Urs

Urs
Urs (from Hearts of Darkness).
Born	1870 (United States)
Brought Across	1890s (New Orleans)
Vampire Death	1995 (vampire murderer)
Master	Vachon
Portrayed By	Kristin Lehman
Fan Factions	Urchins, Bears, Goldilocks Dark Hearts Les Miserables
Urs used to sing in New Orleans when she was a human.

A friend of Javier Vachon, Urs travelled with his motley crew of vampires for about a century before they separated. She seems currently to work as a dancer at the Raven, and remains on close terms with Vachon.

The name "Urs" is short for Ursula, Vachon calls her that in the Hearts of Darkness.

“

I asked you to kill me, not to bring me across. Not to bear for eternity what I couldn't bear for another second. I asked for death, and you gave me forever. Forever.

”

Character

Background

In New Orleans in the 1890s, Urs was a singer in a nightclub. Her patron was an older man named Lemieux, who was very possessive of his much younger mistress, and deeply resented the attentions she paid to the patrons of the club.

Becoming a Vampire

When Javier Vachon and his friends, Screed and Bourbon, came to the club where Urs worked, she particularly noticed Vachon, singing much of one song to him and giving him one of her garters. When the song was over, she was flirting with the patrons when Lemieux grabbed her, trying to assert his authority over her. Vachon intervened. Clearly seething, Lemieux backed down.

Vachon tells Urs that he brought her over

Later, after Urs's show was over, Lemieux threatened Urs with a knife, saying that he would kill her before losing her to another man. However, Vachon rescued her from him, and drained him right in front of her. Although shocked by what had happened, Urs was also intrigued. She saw in the vampire a possible solution to her weariness with the life she led. She asked him to kill her.

Vachon could not bring himself to do this. Instead, he brought her over. For the next century, she travelled with his gang of vagabond vampires. When they broke up, presumably in Toronto, she became a dancer at the Raven.

Personal Insights

Urs at the Raven

Since meeting Jacqueline (the vampire part of a woman suffering from multiple personalities), Urs has some greater insight into the reasons her life took the path it did. In particular, she recognizes that her association with Lemieux was a reaction to her father abandoning his family when she was twelve. By her own admission, she spent her life seeking the approval of men, especially substitute father figures. Nevertheless, despite this understanding, Urs remains ambivalent about being a vampire. As she puts it to Vachon, she does not take death as lightly as he does (Hearts of Darkness). There are still times when she hearkens after the oblivion she had asked him for.

Urs's Death

Urs snarls at Divia just before she is attacked.

Urs died in Ashes to Ashes, when LaCroix's vampire daughter, Divia, came to Toronto seeking to revenge herself on her father for imprisoning her in a tomb for two thousand years. To torment him, she first attacked those she saw as being near to him. Vachon was her first victim. When Urs saw his injuries, she went to Nick Knight for help, but was attacked and killed by Divia in the elevator going up to Nick's loft.

Nick took her body to Dr. Lambert, who was unable to explain why the injuries inflicted on Urs by Divia proved fatal. Nick later told LaCroix that Natalie disposed of Urs's body.

Episodes of Significance

The following is a list of the episodes in which Urs appears, with a brief synopsis. For a full discussion of her role in each episode, see Urs's scenes.

Urs appeared in the following four episodes of Season Three:

• "Black Buddha, Part Two": When Nick Knight comes to the Raven seeking information about Vachon's whereabouts, LaCroix directs his questions to Urs, who suggests that he try looking for him at Screed's lair.
• "Hearts of Darkness": Urs is distressed when an amateur stripper picks up a man she thinks is abusive; so, when he turns up dead, Nick suspects she may have killed him. The flashback shows Urs's past in New Orleans, where she met Vachon and was brought across by him.
• "Trophy Girl": Urs points out to Vachon that Tracy has come into the Raven.
• "Ashes to Ashes": When Divia attacks Vachon, Urs goes to Nick for help; but, before she can get up to his apartment, she is killed by Divia herself.

Fan Activities

Factions

When Urs first appeared in the series, a number of possible names were suggested for her faction (such as Goldilocks, or Bears for male fans). However, the most usual name for Urs's faction is the Urchins.

In addition, the following factions favour particular relationships involving Urs:

• Les Miserables - (Nick and Urs)
• Roman Goddesses - (LaCroix and Urs)
• Dark Hearts - (Vachon and Urs)

Fan Fiction

• "Urs and the Pretty Little Bottle" by Susan Schafer
• "Urs's Big Idea" by Melissa Puzio
• "In the Air Tonight"[1] by Dark Hearts
• "The Prodigal Daughter"[2] by Javier Kyle and Dark Hearts (adult)
• "Dead Letters"[3] by Susan M. Garrett
• "Out of the Night that Covers Me" by Greer Watson
• FK4: Urs is a regular character, appearing in all but one episode. Especially notable is her role in the following:
  • "Sang Ordinaire": Urs is distressed when there is a shortage of bottled blood in Toronto following a hijacking.
  • "Night Vision": In the flashback, Urs arrives in Toronto with the rest of Vachon's crew.
  • "The Kiss of Death": Urs shows concern about Vachon's friendship with Tracy.
  • "Death Shall Be No More": Urs remembers the near-death vision she had when Vachon brought her across.
  • "Hunt the Hunter": When a vampire hunter stalks the patrons of the Raven, Urs moves in with Tracy.
  • "Twelve Nights of Christmas": Urs goes to Tracy's Christmas Eve party, and spends Christmas Day with Nick.
  • "A Pure Woman": The flashback shows the first few days after Urs was brought across.
  • "Tangled Web": Urs is with Vachon's crew as they share a squat with a group of hippies in the Swinging Sixties.

Images

• See Screen captures of Urs