Like it’s heroine, Iron Widow is a story that begins powered by rage. Zetian is a Concubine-Pilot, one half of the man/woman pilot team who operate a Chrysalis. The Pilots are all boys and all rockstars, their Qi so powerful it pushes war machines made from the vast corpses of their foes into battle. The women love them very much and look good in pictures.
Zetian got that memo. And burnt it.
Zhao’s debut doesn’t kick in the door so much as it dismantles the entire sexist and destructive society that put the door there in the first place. All while punching monsters in the face, kissing multiple hot boys, and unfolding a plot equal parts Pacific Rim, The Handmaid’s Tale and cathartically eloquent rage-scream.
Contents
Iron Widow
The Matrix Resurrections
Interstitials: My favourite Key & Peele sketches
Playout: Greatest Nicolas Cage quotes and scenes of all time