So Long, Savior/Slayer: The Alien as Mensch and Mentor (article) by C. L. Talmadge on AuthorsDen

A look at how some science fiction defies the stereotypes of aliens. The essay was first published in UFO Digest at this URL: http://www.ufodigest.com/news/0807/slayer.html Throughout literature and on screens big and small, non-human beings (a.k.a aliens) have tended to come in just two varieties: almost too good to be true or thoroughly wicked. There’s not much in between, although a few alien characterizations have attempted to redesign the mold if not shatter it altogether. In the “almost too good to be true” category falls the sweet little being of Steven Spielberg’s E.T.—The Extraterrestrial. This fellow is A-OK; he charms children and uses his mysterious abilities to help his young friends ride their bicycles through the treetops. He just wants to go home. Who doesn’t? The Vulcans of Star Trek are downright saviors. Both the original and the next generation series posit that initial contact with the Vulcans in the mid 21st century brought the human race out of a dark era of worldwide warfare into an accelerated flowing of technology and a civilization renaissance. To be fair, Star Trek also has its share of “bad” non-human beings: the Romulans, the Ferenghi, and the Klingons, until the latter make peace with the Federation of Planets and join the “good” side. “Slayer” aliens abound. They include the invaders of H.G. Wells’ classic novella, War of the Worlds and the unwelcome visitors of Independence Day. There is nothing redeeming about these critters from outer space as they trash the world in their quest to annihilate the human race and loot the earth of all its resources. Then there are the acid-dripping, ruthless killers from the Alien film series. They exist only to slaughter all other living creatures and, sometimes, even their own. The aliens of the Sci Fi Channel’s Taken miniseries aren’t much better. They conduct repeated inter-generational breeding and other kinds of experiments on unwilling and unwitting human beings who are powerless to stop their tormenters and are left with deep psychological wounds. On occasion, fictional aliens exhibit complexity and depth. One excellent example of this is Alien Nation, both a pilot TV film and short-lived TV series of the same name. Most of these on-screen “Newcomers” are just regular folks, although they also have villains in their midst, too. But the average alien Joes and Jills have jobs—one’s a member of the LAPD with a human partner—houses, kids, and try desperately to live peacefully among their human counterparts. The alien LAPD police officer proves to be smart, loyal, and courageous—a mensch who’s invaluable to have on our side in a pinch. Alien Nation attempted to explore the theme that non-human beings can teach the human variety a thing or two, but foundered perhaps because it literally hit a little too close to home. It’s no stretch to substitute earthbound illegal immigrants for Newcomers from space. The underlying message of not judging others solely by their appearances or differences becomes much tougher for many to embrace when it’s set in their backyards. Human audiences prefer aliens in a non-earth setting because they are safer and easier to accept when they do not send their kids to our schools or look us in the eyes. Then there is the alien as mentor. The Green Stone of Healing(tm)speculative fiction series attempts to portray an alien more as a friend and advisor than as savior, threat, or even simply a nouveau earth-dweller. This alien is capable of appearing in physical form and dissolving at will, offering counsel and options to the series’ four generations of female protagonists. He never tries to solve their problems or protect them from themselves, however. Perhaps that’s what makes this alien truly unfathomable: he doesn’t suffer from that all too human tendency to want power over others to control them or to meddle in their affairs. Strange indeed. While many regard aliens as real and others as simply a metaphorical device for fictional exploration of human issues, one thing is clear. As long as we human beings have problems, we will need aliens—make believe or otherwise—to help us sort through our difficulties.
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