This is a brainstorming list-type thread.  I'll go first.

jetpacks
rampaging robots
planetary level explosions
hot chicks in white lab coats explaining SCIENCE!
laser guns
weird time effects near black holes

Quote from: jrientshot chicks in white lab coats explaining SCIENCE!

*AUTOMATED KARI BYRON RESPONSE ENGAGED*

decrepit ol' freighters that outrun the dark armada
evul aliens with names full of consonants and bad skin
mindbendingshapeshifters from another dimension

Gigantic planet sized space ships or stations. Preferably with little abandoned corners where who knows what has taken up residence.

cryogenic pods
hoverbikes
the childlike curiosity of the amorphous energy blob
matt-black body armour
a sky full of dropships
a sentient planet

and yes, supra-intelligent shades of blue

Robot gunslingers who teleraph their draw when their oscillating red eye stops . . .

more hot chixx0rz, this time in skintight spandex, with assassin gear
flying cars
plamsa tanks
starships kilometers long
sentient killer robots (thinkin' berserker rather than borg)
ruins on planets from civilizations millenia ago.  what killed them?  why'd they leave?

Twin suns have been cool since the original Star Wars.
Feudal governments.
Old-style military uniforms.
Deep space research stations.

Multiple moons
Multiple breasts (More than two)
Multiple heads
Multiple anything
Minigunlazer gatling machine
Gaint Space worms
Tiny brain sucking space worms
Space worm poo
Crowded alien bars
Wreched hives of scum and villainy
Giant Sand worms
Shapeshifting assassins in guize of hot chix roxxor
High tech gaget that is placed onto backof neck, to brain wash it to kill the prime
multicolored frosties, with smoke and volcanos erupting from them
rave + skin + Aliens in cages + Smoke + Space credits + Afroementioned frosty foaming bubbly drink from strange will kill you with a tencile bar keep/robot
Asteriod hideouts with afroremention hot alien chcik rave bar fileld with cut throat alien assassins
giant megolitich ships that could not hit a tiny gnat of a space ship if it had to
Space trash from the megolithic planet sized doomsday ships. I call it metal space poo
giant orbiting bases
robots who kill
robots who LOVE
robots who kill.. then love... ewww!
hiding things in opera stars stomachs that need to be ripped out to save the verse
Black doomy head explody makes your nose bleed enties that promise everything
Space grunts that are UUUUUUUUUGLY
merc aliens who are even uglier
GOD it hurts my eyes are bleeding aliens who are grunts/killing machines
bounty hunters in armor with big guns killing stuff, and in your base killing your doodz

sithson, i think you've hit upon the ultimate 'heavy metal' definition

Cyber enhanced hot chicks. eeeerrrr I can't seem to think of anything else......:combust:

• AIs on the brink of what we puny humans call 'sanity'
• Scientists who won't admit that the space-GFSs are NOT intelligent and WILL eat our asses, PERIOD
• Morose lady space pirates
• Secluded temples on distant moons, full of crazy space-monks who pray for the fire at the center of the galaxy to flash outward and burn away the filthy, sinning scourge of humanity
• Aliens who are too logical for their own good
• Taking off your shirt and punching some damn lizard-looking mofo straight in his leathery damn face
• 0MG PREDATORZ!!1!!!1!!1!1!!33@!!!
• Pirate bases carved into abandoned asteroid mines
• FTL travel with a variety of kooky explanations/appearances
• Smartassed robots
• Alien parasites in our fluoridated water
• Stealing a flying saucer from the BEM invaders and taking it for a joyride
• Handwavey supertech updates of classical melee weapons
• "HAWKMEN -- DIIIIIIIIVE!"
• Hawtsome Chixxor Bounty Hunters
• Mouthy smartbombs who argue philosophy with you instead of just exploding like they're supposed to
• Gibsonian, TRON-esque cyberspace
• Hoverbikes (seconded!)
• Feudal societies -- IIIIIN SPAAAAACE!
• Malfunctioning colony ships on a runaway course headed STRAIGHT FOR YOUR PLANET
• Kicking Jar Jar Binks in the throat