Pupae

Pupae (singular: pupa) are the Skaarj offspring, borne by the Skaarj Queen. At this point in their life cycle, Skaarj are quadrupedal, have a green skin, and somewhat resemble Earth's spiders. They have mandibles that later turn into the adult Skaarj's tusks. Pupae's presence can often be detected by the distinctive sound they make.

The Skaarj life cycle can be compared to that of Earth's honey bees. Either the name "pupa" was chosen poorly for what is actually a larva, or the Skaarj life cycle works differently from that of Earth's animals.

Skaarj pupae start appearing in the 2nd half of the Unreal campaign, and play a big role in the final fight, where they are both spawned and protected by the Skaarj Queen. Everytime the player kills a pupa, the Queen will shriek and counter-attack immediately. Pupae also feature in UT2004's Invasion gametype, where they most often appear in earlier waves.

Although Pupae normally crawl, they will resort to hopping to approach a distant target. This, in combination with their small size, can make it a little tricky to hit a Pupa. However, due to their limited health and bite- & lunge-damage, Pupae only pose a small threat.