Alien: Covenant includes a subtle nod to Blade Runner

Although it might make the most sense to keep an eye out for hidden Alien easter eggs in Ridley Scott’s new Alien: Covenant, there are also a couple of subtle references to Blade Runner.

Blade Runner, which was also directed by Scott, doesn’t have a direct connection to Alien: Covenant besides Scott’s involvement, but that didn’t stop the director from referencing one of his most beloved movies.

[Warning: The following contains spoiler for Alien: Covenant.]

Before the climactic battle in Covenant between two androids, David and Walter, there’s a scene where the former is engaged in a fight with Daniels "Dany" Branson, the ship’s terraforming expert. As things start to get progressively worse for Daniels during their fight, she takes the nail that hangs around her neck and stabs David in the jaw with it. All David says in response is a mocking “That’s the spirit!”

For those who haven’t seen Blade Runner, the scene in question is a direct reference to a fight between replicant hunter Rick Deckard and Roy Batty, the leader of a replicant fugitive group. When Deckard hits Batty in the head with a pipe, he’s met with the same mocking, eerie line by Batty.

It’s interesting that the line is used by two, seemingly indestructible pieces of artificial intelligence. Deckard and Daniels also share similarities, which makes the utterance of the line even creepier than when it was first said more than three decades ago in Blade Runner.

Much like how the Alien franchise has seen a resurgence in recent years thanks to Prometheus and Alien: Covenant, Blade Runner is set to receive a sequel. Blade Runner 2049, which is being directed by Denis Villeneuve (Arrival) and sees Harrison Ford reprise his role as Deckard, will be released on Oct. 6.

Alien: Covenant is currently playing in theaters.