Predators vs. Vikings: History Of Yautja Norsemen Hunts

The Vikings are a great match for the Predators, sharing a similar warrior lifestyle revolving around battles and honor. Their connection seems more grounded, unlike the Yautja's spiritual connection with the Samurai or Native Americans. However, both the Vikings and Predators worshipped similar gods. The Yautja have fought these nordic combatants on a few occasions, and some Predators have even chosen weapons and armor based on the Vikings. Here is an overview of all connections between the Predators and Vikings in the expanded Yautja lore.

Predators at Skeld's Keep

The Predator: If It Bleeds anthology book contained a short story titled "Skeld's Keep", authored by Alien vs. Predator veteran S. D. Perry. In the story, a band of Vikings headed by Jarl the Sword's Son went on a quest to conquer the lands of Skeld the Boarstooth. They were secretly observed by four Yautja on board a hidden ship. When the Vikings reached the keep of their enemy, they were attacked by crazed humans infected by a strange disease. Eventually, the Predators joined in the skirmish but resorted to limited armor and melee weapons to stay honorable. In the end, only four of the seventeen Vikings and one of the Predators survived. The Yautja named Kata'nu left his helmet to the men as a sign of respect, who then proceeded to burn Skeld's Keep to the ground.

Viking Predator

The Viking Predator is a playable character in a DLC pack for Predator: Hunting Grounds video game. The character was bigger and slower than the other playable classes, and came with a giant battleaxe. Although the game is multiplayer-focused, each of the released characters has some short story details attached to them. The game explained that during ancient times when Vikings conquered areas across their borders, they attracted the Predators from the skies. When the legends of the Yautja spread, the Norsemen saw an opportunity to have an honorable death, or perhaps even rise to glory by taking down this godlike creature. The feud between the Vikings and Predators lasted for centuries, with both sides serving losses.

Valkyrie Predator

A few months after the Viking Predator, the Valkyrie Predator DLC was released for Predator: Hunting Grounds. This female Yautja wielded a giant Norse Hammer that dealt great close-range damage but was overall faster and leaner than the Viking Predator. In terms of story, she was a mighty Predator avenger sent upon the Norsemen to exact revenge for her fallen clan-mates. She was their best warrior and no Viking could ever defeat her. The Valkyrie seemed to be familiar with the faith of Odin and it was her privilege to send men to Valhalla, offering an honorable death.

Extraterrestrial Odin

There exists another unexpected connection between the Vikings and Predators. In the Alien vs. Predator movie novelization, the Young Blood Predators (three in the movie, five in the novel) are praying to an "Extraterrestrial Odin" god, which is similar to the Black Warrior god mentioned in other Predator lore. The Young Bloods also marked themselves with a thunderbolt sign, instead of the two separate symbols seen in the movie. The Yautja in the first Aliens vs. Predator comic series also marked themselves with the thunderbolt, including Machiko Noguchi, the human Predator. In Norse mythology, Odin was the greatest magician of the gods and associated with runes, although Thor was connected with thunder. Perhaps sharing the same gods was the reason that some Predators dressed up as Vikings.

Predator: Valhalla

Predator: Valhalla was a proposed fan-film that got stuck in limbo status waiting for crowdfunding. In the story, the Predators visited a holy forest near a Viking village each year to fight their best champion. The champion was expected to always lose and his maimed body would be discovered days later. One year, this would change, and the champion would finally defeat a Predator. However, this would anger the godlike Yautja and put the whole village in jeopardy. The proposed movie includes concept art and a trailer, promising a gritty and violent experience.

Predator vs. Thor

After Disney acquired the rights to 20th Century Fox, Marvel gained the license for Alien and Predator comics, a valuable property that had been in Dark Horse for years. To celebrate this win, Marvel created official variant covers for several of their famous superhero characters, pitting them against Aliens and Predators. One of these covers was for the Thor, the Asgardian superhero worshipped by Vikings. In this crossover event by artist Razzah, Thor was about to smash in the skull of a wounded Yautja with his Mjölnir hammer, while other Predators watched on in the trees. Although no crossover comic has been announced yet, it remains a possibility for the future. Before Thor, the Predator would encounter Wolverine and the Black Panther first.

Xenomorphs vs. Vikings

Although no Predators were involved, it's worth mentioning that the Vikings fought Xenomorphs in the comic titled Aliens: Stalker. This is a unique comic in the sense that it's usually the Predators who were fighting humans through Earth's history, not Aliens. In the story, a legendary warrior named Rainulf the Wraith-Stalker was called by the granddaughter of a dead king to beat a mythical Xenomorph. The Predators would have loved to witness and get involved in this skirmish. The comic ended with a twist, indicating that the story was told by a Colonial Marine (possibly an ancestor to Rainulf) to a group of others before combat with Xenomorphs.

Conclusion

The connection between the Vikings and the Predators is one rooted in honor, combat, and tradition. Both groups share a warrior culture, making them ideal adversaries in a battle for supremacy. Over the years, the Yautja have hunted Vikings, with some even adopting Viking-inspired weaponry and armor. Stories such as "Skeld's Keep" and the information provided in the Predator: Hunting Grounds DLC packs highlight the fierce confrontations between these two warrior cultures. It would be a natural progression to include a Predator vs. Vikings encounter in one of the upcoming Predator movies.

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