Warning: this text comprises full spoilers for each episode of Secret Stage.

Prime Video is as soon as once more championing the online game adaptation with its model new animated TV present, Secret Stage. Produced by Blur Studio, the corporate behind many improbable online game cinematics and Netflix’s Love, Dying & Robots, this CGI anthology sequence dives right into a model new recreation universe every episode.

This primary season is made up of 15 brief tales set within the worlds of Unreal Match, Pac-Man, Dungeons & Dragons, and extra. Every episode is a standalone story that anybody can watch with out prior information of the video games, however you’ll actually have a richer expertise when you have an understanding of the phrases they’re drawn from. That’s why we’ve put collectively this explainer information, which solutions the most important lore and background questions from every episode.

So for those who’ve watched Secret Stage and are available away asking issues like “Who’s Xan?”, “What’s the Cult of the Dragon?” or “What was in that field?”, you then’re in the fitting place for solutions.

After all, proceed with warning: this text comprises spoilers for each episode of Secret Stage obtainable to this point.

Episode 1 – Dungeons & Dragons: The Queen’s Cradle

The Queen’s Cradle is predicated on Dungeons & Dragons, the 50-year-old tabletop RPG that created the world wherein Baldur’s Gate 3 is about. As is typical of D&D’s fantasy adventures, the story follows a questing occasion of numerous characters: Mora, a goliath (see: mini big) paladin; Tally, a gnome wizard; Luzum, a dwarf monk; and Ahokal, an orc druid. Their mission is to save lots of Solon, a younger man lined in mysterious tattoos whom the occasion rescues from the Cult of the Dragon.

What’s The Cult of the Dragon?

The Cult of the Dragon is a faction from the tabletop lore that believes undead dragons will someday rule the world. A few of its extra grisly practices contain sacrificing folks to the dragon gods, and that’s why Solon has been tattooed with these runes and symbols – the cult intends to sacrifice him to Tiamat, the five-headed queen of evil dragons. It’s talked about that Solon was meant to be sacrificed on the Properly of Dragons, which is a temple of Tiamat hidden away inside a volcano.

Who’s Oriel, the gold dragon?

Not all D&D dragons are evil. Tiamat’s brother and rival, Bahamut, is the chief of the noble metallic dragons. That’s why the occasion seeks out Oriel, a golden dragon, to assist remedy Solon of his affliction that causes him to see visions of Tiamat. Oriel is an unique character for this story reasonably than an vital dragon within the lore, which is an effective factor contemplating he will get torn aside by Tiamat as she materialises inside him.

Tiamat’s respawn

It’s not precisely clear how Tiamat arrives in the best way she does. The Properly of Dragons has been utilized in prior D&D tales to coax Tiamat into the Materials Airplane (see: ‘regular’ actuality) from her lair within the 9 Hells. That’s possible what’s occurring right here, and Tiamat’s journey from hell may very well be thought-about one thing of a ‘rebirth’ or, to make use of a online game time period, a ‘respawn’. This idea is one thing explored throughout your complete Secret Stage sequence.

Episode 2 – Sifu: It Takes a Life

It Takes a Life is predicated on Sifu, the 2022 motion recreation from developer Sloclap. Set in China, the sport follows the journey of a person searching for revenge for the demise of his father. In contrast to most episodes of Secret Stage, It Takes a Life truly takes place throughout the storyline of its supply materials – the struggle scenes are a recreation of Sifu’s second degree, The Membership.

Why can the MC respawn?

All through the episode we see our hero, identified solely as MC (most important character), die repeatedly. Reasonably than rot in a puddle of his personal blood, the MC is ready to resurrect and proceed preventing. This recreates a mechanic from the online game, wherein the MC has a magical talisman that raises him from the useless. The power comes with a worth, although; every resurrection ages the MC by a number of years. By the tip of the episode we see that the MC has develop into an outdated man as a result of variety of deaths he has respawned from.

Why does the talisman break?

The MC’s talisman is made up of a pendant with 5 charms. Often these charms break when the MC resurrects. That is one other recreation of the sport’s mechanics, as in Sifu a appeal shatters when the MC has aged previous a decade milestone. Mainly there’s solely so many instances the talisman can save him, as all of the charms can have damaged by the point he’s aged previous 70 years outdated.

Who’s the boss?

After preventing his method by means of the membership, the MC lastly faces the person he has been trying to find. That is Sean, the second boss from the online game. Whereas we don’t see the struggle itself within the episode, the realm is similar to that seen within the recreation, and Sean wields the identical bo employees that his recreation counterpart makes use of.

Episode 3 – New World: The As soon as and Future King

The As soon as and Future King is predicated on New World, the MMORPG from Amazon Sport Studios. Particularly, it appears to be a prequel to Aeternum, the sport’s latest replace. Set on an island the place no one ever dies, it follows the journey of a buffoonish king dying over and over in his try to say rulership over the land.

Who’s King Aelstrom?

In New World: Aeternum, Aelstrom is an NPC quest giver who offers tutorial targets for brand spanking new gamers. Little is thought about him within the recreation, however he does clarify that he’s a former king. This episode of Secret Stage thus acts as one thing of an origin story for Aelstrom. We see how his youthful self, voiced by none apart from Arnold Schwarzenegger, makes an attempt to put declare to the island of Aeternum. He finally fails, which presumably is the place to begin for his profession as an NPC camped out on Aeternum’s seashore within the beginning space of Monarch’s Bluffs.

Within the recreation, it’s revealed that Aelstrom has been kicked out of the town of Prydwen. It appears possible that the fortress depicted on this episode is Prydwen and the story’s occasions are the rationale why Aelstrom has been exiled from the town.

Why can Aelstrom respawn?

This episode briefly explains that no one dies on Aeternum (the island’s title is definitely the Latin phrase for “everlasting” or “endlessly”), therefore why King Aelstrom is ready to resurrect again and again, Fringe of Tomorrow-style. Very like the Sifu episode, this capacity is rooted within the unique recreation. In New World, a mineral known as Azoth grants the island its supernatural energy and ensures that each one residing issues can resurrect. Merely put, it’s the lore behind why your character can respawn within the recreation.

Episode 4 – Unreal Match: Xan

Xan is about within the Unreal Match universe and, very similar to the earlier episode The As soon as and Future King, acts as a prequel to the occasions that happen within the video video games. Throughout this brief we witness a retelling of the origins of the Unreal Match, which was designed to place a cease to an AI rebellion.

Who’s Xan?

The hero of this story is Xan Kriegor. Whereas he seems very completely different on this episode in comparison with the Xan seen within the first Unreal Match recreation, Secret Stage’s model of the character lives a life that largely matches the unique lore. Xan was constructed by the Liandri Mining Company for harmful mining operations. His notoriety started when he led a robotic rebellion towards his human masters on asteroid LBX-7683. The episode reveals how Xan is the primary to strike again towards his human oppressors.

What’s the Unreal Match?

In Secret Stage, it’s steered that the Unreal Match demise matches are one thing of a punishment for Xan and his staff of robots for his or her position within the insurrection. Issues are barely completely different within the video games’ unique backstory. After quelling the insurrection, Liandri captured the rebels and reprogrammed them, turning them right into a staff of robotic warriors often called The Corrupt. They have been then entered into the Liandri Grand Match, a legally-sanctioned bloodsport that was launched to supply a violent outlet for an more and more aggressive inhabitants.

Reasonably than making an attempt to assist his fellow robots by means of a brutal punishment as he does in Secret Stage’s model of occasions, the unique Xan is an environment friendly soldier making an attempt to win victory for his employer. He shortly rises to develop into the event’s champion, turning into a mythological determine within the course of.

Episode 5 – Warhammer 40,000: And They Shall Know No Worry

And They Shall Know No Worry is a narrative set within the Warhammer 40,000 universe. This makes it the second Secret Stage episode to be based mostly on a tabletop recreation, however this brief additionally acts as a companion piece to the not too long ago launched House Marine 2 online game. Happening after SM2’s marketing campaign, this episode sees Lieutenant Titus working as a part of an elite Bladeguard staff on a mission to eradicate an agent of Chaos – daemons who pose the best risk to humanity. Persevering with Secret Stage’s ongoing theme of respawns and rebirth, the story explores how House Marines are created by breaking down youngsters and rebuilding them into fearless warriors.

What’s within the field?

All through the primary half of the episode Titus drags a coffin-like field by means of the battlefield. It’s ultimately revealed to include an astropath, a slave with psychic powers. Astropaths are basically the Warhammer 40k model of a phone, as their skills permit them to ship and obtain messages throughout interstellar distances. They’re additionally able to speaking with aliens and daemons, which is probably going one of many the explanation why this astropath was introduced alongside for the mission. The principle cause Titus has the astropath, although, is for its defensive capabilities – a talent often called Psychic Barrier. We see this getting used to guard the squad from the spectral grasp of Chaos.

Who’s Titus’ foe?

The House Marines are as soon as once more preventing servants of the Chaos god Tzeentch, and followers of the sport will recognise each the blue-skinned Tzaangors and the statue of the massive, bird-like Lord of Change. Slumbering throughout the statue’s employees, although, is a brand new enemy: a Sorcerer of Tzeentch. There may be not a mannequin of this creature within the tabletop recreation, however it has all of the hallmarks of a servant of Tzeentch: tentacle-like appendages, bizarre eyes, and the power to poison minds with terrifying illusions.

What is going on in Metaurus’ imaginative and prescient?

A lot of this episode is seen from the angle of Metaurus, the squad’s sergeant. He’s an unique character for this story, however an vital one: it’s revealed that he was the individual to recruit Titus. Reasonably than break Titus as a toddler and rebuild him right into a fearless soldier, Metarurus explains that Titus was utterly fearless whilst a younger boy.

When the Tzeentch sorcerer torments Metaurus with visions, he begins to think about what Titus’ full lack of worry may imply. We see the picture of Titus remodel right into a spike-adorned disciple of Chaos earlier than stabbing his outdated mentor. The implication is that Titus’ full lack of worry may imply he’s not fearful sufficient of Chaos, and thus could also be tempted to hitch them. This hyperlinks to the story of the primary House Marine recreation, wherein Titus is believed to have colluded with Chaos and is subsequently convicted of heresy.

Fortunately Titus’ incapability to really feel worry saves the day. Inside his personal imaginative and prescient he’s in a position to strike again towards the sorcerer, permitting his bodily self to cleave the creature in two. Within the aftermath, Metaurus asks “what may a soul like that be able to?” Primarily based on the occasions of this story, in addition to the 2 House Marine video games, it looks like Titus is the final word defender of humanity, incapable of falling to Chaos.

Episode 6 – Pac-Man: Circle

Circle is maybe Secret Stage’s most out-there episode, based mostly on the arcade recreation Pac-Man. Contemplating the Eighties traditional doesn’t have a lot in the best way of story or setting, this brief acts as one thing of a wild reimaging of what the mazes, dots, and ghosts of Pac-Man may symbolize.

Pac-Man easter eggs

As a result of Circle is an entire reimagining of the sport, the Pac-Man components are virtually extra like easter eggs than direct recreations. The Puck is, after all, this episode’s most direct model of Pac-Man – a floating yellow orb that travels by means of a jungle-like maze. However the traditional position of Pac-Man is definitely fulfilled by the Swordsman, a confused humanoid making an attempt to outlive the maze on the behest of the Puck. The 2 characters are united by the Swordsman’s blade, which options the open mouthed design of Pac-Man on its crossguard.

The Puck spurs the Swordsman on by saying “You should be hungry”, a reference to how gamers eat their method by means of the maze within the unique recreation. Whereas the Swordsman doesn’t eat something resembling the sport’s pill-like dots, he does chow down on quite a lot of beasts, in addition to the enduring cherries. The Puck additionally suggests the Swordsman ought to eat the maze’s hungry ghosts, a reference to how gamers are in a position to eat the ghosts who hang-out them within the recreation.

There’s energy in repetition

The episode’s title, Circle, refers back to the cycle that the Puck continuously goes by means of in quest of a Swordsman who will defeat the maze. It seems that seemingly infinite Swordsmen are being held in stasis, each destined to be bullied by the Puck into travelling by means of the maze. The Puck tells the Swordsman that there’s “energy in repetition”, a commentary on each the Swordsman’s have to eat over and over to achieve his objective, and the Puck’s compulsion to strive over and over to drive a Swordsman to finish the maze.

This commentary hyperlinks into Secret Stage’s wider exploration of how demise and respawning is a key a part of video video games. There’s a recognition right here that the act of enjoying Pac-Man is a relentlessly repetitive course of, destined to regularly finish in Sport Over, however that it’s only by means of repetition that gamers enhance their expertise and are in a position to grasp the video games’ mazes.

Episode 7 – CrossFire: Good Battle

Good Battle is impressed by CrossFire, a PvP shooter developed by Smilegate Leisure that’s massively widespread in China and South Korea. The sport pits members of two mercenary groups towards one another – the World Danger counter-terrorist organisation and the Black Checklist group. Each of those factions function on this episode.

Who’s World Danger and who’s Black Checklist?

Because of the lore-light, multiplayer nature of CrossFire, there’s little that wants explaining about this episode. It’s price establishing who’s who, although, because the script does a comparatively poor job of building sides for these unfamiliar with CrossFire. The episode begins from the angle of Black Checklist, who has been contracted to escort a person known as Mahler to a drop-off level the place he shall be collected by “freedom fighters”. The Black Checklist staff are intercepted by World Danger, who will be recognized by the blue badges on their helmets. Confusingly, World Danger are outfitted in black and drive black autos, whereas Black Checklist put on tan-coloured tactical gear and drive white autos.

What’s within the package deal?

The members of World Danger should not truly searching Black Checklist. As an alternative their mission is to retrieve the package deal Mahler carries. It isn’t explicitly revealed what’s within the package deal (apart from the dummy package deal, which is stuffed with scorching water bottles), however it’s thought-about very helpful. World Danger needs it for safety functions, noting that if it have been to finish up within the improper fingers “there wouldn’t be anyplace left that isn’t a warzone.” In the meantime, Mahler believes the liberty fighters will kill him if he arrives with out the package deal. The implication is that the case comprises both info that would trigger world insecurity, or a nuclear/chemical weapon.

Episode 8 – Armored Core: Asset Administration

Asset Administration is the ultimate story in Secret Stage’s first batch of episodes. Primarily based on FromSoftware’s mecha fight sequence, Armored Core, it options Keanu Reeves as an unnamed mercenary mech pilot. What looks like a routine job turns into more and more complicated when the pilot realises that his targets could also be linked to his previous.

Why is the pilot particular?

Through the episode’s opening, two males in a bar talk about the pilot. The older man explains that “they made him to do one factor” and that “they don’t make them like that anymore.” It’s quickly revealed that the pilot is an augmented human, outfitted with techniques that permit him to instantly interface along with his mech. There have been many variations of augmented people throughout the Armored Core sequence, however this brief as an entire pretty intently resembles the newest entry, AC6: Fires of Rubicon, and so we’ll use that because the supply for our explainer.

In Fires of Rubicon, there have been a number of generations of the Human PLUS program. Every new iteration of human augmentation was designed to refine and improve pilot aptitude, enabling the next talent ceiling and thus deadlier warriors. The primary 4 generations used an uncommon substance known as Coral to fabricate enhancements, and a facet impact of that is at the least one pilot – C4-621, the protagonist of Armored Core 6 – is ready to hear disembodied voices of their head. Keanu Reeves’ pilot can be in a position to hear a voice in his head, and so he could both be a fourth technology augmented human akin to the protagonist of AC6, or the results of Secret Stage’s personal model of the Human PLUS program (it’s unclear if this episode is about in the identical universe as Fires of Rubicon or its personal model of the Armored Core fiction).

The final of his type

Whereas the pilot initially claims that “everyone like me is useless”, it seems that’s removed from the reality. It’s ultimately revealed that the pilot’s present contract is to search out and eradicate different augmented pilots. That is reflective of the sport’s method to missions, wherein the true nature of contracts is usually saved hid from the assigned pilot. The ‘enemy’ pilots have seemingly been assigned the identical contract within the hope that the augmented people will wipe one another out, however they pull their punches in battle – an indication that they don’t wish to kill the pilot. However, regardless of them being one thing akin to his ‘siblings’, the pilot carries out his orders and crushes the goal’s cranium .

There are various prospects as to why the pilot would willingly homicide different augmented people, however maybe the most certainly is that in Armored Core’s ruthless company future, it’s a helpful factor to be the one individual with a selected talent set. Maybe that is the pilot’s method of making certain he’s the primary decide for future contracts. Survival of the fittest, certainly.

The ultimate seven episodes of Secret Stage will launch on December 17.

Matt Purslow is IGN’s Senior Options Editor.