Question: Why is Obi Wan Kenobi called Obi Wan when in fact his name is Ben Kenobi?
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Question: How did Dooku meet Darth Sidious?
Answer: It is explained that the ever watchful Sidious/Palpatine had his eye on Dooku as a potential apprentice even before the events of The Phantom Menace. Indeed, Palpatine's own master Darth Plagueis was also familiar with Dooku and had actually met him twenty years prior to TPM (though he did not reveal himself as a Sith Lord). It is stated that Plagueis introduced Dooku to Palpatine during this time (again, with their public faces) and the latter two had a friendly relationship thereafter. Palpatine approached Dooku shortly after Qui-Gon Jinn's death, revealed himself as a Sith Lord and finally took Dooku as his apprentice (after many years of careful cultivation).
Question: When Aragorn confronts the King of the Dead with Anduril (the reforged sword), The King of the Dead says, "That *something* was broken!" I am almost sure he says, "Blade" (referring to the reforged sword), but the subtitles on my Region 4 disc say, "Line" (presumably referring to Aragorn's ancestry). What does he really say? Do the subtitles on discs of a different region say otherwise?
Chosen answer: The King of the Dead says, "That line was broken." Aragorn replies, "It has been remade." Their comments are referring to Aragorn's royal lineage that was believed to have died out. The reforged sword symboilizes Aragorn's return as king. There is a video clip of this scene on YouTube here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vfh9Ypgfp7Q.
Question: At the beginning of the movie, Peter asks Voldemort if they can perform the ritual without Harry. Why? Does he now feel bad for betraying Harry's parents?
Answer: There are several reasons here. Peter Pettigrew regretted betraying the Potters and knows he is a lowly coward for having done so and for obeying Voldemort out of fear. He also knows that Harry spared his life during the confrontation in the Shrieking Shack (in Prisoner of Azkaban) when Lupin and Sirius were about to kill him. Because of Harry's mercy, Pettigrew is now magically bound to Harry with a life debt. In the books, this will later cost Pettigrew his life when he hesitates to kill Harry (in Deathly Hallows) and his silver hand instead fatally strangles him for defying Lord Voldemort.
In the movies, Pettigrew NEVER regretted betraying Harry's parents and, on the contrary, was actually proud of doing so.
Where did you get that idea from? He is a coward and cowardice controls him. Not pride.
It is mentioned on the internet sites like TV Tropes, Villains Wiki, and Pure Evil Wiki. These sites mention that movie version of Pettigrew is far more evil than his book version.
None of those sites indicate he was proud of what he had done or does. They just mention the movies don't show Peter having regrets like he does in the books. Doesn't mean he doesn't have it. We see very little of him in any of the movies anyway. He is still only known as a coward and nothing more of him is shown than that.
In the books, he betrayed James and Lily out of cowardice, while in the films, he betrayed them willingly.
Question: When Christof and his employees examine the basement where Truman is supposedly asleep (just before Marlon is sent there), Christof discovers something under the chair that obviously reveals to them that Truman is gone. What is it that they discover?
Answer: Christof sees Truman's hand as he is sneaking away. This means that he can't be under the blanket.
Question: Going along with another question that was submitted, why did Bellatrix teach Draco how to do Occlumency? Anyone who knows her character knows that she wouldn't want to conceal his thoughts and plans from the Dark Lord, she'd be going against the master she loves.
Answer: So nobody else, aka Dumbledore, could read his thoughts and know he was going to kill Dumbledore. She assumes Voldemort will be able to see if he is trying to hide something from him, so she's not worried in that aspect.
Question: Why do all of the Death Eaters hesitate to lend Lord Voldemort a wand? In "Chamber of Secrets", when Ron's wand was damaged, Professor McGonagall just said he would need to replace it. So I am assuming that purchasing a new wand is not particularly unusual or difficult.
Answer: Normally replacing a wand is easy, but there are only a few wizards who can make them. Voldemort has kidnapped Mr. Olivander, tortured him, and destroyed his shop, so he is not currently in a position to be making new wands. The Death Eaters fear offering their own wands to Lord Voldemort because he often strikes out, often fatally, at anyone who fails or displeases him. If someone gives him their wand and it does not perform adequately, they know there may be severe repercussions. Voldemort is also gauging his Death Eaters' reaction to his request so he can judge their loyalty and willingness to do his bidding. Most also realize that the request is mostly aimed at Lucius Malfoy, who has fallen from Voldemort's favor. Voldemort is taunting him.
Question: A couple times throughout the film the phrase "I had to make the call" is used. It is first used by Dom at the beginning of the film directed towards Brian: "You had to make the call, huh?" and then towards the end of the film by Brian when the car chase ends and he saves Dom and says "I had to make the call." So my question is: what exactly were the calls that were made? I'm assuming the second one was Brian letting Hobbs know what was going on since he arrives seconds after Brian kills Zizi.
Answer: They don't mean a call as in a telephone call, they mean it as in a judgement call. The first one is that Brian went along with Vince on the job, and the second one is when he turned around to help Dom instead of leaving him behind.
Question: What is the point of so many dream layers to get to the "inception" of the idea? I guess the movie would lose all of its intricacy without it, and would be much less appealing. So what is the excuse to use that trick from the director?
Question: I really don't get the ending. Can someone please explain it to me? Thank you.
Answer: The Maitlands and the Deetzes have agreed to share the house peacefully. Meanwhile, Beetlejuice is returned to the afterlife waiting room after the sandworm "kills" him again; he then angers a witch doctor who shrinks Beetlejuice's head, thus adding insult to injury.
Question: Seeing how most of Christopher Nolan's movies are filled with symbolism, themes, and deeper meanings, what exactly was Nolan trying to say with the brief introduction of the copy-cat Batmen? I ask because it would seem to contradict the recurring theme of "Anyone can be Batman", but I doubt Nolan would include something like that without having a reason that goes beyond simple plot reasons.
Answer: Batman has inspired others to take up the cause of vigilantism, but they're taking it to an extreme and crossing lines that he never would.
Question: How does the security boss of the firm listen to the conversation between the wife of Cruise and the secretary of the private detective, in the last scene of the hotel in the Bahamas? Why did he have any reason to suspect anything in the first place?
Chosen answer: At first the security guy doesn't suspect Mitch any more than any other new associate hired by the firm. His job is to keep a close watch on all new associates to see if they realize the firm has mafia ties. He starts watching Mitch (Tom Cruise) more closely after he was approached by the government agents who wanted him to spy on the firm. He knows that Mitch now suspects there are illegal activities going on and may decide to aid the government. It is also shown that Mitch's house was being bugged, and it can be assumed the resort cabana regularly used by the firm in the Bahamas would also be bugged.
Question: This bugged me for years, when Billy said there is something in the trees to Dutch and in the next shot it shows the trees, is the Predator there, as in visible onscreen?
Chosen answer: Yes. The predator can be seen not in the immediate shot after, but the one a few seconds later as they are seen walking away.
Before or after Ramirez gets hit in the face with the branch?
About 3 seconds before. If you look VERY closely (probably needing to pause the screen around 00:40:55 - about a minute after Billy said, "There's something in the trees"), there appears to be a transparent image of The Predator in the background above the major's (Arnold's) right shoulder. If this is meant to be The Predator, its body is curved around a tree trunk and its arms are extended toward the right of the screen (near Arnold's right ear), camouflaged as green leaves.
The Predator - in a recognizable form - really wasn't visible until another minute later @ 00:41:55 when it was on the ground approaching Hawkins and the woman.
No, it can't. I've just been through this several times and the predator isn't shown on screen at any time during or just after after the conversation.
Question: When Snape tells Dumbledore that he "doesn't want to do this anymore", does he mean his spy work in general or just the agreement to kill Dumbledore?
Question: My understanding is Sheldon, Leonard, Raj, Howard, and even Amy and Kripke work for a university; but none of them seem to be teachers. And if they are, they never have office hours, or are seen grading homework, and Sheldon seems inept at teaching. Do universities really hire that many people who simply do research with no actual work requirements? Or what's going on? (I understand not filming boring office hours or grading, etc. But they never even allude to it, their work never interferes with random daily events, and I imagine college teachers/professors would stay extremely more busy.
Chosen answer: The boys work for Caltech, a research university mainly dedicated to science and technology. It's never been stated where Amy works, except that she has her own lab. But remember, her lab is fully funded by the Saudi prince that she is pseudo-engaged to. Any business or university would hire her for that reason.
Answer: In season 7 though Amy came to work at the university til the end.
Question: As pointed out in another question, most Muggles would be surprised to find out about the wizarding world. Surely some of them would think that their child's Hogwarts letter was a joke or something. So do all Muggles with Muggle-born magic children know where the children are going?
Answer: All Muggle parents whose offspring attend Hogwarts know where their children are going and that it is a school of magic. Initially they may think the letter their child receives is a joke, but they are also visited by representatives of the school who can demonstrate that magic is real. Most children have already displayed some type of magical ability, so the parents are not completely surprised. Muggle parents are sworn to keep the wizard world secret.
Question: Why was Voldemort at a train station in one of Harry's visions? I am wondering why he would let himself be seen by several people. The news that he has returned would get around to Cornelius Fudge.
Question: Do some Hogwarts students stay at the school during the summer break? I ask because in the flashback scene, Tom Riddle tells Dumbledore that he will have nowhere to go if the school closes. But he is sixteen, so where has he gone during the summer breaks of his previous school years?
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Answer: Obi-Wan is Kenobi's real first name. It is explained in the Clone Wars television series that Satine Kryze, a Mandalorian Duchess whom Obi-Wan once saved the life of, had an affair with him after Kenobi became a Jedi Knight. Their relationship did not last, but her pet name for him was "Ben" and he adopted the name in tribute.
Darius Angel