12 Comic Easter Eggs From ‘Watchmen’ Episode 5 (PHOTOS)
The Veidt Method
The Veidt Method is a fitness book that was published by Adrian Veidt (Jeremy Irons) and his company during the time in which the graphic novel is set, and during the episode’s opening flashback, we see one young person perusing the pages of the reading material.
The Knot Tops
For those unfamiliar with the book, the Knot Tops were a gang prevalent in the New York City area during the ’80s. When Wade (Philip Labes) arrives, he encounters some of those gang members, one of which targets him in the fair’s funhouse.
Bloody Clock
After the squid lands in New York City, viewers are shown the aftermath which includes corpses strewn around. The imagery is nearly identical to that of the comics, and the bloody clock is a nod to the doomsday clock repeatedly shown throughout the graphic novel.
Squid Monster
Viewers were offered a glimpse at the past when Adrian Veidt’s squid monster apparated in the center of New York City. The scene was the first time it was depicted in live-action as the 2009 film chose an alternative event to fill in for the squid introduced in the comics.
Baked Beans
In a scene where Looking Glass (Tim Blake Nelson) takes a moment to himself, we see him indulge in a can of baked beans. This moment serves as a nod Rorschach in the comics as the character also ate the canned fare.
American Hero Story Relationship
In another glimpse at the dramatized series within Watchmen, viewers were shown the relationship between Hooded Justice and Captain Metropolis. While it may seem sensationalized, this aspect of their relationship was teased in the graphic novel, even if briefly.
Smiley-O’s
The cereal may not be an Easter egg, but the smiley face on the box certainly is. This product shown during one of the episode’s many focus group sessions features a smiley face not dissimilar to The Comedian’s iconic badge.
Pale Horse
In the show, Renee (Paula Malcomson) opens up about her “squid story” and discusses a fictional movie — in the vein of Schindler’s List — titled Pale Horse. As she carefully points out, the title is a reference to the band that was playing at Madison Square Garden when the squid landed, and it’s a band mentioned in the comics beyond the major event.
TV Screens
When Wade is “set free” by Adrian Veidt’s video message, which was doctored by Senator Keane (James Wolk), the imagery is a callback to Ozymandias sitting in front of a similar setup in his Karnak abode.
Last Leg
Adrian Veidt’s escape plan finally revealed itself in the episode as he used the many corpses of his servants Mr. Phillips (Tom Mison) and Ms. Crookshanks (Sara Vickers) to relay a message. This is a callback to The Black Freighter comic within the Watchmen as a marooned sailor used the corpses of his crew to create a raft as a means of escape.
Perfume
In this episode, a perfume called “Mercy” is featured during one of Wade’s focus groups. The use of the item seems to be a nod to Adrian Veidt’s line of perfume which was actually sold under the name “Nostalgia” in the comic books. It’s a possible connection to the pills Angela’s (Regina King) grandfather left her.
Conspiring
While it may have been a set-up on Looking Glass’ part, him conspiring with Angela is somewhat similar to Rorschach’s inability to let The Comedian’s death go unchecked. Like Rorschach, Angela will go to extreme lengths to uncover the truth, even if that means risking her job and life.
[Warning: This article contains MAJOR spoilers for Season 1, Episode 5 of Watchmen, “Little Fear of Lightning.”]
Another week means more Easter eggs for fans of HBO’s Watchmen as the series reached its midway point on November 17.
The series from Damon Lindelof and based on the graphic novel is becoming a bit clearer, answering some questions but keeping others shrouded in secrecy. For viewers paying close attention, the installment proves to be a treasure trove of callbacks to the series’ source material.
Click through the gallery above for the Easter eggs presented this week and don’t miss more when Episode 6 arrives next week.
Watchmen, Sundays, 9/8c, HBO
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