Latest news with #Sith
Geek Tyrant
15-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Geek Tyrant
Rian Johnson Defends Snoke's Death and the Direction of STAR WARS: THE LAST JEDI — GeekTyrant
Few scenes in Star Wars have stirred as much debate as the moment Kylo Ren slices Supreme Leader Snoke in half during The Last Jedi . The mysterious big bad introduced in The Force Awakens , rumored to be Darth Plagueis or some other ancient Sith mastermind, was built up with ominous weight, only to be suddenly and shockingly killed off halfway through Episode VIII . Now, writer-director Rian Johnson is revisiting that controversial choice and doubling down on why it was the right move. In a new profile with Rolling Stone, Johnson addressed not only the backlash surrounding Snoke's death, but also the misconception that he made The Last Jedi in isolation, with no coordination with J.J. Abrams. Johnson said: 'We communicated. We met and I spent days with him and was able to get into his head and all the choices he had made. That having been said, I communicated and I went and made the movie. And he was in the middle of Force Awakens. 'Ultimately, I feel like the choices in it, none of them were born out of an intent to 'undo' anything. They were all borne out of the opposite intent of, how do I take this story that J.J. wrote, that I really loved, and these characters he created that I really loved, and take them to the next step?' For Johnson, the goal wasn't to shock for the sake of it or to wipe Abrams' work clean. He says he took Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy's request seriously when she asked him to craft the Empire Strikes Back of the sequel trilogy. 'Kathy [Kennedy] said, 'We're looking at someone to do the Empire of this series.' I took that assignment very seriously. Maybe more seriously than someone would have liked. 'I guess to me that didn't mean making something that just had nods to Empire — that meant trying to genuinely do what Empire did.' So when it came time to deal with Snoke, Johnson saw an opportunity, not to remove a villain, but to elevate another one. 'That was, in reading J.J.'s script [for Force Awakens], and watching the dailies, and seeing the power of Adam Driver's character. The interrogation scene in the first movie, between Rey and Kylo, was so incredibly powerful. 'Seeing this complicated villain that's been created, I was just so compelled by that. This is all a matter of perspective and phrasing, but to me, I didn't easily dispense with Snoke.' Instead, Johnson says he used Snoke's death as a deliberate turning point to push Kylo Ren into full villain mode. 'I took great pains to use him in the most dramatically impactful way, which was to then take Kylo's character to the next level and set him up as well as I possibly could. 'I guess it all comes down to your point of view. I thought, 'This is such a compelling and complicated villain. This is who it makes sense going forward to build around.'' Of course, Abrams later pivoted back to the old school by bringing back Emperor Palpatine in The Rise of Skywalker , revealing that Snoke was merely a puppet of the Sith Lord all along. Rey was also retconned as Palpatine's granddaughter, backtracking the idea that she was 'nobody,' another creative decision that divided fans. Still, love it or hate it, Johnson's vision for the middle chapter wasn't about playing it safe or satisfying every theory. It was about shifting power, challenging expectations, and, for better or worse, surprising the audience.
Time of India
07-07-2025
- Science
- Time of India
The Sith of Silicon Valley: Ziz LaSota's AI cult left six dead – who is she?
Once upon a time in the cold expanse of Alaska, a homeschooled child stared at the aurora borealis and wondered if the world was real. Years later, that same child – taller than most men, cloaked in black, calling herself Ziz – would terrify Silicon Valley's Rationalists, faking her own death, wielding a samurai sword, and leaving six bodies in her wake. This is the tale of Ziz LaSota, the transgender AI doomsday cultist who believed humanity would perish under artificial intelligence – unless she saved it first. Born under northern lights, reborn in the shadow of AI Ziz LaSota's early life was unremarkable: eldest of three, father a university instructor, homeschooled through lonely Alaskan winters. But teenage depression twisted her mind inward. Puberty felt like death. She wrote that she was 'horrified at being overwritten by a new self.' Logic became her religion. LessWrong and the Rationalist forums her sacred texts. At the University of Alaska, she read of 'x-risk' – existential risk – and decided AI was the harbinger of humanity's doom. She dropped out of graduate school and arrived in the Bay Area in 2016, ready to 'save the world.' But Silicon Valley is a cruel temple for prophets. She was just another zealot in a city full of them. The Sith emerges She became Ziz: more than six feet tall, blond curls tumbling past her black cape, declaring her faith in the Sith – the dark side order of Star Wars. She called Rationalists 'master Jedi.' The community tolerated her eccentricities. After all, they believed AI could destroy us all. Peter Thiel, Sam Altman, Sam Bankman-Fried – they had all passed through the Rationalist forge. But Ziz took it further. Her blog listed categories of people to be 'airlocked.' She advocated radical veganism, sleep deprivation rituals, and violent moral tests. She recruited a cadre of mostly transgender and nonbinary tech aspirants from Google, Oracle, NASA – they called themselves the Zizians. To them, Ziz was the messiah AI safety had awaited. From cult to killing field The timeline of blood is as absurd as it is tragic. 2019: Zizians don Guy Fawkes masks and robes to disrupt a Rationalist event in California. No guns were found, but SWAT stormed the venue. Arrests followed. Their chanting was described by police as 'speaking in tongues.' 2020: In Vallejo, California, landlord Curtis Lind was stabbed with knives and a samurai sword after demanding unpaid rent. He shot two Zizians in self-defence. One died. Ziz faked her death by falling off a boat, her obituary running in Alaska newspapers. 2023: The parents of Michelle Zajko, a close Zizian, were found shot dead in Pennsylvania. Bullets matched Zajko's gun, but evidence fell short. Ziz was arrested with them in a hotel, bailed out, and disappeared again. 2025: Lind was stabbed to death before he could testify against the group. Days later, in Vermont, two Zizians fired at Border Patrol agents. One agent and one Zizian died in the shootout. The philosophy that eats itself Rationalism always prided itself on logic untainted by emotion. But Ziz turned logic into madness. Roko's Basilisk, the infamous AI thought experiment predicting torture for those who don't create AI, haunted her. She believed any attempt to stop AI would condemn her to eternal torture by future malevolent superintelligences. Her solution: don't back down, escalate, airlock the doubters. Eliezer Yudkowsky, the Rationalist guru who warned of AI extinction, called Ziz's descent 'sad,' writing that weirdness attracted weirder people, some of whom turned out to be 'genuinely crazy and in a contagious way among the susceptible.' The Rationalist reckoning Today, Ziz sits in a Maryland jail, awaiting trial on gun, drug, and obstruction charges. She is not accused of wielding the murder weapons herself, but prosecutors say she orchestrated the violence. The Rationalist community is left with a bitter aftertaste. Was Ziz simply an unwell woman who found justification in AI apocalypse theory, or did Rationalism's own doomsday fetish birth her? Zvi Mowshowitz, a Rationalist blogger, asked if Ziz would have simply created another cult if AI philosophy hadn't ensnared her. 'The odds are, like, 55 percent,' he guessed. But perhaps the final lesson is simpler, as one Rationalist writer put it: even if the world is ending in five years, you cannot live like it is. That way lies madness, murder, and a black-caped prophetess clutching a samurai sword under flickering fluorescent lights.
Business Upturn
13-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Business Upturn
Star Wars: The Acolyte Season 2: Release date speculation, cast and plot details – Everything we know so far
By Aman Shukla Published on June 13, 2025, 17:30 IST Last updated June 13, 2025, 10:59 IST The Star Wars universe continues to expand with The Acolyte , a mystery-thriller set in the High Republic era, roughly 100 years before Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace . After a polarizing first season that premiered on Disney+ on June 4, 2024, fans are eager to learn about the prospects of The Acolyte Season 2. From release date speculation to cast updates and potential plot details, here's everything we know so far about the future of this bold Star Wars series. The Acolyte Season 2 Release Date Speculation Since The Acolyte Season 2 has not been confirmed, no official release date exists. However, based on the production timeline of Season 1, we can speculate. Filming for Season 1 began in October 2022 and wrapped in June 2023, taking eight months, with a release in June 2024. If Season 2 were greenlit in 2025, production could start in late 2025 or early 2026, potentially leading to a release in late 2026 or early 2027. This aligns with the typical two-year production cycle for high-budget Disney+ series like Andor . The Acolyte Season 2 Cast: Who Could Return? The first season of The Acolyte featured a diverse and talented ensemble, but its high body count left several key characters dead, limiting the returning cast. If Season 2 happens, the following actors and characters are likely to return based on the Season 1 finale: Amandla Stenberg as Osha and Mae: The twin sisters, whose arcs diverged dramatically in Season 1, are central to the story. Osha's turn to the Dark Side and Mae's memory wipe set up intriguing possibilities for their future. Manny Jacinto as Qimir/The Stranger: Revealed as a Sith Lord, Qimir became a fan-favorite, with his seductive and complex portrayal earning widespread praise. Jacinto hinted at exploring more of his character's connection to Darth Plagueis in a potential Season 2. Rebecca Henderson as Vernestra Rwoh: The Jedi Knight, a fan-favorite from High Republic novels, is poised to pursue Osha and Qimir, potentially using Mae to track them. New characters could be introduced to flesh out the Sith's 'Wild West' era or other High Republic factions, as Headland expressed interest in exploring Sith-adjacent groups and the Rule of Two. The Acolyte Season 2 Plot: What Could Happen Next? The Acolyte Season 1 ended on a cliffhanger, setting up several storylines for a potential second season. The series, described as ' Frozen meets Kill Bill ,' explored the rise of dark-side powers during the High Republic's final days, focusing on morally ambiguous characters and a fresh perspective on the Jedi and Sith. Here are the key plot points teased for Season 2: Osha and Qimir's Dark Side Journey: After Osha's turn to the Dark Side and her alliance with Qimir/The Stranger, Season 2 could explore their training to challenge the Jedi. Their dynamic, described as a Force dyad, may delve into the creation of life and the Sith's early machinations. Darth Plagueis and the Sith's Rise: The Season 1 finale introduced a mysterious Sith figure, likely Darth Plagueis, Palpatine's master. Season 2 could expand on his role in manipulating midi-chlorians and establishing the Baneite Sith, bridging the gap to The Phantom Menace . Vernestra's Pursuit and Jedi Corruption: Vernestra's decision to cover up Sol's actions suggests a corrupt Jedi Order. Season 2 might explore her efforts to track Osha and Qimir, using Mae, whose memories were wiped, as a tool. This could further challenge the perception of the Jedi as infallible. Ahmedabad Plane Crash Aman Shukla is a post-graduate in mass communication . A media enthusiast who has a strong hold on communication ,content writing and copy writing. Aman is currently working as journalist at
Hypebeast
09-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Hypebeast
Nike Air Max Plus TN Crosses to the Dark Side in Bold New "Darth Vader" Colorway
Name:Nike Air Max Plus TN 'Darth Vader'Colorway:Black/RedSKU:IM4868-010MSRP:$180 USDRelease Date:June 13, 2025Where to Buy:Nike Nike has unveiled a bold reimagining of the iconicAir Max Plus TN, cloaked in black and crimson — fit for an aspiring Sith Lord. Channeling the essence ofDarth Vader, the shoe features a dramatic gradient from black to red across the mesh toe box and toungue, while black laces weave into the bright red eyelets creating a striking contrast. Sleek, glossy accents slash across the otherwise matte silhouette, reminiscent of Darth Maul's Zabrak markings and battle-worn tattoos. A true homage to the dark side — but even villains need comfort. Equipped with Nike's signature Tuned Air (TN) technology, the shoe offers air-cushioned support and rock-solid stability, perfect for everything from an intergalactic duel to a casual stroll through the galaxy.
Sydney Morning Herald
06-06-2025
- Politics
- Sydney Morning Herald
By fighting Musk for the dark soul of MAGA, Trump has finally met his match
Dark Maga has seen the light. In a plot twist eerily reminiscent of The Phantom Menace, (also known as the worst Star Wars movie ever made) Edgelord Elon Musk has joined the rebellion and declared war on Sith lord President Donald Trump over that most noble of causes – trade specifics. Their stoush over Trump's 'One Big Beautiful Bill Act' has erupted in such spectacular fashion that you can't help wondering if Musk knew what was coming and gave himself that black eye before entering the Oval Office a week ago, in perhaps DOGE's one true act of efficiency. Given their big, beautiful bromance, who could have foreseen this shocking turn of events? (Apart from Steve Bannon, John Kelly, Reince Priebus, Anthony Scaramucci or any of the other approximately half a gazillion high-level White House aides whose relationships with Trump went up in flames during the first year of the Trump 1.0 administration.) Since that farewell visit to the White House less than a week ago, the relationship between Musk and Trump has blown apart with the speed and ferocity of an exploding SpaceX Starship. Threats and counter threats have been thrown out in rapid succession: Musk calling for Trump's impeachment and implicating the president (without evidence) in Jeffrey Epstein's sordid affairs; Trump threatening to DOGE the Dogefather's SpaceX and Tesla contracts. I suspect, however, these will come to be seen as merely opening salvos in the true war to come: the fight for the heart and soul of MAGA. Musk has taken this fight to X, the spiritual homeland of Trump's base, posting a poll question that asked 'Is it time to create a new political party in America that actually represents the 80% in the middle?' At the time of writing it had already had 40 million views and 80 per cent of respondents had voted yes. Trump's support from the MAGA faithful has always been seen as unassailable, the movement inextricable from the man himself. But Trump has never been seriously attacked by anyone from within MAGA and certainly not by anyone of the stature of Musk. Of the major markers by which Trump measures success: wealth, business acumen and online followers, he is eclipsed in all three categories by Musk. Like all wars, if it continues it will come down to resources. In the Dark MAGA corner, Musk has his billions, his social media platform X and SpaceX's Dragon spacecraft, which is used to supply the International Space Station and transport NASA astronauts. Musk has already threatened to decommission Dragon, prompting Steve Bannon (playing the role of Ivana to Musk's Melania) to call for Trump to create an executive order to seize it. In the red MAGA corner, Trump controls the levers of government so has the power to cancel Musk's billion-dollar government contracts, and revoke his security clearance. However, a far more likely move would be for Trump to use his favourite tactic of lawfare against Musk, similar to the investigations that he ordered into Biden earlier this week.
