Alien: Earth Episode 5 "In Space, No One…" Recap & Ending Explained – Morrow’s Past, Petrovich’s Betrayal, and Xeno Horror

Episode 5 pulls us 17 days before the premiere’s events, right onto the doomed Maginot. Written and directed by Noah Hawley, the story shifts back to a style that feels close to Ridley Scott’s original Alien. Tight spaces. Unknown threats. Suspense in every corner. I’ve got to say, after the messy pacing in Episode 4, this return to pure tension is exactly what I wanted!!

Fire, Panic, and Death

Morrow (Babou Ceesay) is dragged from cryo-sleep by Clem. A fire is spreading through the ship. Two xeno specimens have escaped. The captain is already dead, his chest melted open after Rahim tried slicing off a facehugger. When Morrow stumbles into the med bay, he finds two crew down with facehuggers clamped to their faces. For me, this was scarier than the sheep test last week—this is Alien horror stripped to the bone.

A Ship Turned Missile

The crew quickly realizes navigation is destroyed. The Maginot is basically a giant missile aimed at Earth. Morrow suspects sabotage, but no one gives answers. Zaveri’s romance with Bronski—now carrying a facehugger—only makes things messier. And then Yutani’s old rule drops again: cargo above all else. It instantly echoed Kavalier’s treatment of Wendy in Episode 4—using her like a tool, not a person. Same cold logic. Same disregard for life.

The Man Behind the Mask

Later, Morrow studies the fire footage. Someone’s shadow is caught on camera in the control room. While he puzzles over that, he reads letters from his daughter. We learn she died in a fire twelve years into the mission. That broke me a little. His hard edge finally makes sense, it is grief calcified into armor.

Monsters on the Loose

The tension never lets up. Bronski’s cryo-pod bursts open with a chestburster. In the lab, Chibuzo examines alien specimens, only for a tiny leech-like creature to escape and puke ticks into her water bottle. Worse, the intelligent eyeball creature smashes free of its container, vanishing into the ship. When Malachite drinks that tainted water and later vomits blood mid-repai. Compared to Wendy touching the baby xeno in Episode 4, this was horror!

Petrovich Exposed

The saboteur finally shows his face. Petrovich is caught on video talking to Boy Kavalier, promising to help smuggle the aliens in exchange for a synthetic body. The betrayal stings, but it fits perfectly with what we know of Kavalier, he always finds pawns.

Blood, Gas, and Command

Malachite’s autopsy goes horribly wrong. His body is filled with ticks, and when one is disturbed, it releases gas that kills both Rahim and Chibuzo. Then Teng is torn apart by a xeno. The crew panics, Zaveri freezes, and Morrow makes the only real choice: “I’m taking command”!

Petrovich’s Last Words

The mutiny doesn’t end quietly. Petrovich guns down Chen before Morrow takes him down with a blade to the chest. His dying words—“They want their monsters. Here they come.”—linger like poison!

Alien vs Alien

Things get bizarre. The alien eye hijacks Schmuel’s body and drives him into combat with the Xenomorph. Schmuel’s weak host body doesn’t stand a chance, but then the eye rips out of his skull and attaches itself to the xeno’s head.

Zaveri’s End

The episode circles back to where the season started. Morrow locks himself in the control room, abandoning Zaveri to die under xeno claws. It’s harsh, but believable. After losing his daughter, he simply doesn’t risk himself for anyone.

On Earth Again

Back on Earth, Morrow meets with Yutani. He tells her the crew is gone but the cargo survived. Then he makes a promise: he’ll retrieve the cargo, and he’ll kill Boy Kavalier!

The Craft of Fear

This episode thrives on suspense. Hawley and editor Regis Kimble constantly show us dangers before the characters notice them, turning every hallway into a trap. The design team nailed the spine-tingling nostalgia of the original Alien, but with enough new creature designs to keep it fresh. In my view, this was the best balance yet—classic horror, emotional weight, and a lead who finally makes the story his own.