- "Hey, I sure wouldn't mind getting some more of that Arcturian poontang, remember that time?"
"Yeah, Frost, but the one that you had was male."
"It doesn't matter when it's Arcturian, baby." - ―Pvt. Frost and Pvt. Spunkmeyer
The Arcturians are a humanoid, mammal-like extraterrestrial species native to the planet Arcturus.[1] They were the first sentient alien species encountered by mankind[2] and humanity has since established interspecies trade with them.[3]
Characteristics
Arcturians are roughly humanoid, bipedal in form and comparable in size to humans. However, they are comparatively lacking in mental capacity; their intelligence has been likened to that of lower apes.[1] Biologically, they exhibit an unusual combination of insect and mammalian traits — physiologically, they are mammal-like, yet they live in subterranean colonies that reproduce via a single fertile, egg-laying queen. Like humans, they are warm-blooded, omnivorous and breathe oxygen, yet they are eyeless and communicate and rationalize their surroundings through a form of natural sonar.[1]
The species' reproductive cycle is particularly curious. After hatching from their egg, their young are amphibious and are raised in warm pools in a communal nursery at the bottom of the hive.[4] Despite their curious biology, Arcturians are sexually compatible (at least in a recreational sense) with humans.[5] Although not typically aggressive, colony members are fiercely defensive of their queen.[4] Arcturians are also the source of Arcturian Klerhaige, a disease that is communicable to human beings.[6]
During the USS Sulaco's mission to Acheron, Private Frost mentioned sleeping with Arcturians on a previous operation. Private Spunkmeyer subsequently pointed out that the one Frost had was male, to which Frost responded, "Doesn't matter when it's Arcturian, baby!" It therefore seems likely that Arcturians have very little differentiation between sexes.
Behind the scenes
In reality, Arcturus is the brightest star in the northern celestial hemisphere. With a visual magnitude of −0.04, it is the fourth brightest star in the night sky, after −1.46 magnitude Sirius, −0.86 magnitude Canopus, and −0.27 magnitude Alpha Centauri. It is a relatively close star at only 36.7 light-years from Earth, and, together with Vega and Sirius, one of the most luminous stars in the Sun's neighborhood.
Appearances
- Aliens (mentioned only)
- Aliens Adventure Game (mentioned only)
- Alien: Sea of Sorrows (mentioned only)
- Alien: River of Pain (mentioned only)
- Alien: Invasion (mentioned only)
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 David McKenzie. Aliens Adventure Game, p. 79 (1991), Leading Edge Games.
- ↑ James A. Moore. Alien: Sea of Sorrows, p. 95 (2014), Titan Books.
- ↑ Christopher Golden. Alien: River of Pain, p. 106 (2014), Titan Books.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 David McKenzie. Aliens Adventure Game, p. 80 (1991), Leading Edge Games.
- ↑ James Cameron (writer and director). Aliens (1986), 20th Century Fox [DVD].
- ↑ James A. Moore. Alien: Sea of Sorrows, p. 341 (2014), Titan Books.