User:Zachzane22/sandbox

Pop-Culture
It is a repeated plot of some of our culture's most beloved books and movies. The role-reversal, the story of the underdog who comes back from improbable odds and succeeds against a vastly superior foe. From Bram Stokers Dracula to children's movies such as Monsters University it is a repeated plot expressed throughout the years. Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story is an example of two competing “predators” battling for the same goal. The larger opponent (Globo-Gym) is expected to dominate the smaller (Average Joes). The little guys, the undersized, and outmatched however become the victors.  The 1980’s flick “Predator” is a clear example of prey-reversal where the victim becomes the predator. Armed with a stealth suit and ultimate high-tech gear, the predator methodically dispatches the humans that find themselves in the jungle. The most elite soldiers find themselves pitted against something that is not human. What was thought to be a run of the mill rescue mission becomes a struggle for survival replete with cheesy Arnold Schwarzenegger one liners. The last of his squad, with no evacuation, Dutch (Arnold Schwarzenegger) must turn from the hunted, into the hunter. Physically and intellectually superior, the predator delivers an ass whooping to the protagonist. Dutch realizes the predator sees through thermal imaging and he subsequently covers his body with mud to mask his presence. The only way Dutch can beat his adversary is to outsmart it. *Spoiler Alert* Just when it appears predator has circumvented Dutch's booby trap, the predator unwittingly finds itself under the log acting as a release mechanism. With a swift kick the trap goes off and crushes the predator.  This movie is an example of prey-reversal where the prey actively confronts its predator. the single greatest weapon the humans had in this scenario was their minds capability to make necessary connections and adapt. Such as when Dutch camouflages himself with mud.

Examples in Animal Kingdom
There is a species of South American Ants that have adapted the ability to hunt creatures that are up to 13,350 times their mean weight. The Azteca andreae ants have developed a hook that serves their instinctual ambushes. The ants reside in trees and they ambush insects that are unfortunate enough to land on their trees. Whenever a bug lands on the leaf the ants spring into action-a small number bite down on the legs of the winged creature. While the bug is stuck and attached to the leaf, more ants come in to dismember the prey. The average ant can hold up to 5,700 times its own body weight. the reason for this is suggest by a possible co-evolution between the Azteca andreae ants and the Cecropia Obtusa leaves. The leaves have pronounced velcro-like loops that the ants are able to hook on to. The ants prevent other bugs from munching on the leaves, while the leaves gives the often preyed upon ants a predatory edge.