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| “ | Wolf. | „ |
| ~ Most famous phrase. |
Dek is the titular main protagonist of the 2025 science fiction action film Predator: Badlands, the ninth installment of the Predator franchise.
He is a runt Yautja, who, in hos desperatim to prove himself to his father Njohrr the leader his own clan, decided to hunt down a legendary beast called Kalisk on Genna, the most dangerous planet in the universe, feared even by his father... but when his father condemned him to death for being the weakest in his clan, and murdered his older brother, Kwei, for protecting Dek himself, his mission became a hunt for his own survival, and to avenge his brother.
He is portrayed by Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi, who also played Njohrr in the same film.
Appearance[]
Dek was a young Yautja who wasn't yet fully developed, and therefore possessed physical features that weren't fully defined. His crown was less developed than others of his race, his eyes were green and he had scaly, reddish-brown skin. He wore the characteristic Yautja dreadlocks, but his sprouted from the top of his head, instead of from the sides; his dreadlocks were also a little thinner and were tied back in a bun. Dek was a runt by the standards of his race, which made his family see him as weak. His lower left tusk was also damaged and the end was chipped off, from when he was a child. Dek was also visually impaired from birth and was blind in one of his eyes.
Personality[]
Dek is a young Yautja who, compared to others, appears to be immature and at times impatient. While mostly competent, he does display a sense of confusion and has slightly belligerent behavior. He constantly feels the need to prove himself and show up others, such as Thia, and was initially reluctant to accept her help. Dek goes from seeing her as a tool and more of member of his "clan", valuing her and her skills. Dek also displays a sense of empathy and grief over the fact that his brother sacrificed himself to save his life.
Unlike his abusive late father, Dek also displays true courage, honor, compassion, and loyalty. This in turn, allowed him to recognize flaws in his birth clan's ways culminating to realization of him already established a clan of his own that won't make similar blunders and confirmed Njohrr to be more Bad Blood than role model like Kwei or more exemplary Clan Leaders.
History[]
Runt of the Clan[]
Dek was born to the fearsome Yautja hunter Njohrr but was constantly looked down on for being a smaller runt. He was, however, close to his elder brother Kwei, having apparently saved his life at one point. As Dek grew older, he trained with Kwei to try and be able to prove himself. The day came when it was time for him to go on a great hunt to prove himself before taking his vows to their clan and earn his cloaking device. Dek went to see Kwei to spar with him, the two fiercely dueling as Kwei coached him on how to fight despite his lesser size and strength. Eventually, Kwei had Dek subdued and asked if he yielded, but Dek fiercely refused and Kwei complimented him on this, before cutting away the ledge Dek was on and letting him fall. Dek saved himself and climbed back up, finding Kwei waiting calmly and sparring with him again.
Afterwards, Dek and Kwei rested in Kwei's spaceship, Dek surprised to find an old toy that he and Kwei had once played with. Kwei eventually sat his little brother down and reminded him that it would soon be time for him to take his vows, so he needed to choose a fearsome beast to hunt. As Kwei showed him various beasts, Dek’s attention was drawn to the Kalisk, an apex predator on the lethal planet of Genna, known to the Yautja as the “death world.” Kwei tried to discourage Dek from choosing this prey, as even their father feared the Kalisk, but Dek insisted upon hunting it, as being able to kill one would truly prove that he was strong to the clan. However, Njohrr suddenly arrived, the two younger Yautja leaving the ship to greet him.
Dek gave his father an honored Yautja greeting, but Njohrr ignored him and instead revealed he had ordered Kwei to kill Dek to purge their clan of his “weakness.” Despite Kwei asking that Dek be allowed to the Kalisk to prove himself, Njohrr insisted Kwei do as he was ordered, restraining Dek with a trap. But Kwei refused, cutting his little brother free and shoving him into his ship, telling him to leave and hunt the Kalisk. Dek furiously tried to escape the ship to help Kwei as his elder brother dueled their father. But he could only watch in rage and sadness as Njohrr overwhelmed Kwei, Kwei even giving up a last chance to get his sword to instead grab his wrist remote and launch the ship. Thus, Dek found himself sent off on the hunt that would either be his end or prove himself.
Hunting on Genna[]
Dek was left unconscious by the ship launching and eventually awoke as the ship began to be damaged in the debris surrounding Genna. He desperately launched an escape pod that managed to carry him down to Genna’s surface. Dek had a moment of rage and anguish over his brother’s death before steeling himself and setting out to kill the Kalisk so as not to make Kwei’s sacrifice in vain. He collected his weapons and prepared to head out, only to be attacked by vicious plant vines that tried to devour him. Dek managed to fight them off and, noticing that they could only reach so far, climbed up a rock face out of their range, but lost much of his weapons in the process. Left with only his plasma sword and a shuriken weapon, Dek set out into the harsh landscape of Genna to find his quarry.
Dek eventually found himself in a field of strange thorny plants that swelled when he drew too close, correctly deducing they would launch their thorns if he was not careful. Suddenly, Dek heard someone calling out to him, an android named Thia that was stuck in a nest. She was able to communicate using her universal translator and called out to Dek. At first, Dek ignored her, but then a flying predator began dropping debris into the field, causing the plants to begin bursting and spraying paralyzing thorns all around. Thia told Dek the predator was trying to have the thorns paralyze him to make him easy prey as the Yautja frantically ran through the field, avoiding them. Eventually, he was pierced by several needles and Thia said she could help him, but she needed a weapon to get free.
With paralysis overtaking him, Dek sent his shuriken to her as he crawled helplessly on the ground. But just before the flying predator could eat him, Thia leapt at it and killed it with the weapon. Dek awoke sometime later, having been given the antidote by Thia, and realized she was missing her legs after picking her up. He continued to ignore her attempts to converse, until Thia revealed she had encountered the Kalisk, telling him that she’d seen many Yautja try to kill it and fail. She explained that the Kalisk had torn off her legs and offered to guide Dek to its den where she could get her legs back, while he could try to hunt it. Dek reluctantly accepted, justifying bringing Thia along as simply using a “tool.”
Time with Thia and Bud[]
Dek hauled Thia along as he crossed the terrain of Genna, not responding to the android’s incessant talking and questions. However, Thia was able to help him navigate some of Genna’s dangers using her knowledge, having been on the planet for a few years doing research. When they stopped for the night, Dek finally told Thia his name and admitted a bit about what had brought him to Genna. The next day, Dek began looking for a source of food and came across creatures grazing in a field of razor sharp grass plants, Thia identifying the animals as “bone bisons.” Thia said the creatures were preyed upon by the Kalisk and Dek declared he would feed on them as well. But before he could make his move, a small ape-like creature that Thia had never seen before approached the duo and eventually startled the bone bisons. Not willing to let his prey escape, Dek pursued one by jumping through the tree tops to avoid the razor grass.
Despite the ape-like creature getting in his way, Dek successfully killed a charging bone bison by throwing his plasma sword through it, slicing it entirely in half. But as he reveled in his kill, Dek and Thia were suddenly grabbed by the tongue of a massive tree dwelling creature Thia called a “luna bug.” The creature prepared to devour them, only for the ape creature to jump into the luna bug’s mouth and break the bug’s teeth on its hard hide, dropping Dek and Thia. As the luna bug began to pursue the ape creature, Dek was able to cut down a tree to give him a chance to leap onto the monster and cut into it with his sword, finally bringing it down.
That night, Dek sat down to eat meat he’d hacked off of the luna bug with the ape-like creature tagging along. Thia named it “Bud” and Dek even offered it some of his kill to eat. This caused Bud to spit on Dek, much to his anger, before Thia pointed out that Bud was trying to mark the Yautja as a part of its clan. Dek listened as Thia shared more about herself, talking about an android she’d been paired with called Tessa whom Thia wanted to reunite with. Dek even noted that Tessa was her sister as Kwei had been his brother. Finally, Dek prepared to get some sleep, taking some annoyance at Bud mimicking his actions, before settling down for the night.
The next morning, Dek left a sleeping Bud behind as he carried Thia on to guide him despite the android’s objections. Stopping to rest at a river, he finally admitted to Thia that his father had killed Kwei for protecting him. Thia told Dek about earth wolves, how there was one alpha wolf that was in charge of all the others. Dek assumed that the alpha must be the most fearsome killer of the pack, but the android instead revealed the alpha wolf was the one that protected the others the best. Dek considered this but instead affirmed he would instead be the alpha that killed the most.
Facing the Kalisk[]
Dek and Thia finally arrived at the Kalisk’s den, surrounded by the remains of Thia’s fellow android research team torn apart by the beast. As they explored the wreckage, they found Thia’s legs and Dek brought her into a vehicle where she could repair herself. Dek declared that she would get to see him kill the Kalisk and it would be a great honor for her. But Thia suddenly told the Yautja that he needed to leave right away, admitting that she’d sent a signal to the rest of the Weyland-Yutani research team to bring them here.
Thia further admitted that they’d be assigned to capture the Kalisk and Dek was enraged that she’d used him, roaring that she was the “tool” not him. Refusing to give up his hunt, the Yautja stormed out and found explosive liquid leaking from one of the trashed vehicles, which he set alight with his plasma sword. The resulting explosion drew in the Kalisk as Dek let out a roar of challenge.
Fighting furiously, Dek was surprised to get some help from Thia, who shot at the Kalisk with a discarded gun. Eventually, Dek managed to sever the beast’s head, only for the Kalisk to reveal incredible regenerative abilities that allowed it to piece itself back together. Overwhelmed, Dek was surprised when the Kalisk suddenly hesitated to harm him, only for the Weyland-Yutani android team to arrive and capture both Dek and the Kalisk using a freezing grenade that they’d obtained from Dek’s crashed ship.
Dek awoke strapped to a table in a Weyland-Yutani transport and angrily demanded that his captor, who he believed to be Thia, release him. However, his captor revealed herself as Tessa with the still legless Thia sitting on a table nearby. Dek kept violently demanding to be released but Tessa ignored him, instead beginning to forcibly scan his brain with the devices in the transport as she wanted information on how to use the Yautja technology she’d obtained from Dek’s ship. Thia objected and finally turned off the device, Dek looking on as Tessa declared that Thia would be deactivated before leaving another android behind to interrogate Dek about the Yautja tech. However, Dek and Thia began speaking to each other exclusively in Yautja and Dek manipulated the guard android into using the “toy” Kwei had kept to blow his own head off. Thia released Dek and the Yautja escaped out of the back of the transport, managing to find his way to his crashed ship.
Healing himself with a device on the ship, Dek angrily raged at his failure to kill the Kalisk and losing Thia as well. But Dek refused to give up, gathering various creatures and plants he had come across on his hunt across Genna to assemble an arsenal. Dek also came across Bud once again and realized that Bud spitting on him to mark him was why the Kalisk had not killed him, since Bud was a child Kalisk. Finally, Dek activated Thia’s legs, which began heading right for Thia as he followed after them, determined to save the android and the Kalisk mother.
Completing the Hunt and Settling the Score[]
Dek eventually arrived at the Weyland-Yutani base and began to destroy the android guards with his improvised arsenal and help from Bud as he followed Thia’s legs to where she was being held. Eventually, the three reunited and Dek revealed what Bud was to Thia, as well as that he wanted to be like the alpha wolf. They quickly made a plan, Dek activating the alarm to lure out the remaining guards while Thia went to free the Kalisk with Bud.
As the guards surrounded Dek, he let them get closer until he was able to trigger several masses of explosive grubs he’d strategically placed to blow them all apart. However, Dek found himself facing Tessa piloting a massive power loader mech suit and sporting a Yautja plasma caster she had taken. Dek held his own as best he could, but even after he’d leapt onto the power loader to attack Tessa, she managed to seal off the cockpit to protect herself.
Tessa asked Dek how it felt to be the one being hunted, but the Yautja asked her to tell him before the released Kalisk leapt at Tessa and tore apart the power loader, before swallowing her. Dek reunited with Thia and Bud and shared a moment of bonding with Bud and the Kalisk, only for Tessa to destroy the mother Kalisk from the inside with more freezing grenades. She attempted to destroy Thia with the plasma caster but Dek finally finished Tessa off, taking back the weapon. Tessa greeted him as Dek of the Yautja, but he replied that he had not completed his rite of passage yet.
After repairing his brother Kwei's spaceship, Dek, Thia and an older Bud returned to Yautja Prime and arrived at the home of his father’s clan. Dek emerged from the ship to face his former father, Njohrr, and tossed Tessa’s robotic skull to his father, declaring it proof of his completed hunt and demanding his cloak. Njohrr refused and ordered two of the other clan members to kill Dek, but, hardened and strengthened by his time on Genna, Dek swiftly killed both Yautja warriors in combat. Njohrr himself immediately engaged Dek, who held his own and even managed to use dust kicked up by his late brother's ship’s engines to counter Njohrr’s cloaking, in order to even the odds.
Finally, Dek overpowered and literally severed his father’s arm and subdued him with the same trap Njohrr had used on him. He used his sword to remove the elder Yautja’s bio-mask as Njohrr admitted that perhaps the right son did survive, before offering to allow Dek to rejoin the clan. But Dek refused and growled that he already had a clan before Bud herself showed up behind Nijohrr, and bit off his head. Dek then took his father’s cloaking device as his trophy. Thia came out to commend him and once again, recognized him as Dek of the Yautja. This time, Dek accepted it as he had truly proven himself… only to hear the sound of his former clan members’ suddenly unsheathing their plasma swords. Dek, Thia, and Bud all turned around to see what they were doing so in response to the appearance of a Yautja ship approaching and, upon recognizing it, drew his sword as well. Thia asked if the ship was friendly, to which Dek said no, as he revealed that it was his mother (possibly coming for revenge).
Powers and Abilities[]
As a Yautja, Dek has very high physical abilities, particularly his strength, endurance and agility, though as a “runt,” he seems to have less outright strength than an average Yautja. His strength allows him to jump extremely high and is an excellent climber, moving through trees fast and easily.
Dek is also an excellent fighter, being eventually able to fight off two other Yautja easily and defeat Njohrr, a much more experienced warrior. His smaller nature seems to have trained him to improvise and use his surroundings to his advantage to defeat his prey and he is quickly able to figure out and react to threats.
Dek is also trained in the use of several Yautja weapons. His primary weapon is his plasma sword, which is powerful enough to cut through a massive creature just from him throwing it and was able to also cut apart the Kalisk. He also uses a shuriken-like bladed weapon that he stores in one of his gauntlets, which he can either throw or use as a melee weapon. Other weapons he uses include a combi-stick, a double ended spear weapon commonly favored by the Yautja, a plasma bow weapon and various grenades.
On Genna, Dek replaces his lost arsenal with various bits of flora and fauna from the planet's deadly ecosystem. Notable examples include using a spitting lizard creature as a stand in for his plasma caster and improvised wrist blades made from fangs as his melee weapons. This serves as the testament of his ingenuity and resourcefulness which allowed him to take notes on things he can take advantage of on the battle field in order to improvise.
Trivia[]
- Dek carrying Thia around strapped to his back was inspired by Chewbacca carrying the damaged C-3PO around on his back at the end of Empire Strikes back and the idea was part of Dan Trachtenberg’s initial pitch for Predator Badlands.
- Dek’s appearance is notably different from other Yautja, with his dreadlocks coming out of his head in a more human like manner on top of his head. This different appearance was meant to highlight his younger age compared to the others.
- Dek's appearance (reddish-brown skin, finer lines, five toes), the fact that a hologram of Naru appears on Kwei's ship when he mentions the oath his ancestors took before starting their own hunts, and the salute Dek gave his father (cutting off the palm of his hand), seem to indicate that the Clan he belonged to before founding his own could be descended from the Yautja Desert Clans, and, consequently, from the Feral Predator.
External Link[]
- Dek on the Alien vs. Predator Wiki
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 Heroes
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