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Who is the woman at the end of Dr Who episode Deep Breath? (Season 8 Ep 1) In the episode Deep Breath, after Half Face Man, the leader of the Clockwork Droids, dies He wakes up to find a strange woman and she tells him that He has in fact reached the "promised land" Except of course, she appears to be lying....	It's all speculation at this point, but I've seen it suggested that she's the woman who gave Clara the number for the TARDIS, which would make sense as the question is raised earlier in the episode. As for her identity, to me it makes sense that she's some incarnation of River Song in whatever virtual reality Ten uploa...
How did the Daleks regain their numbers? Since the end of the Time War the Daleks have been near extinct and some of the plots of the previously released seasons have been about the Daleks regaining their former strength (Bad Wolf Station, The Cult of Scaro's Genesis Ark and experiments in New York, the Daleks Paradigm...	Simply stated, since The Daleks have access to time travel, they functionally have infinite time to regain their numbers.
If the Hallelujah Mountains are made from Unobtanium why attack Home Tree? Inspired by this question , if the Hallelujah Mountains float because they're full of Unobtanium then why doesn't the company mine them instead of spending so much time and effort moving/forcing the Na'vi away from Home Tree? <Q> Bottom-line:...	The mountains where not extra dense with Unobtanium, what was extra dense was the strength of the magnetic field around the mountains and that is what caused the Unobtanium in the rock to float.
What is the Doctor not quite remembering? In season 8 episode 1, when the Doctor encounters the episode's villain(s), he keeps saying that this is all very familiar to him, but he can't quite put a finger on it. Is this a case where the audience is supposed to know more than the Doctor (like when he can't keep Clara an...	He is referring to the 10th Doctor episode "The Girl in the Fireplace", in which clockwork service robots are attempting to repair their stranded space ship with human body parts.
Why was River Song arrested? During season 5, River Song was in jail because she killed a very good man. In season 6 episode Let's Kill Hitler , we learned that that very good man was The Doctor. But, in the end of the season 6, we learned that River Song never killed The Doctor. For the justice department, it shoul...	According to the timeline prior to The Doctor erasing himself, The Doctor was killed by River Song at Lake Silencio.
Children's novel: three children (plus dog?) travel to the Moon in pretend spaceship turned real I remember a children's novel that I read in the late 1970s / early 1980s about three children travelling to the Moon. There were some illustrations; I think the colour scheme of those was black, white, orange, and purple. ...	Rusty's Space Ship– 1957 by Evelyn Sibley Lampman (Author), Bernard Krigstein (Illustrator). The boys meet up with the king of the planet, the Great Ta, and end up solving the natives' problem, before returning to Earth.
Why didn't Harry's scar ever hurt prior to him finding out he is a wizard? Pretty straightforward: Why didn't Harry's scar ever hurt prior to him finding out he is a wizard? Harry's connection to Voldemort was present since Harry was one year old, so why didn't his scar act up prior to his introduction to the Wizardi...	Remember that Harry's scar doesn't start to "ache", until he is in the direct presence of Voldemort. Also, Voldemort was very far away from Harry. When his scar is hurting him so much, that's not scar tissue hurting him.
In "The Impossible Astronaut", why do we see an event that was later erased from history? In Eleventh Doctor episode The Impossible Astronaut , why do we see River shooting the Teselecta and not the moment when River chose not to kill the Doctor, and instead created the alternate universe. Is this just for s...	Perhaps the original timeline shown in "The Impossible Astronaut" was one where the Doctor really did die ...
Looking for a short story about a girl who can go anywhere without causing suspicion? I remember reading a short story about a girl with an interesting superpower. She can go anywhere (e.g. any secure facility) without causing suspicion - the people around always take it for granted that she belongs there. I tried a ...	Her power renders her unnoticeable, to the point that people she attacks don’t remember she attacked them. It is the short story "Access" by Andy Weir , the author of the comic Casey and Andy and the novel The Martian .
What is the earliest reference to a poisoned lipstick in a work of science fiction? In the Firefly episode “ Our Mrs. Reynolds ”, Saffron is able to temporarily knock out Mal by getting him to kiss her after treating her lips with some kind of knock-out agent (Inara later gets some of the same). In Doctor Who, Profess...	Another early reference of poisonous lipstick includes a fictional super-villain in the DC comics and movies, Posion Ivy , particularly during her first appearance in book #181 of a Batman comic series in June 1966 . As Richard pointed out, there's also this autobiographical reference: From an interview with Baroness C...
Was Dune originally a trilogy? Was Dune meant to be a trilogy, which Children of Dune finished, before Frank Herbert decided to write more? The first three books are often grouped together, and have a similar time-frame and subject matter, so I wonder. If there is no information on this matter, letting me know of that...	So Dune was originally a two-part novel rather than a trilogy, and both parts are contained in the novel now published as Dune . He may not have started with the intent of writing a trilogy, but when he was done he knew it would be a trilogy and more.
Why did Jon Osterman never contact his father? In Chapter IV ("Watchmaker") of Watchmen , during Dr. Manhattan's reflection of his life, there is a scene where he mentions his father's death and says In 1969, I'm receiving news of my fathers death. In 1959, he's opening a telegram from the military informing him of...	Moving farther away from the established canon, we see that Jon clearly has unresolved issues with his father.
How does Claire travel through the standing stones in Outlander? In Outlander the book by Diana Gabaldon, I recall (although it has been several years) Claire falling into the stones and accidentally back in time. In the new television adaptation, however, the stones make a loud noise and she touches them, then falli...	My understanding of time-travel in the Outlander series is that time moves forward, but now and then, a “loop” comes about and is fated to occur.
Why would Mystique's DNA allow for Sentinels that can duplicate mutant powers? The future Sentinels in X-Men Days Of Future Past are clearly shown adapting to powers thrown at them by copying them. Isn't that what Rogue's DNA would allow for, not Mystique's? Mystique can just change appearance, not copy powers ... ri...	Mystique's DNA by itself would allow them to shapeshift.
Where did the Daleks in "Into the Dalek" (#243) come from? In episode #243 - "Into the Dalek" , there is at least one large ship full of Daleks, and a rebel ship of humans that are fighting them. Are these Daleks new creations of the multicoloured Daleks from the #205 - "Victory of the Daleks" episode, as discussed...	The Daleks in 'Into The Dalek' are likely some of the many more survivors of the Time War after the tampering the three Doctors did in the 'Day of the Doctor' episode.
How does David Lightman in WarGames manage to hack a computer by dialing a number? His setup seems to be a telephone connected to a computer. When he dials another computer on the phone, he manages to gain access to it remotely. Is this a realistic situation or just something done for effect? This video shows the t...	To connect to a remote computer, you had to know the number, then a username and password.
If an avatar goes into the avatar state while being poisoned, do they still die? I was wondering but how exactly is the avatar state very useful for example if an avatar like Korra gets poisoned by a metallic based venom? The Avatar State, yes, is a defense mechanism designed to empower you with skills and knowledge f...	However, it cannot make the Avatar invincible, which is why it is also a vulnerability: the Avatar can die while in this state, and doing so would be Very Bad. Yes, they would still die.
Where is the Emperor in New Hope? During the entire runtime of Episode IV: A New Hope , even though he is mentioned a few times, the Emperor is never actually shown on screen. And even when he is mentioned it's more of a passing reference to the fact that he exists. Any reason for this? And did this have anything to...	It's classic storytelling to gradually build up the main villain , and only reveal him or her near the end.
Why did Voldemort need to drink Unicorn blood? "[...] it is a monstrous thing, to slay a unicorn. Only one who has nothing to lose, and everything to gain, would commit such a crime. The blood of a unicorn will keep you alive, even if you are an inch from death, but at a terrible price. You have slain something pure an...	It's likely that by drinking the unicorn blood, Quirrell was preserving his own life.
Did Madame Maxime really just have big bones? In Goblet of Fire it is heavily implied that Madame Maxime is half giant, but never explicitly mentioned. In The Order of the Phoenix , this is further enforced by stating that she went with Hagrid to meet the giants, not explicitly mentioned anywhere. In fact, I don't ...	She didn't just have big bones, she was a half-giant.
If the Death Star was able to move, did it ever collide with anything? After reading this question ( How did the Death Star move? ) it sounds like the Death Star moves by firing ion drives around its equator. The answer also states that it can move faster than the speed of light. Are there any in-canon instances of a ...	An object could intersect another object’s gravity field in hyperspace.
Short story about rocks watching a city rise and fall, on their timescale I remember a short story where two rocks are talking to each other, and during the conversation (on their timescale) a giant city rises from nothing, is built right up to the edge of the rocks, and then crumbles before them. <Q> Could it be The ...	I think you are remembering a short story contained within the slightly longer (but still short) children's book Mouse Soup by Arnold Lobel. It appears in the collection "Strange News from Another Star".
How can the people in the Axiom survive for 700 years? In WALL•E, it's established that the 5-year spaceship has been keeping people alive for 700 years. Also, it's clear that (at least before they all left the Earth), the garbage problem was never solved. We even see the Axiom itself keeps throwing garbage to outer sp...	It seems likely that in the absence of the fresh food, Auto has tasked the ship with liquefying the dead and feeding them to each successive generation. This is confirmed in a couple of graphics from the " History of BNL " featurette (from the Wall-E bluray) which show the before/after populations (in binary), starting...
Why would Snape still be well informed about Order plans? When we see Snape's memories in DH Dumbledore's portrait tells Snape that he must tell Voldemort the right date Harry will be moved from Privet Dr because Voldemort believes Snape so well informed. But why would he still be considered well informed about the Ord...	Dumbledore trusted that Snape is on his side, therefore he gave him that information (or his portrait did).
How did Jabba get his tail injured in/before "Return of the Jedi"? Trying to answer this Q , I just re-watched the HD version of ROTJ and noticed that Jabba the Hutt had an injury on his tail. Originally, I thought it was from a blaster bolt shot by Luke as he was dropped into the rancor pit, but then I saw that it w...	After having reviewed countless books, comics and interviews about Jabba's fictional life between 'A New Hope' and 'Return of the Jedi', the sole reference to Jabba suffering any sort of tail injury seems to be in the revised 1997 "special" edition of 'Star Wars IV' where Han steps on Jabba's tail in one of the scenes ...
What are the ways to be a king in the Game of Thrones universe? I've watched the TV series and am now starting to read the books. Something that has never been clear to me was the process of kinghood. There was Robert's way : through force.Then there's the claim of the throne through bloodline.Do they undergo an ele...	You have to have the money and power(people to fight and ways to buy them). Currently the way of becoming a king in "A game of Thrones" is anything.
What does it mean when Harry is described as having a "mean stature"? When Trelawney is talking about Harry in Divination, she speaks of his "dark hair, mean stature , tragic losses so young in life..." What exactly is a " mean stature "? I can't seem to find that expression anywhere else. As "mean" can be a sy...	I would interpret it as "slightly below average height" with the word mean suggesting "stingy" rather than the more recent use as simply meaning "average". It could also be referring to how Harry holds himself.
Who were the five kings? The war following Robert's death is often referred to as the War of the Five Kings. However, I can only think of the following four kings: Robb Stark - The King of the North Stannis Baratheon - Robert's younger brother and legitimate heir Renly Baratheon - The youngest Baratheon who decided...	The only king you left out was Balon Greyjoy - the Lord of the Iron Islands.
Why do students work as scrivs at the University from Kingkiller Chronicles? I'm reading TWMF once again and after reading this piece I couldn't help but ask myself, why would so many students bother with being a scriv doing such tedious work? Just like a city, parts of the Archives teemed with activity. The Scripto...	Even if you need to be a Re'lar, some might take on jobs as Scrivs in the hopes of Lorren sponsoring them as El'the. Learning the archives to speed up book finding, helping your education. It is not only less tiring, but also a lot less dangerous than working at the Fishery ( barring master Lorren's fury, of course).
Why was there no swine flu in our universe in Supernatural The French Mistake? In The French Mistake, Sam does some research into the history of our universe and finds that none of the apocalyptic events that look place in Season 5 in his universe, occurred in ours. However, I'm slightly confused at swine flu. Apparent...	Because he could really cause any disease or illness he wanted and use one that already exists as a way to propagate out the croatoan virus through the vaccine.
Humans with Minbari Souls It is revealed during the course of the show that the Minbari religious caste believe humans posses the reincarnated souls of dead Minbari. This is due to their interrogation of Jeffrey Sinclair who they believe holds the soul of Valen. However, as we also learn: Valen is Jeffrey Sinclair...	Since the concept of the soul is not sufficiently explained, it is impossible to accurately answer whether or not humans and Minbaris are actually sharing souls. What we are certain of, is that Minbari and human DNA began to mix one thousand years before the events of Babylon 5 , due to Jeffrey Sinclair.
What can Aes Sedai say about the future? In the Wheel of Time, according to the First Oath, an Aes Sedai can 'speak no word that is not true'. So what can she say (Foretellings aside) about that notoriously unpredictable realm, the future? (The same question could apply to statements made in the ancient language in Pao...	Their constraints seem to be simply that they cannot knowingly lie.
What happens to Talia's truck driver in Batman - The Dark Knight Rises? At the climax of The Dark Knight Rises : Talia is in a truck that carries the bomb, Batman is in the Bat, Selina Kyle is driving the Batpod, and there's a couple of tumbler-tanks around there. Batman is trying to lead the truck to where Lucius ...	The driver is clearly struck by a stray round from the Bat. He perishes after a missile launched from the Bat explodes in front of the truck (yes Batman kills him, indirectly if you will) He is then tossed aside by Thalia so that she may regain control of the vehicle but never gets kicked out from the truck until later...
Book identification: Borrowing minds of animals I'm looking for a book I read in late elementary school, early secondary that is somewhere in late 90s. This was polish translation, so book is probably a bit older.I can't remember much but there are few details that stuck in my mind. There was a boy, a wizard apprentice...	When Merlin is training Wart/Arthur, he becomes a bird, a fish, badger, etc. The Belgariad by David Eddings although what you are describing wouldn't be the first book- possibly the third, Castle Of Wizardry .
Does Sirius Black have a middle name? Both Sirius Black and his brother Regulus Arcturus Black are named after some of the brightest stars on the sky . Given that connection, and given that they are brothers, I guess it is fair to assume that Sirius too had a middle name just like RAB. Is this middle name mentioned a...	As far as I know, this is not addressed either way in any of: the books J.K. Rowling interviews Pottermore
Can Deadpool be killed? Thanos cursed Deadpool to not die anymore. He already had his head decapitated, but after his head was put back in place, he returned to life.Has anyone read anything about it? I mean, how to finish, definitely, the life of Deadpool. <Q> No. <S> If Thanos wills it , it cannot be undone. <S> It...	Finally in Deadpool vs Deadpool its deadpools killing each other with weapons designed to kill other Deadpools, for example theres a energy gun that can kill a deadpool without him regenerating. Of most importance is Thanos's ability to travel through time and manipulate matter.
So, if there was nothing there but fear, who or what was under the blanket? Doctor Who, 13th September 2014S8E4 : Listen. So the Doctor was fixated on his own fear of the dark in the end, and Clara was the one under the bed in his dream. But who was it under the blanket on Rupert's bed? Another child, o...	That said, I do also find it a bit weird it would be another child, simply from the way it behaved. I mean, Doctor, Rupert, and Clara were shouting about acting really scared. A lot of this episode is deliberately ambiguous, and while this particular question has a “rational” explanation, I think it’s better if it’s le...
What is fastest way to travel in Harry Potter universe? As the question title says, what's the fastest way to travel in the Harry Potter universe? <Q> In the order of increased fastness: <S> Floo network : Definitely not instantaneous, but pretty fast: <S> 'But don't panic and get out too early, wait until you s...	There are two distinct methods of teleportation in the Harry Potter universe: apparition, and using a portkey.
When did Dumbledore destroy the Horcrux ring? In book 6, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, in Chapter 4, when Dumbledore takes Harry to meet Slughorn, he is using Gaunt's ring to attract Slughorn: He shrugged and spread his hands wide, as though to say that age had its compensations, and Harry noticed a ring ...	On the night that Dumbledore finds the ring, he uses the sword to destroy the fragment of Voldemort's soul .
What are the roots of the 'characters representing bureaucracy' as a theme in British fantasy/sci fi? In British SciFi/Fantasty we see the following genre/themes: Adams - HitchHikers Guide to the Galaxy - the Vogons - bureaucratic officious overlords Gilliam - Brazil - The ministry - turning people who resi...	State bureaucracy just happens to be a significant part of society and ripe for criticism.
Does Geordi consider Data to be his best friend? On various occasions, Data remarks that Geordi is his best friend onboard the Enterprise. Does Geordi think the same of Data? Somehow I think that Geordi would consider a fellow human to be his best friend, but I am not certain. Does anything in canon answer this quest...	However, the best friend of Geordi is Data according to most of the records.
Why do no other planets in the Stargate universe have an iris? There are plenty of advanced races with a better understanding of the Stargates than the humans(on Earth) do. So why don't other races use a iris as well? The only reason I can think of is, is that them using a iris would ruin the series. And yes, Atlanti...	The stargate did not originally have an iris, because there was no threat. Tartarus had a force field which served the same function as the Tau'ri iris.
Why is the "Arnold Schwarzenegger" terminator referred to by two different product numbers (T-101, T-800)? In the original film, The Terminator, Schwarzenegger's character was a "Cyberdyne Systems Model 101". Likewise for Terminator 2 & 3. However, in the video game adaptation of Terminator 3, this same cyborg is refe...	The T-800 is a series of terminators, of which the CSM (Cyberdyne Systems Model)-101 was just one implementation of the T-800 series.
Is this written in Kryptonian? I spotted this in my local book store and it piqued my curiosity. It is part of the cover of The Superman Files, ISBN: 9781449447151. I can't find any where that explains the text on the cover. Is it a cypher for the English language, or is it a recognised Kryptonian language? If no...	I would say that no, that is not Kryptonian. It is a direct cypher made for comic readers of the Legion of Superheroes .
Why didn't Molly Weasley remember the platform number? In the first Harry Potter book, Molly is seen asking her children "what platform number is it again?" Heart hammering, Harry pushed his trolley after them. They stopped and so did he, just near enough to hear what they were saying. 'Now, what's the platform num...	Ginny will be starting at Hogwarts the next year, and Molly is asking a question to which she obviously knows the answer to, to see if Ginny can answer it.
Do any clones refuse Order 66? When the clones are issued Order 66 telling them to turn on the Jedi, do any of them refuse to carry out the order? <Q> There's no evidence within the main film and TV canon of a clone trooper <S> disobeying Order 66 (due to the fact that they were implanted with an " inhibitor chip...	Probably the closest we get is in the Clone Wars TV series where we meet a deserting Clone named Cut Lawquane . Captain Maze, Ordo, Delta Squad, Omega Squad, Ion Team, 3 ARC troopers with Shaak Ti, HOB-19, and a few others did not follow Order 66.
What languages is Data fluent in? Data can speak French, apparently fluently, and surely can speak other ancient languagues equally well. I would imagine that he can also speak Klingon well. I recall that in Nemesis, Data struggles with the Romulan language. Romulans keep themselves away from the Federation, though,...	He has total recall and was built with an ultimate storage capacity of eight hundred quadrillion bits and a total linear computational speed rated at sixty trillion operations per second so speaking 150 languages would be no problem.
What was this movie about an isolated community that came out earlier this century? I am trying to identify a film that I saw a trailer for around 5 or more years ago. This century at least. The film was about a peaceful, low technology (maybe rural,) community isolated by a forest or perhaps a wall. I don't think any ...	Red Riding Hood (2011) seems to somewhat fit the bill: It was a movie set in a secluded village Separated by forest and a wall Low-technology village
In The Dresden Files, is Harry still beholden to the White Council? Is Harry Dresden still a member of the White Council and still constrained by their laws, subject to their justice? In the latest novels he seems to still care about what the council thinks but it seems to me that he shouldn't, seeing as what he is no...	He is beholden to the laws of both and whatever additional restrictions his positions within those two organizations entail (Warden of Council, Knight of Winter, and even The Warden of Demonreach).
Why didn't Tony Stark die immediately after having the Arc Reactor removed? In Iron Man , Tony Stark uses a minified version of the Arc Reactor in his chest to keep shrapnel out of his heart and other organs. When the Arc Reactor is removed (for changing palladium, stolen by Obadiah Stane, damaged, etc) Tony starts a...	In short: the shrapnel kills over a period of time and not immediately.
Why did Lord Voldemort choose Harry Potter as his equal? Its well established that both Harry Potter and Neville Longbottom could have fulfilled the prophecy: The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches ... born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies ... and the Dark Lord ...	Voldemort also had the choice of Neville Longbottom, but he chooses Harry to kill because Harry is a Half-Blood, like Voldemort, where as Neville was a Pure-Blood.
How do the Turtles get their pizza? In most all incarnations of TMNT, the Ninja Turtles love to eat pizza. But they also try to keep themselves hidden from humans as much as possible. So this raises a question: How do the Turtles get their pizza? If delivery, from where? And how would they receive said pie? <Q> Teen...	The turtles order the food to a street corner and grab it out of the deliverer's hand. In the comic serials, they largely seem to rely on April or Casey Jones doing the actual collecting.
Why did Sauron want the Seven Rings back after his return? Sauron in the second age gave seven rings to the dwarf lords. This had many effects with the main one being greed and avarice. The reason he gave the dwarves these rings was presumably so that he could corrupt and control them whilst he wore the one ring. If ...	Though Sauron was no longer intending to use them for their original (failed) purpose of creating Dwarvish ringwraiths, and even if he hadn't been motivated by spite to take them from the Dwarves, he would still have wanted them to make himself stronger.
Were Maiar in feudal-like relationship with Valar? Based on some prior answers about the Maiar who became the 5 Wizards, the impression I got was that those Maiar were in a somewhat feudal/vassal like relationship with Valar (e.g. Radagast was "Yavanna's"). Is that accurate based on other Tolkien material? <Q> Yes, in...	While the Maiar did give service to (or were in the service of) certain Valar, there's no evidence that they held land in exchange for it.
How many people knew the full contents of the Prophecy? Does Molly, Arthur, Lupin, Sirius, or anyone else realize the full contents? Did Sirius know when the Potters went into hiding? Is Dumbledore the only one knows that Harry might have to die? <Q> No “major” characters except Harry and Dumbledore. <S> In Half-Blo...	Sirius, molly, arthur, lupin may not even know their was a prophecy as Dumbledore doesn't reveal anything to others who have the potential of getting caught/tortured and revealing the prophecy.
Why doesn't the Terminator kill at the biker bar? In the beginning of Terminator 2: Judgment Day , why doesn't the Terminator slay the attacking bikers in the bar? It had not yet received the "You can't just go around killing people" order from John, and it later attempts to kill an unarmed civilian who wasn't even on...	The Terminator may not be hurt by gunfire, but it would be inconvenienced and possibly rendered unable to pass for human. The Terminator is an efficient tactician.
Is there an in-universe explanation for the change in primary weapon of SG1? Members of SG1 are shown to carry a H&K MP5 as their primary weapon in the earlier series/seasons. At some point, they replace that with an FN P-90. Was it ever explained why? <Q> That is obvious. <S> FN P-90 has more stopping power and a h...	The unavailability of their older weapons owing to the start of the Iraq/Afghanistan wars.
Is the Star Wars Universe just one galaxy? At the start of the movie it says: "A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away...." Does this mean that the entire Star Wars saga takes place in a single galaxy? To my understanding a galaxy isn't very big compared to the universe itself. Star Wars has many different senti...	All the Star Wars stories AND fan fiction could probably fit in one millionth of one galaxy, or less.
Why are Harry's GoF dreams in the third-person? In Goblet of Fire , when Harry dreams about Voldemort, it's always in the third-person. For the first dream, when Frank Bryce is being murdered, the text makes it clear that Harry is not dreaming from Voldemort's perspective. He closed his eyes tightly and tried to rem...	A little addition from the comment below:The dreams that seem to be from Voldemorts perspective may be explained by Voldemort possessing Nagini at the same time Harry was "dreaming himself into" Naginis mind.
Why did the Nick Fury choose such shortsighted targets when reprogramming the helicarriers While Rogers and Romanoff are in the secret S.H.I.E.L.D. bunker in New Jersey, Zola reveals that Hydra has persisted for decades by infiltrating S.H.I.E.L.D. This casts Hydra as truly resilient and sinister organization with the ...	Unless you destroy the carriers, or threaten to destroy them, the custom server blades really don’t pose much of a threat to HYDRA.
Can Hunger Game winners take tesserae? In the books, it is revealed that winners have a life of semi-luxury, never left hungry, capitols little pets. But can they take tesserae? It might be a time of general hunger or something of the sort. <Q> The ability for a victor to claim Tesserae is never directly mentioned in t...	Victors have their name removed from the reaping forever, therefore they cannot have tesserae. Katniss says it herself, she is well enough off that she doesn't need to take take Tesserae or even go hunting; from Catching Fire :
Could a lightsaber deflect a laser blast from a TIE Fighter? Or a turbolaser such as the ones on the surface of the Death Star? <Q> According to the trailer for the new Star Wars Rebels Season #2 , you can indeed deflect a TIE-Fighter blast with a lightsaber. <A> In the EU novel Allegiance , Mara Jade uses her li...	There isn't any particular reason that a person couldn't make a lightsaber large enough to block a blast from a ship-to-ship turbolaser turret, though the power consumption would be problematic. Trees one hundred meters from Vader and the Emperor exploded into splinters under the onslaught, and the lines cut a rapid pa...
Can a Jedi move faster than the speed of light? An answer here got me looking for the answer to this question. I did find the related question Why are blaster bolts in Star Wars moving slower than speed-of-light? but it does not seem to address the reaction speed of the Jedi. Jedis use Light Sabers to block thing...	It's because blaster bolts are not lasers, which do move at the speed of light.
Is there a logic behind the naming of the Rebel Alliance's starfighters? Looking at the most recognizable ones at least, I was wondering why the older starfighters of the Rebel Alliance are called X-Wing, Y-Wing, and the newer ones A-Wing and B-Wing.A logical order would be to name the first model A-Wing and so on. Is...	The B-Wing isn't named after it's appearance.
How is the Jedi mind trick not a dark side technique? How is the Jedi Mind Trick not a Dark Side technique? Isn't tricking another person's mind unethical? How can the Jedi use it and not become Dark? <Q> Specifically focusing on the ability of the Jedi to alter the minds of others, the main principle is that this powe...	I would say that you need extraordinary justification to use mind tricks, in much the same way that you need extraordinary justification to chop someone in half with a lightsaber - a thing Jedi have also been known to do.
What is the origin of the name "Bolo"? Keith Laumer's Bolo series features futuristic tanks named Bolos which possess artificial intelligence in later Marks. What is the origin of the name "Bolo"? Is it an acronym or abbreviation for a longer word? Is it based on a term used in real life (perhaps by the military)? <Q>...	It was a reference to the Philippine broad knife used in combat.
Why did the rebels allow Luke to fly an X-Wing against the death star? In Star Wars, Luke flies an X-Wing in the attack on the Death Star. My question is, why was he allowed to fly? He had no X-Wing piloting experience. Even in WWII pilots needed at least a dozen hours flying experience before they were thrown into t...	As for why Luke was such a good pilot to begin with, I think the example of Luke's father Anakin is illustrative. Apparently, when the scene was added to the 1997 special edition, they left off even more dialogue where one of the rebel leaders reveals he knew Luke's father. But Biggs Darklighter, Luke's friend from Tat...
How old is Wolverine? How old is Wolverine? Wasn't he in the civil war or something? It seems like movies keep showing flashbacks of earlier and earlier events. <Q> No one knows exactly for sure. <S> In the comics story Origin , James Howlett is born sometime between 1886 and 1897. <S> There is no record of Wolverin...	Wolverine shows James and Victor fighting in multiple wars across time, including the American Civil War.
Why was the Death Star's shield generator on Endor? Isn't the point of the Death Star that you can use its lasers to destroy any planet or capital ship nearby?Then how could the Empire use the Death Star if it has to stay close to Endor at all times, because its shield generator is there? It seems that the Rebels just ...	This shield is the primary reason that the attack on the second Death Star could not begin until the generator on Endor had been destroyed. The Rebels were unwittingly falling into a trap devised by the Emperor himself.
In which Stargate movie or TV series did the 'USS Excalibur' appear? I recently saw on the internet there is a ship called the 'USS Excalibur' in the Stargate series but I can't find which movie or the season it appears in. Can anyone tell me where this reference comes from? <Q> The game is set approximately 5 years b...	The USS Excalibur isn't from the Stargate TV series (or films), it's from something called Stargate : The Next Generation ; a " forum-based Stargate role-playing simulation group "
Heroic Creatures of Middle Earth Recently I started reading about the wolfhound Huan and how he was a very powerful dog that aided man and elves. That made me realise that there were some very courageous animals in the LOTR universe. That being said, does Tolkien ever talk about hero creatures ? Are there any creat...	Certainly Gandalf's horse Shadowfax should make the cut as a magical animal who helped to save Middle Earth.
Why isn't the Death Star's structure radial? The Death Star is large enough to have its own gravitational field. One would expect that the preferred "down" direction points toward its center, instead of running from pole to pole. However, the pictures of the incomplete station show a structure that favors two perpendic...	The Death Star's natural gravitational field would be exceedingly weak. The layout of rooms on each level would have to depend on those above and below it, to avoid floors and ceilings "pinching" together. If you're lucky enough to have a window office in the Death Star, it would be much nicer if you could sit in your ...
Can the jump to light speed calculation be made ahead of time? After looking at the question, Why do calculations need to be made before jumping into hyperspace? I have one of my own. Is there an in-universe reason that would prevent the calculation for the jump to light speed being made ahead of time to a safe haven...	The problem with pre-calculating a jump when you "need to make a quick escape" is that the route is time-sensitive, and you probably won't know when you'll need to make said 'quick escape', especially not down to the level of precision needed to calculate the route.
Battle at the end of Return of the Jedi At the end of Return of the Jedi, how do the Ewoks beat the Stormtroopers? The Stormtroopers are genetically enginered killers. Plus they have head to toe body armour, laser weapons and Imperial Walkers. The Ewoks are armed with bows and arrows and sticks and stones. <Q> T...	Lastly, the Ewoks are putting up a good fight, but when the Empire can concentrate firepower on them, they die easily. There are many, many historical cases of technologically superior forces being defeated by clever, determined opponents with better morale and knowledge of the terrain. They aren't issued proper equipm...
Why do cultures with transport technology use conventional mining methods? I find it strange in all trek series that cultures who use matter transporters (some of which have for centuries) still need or choose to dig for their metal like savages- why can't or don't they just beam the needed minerals right out of the ro...	The short answer is "they don't do it, because they can't."
Why did the EMH never take on a name? In at least two episodes in Voyager’s first season, their EMH expressed desires of a ‘people’ name, as he was striving to be more than than temporary substitute for a flesh-and-blood doctor—yet later on he seems to forget all about it. Is there a reason for this (preferably a bette...	Some names he used only once because they reminded him of painful memories. His name reminds everyone of his ability and uniqueness, which would stroke his ego just fine.
How did Vader ambush Luke in the control room? In the Empire Strikes Back, how was Vader able to ambush Luke in the control room when he goes back after being flown out of the window, without Luke hearing his breathing sound? Vader just sort of popped up out of nowhere. Wouldn't Luke be able to hear his breathing sound...	Vader's ambush was only possible because he could temporarily quiet his loud breathing. There, it is quiet enough to hear Luke's footsteps, who ducks - in between Vader inhaling at last, and igniting his lightsaber. The room is deathly quiet.
In science fiction, which planet with lifeforms has the largest gravitational force? I've just started reading Foundation and Gaal Dornick has landed on Trantor for the first time and notices that: The air seemed thicker here, the gravity a bit greater, than on hishome planet of Synnax... This prompted me to wond...	If we're just looking at heavyworld sci-fi in general, then you can't got far wrong with Flux by Stephen Baxter.
Is it ever explained how people first got to Arrakis, before they had spice? The Dune prequels say that people had used computers to navigate before the Bulterian Jihad. They only became dependent on the spice when they outlawed computers. But what about the original series? On Ix, computer navigators are invented as...	After the Butlerian Jihad and the outlawing of computering devices, Spice from Arrakis became the key element for activating the psychic abilities to successfully navigate using the problematic Holtzman Effect drive. But the idea appears to be that early space travelers experimented with FTL drives, wormholes, cryogeni...
Star Trek episode referring to reversing the polarity of the Neutron flow? I want to remind myself how and when the polarity of the Neutron flow is reversed... in Star Trek :-) That is, I'm asking in which episodes of Star Trek someone does someone suggest they "reverse the polarity of the neutron flow", or some sente...	To the best of my knowledge, a whole lot of things get their polarities reversed in Star Trek (including shields , magnetic constrictors , magnetic probes , etc) but never a neutron flow.
Children's Ghost/Horror short story collection from 1970s I am looking for the name of a book I had as a child, it was a book of short stories, with ghost themes, nothing super scary, as I was younger than 9 or 10 when I read it. It would've been purchased in the 1970s. For some reason I thought of this book a few week...	There was "Ghosts, Ghosts, Ghosts" and "Witches, Witches, Witches" etc.
What and how does Darth Vader see? Are there any sources that talk about about Darth Vader's visual acuity? His life-supporting armour is quite advanced but does it provide any useful augmentation to his visual abilities? <Q> The novel Allegiance establishes that Darth Vader's vision is, in several ways, <S> actual...	The eye lens acted as optical filters, allowing for Vader to expand the limits of human vision by detecting infrared and ultraviolet wavelengths, while also blocking out excess light, due to the inability to repair Vader's damaged retinas. The design was meant to preserve his life, not to preserve it comfortably; in Sh...
Why doesn't The Flash's speed kill the people he saves? This question is prompted by the new television show, but I'm open to any sources for explanation. With reference to this particular scene from the season's trailer, The Flash saves a person from being hit by a car by running up and pulling them out of the way....	His access to the Speed Force appears to give him the ability to reach the speed of sound, move people he interacts with at super-speed without them being damaged by his use of said speed, and allows him, if injured to recover due to his enhanced metabolism. This Flash has been dialed back from his canon comic version ...
How is Doc still alive if he was shot back in 1885? In Back to the Future: Part III, we see the grave of Doc. If Doc. Emmet L. Brown is dead and has a grave, then how come he is still alive and kicking in 1885? If he is alive because Marty went back and saved him, then why does the grave exist? <Q> He was dead in the 1...	He is alive in 1885 because Marty went back in time to a point in 1885 which was before he got shot. This is actually a plot point since Marty takes a picture of it and it changes throughout the movie as events change.
Has any race ever "established a relationship" with the Borg, as Guinan implies is possible? At the end of "Q Who?", Guinan tells Picard that Q's actions led to a premature contact between the Federation and the Borg. The scene is largely in line with everything we know about the Borg and their history, but she does s...	Skimming through the Borg history on Memory Beta , outside of the temporary alliance between the Borg and Voyager against Species 8472, there have been several other similar temporary alliances in non-canon novels and comics (as well as some takeovers, such as by T'Uerell ), but no long-term alliances.
PBS(?) TV show - Artist draws horror story - Man reincarnated in Hell as a pig When I was a child in the late 70s (possibly early 80s?) I used to watch a show where a man would draw a picture while a fiction story was read. I can only recall a single story, but it was about a man who died and was cremated. He ended up...	This appears to be the story " Ashes " by Natalie Babbitt, published in the anthology "The Devil's Storybook".
Do adjustable length lightsabers exist in Star Wars universe? I always see blades of lightsabers have more or less the same length (dual blades are double). Why is that? Can't a longer or shorter length be advantage in some case? I am NOT expecting infinite length lightsabers (due to energy issues), but have we seen...	According to the Star Wars: Visual Dictionary and Force Awakens: Visual Dictionary , Lightsabers have Blade Length Adjust knob using which one can adjust the length of lightsaber blade. However, blade length generally could not be adjusted quickly (e.g. in the middle of combat).
Why does the company of dwarves believe in Oakenshield's leadership so blindly? I have always wondered why Azog likes to refer to dwarves as scum, but after The Desolation of Smaug I can sort of understand why. The leader of the company, seems to me a reckless, deceitful, angry dwarf of little intelligence, full of a...	First of all, he's heir to the Kingship Under the Mountain, which means he is by right (as movie-Thorin would say: "the only right!")
Was there a first known "force" user/s? As the Dai Bendu (pre Je'daii) were the first to use the force, was there ever a documented case of "a first person" to actually use the force before anyone else? or was the force something that people just came to use collectively? <Q> The Dai Bendu first started to develop an a...	Iv been told that the sith-Ari was the first force user, ancient sith law tells of the perfect sith lord, and who became so powerful he couldn't die, his fate to me is unclear but his demise was told to have spread the midichlorians out into the universe, opening up the force to certain people the midichlorians saw fit...
Why is William Cage forced into combat? At the beginning of Edge of Tomorrow, we see through snippets of news coverage that William Cage is a famous PR officer for the military. Shortly after, we see Cage head into the office of General Brigham, the head of humanity's United Defense Force. He makes it clear that he...	We soon see that the General's dislike of Cage is fully justified, when: Cage objects to the dangerous assignment and threatens to use his public relations skills to turn the public against Brigham when the casualties start increasing from the invasion. It's important to have someone present during the battle to record...
Why is Thangorodrim/Angband not visible in the provided map in the Silmarillion book? At least it is not visible in all versions I could lay hands on (German / English). The map ends in the North with Hithlum and Anfauglith. I ask because Angband is a core location in the Silmarillion and as a visual human I need to ...	Thangorodrim was on all of the draft maps published in History of Middle-earth but was omitted from the map in the published Silmarillion. There's not much incentive to put your enemy on a map, especially when everyone knows exactly where to find them (Just look for the three massive volcanoes that dominate the norther...
Is there an in-universe explanation for the Roman Empire terminology used for the Romulans? This answer to another question indicates that several of the showrunners of Star Trek had an interest in the Roman Empire, and that influenced their design and construction of the Romulan Empire. Terms like "consul," "romul...	It's almost certain that, given the shared history between Romulans and Vulcans, that the Vulcans themselves made these correspondences between their language and English in their own translators, and we just used their linguistic database in Romulan first contact, with those connections already built-in.
What term would be used to describe the child of two demigods? So a child of a god and mortal is a demigod. What would a child of two demigods be? Would that be a quarter-god? What about a child of a demigod and a mortal? <Q> According to Rick Riordan's faq page: <S> Q: <S> If two demigods had a child, would th...	So the answer is that on the Greek side, they're mostly plain Mortal , but if they do inherit powers strongly enough to need to attend Camp, then they're probably just called Demigods .
If a person dies in the movie "In Time" in a car accident, what happens to their time? In the movie In Time, the only way a person can die is either from their clock going to zero, having an accident (car crash, fall from a cliff, or whatever), or from violence. If a person has some amount of time left, what happens w...	I do not recall any instances of people dying by accident and alone, but I assume that the time simply keeps ticking, and then expires.
Why did the Doctor think he was going to die in "The Time of the Doctor" even though he saw Capaldi in "The Day of the Doctor"? The 13th Doctor, Capaldi, showed up in "The Day of the Doctor" when the Doctors froze Gallifrey. So, if the 12th Doctor saw him back then, how come he thought he was the last Doctor at the e...	Yes, it's possible that during Time of the Doctor , the Eleventh Doctor has forgotten his future self's involvement in the saving of Gallifrey.
Where are Millennium Falcon gunner bays? I just realized that any spec of the MF that I look at don't show gunner bays. In one of the 4/5/6 movies, Han & Luke, are in their own gunner bay, with the remote control swivel seats firing their own guns. From specs that I find I don’t seem to see any gunner bays such as in...	The trick might be how the gunners sit, that could be counter intuitive.
Why could Elrond not delay his one-way voyage to Valinor for a few more years? We know from LotR that: The Children of Elrond all had the choice to be counted among either Men or Elves. That this Choice needed to be made at the time when Elrond would leave for Valinor - they could either sail with Elrond and remain ...	The reason Arwen made her choice is that she wanted her fate to be entwined with Aragorn's. I imagine it has to do with the destruction of the One Ring and hence the fading of the power of the Elven Rings.
Where to start reading The Batman? I've recently gotten into comic books and I'm interested in reading the Batman comics. I have no idea where to start. I've seen all of the live action Batman movies so I pretty much know origin stories already. I'm not interested in Catwoman or Harley Quin, they annoy me. I love t...	The Killing Joke Batman & Robin: Batman Reborn Batman: The Court of the Owls/Night of the Owls
Who is this character from Episode 1: Phantom Menace? I watched The Phantom Menace almost a year ago when I spotted this, and I have just found the picture to prove what I found. When I was watching - towards the end of the film - where everyone gathers around, I noticed a character (centre left) that I didn't recog...	So I believe he is meant to be Mace Windu OR a Jedi Extra. Jolee Bindo (Knights of the Old Republic)
Why did Tyrion pour away the remaining wine from Joffrey's cup at the wedding feast? He (Tyrion) deliberately pours away the residue left over in the wine cup which could have been analysed for poisons. This in turn could have helped his case. So why did he throw it away? <Q> I think he simply wanted to remove the dea...	I'm guessing that he thought Joffrey, or someone on his behalf, might still want to try to use the wine to dislodge the pie stuck in his throat, so he poured it away giving him nothing to drink.

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