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Just let that sink in a moment. Russian President Vladimir Putin—a man who’s held that office since 2012 and will probably never leave it, a man who has actively worked to undermine American democracy for years and delighted in the leverage he held over Donald Trump—that man congratulated Joe Biden on his presidential victory before U.S. Senate Majority Leader and zombie turtle Mitch McConnell.

Nothing Mitch McConnell does should surprise us anymore. Take, for example, his ongoing refusal of pandemic aid to millions of desperate Americans because his main concern is corporate “get out of jail free cards.” But “Putin and Russia acknowledge the U.S. election results before the leader of the Senate” isn’t the fun footnote in history that McConnell seems to think it is. This should be a huge story, but because it’s 2020, it’s a passing blip on our fiery doom horizon.

Snopes.com did a full investigation of the Putin and McConnell timelines after this tweet from MSNBC producer Kyle Griffin went viral:

Vladimir Putin acknowledged Joe Biden’s win before Mitch McConnell.

— Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) December 15, 2020

According to Snopes:

Let us lay out the timeline. At 10:20 a.m. Moscow standard time, which is 2:20 a.m. Eastern Standard Time (EST) in the U.S., on Dec. 15, the Kremlin released a statement in which Putin congratulated Biden on winning the presidential race and wished him “every success.”

[…] Hours later, McConnell, a Republican, acknowledged the victory for Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris for the first time in a prepared speech on the Senate floor.

Yes, Mitch McConnell was eight hours behind Russia and Putin in acknowledging Joe Biden’s democratically won election that’s been the accepted state of things for the rest of Earth and the Galactic Federation since early November. McConnell stayed mum on Biden’s win for more than a month while Trump sent his clown car of legal eagles all around the country, wasting everyone’s time with more than fifty failed lawsuits in an attempt to try and subvert the will of the voters and steal the election.

Putin also stayed quiet for a lot longer than most world leaders, who were quick to congratulate Biden shortly after it became clear on November 7th that Biden had more than enough electoral college votes to secure the presidency. But Russia is one of America’s greatest adversaries on the world stage. Putin’s allowed to not participate in that conversation if he wants to.

Mitch McConnell is one of the most powerful and visible politicians in America. His craven, cowardly silence while Trump tried to break democracy tells you everything you need to know about McConnell’s “legacy.” There’s no question that if Trump had found some sort of legal foothold (instead of his lawsuits being summarily dismissed by everyone on up to the Supreme Court), McConnell would have supported him over the actual votes of the American people.

He needed permission?

— John Wesley Shipp (@JohnWesleyShipp) December 15, 2020

Some online (like Dawson Leery’s dad, above) were quick to point out that maybe McConnell was even following Putin’s lead. After all, he didn’t earn the nickname “Moscow Mitch” for nothing. That came about from McConnell’s shady connections to efforts to lift Russian sanctions, and, oh yeah, after he and his Senate Republicans blocked the advancement of election security legislation in 2019, hours after Robert Mueller warned that Russians were interfering with America’s elections. Who wants to block legislation designed to keep America’s elections safer? Why, Mitch McConnell, of course! And now that we’ve seen his open contempt and disdain for the American electoral process, this makes even more sense.

“The Kentucky Republican is, arguably more than any other American, doing Russian President Vladimir Putin’s bidding,” Dana Milbank wrote in The Washington Post in July 2019. Why should Mitch stop now?

#MoscowMitch had to get approval from Boss Putin first. pic.twitter.com/4HdPfVEZGa

— Bye bye Don! 🌊🌊🌊🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸 (@CatsStillRule) December 15, 2020

But anyway, PR-wise, when someone whose entire image is that he’s above democracy is publicly performing democracy better than you, it might be time to rethink staying in your shell for so long.

(via Snopes, image: Shutterstock/Getty Images)

Here are some other things we saw today beyond the massive maw of Mitch McConnell’s hypocrisy:

• The Expanse is back today for season five!!! Here’s my spoiler-free review, in which I had a lot of feelings.
• Inside writer Alan Dean Foster’s fight with Disney to get paid. (via Polygon)
• Meanwhile, QAnon folks are so mad that McConnell finally acknowledged the election results that they’re vowing to leave the GOP. Too bad, so sad. (via Newsweek)

• I was once denied the purchase of a water bottle at BYU campus because I was returning from a run with shorts above the knee but ask them to enforce masks during a pandemic and suddenly it’s all “ultimately our students choose what they wear on their bodies 😇”

  — jenna (@jennalinds) December 15, 2020

• “‘Heroes’ Was Supposed to Be Leonard Roberts’ Big Break. Instead, It Nearly Broke Him” (via Variety)
• This is Butthead slander.

Matt Gaetz lookin’ just like Butthead pic.twitter.com/AuQtD4PGOF

— JJ Wilden (@WildenWriter) December 16, 2020

What did you see out there today?

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The post Things We Saw Today: Yep, Vladimir Putin Acknowledged Joe Biden's Win Before Mitch McConnell first appeared on The Mary Sue.

There are some tabletop role-playing game sessions that are absolutely legendary. Dungeons & Dragons campaigns that are played for months, or even years, aren’t unusual. But what if you only have one night to fit in character creation and an epic adventure? That’s where one-page role-playing games come in! Designed to tell a complete and satisfying narrative in just a matter of hours, these micro-RPGs are often light on the rules and big on the fun.

We picked three one-page RPGs with simple rules to introduce you to the amazing universe of one-shot adventures. Play online or in person (one day) for a game night to remember.

Art by Kenny Webb and Maldo Illustration

Mundane Magic

Mundane Magic is a creative indie RPG by Lysa Penrose. A Game Master guides the three players, who take on the roles of the Fates, on a journey through space and time to interfere with the lives of mortals. No dice are needed unless you’re the Game Master. The GM will roll a single d6 to set up the game. Then it’s time to team up with your fellow Fates in some magical mayhem.

The three included scenarios for the Game Master are both mystical and ridiculous, as well as open-ended with a just few rules for managing all that mischief. Hone your inner crone and put on your best hag voice as you dive in to these hilarious adventures.

Super Overtime (The Ultimate Micro-RPG Book)

Adams Media

Have you ever wanted to be a super student in My Hero Academia? This is the one-page RPG for you! Super Overtime, one of the amazing role-playing games in The Ultimate Micro-RPG Book, comes from the brilliant mind of Omari Akil. The unique adventure puts you in the Hero Basketball League as a super-powered sports superstar. Choose your hero name, roll the dice to determine your powers, limitation, and motivation, and get ready for the Game Master to start the game clock.

The GM calls the action as you and your teammates roll to shoot their baskets in the final overtime of the championship game. Use your powers and your wits to describe the epic shots you’re taking. It’s hero vs. hero as you play to win it all!

Tales From the Corner Coven (The Ultimate Micro-RPG Book)

Adams Media

You and your fellow players are bodega cats in Tales from the Corner Coven. You’ll also find this bewitching adventure for four players in the pages of The Ultimate Micro-RPG Book. Jonaya Kemper crafted a compelling role-playing game of bodega cats in Brooklyn and the beasts that plague them. You’re tasked with performing a ritual to vanquish those creatures of the night before they succeed in their nefarious plans. The GM-less adventure begins with giving your kitty a pet name, their real name, an arcane power, and a corner store of their very own.

You’ll all take turns role-playing as the courageous kitties and the supernatural threats until one side emerges victorious. We want to play right meow.

The Ultimate Micro-RPG Book, edited by James D’Amato, has 40 innovative games to choose from. You’re certain to find the right role-playing adventures for you and your friends for unforgettable game nights together.

Kelly Knox is a freelance entertainment writer in Seattle, WA who writes for Star Wars, DC Comics, and more. Her first book, Marvel Monsters, comes out in 2021 from DK Books. 

The post Outstanding One-Page RPGs You Can Play in a Single Night appeared first on Nerdist.

The virtual premiere for Wonder Woman 1984 hit the internet last night, and with it came fun moments with the cast and an exclusive first look. Showing the opening few minutes of the movie, the clip gives us a look at Lilly Aspell, who’s back as young Diana Prince and fighting in the Amazonian Olympics (an important part of Diana’s history).

The scene also shows Antiope giving a young Diana important advice on how to succeed. The fearsome Amazon tells the future Wonder Woman, “I’ve seen this contest humble even the most seasoned warriors, Diana. Just do your best and remember, greatness is not what you think.” It’s a vital message for all of us to hear right now.

Let’s take a look at the clip:

Anyone else crying? No? Just me and my little Diana Prince loving heart? Okay cool.

Diana has long been a hero, always will be, and this clip shows that she isn’t willing to back down, right from the start. But it also gives us a look into Antiope and her desire to keep Diana on the right path. Strength and power can lead so many into the wrong way of life, but what is inspiring about Diana’s story is that she constantly learning and trying to be the best hero and role model she can be.

I’ll be honest, I’ve seen the movie and while this scene is much longer in the film (and holds an important message) one thing is clear from this clip: Diana has always been a warrior. We saw it in Wonder Woman (2017) and it still rings true from this brief look into Wonder Woman 1984. She’s about to partake in the Amazonian Olympics and she doesn’t let it frighten her.

She is about to fight alongside grown warriors, the fiercest in the world, and she’s ready and she doesn’t care that she’s young. And it’s one of the reasons why Diana Prince is so important to me. She doesn’t give up. It’s why I don’t like Batman V. Superman and why I have a problem with how she’s depicted in Justice League. That Diana gave up. She stopped trying and that’s not who I look up to. That characterization never rang true until director Patty Jenkins began to tell Diana’s story.

Seeing Lilly Aspell bring Diana Prince to life again is also a treat because she brings such power and curiosity to the young hero. Watching just this short first look reminds the Wonder Woman fan in me why I love her so much.

Wonder Woman 1984 is streaming on Christmas Day for fans on HBO Max and it’s truly a perfect Christmas Day 2020 movie. Diana represents a hero who strives for truth and kindness. She’s a warrior, she’s the strongest among them, but she still has a lot to learn about the world—and a lot to show the world in return.

I can’t wait to see Wonder Woman 1984 again. Will you be watching on Christmas?

(image: Warner Bros.)

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The post We Got a Glimpse of Young Diana in a New Scene From Wonder Woman 1984! first appeared on The Mary Sue.

Back in 2010, the world was introduced to Natasha Romanoff (Scarlett Johansson) as she joined forces with Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) and introduced the idea of the Avengers to fans of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The problem? 10 years later and we’re still waiting for that Natasha Romanoff movie.

Sure, it is PARTLY to blame on the pandemic, because otherwise we would have had Black Widow already, but it is also … ten years later anyway.

In the new episode of How It Should Have Ended, we get a brief look at Iron Man 2 and how Nat could have stopped all of Ivan Vanko’s attacks because she was IN his computer room. It would have left us without the great Rhodey and Tony fight scene, but it does make the most sense.

Quickly though, the episode turns to the Superhero Cafe, where Superman and Batman are asking Tony and Nick Fury very legitimate questions about Natasha and the future of the MCU.

Honestly? Superman is right. People care, people are interested, and she deserved her time long before. “Sounds like a huge missed opportunity,” Superman says because Nick points out that the first female Avenger movie would go to Captain Marvel, and this is not a diss to Carol Danvers and her first foray into the MCU, but HE’S RIGHT.

It feels like a bit of a “oh, I see, unless they’re important to you and your storyline, you don’t care about the female heroes enough to give them their own movies” punch to the gut. Carol got her own movie because they needed Captain Marvel to take on Thanos. If they didn’t need her? We wouldn’t have even that.

But nearly every other Avenger got their time (with the exception of Clint), and it took Natasha 10 years and dying before she could even get hers. (And Bruce Banner had his chance, and now he’s getting another in She-Hulk, so he’s fine.) I’m glad that the Marvel Cinematic Universe is changing. I’m so excited to watch all these movies that are on the horizon and see where Disney+ takes some of my favorite heroes, but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t still suck that it took 10 years for Natasha Romanoff to get a movie, and now, it’s not going to get the time it deserves in theaters because of the pandemic (again, out of their control, but still).

Black Widow is a long time coming, and yeah, sure, maybe her time has passed, but I’m excited to finally see it, and I know that if this HISHE video had somehow come out back in 2010, I would have probably been upset but not surprised. Anyway, Nat could have easily stopped Vanko all on her own, and that is something we all know and need to recognize, so thanks, How It Should Have Ended!

(image: HISHE/screengrabbed)

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The post How It Should Have Ended Reminds Us That We Should Have Had a Black Widow Movie After Iron Man 2 first appeared on The Mary Sue.