Summary
It seems strange thatPrometheusappears to have more impressive technology than 1979’s originalAlien, but this actually does make sense within the franchise’s fictional reality.TheAlientimeline isa little messy thanks to the franchise’s contradictory canon.Alien Vs Predatoroffers one version of the Weyland-Yutani Corporation’s history, whilePrometheusretcons this with an entirely new story. Even within theAlienmovies themselves, discounting theAlien Vs Predatorspinoffs, there are some confusing irregularities.Alien’s upcoming TV showAlien: Earthmay justify some of these plot holes, but others can be excused by viewers.
For example, the ever-changing technology of theAlienfranchise is never entirely clarified.All of theAlienmoviesfeature futuristic pieces of technology, from cryogenic sleep pods to advanced super-computers to androids. However, the relative modernity of this technology changes from movie to movie. 1979’sAliendepicts a world of clunky computers and analog technology, whileAliensoffers a slightly sleeker, more modern version of this setting. James Cameron’s sequel features higher-spec technology, whileAlien 3reverts to a grimier, less glamorous vision of the future. To make things more confusing, Ridley Scott’s prequels change this setup entirely.
Alien: Romulus Looks Great, But This Is My Most Anticipated Upcoming Alien Project
Alien: Romulus looks fantastic, but I’m even more excited about another project that looks set to change the sci-fi horror franchise’s story forever.
Prometheus & Covenant’s Technology Is Far More Advanced Than In Alien
Alien’s Prequels Feature Slicker, More Impressive Technology
2012’sAlienprequelPrometheusis set years before the original movie, but the technology featured in its story looks much sleeker and more advanced than that ofAlien. Theoretically,Prometheus’ tech should be more primitive thanAlien’s sci-fi gadgetry but, on the contrary, the opposite is true.Prometheusfeatures more advanced technology thanAliendespite its earlier setting, but the prequel does have a plausible excuse for this apparent oversight. While the characters ofPrometheusutilize state-of-the-art technology, Alien’s working-class stiffs are saddled with subpar equipment. Thus,Ridley Scott’sAlienprequelsfeature better funding for tech.
It makes sense for Peter Weyland to spare no expense when constructing the titular Prometheus.
Prometheus’s story follows Peter Weyland, the billionaire Weyland Corporation CEO, as he funds an expedition to a distant planet’s moon in the hopes of uncovering the secret to life. As such, it makes sense for Peter Weyland to spare no expense when constructing the titular vessel. The ship Prometheus is a monument to Weyland’s hubris, whereas earlier movies in theAlienseries were set on ordinary ships used by space truckers and Marines. Weyland’s character is reflected in the Prometheus, an incredibly expensive folly that looks beautiful but isn’t able to handle an encounter with the Engineers and Xenomorphs.
Alien’s Characters Explain The Gaps In Technology
Alien’s Nostromo Isn’t An Expensive Experimental Craft
The crews of Prometheus are part of one of the earliest landmark space exploration missions Weyland has funded. As such, the movie’s protagonists enjoy lavish living quarters and state-of-the-art equipment. In contrast, by the time the Nostromo was in space years later,Alien’s crew were a bunch of blue-collar workers using a ship and tech that had been around for a long time. Space travel was normalized by the timeAlien: RomulusandAlientake place, with ordinary characters driving ships that are well past their prime all around the galaxy.
Prometheusis an expensive experimental spacecraft from the early years of intergalactic space travel, whereas the Nostromo is a mass-produced commercial vehicle with no unnecessary comforts. The fact that bothAliensandAlien: Romulusutilize the same clunky, retro-futuristic technology reaffirms this reality. The Prometheus was a small, ultimately doomed vanity project, so its billionaire creator outfitted the ship with all manner of fancy technology and ensured it was sleek and ultra-modern.Alien’s ship is a pointedly unglamorous workplace that is designed with efficiency in mind rather than comfort or aesthetic appeal.
What Ridley Scott Has Said About The Alien Franchise’s Use Of Technology
Scott Admitted That The Technology Gap Required Suspension Of Disbelief
Of course, there is another, even simpler answer to explain the technology gap betweenPrometheusandAlien. Namely, viewers could always recall that the two movies are fictional and therefore suspend their disbelief for a moment. This is the angle thatAlien’s prequel director Ridley Scottwent with when asked about the issue by theBBCin 2012. PromotingPrometheus, Scott was asked to account for the difference in technology between the original movie and its prequel. Per Scott, “We’re so far in deep space that the idea of us getting out there you kind of sidestep that real question.”
Scott has a good point, since bothAlienandPrometheustake place well into the future and light-years away from Earth. There are countless social, cultural, and material factors that could result in the world of theAlienmovies changing its approach to technology betweenPrometheusandAlien. Most of these go unexplored onscreen, since the franchise is mostly concerned with the Xenomorph and its human victims. The upcomingAlienTV showAlien: Earthmight address these questions but, until then,Alien’s prequelPrometheushas two reasonable explanations for its inconsistent technology.
