Graboid

The graboid is a fictional creature that acts as the primary antagonist of the Tremors film series. As Suzanne Ferriss and Mallory Young explain, the "destruction of 'graboids,' as they are quickly dubbed, becomes the central tension of the film." The creature made its debut in the 1990 film Tremors, and reappeared in its three sequels and the Tremors: The Series television series.

Film appearances
There are three varieties of graboid shown in the film. The standard graboid, seen in all four films, is a subterranean animal, resembling a gigantic worm or grub, with a serpentine body and a massive, black, armored beaks on its head. The full adult form is about 30 feet long. Graboids have a trio of long, powerful, serpent-like tentacles, which are prehensile and have a reach of at least ten feet. Each of the three tentacles has a smaller, tooth-filled mouth and four horns on the top and bottom of their heads, both of which they use to snag prey.

In Tremors 2: Aftershocks, "shriekers" are introduced as a mutation or next evolutionary stage of the graboid. Much smaller than graboids, shriekers live above ground and resemble a small dinosaur or heavy ground-dwelling bird, with stout, three-toed legs and a compact body. They have similar beaks on their heads, but lack the tentacles of a graboid, and like graboids lack eyes, ears, and noses. The third evolutionary stage, the "ass-blaster" is introduced in Tremors 3: Back to Perfection. Ass-blasters are similar to shriekers, except they are capable of gliding with the use of red/pink-colored sail-like structures at the back of their bodies, consisting of a semi-translucent skin supported by rigid stems and a third dorsal sail that extends from the spine down the back and tail. In order to take flight, they produce an explosion from their rear end.

Other appearances
In the TV show, the main character lives "in more or less harmony with a 30-foot Graboid worm...As the Graboid (affectionately known as El Blanco) is endangered, it cannot be killed (in any of its forms), so the townspeople have to protect both it and themselves..."

Steve Traiman writes, "MCA piqued consumer interest for the direct-to-video title "Tremors 2: Aftershock" with the Graboid Game, which challenged Web site visitors to hunt for the giant worms featured in the movie."

Collectible replica
In 2006, Mania.com revealed that "Sideshow Collectibles and ADI have announced their reproduction of the original Graboid design maquette...based on the creature from the film, which spawned three sequels and a television series" and "created by the effects company ADI, led by Alec Gillis and Tom Woodruff. Jr. Each piece is reproduced in fiberglass and polystone, hand cast and painted. The piece is designed to display on any desktop or table, and also features wall-mount brackets for hanging display, like a hunter's trophy."