Poll: Was it stupid of the Prometheus crew to take off their helmets?

[Eclectic Dreck]

Not really. They had measured the atmosphere as being compatible with human biology. Without the knowledge that there was, in fact, something on this planet 34 light years away that was not only compatible but lethal with human biology (and the underlying idea that might have lead someone to believe such nonsense was only believed by a fraction of the crew) there was no apparent danger in doing so. Especially considering just how readily one could put the damn thing back on.

Of course, given that nothing bad happened as a result of taking off helmets in spite of the engineered lifeform, it proved perfectly safe. Everyone who died did so as a result of something other than infection save one and that was the result of a suit breach.

 

[Eclectic Dreck]

Yeah. They were complete stupid f**ks inside the Engineer ship. A breathable atmosphere isn't necessarily a clean or pathogen-free atmosphere - as has been said, there might be micro-organisms against which humans have no defence. Likewise, they should have been a lot more cautious the moment they saw hints of organic life. Even if it doesn't look dangerous, biocontamination is a factor both for the prometheus crew and their chances of getting clean specimens. That was very unprofessional, and Weyland must have cut corners on hiring costs.

If you ignore the fact that there were engineered life forms on the planet created for the express purpose of killing people (a fact that the characters in the movie would not know, even the ones with the insane theories), your argument is groundless. Of all the diseases on the planet only a tiny fraction can infect people. The odds that a disease on a planet 34 light years away would just happen to be compatible is so astronomically remote that you might as well worry about being personally killed by an asteroid.

 

[MammothBlade]

Yeah. They were complete stupid f**ks inside the Engineer ship. A breathable atmosphere isn't necessarily a clean or pathogen-free atmosphere - as has been said, there might be micro-organisms against which humans have no defence. Likewise, they should have been a lot more cautious the moment they saw hints of organic life. Even if it doesn't look dangerous, biocontamination is a factor both for the prometheus crew and their chances of getting clean specimens. That was very unprofessional, and Weyland must have cut corners on hiring costs.

If you ignore the fact that there were engineered life forms on the planet created for the express purpose of killing people (a fact that the characters in the movie would not know, even the ones with the insane theories), your argument is groundless. Of all the diseases on the planet only a tiny fraction can infect people. The odds that a disease on a planet 34 light years away would just happen to be compatible is so astronomically remote that you might as well worry about being personally killed by an asteroid.

False. The chances are relatively high as the "engineers" had the same biology and genetic makeup as humans. Any organisms which target them will target humans too. And humans likely do not have antibodies against said micro-organisms. Of course they did not know that, but maximum caution is necessary at all times in case of such possibilities.

 

[Eclectic Dreck]

Yeah. They were complete stupid f**ks inside the Engineer ship. A breathable atmosphere isn't necessarily a clean or pathogen-free atmosphere - as has been said, there might be micro-organisms against which humans have no defence. Likewise, they should have been a lot more cautious the moment they saw hints of organic life. Even if it doesn't look dangerous, biocontamination is a factor both for the prometheus crew and their chances of getting clean specimens. That was very unprofessional, and Weyland must have cut corners on hiring costs.

If you ignore the fact that there were engineered life forms on the planet created for the express purpose of killing people (a fact that the characters in the movie would not know, even the ones with the insane theories), your argument is groundless. Of all the diseases on the planet only a tiny fraction can infect people. The odds that a disease on a planet 34 light years away would just happen to be compatible is so astronomically remote that you might as well worry about being personally killed by an asteroid.

False. The chances are relatively high as the "engineers" had the same biology and genetic makeup as humans. Any organisms which target them will target humans too. And humans likely do not have antibodies against said micro-organisms. Of course they did not know that, but maximum caution is necessary at all times in case of such possibilities.

Yes. You as a viewer know that. There were precisely three people on the ship who thought there was even a small chance there was a connection between the engineers and humanity. To determine if the action was stupid, you may be tempted to use your superior knowledge but that isn't how such an experiment ought to work. A move is only stupid if the characters in the film had a reasonable chance to know that it was dangerous. My assertion is the characters in the film were not in any position to reasonably guess that there was a danger.

 

[Malty Milk Whistle]

Kinda, on a Alien planet, you assume that a bunch of scientists would be more cautious, and not get lost in the cave system they have a map of.
Surely they would have taken as little risks as possible? Just because pond-water is drinkable doesn't meen you should drink it.

 

[RyuujinZERO]

Whatever degree of hazard it posed, remember these guys are SCIENTISTS. They have a better knowledge of the risks than anyone... which is to say:

Microbial contaminants
Bacteria might be incompatible, but thats not to say your body won't provide a nice environment for something else to live in. Think of fungi or parasites on earth


Trace elements
There may be trace molecules in the atmosphere or soil which are deeply toxic to humans. For example cyanides and arsenic are common on some planets, and INCREDIBLY toxic to humans even if the atmosphere is fundamentally safe


Accidental Panspermia:
Forget the scientists, what about their planet? - now they're huffing and puffing terrestrial bacteria all over the place, it's going to really screw with mcirobial research on the planet, they have contaminanted the previously untouched biosphere


So there is no way in hell anyone without even undergraduate training would've pulled that crap. One of these days I'd like to see scientists in a movie portrayed as something besides either an eccentric genius, or a total moron

 

[mionic]

While the risk of anything compatible with men would be low on any other kind of life-sporting planet, but they knew that this wasn't just any alien planet, its inhabitants had been involved with mankind, and thus they'd never know. Just the fact that it IS breathable there points toward whatever is there having somewhat similar physiology. And even if this weren't the case, it's still extremely dangerous in many ways, but I can see that these have been pointed out.

 

[rutger5000]

I'd keep it on honestly. It's almost impossible to speculate on how live on other planets develops. Who is to say that alien live wouldn't be near identical to ours, or utterly unlike us in any aspect. Fact is, we know jack shit. So I wouldn't take the risk of removing my helmet.

 

[rutger5000]

Yeah. They were complete stupid f**ks inside the Engineer ship. A breathable atmosphere isn't necessarily a clean or pathogen-free atmosphere - as has been said, there might be micro-organisms against which humans have no defence. Likewise, they should have been a lot more cautious the moment they saw hints of organic life. Even if it doesn't look dangerous, biocontamination is a factor both for the prometheus crew and their chances of getting clean specimens. That was very unprofessional, and Weyland must have cut corners on hiring costs.

If you ignore the fact that there were engineered life forms on the planet created for the express purpose of killing people (a fact that the characters in the movie would not know, even the ones with the insane theories), your argument is groundless. Of all the diseases on the planet only a tiny fraction can infect people. The odds that a disease on a planet 34 light years away would just happen to be compatible is so astronomically remote that you might as well worry about being personally killed by an asteroid.

False. The chances are relatively high as the "engineers" had the same biology and genetic makeup as humans. Any organisms which target them will target humans too. And humans likely do not have antibodies against said micro-organisms. Of course they did not know that, but maximum caution is necessary at all times in case of such possibilities.

Yes. You as a viewer know that. There were precisely three people on the ship who thought there was even a small chance there was a connection between the engineers and humanity. To determine if the action was stupid, you may be tempted to use your superior knowledge but that isn't how such an experiment ought to work. A move is only stupid if the characters in the film had a reasonable chance to know that it was dangerous. My assertion is the characters in the film were not in any position to reasonably guess that there was a danger.

I think you're both wrong. As far as I'm concerned there is little scientif data on alien life whatsoever. Therefor any speculations on it are untrustworthy. Perhaps there is only a very small genetic varience within intelligent live can form. Perhaps all intelligent creatures in the galexy are similair to primates. Who has made any observation that points towards the oppisete? Even if you're using a broader definition of intelligence, and claim some birds and elephants are intelligent creatures as well. Then there is still little reason to assume intelligent alien live would be completly and utterly different from ours. Therefor there would always be a risk of cross contamination.

 

[SweetShark]

Well, even I really liked this movie a lot, there were many, MANY stupid things that made me shake my head.
One of them of course is the scene with the space helmet...

I know he was the most excited person that he wanted to risk everything so he can get his answers from the aliens, but come on, this?
As a very serious scientist should have considered at first like the others that maybe there is something else in the "air" of the alien planet could cause instant death.
But no, he acted like a child and do the most stupid thing that any person on planet wouldn't do.....

On the other hand, he wasn't the stupidest person in the group...the stupidest were the guys that died from the alien snake.....

 

[Eclectic Dreck]

Yeah. They were complete stupid f**ks inside the Engineer ship. A breathable atmosphere isn't necessarily a clean or pathogen-free atmosphere - as has been said, there might be micro-organisms against which humans have no defence. Likewise, they should have been a lot more cautious the moment they saw hints of organic life. Even if it doesn't look dangerous, biocontamination is a factor both for the prometheus crew and their chances of getting clean specimens. That was very unprofessional, and Weyland must have cut corners on hiring costs.

If you ignore the fact that there were engineered life forms on the planet created for the express purpose of killing people (a fact that the characters in the movie would not know, even the ones with the insane theories), your argument is groundless. Of all the diseases on the planet only a tiny fraction can infect people. The odds that a disease on a planet 34 light years away would just happen to be compatible is so astronomically remote that you might as well worry about being personally killed by an asteroid.

False. The chances are relatively high as the "engineers" had the same biology and genetic makeup as humans. Any organisms which target them will target humans too. And humans likely do not have antibodies against said micro-organisms. Of course they did not know that, but maximum caution is necessary at all times in case of such possibilities.

Yes. You as a viewer know that. There were precisely three people on the ship who thought there was even a small chance there was a connection between the engineers and humanity. To determine if the action was stupid, you may be tempted to use your superior knowledge but that isn't how such an experiment ought to work. A move is only stupid if the characters in the film had a reasonable chance to know that it was dangerous. My assertion is the characters in the film were not in any position to reasonably guess that there was a danger.

I think you're both wrong. As far as I'm concerned there is little scientif data on alien life whatsoever. Therefor any speculations on it are untrustworthy. Perhaps there is only a very small genetic varience within intelligent live can form. Perhaps all intelligent creatures in the galexy are similair to primates. Who has made any observation that points towards the oppisete? Even if you're using a broader definition of intelligence, and claim some birds and elephants are intelligent creatures as well. Then there is still little reason to assume intelligent alien live would be completly and utterly different from ours. Therefor there would always be a risk of cross contamination.

There is however reams of scientific data regarding life on earth. In such information you'll find that diseases like a virus are bizarrely specific to the extent that they require the exact kind of cell with the exact kind of receptor to operate. Bacteria, like any kind of life, require very exacting conditions in which they can thrive and their usual mechanism of causing illness would require the human body both meeting their criteria for survival (a long shot given the significant difference in things like gravity and atmospheric composition and dietary considerations) as well as having as a byproduct of reproduction a chemical that is toxic.

Of all the known diseases on the planet, there are few examples of ones that affect people. These diseases have the notable advantage of being on the same planet and having people around at all times.

The point is simply that unless you are dealing with an engineered pathogen (which it turns out they were but again calling someone stupid because you know things a character couldn't possibly know is a pointless task) the odds that there would be a pathogen on the planet that just happened to be compatible with the biology of humans and was also intrinsically harmful is astronomically remote. That isn't to say the chances of such a thing are zero. Just that the odds are sufficiently low that one's worrying efforts would be better spent considering the dangerous of being personally killed by a meteorite.

 

[MammothBlade]

Yeah. They were complete stupid f**ks inside the Engineer ship. A breathable atmosphere isn't necessarily a clean or pathogen-free atmosphere - as has been said, there might be micro-organisms against which humans have no defence. Likewise, they should have been a lot more cautious the moment they saw hints of organic life. Even if it doesn't look dangerous, biocontamination is a factor both for the prometheus crew and their chances of getting clean specimens. That was very unprofessional, and Weyland must have cut corners on hiring costs.

If you ignore the fact that there were engineered life forms on the planet created for the express purpose of killing people (a fact that the characters in the movie would not know, even the ones with the insane theories), your argument is groundless. Of all the diseases on the planet only a tiny fraction can infect people. The odds that a disease on a planet 34 light years away would just happen to be compatible is so astronomically remote that you might as well worry about being personally killed by an asteroid.

False. The chances are relatively high as the "engineers" had the same biology and genetic makeup as humans. Any organisms which target them will target humans too. And humans likely do not have antibodies against said micro-organisms. Of course they did not know that, but maximum caution is necessary at all times in case of such possibilities.

Yes. You as a viewer know that. There were precisely three people on the ship who thought there was even a small chance there was a connection between the engineers and humanity. To determine if the action was stupid, you may be tempted to use your superior knowledge but that isn't how such an experiment ought to work. A move is only stupid if the characters in the film had a reasonable chance to know that it was dangerous. My assertion is the characters in the film were not in any position to reasonably guess that there was a danger.

They (foolishly) might not have anticipated that danger but microbial biocontamination of the alien environment is still an issue. Even without oxygen, anaerobic terrestrial bacteria can thrive.

 

[rutger5000]

Yeah. They were complete stupid f**ks inside the Engineer ship. A breathable atmosphere isn't necessarily a clean or pathogen-free atmosphere - as has been said, there might be micro-organisms against which humans have no defence. Likewise, they should have been a lot more cautious the moment they saw hints of organic life. Even if it doesn't look dangerous, biocontamination is a factor both for the prometheus crew and their chances of getting clean specimens. That was very unprofessional, and Weyland must have cut corners on hiring costs.

If you ignore the fact that there were engineered life forms on the planet created for the express purpose of killing people (a fact that the characters in the movie would not know, even the ones with the insane theories), your argument is groundless. Of all the diseases on the planet only a tiny fraction can infect people. The odds that a disease on a planet 34 light years away would just happen to be compatible is so astronomically remote that you might as well worry about being personally killed by an asteroid.

False. The chances are relatively high as the "engineers" had the same biology and genetic makeup as humans. Any organisms which target them will target humans too. And humans likely do not have antibodies against said micro-organisms. Of course they did not know that, but maximum caution is necessary at all times in case of such possibilities.

Yes. You as a viewer know that. There were precisely three people on the ship who thought there was even a small chance there was a connection between the engineers and humanity. To determine if the action was stupid, you may be tempted to use your superior knowledge but that isn't how such an experiment ought to work. A move is only stupid if the characters in the film had a reasonable chance to know that it was dangerous. My assertion is the characters in the film were not in any position to reasonably guess that there was a danger.

I think you're both wrong. As far as I'm concerned there is little scientif data on alien life whatsoever. Therefor any speculations on it are untrustworthy. Perhaps there is only a very small genetic varience within intelligent live can form. Perhaps all intelligent creatures in the galexy are similair to primates. Who has made any observation that points towards the oppisete? Even if you're using a broader definition of intelligence, and claim some birds and elephants are intelligent creatures as well. Then there is still little reason to assume intelligent alien live would be completly and utterly different from ours. Therefor there would always be a risk of cross contamination.

There is however reams of scientific data regarding life on earth. In such information you'll find that diseases like a virus are bizarrely specific to the extent that they require the exact kind of cell with the exact kind of receptor to operate. Bacteria, like any kind of life, require very exacting conditions in which they can thrive and their usual mechanism of causing illness would require the human body both meeting their criteria for survival (a long shot given the significant difference in things like gravity and atmospheric composition and dietary considerations) as well as having as a byproduct of reproduction a chemical that is toxic.

Of all the known diseases on the planet, there are few examples of ones that affect people. These diseases have the notable advantage of being on the same planet and having people around at all times.

The point is simply that unless you are dealing with an engineered pathogen (which it turns out they were but again calling someone stupid because you know things a character couldn't possibly know is a pointless task) the odds that there would be a pathogen on the planet that just happened to be compatible with the biology of humans and was also intrinsically harmful is astronomically remote. That isn't to say the chances of such a thing are zero. Just that the odds are sufficiently low that one's worrying efforts would be better spent considering the dangerous of being personally killed by a meteorite.

That's only a half truth. You're right most virusses and bacteria are very specific about their hosts or living environment. But there are plenty of virusses and bacteria that can use several different organismes as host or living environment. How often don't we fear for disseases that strike our cattle? That is because many of those disseases can strike both us and our cattle. Of course here you could point out the valid counter argument, that we and our cattle interact.
But we can also look at this from a different prespective. Who can say that alien virusses haven't evolved to be much more adaptable then virusses from earth? Maybe alien virusses evolve into a form that can harm us, the very moment we get into contact with them.
Or perhaps intelligent live can only form within a very small variance in genetic code. Maybe all truly intelligent live needs to have DNA that has at least a 90% match of our own. And it would only be a small leap for virusses to attack humans.
Fact is we know jack-shit about alien biology, and not even that much about earth biology either. To take the pointless risk of removing your helmet purely based on lessons learned on earth, seems pretty reckless to me.

 

[Heronblade]

Dumb move, no matter how you slice it.

Even if there was no possibility of bacterial infection (even though the presence of free oxygen virtually guarantees the presence of microbial life of some description. O2 cannot exist for long periods of time in a system without an active process to free it, it combines with virtually everything over time), breathable air is still not necessarily safe. Airborne toxins and materials that can cause severe allergic reactions are the primary concern, but others exist as well.

 

[tautologico]

I'd like to make it clear that I don't find many of the characters in the movie particularly bright: some characters die in ways that are very easily avoidable with some common sense. The fact that they decide it's a good idea to take off the helmets doesn't surprise me because it is a stupid to do. Any number of things could have gone wrong from undetectable bacterium to a malfunction in the suit readings (because come on, there was a woman who has an auto surgeon tube in her room that's meant to operate on men, I don't expect them to be using the suits entirely correctly either)

Spoiler: Surgical machine: not really a plot hole

The surgeon machine is sometimes considered a plot hole, but it makes perfect sense. In the beginning, Dr. Shaw asks to Vickers something like "this is calibrated for heart surgery, why would you need that?", and Vickers changes subject. After we find out that Weyland was hidden onboard, it is clear the surgeon was for him, and not for her. Thus the surgeon being calibrated to men and not women.

The rest of the stupid things (including taking the helmets off) are just stupid.

 

[Tuesday Night Fever]

Voted that it was stupid. Also... here's a list of stuff I had issues with in the movie. If anyone has anything to clarify any of them, I'd be glad to hear it!

1. Taking off helmets (obviously). So the air is breathable. That's great! But is anyone at all concerned about the possibility of harmful bacteria? Is no one in the crew familiar with "War of the Worlds"? And even if there's no bacteria that's harmful to them, what about all of the potentially harmful bacteria that they could be introducing to the environment?

2. Charlie's infection. So when it becomes apparent to everyone that Charlie is infected, Vickers refuses to allow him back aboard the ship for quarantine reasons. Makes sense. Now... no one knows that Charlie was infected by David, so what's the most likely cause of Charlie's infection? Taking off his helmet on an alien planet, perhaps? So... why is it that none of the other people who took off their helmets aren't allowed back on the ship?

3. Getting lost. So the team's geologist has some pretty sweet mapping robots that scan the derelict alien ship. Of all the characters in the film to get lost inside the derelict ship, why is it the guy whose only real job as seen in the film was mapping the damn thing?

4. Character trait inconsistency. So the geologist and the biologist freak out at the sight of a dead alien and decide to leave. Nothing particularly wrong with that. Later on they're warned that there's potentially a living alien ahead of them in the tunnel, so they decide to not continue along that course. So far so good. Where do they decide to set up camp for the night? Right next to the fucking dead alien that freaked them out in the first place? What the fuck? Also... if you're so freaked out by a possible lifeform that you'd run in the other direction, then why is it that when the biologist sees an actual lifeform he decides to taunt the damn thing?

5. 28 Years Later. Why is it that the geologist is turned into a 28 Days Later style rage zombie with no explanation, and why is it never mentioned again? Why is that scene even in the movie other than filler?

6. Alien baby. So... you've just cut an alien squid monster out of yourself. Awesome! So... Shaw... how about... y'know... mentioning it to someone? "Hey, um... guys. You may want to, y'know... be careful about opening the door to that room back there. There MIGHT be something in there... and it might be sorta pissed off... so... uh... maybe grab a flamethrower, or something, if you ever need to go in there." Also... no one thinks to question why Shaw looks like absolute shit after that scene? She's pumped full of adrenaline and painkillers, and covered in blood... but no one even thinks to ask if she's at least, y'know... okay?

7. Raiders of the Lost Alien Bioweapons Facility. If you're being chased by a giant circular object... why the hell would you run in the same direction that it's rolling? At least Indiana Jones had the excuse that he was in a cave and couldn't just... y'know... shimmy a few steps to the side.

There's probably more stuff that bugs me about the movie... but meh... it's lunch time.