THE PIRATE QUEEN A Thesis by JASMINA SARA KUENZLI Submitted to the Office of Graduate and Professional Studies of Texas A&M University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of MASTER OF ARTS Chair of Committee, Susan Stabile Committee Members, Sara DiCaglio Felice House Head of Department, Maura Ives May 2019 Major Subject: English Copyright 2019 Jasmina Sara Kuenzli ABSTRACT This thesis contains the critical introduction and the full text of my original science fiction novel, The Pirate Queen. The critical introduction details the literary, theoretical, and historical influences that led to the creation of my novel. Among these influences are the Star Wars original trilogy and the prequels, the historical figure of Grace O’Malley of Ireland, Audre Lorde’s concept of the female erotic as power, and romance as represented in Lois McMaster Bujold’s Shards of Honor and Sarah J. Maas’ Throne of Glass series. My introduction argues that The Pirate Queen uses the space opera genre and these influences to create a feminist representation of power and romance in the setting of the space opera, positioning femininity as a source of strength for the main protagonist, Grace O’Malley. The next portion of my thesis is my creative work, The Pirate Queen, a space opera centered around the romance between Captain Grace ‘Granuaile’ O’Malley and Captain Caleb Lewis. Dashing pirate outlaw Grace ‘Granuaile’ O’Malley travels the galaxy, fighting in the Rebellion against the Terran Republic and eluding capture by Captain Caleb Lewis of the Terran Republic’s Star Navy. Caleb and Grace are mortal enemies, the key players in the upcoming war between the Republic and Queen Elizabeth’s Rebellion. Unfortunately, they’re in also in love. The novel begins with the realization that Caleb and Grace were once childhood best friends in Lawrence, Kansas, the beginnings of an attraction that has remained in spite of their positions on opposite sides of a war. Jumping across time and planets, from Lawrence, Kansas, to the Planet Daarthuur, The Pirate Queen establishes multiple confrontations between Grace and Caleb, where they realize the full power of their connection. In the end, Grace and Caleb will have to confront their feelings for each other and determine if love is enough to alter their paths, and the fate of the galaxy itself ii DEDICATION This thesis is dedicated to all the queens who have driven me to create this story. The friends, family, and role models who told me never to back down, who helped me write fearlessly and love recklessly. Do not ever shrink yourself to make room for someone else. Do not ever be afraid of your own power. Brenna, Sarah, Taylor Swift, Carol Danvers, Natasha Romanov, Diana of Themyscira, Dana Alexa, Beyoncé… And the Pirate Queen herself. iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would like to thank my committee: Susan, Jason, Felice, and Sara. Thank you for believing in a ridiculous, fun, space romance. Thank you for laughing at my jokes and never complaining about length. You all are the best part of my experience at Texas A&M. Thank you to the writers who taught me to tell stories: Sarah J. Maas, Rainbow Rowell, Stuart Hill, Cinda Williams Chima, Tamora Pierce, Stan Lee, JK Rowling, and George Lucas. Your stories are always a part of me. Thank you for adventure and magic and badass queens with swords. Thank you to the soundtrack of this novel, the artists who helped me tell this story. Waterparks, As It Is, Taylor Swift, All Time Low, Lorde, Mayday Parade, Jason Derulo, Little Mix, Ariana Grande, and Beyoncé. Thank you for drama and grandeur and daring. Thank you for emergency dance parties and late-night jam sessions. In particular, I want to thank J.K. Rowling and the Harry Potter series, the constant heartbeat of everything I’ve ever written in the realm of science fiction and fantasy. Thank you for teaching me about the redemptive power of true love. Thank you for “Always.” Finally, thank you to my friends and family for their continued love and support. Mom, I love you so much and I’m so amazed by how strong, beautiful, and faithful you are every single day. Jeremiah and Joseph, we are the J Team everyone else wishes they were. Brenna, I’m so glad that I moved into your house when we were seven. You are the kindest, fiercest person I’ve ever known, and my best friend in the entire world. Thank you for being a real-life Disney princess. Thank you for reading my stories even though you hate reading and always offering a sympathetic ear every time I do something stupid. I love you so much. iv Sarah, we emerged out of Work Hell together. Thank you so much for being such hype- man, and introducing me to Shards of Honor. You are unfailingly funny and one of my favorite people to talk to. Thank you for being so supportive and brave and crying over gay fanfiction with me. I love you and I hope we survive Endgame. Finally, thank you to the band that encompasses adventure, drama, mystery, intrigue, and true love: One Direction. v CONTRIBUTORS AND FUNDING SOURCES This thesis was supervised by the committee of Dr. Susan Stabile (chair), Dr. Sara DiCaglio (member), from the Department of English, and Dr. Felice House (member). There were no other student contributors for this thesis than the student, Jasmina S Kuenzli. There are no outside funding sources related to the research and compilation of this thesis. vi TABLE OF CONTENTS Page ABSTRACT .................................................................................................................................... ii DEDICATION ............................................................................................................................... iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ........................................................................................................... iv CONTRIBUTORS AND FUNDING SOURCES ......................................................................... vi TABLE OF CONTENTS .............................................................................................................. vii CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION .................................................................................................... 1 CHAPTER II GRACE ................................................................................................................. 21 CHAPTER III MARS 9 .............................................................................................................. 34 CHAPTER IV THE FLOOD ....................................................................................................... 49 CHAPTER V PLUTROPOLIS .................................................................................................... 58 CHAPTER VI ANGELA ............................................................................................................. 85 CHAPTER VII HIDARI .............................................................................................................. 94 CHAPTER VIII CATCH ........................................................................................................... 116 CHAPTER IX THE ESCAPE ................................................................................................... 134 CHAPTER X POMPEII ............................................................................................................ 155 CHAPTER XI THE HOSTAGE SITUATION ......................................................................... 181 CHAPTER XII JETHREN ........................................................................................................ 199 vii CHAPTER XIII ELIZABETH .................................................................................................. 226 CHAPTER XIV ADVANCED INTERROGATION ................................................................ 247 CHAPTER XV THE REBELLION........................................................................................... 261 CHAPTER XVI CONCLUSION .............................................................................................. 291 BIBLIOGRAPHY ....................................................................................................................... 293 viii CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION The Pirate Queen is a space opera that places the historical figure of Grace O’Malley in a universe of epic space battles, romantic love, and intricate power struggles. The historical, fictional, and theoretical scaffold that I used to engineer the story offers a glimpse into the thought process that led to the creation of The Pirate Queen. The historical figure of Grace O’Malley, the space opera subgenre as represented in Star Wars, and the contemporary romances in Sarah J. Maas’ Throne of Glass series and Lois McMaster Bujold’s Shards of Honor inspired the characters, setting, and style of The Pirate Queen. I draw theoretical insight for a queer feminist concept of power and heroism from Audre Lorde’s essay “Uses of the Erotic: The Erotic as Power” and Veronica Hollinger’s essay “(Re) Reading Queerly: Science Fiction, Feminism, and the Defamiliarization of Gender.” What emerges is The Pirate Queen, a space opera which follows the conventions of the subgenre in terms of scale and worldbuilding, offers a new take on the historical perspective of Grace O’Malley and Queen Elizabeth I, and develops a romance between Grace O’Malley and Captain Caleb Lewis based upon mutual trust and equality, establishing a specifically feminine understanding of power. The space opera remains an essential element of science