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The truth is out there — and sometimes, the fans find it first! Join us as we count down our picks for the most incredible sci-fi movie fan theories that were actually confirmed to be true by filmmakers or the films themselves. Spoiler warning is officially in effect!
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00:00You take the red pill, you stay in Wonderland, and I show you how deep the rabbit hole goes.
00:06Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we're counting down our picks for the fan theories from science fiction films
00:11that were either confirmed by the filmmakers or the movie itself.
00:15Naturally, there will be spoilers, so consider this your warning.
00:18She doesn't know.
00:20She's beginning to suspect, I think.
00:22Suspect? How can it not know what it is?
00:25Number 20. Boba Fett survived the Sarlacc pit.
00:28Boba Fett, quick!
00:34Star Wars collectively refused to believe that Boba Fett died in the Sarlacc pit.
00:37If for no reason, then Boba Fett was freaking awesome.
00:40For decades, viewers theorized that his Mandalorian armor and sheer willpower allowed him to escape the Beast's digestive tract.
00:45While the Expanded Universe books quickly validated this, some fans didn't really count it.
00:49That is, until The Mandalorian and the subsequent book of Boba Fett definitively brought the character back to our screens.
00:53The series confirmed the long-held theory by showing viewers exactly how he utilized his flamethrower
00:58and armor to blast his way out, and his survival was officially and finally made canon.
01:08Number 19. The Klingon Forehead Mutation.
01:18Star Trek fans are famously detail-oriented, and for years, a massive visual inconsistency plagued the fandom.
01:24Why did Klingons in the original series have smooth foreheads, while those in later films and spin-offs have those
01:28bony ridges?
01:29Audiences theorized everything from differing racial demographics to genetic tampering.
01:33Decades later, the prequel series, Star Trek Enterprise, tackled the mystery head-on and confirmed the long-held theory that
01:38a genetic mutation was responsible.
01:40It revealed that Klingon scientists attempted to create augmented warriors using human DNA, resulting in a virus that smoothed out
01:45their iconic ridges.
01:46It was a brilliant, canon-compliant way to explain away what was really nothing more than a budget limitation.
01:52I've seen these sequences before.
01:54Six months ago, to be precise, this is augment DNA.
01:59How did modified human genes find their way into this virus?
02:02Number 18. The Space Jockey Was Wearing a Suit
02:06Amazing.
02:08Alien life form.
02:12Looks like it's been dead a long time.
02:14When the crew of the Nostromo stumbled upon the derelict spacecraft in Alien,
02:18they discovered a massive skeletal creature that fans dubbed the Space Jockey.
02:21Because it looked to be fused to the ship's control chair, viewers long theorized that this wasn't the creature's actual
02:25skeleton,
02:26but a biomechanical space suit.
02:27Fast forward 33 years to Prometheus, and this popular hypothesis was proven absolutely correct.
02:32The film, rather controversially, introduced the Engineers, a race of pale humanoids who pilot their vessels while wearing pressure suits.
02:38Confirming this theory not only solved the decades-old visual mystery,
02:41but also vastly expanded the mythos of the entire alien mythology.
02:54Number 17.
02:55Captain Rex is the bearded rebel on Endor.
02:58I don't know about this plan, Rex.
03:00In my experience, when it comes to Jedi, the worse the plan, the better the result.
03:06Returning to Return of the Jedi, it featured a background rebel commando with a thick white beard during the Battle
03:11of Endor.
03:12While a very minor character, he became known by fans as Nick Sant.
03:14Years later, both the Clone Wars and Rebels popularized the beloved clone trooper Captain Rex.
03:19Because clones age at an accelerated rate, fans theorized that the aging Rex and the bearded Endor commando were actually
03:24the same person.
03:24Series creator Dave Filoni personally loved this theory, and in the series finale of Rebels, it confirmed that Rex fought
03:29at the Battle of Endor.
03:30While showrunner Filoni chose to keep it ambiguous, many in the fandom now treat the bearded extra as Captain Rex.
03:35Hera fought in the Battle of Endor, as did Commander Rex.
03:41By that time, there had been a new member added to the crew of the Ghost.
03:46Spectre 7.
03:47Jason Syndulla.
03:48Number 16.
03:49The Cloverfield Monster Is Just a Baby
03:59Cloverfield introduced audiences to a towering kaiju laying waste to New York City.
04:03However, keen observers noticed that the creature didn't seem especially malicious.
04:06Instead, its erratic movements and pained vocalizations suggested that it was actually terrified and simply lashing out in a panic.
04:11This led to a surprising fan theory.
04:12The city-destroying behemoth was actually just a frightened baby.
04:14J.J. Abrams eventually confirmed this implication outright, stating that the monster was indeed a newborn suffering from separation anxiety
04:20after waking up the unfamiliar ocean.
04:22Knowing that this apocalyptic threat was simply a lost baby makes the film's destruction both uniquely tragic and deeply unsettling.
04:40Number 15.
04:41The Inaccurate Dinosaurs Were Intentional.
04:43Keep absolutely still, especially based on movement.
04:48Dinosaur enthusiasts love pointing out the scientific inaccuracies of Jurassic Park.
04:52The oversized velociraptors and lack of feathers could have just been one of those movie oversights, but fans theorized that
04:57it was all intentional.
04:58According to them, InGen didn't create true dinosaurs, but rather genetic chimeras tailored to meet public expectations.
05:03This theory was officially canonized in 2015 with the release of Jurassic World.
05:06Dr. Henry Wu explicitly tells the park's owner that the dinosaurs look the way they do because the genetic code
05:11was spliced with amphibian DNA.
05:13Wu coldly confirms that if they had created purebred dinosaurs, they would look too different from the public perception and
05:18deter visitors.
05:19It sounds like one of those, yeah, we totally meant to do that excuses, but hey, it's canon now.
05:23Nothing in Jurassic World is natural.
05:26We have always filled gaps in the genome with the DNA of other animals, and if their genetic code was
05:32pure, many of them would look quite different.
05:34But you didn't ask for reality.
05:36You asked for more tea.
05:37Number 14.
05:38Peter Parker is in Iron Man 2.
05:44During the climax of Iron Man 2, a brave little boy wearing an Iron Man helmet stands up to a
05:48hammer drone before Tony Stark swoops in to save him.
05:51When Spider-Man finally joined the MCU, fans retroactively theorized that this plucky kid in Queens was actually a young
05:56Peter Parker.
05:56The timeline and location matched up way too perfectly.
05:59During the promotional run for Spider-Man Homecoming, Tom Holland confirmed that he had spoken with Marvel Studios president Kevin
06:04Feige,
06:04and they officially canonized this heartwarming headcanon.
06:07While it was almost certainly not the intention of director Jon Favreau back in 2010, who can argue with Mr.
06:11Feige?
06:12What he says goes.
06:13Do you know that I was the only one who believed in you?
06:15Everyone else said I was crazy to recruit a 14-year-old kid.
06:19I'm 15.
06:20No, this is where you zip it!
06:21All right, the adult is talking.
06:22Number 13.
06:23Venom is in the MCU.
06:25What's happening?
06:27No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no.
06:32What the hell is that?
06:33When Sony launched Venom in 2018, it existed in a totally separate cinematic universe from Tom Holland's Spider-Man.
06:39But the fans, as they want to do, began scrutinizing Easter eggs and theorizing that the two properties had to
06:44be connected somehow.
06:45The post-credits scene of Let There Be Carnage finally gave fans the validation they craved,
06:48showing Eddie Brock and his symbiote being magically transported into the MCU,
06:52where they watched J. Jonah Jameson unmask Peter Parker on television.
06:55This crossover was further cemented in Spider-Man No Way Home,
06:57definitively confirming that the Sony and Marvel universes are linked via the multiverse.
07:01It was a massive win for fans holding out hope for a cinematic crossover.
07:04What is happening?
07:06No, no, we just got here!
07:07No, not again!
07:13And there he goes.
07:15Number 12.
07:16Buzz Lightyear freezes due to instinct.
07:17I alone have information that reveals this weapon's only weakness.
07:22And you, my friend, are responsible for delaying my rendezvous with Star Command!
07:28You are a toy!
07:31In the first Toy Story, Buzz Lightyear genuinely believes that he is a space ranger, not a toy.
07:35This led to a heavily debated plot hole.
07:37If Buzz truly doesn't think that he's a toy, then why does he freeze and play dead whenever humans enter
07:41the room?
07:41Some fans theorize that maybe going limp wasn't a conscious choice, but an involuntary instinct hardwired into all toys.
07:47Director Lee Unkrich later confirmed this exact explanation.
07:50He clarified that the toys possess a deeply ingrained, almost magical reflex to drop when humans are near,
07:55and that this instinct overrides Buzz's conscious decisions.
07:57It's a clever explanation that perfectly patches up one of animation's most famous logical inconsistencies.
08:02Hey, Buzz! You're flying!
08:04This isn't flying, this is falling with style!
08:09Number 11.
08:10The T-800 was modeled after a real human.
08:12Nice night for a walk.
08:14Wash day tomorrow.
08:16Nothing clean, right?
08:19Nothing clean, right.
08:21Hey, I think this guy's a couple cans short of a six-pack.
08:24Fans spent years wondering why the hyper-intelligent Skynet chose Arnold Schwarzenegger's likeness
08:28and unique Austrian accent for its T-800 units.
08:30If you're making a cyborg that's supposed to look like an everyday person,
08:33why give it a gigantic bodybuilder's frame and an instantly recognizable accent?
08:36Viewers naturally theorized that the physical appearances must have been based on a real human soldier.
08:40This was eventually confirmed in a hilarious deleted scene from Rise of the Machines.
08:44It reveals that Chief Master Sergeant William Candy,
08:46a soldier with Arnold's exact face, served as the model for the cybernetic research.
08:50Subsequent expanded lore maintained this explanation,
08:52officially answering the mystery of why the ultimate killing machine looks the way he does.
08:55I'm Chief Master Sergeant William Candy.
08:59I was honored to be selected by CRS in the ongoing effort to save American lives.
09:06I don't know about that accent.
09:10We can fix it.
09:12Number 10.
09:12E.T. is part of the Star Wars universe.
09:14E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial and Star Wars are two of the most iconic staples of science fiction cinema.
09:19Thanks to director Steven Spielberg and George Lucas being close friends,
09:23fans have often theorized that the two sci-fi properties share a universe.
09:27This was aided by several easter eggs the duo have inserted into their films,
09:30like the Yoda costume kid in E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial.
09:38However, it was Star Wars Episode I, The Phantom Menace,
09:41that all but satisfied these crossover fantasies.
09:44Viewers were quick to spot members of E.T.'s species appearing in the Galactic Senate.
09:54A prequel novel, Cloak of Deception, would further detail the connection,
09:58adding a playful layer to both narratives.
10:00Number 9.
10:00Bjorn is the father.
10:04With Kay's pregnancy playing a pivotal role in 2024's Alien Romulus,
10:08it sparked mystery among fans as to the father's identity.
10:11You see, at one point in the film, Kay confides her pregnancy to Rain,
10:14dismissively describing the father as some a-hole.
10:17While we would learn the fate of the baby, it becomes a dangerous and monstrous entity,
10:21we never officially ascertain who the father is.
10:23Well, in a Reddit revelation, director Fede Alvarez, while undercover,
10:27would confirm a fan theory that Bjorn is the father,
10:30evident from their intimate touch prior to his demise.
10:37Who says Reddit isn't a good place to substantiate theories?
10:44Number 8.
10:45Biff Tannen is based on Donald Trump.
10:47Inside, you will learn how Biff Tannen became one of the richest and most powerful men in America.
10:52In Back to the Future Part 2, future Biff Tannen is shown to be a big-time business mogul,
10:56with an abundance of money and cascading influence.
10:58You walk out that door, and I won't only cut off you, I'll cut off your kids!
11:03You wouldn't.
11:04Oh, wouldn't I?
11:05At the time, many fans saw this as an uncanny parallel to none other than Donald Trump.
11:09Well, co-writer Bob Gale confirmed that this exaggerated version of Biff
11:13was indeed inspired by the larger-than-life persona of Trump.
11:16Emerging as a major figure in the late 80s,
11:18Donald Trump's towering casinos and perceived brash disposition
11:21were all attributes the writer injected into Biff.
11:24As for whether old Biff had what it took to become a future president, that remains to be seen.
11:28I'll be back up here in an hour, so you better not be!
11:35Number 7.
11:36The Matrix is a transgender allegory
11:38You know what that means?
11:40It's Latin.
11:41It means know thyself.
11:44The Wachowskis, The Matrix is laden with philosophical and metaphysical questions,
11:48making it ripe for fan theories of all kinds.
11:50One such theory hypothesized that The Matrix served as a metaphor for trans identity.
11:55What you know you can't explain, but you feel it.
11:59You felt it your entire life, that there's something wrong with the world.
12:03You don't know what it is, but it's there, like a splinter in your mind, driving you mad.
12:10It took 21 years, but co-director Lily Wachowski confirmed this metaphor.
12:14Lily went on to state that the journey of finding one's true identity within a constructed reality
12:19mirrored her own transition.
12:20Of course, the concept of questioning and redefining one's reality is woven through the film's narrative,
12:25with Neo's path echoing many trans experiences and ultimately serving as an allegory for self-discovery.
12:31What does that mean?
12:32That The Matrix cannot tell you who you are.
12:34Number 6.
12:35Predators breed aliens.
12:36I need you out of here!
12:44While the Alien vs. Predator film stands separated from the franchise's larger universe, they
12:49no doubt offer intriguing insights into the dynamics between the Predator and Xenomorph species.
12:54In Predator 2, the presence of a Xenomorph skull on a Yautja ship hinted at the Predator's
12:58hunting practices, seemingly confirming the former as prey.
13:02Fans speculated a deeper connection, though.
13:04Were Predators breeding Xenomorphs specifically for hunting?
13:06Well, the AVP crossover film actually confirmed this theory, revealing that Predators have
13:11been breeding and hunting Xenomorphs for millennia.
13:13Heck, they were even using humans as incubators.
13:16Every hundred years, the gods would return.
13:22And when they did, they would expect a sacrifice.
13:27Humans were used to breed the ultimate prey.
13:31Number 5.
13:31Leia's Force Potential.
13:32While the list of Star Wars fan theories is a long one, one in particular has been legitimized
13:37in a big way.
13:38From the franchise's start, people often speculated about Princess Leia's ability as it related
13:42to the Force.
13:43Her resistance to the mind probe is considerable.
13:47It'll be some time before we can extract any information from her.
13:50While she portrayed strength and leadership, her true abilities remained unexplored throughout
13:54the original film trilogy.
13:56Despite a few potential hints and nods, fans would have to wait for 2017's The Last Jedi
14:00to get a definitive answer.
14:01To the thrill and surprise of longtime fans, Leia outright uses the Force in the film to
14:06survive in space.
14:13The revelation tied her into the greater Skywalker legacy more explicitly, while also confirming
14:18what many had already long believed.
14:20Leia told me that she had sensed the death of her son at the end of her Jedi path.
14:26She surrendered her saber to me and said that one day, it would be picked up again by someone
14:33who would finish her journey.
14:35Number 4.
14:36Stan Lee's MCU cameos are the same character.
14:38Are you Tony's stink?
14:40Marvel fans enjoyed the late Stan Lee's cameos as a delightful staple in the Marvel Cinematic Universe,
14:45but some speculated that they were more than just casual appearances.
14:49Stop trying to scare us.
14:50Many suggested that Lee was, in fact, a Watcher, an enigmatic cosmic being who observes multidimensional
14:56events.
14:57I know, but the world, the world shouldn't pay for my arrogance.
15:02Well, in the sequel to Marvel's very own sci-fi space opera, Guardians of the Galaxy,
15:06Lee's cameo revealed that he was an informant to the Watchers.
15:09I was so rudely interrupted.
15:11At that time, I was a Federal Express man.
15:14His character recounts past adventures, confirming he witnessed Marvel's myriad of events as
15:18the same person.
15:19Hey, you were supposed to be my left home.
15:22How will I get out of here?
15:23This became a fan-beloved explanation for Lee's presence across so many storylines.
15:28And to that we say, Excelsior.
15:30Number 3.
15:31Robocop is a Jesus Christ Story.
15:331987's Robocop was initially received as a brutal, action-packed commentary on corporate
15:38greed and corruption.
15:39And while it definitely is that, a deeper interpretation also arose, with fans suggesting
15:43its narrative drew significant parallels with the story of Jesus Christ.
15:47After all, Officer Alex Murphy's death and subsequent robotic resurrection teased biblical
15:52themes of life, sacrifice, and eventual ascension.
15:54Screenwriter Ed Neumeier and director Paul Verhoeven especially have openly discussed the
15:59film's spiritual motifs, confirming that Murphy's journey purposely aligns with that of Jesus Christ.
16:04Talk about a movie that's way more than meets the eye.
16:08Robo, excuse me, Robo.
16:09Any special message for all the kids watching at home?
16:12Ow!
16:14Stay out of trouble.
16:15Number 2.
16:16Jesus was an engineer.
16:17Speaking of Jesus Christ, a fan theory stemming from the alien-adjacent film Prometheus posited
16:22the Lord and Savior as a humanoid engineer.
16:24It is suggested that this Jesus engineer prompted the creation of the Xenomorphs, an embodiment
16:29of the apocalypse.
16:30Can you imagine how disappointing it would be for you to hear the same thing from your creator?
16:40I guess it's a good thing you can't be disappointed, I think.
16:43In interviews, director Ridley Scott confirmed Jesus' involvement was explored in the making
16:47of the film, and the parallels are there to see.
16:49Despite the theory not overtly being confirmed on screen, its inclusion in the film's core
16:54conversations no doubt enriches the franchise's ancient lore.
16:57Leave it to Ridley Scott to further deepen the existential puzzles he puts forth.
17:01It is New Year's Day, the year of our Lord, 2094.
17:07My name is Elizabeth Shaw, last survivor of the Prometheus, and I'm still searching.
17:23Before we continue, check out the single from Sound Mojo's album Balance, classical music reimagined
17:29as rock, hard rock, and metal.
17:31Check out the full track and album below.
17:34Born in the sunlight, born in the rain, life is a rhythm running through veins.
17:44VEINS!
17:44VEINS!
17:45VEINS!
17:45VEINS!
17:45VEINS!
17:46VEINS!
17:47Number 1.
17:48Deckard is a Replicant.
17:49She doesn't know.
17:51She's beginning to suspect, I think.
17:53Suspect?
17:54How can it not know what it is?
17:55Another Ridley Scott film, Blade Runner remains a classic piece of science fiction with dense
18:00layers and many different fan discussions.
18:02At the heart of these debates lies the question, is Rick Deckard a Replicant?
18:06The original film and its many different cuts playfully toyed with viewers as it relates
18:10to this question, leaving unclear hints.
18:12However, Scott and the film's sequel, Blade Runner 2049, both leaned affirmatively toward
18:17Deckard's artificial nature.
18:19Scott also went on the record and stated definitively that Deckard was a Replicant in many interviews.
18:23Knowing the character's true identity has prompted viewers to re-examine his journey,
18:28amplifying the conundrums faced by every Replicant within the story.
18:31How's it feel?
18:33Killing your own kind?
18:38I don't retire my own kind because we don't run.
18:41Do you possess any movie fan theories?
18:43Be sure to share your unconfirmed interpretations in the comments below.