Werewolves are the most used supernatural creatures in many fantasy stories after vampires. They are usually portrayed as strong creatures who can be weakened only by silver. The humans with lycanthropy turn into werewolves every full moon and lose control over their human selves while they are in the shoes of the beast.
Though this is the basic outline of how werewolves work, each work adds its own twist to the fantasy, and “The Vampire Diaries” is no different. Here are four ways the show tweaked the myth about werewolves.
#4 Lycanthropy can only be inherited
Usually, it is said that one turns into a werewolf if they are bit by one. But in this show, it is said that lycanthropy is passed from one generation to the other.
This lineage started when a tribe decided to kill the witch Eenadu who turned every single of the members into a werewolf right before she was killed. Since then, this faulty gene has been passed down.
#3 The werewolf gene is activated by killing a human
Unlike the traditional werewolf transforming every full moon, in The Vampire Diaries, the gene is activated only if the carrier kills a human knowingly or unknowingly. But them killing vampires has no effect whatsoever.
#2 The first werewolf transformation is the most painful
Like mentioned earlier, lycanthropy was meant to be a curse. So when a person first transforms into a werewolf, the process is too painful to bear. Bones are broken and reshaped while their features transform as well. Even older werewolves fear being transformed
#1Werewolves are immune to silver
According to folklore, silver is supposed to be werewolves’ ultimate weakness. But in the show silver supposedly has an opposite effect on them.
That’s it for the twists in the myth of lycanthropy The Vampire Diaries has in store. If you enjoyed this article and haven’t watched the show yet, you can check out its trailer here-
Have a good day!
