Where the hell does Star Wars go now?

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Every week this newsletter makes a big recommendation. The following week’s recommendation: Doctor Strange and the Multiverse of MadnessThe director Sam Raimi’s vision made this Marvel film stand out from all others. And honestly, that’s all we currently have to say about the film beyond our spoiler-free review, because heaven knows we won’t be responsible for spoiling the latest entry in the MCU on the weekend of its release.

So instead, we’d like to use this space to discuss a question, and more importantly, what the question means for the world of entertainment. The question here is “What does Baby Yoda smell?”

This isn’t a question we expected to ask a decade ago, before Disney acquired Lucasfilm and resuscitated the Star Wars film and TV production line, then ramped it up into overdrive. It’s not that George Lucas was precious about the commodification of his galaxy far, far away. The galaxy was becoming messy and dusty like an attic that you have to clear out one day.

Star Wars now looks flawless, is meticulously planned and is utterly inexplicable. Gone are the days when hardcore fans debated the Expanded Universe of books; now we fill Reddit with theories that will be proven or debunked in next week’s episode, a game this fall, or a movie in the coming years. Star Wars has climbed back to the top of the pop culture mountain so confidently and quickly that wondering about the smell of “Baby Yoda” (two words that didn’t go together a few years ago) doesn’t seem all that strange.

All of these things in mind, we have written three stories about Star Wars this week.

These are the directions Star Wars’ future will take. We’ll know more when Obi-WanWe will have premieres in May. We have the trailer for now. The trailer looks just like anything featuring Benny Safdie. In the meantime, why not play the 13 best Star Wars games you can grab in this year’s May the 4th sales? They’re almost certainly a better use of your money than the peculiar stink of Grogu.

YouTube This Week | Call of Duty transformed war into a circus “Call of Duty was created by developers who worked on| “Call of Duty was created by developers who worked on Medal of Honor, a World War II game modeled after Steven Spielberg’s The Private Ryan Savings. This film is unflinching and brutal. It also has a touch of romance. Call of Duty would become much stranger, more massive, and even perverser than anyone thought. It’s part of a military apparatus selling war to the public. And it’s fun.”

There are five stories you can read

Christopher Pike standing and looking out the window of his ship, all pensive and shit

Pike finally got Star Trek’s show after more than 50 yearsIt took over half a century to get there, | It took more than half a century, but Strange New WorldsThis is the real Pike spinoff.

It looks promising in the first trailer of Game of Thrones.Could HBO reignite the fire that was extinguished in the finale of the original series? | Can HBO rekindle the flame that got extinguished by the original series’ finale? This trailer seems to suggest that it might be possible!

Disney is not impressed by the Owl House. We were there at “Rambo D&D.” | “Even with Disney’s meddling, The Owl House is flipping brilliant.”

Everyday Heroes uses the rules of D&D to roll up Rambo, Highlander, The Crow, and more | They had us at “Rambo D&D.”

Heartstopper can relate to the bisexual fear of Pirates of Caribbean.• Sometimes, a headline is enough to tell it all | Sometimes a headline says it all.

Here are four things you should be paying attention to

Benedict Cumberbatch as Doctor Strange blasts sheets of glowy orange frap out of his hands in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.

Doctor Strange and the Multiverse of MadnessTheatersCheck out our review, which is completely spoiler-free! | Read our spoiler-free review of Sam Raimi’s return to the superhero-industrial complex!

BelleOn digital rental platforms, such as Amazon and Vudu The director of anime hits like | The director of anime hits like Mirai The Girl Who Leapt Through TimesIt has taken a stunning and confusing spin on it Beauty and the Beast. Curious? Check out our review.

Lux ÆternaTheaters Controversial director Gaspar Noe is at it again.| Controversial director Gaspar Noé is at it again.

There are 13 amazing movies that you can stream on MayYou don’t have to miss the Wachowskis underrated gem. | Seriously, you no longer have an excuse to skip the Wachowskis’ underrated gem, Bound.

Plus, Everything new in streaming!

You can choose from five different games

A sprawling countryside landscape of villages, winding rivers, forests, and windmills

Before we dive into the list let’s say that this week has been great for video games. This may be the first time we’ve awarded four games our Recommends badge in the same week. We thought it would be a slow season.

Dorfromantik Imagine| Polygon Recommends | Imagine CatanThis is a stress-free zone. Windows PC Version Available

Rogue Legacy 2 |Polygon Recommends – After almost two years of early access,| After nearly two years in early access, Rogue Legacy 2This is an excellent sequel to the beloved Roguelite.Xbox Series X, Xbox One and Windows PC are all available.Polygon Recommends: “The greatest strength of the game (and its most frustrating choice) is that it lets me be free from any concrete goals and allows me to exist in my own way.”

Citizen Sleeper | Polygon Recommends | “The game’s greatest strength (and also its most infuriating choice) is to untether me from concrete objectives and let me exist without a reason.” You can access it on Windows PC or Mac.

Warhammer 40,000 Chaos Gate – DaemonhuntersPolygon Recommends XCOM More Big Space Hammers | Polygon Recommends | XCOM always needed more giant space hammers. Windows PC Version Available

Xbox Game Pass: The Best 25 GamesWe’ve added more treasures and new items to our list.| We added new treasures to our rolling list.

Every week, a free game

A poster of a snake hangs from a wooden wall in No-Snake Hotel

No-Snake HotelThe snake is frightening, reader. | Reader, there is a snake and it is terrifying. The game is short and free and streamable if you’d rather watch someone else play, so let’s leave the details at that. It is available on itch.io.