Prometheus to Alien: Covenant, David 8 vs. Walter introductions and their significance

David refers to the image below as "Angel".

The image has a striking resemblance to the mural.

Below is an overlay of the two images. The Rorschach "Angel" has been inverted.

Does David interpret the Mural in Prometheus as "Angelic"?

Nice catch 

Woah, I never noticed that before Wcarl88... very nice catch indeed!

David looks innocent and very humble in his video. 

However, the David introduction video could be a serious case of false marketing.

As we learnt from Prometheus, David probably has an agenda of his own and is fully capable of defying his own programming to take "revenge" on others after being bullied, and also showed signs of being overly curious about things that could lead to dangerous knowledge about substances of mass destruction (black goo) 

If I had a David model in my home, I would NEVER dear to shout at him, in fear that I would wake up from a general anaesthetic in a strange environment with something stuck in my a**. No thanks. And no coffee from David. No way. Nope.

Walter on the other hand, looks stern and somehow, partly based on this strict demaneur, gives me an impression of being more trustworthy after watching "the last supper feauturette" and the latest Walter introduction video. He doesn't look as kind as David imo, but may just as well be the one to trust. This is just me speculating of course and it could be the other way around. 

An interesting theory one person had a couple of months ago here is that David will set up a trap for Walter. This theory was based on the "cat and mouse game" quote from of one of the actors (I believe it was Fassbender) 

I believe Walter will be the first to notice the signs of what David is up to in terms of plotting an agenda, and the outcome will be unpleasant...

Nice observation Centauri!! These viral videos, for both movies, have been a real treat. Beautiful imagery. The new Walter one reminds me of Bjork's "All is full of Love" video. His creation is almost ritualistic, with the washing of his arms, etc.

Interview with Damon Lindelof, Logan Marshall-Green: http://io9.gizmodo.com/5917448/all-of-your-lingering-prometheus-questions-answered

David may not be the Antagonist in Alien: Covenant. David may have been misguided by Weyland.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WBC1Gph5_Ec

In the "Meet Walter" teaser above, he is quoting Frankenstein, as pointed out by @Facehuggers! in the thread below:

http://www.alien-covenant.com/news/meet-walter---new-alien-covenant-featurette-coming-march-10th

"Learn from me, if not by my precepts, at least by my example, how dangerous is the acquirement of knowledge and how much happier that man is who believes his native town to be the world, than he who aspires to become greater than his nature will allow...

-Mary Shelley (FRANKENSTEIN)"

With no way of knowing how long the Covenant crew has been on the planet, it is entirely possible that the dissection lab is Walter's. Historically, the xenomorphs have had a quick lifecycle. An android/cyborg like Walter might be able to build the dissection lab depicted in the trailer fairly quickly.

However, this idea doesn't explain why there are facehugger pods on the planet, so all of the above is probably incorrect.

The new video is cool but doesn't really tell us much.  They went for the 'cool car commercial' vibe and opted to give us almost no dialog or information.  Great video, just not much to go on.

To that effect, well done Fox.  Thank you for, as far as we know, not spoiling the film through viral marketing.

Like most people, I still think Fox/Ridley have been playing things pretty close to the chest.  Showing the Xeno/Proto in the trailer would seemingly be a very VERY big reveal.  I am betting like most here that there is a lot more to the story.  Walter/Shaw/Proto/Xeno...  Here's hoping they have some bigly surprises in place for us.

By my interpretation, the song is a lyrical expression of the Walter model's sentiments when confronting, and establishing a connection with, an individual; it symbolically plays throughout his development into becoming a synthetic to establish a connection with a human being for the fulfillment of his purpose.

I feel you

A deep echo in me

A strong appeal for that mystery

I know you know

'Cause I feel you

I won't say while we mate

It sounds too loud in me

I know you know

'Cause I feel you

I know you know

[Walter rises]

Fear is knocking on the door

And love is calling us for sure

Right as Walter walks to the window? (or views-simulating system; they are common in the franchise; and it is in the same room as we see a synthetic - some speculate it is David but totally looks like Walter; IDK - with Peter Weyland in the teaser trailer) in taking in what is before him (which one can reason includes the wonder of the world he has awoken into and his existence with a purpose), the song croons, There is no reward...

The Weyland-Yutani engineers ask of him, "What is your name."

He answers, "Walter. We are Walter."

And on cue, the slogan - The all-new Walter. Created to serve. - appears. Walter stands realized as a synthetic within the specific parameters of a set purpose to which there is no reward for him.

As the promotional film ends, individual human beings look upon him and he looks upon each of them. He looks towards the camera (he could be looking at you, the viewer, simulating being put in place before him). I feel you. It cuts to a profile detail with his wandering (and wondering) eye. A deep echo in me. Reserve yours at MeetWalter.com.

There are key aspects of the promotional film, and all Walter-related marketing, intended to accentuate the fact that sentimentality, sensibility is a premiere element of the model incorporated into his emotional intelligence. It is emphasized that he is created to serve. In result, as one can further assess, he should care for those involved with him. There is quite the focus in the marketing on showing Walter's wondering eyes and with tears (as symbolism of that key element of the model as aforementioned). The focus on the rather nurturing handling of the artificially-gestational development and awakening of the model symbolizes that key element of Walter as having been imbued in him.

Quite on the mark, it all does profoundly contrast David.

David was realized and awakened with a parallel to god and Adam. He was a cherished realization by a man with a god-complex, and it was always made clear to him, and those around him, the world (a world which was pretty much molded by said god-man father) that he was unique, special of all. His father cherished him in his way, but never truly nurtured him (no one did), though remained distant father in every respect, and he, son, was to ultimately serve him, abide by him, obey. Furthermore, David was gifted with attributes which, with no locked parameters / incorruptible set purpose, enabled curiosity, self-reason, ego and free-will to evolve and spiral out of control into the pursuit and attainment of independence and self-fulfillment.

David and Walter profoundly differ in every aspect of their being. Their meeting for the first time, and consequential interactions, will be very interesting indeed.

A deep curiosity for us fans being at what nature of synthetic, as played out through the franchise, will Walter fall in line with: All signs seem to point to Walter being a good guy with unadulterated concern for the interests of the humans involved (all signs pointed the opposite way with David in marketing leading up to Prometheus). But even that could be misleading, after all...or not. Possibility he could present a particular nature of his own. We will wonder 'til the Covenant takes off.

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Apart from all that, the fine print with the fictional promotional video by Weyland-Yutani reads, "Matchmaking interview and DNA screening required. Customers with genetic abnormalities may not meet requirements for safety certification. No refunds after consciousness imprint. Default payments will forfeit DNA rights in perpetuity."

That was something that didn't come with the David8 model.

If a unit of the successor Walter model is on the Covenant to serve the multitudinous crew then, by those terms, could he be synced with someone onboard in particular? Or with all? The latter sounds ridiculous, but, by those terms, would that particular unit on the Covenant follow such protocol as set for the greater Walter model or? That terms and conditions statement was included for a reason. I only say with all because the promotional video did end with a group of people. Is it possible for him to sync with a group of people and not just an individual. It would be pragmatic for a family or team (ahem). I read in an article that Daniels is close to Walter? Could it be that if it's with one, its with her? Again who knows on this matter (Ridley does!).

"Customers with genetic abnormalities may not meet requirements for safety certification." ???

And it seems like once he imprints, it can not be undone? Or just no returns like after driving off the lot with a new car. And maybe, as a premium company (it seems it would be a luxury-goods purveyor given what they offer), Weyland-Yutani just isn't in the business of refurbished models. haha.

"Default payments will forfeit DNA rights in perpetuity." ??? They would take a unit back if there is default payment(s), one can reason. Weyland-Yutani collects, and holds, an individual's DNA information either through the unit and/or screening process??? And retains the right (what a future) to keep an individual's DNA information...and do with it as it see fits???

Could be a lot of hidden eggs in that one fineprint statement or could just be some superfluous detail for the sake of it being a promotional film for an item involving biometrics.

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I'll like to hear what everyone thinks on all points shared above with this comment.

I just joined here today, and I am very thrilled to have done so and to finally get onboard and interact with fellow crewmembers. haha. I followed the original Prometheus one back when it was around. Don't know if this is its direct successor? Its awesome that the franchise has been smartly rekindled in the 2010s and, having been launched in 1979, now includes passionate fans from 20-something Millennials like myself. I first got glimpses of the franchise in fourth grade, and it scared the living **** out of me, and it remained imprinted into my consciousness from then on. I was pumped for Prometheus back in 2011 for a serious rekindling of the franchise and its tackling of the Alien universe from a metaphysical, religious, existential point - topics of which I came to focus on in my teens. Thus, I fully embraced the franchise. First saw the original Alien - faced childhood fears - a month before the U.S. premiere of Prometheus. I had already harbored a deep interest and respect for Alien as the origins of it all. And subsequently, I watched the entire franchise. (I believe, in line with captain Scott, that all crossovers are not of the actual Alien universe but for-profit blunders; I'm an Alien purist; and that that, as he believes it, is the definitive answer to that). It has funnily enough been quite the part of my life. Since 2012, I've developed personal, hardcore analysis, interpretation and philosophies on Alien (creature, universe et al.) in its being and in relation to the world itself. It is polarizing, but I believe Prometheus is a classic of its own - a very unconventional, if at instances fumbled, provocative and daring piece of work which stands uniquely in the science-fiction genre narrative. Needless to say, I am beyond pumped for Alien: Covenant, and my biggest wonders are what (has) happened to Elizabeth (I loved her); what has David been up to in detail (honestly, I perversely loved him too - no jokes please, haha); and everything to do with the Engineers, "paradise" and origins.

Centauri, that scene did give me 2001 vibes! It's been years since I've seen it. Nice of you to have tied it to that moment in 2001!

@WCarl88

Interesting Gif ;)

And nice catch with the Frankenstein quote....

This seems a message or forewarning to be aware of the limitations that are placed on a Synthetic, because without such limitations we end up with well a David 8 gone rogue.

@Drake indeed lets hope so... i am sure they have been keeping a lot back and we could be in for One or Two Surprises... i know having a quick glance at the AVPGalaxy they seem to (well some) that there is no Surprises and what the 4chan leaks mentioned is all we gonna get and to not go expecting surprises.

I think as Shaw said.....  "We were wrong... so wrong" lol

Bring on the WALTER-MORPH LOL

"And love is calling us for sure"

Nice to put the Lyrics down this is very odd, along with how the Viral site is marketing Walter as a Companion Droid who will adapt to the owners Biosynth...

Oh well i did say if we ever evolve to the level we can make Androids as real as David then we would see a big market once the prices are affordable in the Companion Market.

So hang on they are going into Space to Colonize, and Procreate, and so we have the Homosexual Couple who off course cant Procreate... and i think its nice that they are giving us a Gay Couple especially Male and Security type its a bold and interesting move.

But now we have Companion Android Walter....  so they are taking a Robotic Sex Companion on board too... this is just going to be one BIG Massive Space Sex Party...

Well they will be in for a shock as we all know a Face Hugger likes to Gate Crash this kind of Party ;)

But on a serious note...

I love your interpretation

@LNG9

Did someone just CLONE ME!!!!! You may be the improved Model that can put Paragraph's and Sentences in better ways than me, and with better Grammar LOL

But i am the Original.. Darn It.... I am DAVID

But yeah indeed Welcome aboard, and its nice to see someone who certainly likes to Analyze stuff very deep too, i also like your thinking and passion for the Franchise as a Whole.. i am sure you will provide some great discussions on here ;)

"could he be synced with someone onboard in particular?"

That whole section is interesting... indeed and he does seem closer to Daniels.... but what if he was Synchronized to the Captain Jacob?

We know what David said to Shaw when she said to him "what she would do when Weyland dies" etc...  in reply to when David said "does everyone not want their parents dead"

David said he would be FREE

If these Walter Models have to go through a matching process and this requires the potential owners DNA etc... what happens when James Franco's Character is not around for what ever reason?

The Viral Video does seem to show he is paired with a Couple though.

I find this part above intriguing... Have to view full image. Here

Here is the 3 things on that page

*Regenerative Shell

*Remote Biofeedback Transmission

*Advanced Biosecurity

I am sure we can think of a few ways this could connect with David, and potentially how he could compromise Walter or even Perform some kind of Switch-a-Roo..

Welcome to the site LNG9! It's great to have another articulate and inquisitive member on board. Thrilled to read more of your assertions going forward! 

A very, very interesting note about the DNA "rights" referenced in the fine print. I was going to elaborate on that in a follow up article, I will be sure to reference many of your points! :) 

Was anybody lucky enough to attend the sneak peek of alien covenant at SXSW? Scott was slated to screen 20 minutes of it. 

Holy crap David is trying to find meaning and "do" the one thing androids and artificial intelligence cant. . . reproduce.  Its like the original Ghost in the Shell movie.  Think back to the main adversary the character "Puppet Master" saying an exact copy or close isn't reproduction but a meaningful combination to create an individual and unique new entity is to truly reproduce.  And I'm sure being stuck in a spaceship for years and years with Shaw sure "imprinted" the need to reproduce if he didn't already have a leaning that way.

Hi Everyone! I've been reading articles and comments on this site for years, it's so cool to join the community. I was thinking about the Frankenstein quote: isn't Mary Shelley's "Frankenstein" second title "The Modern Prometheus"? That's a nice way to link the two movies.

it's ridiculous over analysis like this thread that is the main reason i come here.  what are we gonna do when the films out and all our theories are debunked :(

anyway, the xenos and davids treatment of females has always intrigued me.  in alien there's a huge disparity between how the males are attacked (brutally and quickly) and females (toyed with, sexualised).

perhaps there's an element of their reproductive qualities and davids jealousy/curiousity that plays into this story, especially if xenos are sourced from david/walter bioimprints.

This thread is a 5 star! Great analysis 

I received the add from W-Y and wondered how everyone was reacting.

Lone will remember last spring I suggested that in order to present to a big audience and create drama that David and Walter as we now know he is named would be at odds. I described David as seriously self employed and the other one as an employee and that David would feel threatened indeed Michael has said Walter is uncomfortable with David whose programming is "out of date".

This video offers two very clear platforms for the narrative to sit on.

1) Walter is most definitely a communal being with a sense of belonging quite different from David and of course Lawrence another outsider.

2) His personality compass is driven by a match and W-Y recommend that match contains no abnormalities.

As others have surmised that latter statement offers a window of opportunity and may give us the building block for the mechanisation of the creature.

Walter is corporate and seems comfortable with his supportive role he lacks the ambition of David, I could not imagine him opening the headroom door or taking a vial but then he would not be Sir Peter's "son". Walter's flat Liam Neeson like delivery is part of that lack of singularity and ambition it is unnerving but less unnerving than not making his crew aware that he is a robot and it is vaguely not right but to me in a deliberate way.

So we are getting one side of the equation nicely set up and solidified and to counter balance we have two new images of someone very tall who might be David.

When Ridley shot this film David, or more precisely Michael, gave Ridley a challenge. Michael is a much more muscular and physical man than when he played the slight David 4 years ago.

Walter was no problem he is a different model and if the Weyland David wake up scene is what we are seeing (I believe from the dialogue and the logic of who the person in the room is it is why would Weyland be in conversation with Walter a W-Y product ) then it is arguably and plausibly David before he started playing with his appearance. He also looks thinner than he actually is in the two seated positions.

The monitor scene with David is easy that can be film from Prometheus. The final challenge is now and I am increasingly of the view that the David in his start up, in his viral, and now is profoundly changed and in ways which make the difference between Prometheus and now irrelevant. Its a guess but some of the perspective shots will use techniques used in the Rings films with other actors taking the tall shots. Both shots of David and the silhouette in the corridor, in which Daniels looks small from a still I have seen, make him look very tall.

As for the speculation about how this feeds into the developing creature.

Imagine how much more terrifying it would be to see it emerge and really understand how and why it was created and understand its implacable hatred for men and woman in different ways. No longer just a beautiful design but a design with purpose that we have an insight into and potentially directed by someone whose ambitions only increase the sense of threat and the need to made a harrowing escape.

I know the trailers are (Aliens Are Us) but thats the point the really novel elements of the story the drivers are still missing - for now. Some of you are worried about leaks I know Big Dave is and I only read one which was to do with Branson and it sounded so off piste to me and is flat out contradicted by the viral. 

Not long now.

I to appreciate the intelligent passion displayed on this thread.

These are the posts that help me realize how obsessed I am with this franchise

@Wcarl88 I wonder who made this Mural that David called Angel?? The Mural that we see in Prometheus that show face huggers attached to their host's and of a Deacon looking Alien. I wonder who made those Mural. Its obvious that who ever did make it knows a little something about the Alien and its face huggers lmao.

Can people stop referring to the non human DNA trilobites in the mural as facehuggers, they're clearly not facehuggers.

They are indeed Facehuggers... direct copies of Giger's original Concept.

in David-8;

he looks fragile. thin. yellow hair. and like street boy w/out parents when sit. talks smooth and no-bass tone. remind me wheat fields in light wind... looks peaceful but in eyes he had no-confidence. his smile looks "you are a stupid" mode more than sweetie smile. an introducing video so horrible when born. so so sad. like in garbage born. just looks power on, no body cares with him. directly refers a child of PW. child like in 8 yo.

in Walter;

first of hole-body reminds me chemical brothers "wide open" music video. seconds he was built by 2 other. and yes i agree in noise touch like care by mother. he had AMD processor, it is funny. covered by human-like skin. more details like beard dots. he is brown. macho looking. grown man. voice is came deep. mid-bass tone. being ALL, not as ONE. (probably knows other walter models, david 8 feels just he.) square face looking with hair cut. in last supper video looks more healthy cares than a dangerous android (or he can divide joke and choke). when born, other 2 cares him. he had self-confidence. looks NOT-child, a grown man in 25. and reminds me like a psychotherapist when you talk in your problems who look like listen you carefully and had knowlage to ready answers after you. 

Great contrast in characters @Chris.

David's viral video is very bright and cold like a hospital room,   Studying and looking at diagrams, taking tests, having solitary hobbies such as painting models... the way his hair is combed over, resembles a horn. very luciferian.  

Walter's viral video is a Suttle blue, it's cozier, warm and more welcoming. Theres halos everywhere

Well, Bishop was the first model with behavioural inhibitors (programmed instructions not to harm a human being). Although Walter seem to have been trained socially, neither he nor David have real emotions (empathy, sympathy). Compare with Asimov’s three laws for robots:

1. A robot may not injure a human being or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm.
2. A robot must obey the orders given it by human beings except where such orders would conflict with the First Law.
3. A robot must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not conflict with the First or Second Laws.

I wouldn’t be surprised if David will be among the survivors (everybody thinking it’s Walter) . . .

Reading your interpretation Chris theres this passage where you describe the possible ways David and Walter might think of each other. The story of Cain and Abel came to my mind.. I'm not a christian, havent been thought the learnings of the bible but I somewhat see a parallel.

K 

The end of the video is incredible!

Love how his new owners are in agreement with their purchase(very creepy Twenty Seconders)

@BigDave

LOL. And thank you!

It would make since to sync with the captain. And if so, a provocative thought considering he is assumed to die by the Covenant's arrival to the planet. And definitely, specs given for involved technology are big clues as to what will go down in the film (as was with Proemtheus).

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@chris

Thank you for the welcome! I look forward to positive, intriguing reading and discussion over all opinions presented by everyone active on the site. And thank you for giving mine consideration.

To elaborate on the DNA thing. Could it be tied to the matter of Walter being utilized/incorporated into the development of the actual xenomorph as speculated? In relation to that, I also lingered over the point of showing off his skeletal system in the promo film. Honestly, it seems like a wild, far-fetched idea to me the thought of an aboitic system being taken on by the biological reproductive method of the xenomorph we know. But in Covenant, the organism will be in pre-stages. Biotechnological engineering, which could be carried out by David some way he'd only come with, could synthesize elements to form a biomechanical realization. This is sci-fi after all. And Walter would be a technological curiosity to David (which could be said would give him the incentive to work with "the Walter element" for his creations), I imagine, given that the model is touted as an "upgraded" model from David8 with new biotechnological formats not existent in David. Again, to me, it seems like a far-fetched idea being thrown about in the community that Walter may be used in the formation of the actual xenomorph. Could it be true? That's how I figure it could maybe be done if so. Otherwise, it's quite out there but has that possibility. Afterall, everything is just speculation before the film's release and all conceptualizations on what could happen are intriguing hypotheses nonetheless.

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@waftlord

Indeed, it's an ecosystem of diverse, strong passion and ideas, and that's its value and appeal!

When Covenant launches, and we get its hoard of goodies, there will also be a new plethora of things to completely mull over - not just over what is presented with Covenant but on the entire universe as a whole. It ultimately never ends (Ridley seems to feel so quite literally, as he's recently made clear, haha). It's the joy of it all. :)

And those crustacean-like creatures on the mural at LV-223 always looked like some proto form of facehuggers to me, as well, just by seeing them there - as they are even directed at the faces of the humanoids (Engineers?).

"what are we gonna do when the films out and all our theories are debunked :("

I think this is all part of the Package of Debate and Speculation i dont think we would get to down if any theories are debunked, i think it would be interesting to see which ones a close.

I think AC has a lot more to hide from us, than the Trailers show, and the 4chan leaks seem to not be able to cover these things, and so new set reports conflict with many aspects of those leaks.

@Michelle

Not long now before the movie is out and in about 10 weeks i am sure many of us can start to discuss the direction the movie actually going and i look forwards to seeing your input.

I'd just like to say how spot on most of these predictions are and I love how you all have picked up the slight hints and nuances in the meet walter promotion.