Science Hero: Difference between revisions

The [[Science Hero]] has become something of a [[Discredited Trope]] with the onset of [[Post Modernism]] because post-modernism rejected progress for progress's sake -- which is a favorite motivation for a Science Hero -- and allowed a resurgence of [[Science Is Bad]], [[Nature Hero]], and [[Rock Beats Laser]].

It also demanded personal motivations for characters. Classic Science Heroes tended to do their science for the good of society/humanity/the universe/etc. or [[For Science!]], and viewers were expected to be inspired by them. Modern Science Heroes are expected to have a personal or psychological reason for getting into science. Some reasons make the character a [[Mad Scientist]], with all the craziness that implies. It's good craziness used for a good cause, but we're not supposed to take that kind of character as a role model! Other reasons allow the pursuit of science to end or be shoved in the background because it is a means to a reachable end or to an end that can be better reached some other way. And, in modern fiction, even a Science Hero can be thrown off track by [[The Power of Love]] -- and more likely than not, this will be expected to be seen as a good thing...

For these reasons, it is hard to find new, unambiguous Science Heroes. It's a pity -- we still need to inspire the scientists.

* [[Tom Strong]]. Indeed in the whole America's Best Comics universe [[Science Hero]] is actually the preferred term for what are commonly called [[Superhero|Superheroes]]. Note that though called Science Heroes, not all the characters in that multiverse fit this trope (For example, Splash Brannigan is called a [[Science Hero]] despite having no scientific knowledge, background or indeed, common sense. His powers even derive from the fact that his body is composed of MAGIC four-dimensional ink)

* [[Paul Dini]]'s ''Madame Mirage'' revolves around both [[Science Hero|Science Heroes]], and [[Mad Scientist|Mad Scientists]] and other [[Science Is Bad|science-abusing]] villains.

* ''[[Astro City]]'' has Augustus and Julius Furst, the scientist/adventurer brothers. Augustus is the head of the [[Badass Family|First Family]], and while the rest of the team charges into battle with their super-powers or [[BFG|BFGs]], Gus will hang back and analyze the enemy's weakness to six decimal places, then whip up some [[Applied Phlebotinum]] to finish it off. Julius is the true [[Badass Normal]] of the family, and can hold his own against all manner of nefarious superhumans with a badass cigar and a home-built [[BFG]].

* Both Jay Garrick and Barry Allen, the first and second [[Flash|Flashes]] respectively, are both experts in science. Jay is the director of a laboratory which was crucial in protecting Earth-Two, and Barry is a police scientist who uses his speed in creative ways in conjunction with his science knowledge.

* Most of the heroes of ''[[The Core]]'' were scientists -- which is mildly ironic, given that on the [[Mohs Scale of Science Fiction Hardness]], [[They Just Didn't Care|it isn't]].

* Ellie Arroway from ''[[Contact (film)|Contact]]'' is a [[Science Hero]]. The writer of ''Contact'', [[Carl Sagan]], was one too.

* In ''[[Dune]]'' Liet-Kynes is both a [[Science Hero]] and a [[Nature Hero]].

* In ''[[Fallout]]'', a character with a high Science skill can become this, solving problems with their advanced knowledge. This especially comes into play in the [[Fallout: New Vegas]] DLC Old World Blues, which takes place in a facility for a group of [[Mad Scientist|Mad Scientists]] and where the Science skill gets quite a bit of work. In fact, if the main quest is completed with Good/Neutral karma, the epilogue states that the Courier becomes the caretaker of the technologies of the Big MT until the day they can be used to benefit mankind.

* A [[Science Hero]] makes a brief appearance in one strip of ''[[Narbonic]]''. The Science Villain title character finds such ''good'' [[Mad Scientist|Mad Scientists]] decidedly creepy.

* [[wikipedia:Alexander Fleming|Every]] [[wikipedia:Einstein|scientist]] [[wikipedia:Copernicus|and]] [[wikipedia:Galileo Galilei|rational]] [[wikipedia:Johannes Kepler|thinker]] [[wikipedia:Francis Crick|whose]] [[wikipedia:Jack Kilby|inventions]] [[wikipedia:Richard Feynman|and]] [[wikipedia:Newtonian mechanics|theories]] have lead to the decrease of famine and disease, the rise of technology and civilization, the expansion of the breadth of humanity's knowledge and in general the increase in the quality of life for the average human across the board is a [[Science Hero]]. [[Rousseau Was Right]], indeed.

** Dr. Jonas Salk - developer of Polio vaccine, and lauded as a [[Science Hero]] after the discovery.