Highlights

• The Predators, or Yautja, are individual beings with unique abilities, technologies, and motivations, unlike the Xenomorphs.
• The Ultimate Hunter and Chopper are the least memorable Yautja, lacking impressive kills, unique abilities, and backstory.
• Scar and the Jungle Hunter are the most capable and deadly Yautja, with impressive kills, skills, and the ability to outmatch highly-trained humans.

The Predators - or Yautja as they're sometimes known - have been around for over 35 years now, ever since audiences got their first glimpse of the alien who hunted Arnold Schwarzenegger and his platoon through the jungle in 1987. Unlike the Xenomorphs to which they're often compared, the Yautja are not all identical. They're each an individual with unique abilities, technologies, and motivations.

Although, by now, the Yautja should probably have learned that traveling to Earth (or messing with humans at all) is a bad idea, their search for a dangerous hunt keeps them coming back. While some never posed much of a threat beyond their intimidating appearance, others put up one hell of a fight. Here are all the Yautja hunters ranked by who's strongest.

Updated on September 27, 2023, by Evan Regan: At last, every named Predator in the franchise will make an appearance on this list. Between video games and movies, the Yautja have a vast and varied cast of clan members, each of them with their own set of skills, their own unique armor, and their own devotion to the Yautja code. The nearly 40-year-old franchise has had entries in nearly every medium - from books to movies to video games - and has influenced them all to some degree. Here is the complete list of the most powerful Yautja to ever appear, in any medium, and how they stack up against their peers.

17 Chopper

Alien vs. Predator (2004)

Out of any Predator to appear in any medium across the series' history, Chopper is by far the least memorable Yautja to ever make an on-screen appearance. He is literally just a target for a Xenomorph kill, and beyond that, has no memorable characteristics or moments.

In total, Chopper probably owns a grand total of one minute of screen time. He plants his boot firmly into a human when he first appears, and then is impaled by a Xenomorph tail mere seconds later. So ends Chopper, the least impressive Yautja ever. At least his helmet is kind of cool.

16 Ultimate Hunter

The Predator (2018)

It's a shame that The Predator turned out to be such a down moment for the Predator franchise, and a big part of that was the focus on the Ultimate Hunter. Shane Black's directorial entry into the franchise (he also played Hawkins in the 1987 film) was a significant misstep, reportedly brought about by the studio meddling with Black's vision for the film.

The Ultimate Hunter lacks any kind of backstory or motivation for being on Earth (or any justification for being called "Ultimate"). He has next to zero impressive kills, no unique abilities or technology, and even visually he looks cool, but he's not in a particularly noteworthy way. There's just not a lot that draws in (or scares off) viewers with this Yautja.

15 The Falconer

Predators (2010)

Another Predator that doesn't get a lot of screen time, at least the Falconer has a strong enough showing to deserve a bit more attention. His standout biohelmet and unique drone technology make him unique among the Yautja on this list, and although he doesn't survive for long, he puts up a great fight.

That fight is against Hanzo, the Yakuza enforcer who was kidnapped and brought to the Yautja hunting grounds where the movie takes place. Hanzo and The Falconer have an epic showdown, exchanging blows that demonstrate the combat skill of both parties. The Falconer also demonstrates some adherence to the Yautja code of honor, something his fellow Super Predators fail to do.

14 The Fugitive

The Predator (2018)

Some of the most apparent evidence for the idea that The Predator suffered from studio meddling is the film's use of The Fugitive Yautja, who is by far the more intimidating Predator in the movie but is killed off midway through and replaced with the aforementioned Ultimate Hunter. It's hard to know if that was Shane Black's original intention or not, but it was certainly a letdown.

The Fugitive explodes onto the scene, effortlessly killing several armed human guards while he himself is unarmed. Killing more dangerous enemies while not making use of Predator technology is worth serious clout among the Yautja. Then there are his parkour abilities, which would make a Predator significantly more deadly in an urban jungle environment, but oddly is not something that other Yautja hunters make much use of in the franchise.

13 Tracker

Predators (2010)

As far as any Yautja not named Berzerker goes, Tracker gives the fugitives in Predators the most trouble in the movie's early going, and he does so without even revealing his presence. True to his name, Tracker employs a pair of hunting hound-beasts that flush out his prey. The beasts themselves are no pushovers, and once they're vanquished, in comes Tracker and his awesome biohelmet.

Tracker does manage to isolate his prey, trapping Nikolai away from the rest of the group, stunning him, and impaling him on a wristblade. It's only Nikolai's willingness to blow himself up in order to take his enemy down with him that catches Tracker off guard. It's a memorable death, but it's unfortunate that Tracker isn't given more screen time before he goes down.

12 Dark

Aliens vs. Predator (2010)

There is an unfortunate lack of backstory for this Predator, who is one of the most prolific killers in the Predator franchise. After earning the title of Elite, Dark is dispatched to investigate a distress call sent by a squad of youngbloods hunting on an alien world (BG 386). Dark arrives with a significantly reduced arsenal - just a wrist blade, shoulder cannon, and a bio-helmet with reduced vision modes - and instead claims his weapons from the corpses of other Yautja.

Dark kills dozens of Xenomorphs and human Marines while he is on BG 386 and even takes down a Predalien (a cross between an Elite Yautja and a Xenomorph) while taking minimal damage himself, all before destroying the Yautja hunting grounds and escaping the ensuing explosion alive. He acquires the mask of a Legendary Predator and is last seen making his way to the Xenomorph homeworld. A brave venture indeed.

11 Celtic

Alien vs. Predator (2004)

Chopper's presence in Alien vs. Predator really only serves to provide motivation for Celtic, his youngblood brother. After Chopper's death, Celtic seeks revenge on the Xenomorph that killed him, and while he doesn't quite get it, he certainly gets his shots in.

Wearing one of the coolest-looking biohelmets in the entire franchise, Celtic's battle with the Xenomorph is a showcase of the brute strength and fighting prowess of the Yautja. Using a unique reversible wristblade, Celtic very nearly takes down the alien but was seemingly unprepared for the creature's acid blood, which eats through first his body armor, and then the net he captures it in. Eventually, one misstep grants the Xenomorph the upper hand, but prior to that it was anyone's fight, and it's hard not to root for Celtic as he tosses the Xenomorph around like a child's toy.

10 The Crucified

Predators (2010)

This is an example of a Yautja who makes use of a small amount of screen time to have a huge impact, both in terms of his character and the lore of the Yautja species. The Crucified is discovered by Royce and the remaining human survivors, and Royce makes the bold decision to set the imprisoned Predator free.

That decision is rewarded, as the Crucified adheres to his code of honor and protects Royce from the attacking Berserker Yautja that arrives shortly afterward. While the Crucified is eventually killed in that battle, he exemplified the Predator code and drove home the raging conflict between Yautja sub-races that may otherwise have remained a mystery.

9 Greyback Elder

Predator 2 (1990)

The Greyback Elder that appears in Predator 2 may be the same one that appears in Alien vs. Predator nearly 15 years later. The Yautja are virtually immortal, and the Greyback is confirmed to have visited Earth as far back as the 1700s, where he hunted pirates. He is also the oldest Predator to ever appear on-screen.

The Greyback Elder is unique in that his laser sight is mounted on his plasma weapon, rather than on his shoulder. His adherence to the code not only allows Detective Harrigan to escape the Predator ship before it takes off but also pushes Greyback to present Harrigan with a flintlock pistol as a trophy for his successful hunting of the City Hunter Yautja.

8 Scar

Alien vs. Predator (2004)

he leader of a group of Yautja youngbloods sent to Earth to hunt a colony of Xenomorphs, Scar is, by a wide margin, the most capable and deadly member of his squadron, given that he is the only one who kills any Xenomorphs. He also takes out quite a few humans in this mostly silly 2000s "Vs" film.

Scar eventually claims his shoulder cannon - a badge of honor earned by killing a Xenomorph and marking himself with its blood - and goes toe-to-toe with a Xenomorph Queen. While the Queen does eventually kill Scar, he also manages to immobilize the Queen, leaving her vulnerable enough to be killed by a human named Lex. It's pretty fair to call that fight a draw.

7 The City Hunter

Predator 2 (1990)

Nearly every Yautja on this list does their hunting in remote areas, usually deep in the wilderness. The City Hunter prefers the urban sprawl. He operated in the middle of LA in the 90s and got more than his share of kills while doing so, some of which are truly memorable. He even toys with a few of his targets.

However, while he may be cocky, the City Hunter still adheres to the Yautja code, sparing a pregnant woman because killing her would mean killing her baby as well, and the baby isn't able to defend itself. In the end, his cockiness is his undoing. Lt. Mike Harrigan, an LAPD officer, feigns injury to bait the City Hunter in close and then kills him with one of his own weapons.

6 The Berserker

Predators (2010)

The Berserker is the most purely evil Predator in the entire franchise. He strings up members of his own kind and kidnaps his prey for the hunt, killing them whether they can defend themselves or not. There is no code of honor for the Berserker when he hunts. All he cares about is the kill.

By virtue of being the last Super Predator standing, the Berserker is the most powerful Yautja in Predators. He hunts with deadly precision and is equally adept at killing humans and his own kind. The only way he was eventually killed was by beheading, which Royce is able to do after a hell of a struggle. The Berserker took every other hit like it was nothing and even laughed a few off.

5 Prince

Alien Versus Predator 2 (2001)

The sequel to the original Alien Versus Predator game worked hard to add a more coherent plot to the events of the game. Enter Prince, a high-ranking clan member who severely injures General Rykov, a Colonial Marine, nearly two decades before the game's events, leaving Rykov with a synthetic spine. Nineteen years later, Rykov returns for revenge.

After capturing Prince, Rykov and the Colonial Marines experiment on the Yautja, first by injecting him with an array of deadly viruses, and then by exposing him to a Xenomorph Facehugger. Prince manages to escape regardless, and even with the viruses coursing through his system, manages to wipe out a squad of Colonial Marines, a Xenomorph infestation, a Xenomorph Queen, and then Rykiov himself, before claiming the General's synthetic spine as a trophy. We last see Prince in pursuit of the surviving members of the Colonial Marines. The hunt never ends.

4 Wolf

Alien vs. Predator: Requiem (2007)

While Alien vs. Predator: Requiem as a movie is a disaster, Wolf is easily the best part, and steals every scene he's in. He is likely the highest-ranking Predator fans have ever seen in action, based on his numerous scars and trophies and his awesome throne room on the Yautja homeworld. He may even be a King.

Wolf is a total badass. He's missing a mandible and has a huge acid scar across one side of his face (presumably caused by Xenomorph blood). Among his many weapons, he also carries a whip fashioned out of a Xenomorph tail, and he uses it to kill a Xenomorph. How awesome is that? Despite the poor reception of AvP: Requiem, fans have been clamoring for more Wolf ever since its release.

3 Feral Hunter

Prey (2022)

The latest Yautja to grace the series, the Feral Hunter arrives on Earth well before any other member of his species, nearly 300 years ago in the Comanche Nation. Fans have speculated that he may have been a youngblood, but it's unusual for an uninitiated Yautja to be allowed to hunt alone.

What makes the Feral Hunter fascinating is that his technology is more primitive than the other Yautja in the franchise. His only ranged weapon is an inaccurate bolt caster. Otherwise, he sticks to blades or his hands. He's also not as adept as other Predators and is wounded frequently while on Earth. All of this doesn't make him any weaker, though. If anything, it makes his persistence and lethality more terrifying because he has so much less technology and experience at his disposal.

2 Scarface

Predator: Concrete Jungle (2005)

After a failed hunt on Earth in the 1930s that cost him his eye, Scarface fails to kill himself (as dictated by the Yautja code) and is exiled to a hostile alien planet with just a wrist blade and a spear. One hundred years later, he is offered a chance at redemption.

Scarface returns to Earth to retrieve stolen Yautja technology, which has been used against other Predators in the century that's passed. Scarface achieves all that and more, retrieving the technology, wiping out a Xenomorph nest, and even killing a Predator-Human hybrid. His honor restored, Scarface rejoins his clan in what is the most badass character arc of any Predator in the entire franchise.

1 Jungle Hunter

Predator (1987)

There is really no other pick for the top spot on this list than the Yautja, who went toe-to-toe with Arnold himself. The Jungle Hunter is a master, so good he remains totally invisible for the first half of the movie. He's also up against some of the most highly-trained humans that any Predator has faced, and although they aren't aware of what they're dealing with, Dutch's squad isn't exactly unprepared.

It takes Dutch using the Yautja's own tactics against it to finally draw the Jungle Hunter out and kill it, and even then, the Yautja still manages to take out everyone else in Dutch's platoon. Most Predators don't fare too well against humans, but this one was a single kill away from a successful hunt. That last kill just happened to be Arnold Schwarzenegger.