What are you tired of in Science Fiction?

[Darth Wong]

I generally find the idea that humanity is "inevitably" going to be "superseded" by something else depressing. That said, it can still make for powerful stories if done right. I more positively detest the latter variant, where the human (or human-like) protagonists struggle and sweat and are threatened with death in a long campaign, and then it all turns out to be irrelevant anyway because some ubermonster has been sitting on a plot device "super intelligence" all along and merely been humouring the heroes.

Stay away from Arthur C. Clarke, then.

Seriously, yeah. The humans toil and sweat and suffer and scrabble to reach the top and suddenly, godlike super-aliens come out of no where and say , "Oh, is this a problem for you?" *snaps fingers* "There ya go, fixed. Bye."

Fuck you, godlike super-aliens.

Raiders of the Lost Ark was a huge hit, so I guess a lot of people don't mind that particular convention.