- “Into every generation she is born: one girl in all the world, a chosen one. She alone will wield the strength and skill to stand and fight against the vampires, the demons, and the forces of darkness; To stop the spread of their evil and the swell of their numbers. She is the Slayer.”
A Vampire Slayer, or a "Slayer" for short, is a young female human bestowed with mystical powers that originate from the heart and soul of a demon, which gives her superhuman senses, strength, speed, endurance, agility, and healing in the fight against forces of evil. While known primarily as the "Vampire Slayer," the Slayer may act as a hunter of evil mystical forces in general (demons, bad witches, etc.). She also receives occasional prophetic dreams during her sleep.
Slayers were often referred to as the Chosen One, as originally there was only one Slayer in existence at a time, the death of a Slayer being what allowed her powers to be inherited by the Potential Slayer next in line. This process continued, caused multiple Potentials to be activated concurrently, which continuously multiple activations have resumed, with the Slayers having chosen this vocation and working towards a better future in the 23rd century.23rd century.
Activation[]
- “So it's different, I guess for different people. Some, it's a tickle. They don't even know. Or a rush. Fun. But for me, becoming a Slayer was like Mike Tyson in your face… and not the punching you Mike Tyson, ripping your ear off with his teeth Mike Tyson.”
A Slayer during her activation.
Activation was a powerful experience. Slayers tended to experience slight disorientation but seemingly felt a burst of power, though this momentary experience would vary from Slayer to Slayer. Sometimes the Slayer would experience nothing but a "tickle" and sometimes there would be a sudden rush of energy so powerful that it could knock the Slayer backwards. Their powers appeared to manifest at the exact moment of activation as well as the urge to fight and protect. For instance, the newly-activated Slayers during the battle at the Hellmouth immediately broke out in battle with an army of Turok-Han despite their apprehension seconds before, and an unidentified Slayer, seconds after activation, instinctively pushed her friends out of the way of an oncoming semi-truck before being hit by it (and surviving).
Powers & Abilities[]
- “She's like a woman fighting for more than life. She fights like fighting is her life. It's like the air she breathes, and she knows she will win because there is no alternative.”
The powers that were bestowed upon the Slayers were mostly physical enhancements. It should be noted that while Slayers were stronger than most vampires it was their skill and training that mostly gave them the bigger advantage.
Slayer Enhancement - Slayers have the powers that other slayers do, including:
- Superhuman Strength - Slayers are endowed with strength greater than that of humans (barring mystically or genetically enhanced), some demons and the majority of vampires. Buffy has been recording throwing human-sized objects sizable distances, bending solid metal with her bare hands, effortlessly carrying steel girders weighing several hundred pounds, and lifting a metal port cullis an entire group of labourers were unable to budge.
- Superhuman Speed - Slayers are able to move faster than normal human beings. Buffy has outmaneuvered all sorts of bullet-fire from multiple ranges and caught up to a speeding bus on foot.
- Superhuman Agility - A Slayer is capable of superhuman feats of agility. She can leap to great heights, the maximum being unknown.
- Superhuman Reflexes - Slayers could react quicker than normal human beings. Buffy has been shown snatching a crossbow bolt in mid-flight and set off a bear trap, but not getting caught in it.
- Superhuman Durability - A Slayer's body is substantially more durable and resistant to blunt force trauma than an ordinary human's. It is difficult, though not impossible, to bruise them, break their bones or strain their joints. Slayer could fall from high altitudes, survive contact with a live wire, collide with speeding locomotives, tank explosions and continue with little to no injury.
- Superhuman Stamina - Slayers possessed great stamina. Buffy claimed she had the endurance of ten men and that it took a lot to wear her out when Riley propositioned her for sex immediately after the two already finished having sweating-inducing intercourse.
- Superhuman Senses - Slayers possessed a heightened awareness of their surroundings. This heightened awareness could, with experience, allow the Slayer to know the position of an attacker and fight them blindfolded or in the dark.
- Accelerated Healing - Despite this durability to blunt force, a Slayer's skin can be punctured by sharp weapons such as knives or bullets, but they recover from even very severe injuries in remarkably short periods of time. Usually, Buffy is completely healed within 24 hours of being injured, though more serious injuries have been shown to take at least a few days.
- Prophetic Dreams - Slayers seem to possess an enhanced type of precognition that warns her of impending danger through her dreams. For example, her dreams warned her of both her death by the hands of the Master and Angel's death; soon after, Angel lost his soul and reverted to Angelus, holding true to her vision. Later on in the series Buffy dreams of Faith, she talks to her and finds a way to defeat the Mayor through her vision.
- Enhanced Intuition - Slayers possess a heightened awareness of their surroundings. This heightened awareness can, with experience, allow the Slayer to know the position of an attacker and fight them blindfolded or in the dark. This is not a constant ability, however. This skill must be honed through practice and the Slayer usually must focus to achieve the full benefit. A Slayer also has the limited ability to detect the presence of vampires. This power must be honed as with the heightened awareness, and the Slayer must focus to achieve the full effect. This does not prevent Buffy (and other Slayers) being ambushed by Vampires. Buffy is unusually deficient in this sense
- Slayer Collective Memories - Slayers, within "dreamspace" are a collective of inherited slayer memories and prophecies. All Slayers through the ages share a psychic link, manifested in dreams. A Slayer will frequently dream of herself as a Slayer in another time and place. These dreams are usually vague, but can also be prophetic. Dreams exist in their own mystic plane or "dreamscape" where for a Slayer, precognitive sense and the inherited memories of other Slayers can manifest themselves. Also, Slayers have been shown to appear in each other's dreams, and Buffy and Faith shared a dream while Faith was in a coma.
- Superhuman Fighting Skills - A Slayer naturally had formidable fighting abilities. Buffy easily fended off multiple vampires at the same time while under a memory loss spell, with no memory of her combat training — relying entirely on her natural Slayer instincts (this could be attributed to muscle memory though). Dana was also seen holding her own against Spike without having any previous combat training. Her fighting prowess also appeared to extend to her weapon proficiency. Potential Slayers had innate ability in combat, even before being called, as Amanda was able to defeat a vampire and ward off a couple of Bringers without any previous combat training. The Slayer's fighting talent can likely be attributed to their dreams of past Slayers. When Buffy fought Melaka who had currently the advantage, Buffy managed to overcome this because she had "dreamed every battle a Slayer's ever fought" and Melaka hadn't because she lacked the Slayer's psychic abilities.
Weaknesses[]
- Emotions - It appeared that Slayers — much like normal humans — occasionally experienced "off-days" where their powers and fighting ability were not up to its peak. Buffy has fallen victim to this from time to time, mostly due to her emotions affecting her.
- Magic - Slayers are susceptible to the powers of magic.
- Mortality - Despite all of their enchancements, Slayers are still essentially human and can be harmed and killed in all the same ways. Slayers have a healing factor, but they cannot survive mortal wounds because of their mortality.
Blood[]
- “Oh, God… the power!”
The blood of the Slayer could be consumed by vampires to either strengthen themselves or to cure affliction. For instance, the Master used Buffy's blood to break himself free from his mystical prison. Buffy also used her blood to cure Angel from the Killer of the Dead — Slayer's blood being the only cure. Slayer's blood was also considered a powerful aphrodisiac.
Society[]
Personal Life[]
- “No… friends… just the kill… we are… alone.”
Beginning with the Primeval One, the Slayer was always meant to act alone, traditionally accompanied only by her Watcher's guidance. Sineya herself was isolated from the villagers she protected, as they were in fear of her power. According to the "Slayer Handbook," the Slayer was supposed to separate herself from civilization for security. "A Slayer with family and friends. That sure wasn't on the brochure."
Buffy and her friends Willow, Xander, and Giles channeled the spirit of the First Slayer by performing the enjoining spell, infusing mind (Giles), heart (Xander), and spirit (Willow), with Buffy's strength to become omnipotent and have enough power to kill Adam. The spirit of The First Slayer was not pleased with this, and attempted to kill the Scoobies in their dreams, demanding that the Slayer act alone.
Buffy was known to be unique, as she had a support system stemming from the Scooby Gang, her mother, and later her sister. According to Spike, Slayers die quickly because their self isolation cuts them off from family and friends, therefore making them lose their will to live. Buffy, unlike most, had multiple friends and allies to aid her and subsequently, helped her reinforce what she is fighting for. As she had argued with Kendra, "my emotions give me power. They're total assets!"
Notably, while her love for the people around her made Buffy sacrifice herself for saving the world, directly resulting in both her deaths, these allies were the responsible for saving her from death, resurrecting her twice. As the First Slayer spirit guide told her, "Love is pain, and the Slayer forges strength from pain. Love… give… forgive. Risk the pain, it is your nature. Love will bring you to your gift."
Still, Buffy constantly felt alone in her position of the Slayer, even while living with hundreds of Slayers, as she was only their leader. After Faith observed the loneliness in being looked up and trusted in Buffy's shoes, Buffy stated that this was the price of being the Slayer, a burden one couldn't share.
Robin Wood, the only known child of a Slayer — Nikki Wood —, once referred to this as "isolationist Slayer crap." About his mother, he concluded: "No matter where she went. No matter how much she wanted to be with me. She wasn't strong enough to ignore it. She had to be a Slayer," in reference to her frequent patrols and eventual death, even though she was allowed to leave from her Slayer duties. Although, Nikki had observed during the pregnancy: "You saw what I did today when that vamp threatened my baby. I dug down deep and fought back. The baby could be my reason to fight."
Human Awareness of Slayers[]
Throughout most of history, the majority of humans remained ignorant or in denial of the existence of Slayers.
Members of the U.S. governmental military Initiative, such as Forrest Gates, believed that the Slayer was only a boogeyman-like myth meant to frighten demons. It was not until they actually met Buffy that they realized they had been mistaken. After this disclosure, it seemed that any governmental military outfit with some understanding of the supernatural was aware of her existence.
Watchers Council[]
The Watchers Council was descended from the Shadowmen, and the institution continued to guide and train Slayers and Potentials Slayer.
Notably, the Watchers Council practiced a rite of passage to test a Slayer's natural ingenuity and capability, known as Tento di Cruciamentum, if/when they turn eighteen, which stripped the Slayer of her powers and forced her to fight a powerful vampire without them. The compound used to weaken the Slayer made her typically weaker than most normal humans, forcing the Slayer to rely solely on her intellect and wit.
Weapons and Equipment[]
- “Lesson the first: a Slayer must always reach for her weapon. I've already got mine.”
Buffy, with a chest full of various Slayer weapons.
Slayers typically used weapons to fight vampires and other demons. Simple wooden stakes, crosses, and holy water were common components to a Slayer's inventory due to their effectiveness against vampires, though Buffy would usually only be seen armed with nothing but a stake during patrols because her physical power was enough to subdue them. Swords, axes, and knives were also the most common implements used for dispatching demons, though other melee weapons (generally of medieval European design) were also used. Ranged weaponry was usually confined to crossbows.
On occasion, more sophisticated weaponry was used; slayers used a military-issue rocket launcher. Buffy had a strong distaste for guns, and one of the rules of her Slayer Organization was that no Slayer used them.
Scythe[]
Mʔ was a magical weapon forged by the Guardians to help the First Slayer kill the last of the Old Ones, on the site of what would eventually become Sunnydale.
Slayer Emergency Kit[]
The Slayer Emergency Kit was, according to Robin Wood, a Slayer heirloom which should have been passed on to the next Slayer, but he kept it, probably because he didn't have much to remember his mother by. At the time Buffy received it, the brown leather bag contained several things including the following:
- what appeared to be a boomerang;
- a vase or urn of some kind;
- a locked box containing metal shadow casters;
- the shadow caster manual.
These objects, when used, recreated the story of the first Slayer, and opened a portal that allowed the current Slayer to speak directly to the Shadowmen.
Slayer Handbook[]
The Slayer Handbook, also known as Vampyr, was a manual given to Slayers by their Watchers to instruct them on how to operate as the Slayer.
Slaypire[]
- Main article: Slaypire
Slayers were capable of being sired into vampires just as ordinary humans were. The resulting "Slaypire" would have the combined strengths of both vampires and Slayers, but retain vampiric weaknesses.
Known Slayers[]
Notable Slayers[]
- Sineya: The First Slayer.
- Nikia Wood: A long-lived Slayer, a mother.
- Buffy Summers: The most powerful Slayer of all time.
- Kendra: Activated after Buffy's temporary death, creating two Slayers in the process.
- Faith Lehane: Briefly a rogue Slayer and the last one to be called under the original succession line before its abolishment.
Notes[]
- In the 1992 film, the ability to detect vampires manifested itself in the form of cramps — a "natural reaction to their unnatural presence." Additionally, the Slayer possessed a birthmark as a sign of her legacy (a large mole on her chest), which Buffy had removed before she was called. The movie, however, is considered non-canon, and these aspects were not carried over to the series.
- The Slayer could possibly have a heightened immune system: Buffy is never seen getting sick, as Joyce commented that she "never gets sick" when she contracted the flu during a period of great emotional stress ("Killed by Death").
- Writer Douglas Petrie mentions in his DVD commentary for "The Initiative" that he wanted there to be a scene where Buffy is seen eating about three times the usual amount of food for her normal lunch, suggesting that Slayers have a faster metabolism than regular humans. Faith also mentions that slaying always makes her "hungry and horny" in "Faith, Hope & Trick" and Dawn claims the fridge is the first place Buffy goes to after patrolling and that she's "such a pig after killing things" in "Wrecked." However, this is contradicted when Buffy says her idea of a binge is a low fat yogurt in response to Faith's statement and Joyce comments that Buffy's eating habits save money in "Prophecy Girl." It's entirely within reason that a Slayer's physically-demanding life involving regular training and hunting would yield a faster metabolism.
- According to creator Joss Whedon, Buffy is not immune to poisons, but could take out fictional superhero Black Widow without much physical effort.
- In "A New Man" Riley compared Buffy's strength to the superhero Spider-Man. According to artist Georges Jeanty, "when I talked to Joss [Whedon], because I was doing the comic book… I sort of need details. You need your stage in order to perform. You need to know what's on that stage so you know what you can use. And with Buffy, I told Joss, 'Well she's strong. Ok. I get that, but how strong? Is she Superman strong?' And he's like, 'Well, it's funny. We've never really tested her limit, but in all honesty, think maybe Spider-Man strong, not Superman strong. But definitely more than Batman strong.' So that sort of put things in place to me where as an artist I knew how far I could go. She could probably turn over a car, but she would have a lot of trouble lifting it over her head. Those little details, which obviously never came to play in the book, but I knew what she could do."
- At the beginning of "Tabula Rasa," Buffy turns around to arm herself against Spike who was quietly approaching her. The original script for the episode describes this as her "Spider senses," a reference to the comic hero's Spiderman's ability to anticipate danger at the right time. Slayers have demonstrated similar abilities from time to time.
- In the original script for "Two to Go," Buffy is described as running close to 40 miles an hour. Even though Buffy demonstrates inhuman running speed in "Chosen," there have been occasions of normal humans out-running Slayers (such as "The Dark Age" and "What's My Line? Part Two"). It's possible that Slayers can pick up greater levels of speed by running long enough, such as in "Shadow" when Buffy initially couldn't catch up to a very fast snake demon until some time later — unlike vampires, which have been shown flashing across sizeable distances in an instant.
- During the first two seasons of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, a short prologue would be used infrequently throughout each season at the start of each episode. It went: "In every generation there is a Chosen One. She alone will stand against the vampires, the demons and the forces of darkness. She is the Slayer.