Warning: Contains Major Spoilers from Predator #1!A bombshell revelation in the Archie Andrews from the Archie comics. Because of the Predators' frequent trips to Earth, fans have believed for years that they view the planet as the ultimate hunting ground for their sport. However, a new comic has revealed that this is far from the case.
In Predator #1 by Ed Brisson and Netho Diaz, a band of survivors on the Predators' home planet discover a shocking truth. Each one of them is from a different time period throughout history. At first, they believe that time travel is at work. However, one member of a group called O.W.L.F. believes they have all been harvested from certain periods of time and kept in hibernation until they were chosen to be the next targets on the preserve. What makes this moment shocking, though, is that each survivor in the group corresponds with an important moment in Predator history like 1987 when the first film premiered or 1997 during the events of Predator 2. Whenever the Predator came to Earth, their primary goal wasn't to hunt but actually abduct humans for use in their preserve later down the road.
The Predators Have a Huge Supply of Prey
What's amazing about this reveal though is that it implies that the Predators don't just pick up one or two people and call it a day. They're actually taking a large amount of species. It's suggested that this story takes place at least in the 2050s, and they are just now bringing in someone who was originally taken in 1987. They're not in short supply whatsoever, especially since it's not just humans they're taking as the ultimate prey. At one point in the story, the team finds themselves facing a mysterious beast that nearly kills them. The O.W.L.F. agents quickly realize that it's not one of the Predators' but rather an alien species they also abducted to hunt along with the humans. This is a galactic-sized reveal that hints the Predators care way more about their game on the preserves rather than off-world since they have enough stock to get by for decades and never run out of targets.
How Predator Could Bring Back Fan-Favorite Heroes like Prey's Naru
Of course, the best thing about this revelation is that it serves as the perfect way to bring back some fan-favorite characters and groups throughout the Predator franchise. The 2022 film Prey was a huge success among fans as it revitalized the Predator movie franchise. Since the Predators are collecting people and creatures from all throughout history, it opens up a way for Naru from Prey to return to the Predator franchise. The end credits of the film even show that they would later experience a second attack from the Predators, so having them kidnapped and brought to the preserve could make for the ultimate continuation. Plus, since humans aren't the only creatures on the menu, this could lead to additional crossovers with the Xenomorphs. The sky's the limit for what is possible now on the Predators' hunting preserve.
This isn't to say that the Predators still don't love to hunt on Earth. There's a reason why they continue to come back following the first encounter between Naru and the feral Predator in Prey. They ire the courage and determination of humans and want to come back for more. However, this isn't their primary objective. The Predators have a goal to take as many specimens as they can to continue their hunt at home, completely changing what fans knew about the franchise forever.
Predator #1 is available now from Marvel Comics!
