Phobos clip and Origins novel connections

The conspiracy theory involving David and Weyland-Yutani does not stand after the release of the Advent video. 

"I came to you with an olive branch. You may know me and you certainly know of my creator. I am David, son of the late Peter Weyland, your Company's founder."

David did not have any insider conspirators as I believed at some point. 

If the book suggests otherwise it may have been written before the release of Advent was seen necessary by Fox marketing department to boost the bluray/dvd sales.

With the Phobos clip in particular I am not so much interested in David's connection with W-Y; but the company itself. The rigorous testing they conducted on the crew prior to launch suggests they had quite detailed knowledge on the xenomorph and were testing the crew's reactions for specific markers. 

You are most probably right in that it is a drum up for sales, but it has piqued my interest. After Covenant where we got few answers regarding the events that occurred between films it was hoped that the announced ADF novel would fill these gaps. Instead they released the Origin's summary (above) which sounded like a dull feel-good prequel full of inane character backstories with a moot attempt to sabotage the mission. That was a disappointment that killed interest in the book. 

But if the novel does work around what we saw in Phobos, we suddenly have an intriguing story.

@IRaptus "... if the novel does work around what we saw in Phobos, we suddenly have an intriguing story"

This would make one heckuva book, IMHO, and lead perfectly into a final, bombastic, no holds barred final prequel.

That is interesting they were being tested with what looked and sounded like neo/protomorphs or close to it. How would they get that footage indeed.

Ok, wow. There's a Covenant PREQUEL NOVEL!? Wow wow wow!!! Lol, thanks for the newest distraction, IRaptus ! Just what I need before I go back to work...

Phobos was fascinating! It seemed like Wey-Yu was selecting candidates based on who showed the greatest amount of fear. It seemed like Daniels had to stay longer because they hadn't determined what her fears were yet.

It reminded me of the procedure ABA therapists use to determine a client's reinforcers except they were determining each participants' aversions/fears.

IRaptus - Great topic! I love the Phobos short! It is full of secrets! :)

I too loved it, however, just to through a cold dose of logic onto it; if we remember that they are going to an unknown part of space, to an unknown planet, with unknown flora and fauna, it stands to reason that the crew and colonists would be tested for their fear of the unknown, like Lope says in regards to the question of aliens. We have to remember that alien doesn't always mean Xenomorph... The Engineers are technically aliens. As would any animals be on another planet... Like Milburn's worms!

Am i just missing something ? i have watched the phobos several times now and i dont know what this great secret is ? I paused it a few times when i thought it looked like the view oram got of the egg but it is a white almost translucent snake. That is as far as i am with it. i did hear a fmiliar "sound" but other than that i am not sure what you guys are referring to. 

Can you tell me what evidence there is for WY prior Xeno knowledge plz plz plz ????

Sherris the testing showed that there was prior knowledge of the xenomorph before the Covenant mission launch. Throughout the testing the candidates are assaulted with sounds and visuals.

There are sounds of the noise a face-hugger makes leaping from the egg and Xenomorph death cry.

I have been collecting screen grabs of the Visual flashes, that Ill post up later (unless someone beats me to it) but they are shown images of parasites leaving flesh, rattlesnake lunge that looks very close to the facehugger leap, dripping egg sacks etc.

Computer screen grabs show the candidates are being tested for fear responses and phobia's. If you look at the above banner you can see "Parasitophobia" and "Bacteriophobia" had been identified for Tennessee.  As VivisectedEngineer it appears the candidates were selected with the greatest fear

IRaptus - Thanks for your explanation !!

I did notice the sound that sounded like a facehugger. I paused it and as i said, i seen a translucent snake.  it was very much the same colour as the top of the Egg that Oram peers into.

Also the "Parasitic" phobia on screen.

I will be looking forward to your presentation;) i will have a look when i get a chance.

Did you also notice that there is a synthetic. The Female doing the tests. Thought her name may start with an "E" this time but it never.

Regarding WY selecting candidates with the greatest fear, did you know on the last WY timeline it expressively states that they run schemes for under privileged/poor adolescents and get them into high positions (Tee maybe for one) am wondering if it is because "no one will miss them" thats not to say they are orphans but if they take from the poor and they end up missing they dont have the wealth to delve deeper into the situation. Not like if you came from a more wealthy background with a Doctor mam and lawyer dad ????

sherris no I didn't notice the Synthetic doing the tests!!! This clip is jam packed full of things to keep us talking and discussing for some time I think :)

Excellent point about W-Y selection criteria of Individuals that won't be missed. Definitely an agenda here!  

VivisectedEngineer

Alien: Covenant Origins by Allan Dean Foster.

September 26 it is released

Did anyone confirm what this image flashed (in the Phobos segment) is below?

I'm very excited regarding the upcoming prequel novel IRaptus. Great topic.

Its does make us think why are they preparing and evaluating the Crew for potentially facing such Fears and asking about Aliens.

Maybe its because while they have surveyed the World to be very suitable to start a colony on with as little Terra-forming on as possible.

Such a World would have to have Wild-Life, and it may not be all Cuddley Animals as Harmless as a Guinea Pig, who knows what Dangers are waiting.

If Humans did not inhabit Earth but came from some place else and had set down on Earth now... if it was not inhabited by previous intelligent species.

There are a lot of potential Dangers, for those with knowledge of such things....  How Dangerous are the Spiders, Snakes.. the lack of Preparation for crossing a River with Predators like Alligators, walking through a Jungle or up in the Mountains and encountering Big Cats....

So discovering a Earth like World could have less Hostile Wild-life than on Earth, but it could have more Hostile.

And so maybe these Tests in the Phobos clip are to assess and prepare the Colonist for such things.

Certainly would be interesting to find out what was behind the Covenant Mission and who and why would anyone want to sabotage it.

As far as David in the Advent, yes this does kind of go against the Company having any knowledge and Agenda prior to the Covenant Mission being sent on its way.

The Advent clip also paints them a bit too much into a corner as any incoming mission would we weary of David, knowing his Models Failings and now how he is basically telling them he killed Shaw and used her for sinister means and now intends to to do the same with near 2000 colonists.

I think its basically screwed up the potential Plot... especially of the Company Proceeds to attempt to gain Davids Creation knowing the risks and are willing to let it go, how David killed thousands in order to create his Perfection.

This would be like the Theory some had that the Company Set up Hadleys Hope knowing full well about the Xenomorph and actually sending those Colonist to their deaths on purpose.

Nope.. a more fitting way has to be it revealed that AI is behind the Scenes, and they cover stuff up to use Humans and Pawns.

BigDave you are right, and the 2 clips kind of contradict themselves with the events before and after Covenant.

Fear of Bacteria, Parasites, Fire, Penetration, Phallic-shaped objects. These seem suspiciously too close to being specifically targeted towards fear responses to the Xenomorph.

Below (left) is a screen-grab from one of the images flashed at the candidates. From a flash a rattlesnake strike and facehugger leap (right) looks ominously similar. W-Y knew what to expect in this.

Totally and i can see how it may seem like they are being prepared for a possible interaction with the Xenomorph... this is just one way to look at it and maybe its a Red Herring to let us think about this connection.

Or maybe indeed FOX/RS really are not giving much thought and we will see a whole set of prequels that Trove on things being just too coincidence, and maybe also the dreaded... Daniels Births a Xenomorph Queen that lays all the Eggs... a Fan Boys Wet Dream... now we just need Ripley lol

apologises BigDave im just excited about what we got to see in Phobos and the potential implications lol. We have not had a great deal to get excited about lately. 

I do hope the clips are not a red herring. If the book ends up being a load of coincidental hogwash that skirts around the possibilities that W-Y knew about the xenomorph, and ends up being a nothing story about a mooted sabotage.... I will be rather upset.

Same goes for if Ridley caves and puts a Queen in the next film just to give the fanboys a wet dream lol.

How would W-Y know about what phobias would be appropriate for testing the subjects' reactions to? Shaw didn't know about Facehuggers, or even the Trilobite form of 'Hugger. She didn't know about the Deacon. What am I missing here?

thats what we're all getting eye-twitching excited about auximenes, They shouldn't know about any of it, no. 

hopefully ADFs book can enlighten us. 

Or, its a red herring and will have nothing to do with it

Phobos was great, it explained the difference between the characters a lot. They should have had that in the movie. I am not sure if those were made after the movie was released but if they made before it was then they should have been there. I am not a fan of making small clips that will explain some of the tings in the movie after it has been released. The movies in themselves should have well developed characters something that AC mostly failed with.

@IRaptus

Rock on! :D I can't wait to read that prequel novel!

Also...my name and observation are mentioned in the edit!! YAY ^_^ ...I feel special.

I'm looking forward to the novel too. I wonder if WY knew something about Planet 4 as Daniels was convinced they found nothing in the sector but maybe they covered it up? WY shouldn't know anything but then why would someone try to sabotage the Covenant launch?