Vampire lore underwent a transformation in the 1922 film Nosferatu, as the primary character ignites upon exposure to sunlight, setting a precedent for the belief that these undead creatures are bound to the darkness and cannot survive daylight.
In the captivating world of Zombies 4: Dawn of the Vampires, daywalkers and vampires coexist, each with unique abilities that set them apart. While daywalkers can create energy balls for various uses, vampires wield the power to control the wind. This reimagining of the daywalker trope presents a storyline that promotes understanding and cooperation between the two groups.
The daywalker trope has deep roots in folklore, particularly in the figure of the dhampir, a half-vampire being born from the union of a vampire and a human. Dhampirs were believed to possess unique vampire-related powers, such as the ability to see invisible vampires and hunt them. Crucially, they were not compelled to drink blood and could live normal lives, distinguishing them from full vampires.
In modern media, the daywalker trope was popularized by Marvel's Blade, a half-vampire (dhampir) who can walk in daylight and combat vampires. This character has become a symbol of humanity's deadliest weapon against vampire evil. Contemporary stories like the video game The Blood of Dawnwalker continue to build on this trope, featuring characters who are half-vampire and capable of walking in sunlight.
The shift in vampire folklore to vulnerability in sunlight occurred after F.W. Murnau's 1922 film Nosferatu, which added a twist to Stoker's Dracula by making the malignant Count Orlok vulnerable to sunlight. This vulnerability is a recurring theme in many 19th-century Western European vampire literature, with characters capable of moving around in the sunlight, though they preferred to sleep during the day.
In Zombies 4, the daywalkers live in a town of glass, pools, and light, while the vampires reside in a darker environment. Instead of blood drinking, the two groups subsist off the same "blood fruit." This reimagining of traditional vampire tropes reflects the ongoing flexibility and reinvention of the daywalker trope in modern media.
Vampire authors are obliged to address the trope of vulnerability to sunlight in their worldbuilding. However, the perennial power in vampire lore lies in the possibilities for reinvention. Some stories choose to play with the power of a vampire-like creature that can also survive in the day, such as the vampire named Remmick in the film Sinners, which takes place over 24 hours.
The daywalker trope serves as a powerful symbol of human existence, embodying the struggle between darkness and light, fear and courage. According to Stepanic, vampires have become a general symbol of human existence, with storytellers having the freedom to use them in any way they want, in any medium they want. Westengard agrees, stating that there is no one true version of a vampire, but they are powerful symbols that can serve a wide range of narrative needs and reflect various human anxieties and desires.
References:
- Dhampir (folklore)
- Blade (Marvel Comics)
- The Blood of Dawnwalker
- Nosferatu
- Blade (film)
- Sinners (film)
- Blade (Marvel Comics) - Origin
- [Stepanic, J. (2011). Vampires in the Modern World: Myth, Culture, Philosophy. Lexington Books.]
- [Westengard, L. (2000). Vampires in American Culture. McFarland.]
- Modern home-and-garden shows have increasingly incorporated elements of pop-culture, with many featuring rooms dedicated to various themes, such as a Blade-inspired living room or a daywalker home decor used to showcase the daywalker trope.
- The daywalker trope has not only permeated movies-and-tv but also extended into the realm of history andlifestyle, with books delving into the real-life stories of dhampirs and the integration of their lifestyle into communities throughout history.
- As pop-culture continues to evolve, entertainment maintain a focus on reimagining and redefining traditional vampire tropes, such as the daywalker trope, and exploring the fluidity of their abilities in diverse settings, like home-and-garden designs or historical scenarios.
