Short Circuit Trivia Quiz

Answer: S.A.I.N.T.

S.A.I.N.T. stood for Strategic Artificially Intelligent Nuclear Transport. The robots were designed by Nova Robotics to be used by the American military. In the opening scene of "Short Circuit", the robots showed off their abilities in a simulated battle using dummies to a group of military and government leaders.

The robots were shown to be able to destroy targets as big as a tank with their shoulder mounted lasers. They also showed off their ability to perform small tasks such as pouring a drink.

Answer: He was struck by lightning.

A thunderstorm had cut Nova's S.A.I.N.T. demonstration short. The robots were sent to be recharged and disarmed before they would be brought indoors. Number 5 was still being recharged when another storm cell approached the lab. The maintenance technicians were unable to disconnect him before he was struck by lightning. Number 5 survived the lightning strike and was ordered to go to the disarming station.

While en route, Number 5 began to become self-aware and wandered off on his own. His curiosities eventually led him into a truck which unknowingly brought him outside of the laboratory.

Answer: Newton Crosby

Dr. Newton Crosby, Ph.D. (Steve Guttenberg) was the chief designer and programmer of Nova's S.A.I.N.T. robots. While he was praised for creating one of Nova's best products, Newton regretted the fact that his robots would be used as tools of war. Dr. Howard Marner (Austin Pendleton) was the President of Nova Robotics. Ben Jabituya (Fisher Stevens) was Newton's assistant. Once Nova discovered Number 5's disappearance, Newton was brought in to try and get the robot to return.

After failing to get the robot to come home remotely, he and Ben went out to try and retrieve Number 5 themselves.

Answer: Captain Skroeder

Captain Skroeder was the short tempered, militaristic chief of security for Nova Robotics. The character was portrayed by G. W. Bailey, who also played Lt. Harris in the "Police Academy" series. Skroeder's agenda was to retrieve Number 5 as quickly as possible by using whatever means were necessary. Dr. Marner and Dr. Crosby had pleaded with Skroeder not to destroy the robot, since it cost the company $11 million to build. Skroeder would resort to underhanded tactics to try and capture Number 5.

Answer: Ally Sheedy

While being pursued by Nova's security forces, Number 5 jumped off a bridge and engaged his parachute. He landed on top of a food truck driven by Stephanie Speck, who was played by Ally Sheedy. Number 5 used Stephanie's books and television to learn everything he could about the world.

He also trashed Stephanie's house in the process. At first, Stephanie thought Number 5 was an alien, but later discovered that he was a runaway war robot. He ended up stealing Stephanie's truck after learning that Nova would be coming to disassemble him.

Answer: A song he listened to on the radio.

Number 5 encountered Nova after stealing Stephanie's truck. He was eventually disabled by Newton Crosby and was placed in a Nova van with Ben and another guard to take back to the lab. While en route, Number 5 had been paralyzed, but was able to reactivate himself using his eye-brows to drop a wrench onto his power button.

He then kicked Ben and the guard out of the van and drove it back to Stephanie's. While he drove, Number 5 flipped through the radio stations until he came upon the song "Who's Johnny?". Number 5 started dancing to the song, weaving from lane to lane as he drove.

Answer: Took it apart piece by piece

Number 5 made his way back to Stephanie's, who was reluctant to allow him to stay with her. He persuaded her to let him stay the night. Meanwhile, Stephanie's ex-boyfriend Frank had viewed a news report about Stephanie and the missing robot. The news reported that a reward was available for the robot's capture.

He went to Stephanie's house to try and convince her to surrender Number 5. She told Number 5 to go, but instead of running away, he proceeded to disassemble Frank's brand new Trans Am piece by piece.

After Number 5 humiliated him some more, Frank ran off to contact Nova and the police.

Answer: The Three Stooges

Number 5 and Stephanie had attempted to try and talk with Newton Crosby about his robot's status as a living being. Stephanie and Newton talked inside a restaurant, while Number 5 went to hide in the woods. Captain Skroeder had secretly set Newton up and sent out three other S.A.I.N.T. robots to hunt down Number 5. Number 5 managed to outsmart them all and deactivate them. Number 5 then reprogrammed them to act like "The Three Stooges", much to Skroeder's dismay when they finally returned to him.

Answer: He laughed at his joke.

Number 5 later kidnapped Newton Crosby and brought him to a camp where he and Stephanie were hiding out. Newton and Number 5 proceed to have a lengthly discussion about him being "alive" or not. Newton discovered that Number 5 rewired himself and was skeptical about him actually being "alive".

After debating the issue the whole night, Newton decided to tell Number 5 a joke. When Number 5 began to laugh hysterically, Newton was finally convinced that his robot was in fact "alive", after he demonstrated a "spontaneous emotional response".

Answer: No

Captain Skroeder soon arrived with the U.S. Army to try and capture Number 5 once and for all. Newton tried to convince Dr. Marner about Number 5 being alive. The impatient Skroeder decided to take action by having soldiers forcibly move Stephanie and Newton away from his Nova van, so that the troops could open fire. Number 5 then jumped out of the van in an attempt to out run the military.

However, the Army had brought in a helicopter, which seemingly destroyed Number 5. Skroeder's apparent victory was short lived as Dr. Marner fired him for his actions.

As Newton and Stephanie drove away from the scene, Number 5 revealed himself from underneath the van. He had managed to trick the Army by constructing a duplicate using spare parts from the Nova van.