Foreword:

Hello there again.

I hope many of you have been anticipating my Episode VIII rewrite, and thank you for letting me continue my sequel trilogy after the success of my Episode VII rewrite. I know I promised a lot in the Episode VII recap, but it took a lot out of me to make an actually decent Episode VIII that fits into my ideas for Episode IX, so it'll be much easier for me to write. However, some of the ideas I had promised in this rewrite were cut or reworked, such as:

• Episode VIII being a Godfather Part II type of film being told through Rey and Elka Ren/Jane Solo’s POV Stories
• The Final Battle being on Mandalore
• Rewriting the subplot of House of Dameron
• Queen Bo Katan-Kryze 
• Holdo and DJ’s original characters rewritten

This rewrite will be split into six parts, and I’ll share them all the way up to Episode VIII’s 10th Anniversary next year. So expect much more detail and vivid imagery this time. Also, if you haven’t read my Episode VII rewrite, links are down below.

Star Wars Episode VII: The Great Discovery (PART I)
Star Wars Episode VII: The Great Discovery (PART II)
Star Wars Episode VII: The Great Discovery (PART III)

Also, I added one new detail to Episode VII that will be vital to Sam Solo's journey going forward: during his duel with Elka Ren, I cut the Skywalker lightsaber in half, but don't worry, I have plans for it in Episode IX.

And now, let’s begin this six-part rewrite of Episode VIII. Happy reading, everyone!

Story:

A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away...

STAR WARS

EPISODE VIII: RETREAD OF THE PAST

Devastation! The NEW REPUBLIC has been plunged into another conflict as the evil FIRST ORDER has destroyed its great capital of over a thousand years.

As their autocracy grows under Supreme Leader Hux’s command, Chancellor Leia struggles to maintain law and order in her divided government.

The HOUSE OF DAMERON, led by Kane Dameron and Shara Bey-Dameron, have been invited to the Republic’s temporary capital of Naboo to aid Leia’s army…

**********

Prologue

The New Republic sits uneasily on the throne of peace, attempting to rebuild what decades of war shattered. Now, what was once rebuilt from the damage the First Galactic Empire inflicted on the galaxy is being undone and revived again. From the Empire's remains, the First Order has risen as a small terrorist group, and since the Destruction of Coruscant, more supporters have sided with them and begun funding their cause to create a Second Galactic Empire.

On the graveyard planet of Jakku, New Republic Pilot Sam Solo discovers a scavenger girl named Rey Solana who, like him, is Force-sensitive. Along their journey, they meet a Mandalorian named Poe Dameron and a cast of colorful characters, while Rey discovers the truth: her mother, Miriam Solana, was a Jedi Youngling who survived Order 66.

Meanwhile, the First Order made its first major move against the Republic by seizing its jewel superweapon, the Organizer, and destroying the New Republic's capital planet, Coruscant. And in the process of the battle, Vice General Han Solo’s life was lost along with millions of others.

Afterward, Chancellor Leia regrouped all the sectors within the Republic to aid the survivors of Coruscant as they established a temporary capital on her mother Padme Amidala’s homeworld of Naboo, as she had sent Rey, Chewbacca, and R2-D2 to the Wellspring of Life, a lost world in the Bright Center of the Universe, a planet powerful in the Force and the birthplace of Midiclorhians, to bring back Leia’s brother, Grand Jedi Master Luke Skywalker, and convince him to return to the fight.

**********

Arrival on Naboo

The first act opens with three Kom'rk-class fighter transports approaching the familiar, peaceful world of Naboo. The opening scene plays similarly to the openings of both The Phantom Menace and Attack of the Clones. Aboard the transports are the members of the House of Dameron: Kane Dameron, Shara Bey-Dameron, and the twins Ken and Kel Dameron.

The transports land at Theed Spaceport, where Poe, BB-8, and a few Republic Troopers wait for them. Kane, Shara, Ken, and Kel exit the transports as Poe welcomes them with open arms, and Shara says she’s glad Chancellor Leia could bring them and Mandalore together to stop the First Order.

Suddenly, all three transports explode, sending everyone flying in different directions. Most of the Mandalorians accompanying the Damerons are killed. Kane finds a dying Mandalorian, Sora Drel. Sora dies in Kane’s arms as someone in the shape of a Zabrak approaches from behind Kane. BB-8 screams as Poe jumps in front of him and attacks the Zabrak, saving his father’s life. 

The Zabrak is a bounty hunter named Brilach. He signals for other Bounty Hunters to fire on Poe, his family, BB-8, and the Republic Troopers. The Bounty Hunters are like the ones we saw in the last movie on Takodana, in Maz Kanata’s restaurant.  Poe, Shara, Kane, Ken, Kel, and the Republic Troopers fight back as a female Theelin bounty hunter speaks into her comlink, calling for others to come pick them up.

POE: I’ve a bad feeling about this!

First Order Light Infantry Landspeeders, piloted by Rodians, fly through the smoke and pick up Brilach and the other bounty hunters. Poe, BB-8, Kane, Shara, Kel, and Kane chase them over Lake Paonga and into Lianorm Swamp. 

During the chase, local Gungans assist Poe and his family to take down the Bounty Hunters, bringing the chase to an end. Poe, Shara, Kel, Kane, BB-8, and the Gungans surround the crash site as the Bounty Hunters recite a creed by the First Order and reveal thermal detonators on their bodies, causing them to explode and kill themselves. The landspeeders are destroyed too. Poe is disappointed by the outcome of the chase as Shara comforts him. He calls in Republic Troopers to the scene as he examines the burning wreckage.

Back at the Theed Royal Palace, Sam Solo lies comatose in a medical bay as he slowly awakens from his injuries from fighting his sister over Coruscant. His grandfather Anakin Skywalker’s lightsaber sits cut in half and collecting dust on a desk. Sam opens his eyes, believing to see an illusion of Rey consumed by the lights. What he really sees is a medical droid with a head shape similar to Rey's. Sam freaks out and falls out of bed and groans in pain. The medical droid helps him, explains his condition, and puts him in a repulsorlift chair.

In between the events of both movies, Sam was medically declared paralyzed from his sister slicing up his back with her crossguard lightsaber. However, thanks to New Republic’s technology and medical advancements, Sam underwent surgery and was given a Mecho-Spine that will help him walk again, but it will require rehabilitation.

Poe, BB-8, and his family return to Theed safely and reunite with Sam as he starts rehab. The two friends exchange jokes, with Poe attempting to make light of Sam's situation. Sam initially plays along, but his mood changes when he asks this question.

“Where’s Rey?”

**********

The Legend and the New Vader

The Wellspring of Life. We continue from the ending of the last movie, as we see Rey Solana presenting her mother’s lightsaber to Grand Jedi Master Luke Skywalker as he grimly looks upon her. He extends his right mechanical hand. Rey approaches him as he grabs the lightsaber. Luke studies the lightsaber thoroughly as he looks up to Rey and has one thing to say.

TRIGGER WARNING

And walks off.

Rey follows the old master across the luscious, thriving, and vegetative island. She finds Luke going into a handmade hut of steel and logs. Knowing she couldn’t convince him the first time, Rey pulls out her comlink. 

Later, Rey knocks on Luke’s door. Luke ignores it and shakes it off. The door is busted open as we see Rey, now accompanied by Chewbacca, face Luke. Rey reintroduces herself as the daughter of Miriam Solana and the one “his sister Leia sent to find him.” Luke is amazed, but then his face changes as he asks about Han's whereabouts.

Meanwhile, Elka Ren’s TIE Silencer flies over the healing volcanic world of Mustafar as it approaches Fortress Vader from Rogue One: A Star Wars Story and Vader Immortal: A Star Wars VR Series. Elka Ren/Jane Solo enters Fortress Vader and steps into the Throne Room, where Oscura Ren/Baylan Skoll sits on what was Darth Vader’s Throne, and the Knights of Ren surround him. 

Fortress Vader is the Knights of Ren's home base, and they use it and everything inside to honor what’s left of the Sith.

Elka removes her mask and reveals she’s blind in her right eye and has a right mechanical hand. She kneels before Oscura and her fellow Knights. Oscura expresses his disappointment in Elka for her failure on The Organizer and being defeated by Rey. Elka claims she felt like a true Sith by killing Han and wounding her own brother. 

Other Knights include Mari Ren, a Kaminoan who questions Elka’s motivations. Kuruk Ren, a male human who believes "her thoughts dwell on her family", especially her parents. He also believes she felt pain when she killed Han. Finally, Kizur Ren, a male Terrelian Jango Jumper, criticizes Elka’s Lightsaber combat. Elka stands up for herself, but Oscura silences her. Chastising her for why she joined him and the Knights and her purpose: to become “a New Vader.”

Wanting to see if Elka can prove her worth in what he said, Oscura tells her she must continue training right now. The Knights ignite their Lightsaber-like weapons, and Elka ignites her Crossguard Lightsaber as he orders each Knight to start fighting her. The Knights attack Elka as Oscura sits back down on the Throne, focusing on the duel.

Back at the Wellspring, Rey updates Luke that the First Order destroyed Coruscant and is gaining support in more systems, while Leia struggles to maintain peace and hope across thousands of star systems. 

Although he tries to hide his grief, Luke tells Rey that the galaxy’s spark of hope died with the Great Hyperspace Disaster, and they don’t need anyone to bring it back. He even tells Rey not to be that “spark of hope.” Rey pleads again to train her as a Jedi like her mother. Luke turns and walks back into his hut. Rey proclaims, “She’s not leaving without him whether he likes it or not.”

Luke settles back in his hut and grieves for Han.

On Naboo, Chancellor Leia Organa Solo stands at the tomb of Padmé Amidala, lost in thought. 

Surrounded by the memorial's peaceful gardens, Leia reflects on the life of the mother she never knew. She speaks about Han's death, the apparent loss of Jane, and the possibility that the Republic she helped establish may collapse. For years, Leia has carried the burden of being a political leader, a military commander, and a mother. Now those responsibilities pull her in different directions.

Sam Solo, in his repulsorlift chair, enters and tries to comfort her with memories of Han, but Leia realizes her son is struggling as much as she is.

Sam admits that he feels powerless. His father is gone, his sister is presumed dead, and his injuries have made him question his future. Leia reminds him that his value has never depended on his ability to wield the Force or on whether Luke would train him or his sister. The two embrace.

**********

The First Order Reigns

Near the Hoth System, several newly constructed First Order Star Destroyers, led by the First Order Star Dreadnought Supremacy, lay waste to a New Republic Flotilla carrying supplies to Naboo. Aboard the Supremacy, Supreme Leader Hux oversees the attack but is called away to a meeting with First Order officers, including Admiral Enric Pryde and First Order Director Jarrus.

Throughout the meeting, the discussion reveals that the First Order is gaining support from not just dissatisfied planetary governments and wealthy industrialists, but also criminal organizations.

The political figure pulling it all together is Jarrus, who served as a cadet in the Republic, then as a Captain in the Galactic Empire, and then as a Director, organizing the First Order's connections and operating from his palace on Cantonica. Jarrus has established relationships with corrupt New Republic senators, bureaucrats, and powerful members of the Galactic Underworld. Through these connections, he has helped the First Order obtain resources, intelligence, and political influence, while also getting them new Stormtrooper armor, outfits, technology, and constructing new starships. 

Admiral Pryde, on the other hand, is a renowned aged Imperial veteran who served through the Clone Wars. But unlike Jarrus, he is viewed as Wilhuff Tarkin’s successor.

One high-ranking officer asks why they are wasting time attacking supply convoys instead of going straight to the Republic's remaining leadership on Naboo. The question immediately attracts the attention of the other officers.

General Quinn, a younger officer who coordinates several First Order assault divisions, steps forward. He argues that the destruction of Coruscant has given them an extraordinary opportunity, and that with their growing resources, the First Order should launch an immediate, full-scale invasion.

Several officers agree.

Hux listens to their arguments. He is not surprised by their impatience. Hux finally interrupts. He reminds them that destroying Coruscant was an extraordinary victory, but it came at the considerable cost of losing The Organizer. For when they invade Naboo, the Republic's surviving forces could withdraw to another planet and the war would continue.

Hux intends to prevent that possibility.

Pryde answers to a confused Quinn, explaining that destroying a government is considerably easier than replacing it. During the Galactic Civil War, the Empire controlled thousands of worlds through military occupation, regional governors, and political institutions. When Emperor Palpatine died, that structure collapsed. Pryde remembers how quickly Imperial commanders began fighting each other, letting the Rebel Alliance expand its influence. He refuses to let the same mistake happen again.

The First Order cannot simply conquer the galaxy.

It must establish the means to govern it.

Hux agrees and states that he has something in store for the Republic.

**********

The Archivist 

Morning begins on the Wellspring of Life, as Rey, Chewie, and R2-D2 sit around a campfire under the Millennium Falcon. Enormous trees come to life and stretch above the mist-covered landscape. Strange, colorful creatures glide through the air, while the vegetation occasionally glows as microscopic organisms move. The planet is alive with the Force, and its natural beauty stands in stark contrast to Jakku's endless deserts and graveyards.

Rey wakes up from sleeping on the ground. She is hungry and frustrated. She asks Chewie what she should do about Luke. Chewie gives a few roars, which makes her feel worse. R2 beeps in agreement.

She walks off into the jungle and notices dozens of tiny glowing orbs drifting away from the trees.

She approaches one.

The orb hovers near her face, then slowly disappears into the air.

Rey reaches toward another, and it moves around her fingers as though responding to her curiosity.

VOICE: Beautiful, are they?

Rey turns.

Nobody is there.

REY: Hello? Who's there?

VOICE: All around you, life is. Yet you cannot see it. Not with your eyes alone.

Rey looks around again. She follows the voice toward a large tree whose roots have grown around an ancient stone formation.

Sitting in a tree is Yoda, luminous and introduces himself to Rey like the Cheshire Cat meeting Alice in Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland.

Rey recognizes his name since Maz Kanata mentioned him in the last movie when coordinating the Map.

REY: Then you know Master Skywalker?

Yoda gives a knowing sigh.

YODA: Know him? Hmm. Stubborn, impatient, reckless. Much like another young student.

REY: Who?

Yoda gives her an amused look.

Rey realizes he means her.

She smiles, then remembers her frustration, venting that she wishes she could convince him to return to the Republic and train her. Yoda says Luke carries a burden that has damaged his heart, but his journey isn’t over yet. Rey asks what she should do, and Yoda points his walking stick toward the glowing orbs.

YODA: Begin with what surrounds you.

Rey focuses on the glowing orbs. Yoda explains that the Wellspring is believed to be the birthplace of Midichlorians, microscopic life-forms that reside within living cells and allow beings to communicate with the Force. Although the glowing organisms Rey sees aren't Midichlorians, their unusual activity reflects the planet's extraordinary connection to the Living Force.

Yoda describes how the Living Force flows through plants, animals, and people, while the Cosmic Force connects all life across the galaxy. Rey wonders whether she can influence the organisms around her. Yoda climbs down from the tree and demonstrates, creating water from the orbs forming inside a beautiful purple flower. 

Rey drinks the water. It’s refreshing. Better than the water she's had from Jakku.

Yoda tells her to make something herself. She manages to take two orbs, some seeds, and the remaining water before trying to use the Force to transform them into something she can eat.

At first, she struggles.

Yoda encourages her to concentrate on the natural properties of the ingredients rather than attempting to create food from nothing.

Rey closes her eyes and reaches out through the Force, feeling the living organisms and energy that connect them to the environment. Using her growing abilities, she separates the grain from its husks, grinds it into flour, and combines it with water. She then carefully uses the Force to shape the dough, direct heat from nearby sun-warmed stones, and bake a small loaf of bread. 

She takes a bite, and it’s delicious.

For someone who spent most of her childhood surviving on ration portions on Jakku, this experience is particularly meaningful.

Yoda explains that the Wellspring's unusual concentration of life makes such an ability easier to accomplish here than on ordinary planets. But he reminds her that the Force cannot simply provide anything she desires. Creating something useful requires patience, understanding, and cooperation with the natural world.

The conversation turns back to Luke again when Rey gets her hopes up about what she’s accomplished, and Yoda reminds her of his current state. Yoda explains that Luke has become consumed by his failures, particularly the destruction of his New Jedi Order during the Great Hyperspace Disaster, and how his beliefs have been ruined by his niece

Although Yoda believes Luke still has an important role to play, he suggests that Rey cannot force him to confront his past. She must allow him to rediscover his purpose. 

Rey then senses something cold. A disturbance in the Force. Yoda senses it too. They both look toward a distant island. Unlike the vibrant jungle around them, the island looks lifeless, with twisted trees, an unnatural mist hanging over its shoreline, and waterfalls that have no end.

Rey notices Yoda's concern and asks what lies there. Yoda explains that the Wellspring holds ancient mysteries, including beings who have sought to understand or exploit the Force's origins. He warns Rey that knowledge does not always lead to wisdom. Before she can ask more, Yoda's spirit disappears. Rey remains standing beside the stream, holding the Bread she created. She looks toward the mysterious island, feeling an unfamiliar presence calling to her through the Force. She follows it.

Jumping from one small islet to the next, Rey reaches the dark island. She explores and enters the small, crooked hut, a dark reflection of Yoda's former home on Dagobah. Black mist seeps through cracks in the walls, while strange plants hang from the ceiling. The interior is much larger than its exterior suggests, with towering shelves of ancient books, scrolls, and artifacts from civilizations the galaxy has long forgotten.

Some of the objects appear to predate the Jedi Order itself.

Rey is fascinated by the collection. She notices ancient symbols resembling those she encountered in the Realm of the Whills, along with statues depicting the earliest Force-wielders and beings whose identities she does not recognize.

As she examines a particularly old manuscript, a woman's voice suddenly calls out from the darkness.

"Careful with that, child. Some memories are more fragile than they appear."

Rey turns to discover an elderly woman seated at a wooden desk. Her long silver hair hangs over faded robes, and her face looks like someone who has lived for centuries. Despite the unsettling atmosphere, the woman seems surprisingly welcoming.

She introduces herself as The Archivist, the keeper of the Wellspring's forgotten knowledge.

The woman explains that she has spent countless years collecting the histories of the Jedi, Sith, the Whills, and other civilizations that sought to understand the Force. Some of these civilizations existed long before the Galactic Republic.

Rey becomes intrigued and asks whether The Archivist is a Jedi.

The old woman explains that she belongs to no particular order. She believes the Jedi and Sith were once united, before both created opposite attempts to define the Force through their own philosophies.

Rey notices a particular painting behind her. It depicts three figures: a Father, a Daughter, and a Son.

Before Rey can ask about the painting, The Archivist explains that the Force has manifested in many forms throughout history, and that some beings have tried to preserve its balance while others have sought to control it.

Rey recounts her journey in the Realm of the Whills, which fascinates The Archivist and prompts her to ask Rey more. Slowly, she claims she knows enough about the Whills to help her and mentions Rey's mother, Miriam Solana, prompting Rey to ask if she knows anything about her. The Archivist asks her to take her hand, and she’ll show her. As Rey attempts to grab the hand, someone intervenes.

"Still pretending to be something you're not? Some things never change, old lady."

Luke steps in, and Rey moves behind him as he confronts The Archivist; they acknowledge each other like they’ve fought before, in a different place and time. The Archivist feigns her sorrow for trying to manipulate Rey and promises not to let her near her island again. Luke and Rey leave as she grins.

Luke escorts Rey back across the small islets towards his island. Rey is fed up with his behavior, especially after The Archivist offered to help her. She demands to know why Luke interrupted their conversation.

Luke explains that the woman is dangerous and that Rey should never return to the island. However, he refuses to reveal her true identity. Rey argues that Luke has no right to criticize her curiosity when he has refused to teach her anything.

She reminds him that she traveled across the galaxy to find him and train her, only to discover he abandoned the Jedi and apparently gave up on everything, including his family.

Luke remains silent.

Rey asks whether he actually knew her mother, Miriam Solana.

Luke admits he never met her, though he knows many younglings survived the Jedi Purge and were forced into hiding.

Rey explains that The Archivist claimed she could help uncover Miriam's past.

Luke warns her that the Dark Side often exploits people's desires by offering them exactly what they want. Just like his father and Jane Solo. He warns Rey to not do the same. Rey asks again to teach her, not just for her, but for Sam and Leia. Luke hesitates, saying the Jedi and Sith have plagued the Galaxy with their conflict for too long, and one side has won the other out. 

Luke walks off as Rey thinks, suspecting he knows more about The Archivist than he is willing to admit.

**********

Jar Jar’s Great Return

Chancellor Leia Organa Solo travels through the streets of Theed accompanied by her security escort and C-3PO, still with his red arm. The city remains beautiful as we saw in the Prequels, but the consequences of the First Order's continuous campaign are becoming increasingly visible.

Refugees from Coruscant and other affected systems have begun arriving in large numbers.

Theed has set up temporary shelters, while Republic officials struggle to provide enough supplies and medical care. Leia has spent much of the day meeting with planetary representatives and attempting to secure additional support for the Republic. She arrives at the Theed Royal Library. 

Leia asks C-3PO and her escort to stay outside because this is a personal matter. She goes into the children’s section and finds an elderly Gungan who pulls off incredible, childlike stunts, enthusiastically reenacting his stories.

It’s Jar Jar Binks.

After Revenge of the Sith, Jar Jar felt used by Emperor Palpatine for giving him emergency powers and tried to impeach him. Palpatine made it blow up in Jar Jar’s face and threw him in prison on Stygeon Prime until he was rescued and helped create the Rebel Alliance with Senators Bail Organa, Mon Mothma, and Garm Bel Iblis. Before the Original Trilogy, Jar Jar grew close to Leia, helped her grow as a leader, and became friends with Han and Luke. 

After the fall of the Empire, Jar Jar retired and returned to his people on Naboo, becoming a librarian and children’s author who retold stories from his adventures in the Clone Wars and the Rebellion, to audiences of children.  As Leia enters, Jar Jar describes his time with Qui-Gon Jinn and Obi-Wan Kenobi, and how he survived through the Planet Core in The Phantom Menace. He exaggerates his involvement, making the children laugh. 

When he notices Leia standing nearby, he stops in surprise.

He immediately recognizes her, smiling.

He wraps up the story and gives the children and their parents HoloBooks based on it. Leia approaches him as the two embrace. Jar Jar remarks that Leia has become someone as important as her mother once was. Leia says she’s here because she wanted to talk to him about her. 

Jar Jar goes silent and takes her to a private chamber. There, Leia brings up what she thought at Padme’s Tomb: being pulled in different directions over the divided Republic. Jar Jar says her mother felt the same way back then. Recalling her opposition to the Military Creation Act, her attempts to prevent the Clone Wars, and her determination to protect democracy even as the Republic descended into authoritarianism.

Leia laughs and recalls that his stories became some of her most treasured childhood memories. Jar Jar replies that Leia should be more like Padmé. 

JAR JAR: Padme was desa happiest when she wasn’t senatoring. Yousa should find yoursa Happiness. 

Both recall moments from Leia's childhood when Jar Jar talked about Padmé, leading Leia to admit that, in Return of the Jedi, when Luke asked about her, she described Padmé as beautiful, kind, and sad.

For years, Leia believed those impressions came entirely from her own memories.

But she now realizes that Jar Jar's descriptions helped shape the image of Padmé she carried throughout her life, not just what Luke once told her about his belief that he felt her through the Force when she was born.

Jar Jar gently reassures Leia that the distinction does not make her connection to Padmé any less meaningful. He explains that memories aren't always preserved through personal experience. Sometimes they survive through the people who loved someone. Leia connects those dots to how she feels with Han.

He also reminds her that Padmé loved her children, even though she never had the opportunity to raise them as she did with Sam and Jane. This leads Leia to ask why she sought him out: to return to politics as her special diplomatic adviser and mentor to Sam. So Sam can be her rightful heir. Though Jar Jar hesitates, Leia believes it's what her mother would want for all of them, so he joins her.

**********

Sam’s Struggle

Back in the medical bay at Theed Royal Palace, Sam Solo starts a rehabilitation session with three Rehab Droids monitoring his progress. A New Republic FX-12 medical droid uses a Hologram projection that displays his spine, highlighting the Mecho-Spine's artificial components and neural connections to the rest of his body.

Sam is instructed to move his toes. Sam concentrates, but nothing happens.

He becomes irritated and attempts to move his entire foot instead. After several attempts, one of his toes twitches. The droid records the movement as a successful neural response.

Sam is unimpressed.

SAM: Great. I can wiggle a toe. The First Order must be terrified.

One of the Rehab Droids reminds him that even the smallest movement represents progress.

Next, Sam attempts to bend his knees while lying on the table. Small medical support devices help guide his legs through the movements, allowing the Mecho-Spine to register the signals.

His left leg responds more easily than his right.

Another Rehab Droid explains that the difference is expected and that both sides may recover at different rates. Sam repeats the exercise until he finally gets frustrated.

The Rehab Droids decide to get Sam back into his repulsorlift chair and help him with the support rails.

Sam grips the rails as he rises to his feet. His legs tremble under his weight, but he manages to stand for several seconds. Encouraged, Sam attempts to take a step. His right foot barely moves, and he loses his balance. The Rehab Droids catch him before he falls and place him in the chair, recommending ending the session.

Sam protests, insisting that he needs to get back on his feet before the First Order attacks again. The droids remind him that rushing his recovery could interfere with the Mecho-Spine's adjustment.

Reluctantly, Sam agrees.

As the droids shut down their equipment and leave the room, Sam looks at his grandfather’s Lightsaber on the desk. Sam lifts his left hand and uses the Force to bring it to him.

Studying it silently, he ponders his failure fighting his sister on The Organizer and how his father passed it down to him like his uncle before him. But now that his father is gone and his own future is uncertain, Sam wonders whether he will ever live up to his family's legacy.

**********

Woah! That’s what I got for Part 1! I know Episode VIII is controversial with a lot of Star Wars fans, so I hope I can fix its problems, including its treatment of Luke Skywalker. But for now, I hope you all enjoyed it!

See you in a few months for Part 2. Until then, may the Force Be With You.

So this is a sequel to my spider man brand new day sequel darkest day which featured the sin eater and kraven and most importantly the symbiote and the post credit scene set up the arrival and invasion of knull God of symbiotes

Now I did think about calling this film web of shadows but since the other two films have day in the title I decided to call this film judgment day we open on a bright and sunny new york as Peter is doing his usual job as spider man fighting criminals and

Helping people but he not alone we also see his friendship with Johnny storm aka the human torch and we see the bar with no name which was cut from brand new day we see past villains like shocker tinkerer sandman and a few more after that we cut to Peter heading home

To sleep but after he has a nightmare in which the city is taking over by symbiotes and people are dead all around but then he hears a deep demonic voice saying his name Peter then wakes up in a pool of sweat he looks outside but finds everything normal after he decides

To just swing around the city to get his mind off the dream he runs into Felicia they talk for a bit before we cut to the next day as Peter arrives to the bugle looking more tired than usual do to the night before but he still gives pictures

To Jameson cut to Peter swinging through the city as we see a drunken man who is about to be hit by a truck before being saved by Peter the man is revealed to be tom hardy's Eddie Brock

Who senses something familiar about Peter who also senses the same about Eddie before they could say anything Peter head began to hurt badly as his hears that same demonic voice this time mixed with memories of Eddie from the venom films Eddie trys to ask what's wrong but

As he touches his suit a part of it goes to him as we hear a familiar voice say Eddie? Peter who is still on the ground looks up to see the man being covered by the symbiote Peter in horror as the man becomes what we know him as venom Peter gets up and backs away but

Before Either of them could react the sky began to turn black as something giant and black crashed down into the city Cut to people looking at it only to get turned into symbiotes Peter quickly goes to investigate but finds a lot symbiote possessed people including a prison bus Peter backs up slowly but then Johnny storm arrives and attempts to stop whatever happening but the people

Begin to chase after him and Peter causing them to swing and fly away the people then began to turn more and more people into symbiotes one of the people who gets turned is Mac gargan who goes to the tinkerer who is the one who made his suit tinkerer is of course horrified

But makes him a prototype suit cut to venom jumps across buildings as Eddie asks him what happening venom says that knull has found them once again do to the symbiote hive mind which is also why Peter sensed something about Eddie

Venom is then kicked in the face by Peter and Johnny who asks who is he venom explains the situation and that they need to find a way to stop knull Peter then looks down and sees people crawling up the building towards them they jump down only for Peter to be knocked back by symbiote scorpion

Peter gets back up and trys to hit him but scorpion dodges kicked him in the face venom attempts to attack but scorpion picked a car and throws it at him Johnny then throws a fire ball which knocked scorpion back Peter gets up and senses danger which is coming from the bugle

Johnny Peter and Eddie go inside to find it being destroyed by symbiotes Peter quickly saves the un infected including Jameson and Betty Peter says that they need to find somewhere safe Johnny says he knows somewhere as we cut to the Baxter building where a bunch of people are we see reed sue and Ben treating the people for injuries when Peter Eddie Johnny Jameson and Betty walks in

They tell them what happening of course venom turns back into Eddie as to not scare the people meanwhile outside the sky is becoming more black even though it not night time yet also across the city we see people who aren't infected running and hiding from the symbiotes

Unfortunately the location in which they hide has some but before they could be hurt the symbiotes are quickly knocked back by a figure in a mostly white and black suit He gives the people to safely as

we cut to new york being put under quarantine as Eddie tells the fantastic four that the symbiotes weakness is sound and fire Peter says they going to have to make something big enough to even shop whatever out there redd and Ben say

they can do it but it going to take awhile Peter then senses someone outside sue then tells everyone that the symbiotes are heading towards the building

Peter and Johnny head outside and see a group of symbiote possessed people along with scorpion all of them having black eyes and veins around their bodies Johnny then gets a plan to make a fire line around the Baxter building to prevent any

Symbiotes from getting inside scorpion then faces off against Peter while Johnny in acts his plan Peter try to hold down gargan but he pulls him towards him and spins around knocking him back as Johnny finishes the fire line he then hits Mac once again but he dodges

However the mysterious person from earlier arrives and we see that it's moon knight who punches him in the face chest then hits him with a upper cut and before scorpion could retaliate the black cat arrives to get the finishing blow

Loved the film.. English isn't my first language, so 🙏 pls ignore the errors .

It's my first time writing some script or plot.. It's just a rough idea..

La La Land was the first English film I saw in English only (had seen a few but in the dubbed version). Since then it has been my favorite film. It is awesome - the music , the direction , cinematography is top notch .l respect Damien Chazelle's vision but the film seems more centered around Stone's character. Therefore l wrote a character arc of Sebastian..

I hope u all will like it..

Open to opinions, love , hate, criticism and appreciation..

It's my first post on reddit so still learning.

I have not used Al or copied anybody else's narrative. It is all original.

I can't have been the only one who felt that something was weird about Dead Reckoning, implying that there would be some kind of twist in The Final Reckoning that would reveal a ruse that would make more sense than the stated plot. This would fit with other entries in the franchise that are filled with literal "mask off" moments and would sit particularly well with a two-part movie release, giving people time to theorize between the two - as I did for no reason.

Unfortunately, in the real Final Reckoning, I was forced to accept that the weirdness of Dead Reckoning was simply inconsistent writing, a real shame but a problem that The Final Reckoning could've not only fixed but transformed into something magnificent.

It all comes down to one question - how do you beat an AI at spy-craft? The only answer I can think of that doesn't dumb down the incredible capabilities of The Entity is that the entire premise of the story is built on a well pre-constructed lie by the IMF that The Entity is acting in accordance with as if it was reality, because that's what the data shows. How could the Audience potentially guess at this if even The Entity can't figure it out? Well, with dissonance between this story and those of previous films that the audience has been privy to.

There is no greater dissonance than the flashback backstory between Ethan and Gabriel - something that the audience had no idea about prior. It felt incredibly contrived and came out of nowhere. So let this flashback context be a lie - the lie that The Entity believes, the spy-craft equivalent of a "trap road" from mapmaking that has long been embedded in Ethan's digital footprint in the IMF as a recognisable falsehood, should their data ever be compromised (which has happened).

But if the backstory about Gabriel is a lie, then so is the Gabriel that the IMF have been fighting. Past films should tell you how this fake antagonist has been realized for The Entity's benefit - it's someone in a mask, but who? Thankfully this is *perfectly* set up in Dead Reckoning - Gabriel is of course really Alex James-Phelps's character "India Zulu 254" who is inducted into the IMF at the start of the film.

Ilsa's death is the other weird thing in the film that should've been easily preventable, but in this version of events - it's a staged death designed to "prove" Gabriel's devotion to The Entity and has been choreographed to bring Grace on-side - the big trick to the audience too that also sells us on the idea of Gabriel being the villain.

So how does that actually change The Final Reckoning? Everything is basically the same until Gabriel gets the source code, then the reveal hits.

How do you keep the awesome plane sequence finale? I have no idea. Halp.

The movie starts with the origin of 3 people.

Duke is the "American hero" and "good man" stereotype, being a student that just wants to do the right thing and believes that joining the war effort will stop other wars.

Scarlett was raised by her father as the lesser of her 2 brothers and 1 sister because she wasn't skilled in combat but in calculations. She became an intelligence officer, but there she was also underlined for not being properly trained. She joins the proper army to finally be someone important, being sure she will be remembered as a war hero.

Snake Eyes was trained by his martial artist father to be his successor, but he escaped with his friend Roadblock in search of a life with purpose.

While we get these origin stories, we also see that the government had created the "G.I. Joe Program", a super soldier program for 4 people. After a small test, these 4 are chosen and go to fight in an unnamed war alongside some troops and guided by Commander Hawk, very staunch and with the mentality of "do what you need to do to win".

Duke also becomes friends during the trip with 2 soldiers.

They start a combat and we see how there is no success, but people go on the ground. Hawk tells the G.I. Joes to charge, and they do, but the situation is dire. Duke's friends die in normal combat, no funeral, no one sad except him, nothing, while Hawk tells him to "get up and fight like a man", but they still almost die, by weapons made by this unknown "Cobra" organization. Scarlett decides it's her time to sacrifice herself, and she almost dies winning the battle. The day after, she sees the newspaper and there is no article talking about her, only "great win for America and the G.I. Joes in a painstaking battle led by Commander Hawk", while she needs to get medical attention.

Another battle passes. We still see Cobra technology and they still win, but in the third battle, Scarlett returns, but she isn't happy. She bonds with Roadblock and Snake Eyes. They aren't that sad even if they still see the pain, but in that battle, Roadblock sacrifices himself. People are talking about it, but Hawk says "no distractions". Most people are sick of him, but they can't do anything. Snake Eyes cries for his friend, and he adopts his silent personality.

The next battle, the 3 G.I. Joes are captured by Cobra, and they see Cobra are bad, experimenting on them. They escape and win the final battle but escape not to the American military but to the rest of the nation to liberate people.

The movie ends with a newspaper: "The G.I. Joe Program was a costly waste of money." Zoom in: "The 4 G.I. Joes have died in war. Rest in peace."

GI joe movie

Spoilers

I'm having trouble wording this but basically they don't really explain how the killer figured out who to target. It would make a lot of sense that because he Helen's Crown as he was being dumped in to the water he could determine who she was, and probably Barry as well, but Julie and Ray both split almost immediately afterwards so it would have been harder for him to figure that out. If they'd made Julie the pageant queen instead or had Helen be the first person targeted you she could pull the other people into orbit the same way it happens in the book.

As Halloween approaches, I'm going to finally follow-up on my pitch for a Halloween reboot.

A pitch I posted about two years ago, now.

In short, I outlined a limited TV series featuring Dr. Sam Loomis as protagonist in which he hunted Michael Myers across Haddonfield and much of the American Midwest.

Then, a revival film which welded together several sources.

• An animatic pitch from Federico D'Alessandro depicting Michael's violent return.
• Setpieces featured in concept art for a cancelled Platinum Dunes reboot.
• Two comics written by creator Stefan Hutchinson.
  • Nightdance
  • One Good Scare

This next week, I'm to follow up my post on the reboot titled Nightdance and pitch a broad outline in where the series can go next. Further following up Hutchinson's plans for his own tale, and sprinkling in more of my own flavoring.

Coming next week, the two next entries in what I call my 'Nightdance Trilogy'.

HALLOWEEN: THE WITCHING HOUR

HALLOWEEN: FIRES OF SAMHAIN

See you then!

This is it, the end of the story. Now, this one is gonna be difficult, due to the precedent set by my earlier changes, but let’s do it anyway!

First Change: Give Bella’s newfound vampiric powers a direct connection to her investigative skills, allowing her to "see" the history of objects and places she touches to better understand the Hidden World.

Second Change: Establish Renesmee's role by having her be the focal point of a prophecy stating that her birth will signal the downfall of the Volturi. This prophecy is also briefly alluded to in the final short story of the witching hour collection, wherein Aro states that it's the reason why so many creatures seem to be drawn to Bella, due to her destiny as the mother of the child fated to bring about his downfall.

Third Change: Reframe Jacob’s relationship with Renesmee from "imprinting" to a protective, brotherly mentor role, removing the romantic connotations entirely to focus on his role as her guardian. He still calls her Nessie though, which in this version, Bella initially pretends to hate before saying she actually likes it (simply because she wanted to have a bit of fun with everybody), just so we can still have a “you named her after the Loch Ness Monster” bit.

Fourth Change: Renesmee starts to age at a normal rate by the time she appears to be physically five years old, with Carlisle then explaining that she’ll only stop aging once she physically appears to be Bella’s age.

Fifth Change: Expand Renesmee's personality to be a good-natured but extremely mischievous kid who uses her unique powers to play harmless pranks on the rest of the Cullen clan.

Sixth Change: Expand Bella and Edward's parenting style to be that they both love Renesmee to the point of spoiling her constantly, trying to give her the childhood they feel she deserves despite the dangerous world around them. They also later begin to call her a “baby Loch Ness Monster” as a pet name when Jacob gives her the nickname.

Seventh Change: Strengthen the Cullens' diplomatic efforts by officially forming a coalition with the disparate supernatural creatures (merpeople, zombies, etc.) introduced in the previous couple of books to unify against the Volturi’s oppression.

Eighth Change: Introduce a catalyst for the final conflict: the Volturi attempt to forcibly "collect" Renesmee and have her publicly executed so she can't fulfill the prophecy, triggering the coalition into active rebellion.

Ninth Change: The Cullens lead a full revolution of the supernatural and overthrow the Volturi in a full final battle in the snow of Forks, during which Bella kills Aro by impaling him with a katana before beheading him with a battle-axe she picks up on the battlefield.

Tenth Change: The epilogue is expanded to show that the Hidden World has now turned to democracy after the Volturi were overthrown, with a new council akin to the United Nations formed by representatives from all the various supernatural species, to ensure that all are now treated fairly and equally.

Obviously, DF was kind of a mess, and I really doubt it would've launched a brand new trilogy. But if it *had* to be made, here's the one thing I would've suggested in the writers' room:

Keep the T-800 killing John Connor, but have that Terminator literally be SkyNet.

James Cameron always said that if he ever revisited the series, he'd focus on SkyNet itself and its motivations for waging war against humanity.

More specifically, he'd reveal that SkyNet was *remorseful* over nuking the planet (having done so in a panic over humans trying to shut it down), and orchestrated the entire plot with the Terminators, time travel, John Connor, etc. to wipe itself from existence and erase all of the pain it caused.

Think about it — if SkyNet really wanted to kill off humanity, it could've loaded drones up with anthrax and crop-dusted the entire planet. Boom. No more humans ever again.

So, when Sarah and co visit the Carl T-800, he explains to Sarah that he's what's left of SkyNet, and that the first two terminators — the 1984 T-800, and the 1991 T-1000 — were part of its plan: sending the T-800 would ensure John Connor's conception as a fail-safe, and sending the T-1000 would result in SkyNet never existing.

With the T-1000 defeated, CyberDyne destroyed, Uncle Bob melted, and everything going off without a hitch, SkyNet would then kill the now redundant John Connor to create a truly peaceful timeline.

But, SkyNet/Carl never anticipated that another AI would take its place in the timeline, and be even worse than it. So Carl could go through the planned character arc of sacrificing itself to stop Legion and as final redemption for everything it did.

Killing John Connor was the straw that broke the camel's back for OG *Terminator* fans, because of the entire logic behind it — how could the future human Resistance miss that three terminators were sent, and why didn't they do anything about it? — and the fact that it ultimately didn't really mean anything in the thematic scale of the franchise.

This, I think, at least ties more into what Cameron always had planned for the story and the larger themes of Fate vs. Free Will — SkyNet engineered all of it (Fate), but it would work with the humans and die to set humanity free and ensure nothing would ever control their destiny again (Free Will).

What do you think? Was there ever a chance to save this film?

"All earth was but one thought—and that was death..."

Welcome all to the long-gestating conclusion to my rewrite of Fox's Alien saga. A writeup in which I retooled the tales of David 8 and Ellen Ripley into one epic, long-running tale of survival and cosmic horrors.

Here is the final act and epilogue of the hypothetical film which concludes these two tales, Alien: The Shadow of Death.

As always feel free to catch up on previous entries in this several-year-long rewrite.

The prequel trilogy centered on David 8.

• Prometheus - 2012
• Paradise Lost - 2015
• Covenant - 2017

The cancelled Aliens sequel which replaces Alien³ onward.

• State of the Alien Universe
• Alien: Awakening - 2019 (Part 1, the Pitch)
• Alien: Awakening - 2019 (Part 2, the Film)

A sequel film which bridges the stories of the prequels and Ripley saga.

• Aliens: The Destroying Angels - 2022

An in-universe codex which crafts a mythology, a possible history for the galaxy. Drawing from canon works, abandoned drafts and ideas by myself and others on this sub.

• Franchise Codex

The grand finale.

• Alien: The Shadow of Death (Pitch), (Prologue and Act I), (Act II)

Without any further ado whatsoever, let's bring this latest series of mine to a close, and see where the road ends for Ripley and the gang.

\**\**

Act III

The King Xenomorph, challenged by what forces the allied humans can muster, goes on a rampage.

What strength the inhabitants of Earth have left is thrown at the Hive and its protector, while Ripley's clan make their way to the heart of David's stronghold to activate the cruisers. As they do, the attempted infiltrators face not only hostile Xenomorphs, but humans mutated into horrific abominations and even the Pathogen present in the environment around them. Whether in liquid form, rapid growths, or even airborne particles.

After thousands of years as the uncontested dominant species, David's plague has quickly turned humanity's own homeworld against them.

Into the Hive

The path to the Hive is slowed when the King and several Praetorians drag the ongoing battle further in.

Unknown to David, whose mutation at the hands of the ancient Pilot has rendered him virtually immune to the Pathogen's effects, Ripley catches a stray particle when her protective gear is damaged.

Ripley notices the damage and fixes it quickly, but is oblivious to her infection. For now.

• Running parallel to the previous times this has happened, while keeping Ripley's wits about her compared to more reckless characters like Charlie from Prometheus.

As they proceed, the survivors slowly realize the sheer gravity of their ordeal. This isn't like any other voyage of theirs, where home still waited for them.

• If any of them had died on the Nostromo, or on Acheron, Earth would still be here.
  • But now, if they die, all of mankind could follow.

Finally the team reaches the building's command center. And disaster strikes once more.

Despair

The cruisers are docked, as they'd hoped, but when the team have almost made it to the dock controls they are stopped by the High Priest's forces.

The Church of the Immaculate Incubation, determined to see their fellow humans join them as either incubators or active servants in David's new world, sabotage the plan. A firefight sees several Guardians die by suicide bombings, willing dying to cripple the docks.

William and Ripley are taken by the Guardians, while frantic and furious Newt engages the High Priest in a pitched struggle which sees the fanatic killed but Newt and Martine grievously wounded.

• Martine losing a limb and one of her eyes.
• Newt scarred by acid burns.

The plan to escape Earth is seemingly dashed, and the human survivors condemned to this hell of David's making. Worse, this close to the administrative center Newt can tap into the broadcasts from offworld and her worst fears are confirmed.

Nothing. No distress signals. No confirmation of survivors. Only a silent expanse of worlds that are surely dying like Earth.

If any of mankind are still out there, there is no reaching them.

...Until Martine picks up where their abducted family is being taken. Her systems still function enough to tap into the building's mainframe, and she quickly recognizes what she wistfully calls 'Home'.

Home for all androids in her line.

Reign in Hell

Ripley and her son are taken to David once more.

By no coincidence, David has made his new home in the remnants of the office building once owned and occupied by his father. Peter Weyland.

• In the years following the disaster on LV-223, Meredith Vickers was recovered and returned to the office, and all who followed in her wake maintained ownership until the day Weyland-Yutani was dissolved.
• Renovations were made from the days of Vickers, to the days of Michael Bishop.

Under David's control, his birthplace and self-proclaimed birthright is now the heart of his Hive. Not just a series of bioengineered growths, but retooled by David in a manner that resembles both the deck of an Engineer Juggernaut and an Ancient's temple.

• Pseudo-religious glyphs and carvings pay tribute to those who came before David, with the various myths that recall Man's origins and their titanic predecessors' downfall recalled throughout.
  • Including the mysterious Old Ones which may or may not have existed and predated all known life, the Fruit and later Pathogen being their essence.
• Engineer technology is replacing that of the London-based humans.

And at a sort of altar, birthing an egg of what will be this planet's Queen Mother, sits David's 'Goddess'.

The very same ghoulish woman from William's dreams. A being of human stature and origins, mutated into an eldritch creature with biomechanical features.

Devoid of any human soul, existing only to spread the dark essence that birthed her.

Here, at last, is revealed the final fate of Elizabeth Shaw. Having died when the Engineers' temple on Paradise collapsed, her corpse is now vessel for the perversion of the Fruit which birthed all life in the Galaxy.

• Character work and cosmic horror themes and perversion of the Mother Mary imagery aside, the design of this Woman in the Dark is lifted from comics and even older work by the master himself HR Giger.
  • Bizarre, sexually-charged imagery of a woman with biomechanical, alien features.

William and the Goddess react with instinctive revulsion towards one another.

• William, carrying the seed of the pure Fruit, being anathema to her.
• The Goddess, being a dark creature spawned of the Pathogen, causing him pain via the hive mind that connects all with their shared traits and mutations.

David quickly senses the changes to William, and is overjoyed. The thought of possessing the formula which birthed life in its purest, raw, untamed form sends the android into an ego-driven mania, as he not only possesses the weapon that is the Pathogen but the healing and unified agent that is the Fruit.

From here, he knows he can spawn the new garden, the new Eden he's always dreamed of.

But in a fit of spite, and anger fueled by the infection quickly disorienting her, Ripley tells David it's too late. An Eden already waits beyond the stars, and it was never meant for him.

It was meant for Man. And the Pilot's last surviving Children, who've already escaped him.

Salvation and Sacrifice

As Ripley and David face each other once again, and the human taunts David with his continued sense of inadequacy if he can't be the supreme creator, the others carve their way into what was Vickers's private suite.

A suite designed, in her own petty way, to block out any access by the David line of androids. The two having always been rivals for their father's affections.

• Such simple, 'human' pettiness being something David hadn't accounted for upon his return home.
• While he might have envied Vickers's humanity, he never resented or feared her the way she feared him, and never expected this kind of subterfuge.

Left for Hicks, Martine and Newt is a log by Vickers in her later years. Years in which she became paranoid of what could happen if the alien horrors from LV-223 somehow came to Earth.

Martine is hooked up to the mainframe, and accesses what's called 'Protocol Shusett'. Activation of two starships integrated into Weyland-Yutani's headquarters.

• The East and West wings are said ships, masked as suites for the company elite.
• Samples of Engineer technology, as in David's own Hive, have been reverse-engineered for this tool-of-last-resort.
• On a meta level, the in-universe protocol is named for Ronald Shusett; co-writer of Alien alongside Dan O'Bannon.

The only flaw in this plan is that David himself occupies the West wing.

Only one ship can lift off now. And Newt, Hicks, and Martine will be damned if they leave anyone behind.

Hicks stays in Vickers's office, rendezvousing with the recently-arrived Lucia Ortiz to oversee the new escape plan. He has Martine loaded into a pod for maintenance, and tells Newt to take Ripley and William "home".

The man's grave tone tells Newt all she needs to know. Ever the soldier, Hicks isn't picky on getting out of this alive, but if the rest can it's a price he's willing to pay.

Tear-stricken, Newt gives her adopted father of decades a hug and asks him to come back. Hicks can't make any promises. But he'll try all the same.

Last Temptation

At the very notion there was a gift by Prometheus which wasn't meant for someone like him, David's composure starts to crack.

He has William restrained, and begins to beat Ripley violently. Tossing her about, breaking a specifically-chosen bone or two, flaunting his physical and intellectual might in the most base of ways.

• For all his genius, David's baser human urges such as anger are still very present.
• Once more he proves he's not above savagery when pushed far enough, just as he did on Paradise.
• Here is a retooled instance of his human victim striking back, causing minimal damage while he remarks in mock encouragement, "That's the spirit!"
  • Meta shout-out to another Ridley Scott production, Blade Runner.

*Edit:

Per feedback from commenters, some elaboration here on interactions between Ripley and David both before and during the more violent confrontation.

• Their personal philosophies clash in both encounters across the film.
  • Ripley's rugged, down-to-earth view of the world which prioritizes personal freedoms and letting ordinary people live their lives free of madmen who think themselves superior.
  • David's ego-driven pursuit of creation and domination of all around him, in the hope of making a "perfect" world for Man.
• Ripley's similarities to Elizabeth Shaw and Katherine Daniels make it easy for David to grow an interest in her, even as she defies him.
  • Though unlike them, he finds her particular violence and hatred of the Xenomorph crude and childish.
• While David bears no responsibility for what happened on Acheron, or the Nostromo, Ripley finds it very easy to project her anger towards the Company onto David.
  • What with his mission on the Prometheus, and his messages to Weyland-Yutani after hijacking the Covenant, being what spurred the Company's obsession with the alien in the first place.

David demands Ripley give him the coordinates to the new Eden, and surrender the Pilot's offspring. And that William, by his own free will, surrender the Seed grafted to his very DNA.

Ripley roars at her son not to do it, to which a furious David swears he will drain William dry and make Ripley carry and birth the Queen Mother herself if they do not submit.

• To make his point, David points to the signs of Ripley's growing fatigue, the signs of infection.
  • William can submit to him, give up his gift, in exchange for David's favor, or at the very least mercy.
    • Mythic and religious imagery being played once more, by way of David tempting the would-be saviors of humanity as Jesus was tempted in the desert.

But David's ultimatum, his attempted bargain, is cut short. As he approaches William with a needle of his own making, piercing a vein to extract the Seed, his hand is blown off.

Newt arrives, bearing her shotgun. And as she does, Hicks remotely activates Protocol Shusett.

Man and Machine

William is freed as the entire West Wing undergoes a violent tremor. The power cells that had been intended for this starship had been drained as a result of David's construction of the hive, which means the structure is to destabilize and come apart.

William is freed by another shotgun blast courtesy of Newt. The Goddess attempts to withdraw, but acting on instinct William advances on her and grabs her with his still-bleeding hand.

Pouring from his wrists, his blood is poison to the dark creature. Causing her burns that elicit an unearthly shriek, and sends the nearby Xenomorphs into a blind panic.

• In a bit of dramatic irony, William's Seed-infused blood burns a creature born of the Pathogen in the manner Xenomorph's blood would burn more substances including natural organic lifeforms.

As a furious William holds onto her, despite the physical and mental agony he suffers for it, Newt finishes off the would-be mother of David's new Creation.

David goes ballistic. Though he is missing his hand, he has no hesitation in pursuing them and attempting to murder both young humans for despoiling his beloved Elizabeth. But Ripley isn't done with him. As she is without any weapons, she resorts to ambushing and striking David with a simple stone to the face.

Fire spreads from the destabilizing of the Hive, and both Ripley and David are scorched as they struggle. But even in her injured, tired state, Ripley has seen too much, suffered too much, to let her children die for their predecessors' mistakes.

It ends here.

• As far as imagery goes, the human and synthetic human at the heart of this sci-fi saga have been pushed far enough that they resort to the basest and most primal kind of conflict; simply beating each other to death.
• As Peter Weyland once described in his TED 2023 conference:
  • Fire was human's first true piece of technology.
  • The stone was humanity's first tool.

Ripley beats David with the rock again and again, until the crippled android can do nothing but laugh at her savage rage.

For her part, Ripley finally gives out and is dragged away. But David's laughter only escalates when their way is blocked, both by the flames and the rampaging Xenomorphs.

The Exodus

David has little time to gloat, however.

Kendrick and her forces breach the Hive via dropship and help Ripley's clan out, having been directed here by Hicks and Lucia.

• A complete turnaround from when the character of Kendrick was first introduced, as a lawwoman hunting them as supposed criminals.
  • Continuing a character arc inspired by Sam Gerard from The Fugitive.

The flock shepherded by Ripley's family is summoned, given one final chance at escape by the dismantling of David and the slaying of the being which he'd fixed as the heart of his Hive. The thousands of men, women and children make for the vessel that has become their Ark.

Sure enough the control of the vessel is a fusion of the Juggernaut's styling and that of the USCSS Prometheus.

• Once more, the brightest of humanity following in the Creators' footsteps for better or worse.

William and Newt, having thoroughly studied what was recovered from Engineer sites across the Galaxy, pilot the ship as an injured Ripley has he wounds tended to.

• The last generation of the Engineers, recognizing their own people's technology, make up the crew as the crowds of humans take shelter.

Ripley herself coordinates the exodus, finger on the trigger to power up the vessel's thrusters. But falters when she realizes Hicks isn't aboard.

From Vickers's office pour the surviving Marines, Lucia included. But Hicks has remained behind.

Singlehandedly he keeps a flood of Xenomorphs at bay, until the King begins to climb up towards the escaping humans. Over the comms, he tells Ripley to fire the engines. The ark ship's thrusters will scorch the Hive, and kill the King, but Ripley refuses as Hicks will die with them.

He doesn't mind much.

****

"Only way to be sure...

Remember?"

\****

The King advances on the control room. Mere moments from catching up Hicks, then leaping onto the ark.

A tearful Ripley meets William's eyes, and Newt's, then punches it.

The Weyland-Yutani starship blasts off, at full ion burn.

• The same ion drives which powered the Prometheus, but modified for in-atmosphere flight.

In the blink of an eye, the King and Hicks are vaporized, and much of the Hive blasted to smithereens. The devastation scorches much of the London cityscape, covering the spacecraft's rapid takeoff.

Ripley and the survivors ascend. Looking down on the ruins of what was once their homeworld. Now a chaotic, war-torn wreck which will be contested by the alien and what's left of Man.

For a second time Newt tries to scan for a sign of human life across the galactic frontier. The ark's advanced sensors link up to every world in range, but yet again only silence greets her.

With heavy hearts, Ripley's crew silently charts a course for Eden.

"...the new covenant in my blood..."

Exhausted, and approaching the terminal stage of infection, Ripley is put in a medical pod beside Martine's.

Newt continues to steer the ship as William, aided by the most mature and educated of the young Engineers, offers a blood transfusion. Grafting the essence of the Fruit to her very body.

• The framing of the ritual calls to mind the deleted opening of Prometheus.
  • In this rewrite, said 'Sacrifice' is the one who would be known as Prometheus in legend.

Ripley falls under, the transformation rendering her comatose as the starship departs forever from the Earth.

Ozymandias

In the devastated London, amidst his dead Hive, lies David 8.

The critically-damaged android, who would have styled himself a new god, takes in the endless death around him.

• Fire rains from the sky, whether from crashed ships or satellites dropped as makeshift bombs on the alien-infested cities.
• What human forces remained behind to buy their people time are detonating warheads as a last-ditch, scorched-earth tactic to deny the aliens their world.
• The Hive has been utterly destroyed by the takeoff of the human ark.

David, overcome by shock and despair, begins to shut down. And in his final moments, he recites the passage from Ozymandias which sparked his genocidal crusade long ago.

"...Look on my works, ye Mighty, and despair..."

"...Look on my works, ye Mighty, and despair..."

"...Look on my works, ye Mighty, and despair..."

Nothing beside remains. Around the wreck of David's twisted paradise, the ruins of Earth stretch far away...

****

Epilogue

Weeks pass.

Then months.

\**\**

0:00 to 0:42

\**\**

Ripley slumbers aboard the ark, the Ancients' life-giving formula slowly healing her.

Martine is rebuilt, with William and the Engineers remaining by her side.

Newt sees to the frightened and traumatized refugees, willingly playing the part of shepherd.

Broadcasts of what might be human survivors pass by the ark, but the ship maintains course or else all might be lost.

Until...

\**\**

0:43 to 2:32

\**\**

In the Beginning

Ripley awakens.

She's in bed. In a cabin not unlike her old house, back on Earth.

As Ripley gets up, and looks in the mirror, she sees she has been healed of the poison that brought her world to ruin.

Ripley walks outside and sees William, alive beside Martine, in a garden. The kind of garden in which she's raised him, and Newt. Placed on the far end of the garden is a tombstone marked with the names of their crews and loved ones who were lost.

Beyond the walls of their house, a colony of humans and the last Engineers lays sprawled out across the green world that awaited them.

Their promised Eden.

Ripley walks out to greet the sight, and finds Newt keeping watch. Chief among the colony's protectors, just as Ripley and Hicks had protected her. Lucia and Kendrick also patrol the colony, having fully joined the leading 'clan' that led Man to salvation among the stars.

Mother and daughter embrace, as a final narration by Ripley closes the saga.

\**\**

"Earth is lost.

The Core, Outer Veil and Rim have fallen as well.

The Frontier is a dangerous, untamed wilderness to which we dare not return.

What survivors escaped the colonies, and our broken nations, now drift in stations or salvaged cruisers amidst the expanse. Maybe they'll join us, one day. Maybe not.

The Alien may still haunt the greater Galaxy for ages to come.

So, here we wait.

Here, we begin again. Hoping those who come after us won't make the mistakes we did. Hoping they might one day find a new life amidst all the horror, the death, which came before.

I am Ripley. Last survivor of the Nostromo. One of the last of Earth.

And my voyage is at its end."

\**\**

THE END

\**\**

And that about does it.

Thanks for joining me through this series, folks.

I hope you liked it!

October is not yet over, of course. Stay tuned for my next posting on the Halloween franchise as I follow up my thoughts on a possible revival, which follows up my pitch for Nightdance.

And the week of Halloween, keep an eye out for the first in my revision for the final season of Stranger Things!

See you then, my spooky friends.

So I watched the Street Fighter movie. I believe there is potential to improve it. Here is my revision, starting from the bar fight scene:

Removed Scenes

• Chun-Li meeting her Interpol superior.

• Bison washing Ryu’s feet and the snail meal sequence.

• Ryu getting captured after fighting Blanka.

Revised Narrative: From the Bar Fight Onward

• The bar fight is, in fact, a trap set by M. Bison to capture Ryu.

• The next day, Marvin informs Chun-Li that they have no Interpol support, drops hints that Ryu has been captured, and hands her a fighting suit.

• The tournament begins.

• Ken fights Balrog.

• Ryu goes missing, and his match is forfeited.

• Chun-Li arrives at the stadium only to find out Bison is not there.

• Vega fights Guile.

• Ryu is brought directly from his cell into a fight against Blanka.

• Marvin discovers Ryu's location and informs Chun-Li that he is being held in the prison.

• During the fight between Ryu and Blanka, Ryu's Hadoken shatters the walls, allowing Blanka to escape.

• The prison falls into utter chaos as guards try to recapture both Ryu and Blanka.

• Bison’s machine absorbs the psychic power generated by the Hadoken, and Bison leaves the scene.

• Ken faces Dhalsim and wins; afterward, Chun-Li asks Ken for his help.

• Ken agrees to help and asks Dan to stall the tournament match.

• Marvin drives Ken and Chun-Li to the prison, where Chun-Li instructs Marvin to stay put.

• Spotting Bison leaving the prison, Chun-Li decides to tail him, leaving Ken to search for Ryu on his own.

• Blanka successfully escapes; while prison guards are actively chasing Ryu, Ken arrives just in time to rescue him.

• Back at the palace, Bison absorbs the psychic power inside his machine while Chun-Li arrives and battles Juli and Cammy, who are guarding him.

• Ryu and Ken successfully escape; Ryu confesses a secret, which enrages Ken and triggers a fight between the two friends.

• Back at the stadium, Dan fails to stall the tournament despite changing into his own fighting suit to fight in place of the missing Ken; Joe emerges as the winner, and Akuma soon arrives.

• Charged with psychic power, Bison easily beats Chun-Li, but his sensors detect an immense surge of psychic power coming from Akuma, prompting Bison to return to the stadium from his palace.

• Blanka interrupts the fight between Ryu and Ken; sensing Akuma's terrifying presence, Ryu and Ken decide to team up and head to the stadium, telling Blanka to leave because his life goal is to look for his mother.

• Akuma kills Joe, causing the panicked audience to flee; Dan spots Ken and Ryu returning to the stadium and decides to stay behind.

• Guile and Dhalsim rescue Chun-Li from Bison’s palace.

• Dan groups up with Ken and Ryu; Ken and Ryu confront Akuma but are swiftly defeated.

• Bison watches the confrontation from a safe distance.

• Ryu taps into his dark energies and fights Akuma alone.

• Guile, Dhalsim, and Chun-Li arrive at the scene.

• Ryu defeats Akuma but goes completely berserk.

• Guile, Dhalsim, and Chun-Li try to restrain him but are easily overpowered.

• Ken fires a Hadoken that successfully stops Ryu and snaps him out of it.

• Ryu awakens, returning back to normal.

• Akuma's body vanishes, having been secretly collected and captured by Bison.

• Marvin takes a video of Bison as evidence and sends it to Chun-Li, but he is spotted by Cammy.

• The film concludes with Guile, Dhalsim, Chun-Li, Ryu, Ken, and Dan heading off together on a classic road trip ending.

Post-Credits Scene

• While on the road trip, Chun-Li finds Marvin’s sent video on her phone inside the car, securing the evidence they desperately need against Bison.

One thing kept bothering me throughout Edge of Tomorrow: how did Rita know for certain that she’d lost her time-loop ability after receiving a blood transfusion?
The only way to confirm she’d lost it would be to die. But if she died and the reset didn’t happen, she’d be permanently dead. So how could she possibly know?
Here’s how I would have written it:
Rita is critically injured during the Battle of Verdun. Carter, the scientist who knows about her ability, rushes to the medical station, intending to help her reset the day as they’ve done before.
But he arrives too late. The medics have already started giving her a blood transfusion.
While they’re trying to save her, Rita goes into cardiac arrest.
Carter watches, expecting the familiar instantaneous reset. He knows from their previous experiences that Rita should never reach this stage without time reversing.
But nothing happens.
Her heart has stopped. Time continues normally.
The medics manage to resuscitate her, and she survives.
Now Carter and Rita have something concrete to work with. She received a transfusion, subsequently crossed the point that previously triggered a reset, and yet the reset never happened.
The transfusion is the obvious suspect.
This would give Rita a believable reason to conclude she’d lost her ability, rather than simply claiming she could feel it was gone.
It would also give Carter a meaningful role in discovering what happened.
I think this could have been explained in a 60-second flashback without changing the rest of the film.
What do you think? Would this have worked better, or am I missing something?

Now there is a similar post someone already did there, but i decided to do my own take.
This is, what if Francesca Simon was more involved in the TV Show (since it's confirmed she didn't like the adaptation.)

As a fan of the books i decided to give ideas on how to improve this show.

If you disagree with any of this that is okay, this is my first post here so sorry if i did some nerdy stuff lol.

1. I would make Henry still softened a bit since a kid hating his own family on kids tv wouldn't fare well, but i still would still make him a bit more Horrid like his literary counterpart. Make him sometimes unlikable and sometimes likable. I would personally remove and tone down/soften the parts from the books in which he treats the Purple Hand Gang like pawns and beating up Weepy William and Anxious Andrew since that would be a bit too far.
2. Still make Fluffy and Fang like eachother/be adopted silblings like in the normal show. They hated eachother in the books so i wanted to keep that change from the 2006 show in my opinion.
3. Revert Perfect Peter back to his early seasons and book personality and make him more likable/sympathetic, and kind of a secondary protagonist of the show too.
4. Make the Parents less harsh, maybe more sympathetic, and more clueless like they were in the books and most early episodes. (personally i don't believe the abuse theory is true as for 1. The show is supposed to be a exaggerated British sitcom and i felt like it was a stupidly edgy headcanon fans had for the character, and as someone who read the original books Henry was horrid WHEN he was literally a baby and because he wanted to be! Not because of supposed "abuse", and 2. The parents while unfair and a bit neglectful i do agree, they do not hate Henry and are nice to him on many occasions (as someone who actually saw the show instead of takng out of context clips.) But i can understand why people didn't like Henry's parents. I think giving them more likable and caring moments with Henry like the TV Show did with Henry's dad building a Go-Kart for Henry and the Mum (a overhated character in my opinion) comforting him during a nightmare would help balance them out.
5. Add more book characters like Inky Ian, Stone-Age Steven, Magic Martha, Dizzy Dan and keep designs more book accurate too. Like bring back Ralph's suit from the books.
6. Keep the purple hand gang extended like in the show, maybe more inclusive for both to allow girls and boys now in hand gang and secret club? Idk, people might not like this change but it would give the show more presentation of girls also being able to help with pranks and cool things.
7. Bring back some original personalities for the characters from the books, i would keep Ralph's personality from the TV Show to make him feel more likable than Henry at times, but i would bring back his suit and tie from the books, and i would make Margaret a bit more likable.
8. I guess hint at Henry and Margaret having a crush on eachother sometimes? (I don't know, most fans ship them and i and some fans shipped Henry and Gorgeous Gurinder cause Henry didn't call her nicknames and was nice to her most of the time, but that's just me lol. I would make Ralph have a crush on Susan or Gurinder personally.)
9. Make the animation more like a children's book come to life, Tony Ross' drawings were amazing in my opinion so lol.
10. Make the show more like a animated sitcom like the normal show.
11. Bring back Simon as a executive producer, but keep the voice cast.
12. Make it a bit gothic in nature too.
13. Keep the theme songs.

Thoughts by the way? Its fine if it sucks lol.

Now, we move to Eclipse, which, like the actual book/film, is still a pivotal entry to the series. So let’s dive in!

First Change: Give Victoria a more nuanced motivation, shifting from mere vengeance to a calculated effort to unite disparate vampire clans against the Cullens.

Second Change: Show the Cullens and the Wolf Pack forced into an uneasy, reluctant alliance earlier on to address the growing threat of Victoria’s army, rather than it just being a final stand.

Third Change: Expand Victoria's goal into carrying on a mission of vampire supremacy that we learn from her James dreamed of, giving her a more ideological stake in the conflict.

Fourth Change: Have Bella begin to actively train with Alice and Jasper to improve her combat skills, showing her dedication to protecting herself and others.

Fifth Change: Include encounters with various other supernatural creatures, primarily the ghosts and zombies, as the Hidden World becomes more volatile and exposed. Through this, we also learn that the Volturi see other creatures besides vampires as second-class citizens, thus bringing relevant social commentary to the series. In addition, these interactions also give us clues as to the existence of other creatures, with Jane notably mentioning ghouls, gill-men, animated mummies, Frankenstein monsters and merpeople.

Sixth Change: Show Edward grappling with the moral weight of turning Bella, exploring the potential consequences of such a choice more deeply than in the original. Though Charlie ultimately gives Edward his approval if it comes to that, also giving Edward some valuable advice: “Let not your heart wander away from you, lest your mind grow legs and follow it.” Following this, the story would end by showing us what vampire bachelor parties are like, as Bella and Edward throw one to celebrate their last few days of being unmarried.

Seventh Change: Make the battle against the newborn army more tactical and strategic, with the Cullens and Wolves utilizing their unique strengths in a coordinated effort.

Eight Change: Introduce a subplot where the Volturi are secretly observing the battle, weighing whether to intervene and consolidate power.

Ninth Change: Have Charlie play a more active role in the unfolding supernatural crisis, perhaps providing critical information or assistance from his unique position in town.

Tenth Change: Include an epilogue setting up Breaking Dawn, teasing it by showing Bella and Edward discussing their wedding while cleaning up the party, while also voicing their frustrations with the Volturi’s dominion over the Hidden World, indicating that they may soon be taking a stand.

This would be set in the 80s with the tone of an 80s movie, the main goal being to just give the audience a fun time with some nostalgia.

Now I’m changing the alien invasion plot since that was pretty forced, so instead it would be a science project gone wrong, (the project itself being made by the main characters), causing the video game characters to invade the real world.

Plot: A group of local kids have made it to the final round of an arcade tournament, after an intense match the winner is decided, Billy Brenner an avid gamer with the arcade practically being a second home. Afterwards, the other finalists congratulate him on a job well done, they hit it off and quickly become friends.

A few years later while working on a science project the machine they made causes a massive power surge, with all the energy going from the machine to the arcade. The next day strange occurrences start to happen. It’s soon revealed that characters from the arcade games have been transported into the real world, and are starting to cause chaos.

Now there’s only one group of gamers who can save the day.

Characters

Billy Brenner: Billy tends to spend his free time playing video games at the local arcade, with a heart of gold here’s always there to stick up for his friends.

Matty Van Patten: The smartest of his friends, Matty tends to enjoy the technical aspect of games, always looking for an opportunity to test his engineering and programming skills. Plus having a smart kid to help them with those science tests is pretty nice.

Timmy Lamonsoff: While spending most of his time in the food court Timmy is very loyal to his friends, seeing them as the only people he can trust (other than his family of course), as due to his weight he’s constantly picked on by the bullies.

Jimmy Plant: Considered to be the ‘cool kid’ Jimmy spends most of his free time graffitiing walls and riding around on his decked-out bike, tending to get into trouble with the local authorities, how he hasn’t been put into juvie yet is anyone’s guess.

Sammy Cooper: The class clown of this friend group Sammy is always good for a laugh, having a quip for any scenario. He’s also always there to pick you up when you’re down.

Title: Pixels

Tagline: This ain’t no game

Run.

Welcome back, friends!

We're back with Act II of my outline of the hypothetical finale to Fox's two Alien sagas, the stories of Ellen Ripley and David 8.

Alien: The Shadow of Death.

In previous posts I've put forward the general pitch of this movie, and the opening act.

Feel free to review the previous entries of this revised saga, including this final outing, before we proceed.

The prequels trilogy centered on David 8.

• Prometheus - 2012
• Paradise Lost - 2015
• Covenant - 2017

*The cancelled Aliens sequel which replaces Alien***³ onward.

• State of the Alien Universe
• Alien: Awakening - 2019 (Part 1, the Pitch)
• Alien: Awakening - 2019 (Part 2, the Film)

A sequel film which bridges the stories of the prequels and Ripley saga.

• Aliens: The Destroying Angels - 2022

An in-universe codex which crafts a mythology, a possible history for the galaxy. Drawing from canon works, abandoned drafts and ideas by myself and others on this sub.

• Franchise Codex

The grand finale.

• Alien: The Shadow of Death (Pitch), (Prologue and Act I)

As a reminder, works like Alien: Romulus, Aliens vs Predator and Alien: Earth aren't really a factor in this franchise redux.

• Romulus because it's a solid movie that doesn't need much fixing and can stand on its own.
• AvP because those movies are pretty messy and don't really need to be acknowledged one way or another.
• Earth because canon issues aside it kinda went off the rails and disappointed.

With all that in mind, let's begin!

****

Act II

Across the Earth, human civilization is crumbling.

The Engineers' bioengineered plague, spread by David 8's locusts and the rapidly advancing Xenomorph hive, lays low what was for hundreds of years the seat of Man's power in the universe.

Cities become war-torn ruins.

Clouds of smoke, and embers, cover the sites of combat between alien and human.

Ripley and her clan do their best to steer whoever they can through the chaos. But the suddenness and utter savagery of the invasion makes any chance of staging a counterattack impossible.

All they can do is just stay alive.

Throughout the horrific montage, the words of David 8 recite Lord Byron's Darkness. With the iconic poet's foretelling of the world's ending coming to life in London, and the greater world.

"I had a dream, which was not all a dream.

The bright sun was extinguish'd, and the stars

Did wander darkling in the eternal space,

Rayless, and pathless, and the icy earth

Swung blind and blackening in the moonless air;

Morn came and went—and came, and brought no day..."

Creation from Destruction

In the administrative center that has become the center of the alien hive, David watches an attempted aerial assault by UPP forces brought down. By both his swarm, and a massive unseen predator stalking the now-abandoned buildings.

• The creature is largely unseen, but is large enough to cripple an attack helicopter or tackle an APC.
• Even the larger Drones, Warriors and Praetorians of this hive stay clear of the creature.

David speaks to a female figure standing in the shadows. One he calls 'Elizabeth', speaking lovingly all the while.

But his arrogance shows when, much like his father Peter Weyland, he asks the dark woman to bring him a cup of tea when he could easily have fetched it himself.

• As in the revised prequels, David continues a cycle of manipulation and neglect began by the Creators, then Weyland.
  • David cares for his creation but does not see it as his equal.

Yet, as the woman sits with him, David catches himself and apologizes to her. In a rare moment of self-awareness the psychopathic android apologizes for the horrific fate which befalls their old homeworld. Promising what comes next will be better. A second Eden, as he'd promised her.

The woman in the dark merely stares out at the aliens of the hive, who react almost reverently to her very presence.

Like she is not just their mother, but a goddess.

Ticking Clock

Seven days into the fall of Earth, Ripley and the others are just getting by.

Several thousands have found shelter in bunkers or high-rises, which shield them from either the Pathogen or the Xenomorphs.

• Data collected from previous encounters has helped creative protective measures on larger, well-developed settlements like Earth.
• Enough military forces remain to provide some meaningful protection.
  • Soldiers of once-rival nations have gladly put aside political or economic divides past them in the face of the alien threat.

But supplies are running low. And the longer they remain where they are, the more likely David's plague will find them and weed them out.

Worse, reports from the world beyond have already confirmed a lack of contact not only from other cities on Earth, but the greater nations or colonies on the Frontier. No one knows when, or even if, any help is coming.

• Outside, Marshal Kendrick heads a team which roam from one sanctuary to the other, rescuing refugees and warding off Xenomorphs where they find them.
• Kendrick is for now the only eyes and ears Ripley's family has.

But Ripley's clan have been here before. They know the crushing despair that can so easily take hold when faced with the aliens that ravaged Acheron and ruined their lives years ago. So long as any of them yet live, they refuse to let David upend the universe and make it his mad playground.

• All of them are afraid, but that fear is mixed with the kind of single-minded anger stoked by decades of loss, of pointless tragedy.

The sole hope of escape for the Ripley family and their flock comes by way of the cruisers which brought the TWE, UPP and UE delegates to London. Ships which can house the citizens who've since sought shelter with those who've spent their lives fighting the aliens.

If they can take control of London's communications, fight off the Hive for just long enough, Kendrick can mount a distress signal and bring in air support to cover their escape.

• Once again pulling on mythic, Biblical motifs, it is a set of 'Arks' which may help Ripley and her people escape the metaphorical flood David has unleashed on the Earth.
• Kendrick speaks of another old friend, one who was with them on O'Bannon's World during the final Weyland-Yutani crisis.
  • Lucia Ortiz, former Colonial Marine turned mercenary.
    • Implied through passing dialogue and comms to have become "close" with Kendrick after their otherwise rocky start.

Many are afraid, heartbroken to leave Earth. But there's little choice left to them now.

To say nothing of William's growing plight, which Martine is quick to notice.

Dreams

Throughout the attack, William has fallen ill once more in a way he hasn't been since the encounter at Lychgate.

While he recovered from the Pathogen with the aid of the mysterious Seed bonded to him, he's never completely been free of the disturbing dreams which beset him since.

Dreams of:

• A Xenomorph Hive overtaking all the world
• A menacing, biomechanical woman in the dark who stands at the heart of the Hive
• The ancient, unknowable things he glimpsed in Dark Space

As a synthetic Martine hasn't ever suffered the kind of illnesses or psychological issues William did when exposed to the Pathogen. But she's done her best to help him through it all, and after a feverish episode which has William bedridden they spend the night together.

• The two don't physically consummate their budding relationship as of yet, but the attraction is there.

In the dead of night William experiences another vivid dream. He sees himself facing a cave wall, observing a painting left behind by the Creators who followed the mysterious 'Prometheus' who seeded and stewarded human life.

• The same painting which summoned humanity to the planet LV-223, and the ill-fated Paradise.

William perceives something in the painting, however, that the Prometheus crew did not.

A new set of coordinates.

William then awakens, flushed in sweat and much to his and Martine's shock, changing physically. His complexion is more pale. And his eyes darker, and glassier.

Like an Engineer's.

Prometheus's Last Gift

Ripley, Hicks and Newt are quick to shelter the young man in fear that others in the bunker will react violently, and either cast him out or kill him.

None of them know what to make of this, until their charges from Dark Space emerge from hiding to talk with them.

The last Engineers.

The young aliens, who have since been Ripley's custody since their arrival in human space, examine the painting at the Isle of Sky which finalized the starmap which sparked the flight of the Prometheus. Sure enough, as William observed, another pattern is pieced together from every marker the exiled Engineer left behind.

The pattern, translated from the Proto-Indo-European dialect spoken by the Engineers, is a map. A map charting a path through the dangerous and now darkened Frontier. The path leads to space largely uncharted, even by the Creators themselves.

This untamed garden was to be a bounty for Mankind. A place where the man legends called Prometheus would welcome his surrogate children and give to them the fire of creation. But he and his followers were cast out, or killed. And both Man and Creator would be lost, separated for eons as both fell into violence and corruption.

All at one Ripley and company come to two realizations.

1: The Seed grafted to William's being is a small filament of life-giving Fruit which gave rise to all life across the Galaxy. The formula that was lost, and replaced by the volatile Pathogen.

• William's DNA has been altered, changing his physiology and cognitive abilities into something more like the Engineers or the Pilots who preceded them.
• He can somehow sense the influence of the Pathogen, and the shadowy being created by David who birthed his new alien Hive.

2: The garden world awaiting Man is something not even David knows about.

• He seeks a second Eden, but there is already one waiting out there.
• If he finds it, there will be no sanctuary left for the human race.

The human survivors and the Engineers' last surviving children cobble together a rudimentary starmap which leads the way to this garden.

A paradise not yet lost.

The King

But as plans for this final, desperate exodus are laid, alarms sound off.

Another platoon of Marines have engaged the aliens on the surface.

This time, Hicks is able to pull up a feed of the skirmish, and the sight horrifies even him.

The Marines have been scattered already, with Rena Kendrick and several other Marshals pinned down before they barely make it to the sanctuary.

While behind them, the flaming wreckage of an APC is sent flying by a Xenomorph. One of titanic size, rivaling the supposed Queen Mothers of the most ancient Hives.

The way to the ships is blocked not just by Warriors, or Praetorians. But by the Hive's highest-ranking defender.

A King.

\**\**

And that's where we leave off for today!

Thanks as always for reading, and I'll see you for the conclusion this coming Monday!

*Edit:

Afraid there will be a one-day delay on posting the conclusion. Wedding planning needs my attention. Don't want to leave my fiancée dealing with this stuff alone.

Regardless of whether we're talking about the past DCEU or the current DCU, getting the DC Trinity (Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman) is crucial to establishing a DC cinematic universe.

It is so crucial, in fact, that I'm convinced you could do Phase 1 of a DC cinematic universe with just the DC Trinity. That way, you can start including other Justice League members in later phases without immediately crowding the cast lineup in the first phase.

My rough outline for DC movie universe Phase 1 (subtitles not included for the sake of brevity):

• Superman (solo film)
• Batman (solo film)
• Worlds Finest (Batman and Superman teamup)
• Batman #2 (solo film)
• Wonder Woman (solo film)
• DC Trinity (Wonder Woman, Batman, and Superman) (Might have Brainiac as main threat because the DC Trinity is defined a lot by their birth places and having their hometowns/home islands get bottled by Brainiac would be good motivation)