The term was a play on the soap opera, a melodramatic tv series, and horse opera, a cliched Western movie. It also shares many similarities with military science fiction but focuses more on adventure rather than warfare. Historically, space opera developed from planetary romance, a sci-fi genre that focused on adventures within one or more exotic and alien planets. Other tropes in this genre include sword fights, robots, gothic death traps, lasers, princesses and knights, mystical organizations, mysterious mentors, and elaborate chase scenes. It features big love stories (Han and Leia in the original trilogy, Padme and Anakin in the prequel), larger-than-life villains (Darth Vader and Palpatine), epic space battles (Battle of the Death Star), and memorable sceneries (Naboo and Bespin). Take a look at Star Wars, which is perhaps the most famous of space operas. The space opera’s biggest difference from other science fiction genres is its romantic elements. Many of its plots concern intergalactic intrigue, hostility between sentient species, and movements that spread through the known universe. Its story unfolds on a backdrop of galactic empires and solar systems that contain their own flora, fauna, and civilizations. In its most basic form, a space opera is an action-adventure on a galactic scale. While some technological aspects are explained, most of it is simply accepted as is. Unlike other sci-fi stories though, technology is secondary to the story. Just like any kind of sci-fi, sophisticated technology such as faster-than-light travel, futuristic weapons, and spaceships are ubiquitous to the story. The more outer space there is, the better. As such, it is mainly or entirely set in outer space. What Is a Space Opera?Ī space opera is a story that specializes in space warfare, spacefaring civilizations, and adventure. The difference comes in how these elements are executed, and space opera excels in one particular aspect of storytelling: romance. Many people also get confused about the difference between space opera and other sci-fi genres because of how many plot elements they share. It’s no fault of theirs-popular space operas such as Star Wars have simply painted what most sci-fi stories look like to the general public. When most people think of science fiction, odds are good that what they’re imagining is space opera.
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