Blue Beetle is DC's answer to villainous Darth Vader (sort of)

Date - 20/08/2023 Written - Narendra Dudhwa

[{"selector":"#anim-8bc32120-0ea8-4cfd-bacc-30ee81f63099","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":3434,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-ad6a019d-d25b-4a58-9318-bed2c250976d","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 177.94197%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":3434,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-e0a729a8-2fdc-4f3e-a0eb-86cee07b1561 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-34.179687404002955%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] There are a few key moments in "Blue Beetle" that see DC's latest big-screen hero creep into familiar "Spider-Man" territory,

[{"selector":"#anim-196275b0-ccfa-4dd1-9335-0abbd9d3e9d4","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":3434,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-63fb54cd-e0ec-4ff0-838c-0394a6982539","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 344.02120%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":3434,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-c1a9e941-eb02-4ffe-89ff-1ab0ef9033d2 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(34.179687404002955%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] And it's not the only big franchise it's taking notes from.

[{"selector":"#anim-724982d4-6c48-4a4f-8c96-00e3a3efb322","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":3434,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-49bb741a-4d79-48e5-a90b-69fc05bfeb0c","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 154.36847%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":3434,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-b6acb61f-f3b9-4a74-977a-073266ad59f4 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-34.179687404002955%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] For the Force-sensitive among us, you may notice some strong similarities between the big bad of "Blue Beetle" and another from a galaxy far, far away.

[{"selector":"#anim-4dee8139-70b8-4948-a3a8-dc000120f2dd","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":3434,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-b3fd0b2d-6f1c-4a25-9cc7-329b4a922f54","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 263.66592%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":3434,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-f57af8f4-d413-4513-a06a-6db57c17a09b [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(34.179687404002955%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] Jaime (Xolo Maridueña) may not be at the forefront of a massive rebellion,

[{"selector":"#anim-c32139f2-86c3-4086-bbe2-c575c96ea605","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":3434,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-41e82904-ff2d-48e7-bc7d-e910e17f90c9","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 154.36847%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":3434,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-2849b344-5fc3-439d-9bf0-58e3cf89da4f [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-34.179687404002955%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] But she's certainly got the same struggles as Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill), in the form of the evil and corrupt Victoria Kord (Susan Sarandon).

[{"selector":"#anim-ff84a926-157b-4783-98e3-fb9d2f34ce58","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":3434,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-dff10a7b-1fef-4cf5-a723-50dbaebb6618","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 263.66592%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":3434,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-533cb288-04ac-47f1-b6e8-cebb64c78882 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(34.179687404002955%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] as well as his nearly silent but violent henchman, Conrad Carapax (Raúl Trujillo).

[{"selector":"#anim-44b6a33f-7db6-4be6-827a-c756bfd580c1","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":3434,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-c378af33-fd51-4813-a4e1-2f7a8af917c0","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 263.66592%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":3434,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-4075d995-5ee8-44a3-a334-6fcb926fe8b2 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-34.179687404002955%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] These two feel a lot like "Blue Beetle" versions of Emperor Palpatine and Darth Vader,

[{"selector":"#anim-d99eee96-f6a4-4f01-99f9-ad922a89662f","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":3434,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-03837437-b376-49ab-b293-0269ab6769cc","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 344.02120%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":3434,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-d456640d-a186-4e96-9da8-cdf2f116c981 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(34.179687404002955%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] albeit with a very brief partnership that quickly went south.

[{"selector":"#anim-e93fe395-5b6e-45d5-bf3a-fe60d5af1d72","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":3434,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-836ae4bb-a9fa-4069-b840-cd0d719ef475","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 344.02120%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":3434,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-4aa2c03c-9ace-4791-8b44-98488778626d [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(0%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] Blue Beetle is DC's answer to villainous Darth Vader (sort of)