NationMaster - Encyclopedia: Yautja

Readers Tip: Canon is information that sources from the official Predator movies, and Non-Canon is information that sources from places that are not the official Predator movies, such as comics, novels, and videogames. Information in this article which is between Non-Canon tags (Non-Canon /Non-Canon) indicates such non canon material. Image File history File links Predator figure,made by McFarlane Toys. ... Image File history File links Predator figure,made by McFarlane Toys. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ...

The Predators, (sometimes referred to as Yautja outside of the movies canon), are a fictional species featured in the movies Predator, Predator 2, and Alien vs. Predator. They are most widely known for their distinctive cloaking devices, which allow them to become nearly invisible. Predator is a 1987 science fiction movie that was directed by John McTiernan and released on Friday, June 12, 1987. ... Predator 2 (1990) is a science fiction movie starring Danny Glover. ... on the SNES Alien vs. ...

The Predators are an extraterrestrial race whose civilization seems to revolve around the concept of hunting for sport. They are depicted as excellent hunters, who travel from world to world in search of any prey which is a formidable opponent, for no reason other then the challenge and thrill of the hunt. They then stalk and kill their prey using an arsenal of highly advanced weaponry and devices, combining high-tech gadgets such as energy weapons and invisibility cloaking devices, to simplistic tools such as blades and spears, before taking their defeated opponents skulls and spines as a trophy. They have a long and involved history with many species they hunt, including humans and other Xenomorph animals. Human beings are defined variously in biological, spiritual, and cultural terms, or in combinations thereof. ... It has been suggested that Facehugger be merged into this article or section. ...

In the Non-Canon forms of the Predator character, the Predators are shown to hunt not for sport, but rather for honour. They have developed a whole tribal culture around their status at the top of the food chain, as the ultimate predator. Their code of honour dictates what makes a worthy adversary, and thus will make a Predator or tribe more respected. Food chains and food webs and/or food networks describe the feeding relationships between species in a biotic community. ...

Biology and culture

Physiology

Body Image File history File links Download high resolution version (853x772, 390 KB)A Predator close-up This is a screenshot of a copyrighted movie or television program. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (853x772, 390 KB)A Predator close-up This is a screenshot of a copyrighted movie or television program. ...

Physically, the Predators are extremely resilient; they can endure extreme physical trauma that would severely injure humans with only mild irritation or inconvenience; being only slightly wounded by powerful arms fire and being completely resilient to small arms fire. Predators also have effective regenerative powers, as they are able to heal from injuries relatively quickly. They also possess great physical strength in comparison to Humans, giving them the ability to do things such as lift massive logs, break down walls, and throw humans like rag dolls. For creatures their size, they are remarkably agile and athletic; seen jumping vast distances, and surviving jumps and drops from high altitudes. They also seem to possess great stamina, able to cover great distances and perform continuous high-volume activity, without needing to rest often.

Though they greatly resemble humans with their human like body build, many features of their anatomy differ markedly from that of humans. Most obviously, they have four mandibles surrounding their mouths, giving them an appearance similar to that of a crab. These mandibles appear to be involved in the production of audible clicks and chirps used in communication. Other features that distinguish the Predators are a scaly skin somewhat akin to that of terrestrial reptiles, and the possession of what appear to be buoyant, spiky dreadlocks around their heads. In Aliens vs. Predator, a decorated Predator is seen with spiky "facial hair" on the chin and around the sides of its face. This could be the result of having lived longer than most other Predators. Aside from their exterior, Predators also have notably luminescent green blood. Judging from the manner in which they treated their wounds, as evidenced in Predator 2, a special medical paste (made out of porcelain and pieces of a mirror) was created and then applied to a freshly severed forearm. It appeared to cauterize the wound and stimulate the rapid growth of a layer of skin, though the skin growth was not entirely clear. It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with jaw. ... Supfamilies See text Crabs are decapod crustaceans of the infraorder Brachyura, which typically have a very short tail (Greek: brachy = short, ura = tail), or where the abdomen is entirely hidden under the thorax. ... A schematic representation of hearing. ... For alternate meanings see skin (disambiguation). ... Orders Procolophonia (extinct) Testudines Araeoscelidia (extinct) Avicephala (extinct) Younginiformes (extinct) Sauropterygia Ichthyosauria (extinct) Placodontia (extinct) Nothosauria (extinct) Plesiosauria (extinct) Sphenodontia Squamata Prolacertiformes (extinct) Archosauria Crurotarsi Order Aetosauria Order Phytosauria Order Rauisuchia Order Crocodilia Ornithodira Pterosauria (extinct) Marasuchus (extinct) Dinosauria (extinct) Order Saurischia Order Ornithischia Reptiles are tetrapods and amniotes, animals... Rastaman with long dreadlocks. ... Image of hundreds of agar plates cultured with a species of bioluminescent marine bacteria displayed in a pattern as an art exhibit called Bioglyphs at Montana State Universityâ€“Bozeman. ... Human blood smear: a - erythrocytes; b - neutrophil; c - eosinophil; d - lymphocyte. ... Predator 2 (1990) is a science fiction movie starring Danny Glover. ...

One detail of the Predator anatomy was seen only once in the second film when the Predator was tending to its wounds in a bathroom: Close inspection of the creature's mouth reveals the mandibles, the outer teeth and inside the mouth opening, two small very sharp-looking teeth move up and down from the bottom. The teeth looked to be similar in shape to shark teeth but were dark in colour rather than white or ivory coloured. This is the only known appearance of the inner teeth but it would suggest that if mandibles were intended to injure the prey, the outer fang like teeth to grab and hold the flesh and the inner teeth to slice it into pieces small enough to swallow.

Of particular note is that Predator vision appears (from a human perspective) to be in the infra-red region of the electromagnetic spectrum, thermal vision; this is apparently enhanced by the masks the Predators wear. When this mask is removed, its owner appears to experience a much-reduced quality of vision. This loss of vision quality is manifested in a reduced ability to discern contrasts in temperatures. It appears that when a Predator is wearing its facial mask, the mask has the capability to filter out any ambient temperatures that are not coming from another creature’s body heat, thus making it easier for a Predator to see its prey. When the mask is taken off however, the Predator sees all sources of heat, not just body heat, and it therefore is harder for it to see its prey. (For more information on the facial masks functions, see Mask below) Image of a small dog taken in mid-infrared (thermal) light (false color) Infrared (IR) radiation is electromagnetic radiation of a wavelength longer than visible light, but shorter than microwave radiation. ... Legend: Î³ = Gamma rays HX = Hard X-rays SX = Soft X-Rays EUV = Extreme ultraviolet NUV = Near ultraviolet Visible light NIR = Near infrared MIR = Moderate infrared FIR = Far infrared Radio waves: EHF = Extremely high frequency (Microwaves) SHF = Super high frequency (Microwaves) UHF = Ultrahigh frequency VHF = Very high frequency HF = High frequency... In thermodynamics, temperature is the physical property of a system that underlies the common notions of hot and cold â€”something that is hotter has the greater temperature. ...

Given that a species is likely to have evolved a vision system that suits its environment and lifestyle, this may suggest that the Predator homeworld is darkened by perhaps continuous cloud cover or is very misty. Many Earth species have adapted this mode of sight/senses to hunt by using the body heat of their prey (rattlesnakes can "see" by heat vision, and the Jacobsons organ uses scent (olfactory) particles in a similar way). The Predators may also have been created to live in a different ecological niche from humans (i.e., nocturnal predator). The seemingly poor vision quality in the absence of a mask is due to the heat of the jungle and the body heat of the Predator himself. For thermal imaging to work properly with high contrast the equivalent retina would need to be cooled down so that it was picking up less of its own heat and more heat of the target. When the sensing retina is warm it will show any areas that are cooler than its own temperature resulting in areas that are 'washed out' when they are cooler than the Predator’s body heat. The hot and humid conditions of jungle would mean that the Predator's own body temperature would be around the same temperature and in conjunction with seeing the heat of the surrounding jungle would produce a washed-out picture where the surrounding jungle is close to human body temperature so there is a lot less contrast. This would also suggest that the face mask also cools down the eyes of the Predator so that they can see more contrast from the internal display that filters out the surrounding jungle and highlights the target producing the high degree of contrast that makes the target stand out. Under more appropriate conditions, Predators may have perfectly serviceable vision. Alternatively, since Predators do not seem badly impaired by the poor vision they experience on Earth, it is possible that other senses may, in part, compensate for this seemingly serious weakness. Species 27 species; see list of rattlesnake species and subspecies. ... The vomeronasal organ (VNO) or Jacobsons organ (sometimes misspelled Jacobsens) is an auxiliary olfactory sense organ in some vertebrates, all of which are tetrapods. ... In ecology, a niche is a term describing the relational position of a species or population in an ecosystem. ... A nocturnal animal is one that sleeps during the day and is active at night - the opposite of the human (diurnal) schedule. ... Senses are the physiological methods of perception. ...

Homeworld

Nearly no information is given about the Predator homeworld in the films. A hint about the Predator homeworld provided by both Predator films is that the Predators only hunt on Earth during the hottest years (this is remarked upon by one of the human characters in the first film). This would suggest a homeworld much warmer than the current climate of the Earth. Aside from this no information is even hinted at their homeowrld in the movies.

In Alien vs. Predator comics and novels, much information is given about the Predators homeworld. It mentions that they have a built-in heater in the armour because they can't stand the cold on the jungle planet where they were sent to capture an Alien Queen for their ship. The Aliens versus Predator novels have also insinuated that the Predators social structure is matriarchal in nature, although the term is perhaps somewhat imprecise. It is indicated in the AVP books that Predator females, like some Earth species, are larger, stronger, and more intimidating than the males. (One Predator hunter implies that surviving mating season is almost as much of an accomplishment as surviving a dangerous hunt.) There are also implications that the males are allowed to go off on such extended hunting trips so that the females can essentially "get them out from underfoot" and get on with running things. Some Dark Horse comics have shown females hunting with males. These females were slightly smaller (but still bigger than most human males) and seemed to be exhibit the anatomy of human females in the same way the males resemble human males. It has been suggested that Facehugger be merged into this article or section. ... Matriarchy is a form of society in which power is with the women and especially with the mothers of a community. ...

The game Aliens Versus Predator: Extinction suggests that their planet is an almost desert environment with massive flame-engulfed firebirds which are often hunted by young Hunters for their fire resistant skins.

In the game Predator: Concrete Jungle, the predator "Scarface" was banished to a desert world with a strange bug-like crater. This planet may or may not be representative of a location on the Predator homeworld.

Social information/Honour

In the Predator movies, the Predator society is not depicted. It is kept a mystery, but it is hinted that their entire society revolves around hunting for pleasure. In Predator 2, it shows that they have hunted humans and Xenomorphs, among other species.

In the movies, the Predators are displayed as not having an honour system, but rather they have a sense of sportsmanship and rules of hunts. Not to be confused with honour, Predators will not usually kill any opponent which is not a threat, such as the unarmed and weak, because it is not sporting, simular to how human fishermen will not catch fish under a certain length, or human deer hunters will not kill any deer which is still a fawn.

The Predators demonstrate anthropomorphized sensibilities, such as sparing children and pregnant females. This may, however, simply show the same mind-set as a crab or lobster fisherman, to ensure future generations to hunt, they spare female lobsters or crabs when eggs are present on their bodies. For example, in Predator 2, one Predator aims his plasma cannon at the head of a child that has a gun, but relents when a scan identifies the gun as a toy. Later, the same Predator scans a female victim, and upon discovering a fetus within her, spares her life. Most hunters can identify with this as a type of animal management, i.e. allowing immature prey to fully develop, so that they enrich the gene pool for better future hunting. Anthropomorphism, also referred to as personification or prosopopeia, is the attribution of human characteristics to inanimate objects, animals, forces of nature, and others. ... The gene pool of a species or a population is the complete set of unique alleles that would be found by inspecting the genetic material of every living member of that species or population. ...

Predators may also not hunt a prey that they do not consider worthy of them, such as a man with terminal cancer, unless the Predator is provoked. What this means is that Predators only respect prey that is also capable of hunting them. They identify this generally by identifying whether or not the prey has the capacity to harm them. In the case of humans, Predators generally only consider a human worthy prey when the human is carrying a gun or a bladed weapon, as when the Predator in Los Angeles slaughtered a subway full of armed commuters and gang members, but they are still able to identify when the weapon is no threat. This was due to them being poor sport rather than a sense of ethics. Nickname: City of Angels Location within Los Angeles County in the state of California Coordinates: State California County Los Angeles County Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa Area - City 1,290. ... Ethics (from the Ancient Greek ethikos, meaning arising from habit) is a major branch of philosophy. ...

Predator society is based around the concept of the Hunt. The Hunt decides who is strong and who is weak. Hunts are done either solo or in packs. The Alpha Warrior of a pack decides the course of action for the pack and assumes responsibility for the survival and victory of the pack. With each victory comes many trophies and with trophies comes honour. The more honour a Predator acquires, the more respect and status is given in Predator society.

Honour is a very important part of the Warrior society. Like the samurai of feudal Japan, Rajput of India and the knights of medieval Europe, honour is a fundamental part of etiquette. The Predators follow strict laws for the sake of their pride. This extends to their use of a self-destruct device when defeated (see: Seppuku) by not allowing their foe to claim their body. Predators fight to the death to maintain the honour of being a warrior. To suffer defeat and not death is to suffer the loss of all honour. Likewise, surrender is considered cowardice and is rarely practised among Predator warriors. Japanese samurai in armour, 1860s. ... Rajputs (anonymous, c. ... A statue of an armoured knight of the Middle Ages For the chess piece, see knight (chess). ... World map showing Europe Political map (neighboring countries in Asia and Africa also shown) Europe is one of the seven traditional continents of the Earth. ... Seppuku with ritual attire and second (staged) General Akashi Gidayu preparing to commit Seppuku after losing a battle for his master in 1582. ...

A part of this honour system also provides for the rules by which a pack hunts. For instance honour will dictate whether a hunt is done by a solo Predator or a pack. Honour will also determine which technology and weapons will be used, what prey will be stalked, and the rules of engagement for that hunt.

Predator society sees its members earning status through hunting other species that provide for an adequate challenge, worthy specimens making admirable trophies. Each group of Predators is typically led by a leader sometimes referred to as an “Elder”. In each clan, there are different sets of rules and codes of honour guiding the members of the clan. Some clans refuse to hunt down humans in view that humans are considerably intelligent animals and should be treated with respect, demonstrated more than once when Predators and humans have fought. Some Predators have no such qualms about human trophies. It has been suggested that Big-game hunter be merged into this article or section. ... Alexander Hamilton defending his honour by obliging to duel Aaron Burr. ...

While Predators are mainly a hunting culture there is a presence of a military which deals with wars against the prey species. This is only done on the rarest of occasions and when done so the Predators bring their full might on the battlefield. These Military Hunter Predators use weapons such as blazers and missiles to destroy the prey rather than hunt them for sport.

Generally the Predators do not fight among themselves because their status as one of the most dominant species in the universe and due to their Hunt-based honour system. However, some individuals or packs rebel against the rules of Predator life. These Bad Hunters are extremely dangerous, have little honour, and have no respect for the rules of their people. Bad Hunters are generally referred to as 'Badbloods' - and are shunned without honour or respect by other Predators. Badbloods are considered less worthy than prey, and are often killed on sight. Image File history File links Predators_come_awalkin. ... Image File history File links Predators_come_awalkin. ...

Ranks

The untouchables of the Predator Society. Mostly they are the lame or the crippled, who are unable (or too cowardly) to join the hunt. Instead, they serve as slaves and do menial jobs for the hunters. They are ridiculed and humiliated on a daily basis by the other Predators.

The criminal caste of Predator society. Many have committed crimes such as murder of another Predator, killing prey that is not game or failing in the hunt. The "Arbitrators" are constantly tracking these. About 5% of all Predators are "Bad Bloods," and in the above castes, the number of these criminals has been added to the total amount. It has been said the Predator from Predator 2 was classified as a Badblood for leaving a piece of equipment behind; however, it was (briefly) recovered from the human (Danny Glover) but killed by it in the scout ship. The elders then bore away the body in honour. Presenting the human with a trophy: the flintlock pistol. The Elder was never seen as a Badblood though he presented the marked human (Sanaa Lathan) with a lance following the battle with the Alien Queen in AVP though this could also be part of their honour and he saw her not as a human but as a blooded hunter or as a friend to the Predator. Others theorize that the mark might mean that the human is considered a prized possession or of same respect as a mate. Danny Glover at World Social Forum 2003. ... Sanaa Lathan Sanaa McCoy Lathan (born September 19, 1971 in New York City, New York) is an African-American actress, who is known equally for her talent and beauty. ...

Predators who have not taken part in the "hard meat trial"" (AVP). Young Predators who are trained in the skills necessary for their adult hunting. They will move to the next rank after their first hunt. They represent about 40% at any one time. on the SNES Alien vs. ...

Recently blooded Predators. They are young, reckless, full of ambition and feel full of pride once they have collected the skull of their kill, which amuses the more experienced hunters. About 30% of Predators at any one time are considered "Young Blood".

The only difference between the Blooded and the Young Bloods is that the Blooded have more experience, but are still not classed high among the great hunters. This represents 20% of the Predator population.

Violent, respected, solo hunters with high Predator technology. They travel the Universe to find honourable hunting.

The Elite of Predator society. They have earned 100 kills and are skilled in all ways. They comprise approximately 10% of the populace.

The greatest Predators that have ever lived, they have survived a thousand hunts. They have hunted so much that they look for other means of sport. Consequently, they are more compassionate and disciplined than most other Predators. Many have learned new fighting techniques over the ages. For example, one "Ancient" who had hunted in 16th century Japan learned "Hira Baraki," or two-sword combat, continues to use it today, and has two custom swords. These represent less than 1% of the entire population.

Predator police that mainly consists of Ancients who are bored with the Hunt. They represent judge, jury, and executioner. There are no appeals to their decisions.

Roles

/Non-Canon In social animals, the alpha male or alpha female is the individual in the community whom the others follow and defer to. ... The scapegoat was a goat that was driven off into the wilderness as part of the ceremonies of Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, in Judaism during the times of the Temple in Jerusalem. ... A Lone Wolf is a wolf that lives by itself rather than in a pack. ...

Armor

Mask

The Predators are a highly technologically advanced species, evident by their capacity for interstellar travel and vast array of weapons and equipment. One particularly notable example of this technology is the mask that they routinely wear. This provides them with a breathable mixture of gases, multiple vision modes and some diagnostic capabilities, as well as serving as protection for their heads. Various mask types are used by the Predators; the variation in design typically results from individual preference rather than necessity.

The Predator's mask has many different vision modes available to its user. The most notable of these is an enhanced thermal vision that greatly increases the contrast between objects from the Predator's natural sight (See Vision), as seen in the first movie when the Predator removes its mask. In the second movie, the Predator switches between multiple spectral modes when it finds itself under attack from opponents who are wearing thermal camouflage. In Aliens vs. Predator, the Predator 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 Aliens it was established that Xenomorphs are not visible using thermal vision, as a squad of human Marines using infra-red scopes was taken completely by surprise when they attacked. Additional vision modes are available to determine the health condition of targets. The mask also includes a laser target designator for the shoulder mounted plasmacaster. Aliens is a 1986 science fiction movie directed by James Cameron and starring Sigourney Weaver, Michael Biehn, Lance Henriksen, Carrie Henn, Bill Paxton and Paul Reiser. ...

Image File history File links YautjaThermalView. ... Image File history File links YautjaThermalView. ... Image File history File links YautjaAlienView. ... Image File history File links YautjaAlienView. ...

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 Predator making them virtually invisible. The technology is also used for their ships to hide them when moving within enemy territories. However, this is rendered inoperable when exposed to water. It appears that Xenomorphs can see through this (in AVP one killed a Predator that was cloaked), as an invisibility screen has little effect on a creature with no eyes. Image File history File links Energized. ... Image File history File links Energized. ...

Weapons

Predator weaponry includes but is not limited to, smartdisks, throwing blades, CombiStick (part axe, part spear), Netgun (for immobilising and/or killing prey), Wristblades (for hand-to-hand combat), a shoulder-mounted and a hand held Plasmacaster (energy projection weapon). Netguns are non-lethal weapons designed to fire a net which entangles the target. ...

Plasmacaster

The Plasmacaster, (also known as the "tri-cannon" and “shoulder canon in some circles), is a shoulder-mounted cannon with a targeting system tied directly to the Predator's helmet. A three dot pattern is used to show the Predator where the shot will go. The plasmacaster will automatically lock on. It fires a bright blue pulse of energy in a straight line, and the shot can burn through flesh, wood, and metal. The predator can control how much power is used in each shot from the caster. In the movies, the Predator was able to fire the plasmacaster while using his cloaking shield generator. In the Aliens vs. Predator 2 game, however, firing any energy using weapon short circuits the cloak, as with the plasma pistol and water.

There are also many different types of Plasmacasters, ranging from ones that fire yellow, lower powered sparkles of light (Predator 2), Plasmacasters with laser systems built in (Predator 2), and they come in at least three different sizes (Alien vs. Predator).

Wristblades

Wristblades are retractable twin blades built into the gauntlets of the Predator. They are primarily used as a stabbing weapon, but also make effective slashing weapons. The blades can be rotated to face away from the user, making a backward slash more effective. A stab from the backwards-facing blades is frequently used as a killing blow.

In the AVP movie, the Predators' wrist blades are double the length they were in Predator and Predator 2. This may be because of the need to distance themselves from the Aliens, whose acidic blood can destroy the blades themselves. It is apparent that the Wristblades come in many different sizes and styles, apparently in order to be suited for different situations.

The wristblades seem to be the most important weapon for the Predator, as in the game AVP2, humans attempting to remove one from a captured Warrior found that it was impossible to remove the wristblades without killing the subject. The human scientists came to the conclusion that the Predator would rather be dead than helpless.

In the PC games Aliens vs. Predator and Aliens vs. Predator 2, the wristblade is also used to collect skulls of the Predator's enemies. on the SNES Alien vs. ... Aliens Versus Predator 2 is a video game developed by Sierra Entertainment which was released through Fox Interactive in 2001. ...

Combi Stick

In the movies the combi stick closely resembles a spear, the human scientists figure it is sharpened by lasers, which gives it the ability to cut through body armour, including steel. The Combi Stick are telescopic, meaning that they have the ability to shrink their size down to a more convenient size for when they are not in use.

In the movie Alien vs. Predator the Predators use a combi stick to kill a few humans. After Lex becomes the last human and is looking for the Predator, to return his Plasmacaster, she encounters an Alien. She uses the Predator's combi stick to kill it. The Predator, "Scar", fashions a makeshift Combistaff for her from an Alien's tail and a pole. Later, at the end of the film, she is given a special combi stick as a symbol of respect. Alien vs. ... It has been suggested that Facehugger be merged into this article or section. ...

Smartdisc

The smartdisc (also known as throwing disc or “disc”) is an extremely sharp circular weapon that is thrown like a discus and returns to the user like a boomerang. It is extremely powerful, as it is seen as capable of cutting through half a dozen cattle carcases then a grown man in Predator 2 without even any effort. It is capable of cutting through the predator net, as shown in Predator 2. Statue of discus thrower in Botanic Garden, Copenhagen, Denmark For alternate meanings, see Discus. ... A typical wooden returning boomerang A boomerang is a simple wooden implement used for various purposes. ...

In the AVP movie, the Smartdisk has either been replaced by or modified into a shuriken-like ranged weapon.

Self-destruct device

Each Predator carries a self-destruct device mounted on their wrist computer. Once activated, this device starts off a countdown, red LEDs in the Predator's gauntlet serving as a warning. After a short delay, the device sets off a large-scale explosion, and is normally used as a final resort when a Predators defeat is guaranteed. The self-destruct device appears to be nuclear or anti-matter based in nature, capable of destroying everything within ten city blocks, perhaps in an attempt to destroy the victorious elements while committing honourable suicide. [1] In Alien vs. Predator it is apparent that the device can be removed and used like a time bomb. This was used to destroy a vast number of Xenomorph eggs. A self-destruct is a mechanism which causes a device to destroy itself under a predefined set of circumstances. ... The mushroom cloud of the atomic bombing of Nagasaki, Japan, 1945, rose some 18 kilometers (11 mi) above the hypocenter. ... Antimatter is matter that is composed of the antiparticles of those that constitute normal matter. ...

Inter-species relationships

The 2004 Alien vs. Predator movie suggests that the Predators are an old race that has existed in their current advanced form for some time. The Predators appear to be in possession of advanced technology, with the ability to traverse vast distances in space, proof of which being their visits to prehistoric Earth. In an elaborate flashback sequence, an early Terran civilization in Antarctica is shown ruled by Predators for the purpose of maintaining a hunting arena. The human citizens appear to worship the Predators as gods while offering themselves for a ritual sacrifice every 100 years, so that the Predators could hunt Xenomorph. This may contradict the idea that the Space Jockey referred to in Alien (film) created the Xenomorph species, although it is possible that the Predators simply captured and bred the Xenomorph, but did not create them. Though plausible, this has been ignored by hard-core Aliens Vs. Predator fans since it conflicted with the early established hostilities between the Aliens and Predators. Fans have considered the film's story to be non-canon to the Aliens Versus Predator storyline. Image File history File links Conquest. ... Image File history File links Conquest. ... Teotihuacan was the largest Pre-Columbian known city in the Americas, and the name Teotihuacan is used to refer to the civilization this city dominated, which at its greatest extent included most of Mesoamerica. ... Alien vs. ... In literature and film, a flashback (also called analepsis) takes the narrative back in time from the point the story has reached, to recount events that happened before and give the back-story. ... Terran means of Terra, i. ... It has been suggested that Facehugger be merged into this article or section. ... For other uses, see Space Jockey (disambiguation). ... Alien is a 1979 science fictionâ€“horror film directed by Ridley Scott, from an original story by Dan OBannon and Ronald Shusett. ...

The pyramid in Antarctica where Alien vs. Predator takes place seems to be a development from the early Alien script, where the crew members find a strange pyramid that shows some worship of the aliens taking place. The walls of the pyramid have murals and engravings on them showing the worship of the Predators and the alien life cycle, the style imitating that from inside the ship seen at the end of Predator 2. Alien vs. ...

Appearances in film and print

Movie appearances

Fan films Predator is a 1987 science fiction movie that was directed by John McTiernan and released on Friday, June 12, 1987. ... 1987 (MCMLXXXVII) was a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... John McTiernan (born January 8, 1951) is a movie director, and a M.F.A. graduate of the AFI Conservatory, most notable for his action movies. ... Predator 2 (1990) is a science fiction movie starring Danny Glover. ... This article is about the year. ... Stephen Hopkins is a film director. ... Alien vs. ... 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Paul William Scott Anderson (Born: March 4, 1965 in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, England, United Kingdom-) is a British filmmaker, producer and screenwriter. ...

2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Sandy Collora Sandy Collora (born August 8, 1968 in Long Island, New York) is an American film director and design artist, best known for the independent film Batman: Dead End. ... Image File history File links Prevolution. ... Image File history File links Prevolution. ...

Design of the hunter

The design of the Predator, especially that of their mouthparts, was a suggestion from James Cameron. While flying to Japan with Cameron, Stan Winston, who had been hired to design 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. James Cameron (born August 16, 1954) is a three-time Academy Award winning Canadian-American film director noted for his action/science fiction films, which are often extremely successful financially. ... Stan Winston (born April 7, 1946), is an American professional special effects and makeup artist. ... This article is about the human bone. ...

Stan Winston's studio created all of the physical effects for Predator 1 & 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. Kevin Peter Hall (9 May 1955 - 10 April 1991) was an African-American actor famous for his roles as Dr. Elvin Lincoln in Misfits of Science (1985), the monsters in Harry and The Hendersons (1987), Predator (1987), and Predator 2 (1990). ... Jean Claude Van Damme (born October 18, 1960), born Jean-Claude Camille Fran ois Van Varenberg, is a Belgian-born action movie actor whos most known for martial arts films. ... Arnold Alois Schwarzenegger (IPA: ) (born on July 30, 1947) is an Austrian-born bodybuilder, actor and Republican politician, currently serving as the 38th Governor of California. ... The Terminator (also known as Terminator in some early trailers and posters) is a 1984 science fiction-action film featuring body-builder Arnold Schwarzenegger in what would become his best-known role. ...

Special effects and creature evolution

The Predator's blood was originally made from a combination of the liquid out of glow sticks mixed with KY jelly. The mixture would dry up quickly, so on set new batches had to be quickly made between takes. The technique is still used. Image File history File links Peekaboo!!!.JPG Summary Yo, im a Predator! Licensing File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Image File history File links Peekaboo!!!.JPG Summary Yo, im a Predator! Licensing File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ...

The interesting and inventive 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. R/Greenberg Associates, or R/GA, based in New York City, is an advertising agency which specializes in servicing a wide variety of Fortune 500 companies and world-class brands and franchises. ...

After the original movies Amalgamated Dynamics took over from Stan Winston Studio in creating the props for the Predators in the AVP movie and a number of effects houses worked on the various other effects. The design of the Predator 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.

Film portrayals

Throughout the Predator and Alien vs Predator movies the Predator has been one of the central and most crucial characters. One continuous problem is the need to find someone 7 feet tall to go inside the latex monster suit. Kevin Peter Hall played the Predator 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 Kevin persuaded some of the Lakers to play background Predators because they couldn't find anyone on short notice, and also due to the fact that Danny Glover was a big fan of the Lakers. Sadly, he died not long after Predator 2 was released in theaters. Harry and the Hendersons is a 1987 American film starring John Lithgow, Melinda Dillon, Lainie Kazan, and Don Ameche. ... The Los Angeles Lakers are a professional basketball team based in Los Angeles, California, who play in the National Basketball Association (NBA). ... Danny Glover at World Social Forum 2003. ...

In AVP, basketball player Ian Whyte took over as the man in the Predator suit, having been a fan of comics and the Predator movies he came to the role with vigour, knowing what kinds of dramatic poses would be needed for the film. Ian Whyte is a basketball player and was a monster suit actor in the movie Alien vs Predator. ...

Crossovers

Since Predator, the Predators have appeared in many spin-off comic books and other media such as novels and video games, often in crossovers with the Alien series, in which the Predators hunt the Xenomorphs. This, the largest crossover, was an idea that came to comic book artist Chris Warner in early 1989 when he had a bathroom break. 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 comics under license from 20th Century Fox since 1987 and Warner thought: Image File history File links Face_to_Face. ... Image File history File links Face_to_Face. ... A spin-off (or spinoff) is a new organization or entity formed by a split from a larger one such as a new company formed from a university research group. ... A comic book is a magazine or book containing the art form of comics. ... Alien is a 1979 science fictionâ€“horror film directed by Ridley Scott, from an original story by Dan OBannon and Ronald Shusett. ... Dark Horse Comics logo Dark Horse Comics is one of the largest independent comic book publishers in the United States, behind dominant publishers Marvel Comics and DC Comics. ... Aliens is a 1986 science fiction movie directed by James Cameron and starring Sigourney Weaver, Michael Biehn, Lance Henriksen, Carrie Henn, Bill Paxton and Paul Reiser. ... Fox Plaza, the company headquarters. ...

Immediately Dark Horse head publisher Mike Richardson phoned the head of Fox licensing Pam North with their idea. He was expecting a long negotiating session but her response was said to be immediate:

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).

The Aliens vs. Predator movie was released in 2004 with director Paul WS Anderson at the helm, to lukewarm reviews, garnering a Rotten Tomatoes score of merely 22%. Although it had a story completely different from the comics, it incorporates several elements from them. 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Paul William Scott Anderson (Born: March 4, 1965 in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, England, United Kingdom-) is a British filmmaker, producer and screenwriter. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ...

As well as Alien-franchise cross-overs, there have also been many other comic book crossovers with Superman, Judge Dredd, Tarzan and Batman. In the comic Aliens vs. Predator vs. The Terminator they are also shown as a force of balance on a cosmic level, working to stop a flood of Terminators from decimating the population of the galaxy. In comic books, an intercompany crossover (also called cross-company, or simply company crossover) is a comic or series of comics where a character (or group of characters) published by one company meets a character published by another (for example, DC Comics Superman meeting Marvels Spider-Man). ... Superman is a fictional character and arguably the most famous and popular comic book superhero of all time, and one of the first to embody several qualities associated with superheroes. ... Judge Dredd (Joe Dredd or Joseph Dredd) is a comics character whose strip in the British science fiction anthology 2000 AD is the magazines longest running (having been featured there since its second issue in 1977). ... James H. Pierce and Joan Burroughs Pierce starred in the 1932-34 Tarzan radio series Tarzan, a character created by Edgar Rice Burroughs, first appeared in the 1914 novel Tarzan of the Apes, and then in twenty-three sequels. ... Batman vs. ... Aliens vs. ... The word terminator is from Latin and means roughly the finisher. ...

In the world of comic books, the Alien lifeforms hunted by the Predators are often used as an ultimate tool of killing off characters, being introduced as a crossover foe that could actually kill heroes or villains previously seen as untouchable. Superman has been seen to be vulnerable to them (cut by claws, burned by their blood), and the DC comic Stormwatch series was brought to a close using the Aliens to kill off the majority of the well loved team, as well as nearly taking out the WildCats.

In a scene in the Star Wars fan film, IMPS The Relentless, a squad of Imperial stormtroopers threaten to arrest a Predator for 'illegal poaching'. The cover of the 2004 DVD widescreen release of the revamped original Star Wars Trilogy. ... A fan film is a film or video inspired by a movie, television show, comic book or a similar source, created by fans rather than by the sources copyright holders or creators. ... I.M.P.S.: The Relentless is a fan film that made its debut on the internet in 2005, created by fans of the Star Wars franchise. ... Imperial stormtroopers are trained shock troops in the fictional Star Wars universe under command of the Galactic Empire. ...

External links

Categories: Wikipedia articles needing their fiction made clear | Cleanup from May 2006 | Articles lacking sources | Fictional extraterrestrial species | Fictional mass murderers | Predator series | Villain races | Fictional warrior races The Alien film series is the group of films that take place in the Alien universe. ... Alien is a 1979 science fictionâ€“horror film directed by Ridley Scott, from an original story by Dan OBannon and Ronald Shusett. ... Aliens is a 1986 science fiction film directed by James Cameron and starring Sigourney Weaver, Michael Biehn, Lance Henriksen, Carrie Henn, Bill Paxton and Paul Reiser. ... AlienÂ³ (sometimes pronounced alien cubed) is a science fiction/horror movie that opened May 22, 1992. ... Film poster Alien: Resurrection Alien: Resurrection (1997) is the fourth movie in the Alien series, preceded by Alien, Aliens and Alien³. Synopsis Spoiler warning: Alien: Resurrection takes place 200 years after the events of Alien³. Ellen Ripley has been cloned using blood samples from Fiorina 161, on ice so that... Predator is a 1987 science fiction movie that was directed by John McTiernan and released on Friday, June 12, 1987. ... Predator 2 (1990) is a science fiction movie starring Danny Glover. ... Alien vs. ... Alien vs. ... on the SNES Alien vs. ... Aliens vs. ... Batman vs. ... Superman vs. ... Bishop as seen in Aliens Bishop 341-B is a fictional character from the Alien series of films, an android created by the Weyland-Yutani corporation. ... Sigourney Weaver as Ellen Ripley Ellen Ripley is a fictional character, the protagonist in the Alien movie series. ... LV-426 as seen in Aliens LV-426, also known as Acheron and the home of the xenomorph, is the name of the fictitious moon (frequently but erroneously referred to as a planet) where the Alien was first encountered by humans in the movie Alien (1979) of the Alien Series. ... The USCSS Ulysees Nostromo is a fictional starship, featured in the 1979 film Alien. ... Image:Http://www2. ... Fiorina Fury 161 is the name of the fictitious planet on which the movie AlienÂ³ of the Alien Series occurs. ... USM Auriga The United Systems Military Auriga is a fictional spaceship depicted in the fourth instalment of the Alien quadrilogy, Alien: Resurrection. ... For other uses, see Space Jockey (disambiguation). ... The Derelict The Derelict was the name given to the long-wrecked spacecraft discovered by the crew of the Nostromo on the planet LV-426 whilst responding to an SOS signal in the 1979 science fiction film, Alien. ... (From left to right) USCM Pvt. ... Weyland-Yutani is a fictional corporation in the motion picture Alien and its sequels. ... It has been suggested that Facehugger be merged into this article or section. ... The fictional United States Colonial Marines, first depicted in the movie Aliens and later featured in related products, employ several weapons. ... The M56 Smart Gun is a fictional squad automatic weapon used by the United States Colonial Marines in the movie Aliens. ... Below is a list of non-canon castes from the Alien universe. ...

Contents

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