The alleged obvious plot hole in Signs isn’t one at all

Spoilers! The twist in the movie Signs is…..

 

 

 

 

Well, there are a few of them. And actually, this isn’t one of them. This isn’t a twist, it’s just a detail about the movie. Anyway: the aliens die by water. It’s not explained why. They just do. They have Wicked Witch of the West syndrome or something. Who knows. but the thing that I’ve seen and heard pointed out about this plot device is that there is no reason aliens who die by water would ever go to a planet that is 80 or 90 or 644% (or whatever it is) water…

 

I have to admit that I smacked my forehead along with everyone else and went “hey yea! that makes no sense!” but only for a minute. Afterward I had a headsmack moment that concluded the exact opposite… Why WOULDN’T they go to a planet that is mostly water? Well, I mean – besides the whole death thing – why would they completely exclude it as a valid conquest?

 

We are basically the opposite creatures in our relation to H2O: We depend on it to live. Yet people willingly live in Arizona and New Mexico… So why should we think any different about an alien species? Plus, we don’t know that they even have a choice in planets. They could have decimated theirs and earth is the only option within a travelable distance or the only one at all. Crazier things have happened… Humans like warmth more than cold but our kind live in Russia and Alaska and Philadelphia (Philly isn’t any colder than any other east coast city. I just don’t want to live there in particular).

 

The thing that makes more sense than the whole “giant oceans” thing is the existence of precipitation on the planet. That one is more difficult to get around than simply not setting up shop on a coastline or flood zone.