GELF

G.E.L.F. or simply GELF is an acronym for Genetically Engineered LifeForm. It was used in two science fiction television programs, the U.S. drama "seaQuest DSV" and the British sitcom "Red Dwarf".

"seaQuest DSV

When NBC decided they wanted more science fiction oriented episodes for the second season of "seaQuest DSV", G.E.L.F.s were introduced to the program, primarily via Peter DeLuise's main character Dagwood.

Dagwood was the imperfect prototype "Dagger", a group of G.E.L.F.s intended as supersoldiers. Unlike the other Daggers, Dagwood was less intelligent that normal and his fighting skills were not fully developed, although he had great physical strength. He was assigned to the SeaQuest cleaning crew.

In the show's canon, the G.E.L.F.s were created during the "dark age of genetics" (2001 to 2003). They were manufactured solely for the purpose of waging war. United Nations Resolution G-932 outlawed them by 2004. The existing G.E.L.F.s were rounded up and exiled to an island colony, "Dagger Island". The second season's opening episode "Daggers" established much of their background, and also introduced Mariah, the leader of the G.E.L.F. uprising. Portrayed by actress Sam Jenkins, she would reappear in the episode "Dagger Redux".

"Red Dwarf"

The writers of the series had stated early on in production that they did not want any aliens to exist in their show's universe; but as the series continued, in order to provide a stream of characters for the main crew to interact with, their cosmos was gradually populated with deranged robots and bizarre creatures that turned out to be the result of genetic engineering. Here are some of the GELFs which have appeared on "Red Dwarf" over the years:

Humanoid GELFs

Kinitawowi

The Kinitawowi are bulky humanoids that stand in at around six feet high; they are covered in warts and shaggy dull orange/copper/brown fur similar to that of an orangutan. As Kryten states, some have their sphincteral orifice in their face, and as such touching of the face was considered highly offensive to them. Their bodies are extremely tough; a direct blast of plasma from a bazookoid merely stunned a Kinitawowi at close range [ ] .

Unlike several other genetically engineered life forms, such as the manipulative polymorphs and the aggressive beastmen-GELF's, pleasure GELFs are actually benevolent and non-threatenting.

Each of the Dwarfers saw their dream partners, and Camille was forced to reveal her true nature. Despite its natural form, Kryten began dating it. Camille eventually left to help her partner, a Pleasure GELF named Hector, in a manner similar to "Casablanca".

Emotional vampires

The Polymorph

A polymorph is a shape-shifting organism that can change into anything it pleases, and lives by draining a person of a negative emotion. It was designed to be the perfect warrior, blending into any background, causing confusion and disarray amongst the enemy by playing with their emotions, but the creature mutated into something terrifying its creators couldn't control [ ] . One of the polymorph's forms appears somewhat similar to the Xenomorph Alien from the movie "Alien" (1979).

The Grant Naylor novel "Better Than Life" provides a slightly different origin to the polymorphs. According to that book, the surviving gelf of a great war were dumped on a Garbage world (actually future Earth) and left to die. Most did die, except for those specifically suited to survive in such an environment. The polymorphs evolved from these organisms.

Emohawk

The "Emohawk" is a Polymorph whose natural form is something similar to a large bird or hawk. Like all Polymorphs, the Emohawk is emotional leech - it steals emotions from other living creatures.

Emohawks are domesticated variants of Polymorphs that are spayed at birth, raised by the Kinitawowi and trained to do their bidding. Emotions drained by the Emohawks are a highly valued trading commodity amongst the Kinitawowi.

The Emohawk seems to be able to drain specific apsects of an individiual's personality as well as mere emotions; it drains Arnold Rimmer of his bitterness and Cat of his cool, turning them into Ace Rimmer and Duane Dibbley.

Psirens

Psirens are GELFs which can telepathically alter the perception of humans, in order to suck out their brains with a straw. In their natural form, Psirens are insectoids standing at around two metres high and look something like giant beetles, with giant bulbous eyes and a large carapace. Their name and manner are similar to the Sirens of Greek mythology.

GELFs in the "Red Dwarf" novels

ymbi-morph

The novel "Last Human" features a GELF called a Symbi-morph which is very similar to the Pleasure Gelf, but seems to have actual shape-shifting abilities. Its neutral or "true" form is an androgynous humanoid with a black and white matrix colour scheme. It has five telepathic hooks which it can fire into someone to read their mind and shape-shift accordingly, with each additional hook making the connection more powerful. Lister was allowed to spend a night with a symbi-morph but rather than being given a "broken" one (one who is not bonded telepathically to anyone) he was given Reketrebn, a symbi-morph who was bonded with four hooks to an abusive Dingotang named Deki. Although they were only bonded with one hook, Lister managed to convince Reketrebn to help him escape and run away from Deki, by whom it was being severely mistreated.

Dingotangs

Seen in the book "Last Human", they are -type GELFs: orangutans with the heads of dingoes.

Dolochimps

Seen in the book "Last Human", they are -type GELFs with the heads of dolphins, the bodies of chimpanzees and the legs of giant locusts.

Alberogs

Seen in the book "Last Human", they are -type GELFs with the heads of albatrosses, the bodies of bears and the legs of giant frogs. Alberogs make up most of the population of the asteroid Arranguu 12, the site of the Gelf Forum of Justice. The Regulator of Justice is an Alberog.

nugiraffes

Seen in the book "Last Human", they are -type GELFs with the heads of cobras, the bodies of giant slugs and the legs of giraffes, who also appear to have had a bucket of mucus thrown at them. Snugiraffes are called the most repulsive creatures ever to have lived, with the exception of George Formby — even just seeing them can trigger vomiting (or, in the case of holograms and mechanoids, dry-retching). They are still highly prized, however, because they eat everyone else's effluence and process it into a smokeless fuel. The warden of Cyberia, the cyber-prison on the asteroid Lotomi 5, is a Snugiraffe. It isn't troubled by the reaction other beings have to its appearance, considering vomiting to be a form of greeting.

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