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PREDTOR.ZIP
PREDATOR FAQ V1.1
TABLE OF CONTENTS 
I.
Introduction
II. Catalog
of Movies
III. Physiology
Iv. Sociology
V. Equipment
Vi. Language
Vii.Resources
I. INTRODUCTION
The Predator is an alien species that was first
introduced in the 1987 film Predator. To date, there have been two
Predator movies with a third rumored to be in the works. As well as the
movies, the Predator character has also been featured in numerous comic
book titles by Dark Horse Comics, as well as a series of novels. It is
from these sources that this FAQ is produced. With so many different creative
artists working on this character, there are bound to be some contradictions
in some information. Wherever possible, the movies will be used as the
final judge.
I. Catalog
of Movies
Predator (1987, Rated R, 107 minutes,
Dolby)
Summary:
Dutch and his group of commandos are hired by the CIA to rescue downed
airmen from guerillas in
a South American jungle. The mission goes well but as they return they
find that something is hunting
them. Nearly invisible, it blends in with the forest, taking trophies from
the bodies of it's victims as it goes
along. Occasionally seeing through it's eyes, the audience sees it is an
intelligent alien hunter, hunting
them for sport, killing them off one at a time.
Predator II (1990, Rated R, ,)
Summary:
Harrigan, a brash policeman who
is fighting drug lords in a decaying L.A. finds that the criminals are
being killed in a very odd
fashion. The federal authorities keep telling him to stay out, even though
his own men are also being killed. He catches sight of a nearly invisible
alien hunter who is searching for trophies. Harrigan injures the creature
and pursues it, becoming the hunter.
Both films are excellent and I recommend
you rent them both at the same time.
III. PHYSIOLOGY
The creature known as the Predator,
or Yautja in it's own language, is a bipedal humanoid creature standing
approximately 2.5 meters tall. While the yautja's body may be humanoid
in appearance, this cannot be said for it's face. Having been described
as having a face like a "mutated crab", the yautja possess a very distinct
look. The most prominent feature of this look are four mandibles which
protrude from and surround a smallish mouth filled with sharp teeth. These
mandibles are used for communicating much like a cat uses it's tail to
communicate it's mood. The yautja also have a verbal language of clicks
and chirps and are capable of mimicking other verbal languages to a degree.
On their head, the yautja have course bristly "hair" which is twisted
into dreadlocks. An average yautja weighs between 250-350 lb.., most of
this being pure muscle. The yautja have very little body fat due to their
predatory lifestyle and diet. Skin color is generally a pasty yellow mottled
with black spots. Eye color is green or yellow. The yautja are much stronger
and faster than an average human. They possess lightning quick reflexes
and their dexterity surpasses that of man. Their blood is green with a
phosphoresent quality which has properties that protect them against the
caustic effects of their favorite prey's blood. As far as sensory
perceptions, it is believed that they are similar to humans, however,
it is a common practice for yautja to employ technology to heighten their
senses. Yautja reproduction is similar to humans although no female yautja
have been encountered. It has been noted that an enraged female yautja
would be a handful for a fully armed warrior yautja. This would imply that
the female of the species may be even larger, stronger, and faster than
the male. Until a female yautja is encountered, we can only wonder. As
far as environment, it appears that the yautja prefer hot, humid conditions
with an atmosphere rich in nitrogen.
Iv. Sociology
Yautja society
is based on the concept of The Hunt. Whereas humans on earth were
agrarian, the yautja never settled down. THeir culture revolves around
the concept of hunting and stalking prey. Very similar to a pack mentality, 
the
strongest and most efficient member of the group is the leader. This
alpha male controls the actions of the group. So far, only males seem to
participate in hunts. As a rite of passage into adulthood, each male yautja
must hunt and kill his first kainde amedha, or "hard meat". These
hard meats are commonly known to humans as Aliens (see _Alien_,
_Aliens_, _Alien 3_, and _Alien:Resurrection_). Apparently the yautja
and aliens have a connected evolution and the yautja consider them to be
the ultimate prey. Yautja appear to value other predatory species as the
most challenging targets. This would also explain their preference for
hunting humans, another highly successful predatory species. The
yautja are very fond of trophies, skulls being the most sought after.
The yautja warrior's behavior is controlled by a code of ethics. This code
appears similar to human warriors codes such as bushido and chivalry in
that it promoted bravery, martial skill, and loyalty to the pack. Most
yautja will not hunt or attack a creature it considers "weak" or unthreatening.
When the yautja encounter the females or young of their prey, they often
spare them, considering it dishonorable to shed the blood of those who
cannot defend themselves.
The rite of
passage hunts are generally conducted on uninhabited planets. Before a
hunt begins, the yautja "seed" the hunting grounds with alien eggs which
are obtained from a captive queen. Once the eggs hatch and the alien brood
mature, a group of unblooded warriors land on the planet, supervised by
two or three veteran warriors. Equipped only with hand to hand weaponry
and armor, the young yautja are sent out. Those who survive and claim a
kill are then inducted into their clan as fully blooded warriors. Knowing
the danger presented by the aliens to the local ecosystem, the yautja will
not leave a planet until every alien is killed. However, it is believed
that alien infestations in the galaxy may be caused by the yautja failing
to account for every released alien. As a side note, it is considered
a great honor by the yautja to participate in the hunts which obtain the
alien queen from which they obtain their supply of eggs. To obtain
a live queen, the yautja hunting party must venture into an alien crèche,
succeed in defeating all the queen's warrior drones, and then subdue the
queen herself. Needless to say, many of these parties never return. To
understand the respect yautja hold for the lethality of the aliens, in
at least one instance, the yautja have accepted a human into their hunting
clan who has successfully slain an alien in single hand to hand combat.
Another rite of adulthood is the ceremonial braiding of a warriors hair
into the "dreadlocks" style worn by the warriors. This process, usually
taking months of ritual and scalp pain is performed in public. At the slightest
show of pain or discomfort on the part of the young warrior, the entire
process is started over again.
Not much is
known about the social interactions of yautja when not on a hunt.
It is known that they are not monogamous. Males who are successful hunters
appear to have their pick of females for breeding. This incentive guarantees
that most males strive to distinguish themselves in the hunt. It is not
uncommon for veteran warriors to sire hundreds of offspring with multiple
mates.
V. Equipment
The yautja
possess technology far beyond that of humans. However, it is unknown whether
they created this technology themselves, or obtained it from other species
which have had the misfortune to be considered worthy of hunting. A standard
equipment load for a yautja on a hunting trip would usually consist of
the following:
HELMET/RESPIRATOR:
While on
safari, the yautja wear a distinctive headgear which serves multiple functions.
The helmet provides protection during combat. It also houses an extensive
array of surveillance equipment including visual and auditory enhances.
Visually, the helmet allows the yautja to see the entire spectrum of light
from infrared, to visible, to ultraviolet and beyond. The helmet also houses
a respirator which provides a breathable atmosphere or supplements an environment's
atmosphere. Also, housed within the helmet is a targeting and tracking
system for any shoulder mounted weaponry.
SHOULDER MOUNTED
PLASMA CASTER:
This ranged
energy weapon is controlled via the targeting system in the helmet. Emitting
a burst of charged plasma, the weapon is capable of disintegrating most
opponents. The weapon is fired either by a mandible controlled trigger
in the helmet or by a trigger on the forearm.
BODY MESH:
Worn underneath
their hunting armor, this covering provides warmth and prevents chaffing.
DOUBLE-BLADE
WRIST GAUNTLET:
Considered
a weapon of last resort, this gauntlet features dual razor sharp retractable
blades. The blades are activated via a wrist trigger.
SHIFTSUIT:
The shiftsuit
is the ultimate in camouflage. By bending light waves around the wearer,
the suit makes them practically invisible. However, it doesn't grant true
invisibility . An alert opponent would be able to notice the shimmering,
or shifting of the lightwaves. This is especially noticeable when the wearer
is moving. Another feature of the shiftsuit is the loop control. This device
allows the yautja to record the language of it's prey.
COMBAT STAFF:
The preferred
weapon of the yautja, the combat staff has many uses. It can be used as
a poleax, or wielded as a staff or spear. It is also a ranged weapon,
capable of firing javelin -like projectiles at opponents.
SMART WEAPON:
One of the
most advanced pieces of equipment carried by the yautja, the smart weapon
is a flat disc shaped weapon which can be held in the hand, or thrown at
an opponent. Computer controlled gyros guarantee that the disc returns
to it's wielder. This device is capable of cutting through most substances.
Vi.
Language
Vii. Resources
_Aliens
vs Predators: Prey_ 1994 Steve and Stephani Perry ISBN 0-553-56555-9
_Aliens vs
Predators: Hunter's Planet_ 1994 David Bischoff ISBN 0-553-56556-7
Predator
Web Page
*I would like to thank whoever took the time to
design the Predator font. I don't know your name but your efforts are appreciated.
