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11[[quoteright:299:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/a72.png]]
12[[caption-width-right:299:Hope you don't mind if I pick your brain for a moment, human...]]
13
14->''"We need no language. We can project our thoughts long distances."''
15-->-- '''Alpha''', ''Film/CatWomenOfTheMoon''
16%% One quote only, please. Additional quotes can go on the quotes tab.
17
18Space travelers and extraterrestrials are often {{telepath|y}}ic. This has the advantage that they can "think" to others in a way that the recipients' minds will translate into their own language, an elegant version of TranslatorMicrobes for communicating with people from different planets. Also by some absurd AppliedPhlebotinum it is assumed that telepathic communication is instantaneous anywhere in the universe, allowing instant [[SubspaceAnsible communication across the light-years]].
19
20In many far-future science fiction stories, movies and games, it is assumed that [[HumansArePsychicInTheFuture human evolution will eventually result]] in the development of PsychicPowers for the entire human race. As most of those same stories involve space travel, this could be interpreted as humanity ''becoming'' the telepathic spacemen.
21
22Compare SpaceElves (the Enlightened Mystic Race variety) and/or ProudScholarRace. See also SufficientlyAdvancedAlien.
23
24----
25!!Examples:
26[[foldercontrol]]
27
28[[folder:Anime & Manga]]
29* The Nameks from ''Anime/DragonBallZ'' are stated to have this role. As are the Yardrats, according to Goku, and presumably whatever race King Kai comes from. It seems to be one of the setting's [[StockSuperpowersIndex common superpowers]] that comes with (or at least becomes possible with) attaining a certain threshold of ki control and power level; Goku also demonstrates it at least once, although [[NewPowersAsThePlotDemands it shows up]] [[ForgotAboutHisPowers inconsistently]]. King Kai has an apparently unlimited ability to open telepathic communication with anyone in the universe, ''from outside the universe'', and direct physical contact with him (normally in the form of a hand on his shoulder) allows anyone else to piggy-back on that ability even if they have no telepathy of their own.
30* In ''Anime/GodMars'', telepathy is the most common psychic power seen among the aliens. They're able to communicate over large distances and even speak to the dead under certain circumstances.
31* ''Franchise/{{Gundam}}'':
32** The ''Anime/MobileSuitGundam'' Universal Century continuity has Newtypes who can, [[PsychicPowers among other things]], communicate with each other telepathically. It's initially assumed that this is the result of humans [[EvolutionaryLevels evolving]] to adapt to living in space, and in the UC continuity the specific mechanism is understood well enough that a) weapons exist to take advantage of this without having to rely on electromagnetic signals, and b) surgically altering otherwise normal 'Oldtypes' into Cyber Newtypes (typically with the added cost of mental instability) is an option. Newtypes were originally hypothesized as heralds of a peaceful age in which everyone would truly understand everyone else without miscommunication, but the reality is much more cynical: not only do Newtypes invariably seem to end up as living weapons, their abilities making them the most lethal soldiers of the Universal Century (hence the demand for Cyber Newtypes), but it’s made clear that two Newtypes can understand each other perfectly and still be mortal enemies.
33** ''Anime/MobileSuitGundam00'' also uses this trope with the Innovators, a group of {{Artificial Human}}s who were created to [[spoiler:lead mankind to the stars. They don't seem to be very good at this, considering so far all they've used their powers for are killing]]. Then we have the appearance of [[spoiler:the "true" Innovators, evolved humans rather than engineered clones. Their telepathy is more powerful, and with the presence of large amounts of GN Particles, can telepathically connect everyone within the field. One of them ([[TheHero Setsuna]]) even uses these powers to communicate and broker a treaty with a group of StarfishAliens called the ELS. The epilogue implies that the entire human race is slowly transforming into Innovators]].
34** ''[[Anime/AfterWarGundamX Gundam X]]'' deconstructs this. The Colonies follow a 'Newtypism' ideology, essentially this trope as a political movement. It quickly becomes clear that the Colonies do not actually have any Newtypes among them, and in the series perhaps ''5'' emerge (if you don't count the Frost brothers), all from ''Earth''. At the end, D.O.M.E. makes it clear that [[spoiler:the "Newtypes" that appeared were basically ''mutants'', and their abilities merely individual talents that happened to be similar to each other]].
35* In ''Anime/HeroicAge'', some species are capable of telepathy, most notably the Silver Tribe, who use it extensively as a means of communication, and even politics.
36* The {{Human Alien|s}} mages of ''Franchise/LyricalNanoha'', who possess {{Magitek}} that allow casual travel between planets and can telepathically communicate with each other as a basic ability.
37* In ''Anime/{{Vandread}}'', Hibiki encounters a group of humans in an asteroid belt who have the ability to communicate telepathically. They can't speak normally, because [[spoiler:Earth stole their voices]].
38[[/folder]]
39
40[[folder:Comic Books]]
41* ''Franchise/TheDCU'':
42** ComicBook/GreenLantern R'amey Holl develops a form of telepathy after her metamorphosis.
43** ''ComicBook/LegionOfSuperHeroes'': Saturn Girl and her people from Titan, the moon of Saturn, are telepathic. In one storyline where the UP's regular SubspaceAnsible system was no longer functioning, "Titanet" became the main interplanetary communication system.
44** ComicBook/MartianManhunter and all other Martians use telepathy as their primary method of communication, though there are very few martians left. J'onn J'onzz is generally considered the most powerful telepath in the DCU. The Saturnians, who live on Saturn's moons and are descended from a Martian colonizing attempt, are also telepathic though do not rival true Martians in power.
45** Xtar's telepathy is not wholly compatible with human biology, but allows him to communicate clearly with UpliftedAnimal ComicBook/RexTheWonderDog.
46** Tamaranians like ComicBook/{{Starfire}} possess a mild form of touch telepathy.
47** While humanoid Kryptonians like ComicBook/{{Superman}} are not telepathic several wild animals from Krypton are/were, most notably the Kryptonian Thought Beasts, which use their prey's fears to attempt to distract and disable them.
48** ''ComicBook/WonderWoman1942'': Saturnians, whose Empire ComicBook/WonderWoman prevents from carrying out its planned invasion of earth, have low level telepathy they use to communicate without being overheard and talk to humans without the humans realizing the language is wrong. As Di also had low level telepathy in the Golden Age their tricks do not work on her.
49* The elves from ''ComicBook/ElfQuest'' are eventually revealed to have originated as a variant of this, and the future for most of them is the same. The humans on the planet are also eventually revealed to be heading toward being on a par with the elves in telepathy and other "magic" powers.
50* ''ComicBook/GuardiansOfTheGalaxy'''s Cosmo the dog, who became a telepathic space alien (by 'citizenship' if not birth) in a couple of issues of ''ComicBook/{{Nova}}'' when he was sent out on a Soviet space probe. He has a Russian accent.
51* Allen the Alien from ''ComicBook/{{Invincible}}'', as well as Viltrumites and other aliens capable of unassisted space flight.
52* ''ComicBook/{{Shakara}}'': The Psico Collective are one of the most powerful species in the universe due to their innately vast psychic and telekinetic powers. Their bodies are very frail, but their floating eye-shaped heads can combine into a HiveMind.
53* ''ComicBook/TopTen'''s Glusko the Spaceman is a former Kosmonaut who got his telepathy during a space mission. He also has a telepathic space chimp named Tanya.
54[[/folder]]
55
56[[folder:Fan Works]]
57* In ''Fanfic/AbraxasHrodvitnon'', not only is [[Characters/AbraxasHrodvitnonKingGhidorah Ghidorah]] an alien {{kaiju}}, but it can communicate telepathically with Monster X and the Many from afar and even form {{psychic link}}s with them.
58* ''Fanfic/AlienSpeciesCrossoverReturnToLV426'': "Esper tests" are mentioned as a routine thing, humans have a wide range of "esper scores" that determine how psychically attuned they are. The Xenomorphs also communicate telepathically, and this can "bleed over" to attuned humans. Ripley is noted to have a slightly above average esper rating and still be dealing with Alien-related trauma; Billie has a very high esper rating and is extremely screwed up from her encounter with them. [[spoiler:Lise and hybrids like her are telepathic. When the chestburster pops out of Likowski, Lise senses it immediately, and the Xenomorph sense her in return. When Lise starts having kids, and those kids start having kids, they are all able to communicate with each other, and sometimes with ordinary humans, even those with very low esper ratings. Reaching a "critical mass" where there are enough hybrids to form a strong enough psychic signal to receive another message from the Senders kicks off the second half of the story.]]
59[[/folder]]
60
61[[folder:Films -- Live-Action]]
62* ''Film/AIArtificialIntelligence'': Aliens that communicate in this manner reveal their intentions to David as said.
63* The aliens in ''Film/Annihilation2018'' seem to communicate telepathically, through their eyes, when in human form.
64* In ''Film/IndependenceDay'', the aliens are said to communicate with each other via "some kind of extra-sensory perception." They don't seem able to manipulate or read human minds at a distance, though one alien controls a dead scientist through physical contact in order to speak with the main characters. It also made direct contact with the President's mind. It gave the President a crippling headache, but it got the message it wanted to convey across.
65* In the ''Franchise/MonsterVerse'', [[Characters/MonsterVerseKingGhidorah King Ghidorah]] is stated to be an extraterrestrial monster, and it's also confirmed in ''Film/GodzillaVsKong'' that his [[MultipleHeadCase heads]] used telepathy to communicate with each-other. While the franchise has hinted that a couple other [[{{Kaiju}} Titans]] [[MaybeMagicMaybeMundane might have]] psionic capabilities, Ghidorah is the first ''explicitly'' confirmed case as well as the only one who's an alien.
66* ''Film/SupersonicSaucer'': Meba and the [[https://aliens.fandom.com/wiki/Venusian_(Supersonic_Saucer) Venusians]] are able to do this, with Meba been able to use this to communicate with the children he meets with both words and images. However, Meba's telepathy appears to have a limited range -- most likely due to him been only a youngster.
67[[/folder]]
68
69[[folder:Literature]]
70* In ''Literature/{{Adaptation}}'', [[spoiler:the Imria have a form of telepathy/empathy that allows them to sense emotions]].
71* The ''Literature/AlexBenedict'' series has the alien Ashiyyur, commonly known as the Mutes. Their telepathic abilities only work within a range of a few meters, however; and they can only hear thoughts, not broadcast them. They also have considerably more difficulty reading human thoughts than they do communicating with each other.
72* The Andalites from ''Literature/{{Animorphs}}'', as well as anyone who uses their morphing technology (which is a nice work-around for the issue of "How can your team communicate when everyone is a rat"). The first book seems to indicate that normal humans can do this too, as long as they focus and the recipient is in morph, and that one can broadcast images as well as verbal communication this way, but [[EarlyInstallmentWeirdness neither of these ever come up again]] -- it's commonly accepted that the author just screwed up on that bit, and it was fixed in the reprint. Also Leerans (in addition to being psychic mind-readers) and Garatrons. The Yeerks themselves seem to be telepathic in a sense, but only when they're inside a host body and only for Yeerk-to-host communications. It seems to be part of their physical link to the host's brain; we find that their bodies aren't as solid as they appear and they're able to spread over and through the brain, linking their neurons to the host's neurons.
73** There are also rules for it. With Andalites it's words. The name "thought-speak" describes what it literally is; like speaking but with thoughts. Anyone in morph can do it; it makes sense because it's Andalite technology; they made it so they could still talk the way they always do. Though it took the writer(s) a while to realize it, this means that you can do it when morphed into ''another human;'' Tobias and Ax use the ability to thought-speak in human morph to their advantage late in the series. It's so similar to speech that more than once, a character hasn't realized that they didn't exactly "hear" what was spoken to them if the speaker deliberately made the sentence short and sweet. Leerans, on the other hand, transmit feelings and images as well; it's not exactly like words in your head. Leerans also have a spoken language; it consists of single syllable words. The listener will always understand the meaning perfectly, as if they were native Leeran speakers themselves. Leerans also receive thoughts and feelings from you whether you want them to or not, a passive ability that's always on; the Yeerks have few Leeran hosts because there's no hiding your intentions from one; [[TheyLookLikeUsNow infiltration]] is out of the question and the element of surprise doesn't exist. The Animorphs are very wary of the few Leeran-controllers who exist, because all you have to do is ''get near one'' and that's the ''end'' of having a SecretIdentity.
74** Notably, Andalites did not always have the ability for thought-speak; when the Ellimist encounters prehistoric Andalites in ''[[Recap/AnimorphsTheEllimistChronicles The Ellimist Chronicles]]'', they communicate using sign language (due to their lack of mouths).
75** Due to PaintingTheMedium, we know when someone's clearly not speaking normal words though we don't know how it works. Andalite-style thought-speak is written <between chevrons>, and Leeran speech (spoken or not) is in italics and underlined. Therefore, it's safe to assume that when the Ellimist starts talking in small uppercase letters it ''doesn't'' sound like his harmless-looking human disguise form is speaking normally. Interestingly, his opposite number, GodOfEvil Crayak, ''does'' speak with normal quote marks. Apparently, he doesn't feel the need to communicate in a more impressive/intimidating fashion.
76* ''Literature/ArrivalsFromTheDark'' has a number of aliens races possessing PsychicPowers.
77** The upper caste of the [[HumanAliens Bino]] [[ScaryDogmaticAliens Faata]] are telepathic and typically communicate nonverbally. They also utilize organic computers (they found one as an abandoned [[{{Precursors}} Daskin]] experiment) that possess psychic abilities as well and are used to control the large number of servant castes and to send instantaneous psychic messages to other organic computers even light years away. The long-term goal of the Faata is to breed all of them as telepaths, but they've yet to successfully isolate the telepathy gene even after millennia of selective breeding, and the birth rate of telepaths is incredibly low.
78** The [[SpaceElves Lo'ona Aeo]] are also psychic, but their abilities are actually fairly short-ranged. One of their large family groups forms a psychic background of sorts, which is necessary for the individuals, lest they go into a panic due to isolation. They are usually only able to engage in psychic communication with others of their kind (they're also pacifistic xenophobes, so they don't really interact with other races in general, sending their Serv biorobots to do it). They reproduce like the [[VideoGame/MassEffect Asari]], but it requires a mental joining of three of their four sexes.
79** The [[VoluntaryShapeshifting Metamorphs]] can communicate telepathically, even across light years, and also have limited teleportation.
80** Some humans are starting to develop psychic abilities, but this is only because they're all descended from a HalfHumanHybrid, born from a forced artificial insemination of a female human officer with Bino Faata sperm. The psychic ability can pass on to the next generation or it can skip one or several. Centuries later, the family has grown into hundreds of individuals, and some speculate that eventually the entire human race will become psychic, despite the dilution of Faata genes.
81* The [[SpaceElves chieri]] of ''Literature/{{Darkover}}'', although their rather impressive range of other [[PsychicPowers powers]] puts them on the edge of being {{Sufficiently Advanced Alien}}s. Between [[HalfHumanHybrid interbreeding]] and the [[PowerCrystal psi-amplifying crystals]] on the titular planet, some humans become telepathic spacemen as well.
82* ''Literature/TheDiademSaga'': The Vryhh are wandering HumanAliens with a laundry list of superhuman abilities: improved memory, SuperStrength and reflexes, instinctive understanding of machinery, {{omniglot}}ism, telepathy, and any number of other powers. Protagonist Aleytys is a Vryhh woman's ChildByRape after she was too badly injured in a starship crash to protect herself from being sold as a SexSlave, and inherited her mother's abilities and has several of her own.
83* ''Literature/{{Dreamcatcher}}'' has telepathic aliens coming to Earth. Thing is, their telepathy is ''contagious''. It appears at the end that the aliens themselves may not even be ''sapient'' in their own right, instead telepathically taking on the traits of sapience expected of them by the humans.
84* The ''Franchise/{{Dune}}'' series is filled with these since [[SuperSerum the Spice]] grants psychic abilities. The ones who most fulfill this trope are the Steersmen and Navigators of the Spacing Guild, who use their abilities to see the future and [[PsychicStarshipPilot to guide the ships]].
85* In ''Literature/EndersGame'', the Buggers have {{Hive Mind}}s.
86* ''Literature/FirstContact'' has an interesting take: it describes the eponymous event between humans and equally advanced aliens. The aliens communicate by sending and receiving microwaves, leading the human captain to declare that they're telepathic. One of his officers then points out that because the aliens do not have organs to sense sound waves, from their point of view, ''humans'' are Telepathic Spacemen.
87* The Insect race in ''Literature/TheHistoryOfTheGalaxy'' communicates with one another (and anyone else) using natural telepathic abilities. They are also able to use those abilities to stun opponents with a mental strike and [[MindRape probe them for information]]. Certain humans, while lacking full-blown telepathy, can form empathic bonds with others; however, this requires special circumstances. Also, since every human is from birth implanted with a small chip that is used to remotely control household appliances and the like, certain individuals who have been implanted with multiple chips are able to read other's thoughts with the use of the chips.
88* The [[CatFolk Kzin]] from ''Literature/KnownSpace'' have a rare subspecies of telepath who facilitate contact with alien races (mainly calls for them to surrender, since the Kzin are {{Proud Warrior Race Guy}}s). The telepaths, thought enormously useful, are not allowed to breed and are generally despised because they require [[SuperSerum an addictive drug]] to activate their powers, which contributes to them being rather poor examples of the race by Kzinti warrior standards.
89* The ''Literature/{{Lensman}}'' series uses this heavily, making this OlderThanTelevision, and nearly as old as the entire concept of interstellar travel. Most of the really powerful intelligent species in the galaxy are telepaths -- some of them make humans look distinctly {{puny|Earthlings}} by comparison. However, sufficiently competent members (usually the result of a long breeding program) of any species may wear a Lens, a device which allows them to communicate telepathically. Oh, and understand any language, and crack codes effortlessly, and... well, let's just say it gets more out of hand from there. The Lens serves as the ultimate TranslatorMicrobes and MindProbe.
90* In ''Literature/TheLostRegiment'', some of the nine-foot-tall giants native to the planet Valennia are able to leave their bodies and project their consciousness across miles to observe distant lands. A very useful ability to spy on the enemy. Based on the BigBad of one book, the ability may be latent in every member of that race.
91* ''Literature/TheMartianChronicles'': In "Mars is Heaven!", the [[{{Telepathy}} telepathic]] Martians create a LotusEaterMachine to trap the crew of a human spaceship until [[SlainInTheirSleep they're all asleep, so the Martians can murder them easily]].
92* Actually inverted in the ''Literature/MyTeacherIsAnAlien'' series, in which humans are apparently the only sapient species that are innately telepathic. However, [[AMindIsATerribleThingToRead the strain of suffering the thoughts and feelings of a multitude]] drove humankind to mentally isolate themselves, and the resulting lack of empathy causes them to do terrible things to one another, making humans also [[HumansAreBastards the only species to commit atrocities]].
93* The colloids in ''Literature/TheParasiteWar'' are this way.
94* In ''Literature/ThePlaneteers'', Penton and Blake encounter several species of telepathic aliens. Also, at the beginning of the series, the Martians teach Penton their telepathic techniques so that ''he'' becomes a telepathic spaceman, and he uses the skill to instantly learn languages on other planets.
95* The ''Literature/SectorGeneral'' series has two species of empaths, long-range emotion detectors of varying sensitivity. Others are telepathic. This is presented as an entirely biological process, the concept having apparently been more plausible back in the day, and several storylines revolve around telepathic capabilities that have been damaged, stuck on, or which come with side effects. Humans possess a vestigial, atrophied capacity for telepathy and can sometimes be contacted. The feeling is compared to having one's brain worked with a wire brush.
96* ''Literature/TheStainlessSteelRat'': Communication is handled by professional "Psimen" who send telepathic telegrams (telepathegrams) across the universe to other psimen on your own planet who then phone your message in to your boss for you. For a fee, obviously.
97* In ''Literature/StarMaker'', telepathy turns out to be one of the key ways to communicate across the stars.
98* ''Literature/TimeForTheStars'' is all about a spaceship that exploits the idea that telepathy is instantaneous, allowing the ship to communicate over interstellar distances with its home planet.
99* ''Literature/TowerAndTheHive'' has psychics as not only the means of communication between colonized star systems, but also the means of transportation (via psychokinetic {{teleport|ation}}) that makes such colonies possible to begin with. From the point of view of the Mrdini, who have no psychics of their own, ''humans'' are the telepathic spacemen.
100* Handled relatively realistically in the ''Literature/VorkosiganSaga'' novel ''Ethan of Athos'': telepathy results from a random mutation and is refined through successive generations of genetic engineering. The telepaths are limited in range, their ability to read minds is blocked by even thin pieces of metal and confused when there are many minds or sources of electronic noise in the area, and they can read some minds far better than others.
101* The ''Literature/WarlockOfGramarye'' novels have this in reverse; the LostColony of Gramarye is presently a medieval-level society, but eventually they ''will'' go into space (there's an entire TimeTravel war going on over it), at which point their telepaths will revolutionize interstellar communication.
102* The Martians in ''Literature/TheWarOfTheWorlds1898'' are theorised to be this by the narrator after he observes them working together without any visible means of communication, though it is never definitively proven one way or the other.
103[[/folder]]
104
105[[folder:Live-Action TV]]
106* ''Series/BabylonFive'' has telepaths in nearly every alien species, as well as humans. Turns out [[AWizardDidIt Vorlons Did It]]. They're so [[TouchedByVorlons touchy]].
107** Many Centauri have [[DreamingOfThingsToCome prophetic dreams]], Londo sees his death at G'kar's hands [[spoiler:to save him from a PuppeteerParasite]] many times, as well as Shadow vessels over Centauri Prime. Though Centauri telepaths seem to be as uncommon as human ones.
108** The Vorlons seem to be EnergyBeings with immense telepathic and telekinetic abilities of their own.
109* Cally, one of the protagonists of ''Series/BlakesSeven'', is a {{Human Alien|s}} revolutionary who can do this. She can send her thoughts to humans (i.e. they can hear her unspoken voice), though not read their thoughts. (She's from a clone race.)
110* In ''Series/DoctorWho'', the Doctor can do what seems to all intents and purposes a [[Franchise/StarTrek Vulcan mindmeld]] and [[NewPowersAsThePlotDemands other]] telepathic feats [[spoiler:(such as memory-wiping)]] also by touching the subject's temples... [[DependingOnTheWriter sometimes]]. It's annoying. In emergencies, they can also [[ExpositionBeam give people an instant infodump]] by means of a Glasgow kiss (banging foreheads). For obvious reasons, they'd rather avoid doing that at all.
111* In ''Series/LoisAndClark'', Superman finds out that he is a member of a Telepathic Spacemen species when he encounters a group of survivors from Krypton. The only reason he never knew he was telepathic was that he had no-one to "talk" to before.
112* ''Series/MorkAndMindy'': "Mork calling Orson, Mork Calling Orson." "One moment, Mork, I'm taking a call on another brain cell." Even Mindy can do this, by holding Mork's nose and putting her finger in his ear.
113* ''Franchise/PowerRangers'' has had a few psychic HumanAliens and RubberForeheadAliens as rangers, such as [[Series/PowerRangersInSpace Andros]], [[Series/PowerRangersTimeForce Trip]], and [[Series/PowerRangersDinoFury Zayto]].
114* Ta'Ra, the alien protagonist of ''Series/SomethingIsOutThere'', is telepathic; unfortunately, she's also a [[MsFanservice hot chick]], so she's [[DirtyMindReading constantly annoyed]] over how these Earth people want to "do ''that'' with her body" (her species has a [[BizarreAlienBiology somewhat different way of making love]]). However, it does come in handy when she teams up with a human cop.
115* In ''Series/StargateSG1'', the Ancients gained this as one of their powers when nearing the [[AscendToAHigherPlaneOfExistence Ascension]] threshold. A number of humans (not all of them from Earth) have also gained telepathic powers by various means. Nirrti used an Ancient DNA manipulator to experiment on humans of one planet, some of whom became telepathic. Khalek, genetically engineered by Anubis, is also able to read minds, as well as MindOverMatter abilities. In an episode of ''Series/StargateAtlantis'', [=McKay=] can also read minds when nearing the threshold and is even able to impart knowledge on someone else.
116* ''Franchise/StarTrek'' regularly uses telepathic species.
117** Vulcans are [[TouchTelepathy touch-telepaths]] (or at least, most of them are; [[Film/StarTrekVTheFinalFrontier Spock's half-brother Sybok]] is an example of a Vulcan who doesn't require physical contact); they usually can't communicate over distances, but Spock has used a mind-meld to communicate with aliens on occasion and can perform subtle mind-influence at close range. And then there's the ''katra'' business, using a mind-meld to cheat death.
118** ''Series/StarTrekTheOriginalSeries'':
119*** The first pilot episode, "[[Recap/StarTrekS1E0TheCage The Cage]]", features the [[ComicBook/XMen Professor X]]-level telepathic Talosians, making the first ''Trek'' aliens ''ever'' (other than Spock, that is) qualify. They aren't ''nearly'' as nice as most of the other examples here, though.
120*** The episode "[[Recap/StarTrekS2E18TheImmunitySyndrome The Immunity Syndrome]]" does feature Spock telepathically picking up (at interstellar distances) a message of sorts from a group of Vulcans. [[MySignificanceSenseIsTingling Said message being the death of the four-hundred or so Vulcans in that group]].
121** In early episodes of ''Series/StarTrekTheNextGeneration'', TheEmpath Deanna Troi has the ability to communicate telepathically with Riker. This was dropped later on, though. Betazoids can telepathically communicate with each other; Lwaxana prefers this, but Deanna considers it rude to do when among species that can't pick up on it. Unlike Vulcans, Betazoid telepathy works at very long range. Even HalfHumanHybrid Deanna can sense people on a planet's surface while she is on the ''Enterprise'' in orbit.
122** Discussed in the ''Series/StarTrekDeepSpaceNine'' episode "[[Recap/StarTrekDeepSpaceNineS04E08LittleGreenMen Little Green Men]]", in which Quark, Rom, and Nog accidentally end up at [[RoswellThatEndsWell Roswell]]. The scientist examining them is surprised that an advanced alien race is ''not'' like this. In fact, Ferengi are stated by telepaths to be impervious to scans due to their strange brain structure.
123** In ''Series/StarTrekEnterprise'', Trip and T'Pol find their "intimate relationship" has unexpected consequences when they find themselves sharing the same daydream, despite being on completely different starships.
124* ''Series/TheTomorrowPeople1973'': The Galactic Federation, a space collective of telepathic species, sends communications to the human Tomorrow People via telepathy. Due to the distances involved, the messages are usually received by a telepathic ''computer'' instead of directly, except in desperate cases.
125* Orsian twin pairs from ''Series/Tracker2001''.
126[[/folder]]
127
128[[folder:Tabletop Games]]
129* The V'sori in the ''TabletopGame/SavageWorlds'' setting Necessary Evil are highly telepathic. They communicate telepathically, can detect any other nearby telepath, which include the Atlanteans and Half-Breeds, both of which are playable races. While V'sori blood may be a cause for a player's telekinesis, most V'sori are actually not telekinetic.
130* The Zhodani are an empire ruled by telepaths in ''TabletopGame/{{Traveller}}'', though they are a race of TransplantedHumans rather than aliens.
131* ''TabletopGame/Warhammer40000'':
132** Astropaths are the Imperium's only method of [[SubspaceAnsible communicating over stellar distances]]. Unfortunately, since the transmission medium is essentially [[HyperspaceIsAScaryPlace a cross between Hyperspace and Hell]], they tend to live unhappy (and short) existences. The Astronomican beacon they use to navigate is PoweredByAForsakenChild, it burns through the lives of ten thousand psykers ''every month''. Psykers have to undergo a process called [[MindRape soul-binding]] which causes them hours of agony at the hands of their PhysicalGod, invariably destroys their sight, and often other sense, and sends large numbers of candidates insane; all in order to be able to pass messages safely without getting dragged into [[HyperspaceIsAScaryPlace the Warp]] when they send messages. Or, for that matter, that if you're found by the psyker-hunting Black Ships, you have around a 90% chance of being 'selected' to undergo this honour. ''[[CrapsackWorld GrimDark]]'' indeed...
133** All [[SpaceElves Eldar]] are psykers by nature, but the Dark variety are wary of psykers for fear of attracting the attention of [[MyGreatestFailure Slaanesh]] and hence their psyker potential has atrophied over the millennia. The Craftworld Eldar do not share this compunction, although most of them have their psyker potential blocked at birth and slowly regain it by following the Path of the Seer, for the same reasons mentioned above. Many of the most powerful psykers in the whole galaxy are Eldar: during the 13th Black Crusade, the noted Cadian general Ursakar Creed took a contingent of the above mentioned sanctioned psykers to a meeting with the High Farseer of Ulthwe, Eldrad Ulthran, only for each and every one of them to be incapacitated by Eldrad's mere presence.
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135
136[[folder:Video Games]]
137* The Re'Lu from ''VideoGame/{{Deadlock}}'' are telepathic aliens, whose access privilege to your brain includes both read and [[MindControl write]], incidentally.
138* The Furons in ''VideoGame/DestroyAllHumans'', who can do MindProbe, MindControl, and MindOverMatter.
139* The Vell-Os in ''VideoGame/EscapeVelocity: Nova'' are telepathic post-humans who fly in shells of solid telepathic energy. There are also the Polaris, who are less powerful telepaths with technologies at least a century in advance of the rest of humanity, and use both of those things to back up their isolationism. Then there are [[spoiler:the masters of the Heron-style of martial arts]], who ''also'' appear to develop a sort of telepathy. [[spoiler:It is left uncertain just how much this trope will apply to the rest of humanity, not because humanity won't develop species-wide psychic powers (that is made clear) but because it might not happen until the point just before they all AscendToAHigherPlaneOfExistence, leaving the 'spacemen' thing far behind them.]]
140* The Nihilanth from ''VideoGame/HalfLife'' communicates with Gordon Freeman by telepathy, and does so the minute you teleport to Xen.
141* The Empyreans from ''VideoGame/IronMarines'' are humanoid aliens with PsychicPowers and are allied with the Iron Marines. They use their psionic powers to great use, be it forming [[LaserBlade Psi Blades]] and using TeleportSpam to shred enemies, stunning enemies and projecting DeflectorShields onto allies, or [[BallOfLightTransformation quickly travelling as a ball of energy]] and channeling psychic beams that increase in intensity.
142* The Martian Xeno Teleptaths in ''VideoGame/JeffWaynesTheWarOfTheWorlds'', who actually ''weaponize'' this through both a [[MindOverMatter short-range psychic attack]] and several flavours of MindRape.
143* ''VideoGame/KirbyAndTheForgottenLand'': The force responsible for bringing Kirby and friends to a new world turns out to be [[spoiler:the BigBad, Fecto Forgo, a psychic [[AliensAreBastards alien invader]] who wants to [[TheAssimilator assimilate]] its "other half", Elfilin, so it can regain its true form and start [[OmnicidalManiac killing things]] again]].
144* The Chozo from ''VideoGame/{{Metroid}}'' have psychic powers, and it's implied that Samus, who was infused with Chozo DNA, has some psychic capabilities herself.
145* The Starmen from the ''VideoGame/{{Mother}}'' series have access to psychokinetic powers and teleportation. In an interesting twist, [[spoiler:the secrets of PSI can be taught to other races, leading to humans developing it when the protagonist's great-grandfather was abducted by aliens but escaped with the secrets]].
146* The godlike humanoid Kamir in ''VideoGame/OtherSpace'' utilized their blindingly powerful telepathy to help them search for appropriate lifeforms for their evolutionary experiments.
147* [[PunnyName Elgyem and Beheeyem]] from ''VideoGame/PokemonBlackAndWhite'' are Psychic-type aliens. Deoxys, Solgaleo, Lunala, and Necrozma are also Psychic-types that came from space.
148* The [[HiveMind mind worms]] in ''VideoGame/SidMeiersAlphaCentauri''. These tiny little white things stun you from afar, burrow through your skull and lay their eggs in your brain. They move in enormous swarms called boils. They appear (in a hard sci-fi setting) a few decades after humans land on the planet and have no other prey, causing mankind to realize that it might just be in trouble here. They ''can'' be beaten (flamethrowers work quite well, according to the fluff), but one must be mentally strong in order to overcome their psychic attacks. What good is a flamethrower if you're too stunned by fear to push the button?
149* Aliens have various psychic abilities in ''VideoGame/TheSims'' series. In ''VideoGame/TheSims3'', full-blooded aliens can "Scan", which leads to them discovering the target Sim's traits. In ''VideoGame/TheSims4'', aliens can also "empathise" with Sims to feel their emotions.
150* WordOfGod for ''Franchise/SonicTheHedgehog'' states that powers like Silver's telekinesis and Blaze's pyrokinesis are a common occurrence two-hundred years into the series' future. Although it was the [[CanonDiscontinuity non-canon]] ''VideoGame/SonicTheHedgehog2006'' that promoted the concept, it might still hold true for the ''VideoGame/SonicRivals'' series (and although space travel hasn't become a common occurrence yet, humans of the series have quite advanced space technology as it is).
151* The Protoss in ''Franchise/StarCraft'' fit this to a tee. The humans are also apparently in the "developing into the telepathic race" stage, and the Zerg have their own, different forms of telepathy too. In fact, the difference in psionic powers between the Protoss (offensive) and Zerg (HiveMind control) is a plot point; both races were originally meddled with by precursors with the eventual goal of unifying, but this failed. They then went to war and the Zerg, outclassed by the Protoss, searched for a new species they can assimilate and use its psychic powers to defeat the Protoss. Enter: the humans.
152* In ''VideoGame/{{Stellaris}}'', one of the end-game [[AscendToAHigherPlaneOfExistence ascensions]] is the option to turn some and then all of your citizens into psychics, which make them better at researching, fighting, piloting, and give them the abilities to see the future, project the most powerful [[DeflectorShields shields]] in the game, and teleport faster and farther than any other FTL drive in the game. A sufficiently powerful group of them can commune with an alternate plane of reality called the Shroud, where you can make [[DealWithTheDevil deals]] with the [[EldritchAbomination incomprehensible entities]] that reside there.
153* The ''VideoGame/{{Subnautica}}'' series has [[{{Precursors}} the Architects]], a post-[[TheSingularity singularity]] civilization that set into motion the events that the player characters find themselves falling into. ''Subnautica: Below Zero'' explains that each Architect is part of a HiveMind in constant contact with one another, except this is a technological construct akin to a wireless network rather than "organic" telepathy. [[spoiler:Which is why the Sea Emperor was unable to communicate with its Architect captors and explain why they couldn't get its eggs to hatch.]]
154* ''VideoGame/SwordOfTheStars'' gives us three races: the dolphin-like Liir, the generically-engineered marsupial Zuul, and the ancient feathered serpents Morrigi.
155** The Liir communicate telepathically among themselves and also use MindOverMatter in lieu of hands (flippers aren't very useful for that). They are generally nice, but if they consider you Suul'ka (the enemy), then you are totally screwed. Oh, and they're also the best researchers in the game, so they will have the best tech before you know it. [[spoiler:The Suul'ka are insane Liir elders, who have refused to allow the SquareCubeLaw to kill them and moved to live in space. They used their powerful abilities to enslave the younger Liir and to devastate the Morrigi civilization by turning half of them against the others. They also created the Zuul as living weapons. Their abilities are strong enough to allow them to fold space at will. The other Liir use a low-level technological form of this called stutterwarp, which teleports their ships thousands of times per second, simulating Newtonian movement and even allows FTL since the ships aren't actually moving.]]
156** The Zuul form of telepathy is generally used for MindRape or other races, which is how they learn new tech (in the fluff anyway). This is also how they determine leadership, with the strongest telepath becoming Dominus. Only Zuul males possess powerful telepathy, though, as their females aren't really sentient and serve as their frontline troops. In the fluff, a Liir has managed to "infect" a Zuul with its peace-loving nature. As a result, a whole new faction of Zuul formed and eventually joined the Liir in opposing the other Zuul and their masters.
157** Morrigi telepathy is generally restricted to their males, who use "glamour" to appear as angelic beings to more primitive minds, which is why many races have myths of wise dragons coming down from the sky. During mating season, Morrigi females are also attracted to those males capable of charming them with their "glamour". On the other hand, the males are more attracted to those females who are able to resist their "glamour".
158* In ''VideoGame/TimeCruise'', the inventor Eric gets instructions for TimeTravel from an unnamed race of telepathic extraterrestrials.
159* Many of the species in the ''VideoGame/XCom'' series are telepathic.
160** For example: the Ethereals, the ruling caste of the alien invaders (who despite their name do have physical bodies), the Sectoids, who are budget versions of the Ethereals psionics-wise, and the giant Psimorphs from ''VideoGame/XComApocalypse''. The species from ''VideoGame/XComTerrorFromTheDeep'' essentially use telepathy, but it's called "Molecular Control" and works via implanted chips.
161** A number of psi-''weapons'' are specifically designed to amplify telepathic projection to injure, confuse, or control creatures in the games as well. Which makes sense... up until the ''ship-mounted psi-blasters'' of ''VideoGame/XComInterceptor''. Huh?
162** ''VideoGame/XCOMEnemyUnknown'' explains that the Ethereals are in fact obsessed with psionics, and have traveled the galaxy looking for a species that can combine "the Gift" with physical robustness, which they hope will serve as a key [[BattleThrall ally]] as they face [[VaguenessIsComing "what lies ahead."]] By the end of the campaign, they're ''very'' excited that humanity is developing into a likely prospect... [[GoneHorriblyRight to the Ethereals' detriment]].
163** ''VideoGame/XCOM2'' still has the Ethereals, now ruling a VichyEarth from the shadows, but they have since used human DNA to improve other psionic species like the Sectoids. The ''War of the Chosen'' expansion also added ADVENT Priests and the Chosen Warlock, an AxCrazy zealot and the most powerful psionic in ADVENT's army next to the Elders themselves. The Ethereals' reasons for invading and staying on Earth are also expanded upon, as it is revealed that they are [[spoiler:a DyingRace and have been searching the cosmos for a cure for their failing bodies, finally finding it in using the DNA of millions of psionically compatible humans to create new host bodies for themselves: the Avatars]].
164[[/folder]]
165
166[[folder:Webcomics]]
167* Tony the alien [[RoswellThatEndsWell from Area 51]] in ''Webcomic/HetaliaAxisPowers'' at one point seems to transfer his thoughts full of [[ClusterFBomb offensive language]] to England when America introduces them to each other. America, since he did not hear it, thinks they are getting along fine.
168* In ''Webcomic/{{Outsider}}'', [[SpaceElves the Loroi]] are galactically (in?)famous for this; protagonist Alexander Jardin realizes that he is on a Loroi ship by observing a nonverbal communication. This also creates one of the major plot points, in that Alex appears to be completely resistant to Loroi telepathy, which means that he's regarded with anywhere from guarded suspicion to barely concealed hatred by many Loroi, as their culture generally considers verbal speech to be untrustworthy and relegates dealing with non-telepathic aliens to their [[FantasticCasteSystem Mizol caste]], who specialize in diplomacy and inter-species relations. As Alex was part of a mission to establish contact with either the Loroi or their hated enemy, [[BigCreepyCrawlies the Umiak]], trying to be an ambassador for humanity when the species you want to establish ties with doesn't trust you because you can't communicate in the way they prefer is a major stumbling block.
169* Leono from ''Webcomic/SluggyFreelance'' has this ability, though it only works among his own species and is only really displayed once.
170* Both LizardFolk and TheGreys in ''Webcomic/TryingHuman'', but the Greys are much, much stronger with it, also having loads of MindOverMatter. Also, the Greys have somehow lost language and communicate with other species by "reflecting their voices", which is how Pigment can speak French.
171* Most species in ''Webcomic/{{Vexxarr}}'' are telepathic, which makes sense since many of them are SpacePeople who need to be able to communicate through hard vacuum.
172[[/folder]]
173
174[[folder:Websites]]
175* ''Website/TheCrewOfTheCopperColoredCupids'': The Wellsians are revealed to be telepathic in the short story ''[[https://thecrewofthecoppercoloredcupids.wordpress.com/2019/09/28/the-resurrection-of-the-wellsians/ The Resurrection of the Wellsians]]''. In an extreme example of alien telepathy covering long distances, the resolution of the tale hinges on [[spoiler:their ability to project psychic message, albeit in garbled form, into ''other dimensions'']].
176[[/folder]]
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178[[folder:Western Animation]]
179* The gems in ''WesternAnimation/StevenUniverse'' are a space-faring race, and a few [[HiveCasteSystem types]] of them have PsychicPowers, such as the [[{{Seers}} precognitive]] Sapphires. [[HalfHumanHybrid Steven]] has several [[TheEmpath empathetic]] powers, including [[DreamWalker dream walking]], at least some of which he inherited from his mother Rose Quartz. The Diamonds each have a unique psychic power, and all seem to have a PsychicLink between each other, [[spoiler:which is implied to be the actual reason for Steven's aforementioned power]].
180[[/folder]]

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