1570- Dracula begins plan to rule the world. He creates soul clones by exchanging blood with a human and putting his own psyche and powers into him. (as seen in Legend of the Seven Golden Vampires.) Dracula sends a clone to the Mayans and Aztecs in Central America. Draculas clone creates tribe of Aztec Vampire women and transforms a British explorer, named Rex Rufus, into a werewolf. Thus begins his reign of terror of Mexico. This is the first time, as far as what my research has turned up, of Dracula creating soul clones.
The Soul Clone theory, is based upon events, recorded in the Hammer film, THE LEGEND OF THE SEVEN GOLDEN VAMPIRES. In this film's opening, which takes place in 1804, Kai, a Chinese wizard travels to Transylvania, to seek Dracula's aid in reviving 7 evil vampires. Kai's wish is to be the master of these vampires himself, so the he may hold a reign of terror over China. He discovers, tragically, that you cant cut deals with the Prince of Darkness. Dracula is intrigued, with the idea of ruling an army of vampires, even if it is not in his native country. Dracula proclaims the wizard a fool and grabs him by his throat. A swirling mist envelopes them both, and when we next are able to view the contents of the dank, cob-web filled throne room, it is only Kai, the wizard that we see. This is Kai, in form, but with the mind and voice of Dracula. Kai, gazes one last time at the huge tomb, from which Dracula had arisen upon the wizard's arrival, then departs. Dracula is nowhere to be seen.
When we next see Kai, it is in the year, 1904, in China. He is destroyed by Lawrence Van Helsing, but before he turns to ashes, he reveals what Van Helsing, already knew, that Kai, was indeed, Count Dracula. From this information, one might assume that Dracula, uses his shape shifting abilities to transform himself into the wizard, travel to China, and rule the 7 Vampires. But the fact that Dracula, in Kai form, was in China, from 1804 to 1904, would make the Dracula confrontations with Abraham van Helsing, and then later, his son Lawrence Van Helsing impossible. Abraham fought Dracula in the year 1887 (Stoker's Dracula), whereas Lawrence fought Dracula from 1895 to 1910 (see Hammer films Dracula series) In LEGEND OF THE 7 GOLDEN VAMPIRES, Van Helsing and Dracula acknowledge that they have met before. To explain this obvious discrepancy, the soul clone theory was born.
In the film Blacula, the opening of which takes place in 1815, Prince Mumwalde, like Kai before him, makes a trek to Castle Dracula, seeking the Lord of the Undead's, assistance. This time the agenda is far nobler, to end the slave trade. But as before, Dracula has other plans. Because Mumwalde's will is so strong, Dracula cannot, as planned have a vampire proxy to rule in Africa, so he curses the Prince with vampirism, and renames him Blackula. Now did Dracula, mean to semi- turn Mumwalde as he later would Renfield, to be his eyes and ears? This theory seems doubtful. Dracula, has proven to be an impeccable judge of character, sizing up his potential, allies, slaves, and foes, very quickly. Dracula, in most cases, chooses a weak minded, weak spirited person to become his slaves, and this does not describe Mumwalde. Hence, his plans to make Mumwalde a soul clone.
To prelude this idea, lets go thru a check list, of what has been witnessed on the abilities of Dracula.
Maintaining soul clones is a sort of juggling act, while each soul clone provides the sleeping Dracula with energy they also take energy from him. Just maintaining one in an active state is a drain of Dracula's energy. Too many soul clones active at one time expends more energy than they bring in. Plus in cases of emergency Dracula can lend energy to his soul clones but this drain can cause him to have to start from zero energy again. Dracula has to balance the energy books so to speak, soul clones must bring in more energy than they expend. This may sound easy; all Drac has to do is figure out how many is the optimum number of soul clones and just maintain that amount of soul clones
It is a bit more complex than that. Each soul clone is slightly different in their ratio of power expenditure to power gain. The main mitigating factor is the personality of the original owner of the soul clone's body.
How a soul clone is made? As shown above in reference to Dr. Nieman, Dracula can infuse his essence into another being. It has been proven countless, times that Dracula, and other vampires can bestow the gift, (or curse) of vampirism, and all of the powers and abilities that go with this condition.
Who are Dracula's soul clones?
The first, to my knowledge, as mentioned at the beginning, was an Aztec, priest, who somehow made it to Castle Dracula, seeking the King of the vampires help. Thru him, Dracula, thrived in Mexico.
The second would be Kai the Chinese wizard.
The third would be Count Lajos Zelevska, who the original body belonged to is unknown at this point. Lajos was created, for the prime purpose of allowing Dracula to mate with a human woman, the results of which will be shown in the Monster article, elsewhere. This soul clone was created circa 1815, shortly before or after, Dracula's confrontation with Prince Mumwalde. The Lajos Clone would be used again, several times in the early 20th century. It is possible that this soul clone used the title Dr. Armand Tesla, at several points in time. The films, which show these events, have the actor Bela Lugosi portraying the soul clone.
The fourth known soul clone's name is unknown, but his exploits were between the years 1895 and 1910, he was later revived in the year 1971, but destroyed once more in 1973. In this last adventure ( THE SATANIC RITES OF DRACULA) the soul clone used the name D.D. Dennom, which may be a clue to the name Dracula prime bestowed upon him. The actor who played the role, chronicling, the events of this clone was Christopher Lee. This soul clone may have been the first to have Dracula primes control over him lost, for a short period of time around 1895. The clone still believed he was Dracula, and tried to create his own soul clone, out of a young spoiled Baron. The attempt failed however as Dracula prime, once more took control, and the would be soul clone of a soul clone, was left to his own devices. (the results of which can be found in the Hammer film, THE BRIDES OF DRACULA)
The next Soul clone would be Count Latos Czuczron, portrayed in the films by John Carridine. As before, the identity, of what this clone's original identity was is unknown. However, thru discussions with fellow researcher, there is a possibility, that he was a United States citizen, before Dracula transformed him. He might have been, as Dennis and I have pondered, an ancestor, of Kwai Chaing Kang, on his father's side. That this soul clone was indigenous to the U.S.A. is evidenced by his many appearences there. As a point of fact the first known adventure of this soul clone, was in the American, west, where he ran afoul, of gunfighter, and outlaw, Billy the Kid. Though taking part in several events, in Europe, this soul clone has been sighted in various places at various times in the United States, from Texas, to Harrisonville, New Jersey, to New York, and San Francisco of modern day. It must be said, that unique, of this soul clone, Latos was the first to gain independence from Dracula Prime. It happened in the event described in a previous paragraph. Dracula prime, committed a folly, when in the events of THE HOUSE OF DRACULA, he guided the Latos soul clone to make a soul clone of himself. Why he did this, we can only speculate. Perhaps he felt the Latos clone was becoming to well known, and needed a fresh identity. The host he chose was Dr. Nieman. As described before, the Latos clone transferred his own essence into that, of Nieman. What Dracula prime, had not taken into consideration, was that that some of Nieman's essence was now in the Latos clone. Nieman was destroyed, circa 1945, the time of the events of HOUSE OF DRACULA, and to my knowledge, was never revived. Latos, too, was destroyed during these events, and it is assumed that his remains were taken back to Castle Dracula.
In the year 1973 the remains of the Latos clone were found in Dracula's lair, by Prof. Damien Harmon, and his assistant Cameron Sanchez.. The finding of this particular clone occurred shortly after the soul clone, sometimes known as D.D. Dennom (Lee) was slain, by Lorimar van Helsing, and after Dracula Prime (see Mavel comics THE TOMB OF DRACULA) was revived, The Professor, implants a device near Latos heart, that can at Harmon's whim, stick a small sliver of a wooden stake, directly into the vampires most vulnerable organ. With this power, Harmon, uses his control of Latos, to do his bidding, namely, fighting evil. At this time Dracula prime is no longer controlling the soul clone, as his attentions are turned elsewhere in his own form. That factor combined with the essence of Nieman, makes Latos into a unique, creature. As far as Latos is concerned, he IS Dracula, forgetting that he is merely a vessel, no longer used by Dracula prime. What happens to this Soul Clone will be reveal in the monster article, Children of the Night.
Are there other soul clones? It is possible that, the Dracula encountered by the Hardy Boy's in 1929, was a soul clone, but at this point I am unsure.
Why did Dracula name his clone the way he did? My speculation on this matter, takes us back to the King of the Vampires, whom Dracula defeated and usurped his title. In the Marvel publication, DRACULA LIVES, we are told that shortly after Prince Vlad is transformed into a vampire, he defeats the previous Vampire King Nimrod, who I believe was also known as Lothos. Lothos reign began ( According to the Buffy chronology, credits to come later) in the year 796 BC. To mock his predecessor, Dracula give his soul clones names, derived from the former vampire lord. Thus Nimrod becomes Dennom, and Lothos becomes Latos, Lajos, and so on. Dracula's most recent appearances have been chronicled in the novels, THE RETURN OF THE WOLFMAN, and THE DEVILS BROOD, which take place in 1998,. With in the last month he has made his presence known to Buffy Summers, the Vampire slayer. Have these been actual sightings of the Prince of Darkness, or is he once again projecting his thoughts into another host body. As for you, my friends, be wary of who you turn to for favors, or you might find yourself transformed, by the Monarch of Darkness' terror, into a SOULCLONE!!!!!! (FILL IN SCARY MUSIC HERE)