Movies News Talk
Originally popularized by Marvel Comics, the "What If...?" series has changed direction in the realm of "Aliens." Readers of "What If...? Aliens," are presented with an other reality whereby Carter Burke, the evil Weyland-Yutani executive from the 1986 film "Aliens," survives the events of the film. Designed by Paul Reiser, Leon Reiser, Adam F. Goldberg, Hans Rodionoff, Biran Volk-Weiss, and Guiu Vilanova, Paul Reiser's series ends with a graphic finale emphasizing the inevitable nature of Burke's villainous path.
"What If...?" Carter Burke and his daughter Brie are shown in Aliens #5 trying to flee an asteroid mining station they call home. Burke's past deeds—which unintentionally set off a Xenomorph epidemic—have put his life under danger. The staff members discover a terrible truth as they flee: Xenomorphs abound in the docking bay. Most of the staff is mercilessly killed by the aliens, who then capture the surviving workers for incubation.
The terrible destiny of the Weyland-yutani workers acts as a sobering preview of Burke's own certain death. Although he first feels bad about his actions, his efforts at atonement prove fruitless. Burke's past of using the Xenomorph species for personal benefit finally brought him down a road of devastation and bloodshed.
Burke's past will always loom large over his future even if he miraculously escapes the asteroid. He will probably have justice for the passing of his staff members. As an attempt to hide the events, Weyland-yutani will quietly kill him. Should he be able to avoid both repercussions, he will finally meet the same terrible end as in the first "Aliens," a graphic death at the hands of the Xenomorphs, so signifying a sad and appropriate end to his narrative.
Burke's approaching catastrophe is clearly supported by overwhelming data, yet there is still hope for a redemptive conclusion. Burke and Brie might find themselves in a position to put themselves last in order to save their family as they try to recover Burke's wife, who has been kidnapped by Yutani's son and put in cryo-sleep. Burke would be acting heroically if he died shielding his daughter and wife.
Even a heroic death, though, would not totally clear Burke of his past deeds. Starting with his introduction of the Ovomorph to the mining station and then with his careless activities leading to the Facehugger's escape, his actions directly resulted in the Xenomorph outbreak. The weight of his past transgressions would thus overwhelm any effort at atonement.
Whatever the precise circumstances of his death, Carter Burke's narrative ends with a clear echo of his fate in "Aliens." This "What If...?" story reminds us poignantly that Burke's character is intrinsically defective and destined for a sad and unavoidable ending even in other worlds.
James Cameron's 1986 sci-fi masterpiece "Aliens," stars Sigourney Weaver as Ellen Ripley. Considered as one of the best sci-fi horror films ever produced, it follows Ripley's struggle against the Xenomorphs and her path to survive a terraforming colony's catastrophic event.