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The Best Fictional Doomsday Devices

Posted by ScuttleMonkey on from the doom-proof dept.

Ostracus writes to tell us that Wired has an interesting summary of some of the best fictional doomsday devices. These devices have featured heavily in movies, television, and fiction; their list includes favorites from Dr. Strangelove to Futurama. What devices have they missed? "By the time Futurama's sci-fi satire hit the scene, creator Matt Groening had the doomsday-device shtick down. Case in point: the Spheroboom. This highly explosive space/time-bending device isn't just the prized jewel of the show's mad scientist, Professor Farnsworth. It also destroys anyone/anything not wearing a 'Doom-proof Platinum Vest.'"

5 of 340 comments (clear)

  1. Mass Driver by T.E.D. · · Score: 3, Interesting

    In Babylon-5 Harlan Ellison came up with mass drivers as an immoral weapon of mass-destruction on a planet-wide scale. The idea is that you grab nearby asteroids and bombard a habitated planet with them at very high speed. Not only does it indiscriminately kill the population, but the dust kicked up prevents proper plant growth over the entire planet for years, perhaps decades.

  2. Tom Clancy: "Shiva" virus by JonTurner · · Score: 3, Interesting

    In his novel, Rainbow Six, eco-terrorists design a virus which will wipe out all of humanity and plan to release it by spreading it at the Olympics. The athletes will take it back home to the host country, where it will multiply and kill everyone (except for the ecoterrorists, of course, who will live in a biosphere).

    It's a nasty concept, made all the worse because it's not unachievable.

  3. Exterminate! by Smivs · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Has everyone forgottten the Dalek Reality Bomb which was designed to destroy the entire Universe?

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    Smivs on the intertubes!
  4. Mile-High global Tidal Waves from "The Abyss"? by Zymergy · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Anyone actually watch the Extended Director's Cut (DVD) of James Cameron's "The Abyss"?
    (Mental Note: Do not piss off the deep sea dwelling aliens... Check!)

  5. Not only that but... by denzacar · · Score: 4, Interesting

    It is a thinly veiled Quantum of Solace promo. Because, there are not enough of those already.

    From TFA:

    America's love affair with the doomsday device is a turbulent one. First popularized in comic books and James Bond movies, then lampooned by Austin Powers, we love them because their ridiculousness makes us feel safe -- like the exhilarating false danger of a roller coaster.

    Now heightened audience cynicism has forced world-ending devices into the realm of camp, and except for a new breed of superhero movies, they've largely been replaced by natural disasters or apocalyptic sci-fi scenarios in Hollywood films.

    The opening of Quantum of Solace on Friday is making us nostalgic for the junk science and catastrophic fear that make fictional doomsday devices fun. From earth-shattering fusion reactors to catastrophic earthquake machines to planet-destroying space stations, here's a list of some of our favorite extinction-bringing devices from film, television and videogames. Be sure to share your own favorites in the comments.

    Love affair-turbulent-popular-James Bond-love-feel safe-exhilarating.
    PAUSE
    The opening of Quantum of Solace on Friday-nostalgic-fun.

     
    Subliminal much?

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    Mit der Dummheit kämpfen Götter selbst vergebens