I'm a big fan of Science Fiction. Really big. But as I continue to watch and absorb more and more content from the genre from all types of media a part of me wishes for the storytelling to just share a little more about the 'magic' of their worlds.
Two of my favorite titles; Contact and Interstellar. And yet both those titles just teeter on the edge of exploring new concepts but never fully delve head first into it. I'm sure a lot of it is just mystery for storytelling sake and I have no blame to place for that (It works!), but a part of me really wishes to one day see the deep unknown fully dressed up as the prized golden goose of a new story.
And I realized what I was looking for wasn't exactly Science Fiction but Science Fantasy. Many people will ask you whats the difference and to be fair it's not exactly clear. But the way I always liked to put it; is its the difference between Battle Star Galactica and Star Wars
Science Fantasy is a genre with untapped potential. A world-builder's dream space and a storyteller's playground. While normally fantasy has been exhausted and placated by Elves, Orcs and Dwarves and the tropes that ride on unicorns with them, Science Fantasy is seemingly left untouched by many stories.
So what is it then? Well to me, Star Wars is the best example, and as much as there is a great amount of pride that should be carried with that statement, it's a little painful to see that a story from forty years ago hasn't even been attempted to have been matched against.
More recent examples like Destiny and Anthem in the video game industry have had stories following a similar guide but there poor reception and god-awful storytelling has left the Science Fantasy genre with a poor reputation.
And even with the butchering of Last Jedi and the subpar reception of Solo and Force Awakens, maybe writers just don't know what to do with the Genre. It's a sad thought but it does shed a little light on the actual genius of George Lucas. My fingers are crossed for December and I truly hope J.J Abrams knows what to do with such a beautiful world and delivers the best Science Fantasy story to date.
I desperately hope to see the genre explode in the years to come, but with a distinct lack of titles involving it; maybe I'll just have to wait.
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