Cloning and treatments of it within science fiction television

Not too long ago I wrote an essay for university about memory and how it influences the formation of identity. This got me thinking about cloning and how clones, memory and identity are handled by various science fiction television series.

After looking over the obvious candidates (Star Trek and Stargate universes) I couldn’t help but find it odd how clones and who they are perceived to be can differ from series to series but also differ within the same series.

All right, differing opinions and treatments of a subject from series to series isn’t that odd. In fact it’s downright normal. If all science fiction treated all topics and issues the same way then the genre would be a horrible boring lump and it would eventually die.

However the different treatments of clones within a series struck me as strange. At times the clones are treated as extensions of the original, at others they are dismissed as mere copies and therefore inferior. Sometimes if the clones have been genetically created and are not from an original donor, then the treatment changes again.

Examples that came to mind were Kahless in Star Trek: The Next Generation, the Vorta species of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Carson Beckett in Stargate: Atlantis and the younger O’Neill from Stargate: SG-1.

In the Stargate universe we can see two very different treatments of clones. When Beckett was killed both fans and characters mourned the loss and both apparently rejoiced when his clone was found. This clone was treated, both within the series and within the fandom, as an extension of the original. People carried on as if Beckett was never killed and talk to the clone the same way they would speak to the original Beckett.

In contrast when a younger version of O’Neill is found in the episode “Fragile Balance”, although at first he is treated the same as O’Neill, when it is discovered he is a clone he is treated as a separate character. At the end of the episode the young O’Neill leaves to make his own way in the world.

Both of these reactions can be seen in the Star Trek: The Next Generation episode “Rightful Heir” when the fabled Klingon leader Kahless apparently comes back from the dead. At first his return is heralded as a miracle and Kahless is treated as a revered figure. However once it is revealed he is a clone attitudes towards him change. He is seen as inferior, although he is eventually given a position of power with the Klingon Empire.

“They grew you in a test tube… like some kind of fungus… then programmed you like a machine.” – Worf to Kahless.

Within the same universe the Vorta exist, an entirely cloned species. The Vorta are different to other clones seen and receive follow both of the ‘treatments’: they are seen both as individuals and continuations of the original.

If that seems contradictory and confusing to you, fear not. It is. However somehow the Vorta mange to pull it off.

Each Vorta is given the memories of the previous clone in their line. For example Weyoun 6 had all the memories of Weyouns 1 through 5, as did Weyoun 7. However they also refer to previous clone as their predecessors, suggesting that although each clone continues the line they are viewed (or created) as individuals.

These examples are not an exhaustive list of all clones in science fiction, far from it in fact, but they are the ones I’m most familiar with. When I think of how clones are viewed within science fiction television I am suprised at how in can vary so much, even within the same franchise.

The answer is, of course, an obvious one. Plot.

The treatment of the clones changes depending on what the plot of that particular episode requires. However that’s a rather boring answer.

What isn’t boring though is thinking about how clones link into the subject of memory and how memory links in with identity.

If we take each of the examples and look at them in terms of their memories then how they are treated starts to make a little more sense.

Beckett – The original Beckett is dead so when the new clone is found his memories are the same with only a small amount of variance. The memories of the clone do not contradict the original Beckett’s so the clone-Beckett is treated as a continuation.

Young O’Neill – Although he shares some memories with the original O’Neill as the episode progresses he makes his own memories and because of his age his actions differ. Therefore his treatment as an individual is understandable.

Kahless – It is the faults in his memory which reveal him to be a clone and because of that he is seen as an inferior copy. He is given the token position of Emperor but is not seen as a continuation of the original. Nor is he really seen as an individual as he has the memories of Kahless without him actually being Kahless. Clone-Kahless exists in a nether world of identity because of his memories.

Vorta – The memories are passed down along the line so each clone is treated as a continuation of the next.

By looking at the treatments of clones through their memories, it becomes easier to make sense of the various ways of handling of the subject within science fiction.

Memories are an important part of identity. If a person’s memories were put into another body, would that person still be the same or would a new individual be created? Kahless is good example of this.

He has the body and memories of Kahless however at the same time he can never be Kahless. He is a new entity. Created by Klingon monks and perhaps doomed to never achieve a new full identity.

However that is a completely separate essay, which will have to wait for another day. 😉

Best Science Fiction Movie Ever?

Time for some more questions. I came across this one at LJ’s Writer’s Block again.

What is the best science fiction movie of all time, and why?

I don’t think it is possible to answer this question properly. Everyone has there own opinions about what makes a great film and where science fiction is concerned the arguments tend to become quite heated. There are many science fiction movies which are excellent, all for different reasons, but could I really name one of them the best of all time? No. That’s silly. Time isn’t done yet… so lets just leave that to future movie buffs.
Right, so I’m going to list some of my favourite science fiction movies instead.

• Forbidden Planet. No matter how many times I see this I’m still amazed by it. So many films and television series made afterwards took their cues from this movie. The plot is, of course, The Tempest but wonderfully reworked (only slightly though). The special effects, although they look dated now, were state of the art and yet are never the focal point of the movie as tends to happen so much today.
• Star Wars IV: A New Hope. The original Star Wars before it was faffed with by George Lucas trying to squeeze more money out of it. The plot is beautifully simple, one of the best and most classic stories you will find, and the special effects were (and still are – again without faffing) mind blowing. It works as part of the original trilogy but also as a stand alone film and I wish I could get a copy of the proper original now. 😦
• Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan. I love it. The plot is cool, the drama and tension are just right and the effects never overwhelm the story. They are there to compliment and further the plot not as set pieces. Yes, some of the acting is hammy but lets be honest isn’t that why people love Star Trek? It’s a proper meal instead of a snack. 🙂
• District 9. Brutal, real and intelligent. This film blew me away when I saw it for my birthday in 2009. It’s heartbreaking, brilliantly put together and again the effects never overtake the drama. They are tools not cast members.

Yes, that is a short list but those are the ones which immediately sprung to mind.
Are any of these films perfect? No. Not at all. However are they brilliant? Yes, in my opinion they are.
I know there are loads of movies out there which I’ll think of later and kick myself for not remembering right now. However I think this list is a decent one. 🙂

Planning in science fiction television series. Star Trek Vs Bablyon 5

I finished watching all of Babylon 5 not too long ago. I never watched it when it was initially on but everyone kept telling me that I’ve love it. Well, I do love it but there is something that’s making me go: “I’m still not sure”. I can’t put my finger on it either and it’s really bugging me.

I’m a girl who was raised on Star Trek which has a pretty standard formula (although it wavers in DS9 – hence why I picked that series for my dissertation) and B5 doesn’t follow this.
It’s good, although poorly acted in parts, but it’s missing something and I can’t put my finger on what. I’m putting part of it down to my over familiarity with Star Trek and how it is sort of “seat of the pants” writing. Seasons might be planned out in advance but only so far. Whereas B5 was totally planned out even to the point where all the characters had “get out” story-lines in case the actors wanted to leave.

I’m impressed with that level of planning and some of the episodes have been excellent. Also once you get into season 2 the overall story arc seems to be coming into it more and I got really into it. I also like how the characters seemed to be fully developed right from the start. This differs from ST where it can sometimes take a few episodes to get into the character.
An example would be Kira – the first time we meet her there are hints of who her character will be but it takes a few episodes for her to turn into the Kira we’ll know for the rest of the series. Another example is Troi. Troi in the first few episodes of TNG is quite different from the Troi she becomes.
Now don’t mistake this for character development, I’m not talking about the gradual change over time as the character learns from events etc. I mean how ST characters are rarely set in stone from the first episode.

There will be an outline, a premise for the character, an idea who the writers/producers want this character to be. eg. Jadzia Dax – they knew they wanted a female alien who was an old soul in a young body. She evolved into a Trill*, an old friend of Sisko’s, with her look and character evolving along the way. Then… you have the input the actress will put in and how she changes the character based on how she plays the part. From all that you get the Dax we know.

*This character also changed what a Trill is known to be. Think about the first Trill seen in TNG and then compare that to what is ‘learnt’ about the Trill in DS9. Actually this is a better example of what I was trying to say. ST only plans so far ahead.
I get the impression from all I’ve read that B5 was completely planned out before any actors were hired. All characters were planned out in detail, all races had their backgrounds fixed and plot arcs planned down to the episode.