Alien: Earth is addressing the long-standing Ridley Scott Prometheus problem by providing continuity and resolution that the earlier prequel films lacked. With its second season renewal, the FX and Disney series is positioned to tell a complete story that was missing from Ridley Scott’s Prometheus and Alien: Covenant arcs.
How Alien: Earth Builds on Franchise Origins
FX and Disney’s Alien: Earth, while not a reboot or replacement for Prometheus, shares clear thematic and narrative connections to Ridley Scott’s prequel. Both projects explore earlier segments of the Alien timeline and dig into the history of the Weyland-Yutani Corporation. This backdrop allows the new series to revisit familiar ground while expanding the universe in its own direction.
Prometheus initially explored the creation of the Xenomorphs and their connection to the Engineers, adding mystery to the Alien mythos. Alien: Earth shifts focus to Weyland-Yutani’s exposure to the Xenomorphs and their motivations for pursuing these deadly organisms. Unlike the films, the series benefits from the ability to develop these ideas over an extended narrative, creating space to further explore both corporate intentions and alien origins.
Second Season Renewal Ensures Story Continuity
The first season of Alien: Earth concluded with numerous unresolved plots, as the cast’s fate hung in limbo. The recent renewal of Alien: Earth for a second season brings relief to viewers, as the show will continue to address the aftermath for key characters like Wendy, the Lost Boys, Boy Kavalier, and the Xenomorphs inhabiting Neverland Island. This decision directly contrasts with the sudden halts and unresolved cliffhangers that affected previous entries in the Alien franchise.
Additionally, the creator of the series, Noah Hawley, has entered into a larger creative partnership with Disney and FX. This expanded collaboration led to the announcement of a Far Cry spin-off, underscoring the network’s strong backing of Hawley’s vision. With this support in place, Alien: Earth stands a better chance at bringing its story to a satisfying conclusion rather than an abrupt cancellation.
Ridley Scott’s Incomplete Prequel Legacy
Ridley Scott’s aspiration to craft a cohesive prequel trilogy for the Alien series ultimately went unfulfilled. His intended storyline, focused on Michael Fassbender’s portrayal of the synthetic David, traced the character’s disillusionment with humanity and fascination with the Engineers in Prometheus. Alien: Covenant furthered David’s arc, placing him aboard a colony ship where he held sway over the fate of its sleeping passengers. However, without a concluding chapter, the narrative remains suspended.
The franchise’s earlier attempt to provide an origin story for the Xenomorphs was hampered by alien scientists characterized by questionable decision-making, yet Alien: Earth’s depiction of scientific ambition serves to make even the most flawed characters in Scott’s films easier to understand. Despite Covenant’s respectable box office performance—though less robust than Prometheus—lukewarm critical reception and fan response ultimately derailed the completion of Scott’s story. With Scott since stating his disengagement from the series, the fate of David and the remainder of his narrative appears sealed.
Alien: Earth Aims for a Complete Narrative Arc
While the Ridley Scott prequels may never reach their intended resolution, Alien: Earth stands poised to chart its own thorough course. Noah Hawley’s commitment to the series is clear, and support from Disney and FX further solidifies the potential for a full narrative journey. The importance of allowing this story to seek its logical conclusion reflects not only lessons learned from the truncated arcs of Prometheus and Covenant but also the value of ambitious new storytelling in the Alien universe.
Both Prometheus and Covenant injected fresh ideas into the franchise, deserving acknowledgment for their innovation despite divided opinions. Equally, Alien: Earth is taking bold creative steps, deserving the chance to see its vision through. With the opportunity for multiple seasons, the series could become the first to give the Xenomorphs a comprehensive origin story, honoring the franchise’s legacy while evolving beyond past disappointments.
The question now remains not whether Alien: Earth will pick up where its predecessors left off, but whether it will finally fulfill what so many fans of the Alien saga have long awaited: a finished, coherent chapter that explores the origins of its most iconic creatures and the corporate forces behind their pursuit.
