With the US election taking place tomorrow, it seemed a good time to point out the importance of voting, based on the representation of government in scifi/fantasy and comics. Sure, you may think it’s only fiction, but there are lessons to learn from fictional politics and many of the representations reflect what’s going on in the real world. 

Take Star Wars, for example. The entire story wouldn’t exist if it weren’t for the general plot of trade routes throughout the galaxy. Add to that the all-encompassing power of the Empire and it’s weapon(s) of mass destruction… it’s not difficult to see how that reflects international relations in the real world.

Then there’s superhuman registration (via the comic version of Civil War and as seen in the X-Men films and the Heroes tv series) and the government wanting to put “regular” humans at ease by making sure superhumans/mutants/aliens are recorded in a database and tracked, or even kept entirely separate from the general population (like in District 9). And, of course, the government wanting to control things in every way possible, like all the red tape created for heroes to get permission to “save the day” (the Sokovia Accords in Captain America: Civil War is a good example).

But the government isn’t all bad in the scifi/fantasy realm. Look at Men in Black – they are trying to keep the Earth safe and if they need to make citizens forget what they’ve seen every once in awhile, well it’s for their own good. That tactic works with Torchwood as well (when they can keep people alive, that is). And if there’s the potential for superheroes to go rogue or put the public at risk, well we’ve got The Boys to make sure those heroes are put in their proper place (jail, hospital, the ground).

What I’m trying to say is, whether it’s fiction or real life, there’s good and bad when it comes to politics and how the government runs things. And as eminently more enjoyable as it is to sit back and watch or read the fictional versions, it’s important to take the lessons they present and learn a little about the real world. The government we end up with is, in large part, based on the choices made by voters. So take care who you vote for or we could end up with the Dark Side sporting a comb-over.