EARTH Reveals Link Between Xenomorphs and Hybrids

Alien: Earth is going to places in this long-running franchise that it has never gone before. One of the biggest additions to the lore is the creation of the hybrids, human consciousnesses downloaded into synthetic bodies. Through the character of the hybrid Wendy (Sydney Chandler), we’ve learned in previous episodes that the Xenomorphs have an actual language. Now, in the penultimate episode, we learn that hybrids like Wendy can learn that alien language and speak to the Xenomorphs. And the lethal alien species can even cooperate with them.

In episode seven, titled “Emergence,” Wendy (formerly Marcy) and her brother Joe Hermit (Alex Lawther) attempt to escape the Neverland facility, located on a remote tropical island, presumably in the South Pacific. Dr. Arthur Sylvia, before the face hugger attacked him, managed to turn off the trackers of the hybrid “Lost Boys.” With their trackers disabled, Wendy and fellow hybrid Nibs (Lily Newmark), with Joe’s help, attempt to go to the docks and steal a boat to get off the island, realizing they are not safe under Boy Kavalier’s control.

As the three make their way through the jungle, six heavily armed Weyland-Yutani soldiers, part of Mr. Morrow’s battalion, have appeared at Neverland Island. Their plan is to get the alien specimens from Prodigy, which they consider their proprietary property, back in their hands. They ambush the trio, but Wendy has a trick up her sleeve. She let the Xenomorph escape the Neverland Research facility and allowed it to stealthily follow them in the jungle. And pretty soon, all hell breaks loose.

After making several clicking sounds, Wendy is able to communicate with the Xenomorph. We’ve known for a few episodes that she can understand them, establishing that the Xenomorphs have a language. Now we know for certain that Wendy herself can also “speak” that language. And she can direct the Xenos to act on her behalf. What happens next feels straight out of the original Predator film. The alien leaps out of the trees, and massacres the soldiers one by one. The Xenomorph slaughters all six of them in seconds.

After the attack, Wendy is able to communicate again with the creature. He heels before her like a puppy, totally freaking out her human brother. She even pets it, the blood of the soldiers still on its face. The Xenomorph then quickly runs into the jungle after Wendy talks to it again. Joe instantly asks his sister what she told it. She thinks she was able to communicate “hide and follow.” Somehow, this machine with a human soul has found a way to forge a relationship with an organism that until now, we only knew as a pure killing machine.

The fact that Wendy can speak, and at least get the Xenomorph to obey her commands, encapsulates just why Weyland-Yutani will do anything to get the alien back. As emphasized in James Cameron’s Aliens, the company wants one for their weapons division. A Xenomorph under their control makes them more powerful than any adversary. In Weyland-Yutani’s war with the other four corporations that make up “The Five,” it would give them an immense advantage. Also, Aliens established that the Xenomorphs are a kind of hive mind, with the Queen controlling the drones. If Wendy is speaking to them, it means she is functionally speaking in “Queen,” which would explain the Xenomorph’s deference to her. And this could change everything we know about the franchise.

Alien: Earth season one is currently dropping new episodes on Tuesdays on FX and FX on Hulu.