With sci-fi traditionally being a male-dominated genre, Sigourney Weaver's Ripley changed the game for female characters. It could, however, be argued that the first sci-fi movie hero, introduced over 50 years prior, was a female character. Released in 1979, Alien perfectly subverted expectations. Ridley Scott's movie begins as an ensemble piece before the Nostromo's crew members drop one-by-one and leave Ripley as the undisputed lead - a role Weaver would carry into another three Alien movies .

It's difficult to overstate the impact of Ripley as a character, and especially as a female hero in a '70s sci-fi movie . Weaver spearheaded a much-needed change, the influence of which can still be felt today, both within the Alien franchise itself (Rain in Alien: Romulus ) and

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