ChaseNineJuly 15, 2012I don't have too many answers, but I'd love to help speculate.
And, I'll just gather some info online and throw it out randomly.
According to a few online sources, the planet is LV-223, which is a moon to Calpamos which is a giant gas ring world. Calpamos has three moons, one is 223 (the planet in Prometheus), the second is Acheron, or 'LV-426' (the planet from Alien) and a third one, unnamed to my knowledge. Calpamos, the saturn-like planet, is a part of a bigger system called Zeta Reticuli, which all orbit a star called Gliese 86. Much like our solar system, and our sun.
Obviously they're nearby each other, and I think some out there (deftones, looks like you have) already researched this too, but for those who don't know, these planets are all pretty close by in the cosmic perspective of the Alien/Prometheus Universe.
To begin, let me just say that I agree with some of your points, or rather, some of your perspective, deftones1986 (also, I love Deftones too, nice Screenname)... But you are wrong in a few areas. I am not here to argue, just to offer my opinion.
First topic: you posted this, "[i]Since the original ALIEN was directed by Ridley Scott, why wouldn't he have that film be the main connection to PROMETHEUS, after all the original was his baby.[/i]"
To answer that. Ridley Scott explained in a youtube interview I watched about how he'd need several movies to connect Prometheus to the first Alien. This isn't to say that the Alien born at the end of Prometheus does NOT connect the first Alien movie; actually quite contrary - it DOES connect them, but in such a vast perspective. You can't just have the first Xeno that was ever born form the story of the first Alien film - if you remember, there are thousands of Xeno eggs in Alien and there are many many years holding between the events of Prometheus and the events of Nostradamus and LV-426.
Let me interrupt myself by saying also, that I absolutely HATE how much negative criticism and reception Prometheus is getting for this topic alone. I just explained in a paragraph what whole entire threads and/or forums are (still) arguing about, when clearly they don't even like the Alien franchise enough to really justify any sort of positive outlook on why and how Prometheus and the events contained therein are, in fact, relevant and do, in fact, have serious significance in the perspective of both storylines. Not only that, but who gives a flying f**k. Both films, completely separate from each other, are outstanding and absolute science-fiction masterpieces in their own respects. I've honestly offered for anyone to validly argue against me in this, and so far, I have no takers. If I did, however, be prepared.
Back to the math, sorry for the rant.
Second, your comments on David 8 are pretty well said, I would like to point out something that you made obvious too, for a second time. Peter Weyland is not stupid, he's colonized how many planets and he has how much money. I am almost positive he knew about the planet before they reached it. Just as he lied about being alive during the film, well why would he tell anyone any of his REAL true agendas. Entitled with that is David 8 himself. What does David 8 say to the Engineer when he is awoken? Who knows. Maybe David knew already about things. He seems to know a lot more than the audience is led to believe though, considering his actions with the dark matter, the placement of it to Holloway, and his complete understanding of the Engineers' piloting system... it's not hard to believe those things are true.
Now,
If that is the case, then I'd say it's reasonable to assume that somebody, somewhere, high up, wearing a suit, in a nice white office, knew about the crew and events would happen on LV-426 (Alien) even though it was completely uncharted and unknown.
But this is really all fairly unimportant to the real true question, the one that EVERYONE, and I really mean everyone, has been asking about Prometheus, which I am going to blow your minds' with if you're really interested.
Want to know what it is? Well, you answered it without even realizing it.
Your last sentence was this:
"[i]- All hell broke lose, all test subjects where destroyed besides Shaw, but with having Weyland put to death by his own impatience and greediness, the mission had failed.[/i]"
And that's the answer.
Believe it or not, I really think from everything I've seen (and because of how obsessed and in love with this film that I am) that Prometheus really has nothing to do with being a prequel to Alien. In an interview, Ridley Scott words it perfectly: when asked this question, "What would a prequel to Alien be, and why is this not it?" Ridley answers:
"It started off as a, unanswered question. The very first Alien I did, knowing I watched with a kind of bemusement that, no one picked up as a whole plotline, that the unanswered question was, "whose the big guy in the seat for god's sake", and no one answered it...."
He later is asked what he'd want audiences to know about Prometheus. His answer is "Nothing and everything". This is perfect. Let me explain.
He goes on to tell how Prometheus is a challenging idea, there are different levels of information, and has a strong narrative. I personally don't think the problem critics and people have with the film is that everyone wants an answer. But Ridley wants to leave the audience with the feeling of wanting to see a sequel. And really, that's what it's all about.
Going back, and to finalize, you said how all hell breaks loose and everything falls apart. The mission is failed, the creatures are open and loose and nothing has gone right. THIS is the beauty of Prometheus. Does nobody see that? The beauty and sheer magnificence of this storyline, is that everything [i]IS/WAS[/i] a mistake! The Engineers didn't mean for a Xenomorph to be born! The Engineers didn't mean for the human race to be born! This is why the whole entire opening scene is so dramatic. We don't have the answers of why the Engineer at the start is there or what he did to receive punishment. But who cares! This storyline is about the events following that. And there is more beauty within the mystery, too. I think it's awesome to speculate where the Engineers came from and why they do and are what they do, what they are. What were they running from in the hologram? Why would they build SO MUCH of the dark matter weapon when clearly only a small amount of it could have wiped out Earth as planned? Maybe they had a second reason for all that weaponry of mass destruction? These are questions that I absolutely love to think about. The problem with movie critics is that they hear these questions and say, 'well, this is a stupid movie if there is nothing to answer the where and the why'. I find it hilarious how angry many, many thousands of people are from Prometheus, because they don't have an answer. And what's more funny, is the most asked plot-line questions are actually the ones that can be answered, but they don't care or enjoy the Alien series really enough to go through it and find the answers as I have done.
In any case, the chaos and 'falling apart' feeling that Prometheus has is truly the beginning of an awesome and terrible universe with Xenomorphs and war and, well, chaos. This theme is finally being commenced with Prometheus. David 8 states the theme in one sentence, one that has such magnitude for anyone who knows and loves these movies as much as I do - he says "Small things have big beginnings."
I'm done for now.
