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Engineers & Assumptions

Deadgar

MemberOvomorphJuly 17, 2012700 Views10 Replies
I'm new to this message board, but I believe I have something to add to the discussion on engineers, let's just hope i've done my "search" right and this has not been discussed ( at least not from this angle ) yet. I've been reading up on the relationship between engineers, xenomorphs and humans, and found that generally assumptions are being made that I find too simplistic. Let me elaborate: 1. A general concencus seems to be that the seed engineer is being forced/ sacrificed to spread his DNA on earth to jump start evolution and later on allow the xenomorphs to reproduc through us. I say jump start as the timing seems to indicate that this did not happen millions of years ago, but rather thousands. 2. Xeno's are generally believed to be a bio weapon built, or manipulated by the engineers, either for purposes that are beyond us, or to destory the human race. 3. The engineers are full of bad intentions towards us. ( well this is a horror movie after all) Now, I might be simplifying discussion points at this stage, but please bear with me. I find these assumptions to be too aligned with dystopian sci fi conventions, and quite typical for our navel gazing. Yes, I'm labouring the point but what do I actually mean? 1. & 3. We barely know anything about the engineers. We know they are an ancient race capable of interstellar travel, and DNA engeneering. Does this mean they are out to get us? Not really, we don't really exist yet at least on their time scale. We're babies. Their babies. Does it mean they knew we were going to turn out the way we did? Yes they could have tried to create us to propagate their bio weapon, or to allow them to reproduce after having gone sterile. But their control over our evolution must have been limited and it's quite far fetched to believe that they produced us with those goals in mind. I think we're more of an accidental bioproduct of scientific medelling. Really like it happens most of the time when do science down here on earth. How can we know that we are what they hoped would turn out of this experiment. It's just our natural reaction to believe we are meant to be, and created by a higher force for some purpose unknownst to us. We're not that great ... Is it not far more likely tha the engineers live in a very complex society, with a multitude of beliefs, and political factions, that each have a variety of goals? Could the seed engineer be a visionary scientific that believes he is experimenting for the greater good? A sort of tesla of the engineer society if you would? Could the Engineers in the ship, be of a more conversavative notion that everything unequal to them is a threat and must be annihilated? Such Advanced beings surely have personalities and must have different opinions. I't sjust hard for me to believe they all want the same thing. Even on earth we don't all agree on nuclear weapons. Surely the creators of nuclear fission did not intend for the cold war. Is that not why we are afraid of biogenetic engineering? For fear of what might happen to it? Could the xeno's be one of these bi=products that some seek to weaponize and others see as a cure ... for something? What if there is a war in engineerland, and one faction is trying to create a weapon that is so clse to the bone it will give them a upper hand in an interstellar conflict? Xeno's could also be a species they have come across, and much like the weyland corporation they sought to control it and failed. The awakened engineer would have been pissed that we unleashed the xenos, and that would be reason enough to kill the puny humans in his ship. Any way these are just some thoughts, we don't know what the engineers are, are up to, or want. Why assume that we are even important to their plans. What do you think ?
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Svanya
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I always thought it might be something of an honor, to give ones life up in order to create new life. It is your DNA that becomes every living thing on the planet. I think it's a positive ceremony within Engineer society, not a negative one. Welcome to the forum Deadgar. :)

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SpaceNik
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I gathered there were two different engineer factions...the monk like one we saw in the beginning of the film and the possibly rival war like one we saw at the end. Or what happened at the end could have all been a misunderstanding. Maybe the engineer thought all the humans had been infected and didn't want to risk the contagion getting out.
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Bayman
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Yes i thought that too. Two Factions of Engineers. The factions could be at war...or both could be actual partners? I mean the Engineer at on Earth giving himself/herself to the land. Then the Engineer going back to Earth to drop off cargo and get him/her back. This could be their own cycle of life? Maybe they got more than they bargained for by creating Humans, they fact we create Androids that don't need to reproduce or have a cycle, could be a reason why we are being destroyed as a threat. Maybe like i said, are just one part of their cycle?
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fluke
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its all speculation because there are no answers in the movie.
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fluke
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humans didn't have robots 2000 years ago.
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PickleGuy
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@Deadgar: Welcome to the forums. I think your points are some of the same types of guesswork that we all went through during and after watching Prometheus. Did the Space Jockeys create life on Earth? Do they want to destroy us? Who made the "Alien" Eggs and Black Death Goo? - A lot of theories exist. A lot of people propose to have the elaborate solution already figured out and we are all just idiots. ;) Anyway, I think the discussion is fun - and the thinking around the possibilities makes this movie a success. Hopefully, the next movie will provide us some answers. But, in my personal opinion, any race that is as old as the Space Jockey's - which can travel across galaxies - you would assume they would have advanced enough to know what they create will eventually coming "looking for mommy". - and they assuredly can/would deal with it if they wanted to do so. Which all begs the question, "So what's their purpose?"
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Indy John
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"... I think it's a positive ceremony within Engineer society, not a negative one..." But is this decision based on the Engineers' free will'..or something a little morte than a brain wash administered by the Elder. A humen's mind can justify many different actions,,,I am just not coinvinced that the Sacrificial Engineer took all the ramifications before he took the drink.. I be thinking about this the next time I have a an adult beverage..
Be choicelessly aware as you move through life
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Cheyenne
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Engineer in cloak--Round Smooth Space Ship. Engineer in armor--funky looking Space Ship I think there are two different sects of engineers. One goes around spreading life, helping out with the old cave paintings and showing the stars to the primitive folk. The other kind goes around destroying it, tampering with parasitic forms of life, tests it out on a planet, drops a canister, gets infected, runs for the main bay with the cryobeds, and it explodes their heads. All except one, of course.
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gati
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Engineers are advanced species and movie directly indicates that they have one will. We see whole space ship watching sacrificial engineer. We all just to have seeks for answer in the movie and 'speculate' only based on movie. Do you remember when Shaw says something like this (not an exact quote, but a periphrases) : 'they made us, they wanted to destroy us, what did we do wrong?' and 'I deserve to know why' I think the problem may be with us, but not with the engineers. The Urn cargo was kind of a punishment for us. Well, there was space jesus theory (which look relevant according to the mural), but I believe there is some more. BTW. the art book says that the ampule room is made in looks of Sistine Chapel, with parts of Creation (first mural) and Judgement Day. very interesting.
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joeyjoe
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@gati: Space jesus was abandoned by scott and co. because it was too "on the nose".

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