The Lycans are a clan of werewolves in the Underworld film series. In the films, they have the ability to transform into bipedal, humanoid wolf-like creatures. They are a variation on werewolves and the term Lycan is derived from the Greek lycanthrope. In the films, Lycans are opposed by vampires.
Powers and abilities[]
In the Underworld films, Lycans display a number of greatly enhanced physical attributes. As with their rivals, the vampires, Lycans are immortal (William survived over 800 years of captivity with no food). They possess enhanced strength, reflexes, coordination, speed, agility, durability, endurance and regenerative abilities superior to that of most vampires while in their Lycan forms and are able to crawl across walls with great ease and speed, and equal or greater physical abilities in their human forms. As with wolves, Lycans possess greatly heightened senses and excellent tracking skills due to their highly sensitive sense of smell and are capable of sensing Vampires in close proximity to themselves. Lycans have shown that in close quarters combat they are vastly superior to vampires as seen when very few Lycans are killed in close quarters in Underworld: Rise of the Lycans. They are also shown to easily overtake fully transformed vampires when they are transformed (unless it happens to be a hybrid or elder) as shown when Raze kills a seasoned Death Dealer effortlessly in Underworld.
Their bite releases the Lycan virus, which can aggressively overtake a normal human's physiology, causing them to become a Lycan as well. As explained by Selene in the first Underworld film though, a bite by either a Lycan or Vampire is typically lethal, suggesting that the majority of those bitten die rather than transform into either immortal race.
Similar to vampires, Lycans have the ability to easily survive falls from great altitudes by landing on their feet. Newly turned Lycan, Michael Corvin, displayed this ability in the first film, as well as several newly turned Lycans in the prequel film.
The difference between Lycans and werewolves is that Lycans can change into their werewolf form whenever they choose (except newly turned Lycans that need the light of the full moon), whereas werewolves were "unable to take human form again". Slight physical differences are found as well; a werewolf's snout is longer than that of a Lycan. Also, werewolves and lycans often fight a lot to prove dominance. Neither have found a champion.
Generations[]
William Corvinus's form of lycanthropy is the most primitive, and also the most powerful. He has the most lupine features, with a long muzzle and pointed ears giving him a marked resemblance to a real wolf. He is also far larger than his offspring. William is the most savage Lycan seen (with an insatiable appetite for rampage, according to Andreas Tanis), and also cannot revert to his human form. Unlike later Lycans, he has a full pelt of fur all over his body. It should also be noted that while every other Lycan seen in the films has black or gray fur, William's is mostly white with a blue color to it. He also has solid white eyes. It is unknown if William would have gained his human form back had he become a lycan-vampire hybrid.
1st generation: Original Werewolves[]
These Lycans were created after being bitten (or being killed then coming back to life as Lycans) by William. Similar to William, they are complete savages and thought to have no control over themselves and the inability to revert to a human form. Physically, they are more humanized facially, with a shorter snout (although still longer than the second-generation Lycans) and a lack of pointed ears. They have less fur than William, but more than their second-generation Lycan descendants, with more fur around the neck and arms. They were also never able to take human form again unless by death. Their progeny, though, seems to produce second generation Lycans as shown with Lucian's birth.
In the era of Lucian's early adulthood they seemed to gain a lot more of their original rational/human way of thinking. After several attacks by the Death Dealers, they began to create traps to better help them defeat the vampires and strategize. When members of the first generation Lycans first came into contact with the grown Lucian (in his Lycan form), they were able to tap into even more of their previously forgotten humanity. When he outright confronted them during a Vampire attack, roaring loudly, they retreated. Later when Lucian came into their main den in human form, the older Lycans inspected him and understood that he was a Lycan. They even accepted him into their pack and aided him when needed against the Vampires. During this aid, they came into contact with even more second generation Lycans in human form and seemed to understand that they were their brethren. It seems by the 21st century only a few were left, most were likely wiped out by Death Dealers.
2nd generation: Lycan Werewolves[]
These are modern Lycans descended from either being a progeny of first generation Lycans or by being infected via a bite from other second generation Lycans.
A Second-generation Lycan shown in Underworld. Note the physical similarities but lack of fur compared with first-generation Lycans.
Being less animalistic than the first generation, Viktor allowed Lucian to propagate more of this type. Due to their scent, first generation Lycans seem to recognize them as their brethren rather than human beings, even when untransformed.
They are able to transform back to their human forms, and change into Lycan form when the moon is full. Elder Lycans have learned to transform at will. They resemble 1st generation Lycans, but their faces are shorter, and the least wolf-like in appearance. They also have far less fur than the first-generation Lycans - they are mostly hairless, aside from a thin mane of fur running down the center of their backs.
Notable Lycans[]
- William Corvinus - First and most powerful Werewolf
- Lucian - Lycan leader and first of the Lycans
- Raze - Lycan warrior and second in command
- Michael Corvin - Lycan turned Hybrid
- Singe - Lycan scientist
- Pierce - Lycan warrior
- Taylor - Lycan warrior
- Trix - Lycan warrior
- Sabas - Lycan warrior
- Xristo - Lycan warrior