Badlands Gives The Franchise Its Own Answer To Baby Yoda

The following contains spoilers for Predator: BadlandsPredator: Badlands gives the brutal sci-fi franchise its own version of the “cute alien sidekick” archetype best personified by Grogu in The Mandalorian. Whereas previous entries in the Predator series have been brutal in their depiction of the Yautja race, Predator: Badlands takes a unique turn by pushing him into the protagonist role.

Along the way, Dek ends up finding a small alien companion who quickly becomes a third member of the group. It’s a surprising turn for a franchise that usually seems more likely to kill dozens of people than have anything remotely cute, but it speaks to how the film’s approach differs from previous Predator movies.

How Bud Becomes Predator’s Baby Yoda

Predator Badlands Bud

Bud could easily become something of a mascot for the future of the Predator franchise, and speaks to how the creatives on the film seem to be replicating the approach that The Mandalorian took to revitalize Star Wars. During Dek and Thia’s quest across Genna, the pair get assistance in facing off with the dangerous wildlife from another local inhabitant.

The dangerous little alien, which initially seems to resemble a blue ape, proves to be a crucial ally in their efforts to survive, with adaptable abilities, impressive strength, and just enough intelligence to overcome enemies like the Weyland-Yutani synths. Dubbed Bud by Thia, the alien creature is also presented as an adorable little chaos magnet.

The film mines the character for all his storytelling potential, using his position as another unlikely member of the group. Her relative youth makes her a clear stand-in for something like Grogu from The Mandalorian. She fills the dangerous wildcard role in the group dynamic that forms alongside Dek and Thia, similar to Grogu’s massive potential with the Force.

There’s a childish undercurrent to both characters, further forcing the otherwise loner protagonist to become an unlikely guardian. Both Bud and Grogu serve dual functions for the audience, with abilities that allow them to take part in fights while retaining an innocent edge that makes them cute. Both also play into the overall themes of their respective stories.

Like Dek, Bud is isolated and eventually loses her protector when the Kalisk is killed by Tessa. Similarly, Dek lost Kwei to their father’s ruthless style of parenting. In both cases, Dek and Bud would be isolated and even killed if left alone. However, by the film’s ending, they’ve found a new tribe, allowing them to thrive and survive.

It’s similar to how Grogu is seen as an orphan of the massacre at the Jedi temple, only to be accepted into the Mandalorian code in the same way a young Din Djarin was when he was a child. Bud’s cute appearance and expressive eyes also lend it some clear emotion without any dialogue, similar to Grogu.

Predator: Badlands Is The Mandalorian Of The Predator Franchise

Elle Fanning's Thia and Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi's Dek looking into the distance seriously in Predator: Badlands
Elle Fanning’s Thia and Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi’s Dek looking into the distance seriously in Predator: Badlands

In many ways, Predator: Badlands does feel like the Predator version of The Mandalorian, a fresh approach to a familiar IP that takes the story in new directions. Whereas The Mandalorian goes back to the western roots of the series and incorporates elements of the animated shows, Predator: Badlands flips the perspective and pulls elements from the Alien series.

Bud and Grogu’s thematic similarities are the most overt comparisons between the two, highlighting how both properties can use cute alien creatures as a way to make their gruff anti-hero protagonists more sympathetic and likable. If Predator: Badlands sets up the future of the series, a growing Bud could continue to be a big part of the franchise.

As a CGI creation, Bud could become a fixture of the franchise in way characters like Thia may not be able to, by sheer virtue of aging. Predator: Badlands does a lot of work laying the seeds for the future of the franchise, and having their own version of Baby Yoda isn’t a bad asset to have in the toolbox.