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Where does Ford Prefect come from?

Ford Prefect, a central character in Douglas Adams' iconic science fiction series "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy," is an alien from the planet Betelgeuse. He is initially mistaken for a human named "Ford Prefect" by the protagonist, Arthur Dent, but is later revealed to be an extraterrestrial researcher sent to Earth to update the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy.


Ford Prefect's Alien Origins


In the first book of the series, "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy," Ford Prefect is introduced as a friend of Arthur Dent, who has been living on Earth for several years, posing as a human. However, it is eventually revealed that Ford's real name is not actually "Ford Prefect," but rather a name that is unpronounceable to humans.


Ford Prefect is an alien from the planet Betelgeuse, a fact that is kept secret from most of the human characters in the story. He has been sent to Earth to research and update the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, a comprehensive electronic guide to the galaxy that is used by many intergalactic travelers.


Blending in on Earth



  • To blend in with human society, Ford Prefect has adopted the name "Ford Prefect," which he believes is a typical English name.

  • He also dresses and behaves in a way that he believes is typical of humans, though his alien nature occasionally shines through.

  • Ford's mission on Earth is to gather information and updates for the Hitchhiker's Guide, which he does by observing human behavior and culture.


Despite his alien origins, Ford Prefect becomes a close friend and ally to the human protagonist, Arthur Dent, as they navigate the chaotic and often absurd events that unfold throughout the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy series.

What was Mr Ford's first name?


Henry Ford
Henry Ford, founder of Ford Motor Company, was born in Springwells Township, Wayne County, Michigan, on July 30, 1863, to Mary (Litogot) and William Ford. He was the eldest of six children in a family of four boys and two girls.



What is a Ford Prefect?


The Ford Prefect is a line of British cars which was produced by Ford UK between 1938 and 1961 as an upmarket version of the Ford Popular and Ford Anglia small family cars.



Is Ford Prefect a human?


Ford Prefect is an extraterrestrial being who landed on earth fifteen years before the planet's destruction. Ford is from “a small planet somewhere in the vicinity of Betelgeuse,” and is the distant cousin of the galaxy's president, Zaphod Beeblebrox.



Is Arthur Ford a villain?


Arthur Ford is the main villain protagonist of the 2019 video game Boneworks. Arthur Ford initially seems to be a Security Director at Monogon Industries, and works with two other colleagues: Hayes M., a Security Engineer, and Alora B, an Encryption Specialist.



What planet is Ford Prefect from?


Roving researcher for the Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy. He's not from Guildford, as he usually claims. He actualy comes from a small planet in the vicinity of Betelgeuse.



What is the problem with Marvin the robot?


Originally built as one of many failed prototypes of Sirius Cybernetics Corporation's GPP (Genuine People Personalities) technology, Marvin is afflicted with severe depression and boredom, in part because he has a "brain the size of a planet" which he is seldom, if ever, given the chance to use.



Is Ford Prefect human?


Ford Prefect is an extraterrestrial being who landed on earth fifteen years before the planet's destruction. Ford is from “a small planet somewhere in the vicinity of Betelgeuse,” and is the distant cousin of the galaxy's president, Zaphod Beeblebrox.



What happened to Ford Prefect?


It was thought that Ford was killed on Earth when the Vogons destroyed it again, as well as any chance of it ever existing in any universe again. However, he actually survived and ended up living on the planet Nano.



Why is he called Ford Prefect?


Although Ford had taken great care to blend into Earth society, he had "skimped a bit on his preparatory research," and thought that the name "Ford Prefect" would be "nicely inconspicuous." The Ford Prefect was a popular British car manufactured from 1938 to 1961, and Adams later clarified in an interview that Ford " ...



Who was Ford Prefect pretending to be for 15 years?


This intrepid researcher is very clever but also very lazy. He skimped a bit on his preliminary research before coming to Earth, leading him to believe the name Ford Prefect would be nicely inconspicuous. Ford did spend most of his 15 years on Earth pretending to be an out of work actor, which is fairly plausible.


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Kevin Bennett

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Kevin Bennet is the founder and owner of Kevin's Autos, a leading automotive service provider in Australia. With a deep commitment to customer satisfaction and years of industry expertise, Kevin uses his blog to answer the most common questions posed by his customers. From maintenance tips to troubleshooting advice, Kevin's articles are designed to empower drivers with the knowledge they need to keep their vehicles running smoothly and safely.