Morlocks
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Morlocks are a fictional species, created by H.G. Wells for his novel, 'The Time Machine'. The Morlocks, as well as another supposed offshoot of humans, the Eloi, exist in the future world in the year AD 802,701 in 'The Time Machine'. The Morlocks are said to have descended from humans, although they have evolved to become a completely different species by the 8028th century.
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Morlocks in "The Time Machine"
In the book, the Morlocks and the Eloi have something of a symbiotic relationship: The Eloi are clothed and fed by the Morlocks, and in return, the Morlocks eat the Eloi. The Time Traveller, who is the main character in 'The Time Machine', perceives this, and guesses that the Eloi/Morlock relationship developed from a class distinction present in his own time- the Morlocks are the worker class who had to work underground so that the rich upper class would have luxury. The Morlocks live underground, tending machinery, and are seen by many to represent the "soul-deadening" effects of the Industrial Revolution. In the end of the book, the Time Traveller proceeds further in the future, and sees, on a desolate beach, giant crab-like creatures hunting after beautiful creatures that resemble butterflies. The Time Traveller theorizes that this is an eventual result of the Eloi/Morlock struggle.
Morlocks in other literature
H.G. Wells also wrote a book called 'When the Sleeper Wakes'. The book centers around a man who somehow falls into a sleep for several centuries, and wakes in the mid-21st century to find that he has inherited the world. In this book, we find out that the Salvation Army has rounded up most of the world's lower class, forcing them to work underground in horrible conditions for the sole benefit of the rich upper class. It would seem that these people will later degenerate to become the Morlocks.
Stephen Baxter, a prominent Science-Fiction writer, wrote a sequel to the Time Machine, called 'The Time Ships'. In this, the Time Traveller attempts to return to the world of the Eloi and Morlocks, but instead finds that he has changed history somehow and finds a completely different world in the future: One in which there never were Eloi. Instead, Humanity constructed a metallic sphere around the sun where humanity now lives. These humans are physically identical to the Morlocks, although they are a race of scientists, not monsters. They do not have war, or religion, or many of the things which is generally had by Humanity. The 'Morlock' Nebogefel joins the Time Traveller on his travels through time.
Two other books involving Morlocks, by different authors were:
- 'The Man who loved Morlocks', by David Lake
- 'Morlock Night', by K.W. Jeter.
Marvel Comics
In Marvel Comics a tribe of mutants who lived below New York's sewer system, the Morlocks, were named after H.G. Wells' Morlocks. They appeared originally as X-Men adversaries, but after Storm defeated their leader, Callisto, in battle, they became their allies. Most of them were slaughtered in the Mutant Massacre, and the survivors later moved to Gene Nation, located in a parallel dimension. A later retcon made them the failed creations of the Dark Beast.
Morlocks in film
In a movie version of the Time Machine directed by George Pal, the Morlocks are eventually defeated by the Eloi, who are motivated to fight by the Time Traveller. One of the differences of the movie Morlocks is that the divergence was created not by a varying caste system, but by being forced underground due to nuclear war. This history was told by three recording rings found in an ancient palace.
In 2002, another movie based on the Time Machine was directed by Simon Wells, the grandson of H.G. Wells. The Morlocks in this film, as well as the Eloi, have been changed in several major ways. The Morlocks have become more physically strong and fast, very apelike now. In addition, the Morlocks have split into several types. In addition to the 'ape' Morlocks, there are also the Morlocks who aren't as physically fit, and instead shoot darts at escaping Eloi, incapacitating them. All the Morlocks are controlled by an 'Uber-Morlock', whose brain is so large, it doesn't quite fit into his head. This Morlock talks, and eventually ends up fighting the Time Traveller.
Creatures based on Morlocks
In the roleplaying game Dungeons and Dragons, there is a race of creatures called the Grimlocks which are clearly based on Morlocks. They dwell underground, only ascending to raid villages, etc.