Latest news with #Gemstone
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
China hits solid-state battery milestone with Gotion's 0.2 GWh pilot line for safer EVs
Gotion, one of the world's largest electric vehicle (EV) battery manufacturers, has officially entered the all-solid-state battery race with the launch of its first experimental production line aimed to test and refine next-generation battery technologies. Unveiled during Gotion High-tech's 13th tech conference on May 17, the facility reportedly represents a major milestone in the shift toward safer, more efficient battery technologies that could define the future of electric mobility. Designed with a capacity of 0.2 gigawatt-hours (GWh), the newly built pilot line will produce Gotion's all-solid-state Gemstone battery cells, which are already undergoing real-world road testing in EVs and have shown promising results. The batteries deliver approximately 40 percent higher energy density compared to conventional lithium ternary cells, offering 350 watt-hours per kilogram (Wh/kg) or 800 watt-hours per liter (Wh/L). This, according to the Chinese company, makes them a promising alternative for EVs. Pan Ruijun, Gemstone project research and development head, revealed that the entire production setup uses domestically manufactured equipment. He emphasized that the batteries have already been installed in vehicles and tested on the road. This, according to Ruijun, not only reduces the dependency on foreign suppliers, but also underscores China's accelerating leadership in battery innovation. He further pointed out that after a full year of performance validation, individual Gemstone cells have achieved a 150 percent increase in capacity, though exact figures were not disclosed. Gotion, in which Volkswagen holds a 24.45 percent interest, also highlighted that the batteries passed rigorous tests including pin-prick, hot-box, overcharge, and crush stimulations. The outcomes reinforced their promise as a safer alternative to traditional lithium-ion (Li-ion) cells, which are prone to overheating and thermal runaway. "This means that the human imagination of this ultimate battery is finally within reach," Ruijun stated. While no official mass production date was provided at this year's conference, the EV battery giant previously stated that small-scale production and vehicle integration could begin in 2027, with full-scale manufacturing expected by 2030. That timeline aligns with similar goals announced by major competitors. CATL and BYD, two other leading Chinese battery makers, have also outlined plans for limited deployment of solid-state batteries by 2027. However, despite growing industry excitement, significant hurdles remain for the commercial rollout of the solid-state technology. The company revealed that these include scaling up manufacturing, ensuring long-term material stability, and driving down production costs. Meanwhile, the Chinese government recently introduced stricter safety standards for EV batteries, set to take effect on 1 July next year, that aim to further improve cell safety. Yet, Gotion's transition to pilot-scale production serves as a strong indication that the solid-state battery industry is progressing beyond theoretical development and entering the early stages of practical implementation. With a 3.5 percent share of the global EV battery market as of Q1 2025, ranking it sixth worldwide according to SNE Research, the company is now positioning itself at the forefront of the solid-state revolution. If it meets its projected goals, the Gemstone line could play a central role in reshaping battery architecture and accelerating the transition to cleaner transportation.
Yahoo
05-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
'The Righteous Gemstones' series finale: How does Danny McBride's show end, who dies and who survives?
It's the end of the era, one of the funniest TV shows in recent years has come to an end with the series finale of Danny McBride's The Righteous Gemstones. For four seasons Jesse (McBride), Judy (Edi Patterso), Kelvin (Adam Devine) and Eli Gemstone (John Goodman) have guided us through this satire of televangelists with great success, and now we have to say goodbye (until we start rewatching on Crave in Canada, Max in the U.S.). When it comes to sticking the landing, the final episode of the series finds that balance between the absurdity that we love with The Righteous Gemstones, and a sweetness we've always felt between these characters and this family. And now it's time for the show to go to TV heaven, otherwise known as living on streaming sites. SPOILERS FOR THE RIGHTEOUS GEMSTONES SEASON 4, EPISODE 9 INCLUDED BEYOND THIS POINT We begin at The Cape and Pistol society, where Vance Simkins (Stephen Dorff) is clearly still upset about losing Top Christ Following Man to Kelvin. Vance comes in taunting Jesse by saying he's opening 10 mini-mall churches right next to Gemstone establishments. After years of this feud, Vance drops the yellow handkerchief, meaning that he's challenged Jesse to a pistol duel, with Eli volunteering to be his son's second. Vance gets the first shot in the duel but misses Jesse, hitting a car in the parking lot instead. While Jesse now has the advantage, he purposefully hits a sign behind Vance (that bounces and hits another Cape and Pistols member). But Jesse says he doesn't need the society to prove that he's an "impressive man," and he quits. Probably one of the most exciting revelations is between Kelvin and Keefe (Tony Cavalero). Keefe has renovated Kelvin's treehouse, and then Kelvin asks Keefe to marry him, and of course Keefe says yes. But that's not where the love story ends in this episode. When BJ (Tim Baltz) admits that he misses Dr. Watson, Judy organizes a visit for BJ to meet Dr. Watson's new companion, and Judy decides that they're going to keep the animal. While Baby Billy (Walton Goggins) had been prioritizing "Teenjus" instead of his family, as he's about to climb up on a cross for the show, he realizes his family should have been a priority and leaves the shoot. But love isn't in the air for Eli and Lori Milsap (Megan Mullally), they didn't get back together after Corey (Seann William Scott) killed his father, her ex-husband Cobb. But Lori shares with Eli that Corey isn't doing well after Cobb's death and it's also impacting his marriage to Jana (Arden Myrin). She also gives Eli a letter Aimee-Leigh (Jennifer Nettles) wrote to her after her divorce from Cobb, hoping that it lifts his spirits the same way it did for her. But the Milsaps and the Gemstones have been friends for a long time, which means they care about Corey, so both families get together again at the lake house. Corey brings back his Michael Jackson-inspired dance routine from their childhood to perform for the group, including the authentic jacket. Things take a turn when Corey says he's facing an "emergency" since his father died, telling the Gemstones he wants $7 million to buy his dad's gator park. Even though Lori says it's rude to request that, Corey stresses that he killed his father to save Eli. But Jana finally stands up for herself, saying she's tired of how rude Corey is to her, and she announces that she wants a divorce. After the blowup the Gemstone kids tell Corey they're all supporting him, except they won't give him $7 million. Then things start to get really outrageous. As Kelvin goes inside the lake house, he sees a figure that looks like his dead mother calling his name, and he follows her into Corey's room. That's where Kelvin sees that inside Corey's bag is a gun and Eli's gold bible, the one that was passed down through generations of Gemstones. And Corey's written his name on the list of owners. When Kelvin shows his siblings, Corey comes out and confirms that his father stole the bible when they were teenagers and there was the break-in at the Gemstone home. Corey reveals he also used to help his dad with the "ex-boyfriends club," whenever his mom would have a new boyfriend, and the father-son duo would "handle things." "At first dad would just fight them, and then things got worse and worse, " Corey says. "He even killed one guy." "Daddy was a monster. By the time we got to Big Dick Mitch, daddy made me a monster too." Then Corey goes on a tear, getting his gun and trying to shoot Jesse, Judy and Kelvin dead. First shooting Judy as the siblings walk through the doors of the lake house, and quickly playing "Red Red Wine" by UB40 through the lake house speakers as everyone else is out on the lake, masking the sounds of the gunshots. Kelvin makes it look like he's hiding under the bed, but he was actually behind a curtain, but wasn't fast enough to attack Corey, who shot him. Corey shot Jesse through a closet door, but before putting one more bullet in his head, Corey ran out of bullets. Jesse was able to crawl out into the hallway, as were Kelvin and Judy. Then Judy rings the bell for Dr. Watson to get Jesse's gun in his "everyday carry bag," and Jesse is able to get one shot at Corey in the head. While Jesse says they'll get Corey help, Corey just wants them to pray with him, similarly to what the wounded wanted from Elijah Gemstone in the season's first episode. "Sometimes we let jealousies corrupt us. Sometimes we don't think about how we act and how it affects others and we do things that we regret," Jesse says in his prayer. "We all fall off the path dear Lord, that is who we are. We are imperfect beings trying to become something more." "We are at your mercy dear Lord. And we hopefully ask you to guide Corey to your kingdom. He may not deserve it, but maybe he'll make a better angel than the was a man." While we face Corey's death, the Gemstones make it out alive and we get to see Kelvin and Keefe get married by Eli. As the whole family, and their friends, dance at the reception we hear a voiceover of Aimee-Leigh. It's the words she wrote in the letter to Lori after her divorce, which Lori gave to Eli. "Sometimes it's easier to never say goodbye and just leave things where they lay," we hear her say. "Sometimes thing happen and the life we knew is taken from us, just like that. It can happen fast." "When things change, it's easy to give into the darkness. When we hold on to pain too tight we lose the ability to grab the light. ... Even if years go by and we lose our way to each other, know I'll always be waiting, ready to share my love. I'm here whenever you need me. Please don't ever forget that." Then we see Eli crying as he reads Aimee-Leigh's letter, looking up at the portrait he has of the couple on the wall of his office. To end the show Eli is back in Florida, on a boat, and Lori shows up, making an unexpected visit. "I figured, you could maybe use a first mate. Someone to point you in the right direction when you get lost," Lori says. And that marks the end of The Righteous Gemstones, and despite all their wrongs, we still kind of want the best of this crazy family.
Express Tribune
05-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Express Tribune
Danny McBride ends Righteous Gemstones with emotional finale and unexpected final scene
HBO's The Righteous Gemstones, a dark comedy about a dysfunctional televangelist family, concluded its fourth and final season with a fittingly outrageous and emotional finale. Created by and starring Danny McBride, the series ended on its own terms after a production marked by hurricanes, cast challenges, and years of creative evolution. Speaking to Variety, McBride recalled how the reality of wrapping hit him unexpectedly after a heartfelt exchange with co-star Gregory Alan Williams. 'I was like, 'F—, I'm about to start crying,'' he said. The finale, titled 'That Man of God May Be Complete,' centers on a tense showdown at the family's lake house, Galilee Gulch. Jesse, Judy, and Kelvin are each shot by family friend Corey Milsap before being saved by Dr. Watson, a capuchin monkey and unlikely hero. McBride said he chose a stripped-down, unsettling climax over the show's typical spectacle to focus on emotional impact. 'It should feel haunting... and oddly grounded,' he explained. The episode also deepens the show's themes of legacy and faith, connecting back to the season premiere's Civil War-era flashback. Co-written with longtime collaborators John Carcieri and Jeff Fradley, the finale ties in the Gemstones' spiritual lineage and explores redemption beyond their flashy image. The finale ends on a hopeful note with Kelvin's wedding to Keefe, giving each Gemstone sibling a moment of happiness. Eli (John Goodman) finds closure in a romantic subplot with Lori (Megan Mullally), offering emotional resolution for the entire family. While McBride considered a darker ending for the morally flawed characters, he chose optimism. 'Ultimately, the fun thing about the Gemstones is they win,' said cast member and writer Edi Patterson. McBride now shifts focus to new projects, including an adaptation of The Southern Book Club's Guide to Slaying Vampires, continuing his creative run with Rough House Pictures.
Yahoo
05-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
'The Righteous Gemstones' series finale recap: How does the show end, who dies and who survives?
It's the end of the era, one of the funniest TV shows in recent years has come to an end with the series finale of Danny McBride's The Righteous Gemstones. For four seasons Jesse (McBride), Judy (Edi Patterso), Kelvin (Adam Devine) and Eli Gemstone (John Goodman) have guided us through this satire of televangelists with great success, and now we have to say goodbye (until we start rewatching on Crave in Canada, Max in the U.S.). When it comes to sticking the landing, the final episode of the series finds that balance between the absurdity that we love with The Righteous Gemstones, and a sweetness we've always felt between these characters and this family. And now it's time the who goes to TV heaven, otherwise known as living on streaming sites. SPOILERS FOR THE RIGHTEOUS GEMSTONES SEASON 4, EPISODE 9 INCLUDED BEYOND THIS POINT We begin at The Cape and Pistol society, where Vance Simkins (Stephen Dorff) is clearly still upset about losing Top Christ Following Man to Kelvin. Vance comes in taunting Jesse by saying he's opening 10 mini-mall churches right next to Gemstone churches. After years of this feud, Vance drops the yellow handkerchief, meaning that he's challenged Jesse to a pistol duel, with Eli volunteering to be his son's second. Vance gets the first shot in the duel but misses Jesse, hitting a car in the parking lot instead. While Jesse now has the advantage, he purposefully hits a sign behind Vance (that bounces and hits another Cape and Pistols member). But Jesse says he doesn't need the society to prove that he's an "impressive man," and he quits. Probably one of the most exciting revelations is between Kelvin and Keefe (Tony Cavalero). Keefe has renovated Kelvin's treehouse, and then Kelvin asks Keefe to marry him, with Keefe agreeing. But that's not where the love story ends in this episode. When BJ (Tim Baltz) admits that he misses Dr. Watson, Judy organizes a visit for BJ to meet Dr. Watson's new companion, and Judy decides that they're going to keep the animal. While Baby Billy had been prioritizing "Teenjus" instead of his family, as he's about to climb up on a cross for the show, he realizes his family should have been a priority and leaves the shoot. But love isn't in the air for Eli and Lori Milsap (Megan Mullally), they didn't get back together after Corey (Seann William Scott) killed his father, her ex-husband Cobb. But Lori shares with Eli that Corey isn't doing well after Cobb's death and it's also impacting his marriage to Jana (Arden Myrin). She also gives Eli a letter Aimee-Leigh (Jennifer Nettles) wrote to her after her divorce from Cobb, hoping that it lifts his spirits the same way it did for her. But the Milsaps and the Gemstones have been friends for a long time, which means they care about Corey, so they invite Corey, Jana and Lori to try to cheer him up. Corey brings back his Michael Jackson-inspired dance routine from their childhood to perform for the group, including the authentic jacket. Things take a turn when Corey says he's facing an "emergency" since his father died, telling the Gemstones he wants $7 million to buy his dad's gator park. Even though Lori says it's rude to request that, Corey stresses that he killed his father to save Eli. But Jana finally stands up for herself, saying she's tired of how rude Corey is to her, and she announces that she wants a divorce. After the blowup the Gemstone kids tell Corey they're all supporting him, except they won't give him $7 million. Then things start to get really outrageous. AsKelvin goes inside the lake house, he's sees a figure that looks like his dead mother calling his name and follows her into Corey's room. That's where he sees that inside Corey's bag is a gun and Eli's gold bible, the one that was passed down through generations of Gemstones. And Corey's written his name on the list of owners. When Kelvin shows his siblings, Corey comes out and confirms that his father stole the bible when they were teenagers and there was the break-in at the Gemstone home. Corey reveals he also used to help his dad with the "ex-boyfriends club," whenever his mom would have a new boyfriend, and the father-son duo would "handle things." "At first dad would just fight them, and then things got worse and worse, " Corey says. "He even killed one guy." "Daddy was a monster. By the time we got to Big Dick Mitch, daddy made me a monster too." Then Corey goes on a tear, getting his gun and trying to shoot Jesse, Judy and Kelvin dead. First shooting Judy as the siblings walk through the doors of the lake house, and quickly playing "Red Red Wine" by UB40 through the lake house speakers as everyone else is out on the lake, masking the sounds of the gunshots. Kelvin makes it look like he's hiding under the bed, but he was actually behind a curtain, but wasn't fast enough to attack Corey, who shot him. Corey shot Jesse through a closet door, but before putting one more bullet in his head, Corey ran out of bullets. Jesse was able to crawl out into the hallway, as were Kelvin and Judy. Then Judy rings the bell for Dr. Watson to get Jesse's gun in his "everyday carry bag," and Jesse is able to get one shot at Corey in the head. While Jesse says they'll get Corey help, Corey just wants them to pray with him, similarly to what the wounded wanted from Elijah Gemstone in the season's first episode. "Sometimes we let jealousies corrupt us. Sometimes we don't think about how we act and how it affects other and we do things that we regret," Jesse says in his prayer. "We all fall off the path dear Lord, that is who we are. We are imperfect beings trying to become something more." "We are at your mercy dear Lord. And we hopefully ask you to guide Corey to your kingdom. He may not deserve it, but maybe he'll make a better angel than the was a man." While we face Corey's death, the Gemstones make it out alive and we get to see Kelvin and Keefe married by Eli. As the whole family, and their friends, dance at the reception as we hear a voiceover of Aimee-Leigh, it's the words she wrote in the letter to Lori after her divorce, which Lori gave to Eli. "Sometimes it's easier to never say goodbye and just leave things where they lay," we hear her say. "Sometimes thing happen and the life we knew is taken from us, just like that. It can happen fast." "When things change, it's easy to give into the darkness. When we hold on to pain too tight we lose the ability to grab the light. ... Even if years go by and we lose our way to each other, know I'll always be waiting, ready to share my love. I'm here whenever you need me. Please don't ever forget that." Then we see Eli crying as he reads Aimee-Leigh's letter, looking up at the portrait he has of the couple on the wall of his office. To end the show Eli is back in Florida, on a boat, and Lori shows up, making an unexpected visit. "I figured, you could maybe use a first mate. Someone to point you in the right direction when you get lost," Lori says. And that makes the end of The Righteous Gemstones, and despite all their wrongs, we still kind of want the best of this crazy family.
Time Magazine
05-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Time Magazine
Where All the Righteous Gemstones End Up in the Series' Ludicrously Operatic Finale
The fourth and final season of HBO's The Righteous Gemstones wrapped up with a bang—well, multiple bangs—on Sunday night, closing out another madcap adventure with our favorite profane evangelical preacher clan in the most ludicrous and operatic way possible. If you thought the show's penultimate episode—in which Lori's (Megan Mullaly) villainous ex-husband and gator park owner Cobb Millsap (Michael Rooker) gets eaten alive by his reptilian star Big Gus—would end this season's violent arc, you were sorely mistaken. In the final episode, 'Raising Holy Hell One Last Time,' it turns out that Cobb's son, Corey (Sean William Scott), was complicit in his father's serial-killing spree and kept his dad's stolen, golden Gemstone bible a secret. Tormented by his past decisions, he decides to kill—in a Michael Jackson costume, no less—Jesse (series creator Danny McBride), Judy (Edi Patterson), and Kelvin (Adam Devine), leading to a ruthless shootout inside Galilee Gulch, the Gemstones' luxe vacation home, as the extended family floats obliviously on the lake. Whether it was divine intervention, or sheer dumb luck, the Gemstone siblings all take but survive a few of Corey's bullets—thanks in large part to the heroics of Dr. Watson, their dexterous pet Capuchin monkey, who retrieves Jesse's pistol from his upstairs bedroom just in time for the eldest sibling to take down their assailant with an impressive shot to the head. (This, after refusing to kill his megachurch nemesis in a sanctioned pistol duel.) With the bible back in the family's possession, the siblings kneel over Corey and begin to earnestly pray as their best friend bleeds out—a full-circle moment to the season's incredible first episode, which featured Bradley Cooper as a faux Gemstone preacher praying with Confederate soldiers about to die. It's the kind of goofy Shakespearean arc that McBride has mastered over the show's consistently hilarious run—but the season doesn't end on a downer. In the finale's coda, each member of the Gemstone family finds their own form of resolution—guided by the voice of the family's matriarch, Aimee-Leigh (Jennifer Nettles), whose untimely death was long their source of despair, but whose immortal spirit has given tacit approval for everyone—especially Eli (Jon Goodman)—to finally move on. It's going to be hard to say goodbye to this clergy of South Carolinian lunatics. Here's where each of them stand as McBride closes the Good Book on them. Uncle Baby Billy After weeks of dismissing his wife's concerns that he wasn't spending enough time with the family, Baby Billy (Walton Goggins) finally has a eureka moment on the set of 'Teenjus' and shuts down the show near the end of production. This is a multi-million-dollar decision made so hastily that there will likely be some financial ramifications for the Gemstone family, but it showed that Billy had seen the light—and might even give his and Tiffany's nanny, Sola, some much-needed time off. Still, there's got to be an opportunity to develop Billy's work-life balance so that he can continue his sword and sandals epic. If 'Bible Bonkers' can become a hit, why can't 'Teenjus'? Jesse Gemstone The prayer pods didn't work (too many people used it to masturbate). He didn't get nominated for Top Christ-Following Man. His sons aren't getting along. Most of these things would be enough to send Jesse into a tailspin, but by the end of the fourth season, after successfully defeating rival Vance Simpkins (Stephen Dorff) in a duel, and showing his humility in refusing to kill him, he seems to have ever-so-slightly matured. He's even heeded the written words of his late mother and accepted the fact that his father deserves to be happy with Lori (Megan Mullally), even if he can't stand the thought of another woman with him. Will he and his siblings be able to keep the Gemstone business alive without Eli? It's hard to tell. But it's encouraging to see that his eldest son Gideon makes amends with his younger brother Pontius by building a Gemstones-themed skatepark. There is always room for skaters under the megachurch's shadow. Judy Gemstone This wasn't an easy season for Judy. When Lori entered the picture and started dating Eli, she immediately got territorial and dug into her bulldog instincts. Then, after her husband B.J. (Tim Baltz) injured himself in a pole-dancing accident, she had to contend with Dr. Watson, the monkey who turned into her husband's rehabilitative (and equally territorial) servant. Thankfully, the pair make amends when she sees how much joy Dr. Watson brings B.J., and she welcomes the Capuchin into the family. It's hard to see this relationship lasting long without more drama, but considering Dr. Watson helped save the Gemstone kids' lives, Judy should likely give his antics some latitude. As for B.J., he's now out of the wheelchair and able to walk. It would be hard to bet against him finding another niche—albeit safer—hobby to pursue in the meantime. Kelvin Gemstone It's fair to say that Kelvin had the most celebratory exit on the show. After nearly fumbling his shot at winning Top Christ-Following Man thanks to a poor roundtable television performance, the youngest Gemstone sibling chose to come out of the closet on TV—and into the hearts of the judges and voters. Having spent a lot of time with his boyfriend Keefe (Tony Cavalero) refurbishing his old treehouse, he uses it as the backdrop for his wedding. Naturally, Eli presides over the spit-shaking nuptials and marries off his last child, whose reception includes fireworks that dazzle the night sky. With the golden family bible back in the place it belongs, Kelvin can finally resist the nightmares of Cobb's robbery and sleep peacefully in Keefe's arms now. Eli Gemstone The narrative thrust of this season centered around Eli's scandalous relationship with Lori, whose longtime friendship with Aimee-Leigh ultimately causes her to gravitate back to the Gemstones when things with her ex-husband go wrong. Though his kids weren't mature enough to accept their fling, the lake house shooting helps put things into perspective for everyone, and mends the rift that had formed between Eli and Lori. After Kelvin gets married, Eli heads back to 'Somewhere in Florida' to live a solitary life on his sailboat. Until Lori shows up, eager to forgive him for the calamities that have erupted around them and become his 'first mate.' The Gemstone patriarch will likely live happily ever after on the open seas—until his children inevitably get into trouble again.
