#i mean ive seen theories that it’s sabine

[terriblygrimm]

one (1) fear: luke isn’t the one to train din with the darksaber and instead it’s someone else

[siren-of-redriver96]

7 hints to Abernathy being the lost Corvus V (theory)

Hi there :)

Hope my obsession with this constantly showing up character will be a litte calm after this post - it’s mostly a summary of earlier ones going over this theory, plus a few new ones ^^

Hope you too ^^ Enjoy :)

_____________________________________________________________

1. Let’s start small - he grew up in America, yet his actor, Kevin Gurthire, is scottish ... when possible so far, people were chosen specifically for some roles, and I feel like, especially with a possible casting pool as wide as the american, they wouldn’t cast someone from Britian just like that ...

2. (see above) Apart from sharing more than enough visuals with the Sabine Crossen (playing Clarisse Lestrange, Corvus Vs mother) to be her son, he is the almost spitting younger image of Keith Chanter aka Corvus IV, facial features, eye colour, everything - we’ll get to a possible new naming for him in relation to his parents by the end. Below, while Sabine Crossen often changes her hair colour, in her one appearence in this movie, it’s definitly his.

3. He would be the right age - born around 1901, Corvus V should be around 25/26, and though he’s already in a high position at the MACUSA when we meet him, he seems by far young enough, especially in TCOG

4. In the beginning scene of the movie, we see him almost drown during Grindelwald’s escape, before being rescued by latter - I think he very well may have in the past once realizing the other baby that would become Credence was safe (and before he became convinced he was a squib since he repressed his magic and couldn’t be the Obscurial either due to his age). It would make sense for him to bring two potential (maybe all he thinks there are) “Great Avengers” to his side - and he may need Corvus in relation to the Lestranges, maybe due to being of the blood of a family of the Sacred 28, maybe due to being entitled to their inheritance - or....

5. ... to have acess to specific tools in their possession? Now we get to the biggest hint for this theory:

Although he is a wanted man by this point (since Spielman survived) Abernathy accompanies Rosier to the French ministry of magic, where they retrieve the Lestrange family tree - and he hands her a bundle to carry it, implying that he’s the one who will take it from the shelf, maybe due to a protective spell that only allows family members to touch it - this thought is furthered by the fact that when we see the box again, in the Lestrange family crypt, he is seen looking right to the spot where it is found later on, in a very significant shot ...

You could even add that, when Leta retrieves it, she summons it directly, maybe to avoid anyone else in the room touching it. He was there to look for his past, and she was there, being the only one knowing the truth (which Grindelwald knew about as well, either over a vision or, exactly, since he was there that day and kept track of them both).

6. Small hint maybe, but we never learn his first name, though he’s there from the first movie on ... JK likes to hide meaning in names, and Abernathy on its’ own is originally from Scotland, aka Gurthires’ home country ...

I wonder if his first name, maybe one Grindelwald gave his adoptive parents, is some variation of Corvus .. maybe a little more hidden like “Bertram” (bright raven, hence the white one on the dark veil towards the finale, maybe even in relation to his mother Clarisse (bright).

Also, JK has used this name before for a fellow student of the Marauders (Bertram Aubrey) :)

7. Last small one: when Grindelwald conjures him a new tounge, it’s split  🐍 

(which you can’t make a pleasing screenshot of, hope that’s okay)

It may be a special reward for his services that grants him the ability to speak and understand parsel - and another hint since later on, Leta is seen being in Slytherin, the House most Lestranges went to, though she’s not like them - maybe another hint to Abernathy not being entirely bad either? Adding this to my notes for sure :D

What do you think, could this be one of the reasons why we see him in this movie so often?

Updates:

...

Could this be one of the reasons why we see him in this movie so often? Did wonder about that too ... also, how would it be for (a hopefully alive) Leta to find out that her brother is alive? Thank you very much for reading :)

Edit: big thanks to thebosd below pointing out that Yusuf still being alive after "Corvus" ' death could be a hint - counting this in as Nr. 8 (makes sense, he may believe that there's something or someone unknown to him Corvus IV loved, something he may still be looking for in FB3 - my personal hope is that he kills Corvus IV himself)

Plus, I recently came across a possible Nr. 9

Wand Leta Lestrange - https://tse1.mm.bing.net/th?id=OIP.U680hIwx3nPRZvJg2x1dgAHaFG&pid=Api

Wand Mr. Abernathy - https://www.noblecollection.com/Galleria/1/PRP%20FB%208077b-Large.jpg

Wand Yusuf Kama - https://www.noblecollection.com/Galleria/1/PRP%20FB%208075b-Large.jpg

Wands are usually personalized onto the character, and hold specifics about them - and there isn't really a reason why these would *all have this black spiraling-down element to them ... unless it's connected to the spiral we see the baby in Leta's vision sink down - it could be interpreted as this incident being a big part of her life, and his entire/the start of it - and the rest of her wand is black, while his is light - aka he had a better life afterwards ... Yusuf's life was alright too, but the unbreakable vow connected to Corvus was always there ...

And these aren't just merchandise items, they're used in the films. Also, looking at the hints we already got ... is it so far away that there would be another indication?

misterXB on reddit mentioned magic bubbles trailing from the baby, which are mentioned in the script ... may be a form of unintentional help signal made by his magic, much like sending sparks into the sky - kids in the wizarding world are known to often use their magic subconciously when stressed, especially when in danger ... and many babies are able to hold their breath and lower their bodies' oxygen use when under water for a limited time - we only see Corvus V for a few seconds ...

Also, wondered today - Abernathy's motive for joining Grindelwald is unclear in the movie, and he seems very insecure - could be power or the chance to win Queenie's heart, as G may have seen she'd join under the upcoming circumstances... but it would work just as well if Grindelwald revealed to him post FB1 that he owes him his life ... being in somebody's debt has been a topic in HP before, even in the first Fantastic Beasts movie when the MACUSA didn't press charges against Newt when he obliviated the city for them ... and offering him power, a purpose/safe place in the new world and his true identity simply in exchange for "helping" someone who saved his life anyway sounds like something that would work

The story of Leta loosing her brother and feeling guilty all her life ended surprisingly unresolved - if there is any reason why Corvus V should live, it's that Leta (who's death I doubt strongly) deserves to get both the relief from the guilt that's been haunting her all her life, and one person from her own family that can be her friend (especially since he wasn't raised by them) ... getting to know her could also be a first thing to turn him away from the dark side ... if he really is Corvus, Leta deserves to find and reunite with him - it would be an incredibly wholesome conclusion :)

Someone named "McDuff" helps him place the family tree the next time we see him, and this character has also been shown to walk towards the hideout apartment with him ... I'm still trying to figure out how he could fit into the Lestrange family tree, but wouldn't put past that he may be the member of a line that married into the family, plus pure-blood and thus considered an alliance, like, possibly, Rosier too when they retrieved the family tree the first time (Minette Rosier was the wife of Corvus II, her relation to Vinda is yet unknown).

Or simply, that the family tree's magic "turns off", as long as a member of the line touches it = there's no indication of theft

Fellow redditor seraphinapiquery has told me she met Kevin Guthire at a convention, and that he knew Abernathy's first name, but couldn't tell her, because it may be important later .Given the role names play to describe a character in HP and FB, and how we have recieved first names to other characters when they didn't come up in the movie and only rounded up their personality usually, this is kind of mysterious... :) Still hope that it's Bertram :)

I've researched "MacDuff", and it's actually a town in Aberdeenshire, Scotland. Interesting here is that this is also the country Webster Boot one of the founders of Illvermorny/the house of Wampus, moved to and got married... Kevin Guthire has revealed that his character will "literally grow arms and legs" in this movie (a Wampus cat has several) ... I'm keeping the option open that he's got some connection, either genetically or house-wise, to House Wampus. Besides, the last info we have about Webster is from 267 years before the start of FB, so I wouldn't put past that, since we don't know his blood status, he may be a distant ancestor to the Corvus Lestranges

Thank you very much for reading :)

[tarisilmarwen]

(Semi) Coherent Season Four Trailer Thoughts

Okay well, Capitol City is on fire, apparently, and if this shot wasn’t nightmareish enough we have plural people screaming for each other specifically calling for Ezra and Rex a few times.

Cut to Ezra bolting upright in a field, disoriented.  So the above was either a nightmare he was having or some kind of Force Vision.

Probably a bit of both.

Long shot of Ezra out on the plains of Lothal.  Very alone.

Blueberry, where is your family, why are you out alone at night unsupervised?

This is gonna be a trippy episode.

“Loth-rat, Loth-cat, Loth-wolf, run.  Pick a path and all is done.“

SSSSKAHTFLAKSHFLAFKHAF ARE YOU SERIOUSLY TELLING ME THEY BROUGHT THAT THROWAWAY LINE BACK AS SYMBOLIC ARC WORDS?!

“Pick a path”–OKAY WELL, SURE, I’LL JUST WAIT HERE IN STRESSED ANTICIPATION EZRA.

Taylor Gray had the comment, I remember, about Ezra making the most important decision of his life this season.  So yeah, the wolves episode is apparently where that happens.

Also they added some creepy reverb on the end of Ezra’s line.

Ahhh, I suspect this is our season premiere, “Heroes of Mandalore”.

That looks like a prison or secure facility of some sort, mostly likely where they are rescuing Sabine’s dad from.

Also, Fenn Rau and Tristan teaming up in the last screenshot there. :)

The first of many Kanan-Hera interactions in this trailer.

The grain here makes me think this is either via cameras or archive footage.

I’ve seen people wondering if these are ion disruptors or perhaps the weapon that Sabine made.  I think I can agree with the latter theory but these are definitely not ion disruptors.

They fire much differently.

Ion disruptors were a single shot that burst into color upon hitting their target and moving all over it.  These are some kind of beam that seem deliberately attracted to the metal armor on those Mandalorians specifically.

From how the metal is heating up it almost looks like they get cooked inside their own armor before igniting and combusting into ash.

Yikes.

Mandalorians of all colors and clans bowing to Bo-Katan, it looks like.

Possibly that’s her voiceover here, telling the Mandos to stand up and fight.

Also, my babies being Battle Couple again!

Clan Wren (plus Chopper and Ezra?) infiltrating/attacking the same facility as before.

More Mandos.

And Sabine being awesome.

LOTHAL DOES NOT LOOK VERY GOOD.

It looks rather like it has been bombed out.

Also, lotta ships.

Aftermath of some battle, with Bo-Katan, Sabine, Ezra, and Fenn Rau.

Looks messy.  Couple Imperial transports overturned there.

WAIT I JUST NOTICED THE MANDALORIAN HELMETS ON THE GROUND.

AND THE EMPTY GAUNTLETS.

SALFKSHALFKH!

Back on Lothal, surveying the same shipyard as we’ve hit before?

Looks like it has a spiffy new guard tower.

OH HI. HI HI HI HIIIIIII.

Please go away Thrawn, I don’t like you.

Saw Gerrera showing the start of his formal split from the wider Rebel Alliance.

TIE bombers bombing.

Speeder getting shot.

An an explosion throwing Ezra and Ursa to the ground, as Dad Wren cowers.

A very familiar Rebel base lol.

oH GOODY, an episode with Deathtroopers HOW FUN.

“But what about Lothal?“  LOTHAL IS A LITTLE BIT CRISPY FRIED RIGHT NOW EZRA I DUNNO HOW MUCH GOOD YOU CAN DO AT THIS POINT.

Also hi Vizago’s ship, have you come to help?

Ezra and Sabine being Battle Couple again.

Saw Gerrera’s monologue trying to convince the Ghost crew to join him?

Also Sabine infiltrating some grungy place and sniping a guard in the back.

The infiltration episode!  That one should be fun!

It does indeed look like we are gonna be running errands for Mon Mothma for a bit.

Okay I think, I THINK… Saw Gerrera is trying to ask the Ghost crew to go on a field trip with him.

Probably unauthorized.

AND ALSO APPARENTLY THEY’RE GOING TO FIND A GIANT KYBER CRYSTAL.

U-wing running an attack on that Imperial dish we’ve already seen in Trailer #1.

Possibly piloted by Saw and his companion.  From the stars in the window though it’s probably a different scene.

OH GOODY.  YELLOW WINGTIPS.

The husband says that means it’s probably an ace pilot with the freedom to have a custom paint job.

“Director Krennic has been very persuasive about his own project… Stardust.“

*DYING WHALE NOISE*

(Getting a little lazy with the screencaps here, I apologize.  The computer is pitching a fit about the length of this post.)

Looks like the same battle where Hera hyperjumped through the docking bay, awesome.

I DON’T LIKE THIS.

Aaaaand that is a Kyber crystal explosion.  WE ARE GETTING SERIOUS DEATH STAR HINTS ALL OVER THE PLACE.

Would not be surprised in the least if Lothal is secretly being mined out for parts for the Death Star.  The TIE defenders can’t be all there is.  Not with the Kyber crystals.

Yavin IV looks lovely. :)

The crew’s all here!  Minus Kanan.  Looks like a briefing for the same dish we just saw destroyed.  Plus a few shots of the Ghost on that canyon planet we’ve seen before.  And Zeb is having fun. :)

Kanan, Hera, and Zeb mission?  Is this what the parents are up to while Ezra and Sabine go off with Saw?

I see they are continuing the personal Thrawn-Hera rivalry.  And Thrawn is sending his Noghri assassin/bodyguard after her OH WONDERFUL.

Hera’s in her X-wing outfit.  On Lothal.  This is likely after her fighter strike in the first trailer, possibly part of the finale.

Go Hera!  Get him!

SO MANY WOLVES.

Ezra deep-connecting like he did with the Purgill.

Kanan in the creepy wolf cave.

IS THAT EZRA PROTECTING AN INJURED SABINE?!

*shipper squeal*

“Maybe we’re choosing the wrong way.”

OUT OF EVERYTHING IN THE TRAILER, THIS LINE WORRIES ME THE MOST.

DO NOT RUIN HIS CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT, WRITERS.  DO NOT.

Ungh, Ezra possibly choosing poorly is going to be the source of my stress all season.

I know I’ve already bitched about the theory that Ezra is DJ in The Last Jedi, mostly because DJ sounds like a completely selfish scumbag and I refuse to accept that as the endgame of Ezra’s character development.  Ezra being DJ would just erase everything that he’s learned and all the progress he’s made as a person and take him right back to the Loth-rat he was before he met the Ghost, except WORSE, WHY DO PEOPLE WANT HIM TO BE EZRA?!

Same deal here.  I will be so mad if Ezra goes dark.

Or otherwise Well-Intentioned Extremist/Knight Templar.

My blueberry is a hope bringer and a beacon of light DO NOT RUIN HIM.

A familiar shot from the other trailer leading into miscellaneous space battle shots over Lothal.

Calling it now, this is the finale.

Yellow-tipped TIE chasing that X-wing.

KANAN/HERA FRAUGHT CONFRONTATION.

Ow, bolt right to the face, that’s gotta hurt.

Ruhk stalking Kanan and Ezra in some kind of creepy horror movie factory setting.

More Kanera.

Ezra being awesome.

Hera flying into a veritable storm of TIEs.

Kanan: Jedi Sass Master.

Kanan being awesome (along with Rau).

Miscellaneous actions shots.

This looks like the same set as when Ruhk stalks them.  People have already pointed out the slave whip, and the presumed captives/prisoners behind Kanan there.  So it looks like that’s going to be one busy episode.

More Ezra being awesome.

Sabine and Bo-Katan.

Zeb fighting at the same facility Sabine sniped that guard droid at.  Probably the same episode they free the prisoners.

Space battle snippet.

SABINE SAVING EZRA!

That looks like the dish they blow up.

Chopper abusing stormtroopers.

And Ezra taking on a darktrooper, awesome.  Go blueberry.

I am SO looking forward to the infiltration episode.

Kanan surrounded by stormtroopers, while Ezra squares off against one.

And cue the Kanera shippers melting into puddles.

Kanan nearly running into a Loth-wolf on the main highway.

That yellow-tipped TIE looks like it’s going after Hera at one point.

AND WHAT AN OMINOUS SHOT TO END ON.

So!  So far the season looks like it’s going to be very busy but also very tightly written, with a lot of plot arcs coming to a conclusion.  I would not be surprised if the finale is a three-or-four episode deal.  We seem to be doing a lot of party-splitting, and Ezra and Sabine look like they’re spending a lot of time together which pleases the shipper in me.

As I said, about my only worry is a sudden shock twist that completely ruins Ezra’s character development.  (Lemme emphasize once again, I HATE the idea of Ezra turning out to be DJ.)  I am also really hoping they don’t go the obvious easy route and kill Kanan off.

Fingers crossed guys, let’s hope we aren’t completely ruined by this last season.

[samanthasroberts]

Swine intervention: California animal lovers call pig rescue a load of hogwash

What started with concerns over animal welfare devolved into animal warfare after a group of boaters alleged that a rescue mission was a case of pignapping

What started with concerns over animal welfare devolved into animal warfare after a group of boaters alleged that a porcine rescue mission was in fact a case of pignapping.

Its a curly tale of best intentions gone awry, dueling groups of animal lovers, threats of boat burning and allegations of theft, neglect, pig-riding and porcine alcohol abuse.

Until Tuesday, a passel of hogs lived on a small, marshy island in the San Joaquin river near Stockton, California. The pigs five Yorkshires and one Hampshire were popular among local boaters and attracted more than 900 fans to a Friends of Pigs on the Delta! Facebook page.

But in recent months, one of the pigs most devoted caretakers became increasingly concerned about their health.

I have a lot of compassion for animals, and I sense when they are struggling, said Sabine Verelst, a project manager for the city of Stockton who has been delivering food to the pigs weekly for years.

Verelst contacted Farm Sanctuary, a not-for-profit organization that rescues animals from factory farms and slaughterhouses and allows them to live out their lives at dedicated sanctuaries.

The group sprang into action, and staff member Susie Coston organized a two-day rescue mission that required erecting a chute system to shuttle the pigs onto a barge and into a trailer. The swine were taken to the University of California, Davis to be treated at the veterinary hospital, and Farm Sanctuary planned to transfer them to a sanctuary once they received a clean bill of health.

Sabine Verelst: I have a lot of compassion for animals, and I sense when they are struggling. Photograph: Courtesy of Sabine Verelst

All was seemingly fine, until Friends of Pigs on the Delta got word of the loss of the swine. The Facebook group erupted with accusations of theft and treachery.

They decided to take it upon themselves to steal pigs that werent theirs, said Blair Hake, a financial adviser and Delta boater who is also the administrator of the Facebook group. Now UC Davis has some stolen property that I think they have to account for.

Hake dismissed concerns about the animals health and accused Farm Sanctuary of exploiting them to bring home the bacon.

The group did send out a fundraising email about the pigs, but Coston denied they were motivated by money.

First of all, were going to spend a lot more money than we are going to make, Coston said, pointing out that pigs are the most expensive animals to maintain at their sanctuaries. Further, Coston said that the rescue was arranged in advance with the islands owner.

We did not steal them, she said. We obtained them by legal means … We just want whats best for the pigs.

By Wednesday, the man who originally placed the pigs on the island, Roger Stevenson, had called the San Joaquin sheriffs department to file a police report.

Stevenson told the Guardian that he had purchased a sow and a boar at a livestock auction and delivered them to the island in February 2014 at the request of the landowner, who was seeking a solution to overgrown vegetation. The current pigs are descendants of the original pair.

Stevenson said that he delivered food to the pigs until they were able to sustain themselves, but Verelst said the very idea that the pigs could be self-sufficient was hogwash.

Pigs dont eat grass. Theyre not sheep or cattle, she said.

When the pigs first appeared on the island, Verelst would empty her refrigerator of leftovers and load them into her boat. Soon, she began shopping weekly for up to $200 worth of melons, apples and whole wheat bread. Eventually she switched to dog food, and then livestock feed. All my family knows I do nothing more than feed the pigs on the weekend, she said. They call me pig lady.

You always see people trying to ride them, giving them beer, throwing mud at them. Photograph: Courtesy of Blair Hake

Hake and other members of the Facebook group also delivered food, but Verelst said that it wasnt enough, especially during the winter. She was also concerned that successive litters of piglets were dying and alleges that someone slaughtered some of the pigs with a bow and arrow. Then there was the behavior of the tourists, to whom the pigs had become an attraction.

Ive seen a lot of rough stuff, Verelst said. You always see people trying to ride them, giving them beer, throwing mud at them. Farm Sanctuary pointed to a Facebook photo showing a man pouring a beer into a pigs mouth.

Stevenson dismissed concerns about the occasional pint. I hardly believe thats neglect, he said. I personally drink a beer once in a while, and I dont think thats neglect. I dont think my hogs are alcoholics.

Theyre the happiest hogs in the country, he added. If someone can show me a happier hog, Id like to know where and how.

The dispute has been devastating for Verelst, who said she has been bullied by members of the Facebook group. Frankly Im not sure if Im safe going out in my boat anymore, she said. One of them said that they wanted to burn my boat.

And ultimately, it seems that she acted in vain. On Thursday, Sergeant Carey Pehl said the sheriffs department had determined that Stevenson was the rightful owner, because he owns the lineage. Pehl also said the department was not contemplating criminal charges at this time.

Stevenson plans to collect the pigs from UC Davis on Friday and take them to his daughters house, though he hopes to get permission from the islands owners to return the pigs to their former habitat.

The hogs had been deemed to be in good health, he said, which confirmed his theory that a hog raised free range is better off than a hog raised in a pen.

Hogs like to be wild, he said, just like I do.

Source: http://allofbeer.com/2017/08/27/swine-intervention-california-animal-lovers-call-pig-rescue-a-load-of-hogwash/

from All of Beer https://allofbeer.wordpress.com/2017/08/27/swine-intervention-california-animal-lovers-call-pig-rescue-a-load-of-hogwash/

[allofbeercom]

Swine intervention: California animal lovers call pig rescue a load of hogwash

What started with concerns over animal welfare devolved into animal warfare after a group of boaters alleged that a rescue mission was a case of pignapping

What started with concerns over animal welfare devolved into animal warfare after a group of boaters alleged that a porcine rescue mission was in fact a case of pignapping.

Its a curly tale of best intentions gone awry, dueling groups of animal lovers, threats of boat burning and allegations of theft, neglect, pig-riding and porcine alcohol abuse.

Until Tuesday, a passel of hogs lived on a small, marshy island in the San Joaquin river near Stockton, California. The pigs five Yorkshires and one Hampshire were popular among local boaters and attracted more than 900 fans to a Friends of Pigs on the Delta! Facebook page.

But in recent months, one of the pigs most devoted caretakers became increasingly concerned about their health.

I have a lot of compassion for animals, and I sense when they are struggling, said Sabine Verelst, a project manager for the city of Stockton who has been delivering food to the pigs weekly for years.

Verelst contacted Farm Sanctuary, a not-for-profit organization that rescues animals from factory farms and slaughterhouses and allows them to live out their lives at dedicated sanctuaries.

The group sprang into action, and staff member Susie Coston organized a two-day rescue mission that required erecting a chute system to shuttle the pigs onto a barge and into a trailer. The swine were taken to the University of California, Davis to be treated at the veterinary hospital, and Farm Sanctuary planned to transfer them to a sanctuary once they received a clean bill of health.

Sabine Verelst: I have a lot of compassion for animals, and I sense when they are struggling. Photograph: Courtesy of Sabine Verelst

All was seemingly fine, until Friends of Pigs on the Delta got word of the loss of the swine. The Facebook group erupted with accusations of theft and treachery.

They decided to take it upon themselves to steal pigs that werent theirs, said Blair Hake, a financial adviser and Delta boater who is also the administrator of the Facebook group. Now UC Davis has some stolen property that I think they have to account for.

Hake dismissed concerns about the animals health and accused Farm Sanctuary of exploiting them to bring home the bacon.

The group did send out a fundraising email about the pigs, but Coston denied they were motivated by money.

First of all, were going to spend a lot more money than we are going to make, Coston said, pointing out that pigs are the most expensive animals to maintain at their sanctuaries. Further, Coston said that the rescue was arranged in advance with the islands owner.

We did not steal them, she said. We obtained them by legal means … We just want whats best for the pigs.

By Wednesday, the man who originally placed the pigs on the island, Roger Stevenson, had called the San Joaquin sheriffs department to file a police report.

Stevenson told the Guardian that he had purchased a sow and a boar at a livestock auction and delivered them to the island in February 2014 at the request of the landowner, who was seeking a solution to overgrown vegetation. The current pigs are descendants of the original pair.

Stevenson said that he delivered food to the pigs until they were able to sustain themselves, but Verelst said the very idea that the pigs could be self-sufficient was hogwash.

Pigs dont eat grass. Theyre not sheep or cattle, she said.

When the pigs first appeared on the island, Verelst would empty her refrigerator of leftovers and load them into her boat. Soon, she began shopping weekly for up to $200 worth of melons, apples and whole wheat bread. Eventually she switched to dog food, and then livestock feed. All my family knows I do nothing more than feed the pigs on the weekend, she said. They call me pig lady.

You always see people trying to ride them, giving them beer, throwing mud at them. Photograph: Courtesy of Blair Hake

Hake and other members of the Facebook group also delivered food, but Verelst said that it wasnt enough, especially during the winter. She was also concerned that successive litters of piglets were dying and alleges that someone slaughtered some of the pigs with a bow and arrow. Then there was the behavior of the tourists, to whom the pigs had become an attraction.

Ive seen a lot of rough stuff, Verelst said. You always see people trying to ride them, giving them beer, throwing mud at them. Farm Sanctuary pointed to a Facebook photo showing a man pouring a beer into a pigs mouth.

Stevenson dismissed concerns about the occasional pint. I hardly believe thats neglect, he said. I personally drink a beer once in a while, and I dont think thats neglect. I dont think my hogs are alcoholics.

Theyre the happiest hogs in the country, he added. If someone can show me a happier hog, Id like to know where and how.

The dispute has been devastating for Verelst, who said she has been bullied by members of the Facebook group. Frankly Im not sure if Im safe going out in my boat anymore, she said. One of them said that they wanted to burn my boat.

And ultimately, it seems that she acted in vain. On Thursday, Sergeant Carey Pehl said the sheriffs department had determined that Stevenson was the rightful owner, because he owns the lineage. Pehl also said the department was not contemplating criminal charges at this time.

Stevenson plans to collect the pigs from UC Davis on Friday and take them to his daughters house, though he hopes to get permission from the islands owners to return the pigs to their former habitat.

The hogs had been deemed to be in good health, he said, which confirmed his theory that a hog raised free range is better off than a hog raised in a pen.

Hogs like to be wild, he said, just like I do.

from All Of Beer http://allofbeer.com/2017/08/27/swine-intervention-california-animal-lovers-call-pig-rescue-a-load-of-hogwash/

[lgwhatculture]

Star Wars: 10 predictions for the future of the franchise

Star Wars has been moving at full speed under the guidance of the house of mouse, and as we enter the fifth year of Disney’s ownership (yes, five. Can you believe it?) the promise of more Star Wars has really come true. With a number of projects either out of the gate or in development, I’m going to predict what everything means for the future of the franchise and how these many stories in a galaxy far, far away will turn out. We’ll be looking at both the big picture and the smaller story details in the new Canon.

All images belong to Lucasfilm / Disney.

10 - Han Solo will be the weakest Disney instalment yet.

Not to start on a negative note, but let's get this out of the way. Did we really need a solo Han Solo movie? Is it really that important to see how Han and Chewie met? Or how Han won the Falcon? Not really. In a galaxy far far away, there are limitless stories to be told, and we can't help but feel like this is unnecessary. Plus, with an A-List cast on-board, it's not quite captured that same feel as the other films, which usually cast unknowns and shoot them to fame. Donald Glover and Woody Harrelson are sure to do great, but Danerys herself, Emilia Clarke, is especially hit-and-miss outside of her title role. Here's hoping I'm wrong, but I don't believe the film justifies its existence or cast.

Don't even get me started on Katherine Kennedy’s comments on Han ‘gaining his name’. If Han Solo is simply a title, then we'll be in the unique position where a film actually detracts from the original instead of enriching it.

9 - Episode VIII will be unique and take the lore in a new direction

Now onto a more positive note, The Force Awakens was a great start to the new trilogy no-matter what you thought of it, and there’s plenty of questions fans are asking in regards to the excellently titled eighth instalment, The Last Jedi. If the very-vague trailer is anything to go by, There’s something happening with the classic Sith/Jedi dichotomy. See Luke’s ominous quote:

“I only know one truth. It’s time for the Jedi to end.”

So, there’s a change coming, and with VIII showing a more spiritual Luke, I can only imagine the more religious side of the Jedi will be discussed, and perhaps the actual meaning of ‘balance to the force’? The ‘chosen one’ and ‘prophecy’ are concepts we are familiar with, but the actual idea of Anakin or Luke bringing balance to the force makes little sense as both obliterated their respective opposing team. Not really, you know, balance. Perhaps the future lays in the idea of ‘Grey Jedi’. Previously a Legends concept, but one could argue it was brought into the new Canon with Ahsoka in Rebels. A Grey Jedi aligns to either side of the force, and perhaps Luke’s new mission is to bring the two warring factions together rather than apart. Kylo Ren certainly could be pulled over to the light side, so maybe we are seeing a paradigm shift in the franchise, towards more nuanced performances rather than outright good and bad. If Disney wants to continue the franchise for a long time (read: forever) then good vs evil is going to get pretty dull pretty soon.

8 - Rebels won't end with the cast dying

Star Wars Rebels replaced the beloved Clone Wars, and at the time the general consensus was that the latter show was going to be a more ‘fun��� show by comparison to the darker Clone Wars. Fans were soon wrong when the series became universally loved, and even served as a sequel to Clone wars in many ways. The show has gotten darker, and approaches it’s final season this year.

The problem we are faced with is that the core cast do not appear in anything beyond the show they have been created for. This was also a problem when we were introduced to the Rogue One cast, and [spoilers ahead] they are now all dead. Yeah, forecast isn’t looking too sunny for the crew of the Ghost. So the likely option, especially since the Ghost is seen in Rogue One, is that the characters are killed in a sacrificial act just before A New Hope begins. Even though show-runner Dave Filoni stated the battle of Scarrif wouldn’t be shown in rebels, we’re not sure we believe him.

Despite the likeliness of death, we think the characters all being killed off is not going to happen. Something more interesting. We believe Zeb, Chopper and Rex are easy enough to blend into the existing universe without dying, and for it to not feel strange that they never appear again.The theory that Rex is the bearded rebel soldier in Return of the Jedi works perfectly as a nice retcon for a fan-favourite character to tie Rex into the story. The others we are not so sure about, though Ezra and Sabine are both young enough to be carried over to the next show, much like Ahsoka. ‘Next show?’ you ask. Well. Cue next point.

7 - The next animated show takes place between episodes VI and VII

With Rebels ending, another show is bound to take it’s place, and no better slot is left to explore that the gap between episodes VI and VII, in other words, the gap between the classic and new trilogies. It’s a murky period ripe to be explored, and there’s no better opportunity to explore this period than through a new show. While Clone Wars was an anthology, and Rebels an ensemble, perhaps the new show will have a single protagonist to follow to set them apart. If this is the case, there is no better person to follow than Luke Skywalker himself, starting with the end of Return Of The Jedi, and following the opening of his new Jedi academy. Looping back to the last point, this is maybe where we could see Ezra return to the fold. Not only that, but we would see the development of Ben Kenobi into the Kylo we see in The Force Awakens. It’s actually a crime that this period has not been seen outside the books, and it’s only a matter of time before light is shed, especially in the wake of Episode VIII likely revealing all the key secrets that are keeping a series like this from being made.

If many of the questions from Episode VII are not revealed in VIII, this is a great place to answer them to give fans peace. How did Maz Kanata get Luke’s sabre? Who are the Knights of Ren? Answering questions like these would automatically put this show in the good books.

One final point, were this to happen, Mark Hamill is a renowned voice actor for animation, and with his respect to the fans, he’d be sure to be on-board for voicing Luke. Make it happen Disney!

6 - Battlefront II will fix most of the problems of the first, but will still not be as good as the PS2 original.

Bias aside, the original Battlefront game was great. It’s sequel, legendary. The 2015 reboot, not so great. It was shiny, and looked amazing, but fancy visuals don’t exactly make up for a bare-bones experience that included less than the 2005 masterpiece. The sequel looks to be fixing this. All three eras. A story mode, many more heroes, and the promise this is ‘three times bigger’ than the 2015 game means hype is pretty high Dice and Co can deliver on the promises and pull through on the evident potential of the 2015 game.

Despite all these big claims, we can’t help but feel like there’s going to be a ‘spark’ missing. All too corporate and perfect, not enough fun factor. Can a game be perfect and still not be fun? Yes, but maybe that’s a problem with the video games industry more than the game itself, or Star Wars as a brand. Only time will tell. Moving on.

5 - The next spin-off will be an Obi Wan movie, with Ewan McGregor.

Stay with me. There has not been a ‘star wars story’ [still don’t like that subtitle] announced since originally way back when Disney told us their plan to dominate the world. The Josh Trank Boba Fett movie fell through, so there’s currently a blank space after Episode IX, sitting at a 2020 release window. At this point, Ewan McGregor will be 49, and while it’s still a little young, makeup can surely get him ready for filling in the gaps between III and IV, documenting the life of Obi-Wan Kenobi’s years in hiding, and how he became Ben Kenobi.

We’re thinking a smaller, more personal films. Kenobi is one of the most well-rounded characters, and seeing a more character based story on Tatooine would be great to see. Why the name ‘Ben’ is used is a story that has not been discussed in-canon, and maybe it’s a story worth telling. Logan showed how a big franchise could make a western-inspired, quieter character piece, so perhaps it’s only a matter of time before McGregor and fans alike get their wish.

4 - Doctor Alpha will appear on Rebels

If you are unfamiliar, Dr. Aphra is the new hit character of the Marvel Star Wars Comics. Originally appearing in the Darth Vader comic, she now is in her own comic, the first original character to have their own run since the canon purge.

Aphra is a rogue archaeologist, hired by Vader to find Sith artefacts. After the two parted ways, she is now on solo adventures. Whether you like the character or not, she is a nice new creation for the comics, and falls very much in line with Marvel’s current marketing push for a younger, more diverse cast of characters.

Given Rebels is ending soon, perhaps we could see this character appear in another medium? Disney’s new canon has been spectacularly watertight when it comes to feeling like a ‘connected universe’ through and through, and a comics crossover would show how much Disney care about their franchise on every level. Comic tie-ins are frequently forgotten about, so tying two mediums together would help both and show more people a great new character.

3 - More legends material will become Canon

Just to clarify -

Legends - the old, pre-Disney continuity, otherwise known as the Expanded Universe (EU). It featured lots of content, and thousands of characters, most of whom now no longer exist in Star Wars. Many fan favourite moments and stories were erased, but then Disney started listening. Rebels re-introduced the most popular EU character of all time, Grand Admiral Thrawn. The blue boss has been a huge success on the show, and now the floodgates are open for an array of other characters and stories to be re-canonised into the new lore.

While some characters have already been used for influence, such as Jacen Solo into Kylo Ren, there’s plenty of other fan-favourites who should make the jump. Take one look at anywhere Star Wars related on the internet, and you’ll find fans are very passionate about the very long lineage of the sith. Darth Revan is perhaps the most wanted character for sheer awesomeness, but almost any great villain would be a valuable addition to the canon.

One wildcard would be Luke’s partner, Mara Jade Skywalker. A partner to Luke indicates he may have a child (Rey) but the inclusion of Mara Jade also means there’s a big explanation to do as to Mara being hand to the emperor and a sort-of bad-guy. Yeah. Lots to fit into a movie, so maybe she’s best left to the EU.

2 - Forces of destiny won't do great

With more Star Wars things going on at once that any sane person can keep up with, you may not have heard about the other animated Star Wars show: Forces of Destiny. It’s a 2D miniseries with a lighter tone, featuring multiple characters from multiple eras, all on lighthearted adventures. It looks like a more simple version of Star Wars than we’ve seen before, but Rebels and Clone Wars ex-show-runner Dave Filonni is running the show, so maybe there’s more to be seen here than meets the eye.

Perhaps the biggest point of debate so far is that the show has only shown female characters in it’s trailers. It’s not a problem, as Star Wars has been a very white, male franchise, so diversity is great, but focusing only upon female characters as the trailer implies, makes it seem like this may be ‘Star Wars for girls’. Star Wars can and does appeal to girls, especially now more than ever because of it’s growing cast of strong females, with Jyn, Rey and Aphra only arriving in the last three years or less. Having female characters is not the problem, pandering to an audience is. People, regardless of gender, will watch Star Wars, because it’s Star Wars, and changing the tone to fit a demographic never goes well, especially when things like Jar Jar or the Christmas Special happen for exactly that reason. Perhaps not, perhaps we haven’t seen enough to judge, and perhaps I’m wrong. Discuss your opinions in the comments below.

1 - Luke and Leia will die in the Last Jedi.

Episode VIII. Bring the tissues.

Okay, just look at that title. The LAST Jedi implies either my earlier assumption that a big change to the lore is coming, or Luke will bite the dust. Maybe both. The problem is, for the hero to complete their journey over the trilogy, they have to lose their mentor and be forced to go it alone. It happened in Episodes I, IV and VII. While it would be nice to have a change in that pattern, the story just doesn’t work as well, and it’s important to remember the original cast are not getting any younger, as my unfortunate next point demonstrates.

In December 2016, the world lost Carrie Fisher, and Star Wars fans mourned for the passing of their hero Princess Leia Organa. It leaves an awful problem for the future, for Carrie has filmed two of three films in the trilogy, with two options for what happens next. She either is written out of the next film, or she dies in this one. Either option is awful, but Lucasfilm being pretty calm and collected after her death, and the comments about not needing CGI re-creation makes it all too clear that she most likely dies in The Last Jedi. It’s going to be a hugely emotional performance as her last, but to watch her character die, possibly alongside her brother, means the film could be an emotional sucker-punch, tainting the film’s reputation for all the wrong reasons.

What do you think in regards to any of the points? What next for Star Wars as a whole, or any of the projects mentioned. What are you looking forward to the most? Let us know in the comments.

[talkstarwars]

A New Star Wars Theory

I have a new theory about the new Star Wars canon that might tie together a few new elements and answer a few of those niggling Star Wars shaped questions we have had since The Force Awakens. Don't worry, I'm not suggesting Jyn is Rey's mum, but I am going to speculate about Snoke again...

We all have some questions we want answered that relate to the new Star Wars canon. We want to now who Snoke is, who Rey's parents are and where the hell were Kanan and Ezra during the events of the original trilogy. They appear to be separate questions. But what if they have one answer? Let's break it down.

Where were the crew of The Ghost during the events of the original trilogy?

We recently got a voicemail from James over at our sister show, TumblingSaber. James wanted to know if we could come up with an explanation for the apparent absence of the Jedi we know from Star Wars Rebels, during the high stakes events of the original trilogy. We guessed that maybe they had been killed, or become like the Bendu and gone all Grey on us and so abstained from any conflict. Well my tiny Star Wars filled mind just wouldn't stop turning this over and I think I've settled on the following.

We know that at least some of the Star Wars Rebels crew are present at the Battle of Scarif on Rogue One. We see The Ghost, Chopper and we hear General Syndulla over the public address system in Yavin IV's Rebel base. So it's safe to assume that at least Hera and Chopper make it this far. All bets are off when it comes to Sabine, Seb, Ezra and Kanan though. I mean, there's a good chance  that at least two of these characters are in the thick of the action in Rogue One. But I'm speculating that this does no include Ezra and Kanan, for the following reasons.

As our heroes there is no way Kanan and Ezra would sit out the fight with the Sith (aka the Empire) whilst innocents die around them. One explanation would be that they are dead. Here's my theory. We know that Maul (formerly Darth) has been working on Ezra for sometime now. Referring to him as Apprentice and teasing him toward the Darkside. One can only guess at Maul's motives, but I would suggest that he wants to remove Vader and get to Sidious. Either to ingratiate himself with his former master, or remove and replace him as the head of the Empire. I suspect Maul, in typical Sith fashion, is willing to use Ezra to this end. Set his "apprentice" up to face Vader and stand back to watch things play out. 

But what if Maul underestimates Ezra, and Ezra, convinced he can use the Darkside for good, falls into the dark and kills Maul. Maybe Ezra then gets lost in the Darkside, fuelled by hate and rage and faces Kanan, maybe even Ahsoka (if in fact she is to return from that temple), and kills both former Jedi. It's here we have some exciting options. If Ezra succeeds against his former friends and goes on to face Vader, we could have Vader all but kill Ezra in a duel. Or maybe Ezra doesn't get that far and Ahsoka and Kanan do serious damage to him before they, themselves dye. Maybe Ezra, mortally wounded, needs to retreat and convalesce, so the he might challenge the Sith at some point in the future. 

Could Ezra become Snoke?

Who is Snoke?

So I'm not the first person to suggest that Ezra might actually be Snoke. The numbers seem right. If Snoke is about Lukes age, Ezra is about Luke's age. Snoke would have watched the Empire emerge, as did Ezra. Both are presumably, Force users. But imagine the scenario I point out above actually played out and Ezra, now going by the name Snoke (maybe Maul gives Ezra that name?) sits by and watches Vader's compassion for his son bring down the Sith. This would position him to make a move on the spoils. There are characters that Ezra/Snoke could align himself with (Rax, Thrawn) who could help the injured former Jedi Padawan plant the seeds of the First Order. 

I can imagine Snoke at this stage moving into Vader's Castle on Mustafa and learning from the Dark Lord of the Sith's records there. We have seen Ezra use Sith Holocron's to explore the Darkside previously. Could Snoke learn about Vader's Purge of the Jedi, that many lost their lives there? Has Snoke unlocked the hidden secrets of the ancient castle, hinted at in recent Lucasfilm publications? Did Snoke learn of the Emperor's orphanage on Mustafar? His plans to develop a legion of Force sensitive spies. Did Snoke take his lead from this and collect Force sensitive children to recruit as an army powerful enough to protect him from Luke Skywalker? 

Did Snoke once face Luke Skywalker and his young apprentice Ben? The thought of Ezra and Luke facing off against each other as mature Force users is very exciting. Perhaps Luke went to Mustafar to confront Snoke and in doing so learned of Snoke's plans fro the Children of the Force he had been collecting. Maybe Luke and Ben defeat Snoke, who retreats leaving Luke and Ben with a collection of Force sensitive children. Perhaps they are the seeds of Luke's new Jedi academy. Maybe one small girl stands out to Luke.

I imagine its about this time that Snoke begins to work on Ben, in the way Palpatine tricked Anakin in to seeing him as weak as he faced Mace Windu. Is this where Snoke first decides to prise Ben away from Luke with glorious tales of Darth Vader and the Sith? 

Who are Rey's parents?

If Rey isn't the child of Luke or Han and Leia, and she isn't a vergence in the Force. Maybe, just maybe, she was a Force sensitive child collected by Snoke's sinister agents to become a part of his new Darkside army. maybe these children would become Inquisitors or maybe Dark Jedi. Maybe Knights of Ren. Whatever his designs may have been for these children, Rey may have been one Luke sensed had the most potential. And not in a good way. 

You know how Snoke values Kylo Ren because Ben had both Dark and Light side tendencies? Maybe Luke sees a potential for Dark in the young Rey when he rescues her from Snoke's Orphanage on Mustafar. Perhaps this motivates Luke to enlist the help of Lor San Tekka and the Church of the Force. Could Luke have been behind the decision to deposit young Rey on Jakku, under the watchful eye of those astute enough to know when this girl would be strong enough to be of use? Was her presence on Jakku hidden from Snoke/Ezra by whatever dark energy attracted Palpatine to build an Imperial facility there? 

Rey's having been a part of Snoke and Kylo Ren's past in this way would explain their apparent familiarity with her in The Force Awakens. It may be why Maz Kanata sees so much potential in the girl, because she has connections, not only to the Force, but to it's Church and to Luke Skywalker. 

If we see Rey given this kind of past it could position her to become a character more powerful and with more potential than Anakin, without having to resort to the chosen one prophesy. Rey was simply taken as a child and kept on Mustafar until rescued by the Jedi. Then hidden by Luke when he realises her potential for both Dark and Light. This will be a mirror of what we already know about Kylo Ren and Snoke. 

This theory would explain where Kanan and Ezra were during the events of the original trilogy, and give Ezra a really impactful story that has massive ramifications across the entire saga. All from his humble start on Lothal, in a TV series. 

As always I'll be happy to be wrong here, I'd rather be surprised, but this theory feels good. It uses a lot of the elements we know to be solid canon, and elements (Vader's Castle) that are rumoured to form a part of the next film. 

I'd be interested to know what you guys think about this, and indeed if you can offer your own theory about who Snoke might be, what happens to Ezra and Kanan, and might Rey's origin be? Leave your thoughts in the comments below.

Thank you for reading,

Marc