The Significance Of The Raphael Adolini Pistol In Prey Explained
By ERIN BRADY AND HANNAH SHAW-WILLIAMS
Movies - TV
Spoiler Warning!
This story contains spoilers for "Prey," "Predator 2," and "Predator: 1718."
In “Prey,” after Naru (Amber Midthunder) and her brother Taabe (Dakota Beavers) survive being used as Predator bait by a group of French settlers, Naru encounters a translator she met earlier in the movie: Raphael (Bennett Taylor). Appearing to be severely injured by the alien, he gives Naru a gun in exchange for medicine, moments before being finished off by the Predator.
At the end of the movie, she gives it to her village elders, and a close-up of the gun reveals that Raphael's full name was Raphael Adolini. In the Dark Horse comic story "Predator: 1718," Adolini was a pirate captain that teamed up with a Predator to fight his mutinous crew, the story ends with Adolini being fatally shot and gifting his engraved gun as a sign of respect to the Predator.
However, the most significant appearance of the Adolini pistol happened far before the "1718" comic was even published. It was featured in "Predator 2" back in 1990, after LAPD Lieutenant Mike Harrigan (Danny Glover), defeated the “City Hunter” Predator, and was met by a group of Predators suddenly teleporting around him.
The situation seemed grim, but instead of punishing him for killing one of their comrades, they showed mercy and respect toward the officer. This occurs when one of the Predators gifts him the Adolini pistol before taking off — unfortunately, this adds a dark twist on the fate of Naru and her village after the events of “Prey,” hinting that the Predators successfully got their revenge.