Warning: This article contains SPOILERS for Alien: Romulus.One of the greatest mysteries Alien: Romulus concerns Kay’s baby – specifically, who the father could be. Upon release, director Fede Álvarez revealed that Kay’s cousin Bjorn is Kay’s father. Alien: Romulusmeaning they had an incestuous relationship. Although this shocking secret was not explicitly revealed in Alien: Romulusthere were subtle hints that Kay and Bjorn were more than just cousins.
One scene, in particular, conveys the hidden romance between the two, but it’s right before Bjorn is killed by the Xenomorph as he emerges from his cocoon and is easy to ignore. The truth about Bjorn only makes his death protecting Kay an even more painful and frightening scene. Alien: Romulus. However, along with Álvarez’s confirmation, Bjorn and Kay’s relationship adds a completely different dimension to the film.
Kay and Bjorn’s reunion scene makes it clear that he is the baby’s father
The way Bjorn acts in his final scene implies his true relationship with Kay
After the group’s ship collides with the Romulo space station, Bjorn is quick to protect Kay from the Xenomorph. He holds Kay close to keep her away from the killer alien growing inside his large cocoon. This intimate reunion between the two cousins suggests their secret romance and that he is also protecting Kay’s baby like her father. Alien: Romulus.
Bjorn then attempts to kill the Xenomorph by sticking a stun baton into its cocoon, which strongly resembles a female reproductive organ. These sexual images and the subsequent birth of this monstrous Xenomorph don’t just represent how Bjorn got Kay pregnant. This disturbing sequence also represents Kay’s fear of having her cousin’s child, given the taboo nature of their relationship. This symbolism becomes most apparent when Kay finally gives birth to Bjorn’s son, who becomes the alien offspring at the end of Alien: Romulus.
Alien: Romulus’ hint that Bjorn is the father of Kay’s baby makes his death more tragic
Bjorn’s death protecting Kay in Alien: Romulus is more painful than it seems
The fact that Bjorn died trying to protect Kay and her son adds another layer of tragedy to his sacrifice. For the most part, he presented himself as an unpleasant character due to his bullying and prejudice towards the android Andy. However, Bjorn’s behavior was born out of his mother’s death by an androidmeaning he protected his family deep down.
Even as the acid burned his body, Bjorn refused to let Kay near him, worrying more about her and her baby than himself.
In his final moments, Bjorn simply acted on his familiar instincts, trying to kill the Xenomorph and defend Kay from it. Even as the acid burned his body, Bjorn refused to let Kay near him, worrying more about her and her baby than himself. This selfless act adds a more righteous dimension to his repulsive character.
Kay and Bjorn’s secret about their affair and their son is a dark twist, even for a horror film. However, the film manages to subtly convey the truth through Bjorn’s character and his actions surrounding Kay. The sexual connotations of his death also invoke Kay’s fear of pregnancy in a way that points to Bjorn being the father. It was difficult to like him as a character, but the context of his death provided one of the most memorable and tragic scenes in Alien: Romulus.