Alien: Earth

Armory

The arsenal of weapons that helps tell the story of Alien: Earth honors the franchise while expanding the world of Alien. In order to expand on weapon concepts, Lead Armorer Benjamin Clarke and his team had to look back. “The previous Alien films were the core of how we needed to approach the armory in Alien: Earth,” Clarke notes. “I was there representing Bapty [weaponry supplier for the entertainment industry], who handled the weapons in Alien, Aliens and Alien 3. As a team from the get-go, we knew it was important to get it right, and that began with going back, understanding what was done before, growing the concepts and working with the production team from there to really help tell the story Noah Hawley [Creator, Executive Producer, Writer, Director] needed to share.”The types of weapons used by the different corporations in Alien: Earth vary, and these differences give the audience insights into their distinct goals and missions. “We had to understand the tactical goals of each corporation,” Clarke begins. “For Prodigy Corporation, we discussed early on that their tactical security on Earth was focused on ‘Urban Pacification,’ as we coined it – a description that shaped the type of weapons and the level of firepower they would use – while Weyland-Yutani Corporation, a company we recognize for their intergalactic ventures, often utilized a balance of advanced but rugged and powerful weapons.”

“When we joined the project, we were immediately asked whether we could design a new weapon for Prodigy,” Clarke recalls. “There were two criteria: it needed to be a bullpup (magazine and receiver behind the trigger mechanism) and inspired by the classic M41A pulse rifle. Both of these made perfect sense. Being a bullpup design made it the textbook platform for security forces that operate in tight urban spaces and often within vehicle.” Taking inspiration from the M41A pulse rifle was yet another example of Hawley and the crew’s commitment to honoring the Alien franchise. The resulting creation was the Modular Combat System Mark X Pulse Rifle, or MCS-X Pulse Rifle for short.Clarke expands on Prodigy’s MCS-X Pulse Rifle, “From the outset, I wanted the weapons we conceptualized and built to follow the traditional Bapty style of building over existing weapon systems; a guide that helps keep the weapons feel grounded and real.” Clarke continues, “We were asked for a single weapon but ended up effectively offering three; the Modular Combat system was designed to be an adaptable pulse rifle variant that could have its components switched out to modify it for any situation.”On the Weyland-Yutani front, the KSG-AL was one of the earliest weapon designs created for the corporation and helped shape the style of the Yutani armory. “The Weyland-Yutani arsenal was a lot of fun to explore. The KSG-AL is a real shotgun with an extra Alien touch added,” Clarke remarks. “Sometimes it’s important to keep things simple. There was a question: how does one capture alien creatures? This resulted in the first version of the arc launcher; on the KSG, this came in the form of a large underbarrel attachment. The arc launcher then fires large amounts of energy to stun its target, but then how do you secure it? This is where the decision to use a shotgun mattered as they are versatile weapons, and the KSG with its short, futuristic bullpup design felt just right for the role, allowing for the introduction of 12 gauge ‘foam’ shells used to secure targets.”

With all of the meticulous armory work on Alien: Earth, Clarke and his team strove to align the look of the weapons with the overall retrofuturistic ethos that Hawley set out to establish in the show. “We needed to understand the retrofuturistic look already established and make sure what we did matched or fit in that world space,” Clarke affirms. “This included the colors used. Everything chrome in the future is a sentiment that didn’t apply here. I recall Noah saying to me at one point when we discussed the final look of the MCS-X to ‘weather it, then weather it again’ to get that rugged look just right.”“I have had the opportunity to work with some of the most amazing people in my career, but on Alien: Earth, all of us spent eight months together with complete focus and drive to make this show a reality – to make it special and to honestly have a great time along the way,” Clarke reflects. “I have gained lasting friendships from among the crew and left with many fond memories and a sense of pride about what we achieved together.”

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The arsenal of weapons that helps tell the story of Alien: Earth honors the franchise while expanding the world of Alien.

Armory | FX's Alien: Earth