Engineer Homeworld: The Space Jockey Origin Planet
The Engineers, also known as the Space Jockeys, are ancient extraterrestrials who are pivotal in the lore surrounding humanity’s origins and the deadly Xenomorph species. Their homeworld — a place shrouded in mystery — has been a subject of intense speculation. By piecing together the clues from films and extended universe materials, we try to find out which planet is the Engineer homeworld and where it is located. In the article, we will explore the various planets visited and colonized by the Engineers, to uncover the truth about their origins and civilization.
The Engineer Universe Map
Throughout the Alien franchise, the Engineers’ presence spans multiple planets, each holding significant clues about their civilization and its far-reaching influence. A star map depicted in Prometheus (2012) provides insight into their interstellar network, showing a series of planets they have visited or influenced. However, only David the android was able to see and decipher it, by watching a hologram of other Engineers operating the ship's controls. The map in a Derelict Ship on LV-223 seems to depict at least six star systems with hundreds of planets the Engineers have surveyed, or visited. It can be presumed that the Engineer homeworld is near the middle of the star map, in the circular "core".
LV-426
Perhaps the most well-known planet in the Alien saga, LV-426 (or Acheron) is the site of the original derelict spacecraft where the Nostromo crew encounters the Space Jockey. However, LV-426 is clearly not the Engineer homeworld, nor is it the Xenomorph homeworld. Still, there might be a bit more than meets the eye about the Engineer Derelict ship containing the deadly cargo. The cavern with the eggs that Kane descends to is massive, spanning across a distance that is much bigger than the ship visible on the surface. This could mean that the ship not only landed on the surface, but docked with an underground Engineer facility. Of course, it could just be a continuity mistake instead.
Earth
Earth plays a central role in the Engineers’ mythology. In Prometheus, it is revealed that the Engineers visited Earth in ancient times, seeding and influencing not only human life but all life on the planet. The so-called Sacrificial Engineer gave his life by drinking the Black Goo Pathogen, which broke down his DNA and flooded it into the waters of Earth. These visits are further illustrated by ancient artwork on cave walls that share uncanny similarities with Engineer designs. Earth is also the site where the Engineers’ wrath is most keenly felt, as their planned destruction of humanity was uncovered in Prometheus. Unbeknownst to the Engineers, the Xenomorph infested Earth multiple times in the Alien timeline. However, Earth is not the Engineer homeworld, but one of the many (perhaps insignificant) planets on their large Universe map.
LV-223
LV-223, a neighboring moon to LV-426, is a treasure trove of Engineer technology and lore. The events of Prometheus unfolded here, revealing an Engineer installation housing black goo—a volatile substance capable of creating or destroying life. The experiments conducted on LV-223 demonstrate the Engineers’ mastery over bioengineering and their moral ambiguity. LV-223 seems to act as a bioweapons research base, and not the Space Jockey homeworld itself, making it too dangerous to conduct experiments near their own civilians. It seems probable that the nearby LV-426 Derelict ship was heading to or from LV-223 while crashing on the barren world instead.
Planet 4
In Alien: Covenant (2017), Planet 4 (also sometimes referred to as the Engineer homeworld) offers a glimpse into the Engineers’ culture. A world containing at least one city with majestic architecture, Planet 4 becomes the site of genocide when David unleashes a biological weapon upon its unsuspecting inhabitants. This act not only decimates the Engineers but creates new Pathogen mutations on the planet, including the motes that spawned Neomorphs from humans. Both David and Elizabeth Shaw hoped that Planet 4 was the Engineer homeworld (as they tried to reach the homeworld at the end of Prometheus). However, looking at the large Universe map from Prometheus, it seems unlikely that such a unpopulated world with only one (or a few) cities would be the Space Jockey homeworld. It can be theorized that the homeworld would be better protected as well, not having only one "docking claw" ship acting as the defense.
Paradise
The concept of Paradise is often tied to the Engineer homeworld. Early drafts of both Prometheus and Alien: Covenant referred to the Engineers’ planet as “Paradise,” a place of divine beauty and technological advancement. Perhaps for budget reasons, both movies toned down the scale of the Engineer structures and their level of advancement. This would indicate that both LV-223 and Planet 4 were colonies or forward bases, and the real "Paradise" remains to be seen, perhaps in the rumored Prometheus 3. Of course, the notion of Paradise carries a dual meaning, reflecting the Engineers’ godlike role as creators and their capacity for wrathful judgment. What remains of Ridley Scott's original "Paradise" is seen in concept art by Khang Le.
Lethe
A new version of the Space Jockeys was recently introduced in the video game Aliens: Dark Descent, hinting at a distinct subspecies of Engineers. These beings, referred to as Ancient Citizens, were uncovered on the planet Lethe within a subterranean "Xeno City." The skeletal remains of the Ancients revealed towering humanoid forms over ten feet tall, with elongated heads, thin arms, and bodies encrusted in an unidentified material. Their anatomy lacked fully developed jaws and legs but featured prominent pelvis bones. Remarkably, numerous tubes were integrated into their bodies, including one that extended across their chests and into their jawless mouths. Much like the Space Jockeys, the Ancient Citizens appeared to have succumbed to a Xenomorph infestation. Although Lethe wasn't the Engineer homeworld, it could have possibly been the Homeworld of this specific Engineer subspecies.
LV-1201
The Space Jockey installation from LV-1201 is possibly the largest Engineer structure in the Expanded Universe. Featured in Aliens vs. Predator 2, the installation contained at least one dead Space Jockey pilot, sitting in a similar chair like the one on LV-426. At the time of the game's release, LV-1201 was even speculated to be the Engineer homeworld, but that was proven false. The Space Jockeys had inhabited LV-1201 thousands of years ago and embedded their installation in deep underground caves, while parts of it were still on the surface as well. When a Xenomorph infestation broke out, the Aliens infested all the tunnels and converted them into one of the biggest known Xenomorph hives ever.
The Space Jockey Homeworld Apocalypse
Before Prometheus redefined them, the Space Jockeys were portrayed differently in the expanded Alien lore. They were depicted as towering beings with elephant-like features, not as humans in biomechanical suits. One of the Alien comics that delved deepest into the Space Jockey lore was Aliens: Apocalypse, set between the events of Alien and Aliens. In this story, a group of scientists uncovered a Space Jockey ship and investigated the origins of the mysterious race. The comic revealed that around half a billion years ago, the Space Jockeys dominated the galaxy. However, their reign ended when the "Avenging Angels" — the Xenomorphs — annihilated most of their kind. The Engineers, described as massive but sluggish beings, were ill-equipped to resist the Xenomorph onslaught. Although not giving the location or details of their homeworld, the Apocalypse comic makes it clear that it was decimated in the Alien infestation, leaving it in ruins.
Conclusion
Like Xenomorph Prime, the Engineer homeworld remains one of the greatest mysteries in the Alien franchise, with various films, games, and expanded lore offering conflicting theories and interpretations. Locations like LV-223, Planet 4, and Lethe provide insights into Engineer culture, technology, and history, but none definitively identify their origin. However, Planet 4 might be the closest we have seen of the Engineer origins. Expanded universe stories like Aliens: Apocalypse and Aliens vs. Predator 2 explore the Engineers' fall from power, often tied to their encounters with the Xenomorphs. The elusive "Paradise" could very well be their homeworld, but it will remain to be seen in a future Prometheus (or Alien) sequel.
Tag Categories: Alien Universe Planets, Space Jockey Lore
