Egg on Sulaco

[SM]

She says "Third Officer reporting" in Alien and Van Leuwen refers to her as "Warrant Officer E Ripley".

[Local Trouble]

Was this in the theatrical cuts?

[SM]

Van Leuwen's bit was reinserted into the SE.

[SiL]

So she's had four ranks in as many films. Christ.

[RagingDragon]

Nice, thanks SM.

[The1PerfectOrganism]

So she's had four ranks in as many films. Christ.

Well, there is a lot of time jumps.

[SM]

Could only be two really.  If someone is Lieutenant First Class, they're not going to be referred to as that.  They'd simply be called "Lieutenant".  I think.

If she attained that rank on accepting Burke's offer, you can explain away Brandywine's lack of continuity by saying that Warrant Officer in 2122 = Lieutenant First Class in 2179.

[The1PerfectOrganism]

Could only be two really.  If someone is Lieutenant First Class, they're not going to be referred to as that.  They'd simply be called "Lieutenant".  I think.

If she attained that rank on accepting Burke's offer, you can explain away Brandywine's lack of continuity by saying that Warrant Officer in 2122 = Lieutenant First Class in 2179.

That makes sense.

[FiorinaFury161]

She does have a Class Two rating on the loaders

[SiL]

Could only be two really.  If someone is Lieutenant First Class, they're not going to be referred to as that.  They'd simply be called "Lieutenant".  I think.

A Warrant Officer and Third Officer aren't the same thing, but.

[RagingDragon]

Could only be two really.  If someone is Lieutenant First Class, they're not going to be referred to as that.  They'd simply be called "Lieutenant".  I think.

A Warrant Officer and Third Officer aren't the same thing, but.

"Dwayne."

"It's Dwayne."

[HuDaFuK]

A Warrant Officer and Third Officer aren't the same thing, but.

I always assumed Warrant Officer was her rank, whereas "third officer" simply referred to the fact she was third in command of the ship.

[SiL]

A Warrant Officer isn't really in line of command (Although a Third Officer is, oddly, fourth or fifth in command.)

However a Third Officer is usually in charge of ship safety, which matches her behaviour throughout the film -- demanding Dallas adhere to quarantine protocol, etc.

[Local Trouble]

IIRC and FWIW, the Alien 3 novelization said that Ripley held the marine rank of lieutenant.  Can anyone confirm or deny this?

[FiorinaFury161]

I will check my book when I get home, I think that can be "confirmed" status.