Week 9: Space Opera

For this week I read 9 Billion names, a short story about monks that seek out the names of god to bring the universe to an end. They get their hands on a computer that can print all the possibilities and in the end it actually works and the stars begin to fade away. There are a lot of franchises set in space that mention of some sort of God or all powerful force or being. Take Star Wars for example, with the Force. There is also a search for new knowledge or an answer to why do we exist. In Hitchhikers guide to the galaxy, an all-knowing computer is asked what the meaning of life. Space Opera’s focus a lot on the concept of religion and how religion can start conflicts or end in Holy Wars. Here are two of my favorite examples:

        The fifth element, one of my favorite sci-fi movies, revolves around the concept that there is a fifth element in the form of a human that once combined with the other elements, they become the “Divine Light” which can defeat the Great Evil. In the movie there is an idea about what Catholicism would be like in the distant future. A character by the name of Cornelius is referred to as “father” and the symbols of the elements are religious signs. The story can be related to Adam and Eve where, Korben Dallas is the hero out to save the innocent Leelo. Overall this is an awesome movie. There’s plenty of comedy to keep you laughing and enough action to keep you watching. There’s even a real space opera!

        Halo, which is one of my favorite sci-fi games, is about a war between humans and an alliance of aliens that are led by religious leaders called The Prophets. Their goal is to activate “Halo”, basically a bunch of gigantic laser beams that will destroy everything in their path, in order to reach what they call “the great journey.” Discovering that the rings are actually weapons to destroy sentient life to contain a deadly parasite, the humans must engage in war to stop the covenant.

              I think science fiction fits rather well with religious themes.  Throwing a classic opera in space seems to just work perfectly.