Predator Axe: Battle Axes And Hatchets Used By Yautja

The Predator Axe is a heavy melee weapon used by the Yautja that delivers devastating damage in close-quarters combat. While the more agile Predators prefer the combisticks or wristblades, the battle axe is used by the more brutish and stronger Yautja - often the Super Predators or the Viking Predators. Interestingly, the weapon has also been successfully used by humans against the Yautja for great effect. The Yautja axes come in different shapes and sizes with both sharp and blunt variants.

Super Predator Axe

The Predator axe made its debut in Predators, placed in the hunting camp of the Super Predator clan. Although not visibly used by the Predators, the weapon was grabbed by Royce as a last-ditch effort in his fight against the Yautja. Royce then smashed the Berserker Predator (Mr. Black) into the face with the axe, causing irreparable damage. Royce sliced off the arm of the Super Predator, and as a final act, decapitated him. Although Mr. Black was still conscious during the attacks, he seemed to be completely paralyzed by the damage caused by the axe.

Viking Predator Battleaxe

A bigger version of the axe showed up in Predator: Hunting Grounds, wielded by the Viking Predator, a large Yautja who hunted in ancient times in the North. As described in the game's lore, this powerful two-handed battle axe was forged for devastating close-range attacks against the ferocious Norsemen. The secondary attack provided a heavy overhead swing with increased damage to any prey it found. Few would ever look upon the axe without it cleaving their skull. Although the weapon's swing was slower than all the other melee weapons of the game, its damage was much greater.

Valkyrie Predator Warhammer

A counterpart for the Viking Predator is the Valkyrie Predator, another legendary female Yautja warrior tied to Nordic mythology. The Valkyrie Predator carries a similar weapon to the battle axe - a Norse Hammer. This hammer dealt blunt-force trauma so devastating that any Norseman would dare to stay in its way. The hammer came with a wooden shaft with a leather belt strapped around it. The metallic head of the hammer was made from the same lightweight alloy that most of the Predator gear was made from.

Warrior Predator Battleaxe

The Warrior Predator (also known as Ram) from the Lost Tribe was another large Predator who wielded a unique-looking battle axe. First appearing next to the Shaman Predator at the end of Predator 2, he wore no weapons. However, NECA released an Ultimate figure for this Predator, including a detailed backstory of his exploits. It turned out that Warrior was the weapons master of the Tribe, but was mostly focused on melee weapons, as he had prior experience as a ring-fighter. His weapon of choice was the giant battle axe, which was even bigger than the one wielded by the Viking Predator.

Exiled Predator Axe

The Exiled Predators from the Predator: Hunters comic series crafted their own unique type of axe from simple materials at hand - bone, wood, and rock. The seven Exiled Predators were banished to a remote island in the Pacific long ago and they lost all their technology in the ship's crash. They had to resort to makeshift weapons and armor to survive. The hand-crafted axe was wielded by one of the remaining Exiles, who fought the Predator Hunters team, but perished soon after. An Exiled Predator also showed up in Predator: Hunting Grounds, where his axe was nicknamed "The Hook", and was similar to the Viking Predator's axe.

Predator Pickaxe

For their everyday lives not involving hunting, the Predators store various useful tools onboard their ships, including hammers and pickaxes. These came in handy when an Alien Queen was released by Machiko Noguchi, a human Predator who had decided to betray the Yautja and rejoin humanity. As no weapons were nearby, a group of young Predators grabbed any tool they could find, including the sharp pickaxe. The pickaxe did not help much, as the group was soon massacred, giving them a brave and honorable, but a fit foolish death. The Queen then escaped the ship, while the remaining Predators brought more advanced weaponry to recapture her.

Naru's Throwing Axe

Finally, we have the throwable axe with a rope that Naru used against the Feral Predator in Prey. Although not a Predator weapon, this Comanche tool was an important and memorable part of the movie. In the end fight with Feral, Naru managed to stab the Yautja several times with the axe, until it got stuck in his side. Feral grabbed it but did not try to use or throw it at Naru, simply disregarding it to the ground. This proved to be a fatal mistake, as Naru reaquired it with the help of her dog, and used the rope to pull Feral into the swamp, where he met his final demise.

Conclusion

In the vast and diverse arsenal of weaponry wielded by the Yautja, the Predator Axe stands as a symbol of sheer brute force and devastation in close-quarters combat. From its memorable debut in "Predators", to its appearance in "Predator: Hunting Grounds" as a colossal two-handed axe wielded by the Viking Predator, this weapon never fails to leave a lasting impression. In a realm where hand-to-hand combat can be a matter of life and death, the Predator Axe reigns supreme, a testament to the relentless warrior spirit of the Yautja.