The Golden Man
The Golden Manis a 1954 science fiction short story by Philip K. Dick. The story is set in a post-apocalyptic future, where the existence of potentially powerful mutants has become a reality. The mutants are seen as dangerous and have been hunted to death by human beings for years. A golden-skinned mutant called Cris is captured by the government, which attempts to execute him. However, his appearance and abilities to see into the future allow him to escape. The end of the story implies that this golden mutant race will replace humanity.
Plot summary
The protagonists of the story are a government agent and his fiancee, members of a government agency tasked with tracking down and sterilizing or eliminating mutants, individuals with physical abnormalities and even superhuman powers (such as the ability to steal the appearance and memories of others) that make them a threat to normal humans. The titular "Golden Man" is a feral young man named Cris with gold-colored skin, who does not appear to be sapient, but possesses the ability to see into the future (specifically, the ability to see all possible outcomes from any single action, described in the story as similar to a chess player with the ability to see all possible moves 5 steps ahead). The agency manages to capture Cris, but doesn't execute him immediately due to their wish to study his ability. Unknown to them, Cris turns out to possess another power; his golden skin acts like a lion's mane, and allows him to seduce members of the opposite sex. Cris influences the fiancee into freeing him, then impregnates her and makes his escape. The story ends with the protagonist reflecting on how animal instincts have triumphed over human intellect, and how that is the new direction evolution will take if Cris succeeds in replacing humanity.
About the Story
Dick wrote the story during a time when mutants were being depicted in science fiction as benign and in charge - the future leaders of humanity. Dick said in an interview in 1979:
"I intended to show that (1) the mutant might not be good, at least good for the rest of mankind, for us ordinaries; and (2) not in charge but sniping at us as a bandit would, a feral mutant who potentially would do us more harm than good".[citation needed]
This view was loathed by John W. Campbell, the editor of Analog, and he refused to publish the story.
The story first appeared in If magazine,April 1954.
The movie Next, released on April 27 2007, was loosely based on this story. The movie is directed by Lee Tamahori, with Nicolas Cage as Cris, Jessica Biel as his love interest, and Julianne Moore as the government agent that is tracking him.
