Predator: Badlands Ending Explained & What it means for the next Predator movie!

This article contains spoilers for Predator: Badlands and provides in-depth analysis of the film's final moments. Continue reading to learn about what happens at the end of the movie and what it means for future Predator films and potential sequels!

Predator: Badlands Ending

Dek's Hunt comes to an end when he, along with his new companions Thia and Bud make their way back to Yautja Prime so that he can face his father Njohrr and finally claim his title as Yautja. Dek and crew arrive on Yautja Prime some time after the events of Genna. We can see Bud has grown exponentially, looking more like her mother, the adult Kalisk. Thia has also been upgraded and properly repaired, no longer looking damaged and blood-stained. Dek also sports fresh armor and weaponry, we assume from the armory on Kwei's ship, which Dek now uses to get around the galaxy in.

Upon arriving back on Yautja Prime, he lands at the doorstep his father's clan, prompting Njohrr to come out of his den. When he sees Dek has survived the Death Planet, he asks if Dek has come back for revenge, to which Dek reveals a severed Weyland-Yutani Synthetic head – the one belonging to Tessa, which Bud spine-rips after her death. Njohrr is unimpressed by Dek's gesture and orders two of his Guards to kill Dek. Dek makes short work of these adversaries and proceeds to engage in battle with Njohrr.

Njohrr tries to use his cloak as an advantage to best Dek in combat, but Dek thinks quickly and activates Kwei's ship's thrusters, which kick up dirt and debris, disrupting Njohrr's cloak, allowing Dek to maintain a visual. Dek ultimately beats Njohrr and removes his mask. Njohrr tries to pleas for his life, showing a change of heart, offering to accept Dek into their clan if he yields and lets his father live. Dek refuses the invitation and Bud, now an adolescent Kalisk, walks up from behind Njohrr, biting his head clean off.

Dek retrieves his father's Laser Sword and Cloak Device, finally acknlowdging that he is officially, Dek the Yautja.

After a moment, an additional scene is shown – the clan members of Njohrr's tribe all activate their Swords and a massive Predator ship approaches on the horizon. Thia asks Dek if the ship contains friends of his, to which Dek concerningly clarifies no, the ship belongs to his Mother.

The Ship

Dek's Mother's ship looks identical to one of the Predator ships spotted at the end of Predator: Killer of Killers. As the Grendel King sanctions a free-for-all hunt on the arena's escapees,  the same ship can be seen in the top right:

Whether or not this is Dek's mom's ship, or just another Yautja ship of similar design, we're not sure.

Female Yautja and the Future of Predator

The implications of this ending are huge – female Yautja have never been explored, shown or referenced in Predator films before now. Expanded lore varies on their stature, some sources paint the female Predators as massive beings, larger than the males, while others paint them as more agile, feminine versions of their bulky, male Hunter counterparts.

Predator: Badlands contains some clues which might give insight to what the Female Predators actually look like, and the main clue was shown at the start of the film. When Yautja Prime is first introduced, when Dek is traveling on his Speeder Bike, massive statues are visible in the distance:

These giant Yautja statues contain and interesting detail – 4 arms. If this is any indication of what Female Yautja look like, we can assume Dek's mother will look something like Goro from Mortal Kombat.

Female Yautja seem to hold a higher position in their society than the males do. Based on Dek's reaction to his Mother's approach, suggests they aren't very friendly or motherly. We anticipate Female Yautja to be more aggressive, more menacing and more ruthless than the Predators we've seen so far.

Dan Trachtenberg designed Predator: Badlands to be another stand-alone Predator film, so the film's ending was not necessarily an indication that events will continue to play out in the next movie. Rather, it set out to push the boundaries of Yautja lore and open new doors to explore. Yautja culture, female Yautja, their hunting rituals, their technology – Trachtenberg didn't leave audiences on a cliffhanger, but rather asked the big questions to be answered down the road.

Will we get to see what Dek's mother actually looks like? Only time will tell. However, we have a feeling this won't be the last time we see Dek, Thia and Bud in action. 

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