Ripley's Escape

In the silence of deep space, one woman refused to die.

In Alien Resurrection (1997), Ripley 8, a clone of Ellen Ripley created 200 years after her death, heads with the surviving mercenaries for the ship Betty to escape and destroy the USM Auriga.

Quick Facts

Protagonist: Ellen Ripley

Lore & Background

The story of Ripley continues 200 years after her death when military scientists aboard the USM Auriga create "Ripley 8" using DNA from blood samples taken at Fiorina "Fury" 161. This cloning process combined Xenomorph queen DNA with Ripley's, resulting in a clone who grew up with an embryo inside her. The extraction of this embryo led to the birth of a Xenomorph queen, which was then used to lay eggs while Ripley 8 remained alive for study. Due to the alien genetics, she possesses enhanced strength, reflexes, acidic blood, and a psychic link to the creatures. Her genetic memory even allows her to retain some memories of the original Ellen Ripley. Seven failed attempts to clone Ripley resulted in grotesque survivors before the successful eighth iteration was achieved.

Reader's Guide

To survive the Xenomorphs on the USM Auriga, Ripley 8 and her allies must utilize the Betty shuttle to destroy the ship before it reaches Earth. Crossing the damaged ship they swim through a flooded kitchen, and Christie, blinded by a Xenomorph, sacrifices himself to kill it. Finally, Ripley 8 must confront the human-Xenomorph hybrid on the Betty; she uses her unique acidic blood to breach the hull and eject the creature into the vacuum of space, ensuring its destruction before the Auriga explodes upon impact with Earth.

Did You Know?

Alien Resurrection was filmed at the 20th Century Fox studios in Los Angeles, California, and released to the public on November 12, 1997.
The film grossed $47.8 million in the United States and Canada, making it the least successful entry in the Alien series for that market at the time.
Joss Whedon wrote five versions of the final act, none of which ended up in the film.
The character Ripley 8 possesses a psychic link with Xenomorphs and retains some of Ellen Ripley's memories due to genetic contamination from the Queen's DNA.