Hiddleston seamlessly slides back into the Asgardian God role as the annoying, obnoxious adopted brother of Thor.

Marvel Studios always seem to have a plan when it comes to the MCU and all the characters in it. After Avengers: Endgame they moved into a whole new phase, including more movies and limited series television shows. These shows highlight some of the characters who never really got their moments onscreen. Premiering on Disney+, the first two shows, WandaVision and The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, were praised by critics and loved by most of the fans of the MCU. This week the third of these series, Loki, premieres on Disney+ and it very well may be the best of all three shows.

If you don’t remember, Loki (Tom Hiddleston; Kong: Skull Island), grabbed the Tesseract during the chaos and promptly disappeared. Well, we finally find out where he went. He ended up in the Gobi Dessert not knowing where he was and unable to understand the natives. Suddenly, Armed guards arrive through a magical portal, arrest Loki and “reset” time. That is when Loki finds himself in real trouble. It seems by escaping, he veered off his timeline disrupting the future. Hence, the officers who arrested him were from the TVA – Time Variance Authority – who brought Loki to stand trial for his crime against time.

However, Mobius M. Mobius (Owen Wilson; Wedding Crashers), an analyst in the TVA, would like to instead to use Loki to catch…well, Loki. It seems there is another Loki out there, killing TVA guards, and jumping through time to elude detection. Mobius hopes that this Loki will help the TVA capture this deadly version of himself by giving the Authority insight into how Loki thinks and what he would do in a given situation. While Loki is initially resistant, he eventually agrees to help them, hoping for leniency when he is sentenced.

Hiddleston seamlessly slides back into the Asgardian God role as the annoying, obnoxious adopted brother of Thor. He portrays this unlikable trickster with a certain charm, making him interesting and complicated. Wilson, who, ironically, tends to portray trickster-like characters in movies, shows a different side as the mildly gullible, straight-laced bureaucrat. The supporting cast, including Sophia Di Martino (Yesterday), Richard E. Grant (Can You Ever Forgive Me?), and Gugu Mbatha-Raw (Belle), are excellent while remaining in the background giving Hiddleston and Wilson the room to shine.

Of course, the Marvel Cinematic Universe and Disney would settle for no less than topnotch production values and Loki is no exception. Special effects are well done and in no way look cheesy or fake. The dialogue is well written with moments of hilarity layered between all the serious moments. The story unfolds slowly but doesn’t seem boring or off-putting. In fact, the opposite is true; the longer one watches the show, the more they become engrossed in the characters and the plot.

If WandaVision was about magical powers (and supposedly a must-see if one plans to see the Doctor Strange sequel next Spring) and The Falcon and the Winter Soldier was mostly for action junkies, then Loki is the thinking man’s series. It seems to have a somewhat complicated plot, which may or may not make sense by the end of the six episodes.

The real question, however, is why make these limited series? Do they serve some other purpose or are they merely placeholders while the next round of movies are filmed? Whichever answer is correct, each of these shows gives the viewer a little bit of insight into some of the MCU characters and makes us all wonder what is coming next. With a Black Widow movie and the aforementioned Doctor Strange sequel coming up there is much to look forward to but in the meantime, take some time to watch Loki. You won’t be disappointed.

Grade: B+

Dead Space is one of the best survival horror games of all time. It’s got some incredible lore with some excellent storytelling. Both Dead Space 1 & 2 are masterclasses in their own ways. Dead Space 3 starts to fall off right away but manages to finish strong toward the end.
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Timestamps:
0:00 Intro
0:46 Dead Space 1
23:56 Dead Space 2
56:57 Dead Space 3
1:31:11 Outro

Autistic people have significantly lower life expectancies than the rest of the population. In 2022, the average global life expectancy is approximately 72 years old. For autistic people, though, the average life expectancy ranges from 39.5 years to 58 years.

Some of the psychological stressors that autistic people experience are a result of existing in a world that has not been designed to meet their needs. Society is set up with various behavior expectations that are challenging, uncomfortable, or even impossible for some autistic people, such as eye contact, sitting still in appointments and meetings, and using nonverbal communication in conversations. Navigating systems designed for neurotypical people is stressful for neurodivergent people, particularly autistics, and this chronic stress contributes to differences in life expectancy.

This article further explores the connection between autism and lower life expectancy.

One major contributor to life expectancy differences for autistic versus non-autistic people is comorbid genetic and medical conditions. Compared to non-autistic people, autistics are at higher risk for several genetic disorders that are linked to shorter life expectancy, including Down syndrome, muscular dystrophy, and Fragile X syndrome.

Autistic people are additionally more likely to experience neurological disorders such as epilepsy and hydrocephalus, sleep disorders, and gastrointestinal disorders.

Autistic people are also at higher risk for mental health issues compared to those who are not autistic. This includes anxiety, depression, psychotic disorders, and trauma disorders. This added risk for mental health diagnoses means that autistic people are at higher risk than non-autistic people of suicide.

This manifests not only in societal expectations but in “treatments” that are often recommended for autistic people. For example, many autistic people who received applied behavioral analysis (ABA) treatment report that the emphasis on compliance and eliminating autistic behaviors is traumatic and abusive.

Autistic people present in a wide variety of ways, and no two autistic people are alike. Sometimes, autistic people are identified in terms of their “functioning.” Functioning labels are not specific diagnoses but are intended to determine how much support an individual needs in their daily life and survival.

Some researchers and providers attempt to differentiate levels of autism, identifying how expansive an individual’s support needs are. This system is limited, as individuals might have strengths and weaknesses in different areas rather than easily fitting into one category. Additionally, illness, stress, or burnout can cause someone’s level or presentation to change day to day or even hour to hour.

At the same time, some autistic people might require high support throughout their lifetime. Research has shown that those with higher support needs have shorter life expectancies than those with fewer support needs. Those who are able to manage independently live, on average, almost 20 years longer than those who require substantial support.

In addition, those who require ongoing support are at risk for abuse and maltreatment by caregivers. This increased risk for abuse likely contributes to lower life expectancy for autistic people with high support needs.

For children, autism can be diagnosed by a psychologist, psychiatrist, or developmental specialist. For adults, autism can be diagnosed by psychologists or psychiatrists with appropriate training. Autism is diagnosed through a psychological evaluation, which has multiple components and may include:

– Diagnostic or Intake Interview: An appointment with the evaluator during which they ask extensive questions about history, symptoms, et cetera.
– Collateral Interviews: Some evaluations include interviews with a parent or caregiver in an effort to gather more early developmental information and history of symptoms. This is not always available.
– The Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule, Second Edition (ADOS-2): The ADOS-2 involves having an individual answer questions and complete tasks to determine whether their presentation is consistent with autism.
– Autism Spectrum Rating Scale (ASRS): An observational measure completed by parents and teachers to provide information about a child’s behaviors. This data is compared to autistic and non-autistic children to determine whether the child’s presentation is consistent with autism.
– The Monteiro Interview Guidelines for Diagnosing the Autism Spectrum, Second Edition (MIGDAS-2): The MIGDAS-2 is an interview assessment that asks about various life experiences and symptoms often seen in autistic individuals.
– The Diagnostic Interview for Social and Communication Disorders (DISCO): The DISCO uses narrative interview format to get information about communication skills and styles. It can be administered to children or adults.

Autistic people who receive appropriate support may experience lower stress and decreased risk for stress-related illness, mental health issues, and earlier death. As such, identifying appropriate coping or treatment can be important in addressing lower life expectancy.

As autism is a neurodivergence and not a mental illness, it is not something that needs to be “cured” or “fixed,” but appropriate support can increase quality of life.

The goal of treatment must be to help the autistic person identify coping and communication skills that are healthy and appropriate rather than to make them behave in neurotypical ways, as this masking can cause stress and burnout.

Autistic people might benefit from individual therapy to address any comorbid mental health conditions, like trauma disorders, depression, or anxiety. They might also find support in group therapy or support groups, where they can connect with people they relate to and who have had similar experiences.

Typically, autism does not require medication intervention, but autistic people who have other mental health diagnoses might require medication for those conditions.

Autistic people have shorter life expectancy than non-autistic people, partially due to higher risk for genetic and medical issues and partially due to the stress of existing in a world not built for you. Access to appropriate supports can help mitigate this effect. It can also improve quality of life and help individuals manage any comorbid conditions.

The Sack of Rome in May 1527 by the troops of Emperor Charles V—king of Germany, Spain, Naples, and Sicily, and ruler of the Netherlands—was an event of rare violence that left a deep impression during the sixteenth century. An accident of a war opposing a considerable portion of European princes, it partially served as an outlet for religious tensions that had been growing since the late Middle Ages. Protestant but also Catholic soldiers united in a sacred intoxication that announced the religious conflicts to come. The soldiers nevertheless conserved a genuine rationality that lent its full support to a logic of predation. Quickly known throughout Europe, these exactions were interpreted by the vast majority as a religious event: well-deserved punishment for the papal Antichrist or the corruption of the Church, a divine scourge, sacrilege, or an occasion to reconcile Christians within the universal reformation.

Rome, Martyr City of a European Conflict

On May 5, 1527, an imperial army consisting of Spaniards, Flemings, Italians, and Germans encamped in front of Rome. With the Duke of Bourbon at its head, it threatened the continent’s religious capital. He spent over a month living off the land, while seeking to contain the disgruntled troops who had been deprived of pay for over a year.

One must go back two years in time to February 24, 1525, in order to understand the situation. On that morning, imperial troops crushed the French before Pavia: Francis I, who was at the head of his armies, was captured and transferred to the Emperor Charles V in Spain. Italy and Europe were frightened in the face of this overly fortunate prince; a dual league formed around Pope Clement VII to expel the emperor from Northern Italy. Already occupying Parma, Florence, and Modena, the pontiff expanded to Milan and Venice on one side, and to France and England on the other.

Imperial troops counter-attacked without coordination. Ugo Moncada, the Governor of Naples, helped the Cardinal Pompeo Colonna to foment a revolt against the pope in Rome in September 1526. In Cartagena, the Duke of Bourbon set sail for Genoa with a new Spanish army; he was joined in Milan by twelve thousand lansquenets from Germany. In Rome itself, Viceroy Charles de Lannoy played the card of military intimidation, and obtained an agreement with the pope on March 25, 1527. Facing mutiny in Bologna in March, Bourbon began to pillage Romagna on the way to Florence, whose siege would enable him to pay his soldiers. On April 25, the arrival of troops from the league in Florence, in addition to the pope’s breaking of the truce, prompted the duke to change target. He launched his army against Rome, promising the booty of the world’s richest city. Bourbon died during the first assault. Lacking a leader—the emperor’s orders took weeks to arrive, and the young Prince of Orange chosen to succeed the duke did not have his predecessor’s authority—the army rampaged through the city.

The city was subject to looting and violence for eight days. The defenders were quickly eliminated in the fighting. The population was massacred, tortured, and ransomed with no distinction between age or sex, nationality or allegiance. Even the sick in hospices and well-known allies of the imperial cause were killed. Women were raped. Churches and palaces were forced open and emptied of their valuable objects. Archives and libraries were burned. The pope and a part of his court succeeded in shutting themselves in the Castel Sant’Angelo, where they remained safe during the pillaging. The Venetian ambassador described the situation as being worse than hell itself. There were at least twelve thousand deaths, a number that grew with the victims of hunger and epidemics. The violence continued despite the signing of a treaty in June, especially when the army returned from its summer quarters in September.

Sacred Violence and Economy of Predation

The religious violence of the German lansquenets was emphasized in particular. For over ten years, Luther and his disciples had denounced the pope as the Antichrist and Rome as the new Babylon; they vehemently condemned the superstitions of papists such as the worship of saints and relics, the luxury of churches, etc. The exactions of German troops echoed this preaching. In churches they profaned or destroyed relics, tore or smeared images, and stole and dismantled liturgical ornaments. They parodied Catholic pomp by installing a prostitute dressed in priestly clothing on the throne of Saint Peter while singing “Vivat Lutherus pontifex!” in false processions, or while presenting animals for communion. Clergymen were the preferred targets of soldiers, as prelates were killed, humiliated, or sold as slaves, while nuns were raped and monks were castrated.

However, religious violence was not solely the act of Lutherans. In Catholic Europe as well, there was criticism against the corruption of the pope and the Curia, in addition to the prophets and astrologers that announced the imminent punishment of the Church, a prelude to its universal reform and the return of Christ. There had been increasing portents of the scourge to come since 1524. Yet Bourbon and a part of the European knighthood saw themselves as the instrument of God in a world governed by providence. For them the fighting was something mystical, an ordeal in which abandoning oneself to divine will was a way of saving one’s soul and bringing about God’s reign on Earth.

Beyond the religious element, the sack was also a question of money. The occupiers established a ransom economy, in which one had to pay to save one’s life and property. The Italian and imperial general Ferrante Gonzaga paid large sums of money to these men through his mother in order to avoid the pillaging of the family palace. Similarly, many of the acts of torture were carried out by soldiers who wanted their victims to admit where they had hidden their money, or to force them to lend it out. The economy of predation also applied to relics, which were subject to trafficking and speculation.

Europe as Witness

While a few humanists opted for a historical interpretation by likening the event to Alaric’s sack of the City in 410, most observers emphasized the religious and even providentialist view of the Roman tragedy. News of the sack spread throughout Europe, initially in the form of rumors, and later as increasingly precise and coherent witness accounts. The dispatches of ambassadors, which were only known in courts, were succeeded by letters and reports by survivors, as well as by newspapers and occasional printings for broad diffusion. The first of these came from the presses of Venice in mid-May.

In Germany, Luther and the Protestants exulted. The Roman Antichrist and his new Babylon had finally been punished. In Spain, France, and the Netherlands, Erasmists and moderate evangelists were more guarded. Many saw the sack as deserved punishment for the corruption of the Curia and the pope, and believed that the emperor should take advantage to call a council and impose the reformation of the Catholic Church they had been waiting for since the beginning of the century; the scope of the massacres and destruction nevertheless horrified them. Some Catholics shared this opinion, while others were foremost scandalized by the sacrilege committed by the emperor and his ungodly troops.

The imperial chancellery was thus forced to justify itself, despite the divisions among its members. Charles V, who was stupefied, retreated into grief. Gattinara, his Chancellor, urged him to depose the pope and call a universal council, or to repudiate his generals. In late July, the imperial secretary Alonso de Valdes wrote a dual justification of his master: a letter addressed to all Christian princes, and a Dialogue on the Things that Occurred in Rome. These two texts of providentialist and Erasmian inspiration described the sack and its exactions as the act of a mutinous army, with neither leaders nor orders. Emphasizing the deep regret that the event had caused the emperor, Valdes likened it to a divine scourge directed against Clement VII and the corruption of the Curia, which should enable the reconciliation and reformation of all Christianity.

Through both the violence that was unleashed and the interpretations that it prompted, the Sack of Rome prefigured the wars of religion that would soon tear Europe apart. It also represented a threshold beyond which Catholic anti-Romanism, which had been very strong since the fifteenth century, began to decline. For the papacy, it finally marked the beginning of a reconstruction: pagan antiquity—honored at the papal court since the 1490s—was repudiated in favor of biblical antiquity, while the City was taken in hand to become the symbol of the purity of the Church.