this post was submitted on 26 Sep 2024
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I always liked the distinction (I forget who originated it) that science fiction is a story set in a world where the rules are defined by physics and fantasy is a story set in a world where the rules are defined by the author.
There's a lot of science fiction where the rules of the world are defined by the author. I think the difference is that the foundation of science fiction is on what the world is, both literally, and metaphorically, while the foundation of fantasy lies upon what the world could be, hence the name fantasy
The point is that if the rules aren't grounded in science, it's not science fiction. You can have the trappings of science, like space travel or whatever, but if people are moving objects and doing impossible acrobatics by using a magical force, it's fantasy.
Though not mine, I personally think that definition works better than most. Still, if you pin me down, I'd say that there's a spectrum, with hard SF (where everything is rigorously anchored to scientific principles) at one end, and pure fantasy (with magic and such) at the other. There are lots of things between those endpoints, with some being closer to one or the other, and some being very much in the middle.
Star Wars is fucked...
Oh, it's fantasy
Star Wars is absolutely fantasy that happens to be set in space
Dune is more fantasy than Star Wars and many consider it one of the best sci-fi of all times.
I personally subscribe to Asimov's definition of sci fi:
While Dune is full of stuff that's just straight up magic, the story is very much about how humans handle the technology, even when the in-universe basis of the technology is essentially magic. Long before the story ever started, we invented AI, freaked out about it, and then had to figure out how to replace computers in an interstellar society. The main overarching plot of the kwisatz haderach is about the consequences of the "invention" of precognition, even if the means of the invention are very fantastical. Several major factions are basically "what if we did super advanced selective breeding on humans for a thousand years".
Star Wars, meanwhile, isn't concerned with that sort of thing. It's an adventure of good againt evil in the most classic of ways. It's sword and sorcery. Even when a literal world-destroying superweapon is a major plot point, it doesn't actually take much of any time to think about what this technology would do to society beyond "be very scary". The obvious point of comparison is nuclear weapons in real life, and the development of those re-shaped culture enormously. We suddenly had this craze of imagination of all the things nuclear power might do. Humanity conquered the atom and we couldn't stop dreaming up new ways to wield this power. Most of which were fucking insane. In Star Wars, a power orders of magnitude greater shapes society no more than a particularly big army.
Star Wars is only interested in the characters, whatever technology is present is set dressing to allow for fun visuals. That's not something I say as a negative either. It's perfectly valid and reasonable for a story to take more interest in its characters than its setting.
Disclaimer: I'm writing all this thinking only about the nine main series films. Especialy the original three. I'm sure someone has written Asimov-definition sci fi somewhere in the Star Wars canon, "legends" or not. I've just never delved into it much at all.
A lot of what is considered sci-fi is based on the premise that physical laws can be broken.
Lightsaber and Forcery
I don't know if you're brave or foolish, but either way, vaya con dios. The Star Wars fans are relentless.
I can only speak for myself, but as a Star Wars fan, I'm very aware it's fantasy. Shit man, it's got wizards.
Babylon 5 had wizards.
All I know is that a lot of Star Wars fans accept convoluted explanations for what Han Solo could have meant by doing the Kessel Run in under 12 Parsecs rather than accept that he just meant "ship go very fast." And at the same time not be concerned with how there could be the concept of a falcon a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away.
The people who hate star wars the most are themselves the biggest fans of star wars.
I also think that the Last Jedi is one of the better Star Wars films, so I'm quite used to my Star Wars opinions being the subject of definitely very polite disagreement