Dystopians: The Leadership of Cis, Straight, White, Able-Bodied Men.

Dystopian worlds have become very popular lately. Whether it is Revolution, Falling Skies, The Walking Dead or Defiance, the one thing they all have in common is straight, cisgender, able bodied White male leadership. This suggests that at the end of the day, no matter the circumstance White masculinity represents authority, logic, safety, and intelligence. People of colour and women are often relegated to side characters who week after week submit to this authority and often times appear to be grateful for it.  It is no accident that the White male is so revered in dystopians. It plays upon the idea that White straight masculinity is a declining power because of resistance by women, people of colour and of course GLBT people. It suggests that there will come a time when nature will correct itself and once again White men will rule the world, as though that is not the current situation and further; the world will be grateful for it.

Sometimes the writers make the effort to explain why these men are in charge - in The Walking Dead Rick is a cop who people look to for stability; rather more dubiously, Nolan is the only person in Defiance able to step into the Lawkeeper’s shoes (apparently). But often leadership just happens - in Terra Nova Jim rises to become second in command in all but name after smuggling himself to the colony and despite there being more experienced people (Alicia Washington, a woman of colour). In Falling Skies Tom is a history professor who has risen to a leadership role in the military before the show even starts and manages to become a major player in all the leadership councils. There’s no real reason for their leadership - leadership just settles upon them.

Even in situations where the great White leader is in a secondary role like for example Joshua Nolan’s position relative to mayor Amanda Rosewater in Defiance, the man still takes a leadership role, rarely coming close to respecting her position. As the mayor she is supposed to run the town, yet Nolan frequently makes decisions on his own, flouts her authority and has all of the delicacy of a bull in a china shop interacting with the various citizens of Defiance. Nolan hadn’t even been in town for a New York minute before Amanda was placing a badge on his chest.  It was Nolan who led and planned the defence of Defiance when it was attacked and though Amanda participated, clearly Nolan was in charge.

This straight, White, male leadership is also typified by dictatorship. On Falling Skies we have military leadership that eventually reaches ‘democracy’ but only in the sense that the supreme dictator is elected - I saw no legislative body or organs of government. Terra Nova is completely under Taylor’s dictatorial control without a pretence of anything else. The Walking Dead is famous for its Rickocracy - and in the comics, Rick’s refusal to even keep Michonne and Andrea informed of his plans is inexcusable considering what they’ve been through together. Even Nolan, subject  to Amanda’s authority, has to be talked into agreeing with her as much as anything and frequently ignores her.

On the rare occasion when leadership passes  on to someone who isn’t a cis, straight, White man then that leadership will be flawed - either the outright enemy on Terra Nova or such incredible ineptness on The Falling Skies that Marina is suspected of being a mole for the aliens.

One of the most glaring elements of this firm placement of cis straight White men as leaders is how impossible it is to actually depose him from his throne! I am actually genuinely curious as to exactly these men have to do for everyone around them to decide that maybe, just maybe, they shouldn’t be the one calling the shots or the one they shelter behind.

Revolution, Season Two, Episode Five: One Riot, One Ranger

In Willougby Texas, Rachel and Monroe are on a roof staring at the patriot troops who are standing guard over the town. Charlie attempts to leave and enter the town and Monroe has to tell her that the patriots have the town and therefore they should think before they act.  We're not five minutes into this episode and already we have a male character encouraging a female one to act rationally. 

Inside the town, Ed Truman sees the burned bodies of the men from the train yard for the first time.  He learns that not only were the men horribly burned, they can find no trace of accelerant. Ed orders the bodies to be sent away.

Rachel and Miles are talking and he is concerned about a blow back from Ken's death. Rachel tells him that he Ken is buried deeply and that she scrubbed the scene of blood. Miles informs her that she is a complicated woman. They are interrupted by a knock on the door and it turns out to be Aaron. Aaron wants to know if Miles was at a railroad and jumped a chain link fence last night.  When Aaron brings up the two men who burst into flames, Miles closes the door and asks Aaron how he knows that.  Aaron explains that he saw it and probably did it.  Miles asks what he is saying and Rachel explains that it could be the nanotech.  Miles ask them to dial back the crazy.  Suddenly the bells outside start to ring.

Outside, more armed troops are entering on horseback as the town gathers. It turns out that the men are Texas Rangers and they are looking for Truman. John Franklin Fry, the secretary of the interior of the sovereign state of Texas informs Truman that the patriots are an armed force on their sovereign soil.  Fry asks for a reason why he shouldn't cut him down where he stands. Both sides draw their weapons as Miles looks on.  Truman orders the patriot to put down their weapons and informs Fry that he is the one who wrote the letter informing the Texas government of their presence. Truman says that they saved the town from the Andover clan on only wants a chance to explain.

As Fry dismounts, Rachel asks if Miles knows him and Miles reveals that he once tried to kill Fry. Miles says that Fry is their best shot of starting a war with the patriots and hopes Fry is over the past.

Neville watches as people struggle trying to get on a wagon.  Neville heads over to Allenford to find out what is going on and is informed that the Patriots have built a new settlement up in Perrysburg. Allenford informs Neville that he is going to accompany her to D.C. as part of her security detail.  When Neville tells Allenford that he is glad to have her trust, she makes it clear that he has her orders but not her trust.

In a meeting, Truman asks Fry to spend a few days with them and see that their intentions are pure but Fry says that he would rather crawl naked through cut glass. Fry says that he is leaving for Austin and will talk to the general before leaving. Truman orders the gates opened and the patrols stopped while the rangers are there. He also orders that the person who broke into the train yard last night be found before they can talk to Texas.

On the street, Fry is handed a badge and is told that it is from a friend.  Fry goes to see Miles, who immediately raises his arms. Miles tells Fry that it would help if he was called Stu Redman and Fry informs him that he could have Miles executed on the spot. Miles offers Stu a drink and Fry says that Patriots claim that they will be moving back north once everything is settled. Miles tells Fry that this is complete and utter crap. Miles says that Patriots are not Americans and dropped the bombs on Atlanta and Philadelphia. Miles suggests that Fry tell the general to send everything that he has got because the Patriots are an invading force but Fry wants proof. Miles asks what proof because the Patriots are there.  Fry argues back that they have 70% of their troops deployed on the southern border and that it is sketchy to open a second front on the say so of a war criminal. Fry says that the Patriots are land grabbing but the general wants a treaty not a war and says again that he needs hard proof.  Miles tells him to meet him at the railway at midnight and warns that the Patriots have eyes and ears everywhere. 

Miles is walking the streets when a can is kicked in front of him. When he turns the corner, he finds Charlie waiting for him. Charlie shows him the wanted poster for Rachel and says that she found it on a bounty hunter in the Plains Nations. Miles questions if the patriots want Rachel why they haven't grabbed her yet. Mile says that they are in real trouble and Charlie says that this is why she came back. Miles says that they should go and see Rachel but Charlie tells him that she wants to show him something.

We get a flashback to six months ago when Aaron first arrived in town.  He is applying for a job for a teacher and says that he used to run a schoolhouse in a settlement in Wisconsin.  Aaron says that he has four degrees but he is turned down because he smells like liquor and did not smile during the interview.  He is told that he might scare the kids but Aaron says that he has not had a lot to smile about and if he doesn't do something, he is going to lose it.  Aaron begs saying that he needs this job. In the present, Aaron starts packing up his things.

Charlie is leading Miles through a swamp and promises to try and play nice when she sees Rachel. Charlie then asks Miles to make a promise not to go crazy. Miles charges Monroe and asks why Monroe did to Charlie.  Charlie interjects and tells Miles that Monroe didn't touch her. Monroe tells Miles that he saved Charlie's life and Miles ordered Charlie to leave. Monroe calls out that he is there to help because of the Patriots but Miles doesn't want Monroe's help. When Mile threatens to kill Monroe, Monroe reminds him that he has never been able to pull the trigger. Miles tells Monroe to go away and Monroe calls out that they nuked their city and are trying to pin it on him.  Monroe argues that he wants pay back and that the best way to get it is for them to work together.  Monroe asks if they can have a truce.

Charlie suggests that if they after Rachel that they should just grab her and go but Miles points out that the Patriots are everywhere. Charlie says that Miles is talking about starting a war and Monroe pipes up to say that this is a good idea. Monroe suggests that they should let Texas fight the battle for them. Miles tells them that they need proof for Fry by tonight and Miles promises to come through with some.

Cynthia finds Rachel on the street and tells her that Aaron packed his bag and is now gone. Cynthia tells Rachel that she has to find Aaron and that he told her all about their insane little mission. Cynthia says that Aaron is seeing things and are scared.  They agree to split up and look for Aaron.

We get a flashback to Aaron's first day as a school teacher and Cynthia giving him a pair of chattering teeth to improve his smile.  Cynthia's boyfriend Carl enters and is extremely hostile to Aaron.

'Revolution' and Aggressive Masculinity

Revolution is like many other dystopian fantasies.  Once again, we have White man saves the world with people of colour in servant roles when they do appear and of course, the invisible gay canaries. By that I mean no gay people, because somehow they are always the first ones to die when the world ends. With the strong White male leader, normally we get a heavy dose of hyper masculinity and the viewer is expected to accept the rightness of an alpha male leader and embrace it. Consider for a moment Rick from The Walking Dead, and Tom Mason in Falling Skies. These two men both fit the mold for leadership that we have come to expect in a dystopian setting. Revolution takes the mold and expands upon it to make hyper masculinity not only the preserve of leadership but a necessary attribute of masculinity.

From the moment we meet Captain Tom Neville, he is savage and, in fact, a sadist.  He rides into Ben’s small community with armed men and demands instant surrender on behalf of the militia. Tom uses violence and fear to keep his troops in line and the only person he seems to fear is Monroe. In episode five, for the first time we get a little insight into Neville’s backstory. We learn that Neville used to work as an insurance adjustor and lost his job when he gave clients coverage for a fire that they hadn’t actually paid for. In his boss's office, he was passive and his body language was absolutely submissive, when he was fired. When Neville returns home, he tries to ask Rob, his neighbour to keep the noise level to a minimum but is ignored. Instead of being active and pursuing a confrontation in both instances, Neville enters his home and starts to take his frustrations out on a punching bag. He tells his son, Jason, that it’s good to punch but he must never punch people.This pre blackout Neville bears absolutely no resemblance to the tough captain we have learned to be wary of. When Tom breaks into his house looking for supplies, Neville beats him to death with his bare hands and in this moment, Captain Tom Neville is born. It’s not simply a case of the strong survive but a case that this is the appropriate behaviour for a real man. For Neville, a man protects his family, and a man shows power and does not back down. He has learned that a passive masculinity has dire repercussions and strips a man of his self worth.

Passive masculinity is also represented by Aaron.  Pre black out, Aaron was an extremely powerful man - not because of his physical strength but for his wealth. Though he was beat up in the school yard as a child, for Aaron, revenge came in the form of a company with 300 employees, four homes and a private plane.  In episode three,  he expresses to Maggie the fear he feels in the world as it is today because the same type of people who bullied him in the school yard, are in power today. He calls it a joke, but clearly the loss of power and value as a man is something that haunts Aaron.  He is desperate to get the power turned back on in the hope of returning to some semblance of the former power structure.  Men like Aaron are dependent upon others for safety and he is barely functional with a weapon. His character exists often as comic relief on the show.