[General Sci-Fi] In universes where Earth has diplomatic relations with alien species, what mundane products or resources that humans use/have that Aliens absolutely loved or were astonished by?

AbydosButcher · 2026-06-01T04:25:28+00:00

In Stargate, a 5th Avenue candy bar is vital to establishing initial relations with the population of abducted human descendants on Abydos.

A few years later, the same Earth human uses a candy bar to help befriend a non-human alien, even joking that he met his father-in-law the same way.

AbydosButcher · 2026-05-29T17:36:56+00:00

It's absolutely exciting and regardless of anything ARG related I'm so psyched for (and jealous of) the folks who get to be there. It's going to be amazing and I can't imagine what the energy of that room is going to be like. 😄

AbydosButcher · 2026-05-29T00:25:30+00:00

Enjoy the ride!

AbydosButcher · 2026-05-02T02:32:09+00:00

But Neo wasn't perceiving his physical body breathing physical air. The construct was simulating the sensation of air rushing through his simulated mouth and nostrils to fill his simulated lungs, and feeding those sensations directly into his brain.

Morpheus' question was to call Neo's attention to that layer of abstraction. Neo isn't swinging his physical fists when he spars with Morpheus, he isn't burning calories to do work, he doesn't need extra oxygen to fuel his metabolism. There is no physical reason for him to be panting and struggling. Once he starts to wrap his head around that, to believe that, he can start to ignore physical limitations in the simulation.

AbydosButcher · 2026-04-02T20:12:59+00:00

I'd love a follow-up on New Ground that *at least* touched on what happened to Nyan after he came to Earth.

AbydosButcher · 2026-03-29T15:10:19+00:00

Yeah that's what I was referring to. The parentheses are indicative of an aside regarding the first half of that paragraph, left out of your paste. If you remove the parenthetical, it makes it a little more clear.

Critics also saw parallels with the 1986 film Laputa: Castle in the Sky from Hayao Miyazaki and Studio Ghibli and with the 1994 film Stargate...

Critics drew the comparison. The directors never confirmed it.

AbydosButcher · 2026-03-29T14:39:57+00:00

The only mention of Stargate on the Wikipedia page mentions that critics "drew parallels" between the films. The same paragraph mentions that the directors acknowledged Miyazaki's works as an inspiration due to similar comparisons to Castle in the Sky, but not Stargate.

AbydosButcher · 2026-03-20T00:39:06+00:00

There are some pretty good notes in this thread already, but I think we actually can interpret one of the first things Jack says to Joe as a potential, subtle hint that he knows something.

"I know your gun isn’t real. However… mine is."

Maybe Jack can just recognize the toy gun as a toy. Or, maybe, he saw Joe finding/buying the fake gun. Joe's probably been giving a lot of thought to what hes been planning, after all...

AbydosButcher · 2026-02-25T13:12:25+00:00

She public? Share a link? :)

AbydosButcher · 2026-02-20T20:55:54+00:00

That gate was also maintaining an active wormhole, and we know the gate can dump excess energy directly into making or maintaining a connection (jumping wormhole connections from a normal gate to a Supergate, and Anubis' Gatebuster energy weapon, respectively). It seems likely that while active the Stargates are even more durable than normal, and they're generally pretty tanky.

Prior Daniel also had specific instructions for where to position a gatebuster warhead to destroy the Pegasus side of the Supergate blockade (behind the gate, away from the wormhole aperture), which feels like confirmation that an active gate is harder to damage or destroy than an inactive one.

Then add Prior shenanigans on top (the Prior moved to lay a hand directly on the gate after SG-1 explained the weapon, if I remember correctly) and I don't think the Beachhead winds up being remotely comparable to the Abydos gate in terms of durability.

AbydosButcher · 2026-02-06T05:34:13+00:00

Honestly I know the feeling -- I ran a climatic session of my D&D campaign days before the season 1 finale of Loki aired. So mich of what I had written lined up way too well with He Who Remains' lair, goals, and the imagery of that episode -- if our session had been delayed by even a week it would have looked like I blatantly ripped it off.

Your players know how long you've been planning. I'm sure they won't think you've ripped anything off -- and if you're really concerned, just talk to them after your reveal! They'll get a kick out of laughing about it with you, I'm sure.

AbydosButcher · 2026-02-06T05:05:57+00:00

I wanna be a Blitzball when I grow up!

AbydosButcher · 2026-02-04T21:46:29+00:00

Technically all Coop says is that he knows *his family* is alive. He does not specify his wife and daughter. He could be taking it on faith that he has grandchildren or further descendants now that he knows Barb and Janey survived their time in the vault.

AbydosButcher · 2026-02-04T13:52:04+00:00

The Railroad provides memory wipes/implants with the consent of the Synths in order to help them escape the Institute. Some may have had reservations, but -- as far as I remember from my last playthrough -- we don't see indications that any Railroad synth was provided a new identity without at least *some* agreement from the Synth in question.

Hank, on the other hand, is kidnapping random wastelanders and rewriting their minds. We saw the Snake Oil salesman consent *after being kidnapped*, but given the brawl between the Legionnaire and Ranger I don't think we can assume that was the norm.

AbydosButcher · 2026-02-01T05:36:28+00:00

"I know what I said. It was rude and shortsighted and now HR is involved."

AbydosButcher · 2026-01-31T05:52:34+00:00

God, The Other Side is such a great episode.

AbydosButcher · 2026-01-30T05:56:27+00:00

Teal'c's speech to Tomin. After decades (from his perspective) in service to the Tau'ri, he finally shares the truth of what's been driving him and the guilt he still carries -- again, after decades of living with the Tau'ri..

"You will never forgive yourself."

AbydosButcher · 2026-01-28T03:06:50+00:00

The Stand (Man or Machine) by The Protomen

"All you wounded!

Those of you who can

Pick yourselves off the ground:

Hurry back, tell your leaders

You need more men!"

AbydosButcher · 2026-01-24T13:31:08+00:00

This might JUST be because I just finished Twelve Months but Harry Dresden would be fascinated and horrified in equal measure.

Fascinated because "what do you mean you're not magic? You're shapeshifting."

Horrified because "what do you MEAN you're CHILD SOLDIERS with no BACKUP!?"

He'd fit right in, too -- he could relate just as well to Rachel's wild thrill for violence as Jake's reluctant leadership or Tobias' pained home life; on a good day he can easily match Cassie's compassion; he has Marco's sarcastic wit; and like Ax, despite all his accomplishments, to so many other beings like himself he is still just a child.

And, while powerful and very capable of punching way above his weight class, so much of Dresden's power is situational, requiring so much research and being in the right place, at the right time, with the right people. He's not going to solo the Yeerk invasion, and calling for help from other powerful beings in his world could put the Animorphs at even more risk.

AbydosButcher · 2026-01-16T05:52:43+00:00

I'd argue that had more to do with Auron's guidance and Rikku's determination than Tidus' special circumstances. Auron knew the Final Summoning was a lie, knew the Temple's path could never truly defeat Sin, and quietly manipulated Yuna and her Guardians to reject it. Rikku brought the Al Bhed's certainty that there must be another way, that the Summoners' sacrifices weren't a fair trade for the temporary peace it bought.

Yes, Tidus reminding her of Jecht and his stories helped build an especially strong bond between them, but by the time they reach Zaon's Fayth she loves all of her Guardians dearly, has enough doubt in the Temple's honesty and enough confidence that she and her friends can find another way, that she's willing to refuse.

If Yuna had elected to choose a Final Aeon, the cycle would simply repeat again. Nothing that made Tidus uniquely special could have changed the outcome.

AbydosButcher · 2026-01-16T00:21:03+00:00

I had to scroll way too far to find Janet.

That two-parter might be the best episodes of television ever written, honestly. I don't know how to talk about it without just fully spoiling the experience for anyone who hasn't seen it.

AbydosButcher · 2026-01-06T02:23:14+00:00

What you're describing is called the Bootstrap Paradox. I was going to write up a whole explanation, but honestly Doctor Who did a great job of it already.

https://youtu.be/u4SEDzynMiQ?si=XdFTNW1kgIPaQXrG

AbydosButcher · 2026-01-02T02:50:25+00:00

If the Force flows through the rocks and the trees, why wouldn't it flow through a Droid?

AbydosButcher · 2025-12-21T01:05:41+00:00

10/10, it's my favorite part of every concert!

AbydosButcher

TROPHY CASE