Rayman Creator Michel Ancel Retires, But Beyond Good & Evil 2 Will Go On
Michel Ancel, the influential creator behind Rayman and Beyond Good & Evil, says he’s retiring from the games industry. He made the announcement with an Instagram video featuring a sneaky fox.
The video was Ancel’s way of saying that he’s going to be focusing on a different passion: wildlife. He says his new work will take place in an open wildlife sanctuary and will focus on educating nature-lovers.
His departure doesn’t spell doom for his current video game projects, though. He says that the development of both Wild and Beyond Good & Evil 2 have transitioned to moving on autonomously without him and the projects are going well. “Beautiful things to be seen soon,” he said.
Ancel may be known best as the creator of Rayman, which got a revival with the well-regarded Rayman Origins and Rayman Legends.
What was set to be his next project, Wild, appears closely tied with his interest in nature. The adventure game has you surviving in a harsh environment with the help of creatures like bears and eagles. It has been in development for quite some time, though, having first debuted in 2014. Meanwhile, Beyond Good & Evil 2 has been receiving semi-regular development updates, but no release target has been set.
GameSpot may get a commission from retail offers.
IGN UK Podcast #557: PS5’s Banquet of Delights
On a bountiful menu today is plenty of PS5 treats to sink our teeth into. The reveal of Final Fantasy 16 served as an attention grabbing starter, before a flurry of exciting middle courses in the form of Resident Evil, Deathloop and others. All rounded off by the show-stopping God of War shaped dessert followed by a mad rush to actually pre-order a console.
Nintendo also announced a couple of new Monster Hunter games for the Switch that has had Joe hungry for more, but for now he and Matt have had the chance to feast on Immortals Fenyx Rising and let you know why you should be excited. Meanwhile, Cardy continues to binge-snack on Avengers.
There’s a tasty new Endless Search this week as well, along with your nourishing feedback as always.
Remember, if you want to get in touch with the podcast, please do: [email protected].
IGN UK Podcast #557: PS5’s Banquet of Delights
[widget path=”global/article/imagegallery” parameters=”albumSlug=ign-uk-podcast-episode-500-photos&captions=true”]
- IGN UK Podcast #556: Judging Tony Hawk’s Tallywacker
- IGN UK Podcast #555: Super Mario Bros. Assemble!
- IGN UK Podcast #554: BDE – Big Dafoe Energy
- IGN UK Podcast #553: Tenet Time
- IGN UK Podcast #552: Playing Alan Wake 10 Years Late
[poilib element=”accentDivider”]
Has PlayStation Done Enough? | Generation Next
It’ll come as no surprise to you that the subject of discussion on this week’s Generation Next is the recent PlayStation Showcase, during which Sony finally confirmed the PlayStation 5 release date, as well as prices for both versions of its console. On top of that, it showed off a number of new games to get viewers excited ahead of launch.
The reveals come following the Microsoft event, which also delivered a release date and prices for its two new Xbox consoles. If you watched the previous episode of Generation Next, you’ll know that we think that the Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S are priced extremely modestly and are poised to capitalize on the low cost of entry. But how do Sony’s consoles stack up?
More importantly, how did Sony do in winning the hearts and minds of those who are interested in making the jump to the next-generation? Well, the showcase was full of ups and downs and, in the aftermath, there has been a great deal of discussion about key information that wasn’t delivered in an ideal way, if at all. Whether it’s clarity on launch titles or the messy preorder situation, the question of if Sony has done enough isn’t as easy to answer as you might think, but we’re going to try and do it.
Join Lucy, Tamoor, and Jordan as they talk through the PS5 showcase, analyze the approach Sony took, discuss key moments from the event, and drill down into what has happened since.
Beyond Good & Evil 2 Gameplay to Be Shown Next Year
Beyond Good & Evil 2 will show new gameplay next year, with the most recent internal build offering “hours of gameplay and an incredible level of freedom in a seamless online sandbox”.
Following the retirement of director Michel Ancel from the games industry, senior producer Guillaume Brunier provided an update on the game, reassuring fans that the BG&E director hasn’t been directly involved in the game for some time, and explaining that the game has passed important internal milestones.
[ignvideo url=”https://www.ign.com/videos/2018/06/11/beyond-good-and-evil-2-trailer-breakdown-with-ubisoft-montpellier-e3-2018″]
The key milestone has been a playable build of the game, which Brunier says, “proves our Space Pirate Fantasy and offers hours of gameplay and an incredible level of freedom in a seamless online sandbox, building upon the promise of our tech demos shown at E3. I’m incredibly proud of the team’s perseverance, dedication to each other and ongoing commitment to developing an amazing game.”
Along with the update, we also got a new piece of art for the game, which you can see below:
The next milestone is to show the game in action “sometime next year”. Brunier explains that he understands fans’ eagerness to hear more (especially after the game seemingly vanished), but says, “we will take the time needed to get it right. We want to go beyond the high expectations you have of us, and that we have for ourselves.” Lead studio Ubisoft Montpellier has brought on Ubisoft Paris as a partner on the game, and Brunier says the team is continuing to hire for new roles.
No announcement has been made as to who will succeed Ancel as the director of the game. Brunier made clear his appreciation for the work that the creator put in: “For years, Michel imparted his creative vision and helped us remain faithful to BG&E’s incredible universe. His uncompromising passion pushed us to redefine what was possible in crafting an expansive, multicultural, and futuristic science-fiction world. As we move forward, we are all committed to remaining true to this vision.”
This marks the first major update we’ve had on the incredibly ambitious RPG for some time – here’s everything we know so far.
[poilib element=”accentDivider”]
Joe Skrebels is IGN’s Executive Editor of News. Follow him on Twitter. Have a tip for us? Want to discuss a possible story? Please send an email to [email protected].
Bandai Namco Buys Unknown 9 Developer, Reflector
Bandai Namco Entertainment Europe has acquired Montreal studio Reflector Entertainment, which recently revealed its game Unknown 9: Awakening during Gamescom Opening Night Live 2020.
According to a press release, this is part of Bandai Namco’s strategy to “build Western development capabilities” as the publisher plans to develop “50% of its content outside of Japan.” Reflector Entertainment was founded in 2016 and employs 120 AAA industry veterans. The studio’s ambition is to build what it calls ‘Storyworlds,’ transmedia experiences that “people can interact with across a variety of media, including videogames, novels, podcasts, movies and more.”
[widget path=”global/article/imagegallery” parameters=”albumSlug=unknown-9-awakening-screenshots-and-exclusive-concept-art&captions=true”]
The studio’s first Storyworld is Unknown 9, a “paranormal mystery” about a set of 9 immortal beings that “hold the keys to humanity’s greatest mysteries.” The story of Unknown 9 will unfold across a variety of platforms, with a novel trilogy, a scripted podcast and a comic book series available now. It’s said that this acquisition will help Reflector “deepen its transmedia vision” for the Unknown 9 project.
Unknown 9: Awakening is a 3rd-person, narrative-driven action-adventure game that will reside within this universe, and is headed to PC and next-gen consoles. If you want to check out some exclusive concept art and learn more details about the game, you can check out our interview with the developers here.
[poilib element=”accentDivider”]
Jordan Oloman is a freelance writer for IGN. Follow him on Twitter.
Grand Theft Auto 5 Online Is Offering Triple Overtime Rumble Rewards This Week
Grand Theft Auto V Online has revealed this week’s set of bonuses, and as usual there’s a mix of improved rewards and discount offers. This time, the big bonus is tied to Overtime Rumble, and it’s even bigger than usual.
The mode, which puts you in a parachute-equipped Ruiner 2000 and lets you fling it at some distant targets (think Super Monkey Ball‘s beloved Monkey Target mode, but with cars). This can be a difficult game to do well at, but there’s a triple bonus in it for you this week, with 3x GTA$ and RP being awarded across the mode.
You can also nab triple rewards in King of the Hill mode this week, and double rewards for your Smuggler’s Run Air Cargo sales. These are the modes of play to focus on if you want to level up and get some cash.
You can also nab an extra GTA$250,000 this week by finding 10 movie props that have been dropped across the map–or are actively being stolen. Look out for both dropped bits of loot and thieves who are currently loading up a van with stolen props–take them out and collect all 10 by September 23 to collect your reward. If you’ve already done this, the reward will be paid out at some point in the next week.
This week, at the Diamond Casino & Resort, the car up for grabs on the Lucky Wheel is the Progen Itali GTB, a powerful sports car. If you don’t have luck on your side, you can get discounts on some vehicles, as well as plane hangers this week. Here’s the complete discount list.
- Hangers (30% off)
- Hanger Customizations and Add-Ons (30% off)
- LF-22 Starling plane (40% off)
- Mammoth Tula plane (40% off)
- Gauntlet Classic Custom (25% off)
- Imponte Deluxo (30% off)
- Rune Zhaba (30% off)
- Albany Manana Custom (25% off)
There’s also a generous line-up of bonuses for Twitch Prime members this week. Here it is:
- GTA$200K for playing any time this week
- An extra GTA$200K bonus if you played at any point over each of the past four weeks
- The FREE Vespucci Canals Nightclub Property
- 80% off the Progen T20 and Överflöd Tyrant supercars
If you haven’t played yet this month on PS4, make sure you do so–everyone can claim a bonus GTA$1 million each month. This is all leading up to the release of the PS5/Xbox Series X version of the game.
GameSpot may get a commission from retail offers.
WRC 9 Review
In comparison to last year’s big jump in quality with WRC 8, WRC 9 is a more modest lurch forwards. Several great new rallies have been added and it does feel like there’s been a bit of massaging under the hood – with a better sense of car mass and weight transfer – but elsewhere things seem fairly similar. This makes WRC 9 a thoroughly excellent entry point into the series, especially for rally fans who aren’t aware of the rapid and remarkable improvement of the official WRC series since developer KT Racing took over in 2015. However, if you already own last year’s game you may crave a little more than WRC 9 has to offer.
[ignvideo width=610 height=374 url=https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/09/08/wrc-9-launch-trailer]
WRC 9 is a slightly peculiar experience, as it’s found itself in a similar position to Codemasters’ F1 2020. That is, thanks to the long-haul nature of video game development and a global pandemic, it’s ended up shipping with a bunch of events that were already stripped from the real calendar long before launch – and understandably without any of the surprise replacements that have been shoehorned into the real championship at the last minute. So it’s been unfairly robbed of authenticity, though in a way that lets us pretend we live in an alternate universe that’s not quite as much of a bummer.
[poilib element=”quoteBox” parameters=”excerpt=Kenya%2C%20known%20as%20the%20famous%20Safari%20Rally%2C%20is%20a%20serious%20standout”]The fresh rally locations are Kenya, New Zealand, and Japan, and this is the only way you’ll see WRC cars tackle these events in 2020. Kenya, known as the famous Safari Rally, is a serious standout; fanging past flamingos in the African countryside is a massive aesthetic shift from the mostly European-based rallies that make up the majority of the calendar. The red mud and soil contrasts beautifully with the swaying green grass and there are tons of unique trackside features to behold, from enormous baobab trees to curious zebras. It also features some fantastic high-speed blitzes across wide-open countryside that are extremely authentic to the real event, and these are vastly different to the challengingly cramped and twisty stages in places like Monte Carlo and Germany. It is a superb addition to KT Racing’s series.
[ignvideo width=610 height=374 url=https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/07/09/wrc-9-safari-rally-kenya-gameplay-video]
New Zealand is fantastic too, particularly the sections that wrap their way along the North Island coastline, and Japan is an incredibly taxing and technical tarmac-based rally boasting a lot of raised sections of road flanked by streams and ditches that’ll totally ruin your day.
Fuel and Unusual Punishment
WRC 8 arrived with a radically overhauled career mode that seemed to draw inspiration from both the Dirt and F1 games, turning WRC 7’s vanilla shuffle from one event to the next into something that made me feel as if I really had an actual race team around me. WRC 9 seems mostly the same in this department, but to avoid déjà vu it probably could’ve done with a way for returning players of WRC 8 to skip past the feeder series and get straight to the WRC championship proper.
It’s also still pretty incongruous that it’d be up to a newly-hired driver to personally rotate staff out for vacation time, although it’s less annoying this time because team-members don’t seem to tire as quickly in WRC 9. The ridiculous bonus objectives have remained, though, and while the penalty for ignoring them or brushing them away is only slight, it’s still hard to swallow your current manufacturer reputation dropping after you win a rally, all because you had the audacity to… choose the best tyre compound for the job instead of an arbitrarily mandated one. Were you saving those tyres for a special occasion, lads? I thought I was doing the right thing using them to… drive faster than those other blokes.
[ignvideo width=610 height=374 url=https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/05/01/wrc-9-new-zealand-gameplay-trailer]
Triple Caution! Stay Centre!
There have been a few refurbishments elsewhere, with a handful of subtle but welcome tweaks since WRC 8. The feeling of weight seems better, though cars are no less nimble; there just seems to be an improved sensation of bulk as your car dances across the gravel, which is ideal. There’s a new English co-driver whose delivery is more organic, though it’d be nice to have one who has the dialogue on-hand to be able to react in real-time to your good (or bad) driving. Additionally, the awkwardly stiff chase cam finally appears to have been nixed in favour of one that lets the car slide and pivot more on its centre axis while the camera remains facing forwards. Previous chase cams have seemed like GoPros attached to the back of your car on a broomstick and I found them virtually impossible to use.
There seem to have been improvements made to the already excellent sound mix, too. Everything from the racket of kick-up from loose surfaces to worn brakes seems stronger in WRC 9, although I have encountered an odd bug on multiple occasions where the engine sound becomes soft and muted despite all other effects remaining at normal levels.
Less ideal is the AI, the skill level of which is now determined by a slider instead of named difficulty levels. The slider suggests more control to dial it in right at the perfect level to match your own driving skill, but the disparity in the AI’s performance across rallies can often be strange, especially when they go from nipping at your heels at one event to lagging miles behind in the next, despite no changes to their setting. The AI can be adjusted to compensate before each event in career mode, but it takes some testing to find the right range of difficulty (and that’s not as straightforward as it is in F1 2020).
[widget path=”global/article/imagegallery” parameters=”albumSlug=the-greatest-racing-games-ever&captions=true”]
The Boys Season 2 Lamplighter Explained: Who Is Shawn Ashmore’s Character?
The Boys is rarely subtle, but the show can be coy when it feels like it. That was the case in Season 2, Episode 5, “We Gotta Go Now,” when it introduced an extremely important new character, played by X-Men movie alum Shawn Ashmore, in a surprisingly understated way. Who exactly did Stormfront talk to on the phone during this episode? The answer is complicated.
This was, in fact, the on-screen introduction of Lamplighter, a former member of The Seven who has a thorny history with The Boys. Of course, Lamplighter has been mentioned in the past, but he was never seen on-screen before now. It’s understandable if you thought he was probably dead–in both the show and the comics on which the series is based, Vought doesn’t like to admit that its supes can die. When The Deep stood onstage during Starlight’s introduction and remarked that Lamplighter had “retired,” it sounded like a euphemism, and the fact that Lamplighter was barely mentioned again throughout Season 1 made it easy to forget about him.
But Lamplighter is very much alive–though exactly how “retired” he is seems dubious, based on what we saw in Episode 5. We knew from a casting announcement earlier this year that Ashmore, who played Iceman in various X-Men movies, was joining this season as (ironically) the fire-wielding supe. It may have taken over half the season to introduce him, but we think Lamplighter is going to play an important role in the rest of Season 2.
First off, how do we know this character is Lamplighter? Well, besides the earlier casting announcements, there’s one big clue in the episode: his “Titty Committee” lighter. Lamplighter’s powers are flame-based–he carried a flaming staff in battle–so the lighter is a big hint to his identity.
Maybe more importantly, why are we so convinced that Lamplighter is going to play a crucial role? Granted, we didn’t actually learn much from this episode’s tease of a conversation, besides that he’s working somewhere that looks like a psychiatric hospital, called Sage Grove. Then again, there’s that complex history with The Boys themselves–in the show, Lamplighter “retired” from The Seven after murdering Grace Mallory’s grandkids. Mallory, then a colonel and the Deputy Director of the CIA, had formed The Boys to keep supes like The Seven in check, recruiting Billy Butcher, whose goals more or less aligned with Mallory’s thanks to Butcher’s vendetta against Homelander. Although we don’t know the details, we know that Mallory disbanded The Boys and left the CIA after Lamplighter killed her grandkids. Based on her reaction any time she encounters Butcher, she may blame him for their deaths, at least partially.
We can glean a little bit more potential info about Lamplighter by looking at Garth Ennis and Darick Robertson’s comic books. In the comics, Lamplighter’s story is similar: He was a member of The Seven whose absence made room for Starlight to join. The inciting incident that caused him to torch Mallory’s grandchildren was a confrontation during which The Boys revealed photos of Homelander committing violent atrocities against innocent people in an attempt to blackmail The Seven. Incensed, Lamplighter followed Mallory after the confrontation and murdered the kids as they slept in bed.
The next time The Seven and The Boys met, Homelander served up Lamplighter as a peace offering. The Boys took the opportunity to beat the crap out of him before Mallory put a bullet in his head. Even that wasn’t the end, though, as Vought used the Compound V in Lamplighter’s system to resurrect him–remember, they don’t like admitting that their supes can die. However, the revived Lamplighter was a mindless husk, and Vought kept him locked in a cell at The Seven’s headquarters, where the former “hero” lived a based existence steeped in his own filth.
Clearly, The Boys is going a different direction for Amazon’s adaptation–at least that’s our bet, based on the fact that Lamplighter was speaking coherently and wasn’t smeared in his own s*** when we glimpsed him in person for the first time. We’ll have to wait until later on in the season to find out exactly what role Lamplighter does have to play, but if nothing else, this tease has us intrigued.
The Boys streams Fridays on Amazon Prime. For more Season 2 coverage, check out our gallery of all the Easter eggs and references you might have missed in Episode 5, not to mention GameSpot Universe’s detailed video breakdowns of each episode.
The Boys Season 2 Episode 5: 30 Easter Eggs, Comics References, And Other Things You Might Have Missed
“/>
Here’s everything we found in The Boys Season 2, Episode 5, “We Gotta Go Now.”
More than halfway through its second season, The Boys has presented a lot of mysteries and provided few answers. What is Stormfront’s goal? Who was that guy she spoke to on the phone? How does she fit into Stan Edgar’s plans, and where do their goals diverge? Will Homelander reach a breaking point and finally snap? Will Butcher find a way to get Becca out from under Vought’s thumb? And how much interference from The Boys will Edgar really tolerate, blackmail or not?
We have answers to come of these below, thanks to careful sleuthing and an awareness of the comic books. If you want to know who Shawn Ashmore’s character is, keep reading.
Beyond that, we’re thankful that The Boys is one of TV’s most detailed productions, because it lets us do these deep dives every week to discover tiny hidden references, Easter eggs, and other morsels within each new episode. Enjoy.
]]>
]]>
1. We Gotta Go Now
Like the other episode titles, “We Gotta Go Now” refers to a volume of the comics–in this case Volume 4, in which The Boys confront a superhero team known as The G-Men. They’ve been referenced as an Easter egg in the show before, but not seen.
]]>
]]>
2. Joss re-write
If Dawn of the Seven is a Justice League parody, then it needs to have its own “Joss re-write,” as Homelander puts it. Of course, this refers to Joss Whedon, who infamously stepped in to re-write and direct Justice League after Zack Snyder left the project. Granted, we’re getting the Snyder Cut soon on HBO Max.
]]>
]]>
3. Peas to get lasered in half by you
The frozen peas Butcher uses to soothe his face are sold by Vought and branded with Homelander, including the slogan “superheroes eat their veggies.” The sign over the freezer says “Vought Fresh Farms,” and the store also has a Queen Maeve perfume stand and a Starlight skincare stand on display. Supes, entertainment, “news” media, pharmaceuticals, hygiene, and now agriculture–is there a pot in which Vought doesn’t have a hand?
]]>
]]>
4. Like a Catholic priest
The line “they’ve been moving her around like a f***ing Catholic priest” references scandals involving the Catholic church moving priests around to cover up child abuse. For an excellent film covering the true story of the investigative journalism team that first brought such stories to light, check out 2015’s Spotlight.
]]>
]]>
5. Squeak toys
When Butcher is in the drug store, you can see supe-themed squeak toys–one of which he’ll later give to Terror–on the top shelf.
]]>
]]>
6. Outlander
The show Mother’s Milk is watching is the Starz series Outlander, which is based on the novels by Diana Gabaldon. The series follows a woman who travels back in time and falls in love with a Scottish Highlander in the 18th century. MM is kind of a sap. Like The Boys, Outlander is a Sony production.
]]>
]]>
7. Dr. J 1976
MM’s string of great t-shirts continues with this Dr. J 1976 shirt, which references New York Nets basketball Hall of Famer Julius Erving, who won the 1976 ABA Slam Dunk championship.
]]>
]]>
8. Oh Snap (Wexley)
You might recognize this actor, Greg Grunberg, from various things, including the role of Snap Wexley in the most recent Star Wars films. Maybe more relevantly, he also starred in the 2006 series Heroes, a show about ordinary people realizing they have superpowers.
]]>
]]>
9. Stangirl
Stormfront accuses Starlight of “eye-f***ing [her] like a lovesick stangirl.” The term “stan” stems from an Eminem song, but it has come to be associated with a particularly obsessive brand of fandom, making a “stangirl” an extra obsessive fan girl, though it’s not a commonly used variation on the term. Stormfront is demonstrating her extensive knowledge of social media culture, while continuing to disguise her true age.
]]>
]]>
10. Extra
Here’s a strange mash-up of references: Nancy O’Dell is a real entertainment reporter, well known for hosting Entertainment Tonight and Access Hollywood. In addition, Extra, is a real celebrity gossip and Hollywood news show. However, as far as we can tell, O’Dell and Extra have never been associated with one another in real life.
]]>
]]>
11. Terror
Butcher’s dog Terror is omnipresent in the comics. He goes everywhere with The Boys and often gets into scraps with them, following Butcher’s every command. The fact that it took until Season 2, Episode 5 for the show to introduce him may be this series’ biggest crime.
]]>
]]>
12. Metamucil
Butcher mentions Metamucil as he laments the prospect of getting old without his beloved Becca by his side. Metamucil is a dietary fiber supplement that contains the plant psyllium.
]]>
]]>
13. Katie Couric
Live with Katie Couric is not a real show, but Katie Couric is a real-life journalist, host, author, and more. She currently runs her own company, called Katie Couric Media.
]]>
]]>
14. Hamilton
The mobsters whose faces are about to get ripped off are arguing about Lin-Manuel Miranda’s hit musical Hamilton, in which a cast of historical white characters are portrayed by actors of color. This is the second Hamilton reference this season, after the Dawn of the Seven writer/director guy revealed in a previous episode that Miranda was interested in voicing Translucent. The mobsters also mention Steven Levenson’s 2015 musical Dear Evan Hansen.
]]>
]]>
15. Hits
Much of this episode is borrowed from various points in the original comic books. For example, in the comics, Kimiko (“The Female”) attempts to sate her unquenchable bloodlust by doing hits for the mob when she’s not busy fighting supes with The Boys. She also has a penchant for ripping off faces in the books. Even the dialogue in this scene is taken almost word-for-word from the comics.
]]>
]]>
16. Lenny
Aunt Judy mentions Lenny, who she later reveals is Butcher’s brother. Lenny is an element of Butcher’s backstory from the comics. The show leaves some mystery there, but the comics eventually told Butcher’s full life story, including Lenny’s death.
]]>
]]>
17. Guest spots on Queer Eye
Vought’s marketing bozos make several references in their plan for Starlight’s “multi-pronged image makeover.” They suggest Maeve and Elena guest-host Queer Eye, a realtiy show that was recently rebooted on Netflix. They then mention an It Gets Better PSA, referring to the nonprofit It Gets Better Project. Ashley mentions filmmaker Kimberly Peirce, known for the 1999 film Boys Don’t Cry. They also suggest that Maeve and Elena will be made Grand Marshals at various pride parades (Grand Marshal is a ceremonial dignitary title for parades).
]]>
]]>
18. “Lesbian Ken Doll”
Elena is referring to Barbie’s male counterpart, Ken, which Mattel introduced to the Barbie toy line in 1961.
]]>
]]>
19. ChurchoftheCollective.com
As of the time of writing, this website redirects to sonypictures.com/tv/theboys. We’ll see once the episode airs, however.
]]>
]]>
20. Mister Marathon
Ashley mentions Mister Marathon, a character who hasn’t been seen in the show. In the comics, Mister Marathon was A-Train’s speedster predecessor in The Seven. He’s seen only in flashbacks.
]]>
]]>
21. Walk Like an Egyptian
In the comics, Victor Neuman, or “Vic the Veep,” is a very different character compared with the show’s Congresswoman Victoria Neuman. The show has transformed her into a fictionalized version of New York congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (AOC). Homelander makes the comparison explicit when he mentions Neuman’s online “Walk Like an Egyptian dance,” calling to mind the video that surfaced showing AOC dancing during college. (“Walk Like an Egyptian” is a 1986 song by The Bangles that has its own iconic accompanying dance.)
]]>
]]>
22. Run-D.M.C.
MM’s next great shirt is for Run-D.M.C., one of the most famous hip-hop groups of the ’80s.
]]>
]]>
23. Lamplighter
This actor is Shawn Ashmore. You might recognize him from the X-Men movies, where he played Iceman. According to reports from earlier this year, Ashmore is playing Lamplighter, a former member of The Seven–you know, the one who murdered Mallory’s grandchildren before the show’s events began. In the comics, The Seven gave Lamplighter to The Boys as a peace offering to avoid war between the two groups; Mallory killed him, and then Vought resurrected him as a zombie who they keep in a feces-smeared cell that A-Train and Starlight are forced to clean. We’re guessing the show is going in a different direction.
For more on Lamplighter, check out our full character explainer.
]]>
]]>
24. Sage Grove Center
Googling this phrase pulls up various assisted living homes, plus this report from last year that Amazon had been seen filming at a former psychiatric hospital in Canada. Lamplighter could be working at a hospital or senior home–although that doesn’t illuminate what his and Stormfront’s conversation was about.
]]>
]]>
25. Sevens
The scene preceding Black Noir’s attack has a couple of references to the number seven, including the time on the clock and the seven-of-hearts playing card used in one of the booby traps.
]]>
]]>
26. Ronan Farrow
Butcher threatens to send the photos of Homelander and Becca’s son to Ronan Farrow. Farrow is a real-life journalist whose investigative reporting helped expose Hollywood sexual abuser Harvey Weinstein in 2018.
]]>
]]>
27. Megan and Harry
Butcher reckons Homelander and Becca’s kid would be “more popular than Meghan and Harry’s little sprog.” He of course refers to Meghan Markle and Prince Harry, who last year had a son named Archie Harrison. “Sprog” is British slang for child.
]]>
]]>
28. Stan Edgar’s involvement
We learn in this episode that Vought CEO Stan Edgar really is behind most of the sketchy stuff going on this season. Not only is he overseeing Black Noir’s pursuit of The Boys, but he’s also involved in whatever is going on between Stormfront and Lamplighter at Sage Grove; although the image is partially out-of-focus, you can clearly see that all her emails are from Edgar.
]]>
]]>
29. Tilda F***ing Swinton
Stormfront compares Starlight with Tilda Swinton, a Scottish actress known for her idiosyncratic performances in Snowpiercer, Doctor Strange, Suspiria, and many other films.
]]>
]]>
30. “F*** it”
Butcher’s command for Terror to f*** the Homelander doll comes straight from the comics, where Terror is seen humping–on command–everything from other dogs to people.
]]>
Disclosure: ViacomCBS is GameSpot’s parent company
