The Shadow Leviathan - Subnautica's Cave Stalker

See behind the scene's by taking a look at my Patreon! ➡️ / aletho
The Shadow Leviathan is one of 4546B’s most unique looking creatures. Stalking the bottom of Sector Zero's seas, the Shadow Leviathan will try to eat pretty much anything it can get its hands on. Today we learn how they live, the damage they deal and that they really need to see a dentist.
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Sea Captains
- Asmodeus70
- Mathijs Van Dijck
- Still [Redacted]
- Graham DeLoye
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▼ Time Stamps ▼
0:00 - Introduction
0:16 - Hunting, Prey, and Claws
1:58 - Vehicle Damage
2:21 - Head, Eyes, Spots and Gills
3:14 - Movement, Tail and Fins
3:40 - Evolution, Relations & Population
4:23 - Size & Concept Designs
5:27 - Dry Land and Patreon Thanks
Thanks for watching 'The Shadow Leviathan - Subnautica's Cave Stalker'

[@TheSnomGuy]

The idea that the shadow leviathan could have lived on land is horrifying

[@iAletho]

Giant enemy millipede goes brrrrr

[@HungrySharkGamerthesharkojira]

centipede but INCREASE

[@user-bv7zo6vd4m]

Why did you do this to us Aletho?

[@michalcajthaml7064]

I just thought about it for 1 second and i cannot sleep now

[@pwr4]

Yeah...

[@trappist-1d587]

Not gonna lie... I think that of all creatures the shadow leviathan (with the ice worm) had the most potential to be a truly terrifying creature, especially if it somehow crawled and hid along the walls and then violently leap towards your location.

[@iAletho]

It would make a good jump scare trappist!

[@1000-THR]

it is already really fast

[@godzillamanz8139]

Idk why but my favorite leviathans are worm-like pookies, like ice worm and ofc shadow leviathan

[@powerfulpike8875]

It’s strange that despite these creatures being absolutely horrific none of them manage to simulate the fear of the leviathans from the original subnautica

[@niddy117]

It could be because the game itself is far brighter than the original subnautica and below zero being toned down in scare factor

[@ramsescabello7253]

I felt the same, but with this guy is different. I encounter him without knowing about his existance so cought me out of guard. Also, the crystal caves did give me the sensation of claustrophobia. For me, he is a scary boi, at the level of the first subnautica. On the other hand, reaper leviathan gave me the worst scare of my life, i had no clue about him and i was playing late with headsets on.

[@NiCoNiCoNiCola]

I was disappointed after learning that the game is basically "Brighter Subnautica" with smaller Leviathans and barely any importance for the whole "Ice" and "Below Zero" parts, low-key the early concept was better

[@bradencash8399]

​@@niddy117the animals are smaller

[@AveSicarius]

​@@NiCoNiCoNiCola To be fair, they did a little with the ice area, but it needed more time in the oven and felt more like Epic said "here's a bunch of money to make a similar game we can sell on our platform" and that's what they did. A smaller scale project which is still pretty fun, but it's basically just "more Subnautica". It could have been better in some ways, but I still like some area's, and I think the depth would have been difficult given the mapping size as you have much taller terrestrial structures and locations, which would have been fucky in Unity given issues with Subnautica itself. Also I always got the indication that the ice caps on the planet were effectively melting constantly given the amount of water and the size of the planet, so the water around the poles basically being subtropical made sense. Ice like that also tends to reside over shallower water as it was most likely a glacier or other form of fresh water ice formation that begins on land and occupies the space above it as water levels rise. I get that the light levels for this area are far less intimidating, but it sort of struck me as a shallower region, though have a fissure down the side where rarer materials could be found would be quite interesting, especially if it opened up into an entirely subterranean ecosystem very different from Subnautica that was potentially separated until fairly recently. If they had more time and a better engine I imagine Below Zero would have been equally as impressive. Though I do think Nostalgia Bias wouldn't help, we've already done Subnautica, so anything like that might not hit as hard. The Void mod covers deeper water I think, and I'm hoping Subnautica 2 builds on the elements of the original and the novel parts of Below Zero (having some avian or amphibious animals would add to the world building aspect).

[@Fulgrim2]

“There’s only just four of them in the entire game.” That’s just four too many for me.

[@snarffles5687]

My first reaction to this Creature, went like this So there I was, in my newly made Prawn Suit, and I had finally made it to the crystal caves and I got the warning about the leviathan class creatures, so I proceded with caution, but I couldn’t see any giant monsters at all, but then I saw it, that blue glowing dot in the distance, I thought it was a small little creature swimming around, suddenly it swam closer and then- *”OH GOD IT WAS TEETH!!!”*

[@redmegarex]

thats why theyre there

[@ray_boi5953]

*PFFT- XD* oof, what a experience that must've been! 😂

[@snarffles5687]

@@ray_boi5953 it broke my prawn dude, IT BROKE MY PRAWN!

[@ShinyFloragatoLeif]

I'd love to see a fossil of a shadow leviathan ancestor where it's transitioning from a bottom dweller life to the one where it can swim! Also great video yet again!

[@iAletho]

Glad you enjoyed it Shiny!

[@maxximus6418]

Or maybe where it was larger than this one…

[@AveSicarius]

That might be possible, it looks like it has a spine, and as such an endoskeleton, so it would probably fossilize pretty well. It honestly looks like an offshoot of a sort of eel that grew legs for some reason (potentially even one which went from an eel like aquatic predator to a cave dwelling one to an aquatic predator again). Of course they could just make a fossil regardless (soft bodied invertebrates have had fossilized imprints, but it's super rare because fossils usually arise from mineralization of bones or shells), but it's always cool when a developer keeps in line with some degree of natural science in games like this.

[@theparrishshow9803]

I think one of the most terrifying, but interesting parts about the Shadow Leviathan is that due to the way its body is structured, all signs point to it actually being a parasite of sorts. This leaves us with the concerning question: What creature on this planet is big enough to the point where a massive beast like the Shadow Leviathan is a parasite to it?

[@TheSoftMinkStudio]

Perhaps it’s a case of a former parasite becoming an apex predator, maybe in a prehistoric age the ancestors to the shadow were smaller parasites and when either its hosts or competitors went extinct it was able to break into the top order carnivore role

[@DarkDragon1889]

Probably the Gargantuan, then they evolved to be apexes in the area they found themselves in once the gargs went extinct.

[@AveSicarius]

Honestly it could probably feed like a lamprey on any large creature that couldn't move particularly fast, like a Reefback or other filter feeders, it's likely that before Khaara there were significantly more Leviathan class organisms purely because, while they are apparently somewhat immune to the bacteria, their food sources dwindled and died off. The organisms now are the only ones that managed to survive Kharaa, so it might just be that anything larger became extinct as the ecosystem simply couldn't handle anymore in a relatively small area protected by Enzyme 42, or by distance from the Bacterial outbreak (because the planet is very large and the void was likely always that way, sparse and empty outside of filter feeders, given Kharaa seems to kill animals off extremely quickly it probably wouldn't spread that far, just remaining endemic in populations it spread to that could survive the disease). The Shadow Leviathan might also be a very limited population of a pretty much extinct species pretty much because those prey sources died off and it had to relegate itself to feeding on smaller cave dwelling organisms to keep itself going. The Sea Emperor is a herbivore twice the size of Shadow Leviathan, and if this is whale analogous, it could very well be that even larger I mean the Gargantuan fossil is estimated around 1.5 k in length while alive, so there were probably absolutely massive animals to sustain something like that (it would have to eat multiple Sea Emperor's or Sea Dragon's, which are about 1/14th its size a day to get significant caloric value for something that big) and the Shadow Leviathan could absolutely parasitize a slower more passive animal of around that size without much issue. That being said Deep Sea Gigantism slows down the metabolism of an animal proportional to their size, which is why it is a selected trait, something as large as the Shadow Leviathan wouldn't have to eat very often, so it absolutely could sneakily feed on another Leviathan while it slept, but given the Shadow Leviathan dwells in cave systems to small to support large leviathans it could parasitize regardless of the state of the rest of the ecosystem, I think that the form is an evolutionary relic that worked well enough for hunting as it adapted to dwindling size in the other Leviathans.

[@Naedox]

Perfect timing Mr. Aletho! I was just about to be ambushed by a Shadow Leviathan myself. By watching this video to learn more about them, I can safely avoid taking an acid trip through its gullet.

[@iAletho]

Now you're the master of the crystal caves Naedox!

[@massey81]

​@@iAlethohe thinks he can avoid them. Hee hee hee, that's cute. Best have the perimeter defense on standby.

[@leaivv]

I love the design of the Shadow Leviathan

[@iAletho]

It's definitely unique!

[@Rise_Salazar2]

Its sad that hes like just in the crystal cave, it would be cool if they choose it for the void too

[@CatLover-lk9gz]

​Agreed@@Rise_Salazar2. The Void chalicerate is just boring.... And I feel like the shadow leviathan would fit so well in the void.

[@Johanimate]

​@@CatLover-lk9gz true like imagine you go to the Void and the only thing you see first is it's blue mouth then boom

[@CatLover-lk9gz]

@@Johanimate Exactly, and evolutionarily speaking. I think a Shadow Leviathan like creature would live in the void.

[@owbie0714]

I think the shadow leviathan is my favorite leviathan in terms of design.

[@user-ou8ue9hq9o]

Finally thank you know i can die peacefully seeing my favorite creature in an Aletho video

[@iAletho]

This one has been a long time coming!

[@jamesdekock8729]

Awesome video, as always😉 The design of the Shadow Levithan is epic, it's really scary in the first encounter with it. Although after awhile it sadly becomes more of an annoyance then an actual threat, especially once you get the Perimeter Defence upgrade for the Seatruck since the Shadow Levithan pretty much can't harm you..

[@iAletho]

Yep this is how I beat the game, unfortunately the Shadow Leviathan became more of an annoyance than a threat!

[@dijital4801]

yeah i just used the prawn suit for crystal caves the only time i was anywhere close to dying was fabricator caverns

[@massey81]

Its a shame really. Only time i used the prawn suit was in the koppa mining site even though i dragged it everywhere with me. Was disappointed to see it get relegated from a must have item to get to the deepest depths to a rollaboard @@dijital4801

[@swarple]

I remember when I actually properly ventured into the crystal caves for the first time. A friend asked me to stream it so he could watch, probably excited to see me freak out when I got attacked. But I was in there for a while and didn’t see anything. The absence of the creature got so noticeable over time that I began swimming into open waters, essentially making myself bait for it, bc I was really confused. In the end, it turned out my save was glitched and the crystal caves only had one leviathan patrolling it rather than three, lol. The crystal castle still had the right number though. Love the OST down there, super creepy

[@thegamingpig4265]

I want a video for every single creature in both games! Keep going!

[@godzillamanz8139]

Player: whew, finally, this cave keeps me safe from leviathans. Shadow leviathan: you sure about that. I love this leviathan.

[@OneFirePhoenix]

5 bucks says that the next creature he'll cover is the Squidshark.

[@omegarayquaza7584]

false gimme the 5

[@OneFirePhoenix]

fine@@omegarayquaza7584

[@denifnaf5874]

It's so cute - people who build bases in the void

[@kirbyx2573]

The Shadow Leviathan is my absolute favorite leviathan. Its the reason i built a base in my survival playthrough, through out the entire Crystal Caverns! I named the Shadow Leviathan there Bagel haha! He is a silly little guy.

[@Gracefulwarrior2124]

Im sure bagel gives the best danger cuddles :D

[@iAletho]

They're just so cute and cuddly Kirby!

[@EmiZero167]

I can see that you are putting a lot more effort into your videos, and the result is simply amazing!

[@themuslimgamer]

new aletho vid!! this guy is pretty scary, especially with that ribcage of ultimate consumption.

[@iAletho]

The ultimate cruncher

[@misterglo1394]

Yoooooo I’m really early, thought the leviathan series was over

[@iAletho]

Boom! Video drop! :D

[@dashhurry4363]

Yesterday, I had an encounter with that thing, I was able to scan it, it was right above me and behind me, but I was able to swim and dodge fast enough to slip through the crystals and get back to my prawn suit, I will admit, it was actually kinda scary, but at least I’ve made it through with no problem

[@thetaloncraft]

I had a base in the crystal caverns at one point, this got so annoying that I ended hunting him down with my prawn suit

[@StarDriveGaming]

That's really interesting. I wish It was in the first game, although it wouldn't fit, like you could spawn with commands. Love the video like always ❤

[@eatthis7059]

been waitin for this for a LOONG time! love your works man ❤

[@iAletho]

This video was a long time coming! Thanks for bearing with me! :D

[@Gracefulwarrior2124]

Great video as always! Even before watching, I already knew the epilogue was a banger :D

[@iAletho]

Haha thanks Gracefulwarrior!

[@WeepingWillow7505]

Another awesome video, keep it up :)

[@Vr_O]

Perfect timing aletho, just what I needed

[@iAletho]

Just for you Vr_O :P

[@Mae_Dastardly]

Theory: The shadow leviathan isn't normally a predator, instead it's a parasite for larger void dwelling leviathans. The reason void chelicerates are all scarred up is from being chewed on by juvinile shadows and the adults go to the crystal caverns to lay eggs.

[@lilbrothaaa]

Oh no, that's why they look like the shit weasels from Stephen King's Dream Catcher! 😆

[@Rise_Salazar2]

Great work man youre vids are the best

[@iAletho]

Thanks Rise! Glad you like them :)

[@Gooksango]

Your videoes are interesting as I play subnautica. I feel very fun of watching these videos. Thanks for making these types of videos!

[@iAletho]

Glad you like them Gooksango!

[@TacticaLLR]

Nice vid Aletheo!

[@iAletho]

Thanks Leon!

[@TacticaLLR]

@@iAletho No problem!

[@swindle8359]

The shadow leviathan is so cool and mysterious imo, great video

[@user-bl4uf3tf6l]

0:03 my reaction to seeing spiders.

[@Anthony_Ender]

This was an amazing video.

[@iAletho]

Thanks Anthony! I tried to increase the qaulity with this one :)

[@user-yx4ku1cn1j]

I love this series

[@iAletho]

Glad you like it!

[@user-co3gl5rb4o]

Finally new video i love this!

[@iAletho]

Lets go! :)

[@Splatfan92]

Aww, how could anyone be terrified of this lil guy? This is the one they should've named 'cuddlefish'.

[@iAletho]

Such a harmless and defenceless creature!

[@Gracefulwarrior2124]

Completely misunderstood; only wants danger cuddles

[@Blobbythe3rd]

I LOVE THIS MANS CONTENT

[@khaleelmorris]

Hey Aletho! Love this series you did about the Leviathans from both games. If you're taking suggestions, I would like to see the speed of the Leviathans from both games compared to see which is thr fastest.

[@christopherbrown6322]

I would have to disagree on the Shadow Leviathan being a bottom dweller, I think it transitioned from a burrowing ancestor into a free-swimming form, the two lifestyles having overlapping adaptations. Turtles are one example of this (according to some, they have transitioned to the water at least twice) and the star nose mole being an example of a burrower that is at home in the water. This would also explain how they got from the surface to the crystal caverns. the caves we use to access the Crystal Caverns could even have been tunneled by the ancestors of the Shadow levithans, factoring in some time for erosion by both water and plant life the size would be about right.

[@raptorbrotherhood766]

I was waiting for this one

[@iAletho]

Just for you Raptor :P

[@BJKage]

Wow, Ribcage went trough some serious metamorphoses.

[@Lillkraken]

amazin watch all these videos cuz they are awesome :)

[@iAletho]

Thanks Bean_boi!

[@gavinsepicgaming9835]

If you bring the module that can shock the leviathan when it attacks you it literally can do no damage or just like 10 before it runs away and you can repair and make it through the caves lol

[@iAletho]

This is how I beat the end of the game xD

[@kapperbeastYT]

That was honestly my biggest gripe with it, the fact that I ended up learning that because I simply couldn't avoid it effectively, so it became a nuisance I understood by numbers, instead of a titanic monster that should swallow me whole

[@Foamamusic]

As a subnautica fan and artist I started off drawing peepers. I saw similarities on the shadow leviathan because I payed attention to every detail. Peepers from the crater have side facing eyes just like the shadow leviathan, the same gill type, and even those dorsal fins on the end of its tail. The peeper is even black like the shadow leviathan!

[@Seika_Saiyan]

The way it attacks other life forms in Sector Zero, it kinda reminds me of the Indominus Rex a little bit… I like the idea of a leviathan in Below Zero killing for sport! Or maybe it finds sick pleasure in pulling helpless crpyosuches and brute sharks into its digestive system… still, one of my favorite video game sea monsters ever!

[@thecyclope_9643]

Thanks for posting the shadow leviathan, i was looking forward to this magnificent but dangerous creature

[@iAletho]

I'm glad you think it was worth the wait Cyclope :)

[@thecyclope_9643]

@@iAletho yes it very much was!

[@Stackerthestrangeo]

The pelican of subnautica. I've heard pelicans eat anything (or try to) and now believe this is a deformed as heck pelican that evolved into the water.

[@gracz6931]

Thank you

[@Loobug]

These videos give me the smarts

[@PROTOBLUES90]

Oh hey, I was just watching your other videos and wondered where this one was lol

[@iAletho]

Just in time :P

[@BMP0709]

You already know, A great day presented by Aletho

[@iAletho]

Thanks BMP!

[@smallestastronaut1140]

I think the idea of the shadow leviathan’s mouth being in its body instead of his head is really unique and cool

[@spice2527]

if we can't kill it with fire, the most pressing question is if we can kill it with water.

[@Baconcatboy]

Drown it.

[@thibault9315]

Durning my first bellow zero playthrough I was so scared by the leviathan and anoyed by the biome that I ended up just killing all 4 of them to avoid having to sneak around them XD Also, you and your videos are awesome, i just watched the whole creature playlist, it really makes me wanna play both game again :D

[@iAletho]

Glad you like them thibault! :)

[@arrianmian7294]

12 seconds huh

[@iAletho]

You're early arrian!

[@massey81]

I just couldn't take the shadow leviathans seriously even though i knew they were dangerous. Kept thinking of them as an eel wearing a tricorne hat.

[@Arc170clonetrooper]

The legend has returned once more

[@iAletho]

The Arc170 legend is back! ;)

[@Arc170clonetrooper]

@@iAletho thank you

[@Gracefulwarrior2124]

When we needed him most, he returned

[@brammulder656]

Finally Jeremy and Jeremina get some spotlight!

[@The_Apex_Of_Predators]

Honestly my second favorite leviathan out of both games

[@FilthE]

The shadow leviathan is my favorite leviathan, but I do think it needs improvement

[@StereoMonoYT]

All my nightmares in one creature

[@tayo0404]

the shadow leviathan should have been the chosen leviathan for the void

[@DanceFacility]

That would be way more terrifying.

[@RasmusBerggren-uo6uu]

I remember the first time I saw a shadow leviathan and immediately thought fish arrow and got the image of a swimming arrow in my head and I could never take it seriously after that. I know the arrow shaped head is supposed to make it more scary looking and fit more with the stream line long body but something my brain made me think fish arrow

[@Arandomgamer7]

The shadow leviathan walking on land will now haunt my dreams

[@TastySeafoodIsGod]

You should really do one of these videos on stalkers

[@nateimnotgonnasaythat2624]

The first time I saw this I thought it was like a building, but then it started to move and I said 'oh hell no' and went full speed toward the exit

[@antonmikkela6957]

Thanks you the best😊❤🎉

[@AieroArt]

Hi the shadow leviathan is one of my favs

[@BrutalDeath007]

My first encounter with this leviathan was with the darkness cranked so all I could see was the glowing bits. It wasn't until I got closer that I realized that was just the damn things stomach.

[@BrendaStellick-pv8xf]

You are a god

[@drasticbubble1223]

I went down here by accident while looking for kyanite and all I knew was kyanite is usually really deep so I kept going down and I turn around for one second and I hear the most terrifying noise behind me and suddenly from the pitch black void one of these come out at me 30 seconds later was the last time I played below zero most terrifying thing I ever seen while playing a game

[@Auxo.]

wake up new aletho video

[@iAletho]

Time to get out of bed Auxo!

[@EzekEyes]

I’m not as scared of them as I am the Reaper Leviathans because they’re actually very beautiful in their creepy way. The Reaper Leviathans, while beautiful in Marguerite Maida’s eyes, are too terrifying to make me want to admire them like I do The Shadow Leviathans and The Ghost Leviathans.

[@Opium_bird123]

I hope Subnautica 3 adds leviathans on land, like the frozen leviathan

[@akkegaming]

The reason why shadow leviathan is chill withred featherfish ia beacause they change their colour to gold, black, purple in the blue light wich makes them really hard to see, this can ve easily monitored by using the sea glide's built in light. I recognised this cuz I built my base under shadow leviathan spawn

[@JustaLamborghiniCountachWhoCom]

The worst part of them is that they don't have free roam, they move along a set pattern. So you can just wait for an opening instead of risking it to get past them.

[@Speezy265]

Imagine the shadow leviathan wasn’t hostile like the sea empourer

[@Zero_TheImaginator]

For a moment there i thought this was a mod, but it turns out to be in the actual game

[@ObeseAlatreon]

When I first went to the crystal caverns, I knew about the shadow leviathan from watching videos. What I did not know, was that there were no other large fauna in the caverns, so when I saw the shadow leviathans mouth I thought it was something like a ghost ray! I got out of my seatruck and approached it. I managed to escape and returned to my base.

[@moosethegamer9140]

I literally just beat Below Zero just yesterday XD

[@Mr.halfchicken]

Love videos

[@iAletho]

Thanks Mr.halfchicken!

[@RampageShade]

What is that song during "size concepts and designs" ? Thanks

[@bromanshark3606]

best Leviathan in subnautica

[@samofsamnation7523]

Oh god just imagine it. You meet this creature underwater right? So you desperately make your escape to land. Only for this thing to crawl out of the water and continue hunting you on land.

[@apollo_ai]

I feel like Shadow Leviathans are a better version of ghost leviathans, wouldn't mind them getting replaced in the first game at all 👀

[@goldenpaladin]

Honestly part if me thinka its related to the gargantuan leviathan due to its three eyes and eel like figuee just evolved to be able to acess more food

[@matthewsutton7043]

I enjoy when he is talking about the biology of subnautica animals so I wonder can he do one of ark survival evolved animals ? if not I still watch his subnautica videos 😁

[@OneEyedLiger12]

Whose idea was this!!!? That's too scary 😅

[@Walking_or_Dreaming]

Just got jumpscared by him a few hours before 😢

[@MrSkysenGames]

They, much like Ghost Leviathans, also _really_ dislike when you grapple them and ride like you're in a rodeo.

[@dogsareknockoffwolves]

on my first playthrough i did end up clearing them entirely

[@Thetruefallout]

Can you cover the crashfish?

[@Gracefulwarrior2124]

A true subnautica experience

[@robinsuva9367]

Im here!

[@iAletho]

Good to see you Robin!

[@hordegaming4771]

Never understood why the Shadow Leviathan is down so deep instead of in the void, as it would've been the perfect Leviathan for the void or possibly vent garden blending into the dark water and attracting prey with its blue mouth piece. For the crystal cave's I'd have gone for smaller juvenile Chelicerates like how the Ghost Leviathans hatch in the Lost River and emerge out as they grow older. But that's just me for ya, still a cool looking creature mind although very annoying too haha

[@greenhowie]

the only thing I would change about the shadow leviathan is how it looks after grabbing you. It's less scary and more annoying than anything, some sort of undigested Architect remains acting as secondary teeth might have worked but hey, I'm no game designer

[@raghncrow8104]

WOW

[@Hunter_anims]

The shadow leviathan looks like shamshell from Evangalion

[@jesslovesmex]

Its the perfect predator