Science Fiction can be “eye-opening” when it sounds the Alarm about THREATS to our Safety or our Freedom — especially when we do not even know they exist.

For over seventy years, Hollywood has stoked our fears of ALIEN INVASION with films like The War of Worlds (1953), Independence Day (1996) and Arrival (2016). Fans of SCI-FI are well acquainted with terror-filled scenarios … where Aliens invade Earth and make themselves known to mankind.

But once in a while, intuitive filmmakers take a different approach and come much closer to the mark — closer to reality, that is — when they tell a story in which the Aliens are not “coming”… because THEY ARE ALREADY HERE.

Invasion has already happened — without any war — in a quiet, secret sort of way.

This is exactly the way “invasive species” operate in the natural world — infiltrating a particular habitat, multiplying in number, competing for resources like food and water — until the original inhabitants find themselves struggling to survive … in danger of being completely wiped out.

In this kind of story, often only a small minority know the Truth about the Alien presence on Earth and try desperately to warn others — who do not even realize that anything has happened at all.

Invasion of the Body Snatchers — (1956)

Invasion of the Body Snatchers is an American SCI-FI horror film.

The storyline concerns an Alien Invasion that begins in the fictional town of Santa Mira, California. A local doctor (Kevin McCarthy) receives reports from the townspeople of “strange behavior” in friends and family members — who look the same, but seem to be “imposters” somehow. No one believes them at first.

Extraterrestrial plant spores have fallen from space and grown into large seed pods, each one capable of producing a visually identical copy of a human. As each pod reaches full development, it assimilates the physical traits, memories, and personalities of a sleeping person placed near it — until only the replacement is left. These duplicates, however, are devoid of all human emotion.

Little by little, the doctor uncovers this “quiet” invasion — and tries to stop it.

The Invaders — (1967)

The Invaders is an American SCI-FI TV series that aired on ABC for two seasons.

In the story, architect David Vincent (Roy Thinnes) accidentally learns of a secret invasion of Aliens from outer space already underway– disguising themselves as humans and gradually infiltrating our world. He travels from place to place, trying to thwart the invasion despite the disbelief of officials and the general public. Vincent’s grim and lonely determination to find “tangible proof of the invaders’ existence” is undermined by the Aliens — who kill anyone who discovers them in ways disguised as a natural death.

Over time, Vincent is able to convince a small number of people to help him in his never ending fight.

They Live — (1988)

They Live is an American SCI-FI action horror film written and directed by John Carpenter.

In the story, a homeless drifter, Nada (Roddy Piper) comes to Los Angeles in search of a job, where he sees a preacher warning that “they” have recruited the rich and powerful to control humanity. He finds employment at a construction site and befriends a coworker Frank (Keith David), who invites him to live in a shantytown near a church. A hacker takes over TV broadcasts, warning that humanity is “their cattle” and that the only way to see is to shut off the signal at its source.

Through special sunglasses Nada discovers that the ruling class are Aliens concealing their appearance and manipulating people to consume, breed, and conform to the status quo via subliminal messages in mass media. He joins a group of rebels who fight to expose the Aliens and free humanity from their control — by shutting down the signal that prevents us from seeing them and their hidden messages.

In the end, humans all over the world discover the Aliens hiding among them.

The X-Files — (1993-2018)

“Deep Throat” is the second episode of the first season of the American SCI-FI TV series The X-Files. FBI agents Fox Mulder (David Duchovny) and Dana Scully (Gillian Anderson) investigate cases linked to the paranormal. Mulder is a believer, while Scully, a skeptic, tries to discredit him.

Mulder and Scully investigate a possible conspiracy in the United States Air Force — to hide the truth about erratic behavior from test pilots and eyewitness reports of mysterious aircraft performing seemingly impossible maneuvers in the sky. Mulder meets a mysterious informant, Deep Throat, (Jerry Hardin) who warns him to stay away from the case.

Undeterred, Mulder sneaks onto the base at night, sees a triangular craft fly overhead and is then captured by soldiers who tamper with his memory. He comes closer to the truth about Extraterrestrial life than ever before, only to have his progress stalled and findings taken from him, yet again. Having been denied the truth about the base, Mulder and Scully return to Washington.

Days later, Mulder encounters Deep Throat while jogging at a local track. Mulder asks if “they” really are present on Earth; Deep Throat responds: “They have been here for a long, long time”.

WALKING AMONG US

David M. Jacobs, an American historian and retired professor from Temple University, is well known in the field of UFOlogy for his research (more than 50 years) and books on the subject of Alien abduction, including:

Secret Life (1993) — Based on interviews with sixty individuals and more than 300 independently corroborated accounts, takes the reader on a minute-by-minute journey through a typical abduction experience and describes in detail the bizarre physical, mental and reproductive procedures that abductees claim have been administered by small Alien beings.

The Threat (1998) — Based on more than 700 hypnotic-regression interviews with Alien abductees, reveals why the Aliens are here and what they want, explains why their agenda has been kept secret, and exposes their frightening plans for Earth and its inhabitants.

Walking Among Us (2015) — Jacobs examines a disturbing phenomenon that he began noticing in 2003 : the incidents of Alien abductions have accelerated with Alien integration into human society. A silent and insidious invasion has begun. Alien hybrids have moved into your neighborhood and into your workplace. They have been trained by human abductees to “pass,” to blend in to society, to appear as normal as your next door neighbor.

Why are they here? The chilling answer:

“Abduction evidence points to a single goal:
global integration resulting in takeover.”

This is NOT Science Fiction. This is Reality. From a respected researcher who has investigated more than 1150 abduction events experienced by more than 150 abductees.

We will never see an Alien Invasion like The War of the Worlds or Independence Day — BECAUSE THEY ARE ALREADY HERE. Jacobs reports that a “change” is coming; a future when very human-like hybrids will intermingle with humans in everyday life. Their message: “Soon we will all be together. Soon everyone will be happy and everyone will know his place.”

This is a difficult Truth to accept. How can we?

Dr. Jacobs puts it this way: “I have struggled with this problem for many years. It is a close call, but my sense is that it is better to know than not to know. Without knowledge, we are completely at the Aliens’ mercy. With proper knowledge, we may think of options to delay or impede their program. I think this is worthwhile. And helping abductees struggle with what is happening to them is the human thing to do. If enough intelligent, knowledgable people put their minds to the problem, there may be a remote possibility that they can stop the Aliens, or at least slow them down.”

Let us hope it is not too late.

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The “First Peoples” of North America (its earliest known inhabitants) have cultures and oral traditions spanning thousands of years. Their storytelling traditions often have SCI-FI elements, like tales about Visitors from Outer Space.

“Indigenous people have always been writing and telling Science-Fiction stories, but it hasn’t been labeled as such,” said Blaire Topash-Caldwell, a citizen of the Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Indians who has written about the rise of Indigenous SCI-FI. “We’ve always been interested in prophecy, alternate realities and different spheres of existence.”

In recent years, Native-American inspired novels, comics, and films have entered the mainstream.

Legends from the Sky — NAVAJO — (2015)
The Navajo Nation, also known as Navajoland, is a Native American reservation that occupies portions of northeastern Arizona, northwestern New Mexico, and southeastern Utah. With more than 400,000 tribal members, it is the largest federally recognized tribe in the United States.

In Legends from the Sky, a flying saucer crashes in the Navajo Nation, prompting a cover-up and the disappearance of an old man. His grandson, a recently-returned US Army veteran (burdened by survivor’s guilt after a disastrous military tour) must search for his missing grandfather after their ancestral land is mysteriously taken over by an unknown federal organization — and discover the secret of the saucer.

Night Raiders — CREE — (2021)
The Cree are a North American Indigenous people. They live primarily in Canada, where more than 350,000 people are Cree or have Cree ancestry — north and west of Lake Superior, in Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta, and the Northwest Territories. In the United States, Cree people historically lived from Lake Superior westward. Today, they live mostly in Montana.

Night Raiders is a Canadian-New Zealand SCI-FI dystopian film. In the war-torn world of 2043, an oppressive military government locates children — with unending drone surveillance — and brings them into a state-run institution called the Academy. Militant teachers brainwash children to become soldiers, forcing them to leave behind their families’ customs, religion, language, and names. Niska (Elle-Máijá Tailfeathers), a Cree woman, joins a resistance movement to save her daughter.

Slash/Back — INUIT — (2022)
Nunavut is a Canadian territory that encompasses the traditional lands of the Inuit, the indigenous peoples of Arctic Canada. The Inuit are descended from the Thule, one of the earliest hunting societies that travelled across the Bering Strait into Northern Canada. The name Nunavut means “Our Land” in Inuktitut, the language of the Inuit.

Slash/Back is a Canadian Inuit SCI-FI film directed by Nyla Innuksuk in her feature debut.

Set in Pangnirtung, Nunavut, a remote community, the story follows four teenage girls who encounter a strange polar bear, shoot it and return home. Going back to investigate, one of them discovers an Alien Artifact, and sees the bear and an elk dragging a body to the Artifact that begins to drain its blood. A police officer and fisherman attacked by the ‘bear’ become Alien Skins — and the girls must fight them off alone (their parents are at a Social Dance). Using her knowledge of hunting, one girl, Maika, kills a Skin, causing light to shoot from the Artifact into the sky, where a spacecraft departs. When interviewed by a reporter after life returns to normal, she simply replies, “I am a hunter!”

Prey — COMANCHE — (2022)
The Comanche are a Native American tribe from the Southern Plains who belong to the federally recognized Comanche Nation, headquartered in Lawton, Oklahoma. They speak a Numic language of the Uto-Aztecan family. The Comanche were once part of the Shoshone people of the Great Basin.

Prey is an American SCI-FI horror film in the Predator franchise, a prequel to the first four films, set in the Northern Great Plains in 1719. The story revolves around a young Comanche woman, Naru (Amber Midthunder), who is striving to prove herself as a hunter. She finds herself having to protect her people from a vicious, humanoid Alien that hunts humans for sport, as well as from French fur traders who are destroying the buffalo they rely on for survival. (Filmed in English, with some sequences shot in Comanche, a full Comanche dub was also created, the first feature film to do so.)

THE SURVIVAL TRILOGY

A Gleam of Light — HOPI — Book 1 (2016)

The Hopi are Native Americans who live primarily in northeastern Arizona on a reservation near the Black Mesa. They belong to the Pueblo people of the southwestern US, known for their terrace farms and deep spirituality. Their name means “people of peace” in the Hopi language. They have lived in the same region for over 1,000 years and claim to be the most rooted of all peoples in North America. Hopi spirituality weaves together stories, songs, dances and festivals. They worship their gods in shrines and ceremonies and draw insights from the movements of the stars.

A Gleam of Light begins in 1995, when 8-year-old half-Hopi Una Waters survives a terrifying UFO encounter at 30,000 feet on Flight 564 from Dallas to Las Vegas. 21 years later, now a D.C. bureaucrat, Una is summoned back to Hopiland by a desperate plea from an old friend. The U.S. Army’s sudden invasion of the Sacred Peaks threatens their peaceful way of life. Somehow, she must confront her painful past and find proof to protect an ancient discovery. Her connection to the white man’s world makes Una uniquely qualified to help solve the mystery, as she tries to reconnect with her cultural identity.

Inspired by Hopi mythology, each volume of THE SURVIVAL TRILOGY (Book 2 The Dragon’s Glare and Book 3 Beyond the World) explores native beliefs pertaining to Alien Life from a unique cultural point of view — book one: Native American, book two: Asian American, and book three: African American. All are connected … through Hopi prophecy.

First Peoples SCI-FI — from tribes like the NAVAJO, CREE, INUIT, COMANCHE and HOPI –offers us storytelling traditions from Native American cultures spanning thousands of years … about Visitors from Outer Space, Alternate Realities and so much more.

Exploring them could open up a new world of discovery … for YOU.

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Reading Between the Lines: to perceive or detect a Hidden Meaning that is not directly expressed — behind something written or said.

Sometimes extraordinary events in SCI-FI are not explicitly spelled out for the viewer — they are “subtle” or implied; when the story at first appears to be about one thing — but is actually about something else.

In storytelling, when a person’s life seems to ‘jump’ — inexplicably from one place to another, with no memories of what happened in between — possible explanations may include: alcohol-induced Amnesia, head Trauma, Dissociative Identity Disorder, spiritual Possession or … Alien Abduction.

“Stopover in a Quiet Town” — The Twilight Zone — (1964)

After drinking too much at a party, Bob and Millie Frazier awaken in a strange bed, in a strange house in a strange town. They’re still dressed in the clothes they wore to the party but their memories are fuzzy. Bob was too drunk to drive so Millie was behind the wheel and she vaguely remembers a shadow falling over them. They soon realize that everything in the town is fake: the telephone in the house isn’t wired; the drawers and cupboards in the kitchen are only a façade; even the trees are fake. The town is deserted and Millie begins to wonder if they’re dead. They keep hearing a child laughing and begin a search. They’re not prepared for what they encounter.

Interestingly, this episode aired three years after Betty and Barney Hill were abducted by Aliens from their car one night driving home in rural New Hampshire (September, 1961) but before their story came out in the best-selling book The Interrupted Journey (1966). It was later adapted into a TV movie: The UFO Incident (1975).

MISSING TIME

In 1981, Missing Time by Budd Hopkins was the first focused study of an enigma that would come to captivate the world and challenge our understanding of the universe. The influence of this pioneering book was such that its title is now deeply embedded into the lexicon of UFO study — synonymous with that most controversial and troubling of topics: Alien Abduction.

At the time of its writing, Hopkins could not have predicted the impact of Missing Time, not only within UFOlogy, but in popular culture worldwide. The facts, stories, and theories presented herein laid the foundation for the first mainstream debates surrounding reports of human encounters with small, grey-skinned entities-non-human beings with hypnotic black eyes who came silently in the night for their own mysterious purposes. These vivid descriptions as documented by Hopkins would trigger buried memories worldwide in people from all walks of life-to the extent that the so-called “Greys” now represent the dominant cultural imagining of an Alien lifeform.

The Mothman Prophecies — (2002)

The Mothman Prophecies is an American supernatural horror-mystery film starring Richard Gere and Laura Linney, based on the 1975 book by journalist and influential UFOlogist John Keel.

The story follows John Klein (Gere), a reporter who researches the legend of the “Mothman”. Still shaken by the death of his wife two years earlier from a glioblastoma, Klein is sent to cover a news piece and inexplicably finds himself in Point Pleasant, West Virginia, where there have been sightings of an unusual creature and other unexplained phenomena. As he becomes increasingly drawn into mysterious forces at work, he hopes they can reconnect him to his wife, while the local sheriff (Linney) becomes concerned about his obsessions. (Will Patton also gives a stellar performance as Gordon Smallwood.)

In the story, Klein experiences an episode of “Missing Time” (inexplicably traveling 400 miles in less than two hours with no memory of it) and all indications are — to the astute observer familiar with this phenomenon — that he has been abducted.

In his writing, Keel used the term “ultraterrestrials” to describe UFO occupants he believed to be non-human entities capable of assuming whatever form they desire. He did not state any hypothesis about the ultimate purpose of the phenomenon other than that the UFO intelligence seems to have a long-standing interest with interacting with the human race

The film claims to be based on actual events that occurred between November 1966 and December 1967 in Point Pleasant, as described by Keel — and has since gained a cult following.

HIDDEN MEANING

The Forgotten — (2004)

In New York, Telly Paretta (Julianne Moore) has been under the psychiatric care of a doctor for months, the therapy to help her deal with the grief associated with losing her nine year old son, Sam, one of 6 children in a plane which disappeared. Slowly, incidents make it seem like Telly is losing her grip on the past, until one day all physical evidence of Sam ever existing disappears. Her husband, Jim (Anthony Edwards) and Dr. Munce (Gary Sinise) try to explain to her that her therapy is to help her get over the delusion that she had a son. As Telly alone goes on a search for evidence to prove the existence of Sam, the only person she is eventually able to convince is Ash Correll (Dominic West) an ex-Hockey player whose daughter was also one of the missing children.

Telly: “Do you ever feel like somebody–?
Something’s watching you?”

Ash: “Like surveillance?”

Telly: “No, l mean that sometimes people are … taken.
We hear that.”

Ash: “What are you talking about?”

Telly: “Abduction.”

One other person they’re able to convince of there ever having been a Sam and Lauren is NYC cop, Ann Pope (Alfre Woodard). Pope believes that 2 people having the same delusion is not a coincidence, and must decide who she can or cannot trust in the matter … to uncover the Truth.

Outer Range — (2022)

Outer Range is an American SCI-FI neo-Western TV series created by Brian Watkins and starring Josh Brolin, Imogen Poots and Will Patton.

In Episode 1 (“The Void”) Royal Abbot (Brolin) awakens on his Wyoming family ranch, unaware that his life is about to change forever. He does the rounds on horseback, heading out into the pasture — where he hears strange noises; ominous rumbles, then returns home — surprised to discover that it’s later than he thought. Royal has inexplicably lost two hours of “Missing Time”. That night, another ominous groan echoes across the pasture, and the Abbots receive a mysterious phone call from neighboring rancher Wayne Tillerson (Patton) who warns “Something is coming.”

The next morning, as Royal and son Rhett try to account for missing cows, they are caught off-guard by the arrival of a woman named Autumn (Poots), who wants to camp on their land (and can pay handsomely for it). Later, searching alone in the West pasture, Royal encounters a bizarre giant hole in the ground, with strange particles swirling around. When he inserts his hand, flashes to the future cause him to race back home.

The whole family are gathered, and together they learn from acting Sherriff Joy that the FBI are going to stop looking for Rebecca (son Perry’s missing wife), who disappeared more than nine months ago. Concerned about the strange hole, Royal heads out to warn Autumn, who broaches the subject of selling the ranch, offering upwards of 6 million to take it off his hands. “Do you have any secrets you want to share?” She says, with a mischievous smile that has layers of deception to it.

Already at odds with the Tillersons over a land dispute (Wayne wants the West pasture) things only get worse that night, when Tillerson brother Trevor gets into a fight with Perry outside the local bar — and dies.

Rhett and Perry drive back to the ranch, Trevor’s body in the back of the truck. Royal decides to protect his family by covering it up — so he rides off with Trevor on horseback, headed for the West pasture. The Tillersons search for Royal, but he drops Trevor’s body deep into the bowels of this mysterious hole before they can find him.

A blinding light from behind reveals Autumn’s arrival with a flashlight. She wants to know what’s going on, having witnessed the act — and talks about the Greek God Kronos. Apparently this hole is the manifestation of a tear between Heaven and Earth. Autumn promises to keep it a secret … before pushing Royal into the hole.

And that’s only the beginning! You may have to watch the entire series more than once to grasp its many SCI-FI layers — but it’s totally worth it.

[Interesting TRIVIA: Viewers have drawn parallels between Outer Range and “The Phantom Tollbooth” — a movie title that appears on the town theater marquee in episode 3. While the show is set in present day, this live-action/animated fantasy film came out in 1970 (produced by Chuck Jones with many voice talents, including Mel Blanc) — based on a classic 1961 children’s book by Norton Juster. In the story, Milo, a bored young boy, unexpectedly encounters a magic tollbooth — that transports him to the once prosperous, but now troubled, Kingdom of Wisdom. Both stories explore the fantastical and unexplainable!]

So … be on the lookout for “Between the Lines” SCI-FI — when extraordinary events point to Hidden Meaning that’s implied but not directly spelled out.

It may be your best clue to what the story’s really all about!

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Outer Range | Official Trailer — (click on image)

A diverse transformation is underway in the genre of Science Fiction — with expansive storytelling that challenges all of us to broaden our perspective. While it has always been thought-provoking, in recent years SCI-FI has come to represent a wider variety of People from unexpected Places … exploring concepts like Racism, Underdogs and Connectedness.

RACISM

Racism: the false belief that different Races possess distinct characteristics, abilities, or qualities … which make one Inferior (or Superior) to another. While the victims in a SCI-Fi story may be Mutants or Aliens or Robots, the message is the same — even when we don’t actually talk about race.

X-Men — (2000)

X-Men is an American film based on the Marvel Comics superhero team of the same name created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby. The story depicts a world where an unknown proportion of people are mutants, possessing superhuman powers that make them distrusted by normal humans. It focuses on mutants Wolverine and Rogue as they are brought into a conflict between two groups with radically different approaches to bringing about the acceptance of mutant-kind. Professor Charles Xavier struggles to achieve a peaceful coexistence between mutants and humans, hoping that the gifted students of his institute will use their powers for good. Meanwhile, his old friend and super-human antagonist, Magneto, leads the the Brotherhood of Mutants, preparing for war against humanity.

UNDERDOGS

Underdog: a person with little status in society; thought to have little chance of winning a fight or contest. When we suddenly “see the world” through the eyes of someone considered insignificant (or outside our comfort zone) it appeals to our curiosity — and often generates a sense of empathy.

Slash/Back — (2022)

Slash/Back is a Canadian Inuit SCI-FI film directed by Nyla Innuksuk. Set in Pangnirtung, Nunavut, a remote community, this story follows four teenage girls who shoot and kill a strange attacking polar bear. One of them, Maika, discovers an Alien artifact that appears to drain blood from dead bodies and then occupy their Skin, attacking the girls. Unable to reach their parents at a social dance, the girls must fight back, using what they know about hunting — to drive away the energy from the Alien artifact into the sky and save their community. Later when things return to normal, Maika is asked by news reporters about what happened. Her only response: she’s a hunter.

CONNECTEDNESS

Connectedness: the realization … arrived at through Science, Philosophy and Spirituality: that everything is CONNECTED. The process of enlightenment can enable us to see beyond our immediate subjective view (that human beings, born into separate fortunes, are destined to compete against one another). If humanity hopes to survive, we must evolve … to work together, for the good of all.

SCIENCE has observed (according to its “Big Bang” theory of creation) that the entire universe and all its contents were contained within a single point of infinite density and zero volume.

PHILOSOPHY has reasoned, as far back as Parmenides (b.506 BC — a Greek philosopher who came before Socrates) that the universe is a unified whole within which all things exist.

SPIRITUALITY reveals … through Hindu texts “the unity of the mind and the world”, in the Buddhist principle of “Oneness” (on a primeval level of existence, there is no separation between ourselves and our environment) and Christianity’s “duality of the cosmos”: in Christ, God becomes man, manifested on Earth in human form, thus the two become One.

Cloud Atlas — (2012)

Cloud Atlas is an epic SCI-FI film based on the 2004 novel by David Mitchell with multiple plots occurring during six eras in time. The story jumps between eras, spanning hundreds of years, until each storyline is resolved. Writings from characters in prior storylines are found in future storylines. Characters appear to recur in each era, but change relationships to each other. Slaves or abusers often change roles, suggesting a connection between souls through the ages. Throughout the film, several people say, “Our lives are not our own. From womb to tomb, we are bound to others. Past and present. And by each crime and every kindness, we birth our future.” The main message: Every person matters, every decision has consequences.

PEOPLE IN UNEXPECTED PLACES

Diverse stories are now coming from People in unexpected Places that might not have always been part of the mainstream community. This broadens their appeal … to SCI-FI fans around the world.

Black Panther — (2018)

Black Panther is an American superhero film based on the Marvel Comics character of the same name. In the story, T’Challa is crowned king of the reclusive, technologically advanced African nation of Wakanda following his father’s death. He is challenged for the throne by an old enemy named Killmonger, who plans to abandon the country’s isolationist policies and begin a global revolution. This puts the fate of Wakanda and the entire world at risk. Faced with treachery and danger, the young king must rally his allies and release the full power of Black Panther to defeat his foes and secure the safety of his people and their way of life.

3 Body Problem — (2024)

3 Body Problem is an American SCI-FI TV series based on the Hugo Award–winning Chinese novel by Liu Cixin. In the story, Ye Wenjie is an astrophysicist who sees her father beaten to death during a struggle session in the Chinese Cultural Revolution. She is conscripted by the military because of her scientific background and is sent to a secret military base in a remote region. Her decision at the base to respond to contact from an Alien planet has implications for a group of scientists in the present day, forcing them to face humanity’s greatest threat.

Thus we have entered, through Expansive SCI-FI, a more inclusive era of storytelling. The time has come for all of us to broaden our perspective — to explore thought-provoking ideas from a wider variety of People in unexpected Places. Why? Because all Life on Earth — and everywhere in the Universe — is CONNECTED.

From every point of view that matters … Scientifically, Philosophically, and Spiritually speaking, we are all part of the same reality.

In other words … we are ONE.

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The history of SCI-FI owes a debt of gratitude to Trailblazing Women — who have left an indelible mark on the genre, challenging stereotypes and pushing boundaries — stretching back to the 19th century.

FEMALE AUTHORS
Despite facing great obstacles, Female Authors have proved to be a huge creative force in SCI-FI.

Mary Shelley (Frankenstein, 1818) — written at the age of 18, this classic tale introduces some of the most popular SCI-FI archetypes, such as the “mad scientist” and the “creature”.

Anne McCaffrey (The White Dragon, 1978) — one of the first Science Fiction books to appear on the New York Times Best Seller list. She was also the first woman to win the Hugo and Nebula awards. Best known for her long-running Dragonriders of Pern series.

Octavia E. Butler (Kindred, 1979) — the first African-American woman to gain prominence as a major SCI-FI writer, she transcended the genre conventions by addressing racial injustice, women’s rights, and political issues. She once said, “I began writing about power because I had so little.”

STAR TREK
Star Trek has a rich history of empowering Women, both on-screen and behind the scenes.

D.C. Fontana: Episode: “Journey to Babel” (1967)
In this pivotal episode, Fontana introduced Spock’s parents and delved into Vulcan culture. She wrote 11 episodes of TOS, creating several classic Alien species in the process including the Andorians. The first woman to have a producer credit for any of the Trek series, Fontana continued to be involved through the first season of TNG, as associate producer for 12 episodes.

Jean Lisette Aroeste: Episode: “Is There No Truth in Beauty?” (1968)
A librarian without any connections to the industry, she decided to try her hand at writing an episode of Star Trek (and the studio actually bought it!) It beautifully encapsulates Vulcan philosophy: “Infinite diversity in infinite combinations.” — emphasizing the beauty of diversity.

Nichelle Nichols — hailed all frequencies as Lt. Uhura on Star Trek from 1966 until her final appearance in 2022. Uhura was capable and smart on the Enterprise — where her race and gender were mere footnotes in Gene Roddenberry’s optimistic vision of the future. Her portrayal of a black woman in a leadership role was groundbreaking, and she inspired generations of viewers.

ON THE BIG SCREEN
The type of strength Women exhibit — in outer space or some parallel universe — usually involves more brains than brawn.

Ellen Ripley (Sigourney Weaver) — Alien (1979)
Ripley is an iconic character who starts off hunted by brutal creatures before evolving into a militaristic warrior. Her emotional depth and intelligence challenge preconceived notions about femininity.

Sarah Connor (Linda Hamilton) — Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991)
In “Terminator 2: Judgment Day”: Sarah, initially pursued by malevolent forces, transforms into a fierce protector. Her maternal instincts and tactical prowess set her apart.

Dr. Ellie Arroway (Jodie Foster) — Contact (1997)
A brilliant scientist pondering questions of faith, science, and otherworldly life, Dr. Arroway defends her beliefs to skeptical male politicians and scientists.

Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence) — The Hunger Games (2012)
Katniss battles for her life in a dystopian ceremony before becoming the ultimate freedom fighter. Her strength, resourcefulness, and determination make her a powerful female protagonist.

Professor Louise Banks (Amy Adams) — Arrival (2016)
A linguistics expert, Banks leads an elite team of investigators when gigantic spaceships touch down in 12 locations around the world. As nations teeter on the verge of global war, she and her crew must find a way to communicate with the extraterrestrial visitors.

BEHIND THE SCENES
The forgotten Woman who designed The Creature From The Black Lagoon.

The terrifying movie monster could both swim and walk on land. He had long claws, webbed hands and feet, scales and a dorsal fin. His round, fishy head had bulging eyes and layers of wavy gills.

First captured on film in 1954, the elusive Creature — and Milicent Patrick, the woman who designed him — are now the focus of a book: The Lady from the Black Lagoon.

Born in 1915, Patrick was skilled visual artist. After attending art school, she became one of the first women animators at the Walt Disney Studios. Her pastel chalk artwork was featured in the 1940 movie Fantasia — a winged creature in the sequence “A Night on Bald Mountain.”

Her boss at the Universal monster shop, a man named Bud Westmore, told her that she “could not take credit for it”. He was so jealous of all of the attention she was getting that he fired her. As the head of the studio’s makeup department, it’s his name on the movie’s credits, as was the custom. (Sadly, she never worked behind the scenes in Hollywood ever again.)

SCI-FI would not be the same without Traiblazing Women — whose creative imaginations and artistic talent have given us some of the most memorable characters in TV and Movie History.

The future may just be Female after all.

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FIRST CONTACT in SCI-FI depicts the first meeting between Humans and Extraterrestrials —
a life-changing event, to say the least. Hollywood storytellers have explored many scenarios … ranging from friendly collaboration to conflict and fear(invasion). Realistically, the arrival of Aliens on Earth may also be compared to encounters in the natural world — between native and invasive species.

HOLLYWOOD STORYTELLING

The Day the Earth Stood Still — (1951)
An Alien (Michael Rennie) lands in Washington, D.C. and tells the people of Earth that they must live peacefully or be destroyed as a danger to other planets.

Close Encounters of the Third Kind — (1977)
Roy Neary (Richard Dreyfuss), an Indiana electric lineman, finds his quiet and ordinary daily life turned upside down after a close encounter with a UFO, spurring him to an obsessed cross-country quest for answers as a momentous event approaches.

2010: The Year We Make Contact — (1984)
In this masterful sequel to 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968), a joint USA-Soviet expedition (led by Roy Scheider & Helen Mirren) is sent to Jupiter to learn exactly what happened to the “Discovery” and its H.A.L. 9000 computer.

The Abyss — (1989)
A civilian diving team (headed by Ed Harris & Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio) is enlisted to search for a lost nuclear submarine and faces danger while encountering an Alien aquatic species.

Star Trek: First Contact — (1996)
Star Trek: First Contact depicts humanity’s first meeting with an Alien culture, the Vulcan race, in Montana on 5 April 2063, after the passing Vulcans’ attention is attracted by the detection of the energy signature from scientist Zefram Cochrane launching humanity’s first warp flight.

Contact — (1997)
Dr. Ellie Arroway (Jodie Foster), after years of searching, finds conclusive radio signal proof of Extraterrestrial intelligence, sending plans for a mysterious machine.

Arrival — (2016)
A linguist (Amy Adams) works with the military to communicate with Alien lifeforms after twelve mysterious spacecraft appear around the world.

REAL WORLD ENCOUNTERS

In the real world, of course, “First Contact” with Extraterrestrials has already happened … many times to people around the globe, in encounters stretching back to at least 1947. Anyone familiar with the work of serious UFO investigators like Budd Hopkins, David M. Jacobs, Linda Moulton Howe and Richard Dolan is well acquainted with the phenomenon of ALIEN ABDUCTION.

It is our greatest hope, as authors of THE SURVIVAL TRILOGY — Inspired by Real Events — that more storytellers and filmmakers will strive to do the same.

To anyone who has not already seen it, we highly recommend the recent documentary from j3Films: “Extraordinary: The Revelations” — currently available on Amazon Prime.

FIRST CONTACT between Humans and Extraterrestrials — in SCI-FI or Reality — can open the door to a kind of Enlightenment … that forever changes our understanding of who we are, and our place in the universe. Storytellers have tried to prepare us. Investigators and Eyewitnesses tell us that Aliens are already here.

Sooner or later, we’ll All know … exactly what that means.

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