10 Best 'I’m Dead And I Know It’ Moments In Monster Movies

A glorious mix of horror, sci-fi, and action, Aliens is one of those rare sequels that's often viewed as being just as good as - if not even better than - its legendary predecessor. And as part of the action element of James Cameron's 1986 follow-up, there's a bunch of Colonial Marines.

In these marines, we have two vastly different characters in the utterly badass, no-nonsense Vasquez and the inexperienced, frustratingly incompetent commanding officer Gorman. From the first moment you see her, Vasquez immediately becomes a fan favourite, spitting fire, taking no sh*t, and stealing every scene she's in. As for Gorman, he's a hindrance for those under his charge, seemingly meaning well but being uncertain, hesitant, and generally fairly bad at his job.

By the time Aliens gets to its final act, our remaining marines and Ripley and Newt find themselves in an intense, claustrophobic battle for survival in an air vent. By this point, Private Hudson and slimeball Carter Burke have already had their own great "I'm dead and I know it" moments, but neither of those is quite as memorable as Vasquez and Gorman's collective demise.

As Xenemorphs close in on the pair, and with Vasquez having injured her leg, the two opt to let off a grenade, sacrificing themselves - complete with one final Vasquez quip of "You always were an a**hole, Gorman".