Warning! Spoilers ahead for Alien #6
In the latest issue of Marvel Comics' Alien series, Gabriel Cruz finally faces down the Xenomorph Alpha on Epsilon station, while the title of the franchise's prequel film Prometheus is given a deadly explanation as well. With recent issues seeing Gabriel trying to save his son Danny from being consumed by the Xenomorphs, it's also revealed that there's much more to Danny's girlfriend Iris than was previously believed. Likewise, she's also the one who references Prometheus and its relation to the true nature of the Xenomorphs, as well as the reason for their existence in the universe on a grander scale.
A retired employee of the corporation Weyland-Yutani and a Xenomorph-attack survivor, Gabriel Cruz initially wants to make amends with his estranged son Danny in Marvel's new series from Phillip Kennedy Johnson and Salvador Larroca. However, Danny is involved in the anti-WY movement, stealing his father's credentials in order to sneak aboard the orbital Epsilon station with a team that includes his girlfriend Iris. However, Danny has no idea what is really on board the station: a collection of Xenomorph specimens that quickly break out of containment and are set loose upon the station, including the deadly Xenomorph Alpha.
While Gabriel is given the chance to try and save his son provided he can secure the embryos for Weyland-Yutani, he and a Bishop-model synthetic arrive too late to save his son before a face-hugger has latched onto him. However, Gabriel refuses to give up on his son. That being said, Alien #6 reveals that Iris is actually a free-thinking and independent synthetic, who explains to Gabriel and Bishop that the Xenomorphs themselves are "Prometheus' cleansing fire" clarifying the prequel film's deadly title.
While there has been some debate as to what the Prometheus title actually refers to, this new issue certainly provides a pretty clear and foreboding description. In Iris' mind, the Xenomorphs exist as a corrective species, keeping the universe in balance by exterminating those who grow or expand beyond the boundaries of their own world (such as the human race once they achieve space travel). The independent synthetic also confirms that the dreams Gabriel has been having of the "Xenomorph woman" has everything to do with humanity's future that sees them completely overwhelmed thanks to their continued attempts at pursuing Prometheus' fire when all they should really be doing is staying as far away as they can from the lethal aliens.
At any rate, the issue ends with Gabriel sacrificing himself by killing the Xenomorph Alpha in orbit while also saving Bishop and Danny, who has the face-hugger successfully removed by the synthetic. This now means that Weyland-Yutani has seemingly lost all their valuable samples from Epsilon station. That being said, a new chapter will begin with Alien #7, which will likely feature another example of Prometheus' deadly cleansing fire and/or humanity's attempts to play with and harness it that will only lead to their own collective demise as the series continues.