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Predator Is Way Stronger Than the Franchise Admits (Just Not On Earth)
It is no secret that Yautja of the Predator franchise are some of the strongest alien creatures in all science fiction when it comes to fighting skill and sheer brutality, but one extended-universe story proves that they are actually even more formidable than fans are aware of–just not on Earth.
Throughout the movies, and within a number of books and comics, Predators have primarily hunted humans on Planet Earth. The first known instance of this was depicted in the film Prey, with Predator, Predator 2, and The Predator also taking place on Earth later down the timeline. Even both Alien vs Predator movies are set on Earth, with the first one showing how Predators have been coming to this planet since the dawn of man, and even helped establish human society itself in the name of the Yautja's ritualistic Xenomorph hunts. Funny enough, however, this world is arguably where the Predators are at their weakest–and their biology proves it.
Predators Breathe Methane, Making Earth’s Atmosphere Poisonous to Them
In Aliens vs Predator #2 by Randy Stradley and Phill Norwood, the Predators have seeded a world with Xenomorph life, as per their Blooding Ritual. Unfortunately, that planet had already been claimed by humanity, and a small colony now finds themselves in the middle of a cosmic war between the deadliest killers in the universe. Before the fighting begins, however, one Predator is found injured by a team of people who aren’t sure what kind of life form he is. So, they bring the Yautja back to their medical facility for treatment, where it is discovered that he, along with his entire species, breathe primarily methane gas.
While there are traces of methane in Earth’s atmosphere, it is mostly nitrogen and oxygen. This is why Predators wear a breathing apparatus within their masks/helmets (which is how the doctor in this AvP comic was able to tell what the Predator breathed). However, this also explains why Predators always lose when they come to Earth. At the end of practically every Predator movie–starting with the first 1987 Predator and continuing today in 2022’s Prey–the Predator either removes their mask or has it removed by the third act, just in time to go toe-to-toe with the main protagonist. While those final fights are always epic, they’re actually pretty one-sided as it seems the Predator is just slowly suffocating the entire time–which is only exacerbated by the fact that they’re exerting a great deal of energy in the final fight itself.
For an alien species as highly advanced and familiar with Earth as the Predators are, they don’t seem to understand simple biology very well. If they would just keep their masks on or hunt on a planet with a methane-rich atmosphere for a change, then the Predators would be much stronger than they appear to be every time they hunt on Planet Earth.
