Killer Space Monkey: Difference between revisions

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[[File:Titanoplanet.jpg|link=Superman|right]]
[[File:Titanoplanet.jpg|link=Superman|right]]


Maybe it's because they land somewhere in the [[Uncanny Valley]]. Maybe, as with the [[Monster Clown]], it's because writers like subverting the traditionally "cute". Maybe it is a reflection of our savage ancestry. Maybe it's a remnant of our struggle with our differently-evolved cousins. Or maybe it's simply that [[Everything's Better With Monkeys]]. Whatever the reason, killer simians make for good alien monsters.
Maybe it's because they land somewhere in the [[Uncanny Valley]]. Maybe, as with the [[Monster Clown]], it's because writers like subverting the traditionally "cute". Maybe it is a reflection of our savage ancestry. Maybe it's a remnant of our struggle with our differently-evolved cousins. Or maybe it's simply that [[Everything's Better with Monkeys]]. Whatever the reason, killer simians make for good alien monsters.


Such extraterrestrial monkeys tend to be brutish killing machines - an intelligent alien ape is usually a subversion.
Such extraterrestrial monkeys tend to be brutish killing machines - an intelligent alien ape is usually a subversion.
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* The Thunes in Mike Baron and Steve Rude's comic book ''Nexus'' resemble apes. Thunes are an intelligent race, though, and are just as varied morality-wise as humans. The two most prominent Thune castmembers are Nexus's two best friends, Dave and his son Judah.
* The Thunes in Mike Baron and Steve Rude's comic book ''Nexus'' resemble apes. Thunes are an intelligent race, though, and are just as varied morality-wise as humans. The two most prominent Thune castmembers are Nexus's two best friends, Dave and his son Judah.
* The [[Marvel]] ''[[Transformers Generation 1]]'' comic had a race of (somewhat) intelligent, vicious cyborg monkeys living in limbo.
* The [[Marvel]] ''[[Transformers Generation 1]]'' comic had a race of (somewhat) intelligent, vicious cyborg monkeys living in limbo.
* A group of intelligent killer space monkeys appear in the ''[[Doctor Who Magazine (Magazine)|Doctor Who Magazine]]'' strip "Sins of the Fathers".
* A group of intelligent killer space monkeys appear in the ''[[Doctor Who Magazine]]'' strip "Sins of the Fathers".
* Titano from the ''[[Superman (Comic Book)|Superman]]'' comics, who features in the page image, started life as an ordinary Earth ape. Rocketed into space, he and his ship were bombarded with radiation, which changed him into a giant ape with incredible strength and the ability to emit beams of Kryptonite radiation from his eyes.
* Titano from the ''[[Superman]]'' comics, who features in the page image, started life as an ordinary Earth ape. Rocketed into space, he and his ship were bombarded with radiation, which changed him into a giant ape with incredible strength and the ability to emit beams of Kryptonite radiation from his eyes.


== Film ==
== Film ==
* One variation is the movie ''[[Planet of the Apes]]'', in which the apes are exactly as brutish and nasty as humans.
* One variation is the movie ''[[Planet of the Apes]]'', in which the apes are exactly as brutish and nasty as humans.
* The aliens in ''[[Evolution (Film)|Evolution]]'' start evolving into ape-monsters around the third act of the film as they reach the monkey [[Evolutionary Levels|stage of the evolutionary "ladder"]].
* The aliens in ''[[Evolution (film)|Evolution]]'' start evolving into ape-monsters around the third act of the film as they reach the monkey [[Evolutionary Levels|stage of the evolutionary "ladder"]].
* The Morlocks in the 2002 adaptation of ''[[The Time Machine]]'' were particularly ape-like.
* The Morlocks in the 2002 adaptation of ''[[The Time Machine]]'' were particularly ape-like.
* ''[[Star Wars]]'' gives us Chewbacca and his fellow Wookies, who are for the most part the most unambiguously noble critters in the galaxy. The Wampa from Hoth is a more traditionally monsterish version.
* ''[[Star Wars]]'' gives us Chewbacca and his fellow Wookies, who are for the most part the most unambiguously noble critters in the galaxy. The Wampa from Hoth is a more traditionally monsterish version.
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== Literature ==
== Literature ==
* [[Larry Niven]]'s ''[[Known Space]]'' setting has multiple hominids evolved from the Pak, including a whole [[Ring World]] full of sentient and non-sentient types. The [[Shout Out|Morlocks]] of Wunderland are also apelike [[Underground Monkey|cave-dwellers]].
* [[Larry Niven]]'s ''[[Known Space]]'' setting has multiple hominids evolved from the Pak, including a whole [[Ring World]] full of sentient and non-sentient types. The [[Shout-Out|Morlocks]] of Wunderland are also apelike [[Underground Monkey|cave-dwellers]].
* [[John Carter of Mars]] has the White Apes - gigantic, four-armed Martian primates.
* [[John Carter of Mars]] has the White Apes - gigantic, four-armed Martian primates.
* In ''[[After Man a Zoology of The Future]]'', several species of deadly predator have evolved from monkeys, including the fish-eating [[Exactly What It Says On the Tin|swimming monkey]], the cheetah-like [[Fragile Speedster|horrane]], and several species of [[It Makes Sense in Context|carnosaur-like raboon]].
* In ''[[After Man a Zoology of The Future]]'', several species of deadly predator have evolved from monkeys, including the fish-eating [[Exactly What It Says on the Tin|swimming monkey]], the cheetah-like [[Fragile Speedster|horrane]], and several species of [[It Makes Sense in Context|carnosaur-like raboon]].


== Live Action TV ==
== Live Action TV ==
* The Ogrons, a race of mercenary grunts often turning up as henchmen to the Daleks in ''[[Doctor Who (TV)|Doctor Who]]''.
* The Ogrons, a race of mercenary grunts often turning up as henchmen to the Daleks in ''[[Doctor Who]]''.
* The Kromaggs, the product of parallel evolution on one of the worlds of ''[[Sliders]]'' with a taste for human eyeballs. In their initial appearance, they were most definitely ape-descended, though later appearances made them more human, with something of a Nosferatu bent. (Note that their name comes from "Cro-Magnon", [[Hollywood Meaningful Name|but the actual Cro-Magnons were modern humans]].)
* The Kromaggs, the product of parallel evolution on one of the worlds of ''[[Sliders]]'' with a taste for human eyeballs. In their initial appearance, they were most definitely ape-descended, though later appearances made them more human, with something of a Nosferatu bent. (Note that their name comes from "Cro-Magnon", [[Hollywood Meaningful Name|but the actual Cro-Magnons were modern humans]].)
* The Magog from ''[[Andromeda]]''.
* The Magog from ''[[Andromeda]]''.
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* ''[[Firefly]]'': Space monkeys are raised as a possible reason why Kaylee's engine room is so untidy in "Train Job".
* ''[[Firefly]]'': Space monkeys are raised as a possible reason why Kaylee's engine room is so untidy in "Train Job".
* Goldar of ''[[Mighty Morphin Power Rangers]]'' fame.
* Goldar of ''[[Mighty Morphin Power Rangers]]'' fame.
* The Mugato from ''[[Star Trek the Original Series]]''.
* The Mugato from ''[[Star Trek: The Original Series]]''.


== Other ==
== Other ==
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== [[Tabletop Games]] ==
== [[Tabletop Games]] ==
* Not so much ''killer'', as their role is more of [[The Engineer]], but ''[[Warhammer 40000]]'' features the Jokaero, a race of space orangutans.
* Not so much ''killer'', as their role is more of [[The Engineer]], but ''[[Warhammer 40000]]'' features the Jokaero, a race of space orangutans.
* Another tabletop wargame, ''AT-43'', features a race of intelligent apes (actually uplifted Earth gorillas), fond of philosophy and simian-related [[Shout Out|Shout Outs]].
* Another tabletop wargame, ''AT-43'', features a race of intelligent apes (actually uplifted Earth gorillas), fond of philosophy and simian-related [[Shout-Out|Shout Outs]].
* ''[[Star Frontiers]]'' had the Yazirians as a playable race. They were generally good guys, of the [[Proud Warrior Race Guy]] sort.
* ''[[Star Frontiers]]'' had the Yazirians as a playable race. They were generally good guys, of the [[Proud Warrior Race Guy]] sort.
* ''[[Spelljammer]]'' brought the Yazirians back, but renamed them "Hadozee," or "deck apes."
* ''[[Spelljammer]]'' brought the Yazirians back, but renamed them "Hadozee," or "deck apes."
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== Video Games ==
== Video Games ==
* ''[[System Shock]] 2'' had creepy zombie space lab monkeys. With [[Psychic Powers]] (either cryokinesis or pyrokinesis, depending on which kind of monkey).
* ''[[System Shock]] 2'' had creepy zombie space lab monkeys. With [[Psychic Powers]] (either cryokinesis or pyrokinesis, depending on which kind of monkey).
* ''[[City of Heroes (Video Game)|City of Heroes]]'' has transdimensional psychic monkeys. Which emit toxic gas when defeated.
* ''[[City of Heroes]]'' has transdimensional psychic monkeys. Which emit toxic gas when defeated.
** And gives you a [[Bragging Rights Reward|badge]] for [[Never Say Die|"arresting"]] 1000 of them.
** And gives you a [[Bragging Rights Reward|badge]] for [[Never Say "Die"|"arresting"]] 1000 of them.
* While both the Grunts and the Elites from the first game have a substantial number of ape-like features, ''[[Halo]] 2'' went right out and admitted it with the Brutes, who are basically gorillas. Gorillas in [[Powered Armor]] who [[Guns Akimbo|dual-wield shotguns]]. Yeah.
* While both the Grunts and the Elites from the first game have a substantial number of ape-like features, ''[[Halo]] 2'' went right out and admitted it with the Brutes, who are basically gorillas. Gorillas in [[Powered Armor]] who [[Guns Akimbo|dual-wield shotguns]]. Yeah.
** The Covenant name for Grunts is Unggoy, which in Tagalog means monkey.
** The Covenant name for Grunts is Unggoy, which in Tagalog means monkey.
** ''[[Halo Reach]]'' has a [[Giant Space Flea From Nowhere]] encounter with a pair of giant tusked lizard-monkeys.
** ''[[Halo: Reach]]'' has a [[Giant Space Flea From Nowhere]] encounter with a pair of giant tusked lizard-monkeys.
* The Cosmic Silverback in the ''Dead Ops Arcade'' minigame of ''[[Call of Duty Black Ops (Video Game)|Call of Duty Black Ops]]'', along with the much smaller Space Monkeys in the [[Nazi Zombies]] map ''Ascension''.
* The Cosmic Silverback in the ''Dead Ops Arcade'' minigame of ''[[Call of Duty: Black Ops|Call of Duty Black Ops]]'', along with the much smaller Space Monkeys in the [[Nazi Zombies]] map ''Ascension''.
* A literal case with General Skun'ka'pe in the third season of the ''[[Sam and Max]]'' episodic adventure game.
* A literal case with General Skun'ka'pe in the third season of the ''[[Sam and Max]]'' episodic adventure game.
* The Tarka from ''[[Sword of the Stars]]'' are one part reptile and one part this. In return, they consider us this too.
* The Tarka from ''[[Sword of the Stars]]'' are one part reptile and one part this. In return, they consider us this too.
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== [[Western Animation]] ==
== [[Western Animation]] ==
* ''[[Captain Simian and The Space Monkeys (Animation)|Captain Simian and The Space Monkeys]]'' had as its main cast a group of ''good guy'' space monkeys. The [[Big Bad]], meanwhile, had an evil ''cyborg'' space monkey after them, RHESUS-2.
* ''[[Captain Simian & the Space Monkeys|Captain Simian and The Space Monkeys]]'' had as its main cast a group of ''good guy'' space monkeys. The [[Big Bad]], meanwhile, had an evil ''cyborg'' space monkey after them, RHESUS-2.
* An odd twist on the trope is the ''[[Super Robot Monkey Team Hyperforce Go]]''. They're technically the good guys, but they have no compunction whatsoever against killing their enemies, and being brutal about it.
* An odd twist on the trope is the ''[[Super Robot Monkey Team Hyperforce Go!]]''. They're technically the good guys, but they have no compunction whatsoever against killing their enemies, and being brutal about it.
* ''[[Bucky O'Hare and The Toad Wars (Comic Book)|Bucky O Hare and The Toad Wars]]'': "Beetleguizean Berzerker Baboon! Run away!"
* ''[[Bucky O'Hare and the Toad Wars|Bucky O Hare and The Toad Wars]]'': "Beetleguizean Berzerker Baboon! Run away!"
* An episode of ''[[Superman the Animated Series]]'' has Titano (see Comics section) as Lois Lane's pet monkey (her father was part of NASA at the time.) He eventually lands in Metropolis, starts growing to massive size and runs amok downtown.
* An episode of ''[[Superman: The Animated Series]]'' has Titano (see Comics section) as Lois Lane's pet monkey (her father was part of NASA at the time.) He eventually lands in Metropolis, starts growing to massive size and runs amok downtown.


== [[Web Comics]] ==
== [[Web Comics]] ==
* The Lespuko from ''[[El Goonish Shive (Webcomic)|El Goonish Shive]]'' probably counts as this. It is a species of alien, its name means "Rock Ape" and it has been shown to be aggressive.
* The Lespuko from ''[[El Goonish Shive]]'' probably counts as this. It is a species of alien, its name means "Rock Ape" and it has been shown to be aggressive.


== [[Real Life]] ==
== [[Real Life]] ==
Retrieved from "https://allthetropes.org/wiki/Killer_Space_Monkey"