Idea: Red Xenomorph Resurrection

Started by Kenner_Alien_Kaste, Nov 17, 2022, 03:15:57 AM

Author
Idea: Red Xenomorph Resurrection (Read 1,416 times)

Kenner_Alien_Kaste

Kenner_Alien_Kaste

So I've been trying to do a little worldbuilding within the Alien universe, and one interesting idea I came across was the 'Red Xenomorphs' from the Aliens: Genocide novel ; While they were 'wiped out' so to speak, I had been thinking of how they could make a comeback and be an interesting addition as a canon 'breed' of Xenomorph, if only for fun scenarios or story-telling potential of planetwide Xenomorph battles and whatnot.

- For one, they seem to be a natural/recurring mutation amongst the Xenomorph XX121 strain; The RPG book mentions that Xenomorph Hives can start to experience 'genetic drift' as they get larger, which is undoubtedly a call-back to the Red Xenomorphs from the Genocide novel. The fact that this is noted to be an existing condition suggests that even if they had been eradicated, there's a chance they can/will come back.

- They're considered 'deviant' and display some unusual phenotypical characteristics; While the novel/comic differ in terms of appearance (novel suggests they're at most black w/ a red tint but the comics and other materials show them as being bright red) for the sake of ease and parity let's just say these guys really are that brilliant crimson red. Perhaps due to their 'mutant' status (they're described as producing unwanted 'mutant' Jelly) they could occupy a unique 'niche' within Xenomorph evolution or phenotypes

-The Red Xenomorphs could be a 'slave-maker' breed, like Polyergus ants; They're unable to procure or reproduce in the same manner of the mainstream phenotype, and thus raid rival hives for hosts, food, and to steal/enslave the Drones and Warriors to serve as the workers or the means with which for them to gather hosts. This could also work as one of their nicknames are 'The Changelings', and in folklore Changelings would whisk away children as soldiers or servants

- Their 'nests' could similarly be ephemeral, being more like Bivouacs/living fortresses of the Xenomorphs and resin (to a greater degree than the normal strain's even) than the more sessile, permanent structures of a towering xenomorph hive.

- The established caste system could thus be 'altered' slightly or otherwise changed to replicate their warlike nature and niche; Warriors and Queens would be built almost solely for combat, perhaps lacking the methods to reproduce in the 'normal' way (ie parthogenesis). Perhaps we could even introduce a true 'male' alien; Male Army Ants for example are free-living and burly bugs with large, sabre-like mandibles who fend for themselves and search for the pheromone trail of a receptive Queen, whereupon they have to prove their fitness and more or less run through a gauntlet of worker/soldier ants to get to the Queen;

-  Similarly, many slave-maker ants operate in a similar manner, with Queens sending a call signal after a successful raid (this is also reminiscent of Praetorian development too, with the latter being noted to be driven from the hive only to return and have to 'prove their worth' by fighting their siblings). This could of course be justified by them being a mutant/divergent strain that occurs only in the largest Hives, much as 'King' Xenomorphs are said to; Or perhaps most fittingly the very red-tinted 'Rogue' Xenomorph could be 'naturalized' as a sort of 'Ravager' or 'Rogue Male' Xenomorph, a competitive and self-sufficient consort to the Red Queens. Of course, they wouldn't really be 'kings', a better name would be 'Ravager' or otherwise some name or play on Praetorian/Drone/Alate, but that's the concept I have thus far.

- As for how/why this bizarre strain could exist, it could be a sort of built in 'kill-switch' if we follow the idea that the Xenomorphs were developed as a biological weapon; When they get too big, a divergent strain occurs and they 'in-fight' until they wipe themselves out or otherwise can be 'cleaned up', especially considering the 'sterility' of the Red phenotype. Of course, as good ol' Goldblum says, 'life finds a way', with the Red strain being a recurring recessive mutation occuring in cases of genetic drift but also having evolved a 'workaround' their own physiological shortcomings.

TL:DR; Slave-Maker Ant + Driver Ants + Xenomorphs = Red Xenomorphs, please C&C


Nightstorm

for me it would be a cool idea for the red xenomorphs to return to comics and also if they appear in alien films that are released :P

The Cruentus

If Aliens were natural creatures with its own homeworld, I would like to see the kind of species that is also there as such a world would have to produce extremely dangerous and hardy lifeforms. And yes perhaps even a sub-species or a rival hive of Aliens. This is why I hope there comes a point where the series is rebooted and the origins of Aliens left ambiguous.

Kenner_Alien_Kaste

Quote from: The Cruentus on Nov 25, 2022, 06:16:20 PMIf Aliens were natural creatures with its own homeworld, I would like to see the kind of species that is also there as such a world would have to produce extremely dangerous and hardy lifeforms. And yes perhaps even a sub-species or a rival hive of Aliens. This is why I hope there comes a point where the series is rebooted and the origins of Aliens left ambiguous.

Like I've mentioned in my own 'canon', I like to think Xenomorphs are actually a lot more 'ambiguous' in regards to their actual origins, or that otherwise they've since diverged and 'naturalized' beyond their initial bio-weapon status.

And I did try to justify the Red Xenomorph's inclusion as a sort of caveat of said bio-weapon status as shown in the initial blurb that they act almost as an automatic 'kill switch' so to speak.

The Cruentus

Personaliiy I do prefer ambiguous or natural, since the latter opens up a lot of potential for what hell of a homeworld they come from and how nasty other native life have to be to co-exist with a Xenomorph, perheps even introducing a predator of them. (no pun intended).

As for bio-weapon variations, the old AVP:E game had the K-series Aliens, yellow/gold and silver coloured versions, the could also be a more better version of Xenoborgs, so there is potential to make "rival hive" or variations through experimention and other artificial means.

Kenner_Alien_Kaste

Quote from: The Cruentus on Nov 30, 2022, 03:31:42 PMPersonaliiy I do prefer ambiguous or natural, since the latter opens up a lot of potential for what hell of a homeworld they come from and how nasty other native life have to be to co-exist with a Xenomorph, perheps even introducing a predator of them. (no pun intended).

As for bio-weapon variations, the old AVP:E game had the K-series Aliens, yellow/gold and silver coloured versions, the could also be a more better version of Xenoborgs, so there is potential to make "rival hive" or variations through experimention and other artificial means.

That is actually a really good idea too! Although to some extent I think 'BioDrones' kinda act as good expies or successors to the K-Series, although seeing them come back in some capacity like that would also be really cool! And I do agree with the idea of them being ambiguous or natural, as while it wasn't ALWAYS written well, the idea of 'Xenomorph Prime' or there being some nebulous mystery to the Alien species always appeals to me.

The Cruentus

Yeah because if they are artificial then they are not really an Alien organism. They are just something cooked up in a lab and  that doesn't really appeal to me personally.

Kenner_Alien_Kaste

Quote from: The Cruentus on Dec 02, 2022, 12:55:43 PMYeah because if they are artificial then they are not really an Alien organism. They are just something cooked up in a lab and  that doesn't really appeal to me personally.

I can agree with that; I guess the 'Alien' aspect therein would just come from the fact they're alien to us, so to speak, unless the lab-aspect is only one part of their origin and they're from somewhere else entirely but 'modified' from the original stock.

Whiskeybrewer

This is an intriguing idea and think it could work

Kenner_Alien_Kaste

Quote from: Whiskeybrewer on Dec 05, 2022, 04:52:50 PMThis is an intriguing idea and think it could work

Thank you! Could be fun for narratives or whatnot.

AvPGalaxy: About | Contact | Cookie Policy | Manage Cookie Settings | Privacy Policy | Legal Info
Facebook Twitter Instagram YouTube Patreon RSS Feed
Contact: General Queries | Submit News