When it comes to Godzilla movies, the main stars are obviously the kaiju. Seeing The King of Monsters either team up with or fight other giant monsters is so entertaining that filmmakers have been figuring out how to outdo previous iterations for generations now. However, kaiju are not the only memorable characters in the Godzilla franchise. There are a number of alien races as well. The M Space Hunter Nebula Aliens are like a psychedelic Franz Kafka acid trip nightmare. They are a horrific species of gigantic cockroaches who invade dead human bodies and wear groovy orange suits. (It was the 1970s, after all.) The Simians are space apes, likely inspired by Planet of the Apes. Then there's the seemingly all-female, very glittery, but actually slug race Kilaaks. All are fun in their own ways, but the most popular aliens in the franchise hail not too far from Jupiter.
The Xiliens debuted in 1965's Invasion of Astro-Monster, where they appeared humanoid, wore all-black outfits with thin glasses, and had antennae sticking out of their heads. They would again appear in the television spin-off show Godzilla Island, as well as the 2004 film Godzilla: Final Wars in a more Matrix-inspired get-up. (Science fiction fashion marches on.) They have also appeared in various manga, video games, and were even available as action figures. So what is the story behind these aliens, and what makes them so popular?
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They Come Under the Guise of Peace
The Xiliens' First Appearance
In Invasion of Astro-Monster (1965), two astronauts from Earth land on Planet X and meet with the planet's leader, the Controller of Planet X. The Controller explains that his planet has been ravaged by Monster Zero, known to Earth as King Ghidorah, which has forced them to live underground. In order to defeat King Ghidorah, they ask to borrow Godzilla and Rodan, who had previously defeated the three-headed kaiju. In return, they promise to provide Earth with a cure for cancer (or, in the English dub, all diseases).
Earth agrees, but as it turned out, the Xiliens had no intention of peace. They wanted to conquer Earth instead, and had been controlling King Ghidorah the whole time. Now, with Godzilla and Rodan also under their control, it seems like conquering Earth would be simple. However, the Xiliens didn't account for the people of Earth to resist, nor that they would figure out that a sound frequency could cut their control of the monsters.
The Xiliens' Return To Earth
The Xiliens again come to Earth under the guise of peace in Godzilla: Final Wars (2004). Again, they have control over a number of kaiju from whom they pretend to "save" Earth. They claim that a runaway asteroid called Gorath is about to collide with Earth, and only by teaming up with the Xiliens and their superior firepower could the Earth be spared.
While the Earthlings once again unknowingly put themselves at risk of being conquered, the Xilien Commander and the Controller have differing views. The Controller wanted to conquer Earth with brute force, while the Commander wanted to be more subtle. Eventually, the Controller kills the Commander and seizes power. He attempts to defeat Godzilla using Keizer Ghidorah and reveals himself to be a Keizer, the result of breeding between Xiliens and humans. In the end, an energy transfer from Keizer Ghidorah to Godzilla saves Earth once again from a Xilien attack.
The Xiliens Want to Plunder Earth & Humanity for Resources
So what does a technologically advanced alien race want from Earth? In Invasion of Astro-Monster, the Xiliens might have so much gold it's as good as useless, but they are in desperate need of water. In fact, they are seen panicking when their method of gathering water is disrupted during the King Ghidorah attack early on.
Their motivations are far creepier in Godzilla: Final Wars (a film so emblematic of the 2000s that it features "We're All to Blame" by Sum 41). In that movie, the Xiliens intend to have humanity serve as their livestock and harvest mitochondria from human bodies for sustenance. That's about as bad as a first contact could go.
The Xiliens' Humanoid Appearance Masks Their True Forms
As stated earlier, Godzilla aliens typically appear humanoid, but underneath, they are more, well, alien. In their first appearance, it didn't seem like the Xiliens had a second form. (Still, the fact that all the women looked identical did slip into the uncanny valley.) Although the Xiliens looked mostly human in their disguise in Godzilla: Final Wars, they were unable to blink, hinting there was more to their appearance. When a Xilien is killed, their bodies open, revealing their true forms: are gray-skinned reptilians with no visible eyes. (This might explain why blinking is a challenge in their human disguises.)
The Xiliens, in their two major film appearances, have proven to be a fun and memorable alien race. Although they have shown up in other media, such as the cute puppet Lei Lei in Godziban, perhaps it's time for the formidable Xiliens to grace the big screen again. After all, if nothing else, it would be fun to see what the peak of sci-fi fashion looks like in the 2020s.
- Release Date
- March 29, 2024
- Runtime
- 115 Minutes
- Director
- Adam Wingard
- Writers
- Terry Rossio, Adam Wingard, Simon Barrett, Jeremy Slater
- Prequel(s)
- Godzilla, Kong: Skull Island, Godzilla: King of the Monsters, Godzilla vs. Kong
Cast
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Rebecca HallIlene Andrews -
Brian Tyree HenryBernie Hayes -
Dan StevensTrapper -
Kaylee HottleJia
WHERE TO WATCH
- Studio(s)
- Legendary Pictures
