Demon (Buffyverse)
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A demon seen on Buffy. This particular species has mind-reading powers. | ||||||||||
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In the fictional Buffyverse established by Buffy and Angel, a Demon is a kind of nonhuman life form generally believed to be evil due to its lack of a human soul.
The definition raises complex issues. Roughly speaking, the series uses demon to describe any creature that isn't a god, robot, unmodified human, or standard terrestrial animal. Thus, the category
Origins
Many demon species are native to Earth. Many more had their origin in other dimensions. Long before mankind made its appearance, Earth was dominated by purebred demons, the most powerful of whom are known as Old Ones. Though individual Old Ones constantly made war with one another, rising and falling in power within the group, the overall dominance of the Old Ones was absolute. Over time, however, they gradually lost their hold on this reality. Some individuals, such as Illyria, were
Though Earth was now under the rule of humanity, the Old Ones had left behind many descendants and former servitors. These demons, far smaller and less powerful than the Old Ones, were usually the product of crossbreeding with humans and other mortal animals. How the process of hybridization was achieved (sexual, mystical, other?) is unknown. In any event, many of these hybrid species retained some ability to crossbreed with humans and each other.
Demonic reproduction is thus a diverse and complex subject. Some species, including vampires, Wraithers, and Werewolves, reproduce by infecting humans and then inhabiting and using their bodies. Others, such as Hacksaw Beasts and Skilosh demons, infect humans in order to use their bodies to gestate their young. Some demon species reproduce via sexual intercourse. Some indeterminate number of these species, for instance Brachen and Ano-Movic demons, are cross-fertile with humans. Some demon species reproduce via asexual methods, such as budding. Still other sorts appear to have been created or manufactured by some other entity (magician, Old One, Power), and do not reproduce on their own.
Little is known about the origin and evolution of demon populations in other dimensions. Some dimensions appear to be home to large populations of entirely non-human demonic species. Others, such as Pylea, have significant indigenous human populations. Since it is known that the Old Ones and other purebred demons had the ability to travel from one dimension to another, it is speculated that they took their hybrid demon servants with them, and that these servants were the origin of the post-Old Ones demon populations in those dimensions.
Despite the obviously humanoid appearance of many demon species, some demon groups, most notably the Scourge, deny that they share any biological heritage with humans. This view may have more to do with ideology than biology.
Species
The number of demon species is evidently vast. More than 160 of them have appeared on screen, and many other species and individuals have been referenced in dialogue. Their forms are likewise variable. While the majority have been humanoid, others more resemble various animal species, and still others are almost amorphous. Some have mammalian or reptilian features, or a combination of the two.
It also should be noted that there's an entire roster of demons who aren't identified as belonging to any species.
Metaphysics
Our understanding of demon metaphysics is hampered by the human/terrestrial nativist bias of the Council of Watchers, a major source of information on the subject. Briefly, they define demons as extra-dimensional life forms (as seen in Angel), even though it's known that many demon species originated in this dimension. They also classify all demons as being technically
A further peculiarity of the CoW's demon metaphysics is their insistence that demons have no souls, and thus no consciences. On examination, this turns out to mean they don't have human souls, which is hardly a surprising feature in a nonhuman species. See the episode Living Conditions for a clear implication that many or most demons have souls appropriate to their species. Rupert Giles authoritatively quotes from a text that identifies complete soullessness as the most distinctive feature of Mok'tagar demons:
The Council's intermittent equation of soul with conscience is even more problematic. There has never been a shortage of (presumably souled) humans who give no evidence of ever having had a conscience; whereas any number of examples of demonic behavior could be adduced where the only reasonable interpretation of their behavior betrays the presence of a conscience.
See also
| Buffyverse | ||
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| Key Terminology | "Demon" | "Slayer" | "Vampire" | "Watcher" | "Werewolf" | "Witch" "Child of Senior Partners" | Shanshu | Sunnydale Syndrome | Tro-Clon | |
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