MovieChat Forums > Aliens (1986) Discussion > Why was Hicks asleep during the drop?

Why was Hicks asleep during the drop?

posted 8 years ago by KrustytheDude
30 replies | jump to latest

When they were flying down to the planet they showed Hicks fell asleep. Why? Was he tired or bored? Was it something g-force related? Everyone else (except for wussy Gorman) seemed fine. Even when they entered the planet's atmosphere and was flying pretty much horizontally he was still asleep.

There also seemed to be inconsistencies in the scenes because he was asleep in one shot and then when Hudson got up and started boasting to Ripley about the weaponry they had on board you could see Hicks was awake and then a quick shot of him asleep again and then back to Hudson still talking and he was awake again. Surprisingly poor editing considering it's Cameron.

So was Hicks just extremely sensitive to flying or was he so badass he decided to relax and take a nap?

[–] Chromwagner 8 years ago

He passes out during the drop, Hudson mocks about before that. You should pay attention and think before you post.

[–] KrustytheDude 8 years ago

What scene is this where Hudson mocks him? I've watched it again and there is no scene where Hudson says anything. That also doesn't explain why he passes out.

[–] Chromwagner 8 years ago

I just watched again too and I apologise, you were right and I was wrong. I never noticed it. Though my theory is below: he is a badass but passes out from drop and it's the other way around with Hudson.

'Somebody wake up Hicks' is still one of my fav lines though.

[–] KrustytheDude 8 years ago

Thanks for saying that. Although I wonder if you could be right. I have the extended edition and haven't seen the theatrical version in a very long time. Maybe the scene you're talking about was in the theatrical edition? Now my mind is imagining Hudson did say something about it. It's weird how your brain misremembers something in a movie.

[–] ralph_2ndedition 8 years ago

It's a way of showing their experience.
On the one hand you've got Gorman (38 simulated drops, 2 combat drops "including this one.") who is pale, staring with wide eyes and sweating profusely.
Then you got people like Hudson (dealing with it by acting all bad-ass'y) and some of the others just chatting away or simply closing their eyes and leaning back, waiting for touchdown.
On the opposite side of the scale from Gorman you have Hicks, who has not only been in the military long enough to know that when given an opportunity to sleep - one takes it! But he has been there long enough and has also been through enough missions that he is ABLE to sleep, wherever the opportunity to do so presents itself!

[–] Chromwagner 8 years ago

I always took it as a kind of 'weakness' that makes his character even more likeable/real. He is a badass yes, but he cannot take the drop without passing out, whereas Hudson even enjoys the drop cowboy-like but fails in any other situation when sh.t goes dow.

[–] ttaskmaster 8 years ago

He doesn't pass out, he falls asleep.
Hudson is all juiced up and raring to go, while the more experienced Hicks is so relaxed that he drifts off and dozes.

[–] 8 years ago

[deleted]

[–] Whiskyfeet 8 years ago

Yea, no. It's pretty clear they were trying to portray Hicks as the experienced veteran because he isn't fazed at all by the intense drop whereas everyone else was either panicking or overcompensating (Hudson).

[–] Robot-Werewolf 8 years ago

ralph_2ndedition is right. Hicks is an experienced soldier who might have to go a while without rest depending on what they find on the ground, so he grabs a nap while it's an option.

[–] wesperkins 8 years ago

Yes I don't think he passed out. He was just sleeping, showing his experience and calmness while others were nervously boasting or doing their own thing. It's just supposed to show how cool Hicks is under stress and contrast it with the others behavior. Through this small clip we know that he is smart, experienced and cool under pressure.

[–] Eric_The_Victor 8 years ago

I always saw it as a way for Hicks to show his inter badass. I find that most people like Hudson act like a load mouth extrovert to overcompensate for a lack of true self strength. Witch is shown later when Hudson breaks down after finding out the reactor is going to blow. Hicks stays cool in both cases.

[–] ralph_2ndedition 8 years ago

Also, about the editing...
There are a few moments of surprisingly sloppy editing in Aliens.
For instance, pay attention to Ripley's headset when she is arguing with Gorman during the first big attack (before she gets behind the wheel of the transport vehicle to go help the marines).

[–] the_bamboo_spear 8 years ago

Character development - we are seeing that Hicks is the opposite of Hudson.

[–] omoxus 8 years ago

He was bored.

I am the Alpha and the Omoxus The Omoxus and the Omega

[–] stevegrayston-75-221538 8 years ago

taking a nap with sloppy editing.

[–] foxhound-37781 8 years ago

Hudson had to have passed out surely... there's no way someone could just "fall asleep" with that kind of turbulence....

[–] slashcann 8 years ago

Think he had been on the garys at hudsons the noght before

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