Which 'Canon' do you prefer?

[Xenomrph]

The idea of Ripley having a kid itself's a retrofit

I seem to recall that Ripley having a daughter was part of her internal backstory as far back as the making of 'Alien' (with Ripley singing "you are my lucky star" to calm herself down as she preps to blow the Alien out of the shuttle because the song was something she'd sing to her daughter) but I could be completely mistaken on this.

I'll see if the novelization has anything, that was written before 'Aliens' was a glimmer in James Cameron's mind.

Edit-- checked the end of the novelization, nothing.

[Ivan The Insect]

I grew up with the quadrilogy and the two AvP games but the moment I got introduced to the DH comic line I realised I much prefer the expanded universe format for the franchise, same goes for Starship Troopers and (sadly) Star Wars. Such universes shouldn't be bound to a single medium or story line, rather they need to be used and viewed as entire universes where anything goes as long as it follows the core themes and concepts.

Unfortunately for both the Alien and SST franchise their expanded material is going the way of Star Wars... Being "unified" and stripped down to meet the demands of their modern sequels and overall expansion.

I still consider the quadrilogy my personal "core canon" and the one I feel was satisfyingly concluded.

[Acid_Reign161]

I have a multi-canon approach:

Top tier / preferred canon:

Alien: Director's Cut, Alien Isolation (with Alien: Blackout as an extension of that story), Aliens: Special Edition, Alien 3: Assembly Cut

Acceptable Canon:

Prometheus, Alien Covenant, Alien: Director's Cut, Alien Isolation (with Alien: Blackout as an extension of that story), Aliens: Newt's Tale (1st act) Aliens: Special Edition, Aliens: Colonial Marines (*events only, not exactly as we see in game, similar to 'Alien Trilogy'), Alien 3: Assembly Cut, Aliens Fireteam Elite


(Absolutely no Alien Resurrection, or AvP).


As for Predator movie canon:

Prey, Predator, Predator 2

(no Predators or the Predator, and no AvP movies)

[S.E.B.]

Set Alien canon...
ALIEN, ALIENS & ALIEN 3

Tentative Alien canon...
PROMETHEUS, ALIEN: COVENANT & ALIEN: RESURRECTION

---

Set Predator canon...
PREY, PREDATOR & PREDATOR 2

Tentative Predator canon...
PREDATORS

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Non-canon...
AVP, AVP: REQUIEM & THE PREDATOR

To me video games, comics, non-movie novels, manuals, RPG lore or anything crossover or AVP is by default NOT canon. With that said, I do appreciate ALIEN: ISOLATION and the ALIENS RPG as well some of the new novels and comics, but I don't see them as canon sources.

[Rankles75]

First two films, possibly Cold Forge and Isolation (though I can take or leave them).

[Gr33n M4n]

I consider most games and comics to be non-canon but Isolation is acceptable for me.

[Mr.Turok]

My thing is that even the generally less received films like The Predator, Predators, Alien 3, and AVPR for example, generally has interesting core story ideas like the introduction of bad blood Predators that kidnaps and hunts humans in a private game preserve, or a necessary clean up operation on Earth from an Alien infestation. Just that the executions are terrible as hell.

For that, my canon would simply be these films exist with the core premise but done better. What changes for that itself would be a novel    but I think you might get my idea. That is for the film series and I just don't feel like going through all the other media right now cuz that's another laundry list 

[xShadowFoxX]

My own canon? Alien, Aliens, maybe Alien 3 (totally not against the idea of it being a hypersleep dream), definitely not Alien Resurrection although I do love that movie, definitely not the prequels or the AvP films. I totally see Predator, Predator 2, Prey being in the same continuity, but definitely not Predators or The Predator. Predators is fine, but it just devolves into making blatant homages to the first film.

In terms of games.. I would only consider Alien Isolation to actually be canon and I would consider the majority if not the rest of the expanded universe to be non-canon. I mean I love Cold Forge, Into Charybdis, Echo, and Phalanx but if I really think about Cold Forge and Into Charybdis, a lot of it doesn't fit or doesn't make sense when you try to apply it with the films. Echo and Phalanx could easily be canon because they totally stand on their own. And that's it for me.

[Corporal Hicks]

I like the story, throw stones at me, the Amanda Ripley thing feels earned at the end of the day.

Isolation earns the Ripley connection at the end of it all and it works for it. I completely get SiL' arguments against the game - it did contradict what we knew of Amanda's life, and it does require the "Burke was lying" handwaving away, but at the end of it all it gets a pass because it was a genuinely good game that earns and works with the emotional core to the narrative.

In regards to canon...it took me far too long to realize we didn't need to care about canon. As a concept it's actually meaningless to us as fans. It matters only for the people who are working within the franchise to know which other entries they're supposed to actually take note. Something being canon doesn't effect it's quality and it's a shame franchises started to weaponize it as a marketing buzz.

Ultimately something's canon status doesn't make me like or dislike something. If an entries good, it's good.

[xShadowFoxX]

In my head, I'm basically thinking Burke really didn't know about anything until the that board inquiry they had in the film. So those events during Isolation ultimately happened, but it was something that was ultimately just beyond Burke. What I don't like are the books and comics that feature Amanda.

[Year0]

Torn between the first 3 and the comics. I collected some as a kid and they are kickass. The quality of the stories can vary though. I really dislike Prometheus/Covenant and don't consider it canon. Never got into the books.

[Xenomrph]

In regards to canon...it took me far too long to realize we didn't need to care about canon. As a concept it's actually meaningless to us as fans. It matters only for the people who are working within the franchise to know which other entries they're supposed to actually take note. Something being canon doesn't effect it's quality and it's a shame franchises started to weaponize it as a marketing buzz.

Ultimately something's canon status doesn't make me like or dislike something. If an entries good, it's good.

I've been saying this for years! For years!

But nooooo, all of you whippersnappers kept saying "Oh look at kooky old Xenomrph shouting at clouds again". I was right all along! Finally, vindication!

[Year0]

I've been saying this for years! For years!

But nooooo, all of you whippersnappers kept saying "Oh look at kooky old Xenomrph shouting at clouds again". I was right all along! Finally, vindication!

I disagree. Canon is important to a series and people know it. Often when it comes to reboots or spinoffs, it gets messy, the new writers are revealed to be retarded, and we eventually end up clawing our way back to the original idea to try and preserve some sense of dignity.

Some icons can get away with it such as Dracula, Batman, Evil Dead, etc. but they are too excellent to be considered good examples. Some series like Silent Hill, Hellraiser, Maniac Cop etc. are dragged out way longer than their lifespan. That doesn't mean to say that rehashing is essentially good or needed, they're just not good enough ideas to carry on in the first place.

The core of Alien is definitely the first 3 films - or two depending on your thoughts - and everything else rests on it. Take that away: no spinoffs, no comics, no Prometheus or Covenant either (although that would be a plus). So somewhere along the line, you have to admit canon is critical.

Horror is an interesting genre about this. Alien is generally tidy with its movie canon, Phantasm is really strict with itself, then Halloween and Friday the 13th are all over the place. Also it's worth noting film canon is usually more respected than novels or comics, especially if the franchise initiated on film.

[Local Trouble]

Is that a canon war I smell a-brewin'?

[kwisatz]