Yautja Facts: Strange Details About Predators

There are some lesser-known and rather strange details about the enigmatic Yautja that might astonish even the most dedicated fans. From their weird eating habits to connections to Prometheus and Ellen Ripley, these are fun and interesting Predator facts that are not well-known. In this article, we'll delve deep into these unusual facts and trivia about the Yautja, uncovering weird things from both the movies and from the Predator expanded universe of games, books, and comics.

Predators Eat Humans, But Predators Are More Likely To Be Eaten By Humans

Predators are known to consume humans as a last resort, a fact that has been rarely documented. For instance, in the "Hunters And Hunted" book, a Predator escaped from a Stargazer lab, killed a group of hikers, and ate one of their legs. Surprisingly, Predators themselves are not immune to being consumed by humans, as depicted in the "Predator: Strange Roux" comic. In 1931, a Yautja was hunting in Louisiana, feeding on raw muskrats. A local Cajun named LeBlanc managed to trap and kill the Predator, later using its remains to prepare a rather unusual soup. Some Predator comics even suggest that consuming Yautja body parts might extend a human's lifespan. In "Aliens vs. Predator: Eternal," a techno-baron named Gideon Suhn Lee claimed to have lived for centuries by consuming the hearts of Predators.

Greyback Elder Was In The Korean War

Eagle-eyed Predator fans have noticed an intriguing detail about Greyback, a prominent Predator character from Predator 2. On his right arm, near his wrist gauntlet, Greyback wears an emblem with an Indianhead, which belongs to the United States 2nd Infantry Division. This division played significant roles in World War I, World War II, and most recently, the Korean War. This emblem suggests that Greyback might have hunted during the Korean War, a period not yet explored in the Predator Expanded timeline. The Predators have of course also hunted Indians, as seen in Prey, the latest Predator movie.

Greyback Elder Might Have Become the Predator Race Leader

In the late 27th century, during the Rage War (one of the many Yautja Wars), a thousand-year-old Predator King named Kalakta allied with humans to combat the Xenomorph threat controlled by the Rage. After their successful collaboration, the Predators and humans parted on good terms, hinting at future diplomacy. Some speculate that Kalakta could be Greyback, possibly becoming the leader of the entire Predator race. Kalakta's memory of an honorable encounter with a man on Earth, strongly implied to be Lieutenant Harrigan, fuels this theory. However, as Kalakta is only briefly described in the book, confirming his identity remains challenging.

The Black Goo Pathogen From Prometheus Is Compatible With Predators

The Fire and Stone comic series explored the consequences of infecting a Predator with the Black Goo pathogen. During a battle involving Predators and Xenomorphs, a Predator hunter was bitten by an android, Elden, infected with Black Goo. Within minutes, the Predator transformed, growing in size and developing additional tusks. Like infected humans, it became a mindless, powerful creature attacking anything in sight, including fellow Predators. Elden ultimately took down the crazed Yautja.

Predators May Have Evolved on Earth

Characters in the Predator: Homeworld comic speculate that the Predators' original homeworld might have been Earth. They propose that Predators evolved from reptilian creatures in Earth's swamps and later left the planet, eventually discovering Yautja Prime. This theory could explain the Predators' resemblance to both humans and Earth's reptiles, as well as their fixation on hunting and returning to Earth. This connection with Earth is also established in the first "Alien vs. Predator" movie, where Predators taught humans to build pyramids and were worshipped as gods, with humans sacrificed in ritual Xenomorph hunts.

The Predators Have a Tongue And 5 Hearts

Predators do possess a tongue as part of their strange anatomy, although it is often challenging to spot. Their tongue is forked, similar to that of a viper, located just behind their four lower teeth, protruding from their throats. Some sources suggest that Predators have multiple hearts, possibly four or five, contributing to their ability to endure significant damage. As mentioned earlier, there are claims that consuming a Predator's heart can grant unnaturally long life, a practice that greatly infuriates the Predators.

Predators Have Fought Historical Figures

Predators have engaged with historical figures throughout Earth's past, making these hunts particularly challenging. In the Predator: Hell Come a Walkin' comic, a Predator encountered the infamous Jesse James during the American Civil War. Jesse, previously a Confederate soldier, joined forces with Union soldiers to combat a Predator slaughtering both sides. Another Civil War Predator encounter occurs in the Predator: If It Bleeds anthology novel in the story titled Stonewall's Last Stand. Confederate General "Stonewall" Jackson and his group stumbled upon a Predator, resulting in a brutal confrontation and the ultimate demise of the Yautja.

Predator: Forever Midnight Tried to Rewrite Predator Lore, and Failed

The book "Predator: Forever Midnight," released in 2006 as part of the DH Press Predator novels, was met with considerable disdain from fans. It introduced Predators as a species called the "Hish-Qu-Ten", disregarding the established "Yautja" lore from previous Aliens vs. Predator comics and novels. These Hish-Qu-Ten were portrayed as less intelligent than regular Predators, lacking the hunting rules seen in the movies. They exhibited ruthless behavior, including harming unarmed individuals and using remote-controlled drones for airstrikes. Additionally, they had a unique anatomy, lacking a fixed gender. To reconcile this divisive addition, later Predator lore retconned the Hish-Qu-Ten as a specific Predator subspecies distanced from the regular Yautja, minimizing their presence in the Predator universe.

Dutch Was Racist in the Predator Novelization

The Predator novelization, penned by poet Paul Monette, offered an alternate take on the iconic film. It was based on an earlier script draft featuring a different Predator that relied less on technology for camouflage. One peculiar aspect of the novelization was the introduction of racial undertones directed at the character Dillon. In this version, Dutch openly used a racial slur towards Dillon (the N word), with no objections from other team members. Fortunately, this racially charged subplot did not make it into the film, and it remains a unique, if unsettling, aspect of the novelization.

Dutch Was Aboard the Chopper At The End Of Predator 2 And Became a Cyborg

Dutch, the protagonist of the original "Predator" film, left fans wondering about his fate after the events in Val Verde. Recent revelations shed light on his post-Predator journey. After being interrogated by OWLF, Dutch went off the grid, conducting his own investigations into the Predator. He maintained a sporadic relationship with both OWLF and Stargazer, the organization that succeeded OWLF. According to "Predator: Stalking Shadows", Dutch was present aboard the OWLF helicopter that landed near Harrigan following the departure of the Lost Tribe from Earth. Subsequently, Dutch was gravely wounded by a female Cleopatra Predator but spared out of respect. He then experimented with Yautja blood and DNA, which slowed his aging and heightened his reflexes. Dutch's final appearance in the Predator timeline occurred in the 21st century when he appeared in the AvP: Arcade Game, sporting a youthful appearance and a cybernetic arm.

Ripley And Newt's Encounters With Predators

Surprisingly, Ellen Ripley and a grown-up Newt (Rebecca Jorden) from Aliens made an appearance in an unused alternate ending of "The Predator." Initially concealing their identities behind Weyland-Yutani branded facehugger-like breathing masks, their names were revealed on a nearby display. The ending hints at time travel, alternate realities, and a potential crossover event. Similarly, Ripley 8 from "Alien: Resurrection" joined forces with Predators to fight Terminator hybrids in the absurd crossover comic "Aliens Versus Predator Versus The Terminator." Ripley 8 even became blooded, and joined the ranks of the few human Predators who have done so.

Conclusion

The Yautja, or Predators, continue to be an enduring source of fascination for fans of science fiction and horror. These strange and unusual details about their lore and interactions with humanity serve to deepen their mystique and complexity. As the Predator universe expands across various media, from films to novels to comics, we can anticipate even more bizarre and intriguing facts to emerge, further enriching their intricate mythology.