reviews
Arrow: Season 4, Episode 2, Review
Anarky (real name: Lonnie Machin) happens to be one of my very favorite Bat-Villains, so when I heard he was going to be showing up this season on Arrow, I was excited.
In W.B. Yeats seminal poem The Second Coming, he states “mere anarchy is loosed upon the world”; here in the second episode of Arrow’s fourth season too is Anarky loosed, in the form of the Arrow-verse’s version of the Batman villain of that name, and here too he is a mere form of the concept, partly because the episode really isn’t about him, but about early-season healing of relationships between the pre-existing characters.
Anarky (real name: Lonnie Machin) happens to be one of my very favorite Bat-Villains, so when I heard he was going to be showing up this season on Arrow (following in the steps of several other Bat-foes before him, as in the comics Green Arrow himself has a rather unimpressive rogues gallery, and needs the help), I was excited. After seeing the episode that introduced him, however, I’m of the opinion that they needn’t have bothered to make a live action version, if that was how they wound up doing so. That said, it is only episode two of the season, so if they bring him back and fix him a bit, he could still be okay, so I don’t want it to sound like I am blasting the show just because I didn’t like his introduction.
In the comics, Lonnie Machin is an unusually deep and thought-inducing character (and hence, not every writer who writes him does it well). He was a teen genius who became a vigilante in Gotham at a young age (young enough that he initially used a mannequin head on a brace under his costume to make him appear to be adult height), and sought to fight injustices a bit higher up the “social awareness” food chain than Batman. He began with drug dealers and industrial polluters, responding to citizen complaints in the local paper. He ran afoul of Batman, however, because of his methods, which were much more brutal than what the Dark Knight would accept (one thing Arrow DID include was his taser-staff, which gives a potentially lethal jolt of electricity, and which (again, in the comics), he made in high school shop class). From those early confrontations, Anarky (go ahead, tell an anarchist that he has to use the correct spelling, see what happens) developed his skills more into the realm of computer hacking, which he did in his spare time, routing hundreds of millions of dollars from uncaring corporations to third world development projects, challenging Batman to consider whether his ground-level approach to crime-fighting (punching muggers in the face) really did enough to help the people of Gotham or the world, and whether there were bigger problems that should be addressed. Indeed, much as Batman sometimes makes Superman look like a Boy Scout wearing a “red-white-and blue blindfold”, Anarky made Batman look like a corporatist helping keep the rich in power and the system that victimizes poor people unchanged. That ability to show the world in a different perspective and with an added depth really makes Anarky a stand-out character, when he is done right.
Anarky: when done right. “Tag, Batman. You’re It!”
His appearance on Arrow was NOT Anarky done right. His name was Lonnie Machin, and he wielded an electro-staff, but aside from a tiny bit of lip service to the concept of anarchy, and a graffitied Anarky symbol at the end of the episode (which gives me hope he will return, perhaps a bit more socially conscious and closer to his comic roots), this Lonnie was not really recognizable. THIS Lonnie was a thug who had worked for several gangsters, and was brought into Star City on contract from Damien Dahrk, to keep Jessica Danforth (guest star Jeri Ryan, aka Seven of Nine of Star Trek: Voyager fame) from running for mayor, because, as established in the first episode, Damien’s organization, H.I.V.E., doesn’t want anyone in charge of Star city (presumably unless they can blackmail and control them, as they are currently doing with Quentin Lance, but showed no apparent interest in trying to do with Ms. Danforth, despite her having a very clear Achilles heel in the form of her teenaged daughter).
Anarky’s first attempt to scare her off is broken up by Oliver Queen (not even in costume), leading to Dahrk calling Lonnie out as a loose cannon, at which point Lonnie kidnaps the aforementioned daughter of the mayoral candidate, apparently enjoying torturing her a bit before Team Arrow shows up to stop him (in the comics Lonnie, while initially violent towards what most would agree are bad people, is definitely NOT a Sadist, so for me that was the most cringe-worthy scene in the episode).
Team Arrow’s usual technological shenanigans to track their villains aren’t how they find Lonnie this episode, though. Instead, they get a call from Quentin (a part of this episode is used to drive home his displeasure with Oliver’s presence in Star City but his acceptance of the need for vigilantes when the normal police methods fail), who got Lonnie’s location from Damian (another segment is devoted to the relationship between Dahrk and Quentin, who seems to be an unwilling but trapped-in-his-situation ally of H.I.V.E.), who is upset with Lonnie for kidnapping the potential mayor’s daughter (despite the fact that he is fine with murder and terroristic attacks with collateral damage against crowds of people (as at the train station in the previous episode), kidnapping appears to be too far for Dahrk, whose motives could really use some Lihght shed on them). In the end Lonnie is stopped and captured by Team Arrow (though he quickly escapes from police custody and disappears), but his damage is done and Jessica Danforth cancels her run for mayor, due to fears for her family’s life that really should have been obvious to her before she announced (considering that Star City has already had three mayors and one mayoral candidate killed in the past three years). This however leads Oliver to thinking about his role and if he is doing all he can on every level he can (even though Anarky himself was poorly done, I DO appreciate that the events of the episode STILL made Oliver confront the same sort of “is fighting muggers and thugs really all I can do to make the world better” considerations that Lonnie has provoked in Batman himself), and decides that HE, Oliver Queen, will run for mayor of Star City (a position he HAS held in the comics, so I’d say he has a shot).
Like this, but sounding less like Donald Trump, I hope.
Other than the main plot, there was a subplot for Felicity at Palmer Tech, and furthering of Oliver’s obligatory “5 years ago” storyline, with him attempting to infiltrate some sort of military group that is now seemingly using Lian Yu as a base. In a more immediately important development, Laurel finds out about the Lazarus Pit used to heal Thea last season (which has resulted in some anger issues, which this episode boiled over into an actual fist fight with Oliver, who is worried about her mental stability), and immediately decides to dig up her sister and put her in it. Together, Laurel, Thea and the corpse of Sara are leaving for Nanda Parbat, leaving Oliver thinking they are going to a spa (I mean, he doesn’t know about Sara going with them, of course. He wouldn’t believe she was going to a spa, what with her being very deceased, and spas having rules about that sort of thing). This of course is setup for Sara to become the resurrected White Canary, and join the cast of Legends of Tomorrow in a few months.
All in all, the episode was disappointing to me, because of my high expectations for an Anarky appearance, but was probably not a terrible episode if you didn’t have those notions going in. It was more of a set-up episode for things to come, so we’ll have to see how those things develop to get a more complete picture.
AuKing Mini Projector Key Details
The Auking is a 1080p Mini Projector with built-in speakers that is compatible with Smartphones and laptops.* (Notice the asterisk) The ports are HDMI, USB, VGA, AV, and a 3.5mm headphone jack. It’s $99.99, but you can usually catch it on sale for cheaper.
This projector is pretty popular online. There are tons of glowing reviews for it on Amazon, but I’m assuming if you’re reading this, you care about what I think. And what I think is that this projector is kinda bad.
Also, keep in mind I believe that this projector is being sold on amazon with different branding and shells, but essentially, they’re all the same projector.
These are just some I’ve found.
ALVAR 8000 Lumens Mini Portable Projector
TMY Projector 7500
Projector with WiFi, 2022 Upgrade 8500L
Mini Projector, Aokang 7500 Lumens HD Portable Projector
These all pretty much the same projector with different housing and branding
It is most certainly not for everyone, and it’s not for everyone who loves projectors. The projector has some issues with only a few positives.
Android smartphones are compatible, but only certain Androids, which they don’t tell you before purchasing.
List of Phones compatible with the projector
I’m guessing it’s “compatible” with all iPhones, but oddly enough, they don’t mention it. But I think it’s a safe bet to say that it is. Because saying the Aukling is compatible with smart devices and mac books is technically true, and it’s somewhat misleading.
It has no built-in features to make it compatible with other devices, just an HDMI input. This, combined with poor image and audio quality, means you’d be better off saving your money and buying something a little more expensive.
AuKing Mini Projector Full Break Down
The Auking has an HDMI port, which means it’s compatible with any device that can output through HDMI. But unfortunately, it doesn’t have any ports or software that would intrinsically allow smartphones to project video.
To get your iPhone or Android phone to connect to the projector, you have to do it through HDMI. So, you’ll need a USB-C to HDMI adapter for android and Mac Book or a lightning port to HDMI if you’re using an iPhone. The instructions also recommend a wireless dongle so you can connect your laptop or smart device via BlueTooth (more on that later)
Now here’s the thing, the projector only comes with a regular HDMI cord, so you would have to buy the other cords separately. They don’t mention that before you buy it, so it feels very misleading. Regarding the wireless adapter they recommend, you must connect to it via Bluetooth. Unfortunately, most streaming services have copyright features that won’t allow you to stream content via BlueTooth.
You could connect a chrome cast, Apple TV, or a Roku and mirror or cast your phone to that, but if you don’t have those devices on hand, you’re out of luck.
This means the easiest way to use this device would be with your windows laptop unless you have one of the cords they recommend.
But how does it perform once you get it set up and running? It’s ok.
We have to set our expectations for this price range. The project shows saturated color palettes well but struggles with darker colors.
Darker scenes come out looking grainy and blurry.
While brighter colors look ok.
But all things considered, the video quality will be worse than whatever you have connected to the HDMI. To its credit, however, the projector is bright enough to watch it outside with minimal light pollution.
The audio can be pretty loud, but loud doesn’t necessarily mean good. It does sound like it comes from out of a tin can, but it’s clear enough to hear what’s going on in a movie, so you don’t have to only rely on headphones.
Despite its small size, the Auking’s fans can be pretty loud when it’s on. (Imagine starting up your first-gen PS4 and trying to play Cyberpunk).
This projector isn’t for everyone. I wouldn’t recommend it to most people. However, if you’re a person who wants a bigger screen, you can buy a cheap 22′ monitor and connect you your phone or laptop to it, and the image quality would be better.
Verdict
In most cases, I suggest you save money and get something more expensive, like the ANKER Nebula capsule.
If you find yourself in a situation where you need a projector immediately, this will be ok. For instance, a backyard BBQ where it’s more about the people you’re around than what you’re watching or a party where you want to keep the kids distracted while the adults use the TV (shame on you).
Other than that, it’s worth saving your money.
FAQ
How do I connect my phone to my mini AuKing projector?
Through USB-C to HDMI cord or lighting to HDMI cord
Does AuKing projector support Bluetooth?
Rest in peace, watermelon.
The latest episodes in ‘Miss Kobayashi’s Dragon Maid’ were very interesting to watch.
One was definitely a fanservice episode, and heck, even the producers know that! Episode 7’s title contains the phrase ‘The Fanservice Episode, Obviously’, so that cracked me up.
Episode 7 focuses on the elements of anime that will appeal to any nerd out there. By that, of course I mean bathing suits and comic conventions! Cue the beach episode!
Tohru and company decide to go swimming for the day. Kanna’s adorable as always, while Lucoa doesn’t realize just how sexual she is toward a small boy.
Like, really? You think wearing a very sexy swimsuit in front of a lot of kids on a beach is okay? And why do you insist on torturing Shouta with your breasts? It’s obvious that he’s tempted, but stop trying to seduce small children.
Of course, they’re dragons, so hilarious antics ensue. Tohru and Kanna get carried away in a swimming race, making water splash up everywhere. Also, a crab and watermelon are murdered. RIP.
However, one aspect that I thought was a nice touch was the backstory we got for Tohru. It wasn’t much, but Tohru and Kobayashi have a deep and meaningful conversation about their family’s lives, as well as how humans and dragons are different from one another. Fanservice episodes usually focus on that alone, but fortunately that’s not the case here.
The second half of Episode 7 focuses on Comiket. Tohru and Kobayashi help Takiya run a booth, and we learn that Fafnir is also participating by attempting to sell powerful curses. Wow, didn’t see thaaaaat coming at all.
Tohru notices otherworldly creatures in their true forms at Comiket, as they reveal that this is a great way to show their true forms. With Kobayashi’s permission, Tohru exposes her wings and tail, appearing to others as if she’s cosplaying as, well, a dragon maid.
Episode 7 was very nice because there were many heartfelt and adorable moments.
Meanwhile, Episode 8 FINALLY introduced the dragon that I keep on mentioning in my reviews. Her name’s Elma, a dragon who is a rival of Tohru’s. Elma accuses Tohru of disrupting the human’s ways and tries to force her to return to the dragon world. This doesn’t succeed, however, as Tohru sends her to an open field and leaves her there.
Unable to get back home, Elma stays in the human world and begins working at Kobayashi’s company. Kobayashi teaches Elma how to use computers and technology so that she can keep her job. Of course, this prompts Tohru to become jealous, smelling the scent of another dragon off Kobayashi like a dog does with a human. I won’t reveal how the episode ends, but it ends in a positive manner for Tohru.
Overall, I really loved these two episodes because they made me feel warm and fuzzy. They appealed to the emotional senses through a heartfelt conversation between Kobayashi and Tohru. Elma is also an innocent sweetheart who only wants to bring harmony to the human and dragon worlds. And I can’t wait to see more of her in the upcoming episodes.
I feel like in these two episodes alone, we learned so much about Tohru and her feelings for Kobayashi. She really wants to understand the human world and will do anything to stay with Kobayashi.
I’ll up my rating to a 4.7. These episodes were both fun, and we finally got the new dragon! Bless.
Notice: Undefined variable: user_ID in /hermes/bosnacweb04/bosnacweb04au/b1979/dom.bigorangedesign/wp_site_1589834241/wp-content/themes/zox-news/comments.php on line 49
You must be logged in to post a comment Login