Loved this piece. Not only well written, but also spot on. I myself am working on a piece about Alien’s sociopolitical commentary, although I take a slightly different approach. Ripley will always be one of my heroes. As you note, one reason that she is a strong female character is that she wasn’t intended to be a “strong female character.” Of course, Sigourney Weaver’s performance really makes it. A lesser actress would have led to a crappy movie, IMHO.

I actually am a burlesque performer and have an act themed to Alien that touches on the aspects of sexuality encoded in the film. I was always amazed by the scene in which Ripley battles the Alien in her underwear, because it doesn’t come off as exploitative but rather natural. It’s a far cry from so many horror and science fiction movies in which scantily led women are attacked or murdered while wearing lingerie, but there’s no real purpose to it. Ripley is functional and natural to the core. She was getting ready for hypersleep — that’s all. That’s what makes that scene scary, important, and compelling.

Again, really great piece. Ignore the haters in the responses. I’m perpetually amazed by people who call other people snowflakes but then whine about a movie being “ruined” just because someone added a little commentary! Science fiction has always been about social commentary, plain and simple.