Some dejointed drawings and doodles of my own post-canon headcanons! Where humans send a ship to their neighbors in order to meet them, and make sure their sun didnt die in case Rocky wasn't successful, but end up finding a very much alive Ryland Grace, looking younger than he should and living his best life on Erid
I'm just fascinated by the idea of humans and eridians collaborating and what that would look like. We are so advanced in some areas they lack, while they are so advanced in some areas where WE lack due to our respective biologies, the progress from both sides would be insane.
Of course, Eridians would also want to go to Earth, and is only fair they get a nice place to stay too. Maybe is then Grace decides to go back, to act as an ambassador for the Eridians, to see the place he worked so hard to keep alive. But i think eventually, after many years living on Earth (specially with the extended lifespan) he would want to go back, yeah the 2gs suck on his bones but he has more of a home on Erid than he ever did on Earth, anyway, there's people waiting for him there.
Thank you. So comforting! More of this!! Earth’s best molecular biologist and an entire alien species should be able to figure out extending the human life span!! I agree! (I love this thank you)
It’s so important to me that he says “Dr. Captain Ryland Grace” when sending the Beatles back to Earth. Because the Hail Mary was made for a Captain, a Scientist, and an Engineer. And Grace only claims the Captain and Scientist parts. Because Rocky is the Engineer! Rocky is the Hail Mary’s Engineer!!!
One thing Project Hail Mary did that I haven’t seen in another space movie, is show space in the context of being afraid of heights.
I literally don’t know how it never occurred to me before but like- in space there’s nothing below you. If there was gravity you’d literally just fall. And of course your body assumes there’s gravity because there has been for your whole life.
So the scene when he first goes out in the EVA suit and looks down and just sees *space* is super cool and interesting!
I’m surprised this is the first time I’ve seen this tbh
I need more crossovers! Currently thinking about Mark Watney and Simon. Guy who grew potatoes on Mars and guy who’s only ever seen one plant before. Guy from Mars and guy from Mars. Guy who curses like a sailor and guy who curses like a sailor.
I genuinely think Simon would be entranced fr. Mark teaching him botany, Mark being capable of growing plants on Erid. I think Simon would see Mark being able to grow plants on a non-terraformed Mars and on Erid as like the highest possible achievement. Something only the most qualified people can do.
I do think it’s odd that so much of the fandom headcanons Grace as being lonely/ desperately touch-starved/ needing another human around when the point of Project Hail Mary’s ending is that he’s not lonely and touch-starved and needing to be around other humans.
The point of the ending is that Grace is happy and fulfilled and safe. He lives with his best friend. He’s home.
Idk… it’s not a criticism or anything, I definitely like the crossover stuff (throw all the space guys into the same space!!) but I am a bit confused by some of the headcanons.
I haven’t read the book yet so if he’s lonely etc in the book ending then the headcanons would make more sense.
I wrote a little something about Aroace Grace. Very self indulgent. Like super self indulgent. Basically just Rocky being sweet to Grace after Grace figures out he’s Aroace.
Genre: Hurt/ Comfort
Relationship: Rocky and Grace (platonic or qpr if you’d like)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
It hadn’t been intentional, just another product of the boredom that came from a four year trip to an alien planet, but of course it had led to Dr. Ryland Grace curled up upon himself with tears streaming down his face. Rocky was right, he really was quite leaky.
Or: Grace finds out what being aroace is, and it puts a lot of things into context
It hadn’t been intentional, just another product of the boredom that came from a four year trip to an alien planet, but of course it had led to Dr. Ryland Grace curled up upon himself with tears streaming down his face. Rocky was right, he really was quite leaky.
It’d started with the usual conversation: “What are we going to do on Erid?” “What will it be like living there?” No different than any previous conversation in concept, but then Rocky had said he intended to have babies with Adrian. And of course Grace was curious, he’s a molecular biologist! So he’d asked, and Rocky had explained. As it turns out, all Eridians can lay eggs, and a baby was made when two eggs from different Eridians were kept close together and warm. The eggs would join together and make one larger egg which would eventually hatch a small Eridian child. Rocky had explained that most Eridians were capable of laying an egg past a certain age, but would only do so if they followed a certain procedure with specific food and sleep patterns. As fascinating as that had been, Grace really should have expected Rocky to ask about how humans have babies.
It’s not that Grace wasn’t capable of explaining or anything, it was just… Eridians didn’t really have concepts similar to “sex.” The egg laying was only slightly more uncomfortable than eating, and there was nothing about the process that necessitated the two Eridians involved to be physically close together, although that was often preferred. So Grace had stiltedly walked Rocky through it, and tried to ignore how uncomfortable he felt. He explained that humans had evolved to enjoy the experience so they would have more kids. He’d even explained that there was a specific feeling people had for eachother that was sometimes part of why they had kids. Rocky had predictably reacted with a strong “Disgust! Disgust! Disgust!” and Grace couldn’t help but agree on that.
But once Rocky had calmed himself down, he had asked Grace if he had ever done that. Not have kids, of course, but be in romantic love and have sex. A mix of familiar feelings ran down Grace’s spine, dread and inadequacy. The conversation reminded him of the fact that he really wasn’t the best human for alien beings to learn from. Because no, he hadn’t ever had sex. And now that meant he couldn’t properly explain human behavior to his alien best friend! The Eridians deserved a full understanding of humans if there was going to be any sort of inter-species communication or alliance in the future. Especially the things humanity considered most important. And Grace knew that sex and love were considered the absolute most important thing in the world to most people. So he’d told Rocky he hadn’t experienced that, but that he would do more research on the topic so Rocky could understand. That had resulted in Grace going on the computer and attempting to find more information about romantic relationships and why people have sex. He’d be a bad teacher if he didn’t explain queer people and sex-ed stuff.
Grace was a biologist, so he knew he knew most of this, but medically induced amnesia had its consequences. It was just… Rocky had asked about him. And that felt different than the fact that other people did it. It made him uncomfortable. Sex seemed just… gross. It made him feel like he wanted to leave the proverbial room. Romance felt similar, just an instinctual feeling of no. He couldn’t explain it. Then while looking at the Wikipedia pages for different sexualities, he stumbled across it. Aroace. People who felt little to no sexual and romantic attraction.
The ship had felt infinitely more quiet in that moment than before it. Like gravity had loosened its grip on his shoulders. Things clicked into places he hadn’t even known were empty. So much of his life and experiences suddenly made sense. That was Grace. He was this thing. It was a thing. Grace was aroace. But the context also painted a brutal edge on so much as well. Things people whispered behind his back in elementary school. The anger, frustration, and disappointment his one and only girlfriend had felt the night they’d broken up. But most of all, Stratt.
“You don’t have any immediate family, you don’t even have a dog.” The words echoed in his head. Oh god that hurt so much more than before. Grace knew, logically, that Stratt would’ve sent him anyway, no matter what he’d ‘had’ on Earth, but… the fact that she had tried to persuade him with that. The fact that she’d tried to justify it with that. Grace had known many people had seen his life as “sad” because he was single, but to know that it was because of this? Because he was aroace? He knew queerness occurred in nature as well, so it was normal. There was a word for it so it was something someone could be. He felt more whole than ever and Stratt had weaponized the very thing that gave him that feeling against him. The cruelty was so magnified by this he almost felt it all over again. So he sat, curled up into himself, ringing in his ears as he sobbed.
He couldn’t notice the world around him for a while as he rocked back and forth, but eventually the numbness faded slightly and a warm pressure was up against his side. Rocky.
Grace attempted to clear his vision and turned to his best friend. “R-Rocky?”
Rocky shifted his carapace to Grace and set a limb on his knee. “Grace sad sad sad, Rocky fix. How Rocky help?”
The tones of his voice comforted Grace immensely. Rocky was here, his new softer Xenonite suit pressed up against Grace’s body, a calming presence. Rocky spoke again, “Grace leak about being… about being forced again. Question?”
His voice broke on the words. That was a good hypothesis. Grace hadn’t lasted long after rescuing Rocky until breaking down and telling him about it. The reaction had been better than Grace could’ve ever expected, with Rocky insisting that Grace was brave, and that being forced to sleep and die in space was an unimaginable punishment for an Eridian. Rocky had refused to let Grace call himself a coward, had insisted on making the new Xenonite suit so they could sleep closer together, had constantly repeated how much he loved Grace and was glad he was here, but that he hadn’t deserved what was done to him. The idea still horrified Rocky, and was definitely the main reason Grace had been “leaking” for the past… almost a year now. So it was a good theory.
“No, well… yes but not- not the same.” Grace said, leaning into his best friend’s warmth.
“Rocky no understand, how the same but not the same.”
Grace took a deep breath. He wanted to tell Rocky. He wanted to tell his best friend that he’d figured out something about himself that made so much sense. And from an educational perspective Rocky deserved to know about the existence of aroace people too. But… what if Rocky was disappointed in him? What if Rocky realized that he could’ve had a more human human? Grace knew Rocky wouldn’t react that way but the thoughts still spun in his mind.
“Friend Grace?”
Friend Grace… yeah, Rocky would be okay about it. He would. Grace trusted him.
“Rocky, you know how we were talking about… uhm, how humans make babies? About sex and romance?”
“Yes, Rocky remember. Of course. Though Rocky kind of wish Rocky had human brain to forget. How relevant?”
Grace couldn’t help but snort. “I was, doing some research, like I said. And uh… I found something. Something about me.”
“Grace find self in screen. Question?”
“Not- me literally, but something I am.” Grace slide the screen towards his best friend before remembering Rocky didn’t have his screen reader with him currently.
“Uhm. Ok. There’s this thing, that some people are. Where they don’t like sex or romance. Not like- they are against it, but just. It’s not for them. They don’t experience those feelings like most people do. It’s called aroace. And that’s… that’s me.” He said it all quietly, knowing Rocky could hear it.
Rocky said nothing for a moment, then spoke. “Grace leak about this. Grace stupid. Rocky know about this. Not feel romance feeling is on Erid too. Eridian word is 🎵🎶🎵🎵. Is normal. Why Grace upset about this. Question?”
Grace couldn’t help but choke on a sob. People on Erid were aroace too? It’s normal?
“I didn’t know I was… I didn’t know it was a thing until now. But- but, Rocky you don’t understand. I- I can’t teach you about the whole human experience, Rock… and it’s-“
Rocky cut him off, “Grace still stupid. Grace is human. Grace can teach about whole human experience because Grace human. Grace explain romance earlier. Also Rocky understand romance. Rocky romance Adrian. Grace no romance. Simple.”
Again, Rocky’s words floored Grace. Rocky was right. Romantic love and sex were not some sort of special human magical thing. And humans treating those things like they were would likely be detrimental to inter-species relations, as it implied humans had something special that other aliens didn’t. Like how Grace was treated less than.
“You’re right buddy, I- on Earth those things are seen as… very important. It’s not seen as good to be Aroace. Like me.” His mind interjected with joy, like me. “But you’re right that that’s not true. I’m sorry.”
“Ugh. Humans are stupid. Smart in science ways but stupid in this way. Earth treat romance more important is bad bad bad. Grace no need to apologize… Earth apologize to Grace. Grace is good good good, important important important. Rocky tell Grace many times, will continue to tell.”
Grace reached down and hugged Rocky. He cried onto the Xenonite suit, and let himself take comfort in his best friend’s words.
After minutes had passed, and Grace was not leaking as much, Rocky seemed to take this as a cue to ask another question.
“Grace say this same but not same to force. Seem only not same to Rocky.”
Oh. That. Grace considered it. He knew Rocky would comfort him. But Rocky would also be very upset.
“It will upset you, Rock. I don’t have to tell you right away.”
Rocky was dissatisfied with that answer.
“Grace tell if Grace comfortable telling. No worry about Rocky. Rocky can handle.”
Grace sort of doubted that. “You’re sure?”
“Yes, Rocky say yes many times.”
“Uhm… I mean. It’s not a big thing? But- me being Aroace, it was, sort of… used to justify forcing me to go to space. That my life wasn’t worth as much because I didn’t have a- a, a romantic relationship?”
The silence after his words didn’t last long. Rocky scrambled up in clear distress.
“WHAT!!!!! No no no bad bad bad! Is not true, tell Rocky is not true!!”
Grace had known Rocky would react like this. He sighed.
“I mean, she didn’t- they didn’t know. It wasn’t- I would’ve been sent anyway. It was just a thing that was said Rock.”
This did not appear to comfort Rocky much.
“No. Bad bad bad. Is… need word… cruel! Is cruel cruel cruel. Grace life worth huge! Like universe! Need human concept… infinite! Humans who sent Grace not understand? On Erid all Eridians equal. With Eridians everyone worth huge. No romance needed! Grace no romance no mean less worth!! Humans stupid.” He appeared to calm himself down enough at this point.
“Grace life worth infinite to Rocky. Grace Rocky family. Grace Rocky best friend. Grace understand. Question?”
Grace understood. At this point he was crying again. Rocky always did this, he’d react so strongly then immediately re-orient to helping Grace. It felt so good to know this attitude extended to this feeling Grace had been so confused by his whole life. Rocky understood him. Rocky valued him. Grace felt the same about Rocky. It was the core of their relationship. Grace laid down and let Rocky lay down on top of him, his carapace a weighted blanket to keep Grace safe. To keep Grace loved.
“I understand buddy. Grace love Rocky.”
The response was immediate, “Rocky love Grace.”
That had been emotionally exhausting. Grace felt tired.
“I’m going to go to sleep for a bit ok Rock?”
“Yes, Rocky watch Grace sleep.”
So Grace let himself relax into a peaceful sleep, knowing Rocky would keep him safe and loved, always always always.
I see no reason that they couldn’t also upload his consciousness to an Eridian body, or even genetically modify him to live longer and be able to survive within Erid’s climate with like 10x the amount of time.
You think they ever considered blowing up Venus as a solution to the astrophage problem? Can't dim the sun any further if they cant reproduce. Project use astrophage to explode astrophage nursery.
See i thought it probably would’ve been easier to just genetically engineer a predator or disease for the astrophage considering what we’ve done with bananas and dogs
Really loved how Project Hail Mary played with the “scary alien” tropes with Rocky. The dark, the loud sounds, the way he’s kinda shaped like a spider, but hes not a threat, not an invader or monster like those things usually indicate. All of it is just great.
I find Rocky to be a super fun and interesting way to show aliens. Not humanoid at all, but still intelligent, highly advanced, and not malicious. Just a fantastic and nuanced way to show aliens in a sea of aliens either being mindless monsters or basically a human with a nonhuman skin color.
Grace’s own low opinion of himself making him answer Rocky’s question of “what do you call someone who sacrifices themself for others” with dumb vs his own nature as a teacher making him turn around and input brave because above all he’s still a teacher and he’s committed to giving his students the best of himself and his knowledge is so important to me actually
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