Every Alien In The Alien Movies, Ranked By How Creepy They Are
Each "Alien" franchise film entry contains multitudes. In the films' futuristic universe, horror, sci-fi, and action movie conventions come together to form a unique world. The themes tackled in the films also run the gamut: Each film has several different meanings, depending on the viewer's interpretation. The franchise touches on the evils of capitalism and militarism, the notion of bodily autonomy, the limitations of science and technology, and the often slippery definitions of humanity and morality.
While Sigourney Weaver may be the face of the franchise, the real stars of these films are its creatures. While the ideological implications of the films engage our intellectual sides, its terrifying aliens are what keep us on the edge of our seats. Without the Xenomorphs and their descendants, these movies would be a lot less interesting.
Though each film in the franchise has its charms, not every alien is created equal — especially regarding their relative creep-out factors. Some of the aliens are terrifying. Some are awe-inspiring, and others are downright goofy. Here's an all-inclusive list of every kind of alien in the "Alien" movies, ranked by how creepy they are. (Nope, the "Alien Vs. Predator" films are not included on this list, as I consider them to be more like spin-offs than a direct continuations of the "Alien" canon.)
15. Hammerpede (Prometheus)
The Hammerpede, exclusively featured in 2012's "Prometheus," isn't all that scary compared to the rest of the horrors we see in the franchise. This little guy looks like a cross between a snake and a sting ray with no face. Of course, a regenerating alien snake is scary. Still, it's not as scary as a full-grown Xenomorph.
However, the Hammerpede's relatively small size doesn't mean it's harmless — something two characters learn the hard way. In "Prometheus," Millburn (Rafe Spall) and Fifield (Sean Harris) are the first to encounter the Hammerpede. For some reason, Millburn thinks it's a good idea to reach his hand out to the creature. The Hammerpede then proceeds to break Millburn's arm before sliding inside his helmet and slithering down his throat. We also learn that Hammerpedes can regenerate their heads and are filled with corrosive acid. So, uh, yeah, they're deadly little buggers! Still, they don't have the same fear factor that some of their contemporaries do.
14. Deacon (Prometheus)
The Deacon is an alien variant we don't get to know very well, which explains its low placement on this list. The reason for the Deacon's existence is rather complicated. Charlie Holloway (Logan Marshall-Green) becomes infected by a chemical substance created by the Engineers. Charlie then impregnates Shaw (Noomi Rapace) with a Trilobite, which she births. Then the Trilobite impregnates the Last Engineer, and thus, the Deacon is born.
While this circuitous genealogy might interest scientists out there, the Deacon doesn't really have much to do in the film. It comes out of the Engineer's chest, looks around, makes a scary noise, and then the movie ends. It's a shame such a highly-engineered alien wasn't given a chance to show its true potential. The design of the creature is interesting: It has a shiny blue-green color and the Xenomorph's iconic double set of teeth. But beyond that, it doesn't add any new frights to the film franchise.
13. Fifield Xenomorph Mutation (Prometheus)
Our next creature on this list is not a typical alien. Rather, it represents what happens when a human and a Xenomorph mutate. Essentially, the result of this combination is an alien-infused zombie with superman strength and speed. After being sprayed with the Hammerpede's acid, Fifield falls into a puddle of alien goo. When he returns to the ship, he is anything but human.
Despite his broken helmet, Fifield is miraculously alive — albeit with an entirely new zombie-like face. Things turn gonzo quickly: He smashes his crewmates' helmets and kills seven humans and two androids. A transport vehicle collision and gunshots can't stop him. Finally, a flamethrower defeats him. But he's done severe damage.
Despite his terrifying strength, this Fifield-Xenomorph mashup isn't the scariest creature in the franchise nor "Prometheus." We've all seen our fair share of zombies at this point, so his appearance in the film doesn't feel all that novel for a film series filled with creatures that look and feel "alien."
12. Dog/Runner (Alien 3)
The problem with the Dog-Runner alien in "Alien 3" is not its conception. Having an alien run on four legs and acting like a bloodthirsty dog is pretty good. Sadly, the execution doesn't live up to its design. "Alien 3" is often considered the worst film in the "Alien" franchise, a designation I think is fair to say. While the steampunk look of the film isn't an unwelcomed choice, its vague religious themes and paltry special effects pale in comparison.
Sadly, the film's special effects are to blame. No doubt, some close-up shots look good: For example, take the most famous scene in the movie, where Ripley is frozen against the wall while a Runner gets up close and personal with her. He then turns away at the last minute. The Runner doesn't look bad there.
But the rest of the scenes involving this creature don't fare as well. Whenever the Runners move around the ship, they look like poorly animated video game characters from the '90s rather than terrifying creatures that go bump in the night. The film's lack of realistic special effects lets our canine foes down, who could have been much creepier with a better-rendered look.
11. Bloodburster (Alien: Covenant)
The main reason the baby Xenomorphs in "Alien: Covenant" aren't the scariest creatures in the "Alien" franchise is pretty simple – they're just so adorable. Okay, okay, how they come into the world is pretty terrifying. But once they're out and about, they're (kind of) cute. Of course, these beings are far from harmless, but I'm going by looks here, not scientific designations.
These newborn creatures are Bloodbursters. They are Neomorphs in their baby stage, gestating within hosts before bursting out. The first victim of a Bloodburster is Ledward (Benjamin Rigby), whose spine becomes ripped out when one of these creatures bursts through his back. Later, we get a good view of a Bloodburster when one emerges from Chris Oram's (Billy Crudup) chest after David (Michael Fassbender) leads him to his death.
The latter scene best illustrates how cute they are — the Bloodburster even makes a screeching noise like a tiny baby dinosaur when he appears from Oram's chest. However, the one that comes out of Ledward's spine is a little less cuddly, as it's significantly bigger and emerges ready to fight. But the Bloodbursters deserve credit for being reasonably ferocious.
10. Newborn Xenomorph (Alien: Resurrection)
I will admit here that I am an "Alien: Resurrection" apologist. I appreciate the film's goofy narrative. Sure, the Ripley in this film is not the real Ripley. Still, there are some clever inventions throughout its runtime. The weirdest novelty in the movie is probably the newborn Xenomorph that acts as the final "big bad" during the film's conclusion. The newborn has a strange design — looking like a goopy, enormous skeleton, but it's also, you know, a baby.
The creature also has an extremely long tongue, which it uses to lick Ripley's face because she's basically its mother. When Ripley finally defeats the newborn, it's hilariously silly. (She pushes it up against a breach in the ship and its insides get yanked out through a tiny hole.) However, it's still a unique creation for the "Alien" universe, even if it's not especially creepy. Though, if we were here to discuss the grossest aliens in this film series, it'd earn a high mark.
9. Praetomorph (Alien: Covenant)
At first glance, the main Xenomorph in "Alien: Covenant" looks pretty similar to the Xenomorph we see in "Alien." But looking closer, there are some key differences. First, the Xenomorph in "Alien: Covenant" — known as a Praetomorph — has thinner limbs that are more muscular than the original Xenomorph. The Praetomorph is extremely fast and powerful. Like most Xenomorphs, it has a single-minded focus on destruction.
I won't lie: The Praetomorph is pretty scary looking. The sinewy texture of its muscular limbs is disturbingly uncanny, making it look slightly more human (or at least more like an animal) than the almost indescribable form of the creatures in the first few "Alien" films.
Apart from its physical form, one difference between this Xenomorph and the creatures that came before (or after, if you want to be chronologically exact) is that you see this alien much more than we have in previous films. The brilliance of "Alien" is that the Xenomorph spends much of its time lurking in the shadows, waiting to strike. While the design of the Praetomorph is sufficiently creepy, the fact that it has come into the light significantly lessens the fear factor here. The Praetomorph may be fast, sure. But sometimes, methodical monsters are the scariest.
8. Drone/Warrior (Aliens)
James Cameron's magnificent sequel, "Aliens," features several different aliens that terrorize the team sent to scope out LV-426. The most ubiquitous form of Xenomorph that Ripley and the Marines encounter is the Drone, the most common Xenomorph found within the "Alien" universe. The Xenomorph featured in the first "Alien" film is also a Drone, but it is a lone Drone, rather than the army of Drones that inhabit LV-426.
There has been some confusion on whether the Drones in "Aliens" are different than the ones in "Alien." Some suggest that the Drones in "Aliens" are a distinct variation known as Warriors. Regardless of their exact classification, Cameron's take on the Xenomorph is thrilling. His Xenomorphs are sleek but have dinosaur-like ridges on their spines, giving them a prehistoric look.
As opposed to a lone Xenomorph who stalks and hunts its prey, Drones proceed more like an army. Terrifyingly, they move as part of a hive mind controlled by the Queen. Due to this, they're nearly impossible to defeat, as they keep coming at rapid speeds. While they may not be individually smart, their single-mindedness is effective — making them intimidating. But they're still not the most unnerving alien we've seen.
7. Trilobite (Prometheus)
2012's "Prometheus" introduces several concepts into the "Alien" universe. Sadly, the execution of these ideas becomes muddied, making lofty ideological connotations hard to follow. Regardless of the occasional incoherence of the plot, there are memorable creepy crawlies sprinkled throughout the film — like the squid-like creature Shaw forcibly removes from her stomach.
After being infected by Holloway, Shaw realizes an unwanted creature is growing inside her. Rather than experience a painful (and deadly) chest bursting, Shaw has a machine-assisted C-section. Hands down, it's the most gruesome scene in the film. What emerges from her stomach is something audiences had never seen before: a Trilobite, which looks kind of like a cross between a squid and a face-hugger. The following sequence — where the machine arm holds the Trilobite over Shaw's face while she's trapped in the operating pod – is utterly terrifying and gut-wrenching.
Weirdly, the Trilobite gets less frightening as it grows. Minutes later, the Trilobite looks to be about six feet in diameter as it goes to town on the remaining Engineer. At this point, it really just does look like a giant squid. Although it isn't exactly pleasant to look at, it doesn't have the same effect as it did when it was squirming around inches from Shaw's face. Had that scene lasted longer, the Trilobite might have been higher up on the list.
6. Cloned Xenomorph (Alien: Resurrection)
Though the point of this list is to rank the "Alien" creatures in terms of their creepiness, I'd be remiss in my duties if I didn't point out that all of these aliens are frightening and could kill you in an instant. But all of the aliens in this universe have different strengths and weaknesses that affect our ability to defeat them. Some aliens, like the Drones and the Hammerpedes, seem to act primarily on instinct and don't have much intelligence. That all changed in "Alien: Resurrection," when a group of ill-intentioned scientists decided to clone a bunch of Xenomorphs.
Resultingly, these experiments created Xenomorphs who are even more fearsome than those that came before. These cloned creatures are highly intelligent and way more difficult to defeat than previous Xenomorphs. They still have the absolutely terrifying look of their predecessors — dark, slimy skin and a double set of teeth — but with the added ability to outsmart their captors.
When one scientist mocks a Xenomorph by sticking his face up to the glass, that same Xenomorph remembers to torture him at a later date. These Xenomorphs can also swim, which is just as nightmarish to witness as you'd expect. With all the strength of their ancestors and an extra dollop of brains, these creatures are predators like no other.
5. Facehugger (Alien)
The main problem with the "Alien" franchise is that it's extremely difficult to live up to the jaw-dropping excellence that Ridley Scott first captured in the 1979 film. Though the technology behind practical and special effects has improved significantly since then, the aliens in the first film remained unmatched.
The first creature we see in "Alien" is the Facehugger. The Facehugger is the second stage in the Xenomorph's life cycle (following the egg stage) and exists to impregnate a host with an alien embryo. Kane (John Hurt) has the misfortune of being the first crew member to discover the Facehugger. After entering an abandoned ship emitting a mysterious signal, a Facehugger comes screaming out of an egg sac and latches on to Kane's helmet. When the crew takes him back to the med bay, we see the Facehugger's full physiology — and it is not pretty.
The Facehugger latched onto Kane's face, wrapping its tail wrapped around Kane's neck. Its appearance is both insect-like and reptilian, but wholly unlike any living creature known to man. The fact that none of the crew knows what it is or what it's doing to Kane makes it all the more disturbing. Simultaneously, it's freaky and disgusting, which gives it major points on the creepy scale. As those of us who've seen the film know, the worst is still yet to come.
4. The Queen (Aliens)
Cameron's "Aliens" is the only entry in the franchise that comes close to equaling the brilliance of the original film. "Aliens" looks at the franchise from a new perspective. While "Alien" works as a sci-fi horror film, Cameron's sequel is structured more like an action film. Instead of one alien patiently stalking its victims, we get an army of aliens controlled by one head honcho.
The Queen is the leader of the Drone Xenomorphs. She's the one who lays the eggs and gives the Drones their directives and is the most powerful Xenomorph. Unlike her hive-minded soldiers, she's hard to outwit. Like the clones in "Alien: Resurrection," she has a vengeful streak, which becomes clear after Ripley destroys her nest, and she reacts with extreme aggression.
Her intimidating intelligence notwithstanding, her size and form are also chilling. She has an enormous head crest that is much more prickly than the oblong-shaped heads of her kin, and she also has an extra pair of arms for, you know, wreaking havoc! The best way I can describe her appearance is that she looks like an enormous insect-like dinosaur with two horrid sets of teeth. She may not be one to stalk around in the dark, but her militant aggression is hair-raising.
3. Neomorph (Alien: Covenant)
The Neomorph has one of the most freaky-looking creature designs within the "Alien" franchise. The Neomorph emerges in "Alien: Covenant," a parasitic creature presumably created by an extra-terrestrial pathogen. The Neomorph has a very distinct appearance: milky white skin, a human-like form, no eyes, and a long, thin tail. It looks a little bit like The Pale Face Man from "Pan's Labyrinth," except with that classic pointy "Alien" head shape. Scott told IGN the design took inspiration from the goblin shark, which is white in color and has a hinged jaw.
The full-grown versions of Neomorphs are much scarier than their infant counterparts, who look like baby dinosaurs. The animalistic way they move around the ship is unnerving, but they're still chilling when they're standing still. David first encounters a Neomorph when one enters his temple and kills Rosie (Tess Huabrich). Because he's deranged, David attempts to speak to the Neomorph and tame it somehow. The scene where the Neomorph slowly walks up to David and stands at its full height – with Rosie's blood still dripping down its chin – is utterly frightening. The Neomorph's slightly humanoid figure makes it all the more disturbing because we've already learned just how inhuman its behavior is.
2. Chestburster (Alien)
The Chestburster scene in the first "Alien" film is probably the most famous in the entire franchise, and rightly so. Though subsequent films have tried to top the disturbing factor found here, few have been successful. After latching onto Kane's face, the Facehugger impregnated him with a Xenomorph embryo, and it emerges in a harrowing fashion.
The crew is having a joyous dinner together when Kane suddenly starts choking. Moments later, the Chestburster erupts from his chest in a torrent of blood. The alien is yellow and has a metallic set of teeth and a long tail, making a high-pitched screeching noise before running off.
I can only imagine how audiences reacted to the scene in 1979, but it plays just as horrifying today, a triumph to Ridley's skill. The Chestburster is a disgusting little fellow. (Just looking at it is enough to make you squirm!) It's certainly not as intimidating as a full-grown Xenomorph — and frankly, it's almost cute — but the gross-out element here is extremely high. You wouldn't want to encounter one of these creatures in a dark or brightly-lit hallway.
1. The Original Alien (Alien)
While there have been some innovations in the "Alien" film franchise – bigger aliens, more carnage, cross-species hybrids, and the like — it's hard to beat the original. That's exactly why the Xenomorph from 1979's "Alien" nabbed the top spot on this list.
There are several reasons why this Xenomorph — sometimes known as "Big Chap" by fans — tops the list. First, there is the creature's design, which is classic and unbeatable. The black and silvery coloring of the alien gives it an otherworldly look that almost appears robotic at times. But it's also very obviously an animal, and you can see the humanoid shape of its skull beneath that ridged head. Its double set of teeth is terrifying, and the eerie liquid that always seems to be emanating from the creature gives it an extra "ick" factor.
There's also the way the alien becomes captured — or not — within the film. One of the best things about this alien is that we rarely see its form. Unlike the warriors in "Aliens," this lone alien Drone patiently stalks its prey. One of the best scenes in the film is when Brett (Harry Dean Stanton) looks for Jonesy as the creature looms overhead, just out of sight. The creature's brilliant design and its concealed omnipresence craft an unparalleled monster.