Xenomorph Queen

The Xenomorph Queen is the ultimate breed of Xenomorph, and is also known as the Mother Alien or Alien Queen.

Information


Xenomorphs have an insect-like life cycle, fairly similar to that of the digger wasp. The queen regulates the whole hive and it is possible that the hive can't survive without her.

Queen xenomorphs are significantly larger than the drones, approximately 4.5 m (15 ft) tall. Their body structure differs also, having twin sets of arms and being built more similarly to a theropod dinosaur than a humanoid. Queens have a much larger braincase than the average adults, protected by a large crest above their heads. Another well-known feature of the xenomorph queen is an immense ovipositor in its lower torso, which is responsible for creating facehugger eggs (similar to a queen termite). The queen is able to detach from the ovipositor if necessary (as in the case of an emergency)then she will create a new one when the danger ends. Queens also have a higher ability to relate cause and effect to make observations and deductions, allowing them rudimentary understanding of technology in the same way as some primates, such as the Queen's use of the elevator in Aliens. At the end of Aliens, when the xenomorph drones cut off Ripley's escape route, she threatens to burn an egg. The Queen perceives this and beckons the drones to clear out of the way. The queen is also considered to be the strongest caste of Xenomorph, able to evenly fight Ripley in a Power Loader in the film Aliens, and due to its superiority in the Aliens versus Predator game series. Queens seem even more resilient to damage than the rest of the hive (even when adjusted for size) as demonstrated in Alien vs. Predator. She receives several deep throat wounds and is speared through the head, yet even this is not enough to kill her.

Finally, it must be remarked that the alien queen values and protects the survival of her species just like any good mother would. Nothing short of her own destruction will stop her from seeking deadly vengeance upon the one who harms her offspring. In one of the comic book series released by Dark Horse Comics, a caged alien queen becomes incensed at a human soldier who resorts to killing an attacking alien warrior, becoming herself hell-bent on killing the human soldier. This same, all-consuming killing rage is vividly observed in the alien queen's pursuit of Ellen Ripley for the slaughter of her children.

Hive Relationships
Most of the relationships of the xenomorph hive established and recognized are supposition. It is likely, though, that after some time a new Queen would lead a contingent of drones away from the previous hive; the drones would then begin construction anew. Early on, all efforts would be concentrated on finishing the hive so that the Queen can begin laying eggs again. Rival creatures would be used to reinforce the hive and protect the Queen when she begins breeding. It is known that the host of a Queen Chestbuster is able to be recognized as such by Drone and Warrior xenomorphs. In at least one instance (in the graphic novel Genocide) the new queen has mutated and the new breed of xenomorphs do battle with the old order to establish supremacy. This may be a form of evolution of the alien species.

If needed they can even go as far as protecting the host from harm in order to ensure the survival of the future Queen. It is unknown if she needs a mate, but if she has a mate, it's probable that the reason it didn't show up in the movies is because, like most insects, after copulation the male is eaten by the female or dies.

Design
The design of the queen was created by Aliens director James Cameron in collaboration with special effects artist Stan Winston, based upon an initial painting Cameron had done at the start of the project. The Winston Studio created a test foam core queen before constructing the full hydraulic puppet which was used for most of the scenes involving the large alien. Two people were inside working the twin sets of arms and puppeteers off-screen worked her jaws and head. Although at the end of the film the queen was presented full-body fighting the power-loader, the audience never sees the legs of the queen, save those of the small-scale puppet that appears only briefly. In Aliens, Cameron used very selective camera-angles on the queen, using the "less is more" style of photography. Subsequently the movie won an Oscar for Visual Effects. It was only during the climax of the 2004 film Alien vs. Predator that for the first time audiences could see the queen actually running and fighting because of the computer-generated imagery (CGI) techniques employed to create it. The queen's basic design was also altered to make her more "streamlined" in appearance and her overall size was increased to 6 meters (20 ft) tall. Other changes include the removal of the "high-heel" protrusions on her legs, altering the joints so she could run faster, and making her waist thinner because there was no need for puppeteers inside her chest. The new Queen was built from scratch. The legs were made proportionally larger to the body, giving the new queen a sturdier appearance.