12. How is Langdon almost killed?
From Quiz Angels and Demons
Answer:
The air supply to the archives is shut off.
Early in the movie we learn that, in order to preserve the aging books and documents, the oxygen level is kept low in the archives. The air is pumped into the sealed rooms. Langdon is back in the archives, seeking more clues, when the power supply is cut off, eliminating the source of oxygen. The guard with him, a smoker, passes out first, leaving Langdon alone to try to break out. Feeling dizzy and weak, he tips over a large metal bookcase, hoping that it will crack the glass, but it falls too short to do much damage. He eventually passes out while leaning against the fallen case which is, in turn, leaning on the glass. The glass eventually does shatter, seconds before the power is restored. The police had been systematically cutting off power to sections of the Vatican, in the hopes of determining where the canister is hidden. The fact that the power is cut off when Langdon is down there though, is highly suspect, and one wonders if it is indeed an attempt on his life.