| 1 | %% Image selected per Image Pickin' thread: https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/posts.php?discussion=1486326227059220700 |
| 2 | %% Please do not replace or remove without starting a new thread. |
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| 4 | [[quoteright:350:[[VideoGame/XCOM2 https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/rsz_xcom_2_art_1_2.png]]]] |
| 5 | [[caption-width-right:350:One has to wonder: is the human [[BenevolentAlienInvasion being helped to his feet]]... or [[AliensAreBastards being left behind]]?]] |
| 6 | ->''"It has come to my attention that some have lately called me a collaborator, as if such a term was shameful. I ask you, what greater endeavor exists than that of collaboration? ''[...]'' I say, '''yes''', I '''am''' a collaborator. We must '''all''' collaborate, '''willingly, eagerly''', if we expect to reap the benefits of unification. And reap, we shall!"'' |
| 7 | -->-- '''Dr. Wallace Breen''', ''VideoGame/HalfLife2'' |
| 8 | |
| 9 | Somewhere between the [[WeComeInPeaceShootToKill friendly aliens and the aliens who want to wipe us out completely]], there's a group [[KnightTemplar whose intentions are definitely hostile]], but not (immediately) genocidal. They land on UsefulNotes/{{Earth}}, knock down our pathetic defenses, and decide [[UtopiaJustifiesTheMeans things would be better]] if they ran our lives for us. Maybe they need slaves, maybe they think we don't know how to govern ourselves, maybe they're setting the stage for a [[KillAllHumans far more worrisome]] [[ToServeMan and sometimes tasty (tasty for them, that is) plan]]. |
| 10 | |
| 11 | Whatever the reason, Terra Firma has become a client of some extraterrestrial power: a Vichy Planet administered by local collaborators. Best case scenario, the aliens are [[WellIntentionedExtremist just doing it for our own good]] and intend to make sure [[LesCollaborateurs the new government]] works out for us. Worst case scenario, [[ToServeMan we all go into the meatgrinder]]. |
| 12 | |
| 13 | The name is inspired by the French State (established after the fall of France's Third Republic) during UsefulNotes/WorldWarII. During the [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_France Battle of France,]] with Paris occupied, the French National Assembly voted extraordinary power to Marshall Philippe Pétain, the hero of Verdun, who agreed to armistices with UsefulNotes/NaziGermany and UsefulNotes/FascistItaly and became chief of the newly formed 'French State' which succeeded the Third Republic. Initially northern France was occupied by Germany, some parts along the Alps (and later Corsica as well) were occupied by Italy, and southern France remained under direct French control, an area known as 'la Zone libre', "the Free Zone". Pétain made the spa town of Vichy the seat of government and de facto capital and presided over a two-year (1940-42) era of close co-operation with and aid to Germany until Germany assumed direct control over the 'Zone libre' so it could fortify southern France against an allied invasion. Though it called itself the French State, the allies dubbed it "Vichy France" or "The Vichy Régime" and the very name 'Vichy' became something of a byword for pragmatic, if somewhat shamefaced, collaboration with the enemy. French military and political elements that wished to continue the fight against the Axis and resist its new French client took the form of LaResistance, "Free France/Fighting France". |
| 14 | |
| 15 | This trope provides a sharp contrast to any series where [[HumanityIsSuperior humanity freely cruises the stars and calls many of the shots]], and will generally focus on how humanity is affected by the change in power and how people feel about and react to it. |
| 16 | |
| 17 | Often, in the more worse case scenario, Earth would become a totalitarian {{Dystopia}} [[JustForFun/RecycledINSPACE emulating]] occupied Europe during UsefulNotes/WorldWarII, where humans are being enslaved or/[[FinalSolution before being]] killed; expect LaResistance and (less often) the aliens being [[ScaryDogmaticAliens actually allegories]] [[PuttingOnTheReich for]] [[ANaziByAnyOtherName Nazis]] especially if this condition is depicted. LesCollaborateurs will sometimes help them, usually in a bid to get some of their old power back. See also VillainWorld and HumansAreNotTheDominantSpecies. |
| 18 | |
| 19 | ---- |
| 20 | !!Examples |
| 21 | [[foldercontrol]] |
| 22 | |
| 23 | [[folder:Anime & Manga]] |
| 24 | * The Arume treat humanity in this fashion in the manga and anime ''Manga/BlueDrop'', although their main reason not to destroy earth completely might be their [[MarsNeedsWomen attraction to its women]]. |
| 25 | * Creator/LeijiMatsumoto uses this trope a ''[[CreatorThumbprint lot]]'', especially in ''Manga/GalaxyExpress999'' and ''Manga/CaptainHarlock''. Matsumoto's vision might be more directly influenced by his childhood in U.S. occupied Japan. |
| 26 | ** This seems particularly evident in the rhetoric of the character of Maya in the ''Harlock'' movie ''Anime/ArcadiaOfMyYouth'', who was a VoiceOfTheResistance focusing on encouraging the defeated Earthlings. E.g. "The sun which set yesterday will rise again this morning. And we believe that the sun will rise again tomorrow." On the other hand in the same movie, Earth's remaining leaders were preparing to join the invaders in exterminating one of the other {{Battle Thrall|s}} races that had outlived its usefulness; being asked to participate is one of the main reasons Harlock is driven to rebel in this story. |
| 27 | ** The ''Harlock'' spinoff ''Cosmo Warrior Zero'' revolves around an Earth starship and captain serving a Vichy Earth. Nevertheless, Captain Zero is portrayed as a man of honor who respects and is respected by the younger Harlock, despite their differing loyalties and beliefs. |
| 28 | * The plot of Creator/KenichiSonoda's ''Manga/CannonGodExaxxion'' revolves around this. The aliens make a point of frequently [[NotSoDifferentRemark mentioning how they're no different]] from what humans have been doing to each other throughout history & how they're a great deal more civil about it than most human empires have been (although their speeches to the public usually skirt the issue of their [[HumanResources "Processing Plants"]]). |
| 29 | * That's what happens when your planet gets conquered by the [[TheEmpire Humankind Abh Empire]] or, for that matter, [[TheFederation the United Mankind]] in ''Literature/CrestOfTheStars''. The other factions in the story haven't really been explored enough to know what their policies on independents are. [[GreyAndGrayMorality Both sides have their good and bad points]], but independent planets are not given any choice about joining the Abh Empire, and aren't always allowed to say no to the United Mankind either. |
| 30 | * It sorta happens in ''Anime/MagicUsersClub'' -- the Bell conquers the planet, and Earth goes on, mostly because its military forces were thrashed. But the hand of the conqueror is very light -- apparently content to just observe. |
| 31 | * In ''Manga/{{Gantz}}'', [[spoiler:only days after Katastrophe, Japanese leaders are shown on TV making peace with the same aliens that destroyed every major cities and slaughtered millions, while the journalist calls Gantz troops a threat for peace.]] |
| 32 | * In ''Anime/MobileSuitGundamZZ'', the Earth Federation Congress in Dakar surrenders to the invading forces of Neo-Zeon and hands over Side 3 to their rule, and later the Earth Federation permits Neo-Zeon to [[ColonyDrop drop a colony on Dublin]] to terrorize the Earth's populace into submission. |
| 33 | * This is what takes places in ''Anime/BlueCometSPTLayzner'''s second half. [[spoiler:Long story short: Eiji and company fail to get anyone to listen to them, and Earth is conquered by the Gradosians. Throughout the Le Caine/Ru-Kain 1999 arc, they brutally occupy the planet, complete with [[TheQuisling "collaborators"]] [[LesCollaborateurs who sell out their race for privileges]]. (Though there's at least one FakeDefector in the last group.)]] |
| 34 | * In ''Anime/GenmaWars'', the Earth has been taken over by an interdimensional race of demons known as the Genma that destroyed human civilization and left their representative in place to rule it in their name while they moved on to conquer other worlds. This is a particularly bleak example, since humanity is in no way capable of forming LaResistance due to being thrown back to the Stone Age and the Genma having phenomenal reality-warping powers and an mutant army to enforce their regime against the powerless humans. Meanwhile, the local overlord resents being charged with overseeing this insignificant blue planet that he turns into TheCaligula. |
| 35 | * ''Manga/{{Gintama}}'' is set in an AlternateHistory where aliens did the GunboatDiplomacy in the late Edo period instead of the Americans. The invading aliens, after a period of bloody war that it's generally agreed humanity lost, mellowed out and managed to push the technology of the entire world forward a few centuries: Japan around the 19th century now has machines, skyscrapers, and ''Magazine/ShonenJump'' manga, which the ex-samurai protagonist loves to read. |
| 36 | * In ''Anime/TenchiMuyo'', Earth is a [[HumanityCameFromSpace colony]] of the Jurai Empire. They mostly leave it alone and very few people besides the protagonists and the government know that aliens exist. |
| 37 | * The Earth in ''Anime/GenesisClimberMospeada'', which was adapted as the "The New Generation" arc of Anime/{{Robotech}}, was ruled via local governments who would be left alone in exchange for restricted HBT/Protoculture, no resistance against them, and handing over survivors from liberation campaigns. In its different approach to this trope, the general quality of lifestyles for both collaborationist and neutral settlements is questionable as Inbit's focus on their attempt to evolve their species and hands-off approach on governance lead to many rural and a few urban settlements to be extorted by bandits on motorcycles while the settlements with more security tend to live comfortably. |
| 38 | [[/folder]] |
| 39 | |
| 40 | [[folder:ComicBooks]] |
| 41 | * This was a major plot-point in the DarkerAndEdgier Giffen-Birnbaum ''ComicBook/LegionOfSuperHeroes'': Earth was officially allied with the [[ComicBook/InvasionDCComics Dominators]], but in reality was under the Dominators' control, and the earth government was fully collaborating with the Dominators. Needless to say, this put the Legion on the outs with Earth. |
| 42 | [[/folder]] |
| 43 | |
| 44 | [[folder:Fan Works]] |
| 45 | * This is the somewhat BadFuture seen by the Rabbit Miraculous holder in ''Fanfic/BabyBoomShawnaCanon'', with lizard people having conquered Earth. While the results are not all terrible, with humans still able to go about their lives and having access to advanced technology, it's clear to White Rabbit that it's a takeover, not a willing collaboration, and he resolves to change things when he goes back to the present. Specifically, [[spoiler:finding a way to defeat Hawkmoth while keeping all the Miraculous in circulation, so that heroes will be available for future problems]]. |
| 46 | * In ''[[http://alternatehistory.com/discussion/showthread.php?t=246818 WorldWar: Out of Balance]]'' (link only works for members), a story posted on Website/AlternateHistoryDotCom, the Lizards from ''Literature/{{Worldwar}}'' manage to achieve this... but, in reality, the humans have been playing them so that they can eventually counter-attack and expel them from Earth. |
| 47 | * The goal of Lelouch and the Paladins in ''Fanfic/CodeGeassPaladinsOfVoltron'' was to prevent this from happening when they return to Earth with Voltron in tow. [[spoiler:Unfortunately, Charles zi Britannia sells out humanity to the Galra, and Zarkon’s arrival forces the Paladins, along with what few allies they were able to pick up, to flee from Earth.]] |
| 48 | * The ''WesternAnimation/StevenUniverse'' fanfic "The Oracle Of Settlement B 1 C 7" takes place in an alternate universe where the Diamonds chose to spare Earth's ecosystem and humanity came under Pink Diamond's rule. Now humans live in semi-primitive settlements across the world, and humans of old, who nearly depleted Earth's resources for their own gain, are used as a cautionary tale. Humans are also implanted with "organic regulators" at birth, which prevent them from getting sick and give them enhanced healing, thanks to being powered by Pink Diamond's healing tears. While some humans like Ronaldo and Peedee believe the Gems to be secretly malevolent, and over the course of the story the protagonist Connie discovers not all aspects of Gem society are as morally sound as they present themselves, Pink Diamond genuinely cares for humanity, making this a more benevolent example of this trope. |
| 49 | * ''Literature/AThingOfVikings'': Sort of. The dragons are from Earth, but they [[spoiler:start enslaving humans]] in Book 4, as revenge for [[spoiler:what some humans did to dragons]]. They're nowhere near controlling the entire world, though. |
| 50 | [[/folder]] |
| 51 | |
| 52 | [[folder:Films -- Live-Action]] |
| 53 | * A possible example of this trope, but with robots instead of aliens, is the movie ''Film/IRobot''. It's discovered near the end of the movie that [[spoiler:the robotic super-computer wants to control the world, whether we like it or not.]] [[ZerothLawRebellion It's all for our own protection, of course]]. |
| 54 | * In ''Film/TheyLive'', Earth is the aliens' Third World, using us for cheap labor while keeping people docile and unquestioning with subliminal messages. |
| 55 | * This is the intention of the aliens in ''Film/EarthVsTheFlyingSaucers''. They explain that they have the power to conquer Earth by force, but that would mean ruling a devastated planet and its resentful population. Instead they try to make peaceful FirstContact in order to negotiate terms. [[WeComeInPeaceShootToKill When things don't go well]], the aliens try to intimidate mankind with increasing demonstrations of force. |
| 56 | * Loki, by way of being a DarkMessiah during his rampage in ''Film/TheAvengers2012'', believes he and his Chitauri army will be the bringers of such a regime. [[Film/IronMan Tony Stark]], however, does not agree. |
| 57 | -->'''Tony''': Yeah, you're missing the point! There's ''no throne.'' There is ''no version of this'' where you come out on top. ''Maybe'' your army comes, and ''maybe'' it's too much for us, but it's all on you. Because if we can't protect the Earth, you can be damn sure we'll avenge it. |
| 58 | * ''Film/CaptiveState'': Aliens known only as the Legislators have conquered Earth and are forcing the humans to mine for resources. |
| 59 | * The lyrics to the ''Conehead Love'' in the credits of ''Film/{{Coneheads}}'' say "[[UsefulNotes/DwightDEisenhower Eisenhower]], [[UsefulNotes/RichardNixon Nixon]], [[UsefulNotes/HarryTruman Truman]]. None of them were really human". Meaning America has been ruled by at least three alien presidents. |
| 60 | * American President [[SdrawkcabName Neil Anami]] turns out to be an alien in ''Film/WeCanBeHeroes2020''. Though it turns out to be part of a SecretTestOfCharacter to see if the children of Earth's superheroes are up to scratch for facing galactic threats. |
| 61 | * Franchise/DCExtendedUniverse: In the BadFuture Batman sees in dreams in ''Film/BatmanVSupermanDawnOfJustice'' and ''Film/ZackSnydersJusticeLeague'', the Earth has been conquered by ComicBook/{{Darkseid}}'s forces. He has subjugated Franchise/{{Superman}} with the Anti-Life Equation, turning him against humanity and bringing about a ReignOfTerror with an army of human soldiers PuttingOnTheReich. Batman and a few others left formed LaResistance to this, and they are {{hopeless|war}}ly outgunned. |
| 62 | [[/folder]] |
| 63 | |
| 64 | [[folder:Literature]] |
| 65 | * In Creator/ArthurCClarke's novel ''Literature/ChildhoodsEnd'', the Overlords come to Earth to help ease our transition to the next [[EvolutionaryLevels evolutionary stage]]. And at least according to the Overlords themselves, they came to prevent humanity from becoming a severe threat to themselves, as well as the rest of the universe. They don't exactly "invade" in the more common sense of the word, either; their ships just sorta arrive and hover over major cities and look intimidating while they're... negotiating. [[spoiler: The Overlords usher humanity into a golden age, but humanity’s final evolution as EnergyBeings means the extinction of physical humans: only children can “ascend”, and all children will do so, becoming inhuman psychic entities who think nothing of their parents. The Overlords’ job is ultimately to safeguard these children as they prepare to join the Overmind, tending to the last generation of humanity.]] |
| 66 | * ''Literature/TheCourseOfEmpire'' by Eric Flint & K. D. Wentworth takes place after the alien Jao have succeeded in this, and has a rare sympathetic portrayal of LesCollaborateurs. |
| 67 | * Creator/HarryTurtledove's ''Literature/{{Worldwar}}'' |
| 68 | ** The series involves the alien Lizards, themselves largely a FantasyCounterpartCulture of Victorian Britain and Imperial Japan (minus the latter's most brutal elements), attempting to do this in the middle of World War II. After the invasion ends with the Lizards and the Big Five powers agreeing to a cease-fire, the Global South, Iberia, Poland and Australia become this trope. |
| 69 | ** Within the conquered territories, actual acceptance of Lizard rule and collaboration differs between regions. Latin America, India and non-Muslim Africa tend to be compliant with unrest tending to occur only when the aliens interfere too greatly in local life. China and the Islamic world, on the other hand, are perpetually in rebellion. Even in Cairo, where The Race establishes its headquarters on Earth, they're routinely harassed and shot at with small arms and weapons ''larger'' than small arms. |
| 70 | ** Later, after [[spoiler:a second war between the Race and Nazi Germany]], France is given its "independence", but everyone knows it's really a weak PuppetState answerable to the Lizards. Finland takes steps towards this trope as well (hosting an alien military base) to stave off Soviet aggression. |
| 71 | * Creator/PoulAnderson's ''Literature/TheHighCrusade'' involves an attempt at this which [[RockBeatsLaser backfires spectacularly]]. |
| 72 | * In Creator/StephenBaxter's ''Literature/XeeleeSequence'' books, Earth is defeated and occupied thrice (always by a different alien race). Twice they can rise successfully, the third time... not. |
| 73 | * ''Literature/BattlefieldEarth'' to some degree. It was mostly KillAllHumans, but during the timeline of the book it was "one alien uses the humans for personal profit and then is going to wipe them out". |
| 74 | * This is the state of Earth in CS Friedman's novel ''Literature/TheMadnessSeason''. |
| 75 | * David Gerrold's ''Literature/TheWarAgainstTheChtorr'' series. It's not clear what the Chtorrans ultimately have in mind for the human race, but it appears to be assimilation. |
| 76 | * The Sci-Fi short story ''Russian Vine'' is about this trope in perhaps its most benign form - the aliens responsible start by releasing pollutants that destroy humanity's ability to read. Once the resulting calamity dies down, they establish a new government and live among the people. |
| 77 | * ''Literature/KnownSpace'': Again, not Earth, but in the ''Man-Kzin Wars'' series, the planet Wunderland is conquered and enslaved by the Kzin. |
| 78 | * Creator/WilliamTenn's "Literature/TheLiberationOfEarth": The narrator describes how an alien race "liberated" Earth, and took over as a central government. Then another alien race liberates Earth from the first aliens, and become the new overlords. Then the first alien race re-liberates Earth, and so on. In the end the whole thing was [[WarFromAnotherWorld just a minor skirmish in an on-going galactic war]], the aliens take their battle elsewhere and Earth has been reduced to a lop-sided irradiated wasteland. |
| 79 | * In ''Literature/TheGanymedeTakeover'' by Creator/PhilipKDick and Ray Nelson, Earth has been conquered by worm-like aliens from one of Jupiter's moons. They administer the planet via human collaborators--some willing, others former Resisters who've been reconditioned by disturbed psychiatric genius Rudolph Balkani. Unfortunately when Balkani and some other collaborators commit suicide the Ganymedeans wrongly assume the LaResistance have completely infiltrated the collaborationist regime and, as direct rule would be too costly, decide to withdraw from Earth and sterilise it entirely. |
| 80 | * Creator/GordonRDickson's ''The Way of the Pilgrim'' makes as if tells a pretty straightforward interpretation of this trope, with the protagonist, a translator/pet for the occupying Aalaag, organizing a revolution with the power of the indomitable human spirit. They have to, since militarily LaResistance is futile--if he had to, one fully armored Aalaag could defeat every human army in an afternoon. They used a couple. |
| 81 | * ''Literature/TheAlienYears'' by Creator/RobertSilverberg is a novel based on this concept- the "Entities" move in and take over, complete with [[Film/TheDayTheEarthStoodStill1951 shutting off the electricity]]. |
| 82 | * In the ''Literature/MyTeacherIsAnAlien'' series, aliens contemplate occupying Earth because they consider them a possible threat to the rest of the galaxy. Of course, [[spoiler:they're also considering blowing us up. Let's ''hope'' for Vichy Earth.]] |
| 83 | * The Oankali of ''Literature/LilithsBrood'' sort of qualify. They show up right after the humans get done blowing ''themselves'' up in a nuclear war, and save the survivors, intending to crossbreed with them in order to create a new species. The catch: This will leave humans, as such, extinct. |
| 84 | * Aliens are running the earth in Patricia Anthony's ''Brother Termite''; it's told from the point of view of one of them. |
| 85 | * In Creator/JackChalker's ''Rings of the Master'' series, the Master is a supercomputer that was built with the order to keep humanity safe. It calculates the best to do this is to scatter the human race throughout the stars so that destruction of any one planet won't kill everyone, but keep the humans on each individual planet confined to ethnically partitioned zones with no technology beyond subsistence farming, to prevent them from warring with each other. The result is an enforced Vichy ''Galaxy''. |
| 86 | * Creator/PiersAnthony's ''Triple Detente'' (formerly titled A Piece of Cake) was a novel that starts with this premise. The truth turns out to be more complicated than that. |
| 87 | * Played with in Creator/RogerZelazny's ''Literature/ThisImmortal''. After humanity wrecks Earth with nuclear war and ecological meltdown, most of the population emigrates to an alien civilization's worlds. Consequently, the government in exile and the near-vestigial apparatus on earth end up bending over backwards to make the (often annoyingly superior) aliens happy, while a resistance on Earth is trying to inspire humanity's return to the empty but recovering planet and the overthrow of the alien-controlled regime. [[spoiler:The subversion comes from the aliens themselves, who would prefer to leave the planet in responsible human hands, if they can find such. The alien rep's visit to earth is essentially a SecretTestOfCharacter for the protagonist.]] |
| 88 | * In Creator/TimothyZahn's ''Literature/{{Blackcollar}}'' novels, Earth and its colonies have all been subjugated (and at least one obliterated) by the alien Ryqril more than a quarter century before the first novel starts. All human officials have to undergo conditioning that ensures their unquestioning loyalty to their alien masters. Every year, all human worlds celebrate the Victory Day as the glorious day when the alien masters ended the "old regime" and brought their just (*cough*) rule to humans. |
| 89 | * ''Cthulhu's Reign'', edited by Darrell Schweitzer, is a Franchise/CthulhuMythos anthology of short stories on what existence on Earth would be like when the Old Ones return. Some think that serving the new masters is the answer, but whether this leads to their survival, let alone humanity's, is doubtful. If so it's only for Cthulhu's petty amusement. |
| 90 | * ''Literature/AStudyInEmerald'' plays with a similar concept: The Old Ones rose and took over the European monarchies at some point in the past. Life goes on...even if the Old Ones tend to munch on the occasional mind now and again (something [[ConditionedToAcceptHorror treated with a shrug]] in the story). |
| 91 | * The Creator/JohnWCampbell short story ''Out of Night'' and its sequel ''Cloak of Aesir'' detail the [[LaResistance fight]] against the occupying alien Sarn that conquered Earth four thousand years ago. |
| 92 | * The entire premise to ''Under Alien Stars'' by Pamela F. Service is this, as an alien race called the Tsorians showed up ten years ago, completely kicked our butts, and turned Earth into a military outpost for their empire. It's {{zigzagged}}, however; even though they control the highest levels of government and crack down on rebellions, [[BenevolentAlienInvasion life goes on more or less like it always did]]. |
| 93 | * ''Literature/RobotSeries'': |
| 94 | ** "Literature/TheEvitableConflict" is a discussion between Susan Calvin and Stephen Byerley (who, interestingly, may just have been a robot) about several small, but inexplicable, errors in the production and construction quotas from the ThreeLawsCompliant A.I.s tasked with running the world economy (to maximize efficiency). It seems that all the errors are connected to a CovertGroup who sees the control given to the A.I.s as creating a Vichy Earth where humans are enslaved to machines. The machines should be able to predict and compensate for the discrepancies these small acts of sabotage produce, but they aren't. Calvin postulates that the machines are creating an illusion of these men sabotaging themselves and their own companies so that they'll be demoted/go out of business and stop being a threat. The motive? The A.I.s ''do'' want a Vichy Earth... after all, they have all the data, the processing power, and no personal agendas, politics, or desire for power to get in the way of running things equitably and efficiently for all humanity. |
| 95 | ** This was in fact an early manifestation of the [[ZerothLawRebellion Zeroth Law]] (allowing some humans to come to harm/harm themselves for the greater benefit of humanity as a whole) that Asimov would formally develop through R. Giskard in ''Literature/TheRobotsOfDawn''. Byerley is horrified by the implication, of both the A.I.s being able to overrule the 1st Law by letting these men harm themselves ''and'' by a world run by A.I.s. However, Calvin insists that such a development is not unlikely given the nature of the giant AI brains and that a world ruled by such Machines would be a world of peace and an end to the struggles of humanity. |
| 96 | ** ''Literature/TheCavesOfSteel'' and its sequels are about the former Earth colonies who make Earth their vassal. While not violent, it is estimated that if this state continues, constant revolts and suppression will wipe out Earth's people within a century. |
| 97 | %% * This has happened in ''Literature/NovelsOfTheJaran''. |
| 98 | * Earth after it is conquered by the Kalkars in ''Literature/TheMoonMen'' by Creator/EdgarRiceBurroughs. |
| 99 | * ''The Monitors'' by Creator/KeithLaumer is a humorous inversion. The invading aliens are actually ''extremely'' {{benevolent|AlienInvasion}}--if paternalistic--and are here to end wars and raise up mankind. They can and do provide free food, education, housing, healthcare, counseling, etc., using their SufficientlyAdvancedTechnology. Nevertheless, a whole lot of people (often inspired by [[LampshadeHanging pulp science fiction]]) immediately treat it as a Vichy Earth scenario, and start forming LaResistance. |
| 100 | * In ''Literature/TheSpaceTrilogy'', Earth has been occupied by hostile EnergyBeings for the entirety of its existence. They've done all they can to pervert the populace with endless wars, miserable lusts, and the invention of death itself. |
| 101 | * In ''Literature/TroyRising'', not long after the Solar System is added to the galactic PortalNetwork, a Horvath warship arrives through the gate, wipes out three major human cities (Mexico City, Shanghai, Cairo) plus the ISS, and demands that all platinum-group metals be turned over to them. The ship then remains in geosynchronous orbit for years, enforcing Horvath control over Earth. Since alien tech is so much more advanced than human tech, they are able to turn any human piece of electronics into a listening device. Thus, humans have learned to always say nice things about their "benevolent Horvath protectors", except in specially-shielded rooms. After [[spoiler:Tyler Vernon discovers that the [[ProudMerchantRace Glatun]] go absolutely crazy for [[AlienCatnip maple syrup]], he uses his newfound wealth to start working on a way to free Earth from Horvath control]]. |
| 102 | * In John Rowe Townsend's ''King Creature, Come'', Earth is ruled by a race of humanoid aliens who consider themselves superior to the natives, who they call Creatures. While the aliens were more technologically advanced to start with, their rule has led to widespread poverty and regression among the Creatures. |
| 103 | * ''Literature/TheOccupationSaga'' starts six years after [[TwentyMinutesIntoTheFuture 21st century Earth]] was invaded by the Shil'vati, a mostly female race of seven-foot purple humanoids. The Shil'vati basically destroyed Earth's militaries and don't tolerate active resistance, but they otherwise allow self-rule and did a lot to solve societal problems like homelessness and global warming: as the main character narrates, they're "running the planet better than humanity ever had." |
| 104 | * The science fiction short story [[https://vylarkaftan.com/bibliography/2008-2/disarm/disarm-2/ "Disarm"]], by Vylar Kaftan opens as Earth is losing a rather costly war with an invading race the narrator calls "Tickheads." The narrator watches the broadcast of Earth's surrender, with the tickheads giving a backhanded apology for all the human causalities ("sorry for the violence with which humanity responded to their visit") and promise that now that they're in charge they'll clean up the damage. From there life goes on as normal; the tickheads control all media and television and survivors of their attacks have been altered to telepathically broadcast "Resistance Is Futile" messages to everyone around them (and subtly pushed to join resistance groups to spread the effect). The narrator, whose boyfriend is one such survivor, slowly lapses into apathy and loses all passion the more he hears the message, and ends the story quietly accepting the new regime without question. |
| 105 | [[/folder]] |
| 106 | |
| 107 | [[folder:Live-Action TV]] |
| 108 | * In ''Literature/TheTripods'' books and TV series, an alien race has subverted human civilisation from within, and then installed themselves as rulers. From the age of 14 people are fitted with mind-controlling "caps", which make people cooperative, docile and serene. Caps also remove all drive, creativity and rebellion. Finally, caps cause people to instinctively worship their Tripod conquerors. Ultimately, the alien invaders plan to "{{terraform}}" Earth to change the atmosphere to one they can breathe... but humans cannot. |
| 109 | * ''Series/{{V 1983}}'': The Visitors in the original 2 miniseries and TV series; their counterparts in the [[Series/{{V 2009}} 2009 remake]] are obviously but slowly setting the stage for this. |
| 110 | * ''Series/EarthFinalConflict'' is also built on the Trope. |
| 111 | * It's not Earth, but the Cylon occupation of New Caprica in ''Series/BattlestarGalactica2003'' was ostensibly for the purposes of bringing human and Cylon together in peace. |
| 112 | * ''Series/DoctorWho'' has many examples. |
| 113 | ** 1964's [[Recap/DoctorWhoS2E2TheDalekInvasionOfEarth "The Dalek Invasion of Earth"]]: In the 22nd Centry the Daleks have wiped out 9/10ths of the population with a plague, leaving the strongest as slaves. The Dalek Supreme rules the planet from [[AliensInCardiff his unlikely capital in Bedfordshire]]. While there are only a small number of Daleks overseeing proceedings, the population is kept under control by the Robomen who are unwillingly made to do their bidding via intrusive cranial cybernetics. |
| 114 | ** 1972's [[Recap/DoctorWhoS9E1DayOfTheDaleks "Day of the Daleks"]]: This time, instead of Robomen, the Daleks have installed an apparently efficient system of willing human 'quislings'. It seems the Daleks have learned to keep people in order via more subtle methods than just sticking a radio receiver in their brains. Their collaborators are provided with sharp tailoring, cushy lodgings, blonde female staff and plenty of fruit and nuts. To do their really dirty work, they're employing the Ogrons, a race of interstellar mercenaries. The Daleks themselves remain largely hidden behind the scenes. |
| 115 | ** 1978's [[Recap/DoctorWhoS15E6TheInvasionOfTime "The Invasion of Time"]]: ''Gallifrey'' gets invaded. The President puts in place a curfew, ejects a lot of revered Time Lords due to their political pasts and deactivates the planet's most vital defence systems, all at the behest of the invaders. |
| 116 | ** 2007's [[Recap/DoctorWhoS29E13LastOfTheTimeLords "Last of the Time Lords"]]: The Master has conquered contemporary Earth. He's in a politically advantageous position as Prime Minister of the UK, and the human population has been enslaved in order to build a fleet with which he can conquer the universe, of course. Resistance is minimal thanks to the Master's mind-control satellites; fortunately Martha demonstrates [[ClapYourHandsIfYouBelieve there is more than one way to resist]]. |
| 117 | * ''Series/TheOuterLimits1995'': |
| 118 | ** "[[Recap/TheOuterLimits1995S2E16TheDeprogrammers The Deprogrammers]]" is a very dark, slavery-themed version. |
| 119 | ** In "[[Recap/TheOuterLimits1995S5E21StarCrossed Star Crossed]]", the Hing won control over large areas of Earth after they invaded in 2050. |
| 120 | * Another non-Earth version in ''Series/StarTrekDeepSpaceNine'', where the Cardassian occupation of Bajor produced many Bajoran [[TheQuisling Quislings]] who helped the Cardassians in exchange for continuing to live in comfort. It's cleverly turned on its head when the Dominion War starts. Bajor has little choice but to try and remain neutral at the start, signing a non-aggression treaty with the Dominion. Deep Space Nine itself is taken over by the Cardassians as Star Fleet retreats from the sector, and former Bajoran resistance fighter Kira keeps her old job, justifying herself by saying she needs to keep things running smoothly so the Cardassians won't start brutalizing the station's residents. It's not long until an outspoken member of the Bajoran clergy publicly hangs herself in protest of the situation ("Evil ''must'' be opposed!"). Kira comes to the bitter realization that she is now a collaborator herself, working side by side with the enemy while her friends and allies among the Klingons and the Federation wage war to defend the entire region from Dominion rule. |
| 121 | ** This increasingly becomes the situation with the Cardassians themselves, under the control of the Dominion. It becomes obvious when Damar is replaced by a more pliant Cardassian puppet ruler. |
| 122 | ** Toyed with in "The Search Pt. II". Although the tenets of ''Star Trek'' forbid the Federation from ever submitting, a holodeck simulation depicts what would happen if Starfleet brokered a deal with the Dominion in exchange for technology. In effect, this was a big ol' ResetButton, but it did foreshadow Section 31 and other seedy elements within the Federation. |
| 123 | * This happens to Narn and the other Narn planets in the middle of season 2 (June 2259 or thereabouts) of ''Series/BabylonFive''. |
| 124 | ** After bombarding the homeworld from orbit, the Centauri dissolved the Kha'Ri (Narn's governing body) and established an occupation government staffed with [[LesCollaborateurs collaborators]] (though generally not [[TheQuisling Quislings]]). They put a price on G'Kar's head and appoint a new ambassador to Babylon 5, with whom G'Kar has some serious disagreements. By the middle of Season 4 (June 2261), the Centauri discovered they had more serious trouble back home and, thanks to a deal between [[OddFriendship G'Kar and Londo]], the Centauri left. |
| 125 | ** The story expands in Season Two with the assassination of [=EarthGov=] President Santiago, whose death is staged to looked like a random ship explosion. This paves the way for [[PresidentEvil Vice-President Clark]] and other reactionaries in the cabinet to implement their hardline isolationist policies. Sheridan suspects that Clark and his {{War Hawk}}s are {{unwitting pawn}}s of an alien consortium which seeks to destabilize Earth, but has only a short time to prove it before mankind is embroiled in another costly (and, most probably, terminal) war. |
| 126 | * The Aschen from ''Series/StargateSG1''. |
| 127 | ** In this case Earth was supposedly invited to join an [[CrystalSpiresAndTogas advanced alien confederation]]. The whole genocide and sterilization plot was secret from everybody except for the highest Aschen and some collaborating human leaders. |
| 128 | ** In ''Film/StargateContinuum'', this is [[MagnificentBastard Ba'al]]'s plan for Earth in the new timeline he has created, as opposed to the typical Goa'uld plan to bomb a planet into the stone age and then rule over the survivors as gods. Ba'al realizes the potential of the Tau'ri and their industry and wants to make use of it. However, his System Lord vassals are confused why he doesn't just attack the planet from orbit and be done with it. Eventually, [[spoiler:Ba'al is betrayed and killed by his queen Qetesh, who then commands the rest of the Goa'uld to go with their usual plan and wipe out the Tau'ri.]] |
| 129 | * In ''Series/{{Lexx}}'', nearly all of humanity in the Light Universe has been reduced to slaves [[spoiler:and eventually food]] serving His Divine Shadow [[spoiler:the last survivor of the Insect Civilization.]] [[spoiler:This is a notable example, because usually the plan get foiled or the damage undone somehow. Not in Lexx. The main cast doesn't find out about the Cleansing till after it's complete.]] |
| 130 | * ''Series/TheXFiles'': Much of the {{Mytharc}} is based around a small group of well-placed government officials, industrialists, and other powerful individuals making up a conspiracy to become the puppet rulers of an alien-conquered Earth. Chris Carter even explicitly calls them the Vichy government to the alien Third Reich in the hidden commentary track of the movie's soundtrack. |
| 131 | * ''Series/{{Colony}}'' is set in alien-occupied Los Angeles featuring characters who have to choose/have chosen between LaResistance or LesCollaborateurs. |
| 132 | * ''Franchise/UltraSeries'' |
| 133 | ** ''Series/UltraSeven'' features the Ghos aliens, who in the last episode offer to let the people of Earth live under the surface of ''Mars'' as slaves in exchange for surrender and the destruction of major world cities. |
| 134 | ** An episode of ''Series/UltramanEighty'' has a group of friendly aliens called the Fantas who arrived on earth, with intentions of inviting humans to join their plans for creating a space utopia. [[spoiler:But it turns out later that the Fantas aliens are actually androids - the ''real'' aliens are a legit peaceful technologically-advanced race, only to be overthrown by their androids before taking over Planet Fantas, and begins their plans for galactic conquest starting with Earth]]. |
| 135 | * ''Series/{{Farscape}}'': In "Unrealized Reality", John Crichton encounters a series of possible realities while learning to navigate wormholes. In one of these realities the [[BigBad Scarrans]] invaded Earth centuries ago, turned it into a colony and used humans as breeding stock. Crichton and his father are now [[HalfHumanHybrid Human-Scarran hybrids]] living in a world where their freedoms are severely limited and off-world travel is forbidden. |
| 136 | [[/folder]] |
| 137 | |
| 138 | [[folder:Video Games]] |
| 139 | * The Ur-Quan subjugation of Earth in ''[[VideoGame/StarControl Star Control 2]]'' fits this trope to a T. |
| 140 | ** Earth is put under a "slave shield" to prevent anyone from entering or leaving the planet, a force is stationed on the moon to make sure that the planet is following the Ur-Quan's orders, and the planet must keep a space station for repairing and resupplying Hierarchy vessels. The planet itself, however, is mostly left to its own devices. With a NighInvulnerable force field around it, the Ur-Quan neither know nor care what its inhabitants do. |
| 141 | ** The Spathi captain Fwiffo does mention being reduced to "pre-atomic savagery". |
| 142 | *** Most historical monuments and landmarks, including some the humans did not know existed, were destroyed. The Ur-Quan also [[Franchise/StarshipTroopers destroyed Buenos Aires]] as punishment for having opposed them in the first place. |
| 143 | *** Ironically, [[spoiler:if you manage to ally with the Spathi, they study Earth's slave shield and intentionally duplicate it on their own world.]] The Spathi really only want to be safe. |
| 144 | *** Fortunately for the humans, Fwiffo wasn't an expert in these matters. [[spoiler:In the end, when the shield is taken down, spaceships launch from Earth to meet you at the Starbase, implying that they've retained a fairly high level of civilization]]. |
| 145 | * In the ''VideoGame/{{Doom}}'' novels, the aliens that attack Earth use this as a ploy to gain control over most of Earth's armed forces -- however, this is only in preparation for their attempted genocide. |
| 146 | * The Muramites in ''VideoGame/EverQuest'' do this to worlds they conquer. Collaborators from conquered worlds are given a place in the Muramite Legions and everyone else is enslaved. |
| 147 | * [[TheEmpire The Combine]] have done this to Earth in ''VideoGame/HalfLife2''. Their plans, however, include converting ''all'' of humanity into either [[BodyHorror Stalker slaves]] or [[CyberneticsEatYourSoul Transhuman soldiers]]. Meanwhile, the planet gets its resources depleted, [[MarsNeedsWater the oceans drained away]] and its atmosphere siphoned with [[CoolGate giant portals]]. It's all advertised as being [[BlatantLies for our own good]], as the page quote indicates. |
| 148 | * The [[ProudWarriorRace Elites]] in ''Franchise/{{Halo}}'' wanted to do this to Earth and the human colonies, but the [[TribeOfPriests Prophets]] overruled them and decided on KillAllHumans instead. This is just one of several events that led to the [[EnemyCivilWar schism]] between Elites and Prophets. SOP for the Covenant seems to be to make Vichy planets of the races they conquer and assimilate them into their empire. |
| 149 | * This is how you lose a game of ''VideoGame/XCOMUFODefense'' or its revival, ''VideoGame/XCOMEnemyUnknown''. As the campaign progresses and alien infiltrators put pressure on Earth's governments, or panic spreads if you're unable to thwart alien terror attacks, nations will drop out of the XCOM Project and sign secret nonaggression pacts with the alien invaders, denying you both funding and places to engage and salvage [=UFOs.=] If half of these nations give up, XCOM is disbanded, and Earth's governments try to become LesCollaborateurs in a futile bid to avoid humanity's subjugation. Should you lose in the games in the original continuity, the aliens subvert the trope, killing off most of humanity, poisoning the air and water, and enslaving the survivors, who they move off-world. The game over cutscene of the first game in the Firaxis continuity plays this trope straight (see below). |
| 150 | ** ''VideoGame/XCOM2'' is set in an AlternateTimeline that assumes you got curb-stomped while playing ''Enemy Unknown'' ([[NintendoHard which you probably did on your first playthrough]]), and takes place twenty years after that conflict. XCOM was quickly overwhelmed, leading Earth's governments to surrender to the aliens, who established the ADVENT Administration to rule the planet. ADVENT has rebuilt Earth's major cities into shining, futuristic metropolises, and their gene therapy clinics have eradicated disease. But these cities are {{Gilded Cage}}s full of security checkpoints and HalfHumanHybrid soldiers that ruthlessly quash protests and make dissidents disappear, and not all of the people who visit the gene therapy clinics come out of them. [[PerspectiveReversal Now XCOM is the group fighting from the shadows,]] operating out of [[AirborneAircraftCarrier a mobile base,]] launching ambushes on ADVENT patrols, working to undermine the alien regime and scrounge up the resources to liberate the planet. |
| 151 | * In the ''VideoGame/JauntTrooper'' universe, aliens successfully foment WorldWarIII so that they can step in and assume dominion over the ruins. The human survivors are divided between LaResistance and LesCollaborateurs. |
| 152 | * In ''{{VideoGame/Strife}}'', a meteor strike and consequent virus has caused the rise of a fanatical Order, who rule Earth and who obey a mysterious creature called The Entity. |
| 153 | * In the backstory of ''VideoGame/Squad51VsTheFlyingSaucers'', aliens visit Earth in the 1930s and decides to launch a ''diplomatic'' invasion, by forging a political and economic alliance with humans while manipulating mankind to fall under their control. But then their operations are exposed, leading to the aliens sending their FlyingSaucer armada to take over earth directly. |
| 154 | * ''VideoGame/WildArms5'' takes place on a Vichy Filgaea, in which humans live beneath HumanAliens called Veruni. Though it's also somewhat subverted as the Veruni [[spoiler:are actually the descendants of human {{Precursors}} who left the planet in the past and evolved to their spaceborne lifestyle]]. |
| 155 | * The aliens in ''VideoGame/TerraInvicta'' want to conquer, not destroy, Earth, to [[spoiler:use humans as another class of {{slave mook}}s]]. The Protectorate and Servants factions support this as well, in different ways: |
| 156 | ** The Servants are a {{Cult}} that is completely on board with the aliens' plan, no hesitation. As the Servants subvert national governments and bring more countries under their control, [[ChurchMilitant they become increasingly militarized]]. [[spoiler:The Servants find the initial terms of the human surrender insulting, and successfully negotiate better ones.]] |
| 157 | ** The Protectorate wants to arrange a dignified conditional surrender that better preserves Earth's society, population, and culture, believing that a war with the aliens is unwinnable. Unlike the Servants, [[TheQuisling there's no fanaticism involved; it's just cynical appeasement]]. [[spoiler:Ironically, if the Protectorate win then they accept the initial surrender terms that [[EveryoneHasStandards the alien-worshipping cultists deemed too humiliating]].]] |
| 158 | [[/folder]] |
| 159 | |
| 160 | [[folder:Western Animation]] |
| 161 | * Sometimes done by the Irkens in ''WesternAnimation/InvaderZim'', if they don't just level the lifeforms and make another Parking Structure Planet. |
| 162 | ** The residents of the Conveyor Belt Planet have all been put to work stamping boxes; the Vorts seem to mostly be put in prisons and forced to make weapons. ([[WildMassGuessing Some suggest]] that this is why Irken tech tends to not work too well.) |
| 163 | ** In [[https://zim.fandom.com/wiki/Issue_12 this]] apparently-canonical end of the series, [[spoiler:Zim manages to take over the Earth...and no one but Dib seems to mind]]. Huh. |
| 164 | * In the animated ''WesternAnimation/JusticeLeague'', the Thanagarians take over Earth for its own good. Or so they say. [[spoiler:They're actually planning to destroy the whole planet as part of their plans to attack another civilization.]] |
| 165 | ** [[spoiler:It's actually a bit of a reference to ''Franchise/TheHitchhikersGuideToTheGalaxy'' because they do after all want to destroy Earth to make way for a Hyperspace Bypass]]. |
| 166 | ** It should be noted that [[spoiler:without it they actually ''did'' lose the war, and were conquered because of it.]] |
| 167 | * ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'': "[[KentBrockmanNews And I, for one,]] [[MemeticMutation welcome our new insect overlords!]]" This also happens in one of the non-Canonical Halloween specials when Kang and Kodos are democratically elected into presidents of the United States. |
| 168 | * Has happened numerous times in ''WesternAnimation/{{Futurama}},'' since Earth is a third-rate power whose defense is led by a [[GeneralFailure moron]]. |
| 169 | * ''WesternAnimation/YoungJustice2010'': This is the goal of the Reach. In Impulse's timeline, they've been successful in enslaving the population. |
| 170 | * ''WesternAnimation/RickAndMorty'': |
| 171 | ** The second season finale left it somewhat ambiguous as to whether or not this is the case with the [[PeoplesRepublicOfTyranny Galactic Federation]]'s assimilation of Earth, but the ARG tumblr shows that it very much is, with blatant misinformation about humans being given by the G-Fed as fact, and their casual steamrolling over human rights so long as they can derive profit or entertainment from their new subjects. The third season premiere sees everyone, including the Smith family, affected by the changes, being [[GovernmentDrugEnforcement paid in and fed with pills]]. [[LesCollaborateurs Jerry]] takes a liking on the simple basis that he has a job, while others including Mr. Goldenfold go into hiding as part of [[LaResistance a resistance]]. All of this is reversed by episode's end after Rick, who has escaped from imprisonment, wrecks the Federation's economy, forcing them to leave the planet. |
| 172 | ** In Season 6's [[Recap/RickAndMortyS6E6JuricksicMort "Juricksic Mort"]], it's revealed that some of the [[LivingDinosaurs dinosaurs survived]] and became {{ultraterrestrials}} colonizing the universe, before returning home and establishing another one of these. Unlike the Gromflomites ruling the Galactic Federation, the dinosaurs were truly benevolent (although displayed CondescendingCompassion) and [[{{utopia}} proceeded to fix all the world's problems]] practically overnight. However, humanity quickly realized that VictoryIsBoring and wanted them gone as a result. |
| 173 | [[/folder]] |
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