Life Energy: Difference between revisions

In [[Anime]], is often the [[Our Vampires Are Different|vampire alternative]] to [[Bloodless Carnage|drinking blood]], but also is often used to explain why human blood is [[The Power of Blood|better]] for vampires than non-human or why they can't feed on the dead. It just sates their [[Horror Hunger]] better. Many [[Anime]] antagonists, especially enemies of [[Magical Girl|Magical Girls]]s, are [[Life Drinker|thaumovores]]: [[Vampiric Draining|they feed on Life Energy or use it to power their evil plans]]. A clear sign that a character is a life-force sink is the [[Enemy to All Living Things|spontaneous death of flowers around him or (usually) her]].

In the west, stealing Life Energy tends to be less common than giving Life Energy. Infusing someone with Life Energy (or sometimes [[Pure Energy|Generic Energy]]) can be used to revive those who are critically injured, or to grant temporary superpowers. Watch out for [[Phlebotinum Overload]], however.

It's connected to [[Our Souls Are Different|souls]], [[Hermetic Magic]], [[Ki Attacks]], [[Psychic Powers]] and other superpowers; see also [[Mana]]. In [[Role -Playing Game]] terms, it's the combination of Hit Points, Magic Points, and Experience. Transferring it may cause physical changes that are [[Liquid Assets]]. Occasionally, part of an [[Equivalent Exchange]] to power an [[Artifact of Doom]] or [[Evil Weapon]].

See also [[Aura Vision]] and [[Anatomy of the Soul]]. If [['''Life Energy]]''' is used to power a device, the thing powering it is a [[Living Battery]].

== Anime &and Manga ==

** A different twist occurs in the manga. While alchemy largely draws on natural energy, such as plate tectonics, the greatest source of energy is {{spoiler|the Philosopher's Stones which are in fact [[Powered by a Forsaken Child|concentrated liquid souls]]. Ed soon realizes that if the soul of others can be used as energy, so can his own; since then he has shown the ability to transmute using his own soul to achieve normally impossible human transmutations}}.

* Michel of ''[[Mermaid Melody Pichi Pichi Pitch]]'' steals it from powerful beings. This usually means absorbing them into himself (as he tried to do with Seira), but he left Kaito alive to blackmail Lucia with. Near the end, {{spoiler|his [[Villainous Breakdown]] propels him to kill his own followers to take their energy, even when they ''haven't'' [[You Have Failed Me...|provoked it]].}}

* Chakra in ''[[Naruto]]'' is a combination of a person's physical and spiritual energy. While it can be used to power jutsus and enhance the body, it is also required to keep the body functioning. If you use up enough that your body has less than the minimum needed for the body, you suffer from chakra exhaustion. If you use up absolutely ''all'' of it you die.

* Life Energy is a major theme in many ''[[Gundam]]'' works. Various Gundams in later UC stories have Gundams powered by various bits of [[Magitek]] in all but name that run on their pilot's life energy. Used much more blatantly in the less serious ''[[G Gundam]]''. ''[[Gundam Wing]]'' uses it less, but it does feature killer robots who can sense the life energy of their targets, even through metal, [[Infrared X -Ray Camera]]-style.

== ComicsComic Books ==

* The Life Entity of the [[Green Lantern Corps]] mythos is the embodiment of life, and thus, is [[Energy Being|made of pure]] [[Life Energy]].

* [[Mercedes Lackey]]'s ''[[Heralds of Valdemar]]'' series uses a fairly [[Magic A Is Magic A|well-developed magic system]] that is based almost entirely around this concept. All living beings generate Life Energy, which drains away from them [[Background Magic Field|into the ambient environment]], eventually collecting into [[Ley Line|Ley Lines]]s. Where two or more Ley Lines meet, you have a [[Place of Power|Node]], which is a massively powerful energy source that only [[Power Levels|Adepts]] can hope to use without burning themselves out. The ultimate destination of this energy is the nether plane, from which it then reenters the world through living beings. Mages are people who have the innate capability to store additional magical energy within themselves, see this energy, and instinctively manipulate it. It's also possible to manipulate it without mage talent via rituals or [[Blood Magic]]. A person wholly drained of life energy, whether from [[Blood Magic]] or [[Cast Fromfrom Hit Points|spellcasting beyond their capacity]], will lapse into a coma and die. Accordingly, it can also be used to [[Liquid Assets|heal people]], although this is most efficiently performed by those with the [[Healing Hands|specific talent]] for it.

** Lackey's ''Children of the Night'' has '[[Our Vampires Are Different|psi-vamps]]' who drain energy from others. In this case the energy is [[Emotion Eater|tied to emotions]] -- they—they drain excitement at first, and later hate and fear. Also, a completely drained victim is usually not physically dead, but is [[The Stoic|emotionally/mentally burned out]] (described as a mindless hulk, with no chance of recovery).

** Also Tom Riddle absorbed Ginny's soul in ''[[Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (novel)|Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets]]'', causing him to regain physical form while she was reduced to a coma-like state.

* In the [[Korean Drama]] ''[[My Girlfriend Is a Nine -Tailed Fox]]'' the titular multi-tailed fox (who has taken form as a beautiful human woman) gives a mortally injured man an "energy bead" to keep him alive.

* The Dark Kingdom in ''[[Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon]]'' stole energy from people in various ways, just as their animated counterparts did.

* ''[[Dungeons and Dragons|Dungeons & Dragons]]'' has many creatures that can [[Level Drain|drain life energy levels]], such as many undead, succubus demons and so on. Class Levels being certainly the most hardly-earned feature of a PC, such creatures are greatly feared -- especiallyfeared—especially in 1st and 2nd edition, where such drains were permanent with no saving throw. Later editions have somewhat nerfed this power, to the regret of any [[Killer Game Master|serious GM]].

** ''[[Spelljammer]]'' also included lifejammers -- alifejammers—a spelljamming helm was a chair which allowed one to pilot a vessel into space by draining spell energy; a lifejamming helm ... well, you can figure it out from there. Lifejammers were particularly popular among evil beings such as neogi and undead, who were fond of subjecting their slaves and captives to this.

* ''[[GURPS]] Aliens''. The Gloworms feed on [[Life Energy]] by touching other living creatures. They can feed on animals but prefer sentient victims.

* ''[[Call of Cthulhu (tabletop game)]]''. The Colour Out of Space monster feeds on [[Life Energy]], just like the original version in the [[H.P. Lovecraft]] story.

** ''[[Tsukihime]]'': {{[{spoiler| Akiha's}} ability ("Plunder") is taking the life energy (and heat, apparently -- thereapparently—there may not be much of a difference) of others through [[Prehensile Hair]] that moves at the speed of thought, hits like a sucker punch or a spear, holds like a python, and is invisible even to her own eyes. Fortunately, the drain itself doesn't start or finish instantly.

** In ''[[Minish Cap]]'', the [[MacGuffin|Light Force]] was directly tied to Princess Zelda's Life Energy. Draining away the Life Force from her body can kill her, which leads to a [[Scrappy Level|timed section]] near the end of the game.

* One character in the ''[[Chzo Mythos]]'' is able to draw out the life energy of others by using a sacrificial knife.

* In ''[[Thunderstruck]]'', it is explained that vampires don't feed on blood per se, but on the Life Energy it carries.

** The Parasite is hardly an expy of Rogue, as he is far the older character; he was around in the 60s.

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