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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.

Buffy the Vampire Slayer Episode - Phenomena Guide

Season 1 - Spring 1997
4V01Welcome to the H-mouth Part OneVampires, Vampire Slayers
4V02Welcome to the H-mouth Part Two (A.K.A. The Harvest)Vampires, Vampire Slayers
4V03The WitchWitchcraft, Magic Spells, Body Switching
4V04Teacher's PetGiant Man-Eating Praying Mantis
4V05Never Kill a Boy on the First DateVampires
4V06The PackEvil Hyena Spirits
4V07AngelVampires
4V08I Robot, You JaneDemons, Magic Spells
4V09The Puppet ShowLiving Ventriloquist Dummy, Human Organ Stealing Demons
4V10NightmaresNightmares, Astral Travel, Child in a Coma
4V11Invisible Girl -or- Out of Mind Out of SightInvisibility
4V12Prophecy GirlVampires
Season Number Two - Fall 1997
5V01When She Was BadVampires
5V02Some Assembly RequiredReanimation of Dead Parts to form a Living Being
5V03School HardVampires
5V04Inca Mummy GirlMurdering Mummy, Mummy's Curse
5V05Reptile BoyReptile Demon, Human Sacrifice, Fraternal Organizations
5V06HalloweenHalloween, Vampires
5V07Lie To MeVampires, People Who Want to be Vampires
5V08The Dark AgeDemons, Demonic Possession,Vampires
5V09What's My Line Part OneVampires, Tarot Cards, Magic Spells
5V10What's My Line Part TwoVampires
5V11TedAndroids
5V12Bad EggsVampires, Zombies, Big Scorpion Monster
5V13SurpriseVampires, Demons
5V14InnocenceVampires, Demons
5V15PhasesWerewolves
5V16Bewitched, Bothered, and BewilderedWitchcraft, Magic Spells, Vampires
5V17PassionMagic Spells, Vampires
5V18Killed by DeathDer Kindestod Demon, The Bogeyman
5V19I Only Have eyes For YouGhosts, Hauntings
5V20Go FishFish Creatures/Sea Monsters
5V21Becoming Part OneVampires, Demons, Curses, Black Magic
5V22Becoming Part TwoVampires, Demons
Season Number Three - Fall 1998
6V01AnneVampires, Alternate Dimensions, Demons
6V02Dead Man's PartyVampires, Nigerian Masks, Zombies, Zombie Cats
6V03Faith, Hope, and TrickVampires
6V04Beauty and the BeastsVampires, Werewolves, Human/Monster Transformations
6V05HomecomingVampires, Demons
6V06Band CandyVampires, Lurconis The Baby Eating Demon, Candy Bars With A Magic Spell
6V07RevelationsVampires, Lagos The Demon, The Magic Glove of Myhnegon
6V08Lovers WalkVampires, Magic Spells
6V09The WishVampires, Demons, Magic Spells, Magic Amulets
6V10Amends - A Buffy ChristmasVampires, Demons, Christmas
6V11GingerbreadDemons, Witchcraft
6V12HelplessVampires, Vampire Slayer Training, Birthdays
6V13The ZeppoVampires, Apocalypse Cult
6V14Bad GirlsVampires, the Demon Bathazar, Amulets, El Eliminati Vampire Cult
6V15ConsequencesVampires, Nightmares, Watchers
6V16DoppelgänglandVampires, Alternate Dimensions, Magic Spells, Potions
6V17EnemiesVampires, Demons, the Books of Ascension
6V18EarshotTelepathy
6V19ChoicesDemons, Magic Spells, Potions, the Box of Gavrov, Giant Demonic Spiders
6V20The PromVampires, Demons
6V21Graduation Day Part 1Vampire Poisons, the Demon Lohesh, Battling Slayers
6V22Graduation Day Part 2Vampire Poisons, the Demon Lohesh, Slayers in Comas
Season Number Four - Fall 1999
7V1The FreshamanVampires, College Life
7V2Living ConditionsDemon, Dreams, College Roomates
7V3The Harsh Light of DayVampires, Magic Rings
7V4Fear ItselfDemons, Halloween
7V5Beer BadMagic Spells, College Drinking
7V6Wild At HeartWerewolves
7V7The InitiativeDemon/Vampire fighting military operations
7V8PangsThanksgiving, Chumash Indian Spirits
7V9Something BlueMagic Spells
7V10HushFairy tale monsters "The Distinguished Gentlemen"
7V11DoomedDemons
7V12A New ManDemons
7V13The I In TeamDemon/Vampire fighting military operations
7V14Goodbye IowaDemon/Vampire fighting military operations, Demons, Reanimation
7V15This Years GirlDemons, Body Switching
7V16Who Are YouBody Switching, Magic Spells
7V17SuperstarDemons, Magic Spells, Alternate Realities
7V18Where the Wild Things AreHouses Haunted by Supernatural Forces
7V19New Moon RisingWerewolves
7V20The Yoko FactorScheming Vampires
7V21PrimevalDemons, Magic Spells, the Original Vampire Slayer
7V22RestlessDreams, the Original Vampire Slayer, A Man With Cheese
Season Number Five - Fall 2000
8V01Buffy VS DraculaVampires, Bram Stoker and Dracula
8V02Real MeVampires, Sisters
8V03The ReplacementDemons, Magic Spells
8V04Out of My MindGovernment medical experiments
8V05No Place Like HomeMystical Keys, Magic Spells
8V06FamilyDemons, Magic Spells, Witchcraft
8V07Fool for LoveVampires, Vampire Slayers
8V08ShadowDimensional Portal Key seeking Giant Snakes
8V09Listening to FearHallucinations, Comets
8V10Into the WoodsClubs where Vampires Drink Blood from Willing Humans
8V11TriangleMagic Spells, Trolls
8V12CheckpointVampire Slayers, Testing Vampire Slyers, Dimensional Portal Key Destroying Knights of Byzantium, Gods
8V13Blood TiesDimensional Portal Keys, Sisters
8V14CrushVampires and their Sires
8V15I Was Made to Love YouKiller Robots
8V16The BodyDeath
8V17ForeverReanimation Magic Spells
8V18InterventionVampire Slayer Vision Quests, Gods kidnapping Vampires
8V19Tough Love*
8V20SpiralDimensional Portal Key Destroying Knights of Byzantium, Gods
8V21The Weight of the WorldSubconsciousness
8V22The GiftGods, God-Disorienting Spheres, Ceremonies, Dimensions, Dimensional Portal Keys, Blood
Season Number Six - Fall 2001
9V01Barganing Part 1Reanimation Magic Spells
9V02Barganing Part 2Reanimation Magic Spells, Demon MotorCycle Gangs, Being Buried Alive
9V03AfterlifeDemonic after effects of Magic Spells
9V04FloodedHome Repairs, An Evil Nerd Trio
9V05Life SerialEvil Nerd Trio, Time Loops, Temp Jobs
9V06All The WayWedding Engagements, Halloween, Magic Spells
9V07Once More With FeelingMusicals, Musical Demons, Spontaneous Human Combustion
9V08Tabula RasaMagic Spells, Amnesia
9V09SmashedMagic Spells, Addiction
8V10WreckedMagic Spells, Addiction
9V11GoneInvisibility Rays, An Invisible Vampire Slayer, Evil Nerds, Haircuts
9V12Doublemeat PalaceFast Food Restaurants, Monsters
9V13Dead ThingsMind Confusing Demons, Evil Nerds
9V14Older and Far AwayVengence/Justice Demons
9V15As You WereDemons, Demon Eggs
9V16Hells BellsVengence/Justice Demons, Weddings, Visions of the Future
9V17Normal AgainDemons with Hallucinogenics, Alternate Realities
9V18EntropyDemons, Vampires
9V19Seeing RedMagical Orbs
9V20VilliansAngry Destructive Magic
9V21Two to GoAngry Destructive Magic
9V22GraveAngry Destructive Magic, Healing Loving Magic
Season Number Seven - Fall 2002
10V01Lessons*
10V02Beneath You*
10V03Same Time, Same PlaceInvisibility, Gnarl a Flesh Eating Demon
10V04HelpHigh School Guidance Counselors, Fate, Premonitions
10V05SelflessVengence Demons
10V06HimA Jacket with a Love Spell
10V07Conversations with Dead PeopleVampires, Channeling Spirits
10V08SleeperMind Control
10V09Never Leave MeDeprogramming Mind Control
10V10Bring On the NightVampire Slayers in Training, Vampire Slayer's Watchers
10V11ShowtimeUberVampires, Mystical Orcale Beljoxa's Eye
10V12Potentialthe First Evil
10V13The Killer in MeGuilt, Goverment Experiments
10V14First DateVampure Slayer Children, Demons
10V15Get it DoneVampire Slayer Knowledge Quests
10V16StorytellerDocumentaries
10V17Lies My Parents Told MeVampires
10V18Dirty GirlsAn Evil Preacher
10V19Empty PlacesAn Evil Preacher
10V20TouchedEvil Helping Bringers
10V21End of DaysMystic Scythes
10V22Chosenthe 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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