Wrist Blades - Predator Weapons Explained (Yautja Lore) The Predator Wristblades are one of the fundamental Yautja weapons and a signature armament of theirs. These take the form of retractable, serrated, metallic-blades which extend over the hand from a gauntlet worn on the Predator's wrist. Typically, a twin-pair of these parallel blades are housed within the wrist-gauntlet, normally worn on the right-hand wrist, but there are a number of stylistic variations to this basic arrangement. Wrist blades are the weapon of choice for most Predators during close-up combat due to their simplicity and reliability. They are sharp enough to easily cut through flesh and bone and are also used to flay defeated opponents. They are one of the first weapons a Yautja obtains. Wristblades come in many different sizes, from ones that barely reach past a Yautjas clenched-fist, all the way up to ones a metre in length. They can be opened wider by extending further outwards, giving them a prehensile ability to pin prey between the blades without causing injury if the Predator wishes to do so. A Predator can choose to reverse the blades into the opposite direction to serve a back-handed attack. They can also be fired out of the gauntlet as projectiles, although, this is usually done as a last resort, as the Predator may not always be able to retrieve them afterwards. If they are heated up using the laser-sight, they will be even more efficient while slicing through flesh. They have also seen to be used for non-combative purposes, such as opening doors in ancient ruins by inserting them into a specific slot like a key. They are normally worn on the right-arm, but in some cases, a Predator has been seen with them on both arms, such as The Dark Predator and the other Elite Clan members, as well as the Brawler-Class from Aliens vs Predator Extinction. They will sometimes be camouflaged by the Predators invisibility-cloak, but other times they won’t be, it is not explained why this is; but even when they are, they will become visible if they get covered with blood. Not all Wristblades are resistant to the effects of Xenomorph acid-blood and will melt when coming into contact with it. This is thought to be only the case with Young-Bloods, possibly to encourage them to use their other more acid resistant weapons like the Combistick and Smart Disc which require more skill to master, and then they may earn the acid-resistant Wrist Blades later on. Although most Classic-Predators have a twin-pair of blades, Super Predators were shown to instead prefer a single, elongated blade. Other individuals have been seen with triple wristblades. The Upgraded Predator had a fully retractable single-blade attached with a cable like a harpoon, that could be fired out, then reeled back in. And a similar weapon to the wristblades are the Scimitars, extremely-long blades attached to the underside of the wrists giving increased range over wristblades, but at the cost of increased bulk and reduced manoeuvrability. Furthermore, while Wristblades can be folded away almost completely when not in use, Scimitars have only limited retracting capabilities due to their size, meaning the users mobility is hindered even when not in combat. #prey #predator