Help! Jeff Murdock's invaded my brain!
Scrolling through a forum, I see a thread titled "guys! I need some help" and my brain automatically fills in "how long do intestines take?" *sigh*
But, anyway, that's not why I'm here this morning. No, this morning I want to ramble briefly about one of my great loves. It's a love that's been with me for years -- ever since I was a wee lass.
Oh, Daleks, you bring me such joy. Your creepy atonal cries of death. Your plungers of doom. Your slow, yet relentless rumble of destruction. Your shiny armor. Your gooey insides. You beautiful creatures of chaos. I couldn't love you more even if my middle name was Davros.
I had a dream a while back where the Daleks, the Cylons (metal kind, of course), and the Cybermen had joined some unholy alliance to subjugate humanity. As they are so wont to do. Actually, this one might classify as a nightmare, as the Daleks were quite frighteningly batshit. Interestingly, it was the Cybermen who seemed to be the lynch-pin of this trio of terror. Cylons and Daleks don't get along very well, it seems, and I think the Cybermen were rethinking the whole deal.
Imagine it -- that would be sort of like a long, hellish road trip from Factory to Domination, with the Cylons and Daleks in the backseat bickering the whole way about extermination vs God's commandment to create, while the Cybermen grow more and more frustrated until, at last, they cry out "Don't make us pull this invasion over!" Poor Cybermen.
Anyway, back to the Daleks, who are possibly my first creature love. I don't think Darth Vader counts, since he's sort of a man. Well, he was until George Lucas ... never mind, different discussion.
I know there are some who find the Daleks vastly more absurd than they find them frightening or fascinating; I mean, they've got a plunger on 'em for God's sake. And then there's the, "Oh, no, I might have to break into a light jog to escape," factor. I grant both points.
When you're seven-years old, however, they're quite frightening. And, since that's when I first met the Daleks, that's the response that's hardwired into my brain. Dalek = Terror. Of course, the love comes from that dangerous thrill of seeing one of the hero's longtime enemies, and wondering how he'll get out of this scrape.
I think what's particularly frightening about a Dalek for a child, is that there's nothing immediately obvious to relate to. Nothing about them looks familiar. No legs, no arms, no face, they don't move in a way that's natural, they don't speak in a way that's natural, they are quite alien. Daleks also tend to kill a really whole lot of people whenever they show up, which most even middlingly well-adjusted children will realize is A Bad Thing. And still then, you take your cue off the Doctor, and when he says "this is bad", as he's the guy who knows everything, you tend to believe him. Thus, Daleks = Terror. If something scares the Doctor, however much you might not understand it, or if your first impulse is "my, that's silly looking", you just have to know you're pretty much screwed. Further, they're quite hard to stop, and even if you manage to off one, there's about a thousand more after it, and they just. keep. coming -- which feeds so perfectly into my nightmares.
A relentless, emotionless, faceless foe, who wants nothing more than to destroy everything. Bless their squishy hearts. What's not to love?
Plus? Totally shiny. Oh, yeah.
I <3 Daleks.
dalek ramble brought to you by: me. me, trying to fill the hours until NEW WHO tonight. I'm nearly giddy.
But, anyway, that's not why I'm here this morning. No, this morning I want to ramble briefly about one of my great loves. It's a love that's been with me for years -- ever since I was a wee lass.
Oh, Daleks, you bring me such joy. Your creepy atonal cries of death. Your plungers of doom. Your slow, yet relentless rumble of destruction. Your shiny armor. Your gooey insides. You beautiful creatures of chaos. I couldn't love you more even if my middle name was Davros.
I had a dream a while back where the Daleks, the Cylons (metal kind, of course), and the Cybermen had joined some unholy alliance to subjugate humanity. As they are so wont to do. Actually, this one might classify as a nightmare, as the Daleks were quite frighteningly batshit. Interestingly, it was the Cybermen who seemed to be the lynch-pin of this trio of terror. Cylons and Daleks don't get along very well, it seems, and I think the Cybermen were rethinking the whole deal.
Imagine it -- that would be sort of like a long, hellish road trip from Factory to Domination, with the Cylons and Daleks in the backseat bickering the whole way about extermination vs God's commandment to create, while the Cybermen grow more and more frustrated until, at last, they cry out "Don't make us pull this invasion over!" Poor Cybermen.
Anyway, back to the Daleks, who are possibly my first creature love. I don't think Darth Vader counts, since he's sort of a man. Well, he was until George Lucas ... never mind, different discussion.
I know there are some who find the Daleks vastly more absurd than they find them frightening or fascinating; I mean, they've got a plunger on 'em for God's sake. And then there's the, "Oh, no, I might have to break into a light jog to escape," factor. I grant both points.
When you're seven-years old, however, they're quite frightening. And, since that's when I first met the Daleks, that's the response that's hardwired into my brain. Dalek = Terror. Of course, the love comes from that dangerous thrill of seeing one of the hero's longtime enemies, and wondering how he'll get out of this scrape.
I think what's particularly frightening about a Dalek for a child, is that there's nothing immediately obvious to relate to. Nothing about them looks familiar. No legs, no arms, no face, they don't move in a way that's natural, they don't speak in a way that's natural, they are quite alien. Daleks also tend to kill a really whole lot of people whenever they show up, which most even middlingly well-adjusted children will realize is A Bad Thing. And still then, you take your cue off the Doctor, and when he says "this is bad", as he's the guy who knows everything, you tend to believe him. Thus, Daleks = Terror. If something scares the Doctor, however much you might not understand it, or if your first impulse is "my, that's silly looking", you just have to know you're pretty much screwed. Further, they're quite hard to stop, and even if you manage to off one, there's about a thousand more after it, and they just. keep. coming -- which feeds so perfectly into my nightmares.
A relentless, emotionless, faceless foe, who wants nothing more than to destroy everything. Bless their squishy hearts. What's not to love?
Plus? Totally shiny. Oh, yeah.
I <3 Daleks.
dalek ramble brought to you by: me. me, trying to fill the hours until NEW WHO tonight. I'm nearly giddy.