If we could describe 2018 in one word, it would be complicated. There have been some amazing shows and films, and fandom has faced a lot of growth and change. But we’ve also seen a lot of pain. We here at io9 have come together to celebrate the greatest pop culture moments of the year, as well as the things that could and should have been better. Grab a chair and dive into the best and worst of 2018. The Highlights Advertisement The Shape of Water’s Oscar triumph Despite the fact that sci-fi and fantasy genre films have long been mainstream box office juggernauts, there’s still a degree to which they aren’t taken seriously as “prestige” works of art, worthy of proper recognition from institutions like the Academy. That’s what made The Shape of Water snagging a Best Picture Oscar this year so incredible. Not only was the win earned (though, one can argue that the award should have gone to Get Out), it also made it clear that the Academy really can’t get away with snubbing the inarguably fantastic genre pictures that studios are now beginning to churn out with increasing regularity Natalie We were all happy when del…