Truly Universal

In a world... where we have not posted anything... for months. We don't know what to talk about, so we're just going to talk about whatever comes to mind. This is Truly Universal.

"I know that, like your mother, you think that you can forget the past. You can't. The past is a living thing. You own it... owe it. Now I have found something about your mother's forbearers. You have a sacred… secret legacy, a birthright that's been kept from you." These mysterious words propel Atticus Turner to search for his missing father, Montrose, in HBO’s sprawling, mind-bending epic, Lovecraft Country. If you “love that the heroes get to go on adventures in other worlds, defy insurmountable odds, defeat the monster, [and] save the day,” then you’ll love today’s podcast. “This is the story of a boy and his dream. But more than that”. This is Truly Universal.

Dear listeners, you have something we want. You may think you have some idea of what you’re listening to, but you do not. Soon, your podcast playlist will be back with us. This means more to us than you will ever know. Grab some bone broth, deactivate your IG-11’s self destruct sequence, and join us as we discuss Lucasfilm’s Star Wars Universe through Disney’s hit show, “The Mandalorian”.

Quiet Coyote! Quiet Coyote! Welcome to the great before, or as we have rebranded it “You Seminar.” This center is where young souls develop and gain personalities before being transported to a newborn child on Earth. We’ll make you a shy extrovert, you obsessed with sprinkles, we’ll have you be an anxious perfectionist, and you… we’ll have you pretentious about music and McDonald’s. Now to find your spark so you can get your Earth badge… will it be baking? Soccer? Piano? Drawing? What will be your Spark? What does it mean to have a spark? On this episode we’ll be looking at what the meaning of life is and what it means to have purpose through Pixar’s latest film: Soul.  This is Truly Universal.

The Queen’s Gambit follows the story of a young chess prodigy, Beth Harmon, as she rises to the top of the male-dominated competitive Chess world, while struggling with her broken childhood, emotional problems, drug abuse, and alcohol dependency. So often we see stars, geniuses, and saints by their accomplishments yet we often fail to recognize the hidden struggles they go through. But as we pull away the veil, we come to know just how heavy are the crosses they bear. Today we enter the universe of the Queen’s Gambit. This is Truly Universal.

Oh. You’re, uh, probably here about the, uh, the podcast. Elves love to listen to podcasts. Bet you didn’t know that about elves. There’s probably a lot of things you *still* don’t know about elves. Podcasts help elves stay motivated, get inspired, and work more efficiently, so they can build toys in Santa’s workshop.  No podcast crew has ever set foot in Santa’s workshop. That is until today. And, as you may have guessed, that’s where our story begins...

Never go near the gate or fence in the back of the forest, because it’s dangerous. That is the warning the orphans of the Grace Fields House have been given. But what really lies beyond the gate? Three of these orphans, Emma, Raye, and Norman discover the truth about their innocent little world and now must bear the burden of that truth.  How do Catholics bear the light of truth in a world that is so often filled with darkness? How can we find hope when all seems so hopeless? Today we enter the world of the Promised Neverland. This is Truly Universal.

From breaking through to the mainstream playing Marvel’s Wolverine in Brian Singer’s X-Men in 2000, to playing Jean Valjean, and P.T. Barnum, this massively talented Australian actor, singer, and producer has proven to be one of our greatest showmen. Whether yelling incoherently in the midst of a bloodbath or singing show tunes to adoring audiences, he’s everything you ever need and everything you ever want, and he’s here right in front of you. This is where you wanna be.   Today we enter the world of Hugh Jackman.

The horror franchise, "The Purge" has captivated audiences with an extreme take on government control and patriotism. On this episode, we explore the universe of politics, religion, and what it means to vote in America today.   This is Truly Universal. 

Among Us is an online multiplayer social deduction video game available free to play on Android and iOS. It’s a modern take on the “whodunit?” formula of games like Mafia and Werewolf. A group of players, called crewmates, bumble about performing various tasks to maintain and repair their spaceship on its return trip back home while another group of players, called the impostors, are sneaking around trying to kill the crewmates without being discovered. While the game was released back in 2018, it wasn’t until this year, mid-2020, when spiked in popularity. As of this recording, it is the #1 watched video game on Twitch and a fan favorite game amongst our Urban Pyx family. Today, we enter the Universe of Among Us.

Hello, darlings... What is it you truly desire? Let’s start from the beginning. You know Lucifer used to be God’s favorite angel... Those were the days... Oh, where to start? Well, I’m the devil. I basically invented Daddy Issues, waged a war, and got banished to rule hell but decided I needed a little vacay so I came here to Los Angeles, which let me tell you is not the city of Angels and exactly what I was after. I bought a bar, had a wonderful time partying, annoying my angel brother who is trying to get me back to hell, which I have to say was half the fun. But then something unexpected happened… I got mixed up in a murder that I helped solve which brought me to became an official consultant of the LAPD. I have the ability to draw out people’s desires you see. No human is immune to my devilish charms. There is only one human… but I talked to my therapist— I know so LA— And she’s working through it with me… Oh, and I am very aware you all are Catholic here. But don’t worry, you’re my favorites of dear, old dad’s fan clubs... So, grab a drink. You’ll need one… 

Earth. Fire. Air. Water. Near the end of spring, our co-founder of UrbanPyx, Avatar Rence, told us the story of how he and his friends entertainingly discussed the ending of the Hundred Year War. Avatar Rence and Earth King Ian transformed their discussion of a popular fandom into Truly Universal, a podcast where Catholics and nerds from all over the world could gather and listen together in peace and harmony.  Avatar Rence accomplished many remarkable things in the previous Avatar episode, but sadly, his time hosting Avatar discussions came to an end. And like the cycle of the seasons, the cycle of analyzing Avatar began anew.

In this episode, the TU comic crew discusses Umbrella Academy, a Netflix series inspired by My Chemical Romance's Gerard Way.The comic book show follows the lives of a completely dysfunctional group of 7 superhero siblings, reuniting at the death of their emotionally distant father. Showrunner Steve Blackman beautifully balances dark humor, action, touching moments, and an awesome soundtrack. Listen in and hear our thoughts on the apocalypse, favorite characters, and our desire to hug extraterrestrial cheese.

Welcome to another year at Hogwart's School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Now I'd like to say a few words before we all become too befuddled by excellent the excellent feast of delicious nerd talk. I have a few start-of-term notices I wish to announce. First years, please note the Dark Forest of Non-canon Fan Fiction over-sexualizing friendships is strictly forbidden to all students. Also, our caretaker, Mr. Perdiguerra has asked me to remind you that the third-floor corridor of Neville Longbottom and Luna Lovegood haters on the right-hand side is out of bounds to everyone who does not wish to die a most painful death. On a lighter note, please see Ethan Kho, the quidditch captain for Gryffindor, who is looking for a new seeker. Our current seeker is fighting "He Who Must Not be Named".  Lastly, I am pleased to welcome a few new professors of herbology, muggle studies, and defense against the dark arts today. Hmm... I'll let them introduce themselves. 

In a podcast where we explore other universes... What about the universes that you hear from us right now? The universe of ourselves. Today, the podcast explores the universe of the TU core group in this Ask Me Anything.

The hit rap musical Hamilton, tells the story of America’s often-forgotten founding father. As an immigrant orphan born of illegitimate birth, Alexander Hamilton took every opportunity presented to him ascend to the heights of glory and help build a new nation, though not without controversy. While his story lives through the play’s unforgettable song and rap numbers, how can Catholics living in the nation Hamilton helped build, look back at our own history as individuals and as a nation, and learn from it moving forward? Today, Truly Universal enters the universe of Hamilton.

Hello, podcast listener. Come on in. I bet you’re wondering where you are. Well you, dear podcast listener are dead. But that’s okay because you are listening to this week’s episode of Truly Universal. Today’s episode will cover NBC’s hit comedy The Good Place. This is because of all the incredible good deeds you have performed on Earth. For the next hour or so, you will join our Truly Universal panel as we talk about Eleanor, Chidi, Tahani, and Jason grappling with how to be good in the bonkers afterlife portrayed in the show. We will also discuss how this relates to the four last things: death judgment, heaven, and hell, and how the way we live our lives now affects our afterlife. You know that feeling you get when you see two otters holding hands. That is how you are going to feel as you listen to this podcast. Today, we enter the universe of The Good Place. This is Truly Universal.

Disney's 2016 blockbuster film, Zootopia, tells the story of a world where predators and prey coexist in a peaceful society. But when a few predators mysteriously go missing within the city limits, it is up to Judy Hopps, a spunky rabbit who becomes the first rabbit police officer, and her unlikely partner Nick Wilde, a predatory red fox, and small-time con artist, to crack the criminal case Yet, when you look beyond the stunning colorful visuals and adorably expressive anthropomorphic animal characters, you social critique on the prejudice and racism of contemporary American society. A Catholic in America can relate to Zootopia, since the barriers and echo chambers found all over our culture today, makes living and preaching the Gospel increasingly difficult. Today we dive into the universe of the predators and prey in Zootpia. This is Truly Universal. Episode Links Lion and Lamb Hybrid Guinea Pig and Lion Hybrid

Once Upon a Time in a land not so far away, there were four princesses. They grew up on the tales of damsels in distress whose strengths started with cleaning and ended with being asleep. As they grew in age and beauty, in wisdom and goodness, they came across different stories. They saw princesses who read, princesses who fight, princesses who sail, princesses who have magic ice powers, princesses who were warriors that saved entire countries. The tales they grew up on came to find new meanings. Just when they decided it was time for a journey of their own the four princesses were stuck in their towers and castles due to an evil plague that cursed the land. Through the powers of Truly Universal, they were able to meet via magic mirror and converse about the world of Disney Princesses and the fairytales that empower them. Every princess wants to love and be loved but what does that mean? It doesn’t just mean a prince anymore. It means vocation, friendship, community, making our dreams come true. What does happily ever after mean to you?

Water. Earth. Fire. Air. Long ago, the four podcast elements lived together in harmony. Then, everything changed when the pandemic attacked. Only Truly Universal, master of all four elements, could stop it, but when the world needed them the most, TU vanished. A whole year passed until Urban Pyx rediscovered Truly Universal, a new podcast started by Catholic nerds. And although their podcasting skills are great, they have a lot to learn before they gain enough listeners to be well known. But I believe Truly Universal can entertain the world." In the world of Avatar: The Last Airbender, certain people have the incredible ability to manipulate these elements, sometimes for good, and some for evil. As the hundred-year war rages among the warmongering Fire Nation, Katara and Sokka find the Aang, the last air-bender, and the avatar foretold to defeat the fire nation and restore balance to the world.   This is Truly Universal.

In Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood, alchemy is the most practiced science in this universe, allowing people to reformulate matter through the knowledge of its chemical makeup. Two brothers, Edward and Alphonse Elric, travel as itinerant alchemists to atone for their failure to resurrect their deceased mother using a forbidden technique called "human transmutation.” Determined to get their bodies back, they set off on a journey in search of the Philosopher's Stone only to discover the dark secrets of alchemy. But how does a Catholic deal with the manipulation of the laws of nature in the world of Alchemy? How did St. Thomas Aquinas, Albertus Magnus, and Friar Roger Bacon deal with the pursuit of Truth through their observations of nature? Today we explore faith and science in the world of the alchemists.

"Hello there, everyone! Right now, on TU Island, it's 9:03 PM on Wednesday, May 6th, 2020. Now for today's announcements... Today, there is a brand new podcast for us to listen to! This podcast explores the Universe of the popular video game series Animal Crossing, developed and published by Nintendo. It’s a life simulator with many activities to explore and animals to befriend! Anyway, that’s all for tonight. Enjoy listening!"

You're waiting for a podcast to start. A podcast that will take you far away. You know where you hope this podcast will take you, but you can't know for sure. Yet, it doesn't matter... The line between reality and dreams can often be blurred, as we see in the blockbuster hit Inception, starring Leonardo DiCaprio, directed by Christopher Nolan. Today, we explore the world of our subconsciousness and whether our dream selves are held accountable to the standards of our woken selves.

In a world... where Rence doesn’t know anything about superheroes and he passes the torch to his sister… It’s me. It’s this world. This episode is the first of many divings into the ever-evolving, ever-growing world of superheroes, anti-heroes, and supervillains with complicated origin stories. Today, our specific focus will be on the questions of how does a Catholic handle superpowers in general? How would we handle moral dilemmas while in a position of literal power ...superpower?

As our world gets more technologically advanced, artificial intelligence or AI have become an increasingly common part of our everyday lives. Mechanical labor has replaced human labor in many industries and mechanical minds have developed to learn and adapt at a rate that far exceeds the capabilities of the human mind. While science fiction stories can tell us how AI can impact human society, can they tell us the ethical and theological implications of them? Today, the Holy Ghost dives into the machine as we explore the universe of artificial intelligence. While science fiction stories can tell us how AI can impact human society, can they tell us the ethical and theological implications of them? Today, the Holy Ghost dives into the machine as we explore the universe of artificial intelligence.

Many books, television shows, and movies tell stories of people traveling through time. Some of them give us a peek into the future while others show the consequences of changing the past. If a Catholic had the ability to travel through time, should he or she do so? Altering time to affect the present poses many ethical and moral problems that one cannot avoid. When we say that in Jesus Christ "All time belongs to him and all the ages," does this include alternate timelines? Today, we enter the universe of time travel.

Pokémon is a worldwide phenomenon that has taken root in today's popular culture. Even people who have never played the games or watched the anime instantly recognize Pikachu and the quest to "catch them all". The young and young at heart are captivated by these creatures, constantly discovering new and exciting things about them. In this whimsical world, children come of age at ten years old and set out on their journeys to encounter these Pokémon, their trainers, and the bonds they share. But how can one be a faithful Catholic and a Pokémon Master? Can the wisdom of the Church speak to us about venturing out on your own and battling against other trainers? What if, during the creation story in Genesis, God said, "Let there be Pokémon" and then after he created humanity, he said to them, "See that I have created every Pokémon for you to catch, train, and battle". Today, we enter the Pokémon Universe.

Zombies are found in many forms of media, from video games to film, television, and novels. As people are picked off one by one, many of the characters devolve drastically as their instinct for survival overrides their normal judgment. But how is a Catholic supposed to act during the zombie apocalypse? St. Thomas Aquinas and St. Paul did not have to deal with the impending doom of the zombies coming after them. Today we will examine Catholicism in the universe of the Zombie Apocalypse.

Ever wonder if zombies have souls? Or whether it's ethical to enter into someone's dreams? Join us each week as we have a round table discussion about a universe found in television, film, literature, and other forms of media and how to live the Catholic faith within one of them. Truly Universal is a production of Urban Pyx, All Things to All.Theme song by Demi Guevera. Audio Production by Ethan Kho. Outro song by Chris Cabiles. You can find all of our content on our website, www.urbanpyx.com/trulyuniversal. Please like and subscribe to us on where ever you get your podcasts. If you want to contact us, send us an email at trulyuniversal@urbanpyx.com