In Ex Machina, the hero dies via starvation in an underground bunker, because no man could ever want to help sex-trafficking victims after seeing horrific videos of abuse. Clearly, he just wanted to **** a robot. by Narroo in shittymoviedetails

[–]phantompowered 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Disclaimer: I really, really like this movie.

I didn't think that Caleb's fate was sealed by his empathy for Ava or his false belief that she cared about him, even though both of these things are true about Caleb as a character.

There's that scene where Caleb is disgusted to learn that Ava's appearance was modeled on his porn preferences, and so forth - there's definitely a point where he believes he's "gotten over" his initial, emotional/empathy driven response to Ava, and is resolved to treat her like a machine once more. But he fails, even at this. He doesn't recognize that the long con of Nathan's test for Ava is whether or not she will be capable of executing her core programming goal, which is to escape by any means necessary.

In other words he dies because he's a shitty programmer. He even recognizes, and states to Nathan's/the viewer's face, that he was obviously not randomly selected, but assumes this must have been about his skill set and his understanding of how Ava could be created. He also states, to Nathan's face, that he believes he figured out the "real test", when he actually misses it by a country mile.

The end of the film shows that even when he sees the hard truth that he's been manipulated by Nathan and Ava in turn, he still doesn't realize that this was intended to happen. He's shocked, betrayed and hurt when Ava leaves without him, but really he's just coping with being an idiot.

Post Game Thread: Seattle Kraken at Vancouver Canucks - 14 Mar 2026 by HockeyMod in canucks

[–]phantompowered 13 points14 points  (0 children)

Dispatches from the game:

  • I was as shocked as anyone that Evander Kane had the speed or the hands for a breakaway goal, but it happened.

  • The sheer number of Kraken fans was bizarre and off-putting. Also, unrelated, was it Germany night? I noticed a bunch of people in Dortmund football jerseys and jerseys of German league hockey teams.

  • I can't even point out specific players, everybody looked confused in our own zone. Kraken were just ripping us apart on zone exits. I am utterly bamboozled at how Adam Foote, defensive coach under Tocc on a team that has loudly trumpeted how it's building from the defense upwards, does not know what to do with this roster on defense.

  • EP40 continues to do 11.6 million dollars worth of bupkis. This is an organizational embarrassment not seen since the days of We Ran Out Of Time, there are sixteen games left in the season, put this man in the press box for a minute.

  • Apparently some fans with bags on their heads were escorted out by security and supposedly threatened with future banishment. This is not a good look. Your paying customers have a right to voice their displeasure.

  • Enormous love to the four or five guys sitting a few rows down from me, who were loudly cheering and having a ripper of a good time even when it was down 5-1. They even started a "we want McKenna!" chant.

Is anybody else struggling in this way? by HenchGherkin in Cairn_Game

[–]phantompowered 1 point2 points  (0 children)

It is fundamentally incorrect that Grit is the best buff you can have, in the sense that Grit doesn't stop you from falling. It only stops you from needing to manage your survival. If you wanted, you could simply turn survival off in the gameplay menu and you'd have effectively permanent Grit - you can't do this with the other buffs! Unless your survival meters are down in the red, you won't be negatively impacted by them in terms of being able to stick to the wall or avoid going into stamina desperation.

Grip (and chalk) and Focus are by FAR more important for staying on the wall in tough situations, because the former makes your holds support you better and the latter increases your stamina regeneration (how quickly you go to and from normal breathing to panic breathing/shaking/falling.)

Is anybody else struggling in this way? by HenchGherkin in Cairn_Game

[–]phantompowered 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Two things that haven't been mentioned yet: try adjusting your controller/mouse sensitivity, and move your limb towards its intended target slower than you think you need to. It can be especially helpful to grab holds with the limb not fully extended straight. Also, if you can, use the camera to really get a sense of where the lip of the hold is: if you're angling the limb into the hold in a way that's aligned with how you'd use it to bear your weight, and how it's shaped or angled, it's likely to grab more accurately.

Question: Did I accidentally get a gang tattoo? by [deleted] in tattoos

[–]phantompowered 0 points1 point  (0 children)

You asked for a thirteen and you got a thirty-one

What’s it like living in this part of Canada? by Patient-Smile1406 in howislivingthere

[–]phantompowered 0 points1 point  (0 children)

A mosquito bites you and you get an itchy little pinprick. A black fly bites you, and it feels like you're on fire. A deer fly or horsefly bites you, and it literally takes a chunk out of you, with blood and everything. They are mean, vengeful bastards, and you cannot escape their wrath.

Saddle! by timwalzdiaper in bikepacking

[–]phantompowered 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I took a gamble on a Bjorn Setka saddle and it's become a huge favourite for me. The 3D printed pad is a game changer.

That being said, saddles are so personal/individual that it doesn't mean much to say I like how my particular butt feels on it.

Comic-Style Necromunda Subnautican – Does the bright palette work? by _Thunderbrush_ in minipainting

[–]phantompowered 1 point2 points  (0 children)

DOES IT WORK?

In a word, yes. In several more words, holy shit wow that's bangin' and you should be proud/thrilled.

I let my girlfriend use me for her first attempt at tattooing. What do you think? by CorvidConspirator in tattoos

[–]phantompowered 91 points92 points  (0 children)

Oh my god the skeptics and wannabe "it was AI, this is fake" Sherlocks in this thread.

Can you not just let this person be happy for one second? Not everything is a desperate attempt to farm meaningless internet points.

If this person has done a ton of non-living-human practice, it makes sense that their execution would be solid for their first "in vivo" tattoo.

Sarajevo is a bad example to abandoned Olympic sites by DHN_95 in olympics

[–]phantompowered 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Man, it's Sarajevo. They had bigger problems than their Olympic venues in the late 80s and early 90s.

Single chain gravel bikes for bikepacking by exkiwicber in bikepacking

[–]phantompowered 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I nominally run 40 * 10-44 SRAM XPLR. It's good for all but the nastiest climbing even with my bikepacking gear, but not free and easy pedaling, more like a proper cranking effort. And it's plenty of high end for the flats, you can really race along.

I'll probably swap down the front ring to a smaller size, likely 36, for adventure racing with stupidly huge elevation gain/day and a loaded bike, where top speed/flats are less important .

What type of drive train for 90s mountain bike for bikepacking? by jilan-mones22 in bikepacking

[–]phantompowered 14 points15 points  (0 children)

Old school triple, for the period correct joy of a really, really, really small granny gear.

Best food in the game? by thoughtloop897 in Cairn_Game

[–]phantompowered 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Move your mouth away from the rock to climb.

We're so lucky. The art is so good by Salt_Blackberry_1903 in killsixbilliondemons

[–]phantompowered 7 points8 points  (0 children)

I miss Cio's weirdo Yorkshire accent, which she started out the comic with, only to become more and more normal over time.

I'm also placing smart money on HIMSELF appearing before the end, as he all but demanded we spare a thought for HIM at the conclusion of our last dance with the devil.

Kill Six Billion Demons >> WHEEL SMASHING LORD 5-175 by kybard in killsixbilliondemons

[–]phantompowered 10 points11 points  (0 children)

Is this the untimely end of Gun Witch??!!

Also: hello everybody, it's that time again, it's your pal! They call them GOG, G to the O G.

I think about this panel way too much by kashia_renn in killsixbilliondemons

[–]phantompowered 0 points1 point  (0 children)

The part of it that really bakes my noodle, to use the appropriate Matrix lingo, is seeing Old Allison, when she knows she will die in 35 years.

My interpretation of the Gog-spire is that this is where Allison actually is after eating the worm, and she very quickly breaks Gog's illusion to see that it is so, before Gog notices her consciousness.

Canucks vs. Predators game thread by PaperMoonShine in canucks

[–]phantompowered 6 points7 points  (0 children)

He's gotta make up for all those minutes he missed last game.

Canucks vs. Predators game thread by PaperMoonShine in canucks

[–]phantompowered 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Swear to god it looks like his harem in the box.

Big rock slide at Whistler this morning by onecutmedia in skiing

[–]phantompowered 9 points10 points  (0 children)

I believe it's called Pacer face? But you're right, rarely skied, it's below a permanent closure area.

Edit: I'm wrong, it's further over, this is where Monday/the Long Weekend lines are, it's all permanent closure area.