Xenomorph Queen

Height

• 15 ft

Skin color

• Black, black-blue

Distinctions

• Immense size
• Ovipositor
• Head crest
• Semi-tetrabrachial

The Queen is one of the large forms of the species Xenomorph XX121 that serves as the mother and leader of a Xenomorph Hive. Queens are one of the largest, strongest, and most intelligent Xenomorph castes, and their appearance differs from that of smaller variants, with a pair of extra arms growing from their chest and a large head crest extending rearwards from their skull.
The Queens are capable of engaging in combat and are formidable opponents, but such an event is a rare occurrence. Rather, Queens usually act as stationary Egg-layers within the Hive, tended to by Xenomorph Worker, and letting the Xenomorph Praetorian or Drones perform any defensive or offensive tasks. A Queen additionally oversees the maintenance of the nest, carried out again by the Xenomorph Worker (and to some extent, Drones). When laying Eggs, a Queen possesses a huge ovipositor that renders it immobile. Queens are significantly more intelligent than most normal Xenomorphs, displaying traits of wrath and vengeance beyond any purely instinctual behavior, have displayed problem-solving skills, and are also capable of issuing orders or commands to subservient castes.
Characteristics
Out of all the Xenomorph castes, the Queen possesses the most physical differences. Its most prominent feature is its immense size, typically standing around 4.5 meters in height, double the height of most other Xenomorphs, while some older Queens have been known to grow larger still. Correspondingly, many typical Xenomorph features are also considerably larger on a Queen, including her jaws, which are filled with razor-sharp transparent teeth several centimeters long, and her inner jaw, the maw of which can be almost as large as a human head.
Queens have large, armored, crown-like carapaces on their heads, into which they are able to withdraw their face and mouth as a means of protection, similar to how a turtle can withdraw its head into its shell. This great carapace is of disproportional size when compared to the rest of the Queen's very large body, and is thought to serve as a form of sensory "antenna", allowing the Queen to detect thermal, biochemical and bioelectric signals with great sensitivity. Queens also have double-jointed hind legs, two sets of dorsal tubes, which are more spike-like than on other Xenomorphs, six digit hands — with the third finger being much longer than the others — and an extra armored shell on their chest in the form of another carapace. In fact, a Queen's outer exoskeleton is so resilient it is even capable of repelling sustained automatic gunfire, although it remains vulnerable to armor-piercing ammunition.
In addition to their two primary limbs, Queens also possess a second, much smaller pair of arms extending ventrally from the center of their chest; the exact purpose of these arms is not known. A Queen's tail is extremely long and segmented, with a large, blade-like tip. As with typical Drones, Queen tend to be black or black-blue in coloration.
Egg-laying Queens are easily identified by their enormous ovipositor, which extends from beneath their tail and can be up to 9 or 12 meters in length. These ovipositors are typically suspended from the ceiling of the Hive by "straps" created from the same secreted resin as the Hive itself. Owing to the size and weight of this sac, any Queen in the laying stage is immobile and totally dependent on her subordinates for assistance and protection. However, the ovipositor can be detached in a critical situation to allow the Queen to escape, although this process is apparently painful for the Queen and it is unlikely the sac can be reattached as easily, if at all. However, Queens are capable of growing a new ovipositor within a reasonably short period of time, though this too can prove painful for them. While immobilized, the Queen typically folds her legs up under her body and is instead supported by a biomechanical "throne". When laying, a Queen will typically produce up to 15 Eggs per hour.
A Queen, despite her size ratio compared to other Xenomorphs, can sustain near-limitless gunfire before having to retreat, thanks largely to her thickened exoskeleton and additional armor. They have also been seen to survive being almost totally enveloped by fire, although prolonged exposure to heat and flame is eventually fatal. As a result of their resilience, once released from her laying stage a Queen can destroy most prey within seconds. It has also been noted that Queens display numerous signs of extreme muscle density; indeed, Queens are capable of tearing synthetics in two with just their hands. This, coupled with their great size, makes any form of hand-to-hand fighting an unwise tactic when confronting one, even for a Yautja. The Queen is fast considering her size — specimens have been clocked running at speeds of up to 40 km per hour. They are also incredibly long-lived, with some specimens estimated to have survived for tens of thousands of years. At least in very cold conditions, Queens are apparently able to "hibernate" or otherwise suspend their metabolism as a means to further extend their lifespan.
While Xenomorphs are usually said to be asexual, Queens are typically classified as female, owing to their similarities with similar female egg-laying castes in the insect kingdom. Usually, there is only a single Queen present in any Xenomorph populace. However, on occasion it is possible for multiple Queens to come into contact with each other. Such a course of events will lead to conflict, with the ultimately dominant Queen often being referred to as an Empress and ruling over any other Queens situated in her domain.
As with the Xenomorph Spitter and Xenomorph Runner castes, Queens are capable of spitting acid from their mouths.
Physical variance
While Queens may appear broadly identical to each other, there are often subtle variations in their physical appearance that differentiate one individual from another. Whereas many lower castes are essentially indistinguishable from their fellow Xenomorphs (unless marked or visibly injured in some way), Queens may occasionally vary quite noticeably in color.
Perhaps the most notable area of variation on adult Queens is in the shape and features of their prominent head crest. While all examples of these crests have been see to adopt the same basic form, variations in the precise shape have been noted, relating to the overall outline as well as the absence or abundance of additional protrusions, horns, ridges or blades about the crest.
Intelligence and communication
Queens are very intelligent and have been known to operate machinery and understand and even interpret human actions at a basic level. They possess significant observational learning abilities and are able to assess risk and weigh the value of one action over another. They also, unlike many aliens, have a sense of self-preservation and value their own well being over that of their children, but only in dire do-or-die situations. While many of these intellectual traits can be seen to some degree in virtually all Xenomorphs, it is known that Queens are vastly superior in every aspect.
Evidence proves Queens are able to communicate with and command other Xenomorphs, although the exact manner of this communication remains unclear. While examples of Queens instructing their brood via audible screeches have been documented, it is thought that their primary means of communication is substantially more complex, possibly involving pheromone release or ultrasound. Yutani researchers have even proposed Queens and their offspring share some kind of bioelectrical hive consciousness; the fact Queens are seemingly in almost constant contact with their brood and able to communicate with them across significant distances or through considerable obstructions supports such a theory. Their large head crest may well play a part in the communication process, acting as receptor/transmitter for the whatever signals are employed.
Although they are violent and hostile monsters, Queens seem to be very caring and protective towards their offspring, particularly their unborn Eggs, and will act (or refrain from acting) if doing so will spare their spawn. However, destruction of a Queen's nest can apparently drive her into a vengeful rage. The threat of the destruction of a Queen's Eggs has also been known to impart a degree of leverage upon a Queen; there are several recorded instances whereby individuals have threatened a Queen's Eggs in order to coerce her to cooperate/spare their lives.
Creation
The exact means by which a Queen comes into being varies and is still heavily debated. Given the highly variable nature of the Xenomorph, it's identity as a eusocial swarming creature who's behavior is centered around species propagation, and it's difficulty to root out and destroy once deeply established on a planet, it should not be ruled out that the Xenomorph may have various routes to creating a queen should one die instead of a single line to queen creation. When a queen takes over another hive, she notably not only destroys the Xenomorph Praetorians of the other hive, but also any eggs, perceiving both as threats to her position. This would suggest that eggs and Xenomorph Facehuggers, as well as Xenomorph Praetorians, are innately linked to the previous Queen in a way that a dominating Queen cannot claim them. However, Drones and Xenomorph Warriors - proven to be able to evolve into Xenomorph Praetorian - are allowed to live.
Royal Jelly and Royal Facehuggers
The introduction of Royal Jelly at the Egg stage may lead to the creation of a Queen (similar to how honey bee queens are created). This implies a Queen is a Queen from the earliest stages in its life cycle. This theory was to be backed up by a Royal Facehugger that was capable of implanting a special Queen embryo into a host, as well as implanting an additional normal embryo into a second host so that the soon-to-be-born Queen would have a Drone to protect it during the critical early stages of its life.

Empress
An Empress is another caste of Xenomorph monarch, albeit larger and stronger than a Queen. Queens are, in fact, subordinate to them and they themselves are on Subordinate to a Xenomorph Queen Mother.
Queen Mother
The Queen Mother, also referred to as the Mother Queen, is a large form of the species Xenomorph XX121 that serves as the supreme controlling force of the species; even Xenomorph Queen and Empresses are subordinate to them. Queen Mothers have only been encountered on Xenomorph Prime, where they were protected by Palatines.
Hosts
It is not clear whether a Queen will adopt some of the characteristics of its host, as with other Xenomorphs. The origins and growth of a Queen have never been thoroughly studied.