Ever wonder why velociraptors are hunting with Chris Pratt in Jurassic World?

If you’re wondering how exactly Chris Pratt’s character in Jurassic World ended up riding a motorcycle in a pack of velociraptors –the clever dinosaurs responsible for much of the carnage in the first three Jurassic Park movies– you’re not alone. The idea of any human “teaming up” with the raptors has sparked no small amount of debate, but thankfully, there’s a site that has given the notion some thought and research to come up with how it might happen.

Over at Screen Rant, there’s an impressively researched analysis of several theories regarding the deadly dinos’ willingness to hunt alongside Pratt’s character, as seen in the previews of Jurassic World. Using quotes from the film’s director, Colin Trevorrow, as well as information culled from the prior Jurassic Park movies and Michael Crichton’s novel (the source material for the original, 1993 film), the author of the feature has put together a fairly convincing argument that the fearsome raptors could not only co-exist with humans, but become hunting buddies with them, too.

Among the theories laid out by the article is the notion that Pratt’s character, Owen, has somehow established himself as the “alpha male” of the raptor pack — an act that was alluded to as a possibility in the first film by the original park warden, Robert Muldoon (Bob Peck), who related how a new female was introduced to the existing pack and quickly became its leader.

The author cites a past interview with Trevorrow published by Empire magazine in which the filmmaker mentioned being intrigued by the notion of humans integrating and subsequently leading groups of another species.

“Owen’s relationship with the raptors is complicated,” he explained. “They aren’t friends. These animals are nasty and dangerous and they’ll bite your head off if you make the wrong move. But there are men and women out there today who have forged tenuous connections with dangerous predators. That’s interesting territory to me.”

Among the other theories suggested by the article’s author include the notion that the raptors “imprinted” on Owen from an early age, or that their genetics had been manipulated to allow for such a relationship. The last theory is that the raptors are simply aware of the threat posed by the new, genetically modified dinosaur terrorizing the island, and are willing to forego their predator-prey relationship with humans in order to take down the greater enemy.

While we won’t know for sure how the relationship between Pratt’s character and the velociraptors is handled until the film hits theaters June 12, the article offers some interesting speculation that extends well beyond the usual water-cooler discussion.