The Matriarch

*"Kill the Matriarch! Wipe this wretched menace off the planet!"* —Wolf, regarding the Matriarch

The **Matriarch** (also known as the **"Hag Queen"** or **"Empress"**) was an ancient Xenomorph Queen on the planet Nexus and served as one of the main antagonists in the 2016 novel ***AVP: Evolution*** (the others being Karl "Bishop" Weyland and the Predalien).

The Matriarch was originally captured by the Yautja and imprisoned on Nexus, where she was used to lay Eggs so that the Predators may hunt the resultant Xenomorphs. Thousands of years later, she was discovered and captured for study by the Weyland-Yutani Corporation, but later escaped thanks to the actions of Specimen 6. She subsequently established a Hive at the nearby Nexus Prospect colony. She is known for surviving a battle with the Elite Yautja Shadow and then attacking the survivors at the research complex where she was ultimately killed by Karsten Seidel, who set off a grenade to send her falling to her death.

## History

### Imprisonment

The Matriarch was captured by the Yautja many thousands of years before Weyland-Yutani or any other Human beings arrived on Nexus and entombed on the planet. Over the years, her Eggs were used by the Yautja to breed Xenomorphs for hunts, which would sometimes take place in a large, purpose-built combat arena constructed nearby. Even after the surrounding Yautja city fell into decay, the Matriarch remained, imprisoned within the ruins.

The Matriarch was eventually discovered by Weyland-Yutani, who moved her to a research facility and used her Eggs to breed Xenomorph Warriors for study. The Matriarch was held in a large chamber at the center of the laboratory complex, directly above the lifts accessing the Pyramid beneath, and was notably separated from her Eggs by a huge security door that sealed around her Egg sac. Aside from her Eggs, her Royal Jelly was also collected and researched.

### Escape

Some time after her imprisonment, the Matriarch was freed when one of her brood, known as Specimen 6, escaped, released several other live Xenomorph subjects and sabotaged various systems in the lab complex. Following their escape, the Matriarch and her Warriors quickly set up a Hive in the refinery at the nearby mining colony of Nexus Prospect, using the colony's inhabitants as hosts for more Xenomorphs.

### Fighting in the Hive

The United States Colonial Marine Corps was dispatched to Nexus in response to the infestation, although the Matriarch managed to survive numerous assaults, including a major effort led by Major Van Bach. However, the Elite Yautja known as Shadow soon entered the Hive and the Queen ordered her Warriors to attack him. Shadow defeated all the Warriors sent at him before the Queen broke free of her Egg sac to fight him herself. In the ensuing conflict, the generators below their floor soon ignited. Shadow escaped the Hive, with the Queen actively chasing him, only to be caught in the collapse of the Hive and presumed killed.

### Final Showdown and Destruction

While Ryan and Ashleigh went to confront Karl Weyland in the Pyramid beneath the research complex, the Matriarch revealed herself to the surviving colonists and administrator, killing Carlie before actively attacking Jonathan, Karsten, Caleb and Willow. Despite their attempts to defeat her, the Matriarch was nearly unstoppable and brutally killed Caleb before Karsten sacrificed himself for his friends by setting off a grenade that killed him and knocked the Matriarch off the platform to her death.

## Traits

The Matriarch was far grayer in color than other Queens, possibly due to her extreme age — she is said to be tens of thousands of years old by Dr. Groves. She also has what appear to be battle scars on her crest and face. Her hide is exceptionally tough, to the point of being bulletproof, and she can withstand all forms of ballistic weaponry.

## Notes and Trivia

* It is not exactly clear where on Nexus the Matriarch was entombed by the Predators. She cannot have been kept inside the Pyramid beneath the research labs, as that is not opened until after several Xenomorphs, including Specimen 6, have already been bred from her Eggs. A logical location where she may have been held is the large subterranean temple that Shadow enters. However, there does not seem to be any area within this temple where a Queen could be safely contained, unless the chamber was located somewhere off-page.
* While the Matriarch is referred to as being a Queen, owing to her age and size, it is possible that it could actually be an Empress.