First Evil
Encyclopedia
The First Evil is a fictional character created by Joss Whedon
for the TV series Buffy the Vampire Slayer. The First Evil first appeared in the third season episode "Amends
", and became the main antagonist of the 7th and final season.
A being manifested from all evil
in existence, the First is an incorporeal entity that can assume the form of any person who has died, including vampire
s and dead persons who have been resurrected. Because of this it appears in various forms over the course of the series depending on who it is appearing to as a method of manipulation. For this reason, the First usually appears as Buffy Summers
(Sarah Michelle Gellar
) to the Slayer and her allies, but it also assumes the forms of Warren Mears
, Spike, Drusilla and Jonathan Levinson
on multiple occasions, among a variety of other forms taken less frequently.
Its only real weakness is that it is non-corporeal, and can therefore not do real physical damage. It is, however, expert at psychological manipulation
, and can act through its servants, such as the Bringers, Turok-Han
, Caleb or whatever person it can manage to trick.
was even created and shall remain long after the universe ends. Few have heard of it and even fewer believe in its existence.
The entity cannot affect the world on a physical level. Its power lies in its ability to deceive, torment and manipulate others. It can take the form of anyone who has died, (or as an enormous, phantasm
ic demon with large horns and long, talon-shaped fingers), and it can choose to be seen and heard by just one person or by multiple people. The First has a deep understanding of human nature and it uses this knowledge to drive others to madness, murder and/or suicide.
The First makes its initial appearance in the series as a "monster of the week" that Angel must face in the episode "Amends
". It tries to drive the vampire to kill Buffy
by reminding him of his "true" nature (Angelus) and it sets about accomplishing this by appearing to him as some of his victims: Daniel, Margaret, Travis and Jenny Calendar
. It tells Angel that it is responsible for his return from Hell
, a claim that remains unconfirmed, and that Angel can end his sufferings by turning evil again. Angel chooses to kill himself using the sunrise instead. Even though Angel's dusting is not a part of the ideal plan (elimination of the Slayer), the First does not mind because a powerful blow to the forces of Good would still be dealt (elimination of the Shanshu Prophecy
candidate).
Buffy's death at the end of season 5 and subsequent resurrection in season 6 caused an irregularity, or glitch, in the Slayer line that the First realizes and uses to eliminate the Slayer line forever. This glitch could have been corrected had Buffy remained dead and not been resurrected at the beginning of season 6. The First planned to use this glitch and kill the Slayer and all the Potential Slayers thus tipping the balance of good and evil completely off tilt. The purpose of this effort is to set up a situation where the First's army outnumbers the humans on Earth and over runs it so that it can gain a corporeal form.
The First appears in the video game Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Chaos Bleeds
as the main antagonist, having helped Ethan Rayne escape from his imprisonment at the hands of the Initiative, and also participating in a contest of battle between the two (or rather, each of their five champions). Buffy, Willow, Xander, Faith, Spike, and Ethan are all transported to the First's dimension (which appears as a version of Sunnydale similar to "Wishverse" created by Anya) against their will.
episodes:
Buffy the Vampire Slayer:
Joss Whedon
Joseph Hill "Joss" Whedon is an American screenwriter, executive producer, director, comic book writer, occasional composer and actor, founder of Mutant Enemy Productions and co-creator of Bellwether Pictures...
for the TV series Buffy the Vampire Slayer. The First Evil first appeared in the third season episode "Amends
Amends (Buffy episode)
"Amends" is episode 10 of season 3 of the television show Buffy the Vampire Slayer.-Plot synopsis:It's Christmas in Sunnydale and Angel is haunted with dreams of the people he murdered over the years as Angelus. When Buffy starts getting dragged into his memory-nightmares, experiencing Angel's...
", and became the main antagonist of the 7th and final season.
A being manifested from all evil
Evil
Evil is the violation of, or intent to violate, some moral code. Evil is usually seen as the dualistic opposite of good. Definitions of evil vary along with analysis of its root motive causes, however general actions commonly considered evil include: conscious and deliberate wrongdoing,...
in existence, the First is an incorporeal entity that can assume the form of any person who has died, including vampire
Vampire
Vampires are mythological or folkloric beings who subsist by feeding on the life essence of living creatures, regardless of whether they are undead or a living person...
s and dead persons who have been resurrected. Because of this it appears in various forms over the course of the series depending on who it is appearing to as a method of manipulation. For this reason, the First usually appears as Buffy Summers
Buffy Summers
Buffy Summers is a fictional character from Joss Whedon's Buffy the Vampire Slayer franchise. She first appeared in the 1992 film Buffy the Vampire Slayer before going on to appear in the television series and subsequent comic book of the same name...
(Sarah Michelle Gellar
Sarah Michelle Gellar
Sarah Michelle Prinze , known professionally by her birth name of Sarah Michelle Gellar , is an American actress, singer and executive producer...
) to the Slayer and her allies, but it also assumes the forms of Warren Mears
Warren Mears
Warren Mears is a fictional character portrayed by Adam Busch in the American television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer, as well as its canonical comic book series continuation.-Television:...
, Spike, Drusilla and Jonathan Levinson
Jonathan Levinson
Jonathan Levinson is a fictional character created by Joss Whedon for the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer. The character is portrayed by Danny Strong.-Character history:Jonathan was born in 1981 and raised in Sunnydale, California...
on multiple occasions, among a variety of other forms taken less frequently.
Its only real weakness is that it is non-corporeal, and can therefore not do real physical damage. It is, however, expert at psychological manipulation
Psychological manipulation
Psychological manipulation is a type of social influence that aims to change the perception or behavior of others through underhanded, deceptive, or even abusive tactics. By advancing the interests of the manipulator, often at the other's expense, such methods could be considered exploitative,...
, and can act through its servants, such as the Bringers, Turok-Han
Turok-Han
The Turok-Han vampires are fictional characters from Joss Whedon's TV series Buffy the Vampire Slayer. They appear in the 7th and final season of the series, making their first appearance in the episode "Never Leave Me", when the Seal of Danzalthar is opened under the basement of Sunnydale High,...
, Caleb or whatever person it can manage to trick.
Character history
The First Evil claims to be the source and embodiment of all that is evil. For technical purposes, the First Evil is neither male, female, demon, nor god; it is a "power". The First is older than demons, even the Old Ones, who themselves existed long before the first humans; it is older than the written word, the Big Bang and transcends all realities and dimensions; it is older than any other evil being and may even be the very first entity ever to have existed. It is said that the First lurked in the darkness long before the universeUniverse
The Universe is commonly defined as the totality of everything that exists, including all matter and energy, the planets, stars, galaxies, and the contents of intergalactic space. Definitions and usage vary and similar terms include the cosmos, the world and nature...
was even created and shall remain long after the universe ends. Few have heard of it and even fewer believe in its existence.
The entity cannot affect the world on a physical level. Its power lies in its ability to deceive, torment and manipulate others. It can take the form of anyone who has died, (or as an enormous, phantasm
Phantasm
Phantasm may refer to:In comics:* Phantasm , a short-lived member of the New Teen TitansIn film:* Don Coscarelli's Phantasm series** Phantasm , a 1979 horror film** Phantasm II...
ic demon with large horns and long, talon-shaped fingers), and it can choose to be seen and heard by just one person or by multiple people. The First has a deep understanding of human nature and it uses this knowledge to drive others to madness, murder and/or suicide.
The First makes its initial appearance in the series as a "monster of the week" that Angel must face in the episode "Amends
Amends (Buffy episode)
"Amends" is episode 10 of season 3 of the television show Buffy the Vampire Slayer.-Plot synopsis:It's Christmas in Sunnydale and Angel is haunted with dreams of the people he murdered over the years as Angelus. When Buffy starts getting dragged into his memory-nightmares, experiencing Angel's...
". It tries to drive the vampire to kill Buffy
Buffy Summers
Buffy Summers is a fictional character from Joss Whedon's Buffy the Vampire Slayer franchise. She first appeared in the 1992 film Buffy the Vampire Slayer before going on to appear in the television series and subsequent comic book of the same name...
by reminding him of his "true" nature (Angelus) and it sets about accomplishing this by appearing to him as some of his victims: Daniel, Margaret, Travis and Jenny Calendar
Jenny Calendar
Jenny Calendar is a fictional character in the fantasy television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer . Played by Robia LaMorte, Jenny is the computer teacher at Sunnydale High School...
. It tells Angel that it is responsible for his return from Hell
Hell
In many religious traditions, a hell is a place of suffering and punishment in the afterlife. Religions with a linear divine history often depict hells as endless. Religions with a cyclic history often depict a hell as an intermediary period between incarnations...
, a claim that remains unconfirmed, and that Angel can end his sufferings by turning evil again. Angel chooses to kill himself using the sunrise instead. Even though Angel's dusting is not a part of the ideal plan (elimination of the Slayer), the First does not mind because a powerful blow to the forces of Good would still be dealt (elimination of the Shanshu Prophecy
Shanshu Prophecy
The Shanshu Prophecy is a prophecy that appears in the fictional universe of the television series Angel. Contained in the Scrolls of Aberjian, the prophecy first appears in the episode "Blind Date" and is more fully revealed in the season finale of the show's first season, "To Shanshu in L.A."...
candidate).
Buffy's death at the end of season 5 and subsequent resurrection in season 6 caused an irregularity, or glitch, in the Slayer line that the First realizes and uses to eliminate the Slayer line forever. This glitch could have been corrected had Buffy remained dead and not been resurrected at the beginning of season 6. The First planned to use this glitch and kill the Slayer and all the Potential Slayers thus tipping the balance of good and evil completely off tilt. The purpose of this effort is to set up a situation where the First's army outnumbers the humans on Earth and over runs it so that it can gain a corporeal form.
The First appears in the video game Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Chaos Bleeds
Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Chaos Bleeds
Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Chaos Bleeds is a video game and the fourth video game based on the Buffy the Vampire Slayer franchise. It is the first multiplatform game in the franchise as well as the first game in the franchise to allow players to control characters other than Buffy Summers and also...
as the main antagonist, having helped Ethan Rayne escape from his imprisonment at the hands of the Initiative, and also participating in a contest of battle between the two (or rather, each of their five champions). Buffy, Willow, Xander, Faith, Spike, and Ethan are all transported to the First's dimension (which appears as a version of Sunnydale similar to "Wishverse" created by Anya) against their will.
Appearances
The First Evil has appeared in 16 canonical BuffyverseBuffyverse
The Buffyverse, also known as the Whedonverse or Slayerverse , is the shared fictional universe in which the TV series Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel are set. This term, originally coined by fans of the TV series, has since been used in the titles of published works, and adopted by Joss...
episodes:
Buffy the Vampire Slayer:
- Season 3 (1998)
- "Amends" (as Daniel, Margaret, Jenny CalendarJenny CalendarJenny Calendar is a fictional character in the fantasy television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer . Played by Robia LaMorte, Jenny is the computer teacher at Sunnydale High School...
, and Travis–name revealed in the shooting scripts).
- "Amends" (as Daniel, Margaret, Jenny Calendar
- Season 7 (2002–2003)
- "Lessons" (as Warren MearsWarren MearsWarren Mears is a fictional character portrayed by Adam Busch in the American television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer, as well as its canonical comic book series continuation.-Television:...
, Glory, Adam, The Mayor, Drusilla, The Master, and Buffy SummersBuffy SummersBuffy Summers is a fictional character from Joss Whedon's Buffy the Vampire Slayer franchise. She first appeared in the 1992 film Buffy the Vampire Slayer before going on to appear in the television series and subsequent comic book of the same name...
) - "Selfless" (as Buffy Summers)
- "Conversations with Dead People" (as Warren Mears, Cassie Newton, and Joyce SummersJoyce SummersJoyce Summers is a fictional character in the fantasy television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer . Played by Kristine Sutherland, Joyce is the mother of the main character, Buffy Summers . Joyce appears regularly from the first episode until the character's death in the fifth season episode "The...
) - "Sleeper" (as Buffy Summers and Spike)
- "Never Leave Me" (as Buffy Summers, Spike, Warren Mears, and Jonathan LevinsonJonathan LevinsonJonathan Levinson is a fictional character created by Joss Whedon for the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer. The character is portrayed by Danny Strong.-Character history:Jonathan was born in 1981 and raised in Sunnydale, California...
) - "Bring on the Night" (as Spike and Drusilla)
- "Showtime" (as Buffy Summers and Eve)
- "First Date" (as Jonathan Levinson and Nikki WoodNikki WoodNikki Wood is a fictional character created by Joss Whedon in the TV series Buffy the Vampire Slayer, portrayed originally by April Weeden-Washington and later by K.D. Aubert.-Biography:...
) - "Get It Done" (as Chloe)
- "Storyteller" (as Warren Mears)
- "Dirty Girls" (as Buffy Summers and Betty)
- "Empty Places" (as Buffy Summers)
- "Touched" (as Richard Wilkins and Buffy Summers)
- "End of Days" (as Buffy Summers)
- "Chosen" (as Buffy Summers and Caleb).
- "Lessons" (as Warren Mears
Further reading
- Gallagher, Diana G. Prime Evil. Simon and Schuster, 2001. p. 60. ISBN 0743431545
- Holder, Nancy. CHOSEN. Simon Spotlight Entertainment, June 2003. ISBN 0743487923
- Jowett, Lorna. Sex and the Slayer: A Gender Studies Primer for the Buffy Fan. Wesleyan University Press, 2005. p. 116. ISBN 0819567582
- Kaveney, Roz. Reading the Vampire Slayer: The Complete, Unofficial Guide to Buffy And Angel. Tauris Parke Paperbacks, 2004. pp. 49–51. ISBN 186064984X
- South, James B. Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Philosophy: fear and trembling in Sunnydale. Open Court Publishing, 2003. p. 213. ISBN 0812695313
- Tracy, Kathleen. The Girl's Got Bite: The Original Unauthorized Guide to Buffy's World. St. Martin's Press, 2003. p. 342. ISBN 031231258X
- Wilcox, Rhonda V. Why Buffy Matters: The Art of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. I.B. Tauris, 2005. pp. 32, 48, 51, 61, 77, 89, 91, 100, 105-106. ISBN 1845110293
See also
- Harbingers of Death