threats from outer space
Those of us who read and write fantasy and science fiction like our conflicts on a large scale. Forget about family feuds and bickering neighbors–we like wars that engulf whole continents, Dark Lords that threaten to drain the life force of the entire world, and weapons that can take out entire planets.
And since I like to spice my fantasy with a dash of science fiction, I am always interested in world-destroying, humanity-menacing threats from outer space and the many forms they can take.
An Alien Invasion
This is the classic threat, really. From H. G. Wells’ War of the Worlds onward, aliens have invaded our TV screens and our pleasure reading for decades. V: The Final Conflict was one of my favorite sci-fi TV shows as a teen. In movies like Independence Day, Signs, and Titan A.E. and books such as Ender’s Game and The Kraken Wakes, aliens are bent on taking over Earth and destroying or subjecting humanity.
And you thought this was a book about sea monsters…
The Thread in Anne McCaffrey’s Pern books is an interesting variation on the alien invasion trope. Thread is biological, but not sentient, a mindless parasite that consumes everything organic
And then there are stories like Avatar, where the alien invaders are–us.
Meteor Strike
We all know how bad a meteor strike can be–just ask the dinosaurs.
*crickets chirping*
K, so we can’t ask the dinosaurs, but while Earth may survive a big strike by a meteor or comet, humans may not. This is the scenario in the movies Deep Impact and Armageddon (neither of which I have seen, by the way–these are husband-provided examples).
Or, you can combine the alien invasion and the meteor strike and get something like Terry Pratchett’s The Fifth Elephant: Giant elephant slams into the Discworld in the dim, dark past, creating vast deposits of fat.
Megatons of screaming, angry elephant bearing down on the world? Now that’s a frightening thought.
Strange Space Phenomenon
You don’t need to physically harm Earth in order to throw our civilization into chaos.
In John Wyndham’s Day of the Triffids, a shooting star show blinds everyone who sees it. Chaos ensues.
In Blake Crouch’s Run, everyone who witnesses an aurora is suddenly gripped by an uncontrollable homicidal urge to kill everyone who didn’t. Chaos ensues.
In our very real life, scientists warn us that a solar flare could disrupt our technology. Chaos will ensue.
The Vogon Construction Fleet
Yes, this deserves its own category. In Douglas Adams’ Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, Earth is destroyed in order to make way for an interstellar bypass.
It’s nothing personal.
Miscellaneous Space Threats
Besides these categories, there are threats by black hole, rogue planets smashing into our own, the inevitable expansion of the sun at the end of its life, and the ripping of the space-time fabric. All of which make the hearts of apocalypse rubber-neckers like me go pitter-patter.
What other threats from outer space–real and imaginary–can you think of?
