Prometheus is arguably the most controversial and polarizing entry in Ridley Scott’s beloved Alien franchise, with audiences constantly disagreeing about how neatly it fits into the rest of the series. The story follows a group of wealthy scientists who travel to the far reaches of the universe in search of a mysterious species who may be responsible for the creation of humanity, but their mission goes totally wrong when they discover how unwelcome they are in this ancient society. Despite Prometheus being the highest-grossing Alien movie, it has sparked much debate about the necessity of its story.
Much of the controversy surrounding Prometheus pertains to its ending, specifically concerning the retroactive changes it imposes on the rest of the franchise. This film is a much slower and more philosophical piece, opting to ditch the high-stakes action and horror of Alien and Aliens in favor of a more contemplative, drama-focused narrative about humanity and our place in the universe. While many audiences took issue with these major stylistic shifts, a recent sequel in the Alien franchise has capitalized on the potential that Prometheus set in motion, making the lore retcons seem worthwhile.
The significant plot twist in Alien’s prequel narrative reveals that Michael Fassbender’s antagonist, David, seems to be responsible for the creation of the Xenomorphs. He utilizes the black goo found among the ruins of the Engineers’ society to create a perfect specimen. While this subplot aligns neatly with the prequels’ themes surrounding humanity, evolution, and biology, it retroactively diminishes the impact of the Xenomorphs in earlier films. The realization that they were merely an experiment of David was a disappointment that many fans chose to overlook.
Ridley Scott’s post-production changes to one specific scene in Prometheus have faced criticism from VFX artists, over a decade after the film’s release. However, Alien: Romulus presents the perfect twist—without negating anything that Ridley Scott established in Prometheus, it effectively addresses and overcomes this central criticism of the prequels. The film conveys that neither David nor the Engineers created the Xenomorphs; rather, they reverse-engineered these terrifying creatures from the black goo, suggesting that they existed long before David initiated his experiments.
The introduction of the Offspring is pivotal in confirming this new narrative, as it resembles a protogenic version of the Engineers. The main problem with Prometheus was that it framed the existence of the Xenomorphs as a mere scientific experiment, stripping away the layered evolution that contributes to their horror in Alien. The chilling aspect of these creatures’ presence lies in the mystery surrounding their origins, a mystery that Prometheus overly explains, making them feel less special in hindsight.
This minor adjustment to the franchise’s lore significantly alters the narrative perception, moving past the criticism that the Xenomorphs were merely byproducts of an experiment. In contrast, Alien: Romulus rectifies this issue, presenting the existence of the Xenomorphs as more cyclical. Their genetic similarities to humanity and the Engineers suggest they existed prior to both; the Engineers merely refined the Xenomorph’s biology using the black goo, hoping to create another “perfect” being. When this venture failed, David continued the work that led to the events depicted in Alien: Covenant.
While many fans called for Alien: Romulus to ignore the prequels outright and rewrite the timeline to be more cohesive with the original films, Fede Álvarez’s sequel managed to embrace the best of both worlds. It harnessed the lore shifts introduced in Prometheus to retroactively articulate why the prequels hold significance, thereby countering the criticisms that fans had often voiced. The Alien films stand as some of Ridley Scott’s most noteworthy works, and Romulus fortifies the notion that it was unjust to claim the director did not fully grasp his fictional universe.
Furthermore, Alien: Romulus provides the prequel films with an entirely new layer of subtext by revealing for the first time that David did not solely create the Xenomorphs. This revelation deepens the character’s portrayal, highlighting his self-absorbed naivety as he believed himself a god-like creator, when in fact, he merely distorted the natural process of evolution. This aligns harmoniously with the underlying messages of the prequels concerning the themes of religion and science—messages that Romulus evidently comprehends.
