08262020

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OPINIONS

The Daily Beacon • Wednesday, August 26, 2020

DAILY BEACON STAFF AND POLICY INFORMATION EDITORIAL EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: Alexandra DeMarco MANAGING EDITOR: Calista Boyd COPY CHIEF: Allie Justis CAMPUS NEWS EDITOR: Sarah Rainey CITY NEWS EDITOR: Jake Yoder SPORTS EDITOR: Ryan Schumpert SPORTS EDITOR: Ryan Crews DIGITAL PRODUCER: Austin Orr ]OPINIONS EDITOR: Elijah Hunt PHOTO EDITORS: Sydney Goodsell DESIGN EDITORS: Michael Bloodworth

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Wide World of Esports: The best ways to game during quarantine ELIJAH HUNT Opinions Editor Thanks to video gaming and the internet there is still a multitude of ways to entertain yourself or connect with others during your indoor-life of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Whether a fan of cult-titles like Call of Duty or League of Legends, or just a casual Scrabble player who responds to game notifications once every two weeks, gaming has proven itself to be a reliable medium for entertainment.

Along with consoles like the Nintendo Switch, Xbox One and Playstation 4, PC and mobile gaming are also great platforms for gamers.

One of the trendier titles of 2020, Animal Crossing from Nintendo, has proven itself to be the perfect social game for those missing someone during quarantine.

Animal Crossing: New Horizons for the Nintendo Switch lets players create their own unique islands with up to 10 villagers — out of over 300 — that can reside on your island at one time. If you are an owner of Nintendo Switch Online, you can also meet friends and have others come visit your fully customizable island.

The Nintendo Switch also has a variety of

great multiplayer and single-player titles that are perfect for the quarantine life, including the latest additions to the Mario Kart, Legend of Zelda and Splatoon series.

If you’re a PC, PS4 or Xbox player, there are also a ton of great, and free, titles available to play alone or with others.

For Playstation Plus holders, a ton of free content is available, including the battleroyale inspired parkour game Fall Guys and Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 Campaign Remastered.

Xbox players also have access to games like Fortnite, Rocket League and Smite, but other titles like Crackdown 1&2 are available for free download now.

Thanks to services like the Epic Games Store’s free rotation of weekly games, itch.io and Twitch Prime, PC players have access to a stockpile of free titles like The Witcher and ARK: Survival Evolved.

If you’re not a console or PC gamer, don’t worry. The variety of free games available on mobile devices is huge and full of entertaining titles for the pandemic. Popular action titles like Call of Duty: Mobile and Fortnite are available for free download via Google Play and the Apple Store. Fans of MOBAs may be interested in the free Mobile Legends (free loot if you have Twitch Prime) top-down MOBA that is strikingly similar to League of Legends.

Those interested in a more in-depth single-

player gaming experience may be interested in mobile titles like Sky (from the creators of Journey), Zelda-esque Oceanhorn or Alto’s Adventure. The Google Play Store and Apple Store have hundreds of great multiplayer games and apps that can be found on their Trending Titles pages, so checking those out may help you find the perfect gaming fit for your mobile interests.

Players can also easily connect with one another with great server-based messaging applications like Discord that allow for voice and video calls, along with screen sharing and a variety of other features. Though the pandemic might have us all indoors and away from our friends, the wide variety of video games available can make the time indoors a little less dull.

UTK Esports is a student organization at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, interested in competing in and promoting collegiate and professional esports. If you have questions or would like to join and compete, please reach out to us atesports@utk.edu, or follow us on Twitter @utkesports.

Columns and letters of The Daily Beacon are the views of the individual and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Beacon or the Beacon’s editorial staff.

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Editors’ Bios: Edior-in-Chief, Managing Editor ALEXANDRA DEMARCO Editor-in-Chief

CALISTA BOYD Managing Editor

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Hey all, I’m Aly and I will be the Beacon’s Editor-in-Chief for the 2020-21 school year. I’m a junior studying journalism and French, and I have a passion for writing and telling stories that need to be heard. I am so excited to lead our paper through this next year and ensure that the Beacon is a great tool for students during this uncertain time.

Hey everyone! I am Calista and am the Managing Editor at the Beacon this year. I am a fourth-year Global Studies major with minors in Statistics, Arab Studies and Public Policy Analytics. I never predicted that I would be so involved with student media, but I think it is an important part of sharing students’ voices on campus. I have been working at the Beacon

since my first year at UT, and it has been such a great learning experience for me. I am happy to pass on what I have learned by working in this position.

CITY NEWS

Wednesday, August 26, 2020 • The Daily Beacon

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A guide to home exercises for students BEN WINIGER Staff Writer

A life of physical and emotional self-isolation isn’t the typical descriptive characteristic of the Volunteer experience, though that is the situation we find ourselves in.

Our routines all seem to feature some outside interference nowadays. COVID-19 is still alive and kicking. Though we’re allowed to use the school gym, you may not wish to risk your health.

Worry not; there are alternatives. Home exercises aren’t as ineffective as you may think. However, student life can give them that extra level of difficulty — especially if you’re living in a dorm with roommates.

That needn’t halt your fitness progress completely. It is a challenge but still doable.

Talk to your roommate(s) Communication is key when living with a plus one. After a long day of classes, work, obligations and other activities, it might not be enjoyable to come home to find someone in gym clothes sweating all over the place.

As such, be sure to talk with your roommates about it. Ask them if they’re okay with you exercising while you’re there. If they’re not, inquire about some of the times they won’t be in the dorm.

They might not care, but it’s still polite to ask.

Make use of your surroundings I wrote a separate article about machine alternatives you could find around the house.

The same principle applies to dorm rooms.

The average UT dorm room comes with a desk and bed, which are objects one could easily do rows with. Chairs help with pushups or stepping exercises. Your door could be a pull-up bar. If you have a raised bed, it could aid your handstand pushups.

You can get creative with workouts and find new and interesting exercise replacements. Just look around.

Invest in some basic equipment Having had access to workout facilities at no extra cost, we might not be too prepared for fitness without all of the fancy machines and weights.

You don’t need a fully stocked home gym.

A few tools are enough. Inexpensive pullup bars can cost up to $50, though one could easily find one for $18 to $20. This instantly takes care of the hardest home workout issue: targeting the back muscles.

Resistance bands also mitigate the back issue. They also open up a new way to reach overload, since elastic lifts activate muscles in a way separate from lifting heavy. Very light weights (five to 10 pounds) are relatively inexpensive and great for both corrective exercise and shoulder lifts.

You don’t have to be rich. You don’t even need any equipment at all. However, if it makes your journey easier, it’s worth it.

Invest in cleaning supplies You’re going to get sweaty. That smell is going to get into everything if you don’t stop it. Trust me, you won’t want to live somewhere with that stench around every day.

Buy some air freshener and carpet cleaner.

It’s worth it.

Reserve a space in your apartment/dorm/ house If you’ve got a bit more space, mark off a spot and reserve it for exercise. This helps

Stefan Hatfield / The Daily Beacon with the mental struggle of working out where you relax. Once you enter that space in your workout clothes at your scheduled workout time, your mind knows that it’s time to focus.

Then, you can unwind and take a quick shower once you’re done. Suddenly, back in relaxation mode. While you’ll need to encourage yourself, the mental tricks can help.

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4

SPORTS

The Daily Beacon • Wednesday, August 26, 2020

Tennessee sports matchups to watch in the 2020-21 season RYAN SCHUMPERT Sports Editor

As we head into a new school year on Rocky Top, let’s take a look at some of the matchups that will have immense impact on Vol sports’ 2020-21 seasons.

Disclaimer: Due to the instability surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic some of the games listed have not had announced dates with all game dates subject to change.

Baseball Tennessee vs. Georgia, TBA Georgia head coach Scott Stricklin and Tennessee head coach Tony Vitello have both done wonders in rejuvenating their prospective programs since arriving and the two were at the top of the list of coaches that were upset by the lost 2020 season.

Both programs were set to have their best seasons since Stricklin and Vitello arrived and while plenty of talent still remains, both coaches lost star pitchers to the MLB Draft in Georgia’s Emerson Hancock (pick No. 6) and Tennessee’s Garrett Crochet (pick No. 11).

Two years ago, Vitello’s program got its first signature series win by taking two out of three over No. 4 Georgia.

Recreating that success against a division rival would show sustained growth from Vitello’s program and could be an easier series than Vanderbilt and Florida, who will likely both be in the top three in 2021.

Football Tennessee vs. Florida, Dec. 6 Tennessee and Florida’s mid September showdown is always one of the staples of the SEC schedule. For just the second time since the SEC split into leagues in 1992 the Vols and the Gators won’t meet in September.

Florida has dominated Tennessee in the past two years since Jeremy Pruitt and Dan Mullen took over their respected programs with the Gators out scoring the Vols, 81-24.

Pruitt has vastly improved Tennessee’s talent the last two years, but the Gators are ranked No. 8 in the preseason coaches poll and are anticipating their best season yet under Mullen.

The matchup will be played at Neyland Stadium, but with capacity expected to be severely limited who knows how much of a factor home field will play.

Improved quarterback play and limiting egregious blunders that have haunted Tennessee in the matchup over the past 15 years will be key if the Vols want to pull the upset.

Head Coach Jeremy Pruitt stands in front of his defensive team while facing the Kentucky Wildcats away in Lexington, Kentucky on November 9th, 2019.

Tennessee vs. Kentucky, Oct. 17 The Kentucky matchup doesn’t pop out when you look at Tennessee’s loaded 10-game season.

However, there won’t be many more important when it comes to the Vols chances of winning more than five games this year.

While Tennessee has still been successful against the Wildcats, Mark Stoops has quietly turned Kentucky into a solid SEC program, averaging eight wins a season over the last four years.

There may not be a team on its schedule that Tennessee is more equally matched up with than the Wildcats. When factoring in “others receiving votes,” the Vols rank No. 26 in the preseason coaches poll with Kentucky coming in at No. 29.

Tennessee and Jeremy Pruitt have had Stoops’ number, with Pruitt winning both headto-head matchups including 2018’s upset over No. 11 Kentucky. Tennessee will be debuting new black alternate uniforms for the matchup and Kentucky will be looking for its first win in Neyland Stadium in 36 years.

Memphis failed to meet expectations a year ago after star center James Wiseman sat out the season, but the Tigers have talented pieces back and hope incoming five-star Moussa Cissé can fill the void Wiseman left a year ago.

modores well and getting over the hump could be a season defining win for the Big Orange.

Tennessee at/vs. Kentucky, TBA

The SEC dominates softball as much, if not more, than any other sport and both the Lady Vols and Gators have been two of the conference’s most consistent programs.

In 2019, Tennessee got one of its biggest series wins of the season at No. 4 Florida but the Gators would get revenge two months later eliminating Tennessee in the super regional. The three game series was tight until the very end with Florida winning game three on a walk-off. The three games were decided by a combined five runs.

There will be a lot of high profile series involving the Lady Vols this season, but the matchup in Gainesville could prove huge in the SEC East race.

In a long list of things Rick Barnes has done well at Tennessee, nothing is higher than beating Kentucky and intensifying the border rivalry.

The Wildcats are the unquestioned gold standard of SEC basketball, but Barnes’ program has made a move to the top of the SEC and competed well against Kentucky, winning seven of 12 matchups against the Wildcats.

Kentucky lost its four top players from a year ago, but John Calipari’s program doesn’t rebuild but reloads. Both schools are in a strong position to compete for the SEC championship in 202021, and the two matchups between the two will surely play a large role in deciding the conference’s champion.

Men’s Basketball Tennessee vs. Memphis, Dec. xx

Soccer Tennessee vs. Vanderbilt, TBA

The third, and final, scheduled matchup between these two instate rivals doesn’t match the criteria of having “immense impact” on the Vols’ season, but the stakes and intensity will be high in Nashville for the rubber match.

Sparks flew postgame between head coaches Rick Barnes and Penny Hardaway after Tennessee won the first matchup of the renewed rivalry in December of 2018. Hardaway cursed Barnes’ name during a press conference the following week adding fuel to the rivalries’ already blazing fire.

With Memphis taking round two in Knoxville a year ago, and Barnes and Tennessee showing no desire to renew the series, the third matchup with a split crowd at Bridgestone Arena could be the most fun yet.

Vanderbilt’s program has been a model of consistency and will enter 2020 with back-toback SEC East titles and an SEC championship in 2018.

Thanks in part to injuries, Tennessee fell back to the middle of the SEC in 2019 after finishing second in the league in 2018 and making it to the NCAA quarterfinals for the first time in program history.

Head coach Brian Pensky has pieced together a talented roster that could surge back to the top of the SEC. The Vols lost just three seniors from a year ago, but all were big pieces including stars MA Vignola and Katie Cousins.

The Lady Vols have lost four straight to Vanderbilt with three of those defeats coming by only one goal. Tennessee has played the Com-

Softball Tennessee at Florida, TBA

Women’s Basketball Tennessee vs. Connecticut, Jan. 21 The biggest rivalry in women’s college basketball is set to pit the sport’s two most storied programs against each other. After playing each other every year for over a decade, the two didn’t play for 13 years before the rivalry was renewed last season.

UConn’s success has separated itself from the Lady Vols in the past decade, and the Huskies beat outmatched Tennessee 60-45 last year.

Expectations are higher for Tennessee in head coach Kellie Harper’s second season at the helm, and a strong performance against the nation’s top program would be a good sign of growth.

A win over Connecticut would be the program’s biggest in a very long time and would likely signal a return to former glory for the Lady Vols.

SPORTS

Wednesday, August 26, 2020 • The Daily Beacon

5

Players talk return to football, new position coaches RYAN SCHUMPERT Sports Editor

Tennessee players hit the practice field for the start of fall camp this week, marking the first time they’ve practiced, outside of walk throughs, since early March before spring practice was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Five months later and a lot has changed.

However, the pressing issue of whether a college football season should be played remains at the forefront of college athletics.

A trio of Tennessee players talked with the media on Thursday about their desire to play, while giving credit to Tennessee’s medical staff.

“It’s a blessing to have such a great medical staff that supports us, that wants the best for us,” sophomore linebacker Henry To’o To’o said. “They keep us updated every day on how this virus can spread and how it can reach our team. We feel very fortunate to go out there and play some ball. … We have to do the right things. We have to be responsible. Coach Pruitt

tells us all the time ‘act like pros now.’ We have to do the right things and be able to be responsible so we can have a season.”

“Me personally, I’m all in,” center Brandon Kennedy said. “I’m all in. We know the risk and we know the challenges. We’ve been educated and they [medical staff] do a great job of helping us.”

One of the arguments for a fall football season has been the idea that athletes are better off on campus with medical experts around them and the stability that playing a division one sport creates. To’o To’o echoed that argument Thursday.

“For a lot of players, if we were able to go home, who knows what we’d be doing,” To’o To’o said. “We wouldn’t be on a time schedule; we wouldn’t be responsible to go to things and be held accountable to do things on our own.

We would be out, traveling, probably be doing stuff with our family that we shouldn’t be doing.”

“Your teammates are around you and counting on you every day to do the right things day in and day out. A lot of guys would go home and not have a safe environment. … I feel safe here.”

To’o To’o was one of the first Vols to tweet out his support of playing this fall, joining the nationwide #WeWantToPlay movement. The twitter movement is just one of many ways’ athletes have been using their voice and power this offseason to try and enact change.

Players realizing their power isn’t something that Kennedy saw when he started his career at Alabama in 2015, but he believes that the past months have helped shined a light on the impact college athletes can have.

“The players have a voice, and it’s great for players to be able to speak up now,” Kennedy said. “I think at times in the last four or five months with everything that’s happened it’s helped players use their voice in a positive way.”

If a college football season is to happen, players not putting themselves into dangerous situations is going to be paramount. The need for extra accountability is going to be more important than ever this fall, and To’o To’o has attempted to move into a leadership role this offseason.

“I have to be able to lead the guys, no matter who it is,” To’o To’o said. “Age doesn’t matter when it’s time to be a leader. You have to be a

Editors’ Bios: City News Editor, Campus News Editor JAKE YODER City News Editor

SARAH RAINEY Campus News Editor

File / The Daily Beacon

File / The Daily Beacon

Hello! I’m Jake Yoder and I am the City Editor of the Daily Beacon. I have a passion for film, video games, anime and manga, so my main focus is entertainment journalism. Outside of the Beacon, I’m a staff writer at video game website Noisy Pixel and President of the Vols Japanese Cultural Association. I look forward to sharing my love for journalism and writing with you at the Beacon this semester!

Hello! My name is Sarah Rainey and I am going to be the Campus News Editor at the Beacon for the 2020-21 year! I am a junior studying English - Technical Communication and Language and World Business - Hispanic Studies.

I am from Milan, Tennessee, and a few things I love are languages, writing, editing and K-Pop. I have worked as a copy editor for two years and a staff writer for just under a year here at the Beacon, and I am so excited to take on the role of Campus News Editor!

File / The Daily Beacon

leader not only on the field but off the field, to be able to do the right thing all of the time. … I have to do a better job to set an example and be able to confront guys when they’re not doing the right things.”

Tennessee added four new assistant coaches this offseason in addition to Brian Niedermeyer moving from tight ends coach to inside linebackers’ coach. Though we haven’t gotten to talk with any of the new coaches, players have helped give a first look at running back’s coach Jay Graham and Niedermeyer in his new role.

“Coach Graham is an unbelievably great guy,” running back Eric Gray said. “He’s taught me so much in the short time he’s been here. Just being able to read a front, read a defense, a safety rotation. Different things like that, that I’ve never really thought about drawing on boards. He’s really great with the details and making sure you’re aligned correct and hitting the holes correctly.”

“If you know Niedermeyer, he’s a real juice guy,” To’o To’o said. “He’s excited about every single thing that we do, so it’s a blessing to have him recruit me and now be my coach because he hasn’t changed.”

6

SPORTS

The Daily Beacon • Wednesday, August 26, 2020

Barnes talks odd summer, outlook on 2020-21 season RYAN SCHUMPERT Sports Editor

The summertime is one of the strengths of the Tennessee basketball program. Rick Barnes’ program is known for its development of players, and no part is more crucial than the one-on-one work players get with coaches at Pratt Pavilion.

That work looked a lot different this summer. There weren’t pick up games. There wasn’t group work, and until the last few weeks, coaches weren’t allowed in close quarters with players at all.

“If we’re behind schedule it’s being behind with our younger players who didn’t get a full summer of what it’s really like,” Barnes said.

“I’ve used the analogy, the whole summer was like going to a driving range, a putting green and a short game area and never getting to play

golf. They weren’t able to play and have competition.”

“With that said, I think we got a lot done. We took it back to the bare basics with fundamentals and things we wanted done.”

Tennessee has four newcomers this season, less than they did a year ago, but the trio of talented freshmen and grad transfer E.J. Anosike are all expected to play a big role. Barnes believes that it’s the conditioning and mental reps that were lost that will hurt them the most.

When it comes to the 2020-21 season and what that could look like for a sport played inside during flu season there are a lot of questions but also ideas. For now, Barnes is in waitand-see mode monitoring how schools do with football and the students’ return to campus.

“We’ve got to get football going first,” Barnes said. “Obviously as a conference we’ve been talking about certain things, nothing drastic to be honest with you. I think it’s so important these next couple weeks that we see

how students come back on campus. … We’ll come up with plans, there’s no doubt.”

One idea seemingly gaining momentum is a bubble. The NBA and NHL both have gone to a bubble to finish their seasons and have had overwhelming success in stopping the spread of the coronavirus.

Barnes continually preached patience in watching how things progress with the virus but did throw out the idea of having bubble sites in December for programs interested in adding non-conference games.

“I just think we need to pump the brakes on a lot of things and see how football goes,” Barnes said. “Most universities have gone to where they’re going to finish up school in November. In the month of December ESPN could take the Maui Classic or Jimmy V [Classic] and take it to a bubble and for teams that are going to lose opponents because they’re not playing until January. When those tournaments are over, they could put some teams together who

want more games at a site like that.”

Barnes’ plan moving forward is the same as its been the past five months, stay the course, take the virus seriously and control what you can control. The sixth-year coach was complimentary of his team for doing everything asked of them, including not using the locker room and working out in masks.

While Barnes believes there’s a need to stay patient, he knows the harshness of the reality of another canceled or shortened season.

“We’ve got to play an NCAA Tournament,” Barnes said. “We’ve got to play. If we don’t it’s going to make it almost impossible for some schools. … What we have told our guys is what we tell you. We think we’re going to play basketball, and on time. … We tell them we’re going about it as if we’re going to play until they tell us not we’re planning on getting ready for our first game against Wisconsin.”

Editors’ Bios: Sports Editors File / The Daily Beacon

RYAN CREWS Sports Editor

RYAN SCHUMPERT Sports Editor

File / The Daily Beacon Hi, my name is Ryan Crews. I am a senior studying marketing and I am from Nashville. I spent my first two years of college at John Carroll University in Ohio, where I was on the football team. I love sports and history, and consider myself a college football historian, especially when it comes to SEC football.

I am a junior majoring in Journalism and Electronic media. I am a Brentwood, Tenn. native who has covered a plethora of UT sports for the Beacon and others including football, men’s basketball, baseball and soccer. I also work on The Volunteer Channel show, Sports Mecca, and am a scriber where I covers prep sports for the Maryville Daily Times.

SPORTS

Wednesday, August 26, 2020 • The Daily Beacon

7

Pruitt talks first week of practice, NCAA eligibility relief RYAN SCHUMPERT Sports Editor

Tennessee head coach Jeremy Pruitt talked with the media over Zoom Friday night at the conclusion of the Vols’ first week of fall camp.

Pruitt discussed some roster updates as well as touched on his team and his thoughts on the Cade Mays appeal.

Senior tight end Austin Pope announced in July that he had received bad news about disks in his back and that he was having surgery that was likely to keep him out of the 2020 season.

Things seem to be progressing well for the expected starting tight end, and with the season delayed Pruitt thinks he could be back much earlier than originally suspected.

“He’s been out every day,” Pruitt said. “He continues to improve. If he continues to improve the way he has the past five weeks he should be ready to play the opener.”

Pruitt started his press conference with some roster news. After being added, removed and added back to Tennessee’s official roster, 2020 signee Tamarion McDonald will redshirt his freshman season due to an offseason sur-

gery.

Pruitt said he expects McDonald to be ready for the start of winter workouts in January.

Regardless of Tennessee’s plans to redshirt McDonald, redshirts won’t be necessary in 2020 after the NCAA Board of Directors passed a rule stating that no player, regardless of whether they play a fall or spring season, will lose a year of eligibility.

The plan helps give players more freedom in making the best decision for themselves entering an uncertain 2020 campaign and is a plan Pruitt is very much in favor of.

“I think it’s a great idea,” Pruitt said. “The NCAA is in place, and we’re here, everyone in college athletics, to serve all the student athletes. It’s a great opportunity for them in a time of uncertainty. They can make decisions about their future and relive some anxiety.”

When it comes to giving schools scholarship relief Pruitt supports the plan the NCAA enacted for spring sports, adding the same amount of scholarships as a school has seniors.

“Where the numbers come into effect is the seniors,” Pruitt said. “A team with 30 seniors on scholarship would obviously be different than a team that has five. Just because you’re a senior doesn’t mean you’ll come back to play.

… Whatever happens we’ll adjust and be fine.”

The NCAA’s new rule isn’t the only topic about the NCAA that Pruitt broached Friday.

The Vols’ head coach shared his displeasure with the NCAA over the ruling that Georgia transfer Cade Mays wouldn’t be eligible right away.

Mays’ case for eligibility seems to stem from a lawsuit filed by his family against the University of Georgia after Mays’ father, Kevin, lost part of his finger during an accident on a recruiting trip at UGA. “Cade’s a guy based off of none of his doing, there’s a circumstance there with a lawsuit between his parents and the University of Georgia that started while he was still there,” Pruitt said. “I’m sure he worked hard to be the best player he could be and I’m sure there was pressure on both sides, it’s just something that doesn’t happen much.”

“To me it’s just common sense, if you have a lawsuit with your employer that’s probably not the most healthy situation. And that’s not bashing anybody at Georgia, that’s just common sense to me.”

Tennessee is appealing the NCAA’s decision and the Mays family has hired Knoxville lawyer Greg Isaacs to help his case.

Pruitt didn’t leave football out of his Friday Zoom call. The third-year head coach showed excitement with where his offensive line was, praising the OTA’s for helping to get them up to speed.

Pruitt also had praise for his freshman receivers, who are expected to play this fall.

Pruitt’s praise specifically fell on Columbia, South Carolina native Jalin Hyatt.

“Jalin is a guy that’s very polished,” Pruitt said. “He’s had three really good practices and he needs to continue to do that. He needs to work on ball security. … We’ve got to continue to work really hard at the line of scrimmage and the top of routes. He’s a guy that can really play all three positions.”

On the defensive end, Pruitt harped on the need to force more turnovers while providing an update on the battle for playing time at safety, with a need for consistency being a common theme.

“We have talent back there in the back end,” Pruitt said. “We have guys that have played in a lot of football games. It’s time for them to elevate their game. It starts at practice and you have to build consistency.”

Editors’ Bios: Photo Editor, Design Editor, Copy Chief, Digital Editor SYDNEY GOODSELL Photo Editor

File / The Daily Beacon Hello fellow Vols! My name is Sydney Goodsell and I am the Photo Editor here at The Daily Beacon. I am currently a sophomore and working towards a degree in Animal Science. I have a huge passion for everything photography, and I cannot wait to share with you all of the amazing shots our staff takes this year.

MICHAEL BLOODWORTH Design Editor

File / The Daily Beacon Hello! I’m Michael Bloodworth, a junior majoring in graphic design. My work utilizes design thinking in the organization of information and educational content. At the Daily Beacon, I focus on effective communication and data design through visual media. I can be contacted at mbloodwo@vols.utk.edu.

ALLIE JUSTIS Copy Chief

AUSTIN ORR Digital Editor

File / The Daily Beacon

File / The Daily Beacon

Hi! My name is Allie Justis and I’m the Copy Chief for this year and I’m a junior majoring in Journalism and Electronic Media with a minor in Anthropology. I’ve always wanted to be a journalist because I love storytelling and traveling. As an editor, my team and I are looking forward to a great year with even greater stories.

What’s up Vol Nation? I’m Austin Orr, and I’ll be your digital producer for the 2020-2021 school year. This summer I worked at a radio station in my hometown and I made a ton of awesome YouTube videos with my best friends!

I’m excited to finally be back on Rocky Top, and I am looking forward to working on lots of epic videos for everyone this year. No matter how much ramen it takes, my team and I are aiming to make this the best year of video content yet!

8

CITY NEWS

The Daily Beacon • Wednesday, August 26, 2020

5 new exhibits coming to the Knoxville Emporium Center on Sept. 4 JAKE YODER City News Editor

Downtown Knoxville is full of places to experience art and culture. Places such as the Tennessee Theater and the Knoxville Museum of Art are great places to experience established artists, but one of the best venuesinthecitytoexperiencemore“indie”artisthe Knoxville Emporium Center.

The Emporium Center is constantly featuring new artists. On Sept. 4, five new exhibits will be opening at the center, each ranging in style and direction.

The Emporium’s main gallery will be hosting Robert Felker and Allen Monsarrat: “Magic in Everyday Life.” The exhibit is focused on structures and scenes one would see while walking around on a normalday,withafocusonKnoxville.Theworksfeatured in “Magic in Everyday Life” put a particular focus on the play of lightineachscene,makingordinary scenes and pictures appear more magical.

The balcony will be hosting recent works by David A. Johnson and Christopher Mitchell. Johnson’s exhibit, “The Standard Knitting Mill: A Love Letter,” puts a spotlight on the abandoned Standard Knitting Mill on the west side of the Parkridge neighborhood.

The exhibit paints the old mill in a whole new light, exploring the beauty that can come from the dilapidation of architecture.

Similarly to Felker and Monsarrat’s exhibit, Mitchell’s “Film Photographs Printed from a Personal Darkroom” also looks to showcase the beauty of everyday places and scenes.

“The places I am drawn to are usually overlooked: places that people no longer frequent as much. A laundromat or a diner, a train station or an elk lodge,” the Ants and Culture website said. “I want my body of worktopreserveanotherwiseephemeralmoment,to slow down time, and, ultimately, to say, thank you for letting me take your picture.”

Ryan-Ashley Anderson’s “Linked,” an exhibit that features a series of pieces featuring links that are “created with unexpected materials in unexpected ways,” will be hosted in the Emporium’s display case.

“The foundation of my work is exploration and self-expression,” the Ants and Culture website said.

“Asajewelry-makerandartist who loves fashion and textiledesignanddrawsinspirationfromarchitecture and pattern, I am in a constant state of curiosity and discovery. I ask myself questions such as ‘how can I use this technique in an unexpected way?’ and ‘how can I push this material further?’”

The Emporium’s atrium will be hosting Tracye Sowders’ “Sheltered Wanderlust.” “Sheltered Wanderlust” will feature a series of paintings inspired by travel, physical and mental.

“When I am able to travel, I seek the golden thread of sheer existence that binds us all to one another. I seek the silk that weaves us together with nature,” the Ants and Culture website said. “I paint about the light that settles in our souls, and the idea that there is a natural touchstone for all of us.”

The Emporium’s north wall will be hosting “Birds of Seven Islands” by Ken Jenkins, Ron McConathy, and Clay Thurston. The exhibit will feature a number of images of birds promoting awareness of Seven Islands State Birding Park. The park, located in east of

File / The Daily Beacon Knoxville, encompasses 46 acres along the French Broad River.

The Emporium is limiting attendance to 75 and asks that all guests wear a face mask and social dis-

tance at all times. The new exhibits open on Sept. 4 and close on Sept. 25, with almost all pieces on display available for sale.

Beacon Beats: The Killers’ ‘Imploding the Mirage’ MADELYN MUSCHEK Staff Writer

Released on Friday, “Imploding the Mirage” is The Killers’ sixth studio album, and perhaps one of their most developed. The album feels authentically alternative rock, a mark of the band’s talent and consistency, all while creating a piece of work that’s as modern as it is classic.

“Imploding the Mirage” is the band’s first album since 2017’s “Wonderful Wonderful.” With only ten songs, it’s also The Killers’ shortest album, marking an interesting twist in the band’s album patterns.

“Imploding the Mirage” begins with “My Own Soul’s Warning,” an alternative rock anthem mixed with all the funk of 80s synth pop sounds. The longest song on the album, it sets the tone for the following songs with its high energy lyrics and heavy guitar influence.

Like “Dying Breed,” one of the leading singles released from the album, “My Own Soul’s Warning” takes us back to The Killers’ roots and feels like simply an upgraded, elevated

version of the sound that first captured listeners’ attentions in the mid-2000s, garnering the band much of their success.

One of the most popular songs on the album, “Fire In Bone,” shares the electronic keyboard sounds of the 80s with much of the other songs, reflecting nostalgia toward the past of music as well as the theme of the song in thinking about the past of a relationship.

“Imploding the Mirage” ends with its title song, the tenth on the album. Discussing the dichotomy between reality and dreams, the song focuses on holding onto dreams while letting go of the “mirage” that we build up around reality which only stands in our way eventually. It’s about letting go and moving forward with strength and honesty.

Thematically, “Imploding the Mirage” fits nicely with The Killers’ discography and with the genre of alternative rock. It’s about freedom and youth but also about nostalgia and regret. More than anything else, it’s about strength, perhaps the strength that comes with finding oneself again, like the band seems to have done.

Overall, “Imploding the Mirage” feels like

a callback to the past in many ways, while also looking toward the present. It reflects the recent past of The Killers’ career in its anthemic elements and classic alternative rock, critical parts of what makes up the band’s sound.

The album also reflects the more distant past of music more generally with its ties to 80’s funk and synth pop in a way that mixes all the good, catchy elements of the genre with

all the spontaneity and freedom of alternative rock.

“Imploding the Mirage” is a meeting place of past and present. It’s an intersection where The Killers find their sound again, but for what feels like the first time. It feels like the second coming of The Killers’, a testament to the band’s ingenuity, creativity and talent.

PUZZLES & GAMES

Wednesday, August 26, 2020 • The Daily Beacon

9

the daily beacon

crossword & sudoku

your morning coffee’s best friend.

Daily Egyptian 9/14 Crossword 2

LOS ANGELES TIMES CROSSWORD • Edited by Rich Norris and Joyce Lewis

STR8TS No. 503

Tough

Previous solution - Medium

5 6 7 8

6 7 8 9 4 3 1 2 3 1 2 5

8 9 3

9

1 8

1 2 © 2020 Syndicated Puzzles

1 7 7

6

You can find more help, tips and hints at www.str8ts.com

7 3 8 5 4 9 6 5 4 2 3 6 2 6 8 7 7 8 4 2 9

4 2 1 1 3 2 3 2 1 6 3 5 7 5 9 8 7 6 8 4 5 4 9 9 4 6 5 8 7 6

Easy

How to beat Str8ts – Like Sudoku, no single number can repeat in any row or column. But... rows and columns are divided by black squares into compartments. These need to be filled in with numbers that complete a ‘straight’. A straight is a set of numbers with no gaps but can be in any order, eg [4,2,3,5]. Clues in black cells remove that number as an option in that row and column, and are not part of any straight. Glance at the solution to see how ‘straights’ are formed.

5 7 1 2 8 3 5 4 3 7 9 6 3 9 4 9 3 5 2 1 The solutions will be published here in the next issue.

Previous solution - Very Hard

4

6 7 2 4 3 9 5 1 8

8 6 3 5

4 1 9 8 7 5 3 2 6

5 3 8 2 1 6 4 9 7

8 5 7 3 4 2 1 6 9

2 6 3 1 9 7 8 5 4

1 9 4 6 5 8 7 3 2

3 2 1 9 8 4 6 7 5

9 4 5 7 6 3 2 8 1

7 8 6 5 2 1 9 4 3

To complete Sudoku, fill the board by entering numbers 1 to 9 such that each row, column and 3x3 box contains every number uniquely. © 2020 Syndicated Puzzles

1 2

Across 1 5 9 12 13 15 16

SUDOKU No. 503

7

PuzzleJunction

18 19 20 21 23 26 28 29 30 34 35 37 38 40 41 42 43 47 48 49 52 53 57 58 59 60

1 12

2

3

4

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13

Riot spray Lawn starter 16 17 Forum greeting 20 21 19 Pedestal topper Traps 23 24 25 Obtain Sunshine State 26 27 28 city 29 30 Boiling blood Before, once 35 36 34 Apple throwaway Santa Anas, e.g.

40 38 39 Chickenfeed 41 42 Place for a pin Warning device 43 44 45 46 Luxury car, familiarly 47 48 Grandfather clock 53 54 55 52 part Jai ___ 58 57 Painting holder The life of Riley 60 61 Wicked king and Copyright ©2014 PuzzleJunction.com son of Zeus Anesthetized 61 Hardy heroine 13 Sand bar 39 Baby buggy 62 Trapper’s prize 14 “Folly” politician 40 Church official 17 Summits 42 Yam Down 22 Insinuation 43 Highlander 23 Kind of soup 44 dagger 1 Acarid 24 Sci. course Henry VIII’s 25 Fine-tune 2 Shevat follower sixth 26 Singer Falana 3 ___ slaw 45 Unit of energy 27 Astronaut Shepard 46 4 Building annex Bolivian export 29 Rodent 5 Tangle 47 Sobriquet 30 Mas’ mates 6 Artist’s stand 49 Ancient 31 Stow, as cargo 7 Hesitant sounds 50 Quick breads 8 Sandra of “Gidget” 32 Consumer 51 Soprano’s song, 9 Winery process 33 Mal de ___ 54 maybe 10 Cape ___ Islands 35 Fizzless 55 Thickness 11 Quebec seasons 36 Beef cut 56

10

11

31

32

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15 18 22

37

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Gladiatorial sites Extreme Noblemen Proficiency “Peter Pan” character, ___ Darling Unlocks Accounts Train station Emerald Isle Provoke Picnic pest Loan figure, briefly “Ulalume” poet Pub fixture

For many strategies, hints and tips, visit www.sudokuwiki.org If you like Str8ts, Sudoku and other puzzles, check out our books, iPhone/iPad Apps and much more on our store at www.str8ts.com

puzzles Wednesday.

NewNew puzzles every every Monday and Thursday.

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10

CITY NEWS

The Daily Beacon • Wednesday, August 26, 2020

‘Ghost of Tsushima’ review: The swan song of the PS4 SETH CHAPMAN Contributor

The PlayStation 4 has experienced a wealth of well-crafted, single-player focused exclusives within the past couple of years. From Horizon: Zero Dawn and God of War to The Last of Us Part 2 to a couple of months ago, Ghost of Tsushima is set to close out the PS4’s line of exclusives on a high note.

Developed by Sucker Punch Productions, the team behind the Sly Cooper and Infamous franchises, Ghost of Tsushima is an open-world action-adventure game set during 13th century Japan. Players take control of Jin Sakai, a young samurai lord, during the eve of the Mongol invasion of the Tsushima islands. The initial battle with the Mongol army devastates the island’s forces and Jin is forced to rally the people of Tsushima and retake their island.

Let’s start with the strongest aspect of Ghost of Tsushima: its world. The world of Ghost of Tsushima draws heavy inspiration from the real Tsushima islands, its history, as well as the stylings of old samurai cinema such as “Yojimbo” and “Seven Samurai”. What we get is a gorgeous vision of Japan that blends history and the mystical.

From the wind blowing through forests of golden Ginkgo trees to slats of sunlight piercing through a bamboo clearing, Ghost of Tsushima evokes a powerful sense of nature and beauty. Go anywhere in “Ghost of Tsushima” and I guarantee you that you will find a beautiful vista worthy of being your wallpaper.

However, if there is one downside to the visuals, it is how flat and muddied textures look under scrutiny. The interior of buildings look especially washed out. Certain character models look undetailed and sport not-so-polished animations, such as how foxes don’t quite touch the ground as they walk. However, these should all be taken as minor nitpicks. While Ghost of Tsushima may not be the most graphically intensive open-world game I’ve ever played, it certainly is one of the most stylish.

Exploring Ghost of Tsushima is a joy, and this is largely in thanks to its “guiding wind” mechanic. Whereas most open world games would set up a waypoint for the player, Ghost of Tsushima instead uses the wind to point the player to their destination. This smartly keeps the player immersed in the moment-to-moment gameplay while also gently nudging them in the right direction. Ghost of Tsushima also has a couple more neat environmental cues, such as birds and foxes that leads the player to special collectibles.

Of course, this being a samurai game, the combat needs to fit that style, and Sucker Punch certainly delivers in that department. While I have seen comparisons to Assassin’s Creed, the swordplay of Ghost of Tsushima is more akin to the Batman: Arkham series. Players will often have to juggle between multiple enemies com-

Courtesy of PlayStation ing at them at once, and, once you get a grasp on the timing of dodges and parries, there is a nice flow to the combat as Jin effortlessly cuts down his enemies.

The game encourages the player to think like a samurai, so patience and good timing are the keys to victory. One example of this is the dueling mechanic called “standoffs.” Anytime the player approaches a group of enemies, they can challenge them to a standoff, giving the player the opportunity to eliminate a few enemies before beginning combat proper. It’s a tense and cinematic encounter where the player has to unsheathe their blade just as the enemy attacks.

Enemies will do feints and screams in order to fake out the player. Small moments during combat like these make the experience feel rewarding and give you the sense that you are a proper samurai.

Since Jin always uses the katana as his primary weapon, different stances are what helps keep melee combat varied. In Ghost of Tsushima, each enemy has a defense bar. Before you can do proper damage to an enemy, the player first must break their defenses. While you can just hack away at their defenses, the best way to bypass them is to use the correct stance. There are for stances in the game, and each one corresponds with a specific enemy type. For example, the stone stance is most effective against swordsman and the water stance against shieldsmen.

The problem that I find between the stances is that, functionally, they aren’t very different from each other. Besides some different animations, they all have the same damage outputs, attack speeds and reaches. While each stance does possess one unique combo, you will rarely ever use it outside of the stance’s preferred target. In my eyes, this discourages experimentation in sword combat. Switching between stances feels less like I am a sword master and more like I’m playing a deadly game of rock-paper-scissors.

The biggest shortcoming of the stances comes during duels, which are effectively one-on-one boss fights. While these duels are often fun, climatic events, your strategy will remain the same

for nearly all duels. See, since most of the duelists you face are also swordsman, there is no reason you would ever use another stance besides the stone stance, making most duels play out the same way. While the duels are pretty to look at, they are not quite as engaging as they should be.

Finally, we get to the “Ghost” style of gameplay: stealth. Simply put, stealth is quite a bit of fun, and Jin gets plenty of tools to silently take out his foes and strike fear in their hearts. These range from gruesome poison darts to sticky bombs that were dipped in tar. While stealth is fun, it is also too easy. The enemy AI is not very smart and is easy to dupe, and, even on higher difficulties, I found that I always had plenty of stealth tools at my disposal to quickly and quietly take out my enemies. Over time, I did find that stealth got too repetitive and easy, and opted for open combat instead.

In Ghost of Tsushima, you will be doing largely the same thing you have done in other open worlds games: accepting side quests, completing challenges and retaking enemy outposts that dot the map. As for the main story, I found it to be good, if a bit predictable.

Most of the main story deals with Jin’s internal struggle as he resorts to more brutal tactics once he realizes the honor code of the samurai is not enough to defeat the Mongols. It’s an interesting story, supported by an entirely Japanese voice cast, but many of the major story beats become painfully obvious as who dies and who betrays Jin is heavily telegraphed.

As for the side quests, these activities are dubbed as “tales.” To be honest, most of the tales are skippable. Some of the basic tales suffer from having a very similar structure; Jin goes to an area, investigates it, follows a trail and kills some enemies. While the tales themselves aren’t bad, they do have a bad habit of repetition when it comes to gameplay. There are a few tales that subvert this, but most stick with that Witcher 3 style of side-questing.

However, I should note that there are certainly some tales worthy of your time. During Jin’s journey to become the Ghost, he meets allies

that help him in his cause. These allies have their own unique storylines that stretch out across the game’s entire length. These character storylines serve as a great way to get to know these characters and see them change over the course of their story. Not only that, the character storylines also do a fantastic job of offering up nice gameplay variety that the regular tales do not.

My personal favorite character storyline was that of Lady Masako Adachi. Lady Masako is the elder matriarch of Clan Adachi and she enlists Jin’s help in unraveling the conspiracy that destroyed her family. There are some wonderful character moments here, and often times these character side quests outshines Jin’s own personal story.

Finally, we get to the best part of Ghost of Tsushima: the mythic tales. Mythic tales are special side quests that rewards the player with special gear and combat techniques. These quests blend the history and myths of Tsushima island.

These quests kick off with gorgeously animated cutscenes that provide the history of the myth to Jin. Gameplay wise, these mythic tales are Ghost of Tsushima at its best. Mythic tales meld together fantastic environmental design with cleverly placed combat encounters. One of my favorite mythic tales involved using hyper-stylized paintings to find the right landmarks to venture towards. Even if you are the kind of player that only focuses on doing the main story, I urge you to go out and do all of the mythic tales; you won’t regret it.

When it comes down to it, Ghost of Tsushima is not that different from most open-world games. If you are burnt out on that genre, then Ghost of Tsushima isn’t going to change your mind. However, the game’s sense of style and place deserves praise, and anybody who loves open-world games should check it out. It may not be the revolutionary title people were looking for, but Ghost of Tsushima is certainly one of the most stylish and rewarding experiences out there.

CAMPUS NEWS

Wednesday, August 26, 2020 • The Daily Beacon

11

How to be a Vol no matter where you are MADELYN MUSCHEK Staff Writer

With all the changes this pandemic continues to bring, many students have decided to stay home this semester. While this can give students more flexibility, it can be hard to feel connected to UT and fellow Volunteers.

Here are some ways to feel like you’re a part of campus, even if you’re miles away.

Stay updated on social media One of the best ways to stay connected with UT is to keep up to date with social media.

The UT Knoxville Instagram consistently posts videos of events on Instagram stories as well as updates about campus responses to COVID-19. UT shares plenty of helpful information through social media, while also posting content that’s fun to watch from anywhere.

Just about every organization on campus has an Instagram presence, and are all posting about their current happenings. A few pages to check out are UT Housing, UT Athletics, Pride Center and International House. Feeling up-

dated on what’s going on around campus is an easy way to feel connected.

Attend any virtual events While some students are on campus this semester, UT realizes that not everyone will be, and wants to include students staying home in as many events as possible. This means that there are quite a few virtual events to attend.

For example, on Monday, Aug. 24, there is a virtual engagement fair, which is a great opportunity to be involved in campus life without being in Knoxville.

Additionally, participating in Big Orange Friday is a small way to show some Tennessee pride. Wear orange each Friday to represent the Volunteers even from your hometown.

Make friends in online classes There’s no doubt that Zoom classes can feel awkward. Between technical malfunctions and possible uncomfortable silences, it can be difficult to adjust to the format of online classes.

But remember, everyone else is going through this too.

In many classes, professors will still be doing group activities. By making an effort to talk

Lucas Swinehart / Daily Beacon to people in different classes, feeling connected to UT and our community can be made a little easier.

Connect with professors As a result of all online classes, it’s likely that you won’t get the chance to meet any professors in person this semester. However, this doesn’t mean you can’t form a meaningful connection with professors.

Many professors are eager to stay connected

with students and are more than happy to keep lines of communication open through both email and individual Zoom meetings. It can be helpful to form a relationship with your professors both for the class itself and also to have another person in Knoxville to connect with.

Remember, we’re all in this together. Although this semester will look different than most, we’re all still part of the Volunteer community. It’s important to stay connected and support each other from any place this semester has taken us.

How to make the most of an unusual semester: 5 tips and tricks BEN WINIGER Staff Writer

This semester will be unusual, to say the least. COVID-19 has done a number on us.

Many of our classes and clubs are virtual, stadiums are empty and we’re not getting any of our usual breaks.

Though it’s clearly not ideal, it’s the hand we’re dealt and we can still make the most of this strange situation.

So to help you make the most of this time, here are some tips and tricks to navigate this semester.

Wear a mask, maintain distance and wash your hands The virus isn’t taking a break now that school’s in session. First things first, stay safe and healthy. We must do what we can to slow the spread and protect our fellow students, staff and faculty.

Whenever you go out, wear a protective mask and maintain at least six feet of distance from those around you. After using the restroom or making physical contact with someone, be sure to wash or otherwise sanitize your hands. You could invest in a small bottle of sanitizer to keep in a pocket or bag.

Be careful who you hang around other people and get tested if you suspect you’ve been infected. Similarly, remember to do your daily self-screening whenever you come to campus.

Steven Bridges

Make a schedule We’re facing a busy semester. We have no labor day weekend, no fall break and all classes will wrap up by Thanksgiving. Add the need to stay in your dorm to the mix and it all seems mighty stressful.

Time management is more important than ever. You needn’t plot every hour but following a loose plan for spending time will keep you ahead of the game. Learning from home brings its own issues, an increased desire to procrastinate among them. Creating a loose schedule avoids this by providing a certain amount of structure without overly constricting you.

Motivate yourself and organize your time with one simple activity. Invest in a calendar or planner, or just write a timetable on a piece of paper. As long as you have some structure, everything else will become easier.

Join a virtual club Even though it may seem like it, clubs are not completely gone, they’ve just taken a new form.

Many clubs are hosting virtual meetings or doing a physical-virtual hybrid. Either way, you’ve still got some options to meet new people and pursue non-academic passions. Every club is different. If you don’t know about UT clubs, head on over to VolLink and get searching. If you’ve found one that interests you, email them and ask about their meeting policies.

You don’t need to neglect socialization this semester, just as long as you aren’t risking your health or the health of others.

Keep your room clean Your environment affects your mindset and your mindset affects your environment. A new school year can be hard enough without the added stress of an ongoing pandemic and a shorter semester. It’s always easy to get in your own head and stay there, but managing your environment is even more critical this semester than semesters before.

Despite this, we must stay positive and

hopeful and much of that lies in our perspective. Understanding that nothing lasts forever if we don’t let it, including the bad stuff, is crucial. However, perspective requires a clear head, and a cluttered environment encourages a cluttered mind.

Make like Marie Kondo and clean your condo. Put your laundry in your drawers and your school supplies in your desks/backpacks. Understand where you’d like to keep everything and make it so.

The experience is meditative if you let it be.

It gives your time to calm your mind and focus on a singular goal. You can then take that focus and apply it to the rest of your UT experience.

It’s harder to navigate through fog, so clear the fog.

Stay active I may be a biased party, but I’ve never encountered a physical activity that didn’t help destress. Your academic and social life can go much smoother if you maintain some level of fitness.

This does not mean you have to bulk up or slim down to impossible weights. We have enough to worry about without all the nonsense of body shaming.

What can be helpful is a healthy dose of exercise. Like decluttering, physical activities like jogging, hiking or sports can clear your head and leave you with a better, more focused mindset. It doesn’t have to be a lot, but a little goes a long way.

Stay safe, stay healthy and enjoy your time on Rocky Top.

12

CITY NEWS

The Daily Beacon • Wednesday, August 26, 2020

‘Dragon Ball Super’ chapter 63 review: No stakes Courtesy of VIZ Media

CONNOR HOLT Staff Writer

The sixty-third chapter of “Dragon Ball Super” just dropped and with it the continuation of the Z Fighters’ battle against the evil Moro.

However, as we know from last time, all the Z Fighters are down for the count and Merus, both an angel and member of the Galactic Patrol, has stepped in to fight in their place.

While there wasn’t anything terrible about this chapter, there are a number things that I wasn’t satisfied with in execution: the stakes of Merus’ fight, the dramatic irony at play and the conclusion.

In the beginning of the chapter, the stakes were made clear to the reader: all fighters had been defeated, totally unable to continue the battle without immediate healing from Dende.

In the meantime, Merus would carry on the fight as long as he could.

This scenario is very common in the “Drag-

on Ball” franchise. The issue I had was that during this extremely short time period, (most likely only a few minutes) Dende brings up how much more time it would take to heal Goku’s wounds, as what we were left with in the previous chapter made it appear as though Goku was a dead man. I might have preferred this to have happened in a future chapter because, what seemed like only a page later, Goku was revived to perfect condition and had returned to the battle.

This is where the stakes of Merus’ fight fail for me. We are told here that there is a time limit for how long Merus can stay in the fight, because as an angel he will disappear from reality for the crime of engaging in such combat.

Goku’s insertion back into the fight makes the existence of that scenario pointless. There was no buildup of stakes from Goku’s defeat.

As far as the dramatic irony is concerned, I wasn’t impressed, though this is a minor grievance.

Jaco being confused about the situation, not

knowing the true nature of Merus, was a poor attempt at comedy to diffuse what was supposed to be a tense situation for the reader.

The entire comedic aspect of Jaco’s character watching the battle actually inhibited the stakes that the Z Fighters’ removal should have added.

My final issue with this chapter is the conclusion.

While I won’t spoil exactly what occurs at the end, it felt like it was trying to make a call back to the iconic scene in “Dragon Ball” where Goku finally achieves Super Saiyan after witnessing the death of his best friend Krillin. If that is the kind of significant transformative moment this chapter wished to mirror, they did a terrible job of doing it and no aspect of that moment shined through in any manner that one can appreciate.

I don’t want to act like this chapter was simply awful, however. It wasn’t, I just felt like much of it was poorly executed. As always, the fight scenes in “Dragon Ball Super” are some of

the best choreographed battles in modern shonen battle manga. You can read into the fighting styles of each character and learn about their personality through how they move. In the case of Merus, his character shines through every movement he made in the battle. That’s significant.

Furthermore, I found the discussion between Beerus and Whis to be rather insightful to just how much apathy they have toward others, and what exactly Whis’ motivation is. I honestly felt like they had become friends with the Z Fighters just like everyone else does, but clearly that isn’t the case for Beerus, and Whis is an enigmatic mystery who I want to learn more about.

Hopefully, the payoff for this chapter is greater than the value of this chapter on its own, but if not, the entire arc will probably not be a high note that readers will look back on fondly.

2.5/5 Torches