Legislator (Captive State)

The Legislators (Slang. Roaches) are humanoid aliens that occupied Earth starting in 2019 as the acting governmental body for the purpose of natural resource extraction (likely fossil fuels). Their invasion was characterized by two phases that resulted in a total surrender by the human governments of the world. Phase I involved disruptive warfare that shut off global communications and the power grid, which held the entire energy-dependent human population hostage. This was followed by appeasement of the enclave and the elite human population at the cost of the working class humans that ultimately led to support for the new alien order. The rest of the humans either retain lower-tech versions of their previous jobs (due to strict limits placed on communication devices and electronics) or are coerced into employment that serves the Legislators such as building elaborate underground habitats called "Closed Zones", supplying human knowledge by uploading digital memory from digital storage devices (Gabriel Drummond), tracking and neutralizing protestors and the resistance (William Mulligan), interpreters to bridge the language barrier, and meeting with the Legislators to debrief the current state of human affairs and take orders from the Legislators (the Commissioner).

Two types of aliens appear in the film, Captive State. The most commonly seen alien is a humanoid fitted with a black, spiked suit. These aliens are lanky and thin like a Death Angel, communicate using clicks, muffled hisses, and horn-like roars, appear to have weak joints, but are incredibly strong as shown by the single alien tearing car doors off and shaking a van violently enough to trigger the car alarm and creating extremely visible commotion. The spikes on its suit can be retracted and flared at will much like the quills of a porcupine, and are extremely thin and sharp resembling a diadema urchin but are not barbed as noted when an afflicted resistance member removes a spine from his stomach with ease. The function of these spikes are unknown, although some have suggested they provide an intimidation factor in the way the spikes flared out for no apparent purpose after killing Gabriel and Rafe's parents and then "introducing" itself to them. The suit laced with spikes is known to be only about as durable as coconut rind (as seen when a resistance member rips a portion off with his bare hands), but at least protects the aliens from earth's atmosphere, which is extremely toxic to the aliens (the alien whose suit was ripped from its face "choked" to death in a matter of seconds). Beneath the mask that was debrided from the alien, the "face" appears as a fissured, moist face that contains a water bear-like mouth capable of gas exchange and squealing sound production. The aliens' homeworld, thus, is not likely to have the same atmospheric composition as that of earth. Despite being shown to have been sent as ambassadors to the Unity Rally, these aliens inexplicably behave in a savage manner. They are wild, uncontrolled, and violent, appearing to exhibit low cognitive ability when they are on the offensive. The second type of alien, called a Hunter, is a warrior-type group that descends from orbit to destroy their opposition. They wear power armor that resembles the Yautja Predator species and are inexplicably able to find the members of the resistance among a group of average citizens. It is possible that the true Legislators are separate from both of these groups. Only one individual of the ruling class hidden underground is ever seen in the opening scene on several video call screens before a meeting between world leaders. This individual does not appear to be wearing any of the suits previously discussed, but ultimately cannot be seen clearly enough.

The technology of the Legislature is vastly superior to that of humans.


 * ranged vaporizing weapons: this weapon is seen used against the Drummond family's vehicle in the opening scene and appears as a pressure wave as no plasma beam or projectile is visible. One blast created a small hole in the windshield and completely vaporized the two occupants in the front seats, but did not cause any other damage, including to the two occupants in the back seats who were spared. The vaporization effect resembles that of the plasma beam weapon of the Prawns, but without the plasma.
 * skyscraper-sized Gundam-like mechs, equipped with some sort of laser, plasma beam, or cannons, are seen perched on a breakwater in Lake Michigan as offensive guard towers.
 * digital jamming devices disrupted mobile device communications
 * organic tracking implants (bugs): These implants allow all humans to be identified remotely using drones and pistol-grip scanners at various checkpoints. They can be thwarted by a special jamming collar, substitute bugs placed under the tongue, and surgical removal. These implants must be removed carefully using a special medical procedure that could be fatal to the host. They immediately turn off when the host human dies and communication with surveillance technology is lost. Surgically-removed bugs can also be used for identity theft for a limited amount of time until the previous host has been logged as deceased. Humans who have had their bugs removed are referred to as "living off the grid".
 * cloaked time bombs: a translucent, colorless jelly-like substance with very high incendiary potential. These bombs, when armed, become completely invisible to the naked eye and to scanners as they are organically-based. They can attach well to clothing material and are activated with a double-tap that offers roughly 60 seconds of countdown to detonation. Due to their incendiary nature, its efficacy is questionable in an oxygen-devoid Clozed Zone, but an overcoat-sized quantity was still somehow able to destroy the entire colony. A small quantity of these bombs were scavenged from crashed alien ships, presumably from the initial invasion and battle in 2019.
 * power armor: Predator-like armor worn by the Hunters. Their abilities are not known, but they feature 4 eye spots despite the aliens not likely to be visual creatures.
 * spike suit: Black suits worn by the common aliens that protect them from earth's atmosphere, as well as featuring retractable spines that may inflict damage to opponents.
 * space shuttle: Very sophisticated space shuttles that look like pieces of mountain hover effortlessly and hop into orbit with ease. They are bilaterally symmetric, move in one direction (forward), and have no visible cockpit or exhaust. The recoil from the thrust is visible however. These space shuttles are seen being used to transport Humans who have violated their laws, particularly those who used mobile devices, are an enemy of the Captive State, to an off-planet prison.
 * drones: Drones fly around in swarms like bee drones, even emitting the same buzzing sound, but are approximately 1-2 ft long, and assume the shape of a hexagonal prism. They spy on the humans through their tracking implants and are able to detect when a host has died. The anterior features a large speaker-like suction cup whose function is terrifying, but unknown.