What Measure Is a Non-Human?/Western Animation: Difference between revisions

** Still, the extent of carnage and violence Tartakovsky indulged in under sole excuse of this trope is unsettling. It's not just that robots can be killed on-screen - they can be killed in ''horrifying'' ways on-screen. They are burned, dissolved in acid, disemboweled in slow-mo, cannibalised and ''devoured alive by a huge monster''. At this they sometimes clearly express emotions, namely pain and horror, and other times they look exactly like living beings right until the moment of death.

* In the penultimate episode of ''[[Danny Phantom]]'', this issue became a plot point in more ways than one since the subject in question is both a [[Half-Human Hybrid]] ''and'' a clone:

'''Valerie''': No, that's not my problem. She ''is'' a ghost, and I destroy ghosts!<br />

'''Danny''': Fine! Destroy ghosts! But can you really take part in destroying a ''human''? }}

** Also called up in Danielle's premiere episode- Vlad became [[Moral Event Horizon|fully irredeemable]] when he treated her as less than human in the climax-

*** Also played straight in the same episode when both Danny and Danielle had no qualms seeing the perfect clone die in their hands. Considering said clone is a step above Danielle and clearly shows conscience as he dies, this is a rather jarring matter.

* ''[[Megas XLR]]'' will never kill off humans, and will only very rarely have any kind of organic being die. The giant robots that are frequently the enemies though, are cannon fodder, regardless of their level of sentience. One particularly extreme example is when Coop accidentally blows up ''a planet'' of sentient robots (although they ''were'' [[Ax Crazy]] and sort of fascist). If they could get away with it, the writers would also have plenty of ''humans'' killed to (and a few still are).

** To be fair, the people in the movies are unaware of the appliances being alive. [[Thomas the Tank Engine]], on the other hand...(see below).

* Populated, as it is, by humans, robots, sewer mutants, talking animals, and aliens of all varieties, ''[[Futurama]]'' naturally takes this one on with tongue firmly in cheek. To wit:

'''Fry:''' Oh... you mean like a garage is inhabited by boxes. }}

** Furthermore (and possibly as a tribute to ''[[The Brave Little Toaster]]'') Professor Farnsworth "teaches the toaster how to love". In a dream sequence he goes so far as to bring it to life, turning it into a raccoon. Everyone else still treats it like an old toaster... might have something to do with the two slots and heating coils that are still in its back.

* The way this applies to giant monsters is partially subverted in ''[[Invader Zim]]'', when Zim transforms a hamster into a giant monster. Even though it's on a rampage, people still stop to gawk at how cute it is.

* ''[[SpongeBob SquarePants]]'' [[Moral Event Horizon|feeds]] [[Nightmare Fuel|a talking worm]] to his adopted baby scallop.

'''Worm:''' Huh, wait! We will bury yooooou! [drops it in the scallop’s mouth and it eats it] }}

* The original ''[[Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 1987]]'' animated series gave the Turtles a chance to actually use their weapons as forces of deadliness by turning Shredder's foot soldiers into robots.

** There was also another episode where a talking, sentient cow is about to be slaughtered for meat, but Brian and Peter break him out. Like with Brian, it hits this trope because overall, the cow does behave like a human but is still treated like an animal. Said cow does end up winning a lawsuit against the fast food company that was going to kill him and the other cows.

** In one cutaway gag Mayor [[Mc Cheese]] gets shot instead of John F Kennedy, with his head bursting up and Jacky Kennedy starting to eat it. Which leads Stewie and Brian to lampshade this:

'''Stewie:''' ''"Who cares? He's a cheeseburger."'' }}

* In the initial ark of [[Superman: The Animated Series]] a bunch of [[Starfish Aliens]] stumble upon [[AI Is a Crapshoot|Braniac's]] ship, reactivate him and get swiftly slaughtered for their troubles. Only their silhouettes are visible at that, but their [[Alien Blood|bodily fluids]] are spattered all over a wall. Nothing even remotedly as graphic ever befalls humans. Braniac himself, by the way, is also fair game for Sups to kill.