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An Introduction to the Buffyverse

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Buffy<br />

<strong>the</strong><br />

Vampire Slayer<br />

<strong>An</strong> <strong>Introduction</strong> <strong>to</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />

<strong>Buffyverse</strong>


Buffy<br />

<strong>the</strong><br />

Vampire Slayer<br />

• Horror film conventions<br />

– Misogynist?<br />

– Violence against women<br />

– Male gaze<br />

– Objectification of<br />

women<br />

• True of TV <strong>to</strong>o? TV<br />

crime dramas = “die,<br />

women, die”?


Buffy<br />

<strong>the</strong><br />

Vampire Slayer<br />

• Joss Whedon (1964-)<br />

– Wanted <strong>to</strong> create a film, TV<br />

series that deliberately<br />

reversed horror film<br />

conventions<br />

– Wanted show <strong>to</strong> play with<br />

question, ‘What happens<br />

when a pretty girl walks<br />

down a dark alley…?”<br />

– Created film “Buffy <strong>the</strong><br />

Vampire Slayer” first,<br />

wasn’t happy with it,<br />

rewrote it for TV<br />

– First season (1997) = 12<br />

episodes; seven seasons in<br />

<strong>to</strong>tal (1997-2003)


Buffy<br />

<strong>the</strong><br />

Vampire Slayer<br />

• Buffy deliberately<br />

structured <strong>to</strong> reverse<br />

horror conventions.<br />

– Feminist<br />

– Women hold power<br />

(including power <strong>to</strong><br />

kill)<br />

– Female gaze<br />

– Objectification absent,<br />

except for humour -<br />

Xander as object of<br />

preda<strong>to</strong>ry female gaze


Buffy<br />

<strong>the</strong><br />

Vampire Slayer<br />

• Buffy as “post-feminist?”<br />

– Individualist, but also<br />

reliant of friends, family<br />

– Powerful, but questions<br />

source, purpose of powers<br />

– Leader, but takes advice<br />

from watcher, friends (on<br />

her own terms)<br />

– Strong, powerful, feared<br />

(by evil beings), but pretty,<br />

sexy, fashionable,<br />

concerned with peer<br />

opinions?


Buffy<br />

<strong>the</strong><br />

Vampire Slayer<br />

• Feminism effects<br />

portrayal of religion<br />

– <strong>An</strong>ti-hierarchical<br />

– This-worldly focus<br />

– Friends, family more<br />

important than relationship<br />

with supernatural / divine<br />

– Power resides in individual,<br />

community, not in ritual,<br />

hierarchy, texts, etc.


Buffy<br />

<strong>the</strong><br />

Vampire Slayer<br />

• Religion as Absent?<br />

• “Good” characters - Buffy and friends - never go <strong>to</strong> Church, with one<br />

exception (Riley, in episode “Who Are You” 2000)<br />

• No mention, presence of God (when asked by new Vampire about whe<strong>the</strong>r<br />

God really exists or not, Buffy says, ‘<strong>the</strong> jury is still out on that one.’<br />

• Religion as ineffectual?<br />

– Wicca wannabes at UC Sunnydale.<br />

– Church goers in episode “Who Are You” (2000)


Buffy<br />

<strong>the</strong><br />

Vampire Slayer<br />

• Religion demonized in<br />

Buffy<br />

– Practiced by Vampires,<br />

demons<br />

– Tool <strong>to</strong> bring about <strong>the</strong><br />

apocalypse<br />

– Episodes “Welcome <strong>to</strong><br />

<strong>the</strong> Hellmouth” and “The<br />

Harvest” (1997)


Religious Affiliation of Willow<br />

• Willow is only character with a<br />

developed religious identity.<br />

• Family background: Jewish.<br />

Despite this, uses crosses and<br />

<strong>the</strong> Latin language <strong>to</strong> ward of<br />

Vampires.<br />

• Becomes a “Wicca” - Wiccan?<br />

• Once fully immersed in Wicca,<br />

becomes evil - revisiting <strong>the</strong><br />

religion = evil <strong>the</strong>me.


• Buffy’s variation on<br />

<strong>the</strong> “false god” <strong>the</strong>me<br />

= false church<br />

• Those who seek<br />

comfort, support,<br />

eternal life from<br />

churches are doomed<br />

<strong>to</strong> demonic fates…<br />

• Episodes: “<strong>An</strong>ne,”<br />

(1998) “Lie <strong>to</strong> Me”<br />

(1997)<br />

Buffy<br />

<strong>the</strong><br />

Vampire Slayer


Buffy<br />

<strong>the</strong><br />

Vampire Slayer<br />

Case Study - “<strong>An</strong>ne”(1998)<br />

• Religion lures <strong>the</strong> innocent,<br />

helpless, powerless with false<br />

promises.<br />

• Religion exploits believers.<br />

• Religion is demonic.<br />

• Buffy’s Marxist critique?<br />

• Salvation lies in refusing <strong>to</strong><br />

submit <strong>to</strong> lies.<br />

• Salvation lies in refusing <strong>to</strong><br />

be nameless - Buffy’s<br />

feminist critique.

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