Alien: Romulus ending explained

As a lifelong fan of the Alien franchise, I must say that Alien: Romulus has truly captured the essence of what made this series great. Having grown up watching Sigourney Weaver’s Ripley battling the terrifying Xenomorph, it was both thrilling and nostalgic to see a new story unfold in a way that felt true to its roots.

Alien: Romulus ending spoilers follow.

In the film titled “Alien: Romulus“, the Xenomorph returns, and notably, this latest installment stays true to all previous events as depicted in the series, unlike some other long-lasting franchises.

20 years after the events of “Alien”, this film revolves around a team of young space settlers residing on the Jackson’s Star mining colony. Their opportunity to leave for good arises when an abandoned Weyland-Yutani space station appears in their planet’s orbit.

As a devoted enthusiast, I found myself drawn into a harrowing tale where my team was sent on a mission to gather supplies from the distant station. However, things took a terrifying turn when we encountered the fearsome Xenomorph. It’s no surprise that the blame lies squarely with the company for their reckless actions in meddling with this deadly creature.

If the link between Prometheus and Alien: Covenant (Romulus) left you puzzled and wanting more clarity, allow us to guide you through the fresh insights from the latest film, focusing particularly on its conclusion.

Look away now if you haven’t seen Alien: Romulus as we’re about to go into some major spoilers.

Alien: Romulus ending explained – how it connects to Prometheus

Not long after their initial meeting with the facehuggers, the team learn from Rook, the science officer of the Renaissance, that the ship’s crew had previously retrieved the first Xenomorph, as seen in the movie ‘Alien’.

Contrary to their belief, it wasn’t completely lifeless. Its survival led to the tragic loss of the entire crew and severe harm to the station. The reason for wanting the Xenomorph becomes evident only after some casualties have occurred.

Following the tragic demise of Navarro, Bjorn, Kay (and her unborn child), Andy, Rain, and Tyler navigate their way to the Romulus lab. It is here that Andy is tasked with executing his fresh mandate, which Rook had given him: acting in the company’s best interests.

Prior to the Xenomorph’s devastation of the station, Rook was conducting studies aimed at retrieving the parasite within it, which gives the Xenomorph its exceptional biological characteristics.

The company aims to utilize this technology primarily for the survival of its off-world labor force, as the current inhabitants are perishing due to their bodies being unadapted to life in extraterrestrial environments. However, it’s important to note that while they may present it as a humanitarian effort, their true motivation is maintaining a workforce capable of continued operation.

In an effort to replicate the substance, Rook was striving to synthesize the Prometheus compound, reminiscent of the ominous black goo seen in the movie Prometheus. This mysterious substance was initially uncovered on LV-223 within the film and subsequently subjected to experimentation by David, leading to the development of various lifeforms such as the facehugger, Xenomorph, and others.

Alien: Romulus ending explained – how it connects to Prometheus

In the story of “Alien: Romulus“, the company is portrayed as unaware of this and regards the Prometheus compound as a “miraculous offering intended for humankind”. It falls under Andy’s latest instructions to retrieve the compound and transport it back to the colony on Jackson’s Star.

It turns out that Kay wasn’t deceased as they initially thought. Instead, she had been connected to the Xenomorph within the station’s innards – much like the colonists in the movie “Aliens.” Rain, Andy, and Tyler manage to save her, but unfortunately, Tyler loses his life during the rescue when he is assaulted by numerous Xenomorphs.

Kay, who is severely wounded, applies the concoction onto herself, hoping it could aid her recovery. Regrettably, none of them noticed the mutated rat carcass in the Romulus lab, but they only learn about the repercussions once they’re aboard their ship, leaving the Renaissance behind.

Rain puts Kay into cryosleep, but it’s interrupted when her pregnancy is rapidly sped up by the compound. She gives birth to a facehugger-like egg which opens up to reveal a human-alien hybrid. (Think the Newborn from Alien: Resurrection mixed up with the Engineer from Prometheus, and you get the picture.)

In the film’s credits, the character known as The Offspring slays Kay and severs Andy’s neck, leaving him helpless. Reminiscent of Ripley in Alien, Rain successfully dons a spacesuit and ultimately expels The Offspring out into the vastness of space.

Alien: Romulus ending explained – how it connects to Prometheus

Will there be an Alien: Romulus sequel?

Actually, the storyline you’re referring to, titled “Aliens,” is indeed a continuation of sorts, being set 37 years after “Alien: Resurrection.” However, it doesn’t exactly align with your question.

After she expels the Offspring, Rain places Andy in a cryo chamber assuring him, “I’ll mend you.” Subsequently, she transmits the familiar Alien parting message and charts a course for Yvaga III, the long-anticipated destination where they intended to flee.

If the upcoming “Aliens” film proves successful at the box office, it might pave the way for a direct sequel to “Alien: Romulus”.

Perhaps there will be a deeper partnership emerging between Fede Alvarez and Ridley Scott, as they might join forces to conclude Scott’s proposed prequel trilogy, which is connected to ‘Alien: Romulus’ and its ties with ‘Prometheus’.

Scott certainly sounds keen. “I hope Fede’s got another one up his sleeve because I think this is going to do really well. He’s got a streak of brilliance,” he told the Los Angeles Times.

At this stage though, we’ll just have to wait and see.

For more on Alien: Romulus, check out:

1. What’s the duration of “Alien: Romulus”?

Alien: Romulus is out now in cinemas.

2024-08-16 19:50

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