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| - Oh great, now humanity has done it. We aren't just jerks, but we've gone and messed up the planet; environmental pollution, wars, negative karmic vibes, etc. Or our development has become a Game Breaker in the whole "Survival of the Fittest" thing; so humans are now alien to the planet that birthed us. (This also suggests that every other living species exists in some kind of Hive Mind state, so everything they do for survival follows "the rules.") We can divide this trope threefold: Examples of Gaia's Vengeance include:
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| abstract
| - Oh great, now humanity has done it. We aren't just jerks, but we've gone and messed up the planet; environmental pollution, wars, negative karmic vibes, etc. Or our development has become a Game Breaker in the whole "Survival of the Fittest" thing; so humans are now alien to the planet that birthed us. (This also suggests that every other living species exists in some kind of Hive Mind state, so everything they do for survival follows "the rules.") This has resulted in a situation where Mother Earth has sicced her champions on us. This will result in either a bunch of ethnically diverse kids learning how to recycle while a hero beats up really idiotic and shallow villains... or Eldritch Abominations that are programmed to wipe out the infection, i.e., humankind. A metaphor for the destruction that environmental damage will do, because really, what aesop can't be delivered through the metaphor of "If you do this, someone or something will beat the crap out of you?" In better series, this will be a logical effect of a certain action; in worse ones, this will just be a flat-out "Science Is Bad!" If intelligent, Gaia's Vengeance can have contradictory assessments of humanity. Predators and parasites who kill are simply following their nature. Humans "should know better" yet shouldn't think themselves different from said animals. We can divide this trope threefold:
* Gaia's Vengeance proper -- Nature is a sentient, or, at least, independent and real being, who can direct the efforts of an entire ecosystem, or even weather et al. And willing to direct it against this annoying little sentient species that finally pissed it off. Bonus points for it being called Gaia, Planet, or similar.
* Gaia's Vengeance metaphorical -- Was I hallucinating, or was Jerry really eaten by a humongous shark? This is the case when environmental neglect results in local or global tragedy. An example of the former would be a loose swarm of killer bees or an Attack of the 50 Foot Whatever fed on a local toxic waste dump, of the latter - global warming. As opposed to above, it does not actually need Nature to act anymore than you'd need a snow devil or whatnot to start an avalanche.
* Gaia's Avenger -- Here, Nature may or may not be sentient, as well as pollution does or does not have to be a problem at all. At least to anyone but this person, who took it as a personal quest to fight any real or perceived polluters, all in the name of Mother Earth. KnightTemplarship abounds, but there are some right. The Nature Spirit, Plant Person, and Beast Man, and generally anyone who can "Feel the Planet's pain!" are likely avengers. May be the reason for Absent Aliens, ie when they get too technologically advanced, they wipe themselves out, or their equivalent of Gaia does it. Compare The Scourge of God, Green Aesop, Gaia's Lament, Nature Spirit, and Global Warning. Often a Space Whale Aesop. May be a time When Trees Attack. Clock Roaches are this for Father Time. Examples of Gaia's Vengeance include:
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