Explained: What is the significance of the Prometheus Ship in 1899?

The ship Prometheus is one of the biggest lurking mysteries surrounding the still-lance portion of the show, which is planned to last for multiple seasons in the future. Named after the Greek god who stole fire and gave it to humanity, the ship's name and metaphorical significance are both important elements of the first season of 1899. In fact, this vessel has been one of the most pivotal recurring elements in the storyline of the show.

Warning: This article contains spoilers.

Read on for more details about the 1899 ship Prometheus.

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1899: What did the Prometheus signify in the show?

Prometheus is one of the most debated topics amongst the passengers of the original ship that we follow in the film. "Kerberos" is another Greek mythology-inspired vessel name with a mythological meaning that passengers talk about as it is also shrouded in mystery. Since the beginning of 1899, passengers have often been seen mentioning the lost ship named Prometheus, which allegedly disappeared four months before the events of the show with all its crew and passengers.

Coming to the significance of Prometheus, it is a vessel named after the Greek god who has a strong tale of his own. Prometheus was the Greek god of fire. He stole fire from the gods and gave it to humans, who used it to build civilizations, much to the dissatisfaction of Zeus, the king of the gods.

Prometheus was severely punished for his actions. The eagle would consume his liver every day as he was imprisoned to a rock for all time, causing him unending suffering. In addition, his liver would regrow every day, subjecting him to suffering in the same manner for all of eternity. The last episode showed that the ship's name, Prometheus, may possibly be a result of this never-ending cycle of suffering.

The final episode revealed that the ship never really existed and it was all a simulation created by a grieving Maura (Emily Beecham) to spend more time with her son. But because it was a simulation, it would not last forever or be an ideal replacement in the real world. So, with knowledge, Maura also suffered the same fate of reliving torture that would last in an endless loop but would never be real for her, making her much like the Greek god who was trapped the same way.

Apart from this, the other 1899 vessel, Kerberos, was also named after the Greek monster dog, Cerberus, who guarded the gates of the Underworld. Metaphorically, this other ship was a prison for all the passengers in there, guarding them against escaping, much like Cerberus would.

The ending of 1899 saw Prometheus being sucked into the great whirlpool in the sky, ending its story. There may be more of this ship in the later seasons of the show.

All the episodes of 1899 are now streaming on Netflix.