Westerns, as a family of genres, are the first fully-simulated genre. They depict a never-was fantasy-land reinvention of human society, glorifying exaggerated

Westerns, as a family of genres, are the first fully-simulated genre. They depict a never-was fantasy-land reinvention of human society, glorifying exaggerated violent and sexual behaviors that serve both to elevate and rewrite a period of history that did not exist as depicted, and legitimizing those behaviors' analogues in our own modern world. Space Westerns are, well, Westerns in space. They typically espouse some sort of manifest destiny and spirit of exploration, justifying victories based on being the good guys.