Project Hail Mary Champions Platonic Love

Spoilers for Project Hail Mary the book and film.

I’ve become enamored with Project Hail Mary. I’ve read the book, watched the movie, and listen to the soundtrack nearly every day. Ryland Grace, a biologist turned schoolteacher, and Rocky, an alien engineer, constantly invade my thoughts. The two have one of the best friendships I’ve ever seen in media – and that comes from someone who’s consumed a lot of media. It’s because of that friendship that makes Project Hail Mary is so compelling.

The piece isn’t the typical sci-fi flick. The alien doesn’t kill anyone, and there’s no lost lover back on Earth. Instead, we follow a blossoming interspecies friendship as the pair attempt to save their respective planets. And it’s a friendship, only a friendship.

In fact, aside from a singular mention of Grace’s long ago ex, the man exhibits no romantic attraction to any of the other characters. That isn’t to say they experience no attraction to each other. Grace simply appears to have no care for it.

Rather, the man develops several strong platonic bonds through both book and film which illustrates his deep care and love for the world around him. Let’s start with the first: his children, or rather, his students.

Ryland Grace is a middle school science teacher. Just for that he deserves applause since everyone knows how terrible middle schoolers can be. These children give him a purpose, a reason to continue with Project Hail Mary even in times of desolation. He strives to create a future for them – ensure that they’ll grow old in a world where that’s highly unlikely. Grace goes above and beyond for children that aren’t his own, though he views them as such. Like many teachers, he has a strong bond with them, watching as they develop through the dire time that is middle school.

Once he jumps on board with Project Hail Mary, this affinity for strong platonic relationships continues. In the novel, Grace develops a deep relationship with Eva Stratt – the leader behind the Project. The two circle around each other so much that several other characters believe they must be romantically involved, though Grace vehemently denies that.

Grace also works closely with Dimitri Komorov through the development of the Hail Mary ship. He’s a recurring character in the novel, sticking to Stratt and Grace’s sides as the Project develops. The pair joke with each other even as the whole world seems to be crumbling around them.

Carl takes part of Dimtri’s role in the movie adaptation. There are extended scenes of the two experimenting with astrophage together and sharing gleeful moments. Carl is one of the last faces Grace sees on Earth – the face of a man deep in sorrow as Grace is drugged and taken aboard the Hail Mary.

These friendships highlight the loving connections Grace forms. Though he may not have any blood family, he still experiences vast care for those around him. It is in these friendships that he finds light in dark places, where he is lifted up instead of brought down.

No friendship shows that more than that between Grace and Rocky. Two species that statistically should have never met, two soul travellers in deep space, both on the same mission to save their dying stars. Neither individual could have completed the mission alone. They fill in for one another’s gaps, comforting each other in times of need, and even poking fun when the opportunity arises.

Even when Grace has the chance to return to Earth, to live out the rest of his life surrounded by mankind, he makes the decision to give that up to save Rocky. He does this knowing he’ll never touch soil again, never see Stratt or Dimitri or Carl. What he knows is that by turning around he’s saving one the best friends he’s ever had.

Grace and Rocky are the platonic modern day Orpheus and Eurydice, except this time they get their happy ending.

In an environment where it feels like every piece of media has a romantic subplot shoehorned in, it’s refreshing to see platonic love be so celebrated. Ryland Grace, the savior of humanity, doesn’t need a romantic partner to be fulfilled. He has a classroom full of alien children to teach and an alien best friend who loves him just as deeply. That’s enough.