# Gods, I am SUCH a moron!! (Buffy epiphany)

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gods-i-am-such-a-moron-buffy-epiphany/103524>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Created:** [April 14, 2002, 3:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gods-i-am-such-a-moron-buffy-epiphany/103524 "2002-04-14T03:33:09Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![bobkitty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/c67d28/32.png) [@bobkitty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobkitty)\
**Post date:** [April 14, 2002, 3:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gods-i-am-such-a-moron-buffy-epiphany/103524/1 "2002-04-14T03:33:09Z")

</div>

So, tonight I’m watching **Fail-Safe** (totally fan-freakin’-tastic movie, a must-see for everyone!) for the first time in many, many, many years (my dad loved this movie, and I saw it repeatedly as a child). They’re hooking up what is in effect a conference call with Russia, and then… the general says it.

“We can hear you five-by-five.”

ACK!!

Now, Buffy fans know that ‘five-by-five’ is Faith’s signature line. In one episode Willow makes fun of her for it (not when Faith is there, of course), asking what the heck that’s supposed to mean, anyway.

It bugged me. It bugged me for a _really long time_, because I recognized it, but couldn’t remember from where.

Heh. Now I have to go torture some of the Buffy fans on my lists with my newfound knowledge. ::snicker::

-BK

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Helen\_s\_Eidolon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/8edcca/32.png) [@Helen\_s\_Eidolon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Helen_s_Eidolon)\
**Post date:** [April 14, 2002, 3:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gods-i-am-such-a-moron-buffy-epiphany/103524/2 "2002-04-14T03:55:52Z")

</div>

Supposedly it’s a military term.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Narile](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/71c47a/32.png) [@Narile](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Narile)\
**Post date:** [April 14, 2002, 4:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gods-i-am-such-a-moron-buffy-epiphany/103524/3 "2002-04-14T04:32:48Z")

</div>

Radio term actually, still used by Ham’s I think. It comes from back when they would measure clarity (noise) and amplitude in five point scales, with 1 being the worst, and 5 beign the best. Therefore, if the signal was 5x5, it was both clear and powerfull, whereas 1x5 would be noise, but powerfull, and 5x1 would be clear but faint.