The Kalisk – also known as Weyland-Yutani species classification XX0522 is a massive beast which resides on the planet of Genna. It is the primary target for Dek – the film’s protagonist Yautja and is also the primary target for Weyland-Yutani’s bio-weapons research division. This inevitably leads to conflict between the Weyland-Yutani Synthetics stranded on Genna and Dek. This article contains spoilers for Predator: Badlands.
The Kalisk is a massive monkey-like Kaiju monster with a unique regenerative ability making it nearly unkillable. This rapid regeneration ability is the primary focus of Weyland-Yutani’a interests and the reason why they want to capture and exploit it.
Even as an infant, the Kalisk has an extremely hard shell-like plating on its back – which is nearly impenetrable.
How to kill the Kalisk
Since the Kalisk has an extremely thick hide and can regenerate its limbs, head and internal organs within seconds of being dismembered or stabbed throughout its body – the only way a Kalisk can be killed is from within. In Predator: Badlands, Tessa kills the adult Kalisk by setting off a Yautja Nitrogen Bomb while inside the Kalisk's stomach. This causes a chemical chain reaction, instantly freezing all the cells which make up the Kalisk from the inside out. Once frozen, an explosion soon follows, completely obliterating the Kalisk to a degree it can not regenerate from.
Interesting Facts about the Kalisk
The Kalisk is wanted by Weyland-Yutani Bio-Weapons Division
Set visit reports by various news outlets confirmed that both Dek and Weyland-Yutani are after the Kalisk. While Dek's goal is to kill the creature to attain status within his tribe, Weyland-Yutani are looking to exploit the creature for unknown benefits. In the film, Thia and Dek make a deal with each other – If Dek can get Thia's legs back, she will help him survive his journey. Thia initially lost her legs during her first encounter with the Kalisk.
There are more than one!
There are more than one Kalisk in Predator: Badlands, one is an adult and one is an infant.
Bud is an infant Kalisk
The odd little creature discovered by Dek and Thia while traversing through Genna which Thia names Bud – is actually a baby Kalisk. The adult Kalisk is Bud’s mother and while being named Bud might insinuate the creature is male, Thia points out Bud is actually female.
Kalisk’s identify their kin by spitting on them
In the film, Bud spits on Dek, which Thia tells Dek is her way of marking him as one of her family. This becomes especially important when Dek faces off with the adult Kalisk – Dek is spared becoming Kalisk food because Bud’s spit scent is noticed, disengaging the mother Kalisk. From that moment on, she treats Dek like one of her own.
The Kalisk exists in the Alien film universe
Since Predator: Badlands and the Alien film franchise share a cinematic timeline, the Kalisk and the Xenomorph technically exist in the same universe. However, Badlands takes place so far into the future, it's unknown if the Xenomorph and Kalisk have ever crossed paths. Given its sheer size and aggression, unless swarmed by an army of drones, the only Xenomorph capable of taking on the Kalisk would be a mature Alien Queen. Perhaps the two may cross paths in a future film.
As new information about Kalisk become available, this article will continue to be updated.
