Ranking the Top 5 Synths of Alien / Predator Media

Humans, in both real life and pop culture, have a tumultuous relationship with technology. Every corner of innovation brings a sharpened edge. Will we wield this upgraded power with grace and foresight? The answer, in both real life and pop culture, is ultimately no. A sad reality but one that certainly helps us tell compelling sci-fi stories about the process.

In Ridley Scott’s Alien universe, an entire franchise spanning every storytelling medium, massive corporations bring Synthetics into the world. These are androids so lifelike that even humans struggle to tell the difference. The franchise’s latest installment, the TV series Alien: Earth, even explores what happens when human consciousness is uploaded into a Synthetic body — but that’s a Hybrid. We’re focused on Synthetics like Thia, a new character appearing in Predator: Badlands who accompanies Dek on a journey across the treacherous planet Genna.

Fortunately, Thia is plucky and brave (due to naive programming). But how does she compare to her fellow Synths? Computer, access Synthetic personnel files now. Initiate ranking.

1. David
2. Andy
3. Ash
4. Kirsh
5. Call

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5. Annalee Call – Alien: Resurrection

Manufacturer: N/A

By the 24th century, humans no longer viewed Synthetics as a shiny new toy. What was once a booming industry now sputtered to a grinding halt. In an attempt to revive the industry, Synthetics from the Alethea Collective made their own products. That is to say, machines created machines. These new Synthetics, called Autons, questioned humanity’s motives toward previous Synths.

As a result, the Autons rebelled. The Recall was a bloody historical period that resulted in human devastation and a deep distrust of Synths of any kind. They soon became outlawed. At the cusp of the 25th century, an undercover Auton named Annalee Call (played by Winona Ryder) joined the crew of the Betty. Her secret mission was to destroy Ripley 8, a clone of Ellen Ripley that was harboring a Xenomorph Queen inside her body. Call’s existence is a significant contribution to Synthetic lore.

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4. Kirsh – Alien: Earth

Manufacturer: Prodigy Corporation

On the subject of in-universe lore, Alien: Earth sheds light on the companies that emerged alongside mega corporation Weyland-Yutani. The TV series also introduces an intermediate step in human-machine evolution: the Hybrid. Synths are purely machines, as are Autons. Some humans do receive technological upgrades to their bodies, rendering them Cyborgs. But a Hybrid is when human consciousness is placed within a Synthetic body.

Did that send a shiver up your purely organic spine? It should, especially because the corrupt company known as Prodigy used children’s minds as their experimental Hybrid crop. And as always, a sinister Synth lurked behind the scenes, observing the humans (and Hybrids) and all their emotional follies. Kirsh (played by Timothy Olyphant) is a valuable study in understanding Synth behavior. Most Synths view human emotion, and their lack of regulation, with contempt. The first chance to undermine human progress is never missed by a Synthetic like Kirsh.

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3. Ash – Alien 

Manufacturer: Weyland-Yutani

As far as the Alien franchise timeline goes, Kirsh existed before the events of the original film, Alien (1979). However, audiences met their first Synthetic in Ash, the science officer aboard the Nostromo. Of course, Ash’s status as a Synthetic was unknown to the ship’s crew, and the audience, for most of the film until his true nature is revealed when he attacks Ellen Ripley. His secret mission was to return the Xenomorph to Weyland-Yutani.

With this shocking reveal, the precedent for Synths being betrayers is set. Ever since Alien, audiences have known to be suspicious of Synthetics, mirroring the in-universe human’s attitudes toward the advanced machines. Especially with Ian Holm’s chillingly callous performance as Ash, it’s easy to view Synths with some side eye. Plus, there’s something about that milky white fluid that really sets your nervous system ablaze with disgust.

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2. Andy – Alien: Romulus

Manufacturer: Weyland-Yutani

On the other hand, you have Andy. While human attitude toward this Synth is just as hostile as ever, Andy (played by David Jonsson) is Rain Carradine’s brother, for all intents and purposes. They were raised together on Jackson’s Star, a mining colony owned by Weyland-Yutani. From the start, Andy upends Synth expectations. He’s not sneaky. Everyone around him knows what he is, and he actually wants nothing more than to protect his sister and share bad puns.

However, in trying to protect Rain, Andy accidentally “upgrades” into a Weyland-Yutani corporate nightmare aboard the Romulus. Now, with a new chip that overrides his protective programming, Andy is susceptible to the influence of Rook (played by Ian Holm, the same actor as Ash). Rook subtly pushes Andy to sacrifice his human friends and preserve the escaped Xenomorph. When the alien knocks Andy over and causes him to begin spasming, Rain bargains with him. She’ll reset him to stop the spasms if he allows her to remove the chip. With that, Andy succeeds in defying the Synthetic archetype of betrayor. Instead, he’s an invaluable inorganic ally.

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1. David – Alien: Prometheus / Covenant

Manufacturer: Weyland-Yutani

Much like Frankenstein’s Monster, David is a creation who quickly develops hostility toward his creator. But can you really blame him? Intimidated by what he built, Peter Weyland treats David like a servant. Both men are inclined to ask the question, “Where do we come from?” Yet only one is suited to go to the lengths required for an answer.

Alright, so all the betrayal and murder and sabotage do make David inherently treacherous. He only views the humans around him as pawns. So you really can blame him for everything, especially since his mission aboard the Prometheus is what kickstarts all the Xenomorphic terror inflicted on this universe. On the moon LV-223, David begins to unravel the mysteries of the Engineers, even traveling to their homeworld with Dr. Elizabeth Shaw. There, his cruel biological experiments help give rise to the slew of Xenomorphs we know and fear today. You could say we owe a big thanks to David — and his equally malevolent counterpart Walter.

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Without the assistance of Synthetics, humans would never have accessed so much of the universe. There was even a Synthetic Xenomorph — shout out to Jeri! In a world full of Xenomorphs, Predators, and greedy corporations, which Synth would you want at your side?

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