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Do we see a 'gated' planetary shield in any Star Wars works before Rogue One? Planetary shields are a common part of Star Wars lore. However, in most cases, they appear to be something that is raised and lowered in their entirety. In Rogue One we see a shield which does not have this limitation. It shields the whole...	The Old Republic: Knights of the Fallen Empire , which is set between 3637 BBY and 3631 BBY Scarif and Starkiller Base are the only known full planetary shields.
Is Jon Snow immune to fire? We've seen his aunt survive all fire and I even remember she almost enjoyed the scalding bath. Jon was resurrected by the fire god. Is Jon now immune to fire, and just doesn't know it? <Q> NO. <S> Jon was burned by the fire he used to kill the wights in Season 1 that invaded Castle Black....	As far as the books go, GRRM has said that even Daenerys is not immune to fire and surviving the pyre was a one-time thing related to the dragons.
Why didn't Jon Snow ask for help? During the whole season 7, Jon Snow prepare the North to fight the Great War, and interact with Daenerys and Cersei. But why did he never send raven to all major and minor lords of seven kingdoms to ask for help ? <Q> Because that's a lot of ravens. <S> More than Winterfell pos...	The lords are bound by their oaths to fight for their respective queen, so they can't just abandon them in the middle of that war to fight in the North, or they'd be traitors - unless the queen gives that order herself. Instead, he sends a raven to the central information hub, the Citadel of Oldtown, in the hope that t...
Why did the Starks kill this character by trial, and not by simply having Arya do it in secret? Spoilers from Season 07 Episode 07, "The Dragon and the Wolf". We saw that Littlefinger is sentenced to death by the Starks (especially by the law of Lady Sansa Stark) for his crimes. Wouldn't it be more profitable if t...	The main thing being that everyone in the room apparently already knew the trial was for Littlefinger, not Arya. While some may have believed (and rightly so) that the house Stark was in shambles holding a trial and making everything public shows that the Starks are all home, they are back on top, and they are not to b...
How did Sansa and Theon survive the jump? We could see that Theon Greyjoy helped Sansa Stark escape from Winterfell which was under Ramsay's control by jumping off the wall. The outer wall is said to be about 80 feet high. How did both of them survive jumping from that height? It is highly unlikely to survive that jump...	So it appears they could survive the fall with the snow cushioning it Characters survive their falls from heights due to plot armour.
In the Flash Comics, is the Speed Force sentient? In Flash S02E20, the Speed Force takes the faces of Barry's friends and family to communicate with him while he is in the Speed Force. Is the Speed Force of the comics ever sentient like this? Does it ever communicate with Speedsters directly by talking to them, or trap...	Thus, as far as I know, the answer to your question is, No, the Speed Force is not sapient or sentient in the comics.
Why did Voldemort want to kill Harry Potter given that Harry was one of the horcruxes which provided protection for Voldemort's eternal survival? Given that Harry was one of the Horcruxes, it is not in Voldemort's interest to kill him. Harry is one of the keys to Voldemort's own survival. Why is Voldemort so bent on ki...	Voldemort didn't know that he'd created a horcrux out of Harry--after making so many before Harry, he'd rendered his soul very fragile, by repeatedly ripping it into pieces to hide it.
Is this quote from Robert Heinlein's writing? "I never learned from a man who agreed with me" Can anyone provide a source for this quote, supposedly from Robert Heinlein or from one of his works? "I never learned from a man who agreed with me." Or similar wording. I don't recognize it, and I've read almost everything b...	It sounds entirely like something he would have said; and, being that he was widely read, it is also possible that he said it in an interview or letter or private conversation as a quotation of someone else. It is not in his fiction.
Why did Wood have Muggle golf balls? When teaching Harry the rules of Quidditch, Wood makes his ignorance about the nuances of Muggle sport plain for all to see. "The Chasers throw the Quaffle and put it through the hoops to score," Harry recited. "So - that's sort of like basketball on broomsticks with six hoops, is...	Maybe Wood simply chances to live next to a golf course, and balls keep getting knocked onto his property.
Why didn't Pennywise scare Georgie? I just saw It (2017), but haven't read the original book yet. In the opening scene, Pennywise lures Georgie into his sewer by acting friendly and making him laugh. It's not until Georgie reaches his arm into the sewer does Pennywise bite his arm off. This behavior is a lot differe...	Act friendly, lure in the food, and eat quickly as opposed to make the victim fear to sweeten the meal and have to expend energy chasing it down. But it most certainly killed Georgie in a way that it normally killed children. In all of the initial encounters, the main characters almost get nabbed fairly quickly without...
Can I view someone else's desires from the Mirror of Erised by looking at their memory of the Mirror in the Pensieve? If one were to look in the Mirror of Erised while in someone else's memory (say the Pensieve or some device like Voldemort's diary) would you see your own desire, or the person whose memory it is? How ...	When one looks into the mirror of Erised, others in the room cannot see what they see. In Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire , the Pensieve is described as way of reviewing one's memories.
Do the Dementor and the Obscurus have something in common? Both feed on human emotion, both are highly deadly, and both do not appear in Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them. Do the Dementor and the Obscurus have something in common? More than meets the eye? Say origin story? <Q> Rowling has said that she "loves th...	Although their origins are quite mysterious , and I don't want to wholly discount the possibility, it does seem as though they're separate concepts that just happen to be related to the darker aspects of human nature.
How does Maximum Overdrive connect to the wider King-verse? It seems to me that all of Stephen King's books/films are connected, usually through small details. However, I do not know how the "classic" film Maximum Overdrive and the short story it was based on connect to the others. Are there any details found within ...	Well, the immediate connection that jumps out at me is that Trucks (and Maximum Overdrive ) are about cars/machinery that have some sort of sentience.
Why did Percy, Fred and George receive their exam results so early? In Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban the kids get their exam results at the end of the year. The exam results came out on the last day of term. (Prisoner of Azkaban, Chapter 22, Owl Post Again) . This is true not just of the younger yearg...	I could imagine that the results got delayed because they just realised Voldemort was back.
Is there any example of a vessel colliding with a cloaked object? There are a surprising number of objects flying/floating around that can cloak. While I know space is, like, really big, I would have thought that cloaked objects, which have an innate advantage in areas that other ships would tend to congregate, would o...	In the 24th century, the Federation used cloaking technology on board the self-replicating minefield guarding the mouth of the Bajoran wormhole.
How was the pre war knowledge known? In Fallout, much of the populace knows about the US before the nukes, but how is that possible when the destruction made the whole nation (and possibly the rest of the world) revert to the stone age? Surely history and knowledge of the pre-war world shouldn't be known so widely. <Q...	Within the game series you encounter a range of (fictional) pre-war non-fictional magazines.
Population of Iron Islands? We know that Iron Islands has a huge navy. It is their main strength. We also know that Iron Islands are barren land, very small and even if they fish extensively, it should not support a population as great as the North. In fact, it was one of their motives when they waged war against the N...	The true answer is we do not know the exact size of the Iron Islands population Their population may be far greater in number.
What coat of arms does Jon Snow use? Jon is a bastard who joined the Night's Watch so he doesn't have any coat of arms nor the right to one. After he is killed and resurrected, he becomes King in the North. Just as any king, he would need a coat of arms. Therefore, I expect he now (Season 7) would or should have ...	Jon currently would use those of the Night's Watch, The solid black, as long as he was a Brother of the Night's Watch.
What does it mean to forget the face of one's father? In the Dark Tower movie, Roland's Gunslinger creed shows up a few times. It talks about the right and the wrong way to fight with guns, and repeatedly says that he who does it the wrong way "has forgotten the face of his father." The phrase pops up again in the bu...	If you have forgotten the face of your father, it means that you have behaved dishonorably.
Why did Maul bother fighting Kanan In the Star Wars Rebels Season 2 Finale, we find out that Darth Maul is alive, and he helps Ahsoka and Kanan kill the Inquistors, and helps Ezra get a Sith Holocron. He eventually betrays Kanan, blinds him, and attacks Ahsoka. Ahsoka eventually tells Maul that he'll have to fight Kana...	Also, even before Maul blinded Kanan we see that Kanan didn't trust him much and tried to shield Ezra from his influence. The most straightforward answer is that he wanted Kanan out of the way so he'd be free to continue to corrupt Ezra to the dark side. So, when Kanan recovered and Ahshoka run away (sort of), Maul swi...
Did Ellie and Rachel have the shine? In Stephen King's plethora of novels, many of his characters have some sort of mental ability, be it pyrokinesis, telekinesis, or others. This ability is called "the Shine." In the book Pet Sematary , mother Rachel Creed and her daughter, Ellie, seem to have some mild psychic pow...	I’d say she had a form of the Shining. Living with someone, or a pet, for a long time usually includes developing a sense about them. It seems to be hereditary in this case if Jack passed it down to Danny.
What is the difference between a Trekker and a Trekkie? I read at one point that one is a fan of TOS while the other is a fan of TNG. This may be a matter of opinion but I'm wondering what the consensus is, if any? <Q> Trekkies is what Star Trek fans called themselves. <S> The outside world only saw the most fanatica...	Trekkers is a term coined by those who take themselves and what others think of them far too seriously.
What are "heroes in a half shell"? They say this line every time in the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 1987 cartoon opening: However, what does heroes in a half shell really mean? A tortoise has a shell all around its body, and the teenage mutant ninja turtles seem to have the part of their shell on their back as wel...	The best explanation I can offer is that regular turtles can withdraw their bodies into their shells to virtually eliminate all exposure Since the TMNT are more humanoid, they can't do this.
What are these plants aboard the "Rocinante"? In the Rocinante 's lounge/mess room, we can see a round niche on a wall, containing many plants growing from its edge, as shown here: And here, partially hidden but less blurred: What kind of plants are these? Being them located near the fabled coffee machine, so much...	I can't speak for the specific plant, but having the plants grow inwards in a circular frame makes me think they could be spun up a few times a day to make sure that plants grow orthogonal to the surface.
Why did the Klingons behave so dishonourably in Star Trek: Discovery? (Season 1, Episodes 1 & 2) Did the Klingons show any honor at all in the first episodes of Star Trek: Discovery? In episodes 1 and 2 they spent a lot of time making a big deal about honor and all that, and then rammed the ship while cloaked From...	Klingons generally do not see subterfuge and sneak attacks as "dishonorable."
Comic book set in futuristic setting with reptilian humanoids The title of this question is the best short description I can think of for this comic book/graphic novel series. I cannot remember the name of it, but for years I have been looking for it. I have tried googling, searching stores, and looking at online lists...	It had humanoid dinosaurs using uzis. Also, Sigil #25 looks very familiar.
A series about the Seventh son of a seventh son and a bullet that will always find its mark I am looking for the name of a series of book. In the world described in those books, magic exists, and it is also told that the 7th child of a family will be extremely proficient with it. In the first book, we are following t...	The Spook's Apprentice , upon which the 2014 movie Seventh Son is loosely based.
Why exactly would witches and wizards need to know how to make a love potion? In Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince - Chapter 9, Slughorn says (emphasis mine): "I've prepared a few potions for you to have a look at, just out of interest, you know. These are the kind of thing you ought to be able to make after ...	Further, magical practitioners also need some experience with the more nefarious potions so they can identify them when needed, or avoid them if someone is attacking them in a hidden manner.
Sci-fi series where humans are reduced to a mathematical pattern and sent to another planet I am searching for a book series ... people were transfer from Earth by way of being reduced to a mathematical pattern and recreated on the other end. Some people appear as "wizards" on the receiving planet, turns out they just...	This might be the Well World series by Jack L. Chalker and you might be thinking of Dathan Hain who becomes an Akkafian female in Midnight at the Well of Souls .
Why do Vorlons live in special gaseous rooms in Babylon 5, given that Kosh can be seen walking around the station with ease? Humans need to wear a gas-mask when visiting Kosh in his gaseous room in Babylon 5. It suggests the Vorlon species need certain atmosphere to survive, like humans need oxygen to breathe. If that ...	The fact that many of the residents recognise Vorlons from their own myths and legends suggests that they are able to survive in a wide variety of atmospheres. It is likely that the real reason for the encounter suits and non-Oxygen atmosphere is the same - to preserve Vorlon privacy.
Why is IOI so scared of the feds in Ready Player One? The book "Ready Player One" portrays a corporate dystopia where the feds have basically no power and no one respects the government. Yet seemingly, IOI, (the company that runs the sixers) while they have no problem killing anyone, they're very particular in followi...	However, they also follow laws because it sets the rules of the game, which protects them from others.
Why does Detritus not become disabled in daylight? It is established in novels such as The Light Fantastic and Moving Pictures that Discworld trolls turn to stone in daylight, or at least become disabled, and become active at night. This does not seem to happen for Detritus, particularly when he becomes part of the...	In addition, heat protections like sun shades or heat blocking creams (as mentioned above by jo1storm) or behaviour adaptions (e.g. working in the night) help.
Why aren't underage wizards allowed to do magic outside Hogwarts? Why can't they use their holiday to secretly practice the spells they've learned? <Q> Considering how it's enforced, it's likely it's to keep magic secret. <S> The rule is (in effect) for Muggle-borns or wizard children who will be around Muggles - it'...	The rule against underage magic is only really enforced when no adult wizards are around.
What was Sirius Black's profession? Do we know anything about Sirius Black's profession, or did he just live off his inherited belongings before he went to Azkaban? He must have been free for quite a period between getting a home from his uncle and getting into Azkaban. <Q> He lived off his inheritance for the three y...	Sirius's Uncle Alphard left him a lot of money towards the end of his stay at Hogwarts.
In Knight Rider 1982 TV series, did KITT have seat belts? In Knight Rider , the 1982 TV series, did KITT have seat belts? I don't recall to ever seeing them. Michael never fastened, did he? Sport belts in the pilot "Knight of the Phoenix" don't count. <Q> This can be seen in " The Final Verdict " (season 1, episode 11...	KITT evidently had lap belts for the front seats (or at least the front passenger seat), although not the shoulder belts that were standard in the 1980s.
Could an Elf kill Sauron in single combat? An elf named Glorfindel killed a Balrog in the First Age. Balrogs are Maiar that were corrupted by Morgoth . We know they can be killed by powerful beings, like the wizards, in single combat because Gandalf killed one. Sauron was also one of the Maiar. Or more precisel...	A sufficiently powerful, and well armed elf, could, given the right conditions, have destroyed Sauron's physical form so that he would not have been able to rise again. Gil-galad and Elendil fought Sauron at the end of the War of the Last Alliance, both dying in the process but allowing Isildur to take the Ring.
What does the Doctor eat? In the episode "World War Three", Jackie asks "What does he eat?" There are quite a few food references in Doctor Who . (I will only reference new-Who as I am unfamiliar with older material.) We can talk about the use of banana (9 uses it several times, 10 invents the banana daiquiri) or hi...	By the first season of the revived series, the Doctor appears to have reverted to omnivorism, as he has a steak with Rose, Mickey, and Captain Jack in "Boom Town".
How could Ana Stelline survive childhood? Spoiler Alert! If you haven't yet seen the movie, Blade Runner 2049 , you might want to skip this question. Officer K (also known as Joe) ... discovers that Dr. Ana Stelline is the daughter of Rick Deckard and Rachael Tyrell. Ana has a genetic disability that makes her vul...	From the way she tells this story, it doesn't seem that the plan all along was to leave Ana behind; rather, her parents planned to bring her with them, but were unable to once they realized she was vulnerable to diseases. She might not have a genetic disorder at all, but is kept in the glass box to give her a cover sto...
How did these characters know Officer K was a Blade Runner? In the movie, Blade Runner 2049 , when Officer K goes to his apartment, ... somebody spray painted an insult reference to him being a Blade Runner. I don't remember the exact words, but I am pretty sure one of the words was "SKINNER", which is a reference ...	Most likely, she knows him by reputation, or perhaps has even seen him apprehending a rogue replicant.
Why is Momo using a computer? I'm referring to this edition of Questionable Content , the web-comic by Jeph Jaques. Momo, with the pink hair, is an Anthro PC, a self-aware artificial intelligence in a robot body. The series refers to their access to the internet on a regular basis. So why is Momo using a computer in...	If you go forward a few days, you'll find that Momo is playing some WOW-like multi-user game (as seen in strip 1473 ). It appears that using a computer human-style is a matter of preference for robot AIs.
When dead humans are resurrected as wights, do they keep their human fighting skills? When Thoros of Myr brings Beric Dondarrion back to life again, Beric has lost "something" but is still essentially Beric Dondarrion: he has not forgotten who he was and he remains the leader of the Brotherhood. In the books, there is...	So we know wights can remember and even seem to think to some extent and they also appear to be able to fight to some extent too.
Are all the half-bloods treated the same way in the wizarding world? What is the exact definition of Half-bloods? For example we know all of these cases will be half-bloods: Pureblood + Muggleborn = Halfblood (e.g. Harry Potter) Pureblood + Muggle = Halfblood (e.g. Tom Riddle) But what about all below cases: P...	A half-blood is a half-blood, regardless of how pure either of the parents were before.
How did Harry learn Sectumsempra? All through the Harry Potter series we see that spells require specific techniques that need to be practiced; Wingardium Leviosa has to be pronounced exactly right (Hermione: "It's 'levioSAH'") and accompanied with a specific movement of the wand ("swish and flick"). In The Half Bl...	Harry apparently knew the incantation, but possibly not accurate inflection. And saying the magic words properly is very important too - never forget Wizard Baruffio, who said 's' instead of 'f' and found himself on the floor with a buffalo on his chest."
Successful author who began writing while completely disabled I can't for the life of me remember or find the details of this, but I recall reading about an author who was disabled and completely unable to work, and began writing as a hobby, going on to become highly successful through it. IIRC, the author is: Canad...	It could be Robert Heinlein :
What is the strongest profanity used in a Star Trek show? This article suggests that being on CBS All Access could afford the makers of Star Trek: Discovery more freedom in the language they use. Of course, we know that in previous series, they sometimes avoid the issue by swearing in Klingon, Romulan, or French. ...	Damn - Sprinkled liberally through all the ST variations The word “negro” is used repeatedly, but at one point Jimmy (Jake’s double in this world) uses a stronger N-word:
First non humanoid intelligent alien depiction in literature? In an unrelated question, I was thinking of the Horta (ST:TOS, Devil in the Dark ), which to paraphrase McCoy in one of the books looks like "an ambulatory pepperoni pizza, extra cheese". Given that human looking intelligent aliens are so common as to be...	I'd say "cloud centaurs" qualify as one of the weirdest alien creatures in history... True History by Lucian of Samosata is officially known as the oldest depiction of alien creatures in literature, dating from second century AD.
First non humanoid intelligent alien depiction in film? Broken out for film from this question Given that human looking intelligent aliens are so common as to be a trope , what is the earliest depiction in Film of an intelligent alien life form as being non humanoid in appearance (i.e. radically different such as t...	The Martians from 1953's take on War of the Worlds is somewhat shonky, but they are definitely not humanoid.
Are there any plans to turn any Neal Stephenson novels into film/TV? Are there any plans afoot to adapt any of the works by Neal Stephenson into film or television? Has Neal Stephenson sold any of the rights to anyone? <Q> When film and television rights for books are sold, they often just float around for a long time...	Amazon is making a Snow Crash TV series .
How did first years obtain wands during Harry's 7th year? In Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, Ollivander is missing and his shop is closed. In Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Bellatrix gets a new wand ( somehow ) and: Voldemort / Death Eaters have taken over Hogwarts Since Ollivander's is closed, how ...	And of course there must be some number of other wizards around the world who actually craft the wands in the first place.
Was the Word and the Void series intended to be a tie in to Shannara? Terry Brooks wrote what I thought were two independent series, the Void Trilogy (Also known as the Word and the Void series), and the Shannara series of books. However, with the series Genesis of Shannara , Brooks ties the two series together, ...	There is a small connection, but I have left it vague on purpose.
If a wizard / witch made a broom themselves, would it work the same way? Like if they took a wooden stick and some brushwood and tied everything together to make a broom, would it fly? Or does a broom need to be bought? <Q> If you enchanted it, sure Fundamentally, a flying broomstick is just an enchanted stick. <S> If...	Most wizards probably buy their brooms for the same reason they buy wands from Ollivander - they could make their own, but nowhere near as well. Not impossible, mind, just unlikely.
Why are the Borg unable to remember their own history? Some dialogue in VOY: Dragon's Teeth suggests that as of the 15th Century AD, the Borg had only assimilated a few dozen systems. Seven mentions that the Borg's memories of this period are extremely fragmented. GEDRIN: You're Borg. SEVEN: How do you know ...	The Borg are interested in things that are biologically or technologically "distinctive."
Why do the Shadows ships look similar after several thousand years, given that technological advancement should have made ships look very different? In the episode "Matters of Honor", Delenn was asked to identify a Shadows ship. She later remarked to Sheridan she has never seen one but it fits the descriptions from the...	They have spent so long concentrating on winning the galaxy through the actions of the younger races that they no longer focus on much else, so it is plausible that they haven't improved their technology much. One of the things we note is that while the Vorlons use normal hyperspace jumpoints/jumpgates, the Shadows do ...
Which real historical figures have been recreated on the Holodeck? I was watching VOY: Scorpion last night. At the beginning of Part I, Captain Janeway spends some time on the Holodeck conversing with Leonardo da Vinci about his inventions and suggesting refinements. Who are the actual Earth history figures that hav...	The Three Musketeers was a holoprogram run by Reginald Barclay on TNG: Hollow Pursuits , based on the famous novel of Alexandre Dumas; real historical figures like King Louis XIII of France, Cardinal Richelieu and the Duke of Buckingham appeared on the novel, and it is safe to assume that their holographic versions wer...
Why mute the countdown? From Star Trek: First Contact: Picard: Initiate auto-destruct sequence. [snip various characters giving authorization codes] Picard: This is Captain Jean-Luc Picard. Destruct sequence: Alpha 1. 15 minutes, silent countdown . Enable. Computer: Auto-destruct in 15 minutes. There will be...	Maybe the computer knows not to announce the self-destruct warning to those decks and below, and assuming the Borg will take more decks, not to announce it anywhere else after.
1960s or 70's science fiction anthology with math themes. One story involved the world being saved by an alien's love of moonshine This was a collection of shorts by a single author. Every story had math as a key component of the plotline. In one story the world is saved by an alien's love of moonshine. Throughout ev...	I cannot identify the math themed collection, but the story you describe certainly sounds like Joe Haldeman's All The Universe in a Mason Jar . In A Mind of His Own Leonard Shays is a maths PhD. There is some mathematical content in the story, when the retired-math-professor hero is trying to communicate with the alien...
Why did everyone on the Sulaco go down to LV-426? In Alien, it made sense for the whole crew to land on the planetoid. The crew was relatively small (and got smaller as the story progressed) and you might expect the Science Officer (Ash) to go as well as both engineers (Parker and Brett). It doesn't stretch the imagin...	They can use the remote uplink (or the colony's satellite) to communicate with Earth if an extreme need arises and the spare dropship can be remotely piloted by Ash if (as happens) the first dropship is disabled and pilots are incapacitated. There’s just no benefit on leaving anyone behind. Ultimately, it boils down to...
How could Harry be better at Potions than Snape? In his sixth year Harry managed to generate a glowing reputation at Potions in the eyes of Slughorn by following Severus Snape's hints and tips as recorded in Snape's old Potions textbook. For the rest of the week's Potions lessons Harry continued to follow the Half-Bl...	It is entirely conceivable that Harry had the advantage over Snape in other areas, so if Harry had Snape's book to give him the best theoretical guide and match him equally to Snape in that area, the result would be that Harry would have the overall advantage and his potions would turn out better than Snape's.
Does the Undetectable Extension Charm negate the weight of the objects put into the container? The main example of the charm is Hermione's bag in the seventh book, in which she stores several items and carries it around effortlessly. This leads me to the question, does the charm itself negate the weight of the object...	It is possible that she used another spell on her bag to make its content lighter, but it seems more likely that she fully described what she did, and it was a effect of the Undetectable Extension Charm.
What was the meaning of the mid-credits scene in Thor: Ragnarok? In a mid-credits scene at the end of Thor: Ragnarok we see a large ship overshadowing and dwarfing Thor's escape ship. Who does it belong to? <Q> From my own answer over on Movies and TV <S> It has not been officially confirmed but the inferen...	If Thanos attacked the spaceship holding Thor, Loki, and the rest of the Asgardians, potentially making off with it (and them), and leaving Thor to die in space, that certainly sounds like a hell of a jumping off point for “Infinity War.” The identity of the ship has been confirmed by studio head Kevin Feige.
In-universe explanation for why is the TOS-era Enterprise is more austere than the Discovery? Since Star Trek: Discovery doesn't take place on the Federation's flagship, like in TOS , roughly 100 years before TOS and in the beginning of a war, it should be logical to assume that the ship's technology would be less...	The best take is to assume that in-universe, the technology is the same, but the original series lacked the budget to portray it as it "really was". Enterprise may actually be older than Discovery anyway.
Why didn’t the Demo-dogs eat this person? When Hopper and Jane went back to the laboratory, they found the doctor who had managed the project. He was in a stairwell, having previously been left in the security camera room. Most curiously, he appeared to have been stabbed by a Demogorgon claw, and even gnawed on a bit...	Another reason: wounded man is no danger to the dogs (or the mindflayer), It is also possible that to breed Demodogs/Demogorgon need alive host - will was impregnated in Season 1 when he was very much alive, we don't know has Barb been just killed for food or also used for breeding. Maybe he managed to shoot the creatu...
Why did all the wizards that Harry saw Vanish? Sorcerer's Stone: When he had been younger, Harry had dreamed and dreamed of some unknown relation coming to take him away, but it had never happened; the Dursleys were his only family. Yet sometimes he thought (or maybe hoped) that strangers in the street seemed to k...	Disillusionment Charms can conceal a wizard or make them unnoticeable.
Why did Worf have an authorization code for the Enterprise-E? During the events of Star Trek: First Contact we see Worf, Picard, and Crusher give authorization codes for the self-destruct of the Enterprise-E. I can understand why Picard and Crusher would have them, being senior officers, but why Worf? He was statio...	This indicates that it is either standard procedure to change or lock out the personal command codes of various officers when they embark, disembark, get captured etc or that it is automatically done by the computer.
Cartoon series with Infinity gauntlet-like worn by a teenage boy For years I have been looking for a series which I saw one episode of when I was sick at home as a kid around 6-7 years ago. It was (I think dubbed) German if that somehow helps! The show was about a teenage boy who wore some glove with slots in it. And...	It has a main character, Ray, who wears a magic gauntlet with a gem on the back, and fights monsters.
Why are there honeybees in Blade Runner 2049? Why are there honeybees in Blade Runner 2049? Joe / Officer-K sets out to find Rick Deckard in what's left of Las Vegas. The city was abandoned after a radioactive bomb attack. When he walks through the city, he finds several beehives. A bee lands on his hand. He then walk...	It might be another hint that Deckard is a replicant.
How was Babylon 5 able to wage war against Earth, given that Babylon 5 was grossly outnumbered in terms of resources? Earth population was in the billions. Babylon 5 population was only around quarter of a million and a substantial of the population were aliens who will not fight against Earth. Babylon 5 was merely a s...	Sympathetic allies, resources, and additional weaponry, plus high morale, all in one swoop. There are enough crew among B5 staff, Rangers, and humans defecting from Earth to crew enough of the White Stars for an initial strike.
Why was Thor's quinjet password 'Point Break'? When Thor tries to activate the quinjet in Thor Ragnarok, he tries using a few different passwords for the voice activation system. "Thor", "Son of Odin", and "Strongest Avenger". The actual quinjet password ends up being "Point Break". Thor then vents his frustration wit...	Point Break is the name Tony Stark gave Thor in the first Avengers film because of his resemblance to Patrick Swayze in the 1991 film, Point Break.
If the Discovery contains an experimental spore drive, why doesn't it have a NX registry? In Star Trek Discovery S1:E3 Context is for Kings the protagonist Michael Burnham joins the USS Discovery . She finds that the ship has an experimental Spore Drive . We know that The Federation used the NX prefix for...	The NX registry designation was used for experimental starship designs , basically a starship class prototype , not for ships that were used to test experimental technologies .
Is Thor: Ragnarok the first time we've seen this happen to The Hulk? Towards the end of Thor: Ragnarok, when Hulk is fighting Fenris we see his (Hulk's) leg pierced by Fenris' fang, and some blood seeping out into the water. A) Is this the first time in the MCU that the Hulk has bled or had his skin pierced...	Wolverine's claws can cut hulk, and IIRC he was impaled with a large sword on Sakaar.
Did J. K. Rowling contradict herself in the Polyjuice Potion article on Pottermore? In the second book/movie, Hermione used a cat's hair in her Polyjuice Potion by mistake and her body got covered in fluffy hair and she possibly even got a tail. But, J. K. Rowling writes on Pottermore : You can change age, sex and ...	Hermione never actually turned into a cat, changing species - she simply mutated, becoming more catlike in appearance.
Is the "Dr. Strange" post credits scene the first to appear in a later movie? The post-credits scene in Doctor Strange is an excerpt from a longer scene that takes place in Thor: Ragnarok . Is this the first time in the MCU that a mid/post credits scene has literally appeared in a later film? <Q> Roughly one qua...	The first instance of a scene being redone like the one from Doctor Strange occurred in Captain America: The First Avenger . The post credits scene from Ant-Man was used in Captain America: Civil War .
Searching this story: Invasion of tiny aliens who are destroyed by a single footstep I'm looking for the name and author of the story about an alien race that wants to invade Earth, with a lot of weapons and an immense army. It seems the Earth is doomed. The ending, however, is very unexpected: The mother-ship of the a...	Also, the implication is not that they've been stepped upon, but rather that they're so small (and their metabolism so fast) that by the time the scientists realize that the ship is sinking in a small puddle in the field, it is likely too late. This sounds like part of the Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy, by Douglas Ad...
What was the first alien species on Earth in Doctor Who? My question is relatively simple. I would like to know what the first alien species to make its way to Earth is in the recorded and unrecorded history of Doctor Who . <Q> The first aliens to appear on the show were the Gallifreyans, the Doctor and his granddaugh...	If you take the term "alien" with more of a cultural than literal definition, the Silurans were probably the first non-human sentient life to live on Earth. In the 2006 Christmas Special The Runaway Bride , the Doctor takes Donna back to the time when the earth was forming, and showed her that it was a Racnoss spaceshi...
In Thor: Ragnarok , why doesn't Hela use a spaceship to get to other worlds instead of relying on the Bifrost In Thor 3, why doesn't Hela use a spaceship to get to other worlds instead of relying on the Bifrost. To return to Asgard Thor and Friends used a spaceship. Did Asgard not have spaceships? <Q> Because it would ...	The Bifrost is the only publicly-known way in and out of Asgard
How does Nightcrawler's teleportation ability work during high speed movement? From a physics standpoint, it is a well known fact that a moving object will only have its speed changed if another force is applied on it. This is called inertia . There are more implications of this, but I want to stay with the simplest i...	The fact that Nightcrawler maintains momentum during teleportation is established during the newly formed team's first official mission.
Was Mjolnir ever used for building something? In the movie Thor (2011), while he was about to crown Thor as the next king of Asgard, Allfather Odin describes the mighty hammer Mjolnir as the following: So long entrusted with this mighty hammer, Mjolnir. Forged in the heart of a dying star, from the sacred metal of...	Trust In Avengers: Age of Ultron , The Vision picks up Mjolnir to gain Thor and the Avengers' trust.
Significance of glowing throne at the end of Marvel's Inhumans At the end of "Marvel's Inhumans", the throne begins to glow during the destruction of Atillan Are there any hints in the comics as to the significance of this? <Q> Agents of shield season 5 supposedly deals some with the Kree. <S> As eisheir pointed ou...	The Kree writing on the throne and the glowing might suggest a signal.
Is this an easter egg to Sherlock in Thor Ragnarok? Thor and Loki are looking for their father Odin in Thor Ragnarok . As they arrive on Earth, Loki disappears and Thor is given the address "177A Bleecker Street". When Thor goes to that place, he meets Doctor Strange, portrayed by Benedict Cumberbatch. Benedi...	Actually no 177A Bleecker Street is the address of Doctor Strange in the comics, so it is just a funny coincidence.
Name of book with wild, dangerous unicorn I am looking for the title or author of a book I remember reading as a child in '70s or '80s. I don't remember much about the plot. Most of the book played in our world, but there was a door or portal where something or someone from another world came through, resulting in dan...	It's about 4 children in WWII era London, where the youngest girl, Lucy, finds a wardrobe that has no back, but leads to a fantasy world. Pretty sure the book you're thinking of is Elidor by Alan Garner (1965). He found it: Helen R. Watson.
Why did Poe leave his jacket? After they crash on Jakku, somehow Poe and Finn get separated while both surviving and then the TIE Fighter gets swallowed by the Sinking Sands and explodes. ( Related ) There's a lot that lacks explanation here, but what I'm wondering about is, Why was Poe's jacket left behind? If he...	This indicated to me that he wasn't wearing the jacket when the ship crashed and was knocked unconscious after being thrown from the TIE fighter on impact. It snagged on something and he was in a hurry to leave, fearful that the crash may cause the TIE to explode.
Shouldn't the Rebel Allience use a lot of captured Imperial spaceships? Most or all actual rebellions and civil wars work on a part by capturing the regular army's weapon and vehicle depots. Augmented by civilian vehicles (yeah they use freighters, point for that). But all armed spaceships seems vastly different and TI...	On one side we have evil Empire, with its bleak wedge-shaped Star Destroyers, flimsy and bare-bone TIE fighters (not resembling any known earthly aircraft) and of course faceless stormtroopers and pilots (plus Vader). They definitely use captured vehicles. Consider the shuttle that was stolen that allowed the rebels to...
If Mjolnir was made for Thor, why is Hela seen using it in Thor: Ragnarok before it was even given to him? In Thor: Ragnarok, we see Hela breaking the artwork on the dome in Asgard to reveal the paintings of the time when she and Odin went on a quest to conquer the realms. The painting shows Hela holding Mjolnir whil...	Referring to the inscription on the Hammer - "Whoever is worthy to wield the hammer shall possess the power of Thor", it doesn't specifically say it was made for him nor does he own it. There would have to be some kind of 'ownership' of the hammer
Can Hawk Moth akumatize Miraculous holders while they’re transformed? We know that Marinette and Adrien could theoretically be akumatized, but that it would be unlikely because of their respective personalities. This likely explains why Marinette has not been akumatized, despite Hawk Moth apparently focusing his ...	As it is in the show, there is no solid evidence either way. The fact that Hawk Moth didn't akumatize himself suggests either that the Butterfly Miraculous holder can't akumatize themselves, or more likely that he didn't want to risk Ladybug and Cat Noir to either take it from the Collector or realizing from its presen...
Old book with Sci-Fi/Fantasy mix with four Irish relics (stone, cauldron, spear and sword) Trying to ID a sci-fi/fantasy book I read in middle school. I read it around 2005, and at that time it was already a very old book - the pages were yellowed and musty. The one key, defining, and distinctive element that I rememb...	Champions of the Sidhe - Continuation of the liberation, and part of this novel is the quest for a cauldron that can revitalize any soldier.
Did Snape know that Ron was also in the forest? In Deathly Hallows Snape and Ron both independently find Harry and Hermione in the Forest of Dean. Ron found them by using the Deluminator which guided him to them. Snape found them after getting a tip-off from Phineas Nigellus. Both of them were operating on Dumble...	He might have seen and heard Ron in the forest when he was already there It is not explained anywhere in the book.
What was the first superhero team in comics? What was the first superhero team in comics? To avoid broad interpretations, by superheroes I also mean the ones with or without superpowers just like Young Allies, Batman, Bucky Barnes, Rocketeer / etc. <Q> In conventional comic books, this is most likely the: Justice Soc...	The JSA’s first appearance came in 1940 in the pages of ALL-STAR COMICS #3, making them the very first official super hero team to exist. Seven Soldiers of Victory - DC Wikia
Why was the procedure and the outcome for the 7th "horcrux" so different from the other 6? When Voldemort created the first 6 Horcruxes, he did not need to put his soul inside another living body. A simple object easily works well enough (like Gaunt's ring). When he created the 7th (baby Harry) it says his soul had to...	This is purely speculation on my part, but I think it's because Voldemort's torn piece of soul latched onto the most fit container for a soul, a body.
Who wrote the music for the first Star Wars movie bar scene? Just wondering. It was a little funky and strange. (It was supposed to be) but it also worked. Someone had to write it. I couldn't tell from the credits. <Q> The songs in question, "Cantina Band 1 & 2," were written by John Williams and performed by the Londo...	Not For Nothing that the music was an original composition by Bith composer and bandleader Figrin D’an and played in the cantina by his band, Figrin D’an and the Modal Nodes .
Can Galaxy-class starships eject their warp nacelles? Watching the TNG theme, I've noticed an odd pattern in the aft-ventral hull of the Enterprise -D: It can be clearly seen 48 seconds into the opening sequence at high resolution . It always looked to me like a place where the ship could split apart, like with S...	Ed Whitefire's original blueprints for the Enterprise-D, which were used as a basis for Rick Sternbachs official version, contain "Warp Nacelle Emergency Disconnects".
Why did Silent Running have songs written for it? I watched the sci-fi film Silent Running recently and noticed that the film had many songs written specifically for the movie. Was there a specific reason as to why this is so? Was it common amongst other films of the time, or was it specific to this movie? <Q> In the...	From an artistic point of view there was a desire to have music that reflected the movies themes and Joan Baez was, as it were, the Man for that job. :-)
Why does spinach give Popeye superpowers? Whenever the situation gets out of control, Popeye eats spinach to gain superpowers. It's been a while, but I remember him sailing his ship out of the sea on the land for miles using hand paddles. He also gets a rocket engine when Olive is far away as a hostage of Bluto and suc...	In-universe, it was mentioned on several occasions that Popeye's desire for spinach (and the enormous strength it gives him) were linked to spinach's high levels of Vitamin A .
Do Phineas & Ferb want to annoy Candace? While rewatching a few episodes of Phineas & Ferb, I noticed something. During the last scene of the Title Sequence (Mom, Phineas and Ferb are making the Title Sequence!), when Candace shouts, P&F pause for a moment, and after she finishes shouting, go back to their respective i...	In most of the actual episodes, Phineas and Ferb appear to want (genuinely) to please Candace.
Is Loki younger or the same age as Thor? In many places Loki is described as Thor's youngest brother. However, in Thor:Ragnarok, Thor is talking about an incident from their childhood This one time when we were children he transformed himself into a snake and he knows I love snakes so I went to pick up the snake to a...	Therefore, since Loki didn't make a claim on that basis (adopted or not) we can take this as evidence that Thor is older. According to Norse Mythology, Thor should have been a few hundred years old in 965 A.D. during the battle with the Frost Giants to conquer earth. That's when we see infant Jotun!Loki. In Avengers: I...
Does everyone in Door's family have the same power as her? In Neverwhere , the character Door has a magical ability with doors - either opening existing ones without needing a key, or (apparently) creating portals of her own such as when she first finds Richard. It's mentioned a few times that this ability is somethin...	The book does not state whether people who join the family can be taught or otherwise "given" the ability, nor whether Portico's family are the only Openers.
Apart from Azula, has there ever been a Fire Bender with Blue Fire? In Avatar: The Last Airbender , Azula is the only character whose fire is shown to be blue. Is there any other character capable of producing or seen using blue fire? <Q> In Avatar: The Last Airbender , dragons are shown to be capable of producing ...	However, no human characters, other than Azula, are ever shown producing blue fire.
Why is Zed called "Zed" and not "Zee"? In the Men in Black films Zed is called "Zed" (obviously...) . However, the letter Z is pronounced as : Zed: This appears to be the common English form from the UK, Canada, Australia etc. Zee: This appears to be the American-English version used widely in America. Men in Bl...	As to why in both the comics and the movies show the name as Zed, I would suppose that it’s done this way to emphasise the sound of Zed over Zee.
Why isn't this Protective Enchantment cast around Hogwarts? To be clear, I am referring to the books ONLY and not the movies (as I don't like them). In the Deathly Hallows when Harry and the others break into Gringotts to steal the horecrux from Bellatrix's vault, their cart passes through a waterfall which " washes o...	In the 7th year, Hogwarts was essentially run by Death Eaters , so obviously they wouldn't have put up an enchantment to defend themselves against Voldemort. The reason of all the protective spells around Hogwarts was to keep people from entering the castle and grounds as also as to prevent students from leaving the sc...
Short story about sentient weather Years ago I read a short SF story in which scientists have realised the weather is sentient (or perhaps it was just the clouds that were sentient). I think I read it in one of the Year's Best Science Fiction anthologies, but I've read loads of them, and have no idea which one. I rea...	The likeliest story that comes to mind is Luminous by Greg Egan, in which sentient entities are hypothesized to exist in the atmosphere
Has real Robert Gray actually existed? At least in two occasions, the It creature introduces itself as a "Robert Gray, better known as Pennywise the dancing clown". First Mrs Kersh tells about him: "My father [...] His name was Robert Gray, better know as Bob Gray, better known as Pennywise the Dancing Clown. Althoug...	We never learn whether or not either Robert Gray or Mrs Kersh are or were actual persons that It impersonated. In the novel Dreamcatcher , which takes place in Derry, Maine just like It , there's an alien entity calling itself "Mr. Gray". The answers to all your questions is really "we don't know".

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