​Hi everyone and welcome to a new segment I like to call, Things Every Geek Needs! This, as you guessed, is a totally new made up series that you may or may not see more things of! It’s exciting, right? Like all the flashy lights that I’m imagining going off in my head. That is weird. Okay, so I’m sitting here trying to think of a topic, and then it hits me. There are no actual guide lines in being a Geek or a Nerd for that matter. Like what is that about? So today we’re going to go through a list of things that I, your self-appointed Geek Leader of Doom, have decided that you need to own as a Geek and/or a Nerd. Random fact, did you guys know that and/or is actually my favorite word? I bet you didn’t. It’s a day full of surprises.
 
Is this blog total nonsense, yes! Are you still reading? I hope so! Okay, as a Geek/Nerd you need to own at least one jacket with something from a TV show, or movie, or comic, or all of the above…figure that one out. I myself literally own way too many jackets, and I promise you 87% of them are geeky. Sometimes, I wear a Jack Skellington Hoodie……because you can’t have too many of those. If you don’t own one, that’s fine, I guess, but then you have to compensate by having two nerd shirts minimum. That was the hardest word to spell tonight. Yep, two nerdy shirts equal one geeky jacket. For the purposes of this blog, nerds and geeks are now the same thing.
 
​If you’re a nerd of any kind, you should also own at least one plush. I’ve just made that up, because I own like four. But one plush from your favorite show, or movie, totally solidifies your nerdiness in the world. You are officially allowed to go to sci-fi conventions. If you’re wondering, I own a plush Enterprise, a plush Black X-Wing, and a tiny plush BB-8. Anything Hello Kitty does count, because she’s adorable, and anything Pokémon is completely beyond acceptable. Bonus points if anyone has anything Mew related, as she is officially the best Pokémon​ to ever exist ever, and she is the best plush in my collection, and yes, I was totally making it look like I forgot about her so I could save the best for last. However, if you do not own a plush, but you do own a blanket, or snuggy, that’s totally fine. Maybe you’re weird and own several blankets. I don’t know, that’s normal…
 
Lastly, if any POP! or action figures adorn your home, or work office space, you my friend are the cool kind of nerdy and everyone should hang out with you. I get it though, sometimes you want to be subtly nerdy. Mugs are of course an overall win, always. Maybe you have so many in your cupboard you need to throw some away, but you’re not going to do that. Mugs not only say ‘I’m a nerd’ they’re also so diverse that if someone notices your mug and makes fun of you for it, it means they’re a nerd too. And therefore, you should destroy them for not being cool enough. Or just spoil the ending of Game of Thrones for them. I mean, whichever you feel like doing.

A lot changed for me last year: I finally got to see The Last Jedi, Max Bemis took over Moon Knight, and it was the year I fell in love with professional wrestling. That’s right dear readers, buckle up because what you’re about to read may shock you, and in a sense, that’s what I want to talk about. 

​Why do we scoff at the WWE? Why did I hate pro-wrestling? It’s probably the demographic right? That’s the negative image we associate with the sport (and I am not using that term ironically); the obscenity spouting, often-spitting, mouth-breathing red-necked masses waving their beer soaked middle fingers at hulking alpha males who proceed to pretend to hit one another. And to a certain extent, that’s fair enough. From its golden age leading into the Attitude era, pro-wrestling was far from the most woke entity; trading on racist, sexist, and homophobic story angles for quick and dirty ‘character development.’ It employed cheap small-minded prejudices in order to quickly establish good guys or face characters and bad guys, also called heels. This method of character development doesn’t appeal to, or even target the most upstanding fan base, and this fuels much of the negative view of wrestling fans in popular culture. It certainly did for me. It also didn’t help that when I was a kid I was bullied by guys in Steve Austin and Undertaker t-shirts, so that definitely contributed to my avoiding the wrestling world.

But in recent years the WWE has become more progressive. In the last 2 years the women’s division of the WWE has grown leaps and bounds from the overly sexualized Diva’s Division of the past. Female superstars are now featured as main event performers at WWE pay per view events with their own Hell in a Cell, Royal Rumble, and Elimination Chamber matches. Their evolution from objectified sideshow characters to legitimate main event performers is very exciting and has inspired a whole new generation of female wrestling fans. Pro-wrestling has also move away from the days when broadly drawn racial stereotypes informed a character’s performance and rivalries. 

Another criticism you hear is that it’s fake. Why do you care about a fake sport? How can you be invested in an event claiming to be a fight when punches don’t land, matches are choreographed, and the finishing moves are too cheesy to believe that they could really hurt? Again, this is a fair argument. It is definitely more difficult to suspend your disbelief watching wild haymakers that don’t really connect in wrestling when choreographed fights in movies and TV are edited and enhanced to sell the blows more believably. 

Now, as a more than casual sports fan I have always been attracted to the pageantry of Game Day. The Super Bowl, title defenses in Boxing, the World Cup Finals; I love the ritual of a whole day devoted to a sporting event. You have people over, they wear jerseys, you eat specific food (often bad for you which is a plus), and it’s a great communal, almost tribal experience. In an odd way it feels like family. That being said, you can’t talk about game day rituals without talking about pay per views and their problems. PPV’s are expensive and more often than not the matches that cost you over $100 amount to 4 hours of mid-card bouts that you tune in and out of and a main event that turns out to be anticlimactic. This is especially true of UFC matches, because of the nature of takedowns and submissions, a title match could be over in less than a minute. So you have this huge build up to a disappointing ending, and that’s frustrating. Even with baseball, hockey, football, and basketball there’s no guarantee of a photo finish or a satisfying climax to a dramatic season. That’s not to say that that doesn’t happen, just that it is not a given. 

What I found with the WWE is that because matches are “scripted” (not “fake”) the payoff of a title match is massive. Because the matches are components of a larger story and the outcome is predetermined, at the end of a PPV, whether who you were rooting for wins or not, you feel as though you got your money’s worth. The object of the wrestling match isn’t really who comes out on top, it’s about the highs and lows within the match, the ebb and flow of the competitors’ momentum, and selling the story of the fight. These are the same factors that we love about the Rocky and Creed films. Rocky wasn’t a real fighter and he never fought like a real fighter (anybody with guards that low would have been decimated), but what we enjoy about those movies and the fights within them is the drama, the story they represent. 

The final criticism I want to examine has to do with the ridiculousness of the characters and their personas. Hulk Hogan, Macho Man Randy Savage, Undertaker, and John Cena were and are grown ass men who dress up in ridiculous outfits, commit to silly character catchphrases, and feud with each other over fictional and imagined slights. They do. That is a major component of the WWE. Look, as a manic Moon Knight fan specifically, or even a superhero fan in general I can’t look down on the WWE for those reasons. It’s a fictional universe filled with colorful, outrageous, and over-the-top characters, who actually have superhuman physiques and gymnastic abilities. The only real difference between the two is that when you see a Wrestler dive from the top rope or slam into the apron in a match, there’s no cgi involved. Admittedly, the writing of comic book characters is consistently better but the ethos is the same.

My point is, I’m a wrestling fan and I fully expect to catch some heat as a result of this. But if I’m honest, it’s really hard to claim that wrestling fans aren’t nerdy and that’s what this site and I am all about. So until next time, Geek On!

Are you like me? Do you spend hours on the internet doing stuff, and things? If so, then have you ever come across the weirdest theories about cartoons and shows that you love? Well, if you have, then take my hand, and walk with me down this really, unpleasant, journey. It gets weird.

So, first things first, Courage the Cowardly Dog is literally the weirdest cartoon on the planet, aside from Ren & Stimpy, from my generation. For those of you who don’t know, Ren & Stimpy is a cartoon that literally traumatized me for life. Talk about never trusting cartoons. This violent, weird, and freaky cartoon was probably not meant for children, but the ‘90’s were a fun time to be alive. Anyways, later on we got Courage the Cowardly Dog, and talk about an acid trip gone wrong, this show still freaks me out to this day too. So, when I came across this theory, I was like 'Huh, now it makes sense.' The supposed theory to explain the cartoon's weirdness states that everything is in Courage’s head. Yes, the whole show involving so much weirdness is just a little dog coping with the tiny world he lives in. That alone is wild but think about it. The happenings within the show are too strange to just explain as reality, but if it’s the imagination of a dog? Well now it all makes sense, considering Courage is a small lap dog.
 
Rugrats is another one ‘90’s show that has an interesting, but far more complicated theory. Supposedly, the whole thing is in Angelica’s head. The other kids aren’t real, or were supposed to be real? So, supposedly Phil and Lil were an aborted pregnancy, and they’re twins because Angelica didn’t know if the baby would have been a boy or a girl; Tommy is a still born, Chucky died with his mom during childbirth. Dil is a premature baby that didn’t survive, and the only one who is real is Suzie. What about Kimi? She’s not important. The adventures in the show are based on Angelica’s twisted imagination that is likely brought on by her schizophrenia, and Suzie just plays along with it. Interesting theory, but, I genuinely don’t believe it.

This next fan theory, is well, lengthy. This is a pretty popular theory, so if you’ve not heard of it, sorry? The Pixar theory states that all movies within the Pixar Universe are connected. I’m not going to go into as great of detail as the theory actually does, you get the condensed version of the story. Basically, the theory states that everything happens within the same universe and dimension. Okay, but how? Of course, it’s not all happening at the same time! Basically, humans are slowly starting to ruin the earth, thus radiation starts to effect things, like Bugs and Toys, and even Cars and People. We see this with Toy Story, then A Bug's Life, of course The Incredibles, and eventually Cars. Things get so bad that the humans leave the earth, allowing Wall-E to happen just after Cars. What about Monsters, Inc.? Well, before Cars and Wall-E, we have a mutation that, well, creates Monsters. Boo has her adventure with Sully and Mike…but then what? In her search to find them, Boo becomes a Witch…and ends up in the Past, that’s right, Brave brings it full circle. Of course, the actual theory explains this a lot better than I do, but you know. This is what you get.
 
My personal favorite fan theory is one involving one of my favorite films. Okay, listen, I know Frozen is a bit overdone, and a lot of people don’t like it. But it’s a good film. No, it’s not the first to teach girls that they don’t need a man. Nor is it the first movie to show us that sister love is more powerful than anything else; it’s just a really good movie. The theory is that Elsa and Anna’s parents left to go to Rapunzel’s wedding. Why? Well, the theory is that the two queens happen to be sisters. Making the girls all cousins, which might explain why Blondie and Eugene end up in Arendelle for Elsa’s coronation. Though, a new fan theory suggests that Elsa and Rapunzel are really sisters separated at birth, and that Anna and Elsa are really the cousins. This would explain why Elsa has powers and Anna doesn’t…or does it? Both are pretty far out there.
 
The newest fan theory for a Disney film suggests that Lilo and Nani’s parents were CIA. What? Where did that come from. Well, let’s take a minute. Mr. Bubbles doesn’t seem like the average Social Worker. In fact, he even mentions being ‘former’ CIA at the end of the film. Throughout his and Lilo’s interactions, we get a sense of something more with Mr. Bubbles.  Okay, but why would he be hanging around Nani and Lilo? Their parents being former CIA would make Mr. Bubbles an old friend of theirs. Perhaps he promised to look after the girls if anything happened to them. Granted, that doesn’t explain why he would want to separate the two, but…it’s a theory worth thinking on…

I believe that TV shows, video games, comics, and so on can actually change your life. Now, hear me out here, I'm not saying that every single thing I just mentioned influences us, but everyone has a different show or story that means something to them, and one that became near and dear to my heart is Steven Universe. I found this show after my grandpa died and literally binge watched every episode in two days.
 
I'd been on YouTube when a suggested link popped up for conspiracy theories about the show. I don't know why, but it called to me. I think I bonded with Steven and the Crystal Gems because they were going through their own struggles. Steven didn't know his mom, while everyone else was mourning her loss. The show spoke to me on multiple levels, enough to have me become a loyal fan.
 
Kingdom Hearts is a game that stole my heart as a child and has only grown with me. My favorite installment, Birth By Sleep, had some darker, more adult struggles and themes. Terra tries to do the right thing and is often a bit of a screw up. Ventis wants to be just like Terra, but he's so genuine it hurts. Aqua is our leader destined to do great things. All of it is a lot of pressure, and the ending is utterly heart wrenching. Still, as you play as all three characters, you get to see the choices made and the reunifications of those choices. This is a fun game, and technically a prequel to the series, yet it holds so many feels!
 
There are so many shows and games out there, the world is not saturated in just comic film adaptations, and the nerds are taking over the world. Each of us find fandom a to fall into and love, because they speak to us on a personal level. I love the exact moment when that happens. Supernatural has been one of my favorite shows for a long time because I see myself in Sam Winchester. That person who, no matter how much they screw up, is really just trying to do the right thing. Characters that we see a bit of ourselves in are the reasons we watch the shows we do, play the games we play, and read the comics we read.

Those connections help us feel not so alone, or give us hope, or even entertain us. Whatever it is, we fans latch on and cling to the things we love because of those connections. It ends up becoming a magical experience. I can't tell you how many people I've bonded with over a show, or game, because of something I'm wearing. Even out and about, people stop and notice and we get to bond over something we both love. On top of these things bringing us joy, they also bring us together as people. I don't know about you, but that's my favorite part about being a geek.

With some time on my hands I’ve had a lot of time to think about this. Let’s be honest, while some of our favorite imaginary places seem awesome, they also are terrifying. Like anywhere in the Marvel or DC Universe. But, I digress. Or do I?
 
Look, we all love Star Wars, but if you had to live in that universe? Nobody would be happy. Your chances of being murdered by the Empire or First Order are pretty high, as just being in the wrong place at the wrong time ensures you get blasted. Better yet, being in a First Order or Empire controlled planet means a whole host of problems for you. Or working on a Death Star like space station, let’s face it, you’re either going to get Force choked to death, or blown up. If you're nowhere near the super weapon of choice, or not involved with either side, even worse! They'll probably test the weapon on your planet. And from what I’ve seen from the Rebel/Resistance side of things, your chances of living are a random roll of luck! So, really, given the choice, I’d rather just not. Very few planets seem to have functioning heating and AC. Living on any space craft is certain doom, and those are chances I’m not willing to take!
 
Star Trek’s universe (The Original Series) hosts its own problems. Alright, say you’re on the beloved U.S.S. Enterprise, cool right? Wrong! Nobody, except the main cast, is safe. If you’re minding your own business, doing your job, the likeliness of you getting shot out into space, and/or dying from any random alien attack is stupidly high. Take a moment here, just think about that. Not to mention if you’re a security detail. That’s right Red Shirts your life expectancy is so short, life insurance companies want nothing to do with you. Or maybe you’re an alien life form. Well, if you’re hot, then congrats! You and the good old Captain are going to have a grand old time.
 
Who out there doesn’t want to be the Doctor’s companion? Me…okay, that’s a bold-faced lie. I am all for being alongside the Doctor, except, your time with him will end in tragedy. Sure, you get to spend your time fighting monsters, saving the known Universe, hanging out with the Doctor, flying in the TARDIS, but there's a good chance you'll most likely find yourself dying at least once, or getting kidnapped, or left behind, or worse! The life of a Companion is great, up until the very end. Just ask the long list of them! Sure, it sounds fun, but in reality, how utterly sad! And, if you’re not a companion, and you meet the Doctor, there is a very good chance something bad is going to happen to you. It’s just a fact. But hey, to see a world that isn’t the one you know? Totally worth it. Except for meeting a Dalek….that is 100% nightmare worthy!

Have you ever just been sitting there and wondering what your favorite Disney villain is? WELL! Then....wow, why are we yelling? I've literally sat here for 20 solid minutes debating about the best villains of Disney. The best is a matter of perspective, so today is my opinion on my personal favorite! Happy Monday!

Yzma is from a very underrated film, in my humble opinion. The Emperor's New Groove is not as popular as some of Disney's other movies, but it's still really good! Okay, Kuzko isn't the best leader around, and when you think about Yzma wanting the best for her country, it's a great spin on the old classic tales! But really, Yzma just wants power....and glory....and money. The best part is she's the classic evil villain type, with her potions and the like. Turning Kuzko into a llama wasn't the original plan, but it resulted in a movie filled with hilarity! Plus, come on, talking llama! Yzma is a girl after my own heart in a lot of ways. She goes after the emperor herself, even takes his place after his initial disappearance, getting what she wants. All until she finds out he's alive. In the very end, Yzma's potions backfire to an extent and she's turned into a tiny Kitten. A tiny evil Kitten of pure hate! Because she's absolutely awesome! She may fail, but her tenacity wins out.

If you subscribe to the theory that The Lion King is really an animated version of Hamlet, then the movie is that much more awesome. While I do subscribe to that theory, I also accept that the movie is just a movie. Still, Scar takes the win as a top Disney villain. Being the second son in a royal family, destined never to wear a crown, unless of an untimely death, life hasn't been that great for him. Plus being shunned by his family, treated differently, only adds to the apathetic mood the lion has. Okay, okay, he totally murders his brother and actually causes his nephew to flee (after convincing the kid that it's his fault) but in the end, Scar becomes king for a rather long period of time. Long enough that the pride lands dry up, both from water and food, and Simba grows up. Like, seriously, Scar rules the hell out of the pride lands. But, all good things come to an end. Still, Scar was evil and as cold blooded as they come....even if he justly dies like his brother.

​My last favorite villain from Disney also comes from an underrated film, The Rescuers. When the villain's name is literally Madame Medusa, there's not a lot of hope in her having an ounce of good within her soul. This lady actually adopts an orphan and forces the girl to search in a dark underground cave for a giant diamond. No. Joke. She manipulates little Penny, threatens her, and plays off her insecurities. Promising that she'll eventually give Penny back to be adopted by a family, Medusa manages to have this go on for quite some time without anyone noticing. She has crocodiles as pets for crying out loud! It takes animals, yes animals, sending for help for Penny. And even then, two mice answered the call. At one point, Penny is down in the cave when high tide comes in, and Medusa threatens to leave her to drown until she gets her diamond. Eventually, the mice call for human help. Medusa is arrested, and Penny finds a family. But as far as Sociopaths go? Medusa takes the cake.