Questions tagged [plot-explanation]
Seeking to understand a story plot better, or to clear up confusion about certain aspects or plot points. Please also use the specific tag for the movie or TV series, if it exists.
8,508
questions
189
votes
8
answers
127k
views
What caused and ended the time loop in Groundhog Day?
I've always wondered what caused the Time Loop experienced by Phil Connors in Groundhog Day, as well as what ended it, but I don't recall it being discussed in the movie.
What was the cause for the ...
159
votes
4
answers
20k
views
Why isn't Bruce Willis's character in the Sixth Sense self-aware?
Why doesn't Bruce Willis's character realize he is dead?
If I remember correctly, the plot takes place several months after he is killed. Shouldn't there have been some clues during that time? They ...
120
votes
4
answers
62k
views
Why does Doctor Strange not bind Thanos in a time loop?
Why does Doctor Strange not bind Thanos in a time loop in the same way as he did with Dormammu in the Doctor Strange movie?
114
votes
10
answers
20k
views
At which dream level did Inception end?
In the ending of Inception (2010), there is some doubt that Cobb is in the real world. But if he is not in the real world then at which level of the dream he is in?
Starting at the presumed 'real ...
107
votes
3
answers
15k
views
How did "Jack" (the narrator) manage to attract people to join Fight Club?
In Fight Club "Jack" (the narrator) and Tyler Durden pick a fight behind the bar and through that fight they manage to attract people to first join the fight and then after founding Fight Club, to ...
98
votes
9
answers
33k
views
What is going on in Mulholland Drive?
I know that David Lynch's movies are all very deep and hard to grasp and that probably there is no simple answer to this question, as there are different ways to interpret the movie.
Still I would ...
98
votes
2
answers
13k
views
Why are the railings in Rivendell so low?
Rivendell is an Elven city. Frodo is a Hobbit, and much shorter than the Elves. The railing should appear much higher than it is. Was this simply a production gaffe, or is there an in-universe reason ...
93
votes
5
answers
767k
views
What really happened in Memento?
So I watched Memento, and I felt like I understood the story pretty well, however, some things don't make so much sense to me. As far as I know:
Leonard, the main character, did in fact see his wife ...
85
votes
12
answers
18k
views
Why does Harry only make use of time travel in The Prisoner of Azkaban?
At the end of The Prisoner of Azkaban,
Harry and Hermione travel back in time to save Sirius (and as it turns out, Buckbeak) and escape the Dementors.
If this is a legitimate option for saving people,...
83
votes
6
answers
10k
views
Why does George Mcfly employ Biff to wax his car after he had previously tried to rape his wife?
In Back to the Future, Marty goes back to 1955 and devises a plan for his father George McFly to win over Lorraine in order to ensure Marty's survival.
The plan involved Marty pretending to sexually ...
80
votes
1
answer
21k
views
Why didn't Gollum take the ring back from Bilbo between The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings?
Gollum is a capable murderer who is able to sneak into Mordor. How hard can it be to find The Shire when he is aware of the two words "Shire" and "Baggins"?
Why didn't Gollum take the ring back from ...
77
votes
7
answers
12k
views
Why aren't the characters floating two levels down?
If level 0 is the reality, the characters in the van are at level 1. The van drops off the edge of the bridge and goes into freefall. At level 2, in the hotel, they experience the freefall as well. ...
74
votes
11
answers
133k
views
Why did Neo have powers in the real world?
In the Matrix, why did Neo have magic powers in the real world? For example,
(1) Those scenes where he blows up those robots purportedly with his mind.
(2) That one where he has no eyes but can see....
73
votes
5
answers
80k
views
Why didn't Bilbo become a creature like Gollum?
In The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, it is shown that Bilbo keeps the ring for almost 60 years, not as much as Gollum (who kept it for centuries). But still Bilbo remains totally ...
73
votes
3
answers
119k
views
How did Indy know not to look into the Ark?
In Raiders of the Lost Ark, at the Ark opening ceremony the Nazi troops brings the Ark of the Covenant to the top of the mountain as Belloq said something before opening the Ark. Then they took the ...
72
votes
4
answers
53k
views
Why didn't Voldemort create a seventh Horcrux not knowing Harry was one?
From Harry Potter and The Half Blood Prince we can know that Voldemort wished to make 7 Horcruxes. But we know that Voldemort's 7 Horcruxes included Harry. But as this was unintentional, Voldemort ...
72
votes
5
answers
25k
views
How is Team Scooby Doo (Mystery Inc.) funded?
Shaggy, Daphne, Velma and Fred usually solve ghost-related abnormal crimes every day, with their Great Dane dog partner Scooby Doo, while traveling across the country (sometimes abroad). They don't ...
71
votes
5
answers
26k
views
Why did Morpheus tell Trinity to stay off the freeway?
In The Matrix Reloaded the following dialogue happens between Trinity and Morpheus during a car chase:
Trinity: You always told me to stay off the freeway.
Morpheus: Yes, that's true.
...
71
votes
7
answers
15k
views
Why didn't Hans Gruber know what Mr. Takagi looked like?
Hans Gruber is portrayed as being highly intelligent and organized. In most situations throughout Die Hard, he is calm and in control. The attack on Nakatomi Plaza was obviously meticulously planned....
71
votes
13
answers
64k
views
Why did the Night King attack the furthest target first?
In "Beyond the Wall" (Game of Thrones, S07E06), the Night King throws a spear towards one of the three dragons, which is seen somewhere very far. Meanwhile, Daenerys, along with her other dragon, ...
71
votes
1
answer
16k
views
Why was there a robot in Rocky IV?
In Rocky IV (1985), Balboa gifts Paulie a talking and moving robot which could do following things:
Talk and act like humans.
Patch up to phone lines in house.
Voice modulation according to needs. ...
71
votes
6
answers
116k
views
Banner's control of Hulk in Avengers
During the climatic battle, Banner says 'That's my secret. I'm always angry', and transforms into the Hulk. Does this imply that Banner learned how to control Hulk?
If this is the case, why did he ...
70
votes
8
answers
27k
views
Couldn't one or two or three dragons take care of the Army of the Dead in like a couple hours?
If fire annihilates the Dead, why are they such a threat? Wouldn't Jon Snow just ask to borrow Khaleesi's babies for an afternoon?
I'm aware that Dany is the only one who can control her dragons.
...
70
votes
8
answers
61k
views
In Back to the Future Part II, how could old Biff have made it back to 2015?
In Back to the Future Part II, Doc picks up Marty in 1985 and takes him to 2015. Then old Biff realizes the Delorean is a time machine. Old Biff steals the Delorean and travels from 2015 to 1955 to ...
68
votes
10
answers
17k
views
Was the dragon prowess intentionally downplayed in S08E04?
In some previous cases in Game of Thrones, like
In S08E04, we noticed, that Euron attack with about 11 ships and manages to kill one dragon and Dany had to escape riding another one. They had the ...
68
votes
6
answers
18k
views
Does the T-1000 know that the "big guy on a bike" is a T-800 before he meets him?
In the movie Terminator 2: Judgement Day (1991), after the terminators had arrived from the future to 1995, they are both trying to acquire John Connor.
The T-1000 arrives at John Connor's address ...
68
votes
9
answers
29k
views
How did Sherlock survive the fall?
In Sherlock, BBC Series, Season 2 Episode 3 - The Reichenbach Fall, how did Sherlock survive the fall? I've read some theories online regarding this, but in this interview, Steven Moffat says "There ...
67
votes
9
answers
35k
views
Why does Thanos need *all* the infinity stones?
A large part of the events surrounding Avengers: Infinity War involve Thanos acquiring all six of the infinity stones to enact his one goal.
The six are (relevant excerpts from the wiki):
Power:...
67
votes
7
answers
17k
views
How could the human race be saved in Interstellar?
In Interstellar (2014) the human race seemed to be facing pretty poor odds until they discovered a convenient wormhole placed by an unknown entity expressed as "they". Later in the movie, we discover ...
66
votes
10
answers
359k
views
Why did Victor die?
In Breaking Bad season 4 episode 1 "Box cutter", Gus kills Victor. Why does he do this? What does he gain from it other than scaring Walt and Jessie? Or is making them fear him his only motive?
65
votes
7
answers
24k
views
Why does Darth Vader not use the Force to prevent Luke from falling?
In Star Wars: Episode V– The Empire Strikes Back, When Darth Vader gives Luke the news that he is his father, Luke is hanging just a few feet away from Vader. Then, Luke decides to jump off his ...
65
votes
3
answers
30k
views
Why were people led to believe that the Apollo mission was fake in Interstellar?
In the movie Interstellar, Cooper goes to school where he and Murph's teachers have this conversation.
Teacher: It's an old federal textbook. We've replaced them with the corrected versions.
Cooper: ...
65
votes
5
answers
64k
views
Why didn't Loki's mind control work on Tony Stark?
Right before the final fight, we see Loki and Stark discussing the terms of the upcoming battle, bantering back and forth between who will win.
It is then that Loki gets the idea of turning Stark ...
64
votes
4
answers
21k
views
How does the title 'The Imitation Game' justify the story of the movie?
Alan Turing's biopic is entitled as 'The Imitation Game'. In this movie what has actually been imitated?
64
votes
7
answers
14k
views
How could the Starks convince the other Lords that this character was guilty?
In "The Dragon and the Wolf" (Game of Thrones, S07E07), Littlefinger was in a trial, accused by Sansa and Bran of many crimes that he has committed against the Stark family, and eventually sentenced ...
63
votes
2
answers
16k
views
Why does Bane's stock exchange robbery actually work to bankrupt Bruce Wayne?
In the movie The Dark Knight Rises, Bane robs the Gotham City Stock Exchange, more specifically with the purpose of bankrupting Bruce Wayne.
What I don't understand and feels like a plot hole to me: ...
63
votes
6
answers
16k
views
Is Borden's true identity real, or another ruse?
Towards the end of The Prestige, it's revealed that Borden accomplishes his Transported Man trick by using his twin brother, Fallon, as a double. It then becomes clear that he has been doing this in ...
62
votes
13
answers
26k
views
Point of the Dothraki's attack in GoT S8E3?
From Game of Thrones, S08E03, now I'm not a military expert, but I think the Dothraki's attack was obviously pointless, so why did they do that?
Against such an enemy every move should be perfect and ...
62
votes
8
answers
125k
views
In Fight Club is Marla Singer a second figment of Jack's imagination?
After reading this article on the existence of Marla Singer, I am fairly convinced she represents his guilt and remorse. It seems entirely plausible Marla Singer materializes to remind Jack he is ...
61
votes
3
answers
16k
views
Why does Scarecrow in The Wizard Of Oz get the Pythagorean Theorem wrong?
After receiving a "brain," the Scarecrow in The Wizard of Oz famously says the following:
“The sum of the square roots of any two sides of an isosceles triangle
is equal to the square root ...
60
votes
3
answers
102k
views
Why is Vision so weak?
Why does Vision appear so weak in the Avengers - Infinity War movie? I mean, he doesn't even fight most of the time.
If I remember correctly in Age Of Ultron, Vision appeared to be a very strong ...
60
votes
3
answers
19k
views
What was Hans Gruber's plan in Die Hard?
In Die Hard, at some point, Hans Gruber reveals a part of his plan to John McClane:
When you steal six hundred dollars,
you can disappear...but when you
steal ...
60
votes
3
answers
69k
views
Explanation of Jules' ending monologue
I partially understand Jules' ending monologue at the end of Pulp Fiction, although the full meaning doesn't click for me. What is he trying to say in simple terms?
Jules: Well there's this passage ...
60
votes
3
answers
38k
views
Can someone explain the sequence of events in 'Primer'?
Primer is one crazy movie, as far as the complicated plot goes. Has anyone figured out the ACTUAL sequence of events?
60
votes
3
answers
18k
views
Why did Varys remove his rings?
In Season 8 episode 5 of Game of Thrones, when Varys hears the sound of the Unsullied coming to his chamber, he burns a letter and removes his rings.
Maybe he burns the letter so that they won't ...
59
votes
8
answers
24k
views
Why is Arya visibly scared in the library in Game of Thrones S8E3?
In Game of Thrones S8E3, Arya fiercely kills a way lot of wights after which she has to escape from them and enter the library. In the library she seems pretty shaken and also not as brave as she ...
59
votes
8
answers
43k
views
In the "300" movie, in the final battle, Why didn't Leonidas kill Xerxes?
I recently saw a clip of the final battle of the movie 300 (2006). All the Spartans left are facing Xerxes and his real guard, and one of the servants ask Leonidas to kneel and surrender with all his ...
59
votes
5
answers
15k
views
How could Jon Snow do what he did in "Oathbreaker"?
At the end of the third episode of the sixth season of Game of Thrones, after hanging the culprits who tried to kill him, Jon Snow relieved himself from the Night's Watch.
How can he do so? One can ...
59
votes
4
answers
163k
views
Why does Gus walk away from his car?
In Breaking Bad S04E12 End Times, at the end Gus walks towards his car at the hospital parking with his two bodyguards, with Walt watching from an adjacent rooftop. As Gus is approaching the car he ...
57
votes
4
answers
29k
views
Why do people call Morgan Freeman's character Red?
In the movie The Shawshank Redemption, when Andy first comes to Red (for smuggling a rock hammer), they have this dialogue:
Andy: Thank you... Mr. er...?
Red: Red. The name's Red.
Andy: Red? Why do ...