So You Want To / Write a Jungle Opera

Welcome to the Jungle

"I've seen things you’ve only seen in your nightmares."

— Alan Parrish, Jumanji

Much like it's namesake Space Opera, Jungle Opera is another Sub-Genre of Science Fiction that was also born out of Pulp and classic film, usually with more focus on fields like Zoology, Botany, Anthropology, Archaeology and Ecology more than other subgenres. Usually there are themes of discovery, humanitarianism, stewardship and loyalty, but not without layers of danger and suspense for the protagonist to encounter in a location lawless apart from eat or be eaten, and survival of the fittest. Although this is an excellent genre with great potential for adventure, it has fallen out of favor in recent years. It has been parodied so many times, the meaning and proper use of tropes has been muddied, and with the countless crossovers and using concepts completely foreign to the jungle, without any alteration from other genres, determining what fits or doesn't fit in the genre can be complicated. Most egregiously, most authors go for stereotypes especially where one fits An Aesop, rather than Worldbuilding unique concepts and cultures for their stories, which have hurt the genre and said Aseops alike. So below, you will find some tips to help you write this genre. Who knows? Maybe this genre or some Punk Punk version of it will be in the public eye someday.

• Deparments: For locations, characters, props, stunts and more.
• Extra Credit: For examples of Jungle Opera, the good, the bad and the extra-genre works.

See Also: Tropes of the Jungle, Space Opera, Write a Space Opera, The Amazon Rainforest, Africa, Cambodia, Tarzan.

Further information and links for writing and discussion can be found in, and are welcomed in the discussion page.

Editor's Notice: This article (including its subpages) is solely for the purposes of exploring how to write a good story in this genre. This article is not to be used to spread awareness of important causes to save the jungle in Real Life. If you are making an addition to this article, please firstly consider why it would be interesting, what some alternatives to it are, how it can work with multiple themes and tones, or other similar variables.

General Writers' Lounge

Necessary Tropes

A helpful poem to explain an ideal jungle opera has been written based on the poem Brian Aldiss describing the ideal Space Opera:

1. There should be something valuable that is lost in a distant, unexplored land.

Two things here. The Jungle Opera has a massive theme of hunting and what the game can be anything from an Ancient Artifact to a lost tribe to an animal to study to even civilization itself or a means back to it. Sometimes the theme is about being hunted. So the protagonist might be wanted by a Cannibal Tribe or Egomaniac Hunter. Whatever it is, it’s something hidden by the dense unexplored jungle, and there is rarely a set of directions or map to it. Characters have to track it like an animal, piecing together clues and solving problems as they go. It also cannot have an easy path to it, as unexpected dangers add to the hunt. The second part of this line indicates that this takes place in a distant location from a distant country, to a distant planet, to a distant time to another dimension. Whatever it is, it’s barely explored or not explored at all, and it is a lush landscape crawling dangerous wildlife.

Expect to see a lot of Ancient Artifact, Cursed Item, Artifact of Doom, MacGuffin Location, The Grand Hunt, Hungry Jungle, Lost World, Trapped in Another World, and Single-Biome Planet

2. And an outsider, sharper than their blade, to hunt it.

Now we get to the hero. Heroes in this genre are usually always outsiders. Although many think that this is to push a Mighty Whitey narrative, it's actually the Older Than Feudalism idea of living as A Stranger in a Strange Land, so the Bold Explorer or a Tarzanesque is usually from another heritage. Again, it’s not based on race. Kipling's tarzaneaque character Mowgli was foreign to the wolves that raised him despite being indigenous to India. The second part of this line indicates that they have more skills and wit to rely on, rather then their brute strength. There is also the reoccurrence of hunting, since characters cannot merely find something lost, they must often track it.

Expect to see Bold Explorer, The Professor, The Missionary, Tarzan Boy (Jungle Princess), Fish out of Water, Great White Hunter, and Adventurer Archaeologist

3. This hero must encounter the most barbaric of places, peoples, and creatures.

Similar to Space Opera, this genre is also centered on travel. While Space Opera is focused on exploration of physically different locations, Jungle Opera involves encountering more cultures and customs, so the Lost Tribe and lost city are fairly common. They might be animal or non human. They might also be very dangerous, but distinct animal threats. The key point here is Worldbuilding as the author can do anything here. Sometimes it’s not even a culture and simply a series of very dangerous animals that can only be found in the jungle

Expect to see a lot of: Lost Tribe, Lady Land, Tribe of Priests, Planet of Hats, Cannibal Tribe, Advanced Ancient Acropolis, Barbarian Tribe, Vestigial Empire, Lost Colony, Panthera Awesome, Nature Is Not Nice and Eldritch Abomination

4. This hero should be skilled with weapons of wood and rope, going against magic and machines.

Once again highlighting the hero’s wit and skill, but also indicating how they are more resilient and closer to nature. Advanced technology and magical artifacts are common in this genre. After all, this is sometimes a subgenre of Steampunk with it’s theme of adventure and discovery. It’s also common to overlap with Two-Fisted Tales, and even Diesel Punk, but even then, the heroes tend to be resourceful with materials and objects directly from the jungle. Also a lack of certain things is also used to demonstrate the hero’s resiliency in the hostile environment in a very similar fashion to the Barbarian Hero. Don’t let the low tech fool you, as science fiction and fantasy elements are everywhere in this genre.

Expect in this genre to see a lot of Robinsonade , Pelts of the Barbarian, Crafted from Animals, Loincloth, Fur Bikini, Earthy Barefoot Character, Bamboo Technology, Sufficiently Advanced Bamboo Technology, Hollywood Voodoo, Awesome by Analysis, Combat Parkour, Damsel out of Distress, and Vine Swing

5. The scenery must be as breathtaking as it is wild, with ancient rivers of crimson.

The jungle is land of enchantment, mystery and violence, more beautiful than the Grand Canyon and more Lawless than the Wild West. If you interact with the wrong animal, or plant, you will be eaten alive, often in a slow painful way. Interact with the wrong human, you will be kidnapped. Touch the wrong plants, you will be pricked or poisoned. Step in the wrong places, you will be bitten, stung or sink into something suffocating, despite this, the genre involves the beauty of the rainforest.

Expect to see, Hungry Jungle, Chained to a Rock, Captured by Cannibals, Tribal Carry, Locked Up and Left Behind, Cold-Blooded Torture, Human Sacrifice, Virgin Sacrifice, Appease the Volcano God., as well as Disease by Any Other Name, Our Cryptids Are More Mysterious, PrehistoricMonsters, Quicksand Sucks,, but despite the dangers, expect a lot of Scenery Porn.

6. The hero must have companions as loyal as wolves.

“Now this is the law of the jungle…the strength of the pack is the wolf, and the strength of the wolf is the pack” – Rudyard Kipling. Of course, this genre has always had a large theme of family and the power of friendship, but it makes more sense here, as the only real way to survive in this hostile of an environment is with friends to help you. In addition, companions in this genre tend to be very loyal.

Expect to see a lot of: Talking Animal, Raised by Wolves, Raised by Natives, Action Pet, and Damsel in Distress and its variations, The Power of Friendship, A Friend in Need, Prejudice Aesop, Heroic Sacrifice, Interspecies Friendship and Take Me Instead.

7. And an adversary as predatory as a leopard.

These guys are knowingly evil and absolutely ruthless and they will hunt your hero like prey. It may be because they need a sacrifice to give to the gods, hunting humans because animals are boring or maybe it is simply a goal of severe revenge. They are entirely goal driven and will hurt people, even if that person isn’t a direct threat to their operations. They have no problems with the law, or people caught in the crossfire. They only care about pride, cash, resources, power, or combinations of each. They also often have personal connections to the hero like revenge.

Expect to see a lot of, Egomaniac Hunter, Religion of Evil, Outlaws, Hired Guns, Evil Poachers, Human Traffickers, Ruthless Modern Pirates, Cannibal Tribe, Evil Colonialist, Evilutionary Biologist, and Artifact Thieves

8. To bind them as the sands of time sink like quicksand.

Time is running out for the heroes. This genre is very tight on time involving a lot of suspense. Whether it’s saving a trafficked character before they are taken out of the country, saving a patient before the disease kills them, rescuing someone from a cult before they kill their captive or getting to the relic before the evil Adventurer Archaeologist.

Expect to see: Find the Cure! and Death Trap

9. Then all must be put right, but not ended.

This is a very episodic genre, and the stakes are usually very personal rather than world ending. Because of this, there is always potential for another adventure to come in the Hungry Jungle. Of course the book is often closed and that’s perfectly fine, but the potential for more will still always be there.

Expect; And the Adventure Continues, Your Princess Is in Another Castle!, Villain: Exit, Stage Left, Adventure Towns and The End... Or Is It??

Choices Choices

These elements are more guidelines than strict rules, but looking at it line by line again can help one see alternatives.

1. There should be something valuable lost in a distant unexplored land.

Hunting something and exploration is a major component to this genre, so it often involves a MacGuffin or Cursed Item, but what that is varies a lot. Is it an actual relic, a lost explorer or kidnapped victim, an animal, monster or cryptid or is it a location like a lost city or a way back to civilization? Does everyone want it, or is it a unique desire of only your main hero or villain? Simply making it about survival is also possible, but if it’s too focused on survival without real suspense or constant dangers, it can feel out of place in this genre. Additionally there is the location, where all that is really required is the unexplored and mysterious aspect of it. There have been very jungle opera esc stories set in more temperate forests or swampy climates, in space, in the far past or far future, but with the same kind of protagonists, villains and monsters.

2. And an outsider, sharper than their blade, to hunt it.

This character does not need to be white. Mowgli for example was technically Indigenous to India, where The Jungle Book takes place, but the story focused on him as an outsider to the animals. They also don’t have to be heroic. A good Venturous Smuggler, Lovable Rogue or a Roguish Poacher can all be interesting alternatives in such a lawless climate.

3. This hero must encounter the most barbaric of places, peoples and creatures.

They don’t have to be indigenous or even human. Talking Animals and exploring their cultures are a classic here. It’s also common to use Not Quite Human creatures for tribal cultures. Whatever you choose, make sure to explore the cultures and make them interesting. Often it’s only one culture and sometimes, it’s a series of different dangerous, but very distinct, animals encountered. It all depends on the author. Also, only two actual cultures have to appear for their interactions to be explored in the story, so the number of cultures and creatures explored depends on the author.

4. Skilled with weapons of wood and rope against magic and machines.

The level of technology used totally depends on the author, especially since this genre overlaps so much with science fiction. ‘’Avatar’’ is a great example of how this genre has been depicted in science fiction. As mentioned before, Steampunk commonly overlaps with this genre, due to it’s themes of adventure, exploration and discovery. Naturally Diesel Punk also has a lot of overlap, as both genres originated from Pulp and Two-Fisted Tales. Even with your indigenous cultures, the amount of Bamboo Technology can range from Real Life bushcraft (which is actually more complicated than most people think), to using automata, vehicles and highly mechanical weapons running on pulleys and levers. For magic, it can be supernatural, or it might simply be alien science.

See Also: Write a Steampunk Story

Write a Diesel Punk Story

Write a Cosmic Horror Story

5. The scenery as breathtaking as it is wild with ancient rivers of crimson.

There is a lot to play around with here. How mature do you want your story to actually be?

• Do you want to focus more on friendly peoples and wildlife with a handsome Ideal Hero Ranger or conservationist, in a storline possibly including a Treasure Hunt Episode, if not several You might have a more direct Aesop (usually Green Aesop), it might be educational or maybe a lot of symbolism and allegory instead. There is also going to be a greedy Saturday Morning Villain who is going to hunt animals, but only kidnap people at the worst, if not an In Name Only Nazi to punch or a supernatural monster to fight.
• Would you instead prefer a Darker and Edgier jungle filled with things like Gray-and-Gray Morality, Anti-Heroes, Hired Guns, Dangerous Terrain, Nature Is Not Nice, Cold-Blooded Torture, bloodthirsty egomaniac hunters out to hunt the first human they see and ruthless Outlaws of various forms. Even supernatural threats are likely to be more mind bending and eldritch. You might opt to tackle more intense topics like genocide, human trafficking and slavery, how cults manipulate and abuse innocent people, disease etc. Even Green Aesop might be more about terrorism on both side, how environmental destruction deaths of actual humans, complex factors behind crimes like poaching and mining or the consequences of playing god with nature.

Always remember, mature doesn’t have to mean inappropriate, as complex things can be said in very subtle and simple ways. Using education to avoid dangerous threats rather than averting them entirely or even repackaging real evils with Vile Villain, Saccharine Show. On the topic of "mature" things, Fanservice can really drag down a story and characters very easily. Additionally it’s perfectly understandable why one would go for something less intense, especially for escapism or family media. All of this is entirely the author’s choice.

6. The hero must have companions as loyal as wolves.

Who are your protagonist’s friends and family? Are they fellow archeologists and companions from the modern world or do they befriend a Badass Native? If they are raised in the jungle, are they accepted as one of them or a victim of prejudice? What about pets? Talking Animals are a classic here, but another alternative is having more realistic pets raised to gain natural bonds to the more human characters, or they can be trained for specific purposes like Falconry.

7. And an adversary as predatory as a leopard.

This character does not necessarily have to actively hunt the protagonist, they simply have to be an active threat rather than fighting from self defense. A story about a ranger or a Bounty Hunter tracking down a hiding dangerous Evil Poacher, who doesn’t act until his hunter gets too close, can be equally interesting to escaping an Egomaniac Hunter.

8. To bind them as the sands of time sink like quicksand.

There are infinite ways to have a race against the clock, but a set clock like a Human Sacrifice at sunrise or a Disease by Any Other Name that kills in three days. Just having a good active threat like an Egomaniac Hunter hunting the main characters for sport or one of many Hired Guns who has a contract on the heo can equally add suspence..

9. Then all must be put right, but not ended.

It’s okay to end the story or have a world ending event, then have that resolved, it’s just uncommon in this genre. As Star Wars and Marvel have demonstrated, sometimes leaving a story as ended is better than endless sequels, but sometimes an episodic adventure is fun. Also, it's okay for the villain to win every once in a while.

Pitfalls and Subversions

It's not the genre that makes tropes work for the author. It's the author, who makes tropes work for the genre Sanderson's Zeroth law (where to start) for writing any story is always err on the side of what is awesome. Most authors in this genre unfortunately start off by thinking about what best fits in the genre, rather than what they find the most interesting, and if it would be more interesting in this genre, how would one make it work in this genre.Instead, authors often focus on theme, usually Green Aesop, first and plug in the tropes that are already common in this genre, while more important things like having intriguing characters with unique personalities, or an interesting setting and Worldbuilding take a back seat. This is especially risky due to how many of the tropes that work are not only rooted in stereotypes or lack proper analysis of real world problems, but also lack any unique meaning or aspects compared to other genres.A Green Aesop might seem like it fits best here in the jungle where environmental crimes are common and not a medieval world of wizards and dragons and, yet one of the most beloved versions of this Aesop is in a world, theoretically completely sperate from our own, in J. R. R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings. A young farm boy picking up his father's magic sword to rescue a princess and save the universe fits only in a fairy tale in the middle ages, that was until Star Wars redefined how we see Space Opera entirely.To be fair, this genre, specifically the Tarzan Franchise, has seen several Crossovers, and these are admittedly fun on occasion, but using them as a means to be original will just be considered lazy writing. Audiences will be more intrigued by the Tarzanesque being a master detective than seeing the Tarzanesque meet Sherlock Holmes.So in summary, don't go for an idea simply because it fits this genre. Instead start with the Rule of Cool. Think about what kinds of stories you would enjoy reading in this genre, even take advantage of Ninja Pirate Zombie Robot. Don't let the Aesop drive the plot. Also, just because something does work in the genre and you want to use it, that doesn't mean it should not be used. As Brandon Sanderson says, "Anything that has become a cliché, done well, stops being a cliché real fast, and starts being an advantage...It's a feature not a bug"

• Some plot and setting alternative you could try include, but are not limited to: Depicting your rainforest in a lawless Wild West style. Take advantage of the retrofuturistic Punk Punk genres that already overlap. Write a war story/ Use archetypes or the The Hero's Journey.
• Some potential character alternatives include, making your Tarzan Boy or Jungle Princess more like a ninja than an ape man. Making your poacher a venturous smuggler. Making the Shaman a wizard. Making your Witch Doctor an Evil Sorcerer. Making your cannibal tribe a literal cult or dystopia. Making your Egomaniac Hunter a Serial Killer or one of the Hired Guns. More in Derpatments.

See Also: So You Want To Be Original

The previously mentioned problems are explained further here:

• Author Tract: This genre often involves various highly political topics, so author tract is a common fail here. This is usually because actual motivations or the complexities of political topics are left out to make a point. Green Aesop has been used in examples. While it's not the only poorly handled Aesop in this genre, it's the most commonly poorly handled.
  • Avoid the Designated Villain who disagrees with your worldview, even if they are doing something legitimately wrong. The audience is likely to disagree with you in the first place, especially if the Aesop is highly political. So consequently, having your protagonist beat the snot out of someone like the Evil Poacher will likely make people who aren't involved in conservation feel more demonized than compelled to take care of the environment. Additionally, a good villain needs better motivations and personality than mere greed and apathy. Also, don't have the hero swear vengeance on or kill the villain, as that's worse demonizing the audience.
  • Avoid Broken Aesop, because some authors try so hard, that they make their theme fall apart. An author might want to discourage pollution, but that's not going to come off well if your Eco-Terrorist causes more litter and pollutants than the corrupt corporation they are fighting. You might want to encourage being In Harmony with Nature by heroes not killing dangerous animals, but giving them the ability to control said animals to stop an attack is going to take away from how people have to navigate helping dangerous animals in real life.
  • Avoid using stereotypes to further your Aesop. Things like making natives automatically good because they are nature worshiping natives to depict the virtues of living In Harmony with Nature is not only risky and problematic, but it will also take away from your Worldbuilding.
  • Remember, writing only for adventure and stumbling on an Accidental Aesop is more than welcomed, but if you really want to teach the audience, you will need to, focus on characters fulfilling your Aesop positively as this is much more effective than beating up the villain, allow for moral ambiguity like vigilantism and extremism to be presented in a negative to balance out your Aesop, finally focus on character the audience can care about so they understand things through your character's eyes. Allowing an Aesop to be allegorical or be a framing device is also more than welcomed. In general, make sure to show the audience why they should care rather than expecting them to already.
  • Other tips. People connect more with fictional humans than animals. Showcasing personal reasons for a character's values or the effects on people from your Aesop's inverse is a good idea. Keep characters that practice your Aesop likable, as failing to do so will turn people off to what said character has to say.
  See Also: So You Want To Write an Aesop

• Hollywood Natives: This is one of the oldest and most common problems in this genre. Sometimes it's due to poor Worldbuilding on the side of the author. Other times, it's due to a focus on the Aesop before the Worldbuilding.
  • An Ambiguous Race or Not Quite Human really help make them less riskty.
  • While it may be tempting to use the Noble Savage for Green Aesop, this is a very bad idea. A native that is good because they are In Harmony with Nature is equally risky to making them cannibals because both rob them of their individuality, personal motives and other unique qualities. Also don't leave them out to focus on suffering animals. Natives live off of the land and suffer when it's harmed, and their environmental ethics would more realistically be tied to how they use nature rather than worshipping it.
  • NO Hulk Speak! Languages are a key factor in Worldbuilding, and tribal languages in particular are still very complex.
  • Adaptational Modesty is a good idea, as real native cultures often have very strict taboos around sexuality. Exploring other ideas of their cultural dress and their Meaningful Appearance is a must.
  • Modernize them sometimes. Many hostile tribes historically traded for guns. They might study other languages or trade for books. They might even have access to ancient futuristic technology that they reverse engineered easily.
  • Focus on other factors of Worldbuilding. General taboos, music, architecture, oral traditions, moral compass, religion, relation to the magic system, how they trade with outsiders etc. In general, write them as you would any other fictional faction or fictional country.

• Hulk Speak: From Kipling to Burroughs, language has been a forgotten core aspect of this genre, with real Worldbuilding put into creating various languages, and often included a Cunning Linguist protagonist. Languages, along with general Worldbuilding has been tossed to the side for the most part since the era of classic film though. Broken English that a toddler would cringe at is very overused in this genre, even though it was originally not part of it to begin with. Hulk Speak is often used by the Tarzanesque and any Hollywood Natives in this genre for no reason, and it is not only risky, due to portraying indigenous people as more childlike or less intelligent Noble Savages, but it really hurts their characterization. Edger Rice Burroughs himself hated these portrayals of his own characters. Conlang or using authentic slang and accents are amuch better alternatives.

• Poor Villains: Even when it comes to actual criminals or non political threats, this genre is usually very bad at humanizing their villains. In addition to that, villains are often very limited because of a focus on environmental crimes, while Space Opera gets away with things like the Religion of Evil, Nazis By Any Other Name, The Empire, and the Evil Overlord. All of which are common in the jungle in real life as well.
  • The audience doesn't care about how "serious" the crimes your villain is committing. If you fail as an author to properly show why your characters care and why people should care about something, the audience won't care either.
  • Good villains need interesting factors like charisma and humor, mystery, personal connections to the protagonist, or potential for redemption or threatening presence. All of these factors really add depth.
  • Explore Gray-and-Gray Morality, as some villains might be your enemies one day and your allies the next. Exploring these aspects, especially with more complex crimes like poaching, is an excellent way to characterize them. Plus, people often enjoy a Lovable Rogue.
  • It's also perfectly fine for them to be indigenous like a classic hostile tribe. Just give them realistic motives, like an abusive cult or dystopia where they are equally victims as they are villains.
  See Also: Write a Villain

• Power Fantasy: Although the blatantly racist Mighty Whitey is relatively uncommon in this genre today, making this genre feature a bordering Mary Sue or Marty Stu can still be an easy pitfall.
  • Outsiders Raised by Natives should see themselves as one of the indigenous community (animal, alien or human) rather than a king, lord or goddess. Also, why worry about the Jungle Princess if all of the animals obey her slavishly?
  • Prejudice Aesop or Childhood Friends are great subversions for the Lost Tribe.
  • Characters have to fail and be helpless, at least for a little bit. Why worry about Tarzan if he is more than capable of Breaking the Bonds?
  • Also, why worry about the Jungle Princess if all of the animals obey her slavishly? Badass in Distress and Damsel out of Distress are both welcomed in this genre.
  • Make it clear how the character has gained their abilities and skills. It’s also a good idea to give their native friends skills that the outsider doesn’t have.

• Fanservice: This genre is often bogged down by over sexualized things and the focus on Rule of Sexy drags down things like personalities, friends, personality, Worldbuilding cultures, having an interesting villain, etc. This is generally due to the stereotype from bad anthropology that says tribal or jungle dwelling communities are sexually liberated Noble Savages. This is completely false with real cultures often having very strict sexual taboos or chastity values and many even have strict modesty standards, even if they are very different to our own. In addition, using Adaptational Modesty for a Real Life culture is much less risky as it keeps people from appearing objectified because of their culture. Additionally, the anthropology myth of sexually liberated noble savages is also very dangerous considering what human trafficking (a common crime in the jungle) used for. Additionally, many authors fetishize tropes in this particular genre, which takes away from their meaning and functionality for the story.
  • Worldbuilding modesty standards can work very well for any fantasy culture. Modesty varies from culture to culture. Some of what we consider scandalous today was permitted in the middle ages, but a woman's hair was considered very immodest. Also, Adaptational Modesty makes sense to protect from the sun and dangerous insects and is considerably less risky.
  • Subvert Beauty Is Never Tarnished, as scars, stains, facial hair etc. could all look cool for a hero.
  • Character designs should always explain the character’s personality. It’s really all about how you describe the character instead of what you describe about them. Consider the following descriptions for a Jungle Princess with the same character design:
    • Firstly the Author Appeal version: “Alice was a young woman of twenty years with an amazing body. Her golden hair fell on her naked shoulders kissed by the sun, and she was barefoot clad in nothing but golden jewelry and a skimpy leopard skin bikini that hugged her thin tanned physique in all the right places”
    • Now an alternative version that focuses more on Meaningful Appearance; “After twenty years of survival in the Congo, Alice’s face now bloomed like a rare jungle flower framing her emerald battle ready eyes behind an unkept curtain of golden hair. She was wearing several golden ornaments and gifts from her tribe, but she included her own handcrafted additions, like her cord of teeth around her neck, proudly displaying a trophy of each kill. She was clad in leopard skins, fastened to her body by thin straps and exposing her golden-bronze muscular build. From her belt hung a large hunting dagger, and she tightly gripped the long shaft of her spear at all times. Although she was barefoot, her stains and scares were a telling of her many adventures and perils”
  • This also applies for poses and how things are framed in a visual medium. When your characters are captured. Again, kidnapping is classic in this genre, but if it’s framed inappropriately, it will be very risky.
  • There is surprising meaning behind the classic costumes of this genre, to demonstrate how knowledgeable the protagonist is of the Hungry Jungle and how they navigate it effortlessly without worrying about protection. Capture and escape happen all the time in this genre, because they are very exciting in the plot. In general, anything is permitted, but only by the Rule of Cool, never the Rule of Sexy.

• Another major problem with modern Jungle Opera is that the Hungry Jungle is severely downplayed or averted, depicting the jungle as peaceful and friendly often nothing more than a fragile abstract Damsel in Distress, threatened by dangerous humans. You don't have to worry about a hippo because Herbivores Are Friendly. You don't have to worry about a Cannibal Tribe, because the natives are all Noble Savages living In Harmony with Nature. The only crime you have to worry about are those who would dare hurt the ecosystem and its innocent creatures. These problems come from poorly researched Green Aesop, but are not tied to it specifically. Not only does this really limit the potential for Worldbuilding, but this portrayal is not very realistic and can be potentially dangerous, as it often creates as many problems as it tries to fix. It often promotes stereotypes and ignores complex factors.
  • No matter how threatened the jungle is, the portayl of it as peaceful and defenseless is primarily a great disservice for a Green Aesop, because in Real Life, the jungle is a very dangerous place. Herbivores are often highly territorial and equally as dangerous as predators. Likewise predatory animals aren't inversely dangerous killing machines. They are still often quite dangerous, but they have a specific diet and often will not attack a human unless they feel threatened. They can even be domesticated. Additionally, the defense mechanisms of other wildlife can be very hazardous to humans ranging from a tiny thorn's cut to a dart frog's poison paralyzing and killing a person completely. It's important to recognize that real conservationists don't have the luxury of being a Friend To All Living things or being able to force the animals not to eat them with superpowers. Many of the challenges they face come from the dangerous animals they are trying to help. Not to mention the other dangerous plants and animals they aren't focused on. Despite these problems, you have to remember that just because animals are dangerous doesn't mean that one should immediately go for Killing in Self-Defense. Finding ways to stop a dangerous animal without killing it or magically enslaving it is always more interesting from a storytelling perspective. Also, Killing in Self-Defense as a last resort should also translate over to humans, no matter how serious their crimes against the environment are. Otherwise, your hero might come off as a Hypocrite.
  • The jungle is also very lawless due to the lack of infrastructure and how difficult the terrain is to navigate for law enforcement, which allows for dangerous criminals to hide out in the jungle or commit serious atrocities against the local people. This is in addition to the factors of political corruption in these areas. Consequently, there are several other Outlaws that people face. Many are not even remotely a threat to the ecosystem, but very dangerous and exploitative to people. Often an Evil Poacher is often the least of a conservationist's worries as far as dangerous criminals go.
  • The concept of Noble Savages, used to promote the virtue of living In Harmony with Nature does a disservice to indigenous people as well. They don't worship nature because they are more moral and closer to it, but they respect it because they rely on local wildlife, local water, local plants to survive. They suffer directly when those resources are exploited. It's also potentially dangerous to see them all as perfectly moral. In Real Life, they are people like you or me. They are equally as capable as we are of being good or evil as a whole, and just like any other culture they have good and evil people in them. Of course these tribes are all very intelligent and a vast majority are often very hospitable, but they still face threats from other more hostile tribes in the area, While cannibalism was largely exaggerated out of proportion entirely in older works, Cults exist in the jungle and are equally abusive there as they are in our countries. Many tribes have taboos that highly condemn Cannibalism and Human Sacrifice specifically because enemy Cults have used these practices to abuse them in the past. To ignore all of these factors for Noble Savages living In Harmony with Nature might reduce any Lost Tribe to a Planet of Hats and can be problematic in ignoring the issues that they face in Real Life. This is not to mention other threats they face, including dangerous Outlaws, corrupt regional governments. They also struggle with starvation and disease which are both tied to health of the ecosystem, making them directly harmed by environmental criminals.
  • This is not to say that everything needs to be a social commentary on Real Life. Per the Rule of Cool and good storytelling, a good theme must always come from an interesting story rather than the other way around, and because this is Science Fiction, unusual and anomalous threats are also always more than welcomed. It's also welcomed to have a beautiful jungle. Beautiful scenery and a Ridiculously Cute Critter are also always enjoyable, and the latter makes for interesting threats. Always remember, it's better to deconstruct concepts rather than averting them for An Aesop, as doing so only results in a Clueless Aesop that might come off as contrived, poorly researched and lacking nuance. At the end of the day Nature Is Not Nice and the Hungry Jungle is full of good and evil people, just like anywhere else on earth with vast wilderness and limited law enforcement. Using these concepts to reinforce your ideas rather than averting them is always less risky, and more interesting. They also open up more opportunities for Worldbuilding.

Further notes:

• You will often see the word "risky", on this page and its subpages, and this means that the item or trope in question is highly controversial or potentially offensive, often related to stereotypes. This does not mean something is not allowed, as if that can even happen in the art of writing independent fiction, but it does mean that more independent research or similar subversions to the trope are highly recommended.
• The word "dull" just means something is overused to the point of lacking depth and meaning, but is not necessarily risky, and that more [[Deconstructed Trope Deconstruction}} and Worldbuilding are highly advised.

Potential Genres and Mediums

This is a surprisingly big genre, and its plots and tropes often pour over into other genres. Sure there are obvious ones like comic books, classic film and the like, but a few are a bit more obscure. Additionally, some genres have similar themes or tropes, or some mediums could git the open vastness of the jungle making them possible a potential good mix with this genre.

• Bio Punk: If you have an Evilutionary Biologist, they are likely to fit this genre.

• Cosmic Horror: The jungle is a mysterious place, and in a fictional setting, could be home to horrors beyond human understanding. Lovecraft himself sometimes used jungle settings.
  • If the story lacks the feeling of hopelessness and existential dread, then you have Lovecraft Lite, which still has room to be terrifying, albeit more optimistic.

• Diesel Punk: The Jungle Opera genre was most popular shortly before WWI and shortly after WWII, so the two genres commonly overlap.

• High Fantasy: Jungle Opera already has countless potential for factions, nations, cultures and languages. In addition to how prevelent swords were in the jungle historically, a Shaman for a wizard and Dinosaurs Are Dragons, and you could easily have a fantasy world akin to Middle Earth, albeit more tropical.

• Horror: The jungle often has monsters like predators, cryptids, evil spirits or even zombies.

• Isekai: Since the Lost World is common in this genre, getting trapped there is also very likely.

• Jungle Episode: Though not a recognized trope yet, authors often like to introduce a Hungry Jungle setting with a Jungle Opera esc plot for one ore multiple episodes. This happened in franchises like Doctor Who (multiple episode), Disney's Jessie (We Are So Grounded), Phineas and Ferb (Where's Perry), Duck Tales (multiple episodes), DanTDM Custom Mod Adventures on YouTube (Vacation Adventure).

• Mystery: This has always been a part of the genre to some extent, but it can be taken further.

• Open World RPG: Due to the countless cultures and nations, countless hostile factions and the general vastness of the rainforest, this can be a great medium in the world of gaming.

• Pirate Story: Either for one Tropical Island Adventure episode or the whole series if it stars River Rats.

• Planetary Romance: This often overlaps because sometimes the Lost World is a few lightyears away rather than in the Hollow Earth or in a Pocket Dimension.
  • This genre might even be used in part of a Space Opera.

• Political Commentary: Usually this overlaps due to themes of Enviromentalism or Colonialism, but there are more options, and it all depends on the author.
  • Dystopia: Is another possibility for exploring dictatorial rule of a hostile tribe or Banana Republic

• Spaghetti Western: The jungle is already a lawless wilderness crawling with Outlaws and Hired Guns. There is also some thematic overlap in wilderness vs. civilization and common tropes like the Lost Tribe, The Missionary and the Ranger.

• Steampunk: Due to the colonial age overlapping with the Victorian period and the similar themes of discovery and invention, this genre also overlaps a lot with Jungle Opera.
• Survival Horror: Jungle Opera already has multiple themes of survival and monsters, so this kind of game would work very well.

• Tabletop RPG: This genre is vast and has countless factions and creatures, so this is a potential subversion for this genre.

• Thriller: The jungle is full of peril, so it's practically required to at least have some thriller elements.

• Time Travel Episode: If your Jungle Opera doesn't already feature characters traveling to the past or future to end up in the jungle, you might have fun playing around with this.
  • Stone Punk has multiple Jungle Opera elements, but it is explicitly set during the Age of Reptiles and involves cavemen and cavewomen rather than a Bold Explorer or Tarzanesque. It can still overlap with time travel however.

• Two-Fisted Tales: Due to this genre having roots in pulp, this genre also overlaps.

• Wuxia: Even if your story isn't set in The Shangri-La, a focus on cultural martial arts would be very intiresting to explore and follow the Rule of Cool.

Suggested Themes and Aesops

The Jungle Opera genre has a long history of various Aesops and themes, usually involving things like Environmentalism, Colonialism and others. Of course there is noting wrong with politics in fiction. Think of George Orwell’s 1984 or Animal Farm. Revenge of the Sith had a backdrop about how democracies become dictatorships. The Lord of the Rings and many romantic works much earlier, had a strong Green Aesop as the writers reacted to the industrialization around them. It’s not so much whether the theme is political and more how it is handled. The Jungle Opera is somewhat notorious for flat villains and all good heroes around very serious and controversial topics, painting a very black and white narrative with little room for discussion. In general, people don’t like to be preached to. Additionally, many of the these topics are much more complicated, related to stereotypes, traumatic events, terrorism or even simple social economic factors, making flat villains and ideal heroes more risky.If an Aesop comes off as contrived, poorly researched or lacking nuance, it can really hinder the story in any genre. It’s crucial as an author to be aware of the nuances around their theme and to present it in a way that invites the audience to think rather than telling the audience how to think. The story also does not need to have An Aesop to begin with, especially in this genre. It was born out of Pulp and Two-Fisted Tales, where the focus was primarily on action and escapism, but organic aesops on things like the human condition inevitably grew within the stories.At the end of the day, the audience wants an exciting or entertaining plot and what themes are most important and would work best depends on the specific characters and tone the author is trying to convey, making it solely up to the authors themselves. You are welcomed to promote causes important to you in the discussion tab.

• Green Aesop: This aesop has roots in the romantic era and the philosophy of Rousseau, but is more focused on Ecology in modern works. What is your place in the environment? What are the challenges to conservation? What does a good balance between technology and responsible stewardship look like? All of these are excellent themes and work well in this genre in particular. Though its far from the only Aesop in this genre, it really is a classic. There is however danger in this Aesop, not to the fault of the Aesop itself, but more how it's presented. If the story leans too much into the message to the point that it hijacks the plot and characters completely, or the stakes of the story is only in something too abstract like the balance of the ecosystem, it can get boring quickly. It won't matter how serious the message, without danger to the main characters, especially the human characters, it won't be that exciting to view. Below are some ways to make this kind of story and Aesop stronger.
  • Common tropes for this theme include In Harmony with Nature, Nature Lover, Noble Savage and the Egomaniac Hunter.
  • Avoid using the Noble Savage to demostrate the virtues of being In Harmony with Nature. This is stereotypical and almost as risky as making them cannibals. It reduces your natives to being a mouthpiece for your woorldview, rather than individuals with personalities, motives and moral variability. It also really hinders your Worldbuilding, as there is also no other focuses with their culture like modesty standards and taboos, traditions and folklore, languages, arts and crafts, Folk Music and other traditions. Even non indigenous people living off the land for food, water or honest income also suffer when the resources they use responsibly are exploited, making it a form of theft. Depicting characters like those of your Lost Tribe having a more grounded environmental ethic based on their traditions of using resources rather than worshiping the rainforest and painting with all the colors of the wind, is not only more realistic, but also far less risky. Worldbuilding beliefs, or even magic that isn't tied to nature is also very important, same applies to magic systems.
  • Use Humans Are Special. Avoiding humanitarian problems or not showing natives at all is potentially risky and could make the stakes feel lower. The loss of the balance of nature isn't going to feel like it effects your characters directly. On the other hand, audiences typically connect with other human beings more, therefore showcasing humanitarian effects of mining or logging will really help reinforce your Aesop and making your antagonists very dangerous in general and make the stakes feel higher.
  • Avoid focusing on demonizing the villain for hurting the environment. This is not only risky for ignoring how environmental crimes have complex economic and political motives beyond greed, but it also harms the Aesop by telling people who aren't helping the environment or hurting it that, "You're an irredeemable monster who deserves to die", rather than telling them "even you can help the rainforest, here is how." Save the Villain, Redemption and focusing are all more nuanced and less risky as well as realistically taking motives into account and again using Humans Are Special is more than welcomed.
  • It's a good idea to avoid vigilantism. Self defense or protecting another person from both animals and criminals is sometimes necessary, but violence should always be a last resort, and allowing authorities to deal with it where they can should come first. Even if your character works within the law, violence should still be a last resort. Remember to also be mindful of extremism and terrorism around this topic as well. Depicting the positive and negative sides of any Aesop will reinforce it, as it invites the audience who agree and disagree with the author to question their own beliefs and presents a more balanced point of view. Also having your character be rude or arrogant to people who don't respect the enviroment will not only hurt the Aesop, but will also make them far less likable.
  • Please avoid a Broken Aesop by means of superpowers. Sheena taught us that we should not fight dangerous animals because you can talk to them or control them to get them to stop attacking. This has no bearing if you were to be attacked by a rare white tiger in Real Life. Additionally it hinders the Aesop further by failing to explore the challenges people really deal with while helping dangerous animals. It's also far less interesting than a character personally taming and training an animal to have a bond of friendship with them as their Action Pet.
  • A good approach to this Aesop is to avoid the classic Only in It for the Money motive for environmental villains. A MegaCorp villain might be beyond money and now seeking total power and control over everything because they are too big to fail and Drunk with Power. A secretly insecure egomaniac hunter might engage in unethical or even dangerous (to everyone including themselves) activities to prove something to the world. A warlord, one of the more underrated foes in this genre, might have a mind of metal to conquer the jungle, like Saruman did in The Lord of the Rings. As mentioned before, there are also complex reasons for environmental destruction in Real Life to explore. Alternatives like these are good for multiple reasons, especially making the villains more unique, they potentially focus more on the positive behaviors and beliefs of the heroes (as this is more effective than a villain the author disagrees with anyways), it makes them feel more humanized, but it also produces a good possibility that the villains will do far more based on their motives, beyond things in order to protect their operations from the law. If they return, expect them to have alternative schemes. If you do have them Only in It for the Money, a Heel–Face Revolving Door is not only more realistic, but also more than welcomed.
  • Whether the story features a morally grey Han Solo esc character like the Lovable Rogue or Venturous Smuggler, or the story has a Captain America esc. Ideal Hero like the Conservationist or The Missionary is totally up to the author. In any case giving heroes alternative motives is a good subversion for this Aesop as well. Maybe caring for an endangered animal because it was the favorite of a deceased loved one, or even an Outlaw or Tarzanesque simply protecting the jungle from something more direct because their one of the idiots who lives in it. Of course using redemption and character arc to show not tell is welcomed.
  • It's more than welcomed to have this Aesop in the background entirely. Have characters demonstrating stewardship and calling out the mobility of it as they look for lost treasure, fight mad scientists and cultist, disable rogue robots or stop Eldritch Abominations.
  • You can also try a green Framing Device like in Wall-E or The Lord of the Rings For example, You can have your characters stumble upon the dangerous ruins of a culture that wiped themselves out from apathy to their home]] like Tolkien’s Mines of Moria. Try having your Shaman fight an ancient monster released by an ancient civilization’s greed or something else from the Rule of Symbolism. All of these will have a much better impact on the audience for practicing stewardship than having you Tarzanesque beating the absolute snot out of some poor poacher.
• Discovery and Invention are classics in this genre. Expect to see a lot of Lost Tribe, Ancient Artifact, Adventurer Archaeologist, and Bamboo Technology.
• Don’t Play God: An interesting expansion of the Green Aesop. What happens when someone messes with nature too much? What are the consequences?

Common tropes here: Evilutionary Biologist and Karmic Death.

• This is also a favorite of time travel plots.

• God Is Good: Although this trope varies a lot on the authors’ worldviews, the fundamental question is the same. Does everything really happen for a reason? How can the one who orders time be good if you were orphaned at a young age, if you face nothing but prejudice, and if human trafficking and disease takes your loved ones? Is there anyone in control?
  • This might even be more allegorical. Things like a Tolkien esc. The One, a Aslan esc character, Crystal Dragon Jesus, an all powerful Author Avatar, a spirit of nature itself or even a Sentient Cosmic Force that surrounds us, penetrates us and binds the rainforest together instead of the author’s actual belief system, is perfectly fine.
• Good Is Not Soft: How is one to be meek on such a hostile environment? Is it necessary to be firm on serious problems?
• Going Home Again: The Tarzanesque characters usually leave for civilization, so seeing them return is always interesting.
• Humans Are Flawed: A possible subversion of the classic Hollywood Natives or Evil Colonialist stories. If someone is a human, does that mean they are automatically good or is everyone capable of great evil? Furthermore, what does this mean for the audience and are they capable of similar atrocities? If humans aren't inherently moral, than what makes something morally just? Does survival justify some small dishonest crimes to get by? Where is the moral line drawn? Does a legitimate problem make some things permissable?
  • This Aesop is great to explore more forms of the Outlaw, including a Lovable Rogue or a Villain Protagonist.
  • To be clear, you don't have to make you characters evil, but they should have potential to become evil. An classic Ideal Hero navigating the hostile lawless environment can is still welcomed, but take advantage of Being Good Sucks.
• Humans Are Special: What makes humans distinct from the animals? Are people more important than nature? Is it just to save a life of someone committing serious evils? Is it just to save a life when it seriously harms the environment? What kinds of threats and rights abuses do people in the jungle face in Real Life? How are indigenous people mistreated and exploited? There is also a danger for storytelling this Aesop, again not to the fault of the Aesop itself, but more how it's presented. Even though this Aesop has an advantage over Green Aesop, in that villains are more likely to directly threaten your heroes, the story itself can still potentially be dragged down if the story leans into the message too much to the point it hijacks the plot and characters, or the stakes of the story is only in something too abstract like general famine, it can get boring quickly. Again, it won't matter how serious the message, without a tangible threat to the main characters, it won't be that exciting to view. Below are some ways to make this kind of story and Aesop stronger.
  • Common tropes include, Nature Is Not Nice, Human Traffickers, the Evil Colonialist, Killing in Self-Defense, and What a Senseless Waste of Human Life, and Save the Villain.
  • There are a lot of underrated humanitarian villains in the jungle from Real Life that are rarely utilized in the genre, that can make for exciting plots. These include The Warlord hellbent on genocide, Human Traffickers, delivering cargo for ranging from mere forced labor to dangerous operations to completely abusive illegal operations. There are also other atrocities and crimes that one can only imagine in their nightmares that occur in the jungle. It’s okay to use these for political commentary, but they also make for very threatening villains. Even disease is a classic. As always, independent research is recommended, and you are free to suggest these more specifically in the discussion tab.
  • This Aesop doesn’t have to be apposed to the Green Aesop as depicting the humanitarian effects of illegal activities makes the point better than simply focusing on the how animals and plants are harmed. Illegal logging threatens villages and illegal logging and mining operations sometimes use slaves.
• The Hunt: Of course this is a broad theme as there are multiple different kinds of things to hunt in the jungle including Ancient Artifacts, cures, criminals, innocent people and classic game, and is a common theme among heroes and villains alike. What doesn’t it really mean to peruse something? When does the hunter become the hunter? How do you navigate and survive when it’s eat or be eaten?
• Karma: Also called "Jungle Justice" by Rulah. This is when a villain reaps the consequences of the actions they sow. Of course this doesn't always appear to happen as soon as we like, ass innocent people suffer, while the wicked prosper, causing one to ask if these actions really do have consequences.
  • Expect Karmic Death and Karmic Jackpot. Overlaps with God Is Good.
• It's the Journey That Counts: Can an experience for a goal be more valuable than that goal?
• Science vs. Spirituality: This is a subgenre of Science Fiction after all, and the conflict between science and technology and superstition or spirituality has always been part of the genre. Is matter really all there is to the universe? Does the spirituality correlate with how close we are to nature or our Creator?
  • In older works it was often the science of the Mighty Whitey confusing or angering a hostile Witch Doctor. In more recent media it's often the Shaman In Harmony with Nature having access to magic that the Evil Colonialist can't use because they are too dethatched from the nature spirits. Both approaches lack serious nuance though, as both can be argued to have a very important place, but how that is explored depends on the author.
  • Making one or both of the sides The Fundamentalist with a character arc is welcomed, but should not be used for creating a villain. A scientist killing for The Empire because he's scared of it rather than studying it is poor science. the Witch Doctor having to rely on smoke and mirrors for control pf their people is also shallow. Of course they both might express elements of these, but a truly biased scientist working for political control or a Witch Doctor who actually abuses and manipulates those beneath them, are both far more interesting villains.
  • Scientifically Understandable Sorcery, Doing In the Wizard and Doing in the Scientist are all common tropes here.
  • Switching it up with The Missionary is welcomed, especially if they are of a fantasy religon.
• The Meaning of Life: In such a lawless and hostile environment where it’s survival of the fittest and eat or be eaten, What is the meaning of life?
• Nature Is Not a Toy: What are the retrocessions when someone pushes nature too far?
• Nature Is Not Nice: Do all creatures and plants really live in harmony, or is the only law of the jungle survival of the fittest? Is rising above your natural instincts for contentment or sacrifice more different from following you In Harmony with Nature if those natural instincts are to hunt and dominate everything else to survive.
  • Most Green Aesop stories avert this due to the fallacy that making nature more appealing strengthens the Aesop. In reality, it not only also completely removes the tension and exciting danger a Hungry Jungle produces, it also undermines the challenges conservationists deal with from nature. Any theme is welcomed to be explored in this genre, but if you are writing Green Aesop, don't sacrifice this Aesop for it. Otherwise, you will have a Clueless Aesop.
• Outside genre Aesop: Don't pick an Aesop because it fits in the genre. A more unique story will come from exploring an Aesop typically outside of the genre.
• No Aesop: Again, this genre came out of pulp, so it’s more than welcomed for you to focus on having an interesting and exciting adventure first and foremost, and you are likely to naturally find a really good Aesop based on your own beliefs.
• Perseverance: “Never give up. Never surrender” is likely to come up when an outlaw threatened the hero or an Evil Overlord (likely an Evil Colonialist or Witch Doctor) tortures the hero for information or to make them kneel before them.
  • Use the latter approach sparingly. Not only are there multiple ways to wear down a character, but what is left unsaid is often more terrifying.
• Prejudice Aesop; A commentary on humans in general and can play a part in the Tarzanesque’s backstory. Why do we treat people who look or act different differently? Does someone who hates you have the same rights as you? Why should you still stick out your neck for someone who hates you?
  • Play with this further by asking if you can separate someone's actions from their worth as a human. The Nature Lover or Ranger might disagree with the Venturous Smuggler, but does this disagreement require hatred? Can they still offer them a shot at redemption?
• Power Corrupts: Absolute power corrupts absolutely.
  • Common tropes here include the Witch Doctor and Evil Colonialist.
  • There is a lot to play with here. This could involve a politically powerful Bold Explorer turned Evil Colonialist, the rise of a Banana Republic, involve a Shaman turned evil Witch Doctor controlling his tribe with guilt and superstition, it can be the Tarzanesque turned evil Desconstructed Mighty Whitey, or classically involve destroying an Ancient Artifact symbolic of power.
• The Power of Friendship: (And The Power of Family) A little cheesy, but it has been part of the genre since the beginning.
  • Common tropes include: Take Me Instead and Heroic Sacrifice. Even the Damsel in Distress is common, as getting kidnapped in a jungle is inevitable, but “you are not alone” is a really wholesome way of framing it.
  “Now this is the Law of the Jungle—
  as old and as true as the sky;
  And the Wolf that shall keep it may prosper,
  but the Wolf that shall break it must die.
  As the creeper that girdles the tree-trunk
  the Law runneth forward and back—
  For the strength of the Pack is the Wolf,
  and the strength of the Wolf is the Pack.”
  -Rudyard Kipling.
• The Power of Trust: Is related to but distinct from the last one.
• Forgiveness and Redemption: After all, many characters have evil counterparts in this genre. Is anyone really irredeemable?
  • Common tropes include; Save the Villain, Redemption Equals Death and Redemption Promotion.
• "Reading Is Cool" Aesop: This is common for the Tarzanesque, and can be very fun to play around with.
• Rousseau Was Right: Related to, but distinct from Green Aesop. Humans are naturally good, but corrupted as they are less connected to nature. This draws from Rousseau's ideas that people closer to nature or their natural state are happier and more noble, while more industrial people are evil.
  • Common tropes can also be seen in Green Aesop, but expect more of an emphasis on the Noble Savage.
  • Rousseau Was Wrong is a more than welcomed subversion. Expect more Nature Is Not Nice, and Science Is Good, particularly contrasting how disease effects cultures. There is also likely to be Humans Are Flawed. Expect the Badass Native instead of the Noble Savage, as they can have more realistic motives and be morally good or evil for realistic personal reasons like any other character.
• Solve Problems by Thinking, not Brute Force: How do you defeat foes more powerful than you? Are there more effective alternatives to some problems than violence? This trope works very well with battling powerful animals or exploring other forms of strength than pure muscle. It’s also less risky around topics with some history with vigilantism or terrorism.
  • The Jungle Princess might also work well here. She might be stronger than her male counterparts in other ways than brute force.
• Survival: How do you live in the Hungry Jungle? What tools can you use? How far can these skills take you?
• Vigilante Injustice: Is it really right to stop a criminal commuting serious crimes if you have no authority to do so? Expect characters like Religious Extremists, Eco-Terrorist, Fantastic Terrorists, and Well-Intentioned Extremist.
• Thicker Than Water: for the lost tribe.
• Some of the happiest people are those who have the least.
• Spiritual Aesop: This depends on the author’s personal views. Can be a Christian message frequently utilizing The Missionary, it can be an extension of Green Aesop, or it can even be an elaborate allegory on universal spiritual values that would make George Lucas himself proud.
• Stick To Your Guns: How do you hold on to and practically your values in such a hostile and lawless environment?
  • Common tropes include The Missionary and the Nature Hero.
  • It’s also an Aversion to Follow Your Heart, as this theme technically encourages hedonism and addiction even if it’s easy to sell.
• Stoicism (the philosophy not the attitude) How does one remain composed, optimistic and courageous in such a hostile environment?
• What is unknown and untamed can be dangerous and beautiful.
• What is the difference between man and beast? Can a human be so evil they become a beast.

What to avoid

• Author Tract: If your story is driven solely to raise awareness about a topic or is driven by the message over characters and setting, it's going to feel contrived.
  • Try to avoid, "Pro X people are good and Anti X people are the bad." Usually the villains here are extra flat. This is generally seen as preachy and low effort. Things are far more complicated than that in Real Life, and this is important to remember as a writer, especially if the topic you want to write about has a lot of people who disagree with you.
  • Commonly includes the Designated Villain and Asshole Victim.
  • Save the Villain and Disobey This Message are excellent potential subversions here.

• Anvilicious: This is another problem that authors struggle with. Usually in writing, there is the rule of “Show Don’t Tell”, and this especially applies to An Aesop. Your An Aesop doesn't need an epic motivational speech, flashy lights and signs, loudspeakers and fireworks spelling out "X bad" in the sky to be effective.
  • Having an Aesop in the background, promoted by characters as noble without focusing on it, or functions as a Framing Device or setup, than it will feel more organic and be potentially more effective.

• Aesop Enforcer: This should also generally be avoided because it can be relied on too easily and break the “show don’t tell” rule. Show heroic characters in action. Don’t let them just talk about the Aesop.

• Broken Aesop: This is also very important to avoid. Think through your Aesops and keep them consistent.
  • You might go for Green Aesop, but what good is it if your heroes cause collateral damage and by extension more litter and pollutants than the corrupt corporation does in a year. How is it going to come off if your characters save one animal from another, disrupting the local food chain in the process, or if immediate consequences are never addressed.
  • You might opt for every living thing has value, but how is that going to come off if your hero kills a poacher outside of self defense to save one animal or if your characters treat animals for poison in a river, but leave out saving local tribes downstream or if you should never kill an animal because you have superpowers that allow you to negotiate with them when they attack you.
  • You might opt for all Humans Are Special, but how is that going to come off if you depict the people of other cultures as lacking individuality, or how is that going to come off if your Tarzanesque kills several tribesmen to save one captive, outside of self defense.

• Clueless Aesop: This is common is this genre due to it often tackling political and controversial messages and then framing one side as good and one side as evil and to exist only to beat up. When you're dealing with An Aesop, especially one that is highly controversial, you shouldn't merely say X is bad, Y is good. Things happen for more complicated reasons than mere greed or sadism. Cults, poaching etc. all happen for very complicated reasons, and often people are as much a victim as they are a villain. Sometimes things are a necessary evil. If your story expresses an important message in a way that turns out to be factually incorrect or blatantly biased, it will really hinder your Aesop. Therefore if you are going to make a point about a serious problem from Real Life, make sure you do your own research before tackling it.
  • Try to romanticize things you hate and demonize things you love. If your Aesop is still standing at the end of that, then you have something truely worth saying.

• Constant Aesop: This genre commonly works well for episodic stories, but don't get hung up on one thing. You can make every episode about Green Aesop like several authors do, but then you run the risk of the audience finding it redundant.
  • If you are tackling real life political issues, more power to you, but have some variety. You merely hear about environmental crimes more, but they occur along side political corruption, terrorism, human trafficking, genocide, cults and several other underrated topics that can make for interesting villains and exciting stories. This is in addition to classic villains or less politically charged or less intense Aesops, which are more than welcomed to explore. Any Aesop can work very well in this genre, so be adventurous.
  • Even in one long overarching story where a Central Theme is welcomed, a Double Aesop is welcomed. Be careful to avoid the Lost Aesop.

• Rightly Self-Righteous: If your heroic characters who are following your Aesop are proud or arrogant about being in the right, it's really going to hurt the Aesop. There is no connection to the audience because the heroic characters are acting like they are above the audience.
  See Also: So You Want To Write an Aesop

Potential Motifs and Contrasts

• Rule of Symbolism: This is very important to start with for making characters, plots and ideas for a story in any genre, but most authors play it safe and go for what already works in this genre, but today very few Jungle Opera stories truly resonate universally with audiences. Contrast to Space Opera, which is often very deep with universal religious and psychological themes. The latter was almost headed for a similar fate of fading out of pop culture as Jungle Opera, that was until Frank Herbert and Gorge Lucas changed everything by taking their genre from just science fiction to epic myths. Jungle Opera has since largely remained in mere Science Fiction, even with all of the fantastical concepts it has. If you want your Jungle Opera to be unique and timeless, focus less on making it more original by finding something from outside the genre (though this is still fine) and focus more on using universal Archetypes and giving your story meaningful concepts.

Other motifs:

• A God Am I: if your villain is a Witch Doctor, Evilutionary Biologist, an Evil Colonialist or even Mighty Whitey, this will probably describe them, along with any villain that thinks they’re above nature.
• Earthy Barefoot Character: characters, especially the Tarzanesque, who live in nature and a more content and mindful go barefoot, while closed off and materialistic characters, especially villains normally wear Boots of Toughness. This is practically an unwritten rule of this genre, at least to some degree.
• Being Good Sucks: The Paragon character, usually the Tarzanesque, but also includes the conservationist or The Missionary sometimes, will often have unshakable values that they fight for, and because of this, they are often persecuted, becoming a Nemesis Magnet and a frequent Badass in Distress.
  • Make sure they don’t call themselves persecuted, they should understand that suffering for what’s right is far more noble then living in comfort for something wrong. Persecution claims also come off as very contrived and self centered, even when they are right.
• Captivity: We are so glad you have come to visit the jungle, but we must warn you that, you will definitely get kidnapped...a lot. This once again plays into the theme of hunting in this genre,as most every dangerous antagonist, unless they want to kill you outright, will trap a character by force, and situations become more intiresting exploring them as a Fish out of Water, until they find a way out.
• The City vs. the Country: The village is safe and secure, and the city has law encirclement. Meanwhile the jungle is crawling with dangerous plants, dangerous animals and dangerous outlaws.
• Color Motif
• Contentment vs. Greed. Contrast the Egomaniac Hunter who is constantly looking for the next thing to find fulfillment in life, while a humble tribesmen, Tarzanesque or The Missionary, who is happy with what they have.
• Crucified Hero Shot: This frequently follows the Heroic Sacrifice or is used to show the hero at their weakest. More likely to occur with The Missionary.
• Darker and Edgier: Jungles in this genre have been depicted as more peaceful in recent years, but the jungle can more realistically be seen as a place of lawlessness, where the only real law is survival of the fittest, one can easily imagine a Darker and Edgier more dangerous, realistic take Hungry Jungle.
• David vs. Goliath: Usually the Undefeatable Little Village or Ragtag Band of Rebels overthrowing The Empire. Also, the Jungle Princess is perfect for Waif-Fu.
• Discovery and Invention. This has always been an aspect of this genre from the beginning, exploring how the Action Survivor or Tarzanesque survives through invention or explorinh what the Bold Explorer or Adventurer Archaeologist discovers deep in the jungle. It is a sub genre of Science Fiction after all.
• Emotions vs. Stoicism: Keeping cool in such a dangerous environment.
• The Enemy Weapons Are Better: Allow evil characters to carry guns. The Egomaniac Hunter and Evil Colonialist use fire arms obviously, but even the Hostile Tribe might trade for fire arms, as many tribes did historically. Obviously the Tarzanesque and even the Bold Explorer would rely more one bladed weapons. You can even take it a step further, especially for a Steam or Diesel Punk story. This is very interesting in character design, but Good Guns, Bad Guns should be used as well, especially for a Bold Explorer and Ranger. It’s also more than welcomed to give your heroes advanced weapons, particularly Bamboo Technology.
  • This probably won’t work as well for An Aesop though. If your heroes are wielding lethal bows and spears, but still say Guns Are Evil, then that’s a Broken Aesop.
• Everything Is Trying to Kill You: This is the Hungry Jungle. If something is not trying to kill you, it's probably trying to kidnap you.
• Good Feels Good: Even when everyone hates The Paragon and is trying to torture or kill them for it, the effects and satisfaction of their good deeds often pull them through. It’s also more than welcomed for a redeemed villain.
• A Stranger in a Strange Land: This concept is Older Than Feudalism and is a core part of this genre. It's especially a must for the Tarzanesque characters.
• Gray-and-Gray Morality: The jungle is a place of lawlessness where the line between morality and survival is often blurred. This can be used for both heroes, like an Eco-Terrorist instead of a Nature Hero, or villains with a Venturous Smuggler instead of an Evil Poacher, or you can even try a Punch-Clock Villain or Punch-Clock Hero, or a whole Heel–Face Revolving Door.
• The Grand Hunt: Hunting is a major theme in this genre. Ancient artifacts and places are everywhere, but there are rarely any treasure maps or clear directions to the object of desire, so a hero must track that thing like a hunter. If you aren't a hunter, something is definitely hunting you.
• Heroic Sacrifice: A must for a story with a strong aesop on family of friendship. "Remember, Greater love hath no one, than he who lays down his life for his friend" -Bageera to Mowgli when talking about Baloo (quoting Jesus: John 15:13) -The Jungle Book 1967.
• In Harmony with Nature: Local tribe live sustainably in order to continue to have food and good land, but this does not mean that they will live peacefully with nature. It's called the Hungry Jungle for a reason.
  • This can be interesting and more realistic to subvert. A conservationist will still likely have to deal with dangerous animals, plants and terrain despite working whole heartedly in its favor. Meanwhile, an Egomaniac Hunter who not only understands the terrain to navigate it well without getting hurt, but can use it against his prey (usually human prey) can be a terrifying adversary.
• Life and death: Protagonists are surrounded by plants and animals. The Evil Colonialist has a mind of metal, or the cult has skulls and bones everywhere.
• Low Culture, High Tech: This is a more than welcomed subversion to tribal cultures. Weather your cultures merely values invention to crsft complex Bamboo Technology or they are straight up Crystal Spiers And Togas after reverse engineering acient Sufficiently Advanced Bamboo Technology, depends on the author.
• Might Makes Right: Common among villains.
• Nature Is Not Nice: This especially applies in the Hungry Jungle. Every animal is territorial and dangerous, every plant is thorny or toxic, every rock and root is probably sharp, they air gets significantly colder at night, a monsoon can easily kill you etc.
  • Avoid the idea of Herbivores Are Friendly meek and peaceful Predators Are Mean as mindless killing machines. In Real Life, herbivores can be equally territorial to predictors, and are more dangerous in many cases, and predators have a diet that doesn't involve human unless they are starving or feel threatened. Both variations can be befriended, and depicting a herbivore animal as very dangerous can be very interesting.
• Nature vs. Machinery. Heroes surrounded by living things, with villains surrounded by metal and machinery. As seen in Star Wars.
• Predation Is Natural: Common justification by villains for taking advantage of others. This is also interesting to explore in Green Aesop. If greed and instincts to get more are natural, then using resources and nature irresponsibly is perfectly natural as well, and nobility lies in going above one’s own nature.
• No One Gets Left Behind: Strength in numbers are necessary to survive in the jungle. Expect this among tribal hunting or warrior groups or explorer teams.
• Sadism: A classic element among villains, as if they are one of the many predators of the Hungry Jungle in addition to making them terrifying.
• Sexy Villains, Chaste Heroes can by an interesting subversion to the Fanservice associated with this genre.
• Skeleton Motif: A must for any hostile tribe or Witch Doctor to make them extra creepy, but looks good on any villain. Even The Empire.
• A Stranger in a Strange Land: As mentioned previously, the main characters in this genre is usually an outsider in some form. Non white or fantasy characters are still welcomed, but they will still be different from the characters around them.
• A Mighty Whitey strong and proud self proclaimed Jungle Queen vs. humble and compassionate Jungle Princess fighting for her people.
• Strength in numbers but divided we fall.
• Strength comes in many forms.

Suggested Plots and Goals

’’’Lost World, Adventurer Archaeologist and General Plots’’’

• Adventure Towns: New town or village, new quest, every episode. Might also include a Monster of the Week.
• Archaeological Arms Race; to find, protect or destroy an Ancient Artifact.
• A cryptid hunting story.
• Protect The House (colonial or tribal) from jungle monsters.
• Discovering the ruins of an ancient civilization that got too greedy or messed with nature too much.
• Finding or escaping the Lost World.
• Finding or escaping a lost city or empire.
• Find the Cure! in the jungle.
• Finding a crashed alien spacecraft in the jungle.
• The Epic, possible The Quest as well, featuring multiple factions, nations and cultures. Can even easily occur on Earth, due to how little we know about the goings on in the jungle.
• Go Back to the Source with an artifact or person.
• The Lion The Witch Doctor and The Warlord: Traveling to a more allegorical Lost World. The particular allegory depends on the author.
• Tracking or hunting plot: Non risky variations include legally capturing an animal for research purposes, wildlife photography, checking up on an animal’s population and status or capturing a non indigenous animal.
• Kidnapping plot: with any villain.
• Identity Amnesia: A warrior or explorer has forgotten literally everything and the plot slowly reveals who they really are.
• A Mystery plot for disappearances or murders. The antagonist could be human, animal, cryptid or supernatural.
• Stopping the plot of an Eldritch Abomination working with a witch doctor, lost empire or evil colonialist.
• Surviving an Arena Battle in the Lost Empire.
• Tropical Island Adventure: Usually involves a vacation, but this isn’t required.

’’’Badass Native and Tarzanesque Plots’’’

• Awaken the lost tribal spirit of courage and intelligence a tribe’s ancestors once had.
• Becoming The Tarzanesque as an adult from another culture or species.
• Battling a tribal cult.
• Bringing a Shaman of another tribe to a hostile one, to free a good chief under the spell of a Witch Doctor.
• The Captivity Narrative reworked for fantasy Religion of Evil.
• Captured by Cannibals or a more realistic cultish tribe.
• A Cain and Able story with an Evil Colonialist and his Badass Native adopted brother, as the latter convinces his brother to release his people.
• Discovering or even fighting the truth behind a superstition held by a tribe or small town.
• Discovering a long lost chief that was presumed dead.
• Exposing a manipulative chief to a tribe.
• Exposing a manipulative Witch Doctor to a tribe.
• Exposing a manipulative Sinister Minister to a tribe.
• Exposing a corrupt political official as an evil Witch Doctor working for dark powers or with an Eldritch Abomination.
• Escape a tribal or lost empire cult or dystopia.
• The Empire kidnaps the scientist parent of the Tarzanesque when they are just a child, either for information or labor, possibly involving a Superweapon. Left on their own, the child has to survive in the Hungry Jungle.
• Fight off the invaders, such as a fantasy Hostile Tribe, an Evil Colonialist etc.
• A Fistful of Rehashes: The protagonist finds tribal village or town frequently attacked by two rival factions, (Cartel or Tribal) and puts them against each other to save the village.
• Getting everyone out of a village before it’s destroyed by an evil colonialist.
• Hunting a monster terrorizing a village or town.
• The Hero's Journey: With a Shaman for a mentor, an Ancient Artifact to return with, and multiple jungle monsters to fight.
• Joining an evil Witch Doctor based on false promises of power.
• Killing in Self-Defense: Battling and animal in self defense. Finding a way of stopping but not killing the animal is considerably less risky.
• A strong and proud Tarzanesque, and possibly non villainous Mighty Whitey, believes they are invincible and loves being worshipped by the natives, until they are reminded of their own mortality and go on a quest to accept it.
• Raised by Natives: A classic for the Tarzanesque, but make sure that they are actually one of them, not a king, queen, god or goddess.
• Raised by Wolves: Another classic Tarzanesque origin story.
• The Bold Explorer or Action Survivor finds themself Going Native, another possibility for the Tarzanesque.
• Settle a dispute between warring factions, tribal or colonial.
• A Tarzanesque does battle with an Identical Stranger, human, clone or robotic.
• A Tarzanesque is too focused on undying loyalty to their tribe to worry about the jungle itself, but has to join forces with a ranger or ecologist when their village is threatened.
• The Tarzanesque is the last of their tribe after The Purge
• The Tarzanesque is an orphan who is forced to go on an adventure with other characters like The Professor and the Action Survivor, who become their found family.
• The Tarzanesque or The Missionary allow themself to be captureed and tortured by an enemy for their tribe or a friend, possibly in secret to keep their tribe from stopping them.
• The Tarzanesque is betrayed by a friendly tribe who welcomes them warmly as always to slip something in their drink make the to hand them over to an enemy.
• Tharzanesque discovers that the Evil Colonialist is their long lost father or brother and must confront them.
• The Tazanesque has to live a life on the run evading capture from literally everyone, due to a price on their head by enemy use who want revenge and want them alive.
• The Professor has to travel to the jungle after tragedy strikes and train under a shaman, and ends up becoming a Science Wizard.
• Training plot: Under an ancient order of jungle warriors.
• A Shaman must battle their fallen apprentice turned Witch Doctor son or brother after they were suicided by another Witch Doctor or studying forbidden magic, including at least one Wizard Duel.
• Training the Peaceful Villagers, who are frequently attacked.
• Stop the Human Sacrifice in any form.
• Stop a manipulative witch doctor.
• A stranded explorer is taken in by a local tribe and learns their skills and lifestyle.
• A child of missionaries looses their parents and is raised by the local tribe as a survivalist and warrior.
• A Tarzanesque must train another to take up their mantel.
• The Missionary is now considered part of the tribe, but becomes a Badass Preacher when he has to defend his loved ones.
• The Missionary must train someone to take up their mantle.
• Water Source Tampering: Stop or report the poisoning or blocking of s water source.
• A Witch Doctor of a hostile tribe wants to make an example of the Tarzanesque to prove themself more powerful.
• A Witch Doctor, Egomaniac Hunter, Evil Colonialist or Outlaw desperately wants revenge on the Tarzanesque.
• A Witch Doctor, leader of a lost empire, or evil colonialist seeks out an Ancient Artifact or Lost Superweapon to control the jungle.
• A Witch Doctor, corrupt chief or warlord is trying to rule or destroy the whole jungle.

’’’Outlaw and Ranger Plots’’’

• A Cain and Abel story between a ranger and his fallen brother Outlaw.
• Capture an Outlaw after taking up a bounty or being recruited by a Ranger.
• Clear Their Name: A framed character has to escape capture by the law to clear their name.
• A Corrupt Corporate Executive goes looking for the Ancient Artifact.
• Expose a hiding war criminal to the authorities.
• Hunting the Most Dangerous Game: Fighting off one or more EgomaniacHunters or Hired Guns hunting the main protagonist.
• Egomaniac Hunter Origin Story: How about another joke Murray? What do you get when you cross a mentally ill poverty stricken man surrounded by constant human trafficking and violence and combine him with a society that abandons him and treats him like trash because saving the silver back gorillas are more important. I’ll tell you what you get. You get a plot exploring the realities of the complexities behind things like poaching, and maybe some serial killing on the side, including a well known public figure getting “what he freaking deserves”, and a good origin story for a threatening villain.
• Exposing an organization falsely claiming conservation or humanitarian aid for how they exploit people.
• Exposing a corrupt political official that is trying to take over the government.
• A group of unlikely friend outlaws have to team up to save the jungle from a much greater threat.
• Heist Plot: outlaws, or even heroes, stealing something valuable for a specific reason.
• Keeping a lost missile from an Arms Dealer.
• Multiple factions like river pirates, a pair of poachers, an adventurer archeologist good or evil, a cartel, a hostile tribe all compete for the same lost treasure or Ancient Artifact.
• The Missionary, a conservationist or even the Tarzanesque has to team up with a Venturous Smuggler scoundrel to smuggle goods to those who need them just under the nose of the Banana Republic or The Empire.
• A notorious villain and victim of prejudice finally beats a hero and realizes that living his dream life is not fulfilling.
• Liberty dies in thunderous applause when an Obstructive Bureaucrat manipulates himself to the top of an actual equatorial republic to convert it into a Banana Republic with him at the top.
• An Outlaw Story.
• An outlaw challenges the protagonist to a duel.
• Protect an important person, possible a political figure for diplomatic reasons or even an Outlaw so they can stand trial.
• Railroad Plot or Train Job, as Africa and South America had trains.
• A Retired Badass goes on a rampage as a Spree Killer after some stupid poacher kills or captures their pet.
• Redemption Quest: A variation on The Hero's Journey involving making amends with an evil deed.
• A ranger tracking down an outlaw in hiding.
• Redemption Quest
• Run for the Border: A character must escape the law of the territory of a Evil Colonialist or Hostile Tribe. Or it could be a plot focused on catching an Outlaw like an Evil Poacher trying to leave the country.
• Revolution Plot overthrowing The Empire or surviving a dangerous revolution by rebel soldiers.
• A revenge plot between outlaws or survive an antagonist’s revenge plot.
• Surviving a battle with an outlaw smuggling contraband.
• Stop a bioweapon or monster from being unleashed by an Evilutionary Biologist.
• Stop the experiments of the sadistic Evilutionary Biologist.
• Stop illegal loggers from destroying a native village.
• Stop the Eco-Terrorist from hurting someone.
• Stop an Evil Adventurer Archaeologist from stealing artifacts illegally.
• Stop the Human Traffickers from illegally recruiting workers for a dangerous operation.
• Stop the Human Traffickers from illegally recruiting workers for an illegal mine.
• Stop the Lost Superweapon from firing.
• A ranger has to face his checkered past with a criminal committing the same crimes.
• The hunter becomes the hunted, as a poacher has to navigate and survive hired guns and eco terrorists.
• The Tarzanesque is out for revenge on the person that orphaned them and is an outlaw who will have to train as a warrior if not already training as the lead a life as an outlaw.
• A traveling merchant has to protect their cargo as they face highwaymen, gangs, the syndicate or even an Egomaniac Hunter.
• The Missionary finds themself on the wrong end of the rifle of an Egomaniac Hunter.
• Treasure hunting for a fortune in rhino horns, gold, ivory and other volubles left by a smuggler.
• Teaming up with a notorious outlaw for a higher goal.
• Uncover or expose a corrupt political individual, tribal or governmental.
• War Plot: either between rival tribes, colonial powers or both.
• A wildlife photographer or other kind of adventurer, finds themself caught in a dangerous feud between outlaws and eco terrorists.

’’’Escape Survival and Rescue Plots’’’

• A Badass in Distress or Damsel in Distress of any form involving escape or rescue is more than welcomed.
  • In any circumstance, make sure the captive has an active role in the plot.
• Escape or rescue from the River Rats
• Escape or rescue from The Syndicate.
• Escape or rescue from the cult, tribal or colonial.
• Escape or rescue from the cannibal markets.
• Escape or rescue from the experiments of the Evilutionary Biologist.
• Escape or rescue from Human Traffickers.
• Survive, escape or rescue from a hostile political power, tribal or colonial.
• Escape or rescue from the rebel soldiers.
• Escape as or rescue slaves from the illegal archeological dig run by an Artifact Thief.
• Escape as or rescue slaves from the illegal and dangerous mine.
• Escape as or rescue slaves from the illegal and dangerous logging operation.
• Great Escape: A prison break plot.
• Finding a lost party when Search and Rescue has failed to locate them.
• Rescue Arc.
  • Rescue slaves from an illegal operation.
  • Rescue a child kidnapped by outlaws.
• Survive, rescue from or escape the Cold-Blooded Torture for dangerous information.
• Search and rescue a missing explorer or hiker.
• Survive the dangerous ruins of an ancient civilization that destroyed themselves from greed.
• Survive Hired Guns.
• Survive: The Purge.
• Survive a natural disaster.
• Survive the Hungry Jungle virtually alone, apart from Bamboo Technology and an Action Pet.
• Survive a civil war with a large political power, indigenous or colonial.
• Weirdness Search and Rescue: Search and rescue but with more unusual circumstances.

’’’Other Sci Fi Plots’’’

• Accidental Time Travel to Colonial Africa, the Age of Reptiles or After the End.
• An astronaut crash lands on a jungle planet and must survive.
• Alien Invasion involving Evil Colonialost aliens invading a jungle planet or an alien Eco-Terrorist on a quest to balance the universe.
• Alien Invasion involving an Eco Terrorist on their quest to balance the universe.
• Awakening Ancient Astronauts.
• Battling violent rogue Mechanical Animals built by ancient advanced humans to protect the rainforest.
• Capture and Replicate the Tarzanesque.
• City of Adventure: Where a jungle dwelling character goes to civilization and potentially encounters an Outside-Genre Foe. Usually in this genre, it will involve tracking an Outlaw oversees and hunting them in a concrete jungle, but often this is more of a reverse of the Jungle Episode; a temporary departure from this genre rather than part of it. By no means is it unwelcomed though.
  • If you’re going outside of the jungle anyway, you are more than welcomed to think outside the box and do something more unique than a simple urban environment. The Evil Colonialist might hail from a Layered Metropolis, or Hive City, especially in a Steampunk or Diesel Punk story.
  • Since there are no rules saying Time Travel can't be part of this genre, and if you are leaving the jungle anyway, Fighting Across Time and Space is more than welcomed. The Tarzanesque might even find themselves knowingly or unknowingly protecting their parents in the city. Also, Time Police, Clock Roaches, Punk Punk and Space Episode are all welcomed.
• Cosmic Horror Story: The jungle is a mysterious place, so the Adventurer Archaeologist or The Professor accidentally discovering something otherworldly and horrible in the jungle isn't too far off. Expect them to encounter Eldritch Abominations, traverse Eldritch Locations, and explore crashed Eldritch Starships piloted by Starfish Aliens.
  • If less hopeless and more optimistic, you have Lovecraft Lite.
• Get Back to the Future from the Age of Reptiles, an ancient jungle empire, or the colonial period.
• Planetary Romance on a Jungle Planet.
• Return to the past from After the End.
• Rescue The Professor from the past. The Doc’s alive! He’s in Colonial Africa (or the Age of Reptiles), but he’s alive.
• Rescue The Professor from a jungle planet.
• Travel to the past to prevent a Bad Future: Might involve MegaCorp, a witch doctor or even the Macoffin like the classic sports almanac, but Christapher Lloyd himself has been suggesting this for Green Aesop for decades.
• Space Episode: Tarzanesque characters have gone to space countless times, and this is also very likely in a Advanced Ancient Humans plot, an Ancient Astronauts plot or Planetary Romance. This genre in general might serve as a jungle episode for a larger Space Opera.

Worldbuilding Workshop

Although specific locations are suggested in the Departments, this folder is for suggestions on how to approach building the setting overall. This is the main thing that makes or breaks a jungle opera, but sadly it is often neglected, as the most authors believe that little creative liberty can believably be taken because the jungle is theoretically much easier to explore than outer space. Hence, Space Opera became the more popular Science Fiction subgenre as it put far more effort in its worlds, cultures and creatures, unique.In Real Life, no extraterrestrial the our jungle here on earth are still relatively unexplored, and scientists are still constantly discovering new creatures, plants and fascinating cultures. Meanwhile our probes and rovers have only found rocks on desert planets. Therefore, although Space Opera is by no means bad, equal Worldbuilding in a Jungle Opera story is not only welcomed, but necessary to avoid stereotypes. There is a big difference between a cannibal tribe, and a cultish tribe that kidnaps and kills for reasons rooted deep in their history and culture. Additionally, one might add a magic system, have events set in an ambiguous jungle location, on another planet, in another world or dimension, in an alternate or speculative time period, an ambiguous time period or even an entirely Constructed World. Therefore, more worldbuilding will be required.See: So You Want To Build Your Own Fictional World

’’’Physical Factors’’’

• Planet: If your Jungle Opera is set in a Lost World, on a Single-Biome Planet, in a Constructed World or the whole thing is set A Long Time Ago, in a Galaxy Far, Far Away....
  • What is the cosmology of your jungle world? Do you pick All Planets Are Earthlike or do you opt for Something more fantastic?
  • What kind of biomes does your alien world have? It should not be a Single-Biome Planet.
    • Even on earth there will be snowy mountains, swamps, grasslands, desert areas etc. nearby. Your story doesn’t have to only have to have a jungle. Worldbuilding cultures in these nearby locations is also important.
  • What is the Hostile Weather like? On earth, we have monsoons regularly in the wet seasons. Frigid Ominous Fog comes in the morning, and covers everything in dew. Perhaps in an After the End setting,, you have Acid Rain that the plants are adapted to thrive in, but not your characters.

• Functional Magic: How does your magic system influence the natural world or jungle?
  • Do you go with a Hard Magic System or a Soft Magic System? The latter generally works best if the characters cannot access it.

• Ecosystem: What kinds of plants and animals are you going to use?
  • Is the ecosystem stable and balanced, or is it currently in transition?
  • What are the symbiotic relationships?

• Races:
  • Ambiguously Brown or some other form of undefined race will be less risky in earth jungles, but would you rather make a Not Quite Human? The latter has been used in this genre since the beginning, because a branching Human Subspecies is more likely to develop isolated in the jungle.
  • Do your races have any special abilities. Think outside the box to something other than the classics like Green Thumb or Friend to All Living Things. Do they have telepathy? Do they have Mind over Matter Abilities? Can they regenerate to cheat death?

’’’Cultural Factors’’’Remember to avoid the limiting your tribal cultures to being all good or completely In Harmony with Nature, as doing so is equally risky as making them pure evil, and it will hinder your worldbuilding. Any culture is comprised on individuals that have the possibility of being noble or nightmarishly evil, because they are human. The main factor is treating your characters within your friendly or hostile cultures giving the individual characters realistic motives. Give friendly cultures some hostile characters and hostile cultures friendly characters.

• Cultural Interactions. The Jungle Opera genre always needs multiple cultures to interact.
  • What is the trading like between your factions or cultures? Do they barter or have Fictional Currency. Do any of them have access to technology they wouldn't otherwise have. (Many real hostile tribes bought guns)
  • What factions or cultures are rivals? Are any of them trying to invade each other?
  • What is their reputation?
  • How do they interact with outsiders like the Bold Explorer or The Missionary? Do they interact with outsiders often? Is there Casual Interplanetary Travel.
  • How do they handle territory?

• Technology Arts and Crafts: What tools and resources do your factions and cultures use?
  • Are they in a transition period or are they static? Does you tribe only have basic tools or are they Low Culture, High Tech?
  • How do they use the surrounding rainforest? Do these practices influence their ethics?
  • What is their architecture like? Do they use specific materials techniques?
  • What do they do for fun?

Dress

• What is their fashion like? A simple Fur Loincloth won’t do.
• What are their modesty standards? Remember, just because they wear less than ours, that doesn't mean they won't be serious.
• Do they us any meaningful colors or patterns?
• What kinds of materials do they use?
• Do they have any ornaments, and what functional accessories do they incorporate?

• Religion: What does your faction or culture believe about the universe? Are they pantheistic, polytheistic or monotheistic? Even very familiar monotheism has been discovered in some tribal cultures.
  • What are the spirits, gods and goddesses they revere the most?
  • What is their mythology? How does it relate to their history, way of life, taboos?
  • What are their views on good and evil?
  • Do they believe in an afterlife? Do they have a Warrior Heaven, or Mundane Afterlife?
  • How does this effect their view of outsiders? Most hostile religious cults in Real Life have deep “Us versus them” mentalities, lead by an abusive leader rather than worshiping evil and death.

• Folk Music is actually a deeply complex and culturally rooted thing, It's also an often neglected, but very important factor in Worldbuilding, which is why Kipling had so many songs to flesh out his cultures in the Jungle Book. This trope is a must for any Lost Tribe or even for their descendants in a local small town. Usually songs are used to for conveying history, legends or other culturally significant stories. They also might be about the hope and dreams or religious beliefs of a culture.
  • Job Song: This is great for fleshing out the employees of Evil Colonialist, the lives of slaves or even the life of a Venturous Smuggler or Pirate group. People often used music historically correlating to their professions, such as the sea shanty.
  • Music can also be used to flesh out a character. The Missionary might have a favorite hymn for example.

• Values: What values and taboos does your culture of faction have? Most writers make the mistake of making values to the environment around them primary, generally because they think that a Noble Savage reinforces a Green Aesop. In reality, it’s an extra risky more stereotypical version of the Noble Savage that could hurt your story and messages. Native Americans were offended at the portrayal of the Na’vi in Avatar because it was based in stereotypes and appropriation of the values of their culture without any consideration for the purpose of said values other than worshipping nature. Other things must be taken into account first.
  • What are their core values? Again, environmentalism is a bad idea here, although they will have environmental values from traditions and how they use the surrounding jungle, that’s distinct from a tribe or any faction’s core values. Things like humility, honor on the battlefield, compassion etc. would all be interesting to see.
  • What values and taboos do they have in relation to the faction or tribe itself? Is there a strong focus on loyalty to it? Are their taboos related to one’s duties within it? (Chief, chief’s daughter, emperor, soldier, healer etc.) Does loyalty to the tribe require both the men and women of said tribe to defend it? These are important, due to how much more necessary it would be for survival in such a hostile environment where animal or monster attacks, invasion, disease and starvation are all common.
  • What are their values in relation to their traditions of using the environment around them for their tools and technology or way of life? This should be considered before their environmental values, as environmental taboos will naturally come from this.
  • What are their values in relation to spirits or deities?
  • Do they have taboos around physical relationships and marriage?
  • What values do they have in relation to men, women, children or elders?
  • Any values or taboos around using magic?
  • Any taboos related to diet? Do they hunt?

• Growing up: When does someone come of age?
  • Is it younger or older than your culture?
  • Are their any rights of passage?
  • Do they educate their young? What do they teach?

• History and Mythology: What is the story of your tribal culture?
  • Who founded the faction; tribe or country?
  • How old is it?
  • What culture did they splinter off from? We’re they Precursors to them?
  • What oral traditions do they have? Are their mythologies and legends based in reality or teaching An Aesop.

Language: Hulk Speak must be avoided for stereotypes, but Conlang, is more than welcomed.

• What is the grammar and syntax like? Is it close to English or is it a Starfish Language.
• How do they deal with things when they encounter a Language Barrier?

• Hierarchy and Government: How is authority dealt in your faction or culture?
  • Who is in power? Are they in power by law or are they a usurper?
  • Are people granted power based on rank, family or age?
  • Who creates laws? Are laws tied any divine or religious factors related to the divine beings of the universe, or are man made.
  • How do they punish laws? Do they banish people, do they bind them to display in the middle of town for public humiliation, or do they execute people who disobey? Do they allow Cold-Blooded Torture?
  • What is the law of the jungle wilderness? If the animals abide by specific laws as Kipling made them do, it can really add to the world building of your animal cultures. If not, then the only law is survival of the fittest. If that is the way nature functions, than exploring the quest to live above nature can really add to the theme, just as it did in Princess Mononoke.

• Warfare: How do they go to war?
  • What martial arts have they developed? Do they specialize in any particular weapons?
  • How do they treat prisoners of war? Do they allow Cold-Blooded Torture? Do they release them after the battle, simply kill them or do they participate in Human Trafficking.
  • Do they have any particular tactics.

---