Contains spoilers for “Alien: Earth” Season 1, Episode 7 — “Emergence”

During “Emergence,” Arthur Sylvia (David Rysdahl) experiences a nightmare that no one would wish upon another. The harrowing sight of a facehugger attaching itself and depositing its eggs inside an unsuspecting human has always been unsettling, but “Alien: Earth” elevates it to new levels of horror. Slightly (Adarsh Gourav), under the influence of brainwashing and manipulation, selects Arthur as a host for another xenomorph queen’s offspring. As Arthur becomes infected, the scene unfolds with unprecedented grotesqueness. Green slime oozes from Arthur’s mouth, accentuated by the sound of bones and other body parts cracking, making the ordeal stomach-churning even for steadfast “Alien” fans.

Arthur’s grim fate is further compounded by the misguided good intentions of those involved. Slightly, convinced by twisted manipulation that his family is under threat from Morrow (Babou Ceesay), resorts to stealing an egg and setting a facehugger on a human host in a desperate bid to ensure its survival. Smee (Jonathan Ajayi), upon discovering Slightly’s plan in this episode, is horrified and tries to aid his friend. However, for Arthur, this ends as it has disastrously for every other person whose body has housed a xenomorph embryo.

Attempting to save Arthur, Smee and Slightly transport him from the compound to the jungles of Neverland Island. Lacking the foresight and knowledge from other “Alien” films, the duo can’t foresee the eerie similarities to past xenomorph interactions that the audience can. Their relief at seeing Arthur apparently recover is short-lived. The grisly, bloody reality soon catches up to them, yet they find brief, morbid amusement in squashing the skinned hatchling, running in terror from other threats that lurk.

In a bid to escape the island, Arthur, Smee, and Slightly hatch a plan. Arthur, however, is plagued by flashbacks of what occurred back at the base, realizing Slightly’s role in his plight. He demands answers, but before they can respond, Arthur succumbs violently, collapsing, coughing blood, and then being gruesomely undone by the alien violently emerging from his chest. The horrified Lost Boys scatter under the dawn, abandoning Arthur to his lonely demise on the shore. This tragic turn means that a new xenomorph is loose, posing imminent danger to Slightly’s companions, despite his well-meaning intentions.