By Christopher Gates on Dec 08, 2017 09:30 pm
Did you know Rey might have hatched from an egg?
For Star Wars fans, no theory is too outrageous, no plot twist too ludicrous, and no cut too deep. With The Last Jedi poised to reveal "the most shocking truth in Star Wars history," the fan community has gone into overdrive, trying to decipher clues both real and imagined in order to uncover what Disney and Lucasfilm have in store. Most of these theories probably won't come true, but at the very least, you have to admit they're well thought out. Besides, when it comes to Star Wars, wild speculation is part of the fun.
1. Rey was cloned from Luke's severed hand
Someone obviously found the lightsaber that Luke lost in The Empire Strikes Back, given that it's sitting in Maz Kanata's basement in The Force Awakens. Maybe they found his lost hand as well, and used it to create a brand new Force-wielding badass. That sounds ridiculous, but Mark Hamill confirmed that The Force Awakens was originally going to open with Luke's hand floating through space, lightsaber still attached, so it might be important. There's even a precedent for this kind of thing: In Timothy Zahn's (currently non-canon) Thrawn Trilogy, a crazed Jedi master makes a clone named Luuke out of Luke's old appendage.
2. Rey hatched from a giant egg
Max von Sydow's character Lor San Tekka dies at the very beginning of The Force Awakens, but he plays a much bigger role in Marvel Comics' ongoing Poe Dameron series. In issue #1, Poe learns that San Tekka spent a couple of years guarding a mysterious egg on the planet Ovanis that allegedly contained a galaxy-saving hero. Redditor starwarsfanfrom77 thinks that the long-gestating champion might've been Rey, although when the egg hatches in Poe Dameron #3, its occupant is decidedly not a young woman. Still, who knows? Maybe there was more than one.
3. Snoke is Kylo Ren from the future
Thanks to Rey and her lightsaber, Kylo Ren has some pretty nasty scars. Supreme Leader Snoke has some scars too. That's enough to convince some fans that Snoke is actually Kylo Ren from the future, gone back in time to push his past self further toward the Dark Side, even though time travel isn't part of the Star Wars universe--not yet, anyway.
4. The new Star Wars trilogy is based on Anastasia
Structurally, The Force Awakens owes a lot to A New Hope, but Reddit user TheReturnofBobaFett thinks that the latest Star Wars saga borrows more from a mid-'90s animated musical than anything else. By analyzing plot points and lyrics from 20th Century Fox's Anastasia, TheReturnofBobaFett concludes that Rey is Han and Leia's daughter, that the First Order is set on restoring the Mandalorian kingdom (and not the Empire), and that Supreme Leader Snoke is actually a revenge-minded Boba Fett who's out to ruin the Skywalker-Solo clan after Han dropped him in the Sarlaac pit.
5. Supreme Leader Snoke is a lady
In The Force Awakens, First Order head honcho Supreme Leader Snoke sure sounds like a dude, and he's played by Andy Serkis, a male actor. But what if he's not? In an interview with USA Today, Daisy Ridley says, "Snoke is an evil guy, if you can call him a guy," while a Snoke action figure kind of makes it look like the Supreme Leader has breasts--or it could just be his choice of clothing. It's hard to tell.
6. Snoke is secretly Leia in disguise
Star Wars fan crocopig uses an old episode of The Clone Wars to reach the conclusion that Supreme Leader Snoke is actually Leia, and that Episode IX will conclude with a battle between Luke's surrogate daughter, Rey, and Leia's real son, Kylo Ren. No, Snoke doesn't look much like Carrie Fisher, but we rarely see him in person. Anyone could be on the other side of that giant hologram.
7. Luke is The Last Jedi's main bad guy
A lot of The Last Jedi's villain-oriented promotional materials, including a collectible dark side cup and a poster dedicated to the bad guys, feature Luke Skywalker in a major way. That, combined with Star Wars' tradition of putting its biggest bads in the very back of its posters, has some fans guessing that Luke will turn out to be The Last Jedi's main antagonist. It's a stretch, but an interesting theory--and one that Mark Hamill is having an awful lot of fun with.
8. Snoke created both Rey and Anakin
A very popular fan theory argues that Snoke is secretly Darth Plagueis, Emperor Palpatine's former master. Thanks to Palpatine's speech in Revenge of the Sith, we know that Plagueis could use the Force to create and preserve life, and many fans believe that Plagueis is the one responsible for Anakin's "virgin" birth. Some surmise that Plagueis pulled that trick again and created Rey, too, meaning that Kylo Ren's arch-nemesis might actually be his great-aunt. Awkward!
9. The Jedi created the Sith
The Legions of Lettow only appear in the Star Wars: The Old Republic video game, but as RevanisAlive516 tells the story, back in the old, old, old days the Jedi Order attacked a group of Jedi that were dabbling in the dark side of the Force, splitting the Order in two. The outcasts eventually became the Sith. That's why, RevanisAlive says, Luke lost his faith in the Jedi: They're accidentally responsible for everything bad that's happened in the Star Wars universe, and instead of coming clean, they tried to cover the whole thing up.
10. Kylo Ren is a double agent
Maybe Kylo Ren didn't go bad. Maybe he's been working for the good guys all along. This popular fan theory contends that Kylo's hero worship targets Anakin, not Darth Vader, and that his promise "finish what you started" refers to the destruction of the Empire, and not galaxy-wide domination. As such, Kylo Ren didn't want to kill his dad, but had to off Han Solo in order to complete his Sith training and gather the power that he needs to take down Snoke and the First Order for good.
11. Han Solo faked his death
Or maybe Han Solo didn't die at all. Some viewers argue that, since we never saw a body, the scruffy-looking nerf herder could still be alive. The evidence? Well, Luke survived a similar fall at the end of The Empire Strikes Back, and Darth Maul was cut in half by a lightsaber and still managed to show up in both The Clone Wars and Star Wars Rebels. Some even argue that Kylo used the Force to bend his lightsaber around Han, simply making it look like the infamous smuggler was run through by his son's electric blade.
12. Snoke is just using Kylo Ren for his body
Perhaps Snoke doesn't really care if Kylo Ren turns to the dark side or not. This theory, which draws on the out-of-canon tale of Darth Bane, says that the aging Supreme Leader is planning to transfer his consciousness into Ben Solo's young body in order to extend his already long life. According to Star Wars lore, "essence transfer" requires a victim who's young, weak-willed, and highly emotional--a description that fits poor Kylo perfectly.
13. Luke is already dead
Given that The Last Jedi is the second part of a Star Wars trilogy, fans are expecting an "I am your father"-level shock from the film. But what if The Last Jedi's biggest twist already happened? One Redditor is convinced that Luke died years ago and that he's secretly training Rey from beyond the grave as a Force ghost--although the fact that Luke isn't translucent blue makes this theory feel a little far-fetched.
14. Porgs are food
Porgs are cute and cuddly, and, much to Disney's delight, they make great merchandise. They might make great snacks, too. Some of The Last Jedi's pre-release publications hint that the Porgs might be part of Ahch-To's local cuisine. A few of our heroes might be getting in on the Porg-munching, too: While Mark Hamill assures fans that Luke is a staunch vegetarian, a promotional still depicts Chewbacca, satisfied, with a Porg-like feather dangling from his mouth.
15. Snoke is one of the Jedi younglings that Anakin "killed"
Snoke might be a character you've seen before, but he may not be one that you remember. Redditor yootoob argues that the Supreme Leader is actually one of the Jedi children that Anakin attacked in Revenge of the Sith. Supposedly, Anakin smuggled this lovable scamp away during the attack and raised him in secret. Now, youtoob says, Vader's former apprentice is back and out for revenge, which would put Kylo's Vader worship in an interesting light. It's unlikely, maybe, but Darth Vader has had mysterious apprentices before--while it's no longer canon, the hero of the game Star Wars: The Force Unleashed was Vader's secret protégé.
By Array on Dec 08, 2017 09:30 pm
Best PS4 Holiday Gift Guide
There are many PlayStation-related gifts this holiday season. To start things off, there's the PlayStation 4 Pro, which like the Xbox One X, represents a souped-up version of its predecessor. It also pairs well with a 4K HDR TV. There are also many different PS4 Slim bundles that would make great gifts for those with 1080p TVs. We've also rounded up our picks for the best headset, controller, external hard drive, and more. We have also written gift guides for all the other major platforms. Check out our PC hardware gift guide to see our pick for which GPU you should gift this holiday season. Read our tech gift guide to see what projectors and drones represent great values. Check out our Nintendo Switch gift guide to see what carrying case goes well with Nintendo's portable console. Our 3DS gift guide also delves into some great accessories for the Nintendo's other portable device. Finally, check out our Xbox One gift guide to see what peripherals we're recommending for Microsoft's console.
PlayStation 4 Pro
Like the Xbox One X, the PlayStation 4 Pro is a more powerful version of its predecessor. The PS4 Pro is geared towards gamers with 4K TVs and has enough horsepower to render many games at higher resolutions. Sony's enthusiast console will also be able to bolster frame rates over the stock PS4 in many games as well. Price: $400 (It's possible to find it on sale for $350 until December 16)
PS4 Slim Bundle
Besides a new, smaller design, the PS4 Slim is very similar to the original PS4. There are multiple bundles that include games like Battlefront II, NBA 2K18, and Final Fantasy XV, however, so now isn't a bad time to get someone with a 1080p TV a sweet PS4 package. Price: Starting at $300 (depending on included game)
Remote: PDP PS4 Remote
If you know a PS4 owner who often uses their console as a multimedia device, a remote could come in handy. The one we're recommending is from PDP. It has a small footprint and makes navigating streaming apps like Netflix, Amazon, and more really easy. Street price: $25
PS4 Translucent Controller
Considering Sony just released new translucent DualShock 4 controllers, they make excellent stocking stuffers this holiday season. They come in three different colors that are retailer-specific. The Crystal SKU is exclusive to GameStop/EB Games, the Red Crystal model is exclusive to Best Buy, and the Blue Crystal variant is exclusive to Walmart. Street price: Starting at $60 (depending on color)
High-End Controller: SCUF Infinity 4PS Pro
The DualShock 4 is a fine controller, but the SCUF Infinity 4PS Pro offers some extra features that could come in handy for those who play competitively. SCUF's controller allows you to customize everything from its color scheme down to the type of analog sticks you prefer. The sticks themselves are much grippier than those on the DS4, and the optional trigger stops make it faster to pull L2 and R2. Most importantly, the two programmable paddles on the back can be mapped to any other button, so you can keep your thumbs on the sticks at all times. Street price: Starting at $130 (depending on customization options)
Headset: Sony Gold Wireless
Great audio makes a great gift, and Sony's Gold Wireless headset fits right in here. It sports a sleek, minimalist design, and it's lightweight; this makes it easy to put on or take off, and it'll rest easily on your head. The earcups are dense and should make it comfortable for long sessions. You'll get strong bass, good overall sound quality, and even an option for virtual 7.1 surround sound. The packaged USB dongle allows the Gold headset to be used wirelessly on the PS4, but you also get a 3.5mm cable for a wired connection. The headset also works well with PSVR, and even the PC and Nintendo Switch when it's docked. Street price: $100
2TB Hard Drive: WD My Passport 2TB USB 3.0 External Drive
Storage capacity is a premium on PS4; the 1TB internal hard drive can fill up fast, especially if you're downloading most of your games. But the PS4 makes it easy to use an external hard drive to expand storage space. Western Digital's My Passport drive is a physically small and cost-effective option that uses a USB 3.0 connection for fast data transfer. We're recommending the 2TB option, which should be enough space for most gamers. Street price: $80
PowerA DualShock 4 Charging Station
Plugging your controllers into your console to charge them can be inconvenient, especially with a home theater setup. You could be doing someone a big favor by gifting them a controller charging station. PowerA charging stations are made for either Xbox One or DualShock 4 controllers. The version that charges two controllers simultaneously can be found for around $30, while a single charging station can be found for $20. Both models come with rechargeable battery packs. Street price: $20-$30 (depending on model)
12-month Subscription To PlayStation Plus
A 12-month subscription to PlayStation Plus costs $60. Not only does this grant access to online multiplayer, but the service offers multiple free downloadable games every month. Price: $60
4K HDR TV: TCL 55P605
TCL's 55P605 is arguably the best budget 4K TV. Considering it supports HDR10 and Dolby Vision and costs $600, it almost sounds too good to be true. To top it off, the ultra high-definition TV comes with Roku support built in. Price: $600
PSVR Skyrim Bundle
Sony recently released a PlayStation VR bundle that includes Skyrim, which will allow gamers to explore Bethesda's fantasy world like never before. It helps that the bundle includes a new processing unit that enables a passthrough for HDR, so users with HDR TVs won't have to unplug the headset to enjoy HDR content. For $450, the bundle also includes a PlayStation camera, which PSVR users will need, and two Move controllers. Street price: $450 (It's possible to find it on sale for $350 until December 16)
By Justin Haywald on Dec 08, 2017 10:41 am
Destiny 2's latest expansion, Curse of Osiris, has launched on PC, PS4, and Xbox One. In addition to adding some new single-player mission content and a higher level cap, the expansion has also added a ton of new weapon and armor choices. If you want to check out a wider-ranging list of all the new weapons we've been able to find so far, you can find that here, but in this list, we'll focus on the exotic equipment we've come across. Alongside the DLC, we also got update 1.1.0 for Destiny 2, which has introduced a number of buffs and nerfs, and more big tweaks are on the way for the game's December update. The next patch will add Masterworks weapons, which should give hardcore players in particular some much-needed variety. We'll have our initial impressions of the DLC going up tomorrow, but if you're already digging in, we also have the solution to one potential mystery: how to unlock the Heroic Public Event. We'll be spending more time on Mercury over the month to find out everything we can about The Curse of Osiris.
Titan Shoulders: Ophidian Aspect Perk: Cobra Totemic -- Weapons ready and reload very quickly. Melee range is extended.
Hand Cannon: Crimson
Titan Helm: Helm of Saint-14 Perk: Starless Night -- Your Ward of Dawn blinds enemies that enter it. Guarding with Sentinel Shield temporarily blinds nearby enemies.
Trace Rifle -- Prometheus Lens
Fusion Rifle: Telesto Perk: Fusion projectiles attach and detonate with a delayed Void blast.
Titan Guantlets: Aeon Safe Perk: Aeon Energy -- Summoning a barricade grants energy to nearby Aeon Cult allies. Other allies receive a fraction of the shared energy.
Scout Rifle: The Jade Rabbit Perk: The Fate of All Fools -- Chain body shots to gain bonus damage on your next precision shot and return ammo to the magazine.
Titan Helmet: Khepri's Horn Perk: Solar Rampart -- Solar damage kills recharge your Barricade, which unleashes a blast of Solar energy when summoned.
Titan Leg Armor: MK. 44 Stand Asides Perk: Seriously, Watch Out -- Grants an overshield when sprinting at full health with Seismic Strike, Hammer Strike, or Shield Bash equipped. Hits with these abilities recharge a portion of your melee energy.
Hunter Helmet: Graviton Forfeit Perk: Vanishing Shadow -- Increases the duration of any invisibility effects. Your melee recharges faster while you are invisible.
Warlock Gauntlets: Aeon Soul Perk: Aeon Energy -- Throwing grenades grants energy to nearby Aeon Cult allies. Other allies receive a fraction of the shared energy.
Grenade Launcher -- The Colony
Helmet -- The Stag
By Miguel Concepcion on Dec 08, 2017 08:08 am
One of the highlights of the 2017 edition of The Game Awards was the reveal of The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild's Expansion Pass DLC 2: The Champions' Ballad. Between new challenges and a surprise motorbike, this update has its share of new costumes such as a Ravio hat (above), taken from the shopkeeper in Link Between Worlds. Check out this gallery of six of the costumes shown at the trailer. But if you want to try it out yourself, you won't have to wait long: the content releases tonight across both Nintendo Switch and Wii U. The DLC is the second and final part of the game's paid DLC.
Zant Helmet
Ganon Helmet and Armor
Guardian Sheikah Horse Armor
Wind Waker Shirt
Recent Articles:
| 
No comments:
Post a Comment