What are Deadites? With the new Evil Dead movie hitting theatres, fans old and new are being reminded of just how deep the Evil Dead lore goes. One particularly recognisable element of the franchise the antagonistic Deadites.
Ever since the original horror movie that kicked off the franchise in 1981, to the short-lived but fan-pleasing TV series in 2015, the Evil Dead has been a horror staple for decades now. And there’s plenty of Deadite action taking place in the new movie, that’s for sure.
But what exactly are the Deadites, and what do they do? Well, The Digital Fix has you covered with the background on these cheeky demons. Here’s our answer to the question: What are Deadites?
What are Deadites?
Long story short, Deadites are parasitic demons that seek out possession of human bodies and complete domination of mortal souls.
Cool. Thankfully, Deadites are pretty exclusive to the Evil Dead world. Demons, of course, are tried and tested lore in the horror movie world. But Deadites are specific to this horror franchise, having first made an appearance in the 1981 original movie, The Evil Dead.
There’s actually a pretty storied history to this particular breed of demon. Supposedly, before mankind walked the earth, Deadites ruled the roost. Though there’s no specific history of how they were created in the first place, they answer to their masters known as The Dark Ones.
Eventually, at some point in this fictional history, they were banished into an alternate dimension where they were left to chill for eternity. But, as explored in the events of the Evil Dead movies, they managed to pop up from time to time.
What can Deadites do?
Deadites have a range of powers and abilities, but mostly, they can possess and control human beings.
There are a couple of different ways a Deadite can possess a person. Perhaps the most famous example of this is through biting or scratching, as showcased when Evil Dead veteran protagonist Ash was bitten on the hand by Linda’s severed head. This led to him eventually cutting off his hand with a chainsaw to avoid possession.
Attacks from other Deadites, manifestations in physical objects, and spells from the Necronomicon can lead to humans being taken over by the creatures.
But we also know that Deadites can take over corpses as well, and even can work from as little as human remains (as shown in Army of Darkness).
As for their skills? Over the course of the movies, Deadites have shown themselves to possess enhanced strength, powers of levitation, shape-shifting, and super speed. As a collective, they may even be one of the best movie villains of all time… We wouldn’t stand a chance, basically.
Can you kill a Deadite?
There have been a few examples that have shown Evil Dead characters successfully killing Deadites. Though, as is usually the way, the rules are subject to change.
In the past, we’ve seen Deadites be bested by sunlight, injury, and various different weaponry/objects. Over time, we’ve also seen the movies utilise a ‘magic powder’, amulets, and even a variant of bug spray known as ‘Deadite-Off!’.
But ultimately, it’s not easy. And if Evil Dead Rise is anything to go off of, getting the upper hand over those pesky Deadites is a brutally messy job.
Well, there you have it. That should be enough to get you by the next time you encounter one of these guys. Once you’ve made it out alive, be sure and check out our Evil Dead Rise review. And if you have other questions, such as ‘Is Evil Dead based on a true story?‘ and ‘Is Evil Dead Rise streaming?‘, we’ve got you sorted on those, too.