Graboid

* American
* African
* Arctic
* Queen

The ***Graboid***, (also known as the ***Dirt Dragon*** or ***Tu Lung*** in the 19th century), is a fictional invertebrate species that is the primary antagonist of the *Tremors* franchise. The creature made its debut in the 1990 film *Tremors*, and reappeared in all its sequels *Tremors 2: Aftershocks* (1996), *Tremors 3: Back to Perfection* (2001), and prequel *Tremors 4: The Legend Begins* (2004). It was also featured regularly in the series' spin-off *Tremors: The Series* (2003), with El Blanco being a recurring character. A variant was featured in the 2015 film *Tremors 5: Bloodlines and Tremors: A Cold Day in Hell*

One appeared in Lovethra: Queen of the Dimensions: The Flower's Cut where it obey Hatemate and later on, Lovethra.

Four were brought onto an island in Tremors: Shrieker Island for an hunt.

## Design

### American Species

Graboids are depicted as subterranean animals, superficially resembling gigantic worms or larva, with long, serpentine bodies. When fully grown, a mature American Graboid can measure up to 30 feet long, and 6 feet across at its widest point, and may weigh 10-20 tons. From the information presented in Tremors 4, it takes them about 3 months to attain this size. Anatomically speaking, the Graboid is a tube wrapped with thick skin-muscle, which is necessary to manipulate its external spines. Presumably, it must also possess a semi-rigid internal structure (though not a true endoskeleton) since it can burst through concrete (though such an impact kills it). Less dramatically, the Graboid's ability to lift its upper body into the air, as well as bear the weight of the soil through which it moves, also suggests a semi-rigid internal structure. The internal cuttle-bone structure is probably coupled with a strong musculature. It is logical to assume that a Graboid propels itself underground partly with its surface spines, and partly with an overall motion of its body. A strong internal musculature would enable the Graboid to flex its entire body, undulating in a curling, corkscrew motion through the ground. Graboids completely lack eyes as they live underground. Their heads consist of a massive, black, armored beak, which is used to push aside the dirt whilst digging. The beak opens up like a grotesque flower; it consists of a wide upper jaw, a thinner lower jaw, and a pair of hooked mandibles on either side, they measure three feet long. Whether they possess a skeleton or not is unknown, though a faux scientific document written by the Sci-Fi channel hypotheses they have a semi-rigid internal structure, similar to the internal cuttle-bones of certain cephalopods, such as cuttlefish.

Graboids have a trio of long, powerful, serpent-like tentacles, which are prehensile and have a reach of at least ten feet. Normally kept retracted in the Graboid's throat, these tentacles were initially mistaken for the actual creatures, causing the characters in the first *Tremors* film to underestimate their underground opponents. The Graboid's common name is derived from these prehensile tentacles, which "grab" prey and suck it down the Graboid's hungry gullet. The three "tongues" each have a mouth, teeth and two pairs of horn-like projections on the upper jaw and lower jaw. The tentacles are used in other ways besides grasping. Other purposes of these erstwhile appendages include sensing very subtle vibrations and feeling around basically acting as the arms and hands of the creature. However, unlike human hands, the tentacles have taste sensors inside the mouth-like jaws. So when a tentacle's jaws close on something, the Graboid can quickly tell if something is worth reeling in to eat. While at times, these tentacles appear to have minds of their own, hissing and writhing like snakes, they, like an octopuses tentacles, are simply extensions of the creature. Food is typically swallowed whole, though early in the original *Tremors* film, they are shown to dismember and decapitate their prey, this was shown again with the Old Fred of *Tremors 4* this likely points to necessity if it senses other prey approaching and needs to start after them. They apparently have a slow metabolism, at least for the sterile ones like El Blanco, as it was only hinted at to defecate in the last episode of the series.

A Graboid's hide is thick and leathery, with a rough, pebbly texture, giving them a reptilian appearance (though they are not reptiles). This makes them very hard to kill with anything short of saturation bombing or large-bore rounds, usually from guns designed for large animals such as elephants and buffalo. Graboids possess immense physical strength, able to topple over mobile homes, tow along with an object heavy as a pickup truck without slowing down, smash through brick walls and pull an entire station wagon underground. Encircling their bodies are short spikes, which all move in unison to push the Grabboid through the dirt (more specifically Pleistocene alluvial Soil), similar to the setae on an earthworm. Their top speed is around 15-20 mph in good loose soil. Therefore they are able to burrow faster than a human can run; a Graboid cannot catch motorized vehicles like cars or dirt bikes, as shown in *Tremors 3: Back to Perfection* when Jack's truck was able to outrun a Graboid. Also, it was been shown throughout the series and Tremors 4 that galloping horses can outpace Graboids. With armored head and mobile spikes working together in unison, a Graboid can "swim" through the loose soil at high speed like a shark in the water, though they are incapable of tunneling through solid rock. Graboids (and their nymph and imago forms, the Shrieker and Ass Blaster respectively) have distinctive orange blood. Graboids also have a powerful stench, which is made evident on several occasions throughout the first film. Though underplayed in the 2nd and 3rd films, the Grabboid's stench becomes a critical plot point in *Tremors 4*; Juan is able to identify the Graboids as being the unseen killers in the silver mines where they are small and jump from the ground extremely fast with a hard shell on their back, hunting by sound, shedding their shells and growing to become matured Graboids later in the film due to them sharing the same vile odor. The Graboids' greatest weakness is that it is unable to tell the terrain of the environment it is in before it's too late, which is demonstrated when Earl and Val trick one into running into a concrete wall, and when Val tricks Stumpy into running off of a cliff.

For obvious reasons, it has been all but impossible to directly observe the creature underground; observations of the surface soil above a Graboid's route, however, show that such soil is sometimes humped erratically, producing a series of rises and falls rather than a continuous ridge. This disturbance of the ground is consistent with a writhing, flexing mode of travel. Furthermore, when a Graboid surfaces, it often does so while turning its head or body in a circular motion, supporting the corkscrew theory of locomotion.

The Graboid appears to respirate the same nitrogen-oxygen atmosphere as other terrestrial animals. Witnesses have heard Grabboids sometimes expel blasts of air. This implies that Graboid's possess lungs. Whether these lungs resemble vertebrate lungs is unknown. On a related topic, the Graboid, Shrieker and Ass Blaster all have closed circulatory systems; their reddish-orange blood has been well-documented. This suggests that they possess a cardiopulmonary system, a heat pump, and an oxygen-based blood-transport system.

### African Species

The African species presumably has a similar life cycle to the American species, but unlike the American species, which is only seen in the Northern Hemisphere, the African species is found in the Southern Hemisphere, or at least Africa. It is unknown when this species branched off from the American species, but archaeologists find a skeleton of one, indicating that this is not a new evolution. After seeing the skeleton, Burt describes this species as longer and slimmer. While not a biologist he describes this species as more evolved and efficient, better adapted to their environment. The Shrieker stage was never seen, possibly indicating that their life cycle bypasses it all-together.
The African species' tentacles, referred to as "Grabbers", can detach from the host Graboid. They are sentient and can hunt on their own. Separated, they are fast and lethal, able to climb up rocky surfaces. However, this leaves them more vulnerable to being attacked. It is unknown how many Grabbers each African Graboid has as *Tremors 5: Bloodlines* features only two Graboids with multiple Grabbers appearing throughout the movie.

The African Graboid also exhibits a far more aggressive hunting behavior than American Graboids; besides simply coming up and swallowing their prey from beneath, or using their tentacles to reel them in, these Graboids can launch themselves out of the ground to its target, showing considerably more agility than the North American Graboid. Presumably, this behavior developed in response to the speed and alertness of African animals, many of which can run faster than a Graboid's top tunneling speed, and will flee at the sensation of the ground moving were a Graboid to attempt to tunnel under them. Additionally, paleontologists found evidence that this species is able to tunnel through rock by releasing formic acid from its mouth to soften rock before using its magnesium mandibles to eat through it. This would mean that the established practice of getting up on boulders or other rock formations to escape and stay out of reach would be ineffective against an African Graboid, as it could dissolve the rock until it got to the prey.

Unlike the American species, the primary driver of members of this species is shown to be the propagation of the species rather than hunting. To this end, they cooperate with any Ass Blasters to protect their nests. This level of social cooperation is greater than any seen in the American species, and could, in fact, be described as a non-exist ant. Ass-Blasters and Graboids ignored each other outright instead of working together, in one case a Graboid was known to eat an Ass-Blaster.

Unlike the American Graboids, African Graboids have a clear internal skeleton that can fossilize. American Graboids  have a semi-rigid internal structure, but African Graboids have more developed internal structures more similar to some vertebrates. This likely, while not specifically stated, is a convergently evolved trait for African Graboids to better support their larger bodies, but it is unknown why and how they developed a skeleton-like structure.

### Arctic Species

The Arctic species appear to be the evolutionary link between the two species having traits from both, although it is believed to predate either, indicating that the Desert American species and African Species diverged from this singular species. They look and behave similar to the desert North American species, but have traits of the African variant, such as breaching. Also as with the African variety, they have no Shriekers and develop Ass Blasters, but as the desert American Graboids, there is no apparent cooperation between Ass Blasters and Graboids.
It is unknown if the Arctic Graboids have a more developed skeleton structure like their African relatives. Most likely not if African Graboids did convergently evolve their skeletons rather than being an ancestral trait lost in only American Graboids.

Burt believes they may be modified in some way to be bio-weapons, although, given his normal levels of paranoia, this wasn't likely though Mr. Cutts became interested in the idea.

## History

### Tremors: Bloodlines

Early on in the movie, two scientists discover the fossilized remains of an African Graboid, but are later eaten by a live specimen while in the shower. Another specimen later attacks the townspeople in a South African village but is tricked into attacking a jeep with lit fuel and is blown up. A large individual, dubbed the "Queen Bitch" later attacks Burt and co. in an attempt to retrieve its last remaining egg. However, they lured it into a trap, using the egg as bait, and killed it by directing lightning, causing it to explode.

### Lovethra: Queen of the Dimensions: The Flower's Cut

After Hatemate became Queen and summon different monsters around the globe, a Graboid (American Species) was summon in Devils Tower, Wyoming, and it hunts with its new pack. After Joe called the monsters to Boston, the Graboid is one of the monsters that doesn't make it in time to see Lovethra become Queen of the Dimensions. It later on return to it's dimension.

### Tremors: Shrieker Island

Bill and his hunting crew breed and genetic engineered Graboids for the hunt to enhance their predator skills. They led one into a trap but failed to kill it because it shook off the spears like it was nothing. After Bill and his gang left the island, Jasmine got curious and drove there with Ishimon and Jimmy. The same Graboid that Bill failed to kill gave birth to three Shriekers and discover by Jasmine, as she recognize the creature. After Ishimon was killed by the Shriekers and Jimmy was told to find Burt Gummer, she confront Bill and he revealed that he breed four Graboids for his hunt for the people he hired for troupy mounts. However, one dubbed "Queen" swam to the main island and attacked a guy in the bathroom. Bill discovers it and tells his men to cover it up. The Queen Graboid ate the Elephants but not knowing about the tracker on one of them. When Bill returns to the private island and his team gets attack by Shriekers, Burt and the rest saved his butt and told them to stand still as there was one Graboid under them. It ate the guy with the machine gun and Burt threw his flamethrower and Anna shot at it the minute the Graboid ate it. They got off the island and after Bill trapped Burt and the rest in the bomb shelter, they moved with their plan and the Queen revealed herself to an scientist after killing serve of Bill's men.

As she stared down at the scientist, another Graboid ate him and headed towards the bomb shelter while Anna was running towards it. Burt and the rest killed the Graboid with bombs. Then Bill tried to lure the Queen because he never loses and Burt shows up, moments later when the Queen Graboid ate Mr. Bowtie and dragged Bill into her mouth later on.

After Burt and Jimmy left to take care of the Shriekers, Jas and the rest got to high places after their alarms went off about the Queen Graboid under them. She waited for Burt to come back and Jimmy and the rest went to set up the trap as Burt walked there and the Queen hit the Graboid Traps serve times. Burt led the Queen to a cliff and Jimmy joined him on his plan as they walked towards the Queen to make her charge at them as they ran towards the cliff.

However, Burt pushed Jimmy out of the way, gave him the finger, and the Queen Graboid ate him as she fell, got stab by bamboo, and exploded with bombs.

## Abilities

* **Strength and Combat:**Because of their large size they proven to be quite powerful enough to bring down a small vehicle. As their strength also from their snake-like tongs could hold a horse easily. For combat, they mostly rely on their snake-like tongs to bite enemies as well as their powerful jaws. Their jaw strength is powerful enough to crush a dirt bike with a human on it as well.

* **Burrowing:**As these creatures live underground their lifestyle is basically underground to tunneling through the soil for making their home as they can make their territories to be unknown for humans or preys that will trespassing.

* **Speed and Agility:**Graboid's speed is proven to be greater than that of humans. With their agility as well making them able to make quick turns in pursuit of prey.

* **Intelligence:**Their intellect is pretty high as they can understand that breaking through a small building easily as the prey that is mostly humans will go on the roof to stay safe but after some time they will try to break the buildings down as hot will take some time to do so. Also have shown to figure waiting for prey to get off the high ground back on the ground to think the Graboid's have left but it a setup. They can also leave a trap for a vehicle that is too big for Graboid to take down as they will follow the large vehicle by making trap that will sink the vehicle. Though father sometime over the years few older ones like El Blanco proven to be smart enough to ow a favors such as knowing the villains that were trying to kill him.

* **Vibration Sensor:** They can feel the vibrations of prey on land as they will follow the vibration to detected. Proven to be a very powerful sense as they can lock on prey.

* **Endurance and Stamina:** Their endurance is actual is pretty high as it took many gunshots to kill one Graboid that attack Burt basement as they use a variety of guns to kill it. Though over time they learn more as their endurance will not work on weapons that Burt will use to kill them more easily such one type of gun that was used on Graboid in the series that will blow it up with one shot. Though their endurance was also proved that Graboids will not be able to survive as full speed to go through a concrete wall will kill itself. Their stamina is very high as they can chase prey for a long period of time.

* **Hunting:**Its hunting style has proven to be quite solitary but can work in packs if needed to such as more of the variety of prey it's on the ground. Its true hunting style is ambush as they will hunt prey by waiting for fir the target to make loud noises of vibration to attack. Though they can work as a team to make plans to get more prey by breaking down small houses or sheds proven in Tremors.

* **Maturation:** As it has the ability to go into other forms as they can explode into the stage of the transformation into Shriekers to pop out at least nearly 6 then they turn into the next to gain the legs with heat sensor and final stage of the life cycle the Ass Blaster to take air.

* **Grabbers:** Its special feature of a Graboid as these are tongs are about six feet long as these are snake-like as it's able to grab around prey that is large like a horse to bring it down. It can use the snake-like tongs to bites its prey to hold and weaken the prey.

* **Parasitic Infection:**The Graboid houses a very deadly parasite (contracted by other lifeforms by being consumed by the Graboid but escaping before being digested) which under most circumstances will kill its host in 48 hours but can lie dormant for up to 20 years in a host ( exemplified in the case of Burt Gummer) will cause the host to become slower, weaker, causes intense headaches, as well as hallucinations and unconsciousness. The only known way to cure the host is to remove antibodies from a gland in the back of the throat of a Graboid, which must be alive at the time of the extraction for said antibodies to be viable.