Crossing The Uncanny

In TV and film, the uncanny valley is usually demonstrated as a machine uprising. As the machines try to take over the world and eradicate humanity, the people are shown to fight back, ultimately foiling the machines as they underestimate the humans. However, in some instances within TV and film, characters can cross between the uncanny valley without following the standard process of going from human to machine.

Star Trek: Next Generation handled the uncanny valley as they voyaged through space. Commander Data is an android and never fails to remind everyone; however, over the course of the series, he has one personal goal: understanding what it means to be “human”. He continually misunderstands people and is perplexed by humans, but at the same time, he finds himself unaware that he sometimes acts as a “human.” Data’s main method of learning is through mimicry, and while he annoys his friends with his constant questions, he also has moments where he expresses himself as more than a machine. He always reminds people of his lack of emotions, yet at times, he demonstrates something resembling emotions. He gets a cat that he cares for, has a best friend, and even tries to have a romantic relationship with another crew member. During his growth as a character, the rest of the crew becomes accustom to his presence. There are several episodes where someone meets Data and is confused at his presence but very quickly becomes comfortable with him. Data’s drive to be “human” has not only bettered him but also allowed him to cross the uncanny valley, at least to the point of being accepted.

In the anime series Dragon Ball Z, there is a part of the storyline, titled “The Android Saga,” in which the team known as the Z–Fighters must face evil androids trying to kill Goku, the main character. Referring to the uncanny valley, there is a situation where one of the Z–Fighters encounters two of the androids and does not know it. He mistakes them for ordinary citizens and warns them to leave the city. He soon regrets this as the androids almost kill him. It is later found out that in “The Android Saga” there are only two androids that are true androids; the rest are revealed as cyborgs. Oddly enough, the android confused for a regular person is the least “normal” looking of the five that are present in the saga. The other true android of the saga looks more “normal” but still has noticeable mechanical quirks. Despite this short coming, he expresses a love for nature and life, and later, he joins the Z–Fighters to try and defeat the main villain. In this situation, the uncanny valley has successfully been crossed, and the first android succeeded at disguising itself as a human.