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Hollywood’s lack of diversity within executive, leadership positions in dominating media and production companies.
By Isabelle Delostrinos Culture Columnist The public has been holding the entertainment industry accountable for diversity and inclusivity within the last decade. The fight to bring more people of color on the big screen has resulted in some of the best films and top grossing movies. Black Panther was the best selling movie of 2018. The film featured a predominantly Black cast and crew, and even a Black director from our very own city of Oakland. Its storyline about a Black superhero and technologically advanced country that was powerful and was loved by many. History was made with Black Panther and raises the standards for the rest of the industry to tell inclusive stories in cinema. Disney and Marvel have continued to expand their movie casts and crews with people of color. Spider-Man: Into the Spiderverse was based on the life of Miles Morales, a Black teenager in New York adjusting to his new life with spidey powers. Universal Studios distributed Jordan Peele’s Us, which featured a Black family escaping their frightening doubles. This is one of the few horror movies to feature a Black writer and director along with a Black family as the main characters. Stories created by people of color have broken the stereotypical roles minority groups are automatically placed in. The progress that the industry has made is important, and it shows through the successes of these movies. Amidst the 2020 protests, many companies came forward to publicly state their solidarity with the BLM movement. They joined the movement to Black out Instagram by posting a solid black square and also tweeted statements to demonstrate their alliance. Disney stated “We stand against racism. We stand for inclusion. We stand with our fellow black employees, storytellers, creators and the entire black community. We must unite and speak out.” In a world with the internet and rapid information sharing, the public holds these companies accountable for their responses to current events. These actions reassure consumers that they are supporting people who share the same beliefs as them. But how much longer will Twitter statements be the acceptable action from these companies? Despite the growing library of movies with a diverse cast and inclusive storyline, on screen representation isn’t the only thing the public is looking for. More people are bringing attention to the lack of diversity in higher level executive positions within the dominating entertainment companies. To stand with people of color means to also provide these groups with equal opportunity to be at these positions. Having people of color as high level decision makers and executives would help overturn the saturated industry. Allowing these fresh minds and different perspectives into these high power groups would be a breakthrough for the entertainment industry. The minority voice would be heard and power the change that entertainment needs. Projects like Black Panther, Into the Spiderverse and Crazy Rich Asians have been well received by the public. Works by people of color are consistently successful and larger companies should recognize the talent these groups have to offer. Putting people of color in these power positions will only advance the company and appeal to a wider, diverse audience. We cannot deny the progress our generation has made with representation, but should keep pushing the issue to be diverse in all aspects of the industry. Statements of solidarity act only as reassurance, and cannot be the solution for so long. When these large, dominant companies include people of color into their executive positions, other industries would be influenced to do the same.
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The new Evanescence album, “The Bitter Truth,” was released March 2021 and continues to rock the music scene. The lead singer, Amy Lee, tells her truth and owns her voice with Evanescence's brand new album. Amy Lee rises from the Pandemic with an amazing creation with the reminder that music heals.
By Maia Pagan Culture Columnist The rock band Evanescence is back and better than ever. The band came out with a new album in late March titled “The Bitter Truth,” which came as a big shock to many fans because they had not released any new music since their 2017 album titled “Synthesis.” The album “Synthesis” strayed away from their classic rocker sound with a more dramatic and artsy sound and brighter album cover. In contrast, the new album, “The Bitter Truth” brought them back to the gritty and angsty sound many fans cherish. The album cover fits the dark and cold tones used in past album covers. Evanescence became famous after their 2003 release of “Bring Me to Life” on their album “Fallen.” Many people were captivated by Amy Lee's powerful vocals backed with heavy guitar and drums. I was a little apprehensive about listening to Evanescence's new album because I prefer their classic rock sound. I have enormous respect for bands changing their music style, but I was pleasantly surprised by their new album. The new album is only forty-seven minutes long, with twelve songs. The song “Use My Voice” starts off slow with piano then quickly speeds up to the headbanging sound of guitar and drums. The music reflects the world through the eyes of a woman. In a world meant to shut her down, she refuses and always uses her voice. The combination of the powerful lyrics, Lee's voice, and the guitar and drums will be an anthem for women everywhere who chose never to forget their voice. The band Evanescence, specifically the lead singer, Amy Lee, has always been my favorite because it is challenging to be a woman in the Rock genre, a genre dominated by men and loaded with constant sexism. Evanescence produces good music while fighting through barriers while redeeming freedom of success in the unforgiving music industry. This is not an easy task, but with this new album, Evanescence exceeds my expectations. Every song on this album is a powerful rock ballad that showcases the best parts of Evanescence sound. One of my favorite songs from the album called “Take Cover” immediately starts strong with the classic rock sound of loud vocals and loud music to back it. This song gives you the classic headbanging vibes while simultaneously wanting to scream along. The song “The Game is Over” continues with Evanescence's focus on finding yourself in a world that doesn't let people be their authentic selves. The lyrics “change me into something I believe in, change me, so I don't have to pretend” play into the idea that we live in a society that is often fake, and people have to change to fit the mold. Evanescence has always pushed that message to believe in yourself, regardless of the resistance. The last song, titled “Blind Belief,” begins with a quiet creepy horror movie piano sound and then quickly cuts into silence to switch back to loud screaming vocals. Evanescence's new album has wowed me with their brand new music while holding the memories of their 2003 album. They are providing new memorable songs with edgy lyrics. Evanescence's new album titled “The Bitter Truth” is the band back in full swing, and I can't wait to see what they produce in the future. Taylor Swift not only reignites the nostalgic music of our teenage years, but brings awareness to the challenges many artists face in the industry.
By Isabelle Delostrinos Culture Columnist The re-release of Fearless (Taylor’s Version) isn’t as simple as you think it is. If you aren’t already a Swiftie, then you most likely don’t know about the drama that went down in November of last year. Here’s my attempt at summarizing what happened to catch you up to speed.
Taylor Swift first released Fearless at the age of 18 in 2009. As she was touring around the country for the promotion of her first album, Taylor Swift, she created this second hit album while being on the road. With more time spent on the road, Swift was unable to collaborate and work on Fearless with other artists. She led the songwriting process for all thirteen songs and even made her debut as co-producer. Fearless is one of the strongest bodies of work that Swift has put out. It quickly became the best selling album in the US, making Swift the youngest artist in history to accomplish the standard. It also became the most decorated album in country music history, winning awards from the Grammys, American Music Awards, Country Music Association Awards and many more. Hit songs like You Belong With Me, Love Story, Fifteen and White Horse also from this release. This album contributed to popular culture in many ways. Fearless broke the boundaries between country and pop, and Swift flawlessly merged the two genres together. So many years after it’s time, Swift should be the one holding the rights to her early work. Unfortunately, the music industry has always had a bad history of taking advantage of artists. From The Beatles to Prince to Iggy Azalea and many more, these artists struggled to earn the profits they deserved, let alone have control over what they created. Prince protested his Warner Bros. contract by performing onstage with the word “slave” written on cheek. Lil Kim was restricted from making and releasing music during her court battle with her record label. The court case dragged out for a year and half, which kept fans waiting with no explanation and Lil Kim’s inability to make money the entire time. Pop artist, Jojo, struggled to break free from a record label that signed her at twelve years old. As of 2017, the artist finally was released and created her own music label where she remastered her hits from the early 2000s. The challenges that artists face are not talked about enough. By reclaiming her music, Taylor Swift brings awareness to the unfair business contracts that many artists struggle with. The re-release of Fearless (Taylor’s Version) gives Swift the ownership she deserves from her work. Now, Swift has the power over all of the songs on Fearless (Taylor’s Version) to be used in movies, TV shows, as a sample or anything she wishes to do with it. She also receives the maximum amount of profits from it. So if you’re ever in the mood for a Taylor Swift throwback moment, make sure it’s Taylor’s version. Almost a year after Vanessa Guillén’s murder she deserves to be remembered.
By Victoria Vidales Editor-in-Chief One year ago on this coming Thursday, 20 year old Vanessa Guillén vanished without a trace. A U.S Army soldier stationed at Fort Hood in Killeen, Texas, Guillén’s disappearance and subsquent murder challenged how the US military handles complaints of sexual harrassment, and how the race of victims influences how law enforcement handles missing persons cases. Even a year later Guillén’s spirit lives on as her life and journey inspire others to enact change to prevent her fate from repeating through others. Guillén deserves to be remembered as she was: a devoted daughter and soldier who deserved to live. According to reports by ABC News, Guillén was murdered on the afternoon she went missing by Specialist Aaron David Robinson. In the months leading up to her murder Guillén had previously confided in her mother that she was repeatedly being sexually harassed by a superior at Fort Hood. She also mentioned that numerous other female soldiers were also being sexually harassed by this individual, yet reports had not achieved a disciplinary response from military personal. Guillén was officially reported missing the day after she disappeared on April 23; her family immediately suspected foul play. In the months that followed mass search efforts took place to find Guillén. Following interviews from other soldiers, military law enforcement zeroed in on Robinson hoping to uncover his involvement in Guillén’s disappearance. Guillén’s remains were discovered on June 30 near the Leon River and were confirmed to be her’s on July 5. On July 1 Robinson killed himself after being pursued by authorities. During Guillén’s disappearance her family and the public began to question the Army’s quality of investigation, citing the initial lack of urgency regarding Guillén’s disappearance, and the continued secrecy during the investigation. From the beginning of the investigation Guillén’s family was critical of the US Army’s handling of the case, claiming that they were not being regularly informed of updates or the direction of the investigation. The public was not regularly informed either and a mass demonstration took place on June 13 at Fort Hood made of members of the public concerned for Guillén’s safety. No one deserves the ongoing abuse that Guillén was subjected to or the kind of brutality that she suffered before her death. Her murder was inhumane and shockingly evil at the hands of another person. Guillén had a family who loved and cherished who she was and were excited to see the person that she would become. Her family repeatedly mentioned her desire to marry her longtime boyfriend and begin a family of her own. Neither of those events will ever happen for Guillén as her life, and everything that life includes, was taken on another’s terms. Her murder also highlights a desperate need for transformations within the military for soldiers to safely report sexual harrassment and assualt. Before her death, Guillén felt uncomfortable reporting the sexual harassment she was enduring fearing retaliation. All women in the U.S military deserve to be safe and respected by those they serve with. Women are subjected to sexual harassment in all forms of employment and the U.S military is no different. Although the recent #MeToo Movement has helped draw attention and create solidarity amongst victims, sexual harassment continues to be a vile crime that plagues the workforce. Victims need to feel as if they will be heard when they report experiences of workplace abuse and that consequences for the perpetrator, not the victim, will happen. Guillén’s case did not make national news until sometime after her disappearance. Sometimes when young women are reported missing, particularly young white women, response from media is immediate with national stories within hours. Missing person cases regarding people of color rarely receive the same intense national media attention, which they must. For Guillén, a Latina of Mexican descent, her race may have played a role into how serious the report was taken by the media. Regardless of race, when a person goes missing immediate attention should be given by the media to help with the safe return of a victim. Although Guillén was already dead by the time she was noticed to be missing, other victims may not be and can still have a chance for survival. Vanessa Guillén was a strong and beloved young woman who deserved so much from the world. Her memory will continue to live on through those that loved her and those who never knew her but who felt so impacted by her story. For members of the Latinx community Guillén represents so many of them and those they care about, forever seeing her face in those they know. Are young people responsible for the spread? Many college students nationwide continue to ignore mask mandates and engage in large social gatherings helping contribute to the spread of COVID-19. This makes the need for young people to be vaccinated more urgent.
By Maia Pagán Culture Columnist Have college students made COVID-19 more spreadable? The COVID-19 pandemic has been going on for a little over a year now, and no one was expecting it. Constant hand sanitizer, wearing masks, and social distancing are so common that you think people would be used to it. Yet, COVID-19 is still rapidly spreading around, especially amongst college students. Why you may ask? Because many college students are not taking the global pandemic seriously. Many college students are still out partying with different friends, not wearing masks, and not socially distancing. News outlets report college students are coming onto campus and continuing to spread COVID-19 to their peers. Florida and many other states experienced a vast spread of the virus during spring break, with hundreds of students being seen on the beach partying, not social distancing, and not wearing their masks. Everyone wants to go back to normal, not the new normal, but the hug our friends and family, stop wearing masks, and feel more comfortable inside everyday places. But this is becoming less and less possible, especially with schools, specifically colleges, opening up. Some colleges have decided recently to open back up for the remaining of the year to give students a sense of normalcy, especially for those seniors in college who had their senior year taken away from them. Unfortunately, most of those college campuses had to close down once again because there was a large spread of COVID-19, and most students on campus were infected. Many college sports teams have been allowed to stay on campus and play. They, too, have been infected with the virus and have had to stop playing their sport for a while. Yet, colleges are not reporting this, so it gives an inaccurate number to how many other cases are in the area. The repercussions make people think that things are getting better, yet they are continuing the same. Although people are feeling more excited to go back to school in the fall of 2021 because of the new vaccines, there still remains a problem: yes, of course, the vaccine helps, but it is still possible that COVID-19 can be spread with the majority of people opting out. Add the fact that many could be carriers without any symptoms. The pandemic could lessen with vaccines. My biggest concern as a student is that many courses are hybrid, starting next fall semester, which means that most students have to be on campus. But with trends of past campuses opening up has shown, this decision is not wise, and many students are at risk of getting covid, not just COVID-19, but new variants that are beginning their spread. Keep colleges shut down again and stop the spread. Although we are in the orange tier now, this does not mean that that won't change. Summer is around the corner, and students will do what they have continued to do: during vacation, they will see everyone, travel, and not wear their masks. Now, even more so, it is becoming more of a danger because many people are faking getting vaccines. Many college campuses are starting to let more off-campus students come on to campus but is this a mistake? Although most college campuses are trying to be as safe as possible and take precaution, there is no guarantee that there will not be an outbreak of COVID-19 in the upcoming semesters. Colleges seem optimistic about re-opening, but it’s the human factor of personal sanity that keeps covid a revolving door. Want to get rid of COVID entirely? Besides getting the vaccine, continue to wear your mask, always use hand sanitizer, don't share your food or drinks, and continue to social distance is the science. If things get terrible over the summer, we should go into a complete shutdown again. New Zealand, which is now completely open and covid-free, did shut down and reopen with stricter rules to open up again. Life will go back to normal, but a new normal will not happen if people continue to ignore the rules and put other lives in danger. Please remember that millions of people have died during the covid pandemic and if we all take precautions and are safe during this time, even if things are getting better, just know you are potentially saving a life. Despite Taylor Swift once dating Sophie Turner’s husband Joe Jonas, these women appear to have no bad blood, instead being friends.
By Remy Zerber Culture Columnist Relationships can be hard and messy sometimes no matter who you are. Taylor Swift dated Joe Jonas in 2008. Jonas is married to Sophie Turner now. Even though relationships and breakups are never easy, Sophie Turner, Joe Jonas, and Taylor Swift have managed to become good friends years after her split with Jonas. Fans think Taylor Swift’s new song, "Mr. Perfectly Fine," is about her ex Joe Jonas since she is releasing her old songs from her old albums from the vault. “Mr. Perfectly Fine” is about a guy who broke up with Swift, moved on to another girl, and then acted like nothing happened between them. Swift’s other song, "Forever and Always" is probably about Jonas too because fans think she confirmed it in a 2008 interview. The album that Swift released contains songs that were written in 2008 so it would make sense if it was about Jonas. Swift is rerecording and rereleasing her old songs so she can own her own music again after a fight with her old record label, Big Machine Records. Scooter Braun and Scott Borchetta (owner of the company that bought Big Machine Records, Ithaca Holdings) sold Taylor Swift’s masters for almost $300 million. Jonas and Swift’s relationship only lasted 3 months. Jonas ended it with a 27-second phone call. Swift was heartbroken when Jonas quickly started dating Camilla Belle after he broke up with Swift. The Jonas Brothers’ song “Much Better” is rumored to be about Taylor Swift. Swift and Jonas have since moved on and dated other people. It was made clear that Swift and Jonas are on good terms now when she sent his and Turner’s baby a gift in July when her album, Folklore, came out because it is believed that Taylor was calling out Sophie and Joe in her song invisible string when the lyric stated “For the boys who broke my heart / now I send their babies presents” referring to their baby. Swift is now dating Joe Alwyn and Jonas is married to Sophie Turner. In July 2019 when Swift released her album, Lover, Alwyn, and Swift liked each other’s Instagram posts. Their relationship is nothing like Joe and Sophie’s relationship. When Jonas broke up with her a day before their wedding, Turner explained in an interview that, "It was the worst day of our lives," she told the outlet. But thankfully, they both quickly realized they wanted to be together. "For a second we both had cold feet, then 24 hours later we were both, like, 'Never mind.'" She also said that she was having a hard time with her mental health because of gaining fame at such a young age and Jonas helped calm her down. Turner said, "[Jonas] was, like, 'I can't be with you until you love yourself, I can't see you love me more than you love yourself.' That was something, him doing that. I think he kind of saved my life, in a way." Sophie Turner and Joe Jonas met in 2016 through friends and got married in 2019. Turner’s interaction with Swift proved to fans that they are friends. When Turner praised Swift’s song on her Instagram Stories Swift responded by referencing her Game of Thrones character by saying “forever bending the knee for the queen of the north”. Swift even sent Turner’s baby a gift. Jonas and Swift have said that they are friends now. Turner is a Swiftie, which is what Swift’s fans are called. There is no bad blood between Turner, Swift, and Jonas. Taylor Swift and Sophie Turner are good friends now, despite Turner being married to Swift’s ex. The Wild Goose Chase of Substantive Political Discourse
By Benjamin Noel Culture Columnist In the modern world, it is nearly impossible to go a day without interacting with politics in some way, shape, or form. Whether it’s on television, social media, or in conversation with friends, politics are everywhere. This begs the question: is our culture overly political? Yes. In regards to politics, we’re talking a lot. But we’re talking in circles. Two drum circles, to be specific, sitting in the same room banging on their goat skins, trying to out-drum the other. When talking politics, a great divide comes to mind. Granted, the divide is feeding the beast of what is deemed relevant discourse. With every election cycle, a clear growing polarization of the Democrats and Republicans has become apparent. “The overall share of Americans who express consistently conservative or consistently liberal opinions has doubled over the past two decades from 10% to 21%” (Pew Research). The rate of divide has been exacerbated by how tightly connected party and ideology have become, with Democrats becoming uniformly left, and Republicans, right. “Today, 92% of Republicans are to the right of the median Democrat, and 94% of Democrats are to the left of the median Republican” (Pew Research). This gives way to the thinking that one must line up 100% with their party’s entire playbook as if it is some sort of concrete, uniform moral code, effectively stripping away individual thought. The increasing ideological divide is manifesting itself in two diverging ideas of the American ideal. The one side genuinely believes the other is morally repugnant, and will cause the utter destruction of our country. This makes it near impossible to have a constructive conversation with the average member of the party on the other side of the aisle. And the most dangerous thing to come out of this vicious dichotomy is the single headedness of the people participating. A single disagreement with your party casts you off as somehow incoherent and morally confused, regardless of how qualified your stance is. There are two clear cut sides, and crossing the line isn’t looked fondly upon. In our hyper connected digital age, political views have social value. It’s clear when seeing civil rights leaders’ quotes being re-posted and traded like baseball cards, and more people wearing red hats than at an Angels home game. American political affiliations have slowly, but surely, created two generally homogeneous groups, in which diversity of thought is steadily declining. The entirety of America’s current political discourse revolves around being surrounded by those that won’t help question one’s beliefs. A lack of diverse thought within discourse groups lowers the level of discourse that may be had. Too often are people being spoon fed rhetoric, via celebrity politicians and political commentators, without questioning why they agree with the claim, opting to agree on the basis of party lines. This strict divide gives rise to a culture of unquestioning agreement, but not steadfast belief in one’s political stance. Be it politics or morals, the level to which one questions their beliefs equals the conviction to which those beliefs can be held. When we think of politics infiltrating every aspect of our life, it’s final frontier seems to be social media re-posts. Sure at face value, spreading knowledge is the first step in creating change. But taking into account one’s audience is of great importance. One’s social media following is typically a choir of similarly minded people. Thus, the preaching of social justice or Constitutional rights resembles more of a drum circle than a Socratic forum. There is no significant change being influenced in or by these echo chambers of thought, save the sounds of politics in the air. All that’s to say, there is virtue in political thinking, granted it results in appropriate action, such as petitions to lawmakers and social outreach. The spreading of knowledge via social media re-posts, and talking with like-minded people is a great start, but it cannot be the end of our political involvement. The talking of politics without an end in mind is one of the most disastrous things one could get involved in. We’re talking more politics than ever, but it’s almost as if we forgot why. Facebook arguments won’t create legislation, re-posts won’t end racism, but directing one’s beliefs into the betterment of your community will do worlds more than a digital scuffle. The hottest TV shows to have hit our screens this past year. There’s something new worth watching in every genre on every streaming platform.
By Isabelle Delostrinos Culture Columnist With vaccinations rolling out, our time in quarantine is almost over. Dates for reopening are slowly being announced and it looks like we might have the summer we have all been longing for. As we await the green light to go outside regularly, here are some TV shows worth the binge. If you like action and suspense: Outer Banks (Netflix) Set in North Carolina’s outer banks, a group of four teenagers look to have the best best summer ever. John B and his friends are the outcasts as they are part of the working class, also known as the Pogues. They live in constant battle with the Kooks, the higher class members of town, who run the community and have the shiniest possessions. After a hurricane hits the outer banks and leaves the town in rubble, John B and his friends stumble upon a valuable possession. What seems to be a piece of trash turns out to be hunted down by many. Their summer of partying and surfing turns into an investigation to reveal the truth about John B and the outer banks. Also check out: The Mandalorian (Disney+), Game of Thrones (Hulu) For the ones who love intense drama: Little Fires Everywhere (Hulu) Based on the book, Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng, this show follows the lives of Mia Warren, played by Kerry Washington and Elena Richardson, played by Reese Witherspoon. Warren’s unconventional life brings her and her daughter to Shaker Heights, Ohio where they fall into the hands of the picture perfect Richardson family. The city’s close knit community and “American Dream” environment struggles to find a place for Warren and her daughter. As Warren shakes up the neighborhood with her defiant manner and disregard of the status quo, Richardson looks to unveil her mysterious path. Her obsession with bringing down Warren somehow bursts her life up into flames. Also check out: Big Little Lies (Hulu), Queen’s Gambit (Netflix), Behind Her Eyes (Netflix) If teenage drama is your jam: Ginny & Georgia (Netflix) Ginny & Georgia highlights the special relationship a mother and daughter have. Georgia, a single mother, decides to move her two kids, Ginny and Austin to a new town. At fifteen years old and full of teen angst, Ginny enters a new school where she becomes known as the girl with a MILF mom. At times, Ginny feels as if she is more mature than her mother. But as they settle into their new town, the truth about Georgia’s life slowly begins to unfold, leaving Ginny to wonder who her mother really is. The hope to have a fresh start begin to fade away as Georgia’s past comes back to jeopardize their future. Also check out: The Fosters (Hulu), Gossip Girl (HBO Max), Bridgerton (Netflix) For viewers needing a good laugh with a side of drama: Cobra Kai (Netflix) As a sequel to an iconic movie, Cobra Kai dives back into the lives of Johnny and Daniel from The Karate Kid. Years after Johnny’s intense defeat to Daniel, he finds himself hitting rock bottom in his adult years. Daniel grew up to live a successful life: getting married, starting a family and establishing his own car dealership. While Johnny continues to figure out who he is, he finds himself in a parking lot using karate to defend a high school kid from his bullies. This night reignited his passion for martial arts where he later reopened the Cobra Kai dojo as its sensei. With Johnny stepping back onto the mat, Daniel learns about his return bringing their childhood rivalry back into their lives. Also check out: Ted Lasso (Apple TV), The Office (Peacock), Friends (HBO Max) Honorable Mentions: The Mighty Ducks (Disney +), Babysitters Club (Netflix) Light hearted TV shows featuring the lives of young middle schoolers. Great for easing up your day as you watch these young characters learn about themselves and their place in the world. By Maia Pagán
Culture Columnist The Falcon and the Winter Soldier is a new Marvel TV show on Disney+. So far, there have been only four episodes, but within those four episodes, there's a lot to unpack. Fans have been coming up with theories, and the show takes you through many twists and turns, never really knowing who you should trust. Let's start down the paths of characters new and old, soldier serums, societal malaise, and the fight for truth and justice? This show explores something new which Marvel has not talked about before, racism. Sam Wilson, aka The Falcon, is a Black man who is a superhero and is often treated differently because he is Black. He is an American hero yet is denied a loan to help save his sister's house and family business. This injustice ties to a prior super soldier and his lack of support, recognition, and development, while the white Captain America promoted truth and justice. The series introduces an old super-soldier that was created at the same time as Captain America. But his presence was erased after he fought for the United States government because the government did not want people to know that a Black super soldier exists (Isaiah Bradley). A new character will emerge from the Black super-soldiers, Isaiah's nephew (Eli Bradley). His character is in the future series about the Young Avengers, also known as Patriot in the Young Avengers series. This show has viewers constantly guessing who is the bad guy. Is it the new Captain America or the group (The Flag Smashers) trying to help people who have suffered after the blip? Most people who have watched the show are not fans of the new Captain America as he could never replace the beloved character initially portrayed by Chris Evans. The new Captain America, former U.S. Agent John Walker, played by Wyatt Russel, and his sidekick Battlestar are also introduced, causing tension for Bucky and Sam. So far, according to the main "Flag-Smasher" named Karli Morgenthau and played by Erin Kellyman says that most of the fan's theories on what's going to happen with the show are not correct, so that leaves more fans wondering what's in store for the show. The series also explores the Winter Soldier, also known as James Buchanan Barnes or Bucky, who attends court-ordered therapy because he is a pardoned war criminal. After being taken over by Hydra and having his mind-controlled, he is on the road to making reparations with everyone he has harmed in his past. His character shows the toll of mental health on superheroes and supervillains alike and how lost Bucky seems to be since his best friend Steve Rogers is no longer around. Disney+ released a warning that future episodes of the show we're going to be a lot more grotesque and might be hard to watch for some viewers. One thing that surprised fans was that Bucky and Sam, in the most recent episode, helped a villain by the name of Baron Zemo escape prison. Will the Falcon and the Winter Soldier put their differences aside and come together for the greater good, or in the end, will they separate, never to speak again? One thing fans of the show are excited to see the constant sass and chemistry between the Falcon and the Winter Soldier and their adventures. In episode 4, although the super-soldier serum has many great qualities, it can turn a person into evil very quickly, and that's what happened to John Walker, the new Captain America. John Walker decides to take Super soldier serum and kills Karli's friend, who said he used to be a fan of Captain America growing up earlier in the show. He killed him because Karli accidentally kills Battlestar, the new Captain America's best friend and sidekick. At the beginning of episode four, Zemo mentions that no one could handle the super-soldier serum like the original Captain America Steve Rogers because he never let the serum take over his whole life. But that's precisely what happens to John Walker. Many fans of the series suspected John Walker would become a villain and not live up to what Captain America used to stand for. Let's discuss Sharon Carter (Peggy Carter's grandniece) as an ex-field agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. She may be the Power Broker who has been threatening the Flag-Smasher leader Karli about the super-soldier serum that was all but destroyed. Sharon is hiding out because she has not been pardoned for war criminal crime by the United States. Her location and technology to track people give her immense power. In the last fight scene, Zemo disappears after Dora Milaje (the fearsome warrior from Wakanda) fails to take him to prison again. Zemo has a new goal: killing all super-soldiers; since John Walker took the super-soldier serum, will he be the next on the kill list? Is this the beginning of the end for the era of Captain America or redemption? Which side will Bucky and Sam Wilson choose? Also, where did Zemo go? The second season of Bridgerton will lack the return of Simon the Duke of Hastings, played by Regé-Jean Page, shocking fans.
By Remy Zerber Culture Columnist The hit series on Netflix, Bridgerton, had a very successful first season. Bridgerton is based on the bestselling book series of the same name by Julia Quinn. The series is about eight children who live in Regency-era England. Each book follows a different sibling as they try to find love. Season one and book one of the series are both about Daphne’s relationship with Simon, the Duke of Hastings. Phoebe Dynover and Regé-Jean Page play Daphne and Simon in the first season of the show and are loved by fans. As fans excitedly await the second season, they were informed that Regé-Jean Page will not be returning for season two. Fans and celebs had two different types of reactions to the news. In reaction to the news, Kim Kardashian tweeted, “Wait WHAT?!!!” Another fan who was outraged said, “There better be a real good reason for Regé-Jean not coming back to Bridgerton! This news really ruined my morning!”A fan reacted to the news and said, “I mean the next season is about the next Bridgerton sibling…” Fans have mixed feelings about this news. Some fans are very disappointed vowing to no longer watch the series, while others are upset but understand the omission. The character Simon is not a big part of the second book of the Bridgerton series leaving it unnecessary for Regé-Jean Page to return for season two. Book two is about Anthony Bridgerton’s quest to find a wife focusing mostly on him. In the first book/season Simon is Daphne’s love interest so it makes sense that he had a big part. He does not have a big part in Anthony’s story so it makes sense that he would be written out of the script to save time. However, he is Daphne’s husband and Anthony’s brother-in-law so fans expected that he would be part of the story. It looks like fans are going to have to get used to a character getting written out of the script because each book in the series is about a different Bridgerton sibling so not all the same characters will be part of the story. Regé-Jean Page will be missed by fans when season two of Bridgerton airs but he and his character, Simon, will always be a part of the show, whether Page is on stage or not. The story of Page’s departure from the show had a mixed reaction from fans and even celebrities. Some fans and celebrities were disappointed but they understood Netflix’s decision, while others were just angry and shocked. Netflix’s decision to write Simon out of the script for season two is understandable, considering the second book of the Bridgerton series is about Anthony Bridgerton’s love life. Phoebe Dynover and Regé-Jean Page are the male and female leads of Bridgerton in season one but it looks like there will be two new leads in season two because it was announced that Regé-Jean Page will be leaving the show. There will be five new cast members in total. The new members are Charithra Chandran, Shelley Conn from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Calam Lynch From Dunkirk, Derry Girls, Rupert Young from The White Queen, and Simone Ashley from Sex Education. Simone Ashley will play Anthony’s love interest. Season two is going to be a great season with all the new characters. Simone Ashley will play Kate Sharma. Although Regé-Jean Page will be missed, fans are getting excited about the new cast members. They are going to add a lot to the story of the Bridgertons! |
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May 2024
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