Across thirteen years, five films, and endless spin-off projects, the Underworld franchise established a unique cult fandom. The franchise centers around an ages-old conflict between werewolves and vampires that threatens to destroy the world. At the center of the franchise, Kate Beckinsale stars as a complicated vampire assassin named Selene, who gradually becomes one of the most powerful characters in the franchise.
Not a lot of people know that Selene is actually a Marvel Comics character. She was created by legendary X-Men writer Chris Claremont. In the comics, she's a villainous telepath who is frequently a member of the Hellfire Club. The film adaptation keeps very little of her source material, but the new take on the character has largely outshone the original.
Underworld: What makes Selene so special?
Simply put, Selene is a dedicated warrior who devotes centuries of work to her cause. She's not the chosen one or somehow fated to succeed. She survives her parent's murder by chance and becomes a godlike immortal through superior effort. Selene is turned into a vampire in her youth, but she really hits her stride after hundreds of years as a warrior. By the end of the franchise, Selene is called "the Purest Vampire," and respected by the entire species as the strongest of their number. She's not only unique among vampires in the franchise, but she's also unique among protagonists in this type of urban fantasy fiction.
Where did Selene come from in Underworld?
Born in Hungary in the 14th century, Selene was raised by her father, who was a well-known blacksmith. When Selene was 19, her father was contracted to design and construct a unique dungeon under the home of a powerful aristocrat and vampire elder named Viktor. After Selene's dad got the job done, Viktor set to work slaughtering everyone who knew the prison's location. Viktor killed Selene's entire family but left Selene alive due to her resemblance to his late daughter. To keep her around, Viktor turned Selene into a vampire. Over the following centuries, Selene served Viktor as a Death Dealer, the most skilled warrior among the vampire ranks. Viktor also convinced her that her family fell prey to werewolves, leading Selene to develop a centuries-long vendetta against the lycan race.
Selene spends the vast majority of her long life fighting werewolves. There are hundreds of years of her work as a Death Dealer that the films see fit to skip over. Throughout the franchise, she's constantly getting stronger. She takes down Viktor in the first film, kills the first immortal in the second, and gradually gains a position of power among her species. By the end of the final film, Selene is one of three vampires at the very top of the ruling class.
What is Selene capable of in Underworld?
In the earliest moments of the franchise, Selene's an extremely deadly warrior who stands above the other vampires. Over the following films, she only gets stronger. Selene is initially gifted with all the capabilities of a vampire. Her strength and speed are several times greater than any human, she can shrug off injuries with ease, and she'll swiftly heal from almost anything. She's over 600 years old, granting her the enhanced powers of an evolved vampire. She's also dedicated almost all of her years to honing her skills in combat. Her personality is cold and dispassionate, allowing her to seek bloody retribution against anyone who crosses her. Selene is proficient with guns, swords, and a variety of other weapons. After the events of Underworld: Evolution, Selene becomes perhaps the most powerful vampire in the franchise.
Selene absorbs the blood of Alexander Corvinus, the first true immortal. That infusion grants Selene complete immunity to sunlight, one of her greatest weaknesses. The change is substantial. Selene is now half-human and half-vampire. It also greatly enhances her power. After absorbing Corvinus' blood, Selene can flip a fully-loaded van with one arm, survive being impaled without incident, move faster than the eye can see, and rip the spine from a werewolf with her bare hand. Throughout her journey, Selene grows from a traditional superhuman into a full-on immortal monster. Selene is capable of almost anything.
Selene is a fun character who never seems to slow down. Like a lot of action protagonists, she's always faced with a bigger threat, and she always comes out on top. The Underworld franchise is certainly not known for its depth, storytelling, or social commentary. It's primarily a venue for Kate Beckinsale to throw down in progressively larger battles. In the early 2000s, no one would've imagined that actress becoming one of the most prominent action stars of the era. Selene grows from battling werewolves with a gun in each hand to tearing her foes in half with a flick of her wrist. Take on the entire Underworld franchise to watch the character reach her peak.