BronzeBruce13 Posted December 10, 2019 Share Posted December 10, 2019 24 minutes ago, fantastic_four said: I don't get the entire idea of Manhattan being able to see all points in time. If you can see the future you can change it, so how would he ever be able to see only a single outcome, and why was he resigned to the idea that there was nothing he could do to prevent himself from getting captured? Seems like all he had to do in that scene was destroy the vehicle with the quantum cannon on it and boom, outcome averted. That's what I was thinking. How could he not change the outcome. He could have also just left to anywhere Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fantastic_four Posted December 10, 2019 Share Posted December 10, 2019 I guess they called it a tachyon device of some sort, not a quantum one. I probably had quantum on the brain from Endgame. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BronzeBruce13 Posted December 10, 2019 Share Posted December 10, 2019 17 minutes ago, fantastic_four said: Yes, but why avoid showing his face before that? Consistently throughout the episode you always saw him either from behind or from the neck down before he transformed into Cal. You could hear the voice of another actor but you never saw his face. I was also wondering this but perhaps he thought having multiple facial characteristics would confuse the viewer, or if not, it eliminates another actor from having to play the role briefly and have little else to contribute. Maybe, if he survives, comes back, etc. he will always retain Cals appearance for Angela. It also added a little build up and mystery before we see him... for whatever that was worth. Btw... loved the Leftovers (underrated and unique) and Prometheus. Lost... hated the last couple seasons and especially the ending. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bosco685 Posted December 10, 2019 Share Posted December 10, 2019 5 minutes ago, BronzeBruce13 said: That's what I was thinking. How could he not change the outcome. He could have also just left to anywhere 30 minutes ago, fantastic_four said: I don't get the entire idea of Manhattan being able to see all points in time. If you can see the future you can change it, so how would he ever be able to see only a single outcome, and why was he resigned to the idea that there was nothing he could do to prevent himself from getting captured? Seems like all he had to do in that scene was destroy the vehicle with the quantum cannon on it and boom, outcome averted. He doesn't travel through time. He experiences time in the comic books. So the situation where what he says in the past based on what Angela asked him to challenge her grandfather about may have actually been a plot hole. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fantastic_four Posted December 10, 2019 Share Posted December 10, 2019 (edited) 3 minutes ago, Bosco685 said: He doesn't travel through time. He experiences time in the comic books. So the situation where what he says in the past based on what Angela asked him to challenge her grandfather about may have actually been a plot hole. Yes, he experience all times at once. But if you can experience the future from the past, why does that preclude you from taking different actions? The entire idea of that makes no sense to me. It wasn't a plot hole for the past/present conversation to take place because he's experiencing them all simultaneously, so he can talk to his future/past self at any time and his future/past self will immediately know what the other version said. Edited December 10, 2019 by fantastic_four Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bosco685 Posted December 10, 2019 Share Posted December 10, 2019 3 minutes ago, fantastic_four said: Yes, he experience all times at once. But if you can experience the future from the past, why does that preclude you from taking different actions? The entire idea of that makes no sense to me. It wasn't a plot hole for the past/present conversation to take place because he's experiencing them all simultaneously, so he can talk to his future/past self at any time and his future/past self will immediately know what the other version said. But that is the challenge Doctor Manhattan faces here, in that if he can influence his actions throughout time at any point he can also alter events. Which I believe he tries not to do. Otherwise, why would he allow himself to experience what he did at the end of the episode? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fantastic_four Posted December 10, 2019 Share Posted December 10, 2019 1 minute ago, Bosco685 said: But that is the challenge Doctor Manhattan faces here, in that if he can influence his actions throughout time at any point he can also alter events. Which I believe he tries not to do. Otherwise, why would he allow himself to experience what he did at the end of the episode? Don't know, that's what confuses me. And it's not just that he TRIES not to alter events, he explicitly says to Angela there's nothing at all he can do to alter events--and I don't understand why, at all. There's an infinite number of things he could have done. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bosco685 Posted December 10, 2019 Share Posted December 10, 2019 12 minutes ago, fantastic_four said: Don't know, that's what confuses me. And it's not just that he TRIES not to alter events, he explicitly says to Angela there's nothing at all he can do to alter events--and I don't understand why, at all. There's an infinite number of things he could have done. It may come down to the risk if you alter events, you can only make them worse - not better. And if he is able to see years ahead, this also may mean Doctor Manhattan can see the good that comes out of a situation over time. So to change that path would be disruptive to the end-state he can clearly see. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fantastic_four Posted December 10, 2019 Share Posted December 10, 2019 18 minutes ago, Bosco685 said: And if he is able to see years ahead, this also may mean Doctor Manhattan can see the good that comes out of a situation over time. So to change that path would be disruptive to the end-state he can clearly see. That could be. Guess we'll see by the end of next episode. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kimik Posted December 10, 2019 Share Posted December 10, 2019 (edited) Is he really dead, though? If it was that simple, Veidt would have used a tachyon pulse to kill him in Karnak/Antarctic. He had the technology - he irradiated the amnesia device with tachyons. In any case, I hope they continue with more Watchmen story arcs/seasons after this one. It has been a fun ride so far. Edited December 10, 2019 by kimik Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fantastic_four Posted December 10, 2019 Share Posted December 10, 2019 3 hours ago, kimik said: Is he really dead, though? If it was that simple, Veidt would have used a tachyon pulse to kill him in Karnak/Antarctic. He had the technology - he irradiated the amnesia device with tachyons. No, he's not dead, he's captured. And whatever they're doing here is a new idea by Lady Trieu we'd have to assume Veidt hadn't thought of. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Comicopolis Posted December 10, 2019 Share Posted December 10, 2019 6 hours ago, fantastic_four said: Don't know, that's what confuses me. And it's not just that he TRIES not to alter events, he explicitly says to Angela there's nothing at all he can do to alter events--and I don't understand why, at all. There's an infinite number of things he could have done. You don't need to understand everything. It's less stressful. jsilverjanet 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Comicopolis Posted December 10, 2019 Share Posted December 10, 2019 I do love this show. jsilverjanet, Bosco685 and bentbryan 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bosco685 Posted December 10, 2019 Share Posted December 10, 2019 5 hours ago, kimik said: Is he really dead, though? If it was that simple, Veidt would have used a tachyon pulse to kill him in Karnak/Antarctic. He had the technology - he irradiated the amnesia device with tachyons. In any case, I hope they continue with more Watchmen story arcs/seasons after this one. It has been a fun ride so far. I think he may survive based on previous events. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fantastic_four Posted December 10, 2019 Share Posted December 10, 2019 2 hours ago, Comicopolis said: 9 hours ago, fantastic_four said: Don't know, that's what confuses me. And it's not just that he TRIES not to alter events, he explicitly says to Angela there's nothing at all he can do to alter events--and I don't understand why, at all. There's an infinite number of things he could have done. You don't need to understand everything. It's less stressful. As is incontinence...I'll embrace it when it comes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bentbryan Posted December 10, 2019 Share Posted December 10, 2019 9 hours ago, fantastic_four said: Don't know, that's what confuses me. And it's not just that he TRIES not to alter events, he explicitly says to Angela there's nothing at all he can do to alter events--and I don't understand why, at all. There's an infinite number of things he could have done. This kinda bugs me as well. He’s essentially a god that can create life on a barren moon surface but can’t take out one last guy in a pick-up truck to keep from getting captured? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bosco685 Posted December 12, 2019 Share Posted December 12, 2019 Quote This Sunday, HBO’s Watchmen series will reach the end of its first season. But viewers may want to set aside a little extra time to take it all in. HBO has revealed that Watchmen‘s season finale, “See How They Fly,” will run a total of 67 minutes in length. That’s a bit longer than any of the previous episodes that have aired. Most of the other episodes have run anywhere between 52 and 61 minutes. Showrunner Damon Lindelof has previously explained that Watchmen is a self-contained story. That means the season finale could also be a series finale. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marwai Posted December 12, 2019 Share Posted December 12, 2019 On 12/10/2019 at 6:44 AM, fantastic_four said: That could be. Guess we'll see by the end of next episode. Doctor Manhattan cannot change anything that happens. He's a puppet like the rest of the characters, only he can see the strings (like we as the reader/audience can). He experiences time like we experience the comic books. He can open all the issues at the same time and skip around, take it all in at once, or go back and forth to compare panels in different issues. He can see the way Alan Moore wrote in symmetry, foreshadowing, callbacks, the ending, etc. The outcome in issue 12 is already written, so Doctor Manhattan as a character (and we as the audience) can't change what God (Moore) has already written. Same thing for the show. Antpark and Comicopolis 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fantastic_four Posted December 13, 2019 Share Posted December 13, 2019 15 hours ago, Marwai said: Doctor Manhattan cannot change anything that happens. He's a puppet like the rest of the characters, only he can see the strings (like we as the reader/audience can). He experiences time like we experience the comic books. He can open all the issues at the same time and skip around, take it all in at once, or go back and forth to compare panels in different issues. He can see the way Alan Moore wrote in symmetry, foreshadowing, callbacks, the ending, etc. The outcome in issue 12 is already written, so Doctor Manhattan as a character (and we as the audience) can't change what God (Moore) has already written. Same thing for the show. Yes I know how it works just not why knowing the outcome of everything could prevent you from doing something different. If he has no free will what's controlling what he does? I can't conceive of such a concept, seems bizarre. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kimik Posted December 13, 2019 Share Posted December 13, 2019 I am curious to see how Wade/Mirror Guy pops back into the story in the Season Finale. He took one of the Cavalry masks in his bunker if I am not mistaken. I hope they show a flashback to how that shootout went down. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...