History Main / UnnecessarilyCreepyRobot

* Ultron on ''[[WesternAnimation/AvengersEarthsMightiestHeroes The Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes]]'' looks pretty creepy, even before his inevitable FaceHeelTurn. His designer Hank Pym (Ant-Man) even gets called on it, but he doesn't see it.

* The ''Star Wars'' universe has an interesting example. On many backwater outposts like Mos Eisley, droids are often put together or repaired with parts salvaged from other droids. This not only results in droids that sometimes look rather unsettling, but also causes many of them to develop bizarre personalities and mental defects.

[[quoteright:350:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/Nannybot_1_0_6514.jpg]]

* {{Cracked}} has posted several articles on this subject. See [[http://www.cracked.com/blog/the-7-creepiest-robots-to-see-in-action here]], and [[http://www.cracked.com/article_16462_the-7-creepiest-real-life-robots.html here]].

* ''{{Saturn3}}'': Hector is perhaps the quintessential example of an Unnecessarily Creepy Robot. Hector is seven feet tall and humanoid in form, although instead of a recognizable head it has a telescoping metal tentacle with a pair of eye stalks on it. Its body is a network of metal tubes and plates that resemble human musculature, giving it the overall appearance of a skinned, decapitated corpse. Its CPU is a mass of culture-grown human brain tissue. Hector's intended purpose? To replace one of the human workers on a farming colony.

* Played straight and then later justified in-universe in the ''TheMatrix''. The Sentinels are alien, organic-looking robots with multiple eyes and metallic tentacles, that almost resemble deep-sea creatures. There isn't really a reason they need to look this way, other than to be truly menacing when they swarm on the Nebuchadnezzar. Indeed, most of the Machine tech is characterized by being unnecessarily creepy. The "human farms" in particular look like something out of a Hieronymous Bosch painting. Later works in the franchise imply that this was a conscious choice on the part of the Machines. "The Second Renaissance" shows that the first Machines were simple humanoid androids. As relations between Human and Machine soured, the Machines [[MechanicalEvolution became more and more alien]], developing into creepy insectoid things. And it was most likely deliberate: both as an declaration of the Machines' independence from Human influence, and as a means to intimidate the Humans.

* ''{{Eureka}}'' features "Tiny," an experimental extra-terrestrial explorer robot. It's built like a giant wolf and has the obligatory glowing red eyes and laser cannons. Carter even calls it out as an "unnecessarily creepy design."

* ''{{Futurama}}'' has quite a collection, played largely for laughs:

* Somewhat justified in-universe with the Necron from ''Warhammer40K'', an OmnicidalManiac race of robots (a humanoid race whose mind imprints were put in machines after their masters ate their souls). They all look like mechanical skeletons, fight in utter silence and use energy guns that disintegrate their targets bit by bit with rays of green light. They are nearly impossible to kill and if their nanomachines can't cope with the damage, they teleport, disappearing without a trace. It is all done entirely on purpose. The C'tan want their enemies to know death is coming for them.

* The classic ''Series/{{Star Trek|The Original Series}}'' episode "What Are Little Girls Made Of?" features androids that are superficially identical to humans...and then there's Ruk, the monstrous giant android portrayed by [[TheAddamsFamily Ted "Lurch" Cassidy]]. It could be justified in that he was an older "model" android, and so perhaps not as elegantly designed as newer ones, but still, he's much more intimidating than he needs to be.

* The classic StarTrek episode "What Are Little Girls Made Of?" features androids that are superficially identical to humans...and then there's Ruk, the monstrous giant android portrayed by [[TheAddamsFamily Ted "Lurch" Cassidy]]. It could be justified in that he was an older "model" android, and so perhaps not as elegantly designed as newer ones, but still, he's much more intimidating than he needs to be.

* The robots of IsaacAsimov's works are an interesting subversion: the Robot designers are GenreSavvy enough to be aware of this trope, and go out of their way to make their robots as non-creepy as possible. The Robots are described as basically humanoid in form, but quite obviously mechanical. Some stories indicate that the technology does exist to make them look more organic, but the designers don't do it to avoid the UncannyValley. They genuinely don't want to creep out the humans who are going to buy the robots and work closely with them on a day-to-day basis. Unfortunately, sometimes it just can't be helped - and unfortunately many of the film adaptations missed the point.

* ''Saturn 3'': Hector is perhaps the quintessential example of an Unnecessarily Creepy Robot. Hector is seven feet tall and humanoid in form, although instead of a recognizable head it has a telescoping metal tentacle with a pair of eye stalks on it. Its body is a network of metal tubes and plates that resemble human musculature, giving it the overall appearance of a skinned, decapitated corpse. Its CPU is a mass of culture-grown human brain tissue. Hector's intended purpose? To replace one of the human workers on a farming colony.

* Somewhat justified in-universe with the Necron from ''{{Warhammer 40000))'', an OmnicidalManiac race of robots (a humanoid race whose mind imprints were put in machines after their masters ate their souls). They all look like mechanical skeletons, fight in utter silence and use energy guns that disintegrate their targets bit by bit with rays of green light. They are nearly impossible to kill and if their nanomachines can't cope with the damage, they teleport, disappearing without a trace. It is all done entirely on purpose. The C'tan want their enemies to know death is coming for them.

* This Trope goes through every possible permutation in the ''StarWars'' universe. There are robots of every description, some more off-putting than others, and some merely puzzling. Of particular note is the Sandcrawler sequence in ''ANewHope'': one droid is basically a small dome on wheels with dozens of spider-like appendages. A viewer can go mad trying to figure out what possible function a robot like that could be used for, other than to serve as set dressing for the fantastic backdrop of the film. Although the Star Wars galaxy does have hints of a CrapsackWorld, since there are things like mercenary robots and torture droids, so a deliberately-creepy robot may not be too out of place.

Please note: this Trope applies to ''intentionally'' creepy robots - that is, intended by the creator of the work of fiction. Lower budget movies and tv shows may feature robots that are accidentally creepy, due to a SpecialEffectsFailure. That is not an example of this Trope.

* ''Saturn 3'': Hector is perhaps the quintessential example of an Unnecessarily Creepy Robot. Hector is seven feet tall and humanoid in form, although instead of a recognizable head it has a telescoping metal tentacle with a pair of eye stalks on it. Its body is a network of metal tubes and plates that resemble human musculature, giving it the overall appearance of a skinned, decapitated corpse. Its CPU is a mass of culture-grown human brain tissue. Hector's intended purpose? To replace one of the human workers on a FARMING COLONY.

* The robots of IsaacAsimov's works are an interesting subversion: the Robot designers are GenreSavvy enough to be aware of this trope, and go out of their way to make their robots as non-creepy as possible. The Robots are described as basically humanoid in form, but quite obviously mechanical. Some stories indicate that the technology does exist to make them look more organic, but the designers don't do it to avoid the UncannyValley. They geniunely don't want to creep out the humans who are going to buy the robots and work closely with them on a day-to-day basis. Unfortunately, sometimes it just can't be helped - and unfortunately many of the film adaptions missed the point.

* Somewhat justified in-universe with the Necron from ''WarHammer40K''. An OmnicidalManiac race of robots (a humanoid race whose mind imprints were put in machines after their masters ate their souls). They all look like mechanical skeletons, fight in utter silence and use energy guns that disintegrate their targets bit by bit with rays of green light. They are nearly impossible to kill and if their nanomachines can't cope with the damage, they teleport, dissappearing without a trace. It is all done entirely on purpose. The C'tan want their enemies to know death is coming for them.

* Real Life military tech averts this Trope for the most part, with an emphasis on functionality rather than intimidation. Drones like the [[http://defense-update.com/products/p/predator.htm Predator]] are basically small unmanned planes, and there's actually a kind of beauty to their simple aerodynamic design.

In fiction, however, things are different. In fiction, technology is evil, AIIsACrapshoot, and the robots will always rise up and destroy us. And in fiction, engineers seem to design their robots with this in mind. Sometimes a robot is not designed for efficiency. Sometimes a robot is designed just to be scary.

Whatever the form it takes, the Unnecessarily Creepy Robot has this as its constant: the creepy design is, at best, only vaguely related to its intended function. Given what characters in-universe say it was designed to do, it doesn't have to look like it does. It was meant to be creepy first, efficient second. Because a robot will always [[TurnedAgainstTheirMasters run amok]], and when it does, it will be all the more terrifying to have it chasing you.

* ''{{Saturn 3}}'': Hector is perhaps the quintessential example of an Unnecessarily Creepy Robot. Hector is seven feet tall and humanoid in form, although instead of a recognizable head it has a telescoping metal tentacle with a pair of eye stalks on it. Its body is covered by a network of metal tubes that resembles human musculature, giving it the overall appearance of a skinned, decapitated corpse. Its CPU is a mass of culture-grown human brain tissue. Hector's intended purpose? To replace one of the human workers on a FARMING COLONY.

* The robots of IsaacAsimov's works are an interesting subversion: the Robot designers are GenreSavvy enough to be aware of this trope, and go out of their way to make their robots as non-creepy as possible. The Robots are described as basically humanoid in form, but quite obviously mechanical. Some stories indicate that the technology does exist to make them look more human, but the designers don't do it to avoid the UncannyValley. It's all to avoid creeping out the humans who are going to buy the robots and work closely with them on a day-to-day basis. Unfortunately, sometimes it just can't be helped - and unfortunately many of the film adaptions missed the point.

--> Hank: It's not a toy and it's not creepy looking. It's design to look like an Ant head.

* Inverted in the case of [[http://www.designboom.com/weblog/cat/10/view/5316/cloaca-no-5-by-artist-wim-delvoye-in-montreal.html Cloaca No. 5]]. It's not all that creepy to look at, actually. As to what it was built to do, {{Squick however...}}

* Inverted in the case of [[http://www.designboom.com/weblog/cat/10/view/5316/cloaca-no-5-by-artist-wim-delvoye-in-montreal.html Cloaca No. 5]]. It's not all that creepy to look at, actually. As to what it was built to do, [[Squick however...]]

* The Robots of IsaacAsimov's works are an interesting subversion: the Robot designers are GenreSavvy enough to be aware of this trope, and go out of their way to make their Robots as non-creepy as possible. The Robots are described as basically humanoid in form, but quite obviously mechanical. Some stories indicate that the technology does exist to make them look more human, but the designers don't do it to avoid the UncannyValley. It's all to avoid creeping out the humans who are going to buy the Robots and work closely with them on a day-to-day basis. Unfortunately, sometimes it just can't be helped - and unfortunately many of the film adaptions missed the point.

* Somewhat justified in-universe with the Necron from WarHammer40K. An OmnicidalManiac race of robots (a humanoid race whose mind imprints were put in machines after their masters ate their souls). They all look like mechanical skeletons, fight in utter silence and use energy guns that disintegrate their targets bit by bit with rays of green light. They are nearly impossible to kill and if their nanomachines can't cope with the damage, they teleport, dissappearing without a trace. It is all done entirely on purpose. The C'tan want their enemies to know death is coming for them.

* Ultron on [[WesternAnimation/AvengersEarthsMightiestHeroes The Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes]] looks pretty creepy, even before his inevitable FaceHeelTurn. His designer Hank Pym (Ant-Man) even gets called on it, but he doesn't see it.

* {{Futurama}} has quite a collection, played largely for laughs:

* The Robots of Isaac Asimov's works are an interesting subversion: the Robot designers are GenreSavvy enough to be aware of this trope, and go out of their way to make their Robots as non-creepy as possible. The Robots are described as basically humanoid in form, but quite obviously mechanical. Some stories indicate that the technology does exist to make them look more human, but the designers don't do it to avoid the UncannyValley. It's all to avoid creeping out the humans who are going to buy the Robots and work closely with them on a day-to-day basis. Unfortunately, sometimes it just can't be helped - and unfortunately many of the film adaptions missed the point.

* ''Saturn3'': Hector is perhaps the quintessential example of an Unnecessarily Creepy Robot. Hector is seven feet tall and humanoid in form, although instead of a recognizable head it has a telescoping metal tentacle with a pair of eye stalks on it. Its body is covered by a network of metal tubes that resembles human musculature, giving it the overall appearance of a skinned, decapitated corpse. Its CPU is a mass of culture-grown human brain tissue. Hector's intended purpose? To replace one of the human workers on a FARMING COLONY.
* Played straight and then later justified in-universe in the TheMatrix. The Sentinels are alien, organic-looking robots with multiple eyes and metallic tentacles, that almost resemble deep-sea creatures. There isn't really a reason they need to look this way, other than to be truly menacing when they swarm on the Nebuchadnezzar. Indeed, most of the Machine tech is characterized by being unnecessarily creepy. The "human farms" in particular look like something out of a Hieronymous Bosch painting. Later works in the franchise imply that this was a conscious choice on the part of the Machines. "The Second Renaissance" shows that the first Machines were simple humanoid androids. As relations between Human and Machine soured, the Machines [[MechanicalEvolution became more and more alien]], developing into creepy insectoid things. And it was most likely deliberate: both as an declaration of the Machines' independence from Human influence, and as a means to intimidate the Humans.
* This Trope goes through every possible permutation in the StarWars universe. There are robots of every description, some more off-putting than others, and some merely puzzling. Of particular note is the Sandcrawler sequence in ANewHope: one droid is basically a small dome on wheels with dozens of spider-like appendages. A viewer can go mad trying to figure out what possible function a robot like that could be used for, other than to serve as set dressing for the fantastic backdrop of the film. Although the Star Wars galaxy does have hints of a CrapsackWorld, since there are things like mercenary robots and torture droids, so a deliberately-creepy robot may not be too out of place.

* {{Eureka}} features "Tiny," an experimental extra-terrestrial explorer robot. It's built like a giant wolf and has the obligatory glowing red eyes and laser cannons. Carter even calls it out as an "unnecessarily creepy design."

* The Robots of Isaac Asimov's works are an interesting subversion: the Robot designers are GenreSavvy enough to be aware of this trope, and go out of their way to make their Robots as non-creepy as possible. The Robots are described as basically humanoid in form, but quite obviously mechanical. Some stories indicate that the technology does exist to make them look more human, but the designers don't do it to avoid the UncannyValley. It's all to avoid creeping out the humans who are going to buy the Robots and work closely with them on a day-to-day basis. Unfortunately, sometimes it just can't be helped - and unfortunately many of the film adaptions [[CompletelyMissingThePoint missed the point]].