Elder race
Encyclopedia
An elder race in science fiction
, fantasy
, or horror
fiction
is a fictional alien
race that preceded humanity
. Occasionally they are a more advanced version of humanity instead of aliens (e.g., the Stargate
Ancients). Elder races generally have abilities and technologies
(or magics
, in some cases) that generally far surpass that of humanity. In works of science fiction, their technologies are often so advanced as to seem magical or even godlike both to the human protagonists and to the present-day reader.
In some works, the elder race has long since departed the scene, leaving nothing but artifacts and other evidence of their activities. In others, the elder race remains in existence, but is in decline or has deliberately withdrawn to the periphery in order to avoid interfering with the development of humanity and any other younger races. A few elder races are portrayed as still being very much active in the story-current scene, and members of them may function as advisers or as antagonist
s.
Some elder races are portrayed as wise benefactors, bringing culture and knowledge to humanity and other younger races. Other elder races are callous exploiters, and regard younger races as so much raw material to be used and even used up. A few are portrayed ambiguously, with their well-intended actions having unexpected consequences. For instance, a client race may use their new-found technology for self-destruction, or a policy of non-interference may turn out to be a way of abdicating responsibility
for using one's power wisely (power corrupts the best of intentions).
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
, fantasy
Fantasy
Fantasy is a genre of fiction that commonly uses magic and other supernatural phenomena as a primary element of plot, theme, or setting. Many works within the genre take place in imaginary worlds where magic is common...
, or horror
Horror fiction
Horror fiction also Horror fantasy is a philosophy of literature, which is intended to, or has the capacity to frighten its readers, inducing feelings of horror and terror. It creates an eerie atmosphere. Horror can be either supernatural or non-supernatural...
fiction
Fiction
Fiction is the form of any narrative or informative work that deals, in part or in whole, with information or events that are not factual, but rather, imaginary—that is, invented by the author. Although fiction describes a major branch of literary work, it may also refer to theatrical,...
is a fictional alien
Extraterrestrial life in popular culture
In popular cultures, "extraterrestrials" are life forms — especially intelligent life forms— that are of extraterrestrial origin .-Historical ideas:-Pre-modern:...
race that preceded humanity
Human Race
Human Race refers to the Human species.Human race may also refer to:*The Human Race, 79th episode of YuYu Hakusho* Human Race Theatre Company of Dayton Ohio* Human Race Machine, a computer graphics device...
. Occasionally they are a more advanced version of humanity instead of aliens (e.g., the Stargate
Stargate
Stargate is a adventure military science fiction franchise, initially conceived by Roland Emmerich and Dean Devlin. The first film in the franchise was simply titled Stargate. It was originally released on October 28, 1994, by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer and Carolco, and became a hit, grossing nearly...
Ancients). Elder races generally have abilities and technologies
Technology
Technology is the making, usage, and knowledge of tools, machines, techniques, crafts, systems or methods of organization in order to solve a problem or perform a specific function. It can also refer to the collection of such tools, machinery, and procedures. The word technology comes ;...
(or magics
Magic (paranormal)
Magic is the claimed art of manipulating aspects of reality either by supernatural means or through knowledge of occult laws unknown to science. It is in contrast to science, in that science does not accept anything not subject to either direct or indirect observation, and subject to logical...
, in some cases) that generally far surpass that of humanity. In works of science fiction, their technologies are often so advanced as to seem magical or even godlike both to the human protagonists and to the present-day reader.
In some works, the elder race has long since departed the scene, leaving nothing but artifacts and other evidence of their activities. In others, the elder race remains in existence, but is in decline or has deliberately withdrawn to the periphery in order to avoid interfering with the development of humanity and any other younger races. A few elder races are portrayed as still being very much active in the story-current scene, and members of them may function as advisers or as antagonist
Antagonist
An antagonist is a character, group of characters, or institution, that represents the opposition against which the protagonist must contend...
s.
Some elder races are portrayed as wise benefactors, bringing culture and knowledge to humanity and other younger races. Other elder races are callous exploiters, and regard younger races as so much raw material to be used and even used up. A few are portrayed ambiguously, with their well-intended actions having unexpected consequences. For instance, a client race may use their new-found technology for self-destruction, or a policy of non-interference may turn out to be a way of abdicating responsibility
Moral responsibility
Moral responsibility usually refers to the idea that a person has moral obligations in certain situations. Disobeying moral obligations, then, becomes grounds for justified punishment. Deciding what justifies punishment, if anything, is a principle concern of ethics.People who have moral...
for using one's power wisely (power corrupts the best of intentions).
Examples
- The Builders from the Heritage UniverseHeritage UniverseThe Heritage Universe is a fictional setting created by Charles Sheffield for a series of science fiction novels. The date of the setting is several thousand years into the future, during a time when human space colonization has filled much of the local spiral arm of the galaxy...
- The creators of the monoliths in Arthur C. Clarke'sArthur C. ClarkeSir Arthur Charles Clarke, CBE, FRAS was a British science fiction author, inventor, and futurist, famous for his short stories and novels, among them 2001: A Space Odyssey, and as a host and commentator in the British television series Mysterious World. For many years, Robert A. Heinlein,...
20012001: A Space Odyssey (novel)2001: A Space Odyssey is a science fiction novel by Arthur C. Clarke. It was developed concurrently with Stanley Kubrick's film version and published after the release of the film...
series as well as unnamed and unseen aliens, sometimes known as the 'Firstborn', in the movie - The "elder race of man" of Rush's 21122112 (album)2112 is the fourth studio album by Canadian rock band Rush, released in 1976.The album features an eponymous seven-part suite written by Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson, with lyrics written by Neil Peart telling a dystopian story set in the year 2112. The album is sometimes described as a concept album...
are portrayed as humans from our era, the ones that are not under control of a totalitarian government. - The evil in the novel The Alchemyst: The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas FlamelThe Alchemyst: The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas FlamelThe Alchemyst: The Secrets of the Immortal Nicolas Flamel is the first novel in the six book series The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel. It is written by Irish author Michael Scott and was published in May 2007...
are the dark elders who are trying to take back the earth. - Progenitor Manifold Caretakers and Usurpers – Sid Meier's Alien Crossfire
- The Lambent Kith Nebula and the Spirit of the AbyssSpirit of the AbyssThe Spirit of the Abyss is the leader and god of the Magog in the TV series Andromeda. The Abyss is also referred to as "the Darkness" many times in the series...
– AndromedaAndromeda (TV series)Andromeda is a Canadian-American science fiction television series, based on unused material by the late Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry, developed by Robert Hewitt Wolfe, and produced by Roddenberry's widow, Majel Barrett Roddenberry. It starred Kevin Sorbo as High Guard Captain Dylan Hunt... - VorlonVorlonA Vorlon is a member of a fictional alien species in the Babylon 5 television series and fictional universe. The Vorlon species is a member of the First Ones, a group made up of the earliest species to gain sentience in the galaxy...
s, ShadowsShadow (Babylon 5)The Shadows are a fictional alien species in the science fiction television series Babylon 5. Their homeworld is Z'ha'dum. In contrast to the Vorlons, whose philosophy is represented by the question "Who are you?", that of the Shadows is represented by the question "What do you want?", centering...
, The Hand, Thirdspace aliens and the First OnesFirst OnesThe First Ones is the collective name of a group of aliens from the television science fiction drama Babylon 5.-Overview:The First Ones are the ancient alien races of the galaxy, the first organisms to achieve sentience and the first to become spacefaring. Of these races, Lorien's was the first,...
– Babylon 5Babylon 5Babylon 5 is an American science fiction television series created, produced and largely written by J. Michael Straczynski. The show centers on a space station named Babylon 5: a focal point for politics, diplomacy, and conflict during the years 2257–2262... - The Beings of Light and Count IblisCount IblisCount Iblis is an alien on the TV series Battlestar Galactica. He was part of the original 1978 series, and was central to the plot of the two-part episode War of the Gods. In that episode, he was played by Patrick Macnee. He did not appear in the re-imagined series.- 1978 continuity :When a...
from the original Battlestar GalacticaBattlestar Galactica (1978 TV series)Battlestar Galactica is an American science fiction television series, created by Glen A. Larson. It starred Lorne Greene, Richard Hatch and Dirk Benedict and ran for one season in 1978–79. After cancellation, its story was continued in 1980 as Galactica 1980 with Adama, Lieutenant Boomer and... - Cthonians – BattlezoneBattlezone (computer game)Battlezone is a critically acclaimed remake of an arcade game of the same name. It was released by Activision in 1998. Aside from the name and presence of tanks, this game bears little resemblance to the original. Activision remade it into a hybrid of a tank simulation game, a first-person shooter...
- Shapers - LarklightLarklightLarklight is a children's novel by author Philip Reeve. Illustrated by David Wyatt, it is the first book in the Larklight Trilogy. The hardcover edition has alternate title lines Or the Revenge of the White Spiders! or to Saturn's Rings and Back!...
- The Four Founding Races, the Jaghut, Imass, K'Chain Che'Malle and Forkrul Assail, along with several Human ancestor-racesHuman races from the Malazan Book of the Fallen seriesIn the fantasy series The Malazan Book of the Fallen, there are many different races. In the Malazan World, the human races are divided by geographical and political boundaries...
such as the Imass, Thelomen Toblakai, Trell, Barghast, Moranth and Eres'al, who all share a direct ancestry with humans through the Imass, themselves descended from the Eres'al, along with several invading racesInvading races from the Malazan Book of the Fallen seriesIn the Malazan Book of the Fallen fantasy series by Steven Erikson, there are four races which are not native to the Malazan World. They are the three Tiste races and the Eleint race, a race of dragons....
such as Tiste Edur, Tiste Andii, Tiste Liosan and the Eleint from Ian Cameron EsslemontIan Cameron EsslemontIan Cameron Esslemont is a Canadian writer. He was trained and has worked as an archaeologist. He is best-known for his series Novels of the Malazan Empire, which is set in the same world as the Malazan Book of the Fallen epic fantasy series popularised by his friend and collaborator, Steven Erikson...
and Steven EriksonSteven EriksonSteven Erikson is the pseudonym of Steve Rune Lundin, a Canadian novelist, who was educated and trained as both an archaeologist and anthropologist....
's Malazan Book of the FallenMalazan Book of the FallenThe Malazan Book of the Fallen is an epic fantasy series written by Canadian author Steven Erikson, published in ten volumes beginning with the novel Gardens of the Moon, published in 1999. The series was completed with the publication of The Crippled God in February 2011... - The VokVokThe Vok are a race of fictional aliens from the Transformers universe.-Beast Wars:In Transformers history, the Vok were mysterious and powerful aliens who had evolved beyond the corporeal world. Their base of operations—be it another planet, location in space, or entire dimension—is dubbed "Nexus...
– Beast Wars: Transformers - Demons in the BuffyverseBuffyverseThe Buffyverse, also known as the Whedonverse or Slayerverse , is the shared fictional universe in which the TV series Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel are set. This term, originally coined by fans of the TV series, has since been used in the titles of published works, and adopted by Joss...
predate man. Giles tells the Scoobies that unlike what "popular mythology" would have us believe, this world did not begin as a paradise. - Kingdom of Zeal – Chrono TriggerChrono Triggeris a role-playing video game developed and published by Square for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System in 1995. Chrono Triggers development team included three designers that Square dubbed the "Dream Team": Hironobu Sakaguchi, the creator of Square's Final Fantasy series; Yuji Horii, a...
- Elder ThingElder ThingThe Elder Things are fictional extraterrestrials in the Cthulhu Mythos. The beings first appeared, although not named in H. P. Lovecraft's short story "The Dreams in the Witch-House"...
s in the Cthulhu MythosCthulhu MythosThe Cthulhu Mythos is a shared fictional universe, based on the work of American horror writer H. P. Lovecraft.The term was first coined by August Derleth, a contemporary correspondent of Lovecraft, who used the name of the creature Cthulhu - a central figure in Lovecraft literature and the focus...
of H. P. LovecraftH. P. LovecraftHoward Phillips Lovecraft --often credited as H.P. Lovecraft — was an American author of horror, fantasy and science fiction, especially the subgenre known as weird fiction....
, they created life on Earth after its come from outer space one billion years ago. - Elder and Sublimed civilisations – The CultureThe CultureThe Culture is a fictional interstellar anarchist, socialist, and utopian society created by the Scottish writer Iain M. Banks which features in a number of science fiction novels and works of short fiction by him, collectively called the Culture series....
- The Jokers in Terry PratchettTerry PratchettSir Terence David John "Terry" Pratchett, OBE is an English novelist, known for his frequently comical work in the fantasy genre. He is best known for his popular and long-running Discworld series of comic fantasy novels...
's The Dark Side of the SunThe Dark Side of the SunThe Dark Side of the Sun is a science fiction novel by Terry Pratchett, first published in 1976. It is similar to the work of Isaac Asimov. According to Don D'Ammassa, both this and Pratchett's 1981 sci-fi novel Strata are spoofing parts of Larry Niven's Ringworld...
(1976), who predate all the sentient species in the novel, leaving behind artefacts and a cryptic poem. - Guardians of the UniverseGuardians of the UniverseThe Guardians of the Universe, alternatively known as the Guardians or Oans are a fictional extraterrestrial race in the DC Comics universe. They first appeared in Green Lantern Vol. 2 #1 , and were created by John Broome and Gil Kane. Here they do not reveal their existence to Hal, bringing his...
, ControllersThe ControllersThe Controllers are a fictional extraterrestrial race existing in the DC Universe. They first appear in Adventure Comics #357 , and were created by Jim Shooter, Mort Weisinger, and Curt Swan.-Pre-Crisis:...
, Zamarons and the New GodsNew GodsThe New Gods are a fictional race appearing in publications by DC Comics, as well as the title for four series of comic books about those characters. They first appeared in New Gods #1 , and were created and designed by Jack Kirby....
– DC Comics - The Ancients and Shivans – Descent: FreeSpace – The Great War
- Time LordTime LordThe Time Lords are an ancient extraterrestrial race and civilization of humanoids in the British science fiction television series Doctor Who, of which the series' eponymous protagonist, the Doctor, is a member...
s, Osirians, Disciples of Light, and Great Vampires – Doctor WhoDoctor WhoDoctor Who is a British science fiction television programme produced by the BBC. The programme depicts the adventures of a time-travelling humanoid alien known as the Doctor who explores the universe in a sentient time machine called the TARDIS that flies through time and space, whose exterior... - CalebanCalebanCaleban are a fictional major race of beings seen in two of Frank Herbert's novels, The Dosadi Experiment and Whipping Star, which is set in the ConSentiency universe series of stories.-Overview:...
– The Dosadi ExperimentThe Dosadi ExperimentThe Dosadi Experiment is a science fiction novel written by Frank Herbert. It is the second full-length novel set in the ConSentiency universe established by Herbert in his novelette The Tactful Saboteur and continued in Whipping Star.... - Ancients, Builders – FarscapeFarscapeFarscape is an Australian-American science fiction television series filmed in Australia and produced originally for the Nine Network. The series was conceived by Rockne S. O'Bannon and produced by Jim Henson Productions and Hallmark Entertainment...
- The Krell of Forbidden PlanetForbidden PlanetForbidden Planet is a 1956 science fiction film directed by Fred M. Wilcox, with a screenplay by Cyril Hume. It stars Leslie Nielsen, Walter Pidgeon, and Anne Francis. The characters and its setting have been compared to those in William Shakespeare's The Tempest, and its plot contains certain...
who achieved the pinnacle of technology and destroyed themselves in one night. - The Creators – GuyverGuyveris a manga series written by Yoshiki Takaya. The Guyver itself is a symbiotic techno-organic device that enhances the capabilities of its host....
- In Mass EffectMass EffectMass Effect is an action role-playing game developed by BioWare for the Xbox 360 and Microsoft Windows by Demiurge Studios. The Xbox 360 version was released worldwide in November 2007 published by Microsoft Game Studios...
, the Protheans are believed to be the elder race of the Milky WayMilky WayThe Milky Way is the galaxy that contains the Solar System. This name derives from its appearance as a dim un-resolved "milky" glowing band arching across the night sky...
, but it is later revealed that they were controlled and destroyed by the Reapers. - The KimeraKimera (species)The Kimera are a fictional alien species from the television series Earth: Final Conflict. Members of the species are first seen in the final episode of the show's first season, when a Kimera named Ha'Gel is recovered by an independent salvage crew from the bottom of the ocean...
– Earth: Final ConflictEarth: Final ConflictEarth: Final Conflict is a Canadian science fiction television series based on story ideas created by Gene Roddenberry, and produced under the guidance of his widow, Majel Barrett-Roddenberry. It was not produced, filmed or broadcast until after his death... - The civilization of the Argonnessen giants in the D&D setting EberronEberronEberron is a campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game, set in a period after a vast destructive war on the continent of Khorvaire...
. - In a post-game interview, the Vortex life forms were said to be the originators of arthropodArthropodAn arthropod is an invertebrate animal having an exoskeleton , a segmented body, and jointed appendages. Arthropods are members of the phylum Arthropoda , and include the insects, arachnids, crustaceans, and others...
s in Ecco the DolphinEcco the DolphinEcco the Dolphin is a puzzle video game released in 1992 for the Sega Mega Drive/Genesis. The central character, Ecco, is a bottlenose dolphin controlled by the player through a progression of side-scrolling aquatic levels...
reality. - The Ancients in the Eternal Darkness: Sanity's RequiemEternal Darkness: Sanity's RequiemEternal Darkness: Sanity's Requiem is a psychological horror action-adventure video game released for the Nintendo GameCube. Developed by Canadian developer Silicon Knights and originally planned for the Nintendo 64, it was first released and published by Nintendo on June 24, 2002 in North America...
video game. - AnunnakiAnunnakiThe Anunnaki are a group of Sumerian, Akkadian, Assyrian and Babylonian deities...
, the creators of jumpgateJumpgateIn science fiction, a jump gate is a fictional device able to create a wormhole or portal, allowing fast travel between two points in space...
s in the Fading SunsFading SunsFading Suns is a science fiction space opera role-playing game published by Holistic Design. The setting was also used for a PC game , a live action role-playing game , and for a space combat miniature game .- Game setting :The action is set in a future medieval-analogue empire built on the remains...
role playing game - Mr. Shadow and the ancient race that uses the Fifth ElementFifth ElementFifth Element may refer to:* 5th Element, the 1999 album by reggae and dancehall artist Bounty Killer* The 5th Element * Aether , the mythical fifth classical element...
to combat evil in the movie can be seen as elder races. - Forerunners – Forerunner series by Andre NortonAndre NortonAndre Alice Norton, née Alice Mary Norton was an American science fiction and fantasy author under the noms de plume Andre Norton, Andrew North and Allen Weston...
- The Daam K'Vaash – FreelancerFreelancer (computer game)Freelancer is a space trading and combat simulation video game developed by Digital Anvil and published by Microsoft Game Studios. The game was initially announced by Chris Roberts in 1999, and following many production schedule mishaps and a buyout of Digital Anvil by Microsoft, it was eventually...
- Precursor Arnor and Dread Lords – Galactic Civilizations II: Dread LordsGalactic Civilizations II: Dread LordsGalactic Civilizations II: Dread Lords is a 4X turn-based strategy computer game by Stardock...
- The Nibblonians in FuturamaFuturamaFuturama is an American animated science fiction sitcom created by Matt Groening and developed by Groening and David X. Cohen for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series follows the adventures of a late 20th-century New York City pizza delivery boy, Philip J...
- The Solon – Haegemonia: Legions of IronHaegemonia: Legions of IronHaegemonia: Legions of Iron, or Hegemonia: Legions of Iron is a 3D real-time strategy game made by Digital Reality and is similar in many respects to Homeworld and Digital Reality's previous game, Imperium Galactica II...
- ForerunnersForerunners (Halo)Forerunners is the translated name for an ancient race of sentient beings which ceased to exist 100,000 years before the events of the Halo video game series began. They are known for their advanced technologies, enabling them to build mega-structures like the Halo installations, The Ark and the...
– Halo universeHalo (series)Halo is a multi-million dollar science fiction video game franchise created by Bungie and now managed by 343 Industries and owned by Microsoft Studios. The series centers on an interstellar war between humanity and a theocratic alliance of aliens known as the Covenant... - The Precursors, an ancient race that came before the ForerunnersForerunners (Halo)Forerunners is the translated name for an ancient race of sentient beings which ceased to exist 100,000 years before the events of the Halo video game series began. They are known for their advanced technologies, enabling them to build mega-structures like the Halo installations, The Ark and the...
and are mentioned only once in one of the novels – Halo universeHalo (series)Halo is a multi-million dollar science fiction video game franchise created by Bungie and now managed by 343 Industries and owned by Microsoft Studios. The series centers on an interstellar war between humanity and a theocratic alliance of aliens known as the Covenant... - Ogdru JahadOgdru JahadThe Ogdru Jahad are fictional characters in Mike Mignola's Hellboy comic. They are the Dragon of Revelation, and are destined to bring about the end of the world. Though the Ogdru Jahad are the ultimate antagonists in the series, they are not themselves active, their release from imprisonment...
– HellboyHellboyHellboy is a comic book superhero created by writer-artist Mike Mignola. The character first appeared in San Diego Comic-Con Comics #2 , and has since appeared in various eponymous miniseries, one-shots and intercompany crossovers... - The people of Magrathea from The Hitchhiker's Guide to the GalaxyThe Hitchhiker's Guide to the GalaxyThe Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy is a science fiction comedy series created by Douglas Adams. Originally a radio comedy broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in 1978, it was later adapted to other formats, and over several years it gradually became an international multi-media phenomenon...
- Progenitors, Bentusi – HomeworldHomeworldHomeworld is a real-time strategy computer game released on September 28, 1999, developed by Relic Entertainment and published by Sierra Entertainment. It was the first fully three-dimensional RTS. In 2003, Relic released the source code for Homeworld...
series - The aliens from the 1996 film Independence DayIndependence Day (film)Independence Day is a 1996 science fiction film about an alien invasion of Earth, focusing on a disparate group of individuals and families as they converge in the Nevada desert and, along with the rest of the human population, participate in a last-chance counterattack on July 4 – the same...
were supposed to be an ancient race with far superior technology. - The HumanHumanHumans are the only living species in the Homo genus...
s from the point-and-click game Inherit the Earth. - The SlaversThrintThe Thrintun , in Larry Niven's fictional Known Space universe, were a long-extinct species which ruled the galaxy through telepathic mind control. Humans knew them as "Slavers", since "Thrint" is unpronouncable to the human larynx...
, PakPak ProtectorPak Breeders and Pak Protectors are two forms of fictional life in Larry Niven's Known Space universe. The Pak first appeared in "The Adults," which appeared in Galaxy in 1967; this story was expanded into the novel Protector by Larry Niven...
and the Outsiders – Larry NivenLarry NivenLaurence van Cott Niven / ˈlæri ˈnɪvən/ is an American science fiction author. His best-known work is Ringworld , which received Hugo, Locus, Ditmar, and Nebula awards. His work is primarily hard science fiction, using big science concepts and theoretical physics...
's Known SpaceKnown SpaceKnown Space is the fictional setting of some dozen science fiction novels and several collections of short stories written by author Larry Niven. It has also in part been used as a shared universe in the Man-Kzin Wars spin-off anthologies sub-series....
books - Aldenata – Legacy of the AldenataLegacy of the AldenataThe Legacy of the Aldenata, also known as the Posleen War Series is the fictional universe of one of John Ringo's military science fiction series.- Premise :...
series by John RingoJohn RingoJohn Ringo is an American science fiction and military fiction author. He has had several New York Times best sellers. His books range from straightforward science fiction to a mix of military and political thrillers... - Arisians and Eddorians – E. E. SmithE. E. SmithEdward Elmer Smith, Ph.D., also, E. E. Smith, E. E. "Doc" Smith, Doc Smith, "Skylark" Smith, and Ted was a food engineer and early science fiction author who wrote the Lensman series and the Skylark series, among others...
's LensmanLensmanThe Lensman series is a serial science fiction space opera by Edward Elmer "Doc" Smith. It was a runner-up for the Hugo award for best All-Time Series .... - The ProtocultureProtoculture (anime)is a term introduced in the 1982 Japanese animated television series Super Dimension Fortress Macross and adapted to the Americanized Robotech.-Macross definition:...
– MacrossMacrossis a series of science fiction mecha anime, directed by Shōji Kawamori of Studio Nue in 1982. The franchise features a fictional history of Earth/Humanity after the year 1999. It consists of three TV series, four movies, six OVAs, one light novel and five manga series, all sponsored by Big West... - The Haydon Robotech II: The SentinelsRobotech II: The SentinelsRobotech II: The Sentinels was an attempt by Harmony Gold USA to continue the original 1985 Robotech television series. Only three episodes were ultimately animated before the project was canceled in 1986, and a feature-length film was released from footage taken from the completed episodes...
- Dreen – Man of Two WorldsMan of Two WorldsMan of Two Worlds is a novel written by Brian and Frank Herbert.-Plot summary :On the distant planet Dreenor lives the most powerful species in the Galaxy. All of the Universe is the creation of the Dreens, who possess the power of "idmaging", turning their thoughts into reality. They can create...
- Jjaro, W'rkncacnter – Marathon TrilogyMarathon TrilogyThe Marathon Trilogy is a science fiction series of first-person shooter computer games from Bungie, originally released for the Macintosh. The name Marathon is derived from the giant interstellar colony ship that provides the setting for the first game; the ship is constructed out of what used to...
- Celestials and the Watchers – Marvel Comics
- The Ancient Orions and Antarans – Master of OrionMaster of OrionMaster of Orion is a turn-based, 4X science fiction computer strategy game released in 1993 by MicroProse on the MS-DOS and Mac OS operating systems. The purpose of the game is to lead one of ten races to dominate the galaxy through a combination of diplomacy and conquest while developing...
- SithiSithiThe Sithi are a cryptic, near-immortal elder race from the Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn trilogy by Tad Williams....
– Memory, Sorrow, and ThornMemory, Sorrow, and ThornMemory, Sorrow, and Thorn is Tad Williams's epic fantasy trilogy, comprising The Dragonbone Chair , Stone of Farewell , and To Green Angel Tower...
series by Tad WilliamsTad WilliamsRobert Paul "Tad" Williams, born in San Jose, California, is the author of several fantasy and science fiction novels, including Tailchaser's Song, the Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn series, the Otherland series, and The War of the Flowers.... - The HeecheeHeecheeThe Heechee are a fictional alien race from the science fiction works of Frederik Pohl. The Heechee are portrayed as an exceedingly advanced star-travelling race that explored Earth's solar system millennia ago and then disappeared without a trace before humankind began space exploration.The...
in Frederik PohlFrederik PohlFrederik George Pohl, Jr. is an American science fiction writer, editor and fan, with a career spanning over seventy years — from his first published work, "Elegy to a Dead Planet: Luna" , to his most recent novel, All the Lives He Led .He won the National Book Award in 1980 for his novel Jem...
's story The Merchants of VenusThe Merchants of Venus"The Merchants of Venus", also known by the title "The Merchants of Venus Underground", is a science fiction novella by American writer Frederik Pohl published in 1972 as part of the collection The Gold at the Starbow's End....
and later the GatewayGateway (novel)Gateway is a 1977 science fiction novel by American writer Frederik Pohl. Gateway won the 1978 Hugo Award for Best Novel, the 1978 Locus Award for Best Novel, the 1977 Nebula Award for Best Novel, and the 1978 John W. Campbell Award. It is the opening novel in the Heechee saga...
series - Chozo, Luminoth – Metroid universe
- Creators, also known as the Planners – Nexus: The Jupiter IncidentNexus: The Jupiter IncidentNexus: The Jupiter incident is a science fiction themed real-time tactics computer game developed by the Hungarian based Mithis Entertainment...
- Inhibitors / Wolves – Revelation SpaceRevelation SpaceRevelation Space is a 2000 science fiction space opera novel by Welsh author Alastair Reynolds. It was the first novel set in the Revelation Space universe, although the then-unnamed universe had already been established by several published short stories....
- The Elderlings in Robin Hobb'sRobin HobbRobin Hobb is the second pen name of novelist Margaret Astrid Lindholm Ogden who produces primarily fantasy fiction, although she has published some science fiction....
Farseer Trilogy, Liveship Traders Trilogy and The Tawny Man - The ancient race that built the world engines in Shadow RaidersShadow RaidersShadow Raiders is an animated television series produced by Mainframe Entertainment that aired from 1998 to 1999. The show was loosely based on the Trendmasters toy line, War Planets. The original character designs were created by ReBoot designer, Brendan McCarthy...
- Ainur and Quendi – The SilmarillionThe SilmarillionThe Silmarillion is a collection of J. R. R. Tolkien's mythopoeic works, edited and published posthumously by his son Christopher Tolkien in 1977, with assistance from Guy Gavriel Kay, who later became a noted fantasy writer. The Silmarillion, along with J. R. R...
- The Precursors, Eternal Ones – Star ControlStar ControlStar Control is a science fiction computer game that was developed by Toys for Bob and published by Accolade in the early 1990s. Star Control still enjoys a cult following...
- PreserversPreserversPreserver can refer to:, a Canadian navy ship, a U.S. navy ship* Preserver , a race in the fantasy comic Elfquest* Preservers, an ancient race in the Star Trek Expanded Universe* Preserver , a novel by William Shatner...
, Ancient humanoids (possibly the same race), the Slaver Empire (a crossover with Known Space), the ProphetProphet (Star Trek)In the fictional Star Trek universe, the Prophets, also known as Wormhole Aliens, are non-corporeal beings who inhabit the artificially constructed Bajoran wormhole which connects a distant point in the Gamma Quadrant to the Alpha Quadrant, near the planet of Bajor and the space station Deep Space...
s, Pah-wraiths, OrganianOrganianThe Organians are a fictional race in the universe of Star Trek, appearing in the episode "Errand of Mercy." They are one of the most evolved, advanced alien races ever encountered by the crew of the original Enterprise. It is not known whether they are "moral" beings or, because they have no...
s, Sphere Builders, Shedai, T'kon and Iconians – Star TrekStar TrekStar Trek is an American science fiction entertainment franchise created by Gene Roddenberry. The core of Star Trek is its six television series: The Original Series, The Animated Series, The Next Generation, Deep Space Nine, Voyager, and Enterprise... - Architects/Builders, Gree, Sharu, Silentium, Abominor, Kathol and Rakatans – Star WarsStar WarsStar Wars is an American epic space opera film series created by George Lucas. The first film in the series was originally released on May 25, 1977, under the title Star Wars, by 20th Century Fox, and became a worldwide pop culture phenomenon, followed by two sequels, released at three-year...
- Xel'Naga – StarCraftStarCraftStarCraft is a military science fiction real-time strategy video game developed by Blizzard Entertainment. The first game of the StarCraft series was released for Microsoft Windows on 31 March 1998. With more than 11 million copies sold worldwide as of February 2009, it is one of the best-selling...
- The Ancients of StargateStargateStargate is a adventure military science fiction franchise, initially conceived by Roland Emmerich and Dean Devlin. The first film in the franchise was simply titled Stargate. It was originally released on October 28, 1994, by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer and Carolco, and became a hit, grossing nearly...
are revealed to be an alliance of relocated and uplifted ancestors of the human race, and The Ancients. The humans are used as proxies, the source of the ancient stories of Atlantis, and being responsible for the presence of human life on thousands of planets in at least three galaxies (a result of their efforts to seed the galaxy in which they resided with life). It was never explained if the Ancients are deliberately responsible for human races' evolution (which took an identical form on their home, earth, and on all other seeded planets). - The AncientsAncient (Stargate)The Ancients are a humanoid race in the fictional Stargate universe. They are called "Ancients" in the Milky Way, but are also known as Lanteans or Ancestors in the Pegasus galaxy and as the Alterans in their home galaxy, and they sometimes call themselves Anquietas in their language...
, Furlings, AsgardAsgard (Stargate)The Asgard are a fictional highly advanced race in the science fiction series Stargate SG-1 and Stargate Atlantis. They are first mentioned in the episode , and first seen in . In the series, the Asgard gave rise to Norse mythology on Earth, as well as accounts of the Roswell "Greys"...
and Nox as well as the OriOri (Stargate)The Ori are fictional characters in the science fiction television series, Stargate SG-1. They are a group of "ascended" beings who use their advanced technology and knowledge of the universe to attempt to trick non-ascended humans into worshipping them as gods.They first appeared in the ninth...
– Stargate SG-1Stargate SG-1Stargate SG-1 is a Canadian-American adventure and military science fiction television series and part of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer's Stargate franchise. The show, created by Brad Wright and Jonathan Glassner, is based on the 1994 feature film Stargate by Dean Devlin and Roland Emmerich... - The XeeleeXeeleeThe Xeelee are a fictional hyperadvanced species from Stephen Baxter's Xeelee Sequence. They were first remotely mentioned in the 1994 novel Timelike Infinity and were later central actors of several novels and a substantial number of short stories...
from Stephen BaxterStephen BaxterStephen Baxter is a prolific British hard science fiction author. He has degrees in mathematics and engineering.- Writing style :...
's novels. - Progenitors – Uplift series by David BrinDavid BrinGlen David Brin, Ph.D. is an American scientist and award-winning author of science fiction. He has received the Hugo, Locus, Campbell and Nebula Awards.-Biography:...
- Titans and the Naaru – WarcraftWarcraftWarcraft: Orcs & Humans is a real-time strategy game , developed by Blizzard Entertainment and published by Blizzard and Interplay Entertainment. The MS-DOS version was released in November 1994 and the Macintosh version in late 1996. Sales were fairly high, reviewers were mostly impressed, and the...
- Old OnesOld Ones (Warhammer 40,000)The Old Ones are a mythical and mysterious race or possibly a group of distinct species in the table-top wargame Warhammer 40,000. They played a pivotal role in the history of many races, including the Eldar, Jokaero, Humans, Orks and Necrons.- History :...
, EldarEldar (Warhammer 40,000)In the fictional universe of Warhammer 40,000, the Eldar are a race of elf-like humanoids who look into the future via psychic powers. They are one of the most ancient and advanced races in the universe's history, though younger than the Necrons, the C'tan, and the Old Ones...
and Necrontyr – Warhammer 40,000Warhammer 40,000Warhammer 40,000 is a tabletop miniature wargame produced by Games Workshop, set in a dystopian science fantasy universe. Warhammer 40,000 was created by Rick Priestley in 1987 as the futuristic companion to Warhammer Fantasy Battle, sharing many game mechanics... - Markovians – Well of Souls series (see Well WorldWell WorldThe Well World is a fictional planet in Jack L. Chalker's "Well of Souls" and "Watchers at the Well" series of novels.The Well World was constructed by an ancient alien species known as the Markovians who predated the existence of the current Universe...
) - KherubimKherubimThe Kherubim or Kherans are an alien race in the fictional Wildstorm Universe. They were created by Jim Lee and first appeared in WildC.A.Ts #1 .-Biology:...
and D'rahnD'rahnThe D'rahn are an alien race in the fictional Wildstorm comic books. They were created by Sean Ruffner and Brett Booth and first appeared in Backlash #28 .-Biology:...
– Wildstorm Comics - Steltek and Nephilim – Wing CommanderWing Commander (franchise)Wing Commander is a video game media franchise consisting of space combat simulation computer games from Origin Systems, Inc., an animated television series, a feature film, a collectible card game, a series of novels, and action figures...
- The humans (sometimes called the Ancients) who populated the Old Kingdom from the videogames FableFableA fable is a succinct fictional story, in prose or verse, that features animals, mythical creatures, plants, inanimate objects or forces of nature which are anthropomorphized , and that illustrates a moral lesson , which may at the end be expressed explicitly in a pithy maxim.A fable differs from...
and Fable 2Fable 2Fable II is an action role-playing game in the Fable game series developed by Lionhead Studios and published by Microsoft Game Studios for Xbox 360. It is the sequel to Fable and Fable: The Lost Chapters, it was originally announced in 2006 and released in October 2008...
. The Old Kingdom was destroyed by a device known as The Tattered Spire, but it is uncertain whether this was purposful or accidental. - The Chimera of the Resistance gamesResistance (series)Resistance is a science fiction horror series of first-person shooter and third-person shooter video games developed by Insomniac Games and published by Sony Computer Entertainment for the PlayStation 3, PlayStation Portable and PlayStation Vita video game consoles.The series takes place in an...
claim in Resistance 2Resistance 2Resistance 2 is a science fiction first person shooter video game developed by Insomniac Games and published by Sony Computer Entertainment for the PlayStation 3. The game was released in North America on November 4, 2008, Japan on November 13, 2008, and in Europe on November 28, 2008...
that their origins predate mankind's. - The Ones Who Came Before - Assassin's Creed series
- The Ancients in the Tripods trilogy by John Christopher, referring to people from the 20th century (from the era before the Tripods' rule of Earth) and their accomplishments such as the Great Cities of the Ancients (urban metropoles like London and Paris).
- The Morrigi and Suul'ka of the Sword of the StarsSword of the StarsSword of the Stars is a space 4X game developed by Kerberos Productions. In the game the player chooses one of four unique races to form an interstellar empire and conquer the galaxy...
series (Morrigi were introduced as a playable faction in Sword of the Stars: A Murder of Crows; the Suul'ka, loosely based on Lovecraft Mythos will be introduced as a faction in Sword of the Stars II: Lords of Winter, in which they are the title characters, the creators of the Zuul, who debuted in the first game's expansion, Born of Blood, as well as the slavemastersSlaverySlavery is a system under which people are treated as property to be bought and sold, and are forced to work. Slaves can be held against their will from the time of their capture, purchase or birth, and deprived of the right to leave, to refuse to work, or to demand compensation...
and inadvertent upliftersBiological upliftIn science fiction, uplift is the development or transformation of animals into an intelligent race by other, already-intelligent beings. The concept appears in David Brin's Uplift series and other science fiction works.-History of the concept:...
of the sapient cetaceans Liir, the Morrigi also count due to having fought an apocalyptic war in the backstory with the Suul'ka as well as having one of their colonies as the first victim of the Suul'ka progeny known as the Zuul