On that note...
The sculpting on the biomechanical tube, the sheath receiving the bottom end of it, and pubic area constitute some delightfully zany hermaphroditic imagery. Erect penis + vaginal sheath above, and vulvic cleft below. (The relative emphasis on female parts makes sense to me given the alien's entire head is an oozing cock.) I wish you could have lived to see the beauty of your creature realized so magnificently once again, Herr Giger...
Oh, er, the subadult thing -- yes, that is quite interesting. I didn't pick up on that at all just from the movie, but the maquettes side by side in the BTS photos makes it quite clear. I assume Scorched manages to darken in between "hatching" and joining with the hive?
