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THE DARK TOWER Is Entertaining, But Not Groundbreaking (Review)

Fantasy epics are hard to adapt, and even the most successful ones get flak for not living up to the scope and breadth of their source material; just look at how upset people are with Game Of Thrones for all the ways it has dropped characters and streamlined storylines over seven seasons. But bringing Westeros to life for 10 hours every year feels like a walk in the park compared to cramming Stephen King’s Dark Tower series, a set of dimension-hopping magical horror novels that span decades of his career and even include him as a character, into a tightly paced 95 minute film. That’s exactly what director Nikolai Arcel has attempted to do with The Dark Tower, and while it might not hit the same surreal highs its source material, it’s at least a valiant effort.

I should admit upfront that my personal knowledge of the Dark Tower series is fairly limited, so I can’t speak to how closely the movie follows the books with true expertise. But as it turns out, you don’t actually need to know all that much going in; as Entertainment Weekly reported last year, the movie is both a loose retelling and a sequel, depicting events that take place after the books’ cyclical ending. (You can see the Horn Of Eld poking out of Roland’s bag, but only if you spend the entire movie looking for it.) Practically speaking, this makes it ideal for newcomers, although purists might have a hard time forgoing what they know of canon to embrace a new version of the world they love.

The biggest change fans will have to reconcile, I suspect, is who the movie is structured around. Although the Gunslinger, Roland Deschain (Idris Elba), is ostensibly the hero of the franchise, The Dark Tower instead chooses to tells its story through the eyes of Jake Chambers (Tom Taylor), a young boy from our world who has vivid dreams of the Gunslinger and his nemesis, the mysterious Man In Black (Matthew McConaughey). When Jake realizes that these dreams are actually visions, he journeys across dimensions to find the Gunslinger and help him protect the eponymous Dark Tower, which lies at the center of the universe and keeps all of reality safe from the demons that lurk beyond.

When Elba was first cast in the role, some onlookers expressed shock and even dismay at the idea that Roland would not look exactly like the white man depicted in the original illustrations for the book. Now I can’t imagine anyone else playing Roland with the same world-weariness and physical precision that Elba does; he’s easily best part of the movie, and I bet that everyone who picks up the books in the future will be picturing him as their gunslinger no matter what kind of illustrations they’re looking at. Matthew McConaughey is also sufficiently charismatic and menacing as Walter Padick, although his powers of magical persuasion would feel more terrifying if the movie had been released before Netflix’s Jessica Jones series, which features a villain with similar abilities (and a similar penchant for antagonizing women — Walter kills men and women alike, but almost all the characters that he takes time to terrorize are female).

That, in fact, is the biggest challenge in adapting something as expansive and genre-bending as The Dark Tower: how do you make it stand out from all the other sci-fi and fantasy franchises that indirectly owe their existence to it? In this area, the movie has a difficult time setting itself apart; despite all the Stephen King easter eggs, at times it feels more like somebody took the Western-futuristic aesthetic of Firefly, blended it together with the sorcery and demons of Buffy The Vampire Slayer, and slapped some Stargates in for good measure. (It also didn’t help that Fran Kranz is all but reprising his role from Dollhouse as the villain’s glorified tech guy, which might have put Joss Whedon’s work in my head early on.)

This isn’t to say the movie isn’t enjoyable to watch, because it is — Idris Elba and Tom Taylor have a wonderful dynamic together, and the gunslinging action scenes are appropriately cool. But it all feels strangely… conventional, somehow. Considering that the series is so beloved precisely for its indescribably epic qualities, that might be a kiss of death for some fans. But for those who are content to hear Roland evoke the Gunslinger’s creed on screen for the first time, or those who’ve always been just a little too intimidated by the series to dig into it (guilty as charged), the movie makes for an extremely accessible jumping-on point. Just don’t be surprised if you find yourself feeling more compelled by the books when you inevitably read them afterwards.

Rating: 3.5 Out Of 5 Burritos

Images: Sony

How will The Dark Tower TV show connect to the movie?

Carrie Fisher’s STAR WARS: THE LAST JEDI Send-Off Will Be Worthy of General Leia

Star Wars: The Last Jedi may be Carrie Fisher’s final film, but she’ll be remembered fondly for her contributions to nerddom and the world in general. For today’s Star Wars episode of Nerdist News Talks Back, Host Jessica Chobot, Nerdist Producer Jesse Gill, Features Editor Matt Groesinger, and Senior Editor Dan Casey discuss Leia’s final appearance, Episode IX‘s new writer, and our Last Jedi theories.

After the tragic death of Carrie Fisher last year, fans wondered how her Star Wars character’s arc would change. John Boyega recently had a bit to say about his Force Awakens co-star to ABC News, claiming that, “the movie sends her off in an amazing way, and she’s still kept alive in the franchise.” He also added that she, “lives forever, in a sense.” While we know Leia will not be appearing in Episode IX, does this mean she could become a force ghost like her father and Obi-Wan? Or will she be appearing in the now-canon Marvel comics? Either way, we’d love to see more Leia.

In other Star Wars news, Episode IX has a new writer. Jack Thorne, writer of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, will take the writer reigns over from director Colin Trevorrow and his co-writer for a second pass. Trevorrow’s last film, The Book of Henry, was not well-received, adding to mounting wonder whether Episode IX is in the right hands. Though The Cursed Child did not receive widespread acclaim, Thorne is a well-known British playwright. Admittedly, his involvement continues the trend of confusion fans have in regards to Episode IX, but we’ll reserve judgement until the film comes out.

Though The Last Jedi comes out in December, we’ve yet to see much about the film. Other than the trailer revealed at D23, not much is known about the story. We do know that Gwendolyn Christie, who plays Captain Phasma, told Entertainment Weekly that the film goes “deeper and further” than previous films, and Mark Hamill called it “unexpected.” What that says to us at Nerdist is that it’s time for fan theories. Among our favorites are the theory that Kylo Ren has been in service of a long, convoluted plan by Luke Skywalker to defeat the dark side once and for all, and the theory that Snoke is a creation of Darth Plagueis.

What are your favorite Star Wars theories? Let us know in the comments below. You can watch and interact live with Nerdist News Talks Back every weekday at 1:00pm PST on YouTube and Alpha, and catch up with the archives just after the show!

Images: Lucasfilm

Meet the Doctor Pikachu in This DOCTOR WHO/POKEMON Tattoo Mash-Up

When the Doctor regenerates, anything is possible, right? In Katherine Sudy’s Doctor Who tattoo sleeve, the timey wimey realm of the TARDIS is combined with Pokémon to give us memorable imagery—like an Ood holding a Poké Ball and Pikachu as the the fez-wearing Eleventh Doctor. No, really.

Sudy got the idea for the Who and Pokémon crossover because of a present she received in a redditgifts exchange. Redditor dragon71 drew an Ood holding a Poké Ball and that spawned ideas for Sudy and her tattoo artist Billy Bubbles Tattoos. She gave Billy guidelines and he did his own renditions of all the art.

The strictly Pokémon sleeve took around 15-20 hours to complete, with the Doctor Who-leaning sleeve clocking in at about 25 hours.

Time travel to the gallery below to get closer looks at the various elements of the tattoo, including Gyrados, a Bad Wolf (note the inclusion of a rose as a tribute to Rose Tyler), a Doctor Dalek, a Dr. Horrible quote, and more.

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 basically all of the tattoos—not only Star Wars ones) 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.

Images: Katherine Sudy

A SAINT SEIYA Reboot Headlines Netflix’s Original Anime Slate

Since Netflix began producing its own original programming and movies, it has become one of the major players in Hollywood (even in spite of reports that it harbors $20 billion in debt). Now, its focus has expanded to include original anime as well. During an event in Tokyo on Tuesday, Netflix revealed that it is ramping up its anime lineup with an aggressive slate of programs that includes a remake of the classic Saint Seiya manga and anime.

Unlike the original Saint Seiya anime that ran from 1986 to 1989, Netflix’s Knights of the Zodiac: Saint Seiya will be animated in CGI by Toei Animation. The series is based upon the original manga by Masami Kurumada, and it follows a group of modern day “Knights” who are empowered by the Goddess Athena with armor to help them protect humanity from the vengeful Gods of Olympus. The first season of the revival series will be comprised of 12 half-hour episodes.

Also on tap is a remake of Keisuke Itagaki’s Baki, which follows the title character, Baki Hanma, as he and his fellow underground martial artists are thrust into a deadly conflict with five of the most dangerous death row inmates in the world. TMS Entertainment is producing 26 episodes of Baki for Netflix.

Go Nagai’s Devilman is also getting a new series called Devilman Crybaby, which follows a young man named Akira Fudo who merges with a demon to protect humanity from an ancient race of demonic creatures who wish to retake the world. Devilman Crybaby will have 10 episodes from Science SARU, and it is expected to premiere on Netflix in spring 2018.

Toshiki Inoue and Wosamu Kine’s Sword Gai is also being adapted an anime series in spring 2018. The title character, Gai, becomes merged with a living weapon in an epic battle for the fate of humanity.

Junpei & Morita’s Lost Song will be an all-new anime series from Netflix in 2018. That fantasy series will follow two young women, Rin and Finnis, as they discover that they share an ability to heal wounds, create water, and control the wind through their power of song. The first season will be 12 episodes long.

LeSean Thomas’s fantasy comic book series, Cannon Busters, is also getting a long overdue animated adaptation, which will be overseen by Thomas himself. Over the course of 12 episodes, a royal-class friendship droid named S.A.M. will be joined by a human fugitive named Philly the Kid, and a maintenance bot named Casey Turnbuckle as they search for S.A.M.’s best friend, Prince Toji, whose kingdom comes under siege by enemy forces.

Another series expected to debut in 2018 is B: The Beginning, a new series that takes place in an advanced island nation known as Cremona. Over the course of 12 episodes, a serial killer called Killer B unleashes horrors upon the nation as an unlikely group of characters race to end his reign of terror.

Also taking place in a futuristic setting is A.I.C.O. Incarnation, which follows a young girl named Aiko Tachibana and her new friend, Yuya Kanzaki, who discover that they may hold the key to save the world from “Matter,” an out-of-control artificial life form that murdered Aiko’s family. That 12-episode series will debut in spring 2018 as well.

Fate/Apocrypha is bringing a war for the Holy Grail to Netflix on November 7, with a 25-episode season that explores the devastating scale of the conflict that spills out of World War II and continues decades later.

By comparison, Children of the Whales is far gentler story that adapts Abi Umeda’s manga series about 513 people who live on the “Mud Whale,” which is an island-like ship that exists on a world covered in oceans of sand. The first season will premiere in 2018 and explore what happens when the people on the Mud Whale suddenly make contact with the outside world.

2018 will also see the debut of Kakegurui, a 12-episode of Homura Kawamoto and Toru Naomura’s manga series. The description of the anime provided by Netflix was annoyingly vague, but the manga series followed Yumeko Jabami, a transfer student at Hyakkaou Private Academy. At that school, students bet their fortunes in high stakes games and they even enslave each other, until Yumeko disrupts the balance by betting for the thrill of it and turning the tables on the school’s hierarchy.

Finally, Dwarf Studio is producing a 13-episode stop motion animated series based on Rilakkuma, a toy bear that “loves pancakes, rice omelets, custard pudding and ‘dango’ rice dumplings.” Netflix did not announce a release date for that series.

What do you think about Netflix’s upcoming slate of anime originals? Let us know in the comment section below!

Images: Netflix/Toei Animation/Keisuke Itagaki (AKITASHOTEN)1992/Shogakukan/LeSean Thomas/Production I.G./J.C.Staff/San-X

This Year’s ARROW-verse 4 Show Crossover May Happen for Romantic Reasons

Every year, The CW finds a way to make the big Arrow-verse crossover events bigger than ever, and this year is no exception. The network just revealed details about the highly-anticipated crossover with Supergirl, The Flash, Arrow and Legends of Tomorrow, and based on the new intel, the aliens of last year’s crossover epic will bested this year with a storyline based on…love?

According to The CW President Mark Pedowitz, yes. “I do not want to give it away,” Pedowitz explained during the Summer 2017 Television Critics Association Press Tour. “I don’t want to give any spoiler alerts but let me just say, romance is in the air.”

Announced at the 2017 Summer TCA Press Tour, this year’s crossover will take place over two nights (instead of the usual four). The event, airing this fall, begins on Monday, Nov. 27 with an episode of Supergirl leading into an episode of Arrow (which will move to Monday night one time only for this special event). It will conclude on Tuesday, Nov. 28 with an episode of The Flash leading into an episode of Legends of Tomorrow. And yes, you’re reading that right: this is a true, four-show, four-episode crossover, unlike last year’s three-night crossover, where Supergirl only introduced the crossover storyline in its final scene last season.

“It’s a full, four-episode crossover across the board,” Pedowitz promised. And compared to last year, he added, “This will be even bigger.”

Four full episodes full of superhero team-ups and reunions and new relationships? Gosh, when is November again?

 

But what is the crossover going to be about this year? Last year’s alien invasion will be hard to top, and previous crossovers had an important purpose in introducing new series The Flash and Legends of Tomorrow. With no new spin-offs debuting this year (because DC Comics series Black Lightning, premiering midseason, will not be a part of the Arrow-verse), Pedowitz still promised that “the crossovers will definitely have a purpose.”

Let’s go back to that romance bit, because obviously that leads us to the multi-series arc. When Arrow and Legends of Tomorrow executive producer Marc Guggenheim was later asked to elaborate on what Pedowitz meant by that, he said, “I really can’t, actually.”

“I will say this, [Thursday] we’re going to pitch the network on what the crossover is,” Guggenheim added. “There’s just no way that we can top aliens last year, so [we figured] let’s up the emotional content. At the very least, we know we can bring the emotion. I’m not saying the emotion is romantic, necessarily. I’m just saying, we start from a place of, we wanted there to be some really big emotional turns for our characters. One of the differences about the crossover this year as opposed to years past is, we’re doing some big character moves that affect all four of the shows.”

We have so many questions and so many months to agonize over potential theories until we get answers, so here’s some good news to hold us all over: The CW boss heard how unhappy you were with how dark The Flash got last season. Pedowitz promised that, along with a non-speedster villain for season four, The Flash is “going to try to find the lightness … of the first two seasons” this year. Yes please!

What do you think Pedowitz meant by “romance is in the air?!” What do you think this crossover will be about? Tweet me at @SydneyBucksbaum and let’s chat!

Images: The CW

Punch-Activated Flamethrower Gauntlets Make You a Firebender

The critically acclaimed animated series Avatar: The Last Airbender may have been off the air for almost 10 years now, but its impact is still felt today. Not just because its sequel series The Legend of Korra was equally great (it was), but because Avatar elevated American animated storytelling to a level equal to, if not greater than, the best Japanese anime. One of The Last Airbender‘s greatest strengths in building a community of fans was its impressive magic system known as bending, which allowed its users to control the four elements–air, wind, earth, and fire.

One of the most dazzling arts on the show, firebending is characterized by its combination of raw power and dance-like attacks. And now, much like Zuko, YouTuber Sufficiently Advanced has captured the spirit of a firebender.

He created two flamethrower gauntlets that are activated by literally punching the freakin’ fire out of your hands. An accelerometer measures your punches and only activates the gauntlet on solid hits, demonstrated here by kung fu master Oscar Perez. Those of you looking to try this at home, remember that “master” is the operative word here.

via GIPHY

Holy mother of the Avatar! Did he just launch himself off the ground with a blast of fire? Because it sure looks like it. Perez perfectly replicates the attack that Azula uses in the show’s opening credits.

via GIPHY

This attack isn’t meant to be a movement that actual humans can perform; it is meant to portray just how dangerous and agile Azula can be. As if the firebending gauntlets weren’t cool enough, they’re also wielded by a martial artist on par with the Firelord’s daughter.

Now that we’ve successfully replicated firebending, how long until we do the same for earth, water, and air? Let us know in the comments below.

Featured Image: YouTube/Sufficiently Advanced

Did GAME OF THRONES Just Solidify a Power Struggle in Winterfell?

“This is Jon Snow. He’s King in the North.” That may have been true when he was in Winterfell, but Jon Snow isn’t the king of anything while he’s an unwilling “guest” of Daenerys Targaryen. So far, Bran Stark is the only living person who knows the truth about Jon Snow’s parentage. However, last Sunday’s episode of Game of Thrones may have set that revelation to come out regardless of whether Bran spills the secret that Ned Stark desperately protected for two decades. Today’s Nerdist News is looking into the fire for visions of the future, and Jon may not like the outcome!

There are potential spoilers ahead for Game of Thrones! It’s only a theory until it isn’t, so if you wish to remain Unsullied then this is your last chance to turn back.

Join host and Khaleesi of the Great Grass Sea, Jessica Chobot, as she looks at a very intriguing theory which suggests that Ned Stark shared his knowledge about Jon’s parents with at least one other person: the late Maester Luwin. There’s a passage in George R.R. Martin’s A Game of Thrones where Luwin asks Ned when they should tell Jon something vital. It isn’t spelled out what they’re talking about in the novel, but since the show has leapfrogged over the books, it seems reasonable to assume that they were talking about Jon’s true heritage as a Stark and a Targaryen.

Why is that important now? Because last Sunday’s episode included a scene in which Sansa asked one of her men to look through Maester Luwin’s archives for a certain piece of information. If Luwin happened to write down the facts about Jon’s mother and father then this could be the way that Sansa discovers the truth. Sansa has barely been tolerating Jon as the King in the North when she thought he was her half brother. But she may feel very differently about letting him rule if she knows he’s part Targaryen. And then there’s this guy:

Do you think that Littlefinger will miss a chance to whisper poison in Sansa’s ear and encourage her to expose Jon’s identity before assuming control herself? That is definitely the way that he operates, and it would not surprise us in the least. That conflict could also split the North at the exact moment that it needs to be united against the White Walkers.

What do you think about the latest Game of Thrones theory? Send a raven and let’s discuss in the comment section below!

Images: HBO

CRAZY EX-GIRLFRIEND May Only Be 4 Seasons

There’s something to be said for TV showrunners having a clear vision for the beginning, middle, and end of the story before even getting started on production. Too many times, shows get dragged out for way too many seasons because no one wants to end it (be it for ratings success, to satisfy a passionate fanbase, money, or to delay the inevitable unemployment for actors, writers, and crew). But planning out and sticking to that initial plan (despite the temptation to keep it going), is the way to make truly smart, brilliant TV that doesn’t jump the shark. Unfortunately, that means fans eventually have to say goodbye to beloved shows like Crazy Ex-Girlfriend.

About to debut its third season, The CW’s musical comedy from executive producer and star Rachel Bloom and showrunner/EP Aline Brosh McKenna about Rebecca Bunch, an anxiety-ridden, depressed New York lawyer who upends her entire life to move across country in the hopes of getting back together with her summer camp ex-boyfriend who dumped her as a teen. But she doesn’t move because of Josh Chan (Vincent Rodriguez III), he just happens to live in West Covina, California. Duh. Because she’s not crazy. Uh uh. No, the situation is a lot more nuanced than that.

“We do the seasons, ‘Live like you’re dying,'” McKenna told reporters at the 2017 Summer TCA press tour. “We worked out four chapters. It’s a story told in four chapters, whether that’s four seasons … ? We knew the last sentence of every chapter. One of the things that everyone on the show likes, we do know where the story is going. We like to know things way in advance and we do have four distinct chapters planned out.”

Season one was the first chapter of the show—following Rebecca’s rash decision to quite her fancy, high-paying New York lawyer job to move to West Covina for Josh Chan. Of course, he was already in a relationship, so she ended up sleeping with his best friend Greg (Santino Fontana), an alcoholic pessimist. Because Greg couldn’t commit, she ended up actually getting Josh to realize he had feelings for her, putting her smack dab in a love triangle. But in the end she chose Josh and told him the truth: she moved to West Covina for him. Let’s just say that he was not thrilled at that confession.

The second season followed the second chapter of the series, according to McKenna, where Rebecca thinks she got what she wanted with Josh. He wasn’t as into her as she was into him, though, and dumped her. And even though she ended up choosing him over Josh, Greg still left West Covina (and the show) to pursue his dreams at Emory University (following a very mature stint in Alcoholics Anonymous). And after getting dumped himself, Josh realized his feelings for Rebecca. They decided to get married, but he left her at the altar to become a priest instead. Ouch. An angry Rebecca ended the season standing on a cliff in her wedding gown, surrounded by everyone she knows, vowing to get revenge on him for his betrayal.

Season three, the third chapter of the series premiering this fall, will be all about how hell hath no fury like a woman scorned. Brosh McKenna described it as “funny Fatal Attraction,” but laughed at the idea of Rebecca actually going through with something as extreme and hardcore as boiling bunnies. “She’s not very good at trying to be the femme fatale that she would like to be,” she said.

Bloom added, “Rebecca associates sex with power, so she’s trying to use her sexuality very openly.”

So what will the fourth chapter be themed? “[Revealing that] would spoil it but it’s a very distinct chapter that is different from season three,” Bloom promised. “We are telling a finite story about a specific point in this woman’s life.”

The showrunners did reveal that season three’s opening number will be an ensemble Disney-themed number with everyone (minus Josh Chan), and this season will feature a lot more ensemble numbers (with harmonies!) than ever before now that all the characters have gotten to know each other. In fact, the showrunners actually kicked off the season with a “songwriting boot camp” before they sat down in the writers room, and had 20 songs written before they got into the story. And they’re not worried about repeating genres or ideas after over 90 songs. “There’s tons of genres we haven’t done,” McKenna said, noting that a song in the premiere is a genre she “particularly loves” that “is about the ladies.”

And one of the biggest questions fans and critics alike have wondered since Greg left the series? If the forlorn, perfect man for Rebecca would ever return.

“If we told you, that wouldn’t be very fun,” Brosh McKenna said with a smile. “Remains to be seen. It’s not at all off the table.”

Bloom added, “If we say anything either way, it’s a big spoiler. His presence is still incredibly important. We have not forgotten about that character.”

Hmm, take that as you will! Do you want to see Greg return and get back together with Rebecca? What genre do you hope to see Crazy Ex-Girlfriend tackle next? Tweet me at @SydneyBucksbaum and let’s chat!

Images: The CW

Crazy Ex-Girlfriend season three premieres Friday, Oct. 13 at 8 p.m. on The CW.

NASA Needs a Protector of Earth! And the Job Pays Six Figures

Do you dream of bravely standing at the front lines for humanity when the aliens come for us, as they surely will? Do you have what it takes to protect the universe against the follies of mankind as we travel the cosmos? Do you want a full-time government job that pays in the high six figures?

Cause if the answer to all those questions is yes, NASA is looking for you. And the position includes dental.

We learned about this very real job opening, which sounds like our greatest sci-fi fantasies come to life, at Yahoo. America’s space agency is trying to fill its position of Planetary Protection Officer, a job first created in 1967 following the U.S.’s ratification of Outer Space Treaty, but not always filled with a single full-time employee.

But now they are looking for someone to join the Office of Safety and Mission Assurance for Planetary Protection, whose responsibilities will include “the avoidance of organic-constituent and biological contamination in human and robotic space exploration,” a.k.a. making sure we don’t send accidentally send a bunch of destructive Earth germs to other planets via our spacecraft.

While that task is a serious matter and requires traveling around the world to check spacecraft before they blast off (it would not be ideal to explore a distant celestial body only to totally destroy it because Frank sneezed on the robot), it’s the other half of the job that has us (once again) practicing Bill Pullman’s speech from Independence Day.

That’s because the position is also tasked with making sure Earth isn’t contaminated by alien microbes. Yeah, part of the job is literally protecting the planet from aliens.

And it pays as much as $187,000 a year. That ain’t Tony Stark money, but it is far more than what Captain America makes.

The appointment is for three years. No word yet on if current PLANETARY PROTECTION OFFICER (we now realize that title should be in all caps) Catharine Conley, hired in 2014, will stay on, but we hope she does.

As far as we can tell no alien germs or invaders have overrun our home planet while she’s been on the watch, nor have we destroyed the universe yet.

And really, what more could we ask of someone tasked with protecting the planet. Other than maybe the occasional July 4th speech.

Are you going to apply for the job? If not who do you think should have it? Fly into our comments below and let us know.

Images: 20th Century Fox; Marvel

A RICK AND MORTY Fan Animation Explores Glenn the Gromflomite’s Origin

Hey Rick and Morty fans, do you remember Glenn? Sure you do, he was the gromflomite that Morty shot as he and Rick ran away from the interdimensional customs guards in the pilot episode. Morty was hesitant, but he fired when Rick assured him they were all just robots. That turned out to be very much not the case, though, as Morty saw Glenn bleed out and one of his cohorts scream, “Glenn’s bleeding to death! Someone call his wife and children!”

That line added another layer of depth to Morty’s actions, and now a fan-made video explores that backstory brilliantly. The four-minute 3D animation shows Glenn’s origins as an office worker, who meets his wife at a bus stop and regurgitates an umbrella to protect her from the rain. Their budding romance blossoms from there, and it’s actually a pretty heartwarming video.

David James Armsby, who made the clip, wrote in the video description:

“Well, this was a dumb video. I came up with the idea after re-watching the series in preparation for Season 3. It took WAAY too long to make and I’m not sure if it was worth it. But I still find it funny, in a weird ironic sort of way. […] I also focused way more on the existential irony and depressing themes of the show over the comedy. I prefer that stuff.”

Re-watch the original scene below, and let us know in the comments if, like us, this fan video is now canon in your heart.

Featured image: Dead Sound/YouTube