History Main / LifeEnergy

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* The Parasite in ''WesternAnimation/SupermanTheAnimatedSeries'' is basically a male villainous equivalent of [[ComicBook/{{X-Men}} Rogue]] (though Parasite was created first). Humans usually wind up unconscious and twitching a little. He can also gain access to their memories, and [[VoicesAreMental sound like them]]. When he does it to [[SuperEmpowering Superman, however...]]

** Notably, TheUndead in ''Shadowrun'' explicitly feed on Essence. The part where a vampire drinks your blood is because this is the best way to create an emotional state (namely, fear of your attacker) where it's easiest for them to drain your Essence -- the liquid itself is of no particular import, which is why ''Shadowrun'' vampires can't raid blood banks or drink from the sleeping to get their fix.

* In Creator/HPLovecraft's short story "The Colour Out of Space", the title monster feeds on the life energy of creatures that live near to where it lairs.

* Creator/MercedesLackey's ''Literature/HeraldsOfValdemar'' series uses a fairly [[MagicAIsMagicA well-developed magic system]] that is based almost entirely around this concept. All living beings generate Life Energy, which drains away from them [[BackgroundMagicField into the ambient environment]], eventually collecting into {{Ley Line}}s. Where two or more Ley Lines meet, you have a [[PlaceOfPower Node]], which is a massively powerful energy source that only [[PowerLevels 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 BloodMagic. A person wholly drained of life energy, whether from BloodMagic or [[CastFromHitPoints spellcasting beyond their capacity]], will lapse into a coma and die. Accordingly, it can also be used to [[LiquidAssets heal people]], although this is most efficiently performed by those with the [[HealingHands specific talent]] for it.
** Lackey's ''[[Literature/DianaTregarde Children of the Night]]'' has '[[OurVampiresAreDifferent psi-vamps]]' who drain energy from others. In this case the energy is [[EmotionEater tied to emotions]] -- they drain excitement at first, and later hate and fear. Also, a completely drained victim is usually not physically dead, but is [[TheStoic emotionally/mentally burned out]] (described as a mindless hulk, with no chance of recovery).
** In Lackey's ''Literature/DragonJousters'' series, the Magi are deliberately encouraging the war between Tian and Altan to continue, as they're using the deaths of the fighting soldiers to extend the lifespans of themselves and the Altan rulers. They also start seeking out those priests/acolytes that are 'god-touched' and [[HealingHands Healers-by-touch]] in order to drain them for power to fuel their spells. After enough draining, the victims either die or end up stripped of their powers.

* Tied into ley lines (as used by mutants like Fey) and also Ki (as used by mutants like Chaka) in the ''WhateleyUniverse''.

** ''{{Tsukihime}}'': [[spoiler: Akiha]]'s ability ("Plunder") is taking the life energy (and heat, apparently -- there may not be much of a difference) of others through PrehensileHair 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.

->''"Life Force" redirects here. For the NES game, [[VideoGame/{{Gradius}} go here]]. For the 1985 film, [[Film/{{Lifeforce}} go here]].''

* Prevalent in Nasu Kinoko's works (the {{Nasuverse}}).

* Michel of ''MermaidMelodyPichiPichiPitch'' 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 VillainousBreakdown propels him to kill his own followers to take their energy, even when they ''haven't'' [[YouHaveFailedMe provoked it]].]]

* MarvelComics villain Selene is a mutant who can psychically drain life energy from people to sustain and empower herself. Her lifespan can be measured in millenia thanks to this power. If she ever stopped feeding for too long, [[NoImmortalInertia those millenia would catch up to her in an instant]].

* Mantra from ''VideoGame/AsurasWrath'' is this, and is also created via Human prayer. Along with powering up Technology and the Demi-gods genetically modified to use it, It also can be used in weaponry. Also played around with, in that [[spoiler: It's actually the creation of Chakravartin, The source of all mantra. Though after he dies, people still live, but Mantra is no longer around, meaning the technology powered by Mantra is LostForever.]]

''"Life Force" redirects here. For the NES game, [[VideoGame/{{Gradius}} go here]]. For the 1985 film, [[Film/{{Lifeforce}} go here]].''

Spiritual [[PowerSource fuel]] that runs the body and mind, generally invisible to science (but not LostTechnology). Life Energy may be the same thing as the spirit, or rather just some sort of spiritual LifeMeter. Even the [[MohsScaleOfSciFiHardness hardest]] of television ScienceFiction can't seem to help but use this trope at one point or another, even though modern science doesn't give it a leg to stand on.

* This may be what the planet-eating ComicBook/{{Galactus}} in feeds on.

[[folder:Comics]]
* This may be what the planet-eating ComicBook/{{Galactus}} in MarvelComics feeds on.
* The Life Entity of the GreenLanternCorps mythos is the embodiment of life, and thus, is [[EnergyBeing made of pure]] LifeEnergy.

* Creator/MercedesLackey's ''HeraldsOfValdemar'' series uses a fairly [[MagicAIsMagicA well-developed magic system]] that is based almost entirely around this concept. All living beings generate Life Energy, which drains away from them [[BackgroundMagicField into the ambient environment]], eventually collecting into {{Ley Line}}s. Where two or more Ley Lines meet, you have a [[PlaceOfPower Node]], which is a massively powerful energy source that only [[PowerLevels 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 BloodMagic. A person wholly drained of life energy, whether from BloodMagic or [[CastFromHitPoints spellcasting beyond their capacity]], will lapse into a coma and die. Accordingly, it can also be used to [[LiquidAssets heal people]], although this is most efficiently performed by those with the [[HealingHands specific talent]] for it.

* Tenshinhan from ''DragonBall'' and ''Dragon Ball Z'''s signature technique, the Kikoho (Tri-Beam in the original dub, translates as [[KiManipulation Ki Control Cannon]]), [[CastFromHitPoints uses his life energy]], making it one of the most powerful techniques in the series even after Tenshinhan himself [[CantCatchUp is left far behind in power compared to the non-human characters]].

* The plot of ''{{Pretear}}'' pretty much revolves around Life Energy (Leafe). In the manga version, this gets downright cruel: the Knights can only use their ElementalPowers at the expense of their own Leafe; as a result, whenever Himeno is performing attacks as the Pretear, she drains the Life Energy from whichever Knight she is currently merged with. The Pretear can also ''create'' Leafe, though. Needless to say, the [[MonsterOfTheWeek monsters]] and the BigBad of the series really like ''stealing'' Leafe...

* ''BusouRenkin'' has the Black Kakugane, which drains all nearby life energy.

* In Brandon Sanderson's ''Literature/{{Warbreaker}}'' Life Energy is measured in "Breaths", which can be removed from a soul with consent of that soul (Everyone starts with one Breath). Once accumulated, these Breaths enhance you in specific ways, allowing you to discern colors and musical tones with higher fidelity, "sense" other lives around you, and become functionally immortal. Furthermore, these Breaths can be placed in an inanimate object, animating them to follow a specific Command. However, the sheer number of Breaths required to achieve these powers (200 to achieve perfect musical tone recognition, all the way up to 2000 Breaths to become immortal), and the state of those left without Breath, make the practice of accumulating Breath highly controversial in most cases.

* In Brandon Sanderson's ''Literature/Warbreaker'' Life Energy is measured in "Breaths", which can be removed from a soul with consent of that soul (Everyone starts with one Breath). Once accumulated, these Breaths enhance you in specific ways, allowing you to discern colors and musical tones with higher fidelity, "sense" other lives around you, and become functionally immortal. Furthermore, these Breaths can be placed in an inanimate object, animating them to follow a specific Command. However, the sheer number of Breaths required to achieve these powers (200 to achieve perfect musical tone recognition, all the way up to 2000 Breaths to become immortal), and the state of those left without Breath, make the practice of accumulating Breath highly controversial in most cases.

* In Brandon Sanderson's ''Literature/[[Warbreaker]]'' Life Energy is measured in "Breaths", which can be removed from a soul with consent of that soul (Everyone starts with one Breath). Once accumulated, these Breaths enhance you in specific ways, allowing you to discern colors and musical tones with higher fidelity, "sense" other lives around you, and become functionally immortal. Furthermore, these Breaths can be placed in an inanimate object, animating them to follow a specific Command. However, the sheer number of Breaths required to achieve these powers (200 to achieve perfect musical tone recognition, all the way up to 2000 Breaths to become immortal), and the state of those left without Breath, make the practice of accumulating Breath highly controversial in most cases.

* In Creator/LoisMcMasterBujold's ''[[Literature/{{Chalion}} Paladin of Souls]]'', this is happening to Illvin [[spoiler:to keep powering up his DeadAllAlong brother.]]
** In Bujold's ''Literature/TheSharingKnife'' books, Lakewalkers' magic is all about the manipulation of Life Energy.

* ''Wiki/SCPFoundation'', Characters/{{SCP Foundation SCPs 1000 And Beyond}}

** Also, "Forest of the Dead" subverts the usual rule about the EverythingSensor in regards to life forms: once the Doctor specifies that he's not interested only in ''humanoid'' life signs, the Library sensors report on [[OhCrap ''every one of the billions of Vashda Narada spores'']].

** Also, "Forest of the Dead" subverts the usual rule about the EverythingSensor in regards to life forms: once the Doctor specifies that he's not interested only in ''humanoid'' life signs, the Library sensors report on ''every one of the billions of Vashda Narada spores''.