Predator: Badlands May Have Just Answered a 15 Year Old Franchise Question

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Predator: Badlands offers a unique look at the Predator universe by telling the story from the Predator’s point of view. This allows the film to subtly expand on the established lore of the Yautja species, revealing details about their culture, history, and world through character moments and environmental storytelling.

For example, even dedicated fans might miss a hidden detail in the movie Badlands that could finally solve a 15-year-old mystery about the social structure within the Predator species – specifically, how their caste system works.

Remember Predators’ Tracker?

Okay, so when I rewatched Predators recently, I was really paying attention to the different Predators they brought in. There were three, and they were all pretty unique. First, there was “Tracker,” who had these huge, almost elephant-like tusks on his helmet and brought along a pack of these creepy alien creatures that acted like hunting dogs. Then you had “Falconer,” who was cool because he used a robotic bird as a drone to scout things out. But the real standout was “Berserker” – this massive, super-muscular Predator who seemed like a big deal, maybe from a more important clan. Basically, they set up this ultimate hunt where a bunch of tough people were kidnapped and dropped onto the Predator’s planet, and these three guys were there to do the hunting.

Tracker ended his long-running feud by killing Noland, the troubled veteran played by Laurence Fishburne. But his victory was short-lived, as Nikolai (Oleg Taktarov), a Russian special forces soldier, sacrificed himself to kill Tracker in a fierce fight.

Predator: Badlands Brings Back the Tracker Predator(s)

The film Predators significantly expanded the established mythology, prompting fans to ask more complex questions about the different groups and types within the Yautja species. Previously, details about Predator society and variations had been limited to novels and comics, but Predators brought these ideas to the forefront in a major film. Shane Black’s The Predator (2018) further complicated things by introducing a conflict between different classes of Predators – those who were naturally evolved and those who were genetically enhanced – which became the central plot twist.

The comic Predator: Badlands doesn’t attempt to explain everything about the Yautja culture, but it does introduce a key idea through the character of the Tracker. The story centers on Dek (Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi), a young Yautja considered an outcast due to his small size and physical differences. His father, the clan leader Njohrr (also played by Koloamatangi), orders Dek to be killed, believing it’s necessary to maintain the clan’s strength. However, Dek’s brother Kwei (Mike Homik) defies this order and gives his life to send Dek on a dangerous hunt on the planet Genna. The goal is for Dek to kill the fearsome Kalisk and prove his worth to the clan.

WARNING: SPOILERS FOLLOW!

It was incredible seeing Dek finally return to Yautja Prime, right to his father’s home, demanding a duel to settle things. But Njohrr didn’t even acknowledge him right away! He came out with a whole squad of Tracker Predators as his bodyguards. Dek didn’t hesitate, though – he took down both Trackers with frightening speed and skill before finally getting the one-on-one fight with his father that he’d come for. It was an amazing display of power!

Tracker Predators Are A Sub-Class of Yautja

If you’re not a huge fan of the Predator movies, you might not know that the alien Yautja have a complex culture with rules about groups and rankings. “Tracker” is a position a younger member of the larger “Super Predator” type can earn. The movie Predators actually shows a hunting group led by an experienced Super Predator—called a Berserker—who is training two less experienced Super Predators, a Tracker and a Falconer, by taking them on a hunt.

The movie Badlands demonstrates that Yautja society heavily values rankings and the process of climbing them. This established background makes Dek’s story all the more compelling and grand.

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2025-11-12 18:13