What Measure Is a Non-Human?/Live-Action TV: Difference between revisions

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{{trope}}
{{trope}}
* [[What Measure Is a Non Human/Star Trek|Star Trek]]
* [[What Measure Is a Non-Human?/Star Trek|Star Trek]]
* Omnipresent in the "Buffyverse":
* Omnipresent in the "Buffyverse":
** Both instantiated and subverted in the episode "I Was Made to Love You" from season five of ''[[Buffy the Vampire Slayer]]'', where, after chasing [[Robot Girl]] April for most of the episode with the intent of bringing her down, Buffy finally ends up staying with her as she slowly fades away, allowing April to "die" with dignity. Later, however, she does not show such concern for the worth of the "Buffy-bot" Spike has built for his amusement. Certainly, anyone would be [[Squick|Squicked]] over being the basis of somebody's -ahem- artificial stimulation, but the series had established that these robots are people too.
** Both instantiated and subverted in the episode "I Was Made to Love You" from season five of ''[[Buffy the Vampire Slayer]]'', where, after chasing [[Robot Girl]] April for most of the episode with the intent of bringing her down, Buffy finally ends up staying with her as she slowly fades away, allowing April to "die" with dignity. Later, however, she does not show such concern for the worth of the "Buffy-bot" Spike has built for his amusement. Certainly, anyone would be [[Squick|Squicked]] over being the basis of somebody's -ahem- artificial stimulation, but the series had established that these robots are people too.
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** More recent seasons have occasionally featured villains who were human - not [[Human Aliens]] or human-disguised monsters, but humans - being vaporized by the Rangers after taking on [[People in Rubber Suits|rubber suit]] advanced forms.
** More recent seasons have occasionally featured villains who were human - not [[Human Aliens]] or human-disguised monsters, but humans - being vaporized by the Rangers after taking on [[People in Rubber Suits|rubber suit]] advanced forms.
** Three very telling examples: Camille of ''Jungle Fury'' survives and turns good despite not being human (She has a human form, but traits like her prehensile tongue suggest that this is not her ''true'' form). On the other hand, Zeltrax of ''Dino Thunder'', who does not have a face, is <s>killed</s> destroyed, despite the fact that we are told not only that he is a human wearing cybernetic prostheses after a lab accident, we are even told his ''human name'' (It's Terrence Smith, aka Smitty). Likewise, Frax of ''Time Force'' is turned evil and ultimately dies, despite the fact that he also was once human before being forced into a robotic body.
** Three very telling examples: Camille of ''Jungle Fury'' survives and turns good despite not being human (She has a human form, but traits like her prehensile tongue suggest that this is not her ''true'' form). On the other hand, Zeltrax of ''Dino Thunder'', who does not have a face, is <s>killed</s> destroyed, despite the fact that we are told not only that he is a human wearing cybernetic prostheses after a lab accident, we are even told his ''human name'' (It's Terrence Smith, aka Smitty). Likewise, Frax of ''Time Force'' is turned evil and ultimately dies, despite the fact that he also was once human before being forced into a robotic body.
** Master Org spends most of the series looking like a human in eeevil makeup, but has a monster form when he's taken out (however, there's a moment of his human form being seen just before he's ''gooified'' once and for all.) Moltor and Flurious were near-human<ref>Their current monstrous forms were explicity caused by the series' main [[MacGuffin]] when they first touched it long ago. We never got a ''good'' look at their pre-monster forms' features, but they were wearing modified, reused ''Ninja Storm'' student outfits, which means to not have shown, the level of alienness couldn't be higher than ''[[Star Trek]]'' class. The backstory takes place too long ago for Earth humans to exist, but Moltor doesn't protest when Mack says "You were human once" and accuses him of throwing away his humanity for power. That's all [[Canon]] gives us.</ref> In the last two episodes, Moltor dies for real, and Flurious, though he does fight as a [[One Winged Angel]], is finally destroyed in his human-with-makeup-faced standard form by Mack, who was ''determined to finish him off even though he'd already been defeated." Mind you, Mack had... issues... at this point.
** Master Org spends most of the series looking like a human in eeevil makeup, but has a monster form when he's taken out (however, there's a moment of his human form being seen just before he's ''gooified'' once and for all.) Moltor and Flurious were near-human<ref>Their current monstrous forms were explicity caused by the series' main [[MacGuffin]] when they first touched it long ago. We never got a ''good'' look at their pre-monster forms' features, but they were wearing modified, reused ''Ninja Storm'' student outfits, which means to not have shown, the level of alienness couldn't be higher than ''[[Star Trek]]'' class. The backstory takes place too long ago for Earth humans to exist, but Moltor doesn't protest when Mack says "You were human once" and accuses him of throwing away his humanity for power. That's all [[Canon]] gives us.</ref> In the last two episodes, Moltor dies for real, and Flurious, though he does fight as a [[One-Winged Angel]], is finally destroyed in his human-with-makeup-faced standard form by Mack, who was ''determined to finish him off even though he'd already been defeated." Mind you, Mack had... issues... at this point.
*** If the space series is any indication, where Zordon sacrificed himself to 'purge evil,' it could be more along the lines of their technology or whatever only recognizing and not destroying 'near-human' enemies. Astronema's right hand Ecliptor was an especially poignant example as he waffled between sides over his honour, yet still got vaped by Zordon anyway. Becoming cyborg reduces human quotient enough for the weapon to automatically swap from Stun to Kill settings. How this actually works is just....just something you don't even want to try and figure out.
*** If the space series is any indication, where Zordon sacrificed himself to 'purge evil,' it could be more along the lines of their technology or whatever only recognizing and not destroying 'near-human' enemies. Astronema's right hand Ecliptor was an especially poignant example as he waffled between sides over his honour, yet still got vaped by Zordon anyway. Becoming cyborg reduces human quotient enough for the weapon to automatically swap from Stun to Kill settings. How this actually works is just....just something you don't even want to try and figure out.
*** Just look at those scenes to see this trope. Rita and Zedd - turned good. Divatox - turned good. All the monsters and robots - dust. Including Prince Sprocket, who was technically a kid, and comic relief duo Goldar and Rito. [[Fridge Logic|If you think about it]], shouldn't robots be easier than humans to reprogram as good?
*** Just look at those scenes to see this trope. Rita and Zedd - turned good. Divatox - turned good. All the monsters and robots - dust. Including Prince Sprocket, who was technically a kid, and comic relief duo Goldar and Rito. [[Fridge Logic|If you think about it]], shouldn't robots be easier than humans to reprogram as good?
*** And this can not be pointed out strongly enough: Rito was ''Rita's brother''. Unless Rita was originally a human(oid) adopted by Master Vile, ala Astronema.
*** And this can not be pointed out strongly enough: Rito was ''Rita's brother''. Unless Rita was originally a human(oid) adopted by Master Vile, ala Astronema.
*** Things of note: 1. We never do ''see'' what happened to Goldar and Rito, or Squatt, Baboo, Finster, or long-unseen Scorpina. 2. It has been speculated that Rita and Zedd being purged like that was a ''[[Villains Dying Grace]]'' kind of thing, leaving them alive, memories intact, but now able to feel guilt over all the death and destruction they wrought. 3. Rita is implied to have been rotten from the beginning. 4. Divatox being spared was because of the fact she was supposed to be Dimitria's kidnapped sister. 5. With the exception of Ecliptor, the villains we see destroyed were ''much'' less popular than Rita and Zedd. Especially Elgar.
*** Things of note: 1. We never do ''see'' what happened to Goldar and Rito, or Squatt, Baboo, Finster, or long-unseen Scorpina. 2. It has been speculated that Rita and Zedd being purged like that was a ''[[Villain's Dying Grace]]'' kind of thing, leaving them alive, memories intact, but now able to feel guilt over all the death and destruction they wrought. 3. Rita is implied to have been rotten from the beginning. 4. Divatox being spared was because of the fact she was supposed to be Dimitria's kidnapped sister. 5. With the exception of Ecliptor, the villains we see destroyed were ''much'' less popular than Rita and Zedd. Especially Elgar.
* Several [[Jim Henson|"Muppet"]] productions have addressed this. The little-known holiday special "The Christmas Toy" takes on the [[Living Toys]] issue (we're starting to sense a pattern here). In "The Muppet Movie", one of the first humans Kermit meets wants him to be the spokes-frog for "French Fried Frog's Legs", [[Let's Meet the Meat|effectively selling out his species!]]
* Several [[Jim Henson|"Muppet"]] productions have addressed this. The little-known holiday special "The Christmas Toy" takes on the [[Living Toys]] issue (we're starting to sense a pattern here). In "The Muppet Movie", one of the first humans Kermit meets wants him to be the spokes-frog for "French Fried Frog's Legs", [[Let's Meet the Meat|effectively selling out his species!]]
* These issues some up multiple times with many different races in ''[[Stargate SG 1|Stargate SG-1]]'' and ''Stargate Atlantis'':
* These issues some up multiple times with many different races in ''[[Stargate SG 1|Stargate SG-1]]'' and ''Stargate Atlantis'':
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*** Jack still has more shades of grey though than ''any'' of Atlantis' cast.
*** Jack still has more shades of grey though than ''any'' of Atlantis' cast.
** Occasionally brought into question in regards to how casually the Goa'uld are thought of - sometimes when dealing with the Tok'ra and once with a trial between Skaara and the Goa'uld Klorel for who was allowed his body. Mostly, though, the trope is inverted with the Goa'uld, who think 'What Measure is a Human?'
** Occasionally brought into question in regards to how casually the Goa'uld are thought of - sometimes when dealing with the Tok'ra and once with a trial between Skaara and the Goa'uld Klorel for who was allowed his body. Mostly, though, the trope is inverted with the Goa'uld, who think 'What Measure is a Human?'
*** On the subject of Goa'uld, don't forget [[Affably Evil|Ba'al]]. And [[Department of Redundancy Department|Ba'al]]. And [[Rule of Three|Ba'al]]. And [[Mes a Crowd|Ba'al]]... He's [[Comedic Sociopathy|killed to the point of making it]] a [[Running Gag]]. Sometimes twice in the same episode. Gotta love clone Goa'ulds. {{spoiler|He is also the final remaining villain in the main SG-1 series, nearly conquering humanity in ''[[Stargate Continuum|Continuum]]''.}}
*** On the subject of Goa'uld, don't forget [[Affably Evil|Ba'al]]. And [[Department of Redundancy Department|Ba'al]]. And [[Rule of Three|Ba'al]]. And [[Me's a Crowd|Ba'al]]... He's [[Comedic Sociopathy|killed to the point of making it]] a [[Running Gag]]. Sometimes twice in the same episode. Gotta love clone Goa'ulds. {{spoiler|He is also the final remaining villain in the main SG-1 series, nearly conquering humanity in ''[[Stargate Continuum|Continuum]]''.}}
** This issue is also addressed with the Unas in a number of ''[[Stargate SG 1|SG-1]]'' episodes. They can seem quite menacing, but Daniel's learned how to communicate with them a bit and gets rather peeved when other people treat them like animals.
** This issue is also addressed with the Unas in a number of ''[[Stargate SG 1|SG-1]]'' episodes. They can seem quite menacing, but Daniel's learned how to communicate with them a bit and gets rather peeved when other people treat them like animals.
** Also, in the ''[[Stargate SG 1|SG-1]]'' season-three episode "Urgo", the team encounters a program which was downloaded into their brains, and unintentionally results in an AI named Urgo. Who constantly pesters them. They go to Urgo's creator to have him removed, but Urgo is afraid that he will be destroyed. Sam and Daniel decide that destroying him would be akin to murder, because he is intelligent, aware of his existence, and afraid of death, and these together define him as sentient. They convince the rest of SG-1 and Urgo's creator to agree with them, so Urgo's creator downloads the AI into his own brain instead of destroying him.
** Also, in the ''[[Stargate SG 1|SG-1]]'' season-three episode "Urgo", the team encounters a program which was downloaded into their brains, and unintentionally results in an AI named Urgo. Who constantly pesters them. They go to Urgo's creator to have him removed, but Urgo is afraid that he will be destroyed. Sam and Daniel decide that destroying him would be akin to murder, because he is intelligent, aware of his existence, and afraid of death, and these together define him as sentient. They convince the rest of SG-1 and Urgo's creator to agree with them, so Urgo's creator downloads the AI into his own brain instead of destroying him.
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'''John''': Sorry, Zhaan. I forgot. You're a-<br />
'''John''': Sorry, Zhaan. I forgot. You're a-<br />
'''Zhaan''': I am a "stinking plant". }}
'''Zhaan''': I am a "stinking plant". }}
* The Winchesters of ''[[Supernatural]]'' and their allies seem to care less and less about killing or torturing demons as the show goes on, despite demons possessing human bodies with the original occupant still in there. To be fair, they are in a very bad situation where mercy isn't always an option, they're facing hordes of demons and little time later on, and it's stated and shown that many demons put their hosts through a lot of punishment, possibily killing them even if they are expelled. This is why the human version of [[What the Hell Hero|Meg calling Sam out on it]] was such an awesome moment.
* The Winchesters of ''[[Supernatural]]'' and their allies seem to care less and less about killing or torturing demons as the show goes on, despite demons possessing human bodies with the original occupant still in there. To be fair, they are in a very bad situation where mercy isn't always an option, they're facing hordes of demons and little time later on, and it's stated and shown that many demons put their hosts through a lot of punishment, possibily killing them even if they are expelled. This is why the human version of [[What the Hell, Hero?|Meg calling Sam out on it]] was such an awesome moment.
** Actually, one of the reasons [[The Heart|Sam]] starts out using [[Psycho Serum|demon blood]]-fueled powers is because it lets him exorcise demons quickly and without endangering the host. When Ruby tries to persuade Sam to work with her, Sam orders her to vacate her current host. To placate him, she goes to a hospital and possesses the empty body of a Jane Doe who just flatlined, which Sam reluctantly accepts. Basically, the Winchester Brothers care less about hosts when Sam isn't in any position to be a [[Morality Pet]] or isn't really being [[The Heart]]. Or when the other is threatened.
** Actually, one of the reasons [[The Heart|Sam]] starts out using [[Psycho Serum|demon blood]]-fueled powers is because it lets him exorcise demons quickly and without endangering the host. When Ruby tries to persuade Sam to work with her, Sam orders her to vacate her current host. To placate him, she goes to a hospital and possesses the empty body of a Jane Doe who just flatlined, which Sam reluctantly accepts. Basically, the Winchester Brothers care less about hosts when Sam isn't in any position to be a [[Morality Pet]] or isn't really being [[The Heart]]. Or when the other is threatened.
** In fact, ''no'' supernatural creatures are allowed to live, with the exception of the nest of vampires (led by [[Buffy the Vampire Slayer|Amber Benson (Tara)]], ironically) who live off animal blood. {{spoiler|She gets a [[Mercy Kill]] later, when the dark sides of the monsters are brought out by their Mother.}} Even the sympathetic (or just pathetic) creatures, like shapeshifters (who were born preternaturally mutated and cast out from society and kill because of their [[Freudian Excuse]]) and werewolves (people who are bitten, black out when they turn, and have no idea that they spend the night murdering innocent people) must die. The only werewolf episode is "Heart", and it explores this trope.<br /><br />Two of the three shapeshifter episodes, "Skin" and {{spoiler|"Monster Movie"}}, give us pieces of insight into the shapeshifters' painful existence; the first shapeshifter was an intentionally cruel rapist/murderer, but the second was incredibly lonely and a victim of society's narrow-mindedness and his own killer instincts:
** In fact, ''no'' supernatural creatures are allowed to live, with the exception of the nest of vampires (led by [[Buffy the Vampire Slayer|Amber Benson (Tara)]], ironically) who live off animal blood. {{spoiler|She gets a [[Mercy Kill]] later, when the dark sides of the monsters are brought out by their Mother.}} Even the sympathetic (or just pathetic) creatures, like shapeshifters (who were born preternaturally mutated and cast out from society and kill because of their [[Freudian Excuse]]) and werewolves (people who are bitten, black out when they turn, and have no idea that they spend the night murdering innocent people) must die. The only werewolf episode is "Heart", and it explores this trope.<br /><br />Two of the three shapeshifter episodes, "Skin" and {{spoiler|"Monster Movie"}}, give us pieces of insight into the shapeshifters' painful existence; the first shapeshifter was an intentionally cruel rapist/murderer, but the second was incredibly lonely and a victim of society's narrow-mindedness and his own killer instincts:
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Which is a godawful excuse, but that guy was twisted. Dean actually felt sorry for him, which is a change. A similar example would be a man who was turning into a creature known as a rougarou, which feast on humans. He was born that way and the brothers tell him what is happening to see if he can fight it off and hold in his vicious nature. Then a fellow hunter's actions force him to turn into a monster and they are left with no choice. }}
Which is a godawful excuse, but that guy was twisted. Dean actually felt sorry for him, which is a change. A similar example would be a man who was turning into a creature known as a rougarou, which feast on humans. He was born that way and the brothers tell him what is happening to see if he can fight it off and hold in his vicious nature. Then a fellow hunter's actions force him to turn into a monster and they are left with no choice. }}
** In season six, we find out that all these supernatural creatures {{spoiler|are created by the children of one Mother and tend toward [[Always Chaotic Evil]], especially when she's around.}} In season seven, we see that it's still possible for at least one monster to choose not to give in to [[The Dark Side]] most of the time. Every time a monster or witch doesn't act evil, though, it never seems to last--resulting in the [[The Hunter|Hunters']] [[Vigilante Man|position]] making more sense.
** In season six, we find out that all these supernatural creatures {{spoiler|are created by the children of one Mother and tend toward [[Always Chaotic Evil]], especially when she's around.}} In season seven, we see that it's still possible for at least one monster to choose not to give in to [[The Dark Side]] most of the time. Every time a monster or witch doesn't act evil, though, it never seems to last--resulting in the [[The Hunter|Hunters']] [[Vigilante Man|position]] making more sense.
*** It's likely but not certain that the general attitude of Hunters toward Sam as an "abomination" for having psychic powers (from demon blood) by itself would have led most of them to hunt and kill him as [[Not Quite Human]], but most gun for him pretty hard once they know [[You Monster|he brought on]] [[The End of the World As We Know It|the Apocalypse]].
*** It's likely but not certain that the general attitude of Hunters toward Sam as an "abomination" for having psychic powers (from demon blood) by itself would have led most of them to hunt and kill him as [[Not Quite Human]], but most gun for him pretty hard once they know [[You Monster!|he brought on]] [[The End of the World As We Know It|the Apocalypse]].
** On the other hand, [[Grim Reaper|Reapers]] must be kept alive. Considering they [[Psychopomp|fulfill a function]]--harvesting those whose time has come--rather than actively killing, the distinction is understandable.
** On the other hand, [[Grim Reaper|Reapers]] must be kept alive. Considering they [[Psychopomp|fulfill a function]]--harvesting those whose time has come--rather than actively killing, the distinction is understandable.
** An odd example is Castiel, an angel. When he's losing his power and collapses, the Winchesters show genuine concern for him, despite disliking the other angels (although the others are trying to bring about the apocalypse).
** An odd example is Castiel, an angel. When he's losing his power and collapses, the Winchesters show genuine concern for him, despite disliking the other angels (although the others are trying to bring about the apocalypse).
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** Kamen Rider in general has this to some degree. It normally varies on home morally right the hero is and how peaceful the monster is. The main Rider normally won't kill a kaijin who isn't hurting anyone, but sometimes the [[Second Rider]] might not be as merciful and consider all of the species to be [[Always Chaotic Evil]]. Though to be fair, some of the kaijin are truly [[Always Chaotic Evil]], such as the war-like [[Kamen Rider Kuuga|Grongi]], but most are depicted as having good and evil members.
** Kamen Rider in general has this to some degree. It normally varies on home morally right the hero is and how peaceful the monster is. The main Rider normally won't kill a kaijin who isn't hurting anyone, but sometimes the [[Second Rider]] might not be as merciful and consider all of the species to be [[Always Chaotic Evil]]. Though to be fair, some of the kaijin are truly [[Always Chaotic Evil]], such as the war-like [[Kamen Rider Kuuga|Grongi]], but most are depicted as having good and evil members.
* [[Kamen Rider OOO]] has a particularly jarring example, in that the non-human in question is a main character. Ankh is a Greeed, and, technically speaking, not even alive. Very little regret has been shown about hurting or destroying others of his kind, and the only reason Ankh isn't lumped in with the other Greeed is that he is incapable of making Yummy and causing the kind of havoc and slaughter that the other Greeed can. However, even {{spoiler|when Ankh regains enough power to create Yummy and hurt people, the thought of him dying is still upsetting to the main characters, and they try reasoning with him instead of flat-out fighting him as they would with the other Greeed, who they never try to reason with.}}
* [[Kamen Rider OOO]] has a particularly jarring example, in that the non-human in question is a main character. Ankh is a Greeed, and, technically speaking, not even alive. Very little regret has been shown about hurting or destroying others of his kind, and the only reason Ankh isn't lumped in with the other Greeed is that he is incapable of making Yummy and causing the kind of havoc and slaughter that the other Greeed can. However, even {{spoiler|when Ankh regains enough power to create Yummy and hurt people, the thought of him dying is still upsetting to the main characters, and they try reasoning with him instead of flat-out fighting him as they would with the other Greeed, who they never try to reason with.}}
* [[Monster of the Week|The more human-like mutants of the week]] on ''[[The X Files]]'' tend to get the harsher treatment, being portrayed as instinctive killing machines (or animalistic predators), to be stopped by any means necessary. However, earlier in the series, this had yet to be established. Eugene Tooms (the liver-eating, hibernating, contortionist mutant from Season 1) was supposedly rehabilitated and released back into society. Similarly, Flukeman from early Season 2 was committed to a psychiatric institution for observation, despite being a radioactively created fusion of Primate and flatworm DNA. In both of these instances Mulder argued that the creatures did not deserve the same legal treatment that a human serial killer would, because he did not see them as human. Later episodes focused more on ordinary humans with strange gifts or victims of unusual circumstance (many of whom killed by accident) rather than the traditional "mutants." Later in the series, a brain-eating humanoid creature [[Have You Tried Not Being a Monster|tried living like a human]], but ultimately failed (proving Mulder's point). At least he got a sympathetic POV. Interestingly, in the episode featuring a severely inbred family as a [[Monster of the Week]], this doesn't get brought up, implying that the monstrous Peacock Clan is more "human" than (presumably) human-derived mutants like Tooms.
* [[Monster of the Week|The more human-like mutants of the week]] on ''[[The X Files]]'' tend to get the harsher treatment, being portrayed as instinctive killing machines (or animalistic predators), to be stopped by any means necessary. However, earlier in the series, this had yet to be established. Eugene Tooms (the liver-eating, hibernating, contortionist mutant from Season 1) was supposedly rehabilitated and released back into society. Similarly, Flukeman from early Season 2 was committed to a psychiatric institution for observation, despite being a radioactively created fusion of Primate and flatworm DNA. In both of these instances Mulder argued that the creatures did not deserve the same legal treatment that a human serial killer would, because he did not see them as human. Later episodes focused more on ordinary humans with strange gifts or victims of unusual circumstance (many of whom killed by accident) rather than the traditional "mutants." Later in the series, a brain-eating humanoid creature [[Have You Tried Not Being a Monster?|tried living like a human]], but ultimately failed (proving Mulder's point). At least he got a sympathetic POV. Interestingly, in the episode featuring a severely inbred family as a [[Monster of the Week]], this doesn't get brought up, implying that the monstrous Peacock Clan is more "human" than (presumably) human-derived mutants like Tooms.
* The whole debate is ''beautifully'' subverted in an episode of ''[[Eureka]]''. The show typically puts one of the main characters in mortal peril as part of the Disaster of the Week; when Andy, the android deputy sherrif, is the one in danger, the situation is given exactly no less weight or gravitas. The show doesn't make light of things just because the character is a robot, and all the other characters are just as worried and working just as hard to fix things as if one of the humans were in danger.
* The whole debate is ''beautifully'' subverted in an episode of ''[[Eureka]]''. The show typically puts one of the main characters in mortal peril as part of the Disaster of the Week; when Andy, the android deputy sherrif, is the one in danger, the situation is given exactly no less weight or gravitas. The show doesn't make light of things just because the character is a robot, and all the other characters are just as worried and working just as hard to fix things as if one of the humans were in danger.


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