Line #11 PlayingWith/InsignificantLittleBluePlanet


1	'''Basic Trope''': Earth just isn't important in the grand scheme of things.
2	* '''Straight''': In galactic politics, Earth is seen as the planetary equivalent of a backwater hick town at best.
3	* '''Exaggerated''': [[Franchise/TheHitchhikersGuideToTheGalaxy Earth is scheduled for demolition because no one in galactic politics would notice]].
4	* '''Downplayed''':
5	** Earth is not more important or entitled than any other planet. While the earth hasn't connected to the greater galaxy yet, should it do so it would be treated like any other species, no more or less.
6	** The Aliens only see Earth as special because [[TrademarkFavoriteFood it is the homeworld of]] [[AliensStealCattle the best-tasting cattle]] in the galaxy.
7	* '''Justified''':
8	** Earth is just one insignificant planet amongst millions and has not contributed anything.
9	** There are countless planets. Few of them have real importance, so its unlikely our planet is that important. Alternatively, EVERY planet is insignificant.
10	** The rest of galactic civilization is technologically more advanced than Earth, and Earth has only just ventured far out enough into space to make first contact. Therefore, it hasn't had chance to be of much influence and is also dismissed as backwards and unsophisticated.
11	* '''Inverted''': EarthIsTheCenterOfTheUniverse.
12	* '''Subverted''': Earth is just one planet amongst millions, until they discover this is where the Precursors buried their planet busting superweapon.
13	* '''Double Subverted''': Turns out, they put these on countless worlds because they could mass produce them.
14	* '''Parodied''':
15	** After thwarting an AlienInvasion, creating a galactic empire, and becoming the precursors for various other species, Earth is ''still'' thought of as inconsequential.
16	** It turns out ''every'' planet with sentient life thinks they're the useless, insignificant layabouts. Delegates at the Galactic UN like to play MiseryPoker to figure out which one's the most backwater in between meetings.
17	** The aliens only consider Earth unimportant because [[SelfFulfillingProphecy all the media it sends out into space keeps saying they are.]] This also turns out to be the reason they call its inhabitants "[[PunyEarthlings Earthlings]]" and "[[SonOfAnApe apes]]".
18	* '''Zig Zagged''': (continued from Double Subverted) Then it turns out the one on Earth is the SuperPrototype that puts the rest to shame.
19	* '''Averted''': Earth is a major player (if not the most important because HumansAreSpecial).
20	* '''Enforced''': Well, we picked a galaxy where the UsefulNotes/FermiParadox has it full of interesting aliens. We could make humans super-dee-duper, but then the aliens would be little more than talking animals.
21	* '''Lampshaded''': "Earth? That hick planet?"
22	* '''Invoked''': The human delegate in the Galactic UN likes to [[SimpleCountryLawyer open his addresses by reminding everyone else he's from a simple backwater planet]], much to the collective groans of every other species.
23	* '''Exploited''': Humans use their reputation as insignificant to get others to underestimate them.
24	* '''Defied''': Humanity knew before exploring space for life we would need to have a very respectable resume to stack up against other species (even friendly ones) so we bootstrap the planet into CrystalSpiresAndTogas well before setting out.
25	* '''Discussed''': "Geez, the core world aliens are such elitist snobs. Well, if you can't join 'em, I guess we can form a [[Franchise/StarWars Confederacy of Independent Systems]] with the other "backwater" planets, maybe even make a droid army! [[WholePlotReference That'll show 'em!"]]
26	* '''Conversed''': "Y'know, every alien on TV is either out to kill us or sneer at us about being backward savages. It's like we're Space Indians and they're Space Europeans come to colonize."
27	* '''Implied''': A Galactic UN meeting has tables for representatives of different solar systems, but there isn't a seat for Earth.
28	* '''Deconstructed''':
29	** Earth being insignificant makes humanity feel [[HumansAreSpecial less than special]], to the point we retreat into ourselves and don't leave the solar system.
30	** Supremacist elements decide to put Earth on the galactic radar by any means necessary, [[HumansAreBastards including force if need be]].
31	* '''Reconstructed''':
32	** ... only to come back out a few centuries later with something we can ''really'' be proud of, and make a name for ourselves in galactic culture.
33	** Humans don't ''like'' being overlooked- so we collectively work extremely hard on our [[HumansAdvanceSwiftly technology]], our [[HumansAreWarriors military capacity]], our [[HumansAreDiplomats interplanetary]] [[HumansAreLeaders alliances]] and more, until eventually we're hands-down one of the biggest powers in the galaxy.
34	** Earth's insignifance in the vast cosmic scale actually means that it is very important to certain individuals... exlied nobles, escaped criminals, beings with secrets to hide. After all, who would ever bother to look for X on this insignificant world? And over time, more and more beings come to hide items or themselves onto Earth, resulting in Earth becoming an impressively important world home to many lost secrets and truths and the various otherworlders willing to protect their secret hidey hole.
35	* '''Played For Laughs''': "Your planet is an insignificant little blue dot." "Which justifies eating an entire cake."
36	* '''Played For Drama''': Humans eventually realize just how [[HumansAreTheRealMonsters violent and barbaric]] as well as [[HumansAreMorons unimportant and backwards]] they are compared to ''all'' alien civilizations. Aliens [[WhiteMansBurden put effort into helping humans advance]] but that fails miserably so humans agree to let aliens [[FinalSolution exterminate them]] [[KarmicDeath because they deserve it]] and to make room for alien civilizations who would make better use of Earth's resources.
37	----
38	->'''Alien''': Back to your InsignificantLittleBluePlanet, tailless monkey!\
39	'''Human''': [[GroinAttack Do you experience pain when the area between your lowermost limbs is subjected to forceful impact]]?
40	----
41	%% Optional items, added after Conversed, at your discretion:
42	%%
43	%%* '''Plotted A Good Waste''': ???

Context PlayingWith / InsignificantLittleBluePlanet