Morlocks

Morlocks are a fictional humanoid species introduced by H. G. Wells in The Time Machine, first published in 1895. They are the underground-dwelling descendants of humans who have adapted to life in darkness, contrasting with the Eloi, surface-dwelling descendants who appear gentle and childlike.

Physically, the Morlocks are described as more robust and animal-like than the Eloi, with adaptations for subterranean life, including night vision and a diet and social structure suited to living in tunnels. They construct and maintain the machinery and infrastructural remnants of the lost civilization and, in Wells's narrative, prey upon the Eloi, whom they feed on or control as a food source.

Beyond Wells's original novel, the term Morlocks has been adopted in popular culture to describe underground or marginalized groups of beings. In Marvel Comics, the Morlocks are a community of mutants living in the tunnels and sewers beneath New York City; they form their own society, often clashing with mainstream mutants and facing discrimination. Notable figures associated with Marvel's Morlocks include Callisto, Masque, and Caliban. The concept has appeared in various other media, including films, video games, and discussions of caste or class dynamics in speculative fiction.