"This time it's war."
Aliens - Movie Quotes
Memorable Quotes
Get away from her, you bitch!
— Ellen Ripley
Context:
After rescuing Newt from the alien nest and seemingly escaping, the survivors discover the Alien Queen has stowed away on their dropship. Just as the Queen is about to attack Newt, Ripley emerges in the massive power loader to confront the creature head-on, delivering this iconic line before their climactic battle.
Meaning:
This is Ripley's defining moment, encapsulating her transformation into the ultimate protective mother. It's a raw, visceral cry of maternal rage, directed at the Alien Queen who threatens Newt. The line solidifies her status as a formidable action hero, driven by love and fury rather than machismo.
Game over, man! Game over!
— Private Hudson
Context:
After the marines' first disastrous encounter with the aliens in the hive, they suffer heavy casualties and their evac dropship is destroyed. Stranded and realizing the sheer scale of the force they are up against, Hudson completely panics and delivers this memorable, terrified outburst.
Meaning:
This quote has become iconic, perfectly capturing the moment of absolute despair and panic. It represents the complete breakdown of the marines' initial bravado and confidence when faced with the horrifying reality of the Xenomorph threat. The line has been widely adopted in popular culture to signify a hopeless situation.
I say we take off and nuke the entire site from orbit. It's the only way to be sure.
— Ellen Ripley
Context:
Following the first alien ambush and the loss of their dropship, the survivors regroup. While the marines are in disarray, Ripley calmly and firmly proposes a plan: to remotely pilot the second dropship from the Sulaco, rescue them, and then destroy the entire colony with its nuclear reactor from the safety of space.
Meaning:
This line showcases Ripley's pragmatism and her deep understanding of the Xenomorph threat. Having witnessed their deadliness firsthand, she knows that containment is not an option and that complete annihilation is the only rational response. It demonstrates her taking command and providing the clear, decisive strategy the surviving marines need.
They mostly come at night... mostly.
— Newt
Context:
As Ripley and the marines explore the seemingly deserted colony, Newt warns them that they need to get back to safety because it will be dark soon. She explains the aliens' primary hunting behavior based on her own harrowing experience of hiding from them.
Meaning:
Delivered with chilling, childlike innocence, this line is deeply unsettling. It reveals Newt's intimate, firsthand knowledge of the aliens' behavior, gained through the trauma of surviving their onslaught alone. The addition of "mostly" adds a layer of terrifying uncertainty, implying they are not strictly bound by this pattern.