Split (1)

train · 95.7k rows

source stringlengths 620 29.3k	target stringlengths 12 1.24k
Why weren't the various societies of Mass Effect able to see the previous Reaper harvest via telescope? The Milky Way is ~100,000 light years across, and the penultimate harvest took place ~50,000 years ago. If they wanted to see what happened back then, couldn't they literally look back in time? Hypothetically, ther...	I may be wrong but I believe that unless you had a really really good telescope you would only see evidence of a battle you would not be able to render individual ships or even planets at the distances in question which wouldnt tell you anything more than you already know at some point in the past something destroyed t...
Did Snape know what was going to happen in Goblet of Fire? We all know Snape is / was a follower of the Dark Lord. Did Snape know what was coming for Harry in The Goblet of Fire ? <Q> No. <S> At his rebirthing ceremony, Voldemort believes that Snape has “left him forever” . <S> He’s only “redeemed” (in Voldem...	Snape had a fairly good idea that something was happening due to the resurgence of the dark mark. The Parting of the Ways Snape did not know that Voldemort and Barty Crouch Jr. had planned to use Harry to help Voldemort return because the plan was known only to Voldemort, Barty Crouch Jr., Peter Pettigrew and Barty Cro...
What is Lana Lang's Destiny? Does she become a superhero herself? I was watching S08E11 of Smallville, where the Legion of Superheroes in the 31st Century told Lana that she has her own destiny (separate from Superman). I have always assume that she is just Clark Kent's teenage hometown love. What becomes of Lana Lang?...	Yes, Lana does become a "super-hero", of sorts, by the end of the series.
Is The Joker trained in any martial arts? In any canon, do we ever see or find out if The Joker is or has trained in any sort of martial art or fighting style? I've seen him go toe-to-toe with Batman before, I can't remember which animated movie it was but The Joker was armed with a flick knife and put up a good fight...	The general consensus is that given his ability to fight Batman in various situations across universes, he must have at least basic hand-to-hand combat skills.
How does the new Deadpool movie relate to X-Men Origins: Wolverine? Right so seeing as the new Deadpool movie shows the origins of Deadpool: specifically, he got cancer... blah blah had to get him the healing factor from Wolverine. But that makes no sense — they used the same actor, so I'm assuming there must be some ...	While Wade Wilson was turned into a character vaguely similar to Deadpool in X-Men Origins: Wolverine , that specific story has been effectively undone by the events of Days of Future Past . I think it's obviously not related, but the major differences:
What specific measures, if any, are taken to prevent a Space Marine from going AWOL? I understand that the Space Marines of Warhammer 40K undergo rigorous psychological & behavioral conditioning as part of their transformation. That said, however, what specific measures are taken by the Imperium to ensure that an ind...	A Space Marine abandoning his chapter would be a huge insult to the chapter as a whole and his brothers would have to kill him for it. It's really just boils down to the indoctrination and constant checks of loyalty and commission of oaths of moment.
Can anyone identify the upper body garment Khan Noonien Singh is wearing in the Star Trek episode "Space Seed"? Star Trek TOS "Space Seed": What is the above garment Khan is wearing called? Is it a jacket? Is it a shirt? Does it have a more specific name? I thought maybe it might be European, but I've never seen an...	The pattern is based on the Nehru jacket, but with the Sherwani length and collar. This looks very similar to what the groom wears at a Sikh wedding.
If Life creates the Force, then wouldn't the Death Star reduce the Emperor's Force powers? In The Empire Strikes Back , Yoda tells Luke that "Life creates [the Force], makes it grow". If that's the case, then wouldn't building Death Stars, whose sole purpose was to annihilate whole worlds (billions upon trillions of l...	However more importantly, the Death Star is the equivalent of the Atomic Bomb, it’s a deterrence to rebels. Yoda has chosen to be on a world with a huge concentration of life, which might help amplify his (and Luke's) Force powers.
How have the Faceless Men survived? From what I understand, murder is illegal in the civilized parts of Westeros and Essos. If it weren't, I would expect more people to die on the streets than they seem to. The Faceless Men are hired assassins. If they are paid to kill a king, they will kill the king. If they are paid...	Now we also know two things about the Faceless Men which would most likely aid them in surviving, first they tend to make assassinations/sacrifices look like accidents, so discovering that an act was carried out by them would be difficult.
Has any Star Trek character appeared in all three division uniform colors? Many characters have appeared in two colors. Examples: Red and Gold Worf -- entire seasons in each La Forge -- entire seasons in each Data -- red in several episodes, e.g. "Future Imperfect" Wesley Crusher -- yellow in "Parallels" O'Bri...	Engineers have gold turtlenecks and straps.
What did the probe and the whales say to each other? In Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home , the survival of Earth depends on a mysterious probe having a conversation with humpback whales. McCOY: Well, dammit? You think this is its way of saying 'Hi there' to the people of the Earth? SPOCK: There are other forms on ...	I always thought that because Spock believed he had "successfully communicated their intentions", the Whales were in turn able to relay the story of being saved by these more evolved humans thus convincing the probe to spare the planet.
How does the inhibitor chip execute Order 66? The inhibitor chip ensures that Clone Troopers of the GAR will unquestioningly execute Order 66 when it is given, denying them free will in that crucial moment. How does it do it though? More specifically, does the chip execute its function via temporary mind control or a...	It is mentioned in the Clone Wars TV series that the inhibitor chip when malfunctioning in Tup was blocking neurological pathways. The change as indicated in the Kanan comics and the clone wars TV series seems to be permanent.
Is it 'Batmen' or 'Batmans'? If Batman met a clone of himself or a Batman from an alternate dimension, would we say: There are two Batmen or There are two Batmans You'd assume Batmen but Batman is his name, not his title. Have we ever seen any examples in canon? <Q> This issue of Superman/Batman is called...	Batman is a proper noun so you will pluralize the full noun rather than use the plural of 'man'.
Why isn't Harry punished for using magic outside Hogwarts? I was wondering how come Harry and his DA pals aren't punished for using magic in the OotP when they fight death-eaters in the department of mystery; I mean, wasn't underage magic supposed to trigger a signal that would send reinforcement to the department stra...	They weren't punished because it was legal.
Has Superman ever won a fight by using brains over brawn? (Except for Heat Vision Lobotomy) I know Superman generally has some pretty tough combat feats and I know he's proven to be massively intelligent with calculations and medicine, but have there been any really notable instances where he's defeated someone with hi...	Superman wins his personal battle by using his observational skills to find out the weakness of the trap he's in.
Where did the nickname of 'Bones' for McCoy come from? I've noticed that Jim Kirk often refers to Dr McCoy affectionately as 'Bones'. Now, Memory Alpha gives the following explanation: Bones is short for "Saw Bones" ... The use of "Bones" originates with the term "sawbones" in 19th century American medicine wher...	I would hypothesise that " bones " is a contraction of "sawbones".
Where do the children in Little Lamplight come from? Little Lamplight Caverns is a location in Fallout 3 that is completely populated by children younger then the age of 16. Little Lamplight was originally founded by a group of Students who, during a school field trip, took refuge in the caverns while the bombs fell o...	Simplest solution would suggest that they breed among themselves, but while under 16 girl CAN get pregnant (and I'm sure some do), the atmosphere suggest that kids live in a state before the sexuality kicks in - its more "Peter Pan clubhouse - we will never grow up!"
How was Ronan able to handle the Infinity stone without being destroyed? The Collector: These stones, it seems, can only be brandished by beings of extraordinary strength. Ronan is able to, briefly, handle the stone and smash it into his hammer to wield. The Collector intimates there is enough energy in the stone to...	It is my belief that Ronan would have been destroyed by the Power Stone if he had of held it for much longer, which is why he embedded it into his hammer. This has yet to be established in the MCU, but it would certainly be in keeping with the behavior of wielders we've seen so far, so it's a point to consider.
Do the dwarves know what a "hobbit" is? This seems like a very strange question, I know. It actually has three parts: Does anyone of Thorins company ever call Bilbo a "hobbit"? If so, how would they know what a hobbit was unless Gandalf had told them? Is Gandalf the only way the dwarves would have known what a hobb...	Another place where they would definitely have encountered hobbits before would have been at Bree, which was a historic meeting place and where in fact Thorin met Gandalf originally, this triggering the events of The Hobbit.
Does Bucky Barnes Have Superhuman Abilities? During Captain America: The Winter Soldier, it's clear that Captain America and the Winter Soldier are able to fight one another on a pretty even level, with Cap's shield frequently negating the advantage Bucky's metallic arm provides. As I understood it, the super-soldier ...	It is theorised that Dr Arnim Zola was working on his own version of Dr Abraham Erskine's Super Soldier Serum, and it is this that was being tested on Bucky when Steve found him. But there's no doubt that Bucky is super human.
Has there been a Sith who didn't learn from a more senior Sith? The new Star Wars film has what looks like a Sith in it, and his name's Kylo Ren. It seems pretty obvious from the trailers that he's a Sith Lord of some kind, with his menacing red lightsaber and scary mask. So if the last Sith died in Return of the ...	Revan, Traya, and (likely) Kylo Ren all trained themselves largely from Sith artifacts (especially holocrons). Kylo Ren is not a Sith and he does have a master. He used to study and later teach the dark aspect of the Force, Bogan .
Is it 'Noonien' or 'Noonian' Soong? There seems to be some conflict in sources that I've noticed as to Dr Soong's name (notably Memory Alpha and Memory Beta ). Now, this is important to me (for obvious reasons - in fact it's why the underscore is so important - fun fact). So, my question is: what is the canon nam...	Soong's first name was spelled "Noonien" in the scripts for "Datalore" and "The Measure Of A Man" while all subsequent scripts ("Brothers", "A Matter of Time", "Birthright, Part I", and "Inheritance") spelled the name "Noonian" .
Has Batman ever arrested Catwoman? If so has she been sent to Arkham? The Facebook status between Selina Kyle and Bruce Wayne is definitely set to "it's complicated", but Batman cannot deny that Catwoman IS a criminal. Has he ever turned her over to the police, and if so, has she been sentenced to prison in Arkham? She...	In Arkham City and the prestory, Hugo Strange manages to arrest Catwoman (after multiple attempts foiled by Batman). She has been sent to Arkham, though under false pretenses and without Batman's involvement.
Why didn't the soul inside Voldemort's body die when he tried to kill Harry? In Deathly Hallows , Dumbledore says, "...the Killing Curse rebounded on Lord Voldemort, and a fragment of Lord Voldemort's soul was blasted apart from the whole, and latched itself onto the only living soul left..." We know that Voldemor...	When the Killing Curse rebounded, his Horcruxes worked as they were meant to - they tied his main soul to life by keeping part of his soul outside his body, ensuring it couldn’t die even if his body was killed. The victims have no visible damage at all, but nor are they forbidden from moving on.
Which "Classic" Doctor Who episode involves a companion doing surgery in a ball gown? My auntie, Ivana Vasak has revealed to me, that she once worked on a Doctor Who episode. She said it was filmed in Canada, therefore she was called to help out. It was a looong time ago (she said - "I think it was like 40 years ag...	I expect this was the one off TV special for the millennium starring Paul McGann as the eighth Doctor and released in 1996.
Why didn't the Alliance destroy The Reavers? In Serenity , we learn that The Alliance accidentally created the Reavers. So my question is, why didn't the Alliance destroy them? There were less than 30,000 Reavers and the Alliance had a much larger military. We also learn that The Alliance knew that the truth...	In conclusion, the Reavers pose nearly no threat to the Alliance, but help ensure the continued loyalty of the outer planets. Once the Alliance managed to push the Reavers so they were confined to the Outer Rim, it wasn't worth their trouble to keep wasting resources on them.
Why does Hermione pass out first? When Harry and Hermione are trying to stop the Dementors from Kissing Sirius at the end of Prisoner of Azkaban, they are unsuccessful in their Patronus attempts. It is well known that dementors affect Harry more than Hermione, and yet Hermione passes out first. Why is this? Here is ...	I think it was because Harry had more experience with dementors and had built up resistance, as well as his lessons with Lupin.
Is lightning redirection a Firebender-only skill? "If you let the energy in your own body flow, the lightning will follow it. You must create a pathway from your fingertips up your arm to the shoulder, then down into the stomach. The stomach is the source of energy in your body; it is called the sea of chi. From your s...	Redirecting lightning is a skill that must be learned, but in order to do it you must be able to direct the flow of lightning in the first place, which only firebenders can do.
Can anyone heal as effectively as Wolverine? Other than mutants who are direct descendants / blood relations of Wolverine, or mutants who have Wolverine to thank (whatever the reason) for their suped up regeneration, for example: Daken - Wolverine's son John Howlett - Wolverine's brother Deadpool - Experime...	Sabretooth Regenerative Healing Factor: Sabretooth's primary mutant power is an accelerated healing process that enables him to regenerate damaged or destroyed areas of his anatomy with far greater efficiency than an ordinary human. Some notable examples: Mr. Sinister
Picture of a decapitated Egyptian robot's head with wires coming out of its neck Sometime ago I met a girl who had the most stunning tattoo of a decapitated robot's head on her arm. It may have been an Egyptian robot's head, but it was simply stunning. I recall there were wires and bits of metal coming out of its nec...	Arguably, the most famous decapitated robot (technically, android) head in science fiction is that of Data from Star Trek: The Battle Droids, first seen in The Phantom Menace , look Egyptian with their long necks, thin heads, and markings. In custom artwork such as a tattoo, I'd expect all sorts of wires and bits of me...
Did Voldemort actually come to the train station in the movie of Order of the Phoenix? In the film version of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix Harry is walking along the platform to return to Hogwarts when he sees Voldemort standing there wearing a black suit. Was Voldemort actually present or was Harry's m...	I think that Voldemort wasn't really there, but either Harry was going mad, was thinking about him and imagined him there, or he used his skills at Legilimency to
Why are the Ferengi classed as Species 180, by the Borg? If we take it that the Borg assign species coding, based on contact, how are the Ferengi so low in the chart? I believe that 7of9 called them Species 180. Were the Borg in the Alpha Quadrant really early or Ferengi manage to get lost in Delta? <Q> The episode i...	Speculating, I imagine that since the Ferengi have an indomitable entrepreneurial spirit, some could have mounted a private expedition to the Delta Quadrant and encountered the Borg there, decades prior to the TNG era and far before other Alpha Quadrant races. One could speculate, since they only advance as they assimi...
What's the origin of referring to female superior officers as "sir"? It is well established in Star Trek: The Next Generation that female superior officers are normally referred to as sir . This is applied to Dr. Crusher, Counselor Troi, Cmdr. Shelby, Maj. Kira, Lt. Dax, and numerous admirals. This obviously fits...	The Next Generation seems to be the earliest case (that I can find) of a female superior officer being formally addressed as "Sir".
Has J. Jonah Jameson ever accused Spider-Man of being a mutant? The Marvel universe has plenty of mutants (i.e. homo superior , like the X-Men) who are strongly hated by a sizable population. And Spider-Man on first glance isn't all that different from them. Several mutants are animal-based, like Wolverine, and his po...	As far as I know, Jonah never published any articles accusing Spider-Man of being a mutant.
In Harry Potter, is it only children who can do 'instinctive magic'? Before coming to Hogwarts, many child witches and wizards display some sort of latent magical ability, by performing magic instinctively: e.g. Harry making his hair grow incredibly fast or making a pane of glass disappear, Neville bouncing when droppe...	Mr. Weasley seems to be saying that wizards in general (of any age) can do instinctive magic in pressured situations, and that it’s especially common with children who aren’t trained yet.
Why aren't T'Pol's eyebrows like typical Vulcan eyebrows? I've started watching Enterprise and noted that T'Pol's eyebrows aren't those of a typical Vulcan. Here's an image of her in season 1: Note how here eyebrows don't point upwards like a typical Vulcan's would, but are more like human eyebrows. I thought tha...	She naturally has less slanted eyebrows, and later styled them differently.
Why was Percy Weasley sorted into Gryffindor? He's determined, sure, but he doesn't exactly come across as particularly courageous or chivalrous. I know families tend to all fall into the same house, but of all the Weasleys we meet, Percy definitely seems the least Gryffindoresque. So why? <Q> As discussed before on th...	Percy was sorted into Gryffindor because he chose to be in Gryffindor.
What are the actual limitations on pets in Hogwarts? Prompted by seeing Does each student need a pet? It's stated in the letters to first year students: Students may also bring an owl OR a cat OR a toad — Philosopher’s Stone, chapter 5, Diagon Alley However, Ron is able to bring Scabbers (a rat). Which, is not i...	I think other birds may be allowed too (it doesn’t say specifically in the books) but in the films I think some students can be seen with crows/ravens in cages and also ferrets/weasels and other rodents.
How do muggles communicate with their magical children when they're at Hogwarts? How do muggles with children at Hogwarts (for example, Hermione's parents) communicate with their children while they're at school? The students are able to send owls but does that mean the parents can only send letters when their students...	Hogwarts could simply set up a P.O. box with the muggle Post Office and receive the mail normally.
Did the Think Tank really help the Vidiians? The smarmy 'spokesman' of the Think Tank (from the episode of the same name) claimed he and his helped find a cure for the phage. Now Voyager's a long way from Vidiian space by now and I wouldn't put lying about that past him for a second- was any material confirming or di...	The Think Tank's role in this is ambiguous, at best.
Why did the wraith allow Sateda to advance technologically? Almost all human societies and planets in the Pegasus galaxy are technologically quite primitive. The few exceptions we see, notably the Genii, and the Hoffans, go to great lengths to hide their technology and scientific progress from the Wraith. Each of the...	Between the Wraith hibernation cycles and culling other planets under their dominion, it's possible that Sateda was simply left alone and the Wraith unknowingly allowed them to advance. The Hoffans and the Genii were both holding fairly advanced technologies that were a threat. Ronan's gun was similar tech to the Trave...
In which Science Fiction (probably Star Wars) story is FTL used to jump to other side of a planet? Introduction I remember experiencing (reading, I think) a science fiction, or space opera, story in which the main characters are on a ship, perhaps fleeing from someone, and the use a Hyperspace jump to get to the other...	I think you're referring to the Stargate: SG1 episode Failsafe , when they use hyperspace to jump their ship (and the asteroid they're standing on) directly through the Earth. To start with, this is Star Wars (as indicated in the question).
How does Arthur Dent see English vocalizations, not Vogon ones? When Ford Prefect shoved the Babel Fish in the ear of Arthur Dent, he is able to understand and comprehend speech by Vogons instead of hearing the screeches of their native language. But in the film, the Vogon's animations show their lips moving in such a ...	The speech patterns you actually hear decode the brainwave matrix which has been fed into your mind by your Babel fish. The reason the Vogons lips are moving in English is because ifs a film. Also, and more to the point, it would have looked silly.
Why does Superman fly headfirst? Like almost all superheroes who can fly, Superman almost always flies headfirst, often with his fist extended in front of him. There doesn't seem to be any reason why this pose would be superior to any other, unless he's in a serious rush to get somewhere. Why not fly feet first, or...	The obvious reason for the less practical pose is that it looks extra cool, but come on Superman. With that huge cape adding so much drag, he needs to be as efficient as possible! Air resistance, enormous at these speeds, will likely work to pry his legs apart and make them flail every which way. My guess is that it is...
In Titan A.E. why do the Drej want to destroy humans? I recently saw the movie again, and I got this doubt in my mind since they don't specify a reasonable reason of why the Drej want to destroy the Titan and the Human race. The only thing I know is that they say something like the Drej are afraid of something but th...	However, more broadly they may simply have resented the growing power and creativity of the human race and feared what might be achieved in the future.
Is there a reason Dr. McCoy has a decorative lizard thing on his sickbay wall? As far as I can remember it's been there for all of the 1.5 series I've watched so far, and no one's ever commented on it. Does it have any particular significance or is it just a random object? <Q> But given that McCoy is from Georgia and t...	There seems to be no official information whatsoever — in-universe or out-of-universe — concerning McCoy's decorative lizard, which we can see more clearly here in a screenshot from "Amok Time":
What exactly is the Avatar's ability to turn into another Avatar? During the course of Avatar: The Last Airbender Aang displays a different way to interact with his previous lives: by turning into them for a short while. He did this twice with Roku (once when confronting the Fire Sages, once when talking to Jeong Jeong...	Just to add a bit: Another thing might have to do with the spiritual connection the current avatar has.
How do superheroes stay cool in their costumes? It's been hot lately where I live, and I had the misfortune of needing to wear a 100% polyester shirt for some of the time. It was awful, but it made me start thinking of super hero costumes. Daredevil's is essentially leather. Batman's is thick and armored. How do thes...	It appears that Batman's newest Batsuit has a cooling system Spider-Man lured Rhino underground and started busting steam pipes which caused Rhino to overheat and pass out.
Has Superman ever been stabbed with a kryptonite knife? In the comics or DCAU , have we ever seen Superman stabbed with a kryptonite knife? I've seen Metallo shoot him with a kryptonite bullet, but I don't think I've ever seen anyone attack him with a kryptonite knife. I think it might happen in Smallville, but I'...	In Superman Returns , Lex Luthor stabs Superman in the back with kryptonite.
Who was the villain in Sunshine? Ostensibly it's Pinbacker , the captain of the Icarus I who appears to have had a religious experience with the Sun. Following this, he becomes insane (or enlightened) and sabotages the original Icarus I, killing everyone inside directly or indirectly. Seven years later after the orig...	He has mechanically separated the ships. Pinbacker became obsessed and turned evil and wanted to infiltrate God.
Why there is so little technological progress between times of Old Republic and Star Wars? This might be related to this question It is quite characteristic for fantasy worlds to have little technological progress because magic (since magic works better than technology, we don't need to develop it) and/or longevity o...	Basically - there was a lot of technology lost, not a lot developed, what was developed tended to be limited in extent rather than galaxy-wide, and afterwards there was a prolonged reconstruction period where resources were mostly going towards rebuilding what was left of the Republic. As a result of the wars, the Repu...
Are there any forms of divination in Harry Potter that truly work, besides prophecies by Seers? In Harry Potter we know of at least one form of divination which is real and can make true predictions about the future, namely special prophecies made by true Seers. However, other forms of predicting the future are introdu...	Arithmancy, which is using numbers to predict the future, most probably works.
Do the Borg have any plans after assimilating all they want? We know that the Borg's aim is to assimilate all worthy species to attain perfection. But the thought struck me: what then? The Borg seem to preoccupy themselves with assimilation, and this takes up a fair amount of their time, as we see in Scorpion Parts...	However, if at some point the Borg did assimilate everything in the universe that they deem worthy of assimilation, the likeliest scenario is that they would simply go about their business until a species that they deemed unworthy of assimilation in the past achieved some technological or biological distinctiveness, th...
What happens if you use Polyjuice potion after saving hair or nails? Suppose you cut a five year old's hair, save it for 10 years, and then use itfor a Polyjuice transformation. What age do you turn into: The toddleror the teenager? <Q> TWO POSSIBILITIES EXIST <S> You would appear according to the age of the sample w...	If the genetic material is from an older person, the material would be more degraded (aged) and the resultant appearance would reflect that.
Do Stormtroopers ever use the sights of their E-11 blaster rifles? This is an E-11 blaster rifle: It was standard issue for stormtroopers and makes many, many appearances in various Star Wars works. Recently, I noticed this: These guns have sights. I can't recall ever seeing these sights used in any medium. Doe...	You can clearly see from the diagram below the orientation of the gun and the stormtroopers visor do not line up The stormtroopers helmet eye-holes do not line up to the scope
Did George Lucas ever comment on why he created Jar Jar Binks? Everyone seems to hate Jar Jar Binks. So why did George Lucas create him? The story of Binks and his people doesn't really contribute anything to the story, and I find that the parts involving Binks and his people are annoying or boring, adding unnecessar...	In an earlier interview , Lucas admitted that Jar Jar also serves as intentional comic relief. Both characters are extremely similar to each other conceptually and play a similar role in their respective story.
What do the different creatures in Pan's Labyrinth represent? In this question on Pan's Labyrinth : Is the "Pale Man" from Pan's Labyrinth based on any mythological character? the accepted answer includes this quote from del Toro: “The idea in ‘Pan’s Labyrinth’ was it [the Pale Man] was going to represent the chu...	The faun (Pan) is a creature of the Greco-Roman mythology. With each creature they represent something in the real world, for example the pale man represents the corruption in the world like Hitler.
Are Love Potions legal? We know that in the Harry Potter universe, Love Potions (potions that cause a strong infatuation in the drinker) exist. We see at least two instances of their use in the books; When Romilda Vane attempts to trick Harry Potter into drinking some, and when Tom Riddle Jr's mother Merope Gaunt tr...	We also know that, at least from year 6 on, love potions are banned from Hogwarts, since all Weasley Wizard Wheezes items are banned.
Are there rules about using magic outside of class? While in Hogwarts and during the school year did students have rules about using magic outside of the classroom? For example, it could be dangerous to attempt new spells without teacher supervision. <Q> Yes Dumbledore says this every year in his start of term speech:...	Yes, there were rules against using magic in the halls.
Why not Jedi Lords and Sith Knights? Why are the Jedi referred to as 'knights', while the Sith are 'lords'? Was there any significance to the terms from their relationship in the past? I used to imagine that it might be revealed that they both used to be part of the ruling class of the early galaxy, but had split apa...	The Jedi see themselves as guardians and as such it would make sense that Goerge Lucas gave them the title of "Knights"
Who are the two guys in the Emperor's Court on the Death Star II At the 1:04:38 mark of Star Wars VI: "Return of The Jedi" Darth Vader and the Emperor just finished a conversation. The Emperor sends Darth Vader off. He then turns and walks over to two guys, who bow to him, and they begin speaking. They clearly are not...	These characters have variously been described as Imperial "council members", Imperial "courtiers", and Imperial "advisors", as outlined below. The Emperor probably wanted them close to plan wiping out the Rebellion politically after watching them wiped out militarally. Moving down the canon scale, they were named in a...
Is there a pair of alien species, one in Star Wars, one in Star Trek, that are too similar for coincidence? We all know that there are a huge number of different alien species created for the Star Wars and Star Trek universes. I'm wondering if there's a pair of species that are so similar, it doesn't seem like it ...	Gorn from ST and Bossk from SW look similar.
Was there ever a scene with people in zero gravity in TNG? I was perusing the site, and it suddenly occourred to me that I don't remember any scenes from TNG with people floating around in microgravity, spacewalks or otherwise. Are there any? Or was convincing zero-g effects too difficult for the time? <Q> Yes, this...	In the TNG -era film First Contact , Picard floats in space from one side of deflector dish to the other, when he turns off the magnetism on his boots.
Are the Sisterhood of Karn Time Ladies? Are The Members of the Sisterhood of Karn: Time Ladies? Gallifreyans? Descended from Gallifreyans but a distinctly different race (likehow Romulans are different from Vulcans)? a completely different humanoid race? <Q> The Sisterhood of Karn are Gallifreyans, formerly follo...	The Sisterhood of Karn were a remnant of the Pythias who once ruled Gallifrey before being expelled by the triumvirate of Rassilon, Omega, and the Other.
How does Hogwarts manage to track the Dursleys' and Harry's movements in "The Philosophers Stone"? In the seventh book, Harry wonders if 'the trace' is still on him after his seventeenth birthday, as the Ministry of Magic/Death Eaters keep managing to track him, Hermione and Ron down. It is later revealed that Voldem...	There is magic that allows one to see where someone is (it was used in making the Marauder's Map).
Does a wizard need a wand to Apparate? In the Harry Potter universe, does a wizard need to have a wand on him or her to Apparate? I'd like to clear this up, because I've seen contradictory statements. In https://scifi.stackexchange.com/a/10329/4918 , DVK tells us that they do need one, and that's why Lily couldn'...	I don't think that wizards require wands to apperate. They do In Book of Spells , Miranda Goshawk recounts the story of a witch who was unable to Apparate until she had retrieved her wand.
Could I fake death to stop being Force-choked? I work for a large government organization. My boss is a total jerk who abuses those working under him. I've tried contacting HR before but they won't do anything about him. Anyways, I screwed up again. My jerk boss is going to be super pissed . I came out of hyperspa...	Most victims of a force-choke wouldn't be able to fake their way out as the choker would be able to feel the life leave them. As the Yuuzhan Vong are outside the force, a skill actor may be able to act dead, and hope that the choker ceases with before the victim actually expires. Make sure your boss will be distracted ...
Has any Star Trek alien ever commented on humans' plain features? Many a Star Trek alien has bumps, ridges or markings on their face or head. In universe, has any alien ever commented on how humans have suspiciously even skin tone, lack of markings and extra head organs, smooth faces and foreheads, relatively simple h...	In "Enterprise" humans are often referred to as "pink skins" by the Andorians.
Why does Hermione have this scar? This question contains the following image, and asks why Ron has a series of scars on his arms. That's great and all, but I'm left confused; When does Hermione get a scar reading 'Mudblood' on her arm? <Q> She gets the scar from Bellatrix Lestrange in book 7 while she is captive at...	Hermione never gets the word 'Mudblood' carved into her, but she does receive a cut on her throat from Bellatrix's knife.
Looking for a fantasy trilogy about a girl and her mentor I read this series around 9 years ago and honestly, I don't remember a thing about the plot. At any rate, I remember enjoying it. I'm not even certain that it was a trilogy, but it was definitely a series and all the books were published before 2006 thereabouts....	The first book has appendices expanding on the world and its background , very realistically making it sound as though the story is actually real-world mythology, like a novel version of found-footage films (which I thought was pretty cool).
Were there Sith wielding non-red lightsabers? So, did some Sith wield a non-red (non-synthetic) lightsaber? And the other way around, were there some Jedi wielding red ones? <Q> TL;DR <S> In EU: Exar Kun, Darth Vader and Darth Sidious <S> In Canon <S> : Anakin Skywalker <S> We know of three <S> Wookieepedia ...	If you want to limit to Sith only and not Dark Jedi, you still got red and purple lightsabers. Almost all synthetic crystals used by the Sith featured a red coloration Red is the most frequent color because it is made with a synthetic crystal which is easier to obtain, and you know most dark side users always go for th...
Timeslides: Why didn't Rimmer disappear? In the Red Dwarf episode, Timeslides (s3e5) , Dave Lister changes his personal timeline so that he was never gets stranded on Red Dwarf. It's explained that this means they never rescued Kryten and the Cat race never happened. It doesn't explain why Rimmer doesn't fade out. I...	Because, if Lister never boarded Red Dwarf, then Rimmer would have had a different third-technician working with him.
How are Vulcans that don't strive for logic treated? While in history, there were a number of Vulcans who rejected logic, and fought wars with the majority that did ( one of which resulted in the Romulan Star Empire), what happens to modern-day Vulcans (TOS-era and later) that reject logic and refuse to follow and ide...	The only arguably "illogical Vulcans" we see TOS or later are few and far between.
When did Barry Allen meet Felicity Smoak for the first time? I should start by telling I probably started the both series 'The Flash' and 'The Arrow' in the wrong order.I first watched 'The Flash' season , after that I started watching 'The Arrow' because I loved 'The Arrow' and his team since they were amazing in 'The...	They first meet in Season 2 Episode 8 of Arrow when Barry visits Starling City as part of his investigation into super-powered people.
Why didn't Dumbledore bewitch the door of Fluffy in Philosophers stone? “They could hear footsteps, Filch running as fast as he could toward Peeves’s shouts. “Oh, move over,” Hermione snarled. She grabbed Harry’s wand, tapped the lock, and whispered, “Alohomora!” The lock clicked and the door swung open — they piled ...	Actually, I think the only people Dumbledore trusted to handle Fluffy would be Hagrid and Professor Kettleburn (the Care of Magical Creatures teacher at the time), and after losing as many limbs as he has, Kettleburn would be none too eager to go near that animal.
What are the benefits of using the lightsaber you constructed yourself? When you use a lightsaber of your own construction, the lightsaber is supposedly most attuned to your own life signature in the Force as compared to other lightsabers. How does this work, and what benefits are there to such an attunement? How signi...	No specifics are mentioned, such as lightsabers being "attuned to your own life signature", but in the episode A Test of Strength the weight of determining the style for a Jedi's individual lightsaber is emphasized to some degree. From a weaponry standpoint, it allows you to build the weapon to the exact dimensions of ...
Has the TARDIS been shown to transport objects bigger than its doorway? A number of times, the Doctor or his companion has been shown riding a motorcycle out of the TARDIS: The Idiot's Lantern S02E07 (story 173) The Bells of Saint John S07E06 (story 231) In The Magician’s Apprentice S09E01 (story 251) he is sh...	The TARDIS can simply materialise around large objects that needs to be transported and de-materialise just as easily. A similar trick was pulled in Dinosaurs on a Spaceship when Rory's father Brian is taken inside while standing on a ladder .
"Doom", the video game: Why is the protagonist immune against zombification? In all instances of "Doom", many people including marines have beenzombified (in Doom3 drastically visualized by skull ghosts) or infectedwith a Lost Soul (granted, this one seems to prefer females). For the leaders of Hell (or Betruger) it s...	From an in-game perspective, the Doomguy doesn't become a zombie because he survives. In other words, to be infected, a zombie virus must be introduced to your body via contact/fluid exchange (e.g. a zombie biting you).
How is Kylo Ren's lightsaber able to have a cross at the hilt? From Wookieepedia how a lightsaber works: The weapon consisted of a blade of pure plasma emitted from the hilt and suspended in a force containment field . The field contained the immense heat of the plasma, protecting the wielder, and allowed the bl...	The crossguards are actually vents for the crystal because it's raw power would probably break the lightsaber. Probably, the engineering of this lightsaber is quite more complex and fragile than those of "normal" shape. As there is the first time we see a weapon like this in the canon, obviously there is no canonical a...
Looking for name of a book-series - Spaceship crashed, Civilization based on Magic rebuilt I'm trying to figure out the title of a series I read when I was younger.As far as I can remember, it started with a spaceship crashing on a planet in book 1.Some plants on that planet had weird effects on the people of the ship,...	First answer is correct, definitely Darkover series by Marion Zimmer Bradley. It's set on a fantasy world with magic where it turns out that current civilization is the result of a failed future society. It takes place on a planet colonized over a millennium prior by humans from Earth.
Is this Gallifreyan, and what does it say? I came into work this morning (I am a graduate student at a department of astrophysics) and saw this drawn on one of the hallway chalkboards: My mind immediately thought: that looks Gallifreyan! Is it Gallifreyan? And if so, what does it say? If not, any ideas where to lo...	The symbol on your chalkboard is one I've seen in a few different places; it appears to be a very close approximation of this fan-based word for "time".
Sci Fi Novella with different political systems on different planets I'm trying to find a novella for my mother, that she has read a long time ago. She says it was before I was born, that would be '86 but I wouldn't be too sure about that. The only thing she has been able to tell me is that there was a "network" of ...	This could also be Doris Lessing 's Canopus in Argos cycle , and particularly, the second book The Marriages Between Zones Three, Four and Five .
Which actor appears as the most different species in Star Trek? Highly related: Which actor has portrayed the most distinct roles in the Star Trek universe? The reason I ask this, and the reason it's not a dupe is because if we look at the answer to that question, we have, for example: J.G. Hertzler : Appeared as...	Human - Maxwell Forrest / Maximilian Forrest Jonathan Frakes also appears as at least six species Human Malcorian ("First Contact")
Why did Stannis join the rebellion? We know that before the story of ASOIAF begins, Robert's Rebellion has toppled the Targaryen Dynasty and crowned Robert of House Baratheon to sit on the Iron Throne. Stannis is described (more so in the books than in the tv-series) as having a strong sense of justice. He even kille...	Stannis chose Robert because he believed, first and foremost, that his duty was to the realm. The reason he wages his war is he believes that the Others will soon attack the realm, and he is the only one who can lead the Seven Kingdoms to victory. His duty to his house and the people living in Storm's End would have dr...
First instance of the flying saucer as a space craft? A common idea of a spaceship, especially an alien spaceship, is the classic flying saucer, like the one below: What is the first instance of a flying saucer as a space craft in science fiction? Bonus question: if the first instance is not a film or television...	The Flying Saucer is the first feature film to deal with the (then) new and hot topic of flying saucers.
Is a Force choke really a choke? The grip on his throat is no less painful for being invisible. The air stops flowing to his lungs. Blood ceases circulating in his brain. His eyesight fades to white…. “Apology accepted,” Vader murmurs, and turns back to the bounty hunters. Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back: So You Wa...	I would say that "Force choke" is a general term for any technique whereby an individual uses the Force to cause discomfort or pain in or around the throat. They will likely not even know there is a problem until just before they collapse. Sometimes it was used simply as an expression of anger or displeasure.
What was the probe in Star Trek 4? In Star Trek 4, an unknown space probe travels to earth, "EMP"-ing everything on its way and almost destroying the planet by trying to talk to whales. Are there any informations (extended universe) what that probe was or what it actually wanted? In the movie, it is simplified as the ...	The probe was led to Earth because it intercepted the Voyager 2 probe (not to be confused with Voyager 6, aka V'Ger).
Why did no one suspect Quirrell after Halloween? This is kind of a ‘sequel’ from this old question where it ended up as a tangent. Professor Quirrell spends most of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone pretending to be a nervous, frightened man who faints at the sight of his own shadow. This is particularly cl...	I don't think Dumbledore trusted Quirrell. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Chapter 33, The Prince's Tale Snape kept watching Quirrell on Dumbledore's orders.
Ongoing racial purity in Seveneves Spoilers for third section of Seveneves: Moira is able to synthesize a Y chromosome to create boys for the second generation of infants on the Cradle. And yet, there is no explanation of what prevented racial mixing between the grandchildren of different Eves. If each Eve and her off...	There's definitely racial mixing in the community. The seven Eve's descendants are mating with each other all the time, but a baby will always randomly come out as one of the seven "races," because of some genetic programing the seven women put into their offspring to ensure that the trait they wanted to "fix" in human...
How did the Witchers acquire and keep such a large castle at Kaer Morhen? In playing Witcher 3, I noticed that basically 4 people or less own and hold a very large castle in the mountains. Seems like a decent area to want to take, but I'm not knowledgeable about the books. Do the books explain how the Witchers (I thin...	Alzur, his masters and their co-workers (mentionned in the book, but not especially named) are very powerful mages and created many creatures with genetic experiments, their ultimate creation are witchers.
How can an eyeball control an army? In The Lord of the Rings films, Sauron has an army he is controlling to do his bidding. But he is only a great big eyeball. So how can he tell them what to do? <Q> Sauron isn't really a giant eyeball, as compelling as that image might be. <S> This answer raises the point that...	If he could manipulate and control Saruman and Denethor via the Palantir, there's no reason to assume he could not communicate with others as well.
No dialogue, just music - What was this 1980's sci-fi anime/cartoon short? I've never been able to figure this out. The nostalgia factor is huge, so it would be amazing if you could identify this. This was about a 10 minute-long anime short, set to electronic music. There was no dialogue at all (like Interstella 5555...	This sounds very much like Peter Chung's Æon Flux shorts to me
Has Chewbacca ever ripped anyone's arm off? From A New Hope : Chewbacca: Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaarrrgh! C-3PO: He made a fair move. Screaming about it can't help you. Han Solo: Let him have it. It's not wise to upset a Wookiee. C-3PO: But sir, nobody worries about upsetting a droid. Han Solo: That's 'cause droi...	In Alan Dean Foster's novelisation of Star Wars: the Force Awakens , Chewbacca rips off Unkar Plutt's arm: The release of new canon necessitates a new answer to this question. Yes, he has (sorta).
What does "The Magician's Apprentice" and "The Witch's Familiar" even mean? What is the meaning behind the titles "The Magician's Apprentice" and "The Witch's Familiar" in the first two episodes of the ninth season of Doctor Who? I'm well aware that the Doctor identifies himself as a magician, so I guess that his "App...	The Doctor has been referred to as a magician/wizard before (e.g. "The Pandorica Opens"), and Clara would definitely qualify as his Apprentice.
Why didn't Yoda or Obi-Wan tell Luke the truth about his father? Is the reason neither Yoda or Obi-Wan thought it a good idea to inform Luke that his father and Vader were the same person ever discussed? Were they hoping that Vader himself didn't realize this, and that it wouldn't come up? Or was there an ex...	The point is, had he known the truth, Luke would have sought Vader out too early, before his training was complete, and this would have only had negative consequences for Luke and the galaxy-at-large. They wanted to keep Vader from finding out, remember the children were hidden from him.
What did Han do to Lando in the past? From The Empire Strikes Back : Leia: I thought you knew this person. Chewbacca: [Chewie barks something to Han] Han Solo: Well, that was a long time ago, I'm sure he's forgotten about that. It is it ever explained what Chewbacca was referring to? Is it shown in any EU w...	The Millennium Falcon originally belonged to Lando, Han won the ship in a card game ( Sabacc ). Defaced and being branded a traitor back on Nar Shaddaa, Lando refuses to believe Han was not involved in the swindle, and punches his former friend in the jaw.
Is there any way to tell a difference between a Squib and a Muggle? If someone has no way to tell who a person's parents are/were (no paperwork), is there a way to tell for a Wizard if someone is a Squib or a Muggle? Or are they 100% functionally equivalent and only different as far as bureaucracy is concerned? <Q> You...	If you really needed to, putting them in front of a Dementor and checking if they can see it would be one way to test whether they're a Squib or a plain old Muggle.
What is the inspiration for Moff? In Star Wars we have Moffs and Grand Moffs. They don't seem to fit with the nomenclature of the Imperial Navy (captain, general, admiral etc). Is the title Moff based on any real life rank or is it purely made up for Star Wars? 1 1. Rejected title for this question was "what the hell...	A Moff is a regional governor rather than a Military rank. It may also be related to the Middle Dutch word "moffelen", "be loud-mouthed" , probably a literal translation of the word "German".
How strong would Clark have to be to lift the school bus out of the water? How much additional weight would the water have added to the bus and how much strength would be needed to lift the bus out of the water in the way that he did? <Q> Lifting a bus full of water is one thing, as the other answers have covered in de...	Assuming nearly all of the weight of the bus is from steel, Clark only has to move about 87% of the on-land weight of the bus while it's submerged.
What happens to the computer displays in the HAB? There was a point where Watney took a portable computer outside and the LCD was instantly destroyed. The assumption being it was permanently destroyed. But after the HAB accident where it was opened to the extreme cold and near vacuum of the Martian environment, wouldn...	The critical components are designed to survive a vacuum.

Subsets and Splits

No community queries yet

The top public SQL queries from the community will appear here once available.