Ce sur quoi le scénario se base, c'est une créature dangereuse.

Questions & Answers about Ce sur quoi le scénario se base, c'est une créature dangereuse.

Why do we use Ce sur quoi here instead of just Ce que?
We use quoi instead of que because it follows a preposition (sur). When talking about an indefinite "what" or "the thing that" paired with a preposition, French uses ce + preposition + quoi.
Where does the preposition sur come from in this sentence?
It comes from the verb phrase se baser sur, which means "to be based on". In French, the preposition cannot be left at the end of the sentence like in English, so it moves to the front of the relative clause, literally translating to "That on which the scenario bases itself."
Why do we need c'est in the middle of the sentence? Couldn't we just use est?
When a sentence starts with a long phrase acting as the subject (like Ce sur quoi le scénario se base), French often uses a comma followed by c'est to resume or recap the subject. It sounds much more natural to French ears than just using est on its own.
Why is the verb reflexive (se base) here?
In English, we usually use the passive voice ("is based on"), but French prefers to use the reflexive verb se baser sur (literally "to base itself on") when a thing, like a scenario or story, is the subject.

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