Anatomy of the Xenomorph

I don't know if I would call them stupid, but I don't think intelligent is correct either. They are just like ants or bees. They are very efficient, and instinctive, but not what I would consider intelligent. The only movie that seemed to contradict this a bit was Ressurection.

^ They figured out how to kill the lights in Aliens, which seems to point to some sort of advanced intelligence.

I can see your point. If what they said about the aliens being able to detect electromagnetic fields is true, then the power supply would naturally draw the interest of the aliens. Also, ants can ruin electric lines by chewing through the insulation and causing shorts, but like the aliens, it is probably just because the magnetic field is very inticing. You also have to consider that since the station was in the process of failing, it might not have been the aliens that caused the power outage.

^ It would be a pretty big coincidence if the power failed right as the Xenos were about to attack. It seemed like a deliberate action to me. I'm not saying they understand the inner workings of the electrical system, but they seemed to understand that taking it out would give them a strategic advantage.

There's also the fact that the power out happens almost simultaneously with the ceiling trick, which itself was a way around the motion trackers. That's a lot of strategy for a supposedly instinct-driven animal.

It admit it would be a big coincidence, and I can agree with what you say, in as far as that is how the script was written. Now that I think about it, it was a little far-fetched on some of the things that the aliens were able to do, such as the queen knowing how to operate the elevator, and stopping on the same level as Ripley. But it was a movie, and sometimes you have to suspend reality. I would still question that if the aliens were able to shut down the power, why wouldn't they have done it before the Marines arrived? It would have benefited them during their assault on the colonists. If they had such a highly developed ability to reason, wouldn't they have sensed that something was wrong with the reactor, and tried to escape to an area of the planet where they could survive?

As far as the aliens avoiding the auto-turrets and coming in through the vents, I don't see that as any different than spraying insecticide on ants. It will kill the ants that you hit, and it will temporarily prevent them from re-entering the area that you sprayed, but unless you spray every inch, they will likely find another route to get where they wanted to go. That is really nothing more than the ants using their senses to track something down. It is an instinctive behavior that doesn't imply a higher intelligence.

As I said before, I don't agree that they are stupid, I just don't know if I quite believe that they are "intelligent". And I think that is really what makes the concept of them the most scary. Knowing that no matter what you do, they just keep coming, because that is all they are hard-wired to do.

You could argue they had no need to until that point. The colonists would have gone down pretty quick, and the marines did a damn good job of getting themselves killed during the initial assault. It was only once the survivors were holed up and protected by sentry guns that they had to find another way in.

I think you and I actually agree on this point-I don't think they'll be inventing the wheel any time soon, but they're consistently portrayed as figuring shit out on a level beyond simple insects. I'd guess they're probably around dolphin-level in their intelligence.

Good point about script, though. Ultimately, they'll be as intelligent as the plot requires them to be, but it's still fun to speculate.

Something I noticed about the Xenos is that they learn by experience. Their intelligence starts off at a base level and grows from there thanks to the Hive mind. It is a collected cache of information gathered from every member of the Hive. Xenos like Bees, rely on the Queen for information and direction. Without her, they are not as intelligent. I believe that the Queen gathers and stores the information gather and utilizes it based on how it is needed. The lights getting cut is just an example of how they use that info, Xenos know they function well in the shadows, any predator knows that. As for the turrets, its a common strategy employed by any attacking force. Overwhelm a target with numbers and you will succeed. Xenos know that they have the overwhelming numbers in their hive and they know how to use it.

Well I personally think that the Xenomorphs are as smart as the common ape. Cause as war alien put it "They learn from thier mistakes and experience." another think in AVP3 the game Specimen 6 changed into a queen after two things 1 after the queen died which means that it usually might choose a new queen after the old one died. And the fact he turned into a queen in the end of the story witch hints it also may turn into a queen because of specimen 6 had the experience to turn into a queen

Awesome video P, I enjoyed that.

I think the individual alien's level of intelligence, at least the level in which we can measure is almost completely depended on the situation which is presented before them.


Meaning, look how the first alien was able to navigate the Nostromo so easily. Even knowing when leave the ship to avoid being destroyed. I think the aliens adapt especially when they are alone or in small groups. I think they are extremely intelligent, but what is the point in expressing it when you have a fully established hive with a queen to make the decisions.

How do I escape from a jail cell, I know lets sacrifice one of our own as we have acid for blood which goes through anything. Instinct is still a form of intelligence. Learning that once being attacked and surviving then changing your strategy to turn in your favor. Aliens are clearly clever to be able to survive in odds stacking against them in either movies/games.