How did the Alein in Alien get so big so quickly?
 

What did it eat before it got big enough to kill Dallas?

The Xenomorphs do not eat. At least that wasn't stated at the time of the movie... they just "grow"

Re: How did the Alein in Alien get so big so quickly?
 

Fine, but when they were watching that impregnator thing with it's tentacles down John Hurt's throat on the screen, how come they couldn't see a mini dinosaur hatching in his belly?

I'm just messing around. I love Alien :D

Think of it as a heartworm. What is inserted it is a very tiny and undeveloped chestbuster, not the mature one that burst from the chest of the host.

Re: How did the Alein in Alien get so big so quickly?
 

I think it was obviously voodoo magic.

Steak and fries.

Re: How did the Alein in Alien get so big so quickly?
 

And mashed potatoes. Those have a lot of carbs. Maybe in the future food will have even more steroids and growth hormones than it does now?

Re: How did the Alein in Alien get so big so quickly?
 

To quote R.J. MacReady from The Thing, "Because it's different from us. Because it came from outer space. What do you want from me?"

Re: How did the Alein in Alien get so big so quickly?
 

That was one of the things that's been quoted from Ridley as to why the Xenomorph is so aggressive: it is in great physical pain... he said the creature grows so quickly after birth, that it bruises. This was apparently the original reason why the creature was black and purple, because it's growth was so fast it bruises it all over.


This bruising thing seems to be something dropped from the cannon though in recent movies, but the fast growth rate is still used.

Re: How did the Alein in Alien get so big so quickly?
 

Y'all understand nothin' o' voodoo space magic!

:o = pretentious smiley

Re: How did the Alein in Alien get so big so quickly?
 

Because it ate John Hurt's lunch and the rest of him too. But, it is more likely because when inside him it was absorbing growth hormone from his glandular system.

Re: How did the Alein in Alien get so big so quickly?
 

Because he realized there'd be more sequels

that's it. I think that's the answer. It's the godda** sequels that dictate the story.

Re: How did the Alein in Alien get so big so quickly?
 

LMAO!!!

Re: How did the Alein in Alien get so big so quickly?
 

It was designed as the ultimate killing machine, so would have been genetically designed to grow to adult size as quick as possible. As viruses convert cells into copies of themselves, so it may have been able (after hatching) to convert the cells of it's victims into it's own tissue, till it reaches the optimum size.

Re: How did the Alein in Alien get so big so quickly?
 

I just rewatched the original alien. After a slow start I really enjoyed it. It's a great film but why was the alien injured at the end in the emergency shuttle? Was it harmed by the explosion shockwaves from the main craft because it wasn't wearing a seatbelt like Ripley? Or was it injured before this while the craft was in self destruct mode?

Re: How did the Alein in Alien get so big so quickly?
 

Slow start? You mean intentionally-paced gloriousness!

Re: How did the Alein in Alien get so big so quickly?
 

Haha, when did you last see it? The first 30 is a bit slow. Yes I know it's a classic and I really loved it but I was a little worried for my gf who isn't the movie buff I am at the start. Slow start compared to aliens which she loved.

Re: How did the Alein in Alien get so big so quickly?
 

Another question is how does the Xenomorph regulated its body temperature with acid for blood? And what is its epidermis made of? Is the acid activated or changed somehow when it's exposed to air, in the same way human blood turns red outside the body?

I've never heard that until now :).