Skip to main content

dc - Can we deduce the location of Metropolis by where the World Engine landed in the Indian Ocean?


In Man of Steel, (spoilers)



Zod unleashes the World Engine and sends it to the opposite side of the planet from Metropolis.



Can we deduce the real-world location of Metropolis based upon where the other piece was? Is the location on the shore of the Indian Ocean distinctive enough that we could discover where the opposite point on the Earth is? Maybe a specific place where that particular type of fishing is most common.


Anyway, it would be interesting if we could discover the location of The Big Apricot this way.



Answer



Using this map tool, I ran along the entire shoreline of the Indian Ocean. If you went straight through the earth, most of the time you would end up in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. The only place I found that actually has land on the other side is on the Western shore of Indonesia, which puts you in Venezuela or Colombia if you went straight through the earth.



enter image description here


Metropolis does not appear to be located in South America, given the U.S. Military presence there, and the apparently short time for Colonel Hardy to fly from Kansas to the other end of the Kryptonian's ship, so this is likely an creative license. In fact, due to the size of the Pacific Ocean, there are not many places on Earth where there is land on precisely the opposite sides of the globe.


You could try to explain this using the equatorial bulge (which makes the point farthest from the Earth's center Mount Chimborazo in Ecuador, not far from the proposed "other side of Venezuala/Colombia), but this would not shift Metropolis all the way into the United States. Suffice to say, this is an error in plot, though one that most people probably won't think about.


(there is an Island that is at the extreme south of the Indian Ocean that is directly "under" the Montana, U.S. - Canada border, but it has no permanent or indigenous inhabitants - only researchers and military personnel, making it unlikely they would be fishing like the movie portrays)


enter image description here


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

harry potter - Did Dolores Umbridge Have Any Association with Voldemort (or Death Eaters) before His Return?

I noticed that Dolores Umbridge was born during the first Wizarding War, so it's very likely she wasn't a Death Eater then (but she is pretty evil -- who knows?). After that Voldemort was not around in a way that could affect many people, and most wouldn't know he was planning to rise again. During that time, and up through Voldemort's return (in Goblet of Fire ), did Umbridge have any connection with the Death Eaters or with Voldemort? Was she doing what she did on her own, or was it because of an association with Voldemort or his allies? Answer Dolores Umbridge was definitely not a good person. However, as Sirius points out, "the world isn't split into good people and Death Eaters". Remember that he also says that he doesn't believe Umbridge to be a Death Eater, but that she's evil enough (or something like that). I think there are two strong reasons to believe that: Umbridge was proud to do everything according to the law, except when she trie...
Post a Comment
Read more

What is the etymology of Doctor Who?

I recently decided to watch Doctor Who, and started viewing the 2005 version. I have the first two episodes from the first season, and I can't help but wonder what is the etymology of the name "Doctor Who"? And why does the protagonist call himself "the Doctor" (or is it "the doctor")? Answer In the very first episode of Doctor Who (way back in 1963), the Doctor has a granddaughter going by the name "Susan Foreman", and the junkyard where the TARDIS is has the sign "I.M. Foreman". Barbara, who becomes one of the Doctor's companions, calls him "Doctor Foreman" (probably assuming that is his name given his relationship to Susan), and Ian (another early companion) does the same in the second episode, to which the Doctor says: Eh? Doctor who? What's he talking about? "Foreman" is most likely selected as a convenient surname for Susan to use because it happened to be on display near where the TARDIS landed....
Post a Comment
Read more

story identification - Animation: floating island, flying pests

At least 20 years ago I watched a short animated film which stuck in my mind. The whole thing was wordless, possibly European, and I'm pretty sure I didn't imagine it... It featured a flying island which was inhabited by some creatures who (in my memory) reminded me of the Moomins. The island was frequently bothered by large winged animals who swooped around, although I don't think they did any actual damage. At the end one of the moomin creatures suddenly gets a weird feeling, feels forced to climb to the top of the island and then plunges down a shaft right through the centre - only to emerge at the bottom as one of the flyers. Answer Skywhales from 1983. The story begins with a man warning the tribe of approaching skywhales. The drummers then warn everybody of the hunt as everyone get prepared to set "sail". Except one man is found in his home sleeping as the noise wake him up. He then gets ready and is about to take his weapon as he hesitates then decides ...
Post a Comment
Read more