In the summer of 1999, science fiction author David Brin wrote a scathing critique of the Star Wars movies. He roundly berated George Lucas for telling a traditional hero story centered around "the whole Nietzschian Ubermensch thing: the notion--pervading a great many myths and legends--that a good yarn has to be about demigods who are bigger, badder and better than normal folk by several orders of magnitude ... super-beings deciding the fate of billions without ever pausing to consider their wishes" (1). Brin, noting the fact that Lucas had considerable recourse to Joseph Campbell's work on myth and heroes, points out that "Campbell only highlighted positive traits, completely ignoring a much darker side--such as how easily this standard fable-template was co-opted by kings, priests and tyrants, extolling the all-importance of the elites who tower over common men and women" (2). In other words, traditional heroes are far too easily embedded in feudal systems, a complaint Brin has made in other essays. Feeling that this sort of arrangement is counter-productive in a progressive society, Brin suggests a different model, that of "genuine science fiction ... a new kind of storytelling that often rebels against those very same archetypes Campbell venerated. An upstart belief in progress, egalitarianism, positive-sum games" (2).

One particular aspect of Brin's article that I wish to call attention to is that of attaching the ideals of science-fiction, which we might think of as republican in the old sense, specifically to the United States. Brin begins generally enough, mentioning that, "this storytelling style was rarely seen till a few generations ago, when aristocrats lost some of their power to punish irreverence" (2). However, he goes on to narrow the characterization, telling us that in good science fiction, as typified by Gene Rodenberry's Star Trek, "professionalism is respected, lesser characters make a difference and henchmen often become brave whistle-blowers--as they do in America today" (3). Even more pointedly, Brin argues, "'Trek' is a prototypically American dream, entranced by notions of human improvement and a progress that lifts all" (3). Brin particularly castigates Lucas for favoring the idea of the benign despot; "Lucas often says we are a sad culture, bereft of the confidence or inspiration that strong leaders can provide ... [but] in historical fact, all of history's despots, combined, never managed to 'get things done' as well as this rambunctious, self-critical civilization of free and sovereign citizens" (3). In critiquing Lucas, Brin consistently valorizes the republican ideals that he considers characteristic of US culture.

Brin's article is more than simple valorization, however; it is also a call to arms. Brin casts the republican ideal as embattled. "I admit we face an uphill battle winning most people over to a more progressive, egalitarian worldview, along with stirring dreams that focus on genuine problems and heroes, not demigods" (4). The article ends with a rousing invocation of revolutionary spirit. "'Star Wars' belongs to our dark past. A long, tyrannical epoch of fear, illogic, despotism and demagoguery that our ancestors struggled desperately...