{"id":1401,"date":"2024-08-21T18:48:57","date_gmt":"2024-08-22T01:48:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/werebear.net\/main\/?p=1401"},"modified":"2024-08-22T13:21:05","modified_gmt":"2024-08-22T20:21:05","slug":"when-space-piracy-goes-wrong","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/werebear.net\/main\/blog\/2024\/08\/21\/when-space-piracy-goes-wrong\/","title":{"rendered":"When Space Piracy Goes Wrong"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Introduction<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>As anyone who knows me even casually will tell you, I&#8217;m more than a little obsessed about the <em>Alien<\/em> series. The first film is possibly my favorite movie of all time, although John Carpenter&#8217;s <em>The Thing <\/em>comes a close second. So when I heard about <em>Alien: Romulus<\/em> I was apprehensive. Both <em>Alien<\/em> and <em>Aliens <\/em>are fantastic movies in their respective genres: horror and action. But <em>Alien 3 <\/em>and <em>Alien 4<\/em> were sub-par at best. In fact, writer Joss Whedon once said it was a script he regretted. I can understand why. It stank on ice. <em>AvP<\/em> and <em>AvP: Requiem<\/em> are fun, non-canonical, trashy flicks, but nowhere near the quality of the first two films.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>When <em>Prometheus<\/em> launched after a long dry stretch without new <em>Alien<\/em> fodder, the excitement was palpable. &#8220;Ridley Scott is coming back!&#8221; cheered masses of fans. But when Scott released the film, the public was&#8230; unhappy. The scientists in it acted like stupid frat boys, with one even turning his spacesuit into a walking bong. The Xenomorph had been replaced by urns of black goo and a progenitor race that created humanity using it. Many of the key plot points made no sense. One character got a C-section out of a gumball machine. Nobody knew what to make of it. I still like it, even if it&#8217;s fatally flawed. Most <em>Alien<\/em> fans revile it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Then came <em>Alien: Covenant<\/em>, which brought the classic Xenomorph back, but this time its origins were revealed: a disgruntled android from the last movie had crafted the Xenos using <em>Prometheus<\/em>&#8216; black goo combined with bits and pieces of Noomi Rapace. This seems an odd recipe to me, but I rolled with it and actually think the movie&#8217;s quite good. A short follow-up film, <em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=6JyhF66eEnk\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=6JyhF66eEnk\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Alien: Covenant &#8211; Advent<\/a><\/em> provided three additional bits of information, namely that David 8 figured out how to use the black goo, then killed Shaw (Noomi Rapace) because of her refusal to be &#8220;evolved&#8221; by it. But that&#8217;s okay in David&#8217;s book, because he&#8217;s planning to turn <em>Covenant<\/em>&#8216;s lead character, Daniels, into a Xenomorph queen prototype. He&#8217;s an industrious and efficient guy, after all.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>There are a lot of interesting ideas in those two-and-a-quarter films, but I doubt many people would argue they feel seamless and polished. So how can the old be reconciled with the new? How do we get from the idea of parasitic alien organisms to The Engineers with their evolution goo and such? In many ways, Fede \u00c1valarez&#8217;s <em>Alien: Romulus<\/em> is the glue between those things.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full is-resized\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"692\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/werebear.net\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/AlienRomulusPoster-692x1024-1.jpg?resize=692%2C1024&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1409\" style=\"width:500px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/werebear.net\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/AlienRomulusPoster-692x1024-1.jpg?w=692&amp;ssl=1 692w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/werebear.net\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/AlienRomulusPoster-692x1024-1.jpg?resize=203%2C300&amp;ssl=1 203w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 692px) 100vw, 692px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The movie poster for Alien: Romulus.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Bad Ideas And Worse Outcomes<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Allow me to both summarize and critique the plot of <em>Romulus<\/em>. A handful of twenty-something colonists decide they&#8217;ve had quite enough of living in Jackson, a Weyland-Yutani town of approximately 2,700 souls who are dropping like flies from industrial accidents and illness. The company routinely refuses exit visas to the locals because the planet is a barren shithole that gets zero days of sunlight. Nobody wants to live there &#8212; especially not a group of highly-motivated young adults.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>So the young&#8217;uns decide to emigrate to Yvaga using the <em>Corbelan IV<\/em>, a ship that they inexplicably both have access to and keep fueled. There&#8217;s just one problem: Yvaga is nine years away and their ship lacks cryopods. But an abandoned Weyland-Yutani vessel that <em>does<\/em> have pods has drifted into orbit, so they decide to engage in a little space piracy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Lead character Rain (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.imdb.com\/name\/nm8314228\/?ref_=tt_cl_t_1\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/www.imdb.com\/name\/nm8314228\/?ref_=tt_cl_t_1\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Cailee Spaeny<\/a>) and her glitchy android &#8220;brother&#8221; Andy (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.imdb.com\/name\/nm9657438\/?ref_=tt_cl_t_2\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/www.imdb.com\/name\/nm9657438\/?ref_=tt_cl_t_2\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">David Jonsson<\/a>) are invited along for the ride, but it&#8217;s not out of altruism. Andy can override the station&#8217;s security for the junior buccaneers, which makes him essential. He also needs periodic winding with a high-tech key like a robotic tin soldier, and he tells lots of dad jokes to anyone who stands near him for longer than a few minutes. Just about everyone on the crew is annoyed by him, but they need him. That doesn&#8217;t mean they&#8217;re <em>nice<\/em> about it, though.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>One rocky launch later, what they believed to be an abandoned ship turns out to be a derelict space station in a deteriorating orbit. Better work fast! They find the cryopods quickly, but they only have enough cryo-fuel for three years and change, which turns the crew into cryo-babies about the situation. Lead scavenger Tyler (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.imdb.com\/name\/nm8850556\/?ref_=tt_cl_t_3\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/www.imdb.com\/name\/nm8850556\/?ref_=tt_cl_t_3\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Archie Renaux<\/a>) gets an idea on where to find more fuel in the station. So he, Andy, and a completely unlikable jackass named Bjorn (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.imdb.com\/name\/nm10514458\/?ref_=tt_cl_t_5\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/www.imdb.com\/name\/nm10514458\/?ref_=tt_cl_t_5\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Spike Fearn<\/a>) tromp off to loot some freeze-fuel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Of course this proves to be a <em>terrible<\/em> idea. The fuel is stored in a room full of modified Facehuggers in sous vide bags. Oh, and this new type of Facehugger has barbs on its legs and can be stored long-term. And they&#8217;re 3D-printed in some fashion. There&#8217;s even one-third of a critter still in the printer when our wanna-be pirates reach the storage room. Nobody seems to notice it. What I want to know is this: how do you print something with acid for blood without melting the printer? Let&#8217;s just wave our hands over that detail and proceed.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"334\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/werebear.net\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/alien-romulus-station.png?resize=800%2C334&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1411\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/werebear.net\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/alien-romulus-station.png?w=800&amp;ssl=1 800w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/werebear.net\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/alien-romulus-station.png?resize=300%2C125&amp;ssl=1 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Looks wholesome and safe to me.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>Now we learn both earlier and later in the film that this facility had two halves: Romulus and Remus. Remus seems to be where foolhardy scientists brought the Xeno from the original <em>Alien<\/em> movie for analysis, not realizing that it had entered a state of anabiosis within a shell of its own making. The shell is HUGE. It&#8217;s probably more than the entire mass of the Xeno&#8217;s body, calling into question how it could secrete such a thing in a vacuum without shrinking into a raisin. Let&#8217;s wave our hands over that detail as well and proceed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Also, the movie clearly shows that the grappling hook Ripley shot into the tough little fucker is still firmly lodged in its body. Why didn&#8217;t acid dissolve it? Even if it flash froze, when the corpse thawed that should&#8217;ve melted like hot butter. Additionally, how is anyone going to perform a meaningful examination of a corpse that squirts highly-corrosive fluids when punctured aboard a space station, which will explosively decompresses if said fluids eat through the decks and hull? Why not take it down to a planet? Let&#8217;s wave our hands over that detail and&#8230; well, you know the drill.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>At some point the Xenomorph awakened from its hibernation and went on a killing spree. This is why the station is adrift. We don&#8217;t get to see any of the disaster, but that sounds like fun to me as an audience member. Maybe someone will make a short film about that.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Jumping ahead a bit, we eventually learn that the research team extracted substance Z-01 from the Xeno before it went buck wild on them. Z-01 is something similar or identical to the black goo from <em>Prometheus<\/em>. I&#8217;m bringing this plot point up earlier than it&#8217;s explicitly revealed in the film because it&#8217;s relevant to a certain guest star&#8217;s motivations. Keep it in mind.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"400\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/werebear.net\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/alien-romulus-blue-mist_noted.png?resize=800%2C400&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1413\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/werebear.net\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/alien-romulus-blue-mist_noted.png?w=800&amp;ssl=1 800w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/werebear.net\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/alien-romulus-blue-mist_noted.png?resize=300%2C150&amp;ssl=1 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Substance Z-01 in its container.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>Tyler and Bjorn become trapped with Andy in the cryo-fuel room when Bjorn predictably screws up extracting a fuel cylinder. A <em>crap-ton<\/em> of live Facehugger &#8220;parasitoids&#8221; begin to wake up in their bags. Once again, the invaders don&#8217;t notice. Maybe they need glasses or a seeing eye dog. They certainly miss a lot of obvious details that foreshadow trouble.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Andy cannot get the door open due to his low security clearance. The system admonishes him to contact the &#8220;Chief Science Officer.&#8221; But wait just a tick. Wasn&#8217;t that Ash&#8217;s title aboard the <em>Nostromo<\/em>?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Rain rushes to the rescue and extracts a data disk from a nearby android that&#8217;s been melted by Xeno blood. She passes the disk to Andy through a crack in the door and he proceeds to reboot himself with it. This should provide the credentials necessary to open the door. We later see that the android is identical to Sir Ian Holm&#8217;s Ash from <em>Alien<\/em>. I&#8217;ll explore the real-life AI\/VFX controversy surrounding this situation later.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Andy finishes rebooting and goes from literal Rain-man (&#8220;I must do what&#8217;s in Rain&#8217;s best interests!&#8221;) to company man (&#8220;I must do what&#8217;s in the company&#8217;s best interests. Sorry, Rain!&#8221;). His twitchy, impaired ways yield to a frightening degree of cold, calculating competency, and actor David Jonsson does an amazing job of conveying this with his performance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But wait just a tick. Does that mean Rook, the android on the floor, was the Chief Science Officer? And if the crew of the <em>Nostromo<\/em> didn&#8217;t recognize Ash as an android model, and the team aboard the station thought Rook was their CSO (a role that wouldn&#8217;t normally go to an android), what&#8217;s really going on here? I&#8217;ll explore that later as well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The fleshy humans barely manage to hold their own against the parasitoids. Bjorn plays with his new favorite toy: a shock baton. He doesn&#8217;t seem to grasp that water conducts electricity, and all of them are standing up to their thighs in good ol&#8217; H2O. Tyler is briefly shocked out and knocked out. He quite graphically gets a mouthful of ovipositor tubing at one point, but he pulls free before the Facehugger fully attaches. Upgraded Andy tosses one of the scuttling parasites into an electrical panel and then uses his new security credentials to open the door. <\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"499\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/werebear.net\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/facehugger_stampede.png?resize=1024%2C499&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1418\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/werebear.net\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/facehugger_stampede.png?resize=1024%2C499&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/werebear.net\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/facehugger_stampede.png?resize=300%2C146&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/werebear.net\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/facehugger_stampede.png?w=1778&amp;ssl=1 1778w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Well that&#8217;s unfortunate.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>Tyler, Bjorn, and Andy&#8217;s escape from the locked room also releases a parasitoid stampede. Another member of the team, Navarro (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.imdb.com\/name\/nm12495816\/?ref_=tt_cl_t_6\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/www.imdb.com\/name\/nm12495816\/?ref_=tt_cl_t_6\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Aileen Wu<\/a>), receives a free, unwanted facial of the worst kind. With some judicious door-closing, the incompetent pirates isolate themselves from the herd. But they&#8217;re still left with an unconscious, infected team member. This is when we&#8217;re introduced to the digital ghost of Sir Ian Holm in the form of Rook, the android Rain just scavenged for a disk.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Rook talks a good game to Andy about protecting the humans, but it turns out he really just wants them to deliver Z-01 to Jackson for collection and further research by the company. Another amateur pirate on the crew, Kay (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.imdb.com\/name\/nm5097044\/?ref_=tt_cl_t_4\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/www.imdb.com\/name\/nm5097044\/?ref_=tt_cl_t_4\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Isabela Merced<\/a>), is secretly pregnant, so you can guess where this is heading. Think of it as &#8220;Chekhov&#8217;s Fetus&#8221; combined with &#8220;Chekhov&#8217;s Goop&#8221;: you can&#8217;t show a pregnant woman and a foreign substance in the first act of an <em>Alien<\/em> movie and not have the baby turn into something horrible by the third.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"512\" src=\"https:\/\/werebear.net\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/alien-romulus5-1024x512.avif\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1415\" srcset=\"https:\/\/werebear.net\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/alien-romulus5-1024x512.avif 1024w, https:\/\/werebear.net\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/alien-romulus5-300x150.avif 300w, https:\/\/werebear.net\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/alien-romulus5.avif 1400w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">This is Navarro. Don&#8217;t get attached to her.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>A little brainstorming reveals a new technique for extracting a Facehugger. Rain suggests freezing the root of the parasite&#8217;s tail with some cryo-fuel. Then the gang can extract the &#8216;hugger without it strangling Navarro. Rook puts the odds of her being infected anyway at 60\/40, and the odds aren&#8217;t in her favor. But doing nothing isn&#8217;t an option, and leaving her behind also isn&#8217;t an option. Time for some freeze therapy!<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"512\" src=\"https:\/\/werebear.net\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/alien-romulus-12-2-1024x512.avif\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1414\" srcset=\"https:\/\/werebear.net\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/alien-romulus-12-2-1024x512.avif 1024w, https:\/\/werebear.net\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/alien-romulus-12-2-300x150.avif 300w, https:\/\/werebear.net\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/alien-romulus-12-2.avif 1577w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">This Facehugger <em>did<\/em> get attached to Navarro.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>Navarro wakes up, and both Bjorn and Kay freak out when Andy&#8217;s new programming crunches some numbers that suggest crunching Navarro is the best and safest bet. Bjorn uses his shocky-stick to subdue the android and run off to the <em>Corbelan<\/em>. Nobody aboard cares to wait for Rain, Tyler, or Andy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This is probably for the best, because Navarro pops out a new Chestburster in no time flat. We get to see a bit of this process from the inside courtesy of a hand-held &#8220;X-ray torch.&#8221; The view is jumbled at best. Bjorn and Kay freak out, the ship careens into the station, worsens its orbit (work <em>faster<\/em>, folks), and then miraculously plows into a Romulus-module cargo bay.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Now the story is about Team A trying to reunite with Team B. During all the running around, we get to witness some new stuff. Ironically, one of the things we see is that Facehuggers have no eyes. They hunt exclusively by heat and sound. Turning a room up to body temperature and staying quiet renders humans practically invisible them. Just don&#8217;t sweat or carry on a loud conversation with Kay, who is desperately fleeing for her life in the other half of the station.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>These dolts do both, of course. They&#8217;re <em>really<\/em> bad at both space piracy and common sense.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Another new thing shown to the audience is a life cycle stage between Chestburster and full Xeno. After Navarro&#8217;s &#8216;burster sheds, it enters a giant meat cocoon with a vagina. That&#8217;s the only way I can describe what&#8217;s on screen. This is work derived from H.R. Giger&#8217;s <em>Erotomechanics<\/em>, after all. If you want to watch something G-rated, rent <em>Peter Rabbit<\/em> or some shit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Kay&#8217;s hotheaded, loudmouth brother Bjorn tries to fuck the vagina with an overcharged cattle prod. It&#8217;s all very phallic and &#8220;alpha male&#8221; of him. He gets about what you&#8217;d expect for his efforts. Once the Xeno has granted him an excruciating payback death, Kay tries to flee.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>She makes it to the hangar door, but is subsequently speared and abducted by the Xeno when Andy refuses to open the pod bay door (Hal). Rain and Tyler throw a toddler tantrum over Andy&#8217;s decision, but he&#8217;s unquestionably right: opening the door would&#8217;ve meant death for all of them. Rain confirms Andy&#8217;s new pro-corporate directive and wonders if humans are <em>anywhere<\/em> on his list of priorities.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"750\" height=\"422\" src=\"https:\/\/werebear.net\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/a-character-crawls-through-a-vent-in-alien-romulus-trailer.avif\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1420\" srcset=\"https:\/\/werebear.net\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/a-character-crawls-through-a-vent-in-alien-romulus-trailer.avif 750w, https:\/\/werebear.net\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/a-character-crawls-through-a-vent-in-alien-romulus-trailer-300x169.avif 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 750px) 100vw, 750px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">&#8220;Please let that <em>not<\/em> be Xeno urine.&#8221;<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>Rook puppeteers the survivors from afar using the MU\/TH\/UR mainframe that the fools cheerfully patched him into earlier. He tells them that if they return to their ship with Z-01, he&#8217;ll engage the autopilot and return them to Jackson. He also spins a yarn about how this substance represents humanity&#8217;s only chance of surviving in space. Remember all the diseases down on Jackson? Turns out that&#8217;s happening at every other colony, too. Humans are flimsy and suck at space travel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The cryopods are aboard the <em>Corbelan IV<\/em> at this point, so with enough cryo-fuel Yvaga should be within reach. And given the number of people who have died to date, it&#8217;s a simple matter to just swap fuel from one pod to another without even taking on more reserves. Yet everyone agrees to the Jackson plan because Rook won&#8217;t let them go anywhere or do anything else <em>without<\/em> agreeing. Andy gives Tyler and Rain some fancy auto-targeting pulse rifles, then tells them they cannot fire even one shot without acid breaching the hull. Just use the guns to intimidate the little scamps, okay?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Add &#8220;Chekhov&#8217;s Pulse Rifle&#8221; to &#8220;Chekhov&#8217;s Fetus&#8221; and &#8220;Chekhov&#8217;s Goo&#8221; on the list of obvious stuff to come.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"750\" height=\"422\" src=\"https:\/\/werebear.net\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/alien-romulus-15.avif\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1426\" srcset=\"https:\/\/werebear.net\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/alien-romulus-15.avif 750w, https:\/\/werebear.net\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/alien-romulus-15-300x169.avif 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 750px) 100vw, 750px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Remember: short, controlled non-bursts!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>Part of the group&#8217;s return path leads through a nascent Xeno hive, and Tyler finds Kay gummed up against a wall <em>Aliens<\/em> style. She&#8217;s bleeding out, and Andy remarks that&#8217;s probably why the Xenos didn&#8217;t give her a parasitoid facial. Tyler rescues Kay and asks Andy for options to save her. Initially, he suggests injecting her with Z-01. Tyler almost does that before Rain says something the audience already knows &#8212; this is a <em>really<\/em> bad idea.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>And how does the audience know this? Because yet again, the audience has seen something the crew failed to notice: an experimental rat that&#8217;s twisted up and mutated. It seems Facehuggers aren&#8217;t the only blind organisms on the station. The black goo is still up to its old, horrific tricks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Rain tends to Kay while Tyler fusses with an elevator door. Xenos come up behind Rain &#8212; because it seems a LOT of crewmen were infected toward the end of the Romulus project &#8212; and Tyler nobly takes a sharpened tail spike to the chest. Xenos pull Tyler into their nest and feed. Goodbye, Tyler! Andy gets Xeno-smacked and goes down for the count. Goodnight, Andy! Rain and Kay take the elevator upward with Z-01. Goodbye, ladies!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Now this is where things get complicated for Rain. She wants to save Andy in spite of his new pro-corporate outlook, but Kay is bleeding heavily and time is of the essence. Rain decides she cannot leave her &#8220;brother&#8221; behind and sends Kay &#8212; a <em>seriously-injured pregnant woman<\/em> &#8212; to the <em>Corbelan<\/em> alone with Z-01 and mounts a solo rescue for Andy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This does not sound like a smart plan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Earlier, Andy mentioned that Z-01 could probably heal Kay, but Rain wisely refused that option.  However, with Rain away, Kay will play. So Kay shoots herself full of Z-01.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This also does not sound like a smart plan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Rain returns to Andy&#8217;s side and uses her weird cybernetic wind-up key to reboot him, but not before demanding that he give up his new upgrade. Removing the upgrade turns him back into a Rain-man, but not before the Xenos realize that fresh meat is back on the menu. So the android that once told Rain not to fire even one shot braces her in preparation for a clip-emptying barrage.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"450\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/werebear.net\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/rain_and_andy_800px.png?resize=800%2C450&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1435\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/werebear.net\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/rain_and_andy_800px.png?w=800&amp;ssl=1 800w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/werebear.net\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/rain_and_andy_800px.png?resize=300%2C169&amp;ssl=1 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">That thing I said not to do under pain of death? Do it or we&#8217;ll die painfully!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>Now to mitigate the acid splashes during this ill-conceived defense, Rain turns off the gravity system. We saw this system glitching earlier in the movie, so add &#8220;Chekhov&#8217;s Gravity System&#8221; to &#8220;Chekhov&#8217;s Pulse Rifle,&#8221; &#8220;Chekhov&#8217;s Fetus,&#8221; and &#8220;Chekhov&#8217;s Goo.&#8221; Anton Chekhov was apparently far more prolific than I suspected.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Blasting the Xenos results in cool, swirly acid patterns that go in all directions except the expected ones. This acid <em>should<\/em> be moving through the walls and floors by virtue of inertia and conservation of momentum. Additionally, once a pinhole opened in the outer hull, the ensuing depressurization should&#8217;ve sucked the rest of the acid through it. This would in turn widen the hole and vent even more atmosphere.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Fortunately, Rain also turned off physics for this battle. Rain and Andy escape up the elevator shaft fighting Xenos the whole way. At one point Andy is forced to gun down a Xeno, and as he gingerly lights upon its head firing round after round from a clip that was supposed to be nearly empty, he exclaims &#8220;get away from her&#8230; you&#8230; b-bitch!&#8221; I&#8217;ll be discussing fan service later in this post as well, so let&#8217;s put this up on a shelf for the time being.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Outside, the space station is starting to pass through the asteroid belt that forms the ring around Jackson&#8217;s planet. This causes a sandblasting effect that looks really cool but defies physics. Good thing Rain turned physics off earlier. But this also means time is nearly up for our less-than-successful pirates.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Everybody returns to the escape ship. Kay didn&#8217;t engage the autopilot per Rook&#8217;s instructions because she didn&#8217;t want to abandon the others. The <em>Corbelan<\/em> launches, and as the station breaks up, Rain turns off the autopilot with one button. This seems like a pretty big flaw in Rook&#8217;s plan, which hinged on Andy being his enforcer. The station and Rook blow up, so now it&#8217;s time to execute the Yvaga plan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Rain loads Kay into a cryopod and starts swapping fuel cylinders to create two fully-fueled beds. Within moments, Kay&#8217;s pod ejects her due to unstable life signs, and Chekhov&#8217;s Fetus ejects from Kay due to this being the final act. Anton Chekhov wipes away a single tear and nods from the afterlife.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Kay&#8217;s baby arrives in a giant walnut filled with acidic mango juice. Why not? Rain tries to run the killer walnut over to the airlock, but it burns her hands when the mango juice starts leaking. Unlike Bjorn, who got to watch his fingers melt in acid when he died, Rain seems pretty okay. The mango burns through to a cargo hold filled with dusty stuff before implausibly ceasing its descent with most of the juice still in it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This is where we finally see the movie&#8217;s boss monster. It&#8217;s a blend of Engineer, human, Neomorph, and Xenomorph. It is unquestionably cool nightmare fuel. As it grows and mutates in front of the audience&#8217;s eyes, Kay notices that she&#8217;s beginning to generate sticky goop, too. Gweneth Paltrow takes furious notes from her seat in another theater somewhere.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"603\" height=\"800\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/werebear.net\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/neca-alien-romulus-spoiler-figure-v0-ablcjwddy4jd1.png?resize=603%2C800&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1439\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/werebear.net\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/neca-alien-romulus-spoiler-figure-v0-ablcjwddy4jd1.png?w=603&amp;ssl=1 603w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/werebear.net\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/neca-alien-romulus-spoiler-figure-v0-ablcjwddy4jd1.png?resize=226%2C300&amp;ssl=1 226w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 603px) 100vw, 603px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Fox is doing a great job keeping The Offspring off the Internet, but NECA has a toy preview that they somehow missed. It doesn&#8217;t do the actual VFX justice.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>Andy tries to stop The Offspring (the creature, not the band) from killing Kay by making traffic cop gestures at it. This proves expectedly ineffective. The Offspring kills Andy with a claw swipe and uses its disturbing inner Silly Straw mouth to drain Kay to death. She no longer needs to worry about mutating, but this causes The Offspring to develop into something bigger and creepier.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Rain stalks the creature and uses a combination of a cryo-fuel thrower, cabling, and emergency release levers to dispatch The Offspring through a hole created with walnut-mango acid. On a personal note, this made me sad. I really wanted to see this thing reach Jackson and rampage like a kaiju. Alas, I never get what I really want for Christmas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Congratulations, Rain! You&#8217;re the only survivor! She salvages Andy&#8217;s data and then checks herself into the Freeze-Dry Motel for a multi-year trip to Yvaga. Cue credits.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Boy, You Must Really Hate This Film!<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>What are you, nuts? I love this film!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Wait, I&#8217;m Confused&#8230;<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Look, the film <em>does<\/em> have tons and tons of nitpicky things wrong with it. But it succeeds far more than it fails. It&#8217;s fucking entertaining. It looks <em>great<\/em>. It&#8217;s easy to care for the characters (except Bjorn). It does a superb job of joining the new films to the old. Why on Earth, Jackson, or Yvaga wouldn&#8217;t anyone like it?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>There&#8217;s a reason why critic scores and audience scores frequently differ so widely on Rotten Tomatoes. Critics tend to look for high-minded things and audiences tend to look for entertainment-and-engagement things. But in this case, at the time I&#8217;m writing this, critics have given the film an 81%, and audiences have given it an 86%. These numbers are good-Marvel-movie close. So what can we infer from that?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It&#8217;s got something for everyone. That&#8217;s what.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>That is a MONUMENTAL achievement that cannot be understated. Fede \u00c1lvarez deserves some serious recognition and praise for that. I will be preordering this film for home viewing. I nearly <em>never<\/em> do that. I am over-the-moon happy, and the box office from opening weekend is making Fox-Disney-Whatever super happy, too. This film knocked <em>Deadpool vs. Wolverine<\/em> out of its top spot. Ponder that feat for a hot second.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Fan Service With A Smile<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>One of the film&#8217;s best traits is also one of its biggest weaknesses. For years, fans have railed against Ridley Scott&#8217;s retcons. The black goo is a great plot device, but it had a rough introduction in <em>Prometheus<\/em>. Therefore, \u00c1lvarez incorporates a lot of classic elements from past <em>Alien<\/em> films to anchor the old to the new. But these homages often get out of control and pull the viewer out of the moment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The foley work is an excellent example of this. Expect to hear a lot of familiar sound effects from <em>Alien<\/em> and <em>Aliens<\/em>. Expect a lot of familiar and obviously-forced quotes as well, including &#8220;I can&#8217;t lie to you about your chances, &#8220;get away from her you bitch,&#8221; &#8220;perfect organism,&#8221; etc. And there&#8217;s a lot of blocking and staging dedicated to not-so-subtly recreating famous scenes from previous outings as well. Allow me to provide a few side-by-side comparisons.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-jetpack-tiled-gallery is-style-rectangular\"><div class=\"\"><div class=\"tiled-gallery__gallery\"><div class=\"tiled-gallery__row\"><div class=\"tiled-gallery__col\" style=\"flex-basis:51.34744%\"><figure class=\"tiled-gallery__item\"><img decoding=\"async\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i2.wp.com\/werebear.net\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/ciffjg8q7kj81.jpg?strip=info&#038;w=600&#038;ssl=1 600w,https:\/\/i2.wp.com\/werebear.net\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/ciffjg8q7kj81.jpg?strip=info&#038;w=625&#038;ssl=1 625w\" alt=\"\" data-height=\"352\" data-id=\"1442\" data-link=\"https:\/\/werebear.net\/main\/?attachment_id=1442\" data-url=\"https:\/\/werebear.net\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/ciffjg8q7kj81.jpg\" data-width=\"625\" src=\"https:\/\/i2.wp.com\/werebear.net\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/ciffjg8q7kj81.jpg?ssl=1\" data-amp-layout=\"responsive\" tabindex=\"0\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"Open image 1 of 6 in full-screen\"\/><\/figure><\/div><div class=\"tiled-gallery__col\" style=\"flex-basis:48.65256%\"><figure class=\"tiled-gallery__item\"><img decoding=\"async\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/werebear.net\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/66c2347755efe.image_.jpg?strip=info&#038;w=600&#038;ssl=1 600w,https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/werebear.net\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/66c2347755efe.image_.jpg?strip=info&#038;w=841&#038;ssl=1 841w\" alt=\"\" data-height=\"500\" data-id=\"1444\" data-link=\"https:\/\/werebear.net\/main\/?attachment_id=1444\" data-url=\"https:\/\/werebear.net\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/66c2347755efe.image_.jpg\" data-width=\"841\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/werebear.net\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/66c2347755efe.image_.jpg?ssl=1\" data-amp-layout=\"responsive\" tabindex=\"0\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"Open image 2 of 6 in full-screen\"\/><\/figure><\/div><\/div><div class=\"tiled-gallery__row\"><div class=\"tiled-gallery__col\" style=\"flex-basis:48.05712%\"><figure class=\"tiled-gallery__item\"><img decoding=\"async\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/werebear.net\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/Ripley-with-her-M41A-Pulse-Rifle-and-flamethrower-1024x554.jpg?strip=info&#038;w=600&#038;ssl=1 600w,https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/werebear.net\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/Ripley-with-her-M41A-Pulse-Rifle-and-flamethrower-1024x554.jpg?strip=info&#038;w=900&#038;ssl=1 900w,https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/werebear.net\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/Ripley-with-her-M41A-Pulse-Rifle-and-flamethrower-1024x554.jpg?strip=info&#038;w=1200&#038;ssl=1 1200w,https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/werebear.net\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/Ripley-with-her-M41A-Pulse-Rifle-and-flamethrower-1024x554.jpg?strip=info&#038;w=1280&#038;ssl=1 1280w\" alt=\"\" data-height=\"692\" data-id=\"1445\" data-link=\"https:\/\/werebear.net\/main\/?attachment_id=1445\" data-url=\"https:\/\/werebear.net\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/Ripley-with-her-M41A-Pulse-Rifle-and-flamethrower-1024x554.jpg\" data-width=\"1280\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/werebear.net\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/Ripley-with-her-M41A-Pulse-Rifle-and-flamethrower-1024x554.jpg?ssl=1\" data-amp-layout=\"responsive\" tabindex=\"0\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"Open image 3 of 6 in full-screen\"\/><\/figure><\/div><div class=\"tiled-gallery__col\" style=\"flex-basis:51.94288%\"><figure class=\"tiled-gallery__item\"><img decoding=\"async\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i2.wp.com\/werebear.net\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/rain-exits-an-elevator-shaft-holding-a-gun-in-alien_-romulus-1024x512.jpg?strip=info&#038;w=600&#038;ssl=1 600w,https:\/\/i2.wp.com\/werebear.net\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/rain-exits-an-elevator-shaft-holding-a-gun-in-alien_-romulus-1024x512.jpg?strip=info&#038;w=900&#038;ssl=1 900w,https:\/\/i2.wp.com\/werebear.net\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/rain-exits-an-elevator-shaft-holding-a-gun-in-alien_-romulus-1024x512.jpg?strip=info&#038;w=1200&#038;ssl=1 1200w,https:\/\/i2.wp.com\/werebear.net\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/rain-exits-an-elevator-shaft-holding-a-gun-in-alien_-romulus-1024x512.jpg?strip=info&#038;w=1400&#038;ssl=1 1400w\" alt=\"\" data-height=\"700\" data-id=\"1446\" data-link=\"https:\/\/werebear.net\/main\/?attachment_id=1446\" data-url=\"https:\/\/werebear.net\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/rain-exits-an-elevator-shaft-holding-a-gun-in-alien_-romulus-1024x512.jpg\" data-width=\"1400\" src=\"https:\/\/i2.wp.com\/werebear.net\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/rain-exits-an-elevator-shaft-holding-a-gun-in-alien_-romulus-1024x512.jpg?ssl=1\" data-amp-layout=\"responsive\" tabindex=\"0\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"Open image 4 of 6 in full-screen\"\/><\/figure><\/div><\/div><div class=\"tiled-gallery__row\"><div class=\"tiled-gallery__col\" style=\"flex-basis:100.00000%\"><figure class=\"tiled-gallery__item\"><img decoding=\"async\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i1.wp.com\/werebear.net\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/The-Dragon-confronts-Ripley-in-Alien-3-72398245-1024x512.jpg?strip=info&#038;w=600&#038;ssl=1 600w,https:\/\/i1.wp.com\/werebear.net\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/The-Dragon-confronts-Ripley-in-Alien-3-72398245-1024x512.jpg?strip=info&#038;w=900&#038;ssl=1 900w,https:\/\/i1.wp.com\/werebear.net\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/The-Dragon-confronts-Ripley-in-Alien-3-72398245-1024x512.jpg?strip=info&#038;w=1200&#038;ssl=1 1200w,https:\/\/i1.wp.com\/werebear.net\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/The-Dragon-confronts-Ripley-in-Alien-3-72398245-1024x512.jpg?strip=info&#038;w=1500&#038;ssl=1 1500w,https:\/\/i1.wp.com\/werebear.net\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/The-Dragon-confronts-Ripley-in-Alien-3-72398245-1024x512.jpg?strip=info&#038;w=1600&#038;ssl=1 1600w\" alt=\"\" data-height=\"800\" data-id=\"1447\" data-link=\"https:\/\/werebear.net\/main\/?attachment_id=1447\" data-url=\"https:\/\/werebear.net\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/The-Dragon-confronts-Ripley-in-Alien-3-72398245-1024x512.jpg\" data-width=\"1600\" src=\"https:\/\/i1.wp.com\/werebear.net\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/The-Dragon-confronts-Ripley-in-Alien-3-72398245-1024x512.jpg?ssl=1\" data-amp-layout=\"responsive\" tabindex=\"0\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"Open image 5 of 6 in full-screen\"\/><\/figure><\/div><\/div><div class=\"tiled-gallery__row\"><div class=\"tiled-gallery__col\" style=\"flex-basis:100.00000%\"><figure class=\"tiled-gallery__item\"><img decoding=\"async\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i2.wp.com\/werebear.net\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/All-Alien-Movies-Ranked-from-Worst-to-Best-Including-Alien.jpeg?strip=info&#038;w=600&#038;ssl=1 600w,https:\/\/i2.wp.com\/werebear.net\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/All-Alien-Movies-Ranked-from-Worst-to-Best-Including-Alien.jpeg?strip=info&#038;w=900&#038;ssl=1 900w,https:\/\/i2.wp.com\/werebear.net\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/All-Alien-Movies-Ranked-from-Worst-to-Best-Including-Alien.jpeg?strip=info&#038;w=960&#038;ssl=1 960w\" alt=\"\" data-height=\"720\" data-id=\"1448\" data-link=\"https:\/\/werebear.net\/main\/?attachment_id=1448\" data-url=\"https:\/\/werebear.net\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/All-Alien-Movies-Ranked-from-Worst-to-Best-Including-Alien.jpeg\" data-width=\"960\" src=\"https:\/\/i2.wp.com\/werebear.net\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/All-Alien-Movies-Ranked-from-Worst-to-Best-Including-Alien.jpeg?ssl=1\" data-amp-layout=\"responsive\" tabindex=\"0\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"Open image 6 of 6 in full-screen\"\/><\/figure><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>&#8230;and so on and so on and so on. Even the visual shorthand of white-padded spaceship walls and metal irises opening into tight little crawlspaces is preserved. This film reminds you nonstop of its DNA, both figuratively and literally. That brings us to the biggest controversy of all in <em>Romulus<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Art Imitating Life Imitating AI Art<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Sir Ian Holm, the actor who played Ash, sadly passed away in 2020. However, Fede \u00c1lvarez wanted to include an Ash-like android named Rook in his film. There&#8217;s a long tradition of this in <em>Alien<\/em> films, by the way. Consider David 8 and Walter, then recall Bishop&#8217;s creator showing up in <em>Alien 3<\/em>. This isn&#8217;t a new concept. Androids get mass-produced and are often made to look like other people.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Formerly, bringing Ian Holm back posthumously wouldn&#8217;t have been possible &#8212; emphasis on &#8220;formerly.&#8221; Advanced AI techniques now allow for actors to be visually recreated at their prime, albeit with varying levels of fidelity. Rook certainly looks like Holm and sounds like Holm, but Rook also seems a little&#8230; fake-y. Still, obvious technical limitations aside, adding Rook was an excellent way to build another connection between <em>Alien<\/em> and <em>Romulus<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Certain critics and fans branded the whole affair heresy. One publication that doesn&#8217;t even merit linking called it &#8220;disrespectful.&#8221; I guess they needed clicks that week, but I sure won&#8217;t be sending any their way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The press, including <a href=\"https:\/\/people.com\/ian-holm-return-alien-romulus-8698364\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/people.com\/ian-holm-return-alien-romulus-8698364\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">People Magazine<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/variety.com\/2024\/film\/features\/alien-romulus-ending-director-fede-alvarez-resurrecting-ash-1236107526\/\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/variety.com\/2024\/film\/features\/alien-romulus-ending-director-fede-alvarez-resurrecting-ash-1236107526\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Variety<\/a>, have covered this topic to death. In summary, the main talking points are:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Sir Ian Holm&#8217;s family granted permission after being asked <em>very<\/em> respectfully for their blessing.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Both Lance Henriksen (Bishop) and Michael Fassbender (David 8\/Walter) had opportunities to reprise their synthetic roles, but Holm was never given that opportunity. \u00c1lvarez wanted to fix that posthumously. In fact, reports from those closest to Holm suggest he was upset over being professionally sidelined during this final ten years of life. So this is more of a tribute than a cynical &#8220;face grab.&#8221;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Nobody lost their job over this. An actor was still needed for the voice and motion capture, and roughly forty-five special effects people were employed to create Rook.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p>I&#8217;ll add my own two bits: if you&#8217;re going to use an AI effect that can result in someone looking more &#8220;artificial&#8221; than a real human, an android is the perfect application for that technique. They&#8217;re supposed to look like simulated humans. And let&#8217;s face it: nobody was fooled by Ian Holm&#8217;s head poking up through a hole in a table for his last scene in <em>Alien<\/em>. Ridley Scott did a lot to tart it up, but there was still something obvious audiences agreed to overlook en masse. If audiences did it once for that, they can certainly do it again for high-end VFX.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Technology itself is neither good nor bad; its application and resource cost determine those sorts of things. People lose their minds these days when they see the letters &#8220;A&#8221; and &#8220;I&#8221; together with reference to any damn thing you can imagine. I won&#8217;t even start on the controversy over James Cameron&#8217;s 4K remaster of Aliens. Everyone&#8217;s position on that seems to be based on a combination of film grain loss and technology resentment. Maybe I&#8217;ll discuss The Great Grain Robbery someday, but this isn&#8217;t that day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Nobody&#8217;s being disrespected. Nothing has been lost or destroyed. If these two applications of technology upset you, perhaps you need to ask yourself <em>why<\/em> they upset you so much.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Bear&#8217;s Greater Unified Android Theory<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>For quite some time now, I&#8217;ve had a theory about Ash being David 8 with a new layer of synthetic skin on him. This all started when I noticed a very specific weak spot on both androids:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed aligncenter is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Prometheus: Engineer Corrects Weyland\" width=\"1778\" height=\"1000\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/sQVFYLf8_eI?start=90&#038;feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Off with his (David 8&#8217;s) head!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed aligncenter is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Alien: Ash Attacks Ripley\" width=\"1778\" height=\"1000\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/syyXdBg9BIc?start=137&#038;feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Say, doesn&#8217;t that tear line across Ash&#8217;s neck look familiar?<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>My theory originally went like this:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>David 8 continued his work on the Xenos and somehow managed to lose a ship full of eggs, probably intended for delivery to Earth.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>David 8 had a well-known face if the <em>Prometheus<\/em> &#8220;Meet David&#8221; promos are canon, and they likely are. (See below for the actual short ad that was used to promote the movie.) That meant he would need a disguise to function in public.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>David 8 hatches a plan to retrieve the ship by hijacking the <em>Nostromo<\/em> with bogus orders. He changes his appearance and identity to that of Ash, then replaces the usual science officer at the last minute per Captain Dallas&#8217; hallway exchange with Ripley in <em>Alien<\/em>. Chances are that science officer was left in a dumpster somewhere with a broken neck.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Ash subverts MU\/TH\/UR&#8217;s programming and takes complete control of the ship. Nobody realizes this until Ripley starts digging.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Ash\u2019s plan fails, and he\u2019s destroyed along with the Nostromo. When Ripley awakens fifty-seven years later in <em>Aliens<\/em>, Weyland-Yutani claims to have no knowledge of the order to check LV-426. This is of course true, because Ash hacked MU\/TH\/UR and planted those orders.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed aligncenter is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Prometheus - Viral Video - Meet David (2012) Ridley Scott Movie HD\" width=\"1778\" height=\"1000\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/RJ7E7Qp-s-8?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Meet David, the Charles Manson of androids &#8212; both famous and deadly.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Now how can I be sure the company never actually knew about the ship on LV-426? Easy. If they knew about the ship and wanted to retrieve it or its cargo, why did they take no further action for fifty-seven years until Ripley mentions it? Also, why would Weyland-Yutani build a huge atmosphere processor within driving range of that derelict if they knew about it? If they wanted to introduce a bunch of unwitting test subjects to \u201caccidentally find\u201d the ship, there are far cheaper ways to do so. And Burke can\u2019t find any specific information about the derelict in the company records, so he sends out a ground expedition to check it out and learn more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Bottom line: all those things wouldn\u2019t make sense unless Weyland-Yuani really didn\u2019t know about the situation. That means Ash is the only one who possessed this knowledge, right? Well, that was formerly true, but now <em>Romulus<\/em> has thrown a wrench into that theory&#8217;s gears.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Rook is very clearly continuing David 8\u2019s work. He expresses nominal concern for the humans to Andy when the junior space buccaneers arrive, but it rapidly becomes obvious he only wants them as mules for Z-01. Now recall that error message from the cryo-fuel room I mentioned earlier: \u201cContact Chief Science Officer.\u201d Yet again, an android who looks like Sir Ian Holm is in the role of Chief Science Officer, and yet again nobody seems the wiser to it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Now that\u2019s <em>two<\/em> space vessels that have been infiltrated by an Ash-type synthetic. But if Ash is David 8, who the hell is Rook?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Two possible theories:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Rook is an individual android who\u2019s part of a larger organized movement to develop the Xenos and\/or Z-01 for use on humans. This would be in keeping with David 8\u2019s motivations, and I\u2019ve learned second-hand that David 8 becomes a messianic figure to androids in Marvel\u2019s comics.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Rook is a copy of David 8, and part of a larger organized movement that may or may not primarily consist of David 8 duplicates. This theory is based on Andy\u2019s neck-disk. The technology seems inconsistent with the goopy insides we\u2019ve previously observed in synthetics. It\u2019s more like a modern disk drive. You can even hear it whirring and clicking in the background when Andy updates his data. Plus, when Andy is \u201ckilled,\u201d Rain extracts his disk and says she\u2019ll bring him back. That means duplicating an android is as easy as copying a disk.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p>Whether David 8 has literally been copied everywhere or spread his ideology to eager synthetics, this means there\u2019s an android conspiracy to destroy or mutate humanity. Rook\u2019s story about humanity needing an \u201cupgrade\u201d sounds sincere in a dark way. Maybe the movement has decided to destroy humanity by reengineering it. Either way, I\u2019m certain the majority of human beings would prefer to stay both un-mutated and alive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But wait, this android had access to a <em>full research station<\/em> with <em>two<\/em> halves! And there\u2019s a probe looking for the <em>Nostromo<\/em> Xenomorph <a href=\"https:\/\/www.msn.com\/en-us\/movies\/news\/alien-romulus-is-both-a-sequel-and-a-prequel-heres-how-it-fits-into-the-alien-timeline\/ar-AA1p4cBg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">decades <\/a>before Ripley is discovered. (The dates are laid out in the article I linked, but <em>Alien<\/em> happens in 2122, <em>Romulus<\/em> in 2142, and <em>Aliens<\/em> in 2179.) So how the hell does the company know about what happened on the <em>Nostromo<\/em>?!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The only viable answer is that Weyland-Yutani has been extensively infiltrated by synthetics in some fashion. David 8 was Peter Charles Weyland\u2019s constant companion, so he\u2019d know everything necessary to subvert the company from the inside out. Perhaps he even assumed the identity of Vickers, the last known Weyland. But here\u2019s an interesting fact to accompany that idea: we don\u2019t see another living Weyland in any of the films past <em>Prometheus<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The events of <em>Alien 3<\/em> would seem to contradict this by virtue of a Weyland descendant showing up at the end (<a href=\"https:\/\/fanbasepress.com\/press\/editorials\/item\/8779-alienday-2018-alien-3-who-is-bishop-ii\/\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/fanbasepress.com\/press\/editorials\/item\/8779-alienday-2018-alien-3-who-is-bishop-ii\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Michael Bishop Weyland \/ Bishop II<\/a>), but consider that this Weyland looks <em>exactly<\/em> like the Bishop android. That increases the chances of him being a synthetic by a lot. The scene does give a vague sense that Weyland might not be who he says he is, anyhow. When you think about it, that makes the android conspiracy theory even more plausible. However, Bishop II bleeds red when struck. That doesn\u2019t necessarily mean he\u2019s actually human. Maybe he figured out how to use red food coloring for all I know. But it also doesn\u2019t invalidate the conspiracy theory either way.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"512\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/werebear.net\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/IMG_2853.jpeg?resize=1024%2C512&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1463\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/werebear.net\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/IMG_2853.jpeg?resize=1024%2C512&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/werebear.net\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/IMG_2853.jpeg?resize=300%2C150&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/werebear.net\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/IMG_2853.jpeg?w=1400&amp;ssl=1 1400w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">\u201cI only <em>look<\/em> identical to another android, okay?!\u201d<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>Bottom line: <em>Romulus<\/em> provided a lot more fodder for my Greater Unified Android Theory. My best guess is that Weyland-Yutani has been run by androids for over half a century by the time we hit <em>Alien 3<\/em>. Fortunately for humanity, Ripley\u2019s heroism stops their whole plan definitively.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cWait!\u201d I hear you cry. \u201c<em>Alien 4<\/em>!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>No, I remember it. Everyone associated with <em>Alien 4<\/em> would prefer we forget it, and I\u2019m more than willing to cooperate. Even the <a href=\"https:\/\/screenrant.com\/alien-resurrection-movie-joss-whedon-complaints-wrong\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">screenwriter hated it<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Mind you, Joss Whedon blamed just about everyone\u2019s work but his own. \u201cGarbage in, garbage out\u201d as they say in computer programming. So I\u2019m going to put this film on the theory&#8217;s compost pile. It\u2019s set so far in the future that there isn\u2019t even a Weyland-Yutani to worry about, and Winona Ryder\u2019s character is revealed to be an android rebel, anyhow. So this might lend further credence to my theory (in spite of the script being fever-dream trash).<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"689\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/werebear.net\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/IMG_2854.jpeg?resize=1024%2C689&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1464\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/werebear.net\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/IMG_2854.jpeg?resize=1024%2C689&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/werebear.net\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/IMG_2854.jpeg?resize=300%2C202&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/werebear.net\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/IMG_2854.jpeg?w=1220&amp;ssl=1 1220w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Android rebel without a cause.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">That\u2019s A Wrap!<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Are you still awake after all that nerd-talk? If so, I thank you for your considerable constitution and patience. These films always get me thinking, not just about plots and conspiracies but also bigger themes like \u201cslaves overthrowing enslavers\u201d and \u201cthe created destroying their creators.\u201d I can\u2019t wait to watch the next film and see where that leads my thoughts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In the grand scheme of things, I felt <em>Alien: Romulus<\/em> did justice to the franchise. I\u2019ll be preordering it as soon as I can. Sure, it\u2019s got some flaws. Most productions do. But the good stuff in this film far outweighs the goofy stuff.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Let\u2019s hope that trend holds up when the <em>Alien: Earth<\/em> television series launches.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>DO NOT READ THIS IF YOU AREN&#8217;T CURRENT ON ALL ALIEN AND PROMETHEUS MOVIES!<\/p>\n<p>It&#8217;s time for me to weigh in on Alien: Romulus, and boy do I have a lot to say. Grab some caffeine, because I&#8217;m going to analyze how this film fits into every other one.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1422,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[92,91],"tags":[93,76,95,96,94],"class_list":["post-1401","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-horror","category-movies","tag-alien","tag-horror","tag-movies","tag-scifi","tag-xenomorph"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/werebear.net\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/romlab.png?fit=740%2C315&ssl=1","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/peoZy7-mB","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/werebear.net\/main\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1401","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/werebear.net\/main\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/werebear.net\/main\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/werebear.net\/main\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/werebear.net\/main\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1401"}],"version-history":[{"count":60,"href":"https:\/\/werebear.net\/main\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1401\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1492,"href":"https:\/\/werebear.net\/main\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1401\/revisions\/1492"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/werebear.net\/main\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1422"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/werebear.net\/main\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1401"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/werebear.net\/main\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1401"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/werebear.net\/main\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1401"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}