# 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:** 2
**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, 11:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-more-iconic-scifi-character/970356/21 "2022-08-25T23:58:45Z")
If we talking about additions to the list I would nominate Mad Max as well Arnold as the Terminator. ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2022, 11:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-more-iconic-scifi-character/970356/22 "2022-08-25T23:59:51Z")
After Spock, Robby the Robot. ---
**Author:** ![TroutMan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troutman/32/6721_2.png) [@TroutMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TroutMan)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2022, 12:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-more-iconic-scifi-character/970356/23 "2022-08-26T00:00:38Z")
I debated between Spock and Darth Vader but eventually went with Vader. Spock might be more unique and interesting, but Vader is more iconic. One anecdote that contributed to my choice: in the Star Trek reboot when the real Spock appeared on the frozen planet, there was an appreciative murmur from the crowd. But in Rogue One when Vader made his entrance at the end, people lost their _shit_. ---
**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 26, 2022, 12:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-more-iconic-scifi-character/970356/24 "2022-08-26T00:01:42Z")
I almost added The Terminator but honestly setting up a poll on a phone is a pain in the ass. ---
**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 26, 2022, 12:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-more-iconic-scifi-character/970356/25 "2022-08-26T00:19:43Z")
I don’t have a Hawai’ian print silhouette of Spock as my school page icon. ---
**Author:** ![Horatius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/horatius/32/3572_2.png) [@Horatius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatius)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2022, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-more-iconic-scifi-character/970356/26 "2022-08-26T00:49:24Z")
> [@Kent\_Clark](#): > > Darth Vader, at least for 1 1/2 movies, was a standard villain. Spock was a completely unique character. Spock was just one of several Vulcans, even in the original series. Vader was unique in the whole Star Wars universe. Plus, he’s the only one you can identify _instantly_ just by beginning to hear him breathe. There was one trailer, they didn’t even need to _show_ him, they just added the sound at the end of the trailer. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2022, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-more-iconic-scifi-character/970356/27 "2022-08-26T00:54:31Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > 2 **billion** books sold world-wide says different. Yabbut _those_ people probably watch soccer and call it _football_. /s ---
**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:** [August 26, 2022, 1:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-more-iconic-scifi-character/970356/28 "2022-08-26T01:01:57Z")
Darth Vader is the greatest villain in the history of film. That puts him well ahead of anyone else on the list. ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2022, 1:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-more-iconic-scifi-character/970356/29 "2022-08-26T01:29:56Z")
He _was_ the greatest villain in the history of film until he became a whiny pain in the ass. ---
**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:** [August 26, 2022, 2:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-more-iconic-scifi-character/970356/30 "2022-08-26T02:05:08Z")
Of this television and movie only list, I would go with The Doctor. ---
**Author:** ![ParallelLines](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/parallellines/32/3575_2.png) [@ParallelLines](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ParallelLines)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2022, 3:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-more-iconic-scifi-character/970356/31 "2022-08-26T03:24:48Z")
I thought long and hard about the poll choices. Not going to talk about off poll choices, because that would be another thread and we’ve already tried to go there a few times. While pondering, I figured I’d look at a definition again to help clear things up: > **[Definition of ICONIC](https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/iconic)** > > of, relating to, or having the characteristics of an icon; widely recognized and well-established; widely known and acknowledged especially for distinctive excellence… See the full definition And reading the third point “widely known and acknowledged especially for _distinctive_ excellence” (emphasis added) I went with Ripley. Most of the other characters in the thread are indeed iconic, but they’re variants of much more common roles in the history of (science) fiction. But Ripley is an ‘everyman’ of a character, having been written (according to many places on the webs) to be cast male or female. But she is most certainly female, and one without any of the heroic (or superheroic) skills, races, or talents of the most of the others on the list - she gets by with skill, brains, and grit. Solo can make the same claim, but the rogue with a heart of gold is not exactly distinct - even if the performance certainly is. And this role, this icon as it were, became the leading light for literally generations of female leads to come. So that’s my reason, different emphasis on different portions of the definition will certainly lead others down other paths. ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2022, 12:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-more-iconic-scifi-character/970356/32 "2022-08-26T12:42:19Z")
ISTM there may be a bit too many variations on The Doctor at this point so that the “icon” is different for everyone who could have supported that. Then again maybe that’s just me being a scarfie. But yeah as mentioned, of these characters Ripley, Han and Kirk are really more like badass girl next door, magnificent rogue, and All-American-Hero tropes plonked down into a spaceship. (I’d say the _Alien_ is more iconic of the Alien franchise.) > [@terentii](#): > > He _was_ the greatest villain in the history of film until he became a whiny pain in the ass. Vader was great. Anakin was lame. Lesson: Become powerfully evil and you will be awesome and feared and instantly recognizable around the world. 😝 ---
**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 26, 2022, 12:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-more-iconic-scifi-character/970356/33 "2022-08-26T12:44:22Z")
> [@terentii](#): > > He _was_ the greatest villain in the history of film until he became a whiny pain in the ass. And white. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/ZqKv_laDbks/hqdefault.jpg "The Hooper X monologue") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZqKv_laDbks&t=6s) ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2022, 12:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-more-iconic-scifi-character/970356/34 "2022-08-26T12:49:46Z")
> [@JRDelirious](#): > > Lesson: Become powerfully evil and you will be awesome and feared and instantly recognizable around the world. Like Putin. 🤢 ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2022, 1:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-more-iconic-scifi-character/970356/35 "2022-08-26T13:21:52Z")
> [@Grrr](#): > > 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”. Even the Doctor is doing mind melds these days. ---
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2022, 1:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-more-iconic-scifi-character/970356/36 "2022-08-26T13:26:19Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > 2 **billion** books sold world-wide says different. Dude, no one has heard of Perry Rhodan. He’s not even iconic compared to other “olde time-y” sci fi characters like Flash Gordon, Buck Rogers, or John Carter. Most iconic hast to be Darth Vader. His helmet is literally an icon > **[Darth Vader Icon - Free PNG & SVG 65913 - Noun Project](https://thenounproject.com/icon/darth-vader-65913/)** > > Free vector & PNG Darth Vader image 65913 by Rohith M S. Get this royalty free image & millions more free icons from the world's most diverse collection. ---
**Author:** ![Horatius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/horatius/32/3572_2.png) [@Horatius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatius)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2022, 1:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-more-iconic-scifi-character/970356/37 "2022-08-26T13:54:56Z")
What’s a Nubian? ---
**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 26, 2022, 2:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-more-iconic-scifi-character/970356/38 "2022-08-26T14:00:32Z")
It’s Banky’s expression that really sells it here. ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2022, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-more-iconic-scifi-character/970356/39 "2022-08-26T16:32:01Z")
> [@JRDelirious](#): > > ISTM there may be a bit too many variations on The Doctor at this point so that the “icon” is different for everyone who could have supported that. The TARDIS is way more iconic than any individual incarnation of the Doctor. ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2022, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-more-iconic-scifi-character/970356/40 "2022-08-26T16:52:33Z")
I’m not sure if this is what is meant by iconic, but I think more people around the world would recognize Vader than any of the other characters. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-more-iconic-scifi-character/970356.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-more-iconic-scifi-character/970356.md?page=3)