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Cat-quer the Battle of Hoth with a STAR WARS CAT-AT Tattoo

The Empire claimed the field in the Battle of Hoth in The Empire Strikes Back. They controlled the skirmish with superior forces, immense fire power, and lumbering AT-AT walkers. But what if their AT-ATs turned into purrfect, meowing felines? They would have curled up on the icy Star Wars planet for naps instead of attacking the rebels, and the universe wouldn’t be the same. This is the galaxy I imagine when I look at Laura’s sweet CAT-AT tattoo.

Kidding aside, this ink—like this X-wing corgi pilot tattoo—has a touching origin. Laura’s cat Kobe is the inspiration for the design. She’s had Kobe since he was a kitten, when he was a “little orange fuzzball” that jumped out of his carrier and crawled up her pant leg. Laura told Nerdist that Kobe helped her through hard times and pulled her out of a funk. “I don’t know if I would have kept going if I didn’t have this other tiny life that counted on me to take care of it. He saved me,” she said.

Excuse me while I wipe away these tears.

Three years ago, Laura came across art on Instagram by Mike Joos featuring a cat mashed with an AT-AT. She’s a lifelong Star Wars fan and knew she had to get the CAT-AT tattoo as a tribute to the galaxy far, far away and her feline companion. Tattooist Greg Counard at The Blue Gem Tattooing in Wisconsin brought the portrait of Kobe to life.

If you have nerdy ink on your skin or you’re a tattoo artist that applies pop culture, STEM, music, or other nerd-inspired ink (tl;dr: I want to see all of the tattoos) on a regular basis, then please hit me up because I’d like to highlight you in a future Inked Wednesday gallery. I’m especially interested if you have a sleeve or other large tattoo. You can get in touch with me via email at alratcliffe@yahoo.com. Send me photos of the tattoos you’d like me to feature (the higher resolution, the better) and don’t forget to let me know the name of your tattoo artist if you have it, as well the name of the shop he or she works out of. If you are the tattoo artist, give me links to your portfolios and/or Instagram accounts so I can share them with our readers.

Amy Ratcliffe is an Associate Editor for Nerdist. Follow her on Twitter and keep up with her Disney food adventures on Instagram.

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Images: Laura F.

The Latest SAILOR MOON Funko Pop!s and Keychains are Too Cute

Remember how it used to be hard to find cool Sailor Moon merchandise that wasn’t an overly priced Japanese import in the States? Well, times have changed, as a new wave of Sailor Moon merch is on its way, thanks to the amazing folks over at Funko, who released a wave of Sailor Moon vinyl figures not too long ago. Not only is there are new wave of Funko Pop!s on the way, but so is a set of Sailor Moon key chains as well, so you can take the girls with you wherever you go.

The latest wave of Sailor Moon Pop!s includes the characters of Sailor Neptune, Sailor Saturn, and Sailor Uranus, who comes complete with her Space Sword Also in this wave are the law abiding Sailor Pluto, and even Sailor Chibi Moon. Also, fans will want to be on the lookout for the commander of the Dark Kingdom/Queen Beryl exclusive, which will only be available at at Toys “R’” Us locations. In addition, a glitter version of Sailor Chibi Moon can be found as a Barnes & Noble exclusive.

As if that wasn’t enough Sailor Moon goodness for ya, all you ’90s kids out there will also be able to purchase a pair of Sailor Moon and Sailor Chibi Moon Pop! Keychains. Both the Funko Pop!s and the keychains will become available starting in November. You can check out images of both the new wave of Pop!s and the keychains in our gallery down below.

Do you just love these Sailor Moon figures as much as we do? Be sure to let us know what you think down below in the comments.

Images Funko

The Hidden Detail You Missed About STRANGER THINGS Season 2

“By the pricking of my thumbs, something wicked this way comes!” It was pretty hard to miss the newest threat to Hawkins, in the Stranger Things season 2 trailer that debuted during the Super Bowl. That huge creature Will Byers saw in the sky? It’s called the Shadow Monster, and it makes the Demogorgon seem small by comparison. We think that the Shadow Monster scores pretty high on the Lovecraft scale, but it may be hiding its greatest secret in plain sight. Today’s Nerdist News is uncovering the clues and turning Stranger Things upside down for answers!

Warning: there are potentially major spoilers ahead for Stranger Things season 2! This is a theory, but we really think that we’re on to something here. Either way, this is your last chance to turn back!

Join host and Eggo hunter, Jessica Chobot, as she dives into Stranger Things‘ latest EW cover story, in which series co-creator, Ross Duffer, confirmed that every disparate storyline in season 2 will eventually lead back to a “singular threat,” before adding that it is all “tied into this shape that Will sees in the sky.”

A shape in the sky? Why that almost makes it sound like it’s not actually a monster. What if Will’s vision isn’t real at all? A few months ago, we spoke with Stranger Things executive producer Shawn Levy about Will’s connection to this year’s big bad, and his evasive response seems especially cagey in retrospect. Here’s our working theory: because of his extended time in the Upside Down, Will is now linked to that alternate dimension. We think that Will is inadvertently bringing that realm to our world, and the Shadow Monster only exists in Will’s mind.

That doesn’t mean that there isn’t another threat manipulating Will from the other dimension, or that the Shadow Monster can’t become real at some point in the season. It has been theorized that the Demogorgon was merely a manifestation of Eleven’s psyche that managed to take on physical form in both worlds. What if the Shadow Monster is essentially the same thing for Will, but on a much larger scale?

We’ll get our answers when Stranger Things returns for season 2 on October 27, only on Netflix.

What do you think about the latest theories about the Shadow Monster? Let’s discuss in the comment section!

Even Stranger, um, Stranger Things…

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Images: Netflix

GAME OF THRONES Final Season May Cost $15 Million Per Episode

Earlier this year, the eighth and final season of Game of Thrones was rumored to have feature length episodes set for the remaining six installments of the series. While HBO has yet to confirm those extended episodes, the early word is that next season’s budget will dramatically increase.

Variety is reporting HBO has set a $15 million per episode budget for Game of Thrones season eight. That’s up from $10 million per episode in season seven, which was already three episodes shorter than the previous six seasons received. At the very beginning of its run, it was estimated that each episode of Game of Thrones cost $6 million.

During the first season of the show, the series went out of its way to avoid showing large scale battle sequences on screen. In the second season, showrunners David Benioff and Dan Weiss had to request an additional $2 million to pull off the Battle of Blackwater. That episode set the tone for almost every subsequent battle shown in the series.

While the eighth season is heading into the series’ endgame, we at least have some idea about what the increased budget will be spent on. The army of the dead has finally arrived in Westeros, and it appears that the forces of Jon Snow and Daenerys Targaryen will confront their mutual enemy in at least a few epic clashes. Plus, we’re hoping to see the show’s first ever dragon fight, since Viserion is now undead and under the control of the Night King.

Game of Thrones‘ final season will begin filming next month, but it doesn’t currently have an announced release date. We’re just hoping that it comes before 2019.

Are you excited Game of Thrones season eight may be the equivalent of six feature films? Let us know in the comment section.

Images: HBO

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A Super Serious Breakdown of RICK AND MORTY’s “Fathers and Daughters” (The Doodoo Butt Song)

Rick and Morty‘s stellar third season isn’t just pumping out great episodes, it’s producing some amazing songs. Because after this season’s ditty “Terryfold” debuted on the Billboard Top 100, Sunday night’s episode “The ABCs of Beth” out shined it with “Fathers and Daughters,” a touching number about the complication relationship between a dad and his little girl. Also it’s about doodoos in your butt.

And now that Adult Swim has released the full song we know it’s even deeper and more emotional than we first realized. So in honor of the smartest dumb show on TV, we’re breaking down the lyrics to see what it is really about.

Adult Swim credits the song to Dan Harmon and Ryan Elder, and it features the band Chaos Chaos, but to truly analyze this it’s important to remember that in the episode, Rick was writing it before Beth came back from her Froopy Land murder spree.

I got a doodoo in my butt

And I don’t know what to do

With a doodoo in my butt

The singer has an issue he doesn’t know how to solve, and the imagery of a doodoo in his butt makes it clear this problem really stinks.

But I know that a father should say to you

That he’s proud of you

This is where the song gets to the heart of the matter. When a father is facing a problem, even a sticky, odorous one, he needs to take the time to build his daughter’s self-esteem. Yes, we might have doodoos to deal with, but that’s no reason to forget what’s important.

Every daughter is a doodoo from a father’s butt

This might sound shocking at first, since he is equating his daughter to a literal piece of shit, but to Rick Sanchez anyone worth anything is a doodoo, because that means you’re smart. He shared this lesson with Beth in this very episode. Her being a doodoo is the highest compliment because he’s a doodoo, too.

Biologically speaking the “butt” is a nut

As a scientist Rick wants to make sure we all understand the actual biology of this symbolism.

And every father “fathers” wrong

And there isn’t a song that can change that

Rick knows he is flawed, and though he can’t change who he is to be a better father, and no song can make up for those failings, he does love his doodoo and wants her to know that.

A strange way to say something incredibly sweet? Surely, but this is Rick and Morty after all, so how else would Rick do it?

Plus the word doodoo is really ****ing funny.

Where does “Fathers and Daughters” rank among your favorite songs from the show? Get schwifty in our comments below and let us know.

Enjoy *burrrrp* more Rick and Morty!

Learn all about Beth in our review of this week’s Rick and Morty!
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Rick and Morty track “Terryfold” debuted high on the Billboard charts!

Images: Adult Swim

WONDER WOMAN’S Patty Jenkins on the Success of Diana

Wonder Woman took to the skies in an entirely different way in September. Three hundred Intel drones flew above downtown Los Angeles and formed imagery tied to the blockbuster DC Extended Universe (DCEU) film. Seeing the iconic Wonder Woman symbol in the sky while listening to a live performance from the movie’s score by cellist Tina Guo is a heck of a way to spend an evening, and director Patty Jenkins was on hand to witness the event celebrating the home release of her smash hit.

Nerdist caught up with the director ahead of the drone show to discuss all things Diana and what Jenkins is most looking forward to about the upcoming Wonder Woman sequel.

It’s delightful to see Jenkins’ passion and enthusiasm for Diana all over her face. The sequel will feature a Diana who’s more seasoned and has been in the world for longer. Jenkins says she’s looking forward to what Diana will do next, because as she points out, “There’s many different things for her to take on in the world.”

So. Many.

As far as the drone show? See the beauties (which isn’t a word I ever thought I’d use to describe drones) in flight in this video.

WONDERful, right?

What do you hope to see in Wonder Woman 2? Share your hopes and dreams in the comments.

Featured Image: Nerdist

Images: Warner Bros

Amy Ratcliffe is an Associate Editor for Nerdist. Follow her on Twitter and keep up with her Disney food adventures on Instagram.

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RESIDENT EVIL 2 is Becoming a Board Game

Nearly 20 years ago, Resident Evil 2 gave Capcom’s survival horror franchise a great followup that built upon the foundations of the original title and paved the way for nearly every sequel that came after it. It’s been over two years since Capcom announced a next generation remake of Resident Evil 2, and we’re still eagerly awaiting its arrival! But in the meantime, Resident Evil 2 is mutating into another form: a board game that blew through its Kickstarter goal in less than an hour!

Via Gamespot, Resident Evil 2: The Board Game has raised over $500,000 as of press time, and achieved all but one of its initial stretch goals. And while the original game wasn’t built for co-op play, the board game allows up to four players to guide Leon S. Kennedy, Claire Redfield, Ada Wong, and Robert Kendo through the zombie-infested streets of Raccoon City. The game comes with a number of miniature figures based on the heroes and the numerous monsters found within the original title.

This Kickstarter campaign is also pretty straightforward with its rewards. For $70, backers receive the core game as well as all unlocked stretch goals. But there are options that allow fans to buy the Malformations of G expansion, which features miniatures that depict the further mutations of Dr William Birkin. There’s also a retro pack that recreates the art style of the original video game. If that’s not enough for you, the Giant Alligator expansion will give players a miniature based on one of the game’s iconic creations.

For more information about the Resident Evil 2 board game, visit the Kickstarter page. The campaign will run until Monday, October 23.

What do you think about Resident Evil 2‘s transformation into a board game? Fight some zombies in the comment section below!

Images: Capcom/Steamforged Games

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STAR TREK: DISCOVERY Previews the Rest of Season 1

Star Trek: Discovery premiered its first two episodes this week, and back to back, they could be viewed together as the pilot for this series. We really liked it, as you can read here. But they are unlike any of the previous five pilots the franchise has ever had, and paved a whole new path for this, the sixth live-action Star Trek series. Now, CBS All Access has released a trailer for the remainder of season one, which you can view down below.

Massive spoiler warning though – if you have not seen the first two episodes of Discovery, be sure that you do before you watch this trailer, or continue reading!

This trailer really elaborates how different this iteration of Star Trek is from the previous entries in the franchise. Almost every Trek show up to now started out with a pretty similar premise — we are introduced to a ship (or space station), we meet the Captain and they explain how he/she assembled their crew, they have an adventure that’s self contained, and then they warp off to the next adventure for which you must tune in next week. Discovery throws that formula right out the window, using their first two hours to create an elaborate and tragic backstory for its main character, Lt. Michael Burnham (Sonequa Martin-Green).

From the looks of this trailer for the rest of season one, Burnham will become a pariah in Starfleet, seen as being responsible for getting the Federation into a war with the Klingon Empire. But it would appear that the Captain of the Discovery (Jason Isaacs) sends her on a path to redemption over the course of the series. Although Deep Space Nine eventually became serialized, this would be the first Star Trek show to be serialized from the word “go,” and based on this new trailer, we are excited for everything that Discovery is going to throw at us.

Are you as excited as we are for the future of Star Trek? Be sure to let us know your thoughts on Discovery in the comments down below.

Images: CBS All Access

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We Found Out Which Hollywood Chris We Are

The new Joker Manor LEGO set is massive, amazing, and pricey. Are the beloved toys just too expensive for kids now, at a time when LEGO movies don’t seem to have the same box office magic? We answered those questions on today’s Nerdist News Talks Back, along with updating the current “Hollywood Chris” rankings, early reactions to Blade Runner: 2049, and the billion dollar Avatar sequels announcement.

Helping host Rachel Heine build a meaningful discussion on today’s show was Mothership producer Derek Johnson, Nerdist producer Kate Meyers, and Nerdist News writer Joan Ford. First up was how between the new $270 Joker Manor set, and the recently announced $800 Millennium Falcon, are LEGO sets too costly for kids? And with The LEGO Batman Movie and LEGO Ninjango not quite living up to the heights of The LEGO Movie, is this cause for concern?

From there they checked in on which Chris currently reigns supreme on our Hollywood big board, after Chris Pratt took Disney’s “Which Chris Are You?” quiz and got “Chris Evans.” Which of the four do we each think we are? And with all of them having movies coming out soon (Pratt: Jurassic World 2, Hemsworth: Thor: Ragnarok, Pine: A Wrinkle in Time, Evans: Infinity War–which also has Pratt and Hemsworth), which film are we most excited for?

Speaking of movie excitement, the initial response to Blade Runner: 2049 has been excellent. Have these reactions changed our excitement for the movie? Should director Denis Villeneuve, who is taking on Dune next, just remake every ’80s sci-fi film that wasn’t received well initially? And after an underwhelming summer Hollywood box office, were all of those complaints about Rotten Tomatoes nothing but excuse making for a run of bad movies?

Finally the gang discussed the news that the four (FOUR) Avatar sequels will have a combined budget of :insert Dr. Evil voice: one billion dollars! We can’t wait to find out what happened to Sam Worthington’s….career, but is anyone excited for more Avatar movies? It’s the highest grossing film of all time, and yet it seemed to make no lasting impact. (We heard Derek loved it so much he saw it three times, so maybe he cares?)

Don’t forget, Nerdist News Talks Back airs live every weekday at 1:00 p.m. PST on our YouTube and Alpha channels. Tune in with us so you can get in on the conversation.

We’re building a real community there, and it’s way cheaper than buying LEGOs.

But what do you think? Talk back to us about today’s topics in our comments below.

Images: Warner Bros/Marvel

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Take Your Cats and Dogs to This Interactive Art Exhibition for Pets

Art exhibits have gone to the cats and dogs. That’s literally true for an upcoming event from the pet food company Wellness. The PAW-sitive: Interactive Art for Pets by Wellness is the first interactive art exhibition for cats and dogs (and I guess their humans can enjoy it, too). We learned about the Singapore based event through Mashable, and I am so on board. Local artists created the art installations in the display and worked with in-house vets and animal behaviorists. So, the 10 different art and play areas aren’t only about looking cool, they’re safe for your pet pals and designed to be engaging and fun.

For example, the image above shows off an installation by Adeline Tan. It’s inspired by “A Whole New World” from Aladdin. Things like toys and meat will be projected onto the walls while dogs take a magic carpet ride. Another area encourages doggos to poke their heads through peepholes to see what’s happening behind the fence.

via GIPHY

But what about the cats? Four of the 10 exhibits are geared towards felines. One of them, known as Cat’s Belly by Kelly Limerick, encourages kitties to explore different rooms inside a cat. Each of the rooms offers a different experience like cat food, cat pheromones, and varying textures. I know a lot of cats aren’t fans of traveling, but I think this could be worth the time in the cat carrier.

via GIPHY

PAW-sitive takes place from September 30-October 8 in Singapore. If you had the opportunity, would you take your pet to an exhibition like this? Bark and meow in the comments to let us know.

Images: Wellness

Amy Ratcliffe is an Associate Editor for Nerdist. Follow her on Twitter and keep up with her Disney food adventures on Instagram.

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