Predator Killer Suit: Origins, Features, And Aftermath

The Predator Killer suit from the end of The Predator was a gift to humanity from the Fugitive Predator's clan to help them fight the Upgrade Predators. With advanced armor and weaponry, this iron-man-like mech suit was a powerful but convoluted way to fight other Yautja. Here is an overview of the Predator Killer, including its capabilities and behind-the-scenes information.

The Fugitive Predator's Gift To Humankind

In the utterly complicated plot of The Predator, two different Predator factions were at war with each other for various reasons, including disagreements about the Yautja honor code. A member of the smaller Predator faction (nicknamed Fugitive) escaped to Earth on his ship with the Upgrade Predator (also known as the Upgrade) in hot pursuit. The goal of the Fugitive Predator was to bring humanity a gift - a mysterious pod that would contain the secret of defeating the Upgrade Predators, who were planning on invading Earth, among other things. Supposedly, global warming had made our planet so hot that it was the right time for the Predators to move in from Yautja Prime. Although the pod containing the Predator Killer crash-landed on Earth together with Fugitive's ship, Fugitive himself was not so much interested in presenting it to anyone - he went on a killing spree instead. Soon after, he was killed by the Upgrade Predator, who continued searching for the pod but fell in battle against the humans.

The Predator Killer Pod

At the end of the events of The Predator, the Predator Killer was captured by humans and brought to a secret military research laboratory, possibly having ties to the Stargazer project. Both Rory and Quinn McKenna were there for the pod-s opening, while a large group of scientists and military personnel observed as well. The pod contained an arm gauntlet (similar to the Predator's wrist computer) soaked in an oily black substance. Rory McCenna noticed that the pod sent a message to a nearby Predator bio-mask, naming the item a "Predator Killer". The gauntlet then bounced around the left arm of the scientist who was standing next to the pod, activating nanotechnology that expanded around the man like an iron-man suit.

Predator Killer Suit's Weapons And Capabilities

The Predator Killer had three tiny plasma casters on each shoulder (similar to the one inside the Fugitive Predator's bio-mask) and two gigantic ones expanding outwards. In addition, each shoulder cannon seemed to have its own targeting laser, making the whole suit light up like a Christmas tree. This appeared like overkill, and the tiny cannons would have probably been enough as the bigger casters would severely limit the suit's mobility. Overlong wristblades were attached to the suit, reminiscent of the Young Blood Predator wristblades from the AvP movies. The Predator Killer possibly employed Yautja cloaking technology as well, although this wasn't seen. An unnecessary feature of the suit was the metallic Predator dreadlocks, possibly added just as a cosmetic attribute.

Aftermath of the Predator Killer Suit

After making a small display of its weaponry and targeting systems, the Predator Killer retracted back to its gauntlet form and released the scientist. Quinn McKenna was impressed with the suit and noted that he would be wearing it in the future, hoping that it fits his size. However, the Predator: Hunting Grounds video game lore tapes of Sean Keyes revealed that the future of the Predator Killer was not spectacular. Sean Keyes conducted many tests on the suit and considered the suit to be a prototype, with many flaws. The Predator Killer turned out to be vulnearable to small arms fire and its power source was weak, only able to power the suit for a few dozen seconds. In the end, the Predator's gift to humankind was revealed to be weak and not worth all the effort of its delivery. The dreaded Earth invasion by the Upgrade Predators never materialized, but there was an increase in Predators hunting on Earth.

Behind The Scenes

Behind the scenes, the Predator Killer scene was one of the last to be filmed and underwent significant changes up to filming. The scene was missing from both the novelization of the movie and the initial script, with the movie ending in the forest with saying goodbye to the dead members of the Loonies. Kyle Brown created some of the initial concept art for the suit, which was much more streamlined and bulkier at first. Possibly due to the success of both the Iron Man and Avengers movies, the director (Shane Black) and producers decided to go with a busier and nanotech-driven approach. The overlong and ridiculous shoulder cannons were not part of this design, but the lengthy wristblades were already there. The final version of the Predator Killer suit was created by Studio ADI (Amalgamated Dynamics Inc).

Alternate Versions

Although the Predator pod was always part of the plot, the contents of the pod changed several times, with even different versions of the pod's opening being filmed, but dropped later. In an utterly ridiculous turn of events that was later revealed by Studio ADI, two characters from the Alien series were filmed to be inside the pod, sent back in time, and given to humankind as the Predator Killer. The first was Ellen Ripley, revealed to be wearing a Weyland-Yutani facemask resembling a facehugger. In the second version, a resurrected Rebecca "Newt" Jorden emerged from the pod in a white costume, played by Breanna Watkins. This would have been a strong link in bridging the Predator and Alien movies together, possibly paving the way for an Alien vs. Predator 3. The Predator Killer suit, while awful, was still better than this outlandish revelation.

Predator Killer Statue

Although NECA created several figures based on The Predator, they opted out of creating a Predator Killer figure, possibly due to the hated nature of the suit and the film's ending. However, Prime 1 Studio has created a highly detailed Predator Killer statue. While the Predator Killer in the movie just stood around, this statue takes a more dynamic and war-like pose, standing on top of the same pod that the suit came out of. The statue also highlights the long wristblades attached to the right arm and the knight-like armor on the legs, features that are barely visible in the movie. Although the statue is pricey, it might be the best thing about the Predator Killer.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the Predator Killer suit from "The Predator" was a flawed prototype gifted to humanity by the Fugitive Predator's clan. Despite its advanced features, it had weak defenses and a short power duration. Alternate versions involving characters from the Alien series were considered but scrapped. The suit was made to pave the way for a new Predator sequel, but instead, killed off the Predator series for a short while until it successfully rebounded with Prey. While the suit received mixed reactions, a detailed statue by Prime 1 Studio remains a notable collectible.