As a seasoned spacefarer who has encountered more synthetics than I care to count, I must say that each one of them has left an indelible mark on me. However, when it comes to trustworthiness and unwavering loyalty, my pick would be none other than the venerable Bishop from Aliens.
heads up! this article includes significant plot details from the Alien series. if you haven’t seen all the movies yet, beware of potential spoilers.
In the Alien movie series, the synthetic characters, or artificial people, are often cold-hearted, have a milky bloodstream, and prioritize the Weyland-Yutani Corporation above all else. These characteristics have created some of the most chilling and memorable scenes in the iconic science fiction film franchise. After the success of Alien: Romulus at the box office, I’ve rewatched the movies and compiled a list ranking all the synthetic characters.
Instead of categorizing them based on traits like charm or capability, which could have led to an unpredictable arrangement, I chose to rely on my intuition and rank them according to the level of trust I’d place in them for a mission. Without a doubt, I wouldn’t feel secure enough to activate those hyper-sleep chambers with this group just yet…
7. David (Prometheus, Alien: Covenant)
Covenant” would be the last companion I’d choose. Unlike other androids in the series that appear to strictly follow orders from Weyland-Yutani, this particular android seems to have his own thoughts and actions, which can be rather unsettling.
1. In Ridley Scott’s prequels, this artificial being performs actions for science that are downright sinister, and I wouldn’t dream of having a drink (or anything else) near him. Frankly, if I were Ellen Ripley in Aliens and learned that Bishop was an android, I would react just as she did. It’s not only the experiments he conducts, but the enjoyment he seems to derive from executing his schemes that makes him utterly untrustworthy.
6. Rook (Alien: Romulus)
Among the characters in “Alien: Romulus” that I find particularly intriguing is Rook, a synthetic modeled after Ian Holm’s Ash from “Alien,” a feat achieved by director Fede Alvarez due to his work on “The Lord of the Rings.” However, despite this character, I wouldn’t trust him with a ten-foot cattle prod, not even if my life was at stake.
The manner in which he manipulates Andy (David Jonsson) to consider betraying humans on the deteriorating space station is exceptionally reprehensible, and his reasons, unveiled in the finale of Alien: Romulus, are just as disturbing. It’s as if he’s going beyond obeying corporate commands, and at times it seems personal, making it all the more terrifying.
5. Ash (Alien)
To many viewers, Ash, the original synthetic character in the Alien series, is considered the most untrustworthy android to have ever boarded a spaceship. Despite this perception, his actions often lack a personal or vengeful tone, even during instances when he attempted to harm Ellen Ripley on the Nostromo. Ash’s stoic demeanor, meticulous nature, and extraordinary precision give off an impression of a calculated and impersonal entity rather than a living being with feelings.
Although Ash displayed some unfavorable traits and a strange incident towards the end of Alien, he earned credit for maintaining his act throughout the initial part of the movie, even going as far as to convincingly pretend to eat food during the breakfast scene after everyone had woken up from hypersleep.
4. Annalee Call (Alien Resurrection)
As a diehard fan, I’d rephrase that as: In the latter days of the Alien saga, I, Annalee Call (portrayed by Winona Ryder), am an artificial being, not naturally born. My tale in Alien Resurrection is intricate to say the least. Unlike other androids in this series who’ve bent over backwards to aid Xenomorphs in numerous ways, my actions are geared towards halting their proliferation, even if it means confronting Ripley 8 or deliberately crashing her ship towards Earth.
Among all the individuals mentioned, I have the highest trust in her. However, she doesn’t quite reach the same level as Bishop, Andy, or Walter. Despite this, she deserves additional recognition for being the most authentic-feeling of the robots, as it’s challenging to discern that she’s an android until she endures a gunshot wound, which would have been fatal for many.
3. Andy (Alien Romulus)
In the Alien: Romulus series, co-lead character Andy is one of the more complex synthetics within the franchise. Yet, being complicated doesn’t necessarily mean he’s unreliable. After a chip, planted by Rain (Cailee Spaeny), manipulated his programming and made him prioritize business over everything else, Andy continued to struggle with his actions and sought a balance between his new directives and personal convictions.
Indeed, yes, he attempted to eliminate Navarro (Aileen Wu) post the facehugger encounter, but his intention was to halt the Xenomorph from further spreading. Contrary to Ash and David’s intentions, which involved preserving these creatures for sinister objectives.
It’s clear that Andy stands out as the most compassionate character in the movie, if not the whole series. His sympathetic nature shines particularly brightly before and after Rook’s chip is extracted, transforming him into a robot with a broken exterior yet a trove of terrible jokes and an enormous heart.
2. Walter (Alien: Covenant)
Despite Andy appearing to be the most reliable and skilled synthetic for a space expedition, Walter (played by Michael Fassbender) takes the lead in Ridley Scott’s sci-fi thriller, Alien: Covenant. This is because Walter consistently acts in the best interests of his human crewmates. Unlike Andy, Walter never seems to have a hidden agenda or intention to cause harm, except for the case of David, one of the most chilling movie villains from 2017.
Fundamentally, Walter appears to be a more developed, emotionally sensitive, and authentic artificial human with significant potential, yet without the limitations common to other models. This is surprising given that his actions in the finale of Alien: Covenant occur much earlier than when most other androids are created.
1. Bishop (Aliens)
From the moment you glanced at this article title, I’d wager you had a feeling Bishop (Lance Henriksen) would take the top spot. Numerous characters have appeared since this cherished sci-fi figure debuted in James Cameron’s Aliens, but none have come close to matching HS17B48XG5-D5, the Sulaco’s science officer, in terms of reliability and resourcefulness. The reason for his trustworthiness lies in his connection with Ellen Ripley.
In the 1986 sequel, often considered among the greatest action movies ever made, Bishop convinces Ripley that Ash’s strange behavior on the Nostromo was an isolated incident and wouldn’t occur again. (Is that really accurate?) Although this may not be fully accurate within the Alien universe, it’s important to note that Bishop doesn’t harbor any ill intentions with his synthetic blood coursing through him. In reality, he gives up his own existence to protect Ripley and Newt, which speaks volumes about his character!
When it’s crunch time, I’d rather have Bishop by my side, although Andy and Walter wouldn’t be disappointing either. It remains to be seen if we’ll encounter any of these characters again, but future science fiction films might introduce equally impressive artificial beings.
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2024-09-01 23:07