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Brighter Side: The joy of grimdark

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Horror, heroism, sacrifice, and determination

Peak Web
Peak Web
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By: Corbett Gildersleve, News Writer

The world is not in a good place right now. Between the ongoing genocide in Palestine, the ICE kidnappings in the US, and Canada’s new legislation sidestepping Indigenous rights and environmental protections, it’s hard to feel joyful. So, what do I do when things get me down? I watch hours-long lore videos about fictional grimdark universes — worlds somehow worse than ours. 

Grimdark settings are often bleak, dystopian universes where even the rare good things come at a cost. I have been listening to Warhammer 40K lore videos for over a year now — often as a sleep aid. This grimdark sci-fi universe is set 40,000 years in the future, where humanity has spread across the galaxy. 

Everyone is at war with each other, there are no “good guys,” and everything is turned up to 11.  

So, why do I watch these videos? Because even in moments of horror, there are stories of heroism, sacrifice, and determination. I see echoes of these qualities in everyday activism and resistance from communities organizing to stop or delay ICE raids, to people pushing back against religiously-motivated book bans, and in First Nations groups taking legal action against the Ontario and federal governments.  

In a strange way, these grimdark tales remind me that even in the bleakest of worlds — real or imagined — people still find ways to fight back. And when the real world feels like too much, returning to those stories of defiance helps me hold onto hope. If you’re feeling overwhelmed or discouraged, take a moment to listen to a short story of heroic defiance in a world far worse than our own.     

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Simon Fraser University’s independent student newspaper since 1965.

For advertising inquiries: [email protected]
For promotional inquiries: [email protected]

© The Peak Publications Society