Current Events > Anyone else tired of Monsters in fantasy?

(+) Yeah! (+)

After reading Berserk and Goblin Slayer Ive been thinking about this subject....and I'm shocked I just realized it now.

We are scared of our own humanity, so we create abstractions. Stories usually use monsters in replace of humans as enemies. Monsters are abstract humans, basically humans without humanity so you feel comfortable killing them no problem.

Like in Goblin slayer, "goblins" kidnap girls and rape them....we do that. Why create an abstract version of ourselves when humans are that evil already. It seems like its just a way for use to feel comfortable and not confront our own faults as a species.

Although some games like FFT went the human route where most of the time your not fighting monsters but actual humans, though even then they tend to represent humans that loose their humanity with monsters like the Lucavi.

Basically I see it as real cheap when I see a human conflict replaced by monsters, when in reality these are things humans do to eachother, but fiction just rather make it easy and remove the humanity from the situation and just replace them with evil incarnate.

Don't know where to post these musings. Maybe I should read more historical fiction or something.

no

Those abstractions make it easier for people to put aside their preexisting biases.

I don't think most people consuming the media actually make the connection though. "Wow this racism against elves is so bad! Anyway I sure hope they don't put black people in the adaptation".

I think that's the point with fantasy (or at least, dark fantasy), in some part, to create separate physical manifestations of human vices.

with that said, the most interesting parts of ASoIaF/GoT, IMO, were the human elements.

but yea, reading more historical fiction can't hurt.

Depends on the intent of the work, but usually monsters make a more interesting physical conflict. Like yeah humans are capable of destroying a village, but humans aren't 60 feet tall and breathe fire. If the work is just meant to be "fun" escapist fare, then I don't mind complex characterization taking a backseat to spectacle.

And imo, there's nothing wrong with escapism-focused story-telling. The world is filled with evil humans. Sometimes I just want a 45-minute break from how evil reality actually is, and just watch the cool hero slay some monsters.

The best works tend to make monsters more than a one-dimensional representation of evil, though. As an example, good kaiju stories usually have the antagonistic kaiju enabled/awoken by evil humans. That human conflict serves to complicate the monster conflict, and vice versa. (Mothra vs Godzilla da GOAT)

I really like your train of thought here TC. I think you're right.

No.
Monsters genrally look cooler than human enemies.

I don't think I've read a single manga where the antagonistic force was mainly monsters, discounting rock-humans in Jojolion.

Not that there aren't a ton of them, but there's also a ton of human-centered stories out there in all genres. I prefer them so that's what I read.

But that's what makes it a fantasy. ie; something that isn't real. If you want to exclusively explore the darker side of humanity (and also the lighter) directly, that's what dramas are for.

Fantasy and Sci fi let us explore ourselves in a more metaphorical way. And also sometimes just write about and read stuff that's impossible because humans like to imagine the impossible. If you're reading stories that you feel just put monsters in it to rape stuff you could consider reading less dark fantasy. Sometimes stories can get pointlessly dark, sure.

I think Game of Thrones/ASOIAF is pretty much exactly how I like my fantasy.

I was just thinking these musings cause someone mentioned Goblin Slayer as the next Berserk and I was just thinking, hell no its not, at least not yet. Apostles are humans, evil incarnate who sacrificed their humanity but still human at least. Unless the goblins got some surprises for me.... only read like two chapters but yea...

Is that what you focus on? Deeds/motives? I don't need fantasy if I want to watch a relatively normal guy kill another guy. I need fantasy if I want to see said guy take on a hulking mound of muscle that effortlessly throws horses, a chicken that turns dudes into stone, or a 20ft fire-breathing reptile.

Also "Monster" is a very broad term, if you're specifically referring to sapient beastmen like orcs and lamias.

Monsters are no different than animals. Fighting A Dragon is no different than fighting a wild dog

Sometimes a cigar is just a cigar, Dr. Freud.

Nope. Theres an endless amount of creativity and design for monsters.