# Who is the more iconic SciFi character? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** actor-characters\ **Created:** [August 25, 2022, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-more-iconic-scifi-character/970356 "2022-08-25T21:44:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2022, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-more-iconic-scifi-character/970356/1 "2022-08-25T21:44:52Z")
_Poll ([view on site](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-more-iconic-scifi-character/970356/1))_ ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2022, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-more-iconic-scifi-character/970356/2 "2022-08-25T21:48:20Z")
It has to be Spock. Kirk was a standard hero in space. Darth Vader, at least for 1 1/2 movies, was a standard villain. Spock was a completely unique character. As for The Doctor, any particular Doctor, or all of them as a group? ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2022, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-more-iconic-scifi-character/970356/3 "2022-08-25T21:51:39Z")
I’m counting them as one character. I agree with what you said with Spock. ---
**Author:** ![EinsteinsHund](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/einsteinshund/32/8400_2.png) [@EinsteinsHund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EinsteinsHund)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2022, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-more-iconic-scifi-character/970356/4 "2022-08-25T21:55:37Z")
I was torn between Spock or Han Solo, but the rough renegade had already existed in Westerns, and Spock was like no one ever before. ---
**Author:** ![Grrr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grrr/32/146_2.png) [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2022, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-more-iconic-scifi-character/970356/5 "2022-08-25T21:57:38Z")
Spock. Because a lot of Vulcan culture spills over into other sci-fi with confused fair-weather fans. Like when Obama said “Jedi mind meld”. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2022, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-more-iconic-scifi-character/970356/6 "2022-08-25T22:00:00Z")
_Iconic_ would be Perry Rhodan. > **[Perry Rhodan](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perry_Rhodan)** > > Perry Rhodan is a West German/German space opera franchise, named after its hero. It commenced in 1961 and has been ongoing for decades, written by an ever-changing team of authors. Having sold approximately two billion copies (in novella format) worldwide (including over one billion in Germany alone), it is the most successful science fiction book series ever written. The first billion of worldwide sales was celebrated in 1986. The series has spun off into comic books, audio dramas, video gam Th... ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2022, 10:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-more-iconic-scifi-character/970356/7 "2022-08-25T22:06:56Z")
I read some of those books back in the 80s. But Perry Rhodan is hardly a well recognized name. ---
**Author:** ![EinsteinsHund](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/einsteinshund/32/8400_2.png) [@EinsteinsHund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EinsteinsHund)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2022, 10:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-more-iconic-scifi-character/970356/8 "2022-08-25T22:13:04Z")
Yeah, I think that Perry Rhodan is primarily a German phenomenon. I don’t understand it though, I’ve never met anyone who reads it. I don’t know who these people are (yes I know, nerds, but I am a German nerd myself). ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2022, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-more-iconic-scifi-character/970356/9 "2022-08-25T22:18:01Z")
Yoda on list not? ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2022, 10:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-more-iconic-scifi-character/970356/10 "2022-08-25T22:19:44Z")
2 **billion** books sold world-wide says different. ---
**Author:** ![ekedolphin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ekedolphin/32/10003_2.png) [@ekedolphin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ekedolphin)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2022, 10:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-more-iconic-scifi-character/970356/11 "2022-08-25T22:42:15Z")
I’ve loved sci-fi all my life and I’ve never heard of Perry Rhodan, sorry. 🤷‍♂️ ---
**Author:** ![velomont](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/8491ac/32.png) [@velomont](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/velomont)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2022, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-more-iconic-scifi-character/970356/12 "2022-08-25T22:45:25Z")
I’d be tempted to say HAL 9000 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![dorvann](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/df705f/32.png) [@dorvann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dorvann)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2022, 10:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-more-iconic-scifi-character/970356/13 "2022-08-25T22:56:16Z")
I went with Darth Vader because his entire image with the black face helmet and labored breathing is a more unique VISUAL than the others that look mostly human. ---
**Author:** ![Dropo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ce7236/32.png) [@Dropo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dropo)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2022, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-more-iconic-scifi-character/970356/14 "2022-08-25T23:10:37Z")
Robot Maria from _Metropolis_ (1927) has been around - and iconic - far longer than any other character on the list. [![](https://netrinoimages.s3.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/2018/07/25/533793/263653/inspired_robot_maria_scene_from_the_1927_movie_metropolis_3d_model_c4d_max_obj_fbx_ma_lwo_3ds_3dm_stl_2768730_o.jpg) ](https://netrinoimages.s3.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/2018/07/25/533793/263653/inspired_robot_maria_scene_from_the_1927_movie_metropolis_3d_model_c4d_max_obj_fbx_ma_lwo_3ds_3dm_stl_2768730_o.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![SCAdian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scadian/32/3292_2.png) [@SCAdian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SCAdian)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2022, 11:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-more-iconic-scifi-character/970356/15 "2022-08-25T23:14:43Z")
I had one book back in the early '70s. Don’t remember much about it. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2022, 11:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-more-iconic-scifi-character/970356/16 "2022-08-25T23:17:23Z")
This wasn’t meant to be the most iconic ever, just most iconic of this list. I mean many were left off like Robby the Robot. ---
**Author:** ![Biffster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biffster/32/339_2.png) [@Biffster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffster)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2022, 11:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-more-iconic-scifi-character/970356/17 "2022-08-25T23:28:37Z")
I vote for Spock, but I would say another iconic sci-fi character would be Roy Batty from Bladerunner. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2022, 11:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-more-iconic-scifi-character/970356/18 "2022-08-25T23:32:42Z")
I’m shocked you voted for Spock. 😀 Speaking of Spock, non-Trek fans are aware of the Mirror Mirror trope of Spock’s Mirror self having a beard. ---
**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:** [August 25, 2022, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-more-iconic-scifi-character/970356/19 "2022-08-25T23:39:37Z")
“Faster than a speeding bullet!” “More powerful than a locomotive!” “Able to leap tall buildings at a single bound!” _“Look, up in the sky! It’s a bird. It’s a plane. It’s Superman!_ Yes, it’s Superman: strange visitor from another planet, who came to Earth with powers and abilities far beyond those of mortal men; Superman, who can change the course of mighty rivers, bend steel in his bare hands, and who — disguised as Clark Kent, mild-mannered reporter for a great metropolitan newspaper — fights a neverending battle for Truth, Justice, and the American Way! ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2022, 11:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-more-iconic-scifi-character/970356/20 "2022-08-25T23:56:12Z")
Sorry, Super Heroes is not SciFi. It’s its own sub-genre of Spec Fiction. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-more-iconic-scifi-character/970356.md?page=2)