Goal-Oriented Evolution: Difference between revisions

{{trope}}

 

A common subtrope of [[Hollywood Evolution]] that commonly shows up along with [[Evolutionary Levels]], evolution is depicted as, or believed by a character to be, being directed toward a goal, most commonly [[Ascend to a Higher Plane of Existence|ascension]] or superpowered or [[Human Alien|humanoid]], rather than toward whatever is best adapted to the environment. Generally, things being described as "more evolved" is a very good indicator this trope is present.

A common view of the [[Evilutionary Biologist]], particularly when they claim that something is holding back evolution from marching forward. When this is done by [[Power Copying]] it's probably [[Lego Genetics]]. [[Lamarck Was Right]] is something that might also show up.

 

 

See [[Ultimate Lifeform]] for the usual end point.

 

{{examples}}

== Anime and Manga ==

* ''[[Digimon Tamers]]'': Advancement in the traditional evolutionary sense and digivolution are seen as the goal of the Sovereign Zhuqiaomon, his Devas and Impmon.

* ''[[Elfen Lied]]'': The Diclonius, maybe. {{spoiler|The conspicuously nameless government agency claims they're our evolutionary superiors, genetically programmed to take over the earth in cold-hearted genocide. The protagonists quickly find out that, at least, they're not cold-hearted at all.}} So it's embraced by some characters.

* ''[[Akira]]'': Akira and Tetsuo, if the movie's [[Hand Wave]] is correct.

 

* [[Marvel Comics]]:

** ''[[X-Men (Comic Book)|X Men]]'': Many characters (particularly the villains) believe that mutants are the next stage of humanity or its successor. In fact, it appears mutants, humans, Inhumans, and other species were experiments towards some vague goal set up by the Celestials.

*** This is trumped by him fighting Hulk [[It Makes Sense in Context|so Hulk would kill him]], when he changed the "evolutionary levels" of the ''Earth'', converting the ground beneath Hulk into tar (like tarpits, you know, because tarpits are like stone age, man?), then lava, then ''gas''.

*** In ''[[What If]] The Avengers Lost The Evolutionary War?'', all mutant and otherwise empowered superpeople have their powers enhanced in all kinds of ways (Cyclops can now control his blasts and doesn't need a visor; Spiderman grows four extra arms) while ordinary humans (including non-evolved heroes and villains such as Ironman and Doctor Doom) become bigbrained superintelligent psychics.

 

* ''[[Starship Troopers (film)|Starship Troopers]]'': The biology teacher in the beginning thought the [[Playing with a Trope|Bugs were more evolved than humans]].

{{quote|"We humans like to ''think'' we are nature's finest achievement, but I'm afraid that just isn't ''true''."}}

* In the 1986 film version of ''[[The Fly]]'', the afflicted remarks "I seem to be stricken by a disease with a purpose, wouldn't you say?"

* ''[[Mission to Mars]]'' heavily implies that the life that was seeded on Earth by the Martians was intended to go through the exact path that we saw in our history, complete with the destruction of the dinosaurs, the Ice Ages, and the ascent of humankind, complete with genes that are able to activate the technology that was sealed inside the Face.

 

== Literature ==

* ''[[The War Against the Chtorr]]'': It's stated that since Chtorran lifeforms have a billion-year evolutionary head start they have a massive advantage over Earth lifeforms.

* ''[[Tomorrow Town]]'' by [[Kim Newman]]: Parodied, one of the claims made by the futurists who have set up shop in the titular town is that they have evolved beyond their 1970s contemporaries, or '[[Fantastic Racism|yesterday men]]' as they are called. Of course, like most things to do with their "futopia", they're quite, quite mistaken.

* Averted in [[David Brin]]'s ''[[Uplift]]'' verse. Most clans believe that a species can't even develop sentience without genetic engineering (the exceptions being the mythical [[Precursors]] and maybe humanity).

 

== Live-Action TV ==

*** Spock explains:

{{quote|"The actual theory is that all lifeforms evolved [[Evolutionary Levels|from the lower levels to the more advanced stages]]."}}

** A later ''[[Star Trek: The Next Generation|Next Generation]]'' episode, ''The Chase'', reveals that all life in the Alpha Quadrant had descended from microbes seeded by a race of precursors billions of years ago. Somehow, because the microbes came from the precursors' homeworld, they were able to develop into multiple humanoid species on hundreds of different planets. At the same time. Who can interbreed with each other. It makes more sense than any other explanation no matter how much [[Fridge Logic]] is applied.

* ''[[Doctor Who]]'':

** In [[Doctor Who/Recap/S1/E02 The Daleks|the first Dalek story]], the Thals had mutated into something hideous, then back again into good-looking space elves in leather trousers because that was, supposedly, the most perfect form.

** In "[[Doctor Who/Recap/S12/E04 Genesis of the Daleks|Genesis of the Daleks]]", Davros worked out what the Kaled race ''was going to evolve into'' as a result of the centuries-long ABC war they'd been having with the Thals. (Apparently it was a green blob that would require a motorised dustbin if it was going to get around.)

* ''[[Stargate SG-1]]'': All sentient species apparently evolve "towards" ascension. Just before evolutionary ascension, people will have all kinds of [[Psychic Powers]], such as mind-reading, telepathy, healing powers and some kind of super-intelligence.

* ''[[Space: 1999]]'': The show features one of the oddest theories of evolution: ''everyone'' is evolving, and will eventually become perfect (apparently ignoring that pesky old mortality). Even worse, there is a mirror universe where evolution works backwards, and people gradually turn into piles of primordial soup, and traveling to this dimension will cause you to start evolving backwards as well.

'''Observer:''' Convenient? Why, our brains are fully functional from our bodies for up to fifty yards. }}

** Also referenced in the final host segment of the last episode of the Comedy Central years (a ''2001'' parody), when the SOL crew evolves into energy. They decide to regain their bodily forms at the beginning of the first episode of the Sci-Fi Channel years.

** Explicitly shown in one episode when Sheldon states Amy's science (neurobiology) is basically the same as Bernadette's (microbiology):

{{quote|'''Sheldon:''' Your doctorate is in neurobiology. I fail to see the distinction.

* ''[[Red Dwarf]]'': Over the course of 3 million years the inbred and irradiated descendents of Lister's cat somehow evolved into [http://media.photobucket.com/image/red%20dwarf%20cat/Smeghead/1-13l.jpg this].

* ''[[Babylon 5]]'': In one episode a super-powerful psychic has reached "the next stage" ahead of everyone else and evolves into an energy being. At the end of the series we're shown humans a million years down the line, who have all become beings of pure thought.

 

== Tabletop Games ==

* In the ''[[Magic: The Gathering]]'' card game, the Slivers seem to be an insectile species that have evolved the ability to evolve faster and share genetics through some sort of [[Hive Mind|psionic link]], resulting in not just momentary changes to genotype but also phenotype when two different varieties are in proximity. In addition, some flavor text references [[Evolutionary Levels]]. The Ghostflame Sliver, for example, seems to be a reference to the common misunderstanding of the punctuated equilibrium theory, as they are "on the cusp of evolution", but it's most notable in the Sliver Overlord, which declares it the ''end'' of evolution. Then again, the Slivers evolve so quickly partially by devouring other life forms and adapting their advantageous genes to their offspring, grow rapidly to adulthood, are semi-sentient, act in concert, and are almost virus-like in their ability to infest, consume, and spread rapidly, so it might just be an intimation that the Slivers will kill everything on the planet, halting evolution permanently.

* ''[[Forgotten Realms]]'': "Pages from the Mages" [[Played With]] this. The spell "Evolve" changes a normal animal into an intelligent and more or less human-like form. [[Don't Explain the Joke|The punchline]] is that glorified name aside, the spell just permanently transforms the target halfway to its caster (presumed to be a human smart enough to use a 8-level spell), using his own blood sample(!) as a component.

 

== Video Games ==

* ''[[Star Ocean: The Last Hope]]'': The [[Big Bad]] seems to think that it's possible to create a "better" evolution that will save humanity from violence and sadness. Even worse, the heroes believe that it's necessary to "make our hearts worthy" in order to evolve.

* ''[[Fire Emblem]]'': It's theorized the Zunanma were subconsciously evolving to be more like their "gods". The gods thought this was bad but the only solutions they could think of were abandonment or annihilation and Zunanma didn't like either.

 

== Western Animation ==

* ''[[The Spectacular Spider-Man]]'': In an episode titled "Natural Selection", Martha Connors states that lizard DNA is more primitive than humans, to which Curt Connors, the unfortunate victim of his own experiment, responds: "I'm regressing."

* ''[[Ben 10: Ultimate Alien]]'': The titular [[Super Mode|Ultimate Forms]]. The 'fast' part is at least justified in that the entire series revolves around a piece of [[Imported Alien Phlebotinum]] that can spontaneously rewrite a person's DNA. [[Word of God]] claims that the Ultimate forms are actually the ''projected'' evolution of a species based off of a simulated planet-wide civil war lasting millions of years.

 

== Real Life ==

 

{{reflist}}

[[Category:Hollywood Science]]