Story Lines

Discussion Starts: 23:00

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Sources mentioned:

https://youtu.be/lwEwxKkCGJE?si=2HKkD0j9NL3mtOFg [“Understanding Kingdom Hearts (and every other story) | Unraveled” by Polygon on YouTube from Jan 27, 2019]

https://youtu.be/P077b7ScJ_E?si=FLysEtCT5zGI8TuQ [“Well, The Boys is finally over and it’s kind of a mess…” by YungJunko on YouTube from May 21. 2026] (the source Raf was actually talking about)

https://youtu.be/Dxi_DORuKgs?si=TeJRIDArZUps6CYi [“Why Ending a TV Show Is Almost Impossible” by Nerdstalgic on YouTube from Feb 23, 2026]

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Discussion starts: 8:54

You should all read Dungeon Crawler Carl. It's really good. That's all for this week.

Sources mentioned:

https://youtu.be/lDT0QW7TZGU?si=DwKhotp1zL2ILdgj [“Why is D&D So Popular Again? (ft. The Russo Brothers, Deborah Ann Woll & More)” by IGN on YouTUbe from Oct 2, 2019]

https://youtu.be/sfhkxF64OPI?si=P3QmtHaxuDk7opaH [“a deep dive into the heated rivalry fandom” by ColeyDoesThings on YouTube from Apr 8, 2026]

https://www.polygon.com/22449675/ya-dystopia-fad-ended/ [“The YA dystopia craze died because it didn’t evolve” by Bashirat Oladele for Polygon republished on Nov 13, 2023]

https://youtu.be/kR-8rf9RWks?si=qKgf2wc9clXhhoMm [“How to Unintentionally Spawn a Massive Fandom | A Writing Analysis” by Star In_Sight on YouTube from Jul 19, 2024]

Discussion starts: 25:21

I can't wait for an episode where I'm not so so sleepy. Someday.

Like, subscribe, follow, or engage in some way during your brief time on this mortal plane.

Sources mentioned:

"Star Wars: Maul - Shadow Lord" by Dave Filoni and Matt Michnovetz on Disney+ from 2026 (spoiled throughout)

https://youtu.be/wSNYgHiB-N4?si=JY4GhF22fRlIXeOu ["Trope Talk: Sins of the Father" by Overly Sarcastic Productions on YouTube from May 21, 2021]

https://www.gamesradar.com/entertainment/star-wars-tv-shows/dave-filoni-perfectly-explains-why-darth-vader-doesnt-speak-in-the-maul-shadow-lord-finale/ ["Dave Filoni perfectly explains why Darth Vader doesn't speak in the Maul – Shadow Lord finale" by Molly Edwards for GamesRadar from May 6, 2026]

Discussion starts: ???

This one had a strange energy to it, I can't lie to you. I hope you enjoyed it.

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Sources mentioned:“The Semantics of Social Media Reactions among Baby Boomers, Gen X, Millennials, and Gen Z: An Exploratory Sequential Mixed-Methods Study” by Obenza, Brandon N., et al. for Canadian Journal of Language and Literature Studies vol. 5 no. 3 from 2025https://advertising.amazon.com/library/guides/generational-marketing [“Generational Marketing” by Amazon from 2024-2025]

Check below the description and sources for a list of media mentioned and spoiled!

It's almost finals week. I don't have the energy for this. It's another episode of Story Lines, you get it.

Also, Raf messed up, and Spotify DOES distinguish between non-binary and unspecified gender listeners. Make sure to clown him in the comments for this egregious sin.

Simon says share the podcast. And Daly. Don't listen to Simon. He'll get ya.

Sources mentioned:

https://youtu.be/Yt2U2ykg-Hk?si=4ZR_PqfOjc9G8gRq ["Detail Diatribe: 200-ish Years of Mummy Stories" by Overly Sarcastic Productions on YouTube from Nov. 8, 2024]

Media lightly spoiled (we didn't actually end up spoiling much in this ep, but just in case you really wanna avoid anything plot related to these stories):

The Legend of Korra

Avatar: The Last Airbender

Star Wars: The Last Jedi

Dimension 20: A Crown of Candy

Dimension 20: The Ravening War

Romeo and Juliet

Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness

Agatha All Along

Media Mentioned:

The Star Wars Movie Trilogies

The Hunger Games

Game of Thrones (Raf kept calling it "A Game of Thrones," but he meant the TV series not the book)

The House of the Dragon

Teen Titans (2003)

Teen Titans Go!

Beauty and the Beast (2017)

A Jewel of Seven Stars by Bram Stoker

We talk about the big bad boogeyman of politics, Hasan Piker—scary stuff. We have some fun, and I do some great impressions.

Like, like, or like the pod. No options for you this time.

Sources mentioned:https://youtu.be/C1bZyocQNEE?si=RyNjEOBHtKDhy7PT [“How social media influencers are playing a role in the presidential election” by PBS NewsHour on YouTube from Mar 19, 2024]

https://youtu.be/AWzcpP6hF8U?si=JMOLRKWaU81fPgR0 [“This is a huge change…” by HasanAbi on YouTube from Apr 13, 2026]https://youtu.be/P8HjqGUln_o?si=mSunWIidYv1D7Wtl [“Cenk Uygur SLAMS Pro-Israel Dems over Hasan Piker CONDEMNATION | RISING” by The Hill and The Young Turks on YouTube from Apr 13, 2026]

Is podcasting only for old people now? Probably...

Like, follow, share on the town bulletin board, and telepathically will your friends to listen to the pod!

Raf has the flu, so we clearly did not succeed in making Story Lines healthy again...

But it also means I don't have to cite my sources (but Raf still does)! When the cat's away, amiright?

Like, follow, subscribe, download, share, repost, hashtag, illegally pirate and redistribute. Live your best life, king.

Sources mentioned:https://youtu.be/N2lh-r7poLo?si=rYPQPXBEHR4YlujJ [“Right-Wing Wellness Influencers Want You to Die” by Alexander Avila on YouTube from Sep. 19, 2025]https://www.wired.com/story/i-took-rfk-jrs-advice-and-ate-nothing-but-high-protein-foods-for-a-week/ [“I took RFK Jr’s Advice and Ate Nothing but High-Protein Foods for a Week” by Miles Klee on WIRED from Apr. 2, 2026]https://youtu.be/SCkP9VVxKSE?si=GWJOv3PlBMyUlwkS [“The internet made me obsessed with protein” by Drew Gooden on YouTube from Jul. 18, 2025]https://www.hhs.gov/press-room/fact-sheet-historic-reset-federal-nutrition-policy.html [“Fact Sheet: Trump Administration Resets U.S. Nutrition Policy, Puts Real Food Back at the Center of Health” by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services last reviewed on Jan. 7, 2026]https://bidenwhitehouse.archives.gov/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/White-House-National-Strategy-on-Hunger-Nutrition-and-Health-FINAL.pdf [“Biden-Harris Administration National Strategy On Hunger, Nutrition, And Health” by the White House on the Biden White House Archives from Sep. 2022]

Raf didn't review One Piece like he promised, and he did a voice for the whole episode. My revenge shall be swift and just.

Likemaxx, Comment-mog, or Subscribe-goon!

Sources mentioned:

https://youtu.be/wJgV-usri0I?si=d49daa1X2c0eDUHk [“The Terrifying World of LooksMaxxing” by JimmyTheGiant on YouTube from Jan. 12, 2026]

https://news.northeastern.edu/2026/03/04/looksmaxxing-tiktok-trend-explained/ [“‘Looksmaxxing’ seems to be taking over TikTok. Here’s what experts have to say about it.” by Tanner Stening for Northeastern Global News from Mar. 4, 2026] (Mentions the quantified self)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/-maxxing [“-maxxing” on Wikipedia] 

https://www.dazeddigital.com/beauty/article/65341/1/the-year-of-maxxing-how-self-optimisation-obsession-came-to-a-peak-in-2024 [“The year of maxxing: Has our obsession with self-optimization hit its peak?” by Laura Pitcher on Dazed from Dec. 11, 2024]
https://youtube.com/shorts/HrLRwh0LXDU?si=mFfFkmNeJCTlBaO5 [“‘Slop’ ‘analysis’” by etymology_nerd on YouTube Shorts from Mar. 25, 2026] (AI Love Island and camp)