Predator 101: The Ultimate Lore Guide
by Brandon Norwood
Predator (Yautja) Lore Guide
With Predator: Badlands, starring Elle Fanning and Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi, now in theaters and making waves at comic cons worldwide, there’s no better time to revisit the legendary saga. Let’s break down everything fans need to know about the lore of the Predator creature before hitting the theater. After all, the Predator universe is as thrilling as it is complex and, at times, downright confusing.
Race and Origin: Predators, also known as Yautja, are an alien species from the desert planet Yautja Prime. They possess superhuman strength and dedicate themselves to hunting the universe’s most dangerous creatures as part of their culture.
Weapons and Abilities: Predators are expert hunters with an extensive arsenal. They wield a shoulder-mounted plasma cannon, a spear, throwing discs, and a net that can slice through anything, along with a thermal-vision mask capable of mimicking voices. They also have the ability to camouflage and become invisible. (Predator Halloween costumes have always been iconic.)
Motivation: Their lives revolve entirely around hunting. In Yautja society, non-hunters are considered inferior.
Code of Honor: Predators follow a strict code of hunting ethics, first established in the original film. They only hunt prey that can defend themselves and are forbidden from killing children, pregnant women, the elderly, or terminally ill individuals.
Trophies: Predators skin their prey and hang them by the feet. Prey deemed worthy are killed by spine-and-skull removal to serve as trophies. The number of trophies determines social status, with more trophies granting elite rank. Predator 2 reveals that Xenomorphs from the Alien franchise are also hunted, with a Xenomorph skull displayed as a trophy aboard a Predator ship.
Self-Destruct Code: If a Predator realizes it has lost a battle, it will activate a self-destruct device to prevent leaving traces of its technology.
“Notables”: A human who kills a Predator is considered a “Notable,” an untouchable figure respected by other Yautja, as part of their honor code. In Predator 2, Mike Harrigan, played by Danny Glover, becomes a Notable and is gifted a pistol as a sign of respect. Alexa Woods played by Sanaa Lathan in Alien vs. Predator is also a notable.
Vulnerabilities: Predators can be blinded if their thermal vision is blocked. In the first film, Dutch, played by Arnold Schwarzenegger, discovers that covering himself in mud hides his body heat. In Prey, orange flowers that cool the blood also render prey invisible to the Predator.
Other Vision Modes: Predator 2 demonstrates that Predators possess vision beyond thermal, such as the ability to detect weapon light.
Predator Variants: Any Predator that breaks the code of honor is labeled Bad Blood, becoming a criminal within their society. Predators introduces them, taller and genetically enhanced hunters, considered Bad Blood for violating the honor code. The Predator features a giant, genetically modified Predator, also classified as Bad Blood.
Society and Ranks: Predator society is organized into clans and ranks. The more trophies a Predator has, the more respected it is, attaining elite status just below clan leaders.
Fair Duels: Predators can remove their weapons for hand-to-hand combat against worthy prey. In the original Predator, Dutch engages in such a fight, and in Predators, a Predator duels a Yakuza with only a single blade to match his opponent.
This fall, the saga steps into uncharted territory, promising not just a new chapter in the franchise, but a bold reimagining of what it means to be Predator and prey. The upcoming Predator: Badlands is sure to expand our knowledge of the creatures, as the logline promises: “A young Predator outcast from his clan finds an unlikely ally on his journey in search of the ultimate adversary.”
Check out what’s to come of the Yatuja and their lore in Predator: Badlands, in theaters now!