Within Vulnerable Alien
One of the most important choices Steven Spielberg made in E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial was to treat first contact not as an invasion, a mystery, or a military crisis, but as a rescue story. E.T. arrives on Earth with abilities that seem extraordinary, yet the film constantly emphasises his dependence on others.
Page outline Jump by section
Introduction
Within Spielberg’s broader UFO imagination, this transforms the extraterrestrial encounter into an act of care. E.T. resembles a lost child who needs shelter, guidance and reassurance, making the audience respond to him emotionally before they respond to him as a visitor from another world.
Why the Forest Separation Makes E.T. Vulnerable
The film establishes E.T.’s vulnerability in its opening minutes. His species arrives peacefully to collect plant specimens, but E.T. wanders away from the group and becomes fascinated by the distant lights of a suburban neighbourhood. When government agents approach, the other aliens depart, leaving him stranded behind. The separation is sudden and traumatic. E.T. is not sent on a mission; he is accidentally abandoned. [Wikipedia]WikipediaE.T. the Extra-TerrestrialE.T. the Extra-Terrestrial [Time]time.commelissa mathison steven spielberglittle boy and a family in the throes of divorce, and how they filled the hole in befriending a little lost alien.” Advertisement. It was…
This scene functions much like the opening of a lost-child story. Several details reinforce that reading:
- E.T. becomes separated from his family unit rather than from a military force.
- He reacts with confusion and fear rather than aggression.
- His first instinct is to hide.
- The audience sees him fleeing danger rather than causing it.
Spielberg’s visual approach deepens this impression. For much of the early film, E.T. appears in shadows, silhouettes and partial glimpses. The secrecy does not make him threatening. Instead, it makes him seem small and frightened, like a child hiding from adults. Spielberg later explained that lighting choices were used to expand the creature’s emotional range and make audiences read feelings into the puppet before they understood who or what he was. [The American Society of Cinematographers]theasc.comThe American Society of Cinematographers Steven Spielberg and E.Tthe Extra-TerrestrialThe director discusses his inspirations, creative process and collaborating with Allen Daviau, ASC and Dennis Muren…
The result is that E.T.’s alienness never outweighs his helplessness. By the time Elliott meets him, the audience already understands that he needs protection.
Why Elliott Becomes Caretaker as Well as Friend
Many stories about friendship involve equals. E.T. works differently because Elliott becomes responsible for someone who cannot safely navigate the world alone.
After discovering E.T., Elliott does more than befriend him. He feeds him, hides him, teaches him basic words, explains household objects and protects him from discovery. His bedroom becomes a temporary refuge. The relationship resembles an older sibling, babysitter or young parent caring for a dependent child. [Wikipedia]WikipediaE.T. the Extra-TerrestrialE.T. the Extra-Terrestrial
Spielberg’s original conception of the story linked this caregiving directly to childhood loneliness. He later described the project as a story about a divorced family filling an emotional void through friendship with “a little lost alien.” The screenplay developed by Melissa Mathison kept that emotional focus firmly on the needs of both Elliott and E.T. rather than on science-fiction spectacle. [Time]time.comthat old feeling e t goes homeThat Old Feeling: "E.T." Goes Home29 Mar 2002 — Spielberg and Mathison dramatize E.T.'s abandonment in the forest… 2002: Steven Spielb…
The relationship becomes powerful because both characters are missing something essential:
- E.T. has lost his family and home.
- Elliott is struggling with the absence created by his parents’ separation.
- Each becomes a source of comfort for the other.
The Library of Congress has described them as “two lost souls” who ultimately rescue each other. That description captures the film’s emotional mechanism. Elliott does not merely discover an alien; he discovers someone who needs him. The responsibility gives him purpose and confidence, while the care he provides helps E.T. survive. [The Library of Congress]loc.govThe Library of Congressfilm essay for "E.TThe Extra-Terrestrial"May 28, 2015 — It is the story of two lost souls, both longing for the comfort and secu- rity that only a true home…
How Powers and Helplessness Work Together
One reason E.T. remains memorable is that Spielberg balances remarkable abilities with obvious vulnerability.
E.T. can heal wounds, revive dying plants, communicate telepathically and manipulate objects through telekinesis. In many science-fiction films, such powers would make a character dominant. In E.T., they do not remove his dependence on others. [Wikipedia]WikipediaE.T. the Extra-TerrestrialE.T. the Extra-Terrestrial
The film repeatedly places him in situations where his abilities are insufficient:
- He cannot return home without building a communication device.
- He cannot move freely through society without being noticed.
- He struggles to understand human customs.
- He becomes physically ill while stranded on Earth.
- He requires children to hide and transport him.
This tension is crucial. If E.T. were completely powerless, he would become a passive victim. If he were overwhelmingly powerful, there would be little reason to worry about him. Spielberg places him between those extremes. His gifts make him wondrous, but his circumstances make him fragile.
The audience therefore experiences two emotions at once. E.T. is astonishing because he possesses abilities beyond human understanding. Yet he is also vulnerable because those abilities cannot solve his most important problem: he is alone.
A Different Kind of Alien Encounter
Many UFO narratives focus on what humans fear extraterrestrials might do. E.T. asks what humans should do when an extraterrestrial needs help.
The film’s central moral impulse is protective rather than defensive. Elliott and his siblings do not try to exploit E.T., study him or use his powers. Their first concern is keeping him safe. Even the famous goal of helping him “phone home” is essentially an effort to reunite a lost child with his family. [Wikipedia]WikipediaE.T. the Extra-TerrestrialE.T. the Extra-Terrestrial
This perspective distinguishes E.T. within Spielberg’s body of UFO-related work. The wonder of extraterrestrial life remains important, but wonder is filtered through empathy. The audience is encouraged to see the alien not as a threat from the unknown but as a frightened visitor stranded far from home.
That choice explains why E.T. continues to resonate decades later. His appeal does not primarily come from his spacecraft, his planet or his powers. It comes from the recognisable emotions beneath them: fear, loneliness, homesickness and the need for someone to care. Through that combination, Spielberg transformed an alien encounter into a story about responsibility, compassion and the universal experience of being lost. [The Library of Congress]loc.govThe Library of Congressfilm essay for "E.TThe Extra-Terrestrial"May 28, 2015 — It is the story of two lost souls, both longing for the comfort and secu- rity that only a true home… [Time]time.commelissa mathison steven spielberglittle boy and a family in the throes of divorce, and how they filled the hole in befriending a little lost alien.” Advertisement. It was…
Amazon book picks
Further Reading
Books and field guides related to Et Stranded Child A004 A4. Use these as the next step if you want deeper reading beyond the article.
The UFO Experience
Hynek created the close-encounter framework that inspired Spielberg's film title and served as an adviser on the movie.
Passport to Magonia
One of the most influential books on UFO culture and the mystery-oriented approach echoed in Spielberg's work.
eBay marketplace picks
Marketplace Samples
Example marketplace items related to this page. Use the search link to explore similar finds on eBay.
Endnotes
-
Source: Wikipedia
Title: E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial
Link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/E.T._the_Extra-Terrestrial -
Source: time.com
Title: melissa mathison steven spielberg
Link: https://time.com/4109365/melissa-mathison-steven-spielberg/Source snippet
little boy and a family in the throes of divorce, and how they filled the hole in befriending a little lost alien.” Advertisement. It was...
-
Source: time.com
Title: that old feeling [e t]({{ ‘e-t/’ | relative_url }}) goes home
Link: https://time.com/archive/6911941/that-old-feeling-e-t-goes-home/Source snippet
That Old Feeling: "E.T." Goes Home29 Mar 2002 — Spielberg and Mathison dramatize E.T.'s abandonment in the forest... 2002: Steven Spielb...
-
Source: theasc.com
Title: The American Society of Cinematographers Steven Spielberg and E.T
Link: https://theasc.com/article/spielberg-et-the-extraterrestrial/Source snippet
the Extra-TerrestrialThe director discusses his inspirations, creative process and collaborating with Allen Daviau, ASC and Dennis Muren...
-
Source: loc.gov
Title: The Library of Congressfilm essay for “E.T
Link: https://www.loc.gov/static/programs/national-film-preservation-board/documents/ET.pdfSource snippet
The Extra-Terrestrial"May 28, 2015 — It is the story of two lost souls, both longing for the comfort and secu- rity that only a true home...
Published: May 28, 2015
Additional References
-
Source: facebook.com
Link: https://www.facebook.com/groups/714169855634812/posts/1394635547588236/Source snippet
Two caretakers with libraries and magic item vaultsThey serve a secret order dedicated to providing people with needed knowledge and keep...
-
Source: bol.com
Title: The Library of Lost Souls (ebook), Meghan Holloway
Link: https://www.bol.com/nl/nl/p/the-library-of-lost-souls-ebook/9300000025711946/Source snippet
The Library of Lost Souls. It is a truth universally acknowledged that a robot in possession of a soul must be in want of a life partn...
-
Source: musingsofamiddleagedgeek.blog
Title: revisiting steven spielbergs e t after 40 years
Link: https://musingsofamiddleagedgeek.blog/2022/06/30/revisiting-steven-spielbergs-e-t-after-40-years/Source snippet
Revisiting Steven Spielberg's “E.T.” after 40 years…30 Jun 2022 — The house belongs to Mary (Dee Wallace), a recently separated thirty-so...
-
Source: facebook.com
Link: https://www.facebook.com/groups/3216444998655835/posts/3688899971410333/Source snippet
"Night Skies" when a single emotional phone call with his mother...
-
Source: amazon.nl
Link: https://www.amazon.nl/-/en/Celia-Kyle/dp/B08Z9VZTR1Source snippet
ed. Horned. The dashing captain of a pirate ship.Read more...
-
Source: instagram.com
Link: https://www.instagram.com/reel/DZS57mrK1ZI/Source snippet
oneliness, childhood, divorce, and needing one friend who...
-
Source: indiefilmhustle.com
Title: He had given us the gift of magic
Link: https://indiefilmhustle.com/steven-spielberg-complete-guide-to-his-films-and-techniques/Source snippet
Ultimate Guide To Steven Spielberg And His Directing...To recapture the warm, exotic look of RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK, Spielberg brings b...
-
Source: instagram.com
Link: https://www.instagram.com/reel/C__Ec2-vYEa/Source snippet
omas on the set of ET The Extra-Terrestrial (1982)...
-
Source: youtube.com
Title: The Mother Of All Shriekers | Stranded: Alien Dawn
Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fSqLq-0m5-wSource snippet
Part 26...Stranded: Alien Dawn continues and we encounter a terrifying new enemy... the Shrieker Broodmother! They are gigantic and scar...
-
Source: medium.com
Link: https://medium.com/cinenation-show/healing-hurts-melissa-mathison-and-e-t-b932d9c26c1bSource snippet
are adaptations of children's books.Read more...
Topic Tree