ALIEN Mythos

"I propose a more specific definition of "canon", and the use of a
different term, "mythos"

Canon- Multiple works that are presumed to form
a fully coherent whole, particularly in consistency of events, characters, and
science (biology, technology, etc.) New works are limited in what they can
introduce, and cannot presume to alter what has been put down in preceding
works.

Mythos- Multiple works which have central common elements,
particularly characters and/or setting, but are not necessarily consistent. New
works may substantially revise what has been put down in preceding works.

The biggest problem I see with an Alien "canon" is that even the
authorized films leave substantial issues that are at best unresolved and at
worst subject to contradictions. This is most glaring is the differing
portrayals in "Alien" (before a major edit) and "Aliens" of the origin of the
eggs. Are they the aliens' transformed victims (apparently the original
concept)? Are they laid by all aliens? Or are they only laid by a queen as seen
in Aliens? I propose as a solution simply not to try to reconcile the films, but
to treat them as something broader, matching my definition of a mythos. It might
be considered the sum of a real universe's history, speculation and folklore
about the aliens, Ripley and others.

David N. Brown, Forum
admin/moderator Fanfiction.net Dec 20th 2008, 9:04pm"