The Universe’s Most Dangerous Predator; A Yautja Breakdown
The Yautja, or Predator, will travel across galaxies to find a creature worthy of their hunt. Hopefully, none of us are worthy.
First appearing in the 1987 science fiction action movie, Predator, the Yautja have become one of the most famous and recognizable alien species in cinematic history. But let’s talk about what these predators are, what they want, and what makes them so good and hunting.
The Basics
The Yautja, or as we more commonly know them, Predators, are an extraterrestrial species known for the great importance they place on and the great skill they have for hunting. Like a science fiction version of The Most Dangerous Game, the Yautja use a mixture of primitive weapons – relative to their technology level- and highly technologically advanced tools to stalk and hunt their prey.
Some of their favorite and most well-known hunting prey are humans and Xenomorphs. There are many in-universe examples of Yautja coming to Earth for a hunting excursion. And some pieces of Xenomorph lore show them interacting with the Mala’kak Engineers and even breeding and raising Xenomorphs specifically for hunting purposes.
Predator Hunting Culture
via 20th Century Studios
The entirety of Yautja culture is centered on ritualistic hunting. It is so important to them that they will travel huge distances across entire galaxies in order to find suitable huntees to pursue. Usually, the hunt will take place in the target’s home or habitat. But the Yautja have also been known to capture their prey and transport them to hunting grounds across the universe.
The hunt has rules and a certain understanding of honor. To act dishonorably is to not be a “true Yautja” and possibly be killed by their own. But these rules and honor systems likely don’t seem like much to their prey. Part of the Yautja creed is to be ruthless. In the unlikely and uncommon circumstance that they fail in their hunt, it is common for a Yautja to “honorably” kill themselves by detonating their gauntlet’s self-destruct devise.
The most common tools and abilities of the Yautja are their camouflage and energy weapons as well as blades, spears, and nets. Additionally, they have a highly advanced ability to stalk and track almost any creature in almost any circumstance.
Yautja Physiology
via 20th Century Studios
Yautja are humanoids in that they are bipedal with two legs, two arms, and a head with an obvious face. They also have a reptile-like appearance and skin, hair-like appendages that hang off of their heads, no visible nose, and mandibles around their mouth that can convey any number of emotions from anger to going-to-kill-you-for-sport. Which may be happiness, but it can be hard for humans to tell. They also tower over many humans at an average of seven feet tall.
Some but not all have quills around their eyes and some are shorter than humans. While they look similar to one another, Yautja can be told apart by various physical differences, the same as any other species.
Not much is known about the Yautja life cycle or home world. They more than likely come from an arid habitat and, despite looking somewhat reptilian, don’t show any evidence of laying eggs. In fact, it’s been implied that young Yautja drink something like milk from their mothers, similar to mammals on Earth. And so it’s sometimes theorized that they have both reptile and mammal-like qualities.
Young Yautja are considered to reach physical adulthood at 50-60 years. But until they have successfully hunted and killed their first prey, they are still considered a child within the clan. As such they are unable to take on full privileges or hunt without supervision.
Predator History
via 20th Century Studios
Before the Yautja there were the Hish-qu-Ten who were fairly similar to, but shorter than their offspring. At some point, the Hish were invaded and enslaved by the Amengi. After years of slave-powered luxury, the Amengi became soft and unpracticed in their own military. This left them weak and in a perfect situation to be easily overthrown by the Hish. Now armed with the Amengi technology and inspired by their sports hunts, the Hish adapted these parts of life into their own culture. Eventually, the Yautja high-tech hunting way of life was born and would continue for many, many generations.
What is your favorite Predator movie, comic, or appearance? How do you think you would do in a Yautja hunt? What is your favorite piece of Yautja technology? Let us know in the comments!
Happy Adventuring!
