# Oren Cohen > Essays on the books, games, shows, and movies I can't stop thinking about. Public Ghost content for AI and LLM tooling. This file includes a bounded export of public pages first, then recent public posts. Append `.md` to any post or page URL to get the content in Markdown (for example, `/example-post.md`). ## Pages ### Welcome to a Little Piece of My Soul URL: https://theorencohen.com/about/ Last updated: 2026-07-09T20:51:53.000Z It has never been easier to publish 500 soulless words about anything. Press a button, and out comes content with no character and no soul. Which is exactly why a real human voice matters more now than it ever did. Trust me, I'm a software engineer. I know how easy it is because I'm deeply familiar with all of those tools. I use them every day at work. And yet, as a creator, I yearn to make something I can be proud of. Not for the money or the fame. Just to document. Some day in the distant future, I'll look back on one of these articles and revisit my state of mind when I wrote it. I'll reawaken what I felt reading some of my favorite books because I wrote about them. I'll reignite my passion for a game when I reminisce about what I loved or hated in it. In truth, it doesn't matter what I publish. What matters is that it's mine, and I can find my voice within it. So, hi. My name is Oren Cohen. I'm a software engineer by day and a complete nerd by night, living in Tel Aviv, Israel. Before this site, I spent years co-hosting the Geek Peek podcast, talking about the same stories I write about now. This website is a piece of my soul. ## What you'll find here I write thesis-driven essays about the stories I love. Mostly: - **The Cosmere.** Deep dives into Mistborn, Stormlight Archive, and Warbreaker, including my ongoing Mistborn reread. - **Stargate.** SG-1, Atlantis, Universe, and the fight to bring the franchise back with #SaveStargate. - **Games worth arguing about.** Mass Effect, Dragon Age, The Witcher, Pathfinder, and whatever RPG has eaten my evenings lately. If you want to see what I'm reading right now and why, my [Reading Journey](https://theorencohen.com/my-reading-journey/) page is a living document of exactly that. A few good places to start: [Warbreaker is a Masterclass in Flawed PerceptionAnd it fools you for half the book.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/2f/9d/2f9dd706-fe4e-4ea5-915c-baf010e8bd57/content/images/icon/favicon-012b0cd1-bd82-4e69-8f23-d677e1a7c5b5.ico)Oren CohenOren Cohen![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/2f/9d/2f9dd706-fe4e-4ea5-915c-baf010e8bd57/content/images/thumbnail/warbreaker-review-d42e7bc1-9b21-44f5-99c6-56558a100f36.jpg)](https://theorencohen.com/warbreaker-is-a-masterclass-in-flawed-perception/) [The Veilguard Is Mass Effect 2 in Dragon Age ClothingThat Is Both the Praise and the Problem.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/2f/9d/2f9dd706-fe4e-4ea5-915c-baf010e8bd57/content/images/icon/favicon-c1a1f20d-9aae-431d-9d1f-db26fc6d8e6a.ico)Oren CohenOren Cohen![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/2f/9d/2f9dd706-fe4e-4ea5-915c-baf010e8bd57/content/images/thumbnail/daveilguard-64519d33-997c-4d18-ac37-dd446553139d.jpg)](https://theorencohen.com/the-veilguard-is-mass-effect-2-in-dragon-age-clothing/) [An Open Letter to Amazon: You Didn’t Just Cancel a Show - You Ignited the Entire FandomAnd we’re not backing down.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/2f/9d/2f9dd706-fe4e-4ea5-915c-baf010e8bd57/content/images/icon/favicon-fbff26c0-4ae9-4906-be7e-5041476890c8.ico)Oren CohenOren Cohen![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/2f/9d/2f9dd706-fe4e-4ea5-915c-baf010e8bd57/content/images/thumbnail/434054-dd5fb259-dcfc-4a1f-bce2-9960439b5c1a.webp)](https://theorencohen.com/an-open-letter-to-amazon-you-didnt-just-cancel-a-show-you-ignited-the-entire-fandom/) ## Stay in touch Every Friday I send *Oren's Nerdy Letter*, where I share what I'm reading, playing, and thinking about. Usually seated in a bookstore or a coffee shop. If this page resonated with you, you're exactly who I write it for. ## Sign up for Oren Cohen Essays on the books, games, shows, and movies I can't stop thinking about. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. Because in a digital world where everything is as easy as pressing a button, your voice is the only thing left that still holds meaning. I fully intend to use mine. ### Contact URL: https://theorencohen.com/contact/ Last updated: 2026-03-08T07:31:31.000Z If you're subscribed to my emails, you can also reply to any of them, and I'll see it too. Your email: Your message: Send ### Dimension 20 URL: https://theorencohen.com/dimension-20/ Last updated: 2026-07-10T13:59:32.000Z Under construction! ![seven construction workers standing on white field](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1541888946425-d81bb19240f5?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=M3wxMTc3M3wwfDF8c2VhcmNofDF8fHVuZGVyJTIwY29uc3RydWN0aW9ufGVufDB8fHx8MTc4MzY5MTk2NHww&ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=80&w=2000) Photo by [Scott Blake](https://unsplash.com/@sunburned%5Fsurveyor?ref=theorencohen.com) / [Unsplash](https://unsplash.com/?utm%5Fsource=ghost&utm%5Fmedium=referral&utm%5Fcampaign=api-credit) ### My Reading Journey URL: https://theorencohen.com/my-reading-journey/ Last updated: 2026-07-16T18:23:22.000Z Do you remember why or how you started reading every book you own? I certainly don't. And I own hundreds of books. Recently, I have become more conscious about the why behind my reading. I'm no longer a young lad in my early twenties who could spend entire weekends and long evenings reading books. But between here and then, a lot of books have passed under these eyes. I developed a taste for the books I like: fantasy and science fiction as a default, sprinkled with contemporary ones, and seasoned with poetry. Yes, I - the bearded guy who almost always wears black and lifts at the gym - own a few poetry books, too. I read Mistborn and Warbreaker over a decade ago. I remember their vibe, and a little of what I felt after reading them. But I cannot remember how I got into them in the first place, and that one is gone for good. Had I been documenting back then, I could look back now and say, "yeah, that's right! Such and such got me into this book!" So that ends today. I am starting this page to document "Why I picked it up" and "What I took away from it" for every book I read from here on. The book I am on now stays at the top, the queue sits underneath, and finished books go below that. I also intend to create separate posts and YouTube videos for each one. If you want each book's writeup the moment it lands, subscribe and read along with me. ## Sign up for Oren Cohen Essays on the books, games, shows, and movies I can't stop thinking about. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ## Currently Reading Mistborn: The Well of Ascension, by Brandon Sanderson. Why I picked it up: To follow up on the first book. I was hooked by the ending and wanted to see what Vin does next. ## Up Next 1. Mistborn: The Hero of Ages, by Brandon Sanderson 1. Why I picked it up: To complete the series. I had to read what happens next. 2. Mistborn: The Alloy of Law, by Brandon Sanderson 1. Why I picked it up: Saw a complete package of Mistborn era 2 and had to buy it. It's been a while since those books came out and I never picked them up. It was time. 3. TBA. ## Finished This list is for all the books I finished reading or (re-reading). When I finish reading a book, I'll include here a couple of lines about what it left me with after finishing it and a link to the review. ### Warbreaker, Brandon Sanderson 2009 **Why I picked it up:** Originally read it over ten years ago. So, don't remember. But I believe it was a recommendation in a book store after I had finished reading the Sword of Truth series. **What it left me with:** Warbreaker teaches how to write villains that feel like people. It also teaches how to feel right on the wrong side of the story. It took Vivenna half the book to understand right from wrong. Here is my review of Warbreaker: [Warbreaker is a Masterclass in Flawed PerceptionAnd it fools you for half the book.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/2f/9d/2f9dd706-fe4e-4ea5-915c-baf010e8bd57/content/images/icon/favicon-c6251448-32e5-4ead-90a0-b4fa38a24042.ico)Oren CohenOren Cohen![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/2f/9d/2f9dd706-fe4e-4ea5-915c-baf010e8bd57/content/images/thumbnail/warbreaker-review-009e6cbd-74ee-408a-be2a-4e2f5db1dc67.jpg)](https://theorencohen.com/warbreaker-is-a-masterclass-in-flawed-perception/) ### Mistborn: The Final Empire **Why I picked it up:** Same as *Warbreaker*. Don't remember. **What it left me with:** Realizing that Vin was never the hero of this story. She was only the protagonist. And it's amazing to realize that the hero and the protagonist doesn't have to be the same person. Here is my review of *Mistborn: The Final Empire*: [There’s Always Another Secret: What Mistborn Teaches About Heroic DeathA reread of Mistborn: The Final Empire to celebrate 20 years of the series.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/2f/9d/2f9dd706-fe4e-4ea5-915c-baf010e8bd57/content/images/icon/favicon-b3d7eecf-d15a-431e-88df-36e22fe90971.ico)Oren CohenOren Cohen![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/2f/9d/2f9dd706-fe4e-4ea5-915c-baf010e8bd57/content/images/thumbnail/mistborn-2b507b28-6ac0-4331-bb9d-2f421d3e0a12.webp)](https://theorencohen.com/theres-always-another-secret-what-mistborn-teaches-about-heroic-death/) ### Dragon Crowns - WIP Novel URL: https://theorencohen.com/dragon-crowns/ Last updated: 2026-07-17T14:12:44.000Z Hi there, fellow writer! This page will be where I publish the links to all the draft sessions. They won't appear on the main page. If you watched the videos and posts I made online and want to join us, feel free to do so through this form: ## Sign up for Oren Cohen Get access to my unpublished story and a community of writers just like you. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### Avatar Movies URL: https://theorencohen.com/avatar/ Last updated: 2026-09-15T04:58:59.000Z The *Avatar* franchise came into my life when I was just 22, and the worldbuilding completely pulled me in. Watching *The Way of Water* in my mid-thirties was a surreal shift in perspective, and by the time *Fire and Ash* arrived, returning to Pandora genuinely felt like coming home. James Cameron didn't just film a story; he engineered an entire, breathing ecosystem that serves as the perfect cinematic escape. Below, you'll find my complete archive of *Avatar* reviews. I'll keep this index updated as the fourth and fifth installments finally hit theaters. ## Avatar 2009 [I Rewatched Avatar 16 Years Later And It Hit Harder Than I RememberedThis time, I watched it with my nephew, who wasn’t even born when it came out.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/2f/9d/2f9dd706-fe4e-4ea5-915c-baf010e8bd57/content/images/icon/favicon-2.ico)Oren CohenOren Cohen![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/2f/9d/2f9dd706-fe4e-4ea5-915c-baf010e8bd57/content/images/thumbnail/1_avtr-226_ec8e6081.jpeg)](https://theorencohen.com/i-rewatched-avatar-16-years-later-and-it-hit-harder-than-i-remembered/) ## Avatar: The Way of Water [Avatar: The Way of Water ReviewShould you watch Avatar: The Way of Water? What is it about? Let’s talk about James Cameron’s sequel to the highest-grossing movie ever.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/2f/9d/2f9dd706-fe4e-4ea5-915c-baf010e8bd57/content/images/icon/favicon-3.ico)Oren CohenOren Cohen![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/2f/9d/2f9dd706-fe4e-4ea5-915c-baf010e8bd57/content/images/thumbnail/3a692446-adeb-49df-aad3-130ae6073efa_2000x1350-1.jpg)](https://theorencohen.com/avatar-the-way-of-water-review/) ## Avatar: Fire and Ash [Avatar: Fire And Ash Concludes One of Pandora’s Harshest ChaptersI watched it twice in theaters cause it’s so good!![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/2f/9d/2f9dd706-fe4e-4ea5-915c-baf010e8bd57/content/images/icon/favicon-18.ico)Oren CohenOren Cohen![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/2f/9d/2f9dd706-fe4e-4ea5-915c-baf010e8bd57/content/images/thumbnail/avatarfireandash_still15_f72b7515.jpeg)](https://theorencohen.com/avatar-fire-and-ash-concludes-one-of-pandoras-harshest-chapters/) ## Posts ### The End of My Thirties, Reviews, and Self-Censoring URL: https://theorencohen.com/newsletter/the-end-of-my-thirties-reviews-and-self-censoring/ Last updated: 2026-09-11T12:11:15.000Z Last Monday, I celebrated my 39th birthday playing video games. It's not that I didn't want to go out or celebrate with friends; it just didn't pan out. It doesn't pan out. Every year. I'm not here to make you feel sorry for me, or anything. I'm just describing a feeling many millennials, especially male ones, will resonate with: Loneliness. I'm sitting in a mall right now. I had chicken nuggets for dinner, and I'm sipping on Coke Zero while I write you this letter. My regular readers will notice I'm not in the book shop writing you this letter this time. And the reason is simple: Tomorrow is the Jewish New Year's Eve. There will be simply no time to sit down in a coffee shop and write. So I'm writing this letter a day early, on Thursday evening, to be sent on Friday while I help prepare for the holiday and to meet family at my brother's house. That is the height of my loneliness because both of my older brothers are married with children, and I'm not. And you know how family gatherings are - "How are you doing? Are you in a relationship? Are you even looking? At your age, I did so and so..." I'm just so tired of it all. I guess I'm telling you all this not just to vent, but to show you that you're not alone if you feel like me. I'm looking for a relationship, as I'm sure some of you do too. But people around us don't experience the multiple rejections a week on dating apps. Those stay on your phone. Our family members just see us at home on our computer or our phone, and think we aren't doing anything. This week was rough, and the weekend will be the climax, but over the past few days, a little gem has been keeping me sane before bed. A little gem called *Blood of Dawnwalker*. ## Blood of Dawnwalker is my new favorite game *Blood of Dawnwalker* has surprised me on so many levels. I'm playing at the Fair difficulty. Even so, the combat system has been challenging to learn. I spent the better part of one of my streams fighting against soldiers in a camp, and they kept killing me over and over until I defeated them. I was bad. I didn't even try to suck blood out of one of them during the fight. The game also didn't make it too difficult for me on that difficulty. But I still failed. Tonight I'm returning to fight a boss that has already defeated me multiple times. I just stopped because it was 1 AM. The story itself also reminds me a little bit of *Mass Effect 3*'s War assets. If you're not familiar with them, it's a sum of everything you did for people around the galaxy, each one scored by how much it helps in the final battle to save Earth. You have 30 days to defeat Brencis - a vampire playing at being a ruler - before he drains your family. You can disrupt his court by doing quests directly tied to his vassals. And you can gain allies to defeat him, both humans and vampires around the world. I'm close to finishing some quests for one of his vassals, and I'm only on day 3 or 4. The game world itself is vast, too, but the game gives you tools to traverse it quickly. I can become a wolf during the night and run very fast between locations. > (Editing Oren here on Friday: I can tell you I have defeated not only that boss, but also a very challenging one that was one of Brencis's three vassals [in a stream](https://youtube.com/live/RjFtUZNQfjM?ref=theorencohen.com) that went for almost four hours last night) Playing Dawnwalker also helped me understand something fundamental about my publishing strategy. ## Publish the experience, not the aftermath I was stuck in the old publishing strategy: play something, review it, and share it around. These days, old-school reviews are way too common. And I'm not much of a reviewer anyway. When I play, read, or watch a thing, I don't look at it holistically, like a reviewer should. I usually focus on one or two things I took away from the experience. For example, if I had to sum up The Witcher 3 in a single sentence, it's "Geralt of Rivia finds his daughter and learns to be a father to her." But The Witcher 3 is a huge game. A "proper" reviewer would have so much more to say than to talk about one single thing. Now that I'm playing *Blood of Dawnwalker*, I want to document the experience. I don't want to finish the game and then talk about it afterward as a singular experience. I'm playing the game almost every day these last few days, and every time there's something new to talk about. I'm still refining my updated strategy, but one thing I'm certain of: I'll give myself permission to publish shorter, more concise thoughts. Not every essay needs to be thousands of words. I used to think nobody reads my random thoughts about a game. "What good does it do?" Today, when much of what you see around the web is not written by a human, that kind of writing resonates. I'm done self-censoring. The worst that will happen is people won't read the piece. I wanted to write it anyway. ## Thank you so much for being here! That's all I have for you today. I can't believe this is issue 15\. I have been writing these letters for 15 weeks straight. Soon you'll start seeing more content pop up in these letters and even on other days of the week. I hope you enjoy your weekend, and *Shana Tova* from me to you. Take care, Oren ### I'm Starting a New Publication on Substack URL: https://theorencohen.com/newsletter/im-starting-a-new-publication-on-substack/ Last updated: 2026-09-04T11:27:01.000Z I still go to my day job on the days I don't want to. So why does content get a free pass but my day job doesn't? For years I've been trying to build a community, and I realized I'm not putting in the right amount of effort. A podcast I listened to recently made that painfully clear. There are two things I'm doing wrong right now: 1. Not treating this like a job. 2. Not batching content on social media. Before we dive in to talk about each separately, let me explain what this means for you. The Ghost site stays up. Both will have the same content. The only new things are Substack Notes which is a bit like Twitter, and the Subscriber chat. Those two elements are exclusive to Substack. Subscribers on Ghost will receive the email from Ghost. Subscribers on Substack will receive the email from Substack. Content-wise, everything will remain the same. Now that that's out of the way, let's talk about those two points. ## Not Treating This Like a Job I have a full time job. It's not like I procrastinate. But I do create content mostly when inspiration strikes, or when I'm not burned out about previous content that didn't do well. I need to put in at least more effort than the casual reader. And I need to make my life easier by starting where people already are, not on my personal website that currently receives hardly any visitors. This is where Substack comes in. The average Substack reader is on the platform to read. So I'm going to import all of my work from my Ghost site into Substack and start being more active on Substack Notes. Perhaps I'll make some friends in the process, too. Substack has also implemented new features that make connection with your subscribers more fun and interactive. A chat, a podcast, videos - those are all cool features that make a publication more than a simple newsletter. ## Not Batching Content on Social Media In the podcast I listened to, the guest said his co-founder has written ahead about 100 posts a week for social media. That's SO much work. But it pays off. Their Threads presence is 302k followers. They have over 36k subscribers on Substack, too, and they get paid from it. I want to invest more time into short-form content on social media. I already have ideas for short-form posts I can share about the nerdy topics I love. I have a Typefully subscription that I haven't been using that much and considered cancelling. Instead, I'll spend some time scheduling posts ahead of time. It's a grind and I think I mostly avoided it because it feels like unrewarded work, but I need to find signal and see my voice develop online. ## We'll See How It Goes That's all I have for you today, and if you're reading this letter on Substack itself, say hi in the comments! I'm a really nice nerd. Thank you for reading. Oren ### This Blog Was Never Going to Save Me. But I Still Want to Keep Writing It URL: https://theorencohen.com/newsletter/this-blog-was-never-going-to-save-me-but-i-still-want-to-keep-writing-it/ Last updated: 2026-08-28T12:41:30.000Z When I was in my early twenties, I was a part of an online community called BlizzForums. I was a heavy StarCraft player at the time. I wasn't competing or playing with people online. My love was the campaign and the stories this game managed to tell through strategy missions that mostly focus on volume. I fell in love with this community so much that I wanted to build one myself. That was the beginning of content creation for me. It didn't go the way I wanted. Ever since that day, I tried again and again. For twenty years, I tried to build a community that would become my employer. I craved the connection with other nerds and I wanted to build things they would find valuable for them. Along the way I built many communities. Some failed, some still live on. None of them were the community I envisioned back then. It's time to face the reality and admit that I would probably never build the community I wanted. This letter is a eulogy to that dream. ## The Dream I Lost I wake up in my own bed, in my own house, and start a chill morning. No commuting to work or working from home. I start my day with a coffee and a writing session to get some ideas off my chest that accumulated during the night. Later that day, I go to the gym and lift something heavy. Weights will never not be a part of my future. They weren't in my original dream, but I realize after two years, I don't want to give my progress up. After a shower and lunch, I go into my private study in my home. There are rows of books ordered by series on my shelves. The Stormlight Archive is prominently sitting on its own shelf. The same for all the Dune books. My private collection is vast. Some of them are signed, some aren't. I haven't read them all, but I love them all the same. A few of those books are mine. They have my name on them. Something I never thought would happen but it did. I finally materialized the fantasy world that's been on my mind since my late teens. I open my computer and put on some chill lofi beats music and start looking at analytics. Behind me there's a gold play button on the wall to indicate I got a million subscribers on YouTube just by talking about the nerdy things I read, watch, and play. On the blog, I see much less activity than my YouTube and socials, but those people convert to email subscribers, and I keep writing them this nerdy letter. Every week on a Friday. What a nice dream to have right? I wanted to believe it was possible. Or maybe I've been making the wrong thing all along. ## My Idea of Content is Different Have you ever read an episode-by-episode review of a TV show you've been watching? That's what I've been trying to create. The problem is nobody searches or watches that type of content on YouTube. People are more interested in specific moments than episode recaps that AI can generate in seconds. For Google, it's a lost cause. Most sites today are either visited by AI bots to use them for answers, or they are lost between all the slop that's generated and uploaded daily. And yet, I still want to keep writing thanks to a lesson I learned from my late grandmother. ## Today is My Grandmother's Memorial Nine years ago, my Grandmother Yona, or Hama'me in her Yemeni name (which means pigeon in both languages) left us at the age of 105. I loved her so much. Grandma Yona always said to give to other people without expecting anything in return. After her death we discovered from numerous people who came to her funeral how much she gave in secret. My grandma was by no means rich. But she was living alone and she didn't need much for herself. I tried to keep this dream of making money from writing afloat. But the world has moved on while I stayed behind. I do still want to write because I enjoy it and I know someone else will too, but it's time to grieve this dream. In a way, thanks to her, something in me wants to keep writing this thing even though I know it would only reach a handful of people. If those people enjoyed it, I succeeded. ## Thank You For Reading! This is all I have for you today. Thanks for sticking around with me. What's one dream you have that you think won't happen? Let me know by either replying to this email, or commenting below if you read this online. ### This Isn't The Three-Month Issue I Planned URL: https://theorencohen.com/newsletter/this-isnt-the-three-month-issue-i-planned/ Last updated: 2026-08-21T12:28:49.000Z My aunt almost died this week. I didn't think I'd "celebrate" the three-month milestone of this newsletter with such somber news, but here we are. So today, I want to reflect on Life and Death, and tell you a little bit about my aunt. By the end, I'll also share a few nerdy things, don't worry, this is still called my nerdy letter. Let's dive in. ## My Aunt Was a Prominent Part of My Life I remember her old house, the one before she moved closer to us, very well. It was almost my second home. There was an entry way into the row of building entrances covered with bushes. It was like you almost entered a secluded secret area of the neighborhood. Her house was in the third entrance and I had to climb three floors by foot. There was no elevator. My Aunt's house always had a faint smell of cigarettes. Both she and her late husband were smokers. And not like once in a while or even daily. They smoked whole packs. I remember the schnitzel that she used to make me and my cousin when we would come back from school. I often stayed at her house. My cousin and I would watch movies, or just play board games and do homework. These memories are from my elementary school days. It's been over 25-30 years since. My uncle died almost three years ago. She wasn't the same since. Diabetes was hard on my uncle. It got complicated even further when he didn't really follow the advice he was given about his diet. They wanted to amputate his foot that became gangrenous, but he refused. Without this amputation, his system was overloaded with the septic shock that the gangrene caused, and he died a painful death. Since that day, my aunt was deeply depressed. For months she was grieving his loss, but she was healthy, even though she's celebrating 79 next week. Earlier this week, after months of battling lung cancer, presumably from the cigarettes she smoked for decades, her COPD seems to have gotten worse. That prompted a visit to the hospital. The news I got from my parents and cousin about her was that things were getting worse. On Monday, I came over to help with a BPAP machine. It was probably the only time in my adult life that I was ok with someone treating me like I'm a technician. If it helped my aunt, I was all in. On Tuesday, my father called me at 13:30, the middle of my workday, and told me to come to the hospital. We all came. We all said our goodbyes. She whispered things in my ear that I would never tell anybody. I promised to do what she asked. We went home thinking that she wasn't going to survive the night. But she did. She stayed up all the time, because she was anxious and delusional from the oxygen deprivation. Now, she's at home. Last I heard she had a mostly good night's sleep with an oxygen mask on her face. This is the thing that infuriates me the most. We are dying every day from car crashes, terrorism, wars, and medical complications. Many of these deaths could be prevented. My maternal grandmother died about 20 years ago when doctors made a mistake and gave her two medications that shouldn't go together and it crashed her system. Her death was preventable too. I don't know what the future holds for my aunt. I hope her COPD symptoms could be managed in the same way her lung cancer is. With my aunt in the hospital, I announced I was stopping streaming, but two days later, when I came back to it, I realized it's relieving my stress. ## I'm Half Way Through Mass Effect 2 The Mass Effect Series is really important to me. I started replaying it on my YouTube channel a few months ago, and it's been so fun to come back to these games, and relive all of the moments that made me fall in love with this series all over again. This week, I got to do the Collector's Ship mission which is halfway through the game. I still have a lot of loyalty missions to go through until I can do the suicide mission. And even then I still have some DLC to finish like Lair of the Shadow Broker and Arrival before I import the save to ME3. My ulterior motive is to capture just gameplay on my PC itself. I want to create essays about Mass Effect at some point so capturing just the gameplay helps with clean b-roll. Outside of video games, I also bought a few new books today. ## New Fantasy Series Acquired Not much to say about this but there are six new books in my backpack now waiting for me to take them home to my packed shelf: The Poppy War trilogy and the Jade City trilogy. I heard good things on both but I won't judge them until I read them. And finally, I took some time to republish one of my popular guides. ## I Published My Dropout Beginner's Guide It's a guide I wrote about the service as a veteran viewer. I hope it helps anybody wanting to start with series like Dimension 20 and Game Changer. You can read it here: [Beginner’s Guide to Dropout.TVIf you’ve heard of Dropout and you don’t know where to start watching shows on the service, let me help you as a longtime Dropout subscriber. (Last Updated: Aug 2026)![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/2f/9d/2f9dd706-fe4e-4ea5-915c-baf010e8bd57/content/images/icon/favicon-ea02ed8e-f266-426e-9a4b-150b7d413b4f.ico)Oren CohenOren Cohen![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/2f/9d/2f9dd706-fe4e-4ea5-915c-baf010e8bd57/content/images/thumbnail/61JRfmU-KXL-c2c7995b-f0fa-42c5-8598-f9b3c262522f.jpg)](https://theorencohen.com/beginners-guide-to-dropout-tv/) ## That's All For Today! Thanks for reading! What nerdy thing you did this week that you're proud of? Hit reply and let me know, or comment below if you're reading this online. See you soon, Oren ### Beginner's Guide to Dropout.TV URL: https://theorencohen.com/beginners-guide-to-dropout-tv/ Last updated: 2026-09-08T05:24:42.000Z Hello there, internet citizen! You've heard about this up-and-coming streaming service called Dropout, and you don't know whether you should get it or what it offers. You might have seen some TikToks and even heard about this Brennan guy or this Sam guy, and you don't really know what's going on, but you want to learn more. First of all, Hi! My name is Oren, and I'm a Dropout veteran (and superfan). I've been a fan since February 2019, when it became available worldwide. It's crazy to think that last February marked eight years since I joined and almost nine years since Dropout was created. ***Let me guide you through all the major shows Dropout has on offer as of August 2026, with a guarantee that I'll update this article when the service introduces major changes.*** Let's dive right in, shall we? ## Sign up for Oren Cohen Essays on the books, games, shows, and movies I can't stop thinking about. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ## Dimension 20 Dimension 20 is an anthology show of campaigns in various tabletop role-playing systems. They just announced their 24th season on service. Yes, you read that right - there are 30 seasons to this anthology series. If you are into D&D, role-playing games, and *Critical Role*, this would be your go-to on the service. The good thing about Dimension 20, is it's easy to start. Only a handful of the 30 seasons of the show are related to each other, and some are shorter than others. If you want to start with a season that would teach you how to play D&D and isn't too time-consuming, you would probably start with [Dungeons and Drag Queens](https://theorencohen.com/dimension-20-dungeons-and-drag-queens-review/). It's only 4 episodes long. If you're looking for something a little longer with more story, you might want to dive into A Court of Fey and Flowers - a fey season heavily inspired by Bridgerton. If you want to start with a core cast season - which are the longest seasons of about 20 episodes - you might start with something like NeverAfter or A Starstruck Odyssey. They are not connected to anything else. If you want to dive into the culture of the service, you would start with *Fantasy High* \- the first season of Dimension 20 - and go from there by the release date of the seasons to experience them as we veterans did when they first came out. Whatever you decide, here's where you can find all of them: ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/b2/fa/b2fa033c-a3e8-4b49-b671-6fa11d6bade7/content/images/2024/01/d20.jpg) #### Dimension 20 - Dropout Every season of Dimension 20. [Watch Now](https://www.dropout.tv/dimension-20?ref=theorencohen.com) ## Dimension 20: Adventuring Academy This is essentially an interview show between Brennan and other tabletop role-playing nerds. In each episode, there are discussions about useful topics for dungeon masters, but not exclusively. This show essentially teaches you how to be a better storyteller. It’s also very much a fun discussion to listen to. Catch it here: ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/b2/fa/b2fa033c-a3e8-4b49-b671-6fa11d6bade7/content/images/2024/07/IMG_0120.jpeg) #### Dimension 20: Adventuring Academy - Dropout [Watch here](https://www.dropout.tv/adventuring-academy?ref=theorencohen.com) ## Um, Actually *Um, Actually* is a game show where three contestants need to prove which one is the nerdiest by fixing statements made by the host - originally that was Mike Trapp. Ify Nwadiwe has hosted for a few seasons now. Like Dimension 20, this show has existed since the beginning. In fact, it existed even before Dropout, as a series of short videos on CollegeHumor’s YouTube channel, its predecessor. As a game show, each episode is different. You can just pick one and go. They always range from 35 to 45 minutes. This is one of the longest-running shows on the service. Not 30 seasons like Dimension 20, but over the eleven seasons the show has produced, it has over 150 episodes. That's a lot of opportunities to learn some nerd facts. One of the things I love about the show is that the writers and hosts on this show curate questions not just to make it hard on the players but also to raise discussion about the things that were true in a statement that make no sense or are worth talking about. Each episode ends with a tradition: a "real-life skills" question. If you're American, those questions could teach you something new you didn't know before about your economy, health, car, career, and more. Watch them all here: ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/b2/fa/b2fa033c-a3e8-4b49-b671-6fa11d6bade7/content/images/2024/01/um-actually.jpg) #### Um, Actually - Dropout All seasons of Um, Actually. [Watch Now](https://www.dropout.tv/um-actually?ref=theorencohen.com) ## Game Changer Game Changer, as opposed to Dimension 20 and Um, Actually, has only eight seasons. It came out in September 2019, about a year after the service launched. This game show is Sam Reich's little haven of expression. Beyond smaller episodic games like "Sam Says," the seasons are taking on more ambitious projects like Survivor and Fool's Gold. Overall, Game Changer has been a good platform to try new game-show ideas on the service. Make Some Noise and Crowd Control are only two examples of shows that started as Game Changer episodes. Catch Game Changer episodes here: ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/b2/fa/b2fa033c-a3e8-4b49-b671-6fa11d6bade7/content/images/2024/01/game-changer.jpg) #### Game Changer - Dropout All Game Changer episodes. [Watch here](https://www.dropout.tv/game-changer?ref=theorencohen.com) ## Make Some Noise Make Some Noise started as an episode of Game Changer. In fact, it was the 2nd episode of season 1. People loved it so much that, season after season, Sam did another episode to continue the rounds. It got to a point where those episodes became so popular that it was time to diverge from Game Changer and create a whole show just of that gameplay. Now Make Some Noise already has four seasons. Catch it here: ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/b2/fa/b2fa033c-a3e8-4b49-b671-6fa11d6bade7/content/images/2024/07/IMG_0116.jpeg) #### Make Some Noise - Dropout All episodes of Make Some Noise. [Watch here](https://www.dropout.tv/make-some-noise?ref=theorencohen.com) ## Breaking News Breaking News is one of the funniest shows on the service, and each episode is only about 8 minutes or less. The show's premise is that the participants don't know what they're about to say, and they're not allowed to smile or laugh. These episodes capture pure chaos, and I highly encourage you to savor them when you're down. They'll lift you up in an instant. In the earliest seasons of this show, the fun was in making prompts that would break the cast. But as the budget for this show grew, food challenges and maybe even "crafts" challenges have been added. It's fantastic. Watch Breaking News here: ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/b2/fa/b2fa033c-a3e8-4b49-b671-6fa11d6bade7/content/images/2024/07/IMG_0117.jpeg) #### Breaking News - Dropout All episodes of Breaking News. [Watch here](https://www.dropout.tv/breaking-news-no-laugh-newsroom?ref=theorencohen.com) ## Dirty Laundry Dirty Laundry is a pretty new addition from the last few years that took the Dropout community by storm. That show reveals secrets about our beloved famous people. Each episode has about 10 secrets that the players need to guess the owners of. If it's their own secret, they need to deflect and accuse other people. If you manage to slip under the radar undetected, you get three points. If you manage to guess someone correctly, you get one point. Another segment of this show is "What are we drinking, Grant?" where Grant, effectively the co-host alongside Lily Du, who runs the game, teaches us how to make a drink with his mixologist skills. Some of these drinks look delicious! It's a lot of fun, alcohol, and "tea," and if you want to know more about your heroes, make sure to watch the episodes they're in! Watch Dirty Laundry here: ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/b2/fa/b2fa033c-a3e8-4b49-b671-6fa11d6bade7/content/images/2024/01/dirty-laundry.jpg) #### Dirty Laundry - Dropout All Dirty Laundry episodes. [Watch here](https://www.dropout.tv/dirty-laundry?ref=theorencohen.com) ## Very Important People Very Important People is quickly becoming one of my favorite shows on the service. Hosted by talented human Vic Michaelis, the show features interviews with fictional people. The premise of the show is that each guest will be transformed into a character using makeup, clothing, and even prosthetics in some cases and will not know who they become until the transformation is finished. Once they look at themselves in the mirror, they need to come up with a personality and background for the new person. Later on, Vic interviews the guest, and it always somehow ends up being a completely unhinged conversation. Watch it for some good improv and funny moments! Find all episodes here: ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/b2/fa/b2fa033c-a3e8-4b49-b671-6fa11d6bade7/content/images/2024/07/IMG_0108.jpeg) #### Very Important People - Dropout All Very Important People Episodes [Watch Here](https://www.dropout.tv/very-important-people?ref=theorencohen.com) ## Thousandaires Thousandaires is a testament to how much Dropout has grown over the years. The premise of this show is that in each episode, one person receives a thousand dollars and needs to decide what to do with it for their friends. And the reason I call this a testament to Dropout’s growth is that this show would never have been possible in the service's early days. Not only do you need to pay for the cast and crew for their work, but you also need to take out 1000 extra dollars? The early days of Dropout were marked by skeleton crews and wildly limited productions. So, whether you are already a fan of the cast or not, watch an episode or two. It’s just fun, and the episodes are wildly different from each other. Watch here: ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/b2/fa/b2fa033c-a3e8-4b49-b671-6fa11d6bade7/content/images/2024/07/IMG_0109.jpeg) #### Thousandaires - Dropout All Thousandaires episodes. [Watch Here](https://www.dropout.tv/thousandaires?ref=theorencohen.com) ## Smartypants This show is the epitome of nerdiness on the service. Rekha Shankar hosts a series of lectures about the most nerdy and funny things. Remember, the premise of the service is to offer giggles. So, even in such a “serious” setting, being funny will always be a part of it. Each episode has one lecturer and a host of guests who can listen and also share their remarks during the presentation. Rekha sits among the listeners and acts as the “mediator” of the lecture. This one is more on the nerdier side. Give it a shot and let me know what you think about it! Watch here: ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/b2/fa/b2fa033c-a3e8-4b49-b671-6fa11d6bade7/content/images/2024/07/IMG_0110.jpeg) #### Smartypants - Dropout All Smartypants episodes. [Watch Here](https://www.dropout.tv/smartypants?ref=theorencohen.com) ## Total Forgiveness Total Forgiveness sits somewhere between a documentary and a reality show. Grant and Ally Beardsley are good friends who just want to pay off their debt. To that end, they decide to have a candid conversation with Sam about doing a competition where they’ll challenge each other for various amounts of money. The challenges can’t be easy. They must be serious challenges. And let me tell you, they definitely were. As someone who's dealt with vast amounts of debt earlier in my life, I really related to Grant and Ally in this show. I hope there’s another one sometime in the future. Watch here: ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/b2/fa/b2fa033c-a3e8-4b49-b671-6fa11d6bade7/content/images/2024/07/IMG_0111.jpeg) #### Total Forgiveness - Dropout All Total Forgiveness episodes. [Watch Here](https://www.dropout.tv/total-forgiveness?ref=theorencohen.com) ## Gods of Food Gods of Food is another show by Rekha Shankar. It’s a parody of all of those food shows, but it’s SO well-done! (Pun definitely intended) Rekha does not actually appear in the episodes; she just made the show. Each episode features a different “food person,” whether a chef or a baker, or some other food-related persona. Aside from them telling their story, there are a couple of food-rating people who add more context to the story. Beyond how original this show is, it also looks fantastic, with really unique cinematography. And it’s funny! Give it a shot and watch here: ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/b2/fa/b2fa033c-a3e8-4b49-b671-6fa11d6bade7/content/images/2024/07/IMG_0112.jpeg) #### Gods of Food - Dropout All Gods of Food episodes. [Watch here](https://www.dropout.tv/gods-of-food?ref=theorencohen.com) ## Kingpin Katie Kingpin Katie is the logical conclusion of a bit that's been around since the days of CollegeHumor. Yeah, remember that name? Dropout killed the brand, but all the videos from CollegeHumor are now conveniently still on the CollegeHumor channel, which changed its name to Dropout. Back then, sketches were uploaded to the channel. The cast members had their own lore. One of those bits was that Katie is addicted to Cocaine. It began as a comment on one of the videos that wasn’t even related to the white powder references that came later, but the team decided to lean into it. The “Katie” character slowly adopted more and more Cocaine references in the sketches until it became such a huge deal that people started commenting that in every video Katie was in, regardless of the bit. Kingpin Katie is a show about how Katie became a Cocaine drug dealer and absolutely slayed in her own Katie way. It’s funny, and it’s only one season. Watch it here: ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/b2/fa/b2fa033c-a3e8-4b49-b671-6fa11d6bade7/content/images/2024/07/IMG_0113.jpeg) #### Kingpin Katie - Dropout All Kingpin Katie episodes [Watch here](https://www.dropout.tv/kingpin-katie?ref=theorencohen.com) ## The Rank Room The Rank Room is Katie’s first show on the service. It began, as most early shows on the service did, as a YouTube series. In the early days of Dropout, this was one of the shows I loved watching all the time. I still come back to this show from time to time, just because it feels rewatchable. The premise of the show is a big question, and each “contestant,” including Katie herself, has to present two ideas to the table. Then, after all ideas that satisfy the prompt are presented, each contestant needs to choose one for the top three, and then Katie has to rank the top 3. This is the first show on the channel that felt like it had a professional game show vibe. This came out six months before Game Changer was introduced back in 2019. Give it a go: ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/b2/fa/b2fa033c-a3e8-4b49-b671-6fa11d6bade7/content/images/2024/07/IMG_0114.jpeg) #### The Rank Room - Dropout All The Rank Room episodes. [Watch here](https://www.dropout.tv/the-rank-room?ref=theorencohen.com) ## Monét's Slumber Party This is a new show on the service which I have little experience with. Regardless, I wanted to update you of its existence! I'll watch it and update you soon with my own thoughts! Watch it here: ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/b2/fa/b2fa033c-a3e8-4b49-b671-6fa11d6bade7/content/images/2024/09/c0e3a3f0-9e4a-4dc2-9366-e8c8e4f80687.webp) #### Monét's Slumber Party All Monét's Slumber Party episodes. [Watch here](https://www.dropout.tv/monet-s-slumber-party?ref=theorencohen.com) ## Hardly Working Hardly working is here to commemorate CollegeHumor’s Legacy. These are all the sketches that came out back in the day. All of them are very good. The good benefit of watching them on Dropout is they’re not censured. Dropout can publish whatever they want on their own platform and that means censorship is not required. Especially since Dropout doesn’t have advertisers to cater to as they did on CollegeHumor. Give some of these a go. They’re brilliant! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/b2/fa/b2fa033c-a3e8-4b49-b671-6fa11d6bade7/content/images/2024/07/IMG_0115.jpeg) #### Hardly Working - Dropout All Hardly Working sketches. [Watch here](https://www.dropout.tv/hardly-working?ref=theorencohen.com) ## Everything Else Believe it or not, there are still many shows on the service I did not mention in this article! New shows are added every year, and Dropout has been in business since 2018. Especially now that Dropout is growing. That means bigger, better shows that come out more frequently. So, once you’re in the mood to find something new, visit the “series” page on Dropout and find something new to watch! ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/b2/fa/b2fa033c-a3e8-4b49-b671-6fa11d6bade7/content/images/2024/07/IMG_0119.jpeg) #### All Series - Dropout Series page where all shows on Dropout live. [Find something to watch](https://www.dropout.tv/series?ref=theorencohen.com) ## That’s It! Thank you for reading this long beginner’s guide to Dropout. It’s been a long time coming! I hope it helps you learn more about the service and to find something new to watch! If you have any questions or feedback, or just want to talk about Dropout, feel free to drop a comment below! I read and interact with all of them! ### Small Things Compound URL: https://theorencohen.com/newsletter/small-things-compound/ Last updated: 2026-08-14T11:08:55.000Z Yesterday I was walking on the beach when I noticed a father taking pictures of his baby sitting on the grass. This father did not have any other family with him. I don't know what came over me in that moment, but I stopped my walk and my podcast and came over to him. "Do you want a picture of you both?" I asked him. In that moment I knew I was trying to do a good thing but my brain was filled with a million negative scenarios racing. "leave me alone" was the least of the horrors my brain produced in that moment. And yet, reality was way different. "wow, yes" the man said. I took three pictures. And when I was done I showed them to him, he was genuinely happy when he thanked me and we both left on our separate ways. It was such a small moment but it stayed with me. I kept thinking about it and smiling long after that walk ended. The thing is, that small blip in time wasn't a fluke. A once in a lifetime bravery. It's one instance of a pattern I started noticing in myself lately. Small changes have been compounding in me. Like offering a picture or adding an extra workout. This issue is about that. ## I've Been Talking to Strangers Lately Every time I go to this Tel Aviv mall on a Friday, I always eat a slice of Pizza with mushrooms. Today I took a lightly different pizza because they didn't have my regular and I didn't want to wait. Today's pizza had thin slices of purple onion, extra mozzarella and sprinkles of parsley on top of the usual cheese and tomato sauce they put on every pizza as a base. This pizza was delicious. Anyway, as I'm munching on it while doom scrolling on my phone, I was approached by a french dad and his son asking me if the kid can sit. I said yes. There's no reason for me to hold up three extra seats when I'm alone. The father was grateful, the son ate his pizza, and I kept scrolling on my phone while munching on this heavenly doughy triangle I held in my hand. It's only after they left that I realized how silly I must be to immediately allow someone to sit at my table while also never asking to sit at tables that had open seats in previous times I've been here. I should try to do that the next time I'm waiting for a table to clear. I think the reason I've been more open to strangers lately is directly tied to my self esteem which has been rising slowly but surely with my gym progress. ## I'm At My Lowest Weight in the Last Decade I weight 105.0 this morning. This is the lowest I weighed in the last ten years. I also started noticing that I'm slimming a bit more. It's been rough to keep to my diet but I'm not hungry, I'm just giving up on some treats and going on walks. I do still need to reach my macros for the gym which means I have a specific intake of protein and such. But lately it's been easier to see progress. One change I made lately was that I raised my workouts to three times a week instead of just two. This morning I finished the second week on this new schedule and I guess it compounds. Keeping it to just two workouts a week has been draining since my body would be in this twilight zone where one workout would benefit from a rest of a few days, and the next one would be after only one rest day. I would arrive to that workout completely drained and sore, and usually fail my PRs. For now at least, it seems I'm on the right track. And progress in the gym has spilled into something I thought I had given up on. ## I'm Back Streaming The Mass Effect Trilogy Over the last few days, I've been feeling more energetic. I used to feel so worn out by the end of the day, and something has changed over the last week or so. I was ready to give up on streaming yet another time and something in me said, we'll do one mission. That was on 22.30\. And I did one. I played until midnight and recruited another companion. The next stream, I recruited Two more. I don't have a lot of people joining these but I also record them separately without my voice over and camera just so I can have b-roll for when I do essay videos on Mass Effect. I plan to play The Witcher 3 next after the trilogy. The shorts I've been sharing from these streams also got a decent amount of views. Like a thousand each. They don't go viral or something, but I enjoy making them. At this pace, I have a dozen or so streams before I finish Mass Effect 2. ## That's All For Today Thanks for reading. What's one small thing you did recently that surprised you? Hit reply and let me know, or comment if you're reading this online. Talk soon, Oren ### The Best Cure for Burnout Is a Finished Project URL: https://theorencohen.com/newsletter/the-best-cure-for-burnout-is-a-finished-project/ Last updated: 2026-08-07T15:03:47.000Z The best cure for burnout is the satisfaction of a completed project. I learned this lesson thanks to four videos and 130 total views. ## The Clock I've Been Racing Isn't Mine All my life, I've tried to achieve more with less. Be more productive, don't waste time, realize your dreams fast. I felt burned out more times than I can count, because I tried to do so much all the time. I hustled because I feared it would be too late. Too late? For who? One random Tuesday, on my way to work, a realization dawned on me: I have time. I have lots of it. I'm not even forty yet, and I'm lucky to be healthy and active. So why does this notion haunt me that I don't have time? Because some people around me don't. Namely my parents. And it's important to me to cross off the goals they care about. Family, kids, house, etc. So I hustle. But the imaginary clock is not mine. ## Burnout Leaves a Stamp A state of burnout, for me, feels like I want to lounge and not do anything. It feels like resistance when I want to edit a video or a blog post, or work on my favorite things. Every time burnout passes, it leaves something with me. A little caution stamp. It makes me less likely to start working on something, and it extends my recovery. ## I Said Focus Then Sprinted Anyway Last week, I decided to focus on one thing instead of chasing my entire list at once. One such thing is talking about Neon Genesis Evangelion. The focus was good, but I did the thing again. Instead of publishing once a week, I cranked four episodes in one week to start the series with a bang. ## My Best Work Got 62 Views It's a little discouraging seeing your best work getting ignored. The highest amount of views any of these videos got was 62\. I know I can't be picky. My YouTube channel has only 268 subscribers as of writing these words, but still. Here's the series so far: [The EVA Chose Shinji Before He Ever Piloted It | Evangelion Episode 1One scene with no pilot, no power, and no explanation tells you what this show actually is.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/2f/9d/2f9dd706-fe4e-4ea5-915c-baf010e8bd57/content/images/icon/favicon-ea52dc7a-18ed-4344-bef4-99094b83ccb8.ico)Oren CohenOren Cohen![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/2f/9d/2f9dd706-fe4e-4ea5-915c-baf010e8bd57/content/images/thumbnail/publication-cover-781aab56-dc7e-4ca0-8c5c-093df59ec58a.jpg)](https://theorencohen.com/the-eva-chose-shinji-before-he-ever-piloted-it-evangelion-episode-1/) [Shinji Didn’t Win His First Fight | Evangelion Episode 2The show hides Shinji’s victory for twenty minutes because it was never his victory to begin with.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/2f/9d/2f9dd706-fe4e-4ea5-915c-baf010e8bd57/content/images/icon/favicon-f3d2422f-df83-4b4d-8d92-a42b5554436f.ico)Oren CohenOren Cohen![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/2f/9d/2f9dd706-fe4e-4ea5-915c-baf010e8bd57/content/images/thumbnail/publication-cover-c4fab8cb-5fc6-40e5-889c-a45c2ca5e420.jpg)](https://theorencohen.com/shinji-didnt-win-his-first-fight-evangelion-episode-2/) [Shinji Has No Reason to Pilot | Evangelion Episode 3Father isn’t watching. So why is Shinji in that cockpit at all?![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/2f/9d/2f9dd706-fe4e-4ea5-915c-baf010e8bd57/content/images/icon/favicon-d1182378-4c18-449a-8993-00ab0881502c.ico)Oren CohenOren Cohen![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/2f/9d/2f9dd706-fe4e-4ea5-915c-baf010e8bd57/content/images/thumbnail/publication-cover-a5ede273-5f2b-42aa-9952-523a5e9ad39d.jpg)](https://theorencohen.com/shinji-has-no-reason-to-pilot-evangelion-episode-3/) [Shinji Finally Has a Reason to Stay | Evangelion Episode 4No Angel, no fight, and the most important fifty seconds of the series so far.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/2f/9d/2f9dd706-fe4e-4ea5-915c-baf010e8bd57/content/images/icon/favicon-b4ff3bec-3df1-4275-8d4c-821ba81d24ad.ico)Oren CohenOren Cohen![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/2f/9d/2f9dd706-fe4e-4ea5-915c-baf010e8bd57/content/images/thumbnail/publication-cover-0548c255-e5d3-4275-9205-439364c9fb6b.jpg)](https://theorencohen.com/shinji-finally-has-a-reason-to-stay-evangelion-episode-4/) ## So I'm Finishing It This series will be weekly from now on. And I will finish it no matter the amount of views, because the best cure for burnout is the satisfaction of a completed project. Who knows, it's YouTube. Evangelion is evergreen, so maybe over time this series will find its audience. I've recently started coming back to Pat Flynn, and in one of his recent episodes, I got reminded that the only thing I can control is my uploads. So I'll keep uploading. ## That's All For Today Thanks for reading and being part of the journey. What's one obstacle you just overcame? Hit reply and let me know. Enjoy your weekend, Oren ### Shinji Finally Has a Reason to Stay | Evangelion Episode 4 URL: https://theorencohen.com/shinji-finally-has-a-reason-to-stay-evangelion-episode-4/ Last updated: 2026-08-27T09:08:42.000Z At the end of episode 4, we see Shinji make his first choice and decide to stay on the platform and let the train go without him. He finally found his reason to stay. The road to this moment wasn't easy. Hi there, if you're new here, my name is Oren and I'm a nerd who likes to talk about my favorite shows, games, and books. Today we're talking about Neon Genesis Evangelion episode 4. Video: Oren Cohen's YouTube Channel. ## Shinji ran away At the beginning of this episode, we discover that Shinji ran away. Misato knocks on his door and tells us it's been five days since the fight, and sometime in those days, Shinji took his things and left. And remember, we know from last episode's ending that Toji got most of the way through dialing Shinji's number before hanging up. Someone almost reached him. Nobody did. Shinji kept saying he's not cut out for this, and we know from the previous episode that he was there only because he was told to and wanted to obey. But enough is enough. It's only when Misato gets a surprising visit that we realize Shinji has more impact on people than he realizes. ## Toji and Kensuke came to visit Toji and Kensuke visit Misato's home to deliver homework and ask after Shinji. She lies and says he's at Nerv. That was a small kindness. She can't do anything about it now, and there's no reason to make them worry too. I loved how we get to see Shinji is actually more loved than he realizes. But it's more than friendship. Shinji, Toji, and Kensuke survived a life-or-death situation, and those kinds of situations tend to forge a bond between people. He may have felt lonely, but whether he likes it or not, he found friends for life. And that friendship will keep growing when Kensuke encounters Shinji in the wild (quite literally). ## Shinji and Kensuke have a sleepover outside Shinji spends the day riding the train in circles, watching people come and go until he's the only one left in the car. The show doesn't comment on it, but after last episode's essay you know what I see: the kid nobody calls, alone again, going nowhere on purpose. And then he steps off and walks straight into Kensuke. Were you commuting in circles in the city? Kensuke recognizes him walking through a field and calls him over. They have a laugh and realize they both grew up without mothers, which is sad, but it's one more thing they have in common. Remember that detail. Something tells me this show isn't done with mothers. Things seem to be going well, and Shinji finally forms a bond with people, until secret agents come to take him away. ## Nerv erases Shinji When Shinji is returned to Nerv, Misato has a distanced conversation with him where he says he will pilot the EVA because he wouldn't want to put another kid through it, and he doesn't care if he lives or dies. That's when Misato has had enough, and she tells him to go back home and that it's dangerous for him to be there if he doesn't want to be there. Then we get one of my favorite frames so far. Shinji's Nerv card gets stamped, and the stamp appears twice. In English it says RESIGNED. In Japanese it says 抹消, which means erased. The translation is the polite version. The original says what actually happened: Shinji didn't quit, Nerv deleted him. Even leaving wasn't his choice. There's a sad little piece of dialogue at the end where Shinji asks, "Where is Misato? I want to say goodbye," and the agent answers, "You're no longer with Nerv, so you don't have access to this information," or something like that. I actually did not remember any of this part. I watched this show with my best friend when we were in our teens, and we didn't really understand what was going on. Now at 38, I'm paying attention to the story. And so Shinji is sent to a different train that will take him far away, and that's when he finally wakes up and makes his decision. ## Shinji decides to stay On his way to the train station, Toji and Kensuke intercept Shinji and give him a bag. Toji admits he understands now what piloting costs Shinji, because he was inside the EVA and heard it himself. Then he insists that Shinji punch him at least once, to make them even. And Shinji does, and they all smile. It almost broke my heart. We also see Misato suddenly realize that Shinji is just having a hard time communicating to people how he feels, and she runs to her car and arrives as the train drives away. At the end, we see Shinji decide to stay. And the show makes us sit in it. Misato looks at the platform where Shinji is standing, train station announcements going on, and nothing else happens for about 50 seconds. I checked. No Gen Z would sit through it, and honestly I almost didn't either. But it works. After four episodes of Shinji doing what he's told, the show stops everything so we can watch him stand still on his own. It ends with Shinji saying "I'm home," and Misato answering "Welcome back." Next episode, we give Shinji a bit of a rest and turn to Rei. Why does she smile for Shinji's father, of all people? ### Shinji Has No Reason to Pilot | Evangelion Episode 3 URL: https://theorencohen.com/shinji-has-no-reason-to-pilot-evangelion-episode-3/ Last updated: 2026-08-27T09:08:22.000Z Three weeks have passed since episode 2, and Shinji continues his training, doing what he's told. But in the cockpit this episode, he asks himself the question that defines him: "Father isn't here to watch, so why am I here?" Shinji has no reason of his own to pilot. So for the first time, he borrows one from someone else. Hi there, if you're new around here my name is Oren and I'm a nerd who likes to talk about my favorite shows, games, and books. Today we're talking about Neon Genesis Evangelion episode 3. Video: Oren Cohen's YouTube Channel ## Shinji is lonely One moment at the beginning of this episode doesn't get a lot of attention and it should. Misato gets a phone call from Ritsuko where they talk about Shinji. Misato says she bought him a phone but nobody calls him. She's beginning to think he has no friends. And that's important because that means that even in Nerv where he's been for three weeks now, he hasn't really made friends with other people who live there. He's pretty isolated and usually puts on headphones to avoid contact with other people. But we the viewers do see him glancing at Rei from time to time. I have a feeling he's about to make some friends, but it will get rough before it gets good. ## Shinji is getting punched in the face In this episode, we're introduced to Toji and Kensuke who are classmates with Shinji. Toji is furious with Shinji after discovering he's the EVA pilot from three weeks ago. That fight put his sister in the hospital and he wanted revenge for that. Aside from introducing us to new characters, this moment does more for the show. We usually don't really see any regular people when one of these fights is happening. The scale is the size of buildings. But in some cases, people could still be in those buildings. And when a new Angel alert begins, Toji and Kensuke decide to do something very stupid. ## Who is Shinji fighting for when dad isn't around? In the cockpit, just as he's about to start the fight against this new Angel, Shinji asks himself, "Father isn't here to watch, so why am I here?" And he remembers Toji and what Toji said about his sister. In the meantime, Toji and Kensuke have made their way out of the shelter to record the Angel and the fight. Only in peak anime fashion, the fight comes to them as EVA Unit-01 is thrown in their direction. Its hand slams down right where they stand, and they survive in the gap between its fingers. Then the episode does something wild. Misato has Shinji take both of them into the entry plug, and they experience the rest of the battle from inside the cockpit, hearing Shinji scream through every hit. From the outside, these fights look like Power Rangers: poses, explosions, monster of the week. From the inside, it's a kid screaming. Toji hears it up close, and that's where his fury starts to turn into sympathy. I kinda like the trope of bullies to friends. What do you think? Will Toji and Shinji become friends? Let me know in the comments, and if you already know, please don't spoil. Misato orders a retreat, but Shinji is not backing down. ## Shinji is disobeying Misato's orders Can you imagine disobeying your boss and then also having to go back home with them at the end of the day? That dinner was probably tense. But on a more serious tone, to me, Shinji didn't disobey Misato because he thought he could win or something. Charging the Angel with two civilians aboard isn't bravery. It seemed like he kept going because finishing the task was the only thing in front of him, and he doesn't really have anything to lose. Then the Angel cuts the umbilical cable, and Shinji is down to a few minutes of internal battery. That countdown added more fuel to the fire, but even if it wasn't there, I believe Shinji would not have backed down. The episode ends with the Angel dead and the EVA shut down where it stands, battery spent. But there's one more scene, and it's my favorite ending so far. Remember the phone nobody calls? Toji stands at the school phone, dials most of Shinji's number, and hangs up before finishing. He walks away. The phone almost rang. Hitting Shinji was easy. Calling him is impossible. Shinji has no reason to pilot. In the next episode, [he finds a reason to stay](https://theorencohen.com/shinji-finally-has-a-reason-to-stay-evangelion-episode-4/). ### Shinji Didn't Win His First Fight | Evangelion Episode 2 URL: https://theorencohen.com/shinji-didnt-win-his-first-fight-evangelion-episode-2/ Last updated: 2026-08-27T09:07:37.000Z Episode 2 shows us how terrifying the bond between an EVA and a kid can really be. Shinji's scream in the last few minutes isn't fear of what he sees. It's fear of what he now knows. Hi there, if you're new here, my name is Oren and I'm a nerd who likes to talk about my favorite shows, games, and books. Today we're talking about Neon Genesis Evangelion episode 2. Video: Oren Cohen's YouTube channel. ## Shinji suffers a spectacular defeat The first few minutes of this episode made me physically cringe. The Angel is not only hurting the EVA, but it also seems to hurt Shinji himself. It's Shinji who suffers when the Angel breaks the EVA's arm, or when it pierces the EVA's head. And it makes sense, right? Nobody watching this expects Shinji to know how to fight. He barely makes the EVA walk before falling on his face. In all ways that matter, it seems Shinji lost the battle. But somehow we cut to an absurdly bright room where Shinji wakes up. ## Shinji survived and we assume he was defeated One of the early frames after the fight is the EVA's head being transported. We also see his father in the elevator looking down at him with a stern expression. Like a disappointed parent. These scenes immediately planted in me the thought that Shinji was rescued. It's what comes after that breaks all of these expectations. But before we talk about that, let's talk about Misato's apartment. The episode makes us wait for the truth, so we'll wait too. ## Misato invites Shinji to live with her After seeing that Shinji and his father would not share a home, Misato intervenes and prevents Shinji from living alone. When we get to her apartment we discover a den of chaos with trash everywhere. She definitely has a drinking problem, too. I guess that's one of the perks of making a show for ages 15 and up. If you're gonna show disturbing imagery with robots being picked apart with blood running from their injuries, you can also show some suggestive themes, too, like Misato's cleavage right in Shinji's face, or Shinji himself running out naked from the bathroom after encountering Pen Pen. What do you think? Would you let a 15-year-old watch this show? Let me know in the comments. It's only after dinner, when Shinji is alone in his bed, where everything comes flooding back. ## Shinji remembers the EVA looking at him Looking up at the ceiling in his new bedroom, Shinji finally remembers, and we the viewers see what happened after the cut away from the fight. Just like when it protected Shinji from the fallen debris, the EVA wakes up again. And again witnesses call it impossible. The fight that follows is nothing like what Shinji demonstrated. It ends with the Angel self-destructing around Unit-01, which is exactly why the recovery footage looked like a loss. Even the wreckage implied defeat. Very appropriately, Shinji is absent from this entire sequence. We don't know how much he experienced from this fight. We only see him holding his head in the same area where the EVA suffered its head injury, and it's implied he lost consciousness. But did he? Before the episode ends with Misato telling Shinji people will be proud of him for what he did, we see him sitting in the cockpit and witnessing the EVA's biological eye regenerating and looking directly at him. Shinji's scream ends the memory. That scream is my answer. He did witness everything. He knows the fight wasn't his, and he knows what the thing he sits inside is capable of. The eye is terrifying to behold, but that's not why he screams. In the next episode, three weeks have passed, and knowing what the EVA is has not been healthy for Shinji. [Let's talk about it next.](https://theorencohen.com/shinji-has-no-reason-to-pilot-evangelion-episode-3/) ### The EVA Chose Shinji Before He Ever Piloted It | Evangelion Episode 1 URL: https://theorencohen.com/the-eva-chose-shinji-before-he-ever-piloted-it-evangelion-episode-1/ Last updated: 2026-08-27T09:07:07.000Z Neon Genesis Evangelion's first episode proves the connection between the EVAs and the kids is real in one scene, and that scene sets the tone for everything that comes after. Hi there, if you're new here, my name is Oren, and I'm a nerd who likes to talk about my favorite shows, games, and books. Today we're talking about Neon Genesis Evangelion episode 1. Video: Oren Cohen's YouTube Channel. ## Shinji Ikari's father pushes him into a life and death situation We begin this episode with Shinji in the middle of a ruined city in Japan, waiting for Misato to come pick him up. The show doesn't tell us why he's there. Is this a job? Is this just a visit? Shinji doesn't know either, and that's on purpose. He's a teenager who got a summons from a father he hasn't seen in years. It's clear his father asked him to come and sent him some information about the project to read via Misato, but none of it has prepared him for piloting a giant robot. ## The military throws everything at the Angel and loses The JSSDF spends the first act shooting at the Angel and nothing breaks through. So they escalate all the way to an N2 mine, a blast that levels the landscape around it. The Angel takes the hit and then repairs itself. And it doesn't repair mechanically. It heals, like a living thing. That's the first sign these enemies are not machines, and it's why the military finally hands control over to Shinji's dad. It's funny to me that this show is set in 2015 and we're now 11 years past it. How do you think we're doing? Are there going to be EVAs soon? Let me know in the comments. ## The EVA moves on its own to protect Shinji This is the scene the whole episode is built around. Shinji is afraid and rejects piloting the EVA. So his father calls in Rei, who arrives on a stretcher, clearly hurt from whatever happened on her last mission. While this is going on, the Angel's attack shakes the base and girders come loose from the ceiling right above Shinji. Unit-01 breaks its restraints and raises its hand to shield him. No pilot. No power connected. Nobody commanded it. An EVA moved on its own to protect a boy it never met. Everyone in the room is stunned, and the show doesn't stop to explain it. It doesn't need to. In one moment we learn the EVAs are not robots and the bond between them and these kids is real. Shinji goes to Rei, sees her blood on his hands, and agrees to pilot. The empowering beat lands because the EVA chose him first. ## The moment nobody can explain yet There's one more strange beat, and it happens earlier, on the street. A girl Shinji never met - Rei - appears to him for a moment and then disappears. On the one hand, I'm thinking it's the anime effect of dramatizing everything, but why would they do that? How does it serve the story in addition to being a spectacle? I don't have an answer yet, and I think that's the point. The episode plants it and walks away. File it next to the hand in the cage: two moments that tell us the rules of this world are bigger than giant robots fighting monsters. The episode ends with Unit-01 launching to the surface, Shinji inside, the Angel waiting above. In episode 1 the EVA protected Shinji. In episode 2 [the bond turns terrifying](https://theorencohen.com/shinji-didnt-win-his-first-fight-evangelion-episode-2/). ### Brandon Sanderson Called Me Ancient URL: https://theorencohen.com/newsletter/brandon-sanderson-called-me-ancient/ Last updated: 2026-07-31T15:03:43.000Z So I’m re-reading *The Well of Ascension*, slowly but surely, and I came across a funny tidbit somewhere in the early chapters in a conversation between Vin and Elend where she says Kelsier was ancient. Elend says 38 is not ancient, but Elend is only a couple of years older than Vin herself. Vin turned 17 in book 1. And it struck me that I didn’t even think about this line when I read this book for the first time over ten years ago. But now I’m reading it at… 38\. In fact, I turn 39 next month. As I age and re-read books from my younger years, I realize that books are good or bad to the person I am while reading them. And that person is changing. Vin would say this is ancient people's thoughts, and I own that. So let’s prove to her that even an ancient like me can still get shit done. ## I Went to the Gym Despite My Millennial Aches I spent this entire week with aches in my right foot. It’s like a pulled muscle right in the middle of my heel. So I skipped the gym most of the week. I assumed that doing deadlifts and squats while my foot hurts would just make it worse. Today my foot felt better, so I figured it’s time to go. I also didn’t do my usual weights, so I didn't advance my PRs, but at least I’m not regressing. In the same way I didn’t give up on my body, I also didn’t give up on my environment. ## I Can See My Floor for the First Time in Months For the longest time, I had a plastic box and some bags on my floor. Like constantly. These are items I procrastinated sorting. It was kind of embarrassing when, on one WFH day, I was double-checking that my Teams settings blurred my background. It was a genuine mess. This week I cleared it all. I even got rid of a stack of drawers that I cleaned up months ago and had only a few items remaining. Now there’s only a small desk where my laptop rests. I may turn this into a writing desk or use it to film shorts. And if we’re already talking about writing, let’s talk about some blog news. ## I Gave the Blog a New Face and a Lead Magnet One of the things I wanted to do for a while was to change how the blog looks. I know it’s probably the least useful investment of time because what brings people to my doorstep is the content, not how it looks. But it didn’t take much time to upload a new theme. In addition, I finished writing a list of 10 foundational Science Fiction and Fantasy books that shaped my taste and will do the same for you. This will be given as a gift to anyone subscribing to my blog, and I’m also attaching it here for you. Enjoy and let me know what you think about it! ## Thank You for Reading This is all I have for you this Friday. Thanks for being with me on this journey and listening to me prove to Vin that old people are still useful. What have you been up to this week? Hit reply and let me know. Thanks, Oren Here's the PDF: _This post is for subscribers only._ ### When It Feels Like Failure Try A Different Perspective URL: https://theorencohen.com/newsletter/when-it-feels-like-failure-try-a-different-perspective/ Last updated: 2026-07-24T11:31:11.000Z My first thought starting this newsletter today was that I failed. This week I had no progress in my reading at all. I'm only a few pages into The Well of Ascension. I also worked out only one time this week. And yet. I did publish two YouTube videos this week. And a blog post. It's so easy to let ourselves slip into negativity. If I had not taken the time to think a bit more on what I did this week, I would only remember what I didn't do. Take your wins. Here's mine. ## I Wrote an Open Letter to Felicia Day This week I supported The Guild's Kickstarter. Felicia Day is one of my inspirations, and backing the project got me thinking about everything her work has meant to my creative journey. So I wrote an open letter to her. You can read it here: [The Power of Making SomethingAn open thank-you letter to Felicia Day.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/2f/9d/2f9dd706-fe4e-4ea5-915c-baf010e8bd57/content/images/icon/favicon-b2c6fec7-d95b-42ce-9d0d-097d5f53e948.ico)Oren CohenOren Cohen![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/2f/9d/2f9dd706-fe4e-4ea5-915c-baf010e8bd57/content/images/thumbnail/photo-1585504198199-20277593b94f-b3f16028-7b85-4c1d-952d-0a636232b564)](https://theorencohen.com/the-power-of-making-something/) In the same way I supported Felicia, I also supported Worlds Beyond Number. They are doing an amazing thing right now with their Kickstarter. I didn't write an article for them, but I intend to import all my episode reviews from Geek Peek sometime in the near future. The next topic is just as close to my heart as Felicia's influence on my creative journey: physical media and its inevitable death. ## I Made An Ode to The Dying Publishing Industry I still remember Shonen Jump and how I would wait for it every month. Sometimes it would contain an Ultra Rare Yu-Gi-Oh! card, which I still have today somewhere. This came to mind after I watched The Devil Wears Prada 2 on Apple TV and realized how sad the state of publishing is. Most of us consume our content on the internet now, and because of that shift, many of those old magazines simply vanished. The ones strong enough to digitize did, and in so doing lost their soul. I especially love how Miranda frames it by the end of the movie to Andy: "Runway is just one of the last wood pieces floating next to the Titanic." And it's true. Magazines are vanishing or going online where they are so easy to miss or forget. You don't stack emails like you stacked old magazines and saved them like a small intellectual treasure. So I made a video about it. A bit spontaneous and different than what I usually make. Here it is: So now that we're done with the sour stuff, let's finish this issue with some fun news. I'm back to reviewing Min-Maxed episodes! ## I'm Continuing My Min-Maxed Review Series! So Min-Maxed came out to say that Season 2 has wrapped up filming and confirmed that Season 3 will be filmed too. I lost track of the season's schedule somewhere along the way and thought Episode 10 was the last one, but apparently Episode 12, which hasn't aired as I write this, will be the last one. When the episodes just started publishing, I reviewed each one and made it to episode 4 until I took a break. Now that I know there's more coming, I want to finish what I started. I published [episode 5's review](https://youtu.be/EcbTw1q9c2k?ref=theorencohen.com) on Sunday and [Episode 6's review](https://youtu.be/q0aT-QYSbaM?ref=theorencohen.com) on Tuesday. More to come this upcoming week. And finally, I have some news about this very blog. The home of the newsletter you're reading right now. ## I'm Documenting The Growth of This Blog Later today, I'm publishing [on YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/@oren%5Fco?sub%5Fconfirmation=1&ref=theorencohen.com) the first episode in a new weekly series, also published on Fridays, where I document my journey to grow this blog into a real home for a community. I am not trying to monetize right now, but I am trying to grow a place where nerds feel comfortable talking to each other about the things we all love. It would be my absolute pleasure to witness a conversation between two strangers about Mass Effect grow into a friendship. Or maybe theorizing about the Cosmere. Doesn't have to be video games. I also crave human connection. What is an online community without making new friends, right? It could be a failure. Maybe all the big names have taken all the community growing opportunities. Maybe I'm wasting my time. That said, I want to find out for myself instead of assuming. ## Thank You For Reading That's all I have for you today. What have you been up to this week? Hit reply and let me know, or comment below if you're reading this on the web. Talk soon, Oren ### The Power of Making Something URL: https://theorencohen.com/the-power-of-making-something/ Last updated: 2026-07-20T16:24:32.000Z Felicia Day doesn't know me. She probably never will. This blog and the content I make online exist largely thanks to her. I always had an entrepreneur's spirit. In my early twenties (almost twenty years ago), when everyone around me was playing StarCraft, I was making maps for it. When everyone wrote on forums, I wanted to start a forum. And then, one day, Felicia came into my life through Dragon Age II. As a whole, I wasn't in love with that game as much as I loved Inquisition or Dragon Age: Origins, but I still played all of it and the DLCs that came out for it. One of those DLCs was *Mark of the Assassin*, which introduced Tallis, Felicia's character. Out of curiosity, I started Googling Felicia and discovered a lot of essays she wrote about building community locally. I don't really have citations for those anymore. But I do remember one where she wrote about renting space in a local community to create real-life events. She spoke about their importance. About the human element of making something instead of just being online. Not that online is bad; it's just that real-life events have more impact. That inspired me so much, and I carried that with me for years. Not because I had some grand plans to start a community, but because I wanted those human connections. Felicia talked about physical spaces, but a digital community is better than no community, so that's what I chose to build. Life is way more fun when you have someone to talk to about your latest mission in Mass Effect, or the latest book in the Cosmere. Or how shitty PlayStation is behaving now that they want to get rid of physical discs. I kept going. First I started other blogs. Those never paid off. Then, in 2019, I started writing on Medium, which taught me a lot about publishing, but never gave me the community I wanted. I did build a community of writers called Medium Dreamers on Facebook, which is still active today. That group has 2700 members now. In 2020, when the pandemic hit, I started a YouTube channel, which grew into a nerdy podcast that carried on without me. And now we're here, on this blog. This is my personal space where I write things like this that someone may find one day. Something in me that sounds a lot like Felicia says ***Keep going***. So I do. So, thank you, Felicia! You'll probably never read this, but I want you to know there are many of us you inspired over the years. You've always been such a positive light everywhere you go, and I'm sure you'll keep going so much further. Sending love from the other side of the globe ❤️ ### I'm Writing a Fantasy Novel URL: https://theorencohen.com/newsletter/im-writing-a-fantasy-novel/ Last updated: 2026-07-17T12:23:23.000Z First, let's address the bold claim I made in the title. I had this book in me since my early twenties. I have a few characters, the world mostly fleshed out, and a vague sense of the story I want to tell. So why now? Because in less than two months I will turn 39\. My forties are closing in, and I still carry this world. It's an open loop in my mind that I must close or give up on. And I don't see myself giving up on that story. This morning I posted on Threads asking for advice from authors with full time jobs, and they told me wild stories about how they wrote their books during drives, in the night, or even by dictating while breastfeeding. Authors around the world have lives much more stressful than mine and they still published multiple books. It's like I'm not even trying compared to these people. More to come about the book in later emails. I'll create a separate newsletter for the book updates that you can opt into and write alongside me if you want. If you also have a book in you and you were waiting for the right time, this is my formal invitation to write that book this year. There's no better time coming. In addition to the book, I also had a good breakthrough Fitness-wise this week. ## I'm Adding a Workout to My Week Sunday, Tuesday, and Friday. I used to do only two workouts a week. And in a way I felt like I wasn't progressing fast enough. So I started adding another workout and I'm sore, but not that sore. It feels doable. I'm approaching 18 months of working out with gym weights. It's time I progressed further. This week I did both shoulders and chest in every workout instead of separating them. I feel the difference in my arms because each muscle used to get one session a week - now it gets three. The biggest change was waking up at 6 am for gym days and going before work. Those are office days so I'm limited in my time and that makes me more effective. One more thing I did this week was finish Mistborn which I'll talk about next. ## Mistborn Just Turned Twenty In truth, when I started re-reading Mistborn last week, I didn't realize its 20th anniversary was coming up. So when I was done, I only discovered it while working on the article and video. Thankfully, I didn't miss the opportunity to include it in my content so it feels a little bit more celebratory. Here's the Mistborn review: [There’s Always Another Secret: What Mistborn Teaches About Heroic DeathA reread of Mistborn: The Final Empire to celebrate 20 years of the series.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/2f/9d/2f9dd706-fe4e-4ea5-915c-baf010e8bd57/content/images/icon/favicon-5e0dde15-8b05-459e-bf18-e5578696ec1a.ico)Oren CohenOren Cohen![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/2f/9d/2f9dd706-fe4e-4ea5-915c-baf010e8bd57/content/images/thumbnail/mistborn-39248226-ed6b-4292-8efd-8475bdc5ed6b.webp)](https://theorencohen.com/theres-always-another-secret-what-mistborn-teaches-about-heroic-death/) That's all I have for you today. Thanks for being here! Talk soon, Oren ### There's Always Another Secret: What Mistborn Teaches About Heroic Death URL: https://theorencohen.com/theres-always-another-secret-what-mistborn-teaches-about-heroic-death/ Last updated: 2026-07-15T21:26:58.000Z 💡 This article includes spoilers for **Mistborn: The Final Empire*. Don't read onward if you haven't read the book. Have you ever read a book that made you love a hero much more after their death? Mistborn: The Final Empire does exactly that with Kelsier. He dies right before the end and we realize the heist's true purpose was to give the skaa a martyr all along. Mistborn has just turned twenty. So, in celebration of the series, let's explore Kelsier's journey and why Vin was never the hero of this story - only the protagonist. ## Scadrial is a Miserable Planet Every time a scene is described, there's ash and soot. Sanderson really makes an effort to make us believe Scadrial is not doing well as a planet. The skaa are slaves in all but name, and the nobility is so detached from everyone else that just existing in this world takes a lot of effort. Plants as we know them no longer exist in this world either. Mare, Kelsier's late wife, had a flower painting which tells us plants were green and now they're not. This world is not for the faint of heart. You either serve your betters or you oppress your lessers, there's no in-between. And then we get introduced to Kelsier who is definitely insane. ## Kelsier Was Committed to Dying From The Start I do believe Kelsier was ready to give up everything through most of the book. I don't know if he actually planned to die even before page one, but he was definitely there for a very long time. It makes sense he would live as he did if all he planned to do was die as a martyr. When you do that you don't really plan for riches or family. In the same way Vin infiltrated the balls and met Elend, Kelsier could have met his next wife too. He devoted his time to other pursuits. One of my favorite moments from the book is when Vin comes back in only her shift after having been rejected by Elend and then attacked by Shan Elariel. She explodes at the crew when Kelsier reprimands her for saving Elend - a nobleman. Some time later they talk on the roof and she tells him, "when are you going to leave me too?" And he sorrowfully says he doesn't know. But he does know and that sorrow is something deeper than sympathy. It's more gut wrenching to reread that conversation because of that. > "When are you going to go? When are you going to leave me?" > Kelsier looked sorrowful. "I... Vin, I don't know. This job, the plan...." - Vin and Kelsier, chapter 31. ## To Build a Crew is to Build a Family We begin this story with how detached Vin is from all the other allomancers in Kelsier's group. Kelsier himself is described as imposing and somewhat scary. Yet as the book progresses, we not only see Vin grow attached to each of them as she considers them her friends, Kelsier makes the effort to let her study with each of them. Kelsier is a Mistborn so he has access to all the metals. Yet the other members of the group like Breeze, Clubs, Ham and even Marsh are Mistings who have perfected their powers. She learns a lot from them. In a way they become Vin's family. And Kelsier's. Those relationships and the trust he put in these people is what let him do what he did next. ## Kelsier Never Thought He'd Kill The Lord Ruler It's so obvious now, looking back, that the few times where the group went to the square when there were executions, Kelsier was all about keeping morale. He knew he didn't stand a chance against the Lord Ruler. Given what we know about how Vin defeated the Lord Ruler, it's safe to say nobody had a chance. What Vin did was an unexplained feat that is raised as an open question. One which is answered in the sequels. So knowing he didn't have a chance, Kelsier did all he could to break the barrier of fear in his life so that when the time finally came and he gave his life, these people he called friends would answer the call and continue what he started. Part of all that effort was making sure Vin became the Mistborn she was always meant to be. ## Vin's Growth Was Fueled By Two Sacrifices Through most of the book, Reen's voice whispers in Vin's ear. Always making her doubt herself, distance herself from people, and essentially sabotage everything good in her life. Kelsier, on the other hand, showed her kindness. Brought her into a shelter where she could be herself and no longer fear what the next hour will bring. Both of those people sacrificed themselves. Reen, as we discover from Kar, did not give up Vin through Inquisitor torture, and Kelsier in the fight against the Lord Ruler. In a way, both of them died so Vin may live and grow. Kelsier released the skaa, and Reen freed Vin. Those sacrifices help her grow into the person who does not shy away from Elend Venture and returns to receive his affections at the end of book one. They also help her grow into the person who will make moves. Not just do as she's told. For most of this book, it's Kelsier who sets the tone and the plot. He gives the directions and Vin just follows orders, or follows in his footsteps. Kelsier not only passed along to her the Eleventh Metal, he also gave her the mantle of heroism. She still doesn't know it, but defeating the Lord Ruler has made others see her as a hero. Her job will be to own it. This is why she was never the hero of this book, only the protagonist. So we end this book with Vin not feeling like the hero but perceived as one. She's still not comfortable giving up on her survival instincts, but chooses Elend anyway. That open ended growth is how Sanderson sells us on the sequel. ## Sanderson Seeded The Sequel Naturally Into The Plot If there's one thing Sanderson does best, it's weave a plot through multiple books. He does that here too. Kelsier dies at the end of the book. The aftermath of dealing with that and getting rid of the Lord Ruler is the payoff we've been waiting for. But what happens next? Luthadel, and the Central Dominance for that matter, is without leadership and it seems Elend Venture is trying to fill that void. Will he succeed? Fail? We don't know. What about Vin and their relationship? What about the skaa? Do they get the better life Kelsier wanted for them? All of this and more are threads that Sanderson weaves through this book in a manner he did not do for books like Warbreaker or Elantris. Those were standalone books (at least as of writing these words). It's a lesson that future aspiring authors (like myself) can learn about the craft. If you intend to write a trilogy, act like it. Plan for it. I intend to walk through those plots in the next book in the series, The Well of Ascension. Stick around to discover my reread reaction to that book too. Thanks for reading! ### The Console I Blew Into and the Book I Haven't Written URL: https://theorencohen.com/newsletter/the-console-i-blew-into-and-the-book-i-havent-written/ Last updated: 2026-07-10T11:04:03.000Z I bought a Switch 2 this past week. It's been brewing in me for a while, ever since Nintendo announced the Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time remake. Ever since that trailer dropped, my TikTok feed has been filled with an increasing number of millennial content creators reacting to the news. It always begins with something like "No! No, no, no!" when that initial ocarina sound is played, they go crazy when they realize the game is what they thought it was, and in most cases it also ends with a teary-eyed "this year?!" when they realize Nintendo is mostly ready to get this game in our hands. I get sucked into each one of them. Not just because it's fun to see a dream come true for a fellow human, but because I'm resonating with the reaction. I would be among them if the remake was for, say, *Oracle of Ages* and *Oracle of Seasons*. Truth be told, I played many Zelda games in my youth, starting with the very first one. But *Ocarina of Time* was not one of them. I never owned a Nintendo 64, which is where I believe it originated. I played the first game on a console called Megason, or at least that's what we called it at home. It had those cassettes you had to blow into if the game got stuck. Those were the days. The first thing I did when I unboxed my Switch 2 was redeem the Mario Kart game that came with it, but after that, I imported all of my Switch 1 games into it. My Switch 1 had been sitting unused for a while because I was only really playing it for the gym-and-league Pokémon games, and it's been a while since the last one of those. It seems like now it's all about *Pokopia*. A bit of a hot take from my side: I don't really see the thrill. It's the same reason why I don't play *The Sims*. I did my 1000 hours in that game a decade ago and I am done. But playing *Oracle of Ages* on a bigger screen was an immediate dopamine hit. I can replay that game many more times. So far, I'm enjoying the experience, but I know I could be doing so much more with the Switch 2\. Give me time and I'll get there. I even have a docking station if I want to stream the games I play. The Switch 2 hasn't been the only thing feeding my inner nerd this week, though. ## I'm Deep Into Mistborn: The Final Empire Thanks to the mix of listening and reading, I'm almost halfway through The Final Empire. Just today I listened to 5-6 chapters alone on my errands. And it also seems the video I made at the beginning of the week about Warbreaker is picking up, too. It has crossed 400 views today. If you missed it, you can find it here: ## I'm Having Rebel Thoughts When I walked among the aisles of books today, before sitting down and starting to write this letter, I had a rebellious thought. ***What if I also wrote a book?*** The idea is not new. I have had a book floating in me for years. I'm just not really doing anything about it. But standing there today, I kept seeing all the author names on the spines. Some of those books are so thin. You can be the author of a book that changes people's lives, and it doesn't have to be a huge tome. Not everybody needs to publish Sanderson-like 1000s of pages novels. I'm dreaming of a future where I wake up to freedom in the morning. Coffee, and then write, or make a YouTube video. No contract with a company, any company, that takes your best years and the best hours of your day. And a place to call your own. I dream of bookshelves upon bookshelves in a personal library. Some of the books in that library are signed by authors, just like three of the Stormlight Archive books I own are signed by Sanderson himself. I dream of making videos and publishing essays about the things I love: technology, gaming, nerd culture. Engaging in comments and voice replies, and flying to conventions to meet fellow fans of the people I love. One day I'll have a picture with Mark Meer. It's a distant future. I don't believe it's an impossible one. Thank you for reading my rambling. I'll see you next week! ❤️ Oren ### Warbreaker is a Masterclass in Flawed Perception URL: https://theorencohen.com/warbreaker-is-a-masterclass-in-flawed-perception/ Last updated: 2026-07-08T20:27:40.000Z Sanderson weaponizes his characters' honest ignorance against you. That is the whole trick of Warbreaker, and it worked on me twice. Yes, this is a reread, and the last time was ten years ago, but the book still shattered my perception all over again. Nobody prepares you for that moment, even when you know it's coming. In today's post, I want to show you how he pulls it off, and why that makes Warbreaker such a good pick for your next read if you're looking for a standalone adventure. If you've already read it and want to nerd out about it, my comment section is open. There will be some spoilers, but I won't spoil the ending. This is your one and only warning. Video: Oren Cohen's YouTube channel - this is the video version of this essay! ## Siri Doesn't Know Court Life, So Neither Do We On the one hand, I identify with Siri so much. I always loved freedom too, meeting new people and just having fun. And then, like losing cellular signal on your phone with no wifi, you're cut off from everything you know. No more freedom. Siri is sent instead of her sister, and she's not prepared for court life. Because we ride inside her head, we're not prepared either. Every wrong assumption she makes about the God King and his court, we make with her. On the other hand, seeing her toughen up and start making moves in the Court of Gods is inspiring. She's growing into the ruler she is meant to be, and it's her unpreparedness that enables her to get there. The irony of it all is that if Vivenna had been sent to the God King as intended, there would be no story. ## We Trusted Denth Because Vivenna Did From my perspective, the main story was Siri's plotline. Sure, what Vivenna was doing on the outside affected the courts, but it only became meaningful when she teamed up with Vasher. Up until that point, Denth slowly winning her over as the team's new employer seemed light-hearted and fun. Vivenna didn't know any better. And we believed her, because we didn't know any better either. Sanderson never lies to us. He just lets an honest character be wrong, and we inherit her blind spots. That's how he gets you, and not just in this book. I recently started rereading Mistborn Era 1\. I'm in The Final Empire now and already spotted that Vin is a Mistborn before Kelsier explains it in chapter three. Once you see the trick, you start catching it early. And then there's the Breath itself. When Lemex's Breath is thrust upon Vivenna, and she realizes that giving it away means giving up her own Breath too, she decides against it and eventually learns Awakening, the very sin her religion preaches against. Even her beliefs about herself turn out to be flawed perception. ## Vasher Is the Trick in Reverse This entire book, in every scene with Vasher, except maybe one scene where he interacts with a child, we see that he's just not good with people. He isn't charismatic like Denth. So we assume the worst about him, the same way Vivenna does. And yet, he still wanted to help. When Vivenna teams up with him and slowly discovers his personality, we get to know a rough, stoic guy who still believes in making peace between Idris and T'Telir. He's just very bad at convincing other people of that fact. Denth performs trustworthiness and has none. Vasher performs none and has all of it. Also, the banter with Nightblood was always a fun and funny addition. If you're a Cosmere fan, you may have seen Nightblood elsewhere, but that's for a different blog post. ## The Betrayals Only Hurt Because We Saw Through Their Eyes For spoilers' sake, I won't reveal the betrayals in this book, but suffice it to say that both Vivenna and Siri are betrayed by someone close to them. That hurts us as readers too, because we trusted these people through the characters' eyes. In some cases we had our suspicions. In others, the rug came out from under us completely. The pain isn't the twist itself. It's realizing how long we were looking in the wrong direction. That's all I can say without spoiling. ## Lightsong Chose His Ignorance Lightsong the Bold lived a life that was meant to end. And yet, he was the only god in the Court of Gods who didn't believe in his own godhood. Here's what makes him the saddest version of the book's trick: everyone else is honestly ignorant, but Lightsong received his answers from the start. He just refused to accept them. His flawed perception is the only one that's self-inflicted, and the road the story takes him down ends in a very sad but inspiring way. That's all I can say without spoiling it for you. ## Verdict Warbreaker is an amazing standalone book, but it shouldn't be. I want more from this colorful world. I want more from T'Telir. We have come to know this society intimately in just one book, and the way it ends opens many paths for sequels. If you have not read this one, read it! I highly recommend reading it before you start *Stormlight Archive*. If you have already read it: which twist actually got you, and looking back, do you think Sanderson played fair with the clues? I would love to nerd out with you in the comments. ### The Bookmark Trick That Doubled My Reading Speed URL: https://theorencohen.com/newsletter/the-bookmark-trick-that-doubled-my-reading-speed/ Last updated: 2026-07-03T11:54:28.000Z I made it to Chapter 47 in Warbreaker today. Remember how last time I told you I was worried I'm not advancing fast enough? Well, this week I figured out how to keep reading without sitting down. It all comes down to a bookmark. Let me back up. ## To Read or to Listen? For a long time I only ever chose one or the other. I never realized that combining the two would make progress so much faster. Last Saturday, I spent around 6 or 7 hours reading. I observe Shabbat, so there isn't much else to do but read. That took me to page 280 or so. Then I did the math. If I wanted to physically read more, I'd have to give up my current fitness routine. I've been walking almost 20K steps a day, and I started seeing progress on the scale and in the mirror. Should I give that up for a reading project? I was almost ready to when an idea flashed in my mind during a walk. ## It All Depends on the Bookmark Whenever I finished my reading for the night or for Saturday, I would move my bookmark to the new spot and close the book. So what if I listened to a few chapters on my walk, then moved the bookmark to the page where the audio stopped? It seemed like such a small thing. Something so silly. But it worked. ## My Walks Became Reading Time I went to Audiobooks.com and bought Warbreaker there. (Why not Audible? Because of #SaveStargate, of course!) So this week I spent my walks putting in the steps and putting in the pages at the same time. Last I checked, I was past page 400. I listen at 1.5x speed because it makes sense for this book. Today I got through several chapters during my workout and even on a grocery run. When I get home, I'll move the bookmark to the new position and continue tonight during Shabbat, back in the physical book. ## It's Still Going to Take a While Even with all this listening, the app says I have 5.5 hours of book left. I don't know how many pages that is, but we've reached the Sanderlanche. All the pieces are falling into place. It gives me hope I will be able to cover books for this blog and YouTube every two weeks. We'll see how that works for me. ## The Veilguard Is Mass Effect 2 in Dragon Age Clothing Aside from that little reading adventure, I also revisited a piece I originally wrote for Geek Peek and gave it a new angle, both as an article and as a new video. My take: Veilguard was trying to imitate Mass Effect 2, and it failed on multiple fronts. Here's the full article if you're interested: [The Veilguard Is Mass Effect 2 in Dragon Age ClothingThat Is Both the Praise and the Problem.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/2f/9d/2f9dd706-fe4e-4ea5-915c-baf010e8bd57/content/images/icon/favicon-7eae7ef0-8f81-4bb1-8c8d-3d0aa8b4870d.ico)Oren CohenOren Cohen![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/2f/9d/2f9dd706-fe4e-4ea5-915c-baf010e8bd57/content/images/thumbnail/daveilguard-407c80b5-58a8-4ecb-aa8f-cf799a300071.jpg)](https://theorencohen.com/the-veilguard-is-mass-effect-2-in-dragon-age-clothing/) Thanks for reading! What did you read or play this week? Hit reply if you're reading this in your inbox, or comment below if you're reading this online. See you next week. Oren ### The Veilguard Is Mass Effect 2 in Dragon Age Clothing URL: https://theorencohen.com/the-veilguard-is-mass-effect-2-in-dragon-age-clothing/ Last updated: 2026-07-03T07:23:27.000Z I finished Dragon Age: The Veilguard twice. Two full playthroughs, every companion quest, both sides of the big city decision. So when I say the game is BioWare's second attempt at the Suicide Mission, and that it succeeds at almost everything except knowing what to do after the mission ends, I am not guessing from a half-finished save file. 💡 A quick note before we go on: this piece has spoilers for companion quests and the main plot. I will not spoil the ending itself. Video: Oren Cohen's YouTube channel - This is the video version of this essay! ## Sign up for Oren Cohen Nerdy takes on the stories I love — games, TV, books, movies, and everything in between. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ## The Suicide Mission, Again The best part of Mass Effect 2 was never the main villain. It was the crew. You spent the whole game recruiting people, earning their loyalty, and then watching that loyalty get tested in one brutal final mission where anyone could die. The Veilguard is that game again, in Thedas. The plot is a recruitment drive against the elven gods. The loyalty system is back, dressed up as companion quests and the *Hero of the Veilguard* status. And the ending sequence tests everything you did or skipped. Companions who are not Heroes might not make it. Once you see this structure, the whole game makes sense. The highs are ME2 highs. The gaps are the places where Veilguard forgot what made ME2 work after the credits. ## The Companions Carry the Game Dragon Age: Origins had those campfire conversations you could only find by clicking on your companions over and over, hoping they had something new to say. Veilguard fixed that. The map now shows you when someone wants to talk, and it is a genuine quality of life win. The trade is that the small stuff is gone. You can no longer dig for the extra stories, the ones not tied to the main plot, the conversations that made bonding feel like your own discovery. Every character is well written and well rounded, but the space between the plot beats is empty now. I am mostly satisfied with the new system, but I felt that absence. The companion quests themselves are the richest Dragon Age has ever had. Lucanis and Neve each hunt a deadly foe. Taash, Harding, and Emmrich go on journeys of self-discovery. Davrin and Bellara dig into the past. Each arc stands on its own, feeds the main plot, and pays off in the ending sequence. This is where the ME2 comparison is a compliment. ## The Decision the Game Fumbles There is one choice that reshapes the entire game: Treviso or Minrathous. One city falls. It is a huge, consequential moment, and it lands far too early. The game drops it right after you recruit Davrin, before most players have advanced any companion arcs. In my first playthrough I did not even know the Lighthouse map flagged companion conversations, so I hit that decision cold, with no loyalty built and no warning of the weight. Worse, the game never lets you push back on the consequence. A side quest in the Hossberg Wetlands has you destroy the source of a Blight eruption. So the game knows how to write that story. Why can we not hunt down whatever is blighting Treviso and destroy it too? Instead the fallen city just stays fallen, and the two outcomes are not even symmetrical. Abandoned Treviso becomes blighted. Abandoned Minrathous falls to the Venatori, but the blight never takes hold the same way. It is a strange asymmetry the game never explains. ## The Inquisitor Deserved More My Inquisitor is the sum of every choice I made in *Dragon Age: Inquisition*, and maybe in the games before it. Veilguard reduces that character to a supporting role in Rook's story. I understand the design problem. But the game hands you an Eluvian that can travel anywhere, and Harding even takes Emmrich on a trip to Ferelden. The road south exists. We just never get to walk it and see what the gods are doing there, or stand next to the Inquisitor while it happens. And here is the quiet tell: for the little influence the Inquisitor has, only one version of them really registers, the one who loved Solas and vowed to save him from himself. If your previous playthrough was anything else, Veilguard does not have much to reflect back at you. ## Villains That Actually Work Elgar'nan and Ghilan'nain are fantastic. They are cruel but coherent. They have moral compasses, twisted ones, guiding their actions. They are not chaos for its own sake, and the voice acting sells every scene. I felt something for Ghilan'nain after we slew her Archdemon. I felt Elgar'nan's tyranny when Solas confronted him so I could escape. One thing did not sit right with me. Both gods are blighted, and everything blighted in previous games was partly or fully insane. These two stay regal and composed. You can explain it away, since the Evanuris are spirits made manifest rather than true gods, but the lore purist in me kept noticing. ## The Ending Is the Best Part The ending sequence is on a different level from the rest of the game. Gut-wrenching decisions, fights with real interactive elements, and a final test of everything you built. The game even gives you a clean cutoff: the last quest warns you it triggers the ending, and the story says you have a month to prepare. Perfect DLC insertion point, if BioWare ever returns. My advice: do not touch that final quest until your companions are Heroes of the Veilguard and your factions are at Excellent status. The ending will test them, and they might not survive the exam. ## And Then, Nothing Here is where the ME2 comparison turns into an indictment. After the Suicide Mission, Mass Effect 2 let you keep playing. You roamed the galaxy, you played Lair of the Shadow Broker and Arrival, you lived in the world you just saved. Veilguard gives you slides. The consequences of your choices arrive in broad strokes, and then the game is simply over. No returning to the world, no visiting the factions, no walking through the cities you fought for. And because companions only talk when they have something scripted to say, the stretch after finishing all the side content feels hollow and lonely even before the ending. Origins and Inquisition were stuffed with side quests, and Inquisition gave you an organization with fortresses and power to build. Rook gets none of that. If I could change one thing about Veilguard, it would be this. Let me stay. The world is beautiful, my aging gaming PC ran it on Ultra without breaking a sweat, and Rook reacts to everything around them, from blight to scenery. A world this alive deserves to be lived in after the fight is won. I do not expect it to happen. BioWare has moved on to the next Mass Effect. But if they ever come back for DLC, Veilguard needs its Citadel. ## The Verdict The Veilguard is a very good game wearing the structure of a great one. The companions, the villains, and the ending sequence are BioWare at full strength. The early placement of its biggest decision, the sidelined Inquisitor, and the total absence of post-ending play are the gaps between good and great. It borrowed the Suicide Mission. Next time, borrow what came after it too. What do you think? Did the ending land for you, or did the empty screen after the slides bother you as much as it bothered me? Hit reply if you are reading this in the newsletter, or leave a comment below. And if you want more essays like this one, [subscribe to the newsletter](https://theorencohen.com/#/portal/signup) so the next one lands in your inbox. ### The Number on My Scale URL: https://theorencohen.com/newsletter/the-number-on-my-scale/ Last updated: 2026-06-26T10:27:52.000Z I read 65 pages of Warbreaker this week. Slower than I wanted, and a couple of weeks ago I'd have called that a loss and moved on. This time it left me with a real question instead. If a book takes me weeks, what does that actually do to the project? It could mean a blog post and a video once or twice a month, which is slower than I pictured. But I'm not sure slower is the same as worse. Maybe the pace just is what it is, and the thing to do is build around it honestly rather than pretend I'll suddenly read faster. I'll read a lot more tonight and tomorrow over Shabbat. Even so, I wanted to sit with the question rather than rush past it. I also had some genuine wins this week, so let's get into those. ## Sign up for Oren Cohen Nerdy takes on the stories I love — games, TV, books, movies, and everything in between. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ## My Scale Shows a Number I Last Saw 10 Years Ago I have been struggling with my weight ever since I was in my early twenties. I had always been bigger. And while I did try to diet and exercise more, my body seemed to work against me and I'd either gain back everything I lost or just keep climbing. About 18 months ago, I started working with a personal trainer and have reached heights I never thought I would. That meant looking more muscular for the first time ever in my life. And it also meant working on my diet. There I kept struggling. We tried changing my diet a few times but it didn't seem to help. Lately, I decided to take matters into my own hands and try just adding more steps into my day. That meant raising my step count to somewhere between 15k and 20k steps everyday. The way I did this was simple: I'd walk for an hour before work in the morning, and another hour after I finish my workday. That also helped clear my head. Yesterday morning, after almost two weeks of this, I stepped on the scale and still saw there a 3-digit number, but one I haven't seen for over a decade: 104.8kg I was struggling to go down from 107 back to a two digit number and it seems I'm on the right track. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/2f/9d/2f9dd706-fe4e-4ea5-915c-baf010e8bd57/content/images/2026/06/IMG_0033.jpeg) Image: Me taking an elevator picture, weighing less than 105 for the first time in 10 years. And the other positive signs are that I feel it in my clothes. This isn't just a fluke water weight spike. I actually feel it in my fit. If that's not a win, I don't know what is. ## Our #SaveStargate Posts Keep Making Noise Another win which isn't directly mine to share, but I want to report it anyway is about my #SaveStargate posts. I have been sharing a daily Save Stargate post and those are pushed out to people who like and repost them on X. It's not easy to keep the hope up that Amazon will change their minds, but I'm doing my best. We have been waiting for stargate for so long. It's just unfair that some pompous executive can cancel the dreams of an entire generation like that. There are so many threads to explore, too! I have been writing about them on X. I also keep liking and reposting other Save Stargate posts by other people. I love this fandom so much. It feels great to know I'm not fighting this digital fight alone. ## I Have Too Many Books I'm sitting here, writing this letter from the same book-store-turned-library that I told you about last week, and last week I told you about books I bought. Well, this time, I have a plastic bag with the four Eragon books waiting for me to take them home. I have no idea where I'll put them but I still wanted them. It feels weird to buy something you know you want to own and read, but at the same time not knowing where you'll put that thing in the long-term. I'm reaching that age where I want to own a house and put all my stuff in it. A space to call my own. That's a dream for another day and another newsletter. ## I Refuse to Give Up Streaming I haven't been streaming Mass Effect in the last couple of weeks. On the one hand, I'm annoyed with myself because at this point in Mass Effect 2, each mission could be a 90 minute stream in a similar manner to what I did in Mass Effect 1\. Doing so makes it pretty straightforward to finish the game and reach Mass Effect 3. The problem is I'm finding myself getting ready to stream too late in the evening these days especially because of all the walking. Where I would start a stream in 20:30, now I usually come back from my evening walk by then, needing to eat and take a shower first. So by the time I'm ready to stream it's almost 22:00 which is way too late to start a stream. I'll have to think about a solution for this. For now I don't have a good one to share. ## Thank You For Reading I'm enjoying writing these letters because I know I'll be able to look back and read them and see where my headspace has been in particular points in my life. I don't share my whole life here, of course, this is not a journal. But hopefully, the bits I do share do resonate with you. I appreciate you taking the time to read these and invite you to hit reply if you read this in your inbox, or drop a comment below, and tell me what are you reading these days, what's on your mind, and whether you have any wins or losses to share. This is a safe space. I'll see you in the next one! Oren ### 3-Body Problem Is a Drama Identifying as Science Fiction URL: https://theorencohen.com/3-body-problem-is-a-drama-identifying-as-science-fiction/ Last updated: 2026-06-23T20:38:10.000Z 💡 **Mild spoilers ahead. Nothing scene-specific, but I do talk about how the show handles a few setups.* There is a moment in 3-Body Problem where a player finishes the game, gets the invitation, and refuses to join the cause. I won't tell you what happens next. I will only tell you that it is the oldest trick in the book. Now compare that to Stargate Universe. Eli Wallace solves a math problem hidden inside a video game. When he turns down the offer, they beam him up to a spaceship to change his mind. That is science fiction. It makes a promise and it keeps it. 3-Body Problem makes the same kind of promise and hands you something much smaller. That gap is the reason I watched the whole show and still walked away cold. ## What Actually Makes a Show Science Fiction Here is my claim, said plainly. 3-Body Problem is a drama wearing a science fiction costume. I have a simple test for this. Stargate had Earth, but it also had the gate and alien cultures you could walk straight into. The Expanse had space and the politics of people trying to live across it. Those shows put something on the screen that cannot exist in our world yet. So what does 3-Body Problem put on the screen? Math. Computers. A video game we never actually get to experience as viewers. Some very advanced versions of things we already own. We barely even see space. Strip the label off, and what is left is a smart drama about scientists living in a world that looks exactly like ours. 💡 ****A quick interruption, because this one is personal.** If I keep holding Stargate up as the gold standard of science fiction, it is because I mean it. And right now the franchise needs us. In June 2026, Amazon canceled Martin Gero's Stargate revival before it ever filmed, even after a full writers' room and a creative team that actually respected the canon. The reason they gave was that it might not reach past the existing fanbase. Now they are reportedly weighing a hard reboot that could instead throw out 25 years of story. I think that fanbase is worth fighting for. If this show is the bar you measure science fiction against, the way I do, then join us. You can read [my open letter to Amazon](https://theorencohen.com/an-open-letter-to-amazon-you-didnt-just-cancel-a-show-you-ignited-the-entire-fandom/), sign the [petition](https://savestargate.com/?ref=theorencohen.com), then share it under ****#SaveStargate**. The gate is worth keeping open. ## The Drama Is Genuinely Good And here is the frustrating part. The drama is good. I saw pieces of myself in almost every character. Saul, the young spirit who wants to be free of every commitment. Rooney, who keeps nerdy stuff at home and, oddly, dresses a lot like I do. Auggie was my favorite, and watching her speak another language landed for me as an ESL person. Even Jin Cheng, the genius I related to least, won me over the second she started nerding out over a video game. The story holds up too. Ye Wenjie's past is a hard, honest look at a real chapter of China's history, and the show uses it to explain how a person gets pushed toward a choice the rest of us would call unthinkable. The world is rough for a lot of people right now. Look at how many wars are burning while you read this. People in real pain make extreme decisions. What the show is really about, underneath all of it, is belief. Ye Wenjie and Mike Evans decide that humans need saving from ourselves, and they put their faith in something out there to do the saving. I am a religious person, so I understand that pull better than most. You can hold two things at once. I can sit alone in a room and still believe God is there with me. Do I have proof? No. But I believe. Evans and Ye Wenjie are doing the same thing. They just have a clearer line to their lord. That is a drama about faith and despair, and it is a good one. It is simply not the thing the marketing sold me. ## Which Is Exactly Why It Let Me Down This is why the disappointment stings instead of fading. A bad show is easy to forget. But 3-Body Problem keeps waving science fiction at you. The countdowns, the game, the cosmic stakes. Then it keeps resolving its biggest moments with ordinary drama beats. I was never bored. I was promised one experience and handed another, and the show was good enough that I noticed the swap every single time. The recruitment idea is a small version of the same problem. The show suggests a video game can funnel people toward an organization with violent goals. Reach level four, get invited to a real-world meeting, get asked to join. I did not buy it. We already live in a world that loves to blame games for violence, and that is not how anyone actually gets pulled into a cause today. Games can shape a belief, sure, but only as one piece of a much bigger story, and there are better ways to tell that part. ## So, Should You Watch 3-Body Problem? If you want a slow, intelligent drama about grief, guilt, and the things people reach for when they give up on each other, then yes. There are moments here as strong as anything in Game of Thrones, and that is no accident given who made it. But if you came to scratch the science fiction itch, the one Stargate and The Expanse hit so well, I think you will leave hungry. I did. There is reason for hope, though, even if it isn't mine to promise. The show is renewed for seasons 2 and 3, and season 2 is expected later this year, adapting the second book, The Dark Forest. The people who made it have said the scale gets much bigger and the conflicts get more cosmic, and readers of the books seem to expect the same. A larger budget pointed at the right moments could finally put real science fiction on the screen. Game of Thrones grew into itself. This show could do the same. I haven't read the books yet, so I'm taking all of that on faith like everyone else who hasn't. Maybe I'll read them before season 2 arrives, so I actually know what to hope for. What did you think of the show? A drama in a sci-fi costume, or did it work for you the way it didn't for me? Tell me in the comments. ### Did You Know Anno 1800 Can Teach You Personal Finance? URL: https://theorencohen.com/did-you-know-anno-1800-can-teach-you-personal-finance/ Last updated: 2026-06-23T19:59:55.000Z 💡 **Author's Note: This article was originally published on Medium on July 30th, 2019\. It has been edited and republished here.* Anno 1800, like its predecessors, puts you in the role of an island owner. You are responsible for the residents, fulfilling their needs and making them happy. You start with a generous amount of money to build things on the easy difficulty. While you may have money to spend, you are also responsible for your monthly balance. The people of your island will push back if you spend more money than what you earn. ## The Newspaper Aside from losing the game when you're out of money, the game also "shames" you when you're doing badly with your finances. The game's newspaper feature is where that shaming occurs. You can pay with Influence points to put propaganda instead of the actual news. Influence points are hard to come by, and world leaders will respect you less for using them. It's a hint from the game that there is a better way than covering up your misdeeds. And usually, bad news means poor management on your part. Your people react to the news as we do. Their reactions are actual effects taking place between issues. One issue may lower the expenses of a particular factory for a while. Another may trigger higher (or lower) happiness requirements. ## Sign up for Oren Cohen Nerdy takes on the stories I love — games, TV, books, movies, and everything in between. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ## Managing Your Money The game has a handful of venues for making more cash. The primary method of earning money is caring for your people's needs (not to confuse with happiness). More people come to live on your island when you meet more needs. Needs are things like food, drink, and clothing. Happiness is drinking schnapps at the closest pub. In previous games, there were no happiness requirements to meet. The demands were all that mattered. This time around, needs and happiness work alone. For example, a farmer needs a marketplace and fish as two basic requirements. But the farmer can be happier if there's a pub near home and a steady supply of drinks for the pub. ## Expenses And Their Impact The game also makes you understand the intricacies of temporary expenses. For example, in one of the missions, you need to hire 500 workers to work on constructing a courthouse for the queen. The construction is a temporary situation. Once you finish building the courthouse, you will not need them anymore. The smart player will build more homes, upgrade farmers to workers, and meet their needs. Only afterward will they start construction. This way, you still make more money, even after finishing construction. And it also allows you to advance closer to the next population level. The other smart move (and faster) is to shut down factories for a bit. You will have to make sure you still meet your population's needs. You can buy supplies from other players or pick factories that don't meet people's needs. When you don't prepare for this expense beforehand, you will still be able to start construction. When you do, you will reduce 500 workers from your vital workforce. The development of everything affected by the move will slow down to almost a halt. This workforce shortage can cause you to miss your people's needs, and they may even riot. This game teaches teens and young adults to manage their money independently. You don't learn about managing your money in High School or many Colleges. ## Advanced Finance Features Aside from necessary finance management, there are also more advanced features. For example, you can sell a share of your island. That will make you instant money but at the risk of losing control of your island and the game. Instant money is never a long-term solution. The game makes the point by ensuring certain shares are always a dangerous route. ## Conclusion [Anno 1800](https://www.ubisoft.com/en-us/game/anno/1800?ref=theorencohen.com#1pOAO8hixYlvGTxpRRvbL0) is an excellent way to educate people about personal finances. The one rule of personal finance — Spending less than what you owe — shines through the game mechanics. If you take some time to learn the game mechanics and logic, you can use those ideas and techniques in real life. Each of us has money coming in and out during the month. If you learn to control those transactions, you could change your life for the better. What better way to learn than with a game with great visuals, gameplay, and achievements? Oh, and there's also a story campaign. Just so you know. ### Oren's Nerdy Letter #3 URL: https://theorencohen.com/newsletter/orens-nerdy-letter-3/ Last updated: 2026-06-21T20:44:29.000Z Have you ever had a day that slammed you so hard that you just needed it to end? For me, this was today. I took my mom on a bit of a trip to Northern Israel this morning on my vacation day. We took public transportation for about 3 hours to reach our destination, stayed there for about an hour, and then I took her to lunch in the area. The food was good enough. Not what I'm used to, but you can't really expect anything from a restaurant that operated essentially in the middle of nowhere with no real infrastructure around it. We had Chicken Tender Pita and some French fries. After lunch, we started our journey home to Tel Aviv at around 15:30 and arrived at 19:00\. The trip back took us by bus, train, and some walking and waiting in between. So exhausting. My head still hurts. And yet, I told myself I wouldn't give up on writing this letter because I needed to do it on Friday and had delayed it until today. I have to stop doing that. So here I am, writing to you at 23:32 at night before going to bed 😄 My main highlight from last week was this Open Letter I wrote and published on X/Twitter, which got some attention. You can read it here: [An Open Letter to Amazon: You Didn’t Just Cancel a Show - You Ignited the Entire FandomAnd we’re not backing down.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/2f/9d/2f9dd706-fe4e-4ea5-915c-baf010e8bd57/content/images/icon/favicon-e28782f1-a575-4326-b66e-4505657c4e1a.ico)Oren CohenOren Cohen![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/2f/9d/2f9dd706-fe4e-4ea5-915c-baf010e8bd57/content/images/thumbnail/434054-0e616a15-6e4b-43e5-af1e-f341522722f8.webp)](https://theorencohen.com/an-open-letter-to-amazon-you-didnt-just-cancel-a-show-you-ignited-the-entire-fandom/) This article got shared hundreds of times. It made me happy to see it making waves because I truly care about this community and want to see the show reinstated with Martin Gero's vision. I'm keeping the #SaveStargate flame alive with more posts that seem to get some attention now, too. I'm grateful that people see my posts and help share them with others who might not know Stargate as my generation does. That's all I have for you today, buds. I hope this week will be more productive on a few projects I've been putting off. You'll find out in your inbox 😄 Thanks for reading! Oren ### An Open Letter to Amazon: You Didn't Just Cancel a Show - You Ignited the Entire Fandom URL: https://theorencohen.com/an-open-letter-to-amazon-you-didnt-just-cancel-a-show-you-ignited-the-entire-fandom/ Last updated: 2026-06-22T18:36:38.000Z Dear Amazon, You canceled the new Stargate before a single frame of it ever reached us, and that is exactly why this one hurts in a way the old cancellations never did. When SG-1 ended, we got ten seasons. When Atlantis ended, we got five. When Universe ended, at least we got to argue about it. We got to love it, fight about it, and wish it had run longer. Every other time, the door closed after we had been let inside. This time you locked it before we ever got to look. Martin Gero's series got to a 20-week writers' room. It got to pre-production in the UK. It was real. It was close. And then someone in a meeting decided it "wouldn't have broad appeal beyond the franchise's already dedicated fanbase," and killed it on the spot. Read that reasoning back slowly, because it is the part that stings the most: the people who already love Stargate weren't a reason to make it. We were treated as a problem to design around. Here is what that logic actually produces. When you chase "everyone," you build something shaped by focus groups and fear, a show engineered to offend no one and therefore to move no one. Something built for the broadest possible audience usually ends up being for nobody. You had a veteran who worked on all three original series, someone who said outright that he wasn't here to undo what came before. That is the rarest thing in a revival: a creator who respects the thing he is reviving. And that respect for the source material is apparently what spooked you. So let me tell you who that "narrow" fanbase actually is, since the math in that meeting clearly missed us. We are still here. We are still rewatching. We are still buying the discs because we don't trust streaming libraries to keep our shows. The Stargate subreddit is alive. Fans are still making videos, art, podcasts, and theories sixteen years after the last series aired. I personally started a full rewatch the moment your revival was announced, because I let myself hope again. That is not a dead franchise. That is a fanbase that has waited patiently and shown up consistently, and you read all of that loyalty as a ceiling instead of a foundation. And we were hoping for so much more than nostalgia. There are stories left open that we have been carrying for over a decade: - **Eli.** Left alone and awake on Destiny while everyone else went into stasis, with a problem he hadn't solved and no guarantee he would live to see the ship's journey through. We never found out if he made it. - **Pegasus.** Atlantis sits on Earth now. So what happened to the galaxy we left behind? Is it safe? Are the people we abandoned there safe? What about the Wraith? - **Teyla and Ronon.** Whole lives we walked away from mid-sentence. They came to Earth with Atlantis, and then... what? Do we get them home? Do they live in San Francisco? These aren't loose ends to a "narrow" audience. They are promises. And every year that passes, the window to keep them closes a little more, because the cast is aging in real time. Nobody seriously expected Richard Dean Anderson to carry a new series as Jack O'Neill, or John Sheppard to come back as a lead, or for Samantha Carter to suit up full-time again. We understood the realistic version: a new SG team, new faces front and center, with the people we grew up watching returning as recurring anchors to bridge the old world and the new. That was the dream. A passing of the torch while there was still a torch to pass. You had the chance to film that while it was still possible. You chose not to. And the cruelest detail is that Gero is reportedly still under contract with you, which means his energy now goes elsewhere while Stargate goes back on the shelf until you hand it to someone with no history with it and no reason to be faithful to it. You are not protecting the franchise. You are holding it hostage. So here is the honest part, the part that isn't strategy. This one is personal. I canceled my Prime membership. I canceled my Audible subscription. I am canceling everything of yours I can, and I am not buying from you again, because it is the only vote I have. I am not naive. I know one person closing an account doesn't move an $8.5-billion studio. But I am not the only one. Look at Twitter. Look at Threads. Look at the comment sections under every report of this decision. We are loud right now because you took something we had let ourselves want. And we are not going quiet. This is not a bad weekend online that you can wait out. The hashtags, the letters, the canceled subscriptions, the threads that keep climbing: that is a fandom organizing, not a fandom venting. You did not end the conversation by canceling the show. You started a louder one. You didn't just shelve a TV show. You told a community that has stayed faithful for almost thirty years that our loyalty isn't worth a season. You decided, on our behalf, that we weren't allowed to judge whether it was good. We deserved that choice. You took it. If you ever decide Stargate is worth opening again, open it with someone who loves it, not someone safe. And if you don't, at least be honest that the problem was never that the fanbase was too small. The problem was that you never understood what you were holding. We were ready. We were watching. We are still here. The Gate is open. You are the ones who walked away from it. — A Stargate fan ### The Galaxy Doesn't Care That You Exist, And That's Why Mass Effect 1 Still Wins URL: https://theorencohen.com/the-galaxy-doesnt-care-that-you-exist-and-thats-why-mass-effect-1-still-wins/ Last updated: 2026-06-15T07:32:53.000Z Mass Effect 1 is an exploration game with a story attached. Every game after it got that backwards, and the series has never recaptured what made the first galaxy feel alive. Here's the thing no sequel ever managed: in Mass Effect 1, the galaxy does not revolve around Commander Shepard. You land on some frozen rock in a system nobody talks about, and there's a mining outpost there. Abandoned, maybe. Overrun, maybe. But it *existed* before you showed up. People lived there, worked there, died there, and none of it was waiting for you. The sun does not revolve around Shepard, and the game never pretends it does. That feeling of arriving somewhere that was already going on without you is the single most important thing Mass Effect 1 does. Not the story. Not even the characters, as much as we fell in love with them from the start. The exploration. Watch the (sassier) video version of this essay on my YouTube Channel: ## Yes, It Was Clunky. Let's Get That Out of the Way. I'm not wearing nostalgia goggles here, so let's be honest about the rough parts first. The Mako handles like a shopping cart on ice. The graphics were dated even before the Legendary Edition cleaned them up. And the side content is full of fetch quests and collection quests that are long, repetitive, and honestly arduous. Find all the League of One medallions. Collect the Turian insignias. Hours of work. And here's the punchline: almost none of it pays off. I recently started a *Mass Effect 2* playthrough, and the resource bonus you carry over from all those hours of harvesting in ME1? It's gone within your first five upgrades. Ship, weapons, abilities: spent. Meanwhile, ten or twenty minutes of planet scanning in ME2 gets you the same amount. Hours of effort in one game, minutes in the next. The only collection I know of that gets a real reward is Matriarch Dilinaga's writings, which pay off in a hidden Conrad Verner moment all the way in *Mass Effect 3*. Everything else just... evaporates. So why do I defend this game so hard? ## The World Rewarded You Even When the Quest Log Didn't Because every uncharted planet was a small story. Wildlife. Wreckage. Settlements that told you something about who tried to make a life out there. The reward wasn't the credits. It was the feeling that the galaxy was vast, indifferent, and real. The companions worked the same way. Their personal quests in ME1 are small compared to the full loyalty missions of ME2 and ME3\. No dedicated adventure missions, no big set pieces. But they felt worth the time, because they grew out of the exploring you were already doing. You hunt down Dr. Saleon for Garrus. You recover his family armor for Wrex. And my favorite: you hand Tali the geth data you pulled from an entire system you personally cleared out. Your exploration becomes her pilgrimage gift. Liara barely has a personal quest at all. The closest thing is bringing her along to face her mother on Noveria. But she doesn't need one, because her story *is* the main story. She spent her life following the Protheans, so every cipher, every beacon, every revelation about Sovereign, she's standing right there. The plot is her loyalty mission. ## The Trilogy in One Line Mass Effect 1 is exploration with story woven in as an add-on. Mass Effect 2 and 3 are story with exploration kept around to facilitate it. In ME1, you can ignore the main plot for hours. Just fly around, land on planets, make money, poke at the edges of the galaxy. Eventually you'll go back to the story because you want to finish the game, but exploration is the main course, not the side dish. By ME2, exploration is a mini-game you do between missions. By ME3, it's barely there. ## Andromeda Built a Theme Park And then there's Andromeda, the one game that actually tried to bring exploration back. I respect the attempt. But Andromeda got it wrong, and it's worth understanding *why* it got it wrong: it gave you five planets. Five. Yes, each one was far bigger than any single map in ME1\. Doesn't matter. Five big, hand-crafted planets isn't exploration. It's a curated experience. You already know exactly where you're allowed to go, and nothing exists outside those borders. That's not a galaxy. That's a theme park. ME1's hundred shallow planets beat Andromeda's five deep ones, because exploration isn't about how detailed each destination is. It's about the feeling that there's always one more system on the map, one more place that doesn't care whether you ever show up. ## What I Want From the Next Mass Effect I don't regret anything I did in Mass Effect 1, but I'm still annoyed by plenty of it. The Mako, the collections, the rewards that never came. And I'd take all of it back in a heartbeat if the next Mass Effect brings back a galaxy that feels alive without me. So here's my question for you: when the next Mass Effect comes, what do you actually want? A hundred shallow planets that make the galaxy feel endless, or five deep ones that make each landing matter? And is there a version that gives us both? Tell me in the comments, or hit reply if you're reading this in your inbox. I read everything. ### When Marnie Was There: The Ghibli Movie That Broke Me URL: https://theorencohen.com/when-marnie-was-there-the-ghibli-movie-that-broke-me/ Last updated: 2026-06-15T07:16:45.000Z 💡 **Spoilers ahead for When Marnie Was There.* There's a moment near the end of *When Marnie Was There* where Anna learns that Marnie, the girl she's been spending the whole summer with, was her grandmother. When that reveal hit, I wasn't thinking about Anna anymore. I was thinking about my own grandmother, who died in August 2017 at the age of 105, and about a question I still can't answer: did I actually spend enough time with her? Watch the video version of this essay on my YouTube channel: Video: Oren Cohen's YouTube channel. ## I didn't cry about Marnie. I cried about my grandmother. My grandmother lived alone in Tel Aviv. She had a caretaker (I'll call her Lina) who stayed with her all week, and for a while, the weekends too. But caring for someone that old is hard work, and Lina needed her weekends back. So my cousin and I started staying with our grandmother once or twice a month. We split the job the way that made sense: I was there to do kiddush, and my cousin helped her bathe. It went on like that for about a year or two, until she passed away. She was my last grandparent. I lost the others years earlier: my grandfathers when I was young, my maternal grandmother when I was 17\. So when she died, the grief came with something heavier underneath it: the feeling that I could have done more. That those weekends, as real as they were, weren't enough. That I didn't build the memories I should have built while I still could. I've carried that feeling for years without naming it. Then a quiet little Ghibli movie named it for me. ## Anna is the quiet one. So was I. Anna, the girl at the center of the movie, is sent away from the city to a countryside village for the summer because she's struggling. With her health, but mostly with herself. She's the quiet one. The weird one. The one who has trouble making friends. I recognized her immediately, because that was me. Anna is a foster child, and at some point she discovered that her foster mother receives money from the government to care for her. From Anna's vantage point, that poisons everything. She can't see that her foster mother genuinely loves her. She only sees the payment, and decides she's a burden nobody actually wants. Then Marnie appears. A quirky girl living in an old mansion across the marsh, who wants to be Anna's friend. Not politely. Fiercely, from day one. For a lonely kid, that's everything. The whole movie is Anna slowly learning that she is loved and wanted, that the story she's been telling herself about being unwanted was never true. And then comes the reveal: Marnie was her grandmother. The one real connection Anna was missing her whole life had been reaching for her the entire time. That's the moment that hit me right in the gut. Anna got a summer with her grandmother that she didn't know she had. I had weekends with mine, and I still wonder if I used them well. ## There's no magic in this movie, and that's why it works. Most Ghibli films pull you into another world. *Spirited Away* has its bathhouse of spirits. *Howl's Moving Castle* has its wizards and walking castle. They're magical adventures, and that's what we expect from the studio. *When Marnie Was There* has none of that. No spells, no second world. It's implied that Marnie is a ghost, or a memory, or something in between, but we never actually see magic. And yet the movie still feels magical, because it does what those other films do with sorcery using nothing but grief, loneliness, and a summer in the countryside. That's also why I think this movie is criminally underrated. It doesn't get talked about the way *Spirited Away* or *Totoro* do, maybe because it's the quiet one. The weird one. The one that has trouble making friends. Sounds familiar. ## What I'm left with I don't think *When Marnie Was There* fixed anything in me. The question of whether I spent enough time with her is still there, and I suspect it always will be. But the movie did something rarer than fixing it: it saw it. It put my exact ache on screen and told me I'm not the only one carrying it. If you've lost someone and you're still doing the math on the time you had together, watch this movie. It won't give you the answer. But it will sit with you in the question, and sometimes that's what healing actually looks like. ### Oren's Nerdy Letter #2! URL: https://theorencohen.com/newsletter/orens-nerdy-letter-2/ Last updated: 2026-06-12T10:05:11.000Z I'm writing this from a bookstore, having just made a decision about this site. But first, the scene: this place acts more like a library. There are tables where people sit and read, but none of the books around us can be borrowed, only bought. I bought five before sitting down, two nonfiction and three novels: *Yumi and the Nightmare Painter*, *1984*, and *A Language of Dragons*. So here's the deal. I tried to make this site "an archive," but that language made me go too long without actually publishing anything here, because an archive isn't supposed to be timely. But I *do* want to write about timely things, like Amazon's cancellation of the Stargate revival. I'm furious. So I'm returning this site to being a normal blog again. My path forward is to write about the things I love, and also about timely things. Just a normal personal blog. That's the news. Outside the mall I'm at, a full-on Pride parade is going on near the Tel Aviv beach, and there's festivity in the air, even though the fun part of the Israeli calendar is behind us. From here on it's just heat and no excuse to go on vacation. Which makes it a great time to put in some work toward your dreams. One of mine is this website. I don't fully know what I want it to become yet, but I do know I want to build a community of nerds to talk to about all the amazing things I watch, read, or play. I recently finished watching Foundation on Apple TV. It was SO good. I don't know if I'd feel this way had I read the books first, but I have a feeling it's different enough that I would. The Jump ships reminded me of Mass Effect's Mass Relays, except the relay is built into the ship instead of staying put. The Geek Peek migration is still slow going, but it's coming. And finally, I'm streaming Mass Effect 2 online if you want to [come hang out](https://youtube.com/@oren%5Fco?ref=theorencohen.com). That's all I have for you today. Thanks for reading! Oren ### Stargate SG-1: The Door to a Lethal Network URL: https://theorencohen.com/stargate-sg-1-the-door-to-a-lethal-network/ Last updated: 2026-05-05T12:11:32.000Z ## The Big Idea The Stargate isn't just a bridge to a single world; it’s a door to a lethal, sprawling network. Our assumption that the gate was a simple point-to-point link is shattered the moment Apophis steps onto Earth soil to kidnap Sha're and a fellow soldier. This invasion forces a massive strategic pivot: we have to master the gate’s true scale immediately to mount a rescue and form SG-1. ## The Deep Dive - **The Logic:** This pilot systematically debunks everything we thought we knew from the movie. We move from a single destination to a massive network, realizing we only understand the tiny fragments we need to survive the next ten minutes. - **The Atmosphere:** We see the true nature of the Goa'uld as an apex threat. While the movie left them vague, the show goes for the jugular right away. Apophis choosing Sha're as the host for his mate, Amaunet, shows exactly how the Goa'uld view us: not as people, but as living vessels to be claimed. ## Connecting the Dots The Stargate network reminds me a lot of the **Mass Relay** system in *Mass Effect*. It brings to mind that timeless Sovereign speech to Shepard: > *"Your civilization is based on the technology of the mass relays. Our technology. By using it, your civilization develops along the paths we desire. We impose order on the chaos of organic life. You exist because we allow it, and you will end because we demand it." - Sovereign, Mass Effect 1* It makes me wonder if the Ancients—the gate builders we meet much later—had nefarious reasons for seeding these Stargates throughout the universe, or if they only cared about their own convenience? ## Your Turn What scene from the pilot stayed with you and why? Was it the reveal of the network or the horror of the host selection? **Let me know in the comments below!** ### Dimension 20: Dungeons and Drag Queens Review URL: https://theorencohen.com/dimension-20-dungeons-and-drag-queens-review/ Last updated: 2026-04-28T16:41:50.000Z Now that the season has ended and we can take a bird's eye view of it, it's time to review this season of Dimension 20. Dungeons and Drag Queens was a fantastic little adventure that, while short, spanned many events and felt satisfying to watch to the conclusion. Let's dive into it. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/2f/9d/2f9dd706-fe4e-4ea5-915c-baf010e8bd57/content/images/2026/04/2eb292f5-cf6c-4389-aa7f-1c8778ea5604_1000x563-1.jpg) #### Dimension 20: Dungeons and Drag Queens The 18th season of Dimension 20. [Watch Now](https://www.dropout.tv/dimension-20-dungeons-and-drag-queens?ref=theorencohen.com) ## The World Setting Dungeons and Drag Queens introduces a small but promising world. Most of the mortal realm is unknown to us when we enter this campaign. We pick up quickly before our players dive into the underworld for their actual campaign to meet the goddess of death. In the mortal realm, we only see a tavern and the mountain next to it. The underworld is more fleshed out. It includes lore about people from the mortal realm coming to do business with the town close to where the entrance to the underworld is. And people can't go further than that into the underworld (so naturally, our heroes must). Brennan's respect for his players shines through his choices to introduce characters based on drag culture. However, this world still has all the elements of a fully fleshed D&D world with some staple characters thrown in, like *Titania, Queen of Fairies*. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/2f/9d/2f9dd706-fe4e-4ea5-915c-baf010e8bd57/content/images/2026/04/9f230b7a-f625-42b9-8b7a-0737db2afda3_1000x1045.jpg) Image: Dimension 20. ## The Production Value This season, however short, still enjoyed all the elements of production that a core-cast season enjoys and then some. They used the dome, had minis, and even got Brennan with makeup. One could argue that this one had more production value as a shorter season than a longer one. The editing was fantastic, the choice of music was satisfying as always, and the illustrations of the characters and select NPCs did not disappoint. Dimension 20 knows their jam with so many seasons under their belt by now. But how was the story? Let's talk about that next. ## The Storytelling Brennan did not disappoint. Two challenges worked against him this season: 1. Time (as with every season). 2. Inexperienced players. Before starting this campaign, none of the people around this table knew much about D&D. And Brennan turned it from a challenge to a learning experience. That's why I think this season is even better now for new players to be introduced to the game instead of Fantasy High when we had a core-cast season documenting Ally Beardsley's journey of learning D&D on camera. This one is shorter and touches on all the right things a new player would need to start playing. And how did the players do story-wise? I won't divulge any spoilers here since that's what my recaps are for (down below). I will only say that the heroes made some fantastic choices in this campaign that showed that they are new to the game and their creativity. ## Overall Vibes This season had fantastic vibes. Even when the story took the players to darker parts, there was always a moment of levity to bring them up right around the corner. These players are performers at heart, and they leaned into the moments when they needed to. The rest of the season is ladled with humor through and through. It's clear as day that the players enjoyed playing the game; when they enjoy it, we enjoy watching them play. So now to the big question: should you watch it? ## Should You Watch Dungeons and Drag Queens? If you loved previous Dimension 20 seasons - yes. You should definitely watch this one. If you don't know what Dimension 20 is, this one is a great starting point to introduce you to the production and Brennan Lee Mulligan's storytelling. If *Dungeons and Dragons* isn't your thing, but Drag Race is, you might still enjoy this one just for the humor and Drag vibes alone. Did you watch this season? Let me know what you think about it in the comments below - better yet, share a favorite moment but don't forget to give a spoiler alert! ### Dimension 20: Dungeons and Drag Queens - Episode 4 Recap and Review URL: https://theorencohen.com/dimension-20-dungeons-and-drag-queens-episode-4-recap-and-review/ Last updated: 2026-04-28T16:35:08.000Z 💡 **Author's note: This article was originally published on Geek Peek in 2023 and was republished here. Includes spoilers for the finale of Dungeons and Drag Queens.* The final Dungeons and Drag Queens episode aired, and it was a blast. I loved to see the questing queens engage in battle for the last time for the wishes they so dearly need from Thanara. And I loved seeing all my expectations blown away. Let's dive into it! ## Sign up for Oren Cohen Nerdy takes on the stories I love — games, TV, books, movies, and everything in between. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ## It's Time for Some Rick Perry Magic Right out of the bat, we are introduced to the battle set for the finale. There were many unique details, and I'm pretty sure there were at least one or two secrets over there that we're missing. The goddess Thanara and her helper were incredibly designed. The questing queens' minis were terrific as well! I love Rick Perry's team's work so much! Now let's talk about the Questing Queens' fighting skills. ## The Questing Queens Are Brutal For a group of players that have no experience in D&D, this was a brutal battle for the Questing Queens. Bringing Zaria Hex to less than half of her health points was incredible! Using spells and multiple attacks was fantastic, and looking at the players, there was still an air of beginner guidance from their questions and activities (like when Gertrude tried to shield Troyann). But overall, this battle was killer, and the queens were effective in each turn! ## The Questing Queens' Personal Quests After killing their enemies, the queens finally face Thanara and ask for their boons. However, the group discovers that Thanara herself is also cursed, and they decide to give her the vial so that when the curse breaks, Gertrude will still be immortal, but Thanara will be able to free herself. The goddess refuses because the underworld depends on her staying where she is. So, instead, they decide to sprout the all-blossom in the underworld, where all the souls of Twyla's people are already gathered. As the goddess steps down from her throne and becomes regular-sized, this realm is no longer an underworld where souls go after death and starts to crumble. As Twyla sprouts the all-blossom seed with the help of her familiar buddy bear, the underworld is slowly but surely transformed into a fey realm. All the souls in it can decide to stay or move on through the portal Thanara created before leaving for her next adventure. Princess reinvented her voice in this episode and saved her family, and Troyann got her father back. The only person who didn't get their wish was Gertrude. And it left the door open for a sequel. ## Questing Queens Sequel When? A familiar face arrives as the all-blossom changes the realm, and all is good. Nyruth, the seller who gave the group the flying carpet, informs the queens that he heard about "a curse-breaking talisman at the heart of a 17-layered dungeon." And that's the hook for the next adventure of the questing queens. Honestly? I'd LOVE to see that. What about you? 💡 UPDATE: A new season has already aired. I have not watched it yet, but I will document it here once I do! ### Dimension 20: Dungeons and Drag Queens - Episode 3 Recap and Review URL: https://theorencohen.com/dimension-20-dungeons-and-drag-queens-episode-3-recap-and-review/ Last updated: 2026-04-28T16:34:38.000Z 💡 **Author's Note: This article was originally published in 2023 on Geek Peek and was republished here. Includes spoilers for Episode 3 of Dungeons and Drag Queens.* The third episode of Dungeons and Drag Queens is choke full of action. Our queens cover a lot of ground and meet many people on their quest to the tower where Thanara awaits. After they've been unsuccessful in getting the soul they needed in the last episode, the queens are in a pickle. Should they follow in Shalilah's footsteps or seek some other solution? Let's dive right into it! ## Sign up for Oren Cohen Nerdy takes on the stories I love — games, TV, books, movies, and everything in between. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ## Going Back to The Crime Scene After debating whether to ambush Shalilah or go back to Nyruth to ask for a soul, the group makes the terrifying decision to return to the crime scene, where they tried to steal from a demon. This was the moment when this season's vibes shined. Players new to D&D work with whatever is given to them by the DM. This is the world they know. But an experienced player would have opted out to find a different solution invoking some more worldbuilding from the DM. Returning to the site where you made enemies automatically starts a battle, even in video games. Nyruth should have entered Initiative the moment he saw the group. What Gertrude did next was truly outstanding. ## Honesty Worked Out So, as far as I know, you can't use Detect Thoughts to broadcast your own thoughts. But Brennan is a rule of cool DM, resulting in one of the best moments of this season. Gertrude hits a Nat 20 on Persuasion and manages to convince Nyruth to help the group on their hunt for Thanara's boons. Aside from giving them a soul by trading the corrupted clasp, he also gives them a flying carpet for the promise of getting Gertrude's immortality curse if it's ever lifted. The carpet brings them to Shalilah in a matter of minutes. ## Perfect Aladdin Vibes As the group uses the carpet, they fly, but it's entirely safe for them to use it. It's magical and keeps them anchored. As they get to Shalilah, a conversation ensues where Troyann tries to convince her to get the souls back. It's tense because Shalilah was depicted to be powerful. So if the persuasion check doesn't work, she might turn hostile. The group reminds Troyann about Game Night to give her Advantage, and she invites Shalilah to come. That Advantage allows her to succeed on the die roll, and Shalilah cooperates. As they continue on their carpet after getting the souls from Shalilah, they arrive at a sea of swords that will trigger their meeting with a particular dragon rider. ## Norelle The Dragon Rider So, in the first episode of this season, Gertrude divined something for a young person about his grandfather Norbert and improvised that his grandfather was gay. It was a fun moment that allowed Bob the Drag Queen to demonstrate some control over the narrative. But, of course, nothing goes to waste in the mind of Brennan Lee Mulligan. As Twyla collects all the souls of her people into her deck of cards, a wave of enraged souls comes hunting for the group. As they fail their saves and the group is about to be eaten, Brennan reveals a safety net moment where a Dragon Rider appears and throws them a rope to escape the souls. The meeting feels like a reward for past deeds. But it also felt like Brennan's subtle way of preparing the players for what was to come. Norelle presents the group with weapons and magical items they can use on their journey into the tower. Is there a battle ahead? Of course, there is. ## Arriving At The Tower As the group arrives in the tower, they are not immediately brought before Thanara. Instead, they need to find some keys to open the chamber where they would speak to her. The group splits to recover the three keys, and then we discover that Kerwyn, the lovely NPC that I fully believed Brennan created to help the players propel the story forward, is wearing a wraith clasp. That means he's alive and is not dead like we thought this entire time. In a different room, we find Princess speaking to her deceased family through the waterfall, and they tell her it wasn't Zaria Hex that killed them all - It was Kerwyn. Troyann grabs the key from him as this revelation goes down and barely escapes to rejoin the group as Kerwyn wounds her across the chest. The Questing Queens had everything they needed: Souls to present the goddess of death and keys to open her chamber. As they meet her, there's one quote still ringing in my ear. > "I have good news and bad news. The good news is I'm feeling generous today. Normally, I like the number three for boons. But today, I feel like granting four. Bad news is, I see eight mortals." - Thanara, Goddess of Death. Such a fun way of concluding the storytelling part and transitioning into battle. ## The Showdown at The Center of The Underworld Thanara has no intention of granting anyone's boons until the show concludes. So now, they must fight their opponents to the death (and possibly beyond in this underworld battle). Their opponents are Keena, Kerwyn, Zariah Hex, and Morgan of The Glaring Sun. The latter is the knight going after Gertrude for being an immortal witch and is revealed earlier to work with Zaria Hex to find her. How's this battle going to conclude? We can only guess and share our predictions (below in the comments!) ## Predictions for The Finale So, this next episode will be the season's finale. It clearly has a battle set made by Rick Perry and Co, judging from the trailer. I'm excited to see it and the minis for our questing queens in action. In terms of story, I feel like this will be a straightforward satisfying ending. The queens will win against the four opponents and get their wishes granted. We mostly wrapped up every connection we had. So, seeing the boons play out will be a satisfying ending to this season. What do you think? Is this season going to end differently? Let me know in the comments below! ### Dimension 20: Dungeons and Drag Queens - Episode 2 Recap and Review URL: https://theorencohen.com/dimension-20-dungeons-and-drag-queens-episode-2-recap-and-review/ Last updated: 2026-04-28T16:33:47.000Z 💡 **Author's Note: This article was originally published in 2023 on Geek Peek and was republished here. Includes spoilers for Episode 2 of Dungeons and Drag Queens.* This episode began where the last one left off. The Questing Queens journey forth into the underworld. Episode 2 of Dungeons and Drag Queens shows us what the questing queens are made of by putting them in harm's way for the first time in a battle that truly matters. Let's dive in! ## Sign up for Oren Cohen Nerdy takes on the stories I love — games, TV, books, movies, and everything in between. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ## The Questing Queens First Battle So as the Questing Queens try to cross the River of Sorrow, they are confronted with some undead spirits that also wish to cross over. When they refuse to let them cross, a battle ensues! This battle was the first time I noticed that The Questing Queens are level 5! That's incredible for a first-time play! Gertrude using Thunder Wave was a blast, and the other queens kicking ass in their first battle was terrific. Brennan designed all of the enemies to have around 10 hp for this encounter, so it was pretty easy. It's not until they reach the town and meet a demon they intend to trick that things heat up. But before they did, Brennan introduced a classic DM NPC. ## Meeting Up With Princess's Uncle As all of the undead are defeated, we discover one of them is Princess's uncle Kerwin. He guides the group to their next location - the town where they meet the demon they haggle with. And also, Kerwin stays with the group as an ally. This has multiple benefits - Brennan can provide friendly advice through Kerwin as an underworld resident about where to go next. He could also provide details about what not to do and what is favorable. If the Queens try to do something that would endanger them somehow, Kerwin could provide the insight needed about the world to prevent that. We don't know how strong Kerwin is in a battle, but he might come in handy in the battles to come. ## Trying to Trick a Demon The Demon encounter in the shop is the first time the Questing Queens are met with Brennan's big brain energy. The demon was clearly a formidable opponent, and if Gertrude hadn't cast Darkness, some actual harm could have been done to the group. Also, can we take a moment to highlight how hilarious Jujubee is? Her energy to "sabotage" the group is fantastic and funny. Love it! Trying to run away with the soul and failing was an actual D&D moment, and I think it put the group in a predicament that Brennan solved quickly by introducing Shalilah and her slip of the tongue. ## Shalila's Slip of The Tongue When Troyann presents the false soul to Shalilah, they start a conversation. And in that conversation, Shalilah let slip that the souls Troyann has been gathering were not, in fact, to save all of Everdeep. They are used to keep her mother alive. And not only that but when her father discovered this fact, he gave his own life to undo all of the work he did before. This twist in the story also serves a vital role in the quest of the adventure. Instead of appeasing the goddess of death and her mother, Troyann is on a quest to discover more about what happened. And that means the group needs to leave town and delve deeper into the underworld. ## Delving Deeper into The Underworld Our Questing Queens follow Shalilah's footsteps to the Tower of Tombs - Thanara's home. The Goddess of Death is the target for Zariah Hex's forces and Shalilah and Troyann's mother's forces. That means our players will probably have to resolve all those obstacles on their way to the tower. Let's talk about predictions for the next episode. ## Predictions for the Next Episode In terms of predictions, I believe the next episode will see the Queens find their way to the vicinity of the tower, but they will have to reach the building itself, and they will have to go through enemy lines to do so. We kind of resolved Troyann's initial goal. We now have to resolve the other players' goals as well. At the end of the day, the journey to Thanara is one where they will ask her for boons. So even though everything seems to point out that she's bad, she's actually neutral in the grand scheme of things. I believe the forces are coming to her because they also want boons. So maybe it will be a race? Who knows. ## Conclusion The second episode of Dungeons and Drag Queens is a fantastic introduction of the players into battle and conversation skills. In this episode, they fought for their lives and tried to haggle with a seller in a market. There aren't many other experiences to induct new players into the fantastic world of D&D. What did you think about the episode? What did you like? What did you not like about it? Let's talk in the comments below! ### Dimension 20: Dungeons and Drag Queens - Episode 1 Recap and Review URL: https://theorencohen.com/dimension-20-dungeons-and-drag-queens-episode-1-recap-and-review/ Last updated: 2026-04-28T06:42:10.000Z *Author's Note: This article was originally published in 2023 on Geek Peek and was moved here. Includes spoilers for the first Dungeons and Drag Queens episode.* Dungeons and Drag Queens' first episode finally dropped last Wednesday, and I couldn't be more enthusiastic about this season! Quest? Check! Ally Beardsley in Fantasy High Vibes? Check! Rules Lawyering? Check! Brennan Lee Mulligan? Check! I'm gonna love this! I already know. The first episode of Dungeons and Drag Queens is a fantastic return to the vibes of Fantasy High, where a group of players, seemingly strangers to each other and some to D&D, band together to follow a quest. It's a lot of fun! Let's break it down and review this episode. ## Sign up for Oren Cohen Nerdy takes on the stories I love — games, TV, books, movies, and everything in between. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ## The Vibes at This Table Are Amazing Remember Ally Beardsley in Fantasy High? Yes, I'm talking about Flying Ribbon Ally Beardsley. So this time around, it's Jujubee. It's giving I have no idea what I'm doing, but I'm having a lot of fun. Also, Bob has a knack for storytelling and adding bits that Brennan seamlessly 'Yes, and's to make the story feel more personal. Monet seems to be the most experienced player at the table, with all the others having none or maybe once or twice played D&D. With Monet also not having much experience. They made it work either way. They asked questions throughout, and Brennan explained in simple terms that worked out great! ## Is This The New Beginner-Friendly Season? It's one episode out of four, but if you've never played D&D before, you've already learned about skill checks, initiative rolls, attack rolls, and using your skills at certain moments, like insight checks during a conversation. This season will be four episodes long and introduces mostly new players to the game and takes them through a quest. I think this will be invaluable viewing for any new D&D players. What do you think? Will you recommend this season of D20 to someone new to Dungeons and Dragons? ## Incredibly Fast-Paced Progression Brennan Lee Mulligan is a master of storytelling. Like every season of D20, he gave the time to introduce each player separately as they traveled to a tavern. Yet, we finish this episode arriving in the underworld. That's an incredibly fast progression. Imagine Fantasy High Sophomore year, but they reach the forest of the nightmare king by the end of episode one. Crazy right? I love that it didn't feel rushed; instead, it feels like a piece of the story that we were not privy to in the narrative. Maybe they did have some adventures before the season officially started. We would know if they reference any of those events; if not, they are unimportant. ## Dressing Up For This Campaign (?) I loved that Jujubee mentioned dressing up at the adventuring party and that players don't usually "dress up for this." Brennan Answered that sometimes players dress casually for the show. And in most, if not all, previous seasons of Dimension 20, you will find that people wear different things for each episode. But not this season. Everyone is dressed the same in the preview for next week's episode. I wonder if that's a staple of drag? I don't know enough about drag to determine whether the way the players came dressed to the show is their representation of self and those outfits are who they are, or they can show up as themselves with different outfits. Please enlighten me, anyone! ## You Can't Go Wrong With a Tavern As all the introductions and backstories end, we find ourselves in a tavern. The group splits up to uncover details about Mark Ronson, the legendary music producer who drove through a portal and found himself in this world. After a failed attempt at perception, Troyann (Monet's character) finds him dead in a closet. From there, the team hits a goblin, makes friends with the bartender, and disintegrates a zombie. Pretty cool for the first episode! And all of that happens during a visit to an inconspicuous tavern on the road. After these events unfold, the players chat and decide to go towards the temple without using the road, which is brilliant because Brennan gives them enough clues it would be the wrong choice (or at the very least slower). Jujubee's ranger abilities And Pass Without a Trace also helped them arrive safely and quickly. However, I don't believe they reached the underworld before Troyann's cousin. We'll have to see. ## Predictions For The Next Episode We ended this episode with the team talking to Gargrim - each with their own reasoning - who sent them down to the underworld. We know their quest leads them to an old goddess of death who might help them with their personal pursuits, but for now, the preview to the next episode shows unclear bits and moments. Maybe a battle will happen during the next episode? Who knows! There's a lot of chaos, and the underworld is perilous for our questing queens. We'll have to wait for next week and see, I guess. What are your thoughts about the episode? ## Watch The First Episode Right Now! Dropout released the first episode of this season for free on YouTube. You can watch it here: Video: Dimension 20 YouTube Channel // Dropout ## Conclusion I came to this season with a certain unfamiliarity. I have no experience with drag shows or culture, and while I've seen some videos about the amount of work it takes to get into one of those glamorous appearances, I know enough to know I don't know enough. So that's why I was uncertain about how this season will look. However, after the first episode, all of my uncertainties are removed. This is going to be awesome! Thanks to Brennan guiding them, these four players are hilarious, excited to play, and immersed. The story unfolds and takes the players to new places, and I'm sure we'll see some Rick Perry miniatures at one point or another as well! What do you think about this season so far? Let's discuss the first episode in the comments! ### Book Review: ‘Elantris’ by Brandon Sanderson URL: https://theorencohen.com/book-review-elantris-by-brandon-sanderson/ Last updated: 2026-06-10T19:03:13.000Z 💡 **Author's Note: This review was originally written in April 2020\. It has been edited and republished. This book review will also include spoilers for up to the middle of the book.* Brandon Sanderson is the only author I read who can make me commit to finishing a book after the first chapter. Now, full disclosure: I read many of Sanderson's books. Reading Elantris never seemed too pressing, but I was waiting for Stormlight 4\. There are still many of his other books I haven't read! Brandon Sanderson is the king of magic systems. As with any of his works, I was also curious to see what magic existed in this world. So, without further ado, let's review the main characters and the main story! ## Sign up for Oren Cohen Nerdy takes on the stories I love — games, TV, books, movies, and everything in between. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ## Raoden The book's main idea is that Elantris was once the city of the gods. Something happened — a cataclysmic event they named The Reod — and they lost their power. Some say Elantris was doomed, and others made religious excuses as to why this was happening. Ten years after the Reod, Prince Raoden is taken by the Shaod and transformed into an Elantrian. Besides being described as a mysterious power, we don't know much about the Shaod. The first chapter in the book is about him waking up and discovering it. In the glory days of Elantris, this would have been a joyous event, but instead, Raoden becomes like a leper. His wounds don't heal, and his skin is saggy and old. Raoden is Immortal. Yet, in this state, it's more of a curse than a blessing - especially when all Elantrians are locked away in Elantris. The people around the city consider them dead. Although we meet Raoden only after the Shaod transforms him, he still feels like a real person. That's one of my favorite parts of the story. His past shines through, and his personality is very much intact. Raoden is curious and decides to understand what happened to Elantris. Through his journey, we illuminate the great city's halls, books, and people. By the middle of the book, he introduces himself to his now-widow, whom he had never met before the Shaod: Sarene. She has no idea who he is. The rest of the book beyond that point is fantastic. Quite literally, in fact. ## Sarene I don't know how female readers feel about Sarene, but I thought she was genuine. There's something very brave about her. Sarene is the daughter of the king of a neighboring kingdom called Teod. The religious takeover from the Derethi forced the two nations to join forces. The fall of Elantris was the only thing that allowed rulers even to consider such a takeover. Now, ten years after the Reod, people think the land around Elantris is cursed. Sarene doesn't care about all that. Sarene cares about marrying someone who she thinks might be her equal. In her world, marrying at 25 was considered old. If Prince Raoden died before the marriage, she would be his widow. That's what the political contract said, at least. She became his widow the moment she arrived in Arelon and learned of his death. When Sarene comes to Kae, the capital of Arelon, she faces more injustice than anything else. The king, Raoden's father, treats her like a stupid girl, and she needs to find her place in court. Eventually, she teams up with some nobles to oppose the king and Gyorn Hrathen. The latter is a Derethi priest who wants to convert the country. We'll talk about him later. Sarene is such a compelling character, and she doesn't even have magical powers. I loved reading her. Her relationship with her father is also charming — Daddy's little girl. When she arrives in Kae, she has no idea that her prince Raoden is just beyond the walls of Elantris. A few minutes walk away. The king secretly banished him. Everyone told Sarene that Raoden was killed in an accident. Sarene was not convinced. From there, we see her struggle to discover the truth. What happened to her prince? I'll let you read the book to discover her journey. ## Hrathen Hrathen is a priest of the Derethi religion. He receives a mandate from his superior to come and convert Arelon to the Derethi religion. This mission will spell their god's return — once all the people in all corners of the world will convert. The line between religion and cult is pretty vague there. The Derethi believe that conversion by force is also an option. Or, if you don't convert, you can die. Then their god will return when all the people that oppose that god are either gone or turned. It's not hard to stop for a minute and think about a religious sect in our world that inspired this behavior. I'll keep that up to you, dear reader, to figure this one out. In any case, Hrathen is a very complex character. He isn't a zealot. Hrathen is logical and analytical. His mission is to convert Arelon in three months. Whatever the result, the armies will come and exterminate any non-believers by then. But, something is not sitting well with Hrathen about this. Besides, the "stupid" princess, Sarene, is a worthy foe in the royal court he needs to win over in Arelon. Could she become more than that for Hrathen? Read the book to know more. ## The Worldbuilding of Elantris This world doesn't feel like Brandon's first attempt at writing a book. In interviews, he said he wrote many books he didn't publish. But Elantris was his first published one. When reading through, I felt like I lived in Arelon. Brandon's experience in writing shines through the pages - even in this "old" book. It's easy to connect to the world from the digestible descriptions. Brandon is doing a great job in making sure everything is clear. He doesn't use fancy words to describe people, places, and even magic. Elantris is also the first book in the Cosmere – Brandon's fantasy universe. Seeing how everything fits together when Brandon publishes Elantris's true sequel will be interesting. ## The Threads Are Coming Together Brandon weaved the story together beautifully. In the beginning, each of these characters starts their journey separately. It seems there is no connection whatsoever between them. Raoden is inside Elantris and trying to survive, Sarene is at court, and Hrathen is in his church. Each one gets accustomed to their new reality as the story progresses. Also, they illuminate the world around them with their interactions. We get to know more about Elantris, Arelon, and the world as a result. What I love about Sanderson's writing is that these characters feel independent. They drive the story forward. They are the reason behind the story's turning points, ups and downs. These characters make me laugh, shed a tear, or hold my breath. And yes, these reactions all happened in this one book. I wholeheartedly recommend Elantris if you like fantasy with hard rules. They make for exceptional storytelling. If you read it, please comment below and tell me what you thought about the book! *Go back to the* [*Cosmere Index*](https://theorencohen.com/the-cosmere-index/)*.* ### The Nerd Archive #1 URL: https://theorencohen.com/newsletter/the-nerd-archive-1/ Last updated: 2026-03-29T21:50:23.000Z Hi there, I hope this nerdy letter finds you well. Sounds so official, starting a letter this way, doesn’t it? I promise I’ll include more fun, nerdy intros in the future! Welcome to the first letter in my nerdy archive project! Let me explain what my nerdy archive is. I’ve always dreamed of creating a blog where I could share my nerdy thoughts, reviews, essays, and more. I love playing video games and nerding out over books and movies. As someone who loves writing, it made a lot of sense to write about my experiences. That lets me share them with others online, while also preserving what I was thinking as I experienced each story. I host the archive on a Ghost website and publish this letter on all my socials. You might be reading this on X, Ghost, Substack, or Medium. Wherever you are, I’m glad you’re here and I appreciate you taking the time. So, what kinds of updates will I be sharing in these weekly letters? \- New Entries: When I read a book, watch a movie, or play a game, I’ll write about it. \- New Categories: When I start a new series, I’ll create a hub for it so all related posts have a common home. \- Personal Updates: From time to time, I’ll share with you life updates. You can reply to these letters wherever you read them, and I’ll see your reply and respond. I’m currently importing all my past work from the Geek Peek blog into my personal blog. I’m no longer hosting on Geek Peek, but I don’t want to abandon the writing I shared there. I’m publishing updated versions of them to ensure they stay relevant. One of the most important pages I’m working on right now is my No-AI Content Commitment. Everything you read on my blog is human-made and will stay that way. As a software engineer, I find AI tools incredibly useful in my day job. But as a creative person, I refuse to let AI replace human creativity. That’s why I’m not allowing it on my personal blog. I’m also watching two weekly D&D series called Min-Maxxed and Venture Forth. Their episodes come out weekly, so I record and publish my reviews after watching. For more consistent content, I’m re-watching Stargate SG-1\. I’ve reached season 5\. I’m thinking about creating horizontal videos for season 1, especially since I plan to do the same for the new show coming in 2027\. My brain likes going “completionist” on series. So far, I’ve only published vertical shorts for season 1\. The next project I want to start is re-watching all of Dimension 20\. I already have some series published on the blog, but I’ll probably do it slowly to avoid burnout. I also maintain a YouTube channel. It’s where I post my reviews, which I embed on relevant blog posts. From time to time, I also share unrelated nerdy videos there. YouTube is where I expect most of the community to “live”. I have no illusions of thriving blog comments in 2026 (but I still give you the ability to post them!) That’s all for this update. How about you? What’s going on in your life right now? Hit reply and let me know. Thanks for reading! Oren ### Avatar: Fire And Ash Ended One of Pandora’s Worst Chapters URL: https://theorencohen.com/avatar-fire-and-ash-concludes-one-of-pandoras-harshest-chapters/ Last updated: 2026-04-25T14:28:32.000Z Fragrant popcorn in my arms, I sank into a VIP seat one evening in late December to watch *Avatar: Fire and Ash*. These films aren’t just movies for me. They’re events. The first *Avatar* in 2009 told a complete story. *The Way of Water* opened the door to something bigger. New characters. New conflicts. New promises. It expanded the world and left threads hanging everywhere. *Fire and Ash* had a mission. Close those threads. Deliver payoff. Prove this saga still has momentum. Did it? Watch the video version of this review on my YouTube channel: ## Fire and Ash Commits to Continuity *The Way of Water* opened a new chapter in Pandora’s history by introducing Jake’s Na’vi family and their sheltered life before the RDA came back. When it ended, the immediate conflict was resolved, but the bigger picture wasn’t. The RDA was still on Pandora. Quaritch was still alive. And the Sully family still had to live with the grief of Neteyam’s premature death. That’s a lot to carry into a sequel. *Fire and Ash* had to move the story forward while honoring everything that came before it. And in my opinion, the new plots weave surprisingly well into those existing threads instead of distracting from them. One of the strongest additions is Varang. ## Varang Breaks the “Noble Na’vi” Illusion Ever since the first *Avatar*, we’ve been led to believe that all Na’vi clans are spiritually aligned and morally grounded in the same way as the Omaticaya. Varang is very different. She is introduced as someone who watched her world burn and felt abandoned by Eywa. Instead of deepening her faith, she rises from the ashes in defiance of it. That’s a bold choice. Varang uses the Kuru to control and torture other Na’vi while also connecting to her mount, which, by the way, is a Nightwraith and not an ikran. At the same time, she refuses to connect to Eywa at sacred sites. You won’t find her at the trees the Na’vi hold holy. She wants power. Not harmony. I also couldn’t shake the feeling that she’s incredibly childish. We don’t know her exact age. Some fans place her in her mid-twenties. Others say she’s over 60\. I lean toward the younger interpretation, mostly because we have a visual reference point in Mo’at, Neytiri’s mother, who returns in this film and clearly carries the weight of age. According to the wiki, Mo’at is somewhere between 65 and 75 during these events. Regardless of the number, Varang reacts with excitement when Quaritch presents her with human weaponry. She almost lights up. And she rewards him for it. That told me everything. In her final scene, she connects with Kiri and flees after being intimidated. It’s not entirely clear what frightened her, but I suspect it was the prospect of reconnecting with Eywa, something she has actively rejected. And she’s not done. She will return in the next film. ## Sign up for Oren Cohen Nerdy takes on the stories I love — games, TV, books, movies, and everything in between. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ## Lo’ak Finally Chooses Who He Is Lo’ak’s journey might be my favorite part of the movie. He goes from being alienated and looked down on by the Metkayina in *The Way of Water* to becoming the narrator of *Fire and Ash* and the character who tips the scales by convincing the Tulkun to join the fight against the RDA. That’s something even Toruk Makto never accomplished. And yet, emotionally, he’s at his lowest. Jake still blames him, at least partially, for Neteyam’s death. That tension lingers throughout most of the film. There’s a moment where Lo’ak almost ends his life. I genuinely didn’t expect the movie to go there. He can’t do it. His friends don’t give him the space to spiral alone again. And Kiri immediately understands what he was about to do. When she says, “Stay in this life, brother,” that line stuck with me long after the credits rolled. Fixing his mother’s bow. Searching for his Tulkun brother. Refusing to let his human features define him. Lo’ak stops reacting to how others see him and finally chooses who he is. ## This Is Neytiri’s Movie If you ask me, this movie belongs to Neytiri. She moves through distinct emotional states. First, grief. The mourning paint. The silence. The half-presence. Then injury. After the attack on the traders, she is shot and rendered unconscious. When she wakes up, she doesn’t retreat to the reef. She completes the journey back to the Omaticaya base instead, finishing what the family started. Then comes rage. “I hate them. I hate their pink little hands. I hate the insanity in their minds.” It’s raw. It’s ugly. And it feels earned because Neytiri lost everything to humanity. first her sister, then her home, and now her first-born son. But that’s not the final version of her. When Jake surrenders himself to protect the Metkayina, Neytiri sets out alone to free him, now reunited with her father’s repaired bow, thanks to Lo’ak, and her husband's explosive arrows. The turning point is the scene with Spider. When she tells him, “I see you,” something shifts. There’s a new resolve there. Less reaction. More intention. By the end, she feels transformed. --- ## Spider Forces the Eywa Question Spider’s transformation becomes the philosophical backbone of the film. The RDA wants to study him to replicate whatever happened so humans can permanently live on Pandora and inevitably treat it the way they treated Earth. That leads to one big question. Is Eywa conscious? Is she watching? We’ve seen through Kiri’s journey that Eywa appears almost person-like. She gazes at Kiri. She feels intentional. But was Spider a mistake? Or was his transformation allowed? Or maybe Eywa isn’t a conscious being in the traditional sense. Maybe she’s more like planetary infrastructure, the neural network that connects all life on Pandora. Not a goddess, but a system. I think the truth is somewhere in the middle. Eywa might not start speaking to the Na’vi anytime soon, but I don’t think she’s passive either. She feels aware. Selective. Some fans even suggest Eywa didn’t originate on Pandora but settled there. That’s a theory worth its own deep dive. --- ## The Ending Echoes Way of Water Too Closely *The Way of Water* ended with a massive battle aboard a sinking ship. *Fire and Ash* once again builds toward a huge water-based conflict between the Na’vi and the RDA. Once again, Eywa intervenes. You could argue it’s intentional symmetry. A callback. A thematic mirror. But it’s also repetition. I enjoyed the movie. I really did. But if you ask me whether it stands fully on its own, I’d say it feels more like Part 2 of *The Way of Water* than a completely separate chapter. And maybe that’s the point. James Cameron has said there’s a time jump between *Avatar 3* and *Avatar 4*, suggesting the next pair will form a new arc together. This one still lives heavily in the shadow of what came before. --- ## Should You Watch Fire and Ash? If you enjoyed the previous films, yes. But go in knowing this is a sequel to a sequel. Even the MCU films, as interconnected as they were, usually told contained stories. *Fire and Ash* mostly does, but it flirts with feeling like a continuation rather than a standalone experience. That might be part of why fewer people showed up compared to the earlier films. If you’ve seen it, I’d love to know what you thought. Go back to the Avatar Movies page [here](https://theorencohen.com/avatar/). ### Dimension 20: The Ravening War - Episode 6 Recap and Review URL: https://theorencohen.com/dimension-20-the-ravening-war-episode-6-recap-and-review/ Last updated: 2026-04-20T09:45:27.000Z 💡 **Author's note: This episode was moved here from its original home on Geek Peek and will contain spoilers for episode 6 of The Ravening War.* The finale of *The Ravening War* was massive! So many things happened. I was literally about to cry. Episode 6 resolves many of the loose ends we saw throughout the season. It also features one of the most brutal D&D battles of all time. Let's get straight into it. ## It Had to Be a Battle The episode began as a theatre of the mind segment until Raphaniel used Shatter again, and Matt decided to bring the battle set out. Very dark setting. Figuratively and literally. The moment that set came out, I knew the Archbishop would be much more than a frail old lady. I wasn't prepared for what came next. Before we talk about it, I'd like to take a moment to reflect on how this season brought us here. The season felt very "House of The Dragon," in a way. Each episode brought a different part of the story and highlighted a moment in Candian history that was brought from the text to live action. And now, after everything we've been through, it's time to get back to our roots with a fully-fledged D&D battle to the end. ## Have We Been Deceived All Along? Deus-Pa'Zuul - such a great wordplay on the word Disposal. What was So surprising is that even the Sanctus Putris were deceived by the Archbishop. The FDA, the Sanctus Putris, and even the rot people were all pawns in a game far more complicated than anyone could have anticipated. ## Those Disposal Bins Were Outrageous This was probably one of the most brutal fights in Dimension 20 history. So many things have gone wrong for our group in their dice rolls, and that shredding ability was outrageous. I wanted to cry when Karna and Raphaniel died horrifyingly from those metal teeth. Even in such a short adventure, we still learned to love these characters, and it was hard to watch. In a way, it felt a little unfair. Killing the Archbishop was way harder than expected. She could move those bins around every round that passed and kill you when your turn arrived. However, there were many ways this battle could go. If Karna had Blink or some other transportation spell, she probably could have used it as a reaction, blinked away from the archbishop, and survived one more round. When Provolone would have started attacking the archbishop, Karna could have supported him from afar. ## Deli Just Barely Survived That sequence at the end, when the surviving players needed to run away from the heart of the mycelium, was gut-wrenching. And Deli has always been at the edge of that spore cloud hanging between life and death. It didn't need to be this way if only their dice rolls were high enough to convince the heart to let them leave peacefully. That entire sequence could have been replaced with some aftermath scenes, but it is what it is. That final running sequence is a staple of the harshness of playing in Calorum. This fight felt much more brutal than anything our group has faced. What do you think? Could the players have done anything differently? ## No Slamming Down Big Style For Anybody Deli was in love with Ariana, and Karna was in love with Deli. Ariana died while telling Deli she never lied to him. It was Basha Myaso who united the meat clans. Then Karna died. At the end of the battle, Deli finds a letter she left before the battle started on his bed, confessing her love to him. So much potential, yet no dice. ## Thoughts About Going Forward Strangely enough, Brennan's prologue fits my previous assumption that he would be involved with the church's expansion even though he did not survive. As Brennan describes it, Belisabeth Brassica finds all his notes and uses them. The Sanctus Putris are not annihilated, but they are fragmented across Calorum. Amangeaux takes up Karna's mantle and becomes Uvano's spymaster. Poor Deli follows in his mom's footsteps, so we never see any changes from him in the world. Colin Provolone becomes a Sanctus Putris hunter and hunts them down for years. That's an excellent open-ended character arc which means we might see him in a future sequel or Calorum side quest. ## Conclusion I loved this season. It was tough to watch the characters struggle and die, but the brutality of Calorum is what makes it so unique. Episode 6 of The Ravening War closes off all or most of those loose ends between our characters and the world they inhabit while providing us with a challenging battle that the players barely survive. What did you think about the finale? Let me know in the comments! *Read the season review* [*here*](https://theorencohen.com/dimension-20-the-ravening-war-review/) *or go back to the Dimension 20 Master Archive* [*here*](https://theorencohen.com/dimension-20/)*.* ### Dimension 20: The Ravening War - Episode 5 Recap and Review URL: https://theorencohen.com/dimension-20-the-ravening-war-episode-5-recap-and-review/ Last updated: 2026-04-20T09:45:06.000Z 💡 **Author's Note: This article has moved from its original home on Geek Peek and will include spoilers for the 5th episode of The Ravening War.* The penultimate episode of The Ravening War was packed with betrayal, camaraderie, and rot. There's a lot to unpack before the final episode next week. Episode 5 of The Ravening War is a testament to great storytelling and revelations across a political world filled with intrigue and mystery. I loved being in awe as many loose ends started to close. Let's get right into it. ## Battle Episode With Interwoven Storytelling Moments In previous seasons of Dimension 20, we usually saw storytelling episodes and battle episodes. Sometimes a battle will end and transition into story narration. In this episode, Matt introduces us to a new concept of a battle with storytelling breaks. As the group traverses the caverns of Rot, each room they visit has some enemies; once they finish that room, the initiative ends. That means there's time to do more storytelling moments until they move on to the next room and engage in battle again. I, for one, enjoyed the alternation between battle and story. What did you think about it? ## We Finally See Under The Masks In this episode, we are finally seeing the people behind the masks. There are, of course, many people still shrouded in darkness. However, in this episode, we've started seeing more people who belong to the Sanctus Putris and were unmasked. Being in the caves, they thought nobody would come in, so they didn't need their masks. The funny thing is that we discover through our players that the Sanctus Putris treat the Suprofians (did I write that correctly? I mean Rot people) like slaves. I wonder how much the Sanctus Putris reflect on their own actions, if at all. ## Deli and Colin - Reunited? The best thread in this episode was the confusing vibes between Deli and Colin. Are they bros? Are they not? When Lou rolled to see if Colin clocked Deli's attack and asked if he was impressed, I found that hilarious! And when Deli says Karna is his Skald, Colin's response is also confusing. Is he still interested in a friendship with Deli? We're going into the final episode with this story thread still unresolved, and if Deli and Colin do not hug by the end of it, I. Will. Riot. Do you want them to become friends again? ## Karna and Rot - Mysterious Relationship Karna is fighting the Rot people and the Sanctus Putris. However, in previous episodes, Aabria mentioned Karna is a true believer. Karna knows the hunger firsthand, and if the Sanctus Putris know of a way to stave it off, she will want in. But she still fights them. For Deli? Even now, when she's a grown woman with - hopefully - more common sense than before? Something still feels fishy to me. We never resolved her relationship with Gemilli. And I think we might resolve that in the final episode. What do you think? Is she truly over the Sanctus Putris? Did I miss anything? Out of the cast, I totally see Aabria going for PVP at the end if Matt will orchestrate it. What do you think? ## Raphaniel Keeps Unraveling The description of Raphaniel in this episode is genuinely out of this world. He has changed, withered, and kind of lost it. The failure of the persuasion check against the Suprofian in the mouth of the cave caused him to totally flip and want them all dead. And you know what they say about Pendulums - they always swing back. So even if he "hates" them now, we might still see him changing that opinion for the purpose of a PVP. ## Betrayal Long In The Making During this episode, we saw many people betraying our beloved cast. First, it was Karna's old nemesis, then Colin's dad. We also saw Chutney, who betrayed Amangeaux. We already knew that the Archbishop was revealed to betray Raphaniel, and Gemilli was also revealed to be a Sanctus Putris who used Deli for her own ends. Aside from those who died, we're going to meet those betrayers next episode again and potentially fight them. How many of them will try to persuade our characters to join the Sanctus Putris or at least not stand in their way? ## Predictions For The Next and Final Episode I have a sinking feeling that we are headed into PVP. Many players around the table wouldn't mind if it happened - especially Brennan and Aabria, the top agents of chaos. We are led to believe that the next episode begins in a meeting place where the Archbishop will be, and our players are bringing Deli and Amangeaux as prisoners. That will ensure half the party will be treated differently than the rest, if their deception check works. And there are still some secrets yet to be revealed about Raphaniel, as Brennan mentioned in the Adventuring Party. And Karna, as an agent of the hungry one, could still choose chaos. Would someone manage to persuade her to move to the dark side? This is Calorum. Brute force has never been the only way to solve things. Intrigue and politics are always part of the equation. And I'm sure the players will prove it with their actions next episode. How do you think this final episode will go? ## Conclusion Episode 5 of The Ravening War fantastically bridges the gap between the start of the war and its end years later. As the last episode suggests, the conflict against the Sanctus Putris and their ilk is the focus of our scrumptious scoundrels. Given that we know the Sanctus Putris exists in A Crown of Candy - we just don't see much of them - how do you think this finale will go? Will our heroes be swayed? Above all, what will be the closing remarks of this chapter in Calorum's history? Will we have some implications going forward? I'm excited to see how Matt leaves his mark on the world. What do you think will happen? Let's discuss predictions in the comments below! *Read the next and final episode review* [*right here*](https://theorencohen.com/dimension-20-the-ravening-war-episode-6-recap-and-review/)*, or read the season review* [*here*](https://theorencohen.com/dimension-20-the-ravening-war-review/)*. Go back to the Dimension 20 Master Archive* [*here*](https://theorencohen.com/dimension-20/)*.* ### Dimension 20: The Ravening War - Episode 4 Recap and Review URL: https://theorencohen.com/dimension-20-the-ravening-war-episode-4-recap-and-review/ Last updated: 2026-04-20T09:44:54.000Z *Author's Note: This article will include spoilers for the 4th episode of The Ravening War.* Episode 4 of The Ravening War is a testament to how much "story" can a DM and players cram into one episode without it feeling like too much. So many events happened in this one! We've started by going around and learning what our players have been up to in the 4-5 year jump between this episode and the previous one. Then we started making moves in the direction of the Sanctus Putris and finally arrived at the site of the final battle of The Ravening War at Pangranos. As I said, a lot has happened. Let's dive right in! ## Lady Amangeaux's Transformation At the beginning of this episode, We find Lady Amangeaux defeated, terrified, and desperate. She's afraid of the Queenslayers she and her companions have become. Realizing that this war is about to worsen, she decides to flee instead of going ahead with her plan to marry Lord Tomate. As she's about to enact her escape, she is faced with Karna Solara, who is reluctant to let her go after everything she's done for her. Karna finally accepts but not without a tear in their relationship. As Amangeaux's story progresses in this episode, we see her becoming more rogueish and cunning and no longer presenting as part of the nobility. After some years of going dark with none of her friends knowing where she was, she goes to the Uvanos, who were friends of her family. For her son's safety under the parentage of Gustavo Uvano, the Uvanos put her to work. I need to go back to see if this son of Gustavo Uvano is mentioned anywhere in A Crown of Candy, as we know that Gustavo's daughter is the heir to the Fructerran throne. ## The Darkening of Karna Solara In this episode, we see Karna spiral into different aspects of herself. She wasn't as affected by the killing of Queen Rocks as the others were. Instead, she went on seeking the Sanctus Putris. Although Karna is serving The Hungry One, Aabria describes her as a true believer. Meaning she believes that conflict and rot will keep the hungry one satisfied. And so, she seeks out an audience with the Sanctus Putris and finds Jamela Gemilli - Delissandro's crush - since she also noticed her smell at the base of the pyramid of food. This story thread seems to be abandoned when Delissandro summons Karna when he learns that Princess Saffria Rocks visits the meatlands to implore an alliance. Her death by Karna was executed perfectly to allow Basha Myaso to ascend to the throne and unite the tribes under his banner. This death, again planned by Lou as the original player of Amethar, is mindblowing to me. ## The Price Delissandro Paid For His Ascension When Deli comes back from the mission in the previous episode, he realizes his mother is not the right fit to lead the meatlands. He has a falling out with Provolone, who couldn't accept what Deli made him do for reasons we'll discuss below when we talk about Colin. And when Deli's mother realizes he went to support Basha Myaso and became the chief of his own clan, she goes north, never to be seen again. That's terrifying and heartbreaking. She was a rough woman, but all she ever wanted for Deli was to see him succeed. And when that success happened by turning his back on his family, she couldn't take it. As the years progress, Deli looks rougher and rougher. His new portraits show an almost crazed figure who lost an eye. Nevertheless, his relationship with Karna seems pure, and we love to see it even though it's kinda illegal because he's her boss in a way. By making Karna his Skald, he effectively saved her from being consumed by the idea of joining the Sanctus Putris. ## The Unraveling of Bishop Raphaniel Raphaniel is not in a good place after the last episode. The weight of his shame bears down on him as the years pass by. He needed to find the Sanctus Putris, and it all goes downhill after a certain discussion he has with the Archbishop. In that conversation, she reveals that she is quite healthier than she seems, even towering over him at some point when she tells him he'll never be ready to join the Sanctus Putris. That moment where he vows to destroy her while lying to her face that he accepts her observation is such a cool moment of self-conflict. In a way, that conversation sparks his desire to bring the "blender" in his mind into the world. And as he meets up with Colin in Comida, we learn that Raphaniel is pretty far gone by then. A Nat 20 Insight from Mercer was the only thing standing between Raphaniel and his Deception skills against the Church. When the Archbishop suspects his actions, she demotes him to Archdeacon and sends him to Comida. That's where he meets Colin Provolone after his falling out with Delissandro. ## The Birth of Sir Colin Provolone The falling out between Provolone and Delissandro was suspected in how the characters interacted during the previous episode and pretty much confirmed in the Adventuring Party for that episode when Lou asks Zac, "are we bros?" We get some backstory from that moment when Colin decides to tell Deli why he's been hiding. In the dairy isles, his ancestors were melted down in the town square for trying to go against the powers that be. And now he helped kill a queen. That's a triggering event, for sure. Provolone decides to go to Comida, and that's where he meets Raphaniel, and they have a little adventure going back to the scene of the murder to try and find the Rot cave again. Which they don't. Instead, we find the family of the innocent banana man, and Colin gives them a lot of money, which is incredibly sweet. It's only until the end of the episode, where Mercer draws us into a battle in the caves that we realize that the Rot creaturs can move and open caves in the earth almost undetected. ## Our PCs Are Adults Now! Since it's been so many years and all of our characters are now consenting adults, we got some new portraits of them that look Fabulous. Samir Barret did an amazing job with these ones. Looking at the portraits, we can also see how the years affected the PCs. There are many things the PCs did that could remain in darkness. Did our characters do anything that they did not report to the entire table? A Crown of Candy is notoriously known to be full of secrets. I wouldn't be surprised if, over the years, the characters have done some things they did not want to admit publicly to the rest of the table. ## The Young Amethar and Manta Ray Jack In the war council before the fight on Pangranos, we got to see a young Prince Amethar of House Rocks and Manta Ray Jack. Although it was a younger version and only for a moment of levity, I did not like that Mercer voiced Amethar. In A Crown of Candy, where PCs would return to the campaign in one way or another, Brennan would ask the players to voice their characters. I thought Mercer would do the same here. I know many people didn't even mind, but I just wanted to throw it out there for matters of taste. Seeing a portrait of the young Amethar was also amazing. And Princess Recocoa was also an amazing leader to behold. There's one Cake that we haven't seen yet, though, and if we've seen these characters and Recocoa, we can predict what happens next. I'll discuss this more below. ## The Battle Before The Battle As the episode draws to a close, Mercer dangles a carrot in front of Raphaniel in the form of a Rot creature near the encampment. In a frenzy, he runs after it and asks his friends to accompany him. They follow and, eventually, meet three Rot creatures. One of them infects Raphaniel with spores which allow him to communicate with the creature and doesn't poison him. Maybe there are different types of spores? The episode ends with the players realizing the Sanctus Putris are among the rot creatures, and a fight ensues. What side will Karna take as a "true believer"? Let's talk about Predictions next. > "In the great blender of the void, can all things be made one." - Bishop Raphaniel. ## Predictions For The Next Episode We have two episodes left. And this next one is going to be primarily a fight one. We could end the fight early if our characters surprise Mercer, but I doubt it. It feels like this will be primarily a long fight, just like the last episode was. There's going to be some kind of big reveal in this one as well. Maybe we will fight the Archbishop to pave the way for Belisabeth Brassica to raise the ranks? She has already ordered Citrina run down through the streets of Comida, so she might have been influenced by the Archbishop to cause more chaos. But we know she isn't affiliated with the Sanctus Putris. Something else could have happened over the years to help her recognize the truth - it could be that our players had a hand in doing so. In addition, being part Rot seems to give the Archbishop more time alive. Killing her in a battle seems a more likely way for someone like her to go. So far, Queen Pamela Rocks and Princesses Saffria and Citrina have been killed in this campaign. I feel like this campaign would destroy more of Amethar's family with Lou having a hand in doing it. Maybe we'll see Recocoa killed next? We know that Lazuli is the only one who sacrifices herself for Uvano. ## Conclusion This episode has been a heavy one. So many things happened, and the characters grew from teenagers and youngsters to full adults. Five years of progress is a lot to swallow in one sitting, but it didn't feel overwhelming. Overall, this episode was really good and provided a lot of context to events we only heard of in A Crown of Candy and flavors them in a way that feels much more personal. I'm excited to see what comes next! What about you? Let's discuss this in the comments! *Read the next episode's review* [*right here*](https://theorencohen.com/dimension-20-the-ravening-war-episode-5-recap-and-review/)*, or read the season review* [*here*](https://theorencohen.com/dimension-20-the-ravening-war-review/)*.* Go back to the Dimension 20 Master Archive [here](https://theorencohen.com/dimension-20/). ### Dimension 20: The Ravening War - Episode 3 Recap and Review URL: https://theorencohen.com/dimension-20-the-ravening-war-episode-3-recap-and-review/ Last updated: 2026-04-20T09:44:40.000Z 💡 **Author's Note: This post was moved here from its original home on Geek Peek and will include spoilers for episode 3 of The Ravening War.* Episode three of the ravening war is a turning point for this season of Dimension 20\. We finally got some much-needed information about The FDA, the motivations behind the mission our players have been given, and learned about a new layer of existence in Calorum. There's a lot to talk through in this episode. Let's begin! ## Preparing For Battle We begin the episode by arriving at the site of the battle - which is a beautiful battle set by Rick Perry and his team - in the Fructeran countryside. The team surveys the area as Colin Provolone scouts ahead and waits until a watermelon carriage arrives. ## Battle Revelations A few exciting things happened in his battle. The first was Queen Amangeaux casting spells and Raphaniel suspecting it. Although it was retconned since Anjali was using Subtle Spell, it was still a reminder that the team only has baseline trust, and someone like Raphaniel could still turn on the queen. The second was Provolone using his Sword of Wounding which prevents anyone attacked by it from being healed or taking opportunity attacks against the attacker - sick as hell! It makes me wonder more and more who Colin Provolone is! We still don't know. The third exciting bit was seeing Karna get hurt and then rot, spreading where she was hurt. In addition, Aabria's killing imagery in this episode is pure poetry. Stilleto under the chin, water dagger into the heart. Those are the scenes for a world like Calorum! I loved it very much! The fourth fantastic thing to happen in this episode was seeing Matt use the box of doom to determine whether Brennan's character would get hit by an orange. Good stuff! ## The Death of Queen Pamela of House Rocks Mid-episode, we realize the hooded figure in the carriage is none other than Queen Pamela of House Rocks - Amethar's mother. Brennan admitted in the episode he killed her when he wrote the history of The Ravening War to spark Candia into the conflict. Now he was forced to witness it first hand and also commit the deed as his Shatter spell was the last nail in her coffin. ## Turning Point for Raphaniel...? As the blueberry queen "detonates," Raphaniel doubts what he's been doing his whole life. Brennan said something interesting here; his biggest fear was to admit he was used and a fool. This revelation might mean he has no grand schemes other than ensuring he is never suspected and can keep doing whatever he wants for his freedom. At some point, Raphaniel is out of Subtle spell and conducts a spell in full view of his companions to detect thoughts about a particular vein in a cave they found. But let's backtrack a little bit. ## The Rotting Layer of Existence Everything rots when left for dead out in the open. The group encountered a being near the battle site, where they slayed the queen. That being tried to flee, but with two Nat 20s by Deli and an eldritch blast by Karna, the being did not stand much chance. As Matt describes the creature as a creature of rot, again, that sinking feeling that "for sure, Calorum would have to have this" bubbled up in me. Of course, fruits and vegetables that live and die by the light of the bulb and the void of the hungry one would have to rot. It just makes sense. Deli and Raphaniel make contact with the being only to discover it is a whole layer of existence under the world of Calorum as we know it. And its roots run much deeper than that. ## Introducing: Sanctus Putris The big reveal of this episode is that the FDA is actually the official name for something else, much more primal, called Sanctus Putris - a church doctrine that states that to appease the hungry one, there has to be a level of rot in the world. And what is rot caused by? Death. How do we accelerate death? War. Hence The Ravening War. They don't care about politics. They don't care who survives. They don't even care if they survive. For them, some of the world needs always to burn. Horrifying enemy. But imagine the power this group has as the one leading it is none other than the Archbishop herself. We know she is succeeded by Belisabeth Brassica, who eventually becomes the pontifex and is not a Sanctus Putris believer. So, maybe a plot point in this season would be to take the archbishop down. ## A Little Nod to ACOFAF From Matt Mercer When Deli picks up the dead rot creature, Matt presents spores coming out of his midsection and immediately asks Lou to make a con save. Reminiscent of Aabria's poison spores against the players in the later stages of the campaign. Aabria's "NO!" was so satisfying. ## Predictions For the Next Episode I'm unsure how many years pass when the next episode drops, but we learned that after a time jump, there's a tiny part of the episode where we go over the players and ask them what they've been doing in that time. We know Karna and Queen Amangeaux tried to establish a relationship with Tomate. We might see the resolution of that. In addition, we might see the group try to rebel against their puppet masters. We might also witness other famous moments in The Ravening War, like Citrina's book establishing the church's power. Last time, I deposited that we might see Raphaniel being instrumental in making the church famous. But seeing as the Pontifex and many others are already empowered by the Sanctus Putris and the Rot community, I feel like that won't happen as I envisioned. He might still throw in his lot with them, though. I'm excited to see how Karna deals with the rotted part of the world, seeing as she's of the hungry one. ## Conclusion Once again, Matt Mercer surprises us with a new part of Calorum that we didn't know existed but makes total sense. We learned more about our characters and have seen them change and react to actually doing a deed they've been set out to do by the FDA. This episode feels like a turning point in the journey of our characters. No longer are they disparate people coming together. Instead, they have formed a bond about their shared experience this day - Queenslaying. I can't believe we're already at the midway point for this season and advancing toward its end. Next week can't come soon enough! What did you think about the episode? Let me know in the comments below! *Read the review for the next episode* [*right here*](https://theorencohen.com/dimension-20-the-ravening-war-episode-4-recap-and-review/)*, or read the season review* [*here*](https://theorencohen.com/dimension-20-the-ravening-war-review/)*.* Go back to the Dimension 20 Master Archive [here](https://theorencohen.com/dimension-20/). ### Dimension 20: The Ravening War - Episode 2 Recap and Review URL: https://theorencohen.com/dimension-20-the-ravening-war-episode-2-recap-and-review/ Last updated: 2026-04-20T09:44:13.000Z 💡 **Author's Note: This post was originally published on Geek Peek, and will include spoilers for episode 2 of The Ravening War.* This episode of The Ravening War has touched so many things. We learned more about each of our characters, we discovered how the war progressed, and Matt set us up for the first battle encounter of the season in Episode 3\. Overall a fantastic episode that enriches the world of Calorum with extra layers. There's much to discuss, so let's get into it. ## What Happened In The Last Two Years? Matt begins the episode by weaving the last two years between the players' decisions. Each player has been on their own journey, not interrupted by the FDA during that time. Delissandro and Colin stuck together in a campaign to rally the meatlanders under Deli's mother as a leader. Bishop Raphaniel's singular focus during the two years was investigating the FDA. Karna increased her influence as a master spy and utilized resources from the bishop to set up safehouses in Comida and the rest of the region. Queen Amangeaux tried to survive and used Karna and Raphaniel's connections to persuade the noble houses that she was valuable. It didn't go too well for her, and Karna could only provide a spark of hope for her. From that point in the episode, Matt leads us to another meeting with the FDA as each player gets another scroll with the infamous seal. Things get really interesting here, as we don't cut immediately to the meeting. There are preparations to be made, and we follow the players as they travel back to Comida from Greenhold and the meatlands. Let's talk about those surprising reveals. ## Queen Amangeaux is NOT heirless?! One big reveal in this episode that Queen Amangeaux has kept from the rest of the party, with the exclusion of Karna, who followed her, is that she has a son. He's currently a baby. But if two years had passed since the last episode, could it be that he isn't the late king's son? Assuming pregnancy works the same as in our world, she would have been at the beginning of said pregnancy and would have 9 months to deliver. Then the kid would be older than one year at least when she comes to visit Comida for the FDA meeting. Instead, it was described as a "tiny, tiny" grape in a crib. I'm not sure what to think about this, but maybe tonight's adventuring party would shed some light on this, and I'll come back to revise my opinion on the matter. ## Karna and The Hungry One Karna has been revealed to be a worshipper of The Hungry One. Not only has she suffered by being in the presence of the bulb's light when meeting Raphaniel in the chapel, but she also had her skin rot and offered it with a fresh kill's flesh as an offering to the hungry one. What does this mean for the future? Will Karna sabotage certain efforts because of her allegiance to the hungry one? Does she, like Raphaniel, have some other grander scheme? Granted, she is a child, but we don't know much else about what's going on in her head. It will be interesting to see if Aabria will be the player that triggers some big event, just like she did with Laerryn in Calamity! What do you think? Let me know in the comments below! ## Bishop Raphaniel is a Dangerous Radish The key takeaway from this episode for me was this quote from Raphaniel "I would prefer not to be remembered" - it's what a dangerous fellow with no regard for his future and reputation would say. Raphaniel might hold station in the church as a bishop, but he's actually a mighty figure with everything he can pull off for Karna and the queen. His visions are disturbing, and I'm not sure if we're seeing memories he wants to repress because he's hiding or whether those are memories about something that happened to him, and he's reliving them. Either way, Brennan is doing a great job at making me at least raise an eyebrow at Raphaniel whenever he opens his mouth. What about you? ## The FDA's Assassination Task After each player took care of business, with Karna splendidly winning over Count Tomate, the group finds themselves back at the base of the pyramid of food, ready to meet their clandestine employers. The FDA is informing the group it's time for their first mission. The group dunks on Raphaniel, which has now been confirmed to be part of the group and not just happen to be there. Among other topics, the FDA introduces the group to "Dishless" - a legendary warrior that Colin Provolone definitely recognizes, according to Matt. Together they set out to find a figure traveling to Comida to foil the FDA's plan and, therefore, must die quietly. Traveling there, we close the episode with Matt ominously setting up the battle for the next episode. Who could this person be? What happens next? I'm excited to find out! ## Predictions For the Next Episode I guess the next episode of The Ravening War will feature a battle, but it will be short. They won't invest the entire season's half-point battling with some illusive figure away from prying eyes. The figure travels from Ceresia, so it could be Deli's crush. Otherwise, it must be someone else traveling from Ceresia that Deli recognizes. Could it also be Sirley that Lou rolled a nat 1 on at the beginning of the episode? That's also a possibility. For the queen's son, even though Karna sold that fact to Tomate to gain her place at his table, I don't know if he will survive. We understand that The Ravening War ends with Gustavo Uvano taking the throne, and he supposedly died at the beginning of A Crown of Candy when he was in his sixties. This season unfolds only twenty years before, so he should be in his 40s in this season's timeline. As a matter of fact, none of the characters in the group will be remembered. But they could have influenced some things. For example, the church's influence before The Ravening War was contained only to Vegetania. After the war, it spread across the continent. Bishop Raphaniel could be the facilitator of this result during this season. Gustavo Uvano is Fructeran - the queen could be responsible for putting him in that position of taking the throne. She doesn't take the seat of power in Fructera as we know Uvano's daughter Plumbeline is the rightful sovereign of Fructera twenty years later. There's not much we know about changes in the dairy isles and the meatlands that Deli and Colin could be responsible for, so we'll just wait and see what unfolds next. ## Conclusion This episode was fantastic. I love that it makes me think about how the events we see relate to the future and the season that already happened. For now, it seems that even though Matt narrates significant events unfolding, he keeps the events the players are meddling with pretty clandestine and hush-hush, so they don't affect the established lore too much. This could all change as this was only the second episode, and we have four more to go! What did you think? Let me know in the comments below! *Read the next episode recap* [*right here*](https://theorencohen.com/dimension-20-the-ravening-war-episode-3-recap-and-review/)*, or read the season review* [*here*](https://theorencohen.com/dimension-20-the-ravening-war-review/)*. Go back to the Dimension 20 Master Archive* [*here*](https://theorencohen.com/dimension-20/)*.* ### Dimension 20: The Ravening War - Episode 1 Recap and Review URL: https://theorencohen.com/dimension-20-the-ravening-war-episode-1-recap-and-review/ Last updated: 2026-04-20T09:42:26.000Z 💡 **Author's Note: This post was moved from its original home on Geek Peek and will include spoilers for episode 1 of The Ravening War.* As a fan of Dimension 20 and newly admitted to the Critical Role fandom by Calamity, I was beyond excited when I learned that Matthew Mercer would be the Dungeon Master for the newest season of Dimension 20, The Ravening War. This season returns us to the world of Calorum from A Crown of Candy and introduces a fantastic cast of players: Anjali Bhimani, Zac Oyama, Aabria Iyengar, Brennan Lee Mulligan, and Lou Wilson. The story takes place years before the events of the original campaign and kicks off with our players heading into Comida, the city where all the intrigue happens. From there, we follow the unfolding story, masterfully woven by Matthew Mercer, as the characters navigate the events leading up to the infamous Ravening War. Let's dive in, shall we? ## Let's Talk Aesthetics I must start by praising the incredible intro art that brings us back into the world of Calorum. The original artist responsible for the previous campaign's characters returned to create the same captivating art style. The production team has also kept their game from NeverAfter, using the Dome, which now features images and effects beyond alternating colors. It adds an extra layer of immersion that I absolutely love. The table decorations and DM seat showcase the excellent work of Rick Perry and his team. We have seen a glimpse of the miniatures used in the battles in the trailer, and I can't wait to see these epic clashes play out in full. ## Interesting Player Dynamics The chemistry between the players is fantastic. You can immediately sense Lou and Zac's strong feelings towards Brennan, who previously acted as their DM. It's fascinating to see how they react to Brennan being a player in such a deadly fantasy setting this time. I was somewhat surprised to see that three players already knew each other at the beginning of the campaign, but it makes sense, given that the season only consists of six episodes. Anjali's character, Queen Amangeaux Epicée du Peche, Aabria's character, Karna Solara, and Brennan's character, Bishop Raphaniel, all have established relationships. On the other hand, Lou's character, Thane Delissandro Katzon, and Zac's character, Colin Provolone, also know each other, as Thane has hired Colin to transport them from the Meatlands to Comida. ## Some Memorable Moments There were several standout moments from this first episode. One of my favorites was Brennan's subtle callback to the original campaign, mentioning the corrosive effect of water on sugar. Another was the reveal that Thane is part Meatlander and part bread from Ceresia – an unexpected twist that could lead to trust issues within the group. I also couldn't help but laugh when Thane's mom casually left the carriage to squat and pee, showcasing her unapologetically violent nature. Brennan's character, Bishop Raphaniel, also refuses to connect with the group on a trust level, which could have severe consequences down the line. We were treated to appearances by iconic characters, such as a young Bishop Belizabeth Brassica from the clergy and Princess Citrina and Queen Pamela of House Rocks - Sister and Mother to King Amethar - Lou's PC from A Crown of Candy. All of which added depth to the story and the world of Calorum. ## Let's Talk About The Fellowship of Destiny's Architects Introducing the shady organization, the Fellowship of Destiny's Architects, is an intriguing development. Love the wordplay for the FDA - arguably the most important organization in America. The fantasy FDA seems to be a group of less powerful individuals who have banded together to control the world, reminiscent of the Illuminati in our own world. They know secrets about our characters and manipulate them to do their bidding, threatening to expose their secrets to force compliance. As the episode ends, each player receives a package containing a letter revealing that their secrets are known. They reluctantly agree to cooperate with the Fellowship of Destiny's Architects and proceed to a dinner where their first task begins to unfold. We discover that Lord Tomate, a Tomato Lord, plans to seize the crown and become the next king of Vegetania. With support from both Vegetania and Fructerra, he threatens to take the crown "by word or by sword." I particularly enjoyed the clever play on words and the nod to the ongoing debate over whether a tomato is a fruit or a vegetable. In a bold move, the episode doesn't end with a simple cliffhanger. Instead, Matt describes events that transpire over the next two years, leading into the next episode set during The Ravening War. This sets the stage for a story that spans several years and promises to be an epic adventure. ## Predictions for the Next Episode Given the time jump, I expect the players to level up and grow stronger. It seems likely that Queen Amangeaux and Karna will maintain their alliance. At the same time, Bishop Raphaniel remains a wild card, potentially using the others to further his own goals within the Bulbian Church. Thane and Colin's working relationship will likely continue, as Thane's mother has paid Colin handsomely to keep her son safe. However, there's a chance that Thane's crush, a woman from Ceresia, may not be entirely genuine in her affection and could be using him for her own ends. As the story unfolds, tensions within the group may lead to PvP conflicts, especially if trust issues arise. It will be interesting to see how the group navigates these challenges while facing the external threat of The Ravening War. Watch the episode [on Dropout](https://www.dropout.tv/videos/the-seeds-of-conflict?ref=theorencohen.com) or on YouTube! The rest of the season is not set to premiere on YouTube, but the D20 crew is known to publish the first episode of most seasons on their channel. Enjoy: ## Conclusion The first episode of The Ravening War was a fantastic start to the season, with mesmerizing visuals, engaging storytelling, and a promising cast of characters. I am eager to see how the story develops and what twists and turns lie ahead. What are your thoughts on the first episode? Do you think we'll see PvP action in the future, or will the group find a way to trust one another? Perhaps there are iconic scenes from the original campaign that we'll get to relive in this prequel. Share your thoughts, predictions, and ideas in the comments below, and let's discuss this thrilling new season together! *Read the next episode recap* [*right here*](https://theorencohen.com/dimension-20-the-ravening-war-episode-2-recap-and-review/)*, or read the season review* [*here*](https://theorencohen.com/dimension-20-the-ravening-war-review/)*.* Go back to the Dimension 20 Master Index [here](https://theorencohen.com/dimension-20/). ### Dimension 20: The Ravening War Review URL: https://theorencohen.com/dimension-20-the-ravening-war-review/ Last updated: 2026-04-19T17:55:31.000Z So, you're curious about The Ravening War and want to know if it's good. You heard it's a prequel to another Dimension 20 season called *A Crown of Candy*, and now you're wondering - should I watch that one first? ***Highly Recommended***. This season, even though it's a prequel, has some callbacks to that season, and you wouldn't want to be the only one around the table who isn't laughing, right? The Ravening War was a fantastic season and a massive rollercoaster of emotions. Matt Mercer's DMing was as spectacular and ruthless as you'd expect from him, the players around the table brought the BEST vibes for this season, and the whole packaging was a chef's kiss. Kudos to the artists and Rick Perry's team! Let's dive into it! ![](https://geekpeek.blog/content/images/2023/12/d9672cad-47e8-4dce-becd-34eb988ad8bf_1000x563.jpg) #### Dimension 20: The Ravening War The Ravening War is Dimension 20's 17th season set in Calorum - the world of A Crown of Candy. GM'd by Matt Mercer. [Watch Now](https://watch.dropout.tv/dimension-20-the-ravening-war?ref=theorencohen.com) ## Matt Mercer's DMing Matt has an excellent habit of introducing a scenario and letting the players run with it. This habit has made for some very cool scenes throughout this season. It also enabled some very cool character growth moments. When Matt DMs, it's not hard to guess he is a professional voice actor. Some of the voices he made for NPCs and situations were on point and helped visualize some of the elements in a theatre of the mind scene or even added some flavor to a battle set or the personality of a mini. Overall, I felt very immersed in the story. Matt also kept us on our toes the entire time. It wasn't until the last episode that the full horror was revealed. ## Players' Character and Vibe This season's players are Anjali Bhimani, Aabria Iyengar, Brennan Lee Mulligan, Lou Wilson, and Zac Oyama. This table has the BEST vibes. Most of the season, you'll find BFF vibes between Brennan and Lou, Aabria vibes (always the best ones), and Anjali and Zac just being awesome to be around. ## Season Packaging and Flavor This season, we've seen the return of Rick Perry's minis and battle set, along with some cool dome-screen transitions. But the one production aspect that always gets me is the show's editing. It always looks minimally edited, but the episode is very condensed. Imagine how long and less powerful it would have been without that tight editing. Good job, D20 crew! The art for the characters has also been impressive. It was good to see the characters' transformations over the years through the character art. Finally, the music choices were very on point. Loved the music behind the dialogue and how the music added another layer to the scenes. ## Conclusion I loved The Ravening War. It reminded me of everything good about A Crown of Candy. However, it also reminded me of all the stressful moments, the grieving, and the overall higher stress during the session. If you're ready for a season where the lows are really low and the highs are pretty high, then *The Ravening War* is for you. What did you think about the season? Let me know in the comments below! --- Read my individual reviews of each episode below: [Dimension 20: The Ravening War - Episode 1 Recap and ReviewDive into my review of The Ravening War Episode 1: The Seeds of Conflict, covering memorable moments, character dynamics, and predictions for this season.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/2f/9d/2f9dd706-fe4e-4ea5-915c-baf010e8bd57/content/images/icon/favicon-12.ico)Oren CohenOren Cohen![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/2f/9d/2f9dd706-fe4e-4ea5-915c-baf010e8bd57/content/images/thumbnail/trw-e1.webp)](https://theorencohen.com/dimension-20-the-ravening-war-episode-1-recap-and-review/) [Dimension 20: The Ravening War - Episode 2 Recap and ReviewThe 2nd episode of The Ravening starts to unfold some exciting truths that were buried deep. What secrets are our players hiding? Let’s find out.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/2f/9d/2f9dd706-fe4e-4ea5-915c-baf010e8bd57/content/images/icon/favicon-13.ico)Oren CohenOren Cohen![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/2f/9d/2f9dd706-fe4e-4ea5-915c-baf010e8bd57/content/images/thumbnail/trw-e2.webp)](https://theorencohen.com/dimension-20-the-ravening-war-episode-2-recap-and-review/) [Dimension 20: The Ravening War - Episode 3 Recap and ReviewLet’s talk about the third episode of The Ravening War—the first combat episode of the season with some terrifying revelations at the end of it.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/2f/9d/2f9dd706-fe4e-4ea5-915c-baf010e8bd57/content/images/icon/favicon-14.ico)Oren CohenOren Cohen![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/2f/9d/2f9dd706-fe4e-4ea5-915c-baf010e8bd57/content/images/thumbnail/trw-e3.webp)](https://theorencohen.com/dimension-20-the-ravening-war-episode-3-recap-and-review/) [Dimension 20: The Ravening War - Episode 4 Recap and ReviewLet’s recap and review The Ravening War’s 4th episode. This season of Dimension 20 only keeps escalating. A lot has happened in this one.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/2f/9d/2f9dd706-fe4e-4ea5-915c-baf010e8bd57/content/images/icon/favicon-15.ico)Oren CohenOren Cohen![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/2f/9d/2f9dd706-fe4e-4ea5-915c-baf010e8bd57/content/images/thumbnail/trw-e4.webp)](https://theorencohen.com/dimension-20-the-ravening-war-episode-4-recap-and-review/) [Dimension 20: The Ravening War - Episode 5 Recap and ReviewLet’s review the penultimate fifth episode of The Ravening War - Dimension 20’s 17th season. There are so many things to unpack in this one.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/2f/9d/2f9dd706-fe4e-4ea5-915c-baf010e8bd57/content/images/icon/favicon-16.ico)Oren CohenOren Cohen![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/2f/9d/2f9dd706-fe4e-4ea5-915c-baf010e8bd57/content/images/thumbnail/trw-e5.webp)](https://theorencohen.com/dimension-20-the-ravening-war-episode-5-recap-and-review/) [Dimension 20: The Ravening War - Episode 6 Recap and ReviewThis finale was a doozy. Let’s talk about the sixth and final episode of Dimension 20: The Ravening War.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/2f/9d/2f9dd706-fe4e-4ea5-915c-baf010e8bd57/content/images/icon/favicon-17.ico)Oren CohenOren Cohen![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/2f/9d/2f9dd706-fe4e-4ea5-915c-baf010e8bd57/content/images/thumbnail/trw-e6.webp)](https://theorencohen.com/dimension-20-the-ravening-war-episode-6-recap-and-review/) Go back to the Dimension 20 Master Archive [here](https://theorencohen.com/dimension-20/). ### Stargate SG-1 Index URL: https://theorencohen.com/stargate-sg-1-index/ Last updated: 2026-02-25T09:06:12.000Z This is where all the reviews for Stargate SG-1 will be linked to. ## Season 1 [Stargate SG-1 S1E1-E2 Review: “Children of the Gods” (Pilot Episode Breakdown)The episode that launched one of sci-fi’s greatest shows and proved the Stargate was just the beginning.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/2f/9d/2f9dd706-fe4e-4ea5-915c-baf010e8bd57/content/images/icon/favicon-7.ico)Oren CohenOren Cohen![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/2f/9d/2f9dd706-fe4e-4ea5-915c-baf010e8bd57/content/images/thumbnail/sg1s1e1-2.webp)](https://theorencohen.com/stargate-sg-1-s1e1-e2-review-children-of-the-gods-pilot-episode-breakdown/) [Stargate SG-1 S1E3 Review: “The Enemy Within”Kawalsky’s fate, Teal’c’s trial, and the moment Stargate SG-1 became the show we remember.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/2f/9d/2f9dd706-fe4e-4ea5-915c-baf010e8bd57/content/images/icon/favicon-8.ico)Oren CohenOren Cohen![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/2f/9d/2f9dd706-fe4e-4ea5-915c-baf010e8bd57/content/images/thumbnail/sg1s1e3.webp)](https://theorencohen.com/stargate-sg-1-s1e3-review-the-enemy-within/) [Stargate SG-1 S1E4 Review: “Emancipation”A rewatch of SG-1’s most infamous episode — and why it still makes fans squirm.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/2f/9d/2f9dd706-fe4e-4ea5-915c-baf010e8bd57/content/images/icon/favicon-9.ico)Oren CohenOren Cohen![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/2f/9d/2f9dd706-fe4e-4ea5-915c-baf010e8bd57/content/images/thumbnail/sg1s1e4.webp)](https://theorencohen.com/stargate-sg-1-s1e4-review-emancipation/) [Stargate SG-1 S1E5 Review: “The Broca Divide”Where science fiction forgets the science but gives us Dr. Frasier instead.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/2f/9d/2f9dd706-fe4e-4ea5-915c-baf010e8bd57/content/images/icon/favicon-10.ico)Oren CohenOren Cohen![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/2f/9d/2f9dd706-fe4e-4ea5-915c-baf010e8bd57/content/images/thumbnail/sg1s1e5.webp)](https://theorencohen.com/stargate-sg-1-s1e5-review-the-broca-divide/) [Stargate SG-1 S1E6 Review: “The First Commandment”A rogue commander plays god — and SG-1 faces its most human mission yet.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/2f/9d/2f9dd706-fe4e-4ea5-915c-baf010e8bd57/content/images/icon/favicon-11.ico)Oren CohenOren Cohen![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/2f/9d/2f9dd706-fe4e-4ea5-915c-baf010e8bd57/content/images/thumbnail/episode-s1e6.webp)](https://theorencohen.com/stargate-sg-1-s1e6-review-the-first-commandment/) TBA... ## Season 2 TBA... ## Season 3 TBA... ## Season 4 TBA... ## Season 5 TBA... ## Season 6 TBA... ## Season 7 TBA... ## Season 8 TBA... ## Season 9 TBA... ## Season 10 TBA... Go back to the [Stargate main index](https://theorencohen.com/stargate-tv-shows-index/). ### Stargate TV Shows Index URL: https://theorencohen.com/stargate-tv-shows-index/ Last updated: 2026-02-25T09:07:24.000Z The Stargate TV shows have been one of the comfort shows of my early 20s. While I haven't watched all of SG-1 and am actively filling that gap, I watched Atlantis and Universe religiously. This is the main hub of the Stargate shows in my archive where you can find the sub-hubs for each of the shows. And hopefully, when the new show is released, you'll find it here, too. ## Stargate SG-1 ## Stargate Atlantis ## Stargate Universe ## Stargate 2028 Coming soon... Go back to the [main archive index](https://theorencohen.com/the-archive-index/). ### The Cosmere Index URL: https://theorencohen.com/the-cosmere-index/ Last updated: 2026-04-05T05:55:20.000Z The first Brandon Sanderson book I ever read was Warbreaker. It was a standalone book with no sequels. It still doesn't. I heard from friends at the time that there were other books like Mistborn to read, but I wanted something less committing than a full series. I was just coming off The Sword of Truth, which - for a guy who hadn't heard of The Wheel of Time at that point in life - was actually a good series to read. So I gave it a go and loved it. Since then, I've gotten more Sanderson books and even had three of my Stormlight Archive books signed. This page links to all those articles about how those books made me feel. **\[Status: Work in progress\]** ## Cosmere Ultimate Guide I wrote a guide on how to start reading the Cosmere. You can find it here: [How to Start Reading Brandon Sanderson’s Cosmere: The Ultimate GuideWelcome to The Cosmere, You Brave Soul.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/2f/9d/2f9dd706-fe4e-4ea5-915c-baf010e8bd57/content/images/icon/favicon-4.ico)Oren CohenOren Cohen![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/2f/9d/2f9dd706-fe4e-4ea5-915c-baf010e8bd57/content/images/thumbnail/cosmere.webp)](https://theorencohen.com/how-to-start-reading-brandon-sandersons-cosmere-the-ultimate-guide/) ## Stormlight Archive: Wind and Truth Reaction Less of a review and more of a reaction to how this book ends: [I Finished Stormlight Archive: Wind And Truth And I’m DevastatedThe book was good, but I don’t know what kind of ending I expected.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/2f/9d/2f9dd706-fe4e-4ea5-915c-baf010e8bd57/content/images/icon/favicon-6.ico)Oren CohenOren Cohen![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/2f/9d/2f9dd706-fe4e-4ea5-915c-baf010e8bd57/content/images/thumbnail/96fdb009-5ece-412d-925b-8bc2a6a0f0c5_1200x691.jpg)](https://theorencohen.com/i-finished-stormlight-archive-wind-and-truth-and-im-devastated/) ## Elantris Book Review [Book Review: ‘Elantris’ by Brandon SandersonAre you considering reading Elantris by Brandon Sanderson? I read the book and have a strong opinion about it. Read this review to help you decide!![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)Oren CohenOren Cohen![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/2f/9d/2f9dd706-fe4e-4ea5-915c-baf010e8bd57/content/images/thumbnail/Elantris_Concept_Art_2_by_Robin_Costet.jpg)](https://theorencohen.com/book-review-elantris-by-brandon-sanderson/) ### How to Start Reading Brandon Sanderson's Cosmere: The Ultimate Guide URL: https://theorencohen.com/how-to-start-reading-brandon-sandersons-cosmere-the-ultimate-guide/ Last updated: 2026-07-27T04:55:22.000Z So you’ve heard about Brandon Sanderson, the guy who finished *The Wheel of Time*, writes like a machine, and has a cult following of fantasy fans. You heard whispers of interconnected worlds, insanely detailed magic systems, and a recurring mystery man named Hoid. Welcome to the **Cosmere**. This guide is your one-stop shop for how to dive into it without getting lost, overwhelmed, or spoiled. ## Sign up for Oren Cohen Nerdy takes on the stories I love — games, TV, books, movies, and everything in between. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ## What Is the Cosmere? (And Why Should You Care?) The Cosmere is a **shared universe** that spans across many of Sanderson's novels and series. Think of it like the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but for fantasy books. Each book or series stands alone, but there’s a hidden thread connecting them all—through world mechanics, gods, magic, and characters. Key points: - **Interconnected worlds**: Each series takes place on a different planet in the same universe. - **Recurring characters**: Certain characters (like Hoid) appear across different series. - **Investiture**: The magic systems across the Cosmere stem from the same source, though they manifest differently. Why should you care? Because Sanderson's worldbuilding is insane. If you're into fantasy that rewards attention to detail, the Cosmere is your playground. ## Key Cosmere Series (And Their Vibes) ### Mistborn Era 1 - **Vibe**: Heist + rebellion + epic war. - **Magic**: Alomancy — eating metals gives you powers (e.g., flight, telekinesis, emotional influence, etc.). - **Books**: - The Final Empire - The Well of Ascension - The Hero of Ages ### Mistborn Era 2 (Set \~300 years later) - **Vibe**: Steampunk Western. - **Magic**: Evolution of Alomancy - New allomantic powers, new tech for harnessing them. - **Books**: - The Alloy of Law - Shadows of Self - The Bands of Mourning - The Lost Metal ### Stormlight Archive - **Vibe**: Massive epic fantasy. Big feels big stakes. It could be hard to get into if you're unprepared to read books with 1000+ pages. - **Magic**: - Surgebinding - You can fly if you get a spirit bestie and get over your trauma. - Shardblades - unique swords that act more deadly than regular swords. - **Books**: - The Way of Kings - Words of Radiance - Oathbringer - Rhythm of War - Wind and Truth ### Warbreaker - **Vibe**: Color-based magic, gods, politics, sass. - **Magic**: BioChromatic Breath - Make objects come alive and do your bidding. - **Books**: Just one so far — *Warbreaker*. ### Elantris - **Vibe**: Fallen gods, political intrigue, city of the damned. - **Magic**: AonDor (symbol-based magic) - Draw runes in the air to invoke magic. - **Books**: - Elantris - Two sequels coming over the next five years. - **Note**: The Book "**The Emperor's Soul**" is not a direct sequel to Elantris, even though it happens in the same world. ### Tress of the Emerald Sea & Secret Projects - **Vibe**: Fairytale adventure with meta Cosmere hints. - **Books**: - Tress of the Emerald Sea - Yumi and the Nightmare Painter - The Sunlit Man (Not for beginners). - **Note**: Brandon suggested that *Tress of The Emerald Sea* as a starting point is a good idea. ### Arcanum Unbounded - **Vibe**: Short stories + novellas from across the Cosmere. - **Note**: Read after some main books for max impact. ## Recommended Reading Orders (Choose Your Path) ### The Beginner Path (Safe and Epic) 1. Mistborn Era 1 2. Warbreaker 3. Stormlight Archive Pros: Eases you in. You get Sanderson’s style and magic systems before the big leagues. ### The Chronological Completionist (Timeline Nerds) - Elantris - Hope of Elantris (short story) - The Emperor's Soul (novella) - Mistborn Era 1 - Secret History (after Mistborn Era 1) - Mistborn Era 2 - Warbreaker - Stormlight Archive - Secret Projects Pros: Internal chronology. You’re a lore goblin. ### The Thematic Explorer (No Rush, Just Vibes) Jump around. Pick what sounds fun. Each book stands alone, but you'll spot Easter eggs. ### The Stormlight Stanner (Jump In the Deep End) Start with *The Way of Kings* if you’re ready to commit to 1,000+ page epics and be emotionally wrecked. ## If You Want More Specific Starting Points A good breakdown of books that are good starting points vs. books best saved for later. ### Good Entry Points to The Cosmere 1. Mistborn Era 1 2. Elantris 3. Warbreaker 4. Tress of the Emerald Sea 5. The Emperor's Soul ### Books Best Saved For Later 1. Stormlight Archive 2. Yumi and the Nightmare Painter 3. (Some of) Arcanum Unbounded 4. The Sunlit Man ## What About Arcanum Unbounded? It’s a collection of short stories and novellas from different parts of the Cosmere. Some of these are best read **after** you’ve experienced the main series they relate to. Suggested timing: - Read after Mistborn Era 1, Era 2, and Stormlight Book 2. - Don’t read *Mistborn: Secret History* until you’ve finished Mistborn Era 1. ## FAQs About Starting the Cosmere - **Do I need to read in publication order?** No, but it helps. Sanderson builds in layers. - **Will I miss out if I don’t read them all?** Nope. Each series works solo. But the more you read, the more you see the puzzle come together. - **Are the books interconnected or standalone?** Both. Self-contained stories in a bigger universe. - **Is this like the MCU?** Kind of, but smarter and with magic systems that actually make sense. ## Cosmere Reading Tips (From a Veteran Sanderfan) - Don’t overthink it. Just start. - Pay attention to recurring names like Hoid. - Keep a wiki handy if you wanna go deep ([*Coppermind.net*](https://coppermind.net/?ref=theorencohen.com)). - The Stormlight Archive gets better with each book. - Be patient. The payoff is *massive*. - Be prepared to read the last 150 pages or so in one sitting. ## Where to Buy / Read the Books - Available in print, ebook, and audio (Michael Kramer and Kate Reading are elite narrators). - Check Amazon, your local bookstore, or libraries. - Audiobooks: Audible, Scribd, or Libby. - Support Sanderson directly via [Dragonsteel books](https://www.dragonsteelbooks.com/?ref=theorencohen.com) if you’re hardcore. ## Conclusion: Ready to Enter the Cosmere? You’re about to start one of the most rewarding journeys in modern fantasy. Whether you start with Mistborn or Stormlight, you’re stepping into a universe that’s still unfolding. Welcome to the Cosmere. *I want to thank the community on* [*r/Cosmere*](https://www.reddit.com/r/Cosmere?ref=theorencohen.com) *subreddit who helped shape this article! Share your cosmere journey on there because the community is so welcoming and fantastic!* Drop a comment with your starting point or your favorite Sanderson book, and let’s nerd out together! ## Sign up for Oren Cohen Nerdy takes on the stories I love — games, TV, books, movies, and everything in between. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ### Tougen Anki Blurs the Line Between Hero and Villain URL: https://theorencohen.com/tougen-anki-blurs-the-line-between-hero-and-villain/ Last updated: 2026-02-23T06:08:45.000Z Last year, I started watching *Tougen Anki* on a whim. I just needed something to fill the gaps between watching shows as 'homework' for a podcast, and there it was on Crunchyroll. It didn't take long for the show to completely hook me. I found myself tuning in week after week until the season suddenly wrapped. *Tougen Anki* starts with literal guns blazing, but as the episodes progress, it refines that chaotic energy into something deeply mythical. Let's break down why. ## A Fresh Take on Good vs. Evil In *Tougen Anki*, an age-old war rages between two factions: the **Oni**, demon-blooded beings feared for their destructive potential, and the **Momotaro**, humans with special abilities who hunt the Oni in the name of protecting humanity. But here’s the twist — our protagonist, **Shiki**, is an Oni. And his adoptive father? A high-ranking Momotaro. From the first episode, *Tougen Anki* sets the tone: a brutal, high-stakes clash between a berserk Oni and a seasoned Momotaro. It’s bloody, raw, and intense — not just physically, but emotionally too. When the dust settles, Shiki loses his father and is swiftly pulled into a hidden academy… not for humans, but for **Oni**. What follows is the beginning of a journey where the lines between hero and villain, justice and vengeance, are anything but clear. ## The Magic System Is Visceral — and Thoughtfully Designed Episode three slows things down — in the best way possible. While the students spar below, **Naito Mudano**, a sharp-eyed instructor, watches silently from atop a tree, observing without their knowledge. It’s through his quiet commentary that we get our first real breakdown of Oni blood magic. Every Oni has the ability to shape their **blood** into weapons or tools. But this isn’t a flashy gimmick — it’s psychological alchemy. Here’s how it works: the Oni envisions an image, that image is transmitted through the nervous system into the bloodstream, and their blood transforms into what they imagined. Some Oni create weapons that match their personality or preferences — blades, guns, claws. But others — more tragically — manifest blood-born creations shaped by **trauma**. Take **Homare Byobugaura**. She’s quiet, reserved, and considered weak by her peers. But when she sees Shiki get hurt trying to protect her, she emotionally spirals — and her blood instinctively forms a towering, monstrous figure she calls *“Sis.”* A blood giant. It’s a deeply emotional moment, and a visual cue that her power isn’t drawn from confidence, but from pain. The other two students — **Shiki** and **Jin Kougasaki** — were initially sparring with each other, locked in a heated, testosterone-fueled showdown. But when Homare’s transformation erupts in the middle of their fight, everything shifts. Suddenly, they’re both forced to face something neither of them saw coming: an unstable but overwhelming expression of raw emotion, grief, and fear in the shape of a blood-born giant. This is what makes *Tougen Anki’s* magic system stand out: it's not just cool — it’s *character-driven*. Every manifestation tells a story. Every drop of blood reveals something unspoken. ## Multi-Layered Power Scale To make Shiki stand out, the show later reveals him to be a vessel for "Enki"—a specialized, fire-based power tied to the ancient Oni lineage. It's one of several rare abilities that only manifest once in a generation, usually when the Oni are backed into a corner. Think of it like a Super Saiyan transformation, but made of fire—and Shiki is woefully unprepared to control it. On the opposite end of this power spectrum is the "Berserk" form. This is where an Oni literally loses control, allowing their blood to hijack their body for a rampage of unbridled destruction. Narratively, the Berserk form is the entire inciting incident for the war; it’s the exact reason the Momotaro started hunting the Oni in the first place. ## Slick Animation, A TikTok-Ready Outro, and Smart Distribution *Tougen Anki* doesn’t just hit hard — it **looks** great doing it. The animation is sharp and fluid, especially in the fight scenes where blood is flying, and emotions are high. You can tell real care went into the visual style, and it pays off whether characters are throwing punches or just trading insults. But what really caught me off guard was the **outro**. At first, it seems like a fun little post-episode dance — the students vibing and filming themselves with their phones. But then I opened TikTok and there it was: edits of the outro, already making rounds online. And they look **good**. This isn't an accident. This is smart marketing. In a saturated anime market, grabbing social media attention is half the game. If your outro sparks a trend, you’ve got fans doing your promotion for you. And that’s not all. Like *Delicious in Dungeon*, *Tougen Anki* is also doing **weekly dubs**. When a new episode drops on Crunchyroll or Netflix, the English dub is already waiting. That’s a huge win for accessibility — and it’s going to bring in way more casual viewers who don’t want to wait or read subtitles. This show isn’t just setting up a good story — it’s setting itself up to *thrive*. ## Sign up for Oren Cohen Nerdy takes on the stories I love — games, TV, books, movies, and everything in between. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ## Final Thoughts First season in, and *Tougen Anki* has already earned a spot on my watchlist. It’s stylish, emotionally layered, and thoughtful in its presentation — both in-universe and in the real world. If you’re into Shonen shows that blend brutal action with genuine emotional depth — plus a power system that reveals something about the people using it — give this one a try. I’ll definitely be following up with more thoughts for individual episodes, both here on the blog and over on the [**YouTube channel**](https://youtube.com/@oren%5Fco?ref=theorencohen.com). Read more about anime in the [Anime Index](https://theorencohen.com/anime/). ### The Anime Index URL: https://theorencohen.com/anime/ Last updated: 2026-02-23T06:09:25.000Z I grew up on *Dragon Ball Z* and *Cardcaptor Sakura*—two completely different sides of anime, but I loved them both. As I got older, that appreciation only expanded. Whether it's the slightly confusing but awesome world of *Moonrise*, or the hilarious fantasy survival of *Delicious in Dungeon*, I just genuinely enjoy exploring these stories. That’s why the Archive has a dedicated hub for anime. Take a look at the records below, and let me know in the comments what I should watch and log next! ## Tougen Anki [Tougen Anki Blurs the Line Between Hero and VillainBlood, trauma, and TikTok dances — Tougen Anki is a modern shonen with sharp teeth and a social strategy.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/2f/9d/2f9dd706-fe4e-4ea5-915c-baf010e8bd57/content/images/icon/favicon-1.ico)Oren CohenOren Cohen![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/2f/9d/2f9dd706-fe4e-4ea5-915c-baf010e8bd57/content/images/thumbnail/tougen-anki.webp)](https://theorencohen.com/tougen-anki-blurs-the-line-between-hero-and-villain/) \[Content coming soon as I import it from old blogs!\] Read more archive entries by going to the [master archive index](https://theorencohen.com/the-archive-index/). ### How to Watch Dimension 20: The Ultimate Beginner's Guide URL: https://theorencohen.com/how-to-watch-dimension-20-the-ultimate-beginners-guide/ Last updated: 2026-02-18T06:31:56.000Z **Dimension 20** is an actual-play D&D show published on **DropoutTV**, originally created by the team at CollegeHumor. Helmed primarily by fan-favorite Dungeon Master **Brennan Lee Mulligan**, Dimension 20 quickly became known for its hilarious, emotional, and imaginative storytelling. Since launching in 2018, the show has grown to over **20 unique seasons**, each bringing fresh adventures and unforgettable characters. Whether you're brand new to tabletop RPGs or a seasoned actual-play fan looking for your next binge-worthy show, Dimension 20 has something to offer everyone. In this ultimate beginner’s guide, I'll break down everything you need to know—where to start watching, standout seasons, the amazing cast, and answers to common questions. Ready to dive in? Let’s get started! ## Sign up for Oren Cohen Nerdy takes on the stories I love — games, TV, books, movies, and everything in between. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. ## What Exactly is Dimension 20? Dimension 20 is an **anthology-style actual-play series**, which means each season typically tells its own unique, standalone story. You don't need to watch the seasons in order, making it easy to jump in wherever you like. The exception here is sequel seasons, which are only a handful. Dimension 20 divides its seasons into two main types: - **Intrepid Hero Seasons**: These feature the original cast from Dimension 20's very first full-length campaign, *Fantasy High*. Intrepid Hero (a.k.a Core Cast) seasons tend to be longer (around 18–20 episodes) and focus deeply on character development, humor, and storytelling. - **Side Quests**: These seasons usually feature rotating casts and guest Dungeon Masters like **Aabria Iyengar**, **Matt Mercer**, and others. They are shorter, ranging from four to around ten episodes, and often explore unique themes and creative twists on traditional role-playing adventures. This combination of consistency (Core Cast) and innovation (Side Quests) keeps Dimension 20 fresh, exciting, and approachable for new fans and longtime viewers alike. ## Where Can You Watch Dimension 20? The primary destination for all Dimension 20 content is [**Dropout.tv**](https://www.dropout.tv/?ref=theorencohen.com), the streaming platform created by CollegeHumor. Dropout hosts every season and episode, neatly organized under the [Dimension 20 series page](https://www.dropout.tv/dimension-20?ref=theorencohen.com). However, you can also watch select full seasons for free on Dimension 20’s official **YouTube channel**. Currently, these freely available seasons include: - *Fantasy High* - *Fantasy High: Sophomore Year* - *Escape From The Bloodkeep* - *The Unsleeping City Chapter 1* Additionally, Dimension 20 releases the first episode of each new season on YouTube, typically about a week after it premieres on Dropout. ## All Dimension 20 Campaigns (And Where to Start) Let's dive into the full list of Dimension 20 seasons (as of March 2025), with a quick summary of each. Afterward, I'll share my personal recommendations for the best ways to begin your Dimension 20 journey in 2025. ### **Dimension 20 Seasons** 1. **Fantasy High** – The first-ever season! Follow a group of teenage adventurers navigating high school and heroics. Perfect for beginners, since the cast learns the game as you watch. The game system used for this season is D&D 5e. 2. **Escape From The Bloodkeep** – Dimension 20’s first side quest, featuring CollegeHumor alums as comedic villains caught in a chaotic fantasy scenario. The game system used for this season is D&D 5e. 3. **The Unsleeping City** – Magical New York meets urban fantasy. Deeply personal storytelling, with a fantastic portrayal of NYC through Brennan and the core cast’s eyes. The game system used for this season is D&D 5e. 4. **Tiny Heist** – A quirky side quest featuring characters who are tiny toys attempting an epic heist. A great pick if you love whimsical storytelling. The game system used for this season is D&D 5e. 5. **A Crown of Candy** – A dark, dramatic fantasy inspired by Game of Thrones—with candy-themed kingdoms. High stakes, emotional storytelling, and serious tension. The game system used for this season is D&D 5e. 6. **Pirates of Leviathan** – The first spin-off from Fantasy High, set in Leviathan, a pirate city introduced in the original series. It’s short, fun, and full of pirate adventure! The game system used for this season is D&D 5e. 7. **Fantasy High: Sophomore Year** – A sequel continuing the adventures of Fantasy High’s heroes, originally broadcasted live weekly on Twitch and later uploaded to Dropout. The game system used for this season is D&D 5e. 8. **The Unsleeping City: Chapter II** – Filmed remotely during the pandemic, this season continues the adventures of New York’s magical protectors. The game system used for this season is D&D 5e. 9. **Mice & Murder** – A Sherlock Holmes-inspired mystery side quest, filmed with Brennan in the dome and players remotely due to the pandemic. The game system used for this season is D&D 5e. 10. **Misfits and Magic** – A charming side quest introducing Aabria Iyengar as a guest GM and Brennan as a player. This season uses the Kids on Brooms RPG system instead of D&D 5e. 11. **The Seven** – Another Fantasy High spin-off focusing on the Seven Maidens, formerly NPCs now played by the cast, with Brennan reprising his role as Zelda. The game system used for this season is D&D 5e. 12. **Shriek Week** – A spooky, Halloween-themed adventure packed into a short side quest. The game system used for this season is the [Mythic system](https://docs.google.com/document/u/4/d/e/2PACX-1vQV3LCbGeWgfkbb06J3g%5Fy07Iw8TG4-kRlcojDj6KQVMYPOFLZCIrw%5Fy8gDVyPq30z3L41QlhB9ajRz/pub?ref=theorencohen.com), created by Gabe Hicks. 13. **A Starstruck Odyssey** – A sci-fi comedy adventure in the Starstruck universe, originally created by Brennan’s mom (It's my personal favorite!). The game system used for this season is [Star Wars 5e](https://sw5e.com/?ref=theorencohen.com). 14. **Coffin Run** – A gothic, Dracula-inspired tale, marking Jasmine Bhullar’s debut as a guest GM in Dimension 20\. The game system used for this season is D&D 5e. 15. **A Court of Fey & Flowers** – Aabria returns as GM in this beautifully crafted side quest set in the Feywild, filled with intrigue, romance, and drama. A true standout. The game system used for this season is D&D 5e and [Good Society](https://storybrewersroleplaying.com/good-society/?v=4605f628f91d&ref=theorencohen.com). 16. **Neverafter** – Fairy tales get a dark, comedic horror twist in this unforgettable core cast season. The game system used for this season is D&D 5e. 17. **The Ravening War** – Dimension 20’s first prequel, GM’d by Critical Role’s Matt Mercer. It expands on the world of A Crown of Candy. The game system used for this season is D&D 5e. 18. **Dungeons and Drag Queens** – A fabulous side quest starring actual drag queens as legendary adventurers. Fun, glamorous, and hilarious. The game system used for this season is D&D 5e. 19. **Mentopolis** – A unique "whodunit" mystery set inside the human mind, featuring Hank Green’s debut as a Dimension 20 player. The game system used for this season is Kids on Bikes. 20. **Burrow’s End** – Follow a group of animals fleeing disaster, GM’d by the talented Aabria Iyengar. A beautiful, emotionally-driven side quest. The game system used for this season is D&D 5e. 21. **Fantasy High: Junior Year** – The adventures continue for the Bad Kids in their third year at Aguefort Adventuring Academy. The game system used for this season is D&D 5e. 22. **Never Stop Blowing Up** – A fast-paced, action-packed side quest, blending Fast & Furious with Michael Bay-level explosions. The game system used for this season is **Never Stop Blowing Up**, a homebrew system heavily inspired by [Hunters Entertainment’s Kids on Bikes](https://www.huntersentertainment.com/kidsonbikesrpg?ref=theorencohen.com). 23. **Misfits and Magic Season 2** – A longer sequel to the beloved Misfits and Magic, revisiting our magical heroes. The game system used for this season is **Never Stop Making Magic**, a homebrew mix of Dropout’s Never Stop System and [Hunters Entertainment’s Kids on Bikes](https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.huntersentertainment.com/kidsonbikesrpg&sa=D&source=editors&ust=1742806213810474&usg=AOvVaw2okQaWjOa0wAAsASX5Pq9m). 24. **Dungeons and Drag Queens Season 2** – The queens return in style for another hilarious and heartfelt adventure. The game system used for this season is D&D 5e. 25. **Titan Takedown** – A wrestling-themed side quest full of high-flying moves, big personalities, and dramatic showdowns. The game system used for this season is D&D 5e. 26. **Cloudward, Ho!** – A steampunk-themed season with the core cast. 27. **Gladlands** – Possibly one of the funniest side quests in all of Dimension 20\. ### How Should You Start Watching Dimension 20 in 2026? If you're new to Dimension 20, jumping into such a big show can feel overwhelming. Don't worry—here are three popular ways fans recommend diving in: #### **1\. Follow the Current Season** The easiest way to join the Dimension 20 community is simply to watch the newest season as it premieres. At the time of writing, the upcoming season is **Titan Takedown**, a short, four-episode wrestling-themed side quest. Starting here means you can engage directly with ongoing community discussions and enjoy the excitement of new episodes releasing weekly. If you enjoy what you see, you can then dive deeper into the older seasons available on Dropout. #### **2\. Start from the Beginning** If you're up for the full Dimension 20 experience, starting from the very first season, **Fantasy High**, is the way to go. While each season generally stands alone, watching in release order lets you catch running jokes, references, and character moments that span multiple campaigns. With 25+ seasons (and growing!), starting from the beginning is a commitment—but it's manageable compared to catching up on larger actual-play series like Critical Role. You'll quickly see why longtime fans love this journey. #### **3\. Start With a Short, Non-Committal Side Quest** If you'd rather not commit immediately to a longer series, pick a shorter "Side Quest." My personal recommendation, especially if you're new to D&D or actual plays, is **Dungeons and Drag Queens** (Season 1). It's beginner-friendly, hilarious, fabulous, and only four episodes long, making it an excellent starting point. Another great option is the first season of **Misfits and Magic**, a delightful, short series that introduces you to Dimension 20’s unique charm without using traditional D&D rules. With these three options, you're set up to enjoy Dimension 20 in whatever way suits your style! ## Standalone Episodes and Specials Over the years, Dimension 20 has also produced several memorable **live shows and special episodes**, many set in the popular Fantasy High universe. One standout is **The Time Quangle**, a unique live experience launched in 2024\. In these special performances, Brennan and the cast roll dice live on stage before the adventure begins, randomly determining their characters, and the universe they'll explore that night. This spontaneity creates hilarious, unpredictable, and one-of-a-kind adventures that differ from city to city. These live shows and specials add an exciting layer of creativity to Dimension 20, offering fans unique stories beyond the regular seasons. All of them are uploaded to Dropout, too. ## Who Are the Main Cast and Characters? Dimension 20’s beloved **Intrepid Heroes** (a.k.a Core Cast) is a group of talented actors, improvisers, and comedians who’ve brought unforgettable characters and stories to life. Here’s a quick introduction to each of them: ### **Brennan Lee Mulligan (Dungeon Master)** The creative mastermind behind Dimension 20, Brennan is renowned for his incredible storytelling, sharp wit, and endless energy. He’s famous for playing countless NPCs, each distinct and memorable, from hilarious comic relief to deep, emotional roles. ### **Emily Axford** Known for her boundless creativity and unpredictable antics, Emily often plays chaotic and lovable characters. Her most iconic roles include **Fig Faeth** (Fantasy High), the rebellious teen bard, and **Sofia Lee** (The Unsleeping City), the badass Staten Island hairstylist turned champion of New York’s magical realm. ### **Brian "Murph" Murphy** Murph frequently portrays down-to-earth characters who become the group's voice of reason (or occasionally, comedic frustration). Standout roles include the anxious yet endearing **Riz Gukgak** (Fantasy High), a goblin detective, and the gothic hot-topic-manager-turned-hero **Cody "Night Angel" Walsh** (The Unsleeping City). ### **Lou Wilson** With charisma and warmth, Lou often embodies earnest and enthusiastic characters who bring both humor and heart to the table. Notable roles include the charmingly naive **Fabian Aramais Seacaster** (Fantasy High), a pirate’s son trying to make his own legacy, and Broadway-loving nurse **Kingston Brown** (The Unsleeping City). ### **Zac Oyama** Zac frequently plays deeply relatable and hilariously awkward characters who quickly become fan favorites. His roles include the lovable jock with a heart of gold **Gorgug Thistlespring** (Fantasy High), and the earnest firefighter-turned-hero **Ricky Matsui** (The Unsleeping City). ### **Siobhan Thompson** Siobhan specializes in witty, sharp-tongued characters that often serve as the narrative’s backbone or emotional anchor. Her standout roles include the uptight elf **Adaine Abernant** (Fantasy High), whose vulnerability made her a fan favorite, and the elegant and powerful society wizard **Misty Moore** (The Unsleeping City). ### **Ally Beardsley** Ally brings a unique blend of humor, sincerity, and bold improvisation to every role. Their characters often explore deeper emotional or existential themes, such as the charismatic and deeply conflicted **Kristen Applebees** (Fantasy High), or the spiritually curious dreamer **Pete Conlan** (The Unsleeping City). The chemistry and friendship among these core cast members are central to what makes Dimension 20 special. Watching them play together feels like joining a table of close friends, making every season a genuinely warm and hilarious experience. ## Dimension 20 vs Other Popular Actual Plays With so many excellent actual-play podcasts out there, it's natural to wonder how Dimension 20 stacks up against other favorites like **Critical Role**, **Not Another D&D Podcast (NADDPOD)**, and **Worlds Beyond Number**. Let's quickly break down the differences and similarities, and help you figure out which is the best fit for your personal tastes. ### **Dimension 20 vs Critical Role** - **Tone & Length:** - **Dimension 20** episodes typically range from 1.5 to 2.5 hours, offering tight pacing, high comedy, emotional storytelling, and a clear focus on story arcs. - **Critical Role** episodes frequently last 3-4 hours, diving deep into detailed character development, extensive lore, slower pacing, and dramatic storytelling. - **Production & Accessibility:** - **Dimension 20** is known for slick editing, custom-built miniatures and sets, shorter campaigns, and anthology-style storytelling (each season is largely independent). - **Critical Role** has long-running, epic campaigns spanning hundreds of hours, detailed world-building, immersive voice acting, and an ongoing story that requires more investment to fully appreciate. - **Who it’s for:** - Choose **Dimension 20** if you prefer comedic, fast-paced storytelling that blends humor with genuine emotional moments in shorter seasons. - Choose **Critical Role** if you’re looking for deep character-driven drama, detailed lore, longer campaigns, and a richer, long-term commitment. ### **Dimension 20 vs NADDPOD (Not Another D&D Podcast)** - **Tone & Style:** - Both Dimension 20 and NADDPOD feature comedy and warmth. Dimension 20 emphasizes visual storytelling and tightly structured arcs, while NADDPOD relies purely on audio storytelling with improvisational, looser sessions. - **Cast Overlap:** - Both shows share several cast members: Emily Axford, Brian Murphy, Zac Oyama, and Siobhan Thompson. If you enjoy their chemistry on Dimension 20, you'll likely love NADDPOD’s relaxed, friendly atmosphere. - **Length & Format:** - NADDPOD episodes are about 1-2 hours, similar to Dimension 20, but NADDPOD seasons are longer and audio-only. NADDPOD has fewer structured set-pieces, relying more heavily on imagination and improvisation. - **Who it’s for:** - Choose **Dimension 20** if you want shorter, visually enhanced storytelling with diverse and uniquely themed seasons. - Choose **NADDPOD** if you love a pure audio experience, long-term character growth, and comedic improvisation with friends. ### **Dimension 20 vs Worlds Beyond Number** - **Storytelling & Atmosphere:** - **Dimension 20** is humorous, engaging, and often emotionally deep, but typically leans towards fun, quirky, and energetic storytelling. - **Worlds Beyond Number** (WBN) emphasizes lush, atmospheric, narrative-rich storytelling, exploring deeper emotional themes, subtle character interactions, and expansive world-building. - **Pace & Production:** - Dimension 20 has tightly edited episodes and shorter seasons, keeping the pace brisk and energetic. - WBN takes a slower, more deliberate narrative pace, allowing immersive and detailed storytelling, often leaning toward poetic and emotional depth. - **Game Systems:** - Dimension 20 primarily uses Dungeons & Dragons 5e with occasional experimentation (e.g., Kids on Brooms in Misfits & Magic). - WBN has used D&D 5e as its foundation but prioritizes narrative over mechanics, often bending rules to fit the story. - **Who it’s for:** - Choose **Dimension 20** if you prefer shorter, humorous, visually engaging campaigns with a focus on fun and varied storytelling. - Choose **Worlds Beyond Number** if you crave deep storytelling, poetic narratives, emotional immersion, and a podcast that unfolds slowly and deliberately. Ultimately, Dimension 20 uniquely balances accessibility, comedy, emotional storytelling, and visual creativity, making it perfect if you're looking for diverse, shorter, and visually-rich actual-play experiences. Each of these shows is fantastic in its own way, but Dimension 20 is particularly welcoming to newcomers who want a friendly, energetic entry into the actual-play world. ## Common Questions Here are clear answers to some of the most frequently asked questions by newcomers to Dimension 20: ### **Do I need to watch Dimension 20 seasons in order?** **Nope!** Dimension 20 is an anthology series, meaning most seasons are completely standalone. You can start anywhere that sounds interesting to you, though watching from the beginning can enrich your experience with running jokes and references. ### **Do I need prior knowledge of D&D to enjoy Dimension 20?** **Not at all.** Dimension 20 is very accessible and welcoming to newcomers. Many cast members were beginners themselves in earlier seasons, so the show naturally teaches you how things work as you watch. ### **How many episodes are in a typical Dimension 20 season?** Core Cast seasons usually have about 18–20 episodes, while Side Quest seasons are shorter—typically between 4–10 episodes. Each episode typically ranges from 1.5 to 2.5 hours. ### **Is Dimension 20 kid-friendly or suitable for teenagers?** Dimension 20 seasons vary, but generally, it's aimed at older teens and adults due to language, themes, and occasional mature humor. Seasons like **Fantasy High** are great for older teens, but you might want to screen seasons like **A Crown of Candy** or **Neverafter** if younger viewers are involved due to darker themes. ### **Is Dropout.tv worth subscribing to just for Dimension 20?** If you're a fan of Dimension 20, **absolutely!** Dropout is the main platform for the show, with full access to every episode, behind-the-scenes specials, exclusive content, and early access to new seasons. It’s also inexpensive and has a wealth of other content you might enjoy. ### **Are all Dimension 20 campaigns using Dungeons & Dragons 5e rules?** Most Dimension 20 seasons use D&D 5e rules, but occasionally other systems are featured—like **Kids on Brooms** in *Misfits and Magic* and an adapted version of *Lasers & Feelings* in *Mentopolis*. The show prioritizes storytelling over strict rules, making it easy to follow regardless of the system used. ## Thanks For Reading! I hope this guide helped you find everything you wanted to know about Dimension 20! If there's anything else you'd like to see covered, please let me know in the comments below—I’d love to keep improving this article over time. Don't miss out on future articles: **join my email list** and get the latest entries in the Dimension 20 archive delivered straight to your inbox. See you next time! ## Sign up for Oren Cohen Nerdy takes on the stories I love — games, TV, books, movies, and everything in between. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. Return to the Dimension 2o Master Archive [here](https://theorencohen.com/dimension-20/). ### Avatar: The Way of Water Review URL: https://theorencohen.com/avatar-the-way-of-water-review/ Last updated: 2026-02-14T18:22:34.000Z 💡 **Author's note: This article will contain Avatar: The Way of Water spoilers.* If you know me well enough, you know I'm a sucker for a good escapism experience. And this movie was just that. *Avatar: The Way of Water* helps us escape our world into an adventure. It's also teaching us about the dark side of capitalism, keeping our planet safe, and being kinder. I loved this movie and wept in some of the scenes. It's a lengthy one at about 3ish hours, and I watched it twice at the theatre and bought a digital copy on Apple TV. Let's talk about it in-depth. ## The Shattered Life of Jake Sully The movie begins with a montage about how Jake and Neytiri had some years of peace after the humans left at the end of the [first Avatar movie](https://theorencohen.com/i-rewatched-avatar-16-years-later-and-it-hit-harder-than-i-remembered/). Jake was no longer a stranger to Pandora. He learned the language, which "sounded like English" as time passed. That's A convenient way to bring us more into the story through Jake's perspective. Jake now has children and has become the leader of a Na'vi clan. It all ends in date night with Neytiri when Jake sees the lights in the sky and realizes the humans are returning. Things will never be the same again, and it was time to bring back those fighter senses. It's the perfect catalyst event for a Hero's journey type of story. You can never go back now, and the story must propel forward to resolve the conflict - the human's comeback. ## The RDA Made an Obvious Comeback When the RDA came back to Pandora, they came back with reinforcements. In the first movie, it seemed like the humans were much less widespread than in this one. In the 2009 movie, Jake arrives at an established base through the ship. It seems that was the only base on Pandora at the time. They mined unobtainium and sent it home to Earth, and that's it. When the humans arrived back on Pandora, they launched a full-scale invasion. Building cities to colonize Pandora instead of Earth - which is dying. Let's talk about what that means for a second. ## Things Don't Look Too Good for Earth In the first movie, things were already looking bad for Earth. Air contamination, no resources, and overpopulation. One day we will get to that point too. Humans keep on being born daily. Every day, around 385,000 babies are born on Earth, [according to the UN](https://www.theworldcounts.com/challenges/toxic-exposures/polluted-bodies/how-many-babies-are-born-a-day?ref=theorencohen.com), and we're projected to reach 10 billion by 2056 unless we cull each other with wars, famine, and pandemics. Imagine how Earth is doing by the time of this movie. Global warming [is an actual thing](https://climate.nasa.gov/effects/?ref=theorencohen.com). Even if you don't believe the science that proves the effects already, you gotta admit that the seasons are not what they used to be if you're old enough to remember like me. When I was a kid here in Israel, it drizzled in September, and from October onwards, we had rain until February, sometimes March. In the winter of late 2022, I could count the times it rained on one hand. September has become part of the summer - it's sunny, and no signs of autumn are showing up. It's insane. You can't tell me building more factories and polluting the air more and more has no effect whatsoever on the environment. Don't get me started on plastic in the ocean, either. That's why I believe each of us doing our little bit to keep the planet safe could still amount to something. If that's the situation in 2023, imagine what it's like in the 22nd century when the Avatar series is set. ## I Cried During This Movie I cried when Neytiri and Jake lost everything and needed to run away. When Jake was afraid to risk his family and decided to run away to hide among the sea people, I cried too. I felt seen when Jake's kids got bullied by the water teenagers. But there was also positive weeping. The friendship that Jake's son Lo'ak made with the outcast Tulkun Payakan was an emotional one too. Every time Jake's little daughter spoke, I also felt joy. Tuk is so darn cute! ## Someone Had to Die And it was Neteyam. I felt this would happen since Neteyam was mainly the "good boy" during this movie. He did not have as much screen time as Jake's younger kids. Neteyam died when he saved Lo'ak and Spider from the ship where Na'vi Quaritch and Jake were about to fight. Neteyam was probably the character with the most minor connection we, as an audience, had. We saw him in different scenes when the family gathered or with other characters. Yet Neteyam didn't have a story unfolding for him like Lo'ak or Kiri had. But he was Jake's firstborn, and that's why it hurts seeing him die and how it affects his parents and family. ## This Movie is About Family *The Way of Water* begins with Jake's montage about his family over the 16 years since the first movie. And we see another family relationship introduced in this movie. Quaritch's Na'vi reincarnation and his son Spider. The latter got left behind all those years ago because he was too young for Cryo. We are also introduced to the family ties between the sea people and their Tulkun brothers and sisters. All of those ties come together to exist in a world threatened by capitalism and the need to gain more and more. The thought that Tulkuns die for an anti-aging product that "stops" aging is heartbreaking. Imagine back on Earth; a few wealthy lucky fucks wake up in the morning to put on some anti-aging cream. They don't even know that it was the brain liquid of a sentient being who had a family and wrote songs and poetry. The Tulkun are sentient, and that's why it hurts so much to see them subjected to Earth's food and drug industry in such a cruel way. ## Verdict: Should You Watch The Way of Water? Aside from being a fantastic cinematic experience, The Way of Water is also a reminder and reflection of the negative parts of our society. The parts we don't usually see. You don't need to be vegan to know that the food industry is cruel to the animals we eat. You don't need to be a scientist to understand the many pharma products we use get tested on animals. And you don't need to be an activist to realize we are killing forests and polluting the planet. We already know all of those things. We just feel powerless to stop them. And that's not true - but that's a discussion for a different article. *The Way of Water* is also a reminder to build your own family. If your blood family does not fit or is gone, like Jake's family back on Earth - go out there and find a new family. Find the people you want to surround yourself with and stick with them. Overall, I loved this movie and will keep watching it at least a few more times until Fire and Ash is available on Disney Plus. I can't believe I'll be in my *late forties* when the last one comes out. So, yes, you should definitely watch it. Especially if you enjoyed the first Avatar. What did you think about the movie? What parts of it resonated with you most? Let's talk about it in the comments below! *Avatar: The Way of Water* is available to watch on [Disney+](https://apps.disneyplus.com/il/movies/avatar-the-way-of-water/1260142021?filters=content%5Ftype%3Dmovie&ref=theorencohen.com) and [Apple TV](https://tv.apple.com/il/movie/avatar-the-way-of-water/umc.cmc.5k5xo2espahvd6kcswi2b5oe9?ref=theorencohen.com). ### I Think I’m an Archivist URL: https://theorencohen.com/i-think-im-an-archivist/ Last updated: 2026-02-15T19:14:16.000Z I’ve been sitting with a realization lately that feels small on the surface, but oddly grounding. **I think I’m an archivist.** Not in a formal sense, and not in the “everything must be preserved” way. More in how my brain naturally approaches the things I love. Games, TV shows, books, tabletop campaigns. I don’t experience them as isolated moments. I experience them as journeys, and my instinct is always to record the journey as a whole. ## Sign up for Oren Cohen Nerdy takes on the stories I love — games, TV, books, movies, and everything in between. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. That’s probably why I’ve always gravitated toward full seasons, full playthroughs, full series. Why I wrote about entire Dimension 20 campaigns instead of one standout episode. Why I reacted to all of Stargate SG-1 season one, and not just the “best” moments. Why I like playlists more than clips. I don’t chase moments. I build collections. For a long time, I didn’t have language for this. I thought I was just inconsistent, slow, or bad at “content creation.” I kept trying to force myself into schedules, promises, and timelines. I would say I’m going to do this regularly, or I’ll post every day, or I’ll stick with it this time. And every time, the same thing happened. The work started feeling heavy before it even existed. What I’ve realized is that the problem was never the work itself. It was time. Or more specifically, expectation tied to time. The moment I promised something in advance, I stopped enjoying it. My brain doesn’t work well with future obligation layered on top of creative curiosity, especially while having a day job and real-life goals. A schedule turned play into pressure. Publishing turned into performance. And the irony is that most of this content is archival by nature anyway. Someone discovering my Stargate rewatch months from now has no idea whether I posted daily or once a week. They’re entering an archive, not a live broadcast. So I’ve been trying something different. Instead of saying “I promise I will do this,” I’ve shifted to “I am doing this, and the record will show it.” That one change removed a lot of weight. If I publish something, it exists. It’s part of the archive. If I don’t publish for a while, that’s not failure. It’s just a quiet period in the record. Some collections will move faster than others. Some will pause. Some might never be completed, and that’s okay, too. Archives are allowed to be honest. This also reframes how I think about progress. I don’t measure it in streaks or consistency. I measure it in entries. Another episode archived. Another game session recorded. Another book reflected on. Over time, a body of work forms, without me needing to force it into existence. Recently, I published an unboxing video that has very few views. I enjoyed making it. It exists now. It’s part of the archive. That felt surprisingly freeing. I’m not saying this is the “right” way to create. It’s just the way that finally feels aligned with how I think. For a long time, I thought something was wrong with me because I couldn’t keep up with the version of consistency I thought creators were supposed to have. I kept trying to prove momentum, to promise output, to make future versions of myself accountable in advance. And every time, it drained the joy out of the work before it even existed. Naming myself an archivist feels like giving myself permission to stop fighting that. I don’t need to perform reliability. I don’t need to promise what comes next. I just need to keep returning to the things I care about, and record them honestly when I do. To make that tangible, I put together an [**Archive Index**](https://theorencohen.com/the-archive-index/) on this site, a simple, living list of what I’m slowly collecting. Not a roadmap, not a schedule, just a record of what exists, what’s paused, and what might get added someday. It’s there for me first, but if you’re curious how my brain organizes this stuff, you’re welcome to wander through it. I still care deeply about building something that lasts. That part never went away. I just stopped trying to build it on a clock. From here on out, this blog, and my videos, are just entries in an ongoing archive. No promises. No timelines. Just a growing record of things that mattered enough for me to stop and write them down. That’s enough. And for the first time in a while, it feels sustainable. ### I Finished Stormlight Archive: Wind And Truth And I'm Devastated URL: https://theorencohen.com/i-finished-stormlight-archive-wind-and-truth-and-im-devastated/ Last updated: 2026-02-20T08:50:45.000Z 💡 **Author’s Note: This article was originally published a year ago on Geek Peek. It’s now republished here on my personal blog.* I finally finished Wind & Truth a couple of days ago. Since then, it’s been simmering in my mind, and now it’s time to word-vomit everything I feel about this book on the page. This is not a review. It is just my reflection on each main character’s journey and how it ends in this book. When I properly review the book, I will update this post to include the link. If you’re ready, let’s talk about it. 🚨 ***This article will include spoilers past this point. You’ve been warned!** Watch the video version of this article right here: --- ## Adolin The Battleworn Adolin fought in Azir for most of the book. I believed he might become Radiant by the end of this book. Like a late bloomer, but that’s more fitting for Renarin than Adolin. Instead, he did something even more remarkable. He founded *The Unoathed* \- A group of people and spren who got together and do not need Stormlight to function as sharbearers. They are not Radiant, but their swords and armor are living spren instead of “dead” ones. I feel like this group will become very important in book six thanks to Retribution drawing all Stormlight from Roshar and Shadesmar. Adolin’s journey has been so brutal. He lost a leg protecting the dome from the Fused invaders. Only by the end did Yanagawn stealthily brought them to the throne room where Adolin fought Abidi without Maya, his sword. The culmination of this fight was Adolin awakening the armor spren by thanking them before Abidi threw him with the full force of his own Plate. The Plate spren did not accept this and saved Adolin. With armor on, Abidi was a piece of cake. One fun thought I had about this development was how similar it looks to Investiture from Warbreaker. Adolin’s mom is Iriali. We see them living the planet. Could her people have travelled from the Warbreaker planet to Roshar? If her ancestors lived there, maybe Adolin could have access to Investiture from souls. People over the years must have told Adolin “I owe you my life” so many times. Maybe that counts? What do you think? Adolin also resolved his inner conflict considering his hard feelings towards Dalinar. In *Rhythm of War*, Adolin discovered how Evi died and that complicated Adolin and Dalinar’s relationship. By the end of this book, we see Adolin brought low and realize that yes, he still loved his father. It’s a tragedy what happened to Dalinar, and we’ll talk about him next. ## Dalinar Kholin - Honor’s Vessel Rest in peace, Dalinar Kholin. You’ve worked so hard to beat Odium and discovered the truth: Honor’s power is just as flawed as Odium’s. In the final vision Dalinar is granted in the book, after Honor’s power accepted him as its vessel, we see Honor’s power depicted as a child. The power doesn’t care how oaths are kept. Only that they are. And what can you expect from a shard of Adonalsium? All of them are aspects of one being. Odium is just as bad. Being so fixated on passion causes all of this. I feel like Dalinar sacrificed so much and there’s kind of a poetic justice in him dying and stealing the emotional reward from Odium. The blackthorn was so ready to fight, but both him and The Stormfather who in the end became his friend, chose a different path. Thanks to Dalinar’s ultimate sacrifice, Odium took the bait and became the most dangerous shard in the whole Cosmere - Retribution. The merging of Odium and Honor. I wonder if Harmony is stronger because he had more time to get used to his two shards. We will find out as Retribution sent out his agents to Scadrial - the planet where the Mistborn books are focused. This might make Harmony aware that Retribution is planning something and is no longer bound to Roshar. Let’s talk about Retribution a.k.a Taravangian next. ## Taravangian - Formerly Odium and Presently Retribution Taravangian’s POV is mostly covered in Interludes before a new day begins, and he becomes more proactive as the contest looms closer. Most of his story was getting used to the power of Odium. This book picks ups straight after Rhythm of War ends. It didn’t take Taravangian long to “coalesce” into a new being fitting the vessel of Odium. But he still could make mistakes. That fatal mistake was absorbing the power of Honor - a mistake Odium’s former vessel wouldn’t have committed. If he would have destroyed Honor instead of taking it for himself, this book was far darker. The larger cosmere would still be content to ignore Roshar and its problems and Stormlight would no longer exist as it was the power of honor that granted it. The destruction that would follow such a fight would be unimaginable too, but that never bothered Taravangian. He made some interesting moves that show weakness. For example, he transported all the important people from his life in Kharbranth into his own little section of the Spiritual Realm where they continue to live, oblivious that their homes in the material plane has been destroyed. The other move was the instant gratification that Odium just can’t resist. The other shards have felt the power surge and turned their eyes on him. It’s the move from the Towers game that Adolin and May taught Yanagawn. When there’s one powerful player on the field, the other players would band together to take them down. That’s exactly what’s going to happen over the next few books in the Cosmere. What I loved about Taravangian’s storyline is he didn’t feel like a chaotic villain. He felt like he was the hero of his own story. While Taravangian had a very climactic ending to his storyline, he did leave Jasnah with a chaotic ending. Let’s talk about her next. ## Jasnah Kholin - A Fraud? Jasnah lost Thaylenah. And she lost it without a single battle. Yes, she thought she was so smart. But could she really compare with a god? The interesting part was not how Odium picked apart each of Jasnah’s beliefs, but rather how Queen Fen reacted to those realizations. Odium did everything to give Queen Fen what she wanted only to satisfy his need to see Jasnah brought low. And he succeeded. Jasnah indeed seemed broken, especially after reading Wit’s vague letter. I hope the next books in the series would treat her better. Maybe the next books should treat her former ward better, too. ## Shallan (Davar) Kholin - A Mother? One of the realizations that broke me in the aftermath of Retribution’s Ascension was to find out Shallan was stranded in Shadesmar and was freaking pregnant! She went through so much in the ten days leading to the contest and I absolutely loved her final confrontation with Mraize when she said “I refuse to be abused” that was such a powerful line. And she also didn’t need Radiant by the end which meant she grew. She faced more of her past and survived it. The next time we see Shallan she would still be pregnant because of the time dilation that Retribution’s ascension caused on Roshar. But for the other planets years would have gone by (which is fitting as the next book would be released in about 2030). Shallan seemed to know how to survive without Stormlight for several months in Shadesmar after getting Ala the seon as payment from Thaidakar. I’m curious to know where her journey would lead next. Maybe all of them will need to discover how to use their surges with a different kind of Investiture instead of Stormlight. The surge is granted by the bond. Stormlight is what fuels it. ## Renarin Kholin - The Trailblazer Renarin’s journey was a new direction for Sanderson. Never before did a main character Identify as LGBTQ+ and Renarin’s whole storyline was finding his own way - that meant choosing Rlain the male singer over the future his family would have chosen for him. I don’t know if it’s confirmed, but all the depictions of Renarin saying he can’t read social situations, or he’s the quiet one, make me think he’s also autistic. I know there would be some other people who read this book and think he might have been a token character, but I didn’t feel like he was. It was a refreshing perspective to read in a fantasy book. Especially as Renarin grew and felt more and more empowered by his own decisions. ## Kaladin Stormblessed - Herald of Kings Herald. Kaladin has become a freaking Herald. In the beginning of the series, we saw these Heralds as religious figures. They prevented the Desolations but in some ways also caused them by returning to Roshar. As the books progressed we know them more and more as the broken people they are for fighting and killing for so long. Their immortal minds have seen too much. Can Kaladin help them? I believe he might. Also, it’s implied in the scene where he says the Words to become a Herald that Sylphrena has become the successor to The Stormfather with her voice saying “*These Words are accepted.*“ One more thing I want to say here is about Szeth’s journey: I believed he would be the one to ascend. In all previous books, the one character who has all the memory chapters is the one character who has a big moment by the end of the book. Naturally, because Szeth had them I realized he would probably be the one as it was leading up to it. But Kaladin taking the mantle of Herald was not something I foresaw. Kaladin is no longer on Roshar either. He’s body is on Braize, but his mind is somewhere else. Could he project his mind to elsewhere in the Cosmere or Shadesmar? Could we see him in other books? He might have roles in other stories now as Herald as we saw Shallan’s mother reach out to her in Shadesmar. We can only hope I guess. ## Repercussions of Retribution’s Ascension The most immediate repercussion is Stormlight no longer exists. Taravangian withdrawn all of it from the Cosmere when he merged his own shard with Honor. Dalinar himself witnessed some of it being syphoned off. That’s probably what’s going to sustain the Heralds, Spren, and perhaps some other pockets of Honor’s power. But not enough to provide Stormlight to general population. This doesn’t mean Roshar itself is without light anymore. All of Roshar who joined Odium will be provided with Warlight which probably has the same uses as stormlight for the general population - grow crops, use as light sources. It will be interesting to see how the next book tackles this new development. The one final hint that something is probably going to change within Retribution is showing that Honor has a personality. Odium’s power doesn’t, it’s only raw passion. But Honor has been alone for so long that in the visions it had its own vessel in the form of a child. In Taravangian’s point of view after absorbing Honor, we see him mentioning Honor’s power is questioning within him. Could a power resist its vessel? It would be the perfect growing opportunity for Honor’s power to break an oath that causes harm once Taravangian slips one too many times. ## Wit’s Clues For The Next Books The biggest clue I’m seeing is Wit, now naming himself Hoid, is heading to Scadrial. This leads directly to the next Mistborn series that Brandon Sanderson announced he is writing called Ghostbloods. If you’ve read the stormlight archive, you know they were pretty common in Shallan’s storyline. The only question I have is whether the Ghostbloods will be serving Retribution or deciding to go against him? Would they be the villains or the protagonists? I haven’t read or watched any of Sanderson’s announcements about that yet aside from the name Ghostbloods which I’ve seen on social media. If you have new information to share, please do so in the comments below! ## Why Am I Devastated? I thought this book will be a sendoff for the end of the arc. Help us wait for the next one with a good taste. I’m happy for Kaladin that he became a Herald. But my girl Shallan stranded in Shadesmar? Adolin physically maimed? Dalinar dead? Navani and the sibling in a coma? Jasnah mentally broken? Even Kaladin’s ascension to Herald is bittersweet because it means he becomes immortal and will have to live to see all his friends die. Something he always said in his darkest moments. “Everyone dies but me.” Unless some of them will replace existing Heralds too. Shallan could potentially take her mother’s place if Ishar will change the oathpact to make it happen. I’m pretty sure Chana has had enough. And above it all, even though Taravangian is upset that the other shards are aware of him now, he still won the conflict on Roshar. He is free. The entire world save Urithiru, Azir, and the Shattered Planes is under his influence now. I loved that we got to follow our beloved characters again, I really do. I’m just a little sad we leave them in that state and will have to wait so long to see them through the darkness. Thanks for reading!How do you feel about the book? Let me know in the comments below! ### I Rewatched Avatar 16 Years Later And It Hit Harder Than I Remembered URL: https://theorencohen.com/i-rewatched-avatar-16-years-later-and-it-hit-harder-than-i-remembered/ Last updated: 2026-02-05T06:57:03.000Z The movie theater was packed back in 2009\. Everybody was talking about a movie called *Avatar*. So I went with my best friend, and we got the worst possible tickets. There was barely any room. I was stuck in the front row, all the way to the left, angling my neck up and sideways for the entire movie. And it was worth every second of it. Back then, we had no idea how much of an impact this movie would have on the film industry, and on me personally. Over the years, I watched it several more times, even bought the extended edition, and later picked up a copy on Apple TV. Still, nothing prepared me for watching it again with my 13-year-old nephew, and seeing his reactions in real time to a movie I first watched 16 years ago. So let’s unpack why it still works so well. This is the video version of this essay if you prefer to watch! ## Avatar Doesn't Look Like a 2009 Movie The first and most obvious reason this movie still rules is that it has aged incredibly well. Think about a video game you loved 10 to 15 years ago. Most of them are borderline unplayable today, unless it’s *The Witcher 3*, which somehow still looks fantastic for a 2015 game. From the very start, *Avatar* looked incredible. A few years later, when 4K became a thing, it got a re-release that made it shine even more. Nothing about the movie itself changed, just the resolution. Aside from the newer *Avatar* films, very few movies have managed to match its level of visuals and motion capture. That’s why this film is still going to age gracefully for a long time. ## Watching This at 38 Hit Harder Than It Did at 22 I was a completely different person 16 years ago. I had just finished my mandatory army service and was about to start my adult life. I didn’t have many worries, and I was firmly in my pre-college era. Sixteen years later, my life looks very different. Less free, more complex. And that’s exactly why this movie hit so much harder this time. When you’re 22, you don’t think much about the future. Honestly, you probably should, and I say that as someone who learned that lesson the hard way. Watching *Avatar* now, seeing Jake Sully run away from every limitation holding him back, hits differently. At 22, it’s a cool story. At 38, it feels like the biggest dream imaginable. ## Pandora Looks As Beautiful As Ever The lush vegetation is one of the things I always loved about Pandora, especially how it looks at night. It feels like nature’s version of a busy city, and in a way, it is. Everything is alive, connected, and moving. It’s obvious how much thought went into what’s shown on screen, which makes it all the more painful when we see it torn down by tractors and construction machinery. In the first movie, especially, Pandora’s beauty is front and center because it’s our introduction to her. Later films focus more on the plot, but Pandora is always there in the background, still beautiful, still alive. ## The Music Does a Lot of Heavy Lifting The music plays a massive role in how we experience *Avatar*. Every time I listen to the score from the first movie, I feel a sense of wonder and epic scale. And it fits perfectly. Contrast the music of the Na’vi with the themes used for the RDA. Tribal rhythms versus military trumpets. Many voices singing together versus a cold, singular presence. The music is so effective that you immediately understand the mood of a scene just by hearing what’s playing. Most of us only became consciously aware of this kind of musical storytelling after *Game of Thrones*, especially following the Red Wedding, which aired a few years later. Kind of wild when you think about it. ## I'm Glad There's More Avatar Ahead The *Avatar* movies have always been pure escapism for me. They’re films you sink into completely. I love living in Pandora for a while, until the movie ends and I have to leave. So many moments live rent-free in my mind. Jake’s early interactions with Neytiri, his awe when experiencing his Avatar body for the first time, and his gradual connection to the Na’vi. Part of me wishes these movies could continue forever, even though I know they have to end eventually. It doesn’t help that the gaps between releases are so long. Yes, the second and third movies tell a larger, cohesive story, but the 2009 film could also stand completely on its own and still be something special. ## Final Verdict: Does Avatar Still Hit in 2026? Yes. A hundred times, yes. If you haven’t seen it yet, it’s absolutely worth your time. You might be intimidated by the runtime, I get it. But watching at home now means you can pause, grab a drink, or go to the bathroom, something I absolutely did not do back in 2009 because I didn’t want to miss a single moment. I’d love to see more appreciation for these movies. They’ve been a comfort to me for years. Have you already watched *Avatar*? I’d love to know what you thought. And if you haven’t, tell me if you plan to. ### Should You Play Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora? URL: https://theorencohen.com/should-you-play-avatar-frontiers-of-pandora/ Last updated: 2026-01-23T13:39:33.000Z “**Holy shit.**” That was my genuine reaction when Nimun, my Ikran, carried me above the trees and mountains and let me see Pandora from a perspective I’d never experienced before. I laughed as a perfectly placed arrow turned enemies into fireworks. I felt my chest tighten when my friend Itu lost Zomey, his Ikran. And maybe most unexpectedly, I felt something close to grief—and gratitude—watching the land heal in real time as I dismantled RDA bases. It made me appreciate Earth in a way only fiction can. Because this kind of healing? It’s something our planet doesn’t get. That said, this game isn’t perfect. So the real question is: **Is Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora worth your time?** Let’s talk about it. ## Pandora Is Breathtaking (And That’s Not Hyperbole) This game brings “nature” to a whole other level. Pandora isn’t just something you move through—it’s something you *inhabit*. It looks stunning during the day, but at night it becomes something else entirely. More than once, I caught myself just strolling through the world, not chasing objectives, just existing in it. What really sells the experience is how alive everything feels. People move, talk, and react to your presence in ways that make the world feel responsive rather than staged. It’s immersive in a quiet, confident way. That immersion did crack a few times when the game crashed back to Windows. Thankfully, after updating my graphics drivers—and likely a few patches on Ubisoft’s side—that issue disappeared entirely. ## Combat Is Satisfying—Even When It’s Rough One of the hardest RDA bases I ran into early on was a massive outpost marked for level 20\. I finished the main game at level 19 and went back for it anyway. I failed that final boss fight more times than I care to admit. But when I finally cracked it—and watched the entire area turn green—it felt *earned*. Combat shines when you learn the rules of the world. Mechs can’t fit into tight spaces. Certain vantage points let you reset, heal, and craft on the fly. Even in the final fight, I had a small hiding spot that became my lifeline. The rough edge comes from gear progression. Combat effectiveness is directly tied to how much time you’re willing to invest in hunting rare crafting ingredients. That’s also where the monetization surprisingly worked for me. Buying a bundle of Bladewing Moth wings didn’t feel like cheating—it felt like saving time I already understood how to spend. That’s a trade-off I can respect. ## The Northern Frontier Is Beautifully Lonely I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: not having companions is the game’s biggest missed opportunity. Yes, you meet plenty of characters along the way—but you always return to being alone. And while that loneliness fits the tone of the Northern Frontier, it also leaves emotional potential on the table. Throughout my playthrough, I kept seeing natural companion candidates: Nor, who disappears entirely at one point; Ri’nela, whose personal arc could have grown into something deeper; Teylan, for obvious story reasons; Itu, who suffers an early tragedy you never really help him process; and Etuwa, a young Tsahik who could have supported you both narratively and emotionally. A companion system would have required more story work—but mechanically, the rest of the game could have stayed exactly the same. And I think it would have dramatically elevated the experience. ## A Game That Truly Understands Avatar At its core, Avatar is about showing us that our own “Eywa” is worth protecting. Earth doesn’t heal instantly when you shut down an oil rig. Forests don’t regrow overnight after they burn. But nature *does* recover—slowly, stubbornly, and despite us. Frontiers of Pandora understands that. A huge part of the game revolves around dismantling RDA bases and watching the land recover in real time. The air clears. The colors return. The world breathes again. That’s not accidental. It’s the game quietly teaching values through action. I remember *Avatar: The Game* from 2009\. It also understood Avatar—but it was released in an era that couldn’t fully support what it was trying to do. Frontiers of Pandora finally feels like the realization of that idea. ## A Soundtrack That Knows When to Speak—and When to Stay Silent Flying with my Ikran above Pandora’s landscapes is something the game actively rewards. More than once, I’d be soaring with Nimun when an epic musical cue would rise seemingly out of nowhere—and it always felt earned. Imagine flying over Pandora in complete silence. It would feel wrong. Beyond those moments, the soundtrack adapts beautifully. Ominous tones while infiltrating RDA bases. Warmer, communal music in Na’vi settlements. No matter the context, the music understands exactly what the moment needs. ## Final Verdict: Should You Play It? **Yes, especially if Avatar ever meant something to you.** Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora isn’t flawless. It crashes occasionally, its systems can be rough, and it leaves emotional potential untapped by keeping you alone for most of the journey. But when it works—and it often does—it delivers moments no other Avatar experience has. Flying above Pandora. Watching the land heal. Feeling like your actions actually matter to the world around you. This isn’t just a licensed game. It’s a game that *understands* its source material and uses interactivity to say something meaningful with it. If you’re even mildly curious about Pandora, this is worth your time. I’d love to hear what you thought—**did Frontiers of Pandora click for you, or did it fall short of what you hoped it would be?** Drop your thoughts in the comments. ### 5 Video Games That Made Me a Governor (and Why It’s Awesome) URL: https://theorencohen.com/5-video-games-that-made-me-a-governor-and-why-its-awesome/ Last updated: 2026-01-12T17:47:15.000Z 💡 ****Author’s Note:** This article was originally published on August 5th, 2019\. It has been lightly edited and republished here. Some examples reflect the versions of these games at the time, but the core experience still stands. Since the early days of role-playing games, I’ve always loved the *illusion* of freedom they offer. You talk to a random NPC, not knowing that a casual conversation might spiral into an entire questline. That sense of discovery is its own reward. But some games went further. They didn’t just let me explore—they let me **rule**. They gave me a castle. Staff. Land. Responsibility. That hooked me immediately. I’ve always had a soft spot for highborn origins. If a game lets me choose, my characters are usually dukes, princes, lords, or something adjacent to nobility. Give me a title and a domain, and I’m in. For a long time, very few RPGs truly committed to that fantasy. One of the best modern examples is *Pathfinder: Kingmaker*, which we’ll get to later. First, let’s talk about the games that made me realize how powerful this mechanic can be. (Also: spoilers ahead.) ## Dragon Age: Origins This game had *everything* I wanted. It let me be of noble birth. It made me watch my parents die. It convinced me I was now the head of my house. NPCs across Ferelden acknowledged my origin in conversation. By the end, I could even become King-Consort (or Queen-Consort, depending on your character). It was deeply immersive. I miss this game—but I don’t replay it often. Modern graphics and pacing have spoiled me a bit, and going back feels harder than it should. Maybe one day I’ll get over that. Or maybe EA will finally give it the remake it deserves. ## Dragon Age II This one is only here briefly, and honestly, it’s complicated. I didn’t fully connect with *Dragon Age II*. The story had moments I liked, but it also had noticeable gaps. The visuals were a big step up from *Origins*, sometimes to the point where it felt like that was the main selling point. Still, it did one important thing: it gave me status. I inherited my mother’s house (after a traumatic sequence I’m still not over), became Champion of Kirkwall, and was treated with respect. I was wealthy, influential, and visible. For a moment, I even had the chance to become Viscount of Kirkwall. That power didn’t last long, but while it did—it felt good. ## Neverwinter Nights 2 This game went all-in on the fantasy of responsibility. I became a Knight, then a Knight-Captain, and eventually the ruler of Crossroad Keep. I gained land, a title, and authority within Faerûn. For the first time, my choices affected more than just dialogue outcomes. I loved it. The *Mask of the Betrayer* expansion took the story in a much darker direction and pulled me far away from my keep. It was excellent—but part of me wanted to return and continue rebuilding what I had started. Later, *Storm of Zehir* let me create a new character entirely. I wasn’t a noble anymore, but I still had resources, influence, and the ability to shape the world. Different flavor. Same feeling. ## Dragon Age: Inquisition This is the game where the fantasy truly clicked. As the Inquisitor, I wasn’t just reacting to the world—I was shaping it. I built camps, captured keeps, judged NPCs, and managed an organization that spanned the continent. Whenever I established a camp, I saw my troops fighting monsters, guarding roads, and helping nearby villages. The world visibly responded to my presence. Even money and influence felt like tools rather than abstract numbers. By the end, much of that power was taken away—but for most of the game, I genuinely felt *in charge*. And yes, I’m still waiting to see where the story continues in *Dragon Age: The Veilguard*. ## Pathfinder: Kingmaker This game surprised me. It began like a standard party-based adventure. I knew rulership was coming eventually—but I didn’t expect how deeply it would pull me in. When I finally earned my title, I realized something uncomfortable: ruling wasn’t just a reward. It was work. I had to manage time, crises, advisors, and the emotional weight of leadership. I could walk through my settlement and feel connected to it—not just mechanically, but *humanly*. No other game had made that responsibility feel this tangible. The time limits could be stressful, and yes, patches may have changed things since I last played—but the core experience stuck with me. Power wasn’t just influence anymore. It was accountability. ## Game Developers: Let Players Run the World Players want to feel that their actions matter. Story and characters will always be the heart of RPGs—but if you cast the player as a noble, a leader, or a ruler, *commit to it*. Let us govern. Let us manage. Let us change the world in ways that don’t involve killing another monster. Let us shoulder responsibility. I promise—I’ll show up for that kind of game every time. ### You Should (Still) Be Watching Dimension 20: The Unsleeping City URL: https://theorencohen.com/you-should-still-be-watching-dimension-20-the-unsleeping-city/ Last updated: 2026-02-14T18:27:36.000Z 💡 **Author's note: originally posted on Medium on July 11th, 2019\. It has been edited for readability and republished. Some references reflect the moment it was first written, but the reasons I love this season still hold.* When CollegeHumor launched Dropout, it felt like a genuine surprise. As Sam Reich joked at the time, “It’s like Netflix, but cheaper.” One of the standout shows on the service was *Dimension 20*. Each season features a group of comedians playing Dungeons & Dragons, with a new setting and cast of characters. The first season, *Fantasy High*, quickly gained a devoted following. Since then, live shows and side quests have expanded the universe, introducing new characters and stories. *The Unsleeping City* marked a return of the *Fantasy High* cast in a brand-new campaign—this time set in modern-day New York City. From the very first episode, it was clear this season was doing something different. ## Dimension 20 Is Fun to Watch The premise of *Dimension 20* makes two things immediately obvious: 1. The cast and producers genuinely love what they’re making. 2. They care deeply about the audience watching it. Watching people inhabit D&D characters around a table—fully committing to the bit, the drama, and the emotion—can feel strangely profound. Episodes often run close to two hours, but they pass effortlessly. You sit down thinking you’ll watch “just a bit,” and suddenly the episode is over. Even shorter seasons and side quests feel intentional rather than disposable. They give the main campaigns room to breathe while still delivering memorable stories. ## More “Produced with Love,” Please What I appreciate most about Dropout—and *Dimension 20* in particular—is that it feels *made because someone wanted it to exist*. There’s a sincerity to it. Not slickness. Not corporate obligation. Just people making the kind of shows they’d want to watch themselves. I like to think of it as *produced with love*. It’s not about budget, acting pedigree, or production tricks. It’s about intention. Dropout has other great examples of this approach. One of them is *Troopers*, a short parody series set in a Star Wars–inspired universe. It’s funny, tightly written, and clearly made by people who love the genre they’re poking fun at. That kind of project feels rare outside of places like YouTube—and it fits Dropout perfectly. ## The Unsleeping City Is Set in New York I love New York City. I’ve visited a few times over the years, and seeing it reimagined as the setting for a D&D campaign feels like visiting it all over again. The city is blanketed in snow as Christmas approaches. Brennan Lee Mulligan’s affection for New York is obvious in the way he describes it—not just as a backdrop, but as a living place filled with small details and personal history. There’s a difference between imagining a fantasy city on the Sword Coast and playing in a version of NYC you’ve actually walked through. One feels like invention. The other feels like memory. At one point, the story features an empty Times Square. Take a moment and really sit with that image. It’s strange, powerful, and oddly terrifying. And the city is only part of what makes the season work. ## The Characters Are Interesting and Diverse The characters in *The Unsleeping City* feel like reflections of the city itself. Pete is a transgender man navigating magic, identity, and daily life in New York. Sofia is a monk hairstylist whose personal history gives some early jokes an unexpected emotional weight. Kugrash is a rat druid devoted to caring for people society often ignores. Ricky is a firefighter paladin—a good-hearted jock struggling with self-image. Misty Moore is a Broadway star bard, theatrical and mysterious in equal measure. And Kingston is the quiet center of it all, a healer who looks after both magical and very human needs, often putting others before himself. Together, they create something special. You don’t just want to see what happens next—you want to see what *they* become. ## We Should Support More Shows Like This Content like *Dimension 20* reminds me why I love watching tabletop RPGs in the first place. It’s creative, collaborative, and deeply human. I don’t want shows that feel like marketing vehicles or corporate obligations. I want stories made because someone cared enough to tell them. *The Unsleeping City* delivers exactly that. Years later, with many seasons now behind it, it still feels like one of the most personal things *Dimension 20* has ever made—and I’m glad it exists. ### Stargate SG-1 S1E6 Review: "The First Commandment" URL: https://theorencohen.com/stargate-sg-1-s1e6-review-the-first-commandment/ Last updated: 2026-04-28T14:47:33.000Z Season 1 isn’t holding back. In “The First Commandment,” an Earth commander crosses the ultimate line — becoming a god to a broken world. Grab your gear. We’re diving through the gate. ## Read it first. Feel it first. Every new episode review and story goes straight to subscribers the moment it’s published. You’ll always be first through the Gate. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. Join the mission — no spam, only XP gains. Unsubscribe anytime. ## Another Day, Another Filler We’re six episodes in, and the main storyline still feels stuck in orbit. Since the pilot — when Skaara and Sha’re were kidnapped — SG-1 has mostly been hopping between planets based on Carter’s gate coordinate algorithm. This time, though, they’re not exploring at all. SG-1 is dispatched to locate SG-9, a missing team. That’s it. No clues, no breadcrumbs about Ra or Apophis — just a search mission that goes sideways. ## They Did a (Slightly) Better Job Explaining the Planet Finally, some actual worldbuilding. The planet’s sun emits harmful radiation that drives people delirious and burns skin within minutes. Carter even notes the eerie silence — no birds, no signs of life beyond the resilient flora. We never learn *why* the plants survive, but that’s fine. The episode at least tries to make the world feel distinct instead of “generic Canadian forest #27.” ## This Time, We Encounter One of Our Own SG-1 eventually discovers SG-9’s commander, Captain Hanson, has gone full megalomaniac — declaring himself god to the locals. The twist? He’s also Carter’s ex-fiancé. It’s a wild setup with serious potential for emotional tension… but the delivery feels undercooked. ## Carter Was Engaged?!? I’m all for character backstory, but dropping “oh yeah, we were engaged” mid-mission feels abrupt. Calling off an engagement is *huge* — it’s not the kind of detail you just toss into dialogue like a fun fact. And later, when Carter hesitates to shoot Hanson, it raises questions the episode doesn’t bother to answer. Does she still love him? Is she traumatized? Does she feel guilty? The writing treats it like an obstacle, not an emotional wound. If there were more nuance, it could’ve landed harder. ## First Time the Gate Is Used as a Death Trap Near the end, Hanson is shoved into an active Stargate without a valid iris code — meaning instant death. That moment reframes the gate’s power. It’s not just a door for exploration — it’s a weapon, a cultural relic, even a symbol of faith for some worlds. It’s dark, creative, and hints at how terrifying the Stargate can be when turned against you. Early SG-1 didn’t explore this often, but this scene lingers. ## Final Thoughts – Early SG-1 Doing Early SG-1 Things This episode is pure “Season 1 energy” — human drama dressed as sci-fi. Aside from the dome and the Stargate finale, it could’ve been set anywhere on Earth. Still, it plants small seeds for what SG-1 will later become: moral conflict, the consequences of power, and glimpses of the larger mythos. What did you think of *“The First Commandment”*? Drop your thoughts below — I’d love to know if it hit you differently. ### Stargate SG-1 S1E5 Review: "The Broca Divide" URL: https://theorencohen.com/stargate-sg-1-s1e5-review-the-broca-divide/ Last updated: 2026-04-28T14:47:53.000Z **What do you get when a sci-fi show tries to compare the Bronze Age and the Dark Age through a modern lens?** A Stargate visit to a world split between light and darkness, with a mysterious disease seen as punishment from the gods. Fun! ### Episode Synopsis SG-1 travels to a planet divided between two tribes — one living in perpetual daylight, the other in eternal darkness. After returning to Earth, members of the team begin showing signs of violent, primitive behavior caused by a mysterious virus they picked up off-world. As the infection spreads through Stargate Command, Dr. Frasier races to find a cure while O’Neill and Teal’c fight to contain the chaos before humanity devolves into savagery. This episode steps on a few toes, just like its predecessor, but we’ll give SG-1 grace for early-season writing missteps. Let’s dive in. ## Read it first. Feel it first. Every new episode review and story goes straight to subscribers the moment it’s published. You’ll always be first through the Gate. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. Join the mission — no spam, only XP gains. Unsubscribe anytime. ## The Dark Side of The Planet Should Be Explained As a sci-fi show, I expect *Stargate* to explain *how* this planet even works. A world with one side in constant night and the other in constant day? That’s either a tidally locked orbit or a total lack of rotation — both of which would make life nearly impossible. The dark side would freeze solid; the light side would roast. Yet the show treats it like just another lush planet with a cool lighting gimmick. If this were *fantasy*, I’d shrug. But *Stargate* sells itself as science fiction, so I expect a line or two of technobabble — anything. Instead, the divide between dark and light feels magical, not physical. Thankfully, the show redeems itself once the disease spreads to Earth and we meet our new MVP: Dr. Frasier. ## What is The Broca Divide? At the start, Carter and Jackson mention the Broca Divide but never explain it in-depth. I looked it up. It comes from [*Broca’s area*](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Broca%27s%5Farea?ref=theorencohen.com) — the region of the brain tied to speech and comprehension. Damage it, and language collapses. That’s actually a great metaphor for regression — humans losing reason and reverting to instinct. Unfortunately, the episode quickly drops the anthropology and turns into a full-blown outbreak story. ## Perfect Introduction to Dr. Frasier Every good sci-fi series needs a medical anchor. For *SG-1*, that’s Janet Frasier. This episode is her first major spotlight, and she nails it — calm, competent, and unflinching in the face of a biological apocalypse. The way she commands the chaos while the base unravels gives the show a much-needed layer of realism. You instantly trust her. ## Everyone Gets Sick Except Jackson and Teal'c This was my favorite part. We already know Teal’c’s symbiote makes him immune — classic plot armor. But Daniel Jackson? The guy who sneezes through missions and probably carries a pocket pack of tissues? Somehow, he’s fine. The sequence of the outbreak spreading through the base is genuinely tense. Johnson loses it, soldiers turn violent, and chaos reigns. Only Daniel and Teal’c remain standing. ## We Gotta Talk About That Scene Between Carter & O'Neill This episode definitely aged weirdly. Last week, Carter was fighting for women’s rights in a patriarchal culture. This week, she’s assaulting her commanding officer under the influence of a virus. I get it — she wasn’t in control — but still… yikes. Credit to the writing team for trying to add tension between Carter and O’Neill early, but the execution didn’t age well. O’Neill’s decision to spare her embarrassment later (“I don’t remember a thing”) does redeem the moment a bit, showing his compassion and professionalism. ## Why O'Neill Remains More Lucid Than Anyone Else? Another plot hole: why is O’Neill less affected than everyone else? The show hand-waves it away with “the sedative helped,” but… why him specifically? Why didn’t that work on anyone else? It’s one of those early-season logic gaps that later *SG-1* gets better at patching. We can chalk it up to “the disease affects everyone differently,” even if the evidence says otherwise. ## This Episode Introduced The Doctor But Not Much Else This one’s mostly filler. We learn the Goa’uld haven’t visited this planet “for an age,” meaning nothing ties directly to the main plot of finding Sha’re and Skaara. But introducing Dr. Frasier makes it worthwhile. She’ll become one of the most grounded, beloved presences in the show — and this was her start. ## What Did You Think? This One Was Fun to Watch The makeup effects — hair growth, pale skin, wild eyes — still hold up surprisingly well. It’s a decent “outbreak in the base” episode with some strong performances and early character chemistry, even if the science is shaky. Not the most memorable mission, but a solid building block for what *SG-1* would become. What did you think of *The Broca Divide*? Let me know in the comments below! You can read the previous review [here](https://theorencohen.com/stargate-sg-1-s1e4-review-emancipation/) or the next one [here](#). ### Stargate SG-1 S1E4 Review: "Emancipation" URL: https://theorencohen.com/stargate-sg-1-s1e4-review-emancipation/ Last updated: 2026-04-19T16:49:20.000Z When I started watching *Stargate SG-1*, I knew there’d be some wild takes waiting in the early seasons — but starting '*Emancipation*' with *“Is that a woman?”* in the first five minutes? That was strange. And it only got worse from there. ### Episode Synopsis SG-1 visits a planet where women are treated as property, and Captain Carter becomes the target of a local warlord after defying their laws. What begins as a rescue mission turns into a fight for equality — with Carter challenging an entire culture’s idea of honor. I get that *SG-1* was still finding its voice in those early episodes, but this one feels like a huge misstep. Then again, hindsight’s 20/20 — so let’s dive into forty minutes of pure, chaotic energy. ## Read it first. Feel it first. Every new episode review and story goes straight to subscribers the moment it’s published. You’ll always be first through the Gate. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. Join the mission — no spam, only XP gains. Unsubscribe anytime. ## A Good Place to Start is... WTF? SG-1 lands on a planet where the local culture — which Daniel Jackson claims is *loosely* based on the Mongols — views women as property. A woman cannot speak unless spoken to, cannot wear men’s clothes, and if she shows her face in public, she dies. It’s an understandable setup: a chance to showcase Carter standing her ground as a feminist in a barbaric world. I get the intention. But *why do it like this?* We already saw Carter deal with sexist remarks back in the pilot — her iconic *“don’t worry, I played with dolls when I was little”* comeback worked because it felt grounded. Here, it just feels forced. In the words of today’s kids, this episode gave me **the ick** — but I also get it. It’s a product of its time. ## "I'm Not an Anthropologist!" > "Well, you are today!" O’Neill orders Carter to stay with the women while the men go off to party. She’s dressed for the occasion, and Abu — the chieftain’s son — immediately comments on her beauty. What really threw me off was seeing both Daniel *and* O’Neill look at her like they had just witnessed the most angelic being in the universe. She’s pretty, sure — but come on, guys. You’re both married men. You should be beyond that phase. So, I decided to play anthropologist myself. Turns out, Mongol women were **not** treated this way at all. They [managed households](https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/mongol-empire-women?ref=theorencohen.com), livestock, and even entire camps while the men were away. Some even advised their khans and handled trade. In trying to give Carter her big feminist moment, the episode ends up **flattening an entire culture** to make its point. ## Then Abu Kidnaps Carter - Here's Why Abu, being a product of his culture, hatches a grand plan: he’ll **sell Carter** to a rival chieftain in exchange for the woman he loves — Nya, the chieftain’s daughter. Shockingly, it doesn’t go well. Instead of getting Nya, he’s humiliated and given an ultimatum — take the money or die. So not only did he sell Carter, but he also lost the girl. Poor kid never had a chance. That’s one lesson that actually *does* land. In the immortal words of Cersei Lannister: **“Power is power.”** And Abu had none. He’s young, naïve, and thought he could game a system built to crush people like him. Meanwhile, Carter meets the new chieftain — and true to form, she doesn’t bow. Her confidence earns her a slap across the face. This guy doesn’t tolerate women speaking unless spoken to, and he’s not shy about violence to prove it. Guys… this was rough to watch. I know I’m 38 and technically lived through this era of TV, but *damn*, it hits different in 2025\. What once passed for “feminist commentary” now just feels **cringe and outdated**. ## Carter Spends Some Quality Time In The Village Carter was smart enough to relent — she knew this was a tough situation. She trusted her team to come back for her, so in the meantime, she played along. Before that, though, she *did* try to escape on horseback. Nice try, honestly. But she got caught, and because of her failed attempt, the women with her — including Nya’s mother — were sentenced to lashing. Carter steps up and says, > “If you need to hit a woman to help you feel more like a man, try me.” It’s a good line, but it also feels… forced. We get it, Carter — you’re strong, we’re with you. But a quieter line like *“I tried to escape. If you need to punish someone, punish me”* might’ve landed harder. Not every beat needs to be a speech. And what does that moment earn her? A freaking **sexual assault** on TV. Yup — the chieftain doesn’t hit her. He *kisses* her. Full-on, without consent. Oh boy. Later, we get a quieter scene between Nya and Carter, where Nya thanks her for protecting the women. Carter uses the moment to introduce her to the revolutionary concept of “No.” It’s tender, even empowering — the episode’s one genuinely good exchange between women. Meanwhile, O’Neill and the team are on their way to trade for her, because the implication is clear: if Carter spends the night at this camp, things will get ugly. The chieftain plans to “partake” in his new prize. When SG-1 finally arrives, Carter sets a fire as a distraction, giving Nya a chance to escape. It’s chaotic, but for the first time in the episode, she’s taking back control on her own terms. ## O'Neill Buys Carter Back With a Gun All that work… so O’Neill can save Carter with a **gun**?! It’s the biggest *“come on”* moment of the episode. If you wanted to empower Carter, have her do something the chieftain can’t ignore — something clever or symbolic. There were so many better options. (*Judith and Holofernes* comes to mind, but maybe that’s a bit much for 90s sci-fi.) Having O’Neill barter with a weapon isn’t the win the writers probably thought it was. It undercuts everything the episode seemed to be building toward — Carter’s strength, her autonomy, her growth. Thankfully, she gets a chance to redeem that arc the next morning when Abu rushes into camp, announcing that Nya will be **stoned** for running away. ## The Stoning We All Saw Coming And Carter's Victory Ah, we can’t have a story about a medieval culture without a good stoning, can we? Carter feels responsible for Nya’s fate after helping her escape. So, the episode pulls out the *convenient rulebook of old chieftains*: another chieftain can intervene to stop a stoning. The rival leader refuses to fight Abu’s aging father, so Carter steps up to fight in his place. Of course, she **crushes it.** But the resolution feels like half-baked writing. The duel was supposed to be to the death, yet Carter simply knocks him down. Suddenly, with one well-placed dagger at his throat, he declares peace between tribes, frees Nya, and admits Carter’s victory. *Convenient much?* Yeah, I thought so too. Carter gets her hero moment, but the win feels a little plastic — more like the show trying to check a “feminist episode” box than delivering real growth. ## What a Wild Story This Time! What Did You Think? This was a wild one to watch. I get that it’s a '90s show, but *Emancipation* might be the perfect definition of an episode that didn’t age well. Compare it to something like *Nosedive* from *Black Mirror* — that one ages like fine wine and gets scarier every year. *Emancipation*? Not so much. What did you think? Were you creeped out like I was? Drop a comment below — I’d love to hear how this one hit you on rewatch. Read the previous episode review [here](https://theorencohen.com/stargate-sg-1-s1e3-review-the-enemy-within/), or the next one [here](https://theorencohen.com/stargate-sg-1-s1e5-review-the-broca-divide/). ### Stargate SG-1 S1E3 Review: "The Enemy Within" URL: https://theorencohen.com/stargate-sg-1-s1e3-review-the-enemy-within/ Last updated: 2026-04-19T16:48:42.000Z After the chaos of the pilot — which is why this review skips straight to episode three — you’d think Stargate Command would finally get a week to breathe. Nope. The universe isn’t done with Earth yet… and neither are the Goa’uld. **Episode Synopsis** After escaping their last encounter — and losing Sha’re and Skaara — SG-1 returns to Earth only to discover a horrifying stowaway: a Goa’uld hiding inside Kawalsky. Meanwhile, the military still mistrusts Teal’c, the Jaffa who betrayed his gods, even though he may hold the key to saving Kawalsky’s life. This episode dials down the adventure and zooms in on the cost of what just happened. It’s the first time SG-1 stops running *through* the Stargate and starts facing the fallout *because of* it. What follows is paranoia, grief, and the uneasy birth of a team that will define the series. ## Read it first. Feel it first. Every new episode review and story goes straight to subscribers the moment it’s published. You’ll always be first through the Gate. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. Join the mission — no spam, only XP gains. Unsubscribe anytime. ## The SGC Never Gets a Break We open with the Goa’uld testing their power against the Iris — now revealed to be made of titanium, strong enough to block anyone from stepping through the gate. Meanwhile, Kawalsky starts suffering mysterious headaches right after returning from the last mission. O’Neill pushes to add Teal’c to the team, but Hammond isn’t convinced. ## Teal'c Mistrusted and Rejected From SG1 Hammond doesn’t want Teal’c on the team. And he’s not the only one. Military higher-ups show up at the SGC to interrogate him, demanding details about Goa’uld ships, firepower, and strategy. Teal’c answers what he can — but as a former servant, there’s only so much he knows. They can’t prove his loyalty, even though O’Neill believes in him. Plans are made to move him to another base for study… until Kawalsky’s symbiote starts making its move. ## The Goa'uld: Body Snatchers With a Vengeance The episode revolves around Kawalsky’s infant symbiote trying to escape Earth by taking control of him. At first, Kawalsky blacks out, unaware of what’s happening — but as the symbiote gains strength, the blackouts become longer and more violent. For the first time, the show builds its mythology through science: the team spots the symbiote on an MRI scan and even attempts surgery to remove it. > It’s the first time the series proves it’s willing to hurt its characters for the sake of story. But we soon learn how dangerous these creatures really are — the “removed” symbiote turns out to be an empty husk. The real one has already merged deeper with Kawalsky. The final confrontation at the Stargate is brutal. O’Neill orders Teal’c to keep Kawalsky’s head partially inside the event horizon, killing both host and parasite in one instant. It’s the first time the series proves it’s willing to hurt its characters for the sake of story. ## Teal'c Officially Joins The Team After Kawalsky’s death, Hammond gets the call — the President has approved Teal’c’s official addition to SG-1. Earlier in the episode, Teal’c’s quiet conversation with O’Neill already hinted at this moment. He wants their trust. He wants redemption. During his debriefing, Teal’c also shares one key piece of lore: a legend that Ra took primitive humans from Earth — the *Tau’ri* — and scattered them across the galaxy. This confirms what Ra himself told Daniel in the movie: humanity didn’t just explore the stars. We were taken there. The episode closes on Teal’c suited up, staff weapon in hand, learning how to say “sir,” ready to step through the gate as one of Earth’s own. ## The Show is Coming Into Its Own The movie and pilot felt connected — this episode feels *independent.* It’s our first story that starts and ends within the SGC. We also learned a ton of lore: - Goa’uld hosts can shed their original symbiote husk as the parasite merges deeper. - Immature Goa’uld can’t control a host for long. - The transition from immature to mature happens terrifyingly fast — days, not weeks. - The Goa’uld call Earth *Tau’ri*, confirming our place in the wider galactic mythos. For the first time, SG-1 shows it can tell a complete, high-stakes story without ever leaving Earth. The world’s getting bigger — even when we stay home. ## What Did You Think About The Episode? I loved how this episode expands the lore while giving us a real emotional gut-punch. We closed the thread of Kawalsky and his symbiote, but I hope we’re luckier with Sha’re and Skaara next. The surgery scene gave me hope there might be a way to save them — but seeing how fast Kawalsky’s parasite evolved makes me skeptical. We’ll just have to keep watching and find out. What did you think of the Goa’uld? Did this episode hit you as hard as it hit me? Drop your thoughts in the comments below. Read the previous episode's review [here](https://theorencohen.com/stargate-sg-1-s1e1-e2-review-children-of-the-gods-pilot-episode-breakdown/) or read the next one [here](https://theorencohen.com/stargate-sg-1-s1e4-review-emancipation/). ### Stargate SG-1 S1E1-E2 Review: “Children of the Gods” (Pilot Episode Breakdown) URL: https://theorencohen.com/stargate-sg-1-s1e1-e2-review-children-of-the-gods-pilot-episode-breakdown/ Last updated: 2026-04-18T11:52:15.000Z **Does *Stargate SG-1* hold up in 2025?** That’s what I’m here to find out. This is the start of a new series where I revisit every episode of *SG-1* — one of the most iconic sci-fi shows ever made — and see how it stands today. I recently [rewatched the 1994 movie](https://theorencohen.com/stargate-1994-review-the-forgotten-sci-fi-epic-that-started-a-universe/) and was surprised by how well it still works. The practical effects, the sense of mystery — it’s all still there. **Episode Synopsis** *Children of the Gods* picks up a few months after the movie. The Stargate has been gathering dust… until it suddenly activates and a squad of armored aliens storms through, killing soldiers and kidnapping one of them. General Hammond calls Colonel O’Neill out of retirement to deal with the crisis, and before long, the Gate opens again — this time for a rescue mission that will change everything. And with that, let’s step through the Gate and see what made this pilot such an explosive start to the series. ## Read it first. Feel it first. Every new episode review and story goes straight to subscribers the moment it’s published. You’ll always be first through the Gate. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. Join the mission — no spam, only XP gains. Unsubscribe anytime. ## The Gate Was Gathering Dust — Until Apophis Arrived We begin this episode in a chill guarding shift. The Stargate is covered in a tarp and hasn't been used in months. The banter across the table is that people have been transferred away from the base for a while now and nobody comes down there. The woman in the group starts hearing noises from the Stargate but nobody listens to her. So, in true horror movie fashion, the white person goes towards the threat, not away from it. I found that hilarious. The Stargate then activates, and lo and behold, a new enemy which we'll later identify as Apophis, is coming through and orders his soldiers to start shooting everyone. General Hammond witnesses two crucial things at the end of that invasion, Apophis's glowing eyes and the woman he kidnapped. He proceeds to work on a response to the threat by calling on the one man he knows can get the job done. ## Gathering the Team (Under a Nuke Threat) We discover Col. O'Neill's report of the events in the movie was not entirely truthful. The reason was to conceal the existence of the Abydonians and Dr. Jackson's reason for staying with them. O'Neill finally admits this to General Hammond as he's preparing a new bomb to be sent to Abydon. General Hammond is convinced to let him assemble a team to go find Daniel and bring him on to help with the new threat. And every time O'Neill is doing something, the carrot is dangled in front of him - "if you're not here on time, we'll send the bomb through" which is a bit much but it's the military so I guess that's fine. Captain Carter joins the team and that's where the series does show its age a bit with all the talk of her being a woman. Kawalsky and Ferreti have a problem with her being on the team. and she assures Kawalsky that, "don't worry I played with dolls when I was a kid" which is dialogue that won't fly well in 2025\. But that's part of the charm in this show. It's the military and people are rough. O'Neill, on the other hand, has a problem with her being a scientist which is an interesting perspective to have. The team heads back to Abydon (with the same gate travel animation from the movie even!) and finds a group of abydonians guarding it with Daniel and Skaara present too. With the team reunited with Daniel and Skaara, it's time to learn new things about the gates and our foes which is exactly what Daniel and Carter figure out next. ## Surprise: The Stargate Goes to More Than One Place! Imagine the amount of ignorance you need to assume the Stargate only goes to one place: from Earth to Abydon and from Abydon to Earth. This is what the SGC assumed and why Hammond wants to bomb the gate on the other side. Fortunately, our ignorance is taken care of when Daniel leads the team to a new cave recently discovered that lists hundreds of addresses that Ra and the other gods used in the past. With Carter's brain power combined with Daniel's they realize the addresses need to be updated after planets drifted apart over millennia. While they make this discovery that yes, the Stargate is part of a network, Apophis strikes again. This time on Abydon and besides hurting everyone, he also kidnaps Sha're (originally named Sha'uri in the movie). Ferreti, who stayed behind in the gate room memorized the address Apophis was dialing and remembered it upon waking up. Again, O'Neill persuades Hammond to give the go for a rescue mission. If they don't return within 24 hours, their access codes will be revoked. Now it's personal. ## Meet the Goa’uld: Snakes, Gods, and Body Horror When the team visits the world Ferreti memorized - which is also the first for the newly appointed SG teams with O'Neill commanding SG1 and Kawalsky commanding SG2 - they find a peculiar gathering. As they sit down, Apophis arrives to introduce his new wife, Sha're, who has been possessed by the Goa'uld in a previous, very intimate scene. Daniel Jackson can't stop himself and tries to see if she would recognize him, but Apophis attacks him and the team is captured. Later we are confronted with a ritual where the Goa'uld choose their "children of the Gods" - other Goa'uld lords who are Apophis's guests roam the prisoners and choose the ones they like best. Daniel Jackson wants to be taken not to bear the pain of losing Sha're. Instead of choosing him, the Goa'uld lord chooses Skaara. With that, Apophis orders Teal'c to kill everyone that remained. O'Neill noticed Teal'c's disgust and decides to speak up, Teal'c believes him, and together they kill all of the guards and escape. Skaara and his "parents" are the last to go through the Stargate and when O'Neill call to him, the Goa'uld attacks him with the hand weapon (which I still don't know the name of) and his eyes glow, breaking O'Neill's heart. A lot has happened in this episode, and one more thing happens right in the escape from this planet. Kawalsky, who kills a Jaffa, is bit by the Goa'uld he was carrying and returns to the SGC with it. Looks like Kawalsky's new owner is up to something. ## Open Threads That Set Up the Season Ahead By the end of this episode we have three main paths forward: - Save Skaara - Find where Skaara was taken and try to save him somehow - Save Sha're - Same. - Follow Kawalsky's storyline - Kawalsky's little companion will make a move and we'll follow that thread. Is saving someone from a Goa'uld even possible? SG1 will need to learn more about them to figure that out. In addition, we have a new friend on the team - Teal'c - who can provide more context about the Goa'uld as their servant. ## A Stellar Opener — What Did You Think? This episode opens up the system by not only teaching us more about the Stargates and our new foes, but also gives us new story beats to follow. For a pilot, this one really knew how to grab you by the gate crystals. I’m excited to dive into Episode 2 next — what did you think of the premiere? Let me know in the comments below. Read my review of the movie [here](https://theorencohen.com/stargate-1994-review-the-forgotten-sci-fi-epic-that-started-a-universe/). 💬 **Next up: “*[**The Enemy Within*](#)**” — where things get personal for SG-1\. Subscribe or follow to catch that review when it drops!* ### Stargate (1994) Review: The Forgotten Sci-Fi Epic That Started a Universe URL: https://theorencohen.com/stargate-1994-review-the-forgotten-sci-fi-epic-that-started-a-universe/ Last updated: 2026-04-18T11:51:06.000Z Back in 2004, I remember watching a niche TV show called *Stargate Atlantis*. I absolutely loved it. I was a nerdy seventeen-year-old glued to video games, and that show proved to me that TV could be just as thrilling as gaming — not just background noise while my parents watched the news. To this day, at the ripe age of 38, I still don’t watch traditional TV. But *Atlantis* was the spark that opened the door to the kind of niche shows we all love — the ones that make us feel seen as nerds. And when I discovered it was actually a spinoff from another series, I was thrilled. In retrospect, I was always intimidated by the sheer volume of *SG-1* and never gave its ten seasons a proper go. That all changes now. We’re going back to where it all began — the movie that inspired the entire *Stargate* universe. I just rewatched it today, and I have to say: it still holds up. The *Stargate* movie is well-made, full of mystery, and impossible not to get pulled into. Let’s begin this journey by talking about Daniel. 💡 This review will include spoilers! You've been warned. ## Introducing Daniel Jackson - Our Reluctant Protagonist The movie begins with a lecture in some hall. Catherine, an Egyptologist, discovers Dr. Daniel Jackson and his obsession with ancient Egypt. We see how he is misunderstood and miserable. As he's about to leave, Catherine's bodyguard invites him to her car where she offers him a job. Daniel doesn't really have anything to lose so he takes it. We see him working on the tablet, fearing he won't get paid. He’s still in survival mode — brilliant, broke, and barely hanging on. Yet, when he comes out for coffee, he gets the brilliant idea to treat the symbols as constellations by stealing the newspaper from the night guard. I loved how this scene, with Daniel trying to figure out what he's reading, is all just a setup as after he reveals his findings in the meeting that followed, they unveil the *Stargate* and that the room they're in is actually right above the SGC. Catherine even says that dialing the gate with six symbols is the farthest they have come. His true realization was to find the seventh symbol, the point of origin, which does propel the plot forward. As the movie continues, Daniel is leading with curiosity in most encounters. I liked that about him. ## Read it first. Feel it first. Every new episode review and story goes straight to subscribers the moment it’s published. You’ll always be first through the Gate. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. Join the mission — no spam, only XP gains. Unsubscribe anytime. ## The Discovery and Worldbuilding of Stargate's Universe So when we discover the new world, where the movie takes place, we also get hints that suggest the leaders of these people (Ra and his ilk), are somehow the manufacturers of the *Stargate*. We know, in fact, that *The Ancients* are the gate builders. The Ancients are not mentioned in this movie, though. I'll talk about that more below, but for now, the worldbuilding that we discover through Daniel's meeting with Ra is that Ra uplifted human society on earth. The explains Egypt, but does it explain the rest of the world too? I'm not so sure. What do you think about that? I'd love to know your thoughts in the comments below. ## Jack O'Neill's Trauma - The Weight Beneath The Uniform Jack O'Neill is introduced as a grieving father in the beginning of the movie. We learn about this from gossip that the two army men who came to his house discuss in the car as they're leaving. His kid played with the gun and the worst happened. He was probably blaming himself. But we learn later that O'Neill also planned to end his life as part of the mission. That's even more powerful. This man is executing orders and investigations throughout the whole movie, thinking to himself that he's going to end his own life. It's only in the end when the bomb cannot be shut off and endangers his friends that they both send it up to Ra and it kills him. A gut-wrenching scene in the movie was watching Skaara tries to play with the gun after O'Neill gifts him the lighter and O'Neill snaps at him telling him, "no, dangerous!" ## Love Blooms In The *Weirdest* of Circumstances Sha'uri and Daniel's relationship was so random, and I loved it! First she is brought into a room with him, expected to bang bang. He refuses it but doesn't shame her in front of her father, then she helps him by taking him to a cave with runes. There, surrounded by ancient symbols, they bridge their worlds through language — because of course the nerdy Egyptologist finds love through translation. Later in the movie, he realizes that by bringing Sha'uri into his room, Kasuf - her father - has essentially given her to him as a wife. By the end of the movie he freaking stays behind on that planet to stay with Sha'uri! It's not like he had a home anyway because he was evicted, but still. This was a twist I didn't anticipate the first time I watched it. ## Were The Ancients a Thing in 1994? Stargate Atlantis's whole premise is finding the city of the ancients. Those were the gate builders. I wonder if they were part of the worldbuilding back in 1994\. The movie does raise questions about the lore, but one thing it does is makes you think that Ra and his people were the gate builders. In *Stargate Universe*, we discover that there are two ships out in the vastness of space. One deploys gates, and the other follows it with an active stargate on board that can be accessed when it's not in FTL. They are more ancient than anything found on Atlantis apparently and that makes it plausible that this is how the milky way stars were planted with gates, too. What do you think? It's a broader conversation to have, but it does seem like a good head canon to have to assume Ra just found the Stargates and learned how to use them. Kind of like how the galaxy in Mass Effect uses The Citadel and The Mass Relays. ## How Stargate (1994) Set The Stage For SG-1 The climax of the movie is to send the bomb back up to Ra's ship, destroying him and the ship in the process. What we [learn later](https://stargate.fandom.com/wiki/Ra?ref=theorencohen.com) is Ra was the Supreme System Lord among the Go'auld. Basically an emperor. And now that he is gone, a war of succession will happen and the humans of earth will be at the center of it. That last bit is mostly my educated guess. I only watched the first couple of episodes of SG-1 years ago, so I'll have to re-watch and refresh my memory. ## I Loved This Movie! What About You? The *Stargate* movie has everything. A good story, sci-fi that is worth it, love, and adventure. What more could you ask for? Rewatching it today, I get why this movie sparked an entire universe. It’s weirdly earnest, a mix of myth and sci-fi optimism we rarely see anymore. What did you think about the Stargate (1994) movie? Let me know in the comments below. ### Stargate Is Back: 5 Directions the New Series Could Go URL: https://theorencohen.com/stargate-is-back-5-directions-the-new-series-could-go/ Last updated: 2025-11-23T19:32:47.000Z Stargate is finally [coming back](https://variety.com/2025/tv/news/new-stargate-tv-series-amazon-martin-gero-1236585606/?ref=theorencohen.com) — and I’ve waited over a decade to say that sentence out loud. Even better? The team behind it isn’t rebooting anything. This new show lives **inside** the existing canon. Same universe. Same history. Same consequences. So what story do they tell next? This post breaks down **five directions** the new Stargate series could realistically take. Let’s dial in. If you prefer to watch a video, here's the video version of this essay on my YouTube channel: Video: Oren's YouTube Channel. ## Stargate Atlantis Season 6 Atlantis had five strong seasons — even if some between-season decisions still make me raise an eyebrow in 2025\. But the big thing is this: **Atlantis didn’t end. It stopped.** The city jumped to Earth via wormhole, leaving everything in Pegasus behind mid-crisis. - The Wraith were still a threat. - The Coalition storyline was just warming up. - Teyla’s son had a whole arc left to explore. - And the fallout from the wormhole drive? Barely touched. We even learn in Universe that Atlantis is still operational and quietly sitting on a 9th-chevron secret. There’s plenty of room for a continuation — or at the very least, a final mission. ## The Stargate Universe Cliffhanger Speaking of unfinished stories… Universe left us with one of the most painful cliffhangers in sci-fi TV. **Eli. Alone on the Destiny. One final shot of him staring into the galaxy.** Everyone else goes into stasis. Eli is left awake because there’s not enough pods for everyone. And then… darkness. For over a decade. What happened to him? What happened to the crew? What happened to Destiny? A new show doesn’t need to become *SGU Season 3* to answer those questions. A single mission, a recovered data log, a transmission — that’s all it takes to give fans closure. ## SG-1: The Next Generation If Amazon wants “familiar but fresh,” this is the obvious play. Set it in the current timeline. Fifteen-plus years have passed. The SGC is older, bigger, more political, more complicated. Earth has changed. The galaxy has changed. Imagine a new SG-1 team navigating a world where: - Carter runs the base. - Daniel is buried in diplomacy. - Teal’c is a statesman. - Vala is… still Vala. The legacy cast pops in when it makes sense, but the new team carries the story. It’s a clean “passing the torch” setup without erasing anything. ## The 10th Chevron / A Completely New Stargate Show Let’s get weird for a second. They could go **full new era** — a new gate, new rules, new physics, new threats. Think: the 10th chevron as a concept, not just a punchy graphic. A place even the Ancients never explored. A region of space (or outside space…) untouched by Goa’uld, Ori, Wraith, any of it. This lets the writers break away from old lore while still playing inside the canon. It’s the most “safe but ambitious” route they could take. ## The Stargate That Could’ve Been: Foundation / The Expanse Vibes Let me put this bluntly: **Stargate had everything The Expanse and Foundation have… plus aliens.** It could’ve been *the* modern epic sci-fi universe years before either of them launched. If they want to lean into that now? Political tension. Galactic power struggles. Rogue factions. Jaffa politics. Tok’ra splinter groups. Earth becoming a power other races aren’t thrilled about. A grounded, serialized, tense Stargate show could absolutely crush in 2025. And honestly… I’d watch the hell out of it. ## Where Do You Think the New Show Will Go? This is the most fun part of the fandom — everyone sees a different possible future. Do you want Atlantis? Universe? A brand-new gate? Something darker? Something weird? Tell me your theories. I read every comment.