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1500 questions
49
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1 answer
What does Pratchett's "poets notwithstanding" joke mean?
In Terry Pratchett's Equal Rites, he writes the following passage:
Esk, in fact, moved through the fair more like an arsonist moves through a hayfield or a neutron bounces through a reactor, poets notwithstanding, and a hypothetical watcher could…
Korosia
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How was this shot of River Tam on the ceiling managed in Serenity?
There's a scene in the Firefly film Serenity where we see River Tam clinging to the ceiling like a giant lizard:
Over on the Outdoors Stack Exchange, there's some discussion, in ChrisH's answer and comments thereon, about how this scene was…
Rand al'Thor
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49
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7 answers
Why does the Enterprise not have any physical access controls?
A repeated plot device of TNG is sabotage and similar aboard the USS Enterprise.
Malicious agents infiltrate the Enterprises crew again and again by subterfuge, e.g. by posing as crew members, as shipwreck survivors in need of rescuing, as small…
fgysin
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Why wouldn't Voldemort create new Horcruxes?
Once Voldemort realized that Harry Potter was hunting for Horcruxes and knew where they were (e.g. after visiting the cave), why wouldn't he simply pause, and make at least one MORE replacement Horcrux that Harry wouldn't know the location of…
DVK-on-Ahch-To
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Looking for the title of a very old sci-fi short story where a human deters an alien invasion by answering questions truthfully, but cleverly
Plot Summary/Details
I don't recall all that much beyond the basic plot. A human being is taken captive by a group of aliens and questioned. I believe it takes place on Earth and the aliens are a scouting party of some sort, though I am not…
Helbent IV
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49
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1 answer
Why did George Lucas ban David Prowse (actor of Darth Vader) from appearing at Star Wars conventions?
According to Wikipedia, George Lucas banned David Prowse in 2010 from attending official Star Wars fan conventions. He reportedly gave no reason why other than Prowse "burnt too many bridges".
Prowse was on the outs with Lucas well before 2010. A…
user89104
49
votes
6 answers
Why is the T-1000 humanoid?
If the liquid metal T-1000 can become anything it touches, why does it choose to be humanoid most of the time? Humans aren't very efficient; is there anything stopping it from becoming some other thing that can shoot more guns at a time and run…
Stormblessed
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3 answers
Is there an in-universe explanation given to the senior Imperial Navy Officers as to why Darth Vader serves Emperor Palpatine?
Answers can be from Canon or Legends.
TL;DR: How do the senior Imperial Navy Officers with experience in the Clone Wars account for why a powerful force-using 'baddie' like Vader not only does not overthrow, but faithfully serves an apparently…
Phyneas
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3 answers
In The Avengers (2012), why does Thanos need Loki?
In The Avengers, the main plot is that Loki is trying to conquer Earth on behalf of Thanos so that the latter can get hold of the Tesseract and put his "restore the balance" plan in motion.
But in later movies (Guardians of the Galaxy, Avengers:…
Alex Kinman
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6 answers
Is Goldberry a regular mortal woman?
Having read The Lord of the Rings a number of times I was always curious about the significance of Goldberry. I have not managed to find any reference to her origins within the other Middle-earth books that I have read.
Was she just a mortal woman,…
bazz
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49
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1 answer
Did Shadowfax go to Valinor?
I seem to recall that Shadowfax was taken with Gandalf to Valinor, but I have not been able to find a clear reference in the Lord of the Rings. Is there any writing by Tolkien adressing this question?
Ginasius
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49
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3 answers
A story where a small child takes on the pain of the world
I think this was a short story, and I have no recollection of where or when I read it. It had a dystopian disguised as a utopian feel.
From what I remember, the world was at peace and everyone was happy, except for one child who was kept in a…
Cherie
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4 answers
What happens if you don't fit in any of the Hogwarts houses and still have to go to Hogwarts?
Like me for example, I have some traits from some houses but lack other traits. I'm definitely not a Gryffindor because I lack bravery, not a Hufflepuff because I'm lazy, not a Ravenclaw because I'm not creative enough and not a Slytherin because…
intraday then morrow
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2 answers
How can the crystal foxes in "The Last Jedi" be living?
How can the crystal foxes in The Last Jedi be living?
They're made of minerals and crystals, as far as we can see, so what holds them together? Is it the Force?
Skylor Ember
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49
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7 answers
Were there two Death Stars in construction at the same time?
The first Death Star was in construction at the end of Episode III (presumably 19 BBY). The ending shot is this picture, with only small portions of the superstructure completed:
19 years later, the Death Star has only been recently completed (the…
The Fallen
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