| NOTE: For the 2005 film version of the aliens, click here. |
'
|
| “ | No one would have believed, in the last years of the nineteenth century, that human affairs were being watched from the timeless worlds of space. No one could have dreamed we were being scrutinized, as someone with a microscope studies creatures that swarm and multiply in a drop of water. Few men even considered the possibility of life on other planets and yet, across the gulf of space, minds immeasurably superior to ours regarded this Earth with envious eyes, and slowly and surely, they drew their plans against us. | „ |
| ~ H. G. Wells, The War of the Worlds. |
| “ | To life immortal. | „ |
| ~ The Martians' catchphrase in the 1988 TV Show. |
The Martians are the main antagonists of H. G. Wells' classic 1898 science fiction novel The War of the Worlds and its various adaptations.
They were a race of extraterrestrials from the planet Mars armed with a vast intellect and advanced weaponry far beyond that of humanity. They had the goal of invading and taking over the planet Earth and exterminating the human race. They very nearly succeeded, but were famously defeated by the planet's bacteria which, while relatively harmless to humans, proved to be absolutely fatal to the Martians and their immune systems.
They were all portrayed by the late Charles Gemora in the 1953 film, and Joe Duffy (with Dee Bradley Baker providing their vocal sound effects) in the 2005 film.
Origins[]
The Martians originate from the planet Mars, a planet long rumored to host life but dismissed by scientists - as they said "the chances of anything coming from Mars are a million to one", but the scientists were wrong and Mars was indeed populated - by alien beings that looked upon their closest neighbor (Earth) with envy and began to plot against the creatures that inhabited it.
Personality[]
Ruthless and beyond reason, the Martians were depicted as much a force of nature as alien invaders and had obviously been preparing their assault for years. They easily and rapidly decimated the nations of the world, attacking with surgical precision and heavy strategy, and were virtually unstoppable until they became terminally ill from Earth's native bacteria.
The Martians hid most of the time inside their fearsome war-machines and did not make any attempt to communicate with humanity outside of merciless killing. As such, they were likely xenophobic or simply so advanced they viewed humans as unworthy of interacting with beyond bringing about their total annihilation.
They were extremely intelligent and efficient masters of war, seeming to have a master plan on a greater scale than they ultimately achieved. It is possible that (had they not caught the common cold) they would have wiped humanity out and begun a search for other worlds to take over.
Motivations[]
In the original story, the reason for the Martians’ invasion of Earth is never explicitly stated or confirmed. However, various adaptations of the tale have offered different hints and possible motivations.
In the 1898 novel, it is implied that they were envious of humanity and the Earth itself, which was full of life - in stark contrast to the barren wasteland that is Mars. Also, due to their highly-advanced intelligence and warlike nature, it is possible the Martians deemed humanity unworthy of the planet and decided to take it over for themselves. Martians were also vampiric in nature and were harvesting humans for their blood (this element is somewhat explored in the 2005 film).
The video game adaptation of Jeff Wayne's musical version, along with its stage productions, explore the idea is that Mars was becoming no longer habitable to Martians despite their efforts to stabilize their planet's atmosphere, and that's why they migrated to Earth.
In the 2025 Amazon Prime film, it is revealed that they are bio-mechanical lifeforms that feed on data and seek to siphon all of humanity's digital information as sustenance.
Tripods[]
The fighting machine, also referred to as a tripod, is the main war machine employed by the Martians in their attempt to conquer Earth.
A tripod fighting machine as portrayed by Edward Gorey
The fighting machines are assembled in the Martian pits by handling machines before activation and each tripod possesses an unspecified number of tentacles, one of which can retract into the tripod when its primary weapon, the Heat-Ray, is not in use. The tentacles are also able to hold a Magnetic Acceleration Cannon. Tentacles were also used in the novel to pick up people, throw them at objects, and even rip up small trees, indicating a high degree of strength and precision.
The head is described as a "brazen" hood that holds the Martian pilot. Whether "brazen" here refers to the hood being made of a brass-like substance, or its attitude is uncertain. The head can turn in any direction. The tripod as a whole appears as if it is made from a substance similar to aluminum.
The Martian tripod is also composed of a segment known as the "body", for which there are few details. The body apparently contains a jet, which can fire pressurized steam in order to dissipate black smoke. This steam is capable of breaking glass, and would surely cause a nasty burn, but is not shown in use as a weapon. There are also three legs. The novel never shows tripod legs being used to injure anyone directly, although this is a common occurrence in later works.
The 1953 film did not not feature tripods, instead opting for a floating saucer-like craft that hovered several feet off of the ground via invisible electromagnetic legs, and from which protruded a weapon/sensor apparatus that resembled a hooded serpent. However, in one shot, three beams of light are seen projected below the saucers as they hover, an homage to their tripod origins.
Trivia[]
- In the 2005 and 2025 films respectively, their planet of origin is not specified. According to the 2005 film's director, Steven Spielberg, this was due to the discovery that Mars does not have intelligent life.
- Likewise, the aliens' origin in the short-lived and now-obscure 1988 television series is changed to another solar system rather than Mars, though the events of the 1953 film did occur in the series' backstory.
[]
 Villains
| ||
|
Novels & Novellas See Also: | ||
 Villains
| ||
|
Status Quo Agency Against Hank Wimbleton Nexus Core Matter and Energy Reclamation Corporation The Employers Others | ||
 Villains
| ||
|
Demons Deadites Others | ||