Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Fox Studio's Television series about a high school and college student who destroys vampires. Set in the fictional Southern California town of Sunnydale. Starring Sarah Michelle Gellar as Buffy Summers. Also starring Anthony Stewart Head as Rupert Giles, Buffy's "Watcher". Produced by Joss Whedon. Based somewhat on the 1992 Movie by the same name.
BTVS vampire lore is based on a surprising amount of previously existing vampire lore. Indeed, the name Buffy Summers may be a tribute to vampire researcher Montague Summers. Montague Summers' book "The Vampire:His Kith and Kin" was published in 1928. His follow up "The Vampire in Europe" was published one year later in 1929. Literary vampire icon Bram Stoker and Dracula stars in one episode in season four.
On the show Buffy was chosen at birth to be a vampire slayer. The legend of a natural born slayer has been around since medieval times. In some early legends a vampire slayer will hunt vampires only in their dreams. Buffy can't actually kill vampires while she sleeps, but she does often have premonitions in her dreams. While vampires have exceptional strength, slayers too have exceptional strength and healing abilities.
The concept of a "watcher" or guide for the slayer, as Giles is, has been around for about as long as slayers. In legend the watcher is often an older slayer who still slays. Giles is a member of a family lineage of watchers, however, he was never a vampire slayer. As a watcher Giles is a member of the Watcher's Council. The council assigns slayers and watchers to certain places on Earth where there is vampire or demon activity. When a slayer or watcher dies the council sends a new slayer or watcher. The council also monitors slayer training.
Normally on BTVS, vampires are killed with a wooden stake driven into their heart. The stake can be made of any wood. Furniture pieces, picket fence posts, tree limbs, or broken crates all work well. Frequently before "staking" Buffy first must subdue the vampires with some kickboxing. When a vampire is destroyed with a stake it turns into a small pile of ashes. On the show, vampires can also be destroyed by sunlight, decapitation. Crucifixes and holy water will harm or even kill vampires if they touch them. Vampires can, however, enter a church.
Most of these destruction methods almost seem designed for "visual appeal" by the Buffy writers. In reality they are all rooted in old Eastern European legend. Well, perhaps kickboxing vampires is a Buffy the Vampire Slayer innovation.
To learn more about vampire lore as used on Buffy read Bram Stoker's Bram Stoker and Dracula.
Buffy is not limited to fighting off vampires. Frequently demons are also featured on the show. Sometimes the demons are working in conjunction with vampires, sometimes they are not. Usually the demons are called, destroyed, or affected by magic spells. While the vampires on BTVS usually follow standard vampire lore, the demons are generally complete fabrications by the writers.
The fictional Town of Sunnydale is situated over a "Hell-Mouth". A "Hell-Mouth" is some sort of gateway or vortex linked to the underworld. This explains the high concentration of vampiric, demonic, werewolf, and other paranormal activity in Sunnydale. It is also why Buffy and Giles are called there.
A frequent theme of BTVS is Buffy's regret that she has to live a dangerous and often thankless life as a vampire slayer. She does, however, have devoted friends know as the "Scooby Gang" to help her. It is said on the show that it is unusual for a vampire slayer to have any friends. Buffy's friends Willow and Xander appear thoughtout all seven seasons of the show. Willow Rosenberg, played by Alyson Hannigan, starts out as a nerdy computer expert and becomes a a powerful Witch. In early seasons Willow dates Oz, played by Seth Green, who is a werewolf and must be locked up at night when the moon is full. In later seasons Willow dates Tara, played by Amber Benson, who is like Willow also a Witch. Xander, played by Nicholas Brendon, generally represents humanity on the show. Xander dates Anya, played by Emma Caufield, who was previously a vengenge demon but has become human.
Buffy's main love interest on the show is a 200 year old vampire named Angel, portrayed by David Boreanaz. Angel comes to Sunnydale to aid Buffy. Sometimes Angel is good, sometimes he is evil. When Angel is good it is because he was "cursed" with a human soul by Gypsies.
Another regular vampire on the show is "Spike", played by James Marsters. Spike starts out as an evil vampire nicknamed the "Big Bad" or "William the Bloody". By the show's end Spike also has a soul, is not evil, and has a romantic relationship with Buffy.
BTVS vampire lore is based on a surprising amount of previously existing vampire lore. Indeed, the name Buffy Summers may be a tribute to vampire researcher Montague Summers. Montague Summers' book "The Vampire:His Kith and Kin" was published in 1928. His follow up "The Vampire in Europe" was published one year later in 1929. Literary vampire icon Bram Stoker and Dracula stars in one episode in season four.
On the show Buffy was chosen at birth to be a vampire slayer. The legend of a natural born slayer has been around since medieval times. In some early legends a vampire slayer will hunt vampires only in their dreams. Buffy can't actually kill vampires while she sleeps, but she does often have premonitions in her dreams. While vampires have exceptional strength, slayers too have exceptional strength and healing abilities.
The concept of a "watcher" or guide for the slayer, as Giles is, has been around for about as long as slayers. In legend the watcher is often an older slayer who still slays. Giles is a member of a family lineage of watchers, however, he was never a vampire slayer. As a watcher Giles is a member of the Watcher's Council. The council assigns slayers and watchers to certain places on Earth where there is vampire or demon activity. When a slayer or watcher dies the council sends a new slayer or watcher. The council also monitors slayer training.
Normally on BTVS, vampires are killed with a wooden stake driven into their heart. The stake can be made of any wood. Furniture pieces, picket fence posts, tree limbs, or broken crates all work well. Frequently before "staking" Buffy first must subdue the vampires with some kickboxing. When a vampire is destroyed with a stake it turns into a small pile of ashes. On the show, vampires can also be destroyed by sunlight, decapitation. Crucifixes and holy water will harm or even kill vampires if they touch them. Vampires can, however, enter a church.
Most of these destruction methods almost seem designed for "visual appeal" by the Buffy writers. In reality they are all rooted in old Eastern European legend. Well, perhaps kickboxing vampires is a Buffy the Vampire Slayer innovation.
To learn more about vampire lore as used on Buffy read Bram Stoker's Bram Stoker and Dracula.
Buffy is not limited to fighting off vampires. Frequently demons are also featured on the show. Sometimes the demons are working in conjunction with vampires, sometimes they are not. Usually the demons are called, destroyed, or affected by magic spells. While the vampires on BTVS usually follow standard vampire lore, the demons are generally complete fabrications by the writers.
The fictional Town of Sunnydale is situated over a "Hell-Mouth". A "Hell-Mouth" is some sort of gateway or vortex linked to the underworld. This explains the high concentration of vampiric, demonic, werewolf, and other paranormal activity in Sunnydale. It is also why Buffy and Giles are called there.
A frequent theme of BTVS is Buffy's regret that she has to live a dangerous and often thankless life as a vampire slayer. She does, however, have devoted friends know as the "Scooby Gang" to help her. It is said on the show that it is unusual for a vampire slayer to have any friends. Buffy's friends Willow and Xander appear thoughtout all seven seasons of the show. Willow Rosenberg, played by Alyson Hannigan, starts out as a nerdy computer expert and becomes a a powerful Witch. In early seasons Willow dates Oz, played by Seth Green, who is a werewolf and must be locked up at night when the moon is full. In later seasons Willow dates Tara, played by Amber Benson, who is like Willow also a Witch. Xander, played by Nicholas Brendon, generally represents humanity on the show. Xander dates Anya, played by Emma Caufield, who was previously a vengenge demon but has become human.
Buffy's main love interest on the show is a 200 year old vampire named Angel, portrayed by David Boreanaz. Angel comes to Sunnydale to aid Buffy. Sometimes Angel is good, sometimes he is evil. When Angel is good it is because he was "cursed" with a human soul by Gypsies.
Another regular vampire on the show is "Spike", played by James Marsters. Spike starts out as an evil vampire nicknamed the "Big Bad" or "William the Bloody". By the show's end Spike also has a soul, is not evil, and has a romantic relationship with Buffy.
Buffy the Vampire Slayer Episode - Phenomena Guide
| Season 1 - Spring 1997 | ||
|---|---|---|
| 4V01 | Welcome to the H-mouth Part One | Vampires, Vampire Slayers |
| 4V02 | Welcome to the H-mouth Part Two (A.K.A. The Harvest) | Vampires, Vampire Slayers |
| 4V03 | The Witch | Witchcraft, Magic Spells, Body Switching |
| 4V04 | Teacher's Pet | Giant Man-Eating Praying Mantis |
| 4V05 | Never Kill a Boy on the First Date | Vampires |
| 4V06 | The Pack | Evil Hyena Spirits |
| 4V07 | Angel | Vampires |
| 4V08 | I Robot, You Jane | Demons, Magic Spells |
| 4V09 | The Puppet Show | Living Ventriloquist Dummy, Human Organ Stealing Demons |
| 4V10 | Nightmares | Nightmares, Astral Travel, Child in a Coma |
| 4V11 | Invisible Girl -or- Out of Mind Out of Sight | Invisibility |
| 4V12 | Prophecy Girl | Vampires |
| Season Number Two - Fall 1997 | ||
| 5V01 | When She Was Bad | Vampires |
| 5V02 | Some Assembly Required | Reanimation of Dead Parts to form a Living Being |
| 5V03 | School Hard | Vampires |
| 5V04 | Inca Mummy Girl | Murdering Mummy, Mummy's Curse |
| 5V05 | Reptile Boy | Reptile Demon, Human Sacrifice, Fraternal Organizations |
| 5V06 | Halloween | Halloween, Vampires |
| 5V07 | Lie To Me | Vampires, People Who Want to be Vampires |
| 5V08 | The Dark Age | Demons, Demonic Possession,Vampires |
| 5V09 | What's My Line Part One | Vampires, Tarot Cards, Magic Spells |
| 5V10 | What's My Line Part Two | Vampires |
| 5V11 | Ted | Androids |
| 5V12 | Bad Eggs | Vampires, Zombies, Big Scorpion Monster |
| 5V13 | Surprise | Vampires, Demons |
| 5V14 | Innocence | Vampires, Demons |
| 5V15 | Phases | Werewolves |
| 5V16 | Bewitched, Bothered, and Bewildered | Witchcraft, Magic Spells, Vampires |
| 5V17 | Passion | Magic Spells, Vampires |
| 5V18 | Killed by Death | Der Kindestod Demon, The Bogeyman |
| 5V19 | I Only Have eyes For You | Ghosts, Hauntings |
| 5V20 | Go Fish | Fish Creatures/Sea Monsters |
| 5V21 | Becoming Part One | Vampires, Demons, Curses, Black Magic |
| 5V22 | Becoming Part Two | Vampires, Demons |
| Season Number Three - Fall 1998 | ||
| 6V01 | Anne | Vampires, Alternate Dimensions, Demons |
| 6V02 | Dead Man's Party | Vampires, Nigerian Masks, Zombies, Zombie Cats |
| 6V03 | Faith, Hope, and Trick | Vampires |
| 6V04 | Beauty and the Beasts | Vampires, Werewolves, Human/Monster Transformations |
| 6V05 | Homecoming | Vampires, Demons |
| 6V06 | Band Candy | Vampires, Lurconis The Baby Eating Demon, Candy Bars With A Magic Spell |
| 6V07 | Revelations | Vampires, Lagos The Demon, The Magic Glove of Myhnegon |
| 6V08 | Lovers Walk | Vampires, Magic Spells |
| 6V09 | The Wish | Vampires, Demons, Magic Spells, Magic Amulets |
| 6V10 | Amends - A Buffy Christmas | Vampires, Demons, Christmas |
| 6V11 | Gingerbread | Demons, Witchcraft |
| 6V12 | Helpless | Vampires, Vampire Slayer Training, Birthdays |
| 6V13 | The Zeppo | Vampires, Apocalypse Cult |
| 6V14 | Bad Girls | Vampires, the Demon Bathazar, Amulets, El Eliminati Vampire Cult |
| 6V15 | Consequences | Vampires, Nightmares, Watchers |
| 6V16 | Doppelgängland | Vampires, Alternate Dimensions, Magic Spells, Potions |
| 6V17 | Enemies | Vampires, Demons, the Books of Ascension |
| 6V18 | Earshot | Telepathy |
| 6V19 | Choices | Demons, Magic Spells, Potions, the Box of Gavrov, Giant Demonic Spiders |
| 6V20 | The Prom | Vampires, Demons |
| 6V21 | Graduation Day Part 1 | Vampire Poisons, the Demon Lohesh, Battling Slayers |
| 6V22 | Graduation Day Part 2 | Vampire Poisons, the Demon Lohesh, Slayers in Comas |
| Season Number Four - Fall 1999 | ||
| 7V1 | The Freshaman | Vampires, College Life |
| 7V2 | Living Conditions | Demon, Dreams, College Roomates |
| 7V3 | The Harsh Light of Day | Vampires, Magic Rings |
| 7V4 | Fear Itself | Demons, Halloween |
| 7V5 | Beer Bad | Magic Spells, College Drinking |
| 7V6 | Wild At Heart | Werewolves |
| 7V7 | The Initiative | Demon/Vampire fighting military operations |
| 7V8 | Pangs | Thanksgiving, Chumash Indian Spirits |
| 7V9 | Something Blue | Magic Spells |
| 7V10 | Hush | Fairy tale monsters "The Distinguished Gentlemen" |
| 7V11 | Doomed | Demons |
| 7V12 | A New Man | Demons |
| 7V13 | The I In Team | Demon/Vampire fighting military operations |
| 7V14 | Goodbye Iowa | Demon/Vampire fighting military operations, Demons, Reanimation |
| 7V15 | This Years Girl | Demons, Body Switching |
| 7V16 | Who Are You | Body Switching, Magic Spells |
| 7V17 | Superstar | Demons, Magic Spells, Alternate Realities |
| 7V18 | Where the Wild Things Are | Houses Haunted by Supernatural Forces |
| 7V19 | New Moon Rising | Werewolves |
| 7V20 | The Yoko Factor | Scheming Vampires |
| 7V21 | Primeval | Demons, Magic Spells, the Original Vampire Slayer |
| 7V22 | Restless | Dreams, the Original Vampire Slayer, A Man With Cheese |
| Season Number Five - Fall 2000 | ||
| 8V01 | Buffy VS Dracula | Vampires, Bram Stoker and Dracula |
| 8V02 | Real Me | Vampires, Sisters |
| 8V03 | The Replacement | Demons, Magic Spells |
| 8V04 | Out of My Mind | Government medical experiments |
| 8V05 | No Place Like Home | Mystical Keys, Magic Spells |
| 8V06 | Family | Demons, Magic Spells, Witchcraft |
| 8V07 | Fool for Love | Vampires, Vampire Slayers |
| 8V08 | Shadow | Dimensional Portal Key seeking Giant Snakes |
| 8V09 | Listening to Fear | Hallucinations, Comets |
| 8V10 | Into the Woods | Clubs where Vampires Drink Blood from Willing Humans |
| 8V11 | Triangle | Magic Spells, Trolls |
| 8V12 | Checkpoint | Vampire Slayers, Testing Vampire Slyers, Dimensional Portal Key Destroying Knights of Byzantium, Gods |
| 8V13 | Blood Ties | Dimensional Portal Keys, Sisters |
| 8V14 | Crush | Vampires and their Sires |
| 8V15 | I Was Made to Love You | Killer Robots |
| 8V16 | The Body | Death |
| 8V17 | Forever | Reanimation Magic Spells |
| 8V18 | Intervention | Vampire Slayer Vision Quests, Gods kidnapping Vampires |
| 8V19 | Tough Love | * |
| 8V20 | Spiral | Dimensional Portal Key Destroying Knights of Byzantium, Gods |
| 8V21 | The Weight of the World | Subconsciousness |
| 8V22 | The Gift | Gods, God-Disorienting Spheres, Ceremonies, Dimensions, Dimensional Portal Keys, Blood |
| Season Number Six - Fall 2001 | ||
| 9V01 | Barganing Part 1 | Reanimation Magic Spells |
| 9V02 | Barganing Part 2 | Reanimation Magic Spells, Demon MotorCycle Gangs, Being Buried Alive |
| 9V03 | Afterlife | Demonic after effects of Magic Spells |
| 9V04 | Flooded | Home Repairs, An Evil Nerd Trio |
| 9V05 | Life Serial | Evil Nerd Trio, Time Loops, Temp Jobs |
| 9V06 | All The Way | Wedding Engagements, Halloween, Magic Spells |
| 9V07 | Once More With Feeling | Musicals, Musical Demons, Spontaneous Human Combustion |
| 9V08 | Tabula Rasa | Magic Spells, Amnesia |
| 9V09 | Smashed | Magic Spells, Addiction |
| 8V10 | Wrecked | Magic Spells, Addiction |
| 9V11 | Gone | Invisibility Rays, An Invisible Vampire Slayer, Evil Nerds, Haircuts |
| 9V12 | Doublemeat Palace | Fast Food Restaurants, Monsters |
| 9V13 | Dead Things | Mind Confusing Demons, Evil Nerds |
| 9V14 | Older and Far Away | Vengence/Justice Demons |
| 9V15 | As You Were | Demons, Demon Eggs |
| 9V16 | Hells Bells | Vengence/Justice Demons, Weddings, Visions of the Future |
| 9V17 | Normal Again | Demons with Hallucinogenics, Alternate Realities |
| 9V18 | Entropy | Demons, Vampires |
| 9V19 | Seeing Red | Magical Orbs |
| 9V20 | Villians | Angry Destructive Magic |
| 9V21 | Two to Go | Angry Destructive Magic |
| 9V22 | Grave | Angry Destructive Magic, Healing Loving Magic |
| Season Number Seven - Fall 2002 | ||
| 10V01 | Lessons | * |
| 10V02 | Beneath You | * |
| 10V03 | Same Time, Same Place | Invisibility, Gnarl a Flesh Eating Demon |
| 10V04 | Help | High School Guidance Counselors, Fate, Premonitions |
| 10V05 | Selfless | Vengence Demons |
| 10V06 | Him | A Jacket with a Love Spell |
| 10V07 | Conversations with Dead People | Vampires, Channeling Spirits |
| 10V08 | Sleeper | Mind Control |
| 10V09 | Never Leave Me | Deprogramming Mind Control |
| 10V10 | Bring On the Night | Vampire Slayers in Training, Vampire Slayer's Watchers |
| 10V11 | Showtime | UberVampires, Mystical Orcale Beljoxa's Eye |
| 10V12 | Potential | the First Evil |
| 10V13 | The Killer in Me | Guilt, Goverment Experiments |
| 10V14 | First Date | Vampure Slayer Children, Demons |
| 10V15 | Get it Done | Vampire Slayer Knowledge Quests |
| 10V16 | Storyteller | Documentaries |
| 10V17 | Lies My Parents Told Me | Vampires |
| 10V18 | Dirty Girls | An Evil Preacher |
| 10V19 | Empty Places | An Evil Preacher |
| 10V20 | Touched | Evil Helping Bringers |
| 10V21 | End of Days | Mystic Scythes |
| 10V22 | Chosen | the First Evil, Vampire Slayers, Amulets, Magic Spells, White Godesses |
| Comments Comments are left by visitors to Spooky Files, are not endorsed by Spooky Files, and may or may not be accurate. |
| Comment by archive Rate this Comment |
Beheading is another way. Really drenching them in holy water-it acts like acid is probably another. They've shown Buffy decapitating vamps on the show and they explode into dust. |
| Comment by archive Rate this Comment |
do you know of any pages that give info on how to be a vampire slayer |
| Comment by archive Rate this Comment |
i live in Scotland i love watching Buffy act because shes so cool . Willow is the next best person all her magic spells really thrill me Tarra is ok too i guess.Why does Spike love the slayer so much? He isa vampire for goodness sake. I wonder why is Giles so smart. Why did Buffys mother die ? will she ever come back to life? why did Dawn rip the photo when her mother could be alive? |
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