One of the pivotal instances in the original *Alien* is the disclosure that the Nostromo’s science officer Ash (Ian Holm) is not a human being. Rather, he is a synthetic android, designed to execute Weyland-Yutani’s directives for collecting aliens, even if it jeopardizes the safety of the human crew.

The disclosure about Ash completely transforms our perception of him and Weyland-Yutani, introducing innovative technology into the *Alien* universe. It also establishes a franchise motif of unexpected synthetics.

This motif is carried on in *Alien: Resurrection*, the fourth installment of the series. Halfway through, it is revealed that Annalee Call (Winona Ryder), an engineering aide aboard the Betty, is actually an Auton, a second-generation synthetic. Now, FX’s *Alien: Earth* gets involved, revealing its own unexpected synthetic in the Season 1 finale.

Who is the unexpected synthetic in *Alien: Earth*?

The unexpected synthetic in *Alien: Earth* is Atom Eins (Adrian Edmondson), the right-hand man of Boy Kavalier (Samuel Blenkin).

The truth comes to light during the finale’s confrontation between Atom, hybrid Wendy (Sydney Chandler), and her brother Hermit (Alex Lawther). Atom discards his corporate appearance, literally taking off his suit jacket, and takes on the role of enforcer. He battles Wendy and Hermit with superhuman strength, pausing only when Wendy commands him to stop, freezing him in place.

It turns out Atom is mechanical. Being mechanical, he is linked to Neverland’s grid, much like the security cameras and doors that Wendy has been manipulating all season. This implies she can control him as he can control other elements of Neverland’s technology.

However, Atom is not just any Prodigy synthetic. The finale of *Alien: Earth* unveils that he is the first synth ever constructed by Boy Kavalier.

Earlier in the episode, Boy Kavalier shares his heart-wrenching backstory. He had a violent father who, envious of his son’s brilliance, threatened to take his life. At the age of six, Boy Kavalier crafted his first synthetic—a “distinguished” adult man—and utilized him to eliminate his father.

As Boy Kavalier narrates this tale, *Alien: Earth* transitions to a scene of Atom waiting for Hermit in his chamber, poised to unleash T. Ocellus on him. The implication is unmistakable: Atom, himself a “distinguished” figure, is the very first synth that Boy Kavalier ever designed. Just as he dispatched his father, Boy Kavalier continues to employ Atom for his nefarious tasks.

How did *Alien: Earth* foreshadow Atom being a synthetic?

Prior to *Alien: Earth* disclosing Atom’s synthetic nature, the series provided several clues. In episode 4, while he and Boy Kavalier observe the T. Ocellus-infested sheep, Boy Kavalier tosses a ball against the laboratory’s glass enclosure. Atom catches it with superhuman reflexes, resembling how Wendy retrieved a ball Boy Kavalier threw at her in episode 1.

Episode 4 also contains a visual hint, aligning Atom’s face with three synthetic faces displayed on a lab wall. This brief instance connects Atom to these synthetic components, implying he was once a collection of disparate parts in a lab. By the end of the finale, this imagery takes on a new significance, confirming Atom as the first in a long line of Prodigy synthetics.

*Alien: Earth* is currently available for streaming on Hulu.