Xenomorphs On Earth: History Of Alien Infestations

Xenomorphs reaching Earth was always Ellen Ripley's biggest fear. Little did she know, Aliens had already infested Earth many times during the long Alien timeline, both in the Alien vs. Predator movies and the Expanded Universe. Unfortunately, the amount of times this has occurred cheapens the impact of meeting something truly "Alien" in the universe. The list is sorted chronologically and some of these events contradict the recent Prometheus movies.

Ancient Apocalypse Aliens

According to the Aliens: Apocalypse comic, circa 3.2 billion B.C the Space Jockeys control most of the galaxy, including Earth. About 1.6 billion B.C they are almost wiped out by an Alien outbreak, which also spans to Earth. Only a few of the Space Jockeys survive. The Space Jockeys seen here are totally different from what Ridley Scott showed later in Prometheus and Alien: Covenant. The Space Jockey is not a suit with a tall humanoid inside, but an actual elephant-like creature with grey skin and long hair.

2000 BC in Central America

One of the biggest Alien outbreaks seen on Earth in the movies is in the Paul W. S. Anderson's Alien vs. Predator. Thousands of years ago, the Predators bred Aliens on Earth using humans, who worhsipped them as gods. We don't know the full extent of the infestation, but it probably happens mostly in South America and Antarctica. The Alien infestation gets out of hand and the Predators self-destruct on top of a pyramid. This must have wiped out most of them out as there are only some Aliens remaining in Antarctica later.

The Earth Angel Infestation

In the Alien: Earth Angel comic by Dark Horse, an alien ship crash-landed in an unnamed town in America in the 1950ties. A Xenomorph infestation spread from the ship and was eventually stopped by Ellen Ripley's distant ancestor Daniel Ripley with the help of a biker gang. The main Alien is remarkable in its unusual appearance with big eye sockets and elongated limbs, while acting like Alien Queen and Warrior at the same time. This is probably due to it being born from another Alien creature (the pilot of the crashed ship).

The Gunnison Infestation

In Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem, a widespread Alien infestation struck Earth. In early October 2004, a Predalien born from the body of the Scar Predator caused a Yautja scout ship to crash near the small town of Gunnison, Colorado. The Xenomorphs quickly escaped the wreckage and began spreading throughout the area. The Yautja dispatched the Wolf Predator to contain the outbreak. Although initially effective, he was ultimately overwhelmed by the sheer number of Xenomorphs and the ferocity of the Predalien. The crisis was resolved when the U.S. Army intervened, deploying a nuclear strike on the town. This drastic measure eradicated the infestation and eliminated any trace of the Aliens and Predators—at least temporarily.

The San Drad Infestation

San Drad, California was overrun by Aliens who escaped from a quarantine facility in the Alien vs. Predator Arcade Game. It was unclear where they originated from, but Weyland-Yutani was involved with bringing them to Earth. Cybernetically-enhanced Major Dutch Schaefer (Arnold's character from Predator) went to the rescue with the help of 2 predators and Lieutenant Linn Kurosawa. The Alien infestation was eliminated by crashing a military ship into San Drad causing a huge explosion. The game uses a Giger's original design for the Alien hive (a big onion-shaped sphere) that was also later used in Prometheus as an Engineer base.

The Earthbound Alien

Remarkably, the main playable Alien Warrior from Aliens vs. Predator Classic seemingly reached Earth, escaping via a capsule from Gateway Station. The so-called Earthbound Alien, a Xenomorph from an ancient Alien Temple on an unknown world, was known for its incredible speed and ferocity. Awakened from hibernation, it rampaged through the USS Ferarco and Gateway Station, killing two Predators, dozens of Colonial Marines, and freeing a captive hive. Its final fate remains unknown, as this Gateway incident is not mentioned later in Alien lore.

The Alien/Earth War

In the Alien/Earth War trilogy of books and comics, set 13 years after the events of Aliens, religious extremists unleash Aliens on Earth that consumes the whole planet. A Queen Mother Alien is brought to Earth to lure all the Aliens into one spot. Several nuclear bombs are detonated near the Queen and Earth is saved from the infestation. Depending on the version of the comic you read, the main heroes are either Ripley, Hicks or Newt, or their counterparts Wilks, Billie, and Android-Ripley. The characters were altered after the release of Alien 3.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the presence of Xenomorphs on Earth has been a recurring theme throughout the Alien franchise and its expanded universe. This has been a somewhat unwelcome trope, as many characters like Ellen Ripley give their lives to protect such an event from happening later. Conveniently, the Xenomorph infestations have been each time cleared each time , usually with the help of big explosions, with nobody mentioning these events later. However, these infestations showcased the terrifying consequences of these creatures breaching humanity's homeworld. Xenomorphs on Earth will also be featured in the upcoming Alien: Earth TV series on Hulu.

Tag Categories: Alien Universe Planets, Space Jockey Lore