After you’ve inevitably binged the entire eight-episode season (and it’ll only take you a gentle four hours, I might add), you’re bound to have some questions about exactly what that Russian Doll ending really means. I know I did. Not only does it potentially pave the way for Russian Doll season 2, but it also leaves quite a lot of story threads wafting free in the breeze, so let’s chat about them all in detail. Obviously, major story spoilers follow, so if you haven’t reached the Russian Doll ending yet, you will absolutely want to avert your eyes.

1. What’s the real story with Alan?

Throughout Russian Doll we learn a lot about Nadia’s past. The issues with her mother and her death, how it felt for Nadia to deal with all that as a young girl, and her relationship with Ruth. But, beyond his relationship with Beatrice (and a little of his friendship with Ryan), we actually don’t learn all that much about Alan – despite the fact that there’s obviously deeper problems in his life. It’s clear from his attention to detail in his home, some obsessive behaviours, and his cleanliness that he could have some form of OCD, but it’s never really explained within the context of his life, or his time loops.

2. Who was the doctor Alan spoke to in episode 4?

Tied into the above is the visit to the hospital in episode 4, where he asks to see a doctor who obviously knows him. It’s never properly explained who she is, and she never appears again to flesh out her role in Alan’s life. Well, after rewatching the episode, it turns out she’s his mother. He says it very quickly and quietly when he first speaks to her, but it’s definitely his mom. What’s even more interesting is that her immediate reaction to his appearance isn’t positive, but rather to ask him: “Aren’t you meant to be at work? You can’t skip work. You can’t go skipping work again.” The entire episode is called Alan’s Routine, which only serves to fuel the idea that Alan has some kind of behavioural issues that his mother is no doubt privy to. 

3. Why did Ryan talk about Alan’s Inner Circle?

Again linked to the idea that Alan has deeper-seated troubles that have influenced the breakdown in his relationship and his attempted (or should that be successful?) suicide, there’s an odd moment in episode 8 where Ryan tries to protect Alan from Nadia (at the point where they’re existing in different timelines). Ryan says, “He’s in a bad way, Inner Circle only”. This kind of friendship/relationship pattern can be common to those with forms of autism, where when things get really bad, they retreat and react well only to those that they trust. Obviously for Alan, Ryan is one of those people, but it poses more questions about Alan’s backstory than Russian Doll answers across the eight episodes. 

4. Why were Nadia and Alan chosen or become connected in the first place?

The lack of clarity around Alan’s backstory also ties into the question as to why the two characters are thrown together in this mad time loop series anyway. Yes, they were capable of saving each other in some way after their interaction in Ryan’s shop, but in the grand scheme of fate and reality, that feels far too inconsequential to link them in such a powerful, catastrophic way. Perhaps it’s a question of destiny and the pair are going to be together forever – although I wouldn’t want to try and explain how their romance started if there were ever any children to tell – but it’s odd that these two random strangers are suddenly linked so inexplicably. Unless…

5. Is Oatmeal actually secretly some kind of time lord?

Now this might sound like a bit of a stretch, but stranger things have happened. Nadia’s cat, Oatmeal, has been missing since episode 1. Well, actually Nadia sees him in the middle of episode 1, and it’s when she tries to cross the road to go and get him that she’s hit by the taxi that (first) kills her. Coincidence? Maybe not. 

“My cat’s gone. Not gone, gone, but he hasn’t been back in three days. Usually if he wanders off he’s back at my place or the deli within 48 hours max,” says Nadia in episode 1 before her death to her friends Maxine and Lizzy. 

When they suggest he’s dead, she says: “Fundamentally, he’s a deli cat. He’s survived more than the three of us can imagine.” And then, when Lizzy suggests making him a house cat, she exclaims: “I don’t believe in dictating the boundaries of a sentient being’s existence. For you, it’s safety, for me and Oatmeal, it’s a prison.”  

Isn’t it strange that Nadia is then trapped inside her own endlessly looping time prison for the next seven episodes? Well, she finds him again on her second time loop (still in episode 1), only for him to strangely disappear just before her second death, which is caused by her falling backwards into the river as she tries to look for him. That’s two to Oatmeal. 

Now, we don’t see Oatmeal again properly until episode 8, aside from when he pops up with Horse – more on him in a minute – in the park at night. Now that gets my mind working on a theory, as because he lives in the deli, he’s another thing connecting Alan and Nadia beyond sheer happenstance, and the fact he’s the cause of Nadia’s initial death and then reappears as they figure out how to fix the time loops to me suggests that he’s somehow involved in all of this. Is that totally mad?

6. Or is it Horse?

The homeless man who seems to feature in every episode of Russian Doll, Horse, could also be a key to what’s going on with Nadia and Alan. He plays a role in both of their lives, only appears in the night time and eventually leads the parade that closes out the season. Plus, if you want to go down the time manipulating cat route, he’s also seen with Oatmeal in one of the timelines. Leslye Headland (who wrote, produced and directed the series), said in an interview with Polygon that Horse is intended as something bigger than just some guy. 

“I hope I don’t sound too hippy-dippy, but it’s truthfully this thing where whenever we talked about Horse — and Horse was a character that Natasha [Lyonne] pitched and Natasha really brought to life and kind of molded out of clay — but to me, Horse was always the moon tarot card to her tarot reader. He’s the subconscious self. He’s this other part of her that she can dip into at any time and join at any time, and he’s both dangerous and a positive, kind of protective character. But he’s neither creation nor destruction. If Alan is her double within the timelines, I feel like Horse is almost a subconscious or unconscious manifestation.”

7. Where on earth does that parade in the last episode come from?

Not only have the homeless troops of Central Park suddenly mobilised into some kind of walking group, but they’ve also got instruments, weird masks and, even more interestingly, some are carrying sticks on which they’ve mounted broken mirrors – particularly broken car wing mirrors. Mirrors have been an interesting element of the entire series, so is it significant that this homeless troupe are now wielding them? Is it some kind of celebration of them finally breaking the cycle? Or something bigger altogether? 

8. What was the obsession with mirrors all about?

Which leads me nicely onto exactly how big a part mirrors play in the series as a whole. There’s a theme of therapy and fixing ourselves through help throughout all of Russian Doll, and a huge part of this is the ideas of mirrors being a reflection of ourselves. It’s especially prominent because both Nadia and Alan’s time loops start with them staring into a mirror – Nadia in the bathroom of Maxine’s apartment, and Alan brushing his teeth in his own home.

“The mirrors. Don’t get me started on the mirrors. One day, she shattered them, and when I came to take Nadia to school, well, the mirrors were gone. There was glass everywhere. I think there were even shards in your [Nadia’s] hair.”

When Alan asks “Why mirrors?”, Ruth gently replies “Reflection. Proof of existence? Another pair of eyes. See, that’s why therapists are important. Without them, we are very unreliable narrators of our own stories.” 

Perhaps this is why it’s so important that Nadia and Alan start off their time loops looking at themselves, but also why when things start disappearing, the mirrors are one of the first things to go. Without them, they are incapable of seeing themselves, proving they exist, and that’s when they rely on each other the most.

9. Did the original Nadia and Alan finally find each other at the end?

The last episode does a good job of letting you know very visually which is the ‘original’ Nadia and Alan for when they eventually end up on different timelines. Alan gets given a red scarf by Lizzy’s latest lover, while Nadia is forced to change into an almost Shakespearean white shirt after Maxine throws a drink over her. It clearly demarcates them from the alternate timeline versions of themselves. 

So, when the pair are walking towards the camera with the madness of the parade behind them, you see the original Alan and Nadia are together again, rather than the two pairs that we’ve seen throughout episode 8. Does this mean that they’ve found each other again? Or do the two separate timelines still exist? Could it be that we see both extend into a second season, or is this the conclusion both have been hoping for?

Interestingly, in that same interview with Polygon, Leslye Headland said that the parade at the end of the series isn’t a sign that the pair are now immortal. 

“At the end of the season, we’re not like, ‘And now they’re immortal!’ I’m assuming those characters will die. Did they stop the loop, or were their minds just expanded a little bit more, and so now because they understand a little bit of what multidimensionality is, and the fact that we don’t have just one reality, does that mean anything to them? Does it not? Because one side of the duo is enlightened and the other one isn’t, does that mean they’re destined for failure of does that mean they can come to the same kind of working together? The possibilities are endless.”

Handily, that doesn’t really explain exactly what’s going on with Nadia and Alan at the end, but it does leave things very open for a second season of Russian Doll. 

10. Why were there three versions of her at the end walking through the crowd? And only one of him?

In the moment where it switches from a split screen presentation to showing the true versions of Nadia and Alan walking with the parade, you briefly see two other versions of Nadia walk into the mass of people. What you don’t see though is multiple versions of Alan moving through the crowd. What does this mean for their timelines? Do multiple Nadia timelines now exist? And if so, why isn’t it the same for Alan? He’s lived that day/night just as many times as she has after all. 

11. What was going on with the fruit?

One of the most obviously odd elements (aside from the whole dying a lot thing) in Nadia and Alan’s lives is the fruit that you’ll see both in their homes, and other places they visit. As they progress through the time loops, the fruit begins to rot, gathering thicker and thicker mould, but when Nadia cuts into an orange in episode 7, she reveals that it’s still ripe inside. That’s because the pair are experiencing time differently to normal people. While in their own heads, they remember each day as a new one and are experiencing a basically linear time progression – albeit the same day looping infinitely – elsewhere they are frozen in time. The aging, progressing external skin of the fruit therefore represents Alan and Nadia as we know them, whereas the internal ripeness of the fruit is the world, frozen in time, around them. It’s this that’s the key to them figuring out how to fix things at all. Turns out fruit is good for you on so many levels. 

12. Why were people disappearing? 

As the speed of the time loops restarting increased, things and eventually people begin disappearing from their respective days. Was this the world ending? Just a figment of their imagination? Well, I believe it was because the days had looped too many times, and they were beginning to collapse. It felt like the pair were racing against time itself to figure out exactly how to put things right in their lives again, and losing the people was almost like a warning sign that time was running out.  

13. Did *that* song have significance?

Notice the song that was playing in Maxine’s apartment every time Nadia’s day restarted? It’s actually a song called Gotta Get Up, which was the opening track on the 1971 album Nilsson Schmilsson by Harry Nilsson. Now that last bit isn’t actually important (it’ll just help you find it on Spotify, go on, you know you want to), but the lyrics are actually interesting, and include lines like “Gotta get up, gotta get out, gotta get home before the morning comes”, and “There was a time when we could dance until a quarter to ten, We never thought it would end then, we never thought it would end”. It’s all about missing out on life, being late, and wanting to let people know that they are going to be late. And isn’t that exactly the vibe of what’s happening to Nadia and Alan? 

Well, it actually was the thing that started the whole thing off.

“All the choices for music were really very important to me, and something that I spent a lot of time trying to make that an enjoyable experience for people,” Natasha Lyonne said in an interview with Indiewire. “That song is definitely the linchpin that sets it all off.”

14. How do you *actually* get past that pit of death in Nadia’s videogame?

We saw Alan try and fail – multiple times – to get a key from Nadia’s easter egg character in the The Legend Ariadne, the first game she created. Every time he gives it a go he falls into a pit of spikes, which are apparently unavoidable (presumably the protagonist can’t jump). Then Nadia tried herself and couldn’t remember how to get the key either. In a show like Russian Doll where there’s significance behind almost everything, what does this inability to get past the obstacle in Nadia’s game mean? 

Crucially (just like the last episode of the series) the game named The Legend Ariadne, a nod towards a mythical princess who helped Theseus escape from the Minotaur’s labyrinth by giving him a sword and a ball of thread to help him find the exit. So perhaps the game and this insurmountable obstacle reflects the impossible nature of Alan and Nadia’s quest to find a clear answer about why they’re stuck in an endless time loop – and how they will never truly escape the time-fuckery going on around them. Even though the answer about how to get past the pit of death is probably hidden somewhere in Nadia’s mind, just like how long it took for Nadia to confront her guilt about abandoning her mum, finding out how to beat her game is going to take a while. 

15. Will we get Russian Doll season 2?

Not only do we need all the above questions answered, but I know I’m definitely not ready to let go of Nadia and Alan, and even Horse and Oatmeal too. Well, you can start to get excited, because there’s a potential we could see more of Russian Doll, because of one quote from Lyonne herself in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter. 

“We definitely pitched it as this three-season idea and yet it’s so interesting to think about how that shapes and morphs in the time since making it,” said Lyonne. “Who knows if we’ll be lucky enough to go back down the rabbit hole. That’s tomorrow’s question. But I think we have some ideas.”

“What’s such a good thing not only about this show but about the state of present-day television is that it can be so many things. I definitely have ideas that range from the really out-there anthology to staying on board with our friend Nadia.”

“And maybe it’s all one idea. Certainly, what we pitched and the heart and soul of Russian Doll, I’d love to continue to get to work in that way. It’s very satisfying and kind of wild. I guess this is what they mean by Peak TV, that the creators are getting to actually make the things that for some crazy reason, the buyers and viewers are actually interested in and that those two things are suddenly aligned. The idea that they would conceivably follow us on that course, should we jump off that cliff, it’s pretty fun to even consider the fantasy.”

Where do I sign up?

Check out more of the best shows on Netflix (opens in new tab) with our breakdown of the top 25, or, if you’re more of a film fan, why not take a look at the best movies on Netflix (opens in new tab)?

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While it’s not quite as good as Wonder Woman (opens in new tab), Aquaman is definitely an improvement on Justice League (opens in new tab) and it’ll renew your hope for the DCEU as a whole, which means we’re going to want to know all about the upcoming DC Extended Universe movies (opens in new tab) on the way. From the biggest questions we have after seeing the Aquaman ending, to what that Aquaman post-credits scene (opens in new tab) really means, we address it all below, but be warned, there’s full spoilers for the Aquaman ending from this point onwards, so you don’t want to read on until you’ve seen the film. 

If you have seen it (lucky you!), then feel free to read on and take a deep dive (get it?) into what the Aquaman ending means for a possible sequel and even other DCEU movies. Anyone else still holding out for Justice League (opens in new tab) 2? Read on for everything you need to know about the Aquaman ending.

1. Are Atlanteans immortal?

I don’t know if you noticed, but Arthur goes through a lot in this movie. He’s shot, he’s stabbed, he’s blown up more than once! He’s even gets hit at point-blank range by a rocket launcher and survives. While his strength definitely comes across in Justice League, the events of Aquaman raise the question of whether or not he’s immortal. There’s no real mention of this in the movie and he apparently ages like any other human, but there also aren’t many superheroes, even in the DCEU, who can survive the kind of beating Arthur takes in Aquaman. Atlanteans are clearly stronger than humans, but is that it, or are they also basically invincible?

Arthur isn’t the only Atlantean with powers either, and in fact, his ability to breath underwater and swim incredibly fast isn’t seen as a superpower by his fellow Atlanteans who have the same abilities. But it also seems like Arthur has a little something extra compared to your average Atlantean. Mera is surprised when he can communicate with a whale while they’re escaping Atlantis, as is Karathen when she realises Arthur can understand her, implying that not all Atlanteans have this ability. But Mera can manipulate water, even drawing it out of a person while on land, an ability we don’t see displayed by any other Atlantean during the film. So, do all Atlanteans have different powers? And if so, why? If Arthur’s abilities are unusual, even for his people, where do they come from? Have they just randomly been passed down through his bloodline, or is there some other reason why he seems to be a super-powered Atlantean?

2. Why does Vulko want Arthur to be King?

I have so many questions about the character Vulko – how did he become King Orm’s advisor? Why did he really train Arthur? What’s his ultimate aim? The character is pretty underdeveloped in the film with no real explanation as to who he is or where he’s come from, but the main question I have is: why is he so keen to overthrown Orm and make Arthur king? He trains Arthur as a boy (supposedly out of some sense of duty to Queen Atlanna), he sends Mera to talk Arthur into coming to Atlantis, and he sets them both on a path to retrieve the Trident of Neptune, which will make him king, all to overthrow Orm and put Arthur on the throne of Atlantis. That’s a lot of effort, and it’s not immediately clear why Vulko wants Arthur to rule. 

It’s sort of vaguely implied that Vulko disagrees with Orm’s plan to attack the surface world, but we never really see him try to dissuade Orm from his course of action. If anything, he gives him advice to help with his plan. Maybe it’s because he’s already tried to talk Orm out of it and he didn’t listen, but we know Vulko wanted Arthur to be king even before Orm talked about war, as shown during one of the flashback scenes. So, what’s the deal? Is it just that, as Queen Atlanna’s first born, Arthur is technically the rightful heir to the throne? If so, Vulko has one hell of a strict sense of duty considering that, for all his faults, Orm was actually raised as an Atlantean. While he clearly has issues, he also has a point when he tells Arthur that he’s the one who knows Atlantis and its people best. Plus, he must have been much younger than his brother when Vulko was training Arthur to become king, so I can’t imagine he’d already made such a bad impression that Vulko was so determined to overthrow him. Hmmm.

3. How did King Orvax find out about Arthur?

After Atlanna leaves Arthur and his Dad, she returns to Atlantis to marry King Orvax to keep her family safe – but we later find out that Orvax discovers the truth about Arthur and sentences Atlanna to die at the hands of the Trench. King Orm talks about his mother’s ‘betrayal’ so it’s clearly common knowledge by the time Aquaman takes place, but considering the lengths Atlanna went to protect the information, how did King Orvax find out? As far as we know, she’s the only Atlantean who knows about Arthur and she wasn’t likely to tell Orvax. Did she trust the wrong person? She obviously tells Vulko at some point because he goes to the surface to train Arthur after her death; was he the one who let the damaging information slip? Or did Orvax already suspect and send his soldiers to find out exactly what happened to Atlanna while she was on the surface? Perhaps Atlanna had a moment of weakness and tried to return to Arthur, only to accidentally lead Orvax’s men to her secret family. However he found out, Orvax made sure Atlanna paid dearly.

4. Why does Arthur change his mind about becoming King of Atlantis?

At the beginning of Aquaman, Arthur has zero interest in becoming King of Atlantis and only agrees to go with Mera to stop Orm’s war on humanity. Despite this, by the time we reach the Aquaman ending, he’s crowned king and looking pretty happy about it. So, what changed? Why did Arthur decide to give up his human life in favour of ruling the underwater kingdom of Atlantis? Jason Momoa answered this question for himself when I sat down for a chat with the Aquaman cast (opens in new tab) recently, stating: “He’s been through a lot in his life, which you get to see [in the movie], and I don’t think that he believes in himself and it’s everyone around him [that does]. Having Mera, having my father, knowing that I’m the chosen one – he’s never believed it, but I think that it’s who he surrounds himself with [that helps him to believe]… that’s what makes us kings, right? Or queens.” 

5. Is Arthur going to have a diplomatic crisis on his hands?

Whatever the reason, Arthur will clearly have a lot on his plate when he finally gets down to ruling Atlantis. Not only does he need to familiarise himself with a kingdom and a people he knows next to nothing about, but he also has to clean up Orm’s mess. Forget what he did to the surface world – Orm attacked, manipulated, and bullied the other kingdoms of Atlantis into doing his bidding and making him Ocean Master, even murdering the King of the Fisherman and going to war with the Brine. Arthur may have eventually united the kingdoms against Orm, but he’s going to have his work cut out for him trying to keep the peace and undo the damage caused by his campaign, with the other leader maybe even calling for his brother’s execution. Maybe that’s what Aquaman 2 will be about? Aquaman: The Diplomatic Crisis… then again, maybe not. 

6. How long will Orm stay imprisoned?

Speaking of Orm, there’s no way he’s going to stay safely tucked away in prison for the remainder of his existence, right? That’s just not what happens in superhero movies. How long until he breaks out, do you think? Place your bets now! Could it even be before we see Aquaman again? Maybe the next Aquaman movie will start with him hunting down his escaped brother. On the other hand, maybe they’ll have made up and be ruling happily together… yeah, there’s no way that’s going to happen. Things are always tricky when the big bad is family (just ask Thor!), but it also means that you can’t just leave the story thread hanging in a sequel. One way or another, Orm is going to have to be revisited if we get another Aquaman movie.

7. Who is Black Manta?

Black Manta is the other villain in Aquaman and, in case you didn’t now, he’s a pretty iconic baddie in the Aquaman comic books. First appearing in Aquaman #35 in 1967, he’s an underwater mercenary who uses his technology and intelligence to achieve his goals rather than any supernatural abilities, and eventually becomes Aquaman’s archenemy. It’s clear from the Aquaman ending and post-credits scene that his character is being set up to fill a similar role in the DCEU, despite his origin story being different from the comics, so I think it’s safe to say we’ll see him again. 

8. Where’s the rest of the Justice League?

It’s the elephant in the room, but where were the rest of the Justice League during Aquaman’s troubles? While his conflict with Orm is most certainly an Atlantean affair, when you’re up against these kinds of odds, surely there’s no harm is asking your friends for a little help? What were Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, the Flash, and Cyborg up to during the events of Aquaman, and why didn’t Arthur give them a call? Were they on holiday? Avoiding their fishy friend for some reason? Dead?! It could be any of the above, and we’ll probably never know. In fact, the only reason that we know Aquaman is set post-Justice League is because director James Wan told us so, and the film is definitely lacking in any Easter eggs or references to the wider DCEU. “I feel like the story and journey that he [Aquaman] goes on is strictly his own journey, and if I was to try and force other characters into it it would have been weird,” Wan told me when I interviewed him. “And I also feel like there’s so many movies about those other characters already, this is Aquaman’s time in the spotlight, let it be his and Mera’s movie.” Fair enough.

9. Will we get Aquaman 2?

Depending on how much you enjoyed Aquaman, you may or may not be wondering whether we’ll be getting a sequel – but considering the mixed response to the DCEU so far, a sequel is by no means a certainty. When I asked Momoa about his contract obligations going forward, he revealed that he’s committed to at least one more appearance as Aquaman, but whether that’s in Aquaman 2 or something else, we don’t know right now. “I am contracted for one more,” he says. “It was awesome doing Justice League, it’s great being there with a huge cast, but it would be phenomenal if people really love Aquaman [to do a sequel]… I have an idea where I would want it to go…” Sadly, when I pushed him to reveal his idea, he was having none of it (of course!), but it’s comforting to know that we have at least one more appearance from the aquatic superhero in the pipeline. 

The post Aquaman ending explained – everything you need to know after watching appeared first on Game News.

If you’ve already seen the movie (the first time in cinemas or for a second time at home), this is the place for you because we’re going to talk about that mind-blowing Solo: A Star Wars Story ending cameo and what it means for the future of a galaxy far, far away (or the past, this is a prequel after all). If you haven’t seen the film yet, you have been warned, we’re going to be talking about major spoilers below. Ready to delve into some deep analysis about Solo? Read on for the biggest questions we have after watching the Solo: A Star Wars Story ending.

• Every new Star Wars movie (opens in new tab) coming until 2021 and beyond
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1. Why are Han’s dice so important?

For two films now we’ve been bludgeoned with the importance of Han’s lucky gold dice. You know, the ones that hung in the cockpit of the Millennium Falcon in A New Hope, the ones that Luke took to Leia in The Last Jedi (albeit, in holographic form) as a parting gift. They are, of course, present in Solo, where they are passed between Han and Qi’ra, his squeeze on Corellia and the film’s glamorous femme fatale. The assumption has always been that Han used those lucky dice to win the Millennium Falcon from Lando Calrissian in a game of Corellian Spike. But that’s not how it goes down in Solo. Rather, Han beats Lando fair and square at a game of no-frills Sabaac after snatching the ace up Lando’s sleeve. In which case, why are the dice important? And where did they come from?

The dice still have obvious significance for Han – they are a symbol of his first(?) love Qi’ra, a love that seems destined to end in tragedy given the decision Qi’ra makes in the final moments of Solo, and her absence from the original trilogy. But, still, bit weird for Leia’s memory of Han to later be embodied by dice that were once passed back and forth between his ex, no?

2. Why does everyone want coaxium?

Practically everyone in Solo is after rare hyperfuel coaxium. It’s obviously a valuable resource, not only in terms of its practical use (making ships go really, really fast), but its monetary worth, with even a small vial enough to buy your way through an Imperial border check or put a deposit on a ship. But why is everyone and their Wookiee so desperate to get hold of it? Lady Proxima sends Han to get some at the start of the film, Beckett is stealing it for Dryden Vos (and his secret boss), Enfys Nest wants it to give to the nascent Rebellion… We get it’s worth a lot of credits, but beyond a convenient MacGuffin for everyone to chase, the fact it’s quite so coveted doesn’t make a great deal of sense. It’s a big galaxy, there must be plenty of other ways to make a quick buck, after all.

3. Who does the Millennium Falcon actually belong to?

At a certain point in the film we’re lead to believe that the Falcon belongs to Lando, with Han entering a high stakes game of Sabaac to win it off him. But when they go to fetch his ride, it’s clear that Lando himself is stealing it, or at the very least ‘liberating’ it from a space impound. So, who does the iconic YT-1300F light freighter actually belong to? The fact Lando’s capes are on board means it must have been in his possession recently, but what’s it doing chained up? Did the nitrogen-cool chancer forget to pay his parking fees? And won’t the owner of those clamps want it back? The film doesn’t seem to care, which means we probably shouldn’t, the scene more important in illustrating that Lando is flying by the seat of his pants as much as Han. But it could come back to bite Han if the owner of that impound wants their money.

4. How much of Lord and Miller’s movie is left?

Ron Howard reportedly reshot around 70% of Solo after he came on board. And while it’s safe to assume he’s behind the scene involving his own brother, Clint Howard, and anything where Paul Bettany appears (Bettany replaced actor Michael K. Williams due to a scheduling conflict), the rest is open for debate as the joins aren’t immediately apparent. The obvious assumption is that the more irreverent the gag, the more likely Lord and Miller were behind it. L3’s ‘performance issues’ skit and Han awkwardly stepping back after making a fool of himself in front of Enfys seem like quintessential Lord and Miller moments. While the American Grafitti-esque opening, with Han and Qi’ra racing round the streets of Corellia felt like Howard doffing his cap to his former director and friend, George Lucas. Speaking of, Solo also had a fourth director (sort of) in the shape of Uncle George, who visited the set on Howard’s first day and offered him some advice during a scene involving Han and Qi’ra. Though which scene Lucas was on set for is unclear.

5. What did Qi’ra do in the three years away from Han?

Qi’ra makes it clear multiple times in Solo that she’s not the person Han knew on Corellia, and that during the years Han fought in the Imperial army she’s done some real bad stuff. But… how bad? Han shoots first (huzzah!) and straight up murders Beckett at the end (albeit in self defence); is it worse than that? Her fast track ascent through the ranks of Crimson Dawn, all the way to the position of Vos’s right hand woman, would imply she’s committed some unspeakable acts in the past. And her lack of hesitation in assuming Vos’ place after killing him also makes it clear that she’s willing to act that way again. Qi’ra does seem genuinely conflicted about her position at points, and clearly toys with the idea of running away with Han. Maybe she’s in too deep and knows running away with Han would just put both of their lives in mortal danger.

6. Why is Han so good at flying the Falcon?

We all know that arrogant flyboy Han Solo is the best pilot in the galaxy come the original trilogy following years behind the controls of his beloved flying hamburger. And he’s clearly a naturally talented pilot behind the wheel of any vehicle. But given it’s his first time flying the Falcon during the Kessel Run it seems somewhat unlikely even he would make it out of such a dangerous gauntlet alive. If certain people felt the need to label Rey a Mary Sue for exhibiting a similar level of aptitude with little to no training (despite being Force sensitive, which Han is not), then Han should really be accused of the same. He didn’t even finish flight school! I guess arrogance gets you a long way.

7. Where’s Boba Fett?

There are two clear allusions to Jabba, who we don’t see in the film, the main one being Han’s closing remarks about heading to Tatooine to do a job for a “bigshot gangster”. Unless it’s a misdirect (highly unlikely) expect the second Solo film to feature the galaxy’s most repulsive giant slug in a major way. And if Jabba is around it’s safe to assume fan favourite bounty hunter Boba Fett won’t be far behind. What’s perhaps surprising is that writers the Kasdans didn’t pull out all the stops here and work Fett into the first film. An ongoing rivalry across three films would certainly have made for juicy viewing.

8. Er, how is Darth Maul alive?

Darth Maul is back! Despite being cut in half by Obi-Wan in The Phantom Menace, everyone’s favourite, criminally underused prequel villain has been a major player in canon Star Wars animated series The Clone Wars and Rebels in recent years, but the holo-call with Qi’ra marks Maul’s first live action appearance for almost two decades. The Zabrak from Dathomir is once again played by Ray Park, and voiced by Sam Witwer (who provided Maul’s voice for both animated series). A quick bit of timeline clarification for anyone confused: Solo is set some years after The Clone Wars (and Revenge of the Sith), but before Rebels and Rogue One.

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Solo: A Star Wars Story – what that shocking cameo might mean for future Star Wars sequels (opens in new tab)

Wondering how Maul survived bisection? After his run in with Obi-Wan on Naboo, Maul clung onto life before being dumped on Lotho Minor, feeding on vermin and constructing sweet mechanical spider legs. Eventually teaming up with his brother Savage Opress, and handed a more practical pair of cybernetic legs, Maul went on to form the Shadow Collective – an alliance of criminal syndicates (including the Pyke Syndicate, Black Sun and Hutt Clan, which may or may not be three of the five syndicates mentioned in Solo) and take over Mandalore. This attracted the attention of Darth Sidious, who killed Savage Oppress and took Maul captive, only for the Sith Lord’s former apprentice to escape and flee into the night.

Solo takes place some years after these events, and it seems Maul has scurried back to the Shadow Collective and reclaimed his seat at the head of the five syndicates, in order to re-establish a power base. But what’s to stop Sidious tracking him down again? Any future Solo films also face a prequel-problem with Maul, as anyone who watched Rebels knows where the character is ultimately heading. The Clone Wars connections don’t stop there either. In a throwaway bit of dialogue we learn that Woody Harrelson’s Tobias Beckett was the man who killed Aurra Sing – a bounty hunter who trained a young Boba Fett and has history with Darth Maul. It’s not just the MCU that’s all connected…

9. What will a Solo sequel look like?

Unless there’s an unexpected upset at the box office, it’s safe to assume that this won’t be the last we see of Alden Ehrenreich’s Han Solo. Which begs the question: What next? The immediate concern are the five syndicates, who report to Maul. We only meet one syndicate in Solo – Crimson Dawn – which mean there are plenty more criminal gangs to infiltrate, exploit, and dismantle. Enfys Nest and her ‘allies’ will no doubt be a major part going forward. But it doesn’t make a great deal of sense that Han would be cosying up with the Rebellion so soon. After all, he’s still smuggling spice for Jabba the Hutt come A New Hope, and taking freelance jobs from farmboys and Jedi to get Jabba off his back. Hardly seems like the actions of a man allied with the Rebellion. 

And despite the presence of Maul, any Solo sequel would be wise to steer clear of Force-based operatics and stick to the criminal underworld Solo depicts so well in here. If I had my druthers I’d love to see Solo properly employ the Saga’s underutilised bounty hunters in future films. Bossk gets a brief mention here, and there are plenty of other guns for hire floating around the lawless lands, outside the Empire’s control. It’s time a Star Wars movie finally did justice to some of the coolest characters in a galaxy far, far away. Speaking of…

10. When are we getting that Lando spin-off?

Because I need it immediately.

More concerned with what’s hitting cinemas soon? Check out the most anticipated upcoming movies (opens in new tab) of 2018 and beyond. 

The post The Solo: A Star Wars Story Ending Explained – 10 questions we need answered appeared first on Game News.

There’s something to be said about the word “Legendary”. In a game about pirates you would think a “Flying Dutchman” or a “Queen Anne’s Revenge” would surface. No, you see, in this game, it would be the unearthly talents that each of the five ships possess that make them legendary.

The Legendary Ships that you can unlock by taking over the forts in each of the four corners of the map aren’t all that fancy looking, but they will absolutely make sure they give you a Legendary challenge. Once the 4 forts have been taken over, you will then see the large red ships appear on the map, out in the middle of nowhere in each corner.

Before you even consider taking on any of the Legendary Ships, you will need to have your ship upgraded fully. You don’t necessarily need the elite upgrades, although I would suggest it for the hull. That elite upgrade can be found in the San Ignacio Wreck. The cannons, heavy shot, chain-shots, mortars, and swivels will all need to be up to the fullest however.

For your troubles, once you defeat all 5 Legendary Ships, you will receive the Devil of the Caribbean achievement/trophy as well as a special charge attack.

Table of Contents

• HMS Prince
• La Dama Negra
• HMS Fearless/Royal Sovereign
• El Impoluto

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