Ellen Ripley, Supernova: After 40 years, the original “Alien” woman burns bright
“Empire” magazine readers just ranked her 2nd on their list of favorite heroes, but she’s long been tops for me
A supernova is an explosion, one NASA calls the biggest humans have ever seen. Technically, it’s the last gasp at the end of a star’s life cycle, so intense that it outshines an entire galaxy for days or even months, visible from across the universe.
A supernova also is an idea or a work of art so brilliant that it inspires others.
Ellen Ripley does that without question. As played by Sigourney Weaver, Ripley is one of my favorite film heroes. This female science-fiction hero who first appeared in 1979’s Alien struck a chord with a generation of fans, and modern audiences still yearn for characters like her.
“It was like the world opened up, and the possibilities were just endless. The amount of intelligence that she brought to that role. … She owned that world.” — Charlize Theron
She’s smart. Persistent. Brave in the most relatable way: not without fear, but forging ahead anyway.
