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Robot

 Robot
type
TVTItem
 Robot
label
Robot
 Robot
page
Robot
 Robot
comment
Mechanical beings brought to life to serve humanity and hopefully not enslave them: Robots. Robots are one of the staples of science fiction literature, though they have spread beyond it into multiple other genres. So what is a robot? In fiction, a robot is usually a mechanical being that has been built in order to complete some task. The occasional use of the nonfictional variety of robots, which are basically complex machines, can also be seen in fiction in the form of non sentient devices such as a Surveillance Drone. See also Sliding Scale of Robot Intelligence.
The word's origin lies with Josef Čapek, a Czech writer, playwright and painter, who coined the term in 1921 for his brother Karel's play R.U.R.; the word often gets erroneously credited to the more famous Karel. Ironically, Čapek's robots were Artificial Humans, not mechanical beings. The name is derived from the Czech word robota, meaning serf labour. The concept of the "mechanical human" itself is much older; in memory of the tale from Classical Mythology that Hephaestus, the God of smithcraft, had built machines that moved of their own accord and worked for him, such a being was called an automaton before the word "robot" came into use. Since a clear distinction between technology and magic is a fairly modern convention, the automaton has originally an inherent relationship to the Golem.
In early fiction revolving around robots, they were generally labourers or workers who Turned Against Their Masters in a Robot War. However, the author Isaac Asimov found this idea to be absurd: A robot would be designed to work for humans and would never be given the capacity to work against them, thus codifying the Three Laws of Robotics. Over the century, the use of robots in fiction has gone in multiple different directions, leading to a very widespread trope that is difficult to pin down exactly.
As a very common supertrope, Robot lists its subtropes below in index format. For an even more comprehensive list noting related tropes, see also Robot Roll Call. Compare Artificial Human, Spaceship Girl and the various Cyborgs. And of course, beware the Robot War.
 Robot
fetched
2023-06-19T17:43:22Z
 Robot
parsed
2023-06-19T17:43:22Z
 Robot
processingComment
Dropped link to MechanicalLifeform: Not a Feature - UNKNOWN
 Robot
processingUnknown
MechanicalLifeform
 Robot
isPartOf
DBTropes
 Robot / int_16bff523
type
TV Head Robot
 Robot / int_16bff523
comment
TV Head Robot
 Robot / int_16bff523
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Robot / int_16bff523
 Robot / int_1823d912
type
Noisy Robots
 Robot / int_1823d912
comment
Noisy Robots
 Robot / int_1823d912
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1.0
 Robot / int_1823d912
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 Robot
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Robot / int_1823d912
 Robot / int_26480103
type
Mechanical Animals
 Robot / int_26480103
comment
Mechanical Animals
 Robot / int_26480103
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1.0
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Robot / int_26480103
 Robot / int_33a2f32f
type
Do Androids Dream?
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comment
Do Androids Dream?
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1.0
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1.0
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Robot / int_33a2f32f
 Robot / int_3a12261d
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Robot Soldier
 Robot / int_3a12261d
comment
Robot Soldier
 Robot / int_3a12261d
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1.0
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Robot / int_3a12261d
 Robot / int_426181b8
type
Do-Anything Robot
 Robot / int_426181b8
comment
Do-Anything Robot
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1.0
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1.0
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Robot / int_426181b8
 Robot / int_42632336
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Mecha-Mooks
 Robot / int_42632336
comment
Mecha-Mooks
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1.0
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1.0
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Robot / int_42632336
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Robot Superhero
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Robot Superhero
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Robot / int_4335f3d0
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Unnecessarily Creepy Robot
 Robot / int_46d619c4
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Unnecessarily Creepy Robot
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Robot / int_46d619c4
 Robot / int_4d3c63f8
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Single-Task Robot
 Robot / int_4d3c63f8
comment
Single-Task Robot
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1.0
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Robot / int_4d3c63f8
 Robot / int_4eef88b8
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Starfish Robots
 Robot / int_4eef88b8
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Starfish Robots
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1.0
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1.0
 Robot
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Robot / int_4eef88b8
 Robot / int_50c49af4
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Robotic Spouse
 Robot / int_50c49af4
comment
Robotic Spouse
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Robot / int_50c49af4
 Robot / int_535addbd
type
Raised by Robots
 Robot / int_535addbd
comment
Raised by Robots
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Robot / int_535addbd
 Robot / int_540cdedc
type
Robotic Undead
 Robot / int_540cdedc
comment
Robotic Undead
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1.0
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Robot / int_540cdedc
 Robot / int_55f0bf7a
type
Robotic Assembly Lines
 Robot / int_55f0bf7a
comment
Robotic Assembly Lines
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Robot / int_55f0bf7a
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Ambiguous Robots
 Robot / int_585da3f0
comment
Ambiguous Robots
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Robot / int_585da3f0
 Robot / int_5c1d5030
type
Grew Beyond Their Programming
 Robot / int_5c1d5030
comment
Grew Beyond Their Programming
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1.0
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Robot / int_5c1d5030
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type
Telescoping Robot
 Robot / int_65b00368
comment
Telescoping Robot
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1.0
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1.0
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Robot / int_65b00368
 Robot / int_6f27f4ba
type
Surveillance Drone
 Robot / int_6f27f4ba
comment
Surveillance Drone
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1.0
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1.0
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Robot / int_6f27f4ba
 Robot / int_71dd8b96
type
Token Robot
 Robot / int_71dd8b96
comment
Token Robot
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1.0
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1.0
 Robot
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Robot / int_71dd8b96
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type
SkeleBot 9000
 Robot / int_7520c9dd
comment
SkeleBot 9000
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1.0
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1.0
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Robot / int_7520c9dd
 Robot / int_7de21a41
type
Hostile Animatronics
 Robot / int_7de21a41
comment
Hostile Animatronics
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Robot / int_7de21a41
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type
Tin-Can Robot
 Robot / int_7f84552e
comment
Tin-Can Robot
 Robot / int_7f84552e
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1.0
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Robot / int_7f84552e
 Robot / int_80874b5d
type
Mechanical Abomination
 Robot / int_80874b5d
comment
Mechanical Abomination
 Robot / int_80874b5d
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1.0
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Robot / int_80874b5d
 Robot / int_8a356e5a
type
Robot Athlete
 Robot / int_8a356e5a
comment
Robot Athlete
 Robot / int_8a356e5a
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1.0
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1.0
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Robot / int_8a356e5a
 Robot / int_9075ac17
type
Just a Machine
 Robot / int_9075ac17
comment
Just a Machine
 Robot / int_9075ac17
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1.0
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Robot / int_9075ac17
 Robot / int_92159f81
type
In the Future, We Still Have Roombas
 Robot / int_92159f81
comment
In the Future, We Still Have Roombas
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Robot / int_92159f81
 Robot / int_921b5b7b
type
Terminator Impersonator
 Robot / int_921b5b7b
comment
Terminator Impersonator
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Robot / int_921b5b7b
 Robot / int_9381f239
type
Clockwork Creature
 Robot / int_9381f239
comment
Clockwork Creature
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Robot / int_9381f239
 Robot / int_95653ae2
type
Silicon Snarker
 Robot / int_95653ae2
comment
Silicon Snarker
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1.0
 Robot / int_95653ae2
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1.0
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Robot / int_95653ae2
 Robot / int_986dad9a
type
Killer Robot
 Robot / int_986dad9a
comment
Killer Robot
 Robot / int_986dad9a
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1.0
 Robot / int_986dad9a
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1.0
 Robot
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Robot / int_986dad9a
 Robot / int_98def616
type
Replicant Snatching
 Robot / int_98def616
comment
Replicant Snatching
 Robot / int_98def616
featureApplicability
1.0
 Robot / int_98def616
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1.0
 Robot
hasFeature
Robot / int_98def616
 Robot / int_9daab19e
type
Fembot
 Robot / int_9daab19e
comment
Fembot
 Robot / int_9daab19e
featureApplicability
1.0
 Robot / int_9daab19e
featureConfidence
1.0
 Robot
hasFeature
Robot / int_9daab19e
 Robot / int_a00900fd
type
Mourning a Dead Robot
 Robot / int_a00900fd
comment
Mourning a Dead Robot
 Robot / int_a00900fd
featureApplicability
1.0
 Robot / int_a00900fd
featureConfidence
1.0
 Robot
hasFeature
Robot / int_a00900fd
 Robot / int_a2f1b41d
type
Robot Me
 Robot / int_a2f1b41d
comment
Robot Me
 Robot / int_a2f1b41d
featureApplicability
1.0
 Robot / int_a2f1b41d
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1.0
 Robot
hasFeature
Robot / int_a2f1b41d
 Robot / int_a31116e6
type
Mechanical Monster
 Robot / int_a31116e6
comment
Mechanical Monster
 Robot / int_a31116e6
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1.0
 Robot / int_a31116e6
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 Robot
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Robot / int_a31116e6
 Robot / int_a31c7ef4
type
Cute Machines
 Robot / int_a31c7ef4
comment
Cute Machines
 Robot / int_a31c7ef4
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1.0
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Robot / int_a31c7ef4
 Robot / int_a3c667b1
type
Hopping Machine
 Robot / int_a3c667b1
comment
Hopping Machine
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1.0
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1.0
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Robot / int_a3c667b1
 Robot / int_aa938aad
type
Remote Body
 Robot / int_aa938aad
comment
Remote Body
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1.0
 Robot / int_aa938aad
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Robot / int_aa938aad
 Robot / int_ac1c4bf7
type
Super-Powered Robot Meter Maids
 Robot / int_ac1c4bf7
comment
Super-Powered Robot Meter Maids
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1.0
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1.0
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Robot / int_ac1c4bf7
 Robot / int_ad5283e1
type
Robot Girl
 Robot / int_ad5283e1
comment
Robot Girl
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1.0
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Robot / int_ad5283e1
 Robot / int_ad551ef4
type
Robot Maid
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comment
Robot Maid
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1.0
 Robot / int_ad551ef4
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1.0
 Robot
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Robot / int_ad551ef4
 Robot / int_ad8d3c2e
type
Mechanical Muscles
 Robot / int_ad8d3c2e
comment
Mechanical Muscles
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1.0
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Robot / int_ad8d3c2e
 Robot / int_afef1ef3
type
Robo Family
 Robot / int_afef1ef3
comment
Robo Family
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1.0
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1.0
 Robot
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Robot / int_afef1ef3
 Robot / int_b3deb1c6
type
Sexbot
 Robot / int_b3deb1c6
comment
Sexbot
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 Robot
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Robot / int_b3deb1c6
 Robot / int_b479b090
type
Spy Bot
 Robot / int_b479b090
comment
Spy Bot
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Robot / int_b479b090
 Robot / int_b8ba418f
type
Nature-Loving Robot
 Robot / int_b8ba418f
comment
Nature-Loving Robot
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1.0
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Robot / int_b8ba418f
 Robot / int_bb44af57
type
Robot Dog
 Robot / int_bb44af57
comment
Robot Dog
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1.0
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Robot / int_bb44af57
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type
Robot Kid
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comment
Robot Kid
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Robot / int_bb44c8e1
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type
Robot Wizard
 Robot / int_be122170
comment
Robot Wizard
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Robot / int_be122170
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type
Tragic Robot
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comment
Tragic Robot
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Robot / int_beb686c7
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Cyber Cyclops
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comment
Cyber Cyclops
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Robot / int_bf5b6abf
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type
Talking Lightbulb
 Robot / int_c38f4bee
comment
Talking Lightbulb
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Robot / int_c38f4bee
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type
Religious Robot
 Robot / int_c72eea14
comment
Religious Robot
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Robot / int_c72eea14
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type
Eating Machine
 Robot / int_c8c56598
comment
Eating Machine
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1.0
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Robot / int_c8c56598
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type
Mechanical Insects
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comment
Mechanical Insects
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Robot / int_ce032b97
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type
Ridiculously Human Robots
 Robot / int_e4900915
comment
Ridiculously Human Robots
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Robot / int_e4900915
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Mechanical Horse
 Robot / int_e5c9dde9
comment
Mechanical Horse
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Robot / int_e5c9dde9
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type
Murderous Malfunctioning Machine
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comment
Murderous Malfunctioning Machine
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Robot / int_ee444814
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Cybernetic Mythical Beast
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comment
Cybernetic Mythical Beast
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Robot / int_ef280d7
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type
Deceptively Human Robots
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comment
Deceptively Human Robots
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Robot / int_f865d93d
 Robot / int_f8f7c403
type
Astro Clone
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comment
Astro Clone
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1.0
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Robot / int_f8f7c403
 Robot / int_fa9fd465
type
American Robot
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comment
American Robot
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1.0
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Robot / int_fa9fd465
 Robot / int_fade9118
type
Robotic Psychopath
 Robot / int_fade9118
comment
Robotic Psychopath
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1.0
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Robot / int_fade9118
 Robot / int_fbfe572b
type
Alternative Turing Test
 Robot / int_fbfe572b
comment
Alternative Turing Test
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1.0
 Robot / int_fbfe572b
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1.0
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Robot / int_fbfe572b
 Robot / int_fcbcc221
type
Robot Buddy
 Robot / int_fcbcc221
comment
Robot Buddy
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1.0
 Robot / int_fcbcc221
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Robot / int_fcbcc221
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type
Robot Clown
 Robot / int_fcc6edd8
comment
Robot Clown
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The following is a list of statements referring to the current page from other pages.

 Robot
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Artificial Intelligence / int_c3b2ffa5
 BadassAutomaton
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Robot
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Censor Box / int_c3b2ffa5
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Diegetic Visual Effects / int_c3b2ffa5
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Mistaken for Insane / int_c3b2ffa5
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The Roaring '20s / int_c3b2ffa5
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Ur-Example / int_c3b2ffa5