An Introduction to the Buffyverse
An Introduction to the Buffyverse
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.