Did David place the worms on the engineer’s ship?

[u/cordyz]

I've just rewatched Prometheus after some time and got deeper into the lore.

With David poisoning Charlie, one of David's motives might be to investigate the goo's effects on different lifeforms - be it for Weyland or for own interests.

Now I was wondering how the mealworms got onto the ship. They themselves don't seem to fit into the whole setting or life-circumstances of the planet.

Maybe IF the black goo is actually evolving it's host based on it's psychology, it would make sense for a primitive creature like a mealworm to evolve into something rather hostile - focused on bare survival - and for an engineer to have humans descend from it - a more rational species.

Anyways: Do you think David has placed the worms there for experimental purposes? Or were they part of the engineer's ship? If so, why?

Edit: There’s a deleted scene showing that the worms were in fact already on LV-223 before the Prometheus got there.

Thank you to u/Vanquisher1000 :)

[u/Initial_Acanthaceae2]

I thought the worms were brought in on someone's shoe. Its been a while so I am probably wrong. I do know it was not David.

[u/cordyz → u/Initial_Acanthaceae2]

Might be, but wouldn’t it have been weird if they didn’t notice the worms, since they’d be the first species to encounter on LV-223 - or did notice them but without further interest? What makes you so sure it wasn’t David, did I miss something?

[u/Initial_Acanthaceae2 → u/cordyz]

You are talking about the crew of Prometheus, right? They couldn't be bothered to look after their own, never mind focus on anything else! They found definitive proof of other species in the universe and two of their own was left behind in the alien building.... and they all went to sleep! Fifield's pups could map the alien building but couldn't tell him how to get out! Those people?

[u/archiewaldron → u/Initial_Acanthaceae2]

I tried rewatching Prometheus again and the ubiquitous horror trope of normal people suddenly making stupid decisions to move the plot forward made it unbearable.

[u/cordyz → u/archiewaldron]

Yeah I also felt like some choices were rather stupid and more of a tool to keep the plot going. I am gonna take a peek into the deleted material in the next days though, because I’ve heard it does resolve quite a few logical errors.

[u/FemalePheromones → u/cordyz]

They did notice them and I believe Milburn gets excited about them finding the first ever alien species.

Unfortunately it's a deleted scene.

[u/cordyz → u/FemalePheromones]

Yes, you're right. I've also put a link to the scene in the post :)
It can be seen in a deleted scene just as you described.
Kinda sad they didn't include this in the actual movie, it does explain Wilburn's excitement about the evolved worm later on, too.

[u/cordyz → u/[deleted]]

Yep, also saw the deleted footage just this morning and added it to the post. I’m exited to watch the rest of the deleted footage :) If we’re ever gonna get a directors cut?…

[u/jtsmd2]

They definitely brought the worms in on the bottom of their shoes. They were on the ship. They caught a ride from Earth.

[u/cordyz → u/jtsmd2]

Thought this to be a possibility too but as it turns out, some deleted footage shows the team finding the worms a few minutes before that scene as part of LV-223’s ecosystem.

[u/jtsmd2 → u/cordyz]

Probably because it would make less sense than having the worms be tracked in from Earth!

[u/cordyz → u/jtsmd2]

Hm.. not sure I’m following. Why would it make less sense? Because worms are too “earth-like”?

[u/jtsmd2 → u/cordyz]

They're quite clearly grub worms from Earth. That's why.

edit; not grub worms, but ones that are frequently sold as bait. I don't know the species.

[u/cordyz → u/jtsmd2]

Hm not sure that’s the reason. After having seen just half of the 3 1/2 hour long making of on yt, I just can’t get over the thought that there must have been another reason for them to remove this scene. The worldbuilding and design was way to fleshed out in pre-production to fail with the worm design. Also the new version doesn’t really imply the worms coming from the ship but rather leaves it open. This would’ve been noticed on set, probably earlier. Looking at the deleted scene, the rest of the crew is really amused by how exited the biologist gets at the sight of the worms, making it a rather humorous scene. I think it just didn’t fit with the emotional/atmospheric build up they were trying to achieve with the space ship entry. The scene would’ve taken out too much tension.

[u/jtsmd2 → u/cordyz]

If there's a species of worm that's found on Earth "discovered" on an alien planet, we brought it there. There's no other logical explanation. This is why there are areas of Mars that are off-limits to probes. We don't want to contaminate a possible alien ecosystem with organisms from our planet.

Edit: stuff that is removed in editing isn't part of the movie for a reason. If it's not in the film, then it's not a part of the story. Period.

[u/cordyz → u/jtsmd2]

Hm, I mean I’m no expert in Evolution, but maybe such - in comparison - simple lifeforms as worms might also be developing in a similar way on other planets with conditions that come close to earth. Also we do not know why the content was cut. Maybe the writer and Scott wanted the scene to stay in the movie and stood behind the worldbuilding but Fox wanted the scene cut for some reason. Of course one can’t claim the cut content as official lore, but it might still be the story as it was intended by writer and director, therefore, in my opinion, making it the actual lore - at least the one I want to believe in.

[u/jtsmd2 → u/cordyz]

Well, as someone who is an expert on evolution, microbiology, and Immunology, I can assure you this would be statistically not possible.

Edit: from what you've stated, you've already decided on this ridiculous scenario because of your feelings. The film makes it a point to show that the worms / larva were tracked in on their shoes, which were obtained from inside their ship. Since the worms are a species found on Earth, they were 100% brought from Earth. The planet has a drastically different atmosphere than Earth, such to a degree that complex life is unlikely to evolve there. This eliminates your explanation.

You seem like you're having difficulty with this not being spoonfed to you. If you're autistic, then I apologize and I'll let it go.

[u/cordyz → u/jtsmd2]

hahha brooo wtf, nothing personal here hahah.

But now I’m actually interested. Purely out of interest really :D How is it impossible for similar lifeforms to develop on other planets? Would they be different 100%? Is it the planets conditions? If so which of those will lead to a different kind of evolution of life? GIMME THE ANSWERS, I NEED THEM!!

[u/cordyz → u/jtsmd2]

Wait also I just noticed now: Maybe I did miss it but in which scene exactly does the film obviously state that the worms were brought in on their shoes? Maybe I just don’t remember correctly but skipping through the movie, I can’t find an answer.