List of Crap 61: Top 50 Fictional Species/Races Countdown

[Johnny Unusual]

10. Klingon
(97 points, on 8 of 23 lists - Top Vote #2 by Gunflyer)

   

Genus: Barbarian Sapien

Klingons are a fictional warrior race in the Star Trek universe.

Klingons are recurring villains in the 1960s television show Star Trek: The Original Series, and have appeared in all five spin-off series, along with eight of the feature films. Initially intended to be antagonists for the crew of the USS Enterprise, the Klingons ended up a close ally of humanity and the United Federation of Planets in Star Trek: The Next Generation and Star Trek: Voyager. In the 1990s series Star Trek: Deep Space Nine the United Federation of Planets briefly goes to war with the Klingons. Later in the series, the two join together with the Romulans to fight the Dominion.

In comparison to The Original Series, Klingon culture is thoroughly examined in later series episodes, part of a larger movement by Star Trek writers to deepen viewer understanding of the alien races of the franchise. The Klingons adhere to a strict code of honor, similar to feudal Japanese customs. Their society is based on war and combat; ritual suicide is often preferred over living life as a crippled warrior, and may allow a warrior to die with honor. To be captured rather than killed in battle brings dishonor to not only the captive but his descendants. Death is depicted as a time for celebration, not grief.

Klingons are depicted as a spiritual people. According to their legends, Klingons slew their own gods. The equivalents to heaven and hell are called Sto-Vo-Kor and Gre'Thor, respectively; in Sto-Vo-Kor, battle and feasting can be eternally won and shared, while those sent to Gre'Thor are condemned to eternal torture unless their honor is restored by living relatives. Those who do not die in battle may not enter Sto-Vo-Kor; relatives undertake quests to guarantee their deceased comrades entry into paradise. Despite believing in an afterlife, the Klingons perform no burial rites, and dispose of corpses by the most efficient means.

The Klingon's spiritual leader is Kahless, a messianic figure who established early codes of honor and was the first Klingon emperor. His fabled weapon, the Sword of Kahless, is depicted as a unique bat'leth that serves as the Klingon equivalent of the Holy Grail. In the TNG episode "Rightful Heir", Kahless appears in the flesh to Worf, who had doubted his Klingon faith.[31] This Kahless is revealed to be a clone, created in an attempt to bring Klingons together, and who is chosen to lead the Klingon people as a figurehead.

Klingons are passionate opera lovers. The first Klingon opera on Earth performed entirely in the Klingon language is ’u’, which debuted in The Hague in September 2010.

Notable representatives:
Worf, Kodos (not that one), Kang (not that one)
   

For the Dar-Win!
with your host, Charles Darwin

THE WEAK AND THE ELDERLY HAVE NO PLACE IN THE GAME OF SHUFFLEBOARD!

[Darth Geek]

Oddly, Irken sounds remarkably similar to the species I have at number one on this list. I never realized that before, but I have to wonder if that was intentional or just bizarre coincidence
  .

Gherkin pickles are not a race. They are delicious, but not a race.

[Johnny Unusual]

9. Hobbit
(99 points, on 7 of 23 lists - Top Vote #1 by Smith Dr John Smith)

   

Genus: Homo Thomomys

Hobbits are a fictional diminutive race who inhabit the lands of Middle-earth in J. R. R. Tolkien's fiction.

Hobbits first appeared in the novel The Hobbit, in which the main protagonist, Bilbo Baggins, is the titular hobbit. The novel The Lord of the Rings includes more Hobbits as major characters, Frodo Baggins, Samwise Gamgee, Peregrin Took and Meriadoc Brandybuck, as well as several other minor hobbit characters. Hobbits are also briefly mentioned in The Silmarillion and Unfinished Tales.

According to the author in the prologue to The Lord of the Rings, Hobbits are "relatives" of the race of Men. Elsewhere Tolkien describes Hobbits as a "variety" or separate "branch" of humans. Within the story, Hobbits and other races seem aware of the similarities (hence the colloquial terms "Big People" and "Little People" used in Bree). However, within the story, Hobbits considered themselves a separate people. At the time of the events in The Lord of the Rings, Hobbits lived in the Shire and in Bree in the north west of Middle-earth, though by the end, some had moved out to the Tower Hills and to Gondor and Rohan.

Notable representatives:
Bilbo, Frodo, Mery, Pippin, Samwise
   

For the Dar-Win!
with your host, Leonard Nimoy
   
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/Z2HQ1K7YyQM" target="_blank" class="new_win">http://www.youtube.com/v/Z2HQ1K7YyQM</a>

[Johnny Unusual]

8. Elf
(106 points, on 5 of 23 lists - Top Vote #1 by Compound)

      

Genus: Elfen Sapien

An elf (plural: elves) is a type of supernatural being in Germanic mythology and folklore. Elves are first attested in Old English and Old Norse texts and are prominent in traditional British and  Scandinavian folklore.

Elves were originally thought of as ambivalent beings with certain magical abilites capable of helping or hindering humans, but in later traditions became increasingly sinister and were believed to afflict humans and livestock in various ways. In early modern folklore they became associated with the fairies of Romance culture. The Romanticist movement revived literary interest in folk beliefs and culture,[4]and elves entered the 20th-century high fantasy genre in the wake of works published by authors such as J. R. R. Tolkien.

The "Christmas elves" of contemporary popular culture are of relatively recent tradition, popularized during the late 19th century in the United States, in publications such as Godey's Lady's Book.

The English word elf is from the Old English ælf or elf; in compound as ælfadl "nightmare,"  ælfsogoða "hiccup," afflictions apparently thought to be caused by elves.
Notable representatives:
Legolas, Elrond, Ewoyn
   

For the Dar-Win!
with your host, Charles Darwin

Genetically adapted to their femmy surroundings, elfs like to flit around all day, picking daffodils and singing tra-la-la.  If this adaptation did not occur, they would have never have been able to defeat the dark lord Sauron and would have died long ago.

[goflyblind]

i prefer pratchett's elves.

[MontyServo]

i prefer pratchett's Keebler's elves.

[Johnny Unusual]

7. Mogwai
(116 points, on 6 of 23 lists - Top Vote #1 by DB Barnes)

      

Genus: Apodemus Cutest

While searching for a Christmas present for his teenage son, inventor Randall Peltzer (Hoyt Axton) discovers a small, furry creature called a Mogwai in an antique store in Chinatown. The owner of the store refuses to sell the Mogwai to Randall on the grounds that owning one is too great a responsibility. However, as Randall is leaving the store, the owner's grandson (John Louie) sells Randall the creature stating that the family needs the money. The boy gives Randall three specific instructions in caring for the Mogwai: never expose it to bright light (especially sunlight, which will kill it); never get it wet (which will make it multiply); and, most importantly: never, ever feed it after midnight. Randall takes the Mogwai, which he gives the name "Gizmo", to his family in the town of Kingston Falls.

The following evening, Randall gives Gizmo to his son Billy (Zach Galligan). A glass of water is accidentally spilled on Gizmo, causing him to convulse and produce five new Mogwai from his own body. One of the Mogwai, dubbed Stripe for his white quiff of hair, acts as their leader, but is very hostile to Gizmo. Curious to learn more about Mogwai, Billy takes Gizmo to his science teacher, Mr. Hanson (Glynn Turman), and produces a sixth new Mogwai. Leaving the new Mogwai with Mr. Hanson, on which he will conduct tests, Billy returns home, and the other five Mogwai trick him into feeding them after midnight by biting the cord of his alarm clock. In the morning, Billy discovers the Mogwai have turned into cocoons. Gizmo, having virtuously refused the food earlier, remains unchanged.

Notable representatives:
Gizmo, Stripe, Bounce Bounce and the Claw
   

For the Dar-Win!
with your host, Charles Darwin

Remember: Don’t feed them after midnight, keep them away from bright light, don’t get them wet and have them spayed or neutered.

[Asbestos Bill]

Before I continue, I just have to say I really do love goblins in all forms of media.  I love them in the abstract as tiny trouble makers.  I love the sniveling victim Goblins of Adventure Time.  I love the goblins of Brian Froud and Jim Henson in Labyrinth.  I love the back-assward, self-destructive goblins in Magic the Gathering.  And I love the spooky animal faced Goblins from Christina
Rosetti's poem The Goblin Market.

I voted for Moblin (the Legend of Zelda variant) but not Goblin. The culture of the races I voted for was a factor in their ranking, so I wen't for specific rather than general.

[ScottotD]

7. Mogwai

YAY!

Wonder if my #1 will make it... OH THE TENSION!

[Johnny Unusual]

Before I continue, I just have to say I really do love goblins in all forms of media.  I love them in the abstract as tiny trouble makers.  I love the sniveling victim Goblins of Adventure Time.  I love the goblins of Brian Froud and Jim Henson in Labyrinth.  I love the back-assward, self-destructive goblins in Magic the Gathering.  And I love the spooky animal faced Goblins from Christina
Rosetti's poem The Goblin Market.

I voted for Moblin (the Legend of Zelda variant) but not Goblin. The culture of the races I voted for was a factor in their ranking, so I wen't for specific rather than general.

If I went specific, I might have gone with these guys.



By far, the best toy of the 80's.  Also, the stickiest.

[Tripe]

Those are Boglins though, great little puppets for what they were however; mass produced toys, the mechanisms inside were really pretty cool.

[Pak-Man]

Stickiest toy of the '80s was the Wacky Wall Walker, which, now that I think about it, is a glaring omission from my list.

[Johnny Unusual]

Even the little ones were cool, but the big ones did have cool creepy movable eyes.

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/Pcor3EbCnP4" target="_blank" class="new_win">http://www.youtube.com/v/Pcor3EbCnP4</a>

[Johnny Unusual]

6. Time Lord
(121 points, on 7 of 23 lists - Top Vote #1 by Lassieface)

      

Genus: Chrono Sapien

The Time Lords are an ancient extraterrestrial race and civilization of humanoids in the British science fiction television series Doctor Who, of which the series' eponymous protagonist, the Doctor, is a member. Time Lords receive their name for their non-linear perception of time, which allows them to see everything that was, is, or could be at the same time, as shown in the 1996 movie Doctor Who. They developed a culture of custodianship and time-related technologies based on this perception which includes strictly-controlled time travel machines (known as "TARDISes") and monitoring devices to travel through time and to prevent time from being subverted or abused – although actual action was described as rare in practice due to their traditional policy of strict non-interference and neutrality. They can act to manipulate timelines of a wide range of events and individuals, so long as they do not cross back into their own timeline.

Originally they were described as a powerful and wise race from the planet Gallifrey, from which the Doctor was a renegade; details beyond this were very limited for the first decade of the series. They later became integral to many episodes and stories as their role in the fictional universe developed. Over subsequent episodes their history, their development of time manipulation, and their internal politics were touched upon, with Time Lord society portrayed as a stagnated ceremony-bound oligarchy and their past having descended into myth and legend. The Doctor became at times an ally, being appointed their president during his fourth incarnation and assisting them on many occasions. After the series was resumed in 2005, the Time Lords were presented as no longer existing, having been destroyed by the Doctor at some intervening point during the Last Great Time War in which they became corrupted and willing to sacrifice the entirety of time and space to save themselves. The Time Lords made a subsequent appearance as a race in 2010 when they schemed to escape the resulting time lock and resume their plan, as well as in the appearance of individuals such as the Master, and at times, inadvertent human-time lord hybrids.

A female time lord may be described either as a Time Lord or Time Lady.

 Notable representatives:
The Doctor, The Master, Romana, The Monk
   

For the Dar-Win!
with your host, Charles Darwin

Having discovered the means to time travel, the Time Lords took it upon themselves to safeguard time and protect the Earth.  Probably because they like playing favourites.  Eat it, Mars!

[Asbestos Bill]

Having discovered the means to time travel, the Time Lords took it upon themselves to safeguard time and protect the Earth.  Probably because they like playing favourites.  Eat it, Mars!

That was just The Doctor's deal. I believe the other Time Lords don't give a rip about Earth.