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1500 questions
96
votes
7 answers
What's the best order to read HP Lovecraft's novels?
I've always been interested in the Cthulhu mythos and I wanted to get into HP Lovecraft's books. What is the best book to start with? I know that Cthulhu was first mentioned in Lovecraft's Call of Cthulhu in 1928. Is that the best book to start…
OghmaOsiris
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96
votes
4 answers
What is this green alien supposed to be on the American covers of the "Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy"?
I have the 2017 Del Rey Books mass market edition of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. Here is the front cover:
It features a circular green alien with two arms sticking its tongue out. Looking at other covers, the first American edition also…
Stormblessed
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96
votes
2 answers
What kind of creature is Pac-Man?
In the Pac-Man series of video games, it is pretty obvious that the ghosts are, well, ghosts of some sort.
What kind of a creature is Pac-Man?
Is he an alien?
Is he a robot?
Is he some specific kind of fantasy creature (e.g. a goblin, a fairy,…
Robert Columbia
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96
votes
18 answers
How come the Federation did not routinely use projectile weapons against the Borg?
In "First Contact" Picard kills a couple of Borg drones in the Holodeck with a holographic Tommy gun. It would appear that while the Borg are able to adapt to become impervious to energy weapons, they are vulnerable to bullets. This looks like a…
Dima
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95
votes
3 answers
Why didn't the Order of the Phoenix assist in hunting Horcruxes?
Why didn't the Order of the Phoenix assist with the trio (i.e. Harry Potter, Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger) in the Horcrux hunt?
Ken_To_2018
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95
votes
6 answers
How does Gandalf (or anyone) know how to destroy the Ring?
The only way to destroy the Ring is by throwing it into the fire of Orodruin. This fact doesn't seem to be common knowledge and many people in the story (like Gimli) only learn about it at the council in Rivendell. How come Gandalf and Elrond know…
quirmel
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95
votes
3 answers
Since when has Darth Vader had a sense of humor?
After Force-choking Director Krennic, Darth Vader makes the comment
Be careful not to choke on your aspirations, Director.
This comment displays a sense of humor that seems entirely out of character for him. Is it ever explained in-universe?
Timpanus
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95
votes
3 answers
Why couldn't the Jedi detect Senator Palpatine as having powers?
In Return of the Jedi, when trying to sneak into the base on a shuttle, Luke said he senses Darth Vader's presence and said he shouldn't have come lest he jeopardize the mission. Darth Vader also sensed Luke, but let him in anyways. Also, Yoda and…
Chloe
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95
votes
1 answer
Does Lwaxana Troi ever talk to herself (as the computer voice)?
They were both played by Majel Barrett-Roddenberry, but I can't remember if she ever interacted with a Federation computer. Which would be a nice in-joke if it happened.
dennis_vok
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94
votes
14 answers
Why does Millennium Falcon bank when turning in vacuum?
Airplanes during atmospheric flight bank (incline towards the side of the turn), because to turn to one side, you must change the lift force to have a horizontal component (illustration from the same Wikipedia article):
However, in a vacuum, you do…
DVK-on-Ahch-To
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94
votes
14 answers
Are orcs and goblins really the same thing?
Are orcs and goblins really the same in The Hobbit and LotR, and where does it say that? Are they variant sub-races or something, explaining the different physical attributes? Or is my assumption they were different from the different terminology in…
mxyzplk
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94
votes
10 answers
Why Did Gringotts Pay Out for Harry's Firebolt?
In Prisoner of Azkaban, Sirius Black anonymously sends Harry a Firebolt broom after the demise of Harry's Nimbus 2000 in the Whomping Willow. At the end of PoA, Sirius writes Harry a letter and explains that, yes, it was he who sent the…
Slytherincess
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94
votes
5 answers
Where do teachers sleep at Hogwarts?
I am spending the summer re-reading the entire Harry Potter series. I just finished Book 3, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. I had a thought when I encountered the passage wherein:
Professor Lupin describes taking Snape's potion so he can…
hairboat
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94
votes
4 answers
What was Sauron's plan for a Middle-earth conquered and ruled by him?
I have watched only the movies, but this question is about Sauron in the books.
Sauron is said to be an aggressor who wants to conquer Middle-Earth and bring all the people living in it under his domain. To what ends? What was the motive behind his…
Aegon
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94
votes
4 answers
Why didn't Harry Potter play as the king?
If I was going to play a game of chess where I had to take the place of one of the pieces, the logical choice would be the one piece that must be protected at all costs: the king.
By having Ron, Harry and Hermione all take the place of non-king…
Benubird
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