Alien-Savior Archetype – The Greatest Literary Motif!
- Josiah Yarbrough
- Mar 18
- 17 min read
Updated: Mar 21
“In the darkest moment, in the tipping point of humanity, a stranger arises possessing uncanny knowledge of the enemy. Cursed at and alienated by his towns people and the world, the humble outsider stands in the gap using supernatural powers to challenge the destroyer from above. Is he a god? Is he a superhero? Is he an alien? No, he is the Messiah Archetype!”
How often have we entertained ourselves with movies and books about the outcast savior? We eat up stories about the underdog who opposes the tyrannical oligarchs, and the rebel that overthrows the evil dictatorship. Is this just a story line that never gets old or is a deeper attraction involved? Is a subtle twisting of the masses’ minds and a redefining of the Messiah trope taking place across the silver screens of the world?
What is the Messiah Archetype?
Throughout the ages of literature, Man has been utilizing the story line of the lone hero that prevails against insurmountable trials and enemies, like the epics of the ancient Greeks.
In later years, we gave that character-motif a name, Messiah Archetype, and defined it as a character that mirrors wholly or in part attributes and actions of Jesus Christ. As Christianity has transformed western civilization for the last 2,000 years, most Messiah characters borrow greatly from Jesus, whether the authors’ do so allegorically or blasphemously.
The Messiah Archetype has many elements, and characters may possess a variety of them, such as saving the whole of humanity or a group of people, sometimes those saved are undeserving; normally he is very altruistic, often nearly or literally sacrifices himself for others, is a leader, is humble, often is an outcast.
TV Tropes lists:
Other elements may be mixed and matched as required but the Messianic Archetype will include one or more of the following:
The Chosen One
True Companions who follow him
Betrayal by one of those followers
Persecution by nonbelievers
Crucified Hero Shot (or other parallels to the Passion Play)
Figurative or literal resurrection
A Second Coming
Literally having the initials 'J.C.'
The Redeemer
Dressing like Jesus
Characters like Gandalf and Tom Bombadil of the Lord of the Rings, Aslan from the Chronicles of Narnia, Sydney Carton in Dickens’ A Tale of Two Cities, Anakin Skywalker and Luke Skywalker, and lots of DC and Marvel superheroes.
Why is the Alien-Savior Archetype different?
I could not find whether a proper character type already exists so I’m making one up. I call it the Alien-Savior, subdivision of the Messiah Archetype.
He has all or some of the qualities of the Messiah Archetype with the addition of a few:
He is an ethnic/societal outsider or genetic alien.
Often possesses powers or uncanny insight.
Sometimes, he was one of the enemy but switched sides.
Defends Humanity against the greatest evil.
Examples of the Alien-Savior:
According to my research, Paul Atreides from the Dune series, is an outsider that joins the Fremen, a desert-tribe, and leads them them to victory against his own grandfather while fomenting the belief that he is the long-sought Fremen Messiah.
In the blasphemous horror film, Legion (2010), Michael the Archangel is sent by God to destroy humanity. But Michael loves humans so much that he defies the all-powerful, Almighty God, and protects them from God’s extermination (as if that is even possible).
According to the synopsis on Wikipedia:
Later, Michael explains that God has lost faith in mankind and has sent His angels to destroy the human race. He also reveals that Charlie's baby must stay alive, as it is destined to be the savior of mankind; Michael disobeyed God's order to kill Charlie's baby, as he still has faith in humanity, and believes that in the end, God's mercy will outweigh His wrath.
Funny… I think, heard of the name “Legion” in connection with fallen angels before…
For (Jesus) said to (the demon-possessed man), “Come out of the man, unclean spirit!” Then He asked him, “What is your name?”
And he answered, saying, “My name is Legion; for we are many. – Mark 5:8-9
This blasphemy continues in the TV series, Dominion (2014-2015), where the viewers find out that Gabriel, Michael’s brother, believes humanity is to blame for God’s sudden absence and is sending hoards of lesser angels to destroy earth. Michael is still dwelling among Man, like a mythological god, choosing their side over that of evil Heavenly host. Charlie’s baby, Alex Lannon, is the Chosen One, the savior of humanity, and is the object of worship by good guys’ new religion, Saviorism. He is an immoral and insubordinate officer in their defense force, according to Wikipedia. Some savior!
I have seen neither of those blasphemous productions.
This theme is also present in Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer.
The Silver Surfer comes to Earth to prepare it for Galactus’ dinner. But realizing that humans are “good” beings, he switches sides and gives his life to blow Galactus away… but per usual for comics neither Silver Surfer nor Galactus were really dead so it was a waste of time. That being said, I’ve always liked the Fantastic Four films (2005 and 2007).
So again the humans are helpless to defend themselves against the great-evil-from-above, but an alien, a missionary of evil switches sides and saves us.
The novel/movie franchise, The 5th Wave, follows suit with a sleeper-cell alien who, I guess, possessed the body of a man called, Evan Walker. His job is to kill human survivors, but the “humanity” of the body he possesses is too strong and he turns to help the good guys.
I have not seen this movie either, but Henry Jackman’s soundtrack is amazing.
Jeffery Anderson, Critic for San Francisco Examiner wrote,
[T]his movie boldly steals material from (but does not stop at) the “Twilight,” “Hunger Games” and “Divergent” franchises.
He should have added that it blatantly plagiarizes the Bible, with elements like global epidemics and mass death, great earthquakes and tsunamis, all islands demolished…
Just watch this scene...
Then read Revelation 6!
But I digress…
A blatant example is Resident Alien (2021-).
An alien with the mission of exterminating humanity crash lands in Colorado. He tries to become “human” to fit in as the story compels him to mingle with the people of the small town. Dwelling in close proximity he learns what makes humans so “special”. He falls in love with dear sweet humans and chooses our side and becomes humanity’s savior by fighting extraterrestrial threats with his supernatural powers.
Another case of humans being helpless to defend themselves against the great-evil-from-above, but an alien saves us. The poster, fraught with arrogance, shows the main character shielding his buddies while flipping-off the attackers in the sky, with the tagline “Beam this up.”
I am happy to say the I have not seen this series either. Even the snippet I saw of the trailer looked corny.
Lastly, the best example for the Alien-Savior Archetype is Superman. As a genetic alien, Clark Kent altruistically endangers his own life for the protection of Mankind. He is the ultimate hero of Earth, the savior of mankind. His character sits in the center of the Alien-Savior motif-meter, between allegory and blasphemy.
If you add a little Christianity, he is the image of Christ, the God-man; humble beginnings, powerful yet just, ultimately good, and savior. In fact, for Man of Steel (2013), Zack Snyder, Christopher Nolan, and David S. Goyer, modeled his character borrow many attributes of Christ (Read article: https://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/man-of-steel-filled-with-jesus-christianity-references), which is admirable and shocking that Hollywood would celebrate Christ in such a unbiased way.
But if you secularize him, he becomes the blasphemous replication of Christ. The Man-god that saves humanity not from their fallen-ness but the great-evils-from-above, or God and his justice.
For instance, his ominous and somewhat immoral portrayal in Batman vs Superman: Dawn of Justice, in which people even begin to worship him, and he accepts it no less. Remember the God Among Us scene?
There are countless other examples of non-human and god-like saviors particularly in Marvel’s Phase Two (e.g. Avengers: Age of Ultron) and the installment’s following.
Why is it so popular?
Because it caters to our emotional and spiritual, and yes, physical desires, humans always fall for an underdog story. Since every human is one of many and normally among the minority in most situations, it effects us deeply to see the outnumbered bravely sacrifice everything to subdue the tyrannical hoards. Each of us interpret that into our given situations and it gives us hope. Hope that we can overthrow injustices, overcome sicknesses, rise out of financial crises. Hope that even though we stand alone, we do not have to be defeated.
On the flip-side, these stories speak to our fleshly nature. Humanity is at enmity with all rule that is placed over them. We, like cats, if given absolute freedom to do anything we please, except for one small thing, will connive and plot to do that very thing. Like eat a piece of fruit from one particular tree…
We love to see tyrants and oppressors cast down, who doesn’t? We love to challenge laws placed on us, and the gods or governors that rule over us; to shrug off the shackles of moral or civil constraint! The question is: What is your interpretation of an oppressor? Saddam Hussein? Hitler? Unjust taxation? Or perhaps, Ronald Reagan? Christianity? or anti-abortion or anti-marijuana laws?
Ultimately it is not an evil plot motif it only depends on how it is used. Frankly, it is common to see throughout history, often used by God to exemplify His power and majesty. Many times in the Bible and in recent history the underdogs beat the overlords.
God narrows Gideon’s army of 32,000 Israelites down to 300 men which He uses to fight the invading army “as numerous as the locust” both men and camels. (Did you catch that? Historical evidence that Israel existed in the land before the word “Palestine” was invented.)
Elijah defeats 850 prophets of Baal and Asherah.
God used the much smaller army of Judas Maccabeus to over throw the great Seleucid Empire
Jesus used a small number of disciples to revolutionize civilizations everywhere.
God used George Washington and the small Colonial Army to fend off and defeat the largest empire in the 18th century, Great Britain.
God used the small and ill-equipped IDF to defend Israel against a great number of invaders in the War for Independence, 6-Day War, and so forth.
The story line is so captivating to humans that Disney makes it the plot of EVERY. SINGLE. PRODUCTION! from about 2008 onward.
My favorite example is the prototype for the Alien-Savior trope and it is a true story. Let me set up one more prop then the stage will be set for the grand reveal and the prime-example.
What is Predictive Programming?
Predictive Programming is a theory or theorem that a veiled concept is made public to prepare society for the coming event to lessen resistance. It subliminally primes the public’s psyche for a catastrophe and the horrendous outcome, so that when it happens people will automatically surrender power for safety.
Remember Covid? Give up liberty, privacy, and self-governance for a little health security. In the end, when we went bankrupt, when we abandoned family, friends, and neighbors, when we committed suicide in our lonely apartments, did it actually “Slow the spread”?
What gained we, in health, that was worth sacrificing lives and livelihoods for?
Rupendra Brahambhatt, for Interesting Engineering, wrote,
They claim that first, the government plans a complex situation, then hides references of these in media so that people become somewhat accustomed to the feelings caused by these situations, and finally, when the situation actually does arise, the people will look to the government for solutions.
For instance, if you wanted to release a cataclysmic avian influenza that not only wipes out the poultry industry but also “suddenly” mutates to mass-murder humans, but you fear public exposure and genocide charges, you could easily make a movie or book that predicts the scenario and illustrates how disastrous health-autonomy is. Then when it happens everyone will say, “This is just like the movie. Government do something!”
FYI, the Bird Flu is “raging” and birds are being unnecessarily slaughtered and people are supposedly getting infected with it. Did I mention the 3rd wave of the The 5th Wave franchise is an avian influenza which spreads across the world killing humanity by the troves. Not saying they did that on purpose…
Notice how movies like Civil War (2024) and Leave the World Behind (late 2023) which portray the United States being ripped apart by political upheaval or radical, conservative revolutionaries, came out so near the 2024 Election. Were they priming the American people to choose their side should the election have gone the wrong way and civil war broke out?
Another interesting example is Jurassic World: Dominion. In a cloud that blackens the sky, giant, bio-engineered locust ravage a small family farm and chase two little kids.
The idea is not as original as you think, because it borrows heavily from the Bible:
And he [a demon] opened the bottomless pit, and smoke arose out of the pit like the smoke of a great furnace. So the sun and the air were darkened because of the smoke of the pit. Then out of the smoke locusts came upon the earth. And to them was given power, as the scorpions of the earth have power. They were commanded not to harm the grass of the earth, or any green thing, or any tree, but only those men who do not have the seal of God on their foreheads. - Revelation 9:2-4
The Bible goes on to describe them as demonic beings that are not actual locusts, just similar in appearance. That is a terrifying judgment on unbelievers in the Great Tribulation.
What if when this event happens people look to the Bible and give their lives to Jesus Christ? Again, the devil has again counterfeited the prophecies of the Bible, but that doesn't mean he has out-maneuvered God. After scenes like this everyone will be talking about the propheticness of Jurassic World: Dominion and not the Bible.
Predictive Programming has been dubbed a “Conspiracy Theory” and critics demonize anybody that calls it out. Sure, not all movies fall into this category, and undoubtedly there are idiots that go too far with theories. But I believe there is a grain of truth in Predictive Programming.
Consider that the CIA has been using Operation Mockingbird to control our media for decades now. Also, the entertainment industry is a giant conglomeration of mostly Leftist ideologues, so Globalists don’t have to bend their arms in order to get them to prime the public for Leftist plans for the future.
Entertainment is the strongest influence in Western civilization. If you want to get a message out, don’t go to news broadcasters, just make a fictional movie. It is a proven fact that people drop their mental-guard while watching movies.
Not all movies are subliminal programs because sometimes similarities in entertainment and reality can be caused by educated guesses, and there are so many movies out there it is likely that one or two will predict certain aspects of the future.
What are we learning from these influences?
Back to the Alien-Savior Archetype!
It used to be a story of bravery, of one standing for what is right no matter what they lose. But lately it has taken a turn in a new direction, same lyrics, different song.
A song that surges in the hearts of modern civilization, one of arrogance and self-satisfaction. It goes: Humans are enough. Humans are innately good. When Humans band together all things are possible.
Notice how most of the movies I mentioned previously have an outsider, often an extra-terrestrial falling in love with us, basically-good humans, and fighting the one(s) that sent them. This is the biggest psy-op of the millennia, not perpetrated by the CIA but by spiritual influences.
Through entertainment, the world is getting bombarded by the message that humans are innately good, that following your heart (fleshly whims) is the best thing, and that an alien or outsider, previously perceived as the enemy, will save us from extermination from above, which originally meant other aliens or the gods.
But there has been a shift in the paradigm. Notice the spike in movies and other entertainment that blatantly mocks God (i.e. 2024 Summer Olympics Ceremony, 2025 Golden Globe Awards); streaming shows that acknowledge and praise Satan, cry out for a human/alien-savior, and disseminate Tribulation-esque scenarios.
The entertainment industry is priming humanity for the New World Order and the Antichrist.
God will be labeled the angry destroyer of Earth.
Satan will be redefined as the greatest victim of slander in history (makes you wonder why this Victim-mentality is taking society by storm. Everyone wallowing in victim-hood will flock to his side). Satan’s servants/channelers will claim that God wanted him to destroy Humanity, but after he saw our potential, he took our side.
The Antichrist will step up, not like so many believe as the Opposite-Christ but the Instead-of-Christ. He might be a genetically modified human or claim to be a Human-Alien hybrid. He will point the whole world to the New Age/green religion. He will be down-to-earth not pious like Jesus is always perceived as.
The world, perfectly primed, will be eager to accept the savior of humanity, the real superman, the real alien-among-us, someone that will save us from God’s judgment so that we can continue in our depraved sinful appetites without retribution.
You see, the Book of Revelation says that the majority of people going through the Tribulation will know that God is allowing the judgments and they will curse Him!
[T]hey blasphemed the name of God who has power over these plagues; and they did not repent and give Him glory… They blasphemed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores, and did not repent of their deeds… Men blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail, since that plague was exceedingly great. – Revelation 16:9,11,21
God has to be slowly perceived as the destroyer and Satan as the savior. The media and entertainment industry is slowly flipping the narrative on its head by calling what is evil, good, and what is good, evil.
Don’t believe me
Shows like, Little Demon, where the main girl is the Antichrist, victimized by the “normal” people, and her father is Satan, just a misunderstood 50’s dad. Or The Owl House, in which the main character is apprenticed in the demonic realm by a queer witch. Do you see how demons, witches, and sexually-perverted people are increasingly the good-guys in the entertainment world?
Now! For the best part. What is the prototype of the Alien-Savior? It is not only the best trope it is wholly necessary for humanity!
The Prime example of the Alien-Savior:
Allow me to tell you a short story or an account if you will:
(Play the track them start reading. It is one of Hans Zimmer's greatest scores.)
About 6,000 years ago, the Eternal Creator made everything good including Humans. But being deceived by the fallen being, know only as the Accuser or the Enemy, Ha-Satan, the two Humans-Prime chose to be like God over the Trinity Himself, and their progeny was cast into spiritual and genetic darkness. Like father, like son! Each human sought to be like God in their own ways.
For 4,000 years, mankind strove against nature, against each other, and against the Eternal Creator. Very few actually followed statutes of the Eternal Way in their hearts, but to those who did, favor of the Eternal Creator came upon them and their kingdom prospered.
When the time was right, He was sent, He came! The Eternal Creator was born from an Almah, a biological virgin. The all-powerful was powerless as He cried and His little fingers grasped at the incomprehensible expanse outside of the protection of the womb.
So innocent and inconspicuous as the little poor infant was, Ha-Satan, False-Lord of the Earth, knew of His arrival and moved the king to slaughter all children in that area. But the will of the Eternal Father could not be upset by foolish schemes of limited creatures, humans and celestial beings alike.
Salvation The-Anointed, as the Eternal Creator was called on Earth, grew, regained His power, and became a humble carpenter. When the appointed day came, He took up the mission prepared for Himself since the foundation of the age. He performed miracles like none other, healing the sick, raising the dead, but His greatest miracle was yet to be seen.
The world wallowing in lust and filthy transgression, and growing sick and weak with dissipation, gawked greedily at the miracles of Salvation. Would He be the one that would save them from the punishment they endured, the oppression of judgment?
Salvation raised up disciples and followers to spread the Good-News, the Eternal Way, while He, Himself went purposefully to His enemy; to men and Ha-Satan, He surrendered Himself. For the Sons and Daughters of the Humans-Prime, He spilled the pure blood in His veins, that whosoever be washed in it would be cured of the cancer of transgression.
Though many realized the great gift that was laid at their heart’s door, the Way of Salvation, the only-bridge to span Hades, the majority looked at the feeble body of the supposed savior, as it hung bleeding, with bewilderment. Was it a joke? Was this IT?
They looked at the pool of crimson in which His followers washed, and the Way of Righteousness in which they walked, and the world despised it, clinging in their hearts to the pleasure of sin. Choosing fleshly-gratification and damnation over repentance and eternal salvation.
The world wanted to be saved from righteous-retribution not from their deviant passions. Ha-Satan perceiving the ripeness of the flesh of the Earth, prepared them for his envoy and his ultimate kingdom.
Salvation, when He sees His ledger complete, the list of surrendered souls filled, will appear in the clouds and evacuate His servants from the face of the Earth, that they may be saved from the pending judgment on creation.
Hubris False-Anointed, also called the Deliverer, will be raised from among the sea of people, the oceans of tumult and pride. He will lead the world into a New Age, a new depth of divergent lusts. With fables and great extra-terrestrial powers, he will deceive the nations and they will worship him as the true savior, the Human-Savior.
But Salvation is merciful, He will look out at Earth and weep. He will send out messenger after messenger to proclaim His Good-News to every single soul, and the harvest will be great! And then once the sides have been defined, the line drawn, and the Wheat and Tares separated, He will don His blood stained robe and ready His disciples.
Knowing the times, Hubris False-Anointed, shall gather his human fanatics and Ha-Satan will draw up his Legions. The Fields of Har Megiddo will be distended with tares, and Salvation will be their sole-reaper, for only He is worthy to wield the scythe of the Eternal Creator.
Salvation, the meek and homely hero, will remove His body from the Altar and sponge His blood from the Seat of Mercy, and the two shall become gaping voids; hungry, insatiable! And the Sons of Wickedness and the Sons of Hell will look up and know:
Each person’s body, feeble and tortured, had to be sacrificed!
Each person’s blood had to be spilled in payment.
Each person’s soul had to be delivered to the ultimate bailiff, Death.
Salvation The-Anointed will be seen in His true glory and establish a dominion of peace and purity, a civilization of astounding works and bewildering discoveries, unhindered by sin and fables of evolution and mythology.
The Humans-Prime and their progeny that believed will live in peace with the Eternal Creator, the Eternal Father, and the Eternal Spirit, forever and ever, amen!
Conclusion:
The Alien-Savior is the best motif ever invented because it was written by God. Humanity needs a Savior that is human in blood but not in nature (i.e. sin nature), that is why those books and movies are so enthralling to us. Everybody knows that the world is messed up and humans cannot fix it, we’ve had sum 6,000 years and somehow we fall back into the same old ruts and failures. Worse if your faith is in Man’s Evolution, where humanity has had billions of years in which we have committed the same transgressions millennia after millennia.
Solomon the Wise wrote,
That which has been is what will be, That which is done is what will be done, And there is nothing new under the sun. – Ecclesiastes 9:1
It is the greatest story line because it reminds us that we cannot save ourselves and that we need outside help, God’s help. But anything that is good, everything God creates, Satan perverts. He has steadily been manipulating the motif away from Christian allegory toward humanism and paganism. He wants us looking up, not for God, but for his demonic, extra-terrestrial illusions.
The day is coming when he will give us his savior, his false-messiah, his Antichrist, and the world will be ready for him. They are already anticipating him, the man, the angel, the alien who was once one of them but is now one of us, who will save us from the judgment of God, the Great Tribulation!
God will let them have their way on Earth, but rather than let us, the Bible-believing Church, suffer with the wicked, He will send His Son, Jesus Christ to gather us in what is called the Catching Up or Rapture (in Latin).
(Rapture Post: https://elderlycartographer.wixsite.com/elderlycartographer/single-post/what-is-the-rapture)
The Alien-Savior motif reminds us of what already took place on the Cross approximately 2,000 years ago. Christ is our God-Man Savior. He came and paid for our sin-debts so that we can live in the splendid presence of God for eternity.
Trust in the Lord Jesus Christ, as explained in the Bible, believe in Him and repent of your sins, and you will be saved from the coming Great Tribulation, from the imminent false-messiah, and ultimately from Hell itself.
That is why you were born, to surrender your will to Jesus Christ and to live to God’s glory.
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