HBO's highly-anticipated Watchmen is meant to be not just a sequel to Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons' seminal graphic novel, but also a sort of remix, according to creator Damon Lindelof. While much of the series is being kept under wraps, we do know that it takes place years after the events of the comic. The world has changed but it's still, in some ways, very much the same.
As the final trailer reveals, there is a conspiracy at play, and it's all leading to a boiling point. Adrian Veidt is now an old man, but he still appears to be up to his old, manipulative ways; Laurie Blake is now also much older, and working as an FBI agent; And while Rorschach may be dead, we can see that his beliefs have sparked a revolution. But that's not all: the latest trailer for Watchmen may have also just quietly revealed a cult devoted to the super-powered Doctor Manhattan.
In the trailer, we can briefly see, on two separate occasions, a giant logo painted on a wall. The first time, the logo is clearly seen in a warehouse, spotted by a character that appears to be the Looking Glass, a newcomer on the series. The same logo returns near the end of the trailer, when Laurie Blake is seemingly tied to a chair. The logo can be spotted behind her, while someone else is slicing through some sort of chain fence on the wall it is painted on.
At its center, the wall features what appears to be some sort of feline eye. But what is most noteworthy about this symbol is its outline, which evokes Doctor Manhattan's logo, the atomic symbol for hydrogen. Since the logo is painted at two separate locations that appear to be key to the story, the series might feature a group of people devoted to Doctor Manhattan in a cult-like manner.
Of course, such a development would make a lot of sense. While the world of Watchmen is filled with masked heroes, it has only ever known one super-powered character: Doctor Manhattan. For all intents and purposes, Doctor Manhattan can easily be seen by some as a figure of ultimate power -- perhaps even a god, given the awesome powers he possesses. Naturally, such a figure would easily become a source of devotion for certain people.
If there is truly a Cult of Manhattan on HBO's Watchmen, it would actually mirror its apocalyptic imagery quite well. It's clear that, like the comic book it is based on, the series is building up towards a war that could end the world. A dangerous cult, who prays at the altar of Doctor Manhattan, fits right into such a world. Better than that, it's an inspired take on the organic evolution of the world Moore and Gibbons created.
Developed by Damon Lindelof, HBO's Watchmen stars Jeremy Irons, Regina King, Don Johnson, Tim Blake Nelson, Louis Gossett Jr., Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Tom Mison, James Wolk, Adelaide Clemens, Andrew Howard, Frances Fisher, Jacob Ming-Trent, Sara Vickers, Dylan Schombing, Lily Rose Smith and Adelynn Spoon. The series will premiere Oct. 20.