Leprechaun 4: In Space Plot Summary
Read the complete plot summary and ending explained for Leprechaun 4: In Space (1996). From turning points to emotional moments, uncover what really happened and why it matters.
In 2096, on a remote planet, the Leprechaun, Warwick Davis, courts an alien princess named Zarina, Rebekah Carlton, in a nefarious bid to become king of her home world. The two strike an arrangement to marry, but each party secretly plots to kill the other after the wedding night to enjoy the marriage benefits: a noble title for the Leprechaun and the princess’s gold and jewels for Zarina, all while keeping their political and personal ambitions intact.
A platoon of space marines arrives to deal with mining interference and ends up killing the Leprechaun for stepping on their operations. Kowalski, Geoff Meed Kowalski, tries to steal the Leprechaun’s gold but is cut down by the Leprechaun’s lightsaber. A grenade then explodes, delivering a fatal blow to the Leprechaun himself. In a crude moment of bravado, Kowalski urinates on the Leprechaun’s body, a taunt that takes a dark turn as the Leprechaun’s spirit travels up his urine stream and into Kowalski, where the malevolent presence begins to manifest in disturbing ways.
The marines return to their ship with the injured Zarina, intending to return her to her home world and establish diplomatic ties. Onboard, the ship’s commander, Dr. Mittenhand, Guy Siner, outlines a chilling plan to use Zarina’s regenerative DNA to recreate his own damaged body. Elsewhere, the Leprechaun erupts from Kowalski’s body during a sexual confrontation, a grotesque reminder that the war between magic and metal has only just begun. The marines hunt the Leprechaun, but he proves elusive, outsmarting them and killing most of the crew with a series of gruesome and absurd traps.
While pursuing Zarina, the Leprechaun injects Mittenhand with Zarina’s DNA mixed with the remains of a crushed scorpion and tarantula, and then triggers the ship’s self-destruct sequence. A surviving marine, Sticks, Miguel A. Núñez Jr., rushes to the bridge to defuse the timer but is halted by a password prompt that blocks the safeguard. Mittenhand—now grotesquely transformed into a spider-like figure calling himself Mittenspider—ensnares Sticks in a giant web, a nightmarish trap that blends science with sorcery.
Meanwhile, the other survivors confront the Leprechaun in the cargo bay, and in their clash, he is driven to giant size after being hit by Mittenhand’s growth ray. The ship’s biological officer, Tina Reeves, Jessica Collins escapes to the bridge and frees Sticks by spraying Mittenhand with liquid nitrogen and shooting him. The remaining Marine, Books, Brent Jasmer, opens the airlock, hurling the gigantic Leprechaun into the cold void where he is swiftly sucked away and explodes.
Books rejoins the others at the helm, and they piece together the ship’s password, which turns out to be “Wizard”—a clue tied to Mittenhand’s earlier boast that he was like the Wizard of Oz. With the self-destruct halted, Books and Reeves share a quiet, awkward kiss, while Sticks gazes out the window and watches the Leprechaun’s enormous hand give him a final, mocking gesture as the danger finally begins to fade. The crew, battered and wary, must reckon with the bizarre blend of pharmaceuticals, magic, and military might that brought them to this strange, deadly frontier.
Leprechaun 4: In Space Timeline
Follow the complete movie timeline of Leprechaun 4: In Space (1996) with every major event in chronological order. Great for understanding complex plots and story progression.
Leprechaun courts Zarina and plots
On a remote planet in 2096, the Leprechaun courts the alien princess Zarina and proposes marriage as part of a long con. Both secretly intend to kill the other after the wedding night to secure their desired benefits—the Leprechaun's crown, and Zarina's inheritance of his gold and jewels. The arrangement sets the stage for a deadly game of political and personal ambitions.
Marine landing and lethal encounter
A platoon of space marines lands to disrupt mining operations and confronts the Leprechaun on the planet's surface. In a brutal confrontation, the marines kill the Leprechaun as he tries to manipulate the situation to his advantage. The surface battle marks the apparent end of the Leprechaun's immediate threat on the planet.
Lucky's gold heist attempt
Lucky makes a last-ditch attempt to steal the Leprechaun's gold. He is killed by the Leprechaun using a lightsaber, cutting his plan short. The lure of gold remains a driving motivator for later events.
Kowalski's desecration and the Leprechaun's eerie death
A grenade explodes and seemingly finishes the Leprechaun off during the chaos on the surface. Kowalski then urinates on the Leprechaun's body in a grotesque post-battle display. The dead Leprechaun's spirit will later awaken in a surprising way.
Leprechaun's spirit travels via Kowalski
In a bizarre twist, the Leprechaun's spirit travels up Kowalski's urine stream and into his penis, where the entity begins to manifest. The marines depart unaware of the haunting presence they've left behind. This event foreshadows the monster's return as a physical threat.
Zarina rescued; ship returns with Zarina
The marines return to their ship with the injured Zarina, intending to take her home and establish diplomatic relations. The mission's political veneer grows as a back-channel goal surfaces. Zarina's fate will soon be tied to the ship's experiments.
Dr. Mittenhand reveals his plan
On the ship's lab, Dr. Mittenhand explains his plan to use Zarina's regenerative DNA to recreate his own mutilated body. He envisions becoming a superior, self-repairing creature through Zarina's genes. The revelation foreshadows a technological horror lurking aboard.
Leprechaun emerges from Kowalski during arousal
The Leprechaun violently emerges from Kowalski's penis after he is aroused during a sexual act. The crew realizes the threat is not dead as the entity resurfaces in a new, terrifying form. The ship becomes a hunting ground for a monster that cannot be killed by conventional means.
Marines hunt the Leprechaun; cunning and carnage
The marines pursue the Leprechaun through the ship, but he outsmarts them and cuts down many crew members in gruesome, absurd ways. The ship becomes a battleground between human soldiers and a resurrected fiend. Trust and discipline erode as fear spikes.
Leprechaun injects Mittenhand and activates self-destruct
While pursuing Zarina, the Leprechaun injects Mittenhand with Zarina's DNA and the remains of a blended scorpion and tarantula. He then initiates the ship's self-destruct sequence to erase evidence and escape. Mittenhand begins to mutate, foreshadowing his monstrous transformation.
Sticks confronts self-destruct; Mittenspider forms
Sticks rushes to the bridge to defuse the self-destruct but is met with a password prompt and a trap. Mittenhand mutates into Mittenspider and entangles Sticks in a giant web. The crew is left scrambling to survive the cascading threats.
Cargo bay fight: giant Leprechaun arises
The surviving crew confronts the Leprechaun in the cargo bay and, after being shot with Mittenhand's growth ray, the creature transforms into a giant. The ship's crew fights for their lives against a towering foe, turning the vessel into a gladiator arena. The threat level peaks as the monster dominates the space.
Reeves saves Sticks; Mittenhand defeated
Tina Reeves escapes to the bridge and sprays Mittenhand with liquid nitrogen before shooting him. She frees Sticks from the web and restores some morale to the crew. The tide turns in the humans' favor as the immediate threat recedes.
Final defeat: space, romance, and aftermath
Books opens the airlock, blasting the giant Leprechaun into space where it explodes. The crew realizes the password is 'Wizard', a sly reference to Mittenhand's Oz comparison. Books and Reeves share a kiss as Sticks watches the Leprechaun's giant hand vanish into the void.
Leprechaun 4: In Space Characters
Explore all characters from Leprechaun 4: In Space (1996). Get detailed profiles with their roles, arcs, and key relationships explained.
Leprechaun
An immortal trickster and foe who uses cunning and brutal force to pursue power and wealth. He schemes to marry Zarina to gain royal standing and access to valuable resources, treating relationships as leverage. His death is temporary as his spirit inhabits Kowalski, leading to grotesque, otherworldly manifestations before his final destruction when the giant Leprechaun is sucked into space.
Princess Zarina
Alien princess with regenerative DNA who becomes a pawn in political schemes and a potential resource for genetic experiments. She is injured and shipped back toward her home world, while her DNA becomes a key element in Mittenhand’s plan. Her presence sparks the power struggle between old royal ambition and new technologies.
Kowalski
A brash marine who desecrates the Leprechaun’s body, provoking the literal possession by the Leprechaun’s spirit. His gruesome transformation becomes a vessel for the antagonist and a grim reminder of the consequences of disrespect and reckless actions in battle.
Sticks
A surviving marine who helps the group coordinate and push toward safety. He demonstrates practical courage and stubborn resilience, driving momentum as the crew fights to defuse the ship’s self-destruct and outwit the threats in their path.
Tina Reeves
Biological officer who escapes to the bridge and ultimately helps stop the catastrophe. She uses decisive action—spraying liquid nitrogen and shooting Mittenhand—to protect her teammates and disrupt the villain’s plans. Her courage culminates in a moment of connection with Books.
Dr. Mittenhand
A cyborg scientist who aims to reconstruct his body using Zarina’s DNA, evolving into Mittenspider. He embodies the fusion of intellect and monstrosity, manipulating events from behind the scenes and becoming the primary technological threat. His transformations and schemes drive much of the film’s violent chaos.
Books
The last surviving Marine who plays a crucial supporting role, he survives long enough to orchestrate the final maneuvers. He opens the airlock to eject the giant Leprechaun and helps avert the self-destruct, ultimately sealing the ship’s fate with a decisive action and a kiss between Tina and himself.
Leprechaun 4: In Space Settings
Learn where and when Leprechaun 4: In Space (1996) takes place. Explore the film’s settings, era, and how they shape the narrative.
Time period
2096
Set in the year 2096, the film places its action in a near-future where interstellar travel and mining on distant worlds are routine. Advanced weapons, genetic technology, and cyborgs shape the crew’s capabilities and risks. The era blends space opera elements with irreverent horror, creating a pulp sci-fi vibe. Resource conflicts and imperial ambitions frame the missions the marines undertake.
Location
Remote planet, Starship
The story moves between a barren distant planet and the claustrophobic corridors of a spacefaring ship. The planet hosts mining operations and alien landscapes, while the ship becomes the primary battleground for the characters’ schemes. The setting blends mythic horror with futuristic technology, giving a campy sci-fi atmosphere. The juxtaposition of a magical creature and hard-tech environments drives much of the film’s humor and violence.
Leprechaun 4: In Space Themes
Discover the main themes in Leprechaun 4: In Space (1996). Analyze the deeper meanings, emotional layers, and social commentary behind the film.
👑
Power
Power drives the central conflict, from the Leprechaun’s plan to marry Zarina for royal leverage to the princess’s pursuit of status through lineage and wealth. The characters maneuver to control precious assets—gold, titles, and technology—at the expense of others. The film treats ambition with a tongue-in-cheek brutality, showing how desire for dominion corrupts and destroys. The reveal of a shared password and strategic moves underscores manipulation as a path to domination.
🧬
Transformation
Transformation is a core visual and thematic thread, beginning with the Leprechaun’s survival beyond death and culminating in grotesque metamorphoses. Dr. Mittenhand’s plan to graft Zarina’s regenerative DNA into his own body triggers monstrous changes, exploring the ethics and horror of genetic manipulation. The Leprechaun’s invasion of Kowalski and the later growth-weapon effects blur the line between comedy and body horror. The film uses these shifts to satirize vanity and the fear of losing control over one’s form.
🛡️
Survival
The marines are forced to improvise and cooperate under extreme peril, turning individual bravado into team-driven tactics. They race against a self-destruct sequence and a relentless killer, testing loyalty and nerve. Survival hinges on quick thinking, resourcefulness, and occasional moments of reckless luck. The ending ties survival to a shared resolve and a decisive, if brutal, victory over the threats.
⚙️
Technology vs Myth
Technology—DNA manipulation, growth rays, cybernetics—drives the plot as both tool and weapon. The film juxtaposes high-tech devices with mythical, magical threats to create a pulpy, irreverent tone. Technology amplifies danger as it enables transformations and new dangers, while mythic elements provide the vivid, campy humor. The clash highlights the unpredictable consequences when science tries to control the unknown.
Leprechaun 4: In Space Spoiler-Free Summary
Discover the spoiler-free summary of Leprechaun 4: In Space (1996). Get a concise overview without any spoilers.
In the far‑flung reaches of space, a desolate mining world hides a glittering secret: a leprechaun whose greed knows no planetary bounds. Leprechaun has spent centuries collecting gold, but the promise of universal power has driven him to look beyond the confines of his own realm, setting his sights on a throne that could amplify his riches beyond imagination.
The object of his ambition is the radiant alien princess Zarina, a noble figure whose lineage and vast treasure make her both a coveted ally and a tantalizing prize. Their uneasy arrangement to marry each other is a fragile bargain, each hoping to claim the other’s status while keeping their own designs hidden beneath a veneer of ceremony. The stark, otherworldly landscape, lit by distant suns and the cold glow of mining rigs, frames a drama that blends regal intrigue with the mischievous menace of an ancient fairy‑tale creature.
When a squad of Earth marines is dispatched to the planet under the pretext of resolving mining disruptions, their mission quickly pivots to a rescue operation aimed at protecting the princess and preserving diplomatic hope. As the crew boards their orbiting vessel, Leprechaun slips aboard unnoticed, turning the sterile corridors of the ship into a playground for his chaotic whims. The contrast between the disciplined, modern military force and the mischievous, magical adversary creates a tension that is both eerie and darkly comic, hinting at the unpredictable dangers that await among the stars.
The film balances the sleek, high‑tech aesthetic of a space‑faring expedition with the rustic, mythic aura of a creature out of legend. This clash of worlds breeds an atmosphere thick with uneasy humor and foreboding, as the marines, the princess, and the leprechaun each navigate shifting alliances and hidden motives. The stage is set for a clash where technology, magic, and ambition collide, leaving the audience to wonder just how far one will go when the promise of power—and a golden future—hangs in the balance.
Movies with Similar Twists and Themes
Uncover films that echo the narrative beats, emotional arcs, or dramatic twists of the one you're exploring. These recommendations are handpicked based on story depth, thematic resonance, and spoiler-worthy moments — perfect for fans who crave more of the same intrigue.
Featured on this page
What's After the Movie?
Not sure whether to stay after the credits? Find out!
Explore Our Movie Platform
New Movie Releases (2025)
Famous Movie Actors
Top Film Production Studios
Movie Plot Summaries & Endings
Major Movie Awards & Winners
Best Concert Films & Music Documentaries
Movie Collections and Curated Lists
© 2025 What's After the Movie. All rights reserved.