”
They kiss.
Anne Baxter, dressed in a transparent gown: “Did you think my kiss was a promise of what you'll have? No, my pompous one. It was to let you know what you will not have. I could never love you.”
Shirtless Yul Brynner, now smouldering: “Does that matter? You will be my wife. You will come to me whenever I call you, and I will enjoy that very much. Whether you enjoy it or not is your own affair… but I think you will.”
See what I mean? There’s a lot more stuff like that throughout the film. Showing off see-through wedding night fashion accessories. The women of Midian dancing for the entertainment of the men, who will choose one to be a bride. A startlingly overt suggestion (for 1950s America) of interracial romance between Moses and the Princess of Ethiopia, delivered masterfully by the talented actor Esther Brown (who sadly seems to disappear from Hollywood soon after).
There’s murder by knife, murder by balcony, murder by strangling, death by angel, death by dart, a giant magic pillar of fire, a parted sea, laws drawn on stone by the finger of God, and of course, a Golden Calf orgy. This is not a boring film. Stuff happens.
But there may have been another element at work in the film’s moral storytelling composition, and act of political rather than audience exploitation. For more background on this, you have to consider just how different our country was at that time, and also how powerful Cecl B. DeMille was.
An Overtly Conservative Time
The mid-1950s were a dark time for America, an era of racial animus and anti-communist paranoia. On Capitol Hill, Senator Joe McCarthy brazenly flaunted his baseless lies before the Senate, and in the House the Un-American Activities Committee spread fear and suspicion. It was also the age of the Hollywood blacklist, when stars and writers suspected of leftist sympathies were barred from work.
It was a tense period in Hollywood, a place always existing between the demands of commercial success and artistic expression, now inflamed by the steady gaze of Washington. And in the midst of this doubtful environment, no movie was a safer commercial bet than The Ten Commandments, something DeMille understood incredibly well. After all, he practically invented moviemaking as we understand it. It’s not an exaggeration to say that Cecil B. DeMille created Hollywood. And while today we may think of a 1956 movie as ancient, by the time he produced this film, Cecil B. DeMille had already been making films for over 40 years. He’d seen two world wars, the silent era, the silver screen era, and now color film. He was a pioneer, and his films made bank.
An Americanized retelling of Exodus was an ideally palatable film for an age of political orthodoxy. Mom-and-apple-pie values were all there in the fabric of the story: the elevation of personal freedom, denouncement of bondage and tyranny, a cursory reverence for some Abrahamic perspectives on God, and an emphasis on family across Moses’ life, from his Egyptian brother, mother, and father, to his Hebrew birth family, and yet again to his adoptive family in Midian. Don Draper would have been happy to cynically espouse all of these virtues in print and radio for a nominal free.
Mom-and-apple-pie values were all there in the fabric of The Ten Commandments' story.
Was The Ten Commandments a deliberate bending-of-the-knee to McCarthyist trends? DeMille was famously conservative, and some elements lend themselves to interpreting a political dimension to the film. The first is DeMille’s theatrical spoken intro to the film in theaters (not typically included on streaming cuts). In the brief intro, the director evokes some potent language, calling the film “The story of the birth of freedom.” He goes on to say:
“The theme of this picture is whether they are to be ruled by God’s law, or whether they are to be ruled by the whims of a dictator like Rameses? Are men the property of the state, or are they free souls under God? This same battle continues throughout the world today.”
While there are plenty of flags in the production and story of The Ten Commandments that support a McCarthyist interpretation, also note that two formerly-graylisted individuals contributed significantly to The Ten Commandments, with actor Edward G. Robinson and composer Elmer Bernstein helping make the film with DeMille’s blessing.
When you compare The Ten Commandments to another successful sword-and-sandals epic released just four years later, you get a sense of just how overtly conservative and covertly exploitative it is. Like The Ten Commandments, 1960’s Spartacus sported a world-class cast, a legendary director (Stanley Kubrick), and colossal setpieces rivaling the parting of the Red Sea. Both films center on enslaved people revolting against tyranny. But where The Ten Commandments loudly espouses Americana orthodoxy while selling titillation, Spartacus makes no qualms about its more liberal politics. It’s a story of a popular uprising against an established national authority... a nation masquerading as a republic but where only the privileged and powerful are free. It proudly credits two blacklisted writers (novel and screenplay).
But that was four years after The Ten Commandments, when Joe McCarthy was dead. In 1956, what we got was the life of Moses filtered through the two veils of the hour: the Iron Curtain, and the filter of American sexual repression.
Watching the Film Today
There’s not a great deal that’s artful about the way The Ten Commandments is constructed, but its straightforwardness actually makes it kind of timeless. As admirer Martin Scorsese advised, stop looking at the plot and try to follow the imagery and spectacle instead. It’s almost a horror movie in several places: The image of an Egyptian soldier pulling a bloodied sword from a cradle next to a wide-eyed, dead mother in the opening sequence is haunting, and the coming of the Angel of Death like a cloud of poison gas is genuinely disturbing.
Everything before Moses meets God is pretty much Charlton Heston at his hammiest best, but once he encounters the burning bush, he sort of walks around looking stoned. The Red Sea parting is a very cool effect, and Vincent Price absolutely slays as Baka, a truly sinister and gross master builder who turns in the best performance of the movie.
This Ten Commandments is almost 70 years old, yet I can think of few films I’d rather watch. The thing is, the traps DeMille set worked. All that sex and violence really is damn entertaining. It’s huge for the sake of being huge, opulent, indulgent even.
Just understand the movie for what it is: a film exploiting a divine story. It’s there to entertain, not instruct. If you want something less lurid and more spiritual, the book of Exodus is a short read, and provides the same tale in its much older form, a tale that details a vital chapter in the ancient lives of the Hebrew people.
Connexion
