PREDATOR X

First Appearance: 
New X-Men (2nd series) #34

All Appearances: 
New X-Men (2nd series) #34-36, 42-46, X-Men: Messiah Complex #1, Uncanny X-Men (1st series) #492, 516-520, X-Factor (3rd series) #26-27, X-Men (2nd series) 207, Astonishing Tales (2nd series) #1-6, Magneto (2nd series) #7-8

Appearance & Abilities

Despite being created in a lab through bio-engineering and cloning, not all of the observed Predator X specimens are identical. The original ones created by the Facility looked like a cross between a dog and a bear and stood at approximately six-foot-tall when on all fours. Later versions, such as the ones that were seen on Madripoor and Utopia, were over three times as big and had a large, prehensile tail that ended in a sharp point. As opposed to appearing like a dog, these Predator Xs had a facial structure similar to a predatory dinosaur, such as T-Rex. All versions have razor sharp teeth and claws, as well as a covering of liquid organic-metal skin. This skin, which was engineered from a sample taken off the X-student Mercury, is highly resistant to damage and allows the Predator Xs to instantly heal from severe wounds. This metallic coating does not extend inside the creatures though, as some have been killed by attacks made from inside them.

The Predator Xs were created with an insatiable appetite for mutant flesh and are genetically designed to track anyone with the X-gene. Later genetic manipulation by the scientists at the Facility allowed them to command the Predator Xs to track any person regardless of them possessing the X-gene. To do this, the Predator X just needed an injection containing the DNA of the desired target or bloodline.

They possess extreme levels of stamina, having been observed running at speeds of 100kph for over 19 hours without showing any sign of fatigue.

During the skirmish on Muir Island, the Predator X there seemingly spat an acidic fluid at Hepzibah. This ability has not been shown in the other beasts, so it is not known if it extended to later specimens.

Whilst they may seem indestructible, they have been shown to be injured or killed through various means. Attacking them from the inside has killed numerous creatures and another was killed by a powerful Sentinel blast. Magneto used his powers to remove the metallic skin off a couple of them, opening their weak flesh up to damage. Some creatures were also killed by a powerful attack directly to the brain, either crushing the skull or simple impaling it with a weapon.

Chronology

When the Scarlet Witch depowered most of the mutant population, approximately 200 remained worldwide. The enemies of mutantkind saw this as an opportunity to deliver the killing blow to the species and wipe them out for good. The Purifiers, a group of religious zealots led by Reverend William Stryker, were operating on multiple fronts to kill the youngest generation of mutants. Stryker had been receiving visions of the future and he foresaw the birth of a powerful mutant messiah and so he decided to employ the talents of the Facility, an organization that specialized in creating weapons. Plans were drawn up to create a creature that could track and kill mutants without any hesitation. Predator X was created and initial trials proved positive, as it was able to strip the flesh of the bones of Mammomax, an unlucky captive of the Facility. However, Mammomax was an easy target and, given the nature of the other opponents it would be up against, it needed to have a study and resilient body. Stryker was killed before Predator X was fully finished but the Facility carried on with its creation regardless. They needed one final ingredient to make it a force to be reckoned with and so they kidnapped the metallic shapeshifter Mercury. After a lengthy session of torture and experimentation, the scientists managed to take a sample of Mercury’s skin and graft it on to Predator X. This new augmentation gave the creature a layer of protective skin that could heal even the most grievous of wounds instantly.

The Facility gained a chance to use their new weapon when the X-Men attacked their base looking for Mercury. They discovered that three of the creatures had been made and they were unleashed on the mutants. The Predators X proved to be a deadly match, as they could heal from numerous other physical assaults, including X-23’s claws. Still, Mercury managed to absorb the fluid skin off one of them, allowing X-23 to kill its weakened body. Another Predator X was killed by a sentinel blast, but the third one fled before the X-Men could take it down. Many of the scientists at the Facility were captured, but the lead scientist Anderson escaped, taking the secrets of Predator X’s creation with him. [New X-Men (2nd series) #34-36]

Since Stryker’s death, the Purifiers had been taken over by Matthew Risman, who was keen to resume from where his predecessor left off. The Facility had been tracking the remaining Predator X and soon discovered it was doing exactly what it was designed for when they found the eviscerated remains of an unknown mutant. Since capturing the creature was too risky, they decided to bait it instead with clothes of the mutant they wanted it to kill next. Risman had been scarred by an attack from the X-student Dust and so, in a fit of vengeance, he dressed a dummy up in one of her old burkas and placed it in Predator X’s path. Sure enough, the animal caught her scent from the clothes and its tracking instinct kicked in. It raced across the country towards the unsuspecting girl’s location. [New X-Men (2nd series) #42-43]

When Stryker’s prophesized mutant messiah was born, its arrival did not go unnoticed by Predator X. Abandoning its mission to kill Dust, it raced towards the birthplace of Cooperstown, Alaska. However, when it arrived, it discovered the baby was gone and the area littered with bodies of Purifiers and Marauders. It feasted upon the bodies of the deceased mutants before resuming its previous mission. As it raced across country, it managed to find and kill other mutants who were unlucky enough to get in its way, such as the former MLF member Peepers. It finally arrived at the X-Mansion to discover the scents of mutants everywhere. Unable to stop itself, it dug up the graves of some recently deceased students and feasted on their bodies. By chance, it was Dust who discovered the horrific scene and the Predator X’s instincts kicked in again and it attacked her. The combined might of the student body could not destroy the creature and it was Pixie who had an idea of what to do. Remembering that X-23 managed to take one down before, she cast a spell and teleported everyone, including Predator X, to her location. Unfortunately, X-23 was on Muir Island in the middle of a battle between the X-Men and the Marauders. When Predator X arrived, it went into a frenzy and started attacking everything around it, even non-mutants like Vertigo. It suddenly caught the scent of the mutant baby it had tried to find before and it focused its attention on that. It managed to sever Bishop’s arm when he got in its way but ultimately met its match with X-Force. The newly formed team attacked it head on but discovered it couldn’t be killed by stabbing or shooting it, at least from the outside. Wolverine decided to let it swallow him whole and he gutted the creature from the inside out, finally putting an end to its reign of terror. [Messiah Complex]

Despite the deaths of the Predator Xs, the Facility realized they had a very powerful weapon on their hands and set about creating more. They even altered the genetic conditioning done on the creatures so that they could be triggered into attacking any target, regardless of whether they possessed an X-gene. One of the Facility’s agents, Kimura, headed up the sale of some Predator Xs on the black market and found a willing buyer in Viper. The villainess’ reign over Madripoor had been stopped and she was looking to reclaim her rule by killing those who stood in hew way. Unfortunately, the sale had not gone unnoticed, as Wolverine and the Punisher had tracked them to the island nation in a bid to stop them. Viper unleashed one of the new Predator Xs on the two men and the beast proved to be a very deadly combatant. It was only when the Punisher threw Kimura into the animal’s mouth that they caught a break. Afraid of being killed by the creature, Kimura used her enhanced strength to punch up through the animal’s skull, killing it instantly.

Even though it had died, Viper was still impressed with the animal and Kimura revealed she had a few more with her in reserve. She demonstrated the new aspect of the animal’s tracking system by injecting one with DNA samples of both the Punisher and the other with Wolverine’s. The animals were set loose and quickly caught their respective targets, with another bloody fight ensuing. Realizing that the brains were a weak spot, Wolverine blinded his Predator X and tricked it into stabbing the Punisher’s through the skull. He then subdued the remaining one before confronting Viper and Kimura about their schemes. Viper backed down when the heroes threaten to inject the Predator X with some of her DNA, which would have caused it to go after her. Kimura was unimpressed with Viper’s actions and broke off their deal before killing the remaining Predator X herself. Even though the deal had failed, Anderson, the head scientist at the Facility, was impressed with the trials. He now had proof that the creatures could be programmed to attack any target, human and mutant alike. With that knowledge, he decided to go ahead with his creation of dozens more Predator Xs. [Astonishing Tales (2nd series) #1-6]

It’s unknown how many Predator Xs were created and sold but some turned up in the company of Lobe and his team of augmented humans. Lobe wanted to use the X-Men’s biology to create a drug that could give normal humans the powers of various mutants. For that, though, he needed data on the mutants and his intention was to use nannites to gather it. He just needed a way of getting the nannites amongst the X-Men without them realizing. Lobe kidnapped the Marauder Scalphunter and forced him into flying a plane with six Predator Xs on to the X-Men’s island of Utopia. The Predator Xs had been injected with the nannites, which would be released into the area upon their deaths.

The plane was shot down before it could reach the island and one of the beasts was killed in the crash. Smelling the scents of the mutants, four of them headed to the island but one was stopped before it could reach the shore by Namor and his Altantean army. After a deadly underwater fight, the Predator X was eventually killed by having a spear thrown through its skull. The other three managed to get onto the island but met with a fierce defense from the X-Men. Magneto used his power to strip the metal skin from one of them, allowing Iceman, Colossus and Boom Boom to blow it up. The other one managed to break into the main compound but Rogue absorbed the powers of the students and took it on herself. She used Dust’s power to get inside the creature before triggering Armor’s power and ripping the creature apart. The fourth one was stunned by Storm’s lightning before being shot in the head by Scalphunter’s high powered rifle. Despite the X-Men’s apparent victory, Lobe’s plan had succeeded and the deaths of the Predator Xs had unleashed the nannites across the island.

The X-Men soon realized what Lobe’s plan had really been, just as they learned that one of the Predator Xs was still alive. Instead of heading to Utopia, it swam to nearby San Francisco and hid in the subway tunnels. It caught the scent of a homeless mutant girl who was sleeping in the tunnels and killed her before she could flee. The girl's boyfriend alerted the mercenary Fantomex to her death and he travelled into the sewer system to find it. The X-Men were also hot on the creature’s trail but, when they found it, they discovered Fantomex had killed it before they could. [Uncanny X-Men (1st series) #516-520]

When Magneto went off on his own to tackle the threats to mutantkind in his own way, he heard word of mutants being taken off the streets and never returning. Travelling to Hong Kong, he allowed himself to be captured and taken to the mysterious organization’s base. There he discovered that mutants were being pitted against Predator Xs for the sport of human spectators. Magneto was forced to battle one of the creatures and found it a formidable adversary, thanks to his weakened state. Remembering their weakness from last time he fought them, he summoned up enough strength to expose some flesh on the animal’s skull and then used a metal spike to stab it in the head, killing it instantly. He then revealed who he really was to the organizers of the bloodsport. He soon discovered two more Predator Xs deeper in the compound, which he also killed, but not before throwing the leader in with them to be fed upon. [Magneto (2nd series) #7-8]

It is unknown how many more Predator Xs are out there but it would seem the Facility is making a fortune selling them to the highest bidder.

Known Predator X specimens