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{{Short description|Fictional ancient race of beings}}
An '''elder''' or '''progenitor race''', in [[science fiction]], [[fantasy]], or [[horror fiction]], is an ancient race that not only preceded but helped shape the races that followed, often playing a significant role in the basis of the story. [[Human|Humanity]] may have been descended from them, or they may be a different [[fictional race]], such as [[Elves in fiction|elves]], [[Dwarf (folklore)|dwarves]], or [[Extraterrestrial life|aliens]].<ref name=":0">{{Cite book|last=Clute|first=John|url=http://sf-encyclopedia.uk/fe.php?nm=elder_races|title=Elder Races|publisher=Orbit|year=1997|location=London|access-date=2021-08-16}}</ref> While in some cases, whether they currently exist is unclear, in other instances, members of an elder race still inhabit the world, either openly or in secret. In order to hide their existence, they may make use of a [[wainscot society]], inhabit a [[Parallel universes in fiction|parallel universe]], only visiting the current one occasionally, or disguise themselves as a [[Fool (stock character)|fool]], [[deity]], [[Magician (fantasy)|magician]] or [[trickster]].<ref name=":0" /> One such example is in ''[[Lord of Light]]'' (1967), where highly advanced humans take on the identities of [[Hindu deities]] and act as gods to the less advanced colonists.<ref name=":2">{{Cite book |editor-last=Westfahl |editor-first=Gary |author-last=Swayer|author-first=Andy |author-link=Andy Sawyer |url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/60401685 |title=The Greenwood encyclopedia of science fiction and fantasy : themes, works, and wonders |date=2005 |publisher=Greenwood Press |isbn=0-313-32950-8 |location=Westport, Conn. |chapter=Elder Races |pages=
Elder races are typically either technologically or spiritually powerful, as well as wise. While sometimes benevolent, assisting younger races, they can also often be amoral, as in [[H. P. Lovecraft|H.P. Lovecraft]]'s [[Cthulhu Mythos]], where the [[Cthulhu Mythos deities|Elder Gods]] are indifferent to humanity's "petty" concerns. They are usually presented as having drifted apart from humanity in the present of the story, sometimes as [[Lost city|lost empires]] whose inhabitants either left their former home for a new one, or were destroyed by a catastrophe and only live on in legend, such as [[Atlantis]]. They may appear both as enemies, or as allies against a greater threat.<ref name=":2" />
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The trope of the elder race is used in science fiction to explore the tensions within [[family]], as well as the relationship between [[Colonization|colonizers]] and colonized. As such, the elder race is usually presented as far older and more decadent than the younger one, and who are undeserving of their status of ownership, or themselves deserve to be owned in turn.<ref name=":2" />
In the film ''[[Prometheus (2012 film)|Prometheus]]'' (2012), the Engineers are depicted as humanity's progenitor race.<ref name=":1">{{Cite
In the ''[[Babylon 5]]'' TV series, the [[Vorlon]]s, representatives of order, and the [[Shadow (Babylon 5)|Shadows]], Lovecraftian proponents of chaos, are elder races manipulating younger species throughout history in a surrogate war of ideals.<ref name=":2"/><ref name="Babylon5">{{Cite book |editor-last=Westfahl |editor-first=Gary |author-last=Anders |author-first=Lou |author-link=Lou Anders |url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/60401685 |title=The Greenwood encyclopedia of science fiction and fantasy : themes, works, and wonders|date=2005|publisher=Greenwood Press |isbn=0-313-32950-8 |location=Westport, Conn. |chapter=''Babylon 5'' (1993-1998) |pages=
== In science ==
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