American Royals

Alternate history is a subgenre of speculative fiction that focuses primarily on significant historical events playing out in an unexpected way. Throughout history, people have entertained thoughts of “what if”: What if the Russians made it to the moon before the United States? What if a zombie outbreak interrupted the Civil War? What if Adolf Hitler had been accepted into art school before he became the chancellor of Germany? Beneath the speculative fiction genre, alternate history touches the edges of science fiction and dystopian fiction, and for many people, American Royals toes the line between romance and dystopia. After all, in a world where America never went on to make history and appoint the first president, what would this mean for the rest of the world and countries controlled by tyrannical, oppressive leaders? McGee’s characters might be more concerned about love and family relationships, but beneath this seemingly straightforward romance, the question lingers: What else is different about this world, and why is it important?

Within the alternate history subgenre lives the idea of the multiverse, or multiple universes all existing at the same time, each a slight variation of the other and no two exactly the same. Multiverse theory claims that whenever a person makes a decision or a random event happens, there are multiple possibilities for the future. In American Royals, McGee explores a popular myth from history that suggests George Washington was asked to be king. Although the story is far more fictional than factual, the modern American society we know today would assume that the noble Washington turned down the offer and decided to create a new position called the presidency. In McGee’s world, however, Washington said yes. The decision, like many decisions, can be thought of as a path diverging in two different directions: yes on the left, no on the right. Depending on which path the character takes, entirely different sceneries and experiences might unfold. Multiverse theory presents the idea that our daily lives are made up of a million junctures like this, and with every variation in choices, the paths branch further and further apart.

In recent years, the multiverse has exploded in pop culture: From hit shows like The Man in the High Castle to Marvel Studios’ never-ending lineup of multiverse-themed movies, the multiverse is experiencing a resurgence in popularity. Although there are countless theories as to why the multiverse genre is making a comeback, one prevalent idea is that audiences have grown tired of media composed only of exciting car chases, empty action sequences, or run-of-the-mill characters that look like carbon copies of one another. In a world celebrating and embracing diversity more than at any other time in history, the multiverse grants writers, filmmakers, and artists the chance to explore the “what ifs” of humanity: What if Spiderman was a Black woman? What if one of the most evil people in history chose a different path and went on to do good? And what if George Washington’s descendent is a nervous, love struck, grieving young woman who has to become the Queen of America?