Does Not Illustrate: Human Aliens

Possibly a collage akin to the current image for Space Elves, with an Earthling at upper left, coupled with a caption that goes something like "At upper left, an Earthling. Elsewhere, aliens. Notice any differences?"

I'm trying to think if there's a trope we can pothole to "notice any differences".

We could use stuff like Echani from KOTOR, the Doctor, etc.

EDIT: So the word is "collage," not "montage."

edited 7th May '13 8:24:39 PM by StarSword

You wouldn't even need an earthling. Just a Spot The Difference prompt, with a trick answer (none of the above.)

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I like the top panel of 23.1

"Yeah, it's a shame. Here we are in an underground cave with all these lasers, and instead of having a rave we're using it for evil."

Working on a proof of concept for my suggestion above. I went through the examples and picked nine aliens from visual media pretty much at random (an Echani, a Saiyan, an Air Elemental, a Kryptonian, the Ninth Doctor, some random guy from Star Trek: Voyager, an ascended Ancient, an Altaran, and a Masari). Gonna put them together with the GIMP.

edited 3rd May '13 8:30:35 PM by StarSword

I personally don't think that's as good as giving an image that both clarifies within it that they are human and shows that they don't look alien, rather than relying on people to notice what isn't there.

works for me pending something else.

My concept:

Hm...I do like that. I definitely like how it emphasizes "Really. They look human." But I'm leery of any image that requires the viewer to guess at what they can't see.

Maybe it should have two columns labelled clearly as "This Trope" and "Not This Trope"?

I like this. I bet there are good chances that people will be familiar with at least one or two of these examples.

Image Source. Please update whenever an image is changed.

None of these images really show Human Alien. They might just as well be humans.

To be clear, still voting Keep Until Better Image Suggested.

edited 3rd May '13 11:31:59 PM by m8e

Oh—and wouldn't Goku be technically Not An Example, as he naturally has a tail (that's sometimes cut off)?

Which is kinda the point...

There's more possibilities where those came from. I kept the GIMP project and can swap in alternatives.

But even if it's the point of the trope, that doesn't necessarily translate into a good page image. As I said earlier, I'm leery of showing an image of what isn't there, rather than what is. That's a lot harder to convey in an image. It relies on them specifically noticing they're all identical to humans, not just human-esque, which is the most important distinction of the trope. Which is why I suggested maybe a "not this" column?

An alternative I thought of while I was making the grid one: The Ninth Doctor, with an x-ray of his chest from "Dalek". I can try fiddling with the settings on the second frame.

edited 3rd May '13 11:18:39 PM by StarSword

Oh, yeah, that would be a good example! The picture is kind of confusing, but maybe I can find a fanart? Perhaps this◊ (artist)? Or if that fails, find a picture of the Doctor lying down and 'Shop a X-ray chest with two hearts over him.

I don't think that x-ray is very clear at all.

I like either #30 or #32.

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The X-ray is too dark for me.

"For a successful technology, reality must take precedence over public relations, for Nature cannot be fooled." - Richard Feynman

I'll fiddle with the contrast and brightness on the X-ray, but I'm partial to #40. Shall we do up a crowner?

edited 4th May '13 5:15:59 AM by StarSword

Just a thought: The heart X-ray pic would fit better to Human Outside, Alien Inside.

^Mebbe. Here's an adjusted version. [1]◊

edited 4th May '13 6:10:34 AM by StarSword

I agree that that would work better for Human Outside, Alien Inside. While I like the simplicity of the Jor-El pic, the collage isn't bad either, provided the caption clearly states what species each is.

What I had in mind for the caption was, "Okay, time for a TV Tropes Pop Quiz! Which of these is a human?^Answer: None of the above. Starting from upper left, we have an Air Elemental from The Chronicles of Riddick, the Ninth Doctor, a Kryptonian from Superman, a Masari from Universe at War, a Saiyan from Dragon Ball Z, an Altaran from Galactic Civilizations, an Echani from the Star Wars Expanded Universe, an ascended Ancient from Stargate SG-1, and an unnamed alien from Star Trek: Voyager."

Also, should I just go ahead and add the Doctor pic to Human Outside, Alien Inside?

edited 4th May '13 7:04:40 AM by StarSword

Let's get a little more consensus on it first.

I just think it's odd only one organ and bones would show up on an x-ray, but sure, it kind of works.

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Made a separate thread for Human Outside, Alien Inside.