ETN’s Take on the best robots from Sci-Fi
What makes something the best? I mean according to an Eric Roberts movie, the best is a group of Karate rebels from America with a guy named Tommy who has family baggage and a powerful roundhouse. However, this list should have nothing to do with Eric Roberts… or should it?? This is a list of some of the best Robots from different Sci-Fi universes. The criteria to make this list is an overall “Robot-ness” rank. It includes but is not limited to traits such as strength, intelligence, metallic composition, their ability to fool humans, the time it took to turn on their creator, and their ability to love. Points deducted if they are played by Haley Joel Osment. I will not go so far and say this list is complete. So, after you have read the list, tell us which ones we missed, and I might approve your comment… MIGHT… probably though cuz I have low comment standards. OK HERE’S THE LIST
Enforcement Droid Series 209
His covering on top looks like it should be a giant speaker.
The name may not sound familiar, but you take one look at the picture and you’ll imediately recognize the OCP prototype that preceded robo-cop from the movie Robocop. This robot represents a pivitol point in my childhood developement. The introduction of the ED209 in the OCP board room was the first time I had ever scene a Rated R death scene… HOLY SNOT! This giant metallic turtle comes in with two cannons for arms and guns down a nameless business man. Basically childhood innocence was taken from me by a robo cop death scene… that’s when the sheet was pulled back and I saw the real world. Two weeks later I began saving for retirement and signed up for life insurance at age 8.
When it turn on humans: Right when it was introduced in an Executive Board Meeting.
DATA
notice the lack of a double chin
I love how this robot slowly gets a double chin as the show/movies keep getting produced. Data is the first Robotic Star Fleet officer and can shuffle cards really well. He is one of the best robots in Sci-Fi because of his double chin and his constantly malfunctioning emotions chip. He is one of the only robots on this list that technically has the ability to love… because as stated before Haley Jole Osment will not be on this list.
When it turned on humans: On the Ba’ku’s peaceful planet during ST Insurrection. Only restoring his humanity with a beautiful rendition of A British Tar By Gilbert And Sullivan.
R2-D2
Stairs must suck
When you think about it, he is the only sane one in the entire Star Wars universe. He just gets it. He’s either on his mission , or just rocking in in the back of an X-Wing sporting the thug Astromec Droid lifestyle. Not much more I can say except I got PISSED when he was shot in episode IV, OF ALL CHARACTERS HE DID NOT DESERVE IT! Epecially because of the following fact…
When it turned on humans: NEVER
Annalee Call
Where'd you get that jacket?
This is Winona Ryder’s character in Aliens Resurrection. Through out the whole 1997 sci-fi thriller you think she’s a scared bambi… but BOOM behind that mole is a earphone jack that controls the whole space ship! FOOLED EVERYONE DIDN’T SHE!!! Well she’s good at being sneaky, that’s how she stole all those clothes. This one is on the list, cuz its Winona, and I think her name makes whatever she does really funny.
When it turned on humans: She lied so… kinda the whole time… cuz my mom says the only thing we don’t put up with is lying!… or Toyotas in the driveway.(Ford Family)
Skynet
There is no picture of skynet because it is virtual... I would say these are best described as its fingers
I was thinking of just the T-100 but then I thought that Arnold alone was not the best robot in that movie. Skynet pulled a perfect slight of hand move with Humanity. It played us perfectly against ourself! By creating a virus that supposidly was destroying the electronic infrastructure of our society. So, we HAD to use our most advanced AI to combat it… it was our only hope! OH SHOOT WAIT, THE VIRUS WAS SKYNET!!!! Bousche, see you later society.
When it turn on humans: 2:14am on August 29, 1997
I know this is not an exhaustive list… so give me you take, what robot would you say should be on this list, and when did it turn on humanity?
Tags: aliens, best, robocop, Robots, sci-fi, star trek, star wars, terminator
I noticed that the list is pretty centered on human-created robots. Gotta represent the extraterrestrial robots too!
The flying saucer AIs from “Batteries Not Included” are a great example of the atypical use of robots in a story:
http://www.impawards.com/1987/posters/batteries_not_included.jpg
Max from “Flight of the Navigator” is pretty awesome:
http://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/images/reviews/76/1087251978.jpg
… mainly because of the ship to which he was attached. Man, I wanted one of those so badly when I was a kid.
Granted, neither of these examples turn on humanity, but I suppose when you’re out exploring multiple worlds, a single piddly race of planet-bound hominids isn’t worth too much attention.
Of course, there’s V-ger:
http://magisteria.files.wordpress.com/2008/01/vger_scan02.jpg
Human in origin, modified by aliens, and capable of toasting whole space stations.
On the human-made front, gotta give a shout-out to Johnny 5 from “Short Circuit” :
http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p261/kndennison/johnny5isalive.jpg
… because he could emote like crazy with nothing but a set of metal flaps over his optics. He does sort of turn on humanity in “Short Circuit 2″ when he welds the robot mohawk on his head and goes vigilante on a gang of thieves.
Erin asked me to include a shout out to Gigolo Joe, Jude Law’s “Mecha” character from the much maligned “A.I.”:
http://atlanta.metromix.com/content_image/full/1274218/560/370
… because how often does one see a sexy male robot? Probably just this once.
Johnny 5 is a much needed shout out, and Gigolo Joe is def one of the only sexy male robots, where the female robot is actually way too common. And REALLY good call on V-Ger, plus v-ger’s possession of Persis Khambatta could be considered a robot…maybe