History Characters / Alien

** ''TabletopGame/AlienTheRoleplayingGame''

* ''TabletopGame/AlienTheRoleplayingGame''

For an index of the actors and actresses who have their own page on this wiki, see [[UsefulNotes/AlienActors here]].

This is a page listing characters in the ''Franchise/{{Alien}}'' series.

** ''[[Characters/AlienMain Main Characters]]''

*** ''[[Characters/AlienNostromo The Nostromo]]''

*** ''[[Characters/AlienSulaco The USS Sulaco]]''

*** ''[[Characters/AlienFiorina161 Fiorina-161]]''

*** ''[[Characters/AlienPrometheus The Prometheus]]''
** ''[[Characters/AlienOther Other Characters]]''
* Video Games

* ''[[Characters/AlienMain Main Characters]]''
* ''[[Characters/AlienNostromo The Nostromo]]''
* ''Characters/{{Aliens}}''
** ''[[Characters/AlienSulaco The USS Sulaco]]''
* ''Characters/Alien3''
** ''[[Characters/AlienFiorina161 Fiorina-161]]''
* ''Characters/AlienResurrection''
* ''Characters/{{Prometheus}}''
** ''[[Characters/AlienPrometheus The Prometheus]]''
* ''[[Characters/AlienOther Other Characters]]''
* ''Characters/AliensColonialMarines''
* ''Characters/AlienIsolation''

* ''[[Characters/AlienSulaco The USS Sulaco]]''
* ''[[Characters/AlienPrometheus The Prometheus]]''
* ''[[Characters/AlienFiorina161 Fiorina-161]]''

Works with their own pages:

* ''Characters/{{Aliens}}''
* ''Characters/{{Alien 3}}''
* ''Characters/AlienResurrection''
* ''Characters/{{Prometheus}}''

'''Warning: here be heavy spoilerage.'''

[[foldercontrol]]

!![[Franchise/{{Alien}} The franchise in general]]:

[[folder:Ripley]]
!!Ellen L. Ripley
[[quoteright:300:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/ripley_ellen.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:300:''"[[SurvivalMantra You are my lucky star...]]"'']]
->'''Played By:''' Creator/SigourneyWeaver

The primary protagonist and hero--in fact, is ranked #8 on AFI's "Heroes" List--Ripley is probably the most famous character in the franchise aside from the titular xenomorph. Probably the most level-headed member of the crew, demonstrating an impressive amount of bravery and [[TookALevelInBadass taking a few levels in badass]] when dealing with the xenomorph. De-facto leader of the crew on the basis of being the most proactive member.

The sole human survivor of the ''Nostromo'' Incident and the only constant character in the franchise apart from the Xenomorphs, Ripley is awakened from {{h|umanPopsicle}}ypersleep 57 years later. She gets suspended by the Weyland-Yutani company for "questionable judgment" regarding the ship's self-destruction, finds out her daughter died a while ago (well, in the Director's Cut...) and that LV-426, the planet where they encountered the Xenomorphs, is now colonized.

Once the colony predictably loses contact with Earth, Ripley accompanies the BadassCrew of {{Space Marine}}s as a civilian adviser, and finds herself as ''de facto'' leader alongside Corporal Hicks due to unforeseen consequences. In the resulting struggle with the Xenomorphs, Ripley gains more levels in badass and becomes one of the most awesome {{Action Girl}}s in cinema.

'''For tropes relating to the Ripley 8 clone, [[Characters/AlienResurrection see the character page]] for ''Film/AlienResurrection''.'''
----
* ActionGirl: One of the most important and revolutionary in all of cinema.
* ActionMom: Ripley had a biological daughter, Amanda, who died during the 57-year timeskip between the 1st movie and 2nd, and who is also the protagonist of ''VideoGame/AlienIsolation''. Ripley later [[PromotedToParent takes Newt in]] in ''Aliens''... but it doesn't last.
* ActionSurvivor: After her tangle with a Drone, Ripley TookALevelInBadass in the sequels.
* AlwaysSaveTheGirl: Soldiered into the heart of a Xenomorph hive in ''Aliens'' to rescue Newt while it was ''minutes'' away from going nuclear.
* BadassNormal: The original Ripley was only a human but managed to take down a Queen.
* BadassAndChildDuo: With Newt in ''Aliens''.
* BaldWomen: Due to Fury-161 having "a big problem with lice".
* BigNo: Lets one out during especially traumatic events.
* CassandraTruth: When trying to explain the Alien to the likes of Company executives and the prison superintendent at Fury-161, they tend not to believe her warnings of an "eight foot creature with acid for blood".
* CombatPragmatist: Ripley learns to make use of whatever weapons she has at hand.
* DeadpanSnarker: Especially in ''Aliens'' and ''3''. After surviving her first encounter with the Alien, Ripley's snark seems to skyrocket. She essentially has no more time for anyone's bullshit.
* DeathSeeker: in ''Alien 3'', upon learning she's the host of the next Queen.
* DuctTapeForEverything
* FantasticRacism: She's doesn't trust Bishop an inch once she finds out he's an android. She gets over it later.
* FinalGirl: She's the sole survivor of the ''Nostromo'' in ''Alien'', as well as of the military expedition in ''Aliens''.
** [[spoiler: Not quite... Hicks and Bishop also survive the second film, though Ripley is the only one to escape without serious injury.]]
* {{Guile Hero}}ine: Ripley fights using her brain... and whatever weapons she can get her hands on.
* HateAtFirstSight: She instantly despises Bishop due to him being an android due to previous bad experience with artificial persons.
** Though played with in that [[spoiler: he later earns her approval/respect and they become friends.]]
* TheHero: Ripley is sarcastic and bitter, but she's a good person.
* HeroicSacrifice: She throws herself into the prison incinerator to keep the company from getting their hands on a Queen.
* HonorBeforeReason: Hive of monsters? Snarling Alien Queen? Imminent thermonuclear holocaust? Still not gonna stop Ripley from saving Newt.
* HotBlooded: Gets to this point during ''Aliens''.
* ICannotSelfTerminate: Seems to believe this for a while and asks Dillon to help out.
* IGaveMyWord: [[SugarWiki/HeartwarmingMoments "...and hope to die."]]
* JerkWithAHeartOfGold: She can come across as stiff and unlikable in the first movie due to her adherence to the rules, and she can be rather cynical in the sequels. However, there's never any doubt that she's a very heroic and selfless person.
* KindheartedCatLover: She liked the ''Nostromo'''s cat.
* KnightInSourArmour: ''(Wearily)'' ''"You have been in my life for so long, I don't remember anything else."''
* TheLadette: Not as butch as most examples, but it's there.
* MamaBear: Provides the page image.
* MustHaveCaffeine: Most prominently in ''Film/{{Aliens}}'', justified as she has ''not'' slept for one ''second'' in the 36 hours since landing back on LV-426.
* NotSoAboveItAll: She's pretty pragmatic, but not so much that she can just abandon her cat when the ship is about to self-destruct.
* ObstructiveBureaucrat: Initially she comes across as this when she refuses to allow a face-hugged Kane back aboard the Nostromo; company procedure is 24 hours for decontamination. It might seem cold and heartless, but she was doing the right thing trying to institute quarantine.
* OnlySaneMan: In comparison to most of her comrades, she's this.
* ScrewTheMoneyIHaveRules: When Burke tries to tell Ripley how much they can profit from bringing in a Xenomorph.
* TheSpock: It's most apparent in the first film when she comes across as rather cold-hearted, but she never loses a certain ruthless pragmatism.
* SurvivalMantra: ''You are my lucky star...lucky, lucky, lucky...''
* TankTopTomboy: She wears a tank top here and there, and she's certainly a pragmatist and a survivor.
* TeenPregnancy: Gave birth to Amanda when she was nineteen.
* TookALevelInBadass: Or, more accurately, '''levels'''.
* TraumaCongaLine: Her crewmates are killed by a ravenous alien creature and a psychotic android and she learns the company she works for will stop at ''nothing'' to try to acquire said alien creatures for use as bioweapons; she winds up returning to the planet where said alien creature was discovered; her love interest and adopted daughter are killed during cryosleep; she's nearly gang-raped by a bunch of psychopaths; and she learns she's hosting a Queen embryo. Yeah... Ripley's had it rough.
* YouAreInCommandNow: Ripley takes control of the military expedition in ''Aliens'' and the prison in ''3'' solely because she has prior experience fighting the Xenomorphs. She is also a Lieutenant in the Merchant Navy and was third in command of the Nostromo.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:The Aliens]]
! The Aliens / Xenomorphs / Xenomorph [=XX121=]
[[quoteright:300:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/alien_queen_and_drone_100.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:300:An Alien Queen and a Drone.]]
[[quoteright:244:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/aliens_tvtropes_9112.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:244:An Alien Drone close-up.]]

The primary antagonists of the series--the original one is #14 on AFI's "Villains" List--these parasitic extraterrestrials are predatory creatures with no higher goals than the propagation of their species and the destruction of life that could pose a threat. Aliens are vaguely bipedal in form, though they often adopt a more hunched, quadrupedal stance when walking or sprinting. In addition, they integrate the genetic material of their hosts into themselves and as such their adult form varies depending on their host. They have a skeletal, biomechanical appearance and are usually colored in muted shades of black, blue or bronze in the films; the toyline-exclusive Xenomorphs sported various colours.
* The films, comics, and video-games show the following Xenomorphs:
** ''Alien'': Drone Xenomorph (human-born)
** ''Aliens'': Warrior Xenomorph (human-born), Queen Xenomorph (human-born)
** ''Alien 3'': Runner Xenomorph (dog/ox-born), Queen Xenomorph (human-born)
** ''Alien Resurrection'': Xenomorph Drone, Xenomorph Queen (human-born), Newborn (Ripley-born)
* The Expanded Universe includes the following Xenomorphs:
** Kenner toyline: Snake Xenomorph, Night Cougar Xenomorph, Rhino Xenomorph, Bull Xenomorph, Aqua Xenomorph, Panther Xenomorph, Flying Xenomorph Queen, Xenomorph King
** Konami arcade game: Razor Claws Xenomorph, Flying Xenomorph
** Dark-Horse comics: Marine Xenomorph, King Xenomorph, White Xenomorph
** ''Franchise/AlienVsPredator'': Predalien, Praetorian, Ravager, Carrier
** ''VideoGame/MortalKombatX'': Tarkatan Xenomorph (Drone, Warrior, and Praetorian variants), Shokan Xenomorph
----
* AlwaysChaoticEvil: They are extraterrestrial monsters that kill anything in sight. Later movies explain that this is because they are a bioweapon gone out of control. However, their "evilness" varies from film to film. In all appearances they are extremely vicious, but that's mostly due out of predatory instinct rather than actual malicious intent, with them being more akin to wild animals than the typical villainous aliens of science fiction. While the characterization of the Xenomorphs from the second film onwards pinned them as very, ''very'' deadly animals, the first movie portrays the sole Alien as actively malicious. It wordlessly mocks and torments the members of the crew for no reason other than it can, most notably in the climax of the first film, where it has Ripley cornered. Any other Alien would have simply bumrushed it, but the Xeno simply takes his time, eager in savouring Ripley's terror.
* AttackAnimal: The Xenomorphs began as a bioweapon created by the Engineers before they ran amuck.
* AxCrazy: The Newborn comes across as a sadistic freak, namely in his butchering of the Queen and morbid fascination at human blood literally plastered on his hand.
* BatmanCanBreatheInSpace: They appear to be able to function just fine in a vacuum, and it is not clear if they even need to breath.
** The Queen does audibly breathe in {{Film/Aliens}}.
* BewareMyStingerTail: Xenomorphs possess long, segmented tails that resemble spinal columns, tipped by a blade-like stinger that is used to impale prey. Some adaptations, like the novelizations of the movies, also show that their stingers can inject a neurotoxin that paralyzes their victim, allowing them to be easily carried back to the hive for impregnation.
* BigBad: Goes hand in hand with VillainBasedFranchise.
* BloodyMurder: Their blood is a highly corrosive substance that functions like HollywoodAcid when thrown about. Not good to get splashed on anything important. Like your face.
* BlueAndOrangeMorality: Their sense of morality is basically like that of a colony of ants or bees. In other words, protect the queen and expand the colony.
* CainAndAbel: Both the Xenomorphs and the humans [[spoiler:were created by the Engineers, thus making both species siblings in a weird kind of way. However, this trope is deliberately enforced as the engineers created the Xenomorphs in order to wipe out the humans for reasons unknown.]]
* ChestBurster: TropeNamer, as their larval stage incubates within a host's stomach before violently ejecting itself through the sternum.
* ConservationOfNinjutsu: Every time the protagonists are confronted with a ''single'' Xenomorph drone (in the original and third movies), the beast prove basically unstoppable and murders them all one after the other. When confronted with an entire army of them (like in ''Aliens'' and ''Alien IV''), on the other hand, they are usually able to take down several of them, forcing the Xenomorphs to rely on ZergRush. [[JustifiedTrope Then again, there are justification for this]]: the original movie and ''Alien 3'' involve fighting the beast in a closed space, where it can easily hide itself or ambush people, and with no available guns to give an edge against them. Not to mention they are in a ship in the first movie, meaning any bleeding from the alien could doom everybody by damaging it. In the two other movies, the protagonists are using guns, are more adapted to fight and are more numerous themselves.
* CreepyLongFingers: Depending on the specific design of whatever movie they're in their fingers can be terrifyingly long, emphasizing their non-humanness.
* DemBones: The Xenomorphs' exoskeletons are skeletal in appearance, with exposed ribs and pronounced vertebrae.
* DominantSpeciesGenes: While there will be minor differences based on what species the host is, anything impregnated by a Facehugger will always "give birth" to a Xenomorph, sharing the common traits of an eyeless, elongated head; a biomechanical exoskeleton; corrosive, green blood; a [[NestedMouth telescopic pharyngeal jaw]]; and a long, segmented tail tipped with a bladed stinger.
* TheDreaded: They're feared (and with good reason) by everyone who has to face them, and Ripley suffers from {{Catapult Nightmare}}s as a result of the encounter on the ''Nostromo'' and the shuttle.
* EliteMooks: The Drones with ridged cowls, which first appeared in ''Aliens'', are aptly referred to as Warriors in the ExpandedUniverse and director commentary.
* EvilIsBigger: Once the Chest Burster grows, they get huge - the shortest credited actor to play the Alien was 6' 2" (1.88 m).
* EvilIsNotAToy: It's scary how many idiots keep believing they can tame the Aliens and use them as weapons to make profit. Needless too say, it almost always have disastrous results, and they usually are the first to pay for it. Especially egregious as [[spoiler:[[TurnedAgainstTheirMasters they have escaped from their creators' control and killed or harvested them just like everyone else]].]]
* EvilVersusEvil: Whenever they go against the Predators, though the Predators are usually more heroic than the Xenomorphs, since they only hunt prey equal to them.
* EyelessFace: Their iconic, elongated skull lacks eyes. Though in some cases, they have empty, disturbingly human-like eye and nose sockets concealed under their transparent cowl.
* FaceFullOfAlienWingWong: TropeCodifier, being how the Facehuggers implant embryos into hosts.
* FangsAreEvil: Xenomorphs possess teeth that are roughly human in shape, but ''much'' more pointy.
* GodSaveUsFromTheQueen: Ooh boy... the Queen is the largest and most powerful caste.
* GuestFighter: In VideoGame/MortalKombatX. The one in the game has arm blades and pronounced fangs, having hatched from inside a Tarkatan.
* {{Hermaphrodite}}: H.R Giger designed them so that they would be neither male nor female but rather a horrific blend of both sexes. Yes, this even includes the Queen herself. The [[FanNickname Newborn]] was originally going to have visible male and female reproductive organs. However, they were later digitally removed after the director decided they were "too much". Images of the uncensored model can still be found online, for anyone curious to look.
* HiveCasteSystem: The Xenomorphs possess a number of castes that full different roles in the hive:
** The Queen is [[LargeAndInCharge the largest caste]], laying the eggs that build the hive's numbers.
** The Drones, which have smooth heads and are born from humans, do the hunting and hive-building.
** The Warriors, also referred to as Ridged Drones for their ridged heads, are the mature form of normal Drones and the EliteMooks of the hive.
** The [[BadassPrincess Praetorian]] caste, which originated in the '' Aliens versus Predator'' series, are the Queen's bodyguards and are young Queens themselves who either mature from Warriors or are born from special Facehuggers.
** Unique specimens such as the dog/ox-born [[RunningOnAllFours Runner]] in ''3'' and the Predaliens in the ''Alien Versus Predator'' games and films fill in for the Drones and Warriors as needed. In addition, the Predalien in ''[[Film/AliensVsPredatorRequiem Requiem]]'' was stated by WordOfGod to have been a young Queen to boot.
* HiveMind: A bit differently than others. It's made apparent that they can sense one another, like hearing the screams of their Queen, and have some degree of intelligence and intuition, but they're mostly instinctual creatures. Ripley, who's part alien in ''Resurrection'', can sense two of them killing another to escape from their containment.
* TheHypnotoad: Early Dark Horse comics implied that the HiveMind had some kind of subliminal telepathic lure that encouraged people to rationalize getting closer to Xenomorphs, essentially handing them the IdiotBall.
* ItCanThink: Implied to be smarter than the mindless monsters everyone assumes they are.
-->'''Ripley:''' (''Medical is plunged into darkness'') They cut the power...\\
'''Hudson:''' What do you mean ''they'' cut the power? How can they cut the power, man? They're animals!
* LargeAndInCharge:
** The Queen is TyrannosaurusRex-sized, and [[LightningBruiser it's not slow either]].
** The Predalien in ''Requiem'' is also the largest member of the hive that it controls, but combines this with AsskickingEqualsAuthority due to taking that role equally by virtue of being the most aggressive and deadliest Xenomorph around.
* LegoGenetics:
** The Xenomorphs incorporate the genetic material of their hosts into themselves. As such, the human-born Drones and Warriors are largely bipedal, but the dog/ox-born Runner was quadrupedal and lacked dorsal tubes, and the Predator-born Predalien had mandibles and dreadlocks.
** The toy-lines and older games take this UpToEleven; the Xenomorphs in the toyline can come from anything; bulls, cougars, wild boar, rhinoceros, snakes, the list goes on.
* MadeOfIron: The Xenomorphs manage to be both this and MadeOfExplodium at the same time. Their shells are very durable and can shrug off a fair amount of damage unless you're using advanced military-grade weapons. However, once their crunchy shell is breached, they're ''very'' gooey, flinging gore around like it's going out of style. And, as mentioned above, their blood is ''corrosive'', so being in splatter range isn't a good thing.
* MamaBear: The Queen, nasty as she is, is very much like a real mother. She [[UnstoppableRage did not react well]] to the sight of her young getting killed.
* MetamorphosisMonster: The Xenomorphs' life cycle parallels that of insects, going from the serpentine larval "Chestburster" stage to the adult stage in a number of hours. Furthermore, the ridged-cowled Warriors seen in the ''Aliens'', ''Alien: Resurrection'', and ''Film/AliensVsPredatorRequiem'' are the mature form of the smooth-cowled Drones seen in ''Alien'' and ''Alien vs. Predator''. In the expanded universe, some Warriors are able to metamorphose further into the Praetorians, who resemble (and are) miniature Queens.
* MoreDeadlyThanTheMale: There really isn't much evidence that Xenomorphs ''have'' genders, being implicitly asexual or hermaphroditic. However, it's common in the ExpandedUniverse to explicitly describe the huge, powerful Queen as a female and the "Praetorians" or Warriors as males, who mate with the much larger and stronger Queen to help her produce eggs. A Dark Horse novel/comic, "Rogue", involves an attempt by a MadScientist to genetically engineer a "King Alien", the titular Rogue, who is mindlessly violent and aggressive, slaughtering every other Xenomorph it encounters -- until it meets the Queen, which is smaller but smarter, quicker and more agile, quickly tearing the King apart.
* NonMaliciousMonster: They are like animals, they kill and face-rape because it's how they survive and reproduce. Most especially in ''Aliens'', where they are hunting for food and hosts, and trying to protect their nest and eggs. This is averted to hell and back by the Drone in the first movie, which likes to curiously toy with the fears of its prey, like a rapist in the dark.
* NothingIsScarier: A large part of what made them so frightening was because of how ''subtle'' they were, especially in the mechanical/industrial backgrounds the movie took place in. Their manipulation of the environment allowed them to blend in with the dark corridors, making for ever JumpScare a moment of ParanoiaFuel for both the characters and the audience.
* NotSoDifferent: "Get away from her, you bitch." Replace "her" with "them" and you'll get a pretty good idea of what the Queen was probably thinking when Ripley burned her eggs to save Newt. Though to be fair, Ripley gave her a 'warning shot'. The Queen tried to have it both ways, and when one of the eggs opened, Ripley decided all bets were off. Though that's on the basis the Queen could/did command the egg to open: if it just did so because it sensed movement, the Queen was just SOL.
* PrimalStance: The Runner alien - a Drone born from a dog - is quadrupedal and lacks dorsal spines. Other Xenomorphs will [[RunningOnAllFours run on all fours]] as needed.
* SpikesOfVillainy: Their tails, claws, dorsal tubes, and the headdresses of the Queens and Praetorians.
* StarfishAlien: They are biomechanical carnivorous endoparasites with green corrosive blood that assimilate the genetic material of their hosts.
* ToServeMan: The Xenomorphs feed off the deceased bodies of their hosts, and whatever else they catch. Humans seem to be one of their preferred hosts.
* TransformationAtTheSpeedOfPlot: The gestation period of Xenomorph correlates to the precise moment when it will be most dramatic or convenient for an alien to pop out of someone's chest. Hatching can occur almost immediately after the facehugger falls off, or it can take nearly a day. How important said person is to the plot usually determines if it's the former or the latter. Xenomorphs also mature as fast as is convenient.
* YouAreNumberSix: According to the 2014 "Out of Shadows" trilogy of novels, which [=20th=] Century Fox oversaw and has recognized as canon, "Xenomorph [=XX121=]" is [=WY=]'s official designation for the species.
** Also, in the 2010 [=AvP=] game, you play as a Xenomorph ''labeled'' #6, for a literal example of this trope.
* VillainBasedFranchise: They're the titular "alien".
* WallCrawl: The Xenomorphs can cling to walls and ceilings, enabling them to rapidly get around.
* ZergRush: How the aliens attempt to attack the Marines' fortification in the second film. Thanks to the automated sentry guns, it fails.
[[/folder]]

!![[Film/{{Alien}} The first film]]:

[[folder:Nostromo Crew]]
!!The Nostromo Crew
[[quoteright:350:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/AlienCast_491.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350: The crew of the Nostromo. [[note]]Brett, Ash, Kane, Lambert, Dallas, Ripley, Jones the Cat and Parker.[[/note]]]]
->'''Played By''': Veronica Cartwright, Ian Holm, Creator/JohnHurt, Creator/YaphetKotto, Creator/HarryDeanStanton, Tom Skerrit & SigourneyWeaver

The Nostromo is a commercial towing vessel owned by the enormous Weyland-Yutani Corporation. It hauls a massive ore refinery along with 20 millions tons of raw ore. It also has a self destruct sequence and an escape shuttle, The Narcissus. It's manned by seven crew members... and one cat.

* Captain Dallas
* Warrant Officer Ripley
* Navigator Lambert
* Engineering Technician Brett
* Executive Officer Kane
* Science Officer Ash
* Chief Engineer Parker
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Dallas]]
!!Captain Arthur Koblenz Dallas
[[quoteright:300:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/dallas.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:300:''"Standard procedure is to do what the hell they tell you to do!"'']]
->'''Played By:''' Tom Skerritt

The laid-back captain of the Nostromo; he has sole access to Mother, the on-board computer. Despite his nonchalant and casual-seeming attitude, his leadership and decision-making skills become increasingly evident.
----
* TheCaptain: Of the Nostromo.
* CharacterDeath: [[spoiler:Dallas is the third victim of the Alien.]]
* DecoyProtagonist: Tom Skerritt had the first name on the cast list (though he does lead the Jockey investigation), but Ripley's the main protagonist.
* AFatherToHisMen: His absolute refusal to wait the necessary 24-hours before letting Kane in smacks of this.
* IdiotBall: The guy opts to go crawling about in dark, terrifying shafts in order to search for a creature they know absolutely nothing about and which killed one of his crew being born. And he does this ''by himself''. He mainly does it because Ripley volunteered and he insisted to be the bait for the airlock trap. Dallas may also be trying to atone for his failure to stop the alien to this point, especially when he brought it into the ship rather than following proper quarantine procedures. Sure he knows its dangerous to go after the creature, but he is TheCaptain.
* JustFollowingOrders: As he explains to Ripley.
* LaserGuidedKarma: Not that he deserves what happens, but it is partly his fault.
* NiceJobBreakingItHero: Letting the alien into the Nostromo, although he was trying to save Kane.
* TeamDad: Of the Nostromo.
* WrongGenreSavvy: In most other sci-fi films, Dallas' would likely be vindicated in most of his decisions: his desire to leave the planet, the way he ignores standard procedure (Ripley comes across as a cold-hearted ObstructiveBureaucrat initially), his heroic volunteering to go into the vents...but he inhabits a much more cynical universe where ruthlessness is often rewarded. Dallas' attempts at heroism ultimately help nobody.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Lambert]]
!!Navigator Joan Marie Lambert
[[quoteright:300:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/lambert.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:300:''"I say that we abandon this ship! We take the shuttle and just get the hell out of here!"'']]
->'''Played By:''' Veronica Cartwright

The navigator of the Nostromo. Disinclined to taking risks beyond the confines of her console, she resents being chosen as one of the team to explore the derelict, and later angry with Ripley for her decision to leave Kane, Dallas and herself outside of the ship when the facehugger was attached to Kane.
----
* TheChick
* CruelAndUnusualDeath: The last time we see Lambert alive, she's screaming in horror as the Alien's tail slowly works its way between her legs; the scene then cuts to Ripley's point of view as she's listening to all of this transpire on her radio. Suddenly, [[NothingIsScarier Lambert's screams are cut short and everything goes silent.]] We probably dodged a bullet by not seeing what happened to her.
** The book, "Alien: Out of the Shadows" reveals what happened to her: [[spoiler: the alien ripped a hole through her face and hung her from the ceiling]].
* DamselInDistress
* DeadpanSnarker
* DeerInTheHeadlights: Freezes up when she sees the alien near the end of the movie. Unfortunate, as Parker had been trying to hold it off...
* HystericalWoman
* LetsGetOutOfHere: She screams at Dallas to get out of the air shafts over the radio. It doesn't help, since it causes Dallas to panic.
* TheLoad: As mentioned above, she's pretty useless after the dinner scene, save for the fight against Ash, where she finishes him off with the cattle prod.
* NeutralFemale: During the fight between the alien and Parker.
** But, to be fair, she managed to kill Ash when he had Parker pinned and Ripley incapacitated, so she wasn't completely useless after all.
* ScreamingWoman
* SoundOnlyDeath: And possibly the most disturbing in the movie.
* {{Transsexual}}: Supplementary material on one of the box sets for the franchise has the personnel file for her showing her birth sex as "Male".
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Kane]]
!!Warrant Officer Gilbert Ward Kane
[[quoteright:300:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/kane.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:300:''"I do remember some horrible dream...about smothering..."'']]
->'''Played By:''' Creator/JohnHurt

The Executive Officer aboard the Nostromo. During the investigation of the derelict space ship, he incautiously moves to get a closer look at one of the unusual 'pod' forms encountered and from this an unknown life-form (later known as an Ovomorph, or face-hugger) attaches itself to his face and (unknown to him and to the crew) impregnates him with an alien creature.
----
* BurialInSpace
* ButtMonkey: Though he did volunteer to go down into the egg chamber.
* CruelAndUnusualDeath: He is the first to die from a chest burster in the alien series.
* DramaticSpaceDrifting
* MrSeahorse: Though not ''literally'' his child, Kane is still the first man in motion picture history to "give birth" '''onscreen.'''
* NumberTwo: To Dallas, apparently. He would be in charge when Dallas is off the ship, if he hadn't gone along.
* NameOfCain: Yeah, you should have figured this the instant [[spoiler: Ash calls the adult xenomorph "Kane's son" after it takes Brett]].
* NiceJobBreakingItHero: Fiddling with the eggs was a very bad idea.
* TheSmartGuy: He was indicated to be this on his record screen on ''Aliens'' (it indicated he had multiple flight and science majors, but had to drop from one school due to medical treatment abuse). However, he doesn't get to use it to full effect.
* SurprisinglySuddenDeath
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Ash]]
!!Ash
[[quoteright:300:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/ash22.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:300:''"I can't lie to you about your chances, but...[[YouHaveNoChanceToSurvive you have my sympathies]]."'']]
->'''Played By:''' Ian Holm

The Nostromo's inscrutable science officer. He administers medical treatment, conducts biological research and is responsible for investigating any alien life forms the crew may encounter. It is at Ash's insistence that the crew investigates the mysterious signal emanating from LV-426.
----
* AdmiringTheAbomination: A textbook case.
* AIIsACrapshoot: Unless the Company programmed him to be so utterly sadistic towards his human comrades, he's got some serious malfunctions.
* ArtificialHuman: Notably the rest of the crew is surprised that Ash in particular is a robot, but not surprised at the existence of human-appearing robots.
* BigBadEnsemble: At first he may simply seem like an UnwittingInstigatorofDoom with his actions on LV-426, but it later becomes clear he was manipulating from the beginning to ensure the alien would be born and the crew would be unable to fight it until it was too late. In this case, the Company serves as the GreaterScopeVillain, planning to use the alien for their own purposes. He shares the role of BigBad with the Alien, though considering they're both trying to wipe out the crew, they may qualify as a BigBadDuumvirate.
* EvilBrit
* {{Expy}}: As ''Alien'' was always inspired by ''Film/TwoThousandOneASpaceOdyssey'', it stands to reason that Ash is this film's HAL 9000, being a seemingly benevolent machine secretly manipulating events to ensure the death of the crew. The difference between them is that HAL had just [[AIIsACrapshoot gone crazy]], whereas Ash is more or less following orders.
* FaceHeelTurn: It sort of comes across this way, but he was [[TheMole never really on their side to begin with]].
* FauxAffablyEvil: Just look at him gleefully waving at his friends as they march to their doom.
* GoOutWithASmile: Gives one last [[CheshireCatGrin winning smile]] before Ripley yanks out his plug, freezing his expression in place. Then Parker [[KillItWithFire burns the grin off with a flamethrower]].
* ImpaledWithExtremePrejudice: By [[TheLoad Lambert]], no less!
* [[BarbieDollAnatomy Ken Doll Anatomy]]: Ridley Scott says in the DVDCommentary that his assault on Ripley was his attempt at emulating sex, as he lacked the equipment needed.
* LogicBomb: Once found out, Ash drops the facade of being human and starts behaving erratically. Some have theorized that the conflicting orders of "[[ThreeLawsCompliant Do not kill]]" and "Bring back lifeform, all other priorities rescinded" proves too much for him.
* LosingYourHead: His crewmates knock his head off, but it's still capable of spouting exposition if you hotwire it.
* MadDoctor: He seems more interested in his specimen than in general safety.
-->'''Ripley:''' You're ''still'' collating?!
* MarionetteMotion: After sustaining damage, he starts spinning like a top and making insane whirring noises.
* TheMole: Ash was placed on the ship specificially to ensure Special Order 937 was carried out.
* MrExposition
* MyDeathIsJustTheBeginning: Losing his head doesn't stop Ash from filling his role as MrExposition, nor does his permanent deactivation do much to hamper his mission of bringing back the alien alive.
* NotQuiteDead: Parker breathes easy once the android is decapitated.. only for it to rear back up and come at him with karate-hands.
* PercussiveMaintenance: "Ash, can you hear me?" ''(SMACK!!)''
* ReliableTraitor
* RememberTheNewGuy: Dallas told Ripley he went out with another Science Officer in five of his previous trips. Said officer was replaced with Ash two days before the ''Nostromo'' took off from Thedus (the planet the ship received the ore refinery from) on their trip to Earth.
* RoboticReveal: A milky substance from his forehead after Ripley throttles him.
* TheSmartGuy: Well duh, he is the scientist.
* TheSocialDarwinist: There's a definite element of this to his admiration of the Alien.
-->''"I admire its purity. A survivor. Unclouded by conscience, remorse, or delusions of morality."''
* [[YouHaveNoIdeaWhoYoureDealingWith You Have No Idea What You're Dealing With]]: Or so he says to the crew.
-->''"You still don't understand what you're dealing with, do you? Perfect organism. Its structural perfection is matched only by its hostility."''
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Parker]]
!!Engineer Dennis Monroe Parker
[[quoteright:250:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/TropeParker_7510.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:250:''"I'm not for drawing straws. I'm up for killing that god-damned thing right now."'']]
->'''Played By:''' Creator/YaphetKotto

The chief engineer aboard the ship, with Brett as his assistant. Assertive and acerbic, he is a dauntless complainer and, abetted by his sidekick Brett, demands more money for investigating the alien transmission. Occasionally at odds with Ripley, his respect for her resourcefulness and plans to combat the growing crisis prevails.
----
* TheBigGuy: Of the crew. He's technically the GeniusBruiser since he's the Chief Engineer; he makes flamethrowers for himself and Dallas.
* BlackBestFriend: To Brett.
* BlackDudeDiesFirst: {{Averted|Trope}}. [[spoiler:He is the second-to-last to die.]]
* DeadpanSnarker: He takes the lead in snark.
-->''"We ain't outta here in ten minutes, we won't need no rocket to fly through space."''
* HeroicSacrifice: [[spoiler:Despite likely knowing that he couldn't physically match the Alien, he tries to save Lambert by attacking it. Unfortunately, it's a SenselessSacrifice due to Lambert's fear.]]
* JerkWithAHeartOfGold: Parker is loud-mouthed, greedy and sarcastic but he's a good man at heart. [[spoiler:Notably he's devastated by Brett's death and tries his utmost to save Lambert.]]
* OnlyInItForTheMoney: Much like Brett. He doesn't even entertain the possibility of investigating the distress signal without a discussion of a possible reward.
-->''"I hate to bring this up but, uh, this a commercial ship, not a rescue ship...and it's not in my contract to do this kind of duty. Now what about the money? If you wanna give me some money to do it, I'll be happy to, uh, t-to, you know, oblige."''
* OnlySaneMan: He frequently voices the rational approach to a situation. Parker and Ripley ought to get along better.
* RoaringRampageOfRevenge: [[spoiler:Following Brett's death, Parker quickly becomes the most passionate voice calling for the death of the Alien.]]
-->''"I'm not drawing any straws. I'm for killing that goddamn thing right now!"''
* ThoseTwoGuys: With Brett, his employee and friend. They're always seen together [[spoiler:until Brett's death.]]
* TokenMinority: Parker is the only non-white crew member.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Brett]]
!!Engineer Samuel Elias Brett
[[quoteright:300:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/brett.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:300:''"[[{{Catchphrase}} Right.]]"'']]
->'''Played By:''' Creator/HarryDeanStanton

-->"''You see, Mr. Parker and I feel that the bonus situation has never been on a-an equitable level.''"

An engineering technician on board the Nostromo and a good friend of his engineering chief, Parker. As a 'regular working Joe', he persistently angles for the increased pay and bonus awards he feels are due.
----
* ButtMonkey: He's the lowest on the totem pole, as evidenced by the crew's dismissive treatment of him. He's also the one sent off all alone to chase the cat.
* CatchPhrase: "Right". {{Lampshade|Hanging}}d by Parker and Ripley.
-->'''Ripley:''' Whenever he says *anything* you say "right," Brett, you know that?
-->'''Brett:''' Right.
-->'''Ripley:''' Parker, what do you think? Your staff just follows you around and says "right". Just like a regular parrot.
-->'''Parker:''' ''[laughs]'' Yeah, shape up. What are you some kind of parrot?
-->'''Brett:''' Right.
* CharacterDeath: [[spoiler:Brett has the dubious honor of being the first victim of the full-grown Alien. While searching for Jones the cat, he stumbles upon the Alien and is subsequently taken by it.]]
* DeerInTheHeadLights: When the Alien first reveals itself, Brett is frozen in place. He clearly has no idea just what the hell he's looking at, and is transfixed in fascination and horror.
* ImpaledWithExtremePrejudice: [[spoiler:The Alien kills him this way, with it's inner mouth.]]
* NiceHat: Brett's usually seen wearing a baseball cap. He only takes it off to get cool from some condensation.
* OnlyInItForTheMoney: Like Parker, he'll take any chance to chime in if he thinks there's an opportunity to inflate his paycheck.
* ThoseTwoGuys: With Parker, his co-worker and friend. They're always seen together, usually complaining about something or other. [[spoiler:Coincidentally, when Brett does go to do something by himself he gets killed by the Alien.]]
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Jones]]
!!Jones the Cat
->'''Played By:''' Cats

--''"Hiiiiisssssss!!"'' ''[as he saw the beast that slowly rose behind Brett]''

The ship's pet, and the only non-human to survive the movie (and ''Aliens'' too). Ripley is particularly attached to him, even going back to retrieve him before leaving the ''Nostromo''.
----
* [[InfantImmortality Animal Immortality:]] He gets left behind with the Alien when Ripley flees. The Alien inspects it curiously, but thankfully doesn't kill Jonesy.
* CatScare: Just how did Jones get into that locker in the first place?
* DamselInDistress: Former {{Trope Namer|s}}.
* [[OnlySaneMan Only Sane Cat:]] Jones is the only one who can naturally sense when the Xenomorph is present and basically tries to alert the crew of the Nostromo when the Xenomorph is nearby.
* SoleSurvivor: The only creature on the Nostromo to ''not'' die an eventual xenomorph-related death.
* TeamPet: For the crew of the Nostromo. [[AllThereInTheManual External materials]] say that Dallas had him officially exempted from the company's no-pet policy by registering him as needed for vermin control. However, since most vermin would be killed being outside of shielded cryopods during [=FTL=] translation, this was just an excuse to allow him.
* [[WhatHappenedToTheMouse What Happened to the Cat?]]: Jones doesn't show up anymore after the first arc of the second movie. Ripley tells him he's staying there while she leaves for the colony with the marines, so presumably she left him with someone else while she was away (she had expected to come back, after all). If so, then Jones has the happiest ending of any of the characters in either of the first two movies.
* [[EvilDetectingDog Xenomorph-Detecting Cat]] Jones is the only member of the Nostromo crew who can naturally sense the Xenomorph. Sadly, Brett doesn't take warning to Jones' sudden bout of hissing.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Mother]]
!!MU-TH-UR A.K.A. "Mother"
->'''Played By:''' Helen Horton

* AIIsACrapshoot: [[spoiler:Averted. Ripley actually misses the deadline to abort the self-destruct sequence by several seconds. Mother clearly announces "The option to override detonation procedure has now expired" while Ripley is still going through the [[NoOSHACompliance ridiculously complicated abort procedure.]] She tries to convince Mother that the units are back on, but it's too late. The ship's reactors are overloading at that point and nothing can stop it.]]
** [[spoiler:Subverted in that Mother was complicit with Ash in carrying out Special Order 937, even though she never actively tried to hurt the ''Nostromo'''s crew.]]
* SapientShip: Averted. The best it can do is answer questions and react. Much of it's time is spent "collating".
[[/folder]]

* IAmNotShazam: The term "xenomorph" was originally just intended as a throwaway and deliberately cumbersome term for a generic alien life form (the word "Xenomorph" means "alien form" in Greek) whose only purpose was to show up Gorman for being an officious twat. But, because the aliens' species never got a name of their own, first expanded universe writers and then fans decided "xenomorph" must refer to that species specifically, and so started referring to them as such.

** Also, in the 2010 AvP game, you play as a Xenomorph ''labeled'' #6, for a literal example of this trope.

! The Aliens / Xenomorphs/Xenomorph [=XX121=]

The primary antagonists of the series--the original one is #14 on AFI's "Villains" List--these parasitic extraterrestrials are predatory creatures with no higher goals than the propagation of their species and the destruction of life that could pose a threat. Aliens are vaguely bipedal in form, though they often adopt a more hunched, quadrupedal stance when walking or sprinting. In addition, they integrate the genetic material of their hosts into themselves and as such their adult form varies depending on their host. They have a skeletal, biomechanical appearance and are usually colored in muted shades of black, blue or bronze in the films; the toyline-exclusive Xenomorphs sported various colours. The films, comics, and video-games show the following Xenomorphs:
* ''Alien'': Drone Xenomorph (human-born)
* ''Aliens'': Warrior Xenomorph (human-born), Queen Xenomorph (human-born)
* ''Alien 3'': Runner Xenomorph (dog/ox-born), Queen Xenomorph (human-born)
* ''Alien Resurrection'': Xenomorph Drone, Xenomorph Queen (human-born), Newborn (Ripley-born)
** And the Expanded Universe includes the following Xenomorphs:
* Kenner toyline: Snake Xenomorph, Night Cougar Xenomorph, Rhino Xenomorph, Bull Xenomorph, Aqua Xenomorph, Panther Xenomorph, Flying Xenomorph Queen, Xenomorph King
* Konami arcade game: Razor Claws Xenomorph, Flying Xenomorph
* Dark-Horse comics: Marine Xenomorph, King Xenomorph, White Xenomorph
* ''Franchise/AlienVsPredator'': Predalien, Praetorian, Ravager, Carrier
* ''VideoGame/MortalKombatX'': Tarkatan Xenomorph (Drone, Warrior, and Praetorian variants), Shokan Xenomorph

* GuestFighter: In VideoGame/MortalKombatX. [[spoiler: The one in the game has arm blades, having hatched from inside a Tarkatan]].

** The [[BadassPrincess Praetorian]] caste, which originated in the '' Aliens versus Predator'' game, are the Queen's bodyguards and are young Queens themselves who either mature from Warriors or are born from special Facehuggers.
** Unique specimens such as the dog/ox-born [[RunningOnAllFours Runner]] in ''3'' and the Predaliens in the ''Alien Versus Predator'' games and films fill in for the Drones and Warriors as needed. The Predalien in ''[[Film/AliensVsPredatorRequiem Requiem]]'' was stated by WordOfGod to have been a young Queen to boot.

* LegoGenetics: They incorporate the genetic material of their hosts into themselves. As such, the human-born Drones and Warriors are largely bipedal, but the dog/ox-born Runner was quadrupedal and lacked dorsal tubes, and the Predator-born Predalien had mandibles and fleshy dreadlocks.
** The towlines and older games take this UpToEleven; the Xenomorphs in the toyline can come from anything; bulls, cougars, wild boar, rhinoceros, snakes, the list goes on.

* {{Metamorphosis}}: The Xenomorphs' life cycle parallels that of insects, going from the serpentine larval "Chestburster" stage to the adult stage in a number of hours. Furthermore, the ridged-cowled Warriors seen in the ''Aliens'', ''Alien: Resurrection'', and ''Film/AliensVsPredatorRequiem'' are the mature form of the smooth-cowled Drones seen in ''Alien'' and ''Alien vs. Predator''. In the expanded universe, some Warriors are able to metamorphose further into the Praetorians, who resemble (and are) miniature Queens.

* YouAreNumberSix: According to the 2014 "Out of Shadows" trilogy of novels, which [=20th=] Century Fox oversaw and has recognized as canon, "Xenomorph [=XX121=]" is [=WY=]'s the official designation for the species.

The primary antagonists of the series--the original one is #14 on AFI's "Villains" List--these parasitic extraterrestrials are predatory creatures with no higher goals than the propagation of their species and the destruction of life that could pose a threat. Aliens are vaguely bipedal in form, though they often adopt a more hunched, quadrupedal stance when walking or sprinting. In addition, they integrate the genetic material of their hosts into themselves and as such their adult form varies depending on their host. They have a skeletal, biomechanical appearance and are usually colored in muted shades of black, blue or bronze in the films; the toyline-exclusive Xenomorphs sported various colours. The films show the following Xenomorphs:
* ''Alien'': Xenomorph Drone (human-born)
* ''Aliens'': Xenomorph Warrior (human-born), Queen Xenomorph (human-born)

* {{Hermaphrodite}}: H.R Giger designed them so that they would be neither male nor female but rather a horrific blend of both sexes. Yes, this even includes the Queen herself.
** The [[FanNickname Newborn]] was originally going to have visible male and female reproductive organs. However, they were later digitally removed after the director decided they were "too much". Images of the uncensored model can still be found online, for anyone curious to look.

** Drone aliens, which have smooth vowels and are born from humans, do the hunting and hive-building.
** The Ridged Drones, often referred to as Warriors, are the EliteMooks of the hive.
** The [[BadassPrincess Praetorian]] caste, which originated in the '' Aliens versus Predator'' game, are the Queen's bodyguards and either mature from Warriors or are born via special Facehuggers.
** Unique specimens such as the dog/ox-born [[RunningOnAllFours Runner]] in ''3'' and the Predalien in ''[[Film/AliensVsPredatorRequiem Requiem]]'' (stated by WordOfGod to have been a young Queen to boot) fill in for the Drones and Warriors as needed.

* LegoGenetics: They incorporate the genetic material of their hosts into themselves. As such, the human-born drones are largely bipedal, but the dog/ox-born Runner was quadrupedal and lacked dorsal tubes, and the Predator-born Predalien had mandibles and fleshy dreadlocks.
** The toylines take this UpToEleven; the Xenomorphs in the toyline can come from anything; bulls, cougars, wild boar, rhinoceros, snakes, the list goes on.
* MadeOfIron[=/=]MadeOfExplodium: Manage to be both at the same time. Their shells are very durable and can shrug off a fair amount of damage unless you're using advanced, military-grade weapons. However, once their crunchy shell is breached, they're ''very'' gooey, flinging gore around like it's going out of style. And, as mentioned above, their blood is ''corrosive'', so being in splatter range isn't a good thing.

* {{Metamorphosis}}: The Xenomorphs' life cycle parallels that of insects, going from the serpentine larval "chestburster" stage to the adult stage in a number of hours. Furthermore, the ridged-cowled Warriors seen in the ''Aliens'', ''Alien: Resurrection'', and ''Film/AliensVsPredatorRequiem'' are the mature form of the smooth-cowled Drones seen in ''Alien'' and ''Alien vs. Predator''.

* NonMaliciousMonster: They are like animals, they kill and face-rape because it's how they survive and reproduce. Most especially in ''Aliens'', where they are hunting for food and hosts, and trying to protect their nest and eggs.
** Averted to hell and back by the Drone in the first movie, which likes to curiously toy with the fears of its prey, like a rapist in the dark.

* HiveCasteSystem: The Queen Alien is LargeAndInCharge, with the human-born Drone aliens doing the hunting and hive-building. The Ridged Drones, often referred to as Warriors, are the EliteMooks of the hive, and in the EU a [[BadassPrincess Praetorian]] caste pops up as well. Unique specimens such as the dog/ox-born [[RunningOnAllFours Runner]] in ''3'' and the Predalien in ''[[Film/AliensVsPredatorRequiem Requiem]]'' (stated by WordOfGod to have been a young Queen to boot) fill in as needed.

** The Predalien in ''Requiem'' is also the largest member of the hive that it controls, but combines this with AsskickingEqualsAuthority due to taking that role equally by virtue of being the most agressive and deadliest Xenomorph around.

* YouAreNumberSix: According to the 2014 "Out of Shadows" trilogy of novels, with 20th Century Fox oversaw and has recognized as canon, "Xenomorph [=XX121=]" is [=WY=]'s the official designation for the species.
** Also, in the classic AvP game, you play as a Xenomorph ''labeled'' #6, for a literal example of this trope.

* AIIsACrapshoot: [[spoiler:When Ripley attempts to abort the self-destruct sequence, Mother refuses to acknowledge the cooling system has been activated in the nick of time, and is giving priority to the denotation sequence she initiated. Averted. Ripley actually misses the deadline by several seconds. Mother clearly announces "The option to override detonation procedure has now expired" while Ripley is still going through the [[NoOSHACompliance ridiculously complicated abort procedure.]] She tries to convince Mother that the units are back on, but it's too late. The ship's reactors are overloading at that point and nothing can stop it.]]

* GuestFighter: In VideoGame/MortalKombatX. [[spoiler: The one in the game has arm blades, having hatched from inside a Tartakan]].

* HiveCasteSystem: The Queen Alien is LargeAndInCharge, with the human-born Drone aliens doing the hunting and hive-building. The Ridged Drones, often referred to as Warriors, are the EliteMooks of the hive, and in the EU a [[BadassPrincess Praetorian]] caste pops up as well. Unique specimens such as the dog/ox-born [[RunningOnAllFours Runner]] in ''3'' and the Predalien in ''[[Film/AlienVsPredator Requiem]]'' (stated by WordOfGod to have been a young Queen to boot) fill in as needed.

* {{Metamorphosis}}: The Xenomorphs' life cycle parallels that of insects, going from the serpentine larval "chestburster" stage to the adult stage in a number of hours. Furthermore, the ridged-cowled Warriors seen in the ''Aliens'', ''Alien: Resurrection'', and ''Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem'' are the mature form of the smooth-cowled Drones seen in ''Alien'' and ''Alien vs. Predator''.

** Though played with in that [[spoiler: he later earns her approval and they become friends.]]

* EyelessFace: Their iconic, elongated skull lacks eyes. Though in some cases, they have empty eye and nose sockets concealed under their transparent cowl.