Alien Movie Universe

Anyone Else Wishing For A Romance Between David and Shaw?

Alien-Covenant.com/forum/
Forum Topic
11475 Views19 Replies

strella777

MemberOvomorphApr-14-2017 8:52 PM

So I know a lot of people didn't read anything "romantic" between David 8 and Elizabeth Shaw in Prometheus, but I did... almost from the beginning.  Even if it wasn't "romance" in the traditional sense, I couldn't help but notice that David seemed to harbor SOME kind of special interest in Shaw. He was fascinated by her and often showed care for her, even when he did not seem to care about anyone else. He expressed admiration for her bravery. He started calling her "Elizabeth" toward the end of the movie, when he would not call anyone else by their Christian name. Hint after hint that he felt SOMETHING for her...

I realize perfectly well that he is a "robot" and supposedly not capable of affection, but I got the strong feeling that he was on the verge of breaking his programming and was beginning to develop more human feelings. He said that he "liked" Lawrence Of Arabia." He was visibly hurt by Holloway's mockery. He showed pleasure at Peter Weyland referring to him as "the closest thing to a son." He showed annoyance at Meredith Vickers' ordering him around. Again and again I picked up on the clues that David was no emotionless robot, but rather a creature with deep feelings, albeit one who was trying to keep mum about it.

So I thought to myself, if he likes Lawrence, hates Vickers and Holloway, is ambivalent toward Weyland and is fascinated by Shaw, why on earth couldn't he develop feelings of love? And that was honestly what hooked me in the movie. I thought the other characters were interesting (although I didn't like any of them except Janek). I adored the dark, gorgeous scenery and music. The engineers and their story line were absorbing and I liked the tie-ins to Alien, but the one aspect of the movie that utterly captivated me was the relationship between Shaw and David.

I wanted to know what was going on his head and I wanted to know how he REALLY felt about her. I didn't have any questions about his motivations. Most of the time he was just following Weyland's orders to discover the secret of eternal life. I got that. What WASN'T clear was why he showed such a preference for Shaw. I didn't think Shaw and Holloway had one iota of chemistry, but when David and Elizabeth were on screen together, I couldn't tear my eyes from them. 

I was glad that they both survived and got to fly away together in the alien ship, but I was left wanting more. I would have followed that odd, conflicted couple through every twist and turn of the universe, and subsequently through every movie Scott wanted to make about them.

Soooo, when I got wind of Alien: Covenant I was over the moon. More adventures of David and Elizabeth! Yay!

Only now it seems that Shaw is not likely to be in the movie much... ah the disappointment... :(

That being said, of course I'm still going to see it. And I'm hoping *HOPING* that we'll get to at least see a little of David and Elizabeth's life together in flashbacks. I'm not really expecting any romance. Scott and the other writers don't seem to be interested in going that direction at all, more's the pity. But I'm curious, did anyone else come away with the same feelings that I did, that David harbored some sort of fondness for/borderline crush on Elizabeth Shaw? Was anyone else as fascinated in their relationship as I was? And is anyone else out there wishing that our favorite free-thinking android and intrepid adventuress might have developed some sort of romantic attachment along the way?

I'm curious to hear thoughts on this! 

19 Replies

Blackwinter-witch

MemberPraetorianApr-14-2017 8:57 PM

Hmmm, good points!! I wouldn't be averse to such having occured in the past, a relationship that built up, crescendo'd then sundered due to a difference of opinion or thinking they couldn't resolve which turned them against each other.

IN SPACE THERE IS NO WARNING

 

 

 

dk

MemberTrilobiteApr-14-2017 8:58 PM

NO!!! I want David to make her a Gigeresque birthing machine.

Blackwinter-witch

MemberPraetorianApr-14-2017 8:59 PM

LOL Well, there's that school of thought, too. :D

'50 Shades of Demonseed' LOL

IN SPACE THERE IS NO WARNING

 

 

 

strella777

MemberOvomorphApr-14-2017 9:02 PM

 LOL! Ugh! There we have a difference of opinion! I for one will be crushed if he turned her into an Alien baby-making machine! :D

dk

MemberTrilobiteApr-14-2017 9:07 PM

NO ROMANCE IN THIS SERIES! Stomps feet and kicks dirt around. Next thing you know we will have Alien: Discovery: the Musical.

Blackwinter-witch

MemberPraetorianApr-14-2017 9:19 PM

Well, in my works I do my best to keep romance 'everyday', as Manticore's Captain and Executive officer are married, but it only gets as 'deep' as her giving him a quick peck of a kiss on the head while he's working and they're discussing some points.

IN SPACE THERE IS NO WARNING

 

 

 

dk

MemberTrilobiteApr-14-2017 9:28 PM

Not only no, but Calvin F$ck NO!!!

Raido

MemberFacehuggerApr-14-2017 9:30 PM

It was apparent to me that he developed some sort of fixation with her. I don't know if I'd call it "love" (but then again, who knows?), but he certainly acted differently towards Shaw than anyone else. He could hardly keep his hands off her when she came out of hypersleep, reassuring her alone and ignoring the rest of the groggy crew. He always seems to be looking her way when she's not looking at him. After he saves Shaw and Holloway from the storm, he pointedly ignores Holloway when he says it was his pleasure to assist them. He also sounds miffed--like a man who's found himself cuckolded--when he finds Shaw is pregnant. His taking of her father's cross, not to mention keeping it on is person, is completely irrational--particularly for an android. And he looks genuinely concerned when he's been reduced to a body-less head calling out to Shaw over the comm. He comes off as creepy-sweet, like Pris and Roy's weird kissing in Blade Runner.

I do wonder how they will work with David's apparent fascination with Shaw. I tend to believe it will not end well for her, for as an android, David is incapable of feeling empathy (at least as far as we know). He may have developed rudimentary feelings of "wants" or desires--he wants Weyland dead, wants freedom, wants Shaw's cross and possibly Shaw herself--but romantic attachment cannot be a one-sided affair. If David were to force the issue on an unwilling Shaw, of course that would be rape, or at the very least abuse. However, I have argued that his watching of Shaw's dreams is in itself a rape of sorts, as he's looking into the deepest reaches of her subconscious mind--her very soul--without her knowledge or approval. In this respect, he is similar to Ash, whose simulated oral rape of Ripley needs no elaboration, as well as Rick Deckard (who I believe is an early-model Replicant unless 2049 proves otherwise) who coerces Rachel into having sex with him (although she does start to return his advances).

What will become of the David-Shaw duo? I have no idea. Interesting topic to ponder, though!

strella777

MemberOvomorphApr-14-2017 9:50 PM

Raido - I noticed all the same points you made, all throughout the movie. If David were to "rape" Elizabeth in any capacity, it would certainly fit right in with the theme that has run through these movies since the very first one. I personally would hate that. I was kind of hoping for some positive character development for David - possibly due to Shaw's influence. I'm a bit of a sucker for a bad guy turned good. In this series it would actually be a bit of a twist and add some nuance, but it looks like he's probably going to be more of the antagonist. Hope they at least explore the post-Prometheus relationship a bit.

dk

MemberTrilobiteApr-14-2017 10:01 PM

Shaw displayed human arrogance when she declared that she deserved to have questions answered near the end of Prometheus. David obviously took care to ensure her safety- possibly since he saw a way to use her for his then unknown studies.

There was a thread earlier about whether David could feel love and even what constitutes love. Romance seems a bit different though. Both concepts have emotional components so it seems to become a circular and/or philosophical debate.

strella777 upvoted.

Nycro

MemberFacehuggerApr-16-2017 2:18 AM

I have been thinking about it quite a bit lately as I have been stuck at work so much lately.

I can't help but wonder if David feels as close to love for Shaw as he artificially can.  Then maybe something happens to Shaw and he goes on an asskicking bender of revenge.

Just a half-cocked thought...

djamelameziane

MemberFacehuggerApr-16-2017 5:01 AM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bTFCwKvlKZo

No need for explanations just watch :O

 "It's almost as if they are making it up as they go along" :D

Thoughts_Dreams

MemberNeomorphApr-16-2017 10:05 AM

 

No! I am sorry but that is a terrible idea that should be totally rejected. They shouldn’t go further than Ripley and the doctor in alien 3 because that wasn’t at least done in a dumb way.

 

Shaw was stupid/irrational and she deserves a painful ending. I don’t think that I have been this annoyed at a character before ever. Maybe a Giger-esque birthing machine that DK describes could be a suitable end for her.

 

Exactly she said “I deserve to know why”

 

Oh yeah so that is just for you? Isn’t that kind of arrogant? Doesn’t she realize that all people don’t get what they wish for? That is just life so what makes her think that she is worth so much more than anyone else? My answer that I think of when she says that is “No you don’t” for the reasons that I gave.

 

LOL @ the Calvin thing

Raido

MemberFacehuggerApr-16-2017 11:15 AM

Although it's unlikely the concept will be pursued, it could be interesting if dealt with correctly. Ridley seems to enjoy giving robots proto-emotions (see: Blade Runner in particular), and I could see him making a marvelously-creepy Robo-Romeo of David if he so wished. It probably wouldn't bode well for Shaw at any rate. Someone else on this forum noted that Ridley likes to punish characters that have blind faith/arrogance. Weyland had the audacity to seek out his "makers" and DEMAND immortality from them, equating himself with his "god." For his hubris, he gets his head bashed in. Now Shaw believes she "deserves" her answers. I'm intrigued to see what those will be, and from whence they come.

strella777

MemberOvomorphApr-16-2017 3:02 PM

Nycro - I would be perfectly happy with David being on a grief-stricken, ass-kicking bender of revenge because he lost Shaw! LOL! I just don't want him to be the one who hurts her or turns her into a monster. It seems like it would completely contradict the feelings he seemed to have for her in Prometheus.

And I ain't backing down in my desire for a twisted, harrowing, complicated android romance no matter how much Calvin yells and kicks dirt around. ;) Not saying I'm going to get it, but it won't stop me from dreaming! :)

BM

MemberOvomorphApr-16-2017 4:16 PM

Interesting concept but i have to say I was conflicted by their relationship! On the one hand it did feel that David treated her differently but I've got to say that there was nothing but creepiness where she wakes on the bed in medical and he tells her she's pregnant. He sneered the pregnancy news to her and he insisted on taking her cross - in those two acts he stripped her of who she thought she was. Then you have moments of caring I.e. When he wrapped her in a robe to protect her modesty - something a real gentleman would do. 

BigDave

MemberDeaconApr-16-2017 6:07 PM

I think the Dynamic between Shaw and David would have been very interesting, indeed David did seem to have some degree of respect  for Shaw.

I did feel the way Shaw came across after the events of Prometheus had transpired so the Scenes when she recovers Davids head and Body did come across a little bit odd and weird.

The Alternative Scene seemed to fit how you would have thought someone would have reacted, but this deleted scene would depend on how much Shaw felt David was involved in what happened.

I think ideally a Scene between both of these is what was needed, the deleted Scene was to Hostile, and the used Scene was a bit too cheesy for my liking..  like all is forgiven.

 

R.I.P Sox  01/01/2006 - 11/10/2017

BigDave

MemberDeaconApr-16-2017 6:15 PM

This leads me to how and what kind of Relationship they would have...  And we have to go with the Theatrical Cut as a basis, and so it would appear they are not on really Bad Terms.

Shaw will know she has to be careful in trusting David, but she really has No Choice, without Davids help she is not leaving LV-223.

David provides her a chance to escape and with it she wants to use it to get some answers, David knows without Shaws Help he would be stranded on LV-223 and of No Use.

And David is not just your normal Robot, so he would have more concerns about Death, or basically having to spend the rest of his Life stranded as just a Head...

Ridley Scott and Micheal Fassbender have given us insight to how this relationship goes,  Ridley Scott had said that without Davids Help Shaw is going no where, and so she has no choice but to trust David, she would be aware of potential Dangers, and Ridley had said once his head goes back on he can be Dangerous, but he is also very persuasive.

Fassbender referred to their Relationship like a Marriage, and so indeed they must have worked together and got on to a degree and had some common Goals together.  Fassbender also said David has a lot of respect etc for Shaw.

But after a Honeymoon Period we can only assume something had gone very wrong.

Ridley Scott gives us a MASSIVE Clue, because he claims that Shaw plays a Pivitol Role in what David latter does in the Movie.

So this surely means she ends up playing some role that allows David to carry out some of the things he does in this movie. So we can wonder which of these is that.

*Creation or Basis for Davids Experiments and creations.

*The Event that David does to those beings on Paradise.

R.I.P Sox  01/01/2006 - 11/10/2017

Existenzable

MemberOvomorphApr-16-2017 11:50 PM

Shaw had just saved herself from David's heartless intentions when she left the MedPod. She was in a state of cognitive dissonance, left with no one to trust and moving with the help of painkillers. All that was left for her was the question that drove her from the beginning. Within all the inconsistency of the Prometheus script, I took her demand for answers to come in part from having given birth to the Trilobite. She was curious...and pissed!

Add A Reply
Sign In Required
Sign in using your Scified Account to access this feature!
Email
Password
Latest Images
Alien & Predator Alien & Predator Fandom
Alien Movie Universe Forums
Alien
Alien Discuss all things Alien here
Alien: Covenant
Alien: Covenant Discuss the Prometheus Sequel, Alien: Covenant
Alien FX TV Series
Alien FX TV Series Discuss the Alien FX TV series here!
Alien: Romulus
Alien: Romulus Discuss the new Fede Alvarez Alien movie here
Alien Games
Alien Games Discuss Alien games here
Alien 5 Movie
Alien 5 Movie Discuss Neill Blomkamps’s vision for Alien 5 here
Alien Movies
Alien Movies Discuss the Classic Alien Films
Prometheus
Prometheus Everything About Prometheus
Prometheus Fan Art
Prometheus Fan Art Artwork & Fiction From the Fans
Hot Forum Topics
New Forum Topics
Highest Forum Ranks Unlocked
MonsterZero
MonsterZero » Xenomorph
90% To Next Rank
Jonesy
Jonesy » Facehugger
82% To Next Rank
Lady Anne
Lady Anne » Facehugger
40% To Next Rank
xenofanlv426
xenofanlv426 » Ovomorph
94% To Next Rank
burbigo3
burbigo3 » Ovomorph
22% To Next Rank
Latest Alien Fandom Activity

Alien: Covenant is a sequel to 2012's Prometheus as well as a prequel to 1979's ALIEN. Alien fans looking to know more about Alien: Covenant should check back often. Alien-Covenant.com is an information resource for film enthusiasts looking to learn more about the upcoming blockbuster Alien: Covenant. Providing the latest official and accurate information on Alien: Covenant, this website contains links to every set video, viral video, commercial, trailer, poster, movie still and screenshot available. This site is an extension of the Alien & Predator Fandom on Scified - a central hub for fans of Alien and Prometheus looking to stay up-to-date on the latest news. Images used are property of their respective owners. Alien: Covenant, Prometheus and its associated names, logos and images are property of 20th Century Fox and are in no way owned by Scified and its related entities. This is a fan-created website for the purpose of informing and exciting fans for Alien: Covenant's release. If you have any questions about this site, its content or the Scified Network in general, feel free to contact Scified directly.

© 2024 Scified.com
Sign in
Use your Scified Account to sign in


Log in to view your personalized notifications across Scified!

Transport To Communities
Alien Hosted Community
Cloverfield Hosted Community
Godzilla Hosted Community
Jurassic World Hosted Community
Predator Hosted Community
Aliens vs. Predator Hosted Community
Latest Activity
Forums
Search Scified
Trending Articles
Blogs & Editorials