Predator Smart Disc: Features And Variants

One of the most unforgettable Yautja weapons showcased in the Predator films is the Smart Disc — a formidable and deadly weapon wielded by the Yautja, the technologically advanced alien species. In this article, we delve into the features, capabilities, and impact of the Predator Smart Disc as depicted in the movies and beyond.

City Hunter's Smart Disc

The Smart Disc first appeared in the diverse arsenal of the City Hunter in Predator 2, being used at the end of the movie in the slaughterhouse. While the net gun was attached to the lower part of the left leg, the disc had a holster on the upper part of the right leg. City Hunter used the disc to cut special agent Peter Keyes in half, cutting several beef carcasses in the process as well. Later on, City Hunter lost the disc on the top of a building, and Detective Harrigan retrieved it and cut off the Yautja's left hand. This was not the end of City Hunter's humiliation, as soon after Harrigan plunged the disc into his abdomen as a melee weapon, killing the Predator on the Lost Tribe ship.

Ancient Disc

The Predator: Hunting Grounds video game introduced us to the Cleopatra Predator, with her own type of Smart Disc - The Ancient Disc. Although it is not clear if Cleopatra also hunted during ancient times, she styled her armor and weapons after an Egyptian Pharaoh. This disc variant had small golden and silver blades around the ring of the disc, causing more excruciating wounds. The disc did not have holes for every finger of the Predator, but instead had a handle in the middle, acting as a thrown Chakram. The smart disc could also be handled as a melee weapon, but its best use was being thrown and remote piloted by both the wrist computer and the bio-mask. The player could control the disc and fly around on the map, while the Predator himself would stand around, somewhat helplessly.

Predator Shuriken

Another type of the Predator disc is the shuriken, appearing in the first Alien vs. Predator movie and The Predator. Attached to the belt of the Predators, the shuriken can be snapped open, revealing six long curved blades. The shuriken is a more effective melee weapon than the regular disc, giving a bigger reach to the user. Scar Predator sliced off the head of a stalking Alien with it. The throwing feature of the shuriken is similar to the disc, and as it flies in a curved ark, it can return to the thrower. Scar wounded the Alien Queen twice with the shuriken, but failed to retrieve it the second time, as he was hit with the Queen's tail.

Disc Mines

The Predators utilized the homing and hover technology of the smart discs in another type of weapon - disc mines. Appearing in Prey, these mines were clustered together in groups of three and would raise from the ground when approached. After hovering for a few seconds, they would fly out at any nearby target, exploding on contact. The Feral Predator took out several French trappers with the disc mines. This was helped by the fact that the Frenchmen were confused and amazed by this weapon, and did not initially run away from it.

Predator Disc Master

Although not really a Smart Disc type in itself, some Predators focused solely on perfecting the Smart Disc, becoming Disc Masters, a subclass of the Predator warrior hierarchy. Appearing as a unit in the underrated Aliens vs. Predator: Extinction real-time strategy games, Disc Masters were formidable Predators that dealt medium damage. They could be upgraded to carry many discs at once, a feature that was always lacking in the Predators seen in the movies and games so far. The discs themselves could be upgraded to further spin inside the victim's bodies, causing even more damage. The Disc Masters were decorated with human skulls on sticks over their shoulders, highlighting their hunting prowess.

Behind The Scenes

Behind the scenes, the Predator Smart Disc and its effects were created by Stan Winston Studios, along with all the other City Hunter's weapons. The City Hunter's large arsenal was partly inspired by director Stephen Hopkins, who wanted his Predator to be distinct from the Jungle Hunter. Designer Mark "Crash" McCreery created the initial concept art for the smart disc, along with the specification of how the Predator's fingers would grip it. Several prop smart discs were created, along with a hero for close-ups that had lights and moving parts (so it would slightly expand). In the slaughterhouse scene, the upper body of Peter Keyes seemingly hangs in the air for a short while, spawning fan theories about how this could have happened, and if the disc just vaporized the upper half. However, this can be explained by his getting stuck in one of the meat hooks.

Conclusion

The Predator Smart Disc stands as an emblem of the extraterrestrial technology and warrior prowess exhibited by the Yautja species. With its intelligent targeting, lethal precision, adaptability, and stealth, this weapon has become an integral part of the Predator lore and has even left an impact on popular culture.