Bud: A Guide To Dek's Side-Kick Creature From Badlands

Bud is a small alien creature from Genna who becomes the unlikely companion of the young Yautja hunter, Dek. Together with the cut-in-half android Thia, the trio takes on Alien monsters and the Weyland-Yutani corporation, while forming a strong connection. Beware of spoilers about what happens at the end of Predator: Badlands in the second part of this article.

A Small Alien Creature

Bud (short from Buddy) first appears on the "Deatn Planet" Genna while Dek and the synthetic Thia are trying to cross a field of razor grass. The creature moves quickly and seems able to roll through terrain that would shred most life forms. Her shell-like back provides protection, and she displays curiosity and intelligence that set her apart from other wildlife. Bud is not recorded in Weyland-Yutani’s planetary databases, suggesting that she is an undiscovered species. Dek and Thia call her a "she", indicating the creature is female.

Teaming Up With Dek And Thia

Bud saves Dek and Thia when they are about to be eaten by the giant pod monster. She wedges herself between the teeth of the creature, letting Dek get the upper hand. Bud quickly bonds with Dek after marking him with her scent, a gesture that creates a lasting connection between them. From then on, she follows Dek and Thia, helping them survive on Genna. Bud learns from them and even imitates some of their actions, proving she is more than just a simple animal.

Fighting Weyland-Yutani

As Dek’s hunt leads to conflict with Weyland-Yutani forces of synthetics, Bud becomes even more important. After losing all his Yautja gear, Dek creates new organic armor and weapons, setting out to save Thia's upper part which was "boxed" by Weyland-Yutani. She helps Dek and the lower part of Thia navigate the dangerous terrain and plays a small but meaningful role in their final battle for the planet. Bud helps Thia to join her body parts together again and distracts the Weyland-Yutani androids with his antics (while wearing a cape). The Kalisk is also saved from Weyland-Yutani captivity by Dek, Thia, and Bud.

Connection With The Kalisk

It is later revealed that Bud is actually the son of the "Unkillable" Kalisk, the offspring of the massive creature that Dek has been hunting. Apparently, the Kalisk's appearance changes as it matures, growing spine-like hair, a bigger mouth, and turning much darker. Because Bud had marked Dek earlier, the adult Kalisk recognizes the scent and spares his life during their confrontation. Although the Kalisk self-regenerates, she is unable to recover from the freeze-grenade detonated from his insides by Tessa. Conveniently, both Bud and Dek get a bonding moment with the Kalisk just before it dies.

Final Fate Of Bud

By the end of Predator: Badlands, Bud has grown into a larger and more capable version of herself. She continues to travel with Dek and Thia as they leave Genna behind. Bud bites off the head of Dek's father Njorrh on Yautja Prime, after Dek weakens him in a fight. It is then hinted that Dek would then have his own clan, but he would have to confront his mother, arriving in a large ship, first. Bud's exact future is left uncertain, but her story hints that she may continue to play an important role in Dek’s life and the wider Predator universe.

Behind The Scenes

The creature Bud is brought to life in the film by actor Rohinal Nayaran, who plays the part of Bud in Predator: Badlands. Bud was well received by fans, although some pointed out negative similarities with other "cute" Disney characters, like Grogu from The Mandalorian and Groot/Rocket Raccoon from the Guardians Of The Galaxy. On the merchandising side, fans of the film can find a collectible figure of Dek together with Bud, in the form of the Funko Pop! “Dek with Bud” vinyl figure, which stands approximately 9 cm tall and shows the duo in one package.

Conclusion

Bud serves as both a loyal companion and an important character in Predator: Badlands. Her friendship with Dek and Thia adds humor and emotion to the story while connecting the main characters to the larger world of Genna and the Kalisk species. Together, Dek, Thia, and Bud form a "Wolf Pack", a new clan that Dek lost on Yautja Prime. Moving on, Dek would become a powerful Beast Master, controlling one of the strongest and "unkillable" creatures in the universe.

Tag Categories: Predator: Badlands Lore, Predator: Badlands Characters, Predator Hunt