How exactly is this ?

[toddly6666]

I thought the whole purpose of having a bizarre, apocalyptic "alien" squid attack was supposed to scare/shock people into having peace, actively convincing the world population that there is now a more superior/powerful race that could wipe out the Earth. Why would people stop wars if it's just a bad dude with a laser?

 

[Dope Nose]

don't put spoilers in the thread titles.

 

[Captain Carnage]

David Hayter's infamous use of the satellite death laser by Veidt was nothing more than an old-fashioned blackmail plot, really. Hayter also had Veidt secretly send all the world leaders a little electronic black box device telling them to disarm or suffer further devastating casualties, and to keep it that way... or else

The two available Alex Tse scripts both had Veidt synthesizing an energy ray based upon Dr Manhattan's powers, using this to vaporize the populations of several key cities worldwide simultaneously. Here, he framed Manhattan himself and so made the world think that Big Blue was the "bad dude" enemy who would be evermore keeping a watchful eye on humanity from up on high, so keep playing nice... or else.

 

[Katsuro]

I like the Tse version personally, and I hope they go with that. The squid alien was nice, but too complicated for the film. The Tse version accomplishes the exact same stuff. The world unites in fear of a huge, menacing threat. In the book it was a squid, here it's Doctor Manhattan.

 

[joke]

The problem with Tse's version is that since Manhattan is on the USA's side, the world (led by Russia) will blame USA for it and the conflicts would increase, instead of stop.

 

[Noir]

I've made the right decision, it all works out in the end, right?

 

[Luchastyle]

The problem with Tse's version is that since Manhattan is on the USA's side, the world (led by Russia) will blame USA for it and the conflicts would increase, instead of stop.

exactly. the framing of manhattan is not a good idea.

 

[Antonello Blueberry]

The problem with Tse's version is that since Manhattan is on the USA's side, the world (led by Russia) will blame USA for it and the conflicts would increase, instead of stop.

How can Manhattan be considered on the USA's side if he kills hundreds of American people?

 

[Katsuro]

The problem with Tse's version is that since Manhattan is on the USA's side, the world (led by Russia) will blame USA for it and the conflicts would increase, instead of stop.

He'll still be attacking NYC, which as you know is part of America. Why would everyone else blame America for an attack on America?

Not to mention in the script Veidt also conjures up a fake image of a giant Doctor Manhattan to threaten to do it again if Earth doesn't put aside their fighting.

 

[Luchastyle]

that all sounds pretty lame. i have both of tse's scripts i recently downloaded. i haven't had the time to read them yet. i read the opening scene of all 4 scripts i have. and i don't know, they all already seem off. well, cept for tse's scene in blake's apartment. that seemed pretty cool if i remember correctly.

 

[Lobster Charlie]

The 11/2006 version isn't too bad. It's better than the very first one I read, if I remember correctly.

The one thing I liked about the squid monster was the psychic effect it'd had on everyone it didn't kill. People having nightmares for the rest of their lives, that kind of thing. I'd love to see something along those lines in the film--it's extra creepy, and not the generic type of destruction we've come to expect in these types of situations.

 

[Luchastyle]

definitely. i'm in the boat that thinks the squid is a great idea. not only because i don't want there to be too many changes from the book, but because i think it served a purpose and that purpose was a good one. it did things that a laser or framing manhattan can't do. and the psychic/nightmare effect is one of those things. i don't think it's cheesey and i don't think it's dumb. i think the squid (or some variation of it) is the way to go. as long as it's an alien creature i'll be happy. i could see why a squid might not work, but definitely a giant alien creature. my big question is, without the black freighter and all that, how are they going to explain how all of these people are on the island to create this giant fake alien squid in the first place?

 

[ThatDamnNinja]

Hm... I love Watchmen, but I'd like to point out that the original alien ending isn't exactly bulletproof. It's built on the notion that the smartest man in the world comes up with a way to end war by uniting the world against a common threat... but the way he did it, the peace could only be fleeting at best. I mean, the world would be united, but against what? Against aliens? The threat is non-existent. The world has no explanation of how it came about, so they have nothing to fight, and the lack of follow-up attacks would completely dissolve the perceived urgency of the situation.

Okay, one big, unexplained alien kills millions, and years go by without any sort of repeat occurrence... and back to your regularly scheduled programming.

I mean, I don't want to presume to be smarter than Alan Moore, so if anyone has an explanation of how the "alien attack" is supposed to be an effective long-term solution, please explain.

 

[Lobster Charlie]

Well, ThatDamnNinja, you've just pointed out the meaning behind that famous quote Dr. Manhattan gives to Adrian just before he disappears--

"'In the end? Nothing ends, Adrian. Nothing EVER ends."

That quote, coupled with Seymour reaching for Rorschach's journal at the end, is to give us the impression that this is probably only a temporary situation. At least that's what I walked away with.

 

[Captain Carnage]

The Institute For Extraspatial Studies (secretly run as a front by Veidt, naturally) researching the possibility of new power sources in alternate dimensions and the Ground Zero of the 'alien' attack, Veidt's creature actually materializing inside the building itself... the encoded 'psychic shockwave' broadcast by the creature at the point of 'death', giving millions bad dreams for years to come and thus keeping alive the whole concept of freaky alien worlds.
Sound familiar?

These are the devices used by Veidt to give credence to the 'alien attack' and thus provide the world with its explanation of how it came about right there; the idea is that the world is supposed to think that those darn pesky scientists at the aforementioned Institute breached a dimensional wall and a big old killer squiddly-diddly was the unexpected result.

I don't think Veidt's plan hinged on the hoaxed attack in its entirety anyway; the NYC massacre effectively pressed the stop button on the Doomsday Clock thus giving Veidt the breathing space he needs to then implement Phase II of the plan and, in his own words, help Earth towards Utopia. We already know that the clandestine tentacles of his influence and various organizations have infiltrated and manipulated just about every facet of life in the WATCHMEN world already (his company logo is everywhere!). He's arrogant enough to think that he can now use his intellect and influence to steer the world to everlasting peace and run the joint according to his grand design by pulling the strings behind the scenes. It's your basic megalomaniacal superiority complex at work, really.

Whether this would actually all work is another thing entirely, of course. Alan Moore leaves the answer to that entirely in your hands, dear reader.


And he would have gotten away with it, too, if it wasn't for that meddling Rorschach...

 

[joke]

He'll still be attacking NYC, which as you know is part of America. Why would everyone else blame America for an attack on America?

Not to mention in the script Veidt also conjures up a fake image of a giant Doctor Manhattan to threaten to do it again if Earth doesn't put aside their fighting.

But NYC won't be the only city he'd attack. Manhattan is considered as an ally of the United States and I really doubt it would be enough for every other nation in the world (especially Russia) if the president says "This wasn't our idea, he attacked us, too!" People were too paranoid during the Cold War, they'd think it's some trick.

 

[brobdingnag]

Why would everyone else blame America for an attack on America?

Ahahahahaha....you're joking right? There are crazy imbeciles on this BOARD who blame Bush for 9/11. Emotional problems will lead people to believe ANYTHING.

 

[sad lieutenant]

The problem with Tse's version is that since Manhattan is on the USA's side, the world (led by Russia) will blame USA for it and the conflicts would increase, instead of stop.

True dat.

 

[ThatDamnNinja]

Ahahahahaha....you're joking right? There are crazy imbeciles on this BOARD who blame Bush for 9/11. Emotional problems will lead people to believe ANYTHING.

World leaders. Not guys on message boards.

 

[brobdingnag]

World leaders. Not guys on message boards.

Actually several world leaders have taken that line including Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, and Hugo Chavez.

 

[cryptic name]

He'll still be attacking NYC, which as you know is part of America. Why would everyone else blame America for an attack on America?

Not to mention in the script Veidt also conjures up a fake image of a giant Doctor Manhattan to threaten to do it again if Earth doesn't put aside their fighting.

there're a lot of conspiracy theorists who would love to answer this question.

i'm not one of them btw.

 

[cryptic name]

Actually several world leaders have taken that line including Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, and Hugo Chavez.

but Hugo Chavez is an idiot and an a$$hole to boot anyway.

 

[StorminNorman]

The problem with Tse's version is that since Manhattan is on the USA's side, the world (led by Russia) will blame USA for it and the conflicts would increase, instead of stop.

Considering the fact that Manhattan leaves America after being attacked from an American newspaper and several American cities are attacked amongst along with the rest of the devastation - I think your are incorrect.

I would imagine the worlds greatest fear - especially America's - is what the world would be like if America's God decided he no longer liked being controlled.

 

[Carmine Falcone]

I would imagine the worlds greatest fear - especially America's - is what the world would be like if America's God decided he no longer liked being controlled.

Such a fantastic concept. God leaves mankind. It truly provides for that apocalyptic feeling.