Humans ARE superior: Alien planners on Roswell

[dangermousie]

OK, now I want to talk about the alien plan as discussed at the end of S1 of Roswell.

Because, so far, it strikes me as the lamest plan in creation. The aliens don’t seem very good long term planners. Mind you, I’ve only seen S1, so maybe I will watch S2 and find out that it was actually the best laid plan of all time. Or maybe Liz was just having a really long dream in the shower.

As it is, I think Max/Michael/Isabel would be well served to ditch the mother planet because they seem a complete mess and stay on earth and do what they like. The aliens are welcome to Tess. And the aliens who asked to design the kids should ask for a refund.

Not that I really care, because I watch because of Max/Liz angst, but geeky ponderings amuse me, so here I come.


OK, so far, what I’ve gathered is:

Max, Tess, Michael and Isabel’s planet had a huge civil war. They were the ruling family and got overthrown/murdered/exiled/whatever. So, the aliens had made copies of the DNA of the four of them, modified to make them look human, gave them human-of-the-future powers and sent them to Earth. However, the ship had crashed, and the adults all died/got taken by the FBI. Max, Michael and Isabel gestated earlier, and the only surviving grown-up alien was able to find only Tess. So far so good. What is the brilliant alien plan? It seems to have been: Ruler Max, his bride Tess, his sis Isabel and his second-in-command Michael grow up and return to the world and save it.

First off. This planet has a huge destructive civil war and they are OK with waiting for 16+ years to have the “clones” grow up enough to be able to take over? In fact, if the ship crashed in 1947, they are willing to wait 50+ years? Either they have really long life spans, or they really can’t clone anyone faster and have to deal with what you can get. Doesn’t sound super effective either way.

Score is Earth: 1. Aliens: 0.

Moving on:

OK, some stuff went wrong which wasn’t the planners’ fault (FBI, crash etc). But even with that, why do they assume that just because Proto-Max and Max share the same DNA (and it’s not even the same exactly as it’s been modified), Proto-Max and Max are going to be the same person, with the same personality and goals? (this applies to the other three as well). Even twins are somewhat different and they get brought up in the same environment. I would imagine the way Michael/Max/Isabel got brought up in this “incarnation” is vastly different from the way their progenitors were raised. And if they know nothing about mother planet except that they must save it, wouldn’t it be natural to not be 100% enthusiastic as all they know is life on earth.

Score is Earth: 2. Aliens: 0.

Also, look at the whole Max and Tess thing. Even if there wasn’t the whole star-crossed Max/Liz thing, I can’t imagine someone like Max falling for someone like Tess. Max is quiet, serious, and idealistic. He seems to really prize openness and loyalty. Tess is brassy and secretive and seems to be very aware of her Number 1. Max progenitor and/or Tess progenitor had to have been really different to click (or for all we know they do arranged marriage back in alien world and it doesn’t matter). I can see Earth Max marrying Tess because he is a dutiful sort of a guy, but that just doesn’t sound very effective.

Don’t even get me started on Michael and Isabel who would drive each other insane (and not in a good way) in about 2 days of living together.

Score is Earth: 3. Aliens: 0.

Yes, if there was no crash, the grown-up aliens would have brought up the kids and brainwashed filled them in on what’s expected of them etc etc, and their personalities would have been different, and they would have had no attachement to Earth or love affairs. But still, it just doesn’t work very well. Just because progenitors had X, Y, Z qualities, doesn’t mean these kids will.

Three strikes, you are out.

No wonder the aliens’ planet is falling apart. They sound a mess. I can see how the current incarnations would prefer to stay on earth (and yay for them and for human emotions!).

P.S. As I said, for all I know I find out the aliens are geniuses in S2. But don’t spoil me.

Comments

[thelana.livejournal.com]

Awww you have to go with the flow ;-) It's not fun if you apply real logic to it. Just play along.

For, just for argument's sake:

I also like to think of it as being to a large part just a mother trying to save their children in some way. Besides, kings being driven into exile (after having obviously lost) and doing endless and very embarassing plotting to eventually!re-take!the throne! is something that you find rather frequently in earth history as well. We still have a Habsburg running around her trying to convince people to give him back Hungary.

I also remember that during the war in Afghanistan some really old Afghan king who had been in exile in Italy for most of his life was trying to convince the Americans to put him back in power once they had one. (fat chance)

I see it more as people being nutty and not being able to let go of their old rights than a really smart plan.

As for Tess, Izzy and Michael being sent along? Makes sense. They are evacuating the heir to the thorne, it would look like poor taste to not have the ones closest to him go with him.

As for all that "they are going to end up as different people", my guess is that they probably just didn't consider it. Maybe they underestimated the effect humanity can have.

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

Oh, I don't have a problem with it. I can see some people who are desperate coming up with it, as they don't have any better alternatives, and what do they have to lose, after all? Nothing.

Of course, it still doesn't mean it's a good plan, just the best of what they've got.

And still makes me think Max/Michael/Isabel are better off bonding on earth and not going to some verklempt, Civil War-torn planet they've never seen, which is run either by people who kicked them out in the first place, or people who are so entrenched in never giving up that they came up with this plan (thus are waaaaay too crazed).

[thelana.livejournal.com]

Awwww, aristocrat scum, no pity for them ;)

But yeah, I see them mostly as people in a pretty hopeless situation who shipped the family silver out before the others could take it.

It's just that we don't know if Max's people are really suffering because of the takeover or it it's the typical "Monarchistic society being brought down because it's outdated" kind of thing.

But for the sake of the story the angsty aristocrat who feel, aaah, the pain of responsibility for the people he has never met makes a good character concept. Even though it wouldn't be healthy in real life.

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

we don't know if Max's people are really suffering because of the takeover or it it's the typical "Monarchistic society being brought down because it's outdated" kind of thing

And that's a pretty interesting point. Suppose Max et al managed to go back to Alienworld and kick out the (presumably) victorious rebels. Would they kick out Stalin or the Continental Congress?

And whatever the Proto-Max was, this Max is a very responsible person who would not feel good just taking over because he is supposed to. He'd only be OK with it if he could provide a better alternative.

Of course, this tends to indicate that the rebels were evil, because Max would make a pretty good leader, except for the fact that even a good leader full of integrity can be a leader of an obsolete regime, and for the fact that Proto-Max could have been very different from this one, or a believer in the Divine Right or whatever.

But for the sake of the story the angsty aristocrat who feel, aaah, the pain of responsibility for the people he has never met makes a good character concept

Oh yeah. Of course, Max already has so much angst that he should be on meds anyway. No wonder he's my newest TV boyfriend. Angsty? Check. Hopelessly in love with someone he can't have? Check. Competent and responsible and alpha? Check. Aristocrat? Yeah baby :D

[thelana.livejournal.com]

It's probably a history thing, but I tend to have a very low opinion on any type of king. Were there good kings? Sure. But one great king, in my mind, doesn't excuse the large number of suckastic kings that usually came with him. So even if Max was the best leader imaginable, it still doesn't change the fact that the system is rotten.

(only exception, "Queen" Amidala who we later find out is actually just elected and just for a a limited time)

I think a king, Max, is more of a figurehead, a symbol. So I could see the enemies wanting him brought down, even if the chance that he could actively do much against them is rather low.

As for Stalin vs. Continental Congress, I think in Max's case it's probably more about whether it's something comparable to a revolution (and in my mind even "bad" and non working revolutions are legit; The thing about them is that you usually can't go back because it's just histories natural progression; even if it's a negative thing like the Russian Revolution) or actually a foreign race taking over his people. If their people were actually oppressed by a foreign race, even more reason to be paranoid to be paranoid about figureheads. And even more reason for his supporters to think that Max could rally people to strike against oppressors. (even though I think that even oppressed people would have more sense to pick somebody of their own than some aristocrat in exile as their leader; even if Max is an proven exceptionally good one).

[thelana.livejournal.com]

BTW, with foreign race I mean the space equivalent of "neighbouring country" or in this case "neighbouring planet".

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

Yes, the whole "you are boss because Dad was" strikes me as very inefficient. Of course, it also traps the recipient. Plenty of real life examples, but to use Roswell, I am sure Max would be a lot happier necking with Liz and doing Earth-type stuff rather than gearing for a bloody war to liberate a place he's never seen.

And yes, of course, if it's an invasion versus civil war, then figureheads are of paramount importance. Maybe he has a King Arthur like "he shall return" status? Who knows...

And I wonder if all 4 are dead on mother planet, or did they clone at least some of them from beings who were still alive...

[thelana.livejournal.com]

Storywise, Roswell reminds me a lot of X-Men and similar comic book stories. The main character is just a teenager who ten realizes that he/she has special powers. Or all those stories or fanfictions about a teenager with mysterious!birthmark! that prooves their mysterious origin. In Max's case, a teenager who realizes that Destiny has a big plan for him. That there is a world out there whose leader he is (at least in some people's minds). A different life, a cause. So it's a wish fullfillment fantasy. (even though not Max's wish)

Even though I never had those type of dreams, there are so many books I remember where the main character goes around saying "As a kid I used to dream that I was mixed up in the hospital, my real parents are royalty and they will eventually come and get me.". That's kinda of what I see as the motive for writing the Roswell story.

So that combined with duty, is the reason why we can't just have Max go "Ok, not interested, would rather stay home.". Well that and potentially people (FBI or alien) trying to track them down and kill them.

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

"Ok, not interested, would rather stay home."

Yeah, I can see that. "I got essays to write. I want to get into a good college, and my plans for the evening include sneaking into my girlfriend's room without her parents noticing. You can have your interplanetary war with someone else."

So it's a wish fullfillment fantasy. (even though not Max's wish)

I do like that it's a bit of a twist (though obviously used one) with the "I don't want it" stuff. Sort of like Spiderman and the like. Michael is a lot more invested in all of this than Max, because his life is worse, but I get the feeling that if it wasn't for the FBI et al trying to chase him down, Max would like nothing better than to live his life out as a human doing human things.

But of course, whatever else the alien cloners screwed up, Max did end up with a huge duty-responsibility complex this there is the whole well-worn and fun "reluctant hero" motif (I love the bit where the kids ask who is the leader, if not Nacedo and Nacedo turns to look at them and they all look at Max and Max turns to look to see if there is anyone behind them, LOL).

[thelana.livejournal.com]

Personally, although it makes great storylines and I would never hold it against the characters, the reluctant hero bit has always struck me as a bit hypocritical, deep down there. It's like the message of it is that it it good to have power, but bad to want it. They want the hero to be in a position of power, but they don't want him to be "tainted" by the whole clawing your way to the top thing.

Also? If you think that the alien plaaaaans suck now, wait till you see Season 2 :)

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

I like the reluctant hero motif, just because yes, power hungry is not a good thing, IMO. Someone like Cincinnatus, who defeated the roman enemies and went back to the plow is rather an ideal I like.

[thelana.livejournal.com]

Oh it's definitively attractive and admirable in the people who manage to do it. I just think that it's rather seldom in real life. You know, that power just falls into your hands without you having to work for it (and most likely selling part of yourself in the process).

Kinda reminds me of the Tom Clancy book where they had the president and the whole senate killed just so his hero Jack Ryan could become president without ever having shown any sign of political ambition before. I thought that was rather adorable pathetic in its obviousness. :p

[themoon72.livejournal.com]

I used to be a HUGE Roswell fan. Because of Max/Liz.

And you are totally right, at the end of season one the alien's plan just seemed really stupid. First of all - if your race is advanced enough for space travel and combining the DNA of two different species to create an alien/human hybrid with advanced human abilities - you'd think they'd be able to do it without incubating said hybrids for 40+ years. And secondly - you'd think the aliens would have given them better and smarter protectors - cause the getting caught by the FBI and then showing up late for the hatching of the hybrids, plus all the murdering of the humans.

No wonder this planet is in the middle of a war.

Just wait for season 2....

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

I have started on S2 tonight. So far they seem to indicate it's a racial-type struggle, not a civil war (so I guess invasion or similar) which does make sense.

Ahhh,who cares. As long as Liz and Max make gloopy eyes at each other!