After three episodes largely confined to the wreck of the spaceship Maginot, Alien: Earth shifted gears in its fourth chapter, returning to Neverland, the headquarters of the Prodigy corporation. Although traces of alien danger lingered, the xenomorph itself stayed mostly in the background this time. The episode, fittingly titled “Observation,” leaned into the first step of the scientific process: watching events unfold and questioning their cause.
Rather than diving straight back into bloodshed with facehuggers or brutal attacks, the episode leans on suggestion and controlled experiments to deliver its unease. The most disturbing moment comes when the scientists, alongside Boy Kavalier (Samuel Blenkin), conduct a grotesque test on the hybrid lamb by tossing one of the tentacled eyeballs into its glass enclosure.
The story shifts its focus to multiple characters, each wrestling with personal struggles that challenge their loyalties and sense of priority. Alien: Earth maintains its deliberate, slower rhythm, allowing room for deeper character development while weaving in new story elements. The previous chapter revealed that Wendy (Sydney Chandler) was enduring pain and overwhelming noises linked to an experiment involving a facehugger, and this installment expands on that unsettling revelation.
The only person truly concerned for her well-being is her brother Joe (Alex Lawther), whose unease is already sparking friction with Prodigy. Much like the infamous Weyland-Yutani, the corporation refuses to consider the broader consequences of its actions, a shortsightedness that threatens to bring devastating losses to everyone trapped on the isolated island where their operations unfold.
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Wendy can now perceive the communication of the creatures and track their transformations as they unfold, a development that deepens her role as the show’s emotional anchor. What sets Wendy apart in the wider Alien mythos is her unusual bond with the species. Rather than responding with fear or hostility, she approaches them with curiosity, forming a connection that remains mysterious yet compelling.
Elsewhere, the hybrids spiral into instability, with Nibs (Lily Newark) unraveling as she insists she is pregnant and lashes out at a Prodigy worker who dares to doubt her claim.
At the same time, Slightly’s (Adarsh Gourav) circumstances darken under Morrow’s (Babou Ceesay) control. Threatened with his family’s death, he is coerced into betraying both his friends and Prodigy itself. Any lingering uncertainty about Morrow’s ruthlessness vanishes here, cementing him as a figure willing to commit any act to safeguard the alien eggs.
The Alien franchise has always featured characters willing to gamble with lives to study or contain the xenomorph, so Morrow’s reckless obsession fits naturally within that tradition. What sets him apart, however, is how he balances his volatility with a calculated patience. He has the power to invade Prodigy’s island immediately, yet he chooses instead to manipulate Slightly into carrying out the difficult work for him. It is a strategic move that highlights both his cunning and his cruelty. Still, his plan may not last long, as Kirsch (Timothy Olyphant) is already suspicious and closing in, setting the stage for Morrow’s potential downfall.
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“Observation” closes on a haunting note, with Wendy softly cooing to a newborn xenomorph as if sharing a private language. Over the scene, Jane’s Addiction’s “Ocean Size” begins with a delicate acoustic intro before shifting into Perry Farrell’s raw count-in and heavier sound. The song’s lyrics speak of standing at the threshold of maturity, yearning for independence, and striving to be respected rather than dismissed. In this context, the words resonate directly with Wendy’s journey. In her mesmerizing exchange with the young creature, she begins to realize her own significance, her ability to make an impact, and the deeper reserves of strength waiting to surface.
In the end, “Observation” may not provide definitive answers to every lingering mystery, but it heightens the tension in striking ways. Whether Wendy’s encounter with xenomorphs was genuine or imagined, the closing moments make it clear that an invasion of some kind is only just beginning. By weaving her fate into the growing uncertainty and amplifying the paranoia surrounding Earth’s silent watchers, the show secures its place as one of 2025’s standout science fiction entries.
‘Alien: Earth’ Episode 4 Review: Things Slow Down
“Observation” may not provide definitive answers to every lingering mystery, but it heightens the tension in striking ways. Whether Wendy’s encounter with xenomorphs was genuine or imagined, the closing moments make it clear that an invasion of some kind is only just beginning.
