Questions about specific movies, TV shows and more

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Question: After Veronica convinces Heather McNamara not to kill herself, she suggests they "knock off early". Are they just going to skip class, or are they possibly allowed to leave school if they are seniors? At least, during the time when this movie was made (before the increased security concerns of recent years).

Answer: Yes, Veronica meant skipping class. And, as seniors, they may have been allowed to leave the school grounds.

ChristmasJonesfan

Answer: She means to leave school early; whether they are allowed to or not cannot be determined from the context of their conversation.

Question: Were the scientists involved really concerned about igniting the atmosphere?

Answer: The short version is "no, not really". Much like in the film, the possibility was considered, a lot of calculations were done, and it was agreed by everyone privy to them that the chance was basically zero. Also like in the film: "what do you want from theory alone?" - it couldn't be guaranteed to be absolutely zero, but then the chance of almost anything happening is never absolutely zero. A 1946 report by three of the scientists stated: "whatever the temperature to which a section of the atmosphere may be heated, no self-propagating chain of nuclear reactions is likely to be started. The energy losses to radiation always overcompensate the gains due to the reactions."

Days Gone Bye - S1-E1

Question: When the Linden County units are chasing the bank robbers, and the car crashes, why does Rick leave the safety of cover to approach the car? Why can't they just order all suspects out of the car via the PA system on one of the cars? The bank robbers are armed and dangerous, and Rick should remember that they are most likely going to come out heavy - despite being injured in the crash.

Answer: The car had just crashed, and there was no movement. There was no way to know whether the suspects were alive or dead.

Question: After Cage loses his power to reset the day, he and Rita go back to the barracks and try to recruit J Squad for their own small mission. If this was the next day, wouldn't J Squad already be dead by then? If it's the same day, how is it possible for them to do all that at the general, get knocked out for a while, and catch J Squad before they get sent out into battle?

Answer: Time resets 24 hours before the original battle, so everything happens in one "day." On the final loop, Cage escapes the barracks, meets with the general, then loses his powers after being injured. That night, J Squad is recruited for the mission. The attack on the Louvre happens just hours before the original battle on the beach that started Cage's time loop, during the time when J Squad would have been sleeping the night before the battle.

BaconIsMyBFF

Question: In the opening scene, when Vera was looking intently at a painting depiction of an underwater scene, we cut to her being underwater, taking off a coat, and then lingering underwater, looking up. What was going on that made her go underwater, take off her coat, and float in the water?

Question: Baby's dad comes by to check on Penny after her botched abortion and confirms she can still have kids in the future... Wouldn't further tests have been needed to establish this? Not just a house doctor examination?

Answer: It seems unlikely that the doctor could confirm that Penny could have children without her having a complete medical exam to ensure there was no internal injury, infection, complications, etc. I think this was merely a plot device known as "suspension of disbelief." It's meant to tie up that part of the story so the audience isn't left wondering what happens to Penny. The movie can then focus back on Baby and Johnny and the rest of the story.

raywest

Question: Looking at how this movie opens, it is the same night the first film ends. April's apartment burned down. How could she have a new, fully furnished apartment for the turtles to stay in? It's hinted that she has been there for a while based on the neighbor's comment about her "aerobics."

Answer: Who said or hinted it was the same night as the first one ended? It's a night shortly after the first movie. Regarding the new place, well that's what insurance does – provides you with a new place.

Rob245

I also think that it is the same night. The foot soldiers are still in their uniforms and show fresh signs of battle. Plus, when the garbage truck pulls away, we see Shredder lift his hand from that area, which tells us that he was just "dropped off" for lack of a better term. But mostly, the dialogue between April, the turtles, and Splinter indicates that they have been crashing at her place for an extended period of time, not just a few hours or days.

Question: Why did JD expect anyone to believe his plan for the bomb at school - that all of the students signed a mass suicide note? Nobody would think that so many people, with different personalities and interests, agreed to die together. He later tells Veronica, "Pretend I did blow up the school, all the schools" - implying that he wanted to do this again. He might be crazy, but he was careful in how he executed the murders of Heather, Kurt, and Ram. Why the ridiculous bomb plan?

Answer: He doesn't care if anyone believes it or not; he is trying to make a statement about society and that no matter how we see ourselves in life, we are all the same when we're dead.

Answer: Not only is JD crazy, he is overconfident now. He and Veronica got away with the other murders. He thinks a fake mass suicide could be successful.

Answer: The students didn't know they were signing a "mass suicide" pact. They thought it was a petition to win a free concert from a popular band. JD covered the suicide wording on the paper with a sticker that made it look like a contest entry. He pulls off the sticker and reads the real message after he finds Veronica hanging in her room.

That was not the question. It's a question of why JD thinks anyone will believe the note, after all the students are dead. Has nothing to do with the students knowing what they were signing.

Question: How did Noah know about Ivy going on her mission in time enough for him to grab the creature costume from underneath the floorboards of the quiet room, bust out of the room, and head into the woods to lie in wait for her?

Answer: He probably overheard his parents discussing it. The mission wasn't a secret, and enough time would have elapsed while Ivy and the two other boys prepared for and left on their mission. Noah understood things much better than anyone realised, and he was able to act quickly. He may also have seen Ivy and the two boys leaving the village, then he quickly got the costume and followed them into the woods.

raywest

Question: Why didn't Lucius try to defend himself after getting stabbed? He just fell down and allowed himself to receive more stabbings. Sure, it was no doubt shock that set in, but human instinct would have been to try to at least push Noah off him and try to get away from him.

Answer: Everyone reacts differently to physical trauma and stress. Lucius appears to be in a physical state of shock, as both arms are shaking, he is unable to move, and seemingly does not comprehend what just happened to him, never assuming that Noah would do something like this. That is when Lucius falls to the floor. It's not unusual for someone experiencing or witnessing something traumatic to become frozen in disbelief as they attempt to process what just happened.

raywest

Answer: In real life, sure... 90% of people would fight back. But in the context of the movie, we are meant to assume that he collapsed due to being in shock/pain from being stabbed. Just to add a little extra note, I'm assuming the numerous questions that have been posted for this film and "Signs" over the past few weeks are coming from the same person. You really do have to remember that these are stylised movies from a director with a very quirky style. Shyamalan's films (both his good films and his bad films) often have a sort-of unique sense of logic to them, and almost follow fable-like rules at times. Trying to force too much real-world logic into them or wanting too many answers to kind of undermines their point. It'd be like trying to apply real-world logic to Grimm's fairy tales or a Wes Anderson film.

TedStixon

Well stated.

raywest

Question: Wasn't it very unloving and cruel for Edward Walker to send out Ivy? She was the one person who was blind. The village is all she has ever known. She had never even heard a siren before until she hopped over the wall. She went there (quite literally) blindly, not knowing what to expect. I don't believe he couldn't have gone with her. He could have walked her to the wall (ironically covered in ivy) and just told her, "I can't go beyond this point," and could have told her exactly what to say.

Answer: That would have been the logical thing to do, and it is yet, among many, another plot hole. However, it could be argued it was because Edward had solemnly sworn never to leave the village. Even going to the reserve's perimeter was violating that oath and put him too close to the modern world. Ivy was chosen because she was blind and would be unable to see anything of the modern world and bring that knowledge back to the younger villagers. It was his intention that the other two boys would escort her to the wall, but they became too frightened and left her on her own.

raywest

Question: When Jo and Bill drove through Wakita after the twister came tearing through moments earlier, she saw a family that looked just like hers from when she was a little girl standing in the wreckage. Was that an actual lookalike family who were victims of the Wakita tornado, or was her mind playing tricks on her because of the mixture of lack of sleep, stress, and her childhood trauma/PTSD?

Answer: It didn't appear to be an hallucination, but a real family that was similar to her own. Maybe someone else has a different take, but I don't think that was the intention.

raywest

Question: In San Francisco, why did the police, SWAT teams, and the military all converge and surround Hulk all at once? He could have easily just hopped over all that and kept going. Just the sight of the military could have thrown him into a rage, considering their previous engagements between the big green man and the men in green.

Answer: They've never previously encountered the Hulk, and therefore don't know that he needs to calm down in order for his rampage to cease. Betty is the one that has to convince her father of this.

Phaneron

Question: Did David Banner get carted off in the straightjacket for murdering Bruce's mother, blowing up the lab, or for both? Did the military know about the mother? Also, where were they taking him?

Answer: Most likely both. Since David destroyed the lab, the military went to David's house to arrest him and when they got there, they saw Bruce's mom dead so they knew he killed her. Since David was taken away in a straightjacket, they were most likely taking him to a mental hospital for a psychological evaluation to see if he was fit to stand trial or not.

Question: In the flashback scene of Bruce's father being carted off in a straightjacket after he had murdered Bruce's mother and blew up the base, who was the man that stood beside young Bruce and patted him on the shoulder?

Answer: General Ross.

Phaneron

Question: Who exactly did MJ want Harry to help in the fight between Peter and Flash? I'd assume Peter since she didn't want Flash to attack him but Peter wasn't exactly in trouble during that fight.

Questionasker800

Answer: She meant Peter. Flash was hell-bent on beating Peter up, and Peter had a reputation for being a feeble nerd, so it's not like anyone early in the fight thought he could actually stand a chance against Flash. He was merely dodging Flash's attacks until the very end.

Phaneron

Question: Why couldn't Batman just follow Lau to his house and kidnap him there instead of this elaborate plan with the plane?

Answer: To add to the other answer, Lau is likely to have heavy security no matter where he is, so an equally elaborate plan would be necessary even if he left his tower.

Answer: Lau probably lives and works at his tower.

lionhead

Question: Wouldn't betting on yourself be illegal? I get that betting on yourself to lose would be a no-no, but wouldn't betting on yourself at all be against gambling rules?

The_Iceman

Answer: Short answer is no, it's not illegal. For example, boxers are allowed to bet on themselves. There may be leagues or clubs that prohibit their players (and even staff) from any form of gambling, not just betting on themselves or their team. But it doesn't mean it's illegal. Some casinos or bookies may not take players' bets unless it's a straight bet to win, as opposed to a player betting he'll win in the 6th round.

Bishop73

Question: After the events of this movie, why does Darth Sidious call himself Emperor Palpatine? Vader was expected to ignore his old life as Anakin Skywalker. Or was that a personal choice of Vader's?

Answer: Anakin, renamed Darth Vader, is a choice by Palpatine/Sidious. It is a Sith name. Darth Sidious, however, has two roles to play as both a Sith Lord and occupying an official position as the Emperor, so he uses his real name for that. The rest of the universe cannot know him as Darth Sidious.

lionhead

Answer: He suspects that Cartman just wants an excuse to stay home and slack off on schoolwork.

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