The Lie of the Majestic Alien

Life forms from other planets or other dimensions are a popular staple of science-fiction in all its many forms. In films like Avatar the aliens become a stand-in for other humans. They're a non-offensive ethnic group for mankind to oppress so we can learn ham-fisted lessons about not blowing up spirit trees to build oil wells.

In some science fiction the aliens are super-powerful and inscrutable. Solaris, in all its multimedia forms, offers up a planet-alien that treats astronauts like ants and uses their brains as the magnifying glass. The aliens that invade the earth are always equipped with staggering weapons and massive vessels. Even "realistic" alien portrayals like those seen in Communion or Fire in the Sky the aliens are abusive pranksters with incredible powers and spacecraft.

I don't buy it. That stuff is fine for science-fiction, but if real aliens came to the earth the odds don't favor beautiful space angels or hyper-techno geniuses that look like orange humans. It's going to look more like the septic tank exploded at the intergalactic trailer park.

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