MovieChat Forums > Edge of Tomorrow (2014) Discussion > Why a 24 hour reset?

Why a 24 hour reset?

posted 8 years ago by andrewrdion
5 replies | jump to latest

The specifics of time manipulation aren't really fleshed out beyond the ability to "reset the day." Are we to take this to mean Cage's day was re-wound exactly 24 hours from the time of his alpha-death (which happens to put him at Heathrow at mid-day ish). Why 24 hours, you think? Maybe the mimics are able to set the reset-time based on the length of day on that planet?

What about when he killed the omega? Was this also a 24 hour reset? Omega-death was sunrise of the morning of the invasion, which seems like it would be coming up on 24 hours after the heli ride to London.

What if someone else were to kill an alpha during one of the many reset days (something I'd expect to happen a few times)? Would that have "stolen" the power from Cage, or do you think the ability is kept intact but separate?

One more, how does he know where to initially find Rita?

Great movie... hands down coolest aliens in a sci-fi

[–] janus_keinaerts 8 years ago

Got another question.
What happens to the world when he dies?

It doesn't end as we see Bill Paxton's reaction after Cruise rolls under that jeep.

Same thing in Groundhog Day if I remember correctly: Murray drives off a cliff and we see a short scene in the morgue.
I consider these as goofs.

[–] cryofry 8 years ago

He didn't die instantly when he got run over.

It looks a bit sweaty in there so you may need to apply baby powder Zapp Brannigan

[–] Warrior_Poet 8 years ago

You can find some possible answers here:

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1631867/board/thread/234517612

But why 24 hours? Honestly.... slightly lazy screenwriting. But it is indeed 24 hours if we analyze the timing. The details are in the thread linked above. You're idea of Mimic'ing Earth light cycle makes a lot of sense though.

The dialogue and the various circumstances observed and described in the film suggests an Alpha death can't happen while the Omega's ability to "reset the day" is hijacked by a human.
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[–] brockmeeks 8 years ago

Maybe the mimics are able to set the reset-time based on the length of day on that planet?

Yes, they mimic the behavior of their new environment. Hence the name... I assumed it adapted to earth time immediately.

One more, how does he know where to initially find Rita?

He meets her on the beach and seeks her out. When he finds her once he just has to figure out a way to get there. Everything is the same.

Edit: She was a very famous soldier and he knew exactly what she looked liked because of the bus sign. He could find he in a day on the base. Did I miss something?

[–] hal-9010 8 years ago

Since the travel is strongly connected with the mind, perhaps the cycle of about one day is because this constitutes kind of a default limit of the mind – we simply need a rest about every 12-18-24 hours, for our minds to work properly, and therefore the time travel of the mind is defined on some level by this interval. Each jump we experience is always to a point where his mind is at rest, read: when he is sleeping.

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