In the 1980s, there was an outbreak of “Darth Vader Syndrome”. Most people today are unaware of it, thanks partly that it’s no longer a significant issue. So, what was this bizarre syndrome and why was it named after the iconic Star Wars villain?

Over the last few weeks, while researching another project, I came across several newspaper articles from 1983-90, about Darth Vader Syndrome. I’d never heard about it before so I did more research and found over 40 articles printed in newspapers across the country from that time.

If you only knew the power of the Dark Side

Here’s the best way to explain what it is. Imagine being a kid in a house that’s suddenly on fire. You would be horrified, especially if trapped. As the smoke thickens, things get darker and then something approaches you that looks menacing, like Darth Vader, and is breathing heavy like Darth Vader, and is coming after you. What would you do? If the answer is scream and/or run around in panic then you’d understand this syndrome.

The figure approaching these kids in fires are, of course, firefighters. They’re wearing masks and you can hear them breathing through those masks as they approach in the smokey darkness.

Firefighters had a real problem. Children were actually running away from them when the firefighters were trying to rescue them, creating a worse situation where the firefighter would have to chase them and save them as the child’s fear only grew.

One newspaper quoted Captain Gibbs Hammond, a fire prevention education officer for the Knoxville fire department, who said, “There have been documented cases of children running back into a burning room after seeing a firefighter, who looks like a monster, at the door,”

This is also why it’s also referred to as Monster Syndrome. Apparently, the Children’s Television Workshop — producers of Sesame Street — coined the phrase “Darth Vader Syndrome” and began to spread awareness of it in the early 1980’s and tried to teach kids that a firefighter is a real-life Superman despite looking like Darth Vader.

Why did it disappear?

Firefighters began doing more frequent demonstrations at kindergartens and elementary schools. Almost every newspaper article I read about it referred to an upcoming event that firefighters were doing for children, partly to help them not be afraid of them in their gear. They would show kids how they put on the mask, what it sounded like, and tried to make it fun. Some children still felt the mask was too scary but parents were encouraged to teach them that even though firefighters can look scary in their gear, they are there to help

The mention of Darth Vader Syndrome significantly decreased in the 1990s, suggesting that it was no longer an issue. I reached out to my cousin, a NYC firefighter, and asked him about this. He said it’s definitely no longer an issue because, as he admitted, he never even heard about it before.

It’s likely that one other reason why this is not the major problem it once was is that the character of Darth Vader was at the peak of his popularity during that time, which was when the original Star Wars trilogy was being released, and although he is still a major character, it’s not quite like what it was then. His villainy used to scare children in the 1980s, whereas kids today want to dress like him for Halloween.

Now, there’s even a Darth Vader that visits Children’s Hospitals to brighten the day of the kids there. It’s probably accurate to say that most children today actually see the character as cool.

That doesn’t mean that they can’t develop a fear of masked firefighters but it’s far less an issue than it was when Darth Vader was every kid’s nightmare.

The following article contains spoilers for season 3 of The Bad Batch.

From live-action to animation, many Star Wars properties have found a confident foothold thanks to Disney Plus. Now, shows that may not have seen the light of day have become a well-oiled machine.

This includes Dave Filoni’s prolific Star Wars universe. The creative force behind beloved works such as Star Wars: The Clone Wars and Star Wars: Rebels can now expand the characters developed in these animated series. In addition to creating Ahsoka Tano and Ezra Bridger, Filoni has also given life to the underappreciated Bad Batch. A group of clones established in The Clone Wars, these soldiers were genetically modified men who did not fit into the traditional crop of Clone Troopers. Hunter, Tech, Echo, and Wrecker form a brotherhood of sorts, and invite one more in the first episode of Star Wars: The Bad Batch.

They discover a female clone named Omega, whom they have since devoted their lives to training and protecting. This ragtag group of clones has formed a found family and remained strong well into season 3 of the Disney Plus series.

When does season 3 of The Bad Batch release?

The Bad Batch season 3 premieres February 21, 2024, and will consist of 15 episodes as follows:

• Episode 1: “Confined” – February 21
• Episode 2: “Paths Unknown” – February 21
• Episode 3: “Shadows of Tantiss” – February 21
• Episode 4: “A Different Approach” – February 28
• Episode 5: “The Return” — March 6
• Episode 6: “Infiltration” – March 13
• Episode 7: “Extraction” – March 13
• Episode 8: “Bad Territory” – March 20
• Episode 9: “The Harbinger” — March 27
• Episode 10: “Identity Crisis” — April 3
• Episode 11: “Point of No Return” — April 3
• Episode 12: “Juggernaut” — April 10
• Episode 13: “Into the Breach” — April 17 
• Episode 14: “Flash Strike” — April 24 
• Episode 15: “The Cavalry Has Arrived” — May 1

Each episode airs on Disney Plus and drops on Wednesdays on the platforms. This season, fans can look forward to the long-awaited return of a favorite character from The Clone Wars. Though she dies heroically in the books, Asajj Ventress follows the tradition of many Star Wars characters in the new universe coming back to life.

The former apprentice to Count Dooku, the Force-sensitive Dathomirian was once an adversary for Anakin and Obi-Wan and has since turned into an anti-hero. Cultivating an ire towards the Empire for the massacre of the Nightsisters on her planet, she has been a fascinating character to watch. Fans can see Ventress’ return in season 3 of The Bad Batch, streaming only on Disney Plus.

Star Wars has had many lucrative gaming endeavors in its long lifetime, but none taking place in an open world before. Star Wars Outlaws will be the first. 

Published by Assassin’s Creed and Far Cry developer Ubisoft and developed by The Division‘s Massive Entertainment, Star Wars Outlaws will put the player in the shoes of a young hero making her way through the crime syndicates as a way to find a better life. Star Wars has historically had a love for scoundrels, and now players can play as one during the period between The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi

Characters confirmed for Star Wars Outlaws

The original trilogy setting means there are characters both original and new to pull from.

• Kay Vess — The protagonist of Star Wars: Outlaws, Kay is a young woman looking to find her way in the galaxy. As the aforementioned scoundrel of the game, she seeks a big score with the help of her trusty companion. As with most scoundrels, she finds herself on the most wanted list, making her life that much harder.

• Nix — Kay’s creature companion who accompanies her on her travels. Every protagonist needs a cute alien friend and this one is a Merqaal. 

• ND-5 — A droid built by the Confederacy of Independent Systems, ND-5 was involved in the Clone Wars and falls into Kay’s spectrum during a heist gone wrong. 

• Sliro – The confirmed villain of Star Wars: Outlaws, Sliro is the leader of the criminal syndicate Serek Besh. An original character created for the game, Sliro poses a great threat to Kay after putting a hit on her

• Vail – It isn’t Star Wars without bounty hunters and the newest one is coming after Kay. A human female, she is hired by the crime syndicate Serek Besh.

• Jaylen Vex – A character that sends Kay on her ultimate journey. He offers her a job that turns into disaster when Sliro puts a bounty on her head.

• Danka – A Mon Calamari featured in the official Star Wars: Outlaws trailer. She was an information broker during the Imperial Era

• Qi’Ra – One surprising character who is not original to the game. Lady Qi’Ra is the leader of the criminal order Crimson Dawn. After leaving Han (Alden Ehrenreich) in Solo: A Star Wars Story, it appears she’s still kicking and causing complications as a syndicate leader.

• Jabba the Hutt – The galaxy may be big but that doesn’t stop Jabba from taking his cut from wherever possible. Both he and Salacious B. Crumb make an appearance in the trailer, along with an appearance by the frozen decoration of Han Solo.

This cast of characters shows a love for the rich origins of Star Wars while exploring new territory. Star Wars Outlaws will be released on August 30, 2024. 

Billy Dee Williams, known for his part in Star Wars among other things has recently come out and voiced some… interesting opinions.

Speaking on Bill Maher’s “Club Random” podcast, the two began talking about the 1965 adaptation of Othello with Laurence Olivier in the titular role. For those who haven’t seen it, Olivier wore blackface to portray the character. “When he did ‘Othello’, I fell out laughing […] I thought it was hysterical.” Maher didn’t quite share Williams’ view on Olivier’s portrayal, labeling it as “problematic” and going on to say “today, they would never let you do that.”

I mean he’s not wrong, there are a lot of reasons why people don’t do blackface today. However, Williams’ response came as a surprise asking “Why not?” before doubling down and saying “you should do it, […] if you’re an actor you should do anything you want.” The comment caught Maher off guard along with anybody watching most likely.

Williams’ opinion seems to come from a position of not limiting an actor as an artist in any way; that race shouldn’t come into the conversation and that giving the actor complete creative freedom to do as they desire is what’s important. Even if what they desire is blackface. He doesn’t think too deeply about race when it comes to acting which is a stance he seems to have always held judging by this interview from 1980.

Maher points out that the Nighthawks star “actually lived in a period where you couldn’t play the parts you should’ve played.” to which Williams responded “the fact is you discuss it, […] you don’t go through life feeling like ‘I’m a victim’” to which Maher agrees.

That’s definitely a wild take on the conversation surrounding blackface. Billy Dee Williams might think it’s alright; but I don’t think there are many actors out there willing to put his words into action.

Star Wars Outlaws is one of the biggest game releases of the year. However, PC players won’t be able to buy the game on every popular store, such as Steam, Epic, and GoG.

While Star Wars Outlaws is set in one of the most beloved fantasy universes ever, the game promises to offer players a unique experience. Even if the game takes place between Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back and Episode VI: Return of the Jedi, in Star Wars Outlaws, you don’t play as a Force-wielder or dive into the conflict between Rebels and the Empire. Instead, the game’s protagonist is the original character Kay Vess, a scoundrel trying to pull off the biggest heist the Outer Rims have ever seen. So, instead of choosing between Light and Darkness, Star Wars Outlaws will give you the freedom you need to explore the gray corners of the Galaxy.

Working for crime syndicates and taking on bounties to buy your freedom sounds exciting. Plus, the gameplay trailer for Star Wars Outlaws already shows the many different ways you’ll have to overcome challenges, from stealth to gun fighting. The game also includes a dynamic reputation system that can turn you into a target for a specific gangster or win their favor. In short, Star Wars Outlaws sounds like the kind of game you can sink hundreds of hours into. Sadly, you won’t be able to buy it on Steam.

Why won’t Star Wars Outlaws be available on Steam?

Star Wars Outlaws is developed by Ubisoft, one of the biggest companies in the industry. Ubisoft is so giant, and its catalog of games is so expansive that its distribution branch has been trying to launch a competitive storefront for many years. Ubisoft’s latest DRM attempt is Ubisoft Connect, the exclusive store where PC players can acquire upcoming games.

The first reason Ubisoft refuses to sell its games on different platforms is that each store, such as Steam, takes a cut of the game price for each sale. So, to increase the profit margin of its products, Ubisoft prefers to sell Star Wars Outlaws directly. Ubisoft has also launched a subscription-based service called Ubisoft+, which gives you access to their complete catalog of games for a monthly fee. The idea is to convince players to provide the company with money every month instead of buying only one or a few products per year. In addition to access to the newest Ubisoft+ releases, the subscription program gives early access to highly anticipated titles. In the case of Star Wars Outlaws, Ubisoft+ subscribers can play the game three days before its official release.

Star Wars Outlaws will be available for the PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and Windows on August 30, 2024.

Ubisoft’s Star Wars Outlaws promises to fulfill your bounty hunter fantasy by allowing you to explore the dark corners of the Outer Rim in search of loot. It’s a concept that would only get better if you could share the experience with friends.

Set between Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back and Episode VI: Return of the Jedi, Star Wars Outlaws give you control of Kay Vess, an original character with a considerable debt to pay and a bounty over her head. Kay’s goal is to perform the biggest heist the Outer Rim has ever seen, a task that demands she navigate the dangerous underworld of Star Wars, where crime syndicates impose their law. It’s an exciting concept that offers something different from the usual war between the Light and Dark sides, which, done well, could show more gray areas in the Galaxy far, far away.

As a criminal, Kay will assemble a crew to help her face gangsters, evade bounty hunters, and take on dangerous tasks. Unfortunately, Kay’s crew contains only NPCs, and the game has no multiplayer element.

Star Wars Outlaws reuses Ubisoft’s single-player open-world formula

The gameplay trailer of Star Wars Outlaws reveals that Ubisoft’s ambitious game mixes stealth and action mechanics to turn you into a one-woman army surviving in the galaxy. You can sneak through enemies’ lairs or use your blaster to shoot your way out of danger. You can also drive speeders and even engage in dog fights against enemy ships. Finally, you have a cute companion trained to distract enemies and create the window you need to escape tricky situations.

While there seem to be many different ways to interact with the open world of Star Wars Outlaws, you’ll be doing that alone. Considering Ubisoft’s game development tradition, this shouldn’t be a surprise.

While Ubisoft is responsible for many profitable IPs, the studio is primarily known for its work on the Assassin’s Creed franchise. Most Assassin’s Creed games follow a single-player open-world formula: you can roam wherever you wish while looking for optional quests and progressing through the main story. Ubisoft also has a tradition of using repetitive quest structures that make exploring the open world tiresome, which explains Star Wars fans’ skepticism regarding Outlaws. Still, the trailers look good so far, and if Ubisoft manages to turn Star Wars Outlaws into a hit, they might be open to offering a multiplayer sequel.

Star Wars Outlaws will be available for the PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and Windows on August 30, 2024. Players who subscribe to the Ubisoft+ service will have three days of early access.

After EA met critical and public acclaim with Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order and Star Wars Jedi: Survivor, Ubisoft will try to take a piece of Lucasfilm’s profitable IP cake with the release of Star Wars Outlaws.

In Star Wars Outlaws, you play as Kay Vess, a criminal with a huge debt to pay. Instead of fighting for the Galaxy’s fate and choosing between the Light and Dark sides of the Force, you work with the many crime syndicates to find the one job that can make you rich and buy your freedom. It’s an exciting concept that promises to explore unknown corners of the Galaxy far, far away and reveals the criminal entrails of the Star Wars universe.

Even though Star Wars Outlaws tells an original story, the game nods at some of the main characters of the Skywalker Saga. That’s because Star Wars Outlaws is set at a specific moment in the timeline, between two movies from the original trilogy.

Star Wars Outlaws is set in the middle of the original trilogy

Star Wars Outlaws events will unfold between the end of Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back and the beginning of Episode VI: Return of the Jedi. For those needing a reminder, The Empire Strikes Back ends with Jabba the Hut capturing Han Solo and the reveal that Darth Vader is Luke Skywalker’s father. After the Rebels destroyed the first Death Star, the Empire became entirely focused on snuffing the flames of insurrection. The Empire Strikes Back underlines how dangerous the Empire can be, but the war for the sake of the Galaxy rages on, extending until Return of the Jedi. 

Around one year goes by between Episodes V and VI, which means there’s a considerable gap that Ubisoft can use for Star Wars Outlaws. In addition, the turmoil caused by the conflict between the Rebels and the Empire creates the cover the crime syndicate needs to expand its business and make millions of credits on the backs of innocent people.

That’s the background of Kay Vess’ journey, who will be in the middle of the disputes between gangsters, criminals, and bounty hunters. That’s why Jabba is a prominent character in Star Wars Outlaws’ marketing campaign and why Kay will even encounter Han Solo’s frozen body. Star Wars Outlaws will be available for the PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and Windows. However, it can only be acquired on PC through the Ubisoft Connect DRM. Players who sign up for the Ubisoft+ service will have access to Star Wars Outlaws as part of their subscription. The game will be released on August 30, 2024.

You might be surprised that Mark Hamill was genuinely worried when he was pretending to be hit by lightning at the end of Return of the Jedi. However, when you learn why, it makes sense.

In February 1984, Cox News Service spoke to Mark Hamill about his time working on the Star Wars trilogy. When interviewed, Hamill was starring as the lead in the hit Broadway play Amadeus which, later that year, would be a hit movie directed by Milos Forman. In a cruel twist, Forman denied Hamill a chance to play the lead in his movie because he didn’t want the guy known as Luke Skywalker to be Mozart. Maybe Hamill should’ve told him that he had starred in a Broadway show in the lead role that was previously played by David Bowie.

Although Amadeus was mentioned in the short article, it mostly featured Hamill telling a story about when he filmed Luke Skywalker’s near-death scene at the end of Jedi.

In the movie, the Emperor showcases his Sith powers by shooting lightning out of his fingers, showering Skywalker with bolts of Force-created electricity. this is the full power of the dark side on display as the Emperor tells Skywalker he will die.

Filming the scene was not even remotely dangerous because – and I know this is shocking – no actual lightning was used for the scene. What?! So, flexing all his acting skills, Hamill just had to pretend to be in excruciating pain… but then he felt the presence of another.

Hamill explained, “I was supposed to react in pain and fall down and we were just about ready to go when I see him and I’m thinking, ‘This isn’t good.’”

The “him” that Hamill is referring to was his 3-year-old son, Nathan. Apparently, his wife and son arrived just as Mark was about to roll around the floor and pretend to be in extreme agony.

Hamill added, “I can’t move and go over and tell him to leave. So then all these things are going off and it’s real ‘Bonnie and Clyde’ time.”

Hamill acted out being endlessly struck by Force-lightning while thinking about how his son must be horrified at the sight. When it was over, Hamill quickly looked over at Nathan to see if he had utterly frightened him. “When they said, ‘Cut,’ I looked over,” Hamill states, “and Nathan had this big grin on his face and he said, ‘Do it again, daddy.’”

Now that’s a cool kid. No surprise he’s a Hamill. In fact, Nathan later appeared in multiple Star Wars films. Maybe the fun he had on set that day was a sign of things to come.

Mark went on to say that his son’s a big Star Wars fan which for many reasons, including familial ones, is no real surprise. One wonders if Nathan encouraged his dad to continue re-enacting the scene at home. Hamill only noted that when his son watched the film that “it really works for him.”

Star Wars is full of tiny details that fans obsess over. The seemingly insignificant lines, locations, or characters become long-lasting meme fodder. One of the most controversial moments from the sequel trilogy for fans was the green milk Luke slurped out of… whatever beastie that was.

Long before Luke was guzzling raw green milk from space mammals, the moisture farmer was enjoying a cool glass of blue milk with his Aunt and Uncle on Tatooine, and now, you can too. Star Wars Galaxy’s Edge has served a variation of the beverage since the park opened in 2019, and now you can enjoy blue milk with cereal every morning.

When Does TruMoo blue milk release?

In honor of May the 4th, Disney Consumer Products and Lucasfilm are partnering with grocery stores nationwide to finally give fans a taste of one of Luke’s childhood staples. In the Star Wars ‘verse, blue milk comes from Banthas, but here on Earth, Disney is sticking with 1% cow’s milk for their release. The official release for the product says,

“TruMoo Blue Milk is 1% low-fat milk and features natural vanilla flavor and blue color for a truly galactic delicious experience your family will enjoy.”

The product will be available starting April 17th, 2024, but be aware that it might not show up on your store’s shelves right away.  Mark Hamill might not care about a blue check mark, but he had quite a lot to say about his own, horrible Blue Milk experience on set.

“The original blue milk was what they call long life milk, which you get at camping stores because you don’t have to refrigerate it. And we were in North Africa. So it has additives – they put blue food coloring in it – and it was really ghastly. Oily and sweet and euch! Triggered your gag reflex.”

Mark Hamill to Radio Times

Lucasflim learned from Hamill’s awful first experience. By the time the Green Milk rolled around in The Last Jedi, the company had smoothed out the flavors and Hamill has gone on record to say that he’d choose Green Milk over Blue any day.

After the first glimpses of The Acolyte, most Star Wars fans are feeling giddy. The series, set to premiere in June on Disney Plus, marks a departure from the franchise’s status quo in more ways than one. The project is helmed by an all-female team, features the IP’s first trans actor, and might even change the way we view the Dark Side of the Force.

Set 100 years before the events of The Phantom Menace during a period in which Sith are more myth than reality, the mysterious Sith antagonist is knocking Jedi off left and right. While we don’t have much information yet, one thing seems certain, The Acolyte’s red lightsaber-wielding baddie is about to pull off an Order 66 all on her own.

Who is the Sith in Star Wars: The Acolyte?

So far, we know very little about Amandla Stenberg’s character, Mae. Fans and news outlets alike have speculated that she was a Padawan of Jedi Master Sol (Lee Jung-Jae), but Disney is keeping it under wraps.

In an interview with Comicbook.com, Stenberg noted that her character is “attempting to respect the place she comes from” but is doing it in a world that “doesn’t placate her, doesn’t exist for her. And so she is struggling morally and ethically.” It’s a vague enough answer to keep the Disney watchdogs off of her back but could speak volumes about the ambiguity of good and evil that Disney is trying to expand upon.

We honestly don’t know if Mae is going to be categorized explicitly as a Sith. Many fans on social media have been quick to point out Jedi Master Ki-Adi-Mundi’s iconic Phantom Menace line on the Sith’s millennium-long extinction in the wake of the trailer, and decry the media giant for breaking Star Wars canon. Others are less sure. Disney has been setting up new lore on who can be considered a Jedi. Ahsoka has teased the idea of Sabine Wren finding a place in the Jedi Order despite her lack of skill in the force, and fans of the sequel trilogy have yet to forgive Disney for what they see as stifling Finn’s Jedi potential.

Old lore from the High Republic days mentions a variety of Jedi, like the nomadic Wayseekers who acted independently from the Jedi council. There were also hermit Jedi who answered to no one but the force, fans have speculated that the Wookie Jedi shown in The Acolyte trailer, Master Kelnacca, falls into this category. The range of Jedi could mean that during the golden era of the Jedi, the rules were more lax, leading to a wider variety of force users.

To further obfuscate what good and bad mean in a galaxy that requires both for balance, Disney may be moving to do the same with the Dark Side. After all, if good can be a spectrum, why can’t bad?

All that to say that, though Mae is wielding a red lightsaber, we have no way of knowing exactly what she is up to – or what she is working towards – until the series drops on June 4. Despite knowing nothing about the red lightsaber-wielding assassin, she has certainly piqued fan interest – regardless of the haters.

Who Plays Mae in Star Wars: The Acolyte?

The morally ambiguous Star Wars newcomer is played by Amandla Stenberg. Her first movie role was in Colombiana as the child version of Zoë Saldaña’s Cataleya. That same year, she was tapped to play the child sacrifice, Rue in The Hunger Games.

It might be hard to recall now, but the actress is no stranger to random hate for the color of her skin. When The Hunger Games dropped in 2011, Stenberg was subjected to heinous commentary for her portrayal, simply because of her skin color. She starred in the emotional drama The Hate U Give (2018), Everything, Everything (2017), and starred in her first horror movie, Bodies, Bodies, Bodies in 2022.

The pointless backlash to Rue’s ethnicity seems to have informed Stenberg’s political activism. She was named “Feminist of the Year” in 2015. Won the NAACP Image Award, and in 2018, released a school project, “Don’t Cash Crop My Cornrows” admonishing Kylie Jenner for cultural appropriation. The video went viral and launched Stenberg as a “voice of a generation.” Most recently the actress joined with Artists4CeseFire to encourage President Joe Biden to call for a Ceasefire of the Israeli bombardment of Gaza.

We’ve seen firsthand how certain subsects of the Star Wars “fans” have reacted to people of color in the past. John Boyega, Moses Ingram, and Kelly Marie Tran were all subjected to online abuse after their appearances in the galaxy far, far away. Hopefully, Stenberg’s staunch activism and history with ridiculous haters will help her cope in the coming month.

An icon in the eyes of action film fans, Carrie-Anne Moss returns to television in the new Star Wars series, The Acolyte. In it, the performer will be playing Jedi Master Indara, at the height of the High Republic.

For many fans, this means seeing an exciting return to form. For the past 2 decades, Moss has lent her talent to many films, movies, and even video games that have endeared her to audiences. Viewers should be sure to tune in to watch The Acolyte when it premieres on Disney Plus on June 4. But before then, explore the many entries to her filmography that were a precursor to her upcoming role.

1. The Matrix

The Wachowskis’ dystopian film is still hugely influential. Starring Laurence Fishburne, Keanu Reeves, and of course Carrie-Anne Moss, the film pictures a reality where the robot revolution is over. Humans have become enslaved to AI, who use their bodies as batteries. 

The Matrix had a unique visual style, from its leather-clad characters to the bullet-time fighting style. The film put Moss on the map as an action star from a thematically resonant and genre-bending movie. She plays Trinity in the original trilogy of films, and its 2021 sequel, Matrix: Resurrections.

2. Jessica Jones

Moss is a respected hallmark of the entertainment industry, which is what made it such a joy to see her crop up in Netflix’s gritty Marvel universe. The actor plays Jeri Hogarth, who is historically male in the comics. In Jessica Jones, they change the gender to make the series more female-forward, which is relevant to the story’s subject material.

Jessica Jones (Krysten Ritter) is a woman trying to make it as a private investigator in New York, all well recovering from trauma. She also happens to have superpowers. As an investigator, she takes jobs from Hogarth’s law firm as she overcomes her personal demons. Like most women in the show, Hogarth is not a one-note character. She is a complex and often shady lawyer who makes mistakes professionally and personally. It is a shame that Jessica Jones only had so many years to fly.

3. Snow Cake

Even as part of a stacked cast that includes Alan Rickman and Sigourney Weaver, Moss stands out in this gentle indie rom-com. The movie sees the relationship between Rickman and Weaver’s characters, with Moss playing a neighbor gradually drawn into the drama.

Snow Cake isn’t much talked about now but it’s a cozy watch that warrants a revisit. In recognition of her performance Moss would go on to pick up a Best Supporting Actress award at the 27th Genie Awards in 2007, which recognizes the very best in Canadian cinema.

4. Memento

Even earlier in his career, Christopher Nolan had a way with mind-bending storytelling. The 2000 film Memento follows Leonard (Guy Pearce), who cannot form short-term memories. Despite this significant obstacle, he still tries to solve the mystery of his wife’s murder. A precursor to Tenet, Nolan tells this story in both forward and reverse at the same time. This technique allows viewers to be in the headspace of Leonard, while also being able to figure out what is going on while he cannot.

The first big revelation is Leonard’s dynamic with Natalie (Moss). Leonard forms a relationship with her only for the audience to learn that she has ulterior motives the entire time. Moss is adept at playing both sides, showing Natalie in one moment as innocent and another as a calculating manipulator. 

5. Mass Effect

Moss has also made a name for herself in the world of voiceover acting. While you may not recognize her, she adds depth as the Asari named Aria T’Loak. The character appears briefly in Mass Effect 2 but is most notable for her role in Mass Effect 3 and the Omega DLC. A villain at worst, Aria is the brutal leader of Omega. She rules without mercy, and after Cerberus takes over her fiefdom, she fights to get it back. Her role in Mass Effect is another addition to a widely appreciated sci-fi universe.

6. Silent Hill: Revelation

Silent Hill: Revelation picks up where the first film leaves off and just keeps running. After Sharon returns from the foggy landscape without her mother, she and her father keep moving. But Silent Hill won’t let them go so easily.

Even after changing her name to Heather, a cult of Silent Hill called The Order summons her back to continue the work of Alessa’s burning in the first film. The leader of The Order is Claudia (Moss), who intends to use Heather’s body to summon her god. Claudia is depicted with a ghostly pallor and white hair but ultimately transforms into a terrifying creature with saw blades in her flesh. Silence Hill: Revelation continues the terrifying work that Silent Hill started with Moss at its villainous core.

7. Disturbia

A modern take on Alfred Hitchcock’s classic, Rear Window, Disturbia stars Shia LaBeouf as Kale, a teenager under house arrest. To stave off boredom, Kale takes to spying on the neighbors with a set of binoculars. After witnessing disturbing behavior from a neighbor, Kale and his friends set out to prove that he is a murderer. 

Moss plays Kale’s mother, Julie, who becomes a pawn in the game of cat and mouse. Naturally, no one believes Kale until Julie is taken hostage in the murderer’s house. A classic thriller of the mid-aughts, Disturbia adds to Moss’ genre credits.

8. Chuck

Moss brings her action skills to television with her short stint on NBC’s Chuck. Appearing in the last season of the show as Gertrude Verbanski, the character explores a romantic relationship with John Casey (Adam Baldwin) as she aids Sarah (Yvonne Strahovski) and Chuck (Zachary Levi) in various capacities. A nice change of pace to see the performer in a more comedic role, she also gives Casey a romantic storyline as they two sail off into the sunset together.

9. Horizon Forbidden West

Moss’ work in video game voiceover is further expanded in Horizon Forbidden West. She plays the antagonist, Tilda van der Meer, who is forever motivated by the loss of her lover, Elisabet. She regrets leaving her on Earth to die in a cataclysmic event and spends her time trying to replicate her in various ways. This complex character was motion-capped by Moss, who adds depth to a layered character.

10. The Bye Bye Man

Based on the “The Bridge to Body Island” chapter in the book, The President’s Vampire, The Bye Bye Man takes many familiar elements from horror movies about curses. Like Sinister or Smile, The Bye Bye Man follows a group of people who are desperate to prevent a mysterious visage from spreading. In this case, the titular entity can spread if people say its name. 

Moss plays Detective Shaw, who eventually becomes a vehicle for the curse to continue. As she investigates a group of college-age kids dying off one by one, she discovers something supernatural is going on. Though the conclusion seems to indicate that the entity is contained, the remaining survivor of the group whispers the name of the evil creation so it can continue through Shaw.

The Bye Bye Man is made more disturbing by knowing that it’s inspired by alleged real-life occurrences.

In 2019 Oscar Isaac uttered the now iconic words “somehow Palpatine returned”. This is widely considered a low point in the Star Wars franchise, dialogue perhaps more embarrassing than any cheesy line George Lucas ever came up with.

The Rise of Skywalker didn’t bother to explain the “somehow” and we were left with Merry Brandybuck’s mutterings about “dark science, cloning, secrets only the Sith knew”. Since then the franchise has slowly filled in the blanks.

Apr. 2023’s ‘Chapter 23: The Spies’ of The Mandalorian season 3 revealed that the Imperials have something up their sleeves and were working together in secret to ensure their success. It was revealed in the show that Moff Gideon escaped and he’s got Elia Kane feeding him the information he needs. Captain Pellaeon went on to namedrop “Project Necromancer.”

On Feb. 24 2024 we got more information in The Bad Batch season 3, with the third episode ‘Shadows of Tantiss’ giving us yet more insight into Palpatine’s long-running plans. So, after all this, what do we know?

What is Project Necromancer?

In The Mandalorian, Captain Pellaeon stated that Grand Admiral Thrawn’s return will bring back the strength needed for the Imperial army and that Commandant Hux is in charge of Project Necromancer. During the Shadow Council’s meeting, it was also revealed that Hux is interested in Doctor Pershing’s research into cloning. This was supported by Gideon’s comments to Hux, claiming that “the creation of clones was Hux’s obsession.”

One may first assume that Project: Necromancer is what Moff Gideon was doing in Mandalore, where he plans to use influences from the Jedi, Mandalorians, and clones. After all, a necromancer is someone who wants to bring something back to life. In Moff Gideon’s speech to Din Djarin, Bo Katan, and the rest of the Mandalorians, he says that Mandalore “will live on” through his name and influence. He also plans to use Mandalore’s rich resources to build his Dark Trooper army.

However, based on the Shadow Council’s conversation at the start of the episode, it seems like the project is more than just building an army to take down the New Republic. It could be assumed that Project Necromancer is related to Emperor Palpatine’s return in the sequel trilogy.

The clue viewers got for this was Hux’s interest in Doctor Pershing’s research. Pershing was known to have a heavy interest in cloning and believed that his work could benefit others if delivered into the right hands. The word “necromancy” means the practice of resurrecting the dead, so a strong hint that this is how Emperor Palpatine was revived and has multiple clones of himself. Considering how The Mandalorian takes place 30 years before the sequel trilogy, that is enough time to revive a powerful Sith Lord. After all, the practices of the dark side tend to be seen as “unnatural.”

Further details emerge

The Bad Batch expanded on the project’s roots, confirming that it began on the planet Weyland in the Mount Tantiss facility and was headed by Chief Scientist Dr. Royce Hemlock. Known for his “unorthodox” genetic experiments, Dr. Hemlock began his career in the science corps of the Galactic Republic but was booted out after his superiors discovered his research.

Building on work began by the Kaminoans on the Clone Army, Hemlock’s apparent goal was to not simply clone a person, but also transfer midichlorians (“M-Count replication”) into the clones. This would theoretically result in the clone having the same degree of Force sensitivity as the original subject, a factor vital to the success of a project to create a backup clone body for Darth Sidious.

By the time of Return of the Jedi Hemlock’s experimentation had progressed quite far, but wasn’t perfected. So, when Sidious’ was “killed” by Darth Vader emergency plans were put in place to rapidly create whatever body they could. The result was a malformed and rushed clone that was only ever intended to be temporary. Existing in this decaying form left Sidious weakened and in constant pain, so demands were made to create a better body for him to inhabit.

Supreme Leader Snoke was the result of those demands, successfully combining Sidious DNA with his Force Sensitivity. However, upon glancing at Snoke’s body Sidious deemed the vessel “unworthy”. Rather than discard the promising specimen Snoke was repurposed into a pawn that would eventually run the First Order.

The experiments would also result in the individual considered Palpatine’s “son”. In this instance, the clone itself was perfectly healthy, though lacked any link to the Force. Sidious rejected him as a “useless creature”, though allowed him to live in the hopes he’d carry on the Palpatine bloodline. He did, resulting in the birth of Rey, who Sidious slowly became convinced was the perfect vessel for his spirit.

That’s all the information we have, but we suspect more details will emerge in future episodes of The Mandalorian and other Star Wars material.