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Aliens, Private Hudson (Bill Paxton)

Site Rating: 60%
(ratings: 5)
Writeup Rating: 65%
(ratings: 4)
Film: Aliens (1986)
Deceased Character: Private Hudson (Bill Paxton)
Archetype: Goody (Minor)
Killed with: Chest Burster Alien



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Written by Mr. Mouseburger 22nd Apr 2006

Kindly submitted by Bernie

When the colonial marines are stuck on the alien planet, they think they have blocked every way into the complex so that the aliens cannot get to them. However, being Marines, they are not the sharpest tools in the box and are caught completely by surprise when the aliens sneak through the air ducts and fall through the ceiling right on top of them.

The Marines start to fight a rearguard action, but in doing so, they inadvertently allow Burke, a company man who has tried to capture an alien for research in their biological weapons division, to escape.

With their lack of ammunition, the Marines have been pushed back, and try to escape through the same door that Burke used moments earlier. However, being a treacherous so-and-so, Burke has locked the door behind him. As the others try to prize open the door, Private Hudson is subduing the aliens with his shots from his Pulse Rifle.

These aliens though are highly resourceful and intelligent, and Hudson is caught off guard, when one bursts through the floor beneath him and drags him down. Despite attempts made by Corporal Hicks to pull Hudson back up, Hudson is pulled below the ground and, just before Hudson disappears into the darkness, we see one of the facehuggers close over his face, proving that he would die a painful death with an alien bursting out of his torso.



2 categories : Monster, Blaze of Glory

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Other Death Reviews for Aliens (1986)

Alien Queen ()
Lieutenant Gorman (William Hope)
Private Hudson (Bill Paxton)

Last Updated: 1st Jun 2008
Number of views for this review since 30th May 2008: 11536
This review has 18 comments. Reply to the comments
Comment 1 by 'Mr Mouseburger' (reply to this comment)
I am right in saying the aliens types are named FaceHuggers (the alien that lays the egg in the throat of the host) and ChestBursters (the baby alien that bursts out of the chest) aren't i?

Comment 2 by 'Mr. Briggs Inc.' (reply to this comment)
I collect Dark Horse comics, I believe they dubbed them with those names.
Comment 3 by 'Mr Mouseburger' (reply to this comment)
good stuff, as they are never really named in the films (as far as i can remember) it is hard to label them with something instantly identifiable to readers.

Comment 4 by 'Roy Batty' (reply to this comment)
Sorry to be a stickler about this, but just to clarify, it is an alien hand that covers Hudson's face as he is taken, not a FaceHugger. Other than that, great write up!
Comment 5 by 'RoyBatty' (reply to this comment)
Just finished watching this fantastic film (again) and feel that Private Hudson deserves a Blaze of Glory category to go with his Monsters! If there is one death that epitomises the "going out with a blaze of glory", then this is it. He's the in a total frenzy, firing, and taunting the onslaught of Aliens, "you want some of this... Oh, you want some too!!"

Most definately a BoG!! smiling smiley
Comment 6 by 'Mr Mouseburger' (reply to this comment)
Yes, having reminded myself of the writeup, it is a definite Blaze of Glory death - has been amended.

Comment 7 by 'old bluffer' (reply to this comment)
I've had the "quadrilogy" set for years now. Reading this write-up makes me want to sort out an "Alien Weekend" to watch them all!
Comment 8 by 'Monk' (reply to this comment)
How about offscreen killing?
Comment 9 by 'Bill' (reply to this comment)
Yeah, offscreen killing seems right..
Comment 10 by 'old bluffer' (reply to this comment)
If this really is a Blaze of Glory, the writeup needs editing to make it clearer.
Comment 11 by 'Mode47' (reply to this comment)
whhhhat thats not a facehugger its an alien hand pulling him down over his mouth. He also shoots the alien beneath him right until the end! an amazing character. i believe in the first draft f the script he was to be rescued on ripleys journey to find newt. this later went to Burke , but riply hands him a grenade to kill himself with. there is a production still of this never released scene.
Comment 12 by 'Ashchaya' (reply to this comment)
Agreed. Plus, this is one badass death and the write up makes it too comical IMHO.
Comment 13 by 'Mako' (reply to this comment)
The article's author completely misses the point here (as well as mistaking an alien's hand for a facehugger). Hudson is only a minor supporting character, but he has a complete arc and plays it to the hilt. His death is not merely a blaze of glory, it's a closing of the arc:

When first we meet Hudson, he epitomizes the overconfident, all-american badass. Underneath the cooling towers when the squad is ambushed, he loses it completely; panicking, calling for his sergeant, and finally giving up (game over, man! game over!).
However with Ripley's urging, Hudson faces his fear and learns to "stay cool". When the aliens finally break through the roof of medical, Hudson is confident, fearless and even cocky. He's come full circle and returned to how we first met him, but this time he's the real deal. He faces the tide bravely and even while being dragged to his death, faces it with a "f** you!" He's a three act play all to himself, and completes a hero's journey.
Comment 14 by 'bo bo bo' (reply to this comment)
It's not a face hugger, it's the hand of an alien. You catch a glimpse of it as well in the movie, but in the book, its clearly spelled out that when Hudson is dragged under by an alien, Hicks sprays the hole, hoping to kill both the alien and his fellow marine in order to spare him the fate of being a host.
Comment 15 by 'Joe Public' (reply to this comment)
Yeah, the facehuggers are waiting for them in the alien tunnes, I doubt the drones would bring eggs with them as they roam around collecting hosts.
Comment 16 by 'Ken' (reply to this comment)
Another thing about Hudson is that his character was just totally honest and not actually cowardly. The first thought or emotion that came to his head, he would express it, at times quite wittily. The character provided a running verbal commentary as to how all the characters felt and thought to some extent (except for the need of decorum of course).
Comment 17 by 'Joolx' (reply to this comment)
You're talking about being inspired for an all-Aliens weekend? Dude, once a year I lock myself in my house and watch the first three diehard movies in a row.
Comment 18 by 'Rick' (reply to this comment)
Hey Roy, even though that was the aliens hand in Aliens Colonial Marines you find Hudson cocooned and with a hole in his chest, revealing his fate:crying: