The following contains spoilers forSecret Level’sNew World: Aeternumepisode.
Tim Miller’s upcoming Amazon Prime Video anthology seriesSecret Levelis highly anticipated by gamers, due to its exploration of the virtual worlds that many have become familiar with, especially in recent years. While there are plenty of games already confirmed to appear in various episodes ofSecret Level,New World: Aeternumstands out due to its exploration of one of the game’s most eccentric characters and its ability to put a smile on viewers' faces with its exaggerated humor.
Secret Level’sNew World: Aeternumepisoderevolves around none other than Aelstrom, whom players meet very early on in the game but know very little about, even after spending time engaging in conversation with him. This particular episode is time well spent, however, as it turns out that Aelstrom has one of the most heartwarming backstories of any video game character depicted inSecret Level.
Secret Level’s New World: Aeternum Episode Fleshes Out Aelstrom
Aelstrom Is One of New World: Aeternum’s Most Eccentric and Mysterious Characters
When it comes tocharacters inNew World: Aeternum, none of them quite compare to Aelstrom. Aelstrom is beloved for his eccentric personality, despite his tragic backstory and the circumstances that led to his downfall. While he was once a noble and commanding presence, Aelstrom reveals in some of his dialogue inNew World: Aeternumthat his past actions on Aeternum’s shores eventually led to him becoming who he refers to as the “Fallen King” — actions that he is still haunted by to this day that even his Thor-like bravado can’t disguise.
Players meet Aelstrom inNew World: Aeternumupon their arrival at Aeternum, where he and his companion Urda then help familiarize the player character with the island and act as tutorial quest-givers of sorts with missions like “Crewmates No More” and “Amidst the Wreckage,” reflecting Aelstrom’s association with shipwrecks. Interacting with Aelstrom exposes layers of regret and bitterness from his experiences, making him a nuanced figure withinNew World: Aeternum’s story, although those experiences are never explained in detail.
Secret Level’s New World: Aeternum Episode Explores Aelstrom’s Backstory
WhileNew World: Aeternumlargely leaves Aelstrom’slore shrouded in mystery,Secret Level’sNew World: Aeternumepisode spends its entirety fleshing out that backstory brick by brick. Aelstrom makes it clear inNew World: Aeternumthat he is shameful of his behavior upon his arrival to Aeternum, but it is clear that the consequences of those actions humbled him and made him the man that he is now. However, he never explicitly outlines those actions in detail, nor what might have driven him to the point of the humility he now walks in.
When it comes to characters inNew World: Aeternum, none of them quite compare to Aelstrom.
Secret Level’sNew World: Aeternumepisode spares no expense in showing Aelstrom’s downfall, including why he was kicked out of Prydwen and told never to return. The eccentricity, hints of delusion, and exaggerated sense of his former grandeur that players might notice in Aelstrom’s dialogue are all explained in detail in the show’sNew World: Aeternumepisode. It’s really the perfect example ofwhatSecret Leveltruly is, as an expansion of the game worlds players have come to know and love, rather than a continuation of the stories they already know.
Secret Level’sNew World: Aeternumepisode could have focused on any of the game’s characters, and instead chose to focus on Aelstrom, whose backstory has mostly been a mystery up to this point. Nevertheless, there arguably couldn’t have been a bettercharacter for Arnold Schwarzeneggerto play in the series, and he does it with aplomb, to the point thatNew World: Aeternummight beSecret Level’s funniest episode. Once they’ve borne witness toSecret Level’sNew World: Aeternumepisode, when players wash up on the shores of Aeternum for the first time inNew World: Aeternum, they will know Aelstrom a little bit better, and perhaps even grow more fond of him on account of the show.
Secret Level
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Amazon Prime Video’s Secret Level is an animated series that explores different gaming worlds, telling short stories within them. Some of the featured games include Armored Core, Sifu, Unreal Tournament, Concord, Ghost of Tsushima, Pac-Man, and The Outer Worlds.
