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The Darkseekers, also called Hemocytes or the Infected, are savage infected vampire-like mutants that serve as the main antagonists of the 2007 film adaptation of I Am Legend. Once ordinary human beings, they were transformed into monsters by genetically re-engineered measles virus originally designed to cure cancer.
History[]
In 2009, a genetically re-engineered measles virus, originally created as a cure for cancer, turns lethal. The virus mutates into a highly contagious strain, killing 90% (5.4 billion out of six billion) of the world's population and turns 9.8% (five-hundred and eight-eight million) into vampiric albino zombie-like cannibalistic mutants called "Darkseekers", who are extremely vulnerable to the ultraviolet rays in sunlight. The remaining 0.2% (twelve million) of the surviving population are immune to the virus and are the prey of the mutant Darkseekers.
Over the course of a few months, humanity was driven to the brink of extinction. A small cluster of survivors had established a colony in Alaska free of the infection, leaving almost no one left in the ravaged cities. However, one survivor, a scientist known as Robert Neville, remained in the desolate city of New York and had fortified his home to protect himself while he researched a cure for the virus. Turning his basement into a laboratory, he experimented on small infected animals such as rats and later moved on to testing on a human Darkseeker he managed to capture.
Little did Neville suspect that the Darkseekers were not as mindless as they seemed; the creatures had developed a pack or tribal social system and were aware that Neville was watching them, but they in turn were watching him as well. One night, a tribe of Darkseekers were able to breach the defences of Neville's house and they captured him. They tied him to a lamp post and left him there for a full day before coming out at sunset to kill him. Neville managed to escape with the aid of his pet dog Sam, but as they made their getaway, the Darkseekers released a pair of their own dogs which pursued them. Sam was bitten by one of the Darkseeker hounds and infected with the virus, forcing Neville to kill Sam before he turned completely.
Robert then went on a self-destructive rampage to kill himself and as many Darkseekers he could. Running several of the infected down with his vehicle before it was flipped over, his life was saved by the arrival of two other immune survivors; Anna and Ethan, both looking to make it to a survivors colony at a higher altitude where the virus couldn’t reach.
Later that night, it was discovered that the Darkseeker tribe from the previous night had followed them back to Robert’s house, and now an all out war had started. Overwhelming them in numbers, the creatures broke into Robert’s house, forcing the three into his basement where, just at the last second, Robert realized the cure was in the blood of his last test subject.
Getting a sample of it and giving it to Anna, he pushed the two into a secret hiding spot and readied himself to die. Pulling out a grenade, he pulled the pin and rushed the creatures just as the leader broke the glass separating the two. The grenade exploded, destroying the many monsters inside. The next morning, Anna and Ethan emerged and once again started their voyage, and soon ending it when delivering the cure to the colony.
In an alternate ending, the Alpha Male retained some parts of his humanity, where he instead listens to Neville and shows that he came to rescue his captured mate by making the shape of a butterfly, a tatoo the female Darkseeker has. Neville understands and gives her back, the Alpha picking her up and nuzzling her with joy. He then starts roaring in anger at the sight of all the photos showing other Darkseekers killed by Neville's experiments. Filled with shame, Neville states he is sorry, the Alpha acknowledging this before leaving peacefully.
Notable Darkseekers[]
Alpha Male[]
- Main article: Alpha Male
To be expanded
Alpha Female[]
To be expanded
Biology and Physical Appearance[]
While those infected with KV who survive it develop primal behavior upon succumbing to the virus and becoming a Darkseeker, they do retain enough of their higher intelligence to build and copy complex traps they have previously seen. Darkseekers' adrenal glands give them increased mobility. The increased metabolism also speeds up Darkseekers' heart rate, breathing speed and body temperature, and makes them constantly hyperventilate.
Other symptoms of KV include dilated pupils, inflamed gums, hair loss, albinism, and a primal state of madness. Another major symptom is a severe intolerance of UV radiation, causing sunlight and other sources of ultraviolet to burn Darkseekers. Because of this intolerance of UV, Darkseekers are forced into a nocturnal life cycle; lurking in dark, derelict buildings during the day, and only leaving at night. The intolerance of UV is also so extreme, exposure to sunlight for more than a matter of seconds can be fatal to a Darkseeker. They also still have some sort of emotions shown in the film when Neville takes a female infected and the "leader" is trying to get her back from Neville.
Powers and Abilities[]
As their adrenal glands are constantly open, Darkseekers possess adrenaline-enhanced speed and endurance. Darkseekers apparently also gain a heightened sense of smell, as Neville had to bleach the scent on his home's doorstep before sunset, and the female specimen was easily drawn by a sample of Neville's blood.
Darkseekers also retain enough of their higher levels of intelligence to set up elaborate traps they have previously seen, such as snare traps. Darkseekers also possess adrenaline-superhuman strength as they can destroy the glass of Neville's SUV and smash its car doors.
Weaknesses[]
The major weakness of the Darkseekers was the unique side effect of their viral mutation, intolerance of ultraviolet light. When exposed to minute amounts to UV light their skin is rapidly eaten away and when exposed to full on UV radation of the sun they are killed within moments.
Trivia[]
- The film is based on the 1954 Richard Matheson novel of the same name, the monsters are Vampires who were killed and reanimated by a manmade plague.
- The similarities between the monsters in the novel and in the film is that they both only come out at night to hunt and they both feed on blood.
- Originally the Darkseekers were supposed to be intelligent and caring creatures such as found with the alternate ending of I Am Legend where the female is rescued by the Alpha Darkseeker. There are even hints of this in the movie as Neville got caught in a trap that was originally going to be passed off as Darkseekers' handiwork but this was evidently scrapped.
- The vocal effects for the creatures were provided by Mike Patton, who also voiced The Darkness in its eponymous games.