Warning: contains spoilers for Predator #6!The history of the Predator franchise is one of humans proving themselves the equals of the deadly Yautja. The vicious aliens honor the hunt above all else, and humans are among their favorite prey, but they are also vastly technologically superior to the human race. That means there are many weapons in their arsenal that they usually avoid using - at least until they meet a threat so worthy, they can stop holding back.
In Predator #6 by Ed Brisson and Kev Walker, the Predator-killer Theta has been apprehended by the company her parents worked for. The company are suspicious that she stole their ship from her former settlement, not knowing she has crossed the galaxy setting a new record for killing Yautja. That record has made her a target, and she's now being pursued by whole teams of the alien hunters. When Theta convinces the company to set a trap for her Predator pursuer, it figures out what's going on and sends a small robotic drone in its place. The drone is actually an explosive device, causing a huge explosion that wipes out the gunmen waiting for its owner.
The Predator Has Drone Bombs
While out on a scientific mission with her parents, Theta's family was attacked by a Predator. Initially, the Predator wasn't going to do anything, but the scared family brandished a weapon and the Predator killed her parents and left Theta for dead. In response, Theta commandeered her parents' vessel and has been traveling the galaxy to kill Predators, hunting down the one who slew her parents. She has killed twenty-six others in the process, but Predator #6 sees her finally up against her quarry - a Yautja who is pulling no punches against a woman who has become a legendary hunter in her own right.
The Predator is known for having a wide and sophisticated technological arsenal, but this new spider drone shows it's even bigger than fans know. The device is new, unique, and fits right in with Predator tactics. Predators are obsessed with the honor of a fair hunt, and Yautja culture is founded on this concept. It's only because the Predator is facing an army and a legendary killer of its kind that it unleashes truly advanced tech - something other members of its species have surprisingly done against Theta, even coming at her in groups - a shocking recognition of her abilities.
The Predator's Arsenal Expands Forever
What's very telling about this device is that it uses explosives, which isn't usually something the Predator relies on. Predators opt for stealth and precision killing, with individual Yautja priding themselves on gradually picking off a whole group of prey. However, Theta has clearly become a terror to the Predators, to the extent where they're abandoning their usual rules - chasing her down in their spacecraft and deploying explosives to end the huge threat she poses. Theta's hunt has made Predator history by challenging them like never before, and as a consequence, fans are getting to see awesome new Yautja weaponry like this highly explosive spider drone.
Predator #6 is now available from Marvel Comics.