Blogroll

Aquarius and Bacurau director Kleber Mendonça Filho's The Secret Agent weaves a complex, time-jumping political crime thriller, focusing on one man's experience of persecution. 

Mainly set in the late '70s in the Brazilian writer/director's hometown of Recife, Pernambuco, but moving fluidly between the past and present, the film predominantly takes place in the tumultuous years of Brazil's military dictatorship. It's a heavy topic explored with humanity, boasting such a compelling script, impeccable acting, and striking 1970s aesthetic that it's impossible to look away.

SEE ALSO: Alex Garland and Wagner Moura on creating an anti-war war film with 'Civil War'

In the lead, Narcos and Civil War star Wagner Moura gives a tremendously interior performance as a man justifiably paranoid in his mission to escape his country's authoritarian regime. There's a reason Moura took Best Actor at Cannes, with Mendonça Filho snatching Best Director; The Secret Agent sees both dive headfirst into the complexities of rampant corruption and desperately searching for a way out.  

The Secret Agent flicks between past and present to craft a complex narrative. Wagner Moura in "The Secret Agent." Credit: Victor Juca

Over three acts superbly edited by Eduardo Serrano and Matheus Farias, Mendonça Filho's film runs on multiple timelines in the past and present. In 1977, we meet Armando (Moura), who's going by the alias Marcelo, a man newly arrived in a residential complex in Recife during the annual Carnival period. A small Kodak box fits all of his possessions, and he gives little away about himself. The apartments are run by vigilant matriarch Dona Sebastiana (Tânia Maria), and Armando is welcomed with open arms. Among omnipresent Carnival celebrations, Armando is warmly introduced by his septuagenarian guardian to his neighbours. They're also political refugees, though not all enjoy using the term. There's Thereza Vitória (Isabél Zuaa), who has fled the Angolan Civil War with her partner; there's single mother Claudia (Hermila Guedes) whose past beyond her dental profession remains her own mystery to bear. Many live under threat of death, like our protagonist.

Meanwhile, corruption runs rife through the city streets, as do careening cop vans full of crooked officials, hooting, hollering, and unabashedly lawless. The most prominent in The Secret Agent is police chief Euclides (Robério Diógenes) and his bodyguard-like sons Arlindo (Ítalo Martins) and Sergio (Igor de Araújo), who enter the story by being pulled out of Carnival when a man's severed leg is found in a dead shark — and this is by no means the limit of the violence ahead in The Secret Agent.

Featured Video For You Alex Garland and Wagner Moura on creating an anti-war war film with 'Civil War'

Slowly, the film reveals the seriousness of Armando's situation: he's a widowed university professor, specialising in electrical engineering, who is fleeing persecution amid the country's military dictatorship. In his past, standing up to corporate greed and corrupt government bureaucracy has left him vulnerable and robbed him of his beloved wife Fátima (New Bandits' Alice Carvalho). Getting out is no easy feat, as corruption, surveillance, and sinister men orbit Armando at every turn — including two unnervingly unflappable hitmen, Bobbi (Ferrari's Gabriel Leone) and his stepfather Augusto (Roney Villela), on his trail. 

As well as Dona Sebastiana, others work under the radar to help those persecuted escape the country, such as Elza (Vermelho Monet's Maria Fernanda Cândido), who offers a form of witness protection, promising passports in a few days. A placement within the city's Identification Institute is Armando's best chance of finding physical proof of his mother's identity before he leaves Brazil with his young son, who lives with his grandparents. 

In the present, two young investigators in São Paulo listen to cassettes of recorded conversations from Armando's time, and we're left wondering where exactly their research is leading. Here, and through Mendonça Filho's use of archival photographs, the film becomes a fictional artifact in itself, a story worthy of study and examination. But it's the lived-in performances by the actors themselves that bring this unstable historical period to life, with Moura out front. 

Wagner Moura gives a tremendous performance in The Secret Agent.

Tasked with multiple roles across time periods, Moura earns every inch of his Cannes Best Actor award in The Secret Agent. The role was specifically written by Mendonça Filho for him, after all. A classic hero brave enough to challenge powerful, corrupt entities while rightly fearing for his life and his family, Armando predominantly internalises the level of serious threat constantly weighing on him. Moura's subtlety and frustration imbues our protagonist with a deeply human valiance, one that makes us as viewers want to protect him at all costs. 

Embodying a true ensemble affair, The Secret Agent sees Moura surrounded by bold, outlandish performances, all the way from iconic German actor Udo Kier as expat tailor Hans to Greta star Diógenes as the city's corrupt chief of police. Notably, Armando finds sanctuary with his father-in-law Sr. Alexandre (a wonderful performance by Bacurau's Carlos Francisco) who owns the local Cinema São Luiz, showing Brazilian films alongside American horror films like Jaws and The Omen that cause outright hysteria in audiences. Here, and through Evgenia Alexandrova's exquisite cinematography, you can feel Mendonça Filho's reverence for cinema as a filmmaker, critic, and curator — and its importance in turbulent times. In fact, The Secret Agent is a perfect pairing with the director's 2023 documentary Pictures of Ghosts (Retratos Fantasmas), which traces cinema in his hometown of Recife.

The Secret Agent runs on a striking '70s aesthetic.  Ítalo Martins, Robério Diógenes, Wagner Moura, and Igor de Araújo in "The Secret Agent." Credit: Victor Juca

Despite the paranoia and corruption that pervades the narrative, Mendonça Filho's film is a stunning '70s affair. Shot in anamorphic Panavision, it's nothing short of a feast for the eyes (before it's not). Each scene comes awash with the decade's signature oranges, browns, and yellows, with production designer Thales Junqueira's meticulous work on full display. Architect Chu Ming Silveira's iconic, egg-shaped, yellow public phone booths known as Orelhões (or "Big Ears") form a vital part of both the storyline and city landscape, while costume designer Rita Azevedo finds glorious authenticity in period-specific outfits.

Despite the political upheaval on the ground, Mendonça Filho also reverently and accurately captures the visuals of Recife, with Armando taking in gorgeous cityscapes from the Cinema São Luiz projection room, bathed in sunlight, and the street scenes often focusing on the members of the community caught up in the chaos. There's also a little magical realism thrown in for unexpected measure, and composers Mateus Alves and Tomaz Alves Souza pull everything together with an immersive, atmospheric score.

Ultimately, Mendonça Filho's film explores a time of political corruption, violence, and warranted paranoia through a human lens, with the director saying in a press statement, "The challenge was to make a film about the logic of that time without ticking all the boxes of the dictatorship movie." With Moura's powerful performance framed by a reverent, authentic aesthetic, The Secret Agent is a deeply humanised look at a historical moment of authoritarianism and government corruption. It's a must-see.

UPDATE: Nov. 20, 2025, 6:14 p.m. EST "The Secret Agent" was reviewed out of BFI London Film Festival. This article was originally published on Oct. 11, 2025.

The Secret Agent hits cinemas in New York on Nov. 26 and Los Angeles Dec. 5, with nationwide release to follow. The film will be released in the UK and Ireland Feb. 20, 2026.

George Clooney delivers one of the best comedic performances of his career in Jay Kelly. As a long-time devotee of his Coen Bros' comedy O Brother, Where Art Thou?, I don't say that lightly. However, Noah Baumbach has created a role that feels tailored to Clooney's particular brand of star power. And Clooney struts, takes pratfalls, and soars with grace, goofiness, and pathos.

Clooney has built a career on his ability to pivot from swaggering dreamboat (Out of Sight, Ocean's Eleven through Thirteen) to rugged action star (From Dusk Till Dawn, The Peacemaker, Three Kings) to arrogant buffoon (O Brother, Burn After Reading, Hail, Caesar!). In Jay Kelly, he does all three. But more than that, he does all three to interrogate what it means to be a movie star. When you're a public figure known for playing larger-than-life action heroes, what's reality to you? Who are you to your family and friends when your career is dependent on presentation, and you're more focused on that than parenting or loyalty? 

Directed and co-written by Baumbach, who previously channeled his own life into the explosive divorce drama Marriage Story, Jay Kelly is more cutting than its bouncy name and beguiling leading man might suggest. With a supporting cast that includes Adam Sandler, Laura Dern, Billy Crudup, Patrick Wilson, Riley Keough, and Jay Kelly co-writer Emily Mortimer, this showbiz comedy brilliantly displays the highs and lows of working in movies, without losing sight of exactly how high those highs are. 

Far from a woe-is-me movie, Jay Kelly is a shrewdly winsome affair that shows many of the ways stars aren't just like us — and several crucial ways they are. 

Jay Kelly is all about that work-life balance, puppy. 

For decades, Jay Kelly (Clooney) has been a star, collecting fans, building his filmography, growing his entourage, and even having a couple of daughters and ex-wives along the way. You might think that with all the success and wealth he's attained, he'd welcome some time away from the sets and shooting schedules. But what would he do with that? 

Let alone, Jay must face that he's estranged from his eldest, Jessica (Keough), while his college-bound youngest, Daisy (Grace Edwards), is eager to bounce from his house to be on her own. He has no wife. His friends — including his manager, Ron (Sandler), and his publicist, Liz (Dern) — are all on his payroll. So when a run-in with an old friend (Crudup) sends him into an identity crisis, Jay joyously bullies his whole entourage into an impromptu trip across Europe, starting in Paris and ending up in an Italian film festival, where he'll get a lifetime achievement honor. 

Along the way, he'll encounter awestruck fans, ride in transit that has no first class, and be forced to look back on his life, whether he likes it or not. 

George Clooney is absolutely excellent as Jay Kelly. 

The film begins onset, with Jay playing out a death scene that naturally involves a mournful monologue, a fatal gunshot wound, and an adorable dog actor. Immediately, Mortimer and Baumbach gives us a taste of Jay's talent, onscreen and off. As soon as the camera cuts, he's quick to glad-hand and cheer individual members of the crew by name, and they all light up as he looks at them. He's that kind of star. 

Back home; however, he's a doofy dad to Daisy, who eye rolls as he whines he's lonely. "You're never alone," she chides as his security guard hands him a fresh, icy beverage. 

Even in accepting the glass, Clooney has a keen sense of comedic timing. He's long been brilliant at playing the dope. Here, he plays a man who's never been deep, but who has been able to fake it onscreen. So, when he's actually having this crisis of self-reflection, he throws himself into action — including being involved in a chaotic and comedic chase scene. However, nothing in this movie will unfold like the movies. Jay's sweeping gestures, carried off with Clooney's booming charisma, fall flat to those closest to him because they are all show, no substance. And in this, he's forced to face how he pursued his work — which is very image-oriented — over his family and friends, failing to foster deep bonds. And he's not alone in this. 

Adam Sandler and Laura Dern are shockingly well-matched in Jay Kelly. 

Having to wrangle Jay like he's a child (or a swarm of cats), Ron and Liz take on near-parental roles as they prep everything to guide and protect him. Where Ron's the gentle father, always cajoling and calling Jay by the loving nickname "puppy," Liz is the tough-love mom, forced to be frank because someone has got to be when the tabloids are circling. Far from archetypes, however, these characters exhibit complexity in scenes beyond their interactions with Jay. 

As the trip through Europe goes increasingly off the rails, Jay's entourage sheds one member after another as they make choices that aren't him — a bigger client, a sick dog, a child back home, and so on. There's a sense of a party coming to a close, and a question about who will be the last one standing.

Don’t miss out on our latest stories: Add Mashable as a trusted news source in Google.

Dern vibrates with frustration at every bump in the road, while Sandler is her foil, ever jovial, maybe even delusionally optimistic. They're a comedic duo who bounce off each other with an ardent emotional understanding. For all Academy Award winner Dern's drama chops, Emmy nominee Sandler's able to keep pace in a role that could get him some Best Supporting nominations. Imagine Uncut Gems with the intensity turned down and the facade of jolly calm cranked way up. Ron is a man desperate to make everything OK, even to the point where he himself is deeply not. And in that, Baumbach grows comedy and agony. Dern is the cherry on top, giving a cool sense of regret that lingers even after her character has gone. 

Jay Kelly is a showbiz comedy with heart.

Incredibly, Jay Kelly becomes an odd love letter to the industry, one that recognizes its warts and still declares devotion. Through this story, Baumbach explores how everyone involved, from movie stars to make-up artists and security guards, struggles to draw the line between their professional and personal lives. Sure, you love your family, but what if you love your job and the people who are a part of it? The line gets blurrier and blurrier. And what kind of life does that build? 

The answer Jay Kelly gives is unexpected and heartwarming rather than pat and sentimental. Clooney, Sandler, and Baumbach come to a conclusion that is both deeply Hollywood and yet sincere. In the end, Jay Kelly is a clever crowd-pleaser, guaranteed to amuse and make you think. 

Jay Kelly was reviewed out of the New York Film Festival and is now streaming on Netflix. 

Today's Connections: Sports Edition will be easy if you know your Joes.

As we've shared in previous hints stories, this is a version of the popular New York Times word game that seeks to test the knowledge of sports fans.

Like the original Connections, the game is all about finding the "common threads between words." And just like Wordle, Connections resets after midnight and each new set of words gets trickier and trickier — so we've served up some hints and tips to get you over the hurdle.

If you just want to be told today's puzzle, you can jump to the end of this article for the latest Connections solution. But if you'd rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.

SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable What is Connections: Sports Edition?

The NYT's latest daily word game has launched in association with The Athletic, the New York Times property that provides the publication's sports coverage. Connections can be played on both web browsers and mobile devices and require players to group four words that share something in common.

This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.

Each puzzle features 16 words and each grouping of words is split into four categories. These sets could comprise of anything from book titles, software, country names, etc. Even though multiple words will seem like they fit together, there's only one correct answer.

If a player gets all four words in a set correct, those words are removed from the board. Guess wrong and it counts as a mistake — players get up to four mistakes until the game ends.

This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.

Players can also rearrange and shuffle the board to make spotting connections easier. Additionally, each group is color-coded with yellow being the easiest, followed by green, blue, and purple. Like Wordle, you can share the results with your friends on social media.

SEE ALSO: Wordle-obsessed? These are the best word games to play IRL. Here's a hint for today's Connections: Sports Edition categories

Want a hint about the categories without being told the categories? Then give these a try:

• Yellow: Game locations

• Green: National teams

• Blue: Teammates

• Purple: Different names, same sport

Here are today's Connections: Sports Edition categories

Need a little extra help? Today's connections fall into the following categories:

• Yellow: 2026 World Cup host cities

• Green: Countries qualified for their first World Cup in 2026

• Blue: English men's soccer players

• Purple:" The beautiful game, in different countries

Looking for Wordle today? Here's the answer to today's Wordle.

Ready for the answers? This is your last chance to turn back and solve today's puzzle before we reveal the solutions.

Drumroll, please!

The solution to today's Connections: Sports Edition #438 is...

What is the answer to Connections: Sports Edition today?

• 2026 World Cup host cities - ATLANTA, EAST RUTHERFORD, MEXICO CITY, TORONTO

• Countries qualified for their first World Cup in 2026 - CAPE VERDE, CURAÇAO, JORDAN, UZBEKISTAN

• English men's soccer players - FODEN, KANE, RICE, SAKA

• The beautiful game, in different countries - CALCIO, FOOTBALL, FÚTBOL, SOCCER

Don't feel down if you didn't manage to guess it this time. There will be new sports Connections for you to stretch your brain with tomorrow, and we'll be back again to guide you with more helpful hints.

Are you also playing NYT Strands? See hints and answers for today's Strands.

If you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.

Not the day you're after? Here's the solution to today's Connections.

The Mini is a bite-sized version of The New York Times' revered daily crossword. While the crossword is a lengthier experience that requires both knowledge and patience to complete, The Mini is an entirely different vibe.

With only a handful of clues to answer, the daily puzzle doubles as a speed-running test for many who play it.

So, when a tricky clue disrupts a player's flow, it can be frustrating! If you find yourself stumped playing The Mini — much like with Wordle and Connections — we have you covered.

SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable SEE ALSO: How to play Pips, the newest NYT game

Here are the clues and answers to NYT's The Mini for Friday, Dec. 5, 2025:

AcrossBeaver's building project

• The answer is Dam.

Unit of distance originally equivalent to 1,000 paces

• The answer is Mile.

Number of dwarfs or deadly sins

• The answer is Seven.

Extra-large film format

• The answer is Imax.

Crosses (out)

• The answer is Xes.

DownDifficult-to-work-with stars

• The answer is Divas

U.S. soccer star ___ Morgan

• The answer is Alex.

Roughly half of the adult population

• The answer is Men.

5-Down-5-Across, for one

• The answer is Meme.

Broadway musical about the wives of Henry VIII

• The answer is Six.

If you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.

Are you also playing NYT Strands? See hints and answers for today's Strands.

Not the day you're after? Here's the solution to the latest Mini Crossword.

So, what is the best e-reader for 2025? I'm regularly testing new e-readers (and tablets) and cycling through different models to stay up to date on the best options available. So, if you're gearing up to read more books this summer or fall, I can recommend a model you'll love.

Featured Video For You Other e-readers we've tested From left to right: Kindle Paperwhite, Nook GlowLight 4 Plus, Kindle Scribe Credit: Samantha Mangino / Mashable

Most recently, we've tested the Remarkable PaperPro and Onyx Boox Go 7 as contenders for this list. After several weeks of testing, both devices proved to be pretty good but not quite list-worthy.

Whenever you search for e-readers, Remarkable's tablets will always pop up in the search results, but unfortunately, it's hard to obtain ePUB files on the Remarkable. With Remarkable, you can access files within Google Drive, Dropbox, and OneDrive. If you have any locked ePUB files — like from Libby — you won't be able to access them on a Remarkable tablet. So, after testing the Remarkable tablet myself, it proved to be a better document reader or digital journal than an e-reader.

The Onyx Boox Go 7 is a better e-reader option than the Remarkable. It's the same size as the Kobo Libra or Amazon Kindle, but it really lags on processing speed. To read ePUB files from Libby required downloading the Adobe Digital Editions app onto the Boox Go 7, and there was so much lag while opening and closing the app. While it was an easier process than getting library books on a Nook, it was still a major pain compared to Kindle or Kobo's integrations. The Boox Go 7 lagged and took ages to load files. I was most looking forward to testing this Boox because of its page-turning buttons, but unfortunately, I found that they didn't work on my device.

An e-reader we haven't gotten around to testing is the Kindle Scribe Colorsoft, which just debuted on Sept. 30, 2025. As of Nov. 2025, it's not available for preorder yet, but once we get a model to test, we'll update this guide with our recommendations.

What about the Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition?

If you're familiar with the Kindle lineup, it may come as a surprise that the Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition isn't on this list. Don't get me wrong, it's great, but I think there are better options. The Signature Edition is an upgraded version of the Paperwhite, and we've compared the devices head-to-head. The short version? The Paperwhite is a better value, even with the SE's added features like auto-adjusting brightness and 32GB of storage.

If you are prepared to spend $200 on an e-reader, though, I say skip the Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition and go for the Kobo Libra Colour.

Where's the Nook on this list?

In terms of big-name e-readers, you might notice one omission from this list: the Barnes & Noble Nook. I have tested this e-reader, and it was previously featured on this list. However, after testing more devices, it no longer makes the cut. In comparison to any of the Kindles or the Kobo Libra, the Nook has sloth-like performance, making it frustrating to use.

Plus, getting my library books onto the Nook was a nightmare, as it was a multi-step process that required downloading to a computer before uploading to a Nook. Its only redeeming quality was the buttons on either side of the device, which made page turning a breeze. However, unless you are a loyal buyer of Barnes & Noble books, I recommend steering clear of the Nook.

Where to get e-reader books for free

Once you get an e-reader, it's time to fill it up with books, and that doesn't necessarily mean spending money. In fact, you can load up your e-reader without spending a dime; you just need to be a bit resourceful.

The best way to read nearly any book — a classic or hot new release — is with Libby. I have read hundreds of free books with the Libby app — I wouldn't have been able to test for this guide without it. It connects with your library card, allowing you to borrow from your local library's digital collection. Plus, both Kobo and Kindle have exceptional Libby integrations.

Another way to build your library is through Stuff Your Kindle Day events. These are 24-hour opportunities led by authors that make books discounted or free.

If you're a fan of the classics or looking to discover a treasure lost to time, an online resource like Project Gutenberg has more than 75,000 books in the public domain that you can download and read on an e-reader.

Cloudflare is down again, and the internet is affected — but unlike last time, this outage seems to have been quickly fixed.

Users started reporting issues with Cloudflare early on Friday, with Downdetector showing a spike in outage reports for the service (Disclosure: Downdetector is owned by Ziff Davis, the same parent company as Mashable.)

Let's hope this outage doesn't take half the internet down this time. Credit: Mashable

Cloudflare's own system status dashboard says that the company is investigating "issues with Cloudflare Dashboard and related APIs." A fix has already been implemented, Cloudflare says.

The outage seems to have affected numerous online sites and services, including Fortnite, Doordash, Shopify, Claude, League of Legends, Zoom, and others.

A few weeks ago, a massive Cloudflare outage, caused by an error in the system that (ironically) protects websites from DDoS attacks, took out numerous popular internet sites and services. Company CEO Matthew Prince called it the worst outage that Cloudflare has experienced since 2019.

Update: Amazon comms reached out to Mashable saying that AWS is not down, and has been operating normally. Amazon's own status dashboard confirms this, listing no current issues. We've originally included AWS in the list of services that experienced an outage based on a spike in reports about an AWS outage on Downdetector, which you can see here.

Developing...

Discord has released its first personalised end-of-year wrap up, cataloguing just how many hours you spent chatting with friends this year. Called Discord Checkpoint, it's basically like Spotify Wrapped for your gaming habits.

SEE ALSO: Discord launches new safety features following lawsuits What is Discord Checkpoint?

Rolling out from Dec. 4, Discord Checkpoint is the voice messaging app's first ever year-in-review feature. Discord hasn't committed to making this an annual event going forward, stating that Checkpoint was released to celebrate the app's 10th anniversary this year. However, it has stated that "plans for Checkpoint beyond 2025 are still unfolding."

Discord Checkpoint summarises statistics such as how many hours you've spent in voice chats, which friends you talked to the most, which servers seem to be your favourite, your most-used emojis, and your most frequently played games. (Apparently I played 139 sessions of Dota 2 this year.) Users can directly share their Checkpoints on Discord via a Share button on its final summary page, or screenshot their results to post elsewhere.

The wrap up is available to users who were active on Discord in 2025, and have allowed it to "use data to personalize [their] Discord experience" in the app's data and privacy settings. New users and those who weren't very active won't have a Discord Checkpoint, as they won't have enough statistics to compile.

How to get your Discord Checkpoint

A pop-up notification directing you to your Discord Checkpoint should automatically appear when you open the app, both on desktop and mobile. You can also access your Discord Checkpoint on your desktop by clicking the flag icon in the top right corner of the Discord app. On mobile, you'll have to tap the You icon on the bottom right first, then select the green Checkpoint banner.

If your Discord Checkpoint isn't showing up, double check that your Discord app is up to date. While the desktop Discord app should automatically update when you restart it, the mobile app may require a manual update via the app store.

Viewing your Discord Checkpoint will grant you a temporary decorative frame for your profile picture. Users will be able to display it until Jan. 15, at which time their Checkpoint will vanish as well. Those who didn't get a Checkpoint can still grab the frame by attempting to view it anyway.

Credit: Discord

Discord has also released a wrap up of its wrap up, summarising the behaviour of its 200 million monthly active users across the globe. Multiplayer online battle arena League of Legends was the most popular game amongst Discord users despite turning 16 this year, while co-op survival horror R.E.P.O. was the biggest indie game. Discord's most used emoji was the red heart, used 2.18 billion times, followed by the sobbing emoji at 1.71 billion uses.

Pluribus episode 5 left viewers on a cliffhanger bigger than the Others' globe-spanning hive mind.

While investigating the Others' apparent love of milk, Carol Sturka (Rhea Seehorn) discovered that the Others' primary food source was actually an oily amber-colored fluid, made of water and a suspicious white powder. Further detective work took her to a cold-storage warehouse filled with produce and unknown items wrapped in plastic bags. Upon snooping in one of the bags, Carol claps her hand over her mouth — the universal sign for "What the hell have I just witnessed?"

SEE ALSO: 'Pluribus' fans, you can now read Carol's 'Bloodsong of Wycaro'

Pluribus cut to black before we could get a response to that question, but thankfully, episode 6, titled "HDP," wastes no time in giving us the answer.

It's human bodies.

You might have guessed it, but that doesn't make seeing all the shrink-wrapped corpses any less disturbing. Adding to the horror? The massive meat grinders and cooking vats full of human body parts in the next room of the warehouse.

That's right: Just when you thought the Others couldn't get any scarier, turns out they're cannibals. Carol truly cannot catch a break.

The Others aren't hiding their cannibalism, though. When Carol heads to Las Vegas to tell Mr. Diabaté (Samba Schutte) about her discovery, he reveals he already knows. ("It is troubling," he acknowledges. But not troubling enough to stop LARPing his James Bond casino fantasy with them!)

The Others have prepared a video explanation for Carol, complete with a very special cameo. The video explains that since the Others can't harm or kill any form of life — including plant life — they're having a tough time finding food on Earth to feed all 7,348,292,411 members of the hive mind.

Yes, they can use the food that was already stockpiled by the time they so kindly infected everyone on Earth, but even that's not enough. To get those extra calories, they need to add Human-Derived Protein (HDP) to their diets. Each carton of the Others' mysterious liquid contains eight to 12 percent of that sweet, sweet HDP. Don't worry, they're not actually killing anyone to get that HDP. They can't! They can, however, harvest the bodies of people dying of natural causes. Following the Joining, which killed hundreds of millions of people, the Others already have quite the human corpse stockpile — and they can't let that go to waste, right?

However, the Others leave a key twist out of their video, one that Mr. Diabaté quickly reveals to Carol. Even with the HDP, the vast majority of the Others will starve to death within ten years. Mr. Diabaté and the other immune survivors want to save them from that fate. ("Maybe tell 'em to pick a fucking apple," Carol points out.) For now, though, Carol's goal remains the same: Reverse the Joining, and get the — confirmed cannibal! — hive mind away from Earth.

Pluribus is now streaming on Apple TV, with a new episode every Friday

If you had "John Cena calmly explains cannibalism" on your 2025 bingo card, congratulations! Pluribus has made all your hyper-specific dreams come true. (Side note: Are you okay?)

That's because Cena makes a cameo in Pluribus' sixth episode, titled "HDP." He plays himself... kind of. This version of Cena isn't really a wrestler or an actor. Instead, he's a member of the global hive mind that's taken over the world. He's lost all individuality, but on the bright side, this means everyone in the hive mind has Cena's memories of filming Peacemaker's opening dance intro, and that's fun, right?

SEE ALSO: 'Pluribus' episode 6: What did Carol find in the warehouse?

Cena appears in a video message to Carol (Rhea Seehorn) from the Others, bursting into Pluribus in such a surprising manner I wondered if I'd stumbled on an unexpected John Cena meme compilation from 2015. Seriously, I half expected to hear the trumpets from his entrance theme blaring once he started talking.

But there's no time for memes here. Pluribus' Cena has something serious to tell Carol about: cannibalism.

In Cena's video message, he explains why the Others have turned to cannibalism and are mashing human body parts into their little milk cartons. The answer? They need to in order to survive.

See, the Others are unable to harm or kill any form of life, including plants. That means their food sources on Earth are limited. They can use the millions of tons of food that were processed before their arrival, but even that's not enough to curb the caloric deficit facing the billions of members of the hive mind.

SEE ALSO: 'Pluribus' episode 6 reveals something huge about the virus

The solution? Adding human corpses to their diet. For the Others, anyone who dies of natural causes becomes part of their food source. Why bury a body and waste all that meat?

Because of this, eight to 12 percent of the liquid in the Others' milk cartons is made up of Human-Derived Protein (HDP). Do the Others really want to eat this? No way, Hive Mind Cena tells Carol. They'll also never force Carol to partake in HDP under any circumstances. Reassuring!

The Others present the cannibalism as efficient and logical, with the video message featuring helpful charts, stock footage, and many, many wipe transitions. (Which member of the hive mind was Cena's video editor? Was it Cena himself, tapping into other members' memories of using iMovie?) But their affable spokesman can't deny the truth: This is monstrous, just like their invasion. The Others may try to treat it like it's just an unfortunate part of life, but the fact remains that they haven't just desecrated human minds by taking them over. Now, they're desecrating bodies, too. All because they can't, as Carol points out, "pick a fucking apple."

As harrowing as the HDP twist is, it's undeniably fun to watch Cena channel the cheery helpfulness of the Others. The line "We're John Cena" alone had me cackling, both because it's funny, and because I was so weirded out that cackling seemed like the best reaction.

With this appearance, Cena joins a crowded landscape of celebrities playing themselves on TV in 2025. Apple TV's own The Studio is crammed with actors and directors poking fun at themselves, while new comedies like Overcompensating, Adults, and I Love LA roped in the likes of Charli XCX, Julia Fox, Quenlin Blackwell, and Elijah Wood to play heightened versions of themselves.

But when it comes to sheer strangeness, you really can't top alien virus hive mind John Cena explaining why drinking processed human body parts from a milk carton isn't just okay, it's necessary. The bar's been set pretty high, so if your next celebrity cameo doesn't feature at least one Soylent Green reference, take it back to the drawing board!

Pluribus is now streaming on Apple TV, with a new episode every Friday

To successfully implement AI in your organization, you need more than technical specs—you need a behavioral strategy. Here’s how to align AI with how people actually think and work.   Design for real users, not ideal ones. Don’t just optimize for seamlessness. Sometimes a little friction leads to better outcomes, like making users slow down and […]

257257

Now that the Steam Deck is starting to show its age, gamers are searching for upgraded handhelds that can fill the void of a not-yet-realized "Steam Deck 2." For me, the Legion Go S is that handheld, and it's just generally a great platform for on-the-go PC gaming.

If you like playing daily word games like Wordle, then Hurdle is a great game to add to your routine.

There are five rounds to the game. The first round sees you trying to guess the word, with correct, misplaced, and incorrect letters shown in each guess. If you guess the correct answer, it'll take you to the next hurdle, providing the answer to the last hurdle as your first guess. This can give you several clues or none, depending on the words. For the final hurdle, every correct answer from previous hurdles is shown, with correct and misplaced letters clearly shown.

An important note is that the number of times a letter is highlighted from previous guesses does necessarily indicate the number of times that letter appears in the final hurdle.

If you find yourself stuck at any step of today's Hurdle, don't worry! We have you covered.

SEE ALSO: Hurdle: Everything you need to know to find the answers Hurdle Word 1 hint

Threw.

SEE ALSO: Apple’s new M3 MacBook Air is $300 off at Amazon. And yes, I’m tempted. Hurdle Word 1 answer

FLUNG

Hurdle Word 2 hint

Noisy.

SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for December 5, 2025 Hurdle Word 2 Answer

ROWDY

Hurdle Word 3 hint

Silly.

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for December 5 SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for December 5, 2025 Hurdle Word 3 answer

GOOFY

Hurdle Word 4 hint

To gag.

SEE ALSO: NYT Strands hints, answers for December 5 Hurdle Word 4 answer

CHOKE

Final Hurdle hint

Jumped.

SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Games available on Mashable Hurdle Word 5 answer

LEAPT

If you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.

The moon still looks pretty big and bright in the sky after last night's Full Moon. But now that it's passed, the moon will actually be getting less visible each night as we work through the lunar cycle and approach the New Moon phase. Until then, however, there's plenty to see on the surface, so keep reading to find out what you can spot.

What is today’s moon phase?

As of Friday, Dec. 5, the moon phase is Waning Gibbous. This means 99% of the moon is lit up tonight, according to NASA's Daily Moon Observation.

If you're looking up with just your naked eye, there's lots to see, in particular the Humorum Mare, Endymion Crater, and Alphonsus Crater. With binoculars you'll also be able to spy the Alps Mountains, Clavius Crater and the Mare Humorum. And with a telescope, you can catch a glimpse of the Apollo 11 and 12 landing spots.

When is the next full moon?

The next full moon will be on Jan. 3.

What are moon phases?

NASA explains that the lunar cycle (which is about 29.5 days long) is made up of the Moon’s phases, which describe how the Moon looks from Earth as it travels around us. We view the same side of the Moon at all times, but the sunlight hitting its surface shifts as it moves through its orbit. That changing illumination is what makes the Moon appear full, half-lit, or not visible at all. The cycle includes eight distinct phases:

New Moon - The moon is between Earth and the sun, so the side we see is dark (in other words, it's invisible to the eye).

Waxing Crescent - A small sliver of light appears on the right side (Northern Hemisphere).

First Quarter - Half of the moon is lit on the right side. It looks like a half-moon.

Waxing Gibbous - More than half is lit up, but it’s not quite full yet.

Full Moon - The whole face of the moon is illuminated and fully visible.

Waning Gibbous - The moon starts losing light on the right side. (Northern Hemisphere)

Third Quarter (or Last Quarter) - Another half-moon, but now the left side is lit.

Waning Crescent - A thin sliver of light remains on the left side before going dark again.

Is the Trump administration about to be the Grinch that stole sales of most drones just before Christmas?

There's a Dec. 23 deadline looming for DJI, which makes 90 percent of the world's drones, to pass an audit from the U.S. government. Without an audit, U.S. law says DJI will go on the FCC's naughty list — sorry, Covered list — effectively a ban on further U.S. sales.

DJI has long said it is happy to schedule the new U.S. audit; after all, the company has years of independent audits (and a Department of the Interior audit) under its belt. But with no reply from anyone in the Trump administration three weeks before deadline, DJI drones look like they will be left high and dry.

That's why DJI just took the desperate step of sending open letters to Homeland Security head Kristi Noem, FBI boss Kash Patel, Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, and Department of Defense (or is that War?) chief Pete Hegseth — whom they'd written to multiple times privately.

"In September you indicated through written communication the Department's willingness to work with DJI," the letter to Noem says. (Translation: we've got the receipts.) "We stand behind the security of our technology, and are keen to meet with you and ensure that this Congressionally-mandated security review takes place as soon as possible so you can fulfill your commitment."

SEE ALSO: Everything we know about the looming DJI drone ban in the United States

Adam Welsh, DJI head of global policy, ticked off all the ways DJI drones are safe — flight logs don't go on servers, images and videos aren't backed up to servers unless the user wants, and there's a "local data" mode that cuts all connection between the drone and the internet.

With an eye to outraged consumers — especially farmers who use drone technology — Welsh wrote that a ban "would lead to widespread consumer confusion and deprive American drone users of due process — and of answers about the safety and security of the DJI products they use every day. Failing to undertake the review further goes against Congressional intent for a security review to be completed."

The administration hasn't commented on the open letters yet, but in the past, Hegseth's department has claimed — without evidence — that DJI is a Chinese military company.

SAVE $90: As of Dec. 4, get the DJI Mic Mini (2 TX, 1 RX, and Charging Case) for $79, down from its usual price of $169. That's a discount of 53% and the lowest price we've seen.

Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon DJI Mic Mini (2 TX, 1 RX, and Charging Case) $79 at Amazon
$169 Save $90   Get Deal

Though Black Friday and Cyber Monday have both come and gone, there are still plenty of deals across the board that you won't want to miss. Some of those deals include discounts on creator-approved devices like the TikTok-favorite DJI Mic Mini. You can get one for yourself right now as it's back at the lowest price recorded just yet.

As of Dec. 4, get the DJI Mic Mini (2 TX, 1 RX, and Charging Case) for $79, down from its usual price of $169. That's $90 off and a discount of 53%. It's also the lowest price we've seen.

SEE ALSO: The best Cyber Monday deals on portable power stations: Jackery, Bluetti, and DJI at record lows

This cult-favorite microphone is a favorite that's even used by the Mashable team. It's a great option for anyone who needs to record audio, whether that means interviewing or doing regular vlogging. All you need to do is clip it onto a secure area and it can do the rest as it records in excellent quality with a great range: up to 400 meters to be exact.

It's not only lightweight, but it records high-quality audio with 48kHz sampling at up to 120 dB SPL. With 10 hours of battery and an additional 48 thanks to the included charging case with this deal, you have plenty of time to record all the audio you need as well.

Part of what makes this mic such a favorite is its ease of use related to its high quality. It really is perfect for both entry-level and seasoned creators. And if you want to be in with the in crowd when it comes to tech, now's a good time to lock yours in while the deals are still hanging on.

TL;DR: A Grade A refurbished 2019 MacBook Pro with Touch Bar that still delivers smooth, everyday performance — on Cyber Week sale for $359.97 for a short time.

Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple Macbook Pro 2019 (Refurbished) $359.97
$1,499 Save $1,139.03   Get Deal

Not every MacBook needs to be brand new, freshly unveiled, and packed with the latest buzzwords. Sometimes, the smartest move is choosing a dependable model that still delivers where it counts — and the Grade A refurbished Apple MacBook Pro (2019) 13″ with Touch Bar fits that role.

Whether you’re responding to emails, managing spreadsheets, editing photos, hopping onto Zoom calls, streaming your favorite shows, or handling everyday work tasks, this Apple MacBook Pro has the power and polish to keep everything running smoothly without feeling outdated.

Mashable Deals Be the first to know! Get editor selected deals texted right to your phone! Get editor selected deals texted right to your phone! Loading... Sign Me Up By signing up, you agree to receive recurring automated SMS marketing messages from Mashable Deals at the number provided. Msg and data rates may apply. Up to 2 messages/day. Reply STOP to opt out, HELP for help. Consent is not a condition of purchase. See our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. Thanks for signing up!

Powered by a 2.4GHz quad-core Intel Core i5 processor and paired with 8GB of RAM, it handles multitasking easily. The 256GB SSD ensures fast boot times and quick file access. Add in the 13.3-inch Retina display with True Tone technology and wide color support, and you get sharp, vibrant visuals that make everything from documents to Netflix look crisp and comfortable on the eyes.

The Touch Bar brings a customizable layer of convenience to your workflow, putting relevant shortcuts at your fingertips depending on what you’re doing, while Touch ID makes logging in quick and secure.

With four Thunderbolt 3 ports, you get flexibility for charging, external displays, and accessories — a bonus for anyone juggling multiple devices.

Battery life clocks in at up to 10 hours, making it a reliable companion for full workdays, travel, or casual productivity sessions at the kitchen table. And thanks to its Grade A refurbished rating, this Mac arrives in near-mint condition with minimal to no visible wear.

Don’t miss out on getting a near-mint MacBook Pro while it’s $359.97 (reg. $1,499) for a limited time.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

TL;DR: A lifetime AdGuard Family Plan that blocks ads, boosts privacy, and protects up to 9 devices — for a one-time $15.97 payment with code FAMPLAN.

Opens in a new window Credit: AdGuard AdGuard Family Plan: Lifetime Subscription $15.97
$169.99 Save $154.02   Get Deal

The internet is supposed to make life easier — but between pop-ups, autoplay videos, banner overload, and questionable links, it can sometimes feel like a noisy theme park you didn’t buy a ticket for.

This AdGuard Family Plan lifetime subscription quietly turns the chaos down and restores your browsing experience to what it should’ve been all along: simple, clean, and refreshingly calm.

Mashable Deals Be the first to know! Get editor selected deals texted right to your phone! Get editor selected deals texted right to your phone! Loading... Sign Me Up By signing up, you agree to receive recurring automated SMS marketing messages from Mashable Deals at the number provided. Msg and data rates may apply. Up to 2 messages/day. Reply STOP to opt out, HELP for help. Consent is not a condition of purchase. See our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. Thanks for signing up!

The family-friendly plan covers up to nine devices, making it an easy way to protect phones, tablets, and computers all at once. Instead of juggling different settings and endless reminders to “close that ad,” AdGuard works in the background to block distracting ads, keep trackers at bay, and shield your devices from harmful malware and phishing attempts.

What makes it especially appealing is how it simplifies life in a world that already feels complicated. Parents can enable safe browsing controls for kids, helping filter inappropriate content and creating a more secure online space without constant hovering or manual interventions.

Meanwhile, everyone gets to enjoy faster page load times, cleaner screens, and fewer interruptions while streaming, shopping, or scrolling.

AdGuard’s advanced ad-blocking engine doesn’t just tackle the obvious stuff. It filters video ads, sneaky banners, and aggressive pop-ups that tend to slow down devices and clutter your screen. Pair that with built-in privacy protection, and you’ve got a tool that keeps personal data from being tracked and analyzed across the web.

Compatible with both Android and iOS, as well as computers, this lifetime plan is designed to age well with your devices. One simple setup, ongoing updates, and long-term protection — all without monthly fees to keep track of.

Get lifetime access to the AdGuard Family Plan for a one-time $15.97 payment (reg. $169.90) through Dec. 14 with code FAMPLAN.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

TL;DR: Safeguard your data forever with this lifetime subscription to a FolderFort 1TB Cloud Storage Pro Plan, now just $49.97 (reg. $399) through Dec. 14.

Opens in a new window Credit: FolderFort FolderFort 1TB Cloud Storage Pro Plan: Lifetime Subscription $49.97
$399 Save $349.03   Get Deal

Everyone’s wallet is stretched thin during the holidays — so why not take one monthly bill off your plate? With FolderFort, you can store data for a low, one-time payment with no future bills in sight. And right now, you can secure 1TB of storage with their Pro Plan for only $49.97 (reg. $399) through Dec. 14.

Whether you’re tired of storing a ton of chunky external hard drives or you’re looking for a more affordable way to keep your content stored safely in the cloud, FolderFort offers an option that solves both issues. This 1TB Cloud Storage Pro Plan lets you stop renting and start owning your cloud storage, providing a permanent place to store your data.

Mashable Deals Be the first to know! Get editor selected deals texted right to your phone! Get editor selected deals texted right to your phone! Loading... Sign Me Up By signing up, you agree to receive recurring automated SMS marketing messages from Mashable Deals at the number provided. Msg and data rates may apply. Up to 2 messages/day. Reply STOP to opt out, HELP for help. Consent is not a condition of purchase. See our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. Thanks for signing up!

Aside from being a much more affordable option, FolderFort Cloud Storage offers incredible security and speed thanks to BackBlaze, which delivers strong encryption and blazing-fast speeds. You’ll enjoy high-speed access, fast transfers, and 99.99% uptime, too, so none of your precious time is wasted.

FolderFort lets you log in and share files across all your devices, with cross-platform access. If you need to share content, it’s easy to create links to folders or files and provide someone access, or make public links you can share more widely.

We’re constantly creating more data, so our storage needs naturally grow over time. FolderFort makes it easy to scale your storage as needed, with unlimited expansion options.

Get a lifetime subscription to a FolderFort 1TB Cloud Storage Pro Plan for only $49.97 (reg. $399) through Dec. 14.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

Nothing spells cozy like kicking back and snuggling up with your favorite, binge-worthy shows during the holiday season. Netflix is lending a helping hand to this comfort with its December lineup of new and returning shows for your holiday watch parties.

Looking forward to Percy Jackson and the Olympians Season 2, but don't have enough time for a full Season 1 rewatch? Don't worry, Phineas and Ferb (voiced by Vincent Martella and David Errigo Jr.) are here to help.

SEE ALSO: 'Phineas and Ferb' creators Dan Povenmire and Jeff 'Swampy' Marsh reveal the ultimatum that made the show fans love

Yes, you read that right. In a new animated short, the leads of Phineas and Ferb helpfully walk their friends through Percy Jackson's quest to return Zeus' Master Bolt to Mount Olympus. As a child of both Phineas and Ferb and Rick Riordan's Percy Jackson books, this crossover's clearly been designed in a lab to make my nostalgia go through the roof.

To help set the scene (and channel that Disney corporate synergy), Phineas is rocking a Percy cosplay, blonde wig and all, while Ferb is dressed as Mr. D. They're not the only ones in costume: Isabella (voiced by Alyson Stoner) has Medusa's snake hair, Baljeet (voiced by Maulik Pancholy) has gone full Grover mode, and Buford (voiced by Bobby Gaylor) is channeling his inner Ares. Even Perry the Platypus (voiced by Dee Bradley Baker) is in on the fun, trading his trademark fedora for a Chimera costume, horns and all.

For their recap, Phineas and Ferb have crafted a Greek urn that plays out the condensed story of Percy Jackson and the Olympians Season 1. With all these inventions, you know the two of them would fit right in with the children of Hephaestus at Camp Half-Blood.

To relive Percy Jackson's adventure with Phineas, Ferb, and some Greek vase painting-style animation, check out the full short above. The short will also be available on Disney+ and Disney Channel Animation's YouTube Channel on Dec. 5, and on Disney Channel Dec. 7.

Percy Jackson and the Olympians Season 2 premieres Dec. 10 on Disney+.

Phineas and Ferb Season 5 is now streaming on Disney+, with new episodes arriving in January.