# Red-eyed robots **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 29, 2026, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/red-eyed-robots/1034246 "2026-10-29T21:22:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2026, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/red-eyed-robots/1034246/1 "2026-10-29T21:22:50Z")
Where did this this thing in books, movies and television where having robots having red eyes means that they are evil or are turning evil come from? Secondary question: What idiotic engineer keeps giving them red eyes?? ---
**Author:** ![Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/q.q.switcheroo/32/5713_2.png) [@Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.Q.Switcheroo)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2026, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/red-eyed-robots/1034246/2 "2026-10-29T21:30:20Z")
TV Tropes’ earliest example of red eyes on a villainous character is Grendel in _Beowulf_, though his eyes are only described as flame-like. The earliest example they give for specifically red eyes is the title character in _Dracula_. [https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/RedEyesTakeWarning](https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/RedEyesTakeWarning) There’s a separate page for robot eyes that glow red and otherwise: [https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/GlowingMechanicalEyes](https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/GlowingMechanicalEyes) ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2026, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/red-eyed-robots/1034246/3 "2026-10-29T21:37:56Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > Secondary question: What idiotic engineer keeps giving them red eyes?? No, that’s good engineering. Without the red LEDs installed, we couldn’t tell when the robots are going evil. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2026, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/red-eyed-robots/1034246/4 "2026-10-29T21:50:32Z")
They “go evil” in 0.02 seconds, and your “warning” is a laser in the back, or that soft squishy feeling when your inner ears meld together. ---
**Author:** ![bobot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobot/32/21622_2.png) [@bobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobot)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2026, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/red-eyed-robots/1034246/5 "2026-10-29T22:01:21Z")
“Red Eyed Robots” Band name. ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2026, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/red-eyed-robots/1034246/6 "2026-10-29T22:03:21Z")
If all you had to drink was 30-weight, your eyes would be red, too! ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2026, 10:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/red-eyed-robots/1034246/7 "2026-10-29T22:17:37Z")
Well, there’s this guy from 1984: [![](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/v2/t:0,l:280,cw:720,ch:720,q:80,w:720/gon65SMMrCEbYAzuZ7opPD.jpg) ](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/v2/t:0,l:280,cw:720,ch:720,q:80,w:720/gon65SMMrCEbYAzuZ7opPD.jpg) Let\s see if we can find someone earlier. ---
**Author:** ![Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/q.q.switcheroo/32/5713_2.png) [@Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.Q.Switcheroo)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2026, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/red-eyed-robots/1034246/8 "2026-10-29T22:18:59Z")
From 1977: [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/SgdV4SGkD9E/hqdefault.jpg "The Muppet Show: Muppet Labs - Gorilla Detector") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SgdV4SGkD9E) ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2026, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/red-eyed-robots/1034246/9 "2026-10-29T23:35:08Z")
> [@Alessan](#): > > Let\s see if we can find someone earlier. By your command! [![](https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/b/b5/BSG_-_Cylon_%281978_TV_series%29.jpg/250px-BSG_-_Cylon_%281978_TV_series%29.jpg?utm_source=en.wikipedia.org&utm_campaign=parser&utm_content=thumbnail) ](https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/b/b5/BSG_-_Cylon_%281978_TV_series%29.jpg/250px-BSG_-_Cylon_%281978_TV_series%29.jpg?utm_source=en.wikipedia.org&utm_campaign=parser&utm_content=thumbnail) ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2026, 12:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/red-eyed-robots/1034246/10 "2026-10-30T00:16:32Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > No, that’s good engineering. Without the red LEDs installed, we couldn’t tell when the robots are going evil. Man, this sounds like KITT slander. ---
**Author:** ![Reply](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/reply/32/15952_2.png) [@Reply](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reply)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2026, 12:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/red-eyed-robots/1034246/11 "2026-10-30T00:19:25Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > Without the red LEDs installed, we couldn’t tell when the robots are going evil. Heh! ---
**Author:** ![Kimstu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecd19e/32.png) [@Kimstu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimstu)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2026, 12:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/red-eyed-robots/1034246/12 "2026-10-30T00:21:19Z")
1957, Bevery Cleary, _Henry and the Paper Route_: tech-nerd kid _avant la lettre_ is building a mechanical robot named Thorvo. > [@](#): > > He found part of a string of old Christmas tree lights and fitted two of them into sockets in the robot’s head. > “Are his eyes going to light up?” asked Robert, with a touch of awe in his voice. > “Of course,” answered Murph. […] > “You can put in blue Christmas tree bulbs, and he’ll have blue eyes!” > “Thorvo’s eyes are going to be red,” stated Murph definitely. Red was considered a standard color for robot “eyes” long before it became an Evil-Robot characteristic specifically. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2026, 12:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/red-eyed-robots/1034246/13 "2026-10-30T00:22:57Z")
_You_ can trust a car that can go over 300 mph, has full control of itself, comes with ejector seats and has a big red Cylon eye, but I sure as hell won’t. ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2026, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/red-eyed-robots/1034246/14 "2026-10-30T00:46:19Z")
Geeze. It’s Robot Kong. From that kaiju movie. ---
**Author:** ![Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/q.q.switcheroo/32/5713_2.png) [@Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.Q.Switcheroo)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2026, 1:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/red-eyed-robots/1034246/15 "2026-10-30T01:07:42Z")
It is indeed. How Jim Henson got his hands on that prop, I have no idea. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2026, 1:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/red-eyed-robots/1034246/16 "2026-10-30T01:21:54Z")
Can’t be, Robot Kong is much bigger. ---
**Author:** ![Snooooopy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ee7513/32.png) [@Snooooopy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snooooopy)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2026, 6:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/red-eyed-robots/1034246/17 "2026-10-30T06:53:18Z")
I bet the designer of HAL 9000 had to keep reassuring people over and over that, yes, he’s represented by a big, scary, red eye, but he’s definitely not going to do anything evil, like try to kill everyone on board the ship. And after he DID try to kill everyone on board the ship, the designer came up with the masterstroke of giving SAL 9000 a blue eye, because blue is always good. ---
**Author:** ![Scoobysnax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c4cdca/32.png) [@Scoobysnax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scoobysnax)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2026, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/red-eyed-robots/1034246/18 "2026-10-30T14:37:33Z")
That could be the reason why. The first LEDs to produce visible light were red. ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2026, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/red-eyed-robots/1034246/19 "2026-10-30T16:30:29Z")
The earliest one I could find was on Uncanny Tales, April 1942 cover by K. P. Ainsworth. [![](https://isfdb.org/wiki/images/1/11/NCNNTLSPRL1942.jpg) ](https://isfdb.org/wiki/images/1/11/NCNNTLSPRL1942.jpg) A good cover with evil eyes was on Amazing Stories, October 1958, cover by Ed Valigursky [![](https://isfdb.org/wiki/images/3/38/AMAZOCT1958.jpg) ](https://isfdb.org/wiki/images/3/38/AMAZOCT1958.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![susan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/susan/32/17537_2.png) [@susan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susan)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2026, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/red-eyed-robots/1034246/20 "2026-10-30T18:00:39Z")
Yes, I’ve always assumed the default robot eyes were red (and, perhaps, that the default science fiction robot was evil?). [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/red-eyed-robots/1034246.md?page=2)