Alien Made Xenomorphs Terrifying, But Their Real Weakness Proves They Ain't All That
Warning: Contains SPOILERS for Alien: Paradiso #2! Even when looking at franchises outside Aliencanon, Xenomorphs are some of the most terrifying horror monsters in the genre. From the viscerally repulsive way they are born to the gruesomely violent nature of their lives, Xenomorphs have the power to strike fear into the hearts of all who see them, and kill practically anyone who stands before them. However, after reading the latest chapter in Alien lore, maybe the Xenomorphs aren’t so tough and scary after all.
In Alien: Paradiso #2 by Steve Foxe and Edgar Salazar, Xenomorphs have invaded a paradise island resort called Paradiso after impregnating members of the Arrow of Gold cartel. Paradiso is a hub for the ultra-rich, most of whom acquired their vast wealth through criminal activity. In this case, the Arrow of Gold members went to Paradiso to make a deal with the most powerful drug-smuggler in the galaxy. However, right before their trip to Paradiso, they were offered an easy shipment job from Weyland-Yutani. Little did they know, they were transporting Ovomorphs, and the Facehuggers got loose during the trip.
Within minutes of the Arrow of Gold’s ship landing in Paradiso, the entire resort was put at risk of Xenomorph attack, including and especially the bar, where one Xenomorph attacked the unsuspecting guests. The initial shock of the Xenomorph’s appearance took everyone off guard, and a number of guests died trying to fight it. However, since they were in a bar, some of the guests decided to see if this creature could be hurt by the one thing that seemingly kills everything: fire. They doused the Xenomorph in alcohol before throwing a lighter at it - and that did the trick.
Defeating a Xenomorph is So Easy, Even YOU Could Do It
A Bottle of Liquor and a Lighter is All It Takes to Beat a Xenomorph in Alien
Xenomorphs have always been propped up as these nigh-invincible creatures that a regular person simply wouldn’t have a chance against. For instance, if a Xenomorph broke into someone’s house right now, they would be dead, no question. At least, that’s what fans have been led to believe, but after reading this issue of Alien: Paradiso, that’s not necessarily the case.
If someone has anything flammable in their house (which most people do) - whether that be alcohol, cleaning products, or even hairspray - along with a lighter, then they suddenly have a fairly good chance at beating this hypothetical Xenomorph that just broke into their house. In other words, no longer does encountering a Xenomorph mean instant death, so long as one has the means to set the creature on fire.
Xenomorphs’ Weakness to Fire Has Been Well Established in Alien
Fire has Always Been One of the Best Weapons Against Xenomorphs
It’s interesting that this is the first time a Xenomorph has been taken down this way in Alien canon, because using fire against Xenomorphs really isn’t anything new. Ripley was wielding a flamethrower all the way back in 1979’s Alien, and again in the sequel, Aliens. Fire has been a well-established weakness for Xenomorphs charting back to the origin of the franchise. So, why is this any different? Honestly, it’s because this is the first time a Xenomorph has been beaten by things that can be found at any local dive bar.
It doesn’t take a futuristic flamethrower or advanced weaponry to take down this ‘perfect organism’, just a bottle of booze and a zippo. While this is nothing new necessarily, it is interesting to see a Xenomorph get defeated this easily, with a ‘weapon’ this accessible to practically anyone, proving thatAlienmight have made Xenomorphs scary, but they really ain’t all that.
Alien: Paradiso #2 by 20th Century Studios is available now.
- Movie(s)
- Alien, Aliens (1986), Alien 3 (1992), Alien: Resurrection (1997), Prometheus (2012), Alien: Covenant (2017), Alien: Romulus (2024)
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- Ridley Scott
- First Film
- Alien
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- Alien: Romulus
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- Cast
- Sigourney Weaver, Tom Skerritt, Veronica Cartwright, Harry Dean Stanton, John Hurt, Ian Holm, Yaphet Kotto, Michael Biehn, Paul Reiser, Lance Henriksen, Carrie Henn, Bill Paxton, Charles S. Dutton, Charles Dance, Pete Postlethwaite, Winona Ryder, Ron Perlman, Dan Hedaya, Noomi Rapace, Charlize Theron, Idris Elba, Guy Pearce, Michael Fassbender, Katherine Waterston, Billy Crudup, Danny McBride, Demián Bichir
The Alien franchise, which began with Ridley Scott's 1979 film, is a Sci-Fi series comprised of several horror films, games, and comic books centered on humanity's encounters with a hostile extraterrestrial species known as Xenomorphs. Characterized by their lethal prowess and capability to reproduce at an alarming rate, these creatures pose a profound threat to human existence. The primary series protagonist, Ellen Ripley, acts as the voice of reason as she seeks to keep the creatures out of the hands of greed-driven corporate scientists.
