Until I dug myself into fandom like a Alabama tick, I had zero idea how divisive Prometheus was. First social media, then as I started this blog and joined the crew over at Perfect Organism I felt the brunt of the Alien Covenant backlash. It has been quite the experience I must say. I seem to be in the minority of those who have a strong bond to the original trilogy (or Unholy Trinity as i like to call it because I think I’m clever) and enjoy the Prequels. We’re honestly at the point where both those who hate and love the movies need to step back and open their minds a bit. However, I am fully aware of the faults of those movies and 100% get why people hate them. But, let’s try a different point of view? What if Prometheus and Covenant were sequels instead? Would it work?

One the many things that stand out in Prometheus as odd, is how clean and new everything. Yes, it’s a mission of the wealthy but it sticks out like a sore thumb in comparison to the rest of the movies. Not only that, but we have holographic maps and androids looking into people’s dreams. Dallas, Lambert, and Kane sure could’ve used those mapping pups while exploring the Derelict eh? And they probably don’t get lost using their own maps either. That type of tech would feel far more comfortable in a sequel would it not? Even the time frame! They could easily be searching for the answers from the Engineers after any of the first three Alien movies. There is so much to play with. Especially how Prometheus doesn’t even feel like an Alien movie to begin with. Weyland could be frustrated from the failures on Fury 161 and set out, the Engineers could’ve discovered the Derelict (which survived the blast of course) and stole their technology.

So in Covenant we at least get back to the more realistic feel, but still have holopgraphic maps. We have an insane robot “creating” a/the Xenomorph, using a method that is seemingly more effective than the originals. Suddenly the pathogen can go airborn T-virus style and the facehuggers impregnates people in record time. And the beasts grow extremely fast. So you’re telling the first incarnation there was no chestburster? Wouldn’t the version we saw in Covenant be a more evolved version of what we’ve seen? We also have an older synthetic model able to heal himself, and they are expert fighters. Daniels fights the Xenos as if she’s had years of training and watched tons of combat footage. Yeah, all of that would fit better as a sequel. And to top it off, by the time movie ends we’re somehow only 10-15 years behind Alien? Come on! To me, as a prequel some of that stuff just doesn’t make much sense. If Ridley wants to retcon material, fine. But Scott clearly has a mind for building a world, especially future landscapes. I feel Ridley could’ve made this work if he set this after Alien. Everything that transpires could happen without it affecting anything else too much.

The Alien universe is ripe for mythology and perhaps all of this changing and adjusting just makes more sense in a later time line. The best thing Prometheus accomplished was opening an unexplored part of the Alien universe. As a sequel, this new world is no longer limited by the prequel box. There is now a much bigger world to explore which allows for more creative freedom. And when Ridley decided to literally decide to bomb away his idea about the Engineers (“I want to tell the story about the thing in chair!” remember that?) or continue his love affair with David, there is just more room for error with these movies set as a later time line.

A few storyline tweaks would be needed, but I think both Prometheus and Covenant just might work as sequels better. Ridley Scott could tell the story he wanted to tell without severely messing with the Alien mythology. Without the restrictions of the original movies Ridley’s grand ideas have more room to breathe.

This is an idea I’ve had in my head for awhile. I figured it’d be share. What do you think? Would you feel differently about these movies if they were set at a later timeline? Or would you still feel the same? Let your ideas fly, and as always…stay frosty..