Yautja
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A yautja is a member of the fictional humanoid extraterrestrial species that is the primary antagonist of the Predator film series and its subsidiary literature and video games. Because the films did not give a specific name, this classification was adopted for the Predator series' titular monsters after its usage in the series' licensed comic book series, though the race was also referred to as the hish in Predator: Forever Midnight, the sixth novel in the Predator novel series. Originating as the antagonist in the Predator science-fiction horror film, they are vaguely humanoid aliens who hunt aggressive members of other species for sport.
Yautja are depicted as an extraterrestrial race whose civilization values individual strength, as demonstrated by stalking, hunting and killing the most dangerous prey in the galaxy. They are depicted as excellent warriors and use various weaponry. They prefer low-tech blades and spears and also carry hi-tech plasma shoulder-guns. Once they have defeated an opponent, they collect its skull as a trophy and mark themselves with the symbol of their clan (mark of honor). The yautja have a long history with many of the species that they hunt, including xenomorphs. Although the morals and customs of the species are unknown, they appear to have a vague but consistent form of honor. They frequently acknowledge and show respect toward skilled and/or powerful adversaries as well as a demonstrated unwillingness to stalk weak, sick, pregnant, or unarmed opponents, or opponents they see as "in training."
The yautja design is credited to special effects artist Stan Winston. While flying to Japan with Aliens director James Cameron, Winston, who had been hired to design the yautja (then known simply as the "Predator"), was doing concept art on the flight. Cameron saw what he was drawing and said, "I always wanted to see something with mandibles". Winston then included them in his designs. Stan Winston's studio created all of the physical effects for Predator and Predator 2, creating the body suit for actor Kevin Peter Hall and the mechanical facial effects. They were hired after attempts to create a convincing monster (including Jean-Claude Van Damme wearing a much different body suit) had failed. Arnold Schwarzenegger recommended Winston after his experience working on The Terminator.
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[edit] Biology and culture
[edit] Characteristics
While yautja are humanoid, many features of their anatomy differ markedly from that of humans. Notably, they have four mandibles surrounding their mouths. These mandibles appear to be the source of audible clicks and chirps used in communicating, although yautja can also understand and mimic human speech reasonably well. It has also been suggested in the films that their mask provides translation capabilities.
Yautja have rubbery tube-like "hair" strands which appear as thick long "dreadlocks" surrounding their heads. There is mention in literature that these are ritually bound in an extremely painful process done over a month's time. This is done as a rite of passage, and if the young yautja indicates any sign of pain, it must be restarted. However, in the film AVP: R the xenomorph-yautja hybrid named "Predalien" grows these "dreadlocks" after the chestburster erupts from the corpse of a yautja hinting that the "dreadlocks" are grown rather than ritually bound as previously stated. The first Alien versus Predator novel establishes that though initially reptilian in appearance, the species is actually mammalian, possessing external mammalian genitalia and mammary glands for suckling young. The males give off strong musk when in breeding season or agitated into hunting mode. They are also able to father offspring over the entire course of their adult lives. Some older specimens also exhibit spike-like facial hair. It is unknown if they can shave these hair or whether the facial hair is just a matter of genetic expression, present in some individuals and absent in others. In addition to their alien exterior, yautja also have notably luminescent green blood. The blood of a yautja is able to neutralize the acid from a xenomorph's blood, as revealed in the novel Alien versus Predator. Male yautja are estimated to be 6.5 to 7.5 feet tall (2.13m to 2.44m) and weigh approximately 300-400 pounds (136.08-181.44 kg). It is unknown how large the females are, although in the first Alien vs. Predator novel it was estimated they are possibly much larger and stronger than the males, though this is not the original idea of the creatures creator, whom originally insisted female Yautja be smaller in size, but none the less formidable.'
Physically, the yautja are remarkably resilient. Physical trauma that would otherwise maim or kill a human being is typically little more than a nuisance or a temporary incapacity for a yautja. Lesser injuries may have no noticeable effect at all. Yautja have demonstrated that they can continue to engage opponents even after suffering the most grievous of injuries, such as chest impalement or limb amputation (though these wounds may ultimately prove fatal). They are highly resistant to small caliber arms fire and stabbing weapons, as revealed in Predator 2 when the yautja survived several shotgun shots), although such attacks do physically injure them. The species is also adaptable to extremes of heat and cold as illustrated in Predator 2 when a warrior was repelled but not noticeably harmed by weaponized liquid nitrogen, as revealed in the fourth Predator novel, Predator: Cold War. This is also evident in the Alien vs. Predator film where three yautja land on an island near Antarctica and seem unaffected by the intense cold to the point where they don't even shiver; the novelization specifies that their net-like shift-suits have heating capabilities. In addition to their natural defenses, yautja carry with them advanced medical technology that greatly aids them in combat. In the film Predator 2, a wounded yautja warrior applied a paste-like substance from its med-kit to the stump of its severed arm. The substance appeared to cauterize the wound and solidify into a bandage. However, the yautjas' methods of treating their wounds often cause them more pain than the injuries themselves, as seen in both Predator films (it is one of the few instances in which the yautja seem to express pain at all), although they are willing to endure the pain.
The yautja possess great physical strength in comparison to humans; they rip out the skulls of their prey, are able to lift tree trunks, smash small tree branches into pieces, break down walls, and throw a large-sized human 15-20 meters with enough force to incapacitate or kill. They are remarkably agile and athletic for creatures their size, often jumping vast distances and surviving drops from significant heights. A yautja is also surprisingly fast. In Predator 2, the yautja warrior ran from a cemetery to a subway in mere minutes, and was able to overtake a speeding subway train. They also seem to possess great stamina, as they are able to cover great distances and perform continuously without the need for rest.
The yautja have developed natural infrared vision which has both advantages and disadvantages, foremost among them being a profound inability to distinguish between objects of equal temperature, such as walls, furniture and other non-living things. To counteract these deficiencies the yautja have developed masks fitted with complicated cybernetic optics, that enhance their natural infrared vision. The mask also has many different visual frequency options, as seen in Predator 2, where the creature switches between a great variety of different optical systems. These different visual modes include sensors tuned to radioactive sources and an x-ray function that can distinguish between the specific layers of an object. In the film Alien vs. Predator, the yautja use an EM sensor specially tuned for tracking Aliens, which can't be tracked using standard infrared detectors(as established in the Alien movies). The mask's optics also allow the creature to zoom in and out at will.
In the film Predator 2, the creature uses a breathing apparatus after Detective Michael Harrigan removes the yautja's mask. Yautja seem able to breathe earth-standard air for limited periods of time but need their masks (or other breathing aids) to provide them with their own native blend of gases after extended exposure.
One of the most pronounced differences between humans and yautja is their longevity. Yautja often live as long as 1000 years. It is unknown what mental effect (if any) such advanced age has on a Predator.
In the novel Predator: Forever Midnight, which has a dramatically different interpretation of the Predator, called the Hish. They have a "kill gland" located between their neck and collarbone which secretes powerful hormones into their blood stream and which drives them to hyper-aggression. When this gland is over-stimulated, it sends the creature into a frenzied rage. When in such a state, the yautja will attempt to kill any living thing in sight, including members of its own species. This "kill rage" can be contagious and spread from one yautja to another, driving them all to attack each other. The yautja as a species barely survived their kill glands – entire clans were wiped out when the elders nuked each other while in the throes of rage – and they have learned to control the gland's secretions with artificial hormone regulators. It is also said in the first novel that the gravity on their homeworld is much greater and that it attributes to their great size and strength.
[edit] Hunting methods
The hunting style of individual yautja varies depending on the specific script requirements of the narrative, however, a typical yautja hunt usually begins in the following fashion:
A yautja spacecraft, enters the atmosphere of a planet from outer-space, and stays in orbit around the planet after shooting out a landing pod in which a Predator travels to the surface of the planet. The landing pod opens wings slowing entry speed, finally landing vertically planted in the ground. Sometimes a Yautja spacecraft will covertly land on a planet, but usually the landing of the actual spacecraft is the result of a crash landing. The creatures usually target areas of extreme strife and hostility, such as an ongoing guerrilla war (Predator) or a crime-ridden urban ghetto (Predator 2). A lone yautja, while cloaked, will then conduct reconnaissance and analyze the area for worthy targets and potential prey.
A yautja will usually hunt alone, without the assistance of any of its kind. An exception to this solitary behavior occurred in the novel Predator: Forever Midnight, where a senior yautja clan-member led a hunting expedition numbering over three-dozen (including a half-dozen juvenile yautja "spawnlings") to a jungle planet which had been recently colonized by humans. Another exception was seen in Alien vs. Predator when a trio of yautja landed in Antarctica for their coming-of-age hunt. However, although they arrived as a group, they avoided common team/pack-hunting tactics and focused more on individual strategy. However, when many participate in the hunt there is always a large number of yautja nearby, usually in their orbiting space ship as seen in Alien vs. Predator and A.V.P.R.
Once a yautja decides on prey worthy of the hunt, the creature will stalk it relentlessly, studying the victim. It also seems that it likes to taunt the prey, until either the prey or itself is dead. The yautja waits for the optimum moment to strike swiftly and efficiently and uses roughly-analogous guerilla tactics. The yautja prefers to attack from a distance using stand-off weapons and striking at lone targets whenever possible. This does not mean, however, that the creature will never attack an enemy in numbers. The yautja will also attack with melee weapons if the situation warrants.
After the kill, the yautja will drag its defeated opponent's corpse away into hiding, if possible, so that the head can be severed at the creature's leisure and cleaned as a trophy. If the opponent's body cannot be acquired safely (Predator), the creature will retreat into hiding and wait for another opportunity to take the corpse.
If the yautja deems the kill unrewarding or unremarkable, it will string the victims up by the feet, bleed them out, skin the body and remove the internal organs. Although in Alien vs. Predator, the bodies were not skinned, simply strung up, most likely because the yautja were participating in a manhood ritual, not a game hunt. (The film was also rated PG-13, deeming it impossible to show blood and gore). Also, in the video game Aliens versus Predator: Extinction, some bodies were headless and hung by the feet but not skinned. Having completed this ritual, the yautja will proceed to its next target until the hunt is over. Also, it's revealed that they will kill anything that interferes with the hunt, such as wild animals; the same rules which apply to human game hunters. Since the hunting ground is sacred to them, they will go through any means to protect it.
When fighting a xenomorph, a yautja will usually refrain from cutting or rupturing the creature's head, but not always. A xenomorph head can be seen in the yautja spacecraft in Predator 2.
[edit] Sportsmanship
In film, the yautja culture is based almost exclusively on the hunt. In the novel Predator: Forever Midnight, the species values "the joy of hunting" above all else. All other considerations are secondary. That same novel as well as the film Predator 2 indicates that the Predators have hunted humans since at least the 18th century, as well as xenomorphs and other unknown species.
Alien vs. Predator explained that Earth had been set up as a type of training ground by a sect of yautja, that these hunted xenomorphs, not humans, and that they were responsible for the technological advancements that created the Egyptian and Aztec pyramids as well as the ancient Cambodian temples. The viewer learns that these yautja have been visiting Earth for millenia, where they were worshiped as gods. At one-hundred-year intervals, they would visit Earth to take part in a rite of passage in which several humans would sacrifice themselves as hosts for the xenomorphs, creating the "ultimate prey" for the yautja to hunt. It should be noted, however, that this was a claim made by a human interpreting ancient hieroglyphs. If overwhelmed, the yautja would activate their self-destruct weapons to eliminate the xenomorphs along with themselves. In this rite, a young yautja would earn a mark of honor, a hieroglyph burned into the yautja's face with xenomorph blood, once it had killed one of the xenomorphs. The book series which predated the film contradicts this "ultimate prey" idea by portraying the xenomorphs as easy prey for the yautja, used more for leisurely hunts, while humans are the ultimate prey due to their ability to plan and improvise (in the Alien vs Predator novels, humans are considered the ultimate pyode amedha : soft meat, while xenomorphs are the ultimate kainde amedha : hard meat). This discrepancy may be explainable through differences in preference and ability between individuals and clans, where it could be theorized that some Yautjas simply find one species more difficult than the other. While the first AvP film suggests a much higher degree of difficulty in defeating single xenomorph opponents, the second film and the literature depicts a much more one sided fight under normal circumstances. In contrast, only a few select humans put up any reasonable fight at all in the films, and generally in the literature, though it is worth noting that in the first AVP film the yautja were participating in a coming of age "ceremony", while in the second AVP film the Yautja was shown as a veteran warrior.
In Predator and Predator 2 the yautja are portrayed not with an honor system per se, but instead a sense of sportsmanship and a respect for the "rules of the hunt." Yautja seem primarily interested in aggressive game, and will often completely ignore and spare the weak and helpless. In Predator 2, one yautja aims his plasma cannon at the head of a child that has a toy Uzi, but relents when a scan identifies the gun as a toy. When the yautja found itself witness to a confrontation between armed civilians, gang members and police officers, the yautja attacked all three sides without distinction due to their weapons. They were all prey. Later, the same yautja scans a disarmed female prey, and upon discovering a fetus within her, spares her life. The sense of sportsmanship can sometimes extend to when the prey beats the yautja, as demonstrated when Detective Harrigan finally kills his yautja opponent on board the yautja's spacecraft. A group of yautja confronts Harrigan. However, rather than attacking him (in which Harrigan would've quickly been killed), the most senior of them tosses Harrigan an old flint-lock pistol as a trophy for Harrigan's victory. Such recognitions are rare, however, due to the largely solitary nature of a yautja's hunt and their preferred use of a self-destruct device when facing defeat (which Harrigan's opponent did attempt to use, only to have the self-destruct device destroyed before it could explode, by Harrigan himself). The novels generally support the idea that the more senior yautja place a greater value on sportsmanship, rules and challenge of prey, while younger hunters are only interested in amassing kills and trophies. This theory is also supported in the video games.
In Alien vs. Predator, a yautja neutralizes and is about to kill an elderly character (Weyland), then detects terminal lung cancer within the man and ignores him. It is only when the man attacks the departing yautja with a makeshift flamethrower (a portable oxygen tank and a flare) that the yautja actually kills him. This suggests that yautja will only kill a seemingly weak target if they threat or otherwise show worth as prey. Also at the end of Alien vs. Predator, when Alexa meets the yautja that ritually scarred itself on the forehead, it was about to kill her when it itself is attacked by a xenomorph. Alexa kills the alien with the yautja's spear, and the yautja uses the xenomorph acid to mark her face with a glyph as proof of her kill. When the yautja de-cloak to collect the fallen yautja after the Queen xenomorph kills him, the clan leader sees the mark on Alexa's face and gives her his spear, acknowledging her, at the very least, as a fellow warrior. Trading trophies to fellow warriors may be common in yautja society for skilled warriors.
Yautja generally don't attack unarmed humans (likely since a human without a weapon can't so much as inflict a minor injury on a yautja) unless they were already hunting a human that happened to lose his or her weapon. In the event that this happens, as at the end of both Predator films, the yautja will remove most of it's own weaponry, in order to match their opponent.
They also appear to believe in honorable suicide, similar to the samurai ritual of seppuku, preferring to die rather than being slain or captured. The video game Predator: Concrete Jungle states that one of the yautja's highest laws is to be anonymous to their prey species, and breaking such a law can lead to a 100-year banishment to a far-off planet, which, if they have managed to survive to the end, they will be given a chance to redeem themselves afterwards. Aliens versus Predator: Extinction also shows that those yautja who fail to commit suicide after dishonoring themselves are hunted and killed by their comrades. They will also use their wrist-mounted bomb if they find themselves in a situation where their technology will be captured by another species. Also in the Batman versus Predator series of comic books a yautja was seen about to commit suicide, rather than be killed by its adversary. Batman seemingly outwitted his yautja enemy although this was using more brains than brawn. The yautja in question was handed a sword with which to commit the act by an elder yautja, more wise in the ways of the hunt. Whether this is canon or not is debatable however, as these comics lie outside of normal comic continuity for both lines.
[edit] Homeworld
There is almost no information about the yautja homeworld in the films. An issue of one of the various Alien vs. Predator comic book series made reference to the "Tribeworlds", suggesting that the species originates from an entire star system instead of a single planet. A possible clue about the nature of the yautja homeworld provided by both the Predator films is that the creatures are attracted to hot, humid climates; the heat may also help with the yautja's visual equipment. This quality is remarked upon by Anna in the first film, and later reinforced by Peter Keyes in the sequel. This suggests a homeworld whose climate is much warmer than that of the Earth. It's possible that the homeworld of the yautja is a forest world,similar to our rain forests due to extreme aptitude they display in Predator and Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem. On the other hand, in the video game Aliens versus Predator: Extinction, it is revealed that yautja have (somewhat) fire-resistant skin because they live on an arid death world. This resistance to fire is reinforced in the film Alien vs. Predator, when a yautja is attacked with a makeshift flamethrower. It turns away unhurt, but with smoke/steam streaming off its body and head. This made the creature angry enough to kill the human that attacked it, even though it had already left him alone due to his terminal illness.
It is also possible they live on a much colder world, where their infrared vision would be much more effective, and because they were so easily able to withstand the bitter cold of Antarctica in Alien vs. Predator, temperatures that would have easily killed a person. Hunting yautja may choose extremely hot climates for the challenge they provide by reducing the effectiveness of their IR vision and sensors. Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem features a sequence which shows the protagonist, a yautja dubbed "Wolf", leaving the yautja homeworld for earth to deal with an infestation of xenomorphs.
The planet contains huge, sleak industrial like buildings and appears to be encircled by an asteroid belt and orbit a binary star system. Also with the theory and story which was portrayed in Alien vs. Predator about their history of helping Earth civilizations build pyramids and monuments is depicted in the background of the homeworld of the second film which shows a pyramid resembling those of Egypt being constructed, which suggests that the Yautja race still uses such architecture methods as either common uses or for ceremonial practices.
[edit] Film portrayals
Kevin Peter Hall played the yautja in the first and second movies (though originally Jean-Claude Van Damme was slated to play the creature), having been in many suits before that, including Harry and the Hendersons. He was trained in the art of mime and used many tribal dance moves in his performance, such as during the fight between Arnold Schwarzenegger and the Predator at the end of the first movie. In Predator 2 according to a "making of" featurette, Danny Glover suggested the Los Angeles Lakers to be the other yautja because Glover himself was a big fan. Hall persuaded some of the Lakers to play background yautja because they couldn't find anyone on short notice. Hall died not long after Predator 2 was released in theaters.
In Alien vs. Predator, Welsh actor Ian Whyte, a fan of the Predator comics and movies, took over as the man in the yautja suit.
[edit] Special effects and creature evolution
The yautja's blood was originally made from a combination of the liquid out of glow sticks mixed with K-Y Jelly. The mixture would dry up quickly, so on set new batches had to be quickly made between takes. The technique is still used.
The camouflage effect was designed by R/Greenberg Associates, under the direction of Joel Hynek. The idea for the effect came in a dream one of the Thomas brothers (who wrote the film) had in which there was a chrome man who was inside a reflective sphere. The man blended in, perfectly camouflaged, reflecting from all directions and only visible when in motion. It took quite a while before they figured out how to do it, which was basically an image repeated in a pattern of ripples in the shape of the Predator's body. It proved very effective and was a new way of presenting an "invisible man." Before there was digital technology all of the camouflage was done optically using photo-chemical means. This meant that you would never get the same result twice from combining the pieces of film.
After the original movies, Amalgamated Dynamics took over from Stan Winston Studio in creating the props for the yautja in the Alien vs. Predator movie and a number of effects houses worked on the various other effects. The design of the yautja and its attributes including the cloaking technology and self-destruct device have changed over the years because of the advances in effects technology and will surely continue to vary in design in coming years.
[edit] Equipment
[edit] Bio mask
The yautja are a highly advanced technological species, evident through their capacity for interstellar travel and their vast array of weapons and equipment. One example of this technology is the Bio mask that they routinely wear during a hunt. Various mask types and designs are used by the yautja; the variation in design seems to result from individual preference rather than necessity. These masks contain a variety of functions which the yautja may require during a hunt. Some functions are listed here, with further details below:
A gas mask, respirator, possible translator, voice/sound amplifier, multiple vision modes, a zoom function, some diagnostic capabilities and some type of communication with other yautja and/or mother ship. These functions are in addition to serving as protection for the yautja's heads. It is unknown if the masks have an enclosed breathing system for uninhabitable environment (liquids, certain gas mixes etc.).
The masks have been shown to have several different vision modes. These vision modes vary depending on the mask, and the origin of the Predator fiction. The most commonly seen vision mode is an enhanced thermal vision that greatly increases the contrast between objects from the yautja's natural sight, as seen in the first movie, when the yautja removes its mask. This is the mode the yautja are seen to use to track humans. In the film Alien vs. Predator, the yautja again has multiple vision modes, the two it uses primarily are the thermal vision for tracking humans and an "alien vision" it uses to detect xenomorphs (in the film Aliens it was established that xenomorphs are not visible using thermal vision). In Predator 2, the yautja switches between multiple spectral modes when it finds itself under attack from opponents who are wearing thermal camouflage, the movie suggests (due to screen coloring) that this mode could be some form of Ultraviolet spectrum; other explanations for this mode are Low-Light Amplification and Air Density Pressure (movement); but this is not specifically explained in the movie. Additional vision modes are available to determine the health condition of targets, suggesting that the yautja have a thorough understanding of human anatomy. This is shown in Predator 2 and Alien vs. Predator. The visual setting may also be modified for x-rays and microwaves, with a built-in magnetometer and a Geiger counter.
Housed within the helmet is a targeting and tracking system for any shoulder-mounted weaponry. The shoulder mounted Plasma caster uses this laser target designator which comprises three sides of an open triangle, this also has a zoom capability so the yautja can see and aim over great distances. This tracking system also allows the yautja to plot trajectories of thrown objects. In Predator, a rock thrown by Dutch was tracked back to him in this manner. There is also an extensive array of surveillance equipment within the mask including a Waveform Analyzer which can analyze and imitate previous words spoken to it in an effort to communicate with, or ambush, other life forms such as humans. The mask also is used to analyse the materials or density of a toy gun a child was holding in Predator 2, meaning the yautja was able to mark the child as harmless. The mask also seems to affect hearing as well; in Predator, when the yautja took its mask off, it heard things at a much higher pitch than before and slightly more distorted. The mask possibly has the ability to provide protection from a xenomorph facehugger as well though it is highly unlikely as there is no protection given in the Aliens versus Predator video games, as it may have be the case as Kane was face-hugged despite his head being inside a space suit helmet in the first Alien film. The helmet does have its weakness; a large EMP signature will interfere with the vision modes, potentially leaving the yautja vulnerable.
In Alien Vs. Predator the thermal vision is change from the usual blue vision that showed the body temperature to a vision that showed a more detailed vision. This is most likely to make the ritual harder for the coming of age yautja. As the blue thermal vision makes it return in Alien Vs. Predator Requiem.
In the Aliens versus Predator video games, the yautja has four vision modes, regular vision (to fit in with the first-person shooter genre), thermal (spotting regular beings like humans), electric (gives a red background, used spotting xenomorphs by their white outline), and yautja vision (gives a bright green background, helps spot other yautja by a white body, and other yautja-related technology such as smart discs). In Predator: Concrete Jungle, the yautja's mask offered four types of vision and varying diagnostic functions for each: Normal Vision, which was the same as a human and had no diagnostic; Thermal Vision, which highlighted heat signatures and could analyze health and armour weaknesses in prey; Tech vision, which contrasted energy sources and xenomorphs and analyzed a prey's weapon systems and Neuro Vision, which exposed the prey's current emotional status (calm, panicking, hostile, etc.) and, on scan, would show the target's affiliation and rank.
One final feature of the predator is its voice translator/recorder. This device can both record and play strips of audio, which a predator may use to express meaning or catch prey off guard.
[edit] Cloaking device
Other equipment includes a cloaking device to provide active camouflage, bending light around the wearer and projecting a semi-transparent image in front of the yautja, making it very hard to see, though not completely invisible. The overall effect is similar to that of light being bent by heat on a hot day (the mirage effect) The technology is also used to mask yautja ships moving within enemy territories. However, contact with water renders the device inoperable. The only exception to this rule is when the yautja faces off against a drug lord while standing in a puddle of water; the yautja briefly appears, but is subsequently shown cloaked in the next angle. It also doesn't seem to work against xenomorphs, possibly because the xenomorphs use their shark-like electrical senses to "feel" the yautja. This is seen in Alien vs. Predator, when a camouflaged yautja is impaled through the chest by a xenomorph's tail, and in the games Aliens versus Predator and Aliens versus Predator 2 they have a vision which outlines the yautja with a green aura (much like the Tech vision a yautja uses to view xenomorphs has a green background). Also, a yautja's cloak can be identified when the yautja is seen at close distances. Movement by the yautja tends to break up the distortions, unless the yautja is moving slowly like when he crawled past Dutch in the first Predator film.
In the Aliens versus Predator video game, the cloaking device works by making its user transparent; this is because it has been found by the developers that the game engine made the light-bending cloak too ineffective to be useful. It is also done this way so the player can still see what they are doing when playing as the cloaked yautja. It seems that androids and sentry guns can still see a yautja even with the cloak and humans often blindly fire in front of them (because of their motion sensors tracking a yautja's movements)
[edit] Medicomp
The medicomp is not a weapon, but a small case that contains various medical equipment should the Predator ever be injured (although most if not all of these equipment seem to hurt as much as they help, as all the yautja that have used these tools on themselves have roared in pain soon after, a reaction that they don't have when they receive their injuries). One of the medical gadgets in it resembles a spike with a handle and contains a material that is either a powerful stimulant or a form of artificial plasma. It also contains a burner and a vial of liquid that when mixed with other materials (in Predator 2, the yautja uses broken glass and wall-tile fragments), creates a healing compound that can be used to treat and cauterize almost any wound, from minor to mortal, that a yautja may have. It has made various appearances throughout the Predator franchises including the video games.
This healing kit contains enough tools to perform minor surgery and repair superficial wounds. The healing kit also contains a shrapnel extractor, two wound clamps, which snap open and pin the wound closed with small spikes (one of these is used to close a bullet wound in Predator although this wound later re-opens), one stimulant shot, and one antiseptic tube (also used in Predator) as well as a detox probe, a hypospray, and 15 drug vials. Typical lists of drug vials include three each of: bone coral, counter-agent, healing booster, stabilizer and stimulant. The whole kit is extremely compact and takes up an area 4"x5"x9". The kit can come in a small version, a medium version, or a heavy version, the heavy version has all of the above inside of it.
The medicomp is also built with a flame extinguisher in the event that a yautja catches fire, but this is almost redundant seeing as how their plate armor is usually fireproof.
[edit] Sat-com
The sat-com is a computer which shows plans and schematics of some determined object or building, as well as working like a GPS-style positioning unit. This device is seen in use in the first and second Alien vs. Predator films.
[edit] Plate armor
Most yautja wear a breastplate which doesn't cover the midsection. It is made of a very durable unknown metal able to stop bullets as well as delay the corrosive effect of xenomorph blood long enough for it to be taken off. In Alien vs. Predator, when xenomorph blood is splashed onto the plate, the yautja simply rips it off, suggesting that the plate is held together by clips attached to the backpack which release when pulled. The plate also appears to be made of several layers resulting in better durability. Pauldrons and tassets are also featured on a yautja as well as greaves and foot armor made of the same unknown alloy. Though very light and strong, most types of yautja armor will dent if hit with a strong enough blow and can be pierced by a xenomorph tail blade.
The Aliens versus Predator video games portray the plate armor as being indestructible as a gameplay element, making the yautja the most durable player-controlled character. The plate armor won't keep a determined chestburster from erupting from the inside however; the armor shatters from the birth.
In Aliens Vs. Predator: Requiem, most of Wolf's weapons are acid resistant, but apparently his armor is as well. During the sewer fight, after he stabs a xenomorph whith his combistick, it still being alive and trying to crawl away, Wolf brings his boot down, literally, crushing the creature's head and getting acid all over his boot. During the same scene, after two xenomorphs ambush him and he comes back up, one creature for each hand and blows off their heads with his plasma casters, the acid gets into the water and nothing happens. Likewise to the armor, it is not confirmed if the Brothers Strause wanted the water to negate the acid.
[edit] Mesh jumpsuit
Almost all yautja wear what seems to be a mesh jumpsuit made of an unknown wire. It appears to warm the yautja's body by means of electrically generated warmthTemplate:Documentation needed. Besides this, it has also been suggested that the mesh is a part of the camouflage system. However when neither camouflage nor warmth is needed the mesh suit serves as a jumpsuit during the hunt. Another possible method of use is that the mesh may act as a storing device for trophies or weapons.
[edit] Weapons
Yautja weaponry varies from hunter to hunter. It is possible that the difference in weapons between the various movies and games is more an indication of preference than anything else. Differences in clan culture may decide the difference in equipment a yautja may carry, as different clans may have different amounts of discipline in specific areas of combat, skill, or just possess a greater level of wealth or available technology. The idea of difference in wealth in a yautja clan would explain the amount of equipment carried and the advanced levels of each piece of equipment (for example, length and material of wristblades). However, it may not necessarily account for the variety carried by them throughout their encounters. It has never been officially stated that they have specific reasons for using certain weapons.
The video game Predator: Concrete Jungle rumored some or all yautja weapons to be based on Promethius technology, it is uncertain whether this means they are made with promethium or the phrase is unrelated to the element. Most fans believe that it is named after the Greek myth of Promethius who stole fire from the Gods to bring to humans, as yautja are god-like when compared to humans, especially in regard to technology.
[edit] Weapons depicted in film
It should be noted that the first Alien vs. Predator film appears to ignore all of the background information established in the numerous Alien versus Predator games, novels, and comics up to that point. This may explain the numerous differences between the two depictions.
[edit] Wrist blades
The wrist blade is the weapon of choice for most yautja and their iconic symbol. Twin or triple blades with jagged double edges are effective against prey. Using the wrist blades shows pride because yautja prefer melee combat.
The blades range from 12 to 18 inches long and retract from a wristband. They are forged from an unknown alloy which is almost unbreakable, but not totally immune to xenomorph blood. In Alien vs. Predator, the wrist blade used by the yautja Celtic, was reversed so that the sharper end could be used more effectively in an outward swing that he used against a xenomorph, which ended up in his wrist blades being melted in half by the xenomorph's acidic blood, while in Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem Wolf's blades (which are almost identical to normal wrist blades) are immune to all forms of damage including alien acid, though this may be due to the ones seen in Alien vs. Predator were for ritual and probably destructible to make it harder for the yautja, while the ones in Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem belong to an experienced hunter. In the first Predator film, the yautja uses lasers to heat the blades for more powerful blows. How they are sharpened is not shown. The Blades can be fired from the housing/slide in case of emergency, or reversed to execute a back-handed slash, or have them spread apart to make attacks with larger (more spread-out) wounds or to 'dissaude' prey from moving by trapping their head between the blades. These blades are often serrated to cause maximum damage when stabbing and/or pulling the blades free, double-edged, and occasionally both top and bottom are edged, removing the need for the reversing blades. Some yautja (like the Urban Hunter in Predator 2), will opt for a spear gun rather than firing their blades (which must be a last resort, unless the blades are later recovered and replaced).
In the computer game Aliens versus Predator 2, a scientist's medical report of a yautja indicates that the wrist blades' wristband was grafted to the yautja's arm and removing it caused pulmonary arrest in the yautja being studied. The researcher speculates that the cardiac arrest may be an anti-tampering mechanism and comments, "What kind of society would rather have its warriors die than be disarmed?" However in Alien vs. Predator a yautja removes his wrist bomb, though his wristband was still attached to his arm.
[edit] Arm Blades
In Alien vs. Predator (film) Only the Chopper (Gill) Predator has these arm blades. They're much longer than Scar's or Celtic's wrist blades, but they can't be retracted or extended at will.
[edit] Plasma caster
The plasma Caster (also known as the "tri-cannon", "Plasma cannon" and sometimes "shoulder cannon"), is a shoulder-mounted cannon. A three-dot laser sight, which appears as a triangle in the yautja's HUD, is used to show the yautja where the shot will go. The plasma caster will automatically lock on a target if corresponding vision is activated. The three-dot laser sight can be part of the yautja's helmet. In both set-ups the plasma caster moves with the yautja's field of vision. It fires a bright, usually blue, pulse of plasma in a straight line. The pulse can be controlled to fire with more powerful charges, and the shots can burn through flesh, wood, metal, etc. There are at least two calibers, with the larger one mounting its own laser sight. The sound made when firing changed in Alien vs. Predator from a single whip-like striking sound, to a more mellow blast with a reverbing deep pulse as the shot travels. Of course, the only caster to fire in Alien vs. Predator was a larger caliber than the first two. In Alien vs. Predator, acquiring the weapons appeared to be the trigger for the training pyramid, as none of the yautja were dropped off with one, and the pyramid maze activated after the weapons were unstowed. The three-dot sight has become the iconic symbol of the Predator films. The plasma caster can also work as part of the wrist computer. It is also removable.
In the film Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem, the yautja Wolf wields two plasma casters. According to the production team, the yautja takes a second plasma caster from the corpse of another yautja killed by the xenomorphs. When Wolf uses two plasma cannons he can fire from both at the same time on different targets at once. The plasma caster is used as a hand-fired weapon, with the addition of a pistol grip, after the tracking servos on Wolf's shoulder mount malfunction.
As a gameplay element in the Aliens versus Predator video games, when used in conjunction with the correct vision mode, the Plasma-caster automatically targets an enemy and the shot is normally a guaranteed hit, (especially against human targets) provided that said enemy doesn't take cover in such situations, although fast xenomorphs may escape.
[edit] Combi stick
In the movies the combi stick closely resembles a spear. It has the ability to cut through many materials such as body armor and steel. It is swung by the yautja and used to deliver crushing or piercing blows. The combi stick is also telescopic, presumably for easy storage when not in use. Both this and the shuriken are made of materials that are somehow resistant to the acidic traits of xenomorph blood.
[edit] Spear gun
A spear gun which fires small metal darts at high velocity. The spear is said to look like a "Spear Tip". The spear gun shoots the dart at such a high velocity that it completely eliminates the need for leading. It can fire in two modes: in semi and spread (fires like a shotgun). This weapon was briefly seen in Predator 2 and is available in the Aliens versus Predator video games as well as in Predator: Concrete Jungle.
[edit] Smart disc
The smart disc (also known simply as the "disc") is an extremely sharp circular weapon that is thrown like a discus and returns to the user like a boomerang. This weapon is extremely powerful, shown to cut through half a dozen cattle carcasses and a man in Predator 2 in quick succession without any effort. It also has a hand grip for use as a slashing melee weapon as well. In the film Alien vs. Predator, the smart disc was replaced by a shuriken-like throwing star.
It is stated in the video game Aliens versus Predator: Extinction that the disc is mentally controlled by the yautja; yautja who train their mental capacity are able to do this. The discs may also be upgraded to have a rotating laser covering the edge. Also in the Aliens versus Predator first-person shooter games, the Disc had a homing device when used in conjunction with an appropriate vision mode, and could be retracted at will. Whether this is the case in the movies has never been stated, but it is most likely technological.
[edit] Shuriken
A shuriken, as seen in Alien vs. Predator, behaves much like the smart disc, however it is constructed with retractable blades. In Alien vs. Predator a yautja also uses it as a slashing weapon. It is immune to xenomorph's acid blood. It appeared again in the movie's sequel, Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem, except far larger. The blade is also available as an upgrade to the smart disc in the game Predator: Concrete Jungle. It is sharp enough and fast enough to cut itself three whole inches into solid stone. The blades are also strong enough to break a xenomorph Queen's hardened head armor, though it cannot seem to actually cut it. In A.V.P:R, the shuriken is able to cut striaght through a xenomorph, and then going on to collide with a human with enough force to lift them into the air and impale them on a wall, killing them instantly.
[edit] Netgun
There are apparently two versions of the netgun. The first is seen in Predator 2, where it is a gun-like weapon that fires a man-sized net at its target, who is violently thrown and trapped against the nearest surface. The net then begins to constrict itself and cut apart the trapped individual inside.
A second version of the netgun was seen in the movie Alien vs. Predator, where it is seen to be a smaller version mounted on the yautja's wrist gauntlet. The net is extremely strong, shown when a character tries to cut through the net with a knife, but the net cuts the knife's blade from the handle. It is not resilient to the xenomorph's acidic blood (as the xenomorph Grid in Alien vs. Predator escapes the net but retains the grid-shaped scars) or smart discs (as seen in Predator 2).
In the video game Aliens versus Predator 2, the net only traps the victim to maintain the balance of game play. The opponents captured in nets are allowed to cut their way out with melee weapons (knives in the case of marines, claws in the case of xenomorphs, and wrist blades in the case of player-controlled yautja, the last being only in multiplayer matches).
[edit] Gauntlet plasma bolt
A wrist-mounted projectile weapon, seen in Predator 2, fires a small plasma bolt off the Predator's left wrist gauntlet, which seems to be only effective against unarmored opponents, but still causes a reasonable amount of damage as the protagonist of Predator 2, Mike Harrigan had to hastily remove his body armor.
[edit] Scatter gun
In Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem the scatter gun is part of the plasma caster. In the film it is used when the plasma caster is rendered useless when Wolf's targeting systems are damaged. In the Aliens versus Predator: Requiem game for the PSP the Scatter Gun is called the Hand Cannon and is obtained when the second to last level (Hospital Exterior) is succesfully completed, it deals a large amount of damage and fires quite rapidly - making it one of the best weapons in the game.
[edit] Ceremonial dagger
The ceremonial dagger is a relatively new discovery, appearing in the Alien vs. Predator film where it appears to be resistant to the acidic properties of xenomorph blood.
[edit] Wire
Wire is commonly used by a yautja. In Alien vs. Predator, the yautja Scar uses some form of wire to kill one of the mercenaries when the team is walking down a corridor. The yautja hangs it down from above, the mercenary's head gets caught in it, and the yautja pulls him up. Also, yautja use wire to hang defeated prey upside down by the ankles.
[edit] Whip
The whip is another weapon previously unseen prior to it's depiction in AVP:R. When first introduced, the Predator picks up the whip in addition to other weapons before departing the planet. it is highly resistant to the corrosive property of xenomorph blood and can cut targets in half.
[edit] Glove
In Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem, Wolf has a new armored glove weapon. It's unfolding armor that encases his hand allowing him to punch through concrete and other such materials. The glove also appeared to be powered by some form of energy build-up, as Wolf used it to blow a hole in the roof of a sewer tunnel to the street above. The glove released some form of impact energy with explosive force.
[edit] Self-destruct Device
Each Yautja carries a self-destruct device mounted on their wrist computer. Once activated this device begins a relatively short countdown. Red LEDs of Yautja numerals on the predator's gauntlet serve as a warning that a bomb is about to explode. The detonation of the bomb results in a small nuclear explosion which destroys everything in a baseball field-sized area. The actual bomb is located on the wrist device as depicted in the first Aliens vs Predator film when Scar detaches his from his wrist and throws it into the Pyramid's Xenomorph egg hatching chamber. So it can be used as a bomb to destroy a structure or enemy, but normally the bomb is used as a Self-Destruct Device a Yautja will use to commit suicide when he has been mortally wounded or inescapably trapped, in order to preserve his honor and remove any evidence of his existence.
There appear to be two forms of this device. In all of the Predator movies, as well as Alien vs. Predator, the devices take the form of small range nuclear devices, exploding outward and obliterating everything in its range. However, in Aliens vs. Predator - Requiem, the Predator Wolf uses an implosive version to destroy the wreck of the spacecraft before it can be found by humans. The device flashed outward, then the explosion collapsed rapidly to a small sphere which winked out. There was little to no damage beyond the wreck itself, which completely disintegrated in the flash. This could be attributed to the motives of the Predator Wolf, who throughout the movie is trying to conceal all the evidence linking the infestation to the two races.
[edit] Solvent
In AVP:Requiem, Wolf carried a vial of a blue, corrosive liquid taken off a fallen comrade. The chemical is incredibly potent and able to dissolve organic material. He used this substance to eliminate evidence such as Xenomorph and Human corpses, and also as an effective weapon against a xenomorph. The substance seems to react with water in a violent, exothermic reaction. When used on organic material, the water within cells completely disolves the surronding cell. Further more, the initial reaction seems to cause chain reactions that spread to any water sources near it with incredible speed. A small amount of the solvent can vaporise large quanties of water (shown when Wolf poured some of the vial into a school swimming pool and it was shown later, completely devoid of liquid).
[edit] Laser Nets
The Laser Net is a flat triangular-shaped device that is thrown at a nearby surface and initially attaches itself using a gravity warping mechanism, allowing it to stick to walls or ceilings. Seconds later automatic mechanized drill-screws bore themselves into any material (i.e. Concrete, Steel, Wood, Marble) securing the Laser Net in place, preventing any chance of the device falling from walls or ceilings or being moved should it be attached to the ground. When the device is activated by a Predator using a remote control, multiple laser beams emanate from the device stretching across a spacial void until they make contact with an adjacent surface. From depictions of the device in AVP:R the lasers do not seem to damage or cut into the adjacent surfaces they touch, but do cut and slice xenomorphs (Aliens) with ease when they try to pass through the laser field. This is explained as the lasers being designed to only cut through biological tissue. When two or more Laser Nets are placed across from each other on parallel surfaces and activated, a laser "Grid" results, disallowing all but the smallest creatures to pass through. A Predator Warrior/Hunter/Cleaner places these devices behind himself to prevent any possible attack from behind while tracking prey.
[edit] Weapons depicted outside of film
[edit] Maul
The maul is a very long, barbed, arrowed, blade that the yautja holds in its hands or slips onto its arm. They appeared in the game Predator: Concrete Jungle. These blades are very powerful and can easily slice humans in half. The blades can be held upside down and are longer in the back, which makes them perfect for a backwards stab. In the game, they can be used in combination with the wrist blades to make a sort of dual wielding blade. The blade is about 2 1/2 feet long.
A similar weapon made a brief appearance in the film Alien vs. Predator, being attached to the forearms of the yautja called Chopper (named after the two large blades on his forearms) by the crew of the film. Though they were seen attached to his arms through his part in the film, he never had the chance to use them as he was killed from behind by a xenomorph.
[edit] Glaive
This weapon appeared in the video game Predator: Concrete Jungle. It can be used as an alternative for the combi stick. It looks very similar to the combi stick, but with a large blade on the each end rather than strong pointed tips. In this respect it is used much like a sword with cutting blows rather than a bone crushing powerful spear like the combi Stick. It can be used as a single-handed or double-handed weapon.
[edit] Plasma pistol
A plasma pistol that acts like a hand-held mid-range version of the plasma caster but with a large area of affect. The firing mechanism differs between the two games. In the first game, the mechanism is fired in a parabolic arc like an M203 grenade, while the second game portrays it as firing in a straight line. In the second game, the secondary fire fires a burst in an arced trajectory, capable of stunning xenomorphs and even jamming electronic equipment temporarily.
[edit] Throwing mines
In the games and AVP:R, various mines, traps, and charges are shown to be used by the Yautja. These include:
- Fire trap: An explosive mine. Featured in Predator: Concrete Jungle.
- EMP mine: Disables mechanical devices. Featured in Predator: Concrete Jungle.
- Sonic trap: Used to stun and temporarily paralyze an enemy or prey. Effective when needed to disable the victim without hurting the innocent or weak nearby. Featured in Predator: Concrete Jungle.
- Plasma mine: Vaporizes the flesh off the enemy, leaving just the skeleton. Featured in Predator: Concrete Jungle.
- Remote bomb: Detonated by the yautja or it explodes when in contact with a target. Can be stuck to surfaces. Featured in Aliens versus Predator 2.
[edit] Burner
Confusingly, this term has three definitions. The first refers to a flamethrower like weapon, meant for mass-effect attack strategy, that eliminates multiple aliens or humans with a 5-foot-wide, 90-foot-long line of flame which burns almost everything. It also refers to a long rifle with a button for a trigger in the Alien vs. Predator novels. This weapon is highly effective against anything up to and including a xenomorph queen, taking its head off with one shot to the neck. It is too powerful to be issued for normal hunts and is only used for warfare or queen stealing raids on alien hives. Finally, burner seems to be a blanket term for any plasma based ranged weapon as Noguchi's shoulder cannon is referred to as a shoulder-burner in Alien vs. Predator: War and Alien vs. Predator: Hunter's Planet.
[edit] Chemical sprayer
Almost identical to the burner, the chemical sprayer can project hazardous toxins or sprays of acid towards a nearby foe. Yautja usually use this weapon with the intent to capture rather than kill their prey. It is most used when energy weapons are too dangerous to use, (i.e., a caustic atmosphere).
[edit] Energy Fletchette
A rapid fire, wrist mounted energy weapon that fires golden plasma projectiles that do little damage but take up a considerably small amount of energy. featured in the game Aliens versus Predator 2.
[edit] Notable yautja
- "Jungle Hunter": The rogue warrior who killed most of the special forces team in the original film, before being defeated by Dutch.
- "Urban Hunter": Another hunter in Predator 2 who was killed in his spacecraft by Los Angeles police officer Lieutenant Michael Harrigan.
- Elder: the group of yautja that hunt the xenomorphs on Earth. He appears in Predator 2. A different Elder is also seen in Alien vs. Predator.
- Yeyinde: From the Aliens versus Predator comic book. Referred to as Dachande, meaning "different knife" by other yautja, and "Broken Tusk" by humans, both due to a broken mandible.
- Topknot: Appears in several Aliens verus Predator comic books.
- Scar: The primary yautja and protagonist in Alien vs. Predator, Scar was killed by the xenomorph Queen.
- Celtic and Chopper/Gill: Scar's "brothers at arms," they were both killed by the xenomorph Grid in Alien vs. Predator.
- Scarface: The protagonist of Predator: Concrete Jungle. Name derives from the gruesome gunshot scar on the left side of his face and also on his helmet.
- Swift Knife, Stone Heart, and Long Spear: a trio of "Bad Bloods" from Predator: Concrete Jungle, who are captured and tortured by Borgia Industries and are forced to fight the Scarface Predator, and all other enemies of the company.
- Wolf: The protagonist of Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem. A veteran hunter; he is a 'cleaner', ruthless and methodical, with a talent for single-handedly dealing with extreme lethal threats such as xenomorph infestations. He was killed by the Predalien then, was blown apart by the bomb.
[edit] Films
Since 1987, yautja have appeared in several films.
- Predator (1987)
- Predator 2 (1990)
- Alien vs. Predator (2004)
- Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem (2007)
[edit] Appearances in other media
They have also been involved in a number of spin-offs in a range of media that include novels, comic books and video games, most prominently Predator: Concrete Jungle.
Since Predator, the yautja have appeared in many crossovers (including a large number of intercompany crossovers) in comic books and other media such as novels and video games.
The largest of these crossovers is the Alien vs. Predator franchise, in which the yautja hunt the xenomorphs. This was an idea that came to comic book artist Chris Warner in early 1989. He and other people at Dark Horse Comics were trying to come up with a good character combo for a new comics series. Dark Horse had been publishing Aliens comic book under license from 20th Century Fox since 1987. In 1990, the first depiction of the idea in film appeared in Predator 2, when a xenomorph skull appeared as one of the trophies in the yautja spacecraft.
At Warner's suggestion, Dark Horse head publisher Mike Richardson phoned the head of Fox licensing Pam North with their idea, expecting to have a long negotiation ahead. Instead, North was immediately enthusiastic about the concept.
The deal that brought the two characters together was credited as "Deal of the Year" by Capital City Distributors, even though it only took a few phone calls (a fact Dark Horse somehow neglected to contradict).
Alien vs. Predator, released in 2004 with director Paul W. S. Anderson at the helm, incorporates several elements from the comic books although it had a completely different story.
As well as Alien-franchise cross-overs, there have also been many other comic book crossovers with Superman, The Darkness, Witchblade, Magnus Robot Fighter, Green Lantern, Judge Dredd, Tarzan and Batman. In the comic Aliens versus Predator versus The Terminator they are also shown as a force of balance on a cosmic level, working to stop a flood of Terminator androids from decimating the population of the galaxy. A yautja who was constantly in stealth mode appeared in an episode of the late night animated series Sealab 2021 in the episode entitled "Predator".
A yautja was also seen in the South Park episode Imaginationland Episode 2 as one of the evil imaginary creatures released from the bad side of Imaginationland. It is formally recognised by the character Butters, with him yelling, "AAGGHH! A PREDATOR!" Butters had encountered one earlier (unseen) in "Butters' Very Own Episode".
On page 2 of Green Lantern #24, where the entire Sinestro Corps head for earth, one of the members at the bottom of the page is obviously a take on a yautja. It features the iconic mandibles, elongated head, dreadlocks, and even a shoulder cannon, along with the Sinestro corps uniform and Qwardian Power ring. A xenomorph member of the Sinestro Corps also appears fighting another Lantern elsewhere in the spread.
In Robot Chicken, the yautja and xenomorph are parodied twice in the episodes "A Piece of the Action" and "The Sack." Once in playing chess (as in the title Alien vs. Predator) and a "male" yautja named Douglas (voiced by Phil LaMarr) going on a date with a "female" xenomorph on an episode of Blind Date.
In the Family Guy episode "8 Simple Rules For Buying My Teenage Daughter", a clip is shown of Dustin Hoffman arguing with a yautja at a restaurant in the fictional film Kramer vs. Predator. Hoffman yells at the Predator for a while, and Predator shoots him.
The Mortal Kombat video game series features a character named "Cyrax", who not only resembles a yautja, but also features a finishing move called a "Fatality" that mimics the yautja's self destruct device. For example, in Mortal Kombat 3, Cyrax enters a combination on a wrist device. Seconds later he explodes, killing himself and his losing opponent. Cyrax was obviously heavily influenced by the design of a yautja, right down to his "dreadlock" wires on his head, one of his special moves, an energy net.
The Charid race featured in an episode of Farscape featured facemasks and dreadlocks that were nearly identical to the Predators', although, the faces underneath their masks were revealed to be quite different and less imaginative.
[edit] See also
- Predator (comic book)
- Xenomorphs, the alien race from the Alien film series
[edit] References
- Predator (1987 film)
- Predator 2 (1990 film)
- Aliens versus Predator (1999 video game)
- Aliens versus Predator 2 (2001 video game)
- Predator: Concrete Jungle (2004 video game)
- Alien vs. Predator (2004 film)
- Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem (2007 film)
[edit] External links
- Predator: Special Edition
- Fan site Predator: The Hunted – covers the entire Predator universe
- Predator collectibles and kit guide
- Predator World Online hub for Predator information
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