Titan in fiction
Encyclopedia
Titan
is the largest moon
of Saturn
. It has a substantial atmosphere
and is the most Earth
-like satellite in the Solar System
, making it a popular science fiction
setting.
Titan (moon)
Titan , or Saturn VI, is the largest moon of Saturn, the only natural satellite known to have a dense atmosphere, and the only object other than Earth for which clear evidence of stable bodies of surface liquid has been found....
is the largest moon
Natural satellite
A natural satellite or moon is a celestial body that orbits a planet or smaller body, which is called its primary. The two terms are used synonymously for non-artificial satellites of planets, of dwarf planets, and of minor planets....
of Saturn
Saturn
Saturn is the sixth planet from the Sun and the second largest planet in the Solar System, after Jupiter. Saturn is named after the Roman god Saturn, equated to the Greek Cronus , the Babylonian Ninurta and the Hindu Shani. Saturn's astronomical symbol represents the Roman god's sickle.Saturn,...
. It has a substantial atmosphere
Atmosphere
An atmosphere is a layer of gases that may surround a material body of sufficient mass, and that is held in place by the gravity of the body. An atmosphere may be retained for a longer duration, if the gravity is high and the atmosphere's temperature is low...
and is the most Earth
Earth
Earth is the third planet from the Sun, and the densest and fifth-largest of the eight planets in the Solar System. It is also the largest of the Solar System's four terrestrial planets...
-like satellite in the Solar System
Solar System
The Solar System consists of the Sun and the astronomical objects gravitationally bound in orbit around it, all of which formed from the collapse of a giant molecular cloud approximately 4.6 billion years ago. The vast majority of the system's mass is in the Sun...
, making it a popular science fiction
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
setting.
Literature
- Flight on TitanFlight on TitanFlight on Titan is a science fiction short story by Stanley G. Weinbaum that first appeared in the January 1935 issue of Astounding Stories...
(1935), short story by Stanley G. WeinbaumStanley G. WeinbaumStanley Grauman Weinbaum was an American science fiction author. His career in science fiction was short but influential...
. A couple from Earth struggles through the frigid, windswept Titanian landscape. - Sojarr of Titan (1941), novel by Manly Wade WellmanManly Wade WellmanManly Wade Wellman was an American writer. He is best known for his fantasy and horror stories set in the Appalachian Mountains and for drawing on the native folklore of that region, but he wrote in a wide variety of genres, including science fiction, fantasy, historical fiction, detective...
. - The Puppet MastersThe Puppet MastersThe Puppet Masters is a 1951 science fiction novel by Robert A. Heinlein in which American secret agents battle parasitic invaders from outer space...
(1951) by Robert A. HeinleinRobert A. HeinleinRobert Anson Heinlein was an American science fiction writer. Often called the "dean of science fiction writers", he was one of the most influential and controversial authors of the genre. He set a standard for science and engineering plausibility and helped to raise the genre's standards of...
. Titan is the home of an elfElfAn elf is a being of Germanic mythology. The elves were originally thought of as a race of divine beings endowed with magical powers, which they use both for the benefit and the injury of mankind...
-like species, which has been enslaved by parasitic aliens who can control them. These "puppet masters" attempt to take over the Earth by controlling human beings, who counter-attack with the intention of emancipating the "elves". - The Rolling StonesThe Rolling Stones (novel)The Rolling Stones is a 1952 science fiction novel by Robert A. Heinlein....
(1952), novel by Robert A. HeinleinRobert A. HeinleinRobert Anson Heinlein was an American science fiction writer. Often called the "dean of science fiction writers", he was one of the most influential and controversial authors of the genre. He set a standard for science and engineering plausibility and helped to raise the genre's standards of...
. The family Stone heads for Titan Base, colony. - Trouble on Titan (1954), novel by Alan E. NourseAlan E. NourseAlan Edward Nourse was an American science fiction author and physician. He wrote both juvenile and adult science fiction, as well as nonfiction works about medicine and science. His SF works generally focused on medicine and/or psionics.-Biography:Alan Nourse was born August 11, 1928 to...
. Famously features a jet which uses the methane/ammonia atmosphere as fuel. - First LawFirst Law"First Law" is a science fiction short story by American writer Isaac Asimov, first published in the October 1956 issue of Fantastic Universe magazine and later collected in The Rest of the Robots and The Complete Robot...
(1956), short story by Isaac AsimovIsaac AsimovIsaac Asimov was an American author and professor of biochemistry at Boston University, best known for his works of science fiction and for his popular science books. Asimov was one of the most prolific writers of all time, having written or edited more than 500 books and an estimated 90,000...
. The story is set during one of the massive storms that strike Titan regularly and features Mike Donovan, a roboticist who has to deal with a strange incident relevant to an unusual twist of the Three Laws of RoboticsThree Laws of RoboticsThe Three Laws of Robotics are a set of rules devised by the science fiction author Isaac Asimov and later added to. The rules are introduced in his 1942 short story "Runaround", although they were foreshadowed in a few earlier stories...
. The moon is correctly described as having no magnetic field. - Lucky Starr and the Rings of SaturnLucky Starr and the Rings of SaturnLucky Starr and the Rings of Saturn is the final novel in the Lucky Starr series, six juvenile science fiction novels by Isaac Asimov that originally appeared under the pseudonym Paul French. The novel was first published by Doubleday & Company in 1958...
(1958), novel by Isaac AsimovIsaac AsimovIsaac Asimov was an American author and professor of biochemistry at Boston University, best known for his works of science fiction and for his popular science books. Asimov was one of the most prolific writers of all time, having written or edited more than 500 books and an estimated 90,000...
. Humans from the SiriusSiriusSirius is the brightest star in the night sky. With a visual apparent magnitude of −1.46, it is almost twice as bright as Canopus, the next brightest star. The name "Sirius" is derived from the Ancient Greek: Seirios . The star has the Bayer designation Alpha Canis Majoris...
system establish a settlement on Titan as a provocation against the Earth government. Lucky Starr and Bigman Jones have to avert an interstellar war. Also features an emergency landing inside MimasMimas (moon)Mimas is a moon of Saturn which was discovered in 1789 by William Herschel. It is named after Mimas, a son of Gaia in Greek mythology, and is also designated Saturn I....
which is correctly described as mostly ice. - The Sirens of TitanThe Sirens of TitanThe Sirens of Titan is a Hugo Award-nominated novel by Kurt Vonnegut, Jr., first published in 1959. His second novel, it involves issues of free will, omniscience, and the overall purpose of human history...
(1959), novel by Kurt VonnegutKurt VonnegutKurt Vonnegut, Jr. was a 20th century American writer. His works such as Cat's Cradle , Slaughterhouse-Five and Breakfast of Champions blend satire, gallows humor and science fiction. He was known for his humanist beliefs and was honorary president of the American Humanist Association.-Early...
. Features a journey that climaxes on Titan. - The Game-Players of TitanThe Game-Players of TitanThe Game-Players of Titan is a 1963 science fiction novel by Philip K. Dick.-Plot summary:Pete Garden, the protagonist, is one of several residents who own large swathes of property in a depopulated, post-apocalyptic future world. These residents are organized in groups of regular competitors who...
(1963), novel by Philip K. DickPhilip K. DickPhilip Kindred Dick was an American novelist, short story writer and essayist whose published work is almost entirely in the science fiction genre. Dick explored sociological, political and metaphysical themes in novels dominated by monopolistic corporations, authoritarian governments and altered...
. A neurotic and suicidal man named Pete Garden must roll a three in Bluff, the game that's become a blinding obsession for the last inhabitants of post-apocalyptic Earth, against opponents who are from Titan. - Perry RhodanPerry RhodanPerry Rhodan is the name of a science fiction series published since 1961 in Germany, as well as the name of the main character. It is a space opera, dealing with several themes of science fiction. Having sold over one billion copies worldwide, it is the most successful science fiction book series...
(1960s), German pulp science fiction series. Titan has a prison and advanced medical facilities. - World of PtavvsWorld of PtavvsWorld of Ptavvs is a science fiction novel by Larry Niven, first published in 1966 and set in his Known Space universe. It was Niven's first published novel and is based on a 1965 short story of the same name.-Plot summary:...
(1966), Known SpaceKnown SpaceKnown Space is the fictional setting of some dozen science fiction novels and several collections of short stories written by author Larry Niven. It has also in part been used as a shared universe in the Man-Kzin Wars spin-off anthologies sub-series....
novel by Larry NivenLarry NivenLaurence van Cott Niven / ˈlæri ˈnɪvən/ is an American science fiction author. His best-known work is Ringworld , which received Hugo, Locus, Ditmar, and Nebula awards. His work is primarily hard science fiction, using big science concepts and theoretical physics...
. Titan is one of the few worlds in the solar system (along with Earth and Mars), which is not under jurisdiction of the BeltBelter (Niven)In Larry Niven's fictional Known Space universe, a Belter refers to a resident of the Asteroid Belt around Sol, sometimes known as the Sol Belt to differentiate it from Alpha Centauri's Serpent Swarm....
government. It is the site of the Titan Hotel, a honeymoon retreat for wealthy flatlander couples. - Star Smashers of the Galaxy RangersStar Smashers of the Galaxy RangersStar Smashers of the Galaxy Rangers is a comic science fiction novel by Harry Harrison. It is about two college students, Chuck van Chider and his friend Jerry Courtenay, who accidentally invent a device that can transport them through space, powered by a substance called "Cheddite", which is...
(1973), spoof Space OperaSpace operaSpace opera is a subgenre of science fiction that emphasizes romantic, often melodramatic adventure, set mainly or entirely in outer space, generally involving conflict between opponents possessing advanced technologies and abilities. The term has no relation to music and it is analogous to "soap...
novel by Harry HarrisonHarry HarrisonHarry Harrison is an American science fiction author best known for his character the Stainless Steel Rat and the novel Make Room! Make Room! , the basis for the film Soylent Green...
. Titan is the home of Bug-eyed monsterBug-eyed monsterBug-eyed monster is an early convention of the science fiction genre. Extraterrestrials in science fiction of the 1930s were often described as grotesque creatures with huge, oversized...
s which kidnap the heroine. - Imperial EarthImperial EarthImperial Earth is a novel written by Arthur C. Clarke, and published in time for the U.S. bicentennial in 1976 by Ballantine Books. The plot follows the protagonist, Duncan Makenzie, on a trip to Earth from his home on Titan, ostensibly for a diplomatic visit to the U.S...
(1976), novel by Arthur C. ClarkeArthur C. ClarkeSir Arthur Charles Clarke, CBE, FRAS was a British science fiction author, inventor, and futurist, famous for his short stories and novels, among them 2001: A Space Odyssey, and as a host and commentator in the British television series Mysterious World. For many years, Robert A. Heinlein,...
. Titan is home to a human colony with a population of 250,000 and provides an important role in the Solar System'sSolar SystemThe Solar System consists of the Sun and the astronomical objects gravitationally bound in orbit around it, all of which formed from the collapse of a giant molecular cloud approximately 4.6 billion years ago. The vast majority of the system's mass is in the Sun...
economics; Titan's atmosphere supplies the hydrogen needed to support interplanetary travel. - If the Stars Are Gods (1977), novel by Gregory BenfordGregory BenfordGregory Benford is an American science fiction author and astrophysicist who is on the faculty of the Department of Physics and Astronomy at the University of California, Irvine...
and Gordon EklundGordon EklundGordon Eklund is a Nebula Award-winning, American science fiction author whose works include the "Lord Tedric" series and two of the earliest original novels based on the 1960s Star Trek TV series. He has written under the pen name Wendell Stewart, and in one instance under the name of the late E. E...
. Astronaut Bradley Reynolds makes direct contact with an alien artificial intelligence spread across Titan's surface. - Eyes of Amber (1977), novelette by Joan D. VingeJoan D. VingeJoan D. Vinge is an American science fiction author. She is known for such works as her Hugo Award-winning novel The Snow Queen and its sequels, her series about the telepath named Cat, and her Heaven's Chronicles books.-Biography:...
. Titan is the home of extraterrestrial intelligence, the Tropemen. - TitanTitan (John Varley)Titan is a Locus Award winning 1979 science fiction novel by John Varley. It is the first book in his Gaea Trilogy. It was nominated for the Nebula Award for Best Novel in 1979, and the Hugo Award for Best Novel in 1980.-Plot summary:...
(1979), novel by John VarleyJohn Varley (author)John Herbert Varley is an American science fiction author.-Biography:Varley grew up in Fort Worth, Texas, moved to Port Arthur in 1957, and graduated from Nederland High School. He went to Michigan State University on a National Merit Scholarship because, of the schools that he could afford, it...
. An expedition to explore the moons of SaturnSaturnSaturn is the sixth planet from the Sun and the second largest planet in the Solar System, after Jupiter. Saturn is named after the Roman god Saturn, equated to the Greek Cronus , the Babylonian Ninurta and the Hindu Shani. Saturn's astronomical symbol represents the Roman god's sickle.Saturn,...
is captured by a giant, intelligent super-organism. Sequels include Wizard (1980) and Demon (1984) (Gaea trilogyGaea trilogyThe Gaea Trilogy consists of three science fiction novels by John Varley. The stories tell of humanity's encounter with a living being in the shape of a 1,300 km diameter space habitat, inhabited by many different species, most notably Titanides, in orbit around the planet Saturn.The novels...
). - Code of the LifemakerCode of the LifemakerCode of the Lifemaker is a 1983 novel by science fiction author James P. Hogan. NASA's Advance Automation for Space Missions was the direct inspiration for this novel detailing first contact between Earth explorers and the Taloids, clanking replicators who have colonized Saturn's moon Titan.A...
(1983) and The Immortality Option (1995), novels by James P. HoganJames P. Hogan (writer)James Patrick Hogan was a British science fiction author.-Biography:Hogan was born in London, England. He was raised in the Portobello Road area on the west side of London...
. Titan is inhabited by a race of Clanking ReplicatorClanking replicatorA clanking replicator is an artificial self-replicating system that relies on conventional large-scale technology and automation. The term evolved to distinguish such systems from the microscopic "assemblers" that nanotechnology may make possible...
s - Fiasco (1986), novel by Stanisław Lem. The first several chapters are set on Titan, with a character ending up frozen on the surface for several hundred years.
- SaturnaliaSaturnalia (novel)Saturnalia was a 1986 science fiction novel by Grant Callin, published by Baen Books. It was based on a short story named "Saturn Alia". It was followed by a sequel, A Lion on Tharthee.-Plot summary:...
(1986), novel by Grant CallinGrant CallinGrant David Callin is part of the hard science fiction stream of authors. He sometimes goes by the pseudonym Flash Richardson....
. Titan is one of the locations of an alien artifact. A fictional volcano, Mons Gargantua is described in the book as being so large as to even dwarf Olympus MonsOlympus MonsOlympus Mons is a large volcanic mountain on the planet Mars. At a height of almost , it is one of the tallest mountains in the Solar System, three times as tall as Mount Everest and more than twice the height of Mauna Kea the tallest mountain on Earth. Olympus Mons is the youngest of the large...
. - Mars trilogyMars trilogyThe Mars trilogy is a series of award-winning science fiction novels by Kim Stanley Robinson that chronicles the settlement and terraforming of the planet Mars through the intensely personal and detailed viewpoints of a wide variety of characters spanning almost two centuries...
(1996) by Kim Stanley RobinsonKim Stanley RobinsonKim Stanley Robinson is an American science fiction writer known for his award-winning Mars trilogy. His work delves into ecological and sociological themes regularly, and many of his novels appear to be the direct result of his own scientific fascinations, such as the fifteen years of research...
. Nitrogen from Titan is used in the TerraformingTerraformingTerraforming of a planet, moon, or other body is the hypothetical process of deliberately modifying its atmosphere, temperature, surface topography or ecology to be similar to those of Earth, in order to make it habitable by terrestrial organisms.The term is sometimes used more generally as a...
of MarsMarsMars is the fourth planet from the Sun in the Solar System. The planet is named after the Roman god of war, Mars. It is often described as the "Red Planet", as the iron oxide prevalent on its surface gives it a reddish appearance...
. - Titan (1997), novel by Stephen BaxterStephen BaxterStephen Baxter is a prolific British hard science fiction author. He has degrees in mathematics and engineering.- Writing style :...
. A NASANASAThe National Aeronautics and Space Administration is the agency of the United States government that is responsible for the nation's civilian space program and for aeronautics and aerospace research...
mission to Titan must struggle to survive after a disastrous landing. Contains vivid depictions of a journey through the Saturnian system. - Alpha Centauri (1997) by William BartonWilliam Barton (writer)William Renald Barton III is an American science fiction writer. In addition to his standalone novels, he is also known for collaborations with Michael Capobianco...
and Michael CapobiancoMichael CapobiancoMichael Victor Capobianco is an American science fiction writer.He is known for writing novels in collaboration with William Barton. Many of their novels deal with themes such as the Cold War, space travel, and space opera....
. Titan is the birthplace of Maeru kai Ortega ("Kai"), one of the novel's primary point-of-view characters. - The Clouds of Saturn (2000), novel by Michael McCollum. Titan is the homeworld of Envon and Kimber Crawford, and Arvin Taggart.
- Justice Squad (2005), web serial. Titan becomes home to the remnants of the extraterrestrial Xrax people.
- TitanTitan (Bova novel)Titan is a science fiction novel written by Ben Bova as part of the Grand Tour novel series. It directly follows the novel Saturn, in which the space habitat Goddard has finished its two-year journey from Earth, and has settled into the orbit of Saturn....
(2006), novel by Ben BovaBen BovaBenjamin William Bova is an American science-fiction author and editor. He is the recipient of six Hugo Awards for Best Professional Editor for his work at Analog Science Fiction in the 1970's.-Personal life:...
. Part of the Grand TourGrand Tour (novel series)-Summary:The novels present a theme of exploration and colonization of the solar system by humans in the late 21st century. Most of the books focus on the exploration of one particular planet or planetary moon....
series. Titan is being explored by an artificially intelligent rover which mysteriously begins malfunctioning, while a mobile human Space Colony explores the Rings and other moons. - Audience of One (2007), short story about First Contact.
- Communion of Dreams (2007), a novel by Jim DowneyJames Downey (Internet performance artist)James Downey is a US author, book restorer and Internet performance artist, who has organized two relatively high-profile stunts.-Lasers at the moon :...
. A mysterious alien artifact is discovered on Titan that has strange effects on anyone who observes it. - Ontario Lacus (2008), novel by J. Matthew Neal. A microorganism with fantastic regenerative powers is discovered in a hydrocarbon lake on Titan, and is perverted by a scientist into a variety of devastating weapons.
Film and television
- "The Glowing Eggs of Titan" (1962), episode Space PatrolSpace Patrol (1962 TV series)Space Patrol is a science-fiction television series featuring marionettes that was produced in the United Kingdom in 1962. It was written and produced by Roberta Leigh in association with the Associated British Corporation.-Summary:...
TV series. Husky's discovery of a luminous egg of the Saturnian moon of Titan could prove to be the solution of the Martian energy crisis. - The Invisible EnemyThe Invisible EnemyThe Invisible Enemy is a serial in the British science fiction television series Doctor Who, which was first broadcast in four weekly parts from 1 October to 22 October 1977...
(1977), a Doctor WhoDoctor WhoDoctor Who is a British science fiction television programme produced by the BBC. The programme depicts the adventures of a time-travelling humanoid alien known as the Doctor who explores the universe in a sentient time machine called the TARDIS that flies through time and space, whose exterior...
serial. Takes place partly on a manned base on Titan in the year 5000, by which time the human race has spread across the galaxy. Titan's methane atmosphere bursts into flames after the Doctor releases vast amounts of oxygen as a trap to destroy an enlarged virus. - Transformers G1The Transformers (TV series)The Transformers is an animated television series depicting a war among giant robots who could transform into vehicles, other objects and animal-like forms. Written and recorded in America, the series was animated in Japan and South Korea...
(1985), TV series. In the episode, The God Gambit, a group of people, known as Titans, live on Titan and have a belief in the Sky Gods. However, this is only a ruse from the temple workers to deceive the people and give them harsh laws. Talaria and her group of rebels attempt to stop them. Talaria's group and the people worship the DecepticonDecepticonThe Decepticons are usually depicted as the antagonists in the fictional universes of the Transformers stoyline and related comics and cartoons, and the enemies of the Autobots and the University of California Davis Aggies...
s when they arrive, who deem themselves as gods and hold CosmosCosmos (Transformers)Cosmos is the name of several fictional characters in the various Transformers universes. He is sometimes referred to as "Autobot Cosmos" for trademark purposes.Wired Magazine once nominated him as one of the 12 most ridiculous Transformers of all time....
, who they were chasing, captive. JazzJazz (Transformers)Jazz is the name of a fictional character from the various Transformers universes. He is usually portrayed as a music loving robot and talks with a slang accent. He is also a good friend of Optimus Prime's...
and PerceptorPerceptorPerceptor is the name of several different fictional characters in the Transformers universes.-Transformers: Generation 1:Perceptor transforms into a microscope ....
, with the help of Omega SupremeOmega SupremeOmega Supreme is the name of a fictional character from the Transformers franchise. He is always an Autobot and is often depicted as a gigantic transformer with vast strength and/or overwhelming firepower.-Transformers: Generation 1:...
, rescue Cosmos and Talaria (who Jazz had developed a special relationship with) and free the peoples of the Decepticons' ruse. They rebuild their homes on another side of the moon, as the side with the temple on it was burned. - Creature (The Titan Find) (1985), horror film. Titan is where ancient aliens preserved dormant creatures from all over the galaxy.
- Red DwarfRed DwarfRed Dwarf is a British comedy franchise which primarily comprises eight series of a television science fiction sitcom that aired on BBC Two between 1988 and 1999 and Dave from 2009–present. It gained cult following. It was created by Rob Grant and Doug Naylor, who also wrote the first six series...
(1988), BBCBBCThe British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
TV series. The character Lister illegally imports a catCatThe cat , also known as the domestic cat or housecat to distinguish it from other felids and felines, is a small, usually furry, domesticated, carnivorous mammal that is valued by humans for its companionship and for its ability to hunt vermin and household pests...
from Titan that, through the action of hard radiationIonizing radiationIonizing radiation is radiation composed of particles that individually have sufficient energy to remove an electron from an atom or molecule. This ionization produces free radicals, which are atoms or molecules containing unpaired electrons...
over millions of years, becomes the progenitor of a well-dressed, but not particularly intelligent species called Felis sapiens. In the first series Lister also often sings a song mentioning Titan, as well as GanymedeGanymede (moon)Ganymede is a satellite of Jupiter and the largest moon in the Solar System. It is the seventh moon and third Galilean satellite outward from Jupiter. Completing an orbit in roughly seven days, Ganymede participates in a 1:2:4 orbital resonance with the moons Europa and Io, respectively...
. - "Chain of Command" (1992), Star Trek: The Next GenerationStar Trek: The Next GenerationStar Trek: The Next Generation is an American science fiction television series created by Gene Roddenberry as part of the Star Trek franchise. Roddenberry, Rick Berman, and Michael Piller served as executive producers at different times throughout the production...
episode. Titan's Turn is a daring spacecraftSpacecraftA spacecraft or spaceship is a craft or machine designed for spaceflight. Spacecraft are used for a variety of purposes, including communications, earth observation, meteorology, navigation, planetary exploration and transportation of humans and cargo....
maneuver around Titan, often carried out by shuttle pilots flying between outposts in orbit of JupiterJupiterJupiter is the fifth planet from the Sun and the largest planet within the Solar System. It is a gas giant with mass one-thousandth that of the Sun but is two and a half times the mass of all the other planets in our Solar System combined. Jupiter is classified as a gas giant along with Saturn,...
and SaturnSaturnSaturn is the sixth planet from the Sun and the second largest planet in the Solar System, after Jupiter. Saturn is named after the Roman god Saturn, equated to the Greek Cronus , the Babylonian Ninurta and the Hindu Shani. Saturn's astronomical symbol represents the Roman god's sickle.Saturn,...
. - The U.S.S. Titan is the name of William RikerWilliam RikerWilliam Thomas Riker, played by Jonathan Frakes, is a fictional character in the Star Trek universe primarily appearing as a main character in Star Trek: The Next Generation...
's first command as noted in Star Trek Nemesis. The Titan is a Luna-Class ship, all of which are named after moons in the Terran System. - GattacaGattacaGattaca is a 1997 science fiction film written and directed by Andrew Niccol. It stars Ethan Hawke, Uma Thurman and Jude Law with supporting roles played by Loren Dean, Ernest Borgnine, Gore Vidal and Alan Arkin....
(1997), film. Titan is the goal for a manned space mission, which is seen lifting off in the final sequence. - StarhunterStarhunterStarhunter is a Canadian science fiction television series that aired for two seasons. The series was produced in Canada by The Danforth Studios Ltd. in association with Alliance Atlantis with some photography in the United Kingdom. Grosvenor Park Productions UK Ltd...
(2001), TV series. Titan features prominently as the former home of the character Dante, and is the site of a large colony. - Star Trek (2009). The USS EnterpriseUSS Enterprise (NCC-1701)The USS Enterprise, NCC-1701, is a fictional starship in the Star Trek media franchise. The original Star Trek series depicts her crew's mission "to explore strange new worlds; to seek out new life and new civilizations; to boldly go where no man has gone before" under the command of Captain James...
drops out of warpWarp drive (Star Trek)Warp drive is a faster-than-light propulsion system in the setting of many science fiction works, most notably Star Trek. A spacecraft equipped with a warp drive may travel at velocities greater than that of light by many orders of magnitude, while circumventing the relativistic problem of time...
inside Titan's atmosphere, using its magnetic field to hide from the RomulanRomulanThe Romulans are a fictional alien race in the Star Trek universe. First appearing in the original Star Trek series in the 1966 episode "Balance of Terror", they have since made appearances in all the main later Star Trek series: The Animated Series, The Next Generation, Deep Space Nine, Voyager...
s' sensors long enough for KirkJames T. KirkJames Tiberius "Jim" Kirk is a character in the Star Trek media franchise. Kirk was first played by William Shatner as the principal lead character in the original Star Trek series. Shatner voiced Kirk in the animated Star Trek series and appeared in the first seven Star Trek movies...
and SpockSpockSpock is a fictional character in the Star Trek media franchise. First portrayed by Leonard Nimoy in the original Star Trek series, Spock also appears in the animated Star Trek series, two episodes of Star Trek: The Next Generation, seven of the Star Trek feature films, and numerous Star Trek...
to beamTransporter (Star Trek)A transporter is a fictional teleportation machine used in the Star Trek universe. Transporters convert a person or object into an energy pattern , then "beam" it to a target, where it is reconverted into matter...
aboard the enemy ship. - EurekaEureka (TV series)Eureka is an American science fiction television series that premiered on Syfy on July 18, 2006. Since then four seasons have aired, and a fifth is currently being filmed. The second half of season 4 began on SyFy on July 11, 2011 and ended on September 19, 2011...
(2010), TV series. The second half of the fourth season centers around the secret preparations for the first human expedition to Titan.
Comics and anime
- Sailor Saturn's Castle is called Castle of Titan.
- Judge DreddJudge DreddJudge Joseph Dredd is a comics character whose strip in the British science fiction anthology 2000 AD is the magazine's longest running . Dredd is an American law enforcement officer in a violent city of the future where uniformed Judges combine the powers of police, judge, jury and executioner...
, part of the 2000 AD2000 AD (comic)2000 AD is a weekly British science fiction-oriented comic. As a comics anthology it serialises a number of separate stories each issue and was first published by IPC Magazines in 1977, the first issue dated 26 February. IPC then shifted the title to its Fleetway comics subsidiary which was sold...
comic series. Titan is used as a penal colony, but, due to a writer's error, is placed in orbit around Jupiter. This was later explained as being due to a scientific experiment in teleportation. This was revealled in the Games WorkshopGames WorkshopGames Workshop Group plc is a British game production and retailing company. Games Workshop has published the tabletop wargames Warhammer Fantasy Battle and Warhammer 40,000...
adventure for the Judge Dredd Roleplaying Game - Judgement Day (Not to be mistaken for the Zombie Takeover) where the Judges discover that the soul of Judge Caligula is still alive and is attempting to take over Megacity 1. The players in their investigation get to go to Titan. In the introduction that tells the GM about Titan, it reveals about the Teleportation Experiment that went wrong. (A fact that was said in the White DwarfWhite dwarfA white dwarf, also called a degenerate dwarf, is a small star composed mostly of electron-degenerate matter. They are very dense; a white dwarf's mass is comparable to that of the Sun and its volume is comparable to that of the Earth. Its faint luminosity comes from the emission of stored...
review of this adventure to be a very neat solution to the writer's error.) - Space Battleship YamatoSpace Battleship Yamatois a Japanese science fiction anime series featuring an eponymous spacecraft. It is also known to English-speaking audiences as Space Cruiser Yamato; an English-dubbed and heavily edited version of the series was broadcast on North American and Australian television as Star Blazers...
(Star BlazersStar BlazersStar Blazers is an American animated television series adaptation of the Japanese anime series, . Star Blazers was first broadcast in the United States in 1979. Significantly, it was the first popular English-translated anime that had an over-arching plot and storyline that required the episodes to...
) (1974). The Yamato crew land on Titan to mine "titanite", a mineral necessary for energy transmission units. - "The God Gambit" (1985), episode of Transformers animated cartoon. Titan is home to a primitive civilization of humanoids who worship Transformers as gods.
- "Money is Everything" (1986), episode of Transformers animated cartoon. In the year 2006, Titan has been terraformed by humans.
- Cowboy BebopCowboy Bebopis a critically acclaimed and award-winning 1998 Japanese anime series directed by Shinichirō Watanabe, written by Keiko Nobumoto, and produced by Sunrise. Its 26 episodes comprise a complete storyline: set in 2071, the series follows the adventures, misadventures and tragedies of five bounty...
(1998), animeAnimeis the Japanese abbreviated pronunciation of "animation". The definition sometimes changes depending on the context. In English-speaking countries, the term most commonly refers to Japanese animated cartoons....
. Titan was the site of a war over hydrocarbon extraction in the year 2068. It is unclear whether there was a colony on the moon. - Chi-Chian comics, animated series, and roleplaying game by VoltaireVoltaire (musician)Voltaire , is a popular dark cabaret Cuban-American musician...
. The albino character Nahm flees from her oppressive childhood on Titan, which is home to a colony of bigoted genetic purists. - In the animated TV show FuturamaFuturamaFuturama is an American animated science fiction sitcom created by Matt Groening and developed by Groening and David X. Cohen for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series follows the adventures of a late 20th-century New York City pizza delivery boy, Philip J...
, titanium mines on Titan cave in, causing the value of titaniumTitaniumTitanium is a chemical element with the symbol Ti and atomic number 22. It has a low density and is a strong, lustrous, corrosion-resistant transition metal with a silver color....
to skyrocket, convincing Bender to sell most of his body, save his own head. - Aim for the Top 2! (2004), anime. Titan is the location of the Titan Variable Gravity Well. A living habitat exists on Titan to house the team attempting to extract the artifact as well featuring plush facilities for visiting members of Topless and their Buster Machines.
- In the Marvel ComicsMarvel ComicsMarvel Worldwide, Inc., commonly referred to as Marvel Comics and formerly Marvel Publishing, Inc. and Marvel Comics Group, is an American company that publishes comic books and related media...
Universe, TitanTitan (Marvel Comics)In the Marvel Universe, Saturn's moon Titan is the fictional home of the Titanian Eternals. It first appeared in Iron Man #55 and was created by Jim Starlin and Mike Friedrich...
is home to a colony of EternalsEternals (comics)The Eternals are a fictional race of superhumans in the Marvel Comics universe. They are described as an offshoot of the evolutionary process that created sentient life on Earth. The original instigators of this process, the alien Celestials, intended the Eternals to be the defenders of Earth which...
, a godlike race of men and women created from primitive humans by the powerful 'space gods' the Celestials as part of an experiment, and also spawned the super villain ThanosThanosThanos is a fictional character that appears in comic books and other media published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in Iron Man #55 and was created by writer-artist Jim Starlin....
, and the final resting place of Mar-vellCaptain Marvel (Marvel Comics)Captain Marvel is the name of several fictional superheroes appearing in comic books published by Marvel Comics. Most of these versions exist in Marvel's main shared universe, known as the Marvel Universe.- Publication history :...
. Also, the Stone men of Saturn briefly lived around Titan. - In the DC ComicsDC ComicsDC Comics, Inc. is one of the largest and most successful companies operating in the market for American comic books and related media. It is the publishing unit of DC Entertainment a company of Warner Bros. Entertainment, which itself is owned by Time Warner...
Universe, TitanTitan (DC Comics)Titan is a moon in the 30th and 31st centuries of the . The moon is inhabited by a colony of telepaths.It is the fictional home world of Saturn Girl, Imra Ardeen. She is one of the most powerful telepaths in the history of Titan...
is home to a race of very powerful telepaths, originally genetically adapted Terran immigrants. Depending on what part of the continuity you are reading, they may have been seeded there in the late 20th century as a colonyColonyIn politics and history, a colony is a territory under the immediate political control of a state. For colonies in antiquity, city-states would often found their own colonies. Some colonies were historically countries, while others were territories without definite statehood from their inception....
by Lar GandLar GandLar Gand, known primarily as Mon-El , is a fictional character in DC Comics' universe who is associated with the Legion of Super-Heroes, Superboy, and Superman...
(variously known as Mon-El, Valor and M'Onel). Among them is 30th century TelepathTelepathyTelepathy , is the induction of mental states from one mind to another. The term was coined in 1882 by the classical scholar Fredric W. H. Myers, a founder of the Society for Psychical Research, and has remained more popular than the more-correct expression thought-transference...
Imra Ardeen (aka Saturn GirlSaturn GirlSaturn Girl is a fictional character appearing in DC comic books. A talented telepath from the 30th century, Imra first appeared in Adventure Comics #247 as a founding member of the Legion of Super-Heroes...
), who appeared as a founding member of the Legion of Super-HeroesLegion of Super-HeroesThe Legion of Super-Heroes is a fictional superhero team in the 30th and 31st centuries of the . The team first appears in Adventure Comics #247 , and was created by Otto Binder and Al Plastino....
in Adventure ComicsAdventure ComicsAdventure Comics was a comic book series published by DC Comics from 1935 to 1983 and then revamped from 2009 to 2011. In its first era, the series ran for 503 issues , making it the fifth-longest-running DC series, behind Detective Comics, Action Comics, Superman, and Batman...
#247 (April 1958). - In the 1979 anime movie Galaxy Express 999Galaxy Express 999is a manga written and drawn by Leiji Matsumoto, as well as various anime films and TV series based on it. It is set in a space-faring, high-tech future in which humans have learned how to transfer their minds into mechanical bodies, thus achieving practical immortality.The manga won the...
, the 999 makes a stopover on TitanTitan (moon)Titan , or Saturn VI, is the largest moon of Saturn, the only natural satellite known to have a dense atmosphere, and the only object other than Earth for which clear evidence of stable bodies of surface liquid has been found....
, which has been terraformed to support human life. Titan is a "paradise" planet where there's no rule or no law. - In one Wonder Woman story Titan is shown to be in a state similar to Earth millions of years ago, with dinosaurs and various other pre-historic reptiles on it. Wonder Woman saves a group of caveman and bestows wisdom to them, which she thinks will help them gather civilisation.
Games
- An Apple IIApple IIThe Apple II is an 8-bit home computer, one of the first highly successful mass-produced microcomputer products, designed primarily by Steve Wozniak, manufactured by Apple Computer and introduced in 1977...
game called Titan EmpireTitan EmpireTitan Empire is a 1983 computer strategy/action game developed and published by MUSE Software. It was developed for the Apple II.-Description:The player controls a ship resembling the Starship Enterprise...
had human inhabitants of this moon attempting to take over the solar system. - In the table-top science fiction game Warhammer 40,000Warhammer 40,000Warhammer 40,000 is a tabletop miniature wargame produced by Games Workshop, set in a dystopian science fantasy universe. Warhammer 40,000 was created by Rick Priestley in 1987 as the futuristic companion to Warhammer Fantasy Battle, sharing many game mechanics...
, the Grey Knight Space MarinesSpace Marines (Warhammer 40,000)In the fictional universe of Warhammer 40,000 setting created by Games Workshop, Space Marines are genetically modified "super human" soldiers created by the Emperor to conquer the galaxy and defend mankind. According to Games Workshop, there are over a thousand recorded chapters of Space Marines,...
chapter keep their Fortress-Monastery on Titan. - In the Commodore 64Commodore 64The Commodore 64 is an 8-bit home computer introduced by Commodore International in January 1982.Volume production started in the spring of 1982, with machines being released on to the market in August at a price of US$595...
computer game Project FirestartProject FirestartProject Firestart is a cinematic action/adventure game for the Commodore 64 computer system. It was designed by Jeff Tunnell and Damon Slye and published by Electronic Arts in 1989...
, the setting of the story is located on a scientific space vessel which is floating near Titan in the Saturn system. - In the ActivisionActivisionActivision is an American publisher, majority owned by French conglomerate Vivendi SA. Its current CEO is Robert Kotick. It was founded on October 1, 1979 and was the world's first independent developer and distributor of video games for gaming consoles...
game BattlezoneBattlezone (computer game)Battlezone is a critically acclaimed remake of an arcade game of the same name. It was released by Activision in 1998. Aside from the name and presence of tanks, this game bears little resemblance to the original. Activision remade it into a hybrid of a tank simulation game, a first-person shooter...
(1998), Titan is the site of a Soviet base and several battles between the American, Soviet, and "Fury" forces. - The game FlashbackFlashback: The Quest for IdentityFlashback, released as Flashback: The Quest for Identity in the US, is a cinematic platformer developed by Delphine Software of France, a now defunct company, and published by U.S...
(1992) takes place mostly on Titan. - Gremlin InteractiveGremlin InteractiveGremlin Interactive was a British software house based in Sheffield and working mostly in the home computer market.- History :...
's game Hardwar (1998) takes place in a fictionalized city called Misplaced Optimism, which is on Titan. - Level 15 of DescentDescent (video game)Descent is a 3D first-person shooter video game developed by Parallax Software and released by Interplay Entertainment Corp. in 1995. The game features six degrees of freedom gameplay and garnered several expansion packs...
(1994), as well as its second sequel, Descent 3Descent (video game)Descent is a 3D first-person shooter video game developed by Parallax Software and released by Interplay Entertainment Corp. in 1995. The game features six degrees of freedom gameplay and garnered several expansion packs...
(2000), take place on Titan. In Descent the player is in a mine, while in Descent 3 the player travels to a proving ground. - In StarlancerStarlancerStarlancer is a space-based science fiction flight simulator computer game, created by Erin Roberts, under the auspices of Digital Anvil.-Overview:It is the year 2160...
, Titan is the site of a major, decisive battle between Alliance and Coalition forces. - In the PlayStation game Colony WarsColony WarsColony Wars is a trilogy of video games developed and produced by Psygnosis for the PlayStation. The three games in the series are Colony Wars , Colony Wars: Vengeance , and Colony Wars: Red Sun . The style of gameplay is a 3D science fiction space shoot 'em up.-Games:-Prologue:Colony Wars takes...
, Titan is the base of a Navy supergun. The League destroy Titan in the process of eradicating the weapon. - Titan serves as the final level of the game Solar EclipseSolar Eclipse (video game)Solar Eclipse is a video game released for the Sega Saturn, developed and published by Crystal Dynamics...
for the Sega SaturnSega SaturnThe is a 32-bit fifth-generation video game console that was first released by Sega on November 22, 1994 in Japan, May 11, 1995 in North America, and July 8, 1995 in Europe...
. It is the central front for the LaGrange Mining Operation, which is spread out over Saturn's seven largest moons and controlled by the AIArtificial intelligenceArtificial intelligence is the intelligence of machines and the branch of computer science that aims to create it. AI textbooks define the field as "the study and design of intelligent agents" where an intelligent agent is a system that perceives its environment and takes actions that maximize its...
program "IRIS". - The plot of Huygen's Disclosure, published in 1996 by SegaSoftSegaSoftSegaSoft, originally headquartered in Redwood City, California and later San Francisco, was a joint venture by Sega and CSK, created to develop and publish single and multiplayer games for the PC, primarily in the North American marketplace. SegaSoft was founded in 1995 and lasted until 2000, when...
, actually involves not only Titan, but the pending arrival of the HuygensHuygens probeThe Huygens probe was an atmospheric entry probe carried to Saturn's moon Titan as part of the Cassini–Huygens mission. The probe was supplied by the European Space Agency and named after the Dutch 17th century astronomer Christiaan Huygens....
probe. It did not depict Titan realistically. - In the game Legacy of Time, third game in the Journeyman Project series, Titan is home to a prison colony.
- An AmigaAmigaThe Amiga is a family of personal computers that was sold by Commodore in the 1980s and 1990s. The first model was launched in 1985 as a high-end home computer and became popular for its graphical, audio and multi-tasking abilities...
adventure game Suspicious Cargo published by Gremlin. - Originally released for the Commodore 64Commodore 64The Commodore 64 is an 8-bit home computer introduced by Commodore International in January 1982.Volume production started in the spring of 1982, with machines being released on to the market in August at a price of US$595...
, and later re-released for WindowsMicrosoft WindowsMicrosoft Windows is a series of operating systems produced by Microsoft.Microsoft introduced an operating environment named Windows on November 20, 1985 as an add-on to MS-DOS in response to the growing interest in graphical user interfaces . Microsoft Windows came to dominate the world's personal...
, Mines of TitanMines of TitanMines of Titan is a single-player role-playing video game, developed by Westwood Associates , and released by Infocom in 1989 for PC, MS-DOS and Apple II.-Remake:...
is an RPG set in the 22nd Century where the player must assemble a team to determine the fate of the city of Proscenium, with which all contact as been lost. - In the Brazilian strategic game OutliveOutliveOutlive is a Brazilian real-time strategy computer game developed and produced by Continuum Entertainment. It is a mission-based real-time strategy game where the player controls either the human military or robot forces and attempts to eliminate all opposing forces...
, Titan is a unique moon rich in minerals and resources. - In Mass EffectMass EffectMass Effect is an action role-playing game developed by BioWare for the Xbox 360 and Microsoft Windows by Demiurge Studios. The Xbox 360 version was released worldwide in November 2007 published by Microsoft Game Studios...
, Titan is being used by the Human Systems Alliance as a hostile environment training facility for marines, as well as a source of hydrocarbons. - In Titan Attacks, a game by Puppy Games, Titan is home to an evil alien race.
- In BattletechBattleTechBattleTech is a wargaming and science fiction franchise launched by FASA Corporation in 1984, acquired by WizKids in 2000, and owned since 2003 by Topps. The series began with FASA's debut of the board game BattleTech by Jordan Weisman and L...
Titan has a major yard complex originally built by the Terran Hegemony, and later controlled by ComStar for several years after the rest of the system is taken by the Word of Blake. - In Klingon Academy Titan is a possible destination for the player in the simulated level involving a Klingon invasion of the SolSunThe Sun is the star at the center of the Solar System. It is almost perfectly spherical and consists of hot plasma interwoven with magnetic fields...
system. - In the Master Levels for Doom II expansion pack for Doom II, one of the levels, Titan Manor, takes place on Titan.
- In SporeSpore (2008 video game)Spore is a multi-genre single-player god game developed by Maxis and designed by Will Wright. The game was released for the Microsoft Windows and Macintosh operating systems in September 2008 as Spore...
, Titan is one of the planets (or in this case, moons) that can be Terraformed and colonized by the player. - In Dead Space 2Dead Space 2Dead Space 2 is a survival horror third-person shooter video game developed by Visceral Games and published by Electronic Arts for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. It is the sequel to Dead Space. Unlike its predecessor, Dead Space 2 has a multiplayer mode. A Collector's Edition is...
, mankind has ripped Titan apart for resources and later built a metropolis on a shard of it.
Music
- Titan is a song on HammerFallHammerFallHammerFall is a power metal band from Gothenburg, Sweden. The band was formed in 1993 by ex-Ceremonial Oath guitarist Oscar Dronjak.- Early days :...
's album Threshold, dealing with the quest to colonize Titan after a disaster on Earth. - Sirens of Titan is a song on Al StewartAl StewartAl Stewart is a Scottish singer-songwriter and folk-rock musician.Stewart came to stardom as part of the British folk revival in the 1960s and 1970s, and developed his own unique style of combining folk-rock songs with delicately woven tales of the great characters and events from history.He is...
's album Modern Times, inspired by Kurt Vonnegut's novel. - Astronomy DomineAstronomy Domine"Astronomy Domine" is a song by British psychedelic rock band Pink Floyd. The song, written and composed by original vocalist/guitarist Syd Barrett, was the first track featured on their debut album, The Piper at the Gates of Dawn . The lead vocal was sung by Barrett and keyboard player Richard...
is a song by Pink FloydPink FloydPink Floyd were an English rock band that achieved worldwide success with their progressive and psychedelic rock music. Their work is marked by the use of philosophical lyrics, sonic experimentation, innovative album art, and elaborate live shows. Pink Floyd are one of the most commercially...
. Titan is mentioned in the line 'Neptune, Titan, stars can frighten' - Titan is a song on Brave Saint SaturnBrave Saint SaturnBrave Saint Saturn is a Christian rock band formed in Denver, Colorado in 1999. The band is a side-project of former members of Five Iron Frenzy started by Reese Roper...
's album The Light of Things Hoped For. The song uses the moon in a larger album-wide storyline as a metaphor for sin and corruption.