Fan of the Past: Difference between revisions

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* [[Booster Gold]] majored in the Age of Superheros in College.
* [[Booster Gold]] majored in the Age of Superheros in College.
* Not sure if this counts, but one subsection of the alien race called the Skrulls in [[Marvel Comics]] fell in love with the American style of the 1920s and 30s. Their planet was redecorated to follow this style, and even the Skrulls (shapeshifters that they are) stay in human form most of the time. When the [[Fantastic Four]] first encountered them, this was the cause of some truly epic [[Cognitive Dissonance]].
* Not sure if this counts, but one subsection of the alien race called the Skrulls in [[Marvel Comics]] fell in love with the American style of the 1920s and 30s. Their planet was redecorated to follow this style, and even the Skrulls (shapeshifters that they are) stay in human form most of the time. When the [[Fantastic Four]] first encountered them, this was the cause of some truly epic [[Cognitive Dissonance]].
* The premise for the third continuity of ''[[The Legion of Super Heroes]]'': the entire team was like this.
* The premise for the third continuity of ''[[The Legion of Super Heroes]]'': the entire team was like this.
* A dark version of this trope occurred in the ''[[Rogue Trooper]]'' story "Fort Neuro". Rogue arrived at the titular fort, hoping to find shelter and some time to let the biochips calm down. However, the stress of holding off a Nort siege for years coupled with isolation due to their sanity slipping, causing the four garrisons to degenerate into [[Parodies]] of Napoleonic France, a 50s British seaside resort, a group of disco freaks, and wannabe supermodels. Rogue and the robots eventually managed to knock some sense into them.
* A dark version of this trope occurred in the ''[[Rogue Trooper]]'' story "Fort Neuro". Rogue arrived at the titular fort, hoping to find shelter and some time to let the biochips calm down. However, the stress of holding off a Nort siege for years coupled with isolation due to their sanity slipping, causing the four garrisons to degenerate into [[Parodies]] of Napoleonic France, a 50s British seaside resort, a group of disco freaks, and wannabe supermodels. Rogue and the robots eventually managed to knock some sense into them.
* [[Alan Moore]]'s ''[[Tomorrow Stories]]'' features the First American and U.S.Angel facing off against Dozier D. Daze and his retro-ray. Daze is obsessed with long-gone pop culture and memorabilia to the point that it's all that gets him hot and bothered. That's right, the man is a latent retrosexual. The First American and U.S.Angel grow increasingly uncomfortable with him turning them into denizens of eras past.
* [[Alan Moore]]'s ''[[Tomorrow Stories]]'' features the First American and U.S.Angel facing off against Dozier D. Daze and his retro-ray. Daze is obsessed with long-gone pop culture and memorabilia to the point that it's all that gets him hot and bothered. That's right, the man is a latent retrosexual. The First American and U.S.Angel grow increasingly uncomfortable with him turning them into denizens of eras past.
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* The ''[[Honor Harrington]]'' novels have entire ''planets'' whose [[Planet of Hats|entire populations are utterly dedicated to recreating some late-1700s-to-early-1800s Earth society]]. Talk about [[The Theme Park Version]], these are theme park ''cultures'', without the tourist industry to justify it. This is what happens when a planetary autocrat decides he's the reincarnation of Frederick the Great. Other than the crazy, he was apparently quite a good ruler - he took his role model seriously. Harrington herself is also a big fan of 20th century naval warfare, and the Havenites Kevin Usher and Victor Cachat are fans of 20th century movies.
* The ''[[Honor Harrington]]'' novels have entire ''planets'' whose [[Planet of Hats|entire populations are utterly dedicated to recreating some late-1700s-to-early-1800s Earth society]]. Talk about [[The Theme Park Version]], these are theme park ''cultures'', without the tourist industry to justify it. This is what happens when a planetary autocrat decides he's the reincarnation of Frederick the Great. Other than the crazy, he was apparently quite a good ruler - he took his role model seriously. Harrington herself is also a big fan of 20th century naval warfare, and the Havenites Kevin Usher and Victor Cachat are fans of 20th century movies.
** The ancient and honorable art of Grayson swordfighting is ostensibly based on ''The Seven Samurai'' - the founder of the colony was a fan. Naturally, they've filled in some of the blanks over the centuries.
** The ancient and honorable art of Grayson swordfighting is ostensibly based on ''The Seven Samurai'' - the founder of the colony was a fan. Naturally, they've filled in some of the blanks over the centuries.
* In the novel ''The Shadow Runners,'' the characters are in Australia, now a prison area in 2176. Rich young scions thrown into Australia are pretty much running the joint, while on loads and loads of drugs. They call themselves "Parliament" and are running around in waistcoats, calling themselves Lord Whatever, and pretending it's [[Victorian Britain]].
* In the novel ''The Shadow Runners,'' the characters are in Australia, now a prison area in 2176. Rich young scions thrown into Australia are pretty much running the joint, while on loads and loads of drugs. They call themselves "Parliament" and are running around in waistcoats, calling themselves Lord Whatever, and pretending it's [[Victorian Britain]].
* Asimov tends to subvert this by having most of Earth's history long lost in the past in most of his novels. Characters have been known to [[Future Imperfect|lump unicorns, orcs and tigers into the same fantasy grouping]]. Nonetheless, there are a few odd examples of fairly accurate history that pops up in unexpected places.
* Asimov tends to subvert this by having most of Earth's history long lost in the past in most of his novels. Characters have been known to [[Future Imperfect|lump unicorns, orcs and tigers into the same fantasy grouping]]. Nonetheless, there are a few odd examples of fairly accurate history that pops up in unexpected places.
** In ''[[The Robots of Dawn]]'' there are a references to some of the robot stories '(most notably ''[[The Bicentennial Man]]''), although they're tossed aside as myths.
** In ''[[The Robots of Dawn]]'' there are a references to some of the robot stories '(most notably ''[[The Bicentennial Man]]''), although they're tossed aside as myths.
** ''[[The Caves of Steel]]'' states that almost all the humans living on Earth at the time fit the trope.
** ''[[The Caves of Steel]]'' states that almost all the humans living on Earth at the time fit the trope.
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** Kirk in [[Star Trek: The Original Series|the original series]]
** Kirk in [[Star Trek: The Original Series|the original series]]
*** In one of the early Star Trek movies, Kirk receives a pair of "antique" eyeglasses as a birthday present (the explanation is he's allergic to some drug that 24th-century people use to treat bad vision -- funny in hindsight since before the end of the 20th century, we were using [[Technology Marches On|laser microsurgery]] to fix eye problems).
*** In one of the early Star Trek movies, Kirk receives a pair of "antique" eyeglasses as a birthday present (the explanation is he's allergic to some drug that 24th-century people use to treat bad vision -- funny in hindsight since before the end of the 20th century, we were using [[Technology Marches On|laser microsurgery]] to fix eye problems).
*** Marla McGivers from "[[Star Trek/Recap/S1 E22 Space Seed|Space Seed]]". Completely justified in [[Mc Givers]]' case, because she is a historian by profession. Kirk even remarks sardonically upon the discovery of Khan's ship, the ''Botany Bay'', that this will finally give her something to do.
*** Marla McGivers from "[[Star Trek/Recap/S1/E22 Space Seed|Space Seed]]". Completely justified in [[Mc Givers]]' case, because she is a historian by profession. Kirk even remarks sardonically upon the discovery of Khan's ship, the ''Botany Bay'', that this will finally give her something to do.
*** Two more examples: During Sam Cogley's closing arguments in "[[Star Trek/Recap/S1 E20 Court Martial|Court Martial]]", he refers to fundamental declarations of rights made in the Magna Carta, the US Constitution, a Declaration of Rights from the Martian Colonies, and the Statutes of Alpha III. Also, references are periodically made to Colonel Green (a dictator from the 21st century) and World War III, as well as the fact that mankind avoided an all-out nuclear war.
*** Two more examples: During Sam Cogley's closing arguments in "[[Star Trek/Recap/S1/E20 Court Martial|Court Martial]]", he refers to fundamental declarations of rights made in the Magna Carta, the US Constitution, a Declaration of Rights from the Martian Colonies, and the Statutes of Alpha III. Also, references are periodically made to Colonel Green (a dictator from the 21st century) and World War III, as well as the fact that mankind avoided an all-out nuclear war.
*** There are also some examples from the new series, such as a reference to the (future) reunification of Ireland as a result of terrorism.
*** There are also some examples from the new series, such as a reference to the (future) reunification of Ireland as a result of terrorism.
** Zefram Cochrane from ''[[Star Trek: First Contact|First Contact]]'' loves early rock-and-roll. Somewhat justified, as his time period is shortly [[After the End]].
** Zefram Cochrane from ''[[Star Trek: First Contact|First Contact]]'' loves early rock-and-roll. Somewhat justified, as his time period is shortly [[After the End]].
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* Seamus Harper in ''[[Andromeda]]''; he often references culture from our time that confuses everyone else, as he is the only main character from Earth. Examples include comic book references, a desire to learn Gaelic, and surfing (although that seems to still be popular all across the galaxy.)
* Seamus Harper in ''[[Andromeda]]''; he often references culture from our time that confuses everyone else, as he is the only main character from Earth. Examples include comic book references, a desire to learn Gaelic, and surfing (although that seems to still be popular all across the galaxy.)
* Initially averted in ''[[Red Dwarf]]'', where the only references Lister made were originally to futuristic sports (like players for various Zero-G Football teams) and television shows (Mugs Murphy), but eventually just gave up and made jokes referencing pop-culture concepts people actually understood. From the beginning though, Rimmer has been a fan of the Napoleonic Age of War.
* Initially averted in ''[[Red Dwarf]]'', where the only references Lister made were originally to futuristic sports (like players for various Zero-G Football teams) and television shows (Mugs Murphy), but eventually just gave up and made jokes referencing pop-culture concepts people actually understood. From the beginning though, Rimmer has been a fan of the Napoleonic Age of War.
** Although a lot of the jokes already feel rather dated 10-20 years on.
** Although a lot of the jokes already feel rather dated 10-20 years on.
* ''[[Blake's Seven|Blakes Seven]]''. In the episode "Bounty", former President Sarkoff is a student of 'natural history', which has come to mean the study of things that no longer exist. Thus he has 20th Century artefacts mounted on his wall like heirlooms, including gasmasks and cutlery.
* ''[[Blake's 7|Blakes Seven]]''. In the episode "Bounty", former President Sarkoff is a student of 'natural history', which has come to mean the study of things that no longer exist. Thus he has 20th Century artefacts mounted on his wall like heirlooms, including gasmasks and cutlery.
* Half of the jokes in ''[[Buck Rogers in The 25th Century]]'' were based on misinterpreting items from the 20th Century.
* Half of the jokes in ''[[Buck Rogers in The 25th Century]]'' were based on misinterpreting items from the 20th Century.


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== [[Web Original]] ==
== [[Web Original]] ==
* The ''[[Chakona Space]]'' shared universe is a huge offender in this respect (though some characters ''do'' have good reason to appreciate older music, such as one man who is revealed to be several hundred years old).
* The ''[[Chakona Space]]'' shared universe is a huge offender in this respect (though some characters ''do'' have good reason to appreciate older music, such as one man who is revealed to be several hundred years old).


== [[Western Animation]] ==
== [[Western Animation]] ==
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== [[Real Life]] ==
== [[Real Life]] ==
* Lots of people could, if they wanted to, list off enough facts about a past decade or century to fit this trope. Fans of classical music or literature in particular would seem to fit.
* Lots of people could, if they wanted to, list off enough facts about a past decade or century to fit this trope. Fans of classical music or literature in particular would seem to fit.
* This is at least part of the reason [[Steampunk]] and [[Alternate History]] exist.
* This is at least part of the reason [[Steampunk]] and [[Alternate History]] exist.
* It's a lot less common for a person to give references on a daily basis to popular culture from what's roughly a three decade period several centuries in the past. "You sing like an early Florence Foster Jenkins."
* It's a lot less common for a person to give references on a daily basis to popular culture from what's roughly a three decade period several centuries in the past. "You sing like an early Florence Foster Jenkins."
Retrieved from "https://allthetropes.org/wiki/Fan_of_the_Past"