# Easy Answers for Fictional Dilemmas **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [April 15, 2025, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/easy-answers-for-fictional-dilemmas/1017080 "2025-04-15T20:26:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 20
**Author:** ![Lumpy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lumpy/32/446_2.png) [@Lumpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lumpy)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2025, 10:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/easy-answers-for-fictional-dilemmas/1017080/381 "2025-05-02T22:42:52Z")
Here’s the thing: Frodo and Sam had reached the absolute end. Before they even went through the ordeal of trying to cast off the Ring, the story relates “The lembas had a virtue without which they would long ago have lain down to die.” They were spent. The story required that they were willing to utterly sacrifice body and soul to get the Ring to where it could be destroyed. Narratively, the eagles were there to allow Frodo and Sam to have an afterwards; to survive beyond any mortal strength or hope. No way they were going to brush off their hands and say “that’s that, back to the Shire”. ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2025, 11:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/easy-answers-for-fictional-dilemmas/1017080/382 "2025-05-02T23:16:19Z")
Moderating: > [@Lumpy](#): > > Here’s the thing: Frodo and Sam Ahem… > [@puzzlegal](#): > > Reminder: the eagles kinda took over the thread already. Let’s talk about other stories. Especially as you are no longer even talking about the easy answer part. ---
**Author:** ![Rilchiam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/2bfe46/32.png) [@Rilchiam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rilchiam)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2025, 3:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/easy-answers-for-fictional-dilemmas/1017080/383 "2025-05-03T03:35:20Z")
> [@Johnny\_Q](#): > > It’s sort of ironic that Daniel Craig complained that Austin Powers ruined the Bond franchise and the Bond writers end up using one of the Powers plot points as a big reveal. Refresh my memory: What plot point, and which Bond movie? ---
**Author:** ![Asuka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@Asuka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asuka)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2025, 4:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/easy-answers-for-fictional-dilemmas/1017080/384 "2025-05-03T04:59:25Z")
In the Bond film SPECTRE The reveal that Bond and Blofeld are actually stepbrothers, which also happens in Austin Powers in Goldmember ---
**Author:** ![Lumpy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lumpy/32/446_2.png) [@Lumpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lumpy)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2025, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/easy-answers-for-fictional-dilemmas/1017080/385 "2025-05-03T15:32:51Z")
Philip José Farmer once created an elaborate fictional genealogy called the [Wold Newton family - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wold_Newton_family) wherein the descendants of two family lines whose founders had been exposed to a radioactive meteorite became all the ultra-geniuses, arch-villains and action heroes of fiction. ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2025, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/easy-answers-for-fictional-dilemmas/1017080/386 "2025-05-03T17:08:27Z")
I recently finished season 2 of _Severance_ and was bugged by the situation a charcter found themself in the last episode and what they did. Milchick is in a restroom with the door blocked by a vending machine that fits perfectly, widthwise, in the door. On the other side are Helly and Dylan pressed up against it. Milchick repeatedly tries pushing the vending machine forward but can’t overcome the pressure of the other two. (As long as both are there.) Um, trying _pulling_ dude. There’s enough sticking thru your side to get a grip, the others won’t see it coming and their pushing against it will help, etc. You don’t even need to pull it all the way in. There’s a gap at the top so just far enough you can tilt it back will work. ---
**Author:** ![ParallelLines](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/parallellines/32/3575_2.png) [@ParallelLines](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ParallelLines)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2025, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/easy-answers-for-fictional-dilemmas/1017080/387 "2025-05-04T20:24:42Z")
In honor of the date, May 4th… You: A crime lord, a filthy, sleazy, cheating worm of a being, hated by all who aren’t too busy envying you. One who lives in a fortified palace on the edge of the known galaxy, a place where the only law you have is the one enforced by your soldiers. Your enemies, legion, also have considerable fighters, resources, and the desire to wipe you out. ONE of your enemies asks you to release one of your prized possessions, a prisoner, who was for years the scofflaw that evaded your “justice” and best bounty hunters. As a promise of their sincerity, they offer, unasked, a couple of semi-useless droids, a common commodity, none of which are particularly rare. You _immediately_ put them to use throughout your palace and personal spaces. No restraining bolts, no wipes, no careful examination of them for hidden bombs, weapons, or other concerns. It would have been so easy to turn them to scrap, search them carefully (see also the scan-shielded MF in A New Hope), or at least wipe/restraining bolt them! ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2025, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/easy-answers-for-fictional-dilemmas/1017080/388 "2025-05-04T21:05:41Z")
I think you’re upselling just how hated Jabba was. I mean, sure, there are plenty of people who wouldn’t mind reading his obituary, but everyone who matters has spent the past few decades, at least, basically just turning a blind eye to all of his doings. He had no reason to suspect that anyone was planning on toppling him. ---
**Author:** ![Lumpy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lumpy/32/446_2.png) [@Lumpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lumpy)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2025, 1:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/easy-answers-for-fictional-dilemmas/1017080/389 "2025-05-05T01:32:31Z")
It gets into the whole subject of all the unrealized consequences of mobile para-sentient machines, like an escape pod with no life signs. ---
**Author:** ![ParallelLines](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/parallellines/32/3575_2.png) [@ParallelLines](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ParallelLines)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2025, 1:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/easy-answers-for-fictional-dilemmas/1017080/390 "2025-05-05T01:46:39Z")
Eh, I’m playing it up, but, no, it’s real, especially in all the extended universe stuff. Plus, the whole “restraining bolt and mindwipe” thing is stuff even dirt farmers (I’m sorry, moisture farmers) do with second hand droids, because, well, you can’t have droids/slaves having divergent loyalties/duties. And yes, that leaves out @Lumpy’s points, and countless other gotcha’s of that particular universe. Which I poke fun at, because I love (much of) it. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2025, 2:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/easy-answers-for-fictional-dilemmas/1017080/391 "2025-05-05T02:08:21Z")
Thinking a bit more, he might have deliberately not mindwiped the droids, because he wanted them to suffer more. Compare his treatment of Leia, which almost certainly wasn’t because he personally was sexually attracted to her. He just wanted to humiliate her, and to show her off as a trophy. ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2025, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/easy-answers-for-fictional-dilemmas/1017080/392 "2025-05-05T15:17:48Z")
He does have a literal droid torture chamber under his palace, so that kinda tracks. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2025, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/easy-answers-for-fictional-dilemmas/1017080/393 "2025-05-05T17:54:20Z")
Mysterious Stranger: I am prepared to offer you one million dollars. Me:Cool. MS: All you have to do is push this button, but be warned - Me: Cool. [_starts pushing button repeatedly_] MS: Someone will d- _Hey! Stop that!_ ---
**Author:** ![Lumpy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lumpy/32/446_2.png) [@Lumpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lumpy)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2025, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/easy-answers-for-fictional-dilemmas/1017080/394 "2025-05-05T17:59:09Z")
“Does that make me legally liable for murder? Maybe I should talk to my lawyer first.” ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2025, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/easy-answers-for-fictional-dilemmas/1017080/395 "2025-05-05T19:35:08Z")
> [@Bryan\_Ekers](#): > > Mysterious Stranger: I am prepared to offer you one million dollars. > Me:Cool. > MS: All you have to do is push this button, but be warned - > Me: Cool. [_starts pushing button repeatedly_] > MS: Someone will d- _Hey! Stop that!_ That means you wont have long to spend that Million. ---
**Author:** ![mixdenny](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mixdenny/32/2962_2.png) [@mixdenny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mixdenny)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2025, 11:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/easy-answers-for-fictional-dilemmas/1017080/396 "2025-05-05T23:34:50Z")
> [@anny\_m](#): > > The docs are on a bus with some locals. The Chinese are going to kill them if the find them, so they have to be quiet. A woman has a baby who will not stop crying. Woman kills baby to keep everyone safe. I don’t remember the episode but I just searched for it and it was a chicken, not a baby? ---
**Author:** ![Kropotkin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kropotkin/32/18045_2.png) [@Kropotkin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kropotkin)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2025, 11:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/easy-answers-for-fictional-dilemmas/1017080/397 "2025-05-05T23:45:02Z")
Some philosophers have suggested the trolley mind experiment is itself simply an act of cruelty and people who propose it should be denounced. This makes some sense to me, and supports the notion bone that the Joker understood that many people would be damaged contemplating the action, let alone living with the consequences. Many people do not do a simple bit of arithmetic to weigh moral issues and actions and would find little solace in “doing the right thing” and killing innocent people. Sometimes saying “there is evil and others are committing it, but I am not even though I am not changing the outcome” is a good thing to do. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2025, 1:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/easy-answers-for-fictional-dilemmas/1017080/398 "2025-05-06T01:00:31Z")
Clearly you didn’t watch the entire episode. ---
**Author:** ![echoreply](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/echoreply/32/3641_2.png) [@echoreply](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/echoreply)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2025, 1:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/easy-answers-for-fictional-dilemmas/1017080/399 "2025-05-06T01:01:41Z")
> [@mixdenny](#): > > I don’t remember the episode but I just searched for it and it was a chicken, not a baby It’s the series finale, and the big reveal at the end is that it’s not a chicken, it’s a baby. Which goes to the inverse of this thread, a complex problem that in fiction has an easy answer. Hawkeye breaks down crying that it was a baby, but after that he gets sane again. Repressing it was causing him to go crazy. I haven’t seen the episode since it first aired, so maybe I’m wrong. ---
**Author:** ![anny\_m](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/96bed5/32.png) [@anny\_m](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/anny_m)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2025, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/easy-answers-for-fictional-dilemmas/1017080/400 "2025-05-06T17:57:03Z")
I haven’t seen it since it first aired, but I believe you’re right. I still maintain that with a busload of medical professionals, someone would have a sedative or narcotic that would knock the baby out so that the mother wouldn’t feel she had to kill it. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/easy-answers-for-fictional-dilemmas/1017080.md?page=19) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/easy-answers-for-fictional-dilemmas/1017080.md?page=21)