“I’m a Stranger Here Myself”: Forced Individuation in Alien Resurrection
Alien Resurrection provides a unique perspective on identity, that of the hybrid. As opposed to being a normal human as in previous Alien films, through technology Ripley has become a mixture of both human and alien DNA. This is interesting because classically the “other” is seen as an outside evil with no or very few similarities to the protagonist element. This film incorporates the other with the self and acknowledges the connection between what we are and what we fear.
“Alien Resurrection attempts to address the concern that if God is dead, where do we seek our salvation?”
In the film, Ripley is a clone and a hybrid of her former self as well as the alien queen that was in her stomach at the end of the third film. Man and technology, playing God, bring her back to life. The new Ripley comes into existence conflicted between her two halves, and must find resolution. Ripley then goes through the process of individuation, reconciling the split within herself. This reconciliation is what the author finds most interesting, as it is symbolic of an alternative type of individuation which is unique to the individual, and cannot be secularized.
“The religious significance of the film lies in its subverting of a secularized spiritual endeavour (i.e., humanistic individuation) that once itself subverted formal, organized religions—an ironic reversal.”
I think this idea is more developed than the majority of organized religion, and shows how we are evolving as a society. In the past, it was much more important for large communities to work together, and organized religion made it possible for groups to have structure. In American culture today, this is hardly the case. Not only do we have a government that provides structure, everyone is expected to be their own independent producer, and community interaction has become less and less necessary. I think this individualized approach to spirituality might be where we are headed. As Ripley has to come to terms with being something no one has ever been before – half human and half alien, we too have to make the connections between what we are and what we experience. Being that each person is a new life that has not existed before, they are like Ripley. Organized religion provides a shortcut for the process she undertakes during the film.
As far as I know, secular religion works best when societies are homogeneous, and since America is the mixing pot of the world, religions are constantly adapting to include philosophies and groups that otherwise had no place. So, at the extremes, as a society we can either allow religions to become so vague and general as to include the entirety of the planet, or we can take our spirituality personally and create our own identities.
“Hybridity is shown as a dangerous and uncertain, albeit effective, alternative to human individuation. When jacked into a computer port hidden within a Bible, Call echoes Nietzsche, “Father is dead,” further signifying the end of traditional religion and possibly sacred spiritual practices. While it is not the first choice, this individuation may become the only option in confronting the future’s spiritual degradation.”
