# Guardians of the Galaxy \[Spoilers, I imagine\] **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 1, 2014, 4:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guardians-of-the-galaxy-spoilers-i-imagine/694556 "2014-08-01T04:44:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 13
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2014, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guardians-of-the-galaxy-spoilers-i-imagine/694556/241 "2014-08-25T21:28:17Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > Except they could react to passerbys. > > My nitpick is : > > The tape. No tape lasts that long, nor do tape players. So, we have one of two possibilities: > Science could duplicate the tapes. > but if so: > why did he stress so much about going back for the tape? Presumably, he’s been getting it fixed over time, not outright replaced. ---
**Author:** ![Raguleader](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/258eb7/32.png) [@Raguleader](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Raguleader)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2014, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guardians-of-the-galaxy-spoilers-i-imagine/694556/242 "2014-08-25T21:43:30Z")
> [@Irishman](#): > > Based on that, Quill was an innocent victim, first from robbery, and second for attempted abduction. Why was he sent to prison? Well, he was a Ravager (had the outfit, had the spaceship, etc.) with a record. There might have been some standing rule against them being allowed on Xandar at all. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2014, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guardians-of-the-galaxy-spoilers-i-imagine/694556/243 "2014-08-25T22:14:56Z")
> [@Sage\_Rat](#): > > Presumably, he’s been getting it fixed over time, not outright replaced. That doesn’t really work with tapes. ---
**Author:** ![Raguleader](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/258eb7/32.png) [@Raguleader](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Raguleader)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2014, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guardians-of-the-galaxy-spoilers-i-imagine/694556/244 "2014-08-25T22:16:04Z")
Maybe it does… IN SPACE? ---
**Author:** ![smiling\_bandit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9a140/32.png) [@smiling\_bandit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smiling_bandit)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2014, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guardians-of-the-galaxy-spoilers-i-imagine/694556/245 "2014-08-25T22:32:35Z")
> [@Raguleader](#): > > Well, he was a Ravager (had the outfit, had the spaceship, etc.) with a record. There might have been some standing rule against them being allowed on Xandar at all. Even apart from the fact that he wasn’t exactly an innocent victim in the scuffle, or that he was a Ravager, they clearly listed multiple charges against Quill, Gamora, Rocket and Groot. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2014, 11:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guardians-of-the-galaxy-spoilers-i-imagine/694556/246 "2014-08-25T23:37:13Z")
There had to be some contact with Earth in the intervening years. I’m quite sure the tape deck Quill had in the Milano wasn’t in his backpack when he was kidnapped. ---
**Author:** ![Irishman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b487fb/32.png) [@Irishman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Irishman)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2014, 12:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guardians-of-the-galaxy-spoilers-i-imagine/694556/247 "2014-08-26T00:58:54Z")
> [@smiling\_bandit](#): > > Even apart from the fact that he wasn’t exactly an innocent victim in the scuffle, Name one act he did that endangered anyone but himself or the three people attacking him. That’s right, Gamorra stole from him, he’s not allowed to try to recover his property and stop a thief? And Rocket and Groot stuffed him in a bag to abscond with him. Now granted he might have outstanding convictions against him (not just warrants), but in this he was just a victim. ---
**Author:** ![DigitalC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ebca7d/32.png) [@DigitalC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DigitalC)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2014, 1:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guardians-of-the-galaxy-spoilers-i-imagine/694556/248 "2014-08-26T01:13:47Z")
> [@Irishman](#): > > Name one act he did that endangered anyone but himself or the three people attacking him. That’s right, Gamorra stole from him, he’s not allowed to try to recover his property and stop a thief? And Rocket and Groot stuffed him in a bag to abscond with him. > > Now granted he might have outstanding convictions against him (not just warrants), but in this he was just a victim. You don’t get to be a legendary outlaw without breaking plenty of laws. He did nothing on screen to deserve being thrown in jail, but that doesn’t mean he wasn’t a wanted criminal. ---
**Author:** ![Raguleader](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/258eb7/32.png) [@Raguleader](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Raguleader)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2014, 8:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guardians-of-the-galaxy-spoilers-i-imagine/694556/249 "2014-08-26T08:31:59Z")
I mean, comon, he goes by _Star Lord_. You don’t get called that without doing a few unmentionable things. ---
**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:** [August 26, 2014, 2:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guardians-of-the-galaxy-spoilers-i-imagine/694556/250 "2014-08-26T14:23:38Z")
It’s OK, plenty of big-time criminals have aliases. Snerk. ---
**Author:** ![gregorio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/fbc32d/32.png) [@gregorio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gregorio)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2014, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guardians-of-the-galaxy-spoilers-i-imagine/694556/251 "2014-08-26T23:30:11Z")
Tapes last 26 years. Batteries however . . . But, space. And spaceships. Fighting in public gets you arrested. Discharging a weapon (electronic bolo) gets you arrested. Strapping your rocket boots on a known green assassin and then firing them, well I don’t know about that one. Yes I’ve seen the movie three times. It’s easy to convince the moms when you play the soundtrack first. ---
**Author:** ![GreedySmurf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a698b9/32.png) [@GreedySmurf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GreedySmurf)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2014, 12:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guardians-of-the-galaxy-spoilers-i-imagine/694556/252 "2014-08-27T00:00:31Z")
> [@Irishman](#): > > Name one act he did that endangered anyone but himself or the three people attacking him. That’s right, Gamorra stole from him, he’s not allowed to try to recover his property and stop a thief? And Rocket and Groot stuffed him in a bag to abscond with him. > > Now granted he might have outstanding convictions against him (not just warrants), but in this he was just a victim. Maybe the Nova Corp doesn’t like people wandering around the city with concealed high power energy weapons? ---
**Author:** ![Yllaria](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yllaria/32/3452_2.png) [@Yllaria](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yllaria)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2014, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guardians-of-the-galaxy-spoilers-i-imagine/694556/253 "2014-08-27T22:12:49Z")
> [@smiling\_bandit](#): > > Even apart from the fact that he wasn’t exactly an innocent victim in the scuffle, or that he was a Ravager, they clearly listed multiple charges against Quill, Gamora, Rocket and Groot. I think that pretty much covers it. Outstanding warrants - parole violations - other futuristic preconditions. Either that or it happened quickly offscreen. Could have been a computerized judgement from a system linked to security cameras. I don’t need to know the details. ---
**Author:** ![Malthus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/85f322/32.png) [@Malthus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malthus)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2014, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guardians-of-the-galaxy-spoilers-i-imagine/694556/254 "2014-08-27T22:22:21Z")
What I want to know is how Rocket and Groot thought they could get away with kidnapping someone in broad daylight in front of hundreds of witnesses, on a planet that evidently has cops. Well, _Rocket_ anyway. I assume Groot wouldn’t know the difference. ---
**Author:** ![Raguleader](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/258eb7/32.png) [@Raguleader](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Raguleader)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2014, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guardians-of-the-galaxy-spoilers-i-imagine/694556/255 "2014-08-27T22:22:39Z")
And it’s always possible that it was because he was a Terran and they just don’t like Terrans. I mean, have you seen what a mess their homeworld is in the Marvel Cinematic Universe? Do you think Xandar wants them to bring that sort of trouble to their lovely peaceful homeworld? ---
**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:** [August 28, 2014, 1:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guardians-of-the-galaxy-spoilers-i-imagine/694556/256 "2014-08-28T01:37:04Z")
I find it very plausible that the same tech that produced a collapsible oxygen mask and rocket boots could also produce a functional substitute for a pair of AA batteries that would last for decades. It’s just a constant voltage source with a metal contact on each end. ---
**Author:** ![TheSeaOtter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ed655f/32.png) [@TheSeaOtter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheSeaOtter)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2014, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guardians-of-the-galaxy-spoilers-i-imagine/694556/257 "2014-08-28T15:25:58Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > I find it very plausible that the same tech that produced a collapsible oxygen mask and rocket boots could also produce a functional substitute for a pair of AA batteries that would last for decades. It’s just a constant voltage source with a metal contact on each end. Considering how useful electrical current is, it’d be surprising if they didn’t have it in space, but if they somehow didn’t, all you really need is a couple pieces of metal and a space potato. Which is the sort of thing that even a kid might know, if his parents were big on science projects. As for the missing courtroom drama, I was one of those who assumed that they all had outstanding prior convictions - possibly a lot of them. They’re all career criminals, after all. Rocket even boasts about how many prisons he’s broken out of. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2014, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guardians-of-the-galaxy-spoilers-i-imagine/694556/258 "2014-08-28T17:06:48Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > I find it very plausible that the same tech that produced a collapsible oxygen mask and rocket boots could also produce a functional substitute for a pair of AA batteries that would last for decades. It’s just a constant voltage source with a metal contact on each end. Batteries are no problem. Exact dup of a tape? Cassette tapes can last a while under perfect conditions, if not played a lot. Note “perfect conditions” and “not played a lot”. ---
**Author:** ![cmkeller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmkeller/32/118_2.png) [@cmkeller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmkeller)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2014, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guardians-of-the-galaxy-spoilers-i-imagine/694556/259 "2014-08-28T17:11:17Z")
n/m ---
**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:** [August 28, 2014, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guardians-of-the-galaxy-spoilers-i-imagine/694556/260 "2014-08-28T18:37:00Z")
I’ve a hunch that the tape is a Ship of Theseus, or at least that the tape itself is not the original. As in, he makes a copy of the cassette, and then transfers over the spools into the original plastic casing. Or, his mom wanted the tapes to last a long time, so she borrowed some tech from his dad to make them in the first place. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guardians-of-the-galaxy-spoilers-i-imagine/694556.md?page=12) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guardians-of-the-galaxy-spoilers-i-imagine/694556.md?page=14)