It's possible that all of the Fantasy and Science Fiction stories helped shape my crazy imagination. Like many kids, I wanted to be one of the "good guys" who fought the "bad guys". I wanted to do amazing deeds that required a lot of courage and prove how awesome I was (think kid logic, which includes slaying dragons and being able to build a super computer). I wanted to explore the unknown from the far reaches of space to the depths of the deepest ocean.
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| I will defeat the dragon! |
The adventures my fictional heroes went on we're awesome and I wanted to be a similar hero (well at least a good mix of the diplomatic Captain Picard, the kicka$$ nature of Captain Kirk, the kindness of Harry Potter, and the loyalty of Luke Skywalker) who went on similar adventures.
All of these great adventures have conflict. Star Wars was probably my introduction into the "good versus evil" narrative. Luke and his friends were the good guys fighting the evil empire. Similarly Sailor Moon was also a classic fight between the good sailor scouts and the evil forces of the negaverse (Luna has the best pronunciation of this). Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings are also good examples of the good versus evil narrative (Harry versus Lord Voldemort and the Fellowship/free people of Middle Earth versus Sauron), but there was also something a little more complicated about them.
Lord of the Rings taught me about the importance of friendship (Legolas and Gimli) and that the hero sometimes comes back with scars that will never fully heal (Frodo). Sure the good and evil ideas are a little too separated with the stereotyping of the different races (see World of Warcraft if you want a good representation of orcs by the way). However, Lord of the Rings made it very clear that not all heroes leave their adventures unscathed.
Harry Potter taught me a lot about the grey areas of "good" and "evil". The story taught me that just
because someone might have been a Death Eater didn't mean that they continued to be after they learned a hard truth (looking at Snape and Regulus Black). It taught me that heroes and mentors are important, but even they have flaws (Sirius Black and Remus Lupin). The books also taught me that you can't necessarily trust those in authoritative positions (Umbridge) or that people you think are very wise can make very bad mistakes (Dumbledore).
Pokemon was one of those rare gems that defined a generation. It emphasized team work and friendship. Sure there were "bad guys" (yeah Team Rocket was pretty bad for stealing rare Pokemon), but Jesse, James, and Meowth all had a great backstory that told the viewers why they were doing what they were doing. Yes, they were in the wrong most most of the time, but you couldn't help sympathizing with them once you learned more about them. However the overall theme of Pokemon was one of exploration and friendship.
Star Trek, though, is a whole other can of worms. If Star Trek taught me anything, it was to continue to explore and never outgrow a sense of wonder and curiosity. Well, those are the biggest things I took away from it as a child.
The other major thing that Star Trek taught me (rather than all of the other previously mentioned franchises) was to not fear the unknown. Think about it, the purpose of Star Trek was the explore the unknown. They had no idea if the next day would be their last, not because someone was actively trying to kill them, but because of an unknown entity accidentally killing them or a delicate diplomatic situation. Captain Kirk and Picard always seemed to get out of the toughest situations. They had a great crew and a ton of pseudo-science techno babble to back them up. Heck, Captain Kirk didn't even believe in the "no win situation", while Captain Picard went up against the Borg, an enemy that could adapt to any situation.
As a child the "good versus evil narrative" of Star Wars and Sailor Moon was easy to understand and recreate. As an adult, the unknown of Star Trek and grey areas of Harry Potter are what resonates the most with me. Yes, the new Star Trek movies have their "bad guys", but what made the show great doesn't necessarily make a great movie. The TV shows, though, had a lot more to them. While the Harry Potter universe keeps expanding and the "happily ever after" I long for seems more and more out of reach.
As much as I'd like to say that there is a "bad guy" or "bad situation" in my life that I need to defeat, there aren't. My main source of conflict is the "unknown" (which I believe I've written about before), myself (I am my biggest critic after all), and the grey areas that don't seem to have a solution. Which makes Star Trek, the show, a lot more relatable than many of my other childhood fantasies. They solved their problems through creativity, diplomacy, and a little bit of intense action.
There are many days where I ask myself "what the hell I think I'm doing." I wonder why I'm not the explorer or hero I always dreamed I would be. Then I remember that I have bills to pay and plants to water. As much as I'd love an unexpected adventure (like Mr. Bilbo running off with the dwarfs of Middle Earth), I know that I have responsibilities that need to be taken care of. I might not be as free spirited as I want to be, but at least my imagination fills in the gaps.
Though I still don't know what my future holds (although there is that trip to Iceland coming up), I don't think I'm unprepared for it. I may love my routines and stability, but what would life be like without the unknown showing up to spice things up? The stories I grew up with helped to shape who I am as an adult. Hopefully I make good decisions.
After all, I still have a lot of living to do. I can only do my very best, continue to learn, and admit when I've made a mistake. Maybe I will leave a legacy behind, maybe I'll be forgotten with time. The Universe will just have to wait an see. In the words of Buzz Lightyear of Star Command: "To infinity and beyond."
Until next week.
If you enjoyed this post (or it really pissed you off), please like, share, and/or leave a commend. I love hearing from my readers and I hop you guys love hearing from me. Now, go revisit your childhood, before reality sets in.
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