With eight films currently making up theAlienfranchise, this sci-fi/horror series has been thrilling fans since 1979. The first four movies surround the journey of Ellen Ripley (Sigourney Weaver) as she battles against extraterrestrial creatures in space. However, she isn’t the only heroine in the storyline.
While there are no current plans to move forward with a fifthAlienmovie, there are rumors that Disney is flirting with theidea of producingAlien vs Predator 3. In the meantime, some credit is due to all the other heroic ladies of the sequels and spin-offs.
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10Adele Rousseau - Alien vs Predator
Written and directed by Paul W.S. Anderson, the 2004 filmAlien vs Predatorcombines two iconic franchises into one very entertaining movie. Played by Agathe de La Boulaye, Adele Rousseaux is a member of an elite team that is tasked with providing protection as they escort scientists to an alien civilization hidden under the arctic ice. While she doesn’t make it very far in the film, she is capable of handling herself in dangerous situations. She just isn’t very well-equipped to deal with aliens.
9Annalee Call - Alien Resurrection
Played by Winona Ryder in the 1997 film,Alien Resurrection, Annalee Call is a very realistic robot, also known as a synthetic. As the newest member of the Betty crew, this fact about her isn’t revealed until later on in the movie. She uses her unique state to interface with the spaceship they are on, which ultimately saves the day for the main character, Ripley.
8Karine - Alien Covenant
In the 2017 spinoff,Alien: Covenant, the role of Karine, biologist and wife of Christopher, the ship’s first mate, is played by Carmen Ejogo. After helping an infected crew member (Ledward) make it back to the ship, she is attacked and killed by a juvenile neomorph after another crewmate locks her in the medical room with Ledward. Needless to say,she won’t be in the TV show sequel.
7Daniels - Alien Covenant
Newly widowed after the ship’s captain suddenly dies, Daniels (Katherine Waterston), Chief of terraforming, isthird in command inAlien Covenant. Serving under first mate Oram, who is a professed man of faith, she and the new captain do not agree on much. She voices her opinion against veering off course to track down a rogue transmission, and she is ignored. However, her foresight would have kept everyone on the ship alive.
6Meredith Vickers - Prometheus
Often thought of as an antagonist in the 2012 spinoff film,Prometheus, Meredith Vickers (Charlize Theron) is an uptight employee of the Weyland Corporation. She sticks to a strict routine and is not a fan of breaking protocol. While many of her actions, like burning an infected crewmember alive with a giant blow torch, are seen as harsh, she was trying to keep everyone safe. She makes it quite far in the film, only being killed in the last few minutes by a crashing spacecraft.
5Upworth - Alien Covenant
Another strong heroine from the franchise is Upworth. Played by Callie Hernandez inAlien: Covenant, she is a communications officer and wife to the crew’s navigator, Ricks. She has pandemic training, which leads her to survive a good long while. She and her husband get to spend their last few minutes together before being attacked by a fully matured protomorph that had infiltrated the ship.
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4Alexa Woods - Alien vs Predator
Played by Sanaa Lathan, Alex “Lex” Woods inAlien vs Predatoris an experienced explorer who specializes in arctic environments. Brought on board by Charles Weyland to go underground to discover a pyramid hidden below Antarctica, she is thrust into the middle of a centuries-old battle between Xenomorphs and Predators. She proves herself worthy by killing one of the aliens. She and one of the Predators (Scar) continue on in the quest to kill the Queen and escape. In the end, she is the only survivor.
3Newt - Aliens
In the 1986 sequel,Aliens, Ripley and a military crew head to a colony to figure out what happened to all the people. Living all alone for months, they find Newt (Carrie Henn) hiding in a containment tank. Traumatized, she is unable to verbally communicate for a while until Ripley gains her trust. Newt then goes on to help Ripley by showing her how she has managed to survive alone all this time.
2Elizabeth Shaw - Prometheus
Played by Noomi Repace inPrometheus, Elizabeth Shaw is the perfect character to follow in Ripley’s footsteps. After finding an ancient star map in Scotland, the Weyland Corporation funds her quest to locate the species that she believes is responsible for creating human life. Not only does she complete her quest, but she also survives alien impregnation and a c-section while still conscious. She spends most of the film fighting off Xenomorphs and the evil synthetic, David.
1Ellen Ripley - Alien
While the franchise is brimming with some incredible female characters, no one can beat the original: Ellen Ripley. Played bySigourney Weaver in the first four films, the initial 1979 movie is what sparks the entire series. Ripley survives numerous attacks from Xenomorphs over and over again. In the second film, she is brought out of a 57-year stasis and has to battle the same creatures again. She is determined to protect humanity against their alien monsters at all costs, and she goes to great lengths to do so.
