Aaron Welty When you think of a shield, what comes to mind? A wooden shield used by vikings? A nearly body length shield used by Roman soldiers, like the ones used in the arena in Gladiator? The global security agency in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU)?
When an art medium combines with another art medium, or two properties with a medium combine in some way, this is referred to as a “crossover”. It’s something that is often seen in comic books (i.e. the DC/Marvel amalgam run in the mid-late 90’s) and sometimes in television (the Pretender/Profiler universe, episodes between various NCIS, CSI, and Law and Order shows, and the Arrow/Flash crossover in season two of Arrow in preparation for the airing of the Flash pilot later in 2014). It’s very rare however to see movies and television do this, that is until the advent of the Marvel Cinematic Universe and it’s weekly television extension Agent of SHIELD. Earlier this season, audiences saw two “crossover” episodes where aspects of Asgard and the events and characters of Thor: The Dark World played a role in the show. Nevertheless, in recent weeks, the show has tired something slightly different. While tempted to call them “additional crossover” episodes linked to the events of the most recent Marvel Studios silver screen release, I’ve chosen to call the something different: “fallout episodes”.
“What’s a Lightcycle?” This isn’t how you’d expect a morning commute conversation to begin. Nevertheless, a recent conversation I had with someone while traversing the the DC Metro system began with that query.
When the oldest and wisest of all living Jedi sets out on a quest of his own, the end result is a grand adventure wherein influences worthy of both J.R.R. Tolkein and the Apostle Paul are on display in Star Wars: The Clone Wars in a powerful way.
What happens when a famed, Oscar winning director undertakes his 13-year passion project of bringing a famed Bible story to screen? A lot, including controversy well earned.
What happens when George Lucas and the team behind Star Wars: The Clone Wars decide to answer deep questions left unanswered by the prequel era of Star Wars? The galaxy’s “Foolish Muppet” embarks on his greatest, most personal, most theological, adventure yet. *WARNING* If you haven’t seen these episodes but plan to, stay as far from this as Tatooine is from the bright center of the universe. *WARNING*
Is true peace possible when one strives for total control in a galaxy plagued by evil and shattered by war? This is a question that the final episode of the Mortis Trilogy on Star Wars: The Clone Wars attempts to grapple with.
What happens when you confuse a waitress just by being yourself? You’re reminded how broken the world is and that the brokenness has less to do with her thinking you’re on drugs.
Author, Speaker, and Super Nerd. Aaron Welty speaks and writes regularly connecting the dots of life, faith, and science fiction. Originally from Michigan, he now lives and works in the Washington, DC metro area.