Caroline "Willow" Floyd

## Biographical information

Alive

*"Shit. This doesn't look good, Marines."* —Willow, regarding the Xenomorph infestation

**Caroline Floyd**, codenamed **Willow**, was a Corporal of the United States Colonial Marine Corps, part of the 5th Battalion, 3rd Regiment. When Carlie's distress message reached the USCM, Willow was dispatched with the rest of her unit to Nexus in response to a Xenomorph outbreak at the Nexus Prospect colony and the nearby Weyland-Yutani facility. She served as the primary source of intel for the Marine detachment.

She was also responsible for helping the last two surviving colonists in escaping the facility and as such was one of the only three people known to have survived the incident, the others being Ashleigh and Jonathan.

## History

### Her War

*"We're in a real heap of trouble, so stay frosty, Marines."* —Willow

Willow was aboard a dropship with Major Kev Veenstra when the *USS Typhoon* was destroyed in orbit by a Predator ship. The shockwave from the explosion battered the dropship, but it eventually managed to land outside the refinery at the colony of Nexus Prospect. Willow subsequently helped to organise the regrouping of survivors. She was the first Marine to make contact with Ryan, Ashleigh and the other surviving colonists as they were preparing to leave the colony. She gave an extra Pulse Rifle to Ashleigh before the colonists went on their way, taking her advice of using the sewers.

Willow also provided them information that helped them escape the sewers. Due to Specimen 6 cutting off Marine communications, Willow lost contact with them and feared the worst.

### Captured and Cocooned

Forced out of the colony as it was overrun by Xenomorphs, Willow took to the skies, riding shotgun aboard the dropship *Tornado*. *Tornado* made for the jungle where they planned to pick up Ryan and the others to evacuate them. However, they were shot down by a Predator, despite their best attempts to kill it from the air, and *Tornado* crashed at the edge of the extensive Yautja ruins in the area. The crash site was almost immediately swarmed by Xenomorphs, and while several Marines managed to fight the creatures off, Willow herself was captured and dragged away.

She was taken to a small Hive at the nearby combat arena, where she was soon saved from a Facehugger due to the untimely arrival of Ashleigh, who fought off a Predator in the arena to get there. When Karsten reminded them that his girlfriend was waiting back at the dropship, Willow urged them to move on, but eventually relented. She expressed sorrow when they discovered Taylor's fate and with Ryan's insistence, they moved on through the ruins.

### Escaping the Planet

Eventually they came to the research facility where administrator Carlie revealed her knowledge of their motives and provided Karl Weyland's coordinates in the ancient temple beneath the complex. While Ryan and Ashleigh went to confront Weyland, Willow went with Karsten, Caleb and Jonathan to secure the dropship, where they met up with Carlie and came face-to-face with the Matriarch, which subsequently killed Carlie.

Willow fought against the ancient Queen alongside Caleb, Karsten and Jonathan until being knocked aside by the Queen's tail and watching helplessly as Caleb was executed. Willow distracted the Queen from her subsequent assault on Jonathan long enough for Karsten to get in close. Willow was pulled to safety by Jonathan as Karsten set off a grenade, sacrificing his own life to kill the Queen and save them.

Willow was saddened to learn about Ryan's death when Ashleigh returned. As the shuttle took off, they took a moment to reflect on their friends before the three survivors entered cryosleep chambers to pass the time, and thus were unaware of the shuttle's heading for Xenomorph Prime, the homeworld of the Xenomorphs.

## Personality and Traits

Willow is notably level-headed throughout the crisis on Nexus, even when those around her are not. She is well-liked by her squad and respected by her peers, particularly by the crew aboard *Tornado*. She's a no-quitter, and has gained a reputation as something of a survivor. Willow is also well-trained in infantry tactics, and handles herself very well. She is also shown to be cautious, as she tried convincing the others to keep moving rather than head back for their friend, whom she correctly guessed was dead. Nonetheless, she is also very caring about those around her, expressing sadness when those around her are killed.

## Notes and Trivia

* Willow is the only known Colonial Marine to survive the events on Nexus.
* Of all the colonists, Willow seems to have the strongest bond with Ashleigh, who ironically saves her from being impregnated by a Facehugger.
* Although it is never established who exactly is responsible for shooting Willow down, it is likely the same Predator that Ashleigh ultimately fights in the combat arena, as that individual begins stalking her in the jungle soon after *Tornado* crashes, and continues to do so until their confrontation in the ruins.