WithAlien: Earthset to bring the Xenomorphs planetside, the series has the opportunity to explore four key franchise mysteries. Created by Noah Hawley, the FX show is a prequel to Ridley Scott’s influential 1979 horror film. In theupcomingAlien: Earth, an idyllic and advanced technological paradise is disturbed when a Weyland-Yutani ship, the USCSS Maginot, crash-lands on Earth.
When it becomes known that the vessel was carrying several extra-terrestrial lifeforms, it quickly becomes a race among several corporations to claim the Maginot’s haul. With the use of their advanced Hybrid synthetics, the Prodigy Corporation hopes to claim whatever beings arrived. However, among the sample of species on board hides a nightmare that could reshape humanity’s trajectory.
4The Fate Of The Covenant
Scott’s 2017 Prequel Left The Fate Of Its Characters Uncertain
Perhaps the biggest question that viewers will hopeAlien: Earthwill answer is thefinal fate of the Covenant.The titular vessel from 2017’sAlien: Covenantfell under the command of David (Michael Fassbender), who placed the survivors in cryosleep and brought several Xenomorph samples onboard. For seven years, audiences have been left with a shocking cliffhanger.
However, 2024 saw elements of Scott’sAlienprequel duology find their way back into the franchise’s core time period. Set betweenAlienandAliens, Alien: Romulusshowed that, alongside the remains of the original Xenomorph, researchers had a sample ofPrometheus’mysterious black goo. This substance was key to David’s experiments, which developed the creatures further.
WithAlien: Earthbeing set in 2120, between the events ofAlien: Covenantand the original movie, now would be the best opportunity to tackle the dangling plot thread of the Covenant. Given thefate ofPrometheus' Elizabeth Shaw(Noomi Rapace), it is probable that Daniels (Katherine Waterston) and Tennessee (Danny McBride) didn’t survive. Furthermore, it is unlikely David will appear.
Tying in the Covenant could help bring closure to Scott’s abandoned prequel saga.
With the Maginot recovering a Xenomorph sample that veers closer to the species seen in the original movie, there are few places where they could be found.The crew may have found an Engineer installation, such as the original movie’s abandoned craft. However, tying in the Covenant could help bring closure to Scott’s abandoned prequel saga.
3Why The Nostromo Was Sent To LV-426
The Vessel’s Diversion Was Pre-Ordained By Weyland-Yutani
Another key question thatAlien: Earthcould finally answer is how the Nostromo mission came to be. The ship’s crew initially believed that they would be taking part in a standard transportation assignment. However,the originalAlienstates that the vessel’s diversion to LV-426 was an intentional move by Weyland-Yutanito recover a Xenomorph specimen.
This raises several questions within the lore ofAlien.Given how it establishes that Weyland-Yutani had prior interest in the worldand were somewhat certain that they would find the specimen they required there, many may wonder why they didn’t already have a presence on Acheron. However,Alien: Earthmay already be offering several possible answers.
Currently, there is only one named member of the Maginot crew who is revealed to play a key role in the series.Morrow, played by Babou Ceesay, has been revealed by Hawley to be defending his vessel’s haulfrom the teams sent by Prodigy. With these teams and the Xenomorph to contend with, his survival chances are slim.
As such, it is possible that even if the Maginot crew recovered their specimen from LV-426, the data of its original location and their findings could be fragmented and lost. As such, Weyland-Yutani may be less willing to launch a full expedition to the planet. This would explain why the ill-fated Nostromo would be drawn into the company’s plot.
2How Humanity Expanded Across The Universe
Humanity’s Current Status Has Rarely Been At The Forefront
Despite humanity having already taken to the stars by the time ofAlien, there is still very little we know about humanity’s expansion within the franchise. By the time ofAlien, several colonies have been established across the stars. Furthermore, the transportation of materials is a mundane career akin to that of a modern-day trucker.
Ever since its debut, theAlienfranchise has honed in on themes of classism and rampant capitalism
WhileAlien: Earthis only set two years prior to the events ofAlien, the television series format can still present the series with the opportunity to introduce new worldbuilding to the franchise. Save forAlien: Resurrection’s apocalyptic far-future Earth,the planet has rarely been set foot on. Though Earthbound ideas were pitched, they rarely ever made it to screen.
As such, setting a story on Earth allows the franchise to finally take advantage of untapped potential. While it is likely that Xenomorphs won’t infest the Earth, due to pastAlieninstallments' lore, they can still explore other ways Weyland-Yutani and other corporations have harmed Earth. This would allow the series to hone in on other key themes.
Ever since its debut,theAlienfranchise has honed in on themes of classism and rampant capitalism, as workers are used by the Weyland-Yutani corporation for their own deeds.Alien: Romulusshowed that even without the Xenomorph threat, people living in the colonies were suffering. The prosperous setting of Prodigy City on Earth can explore the class divides of the universe.
Furthermore, additional worldbuilding can also tie into 2025’s other major upcoming sci-fi horror release. The trailers forPredator: Badlandshave revealed thatDakota Fanning’s Thia is a Weyland-Yutani android, bridging the two franchises. Though Yautja hunters may not appear inAlien: Earth, the series can establish further links between the franchises.
1The Android Revolution
Will Alien: Earth’s Hybrids Lay The Groundwork For Humanity’s Future Conflicts?
Finally,Alien: Earthcan finally establish more clarity to the place of androids within theAlienuniverse. Per the inclusion of Wendy (Sydney Chandler) and the other"Lost Boys" hybrids of prodigy, the series will undoubtedly tackle the moralities of such emerging technologies. What remains to be seen is whether Xenomorph evolution could disrupt this progress.
Promotional materials forAlien: Earthhave established how Hybrids represent a new form of immortality that could allow humanity to prosper. This, however, is seemingly supplanted by the events ofAlien: Romulus, whereresearchers aboard the titular station saw genetic engineering using Xenomorph samples to secure humanity’s future. As such,Alien: Earthmay explore how the Maginot crash reshapes corporate priorities.
However, even should Hybrids be overshadowed by the potential Xenomorphs bring, there is still an ongoing plot within theAlienuniverse involving androids. Across the series, filmmakers have questioned whether these machines were more human than they seem. This has been explored in both a positive and negative light.
The trajectory of theAlienfranchise has long-established that humanity will face a reckoning with their machines.
In more positive examples, Bishop (Lance Henrikson) and Andy (David Jonsson) have depicted androids as being capable and loving friends. However, on the more nefarious side of things, Ash (Ian Holm) shows how they can be deadly, undetectable tools of the corporations, and David shows how their ambitions could lead to humanity’s doom.Alien: Earthcan further explore their potential.
Furthermore, the trajectory of theAlienfranchise has long-established that humanity will face a reckoning with their machines. InAlien: Resurrection, it is revealed that Call (Winona Ryder) is an android, to the surprise of her crew. It is also established thata mass recall was enacted on Synthetics after a bloody uprising in the 24th century led to conflict.
With this inevitability seemingly still part ofAliencanon,Alien: Earthcan explore the foundations of this divide. While David may be the earliest established rogue android, even Ash’s more violent nature was summarized as a common glitch. With Synthetics leading the series,Alien: Earthcould show how machines began to assert more of their autonomy and become independent.
