| Darkseeker | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| |||
| Naming | |||
| Others | Hemocyte[1] Krippinoid | ||
| Morphology | |||
| Body type | Humanoid | ||
| Intelligence | |||
| Sentience | Sentient | ||
| Sapience | Non-sapient (infected dogs and other animals) Semi-sapient[2] (infected humans) | ||
| Aggressivity | High[3] | ||
| Ecology | |||
| Habitat | Old buildings | ||
| Diet | Hematophage | ||
| Lifespan | Unknown[4] | ||
| Behind the Scenes | |||
| Universe | I Am Legend | ||
| Created by | Mark Protosevich[5] (based on the creations of Richard Matheson) | ||
| Performed by | Dash Mihok (alpha male) Lauren Haley (alpha female) Mike Patton (voices) | ||
Darkseekers are the antagonists of the 2007 film adaptation of I Am Legend.
They are the susceptible humans who were infected by the Krippin Virus, but did not die from it.
Intelligence
Those infected with the virus and survive its effects develop primal behavior, becoming darkseekers, they do retain enough of their higher intelligence to build and copy complex traps they have previously seen, as well as bonding in an emotional level.
KV Infection
Metabolism
Darkseekers' adrenal glands are always open, giving them increased strength and mobility. However, it also speeds up their metabolism, resulting in cannibalism when food is scarce, and possibly decreasing their lifespan. The increased metabolism also speeds up the infected's heart rate, breathing speed and body temperature, causing them to constantly hyperventilate.
Other Symptoms
Symptoms of KV infection include dilated pupils, inflamed gums (in infected dogs at least), hair loss, albinism, and a primal state of rage. Another major symptom is a severe, vampiresque intolerance of UV radiation, causing sunlight and other sources of ultraviolet to burn their skin. 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, direct exposure to sunlight for more than a matter of seconds can be fatal to a darkseeker. They are also attracted to and crave blood, much like the traditional vampire, and see most uninfected as vicious monsters that must be destroyed.
References
- ↑ The creatures' name in the movie's first draft.
- ↑ Presumed, they are capable of building traps, learning and bonding with others, a reminiscence of their time as human beings. They do not, however, show human-like advanced technology or understanding of it, and are several times more aggressive than they were before infection.
- ↑ Extreme during the initial states of the infection, and before the tribes/packs were formed.
- ↑ The fact their metabolism is faster than humans' very likely decreases their life expectancy.
- ↑ The hemocytes on his first draft were, however, civilized to the point of the creatures in The Omega Man.