20 May 2025

Andor’s Legacy, Superman Returns, Ironheart Arrives and AI Vader Chaos | with Author Richard Sparks

Geek Freaks

About

Frank and Jonathan rate Andor’s Season-2 finale a near-perfect 9/10, debate the brand-new Superman trailer, and break down Marvel’s first Ironheart footage. They also react to Fortnite’s glitchy AI Darth Vader and sit down with fantasy author Richard Sparks to explore his MMO-inspired series New Rock, New Role. If you crave deep-dive Star Wars analysis, fresh trailer reactions, and book recommendations, this episode is your ultimate geek catch-up.

Timestamps & Topics

Time Topic 00:00 Intro & episode roadmap 00:00:30 Richard Sparks teaser – New Rock, New Role 00:02:37 Capital Creative Showcase + listener feedback 00:03:41 Ironheart trailer analysis (Riri Williams, The Hood, Mephisto) 00:08:25 Tech vs. mysticism in Ironheart 00:10:00 Superman trailer deep-dive (Lois interview, DCU world-building) 00:17:21 Andor Season-2 spoiler review begins 00:25:40 Cassian meets K-2SO – humor & stakes 00:26:44 Trauma, sacrifice, and everyday rebels 00:29:24 Final ratings: Andor gets a 9/10 00:31:02 News flash: Jessica Jones, Punisher, Ralph Fiennes in Hunger Games 00:35:12 Avatar: The Last Airbender movie delay 00:38:48 Netflix’s Gears of War movie & tone worries 00:42:43 Thor 5 rumor—Chris Hemsworth wants a darker tone 00:44:47 AI Darth Vader glitch in Fortnite — ethics & chaos 00:50:01 Feature interview: Author Richard Sparks 01:25:44 Around-the-network updates & Jonathan’s watch-list 01:30:30 Weekly recommendations & sign-off

Key Takeaways

Andor sets a new Star Wars benchmark with mature politics, everyday-hero focus, and a finale that bridges perfectly into Rogue One.

Ironheart promises a scrappy, community-driven story that contrasts Tony Stark’s privilege with Riri Williams’ Chicago roots.

The new Superman trailer revives the Christopher Reeve optimism while dropping viewers into a fully populated DCU.

AI voice clones (like Fortnite’s Darth Vader) are hype-worthy but need tighter safeguards before brands unleash them.

Richard Sparks’ New Rock series mixes MMO mechanics, 80s fantasy, and laugh-out-loud camaraderie—perfect for fans of Ready Player One and Willow.

Memorable Quotes

“Andor proves real rebellion relies on janitors jamming door locks, not just Jedi with lightsabers.” – Frank

“Riri Williams is Iron Man if Tony grew up on the South Side and had to build a Mark I from junkyard scraps.” – Frank

“AI Vader sounded amazing…until the Internet taught him four-letter words.” – Jonathan

Call to Action

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Links & Resources

Full geek news feed: GeekFreaksPodcast.com (source of all stories)

Richard Sparks’ books: New Rock, New Role & New Rock, New Realm

Watch the Ironheart and Superman trailers on our site

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Listener Questions

What blew you away in the Andor finale? Are you hyped for Ironheart? Drop your questions or hot takes and we’ll feature them in a future mailbag segment!

Apple Podcasts Tags

Andor finale, Star Wars, Andor review, Ironheart trailer, Riri Williams, Superman trailer, DCU reboot, AI Darth Vader, Fortnite, Richard Sparks interview, New Rock New Role, Geek Freaks Podcast, Marvel Disney Plus, Star Wars podcast, geek news, fantasy books, pop-culture breakdown