Warning: Spoilers ahead forResident Alienseason 4, episode 2, “The Lonely Man.“Resident Alienseason 4’s opener,“Prisoners,” introduced an exciting new character who I was sure would be a major contributorto the episodes ahead, but then the show quickly revealed the figure in question wasn’t long for this world. InResident Alienseason 4, episode 2, “The Lonely Man,” the show’s newest presence made their exit long before they were able to make a proper impact, and I’m hugely disappointed. That said, although their role among theResident Aliencastwas limited, their actions will surely have a lasting impact.
Set one month after theend ofResident Alienseason 3,the current run of episodes picks up several storylines that have grown and changed since the most recent finale.Resident Alien’s Grey Aliensare still prominent antagonists, and the Mantid remains at large in Patience after stealing the identity ofAlan Tudyk’s Harry Vanderspeigle. The real Harry’s incarceration aboard the Grey’s moon ship allows for someone very interesting to enter the story in “Prisoners,” but “The Lonely Man” just killed them off far too soon.
Jinkx Monsoon’s Resident Alien character was underutilized
Voiced by Jinkx Monsoon,Bruce was the Grey who helped free Harry from his jail cell. Monsoon’s character was the first member of his species to reveal his name within theResident Aliencanon, and he also had a very different personality when compared to his people. He was used mainly for comic relief and was an oddly wholesome presence. Sadly,Resident Aliendidn’t allow him to stick around long, and he met his end after two episodes. I remain convinced he could have been used far more than he was.
The existence of Bruce suggested that not all Greys were the nefarious bad guys they’ve been made out to be.
Resident Alienhad never had a character like Bruce before his debut. The Greys have become bigger and bigger villains since the show began, butBruce allowed for a unique insight into his people’s community. The existence of Bruce suggested that not all Greys were the nefarious bad guys they’ve been made out to be. I would have loved to enjoy this candid glimpse into the thought process of Greys like Bruce, and his time on the show wasn’t long enough to explore that.
That said, Bruce may have been the only Grey to not share the same values as the rest of his race, which would have been an even bigger reason to keep him around. In the brief time that he knew Harry, Bruce was nothing but an ally to Tudyk’s character, andhaving a Grey on the side of the heroes was a great way to shake upResident Alien’s formulain its fourth season. Annoyingly, all we got was a fraction of that storytelling potential.
Bruce’s Biggest Character Trait Always Meant An Early Resident Alien Exit
The Greys can’t stay on Earth for very long, and Bruce didn’t want to leave
While Bruce may not have acted like the other Greys, he still was one. So, he came with all the same limitations as other members of his species, with the main one being their inability to stay on Earth for very long without perishing. Pair this with the fact thatBruce also had an affinity for the human homeworld that bordered on reverence, and things were never going to turn out very well for him.
Bruce fulfills his desire to go to Earth at the end of “Prisoners,” and his internal clock would have started ticking the second he landed on the planet’s surface.He loves being in Las Vegas so much that he stays until he cannot tear himself away.
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He probably would never have wanted to leave anyway, even to ensure his own survival. As a result, he turned to goo just a day and a half later - although this finally answers exactly what happens to the Greys inResident Alienwhen they don’t leave Earth in time.
