[List] In-Jokes, Third-Party References, etc.

I think the Diary of the Whills was part of a rejected frame story that formed part of George Lucas' first draft of Star Wars

 

Does anybody know why the lathe looks the way it does?

 

I have to admit to having no idea. It reminds me a bit of transformation trinkets from magical girl shows, but that's probably a long shot.

 

Rogue Scientists are from Perdido Street Station

 

"Big Dig", the name of the bolt of mass destruction's digging effect, is also the name of a massive 15 year highway renovation project in Boston that started in the 1990's and ran until 2006