Abstract
“He who became aware of how genius is produced, and desired to proceed in the manner in which nature usually does in this matter, would have to be exactly as evil and ruthless as nature is. - But perhaps we have misheard. ”1
“If anyone wanted to imagine a genius of culture, what would the latter be like? He would manipulate falsehood, force, the most ruthless self interest as his instruments so skilfully he could only be called an evil, demonic being; but his objectives, which here and there shine through will be great and good. He would be a centaur, half beast half man, with angel’s wings attached to his head in addition”2
In the Michael Bay film ‘Transformers’, Earth is invaded by Megatron and the evil Decepticons to find The Cube (the Allspark with the power to give life and create worlds). Optimus Prime and the Autobots have discovered that The Cube is on Earth - have come to stop Megatron and the Decepticons from getting to it first and to save Earth from domination by the Decepticons who will use the cube to turn every electronic object into robotic life forms. What ensues is a battle between good and evil amidst classical and delirious3 architectural references.
In the Paul W.S. Anderson film, Alien vs. Predator, Alien(s) are bred on Earth as game for Predator(s) using human hosts – Predator(s) come to earth for this seasonal hunting sport. If Alien(s) succeed in outmanoeuvring Predator(s) thus making host of humanity, Predator(s) use a self-destruct mechanism to execute a total purge; if on the other hand Predator(s) win, humanity isspared and they leave to return again. However, in order for this enterprise to prevail, the Predators enslave humanity, impart scientific knowledge on them, teach them to prepare the hosts, build great temples and weapons, and guarantee them relative tranquillity - here we recall aresemblance to architecture and the sacrifices of the Aztecs to their demon-gods.
Beyond the battles of good versus evil, or of lesser and greater evils, we have a representation of a certain attitude towards aliens (foreigners, immigrants, students, ‘deviants’, etc.) and their place relative to health (infection of the host in alien, the cancerous researcher in Alien vs. Predator, the transformation of mechanical and electronic devices in Transformers into Decepticons, etc.) identity and security in a theatre of the weak.
With reference to Alain Badiou, the paper will argue the truth of this representation; it will argue that - as in human subjectivity - the battle between Alien and Predator, not the effective usurpation of one by the other is the agonistic productive force upon which concrete subjectivity is dependent and that the event of the demon-god, devil or tyrant (Megatron or Predator) in its blind brutality is the ‘necessary condition’ for a continued agonistic struggle.
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