Andy repeats a memorable franchise line in Alien: Romulus which was first spoken by Sigourney Weaver in Aliensbut it’s more than just a fun reference. David Jonsson plays Andy, a synthetic character in Alien: Romuluswho is also a brother-like figure to Rain (Cailee Spaeny). Andy and Rain are the only survivors Alien: Romulus‘ ending, but both encounter several near-death experiences during the group’s mission on the Renaissance ship. Andy, in particular, goes through quite the journey after his android mind is reprogrammed with Rook’s control.
Fortunately, Rain has the chance to return Andy to his original programming just in time for the elevator confrontation with a horde of Xenomorphs and menacing facehugs. Alien: Romulus has a lot of Easter eggs and franchise references, but one of the most noteworthy comes when Andy utters “stay away from her, you bitch“line. Ripley initially said the line in Aliens when rescuing Newt in the cargo carrier’s exosuit to fight the Xenomorph. Like Ripley, Andy goes into full protective mode, putting his life on the line to save Rain. That being said, the Ripley reference wasn’t always planned.
Andy’s “Get Away From Her” line wasn’t in Alien: Romulus’ script
Fan response led to Ripley’s reference making it into the final version
During Alien: RomulusIn the thrilling elevator sequence, Rain narrowly avoids falling to his death. The “Burned” Xenomorph saves Rain by catching her, but it is not an act of heroism. Before the creature can take her as a host victim, it lifts her onto a nearby ladder. Although Andy’s action in letting go of the elevator destroys the other Xenomorphs and facehuggers, the “Burned” Xenomorph survives. Andy then jumps at the Xenomorph while shooting it with his pulse rifle before uttering the memorable Foreigner franchise line, “stay away from her… you bitch!”, which was improvised by David Jonsson.
“As Andy’s reference to Ripley was happily received during the test screening, Alvarez felt”justified“and I left it in the final cut…”
According to Fede Álvarez in Alien: Romulus‘Inside the Xenomorph Showdown’ Featurette Andy”stay away from her“The line was never planned. The director says that he “whispered” the line for Jonsson to try during a take. The pause before “your bitch“as Andy unloads the shots left in his pulse rifle adds so much more emotion to the scene. How joyfully Andy’s reference to Ripley was received during the test screening, Alvarez felt”justified” and left it in the final cut, creating one of the Alien: Romulus‘ Ripley’s most significant references.
Alien: Romulus’ reference to Ripley makes Andy the first character to say the phrase
Romulus takes place before aliens
Alien: Romulus‘ the timeline is set between Foreigner and Aliensand it’s clear how both films impacted the production of Fede Álvarez’s entry in 2024. Considering Aliens is defined after the events of Romulo, Andy is now the first character in the franchise to say: “Get away from her, you bitch“, despite the phrase being a reference to Ripley’s heroic act in Aliens. Interestingly, Ripley is in Andy’s vicinity when he says the line, as Ripley’s ship was docked at the Renaissance. The character may not appear, but the additional Andy reference is even more special with Ripley technically in Alien: Romulus.
Source: “Inside the Xenomorph Showdown” featurette