Psionics - Fiction

Fiction

Psionics (used as a term for psychic abilities) in fiction appear in almost as many varieties as magic does, and are often deeply entwined with many related paranormal or science fiction phenomena.

It is often used to endow science fictional characters with abilities, which, if they were called "magic", would make the story fantasy. Psionics usually appear in science fiction or contemporary settings, although it is sometimes seen in medieval fantasy as well (mostly in role-playing games), sometimes with both magic and psionics existing side by side as two distinct phenomena.

The most widely utilized psionic ability in fiction is telepathy, which is often attributed to magical or highly technologically or mentally advanced cultures. As an example, the Vulcans from Star Trek were given limited telepathic abilities in order to make them appear more otherworldly. Psionic abilities are often displayed by beings who do or are in process of transcending their physical existence (such as humankind, in the science fiction classic Childhood's End).

• In Robert A. Heinlein's 1961 novel Stranger in a Strange Land, humans are able to utilise many psionic-like abilities by learning the Martian language and adopting a more Martian mindset.

• Telekinesis and precognition, as exhibited by the Jedi in Star Wars for example, are also quite common in fictional examples of psionics.

• In the science fiction TV show Babylon 5, human telepaths are organized into an organization known as the Psi Corps.

• In the anime Akira (and the manga it is based on), psionic powers are a main subject. A secret research project of the Japanese military results in the creation of several psionically gifted children.

• In the strategy game StarCraft, psionics play an important role in explaining many of the abilities and powers of special units and aliens in the game. It is also the backbone of how a main plot element works.

• Many of H.P. Lovecraft's stories allude to psionic abilities such as in the residents of K'n-yan. This power often manifests itself in his stories as the ability of powerful creatures such as Cthulhu to induce madness as a sort of overwhelming telepathy in the minds of those who approach him.

• In the Earthbound series, psionics plays a major role. Many of the protagonists utilize psionics as an ultimate secondary ability. This consists elemental PSI, status-dealing PSI, Recover PSI, etc. The protagonists – Ninten and Ana in Mother; Ness, Paula, and Poo in Mother 2(Earthbound); and Lucas, Claus and Kumatora in Mother 3 – are known to utilize psionics.

• In the Talents universe, encompassing two book series written by Anne McCaffrey, conclusive proof of psionic abilities leads to those possessing them, dubbed "Talents", using their abilities as paid employees providing various services for mankind. Of particular note are Talents with such high psionic potential that, combined with the ability to tap into generated power sources to enhance their abilities, they can telekinetically move objects and telepathically communicate instantaneously across interstellar distances. With the aid of these "Prime" Talents, humanity moves forward to colonize other planets and star systems without developing technological means of interstellar travel.

• Psionics is prevalent throughout the works of E. E. Smith, particularly in the Lensman series and his two novels Subspace Explorers and its sequel Subspace Encounter.

• Psionics appear frequently in the works of Philip K. Dick, most notably in the novel Ubik.

• Psionics in the form of telepathy plays a role in the Second Uplift Trilogy, by David Brin.

• Psionic abilities (under the name "metapsychic abilities") are widespread in Julian May's Saga of Pliocene Exile and Galactic Milieu Series among both humans and the nonhuman species of the Milieu; many of the stories' protagonists have powerful psionic abilities. The various powers are classified into five types: creativity (creation and transmutation of matter and energy), psychokinesis, farsensing (ESP), coercion (mind control) and redaction (mental and physical healing).

• In the Bionicle universe, Psionics is an Elemental Power, which can be harnessed by Toa, Ce-Matoran (its prefix "Ce-" derived from the words "cerebral" and "cerebellum", words relating to the anatomy of the brain), Makuta, and various other beings.

• In the film Resident Evil: Extinction, Alice uses multiple psionic abilities she acquired from mutation with the T-Virus. Umbrella Corporation's computers monitor psionic incidents and track down Project Alice from their locations.

• Psionic abilities are common in the Avery Cates series by Jeff Somers, with several types including telekinesis, mind control (called "pushing"), and limited precognition.

• In the webcomic Homestuck of MS Paint Adventures, the troll Sollux Captor is a high level psionic. Sollux's ancestor, the Ψiioniic, alternatively known as The Helmsman, was also a high level psionic. Both of their abilities are due to their ranking on the blood caste of their world Alternia, known as the hemospectrum. Their blood is a yellow color and is really low in the blood caste. The lower a troll's blood status is, the more likely they are to have psychic abilities. A "rust" blood color is the most likely to have psychic abilities; This rank is owned by Aradia Megido and her ancestor, the The Handmaid, allowing them to manipulate the position and velocity of objects. The next rank up on the hemospectrum is brown blood, owned by Tavros Nitram and his ancestor, the Summoner. Their blood allows them to commune with and command the various beasts of Alternia. Yellow is the next rank up, and was shown to allow Sollux and his ancestor as powerful telekinetics. The next rank up is candy red blood, owned by Karkat Vantas and his ancestor, The Signless, later known as The Sufferer and The Mutant. Both characters were not shown to, have psionic abilities, possibly because candy red is a mutant blood color, thus is considered to be the lowest by the highbloods. However, the rest of the ranks in the hemospectrum are also lacking psionic talent.
• Mercedes Lackey, author of "The Heralds of Valdemar" series, incorporates psionics into her novels under the guise of "mind magic"; Heraldic Gifts run the gamut of abilities ranging from mindspeech (telepathy), which can be either receptive or projective or both; fetching (telekinesis and teleportation); fore-sight (prescience or precognition); firestarting (pyrokinesis); far-sight (ESP/astral projection). Another Gift is the Mage-Gift. This allows the person who has it to perceive and manipulate energies outside of themselves and to work true magic. Heralds come from any walk of life and are Chosen to become Heralds be horse-like beings that are pure snow white, have silver hooves, blue eyes, and are universally telepathic, (usually only with their Chosen). The only requirement to become Chosen is to be Gifted. Heraldic uniforms are completely white. The Bardic Gift is that of projective empathy, that is to say that the Gifted, while performing music, can project what they want others to experience, allowing them to enhance their performance, up to allowing them to enthrall their audience. Bardic uniforms are scarlet red. Healing gifts include Empathy ( the ability to experience what another is feeling), both receptive and projective; healing; and mind-healing ( the healing of phobias and other mental and psychological trauma). Healer uniforms are always Green.

• In the Warhammer 40,000 Universe, almost every species has access to psionic abilities. Parallel to the realspace in which mortal creatures live is a realm known as The Warp. It is a realm of pure psychic energy, and almost all sentient beings have a mental connection to this realm. It is thus influenced by the thoughts, emotions, and urges of all sentient beings. Individuals that have an especially strong connection to The Warp are known as "Psykers", and with proper training, they can develop supernatural abilities such as telepathy, divination, or pyrokinesis. In some races, these abilities are more readily available than in others. The psychic energies in the Warp can sometimes coalesce into sentient entities, more commonly known as Daemons. The most powerful of these entities are the four Gods of Chaos. Most of these Warp entities are predatory and constantly seek to influence the mortal realm by manipulating psykers, whose strong connection to the Warp make them potential conduits to realspace. Every psyker is in danger of going insane or being possessed by a daemon if he does not have the proper training and strength of will. There are three races which do not have psionic abilities; the Tau, the Dark Eldar, and the Necrons. Although the Dark Eldar have the same latent psionics as the Eldar (through connection to The Warp), they choose not to develop their psychic abilities, due to suffering a curse which leeches their souls at the hands of the Chaos God, Slaanesh. Developing their psionic abilities will strengthen their connection to the Warp, thereby increasing the rate at which Slaanesh devours their souls. The Necrons and the Tau are the only races genuinely unable to interact with Psionics; The Necrons being little more than soulless robots, and the Tau having barely any warp presence at all. This renders these two races highly resilience to the corrupting effects of the daemonic entities of the warp.

See also: List of comic book superhero powers