Why did the Big Guy say "Small world" when she first arrived?

At the climax of Paul, as the protagonists wait for Paul's people to arrive and pick him up, a helicopter arrives carrying the film's main villain, the Big Guy (actually a woman, played by Sigourney Weaver). As she steps off the helicopter, she remarks,

Small world.

This implies that she's met the protagonists before, but this is the first time she's appeared in person in the film. My first thought was that she was the café owner from near the start of the film, but that's Jane Lynch's character. My current thought is that it's a reference to something, but TV Tropes doesn't include it in the film's list of Shout Outs.

Why does the Big Guy say "Small world" when she first arrives?

dialogue paul

Best Answer

"The Big Guy" is probably talking to Paul. They know each other and it's also implied when you watch the scene.

First the script:

      PAUL (CONT'D)
      Oh shit.
      Behind them, the HELICOPTER powers down. The door opens.

                     VOICE
      Well, whaddya know? Small world.

Here's the video:

As you can see, Paul identifies "The Big Guy" and while you can't see him when "The Big Guy" comes closer, he is still closest to her, just obscured by the humans standing behind him. And when he turns to Zoil, you can see that he directly faced "The Big Guy".

It also makes sense - they are there to contact Paul's mothership when instead "The Big Guy" appears, whom he was running from all the time.

_{Fun fact: "Well whaddya know? Small world." is said three times, by Pat, Jake and "The Big Guy".}