"Collagen-based, it was crafted to feel exactly like that of a human."...Walter is made of DNA.
Ingeniero
MemberPraetorianJul-02-2019 4:20 PM"Collagen-based, it was crafted to feel exactly like that of a human."...Walter is made of DNA.
"Reaching out she touched his face, feeling the synthetic skin. Collagen-based, it was crafted to feel exactly like that of a human. There was indisputable affection in the gesture. Equipped as he was to instantaneously analyze human expressions, vocal tones, and just years, the effect on Walter could almost have qualified as embarrassment. Designed to deal with almost any conceivable situation, he had no idea how to react to a moment of Genuine intimacy."
Alien: Covenant novelization, page 223.
Collagen
"Where is collagen found?
In nature, collagen is found exclusively in animals, especially in the flesh and connective tissues of mammals. Collagen is a part of the connective tissue that in the skin helps in firmness, suppleness and constant renewal of skin cells. Collagen is vital for skin elasticity.
Ligaments are another type of connective tissue that attach two bones and consequently hold the joints together. Tendons are similar but different type of tissue that attach the muscles to the bones. All of these tissues, the bones, ligaments, tendons and the skeletal muscles themselves, are made up of proteins. One of the most predominant proteins is called collagen.
Collagen is the main component of connective tissue, and is the most abundant protein in mammals, making up about 25% to 35% of the whole-body protein content.
Collagen helps to give strength to various structures of the body and also protects structures like the skin by preventing absorption and spreading of pathogenic substances, environmental toxins, micro - organisms and cancerous cells. Collagen protein is the cement that holds everything together.
Collagen is also present in all the smooth muscle tissues, blood vessels digestive tract, heart, gallbladder, kidneys and bladder holding the cells and tissues together. Collagen is even the major component of the hair and nails." (source)
Collagen Scaffolding
Walter appeared to have collagen scaffolding throughout his framework.
"As a natural material, collagen is ideal for these biomimetic applications. By shaping it into porous structures, collagen acts as a ‘scaffold’ on which cells and tissue can grow in three dimensions in predetermined forms, mimicking those found in the body." (source)
The below image of Walter's arm was filtered like the above images to bring out the detail in the apparent collagen scaffolding.
In the Meet Walter promotion, DNA is mentioned in the customer disclaimer, below, "Matchmaking interview and DNA screening required."
Walter's collagen-based tissue is grown, below.
Before:
After:
Additional details: Walter's body temperature is quite different from a human and Walter clarified he doesn't "feel", a human insecurity.
Both of these concepts are touched on in Phobos, below.
Constructs
In Prometheus: Fire and Stone, the Construct Elden is tended to "medically" by his Francis. Francis later convinces Elden to allow him to inject the Construct with black goo mutagen.
The black goo mutagen has an affect on Elden due to the DNA component in his makeup, below.
Page 223
I believe that it is no coincidence that the "collagen-based" revelation is on page 223 of the Alien: Covenant novelization and the number has meaning, below.
LV-223 is where the story took place in Prometheus: Fire and Stone.
It is reasonable to expect an Elden-like reaction from Walter if his DNA component is infected with the mutagen. This assumption may tend toward "why" Walter was introduced and where the story will go with a collagen-based synthetic (LV-426?).
dk
MemberTrilobiteJul-02-2019 6:07 PMInteresting. It seems to further blur the lines between humans and "artificial persons".
Ingeniero
MemberPraetorianJul-02-2019 6:58 PMYes indeed dk. Similar terminology is used in the prequel novel as well, below.
"More rectangular than circular, it was at present filled with the most expensive stew on the planet: an incredibly complex and astoundingly diverse melange of proteins, minerals, and assorted other biochemical spices that when solidified and knitted together would form the body of a synthetic.
An artificial human."
Alien: Covenant Origins, page 131.
BigDave
MemberDeaconJul-03-2019 6:17 AMI would NOT consider Fire and Stone as Canon...
However this does-not mean concepts and ideas from the Comic could not be used in Future Movies.. There are other Aspects of Walter that indicate some kind of Biology in his Construction and so as SPECULATED a number of Times on HERE we could be introduced to that Walter Models are IN-FACT a Synthetic Construct much like Eldon from the Fire and Stone Comics.
Maybe just a Coincidence.... or it could be Part of the Plot Convenience to show us HOW the Xenomorph would gain its Bio-Mechanical Traits.
AKA... Walter-Morph!
R.I.P Sox 01/01/2006 - 11/10/2017
ignorantGuy
MemberChestbursterJul-03-2019 10:32 AMMore likely David-morph, but it was pretty obvious.
Ingeniero
MemberPraetorianJul-05-2019 2:14 PM"I would NOT consider Fire and Stone as Canon..."
It's OK BigDave...my feelings are intact.
I think we might be on the same page though regarding Prometheus: Fire and Stone included as canon. At the exact moment that Ahab shows up in the comic, I default to the previous comic as the canon-cut-off point. Ha.
So...yes, not sure how to make a canon argument for the series but I sure like certain details in Prometheus: Fire and Stone.
"However this does-not mean concepts and ideas from the Comic could not be used in Future Movies.. There are other Aspects of Walter that indicate some kind of Biology in his Construction and so as SPECULATED a number of Times on HERE we could be introduced to that Walter Models are IN-FACT a Synthetic Construct"
That is a great way to put it...concepts from the comic series boiled up into the Alien: Covenant story and I'm sure we will see more of the concepts seen in Prometheus: Fire and Stone comics in the films or other areas...or at least I hope so.
LV-223 a century after the Prometheus mission in the comic would be great to see some how in film, below, in my opinion.
I missed the collagen reference to Walter on the first passes through the Alien: Covenant novelization so I had to have missed something else...one thing below...
The "We are Walter" response from Meet Walter is echoed on page 12 of the novel with "We are David."
dk
MemberTrilobiteJul-05-2019 3:44 PMI am unfamiliar with the comics/novels, but the "We are Walter" statement suggests to me that there is a collective- whether it be physical composition or an AI thing or both. That quote is important for future reference imo regardless of how future installments play out.
BigDave
MemberDeaconJul-05-2019 4:34 PMI think with Fire and Stone it is Canon in a way that is shows what COULD happen, but as a Alternative Story, and so by me saying its NOT Canon i refer to how the Events dont connect Literally to the Movie Franchise.. but they could do... but they offer a lot of Conflicts. Predators being a Example.
Regarding the We are WALTER i think it is to show that they are all the SAME where as David was Unique and Sentient so he would be like I AM DAVID
R.I.P Sox 01/01/2006 - 11/10/2017
Ingeniero
MemberPraetorianNov-21-2019 11:04 AMWhy do you believe that the Space Jockey is David ignorantGuy?
I just interpret all the details regarding proteins, empathy and anger felt by Walter described in the novel sets the Walter character up for something big. I cite the Fire and Stone content above not as a canon argument but offer details included in other literature in an attempt to unveil where the story, in film, may go.