Grey Alien

• The Summary:

The Grey Alien, also known as the Roswell Grey or Zeta Reticulans, is a popular extraterrestrial archetype commonly depicted in science fiction and popular culture. They are typically portrayed as humanoid creatures with grey skin, large black eyes, and a small mouth and nose. They are believed to have come to Earth from a distant planet or galaxy, and are often associated with abductions and experimentation on humans.

The idea of Grey Aliens gained widespread attention in the 20th century after the alleged Roswell UFO incident in 1947, in which it was claimed that a UFO crashed in Roswell, New Mexico, and the US military recovered bodies of alien beings. Since then, numerous reports of sightings and abductions by Grey Aliens have been reported. Most scientists agree that the likelihood of intelligent extraterrestrial life is high, but the specifics of their appearance and behavior remain unknown.The image of grey aliens has become deeply ingrained in popular culture and continues to fascinate people around the world.

• The History:

The history of grey alien sightings dates back to the 1940s and 1950s, when reports of UFO sightings and alien encounters began to gain popularity in the United States. However, it was not until the 1960s and 1970s that the image of the "grey alien" as we know it today became prevalent in popular culture.

The first reported encounter with a grey alien occurred in 1961, when Betty and Barney Hill claimed to have been abducted by aliens on a New Hampshire road. They described the aliens as small, grey-skinned beings with large black eyes, and their story gained widespread attention in the media.

Over the next few decades, reports of grey alien sightings and abductions became increasingly common, with many people claiming to have had similar experiences. The popular image of the grey alien as a small, thin, grey-skinned being with large black eyes and a hairless head became a fixture of popular culture, appearing in movies, TV shows, and books.

• The Legends:

Betty and Barney Hill: One of the most well-known cases of supposed alien abduction occurred in 1961 when Betty and Barney Hill were driving home from a vacation in Canada. They claimed that they saw a UFO following them and then found themselves being taken aboard the craft by small, grey beings with large black eyes. The couple underwent hypnosis and recounted details of their abduction, including being examined by the aliens.

Travis Walton: In 1975, a group of loggers in Arizona claimed that they saw a UFO in the woods. When one of the men, Travis Walton, approached the craft, he was reportedly hit by a beam of light and disappeared for five days. He later claimed that he had been taken aboard the UFO by grey beings who examined him and then released him.

Whitley Strieber: In his book "Communion," author Whitley Strieber claimed that he was abducted by grey aliens on several occasions. He described the aliens as having large black eyes, small noses, and no ears, and he recounted being subjected to various medical examinations.

Linda Cortile: In 1989, a woman named Linda Cortile claimed that she was abducted from her Manhattan apartment by grey aliens. The supposed abduction was witnessed by several people, including a United Nations official who claimed to have seen Cortile floating out of her window and into a UFO.

• The Adaptations:

Virtually every sci fi movie game or tv show features the grey alien, it is also the default alien emoji.

"Close Encounters of the Third Kind" (1977) - This classic science fiction film directed by Steven Spielberg features a friendly encounter between humans and a group of benevolent, large-eyed, grey-skinned aliens.

“Rust in Peace” (1990) - The fourth studio album by Megadeth depicts a grey alien in a chamber inside of Hanger 18.

 "The X-Files" (1993-2002) - This popular TV series focuses on the investigations of FBI agents Mulder and Scully, who encounter many paranormal phenomena, including grey aliens.

"South Park" (1997-present) - The animated series features grey aliens as recurring characters, often parodying popular conspiracy theories.

"Futurama" (1999-2013): This animated TV series features grey aliens as one of the many alien races encountered by the crew of the Planet Express spaceship.

Mass Effect (2007) - Grey aliens are a prominent species in this popular sci-fi RPG game, often depicted as highly intelligent and technologically advanced beings with a complex society.

"Destroy All Humans!" (2005) - Crypto-137 who has come to Earth in the 1950s to harvest human DNA and destroy the human race.

• The Analysis:

Destroy All Humans! is a third-person action-adventure game developed by Pandemic Studios and published by THQ. It was first released in 2005 and has since been remastered and re-released on various platforms.

The game is set in the 1950s and follows the story of an alien named Cryptosporidium-137 (Crypto for short) who has been sent to Earth to gather DNA from humans. Crypto is accompanied by his robotic assistant, Pox, who guides him through his mission.

The gameplay involves using a variety of weapons and psychic powers to defeat human enemies and complete objectives. Players can use Crypto's saucer to fly around and destroy buildings and vehicles, or they can use his on-foot abilities to mind control humans, extract their brains, or levitate objects.

As Crypto progresses through the game, he can upgrade his abilities and weapons using DNA that he collects from humans. The game also features a variety of side missions and challenges, such as races and destruction missions, which can earn players additional rewards.

The game's humor and satire are a big part of its appeal, as it pokes fun at 1950s American culture and government conspiracies. The game also features a variety of pop culture references and nods to classic sci-fi films.

Sources

Hynek, J. Allen. The Hynek UFO Report. Red Wheel,US, 2020.

Berlitz, Charles, and William L. Moore. The Roswell Incident. Berkley Books, 1997.

Jacobs, David M. UFOs and Abductions: Challenging the Borders of Knowledge. University Press of Kansas, 2000.