FX’s new series Alien: Earth centers on a female character taking on a horde of killer aliens — and so of course, any fan can’t help but be reminded of Sigourney Weaver’s Ripley in the Alien films.

When Sigourney Weaver first brought Ellen Ripley to life in 1979’s Alien, she redefined what a hero in science fiction could be: resourceful, resilient, and human, even in the face of monsters beyond ...