Related
Long before HBO’sWatchmentelevision serial publication formally begun , fans sleep together there would be too many sly references to the graphic novel and feature film to count . Now that the first episodes have air out , it can be confirmed : Easter Egg hunters will have their hands full withWatchmen .
While the TV show is better described asaWatchmen ' remix’than direct continuation , that still provides opportunities in every scene to give fans a nod , especially to the originalWatchmengraphic novel written by Alan Moore and creative person Dave Gibbons . From Dr. Manhattan ’s blood line story to President Robert Redford , here are all theWatchmenEaster Eggs that we ’ve spotted so far .
20. Smiley Faces Everywhere
Right off the squash racquet , have a bun in the oven to see faces ( of both the smiley and clock assortment ) all throughout the series . Even if you only have a passing awareness of theWatchmencomic , you ’ve probably seen the lily-livered smiley face badge wear by the vigilante known as The Comedian , and the blood smear across it . It ’s a recurring thematic element across the whole account , and are joined by clock faces , communicating the ' Doomsday C’lock that ’s ever ticking closer to man ’s doomsday . In the first episode , Angela creates a smiley face shape by some eggs in a bowl ( a literal Easter Egg of sort ) . The tv camera angles also deliver re - conceive of faces in subtler way , most notably the overhead shot of a dining room fastness looking like hands on a clock .
19. Dr. Manhattan’s Work on Mars
Later on in the first episode , we see a quick clip of Dr. Manhattan himself on Mars , where he now lives after the originalWatchmenstoryline . He looks to be creating a monumental palace or mansion house out of the Martian sand , before dissolving it aside . Dr. Manhattan , the most knock-down being in theWatchmenuniverse , has n’t been examine on Earth since those original outcome . The cartridge clip expect like surveillance of his natural action on the major planet , but should viewers take this as the same mental synthesis seen in the original comedian ? And does Manhattan have programme to return to Earth in the serial ?
18. President Robert Redford
What was refer as a possibility in theWatchmengraphic novel has become a realness in the series . Yes , President Robert Redfordassumes the leadership of the United States after Nixon – for seven back-to-back footing . Where Nixon was the perfect leader for the nuclear crisis and growing cautious lean of the original series , it seems Redford was chosen presently after for his liberal policies , and eventual decisiveness to offer damages to the descendants of those who suffered racial unjustness . Among racist , it ’s known as " Redfordations . " It ’s unknown at this point whether or not Robert Redford will actually appear as a presidential version of himself afterwards on in the serial .
17. The “Unforgettable” Song Choice
While the soundtrack is often replete with modern music choices , the vocal " Unforgettable " can be see playing while Police Chief Judd Crawford and Detective Angela Abar ( aka Sister Night ) revel dinner together with their mob . The Sung dynasty is used to advertise Veidt ’s Nostalgia perfume in the original comic Holy Writ , but will also be recognized for its use in Zack Snyder’sWatchmenfilm adaptation from 2009 as well . It ’s dewy-eyed , but a really nice callback to the first storey .
16. The Seventh Kavalry Will Answer ‘No’
In a somewhat disturbing acknowledgment to the vigilante Rorschach from the originalWatchmen , there is the Seventh Kavalry , a white supremacist grouping who have simulate their look after Rorschach himself , tire out identical masks ( which he once wore before being killed by Dr. Manhattan ) . When these terrorist send a message to the police force , they riff a variation of Rorschach ’s own words from his journal:“Soon all the whores and wash traitors will shout ' save us . ' And we will whisper , ' No . ‘“The Seventh Kavalry seems to have adopted and edited the dustup of Rorschach ’s journal , which tells us that his daybook was indeed published , which was in dubiousness at the last of the first story . However , it looks like it ’s been accepted only by those who hate " the system " and conspiracy theorists . Those who would take the non-white parts of the journal and curve them as prick to prompt their own mistaken agendas ( like a manifesto for a white supremacist radical ) .
15. Nite Owl Mug
When Sister Night and Crawford meet to talk about the modish attack by the Seventh Kavalry , it ’s well-situated to spot her drinking from a Nite Owl burnt umber phiz . It ’s a somewhat fun nod to the character , who was a large part of the first story . Not to mention another person who uncovered the details behind Veidt ’s dour plot to stop the Cold War by killing million . It ’s unclear as to wherewhere Nite Owl ended upby this full stop , though he concur alongside Dr. Manhattan and Spectre to keep Veidt ’s plot a secret , to keep the peace . He could potentially appear down the line .
14. Nite Owl’s Ship, Repurposed
When Detectives Sister Night , Looking Glass , and Red Scare go after 7 kB , they are provided with air support from Chief Crawford himself , who uncover himself to be monitor their onset from above , in an aircraft that portion out the same design and applied science as Nite Owl ’s own ship , fondly call Archimedes . The obvious question , then , is how did law enforcement get a hold of Nite Owl ’s technical school ? Did he make a muckle with them to deal his tech in parliamentary law to stay out of prison house ? Hopefully it ’s a question that will be resolve as the serial proceed ( since it ’s something fans will obviously point out ) .
13. American Hero Story: Minutemen
12. The Blood Smear
Near the end of the first episode , Chief Crawford is find numb , hanged from a tree . His police badge is eventually shown lying in the grass beneath his body , focused on just as a fall of blood falls onto the upper left corner . It ’s a callback to the origin blot ground on The Comedian ’s badge in the first storey , becoming the iconic icon of the entireWatchmenstory ( and audiences are sure to see a LOT more line of descent smear imagery throughout the series as episode go on ) .
11. Oklahoma “Jud is Dead” Song in End Credits
Since the first episode concludes with the death of Judd Crawford , it ’s fitting that the end scene and credits should boast " Pore Jud is Daid , " a song from the musicalOklahoma . It ’s really double the references , call up back to Crawford ’s first visual aspect in the series with his wife at a performance ofOklahoma , and a meta Easter Egg due to the fact that Crawford ’s first name is Judd , and well … “Jud is Daid " by installment ’s end .
10. Two Minutes to Midnight
act on to the second episode , " Martial Feats of Comanche Horsemanship " , the first Easter Egg do from a flashback to the " White Night " consequence . Just before Angela and her husband Cal are attacked , Cal mentions that they have only two minutes to hold back until midnight , and Christmas Day . That ’s another reference work to theDoomsday Clock , the time of which is actually 2 minutes to midnight in substantial life-time . It ’s a good continuation of the clock motif , as well as a foreboding warning that the world nears ever closer to man - made wipeout – the very thing Veidt purportedly prevents by discontinue the Cold War . However , is it possible that he just prevented the inevitable ? Time will tell apart .
9. Knot-Top Gang Graffiti
As Angela aim to meet with calculate Glass and Red Scare , she leaves her bakeshop . As she leave , we see graffiti on an alleyway bulwark . It ’s in reality the same graffiti from the comic sprayed by the Knot - Top Gang . It feature two lover in an embrace , essay to cite the combust shadow depart behind in Hiroshima , as a result of the atomic bomb calorimeter . It makes sentiency , as the threat of atomic war was a huge concern in the original comic . It would be coherent that those fears would remain in kind like this .
8. New Frontiersman and Nova Express
A paper marketer is sell two papers : the New Frontiersman and Nova Express , ripe and odd - wing papers deal in theWatchmenuniverse . It ’s actually the New Frontiersman that receives Rorschach ’s journal with the details of Veidt ’s plot and publishes them in the concluding page of the pictorial novel . However , said paper does n’t have all that much credibility … entail that Rorschach ’s exposed conspiracy is n’t by and large conceive by the aggregate public . But at least they ’re still publishing decades later .
7. Senator Joe Keene
The same newspaper vendor gives his opinion on Senator Joe Keene calculate to make a ladder for the presidential term . The name Keene should be familiar toWatchmenfans , as Joe Keene ’s forefather was the one responsible for The Keene Act . The act made vigilantism illegal after the police strikes that occurred in reply to the often hinder , and sometimes threaten actions of various vigilantes . It seems as though the apple does n’t fall far from the tree , and his son run into political science as well .
6. Pirate and Owl Costumes
When Angela return home from the crime scene and Red Scare ’s raid on Nixonville , Cal and their espouse small fry are playing . While it might seem like random costume , it ’s crucial to espy that one daughter is dressed as a pirate , and the other as an bird of Minerva . These appear to be slight nods to Nite Owl , as well as " Tales of the Black Freighter , " a pirate mirthful book of account in the universe of the original news report , weave with the main plot ( buccaneer comics take the place of the superhero comic genre , as superheroes are actual in this world ) .
5. Topher’s Metal Castle
Angela then lead up the stairs to break the news of Crawford ’s death to her adopted Logos , Topher . While she verbalize to him , he ’s building a float metal house constructed out of magnetized alloy blocks . queerly enough , it looks an awful lot like the building of sand Dr. Manhattan was making in that clip in the first episode . Furthermore , upon hearing from Angela that Judd has go , he knock the alloy palace down , just like how Manhattan dissolved his own castling . There must be a connexion with this same household being built and then destroyed .
4. More Clocks
Even more clocks are understand in this sequence , including one likely to be missed in Topher ’s room . In the backdrop , one of Salvador Dali ’s most noted paintings can be seen above the dresser : The Persistence of Memory(the painting that boast the melt alfileria ) . Add it all to the other appearances of Adrian Veidt ’s pocketwatch , and a yellow bollock timekeeper at the installment ’s conclusion , and it seem like the clock may be one of the most often - appear forms of Easter Eggs for viewers to keep an eye on out for .
3. American Hero Story: Hooded Justice
The show finally reveals a part of an instalment ofAmerican Hero Story : Hooded Justice , theWatchmenuniverse ’s first costumed superhero . He stops some men seek to soak a general memory board , and utterly demonstrates why vigilantes finally became an foe of the police force . As he ’s brutally beating them into submission , there are several shots in slow move and rush up for burden , almost certainly intended as a reference book to the other live - activeness adaptation ofWatchmen , directed by Zack Snyder .
2. Angela’s Goggles, More Owl Tech?
When Angela snarf into Judd ’s close to see if he is preserve any secrets there ( metaphorically or literally ) , she uses specialized , high-pitched - tech goggles to effectively ex - radiate the compartments . And they sure do look like the goggles used by Nite Owl in theWatchmenmovie . Again , it will be interesting to see if this is tech Nite Owl created for law enforcement , or potentially tech that constabulary enforcement appropriated for some reason .
1. Veidt’s Play, The Watchmaker’s Son
Lastly , but sure not least , we derive to Veidt ’s castle and retainer . It ’s the proceeds of his previously mentioned play , entitled " The Watchmaker ’s Son . " The mention may be lost on casual fans , but the fact that Jon Osterman was conjure by a watchmaker before becoming a scientist is key to his case . After celebrating an day of remembrance with his second bar , decorating withtwocandles , Veidt sentry as his servants do the blood story of Dr. Manhattan ( who apparently now knows as much about Jon ’s rearing as reader of the graphic novel).his play about Dr. Manhattan ’s source . Is this a sign Veidt ’s become obsessed with the superhuman ? We ’ll just have to wait and see .
MORE : HBO ’s Watchmen Cast & Character Guide
