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Summary
- Ridley Scott chose white blood for androids to create discomfort and differentiate them from humans.
- Androids having white blood enhances the horror and themes related to sexual metaphors in the Alien franchise.
- The distinction between androids and humans in the franchise is crucial for setting up heroes and villains.
There are several reasons why the androids have white blood from the Before watching Alien: Romulus, the newest film in the franchise, it is necessary to understand these androids.
Androids have been a part of the franchise since its first installment, Alien. Although he is not the main villain to Sigourney Weaver's Ellen Ripley, Ian Holm's android character Ash is the secondary antagonist. He bleeds white blood and immediately establishes that all androids in the complete Alien timeline do so as well. 45 years after this film, it is finally time to figure out why Alien's director, Ridley Scott, decided to make the androids have white blood.
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Ridley Scott Didn't Want Androids To Have Red Blood
They Needed Something To Prove They Are Not Fully Human
In an interview for The New York Times, Ridley Scott discusses the reasons he wanted the androids to have white blood instead of red blood in the Alien franchise. He essentially explains how seeing androids with white blood is more "uncomfortable." The franchise is of the horror genre as much as it is sci-fi. Thus, this discomfort is necessary since it sets up the idea that the terror will not just come from the aliens for the rest of the franchise. The androids are also creepy creatures to be fearful of.
The white blood used in Alien is actually milk.
The Alien franchise already stands out as a horrifying creature feature. The cherry on top of it all is the androids and their white blood. At least the aliens are clearly the villains because of their grotesque figures. The androids are not so obvious unless they are already wounded. Sometimes the Alien movies tease who is an android before showing their blood. However, the unknown increases the fear factor. Without the androids and their discomforting white blood, the Alien franchise would not be as scary as it is.
Androids Having White Blood Sets Them Apart From Humans
Without White Blood, Androids Are Truly Indistinguishable
Alien's androids think, feel, and look like humans. To be distinguished as separate villains or heroes, they need a particular quality to set them apart. If they had red blood, they would seem like normal humans who happen to be secondary villains or heroes. Then the androids would seem pointless for the franchise. Yet, they have been crucial for every Alien film. If the androids were not set apart from humans, then all the Alien movies would be completely different.
Alien: Romulus releases in theaters on August 16th, 2024.
Distinguishing the androids from the humans is just as important as setting apart the aliens. If the aliens looked just like the humans, the franchise's horror would be entirely different. The films would not be creature features, let alone some of the most prominent ones in horror history. For Alien to stand out among this horror sub-genre, it needs another distinguished villain. The androids are alien-like enough because of their white blood, despite looking like humans. They make Alien stand out further in horror.
Androids' White Blood Connects To Alien's Themes
One of the prominent features in the franchise is how the aliens forcing their offspring onto humans is a metaphor for sexual attacks. This metaphor especially comes out with the painful experience the humans undergo with these attacks. Not only do the aliens attach themselves to the humans' faces, but the offspring are born by exploding out of their gut. The metaphor of these attacks proves how the Alien franchise is more than just a bunch of horror sci-fi films.
The androids are also referred to as synthetics throughout the Alien franchise.
The androids having white blood further develops this metaphor. The aliens are not the only sexual attackers; but the androids are too. The white blood symbolizes the bodily fluid that manifests from these attacks, which increases the horror of the franchise. If their white blood is contained, they are not a threat. If it is showing, then they are. Ultimately, another reason for the androids' white blood in the Alien franchise is to make the sexual metaphors and themes more explicit.
With Alien: Romulus' release coming up soon, it will be interesting to see how the film utilizes the androids. They have not always been villains in the franchise, since a couple of them have been more heroic. Andy (David Jonsson) being the newest android will determine this thrilling outcome. He can easily be another hero of the Alien franchise, or be the next secondary antagonist to inflate the horror of the film with his discomforting white blood.
Souce: The New York Times
Alien: Romulus
- Release Date
- August 16, 2024
- Runtime
- 119 Minutes
- Director
- Fede Alvarez
Cast
Rain
Andy
WHERE TO WATCH
Alien: Romulus is the seventh film in the Alien franchise. The movie is directed by Fede Álvarez and will focus on a new young group of characters who come face to face with the terrifying Xenomorphs. Alien: Romulus is a stand-alone film and takes place in a time not yet explored in the Alien franchise.
- Writers
- Fede Alvarez, Rodo Sayagues, Dan O'Bannon, Ronald Shusett
- Studio(s)
- Scott Free Productions, 20th Century
- Distributor(s)
- 20th Century
- Main Genre
- Horror
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