First Look at Lance Henriksen In Aliens Colonial Marines

[Xenomrph]

They're different colours.

There's over 8 million David 1-7 synthetics.

And yet there's a Bishop model, that's oddly named Rook?

(Unless Rook is a first name and it's surname is Bishop.)

According to the tech manual, Bishop was "unique". Perhaps he had different programming or whatever, and his creator (Michael Bishop) differentiated him by naming him Bishop. Meanwhile, the other "ordinary" ones are Rook or whatever.

[Billy_mx]

if this is a Bishop android model then why it's called rook, and not Bishop

Ever seen the same car and yet it has different plates to be able to tell each other apart?

[Chris!(($$))!]

There are so many reasons why the android is called Rook and not Bishop.

I bet anything that if they were calling the android Bishop, we would have people complaining that we already had a Bishop android.

[Xenomrph]

Yeah getting hung up on his name is one of the sillier things to complain about.

Then again we are on the internet, and on a specialty fan messageboard no less.

[escroto]

I can't see anyone in this topic complainng about the name Rook. Just wondering why a Bishop android is not called Bishop.

[The Necronoir]

if this is a Bishop android model then why it's called rook, and not Bishop

It's the same model as Bishop (the precise wording Ripley actually uses in Alien 3), but that doesn't necessarily mean that 'Bishop' is the name of that entire model series. I'd be more inclined to think they have an official designation, which is most likely a product code (like the one Bishop rattles off for Ash), with each major revision being given a more memorable user name. Rook could simply be the iPhone 4S to Bishop's iPhone 4, or vice versa.

[SM]

And iPhone is still an iPhone though - not matter what the serial number is.

Similarly this seems to be followed with David model androids - i.e they're all called David.  At least as far as we can tell so far.

I don't know why a Bishop model would be called Rook.  I woulda thought calling it Bishop would tie it even closer to Aliens.  And Bishop models could be standard issue for Conestoga class ships.

[Prime113]

Maybe "Rook" is just what the Marines call him. Either as a joke, or to be mean to him.

[Terx2]

Maybe "Rook" is just what the Marines call him. Either as a joke, or to be mean to him.

Or they give him an individual name when there dealing with more than one Bishops.

[WinterActual]

Again, Rook is not Bishop.

Yes. Rook is not Bishop for sure

[escroto]

Maybe "Rook" is just what the Marines call him. Either as a joke, or to be mean to him.

could be that, yep

[WinterActual]

I think they program the name when they create the android. Its not about how the marines will call it or something.

[Sh0dan]

And iPhone is still an iPhone though - not matter what the serial number is.

Similarly this seems to be followed with David model androids - i.e they're all called David.  At least as far as we can tell so far.

I don't know why a Bishop model would be called Rook.  I woulda thought calling it Bishop would tie it even closer to Aliens.  And Bishop models could be standard issue for Conestoga class ships.

Well different manufacturers often have different naming conventions.

And comparing with mobile phones shows there isnt that much consistency in product naming. Take Motorola for example they have different names for the exact same phone based on what country they're sold in. Then there's phones like the Defy and Defy+, which are the exact same phone on the outside, but on the inside the Defy+ has some major software and hardware upgrades.

I'm not gonna touch A3's Bishop 2, but Cameron established Ash as a "Hyperdyne 120/A2" according to Burke. Not sure what model Bishop was, other than its implied that he is a more advanced Hyperdyne.

And David7 is Weyland Corp, so they are different manufacturers. Also David's 1 through 7 do have a name change, but only the numeric part. I wonder if the earlier models looked alike?

Or...

Closely related models may share similar aesthetic characteristics. Perhaps the Bishop face was a popular aesthetic, so was carried over into next generation models, which is what Rook is. Or Bishop and Rook may be a sideline of special military variants for support role androids that go under Chess naming conventions, like Knight, Pawn, King dependent on their role?

GBX did say that Rook's role on the Sephora was very different to that of Bishops in ALIENS, so perhaps he is a variant built for a slightly different task?


Personally though, until now, I just always figured Bishop to be his given name that his co-workers use to converse with him. Not his model name.

Really, either ACM's or Damon Lindelof's naming conventions work.

[Ash 937]

Or Bishop and Rook may be a sideline of special military variants for support role androids that go under Chess naming conventions, like Knight, Pawn, King dependent on their role?

GBX did say that Rook's role on the Sephora was very different to that of Bishops in ALIENS, so perhaps he is a variant built for a slightly different task?

I wonder what sort of support role an android that goes under the name 'Queen' would have.

[chupacabras acheronsis]

Public Relationships.