By Owen Quinn author of the Time Warriors and Zombie Blues Photos copyright FX
In the Strain, it was a vampire fest with the most terrifying vampires to date for me; the Strigoi. They were creations of the Master, one of the seven Ancients. While the other Ancients are content to hide away and be fed by their minions, the Master wanted total domination and be out in the open. He intended to bring humanity to its knees and almost does over the course of the series. He used the concentration camps of World War 2 as a larder finding willing allies in the Nazis.
But there was one other that stood against the Master intent on killing him. This was Mr Quinlan. Quinlan played by Whitechapel’s Rupert Penry-Jones wanted vengeance for the death of his mother. His mother was attacked but not killed when he was still in her womb. He was born like Blade to some degree, into a war he would fight to the bitter end. He is known as The Born and the last surviving one of five.
It is in Strigoi law that a pregnant woman must not be infected. The Master realized too late that Quinlan’s mother was with child. It is said that if a Born comes to pass then it will be the weapon that will be the Master’s undoing. As the son of the Master, he had a telepathic link with him but could not be controlled by him. His blood did not carry the worms so he could not infect other humans. He did however still have to feed but chose his feeds wisely. While he could walk in the sun he needed to protect his skin and eyes with a combination of hooded clothes or sand and sunglasses. Because of his appearance he hid in the hills of Rome before being captured. At first he was displayed as a human leech then and later forced to fight as a vampire gladiator.
His hatred of the Master intensified when he was sealed in a cave with Ancharia, a woman who bought him from the freakshow he was in and taught Quinlan what he needed to survive. Ancharia was an expert in Strigoi lore so knew what he was when she saw him. She educated him, raised him, rehabilitated and named him. Quinlan means strong and healthy, something he would need to be in his quest across the centuries for vengeance. When trapped in the cave Quinlan had to feed off his adopted mother. This was the Master’s attempt to bring the Strigoi side of Quinlan to the fore so he would lose his human frailties like conscience. He became one of the most revered soldiers in the land and went by Quintus Sartorius.
Unlike the other Strigoi, Quinlan has morals, ethics and principles. Debuting in season two, the sword welding, gun toting vampire allies himself with the human heroes. Quinlan has been on the hunt for years and we get to see his backstory in the episode The Born. His reputation precedes him and he comes to the attention of the Ancients. They try to recruit him but he refuses.
While his alliance with the humans is not always a stable one, he did fall in love with a human woman and gained an adopted daughter. To keep his secret Quinlan used make up and wigs to disguise his true self so he could be seen out in public with his family. However the Master tracked him down and murdered them both. Maybe the Master was consumed with pushing Quinlan to fully embrace his Strigoi otherwise he wouldn’t keep turning up to destroy what Quinlan loves. Or perhaps the Master knows just how lethal Quinlan can be and recognises that he may the one to kill the Master. By continually attacking him, he probably hopes he will destroy Quinlan’s human side completely reducing him to another puppet he can control. He spends most of his time with terminator Fet (Kevin Durand) and Professor Setrakian. He sees a kindred spirit in the Professor as they are both hunting the Master. Quinlan was told of Setrakian by the Ancients as the professor is the first to hurt the Master and track to his nesting place. Fet at first is suspicious of the hybrid but they end up together in the resistance after Zach detonates a nuclear bomb that brings about a nuclear winter allowing the Strigoi to roam freely in daylight.
Quinlan’s alliance with the Ancients is destroyed when believing that he has killed the Master discovers that he has not been given the full information. He discovers that the Master’s true form is a crimson worm and unless that is destroyed it will take another body. He cuts all ties with them there and then.
There is something iconic and superhero like about Quinlan’s appearance. His sword has a hilt made out of bone but whether it is human or not we never find out. The hooded coat, sunglasses and fighting skills rank him the most layered and iconic character on the Strain. He suppressed his human emotions the day his family died so his soul purpose is the destruction of the Master. This in turn he believes will kill him too as they are linked but he doesn’t care.
This warrior trait is shown when he recruits a street gang. When on attacks him, Quinlan kills him there and then. He then appeals to the others egos by asking how they would like to be remembered; as human animals marginalised, locked away in cages or as warriors fighters of the highest order. He points out skin colour doesn’t matter as the only fight is between red and white; the white blood of the vampires or the red of humans. He is a tactician and an obvious leader who recognises resources worth having in his quest. He sees that humans do not utilise their full capacities or spirits but in the fight they can be the best weapons Quinlan could have to turn the tide.
In the series finale, a trap is set using a nuclear bomb underground. Even when the Master walks into the trap leading his legions through the streets, he is still seeking Quinlan. He is confused as to why he cannot see him via their link unaware that it is all a lure. They must get the Master into the underground and while distracted by the attacking humans, Quinlan and the Master fight. He forces him into the lift which drops into the depths. Quinlan and the Master battle it out in a fight that is both violent Quinlan manages to tear his throat out. Battered and unable to walk, Quinlan dies when the Master stomps his head in. Minutes later they die in the nuclear explosion set off by young Zach.
The television version of Quinlan is ne of the best and layered in the genre due to his complete journey over three seasons. As a huge Whitechapel fan I should be ashamed of myself that I did not recognise him at first under the mask but then again he never recognised Colin Farrell under the Penguin makeup so that’s okay.
If you have never seen The Strain, go check it out and enjoy a vampire hero that would not be out of place fighting alongside Blade himself.
The Time Warriors and Beyond 