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Why Janet Van Dyne isn't insane after such a long stay in the Quantum Realm

posted 6 years ago by DarthRoger (867)
17 replies | jump to latest

Time and isolation would be your worst enemy. Madness would likely consume you after several years, as desperation would go to hopelessness and then to suicide. Think about people stranded on remote islands or in desolate locations like the Sahara Desert or Antarctica. The passage of time is inexorable. Remember those Thai children stuck in that flooded cave recently? A lot of psychologists were surprised that they didn't end up dying, because they said that most human beings in such a situation generally give up hope after about ten days.

Then you have the Quantum Realm, where time and space likely have different meanings.

Perhaps time goes much, much slower in the Quantum Realm than in real time. A day there might be year on Earth. In Quantum Realm time, Janet might have been trapped there for only 4-5 weeks! That explanation would answer one big, lingering questions at movie's end concerning her intact mind. In that same period of time, she might have been unaware that she was aging decades, even though she must have been aware that Hank and Hope had aged decades. Her reactions seem to bear this out. Again, the movement of time in the Quantum Realm would be a valid explanation.

Thoughts? Hypotheses? Feedback?

[–] Oscar (114) 6 years ago

I think there was a line in there somewhere about how time is different in the Quantum Realm. But she still looked older ...

Let's say that time in the "real world" still affects her, so she aged along with everyone else, but she felt like it was just a few weeks.

[–] ExTechOp (2770) 6 years ago

Yeah at this point, it's just "time works differently down there," and that's it.

In other words, it hasn't been explained other than with some hand-waving, and the writers have reserved for themselves the freedom to explain her sanity & physical age any way they want to.

And that's a good thing - gives us something to look forward to. Because I'd bet real money that the writers and producers do have SOME answers floating around, and they'll give one to us when it fits the narrative.

I'd also bet real money they won't leave this point unanswered - Janet's clearly been "changed" by her experience, with powers and knowledge that'll have to be addressed in the next film, "Ant-Man, the Wasp and his mother-in-law" or "Ant-Man, the Wasp and Ghost" or whatever.

[–] AP (5288) 6 years ago

Yeah, it was treated like a Deus Ex Machina in this movie. Very comicbook-like, actually as there's always some power source or machine or whatever to let the writers get away with anything.

[–] ExTechOp (2770) 6 years ago

Yup, started with that arc reactor Stark built in a cave with a box of spare parts

Apparently there's a deleted scene explaining more - Janet outright states there are entire civilizations in the quantum realm, and stops to chat with a slug-whale through a translator she made. So she's kept herself busy, safe to say.

Guess quantum realm Sephora stocks lipstick and foundation, but no hair dye.

[–] Truthtalker (1969) 6 years ago

The same reason she didn't die of thirst and/or hunger

[–] RMWalker95 (19) 6 years ago

Wow! I haven't really thought of that when I was watching the movie in the theater. It does show her a bit older when Hank Pym finds her, so I'm not sure if it would be just 4-5 weeks like you said, but of course, time is very different in the Quantum Realm. I still need to think about this a little bit more.

[–] Truthtalker (1969) 6 years ago

The same reason she didn't die of thirst and/or hunger

[–] Otter (24464) 6 years ago

I want to know where she found food and water suitable for a human being down there, at a level where water molecules are as massive as universes, as well as where she found all that eye makeup.

[–] Truthtalker (1969) 6 years ago

In movie answer: the quantum realm keep her alive

Out-movie answer: have the plot element of rescuing the love of his life, the mother of his daughter

[–] RogueDemonHunter (2684) 6 years ago

I was wondering about this too. And where she got her shawl and whatever weapon? thing was on her back. Assuming it wasn't part of her suit. I've read some theories about Dr. Doom and his conquering of a race within the quantum realm. Perhaps she was with them? I think it will be key in Avengers 4.

[–] TJLamb0518 (3316) 6 years ago

She isn’t insane because her time in the Quantum Realm meant she avoided all those DCU movies.

[–] DarthRoger (867) 6 years ago

LOL!!!

[–] Otter (24464) 6 years ago

LOL!

And I'm sure that skipping all those damn DCEU films also does wonders for your looks, gives you a saintly glow at any age!

[–] TJLamb0518 (3316) 6 years ago

Dude....it's Michelle Pfeiffer. She's had THAT super power locked down for years.

Seriously....she just refuses to age.

[–] Otter (24464) 6 years ago

Um, she hasn't been refusing to age alone, I'll put it that way.

[–] [deleted] 6 years ago

Why, because of the script!

[–] Strazdas (2472) 6 years ago

I think the only in-movie explanation you are going to get for any of the "How is Janet X" questions is that single line she said about the quantum realm "evolving" her. Basically shes no longer anything even close to being human, just wears a skin of one.