Sorry about that ridiculous watermark.

  • Makeitstop@lemmy.world
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    4 months ago

    They are both copies. They explain that the guy operating the transporter was losing him, so he used a second beam to try to compensate. On beam made it through, the other bounced off the st uff in the atmosphere that was causing the problem and rematerialized him on the planet. I’m pretty sure this explanation was in the episode in order to establish that both Rikers are equally real.

    • VindictiveJudge@lemmy.world
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      4 months ago

      Except that that explanation means Tom was made with the original Riker materials and Will was made from matter reserves on the ship using the original Riker as a template.

      • Makeitstop@lemmy.world
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        4 months ago

        Both beams were pulling in genuine Will Riker. Presumably they are both a mix of the original material and additional material formed by the transporter. That or the transporter is violating the law of conservation of energy.

          • Dagwood222@lemm.ee
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            4 months ago

            Beg to differ.

            The Queen gives birth to twin boys. It’s a stormy night and the midwife isn’t sure which is older. They are equally the ‘real’ king.

            Two counterfeit dollar bills are equally fake.

            • starman2112@sh.itjust.works
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              4 months ago

              This is a semantics argument. The way the person you’re talking to means it, two things being equally fake also means that they’re equally real, because they are both just as real as the other (that is, not).