Horror Nerds at Church

Pace (they/them) and Emily (they/them) are joined by Slicer extraordinaire Suzannah Porter (she/her) to talk all things Star Wars movies. We rank the films and tv shows we've covered, trace our favorite characters throughout the franchise, and, if you stick around to the end, we share what movies are next for our upcoming Witch Season. Check out Pace's Living Lutheran article on horror and theology here.

CW: Sexism and racism are mentioned in our theme tracing and character tracing. Please note that this episode was recorded live so there may be occasional audio quality issues. 

Support us on ⁠Patreon⁠! Buy some ⁠merch⁠! Subscribe to our ⁠newsletter⁠! Follow us on ⁠Instagram⁠, ⁠Facebook⁠, and ⁠Twitter⁠ for all the latest updates about upcoming films, news, and other announcements. If you would like to submit your own real life church horror story for a future minisode, follow this ⁠link⁠ (⁠https://bit.ly/HNACMinisodes⁠) or email us at ⁠[email protected]⁠ And don’t forget to comment, rate, and subscribe to us on your favorite podcast provider! 

Pace (they/them) and Emily (they/them) travel to Paradise… and then lost Paradise (see what we did there?) as they cover Alien: Covenant. We dive super deep this time, talking about gnostic cosmology, covenantal theology, and Pace's Ace Thoughts. 

Media referenced:

-Nerds At Church episode on Covenants

-Star Wars: The Living Force by John Jackson Miller

-Paradise Lost by John Milton

-When the Angels Left the Old Country by Sacha Lamb

-Good Omens by Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman 

-The Silmarillion by J.R.R. Tolkein

-Call Me By Your Name by André Aciman

CW: sexism, queerphobia and body horror
Support us on Patreon! Buy some merch! Subscribe to our newsletter! Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter for all the latest updates about upcoming films, news, and other announcements. If you would like to submit your own real life church horror story for a future minisode, follow this link (https://bit.ly/HNACMinisodes) or email us at [email protected] And don’t forget to comment, rate, and subscribe to us on your favorite podcast provider!

Pace (they/them) and Emily (they/them) follow the hidden path of the Sith to the planet Exegol as they discuss the final film of the Skywalker saga: Star Wars Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker. They talk about ancestors, comp-hetting, and so much more. CW: racism and genocide mentions in the deep diveMedia referenced in this episode: 

-Star Wars Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker novelization by Rae Carlson

-The Future is Disabled: Prophecies, Love Notes, and Mourning Songs by Leah Lakshmi Piepzna-Samarashina 

-Care Work: Dreaming Disability Justice by Leah Lakshmi Piepzna-Samarashina

-Lunar Chronicles Book 2: Scarlet by Marissa Meyer 

-Hijab Butch Blues: A Memoir by Lamya H

-Call yo Allyship: Preparing Your Congregation for Leaders of Color edited by Angela T. !Khabeb

-Attack from the '80s edited by Eugene Johnson

-Remains to be Told: Dark Tales of Aotearoa edited by Lee Murray

-Poe Dameron: Free Fall by Alex Segura

-Star Wars: Spark of the Resistance by Justina Ireland

-Will from Another Look Podcast Letterboxd Review of Rise of Skywalker

Support us on Patreon! Buy some merch! Subscribe to our newsletter! Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter for all the latest updates about upcoming films, news, and other announcements. If you would like to submit your own real life church horror story for a future minisode, follow this link (https://bit.ly/HNACMinisodes) or email us at [email protected] And don’t forget to comment, rate, and subscribe to us on your favorite podcast provider! 

Pace (they/them) and Emily (they/them) board the Prometheus on a journey to meet God. Along the way they talk about the 2012 film coincidentally called Prometheus, aliens, and the motives of the android ai David. Also, Pace talks about their obsession with long-term nuclear waste disposal signs. 

CW: racism, sexual assault, sexism, and abortion, all as depicted in the film 

Media referenced in the episode: 

-Cinder (Book One of the Lunar Chronicles) by Marissa Meyer 

-Powers of Darkness: The Lost Version of Dracula by Bram Stoker and Valdimar Ásmundsson

-Doctor Who: Scratchman by Tom Baker and James Goss

-Yours Cruelly, Elvira: Memoirs of the Mistress of the Dark by Cassandra Peterson 

-Leslie F*cking Jones by Leslie Jones

-Neuroqueer Heresies: Notes on the Neurodiversity Paradigm, Autistic Empowerment, and Postnormal Possibilities by Nick Walker

-Paradise Lost by John Milton 

-Chariots of the Gods by Erich Von Daniken 

-Superman vs. Aliens by Dan Jurgens and Kevin Nolan

-Defy the Stars by Claudia Gray 

-Is the Rectum a Grave? By Leo Bersani 

-The Black Guy Dies First: Black Horror Cinema from Fodder to Oscar by Robin R. Means Coleman and Mark H. Harris

-Frankenstein (or the Modern Prometheus) by Mary Shelley 

-The Frankenstein Book of Prayer by Steve Case

Support us on Patreon! Buy some merch! Subscribe to our newsletter! Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter for all the latest updates about upcoming films, news, and other announcements. If you would like to submit your own real life church horror story for a future minisode, follow this link (https://bit.ly/HNACMinisodes) or email us at [email protected] And don’t forget to comment, rate, and subscribe to us on your favorite podcast provider!

Pace (they/them) and Emily (they/them) are joined by Brooke McLain (she/her) on a journey to Ahch-To, Canto Bite, and beyond as we discuss the film Star Wars Episode VIII: The Last Jedi. We talk about the art of failure, hero worship, and the nature of hope. Also, is this the best Star Wars movie? 

-Nerds at Church's Pentecost episode on the Holy Spirit 

-Sigourney Weaver to appear in the Mandalorian film 

-The Hundred Years' War on Palestine by Rashid Khalidi

-Seasparrow: A Graceling Realm Novel by Kristin Cashore

-Cinder: Book One of the Lunar Chronicles by Marissa Meyer 

-Animorphs series by K.A. Applegate 

-Leia: Princess of Alderaan by Claudia Gray

-The Last Jedi by Jason Fry

-The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot

-(Sometimes) Vol 35 by Stefanie Kaylor

-The Spirit Bears its Teeth by Andrew Joseph White

-Chlorine by Jade Song

-Bad Cree by Jessica Johns

-Hell Followed With Us by Andrew Joseph White

-Learning to Walk in the Dark: Because Sometimes God Shows Up At Night by Barbara Brown Taylor

-Wookiepedia article on Deities in the Star Wars universe 

-Pilgrim at Tinker Creek by Annie Dillard (NOT Barbara Brown Taylor as Pace mistakenly said in the episode)

Media Referenced: 
Support us on Patreon! Buy some merch! Subscribe to our newsletter! Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter for all the latest updates about upcoming films, news, and other announcements. If you would like to submit your own real life church horror story for a future minisode, follow this link (https://bit.ly/HNACMinisodes) or email us at [email protected] And don’t forget to comment, rate, and subscribe to us on your favorite podcast provider!

Pace (they/them) and Emily (they/them) visit the small "midwestern" town of Gunnison, Colorado to witness the epic battle between the Predalien and the Predator. We talk about hospitals, requiems, and the military industrial complex. Also, where can we find some of that dissolving blue glue? 

Media referenced:

-Stefanie Kaylor's Zine article

-The Reading Glasses Podcast

-HNAC's episode on Ghostbusters 2016 with Brooke McLain

-Nerd at Church's 2023 Reformation episode with Brooke McClaine

-Bitterblue: Graceling #3 by Kristin Cashore 

CW: References to the film's depiction of miscarriage, birth, pregnancy, and death of children 
Support us on Patreon! Buy some merch! Subscribe to our newsletter! Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter for all the latest updates about upcoming films, news, and other announcements. If you would like to submit your own real life church horror story for a future minisode, follow this link (https://bit.ly/HNACMinisodes) or email us at [email protected] And don’t forget to comment, rate, and subscribe to us on your favorite podcast provider!

Pace (they/them) and Emily (they/them) decide the garbage will do and jump into the Millennium Falcon to talk about Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens. We talk about requels, the religion of the First Order, and fear as politics. 

Media referenced:

-Nerds at Church's episode about male astronomers, including Neil DeGrasse Tyson

-Nerds at Church's episode about science in sci-fi

-The Force Awakens novelization by Alan Dean Foster

-Star Wars novels about Princess Leia, including The Princess and the Scoundrel by Beth Revis and Bloodline by Claudia Gray 

-Fire (second book in the Graceling series) by Kristin Cashore

Support us on Patreon! Buy some merch! Subscribe to our newsletter! Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter for all the latest updates about upcoming films, news, and other announcements. If you would like to submit your own real life church horror story for a future minisode, follow this link (https://bit.ly/HNACMinisodes) or email us at [email protected] And don’t forget to comment, rate, and subscribe to us on your favorite podcast provider!

Pace (they/them) and Emily (they/them) visit Antarctica where all you need is a light jacket to talk about the film Alien vs Predator. We talk about how the real villain is capitalism, the religion and ritual of the predators, and the racism of the "aliens built the pyramids" theory. Who are you rooting for? 

Media referenced: 

-HNAC's first guest appearance on Nerds at Church

-Emily mentions The Village in this episode of Nerds at Church

-Pace guest co-hosts Nerds at Church and talks with Adam Dowd

-Graceling by Kristin Cashore

-On the Mystery: Discerning Divinity in Process by Catherine Keller

-Star Wars the High Republic: Path of Vengeance by Cavan Scott

-Star Wars Return of the Jedi: From a Certain Point of View by various authors

-Animorphs #1: The Invasion by K.A. Applegate 

-Martin Luther's Genesis Lectures (first volume)

-The Machiko Noguchi Alien vs. Predator Saga 

-Alien vs. Predator Dark Horse comic series

-Book Goblin TikTok by Elisabeth Wheatley 

 -Chariots of the Gods by Erich von Daniken

-Homer's The Iliad and The Odyssey 

-Milton's Paradise Lost

-The Black Guy Dies First: Black Horror Cinema from Fodder to Oscar by Robin R. Means Coleman and Mark H. Harris

Support us on Patreon! Buy some merch! Subscribe to our newsletter! Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter for all the latest updates about upcoming films, news, and other announcements. If you would like to submit your own real life church horror story for a future minisode, follow this link (https://bit.ly/HNACMinisodes) or email us at [email protected] And don’t forget to comment, rate, and subscribe to us on your favorite podcast provider!

Pace (they/them) and Emily (they/them) visit ithe Galactic Senate on Coruscant just in time to watch the republic fall with thunderous applause as they cover Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith. We get into misogyny, tragedy, and horror. Also, is this the beginning of R2-D2 and C-3P0's love affair? CW: discussions of misogyny, disability, and immolation

Media Referenced: -Alien Romulus trailer

-Queer for Fear: Horror Film and the Queer Spectator by Heather O. Petrocelli and my review of the book in Supernatural Studies

-Graceling by Kristin Cashore

-On the Mystery: Discerning Divinity in Process by Cahterine Keller

-Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith novelization of the film by Matthew Stover

-Star Wars: Darth Plagueis by James Luceno

-Nerds at Church episode on Prophecy 

-How to Win an Information War: The Propagandist Who Outwitted Hitler by Peter Pomerantsev

Support us on Patreon! Buy some merch! Subscribe to our newsletter! Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter for all the latest updates about upcoming films, news, and other announcements. If you would like to submit your own real life church horror story for a future minisode, follow this link (https://bit.ly/HNACMinisodes) or email us at [email protected] And don’t forget to comment, rate, and subscribe to us on your favorite podcast provider!

Pace (they/them) and Emily (they/them) are joined by Jeremy Cobb of the 3 Black Halflings Podcast as they travel aboard the interstellar military frigate and battle toxic masculinities and human-Xenomorph hybrids, covering the film Alien Resurrection. We talk about motherhood, resurrection, cloning, and so much more.

CW: discussion of sexism, racism, and ableism as it pertains to the film Media mentioned:-Thirsty Sword Lesbians TTRPG

-Connie Chang's appearance on 3BH

-The Black Guy Dies First by Mark Harris and Dr. Robin R. Means Coleman and our interview with the authors on HNAC

-Alien Resurrection by A.C. Crispin (film novelization) 

Support us on Patreon! Buy some merch! Subscribe to our newsletter! Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter for all the latest updates about upcoming films, news, and other announcements. If you would like to submit your own real life church horror story for a future minisode, follow this link (https://bit.ly/HNACMinisodes) or email us at [email protected] And don’t forget to comment, rate, and subscribe to us on your favorite podcast provider!