Heartwarming moments in Aliens.
- Newt and Ripley develop a very close bond throughout the film.
- When Ripley first talks to Newt, she lets the young girl come out of her shell on her own terms. Ripley serves Newt some hot chocolate, wipes off her face, and tells how she is pretty and brave. It's obvious here that Ripley was a mother once, and she knows exactly what Newt is going through because she too dealt with the Xenomorphs.
- When Ripley finds Newt sleeping under her bed, she quietly joins her, reassuring her when she wakes up frightened.
- Throughout the film, Newt always refers to Ripley by her name. But after all the length's Ripley goes through to protect her from the aliens especially after destroying the Queen, Newt almost tearfully calls Ripley "Mommy" before hugging the battle-weary woman.
- The director's cut in particular is one big long Earn Your Happy Ending for both Ripley and Newt. Both of them have lost absolutely everything because of the aliens and they're both more than happy for the other to help fill the sudden void in their lives.
- Ripley and Hicks share a moment, albeit brief. Showing their mutual respect and revealing their first names to each other.
- They share another when Hicks personally shows Ripley how to handle the pulse rifle so that she'll know how to defend herself when the time comes. He doesn't tell her why, just does it, and she merely grins and wants to take it all in. The companionship they develop, all while he's gently looking after her without patronizing her, is very sweet. It takes a turn for the awesome, however, when his bit of training her how to use the pulse rifle gives her the know-how to use the weapon when she goes to save Newt from the hive.
- Another brief moment is Ripley overcoming her prejudices against androids by personally and sincerely applauding Bishop, in saving them from being vaporized.
- "You always were an asshole, Gorman."
- Even better is that while it may have been impulse to lead Gorman to try to help Vasquez, he knew he was probably a goner anyway. Aside from trying to help her he was probably also there to make sure she didn't have to face the end alone.
- A blink-and-you'll-miss-it moment, but while the survivors are looking at the compound schematics, Hicks lifts Newt up and sits her on the table to make sure that she can see the plans too and feel like she's helping! So cute.
- Arguably Fridge Brilliance as well as Heartwarming; just like Hicks is the only person in the film who actually listens to Ripley, by this point he's also fully aware that Newt must know the layout of the place like the back of her hand and may be able to offer valuable advice.
- Hicks also gets a nice moment where he sees Newt examining the ammunition they're planning to use against the aliens. Rather than yelling at her, he calmly says "Don't touch that. Dangerous, honey."
- When the Alien queen is being airlocked by Ripley, Newt is being sucked out herself. She calls out for Bishop, who, while still split in half, manages to catch her with his one free hand and hold on to her protectively. After it's all over, Newt runs out of Bishop's arms to hug Ripley. After Ripley had spent almost the entire film being hostile and suspicious of him simply because he is an android like Ash, Bishop's last line just makes it.Bishop: "Not bad for a... human."
- And then there is the very last scene, where Ripley reassures Newt before they both go into cryosleep that she thinks they can both dream again now, while looking fondly at the injured Bishop and Hicks, who are both already asleep in their pods.
- Ripley politely but firmly getting Hudson to find a floor plan layout of the facility during his panic attack. After giving him something to focus on, he manages to regain his composure and helps plan their defence.
- After saving him in the first movie, Ripley makes sure that Jones will stay on Earth during her mission, thus ensuring that the cat will spend the rest of his days far from the danger they have faced.
- A small moment, to be sure, but Hicks noticing Ripley, who is no doubt in a state of discomfort over being back on the planet where the incident that ruined her life began, and asking her if she's alright. Prior to that point, the only person in the entire film who had displayed any measure of sympathy or kindness towards Ripley was Burke, and even that was, as it turns out, faked to get her on his side, except it's clearly genuine in Hicks' case.
- After the dropship crashes, Hicks is the one who inmediatly runs to get burning debris off the still-unconscious Gorman showing despite the latter's bad orders, Hicks still considers Gorman a person in need of help.
