Popular science fiction franchises have long used maps as trinkets to excite fans, cause imagines to fuel demand, and help explain the universe. Some maps are official cannon while other franchises refuse to make an official map in order to allow for future fudging in stories. When examining the below maps and others I noticed that some of the mid-20th century science fiction was limited itself to solar systems while late-20th century science fiction expanded to fill the whole galaxy and beyond.
Battlestar Galactica
The older Battlestar Galactica universe had one solar system but the 2000s series morphed the beginning realm into a close cluster of stars.
Star Trek
The original Star Trek series was imagined as merely a "Wagon Train in Space". However, with the success of the Next Generation-era spin offs a galaxy was mapped and more or less consistently used throughout the series (which is rare in Star Trek).
Star Wars
The surprisingly dense cannon of the Star Wars Expanded Universe has the story line set in stone but the cartography of the universe changes depending on the map maker.
Firefly
Firefly did not have a canonical map until the so-so movie Serenity was released after the show's cancellation. As such there are several maps shared on the internet which all have some degree of respect from the fan community.
Battlestar Galactica
The older Battlestar Galactica universe had one solar system but the 2000s series morphed the beginning realm into a close cluster of stars.
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| Old BSG. Cartographer unknown. |
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| New BSG. Cartographer unknown. |
The original Star Trek series was imagined as merely a "Wagon Train in Space". However, with the success of the Next Generation-era spin offs a galaxy was mapped and more or less consistently used throughout the series (which is rare in Star Trek).
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| Star Trek fan made map using cannon. Map made by Joran Belar. |
The surprisingly dense cannon of the Star Wars Expanded Universe has the story line set in stone but the cartography of the universe changes depending on the map maker.
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| Official map for Star Wars Online |
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| Fan map by Chris Chanaud |
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| Map from TOR |
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| Map from TOR |
Firefly
Firefly did not have a canonical map until the so-so movie Serenity was released after the show's cancellation. As such there are several maps shared on the internet which all have some degree of respect from the fan community.
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| The only official "map" of the "Verse" |
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| Fan made map by Hansel Cook |
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| Fan made map. Map maker unknown |
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| Unknown Map Maker |
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1 comment:
Interesting collection, but that Star Trek map is decidedly non-canon. It looks to me like it was influenced by the Star Fleet Battles wargame. SF star maps are always fun, though. ミケ
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