10 Horror Movie Villains Who Were Recruited For Evil

10. Ash - Alien (1979)

“I can’t lie to you about your chances, but… you have my sympathies.”

Blindly obeying orders from your employer (and creator) can be a great route into being recruited into evil, especially when you don't have any choice other than to obey.

Sir Ian Holm’s Ash is the science officer aboard the commercial mining ship, Nostromo when it receives a mysterious distress signal from planetoid LV-426. It turns out to be a warning that the entire crew - except for Ash - ends up wishing it didn’t respond to when executive officer, Kane inadvertently gives birth to a Xenomorph that then plagues his colleagues.

Ash proves to be more of a hindrance than a help, arousing the suspicions of warrant officer, Ellen Ripley (Sigourney Weaver). When she confronts him about his inactivity, Ash attacks her until the other surviving members of the crew come to Ripley’s aid.

Realising that Ash is not only an android, but has been ordered via the Nostromo’s onboard computer, “Mother”, to bring the Xenomorph back to “the Company”, even at the cost of their lives, the crew resolve to destroy the Nostromo and it’s uninvited guest to save their own lives and prevent the creature from falling into the wrong hands. However, it may already be too late…

Ash had a lasting impact on the Alien franchise: don't trust robots!