A variant of Xenomorph egg was created by the rogue Weyland Corp synthetic David 8 through experimentation with a mysterious alien pathogen. Producing a similar parasite to that inside a traditional Ovomorph, it was the first stage in the life cycle of the Praetomorph. The Ovomorphs were encountered by an exploration team from the Weyland-Yutani Corporation colony ship USCSS Covenant on the remote planet on which David had sequestered himself.
Characteristics[]
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The innards of the variant
The Ovomorph weighed twenty–seven kilograms, and maintained a surface temperature of 13.89 degrees Celsius. It toted an outer shell comprised of a complex carbon–based protein matrix; the matrix included keratin, filaggrin, protease enzymes, lipids, and defensins. Much like a typical Xenomorph egg, the Ovomorph lay dormant until a prospective host came within range. However, unlike a normal Ovomorph, which would open remotely when activated, at least one of the encountered specimens was opened via touch. Rather than retaining the smooth ovoid form of a usual Xenomorph egg, the variant was more bulb–like in shape; furthermore, it featured a different interior—while a typical Ovomorph possessed a solid core, the variant version held a translucent sac containing the parasite within. This parasite operated similarly to a Xenomorph Facehugger, which latched to a host's head and implanted them with the material to form a Xenomorph Chestburster, but was less dexterous than the traditional version. The chamber in which the eggs were housed was infused with a strong pungent smell, likely coming from the Ovomorphs themselves.
History[]
David's Ovomorphs
After an incident on the moon of LV-223 that resulted in the destruction of the Weyland Corp exploration ship USCSS Prometheus and the deaths of several of its crew members involving an alien pathogen, archaeologist Elizabeth Shaw and synthetic David 8 traveled to the homeworld of the Engineers, the species responsible for creating humanity and the pathogen. Once there, having reached the planet using an Engineer vessel, David unleashed the ship's stock of pathogen on the population, killing them and causing horrific mutations.
David appropriated an Engineer structure for the purposes of conducting experiments using the Engineers' genetic material and various types of native life. Shaw, having objected to David's homicidal actions, was also ultimately killed and used as a test subject by the synthetic. Originally attempting to elevate her beyond her limitations as a human, David adapted his methods when that course of action proved fruitless. Inspired by a Xenomorph egg he had discovered and euthanized while establishing his workshop, David used Shaw's organs and fluids, as well as material from his research concerning the Engineers and various insects, to create his own interpretation of the Ovomorph. While he was successful in creating several, David's goal was frustrated by the lack of hosts for the parasite inside to infect. To this end, David used a recorded hologram of Shaw to lure ships to the world.
In 2104, the Weyland-Yutani Corporation colony ship USCSS Covenant arrived in orbit, having been led there by David's message. An expeditionary force from the ship quickly encountered wildlife infected by the pathogen; David was able to intervene and corral the survivors of an initial incident to his workshop. After security guard Sarah Rosenthal was killed by one of the mutations, captain Chris Oram confronted David and demanded an explanation from him. David escorted Oram to the chamber containing his Ovomorphs and tricked Oram into activating one. The parasite implanted the captain, and the resulting organism erupted from Oram's chest, much to David's elation. As the creature rampaged through the building and attacked the Covenant crewmembers, killing security officer Cole, Cole's superior Dan Lopé was infected by a second parasite and unknowingly brought a second alien back to the Covenant.
Both of the adult aliens were defeated in consecutive encounters by chief terraformist Katherine Daniels—while posing as ship's synthetic Walter, David smuggled several parasites in embryonic suspension onto the Covenant and planned to conduct further experiments using them and the ship's complement of colonists, as well as Daniels herself.
Behind the scenes[]
An Ovomorph dissected by David
In the novelization of Alien: Covenant, David shows Oram a fossilized Ovomorph and the dead Facehugger within, pointing out that they are an Engineer creation, engineered long before he arrived on the planet. David goes on to express a desire to play God, stating that he wishes to create a similarly "perfect" lifeform himself, apparently inspired by the Engineers' past experiments that created the original Xenomorphs.[1] This is in contradiction to the film, during which no prior iteration of the Xenomorph is shown or mentioned.
Appearances[]
References[]
- ↑ ↑ Alan Dean Foster. Alien: Covenant, p. 243 (2017), Titan Books.