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Why was Prof. Slughorn in Slytherin? It seems to me that Horace Slughorn would have belonged to Ravenclaw if anything. He wasn't terribly ambitious himself (Slug club was about his vanity, not ambition). He wasn't really evil (I mean, the man's main - if not only - vices are love of his creature comforts and being s...	Slughorn was in Slytherin because Slughorn wanted to be. He wanted prestige and reputation. Slytherin, in his mind, would put him close to people that were going places, so to speak.
Why did Tony Stark build arc reactors into his extra Iron Man suits? In the Iron Man movie, Tony Stark mentions that he won't sell the Iron Man technology, because he only trusts himself to use it . Because he has an arc reactor built into his chest, his suit can interface with it for power. Unable to produce an arc r...	Suits with built in power-supplies would ease the strain on the arc reactor system built into his body.
Where did Tenzin get a Flying Bison? In Avatar: The Last Airbender , Appa was the only known living sky bison. But in The Legend of Korra , we saw Tenzin had one: Is this Appa or was the sky bison species somehow resurrected? <Q> At first I thought this (Tenzin's Sky Bison) was Appa. <S> However, after some resea...	He likely tamed the bison and then drove them to Air Temple Island so the flying bison Tenzin has, Oogi, is a descendant of one of those bison.
Was Quentin ever officially placed with the Physical Kids? At the end of Quentin's second year he took a test to see what Discipline he would be in for the rest of his career at Brakebills. The test came out inconclusive, and he was put with the Physical Kids by default because they had the fewest students. He was pro...	No, he was never officially deemed a Physical Kid.
How many airbenders are there? How many airbenders are there in Korra's time? If Aang was the last airbender, is it only his offspring—Tenzen and his three children—that have mastery of the element? Many similarly garbed people were seen in the dining hall, were some Air Nomads hiding among the other nations during t...	The others dressed in that garb are Air Acolytes , who are people who seek to maintain the Air Nomad's culture while the Airbender population (hopefully) increases. Tenzin and his 3 children are the only Airbenders left in Korra's time.
How does T. H. White's Merlyn experience time? In The Once and Future King it is clear that Merlyn was "born backwards in time", but I cannot determine exactly what that means. In The Sword in the Stone , chapter three, Merlyn says: “Now ordinary people are born forwards in Time, if you understand what I mean, ...	They were forward (relative to us) in a universe that was backwards (relative to us).
In general, should I look through a novel's appendix(es) before, during or after reading? I'm about 100 pages into Dune . I noticed the novel has more than one appendix. As a rule of thumb, when a sci-fi or fantasy novel has an appendix, should I: read through it before I start the book; reference it occasionally...	Some books like House of Leaves have appendacies that are meant to be read at a specific time during the reading if the main book and the story isn't complete without it.
Why was the T800's arm in T2 overlooked? This has always bugged me. In Terminator 2 , it is made clear that the terminator that came in the first movie resulted in a changed history, with Skynet being developed at a faster rate by Cyberdyne systems based on research they did on the terminator arm and chip. This plot...	The crushed arm would likely have been discarded as scrap.
Can a Patronus take the form of any animal? As far as I can recall, all of the Patronuses that are seen in the books (and movies) are small- to medium-sized mammals and a few are birds. I could've missed some, but I don't think there are any lizards, fish, or insects. Does a Patronus have to take the form of a mode...	It is usual, but not inevitable, for a Patronus to take the form of an animal commonly found in the caster's native country.
Why does Robb Stark need ships to get to King's Landing? I am watching Game of Thrones , and I am confused that Robb Stark needs to ask for ships from the Greyjoys. Isn't it all land between the North and King's Landing? It isn't like Stannis' position where there is a large bay separating him from the capital. <Q> He...	The Iron Islanders have a very strong naval force. The plan is for Robb to lead his armies by land to King's Landing, and then coordinate their attack with the Iron Islanders' fleet attacking the harbor. King's Landing is on the east of the continent whereas the Greyjoy ships are on the north-west.
Do Wizards get to choose which animal their Patronus will be? Do Wizards get to choose which animal their Patronus will be? If they don't get to choose, what determines their Patronus animal? EDIT - I didn't recall that there were any duplicate animals among the ones that were mentioned. <Q> There is no indication in...	A Patronus is a magical charm , a projection of all your most positive feelings, and takes the shape of the animal with whom you share the deepest affinity.
How Did Umbridge Get Moody's Eye? If Dolores Umbridge wasn't a Death Eater, or closely associated with the Death Eaters, how did she end up with Mad-Eye Moody's magical eye, which she so tastefully affixed to her office door at the Ministry? At the time Moody's eye is discovered by Harry in Deathly Hallows as he sear...	Umbridge had been in contact with Mundungus in the past when she bought Voldemort’s locket.
Why does Harry's eye twitch? Throughout the Harry Potter movie series, Harry, played by Daniel Radcliffe, has an odd eye twitch. He seems to blink his right eye slightly before his left. This happens consistently throughout every movie. Is there a canon reason for that or was it a movie choice? If a movie choice, then...	As for the eye twitch, given that there are no canoniocal references stating that the character, Harry, had such a twitch, the only logical conclusion is that it's just something that Daniel does. Maybe it's just a side effect from the scar make-up over his eye.
What is the subset of Airbending? Earth has Metalbending, Sandbending, and Lavabending. Water has Bloodbending and Healing. Fire has Lightning/Electricitybending and Combustion. What is the subset of Airbending, if there is one? <Q> In Season 3 of The Legend of Korra, the subset of airbending was revealed: <S> T...	The subset of airbending is flight.
Can Expelliarmus Be Used For Weapons Other Than Wands? Expelliarmus is typically used to disarm an opponent of his/her wand. Could it be used to disarm someone of another type of weapon, such as a Basilisk fang, a phial of a dangerous potion, a Venomous Tentacula plant, or even a knife (Morphin Gaunt carried a knife, a...	Expelliarmus expels the arms (as in weapons, not body parts) from the hand of the opponent. It can even be used to drive an opponent back or knock them unconscious if they have no weapon. Canon examples include: A duel between Professor Snape and Professor Lockhart:
Can a wizard's Patronus change over time? "After all this time, Severus?" "Always..." I can't find the quote at the moment, but Albus and Severus's conversation seems to imply that a wizard's Patronus could change over time. Is this possible? If Snape had ever properly grieved and freed himself from his love of L...	It's clear that a patronus can indeed change, as evidenced by Nymphadora's Patronus changing to a wolf after she falls in love with Remus. According to Rowling , this is a fairly common occurrence:
Are benders allowed to use subsets of their element's abilities in Pro-Bending? Could the water benders use ice/snow in the tournaments? Could they use bloodbending to just push the players off the field? Could Earthbenders use Metalbending during competition? Like the metal of the gates holding the water? Can they us...	So no steam, fog or ice is permitted. Water must be used in a liquid state not as a gas or solid.
Under What Circumstances Would a Muggleborn Become a Death Eater? I read this quote by J.K. Rowling from a 2004 interview: [Snape] was a Death Eater, so clearly he is no Muggleborn, because Muggleborns are not allowed to be Death Eaters, except in rare circumstances . [J.K. Rowling at the Edinburgh Book Festival 08...	Well if they happened to have one of those pureblood names (such as Potter or Black which is extremely common with Muggles) then they could probably skim over having "dirty blood" by claiming they are illegitimate or a distant cousin or something, so the pureblood issue would be solved.
Was Mad-Eye Moody's Recumbent Broom a Help or Hindrance In the Battle of the Seven Potters? SOURCE: Harry Potter Page to Screen: The Complete Filmmaking Journey - by Bob McCabe - Harper Design - October 2011 Would the shape, mechanics, or aerodynamics of Mad-Eye Moody's recumbent broom help or hinder him in combat?...	With a more traditional prone broom, the wand hand remains much closer to eye level, particularly when the rider is leaning forward for increased speed and maneuverability (not to mention the benefit the decreased profile gives in terms of making for a smaller, more difficult to hit target). As a relatively experienced...
Does the shape or size of a Patronus determine or indicate its strength? It's quite clear to me that a stag Patronus is more physically imposing than an otter would be. Is this still the case for its ability to ward off Dementors, and general strength? I realise the shape is determined by personality, etc, but it see...	Size and shape has nothing to do with power, the associated emotions determine how effective the patronus is.
Are only hoofed creatures sentient? In My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic I've noticed that creatures such as ponies, buffalo, and sheep will speak, while rabbits and other woodland creatures make vaguely intelligible chirping/babbling noises. So, are all hoofed creatures sentient? And if so, why are sheep still co...	As far as pigs, I would hazard a guess they are sentient.
Do mules or hinnies exist? In My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic we see numerous types of creatures: ponies (obviously), zebras, buffalo, sheep, donkeys, dragons, as well as numerous woodland and farm creatures such as butterflies, bears, chickens, and ducks. However, we have yet to see any mules. Do mules/hinnies ...	Most notably mules inherit the long ears of the donkey and have the tail of a horse.
What fantasy book has a character acquire powers by sleeping in a dead dragon's body? I read this novel a very long time ago, so the details are hazy, of course. All I clearly remember is that the main character has to sleep in the body of a dead dragon (to escape inclement weather, maybe?) and ends up acquiring power...	Eustace Scrubb sleeps next to a dead dragon in its cave and, after putting on a magical armlet, accidentally becomes a dragon.
What late 80s - mid 90s cartoon had heroes with insect mechs? I am trying to identify a TV show, aired somewhere between the late 80s and mid-90s. It was a cartoon, sort of like anime style but more like G.I. Joe. The main plot points that i can remember are: The kid (hero) had a blue scorpion, red ant and a green g...	It's Timefighters in the Land of Fantasy , aka Time Bokan (タイムボカン) for the original anime.
Book about a brother and sister living in a futuristic world It was 1981-1982 when I read it. My female English teacher told me to read it...not the class. Not sure when it was written? I remember it was written from the sister's perspective. There seemed to be no parents from what I remember. And it was undergrou...	The brother and sister (the POV character - point) are trapped in a buried museum (thus "underground") with hostile spiders and a mysterious creature called "The Brogan", although you have to work that out (and a lot else besides) by yourself. I'm thinking it might be The Girl Who Owned a City by O.T. Nelson.
Why did Snape give the Gryffindor's Sword to Bellatrix to keep? In Deathly Hallows, we find out that, after Ginny Weasley tried to steal the Sword, Severus Snape gave the sword (or rather, a copy, as we find out), to Bellatrix Lestrange to store in Gringott's vault. Why did he (acting as a Death Eater) do that? It obv...	Death Eaters could suspect that the sword was somehow important:
How much self-control does the Green Hulk have? In the Avengers movie, the Hulk shows a fair amount of self-control by the end of the movie (including some amusing set pieces). I don't recall this being the case in the comics. Is my memory/Hulk knowledge faulty, or is this a different angle for the movie? <Q> The...	The Hulk is actually very self controlled.
In Dick's "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?", is Deckard a replicant? I have watched different versions the movie and read the book a number of times, and I still can't decide: was Deckard a replicant? I know that he has an emotional reaction to the question of how he feels about killing androids while attached to ...	It's deliberately ambiguous to illustrate the lack of distinction between Android and Human.
What are the major themes in Foundation? I'm not very good at discerning themes from books, but one of the ones that I picked up from Foundation went something like this: "a culture that stops learning is doomed to fail." What major themes exist in Foundation? <Q> Instead, it is large social movements that shape histo...	The major theme I've always picked up from the original trilogy is: "The flow of Humanity is too large to be consciously changed by any (normal) single individual or group.
In S. M. Stirling's Emberverse series, is it ever revealed what actually caused "The Change"? I have only read the first book in S. M. Stirling 's Emberverse series , Dies the Fire , but found myself frustrated that the underlying cause of “The Change” was not revealed and thus did not continue with the series. Is t...	The effect appears to be caused by an alien intelligence in an effort to minimize the ability of a competing civilization to wage war in their universe.
The Silmarillion -- Different versions? I just read about the book The Silmarillion and thought I'd like to buy it, but I'm a little confused about the different versions that I found. On amazon I found foremost these two versions (I hope it's okay to include links here) The Silmarillion -- Hardcover The Silmar...	There have been several publications of The Silmarillion over the years, in a first and second edition. Those are the same book.
Does Star Trek: The Next Generation feature technology discovered by Kirk's generation? Are there in universe references to technologies utilized in the Star Trek TNG series that were discovered during Star Trek TOS? For instance, android tech? Norman 1 from the " I, Mudd " episode should have been a treasure trove of ...	There was the IQ boosting "Teacher" technology of the Eymorgs ( Spock's Brain ).
Are all Alicorns Royal? All the Princess' in the My Little Pony, Friendship is Magic series have both wings and a horn. Is this a trend, or a coincidence? I suppose I want to know, which one implies the other? Are they royal due to their alicorn nature, or are they only alicorns because they belong to the royal blood l...	In general, the answer so far is "we don't know much about it" because we've only seen two three alicorns as of yet on the show.
Why did Harry hear his parents when influenced by the Dementors? In the Prisoner of Azkaban Harry Potter falls under the draining effects of the Dementors (or Boggarts pretending to be Dementors) more than once. Each of these times Harry hears voices: his mother's or his father's and (presumably) Voldemorte's. For exa...	The Dementors are causing Harry ( or anyone really) to relive their worst moment.
Which Star Wars book series takes place immediately after Episode 6? Having read very little Star Wars fiction, yet being a fan of the series, I've decided after watching a Star Wars marathon of all of the movies that I'd start reading the novels to continue the story. Which book/series should I start with to continue...	Now that the Star Wars expanded universe has been rebooted, the series that takes place right after Return of the Jedi in the new canon is the Aftermath trilogy.
Why would Voldemort spare Lily? In one of Harry's dementor-induced flashbacks, he presumably hears his mother protesting against Voldemort: Harry was falling again through thick white fog, and his mother’s voice was louder than ever, echoing inside his head – ‘Not Harry! Not Harry! Please – I’ll do anything –’ ‘Sta...	Voldemort only gave Lily a chance because Snape had asked him to spare her because he loved her. He must have held Snape in high regard to even consider doing this.
Which House Was Gilderoy Lockhart In? . . . And don't automatically say Slytherin just because he was a huge ponce. ;) Seriously, though, using canon as a guide, what house would Gilderoy Lockhart have been Sorted into? He certainly had ambition, which Slytherin prized. It took a lot of nerve to pull off taking credit...	Lockhart was in Ravenclaw .
Was the PM of England the only muggle in authority to know about Wizards in Harry Potter? I know that in Harry Potter it was said that the PM was notified of Sirius Black's escape. Was he the only muggle in authority to know about the wizarding world? What about the President of the USA or other World Leaders? <Q> In B...	the only person we are explicitly told is informed about the existence of magic is the British PM, as mentioned in several of the other answers. The books only mention him, so it is highly likely that he is in fact the only one to know.
How far can a Hogwarts student persuade the Sorting Hat? Several times, in the Harry Potter series, we are led to believe the sortee has some control over the House they are sorted into. Most famously, Harry Potter turns down his chance at being in Slytherin House, as suggested by the Sorting Hat to be in Gryffindo...	So I think the answer is that you cannot persuade the sorting hat at all, but your preferences will affect the right place for you.
How did a muggleborn get to Hogwarts before the Hogwarts Express? We've more or less asserted why the Hogwart's express exists , but at some point in Hogwarts history it didn't. No problem I though, everyone just apparated with their children to Hogsmeade, no problem a long and tedious process considering luggage, a...	Before the Hogwarts Express, everyone used Portkeys: I'm sure a Muggleborn's letter would explain all the particular's necessary to get there.
How did Data get Spot? So how did Data get his cat, Spot? Did Data pick him up on Earth or something? <Q> One day, ("Data's Day", to be precise :-) ), we just suddenly discovered that Data had a cat, and apparently had had one for some time. <S> For all we know, Spot predates Data's duty aboard Enterprise -D. <S> B...	Strange though it may sound, there does not appear to be any explanation, canonical or otherwise, for Spot's appearance (let alone for changes of breed or gender, as mentioned in the Memory Alpha article referenced in the comments above).
If Vulcans are telepathic, why don't they use it more for communication? Vulcans are said to be natural telepaths . But they continue to communicate with each other through speech, even when telepathy would give them a tactical advantage in many situations. It is also said that telepathy is a skill that a Vulcan needs...	I believe Vulcans were natural telepaths, but had no real range; most of them were touch-telepaths.
Was R2D2 inspired by Daleks? I know this is a potentially silly question but thinking about how both can fly in the newer versions of their respective franchises (and this animation from the official Doctor Who tumblr), I just have to ask: Was the R2 design inspired by Daleks? <Q> There is an interesting resemblance...	Lucas also drew inspiration from the robots Huey, Dewey, and Louie from Douglas Trumbull’s 1972 film Silent Running. So, since Ralph died last month, my personal conclusion would be if he was inspired by the Daleks he appears to have taken it to his grave (so, we will never know). From his professional life, there does...
Is the Hogwarts Express a muggle train with enchantments, or an enchantment that simulates the functions of a train? Is there a canon answer that explains how the Hogwarts Express was put into service? <Q> As David Stratton mentioned, J K Rowling's article on Pottermore regarding the Hogwarts Express mentions the ori...	Per Pottemore's article on the Hogwarts Express, it was originally a Muggle train (Exact origin was never proven).
Is there any official confirmation that Superman was meant to "be Jewish"? I know that there is a common meme/logic that Superman possesses some/many "Jew-like" characteristics, in part because his creators were Jewish. But that could be either intentional or unintentional. Is there any confirmation from Superman...	I don't think Superman was "meant" to be Jewish, but you can't deny that there's a lot of symbolism.
Are there real world creation myths that inspired The Silmarillion? In J.R.R. Tolkien's The Silmarillion , the creation myth is based on music - the creation of elves, etc. are new themes in the music, the "devil" introduces discords that are then used to develop the music further, etc. Are there any real world creat...	Music and song is a key part of Nordic folklore and legend; so it is not unlikely that this is where the influence came from.
How does Neville Longbottom get the Sword of Gryffindor? I recently read the final book of the series. At one point was the vault heist, where the goblin Griphook runs off with the Sword of Gryffindor. Yet near the end of the book, Neville Longbottom suddenly has the sword and uses it to defeat the snake Nagini. How c...	I believe either the goblin who produced the sword to Godric Gryffindor's specifications, or Godric Gryffindor himself added the magic which would make the sword appear to a worthy Gryffindor in need.
What does Derpy's cutie mark mean? This is Derpy: As we know, in the MLP:FiM universe, cutie marks indicate a pony's special talent or individualizing feature. Derpy's is a bunch of bubbles. What does this cutie mark mean? Or, more fully, what is Derpy's special talent? <Q> This may be too much of a general-refer...	Her "Bubbles" cutie mark is because of Faust's liking of The Powerpuff girls, and one of the Powerpuff girls, called "Bubbles" often acts silly (or Derpy) at times.
When did Catwoman start wearing a catsuit in the comics? I'm currently reading Batman and Detective Comics published in 1982. Catwoman has shown up and I was surprised to see that she was wearing her original (and highly impractical) costume from her 1940s appearances. From Detective Comics #521 This surprised m...	The first "catsuit" in the comics was 1967, inspired by Julie Newmar's outfit on the TV show
In Back to the Future, why was the power required to travel in time 1.21 jigowatts? I asked why the speed was 88 MPH , and it made a lot of sense. Now I want to ask: Why does the Flux Capacitor need 1.21 jigowatts to travel in time? Is this a magic number? <Q> Lightning strikes deposit somewhere on the order of a fe...	In short, the number "sounded good" and was evidently based on a brief conversation he had with an electrical engineer working as a consultant for the film about the amount of energy contained in a bolt of lightning. It appears that 1.21 Gigawatts is roughly the energy of a nuclear power unit, though this sort of unit ...
In what order should I read the Robert Langdon books? The Robert Langdon book series by Dan Brown consists of: Angels & Demons (2000) The Da Vinci Code (2003) The Lost Symbol (2009) Inferno (2013) Origin (2017) Does it make the most sense to read them in that order, or does it not matter if they're read ...	Definitely read them in that order.
Does "The Gods Themselves" take place in Asimov's Foundation "shared universe"? Many of Asimov's science fiction novels, either by original design or later retconning, take place in the same shared universe. Most prominently in that universe, we find Hari Seldon's "Foundation" - but the Robot novels, Pebbles in the Sky...	The Gods Themselves is clearly apart from the rest of Asimov's other works (well, that and “Gold” ).
Reading Charles Stross Laundry Series out of order I have just bought the The Fuller Memorandum and realized that it is the 3rd book in a series. Is it OK to read just this one, or should I read the other 2 first? <Q> While the series share the same protagonist (Bob Howard), they're 3 different books, even different w...	But I strongly advise you to read them in order.
Role and significance of Molly Grue In Peter Beagle's The Last Unicorn, I find the character of Molly Grue is something of a cipher. She seems to serve as a councilor and all-around wisewoman, but never seems to take an active role in the course of events. And there are a few points where the book seems to go out of ...	Molly is rather wise and down-to-earth, but sometimes very much a child, while the unicorn is very, very old, and Amalthea very, very new. A bit mysterious, an interesting character - but that is all. She had a natural understanding, and wisdom about the world and herself within it that she honors.
What deeper meanings are contained in Harrison Bergeron, by Kurt Vonnegut? Kurt Vonnegut's short story Harrison Bergeron is acclaimed for its symbolism. Beyond its literal meaning, what deeper and figurative messages does it convey—specifically, in relation to utopianism? <Q> The basic idea of Harrison Bergeron is ...	I've always taken the story to be a metaphor for the cost of civilization on the individual. I would have to disagree and say it has to do a lot with Marxism and communism because in the end Harrison, the rebel against this communistic appearing America, is killed by Diana Moon Glampers, the handicapper general who for...
Is Amon energy bending when he takes away someone's bending abilities? I just read the question: "Why is knowledge of energy bending so rare?" It made me wonder: Is Amon energy bending when he takes away someone's bending abilities? From what I've read, energy bending is very difficult and seems to require some sort...	No, Amon is not energy-bending when he takes away someones Bending abilities.
How long does it take for dragons to grow? I have not read the books, but in the TV series Daenerys's dragons are very small and don't seem to grow. I was wondering how long it will take them to grow to the size that they can be used in battle? Is this mentioned in the books? Will they be of any use in battle for Daene...	It says as long as the dragons live they never stop growing.
Why was Ron Weasley permitted to bring a rat to Hogwarts? Ron Weasley has his pitiful pet rat Scabbers with him from almost the get-go. This rat is brought with Ron to Hogwarts for multiple years, and presumably Percy brought Scabbers to Hogwarts when he owned the rat. Now the papers that Harry received with his accept...	If bringing rats to Hogwarts was not allowed, Ron would not be the first person to break a rule and get away with it.
Did Harry Owe Draco Malfoy a Life Debt? I know it's not the same as Harry saving Draco from the Fiendfyre in the Room of Requirement in Deathly Hallows -- Draco's, as JKR puts it¹, "Hi. It's so embarrassing, you saved my life. No one will ever let me forget it" debt. The possible life debt I'm asking about would be...	The reason could be anything, but I think it was mostly because Draco was scared that if he identified Harry and Voldemort went on to win the war, Draco's life would not really be better after everything that had happened.
How can Namor be the first mutant if there are much older ones? I saw several mentions on SFF that Namor was the first mutant. Yet, from ComicVine Led by Azazel, the Neyaphem are a group of mutants with demonic appearances. Existing since biblical times , the Neyaphem believed humans to be inferior and should be...	Storywise, in the history of the MU, he's also considered the first known mutant to the general public.
What was the purpose of adding red backlights in USS Enterprise? I haven't found any red backlight in Enterprise NX-01: I have also not found it in initial USS Enterprise NCC-1701-A, but this image tells it had one red backlight (not sure its legitimate image or not): I have found three red backlights in USS Enterp...	More specifically, the red "lights" on the more advanced ships are the impulse engines.
Why did Impulse Engines of Enterprise NX-01 glow blue? Following on from the answer to this question: What was the purpose of adding red backlights in USS Enterprise? I am curious about a new thing: Impulse engines of Enterprise NX-01 glowed blue unlike impulse engines of later Enterprise versions (in which they g...	So on the NX-01 they run the fusion reactor hotter than later ships to get more thrust out of them, hence the higher frequency color of the plasma.
What is the nature of Christmas observance in the Potterverse? Every winter, Hogwarts students return home and celebrate Christmas with their families. However, given their extensive use of magic, it does not seem likely they'd understand Christianity the way muggles would. How and why do wizards observe Christmas? <Q...	In history, cultures that believed in magic, like the Celts, also celebrated a holiday with themes similar to Christmas . It is also an occasion to have some social integration for the lonely employees and students staying at Hogwarts, satisfying their emotional need for belongingness, providing some substitute of the ...
Is the Hulk in the Avengers the same as in the other movies? I hadn't seen the two Hulk movies ( Hulk (2003) and The Incredible Hulk (2008) ) before seeing the Avengers. In a comment on In the Avengers movie, why is Hulk's behaviour inconsistent? I commented on Bruce Banner developing the ability to control him...	It's likely that the original Hulk films are not in the same universe, though without an official statement (that I can't find) there's also no reason to exclude them from the latest film universe.
Why was Captain America called "The First Avenger"? Why was Captain America called The First Avenger , when Hulk and Iron Man were enlisted by Nick Fury before him? Or are the times between the Hulk & Iron Man movies meant to have taken place after Captain America's return? <Q> Except for the first & last few minutes...	Captain America precedes the existence, as a character of both Iron Man and Thor, in fact, he precedes the existence of all of the Avengers being one of the first and most successful of the Avenger's properties.
Are there creatures of fantasy in other countries that have the same prevelance as zombies, werewolves and vampires in the United States? Most creatures of fantasy appear to be derived from these similar themes, but I wonder if I simply have not heard of creatures in other countries that hold captive the imaginations o...	An immortal skeleton, massively rich evil wizard\king of the forest, sometimes considered to be Baba Yaga's relative or boyfriend. In parts of the UK and Ireland, though the countries are by far predominantly Christian, there are still pockets of "true believers" in the Fey / Fair Folk / Faeries, though this belief is ...
How does Thor get back to Earth in the Marvel comics? In the comics, Thor is on Earth and the bridge between the two worlds of Asgard and Earth is intact. I haven't read the comics, but in the movie, the gateway collapses. If that's so, how does Thor get back to Earth to become an Avenger? Or did the movie mess that ...	As Thaddeus correctly states, The Avengers doesn't explain how Thor got to Earth, except making brief references to “dark magic”.
How deep was the fog? In The Fifth Element the city of New York appears to have a perpetual layer of fog clinging to its lower levels. Presumably this fog reaches all the way to the ground, but I don't recall this being mentioned in the movie. Is there any official information on just how deep this fog was? Was it ...	Given that the smog is higher than a 50 foot high billboard (which itself is at least 40 feet off the ground) we can determine that the minimum depth that the smog can possibly be is 90 feet .
Is there a particular movie being referenced in the opening scene of The Cabin in the Woods? The Cabin in the Woods is filled with horror movie references and Easter Eggs . In the beginning of the movie some of the characters are discussing the "1998 almost-disaster." I am wondering if this is in reference to a 199...	The best explanation seems to be The Faculty , since it had no fatalities except [see spoiler below], and it makes sense with the chem department part: Scoping a list of 1998 horror films, the only one that sticks out is The Faculty.
Do the other animals that students can bring with them to Hogwarts have special skills? Owls in Harry Potter carry the mail. Do rats, cats, or toads have any specific function aside from being pets? <Q> Familiars, in the strictest sense, do not exist within the world ofHarry Potter. <S> Although Hogwarts students are p...	J.K. Rowling says on Pottermore that the animals the students bring to Hogwarts are not familiars in the proper sense of the term, but rather serve as pets (and, yes, owls handle the mail).
What took Bella so long to turn into a Vampire? At the end of Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part I movie, Bella didn't turn into a vampire for a long time even after being bitten for multiple times. Why didn't she turn into a vampire soon as everyone else always does? What took her so long? <Q> In fact, Bella's transfor...	Bella's experience is a result first of the morphine preventing her from moving even if she wanted to, and second of Bella's focus, intent on not causing Edward any pain at seeing her suffer once the morphine burned off.
Why do the evil vampires in Twilight suck only a little blood from all the humans? Why do vampires suck only a liitle blood out of their human prey and not drink all the blood available in the human's body (or store the blood for future use)? In the movie, when the bad vampires were forming their army, they drank only...	So, when you're actually trying to create a new vampire, you just have to bite, but then you have to control your thirst and not feed on the human you're turning. It's likely that they drank as little as possible It was a conscious choice not to feed.
Is The Doctor (EMH) a Doctor Who reference? Is Voyager's Emergency Medical Hologram, which doesn't have a name other than "Doctor": a tip of the hat from Paramount to The Doctor from BBC's Doctor Who? While Robert Picardo doesn't have any visual similarity to William Hartnell, or any of the first eight Doctors: ...	The EMH was called 'Doctor' because that's what he was - he had an advanced knowledge of every realm of medicine, and his life was dedicated to treating others and saving lives (and, eventually, self-improvement).
Did Frank Herbert ever record any Dune audio books himself? The question pretty much says it all. On Wikipedia it states In 1993, Recorded Books Inc. released a 20-disc audio book narrated by George Guidall. In 2007, Audio Renaissance released an audio book narrated by Simon Vance with some parts acted out by Scott B...	" Sandworms of Dune read by the author Frank Herbert " from Caedmon (disc TC 1565) is a 1978 33-1/3 rpm vinyl LP record of Herbert reading selections from DUNE, DUNE MESSIAH, and CHILDREN OF DUNE.
How can Wolverine stand with so much Adamantium? Adamantium is an indestructible metal in the Marvel Comics. Wolverine was infused with the metal. But since the metal is indestructible it means it is dense, very dense. How can Wolverine stand when his bones are laced with Adamantium? That would either cause his bon...	The most prevalent as seen in the original 'Weapon-X' and 'Wolverine' comics, is the indestructible metal being force injected into his bones not as a thin layer. Iron and titanium are both less dense than gold but are far stronger. One thing to remember is Calcium itself is a 'Metal'. Strength and density are not dire...
Was Thor unworthy during "The Avengers"? In the Avengers movie: Thor is trapped in the Hulk's cage by Loki and then sent falling to Earth from the Helicarrier. After he breaks free and lands on Earth, he tries to pick up his hammer Mjolnir. Instead of showing him just pick Mjolnir up, he hesitates, and the camera ...	When he reaches for the hammer he is injured, tired and above all in pain.
How much of season 1 of Fringe is necessary to understand the rest? I'm interested in getting into Fringe, but there seems to be a pretty universal consensus that it only starts getting good in season 2. How much of season 1 do I need to watch if I want the later seasons to make sense? <Q> Season 1 is, as Michael Edenf...	Honestly, very little of Season One is needed if you go into Season Two with the following assumptions:
What happens to burnt metals/alloys? In Mistborn allomantic powers are activated by 'burning' them, somehow using them up. But what happens to the metal after it's burnt? Does it oxidise? Is it annihilated? I know it can't remain in it's standard state and have it's 'magic' used up, to use a crude term, as Kelsier me...	Mistings that hold "unburned" metals internally for too long risk losing them or getting metal poisoning.
What is Hazmat, if not a mutant? Hazmat, a character in Avengers Academy, continuously emits dangerous radiation yet is not a mutant according to her POV comment in issue 3. What is she then? She apparently developed this ability on her own, without the intervention of a radioactive spider or other deus ex machina. ...	Since her powers were altered artificially by Norman Osborne she may be a mutant whose powers may remain uncontrollable.
What is the "mirror" universe depicted in Star Trek? I see many mentions to another universe in Star Trek questions, but I've never actually remember seeing an episode of Star Trek that dealt with this other universe. I've watched all of TNG and all of VOY and nothing in there seems to match up with whats being referen...	The Mirror Universe returned in Deep Space 9's Crossover , which is probably a more palatable introduction to the Mirror Universe if you don't like the 60's style/writing/etc of The Original Series. You'd need to watch "Mirror Mirror" (as mentioned by Donald.
Is James Doohan’s missing finger ever noticeable in Star Trek? We were just discussing, in the SF&F chat room here, that James Doohan was missing a finger, but there's no reference to this and I remember watching the series over and over, whenever I had the chance, up through the 90s. I don't remember ever seeing anyt...	You can see his missing middle finger of his right hand in the original series episode " The Corbomite Maneuver " as he reached for a beverage pitcher.
Do pre-Immortals die of old age if they haven't had their immortality triggered beforehand? It was established in many of the Highlander movies, that even though they are born "Immortals" they genuinely have to be killed first to become an "Immortal". Essentially a trigger to their immortality. So what would happen ...	Even though it was stated in Highlander The Raven that pre-immortals must die a violent death to trigger their immortality and many accept this as canon, there is also evidence that it doesn't need to be a violent death.
Would Muggle chocolate work on the effects of Dementors? I'm not sure this is ever addressed in the books, but would chocolate made by Muggles work against the effects of Dementors, or would only wizard/witch produced chocolate have an effect? Why or why not? <Q> I don't think there was ever any implication made that L...	Perhaps it was because Harry had no access to wizarding chocolate; it could be that Muggle chocolate -- all that Harry would have had access to at Privet Drive -- was the wrong kind of chocolate to treat a Dementor attack with.
Why do all Borg look different? The main shtick of the Borg is lack of individuality, homogeneity; one borg being functionally no different from the rest. They are assimilated with nanobots and from those nanobots implants are grown. Implants that are inserted surgically could be manufactured to all be the same. The ...	All Borg drones likely have to meet a certain standard of acceptable efficiency, and are augmented until they reach that level. For that reason, the Borg do not worry so much about drones looking identical: having a body is already such a detraction from perfection (albeit one that must be tolerated for the time being)...
Where is Stark Tower located? In the Avengers movie, Tony Stark builds a tower in New York City. It is big, it is shiny, it is tall. It's all the things that Tony Stark loves, especially in his buildings. During the battle in the third act: ...we see the ground team (Hawkeye, Black Widow, Captain America) are prett...	This blog post claims that it is on the site of the MetLife building. In a shot of lower Manhattan in Doctor Strange , the Avengers' Tower can be seen very clearly.
Is The Amazing Spider-Man part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe? Spider-Man is a Marvel franchise, just like Avengers and X-Men. When they rebooted the Hulk in 2008 it was to incorporate the character into the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The Amazing Spider-Man opens on July 3, 2012 in the USA and is a reboot of the cha...	The character Spider-Man, moving forward , is now part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe due to a deal that was struck between Marvel and Sony.
In "Brothers" when Data takes over the ship, why does the computer not realize he is faking Picard's voice? In a Star Trek TNG episode called "Brothers" Data takes over the ship by throwing his voice and pretending to be Captain Picard. The computer is aware of where Picard actually is on the ship due to its internal s...	Since combadges are regularly lost/destroyed the computer apparently just accepts voiceprint identification for most functions.
In Transformers, why didn't Optimus use the Shard of the Allspark to heal Jazz? In the final battle of Michael Bay's Transformers , Jazz, Optimus Prime's second in command, is torn in half by Megatron. After the battle is completed, Ratchet and Ironhide bring the fallen Autobots parts to Optimus, and inform him that t...	Though not explicitely shown in the film itself Megatron ate the spark of Jazz when he killed him.
Did any of TOS 5 year mission first contacts aliens show up in later Star Trek episodes as Borg? Are there any examples of Star Trek TOS aliens being assimulated by the Borg in any of the following versions of the Star Trek TV/Movie franchise? <Q> By the standards set forth in the question, there are 55 original series...	Legacy , the Borg are featured midway through the TOS era as "Assimilated Klingon ships".
Does a new species always need to contribute a technology advancement in order to be assimilated by the Borg? Does a new species always need to contribute a technology advancement in order to be assimilated by the Borg, or do the Borg assimilate less advanced races as well, thus trading collective IQ for boots on the g...	As to the question of whether the Borg would assimilate the Mugato, the answer is that they'd almost certainly assimilate (or possibly just scan) A species such as the Kazon , who were numerous and particularly violent were not chosen for assimilation because they could not provide sufficient technology to make assimil...
Why does Reese fall out of the sky? Why does Kyle Reese fall out of the sky onto the sidewalk when he travels back in time while all of the Terminators we see arriving in the franchise do so safely crouched in a stasis energy orb? <Q> In The Terminator <S> we saw the street where the Terminator arrived smoking like ...	Kyle, then, falls from the sky because the point from which he left was higher up in the time he left than in the present day.
What are these events from Widow's past? In the film The Avengers , Black Widow and Loki have a discussion. During it, Loki refers to some of the red on Black Widow's ledger (i.e. things she regrets or owes people for). The items he mentions are: Sao Paulo The hospital fire Dreykov's daughter What are these re...	Clearly, Hawkeye spared her life, and my reading is that she had a change of heart; the 'red in her ledger' is the people she killed during that time, for which she is now trying to atone Those events have not happened in the comics, as far as I know, (been reading the Avengers for nearly 30 years) but are likely to be...
Did Rorschach's mask react to his emotions? In Watchmen , did Rorschach's ever changing mask react to his emotions, or did it morph on its own? <Q> No, it did not react to his emotional state. <S> While the technology might have existed, and Ozymandias might have been able to make it, Rorschach's mask was actually par...	It's really left unanswered within the comic. Rorschach's mask (which he refers to as his "face") consisted of a specialized fabric, one that was actually two layers of fabric with viscous black and white fluids trapped between them.
What is the title of a book that is set in the future, but there is no electricity? I read a book years ago in Junior High. I am wracking my brain trying to remember more details. It was possibly a young adult novel, since I read it in middle school or early high school in the late 70's or early 80's. Setting It was s...	The books are: The Prince In Waiting Beyond The Burning Lands I believe that the book you are looking for may be The Long Tomorrow, a post-nuclear war world where electricity and many other modern conveniences have been banned, but there is a way of thought that promotes the return of these things, sadly following this...
Is The Hulk immune to mutation too? When the Hulk is damaged, his cells regenerate at a fast rate. What happens if his cells mutate into something, or if his DNA gets rewritten by some sort of device? Do his cells prevent mutation? <Q> His immunity states that his cells regenerate at a fast rate. <S> Regenerate: <S> ...	So, I'd say that he would still be immune to mutation.
How did the Basilisk survive for a thousand years? The lifespan of a Basilisk might be thousands of years, but how can one survive without eating anything for thousands of years? <Q> The Basilisk is a brilliant green serpent that may reach up to fifty feet in length. <S> The male has a scarlet plume upon its head. <S>...	Where to Find Them explains that Basilisks stay alive by eating any and all mammals, birds, and most reptiles.
Why does the Night's Watch wear black? I think I remember a line in A Clash of Kings or A Storm of Swords where some guy talked about why (at least, why he thought) the Night's Watch wore all black. I think it had to do with something about when they die? I can't quite remember, and it's bothering me. On the other ...	That's why it is called the Night's Watch, and at night wearing black is the perfect camouflage.
Trying to identify a book about life on the side of an infinitely tall wall I'm trying to find a book about a city built on the side of an infinite wall - infinitely tall as well as infinitely long. There was a picture of it on the cover. The city is built on platforms jutting out, and if you fell off, you'd be gone fo...	This world is called Amara, and it is a place deeply entwined with our own world. No one knows where the wall begins or ends, and no one dares to climb to its top or fall to its base. The protagonist comes from a village strung up the wall but fishes in the river at the base.
What was the point of threatening to drop Loki 30,000 feet? In Avengers movie, Fury locked Loki in the Hulk's cage. The Hulk's cage was strong, but Fury wasn't confident about how the cage would hold up against Loki. So, he threatened Loki that even a single scratch on glass would drop the cage 30,000 feet. Humans bel...	Fury was certain that dropping from that altitude, locked in the Hulk cage should be able to kill Loki, just as the belief was it would kill the Hulk. He doesn't believe either Loki or Thor are immortal -- in the sense of unkillable -- although he and the rest of SHIELD seem prepared to accept that these individuals ar...
How many sonic screwdrivers does the Doctor have? I just watched the episode The Almost People last night, and toward the end, the real Doctor threw his sonic screwdriver to the ganger, who then proceed to destroy the monster and himself in the process. I assumed the screwdriver was destroyed with the castle. Once ab...	While its design changed slightly over the years of the original series, it's always referred to as "the" sonic screwdriver, implying there's only the one. While David Tennant was playing the Doctor he destroys his sonic screwdriver, saving Martha and at the end of the episode he has a new one.

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