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We're off and away with The Last of Us Season 2, with geared-up new factions and mysterious hooded nomads roaming post-apocalyptic America and threatening the lives of our beloved protagonists.

In Season 1 of Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann's Naughty Dog game adaptation, it was all about FEDRA and the Fireflies. But now, with the majority of Fireflies sent into oblivion by Joel (Pedro Pascal) in the Season 1 finale — was that a good idea, Joel? — and FEDRA seemingly nowhere to be seen, there are new players on the board.

And that includes the bow-armed, hooded travelling group known as the Seraphites or "Scars."

SEE ALSO: 'The Last of Us' Season 2: What are the differences between the game and the HBO show?

Now, I'm not going to tell you everything about this group — if you've played the games, you'll know what happens with them in The Last of Us Part II. But here's what I can tell viewers of the HBO series about the Seraphites as it happens in Season 2 (with no spoilers beyond what happens in the latest episode on Max).

When do we meet the Seraphites in The Last of Us? The Seraphites (Michael Abbott Jr. and Makena Whitlock) in episode 3. Credit: Courtesy of HBO

The first we see of the Seraphites beyond the trailer comes in Season 2, episode 3. We meet a group of people on a forest trail to Seattle (the same road Ellie (Bella Ramsey) and Dina (Isabela Mercred) take later in the episode), with each member clad in hooded garments branded with the same strange symbol.

They're all also marked by the same self-inflicted facial scarring on either cheek (hence their nickname, the "Scars"). It looks like these marks are given early in life for members of this group, as even Constance (Makena Whitlock), the very young girl in their party, has them. They're mentioned in episode 4 as the "holy mortification" to join the faction.

The Seraphites also prefer melee weapons like their signature hammer or stealth weapons like bows and arrows, and they communicate in a sophisticated whistling language.

Featured Video For You Bella Ramsey and 'The Last of Us' team talks Season 2's new characters and Joel in therapy What do the Seraphites believe? "She watches over me, she fills my soul." Credit: Courtesy of HBO

We don't know much about the Seraphites' spiritual beliefs at this point in the TV series, but we do know a few things. First, we know they follow a leader known as "The Prophet."

"The Prophet isn't magic, they're just people that see truths hidden from others and share their truth no matter what the cost," the Seraphite leader (Michael Abbott Jr.) explains to Constance in episode 3. "So it was with our Prophet. That's how we keep her spirit alive, we follow her words, we obey her teaching, but we keep ourselves safe."

In episode 4, during Washington Liberation Front (WLF) leader Isaac Dixon's (Jeffrey Wright) brutal torture and interrogation of a Seraphite (Ryan Masson), the captive calls Wolves "heretics" and repeats the phrase, "She watches over me, she fills my soul."

However, in episode 3, the Seraphite in the woods also mentions that The Prophet has been dead for 10 years, and that he "wouldn't count on her to help" their situation. In the following episode, Isaac also dismisses the Prophet, telling his captive, "You know there are even Scars who don’t believe she’s some magic fairy in the sky, yeah? Some of you actually understand she was just a person."

So, who is this Prophet and what do they preach? We'll find out soon enough.

What's the deal between the Seraphites and the WLF? Uhh... this looks bad. Credit: Liane Hentscher / HBO

The relationship between the WLF and the Seraphites is direct rivalry. When we meet the Seraphites in episode 3, the leader of their group calls for the group to take cover when it appears "Wolves" are on their path. We know this as the nickname for the WLF, who have a snarling wolf on a yellow triangle for their logo — one of their members, Abby (Kaitlyn Dever), killed Joel.

Judging by the Seraphite leader's reaction to "Wolves" over what his daughter calls "Demons" as a threat, we think they're more scared of the WLF than they are of Infected. And they should be, with Ellie and Dina finding the entire group slain at the end of episode 4 — it's not clear who committed the massacre, but it's strongly suggested to be the WLF.

In episode 4's interrogation scene, both Isaac and his captive accuse the WLF and the Seraphites of "breaking the truce" (we don't know what that is yet), and Isaac looks amused when he's told his side will lose. "We have automatic weapons and hospitals, you lunatics have bolt action rifles, bows and arrows, and superstition," he says. "So tell me how are we going to lose?”

Isaac (Jeffrey Wright) tortures a Seraphite for information on attacks. Credit: Liane Hentscher / HBO

With both parties existing in Seattle, the rivalry seems territorial — but from the looks of the WLF's tanks, guns, and foot soldiers in episodes 3 and 4, the odds seem somewhat against the Seraphites. But the Seraphite captive indicates that their ranks are building. "Every day a Wolf leaves you to take the holy mortification and become a Seraphite," they say. "And none of us leaves to become a Wolf." And remember, fear is also a weapon.

In episode 4, Ellie and Dina find a WLF man riddled with arrows in a Seattle building and later find a whole group of Wolves hanged and disembowelled, lit from beneath, with a Seraphite symbol and message written in their blood on the wall reading "Feel her love." It's pretty gruesome and meant to be found as a terrifying message, referring to the Seraphites' spiritual leader, the Prophet.

The Last of Us Season 2 is now streaming on Max. New episodes air weekly on Sundays 9 p.m. ET on HBO.

Watching The Last of Us and want to play the games? Here's how.

We're back with The Last of Us Season 2, with mysterious new characters and geared-up new factions to avoid like the plague or join, depending on your priorities in the apocalypse. 

In Season 1 of Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann's Naughty Dog game adaptation, it was all about FEDRA and the Fireflies. But now, with the majority of Fireflies sent into oblivion by Joel (Pedro Pascal) in the Season 1 finale, the faction has evolved elsewhere.

SEE ALSO: 'The Last of Us' Season 2: What are the differences between the game and the HBO show?

In Season 2, episode 1, we meet Abby (Kaitlyn Dever) and her crew of Fireflies. But in subsequent episodes they've become members of a group with a wolf logo on their gear. But who is this new faction? Are they good or bad?

Now, it'll be unfeasible for me to tell you everything about this group — if you've played the games, you'll know what happens with this group in The Last of Us Part II. But here's what I can tell viewers of the HBO series about the WLF as it happens in Season 2 (with no spoilers beyond what happens in the latest episode on Max).

Wait, who are the Fireflies again? One of the last conversations between Marlene (Merle Dandridge) and Joel (Pedro Pascal). Credit: Liane Hentscher / HBO

They were a highly skilled, revolutionary militia group whose aim was to liberate quarantine zones (QZs) from the U.S. government's military arm, FEDRA, who in turn branded them terrorists. You might remember Joel and Ellie (Bella Ramsey) found their graffiti on walls all through Season 1 — their motto was "When you're lost in the darkness, look for the light." You might also remember Ellie was a FEDRA cadet with her best friend and first love, Riley (Storm Reid), whose plans to join the Fireflies were fatally derailed.

The Fireflies' leader, Marlene (Merle Dandridge), was the one who sent Tess (Anna Torv) and Joel on the mission to retrieve Ellie in the first place, taking her from the Fireflies' Boston QZ hideout to a Salt Lake City base camp where doctors were working on a cure for the Cordyceps pandemic (remember, Ellie's immune to Infected bites). Marlene would also be the last Firefly killed by Joel at the hospital, after he learned Ellie would be sacrificed for such research — it's the big point of contention between them.

The Fireflies said they needed to kill Ellie for a cure. Joel said nah. Credit: Liane Hentscher / HBO

And it's at this very medical facility we meet Abby's group of soon-to-be WLF members for the first time in Season 2, episode 1, reeling from what they've found.

What is the Washington Liberation Front in The Last of Us? Abby (Kaitlyn Dever) is a member of the WLF. Credit: Liane Hentscher / HBO

A militia group hailing from Seattle, the Washington Liberation Front (WLF) are identifiable by their logo featuring a snarling wolf on a yellow triangle — the first time we see this is in episode 2 on one of their backpacks, and Ellie and Dina continue to find their logo in subsequent episodes. Made up of former Fireflies and new members, the WLF are still a bit of a mystery at this point, but members of the group have already done major damage.

In Season 2, episode 1, we meet former Firefly and future WLF member Abby and her friends, Manny (Danny Ramirez), Nora (Tati Gabrielle), Mel (Ariela Barer), and Owen (Spencer Lord), who have discovered the remnants of Joel's massacre of the Fireflies in Salt Lake City. To say they look pissed is an understatement, but Abby is the one who decides they should prioritise tracking down the killer.

Featured Video For You 'The Last of Us' Season One recap in 60 seconds

We find the Abby and her friends again hiding out in a mountain cabin in the second episode (The Terrible One We Won't Get Over Anytime Soon), where Abby lures Joel and Dina (Isabela Merced) into a fatal trap. Before murdering Joel, she reveals that her father was one of the Fireflies Joel killed in the season finale, the surgeon who was about to operate on Ellie.

But what's Abby's actual involvement with the WLF? Before bludgeoning him to death, Abby tells Joel she's been a militia member for five years and that she's been taught to only attack those who can fight back. "Our commander trained us to follow a code. We don't kill those that can't defend themselves," she says. "And right now, that's you. But I am going to kill you. Because it doesn't matter if you have a code, like me, or you're a lawless piece of shit, like you. There are just some things everyone agrees are just fucking wrong."

We're not sure what Abby's commander will have to say about how she's gone about her vengeance — more on him below.

Where is the WLF base? Manny (Danny Ramirez) keeps watch from the Space Needle. Credit: Liane Hentscher / HBO

As we learn over the first three episodes of The Last of Us Season 2, the WLF is based in Seattle. But it's not until episodes 3 and 4 we actually get to see the scale of the group.

While Ellie and Dina assume the Wolves are a small faction, in the final moments of episode 3 we see Manny back in Seattle in the crumbling Space Needle overseeing multiple city checkpoints. Then, we see giant tanks rolling through the streets, the type FEDRA used in the first season. They're accompanied by at least 50 foot soldiers, armed to the teeth. We meet plenty more of these armed soldiers in episode 4, with Ellie and Dina's path through Seattle riddled with them. Infiltrating the WLF to kill Abby won't be a walk in the park after all.

Who is the WLF leader, Isaac? Meet Isaac (Jeffrey Wright). Credit: Liane Hentscher / HBO

In episode 1, Owen mentions the group's leader, Isaac Dixon (Jeffrey Wright). But we don't meet him until episode 4, with the opening scene showing Isaac as a former FEDRA captain who defects and kills an entire unit of soldiers. Later in the episode, Isaac tortures a Seraphite man in a well-equipped kitchen, presumably in the WLF base, demanding to know where the group will attack next.

Mashable's Sam Haysom has a whole explainer on who Isaac is.

What's the deal between the WLF and the Seraphites? This looks...bad. Credit: Liane Hentscher / HBO

In episode 3, we meet another new group called the Seraphites or "Scars" on a forest trail near Seattle. Their leader calls for everyone to take cover when it appears "Wolves" are on their path. They look terrified. Judging by the Seraphite leader's reaction to "Wolves" over what his daughter calls "Demons" as a threat, we think they're more scared of the WLF than they are of Infected. And they should be, as as Ellie and Dina discover the entire Seraphite party slain at the end of the episode.

The relationship between the WLF and the Seraphites is direct opposition, as Isaac's interrogation in episode 4 proves. Both Isaac and his captive accuse the WLF and the Seraphites of "breaking the truce" (we don't know what that is yet), and Isaac looks amused when he's told his side will lose. "We have automatic weapons and hospitals, you lunatics have bolt action rifles, bows and arrows, and superstition," he says. "So tell me how are we going to lose?”

With both parties existing in Seattle, the rivalry seems territorial — but from the looks of the WLF's tanks, guns, and foot soldiers in episodes 3 and 4, the odds seem somewhat against the Seraphites.

In episode 4, Ellie and Dina find a WLF man riddled with arrows in a Seattle building and later find a whole group of Wolves hanged and disembowelled, lit from beneath, with a Seraphite symbol and message written in their blood on the wall reading "Feel her love." It's meant to be found as a message, referring to the Seraphites' spiritual leader, the Prophet.

As Dina says, "What the fuck is wrong with Seattle?"

The Last of Us Season 2 is now streaming on Max. New episodes air weekly on Sundays 9 p.m. ET on HBO.

Watching The Last of Us and want to play the games? Here's how.

Google Meet offers several features to make your online meetings convenient and productive. If this tool happens to be your favorite meeting tool, I have some tips to share with you.

Ever wondered how your online data and conversations stay secure from hackers and intruders? That’s the work of cryptography, a technology we rely on daily, often without even realizing it. Here’s how it all works behind the scenes.

It's been almost four years since Windows 11 came out, and it still feels like it's in beta. Now that Microsoft has thoroughly botched the release of Windows 11, I miss some old features of Windows 7 and XP more than ever. I bet you'll relate to at least one.

Our passwords are the primary way we log in to all the services we use day in and day out. Unfortunately, passwords are becoming increasingly complex as pressure from hackers push us towards more secure choices. But what if there were a better way that didn't involve memorizing an incomprehensible string of characters?

In some huge gaming news, rumors suggest that Valve Software’s long-dormant Half-Life 3 not only exists — it’s playable from start to finish. And if the leaks are to be believed, the company could be gearing up to announce it later this year.

SEE ALSO: 'Half-Life: Alyx' trailer reveals a VR story before the events of 'Half-Life 2'

As always with Half-Life 3 rumors, skepticism is warranted. The latest report comes via Valve insider and longtime leaker Tyler McVicker, who teased a series of pointed hints during a recent livestream. According to McVicker, the information surfaced because the game is now in such wide playtesting that some testers have started talking.

The claims track with previous speculation from last summer, including McVicker’s own datamining of recent Valve code drops. Additionally, in February, datamining sleuths uncovered code references to “HLX” buried in update files for Valve’s upcoming MOBA-style game Deadlock, adding further speculation that something Half-Life-related is in active development.

"This is the furthest [HLX] has ever been. Period," McVicker said during the stream. "The game is playable—end to end. Period. Other HL3 or Episode 3 projects never got that far. They’re optimizing, polishing. It’s probably content-locked, or at the very least mechanic-locked."

Still, until Valve breaks its silence, treat this like every other Half-Life 3 whisper over the past 15 years: with cautious optimism. Based on the details provided by McVicker on stream, this Half-Life 3 is not to be confused with Half-Life 2: Episode Three, an announced sequel to Episode Two way back in 2007.

Development on Half-Life 3 reportedly began around 2013 or 2014, with a 2020 leak suggesting the game would have featured procedurally generated level design — an approach McVicker reaffirmed during his recent Q&A session.

Either way, something’s moving inside Valve. If it does launch, it would mark the first mainline Half-Life entry since Episode Two dropped in 2007, and the first release in the franchise since the 2020 VR-exclusive Half-Life: Alyx.

PC gamers benefit from having multiple game storefronts and Android gamers are starting to do the same. There are already several games on the Epic Games Store that are currently not available via Google's official Play Store.

Ever gotten a random text that starts with a name that’s not yours, in a scenario you’ve never been in? Maybe someone thinks you’re "Emily from the gym" or "Daniel from the yacht club." You reply with the classic "wrong number," but instead of backing off, the stranger suddenly wants to chat. Friendly. Curious. Weirdly persistent.

Congratulations: you’ve just been targeted by a scam — and no, you’re not the only one. According to cybersecurity firm McAfee, as cited by CNBC, a staggering 25 percent of Americans have received these mystery messages. The scam isn’t new. In fact, it first started gaining traction back in 2022. What is new is how it’s evolving.

SEE ALSO: E-ZPass toll scams are back. What to do if you're targeted.

These are called pig-butchering scams — a grotesque name with grotesque intent. Borrowed from the farming world, the term describes how scammers "fatten up" victims emotionally and psychologically before the financial slaughter. They operate like long-con romance scams: someone pretending to be rich and important, who just so happens to find you fascinating. Over time, they build trust, often steering the conversation toward crypto investments or too-good-to-be-true opportunities.

Experts told CNBC that the rise of generative AI is supercharging these operations. It's letting scammers craft messages that feel more personal and making it easier to change up the script to sound more like a real person. And the numbers show it's working.

In 2024 alone, text message scams cost Americans $470 million, according to the Federal Trade Commission. That’s five times what it was in 2020.

The bleaker reality behind these scams is that many are fueled by forced labor. Large-scale operations based in Southeast Asia are often behind the messages, with workers trafficked from across the region under false promises of legitimate employment. Once there, they’re coerced into running scams under constant surveillance and threats — essentially trapped in digital sweatshops.

Not all participants are victims, though. Some of these operations are run by shady online gambling groups, staffed by people who know exactly what they’re doing.

The simplest and most effective way to protect yourself? Don’t respond. If a text pops up from "Emily from the gym" or "Daniel from the yacht club" and you have no idea who that is, ignore it. If the number’s from an unfamiliar area code or a region you’ve never set foot in — ignore it. That’s it. No need to engage, correct them, or play along. Just block the number and move on.

Microsoft Excel's CHOOSECOLS and CHOOSEROWS functions are a game-changer if you want to quickly extract specific columns or rows from your data without nesting several functions in your formula. What's more, they're dynamic functions, meaning they adapt to changes in your dataset.

TL;DR: Make sure you always have something to watch with this lifetime subscription to BitMar Streaming Content Finder, now A$23 (reg. A$234) with code BITMAR5 through June 1.

If you're sick of shelling out a small fortune in streaming services each month and still ending up with nothing to watch, it's time to meet BitMar.

This convenient content finder helps you discover millions of shows and movies, and right now it's just A$23 for life with code BITMAR5 now through June 1. 

Never run out of things to watch

It's time to break up with your expensive streaming services. BitMar's lifetime subscription lets you pay once and enjoy endless content for life thanks to its content finder that aggregates millions of free movies, TV shows, videos, songs, and more from various online sources.  

It may sound too good to be true, but BitMar uses artificial intelligence and a Bing-powered search to hunt down filter-free content streaming worldwide, so you have nearly endless options to choose from. (Seriously, it's more than cable, satellite, Netflix, Disney Plus, HBO Max, Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV+, Peacock, and Hulu, have to offer combined.)

Want to listen to music? There's also ample music options — more than Pandora, Spotify, Amazon Prime Music, and Apple Music combined. 

It's easy to use and also includes an ad-blocker that helps you bypass video ads, which really comes in handy for content on platforms like YouTube. You can also rest easy knowing BitMar protects user data and prevents malware infections.

If you're wondering if this free content access is legal, rest easy. BitMar complies with the Digital Millennium Copyright Act, as its content-finding model lets content creators and owners monetize via the traffic BitMar brings them. 

Enjoy endless entertainment with this lifetime subscription to BitMar Streaming Content-Finder for just A$23 (reg. A$234) with code BITMAR5 through June 1.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

Opens in a new window Credit: BitMar BitMar Streaming Content-Finder: Lifetime Subscription AU$23
AU$234 Save AU$211 Get Deal

Data control and privacy are legitimate concerns in a world filled with untrustworthy apps. Fortunately, for iPhone users, open-source alternatives provide options that value data security, privacy, and freedom.

Are you still not using a password manager? I switch to using 1Password nearly a decade ago, and not a single day has gone by since when I didn't use the app at least once. I trust 1Password with my entire digital life, and you should too.

The top Star Wars Day deals Ruggable deal Ruggable x Star Wars Rugs and Doormats $101.15 (save 15%) Get Deal Amazon deal Star Wars Echo Dot with TIE Fighter Stand $97.98 at Amazon (save $12) Get Deal Lego deal Lego Star Wars BrickHeadz Revenge of the Sith Heroes and Villains $49.99 (New release) Shop Now Funko Pop! deal Funko Pop! Mandalorian with Grogu $15 (Buy 2 get 1 free) Get Deal New Lego release Lego Star Wars Logo model 75407 $59.99 Shop Now Target deal Oversized Grogu Plushie $25.49 (save $4.50) Get Deal For collectors Darth Vader 3D AirPods Case: Collector's Edition $138 Shop Now

Star Wars Day is an unofficial holiday celebrated every year on May 4 — as in, "May the 4th" (as in, "May the Force be with you"). And every year, we see retailers release limited-time discounts and Star Wars product launches in honor of the geeky occasion.

In 2025, May the 4th happens to coincide with the 20th anniversary of Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith, which was back in theaters for a short run in late April. As such, a lot of this year's releases embrace the Dark Side. (Is there anything that can't be turned into some variation of Darth Vader's helmet? Apparently not.)

SEE ALSO: All 12 Star Wars movies, ranked from worst to best

Below, we're keeping a running list of all the best May the 4th sales and drops from across the web. It must be said: These are the Star Wars Day deals you're looking for.

The Lego Store — shop new sets and score some freebies

The Lego Store's busy Star Wars Day programming runs in stores and online from May 1 to 5. It's headlined by the release of several brand-new sets, including a 2,970-piece build of bounty hunter Jango Fett's starship (the latest addition to Lego's Ultimate Collector Series).

Most importantly, if you live near a Lego Store, swing by on Sunday, May 4 from 12 to 2 p.m. local time for a free make-and-take Grogu model. You can also shop these Star Wars Lego sets:

• Lego Star Wars Jango Fett's Firespray-Class Starship — $299.99

• Lego Star Wars Chopper (C1-10P) Astromech Droid — $99.99

• Lego Star Wars Jango Fett Helmet — $69.99

• Lego Star Wars Kylo Ren Helmet — $69.99

• Lego Star Wars Rebel U-Wing Starfighter — $69.99

• Lego Star Wars Kylo Ren’s Command Shuttle — $69.99

• Lego Star Wars Brick-Built Star Wars Logo — $59.99

• Lego Star Wars BrickHeadz Revenge of the Sith Heroes and Villains — $49.99

• Lego Star Wars BrickHeadz Luke Skywalker (Rebel Pilot) — $9.99

Shoppers who spend a certain amount of money can also snag exclusive freebies from the Lego Store, so long as they're signed up for its Lego Insiders rewards program. (It's free to join.) Starting May 1, purchases of $40 or more come with a free Millennium Falcon Mini-Build worth $4.99, and purchases of $160 or more unlock a free Kamino Training Facility set worth $29.99.

Opens in a new window Credit: Lego Store Lego Store Star Wars Day sale Shop Now Amazon — save on a new Star Wars Echo Dot bundle

The retail giant is set to release a new limited-edition TIE Fighter stand for its latest Echo Dot on May 6. If you'd like to preorder it ahead of time, you can save $12 by bundling it with the smart speaker.

Amazon has a lot more Star Wars day deals, with Funko Pop! figures starting at just $3.99, Lego sets up to 31% off, and select deals on video games from the franchise.

• Star Wars Echo Dot Bundle with Limited-Edition TIE Fighter Stand - $97.98 $109.98 (save $12)

• Ruggable x Star Wars Rugs and Doormats - Starting at $101.15

• Lego Star Wars R2-D2 Building Set - $167.99 $239.99 (save $72)

• Lego Star Wars Imperial Star Destroyer Building Set - $111.99 $159.99 (save $48)

• Lego Star Wars Millennium Falcon 'A New Hope' 25th Anniversary Collectible - $67.95 $89.99 (save $22.04)

• Lego Star Wars Logo Building Set - $59.99 (new release)

• LEGO Star Wars BrickHeadz The Phantom Menace 40676 - $57.99 $34.99 (save $17)

• 'Star Wars Outlaws' Standard Edition - PC - $35 $69.99 (save $34.99)

• Funko POP 'Star Wars: Ahsoka' - Sabine Wren - $3.99 $12.99 (save $9)

Star Wars Echo Dot Bundle with Limited-Edition TIE Fighter Stand $97.98 at Amazon
$109.98 Save $12 Get Deal Audio-Technica — shop limited-edition Star Wars earbuds

Audio-Technica, a Japanese audio company, teamed up with Lucasfilm and Disney Consumer Products for four limited-edition sets of wireless earbuds inspired by Star Wars icons: the Mandalorian, Grogu, Darth Vader, and R2-D2. Each pair comes with a matching charging case (complete with sound effects) that adds up to 40 hours of listening time to their 25-hour battery life. They're now available for preorder for $179 apiece.

Opens in a new window Credit: Audio-Technica Audio-Technica ATH-CKS50TW2 Star Wars earbuds $179
Shop Now Casetify — shop new Star Wars tech accessories

Casetify is expanding its Star Wars collab with a new "Rebellion and Empire" collection packed with limited-edition designs for gadget cases, chargers, and charms. The (Death) star of the lineup is definitely the $138 Darth Vader AirPods Case Collector's Edition, which can play ominous breathing sound effects at the touch of a button. Prices start at $32.

Opens in a new window Credit: Casetify Star Wars x Casetify: Rebellion and Empire Shop Now Funko — buy two Star Wars items, get one free

The pop culture collectible company's online store has an extensive line of Star Wars-themed Funko Pop! figurines, including exclusive vinyl bobbleheads of the Mandalorian (with Grogu), Darth Vader, Rey Skywalker, Kylo Ren, and Admiral Ackbar. Add three items to your cart, and you'll get the cheapest one for free. Prices start at just $3.

Opens in a new window Credit: Funko Funko May the 4th sale Shop Now Nanoleaf — save on select lighting kits, including new Star Wars bundles

Nanoleaf's Star Wars Day sale features two new limited-edition smart lighting bundles that build into the shapes of Yoda and R2-D2 — a subtle way to rep your fandom in an office or gaming room. The sale runs through May 5, and prices start at $7.99.

Opens in a new window Credit: Nanoleaf Nanoleaf May the 4th sale Shop Now Microsoft Store — save up to 85% on select Xbox Star Wars games

Virtually every Star Wars video game and DLC for Xbox is on sale in the Microsoft Store through May 5, with the biggest discounts going to 2019's Jedi: Fallen Order, 2020's Squadrons, and an EA bundle that combines them with 2017's Battlefront II and its Celebration Edition upgrade. Prices start at only $2.44. (Let's hope you already owned a current-gen Xbox prior to May 1, when they got significantly more expensive because of "market conditions and the rising cost of development," per a company statement.)

• Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order — $5.99 $39.99 (save $34)

• Star Wars: Squadrons — $5.99 $39.99 (save $34)

• Star Wars Battlefront II Celebration Edition — $7.99 $39.99 (save $32)

• EA Star Wars Triple Bundle — $13.49 $89.99 (save $76.50)

• Lego Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga Deluxe Edition — $13.99 $69.99 (save $56)

• Star Wars Jedi: Survivor — $13.99 $69.99 (save $56)

• The Sims 4 Star Wars: Journey to Batuu Game Pack — $13.99 $19.99 (save $6)

• Star Wars Outlaws — $34.99 $69.99 (save $35)

Opens in a new window Credit: Electronic Arts Xbox Star Wars Day sale Shop Now Ruggable — save 15% on washable Star Wars rugs

Our reviewer found Ruggable's washable rugs to be soft and durable, but pricier than similar options from other brands. All the better since its entire collection of Star Wars designs is 15% off through May 6, including area rugs and doormats. Prices start at $101.10.

Opens in a new window Credit: Ruggable Ruggable Star Wars collection Shop Now Target — save on all sorts of Star Wars gear

The bullseye brand's Star Wars Day sale features 50 pages of deals on franchise merch and collectibles, from Lego sets to action figures, clothing, bedding, glassware, and books; prices start at $4.99. As part of the event, Target is also giving shoppers who spend at least $25 on Apple gift cards a free bonus bundle for the mobile game Star Wars: Galaxy of Heroes. That offer is valid through May 20.

Opens in a new window Credit: Target Target Star Wars Day sale Shop Now

UPDATE: May. 4, 2025, 11:44 a.m. EDT This guide was updated with additional deals from the Amazon Star Wars Day promotion.

Saturday Night Live’s Weekend Update anchors Michael Che and Colin Jost are thriving in Trump’s second term, with no shortage of absurd headlines to skewer.

SEE ALSO: Quinta Brunson gets into charades fight in 'SNL' ferry sketch

They opened with the surreal news of Trump posting an AI-generated image of himself as the pope, barely two weeks after the actual death of Pope Francis. Jost joked that Trump apparently attended the funeral, walked past the open casket, and thought, “Oh, we should do a ‘who wore it best.’”

Che followed up with a dig at Attorney General Pam Bondi, who claimed the amount of fentanyl seized at the border was enough to prevent 75% of Americans from dying. “Don’t threaten us with a good time,” he joked.

The duo also poked fun at Elon Musk, who reportedly stepped back from his role at DOGE. "As always," Che quipped, "Elon pulled out a little too late."

Fans of documentaries are spoiled for choice on streaming platforms like Netflix, which offers a wide collection of titles alongside its regular film and show catalog.

Abbott Elementary star and creator Quinta Brunson returned to Saturday Night Live this week, reviving the popular "Traffic Altercation" sketch from her 2023 hosting debut.

SEE ALSO: 'SNL' Cold Open turns Trump’s 100 days into a bizarre executive order bonanza

In the sketch, Brunson and Mikey Day play strangers stuck on a ferry, with Day’s character launching into a petty feud over a bad parking job. What starts as a tense exchange quickly unravels into a chaotic pantomime, with both characters expressing their outrage through exaggerated gestures.

Chloe Fineman appears as Day’s daughter, attempting to support her dad but ultimately adding to the confusion and making things worse for both of them.

The sketch ends with a surprise cameo from "Weekend Update" co-host Colin Jost, who enters trying to offload an actual Staten Island ferry. In 2022, Jost and Pete Davidson bought the decommissioned vessel for $280,000. Jost has since described it as the "dumbest purchase" he’s ever made.

President Donald Trump has officially crossed the 100-day mark in office for his second term — an occasion that feels less like a milestone and more like a never-ending fever dream. To honor the moment, Saturday Night Live kicked things off with a Cold Open featuring James Austin Johnson’s pitch-perfect (and deeply weird) impression of the president.

SEE ALSO: Trump casts himself as pope in AI-generated image

Much like FDR, but in exactly one, extremely specific way, Trump has a deep affection for signing executive orders. Sure, legally and constitutionally, some of Trump's executive orders have been little more than glorified press releases (like that time Trump made everyone female), but SNL Trump’s executive orders veer into absurdist fun.

Among the highlights from the Cold Open is an order reinstating Columbus Day — something that real Trump plans to do, even though it's already a federally recognized holiday.

Another, dubbed the "Belichick Law," makes it socially acceptable for men over 70 to date women barely out of college. Then there’s the one demanding fewer interracial couples in TV commercials, and another aimed at making the New York Times Connections game easier (honestly, we get it, Mr. President).

Oh, and one executive order bans Hispanic babies from getting their ears pierced. Trump, of course, blames that one on Marco Rubio.

There are a few more gems in the sketch we won’t spoil — but what makes the satire hit differently is the gnawing feeling that, yeah… he might actually try some of this. And that’s the part that’s not so funny.

Have you seen the term "homelab" but weren't exactly sure what it is? Well, it has a fairly broad definition, but in its simplest terms, it's just a place where you play with computers, servers, and networking equipment. Here's everything a homelab involves, and how you get started with your own.

Professional Bull Riding was meant for TikTok fame.

It’s short, intense, and impossible to look away. A rider adorned in thick gloves, a protective vest, and a helmet hops onto a bull from the side of the fence that surrounds the ring. A stock contractor tightens a flank strap around the bull's sensitive stomach, which makes the bull buck. The gate opens, and the bull instinctively jerks out into the arena. As soon as the bull's shoulder or hips clear the gate, the timer starts. The rider’s goal is to stay on the bull for just eight seconds — and it's as hard as it looks, with the rider holding onto the beast with one hand (if they touch the bull with the second hand, they're disqualified) and two legs. Not only do they have to hang on, riders also have to demonstrate their own personal style and fluidity, which they'll be judged on. Eight seconds later, sometimes sooner, the rider is typically bucked off and flees for safety.

Finish recording and immediately upload. It's not just a sport, it's a TikTok worth millions of views.

PBR — the sport, not the beer — has made big waves on TikTok in 2025. Since January, Professional Bull Riding has gained 650,000 followers across social media accounts, just 200,000 short of the growth they saw in the entirety of 2024. This recent popularity has jettisoned them to the upper echelons of social media, with 2.9 million followers on TikTok. Mitch Ladner, the social media lead for PBR, told Mashable that most of that growth is thanks to followers between 18 and 35 years old.

"We've seen a massive spike in our followership across all of our platforms, but definitely more so on TikTok and Instagram, and I definitely attribute that to a younger audience," Ladner said.

SEE ALSO: Is 'castlecore' the aesthetic of our technofeudal future?

Once a symbol of conservative Americana, cowboy culture — from rodeo-inspired fashion like Pinterest’s Western Gothic to the visceral thrill of professional bull riding — is being reimagined by Gen Z. On one end of the spectrum is Beyoncé, whose Grammy-winning Cowboy Carter album and tour shine a spotlight on a long-overlooked side of the cowboy narrative. On the other are tradwife influencers in prairie dresses, reviving idealized visions of ranch life. Together, they signal a shift: cowboycore is no longer just a fleeting aesthetic; it's a full-blown lifestyle, and it defies political binaries. Nowhere is this cultural collision more vivid than at PBR events, where Chappell Roan and Morgan Wallen tracks spin back-to-back; newbie influencers cozy up to livestock while rodeo athletes put their bodies on the line; and American identity feels up for grabs. Suddenly, cowboycore isn’t just a style — it’s a statement, and everyone wants a piece.

Make no mistake: Cowboys are not strictly American. Their roots trace back to Spain and Portugal, and many of the riders who joined the cattle drives of the late 19th century were African, Mexican, and Indigenous. The vaquero traditions in northern Mexico likely spurred much of what we consider cowboy culture today, and, during the late 1800s, 25 percent of workers in the range-cattle industry in the American West were Black cowboys, a truth rewritten in many portrayals of the American West in order to favor a settler-colonialist tilt. But the reality of past American life is often forgotten when aesthetics take over.

"If you go around the world and ask, 'What's your idea of an American?' a lot of people would say a cowboy," Joshua Garrett-Davis, the H. Russell Smith Foundation curator of Western American History, told Mashable. Whether or not it's based in simple historical reality, cowboy culture "is a shorthand for what America is."

Now, in a time of national uncertainty, Millennials and Gen Z are reshaping cowboy aesthetics through a new lens, incorporating ideas about identity, danger, nostalgia, digital performance, and the influencer economy, often with very different results. PBR is ground zero for that transformation.

Cowboycore’s complicated dual identity

As more young people flock to a sport with conservative roots, you might presume an immediate political line has been drawn. And it’s true that Gen Z, once seen as a progressive and digitally native generation, has surprised pollsters by, in some cases, actually leaning conservative. According to a new poll out of Yale, while voters aged 22 to 29 years old favored Democrats in the 2026 congressional elections by 6.4 points, those aged 18 to 21 years old leaned Republican by 11.7 points — an 18-point swing within a single generational bracket. 

Still, it’s complicated, and the fact is, people of all political stripes are finding resonance in cowboy Americana. Take Chappell Roan's queer anthem "The Giver," which debuted at no. 1 on Billboard’s Hot Country Songs Chart, and Stud Country, a line dancing and two-stepping event specifically for queer people that has taken off in big cities. Palestinian supermodel and activist Bella Hadid is a literal cowgirl. Pharrell Williams, who showcased embroidered suits, cowboy hats, and bolo ties for Louis Vuitton's 2024 menswear presentation, told GQ that "it was an honor" to create a collection "around the West and Western workwear vibes" because cowboys "look like us, they look like me, they look Black, they look Native American." And of course, there’s Beyoncé’s Cowboy Carter, along with movies like The Harder They Fall, Concrete Cowboy, and Queen & Slim, which all push against the narrative that cowboy culture is inherently white. 

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But there’s also a more conservative (and highly popular) romanticization of cowboy culture. For instance, tradwife influencer Hannah Neeleman, aka Ballerina Farm, whose Instagram bio reads, "city folk turned ranchers," has 10 million followers.

PBR officials, for their part, hope to keep their version of Americana apolitical as much as possible. "If loving your country and honoring your veterans and the heroes and those that sacrifice before us is a political issue, then you could paint us with a political brush, because we've done that from day one," PBR CEO and Commissioner Sean Gleason told Mashable.  

PBR doesn't have a political arm or any official donations to candidates, though it has encouraged its viewers to vote. And although its leadership has emphasized keeping the organization apolitical, the cultural and economic realities around rodeo often place it at odds with liberal politics. For example, some Democratic politicians have introduced bills that would ban rodeo and PBR in their states because of the effect it can have on the animals involved. At the same time, affiliations and moments in PBR's recent history lean more conservative — the Border Patrol has been a sponsor since 2016, and that same year, when Colin Kaepernick kneeled to protest racial injustice, PBR athletes countered with a public pledge to stand during the national anthem.

"Our mantra is: Be cowboy," Gleason said. "It doesn't matter where you live, what you drive, how you dress, the color of your skin, or your gender. If you live honestly with integrity, hard work, and an appreciation for the history and heritage of America, you're a cowboy."

Meanwhile, the "American" sport is not actually that American — just 10 of PBR's top 25 bull riders hail from the U.S. Fourteen are from Brazil, and one is from Australia; a Brazilian rider won the sold-out MSG series.

In uncertain times, Americans reach for ‘Americana’  

Historically, Western nostalgia tends to achieve new heights during times of national uncertainty. Consider the presidency of "California cowboy" Ronald Reagan in the 1980s, when the country was experiencing its worst recession since the Great Depression, IBM released the first personal computer, more than 100,000 people died from the AIDS epidemic, the Cold War was ending, and conservatism was on the rise. Reagan didn't have any red hats, but his slogan was "Let's Make America Great Again," which sounds awfully familiar. The American Cowboy Culture Association was created in the 1980s, and, of course, there was a resurgence of country music and Westerns — albeit completely whitewashed versions of the true Wild West. 

Garrett-Davis said the resurgence of cowboycore is "almost always making a claim about America or the United States as a nation, even if it's in a fun, playful, ironic, or satirical way. There's both this appropriation of cowboy imagery and an appropriation of Native American imagery," Garrett-Davis said. "I'm psychoanalyzing here, but when things feel so unmoored, it makes sense that you would grab onto something that feels 'authentic.'"

It seems like that's happening. In January, for the first time in nearly two decades, a PBR event sold out three days at Madison Square Garden, attracting a record-breaking 42,257 fans.

'We've been making eight-second content for 30-plus years' 

PBR’s massive uptick in social media followers didn’t happen by accident. A few years ago, their biggest audience was on Facebook, but the sport, with each ride lasting for a maximum of eight seconds, was built for short-form video content. It’s a spectacle, with thrilling, fast-paced content perfect for capturing short attention spans and TikTok virality.

The scoring is simple. Each ride is worth up to 100 points — 50 for the rider and 50 for the bull. Two judges score the rider, two judges score the bull, and each judge can award up to 25 points, with the score then tallied together. At the end of each event, the top 12 riders compete in the championship round; the rider with the highest point total from the entire event becomes the champion.

"We've been making eight-second content for 30-plus years," Ladner told Mashable. "It just took TikTok to catch up with us."

Ladner's strategy for audience-building and engagement focuses on riders themselves, not just highlights, and it works well. In one of PBR's most viral TikTok videos, the cowboys are doing seemingly regular things—leaning over a pole, standing with their arms crossed, laughing—to the tune of "Breakin’ Dishes" by Rihanna. Another popular video shows one of the cowboys stretching out for his turn on a bull with the song "Bounce When She Walk" by BeatKing and Oh Boy Prince in the background.

"We kind of flipped around our social strategy to 'let's just have fun with this' and 'let 'er rip,' honestly," Ladner says of the strategy he implemented in November. Now, the TikTok account leans into the knowledge that the cowboys are, for lack of a better word, really hot.

While Ladner says "our biggest influencers are our riders," not all cowboys are stoked about being on camera — they want to be riding bulls and playing on a ranch with their buddies. So Ladner adds that involving influencers outside the Western niche has been imperative to growth and expanding reach. And more often than not, Ladner says, those influencers are reaching out to him.

"We get a ton of inbound DMs saying, 'Hey, I'd love to come to the event, and I have a million TikTok followers,'" Ladner said. "If I can get a mommy blogger or a fashionista or a chef to come to our event, that's an audience that our paid media ads can't necessarily target with marketing messages that come off authentic."

While some might be worried about the co-opting of the country lifestyle, PBR isn’t. And they argue their fans, who they say aren’t conservative or progressive but simply American, aren't either.

"I've seen no measurable gatekeeping from our fans at all," Ladner said. "We've been doing this since 1992, and we've had a very loyal, diehard base since the jump. [The fans are] just glad these riders are getting their due."

The politics of authenticity, gender, and performance

Bull riding seems like an ultra-masculine spectacle. It appeals to this cathartic fantasy of toughness and risk as its polar opposite, tradwife content, continues to flourish online, playing out gendered performances of impossible ideals for the camera. But, at the same time, cowboy aesthetics have always played with gender. Look no further than Ryan Rash, a stock show judge who famously slaps cattle with glitter, wears fabulously flamboyant outfits and faux eyelashes, and posts a lot of pro-President Trump memes on his Facebook page.

These seemingly conflicting ideologies may be part of the point. Cowboy culture has never truly been a reality. 

"Most of us are working office jobs, are working at a restaurant or whatever, and so there's some catharsis in imagining the life of picking up eggs and milking the goats and riding a bull and being in so, so much danger," Garrett-Davis said. "It totally makes sense that now, in this fast-paced time of really rapid change, we might yearn for a slower pace, a simpler life, and because of all the ways that the West is associated with this national identity, it's something that feels authentic to grab onto, even though its authenticity is very doubtful the closer you look at it.”

The American insistence on being born a nation on the backs of brave, ragged people of the Wild Wild West is itself a fantasy. The white man was not the hero of the story, and cowboy boots look just as great on the New York City subway as they do mucking a stall. Despite its lack of authenticity, there is a certain je ne sais quoi about our imagined Wild Wild West. A simpler life is appealing if you refuse to look any deeper at it. And maybe that escapism is good enough, at least for right now.

Whether for the purposes of creating a new identity, finding escape, or leaning into either the irony or sincerity of it all, the cowboy endures — more mediated than ever online, but just as mythic. For the increasing number of Gen Zers who are scrolling TikTok for the latest PBR clip or boot recommendation, cowboycore doesn’t have to be a relic or a remix: It can be both. 

Gleason says that we're in a "renaissance" and "resurgence" of "interest in cowboy and country music and these authentic touch points with the history and heritage of America," describing it as the opposite side of the pendulum of "this ultra-woke culture sweeping the nation." 

Yet somehow, adherents to both groups find solace in the cowboycore aesthetic. So the cowboycore aesthetic endures, pushed on by another season of political uncertainty and polarization. Whether it will hang on longer than eight seconds remains to be seen. "One thing I know for certain is that the pendulum swings," Gleason said. "The pendulum of politics, the pendulum of culture, they swing." 

For now, it endures, pushed on by the seemingly perpetual push and pull of who gets to define Americana — and who belongs in the annals of its history.