Most Cliche'd Alien

[Chmee]

human/cat aliens. Hate the damn things. Only there to serve as wankoff material for furries.

Oh alright, I'll make the obligatory defense of the Kzin or I couldn't use this name ....

Niven, who is never shy about including a little sex in his work, was pretty clear about Kzinti not being able to engage in such relations with humans or even humanoids ... they just can't get aroused by anything except another Kzin.

[Typhonis 1]

I do remeber seeing one Grey spoof that was well done...it was in a Mad magazine, there was this poor woiman about to be analy probed by the greys when there parents show up..... One escorts her out with an apologetic smile while the other scolds the children.

[Bob the Gunslinger]

I can't think of a particular archetype that annoys me, but one consistent trait aliens have that does annoy me is their habit of pointing out how violent and uncivilised we are. Yeah, like you don't have skeletons in your closet.

I see it as kind of a backlash against the ST:TNG habit of painting humans as halfway to being angels and virtually everyone else as complete assholes.

This is way older than TNG. Try listening to Spock in the old TOS eps. I really fucking hate this cliche. The whole "humans are barbarians" or "Humans are teh stupid, lolz" thing just ruins any alien species for me, and is one of the reasons I got fed up with HHGttG, which was soaked in those clichees.

Hell, I hate ALL the space-elves: the Vulcans, the Minbari, the Eldar, the Protoss, and to some extent the Jedi. They are always so much stronger, faster and fairer than us ugly barbarian humans, and oh-so-enlightened for a bunch of self-righteous pricks. They're just huge wank-targets for all those over-idealistic writers who think they're being deep by trashing human achievement.

[white_rabbit]

the Eldar

Hmm, I dunno about the Eldar, they aren't particularly like the others, all of whom have some redeeming attribute.

The Eldar really, really don't. They are responsible definately for at least 2 of the Chaos gods, they fucking hate humanity and want us dead, simply because we've replaced them. All their bluster and bullshit is invalidated by the simple fact of the Emperor.

Humans own Eldar in 40k, and we always will.

[Ra]

No one has mentioned the Ferengi! The most cliched one-note species in history.
- Ra

[dworkin]

One note species. They're all warriors, traders, beureacrats, hockey players or something. They all have one government, one religion, one philosophy, one fucking ice-cream flavour.

I mean what the fuck! What is it with an entire culture only having one alcoholic beverage? Do SF writers drink?

[Civil War Man]

Hell, I hate ALL the space-elves: the Vulcans, the Minbari, the Eldar, the Protoss, and to some extent the Jedi.

I've never really considered the Jedi to be space-elves. More space-monks. But not ordinary space-monks. Crouching-Tiger-Hidden-Dragon-esque space-monks.

As for the others, definitely space-elves. The Vulcans and Eldar don't even pretend to not be space-elves. The Minbari try to disguise it by not having pointy ears.

[Nephtys]

the Eldar

Hmm, I dunno about the Eldar, they aren't particularly like the others, all of whom have some redeeming attribute.

The Eldar really, really don't. They are responsible definately for at least 2 of the Chaos gods, they fucking hate humanity and want us dead, simply because we've replaced them. All their bluster and bullshit is invalidated by the simple fact of the Emperor.

Humans own Eldar in 40k, and we always will.

Huuh? The Eldar aren't space elves? They may be different than the others, but they're the most blatantly 'dying race of thin, agile, elfin' people ever. The Vulcans, Minbari and Protoss are elves at least just in ideology/attitude. Not physical appearance as well.

[Lancer]

Also a thing to note: all the Space Elves nearly wipe themselves out before humans become a spaceborne power.

[Batman]

Also a thing to note: all the Space Elves nearly wipe themselves out before humans become a spaceborne power.

Not only is that part of what makes them space elves but otherwise they'd wipe out the humans and we can't have that now can we?
Where I'm concerned the most cliche'd aliens are the humans.
Not only are we better and nicer and smarter than everybody else but we're also somehow the most powerful despite being more or less at the bottom of the technological totem pole. Yeah that makes sense.

[Spacebeard]

One cliche that was rampant in SF from the 19th century up through the 1960s was the highly advanced alien race that must invade Earth or the Milky Way because their planet or universe is dying. Start with the Martians in War of the Worlds, continue with almost any UFO B-Movie from the 50s or 60s, and end with the Kelvans in ST:TOS or the Andromedans in Blake's 7. Thankfully, it seems to be dead now.

One thing, by the way, that I really enjoyed in Stapledon's Last and First Men was that he placed humanity in the reverse of this situation for a change: they needed to migrate to Venus due to an impending worldwide disaster on Earth and had no choice but to wipe out a primitive race already there. They didn't do it because they were evil, they knew if was repugnant but simply had no alternative, and it would haunt them for generations to come.

[Civil War Man]

Another note on space-elves: Something I realized recently is that the Asgard from SG-1 are space-elves disguised as greys.

[Crossroads Inc.]

Yea, there like two Cliches in one, Space Elves AND greys! Really, when O'Neil first meets them I was SO expecting him to ask "Whats up with the anal Probing?"

[starfury]

Hell, I hate ALL the space-elves: the Vulcans, the Minbari, the Eldar, the Protoss, and to some extent the Jedi. They are always so much stronger, faster and fairer than us ugly barbarian humans, and oh-so-enlightened for a bunch of self-righteous pricks. They're just huge wank-targets for all those over-idealistic writers who think they're being deep by trashing human achievement.

What about the Romulans, the Vulcan Cousins, who are are pretty much also protrayed as arrogant scheming bastards, something the others don;t have the decency of beings, as they are made out to be a bad guy and "enemy" of the federation.

[Noble Ire]

Also a thing to note: all the Space Elves nearly wipe themselves out before humans become a spaceborne power.

Not only is that part of what makes them space elves but otherwise they'd wipe out the humans and we can't have that now can we?
Where I'm concerned the most cliche'd aliens are the humans.
Not only are we better and nicer and smarter than everybody else but we're also somehow the most powerful despite being more or less at the bottom of the technological totem pole. Yeah that makes sense.

The humans in Starcraft seem to be portrayed as red-necks, idiots, snobs, and all around SOBs with only a handful of exceptions. Of course, other than that, I think your right.

[Bob the Gunslinger]

Hell, I hate ALL the space-elves: the Vulcans, the Minbari, the Eldar, the Protoss, and to some extent the Jedi.

I've never really considered the Jedi to be space-elves. More space-monks. But not ordinary space-monks. Crouching-Tiger-Hidden-Dragon-esque space-monks.

I put "to some extent" because they really only have a few passing similarities to the stereotype. The whole emotional control thing and advanced spirituality and peacefulness tends to jive well with the other space elves' personalities. Can you imagine a party where everyone who shows up is a prequel Jedi, a Minbari or a Vulcan? It would be like a several-hour yoga class, but without the sexual tension. Booo-ring.

As for the others, definitely space-elves. The Vulcans and Eldar don't even pretend to not be space-elves. The Minbari try to disguise it by not having pointy ears.

True. The Minbari just have pointy heads.

White Rabit: I mostly put the Eldar there because they fulfill the "fairer, faster and stronger than any man" condition while being snooty about it. However, in the Eldar mindset, they are also more advanced, knowledgeable and spiritual than the Mon-Keigh, which is also an elvish (elven?) trait, even if the facts don't back them up on it.[/quote]

[Bob the Gunslinger]

Another note on space-elves: Something I realized recently is that the Asgard from SG-1 are space-elves disguised as greys.

Ouch.

I guess SG1 is hitting up the cliches like crazy. They got space elves, greys, parasite aliens, energy beings, backwards humans saving the galaxy with their so-primitive-they're-cutting-edge firearms, and the "design it one day, build it the next, arm the fleet the third" weapons cliche. They're almost as full of cliches as B5!

Fortunately, they'll never be as bad as TNG.

[starfury]

I ask again, what about the Romulans, or the same comment about their vulcan cousins apply to them, as they are actually more low-tech then the federation though they still the feds and Klingons as a bunch of barbarians.

[Coalition]

I hate aliens that would pass as humans is they didn't have some trademark feature such as . . ., six penises, etc.

I take it these guys are the "Star Trek Foreskin-of-the-Month-Club"?

[Bob the Gunslinger]

I ask again, what about the Romulans, or the same comment about their vulcan cousins apply to them, as they are actually more low-tech then the federation though they still the feds and Klingons as a bunch of barbarians.

What about them? Are you saying that they should disqualify Vulcans from the space elves cliche? If you are, I don't think it matters that they are the same breed, the Vulcans still fulfill the stereotype. It it walks like a space-elf and it quacks like a space-elf...

If you are saying that they also qualify...sure, why not? I just didn't mention them because they get so much less screen time playing up the space-elf stereotype than their logical cousins.

They also qualify for "bumpy-forehead of the week" in TNG.

[Bob the Gunslinger]

I hate aliens that would pass as humans is they didn't have some trademark feature such as . . ., six penises, etc.

I take it these guys are the "Star Trek Foreskin-of-the-Month-Club"?

I think he's refering to B5's Centauri, who have three prehensile penises on each side of their torsos.

[18-Till-I-Die]

I would like to speak up for the 'one-note' alien races please...

It seems conceivable, to me, that if a certain society or part of society (say, corporations for the Ferangi, or the military for the Warrior Races) became super-powerful to the point of drowning out all others that a race would become almost single mindedly focused.

Thus i think while bizarre, it's not impossible fro a Warrior Race to exist. Shit humans almost are, i mean half of our history is a search for a new way to blast each other to bits. If you somehow added to that perhaps the development of a singular religious power, and the complete takeover of the planet by a UN type government, which is basically run by a military dictatorship, then you'd have the Klingons...only with better weapons.

On Topic:

Personally my only 'pet peeve' in sci-fi is that old stand-by the In-Betweeners. We've seen them, probably not noticed. You'd have humans, with our low tech and scarppy determination, a few other races, maybe a corporate power and a military state, and the bad guys...the you have this race that does NOTHING to advance the story. They arent advanced enough to fight the baddies, they arent cool enough to hold yoru attention, they're just there to be in between the big boys.

On Babylon 5 thsi was extremely bad...not only were there numerous In-Betweener races, they had their own fucking UN (teh League). Yeah i want to negotiate with the ;eaders of twenty civilizations that coul each be conquered by Earth in about a day.

On ST this was even worse, as the In-Betweeners popped up literally every episode. Vulcans, Betazoids, whatever Phlox is...the list goes on and on and on...they have no power, no personality as a race, no anything they exist to fill the galaxy. An entire race of space-fillers.

SW only suffers a tad from this problem, but it has. Those hammerheads, waulrus race, etc.

Luckily SG1 has avoided this completely. there are third world civilizations, hyper tech folks, humans, etc, but none of those pointless space-fillers. And for this i must praise it.

[Mopeyennuui]

I hate aliens that would pass as humans is they didn't have some trademark feature such as pointed ears, ridged forehead, spots, six penises, etc.

Not a big fan of the "Star Trek Forehead-of-the-month-Club", huh?

I Sware once at the south coast plaze I saw outside the discovery storre a women who's head looked centauri, even with jewlery!

Yes.. why the hell JMS wanted species humanity couldn't fuck is beyond me. Only minbari? Ahh! WE want screwable alien babes!

(Yes. THe penis remark was about B5 I think.)

[Junghalli]

Yes.. why the hell JMS wanted species humanity couldn't fuck is beyond me.

Realism maybe? Or maybe to avoid schlockyness? Although it realism was his concern he probably should have made the aliens look less human-like.

Also a thing to note: all the Space Elves nearly wipe themselves out before humans become a spaceborne power.

Actually the fall of the Eldar was at the end of the Age of Strife, so the golden age of humanity was contemporaneous with the golden age of the Eldar. Of course, the human golden age (it's called the Dark Age of Technology in the fluff) is barely remembered in the Imperium.

This is way older than TNG. Try listening to Spock in the old TOS eps.

True. IIRC Vulcans were always supposed to be pacifists, so it's kind of understandable there.
BTW, why are Vulcans pacifists again? Their alien neighbors (Klings, Roms etc.) are not nice, so isn't it logical for them to invest in defending themselves? My pet theory is that it's all bullshit made up so they can get us dumb humans to do their fighting for them, which is quite logical.

I really fucking hate this cliche. The whole "humans are barbarians" or "Humans are teh stupid, lolz" thing just ruins any alien species for me.

But what about alien species that do think of humans as barbarians. Why exactly would that be unlikely?

[18-Till-I-Die]

An advanced race might see us as barbarians...

Remember, Manifest Destiny...humans arent knwon to accept little races well. We might not be alone in that problem.