Episode Details

For fantasy franchises, 2022 was a rough year. From Middle-earth madness, to not-so-secret Disney agendas, to yet another creative disaster threatening to destroy the DC multiverse, fans have gone through drastic changes. What were the top threats to fantasy fandoms in 2022? And how should Christians view the grief process after corporations seem to destroy the best worlds?

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Concession stand

• As usual, we try to limit our popular culture criticism at Lorehaven
• We’d rather shine light on fantastically excellent stories by Christians
• Yet we all enjoy fantastical franchises created by non-Christian artists
• So we suggest that it’s legit to grieve when those stories do fall apart.
• Some of this involves political issues, yet we’ll focus on morality.
• This episode builds on Stephen’s solo episode 122 back last July
• That focused on the fan healing. Here we focus on other grief stages.
• Stephen felt a lot of this at Christmas about the whole DC mess (later).
• Yet he will try to discipline himself, and acknowledge other fans’ grief!

1. Fantasy streaming keeps crossing the fans

The Witcher and Willow cast dark spells that backfire

• The Witcher isn’t our fandom (because it harms actors; see episode 5)
• There’s the first of two Henry Cavill–related messes (see chapter 3 later)
• Many fans are also raging at the show(s) about cheap/“woke” messaging
• The same is true of Willow, Disney Plus’s new sequel to the 1980s fantasy film

The Rings of Power divides Middle-earthers

• As in episode 143, Stephen concludes the show had some bad marketing.
• Fans can legitimately disagree about whether the story was at least made well.
• Stephen thinks the show breaks not only Tolkien’s timeline but anthropology.
• Even the Peter Jackson films clearly show men protecting women/children.
• Yes, even The Hobbit part 3 is outrageously “based” in showing this concept.
• If women fight/lead all the time, that breaks virtue and the Eowyn story.
• Amazon executives seem to favor egalitarianism in TROP and The Wheel of Time.

2. Disney dooms its ‘family friendly’ image

Star Wars fans keep fighting their dark si