1 | '''Basic Trope''': Humanity is at war with giant insects. |
2 | * '''Straight''': [[HordeOfAlienLocusts The]] [[BigCreepyCrawlies Chitin]] are [[AlienInvasion invading]] [[EarthIsABattleField Earth]]. We're not gonna let them have it. |
3 | * '''Exaggerated''': |
4 | ** When the Chitin invade, the entire planet is literally crawling with them. |
5 | ** Alternately, EARTH bugs are the bugs we're fighting. No, not giant, radioactive bugs, regular bugs you would find in your backyard. |
6 | * '''Downplayed''': |
7 | ** It's not really a war so much as a skirmish. |
8 | ** The shooting hasn't started yet, but relations are very tense in this SpaceColdWar. |
9 | ** The threat of war is unlikely, but the story role of the Chitin is to be TheRival to humanity. |
10 | ** The Chitin are [[NonMaliciousMonster merely the insectoid apex predators]] on a planet the main characters find themselves on, providing danger without ill intent. |
11 | * '''Justified''': |
12 | ** The Chitin are [[StarfishAliens incredibly alien]] and [[BlueAndOrangeMorality their goals incomprehensible]] or are an aggressive animal plague released by more sophisticated aliens. |
13 | ** The Chitin have a [[ChestBurster parasitic larval stage,]] and require intelligent hosts. |
14 | * '''Inverted''': |
15 | ** We're the ones who are invading, and [[HumansAreTheRealMonsters the bugs are fighting for their lives]]. |
16 | ** Alternatively, the insect invaders want nothing more than peace, or are just passing through. |
17 | ** Many of the alien species in the galaxy are at odds with humanity; the Chitin, however, are among the exceptions. |
18 | * '''Subverted''': |
19 | ** The invaders aren't bugs, they wear insectoid exoskeletons... |
20 | ** Alternatively, the humans and bugs are at war, but not with each other, rather [[EnemyMine working together against a greater threat]]. |
21 | ** The story begins with the human protagonists enlisting for the Second Chitin War - but as they arrive to the battlezone, it's revealed to the viewers they are [[TheCavalry coming in to assist the Chitin]] in their war against TheEmpire of PlanetLooters. |
22 | * '''Double Subverted''': |
23 | ** ...Until the Chitin show up in a later season. |
24 | ** ...But then they turn against each other after the greater threat is defeated. |
25 | ** ...The ''First'' Chitin War, however, was fought between humans and Chitin after decades of [[SpaceColdWar political tension]], and they owe their peace and friendship to [[ReconcileTheBitterFoes a strong anti-war movement on both sides]] [[InternalReformist and the cooler heads that prevailed in their leaderships]]. |
26 | * '''Parodied''' |
27 | ** Rather than [[MoreDakka advanced]] [[NukeEm weapon]] [[MacrossMissileMassacre systems]], we have to use oversized flyswatters and cans of insecticide to fight the invaders. |
28 | ** People use absurdly advanced weaponry and tech to [[ThereIsNoKillLikeOverkill hunt and kill regular household insects]]. |
29 | * '''Zig Zagged''': |
30 | ** The Chitin are invading Earth because their planet [[EnemyCivilWar was invaded]] by the [[RobotWar Xenometals]] and they need to colonize a new planet, but the [[TheFederation United Terran Defense Force]] repels the Chitin and decides to invade their planet to deal with the Xenometals, but [[MeleeATrois The UTDF, Chitin, and Xenometals all end up fighting each other]] with the [[EarnYourHappyEnding Terrans emerging victoriously]]. [[FourStarBadass General Starblade]] is hailed as a hero on Earth and [[AsskickingLeadsToLeadership elected President of the Terran Nations]], [[TheReveal but we find out]] [[ScareChord that he]] [[CruelTwistEnding has been]] [[PuppeteerParasite infested by a Chitin control parasite]]... |
31 | ** The War is between two different factions of Chitin in a conflict analogous to [[PuttingOnTheReich Earth's Second]] [[ANaziByAnyOtherName World War]], with the [[FirstContact arrival of humanity]] being what tips the balance in favor of the good bugs. |
32 | * '''Averted''': The Chitin are actually sentient trading-partners. |
33 | * '''Enforced''': Hey! We gotta make our heroes kill dozen of aliens without the audience feeling sorry for any of them. I know! Lets make them giant bugs, because bugs are icky, right? |
34 | * '''Lampshaded''': "Why is it that every single insect in this galaxy wants to kill us?" |
35 | * '''Invoked''': The BigBad lets loose the bugs to help him conquer the planet. |
36 | * '''Exploited''': StarfishAliens tricked the Chitin into invading Earth to weaken both sides before they themselves invade. The brutality of the Chitin-Human war means even if the two are able to call a truce and team up against the StarfishAliens, cooperation is difficult because of harsh memories. |
37 | * '''Defied''': |
38 | ** The UTDF develops specialized [[ThisIsADrill Anti-Hive]] bombs and viral weapons to ensure that the Chitin [[EasilyThwartedAlienInvasion never establish a foothold]] on Earth. |
39 | ** The Chitin are specifically stated as being humanity's greatest ally and friend. |
40 | ** The Chitin are quite docile, even friendly, and produce [[SolidGoldPoop byproducts humans find useful]], and allow humans to harvest these substances on the condition that they help protect the hive if needed and don't cause harm to or interfere with the residents, a la beekeepers. |
41 | ** Chitin require mammalian hosts for their larvae, but realize that [[AliensStealCattle cows make much better hosts than humans]] (more biomass, for one thing) before the two species come to blows. |
42 | * '''Discussed''': "Yeesh... of all the possible enemies, [[WhyDidItHaveToBeSnakes why did it have to be bugs?]]" "Would you prefer {{Robot|War}}s or [[GreyGoo all-devouring]] {{Blob Monster}}s?" |
43 | * '''Conversed''': "Uh oh, looks like the humans need to call pest control. [[TabletopGame/{{Warhammer 40000}} You'd think]] [[Literature/StarshipTroopers they would have]] [[Anime/BlueGender learned by now!]]" |
44 | * '''Implied''': The home of the [[WorldsBestWarrior biggest, baddest, most decorated]] SpaceMarine in the story is strewn with [[BattleTrophy war trophies]] clearly taken from an insectoid species. |
45 | * '''Deconstructed''': |
46 | ** Turns out, the Chitin [[SquareCubeLaw can't sustain themselves]] in this environment... |
47 | ** The story looks like your ordinary Bug War, but at the end, [[TheReveal it's revealed]] that [[Film/StarshipTroopers the human leaders are fascist warmongers]] [[HumansAreTheRealMonsters who have attacked first on a flimsy pretext]]... |
48 | * '''Reconstructed''': |
49 | ** ...Or can they? The writers decided that OurBugsAreDifferent. [[JustifiedTrope It makes sense]], seeing as how [[BizarreAlienBiology they haven't evolved on this planet]]. |
50 | ** ...except [[EvilVersusEvil the Chitin leadership is just as bad]], filled to the brim with [[WeHaveReserves callous]] {{General Ripper}}s - and [[BigBrotherIsEmployingYou it's up to ordinary people]] [[RageWithinTheMachine who know the truth]] [[DefectorFromDecadence to somehow set things right]]. |
51 | * '''Played For Drama''': The story is set up like a standard Bug War plot, but as soon as five minutes in, it becomes clear that WarIsHell and WhatMeasureIsAMook are in full effect, and the war will either be resolved peacefully - or destroy one (or both) of the warring sides. |
52 | ---- |
53 | There's too many of them! Retreat to BugWar! |
54 | ---- |
55 | %% Optional items, added after Conversed, at your discretion: |
56 | %% |
57 | %%* '''Intended Audience Reaction''': ??? |
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