Alien has become one of the most popular films of its genre and of all time, spawning an expansive franchise network, but its alternate ending could have changed all of that. The stand-out protagonist of the film is the smart, decisive, level-headed and tenacious Ellen Ripley. She is the lone survivor of the spaceship Nostromo, defeating the Xenomorph after the rest of her crew-mates are brutally killed by the creature. However, this wasn't always the original ending of Alien.
Despite alien, called Xenomorph. One crew-mate accidentally disturbs an egg in the hive and the creature attacks him, the crew then unknowingly carry the entity back aboard their ship where chaos and horror ensue.
Ripley is the only person onboard the ship who refuses to allow the crew-mates back on the Nostromo, citing quarantine regulations. This immediately sets her up to be the voice of reason, and it's this kind of attitude that allows her character to see the disaster through to the end. The alternate ending of Alien, rather than having Ripley as the last one standing, actually would have had her suffer the same fate as the rest of the crew.
Alien's Alternate Ending Explained: How Ripley Died
The alternate ending would have still had Alien's intelligent Xenomorph would tap on the desktop buttons, and mimic the dead captain Dallas' voice, eerily saying "I'm g off."
Killing Ripley Would Ruin Her (& Alien's) Appeal
In the years since its release in 1979, Ripley has grown exponentially into one of the best heroines in cinema. Taking on the role that would stereotypically be given to a man, the hero of a space horror adventure, Sigourney Weaver's portrayal set her character up as a feminist idol. Her being the composed, decisive, and dependable member of the ship, whilst also not being tied into any romantic relationship, marked a distinctive difference from how feminine roles were portrayed in sci-fi, action and horror genres. Typically, feminine roles in horror and action were oversexualized damsels in distress who didn't contribute anything of real worth to the actual plot of the film; Ripley displayed something different and helped to rescue female protagonists in horror movies. If the alternate ending had played out, Ripley's reputation as a character who challenged gender roles and defied the odds might not have been nearly as effective. To have her die would almost wipe out the importance of centralizing her character.
How The Alien Franchise Would Be Worse If Ripley Had Died
The Alien franchise has been steadily expanded in the years since the first film was released, and it would be worse if this alternate ending had actually happened. Firstly, its sequel Aliens would lose its plot, since it yet again stars Sigourney Weaver's character in the role of protagonist. The two films follow a similar premise, and there is indeed a lot of Alien is actually considered a box office flop, and was met with mixed reviews, after all. With that in mind, the genre-redefining characteristics that Ripley represented most likely allowed for the sequel to come more easily to Hollywood.
Why Alien's Alternate Ending Didn't Happen
Ultimately, this brutal, fatal alternate ending didn't come to fruition. Ridley Scott pitched it to the studio and they hated it. They essentially told him not to do it, or he'd be fired. As stated, Alien was already breaking out of the realm of comfortable cinema, and Ripley's ghastly ending was a step too far. Besides, keeping Ripley alive allowed her to front a few more Alien films, directed by big names like Alien Resurrection), while making room for sequels, prequels, and artsy interpretations galore in the franchise.
Alien truly introduced the world to a new kind of hero who didn't fit the typical mold. Ripley has cemented her place in horror and sci-fi forever, changing the way feminine roles were received and granting them the credit they're worth. If the alternate ending in Alien had gone ahead, it would not only have soured Sigourney Weaver's character, but the future stories as well.
