Predator Spear: Guide To Every Yautja Combistick

The Predator spear (also known as the combistick) is one of the main Predator weapons and shows up in almost all the Predator movies. Great for stabbing, blocking and even throwing, it comes in several variants, many of which expand like a telescope. As a versatile weapon capable of both close-quarter and long-range combat, it represents the pinnacle of Yautja craftsmanship and martial prowess. The weapon has a historical significance and a ceremonial purpose, sometimes given as a trophy to mark a successful end of a hunt. Here is an overview of the different Predator spear types, used across the expanding Predator lore.

Predator Combistick

The combistick was an important part of the City Hunter's arsenal, and he used it on several occasions during his Los Angeles hunt. First employed in the fight against the Jamaicans in the penthouse battle, the spear expanded outwards like a telescope and gave the City Hunter a much bigger reach than the wristblades. It was attached to the backside of the Predator in a diagonal position but while in use, was not part of the Yautja's cloaking field. Lieutenant Harrigan acquired the spear after the City Hunter threw it at him on the top of the building, and Harrigan used it to knock the Predator off the roof. The combistick was later recovered by OWLF from the street and finally reached a Stargazer lab display, as seen in The Predator.

Ornate Combistick

The Young Blood Predators from Alien vs. Predator also used the classic combistick, mostly when fighting the human mercenaries. However, their leader, an old Elder Predator, held a new type of spear - an ornate combistick that seemed to be made for more ceremonial purposes. The ornate combistick still had the telescope capabilities of snapping to a smaller size, and was further decorated by trinkets and jewelry. The weapon had wristblade-like knives on the sides, possibly giving it's user a better chance of blocking attacks. The spear was given to Alexa Woods as a trophy for successfully killing a Xenomorph Queen, becoming blooded and surviving the Hunt, something which any of the three Young Blood Predators did not achieve.

Xenomorph-Tail Spear

Altogether, Alexa Woods used three separate Predator spears at different times. In addition to the ornate combistick given at the end, she used Scar's spear to kill a Xenomorph and acquired a new makeshift spear from Scar. Scar took an ancient Predator staff and attached the end of a Xenomorph tail to it with a wire, creating a somewhat convoluted weapon that Alexa never had a chance to use effectively. This Xenomorph-tailed spear reached the surface when the duo escaped the temple explosion and later ended up in the hands of the OWLF. Just like the City Hunter's combistick, it was up on display at Stargazer lab in The Predator, making another effective Xenomorph cameo in the Predator movies.

Separatable Spear

Prey introduced us to the Feral Predator and his new weapons, including the separatable combistick, which splits in half. Both parts still expand like a telescope, but the back end is used as a club or a mace and is not made for stabbing. The first half acts like a sword, with a sharp tip and edges. The separatable combistick was attached to the back side of the Predator and besides the wristblades and the bolt gun, was Feral's weapon of choice. The combistick was also used against the Yautja when Taabe threw the weapon (in combined form) and impaled him through the shoulder. Because of the separation feature, Feral had an easier time removing the spear from his body.

Predator Glaive

Another separatable spear showed up in the first Alien vs. Predator comic series. This glaive-like spear was put together from two separate knives, which extended from their backsides. The knives were kept separated in a big chest full of weapons, containing much more Predator equipment. The series described how each blooded Predator had their own collection of gear, but the spears were often chosen to be one of the most honorable weapons for hunting Xenomorphs. The AvP comics also contained regular Predator glaives that did not separate or even snap to a smaller size, making for quick and disposable hunting weapons.

Predator Inquisitor Combistick

The Yautja spear appears in almost all the Predator games, mostly as a melee weapon in addition to the wristblades. It is a great smacking tool in the first Alien vs. Predator games, being able to decapitate an enemy in one swipe. In Aliens vs. Predator 2010, it becomes throwable and is great against powerful enemies like the Weyland-Yutani combat synthetics and the Predalien. The AvP: Evolution mobile game introduced three new variants of the Predator spear: the Iniquisitor Combistick, the Executioner combistick, and the Autarch combistick, which vary in strength and speed. However, the Inquisitor Combistick seems to be the most prominent and powerful one.

Predator Speargun

A closely related weapon to the spear is the speargun, although it is a common misconception that the spear transforms into the speargun, or that the spear itself fires the small speartips. The speargun is a separate weapon and comes in different types and sizes, including the bolt gun seen in Prey. Like the spear, it does not draw on the power pack of the Predator and has its own limited ammunition instead. The speargun is a powerful long-range weapon but requires very accurate aim - most variants don't have any auto-aiming features, although it is helped by the three-dot laser sights of the bio-helmet. In the AvP games, the speargun is great at dissecting Xenomorphs, even being able to shoot off a tail of a Xenomorph Queen.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the Predator spear, also known as the combistick, is an iconic and versatile weapon that holds great significance in Predator lore. Throughout the franchise, we have witnessed different iterations of the combistick, each with its own unique features and purposes. Whether used by the City Hunter, the Young Blood Predators, or wielded by human Predator Alexa Woods, these spears have played pivotal roles in battles, marking successful hunts and serving as ceremonial trophies. From its telescopic expansion to its ability to stab, block, and be thrown, the combistick represents the pinnacle of Yautja weaponry.