Portrayals of god in

Buffy the Vampire Slayer

Or, Die, god, Die!

• If you meet a god in Buffy the Vampire Slayer, chances are you’ll have to kill it…

• Evil gods - gods are real on Buffy, but they are ALWAYS evil– the “big bad” in Buffy is often divine (or a divine wannabe)

– Other “divine beings” also evil - Olaf the Troll God (Triangle, 2001)

Die God Die!

The Mayor• Nice, polite, psychotic,

divine wannabe• His “ascension” is focus of

season 3• Never trust a politician, they

think they are gods? • Gods/religions devour our

youth?• Evil dwells beneath calm,

bible-belt exterior?• High School is Hell?• Episode foreshadows

Buffy’s solution at end of Season Seven

Die God Die: The Mayor

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Glory• Psychotic, self-centered,

relentless, multiple-personality (and body!)

• Big Bad of Season Five• Exiled God (parallel to

Satan?)• God/religion looks

attractive, but is deadly?• Religion/god is two-

faced? (Shares her body with Ben)

• Even well-intentioned devotees (Ben) are corrupted by religion?

• Religion is insane?

Die God Die: Glory

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The First• The first evil, predating

human beings• Takes the form of dead

humans• Origin story of world -

began in evil, only after last demon slain, was room made for humans

• Evil worshipped as divine - root of religion is evil?

• Fear, doubt, lies - root of religion?

• (Ex)Catholic priest, abuser of women

• Servant of the First• “a woman-hating jerk”• Considers women “dirty,” stained

with “Eve’s sin”• Religion = anti-woman?• Religion destroys women?• Worshipper of evil• Attempting to become a god -

religious quest = evil?• Religion = demonic?• Power of church, clergy = evil?

Caleb

Caleb: Religion as Anti-Woman?

Caleb: Religion as Demonic?

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Die [servant of] God Die: Caleb

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Die God Die

• Theological implications of gods in Buffy - evil gods are active in the world - no other kind of god is shown in the Buffyverse

• Even Buffy’s powers are shown to be evil at root

• Evil and male/patriarchal dominance go hand in hand

• Buffy’s solution to divine evil is a feminist answer to religion? We will discuss this more next week!