Comperhensive exploration of Alien Covenant - its symbols and meaning

[Enoch]

In the making... it ll be a hundred pages I hope

Summary:

David is Prometheus, he is the Magician in Major arcana, he is Marry Shalleys Frankenstein (first of its kind), he is the Light Bringer, the bringer of knowledge and suffering that comes with it (Satan, Sin/Grief and Hell).
Alien is the story of human subconscious and dark nature in conflict with light, its also an exploration of greater mystery of conception, sexuality, existence, creation and of life itself [Giger occult and biomechanoid eroticism]. Original movie was an attempt of exploration of that primal darkness of which we are constantly afraid. You are most afraid of what's inside of you (Read C.G.Jung).I believe Covenant is a true prequel to that kind of movie. Executed badly in the eyes of  general audiance, yes (in a way its a sloppy movie), but filled with tons of cohesive, deep meanings. Yes, it is, believe me! Human mind can see symbols everywhere and we can interpret them as we see fit (Milton) but original archetypal symbols possess original and unique meanings. Those truths are depicted by most divine symbol - circle with a dot in its center (Its a symbol of God and alchemical gold by the way; Golden structure on Engineer dome/gold is used in the process of creation of androids! annot. magnum opus stages). So I ll be dealing with serious analysis of Alien Covenant symbols/"hidden meanings" and their significance in regards to the first layer narrative. Those hidden (inner) meanings and details could explain how this story could end or begin anew.
-----------------------

One man's life or death were but a small price to pay for the acquirement of the knowledge which I sought, for the dominion I should acquire and transmit over the elemental foes of our race.

-Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley 

Well David quoted her husband Percy and Walter quoted her in one of the virals [I ll explore all virals; they are important]. Its obvious what influenced Ridley and writers involved in prequel series of original Alien. I m not speaking only about Frankenstein but all possible influneces from ancient myths to Sigmund Freud, Jung and modern views of human place in the cosmos. Original Alien incidentally, was also a film filled with deeper meanings but not so grandiose in scope as the ones from Prometheus and Covenant. Alien explored subconscious and darkness of the human nature, it explored sexuality, conception and fear of all of that. Humanity is baffled and uncertainty of everything is constantly present. People are afraid of their shadow and that fear will only continue to grow with accumulation of knowledge.  Exploration of creation is something that waited to be dissected in latter movies starting with Prometheus. Besides, this quote above is basicly a definition of Davids character and Frankesntein is above all novel about creation, meaning and downfall.. Ridley obviously wanted a charachter (anti-hero or some kind of archvillain) who is in fact a sublimation of Mary Shelley 's Victor and Creature... So David is created but he also believes in creation and he himslef becomes a creator of a sort. What that means, I will explore in my analysis. Dont care if they are going to film another movie, but I would, indeed, love to see the next one but what can we do... Third movie is really necessary to round up the story and amplify the mysteries. All the trilogies are considered perfect because Magnum opus is consisted of three main stages; writers consider number 3 as their deity [three part structure/ journey of a hero].

Walter: "Learn from me, if not by my precepts, at least by my example, how dangerous is the acquirement of knowledge and how much happier that man is who believes his native town to be the world, than he who aspires to become greater than his nature will allow." [Victor - the creator]

So how far will Weyland Yutani go to learn the mysteries David found? I like to think of David as a founder of the Tree of Knowledge [his nature allows him the access to unlimited knowledge and horror it brings], he uncovered the mysteries everyone feared to uncover [Engineers, their predecessors and humans]. How will this quest for God end? I ll write about that too. To succesfuly wrap up the story of Alien which is an existential-cosmic horror/mystery, you ll have  to end it with a mystery [grander in scope]. Ending a mystery with a revelation is not a mystery but a cheap attempt, but ending it with another mystery is art. So, when you think you ve learned everything, surprise, you come to realize that the end of the circle is just the beginning. Thats how mystery works and thats how horror gets even scarier.


Small compendium from upcoming Comperhensive exploration. I ll first make textual version and
than perhaps record audio-visual version for youtube... I m digging deep and hope there will be
someone interested in my geek stuff.

Just a preview of David's chapter








Currently working on revised version of art references [more detailed and precise version than the one on vimeo]:




Today I ve finished writing about flute symbolism and creation/conception backstory.
Lots of work ahead.

[Alionic]

What a great post, Enoch. I look forward to reading the rest. 

[PsyKore]

I love this stuff. Really interesting.

[Neirum]

Really love this post here. Been watching Jordan Peterson's lectures on the Bible and his classes on Psychology while keeping in mind the themes and symbols with this franchise and how the Xenomorph itself fits into parts of the human Shadow as Carl Jung talks about being made manifest.

I made this post a while ago, but seems like it would fit in here and help push the conversation forward or maybe it won't; here's my two cents anyhow. 

I think many of the answers we are looking for exist in the refrigerated Head Room and it's architectural symbolism. The head represents the best known pinnacle of "intelligence" in the known universe and can control life itself and climate control the cold room with the Urns surrounding it keeping this dangerous genesis of life close to the head but it is safe and stoic knowing it can keep the room safe, but it's a 360 degree of choice of how to use this power. Up above is the Pre-frontal Cortex showing a Mural of one's Ego defeating the Darker hind element of the monster inside us, of the parts of the human mind that had to be vicious to survive in our evolutionary past. I believe this Head Room is displaying to have the Monster or Alien inside us not destroyed, but to serve you only when your higher functions call it forward to serve "The Light" or "Reason and Order", whatever the Engineers believe is "The Golden Path". This Alien or Monster inside us can never be destroyed, it's where we come from and the foundation of our being, it must be respected and controlled by the higher mind or it will devour ALL. It's a Cosmic Laboratory Shrine with warning signs built into the architecture itself (Neomorph mural) with the Dark part of humanity in the very back of the mind in the murky chaos of the animal side of us all located in the base sections of the human brain. Then there is the damned peculiar Emerald Crystal at the alter of the XenoChrist... How does that all factor in?! Seems as if that Crystal alter is significant to this whole puzzle of... what IS the Alien? What does the offering of the Emerald Crystal represent? Or is the Emerald a totem of something that holds back our inner demons to keep the Engineers sane? What about the Plaza scene with the Engineers statues kneeling with a sacrifice bowl over all those Juggernauts? What does that mean? Do they still make sacrifices to create new life on other worlds and that's what the statues represent guarding the Juggernaut Garage?  Still... so so many questions. But I'm having a lot of fun with this! 

    Let's think if it in a metaphysical and psychological way; what is evil?  I think we should all start a serious look at the Head Room in light of the new Advent addition to the entire puzzle. I think the Neomorphs are the distilled psychological Evil and Nihilism of all humanity into a single organism, the animal and reactionary only. David remarks the Goo has a very interesting affect on Humans only, perhaps that's because of our Intelligence. Maybe that's why David sees his even more refined version as the perfect organism that emulates his sentiments of life and the universe at large, a true expression of resentment and rage from being created not out of love, but out of apathy for one's own existence. "Bring ME MAI TEE DAVIDDD! :_o "  That to me was where the seed of the Xeno David creates was cast, right from Weylands mouth, just as what the Head Room XenoChrist warns against to not create out of those reasons in the back of your mind where darkness resides. I think that's what's at the core of Gigers work, Lovecraft, this whole Engineer aesthetic of Bio-mechanics. This has really made a sharp turn into theological epic tales with Prometheus about what it means to be Moral or good or what does that mean to God. Is it in your best interests to follow your creator blindly if you are not sure what part of their mind they called forward to create you?

I think a lot of this David story arc can be better understood with Jungs thinking on Archetypes with David being Lucifer incarnate. To me, this is further supported by the Engineers building all those statues of differing "personalities" or "Gods" like the Greeks did, you can see them on those high high pillars in two rows made into a circle with the Juggernaut Garage making a dot in the middle. I think the entire City to them represents the Will of their Logos "God", and they worship that and strive to speak their inner truths. Also, I believe the Engineers "great work" was to seed worlds to better distill the Logos, to manifest a biological platform that would channel the Cosmic Truth and be aligned with the some Engineer ideal of spiritual purity, to make the polar opposite of whatever the Xenomorph is; call it the Philosophers Stone of biological intellect with heavy Alchemical tinkering with the Cosmos and a human (Engineer) sacrifice.  I think when their creations started "running around in metal skirts killing each other" the Engineers thought... well look, they are trying to be Xenomorphs, they don't want soft hands to build beautiful things, they wish they had hard claws to rip the others throat out.... fine, know what!? Gonna give em' just what they want, big ole shower of black goo, turn em all into monsters and just let em do what's really singing in their hearts now instead of later.... FINE! 

Anyhow, that's what I'm seeing. Whatchyall think?

[Rudiger]

$100 million on a monster movie full of symbolism and meaning.

And they cast Danny McBride.

[Enoch]

Really love this post here. Been watching Jordan Peterson's lectures on the Bible and his classes on Psychology while keeping in mind the themes and symbols with this franchise and how the Xenomorph itself fits into parts of the human Shadow as Carl Jung talks about being made manifest.

I made this post a while ago, but seems like it would fit in here and help push the conversation forward or maybe it won't; here's my two cents anyhow. 

I think many of the answers we are looking for exist in the refrigerated Head Room and it's architectural symbolism. The head represents the best known pinnacle of "intelligence" in the known universe and can control life itself and climate control the cold room with the Urns surrounding it keeping this dangerous genesis of life close to the head but it is safe and stoic knowing it can keep the room safe, but it's a 360 degree of choice of how to use this power. Up above is the Pre-frontal Cortex showing a Mural of one's Ego defeating the Darker hind element of the monster inside us, of the parts of the human mind that had to be vicious to survive in our evolutionary past. I believe this Head Room is displaying to have the Monster or Alien inside us not destroyed, but to serve you only when your higher functions call it forward to serve "The Light" or "Reason and Order", whatever the Engineers believe is "The Golden Path". This Alien or Monster inside us can never be destroyed, it's where we come from and the foundation of our being, it must be respected and controlled by the higher mind or it will devour ALL. It's a Cosmic Laboratory Shrine with warning signs built into the architecture itself (Neomorph mural) with the Dark part of humanity in the very back of the mind in the murky chaos of the animal side of us all located in the base sections of the human brain. Then there is the damned peculiar Emerald Crystal at the alter of the XenoChrist... How does that all factor in?! Seems as if that Crystal alter is significant to this whole puzzle of... what IS the Alien? What does the offering of the Emerald Crystal represent? Or is the Emerald a totem of something that holds back our inner demons to keep the Engineers sane? What about the Plaza scene with the Engineers statues kneeling with a sacrifice bowl over all those Juggernauts? What does that mean? Do they still make sacrifices to create new life on other worlds and that's what the statues represent guarding the Juggernaut Garage?  Still... so so many questions. But I'm having a lot of fun with this! 

    Let's think if it in a metaphysical and psychological way; what is evil?  I think we should all start a serious look at the Head Room in light of the new Advent addition to the entire puzzle. I think the Neomorphs are the distilled psychological Evil and Nihilism of all humanity into a single organism, the animal and reactionary only. David remarks the Goo has a very interesting affect on Humans only, perhaps that's because of our Intelligence. Maybe that's why David sees his even more refined version as the perfect organism that emulates his sentiments of life and the universe at large, a true expression of resentment and rage from being created not out of love, but out of apathy for one's own existence. "Bring ME MAI TEE DAVIDDD! :_o "  That to me was where the seed of the Xeno David creates was cast, right from Weylands mouth, just as what the Head Room XenoChrist warns against to not create out of those reasons in the back of your mind where darkness resides. I think that's what's at the core of Gigers work, Lovecraft, this whole Engineer aesthetic of Bio-mechanics. This has really made a sharp turn into theological epic tales with Prometheus about what it means to be Moral or good or what does that mean to God, and is it in your best interests to follow your creator blindly if you are not sure what part of their mind they called forward to create you?

I think a lot of this David story arc can be better understood with Jungs thinking on Archetypes with David being Lucifer incarnate. To me, this is further supported by the Engineers building all those statues of differing "personalities" or "Gods" like the Greeks did, you can see them on those high high pillars in two rows made into a circle with the Juggernaut Garage making a dot in the middle. I think the entire City to them represents the Will of their Logos "God", and they worship that and strive to speak their inner truths. Also, I believe the Engineers "great work" was to seed worlds to better distill the Logos, to manifest a biological platform that would channel the Cosmic Truth and be aligned with the some Engineer ideal of spiritual purity, to make the polar opposite of whatever the Xenomorph is; call it the Philosophers Stone of biological intellect with heavy Alchemical tinkering with the Cosmos and a human (Engineer) sacrifice.  I think when their creations started "running around in metal skirts killing each other" the Engineers thought... well look, they are trying to be Xenomorphs, they don't want soft hands to build beautiful things, they wish they had hard claws to rip the others throat out.... fine, know what!? Gonna give em' just what they want, big ole shower of black goo, turn em all into monsters and just let em do what's really singing in their hearts now instead of later.... FINE! 

Anyhow, that's what I'm seeing. Whatchyall think?

This is great. Thanks for sharing your thoughts.
Really insightful. Looking forward to your other posts...

[ChrisPachi]

You can explore the symbols and meaning as much as you like, but unlike the stories that it invokes, Prometheus/Covenant is not a completed story, so it doesn't explore anything in any meaningful way - it just picks out bits and hopes that highly imaginative people (like your dear self) will make hay from the holes.

[bb-15]

Ridley Scott designed the prequel films/stories to be vague and symbolic in order to encourage debate leading some to write essays.
- Enoch's analysis is thought provoking and overlaps with some of my ideas such as "magic" in science fiction and Shelly's "Frankenstein" showing a modern Prometheus.

* By Ridley's design there is no one correct way to interpret these prequels.
On this website ideas have been presented about the Engineers including Pandeism.
It's all good to me.

* I'll add my own interpretation of the Alien prequels.

*** Being like a god(s) vs. a supernatural God(s).
- Apotheosis means that a being "has been raised to godlike stature".
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apotheosis

- But in science fiction 'godlike stature' could involve technology.   
As Clarke has stated in his 3rd law;
'Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic."

- Contact between cultures which have huge differences in technology can result in seeing advanced beings as godlike. (For instance with cargo cults in our world.)
https://rationalwiki.org/wiki/Cargo_cult

- Still famously, Kirk states in "Star Trek: The Final Frontier";
"What does God need with a starship?"

- Godlike here is not = not an actual divine, supernatural God(s) (such as in the Indiana Jones films). 
As Shaw says about the Engineers when Holloway states that they made humanity,
'"But who made them?"

*** Who are the godlike beings in the Alien prequels?
- Obviously the Engineers were viewed that way by ancient cultures and the Engineers on LV-223 at least, seemed to view themselves and their creations with reverence.
- But Weyland also seems to want to be seen as godlike.
There is a deleted scene from "Prometheus" where this is made clear.

(Weyland to the Engineer): You. You see this man. My company built him from nothing.
I made him. I made him in my own image so he would be perfect. So that he would never fail. I deserve this. You and I are superior. We are creators. We are gods. And gods never die.

While not canon, I think this gives a view of where Ridley and the writers were going with the godlike theme.

*** David and creators;
In the prologue of "Covenant", Weyland and David discuss being created and creators.
- David then plays Wagner's "Entrance of the Gods Into Valhalla". David is immediately connecting creation with godlike status.
Weyland is uncomfortable with this but he can still dominate David due to programming (as mentioned in "Prometheus").
- But David in that film tells Shaw about wanting parents to be dead (his "parent"/creator is Weyland).
- Imo David happily took Weyland to the Engineer in "Prometheus" knowing the encounter could be lethal.
David first wanted to be free and then he had aspirations.

*** Wagner's "gods" in his Ring music dramas can be killed. The final part of that cycle is "Götterdämmerung" or "Twilight of the Gods". The Norse mythology this is based on includes a future, end of the gods.
http://www.rwagner.net/contrib/lb/e-gotterd.html

- David wanting to hear a piece by Wagner about these vulnerable gods sets up a theme. 
- The godlike Engineers and godlike Weyland can be killed and in David's mind replaced.

*** Revisiting Paradise Lost but now with David.
Before the release of "Prometheus" Ridley Scott had compared the Engineers with the dark angels from "Paradise Lost".

- Some themes from "Paradise Lost" can be used with David in "Covenant".
An online review/essay lays this out;

In Paradise Lost, Lucifer, the fallen angel, rejects God, his maker and master, to rule his own band of demons in hell – Mammon, Moloch, and the like – once they're kicked out of heaven for rebelling.  Their plan ... is to descend upon earth and turn God's precious, coveted creation to sin and vice for revenge.  Much the same, David rejects his makers (humanity) and creates his own hell on this off-the-beaten-path planet, where, by spreading a virus, he kills the original inhabitants and creates his own band of demonic minions to follow him.

https://justdreadfull.wordpress.com/2017/05/20/to-serve-in-heaven-or-reign-in-hell-the-will-to-power-in-alien-covenant/

- So, David has rejected the creator Engineers (and Weyland).   
He has set himself up as a new prophet and master hoping to lead an army of servants.

*** Going to motivations, in "Covenant" David has a basic will to power which can remind one of Nietzsche.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Will_to_power

But while in philosophy this is a generalized drive, for David in "Covenant" he has become obsessed with gaining power.
David does not want to have "idle hands" as he creates his followers/monsters in his workshop.

- Taken in terms of evolution, a godlike AI he can be viewed as the next step.
In some ways David can be seen as the Nietzsche 'Overman'.
- The fear of an out of control AI and its threat can be seen as the reason why the Engineer in "Prometheus" tore David's head off.
There was certainly a danger which no one understood except possibly this Engineer.

[Rudiger]

Ridley Scott designed the prequel films/stories to be vague and symbolic in order to encourage debate leading some to write essays.

Did he? Did he really?

[bb-15]

Ridley Scott designed the prequel films/stories to be vague and symbolic in order to encourage debate leading some to write essays.

Did he? Did he really?

From Lindelof;

All these ideas where on the table, and yes, there were drafts that were more explicitly spelled out. I think Ridley's instinct kept being to pull back, and I would say to him, 'Ridley, I'm still eating sh!t a year after Lost is over for all the things we didnt directly spell out - are you sure you want to do this?' And he said, 'I would rather have people fighting about it and not know, then spell it out, that's just more interesting to me.'

http://diymag.com/archive/a-long-prometheus-discussion-with-writer-damon-lindelof/

[Enoch]

Well, naturally... Ridley is fascinated by 2001 space odyssey...
He wanted to make movies with similar scope and themes and provoke audience
to think about his movies...

P.S. Great post, bb-15!

[asil]

Love it guys. These posts makes me want to re-watch Covenant & Prometheus again.

Covenant also seems like a turning point where creations are out of control and a meeting point - David (AI) & pathogen (Engineers).
The AI definitely the next level of evolution above human & engineers in Covenant. And with knowledge of creation & death,
it is a very powerful force for the next sequel.

[Hide]

3 symbolisms, a poem, classical music and some references to great paintings don't make a good film but a rather pretentious one.

[Enoch]

3 symbolisms, a poem, classical music and some references to great paintings don't make a good film but a rather pretentious one.

No one said anything about good or bad... that is a question of the ages ;
only you know whats good or bad for you.

[Jonesy1974]

Great thread Enoch and some really interesting posts from others. Fascinating stuff guys. Cheers.