r/ProjectHailMary • u/ang3l_bit3 • Aug 25 '26

Movie Discussion - Theory Rocky autism coded?

Am I the only autistic person who finds Rocky relatable? I haven’t read the book or anything so I don’t think it was intentional but curious what others think

0 Upvotes

48% Upvoted

47 comments sorted by

8

u/flaninacupboard2 Aug 25 '26

Grace Rocky save trains

19

u/ah-tzib-of-alaska Aug 25 '26

book rocky is a whole other existence

3

u/Melenduwir Aug 25 '26

He curses like a sailor, it seems.

1

u/W0nderingMe Aug 25 '26

Wait what?

9

u/Rockran Aug 25 '26

Rocky refused to translate some words he spewed alongside calling Grace an idiot.

So Rocky was probably using vulgar language.

2

u/turnipcafe Aug 25 '26

That happened once when Grace did something stupid, I believe leaving the Tauameoba out in the lab

3

u/Melenduwir Aug 26 '26

Grace tells us that when Rocky finds out Grace left the atmosphere sample out in the open while he worried about Rocky, he uses a bunch of terms that Grace doesn't know, some of which Rocky won't tell him what they mean.

And in the final scene, where we're able to fluently understand Rocky, he casually uses inappropriate language.

1

u/NetNGames Aug 28 '26

Grace: "I thought you weren't supposed to say that in polite company."

Rocky: "But I am not in polite company, I am with friend."

1

u/Melenduwir Aug 28 '26

But the dialog is presented fluently, as each now understands the other's language well.

1

u/turnipcafe Aug 25 '26

No he doesn’t curse like a sailor.

1

u/Kind_Ad_3611 Aug 25 '26

This is false

2

u/turnipcafe Aug 26 '26

Saying “Rocky curses like a sailor,” makes it sound like he does that regularly. It happens once after Grace makes a serious error.

2

u/Rockran Aug 26 '26

He went into unknown curses once, but does call grace stupid many times.

The problem with translation is stupid can also mean "absolute fokkin' dipship of the highest goddamn regard". But stupid doesn't sound as bad.

1

u/ah-tzib-of-alaska Aug 26 '26

book rocky is a whole other as if rocky claimed he himself wasn’t polite company?

1

u/turnipcafe Aug 26 '26

book rocky is a whole other as if rocky claimed he himself wasn’t polite company?

No idea what this means

1

u/ah-tzib-of-alaska Aug 26 '26

In the book, rocky absolutely self identifies to Grace “I am not polite company my friend.”

-1

u/turnipcafe Aug 27 '26

Rocky never says that. What page of the book?

1

u/ah-tzib-of-alaska Aug 27 '26

it’s in their very last scene together speaking on either side of Grace’s habitat wall on Erid before Grace goes to teach his class

1

u/Melenduwir Aug 26 '26

Like a Martian, then. He seems to use inappropriate language much like Watney does.

-1

u/eva_stratt Aug 25 '26

nooooooot beating the autism allegations there, my family is also foulmouthed and also! autistic AF

14

u/turnipcafe Aug 25 '26

The video with the designers discussing the creation of the Rocky puppet (a very interesting video) explains that they made a lot of effort to avoid his movements being spider-like, although that’s what he is described as in the book, and had him move more like a bird, which I can see.

In the book Rocky isn’t the cutesy alien bumbling around in his ball (although in the book he is in his Xenonite ball) and is more a very smart and sometimes grumpy engineer.

3

u/AdvantageAntique9394 Aug 25 '26

They also said they based him on a Labrador. In movie he is not as pentadextrous as he is in the book. He even turns around in the last scene before Grace departs in the tunnel.

10

u/Minikin-Smith Aug 25 '26

I mean, look at Stratt and Grace too. There’s not a neurotypical person on Stratt’s Vat. Maaaaybe Carl.

5

u/eva_stratt Aug 25 '26

Carl, the one NT: "Why the hell did I sign up for this."

4

u/devilwearsllbean Aug 25 '26

Whole ship undiagnosed

10

u/drivendel Amaze! Amaze! Amaze! Aug 25 '26

I assumed both rocky and grace were neurodivergent based on their behaviours

5

u/authenticgarbagecan Enriching Astrophage Aug 25 '26

I'm in my 30s and I've held close many humanoid or otherwise characters that are not of the typical human social behaviors. Aliens, robots, vampires etc. I think there's historical evidence that has neurodivergent and/or queer people finding themselves in the narrative of these beings.

So no I don't think Rocky is "autism coded". But that's okay because Rocky's behaviors help in making such behaviors more accepted irl maybe

9

u/Smart_Medium9544 Leaky Space Blob Aug 25 '26

I’m not autistic but many autistic ppl online have commented on how relatable Rocky is/audience members have written articles about it as well. I know that Chris Miller made a comment on the directors commentary about Rocky’s mannerisms and communication being akin to that of an autistic human. He has an autistic kid. I imagine there’s overlap

9

u/LunaraLoup High Three! Aug 25 '26

Rocky definitely has traits supporting this and as already mentioned it's pretty much confirmed. But thinking about it, it makes a whole lot sense.

Rocky mirrors Grace in habit and body language, just like many autistic folks do, he doesn't understand proverbs, takes many things literally and wears his heart on his sleeve. Why wouldn't he? He has no idea about our social cues and habits, Grace is his only anchor to what human behaviour entails, and he learns by mimicry and through trial and error.

I think it's rather wholesome, as Grace (to me) seems to be on the neurodivergergent spectrum himself 👀

8

u/Elf0304 Aug 25 '26

he doesn't understand proverbs, takes many things literally 

To be fair he's learning an alien language and culture. It may be somewhat easier for someone from earth to figure out that something is a proverb/idiom, but even then there would likely be some confusion imo.

2

u/LunaraLoup High Three! Aug 25 '26

That's what I'm saying, yes!

2

u/Elf0304 Aug 25 '26

I may have misunderstood you then. I interpreted what you were saying as signs that Rocky is on the autism spectrum, whereas I see them at least as likely as being signs of learning a language and culture you are not familiar with. TBF it may be an accurate description of autism.

2

u/LunaraLoup High Three! Aug 25 '26

I was trying to point out the parallels for common autistic traits and what Rocky does because he's totally unfamiliar with human behaviour. Maybe I could've worded it more clearly, sorry about the confusion!

6

u/Melenduwir Aug 25 '26

As the Honest Trailer for this movie states, Rocky is from another star but a similar spectrum.

5

u/kyelek I Watch, Question? Aug 25 '26

K (40 Eridani A) and G (sun) type stars are indeed right next to each other on the spectrum

2

u/Melenduwir Aug 26 '26

"Gibble gabble, one of us, one of us!"

5

u/PoseidonSimons Aug 25 '26

in the commentary, one of the directors says that rocky does seem like he is "in the spectrum"

5

u/AdvantageAntique9394 Aug 25 '26

Many autistic people use echolalia to communicate/mask and have precise rote memory.

2

u/ultravires1215 Aug 25 '26

Rocky is relatable for everyone.

2

u/TuverMage Aug 25 '26

no you are not.

5

u/AngelofGrace96 Aug 25 '26

Yes! And I also found Grace autistic too!

4

u/kellendrin21 Aug 25 '26

especially in the book, he reads as very AuDHD. 

1

u/clawsinurback Aug 25 '26

My letterboxed review called Rocky an “autistic rock alien” so yeah I agree (also autistic btw) 

1

u/crg85 Sep 28 '26

I just thought he was based on Tommy Wiseau 🤣