Human possession in science fiction is an extension within science-fiction literature and film of the mythology of human possession found in many cultures throughout human history. Typically, possession in science fiction involves extraterrestrial
parasitic organisms
Parasitism is a close relationship between species, where one organism, the parasite, lives on or inside another organism, the host, causing it some harm, and is adapted structurally to this way of life. The entomologist E. O. Wilson has ...
that can take control of a human host. During the
Cold War
The Cold War is a term commonly used to refer to a period of geopolitical tension between the United States and the Soviet Union and their respective allies, the Western Bloc and the Eastern Bloc. The term '' cold war'' is used because the ...
era in the western world, this was often a metaphor for the threat of
communism
Communism (from Latin la, communis, lit=common, universal, label=none) is a far-left sociopolitical, philosophical, and economic ideology and current within the socialist movement whose goal is the establishment of a communist society, a s ...
.
Print
''The Puppet Masters'' (1951)
In
Robert Heinlein
Robert Anson Heinlein (; July 7, 1907 – May 8, 1988) was an American science fiction author, aeronautical engineer, and naval officer. Sometimes called the "dean of science fiction writers", he was among the first to emphasize scientific accu ...
's novel ''
The Puppet Masters
''The Puppet Masters'' is a 1951 science fiction novel by American writer Robert A. Heinlein, in which American secret agents battle parasitic invaders from outer space. It was originally serialized in ''Galaxy Science Fiction'' (September, Oct ...
'', slugs from
Titan
Titan most often refers to:
* Titan (moon), the largest moon of Saturn
* Titans, a race of deities in Greek mythology
Titan or Titans may also refer to:
Arts and entertainment
Fictional entities
Fictional locations
* Titan in fiction, fictiona ...
, the largest of Saturn's moons, can take over human bodies
[ and know everything their hosts know.
]
''Animorphs''
In the ''Animorphs
''Animorphs'' is a science fantasy series of children's books written by Katherine Applegate and her husband Michael Grant, writing together under the name K. A. Applegate, and published by Scholastic. It is told in first person, with all ...
'' universe created by author K.A. Applegate
Katherine Alice Applegate (born October 9, 1956), known professionally as K. A. Applegate or Katherine Applegate, is an American young adult and children's fiction writer, best known as the author of the ''Animorphs'', ''Remnants'', ''Everworld'' ...
, the Yeerks are a parasitic species capable of controlling human beings and compatible other species. Individuals controlled (infested) by Yeerks are known as "Controllers." Yeerks have access to the memories and personalities of their hosts, and can exist undetected by friends and family. The Yeerks are conquerors, and use infestation as a means of infiltration on still-unconquered worlds (such as Terra). Yeerks can relatively easily move from one host to another, and in fact have to leave their hosts regularly (every three days) in order to feed on Kandrona rays.
Film and television
''Invaders from Mars'' (1953)
In '' Invaders from Mars'', mind-control crystals at the base of the skull enable the Martians to turn their victims into saboteurs.
''Star Trek''
In the ''Star Trek
''Star Trek'' is an American science fiction media franchise created by Gene Roddenberry, which began with the eponymous 1960s television series and quickly became a worldwide pop-culture phenomenon. The franchise has expanded into vari ...
'' universe, the Trill
TRILL (Transparent Interconnection of Lots of Links) is an Internet Standard implemented by devices called TRILL switches. TRILL combines techniques from bridging and routing, and is the application of link-state routing to the VLAN-aware custom ...
are a symbiotic
Symbiosis (from Greek , , "living together", from , , "together", and , bíōsis, "living") is any type of a close and long-term biological interaction between two different biological organisms, be it mutualistic, commensalistic, or parasit ...
pair of species consisting of symbionts and hosts. The Trill Dax
Dax or DAX may refer to:
Business and organizations
* DAX, stock market index of the top 40 German companies
** DAX 100, an expanded index of 100 stocks, superseded by the HDAX
** TecDAX, stock index of the top 30 German technology firms
* Dax ...
is a main character in ''Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
''Star Trek: Deep Space Nine'' (abbreviated as ''DS9'') is an American science fiction television series created by Rick Berman and Michael Piller. The fourth series in the ''Star Trek'' media franchise, it originally aired in syndication from ...
'', first joined with Jadzia Dax
Jadzia Dax , played by Terry Farrell, is a fictional character from the science-fiction television series '' Star Trek: Deep Space Nine''.
Jadzia Dax is a joined Trill. Though she appears to be a young woman, Jadzia lives in symbiosis with a lo ...
, then after she is killed, with Ezri Dax
Ezri Dax () is a fictional character who appears in the seventh and final season of the American science fiction TV series '' Star Trek: Deep Space Nine''. Portrayed by Nicole de Boer, she is a counselor aboard the Bajoran space station ''Deep ...
. The symbiotic species can also control human beings, but not for extended periods of time (see episode "The Host" of ''Star Trek: The Next Generation'').
''Stargate''
In the ''Stargate
''Stargate'' (often stylized in all caps) is a military science fiction media franchise based on the Stargate (film), film directed by Roland Emmerich, which he co-wrote with producer Dean Devlin. The franchise is based on the idea of an alien E ...
'' universe, the Goa'uld
The mythology of the ''Stargate'' franchise is the historical backstory of the ''Stargate'' premise, which centers around xeno-mythology as experienced by humans during episodic contact. In the fictional universe of the franchise, the people of ...
are a parasitic species which can control human beings and other compatible species. The Goa'uld forcibly take hosts, whereas the Tok'ra
Over its decade of existence, science fiction TV series ''Stargate SG-1'' developed an extensive and detailed backdrop of diverse characters. Many of the characters are members of alien species discovered while exploring the galaxy through the ...
, though the same species, exist consensually as symbiotic beings with their hosts. Goa'uld have access to the memories and personalities of their hosts, and can exist undetected by friends and family. Goa'uld are often power-hungry and take on the roles of gods from the mythologies of the humans that they infest. Infestation is also used as a means of infiltration or access to information. Goa'uld can move from one host to another, but with some difficulty. Goa'uld also have the ability to kill or torture their hosts.
See also
* Parasitism in fiction
* supernatural possession
References
{{reflist
Science fiction themes