Rick Stevenson
School
College Of William & Mary, Hertford College
Expertise
"Star Wars", "Avatar: The Last Airbender", Netflix Originals
- Rick's extensive knowledge of "Star Wars" has helped him produce stories on topics like the inner workings of bacta tanks and the Jedi's use of force lightning, and you might find him in the sources of various "Star Wars" Wikipedia articles.
- In addition to his many articles about a galaxy far, far away, Rick has covered a variety of news pieces about "Avatar: The Last Airbender," "Dune," and the MCU.
- As an NYC local, Rick regularly attends advance screenings for major film releases.
Experience
Rick began writing about film and TV as a contributor to The Odyssey and various blogs in 2016. He later became a senior writer for Screen Rant, where he wrote news and features content covering new releases, classic franchises, industry trends, streaming, and more. Rick became a writer for Xoop in 2021 and an editor in 2022, later moving to SlashGear in 2024. He has also written and edited for sites like Fadeaway World, SVG, Tasting Table, StyleCaster, and Nicki Swift.
Education
Rick studied writing and storytelling at the College of William & Mary, receiving his B.A. in 2019. He is also an associate of Oxford University's Hertford College and a graduate of the Columbia Publishing Course.
Xoop's content is a collaboration between a core group of experienced entertainment editors and a vast team of writers, graphic designers, interviewers, and experts in all things entertainment and pop culture. Our goal is to provide up-to-the-minute breaking news coverage as well as original and engaging opinion and editorial content that serves fans of movies, television, and genre media in general.
Our team of editors and advisors constantly updates and reviews articles to ensure they're current, comprehensive, and informative. Additional information on our editorial process available here.
Stories By Rick Stevenson
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The deadliest rifles in "Star Wars" were banned during the reign of the Galactic Empire for their overwhelming power and the fears they instilled.
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The Jedi are typically portrayed as heroes in Star Wars stories, but that doesn't mean they're perfect. The Order has made plenty of terrible mistakes.
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Jedi Master Luke Skywalker was unquestionably one of the most powerful characters in the entire "Star Wars" universe. But just how strong was he?
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The Sith villain on "The Acolyte" is able to short out Jedi's lightsabers during the fight scenes on Episode 5. Here's how he can do that.
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The main villain in “The Acolyte” only identifies himself as “Sith,” but is that truly what he is? Get ready for a Star Wars lore deep dive!
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A new entry in the "Alien" franchise is just around the corner. Where have you seen the small but talented cast of "Alien: Romulus" before? Find out right here.
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With “Ultraman Rising” blowing up Netflix, let’s take a look back at the icon, including his history, his costume, and of course, his powers.
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The holodeck is one of the coolest pieces of sci-fi tech across the entire "Star Trek" franchise. But what is the science that makes the thing operate?
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"Star Wars: The Acolyte" Episode 3 expands upon the franchise's lore by establishing a connection between two of the show's characters and Anakin Skywalker.
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“The Last Jedi” is probably the most contentious Star Wars movie ever. But one scene from the film is stirring up a surprisingly fun debate on Reddit.
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"House of the Dragon" Season 2 continues the “Dance of Dragons” story, which covers a Targaryen civil war. But what started it again? Here’s a reminder.
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Viewers may notice on "House of the Dragon" that there are stone balls placed on the small council table. Here's why that takes place during meetings.
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Every TV show makes at least a few mistakes, and "House of the Dragon" is certainly not above a number of noticeable flubs.
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"House of the Dragon" depicts the war among the Targaryen dynasty called the Dance of the Dragons, based on the book "Fire and Blood." Here's how the war ends.
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"Game of Thrones" fans know the show is based on George R. R. Martin's The Song of Ice and Fire books. But what does the franchise title mean?
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"The Acolyte" is trying to tread new ground for Star Wars, but the TV show includes a callback to one of the franchise's most derided elements.
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Twin sisters Osha and Mae are at the center of the Star Wars show "The Acolyte." Here's why the actor playing the siblings looks so familiar.
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"Raised by Wolves" earned acclaim from fans and critics during its two seasons on HBO. But why was the sci-fi series canceled despite its popularity?
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A popular fan theory about how Mothra returned from the dead in "Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire" has been confirmed by director Adam Wingard.
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The "women in refrigerators" trope, often known as "fridging," was originally observed in comic books but is pervasive across Hollywood. Here's what it means.
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Jedi Padawan Jecki Lon makes her debut in "The Acolyte," but the actress playing her has already left her mark on other high-profile franchises.
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A sci-fi legend brings Jedi Master Indara to life on the Star Wars TV show "The Acolyte." Here's where audiences have seen the veteran actor before.
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Toho's "Godzilla Minus One" has not only captivated audiences, it's also set a historic first with its streaming premiere on Netflix.
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Marvel's "Deadpool & Wolverine" has been officially rated R by the MPA. Here's what parents need to know about the movie's more mature elements.
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"The Acolyte" Episode 1 paints the Jedi not as saviors, but corrupt cops. But the use of the dybbuk, a brain parasite, indicates something even scarier.
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Two of Star Wars: The Acolyte’s main characters seem to share a powerful Force power very few Jedi or Sith have. And that could be change everything.
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With so many different "Dragon Ball" series, establishing canon can be harder than ever -- especially when it comes to "Dragon Ball GT" and "Dragon Ball Super."