Does Not Illustrate (runoff crowner): Space Marine

This just looks like a soldier of some sort. It in no-way shows a crucial part of this trope which is the roll the soldier plays. "Space Marines are the troops carried by spaceships, their roles parallelling those of conventional marines: mobile deployment, boarding hostile ships, securing ports — including Space Stations — from Space Pirates." The pic in question should show not only a soldier but have that soldier playing a roll that a space marine plays, like fighting space pirates.

edited 17th Jun '12 7:09:39 PM by captainsandwich

Swapped back.

I prefer the current image, the one from before the unilateral swap. (For reference, it's below.) The alternative that was briefly on the page isn't as good, and looks more fantasy-like. Neither of them are excellent, though.

I'm pretty sure the unilateral swap was a Chaos Marine from Warhammer40000 which is fairly magical.

I do have to agree with the OP. Neither images show the trope. The trope isn't "Dude in Power Armor with a Gun".

At least something like this shows they operate in space◊ 2◊ 3◊

edited 10th Jun '12 10:05:35 AM by Ghilz

Um, how do I open/view that one?

I agree that it'd be good to have something showing the troop(s) is/are in space.

edited 10th Jun '12 9:44:39 AM by Telcontar

Click it? Or copy the link?

Alternate link of #1◊

edited 10th Jun '12 9:48:02 AM by Ghilz

5.1 trys to download some file and open something on my computer, and it doesn't even seem to be an image. The other links and the alternate link work fine, though. I like 5.2 the best. 5.3 looks like any mildly fantastic setting, not like space.

Starfleet Security Taskforce inside a shuttle◊

Imperial Stormtroopers coming out of a Lander◊ Probably the closest to the definition as it shows them operating out of a starship, which is a critical component of the trope, though the quality is so-so. Closeup on TIE Lander◊

edited 10th Jun '12 10:06:09 AM by Ghilz

I like the Starfleet Security Taskforce picture, even if the Federation "marines" couldn't shoot their way out of a paper bag; they're in a space ship, they've got guns, and they look like they're preparing for combat. Only problem I see is that it's too dark and way too wide.

First Imperial Stormtroopers is good too, but kinda difficult to make out the details.

edited 10th Jun '12 12:42:54 PM by Scardoll

Crop and brighten of the Starfleet Security Taskforce:

Also, suggestion, a picture of what is perhaps the Ur-Example of Space Marines:

edited 27th Jul '12 9:16:59 PM by rodneyAnonymous

The first is good. The second looks, to me, like they're in a helicopter or something.

The Star Trek image is pretty generic.

The other... a helicopter with an adjoining room? But I think that would be okay anyway. I think the Aliens pic is great; but maybe something from Avatar?

_v Agree with conclusion but not reasoning. None of the suggestions are well-known enough for that to be a consideration.

edited 26th Jun '12 1:46:17 PM by rodneyAnonymous

I'd say the pic from'Aliens'. The film's been around for a while - '80s, iirc? - and (thus) lots of (normal) people've seen it and know who they are. Anyone else in my family would just look at the other pictures and go "Huh?"

I'd almost lean towards the stormtroopers. They are recognizable. You see them clearly exiting a craft, and the narration even emphasizes that.

Couldn't you just have an actual Space Marine from 40K? Games Workshop has copyrighted the term now, and enough people are familiar with the concept to instantly recognise one.

Wouldn't Master Chief be the best example for this?

Good examples don't always make good page images. Please read Just A Face And A Caption and How To Pick A Good Image.

Also, "enough people are familiar" is almost never a good argument.

edited 27th Jun '12 11:04:01 AM by rodneyAnonymous

Best example? What would make him better than, say, Samus or Doomguy?

He's iconic, but that doesn't make him a better example.

edited 2nd Jul '12 9:54:06 AM by TropeEater

I'd support a straight-up WH40K Space Marine pic example. But maybe you could use this Gears Of War◊ picture?

edited 2nd Jul '12 10:05:00 AM by Raidouthe21st

Should we do a collage? Say, the Colonial Marines, an Astartes, Master Chief, and one of the Mobile Infantry?

We don't need contextless examples of space marines. The whole point of this thread is that they don't work. We need to see some space. It doesn't matter how "iconic" the example is or isn't.

edited 2nd Jul '12 10:07:23 AM by Clarste

There are plenty of example of 40K space marines in space/space as background/etc. I'll find some images when I next sign on.

What was wrong with the Star Craft images from post 5?

Not much.