When we encounter ET life, what creature will it be? A human-lookalike civilization or simply just self-replicating robots/machines, where their creators have died off millions of years ago?

We'll probably first start with some microbes on another planet.. just not to scare us sheep TOO much.

then godzilla..
then chuck norris.
..
..
profit!

a giant meteor to our face

First encounter will probably be military, and they will probably shoot at it... and they will probably get us all killed by some super evolved, super intelligent lifeforms.

probably a meteor carrying bugs.. shitty ones

microbes on mars. if not, maybe a moon of jupiter or saturn.

I hope they won't be stupid enough to shoot at them. That's the only potential problem with an encounter.

uhh...no

lol? no? Im 98% sure it will be the American Military that finds ET life... if it is Sentient... and can pose a threat, they will then shoot at it, and piss it off.

I think this if the government chooses to hide initial contact with aliens out there and if they have the means to get to a place where these microbial lifeforms can be sustained.