Forgiveness is one of the most misunderstood virtues—often mistaken for toxic positivity or passivity. Phrases like “forgive and forget” can dismiss real pain, while cancel culture swings to the opposite extreme, writing people off without context and stifling empathy. Nevertheless, it remains the case that forgiveness reaps extensive mental health benefits and fosters deep relationships. The way people exercise forgiveness and achieve personal closure varies (i.e., accidents), but the substance of it remains the same: A conscious, regular decision to relinquish the impulse to hate and retaliate, and to pursue personal peace instead.

The Birth of Evil arc in Genndy Tartakovsky’s Samurai Jack explores the origins of the series’ main villain, Aku. Beneath its mythic storytelling lies a rich exploration of the nature of evil and the mystery of salvation by grace. This treatise examines the Biblical motifs embedded within the arc, presenting it as a powerful allegory of the Christian Kerygma. It further argues that the narrative reconciles the often-perceived tension between faith and works, offering a profound vision of human justification as illustrated through the figure of Samurai Jack’s father, The Emperor, and his wielding of the divinely-forged katana of Righteousness in his battle against Aku—a symbol of humanity’s cooperation with Divine grace in the fight against Evil.

The Tale of the Three Brothers tells the story of three wizard brothers who each receive a powerful magical artifact from the Grim Reaper: The Elder Wand, the Resurrection Stone, and the Invisibility Cloak – collectively known as the Deathly Hallows. Symbolically, the brothers’ choices reflect different responses to the reality of death, serving as a mirror to our own lives. The moral of this parable teaches that our attitudes toward mortality profoundly shape the way we pursue meaning, fulfilment, and ultimately, how we choose to live—for better or for worse.

Transformers: Exodus chronicles the backstory of the Cybertronian Civil War, the deathly corruption of Cybertron and the widespread evacuation of its citizens. At the heart of the story is the noble leader of the Autobots, Optimus Prime, encountering the divine presence of LORD Primus. Primus entrusts him with the Matrix of Leadership, designating him as the Light of the Cybertronian race. He also offers a promise—that Cybertron will one day be restored and led into a new era of unimagined wonders. The story of the Transformers in Exile from their Fallen World echoes our story of Salvation History and the universal hope that truth, goodness and beauty will save the world and the galaxy.