They Would Cut You Up: Difference between revisions
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{{trope}}
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Scientists will usually be portrayed as [[For Science!|too obsessed to care]] for anyone or anything who might be used to further our knowledge of the universe or make a cool new weapon, caring only about the fame or payment they'll receive from their higher-ups. Only one bad scientist is quite enough to spoil your day, but in [[Darker and Edgier|settings that use this trope]] the ''majority'' of encountered research workers are likely to be like this.
The oddest part of this trope is that the danger may ''never even materialize within the story''
Frequently, this trope is present due to the character's [[Inhumanable Alien Rights]]...
Sadly, there is some [[Truth in Television]] here (there is a long and dark history of [[wikipedia:Human experimentation#Human vivisection|human subject research]] and the early days of biological science can best be summed up with "let's see how many needles we can stick in this dog before it stops making noises out of its mouth!") But this trope doesn't exactly show a fair or accurate portrayal of ''modern'' science. Currently, in [[Real Life]], scientists have to follow ''very'' strict ethical testing standards to be able to publish their results. Getting caught violating them can easily end their careers. It should also be noted that the [[Not Even Human]] excuse some scientists love to use in fiction would not apply in real life, as no law will explicitly refer to its subjects as being ''Homo sapiens''. Of course, these considerations only apply to scientists who ''intend'' their results to be publicly documented (e.g. secret military projects aren't). [[Not Cheating Unless You Get Caught|Crime is only punishable if one is caught]]. Further theories should be directed to [[No Delays for the Wicked]]. (Naturally, none of this applies to the [[Government Conspiracy|various black ops]] organizations that either
This trope also happily ignores the fact that when you only have ''one'' specimen, it is a good idea to take good care of it because once it stops working it is hard to figure out how it used to. Of course, this is cold comfort to said specimen - it just means the torture will be of a greater duration, and would still result in them being locked away somewhere.
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** Which, given the series' [[Humans Are Bastards|tone]] and [[Crap Saccharine World|setting]], is is probably 100% accurate (or worse).
* Dr. K-ko's antagonist status in ''[[Magical Pokaan]]'' comes from her intent to fool around with the girls in a lab.
* In the early episodes of ''[[Keroro Gunsou]]'', this is part of the reason (along with imprisonment and [[Arson, Murder, and Jaywalking|potential traffic accidents]]) why the alien frogs are not allowed to go out on their own, at least before they develop their [[Mobile Suit Human
* In the ''[[Excel Saga (manga)|Excel Saga]]'' manga, this happening to [[Death Is Cheap|Hyatt]] is one of many reasons Excel is nervous about health care providers.
* Between this and {{spoiler|[[And I Must Scream|drowning at the bottom of the Hudson River for half a century]]}}, Eve Genoard of ''[[Baccano!]]'' chooses this fate for {{spoiler|her missing brother}}.
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*** Let's hope they never get their hands on [[Fate/stay night|Shirou]].
* In ''[[Utawarerumono]]'', {{spoiler|Hakurou}} takes his [[Petting Zoo People|Petting Zoo Person]] girlfriend and runs, not wanting this to happen to her. {{spoiler|[[Squick|He]]}} {{spoiler|[[Tear Jerker|fails]].}}
* ''[[Durarara!!]]'' has an interesting variation on this: instead of capturing [[Headless Horseman|Celty]] and performing a forced vivisection, a doctor approaches the supernatural entity in question and ''asks her'' if she would be willing to undergo such a procedure in exchange for a permanent place to
** She then lives and falls in love with one of the scientists who did the work, and it's implied that she even works for the organization {{spoiler|even after she learns they're holding her head}}.
* Tessla in the ''[[Trigun]]'' manga didn't have a chance to run away. Her life and death make up Vash and Knives' [[Dark and Troubled Past|tragic]] [[Backstory]].
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* Dr Ni has expressed his interest in research of the slightly odd characteristics of the youkai-ness of most of the sanzo party in ''[[Saiyuki]]'' given who this is I think it'd be safe to assume this research wouldn't be pleasant
* ''[[Darker than Black]]'' has references to PANDORA practicing experimentation on Contractors. It's mentioned that initially, various countries did this, until a U.N. treaty intervened. Not to stop this, but to demand that countries would share their research. The manga provided some glimpses into one of such research facilities.
* In ''[[Witchblade (anime)|Witchblade]]'' at some point the wielder was captured and examined, but it turned out that while she was kept sedated, they won't dare to do anything that could look for Witchblade like an attempt to harm or remove its host (it can mince heavy machinery in an eyewink even ''against'' her will) before killing her outright. Manga, on the other hand, contained flashbacks about [[Genetic Engineering Is the New Nuke|genetic]] experimentation with demon remnants as a source for creation of [[Super Soldier
* Referenced in ''[[Chrono Crusade]]'', when the [[Church Militant|Magdalan Order]] approaches [[Blessed with Suck|Joshua]] about joining them so they can help him learn to use his powers better, his sister Rosette tries to convince him not to by telling him they'll perform experiments on him and "[[People Jars|pickle you in formaldehyde!]]" Joshua's response is just to laugh and tell her she reads too many books. (And she doesn't seem to believe it anyway, she just [[Don't Split Us Up|doesn't want them to take Joshua away from her]].)
* Averted: When [[Reasonable Authority Figure|Special Agent Axel Hughes]] finds out that Joey is the [[Kid With the Remote Control]] for ''[[Heroman]]'', Joey asks him what's going to happen to him. "The U.S. Government is going to lock you away and do experiments on you for the rest of your life." Upon the look of horror on Joey's face, Axel laughs and tells him, that ''no''; a friendly alliance is more beneficial for everyone. "You really thought we were going to do that?"
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* ''[[Repo! The Genetic Opera]]''. Plot involves a future society in which 90% of the population has required organ transplants to survive a horrible illness. Unfortunately, the company that gives the operations demands steady repayment for the organs they provide. If not...a 'repo man' comes to 'repossess' your organs. Also, it's a musical. Yes, a musical. Also... Giles can sing.
** [[Buffy the Vampire Slayer|Well, we already knew]] ''[[Musical Episode|that...]]''
* Seems to be subverted in ''[[District 9]]'' so
** However, this is ''exactly'' the reason that Wikus goes on the run, {{spoiler|since they actually ''were'' about to vivisect him (unanesthetised and fully aware, no less!) when he managed to get free and escape.}}
* And lest we forget, "disassemble" is practically an [[Arc Words|arc word]] in ''[[Short Circuit]]''.
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* In China Mieville's ''Perdido Street Station'', Isaac visits the garuda [[Petting Zoo People|(eagle people)]] ghetto and tries to bribe some of them to come to his lab so he can study them. The garuda leader loudly informs his flock that "they'll take your wings away, kill you dead!" even though Isaac protests that's not his plan.
* Invoked in [[Robert A. Heinlein]]'s ''The Star Beast'' by John's ancestor when he acquires a native pet {{spoiler|(or rather, inadvertently kidnaps a native princess)}} while exploring an alien planet.
* Flinx of the ''[[Humanx Commonwealth]]'' series was [[Designer Babies|genetically manipulated]] by the [[Evilutionary Biologist|Meliorare Society]] as part of their secret program to produce [[Genetic Engineering Is the New Nuke|supermen]]. When their [[Body Horror|more spectacular failures]] came to light, they were outlawed and hunted down along with all their experimental subjects. Those that could be "made normal" were corrected; those that could not were destroyed. Despite being superficially normal, Flinx is possessed of strong [[Psychic Powers]], which alone would be enough to get him put in a fishbowl and studied for the rest of his life, but that plus his affiliation with the Meliorares means he is exceedingly careful to reveal his talents only to people he absolutely trusts. Even then, he runs afoul of this trope on several occasions, most specifically in ''Flinx in Flux'', where not just one but two separate antagonists join the
* [[Michael Crichton]]'s ''[[Next]]'' revolves around the ''[[Real Life]]'' legal precedents that could be [[Loophole Abuse|interpreted]] as this. Yeah, that's right; current biotech laws are vague enough that if a doctor harvests cells from you, not only can they sell them to researchers without compensating you, whoever buys those cells might own your "cell line" - AKA ''you and your children.'' ...At least if they have a skilled [[Amoral Attorney]].
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* The Initiative on ''[[Buffy]]'' did this with demons to create [[Super Soldiers]]. It [[Gone Horribly Wrong|went horribly wrong]], of course.
** Riley also seemed to think this is what would happen to him if the Initiative gets hold of him again, even though they're presumably known where he is the whole time. Of course, the real reason they're trying to bring him in is to remove his modifications, which are causing severe mental and physical breakdown, so he's not exactly being rational.
* In an unusual twist, the Tam family in ''[[Firefly]]'' presumably laughed off this possibility, if it even occurred to them at all, when the government expressed interest in their 'gifted' daughter, River. Disaster [[Break the Cutie|ensued]], and her brother Simon had to sacrifice his medical career to get her away from the scientists post-
* Sort of the catalyst for the whole series in [[Red Dwarf]]. In the first episode, the Captain tells Lister his cat will be cut up and have tests run on it, prompting the response, "Would you put it back together when you were done?"
{{quote|'''Hollister''': Lister, the cat would be dead.
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* ''[[The Daily Show]]'' spoofs this with a John Oliver story about two politicians who decided to campaign together while running against each other to send a message of civility. John concludes that in the world were to learn of their existence, "they would be poked and prodded until there was nothing left." The story ends on an homage to ''[[E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial|E.T.]],'' with Jon Stewart playing the part of the evil scientist.
* H20: Just Add Water mermaids fears this will happened to them if their secret is known.
* Henry from ''[[Sanctuary]]'' is captured by [[Nebulous Evil Organisation|the Cabal]], who attempt to turn him into a werewolf permanently, kill him and study
* In the UK ''[[Being Human (UK)]]'', the group encounters a zombified girl (who is in total denial of her status and appearance as a rotting corpse). When they go looking into her origins at the hospital they find evidence of several other living dead individuals who met this fate at the hands of doctors and scientists trying to discover what made them tick. The video they find even includes the final disposal of the still aware remains of these individuals (by cremation).
* In ''[[The Suite Life On Deck]]'', Zack invokes this trope after convincing Woody that a rat bite has mutated him.
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* In ''[[City of Heroes]],'' Crey Industries does this so often, it's a pretty legitimate fear for the meta-humans in that universe.
** At least according to the backstory, Crey never actually tries to do it to the player. The most they ever do is attempt to ruin your public image for getting too close to their CEO's big dark secret.
* Resident doctor slash nuttybar Shiro in ''[[Siren (video game)|Siren]]'' does this to {{spoiler|the Shibitofied Onda twins}}, experimenting on what, exactly, it would take to kill them. The answer is: nothing. Made especially [[Squick
* In ''[[Prototype (video game)|Prototype]]'', if the {{spoiler|Web Of Intrigue}} videos are anything to go by, this is one of GENTEK's goals regarding [[Psycho Prototype|Alex Mercer]]. {{spoiler|The problem with this, of course, is Mercer's [[Person of Mass Destruction]] status, his [[Healing Factor]], and his propensity for [[I Surrender, Suckers|playing dead/unconscious]] when he's finally cornered. Less than five seconds after the morgue security camera confirms that he's still there, his ex-boss turns around to find that Mercer is [[Right Behind Me|right behind]] [[Stealth Hi Bye|him]]. [[Offscreen Teleportation|Somehow]].}}
* "For Science!" is why Marquis DeSinge wants to capture the pox-infected Guybrush Threepwood (who has gained a prodigious [[Healing Factor]]) in ''[[Tales of Monkey Island]]''.
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*** Of course, you can dissect the corpse ''after'' the interrogation...
* Toyed with in ''[[Harvest Moon]] DS.'' Local [[Mad Scientist]] Daryl has been chasing the strange creature Mukumuku for ''years'' in an attempt to figure out how it works, and given the long and fantastic family history of genetic experimentation he brags of, it seems [[It Runs in The Family]]. So when chance favors him, and he happens upon an injured [[Our Mermaids Are Different|mermaid girl?]] He takes her home to his basement, and... [[Morality Pet|diligently cares for her until she recovers.]] And if you befriend said mermaid, she ''openly chastises you'' for daring to think Daryl would experiment on her.
* The resident [[Mad Scientist
* In [[Infamous (video game series)|inFAMOUS,]] Cole receives several warnings that the government wouldn't treat him kindly if they got their hands on him. It turns out to be a subversion: they already know how to endow someone with superpowers, they just want to control Cole and choose what direction he's pointed in since his powers are already very offensively oriented. Between the games, every government agent who has this goal for him is killed anyway. The mentalist Alden Tate, however, ''is'' vivisected.
* [[Blaz Blue|Sector Seven]] has the reoccuring issue of hiring lunatics to deal with scientific discoveries. In fact, everyone that was offically hired by Sector Seven that's major to the story has this at some point. Lambda-11 comes to mind, {{spoiler|but Relius gets a prize for using his own ''daughter and '''wife''''' as experiemnts.}}
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* Phase doesn't believe that this is a prevalent problem in the [[Whateley Universe]]. Even after his own family lets a [[Mad Scientist]] trank him and slap him on an operating table. Part of the backstory of [[The Verse]] is that {{spoiler|Phase is wrong about this. Really wrong.}}
* In the backstory to ''[[Red vs. Blue]]'', this was the fate of {{spoiler|the Alpha AI}}. The entire series plot thus far is (sometimes loosely) based around dealing with the repercussions of cutting it into pieces.
* Averted twice in ''[[The Salvation War]]'': once, the National Security Advisor attempts to get a succubus so that he can vivisect her, but George W. Bush prevents
* Invoked in at least a few [[Chakona Space]] stories.
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* In a very meta episode of ''[[Transformers]]'' (1980's) several of the characters wind up on a planet inhabited by [[You Fail Biology Forever|giant humanoids, to whom the Autobots are the size of]] [[Merchandise-Driven|toys]]. When a scientist gets hold of them, they do indeed try to dissect them. One might wonder how [[Mecha-Mooks|being tiny and mechanical]] plays into the decision.
* Blackarachnia {{spoiler|left the Autobots}} in ''[[Transformers Animated]]'' because she was afraid this would happen to her after she became technoorganic. Given the xenophobic nature of the High Command, she might not be too far off the mark.
* Used, as one would expect, as one of the justifications for the ''[[Gargoyles]]'' masquerade. Given that no less than four of their
* As with the ''Gargoyles'' example, the ''[[Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles]]'' take this trope to heart. Given that the first thing government agent Bishop did when he captured them was to take their genetic material and try to dissect them, their fears are more than simple paranoia.
* Justified in ''[[Danny Phantom]]'', where his ghost-obsessed parents aren't getting ethics approval for their research and have explicitly said they'd like to dissect or kill any ghost they find "molecule by molecule". However, it's odd that Danny was so certain they'd do the same to their own child, a ''half''-ghost.
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