Sci-fi and fantasy have always had the strangest relationships.
To others, they are the same thing, but to others, they are complete opposites. Yet, both camps scarcely answer the proper questions. What are the differences between sci-fi and fantasy? And what are the similarities?
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I went reading about, and I might have found a place holder answer.
The main difference between science fiction and fantasy is the central conflict, where science fiction’s central conflict is cause by intellectual corruption, while fantasy’s central conflict is caused by the moral corruption. This leads to the two having massive differences in world building, power systems, and themes.
In science fiction, it may take place in a dystopian world, or overly technological world, which shows the intellect, while in fantasy the story may take place in a magical world, which shows the mythical morals. Yet again in science fiction, people may use technology for combat, showing the clash of ideas, while in fantasy people will use magic, showing a clash of ethics/morals. In science fiction, the themes may be over human intellectual flaws, while in fantasy, it may be over human moral flaws.
These may not make sense now, but in this article, we will be getting further into details on this. Let’s get right into it:
What is the main difference between sci-fi and fantasy?
The main difference between science fiction, and fantasy is that science fiction’s central conflict is on an intellectual level, while fantasy’s central conflict is on a moral or ethical level.
All stories have a central conflict.
This is the conflict that goes beyond the face-value conflict. For example, in Rocky the face-value conflict is that he must beat Creed. But the central conflict is an emotional journey about standing, and fighting on in life, in spite of the odds.
That’s why at the end of the movie, even though Rocky does not win, the crowd claps for him. Because he won the central conflict. He went the full rounds with the world champion, yet he was a nobody, thus proving he won the central conflict. Rocky had a rather emotional central conflict, but it was neither sci-fi or fantasy.
In sci-fi, the central conflict is usually intellectual.
It is due to a lack of intellect, or an abundance of intellect that we end up with the problem of the story. Then, we follow the heroes as they try to defeat the villains, but in reality, they are trying to answer a sort of intellectual problem. Usually, it takes the form of a moral conundrum like the trolley problem.
Inversely, fantasy’s central conflict tends to be on matters of virtue.
It is the lack of virtuous or an abundance of virtue that we end up with the problem we have in the fantasy world. As our hero attempt to defeat the main villain, they must also bring into equilibrium the right amount of virtue in order for them to do this. That’s why fantasy stories tend to be the most straight forward, having tyrannical, or weak/cowardly kings.
What are the consequences of these differences?
1. World building
Science fictions world building usually shows some form of the intellectual decay.
The most representative symbol of intellect is languages, numbers, and technology.
As a result, science fiction worlds are riddled with these things. And because it is a story, there needs to be a corruption amongst them. So the technology will either be too perfect, such as in utopias, or it will be destroyed, such as in dystopias.
Fantasy world building usually shows a form of virtuous decay.
The best symbol of virtue is magic.
This could be due to the connection of virtue with Western Christian ideas, but even in Wuxia magic shows in virtue, so its probably an innate human thing. Magic often shows the heart of a character, or even, a world.
So fantasy worlds are often littered with magical elements, be it plants, magical kingdom, magical items, or magical cities.
Again, because this is a story, we need to show the corruption, and this will be show by the world being in some form of encroaching decay, such as in epic fantasy stories or a world where order, or goodness hides evil underneath, such as in grimdark fantasy.
2. Power system
In science fiction, the power system will often be some sort of technology. Or maybe, a forgotten form of trick that closely resembles magic.
In fantasy, the power system is always magic, though they may dabble in magical items at times.
3. Theme
Science fiction will often have intellectual depravity themes.
This means science fictions problems will be things like killer robots, or mass hungers. Basically, the kind of thing that makes one go, ‘For such smart people, why couldn’t they have thought of this?’ Which is kinda the point.
In fantasy, the these will usually stem from virtuous depravity.
This may be just a downright cruel king, traitors, or maybe even tyrant. In other forms, it can be depicted as a fake form of virtuous used to hide cruelty, and in these worlds, outright cruelty is the justice that out roots the hiders. This is basically grimdark fantasy.
Examples of Sci-fi and fantasy stories
Sci-fi
“Dune”
“Star Trek”
“The Matrix”
“Jurassic Park”
Fantasy
“The name of the wind”
“Gentleman bastards”
“The Way of Kings”
“Harry Potter”
“The Blade Itself”
What writers can learn from the differences between sci-fi and fantasy
“Do The Star Wars Walk”
This is often what I think about when I am making stories.
Many people tend to argue that there are no difference between genres, such as sci-fi and fantasy. but in doing so, I feel, they tend to lose the ability of using these genres to their full ability.
I believe that it would be useful for people to learn how to use these things in order to improve their writing. Like the Star Wars walk.
Star Wars is a fantasy story that takes place in a sci-fi setting.
I believe this blend is a massive reason for it’s success, and it is also why very few have been able to reproduce it. But now you can too. Maybe you won’t learn how to make the next Star Wars, but if you learn the difference between two genres, and how to fuse those seamlessly, you’d have taken your first steps to mastering mastery.