History Main / SpaceElves

* The Taysans in the ''Literature/{{Spaceforce}}'' novels are the oldest of the three galactic superpowers, with a stable culture stretching back many thousands of years. They consider themselves enlightened and civilised compared to the 'barbarians' in the rest of the galaxy. Slightly taller and definitely stronger than humans, they have silver or, more rarely, golden skin.

* The Abh in ''Literature/CrestOfTheStars'', who are genetically engineered humans originally bred to be a slave race. Interestingly, the pointy ears bit is a physical trait restricted to the Imperial Family, all other Abh have normal looking ears.

* The Ariloulaleelay from ''VideoGame/StarControlII'' live in another dimension, are as old as dirt, and imply that they performed experiments on humans in the past.

* The Protoss from ''VideoGame/StarCraft'', complete with a "Dark" subrace, the Dark Templar. Though they turn out to be a strong case of DarkIsNotEvil, they were only outcast from the main Protoss Empire because of their rejection of the Khala HiveMind and caste system. Though ''VideoGame/StarcraftII'' introduces the Tal'darim as a more blatantly DarkIsEvil example who govern by KlingonPromotion [[spoiler: and serve the BigBad, until one of their leaders decides he's lying to them and asks the heroes' help in taking over.]] The three factions map well onto the typical fantasy division of high elves (Khalai), wood elves (Nerazim) and dark elves (Tal'darim).

[[caption-width-right:330:[[CantArgueWithElves Space smugness]] comes in [[OurElvesAreDifferent multiple flavors]].[[note]]L - R, top to bottom: A [[Webcomic/{{Outsider}} Loroi]], a [[Franchise/StarTrek Vulcan]], an [[VideoGame/MasterOfOrion Elerian]], a [[Film/{{Avatar}} Na'vi]], a [[Series/BabylonFive Minbari]], and an [[Series/StargateSG1 Asgard]].[[/note]]]]

There are certain races in SpeculativeFiction that appear to occupy an equivalent niche that elves do in a fantasy setting: the idealized, InHarmonyWithNature culture reaching toward utopian ideals, or the inscrutable, ominous FairFolk for whom WeAreAsMayflies, or both at once, of course. Similar to AngelicAliens, but Alien Angels are defined more by their ethereal appearance than their own perception of being an "enlightened" species compared to others.

When they are not behaving as a [[OurElvesAreDifferent standard fantasy elf]] or, as is often the case, an [[ProudScholarRace enlightened mystic race]] such as [[Franchise/StarTrek Vulcans]] or [[Film/{{Avatar}} Na'vi]], they are off [[AlienAbduction beaming up humans]], [[AliensStealCattle cattle]], and [[ChangelingTale children]] just like their FairFolk ancestors.

* Sadiri from ''The Best Of All Possible Worlds'', a stoic, ProudScholarRace with psychic powers who are one of the two races who operate FTL ships, in their case due to a psychic bond with their living ships. At the beginning of the book they come close to becoming a dying race when, at the beginning of the book, their home world is rendered uninhabitable by the Ain, their Dark Elf counterparts. The progenitor race, the Caretakers are said to have given them the Gift of Mind.

* The chieri from Creator/MarionZimmerBradley's ''Literature/{{Darkover}}'' series. Space Elves bordering on {{Sufficiently Advanced Alien}}s, they possess lifespans reaching into thousands of years and extraordinary [[PsychicPowers psionic abilities]]. They were once a spacefaring people, but have since gone into "retirement" on the titular planet. Can get somewhat pedantic when dealing with humans. The chieri are the ultimate in [[OneGenderRace hermaphrodites]] with each individual able to physically shift from male to female (or remaining somewhere in the middle) depending on what is going on in their sex lives. However, this overly-complicated reproductive model (completing a gender switch in perfect sync with one's partner can be tricky in the heat of the moment) has resulted in a dwindling population problem that neither their powers nor their technology seemed able to fix. They have a [[HalfHumanHybrid noticeably easier time procreating with humans]], and indeed the offspring of these unions often have some of their chieri parent's traits, notably atypically powerful (for humans) {{ps|ychicPowers}}ionics and exceptional longevity. However, they may also manifest the chieri's gender-swapping trait, which has led to some families with chieri blood warning against homosexual relations because "If you lie down with a man, you may rise up as a woman!"
* In, ''[[Literature/TheSpaceTrilogy Out of the Silent Planet]]'' the ''sorns'' of Malacandra are exceptionally tall creatures renowned for their intellect and word-craft. These gifts allow them to understand the edicts of their master, [[Myth/ClassicalMythology Mars]], with greater appreciation and even contemplate truths regarding [[UsefulNotes/{{Jesus}} Maleldil the Young]]. They directly serve Mars, a high-status which earns them some playful mockery from the more dwarvish pfifltrigg and hrossa.

* In Creator/IsaacAsimov's ''Robot Trilogy'' the Spacers, although humans in origin, are this: long-lived (they live for 300-400 years), technologically advanced people who live in an utopistic society where robots do every manual work and have no crime (it turns out to be a CrapsaccharineWorld though). In contrast, the Earthmen pretty much resemble dwarves with their living in underground cities and [[ElvesVersusDwarves the conflict between the two "races"]].

* In addition to the many live action TV examples from ''Franchise/StarTrek'' (see below), the Literature/StarTrekNovelVerse portrays the Deltans as this - spiritual, emotionally controlled, older than humans and with a near-mystical sense of peace that comes with their "evolved" philosophies and [[EthicalSlut sexualities]].
** The Vedala [[note]] (who first appeared in the [[Recap/StarTrekTheAnimatedSeriesS1E16TheJihad Animated Series episode "The Jihad"]])[[/note]], as portrayed in the novel [[Literature/StarTrekDepartmentOfTemporalInvestigations ''Forgotten History'']], fit the bill perfectly. They're generally benevolent, older than other spacefaring races, very advanced and isolationist, and seem ever-so-slightly smug about their status in relation to younger "child" races. Behind their reasonable manner is the clear belief that [[CantArgueWithElves Vedala are better than you]].

* In ''Literature/{{Animorphs}},'' the Andalites filled this role at the beginning of the series, being a sort of [[ProudWarriorRaceGuy Proud Warrior]] [[WarriorPoet Poet]] Race. They shift more toward the "warrior" part as the series goes on, though, and the series' GrayingMorality hits them pretty hard.
** Incidentally, the author is a bit Tolkien fan, with a lot of references in the early books. You have to admit, "Prince Elfangor" sounds a lot more like a Middle-earth elf than a four-eyed alien centaur.

** The Vedala, as portrayed in the novel [[Literature/StarTrekDepartmentOfTemporalInvestigations ''Forgotten History'']], fit the bill perfectly. They're generally benevolent, older than other spacefaring races, very advanced and isolationist, and seem ever-so-slightly smug about their status in relation to younger "child" races. Behind their reasonable manner is the clear belief that [[CantArgueWithElves Vedala are better than you]].

* The Boazanians from ''{{Anime/Voltes V}}'' are this trope. InhumanlyBeautifulRace? Check! [[FantasticRacism Look down on humans]]? Check! [[HigherTechSpecies Advanced technology and militaries]]? Check! The latter is subverted, however - while the Boazanians do have technology that's far more advanced than that of humans, they also severely underestimate [[TechnologyMarchesOn how far the human race has evolved]]. Unlike most examples on this list, only a small fraction of Boazanians are pointy-eared[[note]][[LooksLikeNosferatu Zuhl]], [[AssInAmbassador Duke Zaki]] and Heinel's LizardFolk {{Mooks}}[[/note]] - the vast majority of them are [[HornedHumanoid Horned Humanoids]] that dress like [[FantasyCounterpartCulture French]] [[AristocratsAreEvil Aristocrats]].

** An oddly specific and [[OlderThanTheyThink not-so-recent]] phenomenon. For some reason, certain Space Elves tend to manifest as an AlwaysFemale GreenSkinnedSpaceBabe with PsychicPowers. Sometimes known as "blue hotties", they're more likely to be blue than green.[[note]]Possibly because of the "LittleGreenMen" stigma about [[SciFiGhetto science fiction]], and the fact that green skin is more likely than blue to look like you have a horrible fungal infection.[[/note]] Sometimes they are part of a [[{{Matriarchy}} Sexy Matriarchy]].

* The Abh in ''LightNovel/CrestOfTheStars'', who are genetically-engineered humans originally bred to be a slave race. Interestingly, the pointy ears bit is a physical trait restricted to the Imperial Family, all other Abh have normal looking ears.

* The Abh in ''LightNovel/CrestOfTheStars'', with a good helping of CantArgueWithElves -- they're world conquerors and we're supposed to ''sympathize'' with them.

** ''Series/StarTrekTheNextGeneration'': Betazoids are a race of CloserToEarth {{telepath|y}}s. Like Spock, [[TheChick Troi]] was a HalfHumanHybrid, but rather than promoting [[StrawVulcan detached logic]], her entire job was to [[InvertedTrope help everyone be more in touch with their emotions]]. If Ambassador [[GrandeDame Lwaxana]] [[{{Cloudcuckoolander}} Troi]] was any indication, Betazoids saw themselves as the Federations's own [[PlanetOfHats planet of]] [[ManicPixieDreamGirl Manic Pixie Dream Elves]].

* ''Film/{{Avatar}}'': The Na'vi are tall, lean and have pointed ears, making them look very elven. They are also InHarmonyWithNature, putting them in conflict with humans.

* '''Enlightened Mystic Race''' ''[-(main article: ProudScholarRaceGuy)-]''

* The sexy [[OurBansheesAreLouder Banshees]] from ''WesternAnimation/RoswellConspiraciesAliensMythsAndLegends''. Also a {{Proud Warrior Race|Guy}}.

* There's also the asari from ''Franchise/MassEffect'', a combination of this and a classic [[HornyDevils succubus]]. Monogendered blue-skinned women with [[ReallySevenHundredYearsOld incredible lifespans]], low-level telepathy and ''high''-level [[GravityMaster gravity manipulation]]. Other races need to be exposed to element zero ''in utero'' to develop those gravity powers, but asari have them inherently [[spoiler: thanks to some prothean genetic engineering.]] They've been in space the longest of any sentient species [[spoiler: in this cycle]], and the ones who rub this in are often the targets of "ScrewYouElves"

:::Like other {{Proud Scholar Race Guy}}s, these guys are the most likely characters to have PsychicPowers (possibly confined to a [[BizarreSexualDimorphism single gender]]) and the most likely characters in the setting to be [[TechnicalPacifist Technical]] or {{Actual|Pacifist}} PerfectPacifistPeople, in contrast to the warlike ProudWarriorRaceGuy, who are ironically more likely to be literal Elves In Space.

** ''Series/StarTrekDeepSpaceNine'': The Bajorans are a {{Proud Scholar Race|Guy}} who have been living as LaResistance for the past few decades, and seem rather fond of reminding everyone. They do not have any mystical abilities themselves (save for the clerics who can grab a person's ear to sense the strength of their ''pagh'', or life force), but their [[SufficientlyAdvancedAlien "Prophets"]] do.

** Personality-wise, they may be aloof and detached, or (in the case of empathic types) quite gregarious. Either way, they have a tendency to be more mystical or philosophical than most of the other species in the setting. These are almost by definition a {{Proud Scholar Race|Guy}}, and they are typically pitted against ProudWarriorRaceGuy in a straight application of ElvesVersusDwarves.

* ''Literature/FortunesOfWar'': Merete AndrusTaurus is a member of a human-like alien species whose appearance subtly invokes the trope's imagery, as she has platinum-blonde hair, eyes that are a bit more angled than human eyes, and as is revealed later on, [[AlienBlood lavender blood]].

** ''Series/StarTrekVoyager'' {{deconstructed|Trope}} this trope with the naive, sheltered, [[WeAreAsMayflies short-lived]] Ocampa. They went further to turn this trope on this ear with Lon Suder, an AxCrazy Betazoid, Seska, a rather [[{{Jerkass}} unpleasant]] Bajoran [[spoiler: who turned out to be an even less pleasant [[TheMole Cardassian agent]]]], and, of course Tuvok, the [[StrawVulcan Vulcan]] security officer who was more like a GrumpyBear, who took on SergeantRock traits later in the series.

* '''Psychic GreenSpaceBabe Variety'''

!!'''Psychic GreenSpaceBabe Variety''':

* ''Webcomic/{{Outsider}}'': The Loroi are blue space elves. Aside from being [[BlueSpaceBabe mostly female]] and psychic, they've got an explicit [[ProudWarriorRaceGuy "warrior elf"]] [[http://well-of-souls.com/outsider/outsider050.html thing]] [[http://well-of-souls.com/outsider/outsider078.html going]].

** Also, an all-female offshoot of the Guardians called the Zamarons falls well enough into the BlueSkinnedSpaceBabe variety.

* ''Literature/TheDraka'': Unaging. Physically beautiful. Able to read minds and control the emotions of others. [[BreadEggsMilkSquick Pure evil.]] ''Homo drakensis'' is possibly the only literary example of Space ''Drow''.

* ''Franchise/StarWarsLegends'':
** There are some elven beings in ''Star Wars'' comics, including the Jedi Master [[MeaningfulName Fay]], a tall and ethereal woman with pointed ears. Fay was unfortunately a one-issue wonder.

** The Literature/NewJediOrder's Yuuzhan Vong are what happens when the mindset of Space Dark Elves meets the appearance and brutality of SpaceOrcs. Their backstory revealed in the last book makes it plain that they were once more traditional examples before being attacked and nearly destroyed by a race of vicious cyborgs. The Vong succeeded in fighting them off, but in the process [[HeWhoFightsMonsters became even worse then their enemy]]. This is also, not incidentally, where their extreme technophobia comes from.
** The Chiss are xenophobes who consider themselves superior to the other species in the galaxy and rarely leave [[HiddenElfVillage Chiss space]], going so far as to capture and imprison trespassers. They're taller than humans and are all in great shape due to their efficient metabolism. They have their own independently-developed technology, which is as good as, if not better than, the stuff everyone else is using, including their [[AgonyBeam rather nasty]] signature weapon, the [[RayGun charric]]. They [[MartialPacifist never strike first, but merrily crush anyone who tries to attack them]]. What does their (Obviously Just Better) society call itself? The Chiss ''Ascendancy''. Anything you can do, they can do better, indeed. Worthy of note is the fact that Chiss Force-users are exceptionally rare, neatly avoiding the magic-user aspect of the trope.
** The species that most resembles elves physically are the Sephi. They are intelligent, refined, and have a tendency toward haughtiness, though some can be just as ugly as baseline humans. Their lifespan is typically between 200-450 years. They do not dwell in their homeworld's few forests and force-sensitives are no more common than most races. Fay's species is never stated, but it is widely accepted that she is a Sephi.
** The Arkanians are aloof, arrogant, and obsessed with politeness, not to mention tall and willowy with ProphetEyes. They consider themselves superior to all other races and try and improve themselves further with [[{{Transhumanism}} cybernetics and genetics]]. Though they are featured most heavily in the ''ComicBook/TalesOfTheJedi'' comics, two Arkanian Jedi appear in ''Yoda: Literature/DarkRendezvous'' — a Padawan AlphaBitch whose arrogance hides insecurity about the war, and a Jedi Knight who leaves the Order over her concerns about the militarization of the Jedi. Obi-Wan and Anakin try to talk her into staying, but she [[CantArgueWithElves runs philosophic rings around them]].

* The Alteriens in Adam R. Brown's ''Literature/{{Alterien}}'' are actual space elves that have the capacity for limited shapeshifting. In their true form, they have the elven ears, slightly larger than normal eyes, and no eyebrows. They tend to be exceptionally attractive in either their concealed (human) forms or in their true forms. Alteriens are capable of 4th dimensional movement (teleportation and time travel). They have a host of other abilities and actually inspired an ancient legend that lead to the mythologies of elves, fairies and the Fair Folk.
* The Taredhel of (Feists [[Literature/TheRiftWarCycle Demonwar Saga]]) were the first amongst slaves; magic users, lovers and diplomats of the Valheru. They eventually left to the stars conquering an empire of planets. Not nice.
* The [[OurFairiesAreDifferent fairies (including elves)]] of the ''Literature/ArtemisFowl'' series are traditional, native-to-Earth fairies, with magic that does some things, but they're also very high-tech and in a distinctly sci-fi setting. A fairy space probe plays a part in "Atlantis Complex," among other things.
* The Silfen in Peter F. Hamilton's ''Literature/CommonwealthSaga'' are almost physically identical to traditional elves and were the [[AncientAstronauts inspiration for elf legends]] (those legends were specifically of TheFairFolk and their morality proves to be [[BlueAndOrangeMorality alien]] in a somewhat similar fashion).

* The Darhel in John Ringo's ''Literature/LegacyOfTheAldenata'' series resemble a cross between elves and japanese ''kitsune'' and are the basis for both in earth folklore. They are a ProudMerchantRace and complete bastards.
* Unaging. Physically beautiful. Able to read minds and control the emotions of others. [[BreadEggsMilkSquick Pure evil.]] ''[[Literature/TheDraka Homo drakensis]]'' is possibly the only literary example of Space ''Drow''.
* The ''wess'har'' in Karen Traviss' ''Wess'har Wars'' series. Tall, slender, ancient and dedicated to preserving the ecological balance, often aggressively to the point of genocide, depending on the faction.
* The Liaden from Sharon Lee and Steve Miller's Literature/LiadenUniverse novels. Although to call them this is as much as an oversimplification as it is in most other cases, it does merit special mention for being {{lampshade|Hanging}}d in ''the second book''.
--> He glanced up, smiling. "It's my Uncle Richard's fancy that Liadens are the 'little people' of Old Terra's legends. Thus, Arthur Galen, Johnny, Nora, and Annie Galen. And their foster brother, the king of Elfland."
* The Taykan from the ''Literature/ConfederationOfValor'' series are the GreenSkinnedSpaceBabe variety. They're an elf-shaped race with pastel "hair" (it's actually a sensory organ), superior senses to humans, and the ability to produce pheromones that can get virtually any mammal in the mood. Because their di'Taykan life stage is sexually mature but infertile, EthicalSlut has become their racial hat. Thanks to PopculturalOsmosis from humans the Taykan are well aware of their physical similarity to classical elves and apparently find the comparison amusing: [[TheHero Torin Kerr]] once met a di'Taykan named [[Literature/TheLordOfTheRings Celeborn]].
* As yet, the ''[[Literature/HonorHarrington Honorverse]]'' doesn't have Space Elves but Graysons, a short, stocky, stubborn race of humans whose dome cities make an acceptable substitute for underground kingdoms, who, once they opened up showed a considerable talent for the tech side of things and who sequester their women, make for more than plausible Space Dwarves. Likewise the Skrat, genetically engineered by the Mesans into their thugs are acceptable Space Orcs.
* In the Five Galaxies of the ''Literature/{{Uplift}}'' series, most oxygen-breathing species are humorless, psychologically inhuman, and at most only roughly humanoid. Not so the Tymbrimi, one of the few Galactic clans to ally with Earthclan; ''they're'' telepathic tricksters with nearly maladaptively compulsive senses of humor, lactating mammals almost exactly like those on Earth, and so humanoid they can be mistaken for Humans in bad lighting, especially when they use their almost-but-not-really shapeshifting ability. Nobody in-universe has any explanation for why they're so Human-like, since there's no genetic resemblance. In short, telepathic marsupial Space Elves.
* The Eldritch of M.C.A. Hogarth's ''Literature/{{Paradox}}'' universe are humanoid, graceful, psychic, very long-lived, and isolationist. They're also [[spoiler: a HumanSubspecies that left earth millennia ago like the Pelted, and are dying out from genetic engineering related infertility and inbreeding.]]
* Eubian Aristos are Space Dark Elves. Universally attractive with pale skin, glittery black hair, red eyes with an [[AlwaysChaoticEvil Always Lawful Evil culture]] and with MindRape as their hat.
* The eldrae of the ''Literature/{{Eldraeverse}}'' are seven-foot-tall humanoids who don't naturally age and have pointy ears and a bit of arrogance, especially citizen-shareholders of the Empire of the Star. Mind, they're one of two species in the Associated Worlds to develop wormhole technology, they've achieved a near-post-scarcity economy, uplifted multiple species, become as close to immortal as physically possible, created a collective consciousness that manifests as gods...
* The Ythrian BirdPeople in ''Literature/TechnicHistory'' have traits of Tolkienite elves, being honorable and aesthetically inclined and InHarmonyWithNature(especially the air of course). However they are very much a downplayed version.
* The Tanu and Firvulag are explicitly Space Elves in the ''Literature/SagaOfTheExiles''. They are AncientAstronauts who arrived in the Pliocene era, where they interbred with time travellers and became the inspiration for legends of TheFairFolk. A dimorphic species, the Tanu are traditional elves, tall, beautiful, etc., while the Firvulag are more mischievous and monstrous - playing the parts of the Seelie and Unseelie court of British mythology.
* Creator/RayBradbury's Martians. Slender, beautiful with copper skin and golden eyes, members of an elegant culture with psychic powers and a psychology bordering on BlueAndOrangeMorality
* S. M. Stirling's Martians in his ''Literature/LordsOfCreation'' universe. Tall and thin because of Martian gravity with a civilization, now in decline, that was at it's peak when Earthlings were just discovering the joys of agriculture and a science based on OrganicTechnology.
* The ''Literature/FortunesOfWar'' books by Creator/DianeCarey introduce Merete AndrusTaurus, a member of a human-like alien species whose appearance subtly invokes the trope's imagery, as she has platinum-blonde hair, eyes that are a bit more angled than human eyes, and as is revealed later on, [[AlienBlood lavender blood]].
* ''Literature/WildCards'': The Takisians are short, long-lived, pretty, flamboyant, posturing, smug, and have "magic" in the form of PsychicPowers and OrganicTechnology. Their warships even look like colorful seashells. SpaceElves in all but name.

* Castithans in ''Series/{{Defiance}}''. The Tarr family at least has the Machivallian tendencies and hedonism of Dark Elves, whether this applies to the race in general is uncertain. Their son at least seems to be a bit better. Meanwhile the Liberata are Space Dwarves who used to be [[ProudMerchantRace more typical of the race]] (they still are physically) but are now a ServantRace after [[ElvesVersusDwarves conquered by the Castithans]].

* The Star Elves in ''TabletopGame/{{Fellowship}}'' are a combination of traditional fantasy elves with LittleGreenMen. They have [[SchrodingersGun a variety of high-tech gizmos]], and any of their Elf-made weapons stun non-elves with electricity instead of burning them.
* The Eldar in ''TabletopGame/Warhammer40000'', who started out quite literally as ''TabletopGame/{{Warhammer}}'''s High Elves InSpace. Humanoid, pointy-eared, [[FantasticRacism condescending to the lesser races]], and powerful [[PsychicPowers psykers]] in lieu of having actual magic, they're a DyingRace after the fall of their empire and now live primarily in a handful of Craftworlds -- {{Hidden Elf Village}}s crossed with planet-sized starships. They're currently locked in an eternal war with the Necrons and the forces of [[TheLegionsOfHell Chaos]]. Their name is even the one Tolkien's elves used for themselves. Note that despite their arrogance and cold-blooded scheming, they're probably the ''nicest'' of the setting's major factions aside from maybe the Tau Empire - they'll throw entire planets of other species under the bus to save themselves, but ''only'' out of self-preservation rather than [[ForTheEvulz because they can]], and will otherwise cooperate with outsiders, leave them be, or if it's mutually beneficial, even help them. Most other major factions in the setting (like the [[HordeOfAlienLocusts Tyranids]], [[AlwaysChaoticEvil Orks,]] and the bulk of the [[HumansAreBastards Imperium]]) shoot everyone outside of their faction on sight for the crime of existing.

* The Eliwan of ''TabletopGame/MagiNation''
* The Three Galaxies sub-setting of the ''TabletopGame/{{Rifts}}'' RPG has the imaginatively named Star Elves. They are one of the leading races of the United Worlds of Warlock, a spacefaring, magic-using civilization. The High King of the Star Elves has even served as the leader of the U.W.W. parliament for thousands of years.
* The [[OurElvesAreDifferent Elves]] of [[TabletopGame/{{Pathfinder}} Golarion]] are literally from a foreign planet in the same solar system.
* TabletopGame/{{Spelljammer}}'s elves are, by definition, elves in space in a non-standard fantasy setting (that links multiple fantasy settings). Of course, Spelljammer ''is'' D&D [[RecycledInSpace IN SPACE]], so the elves are hardly the only fantasy race to have settled the Spheres.
** The Reigar could be considered the Space Elf concept but exaggerated -- being a tall, slim, androgynously beautiful, unguessably ancient race possessed of vast powers and operating on a BlueAndOrangeMorality that even Elves find maddeningly bizarre.
* ''TabletopGame/{{Traveller}}'' has several subversions, usually HumanAliens with elegant customs and a few unusual traits, but which behave like humans or even worse. The Zhodani are humans dominated by a curious psiocracy and the Darrians are humans for whom everything is ForScience The Vilani when first encountered seemed a little like this but when you got to know them it turns out they were just humans with an extreme taste for GoodOldWays.
%%** The Droyne, despite their rather ugly appearance, are probably ''Traveller''[='=]s closest proximity.%%ZCE, and examples aren't ambiguous.

* ''Series/StarTrekPicard'': The Romulan WarriorMonk Elnor is a Space Elf whose elven attributes are cranked UpToEleven, so he's essentially a ScienceFantasy character in a ScienceFictionSeries. He's {{Elfeminate}}, his name is [[Film/TheLordOfTheRings Sindarin]] for "Star-Run" [[note]]which is another way of saying "Star-Trek"[[/note]], he has SuperReflexes that no other non-Qowat Milat Romulans or Vulcans possess in the Franchise/TrekVerse [[note]]while it can be argued that Romulans outside of the Qowat Milat lack the mental discipline to achieve those high speeds, Vulcans do exert great control over their minds and bodies, yet we've never seen a Vulcan move as fast as Elnor[[/note]], plus he [[ArchaicWeaponForAnAdvancedAge wields a sword instead of an energy weapon]]. Furthermore, the Qowat Milat monastery that was once his home is [[ArborealAbode carved into a giant tree]] and it's situated in a [[Film/TheLordOfTheRings Rivendell-like]] [[ForestOfPerpetualAutumn forest]].

** The Reigar could be considered the Space Elf concept taken UpToEleven -- being a tall, slim, androgynously beautiful, unguessably ancient race possessed of vast powers and operating on a BlueAndOrangeMorality that even Elves find maddeningly bizarre.

** The Nox are an ActualPacifist race who also happen to be SufficientlyAdvancedAliens with the power to turn invisible, [[BackFromTheDead bring back the recently deceased]], and even teleport people and objects over short distances in addition to having floating cities. They also happen to come off as condescending toward "younger", more primitive races, even when what they're trying to teach falls flat due to technological differences allowing them to do their things that the younger races cannot.

There are certain races in SpeculativeFiction that appear to occupy an equivalent niche that elves do in a fantasy setting: the idealized, CloserToEarth culture reaching toward utopian ideals, or the inscrutable, ominous FairFolk for whom WeAreAsMayflies, or both at once, of course. Similar to AngelicAliens, but Alien Angels are defined more by their ethereal appearance than their own perception of being an "enlightened" species compared to others.

When they are not behaving as a [[OurElvesAreDifferent standard fantasy elf]] or, as is often the case, an [[ProudScholarRaceGuy enlightened mystic race]] such as [[Franchise/StarTrek Vulcans]] or [[Film/{{Avatar}} Na'vi]], they are off [[AlienAbduction beaming up humans]], [[AliensStealCattle cattle]], and [[ChangelingTale children]] just like their FairFolk ancestors.

[-''This is a {{supertrope}} discussing references to Space Elves in various tropes, including: OurElvesAreDifferent, ProudScholarRaceGuy, TheFairFolk and/or TheGreys. Examples of each type would also fall under such other tropes.''-]

::''See ProudScholarRaceGuy for more examples.''

* ''Franchise/GreenLantern'':