okay, so not to bring down the wrath of god, but would you all consider aeon flux to be a sort of cyberpunk fantasy world at heart? it doesn't have the standard plot elements one usually associates with cyberpunk (neural jacks, AIs ect) but it seems to have that 'edge' to it. sort of an undefinable aspect.

now, it is likely that this will lead to the inevitable "you shouldn't pidgeonhole aeon flux like that" argument. but what i really want to know is, why is it a bad thing to classify something. it doesn't change what it is, and if the writer has integrety (which we can agree PC does) it ain't going to influence them. humans by our very nature have the desire to classify things, it's just something we do. it makes it easier to describe something to someone that hasn't experienced it.

-- Joshua Klessig (statik001@yahoo.com), April 13, 2003

Answers

Somebody said in another thread that Aeon Flux is far more fantasy than SF, and I agree: the emphasis is not so much on technology and its consequences, but on the characters; the SF/fantasy elements are simply there to create an unusual, striking background against which the characters will interact most effectively. In AF, technology appears primarily as plot devices that act as catalysts for character dynamics, and as a way to insert the viewer into a new, alien world that will both disorient and enthrall him.

-- Brian Davis (ubik@purdue.edu), April 13, 2003.

Whle it certainly focuses on characters, that is certainly not the ONLY aspect of the series -- of course technology, and our relationship to it, is a central theme -- what about the episode with the Guardian? A classic cyber theme -- technology's ability to alter our moral fabric, and even go as far as to literally control our decision making processes.

Of COURSE Aeon Flux is "cyber." But it's not JUST cyber, it's a good story, too, with good characters, good art, good sound, etc.

-- Nick Gold (nickgold42@comcast.net), April 21, 2003.

ladies & Gentlemen, I think whoever it's it has to be a beatiful intelligent & strong woman (personally I'd love to see an entirely new&fresh face). can anybody help me please - I'm trying to remember one of old action movies (end of 80s I suppose). The only thing I remember two assasins wearing as women with personal touch - putting cards with symbol of quin on their victims after killing them, two ninjas, an astonishing woman in underwear with big gun kiling one of them, a hulky black guy (karate man) and the same pretty woman exploding the main "bad guy" with grenade cup discharge. Your help would be highly appreciated. And who do You think would be best for "Shi" character. Tia Carrere - I think is not such a good idea.

-- Asef (usubovasef@hotmail.com), April 21, 2003.

-- Asef (usubovasef@hotmail.com), April 22, 2003.

exactly! the gaurdian episode was definitely one that exemplified my position. but it is true, fantasy elements are extremely predominate. but at the same time, it is fantasy that is infused with technology and genetic engineering and all the goodies that one associates with sci fi.

aeon flux, may be one of the most successfull blending of fantasy and sci fi themes around, each component can not stand on it's own.

perhaps i am just rabmling now.

oh well...

-- Joshua Klessig (statik001@yahoo.com), April 22, 2003.

No I don't think you're rambling. I think Aeon is definitely Sci Fi and with strong characterisation. There are quite a few references to technology (future technology) but also interesting references to sociological and anthropological sciences. For instance. There was an episode (forgive me, I've forgotten the name) where Aeon meets up with a sickly looking alien that turns out to be a human from the future!!

It was pretty scary to consider that humans could turn out like that until you read some of the latest theories on the subject (eg: http://www.abc.net.au/science/news/stories/s18541.htm). I think there are a few examples of future science in Aeon and I would therefore tend to think of it not only as Science Fiction, but Hard Science Fiction (ie. along the lines of Foundation Trilogy and Stranger in a Strange Land), I wouldn't even class it as Cyberpunk!

And, I don't think there is anything wrong with classifying Aeon, I guess it's difficult, but it's certainly helpful to people who haven't seen the show and want a brief summary or understanding of it before they check it out.

Sad.

The SadGeezers Guide to Aeon Flux http://www.sadgeezer.com/aeon (or www.sadgeezer.com for full series Guides)

-- SadGeezer (tony@sadgeezer.com), April 30, 2003.

yeah, that article is dead on with the End Sinistar episode.

it has long been my position as a biology student, that humans have drasticly retarded our own evolution. the general way evolution works is (simplified): "nature throws us a curveball, and after many generations, we adapt to compensate", however, that is now replaced with the more timely: "nature throws us a curveball, and we throw away our stick and make a giant wiffle bat". so, thru all our technology, we are circumventing the influence that nature has on us. that, my friends, is the real "evolution revolution"

-- Joshua Klessig (statik001@yahoo.com), April 30, 2003.

Retarded evolution? Nah, I'd say that's the natural course of things. Compared to technological and cultural evolution, biological evolution is incredibly slow moving; it's a little strange to say that technology is retarding evolution.

Actually, now that human technology has advanced so much I'd think the next evolution would be psychological.

-- Inu (paul@nadisrec.com), May 01, 2003.

thats the point. technological/social/psycological evolution is moving fast enough that there are no selective pressures to drive biological evolution.

this will result in our bodies streamlining alot, and in fact, may be damaging to us should our technology eventually fail us, and we would then revert back to our biology, which would be WAY behind the times so to speak.

then again, in this day and age, we DO have new selective pressures. Blonde, Tan, Thin, Hot, Successfull...

These are not the kinds of selective pressures that lead to a robust biology, in fact they just make us more dependant on technology. Thus, biologoical evolution, will most certainly be slowed down and become underdeveloped. We will retard our biological evolution.

-- Joshua Klessig (statik001@yahoo.com), May 01, 2003.