u/dream_monkey

1. Beta-7 (Rick and Morty) is a spacefaring hive mind that controls its own mini-space empire. While nominally allied with Unity, another hive mind, he clearly wants to be more than just allies.

2. The Sontar Empire (Dr. Who) is not a hive mind, but each Sontar is created by a process of cloning. They have very little in the way of individuality, their only desire is to die in battle for the Empire.

3. The Ascians (Book of the New Sun) are a nation of people that are ruled by the Council of 17, >!a group of undersea Lovecraftian monsters!<. They can only speak by quoting a text called the Book of Approved Thought. To an outsider, it would seem that Ascians are incapable of individual expression, but intelligent Ascians are able to put emphasis on certain phrases to basically say what they need to communicate.

In the novel *Geek Love* the primary antagonist starts a cult where he encourages his followers to amputate their limbs to achieve PIP (peace, isolation, purity). The whole thing is more or less a joke on his part, and he clearly disdains his followers. Later, a woman takes up his practice and encourages other women to amputate what makes them beautiful- long legs or big breasts or a beautiful face - and then send them to college so the girls can prosper without relying on their beauty. Obviously both takes on this is wrong, but there are other situations. I’m a Warhammer 40k fan, and in the far future, any one of a certain social status will probably have some kind of bionic augmetic. There is a different type of morality when it comes to improvements to the human body, but how much is too much?

Depth Gauge (Waterworld) Depth Gauge was a slave to the Smokers, trapped on their derelict ship. >!When the Mariner dropped a flare down a fuel chute, Depth Gauge had enough time to thank god before being annihilated.!<

Dream (Sandman comics) Dream is the immortal anthropomorphic embodiment of dreams, hope, and perception. >!Dream was a horrible person to be in a relationship with, and he was a horrible father, and these choices locked him into the act of killing his own son. This set off a cosmic chain reaction which led to an unstoppable opponent who represents unending torment. By accepting his fate and resigning himself to the Furies’s punishment. Upon his death, all the people he tormented were freed, and a new Dream was created to take his mantle.!<

Arthur Morgan (Red Dead Redemption 2) Arthur Morgan is a cowboy bandit living with his gang in the final closing of the Old West. >!Arthur is dying of tuberculosis by the time his gang begins to break up. He knows that he has very little time left. For the players to get the good ending, Arthur must choose to help John Marston escape the gang life with his wife and child. Although Arthur has the desire for revenge, he realizes that redemption and final peace can come only from helping others, not himself.!<