Invasion #AtoZChallenge

One element of dystopia we have not looked at too much are dystopias caused by invasion of non-human species, who have come to earth in secret, as an invading force or with a gloved hand of friendship. Lets look at an example of each in order.

Invasion of the Body Snatchers is a 1956 film, later remade in 1978, in which alien spores come to earth, grow into pods, then replicates the form a sleeping person sleeping placed near them. They retain the person’s memories, physical quirks and personality traits but lack emotion. As each new person is assimilated, an army grows to assimilate more and reach further. Until the aliens have taken over.

Ender’s Game, by Orson Scott Card, shows what happens after earth is invaded twice by an insectoid species. It becomes militaristic to prepare for the next invasion, even recruiting and training gifted children at a young age to be soldiers, ultimately tricking them to take the war to the enemy. Children unknowingly commit genocide. It is a cautionary tale of what we often let ourselves become. As we learn much later, the insectoids hadn’t realized humans were sentient because they lacked a collective consciousness., which is why they attached. There may have been a peaceful way out.

Earth Final Conflict is a Canadian-American science fiction series based on ideas generated by Star Trek creator Gene Rodenberry. In this show, Taelons come to earth sharing sophisticated technology that cures the sick, provides environmentally friendly transportation by way of transporters, and eliminate war and poverty. But the Taelons have their own agenda, and the show follows the actions of resistance fighters, some of whom are in positions of privilege with the Taelons, work to reveal that to the human world.

Sometimes, as we see, dystopias find us, even if we are not looking. How we handle them defined who we become.

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