“Alien: Earth”: Which 5 extraterrestrial species are present on the ship?

One thing the Alien franchise is known for is its creatively hideous array of creatures. Alien: Earth is, of course, no exception, bringing back some famous (yet deeply unsettling) monsters from movies past while introducing new (and equally bizarre) beings we’ve never seen before. In episode 1, we discover that there are five specimens onboard the ill-fated Weyland-Yutani USCSS Maginot spaceship that crash lands back on Earth. So what are these aliens, and what do we know about them so far?

1. Xenomorph

If you’ve seen Alien, you’re certainly familiar with this iconic creature. The franchise’s main antagonist, the Xenomorph undergoes various life stages: first hatching from an egg to attach itself to a victim (Facehugger mode), then gestating and emerging as a chestburster, and finally growing into the full-sized alien that pursued Ripley (Sigourney Weaver) and the Nostromo crew back in the 1979 film.

2. Ticks

In episode 1, we see these unsettling little creatures burrowing into a deceased rat within the Maginot’s onboard laboratory. Their gruesome behavior foreshadows what they’re capable of later in the episode, as they target the Prodigy soldiers that head of security Morrow (Babou Ceesay) has secured inside the spaceship after its crash on Earth. These little beings seem to seek out veins, attaching themselves to feed on their victim’s blood in a manner reminiscent of earthly ticks.

3. Flies

Although we don’t have much knowledge of these creatures from the glimpses we’ve seen in the first two episodes, a winged version of anything from the Alien universe typically heralds something concerning. We hope they remain contained.

4. Plant Pods

In episode 2, the hybrids discover a large, ominous-looking plant pod hanging from the ceiling of the Maginot. “It presents as flora, but it may be fauna,” notes Kirsh (Timothy Olyphant) as he inspects the bulbous specimen. It seems to be aware of its surroundings, as after Kirsh wanders off, the petals unfurl, revealing a kind of stamen at the end of a tentacle that appears to examine Tootles (Kit Young). Quite intriguing, isn’t it?

5. T. Ocellus

This little eight-legged creature, spotted in episode 2 burrowing into the eyeball of the Maginot’s resident cat, certainly stands out as a contender for the “most unsettling new alien.” It reanimates the poor creature before launching an attack on our hybrid friends. We have gathered a bit more information about this being thanks to the flickering computer terminal in the downed spaceship lab that Kirsh connects to, which is conveniently open on a page about the mini octopus.

“A smooth scolex features several ocular irises and a tentacle system that can grow or retract at will,” the screen reveals. “The tentacles carry extraordinary strength and are designed to navigate into and dislodge the eyes of other living organisms. Once replaced in the eye socket, T. Ocellus takes control over the ocular pathways to the brain, overriding the neuro-transmissions throughout the body. Further study is necessary to gauge its inherent intelligence, though the Ocellus has displayed remarkable problem-solving capabilities that rival human levels. A surprising discovery.”

We will continue to update this piece as we learn more about our specimens in the weeks to come…

Alien: Earth premieres Aug. 12 at 8 p.m. ET on Hulu and FX with two episodes, followed by weekly releases on Tuesdays.