Benevolent Alien Invasion: Difference between revisions

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* ''[[Prince Roger]]'' has the Empire of Man taking over all habitable worlds in their space. Humanity though, can't help to fill all those worlds so instead the Empire culturally uplifts the worlds. The planet we see it go wonkey on shows how diverse a planet can be and why the [[Alien Non-Interference Clause|Prime Directive]] might be considered garbage by everyone on the scene. After all, freedom, long life, and protection from cannibals is a good reason to give up your culture.
* The unseen 'angels' in ''Deathscent'' by [[Robin Jarvis]]... possibly. The human characters clearly perceive them this way, but what their real motives were - to help humanity, study them, or just for fun - is left up to the reader.
* The ''[[Time Future]]'' duology by Maxine McArthur deals with humanity several centuries after being benevolently invaded by a species known as the Invidi. Earth is now a minor member of The Confederacy of Allied Worlds, which rules fairly peacefully over most of the galaxy. However, a major theme of the books is whether or not humanity is really better off as part of the Confederacy: because only the ruling Four Worlds (which include the Invidi) have access to [[Faster -Than -Light Travel]], the other races are dependant on them for interstellar contact of any kind, and are essentially second-class in galactic society.
* In [[Alan Dean Foster]]'s ''The Damned'' series, the Weave (and the Amplitur, as they perceive themselves) visit worlds populated with intelligent, civilized sentients to warn them of the intergalactic war between the two sides, share technology and invite (or "invite") them to join their side.
* Played with in Pamela Service's young-adult novel ''Under Alien Stars''. The Tsorians are a smug, rather xenophobic, and somewhat brutal [[Proud Warrior Race]] who turned the planet into [[Vichy Earth|a military outpost]], don't really "get" human customs, and [[Humans Are Ugly|think we're funny-looking]], [[Arson, Murder, and Jaywalking|to boot]]). Nonetheless, they turn out to be by far the lesser evil compared to the Hykzoi{{spoiler|, and seem to be accepting humanity as a proper ally at the end}}.
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== Live Action TV ==
* Apparently, this was what [[Well-Intentioned Extremist]] Cylons of ''[[Battlestar Galactica Reimagined (TV)|Battlestar Galactica]]'' wanted to do on New Caprica, but it kind of blew up in their face. [[Sarcasm Mode|Like it would have worked to begin with]].
** On the other hand, the humans certainly don't do themselves any favours, seeing as the Cylons are holding all the cards. It enters [[Too Dumb to Live]] territory when you realise that one [[Dying Race]] of around 40,000 people is '''suicide bombing''' another race that is both numerically superior and functionally '''immortal'''.
*** Technically, the suicide bombers weren't targeting the Cylons, but the human collaborators.
*** A lot of people also forget that while Cylons can resurrect, they need to ''die'' to be able to do, an experience thats been shown to be quite traumatising. Blowing themselves up is simply a desperate tactic for the Resistance once Cylons tightened security.
* "The Second Soul", an episode of the new ''[[The Outer Limits (TV)|The Outer Limits]]'', [[Playing With a Trope|played with this trope]] when non-corporeal aliens were allowed to settle on Earth... and to inhabit the bodies of dead humans.
* The ''[[Doctor Who (TV)|Doctor Who]]'' story "The Unquiet Dead" used the same idea. Although {{spoiler|while they feigned harmlessness, in fact the aliens revealed themselves as prepared to kill to get more bodies.}}
* While not an invasion per se, the Tenctonese refugees of ''[[Alien Nation (TV)|Alien Nation]]'' are implied to have brought several advanced technologies to Earth when their slave ship crash-landed, which are now being reverse-engineered.
* ''[[Earth: Final Conflict]]'' counts, though not all the Taelons were equally benevolent. Also a case of a relatively benevolent alien conqueror trying to protect Earth from a far less benevolent would-be conqueror. According to the Jaridians, they'd have no problem with humans if we kicked the Taelons out before they entrenched themselves in human society. They actually sent a warning message to Earth before the Taelon arrival, but the Taelons intercepted and blocked it.
* Played with in an alternate reality explored in an episode of ''[[Farscape (TV)|Farscape]]'', John Crichton was born on an Earth that had been taken over by the Scarrans decades ago, the remaining humans apparently the product of Scarran interbreeding. While the Scarrans are brutal toward species they consider threats, or to be of some value, humans were apparently not much of a threat, so long as the Scarrans kept them confined to Earth. It was noted that the admixture of Scarran DNA had been beneficial for humans in the long run: they were healthier and enjoyed longer lives. John, however, was unhappy because the Scarrans denied humans permission to explore space.
* In ''[[Star Trek (Franchise)|Star Trek]]'', the Vulcans helped humanity get their shit together in the aftermath of [[World War Three]] after humanity developed warp drive.
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{{quote| '''Eddington''': You [[Not So Different|assimilate]] people... ''and they don't even know it.''}}
* Perhaps the most famous [[Subverted Trope|subversion]] in history is ''[[The Twilight Zone (TV)|The Twilight Zone]]'''s "[[To Serve Man]]" episode, adapted from an earlier short story by Damon Knight. The Kanamit actually manage to end famine and war, but it's eventually revealed that only way they want "to serve man" is [[It Was His Sled|on a plate]].
* In ''[[Babylon 5 (TV)|Babylon 5]]'', the second invasion of Earth Alliance was a more-or-less benevolent assault--led by humans but backed by aliens--to remove an oppressive dictator.
* In ''Galactica 1980'' this is {{spoiler|the goal of Dr.Zee -- to get Earth's technology to a point to fight off a Cylon invasion.}}
 
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*** Not only do the Autobots not try to overthrow Earth's governments, they're often shown working ''with'' them. They also do their best to keep a low profile to avoid a public panic, ''and'' sometimes help out with our planet's own problems when they're not busy protecting us from the Decepticons.
* One episode of ''[[Mighty Max]]'' starts with reports of a swarm of beetles ruining a small village. Turns out they are actually tiny alien scouts, clearing the area for one of their diplomatic ships to land. Hey, the aliens left a note saying they would come back later (it's in a language no one alive can read, of course.) The aliens want Earth's toxic and radioactive waste; it's apparently an extremely valuable commodity where they come from. Win-win for Earth, Max, and the aliens.
* Not an invasion, but rather a crash landing: In ''[[Justice League Unlimited]]'', we learn that in the distant past (c. 6600 BC) two Thanagarian law officers landed in what is today Egypt. Worshipped as gods (In ''spite'' of their wishes) they used their technology to make the harsh desert bloom with life and ruled over a vast and peaceful empire as benevolent leaders. They were expansionist, yes, but only to bring their peace and bounty to their neighbors, who were primarily ruled by unjust dictators ([[Shout -Out|Teth-Adam]] even sends an offering of horses to thank the Thanagarians for liberating Kahndaq). Unfortunately, they only educated their people to the level of tool ''users'', not tool ''makers'', and when the Thanagarians themselves died, their peaceful utopia crumbled in a generation. Notable, in a way, for '''not''' having aliens build the pyramids or ruling [[Ancient Egypt]]; the dates make it clear that all this occurs ''before'' the building of the currently standing pyramids and temples, and before there was even a unified Egypt at all. The remnants of their constructions and history might have inspired the Pharaohs to adopt a similar style and culture, but Egypt itself was a completely human development that arose millennia later.
 
{{reflist}}
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[[Category:Alien Tropes]]
[[Category:Benevolent Alien Invasion]]
[[Category:Trope]]