Tara was a shy and insecure witch who met Willow at a Wicca meeting in college (Hush). The two became friends, and practised magic together. They fell in love and came out as a couple and Tara blossomed. She cared very much about Willow, and also about Dawn who she …

The Ugly Man was a deformed and violent man-monster-demon-thingy with a club for an arm. He was a product of Billy Palmer’s coma in Nightmares, representing the person who had put him in his coma (his Little League Coach). Billy tore the Ugly Man’s face off to allow himself to …

The rule book for Slayers, which also suggest study material. Giles decided not to bother with one for Buffy as soon as he met her (which explains why he told Buffy he had no “rule book” for her in Never Kill a Boy on the First Date), as he realised …

The Slayer is “one girl in all the world born with the strength and skill to hunt vampires” (and all other evil). When one Slayer dies, another is chosen to take her place. A Watcher is assigned to each Slayer, to help, advise and train her. The Slayer is also …

Buffyverse vampires conform to many traditional myths: they can be killed using stakes, sunlight, or beheading; holy water and crucifixes burn them; their faces and teeth change when ‘vamped’; they need to drink human blood to survive. They do not fly or turn into animals (though Dracula could do this …

A major aspect of the show Buffy the Vampire Slayer involves witchcraft. The first instance of witchcraft on the show was during The Witch, in which we see Catherine Madison use powerful magicks to take over her daughter Amy’s body, so she could become a cheerleader. Willow became interested in …

Werewolves on the show were first examined in the episode Phases, in which Oz discovered he was a wolf. Buffy werewolves are fairly traditional in that the creature is a human for most of the time, but turns into a wolf for three nights a month at the time of …

There is a Watcher’s Retreat held annually in The Cotswolds, mentioned in Faith, Hope and Trick. There are lectures and other activities including riding, hiking, punting, and kayaking. It is a great honour to be invited to the Retreat, though for some reason, Giles has never been. Joss Whedon has …

All Watchers who are assigned to Slayers must keep a journal of activities, as a reference for future Watchers. It is from these that Giles and Buffy learnt about the histories of Angel (in Halloween) and Spike (in School Hard).

The Watcher’s Council is a powerful and ancient organization who train Slayers, and whose aim is to rid the world of evil. Their history is unclear. The Council is based in England and all Watchers on screen have been English, of the stuffy old variety. The Council has access to …

A Watcher is a person who works for the Watcher’s Council. Watchers are assigned to Slayers to train, help and prepare them. The main Watcher on the show was Rupert Giles, Buffy’s Watcher. He and the Slayer became very close and he acted as a father-figure to her and her …

Vincent was a member of Balthazar’s warriors El Eliminati who tried to kill the Mayor in Bad Girls. He was captured and let free to test the Mayor’s invincibility. Vincent was then staked by Mr. Trick.

Vi was a red-headed and nervous potential Slayer. She had a Watcher prior to staying with Buffy, who had once shown her a blurry photograph of a vampire. She survived the final fight against the Turok-Han army.

Veruca was a confident singer with band Shy and student at UC Sunnydale. She flirted with Oz, making Willow jealous. Even the fact that her rival was named after a fungal foot infection didn’t help Willow’s cause. Oz discovered she too was a werewolf, though they felt differently about their …

Vahrall demons are green, three metres tall (according to Riley), with spines across the back of their scalps, and clawed hands. They are said to be: “Slick like gold, and gird in moonlight, father of portents, and brother to blight, limbs of talons, eyes like knives, bane of the blameless, …