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1[[quoteright:350:[[WesternAnimation/RobotChicken https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/star_trek_wrath_of_khan_opera.jpg]]]]
2[[caption-width-right:350: ''[[Film/StarTrekIITheWrathOfKhan Le Ira di Khan]]'', by [[Creator/GeneRoddenberry Genetto Roddenberitti]]]]
3
4->''"It'll be fabulous, believe me, Jerry. It's ''Grapes of Wrath'' in outer space! Oh, it's got heart, it's got laser battles, it's got a timely message of interstellar poverty--!"''
5-->-- '''Lorne''', ''Series/{{Angel}}'', "[[Recap/AngelS05E05LifeOfTheParty Life of the Party]]"
6
7Space Opera refers to works set in a spacefaring civilization, usually set in the far future or ALongTimeAgoInAGalaxyFarFarAway. Technology is ubiquitous and secondary to the story. Space opera has an epic character to it: the universe is big, there are usually many sprawling civilizations and empires, there are political conflicts and intrigue. The action will range across part of a solar system at a minimum, and more commonly will extend over large tracts of a galaxy or several. It frequently takes place in a StandardSciFiSetting. It has a romantic element which distinguishes it from most [[ScienceFiction hard science fiction]]: big love stories, epic space battles, oversized heroes and villains, awe-inspiring scenery, and insanely gorgeous men and women.
8
9Historically, it is a development of the PlanetaryRomance that looks beyond the exotic locations that were imagined for the local solar system in early science fiction ([[ScienceMarchesOn which the hard light of science revealed to be barren and lifeless]]) out into an infinite universe of imagined exotic locations. PlanetaryRomance was more or less HeroicFantasy [[RecycledInSpace In Space]]. While works such as ''Literature/JohnCarterOfMars'' by Creator/EdgarRiceBurroughs were pure PlanetaryRomance, ''ComicStrip/BuckRogers'' and its imitators had essentially codified the SpaceOpera concept in the popular imagination by the late 1930s, though the earliest strips took place on an AfterTheEnd future Earth. (''ComicStrip/FlashGordon'', at least in the classic Alex Raymond era, remained resolutely PlanetaryRomance, tied to the planet Mongo.)
10
11MilitaryScienceFiction is another similar genre which may sometimes overlap, but is not quite the same. The main difference is that military science fiction places a greater focus on warfare (and the attendant technology used to fight it), while space opera is epic and places a greater focus on adventure and {{Melodrama}}.
12
13Expect to see a dashing hero cavorting around in a CoolStarship, {{Green Skinned Space Babe}}s, CrystalSpiresAndTogas civilizations full of SpaceElves, {{Wave Motion Gun}}s capable of dealing an EarthShatteringKaboom on a daily basis, and an evil [[TheEmpire Galactic Empire]] with a StandardSciFiFleet, including an entire universe full of [[UsedFuture beat-up mechanical objects]] capable of being resurrected with PercussiveMaintenance.
14
15Note that this is quite different from the original definition of space opera, which was originally a derogatory term, following "horse opera" ([[TheWildWest cheap westerns]]) and "SoapOpera" (so named because soap operas began as hour-long ads for soap), which requires no explanation. The phrase was coined in 1941 by Wilson Tucker to describe what he called "the hacky, grinding, stinking, outworn space-ship yarn". (It's said that before 1975 or so, the only author who ever intentionally set out to write a space opera was Creator/JackVance, who wrote a novel, ''Space Opera'', literally about an {{opera}} company in space.)
16
17Via semantic drift, well-regarded works such as the ''Literature/{{Lensman}}'' series are today held up as prime examples of SpaceOpera. As more authors and writers came to embrace the style, the term came to lose many of its negative connotations. Assisting that process were writers who regarded all tales of action and adventure in space as bad, and so tried to pejoratively label it all "space opera"; [[AppropriatedAppellation they succeeded with the label, but not with keeping it pejorative]].
18
19The ideal space opera, as described by Creator/BrianAldiss, contains most if not all of the following criteria:
20## [[SavingTheWorld The world must be in peril]].
21## There must be [[TheQuest a quest]].
22## [[TheHero And a man or woman to meet the mighty hour]].
23## That man or woman must confront {{alien|Tropes}}s and [[SpaceWhale exotic creatures]].
24## Space must [[FasterThanLightTravel flow past the ports]] like wine from a pitcher.
25## Blood must rain down the [[SupervillainLair palace]] steps.
26## [[FighterLaunchingSequence And ships launch out into the louring dark]].
27## There must be a [[DamselInDistress woman]] or [[DistressedDude man]] [[LovedByAll fairer than the skies]].
28## And a [[EvilOverlord villain]] [[TheDreaded darker than a Black Hole]].
29## And all [[HappyEnding must come right in the end]].
30
31''Franchise/StarWars'' is inarguably the most famous modern example of space opera. (Indeed, ''Film/TheEmpireStrikesBack'' may have shifted "space opera" from insult to a more neutral genre descriptor, due to the involvement of veteran sf writer Creator/LeighBrackett.) In ''Star Wars'', technology is either {{magic|FromTechnology}} (the Force) or jazzier versions of today's gadgets ([[SlowLaser blaster rifles]], hovercars, space ships). Any ''Star Wars'' character ([[TheEmperor evil emperor]], {{farmboy}}, [[SaveThePrincess princess]]) would feel at home in a [[{{Doorstopper}} thick fantasy novel]], in part because editor-publisher Lester del Rey derived the "epic fantasy" template partly from ''Star Wars'' and partly from ''Literature/TheLordOfTheRings'', though also because these works borrow from the same source of Jungian imagery.
32
33The genre is useful for long {{story|Arc}} and {{character arc}}s but also expensive to film, unless rendered in animated form, like countless {{anime}} series.
34
35Space Opera is defined above all by one thing: hard science will never be allowed to get in the way of storytelling. ''How'' exactly the hyperdrive works to jump from planet to planet isn't important. The focus is on the characters and themes of the overarching story. For the same reason, certain common tropes like PlanetOfHats and SingleBiomePlanet tend to appear frequently in Space Opera (though harder science fiction is by no means immune to them). For storytelling purposes, [[{{Planetville}} interstellar civilizations are analogous to countries, and planets analogous to cities]]. Space Opera is an Earth-sized story lifted onto the galactic scale. The logistical challenges that would actually result from this are safely ignored.
36
37While hard science fiction defines itself in part in opposition to space opera (and vice versa), in recent years, however, there has been a trend towards incorporating hard science fiction elements ''into'' space opera, as in ''Literature/StarshipOperators'', ''Series/BattlestarGalactica2003'', ''Series/{{Firefly}}'' and especially Creator/AlastairReynolds' ''Literature/RevelationSpaceSeries''. In fact, "New Space Opera" has gained some currency as a term referring to works that combine fast-paced adventure plots with some degree of hard SF rigor.
38
39See also SpaceWestern, TwoFistedTales, PulpMagazine, and WagonTrainToTheStars. In many ways, this is the [[JustForFun/SciFiCounterpart science fiction equivalent]] of HighFantasy.
40
41CaptainSpaceDefenderOfEarth and the [[WesternAnimation/DuckDodgersInTheTwentyFourthAndAHalfCentury eager young]] SpaceCadet heroically call this trope home and are proud of it.
42
43Note that while many more famous space operas go to the "ideal" side of the SlidingScaleOfIdealismVersusCynicism, more recent ones are harder and more cynical: ''Series/BabylonFive'', ''Series/{{Battlestar Galactica|2003}}'' and ''Series/{{Firefly}}'' being most prominent in LiveActionTV.
44
45[[JustForFun/IThoughtItMeant Sadly]], there aren't too many actual {{Opera}}s set [[RecycledINSPACE IN SPACE!]] One famous example in the music world, however, is Swedish composer Karl-Birger Blomdahl's ''Aniara'' (1959), based on Martinson's poem (1956).
46
47Contrast with MundaneDogmatic, a 2004-era subgenre of hard science fiction which bans stories about intergalactic travel, extraterrestrials, and faster than light ships.
48----
49!!Examples
50
51[[foldercontrol]]
52[[index]]
53[[folder:Anime & Manga]]
54* ''Anime/{{AKB0048}}'' is what happens when you cross this with the IdolSinger genre, and get Creator/ShojiKawamori to direct.
55%%* ''Anime/AngelLinks''
56* ''Manga/CaptainHarlock'', perhaps the best known example of SpacePirates in manga and anime.
57%%* ''Anime/CowboyBebop''
58%%* ''Literature/CrestOfTheStars''
59* ''Literature/CrusherJoe''. The first written by Haruka Takachio immediately after seeing ''Franchise/StarWars''.
60* ''Anime/DoraemonTheRecordOfNobitaSpaceblazer'' pays homage to the ''Literature/JohnCarterOfMars'' novels, and also {{Space Western}}s.
61* ''Anime/DoraemonNobitasDriftsInTheUniverse'' is the franchise's second foray into the genre, with Doraemon and friends ending up in a PlanetSpaceship housing millions and millions of aliens across the galaxy. There's also a conspiracy where the commander of the spaceship intends to launch an invasion on peaceful planets in order to secure a new home.
62* ''Franchise/DragonBall'': [[Manga/DragonBall The original series]] was entirely Earth-based, but starting with [[Anime/DragonBallZ the Saiyan Saga]] it began to exhibit a more galactic scope. In the Namek / Frieza Saga, the heroes travel to a faraway planet on a quest to revive their friends, only to end up in a fight for their lives - and the fate of an entire species - against an irredeemably evil GalacticConqueror and his minions. It does mostly stay back on Earth after Frieza's defeat, though, although a good chunk of the menaces, including from the NonSerialMovie villains, come from space.
63%%* ''Manga/TheFiveStarStories''
64* ''Anime/{{Gankutsuou}}'': ''Literature/TheCountOfMonteCristo'' IN SPACE! (Quite different from the Creator/AlfredBester novel ''The Stars My Destination'', which does the same way, though not in a SpaceOpera way.)
65%%* ''Manga/GingaSengokuGunyuudenRai''
66%%* ''Anime/GlassFleet''
67* The ''Franchise/{{Gundam}}'' franchise, notable for its ([[Anime/MobileSuitGundam00 usual]]) [[AbsentAliens lack of aliens]] and plausible space colonies, although much of it falls more under MilitaryScienceFiction than this.
68%%* ''Anime/HeroicAge''
69* ''Anime/IrresponsibleCaptainTylor'', albeit PlayedForLaughs.
70%%* The classic works of Creator/LeijiMatsumoto.
71%%* ''Franchise/LyricalNanoha''
72* The ''Anime/{{Macross}}'' franchise, notable for its various CoolPlane, TransformingMecha and IdolSinger. Also notable is how humanity managed to defeat hostile alien races, not by a combined force of arms (although they are part of the means), but through pop-culture.
73%%* ''Manga/{{Outlanders}}''
74%%* ''Manga/OutlawStar''
75%%* ''Anime/ScienceNinjaTeamGatchaman''
76%%* ''Manga/SpaceAdventureCobra''
77* ''Anime/SpaceBattleshipYamato'', the first space opera anime and among the first space operas to use large scale battles between fleets of spacecraft. Among the first space operas to involve the legend Creator/LeijiMatsumoto.
78** ''Anime/SpaceBattleshipYamato2199'', 2012-2013 remake and 2014 spin-off movie, followed by the 2017-2019 sequel series ''Space Battleship Yamato 2202: Warriors of Love''.
79* ''Literature/StarshipOperators'', notable for its extreme realism, one of the hardest space operas out there.
80* ''Anime/StarTwinklePrettyCure'' is this plus the MagicalGirl genre.
81%%* ''Anime/StellviaOfTheUniverse''
82%%* ''Anime/StrainStrategicArmoredInfantry''
83* ''Anime/TenchiMuyoRyoOhki'' has many Space Opera elements despite taking place mostly on Earth, while spinoff ''Anime/TenchiMuyoGXP'' and the second half of ''Anime/TenchiUniverse'' are clear-cut examples.
84* ''Anime/TengenToppaGurrenLagann'', which begins as DesertPunk, turns into one of these after the TimeSkip.
85%%* ''Manga/TowardTheTerra''
86%%* ''Manga/{{Trigun}}'' (more so in the manga).
87* ''Literature/{{Tytania}}'', the closest thing to an anime ''Literature/{{Dune}}'' and written by the same author as ''Legend of the Galactic Heroes'' though it is an independent story.
88* ''Anime/Ulysses31'', essentially ''Literature/TheOdyssey'' [[RecycledWithAGimmick in space]].
89* ''Anime/{{Vandread}}'': Humanity has split into two factions: Men and Women, who are continually at war with each other. Our story starts with a shipful of women and three guys, all thrown together and having to cooperate to stay alive. As a metaphor, the technology of the two factions combines together to become far greater than the sum of the parts, barely keeping them alive and fueling the story line.
90%%* ''Anime/{{Voltron}}'' (the vehicle one) / ''Anime/DairuggerXV''
91[[/folder]]
92
93[[folder:Comic Books]]
94%%* ''ComicBook/FiveWorlds'' with a fantasy twist.
95* A few examples in the anthology comic series ''ComicBook/TwoThousandAD'':
96** ''ComicBook/TheBalladOfHaloJones'', a borderline example in that it overlaps with mundane science-fiction.
97** ''ComicBook/JudgeDredd'': Though mainly set in a {{Dystopia}}n WretchedHive on Earth, several stories (especially ''The Judge Child Quest'') have seen Dredd traverse space and visit many different alien civilizations, both friendly and hostile.
98** ''ComicBook/{{Shakara}}'' covers the RoaringRampageOfRevenge of a KillerRobot who was made to avenge the deaths of its species at the hands of the evil alien alliance. [[EarthShatteringKaboom Planets blowing up]], [[SpaceBattle spaceship battles]], and {{time travel}} ensue.
99** ''ComicBook/NemesisTheWarlock''.
100* ''ComicBook/AlbedoErmaFelnaEDF'' mixes this with UsefulNotes/FurryFandom, albeit it's also a desconstruction of both genres, being more realistic than the regular space opera.
101* ''ComicBook/BuckyOHareAndTheToadWars'' is a Space Opera in a WorldOfFunnyAnimals.
102%%* ''ComicBook/CleopatraInSpace''
103* ''ComicBook/Cosmo2018'' is an all-ages variant of the genre, which a RagTagBunchOfMisfits explored exotic locales on both the solar system and beyond. In a twist of irony, Max acted as a side character and a pastiche of [[CaptainSpaceDefenderOfEarth muscular square-jawed space hero]] to the alien main characters.
104%%* ''ComicBook/{{Descender}}''
105%%* ''ComicBook/{{Dreadstar}}'' by Jim Starlin.
106* ''ComicBook/GreenLantern'' has a foot firmly placed in this genre, especially in CrisisCrossover comics like ''ComicBook/SinestroCorpsWar'' where Sinestro himself [[spoiler:set the war up so [[XanatosGambit he wins either way]]]].
107* ''ComicBook/LegionOfSuperHeroes'':
108** "ComicBook/TheEarthwarSaga" As trying simultaneously to stop an alien invasion and prevent another interstellar war, the Legion discover someone infinitely more powerful and more dangerous than a vast alien army is pulling the strings.
109** "ComicBook/TheGreatDarknessSaga": An ancient and extremely powerful evil awakens and starts wreaking havoc across the galaxy.
110** "ComicBook/ThoseEmeraldEyesAreShining": The Legion gets involved in a planetary conflict on their way to ''another'' planetary conflict.
111* Creator/MarvelComics turned the cosmic part of their SharedUniverse into one giant SpaceOpera, since 2006. Starting with ''[[ComicBook/XMen X-Men: Rise and Fall of the Shi'Ar Empire]]'' and ''ComicBook/{{Annihilation}}'', we got one epic story after another -- ''ComicBook/AnnihilationConquest'', ''ComicBook/WarOfKings'', ''ComicBook/TheThanosImperative'' and adventures of many cosmic-themed heroes, like ComicBook/{{Nova}} and ComicBook/GuardiansOfTheGalaxy between them.
112* Creator/AlejandroJodorowsky's ComicBook/MetabaronsUniverse, particularly ''ComicBook/TheMetabarons''.
113* ''ComicBook/PaperinikNewAdventures'' goes into Space Opera territory sometimes, such as for the Xadhoom Trilogy.
114%%* ''ComicBook/{{Prophet}}''
115%%* ''ComicBook/{{Saga}}''
116* ''ComicBook/{{Supergirl}}'':
117** ''ComicBook/RedDaughterOfKrypton'' features the civil war between Red Lanterns, using Earth and several planets as battleground.
118** In ''ComicBook/TheKillersOfKrypton'', Supergirl scours the edges of the galaxy and gets involved in at least one rebellion while investigating and uncovering the crimes of an interplanetary secret society.
119* ''ComicBook/{{Superman}}'':
120** From the 50's to the 80's, stories where Superman/Superboy, Supergirl and the Legion of Super-Heroes travelled all over the galaxy and got involved in all kind of interstellar conflicts and wars were commonplace.
121** "ComicBook/BrainiacRebirth": The eponymous villain travels throughout the cosmos, rebuilds himself, and then pillages three different planets through the galaxy in order to raise an army which is large enough to invade Earth and destroy Superman.
122** ''ComicBook/LuthorUnleashed'': Superman and his nemesis fight one of their most terrible battles in a distant galaxy.
123** "ComicBook/WarWorld" features ancient warlike alien civilizations, planetary tyrants and the titular bigger-than-a-star mobile war machine.
124* ''ComicBook/{{Valerian}}'' essentially TropeCodifier, as it went on to inspire many seminal Space Operas, including ''Star Wars'' and ''The Fifth Element''.
125* ''ComicBook/XMen'':
126** ''ComicBook/TheDarkPhoenixSaga''
127** ''ComicBook/TheBroodSaga''
128[[/folder]]
129
130[[folder:Comic Strips]]
131* ''ComicStrip/BuckRogers'' and its imitator ''ComicStrip/FlashGordon'' are the {{Trope Codifier}}s, though the former began as an AfterTheEnd story and only moved into space and the latter originally stayed on the planet Mongo, where Flash, Dale Arden and Dr. Zarkoff were stranded. (The story takes place in the present day.) However, the popular image and later iterations of the strip have Flash Gordon adventuring in space. ''Star Wars'' began after Lucas failed to obtain the rights to ''Flash''. King Features, realizing their mistake, made the ''Film/{{Flash Gordon|1980}}'' film after the wild success of ''Star Wars''.
132%%* ''ComicStrip/DanDare''
133* ''The Stars My Degradation'', (a parody of the Alfred Bester classic SF novel ''The Stars My Destination''), a cartoon strip that ran in the ''Sounds'' music paper in the 1970's-80's:
134-->''Dempster Dingbuster is my name, Sputwang is my nation;''\
135''The depths of space gob in my face,''\
136''The stars, my degradation.''
137[[/folder]]
138
139[[folder:Fan Works]]
140* ''Fanfic/SoldToTheHighestBidder'' is a rather {{dark|Fic}} one of these, covering the political, emotional, and interpersonal complications of an intergalactic [[SexSlave slave trade]].
141%%* ''Fanfic/UndocumentedFeatures''
142* ''Fanfic/EarthsAlienHistory'' is a collaborative project MegaCrossover between numerous Sci-Fi franchises (including many of the ones listed elsewhere on this page), which quickly expands into a truly massive universe. The [[Franchise/MassEffect Reaper]] WarArc alone could constitute a full story all on its own, and a spinoff featuring {{Colony Ship}}s sent to the Andromeda galaxy has begun as well.
143%%* ''Fanfic/HumanityWithin'' is a trilogy of ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic'' fanfiction.%%And?
144%%* ''Fanfic/EventHorizonStormOfMagic'' is a crossover between''Literature/TheLordOfTheRings'', ''Literature/ASongOfIceAndFire'', ''TabletopGame/{{Warhammer}}'' and [[spoiler:''WesternAnimation/AvatarTheLastAirbender'']] about the arrival of visitors from Earth.%%And it's space opera because...?
145* ''Fanfic/HellsisterTrilogy'' features several interplanetary wars in the far future, set off by the ambitions of planet-destroying evil sorcerers and evil gods.
146[[/folder]]
147
148[[folder:Films -- Animation]]
149* ''WesternAnimation/TitanAE'' is a space adventure produced by Creator/DonBluth.
150* ''WesternAnimation/TreasurePlanet'' is a story of the golden age of piracy moved into a fantastical version of outer space crossed by literal space ships, setting brave heroes and black-hearted villains on a quest for legendary treasure across the gulfs of space.
151%%* ''WesternAnimation/StarchaserTheLegendOfOrin'' is a film that mimics ''Franchise/StarWars'' in many ways.
152[[/folder]]
153
154[[folder:Films -- Live-Action]]
155%%* ''Film/{{Barbarella}}''
156%%* ''Film/BattleBeyondTheStars'', a ''Star Wars'' clone.
157* ''Film/CaptainEO'', a Ride/DisneyThemeParks 3-D movie, is less than 20 minutes long but clearly takes place in this genre: A dashing hero with a [[RagtagBunchOfMisfits crew of misfit alien creatures]] is sent on a mission to transform a grim, H.R. Giger-esque planet. There's a skirmish with the evil Supreme Commander's fleet of starships, and later the heroes are taken captive by her forces -- but they use ThePowerOfRock to turn into it a land of CrystalSpiresAndTogas and its people (including the ruler) into happy, Day-Glo dancers.
158%%* ''Franchise/TheChroniclesOfRiddick''
159%%* ''Film/CosmosWarOfThePlanets''
160* Both the [[Film/Dune1984 1984]] and [[Film/Dune2021 2021]]-[[Film/DunePartTwo 2023]] film adaptations of ''Literature/{{Dune}}'' feature a galactic jihad in a FeudalFuture containing Spacing Guilds and spice mines. Although, some consider the Creator/DenisVilleneuve version as more of a "Planet Opera", since it really doesn't expand much on space travels so far.
161* ''Film/TheFifthElement'', a Space Opera with [[AtTheOperaTonight an opera in space!]]
162* ''Film/{{Flash Gordon|1980}}'', though it does not technically count. It set out to emulate the success of ''Star Wars''. ''Star Wars'' was originally going to be a GenreThrowback of the original ''[[Film/FlashGordonSerial Flash Gordon]]'' serials.
163* [[/index]]''Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse:''[[index]]
164** ''Film/GuardiansOfTheGalaxy2014''
165** ''Film/GuardiansOfTheGalaxyVol2''
166** While the its two predecessors don't qualify, ''Film/ThorRagnarok'' certainly builds off of this genre, drawing a lot of inspiration from the ''Guardians'' films.
167** ''Film/CaptainMarvel2019''
168** ''Film/AvengersInfinityWar'' is [[GenreShift half this and half not]], with the genre applying to scenes focusing on the Guardians, Thor, and Thanos.
169%%* ''Film/TheIcePirates''
170%%* ''Film/JupiterAscending''.
171%%* ''Kai: Death of Dreams''.
172* ''Film/{{Pandorum}}'' has a love story (Bower's wife), battles, a dashing hero (Mahn) and an insanely gorgeous female lead (Nadia).
173%%* ''Film/QueenOfOuterSpace'', intended by script writer CharlesBeaumont as a StealthParody.
174* ''Film/RebelMoon'' is what was once Creator/ZackSnyder's idea for a ''Film/SevenSamurai'' in space film that he approached Creator/{{Lucasfilm}} to absorb into their "Star Wars" universe. It boasts a familiar premise with a peaceful colony on the edge of the galaxy that's threatened by the armies of a tyrannical galactic ruler, Balisarius. The colony dispatches a young woman, Kora, to seek out warriors from nearby planets to help them challenge Balisarius.
175%%* ''Film/{{Spaceballs}}'' technically is a ''parody'' of Space Opera.
176%%* ''Film/StarOdyssey''
177%%* ''Franchise/StarTrek'': The films, except for ''[[Film/StarTrekIVTheVoyageHome The Voyage Home]]'', which [[OutOfGenreExperience is a comedy]] set on [[NextSundayAD then-modern]] Earth.%%Are examples how?
178* ''Franchise/StarWars'' is perhaps the most famous modern example (as noted in the main description), with its grand and fantastical tale of heroic rebels fighting against the evil Empire set "a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away..."
179%%* ''WesternAnimation/TransformersTheMovie'': Some edits even have the OpeningCrawl.
180%%* ''The Warlord: Battle for the Galaxy''
181[[/folder]]
182
183[[folder:Gamebooks]]
184* ''Literature/FightingFantasy'':
185** ''Literature/StarshipTraveller'', the first installment in the sci-fi genre, is heavily inspired by ''Star Trek''. You play the captain of the titular starship, who ends up getting sucked into the Seltsian Void, a black hole leading to another universe, and has to travel across planets, meet various alien races, and try to find your way back to Earth before running out of fuel.
186** ''Literature/RebelPlanet'': In the future, planet Earth has been conquered by [[LizardFolk a reptilian race of aliens]] known as Arcadians, and you need to sabotage the Arcadian's super-computer and help reclaim Earth back for the humans.
187** ''Literature/StarStrider'' has you playing a bounty hunter from outer space, who have to race against time to save the Earth's president from the hostile Gromulans.
188* The ''Literature/StarChallenge'' gamebooks series set in 2525, when mankind are capable of travelling across galaxies and forming an alliance known as the "Network of Worlds" with other alien races.
189[[/folder]]
190
191[[folder:Literature]]
192* ''The Warriors of the Elector'' by Imogene Nix has big love stories and a heavy focus on fairly realistic SciFi setting and big battles.
193* ''Literature/Aeon14'' is an epic about a colony ship, ''Intrepid'', trying to leave the insanity of slower-than-light life in Sol, only to run into even bigger problems and ultimately SleptThroughTheApocalypse and land in a more typical FasterThanLightTravel setting.
194%%* ''Literature/AlienHunters'':
195* ''Literature/AllianceUnion'' is probably the "hardest" of all Space Opera, with FasterThanLightTravel being the only deviation from known physics.
196%%* ''Literature/AncillaryJustice'' by Ann Leckie.
197%%* ''Literature/BattlefieldEarth'':
198%%* Parodied by Creator/HarryHarrison in his ''Literature/BillTheGalacticHero'' and ''Literature/StarSmashersOfTheGalaxyRangers''.
199* ''Literature/TheBloodrightTrilogy'' by Emily Skrutskie.
200* ''Literature/TheBurningDark'' uses a Space Opera setting for what is basically a haunted space station story, [[spoiler:throwing in {{Eldritch Abomination}}s in towards the end for flavor]].
201* ''Literature/CassandraKresnov'' us part this, part MilitaryScienceFiction and part {{Cyberpunk}}.
202* ''Literature/CastleFederation'' is described by its author Glynn Stewart as a {{transhuman}}ist space opera.
203%%* The Commander Toad picture books by Creator/JaneYolen are a parody of space opera.
204%%* ''Literature/TheConquerorsTrilogy'' by Creator/TimothyZahn.
205%%* ''Literature/CountToTheEschaton''
206* ''Literature/TheCulture'' books by Creator/IainBanks, although it does have a society changed by technology -- in particular near-perfect medicine and a lack of the need for money due to massive technological advances.
207* ''Literature/{{Deathstalker}}'' is both a parody and an homage to more traditional Space Opera's and exaggerating or taking various tropes to their most extreme conclusion.
208* Creator/WalterJonWilliams has a couple:
209** His ''Literature/DreadEmpiresFall'' is space opera on the fairly hard science side, edging into [=MilSF=] territory.
210** His ''Literature/DrakeMaijstral'' trilogy, by contrast, is a tongue-in-cheek comedy of manners space opera, starring an interstellar GentlemanThief.
211* ''Literature/{{Dune}}'' is one of the most influential examples, even if it is limited in scope compared to other space operas.
212* Creator/EdmondHamilton: Has big love stories, epic space battles, oversized heroes and villains, awe-inspiring places, gorgeous women, and they usually rule the universe - or at least a star kingdom to boot.
213* ''Literature/TheFlightEngineer'' trilogy by S.M. Sterling and Creator/JamesDoohan.
214* Creator/IsaacAsimov's ''Literature/FoundationSeries'': A galactic-scale [[TheEpic Epic Narrative]] taking place over [[DashedPlotLine hundreds of years]], and [[TropeCodifier influencing]] many of the successive works, such as ''Franchise/StarWars''. ''Foundation'' is a [[RecycledInSpace science fiction future history]] of Creator/EdwardGibbon's ''Literature/TheDeclineAndFallOfTheRomanEmpire'', depicting the collapse from the perspective of its replacement empire.
215* ''Literature/FutureHistory'', a novella set in this genre.
216* Stephen R. Donaldson's ''Literature/TheGapCycle'' is this, as it's Music/RichardWagner's ''Theatre/RingOfTheNibelung'' cycle InSpace. Newer editions of the first volume have a cool author's note explaining how the dramatic elements (and thus, tropes) of {{Opera}} work in a sci-fi setting.
217* ''Literature/TheHitchhikersGuideToTheGalaxy'' derives a lot of its humor through parodying space opera conventions. The unrealistic elements typical of the genre are either {{lampshaded}} or replaced with [[ItRunsOnNonsensoleum even sillier ideas]].
218* ''Literature/HorusHeresy'', the background story to ''TabletopGame/Warhammer40000''. It chronicles the rise of the Emperor of Mankind and his Primarch sons. It's practically ''Literature/ParadiseLost: The Space Opera''.
219* Creator/DavidWeber has an extensive one in ''Literature/HonorHarrington''. As well as everything else he's written.
220* ''Literature/HumanityWithin'' has elements of Space Opera.
221* Creator/AlanDeanFoster's ''Literature/HumanxCommonwealth'' series. It adopts many SpeculativeFiction tropes but plays them for SpaceOpera themes.
222%%* ''Literature/HyperionCantos'' by Creator/DanSimmons.
223* ''Literature/ImTheEvilLordOfAnIntergalacticEmpire'': An {{isekai}} take on the concept, where a disgraced Japanese {{salaryman}} is {{reincarnate|InAnotherWorld}}d as the count of a backwater planet in a FeudalFuture and rebuilds his struggling domain into a new shining light of the Empire.
224%%* ''Literature/InBetweenTheStars'' combines this with {{Xenofiction}}.
225%%* ''Literature/TheIndrananWar''
226* ''Literature/InstrumentalityOfMan'' includes light-based and biologically-based computers, robot copies of dead people, robot police, the elimination of unhappiness, by measures escalating to putting the terminally unhappy to death, an underclass of animal-people who are without rights, the immortality drug stroon, ornithopters, telepathic computer interfaces, and other proto-Space Opera and proto-cyberpunk tropes.
227* ''Literature/InterstellarGunrunner'' is a story of a con man and arms dealer who repeatedly attempts to profit from horrible conflicts, only to dig himself deeper due to his spendthrift ways as well as pathological lying.
228* ''Literature/JohnCarterOfMars'' and other PlanetaryRomance novels contain elements of SpaceOpera, making it an UnbuiltTrope.
229%%* ''Literature/KnownSpace'':
230* ''Literature/{{Lacuna}}'' is firmly in the "New Space Opera" (space opera with hard science) genre.
231%%* ''Literature/{{Larklight}}'' combines Space Opera with SteamPunk.
232%%* ''Literature/TheLastHumanInACrowdedGalaxy'':
233* ''Literature/LegendOfTheGalacticHeroes'', a large scale space opera set in the century old clash between an Empire and a Republic.
234* ''Literature/{{Lensman}}'' is generally given as the [[UrExample defining example]], along with its predecessor and spiritual twin the ''Literature/SkylarkSeries''.
235* ''Literature/TheLastHunter'' by JN Chaney and Terry Mixon is a series about a badly maintained dreadnought being repaired by a cashiered captain before he brings it up against a SwarmOfAlienLocusts.
236* ''Literature/TheLostFleet'' is a setting of average hardness (more hard than soft, actually), with a special emphasis on tactical fleet operations in a 'verse with lightspeed sensors and communications, so all maneuvers have to account for the enemy's current position and state being unknown. There's a century-long war between two galactic polities: one that is more or less good, and one that is more or less evil. There's a hero who leads the good guys to victory, being an unintentional KeeperOfForbiddenKnowledge (namely, the knowledge of fleet tactics, forgotten over the course of the ForeverWar). There are hidden forces working behind the scenes. ''Literature/TheGenesisFleet'' prequel also reveals that the protagonist of the main series has a SecretLegacy he never knew about, i.e. that an ancestor of his was a hero too.
237* ''Literature/LucifersStar'' is a dark space opera story about how the RedBaron-esque pilot of a FeudalFuture nation discovers his side is the bad guys in a war and has to deal with the consequences. It also includes bioroid slavery, Elder Races, and a massive interplanetary war.
238* ''Literature/MollyFyde''
239* ''Literature/OmegaForce''
240* ''Literature/PerryRhodan'' (over more than 2500 books that span from 1971 to 5050).
241* Most of Peter F. Hamilton's books, though technological advances have significant societal and cultural impacts.
242%%** ''Literature/PandorasStar''
243* ''Literature/RebornAsASpaceMercenaryIWokeUpPilotingTheStrongestStarship'': A MediaTransmigration {{isekai}} where a Japanese {{salaryman}} wakes up in the world of the ''VideoGame/EliteDangerous''-style MMORPG he had been playing, and starts working as a mercenary star pilot.
244%%* ''Literature/RedRising'' consists of one main trilogy, with a prequel comic and a SequelSeries on the way.
245%%* ''Literature/RevelationSpaceSeries'' actually ''does'' consider seriously how changes in technology would affect culture and even language.%%And is an example because?
246%%* ''Literature/TheSagaOfSevenSuns''
247%%* ''Literature/SchildsLadder'' is is very hard, with no FasterThanLightTravel whatsoever.%%And is an example because?
248* ''Literature/TheSecretKing'' has a race of aliens fleeing their doomed homeplanet to travel to Earth in the present day.
249%%* ''Literature/TheSiranthaJaxSeries'' by Ann Aguirre.
250* ''Literature/SkylarkSeries'' is possibly the ''first'' Space Opera, written in 1916 and published in 1928. It features a ScienceHero and his wealthy benefactor pursuing the villain into space to rescue the hero's fiancée.
251* ''Literature/SpaceAcademy'' by Creator/CTPhipps is about a RagtagBandOfMisfits that, ironically, work for TheFederation as their best crew.
252* ''Literature/SpaceAngel'' has larger-than-life characters, epic space battles, exotic worlds, and an alien species that inhabits the cores of galaxies. Not a planet in the core of a galaxy, mind you -- the ''whole core''.
253%%* ''Literature/SpaceCaptainSmith'' by Toby Frost is a very tongue-in-cheek version.
254* ''Literature/SpaceOpera'': Parodied and lampshaded, as the story is a space opera about a Eurovision-style musical competition in space.
255* ''Literature/SpaceVulture'', a GenreThrowback to the original pulp SpaceOpera, by Gary K. Wolf and Archbishop John J. Meyers.
256%%* ''Literature/SpeciesImperative'':
257%%* ''Literature/SpiralArm'':
258%%* ''Literature/TheStarsMyDestination'':
259%%* ''Literature/TheStarOfTheGuardians'':
260%%* ''Literature/{{Stardoc}}'' has elements of both this and MedicalDrama.
261%%* ''Literature/ASymphonyOfEternity'': The first book's tagline is "When the universe is at war, which side are you on?"
262* ''Literature/TheirsNotToReasonWhy'' is firmly in Space Opera territory, with PsychicPowers, EnergyBeings, multiple types of FasterThanLightTravel, etc.
263* ''Literature/ThousandCultures'':
264%%* ''Literature/TowerAndTheHive'': The ''Rowan'' series.
265%%* ''Literature/{{Uplift}}'':
266%%* ''Literature/VorkosiganSaga'', complete with an in-story Space Ballet.
267%%* ''Literature/WarchildSeries'':
268* Literature/WhiteScarAcrossTheFirmament: A story spanning centuries of interplanetary war, between an alien hive mind and a transhuman insurgency
269%%* ''Literature/XandriCorelel'':
270%%* ''Literature/XeeleeSequence'' may well be the ultimate example in terms of scale, as well as being much harder sci-fi than the average space opera.%%And why's it an example?
271%%* ''Literature/ZonesOfThought'':
272[[/folder]]
273
274[[folder:Live Action TV]]
275* ''Series/{{Andromeda}}'': Originally created by Creator/GeneRoddenberry, pitched by Majel Roddenberry, and steered by Robert Hewitt Wolfe (of ''Deep Space Nine''). It was a Vancouver production and it shows. You'll see the ensemble recycled in other Canadian productions from that era: ''SG-1, Lexx'', etc. These days, it is best remembered for Lexa Doig in [[BestKnownForTheFanservice tight outfits]].
276* ''Series/BabylonFive'': A sort of "five-year miniseries" which rewards multiple viewings. If their direct competitor borrowed from [[SpaceWestern old westerns]] and war movies, [=B5=] was a [[WizardsFromOuterSpace space-based Middle Earth]] meets [[RecycledInSPACE space]] ''Film/{{Casablanca}}'' --but with enough verisimilitude to take those tropes and make it into something you can believe in. It helps that Andreas Katsulas (G'Kar) and Peter Jurasik (Londo) [[ClassicallyTrainedExtra have such a commanding air]] that pretty much everybody raises their game in their presence.
277* ''Series/BattlestarGalactica1978'' and ''Series/BattlestarGalactica2003'' are at opposite ends of the [[SlidingScaleOfIdealismVersusCynicism Idealist-Cynic]] scale. Both had their share of movies and spin-offs.
278** ''Series/Galactica1980'' is more FamilyFriendly.
279** Ron D. Moore's ambitious spin-off series, ''Series/{{Caprica}}''. During the first season, Moore stuck to his guns about keeping it a family drama, but the last few episodes were so packed with story because the showrunners knew they weren't going to get a second season, and didn't want to leave their open storylines dangling in the wind.
280* Although ''Series/DoctorWho'' is not Space Opera in itself, some individual stories make use of the subgenere.
281** [[Recap/DoctorWhoS3E2MissionToTheUnknown "Mission to the Unknown"]] and the epic twelve-part [[Recap/DoctorWhoS3E4TheDaleksMasterPlan "The Daleks' Master Plan"]]. Oddly, "Mission to the Unknown", the prelude episode, feels like an Unbuilt Trope version of the sort of stories ''Star Trek'' popularised. "Mission to the Unknown" has the Space agent Marc Cory discovering the Dalek plot to invade Earth's solar system, [[RedShirt but dies before]] he can even send a message of warning. Earth's central government, which encompasses the whole system, also has a subtly {{dystopia}}n feel to it.
282** [[Recap/DoctorWhoS6E6TheSpacePirates "The Space Pirates"]]
283** [[Recap/DoctorWhoS10E3FrontierInSpace "Frontier in Space"]] and [[Recap/DoctorWhoS10E4PlanetOfTheDaleks "Planet of the Daleks"]], two interconnected serials which were originally conceived as a single twelve part story like the earlier "The Daleks' Master Plan", though of a very different kind. The Doctor wants to prevent a war between two space empires, while the Master is trying to start one so the Daleks can wipe out both sides once they've exhausted themselves.
284** [[Recap/DoctorWhoS19E6Earthshock "Earthshock"]]
285** [[Recap/DoctorWhoS21E6TheCavesOfAndrozani "The Caves of Androzani"]] acts as a GenreDeconstruction of the space opera. Drawing strong influence from ''Literature/{{Dune}}'', it sees the Doctor caught up in a drug war between rival factions on two sister planets. However, not only is the conflict portrayed as an ignobly brutal case of BlackAndGrayMorality, but the Doctor also tries to stay ''out'' of the main conflict to little avail, with his main goal instead being rescuing Peri after he and she accidentally contract a painful and lethal poisoning.
286** The first few seasons of the Revival Series have several notable examples:
287*** "[[Recap/DoctorWhoS27E12BadWolf Bad Wolf]]"/"[[Recap/DoctorWhoS27E13ThePartingOfTheWays The Parting of the Ways]]": Set on a satellite in a bleak UsedFuture, it starts with our heroes trapped in deadly game shows and ends with them facing down an entire Dalek army led by TheEmperor.
288*** "[[Recap/DoctorWhoS28E8TheImpossiblePlanet The Impossible Planet]]"/"[[Recap/DoctorWhoS28E9TheSatanPit The Satan Pit]]", with an added dose of LovecraftLite. A drilling operation on an asteroid orbiting a black hole [[DugTooDeep unearths the Devil himself]].
289*** "[[Recap/DoctorWhoS30E12TheStolenEarth The Stolen Earth]]"/"[[Recap/DoctorWhoS30E13JourneysEnd Journey's End]]": The heroes of the main show and both its spinoffs join forces against Davros and the Daleks, who have stolen multiple planets to build a DoomsdayDevice the size of a solar system.
290** [[Recap/DoctorWhoS36E11WorldEnoughAndTime "World Enough and Time"]]/[[Recap/DoctorWhoS36E12TheDoctorFalls "The Doctor Falls"]]: The Doctor, Bill and Nardole are trapped on a spaceship with an army of Cybermen and ''two'' versions of the Master. One of them is developing a conscience, the other one ''really'' isn't. Time dilation, personal tragedy, dramatic last stands and plenty of explosions are involved.
291* ''Series/EarthFinalConflict'': Another posthumous series from Gene Roddenberry. The pilot takes place only 3 years after FirstContact. What the series captured perfectly, but ignored in later seasons, was that humans had only recently come to terms with an alien race as part of their world.
292** The lead actor was run off the show because the studio felt that it needed to be more episodic. And then they did it again in season five; not a good sign when you have to continually cycle cast members to save money. The tone of the show changed from a sci-fi detective story ("Who are the Taelons and what do they want in exchange for improving Earth") to a MonsterOfTheWeek show with very few sci-fi concepts beyond those already established. Sandoval, played by the capable Von Flores, turned out to be the saving grace of the series at that moment, something even the execs could not topple.
293* ''Series/{{Farscape}}'': The first few episodes are purposefully cheesy sci-fi, inspired by ''Series/{{Buck Rogers|InTheTwentyFifthCentury}}'' and ''Franchise/FlashGordon'' with some weird muppets and makeup. Then "A Human Reaction" arrives and covertly sets up the story arc that will carry on throughout the entire rest of the series. The addition of [[BigBad Scorpius]] a few episodes later heightens the drama even further as the war between the {{P|uttingOnTheReich}}eacekeepers and the Scarrans grew in scale. All with a hefty dose of MindScrew to keep things from getting ''too'' serious.
294* ''Series/{{Firefly}}'', which has the unusual distinction of being both a SpaceOpera [[SpaceWestern and a]] [[TheWestern Horse Opera]]. However, ''Firefly'' is only a borderline Space Opera, as it has no aliens and according to WordOfGod is set in a universe with no faster-than-light travel (although this is difficult to reconcile with some of the on-screen events).
295* ''Series/Foundation2021'' adapts the Creator/IsaacAsimov's ''Literature/FoundationSeries'', but it also added new stuff like time traveling, reincarnation and turning the mentats to something more akin to Jedi and Sith.
296* ''Series/{{Lexx}}'': One of the crewmembers is an escaped sex slave. The ship is a literal dildo. Don't say we didn't warn you.
297* ''Series/{{Pandora}}'' or so its [[WordOfGod creators claim]]. Judging by the first episode, it's more of a teen drama.
298* ''Franchise/PowerRangers''
299** ''Series/PowerRangersInSpace'' had begun to drift this way before the season ended. The Rangers spent more and more time in space fighting evil or trying to rescue Zordon, and the villains were slightly more fleshed out than usual, with the apparent main villain being the franchise's first case of LukeIAmYourFather. Doesn't apply to its Japanese counterpart ''Series/DenjiSentaiMegaranger'', which is set on Earth, with the Megaship just orbiting the planet.
300** ''Series/PowerRangersLostGalaxy'' followed suit (unlike its Japanese counterpart, ''Series/SeijuuSentaiGingaman''), depicting a human colony ship's season-long journey to a new world. Along the way the Rangers deal with SpacePirates, a ruthless AntiHero with a tragic past who ends up sacrificing himself, and the (temporary) death of one of their own.
301** ''Series/PowerRangersCosmicFury'' is set on various planets across the galaxy as the Rangers work to free the universe from Lord Zedd's reign of terror. There's an eclectic array of locations, from the worm monster-infested desert of Erridus to the lush sentient forest of Levvina. There's palace intrigue to spare at Zedd's castle, high stakes romance subplots for the two {{official couple}}s, and an ongoing mystery about life, death, and the afterlife (not that they can say so [[NeverSayDie in those exact words]].)
302%%* ''Series/SpaceCases''
303* The Franchise/StargateVerse is a borderline example. Technically the center-of-operations is on a single planet (Earth in ''Series/StargateSG1'', the Atlantis base in ''Series/StargateAtlantis''), but with the instant wormholes provided by the Stargate, the bases function like a spaceship or space station in a standard Space Opera, as far as most story purposes go. Both series also have the Big Universe, Big Empires, Big Heroes, and Big Villains elements in spades, and it gets bigger yet once Earth has a space fleet. However, many individual episodes, especially in early seasons, feel more like PlanetaryRomance. ''Series/StargateUniverse'', the second spin-off, is probably closer to a traditional Space Opera.
304* ''Franchise/StarTrek'', perhaps the most famous example in television, with its grand tales of interstellar exploration, romance, intrigue, and war. Though there is (some) serious consideration of how technology and science would change society (not surprising, given that creator Creator/GeneRoddenberry originally envisioned using the setting to address social issues that could not have been dealt with in a normal drama back in the [=60s=]). Coincidentally, there was in fact a Star Trek Opera performed on stage in New York.
305* The [[/index]]''Franchise/StarWars''[[index]] live-action shows contribute to the franchise's already vast ExpandedUniverse. So far they include:
306** ''Series/TheMandalorian''
307** ''Series/TheBookOfBobaFett''
308** ''Series/ObiWanKenobi''
309** ''Series/{{Andor}}''
310** ''Series/{{Ahsoka}}''
311* ''Series/UchuSentaiKyuranger''. ''Franchise/SuperSentai'' often has heroes or villains from outer space but in general, it doesn't fit this trope thanks to being set mostly on Earth. ''Kyuranger'', however, fits neatly into Space Opera. It's set in a future where the villain pretty much rules the entire galaxy. The heroes and heroines comprised of {{Human Alien}}s, a wolf-man alien, and robots. It's actually set in space as the protagonists travels the galaxy using their CoolStarship, which also functions as their headquarters, to defeat their enemies.
312[[/folder]]
313
314[[folder:Music]]
315* ''ComicBook/TheAmoryWars'' a {{metafiction}}al SpaceOpera comprised of five {{Concept Album}}s by Music/CoheedAndCambria.
316* Music/{{Ayreon}} is one of the most prolific examples of this and GenreBusting ProgressiveRock in one package. The most prominent examples include... pretty much everything. The notable exception is ''The Human Equation'' album, [[spoiler:up until the very end]].
317* Music/IronSavior is this too. Their first five albums (and a EP) are almost entirely the story of the titular starship.
318* ''Warp Riders'', the third album by The Sword is a sci-fi fantasy epic about another eponymous starship.
319* The AnimatedMusicVideo for "Music/StarlightBrigade" by Music/TupperWareRemixParty manages to pull off telling one in less than four minutes.
320[[/folder]]
321
322[[folder:Tabletop Games]]
323* ''TabletopGame/BattleTech'': the backstory and novels put the {{Soap|Opera}} back in SpaceOpera.
324* The Cathedral setting in ''TabletopGame/BigEyesSmallMouth'' is intended for this kind of adventure.
325* ''{{TabletopGame/Bulldogs}}'' is "gritty" space opera. Like ''Franchise/StarWars'', it doesn't even try to be scientifically accurate. In a distant galaxy, desperate crews of misfits (the titular Bulldogs), make a living transporting dangerous cargoes on behalf of a {{Megacorp}} (often being forced to take on other dangerous/illegal jobs to make ends meet) and may end up saving the day along the way, similar to ''Film/GuardiansOfTheGalaxy2014''.
326* ''TabletopGame/FadingSuns''
327* The forgotten board game ''Imperium'' was used as a source for some of the ''TabletopGame/{{Traveller}}'' universe. In it, a young and expansionist [[TheRepublic republic]] on earth, conquers a VestigialEmpire in space. There are a number of other SpaceOpera board wargames, but this one is notable for historical reasons.
328* ''TabletopGame/{{Rifts}}'' has the Three Galaxies setting, a Space Opera with the same blend of magic, technology, and plain weirdness as the main setting. As may be expected, it's way way down on the hardness scale, but it has pretty much all the elements of the StandardSciFiSetting.
329* ''TabletopGame/RocketAge'' only covers our solar system but the epic themes and intrigues of space opera are definitely there. Just replace TheEmpire with actual Nazis.
330* There was a RPG '''named''' ''Space Opera''.
331* Pacesetter's 1980s ''TabletopGame/StarAce'' RPG, in the spirit of ''Franchise/StarWars', but set in an original universe with fewer mystical undertones.
332* The TabletopGame/StarDrive setting originally made for the TabletopGame/{{Alternity}} system and later reused for TabletopGame/D20Modern.
333* Paizo's second game, ''TabletopGame/{{Starfinder}}'' is set in the same universe as ''TabletopGame/{{Pathfinder}}'' but advanced thousands of years into the future, with technology and magic being equally ubiquitous among the solar system.
334* ''TabletopGame/StarFrontiers'' was TSR's attempt to do D&D in a space opera setting.
335* ''TabletopGame/{{Traveller}}'' was the first RPG set in the Space Opera genre, and set the standard for those that followed. It's in the harder end of SpaceOpera and a lot of work went into the {{Backstory}} including fairly realistic science and social science. ''Traveller'' is flexible enough that a wide variety of flavors of SpaceOpera can be played, since the setting is one designed for the telling of stories.
336* ''TabletopGame/TwilightImperium'' may as well be the TropeCodifier for space opera board-games. Spice-dealing, trader lions, peaceful turtle-people who smoke weed, living flames put into mechanical bodies, snake-women who have psychic powers; the Twilight Imperium's got it all.
337* ''TabletopGame/Warhammer40000'' has adventure, battles, intrigue, and fantasy (including SpaceElves, {{O|urOrcsAreDifferent}}rks, and even Gods), all in a setting where mankind possesses a galaxy-spanning empire with planet-spanning cities and a population in the trillions. However it's also overloaded with about as much cynicism, grimness, and darkness as you can ''get'' (hence the common description "grimdark", for which its tagline is the TropeNamer).
338* ''TabletopGame/CoriolisTheThirdHorizon'' mashes up Space Opera with Main/ArabianNightsDays and Middle Eastern mythology in general. This ranges from simple terminology (artificial intelligence are 'Jinn', for example), to culture (the titular station Coriolis is akin to the cities of the tales), to the concept of the Icons and Dark Between Stars taking its basics from Zoroastrianism (ie, Cosmology of good and evil) with touches from Islam, particularly an emphasis ''prayer''. (Praying to the Icons is even a game mechanic.)
339[[/folder]]
340
341[[folder:Video Games]]
342* ''VideoGame/AdventRising'': You play as the SoleSurvivor of a human world that has been destroyed by aliens. Another alien race takes pity on him and helps him develop his latent psychic potential to basically become a demigod and take the fight back to those other aliens who destroyed his homeworld, getting involved in epic space battles all throughout.
343* ''VideoGame/AsurasWrath'' has some of this. It's mixed with South Asian Mythology.
344* ''VideoGame/ColonyWars''
345* ''VideoGame/CrisisOfTheConfederation'', a GameMod based on ''VideoGame/CrusaderKings II'', retains the original game's focus on dramatic character actions and interactions and [[RecycledInSpace transplants it to an outer-space setting]].
346* ''VideoGame/CryingSuns'': you play as a clone of the Empire's most decorated war hero as he fights his way across Imperial space to discover what caused the shutdown of the artificial intelligences that kept the Imperium running. Encounters include SpacePirates, warlords fighting over crumbling fragments of the old civilization, desperate civilians, and people committing heinous acts in the name of survival.
347* Creator/{{Bungie}}'s ''VideoGame/{{Destiny}}'' is a fairly direct example, set in a distant, fantastical future where intrepid Guardians [[TheChosenMany wielding the power of "The Traveler"]] seek to reclaim humanity's lost empire from "The Darkness". The creators themselves [[http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2013-03-18-bungie-destinys-scifi-fantasy-setting-gave-us-this-freedom described the setting as]] "mythic science fiction" and a "mix of science fiction and fantasy", with the game being something of a throwback to the idealistic HighFantasy roots of the genre.
348%%* ''VideoGame/EndlessSpace''
349%%* ''VideoGame/EveOnline''
350%%* ''VideoGame/{{Freespace}}''
351* ''VideoGame/FTLFasterThanLight'' is a RogueLike spaceship simulation game set in a Space Opera-like setting.
352* ''VideoGame/GalaxyAngel'' gameverse
353* ''VideoGame/GeneTroopers'', set in a futuristic world populated by humans and aliens alike, where an evil alien race have conquered most of the galaxy. Your human protagonist joins a resistance force consisting of multiple alien folks.
354* ''[[http://www.moddb.com/mods/grand-theft-auto-anderius GTA Anderius]]'' a.k.a Alien City. A [[CloudCuckooLand very wacky]] [[GameMod total conversion]] of ''[[VideoGame/GrandTheftAutoSanAndreas San Andreas]]'', although only available in Russian.
355* The ''Franchise/{{Halo}}'' series is a blend of this and more conventional MilitaryScienceFiction, with the games mostly set on the exotic and ancient artificial worlds created by the [[{{Precursors}} Forerunners]], whose own technological feats [[SufficientlyAdvancedAlien border on the outright fantastical]]. Additionally, the franchise as a whole has shown plenty of the intrigue, mystery, and adventure to be had in a multi-species setting spanning the Orion Arm and beyond, filled with LostTechnology and complete with a galaxy-threatening EldritchAbomination.
356* ''VideoGame/InfiniteSpace'' is the story of a young man who leaves his backwater planet to sail the Sea of Stars. Along the way, he fights SpacePirates, overthrows dictators, and gets pulled into galactic-scale politics and several wars. [[spoiler:He winds up saving the universe from higher-dimensional beings who planned to break the whole thing down for spare parts to build a new universe]].
357%%* ''VideoGame/{{Killzone}}''
358* ''VideoGame/LeagueOfLegends'' has a noncanon, but official AlternateUniverse-based skin line called "Odyssey", which transplants several popular champions into [[DenserAndWackier a colorful yet epic]] ''Film/{{Guardians of the Galaxy|2014}}''-type opera, surrounding the galactic pursuit of [[AppliedPhlebotinum the mysterious substance named "ora"]]. More specifically, it follows [[RagtagBunchOfMisfits the ragtag crew]] of the ''Morning Star'' and their journey to save the universe from the mad [[GalacticConqueror Ordinal Kayn]] and [[LivingWeapon Rha]][[OmnicidalManiac ast]].
359%%* ''VideoGame/LegacyOfAThousandSuns''
360%%* ''VideoGame/{{Marathon}}''
361* The ''Franchise/MassEffect'' series could be seen as putting the Opera back into Space Operas, with lavish and often dreamy environments, exotic cultures, and tales of great personal tragedy. At the same time, it's surpringly hard, is quite serious in tone, and takes place in the relatively near future (2180s to be precise). Like many other newer Space Operas, it also has LovecraftLite elements thanks to the series' main antagonists, the Reapers.
362* The ''Franchise/{{Metroid}}'' series, although this slides more towards AfterTheEnd PlanetaryRomance in the context of individual games. Played straight with ''VideoGame/MetroidPrimeHunters'' and ''VideoGame/MetroidPrime3Corruption'', as they are the only games in the franchise that internally take place on multiple planets, and the latter shows a bigger interaction with [[TheFederation the Galactic Federation]].
363%%* ''VideoGame/{{Otherspace}}''
364* ''VideoGame/PhantasyStar'' combines space opera with a healthy dose of [[ScienceFantasy fantasy elements]]. The original Master System[=/=]Genesis tetrology fit the category to a T, in particular, but ''VideoGame/PhantasyStarUniverse'' and ''VideoGame/PhantasyStarOnline2'' also qualify.
365* ''Franchise/RatchetAndClank'', a space opera with a hefty dose of WesternAnimation/LooneyTunes [[JustForFun/XMeetsY thrown in]].
366* ''VideoGame/{{Rimworld}}'' branched out into this trope with the Royalty DLC, which adds a [[FeudalFuture feudal interplanetary empire]] that has access to PsychicPowers via [[MagicFromTechnology "archaeotech"]] to the gameworld.
367* ''VideoGame/SentinelWorldsIFutureMagic'' can be seen as a spiritual predecessor to ''Mass Effect'': you play as a BadassCrew of a CoolStarship sent to a remote star system to deal with enigmatic [[SpacePirates space raiders]] who keep attacking civilian freighters. Along the way, you may get into space dogfights, explore strange planets in an all-terrain vehicle, and blast away enemies on-foot with lasers and other futuristic guns.
368%%* ''VideoGame/SinsOfASolarEmpire''
369%%* ''VideoGame/{{Spore}}'s'' Space Stage.
370* ''VideoGame/StarcomNexus'' involves a tiny (but modular) ship encountering a NegativeSpaceWedgie which transports it to [[spoiler:the extremely distant past]], where it must help prevent [[spoiler:a rogue AI]] from wiping out all non-human species in the galaxy.
371* The ''VideoGame/StarControl'' series started off with a rather bare-bones Space Opera premise - a great war between two groups of alien species - that served only as a backstory for what was essentially a simple arcade game. The sequel took this premise much further, exploring both the history and the aftermath of the war in great detail, and charging the player with liberating the entire human race and its allies from slavery, while also saving the rest of the galaxy from mass genocide. The backstory as presented in-game spans several dozen millennia, and the game itself takes place across an entire quadrant of the Milky Way galaxy.
372%%* ''VideoGame/StarFox'' mixes {{Funny Animal}}s with SpaceOpera.
373* ''VideoGame/{{Starfield}}'' is essentially ''Franchise/TheElderScrolls'' and ''VideoGame/{{Fallout}}''... [[RecycledInSpace IN SPACE!]]
374* The ''VideoGame/StarOcean'' series, when you aren't exploring underdeveloped planets.
375%%* ''VideoGame/StarCraft''
376* ''VideoGame/{{Stellaris}}'' aesthetically, and tends towards this generally, though the procedurally generated galaxy and/or player intervention for [[VideoGameCaringPotential better]] or [[VideoGameCrueltyPotential worse]] can make it more utopian or more grimdark.
377* ''VideoGame/SunlessSkies'' is an unorthodox example that mixes SpaceOpera with GaslampFantasy. An immortal UsefulNotes/QueenVictoria reigns from the city of London, transplanted into space after [[DidYouJustPunchOutCthulhu murdering]] a [[SentientStars sun-god]]. [[{{Steampunk}} Steam-powered]] spacecraft of the Royal Navy wage war against plucky colonists determined to win their independence from the New British Empire. The most popular local form of AppliedPhlebotinum is time itself in material form, [[AsteroidMining mined from asteroids]] and refined in massive [[EternalEngine Workworlds]].
378* ''VisualNovel/{{Sunrider}}'' ticks most of the boxes. The plot involves the crew of a single ship trying to liberate their home planet from a galaxy-conquering tyrant, and getting embroiled in a war between two interstellar superpowers in the process. The main hero is the dashing captain of the aforementioned starship. There’s action, romance, [[HumongousMecha robots]], LostTechnology from a bygone era, SpacePirates, and plenty of space battles. The only thing missing is [[AbsentAliens the presence of intelligent aliens]].
379* ''VideoGame/SuperMarioGalaxy'' is a SpaceOpera [[RecycledInSpace WITH MARIO!]]
380%%* ''VideoGame/SuperRobotWars'', depending on the plot and series involved.
381%%* ''VideoGame/TotalAnnihilation''
382%%* Warhammer 40,000: ''VideoGame/DawnOfWar''
383* The ''Franchise/WingCommander'' franchise, which was conceived by its creator Chris Roberts as being "UsefulNotes/WorldWarTwo in space". It also has elements of Film/TopGun as well (with main character Christopher Blair's [canon] callsign "Maverick" being a direct shout out).
384** Chris Roberts' current project, the MMO game ''VideoGame/StarCitizen'' is also an example. Furthermore, it has been conceived as a persistent online universe that's constantly evolving. In addition, there's also its single player campaign "Squadron 42", described as a SpiritualSuccessor to the above mentioned Wing Commander franchise.
385%%* ''VideoGame/{{Xenosaga}}''
386%%* ''VideoGame/{{Zigfrak}}''
387[[/folder]]
388
389[[folder:Webcomics]]
390%%* ''Webcomic/Angels2200''
391%%* ''Webcomic/CaptainUfo''
392%%* ''Webcomic/DenmaTheQuanx''
393* [[https://bobadventures.thecomicseries.com/comics/372 This]] story arc in ''Webcomic/TheInexplicableAdventuresOfBob'' is explicitly identified as a Space Opera, complete with [[StandardStarshipScuffle spaceship battles]], {{love dodecahedr|on}}a, [[OccupiersOutOfOurCountry space politics]], StarfishAliens, [[{{Kaiju}} giant monsters]], [[OurDragonsAreDifferent space dragons]], a CardCarryingVillain, and the requisite [[GratuitousPrincess beautiful princess]].
394%%* ''Webcomic/KnightRun''
395* ''Webcomic/LancerTheKnightsOfFenris'' is a Furry Webcomic set in a FeudalFuture in which the mammalian species engage in epic space battles against the [[ReptilesAreAbhorrent reptilian invaders]] who want to conquer them all.
396%%* ''Webcomic/LastRes0rt''
397* ''Webcomic/LegostarGalactica'', which is essentially a satire of this genre.
398%%* ''Webcomic/SchlockMercenary''
399%%* ''Webcomic/{{Terinu}}''
400* ''Webcomic/TheLastHumanInACrowdedGalaxy''
401* ''Webcomic/LeavingTheCradle'' tries to bring typical space opera closer to realistic hard science fiction.
402* ''Webcomic/DarthsAndDroids'' consists entirely of screenshots from ''Franchise/StarWars'' with new dialogue (and to a large extent story). You better believe it's space opera.
403* Webcomic/{{Temerity}} has a runaway SuperSoldier as its protagonist, colorful aliens, and SpaceIsNoisy played straight.
404[[/folder]]
405
406[[folder:Web Original]]
407* ''Literature/ArtemisNeo''
408* ''Literature/CaelumLex''
409* ''Podcast/TheEndlessNight''
410* ''Literature/TheLastAngel''
411* ''LetsPlay/{{Mahu}}'''s "Second Chance" narrative let's play.
412* ''WebVideo/NatOneProductions'' has the ''Denazra'' story-line, where the protagonists are members of an interstellar Marshall service tasked with catching intergalactic political refugees and criminals. Then the [[AIIsACrapShoot titular machines show up]]...
413* ''Website/OrionsArm'', a {{transhuman}}ist SpaceOpera.
414* ''WebOriginal/Brighthammer40000'' An Inverse of ''TabletopGame/Warhammer40000'', but with carefully-made lore.
415* ''Literature/SpacePirateCaptainMacTaggart'', a humorous {{Funny Animal}} take on the genre, with the title character, the Epic Hero, a female sword-wielding raccoon.
416* ''Literature/SPARKOfTyranny'' is a SpaceOpera with an AntiHero Captain and his RagtagBunchOfMisfits, struggling against the [[EvilPlan behind the scenes machinations]] of the [[HumanoidAliens Kilon]] [[TheEmpire Federation]], which has created a VichyEarth.
417* ''Literature/TailsFromTheFederation'': A collection of titles set in the overall Literature/ColorWorldUniverse, featuring a WorldOfFunnyAnimals:
418[[/folder]]
419
420[[folder:Western Animation]]
421* ''WesternAnimation/AdventuresOfTheGalaxyRangers''
422* ''WesternAnimation/AtomicBetty'' is heavily inspired by this genre.
423* ''WesternAnimation/Ben10'' falls into this sometimes.
424* ''WesternAnimation/BuzzLightyearOfStarCommand''
425* ''WesternAnimation/CaptainSimianAndTheSpaceMonkeys''
426* ''WesternAnimation/DuckDodgers''
427* ''WesternAnimation/ExoSquad''
428* ''WesternAnimation/FinalSpace''
429* ''WesternAnimation/{{Futurama}}'' is an AffectionateParody of this genre as well as plenty of other science fiction tropes and settings.
430* ''WesternAnimation/GreenLanternTheAnimatedSeries''
431* ''WesternAnimation/JayceAndTheWheeledWarriors''
432* ''WesternAnimation/MightyOrbots''
433* The french cartoon ''Once Upon a Time... Space'' (''WesternAnimation/IlEtaitUneFois l'Espace'')
434* The page image comes from a skit in ''WesternAnimation/RobotChicken'' which makes ''Film/StarTrekIITheWrathOfKhan'' into [[ExactWords an actual opera]] [[GratuitousItalian sung in Italian]].
435* ''WesternAnimation/RoughnecksStarshipTroopersChronicles''
436* ''WesternAnimation/{{Silverhawks}}''
437* Although ''WesternAnimation/SpaceGhost'' is more of a superhero show set in space, it's as close to this trope as it gets for Creator/HannaBarbera.
438* ''WesternAnimation/SpaceStars'' (where Space Ghost later appears) is even closer.
439* ''WesternAnimation/StarchaserTheLegendOfOrin''
440* ''WesternAnimation/VoltronLegendaryDefender''
441* ''WesternAnimation/WanderOverYonder'' is a very tongue in cheek take on the genre.
442* ''WesternAnimation/WingCommanderAcademy''
443* WesternAnimation/YogiBear once ventured into this territory (sort of) in ''WesternAnimation/YogisSpaceRace''; especially applies to ''Galaxy Goof-Ups'' [[note]]Which aired as part of the original 90 minute series.[[/note]]
444[[/folder]]
445[[/index]]

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