Stephen Strange: Hello,
this is Stephen strange.

You are meddling in things that you do

not understand.

You need to cease and desist, now.

MCU Need to Know

Trey: Hello and welcome back to another
episode of MCU Need to Know a podcast

dedicated to the Marvel cinematic
universe and everything you need to know.

I'm Trey.

And unfortunately, Jude couldn't make
it this week, but nevertheless, I'm

excited because today we get to welcome a
first-time guest whose creativity weaves

together, informational recreational,
and inspirational entertainment.

Whether they're delving into anime,
fandoms on tick-tock are raising

money for charity on Twitch.

We're delighted to welcome the
hype queen herself, yabba dabba.

Welcome to

Yebba: the show.

Thank you so much for having me also.

That was the.

Best introduction and I'm blushing.

Trey: So tell me, oh,
that makes me so happy.

Look, I've heard that compliment a lot.

So it makes me happy every time.

So thank you for, uh, for saying that.

Absolutely.

You know, I got to say this isn't
the easiest thing in the world

to do, but the fact that you have
secured the same username across

all social media platforms has made
this part of the job so much easier.

So thank you for that as well.

Yebba: You're very welcome.

And let me, oh my gosh, it was just
one of those, like I had to muscle my

way through, I had to get past some
people that were like yabba dabba,

doo, and I'm like, you know what?

You have a debit don't.

So it was just, it was very, it, you know,
th the Instagram was the longest one, but

we finally secured it and I got that URL.

So it was just like, bam, bam, bam.

Wow.

Stars all

Trey: aligned.

Oh, I'm so glad that
that is finally happened.

Uh, when an impressive list of just
creative content you're putting out

there, uh, I do want to start with Twitch
because that is where we got connected.

Uh, why this is happening,
uh, 40,000 raise for charity.

That that's fantastic.

I, I was wondering if you could
let our listeners know what

they can expect whenever they
tune into a yabba dabba stream.

Yebba: Well, um, prepare your face palms
because there's usually a lot of puns.

Um, both from me and then also from chat.

Um, and well, we, we tend to have,
I would say probably the most

consistent thing that we have
is that we have very real talks.

So, you know, I have some
people who come in being like,

Hey, I don't understand this.

Or, you know, I'm not
sure what's happening.

Or like, especially, you know, during
this past two years with the pandemic

and with the election and with my history
in election stuff, um, there, there

were, there was a lot of uncertainty.

And so, um, if there's anything
that I can extend a as a welcome

mat, it is a welcoming space
for a lot of different vibes.

But the one that we will
always try to leave.

Is cozy and comforted.

So we play a lot of different games,
but the thing that's kind of consistent

is that we have a lot of really
important talks, but we also make

sure that we check in with each other
and tend to have a really good time.

So I would say that's probably
the most consistent thing.

And we also kicked for.

Uh, and if you are there for
any of my scary streams, please

have me on like 30% volume.

It can, it can get bad, also
very creative swearing, which I

will do my absolute best not to

Trey: do here.

I got to say so it's so funny you say that
because coming also from the streaming

space as well, I too curse a lot, but once
we started doing this podcast, when I was,

when I was doing it with dude, I've pulled
back some, so I'm right there with you.

I know how it feels to
have to attain that in.

And you're again, if, if all that
other stuff is not an incentive

enough, please go listen to some
of the creative swearing, because

you have taught me new words that I
never thought to ever put together,

Yebba: set up a Dingle offer.

That's the big one, uh,
the holy poop nuggets.

Um, there were a couple other ones where I
was like on the front page and I was just.

Shit talkie shes was it?

It was just like, what, what can I say?

What happens here?

I did have to do a swear jar, like
on the front page one time they

were just like, you're, you're cut.

It's like, we're not saying
that you can't do that.

But I am saying that we need an
incentive for you to keep doing it.

So like $5 every time you're on the front
page and you swear, and I was like, cool.

Yeah, I can do that.

Now we have a swear jar on my channel too.

So if people activate it, it hurts
the bank, but it's for a good cause.

Trey: Well, switching gears a little
bit, you also make videos for tick-tock,

which I think is a relatively new
addition to your creative avenues.

What can people expect there?

Cause I know you talk a lot about
anime, which is what made me

really think like, oh yeah, that
would be perfect for this podcast.

Yeah.

Yebba: I started an anime watch list.

It was about a year ago,
actually like last week.

Uh, it was just like, I want people
to curate my anime experiences.

I've watched one piece for years
and I, I grew up with Toonami.

I did the whole kitten caboodle.

I've kept up with some shows,
but I've never, I haven't really

watched anything like, honestly,
past the year, like maybe 2008.

So like I've always gone to the same.

Well, and I've always gone to my
comfort shows and I've always had

a good time, big Gundam fan, you
know, big Robert robots go, boom.

It was one of those, like I liked the
anime community that was on Tik TOK.

And so I wanted to create something
that wasn't just a toxic hot

take, like let's compare power
scale, blah, type of a place.

And I just wanted to create
something that was still.

And ridiculous because I'm silly and
ridiculous, but also to explore new anime.

And I would say probably from
2010 till now, I have watched a

huge slew of new genres of new
studios, new types of things.

And like, I'm just, I'm
completely blown away.

And I'm really, I'm honored that
people, um, especially 13,000 of

them have enjoyed my journey so far.

Um, but it's all, it's a lot of
silly fandom videos I have, you know,

again, it's, it's really anything
nerdy, um, that kind of pops into

my head when it comes to stuff.

Books movies, television shows anime
a lot of anime, more anime manga.

So, um, yeah, so that's,
that's really what it is.

Yeah.

I'm just, I'm just a goon over there.

So it's, it's fun.

It's light.

It's it's not supposed to
be taken very seriously.

I'm not, you know, I'm not here to tell
everybody that they should do something.

I'm just here.

Like, Hey, I had a good time
with it and I hope you do too.

That's what.

Trey: Yeah.

And, you know, based off what you said
about your tick, talking about your

Twitch, creating that space for people to
get excited, you're going to fit right in.

I'm so excited that you had
decided to join us on this podcast.

And of course, if you want to follow
more of Yahweh's work and make sure

you're following your at yabba dabba
on Twitter, Instagram, Tik, TOK,

uh, Twitch, you can find all these
links in the show notes as well.

So of course we are going to be talking
about moon night, but something we'd

like to do every time we have a new
guest on is to get a bit of a taste

of where they started with the MCU.

So what's your connection to the MCU?

Yebba: Yeah.

So I've always sort of
been a fan of Marvel.

Um, I am actually a big X-Men fan.

Oh.

Um, so X-Men evolutions the
nineties X-Men show X-Men con.

Um, kitty pride shadow cat
is my frickin Patronis.

Um, I adore her and I adore everything
about her, just I latched onto that

character and I was like, I need
to know everything about everything

when it comes to her universe.

Um, so I had known about certain
characters, but I would say

that I got introduced the MCU
probably through the movie Thor.

Um, I am notorious for not up until
probably the MCU in Lord of the rings.

Uh, I'm notorious for not
seeing movies on time ever.

So like, uh, like I always, I was talking
about how I finished X-Files in like 2013.

Um, like I can, I can be very behind
on literally everything all of the

time, uh, except for one piece.

Trey: So.

I still haven't seen X-Files so I,

Yebba: gosh.

Okay.

Well, listen here.

If you ever need to get into Mulder
and Scully, you just let me know.

I can give you some highlights.

Um, yes, the, um, so I would say
on a, when I went with a friend to

go see the movie Thor in theaters
and I was all in, I was all in,

obviously, also because of Tom had.

But yes, it was, it was just one of
those, like, I love the portrayal.

Like I, I had sort of known about
the Asgardians, but like, I didn't

know that big I had, I just, I had
no idea something could be such a

visual feast when it came to that.

And so I was like, okay, well, if
we're going to go jettisoned off of

the fantasy of Lord of the rings,
into the fantasy of other armored

things with heavy things that go ouch,
uh, I'm definitely gonna watch that.

Definitely gonna watch that.

So I still stand by the Avengers.

The Avengers is my favorite movie, so I
know even above all the other ones, but

it's, it's still, it's the well that I go
back to it's it's the, it's the comfort.

It's.

It's the culmination of all the
characters that I started to learn.

And I, I still think it's
to this day, probably my

Trey: favorite movie.

I mean, it is the moment, right?

It is the, the proof of the promise
from the first phase of the MCU.

So it's like, yeah, I could totally see
how that would be up there as one of your.

Yebba: Yeah.

Times were simpler than,

Trey: yeah.

Well,

well with the Avengers being
the culmination of a lot of the

early heroes, what hero sticks
out to you the most in the MCU?

Oh

Yebba: boy.

I grew to like Scarlet witch
more with one division.

Yeah.

There, there was a time
where she was introduced.

I, I read about her.

I, I knew about wine division and in
Quicksilver because I knew about Magneto.

So like, I, I knew all about that and
I was super hyped for her to come on.

And I was just like, what is this?

When it happened?

I was like, what is this?

Like, she's supposed to be an
all-powerful literal human being.

So I was, I w I don't want to
say I was disappointed because

I still liked her story.

And I still liked that little
segment with vision, but it wasn't

until wine division where I was
like, yes, ma'am reporting for duty.

I am.

Um, so I would say that she was the most
surprising one that I, I started latching

on to when it came to all of that.

I'm also, I'm also just a
really big black widow fan.

Oh.

Cause I, I mean, besides it just
being Scarlett Johannson, I like this.

I like the story of a redeeming character.

Um, especially ever Demian character who
has so much subtext and so much secrecy

and just, and just creates so many walls.

And then those walls just keep getting
pushed down with all of the love

that's around them, but also because
of their own confidence and their

own acceptance of their mistakes
and kind of growing from that.

So I just, I really liked, I really
liked that character and I also, I it's,

it's so funny that I'm going from like
an all powerful being to like just a

bad-ass in a cat suit, but like, it's
just, I, I, there, there are two very

strong women in many different facets.

That I think I latched onto, and
it really, it was very encouraging

to see kind of on the screen.

I'm sad that we still had to wait until
however long to get her movie, but

I was happy when we finally got it.

So, and then we got Yulaina.

Oh, yes.

Trey: Yes.

Who's the best.

So hopefully, hopefully
we'll get to see more.

It won't be the same without Scarlett
Johannson, but hopefully we'll see

more black widows stories with Yelaina.

I mean, she's gotta be one
of the new faces of the MCU.

Oh yeah.

She's great.

So yeah.

Well, thank you so much for
enlightening us with that.

That's a very exciting intro to
the Marvel cinematic universe.

But of course, if you download this
episode and you know, we're going to be

talking about season one episode, two
of moon night called some in the suit.

So the way we're going to handle
this is we're going to start off with

some pre spoiler thoughts, which is a
chance for us to talk about the episode

without really getting into the details.

And that will be followed by an audio cue,
which will take us in to the spoiler zone.

So before we get there, Yeah,
but what are your thoughts

for episode two of Moonlight?

Yebba: It's moving at a pace
in terms of introducing people

and introducing platforms.

Very quickly, but in such an informative
and immersive way that it doesn't feel

like I'm just being thrown something and
I'm like, wait, what I have to back up.

I didn't follow that because that
happens to me a lot in animals.

So we, you know, we got to
see some new characters and we

got to delve even further into
characters that we already know.

And I was just, I, I loved it.

And I, I really, I really can't
wait to see more, especially when

it comes to a couple of those

Trey: characters.

So yeah, I, and I think you're,
you're spot on with the way they

are delivering the information.

It was on my rewatch today in preparation
for this episode that it really hits.

This is the first Disney plus series.

I know we're two episodes in, but
this is the first Disney plus series.

I have not thought about
the runtime at all.

I've just been like, oh yeah.

Onboard from the start to the end.

And it's even in a way where it's like, it
doesn't end where I'm like, oh, that's it.

I want more.

It's just well paced.

And the final preschooler thought, I think
I'll throw out there is that for as much

flack as the MCU gets for undercutting
moments with comedy, I think this

show has found an impressive balancing
act between humor and seriousness.

Yebba: And I, I really like, I, I
listened to the first episode and I

really liked that both you and Jude kind
of pointed out that it portrays did.

In, in a way that doesn't feel
too jarring, but also doesn't

feel super over-exaggerated,
but it feels very empathetic.

And, uh, in terms of, of that, and I,
and I feel like it went into that a

little bit more in this episode, and
you got to see that the N that empathy

also from other characters, which I
thought was like, like, yes, like,

yes, like people are addressing it.

It's not just this, like only the audience
knows type of a thing, which, which I

get really annoyed with when I don't
know how many books you read, but like

unreliable narrator books, when it comes.

You're the only person that knows, but
you don't actually know because that's

the whole plot twisty thing of this book.

And I'm glad that it's, it's, it's not
just something shoved under the rug or,

and it's not just used as a plot point
to be like, wow, this is going to be,

you know, shocking shock value and book.

And it's not, it's not that at
all, which I greatly appreciate.

And they.

Really went into that
in the second episode.

Trey: A lot more.

Yeah.

Empathy, I think is a great way to
spotlight how they're treating did so far.

Yep.

Well, I think that's a good place
to leave the preschooler thought.

So let's go ahead and jump
into the spoiler zone.

Like you said, you're gonna hear an
audio cue and on the other side, it'll

be fair game for all spoilers in the MCU.

We'll see.

On the other side

and we're back.

So the way we're going to do this is
break this down into the most important

topics of the episode, which is a
way for us to cover it without having

to go necessarily scene by scene.

So starting with the first one,
this one's called explaining mark.

We see really three instances
of Stephen having to contend

with this other personality.

We see him explaining mark
to the world around him.

We see mark and Stephen, literally
having a conversation between each other.

And then we see Steven explaining
the situation to Layla.

So, yeah, but again, starting
with you, where do you want

to start within this section?

I think

Yebba: one of the most pivotal
points, especially when it came

to like finally understanding that
there's another person with mark was.

During the what's that called the
security camera, um, review with JB.

Who's a lovely character.

I hope we can see more of him again,
the Otter videos I'm with you, buddy.

I'm with, um, I liked that that
was the first, uh, for us even

representation of seeing him seeing
Steven and mark as a separate person.

The one thing that I caught on to during
the second, my second watch through, uh,

which I learned from you guys, um, to do
so during my second walk, my watch through

a, both one and two, I find that the
cinematography choices are interesting.

So the one thing that I noticed is in
the beginning of the first episode, we

see Arthur putting the glass in his hand.

And then walking and then as we're being
introduced to Stephen and he's, as he's

in the bed, one of the first shots that
you see after he takes off the covers

is you see the bottom of his feet.

So then you, as the watcher are like,
oh, they're not the same person.

Cause his feet aren't injured.

So you're like, okay, those are two
separate characters with it so far.

And then as he was going through his
whole routine and then, you know,

checking the sand, doing the whole
thing, um, he shuffles and scuffs a lot.

Like his feet always touch the
floor and he shuffles and he

kind of goes in the balls of his
feet and kind of does everything.

Um, and then he sort of, he has
like an interesting gate and when

he walks, he's always rushing.

He's always kind of bent over and
then Oscar Isaac's body language

in this as he's portraying,
both characters is fantastic.

Um, because when we see mark for the
first time as he's coming into scene

in that security footage, he has sweat.

He has sure.

Footing, he is stable and like, and
that's the first thing that you see

and he's looking at the camera cause
he knows, cause he's mark that Steven's

going to be reviewing that camera,
that camera footage, he just knows.

He just knows that that's going to happen.

Of course, he's going to do that.

So like the, to go from a character who
mumbles to, uh, to, um, a very talented

street performer and, you know, runs
through all one of their thoughts with

absolutely no feedback from anybody else.

And then goes into a very,
self-assured like just character,

like the, I find that it's.

So I find that they, that they chose
feet and to be like the point of

stability for people in terms of
determining like, oh, this is going

to be my impression of this care.

And I, I noticed that a lot
in my second, one of just like

where the camera was facing.

So that was, that was really cool.

I loved it.

I loved the introduction of mark in that
moment, more than when they talked in the

Trey: mirror.

So I got to say, I love the connection.

You've you've given with the way they, the
stability of their gait and their, their,

their, the way they hold themselves.

Because Oscar, Isaac has created
two distinct personalities.

Like, like last week I called, uh,
Steven sheepishly, confident, like,

because he's still part of Mark A.

Little bit.

You've got that quick wit you've got that
sureness, but it's not, it's not as bold

when mark steps in to the scene where
Steve is discussing with Layla, when mark

steps into the aquarium, you know, it's
mark, you just, you can feel it a hundred

Yebba: percent.

And like, and even, even like just the.

Um, when, when he's Steven, the way his
body remembers to do things, to like

duck on the wall, if like something he
knows is there that like the Stephen

that we're meeting wouldn't necessarily
know to do that, but that's definitely

just his body's like his body's memory
being like, oh, danger let's move.

Um, so it's, you're, you're sort of
seeing how, how they intermingle in the

same body, but when one is in control
versus the other, they are very different

Trey: for sure.

Sticking on this topic.

Steven and mark, I think I'm in love with
this episode structurally, because again,

this is where we get to see more of them
defining each other through conversation.

And the fact that we start with Stephen,
having to look at himself in that

security camera, we go to the next scene.

He's giving up his name tag that
stays says Steven, all last episode.

In this episode, he identifies
himself as I'm the gift shop list.

And so now that that's gone, he really
is forced to examine, okay, who am I?

And I'm always a sucker for this.

I know it's not the most.

What's the word I'm looking for.

I mean, it's, it's pretty obvious,
but the fact that they have to go to a

storage locker to literally unlock the
secrets of what they're holding out,

they're just playing with so much with
the cinematography and just visually

telling the story between Steven and.

And so I, I really enjoy that.

And before, before we get too much further
into their intermingling, I do want

to take a moment to spotlight Steven.

His wholesomeness is just, I,
I think I've seen this online.

Like we must protect
Steven at all costs at all

Yebba: costs and the person that I
was getting like frustrated with.

Um, I don't know if you know
this about me, but I can have

some short patience or something.

It's almost like when I play salty
games or something in platformers that

I can just be a little rage monster.

Definitely not a personality trait.

Um, and, uh, so I, I was getting
frustrated, but I found myself getting

frustrated with mark and not with
Steven, because like mark is so reserved

and he wants to compartmentalize so
much and not have Stephen be a part

of anything that he's not helpful.

And it's like, he just keeps
saying, let me take over.

W why would you take over, like,
clearly if you're not getting through

to him, just by yelling at him,
why don't you try to explain why

it's better for you to do stuff?

And he sort of gets that way
towards the li the later half of

the episode being like, I'm the
one who can control the suit.

I am the one who can do this.

I can protect you.

I can protect Layla.

I can pretend like he
starts explaining it.

But at the scene at the start,
when, uh, when Layla's like first

over and he just keeps saying
like, stop, stop, don't talk, stop.

Why.

Why honey, like, like it's like,
it's like clearly, clearly Stephen's

confused and you know, he's confused
because, you know, he doesn't know

all the information that, you know, so
how about you throw this kid a bone?

Like just do something
a little differently.

So I, so I, I got frustrated with him,
um, at that point, but I didn't get

frustrated with Steven who I was expecting
to get frustrated with and I didn't.

So it's good.

Trey: Well, the thing that's, so
endearing, I think, is in the beginning,

like he is willing to turn himself in.

He's like, all right,
let's look at this footage.

He's like, I think I may have some
information on what's going on.

And yet he still kind of excited and
he's like, all right, get a load of this.

This is going to blow
your mind or whatever.

Like he's, he's the door for as, as much
as mark is the stoic, like capable person,

Stephen is almost the complete opposite.

And you know, I, I didn't really have.

Articulated thoughts on what
you were talking about with the

frustration of mark, but I think it
is a nice thing to point out because

I'm still working through this.

And again, like we said, last week,
we're trying to treat did with respect.

Uh, so this is something that I don't
know, a hundred percent, but it feels

like at least within the show mark
or Steven is a lot of either Mark's

insecurities or things that he regrets.

So we see in the conversation with
Steven and Layla, they had a lot

in common and they're like, I think
there was a favorite poet that Layla

and Steven were discussed and he's
like, oh, that's my favorite poet.

And she was like, no, that's mine.

So it feels like.

Steven May internalize
a lot of that for mark.

So it makes sense in the
beginning when he's like, I don't

trust you, you can't do this.

You're not capable of this.

It is.

It is.

It is him not having that self
compassion for himself almost again.

What I love about superhero
shows that it brings the extreme

to almost a literal sense.

And you're getting to see that
conversation here in, in the moment.

I, I

Yebba: really liked, I don't want to,
I don't want to jump topics too much,

but the whole reason why we know.

Layla is because of mark and I loved
Layla's reaction to kind of build

off of like, they, they clearly have
a different connection because it

sounded like Layla was very firm
with mark because she had to be.

And then with Steven, when she's, when
she's like, like, like some in the suit,

like, like just asking him and asking
him and you know, that she doesn't

believe him and you know, that she's
having trouble with like all of this.

And then when she sees just the pure
frustration and just horror on Steven's

face of being like, I don't know how to
do this, and I don't want to do this.

She immediately empathizes.

And it's just like, okay, we'll figure
out a different way out of this.

And like, again, that's just that night.

Um, it's that acknowledgement that
there is a struggle and instead of just

meeting it and to butt heads and to call
someone stupid or, you know, to degrade

them or to do anything else, that's just
like, you know what, this is a problem.

This isn't going to solve the problem.

We're going to find a different solution.

So like, like I that's, when I also
fell in love with the character Layla

in general, um, just in terms of.

It's it's, it's almost like
to build off of your point.

It's almost like the chances that she
didn't have with mark that she now

wants to do with Steven in order to, to
kind of, to, to explore those types of

feelings, but to also, um, just to, just
to reaffirm, like, okay, well, if we're

going to be partners in this, because
she emphasized that a few times, if we're

actually going to be partners in this,
I'm going to meet you halfway too, because

you need me to right now, you know,

Trey: I want to build off that as well.

Uh, cause you, we jumped to that
scene where they are in the, I think

it's a warehouse and they're trying
to outrun that Jackal and she's

imploring him to some of the suit.

You detail the empathy.

I didn't think about it until just now,
but I think I love the fact that nobody

can see the jackals, but mark at this
point, because if super hero, like we

did the episode on villains and the thing
that I think makes good villains is,

is whenever they make the antagonists.

The embodiment of what the
protagonist is dealing with.

And so at least within this moment, that
Jackal is an invisible thing to Layla,

but it is a real thing to Stephen.

And so even though she can't see
it, she recognizes the danger.

I think that one shows the empathy on
her character, but it makes me love

the externalization of the problem
that Steven and mark are dealing with.

Yeah.

Yebba: Yes.

Yeah.

And, and the fact that she picks up a
bottle and the fact that she's like,

okay, well his hands there, that
probably means that the body's over here.

So like, like she she's deducing
information, she's trying to help out.

And she's trying to recognize a problem
that even if she can't see all the

information, so yeah, that's a fantastic.

Fantastic point.

Oh, they're so good with sometimes in
this show, they're so good with it.

And like, it's so funny that like, the
more you talk about it, or the more

times you watch it, or the more times
you do anything, it's just, you keep

pulling all these little pieces out.

So 10 out of 10.

Love it.

Trey: Yeah.

Well, well, speaking of the way
they, they visually depict stuff.

Let's circle back to the, the first
time we really see Layla as much

work as they've done to educate
us with characters and mirrors.

I love that that first conversation
Layla has with Stephen, where she's

like, all right, cut the crap.

You know, we're out from the
person who was chasing you.

You don't need to be
this character anymore.

And yet Steven is talking to her through
the mirror, like at this point, that

is the only connection they have.

And so to get from there to where she's
happy, where she's helping them with the

invisible force at the end, what a great
character arc within just this episode.

Yeah.

And again,

Yebba: it didn't feel
rushed and it didn't feel.

Like, you know, they, they jumped to a
conclusion because she needed to be there.

Like, it just, it just felt like a natural
progression as they started, as she

started to learn that, okay, this isn't
mark, this is mark, but it's not mark.

So, um, and, and you sorta saw her,
you saw you and you definitely saw

her, even though she didn't have
nearly as much time on screen,

you saw her also struggle with it.

So it wasn't, um, nothing is empty.

Nothing is empty in terms
of character reaction.

Or, um, or the actions that they
do, um, or even, even just the

lines like th th there's nothing.

Well, in the MCU in general,
there's really nothing.

That's like a throwaway line because
a lot of times they just go back to it

of just being like, Hey, remember when
I said that in like three movies ago?

Like, ha, there you go.

But yeah, I, I really liked the character,
Layla, um, Ethan Hawke, again, just

secured for me that if he's not up for
an Emmy, I'm going to be disappointed.

So it's fine.

Trey: Yeah.

I think even Hawk has definitely secured
the creepy kindness in this episode.

Well,

Yebba: he, he is, to me, the,
the embodiment of what is the

scariest part of humanity.

And that is somebody who is willing to go
to any lengths through any means to meet

what they perceive to be their YouTube.

And that's terrifying.

Like it D it doesn't have to have
religious zeal attached to it.

It doesn't have to be a cult.

It, obviously both of these are,
but it doesn't have to have those

things, but just that mentality
of, I will do anything to reach the

end and screw everybody in my way.

That's terrifying.

That's that?

That's the ultimate evil, because
there, there is no sympathy.

There is no empathy.

And, uh, and I actually disagreed
with, with the, like, you know, he

was having, like, he had relief.

I don't think he had relief at all.

When he finally made those choices.

I think, I think to him, it was just
like, yes, I am on the right path.

Like for him, it's reaffirming for him.

It's not reaffirming.

For like everyone else, he
doesn't care about anyone else.

He cares that everyone
else is believing what he

Trey: believes.

Okay.

Sorry.

Are you talking about last week?

Whenever he used the scales
to judge those two people?

Uh, cause I had mentioned that you could
see the relief on his face, but you think

there's something a little bit more it's

Yebba: it's it's relief that he is doing.

What's right.

It's not, it's not relief of like
he did punish or he didn't punish

it's him reaffirming that the path
that he chose is the right path.

Because obviously when,
when, when a lot of these.

I'm coming.

I shouldn't say obviously, and then
not everybody is super into, to

ridiculous true crime and tyrannical
dictatorships and reading all those

books like I do, because you're not
weird like me, but, um, so, uh, for

anybody who doesn't know, uh, I have a
background in politics and one of my big

things that I read are, uh, historical
instances of tyranny and deviance.

Um, you know, I've read a
lot about serial killers.

I've read a lot about cult fanatics.

I've read a lot about all of this stuff.

That's why I had a podcast at
one point talking about this.

Um, yeah, sort of like files.

Yes.

Um, we, we may come back.

We'll see.

I need to stop being busy.

That's really what it comes down to.

So, but the, the big thing is something
that goes hand in hand with this,

especially when you start gaining power.

And especially when you start a certain
path and you have a certain zeal

is that you have a certain level of
paranoia and that paranoia turns into

distrust of the people around you, or
it turns into distrust of yourself.

So we already learned that Arthur was
at one point partnered, uh, with Concho.

Like he, he was the avatar of conscience.

That's what we.

He's strayed from that path because
he found a firmer path and he

was just like, I'm not going to
wait until something bad happens.

I'm going to preempt it.

I'm going to minority report this.

I don't, I don't want to wait.

I want, I want to, I want to nip it in
the bud and I want to create my utopia.

So, because he's been exposed to
both sides, he needs to reaffirm

that he chose the right side.

So he needs to know that
every action that he does.

Not only do they believe, but he believes
that he's on the right choice because

it starts feeding into that paranoia
that I don't know, or any, any self

doubt in any of this he's going to die.

So he can't, he can't, he can't
have doubt from other people and

he can't have doubt in himself.

So he just needs to charge all the way
forward, all collateral damage in his

Trey: way.

It definitely makes a lot of sense why
he would switch to a belief that is

preemptive and not as a reactionary as
Concho, which speaking of we do have

that scene here where after mark and
Steven interact, we have concierge

chasing Stephen through the warehouse.

What was your interpretation
of mark detailing?

What he's doing for Concho, at least
at this part of the, the episode,

Yebba: I wasn't sure who reached out to.

So when things are a mutual agreement,
I tend to find them like that.

That's something that's going
to be mutually beneficial.

So it was probably, it was, it was
agreed upon on a common ground.

If it's something at that point where
like he was born into it, like it was

going to be a birthright and he was forced
into this path and he had no choice.

I usually have problems with
that because it's just like,

no, for them, screw the man.

Screw the system.

Don't don't be a conformist.

So, so at that point, I wasn't sure.

Um, what, what the type of agreement
was, but it didn't sound like mark.

He didn't tell him like
his arm was twisted.

It didn't sound like he kept saying
that he had like a duty that,

that he had a task to fulfill.

So it sounded, it sounded very
finite in terms of what this

agreement was going to be.

So it wasn't like, uh, selling
your soul, whatever type of thing.

Um, but it was interesting at
the end of the episode, after

Trey: that, I definitely to, to get our
read of it here, before we get into one

of the final, final bits of the episode.

But, you know, you did amazing
work talking about Arthur Harris.

So I think we can go ahead and
move into the next, most important

topic, which is Hearos hospitality.

So this is going to take us through the
scenes where Stephen has been apprehended

by the officers, and he gets to have a
face-to-face meeting with Arthur as he

details all of his belief and utopia.

So starting with me this time, You know,
I I've seen this comparison a lot on

social media about how much the, the
Ahmet believers are starting to feel

like Hydra, because we saw the, you
know, we're going to strike before even

the crimes are committed and that is
100% the belief that they have here.

I want to go out one further.

They're obviously playing within
the ideology of those two factions.

But the thing that I think is super
impressive and can be felt in the scene

where the officer comes to Steven's
home, or when he's like trying to reach

out to the person outside of the car
who was playing with a soccer ball, they

have created, as you said earlier, the
paranoia of who can you trust and the

way that it is depicted with the scales,
just being like shown when they move a

hand, oh man, there's so much fear going
on in that first introduction with HARO

Yebba: and even, even in the museum, when
it's somebody he literally has worked.

And he just, he just holds up his
sleeve and he's like, oh wait, not you

to like, like it's, it's one of those.

Um, like, and the fact that it's a police
officer is the two police officers is

like a genre in itself of like, Ooh,
I love that song, but it's, it shows

that anybody can be influenced, which
I think is a very important thing.

Also when it comes to cult stuff, you
know, it's not just the uneducated,

it's not just the susceptible.

It's not just the naive.

It can be anybody, anybody
can be susceptible to being

brought in by a certain message.

And I think what we see, especially when
he's walking through the community, you

know, when he admires the tomatoes and
they start talking Mandarin and they,

they, um, you know, they go get the
lentil soup and there's, um, there's

a silent movie, not silent movie.

A, um, what's the word I'm looking for?

Uh, screening.

Yeah.

Like, like a, like a headphone screening.

I don't, I don't know what
word I was trying to look for.

Um, but, um, I did silent parties
in the library before where we

all sync up playlists on the same
thing, and then we all like jam out

to it, but not annoy other people.

So, you know, the early or the late
two thousands college, it was fine.

Um, so like, I feel like we get a
sense of the utopia that he's built.

But just like with Venos and just like
with everybody else, even if you have

a great idea, the means to which you
get, there can be very problematic and

you start to see Stephen get really
comfortable and be like, yeah, I'm vegan.

I'm going to have this soup.

This looks delicious.

But then he starts to hear it.

And then he starts to question it.

And then as he questions it, there's
people closing in because once again,

if you have a shun, the non-believer,
but also when you have someone

who has the potential to convince
someone, to break ranks with these

people, I don't see that happening.

But when, when you have the potential of
that, you have to neutralize that threat.

So, um, horo was looking
to neutralize, two threats.

He was looking to neutralize someone
who has the power of conscious.

And he was also looking to neutralize
someone who has the potential to

maybe convince some other people
in the room that, Hey, maybe what

he's saying is, is kind of true.

Maybe we shouldn't, you know,
potentially just off some innocent

person before they commit some type
of crime in 30 years in the future.

Trey: I love because he's like, he turns
to the crowd, it's like, it's a bit dodgy.

Right?

Are you all for this killing children?

Like, are you like, I think about
killing my boss all the time, but

that doesn't mean I'm going to do it.

Like he, I love what, the way you're
framing it as him being the one to

try to appeal for everybody else.

And that's why he becomes an
immediate threat for HARO.

I, I, it's still, it's only two
episodes, so I'm scared to make this

bullet of the claim, but I think
Steven really might be one of the.

Strongest characters emotionally
that we've seen in the MCU.

'cause I, I had to write this line
down whenever it was written, because

it, it, it hit me right in my heart.

Whenever Arthur is trying to appeal to
them at first to get to his side, he

talks about like, okay, did constitute
choose you because you're a broken

or when you would be easy to break
and Stephen goes, I'm not broken.

I just need some help, mate.

Oh man.

What a beautiful line.

Because like at every turn, so.

Everybody has put Steven down and
he keeps like standing back up.

So I love that this show is taking
a character like this, who should

be a pushover because I've gone
to try and like describe Steven.

And every time I go to one of the
first words that comes to mind is

pushover, but he's not, he's only.

Appearance of being it, but he's got
that strength to stand up to HARO.

So I, I love the way that you
had just outlined that there

Yebba: and to build off that further, um,
some of the most emotionally intelligent

characters that we have are always gray.

So it's, it's, it's, they're
never black and white.

They're never one way or the other,
because they have to stay in that gray

zone because they have to see both sides.

They have to empathize with both sides.

Hey HARO, I understand that you
want to create this wonderful utopia

and that sounds great, but maybe
this isn't the best way to do that.

Hey, Concho.

I understand.

Hey mark and con Concho, I understand
that you have to fight against

this, but I also can't have you keep
using me to hurt innocent people?

Well, who will or just
hurt people in general?

Not even, not even innocent or
guilty, just hurt people in general.

I don't, I don't subscribe to that,
especially when he's he's in between

two sides of literally the same
coin where you have conscientious.

Where they have the same objective,
but they also have the same faults

where Concho does not care who he
gets roped into his stuff, as long

as he has their body and has their
power in order to complete his duty.

And then HARO on the other hand does
not care about anyone and will do

exactly what he needs to do in order to
make sure that his vision comes from.

So he's caught between perfect black and
white, and he has this fantastic shade of

gray that is saying both of you are wrong.

Like, like, like, like both of you
are just this isn't this isn't right.

And, and he's not saying that he's right,
but he knows what's not, he knows what's

wrong and he knows what he stands for.

And he knows what he believes.

So in terms of like being a pushover, he's
not a pushover, he's just, he's, he's so

understanding of where he wants to be,
that he knows where he doesn't want to be.

So he, he just knows that like,
this is, this is not for me.

I don't want to be a part of this.

I don't want to be a part of your utopia
and I don't want to be the utopia smasher.

So I, I don't know what you
want me to do, man, but I don't

want to be a part of any of it.

I just want to be a gift shop is

Trey: again, more time.

I love that.

That's how he identifies himself.

Like, he takes so much pride in
that job, even though that job

keeps pushing him down as well.

Yebba: So, but he, and he's
still, but he still tries.

And like he, you know, and, and I
feel like he knows he keep fitting

it reiterated, like even with
the lady in the elevator, in the.

Um, episode of just like, you know,
that the people even in his building

had probably been exposed to him and
like, and you, you know, and you can

hear in his voice that he knows how
much of a disappointment he can be.

And like the fact that you have
awareness of that is emotionally

intelligent is, is emotional, intense.

And it's, it's, it's, you're
wrestling with empathy with

yourself, even when people are not
giving you that same empathy back.

And it's a very exhausting space
to be in trust me, men there.

So it's, I, I feel like
they do a really good job.

Um, I'm, I'm curious for people who
don't suffer from mental illness or.

I don't have that as a
constant daily battle or don't

have any of those feelings.

I wonder how they interpret him because,
you know, I, I, I have depression and I

was also recently diagnosed with ADHD.

I'm sorry.

I need to change that.

I, I was diagnosed with severe depression
last year, um, which I didn't appreciate

the severe, but it was it's accurate.

So, um, it's one of those, like,
I, I understand what I can handle.

I understand what I can tolerate.

I understand what are my limits
and what are my boundaries, but

I also understand what I need.

It's, it's, it's a very difficult
conversation with people who have.

Either have to have that awareness
or haven't gotten there yet.

So I'm just curious what, um,
how people interpret Stephen.

Cause I feel like a lot of people
know where mark is, but maybe

don't know how to interpret

Trey: Stephen all the time.

Yeah.

But I I'm glad you're on.

You've given me so many every time
you start talking, there's so many

different directions I want to follow.

And I think the place I'm going
to start here cause you've.

Wonderfully detailed house.

Steven is the gray
between mark and Arthur.

And I know in my notes, one of the
things I was writing down is I kind

of put myself on the record here.

I'm waiting for the moment where we
see the reveal that horo is seeing

Ahmed like Marcus seeing Concho.

And so we're seeing these two ideologies
because you can see moments where Arthur

is talking to Steven and he just kind
of like turns his head to the side

Yebba: or when he looks, he
looks behind him or, yeah.

Trey: Yeah.

So he's very familiar with that.

And so if, again, if antagonists
or the embodiment of the thing

that the protagonist are facing,
the fact that Concho for mark and.

Ahmed for Arthur are the
influences to which they can

not create their boundaries.

And Steven is the one person who
is creating their boundaries.

Oh man, I'm loving this.

This is such a great series so

Yebba: far.

Yes.

Oh, that's such a good, it's such a good
way of putting it in terms of boundaries

of, of, you know, just being that guiding
light when, when you know that they, they

are so tunnel vision, they, they are so.

I'm w I'm where they need to
go and how they need to do it.

That they're not, they're not thinking
about anything that they're passing.

So that's, that's, that's
a really good point.

Or that's a really good term to
put it as in terms of boundaries,

that Steven is is, is the boundary.

Yeah.

So, and even like, even when mark
like freaks out, when he finally

like, like takes control and he just
gets so frustrated with Steven, and

it's just one of those, like, Steven,
didn't do that with you, Steven.

Didn't do that with you.

And like, and like, I
understand that like, maybe

you don't want to deal with it.

Like, you know, in the last
scene he's like drunk and stuff.

So like, obviously there's some,
there's some addressing issues.

Uh, that he probably has, um, when
it comes to facing things or maybe

he just, you know, needs a break from
stuff and that's understandable, but

it, but, but like, again, that's, this
is where I'm getting frustrated with

mark and I'm not getting frustrated with
Steven because Steven is articulating

what is frustrating and what he's
dissatisfied with and what he's upset by.

And with mark you're,
he's just a loose cannon.

He like, he just, something's
going to flip that switch and

it's just like, well, now he's in.

Crap.

So,

Trey: yeah.

So sticking within this section
where we're still in the

moment where I keep tangenting

Yebba: on.

Oh no, you can reel me back in anytime.

Trey: Alright.

As a tangent, like we go on
tangents here all the time.

Okay.

Jude, Jude once told me, he's like, dude,
it's whenever we're in conversation,

sometimes it feels like we're throwing the
shield out and you're bringing it back in.

And that was one of the nicest
compliments he's ever given me

as a big captain America fan.

So I, again, I encourage you go
on as many tangents as you want

and I'll keep us on the outline.

But now I do want to.

Cause you again, you've,
you've detailed the spectrum

with which we're dealing here.

How did you feel about the
realization that Arthur once was in?

I want to say cahoots, but
partnership with Concho.

And because of that, he is able to
call the shots of, oh, is he saying

this as he's saying to kill me?

Oh, is he saying that he's real justice
and he doesn't have to hear that?

Like what, what was your
read on that moment?

And

Yebba: he's very good
at manipulating people.

That, that was the read that I got.

So this is also, you know, my skeptical,
uh, my, my skeptical nature, um, when

it comes to these types of characters,
but I definitely got the read of

like, oh, he, he knows how to read
someone and then to get to the point

that he knows is going to resonate.

So for him, it's, he's, uh, Arthur's
almost reassuring, like, Hey,

I've gone through this before.

I'm I'm relatable.

When it comes to this type of
interaction that you're having.

Um, which is very manipulative, but at
the same time, it's a really cool window

into Arthur to be like, oh, like, like
he had this power at one point, huh?

I wonder why he gave it up.

And so you're, so that, that starts kind
of turning in your head of like, did

he give it up or did you say, you know,
screw you, I don't need you anymore.

I need a new vessel because as we
learned, you know, he seems to be on

the lookout for all that all the time.

So, um, what, what is
more enticing with Ahmet?

It is, is it because I'm
at promised him something.

Or is it because Ahmed has more power
and he's power hungry and he's greedy,

or did Ahmet appeal to, um, you know,
he's partially there with Concho

of like, I'm avenging the innocent
and I am punishing the, uh, I am

punishing who needs to be punished?

I, I am, I am justice, but
he he'd, since he said it.

So facetiously, like he said it in like
a, oh, does he say like, I am justice?

He, he clearly, he's not
co-signed the con shoe anymore.

And he clearly got sick of Concho and
then Ahmed was just way more attractive.

Well, as a crocodile head lady.

Trey: Yeah, the, the judgment
of a weird crocodile lady.

Yup.

Yebba: It's little quips are so

Trey: funny.

Steven is so quick witted.

He is he's he's courageous.

I'm gonna throw this out there.

I've I've detailed a mess,
sheepishly, confident.

I think by the end of it, he'll
just be full on courageous again.

Yebba: He knows where he.

He just because he's unsure of
where everybody else stands, he sort

of dances around whatever it is.

And then he finally gets there.

So it's not that he's unsure of
himself, he's unsure of other people.

And that's why he's hesitant.

He's not, he's not because
he's unsure of himself.

He gets a little shaky there when he's
not quite sure what the heck's going

on, but, um, you know, he, he's very,
he knows, he knows what his morals are.

He knows what his compass is and
he knows what he wants to do.

He's just not sure who around him
is either going to make fun of

him or shun him or, um, you know,
hurt him or be somebody who's

just not going to support him.

So that's that, that's
where his hesitancy is.

It's not really in himself,
it's with everybody

Trey: else.

So, you know, you mentioned earlier about
the way Arthur is manipulative and the

way he is able to appeal to insecurities.

I love the work they're doing.

Arthur is making conscious seem like a
petulant child and they're doing yeah.

And they're doing great work with the
cinematography too, because I know

there's on some level it's supposed
to be not necessarily horror, but like

intimidating that the camera pans up
and you see Concho sitting there just

watching them or he's in the distance.

But the fact that he is limited to the
sidelines, at least in this moment,

because Arthur says like, oh, is that him?

Is he here?

Like, don't worry.

That's the worst that he
can do without your help.

And so they have undercut him, I think.

The cause we still don't know enough
about Contra yet because we'll

get to it later in the outline.

I still can't get a perfect read on what
it is he wants or whether or not we can

see him as not necessarily good, but at
least not somebody who is taking the souls

of people who were believing in him way to

Yebba: thin out your
believers, by the way.

Maybe don't do that all the time.

I'm just saying, just keep the numbers.

Maybe.

I don't know.

Trey: Yeah, that can't be
a very successful strategy.

Yebba: Now.

Why would you kill your most devout?

What like, hello?

One-on-one like sometimes if you need
them for fodder, keep them for fodder.

Don't don't just arbitrarily make
them mummies and put them in a weird

storage room in the middle of London.

Trey: Yeah.

You know, speaking of thinning the
herds last week, I, and I think you

even mentioned at the top of the episode
about how I was reading relief in his

face, any doubts I may have had where he
was at completely gone in this episode,

he wouldn't a hundred percent took
that person's life without judgment.

Yeah.

I don't think, uh, you know, we've
seen him use the balance a couple of

times, there's a bit of a, what minute
animation that happens on his tattoo.

That was a way too quick for
the scales to balance on that.

Yebba: Yeah.

Way, way, way too quick.

And the fact that he even took time
with Steven, which I'm sure was more

to create chaos, uh, to affirm chaos
in order to create chaos for Steven.

Um, but the fact that somebody who
would be a quite literal threat more to.

And that, that, that he didn't
take advantage of that to try to

do something was, uh, interesting.

And the fact that just because this
person touched something that was

important and that was important to
his cause he immediately zeroed in on.

Off with you.

It was justified.

It's justified his brain.

He's fine with it.

So yeah, malicious, malicious, malicious

Trey: so much for the utopia.

Yebba: This is when we go from the
utopia, right to the tyranny and the

dictatorships, bam, every single time.

Boom, boom.

Almost like it's a pattern.

Trey: I was going to say like clockwork.

Well, I think that'll do it
for this most important topics.

So we're gonna go ahead and
move into the next one, which

is called some in the suit.

This is going to take us, this is going to
take us through the scenes where Layla and

Steven are trying to escape the utopia.

And Layla is imploring Stephen to use the
suit because Arthur has summoned a Jackal,

a Yaba starting with you this time.

What did you think of this pretty
big action piece within the episode,

Yebba: it was nice to have a
confirmed, to have a bit more visual

of the bad thing in my personal.

Um, cause I liked, I like when things are
sort of jaws, like we're, they're left to

the imagination, but when I saw the actual
Jackal thing, um, I was already starting

to go into a comedy bit where I was just
like, ah, the army, you have a new bus.

I have to rewatch the mummy returns again.

Um, so that's, that's kind of where
we're, uh, my silly brain went.

Um,

Trey: you're in tweets.

I know you don't need another
reason to watch the moment.

It's true.

Yebba: It's true.

It's like, it's like a, it's like
a monthly watch at this point.

It's like, whatever, I'm a Knox
and the moon hit me, so it's fine.

And uh, but I, I liked, uh, I alluded
to it earlier where Layla had a lot of

empathy for Steven during this point.

And you could see Stephen sort of being
like, oh, I've already been through this

danger before I already knew that the
suit and mark helped me before, but I

think I'm going to help myself this time.

And it turned into a fantastic comedy
bit and, and it was, it was quippy.

And so it wasn't, it wasn't like Hawkeye.

In terms of like comedy, because Kate
Bishop was the queen of comedy through

that entire series, along with Julina.

So I found it to be a little relieving
after a really heavy scene with Arthur,

but also set up some really fantastical
action because it was cool to see that

the Jackal was actually invisible, uh,
which we, we sort of thought with the

camera, but like maybe it just wasn't
caught on electronics for whatever reason.

I don't know.

So it was nice to have that confirmation.

And just like, I, I'm still
really curious about the powers.

Like I want to see more, I want
to see, like we saw restarted.

We sort of saw it when mark redid
the suit, but like, I want to, I

want to see more and I, and it's
kind of cool that it can be so

manipulated, um, at the person's window.

Um, to be useful, almost that, that,
that was, that was really cool.

Trey: It's really representative
of the driver and what they're

asking for within the moment.

And I remember going into this show
whenever the marketing was showing like

the different, they haven't shown too
many, but they gave us a taste of two

different versions of the costumes.

So we had moon night, which
we saw in episode one.

Then we have, what I believe
is referred to as Mr.

Night with this one in the suit
with Steven, I never would have

guessed that that suit would
not be because it's not it's so.

Not, not that it's defined.

I know these are all based off
comics, but it was a whim of, of

him not knowing how to use the suit.

Like I never would've guessed that.

And the lead up into the psycho
Colonel Sanders, like, it's

just my God, like this show.

It is so rich with the way it's using
its premise that it's it's, this is

the balancing act that I was talking
about in the preschool and our thoughts.

Like it, it, it can be serious.

It can be action and it can be comedy
and it is not missing a beat whatsoever.

I mean much like the Stephen with the
float, like a butterfly sting, like a bee.

My name's Steven with a V like this

Yebba: show with me.

That was so adorable.

Trey: Oh man.

I think, I think that's what I'm leaning
with with Steven here is he tried,

you know, you were talking about.

Mark not helping them.

I think the fact that Steven was
willing to try and step into the

suit, even though he wasn't fully
capable of doing it is what earned

some sympathy for, or not sympathy.

But some beginning to understand him
from mark, because after he punches

the Jackal and that he gets knocked
out, Stephen stands up and he talks

to mark in the reflection of the bus.

Mark actually showed some
side of like the punch.

Yeah.

He's like, that was pretty good.

But if you don't want to hurt these.

Let me take control from

Yebba: here and, and, and, and
Mark's relating to what Steven

probably has the most concern for.

He's not saying like, again, like, I
know this is, this is just us graduating

as like a society and like moving along
into smart, sophisticated, good dialogue.

Um, you know, I'm so used to like,
like, I'm not saying, I'm not gonna

say I'm used to crappy action movies,
but like, especially with us growing

up where, um, most of like the banter
between like buddy cop movies or like

action movies was always just like
insulting the person or, or, um, you

know, pointing out their faults or
like doing anything marks appealing to

something that Steven would see be a
reason as to why he should take over.

Like, it's, it's a lot of.

Um, and also mark recognizes that
he's earnest, he's earnest in that

I want to do something and I want
to do it because I don't want it to

do it your way, because your way has
made my body hurt a lot of people.

And so like, he's, he's trying
to thread that needle to be

like, I need to keep you safe.

I need to keep well, you and me
safe, and I need to keep Layla.

I'm sure mark thinks about other people,
but I don't think it's his top most

concern, um, a lot of times, but he knows
that he needs to do something different.

And then he listens to Layla.

When Layla says, get him out of here,
like get him away from these other people.

I feel, I feel like mark
does not have the same level.

Um, but he sees the reason behind making
certain decisions for the greater good

or for public safety or whichever,

Trey: you know, I I'm thinking about
what you said earlier about how

awareness is the sign of somebody
who's emotional intelligence and

pairing that with what I was detailing
earlier about how it feels like Steven

might be a fractured off version of.

Mark.

If Steven is Mark's awareness that I
think is a good character growth on

mark, that he's finally listening to
that, because again, I don't think he

would have taken care for those people
until he saw how it was important.

Um, and it culminating to Layla
being the one to say, like, all

right, go get him so good to

Yebba: go back to when they first meet
in the apartment, when Layla produces the

divorce papers and he's and Stephens shot.

Because I'm sure he's thinking
Layla, you're beautiful.

You're smart.

Like, I, I can already tell, like, if I'm
actually married to you, I'm very lucky.

Trey: I would never divorce you.

Yebba: I would never divorce you.

And you, you sort of like, they sort of
look to mark during some of those times

and he scoffs and he's just like, like
it's, it's, it's not disappointment in

Steven it's disappointment in himself.

And he knows that he doesn't want
to put Layla in danger and he keeps

thinking that he's doing things.

This is, this is such the machismo
male, um, thing that just drives

me insane, um, is I'm going to push
you away in order to protect you.

Screw you, screw you.

I, I am not a strong, independent
woman that don't need no, man.

I am a woman who is choosing
to be with you because I know

we can be stronger together.

Like come on dipstick, like get with it.

So like, it's just, it's, it's
just one of those, like, whatever

your feeling in terms of.

Like, I need to keep you safe if
you're not taking into account

what the other person is saying,
you're not keeping them safe.

You're saying that you're a
burden and you need to leave.

So, and Steven sees that and Steven sees
that because for him, it's very much

like why would I ever get rid of you?

And then he, and the only time
Steven listens to mark is when

he says you're putting her in.

And that's when he realizes, oh,
maybe I shouldn't act so rashly, or

maybe I shouldn't do that because I
don't want to put Layla in danger.

So they have the same motive
and they say they have the

same goal to keep Layla safe.

But it's the emotional intelligence of
Steven that recognizes it's a partnership.

It's not a get the hell out of here.

And she points that out to,

Trey: so after that beginning fight
scene with Steven, we get a version

of it with mark quick, real quickly.

What did you think of that set piece?

Where we finally see
Moonlight in full control?

Yebba: He's a conch, he's a con
shoe Batman and I'm into it.

Like it's just, he's a
he's he's Batman money.

Is that money?

So like, I.

He is fantastic.

And it's, it's, um, it's a versatile suit.

Like you can clearly see that, um, it
gives them safety and it gives them power.

Um, and I'm sure there's some also
like extra sensory something or

other, anything that's going on.

But the fact that it's so
manipulatable and I would love to

see if they change anything else.

Like if they go full miss Marvel
with it, but like, I want to see,

I want to see kind of where else
those superpowers can go, but also

how they choose to use those powers.

Especially Steven.

Um, if Khan shoe actually
wants to work with him, to

Trey: me, it feels like leading into this,
that it feels like Marvel studios really

wants to create this side of the world.

That's not necessarily like Avengers world
level, but it's kind of street level.

This felt like a scene
out of Daredevil for me.

Yebba: Oh honey.

I, the second you said it's street level.

I was like, oh yeah, it's Daredevil.

It's Luke cage.

Jessica Jones.

Um, it's, it's all those same things.

I will not mention iron fist.

Um, so, uh, or the defenders.

Um, but oh yeah, no dare, dare devil.

And the fact that he, he had the Baton
kind of like both the clubs also,

there was just, it was, it was cool.

It was, it was one of those, like, it
was one of those moments where I, I

can see a lot of potential and I know.

The writers will capitalize on some of it.

And then I know they'll leave some of
it for a future iteration of some sort.

So I'll be curious what they
finally expose us to through this

Trey: one, a lot of groundwork
being laid for sure.

Yep.

Yebba: And I, I love the, when things go a
bit more supernatural, but aren't Spacey.

They're not, they're not Dr.

Strange supernatural.

They're literal pyramids in the
ground level of supernatural.

And I feel like that's a new level that
we haven't fully experienced and also.

With possession and borrowing powers.

Um, being granted power is not like,
you know, obviously like cap got,

what was he, a superhero in a bottle.

And then you had the suit from iron man.

Uh, and then you had the
whole from radiation.

So like we've had different induced
euros, but it's curious to know

that you have someone who can be
who who's in a packed almost of

like, I wonder where this could go.

And, you know, we saw this with
the terminals, with the black

Knight and yada yada yada.

So

Trey: yeah, I've never really thought
about it that way before, about it

being something that it's entrusted
to somebody rather than it being

something that just happened to them.

Yebba: And that's why, and
that's why I was curious with

the agreement with current.

If it was a birthright thing or if
it was like a, Hey you're on, it

sounded like it was, Hey, you're
on, you were on death's door.

Let me give you it's a deal
with the devil essentially.

So, but you didn't have to
go to the crossroads and you

didn't have to play violin.

So you're

Trey: good.

So I, I, you know, that'll go ahead
and move us into our last important

topic, which is the country agreement.

You know, you'd talked about
the, the being on death's door.

Uh, I want to shout out a community
member, fashion, Jimmy, and the discord

who threw out that conversation between,
uh, Stephen and the little girl where

she talks about like, Hey, what was
it like to pass the field of reeds?

I believe, yeah.

Yebba: Pairing.

I

Trey: didn't die.

Yeah.

I I'm starting to subscribe to their
belief that there might be something more

to her than we are led to believe, because
this will be the second time a Rite of

passage was mentioned the first time.

And then the second time with Layla,
when they were talking about the

hieroglyphics and she read it,
and then we get this information

about Concho saving him from death.

Yeah.

There's definitely something going on

Yebba: here.

Yeah.

Why would he be reading about
a funeral rights other than

something else that was there?

So, yeah.

No, that's, that's a really great point.

That's a super great point.

I

Trey: wonder if subconsciously
Steven's trying to save mark from

this agreement with Concho, even
though he doesn't really understand

what he's looking for at this point.

Yebba: And we know conscience, doesn't
like mark, because I mean, he's

referred to him as such things as
parasite, like, like contrary to me is.

I'm sorry that that's what I meant.

It doesn't like Steven, because
he calls him parasite and gets

in the way, um, of the agreement.

So like, clearly we know that he's, he's
very belittling to Stephen and he, and

the way Khan shoe acts is the way, um,
I don't want to, again, I don't want

to say I'm used to in action movies,
but as a very prevalent trope, when

it comes to, um, you know, like the,
the come around, like somebody has a

face turn to use more wrestling terms.

Sorry.

Um, and, um, the, and so it's,
it's very, um, it'll be very

interesting where they take it.

If Concho, you know, ends up having
some revelation or ends up having,

uh, being nicer to mark or something.

But the fact that he's holding
Layla over his head makes me think

that there, there is something.

And I don't know if it's
consci or Mark's fault.

So I'm, I'm, I'm curious to see
where that goes in terms of like,

how nefarious was this deal or how
advantageous was it, you know, who, who

was being exploited when it happened?

Because it doesn't sound like
mark doesn't like the powers.

It sounds like he does very
much like the powers, but it

then turns into at what cost.

And obviously if the cost is Layla, he
had some definitely some second thoughts.

Trey: Yeah.

Yeah.

I I'm right there with you and trying
to figure out like the details of this

arrangement, because I cannot get a read
on con shoe as far as no, I've got to be

careful here speaking in an absolute, but
no good person, I think holds somebody

else against their wishes like that
with threatening to, to take up Layla.

But then at the same time he goes, you
were worth protecting and yes, there

is that beneficial, like, okay, you
are my avatar, you are very capable of

this, but there's something about that
that felt a little bit more like, no, I

think he does somewhat care about mark.

So.

I, I dunno, I'm still trying to figure it
out, but I think the, the biggest question

I have that I I'm going to pose to Euro.

Do you believe mark?

When he tells Steven, Hey, when we're
done, you'll never see me again.

No, no,

Yebba: I it's.

It's one of those.

Um, it seems like mark has learned to
live and I'm putting those in airport.

Uh, mark has learned to live with
Steven, um, because for him it's

laying down, waking up it's it's,
you know, suddenly being jostled

out of whatever situation you're in.

Uh, but for Stephen, Steven has not
learned to live with any of this, you

know, he's just now being exposed to
it and he's never going to be the same.

And I, I don't think what caused
this internal rift within them is

something that was necessarily,
necessarily started with Concho.

I, I, so I, I don't see how once
they get rid of con shoe, that

that would suddenly disappear.

It's not like it's and we still haven't
learned who was before whom we haven't

learned if they've always been this way.

And they've always been split.

We haven't learned the catalyst.

We haven't learned the Kazi.

So like until we have a little bit
more, more information, um, I don't

think they're ever going to need
to be separate, but I'm curious

to see how co-living can happen.

Question mark.

So, yeah, I'm not sure about that, but
especially with the way Khan she talks.

I, I don't, I don't think
it's, I don't think he's

Trey: the catalyst.

I'm glad you brought that up because
there's a moment where mark says

something to the extent of, you know,
we've all always been pretty good about

keeping separate, but whatever wall we
had between us, something changed and

Concho has been part of them for a while.

So it's not, I, I you're
spot on, I think with that.

And second, you know, I, I have been
left questioning who came first.

And this was it, mark, was it Steven?

I want to say mark, because he
obviously has the experience with

cashew, but Stephen seems to have a
very well lived in life here in London.

And they're like, I mean, Steven
OD pointed out, you know, the

tiny American living inside me.

They have two distinct lives,
so I, I'm still waiting to

figure out where we're at there.

Yebba: Yeah.

And the fact that he's been the fact
that mark has been in mercenary, I

have to be very specific and not just
say he, but the fact that the fact

that Mark's been a mercenary, um, you
know, that's, that's, well-traveled,

that means he's been with crews.

That means he's had to
work for various people.

That means he has a history.

How did he meet Layla?

You know, can Layla glean any
information out of that or, you

know, is, is she still have holes?

She knew about Steven or at least
their mom, I guess she doesn't

know about Stephen's mom, but,
um, Steven keeps calling somebody,

but never actually talks to them.

So who that, what number is he calling?

What, like, is that just a fallacy
that he's created in his head?

Like is the mom non-existent and he
just that's something that he created

or was she existed, but he doesn't
remember something that happened.

So like it's um, I'm,
I'm definitely curious.

I'm definitely curious.

Of, you know, the chicken and the egg
story, um, is, you know, is mark the egg

or with Steven or were they both chickens?

Cause we actually don't know what
came first chicken or the egg

then more immaculate exception.

Sorry I'm done.

Trey: Oh my God.

Amazing.

Yebba: I oh, I shouldn't be on public.

That's fine.

Trey: That's fine.

Well, you know what?

Speaking of the public, let's go
ahead and move into the listeners.

First takes a, so we did reach
out on social media to see what

you all thought of the episode.

So we're going to take some
time here to read through those.

Uh, this first one comes in from Ben
dot Maddie over on Instagram, and

they say, quote, sorry, one division.

This may turn out to be
my favorite MCU TV show.

Oscar, Isaac, and Ethan Hawke are amazing.

This story has gripped me and all
the cinematography is incredible.

Bring in next week.

I'm right there with you, Ben.

I, I know we joked how we turned
down, the four episodes that were

given to the press last week.

I take it back.

I want it.

I want, I don't want to be part of
the people I want to watch mutiny.

Yebba: Can I, can I sneak in as like
a graphics art contributor and just

be like, yes, I need a press badge to

Trey: test it.

You covered, we'll get you

Yebba: in.

I work in Canva.

Does that count?

So, um, hashtag.

Uh, so if I could read the
second one, because it's

definitely my favorite comment.

Um, so quote, Jason Bourne versus
Egypt branch Davidians, question mark

with a hint of the one last job trope.

And that was sent by TJ build stuff.

I laughed so hard when I read
this quote, I laughed so hard.

It was just, oh my gosh,
it's a beautiful knot.

So it's 10 out of 10 comment.

Do it again.

Yeah.

Trey: And, and one of our breaks,
you explained to me, because I didn't

know what branch Davidians was.

So I'm so glad that you
took the time to share that.

Yebba: Ah, gotcha.

It's Waco.

Yep.

So I just off the dome.

It's fine.

Um,

Trey: listen, you, you had
the murder podcast, like this

information has got to go somewhere

Yebba: and I'm not even the cult person.

I'm the Zoe I'm.

I was the, I was the, I didn't, I
guess I did some of the cold stuff,

but I was the, I was the gross stuff.

I was like the cannibals and
stuff, but anyway, call to Jason.

Trey: So

Yebba: called the Jason.

Trey: Yes.

Uh, finally this last one comes in from
friend Daniel on Instagram and it reads

perfect balance of hilarious, dark and
emotional, and 100% Daniel, you and I

share the same sentiments of this episode.

It is, it is two episodes
in firing on all cylinders.

Yeah.

So again, thank you so much for reaching
out with those listeners first takes.

And of course, if you want to get
in on that and make sure you're

following us on social media.

And as we said last week, we are
doing something different this

season where we are going to put
out a number that you can call.

If you want to leave your
audio thoughts as well.

So real quickly, if you want to reach
us, you can call us at (512) 893-1355.

So, yeah, well, yeah, but
we're getting to the end here.

Uh, I just wanted to give you a chance
to share any final thoughts you may

have on this episode before we go.

I think

Yebba: you and I both, um, touched upon
it, but I like that we saw more of.

Um, and that both he and
Steven were able to interact.

I also think the one thing that
was underplayed by both of us

is that we saw more of Concho.

Um, and we saw more of the entity itself.

And if Kanchi was able to, to
materialize like that, and as a

fallen, quote-unquote fallen God
in comparison to the other ones.

What the hell does amen.

Look like?

Like it's, it's one of
those, like, are they bigger?

Like, are they more mythical?

Are, did they appear?

Do they appear differently?

Can they not take that type of form?

So do they have to possess
people in order to be seen?

So, um, it was, it was
something really cool.

So I liked that there, they showed more
of him and his connection to everything.

Uh, and I really can't wait to see
more of mark because I feel like

next episode is definitely going to
be giving us more mark than Steven.

And, uh, we'll see what's
happening in Egypt.

Trey: Ah, man, I never even thought
about like the size difference of what

it could be to conch you, so, oh yeah.

Yebba: Especially, especially
if they're part of the nine.

So the ninth, yeah, he was making,
he was correcting that it was seven.

It should be nine.

Trey: Any ad I believe.

Yes.

So I'll play off that one
and then lead into mine.

You know, I talked about it last week.

I was a bit of a nitpick where I
didn't like the voice of Concho.

I don't know what it is to me.

It felt mixed in a lot better this
episode than it did last episode.

So that felt good.

Glad we got the time
we got with crunchier.

Finally, I had written this down in my
notes, but I ended up backspacing on it.

But after our conversation today, where
we talked about the way Stephen is almost

marks awareness and how that shows them
growing together as a person on that

bus, one of the ads says something to the
extent of reunite with your loved ones.

And so now after that
conversation, I love, I love

that that has to be intentional.

So I just want to throw that out there.

Yebba: Yeah.

I just want more Layla.

That's really what it.

Trey: Yeah.

Hopefully we'll get more Layla
next week as well, so, well, yeah,

well, yeah, but thank you so much
for joining me on this episode.

It has been an absolute blast.

Yebba: Absolutely.

Thanks for having me know this, this
I'm definitely all in on the show.

I appreciate you reaching out.

I, I have folks to talk to you when
it comes to the MCU, but I know

how knowledgeable you and Jude are.

And I am honored that I can
partake in such wonderful

Trey: conversations.

Yeah.

Well, the invitation is always open
whenever you went to join back on.

So we'll have to make that work in the.

Yeah,

Yebba: just let me know.

And you know, it just, I will not be busy.

I promise promise.

Yes, I will do my, I
will do my absolute best.

I can't promise if it's, you
know, going to be in Germany or

Australian time, but you'll be fine.

Trey: Well, of course, if you want to
keep up with Yaba and the work that

they do and make sure you're following
them on Twitch, Tik, TOK, YouTube,

Instagram, Twitter, all at yabba dabba.

And of course you want to find a very
easy, accessible way to click those.

You have a debit.com and we'll link
to those in the show notes, as well.

As far as this show goes, you can
reach us at MC you need to know

on Twitter and Instagram, or reach
us on that cell phone number that

will be in the show notes as well.

And if you'd be so kind to leave us
a rating and a review, we'd really

appreciate it, especially on Spotify,
where they just implemented that system,

which will help our discoverability.

And if you wanna join in the active
community, there is a discord link where

you can come join other like-minded
MCU fans, as well as general pop

culture fans to hang out with.

Yebba: I got to do that.

Oh, wait, now I'm going

Trey: to do it right now.

Well, there you go.

You can, you can come hang out
with, you have a dev as well.

And of course we'd like to thank Nick
Sandy for the use of our theme song, which

is his rendition of the Avengers theme.

You can find more of his work
on a SoundCloud, which is linked

in the show notes as well.

That's going to do it yabba.

Thank you so much for doing this.

Thank you.

We'll see you all next week.

Yebba: I love, I love when talented
actors really make some, a character,

their own like Robert Downey, Jr.

Like when you look at Robert junior,
it's always going to be Ironman,

just like it's always going be.

And it just, you know, I feel like
somebody else could be captain

America, but like, I know, I know,
I know nobody can be America's ass.

Nobody, nobody else could be
America's ass, but somebody

else could be captain America.

Um, so it's just like, I feel like
there's other people that could

potentially play people, but when
it came to iron man, it was just

like, Nope, it's Robert Downey Jr.

That's it.

Our DJ done and done and done.

Trey: I have to ask, this is, this is
a running bit we used to do whenever

we first started having guests because
captain America is my favorite.

Uh, Ironman is Jude's favorite.

Are you team stark or team?

Uh, Steve.

It's civil war and civil war.

Okay.

This is so funny.

I think you may be our first team start
guests and it's the ones you not here for.

Yebba: I'm a heel, I'm a tweener
heel through and through baby.

Let's go.

Let's go.

I love it.

Trey: Oh man.

So dude, when you hear
this, it finally happened.

Yebba: Yes, yes, no, cause it's,
it was one of those, like I

didn't dislike both sides at all.

Like I, I saw, I saw both of their
arguments and when it came to things,

but I just had a little extra empathy
and a little extra connection with, with

team star just to just a little oomph.

So when it came to that, but yeah.