Why the Engineers Wanted To Destroy Humanity Explained

The popular theory that I have been reading in forums and from Ridley Scott is that Jesus was a representative of the Engineers. He was sent to Earth as a last effort to steer humanity in the right direction. However, I have maintained the unpopular view that Jesus was not an Engineer. I believe that the Engineers on LV-223, not only wanted to destroy mankind, but, more importantly, to kill Jesus and his "corrupt philosophies."

The time frame and "crucified" deacon mural are clues that Jesus is somehow a motivation, but I'm not sure if the Engineers were friendly towards Christ or not. The early Christians believed Jesus was coming back in their lifetimes to reward the just and punish the wicked in "the great and terrible day of the Lord". Maybe the planned destruction of humanity was just that - Judgment Day. But someone or something intervened to stop or at least postpone it.

Maybe Jesus was an early human taken by the Engineers (aka Titans and/or other god creatures from early civilizations' mythology?), and then returned by them to Earth in an attempt to calm the violence that was prevalent, or maybe as an ambassador for the Engineers. Once crucified, the Engineers considered this their last straw and started to develop biological WMDs for the destruction of the human race on Earth. Their eventual return could correlate directly to the Rapture, the Plagues, the Apocalypse, and the Second Coming in the Bible. Interesting.

I refuse to believe that the plot in Prometheus has anything to do with some silly biblical stuff, even though Ridley Scott might have hinted at it.

Don't despair Spellbound, even if the biblical symbolism isn't just a red herring, I think Ridley will throw us a curve or a twist. I believe it is equally likely that the LV 223 Engineers liked or hated Jesus. What is clear is that something happened around the first century AD that was the final straw. I see several possibilities: (1)Jesus was our last chance to reform ourselves and what did we do - crucify Him; (2)The Engineers foresaw that monotheistic religion would displace the ancient religions which really were about worshiping them; or (3)the Roman Empire was just too decadent and violent for their tastes. In any event something around that time frame convinced the Engineers that humanity had to go. Virtually all religions have an end game or a prophesy for the end of the world. I simply think the LV 223 Engineers were planning to initiate their version of Judgment Day 2000 years ago. Why that didn't happen perhaps will be answered in Paradise.

But even if the engineers for some reason sent Jesus down to reform us to non-violence and harmony then why would they "destroy" us just because a few jews didn't like him? What about Asia, Africa and the Americas, are they responsible too for that too? It just doesn't make sense. And if they wanted us to stop worshipping the monotheistic religions why don't they just come to earth and say "stop"? Do they really have to destroy us for that? Ideally, I would have the plot to have nothing to do with jesus at all :p

Don't forget we don't even know if they wanted to destroy us after all in their eyes maybe the black goo improves life forms. They might of needed us to fight for them or something...but yer too many possibilities just gotta wait till part 2.

I think they saw how much God loved the humans he created and became jealous when he sent his own son to die for us so that we could live forever in Heaven. They wanted to be the only ones God loved. Maybe they became evil and jealous of human beings. They are far superior to Humans. Why would God love them? Perhaps they feel that they are better than any of the aliens on any other planet. I'm excited about part 2. I love the main character and hope she is not killed in it.

I don't think that Jesus factors into anything. Everyone has missed the entire volume of the old testament which is more appropriate to the projected timeline (what about Sodom & Gamorah?) Jesus can come along later but I doubt Christianity will feature prominently in either case.

if the movie has anything to do with Jesus (and that's one big IF) i suggest another scenario: following humanity's creation by Engineers , the humanity becomes so wicked they (Engineers) destroy it with the Flood (Noah's flood) hoping that the humanity would repent... however, nothing helps, humanity stays the same (surprise surprise) and many years later Engineers want to destroy the humanity again - maybe for good this time. but then Jesus shows up with his message of love, peace and repentance. Judeo-Christian faith and culture picks up and starts spreading... Engineers see this and decide not to destroy us ... but they are nonetheless disgusted with us - their own creation (who wouldn't be)

First, I think if the answer to the question is more in religious tone, I would think of it to encompass all religions and not center on just one. We think of God having all the answers, being there when we need him/her, and certainly being there when die. And we know the engineers don’t have all these traits. Unless an Alien bursting out of your chest constitutes being reborn. I for one don’t think of it as being reborn. Anyway, the first thing that comes to mind thru all of this is how man has survived all this time thru what we believe to be God’s tests. Between been hit by plagues of locus, or floods, or some devastating event, we still find the strength to go on. And if this happens to affect anyone, we might question God’s plan. (We have to have faith everything will be ok. ) Maybe questioning why did he take my family but leave me… So to me, if the Engineers (Gods) decided it was time to send a ship carrying loads of black goop, knowing what it would do to us, it sounds more like a test. Kind of like saying, now you will be judged. It would mean everyone would have to band together to defeat this foe. And basically putting away greed and petty differences aside, or none of us would survive. If I really thought deep and hard about this, I might think they did the same to the Predators way before this. That of course if they were their creators as well. And if they did, you can see that they survived and now use the Aliens as a right of passage for their young. It might be how the tradition started. Thank you for listening, or reading. I know I was reaching, but it was fun. Thanks.

Your timing is off a bit. Jesus didn't die 2013 years ago. He was born 2013 years ago. He 'died' about 30 years later (that's of course if you can prove that he actually received a mortal wound at Golgotha). If that's what Ridley Scott and others are basing this on, there are going to be a lot of disappointed Science Fiction fans.

Why did the engineers wanted to destroy mankind? Well In my opinion "engineers" aren't the same are "space jockeys". There's not much evidence to say the whether they are/aren't firstly: (there's 2 intros) Movie starts and we see a guy who drinks the black liquid to produce life, and in the alternative we see a bunch of them they seem passive, bit like a monk to me. And look at the alien space-ship the shape of it. Its not what we see the "others" have also look at the clothing (the others have some prestige body armor/military stuff) Secondly: (Might be off-topic) Space jockeys have been in a few Aliens novels, they always hated/despised the humans, and if they would work with the humans it was cause they had common enemy the xenomorph So i wasn't shocked at all when they decapitated David's head off Next topic religion, does religion play a role in Prometheus? well 1. An out-break happened around 2,000 or so years ago. Could be referring to Jesus or not 2. Shaw believes in God, 3. Aboard the ship they are celebrating christmas (a sci-fi movie wouldn't place/state Christmas like a key part) 4. In the deleted scenes, you get to see a baby Jesus get put up on the Christmas tree - so Jesus is something important Scott Ridley wanted to show 5. Shaw gets an unnatural pregnancy who is then told by a non human 6. The Deacon's birth date was meant to be on the 26 or so of Dec, which I think is a direct reference to Jesus birth date. Also Jesus being born on the 25th is only a guess could of very well been on the 26th

I don't think that it has anything to do with jesus being crucified. I thought that was the whole point of jesus being crucified', the whole dying for our sins thing. There Is something in the self sacrifice, which seems to be a major theme in the story. I think that human kind are just xeno media.

Well we really dont know how this movie franchise will portray any connection, i mean it could not have none or little at all, as Ridley could change his mind. we have to remember the movie we got to see in the cinema was nothing quite like the Last Draft of the Movie, or indeed many of the unused shot scenes we never got to see and i dont mean the deleted ones as there was more footage than that. Never mind the concept work. So while the Engineers wanted to set off to destroy us 2000 years or so ago, the fact this date co insides with the time of Christ could be purely coincidence, however i doubt thats the case and that the references was there for a reason, maybe that could be to mislead us who knows..... i.e Red Herring.. But then Ridley did go on to hint that indeed Jesus was maybe sent down by the Engineers as a Emissary to try and persuade us to change our ways as Mankind around the time of the Roman Empire was behaving in ways that offended the Engineers or went against the desired purpose they wanted for us..... Ridley hinted that the Roman Empire then Crucified the Emissary they sent down, and thats why they wanted to destroy us. We have to remember Ridley has and will make comments regarding the franchise that change and contradict his other comments so its not set in stone that this Jesus/Engineer is a path he will take... But he may go the route of some Emissary we interpret as Christ to had been sent down, but this could all change if Ridley thinks maybe going this route is controversial. If he did indeed go such a route, then i dont expect them to show this Emissary was a Engineer, but more likely a Engineer Hybrid created maybe from a Human Woman Virgin Birth to create a part Engineer part Human Emissary. Also Ridley could go a curve ball and have it that some kind of event occurred to create such a Emissary but this Emissary then went about teaching Mankind false things and proclaimed he is the Messiah and that the Engineer race are not our creators... Maybe the Engineers then played part in disposing of this figure and then also taking out mankind after this figure is disposed because Mankind still are rebellious to them and those that are not, believe in the teachings of the Hybrid Emissary.

Ok, the comments sound interesting, but the thing the Engineers created is more than a doomsday virus - it actually lingers and becomes so dangerous that it is a threat to its creator. It is one thing to create a virus, entity, etc to destroy mankind - but as we saw from the movie; it is a threat to its creators as well. For such and advanced species that would seem to be a fatal flaw.

There have been a lot of good comments and a lot of good points. I think it's important to note the following as well: In the Torah / Old Testament there are Nephilim. There's some debate over the exact meaning, but generally this noun refers to giants and/or the sons and daughters of the gods. Some interpret the noun as "fallen angels" or "devils." Regardless, they are clearly stated to mate with human females. The Nephilim are mentioned both before and after The Great Deluge (the flood that Noah and his family survived). Within the context of the film, I wouldn't be surprised if the Engineers were historically viewed as gods (or titans or giants) while their biological WMDs were called devils (or their equivalent).

Ok. A lot of good ideas here but I have one that I think almost everyone is missing. The religious undertone is just that. A tactic. This film is made to make you think about 10 different possible plots but here is the most possible that I can see. The engineers not only created the Xenomorphs, they worship them. Hence, the murals in the tomb with the goo. The beginning with the Engineer sacrificing himself. We believe it was to create humanity. Yes but only to plant a seed. Then to allow a population to grow to the numbers they needed to later bring thousands of canisters of black goo back to grow their true love, the Xenomorphs. The other possibility is this. There are two types of Engineers. If you notice the one from the beginning looks to be a passive creature with a religious robe that sacrifices himself. What if the Engineers on the ships were a counter part to the peaceful ones. They go out through space combating each other indirectly. One set creating life and the other destroying it. I really feel it is leaning more towards the first idea. They do not appear to be peaceful in any way and I think the religious undertone was more for keeping everyone happy that was viewing the film. Even how Shaw puts her cross back on at the end. After everything she saw she still believed. Makes you feel all warm and fuzzy. :)

Well the process of creating life on Earth is not a fast one, that scene was Millions and Millions if not over a Billion years ago... To wait all that long to develop a fruit to become ripe for harvest and by that ready to drop the Goo on us, to make Xenos is well bit long winded.. And the Goo did not make us into Xenos... Maybe the 2000 years ago is purely coincidence? Ridley hinted at a Jesus figure was the reasons... I think the bigger picture could be David.... who is David and what is David? He is a Tool created by Weyland in our image to perform tasks so that Mankind does not have to, and these could be undertake tasks that would be too hazardous too distressing for ourselves... David showed tendencies of not being pleased at his creator and we have seen many movies about Robots uprisings inc Terminator etc. Remember The Bible, the Koran are not the only or even oldest religion and culture on Earth and they teach that there is just ONE GOD There could be a connection.... By that maybe the Engineers was created like David as a tool, to perform tasks for a higher power maybe the Elders... Maybe at some point they created mankind to then serve them? Or maybe Mankind was created as a evolution of the Engineers and the Engineers creators favored the Humans... i.e just as if Engineers was Angels and had to serve and watch over us. Maybe the Engineers or a Fraction rebelled against their creators and God, and wanted to be all powerfull themselves and a War Broke out. Latter the surviving fraction of Engineers then tried to manipulate Mankind to serve them to serve one Leader of them and thus maybe responsible for trying to program mankind via the bible etc... The plan or changes they wanted for us was not working, so they created a Hybrid Being Part Engineer and Part Human to be a Emisary of their kind to try and sway Mankind to conform to the Engineers wishes. But we still revolted and had this Emissary Crucified and so the Engineers re-weaponized the Xeno to use to not only wipe us out but create something new. I would assume they worship the Xeno/Deacon in the Mural for either 1) Its a Mural to show the Sacrifice of a Organism to create their new Bio Weapon Goo.. 2) They worship the Life Cycle of the Xeno as they saw it was a way that the Engineers could be made to carry and give birth to new life, something they could never do on their own as they lost or was never given this ability.

1) jesus wasnt born on 25 or 26 of dec. bible says (therefore every christian believes) he was born in summer. 2) religious has something to say in movie but its nothing important. (yes x-mas on ship, unnatural pregnancy). but there is IMHO only one big plot from this area - why SJs wants to destroy humanity/restart it and how Shaw can/will defend her race.. i think THERE will be this religious/humanity topic