explain xkcd - User contributions [en]

760: Moria

2012-12-20T18:05:53Z

KingDragonlord: /* Explanation */ changed "fearful" to "fearsome" for clarity. While "fearful" can mean "causes fear in others" it more often means "is afraid". Fearsome always means the former.

{{comic
| number = 760
| date = June 30, 2010
| title = Moria
| image = moria.png
| imagesize =
| titletext = Someone should really bring them a ladder and remind them to build the Endless Stair *first* next time.
}}

==Explanation==
This is Randall's take on the story of {{w|Moria}} in the fantasy story {{w|Lord of the Rings}}. In the original the dwarves, hunting for the precious metal mithril dug so deep that they awoke a {{w|balrog}} - a fearsome demonic creature. However, in this version, they simply got stuck down the mine. The title text suggests a mundane solution to their problem - a long ladder. The Endless stair was a very long stair case from the lowest dungeon up to the top of the mountain above Moria.

However, Gandalf's final line may be a hint that the comic's version is closer to the original than it appears - in the story, the adventuring party discovers a journal of the last dwarves to occupy Moria. The last page starts ominously: "We cannot get out. We cannot get out." That memorable sentence is used again near the end of the page as the impending final orcish attack is described by the now-dead dwarves, and repeated by Gimli as they reflect on the terrible news, lending a much darker tone to the comic's punchline.

==Transcript==
:[A far shot of Gandalf the Grey and the four hobbits standing in a dark, underground city.]
:Gandalf: Behold, Khazad-Dum; the Dwarrowdelf; the mines of Moria -- once the greatest and mightiest city of the dwarves.

:[Full body shot of Gandalf.]
:Gandalf: But the dwarves delved too greedily.

:[Close-up on Gandalf.]
:Gandalf: And too deep.

:[Full shot of the hobbits and Gandalf.]
:Hobbit: ...and awoke a terror of shadow and flame?
:Gandalf: No. They couldn't get out.

{{comic discussion}}

[[Category:LOTR]]

Talk:935: Missed Connections

2012-12-13T17:30:10Z

KingDragonlord:

A "Juggalo" is a fan of the band Insane Clown Posse, about as diametrically removed from a democratic politician as you could think of. [[Special:Contributions/75.103.23.206|75.103.23.206]] 17:09, 13 December 2012 (UTC)
:More specifically, she has a reputation for being stern and somewhat humorless making her an even better contrast to a Juggalo [[User:KingDragonlord|KingDragonlord]] ([[User talk:KingDragonlord|talk]]) 17:30, 13 December 2012 (UTC)

I'm new so I don't want to overstep bounds and just edit the page but I think it would be clearer to just say the TARDIS is a time travel device. Anyone not familiar with the tv series is not going to care what TARDIS is an acronym for. [[User:KingDragonlord|KingDragonlord]] ([[User talk:KingDragonlord|talk]]) 17:27, 13 December 2012 (UTC)

Talk:935: Missed Connections

2012-12-13T17:27:56Z

KingDragonlord:

A "Juggalo" is a fan of the band Insane Clown Posse, about as diametrically removed from a democratic politician as you could think of. [[Special:Contributions/75.103.23.206|75.103.23.206]] 17:09, 13 December 2012 (UTC)

I'm new so I don't want to overstep bounds and just edit the page but I think it would be clearer to just say the TARDIS is a time travel device. Anyone not familiar with the tv series is not going to care what TARDIS is an acronym for. [[User:KingDragonlord|KingDragonlord]] ([[User talk:KingDragonlord|talk]]) 17:27, 13 December 2012 (UTC)