Andy repeats a memorable franchise line in Alien: Romulus that was first spoken by Sigourney Weaver in Aliens, but it's more than just a fun reference. David Jonsson plays Andy, a synthetic character in Alien: Romulus, who is also a brother-like figure to Rain (Cailee Spaeny). Andy and Rain are the only survivors by Alien: Romulus' ending, but they both encounter several near-death experiences during the group's mission on the Renaissance ship. Andy, in particular, goes through quite a journey after his android mind is reprogrammed with Rook's control.
Thankfully, Rain gets a chance to get Andy back to his original programming just in time for the elevator showdown featuring a horde of threatening Xenomorphs and facehuggers. Alien: Romulus has plenty of Easter eggs and franchise references, but one of the most noteworthy comes when Andy utters Ripley's "get away from her, you bitch" line. Ripley initially said the line in Aliens when coming to Newt's rescue in the cargo loader exosuit to fight the Xenomorph. Like Ripley, Andy leans into full protector mode, putting his life on the line to save Rain. That said, the Ripley reference wasn't always planned.
Andy's "Get Away From Her" Line Was Not In Alien: Romulus' Script
Fan Response Led To Ripley's Reference Making It Into The Final Cut
Custom Image by Yailin Chacon During Alien: Romulus' thrilling elevator sequence, Rain narrowly avoids falling to her death. The "Scorched" Xenomorph saves Rain by catching her, but it isn't an act of heroism. Before the creature can take her as a host victim, it lifts her to a nearby ladder. Though Andy's action in dropping the elevator wipes out the other Xenomorphs and facehuggers, the "Scorched" Xenomorph survives. Andy then jumps onto the Xenomorph while shooting it with his pulse rifle before uttering the memorable Alien franchise line, "get away from her...you bitch!," which was improvised by David Jonsson.
"Since Andy's Ripley reference was well-received with a cheer during the test screening, Alvarez felt " vindicated " and left it in the final cut..."
According to Fede Álvarez in Alien: Romulus' "Inside the Xenomorph Showdown" featurette, Andy's "stay away from her" line was never planned. The director shares that he "whispered" the line to Jonsson to try during a take. The pause before "you bitch" while Andy unloads the shots left in his pulse rifle adds a lot more emotion to the scene. Since Andy's Ripley reference was well-received with a cheer during the test screening, Alvarez felt "vindicated" and left it in the final cut, creating one of Alien: Romulus' most significant Ripley references.
Alien: Romulus' Ripley Reference Makes Andy The First Character To Say The Line
Romulus Takes Place Before Aliens
Alien: Romulus' timeline is set between Alien and Aliens, and it's clear how both movies impacted the making of Fede Álvarez's 2024 entry. Considering Aliens is set after the events of Romulus, Andy is now the first franchise character to say, "Get away from her, you bitch," despite the line being a reference to Ripley's heroic act in Aliens. Interestingly, Ripley is in the vicinity of Andy when he says the line since Ripley's ship was docked on the Renaissance. The character may not appear, but Andy's added reference is extra special with Ripley technically in Alien: Romulus.
Source: "Inside the Xenomorph Showdown" featurette
Director Fede Alvarez
Release Date August 16, 2024
Distributor(s) 20th Century
Writers Fede Alvarez , Rodo Sayagues , Dan O'Bannon , Ronald Shusett
Runtime 119 Minutes
English (US) ·