In most cases, these languages are developed up to the point of being useful for movie or cinematic dialogue, but some have evolved further into fully developed languages that can be used during coherent conversations. Klingon and Elvish are the first that usually come to mind, and though the latter doesn’t actually belong to the sci-fi category, it’s one of the most, if not the most, developed fictional language spoken by the fans.

From Doctor Who’s Gallifreyan, which was recently brought to life by the BBC’s Gallifreyan Translator, Star Trek’s Klingon, and Futurama’s Alienish, to Avatar’s Na’vi, we’ve comprised the list of five sci-fi languages fans of the genre should try and learn.

Elvish

While J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings universe doesn’t belong to the sci-fi genre, the creator of Elvish is most often credited as the first person to invent entire complex languages, purely for the fun of it — there are other made-up languages, such as Esperanto, that predate Tolkien’s work, but these were exclusively conceptualized with real-world applications in mind.

Elvish has a total of 7,000 recognized words, and it’s often categorized into two versions: Quenya, spoken by High Elves, and Sindarin, spoken by Grey Elves. Both versions of this language draw their roots from real-world languages, such as Finnish, Welsh, Greek, and Latin. Learning either version of Elvish, however, doesn’t really require any prior knowledge of any of the aforementioned real-world languages, and there are plenty of online resources you can learn from.

Klingon

The Star Trek universe encompasses several television/streaming series and other releases, offering a unique perspective on the wonders and dangers of space travel and exploration while also offering plenty of social commentary. Star Trek’s Klingon might not be the most melodic language from this list or the easiest to learn, but it’s one of the most developed fictional languages, thanks to the franchise’s dedicated fans.

In fact, the language has evolved to the point that several books have been written and published on it. Those behind the franchise often seek voice actors who know at least the basics of Klingon, and the Klingon Language Institute — yes, that’s a real thing — publishes quarterly journals dedicated to helping fans learn the language of this humanoid warrior race from Star Trek.  

Na’vi

The language spoken by the nature-loving tall blue aliens from James Cameron’s Avatar was specifically created for the movie by Paul Frommer. The language was developed with human learners in mind, which is why it actually isn’t too distant from Earth’s languages. It took Frommer six months to develop enough words and vocabulary that would allow James Cameron to develop a script for the movie.

Na’vi originally had only 1,000 words developed for the purpose of the movie, but subsequent video games and other media drove the development further. According to learners, Na’vi is one of the simplest sci-fi languages to learn, as it features many aspects of existing real-life languages but combines certain linguistic elements in a unique way. There are plenty of online resources you can learn from.

Kryptonian

Kryptonian, a language spoken on Superman’s home planet, Krypton, is arguably the hardest of all sci-fi languages, as there are four different written versions of it spread throughout the comics and different media. The comic book version of the language was created by Nelson Bridwell; it features a 118-letter alphabet, and it was used in 1986’s Men of Steel, as well as in subsequent releases.

Another version of this language was created by Christine Schreyer for 2013’s Man of Steel, starring Henry Cavill. This version features Kryptonian symbols, which represent syllables instead of individual letters, or glyphs, which represent entire words or concepts. Both versions have many written guides, alphabets, and translations available online.

Huttese

Huttese is a fictional language spoken by the slug-like species known as the Hutt in Star Wars — the most notable of whom is Jabba the Hutt. There are other artificial languages written for Star Wars, including Ewokese and Shyriiwook, which are spoken by Ewoks and Chewbacca, respectively. However, none of these other languages from Star Wars are as prominent as Huttese, which isn’t fully developed but has its own alphabet and a vocabulary containing some 600 words.

Honorable Mention: Gallifreyan

Given the renewed popularity of Doctor Who, we would be remiss not to mention Gallifreyan. There are several different versions of this language, including Old High Gallifreyan, Modern Gallifreyan, and Circular Gallifreyan. The first two are written using mathematical formulae and different symbols, while the latter consists of interlocking circles, hexagons, and lines. For those interested in taking a look at circular Gallifreyan, BBC just released a Gallifreyan translator.

Final Thoughts

Though it might seem whimsical at first, learning a fictional language is a fantastic gateway to exploring the creativity, culture, and community within a fandom. Whether it’s the elegance of Elvish or the grit of Klingon, each of these languages offers a unique perspective on its fictional universe, and learning them could help you find a deeper connection to the narratives and stories you love.

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One of many aspects of what makes the game great and more immersive for players is the clothing of the characters and how well that clothing fits within the game’s setting. Unique costumes will always be more memorable for gamers, and they often end up becoming popular inspirations for beautiful cosplay creations among fans. Just like books, no games should be judged by their respective covers but by their contents, and character clothing and design make up a good chunk of it. So, we’re here to discuss some of the best video games for players who are in it just for the fashion.

Saints Row Series

One of the things the Saints Row series is known for, besides its over-the-top action and humor, is its approach to player customization — especially when it comes to character clothing. The first game, released in 2006, was relatively grounded when it came to aesthetics, focusing mostly on urban streetwear that reflected the gritty gang-centric theme of the game. Character customization was there, but it was very limited.

The 2008 sequel expanded the customization options by adding a wardrobe system that allowed players to mix and match different pieces of clothing to create unique styles. This is also the first game in which the Saints’ purple branding became more integral to character costumes. The third Saints Row game dove head first into the bizarre and comedic when it came to clothing, reflecting the shift from Saints’ street-level gang to a ludicrous crime empire.

Lies of P

If 2015’s Bloodborne and 2019’s Sekiro had a child, that child would be Lies of P: a souls-like that’s loosely based on The Adventures of Pinocchio that blends steampunk and Belle Epoque elements. The game doesn’t feature a traditional armor system like other games from the genre; instead, it relies on costumes that are purely cosmetical and don’t carry any stats like in more traditional roleplaying games.

The game starts with P dressed relatively simply, with clean lines and minimal ornamentation, highlighting his puppet origins. However, as the game progresses, players can unlock and equip various clothing sets, some of which feature intricate tailoring and luxurious fabrics, giving P a more noble appearance. Blue Blood’s Tailcoat, Red Fox’s Hunting Apparel, the Great Venigni’s Signature Coat, and White Lady’s Hunting Clothes are among undoubtedly the nicest costumes in the entire game.

Devil May Cry Series

The Devil May Cry gaming series — which is about to receive its anime adaptation from Netflix — is as much about stylish fashion as it is about stylish combat. Dante, the game’s protagonist, is nothing but stylish, and his wardrobe is the epitome of cool. Admittedly, his costumes do evolve over the course of the games, but the staples remain: red coat, leather, and an effortlessly rebellious vibe. Dante debuts with a striking red trench coat paired with a bare chest under a red harness and black leather pants. This look becomes the defining visual for the series.

In the fourth game, Dante sports a longer, more tailored red coat with intricate patterns, blending his rebellious nature with the sophistication that comes with age. The style doesn’t really change in the fifth game, but the leather coat begins showing signs of wear. Virgil’s wardrobe contrasts Dante’s style, emphasizing the twin’s elegance, discipline, and calculated demeanor, while Trish and Lady receive different costumes throughout the games that fit their femme fatale style.

Bayonetta

Bayonetta is a masterclass in high fashion blended with supernatural themes and combat-ready functionality. Bayonetta’s costumes emphasize elegance, sensuality, and power, as they’re the extension of her confidence and her identity as an Umbra Witch. For those who haven’t played the games, Bayonetta’s default outfit in the first game is made entirely of her magical hair.

Not to mention that she sports the best-looking set of high heels ever, with two guns strapped to Bayonetta’s high-heeled boots, which allows her to perform devastating attacks using her legs. This gives combat a rather unique feel that adheres well to the gaming series’ focus on stylish action. Bayonetta’s costume is often a favorite among cosplay fans.

The Witcher 3

Witcher 3 is among the most aesthetically pleasing games on the current market and features some great character costumes. While Geralt’s outfits are cool and have different stats, the female characters in the game sport some really interesting clothing. Geralt’s own armor sets inspire Ciri’s classical look, but it’s more balanced out with subtle royal undertones, while Triss’ attire features warmer tones, such as deep red and green, which symbolize her nurturing and approachable nature.

The biggest stand-out here is Yennefer’s costumes; her sleek and stylish black-and-white outfits often emphasize her refined and straightforward personality. One of the best costumes is the fur-lined jacket over a corset and leather trousers, which are both aesthetically pleasing and quite functional.

Honorable Mention: Aveline de Grandpré

Assassin’s Creed III: Liberation, which is currently only available through Steam, has one of the most unique wardrobe systems in the entire franchise. Aveline’s clothing is a part of the game’s Persona system, which allows Aveline to blend into various social environments by adopting three different roles: Assassin, Lady, and Slave. Each of these has its own costumes and gameplay perks, encouraging players to adapt to different situations in the game more creatively. Though the game didn’t fare very well among fans, Aveline’s costumes were praised for their innovation.

Final Thoughts

Though an aesthetic afterthought for many, video game fashion is a cornerstone of immersive storytelling and gaming experiences. And for gaming audiences who appreciate the attention to detail woven into every piece of clothing in games, the aforementioned titles prove that fashion in games isn’t just bonus content; it’s also a key part of adventure.

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Well, the time travel trope isn’t a novelty in any kind of fiction. It’s actually a well-established element of many sci-fi narratives, but also other genres, where time travel happens when the protagonist has either hit a dead end in their adventure or has already given up on fixing a particular problem through conventional means and methods. We’ve seen this happen in plenty of Marvel’s works and adaptations, starting with Avengers: Endgame, but also X-Men: Days of Future Past and many comic books.

While many works of fiction try to keep the slate as clean as possible and not overcomplicate things, X-Men doesn’t seem to pull its punches when it comes to the weirdest temporal retcons born of convenience. For example, nobody questions Skynet’s logic behind sending a killer robot against Sarah Connor because the premise is simple: the machine kills the boy’s mother, and she doesn’t give birth to a post-Judgment-Day rebellion leader, thus eliminating any threat the boy might have against its claim to the future.

But that’s not the case with X-Men; the time travel element in these stories doesn’t seem to follow any discernible rule or pattern. For example, X-Men: Days of Future Past deals with time travel in a somewhat linear manner, believing that by stopping Raven from killing Nixon, they could stop the Sentinel program and ultimately prevent the grim events that took place at the beginning of the movie from ever becoming a reality.

But X-Men ’97 somewhat ignores this linearity. For example, Dr. Sinister infects Madelyne Pryor and Scott Summers’ son, Nathan, with the Techno-Organic Virus before the infant is taken to the future by Bishop in hopes of finding a cure for the infection. He’s eventually not cured, but being a powerful mutant himself, Nathan is capable of stopping the further cyber-conversion of his body caused by the TO virus.

Nathan later becomes known as Cable, who uses time-traveling technology to go back in ancient history and try to kill Apocalypse. However, he fails to do so and ends up infecting the ancient mutant with the very same TO virus that enhances En Sabah Nur’s abilities. Apocalypse then purposefully manipulates Dr. Sinister to create the virus and infect Nathan/Cable, ensuring that the latter would go back in time to deliver the virus to Apocalypse’s former self so that he would gain the powers he currently possesses.

So, he basically made a time loop that would perpetually spin and help Apocalypse transfer the virus throughout history to ensure his own empowerment. This is an issue on its own because it doesn’t answer the question of who had infected whom with the TO virus and who was the first of the two mutants to carry the pathogen. Additionally, Marvel introduced a rule across all of its IPs, stating that you can’t actually change the past or the future; you can only create divergent timelines.

Thus, if anyone were to try and stop the Genosha Genocide from happening, they wouldn’t be able to prevent the horrific events. They would simply create an alternate timeline in which the event was averted. If a time traveler such as Cable were to do that, he could either stay in the new timeline where the Genoshan Genocide never took place or return to his own timeline to find that nothing has changed — thus eliminating the supposed linearity of time and time travel.

This is particularly true when we consider the season finale of X-Men ’97, in which Cyclops and Jean go to 3960 CE, where they encounter a young Nathan, while Rogue, Magneto, and Xavier are transported to Ancient Egypt in 3000 BCE, where they meet En Sabah Nur — the young version of Apocalypse who still hasn’t adapted the TO virus. And there’s also a mid-credit scene in which Apocalypse finds one of Gambit’s playing cards in present-day Genosha.

Given that you can’t change the future’s past, Bishop might’ve come to the past to change the X-Men’s future from becoming similar to his, but he didn’t change his past and always returns to his original timeline. This means that Apocalypse holding Gambit’s card is the original timeline of the series, as well as Ancient Egypt. Additionally, Jean and Scott’s travel to 3960 CE are alternate timelines created as a consequence of time displacement: the burgeoning timelines that Time Variance Authority is in charge of pruning.

However, this doesn’t imply that time travel in X-Men ’97 is a mere narrative trick to cover up lazy writing. It’s actually a vital element of the show that adds depth, excitement, and complexity to the series and its narrative by introducing us to the future versions of characters, resurrected heroes, and new threats. As we’ve seen from these examples, it can get a bit messy.

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But before we familiarize ourselves with Sheila Atim’s career and why she’s the best choice for reintroducing one of gothic fiction’s most iconic queens to a whole new generation of viewers, let’s take a side-step to discuss the upcoming series, The Vampire Lestat. For those who haven’t seen Season 2 of The Interview with the Vampire, which first aired in May 2024, please beware, the following paragraphs contain spoilers.

Though it sounds like an entirely new series adjacent to The Interview with the Vampire, based on Anne Rice’s fantastic novels, The Vampire Lestat is actually Season 3 of the show, just rebranded with a new title. The first two seasons adapted the first book of the same name, and followed the vampire Louis recounting his past and tumultuous relationship with his maker, the vampire Lestat. At some point in Season 2, it’s revealed that Louis did not have the un-beating heart to actually kill Lestat, and that the latter is alive and well, with the series ending seeing the two reunited once again.

Due to its success, the series has been renewed for the third season and, given that it covers the events of the second book in Anne Rice’s The Vampire Chronicles, has been “rebranded” to The Vampire Lestat, aptly adhering to the second book’s title. The second book covers the events following The Interview with the Vampire, Lestat’s origins, and his encounter with Akasha, the progenitor of all vampires. This is where Sheila Atim comes in, bringing a depth of theatrical and screen experience to the role.

In The Vampire Lestat novel, Akasha is depicted as the most powerful and ancient figure in vampire lore, whose tragedy is inseparable from her power. She’s the origin and undoing of all vampires, who slept beneath centuries of dust until Lestat’s music and his pure rockstar aura-farming woke her from her slumber. Her re-emergence shifts the story completely, and the power dynamic between her as the creator of vampires and vampires as her creations shakes the vampire world to its core.

Her own origins as a mortal queen becoming the first vampire, her dual nature as both the creator and the destroyer, and her longing for companionship, particularly from Lestat, make her an immensely complex character to portray. This portrayal demands experience and depth, and given her award-winning stage work and her roles in film and television, such as The Woman King, Bruised, The Underground Railroad, and Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, Sheila Atim will undoubtedly deliver an astounding performance.

Atim also steps into a role famously portrayed by Aaliyah in the 2002 movie Queen of the Damned, which adapted sections from Anne Rice’s The Vampire Lestat and Queen of the Damned novels. The cinematic adaptation, though really entertaining, is only loosely based on the original material, which diminishes its storytelling quality. But it did introduce Aaliyah’s version of Akasha to the world, transforming the character from a literary myth into a pop-culture icon, untouchable, unapologetic, and beautifully dangerous.

Given her talent, Atim’s upcoming portrayal has the potential to honor Aaliyah’s legacy while also depicting Akasha’s depth and complexity as they were written by Rice. Atim’s previous performances showed that the actress doesn’t just perform her roles, but also inhabits them, and her upcoming portrayal could give us Akasha that’s ancient, intelligent, enduring, and quietly devastating. Of course, Atim’s upcoming performance will undoubtedly draw comparisons between hers and Aaliyah’s version of the character.

But those comparisons don’t have to be competitive in nature, because they can be viewed as a continuation. While the previous works, like The Interview with the Vampire and Queen of the Damned movies, did make some significant deviations from the source material, Aaliyah’s performance made Akasha into an immortal pop icon. Atim’s performance can still build on that legacy instead of trying to replace or surpass it, and expand the character further.

Sadly, we’ll have to wait until 2026 to witness Sheila Atim’s performance, as The Vampire Lestat still lacks a precise release date. For those interested in the character she’s set to portray, we strongly encourage you to watch The Queen of the Damned from 2002; the movie might’ve blasphemed against Anne Rice’s work, but it’s entertaining if you like goth culture and exceptionally good soundtracks. Also, Talamasca has also premiered, and the series unpacks even more of Anne Rice’s Immortal Universe.

The post Who Is Sheila Atim, the Queen of the Damned in ‘The Vampire Lestat’? appeared first on Black Girl Nerds.

Robert’s old-school approach to life, combined with the attempts to navigate the modern world and societal norms while also raising two very spirited grandsons, Huey and Riley, provided the audiences with a treasure trove of life lessons that transcend the boundaries of the fictional suburb in which they lived. So, we’re here to explore five life lessons from Grandad from The Boondocks that taught us about life, love, and Woodcrest.

Appreciating Differences

Grandad really values his friends — as most of them are… well, dead. However, his interactions with the living, like Uncle Ruckus and Tom and Sara DuBois, highlight another important lesson: the value of appreciating differences in those we deem friends. Grandad’s relationship with Uncle Ruckus is perhaps among the most complex in the show because the latter always provides viewpoints that starkly contrast Grandad’s beliefs. Yet again, Grandad tolerates Ruckus and engages with him in a begrudging friendship.

Something similar could be said about his relationship with the DuBois family. Tom and Sara are an interracial couple, which contrasts Grandad’s more traditional views; he never wanted to be friends with them, but his tolerance of them speaks volumes about how Grandad sees friendship — it’s not about agreement on all aspects of life, it’s about understanding and respecting different perspectives.

Remember Where You Come From

Throughout much of the series, Grandad often reminisced about the old days. This portrayed him as a grumpy old man and sometimes relic of the past who more often than not was just trying to find his footing in the present, which provides great entertainment value because he would often fail hilariously in his attempts to adapt to the new ways of a social media fueled era.

However, as often as he might’ve struggled with contemporary societal trends — like modern dating, entrepreneurship, and trying to be “cool” with the new kids — he never allowed anything to shake his core values. From his insistence on discipline to his respect for tradition, Grandad showed the audiences that it’s possible to adapt to change, or at least try to, without losing sight of where you come from.

It’s Never Too Late

Grandad’s love life in the series was a rollercoaster, and his romantic escapades ranged from pursuing a young gold digger to his entanglement with a kung-fu master of the White Lotus style — the deadliest styler there is, according to the Boondocks’ own master martial artist, Huey. So, it’s safe to say that Grandad’s relationships were nothing if not complicated. Through his amorous misadventures, Grandad exposed the multifaceted nature of love and relationships, showing us that love isn’t all that simple.

This actually teaches us a few valuable lessons. It’s never too late to seek love, but one must approach it with a mix of soft heart and discernment because love, as integral as it can be to the human experience, can also be quite messy and challenging. Grandad’s relationships throughout the series taught us about the pitfalls of infatuation, the importance of self-respect, seeing beyond the surface, and having the courage to walk away from toxic situations, especially if you’re dating a White Lotus kung-fu master who has been raised by wolves.

Value Community

To be entirely honest, Grandad often seems very self-centered throughout the whole show, but the truth is that his interactions with other residents of Woodcrest, hilarious as they might be, illustrate the importance of community. His actions in the show, from his attempts to start a business to standing up to local bullies and dealing with neighborly disputes, showed us that being a part of a community means actively contributing to said community, not just living in it.

Humor Is a Survival Tool

Using humor to cope with the seriousness and difficulties in life is perhaps the most important lesson we can learn from Grandad. Amidst all the chaos and the challenges associated with trying to raise his two grandsons, struggling with contemporary trends, finding love, and trying to be an active member of the Woodcrest community, Grandad often employed humor to navigate through life’s complications. Grandad’s witty one-liners and deadpan deliveries are the embodiment of humor that reminds us that laughter can be the best of medicines when it seems like the times are tough.  

Final Thoughts

In the end, Grandad’s character was a treasure trove of real-life lessons; he was far from the perfect character, but he was very real. Despite being a fictionalized amalgamation of forgotten civil rights figures and disgruntled AARP members, the lessons he taught us about life remain universal, as they remind us of the values that make us who we are and the humor that keeps us going.

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Besides great animation and unique style, BTAS remains best known for its original characters, storylines, and iconic villains — some of which were created specifically for the animated show. While some have been forgotten by the fandom, the others were so loved that they eventually made canon and transitioned into the wider DC universe, showcasing the series’ lasting influence on Batman’s rogue gallery. Here are five villains that owe their existence to Batman: The Animated Series.

HARDAC

Even BTAS took a shot at killer machines with Holographic Analytical Reciprocating Digital Android Computer or HARDAC. This giant supercomputer was invented by Dr. Karl Rossum and appears in a three-episode story arc in which it goes haywire and attempts to become the Batman version of Skynet. It even creates Terminator-like robots, including the Batman duplicate.

Fortunately, the latter proves to be its undoing; the Batman duplicate suffers an existential crisis when it learns of its machine origins, betrays its creator, and helps the real Batman pull the plug on the maniacal supercomputer — which subsequently destroys it too. The episode ends with Batman wondering whether his android duplicate had a soul — and we wonder whether it dreamed of electric sheep.

Red Claw

This Eastern European femme fatale was the head of an international terrorist organization and is only known by the red claw mark tattooed on her shoulder since her real identity and past aren’t revealed in the series. Other than issuing threats and ransom demands against powerful countries and enemies, the Red Claw’s organization’s main agenda remains unknown.

She first came to Gotham City shortly after Batman’s first encounter with Catwoman at the beginning of BTAS and has appeared in two more episodes (in total) during the show’s run. Fortunately, her role didn’t end there, as she’s one of the few original baddies from the series who made it from BTAS to mainstream DC continuity and became a canonical character — though it took DC three decades to do so.

Baby Doll

People often say that many good things come in small packages but tend to forget that the same applies to poison. This is particularly true when it comes to Baby Doll, a Batman villain who appears as a 5-year-old girl — “appears” being the keyword here. Marion Louise Dahl was a 40-year-old actor born with a rare condition that stunted her growth, trapping her in a 5-year-old’s body.

Marion gained fame while playing Baby Doll in-universe, but that star status eventually faded, and the actress was subsequently shunned for her stature and disorder. This made it difficult for her to land new roles, causing Marion to slip into depression and eventually descent into insanity. She assumed the alias of Baby Doll and turned to a life of crime. Batman and Robin intervened, and the character has developed a cult following. Sadly, she didn’t become a canonical character.

Lock-Up

Lock-Up is actually the first BTAS villain that, despite being created specifically for the series, entered the mainline DC continuity. Lyle Bolton, as is his original name, was initially a guard at the Arkham Asylum and was known for using any means necessary to keep the prisoners in line.

However, after he had stepped over some boundaries, Arkham fired him, so he assumed the identity of Lock-Up and turned to vigilantism before the writers turned him into a minor villain. Though he made only one single appearance in the series, Lock-Up was eventually brought into the main storyline in 1996’s Robin #24 and has appeared in numerous DC comics since.

Harley Quinn

Believe it or not, Harley Quinn wasn’t a canonical character before BTAS aired. Instead, she was created specifically for the series as a sidekick to Mark Hamil’s Joker. Furthermore, the character was originally intended to appear for a single episode, but the producers of BTAS really enjoyed her character, so they ended up keeping her in the show.

Ever since her debut in the series, Harley has not only become a recurring character and Joker’s love interest, but she has recently turned into an anti-hero and become one of DC Comics’ most popular and profitable characters. She has even received her own animated series.

Final Thoughts

Batman: The Animated Series may have debuted over three decades ago, but its impact on the Batman mythos remains undeniable. Not only did it introduce some of the most iconic villains from the Batman universe, but it also influenced the larger DC universe and still continues to shape the world of Gotham City for both the fans and the scribes who continue to write about and build upon the legacy of the Caped Crusader.

The post 5 Batman Villains That Owe Their Existence to ‘Batman: The Animated Series’ appeared first on Black Girl Nerds.

Many of Stephen King’s adaptations fail, primarily because film, as a medium, is completely external and sensory, while fear and fright are much more instinctual, emotional experiences. Add creative liberties and the lack of proper emotional connection with the characters, and it becomes quite apparent why cinematic adaptations of good novels, such as The Dark Tower or Graveyard Shift, utterly failed and flopped at the box office.

Fortunately, the same does not apply to IT; the original miniseries adaptation was a fantastic hit among King fans and fans of horror in general, and the same can be said for its 2017 remake. That particular movie received its Chapter Two, which concluded the story of the demonic entity that assumes the form of Pennywise the Dancing Clown. Or did it? While IT: Chapter Two wasn’t as successful as the first movie, it gave birth to a media franchise that focuses on the tragic events of Derry, Maine, and the shapeshifting malevolent entity that has been terrorizing its residents.

IT: Welcome to Derry is the newest entry in the media franchise. It’s a television/streaming series developed by Andy and Barbara Muschietti and serves as a prequel to the movies, diving further into a much darker and horrific history of Derry, including the story of the Black Spot tragedy. The series’ narrative is inspired by Mike Hanlon’s interludes woven throughout Stephen King’s IT novels, which are presented as entries in Mike’s journal and document Derry dark past and its connections to the malevolent entity known as IT.

Mike is the only member of the Losers Club who has stayed in Derry. He becomes the town’s librarian and spends his time investigating and documenting Derry’s dark past and how certain tragic events connect to the sightings and killings of IT. That’s why Mike’s interludes exist in the novel’s narrative, as they add more context to IT and its connection to Derry and its history. In the second interlude, adult Mike Hanlon pays a visit to his cancer-stricken father, Will Hanlon, in the hospital and hears the tale that Will kept secret from Mike for a very long time.

Namely, the narrative opens up with Will’s story from his days spent in the Air Force, when he and his friends opened a nightclub called the Black Spot. The club was mostly aimed at Black patrons, providing them with a safe place to enjoy and spend the night. However, the evils of men never sleep, and the club was eventually swarmed and burned down by the radicalized white supremacist group known as the Maine Legion of White Decency. Sadly, many of the patrons didn’t make it to safety and remained trapped inside the building.

If the name sounds familiar, Dick Hallorann was the head chef at the Overlook Hotel in Colorado in Stephen King’s The Shining. Will Hanlon’s recounting of the event also mentions a giant bird that snatched a victim in its talons amidst the chaos caused by the fire. As if the appearance of the giant bird snatching people in the middle of the tragedy isn’t disturbing enough, the novel describes a giant bird that doesn’t hover.

Instead, the giant bird in Will’s story floated in the air, suspended by balloons attached to each of its wings. At this point, it becomes quite evident to the readers that the bird is just one of many shapes assumed by the trans-dimensional entity that lures and devours children in IT. And that’s not all; the story of the Black Spot is just one of many stories Mike uncovers as he tracks the shapeshifter’s decades- possibly centuries-long reign of terror in Derry.

Collectively, these interludes woven throughout the main narrative of the IT novels became the inspiration for the series. However, just as with movies, Andy Muschietti introduced several changes to the interludes so that they could better match his movies. Namely, the Losers Club first meets IT in 1958 in the novel before confronting it again in 1985 as adults. The original IT miniseries adheres to this timeline, with the novels’ interludes placing the Black Spot tragedy in the 1930s.

However, Andy Muschietti’s 2017 IT remake changed the time setting of King’s novels to 1989 and 2016. Precisely 27 years apart, these dates change the time setting for the Black Spot tragedy to 1962, 27 years before the events of the first remake film. Since the movies focus on the mainline narrative, a television/screening series is the perfect vehicle to explore the history of Derry and Pennywise.

This nine-episode series builds on King’s themes of friendship, loss, and fear as a weapon while weaving in Derry’s haunted past, every 27-year cycle of terror, and Pennywise’s dormant period, giving fans deeper insight into the entity’s horrific legacy. IT: Welcome to Derry is scheduled to premiere on HBO and stream on Max in 2025, with Andy Muschietti directing four out of nine episodes, including the premiere.

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And while some painted Laveau as a raggedy hag preying on the superstitious, it turns out she was quite the opposite. Laveau rose to fame as a healer and herbalist who sought to preserve Voodoo as an African belief system, melding its religious ceremonies with the sacraments and iconography of Catholicism. Her practices, along with her enigmatic persona, ensured that her legacy as the Voodoo Queen of New Orleans remains untarnished while still being shrouded in mystery.

Halloween is here and this is the perfect opportunity to discuss six true but spine-tingling facts about Marie Laveau:

She Was a Voodoo Queen

Marie Laveau is believed to have been born as a free woman of color near the end of the 18^th century in the French Quarter of New Orleans, and many have described her as a devout Catholic who went to mass every day of her life. However, by 1830, she became one of several Voodoo Queens of Louisiana—with many speculating that she either learned Voodoo practices from her mother and grandmother, while others believe she learned the mystical religion from a Voodoo doctor known as Doctor John.

Whatever the case may be, it’s known that Laveau combined Voodoo and Catholic traditions, which made the Voodoo practices more acceptable to upper-class New Orleans society, and she quickly rose to the position of The Voodoo Queen of New Orleans, as she took charge of public Voodoo rituals and related ceremonies that were held weekly at Congo Square, where people could mix freely regardless of their race.

She Was a Keeper of Secrets

Though she became the Voodoo Queen, Marie Laveau still had to work. She made a good income selling gris-gris, which were amulets originating from Africa that could protect the wearer from harm. However, she also started a beauty parlor, where she was a hair-dresser for the wealthier families of New Orleans. Using her sharp wit, Laveau excelled at obtaining inside information on her wealthy patrons at the parlor by listening to the ladies gossiping. Many scholars now believe that she used this knowledge to enhance her image as a clairvoyant, using the information to provide the clients with practical advice.

The Whisperer of the Final Words

The ladies’ gossip wasn’t the only secret she kept. She also ministered to prisoners and offered guidance and redemption through Christ, often listening to the stories and last words of prisoners on death row. It’s known that Marie Laveau also sought pardons for those she favored, and she would often succeed in securing pardons or at least paying bail.

But the imprisoned and wealthy weren’t the only ones to confide in her. Laveau was known to care for the sick in her community during the yellow fever epidemic of 1878 by providing herbal remedies, and her presence was so powerful that many dying individuals in New Orleans requested her to be by their bedside during their final moments.  

She Was a Potion Mistress

Though we made it sound class or sub-class (depending on the game), Marie Laveau was well-known for her vast knowledge of herbs, roots, and other natural ingredients that were often used for brewing potions. Marie Laveau was known as a potion mistress, with many of the time claiming that she brewed potions that could cure ailments, bring love, or even exact revenge. In fact, many would come to her seeking her unique concoctions in the hope of changing their fate or the fates of others.

Some rumors also stated that death row prisoners would receive poison or other substances before going to the gallows, but this was never proven. It was known, however, that she would prepare them their last meal and prey with them.

The Snake Rituals

During her career as a Voodoo Queen, Laveau made her way to Maison Blanche, which was an underground Voodoo club, where she would perform more elaborate rituals involving snakes. Laveau was known for using snakes in some of her rituals, particularly rituals to evoke the spirit of Great Zombi, with Laveau interpreting the snake’s hisses and relaying the Great Zambi’s guidance to her audience.

The Immortal Voodoo Queen

Following her passing, The New York Times, The New Orleans Picayune, and Daily States described Maria Laveau as a woman of great beauty, intellect, and charisma who was also pious, charitable, and a skilled herbal healer. And though the exact time and location of Marie Laveau’s passing are known, many claimed to have seen her wandering the French Quarter, even decades after her supposed death.

Furthermore, it’s generally believed that she’s been buried in the Glapion family crypt in Saint Louis Cemetery No. 1, though this has been largely disputed by many individuals and scholars. There’s another crypt in Cemetery No. 2, known as the Wishing Vault or the Voodoo Vault, where visitors draw X’s on its white slab in the hope that the Voodoo Queen would grant them a wish. It’s important to note that there’s no real evidence that it’s Laveau’s tomb, but still, hundreds of visitors each year flock to the site in the hopes that Marie will turn an ear to their deepest and darkest desires.

Final Thoughts

Despite all the lore and legends surrounding her life, Maria Laveau did well. She was beloved in the New Orleans community and had the power to give good advice, regardless of whether that power was derived from the supernatural or not. Her actions, such as ministering to those in need and attending to the sick while also providing good advice to those who would listen, made Laveau not only a jewel within the fabric of the city, but landed her in the pages of history forevermore.

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So, for the restless undead (and we’re playfully referring to the living here), we’d like to introduce you to five spine-chilling places in the American South that are sure to leave you with goosebumps.

Myrtles Plantation, St. Francisville

The Myrtles Plantation is located in historic St. Francisville, Louisiana (of course it is) and has gained a national reputation for being one of the most haunted places in the U.S., said to be home to a ghostly enslaved girl named Chloe. Chloe worked on the plantation as a nanny in the early 1800s, and according to the tales, she was killed on the property.

Legend has it that Chloe was severely mistreated, after which she baked a cake that contained extracts of boiled and reduced oleander leaves, which are extremely poisonous. Only the homeowner’s wife and their two daughters ate the cake and died from the poison. Chloe was supposedly hanged by other slaves and thrown in the Mississippi River to escape punishment for harboring her.

However, the story has factual inaccuracies, some of which are well-documented. Still, some believe that Chloe still haunts the plantation.

The Witch of Yazoo, Yazoo City

The legend of the Witch of Yazoo states that the witch would lure the fishermen off the river and torture them until, one day, someone looked through her window and caught her doing just that. By the time the sheriff came over, the witch had escaped through the back door but had fallen into quicksand. As the witch drowned, she said that she would return and burn the city down to the ground.

Some 20 years later in 1904, the city suffered a devastating fire that razed the city, consuming over 200 residences, many businesses, countless victims, and all but one church in Yazoo City. What makes the legend even scarier is the fact that the flames leaped through the air and spread significantly, even though no high winds were recorded that day.

Furthermore, the chains that were wrapped around the witch’s tombstone, which would prevent her spirit from returning, had been found broken the day after the fire.

Moon River Brewing Company, Savannah

Savannah, Georgia, is known as one of the most haunted cities in America. The Moon River Brewing Company stands out as the city’s paranormal hot spot. The building initially opened in 1821 as the City Hotel, drawing famous guests, including the naturalist James Audubon. It closed during the Civil War but continued to operate in part as a yellow fever hospital, with many people dying behind its walls — some of them quite violently.

Both employees and visitors have shared stories of supposed paranormal activity, including feelings of being pushed or touched by an unseen presence, as well as experiencing sudden cold spots. There are, of course, reports of seeing ghostly apparitions. These are especially common in the basement of the former hotel, even after the Moon River Brewing Company opened as a brewpub in 1999.

Waverly Hills Sanatorium, Louisville

“Robbing the Cradle” from Thief: Deadly Shadows is regarded as one of the scariest levels in the history of video games. Its designers studied mental asylums, abandoned hospitals and other reportedly haunted buildings, such as Waverly Hills Sanatorium, for inspiration.

Waverly Hills Sanatorium was opened in 1910 as a two-story facility that accommodated 40 to 50 tuberculosis cases, which ravaged Jefferson County in the early 1900s. It was later expanded to hold more than 400 patients in 1926 but became obsolete in 1943 after the introduction of streptomycin.

It was reopened in 1962 as a nursing home for the elderly with various stages of dementia and mobility issues, as well as a facility for the severely mentally handicapped. However, there were reports of patient neglect due to overcrowding and understaffing. There were plans to turn the hospital into a prison, but those were not successful.

Since thousands died within its walls, many believe that their spirits still linger. There are reports of shadowy figures, disembodied screams, and unexplained cold spots reported by those visiting this Halloween attraction.

Carolina Theater, Greensboro

Theaters often have ghost lights, which are single bulbs left at the end of the night for safety reasons — mostly to deter thieves. However, theaters are also notoriously superstitious places due to centuries of tradition, folklore, and ritualistic practices that are often associated with the unpredictability of live performances — hence the saying “break a leg” instead of “good luck.”

However, when it comes to the Carolina Theater, the light also helps appease any ghosts residing in the theater, especially that of Melvelina Ferguson, who is believed to have died in a fire that broke out following a performance. Many believe that Melvelina herself likely started the fire.

Closing Thoughts

As Halloween draws close and the shadows of the night grow longer, these haunted places in the South remind us of the eerie stories that still linger in the dark corners of history. And for those who like to feel a little chill along with a heart-pumping thrill, visiting these places promises the the chance of bringing the supernatural to life. Just in time for Halloween.

The post 5 Places in the South That Are Notoriously Haunted appeared first on Black Girl Nerds.

Now, with HBO’s Welcome to Derry promising to explore the origins of IT and the hidden depths of the mythology King has created, the fanbase is brimming with expectations, one of which regards the mysterious ritual. Will the upcoming series finally unravel the secrets behind the Ritual of Chüd and bring clarity to King’s mind-bending lore? Well, this remains to be seen sometime in October 2025, when the series is scheduled for release. In the meantime, we can discuss the Ritual of Chüd as it appeared in the movies and novels.

Since the series builds upon the adaptations directed by Andy Muschietti, we’ll reference those movies instead of Tommy Lee Wallace’s 1990 miniseries that, for many, was the first introduction to IT. It’s also worth pointing out that the Ritual of Chüd depicted in the recent IT adaptations is somewhat different compared to that described in the novels, and because of that, we’ll start from the source material.

In the novels, Bill Denbrough was the first to learn of this ritual when he stumbled upon the information about it in a book called Night’s Truth at the Derry Public Library. He also learned that IT was part of an ancient and malevolent race of shapeshifters called Glamours, who were known by many cultures under many different names, and that the Ritual of Chüd was the only way to defeat the old monster Himalayans recognized as Taelus.  

The ritual itself comes from the old Himalayan belief and involves a holy man staring into the monster’s eye, with both of them biting into each other’s overlapped tongues. The two take turns telling riddles until one of them laughs despite the pain. If the Taelus laughs first, it gets sent away for a hundred years, but if the holy man laughs first, the Taelus (known to readers of this story as IT) gets to eat the man’s soul. It’s also important to note that the Ritual of Chüd actually involves a metaphysical confrontation with IT rather than a purely physical encounter.

During their childhood battle with IT, the Losers experience the shapeshifter in various terrifying forms that prey on their personal fears. However, Bill Denbrough’s connection to IT during the Ritual of Chüd stands out in the novels because he’s the only one who engages IT on a deeper, more metaphysical level after enacting the ritual. Being thrust towards the Macroverse and the dreaded Deadlights, which represent the essence of IT’s power and its otherworldly nature, Bill also comes across Maturin the Turtle.

Maturin is somewhat of a benevolent Lovecraftian god-creature who accidentally created our universe by throwing up. While he doesn’t actually teach Bill the ritual itself, Maturin offers guidance and insight into a broader struggle against IT, showing him how the Losers’ actions tie into a much larger universal struggle between good and evil. Bill then starts battling IT telepathically, and the Losers end up defeating the monster but ignore Maturin’s advice to finish IT off, and IT supposedly escapes.

Twenty-seven years later, when IT returned to terrorize the people of Derry, the now-adult Losers came back to stop IT. Bill was once again the first to face IT, but without his childlike imagination, he is weaker in the battle. Still, the losers are eventually able to use the Ritual of Chüd to overpower IT, and Bill ends up crushing IT’s still-beating heart between his hands, finally putting an end to Pennywise the Dancing Clown.

However, in Andy Muschetti’s It Chapter Two, the Ritual of Chüd also appears, but in a very different form and not by name. In the movie, Mike visits the local Native American tribes as an adult and discovers the ritual in a vision induced by the tribe’s sacred root herb called Maturin. The ritual involves exposing IT’s true form as the Deadlights and trapping them inside the Native American tribe’s ceremonial Sealing Jar, which is strong enough to trap evil IT. The ritual proves to be ineffective in the movie.

But, the Losers still succeed in killing Pennywise by making him believe that he’s small and weak, allowing them to expose his heart and crush it together with their hands, finally killing the ancient evil once and for all. The movie significantly simplifies many elements of King’s original ritual, but for those who haven’t read the book, the message remains the same: without belief, there’s no such thing as fear, and without fear as a weapon against its victims, IT is powerless.

It’s worth noting that the introduction of the fictional Shokopiwah tribe and their ceremonial Sealing Jar has been met with some criticism. King’s work, and by extension their adaptations, have often been scrutinized for blending cultural references in ways that feel reductive and appropriative at best. While the Ritual of Chüd plays an important role in IT, its portrayal in It Chapter Two risks oversimplifying Indigenous cultures and traditions for narrative convenience—which is most definitely the case in this movie. 

Welcome to Derry now has the chance to further explore the Ritual of Chüd, its significance, and its ties to Maturin the turtle-god, as well as how it’s used to defeat Pennywise. Done right, this expansion of King’s mythos could further elevate the horror of Welcome to Derry to new, mind-bending levels. But whether or not the series actually explores the Ritual remains to be seen once Welcome to Derry finally drops this month.

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