--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There always had to be a survivor. Maybe…" description: "\"“There always had to be a survivor. Maybe this simply spoke to the optimism of the men writing those screenplays; even with an uncomfortable sci fi plo..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0fc/chris-dietzel-34905_d_there-always-had-to-be-a-survivor-maybe_49258.jpg" --- # There always had to be a survivor. Maybe this simply spoke… ![“There always had to be a survivor. Maybe this simply spoke to the optimism of the men writing those screenplays; even with an uncomfortable sci fi plot they had to subconsciously comfort themselves by thinking that at least a hundred people would survive. Someone has to survive” quote by Chris Dietzel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0fc/chris-dietzel-34905_d_there-always-had-to-be-a-survivor-maybe_49258.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0fc/chris-dietzel-34905_d_there-always-had-to-be-a-survivor-maybe_49258.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0fc/chris-dietzel-34905_d_there-always-had-to-be-a-survivor-maybe_49258.jpg) > ““There always had to be a survivor. Maybe this simply spoke to the optimism of the men writing those screenplays; even with an uncomfortable sci fi plot they had to subconsciously comfort themselves by thinking that at least a hundred people would survive. Someone has to survive”” [Chris Dietzel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-dietzel/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote reflects on the narrative need for at least one character to survive, suggesting that writers embed optimism even in bleak sci‑fi scenarios. **In simple terms:** Survivor trope in storytelling Key Takeaway Stories often guarantee a survivor to comfort audiences Themes optimism narrative structure survival science fiction psychology Mood hopeful reflective Type observation analysis When to use this quote - post‑apocalyptic film - space disaster novel - dystopian TV series Key Concepts character arcs audience expectation hope Practical Applications - scriptwriting - story analysis Questions to Reflect On - Why do audiences crave a survivor? - How does this affect plot tension? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Movie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/movie/) [Sci fi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sci-fi/) [Survivor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/survivor/) ## Related quotes > [If Gone With the Wind has a theme it is that of survival. What makes some people come through catastrophes and others, apparently just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-mitchell/if-gone-with-the-wind-has-a-theme-it-is-that-of-survival-what-makes/) [Margaret Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-mitchell/) > [“Risk is part of the game.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jahson-atiba-alemu-i/risk-is-part-of-the-game/) Jahson Atiba Alemu I > [Sometimes to take that next step, and become that person that you have always dreamed of becoming, you have to be willing to shed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/sometimes-to-take-that-next-step-and-become-that-person-that-you-have/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [How you got one tooth talkin bout look at me now](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rayquan/how-you-got-one-tooth-talkin-bout-look-at-me-now/) Rayquan > [:D:D:D:D:D :D:D:D:D:D](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/d-d-d-d-d-d-d-d-d-d/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Life, it has been agreed by everyone whose opinion is worth consulting, is the only fit subject for novelist or biographer; life, the same…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-woolf/life-it-has-been-agreed-by-everyone-whose-opinion-is-worth-consulting/) [Virginia Woolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-woolf/) > [A lady walks into a high class jewellery shop. She browses around, spots a beautiful diamond bracelet and walks over to inspect it. As…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mly-ab/a-lady-walks-into-a-high-class-jewellery-shop-she-browses-around/) MlY AB > [Be a good person but don't try to Prove.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam/be-a-good-person-but-don-t-try-to-prove/) [sam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam/) > [Im paranoid I'm trippin been smoking been sippin ;D](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patience/im-paranoid-i-m-trippin-been-smoking-been-sippin-d/) Patience > [“He didn't mean I couldn't leave, he meant I couldn't leave leave. If he meant I couldn't even take out the trash and had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dinah-katt/he-didn-t-mean-i-couldn-t-leave-he-meant-i-couldn-t-leave-leave-if-he/) [Dinah Katt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dinah-katt/) > [I love my artwork, I love it on my wrist. I love having a personality, with a terrifying twist. -drucilla baron (me)](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-love-my-artwork-i-love-it-on-my-wrist-i-love-having-a-personality/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“ROBLOX JAILBREAK IS AWESOME!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blazingnebrski/roblox-jailbreak-is-awesome/) BlazingNebrski > [“If your idea is big enough and crazy enough, all you have to do is survive. If you survive you will succeed.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bo-peabody/if-your-idea-is-big-enough-and-crazy-enough-all-you-have-to-do-is/) Bo Peabody > [In the face of all that is so wrong with the world, the very worst thing you can do is survive. And yet you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-david-roberts/in-the-face-of-all-that-is-so-wrong-with-the-world-the-very-worst/) [Gregory David Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-david-roberts/) > [The real question is how do you survive at the same time you pose those risks? Because you need to survive. And it seems…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-butler/the-real-question-is-how-do-you-survive-at-the-same-time-you-pose/) [Judith Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-butler/) ## More by Chris Dietzel > [“Scared people don’t really mean what they say, they’re just looking for ways to rationalize everything so they have someone or something to blame.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-dietzel/scared-people-don-t-really-mean-what-they-say-they-re-just-looking/) [Chris Dietzel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-dietzel/) > [“You will find, as you get older, that the key to being happy is being able to turn those bad memories into treasured ones.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-dietzel/you-will-find-as-you-get-older-that-the-key-to-being-happy-is-being/) [Chris Dietzel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-dietzel/) > [“Maybe life is measured by the first time you question your place in the world and by the final answer you come up with.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-dietzel/maybe-life-is-measured-by-the-first-time-you-question-your-place-in/) [Chris Dietzel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-dietzel/) > [“Why couldn't he see the tragedy of what was unfolding? Was it because it was too painful, or was it because holding onto hope…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-dietzel/why-couldn-t-he-see-the-tragedy-of-what-was-unfolding-was-it-because/) [Chris Dietzel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-dietzel/) > [“Their crime? They were related to a suspected Thinker, someone who questioned the Tyranny’s motives and saw through its propaganda.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-dietzel/their-crime-they-were-related-to-a-suspected-thinker-someone-who/) [Chris Dietzel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-dietzel/) > [“Maybe that’s why I get frustrated sometimes, because there’s no one to blame for how our lives have turned out. I wouldn’t change any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-dietzel/maybe-that-s-why-i-get-frustrated-sometimes-because-there-s-no-one-to/) [Chris Dietzel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-dietzel/) > [“Lower taxes didn’t mean people paid less; it meant taxes weren’t raised.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-dietzel/lower-taxes-didn-t-mean-people-paid-less-it-meant-taxes-weren-t-raised/) [Chris Dietzel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-dietzel/) > [“Time is denial's mortal enemy and is always victorious against it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-dietzel/time-is-denial-s-mortal-enemy-and-is-always-victorious-against-it/) [Chris Dietzel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-dietzel/) > [“While time travel was now possible, the precision of the journey was by no means scientific.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-dietzel/while-time-travel-was-now-possible-the-precision-of-the-journey-was/) [Chris Dietzel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-dietzel/) > [“Holy shit, the water’s freezing,” the god screamed”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-dietzel/holy-shit-the-water-s-freezing-the-god-screamed/) [Chris Dietzel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-dietzel/) > [“laws for the sake of controlling people rather than protecting them.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-dietzel/laws-for-the-sake-of-controlling-people-rather-than-protecting-them/) [Chris Dietzel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-dietzel/) > [“Anything said is gone as soon as it leaves my lips. Things written down at least have a chance to leave a soft echo…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-dietzel/anything-said-is-gone-as-soon-as-it-leaves-my-lips-things-written/) [Chris Dietzel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-dietzel/) > [“There is no glory in killing a man because it satisfies someone else’s greed.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-dietzel/there-is-no-glory-in-killing-a-man-because-it-satisfies-someone-else/) [Chris Dietzel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-dietzel/) [Explore all 14 Chris Dietzel quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-dietzel/) ## More D quotes > [I love my artwork, I love it on my wrist. I love having a personality, with a terrifying twist. -drucilla baron (me)](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-love-my-artwork-i-love-it-on-my-wrist-i-love-having-a-personality/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“He didn't mean I couldn't leave, he meant I couldn't leave leave. If he meant I couldn't even take out the trash and had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dinah-katt/he-didn-t-mean-i-couldn-t-leave-he-meant-i-couldn-t-leave-leave-if-he/) [Dinah Katt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dinah-katt/) > [Im paranoid I'm trippin been smoking been sippin ;D](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patience/im-paranoid-i-m-trippin-been-smoking-been-sippin-d/) Patience > [Be a good person but don't try to Prove.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam/be-a-good-person-but-don-t-try-to-prove/) [sam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam/) > [A lady walks into a high class jewellery shop. She browses around, spots a beautiful diamond bracelet and walks over to inspect it. As…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mly-ab/a-lady-walks-into-a-high-class-jewellery-shop-she-browses-around/) MlY AB > [“Life, it has been agreed by everyone whose opinion is worth consulting, is the only fit subject for novelist or biographer; life, the same…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-woolf/life-it-has-been-agreed-by-everyone-whose-opinion-is-worth-consulting/) [Virginia Woolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-woolf/) > [:D:D:D:D:D :D:D:D:D:D](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/d-d-d-d-d-d-d-d-d-d/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [How you got one tooth talkin bout look at me now](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rayquan/how-you-got-one-tooth-talkin-bout-look-at-me-now/) Rayquan > [Sometimes to take that next step, and become that person that you have always dreamed of becoming, you have to be willing to shed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/sometimes-to-take-that-next-step-and-become-that-person-that-you-have/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Risk is part of the game.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jahson-atiba-alemu-i/risk-is-part-of-the-game/) Jahson Atiba Alemu I > [“ROBLOX JAILBREAK IS AWESOME!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blazingnebrski/roblox-jailbreak-is-awesome/) BlazingNebrski Browse all 12 D quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“There always had to be a survivor. Maybe this simply spoke to the optimism of the men writing those screenplays; even with an uncomfortable sci fi plot they had to subconsciously comfort themselves by thinking that at least a hundred people would survive. Someone has to survive”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Chris Dietzel" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-dietzel/there-always-had-to-be-a-survivor-maybe-this-simply-spoke-to-the/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "D" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-dietzel/there-always-had-to-be-a-survivor-maybe-this-simply-spoke-to-the/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0fc/chris-dietzel-34905_d_there-always-had-to-be-a-survivor-maybe_49258.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0fc/chris-dietzel-34905_d_there-always-had-to-be-a-survivor-maybe_49258.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0fc/chris-dietzel-34905_d_there-always-had-to-be-a-survivor-maybe_49258.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“There always had to be a survivor. Maybe this simply spoke to the optimism of the men writing those…” — Chris Dietzel", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Chris Dietzel", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-dietzel/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“There always had to be a...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-dietzel/there-always-had-to-be-a-survivor-maybe-this-simply-spoke-to-the/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-dietzel/there-always-had-to-be-a-survivor-maybe-this-simply-spoke-to-the/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```