Wealthy tycoons pushing boundary-crossing technology
In the year 2120, the Disney series Alien: Earth takes viewers on a thrilling journey set on a retro-futuristic Earth where quantum physics has been practiced for over a century, yet computers still use buttons instead of touchscreens. This prequel to the original 1979 Alien film centres around Wendy, a young girl who becomes the first human to have her consciousness transferred into a synthetic body, and a group of tactical soldiers who uncover terrifying alien life forms, including the iconic Xenomorphs, that threaten humanity.
The narrative of Alien: Earth delves deep into the next steps of human evolution and the blurred line between human and synthetic life. Wendy's firm belief in her humanity despite her synthetic form contrasts starkly with Kirsh, a fully synthetic character, raising questions about what it truly means to be human.
Creator Noah Hawley crafts a team of transhuman kids whose bodies appear adult, yet speak like they're in a Haribo commercial, creating both funny and profound situations. This portrayal serves as a metaphor for today's struggles with artificial intelligence, corporatism, and ethical boundaries in scientific advancement.
The series critiques corporate control and capitalism, embodied by the five megacorporations that govern Earth. However, this criticism is more a backdrop to the deeper questions about evolution and identity. The show suggests that the true monsters may not be the aliens themselves, but the human and corporate entities willing to sacrifice others for power and survival.
Alien: Earth also comments on contemporary society by portraying children in adult synthetic bodies as symbols of innocence and vulnerability amid predatory corporate and technological forces. This tension between benefiting from advanced technology and the potential loss of humanity is a central theme throughout the series.
The series features a species that drains astronauts' blood, and a space monster that appears in the seventh installment, landing on Earth with help from global players seeking profit. Director Noah Hawley adds innovations to the series, including a storyline about tech billionaire Boy Kavalier, who embodies a blend of Mark Zuckerberg and Elon Musk.
Boy Kavalier's involvement in transhumanism is not about money or ego, but about wanting to talk to someone smarter than him. He transfers the consciousness of a cancer-stricken child, Emma, into the healthy body of Wendy (Sydney Chandler). Half human, half machine, these beings are entirely geared towards interstellar corporations' profit interests.
The series introduces new alien species due to global players seeking profit, and a space monster similar to HR Giger's, which has appeared in multiple sci-fi films. Alien: Earth explores the future theme of transhumanism with a touch of humor, using the Alien franchise’s iconic creatures and universe to question how far humanity will go to survive and what it means to remain human in an age of synthetic life and corporate dominance.
Alien: Earth premieres on Disney+ on August 13th, inviting viewers to join Wendy and the team as they grapple with the ethical questions posed by playing God with consciousness and identity. According to the opening credits, there are three paths to human perfection: cybernetic, synthetic, or AI-optimized hybrid beings. Will Wendy's journey help us understand which path humanity should choose? Only time will tell.
In the narrative of Alien: Earth, the exploration of ethical questions surrounding artificial intelligence, corporatism, and scientific advancement is threaded through humor and profound situations, as depicted by a team of transhuman kids who blend innocence and vulnerability amidst predatory corporate and technological forces.
Noah Hawley's Alien: Earth delves into the future theme of transhumanism, merging it with the iconic Alien franchise's universe to question the boundaries of humanity in an age dominated by synthetics and corporate interests, raising questions about the true meaning of being human and the potential loss of humanity amidst technological advancements.
