Ash

Ash

Background

Ash is the Science Officer of the commercial towing vehicle, the Nostromo. Ash is a Hyperdyne Systems 120-A2 robot.

During the events of Alien (1979) played by Ian Holm

Ash and the crew of the Nostromo are returning to Earth from outside the Outer Rim Territories when they are woken up from hibernation by their ship. They are required to investigate a transmission they receive that may be a distress signal. They land on the planet LV426, and Lambert, Dallas and Kane go to investigate the signal. Ripley tells Ash, the spaceship computer, Mother has decoded part of the message and it appears to be a warning and not a distress signal. She wants to warn the search crew, but Ash says it would be pointless. While investigating a spaceship, Kane is attacked by a Facehugger. Ripley and Dallas argue about letting the search crew back into the Nostromo. Ripley wants to follow quarantine protocols, but Dallas demands she open the door to let them in, which Ash eventually does. The Facehugger eventually becomes unattached from Kane's face and he appears to recover. While eating their final meal before going back into hibernation, Kane starts choking and screaming and a Xenomorph erupts from Kane's chest, killing him. Both Brett and Dallas are killed by the Xenomorph and when Ripley finds out they were sent on purpose to bring back the alien life form and all of the crew are expendable, she is attacked by Ash. Parker saves Ripley by knocking his head off and revealing Ash to be a robot. Ripley turns Ash on once more and Ash taunts the remaining members of the crew before Ripley unplugs him.