Why do you think ripley lived?

[Ghost Rider]

Luck.

[Valaquen]

The rule of Final Girl, with strip-to-the-panties bonus [pre-requisite, though not exclusive].

[StrangeShape]

Strong survival instinct and incredibly strong psyche. Look at Lambert for example. She would have just sit down and cry if she would have been in Ripley's place. That's why the character was already such strong female character and why the second movie focused on her even more. Hell, I dont know if I wouldnt have a meltdown myself in her place. Everyones dead, and youre stuck halfway home with a big black creature somewhere around

[AvatarIII]

luck and chance, a strong survival instinct, and being a woman.

looks like all these things have been mentioned though

[Xenoscream]

Ripley had a great mental strength.

She also was actively trying to figure out the best way of killing the Alien or surviving.

The fact she went to Mother and discovered the special order meant that they were able to come to the conclusion to get off the ship and blow it up.

There was luck involved sure, but it was also bad luck which got Brett killed.

So I'll say, because she was smart, resourceful, cool under pressure and was absolutely not going to give up.

[Some Mothers Do Have Em!]

Not just that. Come on, Aliens ends with Sigourney Weaver bitchslapping Grendel's Mother in both sets of glass teeth with a giant robot forklift. On a spaceship. IN SPACE.

That's basically the most badass thing ever put on screen, ever. It sounds like something someone made up in a drug-induced trance. Don't question it.

LOL! Tru Dat.