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1500 questions
94
votes
5 answers
Why was Newt Scamander's name on the Marauder's Map when Fred and George gave it to Harry?
Fred and George gave the map to Harry because his needs were greater than theirs. When he was just closing the map (mischief managed), Newt Scamander's name was there.
According to the timelines, Newt was expelled from Hogwarts long before Harry was…
Abhimanyu
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94
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How is Gandalf the White a "significantly more powerful figure" than Gandalf the Gray?
After his fight with the Balrog of Moria, Gandalf changed:
Gandalf was sent back as a significantly more powerful figure; Gandalf the White.
- "Gandalf - Gandalf the White", Wikipedia
What are Gandalf's new powers as Gandalf the White? What…
DavRob60
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94
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10 answers
Why aren't there any sieges in Lord of The Rings?
In the few cases a fortification is attacked (Helm's Deep, Minas Tirith), the attackers don't besiege them, they start an assault as soon as they arrive.
In real life, assaults were only done when, after a long siege, the defenders were weakened…
vsz
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94
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6 answers
What does Gandalf intend to chat with Tom Bombadil about?
Close to the end of The Return of the King, Gandalf tells one of the Hobbits that it's time for him to go and have a long talk with Tom Bombadil. Was there anything significant to this talk? Does anyone know what it would be about, etc?
Joe C
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93
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3 answers
Why would Shelob own Sauron?
In Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, in the chapter Shelob’s Lair, there is a rather lengthy description of Shelob, the last remaining child of Ungoliant in Middle-Earth. In this, there is also a description of her relation with Sauron:
And as for…
Janus Bahs Jacquet
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93
votes
9 answers
Was Voyager really significantly slower than the Enterprise-D?
In the Next Generation episode “Where No One Has Gone Before” the Enterprise is catapulted to another galaxy, roughly 2.7 million light years away. From that location Data says it will take just over 52 years for a subspace message to reach…
Xantec
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93
votes
10 answers
What is the logical reason for bullying Spock?
In Star Trek (2009) we see a scene from Spock's childhood where he is regularly being bullied by some Vulcan children, in order to elicit an emotional response from him (see below video).
What I don't understand is, what is the logical reason for…
Moogle
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93
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2 answers
Was there ever any actual Spaceballs merchandise?
One of the running gags throughout the film Spaceballs (1987) is a meta-commentary that the primary purpose of the film is to promote the sale of film-related merchandise. In fact, several of the characters are visibly seen using the film's own…
Robert Columbia
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93
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19 answers
How was the Chosen One meant to bring balance to the Force?
The legend of the Chosen One foretold the coming of a being who would restore balance to the Force.
Now we know that Anakin Skywalker was the Chosen One, but how exactly was he supposed to restore balance?
Is a balance to the Force:
eliminating all…
hammythepig
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93
votes
5 answers
Were there science fiction stories written during the Middle Ages?
Were there science fiction stories written during the Middle Ages (i.e., before circa 1500 AD)?
Joannes Kepler wrote a science fiction work called Somnium in 1609, an "interview with a knowledgeable 'daemon' who explained how a man could be…
Geremia
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93
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9 answers
Why Did the Machines Even Bother With a Matrix?
Agent Smith, in the first Matrix movie (The Matrix) talks about how the machines originally created a paradise setting and humans didn't accept it, so it went back and created a more realistic one that humans would accept.
The human bodies, as we've…
Tango
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92
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13 answers
Why didn't the Dursleys gladly ship Harry off to Hogwarts?
Uncle Vernon, still ashen-faced but looking very angry, moved into the firelight.
‘He’s not going [to Hogwarts],’ he said.
Hagrid grunted. ‘I’d like ter see a great Muggle like you stop him,’ he said.
The Dursleys hated Harry, yet oddly refused to…
Slytherincess
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92
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8 answers
Which are the Two Towers in The Lord of the Rings?
I always wondered which are the two towers that are referred to in The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers. My memory is a bit hazy right now but there are at least 5 Towers that are mentioned in the book they are:
Cirith Ungol
Orthanc (Saruman's…
Ram G Athreya
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92
votes
13 answers
Are there any programmers in Star Trek?
Star Trek, for being a show about the distant future and extraordinarily high-tech equipment, sure seems to be lacking a lot of computer programmers.
With technology as complex as it is, where are all the starship-based computer programmers…
Zibbobz
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92
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3 answers
Why didn’t EVE recognize the little cockroach as a living organism?
Why didn’t EVE recognize the little cockroach as a living organism just like the plant? The cockroach possesses all characteristics sustainable in life as the plant with the exception of reproduction, although neither does the plant that has yet to…
Ms. Carbajal
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