E.T.: The Forgotten Sequel's Narrative Discrepancy
A recent revelation from Steven Spielberg has cast a shadow of contradiction over the established lore of his iconic film, "E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial." In a podcast interview, Spielberg stated that the character Elliott never saw E.T. again, despite a psychic connection. This directly conflicts with an officially sanctioned, albeit largely overlooked, sequel novel from 1985 titled "E.T.: The Book of the Green Planet." This novel, penned by William Kotzwinkle, who also authored the original film's novelization, meticulously details E.T.'s return to his home world and his subsequent endeavors to rejoin Elliott, introducing a narrative arc that diverges significantly from Spielberg's current recollection.
"E.T.: The Book of the Green Planet" picks up immediately after the cinematic conclusion, tracing E.T.'s journey back to his native planet, Brodo Asogi, commonly known as "The Green Planet." Upon his arrival, E.T. faces an unexpected demotion from his esteemed position as a plant biologist to a humble farmer, a consequence of his Earthly adventures. This surprising turn of events sets the stage for E.T.'s poignant longing to return to Elliott, mirroring the alien's initial yearning for home in the film. The novel delves into E.T.'s clandestine efforts to monitor Elliott through their psychic link and his elaborate plan to steal a spaceship to facilitate their reunion.
The book further elaborates on the intricacies of E.T.'s psychic connection with Elliott, portraying E.T. as generating miniature psychic replicas of himself. These ephemeral projections attempt to capture the attention of a now older Elliott, who is engrossed in a budding romance with a classmate. These replicants, however, are not mere apparitions; they possess a tangible quality that leads to their frequent demise through comical and often unfortunate incidents, such as being squashed or disappearing down drains.
Beyond E.T.'s personal tribulations, the novel offers extensive world-building for his home planet. Readers learn that E.T.'s species, the Asogians, are one of several intelligent inhabitants of their world. The planet itself is depicted as a vibrant ecosystem teeming with specialized flora, including giant squash that serve as homes and highly intelligent plants capable of speech. The climactic act of the book involves E.T. and his companions commandeering a colossal flying turnip as their chosen vessel for the journey back to Earth.
Despite the inherent comedic potential of a turnip spaceship, the novel implies that E.T.'s unconventional transport successfully navigates the vastness of space. The story concludes with the turnip-ship venturing into the Milky Way galaxy, strongly suggesting an impending reunion between E.T. and Elliott. This hopeful conclusion stands in stark contrast to Spielberg's recent assertion that such a reunion never occurred, leaving fans to ponder the discrepancy between the director's current narrative and the officially approved literary continuation of E.T.'s story. It raises the question of whether Spielberg has genuinely forgotten this extended narrative, or if his statement alludes to a more somber, unfulfilled ending for E.T.'s journey home.
