title: Cathedral of Christ the Saviour

text: Construction work was begun on the Sparrow Hills, the highest point in Moscow, but the site proved unstable. In the meantime Alexander I was succeeded by his brother Nicholas I. Profoundly Orthodox and patriotic, the new Tsar disliked the Neoclassicism and Freemasonry of the design selected by his predecessor. He commissioned his favorite architect Konstantin Thon to create a new design, taking as his model Hagia Sophia in the Ottoman capital Constantinople (present day Istanbul, Turkey). Thon's Russian Revival design was approved in 1832. A new site closer to the Moscow Kremlin was chosen by the Tsar in 1837. A convent and church on the site had to be relocated, so the cornerstone of the new church was not laid until 1839.


title: Cathedral of Christ the Saviour

text: The cathedral took many decades to build; the scaffolding was not taken down until 1860. Its painting was overseen by Evgraf Sorokin, and thereafter some of the best Russian painters (Ivan Kramskoi, Vasily Surikov, V. P. Vereshchagin) continued to embellish the interior for another twenty years. The giant dome of the cathedral was gilded using the new technique of gold electroplating, replacing the older and insecure technique of mercury gilding. Although Tchaikovsky's "1812 Overture" was written with the building's completion in mind, it had its world premiere in a tent outside the unfinished church in August 1882. The cathedral was consecrated on 26 May 1883, the day before Alexander III was crowned.


title: Cathedral of Christ the Saviour

text: The inner sanctum of the church (naos) was ringed by a two-floor gallery, its walls inlaid with rare sorts of marble, granite, and other stones. The ground floor of the gallery was a memorial dedicated to the Russian victory over Napoleon. The walls displayed more than of Carrara bianca marble plaques listing major commanders, regiments, and battles of the Patriotic War of 1812 (with the lists of awards and casualties appended). The second floor of the gallery was occupied by church choirs.


title: Cathedral of Christ the Saviour

text: Following the 1917 Russian Revolution, the USSR's official state atheism resulted in the 1921-1928 anti-religious campaign, during which many "church institution[s] at [the] local, diocesan or national level were systematically destroyed." Following the death of Vladimir Lenin in 1924, Soviet leader Joseph Stalin chose the prominent site of the cathedral as the proposed site for a monument to socialism known as the Palace of the Soviets. It was to have modernistic, buttressed tiers to support a gigantic statue of Lenin perched on top of a dome with his arm raised in the air.


title: Cathedral of Christ the Saviour

text: The government plans for economic development in Russia during the 1930s required more funds than were available at the time. In searching for additional sources of revenue and funding, government agencies saw monetary value in religious and historical monuments that had not yet been destroyed or otherwise repurposed for government use. On 24 February 1930, the economic department of the OGPU sent a letter to the Chairman of the Central Executive Committee asking to remove the golden domes of the Christ the Saviour Cathedral. The letter noted that the dome of the church contained over 20 tons of gold of "excellent quality", and that the cathedral represented an "unnecessary luxury for the Soviet Union, and the withdrawal of the gold would make a great contribution to the industrialization of the country." The People's Commissariat of Finance did not object to this proposal.


title: Cathedral of Christ the Saviour

text: On 13 July 1931, a meeting of the Central Executive Committee of the Soviet Union was held under the chairmanship of Mikhail Kalinin. The meeting decided to build the palace on the territory of the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour: “The place for the construction of the Palace of Soviets to choose the area of the Cathedral of Christ in the mountains. Moscow with the demolition of the church itself and the necessary expansion of the area." This decision was prepared at a meeting of the Politburo of the All-Union Communist Party (b) on 5 June 1931. 11 days later, the resolution of the Committee for Cult Affairs under the Presidium of the All-Russian Central Executive Committee was adopted:


title: Cathedral of Christ the Saviour

text: In view of the allotment of the site on which the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour is located, for the construction of the Palace of Soviets, the said temple should be liquidated and demolished. Instruct the Presidium of the Moscow Oblast Executive Committee to liquidate (close) the church within ten days ... The petition of the OGPU economic department for gold washing and the petition for the construction of the Palace of Soviets for the transfer of building material to be submitted to the secretariat of the All-Russian Central Executive Committee.


title: Cathedral of Christ the Saviour

text: For several months, urgent work was carried out to dismantle the temple building, the remains of which it was eventually decided would be blown up. On 5 December 1931, the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour was dynamited and reduced to rubble. It took more than a year to clear the debris from the site. The construction of the Palace of Soviets was ultimately halted due to a lack of funds, problems with flooding from the nearby Moskva River, and the outbreak of World War II. Some of the marble from the walls and benches of the cathedral was used in nearby Moscow Metro stations. The marble high reliefs were preserved and are now on display at the Donskoy Monastery. For many decades, these reliefs were the only reminders of one of the largest Orthodox churches ever built. The flooded foundation hole remained on the site, but in 1958 under Nikita Khrushchev, it was transformed into the world's largest open air swimming pool, named Moskva Pool.


title: Cathedral of Christ the Saviour

text: In February 1990, the Russian Orthodox Church received permission from the Soviet government to rebuild the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour. A temporary cornerstone was laid by the end of the year. The architect Aleksey Denisov was called upon to design a replica, but was soon fired from the project because of disagreements with the mayor's office. When construction was well under way, he was replaced by Zurab Tsereteli, who introduced several controversial innovations. For instance, the original marble high reliefs along the walls were replaced by modern bronze ones, which have few, if any, parallels in Russian church architecture.


title: Cathedral of Christ the Saviour

text: A construction fund was initiated in 1992 and funds began to pour in from citizens in the autumn of 1994, and about one million Muscovites donated money for the project. In this year the Moskva Pool was demolished and the cathedral reconstruction commenced. The lower church was consecrated to the Saviour's Transfiguration in 1997, and the completed Cathedral of Christ the Saviour was consecrated on the Transfiguration Day, 19 August 2000.


title: Cathedral of Christ the Saviour

text: Below the new church is a large hall for church assemblies. The cathedral square is graced by several chapels, designed in the same style as the cathedral. A footbridge across the river from Bersenevskaya embankment was constructed between 21 June 2003 and 3 September 2004 (). On the slope of the hill to the right of the cathedral are the monumental statues of Alexander II and Nicholas II.


title: Cathedral of Christ the Saviour

text: In 2000, the cathedral was the venue for the Canonization of the Romanovs when the last Tsar Nicholas II and his family were glorified as saints. On 17 May 2007, the Act of Canonical Communion between the Moscow Patriarchate of the Russian Orthodox Church and the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia was signed there. The ROCOR had been separate since the 1920s. The full restoration of communion with the Moscow Patriarchate was celebrated by a Divine Liturgy at which the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia, Alexius II and the First Hierarch of ROCOR, Metropolitan Laurus, concelebrated the Divine Liturgy for the first time in history.


title: Cathedral of Christ the Saviour

text: The first Russian president Boris Yeltsin, who died of heart failure on 23 April 2007, lay in state in the cathedral prior to his burial in Novodevichy Cemetery.


title: Cathedral of Christ the Saviour

text: In 2009 the cathedral was visited by Metropolitan Jonah (Paffhausen), former primate of the Orthodox Church in America, who celebrated the Liturgy with Patriarch Kirill I. Metropolitan Jonah later described the event, saying that even with a congregation of approximately 2,500, the vast church was only half full. About 16 bishops attended the ordination of a new bishop that day.


title: Cathedral of Christ the Saviour

text: Russian feminist punk rock group Pussy Riot staged a guerrilla performance in the cathedral in February 2012 in protest against the Russian Orthodox Church's support for Vladimir Putin. Three members were jailed for hooliganism.


title: Eclipse (yacht)

text: M/Y "Eclipse" is a superyacht built by Blohm+Voss of Hamburg, Germany, the third longest afloat. Her exterior and interior were designed by Terence Disdale. The yacht is owned by Roman Abramovich, and was delivered on 9 December 2010. At long "Eclipse" was the world's longest private yacht until the was launched in April 2013, which is longer. The yacht's cost has been estimated at €340 million.


title: Eclipse (yacht)

text: "Eclipse" has two helicopter pads, 24 guest cabins, two swimming pools, several hot tubs, and a disco hall. It is also equipped with three launch boats and a mini-submarine that is capable of submerging to . Approximately 70 crew members are needed to operate the yacht and serve the guests.


title: Eclipse (yacht)

text: For security, "Eclipse" is fitted with a missile detection system, missile launchers and self-defense systems.


title: Eclipse (yacht)

text: By 2009, "Eclipse" was also the largest vessel employing a rotor-based stabilization system against roll motion at anchor and at low cruise speeds, based on the Magnus effect.


title: Eclipse (yacht)

text: "Eclipse" was launched on 12 June 2009. She arrived in Frederikshavn, Denmark, on 18 September 2009, for sea trials, and was delivered to Abramovich on 9 December 2010. First pictures of the completed yacht were taken at Kristiansand, Norway, during her refuelling.


title: Eclipse (yacht)

text: In February 2011 "Eclipse" was made available for charter through SuperYachtsMonaco, a Monaco-based yacht brokerage company.


title: Eclipse (yacht)

text: "Eclipse" travels to St. Martin in the Caribbean each winter to pick up guests who fly in to St. Martin's airport. The yacht then travels to Abramovich's home on nearby St. Barts. In March of 2022, "Forbes" reported that "Eclipse", at 533 feet, was still owned by Abramovich. As of June 2022, she had last been recorded in Göcek, Fethiye in Turkey, and was still registered in Bermuda with value of $438 million.


title: Independent music

text: Independent music (also commonly known as indie music or simply indie) is music that is produced independently from commercial record labels or their subsidiaries, a process that may include an autonomous, do-it-yourself approach to recording and publishing. The term "indie" is sometimes used to describe a genre (such as indie rock and indie pop), and as a genre term, "indie" may or may not include music that is independently produced, and many independent music artists do not fall into a single, defined musical style or genre and create self-published music that can be categorized into diverse genres. The term 'indie' or 'independent music' can be traced back to as early as the 1920s after it was first used to reference independent film companies but was later used as a term to classify an independent band or record producer.


title: Independent music

text: Independent labels have a long history of promoting developments in popular music, stretching back to the post-war period in the United States, with labels such as Sun Records, King Records, and Stax.


title: Independent music

text: In the United Kingdom during the 1950s and 1960s, the major record companies had so much power that independent labels struggled to become established, until the launch of new concepts like Virgin Records. Several British producers and artists launched independent labels as outlets for their work and artists they liked; the majority failed as commercial ventures or were bought by the major labels.


title: Independent music

text: In the United States, independent labels and distributors often banded together to form organizations to promote trade and parity within the industry. The Recording Academy, famous as the organization behind the Grammy Awards, began in the 1950s as an organization of 25 independent record labels including Herald, Ember, and Atlantic Records. The 1970s saw the founding of the National Association of Independent Record Distributors (NAIRD), which became A2IM in 2004. Smaller organizations also existed including the Independent Music Association (IMA), founded by Don Kulak in the late 1980s. At its zenith, it had 1,000 independent labels on its member rosters. The 1990s brought Affiliated Independent Record Companies (AIRCO), whose most notable member was upstart punk-thrash rock label Mystic Records, and The Independent Music Retailer's Association (IMRA), a short-lived organization founded by Mark Wilkins and Don Kulak. The latter is most notable for a lawsuit involving co-op money it filed on behalf of its member Digital Distributors in conjunction with Warehouse Record Stores. The adjudication of the case grossed $178,000,000 from the distribution arms of major labels. The proceeds were distributed amongst all plaintiffs.


title: Independent music

text: During the punk rock era, the number of independent labels grew. The UK Indie Chart was first compiled in 1980, and independent distribution became better organized from the late 1970s onward. From the late 1970s into the 1980s, certain UK independent labels (such as Rough Trade, Fast Product, Cherry Red, Factory, Glass, Industrial, Cheree Records and Creation) came to contribute something in terms of aesthetic identity to the acts whose records they released.


title: Independent music

text: Around the late 1980s, Seattle-based Sub Pop Records was at the center of the grunge scene. In the late 1990s and into the 2000s as the advent of MP3 files and digital download sites such as Apple's iTunes Store changed the recording industry, an indie neo-soul scene soon emerged from the urban underground soul scenes of London, New York, Philadelphia, Chicago and Los Angeles, primarily due to commercial radio and the major labels' biased focus on the marketing, promotion & airplay of pop and hip hop music during this period. Independent labels such as Dome Record and Expansion Records in the U.K. and Burger, Wiener, and Ubiquity Records in the U.S. and a plethora of others around the world continue to release independent bands and music.


title: Independent music

text: Many acts choose to go from an independent label to a major label if given the opportunity, as major labels have considerably more power and financial means to promote and distribute products, sometimes increasing the chances of greater success. Some acts, however, may choose not to go to a major label if given the opportunity, as independence generally offers more freedom.


title: Independent music

text: Similarly, others may become independent label acts after having already experienced recording on a major label. Bradley Joseph asked to be let go from his major label deal with Narada/Virgin Records and subsequently became an independent artist. He says, "As an independent, business is a prime concern and can take over if not controlled. A lot of musicians don't learn the business. You just have to be well-rounded in both areas. You have to understand publishing. You have to understand how you make money, what's in demand, and what helps you make the most out of your talent. But some artists just want to be involved in the music and don't like the added problems or have the personality to work with both". Joseph suggests newer artists read and study both courses and pick one that best suits their own needs and wants.


title: Independent music

text: A successful independent label with a strong musical reputation can be very appealing to a major label. Major labels look at independent labels to stay current with the ever-changing music scene.


title: Independent music

text: If an act moves to a major label from an independent, they are awarded greater opportunity for success, but it does "not" guarantee success. About one in ten albums released by major labels make a profit for the label. Some artists have recorded for independent record companies for their entire careers and have had solid careers. Independent labels tend to be more open creatively, however, an independent label that is creatively productive is not necessarily financially lucrative. Independent labels are often operations of one, two, or only half a dozen people, with almost no outside assistance and run out of tiny offices. This lack of resources can make it difficult for a band to make revenue from sales. It can also be more difficult for the indie label to get its artists' music played on radio stations around the country when compared to the pull of a major label. A testament to this fact could be that since 1991, there have only been twelve independent label albums that have reached the number one spot on the US "Billboard" 200 Album Chart. However, dozens of independent albums have reached the top 40 of the "Billboard" 200.


title: Independent music

text: Many current artists use their own resources to produce, record, market and release music through Spotify, SoundCloud, and other streaming platforms with social media in a direct, do-it-yourself manner allowing creative distribution.


title: Independent music

text: Some independent labels distribute their own product while others distribute via a major label. Independents may be owned by a major label who then distribute for them.


title: Independent music

text: It can be very difficult for independent bands to sign to a record label that may not be familiar with their specific style. It can take years of dedicated effort, self-promotion, and rejections before landing a contract with either an independent or major record label. Bands that are ready to go this route need to be sure they are prepared both in terms of the music they offer as well as their realistic expectations for success.


title: Independent music

text: Most major label artists earn a 10–16% royalty rate. However, before a band is able to receive any of their royalties, they must clear their label for all of their debts, known as recoupable expenses. These expenses arise from the cost of such things as album packaging and artwork, tour support, and video production. An additional part of the recoupable expenses are the artist's advance. An advance is like a loan. It allows the artist to have money to live and record with until their record is released. However, before they can gain any royalties, the advance must be paid back in full to the record label. Since only the most successful artists recoup production and marketing costs, an unsuccessful artist's debt may carry over to their next album, meaning that they see little to no royalties.


title: Independent music

text: Major label advances are generally much larger than independent labels can offer. Major labels are able to offer artists advances in the range of $150,000–$500,000. Some smaller independent labels offer no advance at all; just recording cost, album packaging, and artwork, which is also recoupable. If an artist gets no advance at all, they owe their record company less money, thus allowing them to start receiving royalty checks earlier; that is, if sales warrant any royalty checks at all. However, since the record label typically recoups so many different costs, it is actually to the artist's advantage to get the largest advance possible because they may not see any royalties checks for quite some time; again, that is, if sales warrant any royalties checks at all. Another advantage of getting an advance; the advance money the artist owes the label is only recoupable through the artist's royalties, not through a return of the advance itself.


title: Independent music

text: Independent label contracts typically resemble contracts offered by major labels because they have similar legal liabilities to define before representing an artist. There are differences, however, usually with regards to less advances, lower studio costs, lower royalties, but fewer album options. Due to financial constraints, independents typically spend much less on marketing and promotion than major labels. But with lower royalties rates typically paid to artists and lower production and promotion costs, independent labels generally can turn a profit off lower volumes of sales than a major label can.


title: Independent music

text: Although not common, there have been instances of profit-sharing deals with independent labels in which an act can get as much as 40–50% of the net profits. In this type of contract, the net gain after all expenses have been taken out are divided between the label and artist by a negotiated percentage. However, deals in this form can take longer for an artist to gain any profits, if at all, since "all" expenses – such as recording, manufacturing, publicity and marketing, music videos, etc., are also taken into account. Only if an independent artist becomes vastly popular are deals of this type more advantageous.


title: Independent music

text: Independent labels rely heavily on personal networking, or "word of mouth", to expose their acts. Independent labels tend to avoid high budget marketing tactics, which usually does not fall in the budget of an independent label. This of course contributes to the overall lower production cost, and may help the artist to receive royalties sooner, if warranted. Major labels tend to watch indie label artists and gauge their success, and may offer to sign acts from independents when their contract is up. The major may also request to buy the contract of the act from the independent label before the contract is up, giving the independent label a hefty financial payment if they choose to sell the contract.


title: Independent music

text: Independent music sales volume is difficult to track, but in 2010 independent retailer CD Baby claimed to have sold over 5 million CDs during its lifetime. CD Baby no longer reports its number of CDs sold, but in 2010 claimed to have paid a total of $107 million to artists over its lifetime and currently claims that this figure is now over $200 million.


title: Independent music

text: Apple has announced that they have sold over 16 billion songs through their iTunes service. Most of this is "mainstream" music, and doesn't reflect access by new content producers to the market, but it does indicate significant competition with traditional CD sales.


title: Independent music

text: Whether the sales from non-traditional sources come mostly from tapping into an expanding market or from siphoning sales away from traditional CD distribution is difficult to assess in the face of the RIAA's claim that music piracy causes 12.5 billion dollars' damage to the US economy annually.


title: Stephen Kotkin

text: Stephen Mark Kotkin (born February 17, 1959) is an American historian, academic, and author. He is currently the John P. Birkelund '52 Professor in History and International Affairs at Princeton University, where he is also co-director of the program in history and the practice of diplomacy and the director of the Princeton Institute for International and Regional Studies. He is also a senior fellow at the Hoover Institution at Stanford University. He has won a number of awards and fellowships, including the Guggenheim Fellowship, the American Council of Learned Societies and the National Endowment for the Humanities Fellowship.


title: Stephen Kotkin

text: Kotkin's most prominent book project is his three-volume biography of Joseph Stalin, of which the first two volumes have been published as "" (2014) and "" (2017), while the third volume remains to be published.


title: Stephen Kotkin

text: Kotkin graduated from the University of Rochester in 1981 with a B.A. degree in English. He studied Russian and Soviet history under Reginald E. Zelnik and Martin Malia at the University of California, Berkeley, where he earned an M.A. degree in 1983 and a Ph.D. degree in 1988, both in history. Initially his PhD studies focused on the House of Habsburg and the History of France, until an encounter with Michel Foucault persuaded him to look at the relationship between knowledge and power with respect to Stalin.


title: Stephen Kotkin

text: Starting in 1986, Kotkin traveled to the Soviet Union and then Russia multiple times for academic research and fellowships. He was a visiting scholar at the USSR Academy of Sciences (1991) and then at its descendant, the Russian Academy of Sciences (1993, 1995, 1998, 1999 and 2012). He was also a visiting scholar at University of Tokyo's Institute of Social Science in 1994 and 1997.


title: Stephen Kotkin

text: Kotkin joined the faculty at Princeton University in 1989 and was the director of the Russian and Eurasian Studies Program for thirteen years (1995–2008) and is currently the co-director of the Certificate Program in History and Diplomacy (2015–present). He is the John P. Birkelund '52 Professor in History and International Affairs at Princeton. He is also a W. Glenn Campbell and Rita Ricardo-Campbell National Fellow at Stanford University's Hoover Institution.


title: Stephen Kotkin

text: Kotkin has written several nonfiction books on history as well as textbooks and is perhaps best known for "Magnetic Mountain: Stalinism as a Civilization" which exposes the realities of everyday life in the Soviet city of Magnitogorsk during the 1930s. In 2001, he published "Armageddon Averted", a short history of the fall of the Soviet Union.


title: Stephen Kotkin

text: Kotkin is a frequent contributor on Russian and Eurasian affairs and writes book and film reviews for various publications, including "The New Republic", "The New Yorker", the "Financial Times", "The New York Times" and "The Washington Post". He also contributed as a commentator for NPR and the BBC. In 2017, Kotkin wrote in "The Wall Street Journal" that Communist democide resulted in the deaths of at least 65 million people between 1917 and 2017, stating: "Though communism has killed huge numbers of people intentionally, even more of its victims have died from starvation as a result of its cruel projects of social engineering."


title: Stephen Kotkin

text: His first volume in a projected trilogy on the life of Stalin, "Stalin: Paradoxes of Power, 1878–1928" (976 pp., Penguin Random House, 2014) analyzes his life through 1928, and was a Pulitzer Prize finalist. It received reviews in newspapers, magazines, and academic journals, The second volume, "Stalin: Waiting for Hitler, 1929–1941" (1184 pp., Penguin Random House, 2017) also received several reviews, magazines, and academic journals upon its release. In these books, among other things, Stephen Kotkin suggested that Lenin's Testament was authored by Nadezhda Krupskaya. Kotkin pointed out that the purported dictations were not logged in the customary manner by Lenin's secretariat at the time they were supposedly given; that they were typed, with no shorthand originals in the archives, and that Lenin did not affix his initials to them; that by the alleged dates of the dictations, Lenin had lost much of his power of speech following a series of small strokes on December 15-16, 1922, raising questions about his ability to dictate anything as detailed and intelligible as the Testament and that the dictation given in December 1922 is suspiciously responsive to debates that took place at the 12th Communist Party Congress in April 1923. However, the Testament has been accepted as genuine by all mainstream historians, including E. H. Carr, Isaac Deutscher, Dmitri Volkogonov, Vadim Rogovin and Oleg Khlevniuk. Kotkin's claims were also rejected by Richard Pipes soon after they were published, who claimed Kotkin contradicted himself by citing documents in which Stalin referred to the Testament as the "known letter of comrade Lenin." Pipes also points to the inclusion of the document in Lenin's "Collected Works".


title: Stephen Kotkin

text: Kotkin is currently writing the third volume, "Stalin: Miscalculation and the Mao Eclipse" (TBA). He is also working on a multi-century history of Siberia, focusing on the Ob River Valley.


title: Puppy Dog Pals

text: Puppy Dog Pals is an American computer-animated children's television series created by Harland Williams. The series debuted on Disney Junior in the United States on April 14, 2017.


title: Puppy Dog Pals

text: "Puppy Dog Pals" is about Bingo and Rolly, two pug puppy brothers who have fun traveling around their neighborhood and the world when their owner Bob leaves home. They also have a kitty sister named Hissy and a robot dog named A.R.F. (Auto-Doggy Robotic Friend).


title: Puppy Dog Pals

text: The series premiered on Disney Junior and Disney Channel in the United States on April 14, 2017, and on Disney Junior in Canada on April 23. "Playtime with Puppy Dog Pals" aired on Tiny Pop to advertise season 2 with the new puppy, Keia. On August 24, 2017, Disney Junior renewed the series for a second season, which premiered on October 12, 2018. On September 7, 2018, a third season was commissioned; it began airing on November 8, 2019. On October 30, 2019, a fourth season was commissioned after it was previously announced in June that the series was being cancelled after three seasons; it began airing on October 23, 2020, with new voice actors for Bingo (Elisha “EJ” Williams, replacing Issac Ryan Brown) and Rolly (Gracen Newton, replacing Sam Lavagnino). On October 9, 2020, a fifth season was commissioned; it began airing on January 14, 2022.


title: Puss in Boots (Shrek)

text: Puss in Boots is a fictional recurring character in the "Shrek" franchise. He made his first appearance in the film "Shrek 2" (2004), soon becoming Shrek's partner and helper (alongside Donkey). In the film "Shrek the Third" (2007), Puss helps Shrek find the heir to the throne of the Far Far Away Kingdom. The film "Shrek Forever After" (2010) is primarily set in an alternate universe, where Puss is Princess Fiona's pet and has gained weight after his retirement. He is portrayed as the title character and protagonist in the 2011 spin-off film "Puss in Boots" (in which his origins are described) and its 2022 sequel "". Puss also appears in the Netflix television series centered on him, "The Adventures of Puss in Boots" (2015–2018).


title: Puss in Boots (Shrek)

text: Puss was inspired by the title character of the fairy tale "Puss in Boots". His design, created by Tom Hester, was based on real cats. Several characters were used as inspirations for Puss's characterization, such as Zorro and Indiana Jones. The idea of Puss as the protagonist of a film was explored after his debut appearance. Antonio Banderas voices Puss in the English, Spanish, and Italian dubs of the "Shrek" franchise. While he initially tried a high-pitched voice for the character, he and the "Shrek 2" filmmakers decided on a tone that was deeper than his normal voice. Banderas said that voicing Puss was an important part of his career. Eric Bauza provides Puss's voice in "The Adventures of Puss in Boots".


title: Puss in Boots (Shrek)

text: The character has received generally positive reviews, with critics praising his depiction and considering him a source of comic relief. Reviewers have regarded Puss as a popular "Shrek" character. Banderas's voice acting has also been praised. Merchandise inspired by the character has been produced.


title: Puss in Boots (Shrek)

text: Puss in Boots is inspired by the titular character of the fairy tale with the same name. Character designer Tom Hester provided Puss's design, which was based on cats owned by "Shrek" director Andrew Adamson and effects supervisor Ken Bielenberg. After Antonio Banderas had been cast as Puss's voice, the "Shrek" animators analyzed his performance as the title character in "The Mask of Zorro" (1998) for insight into Puss's depiction. Inspired by Banderas's Zorro, the filmmakers decided to make Puss's origins Spanish (instead of the fairy tale's Italian). When computer-animating Puss, new animation tools were required for his fur, belt, and the plume on his hat.


title: Puss in Boots (Shrek)

text: Chris Miller, head of story of the film "Shrek 2" (2004), said that he enjoyed the character of Puss as much as viewers seemed to; he and everyone else involved in "Shrek 2" wanted to add more scenes related to Puss to the film. Miller described Puss as "a really cool, dynamic sidekick character at that time", saying that the filmmakers had decided to link the character to a "weird history" in which he had been "everywhere" and done "everything". He and the other filmmakers wondered what the story of Puss would look like and why he had his accent. According to Miller, writing and developing Puss had been "so much fun", and the character had a "huge impact" in "Shrek 2" by stealing so many scenes. Miller said that he had "always loved" the character and had been "fascinated by where Puss had been before". Puss repeatedly mentions "some great adventure" (without details) in the "Shrek" films, and Miller wanted to know more about his origins (such as where his boots came from). Miller called Puss his favorite "Shrek" character, who had "always stood out", and could not imagine anyone other than Banderas voicing him; soon after the character had been created, Banderas was offered the role. Miller commented that the actor's performance was "pretty brilliant".


title: Puss in Boots (Shrek)

text: After realizing at the 2004 Cannes Film Festival how much viewers enjoyed Puss's character, Jeffrey Katzenberg, co-founder of DreamWorks Animation, began considering "the idea of possibly continuing with the character in the "Shrek" series" and creating a film with Puss as the protagonist. Katzenberg called Puss a "scene stealer" and said he "seemed to beg for his own film" after his first appearance in the "Shrek" franchise. Miller, who also directed the film "Puss in Boots" (2011), knew that Puss was suitable for a standalone film, and he was pleased when Banderas quickly accepted the role. Miller was happy with DreamWorks's decision to create a film about Puss and excited to contribute to its production. He said the idea of Puss having his own film had been considered since the character had joined the "Shrek" franchise, attributing this to "the size and scope of that character" and "the personality that Antonio infused that character with". Although the filmmakers initially wanted to bring cats to the DreamWorks studios to study them for the development of Puss, the DreamWorks staff suggested watching YouTube cat videos instead. According to Miller, YouTube was the filmmakers' "great resource" of inspiration to which they added their "personal experience". He said that cats, "as seriously as they take themselves", "can never resist their true nature", and he cited Puss's "hissing" as an example.


title: Puss in Boots (Shrek)

text: The "Puss in Boots" filmmakers knew from the beginning that something about the character "demanded [the story] just be larger than life". While the story had initially been conceptualized as "loosely based" on the classic fairy tale, involving "Puss and three sons of the miller", the filmmakers decided to create "a new story told on a grander scale", "something that would be more worthy of" Puss. "Spaghetti Western style and structure" also inspired Puss's character, and the filmmakers decided to use "big screen legends" as inspiration. Miller cited Clint Eastwood as one of the "classic cinematic figures" inspiring Puss's portrayal and regarded him as "a strong force" since there was "something about Clint that was in the cat". He also cited Indiana Jones's "adventurous spirit", James Bond and Errol Flynn. Miller also cited Zorro as an inspiration for Puss since Banderas (who played Zorro) voiced him, and he said that "Antonio's persona [had] really dictated so many of the choices that [had been] made" about Puss's character in "Puss in Boots". According to Miller, it is "very difficult to tell the difference" between Puss and Banderas.


title: Puss in Boots (Shrek)

text: The filmmakers decided to give Puss "a heavy story" in "Puss in Boots"; they felt that breaking his heart would be "really important", and they wanted to offer him "something to redeem himself from and clear his name". They debated whether Puss would be portrayed as a misunderstood fugitive. Miller said that although Puss could have been depicted as deceptive, the filmmakers had decided to portray him as blameworthy; robbing the bank was not Puss's plan and he ran away "out of fear", but he had to take responsibility for his actions. Miller stated that Puss's "desire to believe the best in someone else" and to "hang on to a friendship" represent "the kind of things that get him in trouble". Puss's backstory was meant to indicate the "heaviness on his mind and in his heart", and why he was on the run despite his "cool life". Miller said that Puss was a "pretty wide open" character when it came to his portrayal in the film; Puss adds a dramatic note to everything, which the filmmakers used "to attach a very tragic story to his life". Miller stated that "the heavy dramatic themes" fit Puss's character well, making the character's journey a "story of redemption" in which "he sort of walks a dark path with a hole punched in his heart" and wishes "to clear away the sins of his past" and "reclaim what was his". Miller said that Puss in his cape affirmed "an urban legend"; although he wore it in marketing material, he rarely did so in the films. According to Miller, Puss's cape was "so expensive to keep strapped to that cat" and "so cumbersome" that the "Puss in Boots" filmmakers decided to have the character wear it for a short time, as in "Shrek 2". Miller felt that Puss's "giant big eyes" would appeal to viewers.


title: Puss in Boots (Shrek)

text: Doug Langdale, executive producer of the television series "The Adventures of Puss in Boots" (2015–2018), said that in the series Puss fights "a lot more" compared to the films; he is depicted "more as a master swordsman with lots of extra punching, kicking and action". Langdale stated that he "wanted to set the show earlier in Puss's life, back when he was the only one who thought he was a legend ... had more to prove, and maybe [was not] quite so awesome at everything yet", which determined that the series would be set before the film "Puss in Boots". He said that since Puss is a "hero", the series focuses on his saving people and defeating "bad guys". Langdale added that in the series, "unexpected depth and nuance" are brought to the character with comedy; Puss was a "nomad" and a "loner" before the events of the series, which "is an essential segment in Puss's life" that taught him "how to get along with other people" and made him "understand the value of friendships and relationships". According to Langdale, "the audience [would] willingly follow" Puss's "charm, charisma and appeal".


title: Puss in Boots (Shrek)

text: Antonio Banderas voiced Puss in the "Shrek" franchise. Banderas said that his initial motivation to voice Puss was that he enjoyed the film "Shrek" (2001). According to the actor, he was chosen for the role of Puss because of his Spanish accent. According to Banderas, he was on Broadway for the musical "Nine" when Jeffrey Katzenberg approached him about taking the role. The "Shrek 2" filmmakers showed him "a lot of paintings of the character", and he realized how "little" Puss was. Banderas said that he had developed a strategy for playing Puss after accepting the role, which had determined Puss's personality. Although he could have used a high-pitched voice for Puss, which was the filmmakers' original idea, he and the others working on the film opted for a tone that was "deeper" and "more breathy" than his normal voice. Banderas called the choice "very interesting", adding that it "helped to establish the limits and the parameters of the character in terms of personality". He regarded the effect as "almost like a lion trapped in the body of a little cat", which makes Puss "different". According to the actor, Puss's voice contrasts with his body; he stated that "the cat is not supposed to talk like that", adding that the difference between Puss's voice and appearance is comic relief. He also commented that the contrast between Puss's appearance and voice makes it seem like he is not even aware of his size. Banderas said that after the decision about Puss's voice had been made, the filmmakers had begun depicting the character "in a totally different way". He added that Puss had initially been conceptualized as "quite a little character" but had started gaining more importance after the filmmakers had realized his potential. Banderas said that he and the filmmakers had "a lot of fun" with Puss's character, and felt that viewers did too.


title: Puss in Boots (Shrek)

text: Banderas said that the first scene he had recorded was coughing up a hairball, adding that he had spent "45 minutes doing strange sounds"; although it left him voiceless, he saw the moment as "fun". When asked about the most difficult part of voicing Puss, Banderas said "the biggest challenge was to understand the animation process". The actor said that in addition to providing Puss's English voice, he voiced the character in Mexican Spanish, Castilian Spanish, and Italian, calling the Italian dub "the most challenging" since he had to follow "the character's face movement"; Puss speaks with a lisp in the Spanish dub. When he was at the Cannes Film Festival for "Shrek 2", Banderas noticed that Puss's character received much public attention. About Puss's changed appearance in "Shrek Forever After" (2010), Banderas joked that the character's weight gain did not bother him but the pink ribbon (which Puss wears in the film) did. For "Puss in Boots", Banderas advised the filmmakers to depict the relation between Puss and Kitty Softpaws (voiced by Salma Hayek) as a "love-hate" relationship to generate "a great lot of comedy"; Hayek stated that Banderas is completely believable as Puss since both are "very self-confident", characterizing him as perfect for this role. Banderas said that he wanted Puss to keep "his mischievousness and edginess" in this film since viewers enjoyed "the edgy side" of the character.


title: Puss in Boots (Shrek)

text: Asked about similarities between him and Puss, Banderas said that Puss had values which he lacked; the character was "too courageous". He said that the filmmakers had wanted to incorporate some of his "personal features" into Puss's character, with characters he had played in other films, such as Zorro and the characters he had portrayed in "Desperado" (1995) and "The 13th Warrior" (1999), serving as inspirations. Banderas said that he saw "a little bit more" of himself as the films in which Puss appears were released, describing Puss as his "alter ego". He is proud that his character is Latino since it is "good for diversity and cultural interaction", saying children would see that "heroes actually have a strong accent" in "Puss in Boots".


title: Puss in Boots (Shrek)

text: Banderas said that he loved Puss's character. Asked about which one of Puss's characteristics he preferred, the actor cited his mischievousness; according to Banderas, Puss does amazing things in the three "Shrek" films in which he appears. Playing Puss meant "a lot" for his career; although he had not been able to speak English when he had come to America, the filmmakers wanted his voice for the films. Banderas said he had not initially known how difficult voicing a character was, stating that "you have to get into the character" to do it well. The "Shrek" franchise was important to him, representing "the magnificent part of Hollywood and the search for perfection"; Banderas viewed being a part of the "Shrek" production as "very beautiful". He was recognized in public for his role as Puss.


title: Puss in Boots (Shrek)

text: Eric Bauza voiced Puss in the Netflix series "The Adventures of Puss in Boots". Bauza said that he had auditioned "fair and square" for Puss's role (despite having worked with executive producer Doug Langdale on another show) and had enjoyed working with the production team. He said he had been asked to do a motion capture as Puss before the start of the series, adding that "to embody that character, physically, was so tough". Bauza called the sounds he needed to provide for Puss "iconic" since he is "such a well-known character". According to Bauza, voicing Puss was a "challenge because Puss speaks in such a whisper". Bauza said that he had "watched a lot of Antonio's films", had imagined how he would have performed on certain occasions, and had tried to be as "unpredictable"; he stated that his voice is similar to Banderas's. Since he voiced the central character in the series, Bauza had "the luck and luxury to be able to record with a majority of the people that are in the show". He felt that "having the responsibility of taking over a role such as Puss in Boots is quite the honor". Bauza thought that a series centered on Puss was clever, maintaining the audience interested until the release of "Puss in Boots 2", and said it would present "some sides to Puss that you [cannot] really get out of the feature films or even shorts". André Sogliuzzo voiced Puss in several "Shrek" video games. The meowing sounds Puss makes in the films were provided by Frank Welker.


title: Puss in Boots (Shrek)

text: Miller characterized Puss as "a fiercely loyal and honorable cat". He further referred to Puss as "a pint-sized, pocket-sized, fun character". Miller also described Puss as "really appealing" and also as "a normally proportioned cat dressed up, but bold, animated, and romantic". He viewed Puss as "colorful" as well. Miller stated that "Antonio's persona and this explosive, dynamic, huge figure that was really cute" completely fit Puss's portrayal in "Puss in Boots". He also said Puss is an "amplified version of Antonio coming out of this tiny little fury package" and that this makes him an "instantly funny", "intriguing", and "complex character". He added that Puss "is very melodramatic", seeing this as "funny" because of how Puss's character is depicted and believing Banderas was "really good" at portraying this side of the character. He further said Puss "is at his funniest when he takes himself too seriously", which always happens since he "sees himself as a very important figure". Miller stated that while Puss has a "really big heart", he still is somewhat mischievous. Miller characterized Puss as someone who had seen "the light really early in life" and who is "affecting change on everyone around him". He further described him as "half lover, half fighter" and as "a bit roguish and a bit of a troublemaker". Miller also characterized Puss as "unpredictable".


title: Puss in Boots (Shrek)

text: Langdale said that Puss is a "character anyone can relate to", which makes him "great". He said that "on the surface, Puss is the coolest guy in the world", "great at everything", "saves and protects people", and "seems like he can defeat anyone", despite "this wonderful vulnerability" due to him being "tiny". According to Langdale, Puss is "just a regular-sized cat in a people-sized world" with an "elephant-sized" personality.


title: Puss in Boots (Shrek)

text: Banderas described Puss as "a little bit mysterious", with "a sweetness"; he added that the character "knows how to make people jealous" and "can be manipulative with just his eyes". According to Banderas, viewers could identify with Puss's attempts to obtain something. Banderas said that Puss is a "womanizer" who courts "the lady cats", and enjoys having a female "in front of him that can fight as hard as him". He stated that Puss is "so little", and the actor enjoyed his "contrast in size" with Shrek.


title: Puss in Boots (Shrek)

text: Puss makes his first appearance as a supporting character in the film "Shrek 2", where he is initially hired by the father of Princess Fiona (Shrek's wife) to kill Shrek. He meets Shrek and his companion, Donkey, and unsuccessfully attacks Shrek. Puss tells Shrek the reason for his attack and begs for mercy. Because Shrek spares his life, Puss offers to join him and becomes his partner. During the course of the film, Puss helps Shrek to obtain a potion that turns Shrek and Fiona into humans, attacks a group of guards to buy Shrek time to save Fiona, and befriends Shrek and Donkey (although he starts a rivalry with the latter). At the end of the film, Puss sings a duet with Donkey, performing Livin' la Vida Loca.


title: Puss in Boots (Shrek)

text: In the film "Shrek the Third" (2007), Puss travels with Shrek and Donkey to bring Fiona's cousin, Arthur Pendragon, to the Far Far Away Kingdom so he can become the new king (instead of Shrek). During their journey, Puss gives Shrek advice. In a later teleportation spell, Puss has his body switched with Donkey's. After initial difficulty getting used to their new bodies, Puss and Donkey join forces in the battle against Prince Charming to save Shrek, and they convince Arthur that he is meant to be king. Puss and Donkey regain their own bodies and, in an end-of-film ellipsis, Puss and other characters care for Shrek and Fiona's children.


title: Puss in Boots (Shrek)

text: Puss is present in the film "Shrek Forever After", at the beginning of which he attends the first birthday party of Shrek and Fiona's children. In the alternate universe created by the film's antagonist, Rumpelstiltskin, and entered by Shrek, Puss has gained weight and is Fiona's pet after his retirement. Realizing that Shrek and Fiona have feelings for each other, Puss becomes Shrek's friend. When Shrek, Fiona, and the other ogres in this universe are captured at Rumpelstiltskin's behest, Puss and Donkey save Shrek and Fiona; Puss is a key participant in the later battle against Rumpelstiltskin and his allies. Shrek returns to the real universe, where Puss (as his usual self) enjoys the birthday party with the other characters.


title: Puss in Boots (Shrek)

text: The film "Puss in Boots" is a spin-off from, and prequel to, the "Shrek" films. After he was abandoned when he was little, Puss finds shelter at an orphanage in the town of San Ricardo and is adopted by Imelda, the caretaker of the orphanage. He becomes friends with Humpty Alexander Dumpty, another resident of the orphanage who gives him the name "Puss" and with whom he decides to find the magic beans that would bring them to the Golden Goose (which lays golden eggs). Puss performs a heroic act, for which he receives acclaim and his boots. His bond with Humpty begins to fray, and Humpty compels Puss to (unknowingly) rob a bank with him. Puss leaves San Ricardo; years later, he learns who owns the magic beans and plans to steal them. He meets a cat who also wants to steal them: Kitty Softpaws, Humpty's partner. Humpty asks Puss to join them in their search for the beans, and Puss eventually accepts. They find the beans, plant them, and a beanstalk brings them to a castle in the sky. They find the Golden Goose and return with it to the ground. Puss returns to San Ricardo, where he realizes that Humpty has been plotting against him. Puss is arrested, and he learns that the Golden Goose's mother will come and try to retrieve it. With Kitty's help, Puss escapes, goes to Humpty, and they reconcile. Humpty sacrifices himself to allow Puss to save the Golden Goose and return it to its mother (preventing the town's destruction), and Puss and Kitty escape the town guards.


title: Puss in Boots (Shrek)

text: Having burned through eight of his nine lives, Puss must set out on a journey to find the mythical Last Wish and restore his lost lives.


title: Puss in Boots (Shrek)

text: Puss is present in the short film "Far Far Away Idol" (2004), singing a part of the song "These Boots Are Made for Walking"; he also appears in his own music video of this song. Puss is present in the television special "Shrek the Halls" (2007), going with other characters to Shrek's home to celebrate Christmas and telling a Christmas story. He also appears in the television special "Scared Shrekless" (2010), participating in a storytelling contest to frighten Shrek on Halloween; Puss tells a story with Donkey, but they cannot agree on a version. Puss appears in the short film "Donkey's Caroling Christmas-tacular" (2010), singing his version of the song "Feliz Navidad". Puss is also present in the short film "Thriller Night" (2011), in which a zombie version of him is shown. He also appears in the short film "" (2012), training three kittens and leading them to the right path. Puss is the protagonist of the Netflix series "The Adventures of Puss in Boots", protecting the city of San Lorenzo from intruders after accidentally breaking the spell that was meant to defend it; he is also present in "Puss in Book: Trapped in an Epic Tale" (2017), a television special included in the series. He will appear in the future film "Puss in Boots 2" as well. Puss is present in DreamWorksTVs vlog-style short webisodes. He has appeared on "Jeopardy!", being the first computer-animated character to provide an entire category in the show. Puss can be seen in a commercial parodying an Old Spice advertisement.


title: Puss in Boots (Shrek)

text: Puss is a playable character in several "Shrek" video games, such as "Shrek 2", "Shrek the Third", "Shrek Forever After", "Puss in Boots", "Shrek SuperSlam", "Shrek Smash n' Crash Racing", "Shrek n' Roll", "Shrek 2: Beg for Mercy", "Shrek's Carnival Craze Party Games", and "Shrek Kart". He also appears in the video games "Shrek: Dragon's Tale", "Shrek the Third: Arthur's School Day Adventure", and "Shrek the Third: The Search for Arthur". A tie-in videogame for the character's 2011 movie, "," was also released.


title: Puss in Boots (Shrek)

text: Puss makes a brief cameo appearance in "Shrek The Musical", during the ""Travel Song"" scene. Puss has two theme park rides based on his franchise, the Puss in Boots' Giant Journey rollercoaster at Universal Studios Singapore, and Puss in Boots Sword Swing at Australia's Dreamworld theme park. Puss and Kitty Softpaws have appeared in several stage shows, parades, and meet-and-greet locations across several Universal theme parks around the world.


title: Puss in Boots (Shrek)

text: Critical reception of Puss has been generally positive, with reviewers praising his portrayal in the films and describing him as "cute", "suave", "lovable", "charismatic", "feisty", "engaging", " and "an instant charmer." "a natural-born star", "a notorious adventurer", the "suavest of swashbuckling cats", and "the world's greatest feline swordfighter". He was also regarded as "smooth-talking", "heroic", "honorable", self-confident, "passionate", loyal, with "humble" origins. "Collider"s Christina Radish said that Puss getting his own film was no surprise, commenting that the character is "charming and unforgettable." "Fantasy Magazine"s Andrew Penn Romine called Puss "equal parts rogue and hero", but Stephen Holden of "The New York Times" described the character as "this vain, spoiled, swashbuckler". According to Holden, Puss is not "as clear-cut a personality [in "Puss in Boots"] as he was" in the "Shrek" films. "IndieLondon"s Rob Carnevale called him a "cheeky feline swashbuckler" and "Puss in Boots"s "enigmatic central character". Todd McCarthy of "The Hollywood Reporter" described Puss as a "dashing little kitty centerstage", "ever-bold", and "a self-deprecating, sometimes bumbling but ultimately dashing swordsman". McCarthy enjoyed Puss's "vigorous physicality" in "Puss in Boots". Neil Genzlinger of "The New York Times" called Puss "endearing", "dashing and fearless but also a tad reckless". Chrissy Iley of "The Telegraph" described him as "the world's most seductive animated cat". "IGN"s Andy Patrizio enjoyed Puss in "Shrek 2", and Scott Collura of the same website said that Puss "remains dignified and cool" in "Shrek Forever After" despite his weight gain. The character has been regarded as a source of comic relief.


title: Puss in Boots (Shrek)

text: Critics have stated that Puss is similar to Zorro, and he was called "a glorious reimagining of the swashbuckling charm of Zorro". Reviewers have also said that Puss resembles Captain Jack Sparrow from the film series "Pirates of the Caribbean", because of him being a "swashbuckling", "charismatic scene-stealer". Puss has also been commented to share similarities with the characters Don Juan, Pepé Le Pew, and Tarzan.


title: Puss in Boots (Shrek)

text: The character's design has been discussed and praised, with Jesse Hassenger of "PopMatters" calling Puss a "spry, well-dressed" cat. "Comic Book Resources" writer Rob Levin described him as "a legend in his own right", with an "upright strut and leather boots". Christy Lemire of "Boston.com" said that Puss "looks so soft and fluffy and tactile in his little, leather boots, his ... feathered hat and his shiny sword"; she described him as "a tabby cat decked out in tiny Zorro duds". Todd McCarthy called Puss "a short orange critter with green eyes, feathered hat and large boots", and A. O. Scott of "The New York Times" praised his "convincingly animated fur". Puss's hat has been described as "jaunty", and as a "d'Artagnan hat". Graham Young of the "Birmingham Post" stated that "Puss in Boots" was "one of the most entertaining animations" he had ever seen, citing Puss's "wondrous", "little teeth" as a contributing factor to this. The character has been regarded as "tiny", with a "Spin South West" writer calling him "small in stature, but huge in personality".


title: Puss in Boots (Shrek)

text: Puss's ability to trick his opponents with his eyes has also been praised, with "NJ.com" writer Mark Voger describing it as Puss's "sympathy-winning big-eyes technique". Katharine M. Rogers wrote in her book titled "Cat" that while Puss is "an ostentatiously fierce swashbuckler", he is also able to "instantly melt any opponent by gazing at him", using his "steady, confiding gaze"; she thought that Puss's eyes "seem to consist entirely of warmly dark, liquid pupils". James Mottram of "The National" viewed the way Puss was "widening his eyes and mewing" as his "main weapon", referring to it as "a comic gem that, wisely, the filmmakers only resort to once" (in "Puss in Boots") and feeling this is a detail that makes the film a delight. Ben Sherlock of "Screen Rant" regarded Puss as "popular" and said that "his technique of looking adorable with gigantic eyes to get his opponents to drop their guard before launching an attack on them" never fails. Jesse Hassenger described Puss as a "swashbuckling cat with the trappings of an actual feline, like purring and looking adorable to disarm enemies". Hassenger called Puss's eyes "big", "cute", and "not always easy to resist" (despite their purpose being "visible"). Graham Young described Puss's eyes as "emerald mince pies". "Empire"s Dan Jolin called the character's "dilated-pupils" a "cute act", and another "Empire" writer also praised Puss's ability to widen his eyes. Nev Pierce of the "BBC" described his eyes as "cutesy" and "saucer-like". "IGN" writer Jeff Otto wrote that Puss "can give the most adorable wide-eyed look" to "lure" his enemies into "his vicious swashbuckling attacks". Christy Lemire praised that Puss is "working those big, green eyes for maximum manipulative effect". Puss's "big eyes" were also described as a running gag.


title: Puss in Boots (Shrek)

text: Reviewers have provided comments regarding the character's popularity. Steven Lebowitz of "AXS" said that Puss was "just as popular as Shrek", and Joseph Airdo of the same website called him "arguably the most popular" character in the "Shrek" franchise. Ashley Rodriguez of "Quartz" also described Puss as a "popular "Shrek" character". "Tech Times" writer Robin Parrish called Puss "everyone's favorite "Shrek" sidekick". Christina Radish characterized Puss as an "adorable little creature" who had become "a fan favorite in the "Shrek" films", and "Quickflix"s Simon Miraudo called him one of the franchise's "signature characters". Rob Carnevale stated that Puss was "the real star of the franchise" to many "Shrek" fans. Andrew Penn Romine said that he is "one of the most popular characters in recent animation history". Marc Savlov of "The Austin Chronicle" felt that Puss was "the freshest and sharpest ... surprise" of "Shrek 2"; he was described as this "film's most delightful new character", "the most hilarious new character", the "most memorable character", "the most fantastic addition of all", "the franchise's greatest character", and "the best character of all". Stephen Holden wrote that although Puss "has his charms", "he is not as memorable a character as Shrek or Shrek's mouthy sidekick, Donkey", and Matt Fowler of "IGN" described him as "perhaps better suited as a side character". Puss was ranked 11th on "Empire"s top 50 animated film characters list.


title: Puss in Boots (Shrek)

text: Critics have praised Banderas's voicing. Rob Levin said that Puss has "a decidedly Latin flavor" in the "Shrek" films because of Banderas, who "plays the part with gusto, giving the tiny hero all the bravado and charm of his real-life persona". According to Andrew Penn Romine, Banderas voiced Puss "with feline gravitas". Rob Carnevale called Banderas's performance "inimitable". "IAmRogue"s Dana Gardner wrote that Banderas "brought plenty of comedy to the role of Puss by playing the character so melodramatically". Matt Fowler found Banderas "perfectly suitable as Puss", and Todd McCarthy called his performance "spirited and knowing". James Mottram praised "Banderas's charm" as well. Graham Young felt that Banderas's performance improved "Shrek 2", resembling his acting in "The Mask of Zorro", and Chrissy Iley described Puss as "a feline spoof of [Banderas's] Zorro character". Donna Bowater of "The Telegraph" called Banderas's performance "famous". Jeff Otto said that Banderas "lends a fantastic energy to the character", making viewers "wish for more of him". Alan Jones of "Radio Times" also enjoyed Banderas's voice acting. According to an "Empire" reviewer, Puss was "voiced to perfection by Banderas". In the book titled "Stars in World Cinema: Screen Icons and Star Systems Across Cultures", the authors wrote that the "European roots" of the fairy tale "Puss in Boots" were "revived through the presence of Banderas". They stated that while Banderas's "on-screen persona" had been based on "his sensuality and body image", he then exchanged this representation for the image of "an animated ginger cat". The writers also commented that Puss's voice "was intended to speak to the audience's [internalized] views regarding accent and regional profile"; they said it was "vital" for Puss "not to belong to the dominant cultural group" despite being "adopted into that group". In his book titled "The Animated Movie Guide", author Jerry Beck wrote that Banderas voiced Puss with "a Castilian accent" in the Latin American version and with "an Andalusian accent" in the Spanish version; he mentioned that both accents sounded "funny" to their respective target audiences. "Entertainment Weekly"s Maureen Lee Lenker said that Puss had become a "fan favorite" after his first appearance in the "Shrek" franchise, mostly because of Banderas's "smooth Spanish accent"; the "tie-in" with Banderas was stated to "largely" contribute to Puss's popularity.


title: Puss in Boots (Shrek)

text: Merchandise based on the character has been released, including plush toys. The company Funko has launched vinyl figures depicting Puss. McDonald's toys inspired by Puss have also been produced. Pez candy dispensers based on Puss have been created as well. Backpacks that portray Puss on their print have been released, and articles of clothing inspired by him have also been produced. A "Monopoly" game based on Puss and other "Shrek" characters has been invented.


title: Tosh.0

text: Tosh.0 ( ) is an American television series that aired on Comedy Central from June 4, 2009, to November 24, 2020. The series is hosted and produced by comedian Daniel Tosh, who provides satirical commentary on online viral video clips, internet meme, social media, trending topics, society, celebrities, stereotypes, and popular culture as a whole.


title: Tosh.0

text: The tone is based on Tosh's deliberately offensive and controversial style of black humour, observational comedy, satire, and sarcasm. The show has reached number 1 ratings for its timeslot among men within the ages of 18–24, reaching millions of viewers at a time.


title: Tosh.0

text: On August 20, 2020, Comedy Central announced that season 12 would be its last, reversing a four-season renewal.


title: Tosh.0

text: "Tosh.0" was launched to a similar demographic as E!'s "Talk Soup" (and its since-canceled derivative, G4's "Web Soup"), and of time-filling video mashups on late-night talk shows. It launched at a time of the convergence of television, computers, video cameras, and Internet access—across all devices and across all walks of life.


title: Tosh.0

text: The show premiered on Comedy Central on June 4, 2009, starring stand-up comedy veteran Daniel Tosh. The first season was a surprise hit, averaging more than one million viewers per episode. Within 10 weeks of its premiere, "Tosh.0" became the second-most-watched cable network show in its time slot among males aged 18–34, a sought-after advertising demographic.


title: Tosh.0

text: The show was originally scheduled for only 10 episodes, but as its popularity increased, Comedy Central extended the first season to 16 episodes. In December 2009, it was announced that Comedy Central had renewed the show for a full second season with 25 episodes, and the show has since been consistently renewed .


title: Tosh.0

text: In 2015, the series was sold into syndication, to air on local stations in major US cities, and in other local markets for late-night weekend spots.


title: Tosh.0

text: Syndication ad-sales and distribution were done through syndicators Debmar-Mercury and CBS Television Distribution.


title: Tosh.0

text: The 12th season was originally scheduled to premiere on March 17, 2020, before the COVID-19 pandemic stopped the show's tapings. On August 20, 2020, one day after the cancellation of "Drunk History", Comedy Central announced that season 12 will be "Tosh.0"'s final season. The show was previously renewed for four more seasons, but this decision was reversed as Comedy Central transitions away from live action original programming to adult animation. The 12th and final season premiered on September 15, 2020, and concluded on November 24, 2020.


title: Tosh.0

text: "Tosh.0" low-cost production model uses viral video clips that are freely downloadable from the Internet and freely reusable via American fair use copyright laws, with host Daniel Tosh presenting from a chroma key virtual stage. Daniel Tosh says, "The [clip show] format had been tried a couple dozen times and failed. Our idea [was] to push it as far as we can and see what happens"; and that the staff selects videos of "people whose lives were changed because of a 15-second clip". Executive Producer Charlie Siskel said the show "[looks] at pop culture and all areas of life through the lens of the Internet".


title: Tosh.0

text: The video clips are primarily selected by the show's full-time researchers and validated "on a case-by-case basis" by Comedy Central's standards and practices division. Though reportedly approving 95% of all the show's submitted videos, Tosh says this division is surprisingly unpredictable in both its approvals and disapprovals, and that he is as surprised as the audience is at what the company allows on TV. The range of selected clips includes spontaneous cuteness, whimsical performances, romance, accidents, exhibitionism, fetishism, surrealism, stunts, vomit, gore, and other acute bodily harm. Hank Stuever of "The Washington Post" says the show's decadent tone is formed around the values and maturity of its young adult target audience.


title: Tosh.0

text: Each episode begins with a cold open of a viral video clip from the Internet. Presenting to a live studio audience seated before his virtual stage, Daniel Tosh makes jokes and commentary about that video, and about a selection of other viral videos and pictures. He may act as if he were commenting on a video-sharing site such as YouTube, making as many jokes as possible in 20 seconds. The final video in this section enters a "Video Breakdown" segment, where Tosh discusses the video's elements of action and themes.


title: Tosh.0

text: Tosh may perform original short sketches related to or parodying these videos. For example, he displayed a video of a man attempting to climb a precariously homemade staircase of milk crates to reach a flagpole, resulting in a great fall with visibly broken bones. Tosh whimsically parodied the tragedy in a fully animated stylistic recreation of Nintendo's original "Super Mario Bros." (1985) video game, starring himself as Mario within the game's madcap action of jumping over huge blocks and collecting treasure.


title: Tosh.0

text: The "Web Redemption" or "CeWEBrity Profile" segments additionally invite the stars of those videos directly onto "Tosh.0", where they are interviewed to explain and recreate the video's subject matter. The segment yields various blends of increased cuteness, humiliation, bullying, parody, black comedy, sympathy, or protectiveness in an attempt to explore and redeem the star and the subject matter. For example, Tosh pretends to spend days trapped in an elevator with Nick White, whose actual 41 hours trapped in a New York elevator had been chronicled by "The New Yorker" and posted on YouTube in 2008. The "Web Reunion", "Web Remix", or "Web Investigation" segments are formatted similarly; the "Web Retreat" featured Tosh hiking with Paul Vasquez from the viral video "Double Rainbow".


title: Tosh.0

text: Throughout the show, Tosh interacts directly with the live audience, inviting broadcast viewers to actively join his following of millions of Twitter users in "live tweeting" and to submit their own videos. In the "Is it Racist?" segment, Tosh invites viewers to vote on any racial stereotypes presented in a video. In addition to garnering a reported average of 1,200 monthly death threats, Tosh's ability to call the audience to action has yielded the mass vandalism of the show's own Wikipedia article, and has resulted in traffic volumes that have temporarily crashed websites such as CelebrityNetWorth and Comedy Central.


title: Tosh.0

text: Tosh routinely utilizes the show's screen time for promotion of his stand-up comedy tours, merchandise, and other TV shows—prompting "Forbes" to describe the show as being "as much marketing [vehicle] as ... [moneymaker]".


title: Tosh.0

text: "Tosh.0" was originally renewed for four more seasons following its 12th season before Comedy Central and its parent company's announcement on August 20, 2020. ViacomCBS said in a statement that their intentions were to focus on the future of the network to be in animated and topical comedies, with "Tosh.0" not fitting that format.


title: Tosh.0

text: As of January 1, 2022, MTV has purchased the licensing to the first 12 seasons of "Tosh.0" and has been airing them weekly. In a 2020 press release, following news of the show's cancellation and before its acquisition by MTV, Daniel Tosh joked, "I look forward to doing an animated reboot of my show on MTV in 25 years".


title: Tosh.0

text: The first season was a surprise hit, averaging more than one million viewers per episode. In June 2010, the season premiere was the number 1 show on its timeslot among men aged 18–24. With nearly two million viewers, the episode was the most-watched episode of the series. This record was quickly broken by the July 7 episode, which had up to 2.4 million viewers, and the July 28 episode would attract 2.7 million viewers, again winning the time slot and being the most-watched show on television that day among men aged 18–24 and 25–34. The July 28 episode was the top cable show that night for adults 18–49. Within 10 weeks of its premiere, "Tosh.0" became the second-most-watched cable network show in its time slot among males aged 18–34, a sought-after advertising demographic.


title: Tosh.0

text: In June 2015, "Forbes" ranked the show's Twitter following of 17 million members as number 43 out of 100 on "The Social 100", its list of the most followed celebrities on Twitter. In 2016, a "New York Times" study of the 50 TV shows with the most Facebook Likes found that "Tosh.0" was "very much of a Northern show, but not necessarily an urban one. It is most popular in Colorado; least so in Mississippi".


title: Tosh.0

text: The show's core premise has been initially compared to that of the perceived competition of E!'s "Talk Soup" (and its since-canceled derivative, G4's "Web Soup"), "The Dish", "Sports Soup", and of time-filling viral video mashups on late-night talk shows.


title: Tosh.0

text: Hank Stuever of "The Washington Post" initially gave a mostly negative review of the June 4, 2009, debut episode of "Tosh.0". He found Tosh's stage execution to yield a banal, juvenile, and unnecessary "blooper show" serving as a "cheap example of clearinghouse programming" which adds little to a mashup of viral videos but "clutter, buttressed by a lot of stale references". Stuever thought the concept of the series had potential, concluding that Tosh can "hold his own" within the concept of redeeming the Internet and "undoing the fail". Five years later, Stuever re-evaluated the show positively as a now long-time fan, and addressed his retrospective regret of his "prematurely dismissive" impression by writing a new review to serve as "a long-delayed Valentine to [his] secret dirty love, Daniel Tosh", and described "Tosh.0" as "a TV show about the Internet, literally and thematically", with a hilarious use of cruelty "as black as the online soul, and as fleeting and ephemeral", yielding a "blundering exploration of race, class, gender, life".


title: Tosh.0

text: Kenny Herzog of "The A. V. Club" praised the show's "high-wire act of being hysterically vicious and accurate in mocking oblivious exhibitionists without purely bullying" and that the show's "strongest moments of pure hilarity come from its extended, performed material". He describes the show as "continually playing Steal the Bacon for unexploited scraps against the absorbent blob that is viral culture".


title: Tosh.0

text: On June 12, 2012, "Tosh.0: Hoodies" was released on DVD and Blu-ray containing the first 10 episodes of "Tosh.0" season one. Another DVD and Blu-ray release entitled "Tosh.0: Deep V's" was released on December 21, 2012. Additionally, the entire series is available for download via the iTunes Store with new episodes available after each air date. As of November 2021, the first ten seasons are partially (259 of 271 episodes) available to stream on Paramount+.


title: Agar.io

text: Agar.io is a massively multiplayer online action game created by Brazilian developer Matheus Valadares. Players control one or more circular cells in a map representing a Petri dish. The goal is to gain as much mass as possible by eating agar and cells smaller than the player's cell while avoiding larger ones which can eat the player's cells. Each player starts with one cell, but players can split a cell into two once it reaches a sufficient mass, allowing them to control multiple cells. The name comes from the substance agar, used to culture bacteria.


title: Agar.io

text: The game was released to positive critical reception; critics particularly praised its simplicity, competition, and mechanics, while criticism targeted its repetitive gameplay. Largely due to word of mouth on social networks, it was a quick success, becoming one of the most popular browser and mobile games in its first year. A Steam version was announced on 3 May 2015 but was never released, while the mobile version of "Agar.io" for iOS and Android was released on 24 July 2015 by Miniclip. "Agar.io" has inspired similar web games called ".io games", including games with a similar objective but different characters, and games that incorporate elements of other genres like shooter games.


title: Agar.io

text: The objective of "Agar.io" is to grow a cell on a Petri dish by swallowing both randomly generated pellets, known as "agar", which slightly increases a cell's mass, and smaller cells, without being swallowed by even larger cells. The browser version currently holds five game modes: FFA (Free-For-All), Battle Royale, Teams, Experimental, and Party. The mobile version of the game includes Classic (like FFA), Rush Mode, and Battle Royale. The goal of the game is to obtain the largest cell; players must restart from a small cell when all their cells are eaten by larger players or fountain viruses. Players can change their cell's appearance with predefined words, phrases, symbols, or skins. The more mass a cell has, the more slowly it will move. Cells will gradually lose a small amount of mass over time.


title: Agar.io

text: Viruses are green, spiky circles that split cells that consume them into many smaller cells, rendering them vulnerable and attractive targets to other players. Players can hide under viruses if their cell is small enough and their name short enough. Viruses are normally randomly generated, but players can also cause viruses to split in two by "feeding" them mass—typically in the direction of another nearby cell which the player wants to consume.


title: Agar.io

text: Players can split their cell into two, and one of the two evenly divided cells (if the mass of the original cell is odd, one cell will be slightly bigger than the other) will be shot in the direction of the cursor when the space bar was pressed. This can be used as a ranged attack to shoot a cell in order to swallow other smaller cells or to escape an attack and move quickly around the map. Split cells merge back into one cell if a bigger cell of the same player consumes it. Aside from feeding viruses, players can release a small fraction of their mass to feed other cells, an action commonly recognized as an intention to team with another player.


title: Agar.io

text: "Agar.io" was announced on 4chan on 28 April 2015 by Matheus Valadares, a 19-year-old Brazilian developer, after completing "voar.io", a similar game that involved spaceships orbiting the Earth. Written in JavaScript and C++, the game was developed in a few days. The game originally did not have a name, and users had to connect to Valadares' IP addresses in order to play. The name "Agar.io" was suggested by an anonymous user on 4chan, as other domain names such as cell.io were already taken. Valadares continued updating and adding new features to the game, such as an experience system and an "experimental" game mode for testing experimental features. One week later, "Agar.io" entered Steam Greenlight with Valadares announcing a future free-to-play version of the game for download. He planned to include features in the Steam version not available in the browser version, including additional gamemodes, custom styling, and an account system. It was approved for listing on Steam due to community interest; however, the announced game has yet to be released, as the Greenlight program was shut down in June 2017.


title: Agar.io

text: On 24 July 2015, Miniclip published a mobile version of "Agar.io" for iOS and Android. Sergio Varanda, head of mobile at Miniclip, explained that the main goal of the mobile version was to "recreate the gaming experience" on mobile, citing the challenges with recreating the game on touchscreen controls.


title: Agar.io

text: "Agar.io" was released to a positive critical reception. Particular praise was given to the simplicity, competition, and mechanics of the game. "Engadget" described the game as "a good abstraction of the fierce survival-of-the-fittest competition that you sometimes see on the microscopic level." "Toucharcade" praised its simplicity, strategic element, and "personality".


title: Agar.io

text: Criticism was mainly targeted towards its repetitiveness and the controls of the mobile version. Tom Christiansen of "Gamezebo" was mixed on the game, saying that there was "nothing to hold my attention" and that it was "highly repetitive, overall". "Pocket Gamer", reviewing the mobile version, described its controls as "floaty".


title: Agar.io

text: Because it was frequently propagated through social media and broadcast on Twitch and YouTube, "Agar.io" was a quick success. The agar.io website (for the browser version) was ranked by Alexa as one of the 1,000 most visited websites and the mobile versions were downloaded more than ten million times during their first week, and 113 million times as of December 2016. During 2015, "Agar.io" was Google's most searched video game. It was Google's second-most searched game in the United States in 2016. A 2015 press release by "Miniclip" stated that "Agar.io" was listed as the fifth top game on YouTube's list of top games.


title: Agar.io

text: "Agar.io" has inspired similar web games called ".io games", including games with a similar objective but different characters, and games that incorporate elements of other genres like shooter games. Agar.io has also spawned several clone games with the same mechanics and theme, such as Senpa.io. Nebulous.io is a similar game released for mobile. Zorb.io has similar mechanics, although it is played in a three-dimensional plane.


title: Agar.io

text: During the campaigns of the June 2015 Turkish elections, "Agar.io" was used in Turkey as a medium of political advocacy; many players were naming their cells after Turkish political parties and references, with alliances formed between players with similar political views, battling against other players with opposing views. Some political parties have used "Agar.io" in campaign posters as a symbol of support.


title: Agar.io

text: "Agar.io" was featured, including some details of its gameplay, which was compared to the presidential campaigning, as well as a shot of an actual game, in episode 48 ("Chapter 48") of Netflix TV-series "House of Cards".


title: Agar.io

text: "Agar.io" is credited with starting the ".io game" genre, featuring games that are generally simple, yet addictive. "Slither.io" was the second .io game ever released, followed by "Wings.io," "Diep.io," and so on. Today, there are hundreds, if not thousands of .io games in existence.


title: John McClane

text: John McClane is a fictional character and main protagonist of the "Die Hard" film series, based on Joe Leland from Roderick Thorp's action novel, "Nothing Lasts Forever". McClane was portrayed in all five films by actor Bruce Willis, and is known for his sardonic one-liners, including the famous catchphrase "Yippee-ki-yay, motherfucker".


title: John McClane

text: John McClane was originally based on the fictional character Detective Joe Leland from Roderick Thorp's bestselling 1979 novel "Nothing Lasts Forever". Other aspects are derived from Frank Malone from Walter Wager's 1987 novel "58 Minutes" (adapted as "Die Hard 2").


title: John McClane

text: "Die Hard" villain Hans Gruber describes him as "just another American... who thinks he's John Wayne," to which McClane replies that he "was always partial to Roy Rogers." He is described as being a "foul-mouthed, wisecracking, no-nonsense New York cop with an itchy trigger finger ... and a never-say-die maverick spirit."


title: John McClane

text: McClane's marriage is in a constant state of crisis, his vigilantism and disregard for authority have put him in danger of losing his job more than once, and he is a chain-smoker who is described by Inspector Cobb in "Die Hard with a Vengeance" as being "two steps away from becoming a full blown alcoholic", on which McClane jokingly corrects him saying only "one step".


title: John McClane

text: McClane is consistently portrayed as a reluctant hero who, with little or no assistance from others, is required against his wishes to thwart the elaborate plans of a group of like-minded villains because no one else is in a position to do so. The trailer for the first "Die Hard" film states, "The last thing McClane wants is to be a hero, but he doesn't have a choice." In the second film, he is told "You're the wrong guy in the wrong place at the wrong time", to which he replies, "The story of my life." In the fourth film, he says he gets involved in dangerous situations "because there is nobody else to do it" and if there were, he would gladly let someone else do it. Unlike many "one man army" action heroes of the 1980s, the events of the movie actually take their toll on McClane physically, with McClane entering the climax of the movie severely injured.


title: John McClane

text: In the first "Die Hard" movie, McClane carries a Beretta 92F as his duty weapon. In the next two movies, his service pistol is a Beretta 92FS, even though the NYPD has never issued the Beretta 92 for duty use. He later uses a Sig P220 as his duty gun in the fourth and fifth movies of the series.


title: John McClane

text: At the beginning of the first film, New York City Police Department Detective John McClane is seen traveling to Los Angeles to attend a Christmas Eve party at Nakatomi Plaza, the workplace of his recently separated wife Holly Gennero (Bonnie Bedelia); she and their two children, Lucy and John Jr., live in Los Angeles.


title: John McClane

text: Shortly after McClane arrives at the party, Hans Gruber (Alan Rickman), a recently excommunicated member of a radical West German political movement, initiates his plan to steal $640 million worth of bearer bonds stored in the Nakatomi Corporation's vault. Hans and a legion of European henchmen under his command take hostage the Nakatomi Corporation employees and Holly in a bid to conceal the theft under the guise of a failed terrorist act.


title: John McClane

text: McClane evades detection of the group and hides throughout Nakatomi Plaza, systematically killing the group members as he attempts to disrupt their plot. Hans, aware of John's presence and his name, eventually identifies Holly as John's wife and takes her as his personal hostage. At the climax of the film, a badly injured McClane locates Hans and Holly near the vault on the 30th floor. Hans is shot by McClane and falls to his death after stumbling backwards through a shattered window.


title: John McClane

text: In aftermath events of the first "Die Hard", McClane transfers to the Los Angeles Police Department. He dislikes his rise to national fame. Dialogue in the second film reveals that he was featured in "People Magazine", did a spot on "Nightline", and was referred to (by Colonel Stuart) as "the policeman hero who saved the Nakatomi hostages" along with a local news crew.


title: John McClane

text: In "Die Hard 2", on Christmas Eve, mercenaries seize control of Washington Dulles International Airport in Dulles, Virginia, 25 miles west of Washington, D.C. They take control of the airport's communications and threaten to cause plane crashes unless their demands are met. Holly is stranded, her plane circles overhead. McClane discovers a conspiracy between the mercenaries and an active military unit to rescue a notorious dictator from being imprisoned for crimes against humanity. He foils their plans and provides a visual landing signal for the circling aircraft by exploding the plane the villains were using for their exit strategy.


title: John McClane

text: In "Loaded Weapon 1", Bruce Willis has a cameo appearance as John McClane himself, living in a trailer. In the scene the character appears in, a helicopter flies to what the pilot believes is the beach trailer home of the film's protagonist, Jack Colt (portrayed by Emilio Estevez), and peppers it with bullets, causing it to explode. Instead of it being Estevez crawling out of the wreckage, it turns out to be John McClane himself, wearing a grubby vest and waving the white flag. The gunman asks sheepishly whether or not he has the right address of 1014 Pacific Coast Highway, with McClane replying, "No! This is "814" Pacific Coast Highway!" and helpfully pointing them in the right direction; McClane then receives an apology from the pilot for the mistake, where he waves them off, "Yeah! No problem!...No problem!" and assesses the damages.


title: John McClane

text: In "Die Hard with a Vengeance", McClane has returned to New York City, continuing his work as a Lieutenant with the NYPD. He is separated from his wife, suspended from the police force (although what he did to get suspended is unknown, it is implied to be due to his alcoholism), and has become a borderline alcoholic. At the beginning of the film, an unidentified terrorist known only by the name "Simon" (Jeremy Irons) has detonated at least one bomb in the city and threatens to detonate others unless McClane undertakes to solve a series of challenges and riddles modeled after the children's game Simon says.


title: John McClane

text: A shopkeeper from Harlem, Zeus Carver (Samuel L. Jackson), saves McClane during the first challenge and is forced to further accompany McClane at Simon's request.


title: John McClane

text: After attempting to solve and complete several riddles and challenges, the FBI finally reveal to McClane that "Simon" is Simon Peter Gruber, the brother of Hans Gruber (the antagonist of the first film). It is assumed by the FBI that at least part of Simon's motive involves seeking revenge against McClane for his brother's death. Like Hans, Simon is determined to use acts of terror as a smokescreen to perpetrate thievery. Using a fake bomb threat concerning New York City area schools, Simon draws nearly all of the city's police force away from his target: New York's Federal Reserve. While the police frantically search local schools to locate the alleged bomb, Simon raids the gold bullion held in the underground vault of the Reserve and flees towards the Canada–US border.


title: John McClane

text: With the help of Carver, McClane tracks Simon near the border. McClane kills Simon by shooting a power line which collapses into the blades of Simon's helicopter.


title: John McClane

text: The fourth film, "Live Free or Die Hard" (titled "Die Hard 4.0" in releases outside North America), which takes place on Independence Day, takes place 13 years later. McClane is assigned to take hacker Matt Farrell (Justin Long) into FBI custody. McClane has been on the force over 30 years, and is a senior detective, most likely a detective squad commander, since he holds the rank of lieutenant. Although McClane's NYPD file, accessed by Thomas Gabriel, notes he has been a Lieutenant since 1987, it also states he currently holds the rank of Detective. Terrorists led by Thomas Gabriel (Timothy Olyphant), are conducting a fire sale to bidders, taking out the nation's infrastructure: power plants, traffic lights, transportation, and financial markets.


title: John McClane

text: McClane has been divorced from Holly for 10 years, not speaking to his daughter Lucy (Mary Elizabeth Winstead), who is kidnapped by Gabriel as leverage. McClane's previous actions seem forgotten. Farrell is unaware of his track record of thwarting bad guys. McClane cynical about his fame. With Farrell, McClane again thwarts disaster. Farrell counters Gabriel's hacks, while McClane eliminates his men. The culmination is when McClane shoots through his own shoulder to kill Gabriel.


title: John McClane

text: His actions restore Lucy to friendliness. She introduces herself as Lucy McClane to Farrell. In the past, she introduced herself as Lucy Gennero, and told guys her father was dead.


title: John McClane

text: In the fifth film, "A Good Day to Die Hard", John travels to Russia when son John "Jack" Junior (Jai Courtney) is arrested. He doesn't know Jack works for the CIA against high-ranking Russian official Chagarin (Sergei Kolesnikov). Chagarin's ex-partner, Yuri Komarov (Sebastian Koch) was imprisoned for a file incriminating Chagarin.


title: John McClane

text: John meets Jack and Komarov fleeing custody and Chagarin's thugs. Chagarin's henchmen attack again as they hide out in a CIA safe house. John holds them off, allowing himself, Jack and Komarov to escape. John and Jack help Komarov meet up with Komarov's daughter, Irina (Yuliya Snigir). She betrays them to Chagarin's main enforcer Alik (Radivoje Bukvić). John and Jack must escape again, but without Komarov. Following Komarov to Chernobyl, John and Jack learn that Komarov was actually using them to steal weapons-grade uranium from Chagarin. Surviving yet another battle, John and Jack mend their relationship.


title: John McClane

text: Throughout the films, McClane is known for his catchphrase, "Yippee-ki-yay, motherfucker". He frequently says it to taunt his adversaries, or in the moments before killing them.


title: John McClane

text: McClane adopts the phrase in the first film, "Die Hard", when villain Hans Gruber calls him a cowboy and asks if he thinks he stands a chance. McClane replies, "Yippee-ki-yay, motherfucker". At the end of the film, before his death at the hands of McClane, Gruber echoes the phrase before McClane overpowers him.


title: John McClane

text: At the end of "Die Hard 2", he delivers it before lighting a trail of fuel to destroy the enemy airplane.


title: John McClane

text: At the end of "Die Hard with a Vengeance", he says it in a low voice after shooting down the enemy helicopter.


title: John McClane

text: In the fourth film, "Live Free or Die Hard", McClane is held captive by cyber-terrorist Thomas Gabriel. Gabriel taunts him, claiming that McClane's tombstone will read "always in the wrong place at the wrong time". McClane replies, "How about 'yippee-ki-yay, motherfucker'?" as he shoots himself through the shoulder in order to kill Gabriel. The last two syllables are drowned out by the gunshot in the theatrical version. In the "unrated version," the line is altered to remain intact.


title: John McClane

text: In the fifth film, "A Good Day to Die Hard", McClane says the catchphrase before driving a truck out of an airborne helicopter in the final confrontation in Chernobyl. The film title references the catchphrase's reputed meaning, a Native American war-cry meaning "This is a good day to die!"


title: John McClane

text: "Empire" ranked him number 12 on their list of the "100 Greatest Movie Characters of All Time" in 2008 and number 7 in 2015. In a survey by MTV, "accomplished" filmmakers, actors and fans voted on the "Greatest Movie Badass of All Time". McClane came in third, behind only Ellen Ripley and Dirty Harry. In April 2009, "Entertainment Weekly" ranked John McClane sixth in list of the top twenty "All-Time Coolest Heroes in Pop Culture", describing "Bruce Willis' wisecracking, terrorist-foiling New York cop" character as "the anti-Bond". The magazine called the characters portrayed by Keanu Reeves in "Speed", Wesley Snipes in "Passenger 57", and Jean-Claude Van Damme in "Sudden Death" as "copycat descendants" of John McClane.


title: Spermatozoon

text: A spermatozoon (; also spelled spermatozoön; ; ) is a motile sperm cell, or moving form of the haploid cell that is the male gamete. A spermatozoon joins an ovum to form a zygote. (A zygote is a single cell, with a complete set of chromosomes, that normally develops into an embryo.)


title: Spermatozoon

text: Sperm cells contribute approximately half of the nuclear genetic information to the diploid offspring (excluding, in most cases, mitochondrial DNA). In mammals, the sex of the offspring is determined by the sperm cell: a spermatozoon bearing an X chromosome will lead to a female (XX) offspring, while one bearing a Y chromosome will lead to a male (XY) offspring. Sperm cells were first observed in Antonie van Leeuwenhoek's laboratory in 1677.


title: Spermatozoon

text: The human sperm cell is the reproductive cell in males and will only survive in warm environments; once it leaves the male body the sperm's survival likelihood is reduced and it may die, thereby decreasing the total sperm quality. Sperm cells come in two types, "female" and "male". Sperm cells that give rise to female (XX) offspring after fertilization differ in that they carry an X-chromosome, while sperm cells that give rise to male (XY) offspring carry a Y-chromosome.


title: Spermatozoon

text: A human sperm cell consists of a flat, disc shaped head 5.1 µm by 3.1 µm and a tail known as a flagellum 50 µm long. The flagellum propels the sperm cell (at about 1–3 mm/minute in humans) by whipping in an elliptical cone. Sperm have an olfactory guidance mechanism, and after reaching the Fallopian tubes, must undergo a period of capacitation before penetration of the ovum.


title: Spermatozoon

text: Head: It has a compact nucleus with only chromatic substance and is surrounded by only a thin rim of cytoplasm. Above the nucleus lies a cap-like structure called the acrosome, formed by modification of the Golgi body, which secretes the enzyme spermlysin ("hyaluronidase, corona-penetrating enzyme, zona lysin," or "acrosin"), that is necessary for fertilization. As the spermatozoon approaches the egg, it undergoes the acrosome reaction in which the membrane surrounding the acrosome fuses with the plasma membrane of the sperm's head, exposing the contents of the acrosome.


title: Spermatozoon

text: Neck: It is the smallest part (.03µm), and has a proximal centriole parallel to the base of the nucleus and distal centriole perpendicular to the previous one. The proximal centriole is present also in the mature spermatozoon; the distal centriole disappears after axoneme assembly. The proximal centriole enters into the egg during fertilisation and starts the first cleavage division of the egg, which has no centriole. The distal centriole gives rise to the axial filament which forms the tail and has a (9+2) arrangement. A transitory membrane called the "Manchette" lies in the middle piece.