Chinese open-world RPG rockets to the top of Steam with over 170,000 concurrent players – PC Gamer

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Tale of Immortal (or ) is an Early Access sandbox sim that's only been out a week, but that hasn't stopped it from becoming one of the most popular games on Steam. Earlier today, concurrent players peaked at just over 172,000 people, making it the fifth most popular game on Steambeating out Grand Theft Auto 5 and Rust. Players seem to really enjoy Tale of Immortal too, as it now has over 15,000 positive Steam user reviews, giving it an 86 percent positive rating. Not bad for an Early Access game that just launched a few days ago with Simplified Chinese as its only available language option.

If you're getting dj vu reading this, it's because Chinese indie games have been blowing up on Steam with surprising regularity over the past few years. Charming life sim Chinese Parents and complex martial arts RPG The Scroll of Taiwu both topped Steam's global best seller list in 2018, with the latter quickly selling over 1 million copies in just a few months.

More recently, games like Bright Memorya stunning FPS made by a single person that was featured during Microsoft's Xbox Series X showcaseSands of Salzaar, Amazing Cultivation Simulator, and Gujian 3 have experienced similar success. Each one beat out notable big-budget releases to top Steam's best sellers list and has tens of thousands of positive user reviews.

This is fascinating.

Over the past few years, Steam has become a vital platform for Chinese PC gamers looking to sidestep China's rigorous and pervasive censorship of media and the internet. Though Steam theoretically shouldn't be available in China, it's remained unblocked (except for community features like the forums) and has become an extremely popular way to play uncensored games like PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds. Steam now has over 30 million Chinese players, and Simplified Chinese is the second most common language setting for the Steam client according Steam's own hardware survey.

That Chinese PC gamers are flocking to Steam and buying complex sandbox games and singleplayer RPGs challenges the basic assumptions of the Chinese gaming industry. The belief that Chinese gamers only want to play free-to-play MMOs or ultra-competitive multiplayer games like League of Legends has prevailed for decades. And yet vibrant Chinese indie games continue to blow up on Steam and outperform many big-budget releases.

The success of Tale of Immortal also represents the growth new gaming genre that's been becoming more mainstream recently. Like Amazing Cultivation Simulator, which released late last year (and is now available in English), Tale of Immortal is a "cultivation sim" where players undergo a spiritual journey of divine ascension heavily inspired by Taoism. You start as a lowly human and, through meditation, discipline, and practice of martial arts, you eventually become a super-powered god.

In Tale of Immortal, judging by the trailers, this means exploring a tile-based 2D world, building up settlements and taking on quests, and kicking the crap out of any monsters or spirits that stand in your way.

As Khee-Hoon Chan explained in their excellent preview of The Witcher 3-style Chinese RPG Gujian 3, this is an extremely popular genre of fiction called Xianxia in China. It takes the breath-taking martial arts acrobatics of films like Red Cliff (which everyone should watch because it's amazing) and House of Flying Daggers, and transplants them into a fantasy world full of gods, monsters, and magic.

Though Tale of Immortal's reviews are promising, I'm hoping its developers also plan to add English localization so I can play it for myself. If you're able to read Simplified Chinese, you can find Tale of Immortal on Steam where it costs $20.

If you want to learn more about China's indie games, you can read my report on how they're fighting to survive amid Chinese government censorship and changing regulations. For a more general overview, check out our guide to PC gaming in China.

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Chinese open-world RPG rockets to the top of Steam with over 170,000 concurrent players - PC Gamer

The valley is the gateway to immortality – The New Indian Express

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By Express News Service

BENGALURU: The Shaman could only converse in the Limbu Language and requested Sonam to translate. We Limbus are the people of the snow and believe that the first man was created from the snow of the Sewalungma. It is the home of our goddess, Yuma Sammang and the other divine deities from our pantheon reside there. We have all descended from the mountain and for us, it is most sacred.

Our ancestors once resided in the Mayel valley, located somewhere in the upper reaches of the mountain and hidden from the world by a gigantic rock, immovable by all but divine force. Human beings are forbidden from entering the valley and the entrance is guarded by fearsome demons. The valley is the gateway to immortality for it contains a gigantic blue lake known as the lake of immortality.

When one dips into it, one ceases to be human and transcends into the divine to become immortal. Humans and gods once coexisted there but human arrogance and their penchant for anger, greed, selfishness and other baser instincts led to them being banished from the valley with a promise that they would never return. It is now solely a preserve of the divine.

For several millennia, the human race adhered to this rule and stayed away from the Sewalungma. The group was mesmerised by the story and listening with rapt attention. Helmut, however, considered myths to be obnoxious fairytales and sat there disdainfully. The shaman took a sip of his hot yak butter tea and continued, Lately, however, humans are increasingly reneging on their promise and are committing sacrilege by setting foot into the realm of the gods.

The all-powerful Yuma Sammangis incensed by the desecration of her home. She has kept silent for all these years, but soon, her rage will manifest itself into a destructive force and consume all those who dare offend her! The shamans eyes lit up as he said these words. The faces of the Sherpas and guides went pale with dread and the Europeans too experienced a degree of trepidation. Sonam ushered the shaman away and escorted him to his hamlet. The last thing he wanted was to scare away the mountaineers for they brought in the big bucks and were an important source of livelihood for the people of the region.

Helmut had observed this entire episode with immense derision and was annoyed with himself for having sat through what he considered to be mumbo-jumbo and the ramblings of a deranged old man. He stood up and retired for the night. The following day, the party recommenced their journey, trekking through several scree slopes and glacial moraines, past the stunning Kanchenjunga glacier, and enjoying spectacular views of the snow-capped mountain ranges. After two days, they finally reached the Kanchenjunga base camp. The group was at the South base camp on the Yulang glacier at an elevation of 5,400 metres.

From here, they would begin their climb to the summit of the Kanchenjunga, which, at 8,586 metres, was the third-highest place on earth. After a few days of training and practice, they began their climb to Camp 1. The terrain was mixedrock interspersed with iceand they encountered several grassy slopes, rock slabs and moraines. The most challenging part was an almost vertical climb up a section of rock and ice, past a moraine and onward onto a steep snow ridge.

While some of the group were struggling, the experienced mountaineer in Helmut waded effortlessly through even the most technical of climbs and impressed the Sherpas and guides. Over the course of the next week, they walked through ice and snow, braved cold and bone-chilling winds, climbed virtual ice walls using ladders and ropes set up by the Sherpas, jumped through narrow crevices and finally reached Camp 3, at a height of 7,300 metres. Helmut grudgingly admired the mountain climbing abilities, skills and untiring endurance of the

Excerpted with permission from The Rock Babas and Other Stories by Ameya Prabhu, published by Westland.

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The valley is the gateway to immortality - The New Indian Express

Sustainability, future technologies and visions for our society up to 2115: the FUTURE FORUM by BMW Welt is looking ahead at an inspiring 2021 -…

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In 2021, the FUTURE FORUM by BMW Welt will be exploring the big issues of our future. Now in its third year, visitors can once again look forward to inspiring, digital live formats and expert talks featuring top-class speakers. Since October 2019, the FUTURE FORUM by BMW Welt has been a progressive platform that invites experts from different disciplines and movers and shakers with an innovative spirit to share their visions of the future. Its a source of inspiration and actively promotes discussions on all issues of tomorrow. True to the slogan EXPLORE THE FUTURE. GET INSPIRED. JOIN THE CONVERSATION.

In 2021, the FUTURE FORUM by BMW Welt will focus on established digital and hybrid formats, allowing participants access to keynotes and discussion groups including ideas, concepts and technologies that could affect future living. This means the FUTURE FORUM by BMW Welt is playing an active part in shaping the future.

In its own (digital) event series, the FUTURE FORUM by BMW Welt will dedicate the whole year to sustainability in all its dimensions. It will carry on working with the 1E9 think tank, but will also start an exciting and inspiring series of events with 2b AHEAD ThinkTank. All live streams are free and can be accessed on theFUTURE FORUM websiteand on theBMW Welt & BMW Museum Facebook page.

Sustainability in all its dimensions the all-year (digital) event series

How will societies become fairer and more social? How can we protect our environment? How can we build sustainable economies? And what key role does sustainability play in this? In its own event series, the FUTURE FORUM by BMW Welt will dedicate this year to the economic, social, ecological and economical aspects of sustainability. Each series consists of two to three 30-minute digital sessions, with inspiring guests diving deep into each topic and encouraging participants to take part in the discussions. First up are three sessions on Clean and Renewable Energies. which will take a look at innovations for the energy revolution, green hydrogen and intelligent energy systems. The series will kick off on February 9, 2021 with a live stream on Climate-Effective Technologies Start-Ups Revolutionizing the Industry. Next up on February 10 is Green Hydrogen the Fuel of the Future?, with Smart Energy the Need for Intelligent Energy Grids. completing the series on February 11. All events will take place at 4:00 PM (CET) and will be broadcast live on the FUTURE FORUM website and the BMW Welt & BMW Museum Facebook page.

Our future in 2115 in cooperation with 2b AHEAD ThinkTank

2b AHEAD, the new cooperation partner of the FUTURE FORUM by BMW Welt, will be exploring the question of What will our future be like in 100 years time? in six inspiring events during the first half of 2021.

The formats titled +100: Next Steps for Humankind. are based on the interim results of the most ambitious long-term study in German futurology, Die Zukunft deiner Kinder (Your childrens future). It builds on the forecasts of 500 world-leading experts from technology, politics and business and deals with new innovations and future trends up to the year 2115.

2b AHEAD director, author and coach Sven Gbor Jnszky will host all six events. +100: Generation Immortal. on March 23, 2021 at 5:00 PM (CET) will be the first in the joint event series. It will take participants on a fascinating journey back in time, following five children from generation immortal to the years 2048, 2051, 2069, 2100 and 2114.

Reclaim the Future! 2.0: how are new technologies changing our everyday lives in cooperation with 1E9

In 2021, the successful Reclaim the Future! event series will continue to be an established format in the Future Forum. During a total of seven events, issues on the latest technologies such as artificial intelligence, e-mobility, decentralization, IoT, virtual reality, biotech and space travel will be presented and discussed. The set of events is aimed specifically at experts from various specializations, developers, visionaries and anyone else who has an interest in these issues. The successful series titled Reclaim the Future: How AI and Big Data are Shaping the Healthcare of Tomorrow. will continue on February 25, 2021 at 4:00 PM (CET). Experts will look at revolutionary uses of artificial intelligence in healthcare and will explore the associated challenges for the protection of sensitive data. Continuing the fruitful Reclaim the Future! event series in 2021 also means carrying on successful cooperation with 1E9. The think tank with its own community, digital magazine and events is a home for people optimistic about the future. It offers anyone thirsting for knowledge a space which can be a hotbed for constructive discussions and joint ideas.

SOURCE: BMW Group

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The Canadian Avengers Are Finally Heroes Again | Screen Rant – Screen Rant

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Dissatisfied with their new director, Henry Gyrich, Immortal Hulk's Gamma Flight are striking out on their own, becoming heroes once more.

Warning: contains spoilers forTheImmortal Hulk #42!

An offshoot of Canada's Avengers team Alpha Flight, the current Gamma Flight is a task force created for the sole purpose of locating the ever elusive Hulk.Beginning withformer Sasquatch Walter Langkowski, Gamma Flight grew to include Alpha Flight teammate Puck, villains-for-hire Absorbing Man and Titania, and Hulk ally Doc Samson. Together, the team repeatedly confronted the Hulk,oblivious until recently regarding his largely heroic intentions, and often complicating otherwise well-planned missions.

Recently, Hulk awoke imprisoned on the Alpha Flight Space Station, captured by the team. There, he met Gamma Flight's new boss, the infamous government agent Henry Gyrich. Gyrich's obssessive need for control and lack of research on the Hulk's new abilities allowed him to escape his restraints and the space station itself,risking the lives of a team who have already lost friends to their mission, and forcing a confrontation with Gyrich when the Absorbing Man refused to return.

RELATED:The Hulk: Why Marvel Should Retire Bruce Banner For Good

In Immortal Hulk #42 by Al Ewing with art by Alex Lins, Adam Gorham, Rachel Stott, Joe Bennett and others, Gyrich begins a team meeting by abusing his authority in hopes of forcing the team to pursueall gamma mutates, threatening to have Absorbing Man arrested.Gyrich then swings that judgmental pendulum at the new Doc Sasquatch, telling him he should have been killed the second he returned to life. While Gyrich tries and fails to threaten the superhero psychiatrist, Doc Sasquatch begins to carve the reinforced windows with his claws, putting everyone in the room in danger of being sucked out into space and asphyxiating. When Gyrich tries to call his bluff, the hero claims his experience with death and resurrection has left him willing to risk his teammates for his own freedom, andGyrichis forced to reluctantly let Gamma Flight go free. As the former government employees joke and return to being heroes, Gyrich plans on speaking to a "back-up team."

Gyrich's penchant for rules and obsessive agenda have not only forced him to be passed from position to position over the years but also made him very unpopular in the superhero community. With Gamma Flight, it was his fault that the Hulk escaped his incarceration, but instead of accepting blame, Gyrichprojected it onto the people whohaddone their job correctly. Whether it was threatening to incarcerate the Absorbing Man for past crimes or threatening to incarcerate or even kill the rest of the team, Gamma Flight had had enough and wanted nothing more to do with Gyrich and his gamma witchhunt. Although Doc Sasquatch may or may not have been bluffing in the moment, the former members of Gamma Flight will most likely continue their mission of locating the Hulk, but this time to join forces with himand stop the One Below All.

Having dealt with many insurrections in his career, Gyrich quickly moves past Gamma Flight's resignation by talking to his back-up team, the U-Foes, who have their own history and bone to pick with the Hulk. Promising money, amnesty and plausible deniability, this new Gamma Flight is simply a reflection of Gyrich's obsession, the same obsession that consumedGeneral Thunderbolt Ross and others like him: finding and capturing the Hulk with little to no regardof the consequences. Considering the current dilemma Hulk and his allies are dealing with, it looks like the former Gamma Flight picked the right time to quit asHulk willneed all heroes on deck to survive this incoming storm.

NEXT:A New She-Hulk is Being Teased By Marvel Comics

X-Men: The Weirdest Version of Gambit Just Returned to Battle Doctor Doom

Drew is a reader, writer, artist, and creative professional based in Westchester, New York. He dabbles into cosplay, movie references, comics, and some anime while also being a Ghostbuster. He has a Bachelors in History, a Masters in Publishing and is excited to be working with Screen Rant. Previously his articles have been featured on Comic Book Resources and Iron Age Comics and he's excited to see what happens next!

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A miracle Down Under: Indias greatest Test series win ever unfolded a script more improbable than Lagaan – Times of India

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In the soundtrack of India, cricket is a running song. Tests, ODIs, T20s, IPL the willow seems always on air. But the glut of games has messed up our heads. Theres a melody to every riveting contest that needs time to ripen into memories. The furious rush to market every moment, sadly, reduces the best of bouts to a blur. They are our only permanent takeaways.

But this India-Australia Test series is destined for immortality. Anyone who engaged with it can watch the reruns in their minds eye for the rest of their lives. For this series wasnt just about scoring runs and scalping wickets. No scoreboard can capture the grand human drama that played out over four Tests. The final outcome, 2-1 in Indias favour, was far more improbable than what the scriptwriters of Lagaan had conjured. This was Indias greatest Test series win ever.

Heres why: The travellers were wrapped in a claustrophobic bio-bubble for months. Indias premier batsman and captain Virat Kohli went on paternity leave after the first Test. The team had been decimated for 36, their lowest score ever. The visitors were barracked by racist chants and abuses, ravaged by injuries. None of the five top bowlers on the tour Bumrah, Shami, Yadav, Ashwin and Jadeja were available for the final game in Brisbane.

India could hardly put 11 fit players on the ground. A record 20 players turned out for the four-Test series. The combined wickets taken by Indias makeshift bowling unit before the Gabba game was 13. The Australian quartet of Cummins, Hazelwood, Starc and Lyon had 1,013 between them. The Kangaroos had never lost a Test at the Gabba since 1988.

Adversity poses questions. It tests your character, gnaws at your self-belief. But in the chaos, captain Ajinkya Rahanes men found inspiration. Whenever the team ebbed, someone found the flow. The team on display wasnt just the positive New India that Kohli had spoken about. This was a blend of the Old and the New.

The unflinching obduracy of Pujara, who took more blows to his body than a heavyweight boxer and batted for 1,368 minutes, typified the tenacity of Mohinder Amarnath of yore. He was Indias unshakeable Mountain Man. Hardscrabble batters are second-rate citizens in a country seduced by sixes. Pujaras patience and application were fundamental to Indias replies at Sydney and Brisbane. Before the series, the teams dominant global image was one of pampered, million-dollar babies. This series recast them as the hardy boys of the game. Australia is known for its fighting spirit, a bunch that never gives up. This team offered a taste of Australia to Australia.

This was a collective effort. Captain Rahanes match-winning 112 at Melbourne was singular. But he also emerged as a smart strategist, whos good at field placement and who can maximise frugal resources. The team synergised under him. But Indias biggest pleasures came from unlikely sources. Hanuma Vihari wont send IPL bidders into orgiastic frenzy. But even with a hamstring injury, he battled like the boy on the burning deck in the third Test. R Ashwin, also harangued by pain, rediscovered himself as a batsman. Together they stitched a match-saving partnership. Neither could play the next Test.

India again had its back to the wall at Gabba, where visiting teams were regularly hacked and hung out to dry. And it looked like rinse, wash, repeat as India was precariously perched at 186/6 with one-Test-old Shardul Thakur and debutant Washington Sundar at the crease. But once again, everyone had underestimated this teams stomach for a scrap. In tandem with Thakur, 21-year-old Washington produced his own version of Gettysburg, the epic battle that changed the fortunes of the American civil war. Against the worlds most potent attack playing in its pocket borough, they counter-punched, raising a 123-run partnership to keep India in the hunt.

For some, this tour was like graduating from boys to men. Shubman Gill announced himself as the next big thing of Indian batting, as the latest pay-to-watch batsman in world cricket. At Sydney and Brisbane, Rishabh Pant finally played two game-changing knocks that everyone had been waiting for. He has now earned a seat in the playing 11 on his batting alone. Only Rohit Sharma continues to underachieve abroad. He averages 88 at home and 27 abroad. It is up to selectors to make cost benefit analysis of his value to the side.

If the batsmen put up their hand, so did the bowlers. The bowling attack at Gabba was Indias most inexperienced since the country gained Independence. And yet they bowled out the hosts twice. Thakur took 7 wickets, Mohd Siraj claimed 6, including a vital fifer in the second innings. It was these hard triers who stand at the heart of Indias resistance and revival, who ensured India retains the Border-Gavaskar trophy and who have given India a great chance to play in the World Test Championship final at Lords coming June. The series underlined the power of the collective.

In India and in many other countries as well, the coach is the favourite fall-guy when things go wrong. It is only fair that coach Ravi Shastri and his backroom staff be given some credit for the triumph. To rephrase Dickens, the tour started with the worst of times and ended with the best of times. The vaccine is here. Against all odds, the Aussies were beaten again at home. 2021 is getting better and better.

Views expressed above are the author's own.

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EXCLUSIVE: Vicky Kaushals The Immortal Ashwatthama to roll from June; will begin weapon training in February – PINKVILLA

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The Immortal Ashwatthama will see Uri: The Surgical Strike trio Vicky Kaushal, director Aditya Dhar and producer Ronnie Screwvala collaborate for the second time.

Soon after the release of Uri: The Surgical Strike in 2019, Vicky Kaushal, director Aditya Dhar and producer Ronnie Screwvala had announced another collaboration as The Immortal Ashwatthama. Reportedly, an action-based superhero film set in modern times, the makers recently unveiled its first poster which was received with encouraging response on social media. Raising the bar higher for the superhero genre not only in India but across the world, this film is a high-concept visual spectacle in the making, Dhar wrote on Twitter.

We now have some more updates on this much-awaited film. A source close to the development informs Pinkvilla that The Immortal Ashwatthama will roll on the floors in June this year. The film is scheduled to be shot between June 2021 and December 2021. Earlier the makers had plans to film in the UK, but owing to the present COVID-19 situation they are now looking at Hungary and Iceland. Aditya and his team will head for a recce in April depending on the situation in these countries, says the source.

However, the prep for the film has already begun. The informer further adds that Vicky is already sweating it out in the gym to acquire the look required for the film and will start his weapon training from mid-February. He will be training in archery, sword-fighting, spear-fighting and martial arts. Besides Ashwatthama, the film will also feature a couple of more characters from Mahabharata, casting for which is presently underway, informs the source.

Vicky is currently busy with Vijay Krishna Acharya's next with Manushi Chhillar. He will also be seen in Shoojit Sircars Sardar Udham.

Also Read |Katrina Kaif's latest PHOTO sparks new speculations as fans think she is hugging Vicky Kaushal

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EXCLUSIVE: Vicky Kaushals The Immortal Ashwatthama to roll from June; will begin weapon training in February - PINKVILLA

What is the Olympic Hymn, the choral cantata composed for the first-ever Summer Olympics in 1896? – Classic FM

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19 July 2021, 13:39 | Updated: 19 July 2021, 14:31

The official anthem of the Olympics is heard when the Olympic flag is raised and lowered at the opening and closing ceremonies.

This is the story of the stirring choral anthem that marked the first-ever modern Olympic Games in 1896 and will mark the Games as they return in 2021.

The Olympic Hymn is a choral cantata composed by Greek opera composer Spyridon Samaras, with lyrics by the Greek poet Kostis Palamas.

It was written for the first summer Olympic Games in modern history, which took place in Athens and saw fourteen nations, and over 200 athletes, compete in the Greek capital.

It was Demetrius Vikelas, the first president of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), who chose both artists to pen this important work. The hymn was first heard during the Opening Ceremony of the first instalment of the games, which was formally called the Games of the I Olympiad.

Read more: The best classical music written for the Olympic Games

For the following Olympics, nations took on the tradition of commissioning their own anthems for ceremonies, until 1956 when the hymn was used again. In 1958, the IOC declared Samaras Olympic Hymn the official anthem of the games, and it was sung, in its English version, at the 1960 Winter Olympics in Squaw Valley in the US.

The Olympic Hymn from then on had an important place in the meticulously laid-out opening and closing ceremonies of the Olympics, the rigorous orders of which have been determined and entrenched by the IOC. Since being declared the official anthem, the hymn has been heard at every Olympic games during the Opening Ceremony as the Olympic Flag is raised, and during the Closing Ceremony when the flag is lowered.

The IOC decreed that the Olympic Hymn should be performed in Greek or English, or else in the host nations language as long as it was translated from the original Greek of Palamas pen.

Read more: Mr Bean joins London Symphony Orchestra for genius musical Olympics sketch

The piece itself is an optimistic, brass fanfare-fronted choral cantata in a major key. It has an invigorating melody that embodies strength and hope.

The songs words are also drenched in unfailingly uplifting messages of hope, bravery and victory, telling of the immortal Olympic Flame and how it can unite, inspire and bring honour as it lights the way for nations and our sporting heroes, as they come together every (mostly) four years.

With that, lets take a look at the rousing lyrics.

Olympian flame immortalWhose beacon lights our wayEmblaze our hearts with the fires of hopeOn this momentous day

As now we come across the worldTo share these Games of oldLet all the flags of every landIn brotherhood unfold

Sing out each nation, voices strongRise up in harmonyAll hail our brave OlympiansWith strains of victory

Olympic light burn on and onOer seas and mountains and plainsUnite, inspire, bring honour

To these ascending gamesMay valour reign victoriousAlong the path of golden way

As tomorrow's new champions now come forthRising to the fervent spirit of the gameLet splendour pervade each noble deedCrowned with glory and fame

And let fraternity and fellowshipSurround the soul of every nation

Oh flame, eternal in your firmament so brightIlluminate us with your everlasting lightThat grace and beauty and magnificence

Shine like the sunBlazing aboveBestow on us your honour, truth and love

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The Immortal Trailer and Poster Revealed by HBO Max – VitalThrills.com

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HBO Max has released the official trailer and poster for The Immortal (LImmortale), the feature film spin-off from the acclaimed Max Original series Gomorrah debuting July 29.

The movie finds the notorious, indestructible Naples mobster Ciro Di Marzio (Marco DAmore) in Riga, Latvia, where he turns a low-level counterfeit goods syndicate into a major drug trafficking enterprise despite the incalculable risks.

After reuniting with his first mentor Bruno (Salvatore DOnofrio) and receiving his latest mission, an exiled Ciro is left to fearlessly confront whatever comes his way, navigating a new chapter of gang warfare while grappling with devastating memories of loss and trauma.

Weaving between Ciros past as an orphan in Naples cruel underworld and his present as a hardened, cunning assassin with nothing left to lose, The Immortal plunges into the cold, dark depths of a world where immortality is just another form of damnation.

Based on the book Gomorra by Roberto Savino, the film is directed by Marco DAmore from a screenplay by Leonardo Fasoli, Maddalena Ravagli, Marco DAmore, Francesco Ghiaccio, and Giulia Forgione.

From a story by Leonardo Fasoli, Maddalena Ravagli, Marco DAmore, and Francesco Ghiaccio, the film is produced by Riccardo Tozzi, Giovanni Stabilini, Marco Chimenz, and Gina Gardini.

HBO Max released the fourth season of Gomorrah on May 20th. The critically-acclaimed third season debuted exclusively on HBO Max this January.

The new season turns the spotlight on Genny (Salvatore Esposito), the lone Savastano dynasty survivor: a character who has shed countless skins in the process of morphing from Don Pietros spoiled brat into family boss, husband and father.

The new season sees him on his best behavior precisely for the sake of Azzurra (Ivana Lotito) and little Pietro: with his own family to protect and an activity to reboot, he feels the need for a major life change, committing to legit business while sneaking out, as best he can, from the world his father had him grow up in.

His interests in Naples are now entrusted to Patrizia (Cristiana DellAnna) who, having first betrayed and then killed Scianel, former female leader of The Alliance, has earned her rank within the Savastano clan. Along with Genny, to level the scores and keep the peace in gangland, they will lean on the Levante clan, a branch of late Donna Immas family.

Meanwhile Enzo (Arturo Muselli) and Valerio (Loris De Luna), having tightened their grip over the central Naples turf, are faced with new challenges.

Based on an idea by Roberto Saviano, the fourth season of Gomorrah was produced by Cattleya part of ITV Studios Sky, Fandango in collaboration with Beta Film.

The series is executive produced by Cattleyas Riccardo Tozzi, Gina Gardini, Giovanni Stabilini and Marco Chimenz as well as by Nils Hartman and Sonia Rovai for Sky and developed by Stefano Bises, Leonardo Fasoli, Maddalena Ravagli and Roberto Saviano.

The teleplays were written by Leonardo Fasoli, Maddalena Ravagli, Enrico Audenino and Monica Zapelli. The fourth season was directed by Francesca Comencini who is also the artistic supervisor Claudio Cupellini, Marco DAmore, Enrico Rosati and Ciro Visco.

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Immortal Hulk: Who Are the U-Foes, the Avenger’s Elemental Enemies? – CBR – Comic Book Resources

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Since their attempt to replicate the Fantastic Four's powers went wrong, the U-Foes have been some of the Hulk's most dangerous villains.

WARNING: The following contains spoilers for The Immortal Hulk #42 by Al Ewing, Alex Lins, Adam Gorham, Rachel Stott, Joe Bennett, Ruy Jose, Chris O'Jalloran, Paul Mounts & VC's Cory Petit, on sale now.

Henry Peter Gyrich hasn't changed much since his early days in the Marvel Universe. Theformer Avengers coordinator and government bureaucrat who once alienated most of theteam is now alienating Gamma Flight as he runs the hunt for Hulk. With Gamma Flight walking out on him, Gyrich has brought in a new team of Hulk-hunters in The Immortal Hulk.

This team is the U-Foes, a supervillain team that made their debut in 1980 in The Incredible Hulk #254 byBill Mantlo,Sal Buscema,Bob Sharenand Diana Albers. Since that time, they have grown to become some of the most dangerous individuals in the Hulk's rogues' gallery.

RELATED:Hulk: How Heart Of The Monster Made The Avenger STRONGER Than Ever

InThe Incredible Hulk #254, four people planned a mission to gain superpowers similar to that of the Fantastic Four. Millionaire Simon Utrecht planned out the mission -- flying into the cosmic rays unprotected with pilot Mike Steel, engineer Jimmy Darnell, and life-support specialist Ann Darnell. They were very similar to the Fantastic Four, with Mike, a muscular hothead, Ann and Jimmy being siblings, and the mastermind Simon. However, Simon, a rival of Tony Stark, didn't want to be a hero. He wanted power for power's sake and was willing to do anythingtoget it.

Bruce Banner showed up in the lab soon after and saw cosmic rays bombarding the ship. Believing they needed to be saved, Bruce helped bring them back to Earth. The four came out with powers but were angry that their powers were not as great as they had hoped and blamed Banner for bringing them back before reaching their full potential. Simon became Vector, who possessed the power of telekinesis. Ann was Vapor, who could alter her form to any known gas. Jimmy became X-Ray, and transformed into a pure form of energy. Michael was Ironclad, transformed into organic metal. However, in their new forms, they couldn't touch each other without shorting their powers out, which cost them in their first fight with Hulk.

RELATED:Hulk: The POWERHOUSE Ultimate Marvel Hero Never Got His Due

Throughout the years, The U-Foes popped up here and there, mostly to battle Hulk. They also got a chance to be heroes when Norman Osborn placed them in North Carolina as part of the Initiative during Dark Reign.They were even responsible for the Siege event, as they attacked Vostagg in Chicago, the event leading to the war with Asgard. Now, they have a chance to work with the U.S. government again, but only if they can bring in Hulk in exchange for time off of their prison sentences.

While that might seem like a tall order for most villains, it's well within the U-Foes' power. Vapor showed this on her own in the alternate worldsMaestroseries, where she single-handedly killed Hercules. However, as a team, they typically stand little chance when trying to take down Hulk.

KEEP READING:Ang Lee's Hulk Used Iron Man's BEST Trick Before The MCU

Damian Wayne Will Utilize Multiple Costumes in His Robin Series

Shawn S. Lealos is a freelance writer who received his Bachelor's degree in Journalism from the University of Oklahoma with a minor in Film Studies. He has worked as a journalist for 25 years, starting in newspapers and magazines before moving to online media as the world changed. Shawn is a former member of the Society of Professional Journalists and a current voting member of the Oklahoma Film Critics Circle. He has work published on websites like The Huffington Post, Time Warner Cable, Yahoo Movies, The Movie Network, Chud, Renegade Cinema, 411mania, and Monsters & Critics. Shawn is also a published author, with a non-fiction book about the Stephen King Dollar Baby Filmmakers and has begun work on a new fiction series as well. Visit Shawn Lealos' website to learn more about his novel writing and follow him on Twitter @sslealos.

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Immortal Fenyx Uprising Crossover with Netflix’s Blood of Zeus – Player.One

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Immortals Fenyx Rising is having a limited-time crossover with the Netflix series Blood of Zeus. The event started on January 22 and runs through January 28. It has players take on two evil creatures and in return for defeating them get excellent rewards.

The crossover event is titled "A Tribute to Family" and is going to be available to players who finished the "Gods and Monsters" quest. This new event is trackable on the game map and brings players to the Hall of the Gods. There, they get to meet a lone ghost who tasks them to take down Chimera and Cerberus. Beating these two evil monsters rewards players with the Eagle pendant along with customization options inspired by the show.

Players can also buy a new weapon pack that has Blood of Zeus-themed skins for their sword, ax, and even bow. They can also customize their armor, helmet, wings, mount, and Phosphor, with the same theme. This weapon pack is going to be available even after the crossover event.

In Immortals Fenyx Rising, players get the role of a winged demigod Fenyx. As Fenyx, they go on a quest to save the Greek gods and their home. Played through a third-person perspective, the game offers a large open world thats composed of seven unique regions, each inspired by Greek gods.

Immortals Fenyx Rising was released on December 3 and available for PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and Google Stadia. Its also available for next-gen consoles PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S. You can learn more about the game on their official site here.

Meanwhile, Blood of Zeus is an animated TV series released on Netflix last October 27, 2020. The story revolves around Heron, a son of Zeus. While the show is set in a world based on Greek mythology, the main character Heron was created specifically for the show. The first season consisted of eight episodes with a second season already given the go signal by Netflix. According to series creators Charley and Vlas Parlapanides, they project the entire show to consist of five seasons. Learn more about the show here.

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Heracles The Ancient Invader that Seeded the Milky Ways Halo with Alien Stars – The Daily Galaxy –Great Discoveries Channel

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Astronomers have excavated a galactic tomb: new discoveries, the most recent by the Sloan Digital Sky Surveys Apache Point Observatory Galactic Evolution Experiment (APOGEE) that observes the archaeological record embedded in hundreds of thousands of stars to explore the assembly history and evolution of the Milky Way Galaxy, have unveiled a stunning picture of our home galaxys successive mergers with neighboring galaxies.

Of the tens of thousands of stars we looked at, a few hundred had strikingly different chemical compositions and velocities. These stars are so different that they could only have come from another galaxy. By studying them in detail, we could trace out the precise location and history of this fossil galaxy, said astronomer Danny Horta-Harrington from Liverpool John Moores University (LJMU) in the UK, about the effects of a fossil galaxy, Heracles, named after the ancient Greek hero who received the gift of immortality, that may have collided with the Milky Way ten billion years ago, when our galaxy was still in its infancy, changing understanding of how evolved into the galaxy we see today.

The Galactic Tomb

An all-sky image above shows the stars in the Milky Way as seen from Earth. The colored rings show the approximate extent of the stars that came from the fossil galaxy known as Heracles. The small objects to the lower right of the image are the Large and Small Magellanic Clouds, two small satellite galaxies of the Milky Way. Because galaxies are built through mergers of smaller galaxies across time, the remnants of older galaxies are often spotted in the outer halo of the Milky Way, a huge but very sparse cloud of stars enveloping the main galaxy. But since our Galaxy built up from the inside out, finding the earliest mergers requires looking at the most central parts of the Milky Ways halo, which are buried deep within the disc and bulge.

The remnants of Heracles account for about one third of the Milky Ways spherical halo. But if stars and gas from Heracles make up such a large percentage of the galactic halo, why didnt we see it before, asks the researchers at APOGEE, who discovered the fossil galaxy hidden in the depths of our own Milky Way. The answer, they say, lies in its location deep inside the Milky Way.

The Ancestors Enigmatic Primordial GalaxyKrakenCollided with the Milky Way 11 Billion Years Ago

An artists impression of what the Milky Way might look like seen from above. The colored rings show the rough extent of the fossil galaxy known as Heracles. The yellow dot shows the position of the Sun.

A barred galaxy like the Milky Way. Just left of center, extending about 1/5 of the way out, is a series of red ellipses marking the location of Heracles. The location of the Sun is marked about halfway out, with a scale bar to the Sun saying 26,000 light-years.An artists impression of what the Milky Way might look like seen from above. The colored rings show the rough extent of the fossil galaxy known as Heracles. The yellow dot shows the position of the Sun.

The Chemical Makeup and Motions of Tens of Thousands of Stars

To find a fossil galaxy like this one, we had to look at the detailed chemical makeup and motions of tens of thousands of stars, says Ricardo Schiavon from LJMU, a key member of the research team. That is especially hard to do for stars in the center of the Milky Way, because they are hidden from view by clouds of interstellar dust. APOGEE lets us pierce through that dust and see deeper into the heart of the Milky Way than ever before.

Hiding in Plain Sight Milky Ways Ancient Merger With Fossil Galaxy Gaia-Enceladus

APOGEE does this by taking spectra of stars in near-infrared light, instead of visible light, which gets obscured by dust. Over its ten-year observational life, APOGEE has measured spectra for more than half a million stars all across the Milky Way, including its previously dust-obscured core.

Needles in a Haystack

Horta, the lead author of the paper announcing the result, explains, examining such a large number of stars is necessary to find unusual stars in the densely-populated heart of the Milky Way, which is like finding needles in a haystack. To separate stars belonging to Heracles from those of the original Milky Way, the team made use of both chemical compositions and velocities of stars measured by the APOGEE instrument.

Stars originally belonging to Heracles account for roughly one third of the mass of the entire Milky Way halo today meaning that this newly-discovered ancient collision must have been a major event in the history of our Galaxy. That suggests that our Galaxy may be unusual, since most similar massive spiral galaxies had much calmer early lives.

And this new age of discovery will not end with the completion of APOGEE observations. The fifth phase of the SDSS has already begun taking data, and its Milky Way Mapper will build on the success of APOGEE to measure spectra for ten times as many stars in all parts of the Milky Way, using near-infrared light, visible light, and sometimes both.

The Daily Galaxy, Sam Cabot, via Nature Astronomy and SDSS

Image credit: Danny Horta-Darrington (Liverpool John Moores University), ESA/Gaia, and the SDSS

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Iron Fist: Heart Of The Dragon #1 Review: Does A Lot Of Things Right – Bleeding Cool News

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Iron Fist Heart Of The Dragon #1

7.5/10

Larry Hama brings the Immortal Weapons back with skill and panache as a threat from some of Marvel's best fighters goes interdimensional.

A mystery brews that threatens other-dimensional spaces, and Danny Rand with a little help from his friends is faced with saving heaven itself from this well-resourced, clandestine enemy. With the skillful hand of a legend writing the tale and superb production values, Iron Fist: Heart Of The Dragon #1 does a lot of things right.

The titular Danny Rand has an interdimensional gate in the Manhattan skyscraper that serves as his home and corporate headquarters. With his diminutive companion Fooh (if you liked Uncle Iroh, this guy will be familiar), he's getting ready to do a quick tour of the Seven Heavenly Cities, home of the champions called the Immortal Weapons (Iron Fist is one). Things don't go according to Rand's plans as colorfully garbed guest stars hint at the danger ahead from almost the opening bell.

As noted, Larry Hama is a legend in the space of comic book writing, influencing generations of creatives who followed him. Here, he wields each tool in the box with deftness and skill, deftly illustrating character through dialogue. It should be noted the work of David Wachter, Neeraj Menon, and Travis Lanham, who showcase (for example) the depth of Luke Cage in sitting on a couch or ripping apart aggressive zombie ninjas. Even the likes of Dog Brother get enough panel time to get a sense of them, if not the full picture.

The threat here is one specific to the area of influence Rand inhabits and adds some interesting villain-for-hire wrinkles (in a bit of an inside joke there) as the true architect of the challenge remains hidden from the reader. This is a mild wrinkle as the likes of Taskmaster and Lady Bullseye doesn't show up without deep pockets, and their specific assignments are pretty intense. That thematic deficit is perhaps the only real criticism of this otherwise fantastic issue, and that will likely bear out in future issues. RATING: HONORABLE MENTION.

Iron Fist: Heart Of The Dragon #1By Larry Hama, David Wachter, Billy TanAN IRON FIST EPIC FROM LEGENDARY CREATOR LARRY HAMA! Someone is killing the ancient dragons that power the HEAVENLY CITIES, and only IRON FIST and the DEADLY WEAPONS can stop them if they candiscover who they are in time! Zombie armies, mystical portals, dragon hearts, some of the Marvel Universe's deadliest fighters all converge in one action-packed extravaganza, and the fate of all worlds hangs in the balance! LARRY HAMA and DAVID WACHTER are building a story that hits as hard as the Iron Fist itself!

Hannibal Tabu is a writer, journalist, DJ, poet and designer living in south Los Angeles with his wife and children. He's a winner of the 2012 Top Cow Talent Hunt, winner of the 2018-2019 Cultural Trailblazer award from the City of Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs, his weekly comic book review column THE BUY PILE can be found on iHeartRadio's Nerd-O-Rama podcast, his reviews can be found on BleedingCool.com, and more information can be found at his website, http://www.hannibaltabu.com.Plus, get free weekly web comics on the Operative Network at http://bit.ly/combatshaman.

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How Star Wars Could Bring Back A Weapon More Powerful Than The Darksaber – Screen Rant

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The Darksaber is symbolically powerful, but a future Star Wars property could reintroduce the Dagger of Mortis, which is significantly stronger.

The Star Wars canon has emphasized the power and importance of the Darksaber in The Mandalorian, but future properties may reintroduce an even more powerful weapon: the Dagger of Mortis. This mystical weapon holds symbolic significance like the Darksaber; but whereas the Mandalorian weapon is functionally almost the same as any other lightsaber, the Mortis Dagger is capable of far more. The Dagger may appear in several upcoming Disney+ Star Wars shows, potentially being a significant plot element that brings The Mandalorian, Star Wars: Ahsoka, and Star Wars: Rangers of the New Republic together in a crossover event. But what is the Dagger of Mortis and what can it do?

The Dagger of Mortis first appeared in Star Wars: The Clone Wars, where it was fought over by the three Star Wars Force-users who were found in the mysterious Wild Space realm known as Mortis. These beings, named The Father, The Daughter, and The Son all used the Force with near-omnipotent power, so naturally, the abilities and weapons of Jedi and Sith paled in comparison to those of Mortis. The Force wielders were nearly immortal as well, but the Mortis Dagger was one of the few things that could kill them. The Dagger was used directly to kill The Daughter and The Father, and indirectly to kill The Son (whose immortality was removed upon the death of The Father).

Related:Disney Already Cast A New Young Luke, Why Didn't Mandalorian Use Him?

The Darksaber may have the most unique lightsaber blade color and origin, but it is ultimately just another lightsaber in terms of functionality, though it does increase a wielder's aggression and tugs at their dark side instincts. Still, the weapons true power comes from its historical and cultural significance to Mandalorians. One must defeat the Darksabers owner in combat to have a rightful claim to it, and the wielder of the weapon is also considered the true ruler of Mandalore (at least by the time of 9 ABY). By being able to kill a god-like Force-wielder, the Mortis Dagger far outclasses any lightsaber, including the Darksaber. Considering the connections between Ahsoka Tano, the Mortis Force-wielders, and the World Between Worlds, the Dagger could easily make its reappearance in Star Wars: Ahsoka.

Of the three Jedi visitors to Mortis, Ahsoka Tano is the only one still alive in 9 ABY. The Dagger could be pursued by both Ahsoka and Grand Admiral Thrawn (who Tano was tracking down in her episode of The Mandalorian). The Dagger was left on Mortis when Ahsoka, Anakin, and Obi-Wan left the realm, but how they ended up there (and how they left) isnt made explicitly clear in The Clone Wars, so a non-Force user like Thrawn may attempt to access the Dagger through more crude methods, as Veris Hydan did to the entrance to the Worlds Between Worlds in Star Wars Rebels.

The Mortis Dagger could also be tied to the mystical World Between Worlds, given their shared connections to the Force wielders of Mortis. Perhaps the Mortis Dagger can be used for more than killing Force wielders and is a method of entering the mysterious plane. The World Between Worlds gives visitors access to any point in time and space, which would easily make it important enough to involve Din Djarin and Cara Dune (as well as Luke Skywalker and Grogu) in Ahsokas adventures. Though unlikely, the plane (and by extension, the Dagger) could be the catalyst for a crossover between the Star Wars Canon and Legends universes.

Next:Everything We Know About The Mandalorian Season 3

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David Miller is an author for Screen Rant, indie comic writer, and life-long lover of all things Star Wars, Marvel, and DC. He was born and raised in New York and has a degree in English from Rider University. When not writing, he enjoys reading comics and getting his fix of caffeine. He relates to Peter Parker maybe a little too much.

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Assassin’s Creed Valhalla: Fenn the Wistful’s Flyting Guide – GameRant

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Assassin's Creed Valhalla players can challenge and defeat Fenn the Wistful in a Flyting battle by picking the right dialogue when prompted.

InAssassin's Creed Valhalla, players take on the role of Eivor as they leadVikings to a better future in England. ThroughoutAssassin's Creed Valhalla'sstory, there will be plenty of dangerous foesandchallenging puzzles that must be overcome with strength and skill. In the downtime, however, there are other side quests and objectives that are much less life-threatening such as Flyting.

Flyting is a Viking contest that involves an exchange of insults between two individuals,ancient rap battling in other words. Successfully winning a Flyting increases Eivor's charismaskill, and players that get it to a high enough levelwill find additional dialogue for NPCs which open alternate choices during the story. While not every individual is open to a Flyting battle, there is one such opportunity against Fenn the Wistful.

RELATED: Assassin's Creed Valhalla: How to Take Off Bone Mask (Mari Lwyd)

Before challenging Fenn to a Flyting, Assassin's Creed Valhallaplayers must first find him in the northern part of Wincestre. He will be standing outside of a farmhouse accompanied by two other men. Talk with Fenn to exchange some brief words before agreeing to the Flyting and wagering a small, medium, or large bet.

Playerscan also ask Fenn to repeat his previous line if they don't remember it while picking an appropriate response. Note that players can still win the Flyting even if they mess up once. If successful, Fennsays he's heard enough cruelty and will let players go.Eivorthen gets a boost to charisma and double the initial amount of silver that was wagered.

Keep in mind players won't find a Flytingat every point in Norway or England, but the biggest settlements and towns should have someone willing to clash against Eivor. If looking on the map, future Flyting NPCs are marked with a blue mask symbol.

Assassins Creed Valhallais available now for PC, PS4, PS5, Stadia, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.

MORE: Assassin's Creed Valhalla: A Feline's Football Quest Guide

Source: Game8

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Daniel is a writer at Game Rant with a minor in Professional Writing. Since a young age, Daniel has been an avid gamer starting with the Mega Man Battle Network series. From there, he branched out to other titles over the years including vanilla World of Warcraft. More than anything, Daniel enjoys a good story that ties world-building and gameplay together as well as multiplayer games with friends. Daniel currently plays a variety of PC and mobile games including League of Legends and Fate/Grand Order.

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Everything you need to know about the TV series Forever – Nine

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Since 2018 Welsh actor Ioan Gruffudd has been playing a forensic pathologist in Australian drama Harrow, but it's not the first time he's portrayed a character with that job description.

He also starred as a medical examiner in the 2014 series Forever, only Dr Henry Morgan was different to Dr Daniel Harrow in a very unique way he's immortal and has been for 200 years.

Stream every episode ever of Forever for free on 9Now.

Forever follows Dr Henry Morgan as he works with Detective Jo Martinez to solve murders in New York. When not working, Henry tries to figure out why he is immortal and how to end the curse. He is also being hunted by another immortal named Adam.

The only person in on Henry's secret is elderly antique store owner Abe, who is also Henry's son. Henry and his wife Abigail adopted concentration camp survivor Abe after World War II. Abigail was the only other person he knew the truth about Henry, but she disappeared in the 1980s.

Starring alongside Gruffudd in Forever is Law & Order and FBI actress Alana De La Garza as Jo. Henry's assistant Lucas is played by Avatar and Bones actor Joel David Moore. Jo's detective partner Mike Hanson is portrayed by 24's Donnie Keshawarz, while their boss Leiutenant Joanna Reece is played by The Village's Lorraine Toussant.

RELATED: How early-noughties drama 24 revolutionised the way we watch television today

Veteran actor Judd Hirsch, from the sitcom Taxi and film Independence Day, plays Abe, with The Bold and the Beautiful's Mackenzie Mauzy portraying Abigail in flashbacks.

The other immortal in the series, Adam, is played by Torchwood and Enola Holmes actor Burn Gorman.

Forever is the kind of show that has a little bit of almost every genre. At its core it is a police procedural with a different crime to solve each episode.

The show also has elements of a period drama, with flashbacks to Henry's life over 200 years. We see the moment in 1814 when he became immortal, as well as meeting Abigail while working as medical personnel during World War II.

RELATED: Everything you need to know about Rizzoli & Isles

Then there is the sci-fi element of Henry's immortality, which involves Henry emerging from a large body of water every time he comes back to life. His mystery isn't as curious as Adam's though, Adam claims to have lived for 2,000 years and is looking for the lost dagger that killed him and also Roman general Julius Caesar.

Forever was cancelled after one season of 22 episodes, despite popularity on catch-up services and an online cult following.

Creator Matt Miller shared his secret vision for the future of the series on Twitter in 2015. He revealed we would have found out about Henry's other family, including a Spanish lover, and Henry would've had a romance with another, much younger immortal. We would have also seen flashbacks of Henry as a child, along with the moment Abe learned Henry's secret.

Stream every episode ever of Forever for free on 9Now.

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Twitter Reactions: Kane Williamsons 667 minutes of masterclass rubs salt in Pakistans wounds – CricTracker

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Kane Williamson. (Photo Source: Getty Images)

Kane Williamson was unbeaten on 199, when a rain break forced the players off the field. But then, the man is the epitome of calmness, and the Kiwi skipper walked back to the dressing room, with no anxiety on his face. After the rain break, the right-hander nonchalantly flicked Shaheen Afridi past mid-wicket to bring up the fourth double century of his career.

There were no celebrations from the man after the landmark, just a raise of his willow to acknowledge the rousing ovation that he received from the crowd. Such was the grace and poise the Kiwi skipper displayed out in the middle that a true connoisseur of Test cricket would have admired his classic knock, irrespective of nationality.

In his marathon stay that lasted 364 deliveries, Williamson scored 238 glorious runs, including 28 delightful boundaries all across the ground. His innings came to an end when he hit Faheem Ashraf straight to Shan Masood at third-man, who for a change held on to the offering.

In the first session of the day, Henry Nicholls and Williamson continued to make life difficult for the Pakistan bowlers. In the pre-lunch session, the left-right duo added 114 runs off 28 overs, scoring their runs at a rate of 4.07 runs per over. The left-handed Nicholls brought up the 7th Test century of his career with a majestic drive past cover.

The Pakistanis finally made the breakthrough in the 120th over of the innings when they managed to scalp Nicholls and ended a mammoth 369-run partnership between the two men. To a short delivery from Mohammad Abbas, the left-hander went for the pull, but he hit it straight down the throat of Naseem Shah at fine leg. BJ Watling was the next man to depart, edging Shaheen Afridi to Haris Sohail in the slip cordon.

Williamson also went past a very significant milestone during the course of the day as he breached the 7000-run barrier in Tests and became the third Kiwi batsman to do so. Williamson also became the fastest New Zealand batsman to 7000 Test runs, reaching there in just 144 innings. The Black Caps skipper is just 264 runs away from becoming the all-time leading run-scorer for New Zealand in Test cricket. The batting Superstar also equaled Brendon McCullum in the all-time list of batsmen with the most double centuries for the Kiwis.

Apart from Williamsons double hundred, the other bright spot of the day was Daryl Mitchells maiden Test century. The right-hander pummeled 8 fours and 2 sixes and scored 102 off just 112 balls, at a strike rate of 91.07. New Zealand declared their first innings with the scorecard reading 659/6, with the last 4.5 overs fetching 60 runs for them.

In reply, Pakistan ended the Day at 8/1, with Kyle Jamieson removing Shan Masood. The left-hander recorded his second duck of the match, as he departed after edging Kyle Jamieson to the slip cordon. Masood has endured a horrible series against New Zealand, aggregating just 10 runs in the four innings that he has played, scoring three ducks.

New Zealand will be looking to wrap things up on Day 4.

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Twitter Reactions: Kane Williamsons 667 minutes of masterclass rubs salt in Pakistans wounds - CricTracker

Phase 4 Introduces A Bigger MCU Problem Than Retiring The OG Avengers – Screen Rant

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It will be tricky to retire the remaining original Avengers in Phase 4, but they have a bigger problem with the Eternals who are deemed immortals.

The impending introduction of the Eternals in the Marvel Cinematic Universe poses a bigger problem than how to retire the remaining Avengers. 2019's Avengers: Endgame marked the end of the Infinity Saga with Spider-Man: Far From Home functioning as its epilogue. To further highlight the idea it's the final chapter of the franchise's first overarching narrative, the movie doubled as the swan song to some of its founding heroes such as Iron Man, Captain America, and Black Widow, leavingHulk, Thor, and Hawkeye still in the universe.

By keeping some original heroes, Marvel Studios is slowly transitioning from the Infinity Saga to new storytelling territory in Phase 4. This is the safest way to ensure the MCU continues to be successful without getting stagnant. Seeing some of the founding Avengers still involved in the franchise will help fans get used to this difficult but needed change. Losingprimary players like Iron Man and Captain America isalready jarring as it is, but it would've been a much more difficult transition if all six Avengers were non-existent in MCU's future.

Related:Infinity War Teased Iron Man's Death Well Before The Snap

There will come a time that Hulk, Thor, and Hawkeye will eventually leave the MCU, however; Marvel Studios may already be setting up their imminent departure with the introduction of their respective franchise replacements. Without any massive event like Endgame on thehorizon, it will be difficult to find a justified way to see them off. Even with that, it will still be tricky to write out almost-immortal heroes like Thor and Hulk.That being said, Marvel Studios is setting themselves up for a similar but more difficult problem when they introduce the Eternals to the MCU.Createdby the Celestials,the Eternals are powerful beings who are essentially immortals, meaningthey had to have been in unseen existence in the franchise for centuries now.

At this point, not much is known about these new characters, but soon, they will debut in the MCU through Chloe Zhao's Eternals. There's no explicit indication they've already been in the franchise throughout the Infinity Saga, although the Celestials have been referenced in past films. Considering how they're being set to be very powerful characters, it would be more difficult to find a way to justify their deathswhen their time in the MCU comes to an end,like Iron Man and Captain America in Endgame.Of course, there's always the possibility that by the time they emerged and become prominent key players in the franchise, they're already at the tail end of their life spans since they've been alive for centuries. As seenwithOdin in Thor: Ragnarok, they're not exactly immune to death.

While Kevin Feige and co.are known for playing the long game in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, it's more likely that they don't have anything laid out when it comes to writing out upcoming characters in the franchise. After all, if they go by what they did in the Infinity Saga. most of the Eternals will have at least 10 years in the universe before they move on. In any case,Marvel Studios would need to have a more put-together exit plan for these characters compared to its predecessors considering their origins.

More: Every Time The Infinity Stones Were Used Wrong In The MCU

The Batman: How Robert Pattinson's Batsuit Compares To The Dark Knight

Accidental geek who is perpetually curious, Ana rekindled her love for writing several years back and married it with everything pop culture. The result is a passionate young writer who could ramble (and of course, pen) about films and series multiple hours a day. She has a soft spot for The Lion King, old songs, and home design; is currently obsessed with old sitcoms (The Golden Girls!); and won't dare watch any horror films although shes (ironically) dying to see one. Though a bit late to the party and was an actual Force non-believer, she now finds the Star Wars franchise quite fascinating (fun fact: it was a crazy Jar Jar Binks/Sith theory that drew her in).

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Phase 4 Introduces A Bigger MCU Problem Than Retiring The OG Avengers - Screen Rant

The Meaning of Life According to Harry Potter and Soul – MuggleNet

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by Victor Chan

SPOILERS FOR SOUL AHEAD: PROCEED WITH CAUTION

Dumbledore once described music as a magic beyond all we do here (SS 128), a statement that Joe Gardner, the protagonist of Pixars Soul, would agree with. Indeed, Id like to believe that the magic of music is studied at the Department of Mysteries. Harry Potter and Soul both explore abstract concepts such as being in the zone, along with death and the meaning of life through a humanist approach. In Soul, characters search for their purposes in life, and although Harry was the Chosen One, he still had the agency to choose his life path. Here are three things that Harry Potter and Soul can teach us about the meaning of life.

At the end of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Harry is presented with two choices: go back or go on. Likewise, at the end of Soul, Joe is given another chance at life. Both character-defining moments occur in the heads of Harry and Joe. In Soul, 22 describes the Great Before as an illusion and hypothetical. In Deathly Hallows, when Harry asks Dumbledore where he thinks they are, Dumbledore replies, This is, as they say, your party (DH 712).

At the core of both Harry Potter and Soul is the idea that it is our choices that show what we truly are. The circumstances that we are placed in define us less than how we respond to being placed in those circumstances. In Harry Potter, Hogwarts students are Sorted into Houses based on their personalities and values. Soul explores the concept of a beforelife where souls are readied for life on Earth. One particular scene early on shows souls being assigned personalities, seemingly arbitrary. Joe asks, This is where personalities come from? to which another character replies, Do you think people are just born with them?

However, even though Hogwarts students are Sorted into Houses and souls are assigned personalities, Harry Potter and Soul reject determinism. In fact, in the Great Before, souls need to find their own spark.

In Harry Potter and Soul, characters grapple with the fear of the unknown. In Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, Dumbledore tells Harry that it is the unknown we fear when we look upon death and darkness (HBP 566). In Soul, 22 has a cynical attitude toward what they think living on Earth will be like. In Harry Potter, Voldemort fears what Dumbledore describes as the next great adventure (SS 297). When Joe finds himself on the way to the Great Beyond at the start of Soul, he runs away from the light. Later in Soul, Joe says, Im just afraid that if I died today, then my life would have amounted to nothing.

Fear of the unknown holds people back from chasing that spark that makes life worth living. In Soul, we see an unnamed character with a stable, well-paying job in finance who is unhappy with their life but scared to make a career change.

Dumbledore believes that even though people fear the unknown in death, thats what makes it the next great adventure. This is shown in 22s character arc in Soul. When we first meet 22, they do not want to leave the Great Before to begin life on Earth. However, after they accidentally get sent to Earth and experience simple joys such as tasting pizza, feeling the wind blow, and catching a falling leaf in the palm of their hand, they do not want to return to the Great Before.

In Soul, when Joe tells his mother that music is all he thinks about, she says, You cant eat dreams for breakfast. Joes mother wants him to be realistic and settle on a career. This interaction transported me to Harry Potter and the Sorcerers Stone when we are introduced to the Mirror of Erised. According to Dumbledore, the Mirror shows us nothing more or less than the deepest, most desperate desire of our hearts, and men have wasted away before itnot knowing if what it shows is real or even possible (SS 213). Dumbledore tells Harry not to dwell on dreams and forget to live (SS 214).

This idea of forgetting to live is explored in Soul. In the Great Before, lost souls are souls belonging to people who are disconnected from life because they cannot let go of their obsessions. Those souls are stuck in a state of limbo. In Deathly Hallows, a fragment of Voldemorts soul becomes stuck in limbo at Kings Cross. He was so obsessed with killing Harry that he never considered the possibility of Lily invoking an ancient form of magic, and he was so obsessed with immortality that he never considered that splitting ones soul could cause eternal pain and suffering in the afterlife. In Half-Blood Prince, a conversation between Voldemort and Dumbledore takes place where Voldemort says, Nothing I have seen in the world has supported your famous pronouncements that love is more powerful than my kind of magic, Dumbledore (HBP 444). In truth, Voldemort never searched for the power of magic based on love because he was obsessed with using the Dark Arts to gain power and immortality.

In Sorcerers Stone, Dumbledore tells Harry that people have wasted away before the Mirror of Erised, not knowing if what it shows is real or even possible. When Joe finally gets his big break as a musician, he has an existential crisis. He had been dreaming of this moment his entire life, but when the moment finally arrived, it was underwhelming because he didnt feel any different. During a pivotal scene in the film, Joe realizes that its the little moments of joy that make life worth living, even if they may seem infinitesimal in comparison to the bigger picture at the time.

In Half-Blood Prince, Dumbledore says that Voldemort was in such a hurry to mutilate his own soul, he never paused to understand the incomparable power of a soul that is untarnished and whole (HBP 511). Although Joes dream of a career in jazz is not as extreme as Voldemorts quest for immortality, both Harry Potter and Soul convey the importance of living in the moment and not developing tunnel vision.

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Why it’s Galileo’s world in 2021 and we’re all just living in it – Racing Post

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Like the word Blackpool running through the centre of a stick of seaside rock, Galileo's influence was a constant feature during 2020.

That won't come as a huge surprise to those in tune with the ways of the bloodstock world as Galileo has now been champion sire in Britain and Ireland for each of the last 11 years and 12 of the last 13 having briefly loaned his crown to Danehill Dancer in 2009.

However, even given his own standards of uncommon excellence, the last 12 months rank highly in Galileo's march towards immortality, not least because he passed a number of significant breeding milestones.

He ended last year with his progeny having earned 5,274,968 in prize-money, a haul that is more than double that of Dubawi, who finished runner-up for a fifth time with earnings of 2,456,588.

Galileo's 12th British and Irish sires' championship sees him move within hailing distance of the record set by his own sire, Sadler's Wells, who won 14 titles during a breed-shaping career that many thought they would never see the likes of again.

Sadler's Wells and handler Noel Stapleton lead Galileo, Montjeu and High Chaparral around Coolmore

Edward Whitaker

Their exploits have ensured that the leading sire crown has gone to a Coolmore stallion for each of the last 31 years, a run that stretches back to the first of Sadler's Wells' victories in 1990, takes in Caerleon's second title the following year, includes Danehill's hat trick of successes between 2005 and 2007 and, latterly, the Galileo era from 2008 to the present day.

Three horses registered a trio of European Group 1 victories during 2020, and, in a reflection of the dominance he exerts, Galileo duly figured prominently in all three pedigrees.

No horse contributed a greater sum to Galileo's annual progeny prize-money tally than the mighty mare Magical. She was never out of the first three in seven starts throughout 2020 and duly claimed 1,509,184 during a global campaign that not only saw her win three domestic Group 1s namely the Pretty Polly Stakes, the Tattersalls Gold Cup and the Irish Champion Stakes but also finish runner-up in the Breeders' Cup Turf and a closing third in the Hong Kong Cup. She rates a most exciting retiree to Coolmore's broodmare band for 2021.

Galileo was also responsible for three-time Group 1 winner Love, who swept the 1,000 Guineas, Oaks and Yorkshire Oaks as well as the champion three-year-old filly title. Love's Epsom triumph came just over an hour before Serpentine etched Galileo's name into the history books by giving his sire an unprecedented fifth success in the Derby.

The shock pillar-to-post victory saw Serpentine join New Approach (2008), Ruler Of The World (2013), Australia (2014) and Anthony Van Dyck (2019) on Galileo's Epsom roll of honour. The historic achievement saw Galileo overtake Sir Peter Teazle, Waxy, Cyllene, Blandford and Montjeu, who each sired four Derby winners apiece.

Serpentine gives Galileo his fifth Derby success

Edward Whitaker

Becoming the winningmost sire of the Turf's blue riband event was not the only record that Galileo claimed outright in 2020, as by that point he had also become the most prolific sire of Group/Grade 1 winners in history when Peaceful became his 85th elite-level scorer in the Irish 1,000 Guineas in June.

That success saw Galileo wrest the title from his former studmate Danehill. It had looked inevitable that Galileo would claim Danehill's Group/Grade 1 crown in 2020, having equalled the record on November 9, 2019 when Magic Wand landed the Mackinnon Stakes at Flemington.

Four more new Group/Grade 1 winners followed Peaceful, with Serpentine joined by Grand Prix de Paris and Hong Kong Vase hero Mogul, Moyglare Stud Stakes victress Shale,and Lael Stable's Magic Attitude, who claimed the Belmont Oaks. Those results mean Galileo's stud record now features 89 Group/Grade 1 winners atop a list of 535 black-type performers 224 of which have won at Group level, while a further 108 have struck in Listed company.

Moreover, Galileo's domination of 2020was not merely confined to the success of his own runners as he also claimed his maiden champion broodmare sire crown. His daughters were responsible for 144 winners (36 per cent strike-rate) in Britain and Ireland, among which were 17 stakes scorers who contributed to earnings of 3,539,753.

Ghaiyyath: Juddmonte International hero is out of Galileo's daughter Nightime

Edward Whitaker

He is, of course, the damsire of the world's highest-rated runner in Ghaiyyath, the son of Dubawi who has taken up residency at Darley's Kildangan Stud for 2021. The Godolphin colour bearer, who was bred by Dermot Weld's Springbank Way Stud, earned his monster rating courtesy of his romp in the Juddmonte International, which was the third of his three Group 1 wins last year following victories in the Coronation Cup and Coral-Eclipse.

Galileo was also represented as broodmare sire of Group 1 winners Barney Roy, St Mark's Basilica and Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe hero Sottsass the son of Siyouni who will stand alongside Galileo at Coolmore in 2021.

As if all that weren't enough, Galileo further underlined his growing importance as a sire of sires with his stallion sons supplying a slew of significant winners of their own. The top 35 in last year's British and Irish sires' table featured nofewer than five of Galileo's sons.

Most prominent of those was the 11th-placed Australia, who enjoyed something of a breakthrough year thanks to Galileo Chrome's St Leger success, a first at Group 1 level for his sire. Galileo Chrome's Classic strike was swiftly followed by the Grade 1 victory of Order Of Australia in the Breeders' Cup Mile, and supplemented by Group 2 wins for Cayenne Pepper and Leo De Fury.

Australia: Galileo's leading sire son in 2020 supplied a brace of top-level winners

Coolmore

One place below Australia was Frankel, who may not have sired a British or Irish Group 1 winner in 2020 but did amass 1,168,104 in progeny earnings, while he was represented by top-flight scorers Grenadier Guards, Mirage Dancer and Mozu Ascot on the international stage.

A third King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Stakes for the brilliant Enable helped her sire, Newsells Park Stud's Nathaniel, into 18th place, while the redoubtable Teofilo finished in 21st.

The second-crop son of Galileo, who stands at Darley's Kildangan Stud, also enjoyed a notably strong year with his overseas performers, with Exultant bagging a brace of Hong Kong Group 1s; in France each of Gear Up (Criterium de Saint-Cloud), Subjectivist (Prix Royal-Oak) and Tawkeel (Prix Saint Alary) struck at the top level; German filly Donjah won the Preis von Europa, while Twilight Payment landed the Melbourne Cup.

New Approach, who finished in 34th spot, added an eighth Group 1 winner to his record when Mac Swiney, bred and trained by Jim Bolger, landed the Vertem Futurity Trophy.

With sons Churchill, Decorated Knight, Highland Reel and Ulysses among the sires fielding their first juveniles in 2021, it is not much of a stretch of the imagination to think Galileo will be adding to his list of 20 Group 1 winner-siring sons in the near future.

Churchill: among the first-crop two-year-old sires in 2021

Coolmore

Although he officially turned 23 on New Year's Day, a promising crop of first-season sire sons is far from the only reason to believe therewill be more of the same from Galileo in 2021. He has, of course, another incredibly strong hand among this year's three-year-olds, including ante-post Derby favourite High Definition.

He also has a crop of 137 blue-blooded juveniles to go to war with, among which are the sons and daughters of 32 Group/Grade 1-winning mares, 30 names who boast at least one top level-winning sibling and four two-year-olds who have both a dam and at least one sibling who have struck at the elite level.

Given the numbers involved it would take far too long to detail all of Galileo's well-bred two-year-olds this year. But, for a flavour of what's in store, there are siblings to the likes of Anthony Van Dyck, Found, Gleneagles, Hermosa, Magical, Minding, Tepin and Thunder Snow in the pipeline, as well as the most expensive yearling filly sold in 2020, the 3,400,000gns sister to Japan and Mogul.

Among the Group 1-winning mares with a Galileo two-year-old on the ground are Beauty Parlour, Dancing Rain, Goldikova, Homecoming Queen, Just The Judge, Legatissimo, Mecca's Angel, Quiet Reflection, Sky Lantern, Stellar Wind and Tiggy Wiggy.

So much of what we all thought was normal life has been turned on its head of late. But, for the time being, it looks as though it is still Galileo's world and we are all just living in it. Long may that continue.

More to read:

Honouring the best of breeding in 2020: the Racing Post Bloodstock Awards

Find out which sires recorded the most eyecatching statistics in 2020

From young guns to sires on fire: hunting out value among the 2021 covering fees

From the unexpected to the unwelcome: the biggest bloodstock shocks in 2020

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Why it's Galileo's world in 2021 and we're all just living in it - Racing Post

Lighting candles of hope, peace and joy – Delaware Gazette

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We are halfway through the last month of this long and very strange year. Its time for me to order a new month-at-a-glance calendar with room for notes in which I have recorded for decades my activities and important things that I have learned. Last year when the traditional black, my favorite choice, was unavailable, I had to settle for the sparkly, silver-leather covered calendar that will be added to my stack representing years of ministry, and I am certain it will stand out in a myriad of ways for the rest of my life.

When I first opened the pages, I felt such hope and promise for 2020, the beginning of a new decade. I believed that God would lead in exciting and fresh ways. Never did I imagine that we would experience Gods provision and faithfulness in the midst of an unprecedented global pandemic. I could not have projected that after a few weeks our church would never gather in a building together in one place, that we wouldnt be able to touch or hug, or share a meal or hear the beautiful voices lifted in shared worship, and that something called Zoom would be our new normal. And I certainly wouldnt have seen that, in spite of the distancing and physical separation for the remainder of the year that God would bring our hearts closer together than ever, that we would expand our circle of family and friends, and that we would reunite with others, and that we would experience the power of prayer in such profound ways.

We have lit the first three candles of our Advent wreath: the candles of hope, peace, and joy as we carry on this ritual that began centuries ago. I know of more people than ever this year who are gathering candles and starting a new family tradition. No matter how make-shift or humble our Advent wreaths are, or even if it is in our minds eye, the wreath which has no beginning and no end assures us of the eternity of God, the immortality of the soul, and the everlasting life we find in Christ. The light in our candles reminds us who Jesus is. In him was life and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness and the darkness has not overcome it (John 1:4-5).

According to U.S. Center for Disease Control reports, the United States has the most confirmed COVID infected people, and this country is at the top of the graph of number of deaths. The pandemic is hitting home; we are hearing more and more of sick people and ones that we know being impacted. Mobile morgues are now used in cities in the state of Ohio.

In this darkest time of the year when mornings first light comes so late and the sun falls behind the horizon in afternoons, we long for Christmas light. We need candles of hope and the promise of peace that passes understanding and the source of deep joy. We are grateful for the anticipation of the celebration of the coming of the light of the world. The one whose birth was announced by angelic harbingers in a dark sky over a seemingly inconsequential town in Palestine with the words, Peace on earth!

In some traditions, the second week Advent candle which we call peace is called the Bethlehem candle. It is hard to believe that just a little over a year ago before COVID was a thing and the pandemic never entered conversations, a small group from this area worshipped in a trilingual service at Christmas Lutheran Church just off of Manger Square in Bethlehem. After the service and a quick visit to the crowded Church of the Nativity and a traditional Palestinian lunch, we loaded our big van to travel a short distance to the Shepherds Field located behind the Bethlehem YMCA.

We parked and then followed our guide down a meandering path around rocks and scrubby trees that few tourists traverse to the small opening of a cave overlooking the rocky hillside that looked impossible to sustain any flocks. It was that location that the local descendants of the shepherds identified as the place where generations before their sheep-tending relatives related how suddenly a dark night was interrupted by bright lights and angels declared the end to fear and announced that the promised Prince of Peace had been born in their neighborhood, the place where we had just walked.

We can be confident that the most important thing in human history happened that night long ago, and it is worth celebrating in every way possible, even if we are physically isolated and our gatherings are from a distance. This Advent, we are learning so much about how God takes us by surprise and uses the unexpected to accomplish his plan and purpose. In a time of unprecedented stress and anxiety, confusion and disorientation, we need the hope that God is still breaking into our dark places. What happened in Bethlehem certainly did not stay in Bethlehem!

Let us hear the words of assurance from heaven that echo throughout time that we do not need to be afraid! This dark year may we find the good news in the midst of all we are experiencing. We light the Advent candles of hope, and then peace which is our own Bethlehem candle, and add the light of joy and look forward celebrating the coming of the one who is love incarnate. The Savior child born so many years ago in a dimly lit little town in Palestine will be born over and over again in each one of our humble hearts.

Rev. Ginny Teitt is pastor of Concord Presbyterian Church in Delaware.

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Lighting candles of hope, peace and joy - Delaware Gazette