Jones

Lore & Background

Jones's presence on the Nostromo was defined by his small size, which permitted him to share a hypersleep capsule with a crew member during the ship's extended voyages. When the Xenomorph began stalking the occupants, Jones remained largely of little interest to the creature, surviving the incident unscathed due to biology that made him unsuitable for reproduction. His role shifted dramatically when the crew deployed motion trackers; the device detected Jones instead of the Alien. He fled upon discovery, and Brett was tasked with recovering him. In this process, the Alien ambushed Brett while Jones watched as the creature dragged Brett's body into the air shafts. Later, Ellen Ripley found the cat and placed him in a carry case. A critical turning point occurred when Ripley was forced to abandon Jones to the Alien; however, the Xenomorph was notably distracted by the cat rather than attacking him. Jones was subsequently recovered and secured in hypersleep aboard the Narcissus after escaping with Ripley.

In Their Own Story

In Aliens, Jones is rescued along with Ellen Ripley but remains behind when she travels with the Marines to investigate the colony. He features prominently in a nightmare sequence within that film before playing no further part in the story. Beyond the screen, Jones serves as the protagonist of a book adaptation titled 'Jonesy: Nine Lives on the Nostromo.' Anne Billson's compilation, Cats on Film, includes her short story 'My Day by Jones: A Cat's Eye View of an Alien,' offering a feline perspective on the events. Additionally, Jones is mentioned in the novel 'Alien: Out of the Shadows,' where he is explicitly kept safely out of harm's way. These literary expansions allow the character to continue his narrative beyond the film's conclusion, exploring his survival and the unique viewpoint of a cat navigating a horror franchise.

Reader's Guide

Jones has been described by Screen Rant as 'one of the most beloved cats in horror cinema' and by Film School Rejects as 'one of the most famous felines of the screen.' He is frequently called 'the true hero of Alien' due to his characterization as a survivor who teaches human characters valuable lessons. Insider listed him as one of the top 15 best movie cats of all time, specifically calling him a 'survivor.' The website Collider has also ranked him among the best cats in cinema and one of the best animal sidekicks in horror. Fans appreciate Jones as the only significant character in the franchise to live a full and long life, having survived facing the Alien on multiple occasions. His survival highlights the creature's selective hunting patterns, where his biology rendered him unsuitable for reproduction, making him an anomaly among the hunted.

Did You Know?

• Jones was portrayed by four different lookalike cat actors during the filming of Alien.
• The Alien did not attack Jones when he was abandoned, as it was notably distracted by the cat instead.
• Jones is mentioned in 'Alien: Out of the Shadows' but is kept safely out of harm's way.
• He is considered the only significant character in the franchise to live a full and long life.
• Jones inadvertently caused Brett's death when motion trackers detected him, leading Brett into an ambush.