What is the origin of the 'lizard people' or 'reptilian' conspiracy theory about world leaders?
Executive summary
The modern “lizard people” or “reptilian” conspiracy was popularized in the late 1990s by British writer David Icke, who claimed shape‑shifting reptilian aliens from systems such as Alpha Draconis control Earth’s elites and invented the Illuminati [1] [2]. Earlier fiction and folklore fed the idea — Robert E. Howard’s 1929 serpent men and other reptilian tropes in 20th‑century fiction are precursors — and scholars trace Icke’s narrative to earlier colonial pseudohistories and popular culture [3] [1].
1. How David Icke turned fiction into a global conspiracy
David Icke’s 1998 book The Biggest Secret crystallized the contemporary reptilian conspiracy: he argued that blood‑drinking, shape‑shifting reptilians from other star systems secretly inhabit human society and run global power structures, a claim that has become the core doctrine of the movement [2] [1]. Reporting and reference sources identify Icke as the main popularizer: his ideas linked the reptilian motif to long‑running conspiracy frames such as the Illuminati and global bloodlines [2].
2. Literary and pop‑culture precedents that seeded the myth
The trope did not arise from nowhere. Modern reptilian imagery appears in fiction from the late 1920s onward — Robert E. Howard’s Serpent Men and related fantasy and sci‑fi works created the idea of humanoid reptiles who can mask themselves as humans [3]. Television and film have repeated the motif — from 1980s miniseries like V to recent sci‑fi shows — embedding the notion in popular culture and making it ripe for conspiratorial reinterpretation [3] [4].
3. Older myths, colonial pseudohistory, and real‑world appropriation
Historians note a deeper well: elements used by Icke draw on pseudohistorical legends that emerged during colonial-era writing about Africa (for example, narratives around Great Zimbabwe and mokele‑mbembe), meaning the modern conspiracy repurposes colonial exoticism and racist tropes into a transnational myth about hidden rulers [1]. TVTropes and other commentators warn the trope can slide into explicitly antisemitic or ethnicized forms, where conspiratorial reptile imagery masks older prejudices [5].
4. Why the idea stuck: pattern‑seeking, imagery, and media amplification
Observers point to a few psychological and technological drivers: dramatic visual cues (eye movements, alleged “glitches” in video), pattern‑seeking in ambiguous evidence, and social media’s amplification all help the theory spread and persist [6] [7]. Contemporary lists of viral conspiracies show reptilian claims remain a durable meme, recycled onto public figures from royals to tech CEOs to fuel outrage and online engagement [6].
5. Violent consequences and cross‑pollination with other conspiracies
Mainstream reporting links the reptilian myth to real‑world harm: the Nashville bomber reportedly subscribed to Icke‑influenced reptilian claims, illustrating how fantastical narratives can motivate violent actors and intersect with movements like QAnon [3] [2]. Media fact‑checks note that allegations about specific public figures (e.g., Queen Elizabeth II) being reptilian are unfounded but nonetheless resurface after major events [8].
6. Competing explanations and academic perspectives
Scholars such as Michael Barkun and historians like Edward Guimont argue the reptilian conspiracy is a hybrid product of fiction, folklore, and political mythmaking — Barkun links it to pulp fiction while Guimont highlights colonial pseudohistories as source material [1] [3]. Popular analyses and listicles treat the belief as both a modern urban legend and a symptom of deeper distrust in elites and institutions [6] [5].
7. Limitations of available reporting and what’s not said
Available sources document the literary roots, Icke’s role, and social effects, but they do not give a single linear origin story nor exhaustive sociological data on how many people currently believe core tenets (available sources do not mention the precise prevalence of belief). They also do not fully chart regional variations in the myth’s content beyond English‑language media reporting (not found in current reporting).
8. Bottom line — myth, media, and real danger
The reptilian conspiracy is best understood as a modern amalgam: early 20th‑century fiction furnished compelling images; late 20th‑century conspiracy entrepreneurs like David Icke converted them into a global political narrative; and 21st‑century media dynamics have kept the story alive and sometimes dangerous [3] [2] [1]. Sources warn the trope can mask older prejudices and has had violent real‑world effects, so treating it as merely whimsical ignores its social consequences [5] [2].