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[SpaceWolf]

I was thinking about this earlier today. In general, science-fiction as a genre can often excel at a lot of different things in story-telling...but a lot of the time, I feel sci-fi can flail around a lot when it comes to depicting a really good romantic relationship. Take Star Trek, for example. For me, almost every romantic arc on any Star Trek show usually comes across as very laboured and robotic, completely lacking in chemistry, with any romantic relationship in the franchise often having to revolve around a lot of out-dated romantic cliches and awkward flirting. There can be exceptions to this of course, but I think in general romance isn't something science fiction has a particularly great track-record with, even among some of the most celebrated sci-fi franchises in the genre.

So what are some of the really great science-fiction romances out there? In thinking about this, the first thing that really sprang to mind for me was the relationship between Han Solo and Leia. Throughout the original Star Wars trilogy*, their interplay with one another comes across as authentic and believable, which makes the journey they make together as icy acquaintances to a genuine romantic couple so much more rewarding to watch as viewers. There's something rather naturalistic about the way they flirt with each other...in many ways, it's one of the most grounded relationships in all of Star Wars, and perhaps in sci-fi in general.

How about you, Gaf? Are there any truly great sci-fi romances spring to mind for you?

*I know I'm cheating in that Star Wars is more science-fantasy than science fiction, just let me have this, okay?

 

[Woorloog]

Considering how important scifi work Dune is, Paul's and Chani's romance is arguably one.
On the other hand, it is far from a real focus in the first book of the series.
Very YMMV territory ultimately, i guess?

*I know I'm cheating in that Star Wars is more science-fantasy than science fiction, just let me have this, okay?

An average person doesn't recognize this distinction. (Personally i'd class Star Trek as science fantasy as well really. Or space something, it sure has little to do with science )

 

[ShooterMcGavin]

Blade Runner
Deckard and Rachael

Edit - Ok, so maybe I chose the first sci-fi romance I could think of....not my finest GAF moment lol.

 

[gforguava]

Farscape's Crichton and Aeryn are with out a doubt my favorite.

Both characters are great, the relationship is a core aspect of the show, and it also helps that, thanks to the sensibilities of Farscape, things can get pretty weird. Plus the two characters don't fit together perfectly, there is always a friction between them, sometimes plot related but also just because they are fundamentally different people.

edit:

Considering how important scifi work Dune is, Paul's and Chani's romance is arguably one.
On the other hand, it is far from a real focus in the first book of the series.
Very YMMV territory ultimately, i guess?

I think this a great choice, but yeah, you probably have to include Dune Messiah to really get into it.

 

[TheXbox]

Gaius Baltar and Number Six (BSG)

 

[Spacejaws]

Thought Fifth Element's romance angle was great as a young un I really rooted for these two when watching the movie for the first time.

Guy who said Farscape right on! Those two are my go to character names for any create yer own NPC.

 

[gun_haver]

Blade Runner
Deckard and Rachael

I don't think this really cuts it, it's execution is pretty fucked up.

 

[Briarios]

Muldur & Scully
Zoe & Wash

 

[SpaceWolf]

Blade Runner
Deckard and Rachael

I couldn't disagree more with this. I felt these two had absolutely no chemistry and no real sense of an emotional connection at all.

Plus, I wasn't a huge fan of that rape scene.

 

[Snarky(HEART)]

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind.

 

[Lumpy Onion]

I liked Kira and Odo's relationship in DS9. Took quite a while for things to get going and had lots of ups and downs. It made Odo grow as a character and through it he became more sure of his place amongst the "solids". He's probably one of my favorite characters on the show and after all that self doubt and inner conflict it made me happy to see him end up with her.

Compare that to whatever the heck that outta nowhere romance in Voyager between Chikotay and Seven was. That was just embarrassing to throw in at the end of the series.

 

[Puck Beaverton]

Does Her count? It should.

 

[Admiral Woofington]

Yuki and Kodai from Space Battleship Yamato 2199.

In fact it's a great sci fi show, period.

 

[Deuce Deuce]

I was touched my the story of Fenchurch and Arthur.

Spoiler

I was upset to find that they were forced apart later on

 

[elrechazado]

Worf and troi

 

[Einchy]

Yuki and Kodai from Space Battleship Yamato 2199.

In fact it's a great sci fi show, period.

Your post made me think of Nia and Simon from Gurren Lagann.

 

[Messofanego]

The Fountain

 

[-Plasma Reus-]

The Fountain

Best love story.

 

[SerAardvark]

Delenn/Sheridan from Babylon 5 is a pretty well done romance that I liked because it felt pretty natural and lowkey as opposed to being an over the top passionate affair. And their last scene was really well done.

 

[Rymuth]

Elly and Fei from Xenogears

Yuki and Kodai from Space Battleship Yamato 2199.

In fact it's a great sci fi show, period.

Eeeew, no.

Akira Yamamoto best girl!

Spoiler

 

[Kyoufu]

I liked Gretchen Mol and Craig Bierko in The Thirteenth Floor. Underrated sci-fi film.

 

[Staf]

....what?

 

[pbayne]

Char and Amuro.

 

[SeriuzBiznus]

Myka and HG Wells in Warehouse 13.

 

[Lagamorph]

Worf and troi

This better be a troll post.

I'm gonna go with Rory Williams and Amy Pond from Doctor Who.
Guy watches over her stasis tomb for 2000 years then when his wife is kidnapped he dresses as a Roman Centurion and marches into a Cyberman warship demanding to know where she is, destroying most of their fleet to show he's not screwing around because he's Rory motherfuckin Williams.

 

[DiscoJer]

Edmond Hamilton did this pretty well. My favorite is The Star Kings, which is basically The Heir of Zenda in space.

A guy from the past is mindswapped with a scientist prince of the far future. He's like the 2nd prince, so not likely ever to be the new galactic king and so stays out of politics. But politics does not stay away from him and so the prince (with the guy from the 20th century's mind) is kidnapped then whirled away to the court and then kidnapped again. Along the way he falls in love with the prince's wife to be (who the prince does not love, it's a political marriage).

Eventually though, he goes back to his body in 20th century Earth, but the scientist prince promises he will find some way to bring him to the future.

But that doesn't happen until like 20 years later, in The Return of the Star Kings. And things are very awkward at first, because it's been a long time (from his point of view) and he's in his own body, which the princess was not used to. It's interesting because while it ultimately has a happy ending, it's not an easy ride to one. Usually problems in such stories are handwaved away.


More tragically, there is his Star of Life. It's got a set up like the more modern Buck Rogers TV show, astronaut is frozen in space for several hundred years and when he wakes up, he finds Earth has been conquered by a strange species of human who are immortal and super-intelligent.

It seems that they were created by the strange radiation being emitted by its star (the star of the title) and so he and a band of rebels go looking for this star, along with his captive, one of these immortal humans, a woman. Eventually they fall in love, but you learn the trafic history of the immortal humans and it's kinda a tearjerker. But good story.

 

[Atenhaus]

Char and Amuro.

With occasional visit from spirit Lalah to spice things up a bit?

 

[Comrade Crunch]

Predestination

Jane and

Spoiler

Him/Herself

 

[Kyoufu]

Predestination

Jane and

Spoiler

Him/Herself

Yeah this is good too. Don't click on the spoiler if you plan to watch the film.

 

[Aaronrules380]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EkIJYrjUYyQ

 

[Morat]

The Player Of Games, by Banks. Although it might take a few readings of the novel to see where it is.

 

[Hellwarden]

Blade Runner
Deckard and Rachael

I'm not saying I disagree with you when I say this (I last watched Blade Runner like 6 years ago), but apparently Ford and Sean Young didn't like each other in real life.

I think I remember reading once that Ford wanted Rachel to be recast.

 

[Captain Tuttle]

This better be a troll post.

Of course it is

And it's brilliant

 

[Tony Redgrave]

Some people might hate the books but I loved Raul and Aenea's romance from Endymion and The Rise of Endymion.

 

[Fallout-NL]

In terms of sci-fi romance:

I really like Solaris, the Soderbergh version.

Terminator, of course.

And there's an episode of Fringe that's very good. The one with Peter Weller. White Rose - I believe it's called?

Also eh, Eternal Sunshine counts I think.

Some people might hate the books but I loved Raul and Aenea's romance from Endymion and The Rise of Endymion.

Speaking of Hyperion, the original book also has a pretty cool romance story, with that soldier dude and the woman he keeps encountering in the battle simulations.

 

[Yaboosh]

Thought Fifth Element's romance angle was great as a young un I really rooted for these two when watching the movie for the first time.

Guy who said Farscape right on! Those two are my go to character names for any create yer own NPC.

On rewatch that is a creepy creepy relationship.

 

[SCULLIBUNDO]

Bud and Lindsay Brigman in The Abyss.

 

[Fallout-NL]

Bud and Lindsay Brigman in The Abyss.

Great pick, that one scene always gets me.

I was touched my the story of Fenchurch and Arthur.

Spoiler

I was upset to find that they were forced apart later on

Yeah that one wrecked me

 

[Firemind]

Sword Art Online

 

[AbsolutBro]

Came to post this:

Farscape's Crichton and Aeryn are with out a doubt my favorite.

Both characters are great, the relationship is a core aspect of the show, and it also helps that, thanks to the sensibilities of Farscape, things can get pretty weird. Plus the two characters don't fit together perfectly, there is always a friction between them, sometimes plot related but also just because they are fundamentally different people.

and was shocked to see it in the first few responses. Farscape is a fantastic show that often feels greatly underappreciated.

 

[Jisgsaw]

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind.

Well, it technically counts, so this.

Sword Art Online

Unless you mean the abriged version, this is a very not subtle troll.

 

[SpaceWolf]

Came to post this:

and was shocked to see it in the first few responses. Farscape is a fantastic show that often feels greatly underappreciated.

I've never watched Farscape and know next to nothing about it. Does it still hold up?

 

[Slater]

 

[Pbae]

Steins;Gate is one of the most beautiful sci-fi love stories/tradgedy I ever watched. Took me out of left field.
It starts fun and turns up the tension to 11 midway through until it's a nail biter finale.

 

[Geist-]

I've never watched Farscape and know next to nothing about it. Does it still hold up?

I think it holds up better than Star Trek imho.

 

[norm9]

 

[DBT85]

O'Neill and Carter.

Agree wholeheartedly with Baltar and Six and Crichton and Aeryn.

I've never watched Farscape and know next to nothing about it. Does it still hold up?

Farscape was, is and always will be, fucking excellent TV.

The crying shame is that the rolls of film vanished and so we are forever left with just an upscale of an SD DigiBeta Master as the best it will ever look.

 

[CloudWolf]

Karl Agathon and Sharon Valerii (BSG) is a pretty great one.

 

[Korigama]

Steins;Gate is one of the most beautiful sci-fi love stories/tradgedy I ever watched. Took me out of left field.
It starts fun and turns up the tension to 11 midway through until it's a nail biter finale.

Eh, one of my least favorites in its execution, but then, I played the VN whereas so many others watched the anime. There always seems to be a disconnect between the perspective that provided me and how people who watched that condensed, abridged (and occasionally altered) version thought of it.

Two months later, and I'm STILL dwelling on how much I hated that true ending.

 

[ryseing]

Remembering Siri, from Hyperion.

For such a short story, the romance is incredibly well written and never fails to draw tears from me.

I forgot how many great romances are in Hyperion. In addition to the ones mentioned, the romance between Aenea's parents is also really good.

I need to reread Hyperion.