From: jsbell@acs.ucalgary.ca (Joshua Bell)
Newsgroups: rec.arts.sf.movies
Subject: Re: ALIENS 1-2-3
Date: 28 Aug 92 15:47:34 GMT
Organization: The University of Calgary, Alberta

In article <1992Aug28.132927.5514@fwi.uva.nl> welter@fwi.uva.nl (Richard Welter) writes:
>>This argument seems to be going round and round in circles, but here we go...
>>A backup is not needed (except on this occasion) because the 2nd dropship can
>>be remote-piloted from the APC. The destruction of the dropship and the APC
>>would seem to be totally unlikely again a bunch of aliens with no weapons...
>
>As you say yourself, a backup was needed on this occasion, so they should have
>left a backup pilot on the Sulaco to fly the second dropship.
>And however unlikely you should still be prepared for any emergencies, 
>especially when you're several lightyears from home and help is weeks away.

MHO: It was a plot hole, but not something completely
unbelievable. Here's a look at how it 'might' have been...

(Back in operations, after the crash)

Hicks: This is absolutely everything we were able to recover from
the APC wreckage. Five pulse rifles with full clips... thats
good. One flame unit, half full. Not so good. Four robot
sentries, and the transponder beacon so the Sulaco can locate us.

Ripley: But we can't call to them... how long without contact
before Neuman and the others send down the other dropship?

Hicks: Two and a half hours to try to make contact, twenty
minutes to prep the ship, thirty minutes flying time... figure
another ten minutes to locate us, land, we can board, be offa
this rock in four hours even. 

Hudson: Oh man, we're fucked...

(Bishop calls everyone into medlab)

Ripley: Its real pretty, Bishop, but whats it tell us?

Bishop: Watch...

(Atmosphere processor vents gas)

Hicks: How long 'till it blows?

Bishop: Four hours, give or take. Blast radius of thirty kilometers.

Hudson: There's no way Neuman'll get us outa here. We're dead,
man...

Ripley: Hudson, get it together! We may not last the four hours
'till the dropship arrives. _They_ may take care of us long
before that...

Hudson: Game over, man, game over. Two more weeks and outa this
fuckin' unit...

Hicks: Hudson!

Ripley: We've got to get ready, its gonna be close... seal
ourselves in, but make sure we can get out to the dropship...

Hicks: Hudson, Vasquez, I want you two walking perimeter....

After this, they seal themselves in, the aliens break through,
they take the transponder with them through the tunnels. Vasquez,
Gorman and Hudson bite it along the way. Newt gets lost, and when
Neuman arrives on the dropship Ripley holds a gun to his head.
The entire Newt Rescue scene is identical, until we get to the
scene where Bishop leaves Hicks sedated. Neuman's in the dropship
cabin, and either bites it from the Queen, or another Alien snuck
on board...

Personally, I like Cameron's version better, plot hole and all.

Joshua
+      "Each woman is a promise that she can't keep that appeals to           +
|  a hope you can't control." - joe theseus, Deadface: Earth Water Air Fire   |
|                                                                             |
+ jsbell@acs.ucalgary.ca   Academic Computing Services, University of Calgary +
Newsgroups: rec.arts.sf.movies