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The Trump administration is blaming the recent shutdown of Spirit Airlines on decisions made under the former Biden administration to protect consumers from airline price hikes, but it was Trump’s decision to attack Iran that was the final nail in the troubled company’s coffin. Spirit announced on Saturday that it was shutting down operations after it failed to get a hoped-for bailout from…

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Both Anthropic and OpenAI have partnered with asset managers to more aggressively market their enterprise AI products.

We’re nearing the end of the third week of the migration, and the team is still working through our punchlist of fixes, improvements, enhancements, and additions. A few notes before updated to-do list. If you’re experiencing logout issues, please check out Allison’s story. She’s collecting information to help troubleshoot. We’ve added a new sidebar widget, “Trending Conversations.”…

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A cartoon by Clay Bennett. Related | Democrats vow to fight back after Supreme Court guts Voting Rights Act…

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The Register gets a look inside AWS' networking lab in Cupertino

FEATURE  In an unassuming three-story office building in Cupertino, California, engineers from Amazon Web Services are busy trying to make networking inconspicuous.…

Acorn lets organizations build and run their own online communities using decentralized tech, with custom feeds, moderation, and analytics tools.

'If you don't have visibility, you can't understand what to protect'

When it comes to securing enterprise supply chains, now heavily infused with AI applications and agents, a software bill of materials (SBOM) no longer provides a complete inventory of all the components in the environment. Enter AI-BOMs.…

A right-wing court thrust the issue of abortion rights back into focus on Friday, when it banned providers nationwide from using telehealth appointments to prescribe the abortion drug mifepristone and then ship patients the drug. This method is used in nearly two-thirds of abortions in the United States. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit ruled that mifepristone must be…

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For many years he’s gotten his revenge, gotten his revenge some more, and even gotten the most revenge of all revenges. Now, Kratos—the god of war himself—is getting the video game live-action adaptation treatment in the form of a God of War live-action series. This gaming icon first hack-and-slashed his way into gamer’s hearts with the original game all the way back in 2005. Since then, God of War has become one of gaming’s most important franchises with powerful characters, many of whom will be in the Prime Video series.

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Everything We Know About Prime Video’s GOD OF WAR TV Series

The 2018 God of War reboot took the series to new heights. That game and its sequel, God of War Ragnarök, not only provided a more grounded but still epic gameplay experience, but also a more capacious, fully-realized world of characters. The transition from the Greek gods of old to the lesser known Norse mythology was a welcome one, and looks to be serving as the main basis for Amazon’s live-action series, which just started production.

So, true believers, let’s talk about who you can expect to see when the series officially launches.

KratosJustin Lubin/Prime

The series’ titular character, the son of Zeus, the Ghost of Sparta, and the one-that-naysayers-would-argue-used-to-have-screaming-and-rage-as-his-only-defining-characteristics, is the one and only Kratos. While serving as a commander in the Spartan army, Kratos offered up his soul to Ares in order to gain the power needed to slay his foes. And slaying his foes he did, but that’s about it in terms of “joy” that Kratos has netted in his life.

Sure, his numerous battle victories and the total annihilation of Olympus (and its absolute jerk dorks of gods that ruled it) is a pretty bodacious note to put on a resume, but Kratos has also lost many of those close to him, including his wife and child whom Ares tricked him into murdering during the events of the original game. A scarred, enervating past, to say the least.

Played By: Ryan Hurts

Atreus Meg Vinson/Prime Video

The second son of Kratos, Atreus serves as the co-protagonist of the story and easy content fodder for a Happy Father’s Day post on social media from the biggest nerd you know. Atreus is shown to be a bit of a kindred spirit at the start of the story, the antithesis of his father’s very gruff, war-torn aura. Atreus’ naivete regarding not only the world, but also his father’s past, makes for an emotionally fulfilling character journey.

What starts as a simple premise of spreading his recently-deceased mother’s ashes on top of the highest point in the world turns into a tale of great sorrow, growth, and questions about what a given person’s true nature is, or should be. 

Plus, who doesn’t love a classic “Young Person Helping Older Cynic Begin to Feel All The Things Again” story? You know you do, boy.

Played By: Callum Vinson

OdinTonje Thilesen/The New Yorker/PlayStation

It can be a bit of a cliche, or even a meme, to assign characters the “daddy issues” label. But when it comes to the ruler of Asgard, yeah, he’s a bit of a jerk, to say the least. And sometimes that black-and-white and almost cartoonish display of evil makes for the best antagonists. Whether it be his bigoted views against the Jötunn, the incredibly harsh treatment of his son Thor, or general callousness, Odin is about as sinister a foe the God of War series has ever seen.

I mean, what’s more classically evil—and, unfortunately, analogous with our world—than waging war against the nine realms, killing hundreds upon thousands, due to fear it could one day result in your death. The level of narcissism on display with this lad would make Doctor Doom blush.

Played By: Mandy Patinkin

ThorApple TV/PlayStation

The God of Thunder himself, this version of Thor is likely to be a bit of a shock to those expecting a grand, courageous adventurer. Thor is one of the mightiest gods in all the land, and serves dutifully as the main enforcer for Odin, aiding in the slaughtering of countless giants across the realm. However, this relationship is hardly one filled with wholesome father-son bonding. Thor is quite the bedraggled, hopelessly miserable servant of the all-father due to some pretty hefty trauma he endured as a child, especially from his father he oh-so-desperately wishes to impress. 

His awesome power might be there, but the mental side is anything but, and he serves as one of the primary antagonists in God of War Ragnarök. Undoubtedly, he and Kratos coming to blows will be one of the live action’s most anticipated moments.

Played By: Ólafur Darri Ólafsson

SifHolly Ward/PlayStation

The goddess of earth is quite the title, and Sif lives up to it. As the second wife of Thor and mother to Magni and Modi, she serves as one of the secondary characters in God of War Ragnarök. Despite her obvious ties to Asgardian rule, Sif is a much more understanding character. And she is at least quite aware of the cruelty that Odin often displays against the rest of the world, in part due to motherhood softening her ways. So, unlike the rest of her family, war and cruelty don’t seem to be her main callings. Sif acts instead as a highly intelligent liaison for Asgard and the nine realms.

Another highlight is her relationship with Thor, in particular, as it serves as an emotional rollercoaster with her fear that Odin has damaged the thunder god in ways beyond repair.

Played By: Teresa Palmer

HeimdallDavid Reiss/PlayStation

Marvel lovers will likely recognize Heimdall, but this God of War character is far from the calm, altruistic version seen from the MCU. As one of Odin’s sons and right-hand men, the god of foresight aided mightily in Asgard’s conquering and near dominion of all the realms. He’s also quite a bit of a snob, viewing himself as superior to other beings, but also the rest of his fellow Aesir tribesmen, a notion that only gained traction due to the many gifts Odin bestowed upon him , including the Hofuð sword. 

Heimdall’s disdain, or at best cynical, view of others could also be explained simply by his powers to see through lies, to which, if you didn’t know already, people tend to do a lot. His interactions with Kratos and Atreus should make for some excellent moments in the live-action series, especially if you’ve played the games. 

Played By: Max Parker

MimirDavid LaPorte/PlayStation

Has anyone noticed a common theme in mythology being a host of folks that are cursed or imprisoned by the gods? From Atlas to Medusa and all in-between, Mimir finds himself trapped inside of a tree. And this doesn’t exactly turn him into a friendly treant fellow like in The Lord of the Rings, but rather understandably bitter.

But [record scratch] if you’re wondering how he found himself in this situation, it was by way of Odin, who punished Mimir for suspected allegiance to the Jötunn (aka the Giants, and not the ones from New York or San Francisco). Not only are the Jötunn huge in mass, but some can even see into the future. You simply can’t do a mythical fantasy tale without having some prophecies involved. 

Played By: Alastair Duncan

Brok and SindriAmy Buchwald/Kevin Clark/PlayStation

Every story may not always have a couple of blacksmiths, but when they do…you can bet stuff will be built. Namely, Kratos’ leviathan axe, which was built by the dwarven brothers Brok and Sindri in honor of its previous owner Faye, Kratos’ recently deceased wife who gave it to him in the first place. While the two brothers certainly have more to offer than being simple weapon builders—with a complicated history involving familial disagreements, to put it lightly—their inclusion in the live-action could go in any number of different directions, or even expand upon their existing story. 

Played By: Danny Woodburn and Jeff Gulka

Baldur Bob Wolfenson/PlayStation

There’s something particularly special about a character who throws hands first, asks questions later. For much of the first God of War game, this aggressive individual is known only as “The Stranger” and seems to have quite a serious vendetta against our main man Kratos. Their first encounter is a fight with the savagery akin to Invincible vs Omni Man, or Brad Pitt and random objects in Moneyball. 

Hatred of Kratos, isn’t necessarily unwarranted and certainly not uncommon, but this is hardcore hatred, with the reasons for such being quite tragic. Eventually revealed to be Baldur, the son of Freya and Odin, and is bestowed with near-immortality, with the only catch being that he can’t really feel anything anymore. Like, at all. So yeah, I might just start picking fights with gods, too. The fights between him and Kratos—especially the first, which had a certain degree of shock value that set the tone for the story going forward—are sure to be a major highlight of the TV adaptation. 

Played By: Ed Skrein

Modi, Magni, and ThrudPatch Studio

The God of War series is messy not just in terms of the mountains of blood and limbs it often leaves behind, but also its various family dramas. Modi and Magni, sons of Thor, are antagonists in the first game, and basically giant bullies thanks to their drunken father’s not-good style of parenting. However, the two are actually half-brothers, with the former’s mother being Járnsaxa and the latter Sif. We love drama!  

Marnya Rothe Photography/PlayStation

But perhaps due to how Modi and Magni turned out, Thrud — the daughter of Thor and Sif — is raised quite differently, and shows a degree of compassion to both Kratos and Atreus during their encounters. It’s kind of heartwarming seeing that a more sober Thor led to his daughter being a lot more well-balanced, with Sif’s influence playing a role as well. It’ll be interesting to see how these backstories are told in the live action, especially since Thrud only appears later on while her brothers are immediate. 

Deidhra Fahey/PlayStation

Played By: Louis Cunningham, Ben Chapple, and Island Austin

FreyaABC/PlayStation

In a sense, if you were to be the god of something, love is a decent one to get, right? Absolutely! But the same way having Spider-Man’s powers would be fantastically fun, Freya’s life is one littered with immense tragedy. After refusing to aid her then-husbands genocidal conquest, Freya is cursed to never be able to leave Midgard, stuck in the woods like a less fun Yoda (that little cretin was having the time of his life, I’m telling you).

Plus, in a cruel twist of irony, her attempt at protecting her son Baldur with the aforementioned immortality instead leads him down a path of ruination and hatred. She’s a complicated character that, like many in the series (except Odin, he’s a meanie beanie), can’t be pinned down as simply good or evil. 

Played By: Sonya Walger

GnaYellowBelly/PlayStation

Introduced in God of War Ragnarök, Gna is the queen of the Valkyries and former handmaiden of Freya. But despite Freya’s betrayal of Odin, she chooses to remain loyal to Asgard which, needless to say, brings an end to their friendship. Her appearance is one of the most striking, with her enormous wings and armor being a particular standout for a series that’s already got plenty of creatures, gods, and everything in between. 

But unlike the other characters we know of, Gna doesn’t have quite as major a role in the game, instead being mostly an epilogue character that serves as an epic optional boss fight for the player. Perhaps the series is planning on taking advantage of her Valkyrian background and building upon it, or simply need a character that can make for some wonderful flight-related action setpieces. Either way, we’re in. 

Played By: Evelyn Miller

Originally published February 19, 2026.

The post GOD OF WAR Characters You Should Know for Prime Video’s Live Action Series appeared first on Nerdist.

This 18-second clip of Bernie Sanders went viral over the weekend. It’s not because, at 84-years-old, he demonstrates near-perfect form. Or because he drains four consecutive shots. Or even because he ends the whole thing with a characteristically grumpy “that’s it!” before stopping. It’s because on that Minnesota basketball court, in town to stump for Lt. Governor Peggy Flanagan (D-Minn.) for the U.S. Senate on his Fighting Oligarchy tour, Sanders reminded America generally, and the Democratic party specifically, that inspiring a new generation of elected officials is all fine and well, but he coulda been our guy, but we blew it. And we know it.

It’s not the first time basketball has played a nostalgic role in reminding America of times past. Former President Barack Obama was campaigning for Joe Biden during the 2020 election when he oh-so-casually drained a three-pointer. Spring in his step, all swagger, he lowered his mask and said, “That’s what I do!”

Disney+’s two biggest stars are headed to the big screen. The next adventure for Star Wars‘ Din Djarin and his little green son will take place in theaters. What awaits the two when they get there? Who else will join them in making the move from television to cinema? And who will tell this new chapter in their story?

Here’s everything we know about The Mandalorian & Grogu so far, including its release date.

The Mandalorian & Grogu‘s PlotWalt Disney Studios

Lucasfilm President Kathleen Kennedy shared in a press release that The Mandalorian & Grogu will tell a “new story” she describes as a “perfect fit for the big screen.” The movie’s first official artwork does show Din and Grogu fleeing an exploding ship, but that might be just a normal Thursday for them.

Most recently, we received both a trailer and an official synopsis for The Mandalorian and Grogu. (You can check out our full breakdown of it here.) The sneak peek reveals that Zeb will be back in the Star Wars movie, as will the Razor Crest, despite the ship’s season two destruction in The Mandalorian series. Additionally, the teaser shows many fun glimpses of the film. At one point, Din Djarin explodes an AT-AT. We also see a shot of Grogu in a tiny ship with two Anzellans, our first look at Sigourney Weaver, and Jabba the Hutt’s son, Rotta.

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THE MANDALORIAN AND GROGU Trailer: Baby Yoda vs. AT-ATs, Jabba the Hutt’s Son, Sigourney Weaver, Oh My!Lucasfilm

Babu Frik will also return to the Star Wars universe in The Mandalorian and Grogu. Yes, Babu Frik and Grogu are teaming up to make some adorable mayhem together. Babu Frik, of course, is everyone’s favorite Anzellan droidsmith from The Rise of Skywalker. 

The Mandalorian and Grogu‘s official synopsis, meanwhile, offers:

The evil Empire has fallen, and Imperial warlords remain scattered throughout the galaxy. As the fledgling New Republic works to protect everything the Rebellion fought for, they have enlisted the help of legendary Mandalorian bounty hunter Din Djarin (Pedro Pascal) and his young apprentice Grogu. Directed by Jon Favreau, “Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu” also stars Sigourney Weaver and is produced by Jon Favreau, Kathleen Kennedy, Dave Filoni, and Ian Bryce,  with music composed by Ludwig Göransson.

To help us speculate more about The Mandalorian and Grogu‘s we can also look at where the Disney+ show left the characters after season three, as well as the known state of the galaxy far, far away during the time period of the early days of the New Republic, and what we know followed it.

Behind-the-Scenes

The Mandalorian creator and showrunner Jon Favreau will direct the film. He’ll also serve as a producer along with both Kennedy and longtime Star Wars stalwart Dave Filoni. 

Production is set to begin in 2024. It will shoot for a scheduled 92 days in California, where it has received one of the state’s biggest tax credits ever for a movie. Reports say work on The Mandalorian & Grogu will include 500 crew members, 54 cast members, and 3500 background players.

The Mandalorian & Grogu‘s CastLucasfilm

Pedro Pascal’s voice is all but certain to be a part of the movie. It’s unclear how much, if any, he will physically play the role, though. At this point on the Disney+ show the part of Mando is primarily a voice-over one for Pascal. Actors Brendan Wayne and Lateef Crowder share responsibility for playing the masked Din Djarin on film. If Din never removes his helmet in the movie, Pascal’s involvement could take place entirely off-screen. He did physically play the character in the past. Maybe he’ll put on his beskar armor once again for a big budget film.

Lucasfilm

Star Wars has yet to announce any official cast members for the movie. Other members of The Mandalorian are likely to also star in the film, however. Those alums include Katee Sackhoff, Emily Swallow, and Paul Sun-Hyung Lee. Ahsoka stars like Genevieve O’Reilly, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Natasha Liu Bordizzo, Rosario Dawson, Lars Mikkelsen, and Eman Esfandi are also obvious candidates to appear, as is Boba Fett himself, Temuera Morrison.

Lucasfilm

Recently, Sigourney Weaver confirmed her place in the Star Wars universe. Yes, Sigourney Weaver, the Alien icon, will be meeting a much nicer space creature this time around in The Mandalorian & Grogu. Weaver shares, “I’m playing a role in The Mandalorian & Grogu [which will be directed by Jon Favreau]. I got to meet Grogu for the first time the other day.” We love to hear it.

LucasfilmFX Networks/Lucasfilm

Additionally, Jeremy Allen White has also joined the cast as Jabba the Hutt’s son, Rotta.

Lucasfilm

The latest bit of casting news also provides some insight into the film’s plot. Deadline reports Jonny Coyne (Bodies) will reprise his role as the Imperial Warlord. The character first appeared as part of The Mandalorian‘s Shadow Council in season three. The group of high-level officers remain loyal to the Empire after its fall and hope to restore it to power. Coyne’s character was also doing well for himself personally thanks to hit-and-run plundering of hyperspace lanes.

We expected the Shadow Council to return for the film in some capacity, and this confirms the group will make its presence felt.

The Mandalorian & Grogu‘s Release Date

The Mandalorian & Grogu is scheduled to come to theaters on May 22, 2026.

Originally published on February 26, 2024.

The post THE MANDALORIAN & GROGU Everything We Know Trailer appeared first on Nerdist.

Virginia and Washington D.C. paused the data collection and sharing, after Bloomberg's investigation found their health insurance marketplaces were sharing users' information with advertisers.

The long-awaited Stranger Things finale’s conclusion may not have been satisfactory enough for everyone, it was exactly what it needed to be for others. Whichever side of the divide you stand on, it pained all of us to see the beloved series go—even if it did feel like a long time coming.

The Upside Down is now mostly dormant in the back of our minds as other shows grab our attention. In memoriam of all the happy and not-so-happy moments, it is a great time to take a stroll down memory lane. Here is a totally accurate, completely objective ranking of every season of Stranger Things from worst to best. (Disclaimer: Totally kidding. This is entirely based on my opinion, and you may disagree if you wish.)

5. Stranger Things 5 Netflix

I don’t think anyone is shocked by this placement. Stranger Things 5 is objectively the worst season of the bunch. While I am not an avid hater of this era, I am not blind to its problems. I will confess that I am one of the many who fell into the black hole we call Conformity Gate. To clarify: No, I didn’t believe that there was actually a secret episode. But it sure was fun to play into it. That being said, the mountain of commentary uncovered some questionable plot holes.

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STRANGER THINGS 5 Conformity Gate Theory: Why People Think the Finale Was NOT Real

My biggest quibble with season five is how many storylines feel rushed or cut short. It’s bound to happen when you have so much happening at once. For example, the final face-off against Vecna being only twelve minutes long is beyond me—especially after all of the build-up over two entire seasons. Unfortunately, the surplus of characters and loose ends to tie off is to blame. Dare I say the Duffers tried to pack way too much into eight episodes? That being said, I do still enjoy season five. As a devoted fan, it is heartwarming to see the Hawkins’ crew finally achieve some semblance of peace.

4. Stranger Things 2 Netflix

In fourth place, I have season two. Upon my preparatory rewatch of Stranger Things, I found myself liking season two a lot more than I remembered liking it the first time. Season two introduces the Mind Flayer and dips into the horror aspect a heck of a lot more than season one. Bravo to young Noah Schnapp for his work as a human vessel here. Nothing against season two, but I wouldn’t pick it first out of a lineup. There are simply other seasons that I enjoy more.

3. Stranger Things Season 1 Netflix

Oooh, controversial. The nostalgia and simplicity of Stranger Things‘ first season is something quite unlike any other season. It is a time before the stakes feel impossibly high and before there are too many characters and happenings to keep track of. It is the season where it all begins. Just four friends, a telekinetic girl, and a Demogorgon. There’s something about that that you just can’t replicate.

What makes season one so great is that it doesn’t try too hard. It doesn’t feel the need to one-up itself, add unnecessary plotlines, or overcompensate with humor. It just is. Why didn’t I rank it higher? Truthfully, this is the point where things start to get tough because I like each remaining season for different reasons. Ultimately, season one comes in third because it wasn’t until the later seasons that I really became obsessed with the show.

2. Stranger Things 4 Netflix

Really, one and four are interchangeable for me. But, alas, for the sake of this article. Stranger Things: Season Four revs up the horror with a pretty menacing humanoid. I personally love the direction it takes with Vecna and his slew of victims. It exudes Stranger Things to its core.

I’m going to be straight up. A huge part of why I like this season so much falls to one reason in particular. Any of my good friends who are reading this already know the answer because I do not shut up about it ever. Eddie Munson. I love him. I stand by the statement that his character is what makes season four so memorable. Eddie, Dustin, and Steve have my heart forever.

The one thing I don’t particularly like about season four is the location hopping. The constant back-and-forth between Hawkins, California, and Russia is a lot to keep track of. It gets very convoluted anytime we venture outside of Hawkins. No shade, but there are certain storylines that I just don’t care about. The Henry Creel/Vecna plot twist? Amazing. California? Meh. Regardless, season four is a biggie for me.

1. Stranger Things 3 Netflix

This. This is everything. The best season of Stranger Things is…(drumroll) season three. The ’80s summer nostalgia, the fun mall vibe, everything about season three hits home for me. I am aware that this might be a controversial opinion, but there’s just something about it. It’s bright. It’s fun. It carries a sense of humor along with the nasty Mind Flayer flesh monster.

The highlight of season three is, by far, the Scoops Troop. The trio of Dustin, Robin, and Steve is hands down my favorite dynamic throughout the entire series. The bathroom scene between Robin and Steve remains one of my favorite scenes in recent television. If we’re ranking the seasons of Stranger Things solely on impeccable storytelling, sure, season three isn’t the strongest. But for the sake of enjoyment, it is my top.

Netflix

And that’s a wrap on Stranger Things and this season ranking. Looking back at the wonderful journey, it’s easy to see the pros and cons of each season. And the reasons why people might drift to one era over another. Season one is the winner for best storytelling, season four for horror, and season three for overall vibe. One thing almost everyone agrees on, however, is that there is no competition for last place. Sorry, season five.

The post Every STRANGER THINGS Season Ranked From Worst to Best appeared first on Nerdist.

The new service, called Amazon Supply Chain Services, pits the e-commerce giant directly against UPS and FedEx.

Here’s what’s happening on Santa Cruz County roads this morning…

▼︎ new incidents

Road incidents as of 7 a.m. on May 4

• A lane on westbound Highway 152 at Clifford Drive/Ohlone Parkway in Watsonville is closed for asphalt paving. The closure is expected to last until July 3.
   

Disclosure: Traffic incidents are partially generated by artificial intelligence. We are constantly working to improve the accuracy and quality of our AI-generated content. However, there may still be errors or inaccuracies. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact us.

The post Monday morning traffic: Westbound Highway 152 lane closed for paving appeared first on Lookout Santa Cruz.

The BOGO offer is live. For a limited time, buy one pass to TechCrunch Disrupt 2026 and get 50% off a second of the same ticket type. Offer ends this Friday, May 8. Save here.

The Current Work List The Fix List Logout Problems The length of time we have set before you should need to log in to Daily Kos again is 14 days (we do need to force people to re-login periodically for security; I know the old site didn’t work like that). If you are being asked to log in to Daily Kos more frequently than every 14 days, could you help us track down what is…

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The heyday of the Trump administration’s mass firings of federal workers may have passed, but the chaos they created continues. Let’s check in with the Internal Revenue Service, shall we? That agency lost 20,000 employees, or over 20% of its headcount, in 2025. The Trump administration couldn’t be arsed to adequately staff up for the 2026 tax season, however, so it solved that problem by…

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Barocal might have discovered a cheap, nonpolluting material that could dethrone today's refrigeration technology.

DoorDash on Monday added new AI-powered tools that let merchants speed up onboarding, edit photos to make dishes look better, and create new websites from existing content.