Big Mama Predator: A Female Yautja Profile

Big Mama was the first prominent female Predator introduced in the expanded Predator lore. Appearing in the epic Aliens vs. Predator: Deadliest Of The Species comic series, she was a fearsome warrior with a slightly bigger size than male Predators. Here is the complete overview of the Big Mama Predator, including her complicated relationship with Ash Parnall and the battle against the Hybrid King who was under the influence of a rogue "Toy" AI system.

The First Prominent Female Yautja

Although female Predators were first mentioned in the Aliens vs. Predator: Prey book, Big Mama Predator was a groundbreaking character in the Yautja mythology. She broke the mold as one of the first prominent female Yautja to be introduced in the expanded Predator lore. Her arrival shattered the preconceived notion that Yautja society is exclusively male-dominated, as she exhibited the same lethal skills, honor code, and cunning strategy as her male counterparts. Big Mama had no visible female traits, although her breasts were almost always covered with armor. However, she was a cunning and lethal warrior, and being bigger gave her an edge in hand-to-hand fighting as well.

Previous Hunts Of Big Mama

Before embarking on her most notable adventures, Big Mama Predator had already established herself as a relentless and highly skilled hunter. Her history is filled with tales of stalking dangerous prey across various planets, adding impressive trophies to her trophy collection onboard her scout ship. In addition to an Alien Queen and 2 Xenomorph warrior skulls, it contained the body parts of several iconic superheroes from the DC and Marvel universes. The skulls of Batman, Cyclops, and Magneto and the clawed hand of Wolverine were displayed. Big Mama must have visited some parallel universes during her previous hunts. The main writer of Aliens vs. Predator: Deadliest of the Species was Chris Claremont of X-Men fame, so the mutants showing up made at least some sense.

Search For Big Mama's Children

One of the central plotlines in Big Mama Predator's story is her quest to locate her missing Yautja offspring, who were taken years ago. This mission led her on a perilous journey across the galaxy, as she scoured different planets and engaged in fierce battles in her relentless pursuit of answers. Big Mama's children had been stolen by the henchmen of Lucien Delacroix, the CEO of Montcalm-Delacroix et Cie, one of the many mega-corporations in the Alien universe. However, the actual being running the show behind the scenes was "Toy", a rogue AI running some of the systems in the company.

Big Mama Hunting Ash Parnall

One of her memorable hunts involved pursuing Caryn Delacroix, the trophy wife of Lucien Delacroix and the woman who gave the Yautja the "Big Mama" nickname. In the complicated and somewhat convoluted plot of Deadliest of the Species, Caryn Delacroix was revealed to be Ash Parnall, an expert warrior who had a special connection to Big Mama. Although Big Mama seemingly tried to pursue Caryn, she actually needed her help in finding her children. Their fierce and deadly game of cat and mouse at the beginning of the story showcased Big Mama Predator's relentless determination to achieve her goals. However, Big Mama was captured while pursuing Caryn and fell into the hands of Lucien and his cronies who took her to a skyline in Earth's orbit, the main base of the company.

Escape From The Delacroix Skyliner

Big Mama Predator found herself imprisoned aboard the Delacroix skyliner, strapped naked to a table while being studied by the henchmen of Lucien Delcroix. Her escape from the high-security vessel showed her resourcefulness, but she did not act alone. Caryn Delacroix, now realizing her true identity as Ash Parnall, turned against her captors and helped free the wounded Predator. During the escape, Big Mama sustained serious injuries and barely made it back to her ship. Ash placed her into a stasis pod to keep her alive while they fled the skyliner.

Escape From Samara Station

Big Mama's ship later arrived at Samara Station, a remote backwater base far from the Core worlds. Unfortunately, the situation quickly mirrored the chaos of the skyliner. Security forces moved in, Xenomorphs overran parts of the station, and even android Xenomorphs known as TecSek joined the pursuit. Big Mama and Ash fought their way back to the ship, this time taking several human survivors with them. Once again, they escaped into deep space, leaving Samara Station behind.

Forming a Group Of Human Predators

In a surprising twist, Big Mama Predator formed an alliance with a group of human predators and an Alien Queen, transcending the traditional boundaries between Yautja, humans, and Xenomorphs. This partnership demonstrated her adaptability and willingness to collaborate when necessary. Together with Ash Parnall and other human warriors escaping from Montcalm-Delacroix et Cie, Big Mama provided them with Yautja weapons and armor from her scout ship. In addition, she trained them in the Yautja ways, including cloaking, stealth, and weapons training. After vigorous training, the group was now ready to take on Lucien Delacroix and help Big Mama reclaim her children.

Battle Against Toy And The Hybrid King

Big Mama Predator's most epic confrontation came in the form of a battle against the White Hybrid King, a monstrous entity created through genetic experimentation by Toy, the Rogue AI. The King was to lead a new race of Xenomorph/Human hybrids who would do the bidding of this artificial intelligence. Onboard a skyliner in Earth's orbit (serving as a base of operations for the company), Toy blended virtual reality with the real world, providing the story a somewhat confusing and mindblowing ending, even partly taking place in the Wild West. Ash Parnall gave birth to a White Hybrid Trophy Hatchling, who rapidly grew in size, but surprisingly did not join the other hybrids. With the help of the Alien Queen from Samara station, Lucien was killed and the Hybrid King was defeated by a chestburster ripping through its body.

Final Fate

With both Lucien and the Hybrid King dead, Big Mama, Ash Parnall and the remaining human hunters escaped the skyliner onboard the Yautja ship, while the skyliner was set to self-destruct. Onboard was also the Trophy Hatchling, another hybrid who had survived and realized the evil deeds of the other white hybrids. In a final twist, it was revealed that Big Mama's children were also aboard, seemingly rescued from the explosion at the last minute. This mismatched group was now ready for new adventures, but no direct sequel to the story was ever released. Ash Parnall later showed up in Aliens: Renegade, although it was unclear when exactly in the Alien timeline this took place.

Big Mama's Armor And Gear

As with all Yautja, Big Mama Predator's armor was a marvel of advanced Predator technology. Her armor featured advanced camouflage technology, thermal vision, and the ability to mask her presence from prey. Big Mama mostly used gear similar to the original Jungle Hunter, although her entire chest was covered by armor, distinct from the one-shoulder armor of the original Yautja. Somewhat distinct from other bio-masks, her eyes were red when wearing the helmet. Big Mama often wore the skulls of her defeated enemies on her belt, while it was even hinted that she took scalps as well.

Big Mama's Weapons

Big Mama Predator was known for her formidable weaponry, which included an arsenal similar to the City Hunter from Predator 2. Her preferred weapons were the wristblades and the combistick, while the smart disc and shoulder cannon were used for long-range attacks. Somewhat surprisingly, Big Mama used human weapons on at least one occasion. While escaping Samara Station, she shot up a group of security forces with the trusty M41A Pulse Rifle. All these weapons served her well in combat and provided her with an edge over her adversaries, whether they were fellow Yautja or formidable extraterrestrial creatures.

Connection To Dek's Mother

Big Mama Predator also set an early precedent for how powerful female Yautja were portrayed in Predator lore, which later echoed in the introduction of Dek's mother. In Predator: Badlands, Dek's mother arrived on Yautja Prime aboard her own massive ship, suggesting high rank and authority within Yautja society. The size and design of Dek's mother's ship closely resembled that of the Warlord Predator seen in Predator: Killer of Killers, a heavily armored and towering Yautja who presided over events on Yautja Prime. Given that the Warlord survived those events and that Predators were known to live for centuries, it remained possible that Dek's mother and the Warlord Predator were the same individual. Essentially, Dek's Mother was also a "Big Mama" that other Predators were afraid of.

Conclusion

Big Mama Predator is a trailblazing character in the extended Predator universe, proving that the Yautja code of honor and the pursuit of greatness know no gender boundaries. Her legacy serves as an inspiration to fans, challenging traditional gender roles in science fiction and showcasing the strength, determination, and adaptability that define her character. With her remarkable gear and legendary hunts, Big Mama Predator continues to leave an indelible mark on the world of Yautja lore.

Tag Categories: Individual Predators, Predators From The Comics