re: Official Alien: Covenant SPOILER Thread

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The ending to Alien: Covenant was not a twist. SEMI-SPOILER. ********************************

Tried and true storytelling method: the audience knows what is going to happen, but the characters do not. Frank Herbert's Dune is my favorite example of this: the author told us from the very start who the traitor was. Emotion is generated through your investment in the characters. We see their doom, and how it happens. The characters have a chance to avoid this doom, which is where the audience comes into play.

Real spoiler if you have watched the film: Ridley Scott showed us early on that Walter can repair his flesh. The only reason why this moment is crucial to the story is because Daniels had an opportunity to realize that Walter was an imposter on the ship. David is stapling his flesh together, and Daniels helps. This is significant. We want Daniels to realize that it is not Walter, but David. The audience holds out desperate hope that we are wrong, because we like Walter.

David gives us the sly smile when he is on the bridge... we know then, in our hearts, that it is not Walter. Even though he helps T and Daniels, we know it is David but we do not want it to be.

And then when David ushers them into cryo sleep, we are still hopeful... and then we have the moment with Daniels because she felt as if she was safe.

This is great storytelling, in my opinion. I love the progression between the two stories. I love the themes. I love that we have a strong villain who is portrayed beautifully by Fassbender.

I posted this because I kept seeing people were upset that the ending was predictable. Yes. It was. It was not supposed to be a twist.

Loved the movie. Loved it.

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