Ash

Alien the movie: The deep space mining ship Nostromo intercepts an unidentified transmission on its way home from a distant prospecting mission. The crew are awakened prematurely from cryo-sleep and sent to investigate.
Sigorney Weaver as Ripley in Alien: "Wait a minute. We let it in, the ship could be infected. You know the quarantine procedures: 24 hours for decontamination." John Hurt as Kane in Alien: "The pit is completely enclosed. And it's full of leathery objects, like eggs or something." Ian Holm as Ash in Alien: "Bring back life form. Priority One. All other priorities rescinded."

Movie

Alien

Year

1979

Character

Ash

Actor

Ian Holm

Ash is a wiley one. He does also seem a little strange in his mannerisms. It soon becomes clear why – he’s been sent be the company to make sure their top secret ‘priority one’ mission goes according to plan. And… he’s not human. Shiver.

Alien – Ash Quotes

Ripley: Ash, that transmission, Mother’s deciphered part of it. It doesn’t look like an S.O.S.

Ash: What is it, then?

Ripley: Well, I – it looks like a warning. I’m gonna go out after them.

Ash: What’s the point? I mean, by the, the time it takes to get there, you’ll, they’ll know if it’s a warning or not, yes?

Ash: Ripley, for God’s sake, this is the first time that we’ve encountered a species like this. It has to go back, all sorts of tests have to be made.

Ripley: Ash, are you kidding? This thing bled acid, and who knows what it’s gonna do when it’s dead?

Ash: I think it’s safe to assume it isn’t a zombie.

Ripley: [watching Ash examine the creature] That’s amazing. What is it?

Ash: Uh, yes, it is. Uh, I don’t know yet. Did you want something?

Ripley: Yes, I, uh … have a little talk. How’s Kane?

Ash: He’s holding, no changes.

Ripley: And our guest?

Ash: Oh …

Ripley: Hm?

Ash: Well, as I said, I’m still … collating, actually. But I have confirmed that he’s got an outer layer of protein polysaccharides. Has a funny habit of shedding his cells and replacing them with polarized silicon, which gives him a prolonged resistance to adverse environmental conditions. Is that enough?

Ripley: That’s plenty. What does it mean?

[Ripley bends down to look through the micro-scanner]

Ash: Please don’t do that. Thank you.

Ripley: I’m sorry.

Ash: Well, it’s an interesting combination of elements, making him a … tough little son-of-a-bitch.

Ripley: And you let him in.

Ash: I was obeying a direct order, remember?

Ripley: Ash. When Dallas and Kane are off the ship, I’m Senior Officer.

Ash: Oh yes, I forgot.

Ripley: You also forgot the Science Division’s basic quarantine law.

Ash: No, that I didn’t forget.

Ripley: Oh, I see. You just broke it, then?

Ash: Look, what would you have done with Kane? You know his only chance of survival was to get him in here.

Ripley: Unfortunately, by breaking quarantine, you risk everybody’s life.

Ash: Maybe I should have left him outside. Maybe I’ve jeopardized the rest of us, but it was a risk I was willing to take.

Ripley: That’s a pretty big risk for a Science Officer. It’s not exactly out of the manual, is it?

Ash: I do take my responsibilities as seriously as you, you know. You do your job and let me do mine, yes?

Ripley: Ash. Any suggestions from you or Mother?

Ash: No, we’re still collating.

Ripley: [laughing in disbelief] … What? You’re still “collating”? I find that hard to believe.

Ash: What would you like me to do?

Ripley: Just what you’ve been doing, Ash – nothing. I’ve got access to Mother now, and I’ll get my own answers, thank you.

Ash: All right.

Ripley: Ash, can you hear me? Ash?

Ash: Yes, I can hear you.

Ripley: What was your special order?

Ash: You read it. I thought it was clear.

Ripley: What was it?

Ash: Bring back life form. Priority One. All other priorities rescinded.

Parker: The damn company. What about our lives, you son of a bitch?!

Ash: I repeat, all other priorities are rescinded.

Ripley: How do we kill it, Ash? There got to be a way of killing it. How – how do we do it?

Ash: You can’t.

Parker: That’s bullshit.

Ash: You still don’t understand what you’re dealing with, do you? The perfect organism. Its structural perfection is matched only by its hostility.

Lambert: You admire it.

Ash: I admire its purity. A survivor … unclouded by conscience, remorse, or delusions of morality.

Parker: Well, I don’t. I’ve heard enough of this, and I’m asking you to pull the plug.

[Ripley moves to turn Ash off, but he interrupts]

Ash: Last words.

Ripley: What?

Ash: I can’t lie to you about your chances, but … you have my sympathies. [he smiles]

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