The end of Predator sees the alien hunter taking off his mask to fight Arnold Schwarzenegger's Dutch, but what is the meaning of this gesture? Now the formula for Predator the film franchise is so established that it's almost easy to forget how unexpected the original was. It starts out like a bombastic Schwarzenegger action film, before slowly turning into a dread-soaked horror, as Arnie's Dutchman watches his elite soldiers get picked off one by one. Predator The 1987 finale sees Dutch going back to basics and exploiting the hunter's weaknesses to kill him.
Dutch essentially gets full Rambo during the final act, setting traps and ambushes for the Jungle Hunter. However, it all comes down to a fight between Dutch and the towering alien, and in an unusual move for Arnold, he gets his ass kicked for most of the fight. Of course, he still wins, although Schwarzenegger later rejected all Predator sequelae. The title hunter also takes off his mask before the fight, which has become a signature move in all the sequences.
The Predator wanted a fair fight with the Dutchman in the original 1987 film
The Jungle Hunter wanted to test Dutch's power
Throughout the story, the hunter tests Dutch's group to see who is the strongest. The alien is looking for worthy prey to pursue, and the team leader soon emerges as the only one who will resist. He still has the chance to kill Dutch after all of his improvised traps fail, but instead the hunter takes away his weaponry and equipment, ending with the removal of his bio-mask. The predator does this to give Dutch a chance to fight him in a one-on-one fight.having marked him as a dangerous enemy.
The biomask has many functions, including helping the hunter breathe in different atmospheres. and improving your vision. He's putting himself at a huge disadvantage by taking it out, but if he fought Dutch with all his usual equipment, the fight would be over. real fast. It should be noted that even without his equipment, the Jungle Hunter is still a formidable foe, with one of the few punches the Dutch throw barely disturbing him. The alien also towers over the burly soldier, so the term “fair fight” can only be applied loosely.
It's almost pure luck that Dutch triumphs - although the hunter triggering his self-destruct device seems like a petty move. Later Predator The films would greatly expand the alien clan's lore, and how much honor it means to them in combat. Within the context of the original, all the alien wants is to fight something that could easily kill him in return.
Why predators wear masks in the franchise
Predator biomasks are essential equipment on any hunt
No Predator hunt would be complete without their trademark masks, which perform a number of functions. In addition to helping them breathe, biomasks contain a variety of visual modes to help them see in almost any environment. In Predatorthe only mode implemented is thermal vision, although later entries added much more. The mask also contains a laser targeting device to aim the creature's shoulder-mounted plasma launcher.
... the Jungle Hunter removing his mask was, in its own way, a sign of respect for Schwarzenegger's Dutch.
Other features of the biomask include the ability to record and playback audioand controls both the wrist gauntlet and the Predator cloak of invisibility. In short, hunters are vulnerable without their masks, and the jungle hunter taking his off was, in his own way, a sign of respect for Schwarzenegger's Dutch. Hopefully, as he lay dying after the duel ended, the hunter took comfort in realizing that Dutch truly was the superior predator.