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Boy and girl living in an underground city (post nuclear?) I probably read this children's science fiction story in the late 1960s, so the similar-sounding 1980 book, "This Time of Darkness" by Helen Hoover can not be it. It may have been a short story, but I am not sure that it was not a short book. See also for dis...	Another stab in the dark: "Wine of the Dreamers" by John D. MacDonald. Doesn't appear to be a children's novel but was published in 1961, is rather short (154 pages) and deals with an underground post-apocalyptic civilization. The main character escapes with his brother and encounters a girl from a different city who i...
Where do the bodies of the dead Tributes go? I've only seen the movie-version of The Hunger Games, and have yet to read the books. Is it explained where the bodies of the dead Tributes go, if they are removed at all? <Q> Hovercrafts are instantly dispatched to recover the body, perhaps to prevent cannibalism , whic...	After being picked up by hovercraft as described in @Solemnity's answer, the bodies get shipped back to the districts and the mourning families :
Does the world of Harry Potter and the Methods of Rationality differ in any other way from the original besides the husband of aunt Petunia? The premise of "Potter and the Methods of Rationality" is what would have happened if aunt Petunia married a scientist instead, and Harry was raised in such an environment? Is th...	Yes, there are a considerable number of different 'background events' that are different, but I'm hesitant to list them all as they are spoilers for anyone who hasn't spotted them yet. Yes, the universe of "Harry Potter and the Methods of Rationality" is not an alternate history branching off at a certain point, and di...
Is Force lightning from the feet plausible? In all the canons of Star Wars, there has not been one instance of a Force-user projecting Force lightning from their feet. Why? Is it implausible? <Q> In Star Wars: Legacy #005 <S> we see a Sith Lord projecting Force Lightning from his entire body . <S> Although it's cut...	Hands provide much more control than feet, and in a fight, one nearly always uses the feet to anchor oneself and the fine motor control of the hands and arms to engage in combat.
Are the Hogwarts Potion Books intentionally misleading? They don't seem to be giving the correct instructions in concocting the potions- as seen when Hermione isn't able to make her draught in Slughorn's class. <Q> I would hazard a guess that potion making is insanely more tough than cooking. <S> Remember, this is some...	So, again, the text books are not misleading, they just don't have, necessarily, the best way to do something.
Is there an astronomical name given to the Ewoks' home? 'Endor' is not the actual name of the satellite-moon that the Ewoks dwell( ed? ) upon.It's actually the second moon orbiting the planet named Endor, and not Endor itself. In any Star Wars canon, was there any indication that the moon was given its own name- as ...	Endor was set aside as a protected nature reserve during the Galactic Republic, giving it the name Sanctuary Moon. " In the first edition of West End Games Star Wars rpg it tells of Endor orbiting nothing as the planet it orbited was destroyed millenia ago.
Are the Aelfinn and Eelfinn outside the pattern? Are the Aelfinn and Eelfinn outside the pattern? From Wikipedia : The Aelfinn and Eelfinn live in twisted worlds, which allow them to read the Pattern more effectively than humans may. Or does the pattern encompass multiple worlds/dimensions? <Q> A quick search of ...	The Pattern includes all worlds, parallel worlds, mirror worlds, everything that has existed and will exist. The only confirmed being outside the Pattern is The Dark One, and presumably also the Creator.
In Moon [2009], why are there any humans at all? SPOILERS AHEAD It's obvious that the corporation is relying more on the AI than on the clones. In a conversation they blame the AI for losing a worker and a digging machine on the same day. Considering the level of technology it should be trivial to build machines to...	A clone could be grown or stored onsite and then injected with the correct memories. Humans are cheaper to use than robots in many cases. My guess is, the station is on the far side because you don't want to go gazing at the Woman in the Moon some night and see a big zit on her nose. For the tasks themselves regarding ...
Was Boomer meant to actually kill this person and if so why was her attempt to so poor? At the end of series one of Battlestar Galatica, we see Boomer shooting Adama twice in the body at near point blank range. As a member of the military (and a Cylon), if her true intention was to kill him, then surely at such close r...	Shooting center body mass is the quickest way to fell someone, and generally-speaking the most lethal way as well. A bullet can penetrate the head and exit it without ever doing any brain damage. Add to that the fact that she (along with most everyone else on the crew) seemed to be extremely fond of Adama as a commandi...
Why does Cirdan give Narya to Gandalf instead of Saruman? In the Lord of the Rings I recall some mention of when Cirdan gives Narya to Gandalf when the Istari arrive in Middle Earth. I think it is in the appendices but I cannot recall exactly, but I remember something about him suspecting Gandalf's origins and giving h...	Narya's power can ignite people's hearts and Circan was likely able to see it would best serve Gandalf's talents and ultimately best ensure the free people's defeat of Sauron.
Did Heinlein invent the term "boot-chevrons" or did an actual military use it? In Starship Troopers the recruits that are given leadership positions in boot camp are said to be given boot chevrons . I've never seen the term used elsewhere until I read the Starship Trooper-esque A Soldier's Duty by Jean Johnson. M...	During boot camp, some of the more capable recruits are appointed by the Senior DI (drill instructor, typically an E6) to leadership rolls within the recruit platoon.
Why did the Votans come to Earth in particular? After watching the pilot episode, I took a look at Wikipedia for more information on the different Votan species , and this caught my eye: The Votanis star system was destroyed in a stellar collision 5,000 years ago, but the millions of Votans who fled in ark-ships mad...	So that would reference that the Votan already knew about Earth and plotted their course towards Earth for a new home.
What's the full name of A.M.A.Z.O.? Professor Ivo's nanotechnology based Android was named A.M.A.Z.O. What's the full form of A.M.A.Z.O.? I tried searching the web but without luck. <Q> In the Justice League episode "Tabula Rasa", the League discovered Ivo's blueprints for the android, labeled "A.M.A.Z.O. <S> " It was ...	A.M.A.Z.O. refers to Amazo from DC Comics.
20+ years old SF movie with a man inside a spaceship having his frozen arm ripped off by some kind of gravitational force I saw this as a teen (it was probably at least 20 years ago, maybe even 25) so my memory is very vague. For some reason I only (sort of) remember this single scene: The location was (what I believe...	Bears some resemblance to Event Horizon and Supernova . An alien artefact causes one guy to become the villain, and I believe there is a scene where he dismembers one of the crew by ripping an arm off of him. As the plot unfolds, something truly evil is discovered on-board - humans. Another possibility is Battle Beyond...
Were the Hindu job applicants really in danger of having their heads sawn off by their collars? Early on in Diamond Age: A Young Lady's Illustrated Primer , the following passage is used to describe a group of people who have come to apply for jobs at Machine-Phase Systems Limited: Hackworth excused himself throug...	A starched collar can be uncomfortable and dig ("saw") into one's neck,
Looking for a fantasy book about ape-like humans who get invaded by humans This is a book I read when I was in high school. The main story revolves around these ape-like humanoids, who are the main characters, that get invaded by humans and later enslaved. It was a softcover book and the cover had these ape-like human...	An expedition into the interior of Papua New Guinea comes across a tribe of ape-like people who may or may not be ancestors of early man. The 1970 Burt Reynolds' film Skullduggery is based on that novel and, according to IMDb, the plot is as follows:
In Hide, why was there a cold spot? In the episode "Hide" from the seventh series of Doctor Who, they are tracking the lady of the well. However It turns out that the well is really a wormhole. However in the music room they found a cold spot, and the Doctor marks it with chalk. This spot seems unrelated to any...	There has been speculation that bubble universes may collide, and if they do so the difference in vacuum energy will make the collision point look cold in one universe and hot in the other.
Is Iron Man 3's ending based on any canonical source? At the end of Iron Man 3: Tony Stark removes the shrapnel in his chest and the ARC reactor, and destroys all of his armours. However, he ends by saying: "I'm Iron Man" Does this happen in any other canonical source? And if so, how does the story continue? <Q> T...	It's based off the Extremis storyline in the Iron Man comic just changed a little so it fits with the movie
What is the origin of milk in Redwall books? In the Redwall books written by Brian Jacques, where do the creatures get milk from? All of the characters are small creatures ranging from shrews and mice to otters, badgers, and wildcats. Nothing as big as a cow is mentioned. The cooks of Redwall Abbey often serve cheese...	I would expect a plant-based cream to be the 'meadow cream' referenced in the Red Wall series, perhaps using a plant milk thickened with nut butter and sweetened with honey.
Book where humans are considered extremely dangerous, but an alien ship comes looking for help One of my friends told me about this book/book series. Aliens aren't allowed to enter our solar system because we are too dangerous, but one ship comes to earth asking for help against one of their enemies. Humans have been u...	Several alien races come in search of humanity and Earth after the planet and its inhabitants had been locked away for for millenia for being unable to play nice with the rest of the universe. It is available in several of the Baen Free CDs , notably the 'Mission of Honor' CD.
What was the motive of the villain in Iron Man 3? Aldrich Killian's machinations in Iron Man 3 seemed somewhat bizarre. Why involve the Mandarin at all? Was the formation of Advanced Idea Mechanics a criminal version of Stark Industries? Once Killian secured the Extremis technology, why did he go through such a com...	The conclusion is more speculation on my part, but as things escalated, Killian likely realized that there was no way he could cover up Extremis forever. By manipulating a fake villain called "The Mandarin" he creates fear and thus the weapon demand.
How old is Chewbacca? How old is Chewbacca, anyway? Do Wookiees get gray fur when they are old? <Q> Chewbacca was born 200 BBY (two hundred years before the battle of Yavin) and would die 25 ABY (after the battle of Yavin) at the opening Yuuzhan Vong War; at least this was the expected death in the now non-can...	As the film takes place in 10 BBY, Chewbacca is 200 years old at the time of the Battle of Yavin. Wookiees in their prime tend to resemble the wooded areas they live in (shades of brown, tan or reddish brown), but are known to change colors as they age.
Why did Karstark think Robb lost the war when he married Talisa? In Season 3 Episode 2, "Dark Wings, Dark Words", Lord Karstark tells Robb Stark: I think you lost this war the day you married her [Talisa]. Why did he think so? I know Robb was supposed to marry one of Walder Frey's daughters, but what did he really...	He lost his line of supply!!
Did the Extremis Virus have anything to do with Tony removing … At the end of the Iron Man 3, Pepper Potts was infected with the Extremis Virus , which Tony then cured. As the scene is being narrated, he says something like, "Taking it one step further..." — before having doctors remove the shrapnel from his chest....	It would be logical for Stark to create a means of activating and utilizing the Extremis process in conjunction with an excellent surgical team because even if they made a mistake removing the shrapnel, a slight activation of the Extremis technology would repair any damage long enough for any surgeon to do their work.
Did Kirk make a racist remark? In Star Trek (2009) there is a scene in which Kirk is accused of academic misconduct by Spock. After Spock's speech, Kirk remarks quietly to McCoy something about that "pointy eared bastard". Now, consider the context of the Star Trek Universe. The whole of Earth has come together in a pe...	Probably is just a line put in there to show the initial disliking of Kirk to Spock.
Where was the earliest mention of Vader falling into a volcano? Back in the days of BBS's and Newsgroups - and before Star Wars Insider (early 90's), there was lots of talk about Star Wars lore and theories of what the other episodes might include if they were ever made. One of the things that was always talked about...	As a matter of fact, he falls into a volcanic pit and gets fried and is one destroyed being."
Looking for canonical descriptions of Orthanc I'm trying to make a model of Orthanc, but am having trouble deciding what it looks like. I'd love to have some material, including Tolkien's pictures and sketches.Please write from what chapter any text is. P.S. I know how Peter Jackson sees it; I've (half) watched the mo...	There is a description of Orthanc in the "The Road to Isengard", TTT: To the center
Why don't Starfleet ships transport injured crew members to sick bay automatically? There have been countless times when a Starfleet ship is not in battle and a crewmember has been injured and rendered unconscious. When someone says "Computer, locate X", the computer says where they are. The internal sensors can also r...	As for simple physical injury, even that can't always be automated without risk of damaging cultural relations.
Who or what is the Papal Mainframe? In the episode A Good Man Goes To War (season 6, episode 7), there is a mention of The Papal Mainframe. What or who is this? <Q> We finally see the actual Papal Mainframe in the latest Christmas Special, "the Time of the Doctor. <S> " It is an incredibly massive computer and the d...	“Mainframe” implies a huge, room-sized or larger computer.
Does Rose appear in future episodes of Doctor Who or Torchwood? At the end of season 2 during the stint of he 10th Doctor played by David Tennent, Rose (Billie Piper) is left behind in a parallel universe, ending her character's arc on the series. She suggests at the end of the episode that she will seek out that world...	She appears in multiple episodes of series 4 (David Tennant and Catherine Tate).
Do Tolkien's elves have pointy ears? I think we all imagine elves with pointy ears – but do they really have pointy ears? (canonical references please) <Q> Douglas Anderson wrote (in The Annotated Hobbit, Flies and Spiders (note 6) 1988) <S> "In his notes on the stem LAS[1] from *lasse = 'leaf' and LAS[2] 'listen...	Tolkien doesn’t often dwell on describing the minute physical details of his characters, so it is possible to read The Lord of the Rings and his other writings without noticing that either Elves or Hobbits have pointed ears. According to the Tolkien Society, the answer is a resounding "Yes".
In Iron Man 3, why couldn't Tony Stark use the arc reactor in his chest to charge his armour? In Iron Man 3, it shows Tony Stark having trouble charging his MK42 armour. At one point he even had a car battery connected to it. Why couldn't he use the arc reactor in his chest to charge his armour? <Q> Spoilers: <S> N...	It also makes sense to allow the suit to be recharged on ordinary electricity in the event Stark is not around (as it proved to be a useful feature). However, J.A.R.V.I.S. was malfunctioning, so it is possible that Tony did not feel comfortable putting his life in danger of the reactor failing mid charge. My hypothesis...
Enterpise S01E18 Rogue Planet: Is the planet the same one the changelings are from in DS9? The shape shifters on the rogue planet are they actually the changelings that create the dominion ? Seems a big coincidence to have two rogue planets with shape shifters on it. <Q> The Changelings were from the Gamma Quadrant, s...	I think it's possible that the rogue planet changelings are an off-shoot of the Founders (Dominion changelings) or vice versa.
Brains in combat chassis I cannot for the life of me remember the name of this book. One main part was the earth had been invaded and people were volunteering for their brains to be wired into large robots/ combat chassis and there were different versions of chassis? I know it's vague but it's all I can remember!! Sor...	Cyborg Commando was an RPG game that featured an invaded earth and humans putting their brains into robot bodies. 3.The Ultimate Prize by Kim Mohan and Pamela O'Neill.
What does Anderson sense about Judge Dredd in the movie? In the beginning of the movie Dredd (3D), there was a scene where Dredd meets Anderson and she makes a demonstration of her psychic powers. She is placed in an interogation room and she starts by detecting his presence and then she says she's sensing "fury, c...	She senses compassion underneath everything else, and like his compassion - if it exists, it shouldn't be mentioned.
Were there any other 'wizards' in Middle-earth apart from the Istari? We know Gandalf, Radagast, Saruman, Pallando and Alatar, who were all Istari, Maiar in physical form. The Elves can also do 'magic', as can Sauron, being a Maiar himself. Were there any other people with magical capabilities? The Nazgûl also seem to ...	The Numenoreans could certainly use "magic", as evidenced by their construction of Orthanc, creation of the magic blades Merry and Pippin wielded, curse of undeath placed on the dead men of Dunharrow etc. There are no recorded non-Istari wizards in Middle-Earth, but it really depends on what you mean by "wizard".
Did Saruman copy from Radagast? We know that, although publicly he scorned Gandalf, Saruman copied him and also smoked, and imitated Sauron, as often said in The Lord of the Rings . But I just saw a quote about Radagast, saying that Radagast is, of course, a worthy wizard, a master of shapes and changes of hue ; an...	Saruman specifically disparaged Radagast and his favoring of birds, about the same as he disparaged Gandalf and his pipe weed...could be the only real link between Saruman and copying from Radagast. I doubt he would do the same with Radagast.
If all the Starks died, would Winterfell rightfully go to the Karstarks? From A Storm of Swords . Lord Rickard had spoken truly, Catelyn knew. The Karstarks traced their descent to Karlon Stark, a younger son of Winterfell who had put down a rebel lord a thousand years ago, and been granted lands for his valor. The ...	In the end, the heir to Winterfell is whoever is able to hold it, be it a potential husband to Sansa or Arya, a distant cousin backed by the other northern houses, or even the Karstarks, any could claim legitimacy, and in the end, sucession in Westeros is not about who has the best claim, but who has the most power.
What happened to the greatsword Dawn? The finest knight I ever saw was Ser Arthur Dayne, who fought with a blade called Dawn, forged from the heart of a fallen star. They called him the Sword of the Morning. Was there any mention of what happened to Dawn, the greatsword wielded by Ser Arthur Dayne, The Sword of the M...	After the fight Eddard Stark rode to Starfell and delivered it to Arthur's sister, Ashara. George already confirmed in 2002 that the Sword is still at Starfall, waiting for another Sword of the Morning to rise and claim her.
How can Aragorn fight with a broken sword? In the book, Aragorn has Anduril in his scabbard, but it is broken, as he showsSam. How could he defend himself in the wild? Is there any reference from LOTR or HoME? <Q> Throughout the Lord of the Rings, willpower and lineage are far more powerful forces than mere arms. <S>...	Indeed, the LOTR movies portray Aragorn as having a small bow and a hunting knife as well, which you can see Viggo Mortensen sharpening during some scenes. He probably carried a proper sword at other times if he felt he would need it. In the wild, his stature as the heir of Gondor, and his long years of travel as a ran...
How can an old dead tree suddenly spring to life and cast its petals on Aragorn's coronation? There's a dead, gnarly old tree in the courtyard outside of Denethor's 'throne room' on the top level of Minas Tirith. Gandalf told Pippin that it's called the White Tree of Gondor. We see it several times in 'Return of the Ki...	Also, the finding of the sapling in the snow was a prophecy linked to the return of the king, and the fact the the White Tree died without a sapling was indicative (allegorically) of the petering out of the line of Kings/Stewards: This ain't no normal tree either: It's also not quite as lame as "it's magic" might sugge...
What is the armor in the RDJ Iron Man's outfit made of? What kind of material is the Robert Downey Jr. Iron Man's armor supposed to be made from? I know he crafted the prototype from the things he had on hand, but once he was able to build the next one(s) in his own lab, what hi-tech material did he use for the movie a...	According to it, Iron Man's armor is made out of some combination of alloys, the most traditional solution being nitinol, titanium and nickel. His first suit was certainly made of scrap iron, but his later suits would need to be far lighter and stronger to be able to survive the stresses the were subjected to.
Help Identify a Cthulhu Mythos story about a house with a painting I don't recall the author or the title but the plot revolves around a bank-built house in a mountainous forest discovered by a lone traveler. In the house is a painted portrait of the same house hanging on the back wall, which is covered by a tapestry o...	This isn't an actual H. P Lovecraft story; it's August Derleth's Beyond the Threshold , which can be found in Tales of the Cthulhu Mythos by H. P. Lovecraft & Others.
In The Walking Dead....why aren't there more children zombies? In The Walking Dead, why aren't there more children zombies? <Q> I suspect that in the Walking Dead universe there are the expected number of zombie children roaming about, we just don't see them in the TV show (I haven't read the comics <S> so I can't comm...	Defenseless, bite-sized children are unlikely to escape said encounter alive and unlikely to be enough of a meal to satiate a zombie before becoming an unreanimateable collection of bones. The audience is more likely to be comfortable seeing an adult zombie being killed than a child zombie. Given they weigh half of wha...
Why was a fox able to think about the hobbits on the road to Rivendell? When Frodo, Pippin, and Sam were traveling to Rivendell, they slept under a tree the first night. Tolkien writes about a fox that wonders to himself why three hobbits were sleeping under a tree. Why can the fox think for himself? This isn't Narnia ...	A thinking fox would not be out of place in the Hobbit, so it's not really out of place here either.
Novel with rising sea levels and humans live on rafts and communicate with whales? The novel is set in the future when the seas have risen and is about people having to adapt. By the end of the novel humans are living on raft colonies and can communicate with whales who travel with them and look after them. <Q> It cou...	Apart from the communications with Whales which I don't remember, if the book you recall was from more recently, another possibility might be Stephen Baxter's 2008 novel Flood. There is a series of three books that fit your description: The Hydronauts
The Valar and their power to create In The Silmarillion it is said that only Eru possesses the Flame Imperishable, and thus only he can create life. For example, when Aulë tries to create the dwarves, these result in a kind of marionettes without life of their own. It's only when Eru intervenes, when dwarves are give...	Only Eru gave the dwarves sentience.
Who is torturing Theon Greyjoy and why? He comes out of no where and I haven't read the books. He just keeps torturing him and giving hints on who he is... <Q> Answer in spoiler: Roose Bolton's bastard, Ramsay . <S> Their sigil is the flayed man. <A> Spoiler alert : <S> Roose Bolton's bastard : Ramsay Snow. <...	He is Roose Bolton's bastard son Ramsay Snow.
Book where a game dev's daughter gets stuck in the game This was a full-length novel I read a couple of years ago. The father is the lead dev (or the security head I forget which) of a MMORPG with full VR immersion. There is some kind of coup by some players in the game. This leads to the game being locked down with t...	Heir Apparent is a science fiction/fantasy novel by young-adult fiction author Vivian Vande Velde, about a girl who becomes trapped inside a looping virtual reality role-playing game called Heir Apparent . The story you are describing is very similar to Tron (1982).
What did Darth Vader do for nineteen years? We see Anakin, who's just been rescued, in his brand new suit; almost all of Palpatine's (and his) enemies defeated, the universe at his feet and his imagination as the only limit. Then, some nineteen years after, he's just the spooky guy with connections at high levels, but...	First and foremost, Vader led the Great Jedi Purge, hunting down and killing all the Jedi who had survived Palpatine's coup: Apart from this, Vader became Palpatine's main enforcer, confronting anything (rebels, conspiracies, etc.) Vader was not a politician, and he didn't care much for amassing political power. Then, ...
Scifi short story with a star in a jar When I was in elementary school, I remember borrowing a science fiction short story collection from the library. It had a number of great stories in it, but I've never been able to find it as an adult. This was in the early nineties but I think the book was published in the earl...	Man Plus, Frederik Pohl (1976) I'm not finding a specific story that stands out as more likely than another by title, but I think this book may have been The Best of Nebulas , which was an anthology edited by Bova and released in 1989. Neuromancer, William Gibson (1984) Ender’s Game, Orson Scott Card (1985) Moving Mars...
Is divorce allowed in Westeros? The title is not really my question, but let me first speak about the spoiler level. This question points to an event that occur in A Storm of Swords (mid-book ?). Its equivalence in the TV show is Season 3, episode 6 and later. Stop reading if you didn't read/watch this part of the sto...	Prince Daemon Targaryen was wed to the Lady of Runestone in 97 AC, but he got bored of her and asked his brother Viserys, the king, to have his marriage set aside -- get a divorce.
How did Gordon Freeman survive the entire storyline without a helmet? In almost every picture you see of Gordon Freeman depicts him with his HEV suit helmet-less, and helmets were designed for the HEV suit: Despite not protecting the most vital part of his body, he survives being at the heart of the resonance cascade...	I designed Gordon's model and HEV suit, and yes he does have a helmet on. For other games like Portal where you are able to zoom I just think that in usual Valve fashion they just didn't bother to remove it or they saw it was necessary for the game play close to the end and didn't bother explaining it.
Can Tony Stark use Iron Man suits without an Arc Reactor? Can Tony Stark still operate and use different suits without the Arc Reactor? Also, did the Arc Reactor only keep the shrapnel out of his heart, or did it replace his heart? <Q> In the Marvel Cinematic Universe as of the Mark VII suit (with the exception of...	Yes, each suit has it's own arc reactor and the arc reactor powered an electromagnet that kept the metal shards from killing him.
Can someone explain the scene where Tony Stark first meets Brandt? Ok, in Iron Man 3 we see Tony on his way to the bar to meet with the soldier’s mom. However, I could have sworn he bumps into Brandt (scarred Extremis fake Homeland Security agent) coming OUT of the bar. This confused me because if she was already in...	Brandt was not coming out of the bar when she bumped into Tony Stark.
In Star Trek: Into Darkness, why isn't the antagonist more careful? I tried to make the title as specific as possible without being a spoiler. In the movie, Khan demands that Spock return the torpedoes. Spock reassures Khan that "Vulcans cannot lie. They are your torpedoes," and clearly omits the key detail that ...	Khan was heavily vested in the situation, emotionally and physically drained with no idea that Spock might be clever enough to subtly trick him with a turn of phrase.
Did Theon Greyjoy kill the milller's sons? In the episode a "Man without Honor" it's slightly ambiguous. When Theon threatens the inhabitants of Winterfell (I believe he says something like, "I told you something like this would happen if you disobeyed your lord") and then his men hoist up the burned bodies of the mill...	It was probably Cleftjaw himself (or Theon's men) who actually killed the boys and burned the bodies. The look on his face when the bodies are revealed is him realizing that he has crossed a line that can never be uncrossed.
How was Clara supposed to save the Doctor if she actually lost her memory? Spoilers for The Name of the Doctor It is unclear to me what are the exact effects for someone who enters the Doctor's time stream. Clara goes in to save the Doctor. But given the two scenarios we know (Dalek asylum and victorian London), she ...	The episode said that when Clara entered the Doctor's time stream, she was split into a million pieces, and scattered throughout his timestream, in order to stop the Great Intelligence from destroying him throughout it. She doesn't necessarily need to do anything.
What was the point of testing carbonite-freezing technology on Han Solo? Darth Vader tested carbonite-freezing technology on Han Solo because he didn't want to kill Luke who was precious to the emperor. But, why was it necessary? Wasn't it already a tested and proven technology? Even Darth Vader (when he was Anakin) hi...	Vader's only uncertainty is in how powerful the freezing unit is. If you put him in there it might kill him.
What weapons can kill White Walkers? Can white walkers be killed by Valyrian steel weapons, too? (latest television episode on HBO indicated obsidian weapons stabbing a white walker will destroy them) <Q> The book has stated that the following things can kill the Others: Fire- <S> This one is very well known, but mig...	, it is shown that Valyrian steel can kill the White Walkers: Jon Snow kills one using his sword Longclaw.
Who is the lady in The End Of Time? In The End of Time , we see that The Doctor looks at one lady who was alongside Rassilon very peculiarly. Why? Who was she? What was her role? Did the Doctor know her? If yes, how? <Q> Her purpose in the story is to inform Wilf that if the Doctor wanted to prevent the oncoming re-...	For me the key to this mystery is the "answer" the Doctor gave Wilf when he asked him, who the woman was. I believe it is Donna.
What does Ged mean by this statement in A Wizard of Earthsea? Towards the end of A Wizard of Earthsea , when Ged and Vetch/Estarriol are pursuing the shadow Ged says: I have followed too slow. It has found the way to escape me, and so doom me. It must not escape me, for I must follow it however far it goes. If I los...	Ged is worried that Shadow may go to far into the Dry Land - it might be quite challenging to pursue him there. So he is talking about "losing himself".
In the Alan Wake video game, is Bright Falls based on anywhere real? I just played the Alan Wake game (more correctly, for the fourth time) and begin to question whether the town of Bright Falls, around which most of the game is set, and all it's mystery is based on anything real? Any good information? <Q> Wiki says:...	Inland California also have some towns with the Bright Falls/Twin Peaks/Haven/Secret Circle/Ozark/Silent Hill/Hawkins vibe. If you research it further or read interviews with the developers of the game you will find them refrencing this town multiple times along with pictures of existing places like the diner, power da...
Is incestuous marriage a Valyrian practice, or unique to the Targaryens? In A Song of Ice and Fire , the Targaryens continued to practice incest even after they adopted the Westerosi Seven Gods. Is this custom unique to the family, or was it widely practiced by the Valyrians before the Doom? A Wiki of Ice and Fire s...	To preserve the blood royal and keep it pure, House Targaryen has often followed the Valyrian custom of wedding brother to sister.
Star trek: Into darkness - why not just detonate the "cold fusion" device remotely? At the start of Star Trek: Into Darkness , Spock is almost killed detonating a "cold fusion" device to stop a volcano blowing up a primitive tribe. However, for a civilisation that possesses such advanced technology it seems a bit odd ...	The device can't simply be dropped into the volcano, it needs to sit on solid rock
White Walkers sparing the odd member of the Night's Watch Why do White Walkers spare members of the Night's Watch such as Will from the pilot episode and Samwell Tarly, although they don't seem like a merciful species? <Q> They don't Will's case: In the first episode, he managed to escape. <S> He just ran. <S> Fast. <...	they sense that Samwell is no real threat (projects cowardess)
Is Superman the only immortal Kryptonian? According to the latest incarnation of Superman (I may be wrong here), he gets his powers from his Kryptonian heritage, and we've seen that he lives up to the 853rd century (if not more), so, are we to assume that he's the only Kryptonian that's lived so long? Before Krypton w...	So I'm going to say that no, I don't believe Kryptonians were immortal on Krypton.
Are any of the original elves that awoke at Cuiviénen named? This came up because a friend told me he thought Glorfindel was an "original elf". As far as I know, the earliest mention of Glorfindel is at the Fall Of Gondolin, which is a far cry from Cuiviénen. Elu Thingol is certainly old enough to have been at Cuiv...	As stated in a comment, the first elves mentioned (in Chapter 3 of Quenta Silmarillion) are Ingwë, Finwë, and Elwë (later called Thingol) - with Olwë, Elwë's brother, mentioned just after.
Haven't the Silence tried to kill the Great Intelligence instead? Spoilers for The Name of the Doctor As far as I get it, the Silence want to stop the Doctor from opening his own tomb, because if the Great Intelligence corrupts his time stream, the universe is ruined - so they want to kill the Doctor before he reac...	Likely The Silence are trying to eliminate The Doctor before he can tell anyone else that secret.
Why was Conan freed by his former owner? In Conan the Barbarian , the plot seems to have the following sequence: Thulsa Doom destroys Conan's village and enslaves women and children. Profit motive for the latter - he can sell the slaves. Conan's buyers make the children move the milling wheel Profit motive for t...	He must have seen Conan as something of a son to him, one that brought him great wealth sure, and his spirit was meant to be free. Its pretty obvious really, he is freed immediately after the "what is best in life" speech, and after Conan's terrifying "correct" answer his owner decides that continuing to own his is too...
In A Wizard of Earthsea, what does the Master Patterner teach? The Master Patterner lives in the Immanent Grove and teaches senior students. What exactly does he/she teach? <Q> I don't know of any detailed discussion of the Patterner's teaching in published works. <S> Whether Le Guin ever commented on it in interviews...	When students come to the grove the Patterner tries to teach them to listen to the trees so they will understand the world and their part in it.
Why didn't Tony Stark initiate the House Party Protocol earlier? At the end of Iron Man 3 , Tony tells Jarvis to initiate the House Party Protocol, which: summons all of the Iron Man suits sitting in the vault beneath the wreckage of his house to fly in and fight as autonomous units. However, prior to that he'd b...	The destruction of Tony's house seemed to have had a severe deleterious effect on JARVIS' capabilities, requiring JARVIS to go offline for a large part of the movie. All the suits were in the vault, which was underneath his house.
Why aren't there any recognizable elf children in Middle-Earth? Why aren't there any recognizable Elf children in Middle-Earth? I don't remember reading about younglings, only adults. Hobbit children, goblin imps and human children are all represented in the LOTR trilolgy. Family trees are established, yet there don't...	The most kids an elf couple ever had were seven, the sons of Fëanor and Nerdanel. Given a population as small as that of Elvenkind in Middle Earth, and that kind of space between childbirths, it is entirely possible that there weren't any Elf children during the time of LOTR and the Hobbit. As to why: the only thing we...
Do all spells require wand movements? In Harry Potter's early years, when he's taught the 'Wingardium Leviosa' spell, the spell require some wand movement. If you get the movement wrong, the spell will not work or it will malfunction. But in some cases there's no sign of wand movement: they just point-and-say the spell...	I would venture to guess that the more magical ability and focus you have, one could cast any spell without even a wand.
What is the total number of people killed on the 2 Death Stars when they exploded? The First Death Star exploded during the Battle of Yavin . The Second Death Star exploded during the Battle of Endor . What is the total number of people killed on the 2 Death Stars when they exploded? <Q> The Death Star Technica...	According to this link (which cites canon sources): The crew of the second Death Star is 485,560.
Science fiction film/TV show about a plane about to crash, transferred somewhere, its passengers replaced with already dead people? Science fiction film or tv show where a plane was about to crash, and the plane was transferred somewhere? And the live people were removed and replaced with already dead people before it ...	This would be Millennium (1989):
Why does the Tardis hate Clara? As far as we know, the Tardis has never had problems with any other companion of the Doctor. So why does she hate Clara so much? Note: I'm using the feminine form for the Tardis, because in my mind she'll always look and talk like Suranne Jones's humanoid depiction of her in The Docto...	The TARDIS is wary of Clara because she recognizes her.
Where is Kirk's home on Earth in "Search for Spock"? This would also have been his home in "Wrath of Khan"; because it seems to havethe same view out the window. I assume it is in the SF Bay Area but it kind of looks like it is looking back towards Sausalito and I want to know if I'm right. However I can imagine that...	The view from his apartment is looking north towards Marin County from the Russian Hill neighborhood in San Francisco.
Is there software in Star Trek with a brand name? What I'm really asking is, in the post-ENT era, are there references to any specific (named) software corporations, brands, packages, or projects? Are we really supposed to believe that everyone is so unified and committed to the betterment of humanity and the greater...	We also know for a fact that the Klingons, Cardassians and Romulans all use different software systems than the Federation, meaning there is also potential there for brands to creep in there.
What was the point of bringing Enterprise to the surface of a planet? In the original timeline, I haven't seen a federation starship other than USS Voyager on the surface of a planet, whether it was capable of landing or not. In Star Trek Into Darkness , it was displayed that Enterprise was kept underwater on a pl...	Wouldn't want the crew on the surface and the Enterprise in space if the volcano erupts and the material causing the interference spreads to the atmosphere. Honestly, hiding the ship underwater can only have been a "gut feeling" from our captain Kirk.
What did Lore get from collaborating with the Crystalline Entity? In the Next Generation episode DataLore we are introduced to the Data's brother Lore and the Crystalline Entity. Through the episode it is shown that Lore had a partnership of sorts with the Entity, having been responsible for it attacking the colony O...	IIRC he used the CE to get revenge on the colonists for having him deactivated.
In the movie After Earth, why were humans unable to breath Earth's atmosphere? In the movie, After Earth: Humans have been away from Earth for over a thousand years living on other planets outside of our solar system. It is mentioned Humanity was under attack by an alien race, but it did not mention terraforming or ...	Oxygen by itself, or in high quantities, is too volatile for our systems to consume.
What is the aetiology of Greyscale? (What is its cause?) In a Song of Ice and Fire , what is the etiology of Greyscale ? The real-world diseases discussed in What's the real world equivalent to greyscale disease? all have very different degrees and mechanisms of contagion, so is there more than one way that one c...	It's also said that Garin's Curse (another name for Greyscale as explained by Tyrion) can be contracted through breathing in fog.
Why did McCoy need this person in particular to make his serum? In Star Trek Into Darkness , McCoy learned that he could revive Kirk by using Khan's blood. So, he needed Khan alive. My Question is: Why didn't McCoy use the blood of one of Khan's crew when time was running low and it was a possibility that Spoc...	Khan was the only superman who was completely alive, and whose blood had been tested properly (well, not properly , but as close as they were going to get).
Science Fiction story about a man transferred in time by the atomic bomb Back around the summer of 1972, a friend in the Navy told a time travel story to group of us. It was about an archeologist working in the Gobi Desert of China. He found a cave made into a makeshift jail with the ancient remains of a man in it. ...	Michael Moorcock's Warlord of the Air also features a man thrown into the past (which was really an alternate past from an alternate future to his real past...) as a result of an atomic bombing (but not the atomic bombing) of Hiroshima as a major plot point, as well as the same man travelling in time on another occasio...
In Prometheus we see lot of dead space jockeys/Engineers with their chests burst open. Where are the alien creatures? In Prometheus we see lot of dead space jockeys/Engineers with their chests burst open, so where are the alien creatures? One possibility is that they died of old age but we know that the evolved ones ...	theres no canonical answer but presumably the planet was either lifeless to begin with or was made lifeless by xenomorph infection and there are no nest sites around the base
What did Anakin Skywalker win in winning the Boonta Eve Classic pod race? In The Phantom Menace Anakin Skywalker participated in the Boonta Eve Classic, a pod race on Tatooine. After winning the race did Anakin receive anything from the race's hosts, the Hutts, i.e. a purse or any other sort of winnings? <Q> Anakin w...	On a side note, he did secure his own freedom in winning, due to the bet between Qui-Gon Jinn and Watto.
Why is the effect of the polyjuice potion inconsistent? On the Goblet of Fire Barty Crouch exactly got Mad-Eye's voice when he transformed into him, but on the Deathly Hallows, they were all able to have their own voices instead of Harry's. Why is the effect of the polyjuice potion inconsistent? <Q> In that The Deathl...	In the books it changes the voice as well. Barty Crouch Jr. as Mad-Eye Moody was a special exception to the rule, a. his identity was kept secret until the end of the film, b. since he was not seen transforming, there was no need to change his voice and was a better method to conceal his identity.
In Disney's "The Black Hole", why do Reinhardt and Maximillian fuse together? At the dreamlike end of The Black Hole , Reinhardt fuses with the robot Maximillian, appearing to be trapped inside him like a gibbet. What does this mean? <Q> IIRC, the end of the movie was like a trip through hell, purgatory, heaven etc. ...	It's therefore likely that the final vision in the film (of Reinhardt's eyes within Maximillian's exoskeleton) is that they've also joined their consciousnesses to form a single thought-based entity rather than the more literal interpretation of him using Max's outer shell as a makeshift spacesuit.
In Batman Beyond; why didn't Bruce tell Terry the real reason why he quit being Batman? In Batman Beyond (TV show), please correct me if I'm wrong, but I think I understand why Bruce quit being Batman: he had a heart attack, but more to the point he picked up a gun which is something he swore he would never do. But wh...	After so long mistrusting, it would be hard still for Bruce to explain to Terry his emotions at any point (something Bruce was never known for in the first place).
Why don't the Doctor, Amy, Rory, or River kill the Silents on sight? In the Series 6 episode "Day of the Moon", the Doctor turns the Silents' own ability against them by splicing the moon landing broadcast with a clip of a Silent saying "you should kill us all on sight." This implants all of the humans that are watchin...	It is questionable whether or not The Doctor and his companions would be immune to the effects of a command they fabricated. Except for River, who has a mind of her own, The Doctor's companions more or less follow the non-lethality rule (mostly because they don't have the means to kill aliens, granted --- but still).
S03E09: What's the place where Bran Stark and Jon Snow almost meet? I am confused about the place where Bran Stark and Jon Snow almost meet in this episode. Bran is in a tower with his allies whereas Jon Snow fights and kills some free people and leave Ygritte. I don't understand if the action takes place to the south...	Bran starts from Winterfell and intends to cross the Wall and go north of it. It's south of the Wall.
How did Sidious know about the argument between Anakin and Padme on Mustafar? At the end of Revenge of the Sith ( Warning: This question is obviously full of spoilers ), when Darth Sidious stands near Vader in the surgery lab, there is this small, but quite important dialog between the two I always had a problem with...	He knew Padme was dead and that Vader felt guilt when thinking about her (which is even hinted at by his line, which you quoted), and Sidious was able to use these facts to spin a story of Vader killing her in his anger. The Sith were also very vision-prone, but unlike the Jedi, they believed—either through experience ...
How is the Meta-Crisis Tenth Doctor sane? In Journey's End, the Doctor tells Donna that the human brain can't contain a Time Lord mind. How is it possible with the cloned Doctor, if he has a human body? Wouldn't he shortly start to experience the same side-effects? <Q> He will likely be comparatively a poor Gallifreyan...	The MetaCrisis Doctor was a mixture of Gallifreyan and Human DNA so while he may have come away with a limited lifespan, no regeneration, and only one heart, his brain was still able to manage the information consistent with being a TimeLord because he possessed Gallifreyan DNA. He can't be overwhelmed by new informati...
How did the fire nation kill all airbenders? Been a while I don't watch the series, but it is strongly implied that the Fire Nation killed all airbenders. Of course, since they probably have no armies, they would be easy targets. But, the nomads seem to have lived in places difficult to reach. If the Fire Nation attac...	As for the Air Nomads who did escape, the Fire Nation used trickery to kill them. This was a systematic and well considered plan of genocide on the part of Firelord Sozin. Air Nomads were oblivious to the fact that the Fire Nation would attack, so they would do there regular things until they came.
Why didn't anyone believe Voldemort was back? Why did so many people refuse to accept that Voldemort was back? It didn't seem plausible that people at the school couldn't believe Voldemort was back because Harry has been fighting him since he was a 1 year old, and then years 11-17. Dumbledore even stated at the end of ...	:The Ministry of Magic never wanted to believe Voldemort was back, and because of their influence on the Wizarding World, nobody wanted to anger the M.O.M. because of its power. It's not unsurprising that people would prefer not to believe that similar events were about to unfold all over again, and therefore choose to...
Did Agent Smith absorb the Architect? Following the question Did Agent Smith absorb The Merovingian and/or The Twins? I came here. I always wanted to ask: did Smith "absorb" (for the lack of better word) the Architect ? it is extremely hard to get in contact with the Architect. Supposedly, only the One is able to...	Smith couldn't have absorbed the Architect.
Do the machines store hovercraft replicas? contains spoilers from Reloaded and the Animatrix In the Animatrix it is shown that the first things similar to hovercrafts are built by Zero-One Heavy Industry Corporation, combining "a helipod" with an "air-jet". Later in Reloaded, Neo talks about the Architect briefly ab...	I think the reason the Machines don't develop/build new types of machines is because the Sentinels (squiddies) have evolved to a point that makes them suitable to their main task, which is to kill humans and bring down any hover ship they catch.
Why did Odo not change his face? (season 5) Why did Odo not change his face at the end of season 4 and beginning of season 5? At the beginning of season 5 the doctor surgically alters his appearance so he looks like a Klingon. Why didn't they just make him look like a Human at the end of the mission? Or just le...	So his face I think he thought represented "all that he is" meaning all that he thought he would be, as a single character (even though he belonged to a collective).
Does Scalzi describe what the Rraey look like? I do not remember what they look like, nor can I find any answer to my question. I'm at the end of Old Man's War , so if you've read the book you can probably understand that trying to visualize them is kind of driving me a little nuts. I have tried to piece together wh...	I kept imagnining the Rraey as a plain looking alien, like the little grey men, but with two long eyes along either side of its head. With the Obin I almost never described what they looked like.

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