On any given day in the mighty Marvel Universe, it’s not unusual for a hero or villain to meet their demise. It’s an unfortunate but undeniable fact of life in a world teeming with super-powered beings. While danger looms constantly—whether on an individual or even group level — the idea of a mass extermination has always seemed unthinkable. After all, the logic goes, there are simply too many powerful beings for anyone to hunt—rather than merely “snap” — them all down. That is, until now. As the new Marvel Predator series explores, the universe’s ultimate game hunters have set their iconic three-dot reticles on Marvel’s pantheon of super-powered characters — with every intention of adding them to their already fearsome trophy collection.
In Benjamin Percy, Marcelo Ferreira, and Daniel Picciotto’s Predator Kills The Marvel Universe, the Yautja — the alien species of interstellar hunters more commonly known as the Predators — have grown tired of hunting regular humans and acid-spewing Xenomorphs. Instead, they seek more worthy prey: the heroes and villains of the Marvel Universe.
Despite the Predators’ “hunting is life” ethos, advanced technology, and centuries of experience, Marvel’s heroes and villains are no easy targets, and certainly not a group of mercs playing games in the Central American jungle. Indeed, this is a group that has sent Galactus packing multiple times. The Yautja are aware of this, which is why they have sent not just one hunter, but an army of elite hunters to take on the Marvel Universe. With that kind of firepower, the chances of the Marvel Universe making it out in one piece is far from assured.
The Yautja Are the Universe’s Game Hunting Superheroes
To truly understand what the Predator will bring to the hunt, it’s important to first know what they are all about. Fortunately, through stories told by DC, Dark Horse, and Marvel comics, there is plenty of background information to provide an informed understanding of the species, their traditions, and their history — revealing just how overpowered they really are, especially when they come at you two lines deep.
Perhaps the best place to start is with Dark Horse’s Predator line of comics, as opposed to their Predator versus series. From there, we learn that the Yautja are born and raised in an incredibly hostile environment — one that is physically, socially, and culturally punishing. It is an alien Sparta where the young are pitted against creatures as fearsome as Xenomorphs merely to get a foot in the door of their hyper-hierarchical society. Brutality is the foundational tradition, and it only intensifies from there. They do fear death or injury, but only insofar as it relates to the dishonor it would bring to their reputation.
From the DC line of comic crossovers, we learn that superheroes are not a new or unknown target for the Yautja. Over the years, they’ve tangled with plenty of them, and with each interaction, they’ve learned and adapted accordingly. For instance, in John Ostrander and Graham Nolan’s JLA versus Predator, we discover that Predators can be genetically engineered to mirror the abilities and powers of specific JLA members.
In the Marvel line of Predator stories, we learn that the Yautja are interested in vibranium and have apparently secured a source of it to arm their hunters. Additionally, their hunt of Wolverine reveals that their basic form possesses superhuman capabilities, likely including some degree of healing ability. This all suggests that the Yautja are well-prepared for this hunt. In contrast, outside of a few heroes, how much does the Marvel Universe know about the Yautja?
The Predators Are Coming for the Marvel Universe and There Is Nothing They Can Do To Stop It
While a Predator would likely make short work of many Marvel Universe characters – sorry Hawkeye, Punisher, and Captain America, while you may put up a good fight, you won’t last long – the Marvel Universe is rich with diverse characters possessing obscure skills that could potentially challenge the Predator’s formidable advantages.
Doctor Strange is one character who, at first glance, seems like the kind of hero the Predators would struggle to defeat. Given his vast array of abilities, he poses a serious threat capable of severely disrupting any Yautja offensive. His magic, for example, could likely bypass most Predator hunting technologies. Their stealth tactics — presumably — would be ineffective against Strange’s ability to perceive across dimensions. Most critically, with access to the Time Stone, Strange can reverse fatal blows, making him an exceptionally difficult target to eliminate.
Magic versus technology is an age-old conflict in the Marvel Universe, but in this case, the Predators are likely to hold the advantage. Assuming they’ve studied Doctor Strange before the hunt, it’s reasonable to think that, across their millions of hunts through time and space, they’ve uncovered a magical artifact or incantation capable of countering his powers — at least enough to slip past his defenses.
They might even deploy a warrior trained in the mystic arts of Earth or alien worlds, someone Strange would struggle to match. Likewise, the Predators would likely understand the physical toll of spellcasting and attack him on multiple fronts to overwhelm his system. They could also use techniques designed to restrict his ability to perform the intricate hand signs and gestures necessary for casting spells. In short, while Strange would be a formidable challenge, he is unlikely to withstand a carefully orchestrated assault by the Yautja.
Not Even Marvel’s Most Hard to Kill Heroes Will Escape the Predator Hunt
On the other end of the spectrum, there’s Deadpool, the Predators’ ultimate physical foil. The fact that he’s unkillable immediately complicates any attempt to hunt him. Moreover, his “fourth wall” awareness means he has likely seen and read all the Predator movies, television series, and comics, and is probably aware of more than a few fan theories about them. When combined with his experience fighting aliens, Deadpool poses a unique challenge to the hunters.
While Deadpool presents a unique challenge, it pales in comparison to the collective experience of the Yautja. At best, he might be able to take down one or two, but ultimately, victory against them would be impossible. For one, a win in Yautja tradition doesn’t always require killing the prey. An opponent who is incapacitated, contained, or otherwise neutralized is still considered a legitimate victory. Predators have the tools to accomplish all of these outcomes. They’ve used energy nets and stasis fields to restrain prey, toxins to incapacitate them, and could even devise a method to kill Deadpool every time he regenerates. Considering their extensive experience across the universe, perhaps they’ve already encountered and learned to exploit opponents who can “break the Fourth Wall.” So, while Deadpool may be unkillable, the Yautja certainly can eliminate him as a threat.
While the Marvel Universe is packed with powerful, intelligent, and uniquely skilled characters — traits that might suggest near-invincibility as a collective — they’re unlikely to be spared from a Predator invasion. The Predators’ mindset, technology, experience, and especially their adaptability mean that although the Yautja will likely suffer casualties, they should ultimately prevail in their quest to make a game out of the Marvel Universe.
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