Watchmen and the Revolutionization of Speculative Fiction
The genre of speculative fiction is characterized by its exploration of fictional elements in relation to reality and is typically aligned with the subgenres of science fiction, superhero fiction, fantasy, horror, and supernatural fiction. The genre is noted to have existed as early as approximately 500 BCE as seen in the works of Greek playwright Euripides whose writings took inspiration from the traditional archetypes of Greek history and mythology. In recent history, speculative fiction has been characterized as subtly subversive against “establishment science fiction” as less well-known science fiction writers felt dissatisfied with the way in which their works at large were interpreted.
Though speculative fiction can be divided simply into the genres of horror, fantasy and science fiction, it transcends typical creative boundaries as it has been and can be reinterpreted and explored in a multitude of ways. The overarching purpose of speculative fiction can be argued to be the consideration of the potential ramifications of human action.
It’s that exact sentiment the creators of Watchmen (2019) embodied in their reimagination of the 1980s comic. According to Wikipedia, Alan Moore, the writer of the original comic series, “used the story as a means to reflect contemporary anxieties and to deconstruct and satirize the superhero concept.” The premise of the comics centered on the role of masked vigilantes during the U.S.’s involvement in World War II and the Cold War to create an alternate history of the United States — the 2009 film tackles an almost identical premise.
However, the 2019 television series revels in the timeless relationship between art and the social context out of which it is born by focusing on manifestations of white supremacy. The story is set 34 years after the Tulsa Massacre in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and follows Angela Abar, better known by her alias, Sister Night, and her companions as they work to expose and put a stop to the efforts of the Seventh Kavalry, a group of white supremacists, while continuing to address the perceptions of “superheroes,” “supervillains” and their roles in contemporary U.S. society.
What made Watchmen remarkable to me was the complexity it offered to a genre and narrative that’s already been explored countless times in a variety of different ways. Of course, the show was masterfully made in regards to its cinematic composition — with the quality of the cinematography and the scriptwriting, it’s no wonder it won almost a dozen Emmys. But what I found wonderfully jarring was the fact that Watchmen, while remaining shockingly relevant, carried the original intentions of the speculative fiction genre in a way I haven’t seen done before. As I mentioned before, the purpose of speculative fiction is to challenge audiences by forcing them to reckon with the potential implications of their actions on individual and communal levels.
With its integration of commentary on the U.S.’s involvement in foreign affairs and police brutality, it pushed us to make that oft-difficult connection between the cool aestheticism of science-fiction media and the faults in our own society.
Furthermore, with so many of the characters at the center of the storyline not ascribing to the typical straight, white, cis-male identity, there is a uniquely powerful relatability. I am a vehement believer in the importance of an audience’s ability to see themselves on screen, even beyond the bounds of race, gender, and sexuality, and Watchmen reminded me why. The true mark of progress is when those who carry identities of oppression are able to be imperfect in the same ways those who carry identities of privilege are — the characters in Watchmen are so wonderfully flawed, the show defies any notion of black-white perspectives.
In an era of perpetual remakes and mindless media, Watchmen makes me yearn for the potential of contemporary cinema, specifically that of the speculative fiction genre, to be realized. As a society, comfort and complacency are defining attributes of our lives. Consequently, in the media we consume, we often look for an escape from the monotony of human existence, however it can be so easy to get lost in the familiar. I wholeheartedly believe that Watchmen’s impact on the speculative fiction genre is tangible, and we will see its effect in the near future. The bounds of genre are not intended to limit the potential of a work, it is instead meant to allow for the meaning and significance of a work to be seen beyond itself.