PREDATOR: BADLANDS Ending Explained - Dan Trachtenberg on What Comes Next for the Yautja Saga
Predator: Badlands is now in theaters, and it reshapes what we know about the Yautja species and their code of honor. The film follows Dek, a young Predator on a mission to earn his place among his clan. But by the time the film ends, Dek’s path takes a surprising and game-changing turn for the entire franchise.
Spoilers Ahead!
The movie’s final act takes us beyond the typical Predator-versus-human showdown and into something far more personal. Dek returns home, bringing with him the kill that should grant him entry into his father’s tribe, and his long-awaited cloak.
But his father rejects him. The confrontation between the two turns brutal, ending with Dek victorious. Just as he claims his place, Bud, the Kalisk creature Dek befriended on Genna, strikes down Dek’s father by eating his head.
In the aftermath, Dek, Bud, and Thia, the rogue synth, form their own clan. It’s an unconventional alliance that defies Yautja tradition.
The film’s last moment teases something ominous… Dek’s mother, whose identity remains a mystery, comes into the picture. Whether she’s a rival clan leader or someone even more powerful, it’s clear the next chapter will push the Predator mythos further than ever before.
When asked about the conclusion and potential sequels, Dan Trachtenberg told io9: “I have a pretty good idea of where things could go. But, at the same time, have been trying hard to not make decisions based on that. Because truly, as you know, you’ve got to make one damn good movie at a time.
“So I was really trying very hard to just make sure I’m not hurting this movie by thinking of where things could go next. Make sure this is a great movie, and should we do anything else, I will think about it the exact same way.”
While Trachtenberg’s being careful not to promise anything, Badlands leaves a lot of threads worth exploring. There’s the mystery of Dek’s mother, who could be a major Yautja leader, or maybe the one overseeing that icy Predator vault fans have speculated about, the place where Naru (Prey), Dutch (Predator), and Harrigan (Predator 2) might be held.
Then there’s the human side of things. Weyland-Yutani, still clinging to life after centuries, definitely won’t be happy about Thia’s betrayal and the destruction of their Genna experiments. Could the company retaliate by sending new Predators or Xenomorphs after Dek’s newly formed clan?
If Trachtenberg decides to continue this story, the possibilities are as vast and dangerous as the Yautja homeworld itself.