The Pokémon Company has unveiled the official title of its post-Ash Ketchum anime, Pokémon Horizons: The Series, along with a new trailer and a closer look at the characters.

The trailer offers fans an early look at the exciting adventures that dual protagonists Liko and Roy will go on throughout the series as they set sail on a new journey to uncover the mysteries of the Pokémon world — with the help of a few pals along the way! Check it out below:

Set sail for a new journey in #PokemonHorizons: The Series! 🌅

Follow Liko and Roy as they unravel the mysteries that surround them and encounter Friede, Captain Pikachu, Amethio, and others during their exciting adventures! pic.twitter.com/HO1J0nAta1

— Pokémon (@Pokemon) March 24, 2023

Among their comrades are Friede, his partner Pokémon Captain Pikachu, and the Rising Volt Tacklers team, together with Amethio, who belongs to a mysterious organization called the Explorers with his partner Pokémon Ceruledge, plus a video streamer known as Nidothing.

Per the official logline, the Rising Volt Tacklers consists of "Orla, who enjoys mechanical and electrical work and is accompanied by her partner Pokémon, Metagross; Murdock, who is skilled at cooking, and his partner Pokémon, Rockruff; Mollie, who specializes in healing treatments, and her partner Pokémon, Chansey; and Ludlow."

The series will debut later this year after the conclusion of Pokémon Ultimate Journeys, which has now aired in Japan, but exact timings for Pokémon Horizons have not yet been shared.

"Pokémon Horizons: The Series is set to be a thrilling journey that explores new wonders and makes fascinating discoveries about the Pokémon world," said Taito Okiura, vice president of marketing for The Pokémon Company International, in a statement.

"The latest Pokémon Horizons: The Series trailer sheds further light on the mysterious adventures that await Liko and Roy," Okiura added. "We invite Trainers to join in unraveling these secrets when the series begins premiering outside of Japan later this year."

The Pokémon Company revealed in December that Ash would not be returning as the main character of the animated series for the first time in 25 years after finally earning his status as a Pokémon master, but that's not to say they won't show up in a cameo at some point.

After all, the show creators love to include throwbacks and references to previous seasons. Fans got emotional towards the end of last season when Misty made a return, for example, and Ash was recently reunited with another old friend from the first season too.

Adele Ankers-Range is a freelance entertainment writer for IGN. Follow her on Twitter.

This article contains spoilers for Yellowjackets Season 2. If you’re not caught up just yet, check out your Yellowjackets Season 1 Story So Far.

After a long, cold winter, Yellowjackets Season 2 is here and it's as brutally brilliant as ever. The premiere reunites us with the survivors of the plane crash in both the '90s and the present day, including a key new addition with the arrival of adult Lottie Matthews (Simone Kessell). Many of Season 1's biggest mysteries revolved around the young woman and her slide towards the supernatural in the wilderness of 1996. While the premiere of Season 2 doesn't tie up those loose threads just yet, it does go a long way to introducing some more context around Lottie and her new organization, while also opening up some big questions about what she's hiding behind her zen facade, her motivations, and how she could shape the season going forward.

What Happened to Lottie After the Yellowjackets Were Rescued?

Seeing as her survival was only properly hinted at in the final moments of the Season 1 finale, we knew nothing about Lottie's life after the crash until the Season 2 premiere. As many had suspected, we meet adult Lottie running some kind of strange organization. But the smiley, nature-focused wellness retreat was a far cry from the blood-thirsty cult that some had expected. Another key reveal is that Lottie's parents put her into some kind of mental health system after the Yellowjackets were rescued, and we see her undergoing Electric Shock Therapy. The show has already established that Lottie was taking drugs for schizophrenia before her time in the forest, and that her parents had a detached way of approaching their daughter’s struggles and visions at best. (Even if those visions did literally save their lives once.) It's clear that didn't change after her time in the woods, something adult Lottie alludes to while giving a speech to her clients at her lakeside retreat. She mentions how those who are working on themselves often blame many others including "the parents that didn't support you."

Though she clearly went through it after returning to civilization in 1998, adult Lottie seems to be thriving in the present. While her professional and organized persona may be a bit of a shock, it actually makes a lot of sense when you think about what she achieved in Season 1. Abduction and bank fraud are no easy feat, and yet Lottie managed both so far as we can tell in the Season 1 premiere. But, you wouldn't guess it from the way that she welcomes Nat into the fold when she breaks out of her captivity at the very familiar looking Camp Green Pine. What's that? Well, funny you should ask.

What is Camp Green Pine?

Camp Green Pine is the residence of Lottie’s apparent cult. It looks a lot like the wilderness where the girls were trapped, though we're yet to discover where it's actually located. Sitting somewhere between a yoga retreat and a summer camp, there's something eerily childlike about the place, which fits as it's clear that to a point Lottie is stuck in 1996 with her friends in the forest. The show's creators told IGN that Camp Green Pine was inspired by multiple things, co-showrunner Ashley Lyle's "fascination" with the summer camps she never got to attend, the real life controversial wellness guru Teal Swan, and Lyle shared "a mutual fascination with the current trend of wellness, which in its varying forms can feel like it's a genuine way to address trauma and mental illness, and just a way to cope with the world around us. And then it can sometimes feel a bit predatory or frankly bullshit." In the premiere those aspects are all at play as we meet adult Lottie.

So, what actually goes on at Camp Green Pine? Well, that's the bigger question. Lottie is clearly wealthy like her family before her. She also uses the wellness aspect of the camp as her public facing persona, offering advice and exercise. But, as we know from the frantic voicemail that Nat got from her ex-AA sponsor at the end of last season, Lottie has power and knows how to wield it. She has an apparent legion of people who are happy to kidnap, abduct, stalk, and potentially murder (R.I.P Travis) at her beck and call. So, while the beatific setting and positive self-talk look more recognizable and less scary than what many of us were expecting, it's clear that Lottie has many layers, and Camp Green Pine could well be a cover for something a lot darker.

Is Lottie Actually Running a Cult at Camp Green Pine?

At this point, this all depends on the way you look at it, as co-showrunner Bart Nickerson referenced while explaining the creative motivations of Camp Green Pine.

"I think the idea of having this sort of a wellness community or a kind of intentional community or I guess cult depending on your perspective, be like a summer camp, what's more wholesome in its ideal than a summer camp?" Nickerson notes.

That juxtaposition of fun, pure, idealistic youth and the more murky aspects that we see in Lottie's collective are intentional and, seeing as one of the creators said the word, it's safe to say that Lottie is running something that is at least akin to cult. The matching outfits, secluded location, kidnapping, and scary folk horror symbol definitely point in that direction. You get even more of that sense when Nat (Juliette Lewis) escapes and the clientele of the retreat run after her like prison guards rather than worried citizens. Lottie's sway rules here, and as night descends onto the camp we get a glimpse into the more feral parts of her teaching.

The aims of Lottie's cult are yet to reveal themselves, but there is a ritual that sees figures in animal masks bury another of their members in the dirt. It all feels directly related to Lottie's time in the forest. The most generous reading is that she feels like she found herself there and is trying to recreate that experience for others. Of course, another option is that her deep spiritual and possibly supernatural connection to the woods still exists, and her cult is there to help her connect with that and channel its power. We know that Tai is somehow connected to and still believes in the bloody rituals of the forest — RIP to Biscuit — and it looks like Lottie could be too. All of that said though, the premiere leaves us in the dark about Lottie's true intent. She could have kidnapped Nat for her own safety after Travis was murdered by another party. We still don't know whether or not she is the Antler Queen and the season could still surprise us by revealing its someone else entirely. If that's the case then her cult once again takes on a different and potentially less dangerous and more altruistic shape.

Did Lottie Kill Travis?

Lottie's potential duality is key to the interest and intrigue that the showrunners wanted to build into Season 2, as Lyle explains how adult Lottie contrasts with her peers.

"I think the one thing that unites [the main cast] in Season 1 is that none of them are dealing with their shit,” Lyle says. “Shauna is sort of punishing herself, putting herself in this stasis of sorts and refusing to move forward. Taissa conversely is charging straight ahead and refusing to look at the past, Natalie is self-medicating, Misty is missing the chip that self-reflection seems to require.

As Yellowjackets' co-showrunner Jonathan Lisco adds, Camp Green Pine and Lottie could end up becoming something of an unexpected hub for the other survivors. "One of the things I like about it is that I think our characters are such silos in a way because of what they've experienced.”

We know that in the wilderness, Lottie turned to blood rituals and the supernatural, and in the '90s sequences of the premiere this week we see how those choices begin to affect the others in the woods and their day to day lives. But, while Travis' murder is still a mystery and her motivations behind kidnapping Nat are vague, it's unclear whether she's the villain we — or at least Natalie — expected. Though, running a cult in the wilds that look suspiciously like where your plane crashed is a red flag at best.

Does Lottie Have Javi and/or Van at the Camp?

Seeing as she had her people kidnap Nat, there's a high likelihood that other survivors could also be at the camp without their consent — or with it if they followed Lottie in the forest — we know that at the end of Season 1, Van was a Lottie believer, so there's a chance she's a core part of Lottie's operations. Or that Lottie may have taken her against her will in order to create some kind of Yellowjackets disaster reunion. Either way we wouldn't be completely surprised if Van appeared at Green Pine Camp at some point soon. As for Javi, seeing as his absence is one of the series' biggest question we don't expect to discover his fate just yet, but if he did survive the wilderness and his brother was involved with Lottie and her crew, there's a chance that Javi could be headed to or already at the camp too.

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.

Yellowjackets is back with the first episode of season 2 arriving tomorrow. After a terrific first season, the Showtime original series is returning again with more survival horror drama to enjoy. For more information on the latest episodes, you can sneak a peek at our Yellowjackets Season 2 review.

If you're wondering how to watch upcoming Yellowjackets episodes, or even season 1 for that matter, it's slightly more complicated than it needs to be. Take a look at the information for all of the streaming details.

Yellowjackets Season 2 Release Date

There are two different release dates for Yellowjackets season 2. The series will be available to stream via the Showtime App and the Paramount+ Showtime bundle starting on Friday, March 24. However, it won't arrive on the Showtime cable channel until Sunday, March 26 at 6 p.m. PT / 9 p.m. ET.

How to Watch Yellowjackets Season 2 Episodes Online

If you're looking to stream the first episode of Yellowjackets season 2 online, you will need to have some form of a Showtime subscription. If you already have a cable subscription with Showtime included, you can just sign into Showtime via the app or online. If you don't currently have Showtime as a streaming option, you can add it on via a Paramount+ bundle via Prime Video subscriptions.

• Paramount+ with Showtime (Free Trial)
• Amazon Prime Video Add-on (Free Trial)
• Hulu Add-on (Free Trial)
• Showtime App (Free Trial)

Yellowjackets Season 2 Episode Release Schedule

Yellowjackets season 2 will have 8 total episodes that will arrive on a weekly cadence. You can likely expect new episodes of Yellowjackets every Friday. Here's the tentative episode release schedule:

• Episode 1 - March 24, 2023
• Episode 2 - March 31, 2023
• Episode 3 - April 7, 2023
• Episode 4 - April 14, 2023
• Episode 5 - April 21, 2023
• Episode 6 - April 28, 2023
• Episode 7 - May 5, 2023
• Episode 8 - May 12, 2023

Where to Stream Yellowjackets Season 1 Online

Unfortunately, season 1 of Yellowjackets falls into the same category as season 2. You can either stream episodes with a Showtime free trial or bundle or you can purchase season 1 via Amazon Prime Video for $24.99. You can also catch up on the Yellowjackets story so far with our guide if you just need a refresher.

Yellowjackets Cast

• Melanie Lynskey as Adult Shauna
• Sophie Nelisse as Teen Shauna
• Christina Ricci as Adult Misty
• Samantha Hanratty as Teen Misty
• Tawny Cypress as Adult Taissa
• Jasmin Savoy Brown as Teen Taissa
• Juliette Lewis as Adult Natalie
• Sophie Thatcher as Teen Natalie
• Courtney Eaton as Teen Lottie
• Liv Hewson as Teen Van
• ​​Kevin Alves as Teen Travis
• Steven Krueger as Coach Ben
• Warren Kole as Jeff

Will There Be a Yellowjackets Season 3?

If you're a fan of the show, then you'll be happy to hear that Yellowjackets has already been renewed for season 3. There has not yet been an announcement about a season 3 premiere date.

Yellowjackets season 2 premieres on Showtime Anytime streaming on March 24 and March 26 on Showtime.

In the late fall of 2021, Yellowjackets burst onto the zeitgeist and grabbed audiences with an audacious setup: a New Jersey girl’s soccer team struggling to survive the aftermath of a 1996 plane crash. This was intercut with some of those survivors still processing their trauma 25 years later. An ensemble cast featuring teen and adult versions of the characters, Yellowjackets’ first season is ablaze with the potency of unbridled hormones, extreme vices, and survival horror, juxtaposed with the horrors of the mundanity of middle age. In the second season, however, Yellowjackets is a little worse for wear in its first six episodes. While the post-crash stories remain the most involving, the present-day side suffers as the writers look for ways to separate the adult characters with less dramatic returns.

The various stories pick up where the season 1 finale left off. In the past, it’s full-on winter with the elements making the survivors more emaciated and testy with one another. And the freezing death of team captain Jackie (Ella Purnell) has left a palpable pall over everyone, especially Shauna (Sophie Nélisse), who had many unresolved issues with her frenemy. How Yellowjackets addresses that lingering guilt and loss is both grim and compelling. In the present, the reunited survivors Shauna (Melanie Lynskey), Tai (Tawny Cypress), Misty (Christina Ricci), and Natalie (​​Juliette Lewis) are now separated again by a variety of highly orchestrated circumstances that test the limits of credulity.

Of the six episodes provided for review, the first two, "Friends, Romans, Countrymen" and "Edible Complex” are far and away the best of the group. The first episode works as an effective reintroduction to how all the characters in the past are coping with Jackie’s shocking death. And in the present, the episode answers many of the cliffhangers from the season 1 finale. But "Edible Complex” is really the shining star of the pack. It gleefully and assuredly embraces full-on horror storytelling to pay off story breadcrumbs that have been tantalizingly dropped since the pilot. Every bit of its climax, from the Radiohead needle drop to the cross-cut editing, has the potential to induce goosebumps and slack jaws. It reminds me of why the series grabbed so many of us by the jugular in the first place.

Unfortunately, nothing that follows reaches those two episodes’ heights. There’s a lot of present-day wheel-spinning and less interesting character progressions that don’t have the kind of impact we’ve come to expect with this series. It’s clear by episode 3 that the past supersedes the present in terms of the best storytelling of the season because that's where the writers are far more assured in making aggressive reveals and pushing stories forward. In particular, the lure of Lottie’s (Courtney Eaton) rituals and talismans, which bring hope to many of the survivors, unfolds in a way that rides the line of being interpreted as either pragmatic or supernatural. There’s also Shauna’s pregnancy, with an imminent birth they are entirely unprepared to handle. Throw in the group’s overall declining mental health, and you know we’re in for drama all the time in the woods, ya’ll.

Season 2 retains the established series format of flipping back and forth between the post-crash survivors and their adult versions in 2021, but that’s been expanded to include snippets of pre-crash times, immediate post-rescue moments, and even some character-centric memories. The flipping works best when the stories in the past and present dovetail in some way, like in revealing how younger Tai’s sleep-deprivation problems started. This informs how adult Tai’s current problems with sleepwalking got so bad. Yet there are plenty of instances where the cuts between time periods are more random and less meaty, as though the writers are trying to find ways to flesh out underserved characters, but end up leading to a less satisfying episode overall.

The decision that works against season 2 the most is the aforementioned separation of the core women in the present. Having those deeply flawed women come together again in season 1 – with all of their history and legacy chaos – and witnessing that percolating before our very eyes was a huge part of their initial chemistry. You were never certain when someone would go rogue or explode with latent rage, which is part of what made the present-day storylines so vibrant. Now they’re dispersed to deal with their issues individually, like a storytelling experiment that is extended to its breaking point.

The new dynamics are spotty at best. Shauna gets the shortest end of the stick, having to do her post-Adam murder machinations with her dopey husband Jeff (Warren Kole) and seething daughter Callie (Sarah Desjardins). Nat is defanged in her new setting and Tai wanders around a lot in a fugue state, not going anywhere for a long time. Only Misty gets a fun change of scenery: she is paired with an equally odd murder hound named Walter (Elijah Wood). They have great comedic chemistry and give the season some of its funniest moments. Overall, the separated strategy reduces the present-day storylines to soapy scenarios that feel like placeholders, just biding their time until they hopefully get back together once more.

The one past timeline stumble is when Yellowjackets pulls a Lost move, a la the Tailies, by casually folding in more team members who didn’t have lines in the first season and making them speaking characters out of nowhere. That’s disconcerting at times, not to mention foreboding for them when we know where the lack of food takes the storyline.

However, one element that hasn’t missed a beat are the genius needle drops. Yellowjackets’ music supervisors deserve an award for continuing to create a playlist that not only fits time and place, but also honors the female voices of the ‘90s like Tori Amos, 4 Non Blondes, and even Elastica. There are some brilliant marriages of music to scenes that results in some of the most memorable moments of this sophomore season.

This piece contains spoilers for Yellowjackets Season 1. But you can read our spoiler-free review of Season 1 if you're not caught up yet.

In the wilds of November 2021 an unassuming show about the feral nature of teenage girls became a word of mouth smash for Showtime. Yellowjackets exploded onto the scene, inspiring thousands of fan theories and a devoted viewership who couldn't get enough of the dueling timelines, gruesome wilderness action, and cast of '90s icons and fresh new faces. But, with a story that spans decades, a massive lineup of characters, and lots of culty-goodness to keep up with, you might need a refresher before the season returns. Just like the wilderness provides for some of our young survivors, we're here to get you up to speed with the atmospheric, bloodsoaked events of Yellowjackets Season 1.

A Bloody Beginning

It all begins as a young girl runs barefoot through a snowy forest chased by unknown assailants. Her ragged-breathed quest for survival takes her deeper and deeper into the woods until she falls into a waiting trap. Soon, her killers feast on her flesh. Season 1’s primary mystery revolves around this death and the apparent cannibals who descend upon the corpse.

Time to meet the potential cannibals and victims! Part of Yellowjackets' charm is its dual timelines and cast. In 1996 a girl's high school soccer team is preparing for the National Championships. The team's Captain and obvious Queen Bee, Jackie (Ella Purnell), her best friend and sidekick Shauna (Sophie Nélisse), the enigmatic and furious Taissa (Jasmin Savoy Brown), punk outsider Natalie (Sophie Thatcher), stoic goalkeeper Van (Liv Hewson), the overtly faithful good girl Laura Lee (Jane Widdop) and the wealthy shy girl Lottie (Courtney Eaton). The core team is rounded out by Mari (Alexa Barajas) and Akilah (Keeya King).

Their journey to the competition is cut short when their plane falls from the sky crashing in the wilderness. The team are the only survivors along with the sons of their now dead coach, Travis (Kevin Alves) and Javi (Luciano Leroux), as well as hunky assistant coach Ben (Steven Krueger) and the Yellowjackets' over enthusiastic equipment manager Misty (Sammi Hanratty).

Which Yellowjackets Survived the Crash?

In the modern day, Shauna (Melanie Lynskey) is an unsatisfied housewife married to Jackie's teenage sweetheart Jeff (Warren Kole). Taissa (Tawny Brown) is a successful rising politician, Natalie is a recovering addict and Misty (Christina Ricci) is a caregiver for elderly folks. Their fragile "normal" lives are turned upside down when they begin to receive strange blackmail notes alluding to their time in the woods at the same time a journalist begins sniffing around.

These developments are the most worrying to Misty, who we quickly learn was definitely one of the alleged cannibals in a brief glimpse of her bloodstained face back in 1996. She also condemned her fellow survivors to 19 months in the wilds when she destroyed the black box and GPS from their plane within the first few days of arriving. Despite the secrets she has to hide, Nat suspects Misty of sending the creepy notes which feature a symbol from their survivor era, but the pair quickly realize that's not the case and embark on an odd couple mystery to discover the truth.

What Happened to Travis in Yellowjackets Season 1?

Speaking of unexpected pairings, after rear-ending a young hunk named Adam (Peter Gadiot), Shauna begins an affair that quickly ramps up and sets her on a dangerous path, especially as Adam is pretty shady and reminded many viewers of the youngest survivor of the crew, Javi. His brother Travis is Misty and Nat's first stop but they find him dead and, while it appears to be suicide, the pair realize a strange ritual was committed under his body. The tragic discovery of her ex-boyfriend sends the addict Nat into a spiral and pushes Misty to extreme lengths.

The mystery of what happened in the woods is a national curiosity that all the women have tried to leave behind, but that's becoming harder than ever for Taissa. She's accused of being a cannibal by the politician she's running against — revealing there are at least rumors about what we saw on screen — and her son Sammy is suffering strange and terrifying visions of a creature he calls "the lady in the tree."

Home Sweet Home

In 1996 we start to get a picture of how the survivors lasted through the winter as they discover a cabin, replete with a dead body that inspires worries of hauntings and a fateful seance that tips Lottie over the edge into believing she's possessed. It's not the first time that Lottie has been close to the supernatural though as we learn the young schizophrenic woman has a history of visions, including one that saved her family's life.

While teenage Jackie slides down the forest's new social ladder in favor of creepy survivalist Misty, Shauna becomes closer to Javi; Nat and Travis start a classic enemies to lovers romance when the group run out of food and the two take on the role of hunters thanks to Nat's knowledge of guns; and Van and Taissa continue to explore their pre-crash love story.

The Truth About Shauna and Misty's Misdeeds

In spite of the disastrous situation, nature takes its course and all the girls' period's sync up, but one of them is distinctly left out: Shauna. Turns out that she's pregnant and the father is her BFF Jackie's boyfriend. Uh oh, that's going to end badly for everyone. While the girls are distracted by cramps, Misty is poisoning assistant coach Ben in a haunting attempt to keep the pair close. But, he quickly realizes the truth and tries to play her in order to survive. She doesn't take it well when he reveals that he's gay and has no love for the young woman and her manipulative ways. And it turns out Misty's sociopath behavior isn't confined only to the past.

See, adult Misty's response to the blackmail threat is to kidnap, poison, and trap the enquiring journalist Jessica (Rekha Sharma) in her basement. But there's a problem, she's not who she says she is, as she's a private investigator hired by Taissa to check that no one was going to spill about the woods while she was running for office. Misty has no interest in letting Jessica go though, and this clearly isn't the first non-consensual guest she's kept in her home.

The Lady in the Tree

Misty isn't the only one losing her grip though. It's revealed that Taissa has been sleep-climbing the tree outside her son's room and eating dirt — something she also did in the wilderness — revealing she is the Lady in the Tree. It's a huge hint that all is not well with the most outwardly together of the group. Her trauma is understandable when we learn that on her quest to escape the woods all those years ago she unintentionally led her lover Van into the jaws of a wolf, literally. Though it seemed the brutal attack left Van dead, she survived, cementing the beliefs of the supernatural sect of the group — who believed Lottie had foreseen the attack in a vision — and decidedly freaking out Taissa and her friends.

Van's survival — and Jackie's choice to reveal to the group that Shauna is pregnant — inspires Laura Lee to enact a scheme she'd been stewing over: fixing up an old plane and trying to fly out of the woods. While it seems like it might just work, the plane explodes above the lake. To most of the girls it's a tragedy to Lottie it's a sign: the woods won't let them leave.

Who was the Blackmailer in Yellowjackets Season 1?

In the modern day, the group try to catch their blackmailer to no avail, but their plan does ultimately lead to Shauna making a shocking revelation: her husband Jeff was behind it all. He needed money to help his business and came up with the plan after finding Shauna's journals. Unfortunately, she realizes this a little too late, literally moments after murdering her lover Adam who she began to suspect knew too much about their time in the forest. Ever the planner, Shauna decides to lie to her friends and say she killed Adam because he was the blackmailer. Protecting Jeff — who she tells about the murder as the pair argue about his blackmail scheme — and roping her friends in to get rid of the body in one fell swoop.

If this seems like a bit of a criminal turn for the crew — except murderous Misty — you only need to look back to the nightmarish homecoming party the girls threw for themselves in the woods to learn this isn't their first brush with violence. The team accidentally drug themselves — minus Jackie — with Misty's mushroom poison. They then hunt, trap, abuse, and almost kill Travis, and commune with nature in a terrifyingly feral way. This is a monumental moment as it cements Nat and Travis' relationship — she saves him from Shauna slitting his throat— and sets up Jackie's ultimate demise as the group turn on her and tell her to sleep outside. It's also the last time anyone saw poor little Javi, a mystery that'll definitely continue in Season 2.

After getting rid of Adam's body in the present — thanks Misty! — the foursome head to their school reunion. It's here during the finale that we learn Jackie didn't survive her night outside the cabin, instead freezing to death. It wreaks havoc on the group and splits them into two clear groups: Lottie's wilderness worshiping cult starring Van and Misty and Taissa's more logical survivors.

Where We Left the Yellowjackets at the End of Season 1

Things honestly aren't looking much better in the present as the wider world catches on to Adam's disappearance (including Shauna's daughter Callie (Sarah Desjardins) . Who had seen her mother and Adam together. Misty murders the journalist, Jessica, with a poisoned cigarette, and Natalie gets kidnapped by people wearing cozy sweaters as she receives a call that Lottie wiped Travis' bank account. In a shocking final twist, Taissa wins the election in an upset and it looks like she might have had some supernatural help. As Taissa grins in victory, her wife finds a shrine with the head and bloody remains of their missing dog under their home.

Back in the forest, we get a tease that Lottie may well be the cannibal leader as she takes her believers into the woods, presents a bear heart — from the creature she killed earlier for the girls to eat — and uses its heart in an offering to the wilderness. As they conduct their ritual, Lottie says the final line of the season, the very cult-y phrase "Now let the darkness set us free."

And take a deep breath, you're going to need it when Yellowjackets Season 2 hits on March 24.

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.

This piece contains spoilers for Yellowjackets Season 1. But you can read our spoiler-free review of Season 1 if you're not caught up yet.

In the wilds of November 2021 an unassuming show about the feral nature of teenage girls became a word of mouth smash for Showtime. Yellowjackets exploded onto the scene, inspiring thousands of fan theories and a devoted viewership who couldn't get enough of the dueling timelines, gruesome wilderness action, and cast of '90s icons and fresh new faces. But, with a story that spans decades, a massive lineup of characters, and lots of culty-goodness to keep up with, you might need a refresher before the season returns. Just like the wilderness provides for some of our young survivors, we're here to get you up to speed with the atmospheric, bloodsoaked events of Yellowjackets Season 1.

A Bloody Beginning

It all begins as a young girl runs barefoot through a snowy forest chased by unknown assailants. Her ragged-breathed quest for survival takes her deeper and deeper into the woods until she falls into a waiting trap. Soon, her killers feast on her flesh. Season 1’s primary mystery revolves around this death and the apparent cannibals who descend upon the corpse.

Time to meet the potential cannibals and victims! Part of Yellowjackets' charm is its dual timelines and cast. In 1996 a girl's high school soccer team is preparing for the National Championships. The team's Captain and obvious Queen Bee, Jackie (Ella Purnell), her best friend and sidekick Shauna (Sophie Nélisse), the enigmatic and furious Taissa (Jasmin Savoy Brown), punk outsider Natalie (Sophie Thatcher), stoic goalkeeper Van (Liv Hewson), the overtly faithful good girl Laura Lee (Jane Widdop) and the wealthy shy girl Lottie (Courtney Eaton). The core team is rounded out by Mari (Alexa Barajas) and Akilah (Keeya King).

Their journey to the competition is cut short when their plane falls from the sky crashing in the wilderness. The team are the only survivors along with the sons of their now dead coach, Travis (Kevin Alves) and Javi (Luciano Leroux), as well as hunky assistant coach Ben (Steven Krueger) and the Yellowjackets' over enthusiastic equipment manager Misty (Sammi Hanratty).

Which Yellowjackets Survived the Crash?

In the modern day, Shauna (Melanie Lynskey) is an unsatisfied housewife married to Jackie's teenage sweetheart Jeff (Warren Kole). Taissa (Tawny Brown) is a successful rising politician, Natalie is a recovering addict and Misty (Christina Ricci) is a caregiver for elderly folks. Their fragile "normal" lives are turned upside down when they begin to receive strange blackmail notes alluding to their time in the woods at the same time a journalist begins sniffing around.

These developments are the most worrying to Misty, who we quickly learn was definitely one of the alleged cannibals in a brief glimpse of her bloodstained face back in 1996. She also condemned her fellow survivors to 19 months in the wilds when she destroyed the black box and GPS from their plane within the first few days of arriving. Despite the secrets she has to hide, Nat suspects Misty of sending the creepy notes which feature a symbol from their survivor era, but the pair quickly realize that's not the case and embark on an odd couple mystery to discover the truth.

What Happened to Travis in Yellowjackets Season 1?

Speaking of unexpected pairings, after rear-ending a young hunk named Adam (Peter Gadiot), Shauna begins an affair that quickly ramps up and sets her on a dangerous path, especially as Adam is pretty shady and reminded many viewers of the youngest survivor of the crew, Javi. His brother Travis is Misty and Nat's first stop but they find him dead and, while it appears to be suicide, the pair realize a strange ritual was committed under his body. The tragic discovery of her ex-boyfriend sends the addict Nat into a spiral and pushes Misty to extreme lengths.

The mystery of what happened in the woods is a national curiosity that all the women have tried to leave behind, but that's becoming harder than ever for Taissa. She's accused of being a cannibal by the politician she's running against — revealing there are at least rumors about what we saw on screen — and her son Sammy is suffering strange and terrifying visions of a creature he calls "the lady in the tree."

Home Sweet Home

In 1996 we start to get a picture of how the survivors lasted through the winter as they discover a cabin, replete with a dead body that inspires worries of hauntings and a fateful seance that tips Lottie over the edge into believing she's possessed. It's not the first time that Lottie has been close to the supernatural though as we learn the young schizophrenic woman has a history of visions, including one that saved her family's life.

While teenage Jackie slides down the forest's new social ladder in favor of creepy survivalist Misty, Shauna becomes closer to Javi; Nat and Travis start a classic enemies to lovers romance when the group run out of food and the two take on the role of hunters thanks to Nat's knowledge of guns; and Van and Taissa continue to explore their pre-crash love story.

The Truth About Shauna and Misty's Misdeeds

In spite of the disastrous situation, nature takes its course and all the girls' period's sync up, but one of them is distinctly left out: Shauna. Turns out that she's pregnant and the father is her BFF Jackie's boyfriend. Uh oh, that's going to end badly for everyone. While the girls are distracted by cramps, Misty is poisoning assistant coach Ben in a haunting attempt to keep the pair close. But, he quickly realizes the truth and tries to play her in order to survive. She doesn't take it well when he reveals that he's gay and has no love for the young woman and her manipulative ways. And it turns out Misty's sociopath behavior isn't confined only to the past.

See, adult Misty's response to the blackmail threat is to kidnap, poison, and trap the enquiring journalist Jessica (Rekha Sharma) in her basement. But there's a problem, she's not who she says she is, as she's a private investigator hired by Taissa to check that no one was going to spill about the woods while she was running for office. Misty has no interest in letting Jessica go though, and this clearly isn't the first non-consensual guest she's kept in her home.

The Lady in the Tree

Misty isn't the only one losing her grip though. It's revealed that Taissa has been sleep-climbing the tree outside her son's room and eating dirt — something she also did in the wilderness — revealing she is the Lady in the Tree. It's a huge hint that all is not well with the most outwardly together of the group. Her trauma is understandable when we learn that on her quest to escape the woods all those years ago she unintentionally led her lover Van into the jaws of a wolf, literally. Though it seemed the brutal attack left Van dead, she survived, cementing the beliefs of the supernatural sect of the group — who believed Lottie had foreseen the attack in a vision — and decidedly freaking out Taissa and her friends.

Van's survival — and Jackie's choice to reveal to the group that Shauna is pregnant — inspires Laura Lee to enact a scheme she'd been stewing over: fixing up an old plane and trying to fly out of the woods. While it seems like it might just work, the plane explodes above the lake. To most of the girls it's a tragedy to Lottie it's a sign: the woods won't let them leave.

Who was the Blackmailer in Yellowjackets Season 1?

In the modern day, the group try to catch their blackmailer to no avail, but their plan does ultimately lead to Shauna making a shocking revelation: her husband Jeff was behind it all. He needed money to help his business and came up with the plan after finding Shauna's journals. Unfortunately, she realizes this a little too late, literally moments after murdering her lover Adam who she began to suspect knew too much about their time in the forest. Ever the planner, Shauna decides to lie to her friends and say she killed Adam because he was the blackmailer. Protecting Jeff — who she tells about the murder as the pair argue about his blackmail scheme — and roping her friends in to get rid of the body in one fell swoop.

If this seems like a bit of a criminal turn for the crew — except murderous Misty — you only need to look back to the nightmarish homecoming party the girls threw for themselves in the woods to learn this isn't their first brush with violence. The team accidentally drug themselves — minus Jackie — with Misty's mushroom poison. They then hunt, trap, abuse, and almost kill Travis, and commune with nature in a terrifyingly feral way. This is a monumental moment as it cements Nat and Travis' relationship — she saves him from Shauna slitting his throat— and sets up Jackie's ultimate demise as the group turn on her and tell her to sleep outside. It's also the last time anyone saw poor little Javi, a mystery that'll definitely continue in Season 2.

After getting rid of Adam's body in the present — thanks Misty! — the foursome head to their school reunion. It's here during the finale that we learn Jackie didn't survive her night outside the cabin, instead freezing to death. It wreaks havoc on the group and splits them into two clear groups: Lottie's wilderness worshiping cult starring Van and Misty and Taissa's more logical survivors.

Where We Left the Yellowjackets at the End of Season 1

Things honestly aren't looking much better in the present as the wider world catches on to Adam's disappearance (including Shauna's daughter Callie (Sarah Desjardins) . Who had seen her mother and Adam together. Misty murders the journalist, Jessica, with a poisoned cigarette, and Natalie gets kidnapped by people wearing cozy sweaters as she receives a call that Lottie wiped Travis' bank account. In a shocking final twist, Taissa wins the election in an upset and it looks like she might have had some supernatural help. As Taissa grins in victory, her wife finds a shrine with the head and bloody remains of their missing dog under their home.

Back in the forest, we get a tease that Lottie may well be the cannibal leader as she takes her believers into the woods, presents a bear heart — from the creature she killed earlier for the girls to eat — and uses its heart in an offering to the wilderness. As they conduct their ritual, Lottie says the final line of the season, the very cult-y phrase "Now let the darkness set us free."

And take a deep breath, you're going to need it when Yellowjackets Season 2 hits on March 24.

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.

Warning: full spoilers for The Mandalorian Season 3 ahead!

Season 3 of The Mandalorian on Disney+ sees Mando and Grogu traveling the galaxy as they learn the secrets of Mandalore, team up with Bo-Katan Kryze, and battle all manner of deadly space monsters. And, while that may sound exciting on paper, somehow it’s not. Even if the show does occasionally drop some juicy new lore or reveal long-held series secrets, the kind us Star Wars fans can’t get help but get excited for, its main plot strains to keep things interesting. The main culprit is the show’s lackadaisical approach to its conflicts, which it tackles with the same pacing as a Bantha crossing the Dune Sea. More than anything, The Mandalorian desperately needs a sense of urgency.

While a lot can be said about the show’s clunky plot in Season 3, the most egregious examples of its slowness come from Episodes 2 and 4. Both feature a high stakes situation that is immediately robbed of its excitement due to a bizarre sense of logic.

The Messiness of Mandalore

In Episode 2, Chapter 18: The Mines of Mandalore, Mando is caught by surprise and captured by a creepy new villain, but instead of Grogu finding a way to save his foster father in the moment, he’s instructed to flee Mandalore and go get Bo-Katan… who is on another planet. Even if we’re being generous by acknowledging that Bo-Katan’s home of Kalevala is in the same star system, it would take far too long for Grogu to travel through space to get her and return in time to save his dad. Mando would be dead ten times over in the time it takes to make that trip. And it’s not helped by the fact that once Grogu does return with Bo-Katan, they take their sweet time slowly following the same path as if Mando’s life isn’t in jeopardy. Would it hurt them to put a little pep in their step?

(It’s funny, in an unintentional way, to imagine Bo-Katan purposely walking as slow as possible because Mando dying would mean he’s no longer around to contest her claim to the throne of Mandalore.)

We’re not given any reason to think that Mando would be kept alive for an extended period of time, but it didn’t have to be that way. There’s actually an easy fix within the episode itself. Just as the rescue party finally arrives, we watch the cyborg stick Mando with a tube to drain his life fluids. Had that happened right when Mando was captured, it would have at least given us a plausible reason for why Mando would survive that long: he has to be kept alive long enough for all his tasty juices to be sucked out and turned into a protein shake. His life would still be in jeopardy, but it would have been on an understandably slow ticking clock. Alas, we’re given nothing to go on and are left with an episode filled with repetition and devoid of tension.

Granted, this is Star Wars, which isn’t always practical, what with its planet-killing weapons and life-preserving metal and all, so we let it go. After all, they wouldn’t do the exact same thing two episodes later, would they? Oh, they totally would.

The Snoozling

In Episode 4, Chapter 20: The Foundling, when the little Foundling boy is suddenly snatched up by a space pterodactyl, all of the Mandalorians spring into action. Now that’s what I’m talkin’ about! They rocket through the air after the flying monster, only for their jet packs to run out of fuel, and just when all hope is lost, Bo-Katan’s sweet fighter jet screams past them in hot pursuit. But then after the title card, in another bizarre twist, we find Bo-Katan back at the camp... without the child. She tells them she tracked the creature to its nest and that they should go back with a group to rescue the boy. Wait a sec. Why didn’t Bo-Katan try to save him herself? Later we learn the creature was saving the boy for its babies’ breakfast the next day, but she didn’t know that. By simply scouting the area and not making an immediate rescue attempt, Bo-Katan essentially affords the bird monster all the time it needs to chow down on the little snackling.

What follows is a scene where the Mandalorians formulate a plan, and they agree it’s the noise of their jetpacks that would cause the creature to kill the boy, not the fact that they just gave it a full day to eat in peace. Not one person is concerned with the fact that with every passing second it’s more likely the kid will become bird food, if he hasn't already. It feels strange that no one objects to any of this, not even the boy’s father. Everyone just agrees with this plan to plod across the landscape as the hours pass, as if yet another life wasn’t hanging in the balance. Sure, you have to approach on foot to avoid startling the creature, but do you have to walk so slowly, and then for some reason camp out for the night? (Note: do not list any of these folks as an emergency contact.)

Again, it didn’t have to be this way. There could have been an explanation, delivered by one of the Mandalorians familiar with these local animals, that they only feed their young at sunrise, giving them enough time to make it to the nest and save him. But we weren’t even given that much. We were just given another instance where a character is put in imminent mortal danger, and then there was no sense of urgency to save them.

The Bigger Problem

These two examples are a symptom of a larger problem with the show. This season feels thin when it comes to its overall plot. Granted, the initial appeal of the show was that it didn’t have much of an overarching plot. It was a weekly episodic treat to watch Mando and Grogu go from one adventure to the next, and that was delightful. But with Din completing his quest to return Grogu to the Jedi at the end of Season 2, the show’s ability to use that formula came to an end. From that point where Din crossed paths with Luke Skywalker, he became more than just some bounty hunter. He became a pivotal figure in Star Wars lore. Now it seems that The Mandalorian as a show is obligated to be about something bigger and more important, but whatever that is supposed to be, there doesn’t seem to be enough of it to support a full season.

Just look at Season 3 so far. The big quest Mando was given to redeem himself in Episode 1 was resolved by the end of Episode 2, then we took a detour to Coruscant for a detached political story, and now we’re left wondering what Din, Gorgu, and Bo-Katan are even after now that they’re hunkering down with the Mandalorians. Could it be that there’s simply not enough meat on the narrative bone this season, and so moments of danger are stretched to fill out an episode’s runtime, completely robbing them of all tension in the process? Please say this is not the way.

Those are our thoughts on how The Mandalorian is doing at the halfway point in Season 3. Let us know what you think of the season so far in the comments. For more on Mando, check our IGN's review of The Mandalorian Episode 4 and the identity of the Jedi who saved Grogu.

The domestic violence charges filed against Rick & Morty co-creator Justin Roiland have been dropped, IGN has confirmed.

A representative with the Orange Country District Attorney, which originally filed the charges, told IGN that they were dropped today as "we did not have sufficient evidence to prove the case beyond reasonable doubt," in addition to "additional information that came to light during the investigation."

“I commend the Orange County District Attorney’s Office for conducting a thorough review of the facts and deciding to dismiss the case against Justin," Roiland's attorney, T. Edward Welbourn, told IGN in a statement. "I’m thankful justice has prevailed.”

Roiland also broke his silence today, speaking publicly on Twitter for the first time since the allegations came to light.

"I have always known that these claims were false - and I never had any doubt this day would come," Roiland tweeted.

"I'm thankful that this case has been dismissed but, at the same time, I'm still deeply shaken by the horrible lies that were reported about me during this process."

"Most of all," he continued, "I'm disappointed that so many people were so quick to judge without knowing the facts, based solely on the word of an embittered ex trying to bypass due process and have me 'canceled.' That it may have succeeded, even partially, is shameful. However, now that the legal case has ended, I'm determined to move forward and focus both on my creative projects and restoring my good name."

justice pic.twitter.com/1q9M4GA6MV

— Justin Roiland (@JustinRoiland) March 22, 2023

The domestic violence charges, which were filed in May of 2020 over an alleged incident in January of that year, first became public early this year. At the time, Roiland had been charged with one felony count of domestic battery with corporal injury, and one felony count of false imprisonment by menace, violence, fraud, and/or deceit against an anonymous Jane Doe that he had been dating at the time.

Over a dozen hearings had already been held over the charges, and Roiland was next due back in court on April 27.

After the charges came to light, a number of companies cut ties with Roiland, including Adult Swim, where Roiland was co-creator, executive producer, and voice actor on Rick & Morty.

Additionally, Squanch Games, which released Roiland's High on Life late last year, also revealed in a statement that Roiland had resigned from the company, and Hulu announced that it would no longer work with him on their comedies Solar Opposites and Koala Man.

Still, Roiland had very little creative impact on all the above shows, as reported in a THR article and confirmed by IGN sources. Rick & Morty is still in production on its upcoming seventh season.

Thumbnail credit: Leon Bennett/WireImage

Alex Stedman is a Senior News Editor with IGN, overseeing entertainment reporting. When she's not writing or editing, you can find her reading fantasy novels or playing Dungeons & Dragons.

Warning: this article contains full spoilers for The Mandalorian: Season 3, Episode 4! If you haven't already, be sure to check out IGN's review of "The Foundling."

The fourth episode of The Mandalorian: Season 3 brings back a familiar Star Wars face, albeit not necessarily in the way fans might have expected. Ahmed Best returns to the franchise, not to reprise the role of the controversial Gungan goofball Jar Jar Binks, but as Jedi Master Kelleran Beq.

Who exactly is Kelleran Beq, and why is this appearance such a big deal? Let’s break down the history of the character and why his Mandalorian appearance is so meaningful.

Who Is Ahmed Best’s Kelleran Beq?

Best is well-known for playing Jar Jar Binks in all three Star Wars Prequels, but he’s pivoted to a very different Prequel-era role in recent years. Best served as the host of the short-lived web series Star Wars: Jedi Temple Challenge. A kid-centric competition show in the vein of Wipeout and Legends of the Hidden Temple, Jedi Temple Challenge shows contestants battling obstacle courses and trivia challenges in order to collect the parts needed to construct their lightsabers and complete their Jedi Trials. Best hosts the series, playing the part of kind Jedi Master Kelleran Beq.

Given that it’s a reality series, Jedi Temple Challenge shouldn’t necessarily be taken as part of the official Star Wars lore. However, Best’s character has now been inducted into canon thanks to The Mandalorian. Beq’s in-universe role is still basically the same as it was on Jedi Temple Challenge. He’s an instructor at the Jedi Temple on Coruscant who supervises the Padawans undergoing the trials to become full-fledged Jedi Knights.

It’s certainly a treat to see Best’s Jedi Temple Challenge character back in action and swinging lightsabers. The show made a point of emphasizing Beq’s sword-fighting ability, with the character going by the nickname “The Sabered Hand.” Now we finally see that skill firsthand, as Beq deftly wields two blades at once and fights his way through Darth Vader’s finest troops.

Most importantly, we learn Master Beq played a critical role during the events of Order 66. He survives the initial attack on the Jedi Temple, helping escort Grogu to safety and escape aboard a Naboo ship. It’s clear that Grogu would never have survived to partner up with Din Djarin if not for the quick thinking and handy lightsaber work of Kelleran Beq.

It's also worth pointing out that Best previously cameoed as a character named Achk Med-Beq in Attack of the Clones. Med-Beq is one of the denizens of the Courscanti cantina in the scene where Obi-Wan and Anakin are pursuing bounty hunter Zam Wesell. According to Best himself, Med-Beq is somehow related to Master Beq, though they definitely seem to have grown up on opposite sides of the tracks.

The Star Wars Redemption of Ahmed Best

This episode is quite a change from the days when Best was effectively the poster child for anti-Prequel sentiment online. Jar Jar is not a well-liked character, to put it mildly, and that dislike had an unfortunate carryover effect in the real world. Best revealed he even faced death threats as part of the backlash to The Phantom Menace in 1999.

“"I had death threats through the internet,” Best told Wired in 2017. “I had people come to me and say, 'You destroyed my childhood'. That's difficult for a 25-year-old to hear."

That backlash took a heavy psychological toll on Best. The actor posted a heartfelt message on Twitter in 2018, revealing he struggled with suicidal thoughts during that dark period.

“20 years next year I faced a media backlash that still affects my career today,” Best wrote in a now-deleted Twitter post. “This was the place I almost ended my life. It’s still hard to talk about. I survived and now this little guy [referring to Best’s son] is my gift for survival. Would this be a good story for my solo show? Lemme know.”

Though Best persevered and seems much more at peace with his time as Jar Jar, his tweet is an uncomfortable reminder of how cruel subsets of Star Wars viewers can be to the actors and filmmakers working on these stories. Best’s Phantom Menace co-star Jake Lloyd faced similar struggles following the backlash to the movie, to the point that he quit acting entirely. Sequel Trilogy stars like John Boyega and Kelly Marie Tran have hardly been safe from online harassment, either.

However disliked Jar Jar Binks may be, he’s hardly the root cause of the Prequel Trilogy’s storytelling failures. And certainly, no one can argue that Best or Lloyd deserved the vitriol being directed their way in 1999. They were actors hired to play roles, and they became pariahs because of it.

But for Best, at least, The Mandalorian is offering a second chance to leave his mark on the franchise. Free from the motion capture tech and cartoonish mannerisms of Jar Jar, Best is able to play a character defined by heroism and compassion in the what of battle. In an episode about Mandalorians waging war on dinosaur-like birds, Kelleran Beq is the coolest hero of the week. Best’s Mandalorian role is a welcome reminder that some Star Wars actors can find redemption by returning to the franchise.

What’s Next for Kelleran Beq and Grogu After Order 66?

Kelleran Beq has already played a pivotal role in the ongoing Grogu saga, but “The Foundling” makes it clear his role in the series isn’t finished yet. When we last see Beq and Grogu in the flashback sequence, the two have escaped aboard a Naboo starfighter while the guards heroically sacrifice themselves. So that raises an obvious question - what’s next for these two?

We know very little about Grogu’s life during the roughly 30 years between Order 66 and his first encounter with Din Djarin. Master Beq helped him escape the Jedi Purge, but at some point Grogu does fall into the hands of the Empire. He becomes a vital test subject in Dr. Pershing’s cloning experiments. Based on what we’ve seen so far, Grogu’s midichlorian-rich DNA may be the foundation on which Supreme Leader Snoke was built.

There’s clearly a story to be told about what happens next to Beq and Grogu. How long is Beq able to protect his Youngling ward? Do they flee to Naboo? Star Wars lore has revealed that the planet remains a site of anti-Imperial resistance, with even Queen Amidala’s former handmaidens joining the fight. Is Beq eventually killed defending Grogu? Just what hardships does the little guy have to endure before he’s taken into Imperial custody?

There’s a good chance we’ll get answers to many of these questions in the weeks to come. Grogu is clearly very haunted by the ghosts of his past, and those memories are flooding back to him during his time with the Armorer. We’ll probably see more flashbacks in future episodes, as the series continues to slowly fill in the gaps of Grogu’s mysterious past. And with any luck, we’ll get to see the Sabered Hand work his magic again.

For more on The Mandalorian, brush up on the troubled history of the planet Mandalore and the importance of the Mythosaur.

Jesse is a mild-mannered staff writer for IGN. Allow him to lend a machete to your intellectual thicket by following @jschedeen on Twitter.

This review contains full spoilers for episode four of The Mandalorian Season 3, now available to watch on Disney+.

Grogu and Bo-Katan both prove themselves to the Mandalorian covert in episode 4 of Season 3 of The Mandalorian, which delivers plenty of action while filling in a bit of the backstory of how the youngling survived Order 66. The show has taken its time laying groundwork by exploring character dynamics and doing a bit of worldbuilding in the first half of the season, and “The Foundling” is clearly meant to help Bo-Katan earn the loyalty of the Children of the Watch so she can enlist them in her quest to retake Mandalore and get vengeance on the Imperial forces that blew up her home. This episode feels very much like connecting tissue, so hopefully the second half of the season will provide payoff worthy of all the build-up.

In this episode the Armorer tells Bo-Katan that saving a foundling is the highest honor of the Creed, and just like Din pushing back the crocodilian monster in “The Apostate” earned him an audience with the Armorer, the attack in “The Foundling” provides a way for Bo-Katan to earn credibility as a warleader. Reusing the same plot element feels a bit lazy, but the fights continue to be brilliantly executed, as Carl Weathers directs this week’s episode and shows off both the power and limitations of the Mandalorians’ signature jetpacks. The need to ground the pterosaur before the Mandalorians run out of fuel adds a franticness to their fight and the creature’s final fate is a hilarious callback.

The Children of the Watch spend a lot of time training and at first it seems like Grogu is also taking practice seriously, just focusing on moving rocks with the Force rather than unloading with blasters. The rocks turning out to be adorable hermit crabs is an entertaining surprise and good environmental design, immediately proving that Din isn’t misunderstanding the situation when he tells the kid to stop playing and start actually doing the work.

That involves dueling Ragnar, the newly initiated Mandalorian shown in the Season 3 premiere. Pedro Pascal’s earnest, flat delivery is a great contrast to the kid’s swagger as he gets indignant about fighting an opponent too young to speak the Creed and don a Mandalorian helmet. Which begs the question – how do you get a helmet over Grogu’s enormous ears?

The growing bond between Bo-Katan and Grogu is a sweet surprise, as she sees a bit of herself in the reluctant foundling being pushed to fight by a proud if highly demanding father. Din’s confidence in the kid is so great that he doesn’t even bother training him in basic weaponry first, relying on Grogu’s use of the Force to win the fight, which of course he does. I still don’t love the way Grogu bounces around in combat, but it seems like that’s going to be a consistent part of the action moving forward. I much prefer the toddling he does on the beach.

Luke Skywalker mentioned that his training of Grogu felt more like helping him remember his former training, and “The Foundling” continues to show the memories he’s suppressed. Jar Jar Binks actor Ahmed Best brings Jedi Master Kelleren Beq from the kids game show Star Wars: Jedi Temple Challenge to The Mandalorian as Grogu’s protector, rescuing him from the carnage on Coruscant while his colleagues are dispatched disappointingly quickly.

Combining the plot of Revenge of the Sith with the speeder chase scene from Attack of the Clones, Beq continues this season’s recurring motif of aerial sequences involving a vastly outnumbered hero as he skillfully uses platforms for cover and a train as a weapon. In a clever reference to the last episode of The Mandalorian, there’s even a glimpse of the same square where Pershing tried to touch the mountaintop. The carnage as the clone troopers strike at the peacekeepers at the heart of the Galactic Republic without much regard for collateral damage is a good reminder of just how quickly things can change for the people of Coruscant, even if they might laugh about not knowing who’s in charge.

The glowing surface of Coruscant as Grogu’s ship takes off provides a gorgeous shot, neatly complimented by the similar hue of the molten metal the Armorer works for Grogu’s new piece of armor. Emily Swallow’s scenes are always a pleasure because she’s so good at capturing the cadence of religious leader preaching, delivering exposition that might otherwise seem dry or heavy in a way that makes it clear why she’s inspired so much loyalty among her people.

The Mandalorian’s Western roots have somewhat faded as the story has progressed and become more of a space opera, but “The Foundling” brings in one of the genre’s biggest tropes — sharing a meal around a campfire — just to subvert it. Bo-Katan may have the honor of getting a warm place to eat rather than having to find somewhere private to take off her helmet, but the scene shows just how isolating the taboo is.

The creature work in The Mandalorian continues to be top notch. The mother monster feels appropriately terrifying as she uses her maw, talons and wings to fight off the Mandalorians. Her babies are utterly grotesque, blowing up the odd proportions of a baby bird into a flesh-eating threat. Presumably the Mandalorians will take a page from Boba Fett and learn how to ride the beasts.

Bo-Katan’s lost pauldron, and her choice of the mythosaur to replace it instead of her Nite Owl symbol, is a fairly blunt metaphor for how she feels herself divided between her past and her future. The Armorer might make a believer out of her yet as she patiently handles Bo-Katan’s questions and disclosure about the mythosaur, clearly assuming the encounter was a vision rather than reality but not fully dismissing the possibility either. The world of Star Wars is filled with strange and unexplainable things, and Mandalorians seem to encounter more than their fair share.

Succession season 4 premieres on HBO on March 26.

It is a bittersweet time for Succession viewers knowing the fourth season is also the last hurrah, and suffice it to say, creator Jesse Armstrong is going out on top. Or at least that is what the first four episodes imply, as the Roy clan remains embroiled in a toxic power struggle that puts different dynamics to the test and gives the ensemble meaty material from the outset. The relevancy of their media conglomerate Waystar Royco – particularly of ATN – is wobbling, but Succession keeps a firm grip on its creative crown as it hurtles toward its conclusion while holding nothing back.

Season 3 ended with a bombshell that saw Tom Wambsgans (Matthew Macfadyen) betray his wife, Shiv (Sarah Snook), in yet another hard-to-top, jaw-dropping twist that shifts the landscape once more. Succession avoids getting stuck in a creative rut because its central figures are always negotiating their place within this pecking order, and there is enough sly humor to keep us laughing amid family disputes. At the same time, Armstrong is unafraid to dial up the emotional stakes, as Kendall’s (Jeremy Strong) confession to his siblings at the end of last season proved. Swinging between drama and comedy continues to be one of Succession’s most significant assets, ensuring the material still feels fresh after all this time. And as soon as a story begins to hover in repetitive territory, the ground shifts again.

From its 2018 pilot, the lavish HBO drama has tipped its hat to Shakespeare (hello, King Lear) and real-life soap operas playing out among the world’s wealthiest figures. Tom, warning his father-in-law, Logan Roy (Brian Cox), that his three children have put aside their differences to present a united front, throws a different loyalty grenade into the mix that is addressed from the jump. The opening episode of season 4, “The Munsters,” brings the series full circle – with noticeable differences on this auspicious occasion. After three seasons, Nicholas Britell’s theme music is still deliciously infectious, and this score immediately sets the mood.

No matter how often someone points out that choices are made from a purely business point of view, separating personal from professional feelings within the cutthroat media empire is impossible. Being hardened or detached from these events will only get you so far, and every single member of this family bears backstabbing scars. Trust is hard to come by due to this history, and the ongoing back-and-forths are a fascinating foundation for these first four episodes.

Kendall, Shiv, and Roman (Kieran Culkin) failed in their attempt to stop their father from enacting his plan to sell Waystar Royco to the prickly tech visionary Lukas Matsson (Alexander Skarsgård). When we pick up the action, the sale hasn’t yet gone through – these things take time – and as the date edges closer, it causes more strife between the influential players sitting at this table. The Roys are still a family divided, but after so much time apart, it is a thrill seeing Kendall and the “sibs” working together. Don’t worry; it isn’t all “kumbaya” harmony, as blistering one-liners and insults from Roman come thick and fast. So much so that you will probably need to rewind scenes to catch them all – and all of Shiv and Kendall’s attempted retorts. Each sibling has a go-to defense mechanism, and part of the thrill is seeing how far they will go to push each other’s buttons.

Picking an MVP from the trio is a tall task, as they all excel in showing the chinks in their armor when they think no one is looking. Strong has deservedly been lauded for his ability to show Kendall’s bravado-swinging defiance and broken fragility that almost ended in tragedy in a Tuscan swimming pool. Capturing the spectrum of his confident self-belief and despair is one reason his performance has been singled out, but he is far from alone in showcasing range.

It goes without saying that Logan knows Roman is the easiest to manipulate, so to see the youngest son go against his father at the end of last season was a considerable development. Tension stems from this choice to pick Team Siblings over Team Dad, and Culkin is at his best when he is at war with himself. Yes, he is still hilarious when firing off filthy comebacks, but this family continues to enthrall as beneath the bravado is a universal desire to make their dad proud. References to events in their childhood are reminders that Logan’s relationship with each child isn’t a one-size-fits-all dynamic, even if they all crave the same thing.

For Shiv, her conversation with their mother, Lady Caroline (Harriet Walter), in the Season 3 finale fills in some gaps regarding Shiv’s inability to discuss anything personally painful or challenging. Watching her navigate Tom’s betrayal and the ripple effect of this deception is riveting. Negotiations have always been a fundamental part of the series beyond the business world, and Snook dazzles in portraying how often Shiv is doing battle with herself. Wearing one emotion on her face while her words say something else is why the actor is so compelling and offers a masterclass of buttoned-up emotions bubbling to the surface – at one point, it is as if she wants to slap a tear off her own face.

Even when Logan tells his kids he loves them, he does it with a caveat telling them they are “not serious people.” A father’s love is a father’s love, but affection does not come unconditionally. Cox is a force, whether bellowing his colorful catchphrase or showing his distaste with a simple “uh-huh.” In fact, this utterance can mean different things, but it is often a stalling device while Logan contemplates how much time he wants to give the person in front of him. There are still plenty of sycophants willing to do whatever he wants, and watching him wield his power without saying a word is equally impressive (and terrifying). Another consistent theme within the negotiations is palming off unpleasant tasks on someone lower (shit rolls downhill, after all), and much of the humor comes from delegation.

Legacy is a recurring theme whether Connor’s (Alan Ruck) bid for the presidency or, instead, his attempt to hold onto his one percent of the vote and gain his father’s approval. Waystar Royco’s position in the media landscape is a source of existential angst that also includes the return of the liberal Pierce family as equal parts a bargaining chip and a thorn in the Roy family’s side. A deep bench of guest stars and returning regulars is a reminder of the ensemble’s pedigree and prowess. Fan favorites like Gerri (J. Smith-Cameron) must figure out how they slot into the changing landscape, which offers another layer of attempting to stay relevant.

Director Mark Mylod is a master at capturing intimate moments in the plush settings in the season premiere, whether staging awkward conversations between Cousin Greg (Nicholas Braun) and his disinterested uncle or showing the scale of different palatial properties. Extreme wealth is baked into the fabric, and Armstrong quickly reminds us how despicable these characters can be with offhand observation. Dialogue details like newcomers getting critiqued for how much food they pile on their plates at functions is a window into an entirely different world. It is gauche to flex your bank account, but this is also a group of people who don’t even blink when millions of dollars are treated like pocket change. It is all in the details, and several moments of elite figures in unexpected places highlight the farcical undertones.

It is impossible to view this season through a lens that ignores the finality of it all, and occasionally interactions veer dangerously toward the memeification of the characters. Luckily, figures like Tom and Greg have always leaned toward the ridiculous, and while there are certainly moments that will play well in screengrab form, it remains grounded in what has come before. While it is too early to say if the conclusion will satisfy, if these four episodes are anything to go on, then Succession has a very good chance to stick the landing and go down as one of the all-time greats.

Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert, the directing duo behind Everything Everywhere All at Once, have helmed an episode of Star Wars: Skeleton Crew, the live-action Disney+ series starring Jude Law.

According to Variety, sources close to the production of Skeleton Crew indicated that the Daniels helmed an episode of the upcoming Star Wars series, even though there has been no official announcement regarding the directors assigned to each episode yet.

Kwan has since confirmed on his Instagram Stories that he and Scheinert have directed an episode of Skeleton Crew. "We guest directed one episode," he wrote. "Jon Watts approached us to do an episode a while ago (before EEAAO even came out).

"We love Jon, love Star Wars, love learning new tech, we love meeting new cast and crew, and we needed the days to keep our healthcare (!!!) so it was an easy yes," he explained further. "We shot it last year and had an incredible time working with the most talented cast and crew and I'm excited for you all to see it."

It was confirmed at the start of the year that Skeleton Crew had wrapped filming, meaning that the Daniels had already completed principal photography on their Star Wars episode before walking away with the highest honors at the Oscars earlier this month.

The Daniels' multiversal romp Everything Everywhere All at Once made the leap from intriguing indie to awards juggernaut this year, surpassing The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King as the most-awarded movie in Hollywood history with its numerous accolades.

Kwan confirmed in his social media post that their next movie will be "an original Daniels project," even though they journeyed to the galaxy far, far away last year to put their unique spin on Star Wars: Skeleton Crew, which is set to debut on Disney+ later in 2023.

Adele Ankers-Range is a freelance entertainment writer for IGN. Follow her on Twitter.

Cover image credit: Dania Maxwell / Contributor at Getty Images.

Lucky Hank is now streaming on AMC+

It’s a bit ironic that Bob Odenkirk is bringing his post-Better Call Saul star power to playing a man grappling with his irrelevance as William Henry Devereaux Junior in Lucky Hank, a limited series adaptation of Pulitzer Prize winner Richard Russo’s 1997 novel Straight Man. After leading one of the most acclaimed shows of the past decade, Lucky Hank feels like a pleasant palate cleanser for Odenkirk, a witty if inconsistent takedown of academia that is easy to watch and lets Odenkirk shine amidst a strong ensemble cast.

The pilot episode demonstrates that creators Paul Lieberstein and Aaron Zelman have taken some scenarios directly from Russo’s novel, like Hank getting his nose snagged in a binder cord during an altercation with poetry professor Gracie DuBois (Suzanne Cryer), but largely used the general characters, setting, and tone to chart their own path. Odenkirk brings his usual dry charm to antagonizing his colleagues and students alike as the misanthropic chair of the English department at Railton College, a middling school in rural Pennsylvania.

Hank has largely contented himself with coasting on tenure, checked out as his insufferably pretentious students share their work, beg him for feedback, and then question every bit of his advice. He mentions in class that shifting perspective can alienate the reader, something that seems a bit meta given how the show occasionally drops into voiceover from Hank. The choice doesn’t work any better for Lucky Hank than it does for Hank’s mediocre student, distracting from the better interplay between characters or even just quiet shots of Hank moping about how the one novel he published 20 years ago hasn’t left the mark he’d hoped.

Railton’s English department is an entertaining caricature of the cutthroat nature of academia, with the pilot involving plenty of politicking led by Gracie with the help of transparently scheming couple June and Teddy Washington-Chen (Alvina August and Arthur Keng). Shannon DeVido particularly stands out as Emma Wheemer, a professor who manages to stay on the periphery of her colleagues’ antics while wielding a wit that’s just as sharp as Hank’s. Oscar Nunez rounds out the cast as Dean Rose, using the same exasperated tone he often brought to The Office as he tries to get Hank to do his job.

The tone is a bit scattered, mixing Community’s ridicule of academic pretension with Wonder Boys’ brooding examination of the weight of being a literary one-hit wonder. There’s also some more conventional family drama as Hank’s perpetual pessimism and unwillingness to change clashes with the worldview and aspirations of his wife Lily (Mireille Enos). Her work as a vice principal, desperately trying to avoid conflict between parents and teachers even when everything indicates that some drastic action needs to be taken, is a not especially subtle metaphor for the state of their marriage.

The intergenerational conflict between Hank and his students and daughter Julie (Olivia Scott Welch) sometimes dip into the territory of bashing Millennials and Gen Z in a way that practically begs the characters to shout “OK boomer” at him. But it also provides the opportunity for some great jokes, particularly as the oblivious and entitled Julie tries to emotionally manipulate Hank with the power of nostalgia in order to avoid asking her mom for money. “She said if I borrowed money again she’d make me sit down and learn Quicken, which isn’t me, you know,” Jullie whines.

Looming over the whole pilot is Hank’s father and namesake, a legendary literary critic who hasn’t spoken to his son in 15 years. But with William Henry Devereaux Senior’s retirement and separation from his third wife, it seems likely that he may attempt some form of reconciliation out of necessity, even as Hank is grappling with the possibility that he may never distinguish himself enough to step out from his father’s long shadow. There’s nothing particularly innovative about exploring daddy issues through fiction, but with Odenkirk leading the story, it’s worth sticking around to see exactly how things play out.

The Last of Us fans were mourning the fact that there was no new episode of the HBO series last night, but they did get another little treat: a poster teasing The Last of Us Part II's most crucial addition.

"No TLoU on HBO tonight. But Season 2 is already on its way!" Neil Druckmann, co-creator of the video game and producer on the HBO show, tweeted. "Endure & survive!"

He included a poster showing a pretty unmistakable forearm: that of Abby's, a key character in the game's sequel.

No TLoU on HBO tonight. But Season 2 is already on its way! Endure & survive! pic.twitter.com/87bKKCDBeO

— Neil Druckmann (@Neil_Druckmann) March 19, 2023

Warning: Plot details for The Last of Us Part II and Season 2 to follow.

Abby is easily the most important character added in Part II, both for her rather infamously violent introduction and for the fact that she's a playable character for a good chunk of the game.

In the poster, that absolutely jacked forearm of hers is wielding a hammer, one of her melee weapons in the game. Interestingly, a golf club is not the weapon featured here; players will know how important that item is to the beginning of Part II.

Abby, who was played by Laura Bailey in the game and hasn't been cast yet in the show, will no doubt be an important part of The Last of Us moving forward, as Druckmann has already confirmed that the HBO series will cover the story of Part II.

What's not clear, however, is how many seasons it'll take to tell that story. Showrunner Craig Mazin previously told IGN that Part II is "more than a season's worth of television for sure," but neither he nor Druckmann has confirmed an exact number.

What has been confirmed is that it'll take us a little while to see any of that play out. Star Bella Ramsey said in a recent interview that The Last of Us Season 2 won't arrive until late 2024 or early 2025.

Alex Stedman is a Senior News Editor with IGN, overseeing entertainment reporting. When she's not writing or editing, you can find her reading fantasy novels or playing Dungeons & Dragons.

Game of Thrones actor Ciarán Hinds is joining The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power in Season 2.

Amazon has announced that Hinds will be joined by Roby Kinnear of James Bond fame and Tanya Moodle of Motherland and Sherlock. The characters each actor is portraying in The Rings of Power is yet to be revealed.

Hinds played Mance Rayder in Game of Thrones, the King Beyond the Wall and leader of the Free Folk. He was nominated for an Oscar and a BAFTA for his supporting role in Belfast, and his starred in several other films and TV series including Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Justice League, and Rome.

As for Kinnear, he’s arguably best known for portraying Bill Tanner in the James Bond films Quantum of Solace, Skyfall, and Spectre. He’s also appeared in Alex Garland’s Men, Bank of Dave, Broken, and more.

Moodie won the Royal Television Society’s Breakthrough Award for her role of Meg in Motherland and has starred in several other series including Hunter, Tin Star, A Discovery of Witches, and Sherlock. She also had a brief appearance in Star Wars Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker as General Parnadee.

The three will join several other actors confirmed for Season 2 of The Rings of Power. Gabriel Akuwudike, Yasen ‘Zates’ Atour, Ben Daniels, Amelia Kenworthy, Nia Towle, and Nicholas Woodeso will all make their debut, alongside Sam Hazeldine who will take over from Joseph Mawle as Orc Leader Adar.

As for directing talent, Amazon has already confirmed that Charlotte Brändström, Louise Hooper, and Sanaa Hamri will lead Season 2. The trio have credits on The Witcher, The Sandman, and The Wheel of Time.

Season 2 of The Rings of Power is currently in production in the UK with no premiere date revealed so far. In our 8/10 review of Season 1, IGN said: "Prime Video’s The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power captures the epic scope and beauty of Tolkien’s work."

Image Credit: Axelle/Bauer-Griffin / Contributor at Getty Images

Ryan Dinsdale is an IGN freelancer and acting UK news editor. He'll talk about The Witcher all day.

The first season of The Last of Us wrapped up just over a week ago, but the second season isn't likely to arrive until late 2024 or early 2025.

As reported by The Independent, Bella Ramsey, who plays Ellie in the HBO adaptation of The Last of Us, recently appeared on The Jonathan Ross Show in the UK to discuss the post-apocalyptic drama and warn fans that they might not see a new episode for almost two years.

"It will be a while," Ramsey said of season two's arrival. "I think we'll probably shoot at the end of this year, beginning of next. So it'll probably be at the end of 2024, early 2025."

The second season will adapt Naughty Dog's The Last of Us Part II, and showrunner Craig Mazin has already said that the events of the second game cover "more than a season's worth of television," implying that they could yet split the sequel into two or more seasons.

Mazin and executive producer Neil Druckmann have also teased that Season 2 will feature moments that are "radically different" from the game and will likely have much more action and more infected, with multiple types of infected emerging as the series goes on.

The Last of Us hit the ground running in January, achieving HBO's second-best debut of the last decade. It continued to grow stronger, with the series averaging 30.4 million viewers across the first six episodes and the finale bringing in the largest audience of the season.

IGN called the Season 1 finale of The Last of Us "a thrillingly faithful adaptation of one of video games' greatest endings," though also noted that it didn't "pack quite the same punch as the original" despite being "wonderfully shot and hauntingly soundtracked" throughout.

Adele Ankers-Range is a freelance entertainment writer for IGN. Follow her on Twitter.

Friends, colleagues, and fans are paying tribute to Lance Reddick, following today's news that the actor died at age 60. Reddick was known for his work on hits such as John Wick, The Wire, Destiny, and more.

Reddick starred in the John Wick franchise alongside Keanu Reeves, including the upcoming John Wick: Chapter 4. Today, Reeves and franchise director Chad Stahelski shared a statement with Variety on Reddick's passing.

“We are deeply saddened and heartbroken at the loss of our beloved friend and colleague Lance Reddick," Reeves and Stahelski wrote. "He was the consummate professional and a joy to work with. Our love and prayers are with his wife Stephanie, his children, family and friends. We dedicate the film to his loving memory. We will miss him dearly.”

Before John Wick, Reddick was best known for his role on as Cedric Daniels on The Wire. Today, Reddick's The Wire co-star, Wendell Pierce, honored the late actor by saying, "A man of great strength and grace. As talented a musician as he was an actor. The epitome of class. [A] sudden unexpected sharp painful grief for our artistic family. An unimaginable suffering for his personal family and loved ones. Godspeed my friend. You made your mark here. RIP"

A man of great strength and grace. As talented a musician as he was an actor. The epitome of class. An sudden unexpected sharp painful grief for our artistic family. An unimaginable suffering for his personal family and loved ones. Godspeed my friend. You made your mark here. RIP pic.twitter.com/Xy0pl5c4NR

— Wendell Pierce (@WendellPierce) March 17, 2023

DC's James Gunn said, "Lance Reddick was an incredibly nice guy, and an incredibly talented actor. This is heartbreaking. My love goes out to all his family, friends, and collaborators."

Lance Reddick was an incredibly nice guy, and an incredibly talented actor. This is heartbreaking. My love goes out to all his family, friends, and collaborators.

— James Gunn (@JamesGunn) March 17, 2023

Ben Stiller recalled a time that Reddick worked with his morther, saying, "Lance Reddick was an beautiful and compelling actor. And a beautiful person. He worked with my mom Anne Meara in her play 'Afterplay', playing Raziel, the waiter slash angel of death. He was exquisite in that and all he did."

Lance Reddick was an beautiful and compelling actor. And a beautiful person. He worked with my mom Anne Meara in her play “Afterplay”, playing Raziel, the waiter slash angel of death. He was exquisite in that and all he did.

Nothing is lost. 💙

— Ben Stiller (@BenStiller) March 17, 2023

Reddick's Fringe colleague Jared Harris called the late actor, "Gracious, thoughtful & wickedly funny," and shared a story about trying to get an indie project with Reddick off the ground.

No! I loved working on Fringe with him. Gracious, thoughtful & wickedly funny. Later, we tried 2 get an indie Othello off the ground. Every actor has a graveyard of regrets, populated by projects you can’t let go of. That’s 1 of mine. He’d‘ve been magnificent. Ad Astra my friend. https://t.co/N6qLPpVEtj

— Jared Harris (@JaredHarris) March 17, 2023

The Video Game Industry Honors Lance Reddick

Beyond Hollywood, Reddick made his mark in the video games industry, with notable roles in Destiny, Horizon, and Quantum Break.

Reddick had been the voice of Destiny's Commander Zavala since the franchise began in 2014, making it his longest-running role. Commander Zavala was easily one of the most recognizable and adored Destiny characters, and appropriately, Guardians are honoring him today.

On Twitter, Destiny 2 players are posting videos and photos of Guardians gathering in The Tower to honor Reddick. Groups of characters can be found paying their respects by bowing before Reddick's Commander Zavala.

Destiny players are gathering in The Tower to honor the tragic passing of actor Lance Reddick, who played Commander Zavala in the franchise pic.twitter.com/ocl4Qvse8Q

— Benji-Sales (@BenjiSales) March 17, 2023

Folks who work on Bungie's Destiny also shared their love for Reddick today, with Bungie CEO Pete Parsons taking to Twitter to say, "We just lost a beautiful human."

We just lost a beautiful human.

— pete parsons (@pparsons) March 17, 2023

Ashly Burch, who played Aloy alongside Reddick's Sylens in both Horizon Zero Dawn and Horizon Forbidden West, said, "I'm so shocked and heartbroken about Lance. He was such an incredible performer."

Shawn Ashmore starred opposite of Reddick in Quantum Break. Ashmore wrote, "I just saw that Lance Reddick has passed away. I was lucky enough to get to work and know him while making quantum break. Talented, kind, funny and very cool. Rest in peace"

Oh no! I just saw that Lance Reddick has passed away. I was lucky enough to get to work and know him while making quantum break. Talented, kind, funny and very cool. Rest in peace

— Shawn R Ashmore (@ShawnRAshmore) March 17, 2023

Voice actor Nolan North called Reddick, "a sweet guy and gifted performer."

Gutted. Such a sweet guy and gifted performer. https://t.co/j05VUZiBgJ

— Nolan North (@nolan_north) March 17, 2023

In addition to mourning Reddick's passing, the internet is sharing their favorite moments from the actor's career, including stunning scenes from The Wire, monologues from Destiny, and the time Reddick scared Eric Andre.

RIP Lance Reddick. One of my favourite actors and the only person to ever scare Eric Andre. Always gave the performance of his life in anything he was in from John Wick to The Wire to Fringe. He will be dearly missed pic.twitter.com/k5bg33zyHT

— Sofia Coppium (@indianloonie) March 17, 2023

Image Credit: Rich Polk / Stringer

Logan Plant is a freelance writer for IGN covering video game and entertainment news. He has over six years of experience in the gaming industry with bylines at IGN, Nintendo Wire, Switch Player Magazine, and Lifewire. Find him on Twitter @LoganJPlant.

Lance Reddick, the actor known for roles in The Wire, John Wick, and Horizon Zero Dawn, has died at age 60. According to a report from TMZ, authorities said Reddick was found in his home Friday morning. The cause of death is currently unknown, but the TMZ's sources say it appears to be natural causes.

Reddick was best known for his role as Cedric Daniels in The Wire, which he starred in from 2002 to 2008. Recently, Reddick starred in the John Wick franchise as Charon. Reddick was in the middle of a press tour for John Wick: Chapter 4, where he will appear as the Continental Hotel's concierge once more. The actor also appeared as Chef Irvin in Amazon Prime's Bosch, along with recurring roles in Lost, Oz, and more.

The actor also had prominent roles in a number of high-profile video games. He played Sylens in Horizon Zero Dawn and Horizon Forbidden West, Commander Zavala in the Destiny franchise, and Martin Hatch in Quantum Break. Reddick also appeared as Albert Wesker in last year's live-action Resident Evil series.

Reddick had multiple projects in the work, including a role as Zeus in Disney+'s upcoming Percy Jackson and the Olympians series, as well as a part in Amazon Prime's The Legend of Vox Machina.

Reddick studied music at the University of Rochester before earning a Master of Fine Arts defree from the Yale School of Drama in 1994.

Image Credit: Rich Polk / Stringer

Logan Plant is a freelance writer for IGN covering video game and entertainment news. He has over six years of experience in the gaming industry with bylines at IGN, Nintendo Wire, Switch Player Magazine, and Lifewire. Find him on Twitter @LoganJPlant.

Disney+ series Willow may not be cancelled after all as showrunner Jon Kasdan has claimed neither he nor Lucasfilm would consider the show to be over.

Reports surfaced earlier this week that a second season of Willow would not be going ahead, but Kasdan said on Twitter (below) that it's just not going ahead right now. A second season is also being planned, and Kasdan said he believes everyone involved in Season 1 is eager to return.

"I feel fairly confident that, if asked, neither I, nor the folks at Lucasfilm, would or have actually characterised [Willow as being cancelled]," he said.

pic.twitter.com/Di0vEGLyTD

— Jon Kasdan (@JonKasdan) March 17, 2023

The cancellation rumour may have instead come from a decision made to release its main cast for other opportunities, Kasdan explained. What has been confirmed within Lucasfilm is that Willow won't resume filming in the next 12 months, he said.

That's not to say it won't afterwards, however. "With the enthusiastic and unwavering support of Lucasfilm and Disney, we've developed and written what we hope is a brain-meltingly fun, richer, darker, and better Volume 2, which builds on the characters and story of our first eight chapters," Kasdan said.

"Volume 2 is all about courage, desire, acceptance, and the comedy and beauty to be found in even the darkest places and moments. It's about the enemies we must inevitably confront, both without and, often far more insidiously, from within. But above all, it's about the ineffable and enduring magic of friendship."

Kasdan also said that Mims, played by Annabelle Davis, appears in every episode of Season 2, but the release of the main cast simply allows her to pursue other opportunities in the meatime.

"I am confident I speak for everyone involved when I say that we'd all like nothing more than to deliver Volume 2, on the scale expected and demanded by the story we're telling," Kasdan said. "Are we going into pre-production? Not right now. Does that mean we're never gonna make it? Absolutely not."

IGN has reached out to Disney for comment on the status of Willow.

Willow premiered on Disney+ last November to positive critical reception, with IGN awarding it a 9/10. We said in our review: "Willow is a startlingly warm and enchanting continuation of Ron Howard's underrated fantasy gem."

Ryan Dinsdale is an IGN freelancer and acting UK news editor. He'll talk about The Witcher all day.

The Simpsons is bringing back an infamous character from Season 1 in the form of Jacques, a bowling instructor who tried to have an affair with Marge.

As reported by The Independent, a synopsis for Season 34's upcoming Pin Girl episode said that "a mysterious figure from Marge’s past returns to coach her for a bowling tournament.” Though many fans assumed this to be Jacques, Simpsons showrunner Al Jean later confirmed his return on Twitter (below).

Making his debut 33 years ago and remaining practically unheard from since, Jacques featured in the Life on the Fast Lane episode in which Marge also learns how to bowl.

.@TheSimpsons Don’t nap on new episode Sunday. Pin Gal with the return of Jacques! pic.twitter.com/XpoxICBDyA

— Al Jean (@AlJean) March 13, 2023

Frustrated with Homer for buying a bowling bowl for her birthday (with his name engraved on it), Marge proves a point by using the ball herself and comes across Jacques as a result.

The episode then revolves around the Simpsons family's concerns about Marge having an affair, but she eventually comes back to Homer to reassure him that Jacques is out of the picture and nothing happened between them.

This was the last major appearance of Jacques outside of a handful of incredibly light cameos, but all that will change when he makes a return in Sunday's episode.

Ryan Dinsdale is an IGN freelancer and acting UK news editor. He'll talk about The Witcher all day.