On Saints, Sainthood, Stars, and Dragons...........

[patgund]

Was having a discussion last night with seattlejo on one of the more "famous" literary saints, namely Saint Camber of Culdi, (Patron of Deryni Magic, Defender of Humanity.)

And it got me to thinking about the panel discussion I've always wanted to do or see at a convention, the role of the Saint in Science Fiction and Fantasy, and why you keep having them show up.

Obviously they're a plot device. But why a spiritual plot device?

What SF/F Saints are there anyway??

The classical example is St. Leibowitz in the SF sphere, with St. Camber in the fantasy sphere. Other examples that come to mind are St. Jack the Bodiless and his wife, St. Illusio Diamondmask, from Julian May's Galactic Mileu series. Christopher Stasheff gives us St. Vidicon of Cathode. You even have Saints outside of a Catholic or Catholic-influenced enviroment - David Weber gives us St. Austin Grayson, who led his followers to the planet Grayson.

Quite the group to storm heaven.

But *why* does SF and Fantasy *need* saints? Plot devices aside, what is it about the concept or image of a saint that makes it such a potent plot element?

It would make a fun discussion panel......

Comments

[firedrake-mor.livejournal.com]

I don't think that humanity, as a culture, will ever "become" that image. We're the kind of creatures that, unless something radically changes in our culture, is always searching for transcendency, which by definition is a step beyond. No matter where we are, we'll always be looking for the next thing.

Camber spoke to a lot of fantasy fans because he represented doing what he thought was the right thing, no matter the cost. . . and it cost him a lot. He wanted to see the Kingdom restored, and he bet everything on it. His own transcendency comes from the fact that he apparently continued doing that after his death. He went on to the "next thing".