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1500 questions
125
votes
11 answers
Why would Dumbledore encourage people to call Voldemort Voldemort instead of Tom Riddle?
Here is a quote from the first Harry Potter book, it's a conversation between Dumbledore and McGonagall.
"My dear Professor, surely a sensible person like yourself can call him by his name? All this 'You-Know-Who' nonsense - for eleven years I have…
Kalissar
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125
votes
6 answers
When and why did orcs go green?
Tolkien popularized the orc as the generic fantasy bad guy. In his legendarium, orcs were corrupted elves and their limited descriptive text reflects this. They are described as "swart" and "sallow", suggesting their skins were dirty yellow to dark…
Bob Tway
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125
votes
7 answers
Why doesn't Hogwarts have more teachers?
Hogwarts apparently has only one professor per subject. We could reason this out by looking at the fact that all of Harry's Potions classes are with Snape (for as long as Snape is teaching Potions), all of his Transfiguration classes are with…
Au101
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125
votes
11 answers
Why were the Elves so great at archery?
It seems that there is an underlying assumption (I don't know of an explicit quote to confirm) that Elves in Middle-earth are exceptional archers, compared to other races.
Am I correct in that assumption? (e.g. is it confirmed by Tolkien…
DVK-on-Ahch-To
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124
votes
16 answers
Can wizards create their own spells?
In the Harry Potter series, are wizards capable of creating their own spells, or are they limited to the spells that they're taught/learn? I seem to remember something about Snape creating sectumsempra, but I'm not sure if that really is the case.
DForck42
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123
votes
9 answers
What's the recommended reading order of the Ender Wiggin books?
The series that starts with Ender's Game has a parallel series that starts with Ender's Shadow. The graph of the timeline is... well... complicated.
Does it make more sense if you read them in the order they were first published, or if you try to…
Bill the Lizard
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122
votes
4 answers
Where does the archetypal image of the 'Grey' alien come from?
As I show below, typical alien depictions include an elongated, pale face, two dark elliptical eyes, and a small mouth. Who first used this design for an alien? Where does this design come from?
Raki
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122
votes
13 answers
Was any character alive during all of the Star Wars episodes from I to VII?
Is there any character in the Star Wars universe who is known to have been born before Episode I and is known to still be alive in Episode VII?
Some of the main characters that I have already ruled out as possible answers are:
Yoda, Darth Vader,…
kasperd
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120
votes
6 answers
Was Rorschach's Pagliacci joke a real joke?
In Watchmen, Rorschach is reminded by The Comedian of a joke he heard once:
“Heard joke once: Man goes to doctor. Says he's depressed. Says life seems harsh and cruel. Says he feels all alone in a threatening world where what lies ahead is vague…
GGMG-he-him
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120
votes
4 answers
Does Katniss depict proper handling of a bow?
In the Hunger Games movies, Katniss uses a bow as her primary weapon. Not considering her actual shots (hitting her targets), does Katniss show how to properly use, hold, and handle a bow? Did Jennifer Lawrence have to learn how to handle a bow for…
Himarm
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120
votes
3 answers
Which wars are "Star Wars"?
Which wars does the title "Star Wars" refer to? Are they:
the struggle between the Rebels and the Empire?
the Clone Wars (mentioned as early as the first half hour of A New Hope)?
the age-old conflict between Jedi and Sith?
the war between good…
Praxis
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119
votes
11 answers
Is there a Vulcan funeral blessing?
In light of the recent passing of Leonard Nimoy, I've been trying to think of an appropriate Vulcan saying which would address the death of a beloved or respected member of their society.
"Live long, and prosper" is obviously the most ubiquitous…
Iszi
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118
votes
6 answers
Who is Anakin Skywalker's father?
In Episode 1: The Phantom Menace, Anakin's mother, Shmi, said that he does not have a father, although it seemed to me that she doubted that.
Is there a canonical answer as to who Anakin's father is? If so, who?
DavRob60
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118
votes
11 answers
Is Thor the only Avenger who can't die?
Thor is supposed to be a god, so he should be immortal. Does this mean that there will come a time when he is the last remaining Avenger?
Bridget Fitzgerald
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118
votes
2 answers
What's the story behind the Spock helmet?
I came across this rather puzzling piece of Star Trek merchandise:
It is described on the packaging both as an "Official Star Trek Helmet" and as a "space fun helmet".
Its features include a "flashing light emitter", a "pulsing sonic sound", a…
Praxis
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