title: M41 Walker Bulldog

text: Beginning in 1946, the United States Army commissioned a project to oversee the replacement of the M24 Chaffee light tank in the reconnaissance role. For preliminary purposes this hypothetical tank was to be known as "T37". However, in the wake of World War II most armored vehicle development programs suffered from a lack of impetus and inadequate funding. The T37 concept did not reach viability until 1949, when three disparate prototypes were finally built. The second prototype of the trio, "T37 Phase Two", was selected for further testing and received a unique designation, "T41". In its final, pre-production form this model was known as "T41E1" to the US Army.


title: M41 Walker Bulldog

text: The T41E1 was envisaged as a highly mobile light tank, capable of undertaking aggressive reconnaissance and being sufficiently armed to engage the latest Soviet medium tanks if necessary. It was to utilize automotive parts and components already common to other US military vehicles and incorporate a modular hull capable of being converted for a variety of other specialized roles. For example, the US Army requirement called not only for a light tank, but an air defense platform and an armored personnel carrier based on the same chassis. A specific powerplant had even been pre-selected for all three proposed vehicles: a Continental or Lycoming six-cylinder, air-cooled gasoline engine. This made the T41E1 one of the first American tanks to be designed around a preexisting engine type, rather than being built first and then adopting a suitable engine. Weighing nearly 52,000 pounds, the T41E1 was so heavy it would have easily been classed as a medium tank in its own right only about five years earlier, and was no longer deemed suitable for frequent airborne deployments.


title: M41 Walker Bulldog

text: The Army placed orders for the T41 circa August 1950. The tank was christened the "Walker Bulldog"—after the late General Walton Walker who was killed in a Jeep accident a year earlier—at a demonstration for President Harry S. Truman at Aberdeen Proving Ground in February 1951.


title: M41 Walker Bulldog

text: Serial production was delayed by technical difficulties stemming from the decision to incorporate an integral rangefinder directly into the steel turret. A renewed sense of urgency introduced by the outbreak of the Korean War and increasing demands by the US Army for more tanks resulted in production hurriedly commencing in mid-1951. The hasty production cycle led to numerous modifications during the course of and after manufacture. Cadillac repurposed a warehouse in Cleveland in August 1950 and began outfitting the location for production of the Walker Bulldog and other combat vehicles, namely the Cadillac M42 Duster. The plant, employing 3700, delivered the first production M41 Walker Bulldog in March 1951. The first eight Bulldogs were delivered to the US Army in July.


title: M41 Walker Bulldog

text: By March 1952 over 900 M41s had already been manufactured. These entered service too late to take part in the Korean War, though some may have been shipped out to US forces in that region just as the fighting ended. Roughly 1,802 were built, but these suffered from a variety of technical issues due to their somewhat rushed production, and a second mark, the M41A1, was introduced to correct these problems. Over 4,000 engineering design changes were requested by the US Army between July 1951 and July 1952. Approval to issue the M41 type to regular units was denied until December 1952, when the new mark was introduced. Another 1,631 baseline M41s were also relegated to storage at the Ordnance Corps Depot in Lima, Ohio until their deficiencies could be corrected.


title: M41 Walker Bulldog

text: The M41A1 was later superseded by the M41A2 and M41A3, which had the advantage of greater ammunition stowage, and considerably simplified gun and turret systems. Despite these detail improvements, the M41 series did not prove especially popular in US service. Crew members seated in the turret often complained of limited interior space. Reconnaissance units criticized the height and size of the design, which reduced its ability to reconnoiter discreetly, and although it was intended for employment with airborne units, its weight made it impractical for airdrops. This led to the development of the M551 Sheridan, which was designed for airdrops, and in which low combat weight was considered a key factor. M41 production ceased around late 1954, allowing the US Army to refocus on developing medium tanks such as the M47 Patton. As early as mid-1952 the US government had become so disillusioned by the M41's perceived shortcomings that it recommended the M41 acquisition process be terminated and a new light tank development project initiated; however, General J. Lawton Collins, then Army Chief of Staff, successfully argued for the existing purchase orders to be filled.


title: M41 Walker Bulldog

text: With the introduction of increasingly well-armored Soviet main battle tanks, the M41 was no longer perceived as powerful enough for frontline service, and it was replaced by the much lighter and more heavily armed Sheridan during the late 1960s. Most second-hand US M41s were refurbished and subsequently sold or donated to US allies abroad, namely Brazil, Japan, and South Vietnam.


title: M41 Walker Bulldog

text: When the M41 entered production, it was not considered economical to simply manufacture a single tank chassis and hull. The US Army wanted the M41 series to include various supporting vehicles built using the same chassis, engine, tracks and as many as other associated automotive components as possible to simplify logistics. Cadillac obligingly produced the M42 Duster anti-aircraft vehicle, as well as the M44 and M52 self-propelled howitzers, and the M75 armored personnel carrier, all based on an M41 chassis and drive train. The acquisition process for these vehicles was risky because unlike the M41, no prototype or test models were manufactured and trialed. In January 1951, under intense pressure to meet the US Army's requirements, representatives of the Army Ordnance Corps agreed to approve the anti-aircraft platform, self-propelled guns, and armored personnel carrier for production "with the full knowledge that in doing so there were certain inherent risks involved by foregoing complete tests and evaluation". The technical problems encountered with the series, coupled with those of the M41 in general, led to the US Army only adopting the M75 in large numbers.


title: M41 Walker Bulldog

text: During the prelude to the Bay of Pigs Invasion, the Central Intelligence Agency proposed creating a single tank platoon composed of anti-communist exiles to support Brigade 2506's incursion and subsequent seizure of strategic sites in Cuba likely to be patrolled or defended by armor, mostly Soviet-supplied T-34/85 medium tanks. To that end, the CIA procured five M41 tanks from US Army reserve stocks and earmarked them for this purpose. American instructors trained the prospective Cuban tank crews at Fort Knox in March 1961, teaching them driving and gunnery basics. The tanks were transported to the Cuban coast by a single Mechanized Landing Craft on April 17, then came ashore with infantry support in a combined arms amphibious assault on Playa Girón. Due to a lack of adequate air support, the "brigadista" M41s had to land under heavy fire from circling Cuban aircraft, although all of the tanks succeeded in advancing past the beach intact. They immediately attacked a local airstrip, inflicting heavy casualties among the defending Cuban militiamen, who did not possess adequate anti-tank weapons. The militia organized an ill-advised counterattack with a single battalion, which was annihilated by the tanks and "brigadista" mortar crews in an engagement remembered in Cuba as the "Slaughter of the Lost Battalion".


title: M41 Walker Bulldog

text: Although the exiles had arrived at multiple landing sites, since Playa Girón was the furthest inland Cuban president Fidel Castro ordered the military to concentrate on destroying the exile force there. Four infantry battalions and two companies of Cuban T-34/85 tanks were ordered to retake the airfield and beachhead, but their radio transmissions were intercepted by the exiles, allowing them to plan their defense accordingly. The Cuban forces shelled Playa Girón with artillery around midnight, then advanced towards the village by road, with the T-34/85s in the lead. Three M41s which had taken up positions directly opposite the road junction nearest the beach then opened fire on the column at extremely close range. At least two T-34/85s were initially destroyed, a third disabled by track damage, and a fourth captured by the rebels intact when its crew surrendered. The M41s succeeded in knocking out several more attacking T-34/85s which became stranded on the narrow road and bottlenecked due to difficulties their crews encountered in skirting the existing wreckage. However, this success was short-lived: the unexpectedly heavy resistance encountered by Cuban armor ensured that by noon the following afternoon all the M41 crews had exhausted their ammunition.


title: M41 Walker Bulldog

text: At one point American Defense Secretary Robert McNamara proposed using the US Navy vessels within the vicinity to move another eight M41s and their associated ammunition to support the exiles; however, without sufficient supplies or air support Brigade 2506 was unable to hold its positions against repeated Cuban armored attacks and was overwhelmed. The surviving M41s were abandoned on the beach near Playa Girón when the invasion ended.


title: M41 Walker Bulldog

text: The Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN)'s fledgling armored corps had its roots in a colonial armored corps established by French Indochina in 1950 and equipped with old M24 Chaffee and M5 Stuart light tanks. Throughout the 1950s and early 1960s South Vietnamese armor was not used in offensive maneuvers and was often unserviceable due to logistical problems and age. With the formation of the Military Assistance Command, Vietnam (MACV) in 1962, US influence on ARVN doctrine grew; all armored units were subsequently reorganized and patterned after the US cavalry regiments. American advisers also made a concerted attempted to refurbish the ARVN M24 fleet but encountered sourcing problems with the US Army supply system's dwindling stock of M24 parts, most of which had already been disposed of or donated to other countries. They arranged to have the engines from the ARVN M24s periodically sent to Japan for overhaul, but this was considered neither practical nor economic in the long term.


title: M41 Walker Bulldog

text: In mid-1964, as part of a greater effort to introduce more modern equipment to the ARVN, the MACV proposed that the South Vietnamese armored corps be increased by five tank squadrons. Between January and April 1965 all the ARVN M24s were decommissioned or passed to the Republic of Vietnam Air Force base security units and replaced by M41A3s. The M41 proved extremely popular with South Vietnamese tank crews, who were generally of smaller stature than their American counterparts and did not experience the same discomfort operating within the tank's limited interior space. ARVN M41s undertook their first combat employment less than a year later, and played an instrumental role in crushing the 1966 Buddhist Uprising. The tanks were mostly used to support ARVN infantry in street fighting, especially around Da Nang.


title: M41 Walker Bulldog

text: Seventeen ARVN M41s were initially sent to Laos as part of Operation Lam Son 719 between February and March 1971, an abortive cross-border incursion to disrupt strategic supply lines for the People's Army of Vietnam (PAVN) and the Viet Cong. The tanks were to coordinate their actions with several ARVN heliborne and paratroop units, who would be joining them by air. Their offensive soon stalled when a PAVN tank battalion equipped with T-54 and PT-76 tanks attempted to overrun one of the ARVN's designated landing zones. In the first major armor engagement of the Vietnam War, the M41s counterattacked, and ARVN claimed six T-54s and seventeen PT-76s were destroyed Five M41s and 25 APCs were lost during the same encounter, mostly to land mines and rocket-propelled grenades However, the PAVN continued to regroup and counterattack over the next week, forcing the outnumbered South Vietnamese units to abandon the landing zone and withdraw further south. Failure to maintain a cohesive withdrawal led to individual infantry or mechanized units with no armor support of their own being cut off and surrounded by PAVN tanks. ARVN commanders declared they did not possess enough tanks or anti-tank weapons to eliminate the PAVN armored threat, which had been underestimated during their operational planning. For the remainder of the operation, the M41s were dug into defensive positions and essentially used as static artillery. This prevented the ARVN from taking full advantage of their mobility, and units elsewhere had to depend solely on well-timed air support from South Vietnamese or US bombers to stave off PAVN tanks. Armor reinforcements were eventually dispatched to help bolster the ARVN forces in Laos, but these arrived piecemeal and it is unclear how many additional M41s actually reached the operational area. Due in part to conflicting orders, the final ARVN withdrawal from Laos, conducted while under pursuit from PAVN T-54s, was disorderly and resulted in a number of M41s being abandoned intact by their crews. The ARVN lost 54 M41 tanks during its abortive incursion into Laos.


title: M41 Walker Bulldog

text: During the PAVN Easter Offensive of 1972, M41s were again dug into static positions, and typically engaged attacking T-54 or Type 59 tanks from defile. As this tactic sacrificed the tanks' superior maneuverability, the PAVN tanks responded with flanking movements which enveloped and overran the M41s before they could maneuver. North Vietnamese infantrymen also succeeded in knocking out several platoons of static M41s with 9M14 Malyutka ("AT-3 Sagger") anti-tank guided missiles. Still others were captured, and used by the PAVN at the Battle of An Lộc, where defending US troops were forced to destroy them with M72 LAWs.


title: M41 Walker Bulldog

text: Between 1965 and 1972 the U.S. had shipped 580 second-hand M41A3s to supply various ARVN tank units and replace losses sustained in combat. According to SIPRI, between 1972 and 1974 the ARVN only took delivery of M48 Pattons, which gradually superseded the M41 as the primary tank in South Vietnamese service. According to MACV South Vietnam received 19 M41 tanks during 1974.


title: M41 Walker Bulldog

text: As of October 1, 1974, South Vietnam had 197 M41 tanks in service, 156 in repair and 18 in not operational condition.


title: M41 Walker Bulldog

text: During the PAVN's 1975 Spring Offensive, 300 M41s were destroyed or abandoned by their crews and captured. PAVN forces used these against the ARVN during the Fall of Saigon.


title: M41 Walker Bulldog

text: During the early 1960s, Argentina received five M41s on ostensibly permanent loan from the United States. The terms of the transfer remain unclear, as despite formally entering service with the Argentine Army the five tanks were still listed as property of the American government. They were first publicly paraded in Buenos Aires following the 1966 revolution. Upon a subsequent deterioration of diplomatic relations with the US, Argentine leaders ordered the tanks returned to that country. They were superseded in Argentine service by the AMX-13, and a proposal to purchase or request the loan of more M41s from the US was permanently shelved.


title: M41 Walker Bulldog

text: The M41 was the first tank to be adopted in large quantities by Brazil's armed forces, and formed the armored mainstay of both the Brazilian Army and the Brazilian Marine Corps well into the twenty-first century. In 1960, an initiative to modernize existing Brazilian armored units led to the purchase of 386 second-hand M41s from the US government. The tanks were delivered in successive shipments over a period of seven years. Between 1984 and 1985, Bernardini S/A Industria e Comercio, an industrial firm in São Paulo, rebuilt and modernized all the Brazilian M41s to prolong their service life. The principal features of the modernization program were a replacement of the original Chrysler petrol engine with a diesel model, thicker armor, and replacement of the 76 mm gun with a 90 mm gun produced by boring out the original armament. The rebored gun was modified to fire Belgian fin-stabilized, shaped charge projectiles developed for the Cockerill Mk. III smoothbore cannon already fitted to Brazil's preexisting fleet of EE-9 Cascavel armored cars. The tank's transmission was also upgraded to increase acceleration and give it a maximum road speed of 70 km/h (43 mph). In Brazilian service, these upgraded M41s received the designation M41B and M41C.


title: M41 Walker Bulldog

text: In 1958, the Lebanese Army received either 40 or 50 M41A3 tanks from the US to replace its obsolete British Sherman Firefly medium tanks and French Hotchkiss H35 and Renault R35 light tanks that saw action in the 1958 Lebanon crisis. Lebanese M41s were extensively employed during the Lebanese Civil War by the Lebanese Army and various armed groups in and outside Beirut between 1975 and 1977, following the collapse of the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) structure in January 1976. During this period, most of the regular Army's M41s fell into the hands of the competing Christian-rightist Lebanese Front and Muslim-leftist Lebanese National Movement (LNM) militias or were taken way by dissident rebellious Lebanese Army factions. Captured M41s were employed by the Lebanese Arab Army (LAA), Army of Free Lebanon (AFL), Kataeb Regulatory Forces (KRF), Tigers Militia, and the People's Liberation Army (PLA). Nearly all M41s eventually were returned by the militias to the Lebanese Army in 1977-78, and remained in service until the 1983-84 Mountain War, when they were retired and quickly replaced by M48A1 and M48A5 main battle tanks provided by the US and Jordan.


title: M41 Walker Bulldog

text: In 1960, the Royal New Zealand Armoured Corps procured ten M41s from the US to replace its obsolete Valentine tanks, which had been inherited from its close association with the British Army during World War II. As a result of their adoption and the retirement of the Valentines, the organization of New Zealand's armored corps was altered from two tank squadrons to a single cavalry squadron consisting of M41s and M113 armored personnel carriers. The decision to acquire the new tanks was made a year earlier, in 1959, and this allowed army maintenance technicians to be sent to the US well in advance and receive the necessary familiarisation training at Fort Knox before the tanks reached New Zealand. After the acceleration of the US military commitment to Vietnam, General Maxwell D. Taylor suggested the New Zealand M41s be deployed there to support allied operations. The proposal was rejected, but Australia offered to send a squadron of Centurion tanks in their stead.


title: M41 Walker Bulldog

text: By 1978, New Zealand's M41s were no longer regarded as cost-effective due to their increasing age, as well as an inadequate budget for their continued maintenance. The Ministry of Defence argued that a cheaper light tank was needed, and in 1983 the M41s were decommissioned and replaced by the FV101 Scorpion. Only one was retained in operational condition; this was donated to the New Zealand National Army Museum.


title: M41 Walker Bulldog

text: During the mid to late 1970s, the purported presence of M41 Walker Bulldog tanks in the South African Defence Force (SADF) aroused international interest, especially when press reports suggested they had been used as part of "Operation Savannah", a controversial 1975 South African military incursion into Angola. In 1977, an economist named Sean Gervasi at the Fernand Braudel Center claimed that the SADF was in possession of 100 M41s. Similar figures were subsequently repeated in a variety of literature and academic sources.


title: M41 Walker Bulldog

text: As a voluntary arms embargo had been imposed on South Africa due to the passage of United Nations Security Council Resolution 181, Gervasi was invited to testify on this claim before the US House of Representatives, which had a subcommittee on African relations. According to the minutes from the discussion, the delivery of one M41 Walker Bulldog to South Africa was acknowledged by the Department of State, presumably for evaluation purposes, although this took place in the early 1950s and predated the arms embargo. William H. Lewis, director of the Bureau of Inter-African Affairs at the State Department, debunked Gervasi's allegations that the US had supplied South Africa with a large stockpile of tanks.


title: M41 Walker Bulldog

text: As late as 1982 the Angolan government continued to make unsubstantiated claims that US-supplied M41s were being used during South African raids into Angola.


title: M41 Walker Bulldog

text: Uruguay embarked on a significant revitalization campaign for its armored corps in 1981, purchasing 20 FN-4RM/62F light armored cars and 22 M41A1 Walker Bulldog tanks from Belgium. The tanks underwent a significant rebuild prior to their export, including the installation of new armor plate by a German contractor, and replacement of the turret armament with a 90 mm Cockerill Mk. IV cannon and an FN MAG co-axial machine gun, respectively. The new cannon fired fin-stabilized high explosive anti-tank (HEAT) and high explosive squash head (HESH) shells. These M41s were designated "M41A1U" and were retrofitted with diesel engines by a Brazilian firm in 1991.


title: M41 Walker Bulldog

text: The M41 Walker Bulldog was the first postwar tank to be adopted by the Bundeswehr after its formation in 1955. In German service, it was primarily utilized for its traditional role of reconnaissance. Each Bundeswehr division was organized with an integral armored reconnaissance battalion of one M41 company and two companies of Schützenpanzer SPz 11-2 Kurz tracked scout vehicles. The concept of light tanks proved unpopular with the Bundeswehr, and by 1966 all its M41s had been retired and replaced with the much heavier M48 Patton and Leopard 1 in armored reconnaissance battalions. Additionally, the M41 was used in a tank destroyer role until 1969, first in divisional tank destroyer battalions and later also in the tank destroyer platoon of the heavy company of a mechanized infantry battalion.


title: M41 Walker Bulldog

text: The hull of the M41 is of welded steel construction, with the driving compartment located at the front of the tank and to the left. This may be accessed through the hull by a single piece hatch cover opening to the right. When the hatch is closed, the tank is navigated by three driving periscopes mounted forward of the driver's position and one to the left. There is no night vision equipment fitted as standard, although in some models an infrared searchlight could be mounted externally on the turret or the day periscopes replaced with new infrared periscopes. An emergency escape hatch is situated beneath the driver's seat. The engine compartment is located towards the rear of the hull and is insulated from the crew by a fireproof bulkhead. The Allison Cross-Drive Model CD-500-3 transmission is located within this compartment, immediately behind the engine, and includes one forward and one reverse gear ratios. All M41 tanks utilize a torsion bar suspension, which supports five road wheels with the drive sprocket at the rear and idler towards the front, and three track return rollers. The first, second, and fifth road wheel stations have hydraulic shock absorbers. Although the M41 is not considered amphibious, it was designed for fording up to 1.016 meters of water without preparation, and up to 2.44 meters of water with preparation. The hull is fitted with electric bilge pumps accordingly.


title: M41 Walker Bulldog

text: Standard M41 turrets are of cast and welded steel construction and fitted with a turret basket. The crew commander and gunner are seated to the right and a loader seated to the left. Turret rotation is assisted by hydraulic/electrical drives and takes approximately ten seconds to traverse a full 360°. Crew commanders have a day periscope and a turret cupola with five vision blocks for observation; this is also provided with a hinged hatch cover opening forwards. Both the loader and gunner are also provided with periscopes. In some models, there is an additional stowage basket welded to the rear of the turret, and a dome-shaped ventilator on the turret roof.


title: M41 Walker Bulldog

text: The M41 has a very distinctive, well sloped glacis plate with a horizontal top, and may also be readily identified by its large exhaust pipes on each side of the upper hull rear. Both turret sides are vertical and slightly sloped. Other identifying features on the turret include the bustle and stowage box at the rear, the commander's cupola to the right, and the muzzle brake with fume extractor on the main armament.


title: M41 Walker Bulldog

text: The M41A1, M41A2, and M41A3 were equipped with a 76 mm M32A1 high velocity rifled cannon firing fixed high explosive (HE), armor piercing (AP), or high velocity armor piercing (HVAP) ammunition. The baseline M41 was equipped with a very similar 76 mm M32/T91E3 cannon. In all four marks, a co-axial .30 caliber machine gun is mounted to the left of the main armament; additionally, in US service an external .50 caliber machine gun was also mounted to the turret roof. The 76 mm cannon has a maximum elevation of +19.75° and a depression of −9.75°. It utilizes a vertical sliding breech block and a spring actuated, inertia percussion firing mechanism. To prevent overpressure and help absorb recoil, the cannon has also been fitted with a bore evacuator, a blast deflector, and a concentric hydrospring recoil system. Ranging is manual and conducted through the gunner's M97A1 telescopic sight. Maximum range of the M32/T91E3 and M32A1 is estimated at 4,752 meters.


title: M41 Walker Bulldog

text: In 1982, the AAI Corporation announced that it had developed a 76 mm APFSDS shell for the M32A1 and M32/T91E3, which greatly increased the M41 tank's lethality. Both Denmark and the Republic of China (Taiwan) purchased an undisclosed amount of the new ammunition.


title: Street Woman Fighter

text: Street Woman Fighter (), often abbreviated as SWF, is the debut season of a South Korean dance competition franchise of the same name. It premiered on Mnet on August 24, 2021, and aired every Tuesday at 22:20 KST before concluding on October 26, 2021. It revolved around eight female dance crews fighting for the position of Korea's best female dance crew to represent street dance in the country (loosely marketed under the term 'K-dance'). The winning crew (HolyBang) received million, a sponsorship deal with Budweiser, and the Street Woman Fighter trophy. The season would later be followed by a second season, "Street Man Fighter", of the same premise though with male contestants.


title: Street Woman Fighter

text: Released on the Mnet TV YouTube channel on August 18, 2021. All participating crews are introduced while they enter into their separate rooms. Each crew produces a personal ranking of all participating crews which is shown to each crew. Each crew are called to the main lobby where they are shown a video of their impressions from other participating crews and then seated at their designated area. Each dancer also selects the person that they think is the weakest dancer, and the selected person receives a "No Respect" Sticker.


title: Street Woman Fighter

text: The exclusive preview ends with a preview of the first episode where Kang Daniel explains the first mission; various dance battle previews can be seen along with reactions from Kang Daniel, the participants, and the judges.


title: Street Woman Fighter

text: The first part of the episode is the same as the exclusive preview with the introductions of the crews, personal rankings, impression videos, and "No Respect" selection.


title: Street Woman Fighter

text: Kang Daniel introduces the judges and explains the first mission, Battle of the Underdog: a dance battle between two participants where one calls out another they think they are better than. The episode ends with the a preview of the battle between HolyBang leader Honey J and CocaNButter leader Rihey, who used to be in the same dance crew but disbanded.


title: Street Woman Fighter

text: The first mission continues starting with a battle between LACHICA's Rian and WAYB leader Noze. YGX and CocaNButter were tied with the same amount of wins in the final rankings and so YGX leader Leejung had a tiebreaker battle against CocaNButter's Bicki in which YGX was ultimately declared the winner of the first mission. They were given access to the penthouse as the prize.


title: Street Woman Fighter

text: The second mission, the Rank Mission, was announced: each leader select five dancers including themselves to represent their crew in each rank (Leader Rank, Second Rank, Sub Rank, Assist Rank). Each rank would only have one main dancer, chosen by the judges while the rest will be backup dancers. Each member of each rank made a short choreography to be used in the main dancer evaluation which was voted on by the members of the rank. The main dancer evaluation begins with the Assist Rank in which PROWDMON's HYEILY was chosen. The episode ends with the Leader Rank evaluation with WAYB's NOZE being chosen.


title: Street Woman Fighter

text: The second mission continues starting with the main dancer evaluation for the Sub rank. Instead of one dancer from each team, there are two and both members from one team will be the main dancers. WANT's Emma and Moana were selected as the main dancers. LACHICA's Rian is chosen as main dancer for the Second rank. The choreography video recording is then shown for each rank followed by the choreography video itself. After the choreography video is shown, the main dancer then picks the Worst Dancer in their rank. The chosen Worst Dancers are: PROWDMON's Monika from the Leader Rank, HolyBang's Jane from the Second Rank, YGX's Jihyo and Yeojin from the Sub Rank, and HOOK's Yoonkyung Seon from the Assist Rank.


title: Street Woman Fighter

text: The chosen Worst Dancers can choose another dancer in their rank who they think is the Worst Dancer to battle, excluding the Main Dancer. The loser, chosen by the remaining dancers, becomes the Worst Dancer for their rank. The chosen battlers are: HolyBang's Honey J from the Leader Rank, WAYB's Leesu from the Second Rank, HOOK's Born and Hyowoo from the Sub Ranks, and WANT's Lee Chaeyeon from the Assist Class. The final Worst Dancers are: HolyBang's Honey J, WAYB's Leesu, YGX's Yeojin and Jihyo, and WANT's Lee Chaeyeon.


title: Street Woman Fighter

text: The third mission was announced as the 4 Queens of K-Pop Mission where two crews will battle against each other using the same songs. PROWDMON was chosen by the judges as the MVP Crew and thus are allowed to create the matchup bracket for the third mission, choosing which crews battle each other with whose song. It was also announced that a crew will be eliminated after the next mission.


title: Street Woman Fighter

text: The third mission begins with a showdown between PROWDMON and WAYB with a special video evaluation appearance from CL, whose songs the two crews are using. The performance videos are shown and the fight judges' scores are revealed with PROWDMON coming out on top. The next battle is between CocaNButter and HOOK who are performing to Hyuna's songs. HOOK wins this round. The next battle is between LACHICA and HolyBang, performing to Jessi's song with a special video evaluation appearance of the latter and Psy. LACHICA wins. The last battle is between YGX and WANT performing to fight judge BoA's songs. YGX wins. After all the fight judges' scores are revealed, the final score is calculated with the Global Popular Vote Score and the Main Dancer and Worst Dancer scores from the last mission. YGX, PROWDMON, LACHICA, and HOOK win their matchup while WANT, WAYB, HolyBang, and CocaNButter are up for elimination.


title: Street Woman Fighter

text: It is announced that two teams will battle it out with the loser being eliminated. CocaNButter is automatically placed in the battle having the lowest overall score. The second team is chosen by YGX, who had the highest overall score. WANT cannot be chosen and is safe from elimination because they had the highest scores among those who lost. YGX chooses WAYB.


title: Street Woman Fighter

text: CocaNButter faces off against WAYB in a best-of-five dance battle in a similar style to the first mission. CocaNButter comes out on top and WAYB is eliminated.


title: Street Woman Fighter

text: The episode starts with the 7 surviving crews enjoying a pool party on the penthouse. Afterwards, each crew went to their respective hideout where the fourth mission, the Mega Crew Mission, is introduced. Each crew will create and perform a choreography with a minimum of 25 performers who must be recruited personally by each crew. Weki Meki's Choi Yoo-jung, Loona's Yves, and Lee Young-ji appear as guest performers with WANT. Girls' Generation's Sooyoung appears as a guest performer with HOOK.


title: Street Woman Fighter

text: The performances and Judges' scores of LACHICA, HolyBang, CocaNButter, PROWDMON, and HOOK were shown in this episode.


title: Street Woman Fighter

text: The Mega Crew Mission continues with the performances and Judges' scores for YGX and WANT being revealed. The Global Popular Vote Scores for all the crews are revealed and added to their Judges' scores to calculate the final scores. HolyBang wins this mission with the highest overall score. The three crews with the lowest scores, LACHICA, CocaNButter, and WANT, are nominated for elimination.


title: Street Woman Fighter

text: It is announced that two teams will battle it out with the loser being eliminated. LACHICA is automatically placed in the battle having the lowest overall score. The second team is chosen by HolyBang, who had the highest overall score. HolyBang chooses WANT.


title: Street Woman Fighter

text: LACHICA faces off against WANT in a best-of-seven dance battle. After an intense battle, LACHICA comes out on top and WANT is eliminated.


title: Street Woman Fighter

text: The next mission, the P Nation Choreography Mission, is revealed in which each crew will make a choreography for P Nation artist Jessi's new song "Cold Blooded". Jessi makes a guest appearance to announce the song.


title: Street Woman Fighter

text: The semifinal round is revealed to be 2 missions which scores will be combined. It is also revealed that only 4 crews will be in the finals, meaning that 2 crews will be eliminated for this round.


title: Street Woman Fighter

text: The first mission is the Jessi Choreography Mission. Each crew will make a choreography for Jessi's new single "Cold Blooded" and Jessi and Psy will pick the best choreography. Each team's choreography is shown and Jessi and Psy pick YGX's choreography as the best one. YGX will receive extra points and will have to opportunity to direct the music video. All crews participate in the music video.


title: Street Woman Fighter

text: The second mission is the Men of Women Mission, where each crew must recruit male dancers and create a mixed choreography. 2AM's Jo Kwon appears as a guest dancer with LACHICA. Jay Park appears as a guest dancer with HolyBang.


title: Street Woman Fighter

text: The Men of Women Mission continues with the performances and Judges' scores for HolyBang, PROWDMON and YGX being revealed.


title: Street Woman Fighter

text: The Global Popular Vote Scores for all the crews are revealed and added to their Judges' scores in addition to the Jessi Choreography Mission score to calculate the final scores. HOOK, HolyBang, and CocaNButter have the three highest scores and move onto the final round. YGX and LACHICA placed 4th and 5th and were nominated for elimination. PROWDMON had the lowest score and was automatically eliminated.


title: Street Woman Fighter

text: LACHICA faces off against YGX in a best-of-five dance battle. After an intense battle, LACHICA comes out on top and YGX is eliminated.


title: Street Woman Fighter

text: The finals is revealed to be another 2 part mission, the first being the Performance Sound Source Mission, where each crew will team up with an artist and create a new choreography to the artist's song, and the second being the Color of Crew Mission, where each crew will create and perform a choreography that shows off each crew's color.


title: Street Woman Fighter

text: This episode is the live finale of the program competition. The finals is composed of two missions, the Performance Song Mission and the Color of Crew Mission. The winner will be decided based on the following criteria: 70% live voting + 30% Global Popular Vote. Audience members in attendance include the four crews eliminated in the previous episodes, YGX, PROWDMON, WANT, and WAYB.


title: Street Woman Fighter

text: The four finalist dance crews, HolyBang, HOOK, LACHICA, and CocaNButter, started the finale off with a performance to "7 Rings" by Ariana Grande.


title: Street Woman Fighter

text: The Performance Song Mission is the first mission to take place. In this mission, musical artists gift songs to the dance crews which will then create a performance with the song. Chungha gifted "Bad Girl" to LACHICA. CL gifted "CAVIAR" to CocaNButter. Simon Dominic and Loco gifted "NO BREAK" to HolyBang. Sunmi gifted "Too young to die" to HOOK.


title: Street Woman Fighter

text: In the Color of Crew Mission, each crew will create a performance that expresses the color of each crew. The performance order is LACHICA, CocaNButter, HolyBang, and finally HOOK.


title: Street Woman Fighter

text: All the leaders of the crews gave a special performance of "Hey Mama" by David Guetta from the Rank Mission.


title: Street Woman Fighter

text: During the winner's announcement, LACHICA and CocaNButter came in third and fourth respectively. HolyBang was announced as the winner leaving HOOK as runner-up.


title: Street Woman Fighter

text: Each dancer beforehand pointed out a dancer from an opposing team that they can beat in a one-on-one dance battle. The chosen dancer is given a "No Respect" Sticker for each time they are chosen.


title: Street Woman Fighter

text: Each crew leader chooses five members including themselves to be split into four ranks. Each rank will work together to create a dance video. Each rank will only have one main dancer which will be chosen by the judges. The rest will be back-up dancers in the video. Each dancer in a rank will create a short choreography which will be voted on by the members of their rank. The chosen choreography will be the one used to determine the main dancer.


title: Street Woman Fighter

text: The worst dancer chosen by the main dancer can choose another dancer except for the main dancer in their rank that they think is the worst dancer. The chosen dancer will have a dance battle with the nominated worst dancer. At the end of the battle, all the dancers of the crews except for those of the battlers will vote for the worst dancer using a "Worst" token. The dancer with more "Worst" tokens is the worst dancer.


title: Street Woman Fighter

text: Two crews compete against each other using the same song from four "queens of K-pop", leading female solo artists: BoA, CL, Jessi, and Hyuna. Each crew must also complete the Choreography Copy Challenge.


title: Street Woman Fighter

text: The crew with the higher score for each battle wins and avoids elimination while the losing crew is nominated for elimination. Final scores are calculated as the sum of the "Fight Judges' Score" + "Global Popular Vote Score" + "Main Dancer Score" + "Worst Dancer Score" from the previous mission.


title: Street Woman Fighter

text: As the losing crews, WANT, WAYB, HolyBang, and CocaNButter were chosen as candidates for elimination. CocaNButter was automatically placed in the elimination battle as a result of receiving the lowest score, and Want was excluded from selection as a result of receiving the highest score out of the 4 losing crews. The crew that ranked 1st, YGX, was given the power to choose their opponent out of the remaining losing crews. WAYB was chosen as the second candidate for elimination.


title: Street Woman Fighter

text: Crews will compete in a Mega Crew mission where each crew will create their own choreography and perform it with at minimum 25 performers including themselves. Crews must personally recruit their mega crew performers.


title: Street Woman Fighter

text: As the 7th place team, LACHICA was automatically placed in the elimination battle. The crew that ranked 1st, HolyBang, was given the power to choose their opponent out of the remaining bottom 3 crews, WANT and CocaNButter. WANT was chosen as the second candidate for elimination.


title: Street Woman Fighter

text: Each crew will create a new choreography for Jessi's new single "Cold Blooded". The crew whose choreography is chosen by Jessi and the crew whose choreography video receives the most likes will receive 100 extra points.


title: Street Woman Fighter

text: Final scores are calculated as the sum of the "Fight Judges' Score" + "Global Popular Vote Score" + "Jessi Choreography Mission Score" from the previous mission.


title: Street Woman Fighter

text: As the lowest scoring crew, PROWDMON was automatically eliminated. YGX and LACHICA will have an elimination battle for the last spot in the finals as the 4th and 5th place crews.


title: Street Woman Fighter

text: On November 2, 2021, Mnet dropped first teaser and confirmed that the spin-off titled "Street Dance Girls Fighter" where high school girls would compete to create a new dance crew was confirmed. It began airing on November 30, 2021, at 10.20pm KST, and concluded on January 4, 2022.


title: Street Woman Fighter

text: On March 22, 2022, Mnet announced "Be Mbitious" which would consist of individual dancers who come together as one crew with the purpose of joining "Street Man Fighter". The former show premiered on May 24, 2022. "Be the SMF" is a one-episode television special that preceded "Street Man Fighter" and aired on July 5, 2022. It announced the final eight members who will jointly make up the 'Mbitious' crew on SMF.


title: Street Woman Fighter

text: On March 23, 2022, Mnet confirmed the 8 team leaders of "Street Woman Fighter" will be returning with a brand new reality series. Where non-professionals with a passion for dance can apply to be a student on the program to be released on June 7, 2022.


title: Street Woman Fighter

text: In the final episode of "Street Dance Girls Fighter" on January 4, 2022, Mnet released the first teaser to confirm season two of SWF, "Street Man Fighter". The show is where male dance crews fight for the position of South Korea's best male dance crew to represent 'K-dance' to be released in August 2022.


title: Emre Can

text: Emre Can (; born 12 January 1994) is a German professional footballer who plays as a central midfielder for Bundesliga club Borussia Dortmund and the Germany national team. A versatile player, Can can also play as a defensive midfielder, centre-back and full-back.


title: Emre Can

text: He began his senior career at Bayern Munich, playing mostly in the club's reserve side before his 2013 transfer to Bayer Leverkusen. A season later, he was signed by Premier League club Liverpool for £9.75 million where he made over 150 appearances across all tiers of competition and would join Juventus in 2018. In 2020 he was loaned to Borussia Dortmund; a few weeks later he moved on to an other team under a permanent deal.


title: Emre Can

text: He represented Germany from U15 to U21, and featured at the 2015 U21 European Championship. He made his senior debut in September 2015 and was selected for the 2016 European Championship. The following year, he was with Germany when they won the 2017 FIFA Confederations Cup in Russia, making his first senior international goal.


title: Emre Can

text: Born in 1994 in Frankfurt, Can joined local side SV Blau-Gelb Frankfurt at the age of six and remained at the club until 2006, when he joined the youth academy of Eintracht Frankfurt. During his time with both Frankfurt clubs, he predominantly played in midfield where he assumed an attacking role. In 2009, at the age of 15, he relocated to Bavaria after being signed by Bayern Munich.


title: Emre Can

text: During his first year in Bayern's academy, Can was used in the centre-back position before returning to midfield when he began playing for Bayern Munich II in the Regionalliga Bayern. He made his first team debut in the 2012 DFL-Supercup and his Bundesliga debut against 1. FC Nürnberg on 13 April 2013. His first and only league goal for the club came on 27 April 2013 in a 1–0 home win over SC Freiburg. Competing with Bastian Schweinsteiger, Luiz Gustavo and Javi Martínez for a spot in Bayern's midfield, he ultimately made only seven senior appearances before signing for fellow Bundesliga side Bayer Leverkusen in 2013 in seek of regular game-time.


title: Emre Can

text: On 2 August 2013, Can signed a four-year deal with Bayer 04 Leverkusen. A buy-back clause was included in the agreement which would have allowed Bayern to re-sign Can for a set-fee in 2015, an option they later declined to exercise.


title: Emre Can

text: Can made his debut for "die Werkself" on 31 August 2013, coming on as an 80th-minute substitute for Stefan Reinartz in a 2–0 defeat at FC Schalke 04. His first goal for the club came on 26 October when he scored the winner against FC Augsburg in a 2–1 victory. Can made his UEFA Champions League debut against Manchester United at Old Trafford later that month in a match which ended 4–2 in the favour of the English side.


title: Emre Can

text: In his only season at Leverkusen, Can scored four goals and made four assists in 39 appearances, while largely operating in a defensive capacity. His performances while at Leverkusen sparked interest from English club Liverpool, who noted Can's performances in both the Bundesliga and Champions League.


title: Emre Can

text: On 5 June 2014, Bayer Leverkusen confirmed that Can would join Liverpool after the Merseyside club activated his £9.75 million (€12 million) release clause. Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers described Can in a press conference later in the week as an "inspirational young talent". The transfer was completed on 3 July 2014.


title: Emre Can

text: Can made his competitive debut for the club on 25 August 2014, coming on as a substitute for Joe Allen in a 3–1 away defeat against Manchester City. The following month, he picked up an ankle injury while on duty with the German under-21 side and was sidelined for six weeks. On 19 October, following his return from injury, Can made his first start for Liverpool in a 3–2 win against Queens Park Rangers. He scored his first Liverpool goal on 8 November with a long-range shot past Thibaut Courtois, opening the scoring in an eventual 2–1 defeat to Chelsea. Against the same opponent in a League Cup semi-final defeat on 27 January 2015, Can was stamped on by Chelsea forward Diego Costa; referee Michael Oliver did not penalize the incident, but Costa was retrospectively banned for three matches by the FA. In April, Can received his first red card for Liverpool in 4–1 loss to Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium. Though naturally a midfielder, Can spent much of his debut season playing in defence, and ultimately featured 40 times for the campaign across all competitions.


title: Emre Can

text: On 22 October 2015, in Liverpool's UEFA Europa League match against Rubin Kazan at Anfield, Can scored his first goal of the 2015–16 season. It was the club's first goal under the management of Can's compatriot and new manager Jürgen Klopp. On 14 February 2016, he scored his first league goal of the season in a 6–0 win over Aston Villa. While Can was often used at centre-back or full-back under Rodgers, with Klopp's arrival he was moved to his preferred position of central midfielder. He was praised by Klopp for his improvement and became a key cog in Liverpool's midfield. On 14 April 2016, Can ruptured his ankle ligaments in the Europa League quarter-final against Borussia Dortmund. Initially, he was ruled out for the rest of the domestic season. However, he returned ahead of schedule and played in the second leg of the semi-final against Villarreal. Can later revealed that he trained for 8 hours a day for 3 weeks to get fit for the Villarreal game.


title: Emre Can

text: On 29 October 2016, Can scored his first goal of the season, scoring the opening goal in Liverpool's 4–2 win over Crystal Palace. On 6 November, Can scored Liverpool's third goal in their 6–1 win over Watford, which took Liverpool to 1st position in the Premier League for the first time under Jürgen Klopp. On 4 December, Can scored in Liverpool's 4–3 defeat to Bournemouth. On 12 March 2017, Can scored the winning goal in Liverpool's 2–1 win over Burnley, in what was called by Klopp an "ugly win". On 1 May 2017, Can scored an overhead kick in a 1–0 win over Watford, with the strike later earning him the BBC Goal of the Season and Carling Goal of the Season awards.


title: Emre Can

text: On 23 August 2017, Can scored twice against Hoffenheim in the second leg of the Champions League play-off round in a 4–2 win for Liverpool on the night, and a 6–3 win on aggregate. These were his first goals for Liverpool in the new season. Can received praise for his performance during Liverpool's 4–0 win over Arsenal on 27 August. On 1 November, Can scored in Liverpool's 3–0 win over Slovenian side Maribor. His first league goal of the season came in a 5–1 away win over Brighton & Hove Albion, where he played at centre-back. On 30 January 2018, Can scored the opening goal in Liverpool's 3–0 win over Huddersfield Town at the Kirklees Stadium. On 24 February, he scored the opener in Liverpool's 4–1 win over West Ham United. On 17 March, during a game against Watford, Can suffered a muscle injury in his back, and it was reported that he could potentially miss the rest of the season out injured. Can returned in time for the 2018 UEFA Champions League Final against Real Madrid, but was only named on the bench. He came on as a substitute for James Milner in the 83rd minute. Liverpool lost the match by a scoreline of 3–1.


title: Emre Can

text: On 8 June 2018, it was confirmed by Liverpool via their official website that Can, along with Jon Flanagan and several youth players, would leave the club upon the expiry of their contracts, on 1 July 2018.


title: Emre Can

text: On 21 June 2018, Can signed a four-year deal with Serie A side Juventus following the expiration of his contract with Liverpool; the Italian club paid €16 million in additional costs for his services. Can became the tenth German player, after Hans Mayer Heuberger, Josef Edmund Heß, Helmut Haller, Thomas Häßler, Stefan Reuter, Jürgen Kohler, Andreas Möller, Sami Khedira, and Benedikt Höwedes, to join Juventus. A €50 million release clause was also included in Can's contract, only valid for clubs outside of Italy and starting from his third year of contract; this was the first time that Juventus had added a release clause to one of its player's contracts. He made his Serie A debut on 18 August, coming on as a substitute in a 3–2 away win against Chievo Verona. On 21 January 2019, Can scored his first goal for the club in a 3–0 home victory over the same opponents.


title: Emre Can

text: At the beginning of the 2019–20 season, Juventus's new manager Maurizio Sarri left Can and Mario Mandžukić out of the club's Champions League squad for the group stage of the competition.


title: Emre Can

text: On 31 January 2020, Borussia Dortmund announced Can's signing on loan until the end of the 2019–20 season, with an obligation to buy. On 8 February, Can made his debut for Dortmund, also scoring a goal in a 4–3 away loss to Bayer Leverkusen. On 18 February 2020, the deal was made permanent on a four-year contract for €25 million, with the loan still expiring at the end of the 2019–20 season.


title: Emre Can

text: Due to his Turkish ancestry, Can was eligible to play for the Turkey national football team, but he stated he "likes playing for Germany very much, and wants to make it in the DFB".


title: Emre Can

text: Can received call-ups for the German U15, U16 and U17 youth football teams. In 2011, he was a part of U17 team that finished as runners-up at the European Championships. He was also named in the team of the tournament. Later that year, he captained the squad in the 2011 FIFA U-17 World Cup and led his team to the semi-finals. During the semi-final, he netted a solo goal against Mexico: he received the ball with three markers closing in on him, skipped past one and paced forward before escaping two other opponents and evading the goalkeeper, but Germany were defeated 3–2.


title: Emre Can

text: He represented the under-21 team at the 2015 European Championship in the Czech Republic, starting all four matches. In their opening game at the Letná Stadium in Prague on 17 June, Can scored with a 17th-minute equaliser from the edge of the penalty area in a 1–1 draw against Serbia. In their second group match at the Eden Arena in Prague against Denmark on 20 June, Can hit a slide-rule pass to assist Kevin Volland's smart finish in the 32nd minute. In the 47th minute Can was awarded a free-kick, from which Volland doubled the lead thanks to a delightfully weighted free-kick from 25 metres out. Matthias Ginter rounded off the scoring to head in Amin Younes' cross just five minutes later leading to a 3–0 victory. Germany were eliminated in the semi-finals following a 5–0 defeat to Portugal on 27 June, in which Can started.


title: Emre Can

text: On 28 August 2015, Can received his first senior call-up from manager Joachim Löw, ahead of the following month's UEFA Euro 2016 qualifying matches against Poland and Scotland. He made his debut on 4 September in the first game, playing the full 90 minutes of a 3–1 win at the Commerzbank-Arena in Frankfurt.


title: Emre Can

text: On 31 May 2016, Can was named in Germany's final 23-man squad for UEFA Euro 2016. His sole appearance in the tournament came in the 2–0 semi-final loss to France, a match that Can started.


title: Emre Can

text: On 17 May 2017, Can was named in Germany's final 23-man squad for the 2017 FIFA Confederations Cup. Can made an appearance as a substitute in Germany's first game, a 3–2 win over Australia. He would appear in all 5 of his team's matches in the competition as Germany ran out winners in the final against Chile.


title: Emre Can

text: He scored his first senior international goal on 8 October, in a 5–1 home win in a 2018 World Cup qualifier against Azerbaijan.


title: Emre Can

text: Can's ability to attack and defend from midfield has seen him compared to fellow German midfielders Michael Ballack and Bastian Schweinsteiger. Prior to calling Can up to the senior squad, German national team coach Joachim Löw reserved praise for the midfielder, stating that he has a good, all-round game and that they were following his progress.


title: Emre Can

text: Can has also been praised for his versatility which was showcased in his debut season at Liverpool where he showed his ability to play in several roles in both defence and midfield. Throughout his career, he has been deployed as a central midfielder, as a defensive midfielder, as an attacking midfielder, as a winger, in a box-to-box role, or even as a right-sided full-back, wing-back, or centre-back. He has also been singled out for his composure in possession, energy, positioning, and sense of timing, while former Liverpool midfielder and German international Dietmar Hamann described him as being "physically strong, a good passer and technically gifted". Pundit Jack Watson has labelled Can as a complete and versatile player, with excellent awareness, who is also "strong, quick, smart and can tackle, pass and shoot." Football writer Andrew Beasley has also noted that Can is strong in the air, while Matt Jones of Bleacher Report has described Can as an intelligent player, with good passing ability, who "...is powerful in possession and difficult to barge off the ball when he does march up the pitch." However, Jones has also described Can as being inconsistent at times.


title: Emre Can

text: In October 2019, Turkish international footballer Cenk Tosun published a photograph on Instagram in which he stated support for soldiers involved in the Turkish offensive into north-eastern Syria. The post was initially liked by Can and İlkay Gündoğan, who are both German nationals of Turkish descent; however, they both later removed their likes. Regarding the incident, Can told the German newspaper "daily Bild": "I am an absolute pacifist and against all forms of war," also stating that he unintentionally liked the post while scrolling through his timeline.


title: Iain Banks

text: Iain Banks (16 February 1954 – 9 June 2013) was a Scottish author, writing mainstream fiction as Iain Banks and science fiction as Iain M. Banks, adding the initial of his adopted middle name Menzies (). After the success of "The Wasp Factory" (1984), he began to write full time. His first science fiction book, "Consider Phlebas", appeared in 1987, marking the start of the Culture series. His books have been adapted for theatre, radio and television. In 2008, "The Times" named Banks in their list of "The 50 greatest British writers since 1945".


title: Iain Banks

text: In April 2013, Banks announced he had inoperable cancer and was unlikely to live beyond a year. He died on 9 June 2013.


title: Iain Banks

text: Banks was born in Dunfermline, Fife, to a mother who was a professional ice skater and a father who was an officer in the Admiralty. An only child, he lived in North Queensferry until the age of nine, near the naval dockyards in Rosyth, where his father was based. The family then moved to Gourock due to his father's work. When someone introduced him to science fiction by giving him "Kemlo and the Zones of Silence" by Reginald Alec Martin, he continued reading the series, which encouraged him to write science fiction himself. After attending Gourock and Greenock High Schools, Banks studied English, philosophy and psychology at the University of Stirling (1972–1975).


title: Iain Banks

text: After graduation, Banks took a succession of jobs that left him free to write in the evenings. These supported his writing throughout his twenties and allowed him to take long breaks between contracts, during which time he travelled through Europe and North America. During this period he worked as an IBM 'Expediter Analyser' (a kind of procurement clerk), a testing technician for the British Steel Corporation and a costing clerk for a law firm in London's Chancery Lane.


title: Iain Banks

text: Banks took up writing at the age of 11. He completed a first novel, "The Hungarian Lift-Jet", at 16 and a second, "TTR" (also entitled "The Tashkent Rambler") in his first year at Stirling University in 1972. Though he saw himself mainly as a science fiction author, his publishing problems led him to pursue mainstream fiction. His first published novel "The Wasp Factory", appeared in 1984, when he was thirty. After the success of "The Wasp Factory", Banks began to write full time. His editor at Macmillan, James Hale, advised him to write a book a year, which he agreed to do.


title: Iain Banks

text: His second novel "Walking on Glass" followed in 1985, then "The Bridge" in 1986, and in 1987 "Espedair Street", which was later broadcast as a series on BBC Radio 4. His first published science fiction book, "Consider Phlebas", emerged in 1987 and as the first of several in the acclaimed Culture series. Banks cited Robert A. Heinlein, Isaac Asimov, Arthur C. Clarke, Brian Aldiss, M. John Harrison and Dan Simmons as influences. "The Crow Road", published in 1992, was adapted as a BBC television series. Banks continued to write both science fiction and mainstream. His final novel "The Quarry" appeared in June 2013, the month of his death.


title: Iain Banks

text: Banks published work under two names. His parents had meant to name him "Iain Menzies Banks", but his father mistakenly registered him as "Iain Banks". Banks still used the middle name and submitted "The Wasp Factory" for publication as "Iain M. Banks". Banks's editor inquired about the possibility of omitting the 'M' as it appeared "too fussy" and the potential existed for confusion with Rosie M. Banks, a romantic novelist in the Jeeves novels by P. G. Wodehouse; Banks agreed to the omission. After three mainstream novels, Banks's publishers agreed to publish his first science fiction (SF) novel "Consider Phlebas". To create a distinction between the mainstream and the SF, Banks suggested returning the 'M' to his name, which was then used in all of his science fiction works.


title: Iain Banks

text: By his death in June 2013, Banks had published 26 novels. A 27th novel "The Quarry" was published posthumously. His final work, a poetry collection, appeared in February 2015. In an interview in January 2013, he also mentioned he had the plot idea for another novel in the Culture series, which would most likely have been his next book and was planned for publication in 2014.


title: Iain Banks

text: In September 2012 Banks became a Guest of Honour at the 2014 World Science Fiction Convention, Loncon 3.


title: Iain Banks

text: Banks was the subject of "The Strange Worlds of Iain Banks" "South Bank Show" (1997), a TV documentary that examined his mainstream writing, and was an in-studio guest for the final episode of Marc Riley's "Rocket Science" radio show, broadcast on BBC Radio 6 Music. An audio version of "The Business", set to contemporary music, arranged by Paul Oakenfold, was broadcast in October 1999 on Galaxy Fm as the tenth Urban Soundtracks.


title: Iain Banks

text: Banks's "The State of the Art," adapted for radio by Paul Cornell, was broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in 2009 with Nadia Molinari producing and directing. In 1998 "Espedair Street" was dramatised as a serial for Radio 4, presented by Paul Gambaccini in the style of a Radio 1 documentary.


title: Iain Banks

text: In 2011 Banks featured on the BBC Radio 4 programme "Saturday Live". Banks reaffirmed his atheism in this appearance, explaining death as an important "part of the totality of life" that should be treated realistically instead of feared.


title: Iain Banks

text: Banks appeared on the BBC television programme "Question Time", a show that features political discussion. In 2006 he captained a team of writers to victory in a special series of BBC Two's "". Banks also won a 2006 edition of BBC One's "Celebrity Mastermind"; the author selected "Malt whisky and the distilleries of Scotland" as his specialist subject.


title: Iain Banks

text: His final interview was with Kirsty Wark, broadcast on BBC2 Scotland as "Iain Banks: Raw Spirit" 12 June 2013.


title: Iain Banks

text: Banks was involved in the stage production "The Curse of Iain Banks", written by Maxton Walker and performed at the Edinburgh Fringe festival in 1999. Banks collaborated frequently with its soundtrack composer Gary Lloyd, for instance on a song collection they co-composed as a tribute to the fictional band "Frozen Gold" from Banks's novel "Espedair Street". Lloyd also scored for a spoken word and music production of his novel "The Bridge", which Banks himself voiced and which featured a cast of 40 musicians, released on CD by Codex Records in 1996. Lloyd recorded Banks for including in the play as a disembodied voice of himself in one of the cast member's dreams. Lloyd explained his collaboration with Banks on their first versions of "Espedair Street" (later versions being dated between 2005 and 2013) in a "Guardian" article prior to the opening of "The Curse of Iain Banks":


title: Iain Banks

text: When he [Banks] first played them to me, I think he was worried that they might not be up to scratch (some of them dated back to 1973 and had never been heard). He needn't have worried. They're fantastic. We're slaving away to get the songs to the stage where we can go into the studio and make a demo. Iain bashes out melodies on his state-of-the-art Apple Mac in Edinburgh and sends them down to me in Chester where I put them onto my Atari.


title: Iain Banks

text: Banks' political stance has been termed "left of centre" and in 2002 endorsed the Scottish Socialist Party.


title: Iain Banks

text: He was an Honorary Associate of the National Secular Society and a Distinguished Supporter of the Humanist Society Scotland. As a signatory to the Declaration of Calton Hill, he supported Scottish independence. In November 2012, Banks backed the campaign group emerging from the Radical Independence Conference held in that month. He opined that the independence movement was marked by cooperation: "Scots just seem to be more communitarian than the consensus expressed by the UK population as a whole."


title: Iain Banks

text: In late 2004, Banks joined a group of UK politicians and media figures campaigning to have Prime Minister Tony Blair impeached after the 2003 invasion of Iraq. In protest, he cut up his passport and posted it to 10 Downing Street. In a "Socialist Review" interview, Banks explained that his passport protest occurred after he had "abandoned the idea of crashing my Land Rover through the gates of Fife dockyard, after spotting the guys armed with machine guns." Banks relayed his concerns about the Iraq invasion in his book "Raw Spirit" and through the protagonist Alban McGill in the novel "The Steep Approach to Garbadale", who confronts another character with arguments of a similar kind.


title: Iain Banks

text: In 2010, Banks called for a cultural and educational boycott of Israel after the Gaza flotilla raid incident. In a letter to "The Guardian" newspaper, Banks said he had instructed his agent to turn down any further book translation deals with Israeli publishers:


title: Iain Banks

text: Appeals to reason, international law, U. N. resolutions and simple human decency mean – it is now obvious – nothing to Israel... I would urge all writers, artists and others in the creative arts, as well as those academics engaging in joint educational projects with Israeli institutions, to consider doing everything they can to convince Israel of its moral degradation and ethical isolation, preferably by simply having nothing more to do with this outlaw state.


title: Iain Banks

text: An extract from Banks's contribution to the written collection "Generation Palestine: Voices from the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions Movement", entitled "Our People", appeared in "The Guardian" in the wake of the author's cancer revelation. The extract conveys the author's support for the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) campaign issued by a Palestinian civil society against Israel until the country complies with what it holds are international law and Palestinian rights. This commenced in 2005 and applies lessons from Banks's experience with South Africa's apartheid era. The continuation of Banks's boycott of Israeli publishers for the sale of rights to his novels was confirmed in the extract and Banks further explained, "I don't buy Israeli-sourced products or food, and my partner and I try to support Palestinian-sourced products wherever possible."


title: Iain Banks

text: Banks met his first wife Annie in London before the 1984 release of his first book. They lived in Faversham in the south of England, then split up in 1988. Banks returned to Edinburgh and dated another woman for two years. Iain and Annie were reconciled a year later and they moved to Fife. They were married in Hawaii in 1992, but in 2007, after 15 years of marriage, they announced their separation.


title: Iain Banks

text: In 1998 Banks was in a near-fatal accident when his car rolled off the road. In February 2007, Banks sold his extensive car collection, including a 3.2-litre Porsche Boxster, a Porsche 911 Turbo, a 3.8-litre Jaguar Mark II, a 5-litre BMW M5 and a daily-use diesel Land Rover Defender, whose power he had boosted by about 50 per cent. All these Banks exchanged for a Lexus RX 400h hybrid – later replaced by a diesel Toyota Yaris, and said in future he would fly only in emergencies.


title: Iain Banks

text: In April 2012 Banks became the "Acting Honorary Non-Executive Figurehead President Elect pro tem (trainee)" of the Science Fiction Book Club based in London. The title was his creation and on 3 October 2012 Banks accepted a T-shirt inscribed with it.


title: Iain Banks

text: From 2007 Banks lived in North Queensferry on the north side of the Firth of Forth, with his girlfriend Adele Hartley, an author and founder of the Dead by Dawn film festival. She and Banks had been friends since the early 1990s, but commenced romantic relations in 2006 and married on 29 March 2013 after he asked her to "do me the honour of becoming my widow."


title: Iain Banks

text: On 3 April 2013, Banks announced on his website and on one set up by him and some friends that he had been diagnosed with terminal gallbladder cancer and was unlikely to live beyond a year. He stated he would be withdrawing from all public engagements and that "The Quarry" would be his last novel. The dates of publication of "The Quarry" were brought forward at Banks's request, to 20 June 2013 in the UK and 25 June 2013 in the US and Canada. He died on 9 June 2013.


title: Iain Banks

text: Banks's publisher called him "an irreplaceable part of the literary world". This was reaffirmed by a fellow Scottish author and friend since secondary school Ken MacLeod: his death "left a large gap in the Scottish literary scene as well as the wider English-speaking world." British author Charles Stross wrote, "One of the giants of 20th and 21st century Scottish literature has left the building." Authors, including Neil Gaiman, Ian Rankin, Alastair Reynolds and David Brin also paid tribute in blogs and elsewhere.


title: Iain Banks

text: The asteroid 5099 Iainbanks was named after him shortly after his death. On 23 January 2015, SpaceX's CEO Elon Musk named two of the firm's autonomous spaceport drone ships "Just Read The Instructions" and "Of Course I Still Love You", after ships in Banks's novel "The Player of Games". Another, "A Shortfall of Gravitas", began construction in 2018. This refers to the ship "Experiencing A Significant Gravitas Shortfall", first mentioned in "Look to Windward".


title: Iain Banks

text: "The Red Virgin and the Vision of Utopia", the 2016 graphic biography of Louise Michel by Mary M. Talbot and Bryan Talbot, is "Dedicated to the memory of Iain (M) Banks, friend and sorely missed creator of socialist utopias."


title: Iain Banks

text: "Empire Games", the seventh book in The Merchant Princes series by Charles Stross published in 2017, is dedicated "For Iain M. Banks, who painted a picture of a better way."


title: Iain Banks

text: On 13 May 2019, the Five Deeps Expedition broke the deepest ocean dive record in the "DSV Limiting Factor". The support ship was named "DSSV Pressure Drop". Both vessels were named after ships in the Culture series, which is much admired by the explorer Victor Vescovo, also the financial sponsor behind "Limiting Factor"s design and construction.


title: Iain Banks

text: Banks's non-SF work comprises fourteen novels and one non-fiction book. Many of his novels contain elements of autobiography, and feature various locations in his native Scotland. "Raw Spirit" (subtitled "In Search of the Perfect Dram") is a travel book of Banks's visits to the distilleries of Scotland in search of the finest whisky, including his musings on other subjects such as cars and politics.


title: Iain Banks

text: Banks wrote thirteen SF novels, nine of which were part of the Culture series, and a short story collection called "The State of the Art" (1991), which includes some stories set in the same universe. These works focus upon characters that are usually on the margins of the Culture, a post-scarcity anarchist utopia. In the same universe are other civilizations, which the Culture sometimes attempts to influence or "contact", occasionally resulting in conflict. The culture has achieved utopia by handing control of all of their worlds and ships over to sentient artificial intelligences referred to as "Minds".


title: Hero (2019 Tamil film)

text: Hero is a 2019 Indian Tamil-language superhero film directed by P. S. Mithran, who co-wrote the film with Pon Parthiban, Savari Muthu and Antony Bhagyaraj. The film was produced by Kotapadi J. Rajesh under his production house KJR Studios. It stars Sivakarthikeyan, Arjun Sarja, Kalyani Priyadarshan, Ivana and Abhay Deol in prominent roles. This film marks the Tamil film debuts of Kalyani Priyadarshan and Abhay Deol. The music for the film is composed by Yuvan Shankar Raja, with cinematography done by George C. Williams, and editing done by Ruben.


title: Hero (2019 Tamil film)

text: The film was wide released on 20 December 2019. Prior to its release, filmmaker Bosco Prabhu accused Mithran for plagiarizing his story. In April 2020, the Madras High Court issued an interim order banning the film from television and streaming platforms, due to which it was taken down from Amazon Prime Video. The ban was lifted in May 2020 once the issue was resolved. The film received mixed reviews with praise for the cast performance (particularly Sivakarthikeyan, Arjun and Abhay Deol), soundtrack, cinematography, VFX and action sequences. However, the film's pace, screenplay and characterization received criticism.


title: Hero (2019 Tamil film)

text: Sakthivel "Sakthi" is a young boy who dreams of becoming a superhero, like Shaktimaan. After being ridiculed by his teacher and classmates for believing that Shaktimaan is real, Sakthi tries to prove it by falling off the terrace of his school, injuring himself in the process. His father tries to convince Sakthi that Shaktimaan is fictitious by showing the disclaimer of the actor Mukesh Khanna advising viewers that the events depicted in the show are purely fictitious, causing Sakthi to abandon his hopes of becoming a superhero.


title: Hero (2019 Tamil film)

text: Years later, Sakthi and Inbaraj, a.k.a. "Ink", are friends who earn their livelihood as educational brokers and run a xerox shop in their neighbourhood that houses a certificate forgery unit to help the needy secure their desired jobs at the expense of huge commissions. Sakthi bumps into Meera, a social worker at an educational fair and falls in love with her. Meera happens to be the inspiration of Sakthi's friend Mathi, a brilliant girl who aspires to become an aeronautical engineer. Mathi devises an engine that runs on saltwater as a measure to help her father and many others thwart the problem of rising petrol prices. Meera soon learns of Sakthi's true profession and confronts him, where she learns the reason behind his dark profession; his father disowned him after Sakthi confessed to him that, in spite of securing district rank in the higher secondary examinations, he had sold his certificate in order to obtain money to save his father through surgery as he was suffering from a fatal lung infection.


title: Hero (2019 Tamil film)

text: Meera advises him to help Mathi secure an admission in an engineering college without any payment, in order to redeem himself. Sakthi tries to secure admission for Mathi but to no avail. He learns that the only way to help Mathi secure a seat is to demonstrate the practical applications of her engine which is rejected by Sathyamoorthy, Mathi's teacher who runs a school for the academically weak but brilliant children. Sakthi bypasses his warnings and demonstrates the engine at an educational fair by attaching it to an autorickshaw. This attracts the attention of the henchman of Mahadev. In turn, he promises a seat for Mathi with a full scholarship. The next day, the autorickshaw is seized by the police and Mathi is arrested on the grounds of Patent violation. The court convicts her guilty of the charges. Mathi is completely distraught. She attempts suicide by jumping off a running train.


title: Hero (2019 Tamil film)

text: Sakthi takes her to the hospital, only for the doctors to delay her treatment, and she eventually succumbs to her injuries. Sakthi and Ink are also convicted guilty and are placed on the wanted list for aiding Mathi. Sakthi, who is on the run decides that the only way to avenge Mathi's death and prove her innocence is to confront the company issuing the patents. Due to his experience in forging certificates, he easily fishes out the fact that the patent was forged by the company under Mahadev's orders, but is attacked in the process when he is rescued by Sathyamoorthy wearing a mask. Sathyamoorthy explains to him that Mahadev is a corrupt genetic scientist and industrialist whose aim is to wipe out innovation in work culture. He also subdues brilliant students and subjects them to lobotomy, rendering their frontal cortex unusable, therefore reducing them to his "puppets". He uses their innovations to sell them to foreign companies and earn profits.


title: Hero (2019 Tamil film)

text: Sathyamoorthy also explains his past; being an advocate of innovation and logical thinking, he tried various ways to inculcate the same in the school curriculum but was faced with opposition and his school was eventually blown up by Mahadev's men, killing the brilliant students. Sathyamoorthy survived the incident, but was beaten up and paralyzed by Mahadev's cronies. Thereafter, Sathyamoorthy secretly nurtured the surviving children away from Mahadev in the outskirts of the city. Sakthi, upon hearing Sathyamoorthy's story, decides to fight the system along with him and the children, donning the mantle of the "Mask." Using the gadgets developed by the children and Sathyamoorthy's training, Sakthi fights through Mahadev's henchmen and eventually learns the truth. Sathyamoorthy apparently sacrifices himself in the struggle, prompting Sakthi to telecast the innovative inventions of students and explaining to the audience that children should be given the freedom to follow their passion and not be just mere bookworms.


title: Hero (2019 Tamil film)

text: Sakthi also tells the parents to check their children's journals to find out their interests and desires and encourage the same. Sakthi's father, who happens to hear the telecast, finds Sakthi's journal and realizes his mistake of mistreating Sakthi. In the final fight, Mahadev's plans are foiled, and Sakthi kills him by injecting a Pathogen. Six months later while still on the wanted list, Sakthi runs the school along with Meera on the outskirts of the city. A cop approaches him and takes him in his jeep around the city, where Sakthi finds major developments in the city due to the innovations of Mathi and other brilliant students. The officer tosses away the documents relating to Sakthi's charges as he had opened his eyes about his child's dreams and requests Sakthi to continue on with the mantle of the Mask. In the end-credits scene, it is also revealed that Sathyamoorthy is alive and is helping Sakthi in his missions.


title: Hero (2019 Tamil film)

text: After a successful debut through "Irumbu Thirai", director P. S. Mithran announced in early-2019 that he would direct a film featuring actor Sivakarthikeyan in the lead role.


title: Hero (2019 Tamil film)

text: The crew of director Mithran's previous film, "Irumbu Thirai" were also retained for this film as well, including composer Yuvan Shankar Raja, editor Ruben, cinematographer George C. Williams. Additionally, Arjun, who was the main antagonist in "Irumbu Thirai" was added to the cast. Furthermore, later actress Kalyani Priyadarshan was announced to play the female lead alongside actress Ivana in a supporting role. The film also marks Abhay Deol's Tamil debut, and he will be playing the main villain role for the first time in his career .


title: Hero (2019 Tamil film)

text: The film was officially announced with its title "Hero" on 13 March 2019, with a formal pooja held, marking the commencement of the principal photography.


title: Hero (2019 Tamil film)

text: "The Times of India", reviewed the film as a spiritual sequel to "Gentleman" (1993). Some of the scenes and inventions used in the film were actually based on real-life incidents, which includes the salt-water engine and satellites using helium filled balloon.


title: Hero (2019 Tamil film)

text: The soundtrack album is composed by Yuvan Shankar Raja, marking his second collaboration with Sivakarthikeyan and P. S. Mithran after "Kedi Billa Killadi Ranga" (2013) and "Irumbu Thirai" (2018) respectively. All the songs were released as singles, before being released as an album. The lyrics for the songs were written by Pa. Vijay, G. Rokesh and rap versions were penned by Abby Simone and MC Sanna.


title: Hero (2019 Tamil film)

text: The title poster, announcing the release date of the film was launched by the makers on 27 July 2019. The first look was released on 2 September 2019, on the day of Vinayagar Chathurthi, where Sivakarthikeyan was seen holding a mask. The second look was released on 18 October 2019. Sivakarthikeyan is presented wearing mask with fire and chaos all around. The official teaser was launched by Salman Khan on 24 October 2019. The official trailer was released on 13 December 2019.


title: Hero (2019 Tamil film)

text: As a part of the film's promotional purposes, the makers launched a new Augmented Reality game experience titled Play Hero, on 23 November 2019. The latest poster of the film was launched on 28 November 2019. The production company KJR Studios, advertised the film in local trains, along with the Salman Khan-starrer "Dabangg 3", for which the distribution rights were bought by the company. The makers also launched a one-of-a-kind upscale promotion, in which the "Hero" symbol is lighted up in buildings.


title: Hero (2019 Tamil film)

text: On 9 December 2019, the makers launched the official merchandise of the film teaming up with BeatRoute and Fully Filmy. Later the following day, on 10 December 2019, the makers released the WhatsApp stickers of the film. On 11 December 2019, the makers launched the Augmented Reality filter for Facebook and Instagram. Theatrical trailer of the film was released on 13 December 2019, at Sathyam Cinemas in Chennai, and it was later released on YouTube. The makers also announced a promotional event at M. A. Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai on 15 December 2019, coinciding with the first ODI match between India and West Indies which was also hosted in Chennai.


title: Hero (2019 Tamil film)

text: The film was released on 20 December 2019, clashing with "Dabangg 3", which was also distributed by KJR Studios. The film released in Dubai on 19 December 2019, a day before its original release.


title: Hero (2019 Tamil film)

text: The Tamil Nadu and Kerala distribution rights were acquired by the production house itself. Horizon Studio acquired the Karnataka distribution rights. The overseas rights were bought by AP International and Home Screen Entertainment.


title: Hero (2019 Tamil film)

text: The film collected in the first weekend and in the second weekend in Chennai. The film collected in 10 days in Chennai it was a box office success.


title: Hero (2019 Tamil film)

text: The film received mixed reviews from critics."The Times of India" rated the film 3.5 out of 5, stating that "A superhero story origin, that's also a spiritual sequel to Shankar's "Gentleman"". Behindwoods rated the film 2.5 out of 5, stating that "Hero is watchable Super-Hero drama with no inspiring moments." Firstpost rated the 3/5, stating that "Mithran has given a neat commercial entertainer, which also calls for a rethink of our educational policy." Sify rated the film 2.5 out of 5 stating that ""Hero" is a must watch for families this holiday season, which has a relevant message on the modern-day educational system."


title: Hero (2019 Tamil film)

text: India Today rated the film 2.5 out of 5 stars, stating that "Hero had all the potential to become a proper superhero film sensible to Tamil cinema standards. But, the lumbering narrative (in a few portions), exaggerated scenes and illogical loopholes ruin the entire experience." Sudhir Srinivasan rated the film 3 out of 5 stars, stating that "Hero takes its messaging very, very seriously. The film is a scathing criticism of the good education system. It attacks colleges, pressurising parents, the spineless government, and above all, a syllabus that stifles originality and creativity, and in the words of Mahadev (Abhay Deol), "that is designed to create labourers." Moorthy (Arjun) says as much." The Indian Express rated 2 out of 5 stating that "Sivakarthikeyan's superpower is being super preachy."


title: Hero (2019 Tamil film)

text: Baradwaj Rangan of Film Companion reviewed it as "The film is surprisingly understated. It steers clear of massy "hero" moments, and there's a lot of clear, clean thinking in the writing." Haricharan Pudipeddi reviewed the film as "PS Mithran's Hero is the Gentleman tribute we needed and it's a film that pretty much gets everything right."


title: Hero (2019 Tamil film)

text: Prior to the film's release, aspiring filmmaker Bosco Prabhu reported Mithran to South Indian Film Writers Association, accusing him of plagiarizing his script registered with the association in 2017 and making it into "Hero". After a scrutiny with 18 EC members, film director K. Bhagyaraj, who is the head of the association, pointed out the plots of "Hero" and Bosco's scripts were both the same. Mithran denied any plagiarism, claiming the film had a different plot. Post the association's decision, Bhagyaraj sent Mithran a letter telling him to compensate and give Bosco credits for Hero's story. When Mithran did not respond and went ahead with the film's release, Bhagyaraj insisted Bosco to go to court, assuring him of the association's support.


title: Hero (2019 Tamil film)

text: Feeling the members of the association compared the core plots instead of screenplay, Mithran stated that the film's story was incorporated from many stories found in newspaper articles and real-life incidents. He also wrote back to the president of the Writers' Association, denying any plagiarism of Bosco's script, and requesting them to compare and reviews both scripts before reaching a conclusion. In 2020, months after the film started streaming on Amazon Prime Video, the court gave a judgement in favor of Prabhu and issued an interim order that resulted in the film being banned from television airings and getting taken down from Prime Video. In May 2020, the case was resolved and the film was reinstated on Prime Video.


title: Twelve Tribes communities

text: The Twelve Tribes, formerly known as the Vine Christian Community Church, the Northeast Kingdom Community Church, the Messianic Communities, and the Community Apostolic Order is a new religious movement founded by Gene Spriggs (now known as Yoneq) that sprang out of the Jesus movement in 1972 in Chattanooga, Tennessee.


title: Twelve Tribes communities

text: The group calls itself an attempt to recreate the 1st-century church as it is described in the Book of Acts; the name "Twelve Tribes" is also derived from a quote of the Apostle Paul in Acts 26:7. The group has ignited controversy and garnered unfavorable attention from the media, the anti-cult movement and governments.


title: Twelve Tribes communities

text: The origins of the Twelve Tribes movement can be traced back to a ministry for teenagers which was called the "Light Brigade" in 1972. The ministry operated out of a small coffee shop called "The Lighthouse" in the home of Gene Spriggs and his wife Marsha. The Light Brigade began living communally and opened a restaurant called "The Yellow Deli" while its members were attending several churches, before they decided to join the First Presbyterian Church. Members of the Light Brigade, while affiliated with First Presbyterian, caused friction within its establishment by bringing in anyone who was willing to come with them, including members of different social classes and racial groups, a practice which was not engaged in at that time. On January 12, 1975, the group arrived at First Presbyterian only to find out that the service had been cancelled for the Super Bowl, this led the group to form The Vine Christian Community Church. During this time, the church "planted" churches, each with its own Yellow Deli, in Dalton and Trenton, Georgia; Mentone, Alabama; and Dayton, Tennessee.


title: Twelve Tribes communities

text: Their withdrawal from the religious mainstream turned what had been a friction-filled relationship into an outcry against them. They began holding their own services, which they called "Critical Mass" in Warner Park, appointing elders and baptizing people outside any denominational authority. The deteriorating relationship between the group and the religious and secular Chattanooga community attracted the attention of The Parents' Committee to Free Our Children from the Children of God and the Citizen's Freedom Foundation who labeled the church a cult and heavily attacked Spriggs as a cult leader. This led to what the group refers to today as the "Cult Scare" in the late seventies. A series of deprogrammings starting in the summer of 1976 were carried out by Ted Patrick. The group nevertheless largely ignored the negative press and the wider world in general, and continued to operate its businesses opening the Areopagus cafe and a second local Yellow Deli in downtown Chattanooga. In 1978, an invitation was received from a small church in Island Pond, Vermont for Spriggs to minister there; the offer was declined but the group began moving in stages to the rural town, naming the church there The Northeast Kingdom Community Church. One of Patrick's last deprogramming cases in Chattanooga occurred in 1980; it involved a police detective who, according to Swantko, had his 27-year-old daughter arrested on a falsified warrant in order to facilitate her deprogramming, with the support of local judges. The group continued moving, closing down all of its Yellow Delis and associated churches except for the one in Dalton. At one point, a leader conceded that the group was deeply in debt before closing the Dalton church down and moving the last members to Vermont.


title: Twelve Tribes communities

text: The move to Vermont, combined with an initial period of economic hardship, caused some members to leave. The Citizen's Freedom Foundation conducted several meetings in Barton to draw attention to the group. The Citizen's Freedom Foundation had made allegations of mind control in Chattanooga, but now it made accusations of child abuse. In 1983, charges were brought against Charles "Eddie" Wiseman (an elder in the group) for misdemeanor simple assault; this, combined with multiple child custody cases, formed the basis for a search warrant. On June 22, 1984 Vermont State Police and Vermont Social Rehabilitation Services seized 112 children; all were released the same day because the raid was ruled unconstitutional. Due to what the group perceived were a massive misunderstanding of the events and concerns leading up to and surrounding the raid, its members began formal relationships with their neighbors. Two months after the raid, the case against Wiseman fell apart after the main witness recanted, saying he was under duress from the anticult movement. The case was later dropped in 1985 after a judge ruled that Wiseman had been denied his right to a speedy trial. Eddie Wiseman's public defender, Jean Swantko, who had been present during the raid, later joined and married Wiseman.


title: Twelve Tribes communities

text: By 1989, the church had become widely accepted in Island Pond and grew substantially during the 1980s and 1990s, opening branches in several different countries, including Canada, Australia, Brazil, Spain, Germany, Argentina, and the United Kingdom. During this expansion phase, the group used the name Messianic Communities, before deciding to rename itself The Twelve Tribes. Through the mid-2000s (decade), the group remained controversial, with accusations of child labor, custodial interference, and illegal homeschooling. In 2006, the group held a reunion for members and friends of the Vine Christian Community Church and the former Yellow Deli in Warner Park, announcing a new community in Chattanooga. The movement proceeded to open a new Yellow Deli in 2008, nearly 30 years after leaving Chattanooga.


title: Twelve Tribes communities

text: The founder of the movement, Elbert Eugene Spriggs Jr. (May 18, 1937 — January 11, 2021), died in 2021 while visiting his Hiddenite, North Carolina property.


title: Twelve Tribes communities

text: The Twelve Tribes' beliefs resemble those of Christian fundamentalism, the Hebrew Roots movement, Messianic Judaism and the Sacred Name Movement; however, the group believes that all other denominations are fallen, and it therefore refuses to align itself with any denomination or movement. It believes that in order for the messiah to return, the Church needs to be restored to its original form as it is described in Acts 2:38–42 and Acts 4:32–37. This restoration is not merely the restoration of the 1st-century church, but the creation of a new Israel which should consist of Twelve Tribes which are located in twelve geographic regions. Part of this restoration is the return to observing the sabbath, maintaining some of the Mosaic law including dietary laws, and the festivals. This interpretation of the prophesied restoration of Israel, combined with the perceived immorality in the world leads the group to believe that the end times has arrived, though no date has been set.


title: Twelve Tribes communities

text: One noted aspect of the group is its insistence on using the name "Yahshua", as opposed to Jesus. Because the name "Yahshua" represents the nature of Jesus, the group similarly bestows upon each member a Hebrew name that is meant to reflect the personality of the individual.


title: Twelve Tribes communities

text: The group believes there are "Three Eternal Destinies". It believes that after the Fall of Man every person is given a conscience; and that after dying every person goes to a state of being called death regardless of faith. Upon the second coming, believers will be brought back for the thousand years to reign with "Yahshua" before the last judgment. At the end of this millennium, all of the nonbelievers will be judged according to their deeds and put into one of two groups: the righteous and the filthy/unjust. The filthy and the unjust will be sent to the Lake of Fire while the righteous will go on into eternity and fill the universe.


title: Twelve Tribes communities

text: The leadership within is structured as a series of Councils which consists of local councils, regional councils, and a global Apostolic Council; the group is also overseen within these councils by a fluid number of teachers, deacons, deaconesses, elders and apostles. Gene Spriggs is highly regarded as the first person to open up his home to brothers and sisters, but members state that he is not regarded as a spiritual figurehead.


title: Twelve Tribes communities

text: The group operates as a 501(d) – "for-profit organization with a religious purpose and a common treasury." The community pays property taxes, but the 501(d) structure tends to result in no income tax liability.


title: Twelve Tribes communities

text: Courtship within the Community involves a "waiting period" in which the man or woman expresses their desire to get to know the other person. The couple then receives input from the community while spending time together. The couple is betrothed (engaged) if their parents (or the entire community, if they are adults) confirm their love and compatibility; the couple is then permitted to hold hands.


title: Twelve Tribes communities

text: Weddings are dramatized pre-enactments of what the group believes will happen at the end of time when "Yahshua" returns to earth for his bride.


title: Twelve Tribes communities

text: Children have been noted to play a central role in the group's eschatological beliefs, especially the sons. The Twelve Tribes believe that it is the parents' responsibility to properly enforce a consequence for sin (wrongful action, words, behavior) so as to allow the child to maintain the state of a clean conscience. This causes the child to understand accountability to the choices they make. Over time, the children's children will be better equipped to deal with or "overcome" the faults of their predecessors. This will enable future generations of the group to hopefully be the "144,000" of Revelation 7. Children are homeschooled. Within the group, teenagers may take on apprenticeships in the group's industries to be taught trades complementing their education. The group acknowledges using corporal punishment with a "reed-like rod" like a balloon stick (a minimum) across the child's bottom, though many former members, including children raised in the group, say punishments can include far more severe implements. Group members do not send their children to college, believing that, "college is [not] a healthy environment, either for learning or social development."


title: Twelve Tribes communities

text: 12 Tribes blames the Green Revolution in significant part for massive social upheaval and the breakdown of the nuclear family. They point to the increased agricultural productivity of the 20th century as a force pushing women to work outside the home and other forms of social disconnection.


title: Twelve Tribes communities

text: They practice only organic agriculture and object to the allowance of genetically modified crops under organic standards. Even when comparing themselves to other religious groups, they negatively compare others to genetically modified seeds and themselves positively to the pre-existing, natural genetic background of a crop.


title: Twelve Tribes communities

text: The Twelve Tribes attempts to support itself through means that allow its members to work together, without the need to seek outside employment. Businesses the group owns and operates include:


title: Twelve Tribes communities

text: Since its inception, the group has ignited controversy and garnered unfavorable attention from the media, the anti-cult movement and governments.