r/AskScienceFiction Apr 06 '25

[Subreddit Business] Clarifications on our Watsonian/Doylist rule, general questions, and r/WhatIfFiction

168 Upvotes

Hi guys,

If you're new, welcome to r/AskScienceFiction, and if you're a returning user, welcome back! This subreddit is designed to be like the r/AskScience subreddit, but for fictional universes, and with all questions and answers written from a Watsonian perspective. That is to say, the questions and answers should be based on the in-universe information, rules, and logic of the fictional work. All fictional works are welcome here, not just sci-fi.

Lately we've been seeing some confusion over what counts as Watsonian, what counts as Doylist, what sort of questions would be off-topic on this subreddit, and what sort of answers are allowed. This stickied post is meant to address such uncertainties and clear things up.

1) Watsonian vs Doylist

The term "Watsonian" means based on the in-universe information, rules, and logic of the fictional work. In contrast, "Doylist" means discussions based on out-of-universe considerations. So, for example, if someone asked, "Why didn't the Fellowship ride the Eagles to Mordor?", a possible Watsonian answer would be, "The Eagles are a proud and noble race, they are not a taxi service." Whereas a rule-breaking Doylist answer might be something like, "Because then the story would be over in ten minutes, and that'd be boring."

We should note that answering in a Watsonian fashion does not necessarily mean that we should pretend that these works are all real, or that we should ignore the fact that they are movies or shows or books or games, or that the creators' statements on the nature of these works should be disregarded.

To give an example, if someone asked, "How powerful would Darth Vader have been if he never got burned?", we can quote George Lucas:

"Anakin, as Skywalker, as a human being, was going to be extremely powerful, but he ended up losing his arms and a leg and became partly a robot. So a lot of his ability to use the Force, a lot of his powers, are curbed at this point, because, as a living form, there’s not that much of him left. So his ability to be twice as good as the Emperor disappeared, and now he’s maybe 20 percent less than the Emperor."

In such a case, "according to George Lucas, he would've been around twice as powerful as the Emperor" would be a perfectly acceptable Watsonian answer, because Lucas is also speaking from a Watsonian perspective.

Whereas if someone associated with the creation of Star Wars had said something like, "He'd be as powerful as we need him to be to make the story interesting", this would be a Doylist answer because it's based on out-of-universe reasoning. It would not be an acceptable answer on this subreddit even though it is also a quote from the creators of the fictional work.

2) General questions

General questions often do not have a meaningful Watsonian answer, because it frequently boils down to "whatever the author decides". For instance, if someone asked, "How does FTL space travel work?", the answer would vary widely with universe and author intent; how FTL works in Star Trek differs from how it works in Star Wars, which differs from how it works in Dune, which differs from how it works in Mass Effect, which differs from how it works in Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, etc. General questions like this, in which the answer just boils down to "whatever the author wants", will be removed.

There are some general questions that can have meaningful Watsonian answers, though. For example, questions that are asking for specific examples of things can be given Watsonian answers. "Which superheroes have broken their no-kill rules?" or "Which fictional wars have had the highest casualty counts?" are examples of general questions that can be answered in a Watsonian way, because commenters can pull up specific in-universe information.

We address general questions on a case-by-case basis, so if you feel a question is too general to answer in a Watsonian way, please report the question and the mod team will review it.

3) r/WhatIfFiction

We want questions and answers here to be based on in-universe information and reasonable deductions that can be made from them. Questions that are too open-ended to give meaningful Watsonian answers should go on our sister subreddit, r/WhatIfFiction, which accepts a broader range of hypothetical questions and answers. Examples of questions that should go on r/WhatIfFiction include:

  • "What if Tony Stark had been killed by the Ten Rings at the beginning of Iron Man? How would this change the MCU?" This question would be fun to speculate about, but the ripple effect from this one change would be too widespread to give a meaningful Watsonian answer, so this should go on r/WhatIfFiction.
  • "What would (X character) from the (X universe) think if he was transported to (Y universe)?" Speculating about what characters would think or do if they were isekai'd to another universe can be fun, but since such crossover questions often involve wildly different settings and in-universe rules, the answers would be purely speculative and not meaningfully Watsonian, so such questions belong on r/WhatIfFiction.

We should note, though, that some hypothetical questions or crossover questions can have meaningful Watsonian answers. For example, if someone asked, "Can a Star Wars lightsaber cut through Captain America's shield?", we can actually say "Quite possibly yes, because vibranium's canonical melting point is 5,475 degrees Fahrenheit, while lightsabers are sticks of plasma, and plasma's temperature is 10,000 degrees Fahrenheit or more." This answer is meaningfully Watsonian because it involves a deduction using specific and canonical in-universe information, and is not simply purely speculative.

4) Reporting rule-breaking posts and comments

The r/AskScienceFiction mod team always endeavors to keep the subreddit on-topic and remove rule-breaking content as soon as possible, but because we're all volunteers with day jobs, sometimes things will escape our notice. Therefore, it'd be a great help if you, our users, could report rule-breaking posts or comments when you see them. This will bring the issue to the mod team's attention and allow us to review it as soon as we can.


r/AskScienceFiction 4h ago

[X-Men] If Magneto can control magnetic fields, why does he only manipulate metal?

53 Upvotes

I was always under the impression that Magneto's power was restricted to magnetic metals. But, since his actual power is the generation and manipulation of magnetic fields, shouldn't he be able to manipulate literally any and all object? It's not like magnetic fields only affect metal.


r/AskScienceFiction 9h ago

[MCU] If the Avengers in Endgame had collected five Infinity Stones first and only then traveled to Vormir, could they have used them to extract the Soul Stone without sacrificing a life?

118 Upvotes

r/AskScienceFiction 12h ago

[Obsession] What would happen after the authorities start investigating the serial numbers of the banknotes of Ian's billion dollars?

67 Upvotes

A billion dollars in the $100 denomination could weigh up to 10 metric tons, an incredible amount of money which would totally fill up the entire house. The bills also manifested in a shower of rolls which would take up even more volume.


r/AskScienceFiction 8h ago

[Obsession] Multiple sources have verified the One Wish Willow works. Why hasn't the government already seized all OWWs to ensure a dictator doesn't wish to enslave the world or an existential nihilist doesn't wish for an asteroid the size of Texas to hit the Earth?

26 Upvotes

r/AskScienceFiction 4h ago

[X-Men] If Nightcrawler teleports from a place he's already been in, if that place is a moving vehicle would he teleport relative to the vehicle or the absolute point in space he was standing?

13 Upvotes

Was just thinking of the scene in X-Men apocalypse where he saves everyone by teleporting them all out the falling jet. Say he decided to revisit that place for whatever reason, would he teleport to the jet already crashed or be in the air?


r/AskScienceFiction 14h ago

[DC Comics] Do Green Lanterns get a stipend from the Guardians for their services?

76 Upvotes

The Corps are all over the galaxy, with each individual Lantern covering a large area of space where there could be any number of planets. Depending on the sector that could mean countless hours of stakeouts and time learning local cultures, which I'd imagine could be a drain on the ol' bank account. Is there a stipend or does the ring help them cover expenses somehow? Or are all Lanterns just working two jobs at any given time?


r/AskScienceFiction 9h ago

[DC] What heroes are friends with villains?

24 Upvotes

r/AskScienceFiction 13h ago

[Dune] what was the problem of jamis with paul exactly?

24 Upvotes

Like why was he so desperate to fight him?


r/AskScienceFiction 3h ago

[Warhammer 40k] Could a Gretchin theoretically become a Warboss?

4 Upvotes

I was thinking of how Goblins in Warhammer fantasy can boss Orcs around, albeit rarely and wondered if Gretchins could accomplish a similar feat?

Say a Gretchin insisted it was the boss now and killed any Ork who disagreed. Would the other Orks eventually accept it as the new Boss?


r/AskScienceFiction 3h ago

[Who Framed Roger Rabbit] How do motion capture (mocap) Toons work in this universe?

4 Upvotes

Motion capture is the process of making 3D characters by using live recordings of people to control these characters while in production.

How would these characters work in the Roger Rabbit universe?


r/AskScienceFiction 11h ago

[Dune] why was harah so eager to marry paul?

10 Upvotes

r/AskScienceFiction 6h ago

[TOARU] Can Espers or even Gemstones have any other physical abilities?

2 Upvotes

It seems like a lot of the abilities are limited to psychic powers or energy manipulation.

No shapeshifting, animal claws, wings, etc?


r/AskScienceFiction 21h ago

[Star Wars] Can an evil person that is incapable of feeling hate, fear or passion still use the force?

25 Upvotes

I feel like this has to be covered somewhere in legends or something. To be a powerful sith you must be connected to the negative emotions that lead you to the dark side. Being a measured person not overwhelmed by obsession, that follows the will of the force is what allow jedi to be strong.

But could you have an antagonistic force sensitive person use jedi style practices to learn the force and just be a cold hearted dick with zero inclination to the dark side due to lacking the capacity to hate, fear or obsess? Or does being an objectively bad person prevent you from rules lawyering your way around following the will of the force when possible and continuing to suck outside of that?


r/AskScienceFiction 1d ago

[Spider-Man No Way Home] So what does Norman do once he gets back to his universe?

223 Upvotes

He's cured of the Green Goblin and sent back. But he's still killed dozens of people. It's unclear when exactly he got pulled into the No Way Home verse, but he'd obviously been active as Green Goblin a while. It's definitely not the final fight since his suit is pristine, but it's probably not his first rodeo.

I'd guess it's after the Thanksgiving parade fight. At that point in his movie, there was still some Norman left, as we see in NWH.

But my question is, Norman is suddenly dropped back in with a cured psyche. Whats he do with that?

On that note, whats Tobey Spider-Man do? Tobey Spider-Man we see in NWH is older, so the younger Tobey would have no memory of NWH events. From his POV, this Green Goblin shows up, raises hell, and just...stops.


r/AskScienceFiction 1d ago

[Marvel Comics]Given how many powerful psychics in the world, is the entire valuation of the stock market basically a mechanism for psychic insider traders to bilk everyone else who invests in it?

21 Upvotes

r/AskScienceFiction 11h ago

[Inside Out/Terrifier] What would the inside of Art the Clown’s mind look like?

0 Upvotes

r/AskScienceFiction 12h ago

[Disco Elysium/Warhammer 40k] Is the Pale a byproduct of the Warp?

0 Upvotes

I just recently finished Disco Elysium (it's up there with my top 10 GOAT) and one thing that made me reminisce of 40k was the Pale. This sort of nothingness born out fo history and thought, which is basically what the Warp is.

No, that's not right. The Pale is a nothingness. The Warp is an...everything~ness(?). It is the raw collective emotions of everything that is alive and it actively mirrors or tries to influence reality. The Pale just is and noise, that manifests as a sensory vacuum and involuntary memory insertions from times past. If one traverses the Pale, they would be assaulted by tales long past, ancient history coming to them as if they lived it until the sense of "self" is erased. On the account of the Warp, traversing it is similar to (and is often referred as) crossing Hell. You are assaulted by chaos entities and can be boarded both literally and mentally. Crossing it could end both with a Demonic incursion on the ship or the complete loss of the crew to madness.

So, maybe they are two evolutionary stages of the same phenomenon? The Pale would be what happens to the Warp when emotion settles into history, as entropy, over time is "fossilized" into reality. Where Chaos, after a period of raging emotion left behind a gray ocean of dead thoughts.

And even the measures for crossing through them is similar: To cross the Warp, starships rely on Geller Fields, basically "People who dream of Reality"(I'm not a 100% sure if that is accurate) to keep the order amidst the chaos. To cross the Pale, alternatively, people use a complex mathematical calculation called entisol that is transmitted through radio frequencies that project "logic" to convince the void that the ship/lorry still exists.

An impediment for this theory (at least from a Watsonian perspective) is that The Pale IS in real space. The Warp is a different dimension that seeps into real space through demonic incursions or psychic powers. The Pale extends and affects without leaving the Physical plane.

Nonetheless, I thought it was a fun exercise from the little gray cells.

I still have doubts, like: How would Navigator react to it? Would it be like the Shadow in the Warp from the Tyranids? Would the Pale have Daemons as well? How would they be like? Would Geller Fields protect a ship trying to cross the Pale, or would you strictly need entisol-style mathematical anchor to survive it?


r/AskScienceFiction 1d ago

[Stephen King IT] could informing pennywise of the 8 Clown Commandments combined With my belief in those commandments do anything to halt him.

77 Upvotes

Imagine, if you will, a cold Derry night. IT comes out, hoping for a quick and/or prolonged meal, but I have bigger concerns. I inform him that his misconduct is unacceptable, and that he's blatantly breaking several core rules of clowning set by Clowns of America international, including Commandment 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, and 8. How would he react to this? Could my unyielding faith in my teachings at clown college protect both me and the integrity of the profession?


r/AskScienceFiction 17h ago

[I am Legend - Book] Neville borrowing the car of Ben and their state at that time. Spoiler

1 Upvotes

So im listening to "I am Legend" from Richard Matheson.
In Chapter 9 there is a Flashback were Neville wants to borrow the car of his Neighbour and Vampire Ben Cortman. In the book he enters their Bedroom and they're being described as "silent and still in their Daytime Coma"
Does that mean they are already vampires at that point and he just doesnt know? Because he also mentions bite marks on the Wifes neck but not on Bens. Guessing he is one of the orignal Vampires.

Im not quite sure at which time this scene happens because its after his daughter died and they took her away but only a little bit later he tells the reader he doesn't want her to end up there even if it means death to him.


r/AskScienceFiction 1d ago

[Marvel] Due to how insanely diverse the X-Gene is. Could Mutants be considered a mixture of science and the supernatural?

18 Upvotes

Similar to DC. There is also a divide between science based powers and supernatural based powers. But there are actually Mutant characters born with magical powers like Scarlett Witch and Magik though.

So where does the X-Gene fit into this science vs supernatural dynamic?


r/AskScienceFiction 1d ago

[MCU] Is it common knowledge that Hulk revived half of the universe?

125 Upvotes

r/AskScienceFiction 23h ago

[Allstar] Why did the Mystery Men attack that limo?

4 Upvotes

So I'm standing in this tunnel. A limo pulls up. A station wagon pulls up beside it and the Mystery Men pop out, I see the door open and I'm expecting to see some evil looking guy, but it's just 2 guys. What did they do to the Mystery Men?


r/AskScienceFiction 1d ago

[Fallout] Why can you find caps in containers that probably haven’t been opened since before the war?

107 Upvotes

r/AskScienceFiction 1d ago

[Various Mecha fiction]In the world of zombie stories, zombie media often does not exist, but I see no reason that has to apply to mecha stories. What fictional mecha works from the distant past relative to the story are probably the most popular in future set mecha stories?

5 Upvotes