Alien: Romulusis the latest sequel in Ridley Scott’s belovedAlienuniverse, taking place between the events of the first and second movies. The story follows a young girl named Rain who tags along with her scavenger friends to raid an abandoned shuttle just out of their planet’s orbit, where they come into contact with various iterations of the deadly Xenomorphs. Rain is one of theAlienseries’ best protagonists, but it’s her relationship with her brother Andy that really sets this sequel apart from the rest.
Andy is a self-programmed android who was repurposed by Rain’s father as a surrogate brother for the young scavenger, and the pair have an inseparable bond at the beginning ofAlien: Romulus. However,much of the film’s narrative centers around Andy’s adaptability and corruption at the hands of other androids, particularly those who have been programmed with Weyland-Yutani’s selfish, capitalist protocols. His shifting directives allow for some ofAlien: Romulus’ most frightening scenes, as he embodies the film’s key themes of corruption and selfishness.
Andy’s Original Primary Directive Is To Protect Rain
The Android Was Programmed To Protect His Sister
At the beginning ofAlien: Romulus, Andy’s primary directive is to protect Rain at all costs. This was the protocol that he was given by their father shortly before his death, and it’s a tenet that the android has obeyed ever since.He pays no regard for his own safety, often putting himself in danger in order to ensure that his sister is safe; this is proven at the beginning of the film, as Andy allows himself to get attacked to prevent any escalation of the danger.
The exact wording of Rain’s father’s protocol is very important, as it ties neatly into the story’s key theme of moral ambiguity - it’s not always clear what “protecting” Rain should entail, so the android has some essence of autonomy when it comes to deciding his next moves. This becomes hugely important later in the story, as it’s this autonomy that causes Andy to drift away from his primary directive and develop a moral compass of his own. When theXenomorphs on the Romulus stationcause trouble for Andy and Rain, his objectives become more muddled.
Rook Gives Andy A New Primary Directive To Help Weyland-Yutani
Rook Is More Concerned With The Mission Than Their Safety
Upon boarding the Romulus, Rain and her friends discover the remains of another old Weyland-Yutani android who assists them in their battle against the Xenomorphs. Rook gives them key information about how to kill the creatures, warning them against the mistakes that his own team made. However,Rook’s true motives become clearer when he inserts his own control chip into Andy’s drive, giving the android a new primary directive: “Complete the mission.”
This directive completely changes Andy’s purpose, working alongside his newly found sense of morality to cause further problems for Rain and her friends. For example, when Kay is being attacked by the Xenomorph, Andy calculates the risks associated with saving her to be too high and allows her to be whisked away by the creature; this is when Rain first notices her brother’s changes, and becomes wary of his potential deception.
Rain Changes Andy’s Primary Directive To Help Him Too
The Protagonist Brings Andy Back To His Original Self
In theending ofAlien: Romulus, Rain discovers that Rook’s control chip is what’s causing Andy to act so conflicted, and she restores his original chip with a slightly altered directive:“do what’s best for us.” This gives Andy further free will and autonomy over his own actions, letting him think for himself and unburdening him of the directives that have controlled him in the past. Instead of thinking solely about Rain, or exclusively about the mission,Andy can do whatever he deems best for them- it’s an important message on the futility of corporate greed and selfishness.
Andy’s wavering directives are a crucial aspect ofAlien: Romulus, allowing the film to deeply explore the concept of mechanized morality and its role in humanity’s future.
Thanks to Rain’s new directive, Andy comes back to save the day inAlien: Romulus’ final moments. He intervenes in Rain’s fight against the Xenomorph, killing it at the last moment as the ship crashes into a nearby planet’s rings. He also fights alongside Rain and Kay after the latter gives birth to a human-Xenomorph hybrid, atoning himself for his earlier actions against Kay. Andy’s wavering directives are a crucial aspect ofAlien: Romulus, allowing the film to deeply explore the concept of mechanized morality and its role in humanity’s future.
Alien: Romulus
Cast
Alien: Romulus is the seventh film in the Alien franchise. The movie is directed by Fede Álvarez and will focus on a new young group of characters who come face to face with the terrifying Xenomorphs. Alien: Romulus is a stand-alone film and takes place in a time not yet explored in the Alien franchise.
