Overused Sci-Fi Tropes That Should Be Retired

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Modern blockbuster storytelling has an unfortunate habit of retelling stories, borrowing ideas, and feeling stuck in well-worn patterns. Science fiction, with its focus on imagining theoretical realities in the distant future or the depths of space, can suffer from this creative overlap that weighs heavily on every medium today.

The modern infrastructure of science fiction cinema, TV, and literature is dominated by decades-old brand names that still have a huge impact on fans. In between these huge names are countless independent examples that are often innovating in new and interesting ways. Unfortunately, there are plenty of well-worn tropes that have outlived their usefulness and may have never been tolerable.

How The Halo TV Series Approaches Classic Tropes Of Military Sci-Fi

Science fiction tends to be fairly grim in its proclamations of the potential future. Mankind's hubris is a popular theme, and the overwhelmingly common concept of «playing God» through some advanced technology is a typical feature. Mad scientists or the dangerous things they make are portrayed as villains far too often. Most stories in the cosmic horror subgenre paint efforts to learn more about the universe as foolishly tempting greater forces to destroy us. This hatred of science is foolish and unhealthy, not to mention woefully overdone in fiction. For better or worse, Black Mirror's primary premise rests on the idea that technology might be a curse. When mankind's evolutionary desire to invent things to make their lives easier is the villain, the works tend to choose some unpleasant heroes.

Conspiracy theorists are the good guys of almost every Roland Emmerich film and the entire Monsterverse franchise. Tons of sci-fi stories make science the