Transhuman Aliens – TV Tropes

"We were like you once, but now we are different... Certain weaknesses have been removed."

Related to the Earth All Along ending, and sort of like Was Once a Man for an entire species, this is where a group of alien/future creatures (typically ones encountered by normal humans) are revealed to be descended from humanity, either an isolated group separate that branched off from the rest of the human species or all of humankind in the distant future.

There are two broad ways in which these entities are portrayed. In the first, they'll be actual Transhumans, whose inhuman or post-human state is the result of centuries, millennia or more of increasing technological or spiritual advancement and modifications to the original human form. These are often cyborgs, Energy Beings or aliens highly similar to The Greys indeed, the Greys being far-future human descendants is a common element in conspiracy theories related to them. These posthumans will often be amoral or disinterested in modern humans, but there are occasional instances of uplifted humans who having experienced The Singularity who are benevolent and god-like. In the second case, they'll instead be bestial creatures, often a Formerly Sapient Species regressed to animalistic ways, and physically monstrous in the bargain.

A key aspect of this trope is the shock of learning that these profoundly inhuman beings are what humanity can become or will become in time. This often raises questions about what it means to be human, what traits are important to modern humanity, and what it would mean for these traits to be lost. In the case of advanced Transhuman Aliens, they may be attempting to manipulate modern humans, potentially to ensure their own existence. In the case of bestial ones, existential dread or pessimism may come into play in seeing how far humanity can fall or the ultimate end of all human history and achievements.

Compare with Not Even Human; in this case, they are worse because they are. For populations of humans that moved to space and stayed human, see Transplanted Humans. Compare/contrast with Human All Along and Human Subspecies. Not to be confused with Ultraterrestrials. See also No Transhumanism Allowed and Transhuman. Can be used as a justification for Humanoid Alien or Rubber-Forehead Alien if time travel is involved.

Contrast Panspermia and Humanity Came From Space.

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Transhuman Aliens - TV Tropes