I finished watching the first season of "Fringe" today, and John Noble's fantastic performance as Walter Bishop inspired me to do a top ten list of my favorite fictional scientists. It certainly isn't an exhaustive list, there are lots of them out there but these are my favorites. Here they are in no particular order:
- Walter Bishop ("Fringe", TV series) - Walter is not only a genius, but LITERALLY a mad scientist. After his lab assistant is killed in a fire, he is deemed mentally unfit to be tried and is sent away to St. Claire's psychiatric hospital for the criminally insane for 17 years before being released per Olivia's request. As time goes on it seems that Walter's work for the Army back in the 70s (alongside William Bell) is at the center of an oncoming storm, and is the cause or basis for many of the fringe events known as "the Pattern". He is capable of incredible feats of science, but suffers from memory loss and a lack of social skills. He has an endearing child-like mien, an abiding love for licorice, root beer floats, and custard, and overall loveable innocence punctuated by tantrums. This makes it all the more startling when he has flashes of a more cold demeanor, including making scientifically unethical decisions. However, his primary motivator seems to be his deep love for his son Peter and his desire to compensate for past transgressions.
"To understand what happened at the diner, we use Mr. Papaya".
[he places the papaya in the container and steps back] "This is upsetting because he is the friendliest of fruits." - Mr. Spock ("Star Trek", TV series/movies) - Everyone's favorite half-Vulcan, half-human science and first officer, Spock serves aboard the Enterprise alongside Captain Kirk. Spock, Kirk and McCoy provide the main threesome of the series, with Spock providing logical perspective and McCoy acting as Kirk's conscience. His heritage is a huge part of what makes Spock so interesting. He constantly struggles to maintain the Vulcan attitude and philosophy of maintaining emotional distance and operating solely based on logic while having very human emotions. Leonard Nimoy brought his emotional experience of feeling alienated from the mainstream (because of being Jewish) to Spock's character. The friendship between the impulsive Kirk and logical Spock is possibly one of the most iconic brotps in popular culture. It goes without saying that their friendship are possibly the most important relationships they have in their lives.
"I have been, and always shall be, your friend." - Mordin Solus (Mass Effect 2 & 3, videogame series) - Part of the reasons the Mass Effect series is so excellent is due to its incredible cast of supporting characters, and Mordin is a popular one. He is a superior geneticist, professor and soldier due to his former membership in the Salarian Special Tasks Group. Another "mad scientist" type who has he engaged in questionable ethics, most notably his research in creating the Krogan genophage. However his motives are in the best interest of the galaxy and respects all forms of life. He believes that the ends justifies the means, and does not take lives willingly. Mordin opens a clinic on Omega and finds himself happy just healing people. NPC Kelly Chambers describes him as a "hamster on coffee" due to his hyperactive personality, swift thought processes, and distinctive rapid, tilted speech.
"Trying to determine how scale itch got onto Normandy, sexually transmitted disease only carried by varren. Implications... unpleasant." - Jadzia Dax ("Star Trek: Deep Space 9", TV series) - Another Star Trek entry, and my favorite one at that, Lt. Commander Jadzia Dax serves aboard the Deep Space Nine station as chief science officer and holds academic degrees in Exobiology, Zoology, Astrophysics and Exoarchaeology. Jadzia is a joined Trill, living in symbiosis with her symbiont named Dax. They share a single, conscious mind and her personality is a blending of the host and symbiont. As such, she has all the memories and skills of the previous seven hosts. She is close friends with Commander Sisko (who calls her "Old Man" because of the previous host, Curzon) and first officer Kira Nerys. Incredibly smart, beautiful and funny, it isn't hard to love Dax. She has an incredible gusto for life and has extensive knowledge of other cultures, at ease playing Tongo with Ferengis or battling alongside Klingons. Her association with the Klingons becomes increasingly important, and ends up becoming part of House Martok. She ends up marrying Worf, though I personally thought she'd have been better of with Bashir.
Lt. Commander Jadzia Dax: "I had no idea."
Sisko: "What?"
Lt. Commander Jadzia Dax: "He's so much more handsome in person. Those eyes!"
Sisko: " Kirk had quite the reputation as a ladies' man."
Lt. Commander Jadzia Dax: "Not him. Spock."
Sisko: [drags Dax away] "Let's go" - Dr. Hank McCoy/Beast (X-Men, comics/movies/TV series) - Hank McCoy is a beloved member of Marvel's X-men. He is the X-men's doctor, teaches science and math at the Xavier Institute and is one of the world's leading experts on biochemistry and genetics. His inhuman appearance and animal strength disguises that he is incredibly kind, nonviolent, a brilliant thinker, and a man of both the arts and sciences. Hank uses his physical and mental gifts to make the world a better place for human and mutantkind. However, he struggles with his bestial instincts and has a deep fear of social rejection. I love his sense of humor and penchant for quoting literary classics.
"Oh my stars and garters!" - Indiana Jones ("Indiana Jones", movie trilogy) - Indy Jones is one of the most revered film characters in history, everyone recognizes the iconic hat and bullwhip. When he's not saving the world and recovering artifacts from Nazis and crazy cult priests, he teaches archaeology. He's well known for his deep knowledge of ancient civilizations, sense of humor and fear of snakes (me too Indy, me too). I think a large part of his appeal is his apparent duality, between the more meek professor and his brave, heroic "Indiana" counterpart. He is both a romantic and a cynic, a lone wolf, a man on a quest, a treasure hunter, and a detective. Indy's strained relationship with his father has a large influence on his cynicism and lack of spirituality. Basically he's a superhero without superheroes, and with a little courage we all can be a bit more like Indy.
"That belongs in a museum!" - The Doctor ("Doctor Who", TV series) -"Doctor Who" is a show that recounts the adventures of a time-travelling humanoid alien known only as The Doctor. He travels all of time and space in his sentient TARDIS with a variety of human companions, saving the galaxy and fixing time paradoxes. Though technically NOT a scientist, I decided to include him due to his vast knowledge of science, technology and history. He has seen many regenerations and does change over the course of time due to the influence of his companions, but some parts of his personality remain consistent. He has a friendly, affable, clownish type that belies his great age and his wisdom. The Doctor is very much a pacifist and detests violence. He also is very compassionate and reveres all forms of life. However, when the stakes are high or when his companions are at great risk, he can become incredibly cold and ruthless. He has an inner darkness that he tries to forget he has. He is described as "fire and ice and rage, he's like the night and the storm
in the heart of the sun, he's ancient and forever, he burns at the
centre of time...." I have only watched the new series of "Doctor Who", and its hard to pick a favorite incarnation of the Doctor. Each actor brings something different to the table, but if I had to pick one I think Ten (as played by David Tennant) would have to be my choice.
"People assume that time is a strict progression of cause to effect, but *actually* from a non-linear, non-subjective viewpoint - it's more like a big ball of wibbly wobbly... time-y wimey... stuff." - Samantha Carter ("Stargate: SG-1/Atlantis/Universe", TV series) - Sam Carter is a US Air Force Captain with a PhD in theoretical astrophysics who joins the SG-1 team. She has experience as a soldier, pilot, engineer and astrophysicist. Carter is the leading expert on the Stargates and other alien technology. She is extremely capable, and saves the team's (and Earth's) collective ass over and over during the series. I love that she is depicted as a brilliant scientist, competent combatant and very much a woman. Meaning, she maintains her femininity without sacrificing credibility in her other roles. Also got to give her props for her no-nonsense efficiency.
"You know, you blow up one sun and suddenly everyone expects you to walk on water." - Bruce Banner/The Hulk ("The Hulk", comics/movies/TV series) - Oh look, another Marvel comics character! I can't say that I ever really followed The Hulk as a character to until "The Avengers" came out. However, I thought Mark Ruffalo really brought Banner to life. While he is quite reserved, he still has a sense of humor, especially when it comes to himself. Who can forget that scene in "The Avengers" when he teases Black Widow (of all people). I think I fell in love when he grins shyly and says, "Sorry, that was mean". It was a tough call between him or Tony Stark for this list, but I consider Banner to be the more "science-y" half between the two science bros.
Tony Stark: "You should come by Stark Tower sometime. Top 10 floors all R&D, you'd love it... it's candyland."
Bruce Banner: "Thanks, but the last time I was in New York I kind of broke... Harlem." - Pamela Isley/Poison Ivy ("Batman", comics/movies/TV series) - Finally, a DC comics entry! And one of my favorite supervillainess characters at that. She is one of Batman's most powerful adversaries, a force to be reckoned with. Pamela Isley has a number of different origins as to how she became Poison Ivy, but what stays the same is her obsession with plants, botany and environmentalism. She is one of the world's leading ecoterrorists. Go figure, a villain obsessed with saving the Earth! Of course her regard for human life isn't so high....Her only real friend is fellow villain Harley Quinn, and I find their friendship to be quite endearing. Ivy often looks after Harley, and later teams up with Catwoman to form the Gotham City Sirens. I really enjoy how they all played off one another.
"I have this natural immunity against poisons, toxins, the pain and suffering of others. Go figure."
