MovieChat Forums > Sphere (1998) Discussion > Plot Hole with Keyboard/Code---SPOIL ER

Plot Hole with Keyboard/Code---SPOIL ER

posted 13 years ago by GordonGekko_
5 replies | jump to latest

I see that the keyboard keeps getting mentioned on these boards as a plot hole or illogical, but not why.

Is it because when they initially deciphered the code, if they translated the Sphere's name as 'Jerry' instead of 'Harry' it would have caused the other translated words with letters 'J' and 'E' to be wrong also? Also, when the Sphere kept saying, "STOP CALLING ME JERRY" he would actually be saying "STOP CALLING ME HARRY". If the Sphere was translating what they were saying back to written text using the code they cracked, something doesn't add up to the logic of the code.

Just wondering if this was the reason for the plot hole or if it was something else.

[–] 13 years ago

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[–] Strazdamonas 13 years ago

that would be true only for the first conversation. after that the computer did not use any deciphering program as Harry, or at that time though to be intelligent entity has managed to write to them im plain english without any codes and even understand their spoken language.
Therefore, stop calling me jerry was correct because it was not using he incorrect keyboard translation code at that point. however the first conversation sohuld have had "i am jappy" isntead of "i am happy".
there is however a way its not a plothole. Jerry was Harrys imagination. and as such Harry could have also controled the translation computers did just the same, thus he wished the translation to be jerry and not harry while the rest is correct.

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All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is for enough good men to do nothing.

[–] 13 years ago

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[–] eschelar 12 years ago

Really? Yeah, it had some problems with it, but this one actually made sense to me *because* of the story.

Think about it.

Who had been in the sphere in the beginning? Harry (although personally, I kind of felt that all 4 of them went through the sphere in the very first encounter with it).

Perhaps, could his subconscious have wanted to remain incognito for some reason? I can think of 3 or 4 possible reasons and it didn't take much. But if that isn't strong enough, who was the mathematician that generated the code? Harry. The manifestation of the code at that point was primarily his.

Then, when Norman figures out the code, had he been through the sphere? Yes. Could he change reality then? Yes.

So what if he only changed the reality of what he was looking at so the numbers in the cipher were different when he was looking at them after the fire? Remember, the movie made a point of showing that the manifestations were only as factual as the person inventing them understood them (nothing past P. 87, snakes being venemous only at night??? etc....).

What tipped me off was the A. Can't have an A in "nAme" and then suddenly switch "jErry" to "hArry". Too close together. Had to have been a switch.

But that made sense to me at the time in the movie. A bit silly perhaps, but that kind of thing happens in my dreams fairly often.

[–] morganseer 8 years ago

Harry could have also controled the translation computers did just the same, thus he wished the translation to be jerry and not harry while the rest is correct.
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In which case Norman Goodman shouldn't be able to refigure the code and find the name Harry.

It would have made more sense to initially have a Jerry among the crew, whose fears would create the first havoc, then later the computer would let them switch to Harry.