Predalien: Guide To Xenomorphs Born From Predators

The Predalien is the result of a facehugger impregnating a Predator. It is a hybrid creature from the Alien vs. Predator lore that combines Xenomorph biology with traits inherited from its Yautja host. Predaliens are usually larger and more powerful than standard Xenomorphs, and are often compared in size and strength to the Praetorians, the guards of the Alien Queen. The existence of Predaliens is a major insult to the Yautja, which is why they are often priority targets for hunting. While the creature is canon within the Alien vs. Predator continuity, it is not usually treated as part of the core Alien lore. Below is a guide to Predalien anatomy, followed by the most notable individual Predaliens from the movies, comics, and games.

Predalien Anatomy

Most Predalien designs combine the body plan of a Xenomorph with visible Predator features inherited from the host. While some versions lean more toward a traditional Alien appearance, the most recognizable Predaliens usually share a few traits that immediately separate them from standard drones and warriors.

Predalien Mandibles

One of the most recognizable Predalien traits is the presence of Predator-like mandibles around the mouth. In some versions, these are small and subtle, while in others they are large enough to redefine the creature's whole face. The mandibles make the hybrid look more like a fusion of both species instead of just a larger Xenomorph. As seen in Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem, the Predalien latches onto a victim's face to implant its offspring.

Predalien Dreadlocks

Predalien dreadlocks are another defining inherited feature. Many of the best-known hybrids, including the movie Predaliens, are depicted with long, rope-like tendrils similar to Yautja dreadlocks. Some early or unusual versions lack them entirely, which makes those designs stand out from the more familiar Predalien look. This is the only known version of "Xenomorph hair", likely because dreadlocks are an important part of Yautja anatomy and even contain flowing blood.

Individual Predaliens

Predaliens appear across several parts of the Alien vs. Predator franchise, including films, comics, games, and crossover material. The best-known versions appear in the movies, but some of the most important lore examples come from comics and video games, where the creature was explored in more detail.

Gunnison Predalien

Born from Scar Predator, this Predalien is the most famous version of the creature and appears in both Alien vs. Predator movies, first as a cameo at the end of the 2004 film and then as the main monster in Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem. It kills at least two Yautja aboard a Predator scout ship and causes it to crash near Gunnison, Colorado. Unlike most other Predaliens, it shows traits closer to a Xenomorph Queen and can impregnate hosts directly through its mouth. It later fights the Wolf Predator and dies when the town is destroyed by a nuclear strike.

Ryushi Predalien

After the events of the first Aliens vs. Predator comic series on Ryushi, another infestation spreads on the planet in Aliens vs. Predator: Duel. This time it involves a Predalien, born from an unconscious Predator aboard a crashed Yautja ship. It is the first Predalien to appear in an Alien vs. Predator comic. In line with Alien 3, the creature evolves through the DNA reflex and takes on its host's traits. It fights Colonial Marines and the Yautja called Light-Stepper before being brought down by Pulse Rifle and Plasma Caster fire.

Cursed Earth Predalien

The Cursed Earth Predalien from Predator vs. Judge Dredd vs. Aliens: Splice and Dice is born from a lone Predator captured by the henchmen of Dr. Reinstöt. The scientist finds a Xenomorph skull aboard the Predator's ship, extracts DNA from it, and uses it to create Alien eggs. The resulting Predalien has a classic hybrid look with dreadlocks and tusks. Judge Dredd later joins four Predators searching for their missing brother, and during the battle in Cursed Earth, the Predalien is destroyed by a plasmacaster blast.

Area 52 Predalien

The Predalien from Aliens vs. Predator 1999 is the first 3D representation of the creature and has one of the strangest designs in the franchise. It has red skin, pig-like sounds, and a slower movement style than later versions. This particular hybrid is born from a captured Predator in Area 52 and is held inside a glass-ball-like stasis field. When the field breaks, the base's self-destruct sequence is triggered. The unnamed Predator later kills the creature while searching for his captured brother and restoring honor to his clan.

LV-1201 Predalien

The Predalien main character from Aliens vs. Predator 2: Primal Hunt is perhaps the only Predalien to survive its story. It is born from an Ancient Predator who serves as another main character across the game's three campaigns. Even as a chestburster, it causes major destruction. As a fully grown Alien, it helps bring about the downfall of the Pod 5 complex, which is later seen crashed in the main Aliens vs. Predator 2 game. It escapes to the surface of the planet with the other Aliens and is not seen again.

Abomination Predalien

The Abomination from Aliens vs. Predator 2010 is a powerful Predalien born from the Wolf Predator on BG-386. Its existence is treated as a great insult to the Yautja hunting party. The Abomination attacks Dark Predator at the end of his campaign after Dark returns his ancestor's mask to an ancient temple. Both fall deep into the structure as lava rises from below. After a difficult fight, the Abomination is killed and Dark escapes the planet before the temple explodes. This Predalien looks somewhat closer to a traditional Xenomorph, but still has tusks and small dreadlocks.

LV-412 Predalien

The Predalien from the AvP: Evolution mobile game is the last Predalien seen in the AvP games. The game features two distinct Predator-born hybrids, one from a regular Yautja and another from a Super Predator. The Super Predator version is called a Berserker Alien and has darker skin with a red blister on its forehead. The regular Predalien has a more classic design. Neither one is playable, and both serve as antagonists for the Predator character.

Predalien Queen

The Predalien Queen from Aliens vs. Predator: Extinction is unique among its kind because it is not naturally born from a Predator host. Instead, it is created on LV-742 by Dr. Kadinsky after Predator DNA is spliced into a Xenomorph Queen. The creature has tusks but no dreadlocks, and its brownish color matches several later Predalien designs. Most of the time, the Queen remains attached to an egg sack and moves slowly when separated from it. The Ancient Predator council later orders the creature to be hunted down, and its skull is placed in a Predator shrine.

Mad Predator's Predalien Chestburster

The Predalien chestburster born from the Mad Predator in the Aliens vs. Predator arcade game has a very short life and is killed soon after emerging from the host. It is the first Predalien to appear in an AvP game and is notable for lacking the more obvious Predator features seen in later hybrids, such as dreadlocks or tusks. Its host had already turned against his own kind and become a Bad Blood Predator before the chestburster emerged.

Mortal Kombat Predalien Chestburster

In Mortal Kombat XL, one of the Xenomorph's fatalities cocoons the opponent to a nearby wall, allows a facehugger to implant them, and then shows a chestburster emerging. If the victim is a Predator, the result is a Predalien chestburster with tusks. This infant hybrid has a worm-like body, pale skin, and is covered in Yautja blood. It is only a brief crossover appearance, but it is still one of the more memorable Predalien variations outside the main AvP franchise.

Soldiers Inc. Predalien

In the mobile strategy game Soldiers Inc., the Predalien appears as part of a limited Alien vs. Predator crossover event that temporarily brings both species into the game's modern military setting. This version closely resembles the Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem design, with pale skin, dreadlocks, and mandibles. It also has an unusually large tail, comparable to the Alien Queen's tail. In gameplay terms, it is classified as a Strategic Unit with a 4000 Offense score, while a regular Xenomorph has 500.

Behind The Scenes

In the mid-1990s, the artist Dave Dorman was hired by 20th Century Fox to design the first Predalien for a planned Alien vs. Predator movie based on Peter Briggs' script. That version of the film never moved forward, but Dorman's design still became highly influential. Its lighter body color, tusks, and dreadlocks helped define the look of many later Predaliens in games and movies. Even without a direct lore backstory of its own, this early concept remains an important part of the creature's history.

Conclusion

The Predalien remains one of the most recognizable hybrid creatures in the Alien vs. Predator franchise. Whether it appears as a chestburster, a full-grown warrior, or even a queen-like mutation, the design usually combines core Xenomorph traits with visible Yautja features such as mandibles and dreadlocks. Across the movies, comics, and games, different versions of the Predalien have taken on different roles, but all of them reflect the same idea: a Xenomorph born from one of the Predator species' most feared hosts.

Tag Categories: Xenomorph Appearance | Xenomorphs From The Movies