Alien v Predator… Dogs vs Ticks?
Alien v Predator is a multi-million dollar franchise. During a movie-fueled fever dream I had the thought or maybe sign of psychosis that maybe the infamous Facehugger was an allegory for ticks just as their immortal enemy the Predator was a metaphor for the world’s trusted dogs; ticks and dogs immortal nemesis of just as much world recognition.
Come with me on my fever dream and lets give the comparison some legs. Very little research was done for this, so bare with me Mr. Scott
The Aesthetics
Ridley Scott famously took inspiration from octopi for his design of the Facehugger. Here, I’d like to make the injunction though. Take a look at your average tick. It’s got the legs, the bulbous sac, and importantly, the invasive organs that let it attack and attach to its vulnerable prey dogs.
As for Predators and dogs, have you seen a wide-faced wrinkly dog? All its missing is the shoulder cannon for your little best friend to go hunting.
2. The Dynamics
It feels like no coincidence that ticks have been known to lay eggs on dogs that develop into full-fledged ticks of their own after their larval stage. It’s like a circus mirror nightmare of the Facehugger to Alien birthing process.
To get serious about the Predator/Dog allegory, the Predators display a heightened sense of sport, not to mention loyalty to their pack. Comparisons can be drawn to wild dogs, who hunt in packs during sunrise or sunset.
The Kruger National Park has this to say of wild dogs:
"Wild dogs are masters of the collective approach to hunting. A hunt begins at sunrise or sunset when the dogs perform an elaborate greeting ceremony, sniffing and licking each other, wagging their tails and twittering aloud.”
Sound familiar? Now if I could just get my dog invisible maybe it’ll give me some cool arm-claws.
3. The never-ending war
Aliens and Predators inhabit a timeless war across the stars, Aliens spreading across galaxies, Predators chasing them and making them their quarry. In a reversal but immediately clear comparison, ticks present a never-ending battle for dogs, invading homes and attaching to them and spreading their blight as dogs roam the Earth as the species favorite. It almost feels too obvious not to make the comparison between the body-jacking ticks and fiercely territorial and command-prone dogs.
That’s about it from me this Halloween. I hope you can see some of the parallels made between the spreading revolts that are ticks and the vile Facehugger species and lovable dogs and the fiercely respect-driven Yautja-Predators.
Cheers folks. I’m going to lie down and hope this one was just a once off. All best, Yugo.
