Non-Humans R Us Newsletters

Giant Mutant Animals

“Run! It’s Godzilla!” “Must move faster!” (Screams!)

Yep, this episode is about giant/mutant animals. Oh, and coincidentally, if you’re a survivor of a plane crash, and some creature has been hunting you all night, don’t get in the first car that drives up, especially if you’ve just read a sign that says “Government Property: Trespassers will be Shot” or something along those lines- even more so when another says “Photography Not Allowed” and you’ve got a camcorder that’s been on all night. Let’s just say I saw Area 407, and if you don’t want to see teenage girls being chased by some creature, or getting killed at the end by some guy who looks like he should be an accountant instead of a Top Secret facility’s security guard, don’t watch it.

Now, when it comes to mutant/giant animals, the creature must contain certain essences of its regular counterpart- like giant snakes still acting like snakes- only now humans are the size of mice compared to them, and mice tend to be a regular part of most snakes’ diets. The way that the creature attacks should also have some basis in reality. Again, in the case of giant snakes, if the snake is based off of a constrictor, like a boa or a python, the main method in which the majority of its victims die should involve being squeezed to death. If the snake is venomous, the toxins from being bitten should be enough to disable the victim, if not kill them, such as necrosis, like with rattlesnakes, or paralyses, like with sea snakes. With those that have genes from several species of snakes, both constrictors and venomous ones, a mixture of both methods of death is fine. Then there’s the eating of the victim, whole and often times, head-first. These sorts of things don’t change just because the snake is the size of a Greyhound Bus.

There’s also the origin of the creature to consider. More often than not, in a survival based story, the origin isn’t found, or really discussed- case in point, Tremors. Three of the Heroes were stranded on a rock, trying to figure out the origins of the then-unnamed worm-like gaboids- radiation, genetic experiment, outer space, or just plain undiscovered animals. Eventually, the one named Earl says, “It doesn’t matter where they’re from. We need to figure out how to get off this rock and get to that truck.” As for other creatures, science/magic tends to play its hand in the creation, then there’s aliens/alien technology that could be involved, and then finally, just plainly undiscovered by Science, especially if the creature’s in a remote area of the world. Of course, some come from a combination.

Weaknesses must also be considered- you want to kill the creature in a way that seems plausible- chucking a brick of C4 into a giant snake’s mouth, or giving it a hydrochloric acid bath are both plausible methods, providing you’ve got access to a factory’s acid supply, or military-grade explosives that one of the Heroes knows how to use. Of course, if killing the creature is out of the question, how about crippling it to the point that it’s no longer a threat? Let’s look at bug-like creatures, like the Arachnids from the Starship Troopers series. Much like insects in real life, the Bugs have multiple joints in their limbs. Also just like them, take one limb off, and it will keep fighting. Take all limbs off, and the creature will be unable to move, or attack effectively, giving a trooper a chance to put a round into its skull, killing it.

Also, think about the location that this creature will live in, normally. After all, sharks, regardless of size, tend to live in saltwater, though some have been known to swim quite a distance up into freshwater areas. Same goes for other giant animals- they tend to be best suited to areas that their normal counterparts would be. As for mutant animals, certain changes in their physical structures might allow them to survive in areas that they wouldn’t otherwise, such as armor-plated sharks that are capable of “swimming” through earth, soil, and sand. Also, if a shark had the long tentacles of an octopus, and those tentacles are also modified to allow the shark to “walk” on dry land, or “climb” up cliffs, prey that once thought to be in a safe place, end up getting snatched.

Another thing to think about is the creature’s diet. A snake is easy, same with sharks; both like to eat meat, making them perfect for creature horror stories. A rabbit on the other hand is a question mark; does it still eat grass, or does it like a little bit/lot of meat with its salad?

One final thing is what the creature looks like; does it look similar to its normal counterparts, or does it differ greatly? These affect potentially how the creature hunts; camouflaged coloring would allow it to blend into the background, though if this color can change, this might add in an extra element of fear, and suspense, as that statue of a giant lizard might not be a statue, and an unseen predator is even scarier than one that is out in the open, normally.

I hope that this helps you out, with your giant and mutated Animals. Be safe when you go out into those remote areas.