Alien Movie Universe

Who Is Ellen Ripley(8)? A What If Story, Of A Franchise Icon.

Alien-Covenant.com
News
Scified2016-01-19 20:23:02https://www.scified.com/sites_pics/834608577038932.jpg
Scified
6,567 Reads1 CommentsAdd A Comment

Who Is Ellen Ripley(8)? A What If Story, Of A Franchise Icon.

 

For those of us old enough, we all remember the speculation after the events of ALIEN3. Our girl, Ellen Ripley, gave up her life to ensure the alien perished, so that humanity could survive. For many of us, coming to grips with the death of such a beloved character was a tough thing. 

Over the years ideas were floated (in the 90s) that maybe Alien3 would be all a dream and that maybe Linda Hamilton, of the Terminator films would take up the role of Ripley and we would continue to see the further adventures of Ripley in future films.

At some point, we have to let Ripley go. I write that to myself as much as I put it out there to everyone else. As someone who feels like the Alien series is as tied to Ripley as it the creature, I realize that Blomkamp’s ALIEN film (that we will still hopefully receive) will/may be the last time Sigourney Weaver inhabits the role of Ripley on screen. For me, that’s a sobering thought.

Ripley has lived in my mind and heart since I first discovered her in ALIENS, on VHS, in 1988. Later I would discover the masterpiece, ALIEN with my dad, and then fall in love with her all over again in David Fincher’s masterstroke, ALIEN3. During my teenage years of obsession over all things ALIEN, I started writing a screenplay that started after the events of *cough* alien resurrection*cough* and as I developed it, with stars in my eyes, at the tender age of 21, I thought my story more and more plausible. 

I was never a book kind of guy. I bought ALIEN comics and graphic novels, but I was strictly a movie guy. Once the train wreck that was/is Alien Resurrection was thoroughly, and disappointingly out of my system, I started envisioning a world with a different version of Ripley now in it. Much of what I started creating dealt with Ripley8, and as time progressed and I kept working and reworking my story (all written by hand at first) I thought to myself ‘Who is Ellen Ripley now?”

Assuredly, she isn’t the same woman who threw herself into molten steel in Alien3. She’s a clone, sharing memories and is arguably a [worse?] version of the same person, but again, she isn’t the same person, is she?. I spoke about Ripley in a recent podcast episode, and how, each time I see the end of ALIEN3, hearing Ripley’s voice for the last time through radio transmission, I get choked up. The person whom I have known so well, and in my own fanboy way, fought along side, she’s dead, gone forever. 

My Alien story, appropriately titled ALIEN: GENESIS found Ripley8 living in a snowy mining colony in Alaska. It’s a quiet place, her hair is short, and surprisingly, she’s aging, quickly, the after effects of cloning. She is surrounded by a den of cats, (a nod to Jonesy) and sticks to herself. The events of my story have Ripley asleep one evening until she’s awoken by gunpoint by a man that needs her help, but he isn’t asking.

This man takes Ripley off world to an unspecified planet where his pregnant wife has gone missing. His wife is mapping and researching the alien creatures, which, at this stage are at mythical proportions, yet somehow rediscovered, by accident by an interplanetary team of archeologists. I won’t say what happens, but Ripley starts dealing with her own mortality as her genetic makeup starts to deteriorate, and she begins living out the original Ripley’s memories, seeing the crew from the Nostromo, and other characters the original had encountered. At one point in my story, Ripley8 sees this little girl darting around the tunnels in the ground that are on the planet. 

For many reasons, reasons I’m only coming to understand at the age of 40, I didn’t want Ripley to be dead. I wanted the original version to come out through Ripley8’s psyche. Are they really the same person? Are they different? Do memories make us human? Does sharing identical DNA with someone (something) make you family, or a stranger? These were the questions I was posing.

I’m not sure we’re going to ever see Ripley again. I hope we do. This piece is written in her honor. I honor the character of who she is, Ridley Scott for giving her life, James Cameron for making her the character we would grow to love, and David Fincher for giving her an honorable way out. 

This is JM Prater, the host of Perfect Organism: The Alien Saga Podcast, signing off…

Written by JM PraterPublished on 2016-01-19 20:23:02

Treat yourself to some Alien Merchandise!

As we await the next Alien movie, now is a great time to build your Alien collection and expand your Alien-themed wardrobe. Check out some products below and click here for even more options!

Alien hoodies
Alien T-Shirt
Alien tank top
1 Comments

Korpen

MemberOvomorphJan-20-2016 12:31 PM

i would love for you to post your ALIEN:GENESYS story script here on the forum. Everybody loves fan fiction :)

Add A Comment
Sign In Required
Sign in using your Scified Account to access this feature!
Email
Password
Visitor Comments
Latest Images
Alien & Predator Alien & Predator Fandom
Alien Movie Universe Forums
Alien: Romulus
Alien: Romulus Discuss the new Fede Alvarez Alien movie here
Alien
Alien Discuss all things Alien here
Alien: Covenant
Alien: Covenant Discuss the Prometheus Sequel, Alien: Covenant
Alien FX TV Series
Alien FX TV Series Discuss the Alien FX TV series here!
Alien Games
Alien Games Discuss Alien games here
Alien 5 Movie
Alien 5 Movie Discuss Neill Blomkamps’s vision for Alien 5 here
Alien Movies
Alien Movies Discuss the Classic Alien Films
Prometheus
Prometheus Everything About Prometheus
Prometheus Fan Art
Prometheus Fan Art Artwork & Fiction From the Fans
Hot Forum Topics
New Forum Topics
Highest Forum Ranks Unlocked
Xenotaris
Xenotaris » Praetorian
86% To Next Rank
ninXeno426
ninXeno426 » Praetorian
62% To Next Rank
Thoughts_Dreams
Thoughts_Dreams » Neomorph
85% To Next Rank
MonsterZero
MonsterZero » Xenomorph
91% To Next Rank
Neomorph
Neomorph » Chestburster
76% To Next Rank
Latest Alien Fandom Activity

Alien: Covenant is a sequel to 2012's Prometheus as well as a prequel to 1979's ALIEN. Alien fans looking to know more about Alien: Covenant should check back often. Alien-Covenant.com is an information resource for film enthusiasts looking to learn more about the upcoming blockbuster Alien: Covenant. Providing the latest official and accurate information on Alien: Covenant, this website contains links to every set video, viral video, commercial, trailer, poster, movie still and screenshot available. This site is an extension of the Alien & Predator Fandom on Scified - a central hub for fans of Alien and Prometheus looking to stay up-to-date on the latest news. Images used are property of their respective owners. Alien: Covenant, Prometheus and its associated names, logos and images are property of 20th Century Fox and are in no way owned by Scified and its related entities. This is a fan-created website for the purpose of informing and exciting fans for Alien: Covenant's release. If you have any questions about this site, its content or the Scified Network in general, feel free to contact Scified directly.

© 2024 Scified.com
Sign in
Use your Scified Account to sign in


Log in to view your personalized notifications across Scified!

Transport To Communities
Alien Hosted Community
Cloverfield Hosted Community
Godzilla Hosted Community
Jurassic World Hosted Community
Predator Hosted Community
Aliens vs. Predator Hosted Community
Latest Activity
Forums
Search Scified
Trending Articles
Blogs & Editorials