Kalisk: The Giant "Unkillable" Creature From Badlands

The Kalisk (also known as the XX0522) was a massive alien beast introduced in Predator: Badlands. Native to the harsh world of Genna, the creature was portrayed as a near-unkillable apex predator who challenged both Yautja hunters and the corporate ambitions of the Weyland-Yutani Corporation. The creature fought the protagonist, Dek Predator, and managed to ravage a Weyland-Yutani exosuit as well.

A Giant Spiked Creature

The Kalisk (designated as XX0522 by Weyland-Yutani) was seen as an enormous spiked creature with black skin and long black dreadlock-like hair, dominating the brutal ecosystem of its home planet. It was considered one of the deadliest and most unkillable life forms known, capable of resisting traditional weapons and surviving in extreme environments. The Kalisk's sheer size, ferocity, and mysterious biology made it both a perfect test for Predator hunters and a valuable target for human scientific exploitation. Most likely, the Kalisk was not the only creature from its species, and the Death Planet might have housed more of them.

Kalisk vs. Dek

In Predator: Badlands, the Yautja warrior Dek was banished from Yautja Prime due to his small size and weakness, and set out to hunt the Kalisk as his ultimate challenge. His goal was to prove his worth to his clan and to his father Njohrr, the tribe's leader. The hunt on the planet Genna became a deadly rite of passage, where Dek had to overcome hostile terrain, deadly fauna, and finally face the Kalisk itself. Although the Kalisk was presented as unkillable, Dek was seen cutting pieces of it (possibly its tail) off with his plasma sword. It was likely that Dek survived the encounter, but it was not known if he managed to kill the creature and take its trophy.

Kalisk vs. Weyland-Yutani

The Weyland-Yutani Corporation viewed the Kalisk not as a challenge but as an opportunity. The Company had a noticeable presence on Genna, employing several groups of androids, but no humans. Its Bio Weapons Division sought to capture or study the creature for potential military applications. The Kalisk was shown fighting a Weyland-Yutani exosuit, a more advanced model than the P-500 Powerloader seen in Aliens. The exosuit (known as the Super Power Loader) was seen losing the fight.

Predators Hunting Other Giant Creatures

The Yautja are shown to love hunting wild animals, and giant creatures in particular, but such beasts might have been difficult to find. The Arena fight in Predator: Killer Of Killers was interrupted when the Grendel King released a giant creature, which was killed soon after. Predators have had some run-ins with Dinosaurs, and have displayed giant dinosaur skulls in their trophy rooms. The best example of this occurred in Tarzan vs. Predator: At the Earth's Core, where Predators hunted inside the hollow Earth called Pellucidar. The Yautja hunted giant underwater creatures in Predator: Hell And Hot Water, while proving to be expert swimmers. Finally, Ahab from the Fire and Stone series hunted a giant centipede on LV-223, although this might have been a creature infected by the Black Goo Pathogen.

Conclusion

The Kalisk was depicted as a massive alien predator native to the Death Planet Genna, a world inhabited by numerous other deadly life forms. It served as one of the main antagonists, and defeating it was the goal of Yautja warrior Dek, who sought to restore his honor. The creature was shown to possess immense strength and resilience, capable of damaging advanced technology such as the Weyland-Yutani exosuit. However, it could still be injured or killed, at least by a Yautja plasma sword.

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