Rookie

"You're a survivor. Like the hunters that once ruled this planet. Like the Xenomorphs they stalk. Like me."

―Karl Bishop Weyland, to Rookie (from Aliens vs. Predator)

"Rookie"
Biographical Information
Nationality	American
Rank	Private
Serial number	2427-88 A23/TQ2.0.47619E7
Affiliation	United States Colonial Marine Corps USS Marlow
Status	Alive
Physical Description
Species	Human
Gender	Male
Hair color	Black
Eye color	Brown
Other Information
Notable facts	Survived a massive Xenomorph infestation Killed the Matriarch Fought and killed a Yautja Fought and killed three Praetorians Killed Karl Bishop Weyland
Portrayed by	Ian McQue and Clive Standen

"Rookie" was an otherwise unnamed Private and combat technician in the United States Colonial Marine Corps, part of the 1st Battalion, 3rd Regiment. He was stationed aboard the USS Marlow, dispatched to BG-386 in response to a Xenomorph outbreak at the Freya's Prospect colony and the nearby Weyland-Yutani facility.

Although the mission to BG-386 was a disastrous failure, with the Marlow being destroyed and virtually all of the Marines deployed being killed, Rookie successfully eradicated the Xenomorph Queen on the planet and later fought and killed a Yautja Young Blood single-handed. He also eliminated the Weyland android in charge of the facilities on the planet. He was one of only three people known to have survived the incident, the others being Corporal Teresa Aquila and the android Katya.

Biography

Training

Rookie completed his training at Orbital Fort Osney, and was the first of his unit to be assigned to active duty, aboard the USS Marlow. In a twist of irony, many of his fellow trainees expressed envy at his posting to the prestigious Marlow, when in reality Rookie's first operation as a member of the ship's crew would turn into a disaster. Audiologs collected during the mission indicate that the Rookie's presence was a source of consternation among some of the more established members of the crew due to Tequila's preferential treatment toward him.

A rough first job

"What's the matter Rookie? Didn't they cover this in simulation?"

―Tequila, to Rookie (from Aliens vs. Predator)

Rookie was aboard a small patrol ship preparing to land on BG-386 when a Predator vessel dropped out of cloak nearby, and in a single volley blew the USS Marlow in two. The shockwave from the detonation rocked the ship Rookie was aboard, and a loose storage crate knocked him unconscious for several hours.

When he awoke, he found he had been left behind in an abandoned part of the Freya's Prospect colony by his squad as they hastily fled a Xenomorph attack. He received word from Corporal Tequila, apparently the highest ranking Marine still present, that he should make for the center of the colony, where other Marines were regrouping. He was successful, but the colony was almost immediately overrun by another Xenomorph assault, forcing Rookie to retreat through the colony's sewer system. As he fled, he was abducted by a Drone and dragged away.

Fortunately, Rookie regained consciousness inside the nearby mines and was able to kill the Drone before being harvested. After regaining contact with Tequila, she informed him that the mission's commanding officer, Major Van Zandt, had last been heard from preparing to assault the Xenomorph Matriarch inside the nearby refinery. Rookie moved there to assist, but found he was too late — the Marines had been slaughtered, while Van Zandt had been cocooned and impregnated with a Chestburster. At the Major's insistence, Rookie mercy killed him. While attempting to escape the Hive inside the refinery, Rookie came face-to-face with the Matriarch, but managed to kill her by detonating the mining explosives stored in her chamber.

Out of the colony

With the colony totally overrun, Rookie headed out into the surrounding jungle where Xenomorph activity was significantly lower. He encountered several skinned corpses and fought acid spitting Xenomorph Runners, before Tequila arrived in the dropship Typhoon to evacuate him. However, a nearby Predator shot the ship down before the pickup could be made.

Under the guidance of administrative android Katya, Rookie regrouped with some surviving Marines from the crash in the Yautja ruins. He acquired a Smartgun and fought off a large Xenomorph assault before heading out in search of the missing Tequila with Typhoon's pilot Connor. Deep in the ruins, the duo caught sight of a Predator collecting the skull of an ill-fated Marine before coming under fresh attack from acid spitting Runners. After the battle was seemingly over, Connor was dragged away by a Xenomorph, leaving Rookie alone. He reached an ancient combat arena where he was finally confronted by the Predator he had seen earlier. After a fierce battle, Rookie defeated the creature and rescued Corporal Tequila from a nearby Xenomorph nest, although she too had been impregnated with a Chestburster. She grimly requested a bullet to the head, but Katya informed them that she could remove the Xenomorph embryo if they could make it to the Weyland-Yutani research labs where she was sheltering.

The two breached the research facility in the midst of fighting between the Xenomorphs and Weyland-Yutani combat androids. They reached Katya, who prepared to operate on Tequila before the facility's commander, Karl Bishop Weyland, intervened and shut down the apparatus. Katya and Rookie placed Tequila in a hypersleep chamber to prevent the birth of the Chestburster, and Rookie set off after Weyland, who was in the Pyramid beneath the labs.

Confronting Weyland

"Private. Glad to meet you, finally. I've been monitoring your progress. I knew you'd make it this far."

―Weyland, to Rookie (from Aliens vs. Predator)

Heading towards the Pyramid elevator, Rookie faced and defeated a Praetorian. He descended to the Pyramid entrance, where he engaged a horde of Drones and two more Praetorians, before heading inside in search of Weyland himself, hoping to retrieve his datapad, which would allow the survivors to contact his personal shuttle and escape. Rookie confronted Weyland but was caught off guard by combat androids fitted with cloaking devices created using stolen Predator tech. Nevertheless, Rookie slaughtered the androids and then set upon Weyland himself. After a fierce firefight, Rookie defeated Weyland and claimed his datapad, only for a revived Weyland, revealed to be an android, attacked him again. Rookie finished Weyland with a single shot to the head and the android plummeted into the pool of lava beneath the structure.

Rookie barely escaped from the collapsing Pyramid and boarded Weyland's private dropship with Katya and the frozen Tequila. As they entered stasis, the dropship's pilots began transmitting information from Weyland's datapad about the Xenomorph homeworld to another synthetic copy of Weyland.

Personality and Traits

"Your loyalty blinds you to the possibilities, think of what we can achieve!"

―Karl Bishop Weyland, to Rookie (from Aliens vs. Predator)

Rookie was new in the Corps and was often teased by his fellow Marines for this fact. However, once things went bad he proved himself to be an exemplary combatant and his performance on the battlefield was commended by both his comrades and superiors. He repeatedly threw himself into situations that had left other Marines both emotionally and physically wrecked and emerged unscathed, a testament to his mental fortitude as much as his combat abilities.

He is seen as the strong and silent type. He is also incredibly loyal to his fellow Marines, as seen when he heads into the refinery alone in search of Van Zandt, or when he risks his life to rescue Tequila from the Xenomorphs.

Equipment

Rookie wore Personal Armor with a TNR Shoulder Lamp, typical of most Colonial Marines; he had customized his armor's chest plate with a skull and crossbones design, beneath which was written "or GLORY" (i.e. "Death or Glory"). He also carried a standard-issue M41A/2 Pulse Rifle, although he lost the weapon during the rough landing on BG-386 and consequently was initially reduced to just his VP78 Pistol. He was well trained with numerous other USCM weapons, including the M56 Smartgun, ZX-76 Shotgun, and the M260B Flamethrower.

As a combat technician, he carries a hacking device used to override the security systems of locked doors and gain access to restricted areas with ease.

Trivia

• Rookie is the playable Marine character in the 2010 video game Aliens vs. Predator.
• Rookie is African-American, making him the first black Colonial Marine protagonist of the Alien vs. Predator video game series.
• Rookie's armor, specifically the "Death or Glory" skull and crossbones design, is heavily inspired by Private Hudson in Aliens, who had an almost identical design on his armor's chest plate.
• Rookie has a friend in the Colonial Marines with the initials of J.W., as revealed in the game's manual.
• Throughout the game, Rookie repeatedly uses the password "MART" on various door consoles and his hacking device. It's not known if this has any specific reference.
• Rookie also appears as a multiplayer skin in the game, unlocked when players reach Rank 28.
• Rookie is the only protagonist who visits all of the game's six locations, as Specimen Six never visits the Pyramid, and Dark never visits the Colony.

Gallery

Promotional still of Rookie.

Rookie's multiplayer icon.

Multiplayer skin of Rookie from the Predator perspective.

Rookie without his chest armor.

Appearances

• Aliens vs. Predator (video game)