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Re: Science Fiction Trivia
Posted: Wed May 27, 2020 9:06 pm
by ffutures
Me again? Oh dear...
OK, we've had food and we've had drinks. Let's do some alien drugs!
I'm looking for five instances of drugs made by aliens, or based on alien plants / animals / whatever. Usual five things rules apply - no two from the same source, where source can be as narrow as a single novel or as broad as the Marvel universe, and no two from the same creator. An explanation of what they do would be useful.
For example, if Harry Potter was SF and "Pepper-Up Potion" was based on alien plants it would qualify, but you couldn't then use blood replenisher potion or anything else in the Potterverse, or anything else written by J. K. Rowling.
Re: Science Fiction Trivia
Posted: Thu May 28, 2020 9:11 am
by Disembodied
Freslin: a drug in Farscape, extracted from the glands of sentient creatures. It's a euphoriant and an aphrodisiac.
In Marvel's Agents of SHIELD, the brightly coloured alien Puffies snacks on the planet Kitson have psychotropic and hallucinogenic effects on humans.
Re: Science Fiction Trivia
Posted: Thu May 28, 2020 10:31 am
by spud42
captain obvious here
SPICE Dune....
Re: Science Fiction Trivia
Posted: Thu May 28, 2020 10:33 am
by RockDoctor
ffutures wrote: ↑Wed May 27, 2020 9:06 pm
OK, we've had food and we've had drinks. Let's do some alien drugs!
Unsure - referee's decision? Does the PanGalactic Gargle blaster take out all variants on alcohol, or drugs in any universe which involve having one's brains beaten out with a slice of lemon and/ or a gold brick?
Definitely - Known Space had a decreasing problem with wireheads - where a conductor is let into the "pleasure centre of the brain, delivering true ecstasy with no hangover and no regrets, for a tiny price in wall-current". Or words to that effect. The problem was a decreasing one, because with the wire in, reproduction really wasn't as important as putting the "droud" (current device) back into the socket.
- Star Trek's spin off "Ferengi" get caught dealing some sort of drug on a regular basis, but I've watched so little of those generations that I can't put a name to it. Something blue?
- Lots of universes have tobacco-a-likes. A lot of universes had people puff on hookahs of a variety of sizes. Bubba the Hut in the Star Wars galaxy of FarFarAgo was puffing on a hookah of something before the scene with the modified sandworm.
- Sandworms take one to Spice in the Dune-iverse. Oh, sorry, Cap'n Obvious' minion Spud24 has just claimed that one
Well, that's some of the underbrush cleared away.
Re: Science Fiction Trivia
Posted: Thu May 28, 2020 11:01 am
by Disembodied
Also for those of us from Scotland who are old enough to remember: "blue sticks".
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6tQsXJEza6A
Re: Science Fiction Trivia
Posted: Thu May 28, 2020 4:31 pm
by cbr
Star Trek's spin off "Ferengi"
Big LOL
Re: Science Fiction Trivia
Posted: Thu May 28, 2020 7:18 pm
by ffutures
Disembodied wrote: ↑Thu May 28, 2020 9:11 am
Freslin: a drug in Farscape, extracted from the glands of sentient creatures. It's a euphoriant and an aphrodisiac.
In Marvel's Agents of SHIELD, the brightly coloured alien Puffies snacks on the planet Kitson have psychotropic and hallucinogenic effects on humans.
OK, both of those qualify, that's 2
spud42 wrote: ↑Thu May 28, 2020 10:31 am
captain obvious here
SPICE Dune....
Obvious but qualifies, that's 3
RockDoctor wrote: ↑Thu May 28, 2020 10:33 am
Unsure - referee's decision? Does the PanGalactic Gargle blaster take out all variants on alcohol, or drugs in any universe which involve having one's brains beaten out with a slice of lemon and/ or a gold brick?
Definitely - Known Space had a decreasing problem with wireheads - where a conductor is let into the "pleasure centre of the brain, delivering true ecstasy with no hangover and no regrets, for a tiny price in wall-current". Or words to that effect. The problem was a decreasing one, because with the wire in, reproduction really wasn't as important as putting the "droud" (current device) back into the socket.
- Star Trek's spin off "Ferengi" get caught dealing some sort of drug on a regular basis, but I've watched so little of those generations that I can't put a name to it. Something blue?
- Lots of universes have tobacco-a-likes. A lot of universes had people puff on hookahs of a variety of sizes. Bubba the Hut in the Star Wars galaxy of FarFarAgo was puffing on a hookah of something before the scene with the modified sandworm.
- Sandworms take one to Spice in the Dune-iverse. Oh, sorry, Cap'n Obvious' minion Spud24 has just claimed that one
Well, that's some of the underbrush cleared away.
Pan-Galactic Gargle Blaster is drink rather than a drug, as in a previous round, so let's say no.
Wireheads are not alien drugs - it's all-human biotechnology, so no again.
Ferengi - don't think we have enough detail to be sure it's an alien drug, for all we know they're selling coke or chocolate or something
B/u/b/b/a/ Jabba the Hutt's hookah qualifies, I think, since if I remember rightly there's some sort of alien squirming in the jar - that's four
and Spice has already been done!
OK, I think that was a satire on tobacco or something but it qualifies, so that's number 5 and Disembodied gets to deal with the Drug Squad when they turn up. Over to you!
Re: Science Fiction Trivia
Posted: Fri May 29, 2020 9:25 am
by Disembodied
Another list of five, then: name five alien cultures/species (as opposed to individuals) who offer aid and assistance to humanity. This is not simply just being peaceful and friendly: these aliens are here to help us solve at least some of our civilisational problems.
NB: not all of humanity might want to accept the help on offer.
Re: Science Fiction Trivia
Posted: Fri May 29, 2020 10:08 am
by cbr
The Vulcans.
Re: Science Fiction Trivia
Posted: Fri May 29, 2020 1:01 pm
by RockDoctor
Disembodied wrote: ↑Fri May 29, 2020 9:25 am
This is not simply just being peaceful and friendly: these aliens are here to help us solve at least some of our civilisational problems.
NB: not all of humanity might want to accept the help on offer.
The Berserkers want to help us with all our existential problems. Permanently.
Re: Science Fiction Trivia
Posted: Fri May 29, 2020 1:59 pm
by Disembodied
cbr wrote: ↑Fri May 29, 2020 10:08 am
That's one, definitely.
RockDoctor wrote: ↑Fri May 29, 2020 1:01 pm
The Berserkers want to help us with all our existential problems. Permanently.
I don't think that can be classed as help!
Re: Science Fiction Trivia
Posted: Fri May 29, 2020 2:23 pm
by RockDoctor
Disembodied wrote: ↑Fri May 29, 2020 1:59 pm
I don't think that can be classed as help!
For you, no
coup de grace.
Re: Science Fiction Trivia
Posted: Fri May 29, 2020 5:58 pm
by ffutures
The Overlords in Clark's Childhood's End. They bring world peace as part of helping the human race to ascend.
The Asgard in Stargate SG-1. Generally helpful in preventing the Go'auld from destroying the human race on several occasions, eventually bow out giving humanity their technology.
Re: Science Fiction Trivia
Posted: Sat May 30, 2020 9:01 am
by Disembodied
ffutures wrote: ↑Fri May 29, 2020 5:58 pm
The Overlords in Clark's Childhood's End. They bring world peace as part of helping the human race to ascend.
The Asgard in Stargate SG-1. Generally helpful in preventing the Go'auld from destroying the human race on several occasions, eventually bow out giving humanity their technology.
The Overlords and the Asgard would definitely count. That makes three!
Re: Science Fiction Trivia
Posted: Mon Jun 01, 2020 11:22 pm
by ffutures
OK, another
Mondoshawans in The Fifth Element - they're the guys who send Leeloo and the element obelisk thingies to Earth to help humanity, they seem to be benign, or at least what they do benefits humanity; we don't really know why they're doing it but there are probably some ulterior motives too.