Displaced People SCI-FI: when characters (Human or Alien) are forced to leave their Homes — due to War, environmental Disasters, or other cataclysms — and seek Sanctuary elsewhere. Often inspired by Real-World Crises, these stories explore Refugee struggles … to Survive, Adapt, and find a sense of Belonging in unfamiliar or hostile environments.
ALIEN NATION — Film, TV Series & TV Movies — (1988-1997)
Alien Nation is a SCI-FI TV Series (adapted from the 1988 film) starring Gary Graham as Detective Matthew Sikes, an officer of the Los Angeles Police Department reluctantly working with “Newcomer” Alien “George” Francisco, played by Eric Pierpoint. [Followed by 5 TV movies: Dark Horizon (1994), Body and Soul (1995), Millennium (1996), The Enemy Within (1996), and The Udara Legacy (1997)]
Storyline
In 1988, a flying saucer crashes in the Mojave Desert carrying 250,000 ALIENS, Tenctonese, former slaves controlled by “Overseers” (who exit the ship at the same time, blending in with other Refugees) — all attempting to make new lives for themselves on Earth. They are Humanoid but have certain anatomical differences and have been bred with greater physical strength and intelligence. These “Newcomers”, as they are called, become the latest immigrants to the United States, facing struggles with integration into our multicultural society.
The storylines (set 5 years after Alien arrival) are often morality plays on the evils of Racism and Bigotry, using Newcomers as the discriminated minority. As fictional Alien immigrants, Newcomers can stand in for Social Issues about various races, as well as sexual Minorities such as Gays and Lesbians, inverting the usual expectations.
One example: mid-way through the series, George becomes pregnant (the male of his species carrying the fetus for part of its gestation), and during much of the episode, dialog includes lines like, “If you females had to feel the pain we males feel during pregnancy, there wouldn’t be any babies.” The series offers social commentary (and a healthy dose of Humor) by illustrating what it means to be Human and the often bizarre rituals we observe.
On RACISM: “Purists” oppose the integration of Newcomers into Human society, and are against granting them Civil Rights (including the right to Vote), saying they should stay with their “own kind”. Since it is considered only “a matter of time” until Newcomers and Humans interbreed, they also believe that this would “pollute” our gene pool — and cause Humans to become Extinct. Conspiracy theorists fear that with their superior physical attributes (enhanced strength, longer lifespan, higher intelligence, superior adaptive physiology etc.) the Aliens will try to take over planet Earth.
STAR TREK: INSURRECTION — (1998)
Star Trek: Insurrection is an American SCI-FI film directed by Jonathan Frakes, starring the cast of Star Trek: TNG, with F. Murray Abraham, Donna Murphy, and Anthony Zerbe in main roles.
Storyline
Lieutenant Commander Data is temporarily transferred to an undercover mission observing the peaceful Ba’ku people. He suddenly malfunctions and reveals the presence of the joint Federation–Son’a task force observing the Ba’ku. Vice Admiral Dougherty contacts the USS Enterprise-E to obtain Data’s schematics for recovery purposes, but adamantly states the Enterprise’s presence is unneeded. captain Jean-Luc Picard ignores orders and takes the Enterprise to recover Data. Upon successfully recovering Data, Picard becomes suspicious when Dougherty insists that the Enterprise is no longer needed and orders Data’s malfunction to be investigated.
The crew discovers that the Ba’ku are technologically advanced with warp capabilities, but have rejected the use of technology for simpler lives. Due to unique “metaphasic particles” emanating from the planet’s rings, the inhabitants are effectively immortal. By contrast, the Federation’s allies, the Son’a, are a decrepit race who rely on medical technology to delay death; excessive cosmetic surgery gives them a mummified appearance. The Enterprise crew experience the rejuvenation effects of the planet: Lt. Commander Geordi La Forge can now see without ocular implants, Lt. Commander Worf experiences puberty, Commander William Riker and Counselor Deanna Troi rekindle their long-abandoned relationship, and Picard develops a romantic relationship with Anij, a Ba’ku woman.
Data and Picard discover a submerged Federation ship containing a gigantic holodeck that recreates the Ba’ku village. Data’s malfunction stemmed from a Son’a attack, the result of his accidentally discovering their vessel. Picard confronts Dougherty and learns that top Federation officers colluded with the Son’a to relocate the Ba’ku to another planet deceptively, allowing the particles to be collected massively (poisoning the planet in the process). Dougherty then orders Enterprise to leave. Picard defiantly retorts that the particles’ medical benefits do not justify Dougherty’s plans for the Ba’ku and that they violate Starfleet’s Prime Directive.
Picard and some crew help the Ba’ku escape abduction while Riker moves the Enterprise to transmission range to communicate the violation to Starfleet. The Son’a launches robotic probes to locate and capture the fleeing Ba’ku. The Son’a leader, Ahdar Ru’afo, convinces Dougherty to allow two Son’a ships to attack the Enterprise, but Enterprise escapes after taking damage and destroying a Son’a ship. With the Son’a plan exposed, Ru’afo insistes on immediately harvesting the radiation source. Picard, Anij, and several Ba’ku are transported as prisoners onto the Son’a ship. Dr. Beverly Crusher discovers that the Son’a and the Ba’ku are the same race. Picard then informs Dougherty that the Son’a are a splinter faction of Ba’ku who abandoned their bucolic existence a century earlier and embraced technology. Their attempt to seize power failed, and the Ba’ku elders exiled them from the planet, denying them the rings’ rejuvenating effects. The Son’a developed an artificially imperfect means to extend their lives at the cost of disfigurement and now seek revenge. Ru’afo kills Dougherty after he reneges on their plan.
While Picard is prepared for execution, he convinces the disillusioned Son’a Gallatin to help him stop Ru’afo. Picard masterminds a ruse to transport Ru’afo and his bridge crew to the holoship and disable the harvester. Ru’afo discovers the deception and transports to the harvester ship to manually restart the process. Picard follows and sets the harvester to self-destruct, killing Ru’afo just as the Enterprise rescues Picard. The remaining Son’a are forgiven and welcomed back by the Ba’ku. Picard arranges a meeting between Gallatin and his Ba’ku mother to thank him for his help. The crew takes a moment to enjoy their rejuvenated selves before returning to their previous mission.
BATTLESTAR GALACTICA — TV series — (1978-2009)
Battlestar Galactica is an American SCI-FI media franchise created by Glen A. Larson — the original TV series in 1978, then a reimagined version aired as a two-part, three-hour miniseries developed by Ronald D. Moore and David Eick in 2003, followed by a 2004 television series, which aired until 2009.
Storyline
In a distant part of the universe, a human civilization has extended to a group of planets known as the Twelve Colonies, to which they have migrated from their ancestral homeworld of Kobol. The Twelve Colonies have been engaged in a lengthy war with the Cylons, a cybernetic race whose goal is the extermination of the human species.
The Cylons offer peace to the humans, which proves to be a ruse. With the aid of a human named Baltar, the Cylons carry out a massive nuclear attack on the Twelve Colonies and the Colonial Fleet of starships that protect them, devastating the fleet, laying waste to the Colonies, and destroying all but a small remaining population.
Survivors flee into outer space aboard a motley fleet of spaceworthy ships. Of the Colonial battle fleet, only the Battlestar Galactica, a gigantic battleship and spacecraft carrier, appears to have survived the attack. Under the leadership of Commander Adama, the Galactica and the pilots of “Viper fighters” lead a fugitive fleet of survivors in search of the fabled thirteenth colony … known as Earth.
SUPERGIRL — TV Series — (2015-2021)
Supergirl is an American superhero SCI-FI TV series that aired on CBS and later The CW from October 26, 2015, to November 9, 2021 (Based on the DC Comics character). The series follows Kara Zor-El (played by Melissa Benoist), Superman’s cousin, and one of the last surviving Kryptonians from the planet Krypton. As Supergirl, Kara uses her powers to protect National City.
Storyline
Kara Zor-El was sent to Earth from Krypton as a 13-year-old by her parents, Zor-El and Alura. Kara was tasked with protecting her infant cousin, Kal-El, but her spacecraft was knocked off course and trapped in the Phantom Zone for 24 years. By the time her spacecraft crash-landed on Earth, Kal-El had already grown up and become Superman. The series begins 12 years later, with Kara embracing her superhuman powers and adopting the superhero alias “Supergirl”.
(Season 1) Kara reveals her powers to become National City’s protector. She discovers that numerous criminals her mother imprisoned have escaped to Earth, including her aunt Astra and her uncle Non. Kara works with her adoptive sister Alex Danvers, the Green Martian J’onn J’onzz, James Olsen, and tech genius Winn Schott to fight these threats.
(Season 2) Kara and her allies face tensions between humans and extraterrestrials while investigating Project Cadmus, run by Lillian Luthor, Lex Luthor’s mother. Kara befriends Lena Luthor, Lillian’s adoptive daughter, and navigates her romantic feelings for Mon-El, a prince from Daxam, Krypton’s neighboring planet. Meanwhile, James becomes the vigilante Guardian, Alex begins dating Maggie Sawyer, and J’onn forms a bond with M’gann M’orzz, a White Martian.
(Season 3) Kara grapples with Mon-El’s departure, only for him to return from the 31st century, where he has founded the Legion and married Imra Ardeen. J’onn reunites with his father, M’yrnn J’onzz, and Kara’s new friend, Samantha Arias, unknowingly transforms into the world-killing weapon Reign.
(Season 4) Kara confronts rising anti-alien sentiments fueled by Lex Luthor, who manipulates Ben Lockwood into forming a human-first group, the Children of Liberty, forcing her to fight against prejudice and for the civil and political rights of aliens. Meanwhile, a Kara clone, dubbed Red Daughter, is trained by Kasnian forces to fight Supergirl at Lex’s request. Tensions arise as Col. Lauren Haley joins the DEO, demanding that Supergirl reveal her identity, which she refuses to do.
(Season 5) Kara and her friends face a new threat, Leviathan, while adjusting to life on the newly created Earth-Prime following the multiverse-altering Crisis on Infinite Earths. Kara also faces challenges working under Lex Luthor, as Leviathan continues their covert operations.
(Season 6) the final season, Lex seeks to continue the Anti-Monitor’s work by conquering the multiverse and imprisons Kara in the Phantom Zone, where she discovers her father is also trapped. After being rescued, Kara and her team face the fifth-dimensional imp Nyxlygsptlnz, who escaped the Phantom Zone and seeks revenge on her father. Lex eventually allies with Nyxlygsptlnz, leading to the final showdown in the series.
VALERIAN AND THE CITY OF A THOUSAND PLANETS — (2017)
Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets is a space opera SCI-FI film written and directed by Luc Besson, (based on the French SCI-FI comics series Valérian and Laureline). It stars Dane DeHaan and Cara Delevingne as Valerian and Laureline, respectively, with Clive Owen, Rihanna, Ethan Hawke, Herbie Hancock, Kris Wu and Rutger Hauer in supporting roles.
Storyline
In the 28th century, cooperation between the Earth and extraterrestrial species has expanded the former International Space Station to the point its mass threatens gravitational disruption to Earth. Relocated to deep space, it becomes Alpha, a space-traveling city inhabited by 3,236 species from hundreds of planets. Valerian and Laureline are partners in the United Human Federation police.
Valerian has a dream of the planet Mül, where a low-tech humanoid race fishes for pearls containing energy, which is converted by a small animal for use. A huge spacecraft crashes into the planet, causing an extinction event. The planet’s princess, Lihö-Minaa, is stranded outside, but before she dies, she conveys an energy wave containing a telepathic message.
Valerian and Laureline are on a mission to retrieve the last Mül converter animal, which is in the hands of black market dealer Igon Siruss. In a marketplace on planet Kirian in an alternate dimension, Valerian disrupts a meeting between Igon and two hooded figures similar to the humanoids from his dream. They, too, seek the converter. Valerian and Laureline recover the converter, and Valerian steals an energy pearl. They learn that Mül was destroyed 30 years earlier, and information about it is classified.
Onboard Alpha, commander Arün Filitt informs them that the center of the station has been irradiated by an unknown force, rendering it highly toxic. Troops sent into the area have not returned and the radiation levels are increasing. Laureline and Valerian are assigned to protect the commander during an interstation summit on the crisis; against the commander’s wishes, Laureline maintains possession of the converter.
During the summit, Mül humanoids attack and kidnap Filitt. Valerian chases the kidnappers to the irradiated area but crashes his spaceplane. Laureline enlists Alien information brokers to find Valerian at the edge of the irradiated zone. She is kidnapped by a primitive tribe and presented as the choice course at their emperor’s dinner. Valerian infiltrates the tribe’s territory with the help of a shape-shifter named Bubble. Laureline and Valerian escape, but Bubble is fatally wounded. Valerian and Laureline venture into the irradiated area, discovering it is not dangerous and contains an antique spacecraft. They find the humanoids, the Pearls, with an unconscious Filitt.
Pearl Emperor Haban Limaï explains that his people lived peacefully on Mül until a battle occurred on their world between the Federation and a hostile Alien race. The human commander Filitt ordered the use of fusion missiles to destroy the enemy mothership, but inadvertently resulted in Mül’s destruction. Upon her death, Princess Lihö-Minaa transferred her soul into Valerian’s body. Haban and some of Mül’s inhabitants survive in a previously crashed vessel. Trapped in the spaceship, the surviving Pearls repaired it and learned human technology and history. Scrap ships took them to Alpha, where they assimilated knowledge from different species and built their own ship. They need the converter and pearl to launch it, so they can find a new home.
Filitt admits his role in the genocide but argues it was necessary to end the war and cover it up to prevent humans from losing credibility and influence in Alpha. Valerian and Laureline argue that the commander is trying to avoid the consequences of his actions. When Filitt becomes belligerent, Valerian knocks him out.
Valerian hands over the pearl he took from Igon, and Laureline persuades him to return the converter. While the Pearls prepare their spacecraft for takeoff, Filitt’s K-Tron robot soldiers attack them, but Valerian and the surviving government soldiers defeat the robots. The spacecraft departs, and Filitt is arrested.
Valerian and Laureline are left adrift aboard an Apollo Command/Service Module, where she answers his marriage proposal with a “maybe” as they await rescue.
Displaced People SCI-FI: depicts the struggles faced by Refugees (Alien or Human) who are forced to leave their homes — by War, environmental Disasters, and more — seeking Sanctuary in unfamiliar places. Often inspired by Real-World Crises, these stories can better help us understand the sacrifices people make to Survive.
May we learn from them … to appreciate the place we call Home.
***
(click image link to view YouTube video)