Future predator

Infobox Primeval Creature
name = Future Predator


period =
image_caption =
first_appeared = Episode 6
number_through = 2
humans_killed = 17+
returned = No.
Episode 6: 5 killed, 2 stranded in Permian era.
12: 1 gored by a Mammoth.
13: 1 killed by Nick Cutter, at least 16 more killed in battle with other creatures.

Future predators, sometimes shortened to just predators are fictional future creatures that appear in Episode 6, 12 and 13 of the ITV sci-fi series "Primeval". Predators stand at two meters tall and weigh half a ton. They originate from some point in the far future, but have also been temporarily living in both the Permian era and the present day (2007).

Characteristics

DNA analysis shows that the future predator seems to be descended from a type of bat, which became big and flightless, similar to the "Nightstalker" in Dougal Dixon's "". [cite web
last = Milne
first = Mike
url = http://www.framestore-cfc.com/television/primeval/index.html
title = Primeval sees Framestore CFC's Creatures Leap into the 21st Century ]

Its elongated head houses a highly intelligent brain and a melon organ. The ears have moved to the centre of the face, giving the sonar a more directed and precise interpretation of the surrounding environment - an improvement on that used by the bats of today. Its eyes are weak and vestigial; with an incredibly advanced sonar system, echolocation has become its preferred sense and others, like sight, have diminshed as a result. The two nostrils have merged into one large hole in the middle of the face. Future predators also live together in life partnerships (a female and a male). When the pair have offspring, the male guards the nest and the female does the hunting. They also have strong family unions, parents will risk their own lives for their young. They do possess human-like intelligence, but this is hidden under an extremely violent nature, as they will blindy tear apart victims after a very short period of stalking] .cite episode
title = Episode Six
series = Primeval
serieslink = Primeval (TV series)
network = ITV
station = ITV1
airdate = 2007-03-17
season = 1
number = 6]

The predators are not very strong, and rely more on acrobatics, agility and speed to take down prey. This allowed a "Gorgonopsid" to kill one at the season one finale. The species' advanced sonar can also be its weakness as Cutter (Douglas Henshall) manages to kill one by luring it into a greenhouse, then smashing out the glass roof with a gun, scrambling its sonar system with a jumble of sonar echoes from the falling pieces of glass, giving him a chance to shoot it in the head.cite episode
title = Episode Six
series = Primeval
serieslink = Primeval (TV series)
network = ITV
station = ITV1
airdate = 2007-03-17
season = 1
number = 6 ]

In Series 2, an army of predators are being controlled by Leek (Karl Theobald) with technology Helen (Juliet Aubrey) found in the future known as "Neural Clamps". Neural clamps override the predator's instincts, giving Leek control of their emotions. Leek sets one of the predators on James Peregrine Lester (Ben Miller), who flees through the ARC and shoots it multiple times without the predator weakening. He takes advantage of the predator's sensitive sonar system by switching on a CD player, which disorientated it. Lester eventually manages to kill it by releasing a mammoth on it, which spears it with one of its tuskscite episode
title = Episode 12
series = Primeval
serieslink = Primeval
network = ITV
station = ITV1
airdate = 2008-03-30
season = 2
number = 6] .

Future predators also show an ability to work well together in large groups. If a pack spots potential prey, they will work together as a team to literally tear it limb from limbcite episode
title = Episode 13
series = Primeval
serieslink = Primeval
network = ITV
station = ITV1
airdate = 2008-03-30
season = 2
number = 7] .

Predators always show extraordinary resilience to bullets. James Peregrine Lester (Ben Miller) shoots it for three straight seconds with a machine gun and the predator showed little signs of weakening.

The predator was designed by Digital Textures Lead Daren Horley of Framestore CFC [cite web
last = Milne
first = Mike
url = http://www.framestore-cfc.com/television/primeval/index.html
title = Primeval sees Framestore CFC's Creatures Leap into the 21st Century

] .

History within the show

.

Future predators returned in the second season, along with other creatures from the past and future. When they arrived is unknown, as one was first seen inside the Anomaly Research Centre after being smuggled in by Leek. This predator had a small red device on its head, which turns out to be a "neural clamp" - some form of external control that Helen Cutter found in her travels into the future. The neural clamp was radio controlled so Connor used the Anomaly Detector to pick up the incoming transmissions to link them back to Leek. The predator kills all the ARC personal except Lester, and is then killed by a captured mammoth.

In the following episode, a predator battles Cutter, but is killed when he suddenly tears off its neural clamp. To Cutter's dismay, an entire army of predators are also under control by Leek, but he manages to short out the neural clamps by throwing the one he has into a circuit breaker, releasing them from control, where they realise who has been controlling them and bear down on Leek. Leek also had a variety of other creatures from the past and future with him, but the predators and them eventually killed each other.

Tim Haines and Adrian Hodges, series creators, have confirmed the predator will appear "more than once" in the [http://www.radiotimes.com/content/features/primevalinterview/ Series three Q&A with the creators of Primeval] ] .

They will also appear in the book, "The Lost Predator". [ [http://www.douglashenshall.com/Primeval_News.html Primeval and Primeval 2 ITV series: News page and development ] ]

Fatalities caused

* 3 or more ordinary people
* Male lion at Wellington Zoo
* Tim Parker, head of Wellington Zoo (Abby Maitland's boss)
* 10 of Lester's men
* Tom Ryan, special forces leader for the team
* ARC doctor
* Oliver Leek, villain
* Stephen Hart, team member

References