The RXF-M5 EVA Pistol was a laser pistol manufactured by Rexim and used aboard Weyland-Yutani Corporation commercial vessels as their standard defense sidearm. Derived from a weaponized version of a laser welder, the RXF-M5 was carried by the crew of the USCSS Nostromo during their unplanned stop on LV-426.
Overview[]
The RXF-M5 was a laser pistol based off of a weaponized version of a Weyland-Yutani Corporation laser welder. In 2106, J'Har rebels on Torin Prime modified the laser welders to work as weapons during their uprising on the planet. Following the conflict, Weyland-Yutani studied the modifications and Rexim manufactured the new sidearm. Weyland-Yutani issued them to their commercial fleet where they were used as the standard self-defense armament for the crews.[1]
Pistol laying next to some Aspen Beer and cattle prods on a Nostromo table.
Several RXF-M5s were carried aboard the USCSS Nostromo. In 2122, Captain Arthur Dallas, Executive Officer Gilbert Kane, and Navigator Joan Lambert armed themselves with RXF-M5s during their journey off ship to investigate the source of a signal of unknown origin on a planetoid in the Zeta Reticuli system. The weapons were carried in holsters attacked to the Mk.50 compression suit.[2]
Props[]
Full-size props of the pistol were based on the Rexim-Favor submachine gun, with their barrels shortened, stocks and magazines removed, "NOSTROMO" and "LIGHT SYNC. DIAL" in the font Futura Demibold added to the side of the pistol used by Kane, 4x20 scopes added to the top and a Singe Point Scope (which was also used on blaster props in the Star Wars films) attached to the bottom of the magazine wells.
A second, smaller version of the pistol was also custom-made, based on a Webley Junior Mk.II air pistol by Webley & Scott. These props consist of a commercial Webley metal air gun with various production modifications, additional dressing including a metal tube with threaded plug in the gun barrel, an added arm and a sight-scope accessory on top, etc. The miniaturized versions were used by the children who played Dallas, Kane and Lambert in some long shots where the pistols were seen in the holsters on the suits' legs, and was scaled down to match their smaller suits. Three of the Webley props were constructed.
Merchandise[]
- NECA's Nostromo compression suit figures Dallas, Kane and Lambert all come with the pistols.
- Hot Toys' Kane and Dallas in compression suit figures also come with the pistols.
- Kubrick's compression suit Ripley figure comes with a pistol rather than speargun.
- In a 35th anniversary lithograph by Dave Dorman, the art depicts a man in a compression suit firing the pistol at an alien and effectively piercing its frontal dome. It is unclear if it is a projectile weapon or something else.
Behind the Scenes[]
In the scripts, these are referred to as laser pistols, in the final film they are never fired and only referred to as "weapons." In the original ending of Alien, Ripley was to find herself hanging outside of the shuttle Narcissus by a cable, with the alien clinging to the end. Before climbing back aboard she was to shoot the alien in the head with one of the laser pistols, only for it to have almost no effect on the creature. Storyboards were created for the sequence, but it was later simplified to the version seen on film.
These pistols appear in Alien: Isolation but are also never fired, even though a .357 Revolver and shotgun can be used by the player.
Gallery[]
Appearances[]
- Alien (First appearance)