Those who don’t possess a bit of
nerdy knowledge often mix up “androids” and “cyborgs” with each other. Of course, the two are different. In my top 10 cyborgs list, I’ve already
explained what makes a cyborg: they are beings with both organic and mechanical
parts. Now, this time around, it’s the
androids’ turn to be discussed. Androids
are synthetic organisms – usually robotic in nature – meticulously designed to
be in the likeness of the human form; any appearance of “flesh” is synthetic in
origin. Also, androids usually possess
advance levels of artificial intelligence that give them the capability of
human-like free will, independent thought, cognitive processes and logical
reasoning – with some even having mental abilities exceeding human capacity – and,
sometimes, simulation of human emotion.
10.) BRAINIAC
Brainiac, a Coluan (an alien
race) android, is one of Superman’s most famous and powerful archenemies. As his name suggests, Brainiac is a super
genius. He has a so-called “12th-level
intellect” (humanity, in general, is only capable of up to “6th-level
intelligence”), giving him superhuman memory capability; superhuman calculative
prowess; and extensive knowledge of theoretical and applied sciences,
engineering, and technologies of different alien origins. Aside from his mental powers, Brainiac had
possessed various other powers and abilities as well (depending on the
incarnation).
9.) BISHOP (341-B)
Michael Fassbender earned some
praise for playing the android character David in Prometheus (the semi-prequel to the Alien movie franchise).
David, they said, has been a charismatic character. I, however, was unimpressed. If you were able to see Aliens (second movie in the Alien
movie franchise), you can’t help but compare David with Aliens’ own android, Bishop, (played by Lance Henriksen) and then
conclude that David greatly pales in comparison when compared to Bishop. Bishop was designed to have the same
appearance of his creator, Michael Weyland (who himself resembles his ancestor,
Charles Bishop Weyland). Despite of not
being primarily programmed as a combatant, he has been programmed to keep
humans from harm as best as he could and he displayed badassery and heroism in
performing this function by aiding human survivors to escape the murderous
Xenomorphs. Moreover, this awesome
knife scene is enough to immortalize Bishop:
8.) NAOMI ARMITAGE
Naomi Armitage is the protagonist
of the terrific cyberpunk anime movie series, Armitage III. The story is
set in a futuristic Mars – made habitable by the help of “first type” robots –
where humans and “second type” androids, improved versions of the “first type”,
co-exist. Armitage was introduced as a
Martian cop working with a new partner, Ross Syllibus, who was from Earth, as they
hunt the murderer of a famous country singer.
Because of the killing, this singer was revealed to be a never before
seen “third type” android – a highly-advance model that is already very much
human-like in function and appearance that no one can tell them apart from
human beings. The discovery of the
existence of “third type” androids prompted human beings to hunt them down, who
had been secretly living amongst humans.
Halfway through the story, it was revealed that Naomi is herself a
“third type” android. Later on, the
already kickass gunslinging girl would undergo modifications – i.e. cybernetic
wings and particle cannons – to become more kickass and dangerous. Armitage is so much of an advance android
that she is even capable of getting pregnant; she and Ross would raise a
daughter named Yoko.
7.) DATA
Spock is my favorite character in
the original Star Trek. And Data is
my favorite character in Star Trek: the
Next Generation because he serves as the Spock figure there. But due to being an advanced android, he is
capable of advance mental calculations and is probably superior in practicing
logic than Spock. And in contrast with
Spock who avoids emotion as much as possible (because of his Vulcan roots),
Data is very much fascinated with it – hinting of his desire to achieve his own
humanity or something close to it by experiencing this important aspect of
humanity (i.e. emotion).
6.) CELL
Cell is the main villain during
the “Android Arc” of Dragon Ball Z.
Possessing genetic materials from different warriors in the Dragon Ball
Z universe – including Goku, Piccolo, Vegeta, and Frieza – Cell was designed by
his creator Dr. Gero to be the “perfect warrior” of the universe; thus, Cell
possesses a wide range of powers, skills, techniques, abilities and
traits. Cell is an evolving android, and
with each evolution, aside from getting more powerful and cunning, he also
undergoes drastic personality changes – projecting traits and attitudes of those
warriors his genetic make-up is derived.
He was able to achieve his ultimate form after absorbing Androids 17 and
18 (who are technically not androids at all, but cyborgs). Because of his very versatile and developing nature,
he is easily one of the most exciting characters in Dragon Ball Z (in fact, in
my book, Buu is the only greater Dragon Ball Z villain).
5.) HUMAN TORCH
When we mention the name “Human
Torch”, what comes to mind first is Johnny Storm of the Fantastic Four. Unbeknownst to most non-comic book
enthusiasts, Johnny is not the first “Human Torch” in the Marvel Universe. The original Human Torch was an android who
took the civilian name of Jim Hammond and was one of Marvel Comics’ “Big 3” (the
other two of the three being Captain America and Namor) during its early years,
back when the company still goes by the name of Timely Comics. Just like Johnny Storm, the original Human
Torch – Jim Hammond – has the ability to envelop his entire body or portions of
it with flames, shoot out flames, and fly.
While Johnny gained his powers the same way as the other members of the
FF, that is via cosmic radiations, Jim’s flame powers are due to the
photoelectric solar cells – his power source – that cover his entire body which
ignites his epidermis into flames upon contact with oxygen.
4.) VISION
The Vision is arguably Marvel
Comics’ most popular android character.
Probably because of being a prominent Avenger for years. The Vision is a synthezoid built by the
robot villain Ultron (who himself is a creation of Hank Pym a.k.a.
Ant-Man/Giant-Man/Yellowjacket/the Scientist Supreme) from the remains of a
divergent Human Torch (see number 5) with neural processors similar to the
brain patterns of Wonder Man. Originally
intended to be used against Avengers, the Vision was able to overcome his
initial programming and instead aided the Avengers against his creator Ultron. Since then, the Vision has been a loyal and
valiant Avenger. The Vision has an array
of powers but his most iconic power is the ability to turn intangible and phase
through solid objects.
3.) ROCKMAN
Rockman, also known as Megaman, is
one of the most iconic video game characters in history. I remember that I had greatly enjoyed playing
my Mega Man game (can’t remember
which game was it) in our FamCom. And
Rockman was one of my top choices for my team when I was playing Marvel vs. Capcom. The character is sometimes erroneously
identified as a cyborg, but he is not.
As what is clearly established by his origin story, he is 100% robot
(with human appearance). He was created
by Dr. Light to serve as his lab assistant and was christened “Rock”. To effectively carry out his intended
function, Rock has a “Variable Tool System” that allows him to mimic any tool
after observing how it had been used.
When Dr. Light’s envious nemesis, Dr. Wiley, reprogrammed Dr. Light’s
robots to become his minions with intentions of world domination, Rock the lab
assistant volunteered to be converted into a fighting robot to stop Wiley and
his robots. He then applies his ability
to mimic tools in his crusade by copying the special weapons or abilities of
the robots he defeats – making the character and the games’ concept unique and
exciting.
2.) MACHINE MAN (X-51)
I am not really sure why but at that
time I picked up that old Machine Man comicbook (bought it along with other old comics surplus), he became my most favorite android superhero. Maybe because of his X-Men-like struggle –
just as the X-Men are being hated and feared by the world they protect for
being mutants, Machine Man was being hated and feared by the world he protects for
being a robot. Or maybe because of his
dramatic origin story (his predecessors – 50 past X-model robots – became
dangerously delusional and psychotic due to insufficient programming. His “father”, Dr. Able Stack, however,
theorized that the only way a robot will function like a human is if it was
raised as one, and this is what Dr. Stack did with X-51. Of course, as typical of heroes of that time,
there’s a need for a tragedy to occur to push him into becoming a hero. In the case of X-51, his “father” Dr. Stack
was killed when he removed an auto-destruct device from X-51 to save him from
it. X-51 vowed to usher in Dr. Stack’s dream
of peaceful co-existence between AI robots and humans. He would adopt the name of Aaron Stack, and
as Machine Man, he became a superhero while blending in among humans and being
a fugitive from the military). Or maybe
because of his cool Inspector Gadget-esque collection of robotic abilities, especially
the telescopic limbs. Or maybe because
he is the connection between the Marvel Universe and the sci-fi classic 2001: A Space Odyssey (Seriously. I kid you not). Or just all of them put together. Whatever reason/s, I just found myself drawn
to the character of Aaron Stack a.k.a. Machine Man and I wish he would gain
more popularity as a comic book character. (Considering he already had been an Avenger before, I am surprised he is not included in the roster of the upcoming Avengers A.I.)
1.) R. DANEEL OLIVAW
I really love Isaac Asimov’s Robot novels and Foundation novels, and it was awesome how he linked the two book
series, along with the Empire novels,
together. And Daneel was the most
identifiable connection. In the early Robot novels (Caves of Steel and Naked Sun),
we get to be first introduced to Daneel.
He is human in appearance but is actually a robot, as indicated with the
“R.” in his name (with “R” meaning “robot”); and, just like other robots in
Asimov’s Robot universe, is subject
to the “Three Laws of Robotics”:
1.) A robot may not injure a human
being or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm.
2.) A robot must obey the orders
given to it by human beings, except where such orders would conflict with the
First Law.
3.) A robot must protect its own
existence as long as such protection does not conflict with the First or Second
Laws.
(If a robot violates or thinks it has violated any of the Laws, the robot’s positronic brain will self-destruct.)
(If a robot violates or thinks it has violated any of the Laws, the robot’s positronic brain will self-destruct.)
Daneel was the first of the only two
“humaniforms” (robots that have human appearances and are very
indistinguishable from human beings, with regards to outward appearance) ever
created. He, in three of the four Robot novels, served as an invaluable
partner to Elijah Baley – one of the most fascinating detectives in fiction –
in his investigations of the novels’ respective murder mysteries. Daneel possesses a special ability called
“cerebroanalysis”, which allows him to read mental and emotional states of the
humans he meets. Later on, R. Giskard
Reventlov would transfer his telepathic abilities to Daneel before his
deactivation, enabling the latter to completely read human minds and influence
their thoughts and emotions to carry out the Zeroth Law of Robotics – "A
robot may not harm humanity, or through inaction, allow humanity to come to
harm." This Law, which supposedly
transcends the original Three Laws of Robotics, was devised by Daneel and Giskard
after discourses of the Three Laws’ limitations. From that day onwards of the Zeroth Law’s
inception, for millennia, Daneel would work behind the scenes of human history
– including events in the Foundation and
Empire novels – manipulating humanity
into paths he believes would improve or preserve the human race. It was through his machinations and pushing
that would lead to Hari Seldon to create “psychohistory” – application of statistics to predict future historical events. This was the same “psychohistory” or “Laws of
Humanics” that Daneel and Giskard had theorized during their discourse which they
believed would allow them to execute the Zeroth Law in a quantitative
sense.
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