ALIEN: EARTH Star Sydney Chandler Talks Wendy’s Journey and Complicated Bond with the Xenomorph
FX’s Alien: Earth closed out its first season with a finale that was as unsettling as it was interesting. Showrunner Noah Hawley has expanded the franchise beyond simple survival horror into something bigger and stranger, and by the final episode titled “The Real Monsters”, it’s clear this series isn’t just about Xenomorphs. It’s about humanity, morality, and survival in a world where the lines are constantly shifting.
At the center of that story is Wendy, played by Sydney Chandler, who has quickly become one of the most fascinating characters in the Alien universe.
Chandler recently opened up about Wendy’s evolution, her murky relationship with the alien creature, and where she might go if FX moves forward with a second season.
A Relationship Built on Fear and Awe
One of the most surprising dynamics in Alien: Earth is Wendy’s strange connection to the Xenomorph. While it’s not exactly a friendship, there’s an undeniable tension between them that could define the future of the show. Chandler was clear that this bond should never be mistaken for something safe.
“It’s not a puppy dog coming out of the grass, it’s a lion,” Chandler explained. “It’s not eating you and it’s kind of listening to you, but there’s a hesitancy. I think the alien stands for being the iconic Xeno. It’s also a mirror of Wendy’s dehumanization, as well.
“There’s a reason the final episode is called The Real Monsters. I think everyone is shifting. I don’t know who is good or bad. Everyone’s kind of fallen into a gray area. Although, from my opinion, Wendy is just perfect.”
Identity, Family, and Transformation
Wendy’s journey has been as much about identity as survival. When asked whether she’s more Marcy or more Wendy by the end of the season, Chandler reflected on the character’s moment of existential clarity.
“I think a big turning point was when she saw her grave, and more specifically saw her brother mourning the grave while she was standing there,” Chandler said.
“But I think that is the unanswerable question. If we go to season 2, that would be fantastic to explore. I think she knows what she’s not. That path has been narrowed. As far as exactly what she is, we’re always questioning that. But she’s starting to pinpoint who she thinks she wants to be, or what she wants to be.”
What Wendy is not, however, is innocent. “That’s gone. She’s not one who needs protection or supervision.”
Her fractured relationship with her brother highlights just how much Wendy has changed. “Her mind works very much in black and white, and he’s fallen into this gray area.
“I think her mindset is that there is good in the world, and there is bad in the world, and he is a good person who, in her eyes, did a bad thing. So, where do you put him? That is the question.”
Facing Boy Kavalier
The finale also gave Wendy her biggest confrontation yet with Samuel Blenkin’s Boy Kavalier, and Chandler revealed that playing the moment was as thrilling behind the scenes as it was onscreen.
“It came to that final line that Wendy gives. If the camera had been flipped, I’m staring straight at Sam and saying, checkmate. That was what that laugh meant. They see each other, they’ve clocked each other, and she’s figured out his game. She started her own game now.”
What’s Next for Wendy
As for Wendy’s abilities and her mysterious blood connection to the alien, Chandler admitted she’s just as curious as the fans are. “I do not know the answer to that question,” she said about her potential link to the Xeno.
When it comes to her powers, she added, “That’s actually one of my questions for Noah, if we go to a season 2 — figuring out where her edge is, because right now, we are watching her in the process of testing her limits.”
And if there’s any doubt about Wendy’s toughness, Chandler laughed it off: “Absolutely.”
Working with Noah Hawley
Chandler praised Hawley’s unpredictable storytelling process, noting how often scripts changed during production. “The storylines would change, quite drastically, throughout. It kept us on our toes, it kept the content fresh. I think Noah likes to work that way as well, but I trust that he knows what’s going on, which is great.”
The Road Ahead
Whether FX greenlights another season of Alien: Earth remains to be seen, but Chandler’s performance as Wendy has clearly struck a chord with fans. She’s not just another survivor in the Alien saga, she’s something entirely new, a character straddling humanity and monstrosity, with a future that could shape the direction of the entire series.
As Chandler put it, Wendy may not have all the answers yet, but she’s no longer a child. She’s stepped into a dangerous new world, and she’s more than ready to play the game.
Source: Deadline