In the latest action-packed trailer for this summer's Independence Day sequel, Independence Day: Resurgence, we received a glimpse of what is clearly a massive new Alien creature. Sporting extremely long legs and a forked claw, this monstrous Alien behemoth reminds us a lot of the MUTOs from Gareth Edwards' 2014 Godzilla film. Is it a Vanguard sent by the new Alien mother ship to attack the heavily populated areas of Earth's cities and military bases as a means to weaken Earth's defenses? Is it a massive bio-mechanical exosuit the Aliens use to retrieve their captive brothers or is it the Alien Queen of Independence Day? We consider all possibilities in this breakdown. Enjoy...
Our first glimpse of this Monster gives us an areal view of the creature moving toward what is clearly a Hospital. In the screenshot below, you can see the Alien is meeting heavy resistance by Earth Defense Forces, but continues to press on. We also get a glimpse of many smaller Alien ships creating somewhat of a vortex around the creature as it advances forward. These smaller ships seem to be protecting the Alien from areal assault while it makes its way toward its target.
Why the Hospital? Following this cut-scene is an immediate follow-up with David Levinson (Jeff Goldblum) and a group of children, as well as his father in the background. They all look shocked and concerned. If we are to assume this cut-scene is taken in order of how events unfold, we can assume that the Hospital is in the process of a massive evacuation.
Perhaps Levinson has relatives or friends at this Hospital and the Alien race have assigned him as a primary target? But why waste ground troops, or in this case ground troop, on one target when a simple bombing run could take care of him? This leads me to believe these scenes are not directly connected.
The next question the first screenshot above poses is - why on Earth are Alien fighters seemingly firing on their own Vanguard?! You'll notice two Alien fighters clearly showering projectiles down on the massive Alien creature. The only possible explanation for this is that these two fighters are not piloted by Aliens, but Human pilots who have commandeered Alien craft - as it would likely be the only way past the vortex of protective ships. We do get a glimpse of Angel Baby in what seems to be an Alien craft cockpit (seen below), so it's likely she and others have managed to break off with some of the enemies' space craft in order to rescue or at least attempt to stop this massive new Alien.
Back to the Vanguard's approach, we get a series of cut-scenes which truly highlight the sheer size of this monster.
As it makes its way closer to the Human defenses, we notice it is un-phased by conventional weaponry. Its one claw comes crashing down on a Hum-V, crushing it and exploding it instantly. Nearby soldiers begin to run for their lives:
Following the end of this cut-scene, we aren't shown anymore of this new Alien. We are left to assume it is simply a giant monster that's been unleashed on Humanity in amidst the chaos.
What if this thing isn't even an Alien however? What if it's merely piloted by Aliens? Like the smaller, infantry level Aliens seen in captivity as well as in the first Independence Day, what if this new creature is simply a massive exo-suit? The other Aliens wear protective suits, as discovered by Dr. Okun (Brent Spiner) and his lab in the first movie. The Aliens hiding inside were discovered to have just as frail bodies as Humans, so it's possible this massive creature is simply a housing for multiple smaller Aliens. Like an AT-AT walker from Star Wars, this could be used as an all-terrain vehicle, allowing the Aliens to attack from the ground while still maintaining a strategic advantage over their enemies.
As for the purpose of this thing's release, it would make most sense if it were either a rescue boat for the captive Aliens seen earlier in the film's trailers, or a vanguard used to weaken Human defenses in preparation for the full scale invasion. The only flaw with the latter assumption is the presence of those two rogue Alien fighters (likely piloted by Humans) attacking the Vanguard. In order for the Humans to have obtained and made off with stolen Alien tech, the invasion would have already begun and have progressed far enough for them to have made their way onto an enemy vessel and steal the fighters.
Alternatively this Vanguard could be a boss fight level character only seen near the end of the film. Perhaps itis the Independence Day Alien version of a Xenomorph Queen? A massive matriarch, who's pissed off after her ship has been destroyed and is now going after those responsible in a last ditch effort to avenge her species?
Any of the above scenarios are possible, but until we see more footage, or witness the film for ourselves in theaters this summer, the actual meaning behind this new Alien remains a mystery. That's not to stop you from theorizing, however. If you have a thought or theory regarding this unknown creature, leave it in the comments section below!
Independence Day: Resurgence hits theaters June 34th, 2016.
About the Independence Day: Resurgence movie
Independence Day: Resurgence June 24th, 2016
After Independence Day redefined the event movie genre, the next epic chapter delivers global catastrophe on an unimaginable scale. Using recovered alien technology, the nations of Earth have collaborated on an immense defense program to protect the planet. But nothing can prepare us for the aliens’ advanced and unprecedented force. Only the ingenuity of a few brave men and women can bring our world back from the brink of extinction.
Directed by Roland Emmerich, Independence Day: Resurgence's release date is June 24th, 2016.
Stay up to date with the latest news on Independence Day: Resurgence by liking Scified on Facebook and by following us on Twitter and Instagram! Also, consider subscribing your email to our Independence Day Resurgence blog for instant notifications of when new posts are made!
