Children of Men: The Deconstruction of Sci-Fi's 'Rule of Three'

Alfonso Cuaron’s Children of Men is an incredible film that uses the Science Fiction genre in all the right ways. From the visceral cinematography that moves with the characters to the detailed set work, this film offers a tremendous vision of humanity’s future.

Though many sci-fi films use the genre as a fertile testing ground for new technologies or concepts, Cuaron’s film takes contemporary world issues and amplifies them in the face of human extinction. However, despite Cuaron’s fresh take, he still uses a common character structure from science fiction hits of the past.

What's Happening in Children of Men?

Cuaron’s world building has a unique take on the future. Women have become infertile. Most world governments have collapsed. The only pillar of strength and order in the world is England, to which many refugees flee. And the refugees are shoved and packed into impoverished refugee camps and treated as less than human. But despite these high concepts that mirror real world political problems, the story centers around a man named Theo, and his mission to get a pregnant girl, Kee, to a safe haven.

The Holy Trinity of Sci-Fi Characters

Often, we have been introduced to a trinity of archetypes that navigate terrifying and strange worlds. This trinity consists of a stoic protector, a nurturing figure (often a matronly figure), and an innocent passenger.

We’ve seen this in some of the greatest sci-fi films of our time, whether it be in Aliens, with Ripley protecting Newt, with the help of a stoic robot protector, Bishop; or in T2, with Sarah Connor protecting her son John with the help of reprogrammed terminator, or even in the more recent Logan, with a young mutant being protected by an aging Wolverine, and Professor X acting as a paternal nurturing figure.

Archetype #1: The Stoic Protector

The Science Fiction rule of three is a great way of portraying a spectrum of human behavior in the face of great change. Often the stoic protector has already succumbed to the darkness that clouds the strange world of the film. For instance, Theo’s character is a man scarred by loss with a nihilistic view of the world:

"Even if they discovered the cure for infertility, doesn't matter! Too late." Theo, Children of Men

Archetype #2: The Innocent Passenger

The stoic protector’s cynicism is often a great asset in fighting for the innocent. Similarly, the innocent is often a passenger in the events of a science fiction film, and acts as a reflection of the audience’s perspective. Just as Kee navigates not only a harsh and terrifying landscape, and an eight-month pregnancy, we, the audience, feel empathy for her as she is our lens into the world.

"Theo, the boat. The boat! It's OK. We are safe now. We're safe." Kee, Children of Men

Archetype #3: The Nurturing Figure

And finally, the nurturing figure is often shaped into compassion or idealism by the events of the film. For a comparison, just as Ellen Ripley in Aliens uses her knowledge of the Xenomorph to display compassion for the young girl she finds, Julian in Children of Men uses her political activism efforts to protect Key and find safe passage for her.

"What do the police know about justice?" julian, Children of Men

The Evolving Mother: How the nurturing figure changes in Children of Men

What’s more compelling about Cuaron’s take on these archetypes is how the nurturing figures in this film are constantly being recycled. Early on in the film, Julian’s character is shot dead. (You can check out the breathtaking scene in the video below)

Then it’s up to Miriam, a doula who helps Kee with her pregnancy, to take on the role of nurturer. (Even her name denotes her role, as Miriam was the name of Moses’ sister in the book of Exodus who had to insure his escape from slaughter).

But then, Miriam is captured, and suddenly the nurturing figure is Kee herself, as she soon after gives birth to her child.

The film’s deliberate turnover of mother figures is perhaps symbolic of mother earth, and her neglect. Or perhaps it’s a mutation of the sci-fi trinity to purposely distinguish the film from others like it.

We Know How it Ends, But We Like How We Got There...

In the end, like in most science fiction films, the stoic protector dies, as the innocent (and sometimes the nurturing figure) complete their journey. Theo fights to his last breath to bring Kee to the Human Project, a place where she can raise her baby in safety. And that feels right. Having the protector die is what completes the journey, while the innocent carries the fire of hope.

Conclusion

The film’s triumph is how it uses this familiar character dynamic to expose to a world we should pay attention to. The problems the film presents are not foreign. They are real and happening now in our world. Children of Men simply uses the dystopian premise to highlight the extremities of these issues. And that is why this film is truly a testament to the genre being used to its fullest potential. Alfonso Cuaron has created a masterpiece of science fiction.