Space Jockey

A giant, fossilized alien corpse with a hole in its torso discovered inside a derelict vessel.

In Ridley Scott's 1979 film Alien, the commercial starship Nostromo crew discovers a derelict alien vessel on an unknown planet. Inside this ship, they find a giant, fossilized alien corpse with a hole in its torso seated within the craft.

Quick Facts

First appearance: Alien (1979)
Location discovered: Derelict Vessel
Physical trait: Hole in its torso

Lore & Background

This being had a distinct hole in its torso, suggesting a violent end. The discovery occurred after the crew left their payload in orbit to investigate a transmission from the nearby planet. Its presence confirmed the ship was of alien origin; the ship also housed hundreds of large eggs in a separate chamber. The fossilized state indicated it had been dead for a significant period before the Nostromo crew arrived.

Did You Know?

Ripley determined the transmission from the planet was a warning beacon, not an SOS as first thought.
Dallas, Kane, and Lambert were the three crew members who found the fossilized corpse.
The discovery of the corpse occurred before Kane entered the chamber containing hundreds of large eggs.