Jacob’s Last Waltz & Persona 5
We’re diving into the topic of using mind control to make people stop doing bad things, particularly in the video game Persona 5.
March 19, 2020
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We’re diving into the topic of using mind control to make people stop doing bad things, particularly in the video game Persona 5.
Who heroes are accountable to is a question we frequently explore on this show. In this episode, we dive into the movie and comic book versions of Watchmen and its intriguing take on the question of accountability. What happens when so-called heroes shrug and watch as their friends commit atrocities? Would the threat of an alien invasion bring peace to our planet? And is anyone in this story remotely heroic?
We cheer when our heroes deliver an evil bad guy to their much-deserved fate. But what happens when our hero has to fight someone who isn’t evil, just in the way? Should more heroes be like Jessica Jones? Should it matter to our hero if the person they are fighting is being mind-controlled, lied to, or is otherwise not at fault? Should it matter to the audience?
We’re on the road again, and we’re reflecting on 2019! As we did last year, we’re looking back at the past twelve months—what were the most compelling ethical questions raised, what are our hopes for genre media in 2020, and what concerns do we have?
Now that we’ve all seen The Rise of Skywalker, we’ve brought Becky back to talk about it! On our last episode, the three of us talked about the ethical questions, hopes, and concerns we had going into this movie—this episode, we revisit them and ask: How did this movie address them? What happened with the Jedi? Did Rey get the character arc she deserved? And does Hanukkah Harry use the same merit-based system of gift to child allocation that Santa Claus does?
With just two days left before the release of Star Wars: Episode IX – The Rise of Skywalker, we’ve got theories! Can Force users find a third path, neither Jedi nor Sith? What does the future hold for Rey, Leia, Finn, and the rest? And how much respect will J.J. Abrams have for the choices Rian Johnson made in The Last Jedi?
Harley Quinn has rapidly become one of the most popular and most controversial characters in comic book media. Returning guest and comic book nerd and critic extraordinaire joins us for an in-depth look at this fascinating character
How do we separate the art from the artist, and should we? Where do we draw the lines of what we can or cannot accept, and how do we decide where to spend our money and our attention? In this episode, Jacob and Matthew delve into this complex set of issues. Instead of providing definitive answers, they discuss their personal approaches to these questions and what it means to attempt to be an ethical consumer of media.
This week, we are joined by special guest Morgan Wentworth as we discuss the ins and outs of superhero dating. Should heroes only date other heroes? What are the problems with attempting to ‘protect’ your love by making decisions for them? And why do so many superheroes gaslight their love interests to protect their secret identity?
This episode, we’re talking about the ethics of professional wrestling—both the stories themselves and the meta questions about wrestling as entertainment. How far can or should a heel go before it becomes a problem? Can wrestling storylines be cathartic for the performers? What role do performers have in choosing their story, and so many more!