Just about every work of science fiction is concerned with the status of some or all of the human beings who are still kicking around. But, with so many other options to choose from, some works might limit human representation, making the one Token Human they choose to include all the more important.
The average science fictionnarrative will be packed with robots, aliens, and semi-human mutants. The universe is expansive and varied, but many narratives will focus on a handful of characters. A popular option for ensemble casts is to introduce a band of five or six characters, each representing a different species or type.
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The Token Human is a very simple trope with a ton of unique applications. Simply put, the story features only one human being in an important role. The main cast will consist primarily of aliens and robots with a single good old-fashioned human being in the mix. Maybe the Token Human is the hero, out to save the universe from the menace. Maybe they’rethe villain since humansare often the real monsters. On a team, the human will often have strengths and weaknesses that make them a mixed bag. They’re often the charismatic face, if not the outright leader. Quite a lot of sci-fi stories start with a token human, only to somehow remove that status byRobocoping them into a cyborg or revealing their non-human heritage. The Token Human is a varied trope that can say a lot about a sci-fi universe.
The first example of this trope has nothing to do with science fiction. Rudyard Kipling’s 1894 classicThe Jungle Bookprimarilytells the story of Mowgli, the boy raised by wolves. He’s the only human out in the vast and dangerous environment that raised him. The tale of a human boy learning to survive the jungle is the entire draw of the story. The ways in which the Token Human differs from his family, allies, and enemies are the interesting elements of conflict that drive the tale. Arguably, though it still has nothing to do with science fiction, the example that defined this trope isThe Lord of the Rings. After Boromir’s tragic death,Aragorn represents the Kingdom of Menin the Fellowship. Like many modern sci-fi examples, the Fellowship is a diverse group with one or two members of every major species, humanity included.
When it comes to science fiction, a single human makes any team a bit more compelling. Comic books and their film adaptations have plenty of great examples. Moira MacTaggert serves the X-Men as the only non-mutant on the team inFirst ClassandApocalypse. She’s not much use in a fight and her espionage skills are quickly rendered pointless by superpowers, but her government connections and insider knowledge make her a valued asset. Also in the Marvel family,Peter Quill stood as the lone humanon the Guardians of the Galaxy team, until his origin was revealed. He’s the de facto team leader and its face, but he’s only able to keep up with his more powerful allies thanks to a great deal of technology. Liz fromHellboyis an interestingtwist on the format who wields psychic powers that make her equivalent in combat to her demon boyfriend, amphibian friend, and ghostly ally.
Plenty of less central groups in science fiction have Token Human members. In the Star Wars prequels, both the Confederacy of Independent Systems and the early Jedi Council feature only one human member. The bad guys have Count Dooku, who is joined by cyborg General Grievous and alien Asajj Ventress, while theheroes have Mace Windu, the lone human until Obi-Wan joins the team.Doctor Whoalways features some friendly companions for the eponymous time traveler, but they aren’t always humans. The Doctor brought one Token Human alongside an otherwise all-alien cast in a couple of cases. Interestingly, games featuring casts of non-human animals or fantasy creatures often throw in a single human without explanation. The most notable example is Dr. Robotnik’s apparent status as the last human on the planet in the earlySonicgames. As the lone human, he takes it upon himself to ruin the natural beauty of the otherwise untouched world.
Though robots and aliens are a lot of fun, there are a lot of benefits to adding a Token Human to a cast. Human characters are immediately more identifiable and relatable to a presumably all-human audience. In a visual medium, being able to read expressions and derive meaning from the tiniest movements of an actor is key to enjoying a performance, and that’s toughthrough makeup or VFX. The Token Human can be the most important member of a science fiction cast, or they can be a fun addition who adds a bit of color to the team. Though it seems like the most boring option, humans are often key to science fiction.
