As a seasoned space-faring biologist who’s faced my fair share of interstellar terrors, I must say that the Xenomorph species is one for the history books. The life cycle of these creatures, starting from the spore-like motes to the fearsome Neomorphs, is nothing short of terrifying.
1979 saw director Ridley Scott introduce a terror that seemed to leap from our darkest dreams onto the screen. The movie “Alien” introduced the Xenomorph to audiences worldwide, and since its initial release, the “Alien” series has continued to captivate us with various incarnations of this iconic monster. Each film strives to surpass its predecessors in creating a fresh take on the infamous creature, resulting in some of the most indelible movie monsters ever conceived.
Instead of listing them in order from worst to best based on their destructiveness and effectiveness as apex predators, we can rank the Xenomorphs from the Alien movies by assessing how difficult they are to defeat and how likely they are to cause harm. The more challenging they are to kill and the greater the threat they pose to human life, the higher their position on this list will be. Here’s our ranking of all the Xenomorphs from the Alien series, arranged from least to most dangerous:
Ovomorph and Facehugger
In the “Alien” series, the initial phase of a Xenomorph’s lifecycle is known as the Ovomorph, or egg, laid by a Queen. Despite being harmless at first glance, tampering with one can lead to an extremely unpleasant day. The Ovomorph seems dormant and harmless, but its exterior belies the truth within. Enclosed within the Ovomorph lies a Facehugger, the second stage of a Xenomorph’s development.
In an Alien egg (Ovomorph), there’s a creature called a Facehugger that waits in ambush. When it detects a possible host approaching, it springs open and the Facehugger swiftly latches onto the host. This creature then implants an embryo of the Xenomorph into the host’s chest. A Facehugger doesn’t have any other way to attack, but it won’t let go until it finishes its job. Unfortunately for the host, this process is both lethal and inescapable. Once the Facehugger completes its task, it dies, having contributed to the death of only one individual – the host – and leaving behind the deadly Ovomorph that hatched it.
Chestburster
The third stage of the Xenomorph is often referred to as a Chestburster because it bursts out violently from its host. After some hours, an embryo implanted by a Facehugger grows into a small creature. When this creature has grown enough to survive outside its parasitic home, it forcefully emerges through the chest of its host, usually appearing just beneath the ribcage in humans. This emergence is extremely violent and may require several attempts before success. Once out, the Chestburster causes the death of one victim.
As a devoted fan, I must say, the initial host for the Xenomorph isn’t always its final one because, after a while, a Chestburster metamorphoses. Before maturity sets in, these creatures tend to vacate the immediate vicinity and find hiding spots where they can conceal themselves. This is crucial because, being newly born, they are extremely vulnerable. During this phase of rapid growth, a Chestburster transforms from approximately one foot tall into a towering mature Xenomorph. It’s worth noting that while they might harm or eliminate a human during this transformation period, they usually manage to stay out of sight, which is why they rank lower on our list of threats.
Bloodburster
In the usual life cycle of a Xenomorph, the third phase bursts out of its host’s chest. However, there’s a different kind that opts for a different escape route. In “Alien: Covenant”, a new variant of Xenomorph is introduced, and though it shares similarities with other members of its species, its growth process varies. Rather than eggs hatching Facehuggers, the Bloodburster is birthed by microscopic particles, which erupt from egg sacs.
These tiny organisms penetrate a host through various openings and plant an embryo that transforms into something distinct from the typical Chestburster. When fully grown, the Bloodburster bursts out of its host by whatever means is most convenient. The method of implantation determines this. In “Covenant”, one such creature exits Ledward’s back in a gruesome manner, ripping through his spinal cord and brutally ending the host’s life.
A Bloodburster resembles its fully developed form more than a Chestburster does. Upon birth, it can move around on all fours and is both offensive and defensive. It boasts pale, white skin, and the characteristics it inherits from its host change based on how it emerges. The Bloodburster that came out of Ledward’s spine had dorsal fins, but the one that burst through Hallet’s mouth displayed distinct characteristics.
Royal Facehugger
A Facehugger poses lethal danger to an individual when it attaches and implants its offspring within them. Once this process is complete, the Facehugger ceases to be hazardous (except for its corrosive blood). Normally, you could discard it in the trash without further concern; however, that’s not applicable to the Regal Facehugger. As the title suggests, a Regal Facehugger differs from the common type by implanting a Queen embryo instead of a Worker, but there are additional distinctions as well.
The Royal Facehuggers are slightly larger in size and equipped with armor, sport webbed fingers, and bear a tail with a blade. These characteristics seem to be for the protection of the embryo they carry. Compared to their standard counterparts, these creatures are more dangerous because of these differences. Furthermore, what distinguishes the Royal Facehuggers is their unique ability to implant multiple embryos, thereby infecting several hosts at once.
After placing the Queen’s egg, it then searches for another suitable host to insert a standard embryo, thus creating a protective entourage for the Queen. It is important to note that any being who receives an implant meets an untimely demise upon emergence, which makes Royal Facehuggers remarkably lethal compared to their kin. In the “Alien 3” Special Edition, a brief scene shows how Ripley was infected by a Royal Facehugger.
Trilobite
In “Prometheus”, we get a unique perspective on the Xenomorph species, exploring how they were engineered by the Engineers. The film depicts not just any Xenomorph, but rather a precursor species to them, sharing some distinct characteristics. The story unfolds when a creature called a Trilobite emerges after a complex sequence of events. After character Charlie Holloway comes into contact with substance A0-3959X.91, also known as the black goo, he subsequently has sexual intercourse with Elizabeth Shaw. This act causes an embryo to develop inside Shaw’s chest cavity.
Instead of resembling pregnancy, Shaw visits the medical bay to remove a quickly expanding Trilobite before it bursts out and endangers her life. She manages to do so successfully. After extraction, the Trilobite continues to thrive. Like a Facehugger, its function involves implanting an embryo into a host.
Following its full growth, the Trilobite selects an Engineer as a suitable host. Despite valiant efforts to resist, the Engineer struggles but ultimately cannot prevent the colossal creature from embedding an embryo onto him, marking the start of the process. Once the embryo reaches maturity, it hatches into a Deacon – a precursor species to the Xenomorph, as seen at the end of “Prometheus.”
Drone
In the sci-fi thriller “Alien,” a lone Xenomorph creature terrorizes the crew of the spaceship USCSS Nostromo, leaving only Ellen Ripley alive. She then ejects the beast into outer space and falls asleep in cryostasis for her return voyage to Earth. The movie introduced the Xenomorph species and depicted a significant portion of its life cycle. The creature shown in the film is known as a Drone, which represents the fourth stage in the life cycle of a Xenomorph.
In the Alien franchise, Drones are the most frequently encountered type of Xenomorph. They usually stand around 7 to 8 feet tall, but with their tail blades, they reach approximately 16 feet in length. Contrary to popular belief from the “Alien” movie where it primarily hunted the crew, a Drone’s primary role is maintaining the hive. This includes constructing tunnels and protecting the Queen from any potential threats.
Moreover, it’s not only that Drones can be lethal; they often perform a different role. When there exists a Queen, a Drone may carry a potential host back to the nest and encase them in a cocoon. This process allows for a Facehugger to later implant them. Drones are skilled at remaining inconspicuous and pose a significant threat. Their bloodstreams are under pressure, causing their acidic blood to spray out upon injury, effectively destroying anything it touches.
Newborn
In “Alien: Resurrection,” advancements in cloning technology allowed for unique versions of the Xenomorph species to emerge. The plot centers around the resurrection of Ellen Ripley, who had died with a Queen embryo implanted within her at the end of “Alien 3.” This cloning process produced a Queen carrying human genetic material, which in turn led to a novel reproductive cycle characterized by pregnancy and live birth.
When the queen alien produces an offspring, it’s usually just one, often called a Newborn. This Newborn develops an immediate bond with Ripley8, its clone, and becomes aggressive towards the queen who gave birth to it. In a swift, deadly gesture, the Newborn tears off the queen’s head with a swipe of its hand, effectively killing her. Following this violent act, the Newborn recognizes Ripley8 as its parent and moves towards her in a manner reminiscent of an infant seeking its mother.
This newly hatched creature bears a striking resemblance to humans compared to typical Xenomorphs, towering almost double the height of its kin. Unlike them, it doesn’t undergo the same life cycle; instead, it emerges fully grown and matured from the Queen. Furthermore, this newborn seems to exhibit greater intelligence than other Xenomorphs and displays various emotions. If it had lived, it could have evolved into a formidably dangerous being.
Offspring
In the movie “Prometheus,” a chemical called A0-3959X.91 – 15 is depicted as extremely mutagenic, causing the emergence of new species upon infection. The Weyland-Yutani Corporation exploited this alien pathogen to create a mutagenic agent named Z-01 for enhancing their mining workers’ physiology. As one might guess, meddling with alien goo can lead to some serious consequences. In the blockbuster “Alien: Romulus,” character Kay Harrison administers Z-01 to treat her wounds, but the outcome is terrifying. Unlike in traditional mutation scenarios, Z-01 doesn’t alter Harrison herself, instead causing her unborn child to metamorphose into a unique Xenomorph-human hybrid called the Offspring.
Romulus,” Rain Carradine managed to expel the creature into the void of space, but its ultimate fate remains uncertain.
Deacon
In the universe of “Prometheus,” I, a fan, found that the initial Xenomorph, or Deacon as it’s often called, has life stages quite distinct from its kin, yet there are undeniable similarities. Though they may seem dissimilar, each stage is merely a progression towards what could be the creature’s ultimate form. After an Engineer engaged in combat with a Trilobite, he was unknowingly infected with a Deacon embryo, setting forth the life cycle of this fascinating creature.
Following several hours, a Deacon was seen exiting from an Engineer. Unlike later members of its kind, this Deacon emerged fully grown. It’s speculated that the Deacon might not be the final phase in the proto-Xenomorph’s life cycle, so another one may surface at some point. For now, our knowledge about the Deacon is limited to what we can gather from the ending scene of “Prometheus.”
A Deacon shares some resemblance with the Xenomorph, as both share characteristics with their related species. However, unlike the Xenomorph, the Deacon’s head doesn’t have an extra jaw and its two sets of teeth aren’t aligned in the same way. The Deacon also has a similar color pattern, but it does not possess the tail that is common among Xenomorphs. Interestingly, hybrids are often without a long tail like this.
Praetomorph
In “Alien: Covenant,” the synthetic David conducts genetic experiments on a substance named Chemical A0-3959X.91 – 15, with the intention of creating a Xenomorph. He uses sketches left behind by the Engineers as a guide, and his creation resembles the Xenomorph, although it differs slightly from the original. Once David successfully develops this new species, he sets loose the Praetomorph on the USCSS Covenant, leading to predictable consequences.
Following the successful production of numerous Ovomorphs housing Praeto-Facehuggers, David’s experiment leads to the infection of two members from the Covenant team. This infection gives rise to the first two Praetomorphs, resembling Xenomorphs but with distinct variations. The Praetomorphs created by David have longer limbs than regular Xenomorphs and lack any biomechanical characteristics.
Praetomorphs are slender creatures without skin that show their muscles, making them stronger than Xenomorphs but less intelligent. They grow at an astonishing rate, with their young maturing rapidly into adults. When fully grown, a Praetomorph transforms into a Stalker, marking the end of its life cycle. Unfortunately, David didn’t complete his experiment, so no Queens were created, despite his wish to do so.
Romulus Xenomorph
Following the occurrences depicted in “Alien,” researchers from the Weyland-Yutani corporation unearthed a Xenomorph amidst the debris of the Nostromo spaceship. Taking this discovery as a model, the scientists secretly cultivated more Xenomorphs within a lab situated in the Romulus sector of the Renaissance research station. Their efforts were successful, but unfortunately for both the scientists and others on the station, the outcome was far from favorable.
In terms of appearance, the Romulus Xenomorphs resemble the Drones who caused havoc on the Nostromo crew. However, there’s a notable distinction when it comes to the Facehuggers: they are darker, equipped with hooks on their fingers, exhibit more aggression, and often hunt in groups – an unusual behavior for this stage of the Xenomorph lifecycle. The variations observed between Romulus Xenomorphs and other species members stem from the experiments that led to their creation.
When the Romulus Xenomorph emerges, it comes out of a massive pod or cocoon. It seems like the Chestbursters construct these pods for growth, although this was not observed in previous movies. The researchers at the Romulus lab obtained Chemical A0-3959X.91 – 15 and conducted experiments with it, which could have contributed to the creation of the Romulus Xenomorph and its distinctive physical traits and demeanor.
Warrior
The movie “Aliens” added details to the usual Xenomorph life cycle by introducing the Warrior stage, which is the fifth and most hostile phase of this alien species. In comparison to the Drone seen in “Alien,” the Xenomorphs in “Aliens” have a distinct appearance due to their maturation into the final Warrior stage. Warriors are particularly aggressive, they hunt in groups, and their physical characteristics differ significantly from those of Drones.
In comparison to Drones, Warriors have a sturdier build with additional armor layers and distinctively rugged heads. While a Drone’s head is sleek, a Warrior’s has ridges and is larger in size. An intriguing characteristic of Warriors is that when they are hit, they burst into a cloud of acidic blood, posing a risk not only from the initial attack but also due to the corrosive nature of their bodily fluids. Furthermore, these Warriors are hostile towards humans and can effectively engage armed Marines in combat.
In an interview with Starlog, director James Cameron clarified that he never intended a fifth stage in the Xenomorph life cycle as portrayed in “Aliens.” Despite this, the expansion of the franchise into various mediums such as comics and novels has led to the recognition of Drones and Warriors as distinct stages within the Xenomorph lifecycle. As a result, they are now generally viewed as separate versions.
Runner
An essential characteristic of a Xenomorph’s body structure lies in its ability to assimilate host DNA, adopting some of their features. In the movies “Alien” and “Aliens,” humans serve as hosts to produce the typical Xenomorphs. However, in “Alien 3,” things take an unusual turn. Instead of Ripley being impregnated by a Royal Facehugger, it’s a regular Facehugger that embeds an embryo into a dog. This unique development results in the birth of a Xenomorph called a Runner.
By its very nature, a Runner is swift and agile, primarily using all four limbs for locomotion. Unlike Drones and Warriors who can adapt to a two-legged stance when necessary, a Runner maintains its quadrupedal movement and boasts a speedier pace compared to its kin.
Runners are much like Drones, as they are the fourth stage of the Xenomorph life cycle. They may move on their hind legs, but they’re just as tall as others in the species, standing over seven feet high on their hind legs. They also lack the dorsal tubes found on human-borne Xenomorphs, and their skin is more brown and reddish in color. Their speed and ferocity make them deadlier than Drones; though they’re not as durable, but can spit acid, which gives Runners a new level of lethality.
Neomorph
In the movie “Alien: Covenant,” we were introduced to a new type of alien called the Neomorph, unlike any traditional Xenomorphs seen before. The life cycle of this alien begins as a fungus-like growth that releases spore-like particles into the air, infecting all non-plant forms of life. This infection transforms them into terrifying creatures known as Bloodbursters. These infected beings rapidly develop into Neophytes, which are the immature stages of Neomorphs. Eventually, these Neophytes grow into fully-grown Neomorphs, towering around seven feet tall and exhibiting aggressive behavior.
Neomorphs, similar to Xenomorphs, display certain behavioral patterns but are generally more wild and beast-like. They possess distinctive characteristics such as double-jointed jaws, a tail for attack, and a head resembling that of a Deacon. Their bodies have a humanoid shape, yet they exude an unsettling combination of features that are both eerie and lethal.
As a gamer, I’ve come to realize that Neomorphs, unlike other creatures, have a unique lifecycle. They only live for around 24 hours, but once they die naturally, their bodies interact with local fungi to create new egg sacs. After this transformation process is over, these egg sacs spread rapidly, infecting more hosts. This rapid infection and reproduction make Neomorphs much more dangerous than standard Xenomorphs because they can contaminate an entire ecosystem in a very short time.
Predalien
In the Alien franchise, when a Facehugger attaches an egg to a human, it gives birth to the iconic creature we know well. But if the Facehugger attaches an egg to a different intelligent species, like the Yautja (often called Predators), the outcome is known as a Predalien. In the “Alien vs. Predator” films, a Yautja named Scar has an embryo implanted before he dies. Later, a Chestburster bursts from Scar’s chest, displaying many characteristics similar to that species. Similar to the Yautja, the Predalien possesses mandibles and a tail ending in multiple spikes, much like a built-in weapon.
In contrast to typical Xenomorphs, the creature known as the Predalien in “Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem” is actually a juvenile Queen. This is evident from its actions in hunting pregnant women at a hospital and planting embryos inside them. By doing this, it bypasses the initial stage of the Xenomorph lifecycle and moves straight to the third, which is referred to as “Bellybursters.” The Predalien was such a formidable threat to all life on Earth that the decision was made to obliterate the town of Gunnison, Colorado with nuclear weapons, effectively eliminating the Predalien and its offspring.
Queen
A Xenomorph Queen is one of the largest members of its species, functioning as the head or ruler of a specific group or colony. This formidable creature is massive in size, exceptionally intelligent, and can survive for extended durations without food. By directing their Drones and Warriors to locate hosts for their Chestbursters, Queens are able to dominate vast territories. Their large ovipositor temporarily immobilizes them during the hatching process, but once free, it usually leads to widespread destruction.
An average Queen towers over Drones approximately twice their height, sports two wing-like appendages sprouting from its chest, and dons an elaborate headpiece resembling antlers. Queens share numerous traits with their offspring, though these characteristics are significantly magnified in size. They are heavily armored and bulletproof, making them a formidable force. Ripley discovered that flamethrowers are effective against Queens in “Aliens,” however, they are exceptionally hard to eliminate, earning them the top spot on our list of difficult-to-kill creatures.
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2024-09-02 14:31