The Bioweapon on LV-223

Like your conclusion. Daniels as the first Queen is cool.

Xenomorphs seem to me a BAD side effect. I want my enemies dead(planet 4 engineers style)! I don't want to have to clean up a nest of xenomorphs after they killed my foes.

Maybe we can engineer a limited xenomorph life span?

Life span of the xeno should be a top priority of the weapons division.   (infest the enemies base...then wait a month...everything is dead...begin the party)

"Millions of carcasses littered LV-223. The stench was awful. The rotting mounds of flesh wasn't the real problem though....It was the maggots...Billions of the little suckers. Deacons came and went, couple of weeks tops...Maggots came and stayed. Got into everything...including our water supply. Real plague stuff."

I don't buy that Daniels would be mutated into a Queen - but if she were fertile (unlike Shaw) she could become a more viable test subject for David that leads to a Queen.

A few amendments I would make to your conclusion chli are...

#1 - The Mutagenic Pathogen is biomechanical in nature, being composed of both organic matter (viral cells) and inorganic matter (Nano AI).

#2 - Born Xenomorphs are bio-mechanically reconstructed/mutated clones of their hosts (Big Chap had a human skull, and the Runner had digitigrade hind legs (and no dorsal appendages).

#3 - Leave out the Daniels part, its pure speculation, and contradicts the fact that the mural on LV-223 references the Xenomorphs life cycle, meaning (and putting it bluntly) that David didn't create shit. 

Gavin Just small corrections:

1. Viruses are not cells. They are strings of DNA or RNA protected by a protein capsule (capsid) and coated by a layer of lipids to confuse the host. They drift around until they attach themselves to cells. We know that the goop does not reproduce itself in a host but mutates it. So by no definition is it a virus.

2. The Xenomorph from Covenant has "digitigrade" hind legs, but also dorsal spikes yet it is spawned from a human.

But that again it does not of these matter.

MonsterZero

I’m thinking that the xenomorph would wipe out all fauna so the food supply would run out. It would eventually starve to death?

S.M.

Well, who knows what Holloway and Fifield would have become eventually?

Gavin

I agree with #1 and #2 but I wouldn’t say that #3 is pure speculation. David says that he will do to her what he did to Shaw and make her his Queen and that “this is going to change everything”.

David might have had a hand in the development of the xeno-variant we see in Alien, but the mutagenic pathogen alone (and a host) can create xeno-variants (the Deacon e.g.).

If we go by Ridley's musings Holloway and Fifield wouldn't have become anything.  They're heads would've exploded like the re-animated Engineer.

Or possibly like the Engineers on Planet 4.

This is going to be one of those Debates where its about Personal Opinion and Interpretation.   And to be fair this can arise from Inconsistency and those working on the Movies constantly Changing how things are shown and changing how they view certain things as time goes on.

First of all Chli i think you are right to point out the Experiments and Bio-Logical Warfare and certainly its No Accident that Janek mentioned about the Lab that he had to BLOW-UP because someone Split something and Dr Shaw when she talks about the Outbreak and how she had seen something similar before (Ebola), as these are added to HELP drive us to what had happened on LV-223

But the Flip Side is you could argue these are merely those Characters Assumptions... of which the same can also be said about Kane and Dallas as far as their Assumptions with the Space Jockey and Cargo Hold.

Certainly as of Prometheus there was a Connection between what at the VERY LEAST was in those URNS and the Xenomorph and also the Mutations/Monsters we saw in Prometheus.

It was just NEVER really explained what the Connection was, not in a Spoon Fed/No Shadow of Doubt Way.

But there was a Connection....  Ridley Scott did his best to explain it by Suggesting that something in the Cargo Hold had Evolved and GOT to the Space Jockey.... again while that may seem like he is indicating the Derelict was NOT supposed to be Transporting Eggs... it is again Vague and not Spoon Fed in what he said.

The MURAL does-not really provide any Evidence to suggest the Xenomorph at all, it was merely a Easter Egg of sorts and Tribute to HR Giger, but those who worked on it did say it was the Deacon that was depicted. 

The Mural thus indicates that either  (1) The Organism was a Older Original Deacon that lead to Various Experiments, including variations of Face Hugger. (2) that it indicates that Various Experiments/Face Huggers had eventually lead to what we see depicted in the Mural.

But as the Mural is something that is Very Abstract and can be Interpreted in a number of Different Ways.

It actually shows that these things that do-not give any Concrete Answers, allows people to come up with various Interpretations and Theories that lead to debates, where we cant really say anyone is 100% Right or Wrong and so the MYSTERY remained.

Alien Covenant then came along and it kind of Muddied the Waters a little, on ONE HAND it offered more of a insight into the Pathogen/Mutagen but on the other it became more of a McGuffin well certainly reveled something about it that allows for them to allow the GOO to do what ever they WANT without any real further Explanations... as its a Radical Form of A.I.

This however does-not mean we conclude its like a Machine or Mechanical in any way, as A.I can be expanded beyond something that is a MACHINE or Program that Runs a Machine.

The Radical A.I thus likely implies the GOO is either (or both) a Intelligent Virus/Pathogen or a Programmable Virus/Pathogen.

The idea that Spaights had given for his Alien Engineers/Genesis seemed to be more SIMPLE and is what Prometheus appeared to show (in part).

I do think that Fundamentally though Chli you have grasped what the Pathogen and Connection is.

I will add my Interpretation to these though.

• The xenomorph (and all its variants) is the result of the bioweapon - the mutagenic pathogen. It’s not a natural species.

I have to agree as far as the Xenomorph the intention was it was a Engineered Organism.

• The amount of pathogen is important for the outcome (sacrificial Engineer, Fifield, Holloway) as is the way it infects the host (inhaling, ingestion etc).

To a degree YES, but looking at Alien Covenant and the Radical A.I then we could Speculate the Substance either can be Programed to Infect in Certain Ways, or it has its own Intelligence and decides HOW it chooses to Infect a Target.

• The ovomorphs are produced by xenomorph Queens (which are mutated Hominidae females). The first Queen was probably once Daniels.

If we go/accept that prior to Alien Covenant the Xenomorph did-not Exist, then maybe Daniels or another Human or even some Hybrid that David creates could lead to a Evolution of the Alien Covenant Xenomorph, but i think there are quite a FEW layers of Evolution to go until we reach the BEAST in ALIEN and its likely the Queen in ALIENS is either a Genetically Altered Xenomorph Experiment or a Natural Evolution of the Organism (prior Xenomorph).

• No one really created the xenomorph - the variants are the result of the mutagenic pathogen changing the hosts DNA (different results depending on the amount of pathogen and the host). The xenomorph is a mutated human/Engineer.

This is open to debate, especially if we consider Alien Covenant, which would indicate the Black Goo acted as a Genetic Creation/Hybridization Tool, it is likely the Xenomorph is a Amalgamation of similar Results to Dr Shaw and her Deacon, the Neomorphs and the Black Goo to Splice/Merge various Traits of Various Organisms with the Deacon/Neomorph until the result is the Ovomorph. (throwing out Alien Covenant, then i would be drawn to conclude the Pathogen in those URNS had been obtained by something Related to the Xenomorph a Organism that was the Progenitor to the Various Experiments including the Deacon, and Xenomorph.  You have to wonder is the Fresco Creature that Progenitor?

• The mural depicts experiments with the mutagenic pathogen on Hominidae (Engineers/humans).

Certainly as i mentioned earlier, it seems to imply that the Organism (Deacon?) in the Mural was either something that was a Result of Trial and Error with Various Experiments and Forms of Face Hugger, or that this Deacon was used to further Create Various Forms of other Face Hugger.

Regarding the Digitigrade Hind Legs 

The First Time we saw this was ALIENS with the Queen, the Queen being a Puppet and NOT a Man a Suit.

With Alien Resurrection it seemed the Intention was the same (Digitigrade Hind Legs ) and the CGI shots they had such Hind Legs just not as Bent as the Queen.  However the Man-In-Suit shots the Legs were NOT Digitigrade

Flash Forwards to Alien Isolation and we have the Xenomorph that has Digitigrade Hind Legs.  And so it could be likely that they would be shown as such in Future.... Special Effects Budget/Technology dependent.

Regarding Daniels and the Queen....

Who knows what the Plan was at the Time as things could Change, i think if Alien Covenant was a HIT and/or FOX had Green Lit the Sequel to go into Production in 2018/2019 then i feel that maybe Daniels would have been involved in Davids Experiments to Further Obtain more EGGS!

But i would NOT have expected her to had simply been infected by a Face Hugger or Pathogen that then Spawns a Queen Chest Buster..... but if this was the Route i would not think it would be QUITE the same as in ALIENS.

I would have assumed that David would have made her a Queen in the following ways.

1) She would be Incapacitated while David Extracts her Egg Cells and Experiments/Creates Ovomorphs from her, but then in what way would this be a Perfection over Dr Shaw? Unless a Fertile Female would offer more Yield?   How would she be Incapacitated? that could be Interesting...

2) She is evolved into a Hybrid that then would Produce Eggs

I think we can look at Davids other Comments on how he wanted to offer Dr Shaw a chance to Create a New Eden and Evolve her, but she rejected... and then look at some of the Concept Work/Art that Matt Hatton and Dane Hallett had done (Davids Drawings of Dr Shaw) i think these were Plans/Ideas of his that he could likely want to TRY OUT on Daniels.

"Well, who knows what Holloway and Fifield would have become eventually?"

Who knows... Ridley Scott did say that the same thing would happen to them as the Dead Engineers....

Fifield seemed to Mutated into a Toxic Avenger but other Concepts he was to become a Hybrid.... looking at Fiifeld and the Engineers, i think we could Speculate that some Victims would Mutate into Aggressive Versions of themselves, their Heads would SWELL and then Explode.... the Infected Organism then breaks down...

Holloway was infected differently, it could be a Smaller Exposure meant his Mutation/Degradation was Slower and it appeared he was more like the Sacrificial Engineer but at a Slower Rate... but then he could have been in the Process of being the same as Fifield at a Slower Rate.

The Interesting thing was the EYE-WORM and these Props (never used)

When looking at this and Fifield... then this Concept comes to MIND.

So maybe this are a Indication of what was Happening to Holloway and Fifield?

S.M.

The deleted scene of Fifield with an elongated head suggests that he was mutating into a xenomorph. Still, the scene which made it into the movie showed a mutated Fifield with enhanced strength and resilience and a high amount of aggression attacking every living thing in sight.

BigDave

A.I. is a programme and you could argue that DNA is as well so the difference between organic and synthetic isn’t, perhaps, crystal clear? What the mutagenic pathogen does is that it mutates its victims, rewrites the DNA and change them into aggressive monsters, killing everything in sight (a perfect biological weapon).

Holloway swallowed a tiny drop of the pathogen whereas the sacrificial Engineer and the Engineers on Planet 4 were exposed to large quantities. I suppose that if hosts are subjected to large doses, they just break down?

As for the evolution of a Queen, evolution normally takes millions of years (the mutagenic pathogen probably accelerates this, though). From AC to Alien it’s about 17 years and the action in Aliens 57 years after that. The multitude of eggs that Kane encounters in the cargo hold/cave suggests, perhaps, that a Queen has already been playing?

As for David’s tinkering with biological experiments, there are hybridizations of different lifeforms and mutations combined with the pathogen, but the thing is that you get a xeno-like creature even without that. We have the Deacon and the neomorph as well as the hammerpedes and Fifield (especially the deleted scene) turning into an aggressive, xeno-like monster.

It's tough to argue that chli is wrong.

Certainly Chli

What we have to remember is so much gets changed as they go on, INDEED the Earlier Drafts and Concepts had shown Fifield to be more of a Xenomorph Hybrid, had they kept some of these the Connection would have been more easier to Understand.  But some of the Concepts he looked more like the END PRODUCT that we had...

It was easier to see the Connection with the Hammerpedes and Trilobite (Deacon) and so the Holloway and Fifield infections seemed to look a little odd... we could speculate that the GOO was Programed to effect Human Genome in a Different way.  Dr Shaws Baby being different because it infected a Egg Cell and not a Fully Formed Humanoid.

The Engineers we see Various Holes in their Suits, some suits you can clearly see are HOLLOW!  When we look at what Dr Shaw had indicated about a Infection/Outbreak and that she seen similar before (Ebola) and the Head that Exploded.... the Body was Hollow... so we could speculate the Big Head Room for some reason had a Environment that Prevented the Pathogen from doing what it does.... Hence the Head was Preserved.... maybe this explains why the Engineers were trying to get to that Room.

So we can Speculate that they had been infected to a point that there Bodies would start to either Break Down like the Sacrificial Engineer, or that they would Mutate like Fifield before eventually then breaking down like the Sacrificial Engineer.

I have said this before, but the Process of being Broken Down looks like a Violent Chemical Reaction as the Pathogen Replicates and Breaks down its Host... and the Infected Target just breaks down into Particles, or a Soup then maybe this when contained within a Suit would amount to a Build Up of Pressure and then the Suit would Explode from certain points..

The Big Head Room must have been able to HALT this Process... but once the Head was reanimated then the Process Began at Speed until POP the Head Exploded... Imagine this Reaction more Intense but contained inside the Helmet/Suit?  I think that explains the Holes.

A lot of the Problems come from changes and NOT thinking about what they are showing, so we have some Inconsistencies.  Yes earlier ideas for Fifield was he became a Hybrid just as the Hammerpedes were and in FACT with the earlier Draft... Fifield had Acid Blood.

Also we only ever saw that single Eye Worm of Holloways we had NO explanation for this, its only the Unused Props that seemed to indicate that he would have produced many of this Worm-like Parasites  so it would seem these had began to Replicate inside of him or grow inside of him and we could ponder if one of these had Infected Dr Shaw's Egg Cell or indeed one of these made it to the Womb and was treated by her Body as a Embryo... (the Infected Egg seems more plausible).

Its hard to work out what is going on.... the Hammerpedes are simple to Understand, and if we go by Fifield from Spaights Drafts then they are the same as what happened to the Worms in Prometheus.

The GOO from Prometheus had evolved from Jon Spaights idea of Nano-Scarabs.... but with the Scarabs the Process was SIMPLE

BASE Scarabs (or Goo) would Consume (Break Down) a Organism that consumes the stuff, this BASE would then CARRY the DNA/Genomes of the Organism and would then PASS this stored DNA/Genome onto another Organism that it came into contact with.

WOLF consumes Sacrificial Scarabs/Goo and it is broken down and leaves behind a Substance or many Scarabs that STORE the Wolves DNA.....

This Stored DNA be it inside the Scarabs or Goo, then becomes a Carrier of this DNA that it passes onto another Organism and it will cause the WOLF DNA to be infused with the Organisms DNA to Create a Hybrid.

If this infects a Human... we could get like a Werewolf!

Thats how SIMPLE the Intention/Idea was.... so the Scarabs/Goo would act as a Hybridization Tool

Next Break Down the Werewolf by the same Process (Sacrificial) and the Resulting Substance/Stored DNA is then passed onto a CAT then what you have then is a Organism that in THEORY has 50% CAT, 25% Wolf and 25% Human.

If this Hypothesis is Correct, you could keep MIXING Organisms to Create a Desired Result.    For Example, use the Sacrificial Stuff on that 50% Cat, 25% Wolf and 25% Human on a 50/50 Lizard/Human Hybrid and in Theory you then have a  37.5% Human, 25% Lizard, 25% Cat and 12.5% Wolf type of HYBRID.

THIS is how i speculate David had create the Xenomorph by mainly using Deacon and Neomorph DNA with adding other Traits of other Organisms in his NOTES to create a Strand of DNA/Goo that he then used on Dr Shaw's Egg Cells to create the Ovomorph.

However the Problem is the Humanoids.... for this i can only assume the GOO was Programed to infect their Genome in a Different way..... it would Replicate/Spread and Break Down some, while others would Evolve into a Mutant (like Fifield) and become Aggressive before it too would Break Down.

some earlier SET leaks did show some Engineers attacking each other which we never saw in Alien Covenant, these Engineers (some) looked Mutated a bit like Fifield.

So maybe what i speculated about could be close to what is going on.

However those Engineers became Dedicated/Mummified and never Broke Down into NOTHING.. the only Explanation i can give for that are as follows.

*The Urns/Goo are Programed to attack the Humanoid Genome and Replicate and Spread but then after a Period of Time it would render the Molecular Structure of the Organism into a Calcified/Desiccated State

*As above but this is the Process of the URNS being Weaponized as Intended by the Ship (Explode) as opposed to Leaking as in Prometheus... hence why the Engineers turned to like Stone instead of Breaking Down to Nothing.

*Those Engineers would either had Broke Down or became Mutants, but some SAFETY Device was Activated on the Planet that within a Radius had Turned every Living Thing into a like Stone Like Desiccated State (to KILL/STOP the Infection).

Regarding the Queen....

Indeed the Black Goo or even the DNA the Xenmorph Shares with the Experiments on LV-223 would likely have a Quick Evolution as opposed to that Natural Process with most Life on Earth.

The PLOT for AC where it seems without David there would be NO EGGS on LV-426, has made things a bit more Complicated well Time Restricted..

I think Regardless of WHO/WHEN the Xenomorph was Created, there is NO reason why the Creator could not have Engineered Different Variants with different Procreative Methods.

The Xenomorph in ALIEN and ALIENS could thus be Different Versions, stored in different parts of the Cargo Hold.

Alien Engineers/Genesis had indicated the Engineers had Engineered 8 different Versions of the Xenomorph in 8 Separate Cargo Holds.

So that could make sense if we go the route that a Queen is a Produce of further Engineering.... but then it could also be that the Queen is a Product of the Organism Evolving itself to adapt to a better Procreation.

IF they continue with the route that the Xenomorph did-not exist (as far as the Eggs on LV-426) prior to Alien Covenant, then i am sure Fans would expect to know HOW does a Queen from Aliens come to be?

Who knows how that comes to be and how many Layers of Engineering/Evolving would occur before we get to the QUEEN we see in the Franchise... we can but Speculate.

I think the ONLY way to Clear this all up would be if they decided to show and Explain the BLACK GOO as far as Origins, and if it is the same as the Sacrificial Goo and to go into more detail as far as HOW/WHY is the Substance a Radical Form of A.I

I think something that is OVERLOOKED is it appeared the Engineers really are Creators... or so its seemed..  it did not appear that their intentions are Automatically to Create the Pathogen that has Xenomorph/Deacon and Neomorph Traits to Destroy.

It seemed it was a Creation/Hybridization and Evolutionary Tool but its Process would Replace a Organism with a Hybrid and thus Destroy what the Organism was prior...

Which could be used as a Weapon......

Look at it this way...... IMAGINE if the URNS where full of the Sacrificial Goo.... you drop that down onto a World and then the Inhabitants would be Infected and Break Down and RESETS the Process of Evolution back Millions and Millions of Years.

If it is Programmable maybe it can be Programed to ONLY do this to Human Genomes, then other Organisms are NOT infected and Humans just become what ever the Engineer had lead to after his DNA reformed into the Water...

These make the Bio-Weapon much better as far as a RESET and ERADICATION Tool....  The Xenomorph is FLAWED for this Purpose....

So we have to go back and look at WHO/WHY and HOW was the Black Goo on LV-223 Obtained/Programed and those Experiments and what was going through the minds of those who had done this!   Which could reveal a Pretty Sinister/Perverted Agenda.  Where we could Speculate is this WHY those Engineers on LV-223 were called FALLEN!

If this all sounds Complex a Easy Fix is that the Goo does as it has been shown to do and the Sacrificial Scene in Prometheus is a Seeding of such Horrific DNA and NOT how the Engineers Seed Humanoid Life.

The Best Solution is a Combination.... show that this is a Substance that can Programed....  if we look at a Program that is a SET of 0/1  or you apply this to a Color for example on a Computer RED is made from changing the 3 Base Colors so RED is R=255, G=0 and B=0 or a CODE of #FF0000 now Light, Saturation and Hue play a Factor so a Darker Red the Light is changed from 128 to say 64 for a CODE of #800000

A Blue is CODE #0000FF

What i am saying is every Color the CODE Changes, by Changing the #0000FF code of Blue to say #0000EE will Slightly Change the Color... so my point being that i every Genome of a Organism is broken into CODE BASES

What if the Goo can be Programed to Change what ever Genome with a Given CODE so for example the Goo infects the Color Code #FF0000 to become #0000FF and thus Changes Red to Blue....

If the GOO can do that with Organic DNA/Genomes then you could Program it to Change a Organism from what Color Hair and Eyes a Human has to revert them back to a Primate etc.

If the GOO has a base of many series of say #000000 then maybe it can infect a Organism and then Map its Entire Genome into the GOO this Mapped Genome GOO then can either infect a Organism where it would PASS those Traits (or best/desired) and keep best/desired Traits of the Infected Organism to create a Hybrid.

But they could also take that Captured DNA/Genome and Turn Off/On what ever Genome/Traits.

What if they also could program it to effect Certain Genome/Traits of a Organism that Matches what is Programed and instead of Changing the Organism it just RESETS all the Genomes to a Certain Code that breaks them down or causes the Organism to Solidify?

You have the PERFECT TOOL for Creation, Evolution and Destruction.

It only takes some Corrupt or Sinister Engineer/Being to attempt to Create something Horrific out of this Stuff, or to come across a Organism they had NOT created and took a interest in and became Obsessed with this Organism and begin to use their Creation Tool to Experiment and Create Horrors (based off this Organisms DNA/Genomes) with the Intention of using them on some Species they have some BEEF with (Problem).

BigDave

Concerning the ampule room, it might be as simple as that there is a vacuum inside sealed by airtight doors. That would explain why the Engineer head is preserved (but not the body outside). It would also explain why the ampules and murals start to react when the doors are opened and air rushes in.

The Engineers have, of course, been exposed to the mutagenic pathogen in one way or another. The doors probably closed automatically when the outbreak started. A bunch of them didn’t make it to one door but to “our” door a couple of them made it and one was decapitated. It’s possible that they were only exposed to the pathogen and is running to make it before the doors close. It’s also possible that they run from something which has mutated. In a deleted scene, Milburn finds a skin which something has moulted . . .

In the hologram of the running Engineers, we see a couple of them making it inside the ampule room before the door closes. Where did they go? Did the two of them make it to a juggernaut? Is one of them the Space Jockey? Where is the other one?

A Vacuum  is a possible Explanation also.

The Place seemed to Support Oxygen etc, we can only wonder if the Ampoule Room sustained that Environment or it was a Vacuum like Space, hence maybe the Need for the Suits. The Engineers could survive outside on LV-223 without any Masks, Certainly for a Short Period of Time if we go by the Scenes that never made it to the CUT.

We have to assume those Suits are some kind of Bio-Hazard Suit, that either Protect a Environment from the Engineers Respiratory Contamination (CO2 etc) or it Protects  them from the Pathogen or BOTH.

Would the Room had been affected if the Prometheus Crew had kept their Helmets on? We can only Speculate.

There Certainly was a Reason the Head had remained in Good Preservation, also a Reason why either the Opening of the Door, or the Human Crew with No Helmets had Affected the Environment and thus the Ampoules and Fresco.

And we can only  Speculate if the Engineers were attempting to get to such a Room for a Reason.

The mention of the Skin that Milburn Found is interesting, but also was the First Alien deleted scene with those other Organisms/Worms that looked Different that they Collected.

Again their is a lot of Ambiguity and so IF we consider that Scene of the Shredded Skin, it could be that it was there before the Prometheus Crew Arrived... but then it also could be from the Infected Worms after the Room was Contaminated and the Shredding of Skin is what lead to them grow into the Hammerpedes.

There is NO real Clear indication of either, so both could be possible answers...

What was the Engineers running from? the Ones in Front were looking behind themselves, but they could have been running from a Infected Engineer?  Or something else...

Its another Mystery...

Then its a case of HOW was they Infected... surely they would have Precautions in Place... so was it a Accidental Outbreak like how Janek had indicated that he had to HIT the Kill Switch to Eradicate a similar Event on Earth.

Or was it some kind of Sabotage/Terror Attack...

The Juggernaught Scene is Interesting.... as it shows there was 4 Engineers at one point, but we really saw mainly TWO in that Scene (other TWO did Enter but we never saw much of them compared to our Last Engineer and the ONE he was talking too).

These are Interesting Images...

==============================

SUDDENLY ALL SIX ENGINEERS BEGIN TO MOVE TEN TIMES FASTER

.And logic would dictate if these things are RECORDINGS from the past? David has just found the FAST FORWARD BUTTON.

And he pushes it forward. Now, the GHOSTS are just BLURS -- FLYING AROUND THE ROOM -- Sometimes there are MORE, sometimes LESS, sometimes NONE -- God knows how many years he is ZIPPING THROUGH -- How many CENTURIES -- But David’s advanced system seems to be tracking it ALL until --

He EASES up on the control -- Bringing things back to NORMAL SPEED. And instead of six fairly relaxed Engineers?

There is only ONE.

And he is clearly PANICKED. RUSHING ACROSS THE ROOM in FEAR, leaving the main CONTROL AREA and into a CORRIDOR

===========================

From Lindelof's Paradise Draft Page 71

Maybe they had SHOT a similar Scene but it was CUT and that explains those Images?

It would be Logical to Assume something WENT BAD... and they attempted to get to the Cryo-Sleep Pods to either Escape from something or to Quarantine themselves from a Outbreak

But it appears to NO Avail for 3 of the Engineers as they were Infected....

Now in Spaights Draft the Surviving Engineer when woken up was Angry, as he was also Infected and he had Entered Cryo-sleep to Prevent the Infection from taking its Course.   When he was woken up, he was Angry as the Humans had now Sentenced him to his Inevitable Death.

But as far as Prometheus goes, there seems to be NO SIGNS that Last Engineer was infected.... and can we take Deleted Scenes as Clues or Evidence to what happened..

I think the LV-223 Outbreak may remain another Mystery.

I think its SAFE to assume that WHEN those Engineers had began conducting those Experiments, and the Mural, that it was a Matter of Time before things went to POT... this could be Decades, Centuries or Millennia

With Spaights Drafts its clear to see that the Engineers had been Experimenting for some time, but then a OUTBREAK had happened and Crew got Face Hugged (Likely)

With Prometheus we had Ridley Scott indicate the Xenomorph event happened within a Few Hundred Years of the Outbreak that left all those Engineers (but ONE) Dead.

But this was never shown or explained in the Movie and with Alien Covenant this could have changed EVERYTHING.

But Regardless something had Chest Busted from those Engineers in Cryo-sleep.  We can but Speculate on HOW and by WHAT.

But i think LV-223 is well WAS the Big Jigsaw Piece to the whole Xenomorph/Deacon Connection... something that Predated this was Experimented on and Created in this Place...

IN HINDSIGHT.....

They should have given us a Prometheus Sequel that would send a Team to LV-223, where we can discover more about the Outbreak and then Give more clues to the Xenomorph and gave us some similar Organisms...

Then the DOOR to ALIEN could have been closed...

And then another Prometheus Sequel to follow Dr Shaw and David and discover more about the Engineers and stuff and STEER AWAY from Xenomorphs could have been given to us.

The Head Room must have another exit leading to the huge underground room where the juggernaut is parked (the hangar)? The two Engineers we see entering the Head Room made it to the juggernaut?

In the other hologram, we see two more Engineers entering the Juggernaut from another entrance and they hail each other. Did the other two Engineers make it through the other door (which Fifield and Millburn found)? The heap of dead Engineers outside didn’t make it in time?

It would seem that three of the four Engineers who made it to the juggernaut were already infected? It would seem that they were chestbusted (which would mean that a chestburster isn’t affected by the cryosleep chamber but can continue its work . . .)? The fourth Engineer wasn’t infected otherwise he would be chestbusted as well?

Also, IF the Space Jockey came from LV-223 he must have left during or before the outbreak (not some time after) meaning that the Space Jockey is 2000 years old - or more.

The Engineers are just an enhanced version of humans (the same DNA) so I suppose they would have the same problems as humans in space (they would perhaps endure certain conditions a bit longer).

It’s possible that a bio-suit is needed when dealing with the ampoules. It would seem that they reacted to the human presence which would fit well with how an egg/facehugger would react when a living creature is close by.

You raise a number of interesting points...

This image i did a while back, shows that it seems intended that the Rooms have more than ONE way IN/OUT

Regarding the Engineers then a number did make it into the Big Head Room, where they went from there is anyone's Guess..... was any Infected is again anyone's Guess... and the same is with where did they GO next?

The Pile of Dead Engineers likely were trying to get into one of the Rooms, we can Speculate if these Rooms provided Sanctuary from the Infection Spreading, we can only assume if they was Infected or had been Attacked by something that was Infected or a kind of MORPH.

I think we can SAFELY assume that the Pile of Dead Bodies Engineers had occurred after the Hologram Scene of the Engineers running to the Big Head Room, and that the Doors Automatically Locked Down...... i think its likely that the Hologram Scene in Question shows us a Period of Time just as or shortly after the Outbreak had began.

When it comes to the other Hologram Scene on the Juggernaught these Engineers seemed Calm.  The images i shared in my Previous Post would indicate at first they was Calm, but then we see them Running for some Reason.

I can only Speculate but i think these leaves these few Likely Scenarios.

*This Scene shows the Engineers prior to the Outbreak, the Unseen Shots (that i posted before) would seem to indicate they Panicked during or shortly after the Outbreak.  As they attempted to get into Cryo-sleep.

Could they had been the ONES to bring the Infection aboard the Outpost?

*If this scene was After the Outbreak then this could imply these Engineers were a Clean Up Team, or maybe they had something to do with the Outbreak.... some kind of Sabotage/Terror Act.

I will add that indeed the Cryo-sleep Pods may-not have Prevented a Chest Busting...  but maybe this depends on HOW-FAR has the Process gone?

If we ASSUME they had been Face Hugged, this could explain the Panic and Running to the Cryo-Pods Shots... this HOWEVER would mean they went about their Business Calmly then Encountered something and got Face Hugged, Passed Out and Awoke and then in a Panic they Headed to the Cryo-Pods... but would they NOT have set off some Warning?  Was this Ship Docked at this Time... we have to ASSUME so.

If they knew what was to Happen Next, and there was no way to Prevent it would they NOT have had a way to KILL themselves and Prevent the Inevitable?  From Spaights draft it seemed NOT and so they just go into Cryo-Stasis.

Was they Infected WITHOUT their Knowledge, something in the Air, Food or Water they maybe came into contact with, and could the Chest Busting be something similar to a Neomorph event?

Or maybe a Infected Worm or something else got into the Cryo-Pod with out their Knowledge and Grew and Infected them while inside?   Maybe this is Unlikely.

Or could they had come into contact with Hammerpedes and been Infected (Face Raped) and they then attempted after to Escape to the Cryo-Pods?   However a similar thing Happened to Milburn and it Killed Him so this is maybe Unlikely.

The Actual Engineer Props seem to be Chest Busted more Violent and Larger than a Xenomorph Chest Buster but NOT quite as Large as a Deacon Chest Buster (well from a Trilobite at least).

However the HOLE in the Cryo-Pod Cover is outwards and so that means something came from Inside and its Size would be Larger in Proportion than a Xenomorph Chest Buster but Smaller than the Deacon.

Something Neomorph Birth Size would be about Right.

I think we can only Wonder for what reason the Space Jockey Suit has.... The Juggernaught had a similar Suit, and YET we know that Dr Shaw survived in Space on a Juggernaught for some time with NO NEED for any Helmet/Mask and so that means the Ships Sustain Oxygen while they are in Space.

I would say a Space Jockey Suit may-not protect from a Face Hugger, or Hammerpede or a Trilobite.

But i would assume it would prevent other Contamination from the Black Goo, or like Neomorph Spores.  If this assumption is Correct it gives a Good Reason for those Suits, but then it means any Infection would be while they was not wearing them or the Helmet..

Or the Breathing Apparatus/Tank was Infected (Sabotage?)

The actual Space Jockey is a Different Story.

Prior to the Prequels it was indicated he was infected by a Egg from the Cargo Hold.

We saw NO such thing in Prometheus, NO Eggs or Xenomorphs, but we don't know if they had been in other Complexes, or in a Cargo Hold as we was not SHOWN anything like that.

Ridley Scott had came out and EXPLAINED what happened though.... he had said the Following.

*The Even is Connected to LV-223

*The Pilot had became Infected with his Cargo, going FURTHER in a latter comment to say Something Evolved in the Cargo Hold.

*The Derelict did-not crash, its indicated the Pilot had intended to Land where he had. (To Quarantine the Cargo).

*The event happened within a FEW HUNDRED Years of the Outbreak on LV-223 and so 1800-2200 Ball Park give or take up to another 100 Years.

To me this indicates that the Outbreak happened, and the Space Jockey had gone into Cryo-Sleep (maybe or he arrived at LV-223 at some point) but that the Ships Cargo Hold (Derelict) something had Evolved some Few Hundred Years after the Outbreak and the Pilot had came to Investigate and was Infected, and then he had left LV-223 for some reason and then Quarantined the Cargo on LV-426.

But we never got to see this on Screen or maybe would also NEVER had and RS was kind of Vague.

Ridley Scotts comments though seem to imply maybe the SHIP never Originally had Egg Cargo, but then we can ask HOW do the Urns become Eggs?

In Alien Covenant we was shown the URNS can be reduced to NOTHING or so it seemed (Exploded) if similar Happened, could it have infected something that grew in the Cargo Hold to Evolve into Eggs?  We see the Neomorph Spores had Evolved from Mold/Fungi or so we can Assume.

But then we got Alien Covenant which Potentially means none of that Applies anymore. (Eggs being on the Derelict prior to Prometheus).

The four Engineers (three of them dead) in the cryo-pods is definitely a mystery. Since they were tucked in, why didn’t they take off? One interesting thing is that the cockpit isn’t raised. Where’s the pilot? Dead and gone?

Perhaps the outbreak happened because someone wanted to stop them from eradicating mankind? There were Engineers who thought that mankind should have a second chance? Therefore, the juggernaut never took off. The pilot and everybody else died?

Miraculously, the pathogen or the mutations resulting from it didn’t reach the last Engineer? He slept on and nobody awakened him until the Prometheus expedition arrived.

Certainly is Chli ;)

The thing with the Pilot is we don't really know if the Ship needs one as such.... Maybe only as FAR as to get the Ship into Orbit, and to Land the Ship.  Also maybe more than ONE of the Engineers could FLY the Ship, otherwise our Surviving Engineer is the Designated Pilot, but in the Hologram Scene there was another Engineer who Entered who was Holding a Space Jockey Helmet, however the Pilot Chair has its own Helmet so that does-not indicate this other Engineer was tasked with Piloting the Ship.

The Question Regarding the Surviving Engineer and WHY he seemed to be the ONLY one is a Interesting Subject that had been discussed a few Times....

With the Intentions of Ridley Scott it appeared he was just LUCKY!

However....... IF we take into account the Deleted Scenes then they PAINT a different Picture of the Engineer, especially the look on his FACE to Dr Shaw and her Questions, and then the Wonder on the Engineers Face when he had seen the Violin Girl and the Interest in the Books he saw on the Life-Boat...

He seemed very Impressed at HOW-FAR we had come since they had Abandoned us... (after the Outbreak)

So if we look at those EXTRA Scenes and Consider the Possibility that some Engineers felt that we did-not need to be DESTROYED..... and we look at the Plot that they must have Invested a lot of Effort and Time in Mankind, and that its indicated they Taught us MOST of what we knew at that Time... (2000+ Years ago).   Then some Engineers could feel that if they INSTEAD just abandoned us then we would NEVER be able to Advance Further than the Level we was at 2000 Years ago, we would NEVER be able to Build Ships and Travel the Stars....  What a Hubris and how Naive that was..... Arrogant of them too.

So maybe some... decided to Abandon that Horrific Place that was LV-223 and to also Abandon Mankind on Earth.... if they have Seeded Other Worlds, then we are just ONE BAD let say Apple Tree and as long as this Bad Apple Tree cant affect the others in your Orchard then you just leave it to ROT rather than to bother to CUT it down.

So IF some Engineers felt that the Mission to Destroy us was WRONG..... then we ask HOW could they Prevent it?

SABOTAGE comes to Mind....

If your still with me so far.... and we consider this... then asking HOW the Outbreak Happened, and WHY they all seemed to FALL Victim apart from the ONE.. would make Clear Sense Now ;)

Lets just think for a Second on the Prometheus, if David wanted to Sabotage all the Humans on the Ship, then a Easy and Concealed Way would be to... be a Very Naughty Bar Man....  by that he could SPIKE everyone's Drink...  "Enjoying your Vodka Miss Vickers" 

And so maybe something similar would be a WAY to Infect a lot of Fellow Engineers without them knowing....

IF we consider the Deleted Scenes etc... the Engineer Still went POSTAL.... but we could see that maybe this was because he Realized that Mankind had managed to Advance to the Level to not only Reach Space but to also Find their Outpost, and have Created a Being that can use the Engineer Technology...

Right there we are a THREAT... and after he saw how Selfish Weyland was Acting... he would have had NO Choice but to Carry Out the Destruction of Earth as we could Potentially NOW be a THREAT to the Engineers and Worlds they had Seeded.  And by looking at Weyland he would see that a lot of Mankind are Wicked, Selfish and Arrogant..... we really had NOT changed for the Good.

Thats my Interpretation of the Last Engineer, and then how if we consider Sabotage then the Outbreak makes Sense...

But by ONLY Considering the Theatrical Cut then this Theory/Explanation does not have the LEGS really.