The Lore Axe is a show where we break down some of the world's most popular fictional worlds -- from sci-fi and fantasy to video games and literature -- and explore them in depth from a philosophical, historical, and sociological lens.
Presented and created by Khalil Thirloway and Alex Hamilton, two friends who needed an outlet to talk about things way too deeply without irritating their friends at gatherings.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
The Lore Axe is a show where we break down some of the world's most popular fictional worlds -- from sci-fi and fantasy to video games and literature -- and explore them in depth from a philosophical, historical, and sociological lens.
Presented and created by Khalil Thirloway and Alex Hamilton, two friends who needed an outlet to talk about things way too deeply without irritating their friends at gatherings.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
We finalise our series on Frank Herbert's Dune series by reflecting on the release of Dune: Part Two -- Denis Villeneuve's take on the second half of the first Dune book. As hot takes fly around the internet in reaction to the film, and the themes it presents, we ask why people don't understand Villeneuve's intentions. Is this the reason the original Dune series had a foreward by Herbert himself, warning about demagoguery and the threat of hero worship?
Intro music by QubeSounds from Pixabay.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Sources:
Further Reading:
We close out our three-part series on the Dune universe by taking a critical look at the nature of power, feminism, gender, and sexual identity in Dune. From the Bene Gesserit to Baron Harkonnen, how does Herbert approach the nature of patriarchal society in a future scifi setting? And why do are there still questions about his treatment of the only openly queer character in the series?
Intro music by QubeSounds from Pixabay.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Happy holiday season to all our listeners. We took a break from our regular schedule to record a special redux on Warhammer 40,000 and how it's dargged both Khalil and Alex back into the tabletop wargaming realm.
We talk factions, addictions, orgies, and decide which Imperial army we would play if we were forced into it.
Enjoy, and see you in 2024!
Intro music by QubeSounds from Pixabay.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Corrections:
We continue our Dune series by tackling an aspect of the world that was probably viewed very differently in the 60s compared to the modern era. Herbert heavily based the idea of the Fremen, their language, and their religion, on the Middle East and North Africa.
Did he do it to enlighten his readers through the lens of SciFi, or utilise a mysterious foreign people and religion to prop up the otherness of the peoples in his novels? Is Dune ingerently orientalist?
"The Muslimness of Dune" by Haris Durrani on Tor.com
Intro music by QubeSounds from Pixabay.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
We're back on multi-part shows! This is the first episode in a series exploring the influencial roots of Dune -- Frank Herbert's world-renowned science fiction series responsible for inspiring a whole avalance of the most popular worlds in media. Think Warhammer 40,000, think Star Wars, think Babylon 5.
Our first episode highlights just how different Dune was when it was first published in 1965, how it flipped the relationship between science fiction and ecology, sociopolitics, and the role of religion and the individual.
Also featuring a guest appearance from Alex's cat.
Intro music by QubeSounds from Pixabay.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Watch Khalil play D&D on Science and Sorcery!
The episode Khalil and Alex talk about the recently-released Dungeons & Dragons movie. Was it a by-the-numbers popcorn flick designed to have a surface-level good time, or a huge missed opportunity to explore an enourmous setting with so many intricate places, peoples, and themes?
Another of our more casual chats, expect some proper analysis episodes soon!
Intro music by QubeSounds from Pixabay.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
This episode Alex and Khalil take a break to do something a little more relaxed: talk about one of their favourite films: Dredd 3D -- the criminally underrated sci-fi film spearheaded by the enigmatic Karl Urban.
This is a shorter, bite-sized version of a mainline episode where we try to chat more casually.
Enjoy!
Intro music by QubeSounds from Pixabay.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Corrections: We said David edits braindances, when he actually just sells bootlegs to his classmates.
This episode of the Lore Axe we're looking at Netflix's 2022 series Cyberpunk Edgerunners. A show designed to help sell a video game that turns out to be pretty damn good. We look at the setting, the themes, and (as usual) the inherant nature of capitalism embedded in this flashy anime-like show.
From hubris to sci-fi dystopia, from dual-weilding shotguns to comparing Khalil to the BBC, from smashing Adams to cockney girlfriends, this episode has it all.
Intro music by QubeSounds from Pixabay.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
This week on the Lore Axe we take a look at one of the late 70s most beloved cult classics: The Warriors.
Based on the 1965 book by Sol Yurick and inspired by Xenophon's Anabasis, is this campy action movie a poorly acted send-up of violence and gang culture, or a centrepiece of late 70s cinema and a looking glass through which to view urban life in New York City?
We'll get into all that and more as we come out to play and try not to get wrecked. Who are the Warriors? Listen and find out.
Intro music by QubeSounds from Pixabay.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
This week's (smaller than usual) episode examines the world of Dark Souls and the central narrative it creates through the lens of existentialist and nihilistic thinkers.
In a world without codified moralities, what direction will you choose?
Intro music by QubeSounds from Pixabay.
Additional music by Universefield on Pixabay
Audio clips from Dark Souls by FromSoftware.
Sources and inspiration for this episode:
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We end our Avatar two-parter by talking about the sequel series Legend of Korra.
Conceptualised in 2010 and run from 2012 to 2014, Korra expanded on the universe of Last Airbender and moved the story forward by 70 years.
Someone who was 10 when Last Airender launched would be 17 when Korra aired, and the show ages up its protagonist to match.
We ask: how does the show deal with that growing up? And how does it do when trying to create more complex storyline featuring bigger topics like freedom, anarchism, authoritarianism, and religion?
Intro music by QubeSounds from Pixabay.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Avatar: The Last Airbender first aired in 2005, and has set itself in stone as one of the most beloved animated shows ever created. This week, we ask how can a show for kids be this damn good?
We also delve into the creative process of Avatar, the merits of a show celebrating Asian cultures being made by two white dudes, and the use of cultural consultants. Is Avatar a love letter to the Asian-American experience? Does it have one of the best portrayels of personal growth? Can Kinko and Alex refrain from talking about martial arts too much?
Find answers to all these questions!
Intro music by QubeSounds from Pixabay.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
This episode of The Lore Axe we have a look at a set of cartoons from the 90s focused on radical anthropomorhic teenage rebels: Street Sharks and Biker Mice from Mars.
In a pre 9/11 world where audiences and writers began to look more critically at the results of booming capitalism, how did this relflect on your everyday Saturday morning show.
As it turns out, not every 90s morning cartoon was created equal. We investigate the themes, inspirations, and context in which these programmes were created.
Intro music by QubeSounds from Pixabay.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Correction: We said that Pazu's father died in a storm while searching for Laputa. He actually "dies of shame" after failing to prove Laputa's existence to the rest of the world.
Our first standalone episode takes on the "Godfather" of Japanese animation, Hayao Miyazaki, and one of his most popular films: Castle in the Sky.
Where did Miyazaki take his inspiration for the film? How does the Welsh coal miner's strike fit into things? Did Castle in the Sky set a template for future animated films from Japan, and wider science fiction? We seek to answer these questions and more.
Intro music by QubeSounds from Pixabay.
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Correction: We got Slaanesh's birth date wrong. Slaanesh was born during the Fall of the Eldar (around the 30th millenium as far as we can tell from sources).
This week on The Lore Axe we reach out Games Workshop finale. It's time to talk about the Big Bad of the 40k: Chaos.
The universe's whipping boy, the Great Enemy. In a galaxy full of scary threats they trump nearly all others. But is Chaos really all that bad? We take a look at some of the nuances.
This episode contains sexual references.
Intro music by QubeSounds from Pixabay.
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Correction: At the 17 minute mark we talk about genestealer cults reproducing sexually. This is partially true. The first victims are actually injected with tyranid biomass by purebred genestealers via an oviposter. When these victims breed is when new generations are born.
This week on The Lore Axe we take on the voracious hive mind of the Tyranids and ask: how do you create the end of your setting without creating the end of your setting?
The viscious, hungry, insectoid-like Tyranids want nothing more than to strip 40k of all biomass. We'll discuss their origins, evolution, and how they're either a universe-ending threat or just a horde of monsters for the "good guys" to stomp out.
This episode was recorded in 2022, and some information may be out of date at the time of publishing.
This episode contains sexual references.
Intro music by QubeSounds from Pixabay.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Correction: We mistook the Tau commander Shadowsun for Commander Farsight, the actual leader of the Farsight Enclaves.
This week on The Lore Axe we tackle two factions that arrived fairly late to the party in the 40,000 setting: Necrons and the Tau.
Launched to shake up the setting, they did just that and in more ways than one. Games Workshop weathered some criticism for making two factions deemed both overpowered and ... too nice?
What happens when you need to roll back on one of your factions to ensure that players don't feel bad about killing them? You get this.
This episode contains references to child abuse within a fictional universe.
Intro music by QubeSounds from Pixabay.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Corrections: In the second half we said that Gretchin/Snotlings can grow into Orkz. They can't. Whoops!
This week on the Lore Axe we continue our journey into the universe of Warhammer 40,000 and explore two of its oldest factions: the Eldar and the Orkz. Conceived as two enemies to the human Imperium, these races have undergone a fair amount of changes over the past decades.
As always, we'll pick apart the reasons for their creation, the evolution of their backstories, and talk about why Orkz are one of the few things keeping 40k fun.
This episode was recorded in 2022, and some information may be out of date at time of publishing.
This episode contains references to historical sexual violence within a fictional universe.
Intro music by QubeSounds from Pixabay.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
The first-ever episode of the Lore Axe dives right into things by talking about the Imperium of Man in the Warhammer 40,000 universe.
In the grim darkness of the future there is only war. Yet while trying to portray a dystopian nightmare populated by fascists, demogogues, systemic cruelty, and outright cruelty, what happens when you need a "good guy" for your fan to root for (or buy merch for)?
The problem when you make a fascist dystopia seem like the good guys is that you will run up against people who really believe it.
This episode was recorded in 2022, and some information may be out of date at time of publishing.
Intro music by QubeSounds from Pixabay.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
