12 New Character Additions That Hurt Supernatural (And 14 That Saved It)
Supernatural will hit 300 episodes this year. Going into its 14th season, Supernatural still has one of the most dedicated fanbases in television. As a result, this impressive feat does not come as a huge shock. While the show firmly remains Dean (Jensen Ackles) and Sam (Jared Padalecki) Winchester's, a rotating cast of characters populates this rich tapestry of a universe. It’s hard to get a complete count of how many characters, but with almost a decade and a half on the air, it’s definitely a lot. Some have won over fans' hearts and minds, while others made fans ready to crawl into the TV and take care of business themselves.
One thing that we can count on in the show is that every character will meet their final end - you know, except for the Winchesters (and Castiel). No character is permanent on the show, which is comforting if you hate them and emotionally exhausting if you love them. Seriously, does Supernatural have a higher body count than Game of Thrones at this point? It’s probably a close race between the two series, but Supernatural had a 7 year head start.
With this in mind, we’re taking a look back at the whole run of the series. This time, we’re talking characters. Which characters have withstood the test of time and fandom, and which have certainly not? Which made us cry when they left for good, and which made us cheer?
It’s time to look at 12 New Character Additions That Hurt Supernatural (And 13 That Saved It).
26 SAVED: Ash (Chad Lindberg)
Season two brought in new locations and characters - some who were rejected by fans and others who were embraced.
MIT dropout Ash was a brilliant hacker who lived at the Harvelle Roadhouse. As played by Chad Lingberg, he was more like a living relic of the '80s, complete with mullet and Lynyrd Skynyrd roadie aesthetic.
Ash quickly became a fan favorite thanks to his excellent background humor and an instant kinship with Dean Winchester.
When the Harvelle Roadhouse was set aflame by demons, fans hoped that Ash had somehow survived. When it was confirmed that he hadn’t, it was definitely a gut punch.
25 HURT: Doctor Hess (Gillian Barber)
The Men of Letters from the UK were meant to answer a couple of long-standing questions in the series: if there are other Men of Letters and what hunting was like outside of the US.
Doctor Hess, the elder of the UK Men of Letters, was just the worst. While most of the other British Men of Letters had some redeeming qualities, such as Mick’s turn at redemption. Doctor Hess was just rotten, forcing everyone around her to do her dirty work and expecting them to give their lives for the cause.
It definitely gave audiences a bad impression of both the Men of Letters and the international hunting community at large.
24 SAVED: Garth (DJ Qualls)
This cheerful yet inept hunter appeared in “Season Seven, Time for a Wedding!” where his dynamic with the exasperated Dean left fans howling with laughter.
With such a positive reception and excellent portrayal, Garth would drop in yearly for a visit with the Winchesters.
After the sad passing of Bobby, he would step up to take over his role as the hunting community’s point of contact and researcher, where he was better suited.
It was revealed in season nine that Garth had been bitten by a werewolf, but joined up with a pack that taught him to control his urges. He remains happily married and alive with his pack.
23 HURT: Adam Milligan (Jake Abel)
John Winchester definitely had a lot of secrets that he took with him to his grave. One of them was the existence of his third son, Adam.
When he appeared in the episode “Jump the Shark”, it was to the shock of fans and characters alike. Then it turned out he had been eliminated. Then he was resurrected to be Michael’s vessel, and then he was sent to Hell.
The issue with Adam is that audiences were expected to care for him without really even knowing him.
Unfortunately, even the writers forgot about Adam, letting him languish away in Hell. So why should we even care?
22 SAVED: Death (Julian Richings)
During the endless war against stopping the Apocalypse in season five, it was honestly refreshing to see one of the horsemen on the Winchesters side.
Given how much fatality has followed these two, it’s not a huge surprised that he was the one who helped. As it turns out, the ultimate Reaper is a pretty reasonable sort of guy who likes food that is absolutely terrible for you. It still hurt when Dean betrayed him to save Sam's life.
This makes Dean Winchester the only person in history to have beaten mortality.
21 HURT: Becky Rosen (Emily Perkins)
With a fanbase as dedicated as Supernatural and the series existing in universe, it makes sense that there would be fan characters popping up from time to time. Yet no one seems as cartoonishly mean-spirited as Becky Rosen, whose obsession with the series and characters, especially Sam, crosses into some deeply uncomfortable territory.
She sold her soul in order to marry Sam Winchester, and actually forced him to fall in love with her.
It's just really uncomfortable and kind of mean to the fans.
Becky has seen disappeared following said soul-selling (the boys were able to get the contract voided) and has not been seen since.
20 SAVED: Gabriel (Richard Speight Jr)
Even though he was only in four episodes across three seasons (before the resurrections kicked in), Gabriel was an immediate favorite.
Before the reveal of his identity, everyone was in stitches over his lovable yet conniving Trickster. The reveal of his true self only kicked things into high gear, producing one of the best episodes of the series “Changing Channels”.
His death was another that hit fans hard, though his return (to the brothers Winchester, at least) in season thirteen was met with happy cheers from the legion of dedicated fans. Here’s hoping we see more of Gabriel to come in future seasons.
19 HURT: Zachariah (Kurt Fuller)
Annoying characters are a reality of any show. Some, however, are worse than others. No one quite captured the worst traits of the angel as well as Zachariah. Arrogant, dedicated to the cause, and a bureaucrat, this suit-wearing angel attempted to force the Winchesters into playing their predetermined parts time and again.
Due to his continual failures and his manipulations, Zachariah ended up a constant irritant rather than a real threat.
He wasn’t a zealot like Uriel or Raphael, or conflicted like Anna or Castiel. He just wanted to get the show on the road because that’s what the bosses said in the most condescending way possible. It left everyone glad when he finally was gone.
18 SAVED: Claire Novak (Kathryn Love Newton)
The daughter of Castiel’s original vessel Jimmy Novak, Claire was introduced in season four in “The Rapture”. Then she disappeared until season 10, when a grown-up Claire Novak returned, reminding us all of the family that was left behind when Castiel hooked up with the Winchesters on a more permanent basis.
Claire is definitely an interesting character who has been through a lot of pain in her young life thanks to the supernatural. It was interesting to see Castiel attempt a fatherly dynamic with her along with Claire finding her own path as a hunter.
It’s definitely a shame Wayward Sisters wasn’t picked up.
17 HURT: Cain (Timothy Omundson)
We all love Timothy Omundson, who has played some fantastic characters over the years. Unfortunately, Cain was not one of his better roles. It probably doesn’t help that season 10 was definitely one of the series' weaker seasons. After all the build-up with the mark of Cain and meeting Cain, it just seemed like such a let-down that Cain wasn’t all that he was promised to be.
He lost to Dean in fist-fight, after we were told of his prowess and how he had this rage inside of him.
It just seemed like a cop-out for a character that could have been explored more. It was also a waste of Timothy Omundson.
16 SAVED: Chuck Shurley/God (Rob Benedict)
A prophet of the Lord, Chuck was introduced in season four as the hot mess author of the canceled Supernatural book series. Over the seasons, it was revealed that Chuck was in fact God.
He was actually a more interesting interpretation of God, who simultaneously loved and was disappointed by those who he had given free will.
He was deeply complex, flawed, and very human in that sense. His relationship with his sister Amara was what made season eleven so compelling to watch. In the end, it looks like even God was just searching for a family and a place to belong.
15 HURT: Bela Talbot (Lauren Cohan)
Perhaps Supernatural had a different, better plan for Bela Talbot in mind before the writer’s strike reduced season two's episode order. We’ll never know, but what we got wasn’t great.
A broker for occult artifacts both real and fake, Bela Talbot operated for profit.
Her adversarial relationship with the Winchesters was definitely a prelude to better ones, such as Crowley.
Even though Bela would eventually do the right thing, it always felt too little too late.
When her soul was dragged to Hell, most were just glad to be rid of her.
14 SAVED: Jo Harvelle (Alona Tal) and Ellen Harvelle (Samantha Ferris)
While the family by blood usually disappoints the Winchesters, their family by choice always comes through. No one quite filled that void of surrogate mother and little sister like Ellen and Jo Harvelle.
Both refused to put up with grudges and were full of fiery determination. They both cared about the boys.
Their exit in Carthage in the fifth season remains one of the more heartbreaking ends. Jo passed from a hellhound attack and Ellen followed moments later, trapping and blowing up the hellhounds while holding Jo’s body. The two have appeared in Heaven.
13 HURT: Samuel Campbell (Mitch Pileggi)
The familial background of the Winchester brothers presented something of a question mark in the early seasons. Outside of basic knowledge about their parents, audiences did not have a lot of information. In season four, we were introduced to Mary’s parents, who were hunters. They both died at the hands of Azazel.
In season six, Samuel Campbell was resurrected and worked to get the family back to hunting.
While there could have been some interesting family dynamics explored, it honestly did not go anywhere.
Campbell committed the sin of being boring, his impact on the show remains non-existent at best.
12 SAVED: Rowena (Ruth Connell)
It’s clear that Crowley had to learn his tricks from somewhere. You can definitely see where he got it from after seeing his mother, Rowena, in action.
Much like her son, she’s firmly on her own side though she can usually do the right thing if it works in her favor. She’s cunning, manipulative, and has the same cutting sense of sarcasm as her son.
Rowena remains one of the most complex female characters in the series. She has also possibly been resurrected as many times as the Winchesters, which is definitely impressive.
11 HURT: Dick Roman (James Patrick Stewart)
The worst kind of character is one that you’re stuck with for a whole season, with no escape.
Dick Roman, the Leviathan turned businessman, definitely ranks up there on terrible Big Bads.
We don’t mean that as a compliment. He was smarmy in an attempt at charming, held way too much power, and his name led to a lot of juvenile jokes. Plus, this was the monster that took down uur beloved Bobby Singer.
Bobby's manner of passing remains the highest of insults, even though his send-off had us all in tears. When Dean and Castiel ganked Dick, we were all glad to see him go.
10 SAVED: Charlie Bradbury (Felicia Day)
Season seven definitely goes down as one of the worse seasons of Supernatural. It did, however, bring one amazing character, Charlie Bradbury.
This hacker had a “spark” that even made Dick Roman notice. The Winchester work to bring her into the hunting fold, gaining a valuable ally in the process. Once Charlie learned about the monsters of the world, she tried to help anyway she could.
Charlie's exit from the series remains a huge slap in the face to fans. She was fridged by Eldon Frankenstein in order to spur the boys on. It just ends up being a huge disservice to her character, though at least her alternate universe counterpart reappeared in season 13.
9 HURT: Naomi (Amanda Tapping)
Angels keep making this list, and for good reason too. They can turn out to be some of the best or worst characters of the series.
Naomi, played by Stargate’s Amanda Tapping, fell into the latter category. Over the course of season eight, she sought to tear the special bond between Dean and Castiel apart. She continually erased Castiel’s mind, continually manipulated the situation to her advantage. This led to Dean losing his best friend and his life.
Given how she specifically targeted Dean and Castiel, it’s no surprise that she was instantly hated.
She’s reappeared in season 13 to a slightly better reception. Slightly.
8 SAVED: Lucifer (Mark Pellegrino)
After four seasons of build-up, when Lucifer officially burst onto the scene in season five, he had to live up to expectations. And did he ever.
The character is definitely one of the most complex and nuanced bad guys to come out of the series -- mainly because you can’t help but like him. He’s charming and willing to wait you out. Sooner or later, he will get what he wants. And if he doesn’t? Oh, it will get chilling.
Supernatural has avoided overusing Lucifer, which helps maintain his effectiveness as a villain.
7 HURT: Arthur Ketch (David Haydn-Jones)
The UK Men of Letters just did no favors with every character not Mick, huh?
Ketch was a genuine sociopath, groomed at the altar of the Men of Letters and a certified dragon for Doctor Hess. While he could be charming from time to time, it wasn’t enough to forgive his actions or give him a character. He also manipulated Mary Winchester (Samantha Smith), who was in a really delicate emotional place.
Despite a storyline trying to redeem him for past actions, it just felt a bit hollow.
It actually feels like this should have been Mick’s story arc as he did have a genuine change of heart. With Ketch, it just feels forced.
6 SAVED: Jack (Alexander Calvert)
One of the biggest plots of season 12 was the race to stop Lucifer from reproducing. His child, however, was born and fully grown within a matter of hours. Most fans believed that this would lead to their season 13 Big Bad. Well, what happened was that the Winchesters and Castiel got a chance to explore parenthood by helping the newly-named Jack learn how to be a force for good in the world.
More to the point, Jack decides to be good. Calvert’s portrayal of the inner struggle and journey of Jack in season 13 won the hearts of fans and critics alike. We can’t wait to see where he goes next.
5 HURT: Eve (Julia Maxwell)
For the being hailed as The Mother of All, Eve never lives up to her reputation on the show. Throughout season six, she continually builds up to be a very real, very bad threat to the Winchesters. She brought about the Alpha monsters after all. Yet, nothing really came from this plotline.
She appears in a couple of episodes, creates hybrid monsters, and perishes at Dean Winchester's hands.
Given her importance as the mother of monsters, it would have made sense to have her be more interesting.
There was only so much Julia Maxwell could do with the role when the character didn’t have much of a personality.
4 SAVED: Crowley (Mark Sheppard)
Originally a shout-out to the demonic Good Omens character of the same name, Crowley first appeared briefly in season five. He was so well-received by fans, however, that he was given an expanded role in subsequent seasons.
From his self-serving manipulations to his flashes of decency, Crowley definitely works as a more fully realized Bela. The Winchesters could never fully trust him, but they needed him from time to time. It was a fascinating dynamic to follow.
Needless to say when Sheppard finally exited the show, it was definitely a sad day. Love him or hate him, Crowley definitely brought the show to interesting places.
3 SAVED: Jody Mills (Kim Rhodes)
Who doesn’t love Sheriff Jody Mills? The tough as nails, kind-hearted sheriff of the town of Sioux Falls, South Dakota appeared in season five when her son came back from the dead.
After helping the Winchesters and Bobby Singer put the dead back in the ground, she turns into a real force in the Winchesters lives. Practical minded and determined to keep her town safe, Jody becomes a brilliant hunter in her own right.
The character was so beloved by fans that the spin-off Wayward Sisters was meant to be centered around her. To the eternal dismay of fans, the CW passed on that project.
2 HURT: Metatron (Curtis Armstrong)
There have been a lot of terrible angel characters over the years with unclear motivations for doing what they do. No one, however, has really topped Metatron.
Petty, manipulative, definite God-complex which is ironic, Metatron manipulated everyone for his own ends, especially Castiel. He stabbed Dean in the heart, which led to him becoming a demon.
When he finally got what was coming to him by being made human, the writers attempted to redeem him.
Yet after two seasons of selfish annoyances, fans were glad to see him go.
1 SAVED: Castiel (Misha Collins)
No other character could have honestly topped this list. Ever since his introduction in the fourth season of the show, Castiel has been a vital character.
From his wide-eyed confusion at the world to his own question for redemption, Castiel truly shows what it means to be human, even though he’s an angel. Even though some choices he made, like attempting to become God, were baffling, the Winchesters and the audience just can’t quit him.
Supernatural just wouldn't be the same without Castiel - he's as much a part of the show now as Sam or Dean.
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Who's your favorite new character on Supernatural? Let us know in the comments!
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Why National Treasure 3 Hasn't Happened, According to Director Jon Turteltaub
Director Jon Turteltaub has revealed the reasons why Disney still hasn't gotten around to making National Treasure 3. Released in 2004, the first National Treasure starred Nicolas Cage as an intrepid historian and cryptologist searching for a lost treasure, learning that the Declaration of Independence holds an important clue. So naturally he breaks into the National Archives and steals the historical document.
National Treasure proved to be a big hit with $347 million in worldwide grosses, which is why Disney soon followed it up with the sequel National Treasure: Book of Secrets, which repeated the first movie’s formula of combining historical mystery with lighthearted comedic heist action. The sequel would make even more money than the original, grossing $457 million worldwide.
Related: Nicolas Cage Wants to Focus On Directing Over Acting Soon
It’s now been 11 years since the second National Treasure released, and despite company head Bob Iger declaring in 2016 that a third movie could still happen, the studio is clearly not in any hurry to get going on the project. The director of the first two movies, Jon Turteltaub, addressed this situation while speaking to Collider and revealed why Disney has seemingly put National Treasure on the back burner... forever. According to Turteltaub, it’s all a matter of Disney having more franchises than it knows what to do with. As the director explained:
“When National Treasure first got made, there was a lot more money to go around. Everybody got paid nicely. The problem with getting the third one made isn’t the people who are getting paid saying, 'I’m not doing it unless you pay me a lot!' It’s really that Disney feels they have other films they want to make that they think will make them more money. I think they’re wrong. I think they’re right about the movies they’re making; they’re obviously doing a really good job at making great films. I just think this would be one of them, and they don’t quite realize how much the Internet is begging for a third National Treasure.”
Turteltaub also said that a script for a third National Treasure was well on its way to being completed but Disney simply wasn’t interested enough to continue pursuing the project. Clearly, Disney has a lot of priorities bigger than National Treasure with all their huge properties including Star Wars, the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Pixar, and their endless live-action remakes of their own prior animated classics.
Given Disney’s full slate, it seems highly unlikely that National Treasure 3 will get a chance to happen any time in the near future. Further complicating matters is the fact that the first two movies’ star Nicolas Cage is nowhere near as big a box office draw as he once was. Nowadays, Cage mostly makes crazy low-budget movies that thrill his fan base but are of zero interest to wider audiences. His forthcoming movie Mandy looks like a real treat for the hardcore Cage fans out there, but not the kind of movie that would convince Disney to bring him back at the lead of a big-budget franchise film.
For National Treasure 3 to happen, the internet outcry would have to get a lot louder than it currently seems to be (notwithstanding Turteltaub's insistence that in the internet is begging for the film). It would take a substantial petition to get things moving on the project, but at least the creative team behind the series are still interested in the project.
More: 15 Craziest Nicolas Cage Performances Of All Time
Source: Collider
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IT Chapter Two Set Photo Unites Adult Losers Club
A new set photo from IT Chapter Two has been released which unites the adult cast of the Loser’s Club. IT Chapter Two is the follow up to Andrés Muschietti's IT, which is based on Stephen King's novel of the same name and revolves around a killer clown who preys on young children.
Taking place 27 years after the first film, IT Chapter Two centers on the now grown-up members of the Loser’s Club who have all moved away from Derry and the horrors they faced as children. Both the novel by King and the TV miniseries were set up in a similar fashion, so it wasn’t much of a surprise when director Muschietti decided to do this as well.
Related: IT Director Confirms Director's Cut is Coming in 2018
First posted on Northumberland News (via Chris Evangelista), the new IT Chapter Two set photo shows the adult versions of the Loser's Club walking down a street in Port Hope, Ontario, which will probably end up being a street for the fictional town of Derry, Maine. From left to right, the photo shows Jay Ryan (Ben Hanscom), Isaiah Mustafa (Mike Hanlon), Jessica Chastain (Beverly Marsh), Bill Hader (Richie Tozier), James McAvoy (Bill Denbrough), and James Ransone (Eddie Kaspbrak). The only cast member missing from the photo is Andy Bean, who will play the adult version of Stanley Uris. For people who have read the book or seen the TV miniseries, it's known why Stanley wouldn't be featured in a Loser's Club reunion photo.
The first IT was a huge success for Warner Bros. and brought in over $300 million from the domestic box office. A sequel was no doubt on its way and Chapter Two is now set for a September 2019 release date. Horror movies are usually not a guaranteed success, but with IT's current popularity and the first film doing incredibly well, it's safe to assume that IT Chapter Two will have a smooth and dominating box office run.
America seems to have a fascinating and fear of clowns after the mass amount of clown sightings that struck the country in 2016. The release of IT was no doubt released at the perfect time, much like Stephen King suggested. While Bill Skarsgård terrified audience members with his portrayal of Pennywise the dancing clown last year, Muschietti urged fans to "bring your adult diapers" since he is planning the sequel to be much scarier and more intense. IT Chapter Two is still more than a year away, but there will no doubt be more updates as filming continues and we will be sure to update accordingly.
More: IT Chapter 2: Every Update You Need To Know
Source: Northumberland News (via Chris Evangelista)
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Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 Beta - When it Starts & How to Play
Treyarch's Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 beta launches later this week - and we have all the information on how to get in. The private beta will be the first public test to see how the new game feels and operates on a large scale prior to the game's launch this October on consoles and PC.
The upcoming beta test will be multiplayer only - though that doesn't mean much considering there isn't a single-player story, to begin with - and focus on the traditional multiplayer maps and modes, with the Blackout beta launching sometime in September (focusing on the Battle Royale mode).
When Is The Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 Beta?
The Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 beta is over two weekends in August. Due to Activision's marketing deal with Sony PlayStation (for games like Destiny and Call of Duty), the Black Ops 4 beta will first launch exclusively on the PlayStation 4 on Friday, August 3 at 10 am PT and end Monday, August 6 at 10 am PT. (Be sure to check back on Screen Rant closer to the beta's launch! We'll be giving away free Black Ops 4 beta codes for the PS4.)
Related: Black Ops 4 Battle Royale Mode May Only Support 60 Players
Then the Black Ops 4 beta will start up again on Friday, August 10 at 10 am PT for the PS4 and Xbox One. It will conclude on Monday, August 13 at 10 am PT. That will mark the end of the console beta test for the game. PC players who preorder the game will get access to the Black Ops 4 beta on August 10 as well. All other PC players who have a Battle.net account can join in on the fun on August 11 at 10 am PT.
How to Get Into the Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 Beta
Gamers can only get into the Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 beta by preordering the game at an authorized retailer, including digital copies through the PlayStation Store, Microsoft/Xbox Store, or Battle.net. Consumers who preorder a physical copy at a retailer will receive a beta code on their receipt, which they can redeem on the official Call of Duty website. People who preorder digitally through one of the aforementioned stores don't need a code in order to get into the beta. It's worth mentioning that Xfinity customers can also request beta codes directly from Comcast without preordering the game, thanks to an agreement with Activision.
Around the time the beta starts, players who've redeemed their codes will receive a beta token via email, which will allow them to finally start playing Black Ops 4. PC players need to have a Battle.net account in order to play the beta. Right now, there aren't any plans to hold an open beta on consoles for Black Ops 4, at least not that Activision has revealed. The purpose of the private beta is not only to get people to try out the game and see if it works but also to get people to preorder it.
What Maps & Modes Are in the Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 beta?
The Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 beta will consist of five modes played across six maps, two of which have yet to be revealed. While the specific maps haven't been announced, the five modes are as follows: Team Deathmatch, Domination, Hardpoint, Search & Destroy, and Control. Most of these are standard multiplayer modes for Call of Duty games, which is what makes them the perfect candidates to see how well the game runs in the beta.
Related: Exclusive: Treyarch Explains Why They Cut The Black Ops 4 Story Campaign
Control is the only mode that's new to the franchise for Black Ops 4. In it, each team alternates between attacking and defending the two objectives on the map. The first team to win three rounds wins the match. Although it's not an elimination mode, each team has a limited number of respawns, so implementing a sound strategy is the key to winning.
Furthermore, Activision has revealed details regarding the equipment/gear in the Black Ops 4 beta:
- We’ve brought the Pick 10 system back to Create-a-Class to give players complete customization over their loadout, and with its return comes a few new changes.
- Load out with Special Issue Equipment that’s designed exclusively for each Specialist without costing a point against Pick 10.
- Gear is an all new slot designed to up the ante on your style of gameplay. Need cheaper Scorestreaks? COMSEC Device. Heal faster? Stim Shot. Gain an advantage in situational awareness? Acoustic Sensor. Only one piece of Gear can be used per loadout, so choose wisely.
- Weapons now have unique sets of attachments, including a new class of powerful attachments called Operator Mods, to really focus each gun on its individual role in combat.
Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 Beta Rewards
While no progress made in the Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 beta will carry over into the final release (as is standard for most multiplayer betas for games), players who participate in the beta will receive an exclusive calling card at launch. And players who end up completing the multiplayer beta - by unlocking everything and progressing all the way through - will receive a Permanent Unlock Token at launch, which will allow them to immediately unlock any equipment or weapon in the create-a-class system.
Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 Beta Trailer
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