Phaneron

Question: In the dark future where Sentinels rule all, Xavier and Magneto say that in 1973, Mystique assassinated Trask and was subsequently captured, tortured and presumably killed, leading to the Sentinels' creation. All fine and good, except in a world where Mystique has been dead for 50 years, how did the other X-Men movies happen? Mystique played a large part in those films, and when young Xavier reads Logan's mind, he sees the events of X-Men 3 almost uninterrupted.

Brad

Chosen answer: Evidently she wasn't killed. It took the manufacturers of the Sentinels decades to create Sentinels that could adapt to mutant powers. They likely wouldn't kill Mystique as she would be more useful to them alive, and she probably escaped.

Phaneron

Chosen answer: The post credits scene from "X-Men: The Last Stand" showed that Xavier transferred his consciousness into another person (who was revealed to be his twin brother by the writers) and the final shot in the same film showed Magneto was gaining his powers back, indicating that the cure wasn't permanent.

Phaneron

Question: Could somebody tell me once and for all why every mutant in these films have nicknames?

Gavin Jackson

Chosen answer: Because just like in the comic books, all super heroes and villains have names that are a representation of either the abilities they possess, paraphernalia they use, their personalities, and/or the circumstances of their origin. Magneto is a much more compelling and memorable name for a character than simply calling him Erik. Presumably it also avoids confusion if there are several mutants with the same "regular" name, to have a unique nickname for each one.

Phaneron

Answer: In addition to what was said, the nicknames also provide the individual mutant a way to identity more closely with the fact that they are mutants. As Mystique said in "X-Men: The Last Stand" when addressed as Raven, "I don't answer to my slave name." Many mutants are rejected by their parents when they find out they're mutants, so the "nickname" serves as a way to distance themselves from those that rejected them. In addition, at times their nicknames are called "code names." In this case, it would be a way to address a mutant without using their real identity, in essence a secret identity that's common in almost all superheroes and super villains.

Bishop73

24th Apr 2014

The Ring (2002)

Question: Near the end of the movie, after Rachel leaves the apartment where her boyfriend got killed by Samara, she sees a young woman exiting the stairwell below her. Rachel is careful not to be noticed. Who is that other woman?

Answer: She was a girl that Noah worked with and was possibly dating as indicated by an earlier scene where the same girl kissed Noah in his apartment while Rachel was there.

Phaneron

9th Mar 2014

Game of Thrones (2011)

Season 1 generally

Question: Is it ever explained why the assassin who attempts to kill Bran (he finds Catelyn Stark and tries to kill her as well, only to be killed by Bran's direwolf) uses Tyrion's blade in his attack, as identified by Littlefinger? Tyrion claims he's innocent, despite the damning evidence. And really, it makes little sense that anyone other than Jamie and Cersei Lannister would be the culprits. So why and how does the assassin end up using Tyrion's blade?

Answer: SPOILER: It is revealed in the season seven finale, The Dragon and the Wolf, that the blade did not belong to Tyrion, but in fact belonged to Littlefinger and that he hired the assassin to kill Bran, and gave the assassin the blade so that he could claim that the blade belonged to Tyrion and create a conflict between the Starks and the Lannisters.

Casual Person

Answer: This has been revealed in the books but it doesn't appear that the show will ever address it. In the books Jaime Lannister deduces that it was actually Joffrey who hired and supplied the would-be assassin with the dagger in an attempt to impress his "father" King Robert after Robert states that it would have been more merciful for Bran to die rather than live as a cripple.

Phaneron

Answer: SPOILER ALERT: In the season seven finale, The Dragon and the Wolf, it is revealed that Littlefinger was the one who hired the assassin and handed him the Valyrian steel dagger to kill Bran. He did this to create a conflict between the Starks and the Lannisters, by claiming that the dagger belonged to Tyrion, so that the Starks would believe that Tyrion attempted to have Bran killed, in addition to having Lysa Arryn accuse the Lannisters of poisoning Jon Arryn, when in actuality it was he and Lysa who poisoned him. The dagger belonged to Littlefinger and it was him who hired the assassin to kill Bran.

2nd Mar 2014

Saw III (2006)

Question: In both Saw II and III we learn that Amanda is working for Jigsaw, after her test in the first movie. However I don't see the reason why she had to be in a game again, in Saw II. I was hoping that to be explained in Saw III, but apparently, it wasn't. Please enlighten me.

Answer: In Saw V, Jigsaw explains to Hoffman that Amanda's purpose in the second game was make sure the others followed the rules.

Phaneron

Answer: Amanda was in the Saw 2 game to mainly protect Daniel Eric's son from harm, so he could be alive for Eric's test during the police interrogation with Jigsaw. The whole game centered around Eric Matthews and simply included his framed victims. This was Amanda's choosing, so she was the reasonable choice to oversee it.

Answer: In Saw II, Amanda pretended to be one of the prisoners, so she could observe her fellow prisoners.

12th Dec 2013

Saw VI (2009)

Question: Why did William cover the healthy people but did not cover the sick people?

Answer: People that are in need of frequent medical attention usually end up costing their insurance providers more money than they pay them in premiums, so it's simply a matter of the person's coverage becoming a liability for the insurance company.

Phaneron

Answer: Bane actually freed the prisoners at Blackgate Prison, not Arkham. The Joker's whereabouts are never revealed, but the novelization states that he is the lone inmate at Arkham. Realistically, the Joker probably would have received the death penalty for his crimes sometime between the 8 years that have passed between films.

Phaneron

19th Aug 2013

Game of Thrones (2011)

Season 1 generally

Question: Why is Khal Drogo willing to give Viserys an army in exchange for Daenerys? Until she is almost poisoned, he seems to have no real interest in The Iron Throne or the Targaryen dynasty, considering how she has to beg him to cross the Narrow Sea. Why didn't he just marry a native Dothraki woman?

Answer: This is explained more in the book. Khal Drogo and his bloodriders do intend to help Viserys take the throne, however they do things in their own time. This is what causes Viserys's frustration. In the book, Illyrio Mopatis tells Viserys that he has already waited his entire life to claim The Iron Throne and that waiting a few more years isn't that big of a deal. The Dothraki are a nomadic tribe, which is largely why they have no interest in invading and sacking King's Landing. However, since Khal Drogo eventually grows to love Dany, her assassination attempt by the Westerosi compels him to seek revenge.

Phaneron

19th Aug 2013

Game of Thrones (2011)

Season 1 generally

Question: After watching the show and reading the first book, I can't figure out why people hate Jaime for killing King Aerys. Aerys is referred to as the "Mad King" and more than one person talks about his sick deeds. Even Ned doesn't seem to approve of Jaime's actions, yet Aerys killed his father and brother. Even if Jaime did have a duty to guard the king, didn't he actually do everyone a favor by killing Aerys?

Answer: Basically it's because he broke his vow. A member of the Kingsguard is sworn to protect the king at all costs. Jaime elaborates more on the deed to both Catelyn Stark and Brienne of Tarth, telling Catelyn that no matter what course of action he took, he would be breaking one vow or another (i.e. if he obeyed the king, he would conversely be disobeying his own father), and telling Brienne that the Mad King was planning on burning all of King's Landing, but he did not bother to tell Ned Stark that. Ned Stark felt that killing Aerys was dishonorable and excessive. Robert Baratheon still could have usurped the throne without Aerys being killed.

Phaneron

11th Aug 2013

Game of Thrones (2011)

Kissed by Fire - S3-E5

Question: Although Tywin is Cersei's father, she is Queen Regent. Isn't she still in a higher place of power than him, and able to refuse to marry Loras?

Answer: As Hand of the King, Tywin is the second most authoritative person in Westeros behind only the king. The Hand's duties include sitting on The Iron Throne and dispensing order, justice and judgment, similar to what Ned Stark did in the Season 1 episode "A Golden Crown" while then-king Robert Baratheon was out hunting. It's also worth pointing out that Tywin's enormous wealth makes him the de facto most powerful person in Westeros, which he demonstrates in the Season 3 episode "Mhysa" when he sends King Joffrey to bed without his supper and remarks to Tyrion "You're a fool if you believe he's the most powerful man in Westeros. Do you really think the crown gives you power?"

Phaneron

Answer: The position of Queen Regent is largely a cipher as the Hand of the King is the actual regent for the king, handling day to day affairs and heading the small council. Tywin is still the leader of House Lannister and commands the army. Cersei's power derives from him, mostly. This is why she cannot truly counter Tyrion when he is acting Hand of the King or Master of Coin, both given by their father. She only starts acting like a queen when Tywin is dead.

4th Oct 2013

Saw (2004)

Chosen answer: The key to Adam's chains. Jigsaw tells him this before locking him in the room at the end. Amanda was supposed to put it around his neck, rather than just throwing it on his chest.

Phaneron

Where exactly have you got that from that she was supposed to put it around his neck? Is it said in one of the films?

I don't recall where I read or learned that, unfortunately. It's definitely not said in "Saw III" in the flashback scene that shows Jigsaw and Amanda prepping Adam and Dr. Gordon's trap, so it might be on the film's commentary track or the director or writers might have said it in an interview.

Phaneron

Since Amanda was helping Jigsaw, he might have told her to put it around Adam's neck.

It must have been said in a later sequel if nothing was mentioned in this one, as a lot of people have repeated the same scenario throughout this thread.

If I recall, it's been a good few months since I watched this one and over a year since I saw the third. It's shown in Saw 3 how Amanda helps set the trap up and is told then.

Ssiscool

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