Expeditionary Force by Craig Alanson Wiki
Expeditionary Force by Craig Alanson Wiki
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Expeditionary Force by Craig Alanson Wiki

Quotes and References[]

Many different quotes and references to movies and TV shows occur in these novels.
Click here for references by ExForce Novel
Click here for references to Books
Click here for references to Music

2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)[]

Alien (1979)[]

  • In Zero Hour, the Thuranin named "Liv-426" is a nod to the planet, LV-426, that the USCSS Nostromo found the Alien.

Aliens (1986)[]

Barney and Friends (1992-2010)[]

Battlestar Galactica miniseries (2003)[]

  • In Breakaway, after finding out that the crew had named the Maxolhx Semi-Automated Servicing Station 17, "Ragnar Anchorage", he says, "So say we all", which is a rallying cry that Commander Adama uses at the Memorial Ceremony. (https://youtu.be/EisvM8F_5PE?t=50)
  • In Breakaway, "Ragnar Anchorage (aka "Ragnar Station")" is a direct reference to Ragnar Anchorage (aka "Ragnar Station" or "Ragnar Station Ammunition Reserve") that the Galactica visited in order to re-arm themselves. (https://youtu.be/PqV2Ncxe8Ak)

Battlestar Galactica (2004-2008)[]

  • In Zero Hour, when the Dutchman is evading the Thuranin, over a two day period, they have to jump every "thirty three minutes" to stay ahead of them. In the first episode of the new series, titled "33", the Galactica has to jump every 33 minutes in a period just over 5 days and 18 hours (238 jumps) in order to avoid the Cylons. (https://youtu.be/KHUVaqkBqhI)

Cheers (1982-1993)[]

Die Hard (1988)[]

Enemy Mine (1985)[]

Frasier (1993-2004)[]

Full Metal Jacket (1987)[]

Galaxy Quest (1999)[]

Impractical Jokers (2011- )[]

  • In Breakaway, when the Skippy is explaining to Joe how to hack directly into a validation subroutine, he uses the name "Larry" as part of the example. Skippy yells LARRY every time he says the name. Larry is a fictional friend of Joseph "Joe" Gatto. He is mostly mentioned in Season One. He is an unseen character. In the Season Three Impractical Jokers intro, Joe is seen running for Larry. (https://youtu.be/hlwDQ0EY2vs)

John Wick (2014)[]

Les Miserables (2012)[]

Mom and Dad Save the World (1992)[]

  • In Brushfire, Todd the missile thinks to itself, "Todd is a stupid name. How come Skippy calls himself The Magnificent, while I’m stuck with just 'Todd'? Why can’t I be Todd the Fierce, or something really cool like Todd the Destroyer?" This might be a reference to Jon Lovitz' character, Todd the Destroyer. (https://youtu.be/47B0Cj-fgb8)

Rocky (1976)[]

  • In Spec Ops, while searching for a Comm Node to help Skippy communicate with the AI Collective, Joe asks Skippy about a rocky planets stating that they needn't be lifeless rocks like Mercury. Skippy responded, "Correct. 'Rocky' also does not mean it can beat up other planets in a fight." which is a nod to the main character, Rocky Balboa, who is a boxer. (https://youtu.be/_YYmfM2TfUA)

Serenity (2005)[]

  • In Armageddon, at the end of the book, Reed asks Joe "What do we do now?", to which he responds, “I don’t know about you, but I aim to misbehave.”. This is what Capt. Mal Reynolds says after they discover the truth about happened on Miranda. (https://youtu.be/1VR3Av9qfZc?t=67)

Sesame Street (1969- )[]

  • In Critical Mass, the Maxolhx Joe names Elmo, Bert and Ernie are a nod to muppet characters in Sesame Street.
  • In Breakaway, Skippy makes references to several characters such as Kermit the Frog, Miss Piggy and Oscar the Grouch.

Star Trek [The Original Series] (1966-1969))[]

Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country (1991)[]

  • In Critical Mass, while Valkyrie is running errands, Skippy tells Joe that all the jumping is straining the drives and Valkyrie will fly apart. And Joe responds with, "Fly her apart, then!", Which is an exact quote Capt. Sulu made in Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country when the USS Excelsior was warping to join the USS Enterprise at Khitomer. (https://youtu.be/XSqCJ-UGYns?t=116)

Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987-1994)[]

  • In Breakaway, the Engineer, Singh, is a reference to Assistant Chief Engineer (Lieutenant Junior Grade) Singh from Season 1, Episode 7, "Lonely Among Us". (https://youtu.be/fKxo2tU473k?t=178)
  • In Aftermath, Senior Admiral Remahkus of the Maxohlx greets Bishop by saying, "As you can see resistance is, as the saying goes, futile." The Borg say "resistance is futile" in a collective audio message to their targets. They often follow this statement with a declaration that the target will be assimilated and their biological and technological distinctiveness will be added to the Borg's own, although Senior Admiral Remahkus does not add this statement. It is unclear how she knows that this is "how the saying goes." (https://youtu.be/rtEaR1JU-ps?si=FbFkioUddfZZtFiJ)

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (1993-1999)[]

Star Wars (1977)[]

  • In Columbus Day, Joe asks Skippy is the Thuranin, Kristang or Ruhar would be guarding the Gateway wormhole entrance. When Skippy questions this, Joe says that he thought they would have a station like the Death Star, but with Kristang instead of storm troopers.
  • In Black Ops, a moon that previously contained an Elder base is dubbed the "Dead Star" by the Pirates after Staff Sgt. Adams points out its resemblance to the Death Star.
  • In Black Ops, Skippy's first hologram avatar is in a similar form to a Jedi Knight's.
  • In Deathtrap, Admiral Tashallo turns toward his flagship’s captain with a mock scowl and says. "I find your lack of faith… disturbing.", which is what Darth Vader says to Admiral Motti in the Death Star Conference room. (https://youtu.be/m0XuKORufGk)
  • In Critical Mass, when Bishop offers another idea to escape, Skippy says "I have a very bad feeling about this.". Variations of which are mentioned in all of the Star Wars movies. (https://youtu.be/S74rvpc6W60?t=9)
  • In Breakaway, when the Pirates jumped in near the Wurgalan pkanet with the museum that contained Elder Wormhole Controller Modules, there are two moons in orbit. Skippy tells Joe, "Joe, that's no moon.", which is what Obi-Wan Kenobi said as the Millennium Falcon first approached the Death Star. (https://youtu.be/i7eqjiRRIqg)
  • In Failure Mode, Skippy asks Joe, "The Elders will ask about the emergency, and I'm supposed to say what? Something like "Everything's under control, situation normal, we had a slight.. weapons malfunction, everything is perfectly alright now, we're all fine here now, how are you?".", which what Han Solo says over the comm in the Detention Center. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4FSV8w1UoZA)

Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back (1980)[]

  • In Critical Mass, when the The Flying Dutchman is trapped in the "Waterloo" system by the Sentinel, Skippy says he tried to order the Sentinel to stand down, to which Joe responds with "Do or do not. There is no try.", which is what Yoda tells Luke while training him. (https://youtu.be/8rkdYSRoqRM)
  • In Breakaway, when the Pirates jumped in near the Wurgalan planet with the museum that contained Elder Wormhole Controller Modules, there are two moons in orbit. Skippy tells Joe, "Joe, that's no moon.", which is what Obi-Wan Kenobi said as the Millennium Falcon first approached the Death Star. (https://youtu.be/i7eqjiRRIqg)
  • In Breakaway, while dealing with Captain Scorandum on the transfer of the ships stolen from Mardasta, Joe tells him, "I am altering the deal. Pray I do not alter it any further." which is what Darth Vader tells Lando Calrissian in reference to deal he made about Princess Leia and Chewbacca. (https://youtu.be/jsW9MlYu31g)

Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi (1983)[]

  • In Zero Hour, when the Pirates jump close to a wormhole in Thuranin space (before Joe come up with the idea jump through a wormhole within a wormhole), Skippy says, "It's a trap" using Admiral Ackbar's voice, which is what Admiral Ackbar said when the Rebel Fleet came out of hyperspace near the Death Star 2.
  • In Deathtrap, when infiltrating a Swift Arrow clan base, the Alien Legion sends stolen clearance codes to the Kristang monitoring a safe flight corridor. When asked by his commanding officer, "do they have a code clearance?" the warrior replies, "It's an older code, sir, but it checks out. I was about to clear them. Should I hold them?.", which is what Admiral Piett tells Darth Vader when the Rebel Ground forces are trying to get past the shield to get to the Forest Moon of Endor. (https://youtu.be/4HJ-Y8YTo8Q)
  • In Critical Mass, when Joe asks Skippy if he was sure he had the correct Elder AI authentication codes, Skippy assures him he does and says "Many Bothans died to bring us this information.", a direct quote by Mon Mothma. (https://youtu.be/350kq0anjq0)

Stargate: Atlantis (2004-2009)[]

  • In Brushfire, The newly assigned pilot, Major Shepard may be a nod to a main character, Major Sheppard. However, there is a slight difference in the spelling of the last name. (https://youtu.be/jfOOa-fNNPY)

Starship Troopers (1997)[]

Stripes (1981)[]

The Blues Brothers (1980)[]

  • In Brushfire, the new pilot, Major Shepard says, "It's a hundred and six lightyears to Ursa Major. We have a full tank of gas, half a pack of chewing gum, it’s dark, and I’m wearing sunglasses." Joe responds with "Hit it!", which is a reference to the Elwood (and Jake) Blues quote(s) in The Blue Brothers (1980), "It's a 106 miles to Chicago, we've got a full tank of gas, half a pack of cigarettes; it's dark and we're wearing sunglasses." and "Hit it!". (https://youtu.be/TbF29c_FpV8)

The Fifth Element (1997)[]

  • In Trouble on Paradise, while explaining how the trigger on the booby trapped MASER Projector worked, Czajka tells Nert that it will be a "Big bada boom", which is what Korben Dallas says shortly after Leeloo crashes into his cab. (https://youtu.be/j8WLYzA0lCs?t=39)
  • In Black Ops, when Friedlander is explaining to Joe what would happen if he didn't use the correct amount of oils to jump the Dutchman, the ship would go boom... a "Big bada boom", which is what Korben Dallas says shortly after Leeloo crashes into his cab. (https://youtu.be/j8WLYzA0lCs?t=39)
  • In Breakaway, while negotiating a surrender at Klopeth, Valkyrie jumps in, upsetting what had been a tactical stalemate. Bishop counts the enemy ships that jumped in to surround them. "Thirteen kitty ships on the right, seven spiders on the left." Once the actual plan is executed, with forty fragments of relativistic dart blasting through the enemy formations, disabling all but two Maxolhx ships and one Rindhalu ship, Bishop looks to the main display and states "Two on the right, one on the left." This portion of the encounter closely reflects Korben Dallas' "negotiation" with the Mangalores. In Dallas' case, he initially counts "seven on the left, five on the right." After executing part of his plan, he reports "four on the right, two on the left." In Joe's case, he immediately asks, Hey, Anyone else want to negotiate? This is a direct quote of Korben Dallas after he kills the Mangalore leader, who was holding Vito Cornelius hostage. (https://youtu.be/9TyxxLHfBwE)
  • In Aftermath, while deploying the "find out" stage after the Maxolhx attempt to "fuck around," during the encounter at 27 Canis Majoris, Bishop describes it as "Big bada boom."

The Godfather (1972)[]

The Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy (2005)[]

The Martian (2015)[]

The Odd Couple (1970-1975)[]

  • In Columbus Day, Skippy tells Joe, "When you assume, you make an ass of u and me." This line is from the TV Show The Odd Couple in the 1973 Season 3, Episode 19 titled "My Strife In Court" when Felix Unger is defending himself from ticket scalping charges. (https://youtu.be/KEP1acj29-Y)

The Princess Bride (1987)[]

THX-1138 (1971)[]

Top Gun (1986)[]

Toy Story (1995)[]

  • In Spec Ops, when the crew of the Dutchman are trying out a jump programmed by humans without Skippy's help, he says "To Bed, Bath and Beyond". In response to that, Joe says, "I think you mean 'to infinity and beyond', Skippy.", which is Buzz Lightyear's catch phrase. (https://youtu.be/N7ycqkT2hXo)

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