Over the last few decades, we have seen some horrific alien forms in fiction, but none could compare to the Xenomorph’s viciousness. We first saw these vicious and unfriendly creatures in Ridley Scott’s 1979 masterpiece, and we have seen them in numerous versions since then.
The Xenomorph has become one of the most recognizable monsters, and each new installment of the Alien movie adds to the creature’s lore. They continue to contribute to the deep mythology and designs of this ruthless beast by revealing new forms and traits of the species that we have not seen before.
Since H.R. Giger and Ridley Scott first presented the monster over four decades ago, it has been constantly mutating and destroying the lives of those unfortunate enough to come into contact! In this video, we will look at the several varieties of Xenomorphs, or stages of the species, and it is time to revisit the scariest extraterrestrial in cinema history!
Egg
This is commonly thought to be the initial stage of the Xenomorph’s life cycle. This stage is also known as the Ovomorph since it is formed like an egg. Inside, is a Facehugger, which is often thought of as the first stage in the life cycle of the Xenomorph. A Queen lays them, and sometimes, a process of metamorphosis on a victim also produces them.
By themselves, the Egg is almost lifeless and it is more of a vessel that contains the real threat within. But there is more to this state than what meets the eye! It is believed that the Facehugger and the Egg co-exist in a symbiotic relationship.
Their biggest ability is to quickly detect a potential host in the surroundings. They have a rudimentary central nervous system that allows them to detect a victim nearby. It can also be the case that the skin of the Egg contains some sensory organ. The moment a host body is determined, the top of the Egg opens up like a petal, and the Facehugger springs out to latch onto the victim.
An Egg holds a fully developed Facehugger when it is created, and it is always ready to be thrown into the victim. The Egg is quite huge, standing approximately two and a half feet tall, and when old, these brownish, black leathery eggs seem white and grey. The functioning of this state suggests that the Egg is not just a mere vessel, but a complete organism. It is surprisingly durable as well, and if an Egg is dropped on the surface of the Earth, it will bounce back up instead of breaking.
The Facehugger remains safe inside even if the gravitational forces are three times that of the Earth. It is also equally challenging to try and cut open one of these Eggs. There is a defensive mechanism that allows acid to spray outward from any incision made.
On one occasion, the Eggs were seen surrounded by a protective mist, which even damaged communication systems. Usually, one Egg contains a single Facehugger, but there are instances where up to four were found inside. These are Hyperfertile Eggs, and it is somewhat of an evolution of the normal kind. The ideal incubation takes place in conditions that are hot and humid, and if required, the Egg can shelter the Facehugger safely for thousands of years. However, there is ultimately an expiry time for the Egg, and after a certain time period, it dies.
Facehugger
It has been said that if a Facehugger gets on your face, it is preferable to kill oneself than to suffer the consequences! This is the first stage of the Xenomorph species, which emerges from the Egg. The purpose of the Facehugger is to somehow implant the Chestburster within the living host.
The Facehugger is not really very powerful because all it can do is spit acid to gain access to the host. It is reliant on a stealthy attack more than anything. If the victim is somehow immobilized that certainly helps the cause. The Facehugger stage has a short life because once the job is done it dies. The creators have given the Facehugger a rather unique appearance.
It has skeletal hands fused together and a strange spine-like tail that can help the creature leap around powerfully. The tail is so powerful that it can also strangle the victim by the neck. The creature has eight legs, and it can also crawl at great speed. The underside of the Facehugger resembles the human female genitals, and it has the ability to latch onto the victim without letting go.
It is so powerful that it may rip the skin from the skull, and once it has seized the head, it is nearly impossible to pull them off. If the Facehugger detects that external forces are attempting to remove it, it will kill the host immediately. From the underside of its body, a proboscis is extended into the host’s throat and this helps the Facehugger implant the next stage.
It is capable of releasing a certain sedative into the host that puts him in a comatose state. Since it is not very powerful individually and dependent on stealth, the small size and agility help the creature. Inside the Egg, they are inert and lifeless, but the moment a host body is detected, it springs into action. They love the element of surprise in their attacks, but they are also fast enough to chase an escaping victim.
The only downside to this creature is that outside the Egg they can only survive for up to 120 hours at most. If their host dies, the Facehugger immediately detaches itself and starts looking for a new one. There have been a few instances where we saw the Facehugger in action, even when it was submerged. The creature has shown clear signs of intelligence, and with such versatility, it is no surprise that only a few instances are there, where the hosts managed to free themselves!
Royal Facehugger
This is a one-of-a-kind variety of the Facehugger known as the Super Facehugger. This species has the ability to implant an embryonic Queen, which clarifies the mystery surrounding how Queen Xenomorphs are generated. A possible explanation could be that the host is impregnated with a Queen Chestburster!
The Royal Facehugger is like an enhanced version of the species because they are capable of implanting multiple embryos in multiple hosts before dying. The other regular Xenomorph embryos are supposed to guard the infant Queen till she is vulnerable. The Royal Facehuggers also originate from the Eggs laid by Queens, but these are much larger than usual. They have special armor and bladed tail, which makes them more than a capable defender.
These creatures have webbed claws, and in the comic versions, they are shown to have spines on their back. In the usual circumstances, a Royal Facehugger can impregnate two separate victims with Chestbursters – one of them would be the infant Queen, while the other would be the protector Xenomorph. They can also survive longer than the normal Facehuggers without impregnating the victim.
The Royal Facehugger has not been seen for a long time, but it is apparent that it dies after successfully impregnating the hosts. Originally, Alien 3 was planned to contain a longer Royal Facehugger feature, but it was eventually changed to a regular one. They have a much more extensive lore in the comic versions, and we particularly loved their inclusion in the Alien vs. Predator: Deadliest of the Species. It has often been presumed that the Royal Facehugger is more intelligent than the regular Facehuggers, and their ability to remain undercover effectively proves the concept.
Chestburster
It is known as a Stage 2 Xenomorph, and it is the creature’s newborn form, which is the third stage in its life cycle. A Facehugger implants it into a host’s chest cavity, making it one of the most terrifying techniques of gestation. Once it matures, it emerges bursting open the chest of the victim, and the host body experiences the most brutal death imaginable. They start feeling cramps and soon it changes to uncontrollable convulsions before the creature finally emerges.
The Ghostbusters are not necessarily huge, and they are merely a foot tall and almost two feet long. In terms of their appearance, Chestbursters are like large worms. They have metallic teeth and a strong tail that allows them to move around at great speeds. Some of them also possess some sort of arms, but usually, it is not the case. There is a theory that suggests that when the gestation period is longer, the arms are present at birth, but a shorter time period results in stubs in place of arms.
Another horrible example is when the Chestbursters are unable to escape the host body. This could be because the rib cage is too strong to break, and the host dies as a result of the presence of the parasite inside the body. Eventually, the creature bursts out of the body when it is strong enough.
However, if the host dies too early during the development process, it can be fatal for the embryo. The Chestburster is generally introduced directly into the host, but there have been a few rare instances where the infant Xenomorphs have been directly inserted into the host. The creature then develops from the host’s genetic material and the physical features are, to some extent, determined by the host.
The intelligence and instincts of the adult Xenomorph are also influenced by the host body. They have an incredibly fast gestation period, but it is not the same for all creatures. The Queen Chestbursters, for instance, have longer gestation periods that can go up to several days. This stage of the Xenomorph’s life cycle is certainly one of the most vulnerable because they have little in terms of defenses, unlike their adult stages.
Warrior
Warrior Xenomorphs are among the fiercest Xenomorphs, and they are utilized as one of the initial lines of defense. The Xenomorph has progressed past the Chestburster stage to this point. They are now tall at around eight feet, and they have a lethal 14-15 feet long tail. Their powerful secondary set of jaws can fatally injure their victims, and their strength is simply incredible.
These creatures are so freakishly strong that they can break down metal pressure doors without much trouble. They are also masters of blending into their surroundings, and often they are not spotted before it is too late. The Warriors also have strong heads that can be used to ram against the targets and these are powerful enough to knock out a Yautja hunter!
Even if an Alien Warrior is destroyed in combat, it will erupt into a stream of molecular acid that will incapacitate the attacker. Their acidic blood can cause severe injuries, and there is no way out if you are close to a dying Warrior! They are also fairly smart and know about the acidic quality of their blood.
There are instances when the creatures used these qualities to get their way in tricky situations. It has been witnessed that the creatures are capable of planning their attacks, and thus, their intelligence is a key component mixed with their aggression. The tail of the Warrior is quite interesting and the appearance in the movies kept changing.
The later additions to the franchise showed bladed versions of the tail, and these tails can be used to navigate through water as well. Besides being extremely strong, these creatures are also surprisingly agile and there are several types of Warrior Xenomorphs. Some people believe that the Warriors are basically adult drones, and that could well be the case.
Queen
One of the largest Xenomorphs seen is the Queen, who is the mother and formidable leader of a Xenomorph Hive. They are not just larger, but also much stronger and more intelligent than the normal Xenomorph. In fact, they have shown traits of vengeance and complex thinking, which is completely missing from the average Xenomorph. The Queen has problem-solving skills and they are not purely instinctive in their behavior. They are fierce fighters themselves, but seldom will you see a Queen engaging in combat.
Their main task is to lay eggs within the Hive, and the workers are supposed to do all the hard work. The Queen is also in charge of overseeing the defenses of the Hive and the overall management. When this creature lays the eggs, they are almost immobile, and thus, it is important that the Hive is well protected. They have a command over the other Xenomorphs in the hive, and they show their intelligence in their leadership skills as well.
The Queen is near twice the size of a drone, with larger arms to match. She possesses a second pair of arms under her torso and double jaws with vicious teeth. They can reach about four and a half meters in height, with some reaching much higher. The body is capable of detecting any threat in the vicinity because of its sensory system, and the creature is also protected by strong armor.
The exoskeleton is so durable that it can repel gunfire and only armor-piercing ammunition can get through. The Queen is usually black or bluish-black, and it is a great fighter, except when it is laying eggs. This creature can lay up to fifteen eggs per house, and during this time, the others are supposed to protect their Queen. No matter how violent they may seem, these creatures are quite caring of their offspring.
There have been a few cases where someone threatened to destroy the Queen’s eggs and managed to escape using this threat. These creatures live way longer than other Xenomorphs, and their special adaptations allow them to thrive in all conditions. Even in harsh cold conditions, they can suspend their metabolism using some sort of hibernation!
Runner
The Runner is also known as the Dog Alien, and these animals are extremely fast, as their name implies. These Xenomorphs are sentinels with the ability to vomit acid from their jaws. They are physically distinct from the Xenomorphs born by humans, and this is due to the Xenomorphs’ absorption of some characteristics of the host. They can walk or stand on their hind legs, and they are regarded as the fastest among Xenomorphs.
However, while the Runners can outrun most species, they are not matched in strength if you compare them with Drones. Thus, their speed is their greatest asset and they must use it smartly to overcome their enemy. It also has a strong tail that can stun the victim and it can be used to attack as well.
The Ghostbusters are not always fully developed when they are born, but the Runner is. It simply expands in size after birth, as well as in intelligence. They make use of their capacity to spit acid from afar and plan attacks that do not require them to confront the enemy directly. They have also mastered the trick of a perfect ambush, and they attack when the enemy is least expecting them.
They also wait for the victim to be alone before they launch an attack because the Runner wouldn’t stand a chance against a large group. However, despite all these qualities, the Runner is not seen as the smartest among Xenomorphs. While their intellect might be questioned, there is no questioning the usefulness of a Runner, especially when it comes to short and quick attacks.
The name Runner was coined for the first time in Aliens versus Predator 2, and we have seen it in Alien movies as well. There were some controversies surrounding the contribution of H.R. Giger in the designs of this creature because his work was undermined by the studio. But Ridley Scott was quick to credit him for his contribution to the project!
Newborn
A newborn is a human Xenomorph mutant who was created as a consequence of military experimentation in the United States. The Queen that was created became polluted by human DNA, resulting in the birth of a Newborn. Ripley 8 was used as the host for the Queen, and Newborn regarded her as its true mother. Eventually, it was also killed by Ripley. The birthing process of the Newborn was also very interesting.
The Queen set up a Hive inside the waste tank, and the Newborn developed rapidly. When it was born, it turned hostile and tore off the front of her head. It considered Ripley 8 to be its mother, but she managed to escape. However, the Newborn pursued her all the way to Betty, and soon it brought about a wave of violence and death. When Call was captured, Ripley 8 managed to convince the Newborn to release Call.
The monster appeared to be more humanoid than the others. It was twice the size of a Warrior and did not go through the regular phases of birth. It was also extremely powerful and it lacked some common features of Xenomorphs, such as the tailor the inner jaw. It even had human-like teeth instead of the metallic teeth that we see in Xenomorphs.
There is another major difference between the Newborn and the other Xenomorphs. It could feel emotions ranging from rage to sorrow. There was a childish nature in this monster, and it was almost some morbidly cruel innocence.
Newborn had a strange devotion towards Ripley 8 and even obeyed her orders. She used this to distract the creature and punched a hole in the window of the spaceship. The sudden decompression was strong enough to blow the Newborn out into space, and it was killed.
Predalien
When a Xenomorph has a Yautja host, you know it will be dangerous. It shares physical traits such as mandibles and dreadlocks with humans. These dreadlocks serve as a sensory organ, similar to cats’ whiskers, and aid in rapid responses. The Predalien is a deadly fighter and its strength is far superior to the human-spawned Xenomorphs.
Their extreme strength is due to their powerful host, and the only good thing about them is that they are rare! Their fighting style is quite unique because they have the best of both worlds – the strength of the Yautja and the agility of Aliens. These are also known to be quite independent and they don’t necessarily function according to the Hive.
But that doesn’t necessarily imply that they show much intelligence in comparison to the others. Their hunting style is similar to the Yautja and they are known to take trophies from their victims. The Yautja, however, regard these creatures as an insult to their species.
Alien vs. Predator and Alien vs. Predator: Requiem have both included this species in the Alien vs. Predator franchise. The Predalien has been spotted in a variety of forms, although the most prevalent one resembles a bigger version of the Xenomorph Warrior. Their mandibles can be used as powerful weapons, and these are present in the creature right from the Chestburster phase.
The Predalien is significantly taller than Predators and the human-spawned Xenomorphs, and they can grow up to nine to ten feet tall. There is a Warrior-type Predalien that is more common, and these can overpower the Yautja quite easily.
It would take someone exceptional among the Yautja to take one of these down. Some of these creatures have even adapted themselves to overcome the threat of the Yautjas. Their main role in the hive is that of a protector, and it is more than capable of inflicting damage far worse than the Warriors in this regard.
Deacon
The Deacon and the Xenomorph have certain similarities, but they also have some significant distinctions. The Deacon is bipedal but lacks a tail, and their skin, while similar to that of a Xenomorph, is plain of a distinct tint. This creature has human-like teeth, and the shape of its head is very different from that of a Xenomorph. For all these reasons, the Deacon is often regarded as a preliminary type of Xenomorph.
When it bursts out of its host, it uses its pointed skull to exert the pressure required, and it does not bite or claw through the ribcage like the others. Many theories suggest that the Deacon is a new species altogether, and it was implanted inside an Engineer host by a creature called the Trilobite. This creature is similar in appearance to the Facehugger stage of the Xenomorph, and it even dies after implanting the embryo inside the Engineer.
The Deacon is fully formed when it exits from its host. However, because we have not seen a fully grown Deacon, there are a few inconsistencies in this idea. It is plausible that an adult Deacon would resemble a Xenomorph in appearance. The initial idea was to make a creature similar to the normal Xenomorph, but they eventually added the changes to make it into a distinctly new creature. The blue skin tone was added so that the creature contrasted against the dark background and the detailing could be more obvious to the audience.
Neomorph
These extraterrestrial endoparasitoid species are extremely distinct from the normal Xenomorphs, but they do share some commonalities. Neomorphs have a similar gestation period, but their appearance changes based on the species from which they are generated. For instance, when it has a human host, the creatures are born with developed arms and legs and look very similar to a Runner.
They slowly develop a bipedal stance, and their fleshy, spiky tail is quite a handy weapon for them. The Neomorph has another major difference from the Xenomorphs, which is their thick and yellow non-acidic blood.
These are vicious creatures that are extremely aggressive. They attack just about anyone in the vicinity, and they lack the intelligence that is usually associated with Xenomorphs. They have been seen to be quite stealthy, but that is just about it when it comes to their smartness!
Xenomorphs do not eat their victims’ human flesh, although the Neomorph has been spotted doing so. This most likely means that eating flesh is critical to their survival. The victims are thus more like prey for the Neomorph. It has a five-stage life cycle, where it grows from the Egg to the Neomorph.
The mature version is over two meters tall, and it has a bulbous, elongated head. This physiology was inspired by the Goblin Shark, and Ridley Scott has gone on to suggest that the Neomorph is the first generation of Alien.
They also have a very short lifespan and these creatures die within a day of their birth. However, even the corpse transforms into new Egg Sacks, and thus the life cycle always continues.
Praetomorph
The Praetomorph, also known as the Planet 4 Xenomorph, is an extremely violent variation of the species. The Praetomorph was formed as a result of various studies, and it differed from the normal Xenomorph in several ways. These creatures have longer limbs, and the exposed blood vessels were also something unique.
They have a strangely fast growth rate, and it starts right after the creature emerges from the host. It doesn’t take long before it matures into a fully adult creature. The normal Xenomorphs are somewhat smarter than these creatures, but they are way more animalistic and attacking in nature.
Praetomorphs are hostile to their Xenomorph cousins and would attack them in the same way as they would any other species. They have a similar life cycle to Xenomorphs, but they have a special power. These creatures could spawn from near-fatal injuries of another, and this makes it almost indestructible.
The origin of the Praetomorphs has been shrouded in mystery, and many fans believe David to be responsible for the creature. Some others are of the opinion that David simply remodeled something that the Engineers created. It was seen in Alien: Covenant and the fans were impressed by the extraordinary designs of this creature!
Drone
A Drone is a Stage 4 Xenomorph that can range from a Warrior to a Soldier or even a Worker. They grow to be quite tall, with a height of seven to eight feet and a length of fourteen to sixteen feet. Their prehensile tails are strong weapons that can be used to stab or fling the enemy around. They are one of the most commonly seen Xenomorphs and they are the main defense of the Hive in a crisis.
They also play a role in the construction of the Hive and look for potential hosts to reproduce. Their physical characteristics can vary, but they are all very fast and strong. Their main strength is a stealthy attack, but they are also quite capable of close-range combat.
These creatures can spit cysts of acid blood towards their enemy. The Drone remains a strong adversary even when it has died because the body explodes in an acidic explosion that can take down the enemy as well.
Drones are frequently seen as having evolved from human hosts, and they even have bipedal stature. These animals move quickly and may easily pass through vents and climb up walls. They are also capable of impressive leaps and their strength is no less than an adult Yautja. They have a defined warrior role in the Hive, but they also tend to the nest when required.
The Drone is not the smartest among the lot, but it does have an understanding ability of a dog. If required, they have been seen to modify their strategies, and they never give up in a fight even if they lose one of their limbs! They are quite capable of growing into evolved versions of Xenomorphs, but the exact nature of these changes is unknown.
Praetorian
The Praetorian is frequently referred to as the Royal Guard, and with good reason. These animals grow twice as large as normal Xenomorphs and are one of the last phases of the Xenomorph life cycle. These creatures are created when the population of a hive exceeds 300, and they take up the role of an army commander or the guard of the Queen.
Their field of operation is mainly restricted to the Hive, and they are one of the largest Xenomorph strains ever. They are also among the strongest, and their appearance is very similar to that of a Queen. They stand at ten feet tall and only the Queen towers over these creatures.
Despite their enormous size, the Praetorians are as nimble as the smaller Xenomorphs. This makes them a dangerous foe, and their one flaw is that their heavyweight prevents them from scaling walls or ceilings. These creatures are provided with armor-like skin and it protects them from external attacks.
They are so capable in combat that a single Praetorian can defend against entire squads of Marines. They can even match up to a Yautja in terms of strength. They spit acids just like some of the other Xenomorphs, but the quantity is much greater and causes more damage. While some Xenomorphs need the shelter of stealth, the Praetorian can launch a head-on attack and rip the enemy apart.
They are also extremely cunning and intelligent, and they will protect the Queen at all costs. The only possible downside to these powerful beasts is that if they are killed, the Drones and other soldiers it commands are disoriented and easy to overcome.
King Alien
This genetically developed Xenomorph is a consequence of several studies, and King Alien is also known as the Rogue or the Usurper. This monster was created with the goal of serving as a control device for humans to use. It could be the control system to reign in other Xenomorphs, but the plans soon went for a toss. The creature turned out to be nothing as planned, and it is simply a vicious beast that aggressively attacks the enemies.
This creature was enormous and quite powerful, and it showed no signs of controlling the Drones when the situation arose. Instead of a control mechanism, it turned out to be a hostile threat for the other Xenomorphs and attacked the Drones.
While it did not assault anyone inside the base, it did not spare anyone who got in its way. Other species were usually ignored, but if they appeared to be a threat, it would assault fiercely. It even attacked the Royal Guard of the Queen and defeated it. Eventually, the Queen was engaged in combat and King Alien tasted defeat for the first time. It was believed that King Alien would overpower the Queen, but it did not turn out to be as powerful.
Spitter Alien
This is a special Xenomorph that was created to attack from a considerable distance. It is known to attack others by releasing massive volumes of acid from considerable distances towards the enemy.
For this reason, the creature is also known as the Ranger. These Xenomorphs are larger than the Runners, but the Drone and Warrior Xenomorphs are bigger in size. The Colonial Marines encountered this threat, and the acid-spitting ability of these creatures claimed a few lives.
The Spitter Alien’s head crest is identical to that of the Queen or the Praetorians. There are multiple acid-filled pouches in this crest, but they pose harm to the species. If these pouches are ruptured, the Spitter will explode in an acid bath.
Not only would anyone in the radius be fatally injured, but it would also kill the creature. They also have a powerful tail that looks like an ax, and these also act as a weapon for them. Like some of their smaller counterparts, they prefer to attack from a distance because they can be vulnerable to short-range fights.
The universe of Xenomorphs is as huge as it is intricate. This is merely a brief overview of the numerous sorts of Xenomorphs, and delving deeper into the lore may be both fascinating and thrilling!