# Is Spock the most famous alien in the history of fiction/pop culture? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 1, 2009, 10:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-spock-the-most-famous-alien-in-the-history-of-fiction-pop-culture/495040 "2009-05-01T22:41:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Sir\_T-Cups](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ed655f/32.png) [@Sir\_T-Cups](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sir_T-Cups)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2009, 3:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-spock-the-most-famous-alien-in-the-history-of-fiction-pop-culture/495040/41 "2009-05-02T03:30:16Z")
He was mentioned in the OP, but none other times…I’m gonna give my love for Chewie. All other aliens nonwithstanding…I think Chewie would win in a fame fight between he (him?) and spock. ---
**Author:** ![Eonwe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eonwe/32/240_2.png) [@Eonwe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eonwe)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2009, 4:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-spock-the-most-famous-alien-in-the-history-of-fiction-pop-culture/495040/42 "2009-05-02T04:06:37Z")
I have to agree that Superman, while being the most famous of all aliens by far, is just a ‘superhuman’ from another world. If Luke Skywalker doesn’t count, then I don’t think Superman should. I feel like prior to the recent Star Wars films, Spock might have won, but I’d bet that since then Yoda has become much more present and famous as an alien than Spock. ---
**Author:** ![Tom\_Tildrum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e95f7d/32.png) [@Tom\_Tildrum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Tildrum)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2009, 4:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-spock-the-most-famous-alien-in-the-history-of-fiction-pop-culture/495040/43 "2009-05-02T04:12:32Z")
> [@don\_t\_ask](#): > > If part aliens count then Jesus - he supposedly had a non-human father. Nonsense. Humans were made in His father’s image. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2009, 10:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-spock-the-most-famous-alien-in-the-history-of-fiction-pop-culture/495040/44 "2009-05-02T10:38:48Z")
In TOS Spock put a wool cap over his ears and passed as human in the 1930s. If Superman doesn’t count, then neither does Spock. Ask the first person you see today what Kryptonite does and they’ll know it is the bane of Superman. Everyone knows Superman is alien. Superman is significantly different than humans - unlike Luke Skywalker who bleeds, breaths, burns and while might have some magic abilities, could never be anything but human. Superman can fly into space and even fly into the sun. He doesn’t bleed (not even green blood like Spock) nor need to breath nor even worry about burning. I stick with my original answer. Superman. ---
**Author:** ![Kal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9de053/32.png) [@Kal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kal)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2009, 10:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-spock-the-most-famous-alien-in-the-history-of-fiction-pop-culture/495040/45 "2009-05-02T10:55:09Z")
Superman is the most famous alien. Most, if not all, of the things that would disqualify him from consideration would also disqualify Spock. After those two, The Doctor would be somewhere on the list but also could pass as a human. Of the alien individuals that couldn’t pass as human, Yoda and Chewbacca would be high on the list as would Jabba the Hutt. Take away being an identifiable individual and just go by most famous type of alien in pop culture, I’d probably go for the bog-standard grey. Followed by wrinkled forehead Klingons, the Xenomorphs from the Alien films, Ewoks, Wookies, original series Cybermen and Daleks. ---
**Author:** ![dotchan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9d8465/32.png) [@dotchan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dotchan)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2009, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-spock-the-most-famous-alien-in-the-history-of-fiction-pop-culture/495040/46 "2009-05-02T20:55:25Z")
Funny, the first thing that popped into my head was E.T. ---
**Author:** ![JThunder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e95f7d/32.png) [@JThunder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JThunder)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2009, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-spock-the-most-famous-alien-in-the-history-of-fiction-pop-culture/495040/47 "2009-05-02T21:05:56Z")
> [@Khadaji](#): > > My thought: Superman! My thought exactly. ---
**Author:** ![SiXSwordS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/49beb7/32.png) [@SiXSwordS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SiXSwordS)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2009, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-spock-the-most-famous-alien-in-the-history-of-fiction-pop-culture/495040/48 "2009-05-02T21:18:56Z")
> [@middleman](#): > > The case for Spock: he is a cultural icon. Live Long a prosper, the hand greeting, “logical” the pinch, and those ears. Everyone immediately recognizes those bits. > > I’m not even sure any other character is close. I think Superman is definitely close and easily wins out if cultural icon status is the issue. Another vote for E.T. too. Do Kang and Kodos count? I put them in the top ten. ---
**Author:** ![SiXSwordS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/49beb7/32.png) [@SiXSwordS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SiXSwordS)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2009, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-spock-the-most-famous-alien-in-the-history-of-fiction-pop-culture/495040/49 "2009-05-02T21:29:39Z")
> [@Jihi](#): > > .. if you asked someone what species Luke Skywalker or Han Solo are most people would say human because the movies don’t define them as anything else. … If you asked someone what species Superman was they’d say “kryptonian.” If someone asked you what species you were, would you say “Earthian”? No, you’d say homo sapiens. As far as I’m concerned, the jury is still out on whether or not Super Man should be considered homo superus or something completely outside terrestrial binomial nomenclature. ---
**Author:** ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2009, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-spock-the-most-famous-alien-in-the-history-of-fiction-pop-culture/495040/50 "2009-05-02T21:37:40Z")
Michael Jackson ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2009, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-spock-the-most-famous-alien-in-the-history-of-fiction-pop-culture/495040/51 "2009-05-02T22:07:01Z")
> [@Miller](#): > > And the green skin. But he also _acts_ alien. He has a distinct non-human viewpoint, beliefs, and mannerisms. Superman’s just an over-grown Kansas farmboy. Spock has green skin? ---
**Author:** ![Cisco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Cisco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cisco)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2009, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-spock-the-most-famous-alien-in-the-history-of-fiction-pop-culture/495040/52 "2009-05-02T22:11:46Z")
> [@SiXSwordS](#): > > Do Kang and Kodos count? I put them in the top ten. I dunno . . . I’m sure a lot of people could tell you they’re from the Simpsons if you showed them a picture, but I doubt a whole ton of people could name them. Only one person besides myself that I can think of in my wide circle of friends and family would know them by name. ---
**Author:** ![mr.jp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/48db29/32.png) [@mr.jp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mr.jp)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2009, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-spock-the-most-famous-alien-in-the-history-of-fiction-pop-culture/495040/53 "2009-05-02T22:22:48Z")
What about Frodo ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2009, 10:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-spock-the-most-famous-alien-in-the-history-of-fiction-pop-culture/495040/54 "2009-05-02T22:26:12Z")
> [@mr.jp](#): > > What about Frodo Frodo was from Earth (Middle-earth is Europe in an imaginary historical time), and hobbits are a sub-species of humanity; moreover, the culture in which he lived did not have hte concept of extra-terrestrials. ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2009, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-spock-the-most-famous-alien-in-the-history-of-fiction-pop-culture/495040/55 "2009-05-02T22:31:53Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > Spock has green skin? I think it’s described as greenish early in TOS and in the series bible, I think; it certainly didn’t seem so on screen. (Of course, the color of Kirk’s tunic comes across wrong on screen too.) TNG Romulans are generally greenish in hue, as are many but not all Vulcans of that era. For a fanwank, you can chalk it up to racial differences. Most of the first Vulcans seen by humans were greenish, I’d say, and as a result, it became common for humans to to refer to Vulcans are being green, though there are obviously also Vulcans whose skin tones approximate those of Caucasians and sub-saharan Africans. ---
**Author:** ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2009, 10:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-spock-the-most-famous-alien-in-the-history-of-fiction-pop-culture/495040/56 "2009-05-02T22:33:16Z")
Spock is half human. ---
**Author:** ![DSYoungEsq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c6cbf5/32.png) [@DSYoungEsq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSYoungEsq)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2009, 11:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-spock-the-most-famous-alien-in-the-history-of-fiction-pop-culture/495040/57 "2009-05-02T23:45:21Z")
Spock was green skinned because he had green blood. That is, whatever pigmentation he had as a Vulcan, the blood is supposed to have tinted it green, in the same way your cheeks are pink because of our red blood. ---
**Author:** ![Man\_With\_a\_Cat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/cab0a1/32.png) [@Man\_With\_a\_Cat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Man_With_a_Cat)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2009, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-spock-the-most-famous-alien-in-the-history-of-fiction-pop-culture/495040/58 "2009-05-02T23:48:27Z")
Albert Einstein? ---
**Author:** ![Washoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/ecae2f/32.png) [@Washoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Washoe)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2009, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-spock-the-most-famous-alien-in-the-history-of-fiction-pop-culture/495040/59 "2009-05-03T00:06:48Z")
> [@Lightray](#): > > And Spock is only _half_-alien and raised by only one alien parent; if there’s quibbling to be done on Supes, Spock isn’t exactly distinguishing himself there. Also, Spock is just an elf in sci-fi cosplay. Also, Spock has successfully passed himself off as a human, on Earth, during the 1930’s. The criteria should be that the candidate could not, under any circumstance, be mistaken as human. Just off the top of my head, the distinction should be awarded to something from the Star Wars franchise, ET, or ALF. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2009, 12:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-spock-the-most-famous-alien-in-the-history-of-fiction-pop-culture/495040/60 "2009-05-03T00:14:13Z")
> [@Washoe](#): > > The criteria should be that the candidate could not, under any circumstance, be mistaken as human. How does it come to pass that? Skywalker and Vader are aliens in that they sho ain’t from around here. 🙂 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-spock-the-most-famous-alien-in-the-history-of-fiction-pop-culture/495040.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-spock-the-most-famous-alien-in-the-history-of-fiction-pop-culture/495040.md?page=4)