Since its initial Hulu release on August 5th, Dan Trachtenberg's Prey has received positive reactions from critics and fans alike. As shown in Prey, the Predator franchise relies on the emotions conveyed by its main characters to tell human stories set within the world of an alien conflict.
Like other entries in the franchise, Prey's main cast comprises numerous confident, warrior-like characters whose hubris is revealed the second they encounter a Yautja - the name of the Predator species. On top of following the classic trend of over-confidence with human characters in the franchise, Prey introduces a new Yautja to the mix, proving once again that many of the most remarkable characters in the franchise aren't just the tough human warriors but also the Predators themselves.
10 The City Hunter Terrorized Los Angeles
A Yautja referred to as "Ghost," the City Hunter is the main antagonist of Stephen Hopkins' Predator 2. Hunting in Los Angeles, California, the City Hunter is a member of a tribe that secretly invaded L.A. during a heatwave.
Sporting a Yautja Combistick - a retractable staff with a spear ending - the City Hunter was nearly unstoppable in close combat and a formidable threat from a short distance. The first character in the franchise to wield the Combistick, the City Hunter also introduced the Smart Disc – a frisbee-like weapon with blades that can cut through almost anything. Like some other Yautja in the franchise, the performance of the City Hunter was a three-person effort, with Kevin Peter Hall wearing the suit in most scenes, R. David Smith handling stunts, and Hal Rayle providing the voice.
9 Mac Was Loyal To His Best Friend
One of the many memorable characters from John McTiernan's Predator, Mac Eliot was a Vietnam war veteran who joined a private military team alongside his good friend, Blain Cooper. Played by actor Bill Duke, Mac stands out early in the film, initiating an iconic moment in the franchise shortly after Blain dies.
Noticing the Forest Hunter escaping, Mac picked up Blain's minigun and fired into the treeline until the bullets ran out. As the film progressed, Mac consistently showed fierce loyalty to his fallen friend, bravely pursuing revenge by chasing after the Jungle Hunter himself. Though Mac didn't survive against the Jungle Hunter, he is noticeably one of the bravest characters in the franchise and one of the few who continued to pursue a Yautja after seeing its full capabilities.
8 Royce Took On The Berserker
Portrayed by Oscar-winning actor Adrien Brody, Royce is the primary protagonist in Nimrod Antal's Predators, the third film in the Predator franchise. An elite mercenary, Royce, along with the rest of the group in Predators, was kidnapped by the Super Predators and taken to a game preserve planet.
On the planet, Royce led a group of people - whom he later realized all had unredeemable qualities – to escape the planet and return to earth. On top of serving as his group's strategic and intellectual leader, Royce fought and defeated the Berserker, the film's primary antagonist, and the Super Predators' leader.
7 Billy Made A Final Stand
Dutch's right-hand man throughout Predator, Billy Sole is one of the many fan-favorite side characters in the franchise. Played by actor Sonny Landham, Billy is the group's tracker, showing a keen ability to pick up on the presence of the Jungle Hunter before it ever revealed itself.
A soldier with Native American heritage, Billy is half-Sioux, as described in detail in the film's novelization. In his final moment on screen, Billy was the subject of one of the most iconic shots in the Predator franchise, wielding a large machete as he stares, nearly face-to-face, into the eyes of the Jungle Hunter. With Native American culture again tying into the franchise with Prey, Billy's role in Predator is now even more relevant.
6 The Berserker Led The Super Predators
The leader of the Super Predators and primary antagonist of Predators, the Berserker is one of the most powerful Yautja in the franchise. Also known by fans as "Mr. Black," the Berserker was played by actor Brian Steele.
A high-ranking member of his tribe, it was through the Berserker that fans learned Yautja culture is plagued by infighting and isn't a united species as previously assumed. Fitted with a Plasmacaster - an iconic weapon in the franchise - the Berserker is responsible for the death of three significant characters in Predators and took part in one of the franchise's best fights; Royce vs. the Berserker.
5 The Feral Hunter Was A Savage
The primary antagonist in Prey and the newest Yautja in the franchise, the Feral Hunter hunted the Comanche Native American tribe in Oklahoma in 1719. Portrayed by Dan DiLiego, the Feral Hunter provided longtime fans with a look at how the Yautja's advanced weapon technology has evolved.
Though the Feral Hunter wields the classic, shoulder-mounted laser tracker, the lack of Plamsacaster reveals that the movie takes place between the invention of the laser tracker and the Plasmacaster from the original film, giving fans an idea of when specific Yautja tech was developed. Though the Feral Hunter may be the most effective Yautja in the franchise yet, its lack of strategy hints that it may not be as intelligent as hunters from previous films.
4 Mike Harrigan Fought A Cover-Up
Portrayed by Oscar-winning actor Danny Glover, Mike Harrigan is the primary protagonist in Predator 2. A police officer in L.A., Harrigan was one of the first officers on the scene when the City Hunter attacked a gang of drug dealers.
A maverick at heart, Harrigan is naturally inclined to be combative with his superiors. This quality helped him realize the CIA was attempting to cover up the presence of Yautja hunters in Los Angeles. Mike is one of the most intelligent characters in the franchise, and he also killed the City Hunter in a one-versus-one confrontation, with only the help of weaponry entirely foreign to him.
3 The Jungle Hunter Captured Audience's Imaginations
The Yautja who started it all, the Jungle Hunter is the primary antagonist of Predator. Portrayed by Kevin Peter Hall, the Jungle Hunter's iconic design is one reason many consider Predator a classic movie that melded action, horror, and sci-fi.
Standing at seven feet tall, the Jungle Hunter's intimidating stature combined with advanced technology and a mind for strategy makes him a threat to any human on earth. The Jungle Hunter serving as the introduction to the now 35-year-old franchise and still maintaining status as the most iconic character in it speaks to why he's one of the best sci-fi movie villains of all time.
2 Naru Outsmarted The Feral Hunter
Portrayed by Amber Midthunder, Naru is the primary protagonist of Prey. A member of the Comanche tribe, Naru was raised to be a healer but had serious aspirations to become a hunter. Driven by a need to prove herself, Naru overcame tradition and demonstrated her worth as a hunter through high-level combat skills and an ability to observe.
Another protagonist with a win over a Yautja, Naru used her observation skills to craft a perfect trap, which led to the Feral Hunter inadvertently killing itself. In her fight with the Feral Hunter, Naru showed an impeccable ability to adapt, leaving no doubt that she was worthy of being called a hunter.
1 Dutch Survived The Jungle Hunter
One of the strongest characters Arnold Schwarzenegger has played, Alan "Dutch" Schaefer is the primary protagonist in Predator. The first hero in the franchise, Dutch was the only member of his private military team to survive the attacks of the Jungle Hunter. In fact, not only did he survive, he defeated the Jungle Hunter in one-on-one combat.
The most iconic human character in the franchise, Dutch is credited with some of the most famous lines in action cinema history, like, "get to the chopper!" and "if it bleeds, we can kill it." To this day in the franchise, if it weren't for Dutch surviving the encounter with the Jungle Hunter, the world would've never known what happened to his fallen comrades.