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For many Black women, they are the first in their families to ever leave the safety and comfort of home, and step into the unfamiliar adventures – not to mention dangers – of life in the military. Along with new uniforms and boots, comes a new way of life. Women in the military have emerged from only being allowed to work in traditional support capacities, such as nurses and cooks, to becoming pilots, drivers and mechanics, to now fighting alongside their male counterparts in combat.
When the Army opened its doors to women in 1942, the Women’s Army Auxiliary Corp (WAAC) was established with 400 slots and only 40 of them were for Black women. Overcoming adversity, sexism, racism, and more also helped to open doors for Black women in other areas.
Not only did Black women face the hardship of discrimination outside of the military, but faced segregation within. Women in the Black WAACs were in a separate company than white trainees, had separate housing, dining tables, and even recreation areas. At the end of training, there were 36 Black women left to graduate with the rank of third officer.
The Army wasn’t the only branch where women wanted to serve, and other women’s units were established. Women who wanted to help the Navy joined the Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service (WAVES), the Coast Guard had the SPAR, the Air Force had WASP, and the Marines Corps had the WR. The Army, however, was the only branch to allow Black women from its inception. Despite this fact, recruitment of Black women proved difficult. Segregation meant many Black women didn’t want to join, and Black WAACs still faced discrimination. The Black Press helped monitor and speak out against discrimination in the military, including within the WAACs. Reports came out that Black WAACs with college degrees were being assigned to cleaning duty. The press demanded a Black woman to be assigned to the WAAC director’s office to monitor and address discrimination complaints.
In July of 1943, it was announced that the women of WAAC would be classified under the same ranks as soldiers, a big victory for women’s equality. The name changed to the Women’s Army Corps (WAC). Black WACs didn’t receive the same specialized training that white WACs had, and most were trained in motor equipment, cooking, or administrative work. One of the biggest complaints amongst Black WACs was that there were no Black units overseas. Unfortunately, the WAC had to abide by all Army regulations, and overseas commanders had the right to designate race of units being sent, and no Black WACs were requested. But with the help of Eleanor Roosevelt speaking on their behalf, the War Department directed commanders to accept Black WACs.
After high school, my parents informed me there was not enough money for me to go to college. Joining the military was never something that crossed my mind, even with my dad serving nearly 20 years at the time. After listening to my dad’s speech about traveling the world and getting money for school, I enlisted. That’s how my journey started. It’s one that took me from to Germany to Austria to Amsterdam. I was also able to pay for college. My service held a lot of struggle and opposition, at times being the only woman or only Black person. But more so, I experienced great pride and reward.
I am always grateful for those 40 Black women who were determined to serve, and knew that this nation belonged to them too. So, when we talk about Black women trailblazers, the military has to be on the list.
As of now, half of the United States Army Sergeant Majors are Black women. While they are less likely to reach the top levels of the commissioned officer ranks, their numbers in the enlisted ranks mean they fill top advisory and mentoring roles. This is a big deal, because enlisted noncommissioned officers have more years of experience than officers at the same level, and they can provide much guidance to those younger soldiers.
Throughout history, Black women have worked to increase diversity and inclusion in the military. Cathay Williams was the first Black woman to serve in the military, posing as a man to fulfill a three-year contract with the Union army. In 1866, she would join the 38th U.S. Infantry Regiment and would travel throughout the West as a buffalo soldier.
This year marks 75 years since the Women’s Armed Services Integration Act was passed, which permitted women to serve as full members of the U.S. Armed Forces in every branch. It also marks a decade since the Pentagon reversed its policy allowing women to serve on combat ships, even though it banned them from serving in direct ground combat.
Black women have held crucial roles that opened doors for other Black women in today’s military. Many have survived trauma and harassment from the very men assigned to be their leaders. They have pushed through the door when the government they fought for told them no. Nonetheless, Black women in the military have always found a way to persevere against all odds. They continue to make major contributions in service to our nation, and for that, we owe them a debt of gratitude.
For many Black women, they are the first in their families to ever leave the safety and comfort of home, and step into the unfamiliar adventures – not to mention dangers – of life in the military. Along with new uniforms and boots, comes a new way of life. Women in the military have emerged from only being allowed to work in traditional support capacities, such as nurses and cooks, to becoming pilots, drivers and mechanics, to now fighting alongside their male counterparts in combat.
When the Army opened its doors to women in 1942, the Women’s Army Auxiliary Corp (WAAC) was established with 400 slots and only 40 of them were for Black women. Overcoming adversity, sexism, racism, and more also helped to open doors for Black women in other areas.
Not only did Black women face the hardship of discrimination outside of the military, but faced segregation within. Women in the Black WAACs were in a separate company than white trainees, had separate housing, dining tables, and even recreation areas. At the end of training, there were 36 Black women left to graduate with the rank of third officer.
The Army wasn’t the only branch where women wanted to serve, and other women’s units were established. Women who wanted to help the Navy joined the Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service (WAVES), the Coast Guard had the SPAR, the Air Force had WASP, and the Marines Corps had the WR. The Army, however, was the only branch to allow Black women from its inception. Despite this fact, recruitment of Black women proved difficult. Segregation meant many Black women didn’t want to join, and Black WAACs still faced discrimination. The Black Press helped monitor and speak out against discrimination in the military, including within the WAACs. Reports came out that Black WAACs with college degrees were being assigned to cleaning duty. The press demanded a Black woman to be assigned to the WAAC director’s office to monitor and address discrimination complaints.
In July of 1943, it was announced that the women of WAAC would be classified under the same ranks as soldiers, a big victory for women’s equality. The name changed to the Women’s Army Corps (WAC). Black WACs didn’t receive the same specialized training that white WACs had, and most were trained in motor equipment, cooking, or administrative work. One of the biggest complaints amongst Black WACs was that there were no Black units overseas. Unfortunately, the WAC had to abide by all Army regulations, and overseas commanders had the right to designate race of units being sent, and no Black WACs were requested. But with the help of Eleanor Roosevelt speaking on their behalf, the War Department directed commanders to accept Black WACs.
After high school, my parents informed me there was not enough money for me to go to college. Joining the military was never something that crossed my mind, even with my dad serving nearly 20 years at the time. After listening to my dad’s speech about traveling the world and getting money for school, I enlisted. That’s how my journey started. It’s one that took me from to Germany to Austria to Amsterdam. I was also able to pay for college. My service held a lot of struggle and opposition, at times being the only woman or only Black person. But more so, I experienced great pride and reward.
I am always grateful for those 40 Black women who were determined to serve, and knew that this nation belonged to them too. So, when we talk about Black women trailblazers, the military has to be on the list.
As of now, half of the United States Army Sergeant Majors are Black women. While they are less likely to reach the top levels of the commissioned officer ranks, their numbers in the enlisted ranks mean they fill top advisory and mentoring roles. This is a big deal, because enlisted noncommissioned officers have more years of experience than officers at the same level, and they can provide much guidance to those younger soldiers.
Throughout history, Black women have worked to increase diversity and inclusion in the military. Cathay Williams was the first Black woman to serve in the military, posing as a man to fulfill a three-year contract with the Union army. In 1866, she would join the 38th U.S. Infantry Regiment and would travel throughout the West as a buffalo soldier.
This year marks 75 years since the Women’s Armed Services Integration Act was passed, which permitted women to serve as full members of the U.S. Armed Forces in every branch. It also marks a decade since the Pentagon reversed its policy allowing women to serve on combat ships, even though it banned them from serving in direct ground combat.
Black women have held crucial roles that opened doors for other Black women in today’s military. Many have survived trauma and harassment from the very men assigned to be their leaders. They have pushed through the door when the government they fought for told them no. Nonetheless, Black women in the military have always found a way to persevere against all odds. They continue to make major contributions in service to our nation, and for that, we owe them a debt of gratitude.
The Avengers is the biggest name when it comes to superhero media, thanks to the MCU. But those Marvel Studios stories are all based, in some way or another, on stories from over 60 years of Marvel Comics. Some of those Avengers comics were unmemorable, but some creative teams produced runs for the ages. Stories that deserve to be recognized today. Here are our choices for the ten best Avengers comic book runs of all time.
10. All-New, All-Different Avengers and Avengers by Mark Waid
Mark Waid was already a comics legend by the time he came on board the Avengers franchise, thanks to series like Kingdom Come and The Flash. but the Avengers he got to write were not the all usual suspects. In 2016’s All-New, All-Different Avengers, Waid kept stalwart members like Tony Stark, but added Ms. Marvel Kamala Khan, Miles Morales Spider-Man, Jane Foster’s Thor, and the teenage Nova, Sam Alexander, as a new generation of Avengers. And Sam Wilson was finally on the team as Captain America and not as the Falcon.
Waid excelled at writing this mix of heroic generations, giving the Avengers a multi-generational perspective it never had before. To make Waid’s run even better, he was joined by artists like Adam Kubert and Mahmud Asrar. Eventually, the younger generation would form their own team, the Champions, but Waid would continue with the older members in a new volume of Avengers. He’d close out his run in 2018 with the epic No Surrender arc, one of the best and most epic Avengers sagas of the 21st century. It was a brief run overall, but one that made a mark. No pun intended.
Issues in Mark Waid’s Avengers Run
All-New, All-Different Avengers #1-16, Avengers (vol.6) #1-11, Avengers (vol.1) #675-690 (2016-2018)
9. Uncanny Avengers by Rick Remender, w/John Cassaday, Adam Kubert, Daniel Acuña, and Steve McNiven (2012-2014)
The Avengers and the X-Men, two teams who debuted on the same day in 1963, were enemies as often as they were friends. But they’d never really united to become one team before, until 2012’s Uncanny Avengers series. Written by Rick Remender, with incredible art by John Cassaday, Adam Kubert, and others, arrived in the fallout of the Avengers vs. X-Men. Captain America decided that he and other human heroes had not done enough for the mutant race. So he proposed a joint team of Avengers and X-Men, called the Avengers Unity Squad.
Several iconic Avengers like Wonder Man and Scarlet Witch were members, but so were important X-Men like Rogue and Havok. The stories were consistently great and explored the tension between human heroes and the mutant community, all while the Avengers faced epic villains like the Red Skull and his S-Men. Rick Remender’s run was relatively brief, only lasting two years in total. Later, other writers did their own run of the Avengers Unity Squad, to varying results. If it were longer, Remender’s Uncanny Avengers might have gone up a notch in the ranking, because this is some darn great superhero storytelling.
Issues in Rick Remender’s Uncanny Avengers Run:
Uncanny Avengers (vol.1) #1-24, 2012-2014
8. Avengers and West Coast Avengers by John Byrne with Paul Ryan (1988-1990)
Writer/artist John Byrne was the comic book industry’s biggest superstar by the time he took on the Avengers franchise in 1988. He had drawn issues here and there previously. However, this run was the first time he was the creator in charge of both writing and drawing. Actually, he took on both the monthly West Coast Avengers and Avengers at the same time, with help on the art of Avengers from Paul Ryan. His opening storyline involves the Scarlet Witch and Vision discovering the truth about their children. Not to mention, the Vision being dismantled and rebuilt as “White Vision.” Both stories had a huge influence on WandaVision.
Byrne’s run also saw Spider-Man join the team for an extended space adventure. Another significant addition was the Eternal named Sersi. The original ’40s Human Torch also made a comeback after 50 years during his tenure. Byrne’s run was big, pulpy, and just plain fun. He even took dated concepts like the Lava Men and made them a credible threat. And we can’t forget to mention that he introduced the comedic Great Lakes Avengers during his run. That alone makes this a run for the history books.
Issues in John Byrne’s Avengers Run:
West Coast Avengers (vol.1) #42-57 Annual #4, Avengers (vol.1) #305-317, Annual #19, 1988-1990
7. The Avengers by Stan Lee, with Jack Kirby, Don Heck (1963-1966)
When Marvel publisher Martin Goodman asked Stan Lee to copy DC’s success with the Justice League of America, he did his own thing instead, creating the Fantastic Four. But by 1963, Marvel had enough solo characters to create their own “all-star” team, and The Avengers was born. The first two issues, by Lee and Jack Kirby, featured a lineup that included Iron Man, Thor, Ant-Man, the Wasp, and the Hulk. Issue one also introduced the idea of Loki as a primary villain for the team.
But by issue #4, the Avengers really came into their own when Lee thought of having Captain America join the team. As leader, Cap proved to be the missing ingredient the Avengers needed. From that point on, Stan Lee was off to the races. Kirby left fairly early on, and capable artist Don Heck replaced him. Stan Lee’s run only lasted 35 issues and three years. Yet he introduced so many key concepts to what the Avengers are to this very day. Rotating memberships, major villains like Kang, and so much more were birthed in Lee’s run.
Issues in Stan Lee’s Avengers Run:
Avengers (vol.1) #1-35, 1963-1966
6. The Ultimates by Mark Millar and Bryan Hitch (2002-2005)
Forget what the title of this comic says; the Ultimates are the Avengers in all but name. When Marvel launched the streamlined and modern Ultimate Universe in 2000, it focused on Spider-Man and the X-Men. But when it came time to do the Avengers, Marvel editorial believed the name was too associated with a property that was no longer popular. So they dubbed this series The Ultimates. Even though the lineup featured Captain America, Iron Man, Thor, Giant-Man, the Wasp, and the Hulk. So, basically, the Avengers.
Mark Millar, who became a name at DC writing the fascistic hero team series The Authority, brought some of his trademark grit and satirical take on heroes to Marvel. He and artist Bryan Hitch made Ultimates feel like you were watching a blockbuster movie. So it’s no surprise that Marvel Studios’ Avengers borrowed heavily from this run. If there’s one thing that makes this book cringe today, it’s that Millar’s take on the heroes is that they’re all slightly sociopathic at worst, self-centered jerks at best. And the modern twists to Black Widow, Scarlet Witch, and Quicksilver are icky. But the big screen scale and imagination on display in The Ultimates make up for those shortcomings.
Issues in Mark Millar’s The Ultimates Run:
The Ultimates #1-13, Annual #1, The Ultimates 2 #1-13, 2002-2007
5. The Avengers by Roy Thomas, with John Buscema, Sal Buscema, Neal Adams, (1966-1971)
Roy Thomas took over writing duties on Avengers from Stan Lee in 1966, with issue #36. But more than any other writer, Thomas solidified who we think of as the most important and iconic Avengers. Taking over from Stan Lee must have been daunting, but Thomas somehow surpassed his mentor. During his run, Thor and Iron Man returned after a long absence, and he introduced the first hero created specifically for the team, the Vision. He increased the importance of the non-powered Hawkeye, and solidified ex-villains Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver as crucial members of the team.
Roy Thomas also added in Black Panther as a mainstay of the team, and created one of the Avengers’ primary antagonists, the sentient A.I. Ultron. During his tenure, Thomas dialed up the soap opera aspects of the Avengers, setting the standard for future writers. He also scripted the first true Avengers epic, the intergalactic Kree/Skrull war. He also worked with a genius young artist named Neal Adams, who took the book to a whole new level in a visual sense. Although his collaborators like John and Sal Buscema were no slouches either. So much of what everyone loves about the Avengers, and who we even think of as the Avengers, is rooted in Roy Thomas’ five-year run.
Issues in Roy Thomas’ Avengers Run:
Avengers (vol.1) #35–104, 132; Annual #1–2
4. The Avengers by Roger Stern, with John Buscema and Tom Palmer, (1982-1988)
The Avengers had featured a steady lineup of characters ever since the late ‘60s, until writer Roger Stern took over in 1982. He changed up the team roster in a way that hadn’t been seen since early in Stan Lee’s run. During the Stern era, a new character he created, Monica Rambeau, joined as Captain Marvel. Also joining was the Prince of Atlantis, Namor. Often neglected members like Hercules and Black Knight got a chance to shine in Stern’s run. And the Wasp (Janet Van Dyne) went from writers relegating her to merely “Ant-Man’s wife” to team leader.
The Wasp was quickly succeeded by Captain Marvel as chairwoman. She-Hulk also became a cornerstone of the team during Stern’s run. These elements made Roger Stern’s time on Avengers a strong showcase for female heroes. Sure, some new recruits like Starfox and Dr. Druid were among the least popular Avengers ever. But hey, points for trying something new. Stern’s run saw one of the greatest Avengers stories ever in “Under Siege,” when Baron Zemo attacks Avengers Mansion, using their HQ’s own defenses against the team. Stern lasted five years on Avengers, primarily with the duo of John Buscema and Tom Palmer on artistic duties. Their run remains one of the best Earth’s Mightiest Heroes has ever had.
Issues in Roger Stern’s Avengers Run:
Avengers (vol.1) 227–279, 281–287, Annual #13–14 (1982-1988)
3. New Avengers, Mighty Avengers, Avengers (Vol. 3), and Dark Avengers by Brian Michael Bendis (2004-2013)
In the mid-2000s, Marvel realized the “main universe” Avengers needed a massive overhaul, and so Marvel’s editors pulled out the big guns. Not just on the creative team, with superstar writer Brian Michael Bendis, but also on the team roster. Bendis added two of Marvel’s most famous heroes, Spider-Man and Wolverine, who had never been Avengers before. After Bendis closed out the old Avengers era with Disassembled, which saw Scarlet Witch go mad and Hawkeye die, he launched New Avengers with artist David Finch, and later Leinil Francis Yu, Alex Maleev, Mike Deodato, John Romita Jr., and several others.
This run was an instant sales success, and New Avengers overtook X-Men in sales for the first time in over two decades. From the get-go, the conflict between Iron Man and Captain America was at the heart of this series. A conflict that would boil over into Mark Millar’s Civil War event. Bendis would continue his run for almost a decade, extending it to books like Mighty Avengers, Dark Avengers, and just plain Avengers. Although this run ties into way too many big events, like Secret Invasion, Dark Reign, and others, the characterization was always top-notch under Bendis’ watch.
Issues in Brian Michael Bendis’ Avengers Run:
Avengers (vol.1) #500-503, Avengers Finale, New Avengers (vol.1) #1-62, (vol.2) #1-34, New Avengers: Illuminati #1-5, The Mighty Avengers #1-36, Dark Avengers (vol.1) #1-16, Avengers Assemble #1-8, Avengers (vol.4) #1-34, 2004-2013
2. Avengers by Jonathan Hickman (2012-2015)
Writer Jonathan Hickman has already made a name for himself thanks to his run on Fantastic Four and creator-owned titles like East of West. But on the heels of the Avengers film, he took over the franchise with a take on the team that used the MCU roster from the film, but also heroes from the previous New Avengers run like Spider-Man, Wolverine, and Spider-Woman. Not to mention, there were several new characters, and even former X-Men Sunspot and Cannonball. Hickman worked with several artists at the top of their game during this run, including Jerome Opena, Stefano Caselli, Steve Epting, and many more.
Hickman’s run was a game changer due to the sheer breadth of its imagination, introducing concepts like Avengers World, and the threat of Multiversal incursions. All of which would culminate in Hickman’s Secret Wars event in 2015. Hickman found a role for each member of this superhero army to play, somehow balancing so many characters together in a way that just worked. No Avengers run has ever gone as big and outside the box in its scope as Hickman’s. Somehow, he found a way to push the very concept of what the Avengers were meant to be within the Marvel Universe. And readers everywhere had their minds blown.
Issues in Jonathan Hickman’s Avengers Run:
Avengers (vol.5) #1-44, New Avengers (vol.3) #1-33, Avengers World #1-5
1. Avengers by Kurt Busiek, with George Perez, Alan Davis, Carlos Pacheco (1997-2002)
When veteran writer Kurt Busiek took over Avengers with a new #1 issue in 1997, the team had just come back from a year away with the Image Comics creators doing their own spin on the concept. He went “back to basics” doing classic storytelling with a modern sensibility, as part of Marvel’s “Heroes Return” publishing initiative. Together with superstar artists George Perez, and later Alan Davis and Carlos Pacheco, this creative team remembered how to balance the melodrama with world-ending threats. In this regard, no one did it better than Busiek and his creative partners.
This run featured just about every iconic Avenger in a significant role. All while graduating teen heroes like Firestar and Justice into Avengers themselves. Busiek rescued Carol Danvers from obscurity and gave her a rightful place at the forefront of the Marvel pantheon again, as well as expanding on often-neglected heroes like Wonder Man. And the versions of longtime arch-foes like Ultron and Kang were never better than under Busiek’s direction. For five years and 56 issues, Kurt Busiek gave fans the quintessential Avengers run, and it still hasn’t been topped.
Issues in Kurt Busiek’s Avengers Run:
Avengers (vol.3) #1-56, Avengers Forever #1-12, Avengers: The Ultron Imperative #1, 1997-2002
The post The 10 Greatest Avengers Comic Book Runs of All Time, Ranked appeared first on Nerdist.
Even over 50 years later, the Pirates of the Caribbean attraction remains one of the best dark rides in theme park history, and is still a fan favorite. The first version opened at Disneyland in 1967, and since then, they have recreated it in all the other Disney parks around the globe. Now, it has been recreated again. This time, in someone’s own home, only 120,000 LEGO bricks. The makers of this incredible LEGO build are brothers Joel and Jonathan Nueber, whose video they presented on the Beyond the Brick YouTube channel. And yes, this amazing LEGO build has real water. You can watch the full video right here:
The Nueber brothers mainly based their LEGO version of Pirates of the Caribbean on the one found in Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida. The loading dock is similar to the one found there, which resembles an old Spanish Fort. The one at Disneyland has the name “Lafitte’s Landing,” named after the infamous pirate Jean Lafitte. But just about every famous scene found in the attraction found new life here in LEGO brick form. From the mysterious caverns with skeletal swashbucklers to the dreaded pirate ship The Wicked Wench. Yes, even the dog holding the key to the jail cell with the pirate prisoners is here.
After the video showing the complete ride-through, there’s a side-by-side comparison with the original Disney Parks ride. And you can see how they thought of just about every detail. We’d love to see the video timed to the original soundtrack of the attraction at some point. Although it’s a small thing, we kind of love that one of the passengers is an Imperial Stormtrooper. Maybe he’s a cast member who came over from the LEGO version of Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge? Now, we dare someone to make that in LEGO brick form! No really, we think that would be amazing. This LEGO Pirates of the Caribbean proved anything is possible.
The post Huge LEGO Custom Build of Pirates of the Caribbean Ride Uses Real Water appeared first on Nerdist.
As the spookiest season passes us and Remedy has seen fit to bless (or perhaps curse) the world with the continuation of Alan Wake, it got me thinking about the horror genre in gaming as a whole. At its core, horror attempts to stir up the primal part of our neural networks, the prototypical fight or flight response. It gives us the unsettling, the unnerving, the visceral. It is media that attempts to flood the system with adrenaline and keep all of your senses disoriented, while you are in a constant heightened state that just ends up making you more susceptible to what future horrors are just around the corner.
But of course, horror is a word that encompasses such a wide range of experiences. Sometimes, it manifests in the slow shattering of the psyche like Eternal Darkness: Sanity’s Requiem. Other times, it is hordes of undead and unlife swarming the city and country like with Resident Evil. Conventional slashers as supernatural (or conventional) killers stalk and hunt prey in Dead by Daylight. Perhaps, it is a place itself is full to the brim with malignant energy, a persistent unease in every creaky door and obscuring fog with the Silent Hill franchise.
My favorite brand of horror though operates on a slightly different axis. A fair number of examples listed above are pure malevolence grounded in human morality and further are affixed upon our mere mortality. Death is scary as it is the termination of what we understand of our experience as humans. However, I find myself drawn to the unfathomable, the entities that belie and askew our conventional understanding. The monsters that operate on an entirely different plane of existence on an entirely set of fundamental laws. That original definition of awestruck, that unique combination of reverence muddied with fear and wonder. You know, biblical accurate angel shit.
When faced with an unfathomable entity, you start by asking the same questions: What is this, what does it want with me and ultimately, how to confront it. That is where the experience shifts. The conventional and familiar means and methods falter. An equally alien response is required to put down the alien.
And while I myself haven’t played the Alan Wake games, I have played and watched Remedy’s Control which perfectly exemplifies this type of horror. The moment you walk into the hyper brutalist building that is the OLDEST HOUSE as Jesse Faden, all conventional understanding becomes useless. This is an area that runs rampant with the amorphous Hiss, as one sentient frequency provides some aid while you work for something that speaks in plurality and presents itself as a gigantic black pyramid. The very idea of resonance entities appropriately runs dissonant to everything we know, and thus it injects a healthy dose of cosmic-horror to the conventional action-adventure game.
And while we’re on the topic of black pyramids, we can take a second to look at a game that has arguably at its best when harnessing horror: Destiny. The franchise introduced the Hive via conventional horror methodology, slashing and chittering noises in the dark, but as the game went on we would also be exposed to the sentient dark matter that is the Nine and then even later the Witness, the arc villain and seeming counterpart to the Traveller. Given that we haven’t truly faced the Witness face to… faces yet, I will take the time to focus on the Nine and the Unknown Space. We first learnt of the Nine through their emissary Xur, a strange tentacle faced entity taking odd coins offering the trash of their benefactors. It would be years before we learned that the Nine came to be a dark mirror of our life, a collective consciousness from planetary cores whose actions caused several catastrophes, both personal and species wide. The closest thing we can call to direct interaction occurs in an arena with bizarre alien geometries and an ever-shifting assortment of shadowy beings. They speak in riddles and constantly force literal and philosophical changes of perspective. Whenever we get to do an activity, it always jumps up to the top because of my awe (original definition) it instills.
The original game that helped me appreciate the unfathomable horror though was Shadow of the Colossus. Each of the 16 Colossi are massive entities, a blend of magiteck: their origins, their purposes unknown, and a singular weakness. There is no narration, there is nothing, but you and your horse approaching this and slaying them as they let out a blood curdling screech upon their death knell. It’s a haunting beauty and horror and truly exemplifies why the unfathomable triggers a parallel set of adrenaline responses. Do such creatures even register what you are? Do they care for your fragility and your foibles? And if you falter, would they even notice?
Which brings us to an interesting inversion of this convention with Undertale. If you’re not familiar with the game by name, I will be spoiling what the main mechanic is and the narrative thread. If you wish to experience this first-hand, you can just skip the next paragraph.
Undertale presents a fascinating situation where during a No Mercy run, the player themselves becomes the unfathomable, unknowable horror to the denizens. A seemingly small child that is constantly racking up LOVE (level of violence) and EXP (Execution Points) that in the darkest of all endings has the player slaughter every single NPC to extinction that fundamentally alters the world and the game state. By choosing this route, you seemingly transcend any semblance of humanity and instead become a singular force of nature intent on destroying everything, which is a terrifying prospect both in- and out of game.
These are not the only games that leverage such horrors. Modern games such as Death Stranding and even older ones like Mother 3 have, at various times, used near primordial entities in odd dimensions to represent beings that we can barely comprehend or confront, which just adds to the experience. The innate desire to understand becomes the biggest inhibitor in reacting, and it’s a type of horror I always love to see.
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The post The Unfathomable Horror of the Unknowable appeared first on Black Nerd Problems.