Categoría: OffSide

Idiosyncratic indie legend Sufjan Stevens has unveiled the news of his 10th solo album. Javelin, forthcoming on October 6 via Asthmatic Kitty. It’s his latest foray in a scattered grouping of primarily singer-songwriter focused LPs, which have seen the artist gain mass acclaim for his evocative, heart-wrenching storytelling style. Lead single “So You Are Tired” is typical Stevens at his most poignant, compassionate and searching with a relentless introspective streak. As insistent on painful honesty as always, Stevens paints a picture of departure that, while ambiguous, hits home with a searing specificity.

Alongside Javelin‘s release comes a 48-page book of art and essays created meticulously by Stevens to spell out the half-century long journey that has led him to this latest work.

Listen to “So You Are Tired” and check out Javelin‘s album artwork and tracklist below.

Javelin Album Artwork:

Javelin Tracklist:
1. Goodbye Evergreen
2. A Running Start
3. Will Anybody Ever Love Me?
4. Everything That Rises
5. Genuflecting Ghost
6. My Red Little Fox
7. So You Are Tired
8. Javelin (To Have And To Hold)
9. Shit Talk
10. There’s A World

If there’s one thing that’s constant throughout the baffling case of Lori Vallow Daybell, it’s the presence of her elder brother Alex Cox at every crucial turn, whether it be positive or negative. After all, as chronicled on Netflix’s ‘Sins of Our Mother,’ not only were they close from the very beginning, but he also shared every aspect of her radical, extremist, and apocalyptic religious beliefs. So now, if you just wish to learn more about the details of his past personal standing, his reported hand in several offenses/deaths, as well as his ultimate passing, we’ve got you covered.

Who Was Alex Cox?

Alexander “Alex” Lamar Cox was born as the second of five children (Lori is the fourth) to devout Mormons Janis Lee Cox and Barry Lynn Cox on January 18, 1968, in San Bernardino, California. “[He] was just super funny,” his mother Janis admitted in the three-part documentary series. “He wanted to be a stand-up comedian,” and he did try, yet life had different plans. No matter what, though, his protectiveness over his sisters never waivered, for whom he was even ready to turn violent in the blink of an eye if he believed he was defending her as well as her honor.

This much is evident through the fact he tasered Lori’s third husband, Joseph “Joe” Ryan, and threatened to kill him in 2007 upon discovering he was abusive to both her and her young kids. Alex then spent 90 days in an Austin, Texas, prison after pleading guilty to the assault, according to official records, but it’s not something he has seemingly ever apologized for or truly regretted. He actually even included this in a stand-up piece, per the Netflix original, opening with, “have you ever [done] something that you knew was the right thing to do, but it turns out… [to be] a felony?”

It thus isn’t surprising Alex attacked Lori’s fourth husband Charles Vallow as well once he learned there was trouble between the pair, yet this time, it resulted in the latter being shot to death. Since he was not initially charged owing to his claims of self-defense and Lori is now facing a conspiracy to commit murder indictment, with her brother named, precisely what’d transpired remains unclear. We should also mention court records explicitly identify Alex as the masked man who attempted to shoot Lori’s new partner’s first wife, Tammy Daybelll, with a paintball gun on October 9, 2019.

How Did Alex Cox Die?

From what we can tell, Alex was rushed to the Banner Gateway Hospital in Gilbert, Arizona, on December 12, 2019, upon being found lying on his bathroom floor desperately gasping for air. There was vomit coming out of the 51-year-old’s mouth, but unfortunately, even trained professionals couldn’t do anything by the time they arrived at the center — he was soon pronounced dead. His wife of 2½ weeks, Zulema Pastenes (whose last name he’d taken), told officials he’d been having serious trouble with his health since around December 6, yet he refused to seek any medical treatment.

Instead, Zulema said, as per East Idaho News, Alex drove to Mexico to buy prescription drugs because they were cheaper, only to continue having shortness of breath. It all sadly came to an end on that fateful Thursday, but the positive thing for them was he’d received a priesthood blessing (reportedly from his Chad Daybell) over the phone on the day he passed. According to his autopsy, Alex died of entirely natural causes — blood clots in his lungs as well as high blood pressure.

It’s imperative to note that although Alex could not be extensively questioned in connection to his niece Tylee Ryan and nephew JJ Vallow”s disappearance, his electronics did help a lot. His cell phone data actually placed him in the Daybell’s backyard for over two hours on September 9, 2019 — the day after 16-year-old Tylee was last seen alive — leading the officials to search the spot. It’s precisely where she and her 7-year-old brother’s near skeletal remains were found, but alas, Alex can obviously not be officially indicted for his supposed hand in the matter.

Read More: Where is Chad Daybell Now? Is He in Jail?

ABC News’ ‘20/20: The Wicked’ chronicles the terrifying story of two 12-year-olds stabbing their 12-year-old friend to please a fictional internet character known as the Slender Man. Anissa Weier and Morgan Geyser were determined to be suffering from mental illness when they stabbed their friend, Payton Leutner, in Waukesha, Wisconsin, in May 2014. They were sentenced to years in mental institutions as part of their plea deals. So what is the story of Anissa and Morgan? Why did they commit this horrific crime, and where are they now? Let’s dive in and find out.

Who are Anissa Weier and Morgan Geyser?

In 2014, Anissa Weier and Morgan Geyser were two sixth graders in Waukesha, Wisconsin. Morgan’s mother, Angie Geyser, reminisced that growing up, Morgan was a very happy child. She was intensively creative, always making up strong music and stories. However, she endured a lot of bullying, especially in the 6th grade, which made her a lot more reclusive. As per the show, Morgan always had a tough time making friends, and it was Payton Leutner who decided to become her friend as Morgan was very lonely at school. For a considerable amount of time, Payton was the only friend Morgan had.

Both of the girls would have slumber parties, play together, and have fun like other children of their age. But things started to go downhill in her sixth grade when Morgan became strangely obsessed with a fictional character known as the Slender Man. Morgan’s mother later stated that she was wary of her girl’s obsession with the character. However, Angie had dismissed the entire thing as a child’s whim. On the show, she said, “She (Morgan) would show us some of the pictures, and she would read us some of the stories, and while some of the subject matter was a little dark, I wasn’t concerned.”

Angie added, “When I was Morgan’s age, I was reading Stephen King novels. I remember being 11 years old and riding home from the library with [the book] ‘IT’ under my arm. And that’s a very scary and dark story, so I just thought it was normal for a child of middle school age to be interested in scary stories.” Anissa Weier enjoyed music and choir. Her mother, Kristi Weier, said that she was very imaginative, imagining a bigger and better world for her barbie dolls. She also lamented, “Looking back Anissa was never invited to a lot of birthday parties. She did not make friends that easily. Anissa never talked about the difficulties she faced at school.”

Anissa had joined Morgan and Payton’s school in sixth grade and lived in the same complex as Morgan. She and Morgan used to take the bus to school together. Kristi said that since both Anissa and Morgan knew what they had gone through, they were there for each other. But she claimed that her daughter “never mentioned anything to me about her belief in Slender Man.” However, everything changed during the slumber party that Anissa, Morgan, and Payton had together on May 30, 2014, to celebrate Morgan’s birthday. The two girls would go on to conspire to appease the fictional character that Morgan was obsessed with, and it ended in Anissa aiding Morgan in stabbing Payton 19 times the next morning.

Where are Anissa Weier and Morgan Geyser Today?

Anissa Weier and Morgan Geyser were found by the police while Payton was still in surgery. They had walked for almost five hours, traversing to the south of the town. When they were brought in for questioning, the police first learned about the legend of the Slender Man. While Anissa stated the facts and happenings of the morning concisely, Morgan appeared nonchalant and even tried to shift the blame on Anissa. As per the show, she even said that she had to kill Payton to appease the Slender Man, and talked all about how she had planned for over five months about how to carry it out.

Both Anissa and Morgan received mental evaluations, and Morgan was diagnosed with early onset schizophrenia. Morgan’s family had a history of mental illness, with her father being treated and hospitalized four times for schizophrenia. Morgan pleaded guilty to attempted first-degree intentional homicide in late 2017 and was declared not guilty due to her mental illness. She was sentenced to 40 years in Winnebago Mental Health Institute, near Oshkosh, Wisconsin. As per official court records, she is presently incarcerated there and will be for the foreseeable future.

Anissa, then 16, took a plea deal in 2017 where she pleaded guilty to attempted second-degree intentional homicide and being an accomplice to a crime with the use of a dangerous weapon. She was also found not guilty because of mental illness and was sentenced to 25 years in a state mental institution and was to remain there for at least 3 years. Her sentencing also specified that she would have to remain under state supervision till 2039. She was released in 2021 from Winnebago Mental Health Institute under conditions that were not made public. Anissa is now in her 20s and stays away from public scrutiny.

Read More: Where is the Survivor Payton Leutner Now?

With Netflix’s ‘Sins of Our Mother’ exploring the bone-chilling case of Lori Vallow Daybell from every conceivable angle, we get a true insight into the actuality of her relationships as well as beliefs. After all, this Skye Borgman three-part original utilizes not only first-hand accounts but also archival footage to really get to the heart of what precisely happened to her missing children and why. Yet, for now, if you simply wish to learn more about her several legal unions over the years and the complex ways in which they panned out to affect her, we’ve got the essential details for you.

Who Were Lori Vallow’s Husbands? How Many of Them Are Alive?

Since Lori Norene Cox grew up within the LDS Church around San Bernardino County in Southern California, it was no surprise when she decided to tie the knot right after graduating high school. Her first husband was thus her relatively long-term school boyfriend Nelson Yanes at the mere age of 19 back in 1992, but their marriage did not last, seemingly owing to some personal reasons. She then moved to be with William Lagioia in Texas in 1995, with whom she welcomed Colby Jordan Ryan in 1996, just for them to divorce a couple of years later (February 1998) as well.

According to her firstborn Colby, she and William were genuinely “in a bad relationship. She didn’t feel like she wanted me to be in that and basically took me and removed me from the situation.” It hence took a little while for Lori to find love again, but it was initially blissful when she did, especially as Joseph “Joe” Anthony Ryan legally adopted Colby following their wedding in 2001. The couple then blissfully welcomed their biological daughter Tylee Ashlyn Ryan into this world in September 2002, only for her to file another divorce in 2004 — it was finalized in May 2005.

This time around, though, Lori left her husband for good because he was physically as well as sexually abusive towards both her and her young children, as per the Netflix production. ‘Sins of Our Mother’ even indicates she was so angry at him she truly contemplated murder, yet her elder brother Alex Cox took revenge by tasering him and threatening to kill him in 2007. However, by this point, she’d already tied the knot with Leland “Charles” Vallow (February 2006), which actually turned out to be her longest marriage despite their 17-year age gap, lasting until 2019.

It was following seven years of marriage that Lori and Charles adopted his biological grandnephew as their son, leading to Joshua Jaxon “JJ” Vallow being included in their blended brood. Everything in their family honestly appeared great, that is, until February 2019 rolled around, and the businessman filed for divorce upon feeling as if his wife’s priorities had drastically shifted. He believed she no longer cared for them the way she once used to, plus he was worried since she’d not just started going down the path of religious extremism but had also threatened to kill him.

With this said, Lori and Charles’ divorce was never finalized as he was shot to death at the hands of her elder brother Alex before they could go through any of the proceedings. We should mention she has since been indicted on a single count of conspiracy to murder for this July 11, 2019, incident — it is believed her motive was her $1 million life insurance policy. Lori then finally tied the knot with Chad Guy Daybell on November 5, 2019, just two weeks after his wife Tammy Daybell’s demise, with a ring she’d bought using the deceased Charles’ Amazon account. They are still married.

Apart from Charles Vallow, Joseph “Joe” Anthony Ryan is Lori’s only other spouse who has passed away; he reportedly died of a heart attack on April 3, 2018, and was later cremated.

Read More: Where is Chad Daybell Now? Is He in Jail?

As a documentary series that delves deep into the infamous case of Lori Vallow Daybell, Netflix’s ‘Sins of Our Mother’ can only be described as equal parts gripping, bewildering, and haunting. That’s because it charts not just her familial experiences but also her religious extremism, along with the way they ultimately allegedly led her to have a hand in two of her children’s murders. Amongst those to extensively feature in this original to help navigate the same is none other than Lori’s sole surviving child Colby Jordan Ryan — so let’s find out more about him, shall we?

Who is Colby Ryan?

Although born to Lori Cox and William Lagioia (her second husband) on April 8, 1996, Colby Ryan did not have a big, happy family or even a father figure for most of his early years since his parents divorced in 1998. He was actually adopted by Joseph “Joe” Ryan Anthony Jr. once his mother tied the knot with him in 2001, around a year before they welcomed Tylee, yet this marriage did not last either. The reason? Joe was physically as well as sexually abusive towards both his wife and her children, going as far as to rape Colby inside their shared home, according to the three-part production.

However, the entry of Leland “Charles” Anthony Vallow into their lives as Lori’s fourth husband in the mid-2000s turned things around for good because he genuinely, gladly cared for everyone. Hence, Colby got his wish of having a tight-knit immediate family, which only grew further when the couple adopted Charles’ months-old grandnephew Joshua Jaxon (or JJ) as their own in 2013. At first, the then-teen was admittedly a little unsure about this adoption, yet he soon developed the same deep bond with the toddler, who lived with autism, that he had with Tylee, as per the docuseries.

Colby honestly loved being a big brother, but he also knows he wasn’t too involved in his siblings’ life by the time fall 2019 rolled around since his focus had shifted to his job, wife Kelsee, and daughter. It wasn’t until what would’ve been Tylee’s 17th birthday (September 24) that Colby realized something was amiss — she didn’t pick up his calls and texts from her number read differently. Therefore, once it was officially confirmed that both his sister and brother were missing, he did his best to aid the search and get through to his mother for the complete truth, but to no avail.

Where is Colby Ryan Today?

“We have to live with what happened,” Colby had candidly expressed in ‘Sins of Our Mother.’ “What am I gonna focus on? Am I gonna focus on [Charles, Tylee, and JJ’s] deaths, or am I gonna focus on their memory and honor them? They don’t want us sitting here broken, destroyed by everything because they’re gone.” Therefore, it comes as no surprise he recently published a memoir titled ‘The God Over Odds’ (April 2022) to detail how true faith has helped him heal from a life of trauma, abuse, murder, and loss.

The Arizona resident has even established the God Over Odds Media Company to share his testimony with the entire world. “I just really feel like I’m making it through because of Kelsee [my wife] and Riley [our daughter],” Colby said. “If I didn’t have Riley, if I didn’t have my wife… I probably would’ve just died from sadness. Like, I have a purpose besides myself.” Yet, it’s imperative to mention things within this family have changed drastically in the past year — not only did the couple welcome their second daughter, Ava, into this world, but they’ve also been separated since mid-summer 2022.

More importantly, though, Colby was arrested in Mesa, Arizona, on September 3, 2022, on two counts of alleged sexual assault after his estranged wife accused him of raping her two nights prior. The 26-year-old had reportedly amicably shown up at her doorstep — they do not live together — on August 31 to watch television, following which they’d engaged in consensual kissing. But she’d made clear she did not want to have sexual intercourse, just for him to continue inappropriately touching and then allegedly raping her despite protests, according to police documents.

Colby was actually held at Maricopa County Jail on a $10,000 bond until September 9, that is, until the charges against him were dismissed without prejudice (meaning they can be re-filed in the future). We should mention his release is under the stipulation he can not initiate contact with either his alleged victim or his arresting officers, carry or intake any non-prescription drug, and drive without a license. The YouTuber even has to continue to provide officials with proof of his local address for at least a little while.

Read More: Where Are Lori Vallow Daybell’s Parents Now?

The fourth episode of FX on Hulu’s thriller series ‘The Patient,’ titled ‘Company,’ follows the aftermath of Sam Fortner’s decision to abduct the “restaurant guy” to kill him. After bringing the man to the basement of his house, Sam informs Alan Strauss that he is going to kill the man soon. Alan, who tries to contain Sam’s murderous rage, asks him to do whatever he says since he is the expert. Sam’s mother Candace Fortner lets the therapist know that Sam “was just Sam” always, indicating that his homicidal urges may not be the result of his troubled childhood entirely. The episode ends with the restaurant guy’s life hanging by a thread and here’s everything you need to know about the same! SPOILERS AHEAD.

The Patient Episode 4 Recap

‘Company’ begins with Sam talking to Alan about attending Kenny Chesney’s concerts with his wife. He also adds that he is a part of “No Shoes Nation,” the official fan club of the musician. Sam tells Alan that he really wants to kill the restaurant guy, expecting that the therapist will be able to help him. Alan tries to convince Sam that he shouldn’t kill the person for his mother’s sake but soon realizes that it is not going to stop Sam from killing the man. Realizing that keeping the serial killer away from his potential victim will buy him more time to solve the predicament, Alan asks Sam to go to work and get distracted by the same.

Alan asks Candace to talk more about Sam’s father to find the root cause of his issues. However, the mother lets the therapist know that Sam always has been the same. At work, his colleagues notice his agitation and change, which further affects Sam. He calls Alan from the office to inform him that he is not able to concentrate on work no matter what since all he can think about is killing the man in the basement. Meanwhile, Alan and the person start to talk to each other. The latter asks Alan to share a message that he loves his mother and father with his parents if the therapist manages to escape from Sam. He also introduces himself as Elias Petraki to Alan.

The Patient Episode 4 Ending: Will Sam Kill Elias? Can Alan Stop Sam?

Sam brings Elias to his house so that he will be unable to kill him in the presence of Alan, who has succeeded in establishing a certain influence over the serial killer. Sam wants Alan and his influence closer to Elias for him to stop murdering him. However, despite not wanting to kill Elias, Sam’s homicidal urges do not give him breathing space. He gets agitated and his impulses instigate him to try to kill Elias. Alan succeeds to stop the serial killer by sending him back to work and forcing him to finish the work hours without finding an excuse to come back home to move forward with the planned murder.

Although Alan manages to separate Sam from Elias for a day’s length, the significant question is how long he can do the same. After work, Sam returns to his home with the uncontrollable urge to kill Elias. Alan again comes in between the murderer and the potential victim and asks Sam to visit his ex-wife so that he will get an emotional shock which will distract him from his homicidal thoughts. Considering that Sam and his ex-wife have once cherished an endearing togetherness, the potential meeting is expected to limit his thoughts to the ones about her. Still, the emotional shock of seeing his ex-wife may not last long for Sam.

Sam hasn’t lived an eventful life for Alan to distract him with whatever goes on in his life. Apart from his work, ex-wife, and Kenny Chesney’s concerts, there aren’t many factors that will distract the serial killer. Since Alan tries to distract him with all three, he may need to rely upon new methods to stop Sam from killing Elias. Considering the lack of a typical patient-doctor relationship between them, it is doubtful whether Alan can keep on stopping Sam from committing another murder. Since Sam’s murderous impulses are only increasing, every passing second makes him more threatening as well.

Even though the authorities may have realized that Alan and Elias are missing, they may not end up discovering them anytime soon, especially considering how Sam has concealed his real identity from both of them before their abduction and removed his tracks from their lives. Since the police rescuing Alan and Elias is unlikely, Sam may really kill Elias. Since Alan isn’t a magician to do wonders and miraculously destroy the homicidal urges Sam has been nurturing for a long time, he may not be able to stop Sam. Still, killing Elias may lead Sam to attain catharsis and he may realize how badly he doesn’t want to kill again. If that happens, Elias can even be his last victim.

Read More: Is The Patient Based on a True Story?

The fifth season of Hulu’s dystopian series ‘The Handmaid’s Tale’ follows the consequences of Commander Fred Waterford’s murder. After killing the abuser, June Osborne seeks her friend and fellow former-Handmaid Dr. Emily Malek, only to come to know that she has gone back to Gilead without even letting June know. As Emily goes back to the place where she has endured immense suffering and encountered death at a close distance, the viewers must want to know the reason behind the same. In addition, we have found out whether Alexis Bledel’s absence in the first episode of season 5 is an indication of her exit from the show. Well, here’s what we know!

Why Does Emily Go Back to Gilead?

After murdering Fred, June tries to meet her partner-in-crime and friend, Emily, only to find out that she has returned to Gilead “for Lydia.” Emily must have gone back to the totalitarian regime to exact her vengeance on Aunt Lydia, who oversees the training, sexual re-education, and duties of the Handmaids. When Emily serves as a Handmaid under Lydia in Gilead, before she escapes to Canada, the latter has made the former suffer severely. Upon discovering that Emily is a lesbian, Lydia has forced her to undergo clitoridectomy to stop the doctor from experiencing sexual pleasure.

After the clitoridectomy, Emily vows to take revenge on Lydia. She has even succeeded to stab Lydia but failed to kill her. Since she has gone back to Gilead, where Lydia continues to guide and lead the Handmaids, it can only mean that she wants to see the latter dead just like June has wished to see Fred dead. Considering that Gilead and the country’s commanders’ potency are being questioned, Emily must have thought that she should materialize her dream when the regime is most vulnerable. She must have thought that June would stop her if she tells the latter about her plan.

However, Emily may not be able to kill Lydia. After Fred’s murder, the commanders of the totalitarian regime must be fearing that the former Handmaids may come looking for them. They may increase their security measures and surveillance in and around the regime to prevent the attack of any Handmaids. If they find Emily, her life will be threatened. Does that mean she will die? Will we see Alexis Bledel’s character ever again? Let’s find out.

Did Alexis Bledel Leave The Handmaid’s Tale?

Yes, Alexis Bledel did leave ‘The Handmaid’s Tale.’ In May 2022, Bledel confirmed her exit from the show. “After much thought, I felt I had to step away from ‘The Handmaid’s Tale’ at this time,” the actress said in a statement. “I am forever grateful to Bruce Miller for writing such truthful and resonant scenes for Emily, and to Hulu, MGM, the cast and crew for their support,” she added. Bledel parted ways with the show after winning a Primetime Emmy award for her performance in 2017. The actress also hasn’t explicitly revealed the reason behind her departure.

Since Bledel is not part of ‘The Handmaid’s Tale’ anymore, it will not be a surprise to see Emily dying off-screen in one of the future episodes of the series. Emily’s return to Gilead must have also given the writers a chance to wrap the character’s arc. Even though admirers of the actress may miss her performance in the dystopian series, we may get to see Bledel in ‘Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 3,’ which is apparently being developed currently.

Read More: Shows Like The Handmaid’s Tale

Netflix’s ‘Sins of Our Mother’ is a documentary series that delves into the case of Lori Vallow Daybell from every aspect imaginable to get to the heart of what precisely transpired and why. Whether it be her connection with Chad Daybell, their radical apocalyptic faith, or the way its blend may have driven her to allegedly murder two of her own young children, this three-parter unearths it all. But for now, if you only wish to learn more about the woman caught in the middle seemingly just by being Lori’s then-best friend — Melanie Racheal Gibb — we’ve got the essential details for you.

Who is Melanie Gibb?

It was back in October 2018 that Melanie came across Lori for the first time while teaching a class at the local Latter-day Saints Church around her base of Gilbert, Arizona, and they quickly hit it off. They became so close that within weeks they decided to attend a religious conference together in St. George, Utah, where she introduced Lori to notable end-times author/speaker Chad Daybell. Melanie witnessed their immediate spark as well as the way they eventually became a couple despite both being married, yet she didn’t interfere because their friendship had evolved as well.

From attending more conferences to hosting faith-based podcasts to getting to know one another on a deeper level, Melanie and Lori did it all, but everything changed in late 2019. That’s because when police showed up at the latter’s doorstep on November 26 to do a welfare check on her 7-year-old son JJ at the behest of his grandparents, Kay and Larry Woodcock, Lori said he was with Melanie. As if that’s not enough, Melanie stated that Lori and her new husband Chad then tried to convince her to cover for them by maintaining this lie, leaving her shocked as well as uncomfortable in every sense of the term.

As per Melanie, Lori had already described JJ and her also missing 16-year-old daughter Tylee as “zombies” to her some time prior, making her realize there was likely much more to the story than she knew. She contacted the local authorities on December 6, 2019, to expose not just the couple’s alleged lie but also that they once told her it was their mission to rid this world of “zombies.” Melanie had never completely bought into their ideologies despite her own admittedly extreme views. Yet, she was genuinely scared by this point since she felt actual lives appeared to be in extreme danger.

Where is Melanie Gibb Today?

“Part of me is processing; ‘I can’t believe you’re friends with these people,’” Melanie candidly told NBC’s ‘Dateline’ in 2020. “The other part of me is like, ‘How did you even believe any of the things they shared to you?’” She was actually afraid to speak out in public initially due to the negative way she could’ve been portrayed. Still, she has never held back on any facet to make it clear she no longer wants anything to do with either Lori or Chad.

In fact, Melanie testified at the latter’s preliminary hearing and is expected to do so again when the duo finally stands trial on charges of murder. “I saw [Chad] as the hand and [Lori] as the puppet on that hand,” Melanie once said. “They were both like gasoline and fire. Not a good match. But equally destructive to each other. So in a way, they were their equal match, in that they were destructive to each other. They both had deception in them.”

We should mention that in 2020, Lori’s attorneys had suggested her former best friend as well as her then-boyfriend, David Warwick, were “eagerly involved” in JJ and Tylee’s ultimate fate, yet there has been no evidence of the same. Therefore, today, from what we can tell, a reportedly single Melanie continues to lead an incredibly private life in Gilbert, Arizona.

Read More: Are Lori Vallow and Chad Daybell Still Married?

With ‘Sins of Our Mother’ profiling the disturbing, ongoing case of the way Lori Vallow Daybell might’ve played a role in two of her young kids’ enigmatic deaths, we get a true insight into her life. After all, this Netflix original documentary series features not only dramatic archival footage spotlighting her apocalyptic faith but also emotional first-hand accounts from those once closest to her. Amongst them were none other than Lori’s parents — so now, if you wish to learn more about them, their beliefs, as well as their current standing, we’ve got the necessary details for you.

Who Are Lori Vallow Daybell’s Parents?

Born as the second youngest of five children to Janis Lee Cox and Barry Lynn Cox on June 26, 1973, Lori Norene Cox (later Vallow Daybell) grew up in a happy household in Southern California. “It was just a big family, and we did have a lot of fun,” the matriarch stated in the three-episode production. “I raised all our kids in the LDS church… and Lori always loved the scriptures. She took to it right away.” Even her father claimed that she once “started crying” as an 8-year-old while he was trying to educate her on something simply because she felt like he was a “spiritual giant!”

However, we need to mention that Janis and Barry faced legal trouble around the time their brood was gradually establishing themselves in the real world — in the late 1990s and 2000s. The couple had spent decades fighting the Internal Revenue Service with the opinion that “federal income tax is unlawful” and “the IRS is a rogue agency,” which had led to back taxes totaling more than $300,000. As if that’s not enough, Barry was sentenced to 366 days in prison for making a false statement to the IRS in 1999. As per Arizona State Bar records, he was reprimanded for “engaging in the unauthorized practice of law” in 2018.

Yet they, Janis in particular, are still most known for having defended their daughter in connection to the disappearance of her children, Tylee Ryan and JJ Vallow (before their remains were found). “[Lori has] invested her whole life in those children,” the supportive mother told CBS News in a May 2020 interview alongside her youngest, Summer. “So we know there’s another whole side to this. We don’t know what it is. But we know her.” Janis then went as far as to add even though she isn’t aware of the 16 and 7-year-old’s whereabouts, she’s “positive beyond any doubt that [Lori] hasn’t harmed those kids.”

Where Are Lori Vallow Daybell’s Parents Today?

While most of the Cox family was vehemently proclaiming Lori’s innocence at first, their sentiments did change after the children’s bodies were recovered from her husband’s property. In a statement signed by Janis, Barry, Summer, as well as a few others, they conveyed they’d “maintained a strong hope and belief [the kids] were alive and well. With that hope and belief apparently shattered, they struggle to find comfort and hope in this potential new reality. They miss J.J. and Tylee very much… The family will continue to closely watch the developing situation and will anxiously await the pending conclusions with heavy hearts.”

Furthermore, in ‘Sins of Our Mother,’ Janis said, “[The accusers] were right; we were wrong. I — I should never say ‘I know’ again. I don’t really know… It was a horrible, awful, terrible realization. I said I knew Lori couldn’t hurt her kids, and I was wrong.” Nevertheless, she later admitted, “I want to be as kind to her as I can be. I don’t see any reason to pile on to somebody that’s done something so awful… She’s in jail, and I think she’ll be there [for] the rest of her life. So there is gonna be justice done.”

Coming to Janis and Barry’s current standing, since they both seemingly prefer to keep well away from the limelight these days, we, unfortunately, do not know much about their personal experiences. All we can gather from public records is that they likely reside in San Tan Valley, Arizona, at the moment, from where Barry had published an anti-government book entitled ‘How the American Public Can Dismantle the IRS’ in November 2019.

Read More: Where Are Lori Vallow Daybell’s Siblings Now?

FX’s Welcome to Wrexham, which was not only a hit last year for both FX and Hulu but also a Paste favorite, is returning to the pitch for a second season next month. Following the first season, Rob McElhenney and Ryan Reynolds are back in North Wales for another season of footy with their 5th tier team the Red Dragons.

While it is a series about soccer (or football, if you’re across the pond), Welcome to Wrexham‘s charm stemmed from its very human portrayal of this underdog team, the warm town they call home, and the people that populate both the stands and the Welsh countryside. And of course it wouldn’t be the docuseries it is without the celebrity inclusions of the club’s co-owners McElhenney and Reynolds, who are learning to navigate the world of UK football, all while trying to build the Red Dragons into proper hometown heroes.

The trailer for Season 2 shows more classic shenanigans between Reynolds and McElhenney, but also highlights the community, the people, and the epic highs and lows of soccer once again. If you’re looking for some feel-good football this fall, look no further than Welcome to Wrexham‘s grand return.

McElhenney and Reynolds return as producers on Welcome to Wrexham alongside Josh Drisko, Bryan Rowland, Jeff Luini, Nick Frenkel, George Dewey and Boardwalk Pictures’ Andrew Fried, Alan Bloom, Dane Lillegard, Sarina Roma and Jordan Wynn.

Check out the trailer below; Welcome to Wrexham Season 2 premieres Tuesday, September 12th on FX and streaming on Hulu.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yuiXCWk_TwQ

For all the latest TV news, reviews, lists and features, follow @Paste_TV.

Well, it’s finally official. After a month of speculation, the Television Academy and FOX have announced that the 2023 Emmy Awards are moving to January 2024, with an airdate of Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

This announcement comes after the actors’ guild, SAG-AFTRA, began their strike the day after the Emmy nominees were announced, and 100+ days after the start of the WGA strike. This historic joint strike, which hasn’t been seen since the 1960s, is causing disruptive waves across the industry, and the Emmys are just the latest to be affected.

This move may signal bad news for those hoping the strikes are nearing a finish line; reportedly, the Academy was pushing for a November airdate, but FOX won out with their request to hold the ceremony in January, which could mean that industry players believe there’s at least five months remaining for the writers and actors on the picket lines, if not more. After talks broke down between the WGA and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) late last week, it seems that the strike remains an “indefinite” problem plaguing the industry.

More than anything, delaying the Emmys is an incredibly good thing. After all, it would not only be incredibly tone deaf but also straight-up depressing to hold a gold-plated farce honoring the people who make the television we love while they picket the event from the outside. So many incredible people were nominated this year, and they deserve to be at the ceremony, celebrating alongside their peers and with a brand new, fair contract behind them.

The 75th Emmy Awards will air January 15th, 2024 on FOX.

Anna Govert is the TV Editor of Paste Magazine. For any and all thoughts about TV, film, and the wonderful insanity of Riverdale, you can follow her @annagovert.

For all the latest TV news, reviews, lists and features, follow @Paste_TV.

A reboot of the famous eponymous 1994 series by Michael Jenkins and Ben Gannon, Netflix’s ‘Heartbreak High’ is an Australian teen romantic drama series created by the makers of the original show and Hannah Carroll Chapman. Set in the modern Hartley High School, the story follows the discovery of a secret map that records all the hook-ups in the school year, with Amerie getting the brunt of it. To bring all the hypersexual students of the school in line, the school forces them to join a Sexual Literacy Program.

Now, with her new friends, Quinn and Darren, Amerie must try to pull her reputation from the dirt and repair it while going through love, sexual awakening, and heartbreak. The callback to the famous 90s show is bound to get the viewers hyped and hooked from the first episode. Moreover, the setting of Hartley High School takes you back in time to your school days, making you curious to know about the actual filming sites of the series. Well, allow us to fill you in on all the details and put your mind at ease!

Heartbreak High Filming Locations

‘Heartbreak High’ is filmed entirely in Australia, particularly New South Wales. The principal photography for the inaugural iteration of the Netflix show reportedly commenced in November 2021 and wrapped up around late February 2022. Interestingly, the makers have decided to follow in the footsteps of the original show as it was also lensed in New South Wales.

Located on the east coast of Australia, New South Wales is the largest state economy in Australia. In addition, the state is home to more than 780 breathtaking national parks and reserves. Now, without further ado, let’s traverse the specific locations that appear in the Australian series!

Sydney, Australia

All the pivotal sequences for ‘Heartbreak High’ are taped in and around Sydney, the capital city of New South Wales. The cast and crew specifically shoot important portions of the show in Maroubra and Matraville, two cities that fall under the Eastern Suburbs of Sydney. For recording the scenes set in Hartley High School, it appears they either set up camp in an actual school or college or a soundstage of one of the film studios in Sydney.

Situated on the east coast of Australia, Sydney is one of the most expensive cities globally but still manages to rank in the top ten most liveable cities. The vast metropolis is home to numerous famous tourist destinations, including the Sydney Opera House, Watsons Bay, The Rocks, Sydney Tower, and the Art Gallery of New South Wales. Apart from tourists, the city is frequented by many filmmakers for shooting purposes. Over the years, it has hosted the production of several movies and TV shows, such as ‘Three Thousand Years of Longing,’ ‘Hacksaw Ridge,’ ‘Nine Perfect Strangers,’ and ‘Pieces of Her.’

Read More: Is Heartbreak High (2022) a Reboot or a Sequel of the Original Show?

Based on real-life events in 2018, Netflix’s ‘The Lørenskog Disappearance’ is a Norwegian crime drama series created by Nikolaj Frobenius and Stephen Uhlander. It revolves around the sudden disappearance of Anne-Elisabeth Hagen, the wife of a billionaire named Tom Hagen. Following the incident, the police begin their quest to get to the bottom of the case while dealing with the agitated media and a few deceitful informants who try to deviate them from the truth.

The thrilling narrative is made all the more enthralling by the stellar onscreen performances from talented Scandinavian actors and actresses, including Yngvild Støen Grotmol, Henrik Rafaelsen, and Christian Rubeck. Moreover, the interesting use of locations in each episode makes one wonder about the actual filming sites of ‘The Lørenskog Disappearance.’ In that case, you might be interested in what we have to share regarding the same!

The Lørenskog Disappearance Filming Locations

‘The Lørenskog Disappearance’ is filmed entirely in Norway, particularly in Lørenskog, where the story is set. The principal photography for the Norwegian series seemingly took place around late 2021. Located in Northern Europe, Norway is a Nordic country that comprises the western and northernmost portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula. It has one of the highest per-capita incomes worldwide on the World Bank and IMF lists. So, without further ado, let’s follow the police as they uncover the truth about Tom Hagen’s wife and learn about all the specific locations that appear in the series!

Lørenskog, Norway

Most of the sequences of ‘The Lørenskog Disappearance’ is lensed in and around Lørenskog, a municipality in Akershus in Norway’s Viken county. Lørenskog Police Station at Boecks Gate 16 serves as one of the prominent shooting sites for the Netflix series, as many exterior and seemingly interior scenes are taped in and around the station. Interestingly, what adds to the narrative’s authenticity is that the production team sets up camp in the Shell petrol station at Solheimveien 120, the same petrol station where the real Tom Hagen met the police for the first time.

Located east of Oslo, the capital of Norway, Lørenskog gets its name from the old Leirheimr farm. It is home to the Lørenskog Church at Hammerveien 1 in Lørenskog, a medieval-era church and a popular site of interest in the municipality. Since the southern part of Lørenskog mainly consists of forests, most of the inhabitants live in the northern part of the municipality.

Read More: Best Crime Series on Netflix

Ratboys have released “Morning Zoo,” the fifth single from their forthcoming LP The Window, out August 25 via Topshelf Records. “Morning Zoo” is upbeat and energetic, propelled by bouncy violin and country-inspired guitars. Following a storied tradition of phenomenal Illinois alt-country, the track is thoughtful and insistent, a marvelous foray into the thumping, twangy rhythms of the genre.

“The lyrics are meant to express the frustration and confusion that comes along with hanging out at a personal crossroads, where every day feels the same and the same big questions keep nagging at you from the back of your head,” says vocalist Julia Steiner. “It’s that small, lingering feeling of numb indecision, of pesky anxiety- like disassociating at a stop sign or weighing all your biggest hopes and fears while stuck behind the longest freight train you’ve ever seen.”

Listen to “Morning Zoo” below.

The ongoing case of Lori Cox Vallow and Chad Daybell is honestly one that can only be described as entirely bone-chilling owing to the outright disturbing, extreme, and tragic details involved. After all, as examined in Netflix’s ‘Sins of Our Mother,’ the Mormons’ romance, as well as radical end-time beliefs, may have driven them to allegedly murder two of her children, Tylee Ryan and JJ Vallow. So now that we know they’ve been awaiting trial behind bars on a slew of distinct, serious charges for more than two years, let’s find out whether they are still actually married or not, shall we?

Lori Vallow and Chad Daybell’s Journey

In the fall of 2018, Lori Vallow and Chad Daybell first met through a mutual friend named Melanie Gibb at a religious conference in St. George, Utah, just to instantly click despite both being in long-term marriages. The truth is Lori was already impressed by Chad since Lori’d read his ‘Standing in Holy Places’ book series in 2015, and thus also shared some viewpoints, leading to one conversation after another. Therefore, they had decided to continue their bond by the end of the weekend, especially as Chad’d managed to convince her they’d been married multiple times in previous existences.

While Lori was a mother of three married to Charles Vallow at the time, Chad shared five children with his wife Tammy Daybell, yet they reportedly managed to keep secret phones for one another. Their mutual friend had once asked them why they don’t just get divorced in order to officially, publically be together, to which Lori responded they weren’t “allowed to because of information they were receiving from the other side of the veil [between heaven and earth].” The docuseries further indicates they were secretly planning for the second coming of Jesus Christ, but their pursuits apparently couldn’t go ahead because the spouses remained alive.

As if that’s not enough, Chad often referred to others as “light” or “dark” (with various gradations in between) and sometimes even went as far as to classify them as demon-infested “zombies.” The couple’s mission, they purportedly believed, was to rid the world of these “zombies,” which somehow included Lori’s 16-year-old daughter Tylee as well as her 7-year-old son JJ, who lived with autism. Hence, with Charles’ shooting death by Lori’s brother, Alex Cox, in July 2019, the sudden disappearance of the minors in September, and Tammy’s natural causes-disguised death in October, there was a lot of suspicion on the duo.

However, one of the most baffling aspects is the fact Lori and Chad tied the knot in an entirely private ceremony in Hawaii on November 5, 2019, merely two weeks following Tammy’s death. It’s also imperative to note that she purchased her wedding ring using the deceased Charles’ Amazon account on October 2, 2019, 17 days before Tammy lost her life, as per the Netflix documentary series. Ultimately, though, Lori was arrested in February 2020 on charges of desertion and nonsupport of her children, only for them to be upgraded to murder soon after the discovery of their remains.

Are Lori Vallow and Chad Daybell Still Married?

Chad actually stood by Lori at every step of the way upon her apprehension by not just continuing to communicate with her via county jail calls but also showing up for court proceedings. However, it all stopped on June 9, 2020, when the execution of a search warrant on his property in Salem, Idaho, resulted in the near skeletal remains of both JJ and Tylee being found, leading to Chad’s arrest as well. That’s because inmates (in different jails) aren’t technically allowed to correspond in any way, shape, or form, meaning the last time Chad and Lori freely spoke to one another was more than two years ago.

However, from what we can tell, Lori Vallow and Chad Daybell are still legally and proudly married for all intents as well as purposes — there hasn’t even been a single rumor of divorce. It thus appears as if Lori has found her true life partner in her fifth husband, alongside whom she is currently facing charges of first-degree murder, conspiracy, and much more in connection with the deaths of Tammy, Tylee, and JJ.

Read More: Where is Chad Daybell Now?

The second episode of Hulu’s dystopian series ‘The Handmaid’s Tale’ season 5 opens a window to Gilead after the death of Commander Fred Waterford. Upon the death of Fred, Commander Warren Putnam becomes one of the highest officials in the country. To please Putnam, Aunt Lydia assigns Esther Keyes as his new Handmaid. Janine Lindo, Esther’s mentor, also joins her when Lydia leads Esther and the other Handmaids to Putnam’s house. However, it doesn’t take long for Esther to choose death over being the Handmaid of the commander. But she doesn’t want to die alone. She also poisons Janine. So, are they dead? Did we see the last of Mckenna Grace and Madeline Brewer in the show? Let us provide the answers! SPOILERS AHEAD.

Are Esther and Janine Dead?

When Aunt Lydia assigns Esther to Commander Putnam’s house, the new Handmaid realizes that it is nothing short of a sentence to suffering. Esther starts to believe that Janine became close to her only to prepare her as a Handmaid for her to get assigned at Putnam’s house, specifically since Janine’s daughter Angela is at the same place. Believing that Janine has manipulated her to make Putnam’s new sex slave so that the former can visit Angela through her, Esther poisons her mentor through some chocolate balls. Esther also eats the same since she chooses death over becoming Putnam’s Handmaid.

After eating the poisoned chocolate, Esther and Janine start to vomit blood. Still, they may not die yet. Since Lydia and the other Handmaids see them, they are expected to get saved. Lydia most likely will arrange medical interventions necessary to save two of her Handmaids and may even reach out to Putnam for guidance. Considering that Putnam is smitten by Esther, he may try his best to save at least Esther no matter what. The affectionate conversation between Naomi Putnam, Commander Putnam’s wife, and Janine in the second episode of the fifth season also indicate that she may try to save Janine, who has brightened Naomi’s life by giving birth to Angela.

Considering these possibilities, Esther and Janine may escape from death for the time being. If not, does the incident mean that Mckenna Grace and Madeline Brewer had already left the show? Let’s find out.

Did Mckenna Grace and Madeline Brewer Leave The Handmaid’s Tale?

As of yet, neither Mckenna Grace nor Madeline Brewer, just like Hulu, has announced their departure from ‘The Handmaid’s Tale,’ indicating that they haven’t exited from the show. In an interview given in May 2022, Brewer had teased that Janine is “a cat with nine lives” to die this early. “As per usual, Janine is a cat with nine lives. And if you’ve been watching the show, you know she used up several of them already. And I’m going to just say this season is no exception to that,” Brewer told EW. In addition, the actress also revealed that we will “see a side of Janine this season that we haven’t seen before.”

Considering Brewer’s words, it is clear that there’s a lot more to happen in Janine’s storyline in the fifth season. Since we haven’t yet seen the different side of Janine as the actress indicated yet in season 5, we can expect the character’s recovery from the possible near-death experience, which may change her as Brewer indicated. As far as Mckenna Grace’s commitment to the show is concerned, we can be hopeful that the actress will feature in the upcoming episodes of the fifth season.

In an interview given in June 2021, after the conclusion of the broadcast of season 4, creator Bruce Miller revealed that Esther and Janine will be his window to the fifth season storylines set in Gilead. Considering the same, Esther most likely will recover and continue to live. Considering these factors and possibilities, we may not need to worry about Grace and Brewer leaving the dystopian show just yet.

Read More: Why Does Emily Go Back to Gilead? Did Alexis Bledel Leave The Handmaid’s Tale?

Singer/songwriter Jilian Medford—who performs under the moniker IAN SWEET—has announced her fourth album, Sucker, which is due out November 3 via Polyvinyl. Following lead single “Fight,” “Your Spit” is a distorted pop song that is as catchy as it is crystalline. Produced by Alex Craig (Binki, Claud) and Strange Ranger’s Isaac Eiger, “Your Spit” is a medley of noise that cuts into hypnotic choruses and glittering, distinct guitar moves.

Medford says of the track: “‘Your Spit’ is about the joy and fear that surrounds new relationships. The excitement that’s also accompanied by doubt. But I’d be lying if I didn’t say the song is just mostly about making out.”

Check out the Brittany Reeber-directed music video for “Your Spit”—which features cameos from Saturday Night Live cast members Sarah Sherman and Martin Herlihy—and the SUCKER album artwork and tracklist below.

SUCKER Artwork:

SUCKER Tracklist:
Bloody Knees
Smoking Again
Emergency Contact
Sucker
Comeback
Your Spit
Clean
Fight
Slowdance
Hard

As a Netflix original documentary series that lives up to its title from every conceivable angle, ‘Sins of Our Mother’ can only be described as equal parts baffling, devastating, as well as gripping. That’s because it charts not just Lori Valllow Daybell’s descent into religious extremism but also her personal, familial relationships to really shine a light upon all her extensive alleged offenses. Yet, for now, if you wish to learn more about the individuals who initially did try to guide and support her at every step of the way — her siblings — we’ve got the essential details for you.

Who Are Lori Vallow Daybell’s Siblings?

Although most reports claim Lori Vallow Daybell had three siblings, she was actually born in 1973 as the second youngest of five to devout Mormons Janis Lee Cox and Barry Lynn Cox in Southern California. She thus had four; Stacey Lynne Cox (1966), Alexander “Alex” Lamar Cox Pastenes (1968), Adam Lane Cox (1969), and Summer Novelle Cox (1975) — we say had because two of them have sadly since passed. While Stacey suddenly lost her life at the age of 31 in 1998 (cause undetermined), Alex Cox died of natural blood clots in his lungs as well as high blood pressure at 51 in December 2019.

Coming to the 2019 disappearance of Lori’s minor children, Tylee Ryan and JJ Vallow, her two surviving siblings honestly had drastically different opinions on her possible hand in the matter at first. Summer believed in her elder sister’s pure innocence, which is why she went as far as to proclaim the same in a May 2020 interview with CBS News (before the kids’ remains were recovered). She thought the duo was still alive. Summer said, “I have to see my family slaughtered on the news every day. This mob mentality of calling for… Lori to just be hung in a public square, basically is what it feels like.”

On the other hand, Lori’s elder brother, Adam, who’d already expressed concern over her radical ideologies, had a gut feeling his niece and nephew were already dead since she never revealed their whereabouts. “Lori talked about death a lot actually, talked about the next life, how great the next life is and how it’s going to be perfect and how her kids won’t have to suffer in the next life,” Adam candidly said in ‘The Followers: Madness of Two’ podcast in 2021. “I thought, ‘If they’re good, Lori, you tell me where these kids are.’ If she says, ‘Well, I’m not going to tell you where the kids are,’ that means the kids aren’t alive.”

Where Are Lori Vallow Daybell’s Siblings Today?

Summer was obviously heartbroken once Tylee and JJ’s bodies were found buried on Lori’s husband Chad Daybell’s property in June 2020, yet she didn’t shy away from admitting she was wrong. “We have prayed for the truth to come to light, but we never thought it would look like this,” she penned on Facebook. “Believe me when I say, this has looked very different from my perspective than what the public has seen. It’s easy to jump on a bandwagon when you don’t personally know all the people involved… I was wrong… [I love] my family with all my heart, and I wanted to believe the best in them.”

Summer continued, “I do not find any joy in condemning people or in the mob mentality. There is no joy in finding out about my precious niece and nephew. And while I have moments of extreme anger… right now, there is so much sorrow and hurt that I can’t even fully process all of it. The last thing I want to do is perpetuate more hate. There is already too much of that in this world. I am praying for healing for all of those who knew and loved Tyty and JJ…”

“It is going to take time to work through all of these emotions and all of this grief… Tylee and JJ are completely irreplaceable in our family,” Summer concluded. As for their current standing, although the Cox family seemingly continues to grapple with their loss as well as differences, the one thing they see eye-to-eye on is maintaining Tylee and JJ’s legacy. In fact, Summer reportedly does her best to spread awareness about autism (JJ was on the spectrum), abuse, and violence these days.

Adam, on the other hand, appears determined to speak up more on this entire case. Unfortunately, we do not have much information on Summer apart from the fact she now goes by Summer Cox Shiflet and likely has a family of her own. However, we do know that Adam moved on from Southern California and presently resides in Wichita, Kansas. The family man is a radio host, a podcast host, and an entertainer, serving as a Public Relations Specialist at AMP Digital Innovations as well as the President of StandOutICT Productions at the moment.

Read More: Where is Melanie Gibb Now?

An Apex Legends dataminer found a secret message from developer Respawn Entertainment while exploring the game’s code following the new Season 18 update.

The dataminer, Twitter user KralRindo, posted a screenshot to Twitter yesterday of his findings: a code string reading “const string HI_DATAMINERS = ‘TOP SECRET DATA HERE -> https://www.respawn.com/careers’” with the link redirecting to the developer’s career page.

Oh hello pic.twitter.com/GioPEiAxBH

— KralRindo (@kralrindo) August 9, 2023

The finding sparked many comedic responses from users on Twitter and Reddit, with one Reddit user saying “I respect that, they literally said ‘get a job. But with us.’”

This humorous finding comes just a day after KralRindo revealed some changes Respawn had made to the game’s code which make datamining more difficult. Specifically, many assets are now stored in Rpak files, which are much more difficult to edit and showcase in-game than the previously-used VPK files. The change is big enough that KralRindo remarked that “this might be end of an era” for Apex Legends datamining.

This isn’t the first time Respawn have messed with dataminers. In 2020, during the lead-up to Apex Legends’ fourth season, the developer intentionally staged a fake-out character reveal, planting fake leaks about a supposed upcoming legend named Forge before having the actual new legend, Revenant, kill him off in dramatic fashion. At the time, the game’s design director Jason McCord had been frustrated with leakers, telling Dot Esports that the plan had originated “as a fun way to misdirect data miners who, at the time, felt like they had solved our next legend and had ruined our surprise.”