| |
|---|---|
| Vladimir Basarab | |
| Biographical information | |
| Aliases |
Vlad the Impaler |
| Gender |
Male |
| Species |
Human (formerly) |
| Status |
Deceased |
| Age |
400+ years |
| Cause of Death |
Reduced to ash by the sun |
| From |
Transylvania |
| Skills |
Vampiric powers |
| Occupation |
Soldier of God |
| Relations | |
| Children |
Quincey Harker |
| Lover |
Mina Harker |
| Friends |
Abraham Van Helsing (vampire childe) |
| Enemies |
Jonathan Harker |
| Appearance | |
| Based on | |
| Source | |
In Dracula the Un-dead, the 2009 authorized sequel by Dacre Stoker and Ian Holt, Count Dracula serves as the titular character and is portrayed in a much more positive light than his original counterpart who is completely evil. He is, of course, primarily based off Bram Stoker's Count Dracula and much more explicitly of the real-life Vlad III Tepes.
Biography[]
The novel begins with Seward tracking down Elizabeth Bathory, whom he believes is a vampire. After seeing her bathe in a young woman's blood, he tracks her to a theater in Paris. Quincey Harker, son to Jonathan and Mina, is in Paris having being forced to attend law school instead of pursuing a career in theater. Quincey learns that Basarab, a Romanian actor who is taking Europe by storm is in town to perform in Richard III and vows to see his performance no matter how it enrages his father, whom he has grown to despise. To his surprise he is summoned by Basarb to his dressing room, where they strike up an unlikely friendship. However they are disturbed when Bathory's vampiric attendants attempt to attack Basarab, although they are thwarted by Seward. As Seward chases the vampires, he is struck and killed by a carriage in which Bathory and the vampires escape. Abraham Van Helsing, now a sickly old man, returns to London after hearing of Seward's death. He believes that Dracula has returned.
It is revealed that by marriage Dracula and Bathory are cousins but while both became vampires, Dracula still saw himself as a soldier of God while Bathory spurned God and all those who worshipped him. The two fight, in which Dracula is overpowered and nearly killed; only Mina's quick thinking saves him by having Bathory yanked from the train via a loose cable. The sword in her leg makes contact with the tracks, causing her to burst into flame.
Mina takes him to Carfax Abbey to make a final stand against Bathory; during the trip we learn that the real reason Dracula came to London 25 years ago was to hunt down Bathory, who was slaughtering women under the guise of Jack the Ripper and though Dracula admits the heroes' acts were noble and chivalrous, they were hunting the wrong monster (the deaths on the Demeter - the ship that brought Dracula to England - were caused by a virus among the crew, Dracula being forced to feed on Lucy after his arrival in England simply because he was starving after so long without blood) Quincey also makes for Carfax, hoping to kill Dracula before he gets to his mother. Dracula appeals to Mina to let him turn her into a vampire, so that even if Bathory kills him Mina will be able to destroy her in her weakened state. Mina initially refuses, believing Dracula is the one who viciously murdered Jonathan and Seward; Dracula denies this, saying that he would never hurt them for a reason unspecified.
However, her fear for Quincey's life forces her to give in, and Dracula finally turns Mina into a vampire; shockingly to Dracula, consuming the tainted blood he put into Mina years ago heals him and renews his strength. Quincey arrives at Carfax, and is heartbroken to see his mother dead in a coffin.
Bathory and Dracula engage in a bloody duel, in which Bathory nearly kills Dracula with the same kukri blade that Harker used against him 25 years ago. However, Dracula, the more skilled swordsman, outmaneuvers her and impales her with his broken sword as she stabs him in the chest with the kukri blade. Bathory collapses and crumples to dust as Quincey confronts Dracula, who refuses to defend himself. Dracula's compassion is revealed with a thunderous revelation; that Quincey is truly Dracula's son and not Jonathan's and though he loved him dearly, he would never harm Quincey or those who raised him.
Mina confirms this fact, and suddenly the true reason behind the disintegration of his family and their friendships was laid bare. Refusing to become the monster that his father became, Quincey leaves both behind. Dracula takes solace that his son is safe and succumbs to his wounds, falling off a cliff and bursting into flames as the sun rises. Mina, forsaken by her son and cursed to live eternally, follows Dracula off of the cliff to be reunited with her two loves (Jonathan and Dracula) unbeknownst to him, boxes labeled as property of Vladimir Basarab are also loaded on board. The ocean liner is later revealed to be the RMS Titanic.
Differences with the original character[]
Despite Dracula the Un-dead being an authorized sequel to Dracula, the Count is drastically different in both portrayals. In Dracula, the Count is presented as a centuries old demonic being of pure evil who travels to England in order to expand his hunting grounds and it is implied that he wants to archieve world domination. In stark contrast to this, Dracula the Un-dead makes it seem like it was all a misunderstanding and that the Count is not the real monster of the story. In addition to this, in Dracula the Un-dead Mina Harker is in love with Dracula whereas in Dracula, Mina utterly loathed the Count for murdering her best friend, torturing her husband and almost cursing her with unlife as well.
Another, more lore-based contradiction of the character and vampires in Dracula the Un-dead, is the fact that vampires can burn in sunlight, whereas in Dracula, vampires could walk in daylight without any fear of instant death only limited powers.