We asked contributing writer Amanda LaPergola to review the third season of Game of Thrones when it was set to wrap up on June 9th. As a writer, Amanda is…special, and her concept of deadlines is…flexible. So, it took us by surprise when Amanda’s review came in not just on time, but before the last episode had even aired.

As per usual, we received a note from Amanda’s mom (“Dear Miss Sue: Please excuse, well, to be quite honest, I’m not sure what’s going on. I found these on the floor next to my daughter, who has been there for about four days.”) and the following.

It turns out that Amanda had decided not to review the entire season but instead just one particular episode.

Editor’s Note: We ask contributing writer Amanda LaPergola to report on the world of pop culture with her unique style and insights.  Sometimes she does something like that.

“You cannot force this kind of creative process,” she told us once.  “It needs to evolve on its own.  It’s like Pokémon.  You just can’t say to a Pokémon ‘Hey, Pokémon!  Be a different Pokémon!’ and expect it to evolve.  That is not how it works.  First, it needs to spend time jammed up in a constrictive red and white ball.  Then, you let it out occasionally to fight other Pokémon to near-death.  With time and encouragement, your Pokémon will grow and change from a weird little hamster-thing to a weird little hamster-thing with antlers.  And then you get to eat it.  I think.  I’ve never played Pokémon.  Anyway, what was saying?  Oh yeah, can you pay for this coffee?”

That was four months ago.  We had not heard from Amanda since.

However, just yesterday, a package arrived at Mary Sue headquarters containing what appeared to be a note from Amanda’s mom (“Dear Miss Sue:  Please excuse my daughter’s absence over the past few months.  She wants me to tell you she had mono, but really she has been searching the internet for the secret fourth season of Downton Abbey she believes Queen Elizabeth is keeping to herself”) and the following pages…

This month, the Street Fighter series turns twenty-five making a lot of us feel extremely old. To celebrate this mile-stone, Becky Chambers, our resident video game expert, and Amanda LaPergola, our resident Street Fightologist (a title Amanda has given to herself), have sat down for a series of chats about the nature, function, and cultural impact of the series.

Last week, Becky and Amanda talked about the dark days of Street Fighter III and the awesomeness of Makoto.  This week, they finish the series with a discussion on the latest chapters in the World Warrior Saga: Street Fighter IV and Super Street Fighter IV.  Let’s join them now in an undisclosed chatroom …

Becky: And so we come to the end.

Amanda: I hate when things end. Everyone is always “all things must come to an end, the circle of life, etc…” Screw that. I hate endings. Everything should go on forever. The circle of life can suck it.

This month, the Street Fighter series turns twenty-five making a lot of us feel extremely old. To celebrate this mile-stone, Becky Chambers, our resident video game expert, and Amanda LaPergola, our resident Street Fightologist (a title Amanda has given to herself), have sat down for a series of chats about the nature, function, and cultural impact of the series.

Last week, Becky and Amanda talked about the Street Fighter Alpha series, along with combos, bromance, and the practicality of blue nipple hearts. This week, they discuss Street Fighter III’s three iterations: New Generation, 2^nd Impact, and 3^rd Strike.  Let’s join them now in an undisclosed chatroom as they talk about one of the darker chapters in the Street Fighter saga…

Amanda: Man, you ready to do this thing?

Becky: Super ready.

Amanda: Good, because of all the Street Fighter games, I think the III series are my least favorite. Unless you count those weird, polygonal EX games or that one horrendous game based on the movie. But I don’t.

Becky: I got my hands on 3rd Strike. The other two…well, they were only released on Dreamcast, as far as I can tell. I forgot Dreamcast was even a thing.

Amanda: Remember when Sega as a company was a thing?

Becky: I think that time is now referred to as “The Long Long Ago.”

This month, the Street Fighter series turns twenty-five making a lot of us feel extremely old. To celebrate this mile-stone, Becky Chambers, our resident video game expert, and Amanda LaPergola, our resident Street Fightologist (a title Amanda has given to herself), have sat down for a series of chats about the nature, function, and cultural impact of the series.

Last week, Becky and Amanda discussed the original Street Fighter, Street Fighter II, the questionable backstory of Cammy White, the decline of arcade culture and the merits of the 1994 live action movie (of which there are some). This week, Becky and Amanda discuss Street Fighter Alphas 1, 2, and 3: the prequels to the events of Street Fighter II.  Let’s join them now in an undisclosed chatroom as they talk about combos, bromance, and the practicality of blue nipple hearts…

This month, the Street Fighter series turns twenty-five making a lot of us feel extremely old. To celebrate this mile-stone, Becky Chambers, our resident video game expert, and Amanda LaPergola, our resident Street Fightologist (a title Amanda has given to herself), have sat down for a series of chats about the nature, function, and cultural impact of the series.

This week, Becky and Amanda discuss the original Street Fighter, Street Fighter II, the questionable backstory of Cammy White, the decline of arcade culture and the merits of the 1994 live action movie (of which there are some). We join our heroines in an undisclosed chatroom…

Amanda: Alright! We are live!

Becky: Nice.

Amanda: First of all, I want to check to see if links work in this. (Amanda sends Becky the following picture…)

Editor’s Note: Earlier this week we brought you a quote from radio host Rush Limbaugh in which he waxed not-so-poetically about Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight Rises. He discussed the notion floating around that the Chuck Dixon-created Bane from DC Comics, played by Tom Hardy in the film, is tangentially related to Mitt Romney’s Bain Capital. It’s not but it’s certainly making for some good jokes. Here now is our lovely, crayon-doodling, reviewer Amanda LaPergola giving her take on it all. 

Editor’s note: we asked contributing writer Amanda LaPergola to write up a review on either Snow White and the Huntsman or Prometheus. We told her it did not matter which movie she chose, just as long as she got in a review within a few days of the movie’s opening.

Clearly, we never learn our lesson.

Editor’s Note: We asked Amanda LaPergola, one of our contributing writers, to review a movie for The Mary Sue.  She agreed.  And then we never heard from her again.

This past week a package arrived at The Mary Sue headquarters containing a note from Amanda’s mom (“Dear Ms. Sue: Please excuse my daughter’s tardiness.  She has just had a birthday and has been going through an existential crisis.”) and the following… [Spoilers]

Editor’s Note: We asked Amanda LaPergola, one of our contributing writers, to summarize the major events of the past year. All that we asked was that she complete the assignment before the Christmas holidays. As of press time, we have still not heard from her. However, yesterday a package arrived at The Mary Sue headquarters containing a note from Amanda’s mom (Dear Miss Sue: Please excuse my daughter’s tardiness. She has been too busy telling everyone in her family all about that new My Little Pony show to focus on anything else.) and the following pages.