Empire

Roman is lured by a street graffiti promising a better future, drugged, and wakes in a glamorous Moscow mansion. He is handcuffed and immobile as a vampire explains that he must pass on his powers before committing suicide; the Tongue is transferred into him, making him Rama, the Tongue's new host and a member of the secret elite.

Mithra, a mentor figure, informs Rama that his name has been changed and that the Tongue is a symbiotic passenger with objectives of its own. He learns that vampires do not drink blood; instead, they absorb knowledge by sampling Red Liquid through the Tongue. The revelation reframes Rama's understanding of power and loyalty.

Rama begins sampling Red Liquid extracts from great minds of the past, absorbing memories and expertise. He is tutored in Glamor and Discourse, two disciplines designed to blind humanity to the true nature of the world by focusing minds on wealth. This education marks the first step toward wielding influence over people and power.

The training montage blends action and odd humor: vampire kung fu, a high-speed car chase through Moscow, and the eerie moment with a rubber sex doll that tests his control over seduction and combat. Rama learns to master the dual aspects of desire and dominance as his powers grow. The sequence underscores the vampire elite's bizarre rituals.

Rama test-tastes human prey by stalking a young woman on the street and biting her. The bite grants him access to her innermost memories, and he relishes manipulating her into bed. The experience deepens his understanding of the moral cost of his new life.

Rama is told about The Great Fall and that he will undertake it with Hera, a fellow initiate. They meet online and discover Hera is young, beautiful, and as confused as Rama is about their new existence. The Great Fall is framed as the next rite of passage into vampire society.

After tasting a mysterious liquid that serves as his invitation, Rama recites the words, 'Into darkness, backwards and downwards!' This triggers a bat-like transformation, allowing him to fly above the Moscow skyline. The moment marks his entry into the deeper rites of the vampire world.

Rama and Hera swoop to a deep cave on the outskirts of Moscow, where they meet Enlil, the senior vampire and administrator of vampire affairs. He explains the corporate-like management structure that governs their world. The scene sets the political dynamics of the vampire elite.

Hera points out that Enlil resembles the vampires seen in films, prompting the explanation that vampires fund such films to shape perception. The exchange reveals the meta-fictional wink at cinema's influence over reality. It reinforces the satire of Russia's power elite.

Enlil clarifies that glamour, discourse, and wealth are the true levers of power, over which the Tongue and its host have control. Rama contemplates his place within the ruling class and the cost of betraying his former self. The scene deepens the critique of a world run by beauty, blood, and money.

With Hera and Rama bound to The Great Fall, they recognize their education will train them to manipulate humanity. The path promises enormous power but demands moral compromises. The film hints at a future in which elites steer events behind the scenes.

Across Rama's journey, the Tongue acts as a symbiotic passenger with its own ends, guiding him through Glamor and Discourse to keep humanity focused on wealth. The duality of knowledge and power underscores the satire of a world ruled by the elite. The narrative leaves the Tongue's true motives ambiguous, hinting at a broader conspiracy.