The Xenomorph Is Now Only the Second Coolest Alien in the Franchise

Earth has challenged this notion by introducing a new creature in the series, which some fans are already suggesting could potentially be more iconic than the xenomorph as the face of the franchise.

WARNING: Alien: Earth Episode 5 SPOILERS FOLLOW

The story of Alien: Earth centers around Weyland-Yutani Corporation, who embarked on a lengthy expedition with the spacecraft USCSS Maginot, aiming to capture and study five extremely dangerous alien species. Their goal was to utilize these creatures for groundbreaking advancements in genetic engineering. The mission proved successful initially, but as revealed in Episode 5, it ended tragically due to both sabotage by Prodigy, a rival corporation, and manipulations instigated by the aliens themselves onboard the Maginot, resulting in the unfortunate demise of the crew and the eventual crash of the ship.

It’s equally clear that the ‘Eyeball Monster’ or ‘Eyeball Octopus,’ which the Maginot team apprehended, played an active role in its own escape and in eliminating the crew members. The Eye interferes with science officer Chibuzo (Karen Aldridge) while she’s working to aid one of the blood-sucking creatures called “ticks” to break free from its enclosure. Moreover, the Eye shows an uncanny ability to detect a malfunction in its own container’s locking mechanism and strategically uses its tentacles to create a slingshot-like contraption, dislodging the container tube from its wall mount. To underscore the menacing nature of this new creature, Hawley incorporates a thrilling confrontation between the Eye and an actual xenomorph, highlighting that it’s equally formidable and dangerous as the Alien franchise’s signature creature.

I Think The Eye Octopus Is Cooler Than The Xenomorphs (For Good Reason)

In the series “Alien: Earth,” the creators have consistently included viewpoints from the Eyeball character since the beginning. This was an intriguing decision at first, as the primary focus was on the xenomorphs and the emergence of Prodigy’s new human-synth hybrids. However, Episode 5 sheds light on the fact that the Eyeball Octopus plays a more significant role as the main antagonist in the show than initially assumed. And I must admit, I am enjoying this unexpected development.

As a dedicated enthusiast of the Alien series spanning many years, I’ve always found no need to replicate the same formula. The alien creatures in Alien set it apart from other sci-fi and horror genres due to their unique designs. However, Chris Carter is building a convincing argument that perhaps Ridley Scott, James Cameron, and other creators may have underestimated the potential of what lies in space when it comes to generating terror. Introducing an intelligent parasite-like monster in Alien, one capable of driving entire scenes from its perspective, adds a fresh dynamic that previous directors, such as David Fincher (in Alien 3) and Ridley Scott (in Alien: Covenant), have merely hinted at. Moreover, episode 4 of Alien: Earth suggests that the Eyeball is intelligent enough to discern the authority of Prodigy’s CEO Boy Kavalier (Samuel Blenkin). Whether this implies a power transfer or an unsettling alliance, only time will tell.

Alien: Earth is streaming on FX-Hulu.

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2025-09-03 04:10