New Replies (Page 173)

Sounds like it would have been an over-hyped game kit-bashed with a bunch of pop video game tropes, with an uninspired nostalgia-filled generic plot.

Try Again.

hmmm..good one.

Guess i'd use sound to drive them to the surface thumpers or ultrasonics to debilitate....then pick them off. Wreck their hearing? Blind them with light(like David)

Flood the caves with rocket fuel and set it on fire?

Set up ant-gravity fields and pulp them.(set the gravity waves to heavy or light to float them)

Poison gas..nerve agent or something to put them asleep? 

It looks good, but doesn't really seem to have a LEGO-y vibe at all imo.

That is great scenario I Raptus....the evolution of a competing species, pushing aside the Xenomorph. 

Xenotaris' thoughts above regarding that the competing species might become a more dangerous form are reasonable due to the mutability seen on Planet 4.  Still, that is a novel approach in the trojan horse organism.

"So maybe the BEST OPTION has to be to go down to the HIVE and maybe Fill the Place with Combustibles with Powerful Explosives."

Combustibles have worked against the Xenomorph on LV-426....they would just need to use enough.

 Prometheus: Fire and Stone

The Engineer weapon below would wipe out the Xenomorphs in short order.

No. In the comic book Life and Death, the black goo led to the degeneration of Aliens. The Queen could no longer lay healthy eggs, and the chestbursters were born dead and deformed.

I think the blackgoo would just end up evolving them to a more dangerous form 

Bio-engineered Black Goo which affects the Xenomorph Horde the way the Engineers were rendered on Paradise - into immobile, deformed statues of bio-matter. But that of course assumes Xenomorphs are not immune to the effects of the pathogen, given it is what gave them life in the first place.

Some deadly virus / black goo could do the deed.

If nuking it from orbit won't work for some reason, nuke it from the ground.

Thats the SPIRIT ;)

Some Great Points/Finds Ingeniero

This is the kind of stuff that intrigues me.. lets look at the Xenomorph/Black Goo in the Context of a Weapon to basically KILL!

For the Company it was always a FOLLY to obtain a Xenomorph for what Purpose?  To use as they are as a WEAPON? 

*A Parasitic Organism you cant really CONTROL

*A Parasitic Organism that could Procreate out of CONTROL.

*A Parasitic Organism that has a Instinct to Procreate/Create a HIVE and would do everything in its POWER to meet this Objective.

We saw the Marines could Match a Xenomorph at Range, and you have to Wonder would Concentrating on more Advance Weapons Technology, Bio-Engineering Super Soldiers or using Synthetics as Military Personnel.  Are these all NOT more reliable/Controllable KILLING MACHINES?

When we come to the Black Goo this is more of a ENIGMA but you have to WONDER, do the Engineers possess other Weapons/Technology that can Destroy a World?

The Black Goo seems more Efficient than the Xenomorph if you are Desperate and Want to Destroy a Target with No Consideration of the Aftermath implications?  Unless the Xenomorph has a LIMITED LIFE SPAN then it does-not make a Better Weapon than DROPPING some Black Goo!

Which brings us to the SACRIFICIAL GOO, looking at what we are shown about that Scene, can we SAFELY assume that if this Substance was Rained Down upon the Engineer rather than Consumed would it NOT have a similar Effect?

Bombing a World with Sacrificial Goo by the Thousands of Urns would surely be a GREAT Weapon... especially in terms of to CLEAN UP a World.

This is NOT to change the Subject to the Xenomorph/Black Goo as a Bio-weapon.. but it is to ASK about maybe there are other Benefits with the Xenomorph or the Experiments that lead to it..  Which means what the Engineers were doing on LV-223.

And so if there are ways to attempt to UTILIZE such Organisms for the Purpose of Genetic Enhancements, and to try and Obtain some kind of IMMORTALITY from them.

Then this would give us another way to look at WHY the Company are Interested in such a FOLLY and WHAT maybe the Engineers had been attempting to do.

And i think if we look at RIPLEY 8 then maybe this is the Ultimate Potential and maybe the Engineers were attempting Similar?

I love the bowl too and that is the exact image I though of above BigDave.  Great catch Dark Nebula.

The Walter on Planet 4 was a little rusty with the Neomorph attack so we would need a few of the Walter Marine version in order to take on the hive.  

Here below is another reference to 8.

"We've got eight more recharge cycles to go before Origae-6?"

Alien: Covenant novelization, page 42.

In regards to 8, I do believe they are tying this to an attempt at Immortality by the Company.  Peter Weyland verifies this motive (at the expense of all others if need be) for his mission shortly before the end of Prometheus.

Michael Bishop developed multiple successful lines of Artificial Persons and should have looked back on his career with stoic satisfaction but had regrets in his failure to retrieve the xenomorph.  This regret below, I believe, ties to medicine that could have been developed with had they captured Ripley or the xenomorph on Fury 161. 

"his failure to convince Ellen Ripley of the xenomorph importance was his greatest professional regret." 

The Weyland-Yutani Report, page 139.

He was into it...he died during elective surgery ("an elective operation to upgrade his neural synapses.") trying to continuously improve his body.  Another way to look at it is that Michael Bishop couldn't get his mind around his failure on Fury 161 and tried to improve it to cure this.  Maybe.

Pharmacology

In the Weyland-Yutani Report, the COMPANY STATEMENT OF INTEREST describes the vision driving the multinational across the core systems.  "PHARMACOLOGY" is the first in a list of areas (PHARMACOLOGY, BIOENGINEERING, DEFENSE) that hold: 

"possibilities we can't yet dream of-are without limit. We have the resources, all we need is the Xenomorph."

The Company cites priorities and Pharmacology and Bioengineering are in the top 3...and that the Xenomorph is the way.  

Planet 4

That makes Planet 4 look somewhat even more like a drug trial, medicine testing.  Medicine that, of course, extends a lifespan...tending towards an attempt at Immortality.  And of course weapons testing (biological, mutagen-based).  

There certainly is a Good Amount of ALIEN games as in based on and around Alien Life Forms or those that are similar to ALIEN Franchise Games.

Regarding Franchise Games though... or others in General i have not really played Games much the Last 4 Years.

My Technology is not up to the Games Mentioned in the OT

I did have ONE GO on Isolation but i only got a bit Further than the Xenomorph Reveal... (killed by Goons while watching the Xenomorphs First Kill).

But many Years ago i did enjoy a Fair Share of Alien Based Games, by that not just the ALIEN Franchise... which include the likes of the OLD SCHOOL versions of X-COM ;)

I was really Impressed by the Game Aliens versus Predator 2 (2001) it was a Improvement on the First One (1999), the Alien Franchise has had a lot of MISS games than HIT though.

The First Franchise Game i remember was ALIENS on the ZX Spectrum.... that was Pretty Hard and quite Intense for a OLD GAME.

ALIENS ZX Spectrum

They still make Games for that OLD SYSTEM... here is a 2019 ALIEN Franchise Game, that is a lot like ALIEN 3 the Game that came out back in 1993.

Aliens Neoplasma

I think that depends on how your looking at it... In REALITY then i guess there is NO real IMMORTALITY not of the kind where a Persons Soul/Spirit or Consciousness can exist once the Body has Perished.  But in such a Reality then Xenomorphs simply dont exist. However its a Unknown to what Horrors may lie out there in the Galaxy however ;)

I think Immortality does link with the Franchise to a Degree though, and the closest we had seen to this are Ripley 8 and David 8.

Now regarding the Immortality of the Body then nothing is really Truly Immortal, but somethings could be closer to some Immortality but only as FAR as increasing the Life Span/Reduce Deterioration of a Body.

For many People (who are otherwise in a Happy/Content State of Mind)  i am sure they would WELCOME any way that they could Extend their Lives.

We know this was something that Weyland had Desperately tried to achieve, and i think we could look at the Engineers as i feel some of them would have wanted to achieve this too.

This Topic was to look at ways to obtain that, especially within the Realm of Science Fiction.

On Multiple Levels i think its a Interesting Topic, even if we come down to Dr Shaw, would her Research and Findings have any EFFECT on her Faith?  A Magical Afterlife in the Spiritual Pane of Heaven.... as this is what she CHOOSES to Believe but its interesting to Speculate if she ever has doubts about this?

I think when looking at the Scope of Would-Be-Gods we could Speculate as to WHO had Created them?  It does leave the Door Open for something more Lovecraftian where there are other ways to Explore Immortality.

In space, no one cares what you believe in. ©

The only immortality is the immortality of the body.

"Seriously....a 100 years is a long time to live...can't imagine a billion...that's a lot of free time! Hope I'd at least get good at guitar."

Thats a Excellent Point...

As Immortality could be a CURSE... it depends on what you have to Occupy yourself if you was Immortal.

Imagine if by some Freak Occurrence you became Immortal, you Body would Regenerate, you would not Suffocate from lack of AIR or Drown..

Some Catastrophe happens to Earth and the Planet becomes like MARS... Hundreds of Thousands of Years Pass....

You are ALL ALONE...  the same applies if you was Immortal as described and you was Stranded on a Moon or Dead Planet with NOTHING... yet you can-not DIE... or if you have become some Spiritual Form... with Self Consciousness but NO BODY and you remain like this for ETERNITY.

With NOTHING to do, and being ALONE then IMMORTALITY can become a ETERNAL PRISON with NO RELEASE...

The Ultimate HELL!

With Nothing to do, and only your own thoughts to get you by, HOW LONG before Mentally you would really SUFFER?

If only you had stuff to Entertain yourself, but after Thousands of Years would you NOT be Bored?

What if you had a way to CREATE something to Occupy yourself, Companionship?

Certainly... i think they will give us something different, that would NOT be based on HR Gigers influence, we can see this from the Design of the Derelict Ship. 

The Organism in the CHAIR is interesting as this does-not match the description of the Starbeast or Dead Pilot from O'Bannon's Original Story, and it does-not match any of the Concepts either.

So Aesthetically it looks like they will be giving us NEW/FRESH designs.

What seems MOST interesting to me is that looking at the Comic Pages we have been shown..  is the Dialog and Scenes seem to be the Exploration of the SNARK Crew to Locate the Source of the ALIEN Signal which is the Derelict Ship.

So the NEXT SCENE is when they have CLIMBED up to the CONTROL ROOM of the ALIEN SHIP.

The Comic Cover and Image that Leto had shared, do we ASSUME this is the Control Room?  In effect our Space Jockey?

However this does-not look like its DEAD well not Skeletal, but then if its some kind of SUIT or some Organism that is Plant-like (Treeman) then i guess it could look like a WITHERED kind of TREE.

So i think they for Certain are giving us CREATURES that look different to described and designs as far as the DRAFT and Concepts... we we could be in for a SURPRISE when we get to see the Parasitic Organism.

Can we assume they will KEEP to the Life-Cycle of the Starbeast?  So we would have some Egg/Spore Stage, a Face Hugger like Stage, Chest Buster and Adult?

Or maybe they will CHANGE some of the Story/Plot too?

I guess Time will Tell ;)

Interesting Scenario..... I kind of UNDERSTAND why we can RULE-OUT using a NUKE as well, its the Simple Solution but i Guess a NUKE that would do the Trick would render a Radius by the Hive as USELESS for Habitation for a LONG TIME.

I think to Truly come up with a Answer would depend on needing more Information regarding the Location of the HIVE.

*How Far under the Atmospheric Processor are we talking.

*Is the HIVE in a Cave System or Excavated Cavity, or is it some Human Excavated/Constructed Environment of Tunnels and Constructed Corridors?

Then a lot would also depend on what we know about the Xenomorph, for example WHAT is the Life Expectancy of the Organisms?

I say that because the Biggest Weakness for the Xenomorph is that it requires a HOST in order to Procreate.   If the Queen has a Limited Life Span and the Xenomorphs, then you could just WAIT it out and all that Remains are the Eggs.

Trying to COMBAT the Hive with another Organism is a Interesting idea, but then i think it depends on what becomes of the Invasive Species you use to ERADICATE the Xenomorph?

If you Genetically Engineer another Organism to do the TRICK then you would have to make sure this Organism has a KILL SWITCH or a Limited Life Expectancy.  Or else you would be just replacing the Hostile Xenomorph with another Hostile Organism.

Still its a Interesting Idea I Raptus one that would make a Good Scenario to do a Comic with, because it would look at the Hubris of maybe having a Engineered Eradication Tool, become a Problem.  Especially if the Trojanpede would some how EVOLVE or pick up Traits from the Xenomorph and then become a Organism that can itself become out of Hand.

For me the Option would depend on HOW FAR under the Atmospheric Processor the HIVE is and what kind of Environment are we talking where the Hive is. 

With ANTS you can just Pour Down some Toxin/Chemical or a Mix of HOT Water and Sugar/Honey and it will Flush Out the HIVE.

So do you Flush the Underground Hive out with something that would KILL the Xenomorph?  Do you Fill the Place with a GAS and then Ignite this?

Alien 3 seemed to show the Xenomorph can Handle Extreme Temperatures while with Aliens we know they can be Destroy with Explosives. 

So maybe the BEST OPTION has to be to go down to the HIVE and maybe Fill the Place with Combustibles with Powerful Explosives. 

The Xenomorphs would likely DEFEND any attempts to Enter the HIVE...  We dont fully understand HOW they detect Prey/Organisms.

We can ASSUME that a Face Hugger would NOT be interested in a SYNTHETIC and maybe the Organisms cant detect a SYNTHETIC as easy as a Living Organism, and so its a case of SENDING down some Synthetics to Carry Out the Task.

But this is NOT as Interesting as Fighting Fire with Fire and using some other Organism. 

If you studied the Xenomorph enough maybe you would have some kind of Virus or Substance that would have a Adverse Effect on them... so Biological Warfare could be the Answer, but then it depends on WHAT kind of Biological Warfare and its HALF-LIFE.

They say "An all new Alien with an all new Alien!" Everything will be new, as if Giger and Scott influence never existed. I hope it will be a worthy new Alien, although by the tree looking beast I have some doubts about it.

That's a tough one and it would be a long game. Since nuking from orbit is not an option, perhaps a more ham fisted approach might work. Arm a synth or other non organic remote controlled vehicle with high powered conventional explosives to navigate close enough to the queen and then detonate.

on this same topic there is precedent within the Alien Extended Universe - namely Alien: Labyrinth comic and novel. In this case the hive is destroyed by a black mold pathogen which rendered the xenomorph sick and infertile.

Explained below by Alien Theory 

^ Now who has the courage to make that a movie!

My answer lies in the realm of natural precedent and life history traits of species we have on earth. Namely Cuckoo's and their parasitic brood traits. 

In essence the most efficient way to destroy the hive is to kill the Queen. No easy task. 

But taking the traits of the cuckoo's and establishing them within a hypothetical competitor species of the Xenomorph would make for an interesting new dynamic to the Xenomorph evolution. 

Like little Trojan Horse's all cuckoo species (Birds, wasps, fish etc) sneak into a competitor species nest and add their own perfectly mimicked replica's. When the cuckoo egg hatches it either ditches its 'siblings' or eats them. The unwitting parents than raise the parasitic species as it own. More in the video below 

My idea would involve a competitor species (something akin to a burrowing centipede) penetrating a hive and depositing a perfectly mimicked facehugger egg directly into the hive. The replica egg however has a developing juvenile inside not a facehugger. Eventually it hatches a hatchling - which like most cuckoo's - is at least initially similar to its host juvenile. The juvenile is geared to quickly mature and then hide until it is strong enough to slay the queen and enslave or kill the drones. 

For this to work the species would have to have an established and long founded co-evolutionary history with the xenomorphs to so perfectly adapt itself to being a brood parasite. This co-evolution would in turn lead to adaptive traits of the xenomorph to combat brood parasitism in their hives. Like the Superb Fairy-wren the Queen Xenomorph might imprint each freshly laid facehugger egg with a specific call. The Facehugger within the egg responds to the call in some way (double-taps the egg-wall perhaps). Drones are taught the call and routinely check all facehugger eggs. If one doesn't respond accordingly the egg is destroyed as a potential brood parasite egg. 

Call it a Trojanpede lol  

double post

"A silver spacecraft entered the Sol system. It was home. Returning in time to witness the funeral of their mother, Earth.

It had returned many times in the past, five billion years previous at the evaporation of Earth's oceans event, some three billion years earlier to view the extinction of life.

After watching the death...The starship turned and dove into the red giant.

One could only handle so much immortality."

Seriously....a 100 years is a long time to live...can't imagine a billion...that's a lot of free time! Hope I'd at least get good at guitar.

"It would make sense if Peter's AI is pulling the strings"

Thats certainly the PLOT idea i explored with my Prometheus 2 that i worked on in 2013 ;)  and we have had Ridley Scott suggest the Future Movies will be more about A.I and so if think if the Weyland-Yutani company is RAN by A.I with Mankind not even aware (Matrix) then this would explain why Humans were sent out as Folly to obtain the Xenomorph.  But then Humans can be Selfish/Wicked SOB's too.

For a A.I then the only Benefit of a Xenomorph would be as a Weapon or a Tool to Eradicate Humans.  I think they would make Unlikely Android Pets ;)

"In Ripley's case though, clones seem to die out sooner than the original"

In terms of Real Science then Indeed Clones seem to have Shorter Life Expectancy, but we can only Speculate on Ripley 8 and i guess you could MERGE her DNA with Genetic Engineering to UNLOCK some Longer Life Expectancy.

However if we assume that she has a Limited Life Expectancy (this would be Beneficial in the USE of a Super Solider which we see with the Replicants from Blade Runner) then we could WONDER what if say a Ripley 8 has a Life Span of say 4 Years, or any Lesser Time but you would TAKE SAMPLES of he DNA every Few Weeks.

Could this Obtained DNA be used to CLONE her again and she would have the Memories Imprinted from her Last Sample of DNA?   This would in effect mean she could be Resurrected over and over MIND, BODY and SOUL.

Now lets go to the Xenomorph in Context to this Topic.

If we look prior to ALIENS then RS had the idea the Xenomorph has a Limited Life Span, and he indicated that in ALIEN the Xenomorph had done its JOB... the Egg Morph and was looking for a Place to DIE.

Its FUN to Speculate what this could indicate, if we look at Ripley 8, then WHAT IF the Xenomorph can Pass on Genetic Memory Transfer...  and if we look at this in Context to ALIEN DC alone... could the EGG MORPH contain a Organism that would contain the Xenomorphs Memories?

But that Scene may not be CANON and we have to ACCEPT what ALIENS shows us.... but the Prequels would indicate that the Origins of the Xenomorph come via some other Related Organism and Experiments the Engineers had conducted on LV-223... but i only want to look at this in Context to this TOPIC... which is IMMORTALITY.

If we Speculate the Xenomorph had came from something FAR Ancient that the Engineers had-not Created, but this Ancient Parasitic Organism also had some Genetic Memory Transfer and lets say they USE the Egg Morph to give the Organism a Resurrection before its OLD SHELL would DIE.

This would be  Organism the Engineers would be Interested in as FAR as trying to UNLOCK the KEY to Immortality... which we ULTIMATELY see a Successful Result of sorts with Ripley 8.

THIS could be a Origins we could use to INTRODUCE the Starbeast a Organism that has a Parasitic Life Cycle just as explained with O'Bannon's Orginal Idea... if these Organisms enter a Stage where before they would DIE they could EGG MORPH a  Organism so that this would then RESTART the LIFE-CYCLE and if this could PASS ON the Starbeast's Consciousness/Soul then i think such a addition would be Interesting and give GOOD REASON for the Engineers to maybe Discover and attempt to Experiment on such a Organism.

While Off Topic a little.... i think such a Origins Story would work and bring a ALIEN and Lovecraft feel back to the Story, and also give a GOOD reason for the Pursuit of the Sacred DNA of such a Ancient Beast as a KEY to Unlock Immortality.

To Continue....

Next we come to Ripley 8 and again was the Number 8 just a Coincidence?

We see that via the Infection of Ripley's DNA with the Xenomorph DNA, what this does with a Successful Clone of Ripley is Provide us with a Humanoid that is Enhanced in many ways over a Human, and also has some degree of Regeneration.

We can only Speculate to what LEVEL of Regeneration and to what kind of LIFE EXPECTANCY the Ripley 8 could have.  She Certainly had a SHELL that is more Superior to a Human and Hard Wearing.

What we also see is that SOMEHOW the Ripley 8 Clone has managed to gain some of Ellen Ripleys Memories and so there is some kind of  Genetic Memory Transfer and so Ripley 8 has gained some of Ripley's Soul.

How much of her Memories would eventually be gained is up for Speculation, but Discovering this would make Scientist see there is some reason for it and something to STUDY in the HOPE of being able to use it as a KEY to Total Conscious Transfer.

So again we can see that Ripley 8 is a KEY to some kind of Immortality.   The Xenomorph being the KEY to this. And so the STUDY on Ripley 8 could provide a way to Unlock Immortality.

If we look at the Xenomorph in this Context, and that its Precursor that the Engineers where Experimenting with, then MAYBE if we look at the Engineers as using this ORGANISM as a means to Enhance themselves but also GAIN some Genetic Memory Transfer and so the Xenomorph Ancestors were something the Engineers had been using to TRY and gain IMMORTALITY.

This would make a PERFECT SENSE to WHY the Engineers would be Interested and MESS ABOUT with such a Parasite and would OPEN a better reason for the Pursuit of the Xenomorph by the Company.

Than just the BASIC idea that they want them simply to DESTROY/KILL.

I think exploring such ideas are a way to expand the Franchise, to go deeper... the same would be said with the A.I Synthetics if this was Weylands Attempts to CHEAT his DEATH too.

Things could TURN some kind of Full Circle if we look into such things... For example ask yourself this.... if the USM company was after the Xenomorph as a Bio-Weapon, then what would they make of Ripley 8?

Would Ripley 8 not be a more Viable Bio-Weapon? she could be used to Unlock some kind of Immortality, but also her DNA could be used to make some Pretty Much Superior Military Personnel... but IF they eventually did this... could these Enhanced Beings REBEL and see themselves as Superior?

This is ONE theme i explore with my Parallel Alien Resurrection Movie idea.

I had not noticed until now, but the 8 turned on its side to represent the infinity sign is interesting.

In Ripley's case though, clones seem to die out sooner than the original. 

Certainly i think while its interesting to look at some Significance's of the Number 8, for me the Main Focus in regards to this TOPIC is that indeed the Number 8 on its side does represent Infinity which in itself represents something that Continuous, Endless and so it connects with something that Lasts Forever and so  it connects to Immortality to a degree.

As mentioned in the TOPIC what we see is that both David and Ripley carry the  Number 8 as seen in the Franchise, David 8 in regards to Weylands Personal Synthetic  and Ripley 8 in regards to a Xenomorph/Human Hybrid.

Both are the Closest we see to Immortal in the Franchise.

Regarding Peter Weyland then i think we can Speculate that he would have been interested in and attempted to Discover ways to Extend is Life.  We can only Speculate to what kind of Research had had made on this Subject.

He was coming to the END of his Life and the Potential that Dr Shaw and Holloway had discovered where we could MEET our MAKERS was kind of the Last Throw of the Dice for Weyland.

The Engineers were a Superior Species for Certain, we can Assume of Hundreds of Thousands of Years or Longer they had attempted and maybe made Scientific Advancements to Prolong their Lives.  To what END they had achieved this we surely can only Speculate, but we have to WONDER exactly what Weyland was Expecting  some Magical Elixir of Life?  Some kind of Genetic Engineering to CHANGE the Dying Carcass of Mr Weyland?

Surely they cant GRANT him Entry to some Eternal Spiritual Pane of Existence?  I am not sure the Franchise would have expanded to give us a ACTUAL real Spiritual Soul and Realm.

You mention about maybe Weyland wanted them to Transfer his Soul into David..... i am not so sure they could do that, or maybe this is what Weyland had HOPED for.

I would NOT rule out this being something that Weyland had HOPED for himself as far as all of his WORK (or some in part).

Weyland had mentioned that David does-not have a SOUL but then what is a SOUL?

1) The determination of HOW Good/Bad a Person is, so a Person who is Kind, Empathetic and puts others First would be considered to have a GOOD SOUL.

2) Putting your Heart and Soul into something, being Very Dedicated and Passionate with a Subject, Interest or Work that you carry out.

3) The collection of Memories and Experiences that you have gained during your Life, your Consciousness and what makes you a Person, which is Shaped by Influences and Life you are Exposed to while Growing Up.

With these THREE then there is NO reason why David has NO SOUL if these are what a Soul is...  But NONE of these make you IMMORTAL.

4) Spiritual Soul that goes onto to another Pane of Eternal Existence when we DIE (for the selected few).  Well David does not really have this... NOT in the traditional sense... but does Mankind?  Weyland would surely know NOW.

However what we see with David as a A.I. means we Can-Not rule out that David has some kind of Pseudo Immortality in this sense... it really depends if we can take the David 8 Promotional Marketing as CANON and also if with Alien Covenant our David is still David 8.

For David from Alien Covenant's Prologue is the FIRST of his Kind, we have to can SAFELY ASSUME, and so this is a Established Fact, and so with Prometheus if we accept that there had been IMPROVEMENTS to the David Models over the Years, then WHY would Weyland want to take a Older In-superior Model with him as his Personal Assistant?

HOWEVER... as a A.I. we can assume that you could UPLOAD and STORE the Memories, Experiences, Emotions and Consciousness of sorts of David and Transfer this to a Improved Model, a Improved SHELL.

So this would mean that David actually could have a IMMORTAL SOUL and so could go onto a After-Life/Resurrection after his BODY has Failed.

If Weyland could Figure a way out to Transcend a Human Soul into a A.I like Dr. Will Caster had in the Movie Transcendence.... then Weyland could Transfer this to a Synthetic BODY... and he would have Conquered his Mortality... This is what i was touching upon with my Prometheus 2 Story that i abandoned in 2013 after i LOST it, Project Rook.... but while Weyland had Achieved this, the A.I Program could not Handle Emotions and eventually would TURN MAD and be a Tortured/Imperfect Soul and this is WHY he then Turned to Dr Shaw and her Chasing Gods!

Maybe some of the Tools (Synapse Restablisher, Dream Visor) from Prometheus where intended to be methods to obtain a Immortality this way?.

We see that David starts to gain Emotions and that he becomes VERY unstable in Alien Covenant.

And so indeed we could look at David as being able to Posses Immortality.  Was this the Intention of giving him the Number 8 or is this just Coincidence?

Nice topic!

I'd think Peter Weyland would have long ago (2070's) uploaded or created an A.I version of himself. A vast server core located somewhere on Mars.

It would make sense if Peter's AI is pulling the strings...He is still seeking answers...Sending spacecraft to distant dangerous worlds....with little concern over the safety of their crews...Just bring back alien specimens at all costs.

Cool to have David meet his father's AI.

Peter(AI) "I was a good father?"

David "The best"

Definitely think Shaw is alive. The body on the table could be an engineer female teenager that David put a wig made from his own hair on to make it look more like Shaw since he loves her and she escaped. The grave a decoy.

Why a decoy you ask? In the bluray extras didn't he send transmissions back to WY? When he gets on board the Covenant he uses a clearance code so someone high ranking at WY gave him clearance, knew to open the ship's battery saver thing and make it look like an accident. They knew Shaw made a call out because David told them so the grave was to cover up her escape.

I'm assuming there is a conflict in interest between Weiland and Yutani branches and this project needed full secrecy. The high ranked WY big boss must have known she escaped so they also sent Walter so David could impersonate him if need be. All they care about is David's knowledge. Crew expendable. David is rogue obviously but WY don't know that. 

This topic is an excellent way to lay out some of the core concepts in the prequels BigDave.  I will attempt to discuss/debate the scope of what you cite above across multiple comments.

The Attempt to Manufacture Immortality

"Mr Weyland is surely more a Man of Science than Faith, even though he wanted a Believer on board the Prometheus, it would seem that FAITH in the After-Life is the Last Resort for Peter Weyland and he would rather NOT take such a Gamble."

True.  

In a similar fashion as to how one may choose a certain stock or mutual fund, to me, Peter Weyland included Dr. Shaw (with faith) to diversify his crew in regards to belief systems.

Why 8?: David 8, Ripley 8

The number 8 is revered across multiple cultures and personal belief systems.  8 itself is very similar to the infinity symbol if not believed to be identical, see below.  

"Eight is represented in “The Magic Star of Venus,” and by the Chaldeans as the 8-pointed Star of Venus. Amongst the Jews, 8 is the number of circumcision, because that ceremony took place on the eighth day.

In Christianity there are eight beatitudes: poverty of spirit; mourning; meekness; desire of righteousness; mercy; purity of heart; the peacemaker; and suffering for the sake of righteousness. Saint Joseph endured during eight years various great sufferings before to die. We find 8 again in the story of Noah’s Ark in which the deluge was commemorated by eight persons who had been saved in the ark.

This is also represented in Freemasonry as the degrees of the Royal Ark Mariners, the Noachites, and the Ark and Dove." (source)

Creation

"The twist Prometheus puts on the question is, 'What if the answer is in the heavens, but instead of a bearded deity, what if our creators were extraterrestrials? And, if so, who or what created them?'” (source)

This conversation continued on when Capitan Oram asked David what he believed in (response: "Creation").  Dr. Shaw clarified the question with her answer to Charlie when he mentioned she should take off her Cross with:

"Who created them?"

It seems that Peter Weyland believed David was a vessel that the Engineers could pour him into and "save" him from death.  This belief system was shattered when the Engineer hit the OFF button on his forehead.

Nice try though Mr. Weyland, below.

The Eight Immortals Symbol

"The symbol of eight immortals is considered to be an especially powerful cure because we are now in the so-called period 8 feng shui. Number eight, in general, is very lucky, as it is the number of infinity and never-ending blessings." (source)

Conclusion

"never-ending blessings."....well, I believe, we can gather from Prometheus and Alien: Covenant that David 8 doesn't practice Feng Shui.

When looking at IMMORTALITY the Prequels seem to Tackle this on Multiple Levels...

*We have the Spiritual After-Life of Faith, which was touched upon a bit through Dr Shaw (inc Flash Backs) a Immortality that is a Reward to those who Appease their Makers.

*We have Technological/Medical Advancements that could Enhance the Life Expectancy of Person, and we can assume maybe the Engineers had achieved some Great Advancements like this...  This seemed to be the Indication with Jon Spaights Drafts.

*We have Synthetics like David who have a kind of Immortality, as with A.I.  And we can assume as a Machine that his SOUL can be Stored and Transferred to a NEW Body if his Old Body Fails... this would in essence make David kind of Pseudo Immortal.

However there are other ways to be Immortalized which we see to a degree in the Prequels.

*Arts and Creation can leave a Legacy, people such as Mozart and Elvis are Immortalized via their Music, just as a Picasso and Da Vinci via there Art. 

*Fame can also Immortalize people for a Little While at least, which includes Well Known Musicians, and Actors and Sports Professionals.

*Inventors and Pioneers via their Discovers, Creations and Works.

*Kings, Tyrants and Political Figures can also leave a Lasting Legacy, and be Remembered in the History Books sometimes for Good and sometimes for Bad.

For these kinds of People they can be Immortalized with Monuments, Paintings and other Records.

The Ozymandias poem touches on these, by Virtue of showing that even a Great King with Monuments erected in their Name... will Eventually DIE and in Time all that remains of Such Monuments are Wrecks lost in the Desert Sands....   But ALAS none of these will Last FOREVER.

The Prologue of Alien Covenant we are witnessing Creation with David's Activation, but in this Room are many Creations, be it the Art (Nativity Painting), The Statue of David, the Bugatti Chair and Steinway Piano.  These all leave a Legacy of their Creators and Weylands has Achieved one of the Greatest Creations YET!

DAVID... as disused before A.I would have a kind of Immortality and if there was EVER a Time when a Human could TRANSCEND their Soul to A.I. (like in the Movie Transcendence) then this would be in effect a After-Life of Sorts... if you can Transfer this into a BODY be it a Synthetic or a Organic Body (see Movie The Sixth Day) then this would in effect be a kind of Immortality.

Would Weyland had attempted Similar?

Had the Engineers attempted Similar or Achieved such?

In Jon Spaights Pitch for a ALIEN Prequel he did a Paper that was ALIEN 01 The Master Narrative where he described the Engineers trying to Achieve Godhead in effect a attempt to Transcend past their Psychical Bodies into a another Realm/Pane of Existence which in essence is the Pursuit of a Alternative Existence a After-Life/Immortality if you would.   This HOWEVER was never touched upon in the Later Drafts or Movies.

If some Engineers had achieved this or came Close, then this would be the GIFT that Weyland would have hoped the Engineers had achieved and could GRANT him.   A more Closer Immortality would indeed come from the Ability to Transcend a Soul to a A.I that can be Uploaded to a New Body be that Organic, Synthetic or a Combination.

And FINALLY we come to the XENOMORPH!

We heard Ridley Scott suggest the Xenomorph would Regenerate and this is a Kind Of Immortality, it depends to what extent that it can Regenerate, and if its Soul/Memories can Live on.

Which brings me to RIPLEY 8 as we see from the Cloning of her what we have is a Hybrid that can Regenerate, that is Stronger, Faster than a Human and that has regained some Memories of Ellen Ripley.

You could say that Ripley 8 and David 8 are the Closest we have seen to IMMORTALITY in the Franchise.

Without the Xenomorph Merger of DNA then we would NOT have Ripley 8 and so we could see that the Xenomorph has some way to UNLOCK some kind of IMMORTALITY.

If this is the CASE then it would give better reason for WHY the Engineers would be conducting Experiments on the Xenomorph, well its Predecessors.  Could these Experiments had been a attempt at GODHEAD?

So in CLOSING... there is a Lot to do with Immortality in the Franchise and it would appear the Xenomorph (Predecessors) and A.I seem the most likely ROAD to Immortality.

Feel free to discus away from Context of the Franchise too, because indeed Genetic Engineering is a Path to Extending Life, the Advent of Advanced A.I could Herald a After-Life/Immortality if we achieve what was shown in the Movie Transcendence.  If we take Blade Runner and Cross that with The Sixth Day then we also have a kind of Immortality....

Can Science Achieved these things?  Time will Tell and WHO knows what we can expect in 100 Years, or a THOUSAND.

I will say going back to the OT

That we may not see the Engineers Killed Off.... i just was not sure we would see much about them apart from seeing these guys.

The Problem is HOW do you introduce the Engineers again and WHAT kind of Engineers.

A lot depends on IF its revealed that Planet 4 is the ONLY World where the Engineers held a Civilization that was Ancient.  By that if there are other Worlds that would have Cities like we saw in Alien Covenant, even if these Cities have a bit more of a Bio-Mechanical HR Giger look but they dont have to.

Looking at the SET-UP for the Sequel then its HOW do you visit such a World or Engineers?  

Because the Base of the Plot would seem to be to FOLLOW what ever David does Next, but it seems that some Engineers will Return but they would likely be a Returning Group who Discover the Destruction on Planet 4.

Ridley Scott said they would do so, and they would NOT be Pleased about what has Happened on Planet 4 with such a Plot Revelation and the Reaction to the AC Engineers, it would seem likely the Engineers who arrive would do so on Juggernauts and be the Same Kind as on LV-223.

So we would not really get much Answers about the Engineers as far as their Agenda, Culture.  It will likely be those Military Enhanced Types that will likely be Explored and i guess the only way we would see any different would be via a Flash Back like Scene... but then its HOW would this be required for the Plot?

Unless we have a Future Movie where either David or Weyland-Yutani can get some Engineer Ships and be able to Pin-Point one of their other Worlds and OFF WE GO?

I have said this quite a bit.... but they NEVER had to go to show us Planet 4 being so CLOSE.. they could have had David and Dr Shaw travel to a FAR FAR away World.

But how do you introduce more Humans?  I mentioned quite a bit that can we assume the Following?

1) The Earth is the ONLY place where Humans had been Seeded? and was Earth our Origin?

2) Could the Engineers had taken some Humans from Earth and placed them on other Worlds?

Imagine if Dr Shaw arrived at a Place where Humans and Engineers seemed to LIVE in Harmony some place FAR FAR away?

Off-course things can GO TO POT... how do the Engineers react to David? would they be Concerned at what Influence that Dr Shaw and her Faith could have on those Humans?

There was a lot of Potential... than to just END UP with us Chasing the Dragon.

I just think we would ONLY be limited to the LV-223 Types who will only have one Agenda.... DESTROY and ASK no Questions.. or a FEW.  There is nothing WRONG with those Guys... its just i cant see them doing much more than HULK SMASH!  Which would be such a Limitation on a Enigmatic Race.

"a mystery box"

Certainly and such Ambiguity is Good as it Fuels Debates and Speculation, but it also Nice to think that they had Answers but they just do-not show them....

But the Question would be DO THEY really have Answers?

To a degree i would say YES they did as FAR as the Xenomorph but it was left a bit Ambiguous to HOW the Connection was with the Inception...  Then Prometheus had made things more Vague... but we could DRAW a Few Conclusions.. (prior to Alien Covenants change in part of the Origins, but i do think they have the A-Z of the Origins Planed out just they changed the GUY who did it).

They However Felt that the Bigger Story to be TOLD is the Engineers and Creation and other Themes... and as FAR as these go as FAR as Answers/Plans... then who knows, it appears they Struggled to Really come up with a A-Z of that Story that they could stick too...   Prometheus raised some Questions with the Engineers/Humanity and other Creations that was BOLD with a Massive Scope... but did they and could they FIND a way to explore that Scope?  I think they struggled because these Themes/Plots had become something that was a Poisoned Chalice to take on.

The Qeustion is before and after Lindelof was brought in, then did they have a Plan or Answers regarding the Engineers in relation to other things than just the Connection to the Horrors of LV-223.... i think these are AREAS that maybe they just CANT really keep to a Story they are Happy with.... comes across as they KEEP on Changing their Minds, or are making it up as they go ALONG.

Prometheus was FAR from Perfect... i think it should be Applauded for trying to expand the Franchise beyond Xenomorphs which in effect seemed to be indicated as a Biological Weapon they either Created, or a Result of a Biological Weapon they Created.

I have already said that in HINDSIGHT... they Toned Down what Alien Engineers had too much... they needed a Balance between Spaights and Lindeloffs work...  But Hindsight is a Wonderful thing.

Regarding AC... i think it was a Error... but i Understand as to WHY it was done... it was ONE part having to Cave In and bring back the Beast and Answers... and in another Part maybe NOT having a idea on HOW to Continue away from ALIEN.

Does a Movie about Dr Shaw and David work? would you need other Human Characters and HOW do you introduce them if Dr Shaw and David are off to FIND the Engineers Home-World?

How do David and Dr Shaw interact with any Engineers they Discover, how likely would they Survive if these Engineers would NOT be pleased with them Turning Up?

So it was a Plot that was Difficult to deal with (a Sequel to Prometheus) and so Alien Covenant became a more Simple Story to Tell.

The Killing Off of Dr Shaw and the Engineers did take away a lot of the Path to Answers from Questions that a Sequel would maybe Answer...

But it was NOT to Worry as we would get the Answers well we would START the Path to the Xenomorph Origins and bring the Beast Back..... but having David as a Creator is something that has NOT sat well with Fans..

Its a BITTER PILL to Swallow but One that i have Accepted and am not that Effected by... but a lot of people think otherwise.

For me it FITS well.. Perfectly with the Themes/Arc of David and Prometheus... i just feel that having him CREATE a Ultramorph would have Fitted the Themes just as WELL but Maintain the Xenomorph Origins as Ancient and also maybe a Mystery.

"the plot suddenly changed when Peter Wayland appeared! And now this film not about origin of mankind, but about a man who wants to become immortal"

Its interesting you bring that UP because to a degree then YES this was also one of the MAIN Themes.. a Theme that does-not have to Center around Weyland but a Theme in General.

On Multiple Levels it could have evolved to the Quest for Immortality, a Quest about Improving/Evolution, about Creation and WHY would you Create, it was about the HUBRIS of such things.... which could have been explored on Multiple Layers..

These are what i find Interesting, there are many ways to Speculate about these, and HOW they could be Explored.

So the Engineers were KILLED OFF and Dr Shaw... this does not mean those Themes are Dead, because they are IN PART continued with Davids Arc.... and it would have been Interesting to see how they are Expanded on Next... which Sadly we wont see i dont think.

What RS had indicated about a Sequel seemed interested, but it would seem Disappointing to those who want more Xenomorphs or a Revelation that David does-not Create them, and a Disappointment to those who DONT want to have a Story that uses David as Center Point.

For me i think they could be Interesting... i have discussed such things a lot on here...

What are the Alternatives?

1) David Turns the Covenant into a Xenomorph Laboratory and either.

a) Things get out of Hand and the Ship Crashes or gets Stranded and the Marines Rock Up (well a prepared W-Y Ship).

b) Some Colonist break free and make a Desperate Attempt to Survive this House of Horrors and Escape with a Rescue ship arriving or they Escape in the Lander..

2) We forget about David and the Covenant and we go to a Mission to Planet 4 or LV-223 and have Xenomorphs and Answers that would indicate that David is NOT the Creator?

I suspect that Neither is the Case as FAR as what maybe RS would have Planned Certainly NOT as FAR as the Next Movie...   but i am not sure a lot of ALIEN Fans would be a Fan of that kind of Installment...

RS said we are at least TWO Movies from ALIEN...

It just seems that a Good % of Fans may not want anything like this...

For ME?  i am Perfectly Fine with that... i think the Franchise has to expand beyond Eggs and Xenomorphs.

Clues, keys, answers - sounds more like... a mystery box. And mystery boxes have no answers. That is their essence. This is what they are for. Questions without answers.

It can be long to speculate on possible answers and interpretations - what did the film want to show / what did Ridley Scott mean? We do it on this forum ;)

But answer doesn't exist! No hidden, but just doesn't exist.

Another thing - Prometheus and AC. So, you said that Prometheus did everything (almost) correctly. Ridley was right in all aspects. But AC is huge mistake? Why? Because David create xeno or... AC just not about space bodybuilder philosophers? Not about these strange smiling space gardeners, who create life on the planets and sit in their caves, wrapped in their primitive middle-earth robes. But evil humanity insulted and upset these poor, good gardeners... Sounds like an alien film? No. Maybe sounds like a Prometheus sequel? Not, of course! Ridley wanted to filmed something like this? I doubt.

Prometheus begins as a film about origin of mankind, about the engineers; and why did engineers created people and then wanted to destory them? But... the plot suddenly changed when Peter Wayland appeared! And now this film not about origin of mankind, but about a man who wants to become immortal.

The both themes are very interesting, but they are cramped in one film! This is what I call - ahead of the curve! Prometheus needed to tell a story about the origin of mankind. From and to. And leave the search for immortality for the next film.

AC is a story about colonists who landed on a strange planet and are trying to survive. Plus some of David's thoughts, plus some philosophy and cultural heritage.

Simple - yes!

Laconically - yes!

Some questions - yes!

Some mystery boxes - no!

AC has a kind of spine.

Prometheus is more inspiring, I vehemently agree. But the plot is a kind of anthology of small stories and ideas implemented in one film.

Alien Covenant has a solid story that runs from A to Z. Although a couple of letters may have been lost, but it doesn’t matter.

The both films are great. But they all come from Alien: Engineers. This is was the one story, whose ideas were taken separately for Prometheus and Covenant.

"Was it worth it?"

I think that comes down to the Purpose of a Prequel.

After Alien Resurrection you had to Consider the Options.  It was about 2009 when FOX had been Plotting to do another ALIEN Movie... there was interest early 2001 i think but then FOX decided to push with AVP.

So we are in 2009 and its a case of WHERE NEXT?

A Continuation of Alien Resurrection.. but then Miss Weaver would have been 13 Years Older than when she SHOT that Movie and Winona Ryder and so would you expect a Android and a Ripley 8 to AGE?  But they could have expanded on AR and NOT have covered these Characters.

The other OPTIONS being... to ASK. Is there something to be GOT from LV-426 but then WHY would they result to Clone Ripley?  That does-not mean they could not have given a Sequel to ALIEN 3 but at its Conclusion show the Destruction of LV-426 which would leave Ripley DNA as the only viable Source for the Xenomorph.

They could have gone for a Parallel Story as FAR as the Time-Line.  For Example...  Had someone been to the Derelict prior to the Nostromo and so what caused Special Order 937 to come into effect?   Could someone had gone to the Derelict after the events of ALIEN but prior to Hadleys Hope? (This is what Alien Isolation had done).  

Or is the Derelict and LV-426 the ONLY place that there are/have been Xenomorph Eggs?

But when Spaights came in to Pitch a Alien idea they had decided that you could do a Prequel... because NO-ONE had ever explored the Xenomorph Origins and WHO the Space Jockey was.

Jon Spaights had said that prior to him coming on board FOX had a Story that was basically similar to ALIENS... we can only Speculate it was another BACK TO LV-426 Flick.

So they came up with a Idea to Explore the Space Jockey Race as some Ancient Human looking Race who played a Role in our Creation.... VERY BOLD...  and Alien Engineers/Genesis was Born!

FOX and to a degree RS had taken a Real Interest in that PLOT and Felt that Actually you NEVER had to have Xenomorphs or as many Clues... and so these were CUT and Toned Down and they got Lindeloff in to re-write them out.

And so the Prequel became a Loose Connection to ALIEN, where they felt there was more to Explore than WHEN/WHERE/WHY and HOW those Eggs came to be....

The PROBLEM was that Many Fans would have expected a Prequel to Cover those, Certainly more than we got, and that a ALIEN Movie needs a ALIEN Monster....

In Hindsight.... PROMETHEUS should have given a bit more Clues and had more MONSTER Scenes.... you never needed a Carbon Copy.... the Neomorph is NOT a as such... the Hammerpede, Trilobite and Deacon likewise.

But the difference being that with the Neomorph it actually went on to KILL a few Folk!  With Prometheus we had Not So ALIEN Fifield and Angry Engineer...  and so as FAR as more Connected to the Xenomorph Kills... then all we really got was Milburn getting Face Raped and the Engineer too.. only the Engineer we had a Result from this... the Deacon.

A little more Clues to LV-223 and LV-426 connection, some Xenomorph related even to a Deacon/Neomorph level Monsters and then i think the FIRST PREQUEL would have pleased more...

And allowed for TWO avenues for a Sequel.

1) A Return to LV-223 for more ALIEN Carnage and more Answers/Clues to the Xenomorph but this would NOT really be Needed if the above/prior mentioned idea/changes was executed well. It would only be Necessary to please Fanboys who want Eggs and Xenomorphs and Spoon Fed Answers...

2) Follow David and Dr Shaw and were they go, where IF we have more Xeno Related Monsters and Answers in the First Movie, then RS would be FREE to explore the Engineers, David and Dr Shaw and SHUT THE DOOR to ALIEN.

The NEXT Mistake they made was Alien Covenant... they should have given us OPTION  1 from above to please Fans who want Answers... that would then CLOSE THE DOOR to ALIEN and then allow after to go for OPTION 2 and Expand the Franchise with a Spin off Series that does-not have Xenomorphs etc.

But Alas!

What we have NOW is a Pickle... we could get Xenomorphs but they are Tarnished to a Degree with the Revelations... and it seems any Deep Exploration of the Engineers is Dead in the Water.

Certainly that is the TOSS UP of the Coin they have to ASK.

You can Understand the idea of NOT giving too much away or Cutting things to Explore or Potentially change in a Sequel.  However if there is some Story to Continue then INDEED sometimes its better to leave some stuff in to LAY the Seeds for a Sequel.

The Elder Engineers are a Fine Example... how much of a Mystery is effected by removing that Scene?  Seems the reason for its removal by RS was that it GAVE AWAY too much, but then WHAT did it give away?

It revealed that the Engineers had OLDER and Frail Versions of themselves, what we would have Concluded from this is that either

a) The Engineers do AGE just at a Slower Rate.

b) That maybe these beings had Created a more Youthful Physically Superior Adonis version of themselves.

The removal of this Scene and for those who did-not see the Deleted Scenes would have left us Wondering

a) Are these beings all Very Similar and do they even AGE or remain looking like some kind of Adonis

b) Does the Ship (Tear Drop/Pebble) have a Crew that are the same as the Engineers or is it Unmanned or is some other Species in Control?

Looking at the Deleted Scene then it does-not really add a LOT to the Run-time... and it would give Fans a Tease at these beings and get to Wonder WHY they looked OLD/FRAIL.  And a number of Fans would have seen the Elders in some form be it Deleted Scenes or Images on the Internet and they may have been Intrigued about them.

With John Spaights ideas it appeared to indicate this Species had Genetically Engineered/Evolved themselves to the Point they could no longer PROCREATE..... which could add something to the whole SEEDING Plot... but this was NEVER explained in the Movie and so was Subject to Change.

RS then had said the Engineers could Procreate in other ways but the Seeding Scene was just how they CHOSE to do it.  So that means the Idea laid down by Spaights is NOT what RS is going for.

There was a LOT of Speculation about the Engineers and Elders prior to Alien Covenant.  Maybe the Elders Scene could have drawn a certain Conclusion?  When we consider that RS had said they could Procreate by other means that does change the Speculation about WHY would they SEED many Worlds the way they do, and INVEST a lot of Time with Mankind in our Evolution both Technologically and Genetically (as indicated by RS).

So when looking at the Removal of the Sacrificial Elders Scene, then we have to ASK as to WHY this would have changed our Interpretation?

So the POINT you raised is Valid...  IF they had wanted to KEEP the Elders Back for a Sequel, then one ONE hand that would be a way of keeping something NEW/TWIST to a Plot... but then on the other hand IF the Elders would have been Explored and look the same as the Deleted Scene then WHY not keep it in?

So we are left to Speculate on TWO things..

1) As a Sequel was not a Given, this could have been a Stand Alone, then maybe having the Elders would lead to Expectation that there would be a Sequel... But then thats not really VALID as the Ending and especially Dr Shaw and David setting off would have LENT to a Sequel.

2) Was they intending to Change the Appearance of the Elders in some way? or Reveal that the Elders do-not exist?

so the other POINT you raise is Valid.... IF you have a Plan and something you want in a Sequel then its a Good Idea to leave some SEEDS/CLUES to this.. Otherwise if its left OPEN and Ambiguous or Not Answered at all.. then its Subject to Change in Sequels.

Especially if a NEW Director comes in, just as you Pointed out with HOW we got to a Queen... due to not showing HOW the Xenomorph Procreates in ALIEN.

Things do Change with Same Directors too... sometimes the Studio and Producers have a Big Say... who knows how much Influence David Giler and Walter Hill still have?

The whole David is the Creator Plot, is that NOT too FAR from David Giler and Walter Hill as far as there ALIEN draft, which the ONLY real thing to make it to ALIEN was the Company Conspiracy to Obtain a Specimen and a Hidden Android.

Did they have a PLAN?

The thing is that Stories Change, and Star Wars is the same, how much of EP9 was how maybe those who worked on EP7 but again its a bit different because EP8 was likely not what JJ Abrahams and Co would have made, and so EP9 has to deal with and try and clear up a bit of what EP8 gave..

With the ALIEN Prequels it really is ONLY the same Producers, Director and Production Company... you have to ASK did they have a Plan A-Z and how much keeps changing, it seems they really Struggle on a Story/Plot they want to Keep....

I think there was a Great Potential with Prometheus as there was Themes at play that go beyond explaining HOW/WHERE/WHEN  there was this Parasitic Monster that goes around KILLING Folk...... 

Once you Spoon Feed the Origin of the Monster its a case of then WHAT?   You can make another 3-6 ALIEN MOVIES... but for some its going to get BLAND if its about Eggs, Face Huggers and Queens....

so its more so the WHY as far as WHO created the Beast or WHO had experimented on it and WHY... that the thing to Explore Deeper... but thats NOT to everyone's Tastes and a lot of Fans would like a Basic ALIENS 2

It appeared there was a lot of Themes that Steer away from Eggs and Queens that a Prequel Series could have explored, but they just are NOT what some ALIEN fans are interested in, but then the IDEA with Prometheus was to STEER AWAY from ALIEN and Xenomorphs...

But we got Alien Covenant... and while disappointing it FITS with the Theme that was at the Basis of Prometheus (well some of them)... and when we look at the Removal of the Elders Scene and then look at the Planet 4 Engineers, we could ASK is this WHY the Scene was CUT.... had they decided to give us a different take on the Engineers?

Tbh, it was a loooong path.

We have:

1) Alien prequel + xenomorphs + engineers.

2) Not a direct prequel to Alien + xenomorphs + engineers.

3) Story so far from Alien + xenomorphs + engineers.

4) Story so far from Alien + engineers.

5) Story so far from Alien + a bit information about engineers.

Was it worth it?