With seven films and plenty of supplemental material, there have been a lot of Predators in the 'Predator' franchise.
The Yautja, also known as Predators or Hunters, are a technologically advanced species of humanoid aliens living within a society that covets trophy hunting to prove itself. Hailing from the planet Yautja Prime, unblooded Yautjas must seek out only the most worthy prey and hunt them to be initiated within their respective clans. First introduced in the sci-fi action bullet-fest Predator, the Yautja are vicious hunters with a code of honor.
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With the success of the original movie, the Yautja species and their lore has been expanded upon in comics, video games, and more movies, such as their history and multiple confrontations with humans and Xenomorphs, first seen in Alien. While not all movies and lore are part of an official canon, the Yautja species have a fleshed-out culture and a lengthy list of Predators seen in the film. These skilled trophy hunters dedicate their lives to proving themselves, constantly battling for which hunter can be the best.
Chopper was an unblooded Yautja, a member of the Isolated Clan and hunting party that lured humans in as sacrifices to breed Xenomorphs for a ritual hunt. Chopper was able to best a few humans, one with its tightening netgun and combistick, but was impaled by a Xenomorph's tail and failed even to fight an alien, let alone kill one.
Celtic was Choppers' older brother and leader of their trio. Celtic was also an unproven adolescent looking for its first worthy kill of a Xenomorph. Celtic aimed to avenge his brother's death, able to put up an intense fight. Still, Chopper's efforts were undermined by the alien's acidic blood, which ate away at his netting and wristblades, eventually falling to the same Xenomorph that killed his brother.
The Crucified Predator was a common Yautja who was taken prisoner and bound to a post on the game preserve planet populated by the prey of the Super Predators. This Yautja was said to be a Jungle Clan member, the same as the Predator seen in the '87 movie. Discovered and released by the mercenary Royce (Adrien Brody), the common Yautja hunter fought with the Super Predator before being brutally slain, showing the audience how superior the Super Predators were.
Tracker was a member of the Super Predator Clan, a stronger subspecies of the Yautja and described by Noland (Laurence Fishburne) as the "difference between dogs and wolves." Tracker was best known for using his pack of Hell-Hounds to ambush its prey, as seen when the mercenaries first are attacked, effectively flushing them out. Tracker used his plasmacaster to kill Noland and later impale Nikolai (Oleg Taktarov) but could not see that the Russian soldier pulled the pins on his claymores, exploding them both.
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The Fugitive Predator's affiliation was unknown, but oddly had human DNA and wanted to aid humanity before being captured by Project Stargazer, led by Will Traeger (Sterling K. Brown). Able to break free from its restraints, the captured Yautja tore through the lab full of soldiers and security with automatic weapons in one of the movie's best sequences. However, this character was also a device to show off the strength of the superior Upgrade Predator that smashes the Fugitive's head in with ease.
Falconer was also a Super Predator hunting alongside Tracker on the game preserve. Specializing in advanced technology, this Yautja hunter utilized a Predator Falcon drone to aid his hunt. This drone could extend the view of the hunters with similar visions seen in their bio-helmets. In a final standoff, Falconer set down its technology to fight fairly with Hanzo (Louis Ozawa Changchien), a sword-wielding Yakuza assassin, in a one-on-one duel that saw both of them honorably fall.
The Ancient Predator, or Elder Predator, holds the revered status in Yautja society as an Elder who is around 1,000 years old. Elders are fully blooded and most often Clan Leaders, this Ancient Elder being the leader of the Isolated Clan. An Elder is noted for being an accomplished hunter for many years and often mentoring young Yautja hunters. While this Elder is formidable because of its rank, the team it oversaw failed miserably at containing the Xenomorphs, diminishing his cinematic reputation.
Scar was brother to Chopper and Celtic, who both died to Xenomorphs. However, Scar was the only one to become blood. Once Scar confirms his first worthy kill, he is seen marking himself with acidic blood, signifying his ascension into a blooded Yautja. Scar then teamed up with Lex (Saana Lathan) to take down the alien hive and its queen but ultimately died of his wounds, and his body served as host to the Predalien, seen in the AVP sequel.
Greyback was also an Elder of the Yautja species and leader of the Lost Tribe. Greyback can be seen awarding the victorious Harrigan with the flintlock pistol, the same pistol recently seen in Prey. Greyback was an honorable Elder who led 9 Yaujta hunters, the City Hunter, and many more to list off. He led his clan to LA in 1990 and presumably led them far and wide to oversee numerous hunts. Even though audiences never saw him in action, Greyback's dedication to the Yautja code of honor makes him the most respected Elder in the Predator films.
The Feral Predator is the first Yautja to visit Earth, as seen in the latest installment, which rewrites some expanded lore. The less equipped Feral may be considered a youngblood because advanced weaponry must be earned through successful hunts in Yautja culture. While on Earth, this hunter studied the wildlife and the food chain to find a formidable prey to hunt, eventually taking out a full-grown Grizzly Bear with his bare hands. However, the Feral Predator underestimated a young Comanche tracker, as she used her knowledge of the land to outsmart him.
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The City Hunter, or Ghost, knew of the exploits of a rival Yautja hunter in '87 and looked to Earth to also prove his worth. Costume actor Kevin Peter Hall performed the Predator again, leaving an intimidating blood trail of gang members, police, and an entire top-secret CIA taskforce. While younger Yautja hunters tend to hunt in packs of three, City hunted alone, which implies he's already completed successful hunts. Piling up the body count, the City Hunter was shockingly beaten by Lt. Mike Harrigan (Danny Glover), who used City's smart disc blade against him.
Towering at 11ft tall, its physiology enhanced with sensory vision and impenetrable skin, the Upgrade Predator was essentially Superman among the common and Super Predators. The Upgrade Predator was also presumed to be a Bad Blood, disregarding any notion of an honorable hunting code. However, what puts this Predator lower on the list, despite its obvious physical advantages, is that it's killed by two familiar humans and a child regardless; the higher you are, the harder you fall.
The Jungle Predator systematically wiped out a highly experienced military force in the jungle of Guatemala in 1987. This Predator proved one of the most strategic Yautjas ever put to screen as it cleverly uses its technology and hunting tactics to stalk, demoralize and pick apart the elite soldiers. The Jungle Predator was only bested by Dutch, played by Earth's mightiest action star Arnold Schwarzenegger, who laid down his brawn to beat the ugly alien with his brain. Recognizing his worthy opponent, Jungle leveled the playing field by dropping his technology and fighting Dutch hand-to-hand. Jungle ultimately lost to Dutch, committing honorable suicide by self-destruction.
The Berserker was an unhinged Super Predator, former Yautja prodigy turned Bad Blood, that collected the deadliest predators in the galaxy and dropped them into a hunting ground of their choosing. The Bekerker played this twisted game for many seasons before its hubris got the better and was slain by Royce (Adrien Brody). The larger, faster Super Predator easily destroyed the Crucified Predator and gave audiences one of the most brutal on-screen kills, the viciously fluid spine pull on Stans (Walton Goggins).
It's a bit ironic that arguably the most formidable Yautja hunter comes from possibly the poorest film of the expanded cinematic franchise. Nevertheless, Wolf is one of the best Predators to hit the screen because he was an Elite. An Elite is a higher ranking than a normal-blooded hunter given their extensive accolades and experience, which you can see in Wolf's battle-scarred face. Wolf took the task of cleaning up the Xenomorph outbreak on Earth, slaying several aliens with ease before coming into combat with the 10ft tall Predalien, a Xenomorph hybrid born out of the chest of Scar. Wolf held off the Predalien and met the end of his accomplished career with a nuclear bomb.
KEEP READING: Get to the Choppa! Every 'Predator' Film, Ranked
Film has been an interest of Jeff's since childhood, but the turning point came after watching the countless hours of behind the scenes featurettes of Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings trilogy. It was there he established a passion for not just film, but for filmmaking. No matter what entertainment or filmmaking opinion he's had in the past, good or bad, he always try to remember and appreciate the many people it took to create these projects. In the end, all he wishes is to channel his passion for entertainment into healthy discussions and share insightful news, trivia and opinions in an inclusive and positive manner.
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