I don't think he even knows what he means. "The ability to manipulate and deceive"?
You could argue the original did that by attacking Brett and Dallas while they were alone, instead attacking a group of people. But then it confronted Parker and Lambert at the same time.
If it means attacking something when it's close enough that it has little chance of escape - like in the Hadley hive. Big whoop. I don't think that really amounts to great "intellect".
If we take it as read that Aliens know their blood is acidic, why didn't the original simply bleed a hole into the lower deck, to vent the atmosphere, if opening an airlock was beyond him?