From the first moment people heard of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, they were waiting for one particular fight. You know the one; the one that pits history’s most famous vampire against our top Vampire Slayer. That’s right, we’re talking about the epic fight between Buffy and Dracula. However, fans had to wait a few years for this fight to come to fruition, as it didn’t actually take place until Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season 5. On the bright side, this episode kicked off the new season with style. “Buffy vs. Dracula” originally aired on September 26, 2000, so we’re staring at the 25 anniversary of that unforgettable fight. It’s hard to believe it’s been so long already.
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Buffy the Vampire Slayer introduced a powerful character capable of facing down the worst supernatural creatures the world had to offer. We’re talking about everything from vampires to demons, plus a few more creative villains to boot. It always felt like a matter of time before Buffy faced down the one and only Dracula, especially as this character lives solidly within the realm of Public Domain.
Count Dracula is a classic universal monster, with stories reaching back generations. We’ve seen him appear in all sorts of incarnations, from comics to films and television shows. So we were all wondering how Buffy the Vampire Slayer would portray this deadly vampire.
The Count Comes to Sunnydale
“Buffy vs. Dracula” begins when the infamous Count Dracula makes his way to Sunnydale. This moment was far from a coincidence, as the most famous vampire of all has come here with the intention to make Buffy his new vampire bride. If you know anything about the original Count Dracula lore, this is pretty in keeping with his character.
More importantly, Dracula has the power to make this intention possible. While Buffy can handle dangerous attacks and impressively strong monsters, she wasn’t prepared for the unique attacks Dracula used against her. Most notably, his powers of magnetism and charisma. This lets him gain a certain level of sway or control over Buffy, not to mention the rest of her gang. Dracula targeting Buffy is bad enough, but he also targets the rest of Buffy’s crew. Notably, he made Xander his emissary, which puts every member of the friend group at mortal peril, to put it lightly.
A Different Threat to the Slayer
To put this into perspective, Dracula attacked Buffy in a way that no vampire previously had. He targeted her and her allies via charm and deception, as opposed to outright physical attacks. While he doesn’t present a physical threat to them directly, their lives are very much in peril.
There’s another problem with Dracula’s attack on Buffy and crew; he gets Buffy questioning her identity and entire purpose as the infamous Slayer. He gets into her head, seeding ideas of the similarities between vampires and Slayers, and it almost works. Dracula brings out a wilder and more feral version of Buffy, one that is almost unpredictably dangerous. This side of Buffy is touched upon a few times throughout the series, as Buffy explores the darker side of herself.
A Quippy End to the Count
Since this is Buffy the Vampire Slayer, there was never any real doubt over who would ultimately win this conflict. So Buffy did what she does best; she broke out of Dracula’s control and immediately staked the dangerous vampire. When Dracula reforms, she does it again. The ash shifts again, implying a potential third reform, but Buffy happily quips that she knows all about Dracula’s moves, and she’s ready to stake him again.
There’s no doubt that Dracula survived for another day, but Buffy’s quip made him realize that it was probably best to take this fight somewhere else. Anywhere other than right next to the infamous Slayer known as Buffy.
The Lasting Effect of “Buffy vs. Dracula”
Since the appearance of Dracula on Buffy the Vampire Slayer was highly anticipated, some fans were disappointed by what transpired. Some likely thought that Dracula’s threat would have been better suited to a longer arc, but it makes sense that the villain would be smart enough to regroup elsewhere.
At the end of the day, Buffy is her own character, and that’s never going to change. By allowing Dracula to be only a guest star, the show ensures that Buffy’s lore is the dominant focus. The episode finale makes this intent clear, as it introduced a new character that rocked Buffy’s world: her sister. Decades later, it’s this revelation that lingers in our memories the most, proving that Dracula was only ever meant to be a footnote in Buffy’s story.
Buffy the Vampire Slayer is available to stream on Tubi, Hulu, and Disney+.
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