21 Aliens Names and the Sci-Fi Characters We’ve Come to Love and Hate
Since the golden age of sci-fi in the 1950s, the genre has produced hundreds (if not thousands) of films filled with characters from countless backgrounds across the universe. Some are more memorable than others. Of all the sci-fi characters to have been created thus far, chances are you’ll easily recognize the names listed below. You either love them or love to hate them.
Ellen Ripley
Throughout the original “Alien” saga, Ellen Ripley – portrayed by the Sigourney Weaver, the queen of sci-fi herself – proves to Hollywood and the world that a female protagonist is never an impossibility in the film industry. She sets the bar high for all female heroines that follow, because everything about Ripley is exemplary.
Xenomorph XX121
There are essentially two Aliens names everybody is attracted to; the aforementioned Ellen Ripley and the Xenomorph XX121. The former plays the heroine, while the latter is a relentless threat. Xenomorph, the perfect organism, has been a quintessential extraterrestrial lifeform in many space-bound sci-fi horror flicks. You don’t want to mess with something that bleeds acid stronger than anything known to science, unless of course you are Ellen Ripley.
Yoda
The little green creature might be a stereotypical portrayal of extraterrestrial beings, but it means something rather different in Star Wars. Instead of a menacing threat, the little green humanoid here is Yoda. Despite all of the mystery shrouding his existence, Yoda almost feels like an old, wise, reliable friend.
Darth Vader
Supreme Commander of the Imperial Forces, Darth Vader, is the greatest villain in the history of sci-fi. Whether or not you are a Star Wars fan, there is little doubt you have heard of his name and will recognize his outfit anywhere. Bear in mind, he is the father of Luke Skywalker.
Chewbacca
Every individual in Star Wars is technically an alien as no one is from planet Earth. It is a story of bygone millennia in a galaxy far, far away. Even the humans-like characters such as Han Solo and Leia Organa are aliens. On the other hand, Chewbacca is the strange hairy figure which somehow looks familiar.
Spock
There is a recurring theme in Star Trek: the USS Enterprise stops by a planet and discovers a new alien race. The crew of the ship also consists of some aliens. Spock is one of the most respectable extraterrestrial individuals onboard. The half-human, half-Vulcan officer is the voice of logic in the Starfleet academy.
Edgar the Bug
Getting rid of cockroaches usually involves some sort of insecticide, which seems to work well at first before another one crawls out of nowhere. Edgar, from Men in Black, is just like every annoying cockroach, only much bigger and definitely more gross. He is the vengeful representative of marginalized insects, because the big bad bug has got a bit of a soft spot.
Frank the Pug
Also from Men in Black, the speaking dog Frank the Pug is a new character invented for the original 1997 film, starring Tommy Lee Jones and Will Smith. Although not everyone can appreciate talking animals in live action films, Frank has to be one of the easy exceptions.
Redgick’s Baby
For the variety of aliens appearing in Men in Black, it is only appropriate to list another character from the film here. It is not the semi-perverted and caffeine-addicted Neeble, but Redgick’s baby. Even Agent J says the infant of the Squid race is kind of cute.
HAL 9000
Heuristically programmed ALgorithmic computer, also known as HAL, is the sentient mission control computer in the groundbreaking 1968 film “2001: A Space Odyssey” directed by Stanley Kubrick. The artificial intelligence does everything in its power to treat the Jupiter-bound mission as the biggest priority. It will kill the crew if necessary.
E.T.
In the titular character of Stephen Spielberg’s E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, the stranded alien befriends a young boy named Elliot. The bond between the alien from planet Brodo Asogi and people on Earth offers a more benign and heartwarming perspective, which challenges the “fear of the unknowns” idea.
Groot
Marvel Cinematic Universe has plenty of aliens, and many of them are in the Guardians of the Galaxy films. One that stands out from the crowd, quite literally, is Groot. The fact that the giant tree creature can only say “I am Groot” only makes it more adorable.
Wall-E
The title for the most lovable and sympathetic robot in film goes to Wall-E. A strong contender is R2-D2, but the android has helpful friends in the forms of C3PO and many human-like characters to build its personality. Meanwhile Wall-E manages to shine with all of its humanity pretty much on its own.
The Terminator
Technically known as a T-800 or Cyberdyne Systems Model 101, the emotionless killer robot is a machine wearing human skin. In 2008, the Library of Congress selected The Terminator for preservation in the National Film registry. There can be many reasons behind the decision, and T-800 is almost certainly a strong one of them.
The Blob
An ooze might not seem like a terrifying idea for an extraterrestrial creature, until the Blob. Despite looking like a lump of jelly, the Blob is capable of unleashing off-the-scale devastation just by existing. It kills to live and lives to kill.
ALF
Much like the Extra-Terrestrial in Spielberg’s film, ALF (Alien Life Form) is a friendly creature from outer space. In a similar spirit, ALF is a reminder of the possibility that despite the strange physical features and cultural differences, an alien can be a lot like an ordinary person.
Marvin the Martian
An extraterrestrial life from the Merrie Melodies and Looney Tunes, Marvin the Martian is intelligent and has every intention of conquering Earth. He might wear a skirt and has a goofy voice, but Marvin can wield a ray gun. His plan always fails if Bugs Bunny is around.
Alex Murphy
Unlike they loaded Tony Stark into his Iron Man suit, Alex Murphy is an everyday cop rebuilt as a cyborg. It is the only way to save Murphy’s life, or what’s left of him after taking what must be hundreds of bullets. He is revived as a hybrid human-robot, programmed to fight crimes.
Predator
Xenomorph will probably kill you in sight, but the Predator wants you to at least put up a fight first. He is a hunter, looking for the most formidable human specimen on Earth to kill and keep as a trophy.
Optimus Prime
Originating from planet Cybertron and finding his way to Earth to fight off evil forces, Optimus Prime is the leader of the Autobots. Showcasing courage and bravery in the war against the Decepticons, he is a favorite toy for kids and adults alike.
Superman
Clark Kent is just a mask. Beneath the human-like appearance, he is Kal-El from planet Crypton. Better known as Superman, he is the most original and pretty much totally invincible alien in the history of sci-fi.
Some of us here at Stories At Worlds End grew up with these sci-fi characters. ET, Chewbacca, Clark Kent and the others are part of our cultural heritage, and we love them, both the good guys and the bad.
What do you think of these characters? Is there a special one you like best? Let us know. We’d love to hear from you.
10 things about Ellen Ripley that you didn’t know before
According to screenrant.com Sigourney Weaver is known as the Queen of Sci-Fi. Here are some facts about Ellen Ripley.
She was originally written as a male.
Her middle name is Louise.
Her height in the movie is 5’7” – Weaver’s height is 5’9”
She wasn’t born on Earth.
She was a gifted student and excellent flight officer.
She had a long flight history.
Her potential was limitless.
She wouldn’t give up her pregnancy.
She took the Nostromo Contract for her daughter.
In the movie Weaver is holding a picture of her real-life mom, while we think it’s her daughter Amanda.
Go to screenrant.com to read more details about Ellen Ripley and Aliens. The article is called, ‘Aliens: 10 Fascinating Things Nobody Knew about Ellen Ripley’ by Derek Draven.
Behind the scenes facts you never knew about the original Terminator movie.
According to screenrant.com The Terminator is an iconic and beloved film. Here are some facts that might interest you.
James Cameron put an Easter Egg into The Terminator by Sarah going into a club called Tech Noir. This eventually became the name for a genre that the movie fit into.
It was Schwarzenegger’s lucky break into movies started with this film.
Schwarzenegger wanted his scenes to be flawless. He began intense training with guns and weapons, taught himself to handle them, reload them, and fire them without having to look at them or even blink.
An unintentional atmosphere happened when the crew had to spray bug spray everywhere. They decided to use it as it looked great on screen.
Cameron is a continuity king.
This was first considered a horror film, but later the sci-fi elements made an impression on the audience.
Schwarzenegger insured his eyebrows for the film.
Cameron didn’t physically appear in the film, but his voice did.
The car chases were filmed at normal speed and then the film was sped up to make it look faster.
Schwarzenegger’s Austrian accent was strong, but his performance was good enough for the audience to overlook it.
For more details on this topic, go to screenrant.com and read the article by Hilary Elizabeth. The article is called, ‘Terminator: 10 behind-the-scenes facts you never knew.’
Fun facts about Superman
According to ducksters.com Superman is unique because he’s an alien who comes to Earth and assumes an human alter-ego. Here are more fun facts about Superman.
His original name on the planet Krypton was Karl-El.
Superman was actually killed by the villain Doomsday in a 1993 comic. He was later brought back to life.
He got stronger and better powers over time. He originally could jump a long ways but couldn’t fly.
His middle name is Joseph.
He is around 6’4” tall and weighs 225 pounds.
His secret headquarters is called the Fortress of Solitude.
He gave Batman a piece of Kryptonite to be used if Superman got out of control.
For more details about Superman go to ducksters.com and read the entire article.
