Red Snow X
TOP THREE MOMENTS:
(Three moments of the show that stood out to you and why.)
- Gravedigger was revealed as the New Ferryman. Throughout the show, he eliminates the other members of Six Feet Under to build to this, and Igor's turn aligning with Gravedigger is just the cherry on top of this sundae. The way this all came about gave me Paul Bearer turning on the Undertaker in 1996 during the Boiler Room Brawl. Also, this was the twist that got me the most during the show but thinking about it now, it should’ve been obvious, Gravedigger was burying what Tombstone had built. Literally, putting Six Feet Under, six feet under.
- Aurora becoming Eclipse, another fantastic reveal. This one I had an inkling was going to happen but it was so well written to progress as it did and the reason given of the “thrill of the chase” was brilliant. Plus adding in Ayami into the mix here was a great way to put a spotlight on her and her morality. Overall, a wonderfully written moment.
- CJ Thorpe accepts his fate. I was stunned silent when CJ stopped Jackson only to have Redgrave snap his neck. I have my suspicion that Redgrave whispered in CJ’s ear that he had to give his life to save his mother’s which is why he stopped Jackson but that’s a bit of speculation on my end but it’s such a dark yet beautiful way to write CJ out and give him the spotlight in his demise.
*Honorable Mention...
The great Arcadian Civil War. Just how do you better set the tone for what’s to come. The funeral of CJ Thorpe, the interview of Zeus, the formation of a new Uprising it got me hype for War Zone and what’s to come for this season. Plus, to have everything come full circle is just brilliant.
BURNING QUESTIONS:
(What questions has the show left you with?)
What was exactly whispered to CJ? I know I have my speculation but I would like to know exactly what was said by Jasper.
What happened to Destructo Boy and Nox?
What’s next for the Uprising?
What’s left of the House of Judgment?
MY FAVOURITE PROMO OF THE WEEK:
(Which promo was your favourite of the week?)
So, I am going to go a bit off script here because I want to give Taufik AKA Mighty Mighty an atta boy here. His promo Consent is Key was a good mixing in the theme of consent and story. I enjoyed how he structured talking about how the dance floor was his place basically stating that he wasn’t willing to give up his identity. I thoroughly enjoyed this the only thing I can say as feedback for this would be to work on putting in some more punchy lines/devastating “go home” lines at the end would’ve been more beneficial. But I have to say, I am impressed with how our dude has been progressing and this promo impressed me with how he’s improving.
HAVE YOUR SAY:
(How did you like your characters portrayal and what are your thoughts on your current storyline? What, if any, improvements could be made?)
Harold: Just hell, where does he go from here. Having Michaela distract the referee during their match and then being told to just go and be told by Michaela that she’s essentially dead to him. This seriously depressed me a bit being the eldest child in my family and experiencing the separation of my parents I cannot imagine how deeply it would’ve cut my father or mother to say something like that. Watching Harold, a man who has worked so hard to get back to his daughter, who first drove himself in his daughter’s memory, and then worked to get Michaela to even get a chance to know him. I can’t begin to imagine how broken hearted a man like that would feel. But also makes me question what his motivation is going to be moving forward as a member of this New Uprising is going to be.
Nox: Jesus, what a way to add another body to Nox’s kill count and such a big character in The Burned Man too. I really feel that this whole angle served to elevate both Destructo Boy and Nox. Nox being the one to take our Maxwell and Destructo Boy now being the only one left to take up his father’s mantle. I cannot wait to see where this feud goes from here.
TOP THREE MOMENTS:
- I had to sit and think on this one, but the death of CJ Thorpe just takes it for me. There's the set pieces that built this all up in the shows preceding it, but to see a character that's been almost a mainstay for the Volume taken out like that? It just surprises me again and again with it all. It was written fantastically, and the whisper before the snap was such a well written use of show, don't tell that I couldn't take my eyes off of it.
- The surprise that it wasn't Tombstone taking care of Six Feet Under, but Gravedigger was such a fuckin surprise. And then the betrayal too, of sending Tombstone back to being a mortal and having him end up with nothing was such a twist that I didn't expect it to really come around. Brilliant stuff.
- The inevitable reveal that Arcadia isn't standalone, that there's a greater world out there was fantastic. And the inevitable civil war, the chaos and distrust and all of it was a fantastic end of the show. The silence to let us read it on our own, to see the sides being drawn, what a fantastic end to the season.
BURNING QUESTIONS:
- What does Savor know about the Zookeeper?
- How will Destructo Boy carry on with the death of his father?
- Will Mighty Mighty fall in line at Klaus's circus, or find a way to escape his clutches?
- Who's gone to which side, and who will break the bonds they made first?
MY FAVOURITE PROMO OF THE WEEK:
So I've got one that got shown on the promo stream, but Long Time Coming just has that perfect little bit for me. Something about how fleshed out it is, the malice that cuts in like a knife in the writing is just delightful. I may be one of the babyfaces currently, but there's nothing better than when you get someone just being an absolute menace it turns into a sheer delight. And you can almost feel the sympathy for the betrayals he's been in, before he goes to butcher Thorpe's mom and just reminds you "Oh yeah, this guy's a monster." Fantastic stuff.
HAVE YOUR SAY:
I do want to say that this was an absolute fantastic piece for Captain Arcadia this week. Seeing him bamboozled against the foe he thought he was going against, only to find out that it wasn't actually relevant to the cause he's been hunting for was a great twist in the plot for certain. And the creepier parts of Mr Sunshine, the unknowns of how that all ties together, really has me getting excited for this upcoming season! Fantastic stuff all around.
TOP THREE MOMENTS:
1. It should go without saying, and yes I'm gonna be that guy, but the top moment for me at Red Snow was Jasper Redgrave winning the OSW World Championship. After coming up short on a few occassions, Jasper finally managed to grab the title for his own. I'll be speaking more on this in Have Your Say, so I'll move on for now.
2. The big reveal of Gravedigger being the one behind offing Six Feet Under was a HUGE moment. Who would have ever expected the guy who's just always done what he's told to be the guy that's about to fuck some shit up? A big step here for Gravedigger with the betrayal of Tombstone, I can't wait to see how he comes into this new role.
3. The reveal of The Great Beyond to all of Arcadia which in turn sets us up for Civil War. This sets us up for what's coming next beautifully, and I look forward to every moment of it.
BURNING QUESTIONS:
- What are the impacts of CJ Thorpe's death?
- Is Jackson indeed wwalking into a setup on Warzone?
- Who will pick which side of the Civil War?
- What's next for... Ezra?
- Who the fuck IS the Zookeeper?
- Why would Sunshine want Roland Gray dead?
MY FAVOURITE PROMO OF THE WEEK: Fairytale Lies by Felix Foley
Holy shit, this promo was beautiful. Mel's such a great writer and he was able to show us that on full display for Red Snow.
HAVE YOUR SAY:
LETS GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!
What a beautiful way to cap off a rather successful year for Jasper. It might have took a few shots at the World title before finally winning it, but the payoff was much worth it. The Killer King is now your NEW OSW World Champion, babyyyyyy! And it feels sooooo fucking good.
That segment after the match though, holy shit. That was beautiful. I don't think there was a single person there that thought they'd see CJ Thorpe accept his fate and lose his life. This was just so beautifully strung together. Jackson coming out for the potential save.. the crowd being fully behind CJ Thorpe and then SNAP. The crowd falls silent and CJ is murdered right in front of his brother. That's fucking brutal and I love every fucking second of it.
What's next for Jasper? What happens when Jackson and Jasper meet at Warzone? Do they meet at all or is it just a trap for Jackson to walk into? Also... which side of the War will Jasper find himself on? It's an exciting time going into the next year!
TOP THREE MOMENTS:
- the entire ordeal with their being a world outside of arcadia and then there being a civil war on the horizon is just toooo intriguing. i mean its so many possible avenues this angle could take, so many possible repercussions and events that could come about as a result of this, people have to choose their sides and just the idea of who might choose what side and what that might mean in the grand scheme of things. its a lot to think about, a lot to take in and im so very excited for it all to begin.
- cj thorpe dying was crazy as hell. of course you know that theres a possibility a guy could lose and then there’s whatever might follow that happening. but i didnt anticipate going into this show that cj thorpe woulda gotten his neck snapped in the middle of the ring by jasper. im not surprised in hindsight that jasper would go to these limits because he is that type of guy, but it just never crossed my mind that if jasper wins not only does he take cjs coveted title but hes taking his life as well. crazy crazy shit. jaspers basicallu followed through on everything he said he would and hes looked unstoppable in doing it.
- i would say the third biggest from this show for me was one, finding out that it was actually gravedigger who was taking out the members of sfu and two, subsequently finding out that hes actually the new ferryman (i cant remember which came first but you know). it was also the manner in which he took that mantle from tombstone. i mean he murdered the guy in cold blood, the man that i understand took him in and gave him a purpose and a reason to continue existing i reckon. he too came out of this show looking as formidable as ever and i cant wait to see whats next for him in his new role in arcadia, also with his new partner in hand.
BURNING QUESTIONS:
who will pick what side in the civil war?
what does destructo boy do now that hes by himself?
when might we see tombstone again cause he is coming back surely?
will we see a different side of zeus now since the cats pretty much out the bag now?
whats next for jasper now after his strong ending to last year?
is that actually it for harold trying to get his daughter back?
MY FAVOURITE PROMO OF THE WEEK:
i enjoyed tombstone’s promo pretty good. when i read his promos, the structure of the promo, the hard cutting words, they are always on point to me. i did also thoroughly enjoy felix’s as well tho and emm brought it with his too.
HAVE YOUR SAY:
i didnt really expect for a second for anton to have a hand in this zookeeper business with sunshine and capt. and then for sunshine to turn right around and reveal some dirt about anton back, it all took me by surprise but in a great way. this is the type of shit i love, things that are revealed that can help develop a character and evolve them over time. now im just very excited and intrigued to see what the ripple effect of anton getting his mentor killed might be, if any. and too, to see how the sunshine and capt arcadia situation progresses and what else anton might be able to provide for that.
TOP THREE MOMENTS:
- Felix Foley overcoming. Listen, I wrote most all of this story, but Dean brought home the match spectacularly. The match told an amazing story, and really weaved in everything we've seen from Foley and Tombstone to this point. The red lights/Scissor fake out was my moment of the night for sure. Just perfectly done.
- Gravedigger is the new Ferryman. This has been the path this story kind of had to go, isn't it? Gravedigger being introduced was perfect, and gave us someone close to Ezra, and the way Tombstone's humanity has awakened within him with the Foley story opened the door for Igor Mortis to find his replacement. Perfectly built to story, and perfect execution on the moment itself.
- The Finale. It's all changed, hasn't it? Arcadia is forever changed by George Cade's announcement, and this segment showed us how. It's guerilla war in Arcadia, and Jackson taking the Uprising name for his group is just a perfect thing. It spits in Narcy's face. It honors (somewhat) CJ Thorpe, and from a public perspective, it could almost considered to be the same group that just kind of died out at ROD. The mission to take down Zeus is still the same, it's just the players have changed, and the stakes have changed especially.
BURNING QUESTIONS:
How will Wolf Fang Ayame deal with the new power couple of Eclipse and Gravedigger?
Mighty Mighty has accepted his new role, but how will Klaus use two big men to his advantage?
(copied and pasted) "The real question is why did Charlie Boye want Roland Gray dead and how does that relate to The Zookeeper?”
What's the deal with Zephyr?
MY FAVOURITE PROMO OF THE WEEK:
Gonna go with Gravedigger here. He's a weekly favorite of mine, and this week was so different. He does such a good job of weaving story with the type of personal fire that I love.
HAVE YOUR SAY:
CJ Thorpe - Rest easy, buddy. Love the way you went out, the same thing you've always done. Protecting those who needed it. Doing the Right Thing. Maybe we'll see you again in Volume 4.
Gemini and Grimskull - Well lookee here, Grimmy is back! He and Drewitt are pissed they got locked up, and want revenge on their partners who betrayed them. Should be an interesting story to see unfold.
TOP THREE MOMENTS:
- The Burned Man dying. I've been invested in the Burning Justice storyline since day one of Volume 3 and to finally see Maxwell meet his end was beyond heartbreaking. Absolutely massive moment that will have a major impact on Destructo going forwards. Farewell, Burned Man.
- CJ Thorpe dying. Because god damn was that a fucking shock to see play out. I'll talk more on this down below at the bottom.
- The Finale. Huge segment here and definitely something that I can't wait to see play out next season. It's very interesting to see how V3 has kind of come full circle back to Deathrow. I love seeing how important that area is to the volume as a whole.
BURNING QUESTIONS:
- What happens next for Destructo Boy?
- Is there a trap being set for the Uprising at Olympus?
- Everything with Mister Sunshine. Why kill Roland? How is everything connected?
- Who's picking which sides in the civil war?
MY FAVOURITE PROMO OF THE WEEK:
So, I need to give some love to Felix Foley and Tombstone for their amazing promos, of course. However, I wanna give a nice shout out to Mighty Mighty for his promo. I thought the match was very competitive and am glad to see how far along your promos have come. Really good work, bud.
HAVE YOUR SAY:
Jackson Cade: Man, I'm devastated that Thorpe died. Firstly, we never got the Cade Bros as tag champs and that is a travesty. But also I have to wonder why Thorpe let himself get killed by Redgrave. It was clear he knew what was coming, I just need to know WHY. I also can't wait to see how Cade fairs as a member of the Uprising.
Ajax the Adonis: Fantastic match, just need to say. Loved some big man on big man action. I thought this was a great storyline and I loved seeing Ajax acting as Klaus' enforcer. Really made him come off as a really intimidating figure.
Hatchet: Hatch is back! I'm curious to see his reaction to what happened to him. I can only imagine going forwards he's gonna want some kind of revenge on Nox for what's been done to him. Also loved seeing the Gathering used to its full extent to get him back.
TOP THREE MOMENTS:
1. The breakout of the Arcadian Civil War. We've turned the page to a new chapter of Arcadia with the public reveal of the door and what potentially lies beyond it. People have taken sides in this war with the Seekers and the House of Sovereigns, and I'm interested in finding out who will take what side in this battle within Arcadia.
2. The death of CJ Thorpe. Him accepting his fate wasn't what I was prepared for near the end of Red Snow. Hell, I don't think anyone in the VC or the Twitch chat expected it. It was a sad moment that Jackson Cade couldn't do anything about. A sad moment that signaled the beginning of the Jasper Redgrave era of OSW and what might just be the biggest moment in the character's existence currently.
3. The reveal that Gravedigger is the new Ferryman and the subsequent murder of Tombstone. I have to wonder if he's still immortal or if this is the last time we're seeing him. I'm assuming the latter, but I can't say for sure that he's gone for good. Guess we'll have to wait and see if that's the case.
BURNING QUESTIONS:
Why did Mr. Sunshine put a hit out on Roland Gray? What kind of sinister secret is Charlie hiding about Roland and, like Savor said, how does that relate to the Zookeeper?
Who caused the explosion that rattled the Corporation building? Did whoever caused it kidnap Nox and Doom like I think it's implying? If so, will either of them show up to fight in the first edition of Warzone?
What did Jasper Redgrave whisper in CJ's ear before snapping his neck? Will we ever find out, or is that going to be a secret that Thorpe takes to the grave?
MY FAVOURITE PROMO OF THE WEEK:
Going to give this to Slaves by Tombstone. I personally loved how Connor detailed how the Ferryman was originally going to attack Felix for being a slave, only for Tombstone to come to the realization that he's one too. I also liked how somber of a tone of the piece too. Makes it feel like the final chapter between these two for quite some time. Really loved this piece and it's a shame that he might've been killed off permanently. I was a big fan of the character and seeing him be taken away from us makes me somewhat sad.
HAVE YOUR SAY:
TBM - Damn man, I might've predicted that Maxwell would die at Red Snow, but I didn't expect him to both die in such a sad fashion and not take someone down with him along the way. It was a very tragic death too, what with him being too slow to realize Nox injected him with toxins and pathetically reaching out to his unconscious son in his dying moments. I don't know how it's going to affect James, given that he wasn't seen during the funeral according to the Lucky Break. However, I imagine he's taking it really damn hard. And with him being due for action on Warzone, I have to wonder if he'll even show up? Guess time will tell.
Calypso - Fucking Gravedigger, man! I was already stunned silent after finding out she was ferried for failing the ferryman, but to find out the former Mortuary Assistant betrayed his mentor to take up his mantle and ferry him too? Damn, that revelation had me floored. I'm pretty sad to let Calypso go, especially since I felt like I was having fun with her too. But, I feel like a fresh start with Night could be something I need. Here's to you, Voodoo Child. Your run was short, but I won't forget ya.
TOP THREE MOMENTS:
1. The killer king is now the world champion. Redgrave has like a matter of time before he's the top guy and he's done it when he had the chance I wonder how twisted it's going to act with defending the title.
2. The death of Thorpe, he did everything he was supposed to do and yet is still gone. There's been some surprising deaths but the man who just lost the word title is not one you normally see. His mom is saved but I wonder what happens to the faimily for the foreseeable
3. The world knows about the hidden door now. George Cade dropping the biggest bombshell to people and I wonder what the fallout will be. How many will escape and how how many will stay?
BURNING QUESTIONS:
Who will end up with the next chance for the tile?
Will Ayame kill more now that she's had a taste?
Who will join the Uprising now that they know the truth?
MY FAVOURITE PROMO OF THE WEEK:
It's Foley's for me, I'm a sucker for those real heartfelt promos and love writing like that. I read it and thought this is next level. I felt like I was on an adventure with what he wanted and I had to choose what we got for Dinner.
HAVE YOUR SAY:
What an absolutely amazing show as Red Snow always are. Everyone crushed it during the show. Narcissa wasn't a crazy factor this show but it looks like that's about to change. Will Narcissa be the one guarantee that fights for Zeus or will she turn on him again?
TOP THREE MOMENTS:
(Three moments of the show that stood out to you and why.)
- The dual deaths of Tombstone and CJ Thorpe. Tombstone absolutely felt like a character who'd be here until the end of Arcadia, so the absolute swerve of both Igor and Gravedigger turning on him was both brilliant, logical and hugely what the fuckness. The thought immediately was this would be a big feud now for both so Tombstone getting killed by Gravedigger was not only a big coming out for GD but a huge shock in itself. As for Thorpe, I mean it's not often someone goes into a show world champion and leaves dead, it's not unprecedented but holy goddamn was that a moment and a half, not only for Thorpe but for the new champeen in Redgrave. Both huge deaths that should have mammoth reproccusions in the future and I cannot wait to see it.
- The Civil War is Upon Us. I'm a sucker for a flash forward, even if it's a tiny one and showing the latest and seemingly final arc of Arcadia being outright destruction and everyone versus everyone fits so well. Now with the truth of what's beyond out, the questions of who will be on whose side definetly are there which absolutely remind me of Yahweh vs. the Gods and leaves it open to some mammoth shocks in this last year of Part 3.
- Gotta be the presentation as a whole. The new videos were absolutely chefs kiss and just added that little bit more to the whole overall show. Especially the Civil War one, setting up something that should be so amazing.
BURNING QUESTIONS:
- Is the Terminal man actually gone or will he resurface for revenge against his protege and mentor?
- Who will pick what side in this war? Will we see friends and allies fractured? Will we see former enemies align?
- Will this supposed neutral ground stick or will it soon devolve as the war continues?
MY FAVOURITE PROMO OF THE WEEK:
Very hard to pick but going with Grief myself. Laners has any absolute nack for laying on the heartstrings and I felt every single bit of CJ's pain and misery there, plus as final character promos goes, that's definetly up there with some of the best.
HAVE YOUR SAY:
Well fuck, so the Kid...well now maybe the man is all alone. Both of his parents murdered by Nox for refusing to do the "right" thing and stay in line with what needed to be done and now the question is can he still be a hero with so much lost? I am very curious what exactly he heard in his unconcious state too, the whole his mom worked for the Corporation, the confirmation that Nox did kill her and Stubbins had no hand in it, everything Nox said in that segment he may not have heard so there's going to be some intriguing things revealed if so that Nox can absolutely use to try and break James down even further. Either way, heavily looking forward to this next arc for Destructo as it's gonna be good.