User:JoshuaZ/Buff body count

Fans of Buffy the Vampire Slayer kept a body count of the vampires, demons, and humans slain by the Slayer, both by episode, by season, and cumulatively for the entire series (all seven seasons).

The practice of keeping a body count probably originated with the U. S. military's counts of the friendly casualties and the enemy dead after major battles. One reason for such a procedure during the Vietnam War was to demonstrate that the United States was winning the conflict. However, the counts were, and continue to be, controversial and, if anything, they perhaps had the unintended consequence of raising questions about the efficacy of the very war that the counts were meant to prove was being won.

Precedent in literary criticism[edit]

Although he did not suggest the maintenance of a "body count" per se, renowned literary critic Kenneth Burke, author of the influential Dramatistic Pentad, recommends the use of a metalinguistic approach to literature that investigates the roles and uses of five rhetorical elements common to all narratives, each of which is related to a question. By evaluating which of the five elements is given emphasis over the others, Burke argues, a critic, reader, or (in Buffy's case) viewer, can determine which element can best be understood as providing the motive for the character--usually the protagonist--treated in the literary work. A character's stressing of one element over the others suggests his or her world view.

The five rhetorical elements that comprise the dramatistic pentad are act, which is associated with dramatic action verbs, answers the question what? or whom?, and is related to the world view of realism; scene, which is associated with the setting of an act, answers the questions when? and where?, and is related to the world view of determinism and minimal or non-existent free will; agent, which is associated with the agent, answers the question what? or whom?, and reflects the world view of philiosophical idealism; agency, which is associated with the person or the organization that commits the deed, answers the question how?, and implies a pragmatic point of view; and purpose, which is associated with meaning, answers the question why?, and indicates that the character seeks unity through identification with an ultimate meaning of life.

Uses[edit]

Perhaps Buffy fans had a similar motive as the U. S. military had in using body counts, hoping to prove, at least to themselves, that the valiant efforts of Buffy and her friends were, so to speak, making a difference in the age-old struggle of the forces of good against the forces of evil.

The Buffy body count also helps fans, critics, and other interested parties keep track of the episodes in which, in terms of vampire or demon activity, the action was cooling down or heating up; as such, the body count allows individuals to chart the Hellmouth's least and most active periods over a seven-year time frame. For example, vampires appear to be far more numerous (or active) than demons, and demons were twice as numerous (or active) in season two than they were in season one. Likewise, vampires were almost three times more numerous (or active) in season two than they were in season one. Season four, compared to the other six seasons, is almost devoid of vampires, but the demons are more numerous (or active) than ever. In "Triangle," episode 11 of season five, Buffy bags her 100th vampire.

In addition, as Joss Whedon, who created Buffy the Vampire Slayer, has said that the vampires, demons, and other monsters in the series are metaphors of existential threats, problems, and difficulties that teens and young adults face. For example, Marcie Ross, an invisible girl, becomes invisible as a result of being ignored by teachers and her fellow students. Her invisibility represents being ignored by others, a metaphor used by Ralph Ellison in Invisible Man, a novel that recounts the effects of black men's being ignored by whites during the racially segregated period of the early twentieth century. By adapting Kenneth Burke's dramatistic pentad to the types of demons that attack Buffy and her friends, both as teens and young adults, fans, critics, and others can isolate, identify, and evaluate what category of existential crisis seemed to traumatize these characters during specific periods of their childhoods and later years. Such a tool allows scholars and fans alike the ability to analyze and assess both these threats themselves, the reactions and the responses of the characters who encounter them, and the effects of these threats upon their lives. By decoding the significance of a particular vampire or demon (or human) according to its existential, psychological, social, or spiritual nature and then weighing the number of times during a season (or throughout the series) such threats menace Buffy and her friends, critics and fans can better chart and understand the show's thematic as well as narrative arcs.

First kills[edit]

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Buffy killed her first vampire in a flashback scene, when she was a student at Hemery High School in Los Angeles, where she received her calling to become the Slayer. However, the first episode to show her kill a vampire was "Welcome to the Harvest." Buffy killed her first demon in "Teacher's Pet."

Season-by-season tallies[edit]

The authors of Dusted: The Unofficial Guide to Buffy the Vampire Slayer keep a tally of the evil dead whom Buffy dispatches with a stake through the heart or in some other equally effective manner. (They also keep tabs on the number of staff and students killed at Sunnydale High School.) According to their body counts, Buffy slew the following numbers of vampires, demons, and humans during her seven-year reign as the Slayer:

First season (grand total = 14 vampires; 3 demons)

Welcome to the Harvest (episode 1): 1 vampire; 0 demons
The Harvest (episode 2): 4 vampires; 0 demons
The Witch (episode 3): 0 vampires; 0 demons
Teacher's Pet (episode 4): 2 vampires, 1 demon
Never Kill a Boy on the First Date (episode 5): 2 vampires, 0 demon
The Pack (episode 6): 0 vampires, 0 demons
Angel (episode 7): 1 vampire; 0 demons
I Robot, You Jane (epidoe 8): 0 vampires; 1 demon
The Puppet Show (episode 9): 0 vampires; 1 demon
Nightmares (episode 10): 0 vampires; 0 demons
Out of Mind, Out of Sight (episode 11): 0 vampires; 0 demons
Prophecy Girl (episode 12): 4 vampires; 0 demons

Second season (grand total = 30 vampires; 6 demons)

When She Was Bad (episode 1): 6 vampires; 0 demons
Some Assembly Required (episode 2): 1 vampire; 0 demons
School Hard (episode 3): 3 vampires; 0 demons
Inca Mummy Girl (episode 4): 0 vampires; 0 demons
Reptile Boy (episode 5): 0 vampires; 1 demon
Halloween (episode 6): 1 vampire; 0 demons
Lie To Me (episode 7): 4 vampires; 0 demons
The Dark Age (episode 8): 2 vampires; 0 demons
What's My Line, Part I (episode 9): 1 vampire; 1 demon
What's My Line, Part II (episode 10): 0 vampires; 0 demons
Ted (episode 11): 1 vampire; 1 demon
Bad Eggs (episode 12): 0 vampires; 1 demon
Surprise (episode 13): 2 vampires; 0 demons
Innocence (episode 14): 0 vampires; 1 demon
Phases (episode 15): 0 vampires; 0 demons
Bewitched, Bothered, and Bewildered (episode 16): 1 vampire; 0 demons
Passion (episode 17): 0 vampires; 0 demons
Killed By Death (episode 18): 0 vampires; 1 demon
I Only Have Eyes For You (episode 19): 0 vampires; 0 demons
Go Fish (episode 20): 0 vampires; 0 demons
Becoming, Part I (episode 21): 5 vampires; 0 demons
Becoming, Part II (episode 22): 3 vampires; 0 demons

Third season (grand total = 43 vampires; 17 demons)

Anne (episode 1): 13 vampies; 5 demons
Dead Man's Party (episode 2): 1 vampire; 1 demon
Faith, Hope, and Trick (episode 3): 4 vampires; 0 demons
Beauty and the Beasts (episode 4): 0 vampires; 0 demons
Homecoming (episode 5): 0 vampires; 0 demons
Band Candy (episode 6): 4 vampires; 0 demons
Revelations (episode 7): 1 vampire; 1 demon
Lover's Walk (episode 8): 3 vampires; 0 demons
The Wish (episode 9): 1 vampire; 0 demons
Amends (episode 10): 0 vampires; 0 demons
Gingerbread (episode 11): 1 vampires; 2 demons
Helpless (episode 12): 2 vampires; 0 demons
The Zeppo (episode 13): 0 vampires; 2 demons
Bad Girls (episode 14): 7 vampires; 1 demon
Consequences (episode 15): 3 vampires; 0 demons
Dopplegangland (episode 16): 0 vampires; 0 demons
Enemies (episode 17): 0 vampires; 0 demons
Earshot (episode 18): 2 vampires; 1 demon
Choices (episode 19): 0 vampires; 0 demons
The Prom (episode 20): 1 vampires; 3 demons
Graduation Day, Part I (episode 21): 0 vampires; 0 demons
Graduation Day, Part II (episode 22): 0 vampires; 0 demons

Fourth season (grand total = 9 vampires; 17 demons)

The Freshman (episode 1): 2 vampires; 0 demons
Living Conditions (episode 2): 0 vampires; 0 demons
The Harsh Light of Day (episode 3): 0 vampires; 0 demons
Fear Itself (episode 4): 0 vampires; 0 demons
Beer Bad (episode 5): 0 vampires; 0 demons
Wild At Heart (episode 6): 1 vampire; 1 demon
The Initiative (episode 7): 0 vampires; 0 demons
Pangs (episode 8): 1 vampire; 1 demon
Something Blue (episode 9): 1 vampire; 0 demons
Hush (episode 10): 0 vampires; 12 demons
Doomed (episode 11): 0 vampires; 0 demons
A New Man (episode 12): 0 vampires; 0 demons
The I In Team (episode 13): 0 vampires; 1 demon
Goodbye, Iowa (episode 14): 0 vampires; 0 demons
This Year's Girl (episode 15): 0 vampires; 0 demons
Who Are You? (episode 16): 1 vampire; 0 demon
Superstar (episode 17): 3 vampires; 0 demon
Where the Wild Things Are (episode 18): 0 vampires; 1 demon
New Moon Rising (episode 19): 0 vampires; 0 demons
The Yoko Factor (episode 20): 0 vampires; 0 demons
Primeval (episode 21): 0 vampires; 1 demon
Restless (episode 22): 0 vampires; 0 demons

Fifth season (grand total = 20 vampires; 4 demons; 1 human)

Buffy vs. Dracula (episode 1): 2 vampires; 0 demons; 0 humans
Real Me (episode 2): 4 vampires; 0 demons; 0 humans
The Replacement (episode 3): 0 vampires; 1 demons; 0 humans
Out of My Mind (episode 4): 2 vampires; 0 demons; 0 humans
No Place Like Home (episode 5): 2 vampires; 0 demons; 0 humans
Family (episode 6): 0 vampires; 1 demon; 0 humans
Fool For Love (episode 7): 0 vampires; 0 demons; 0 humans
Shadow (episode 8): 0 vampires; 1 demon; 0 humans
Listening to Fear (episode 9): 0 vampires; 0 demons; 0 humans
Into the Woods (episode 10): 7 vampires; 2 demons; 0 humans
Triangle (episode 11): 1 vampire; 0 demons; 0 humans
Checkpoint (episode 12): 0 vampires; 0 demons; 0 humans
Blood Ties (episode 13): 0 vampires; 0 demons; 0 humans
Crush (episode 14): 0 vampires; 0 demons; 0 humans
I Was Made to Love You (episode 15): 0 vampires; 0 demons; 0 humans
The Body (episode 16): 1 vampire; 0 demons; 0 humans
Forever (episode 17): 0 vampires; 0 demons; 0 humans
Intervention (episode 18): 0 vampires; 0 demons; 0 humans
Tough Love (episode 19): 0 vampires; 0 demons; 0 humans
Spiral (episode 20): 0 vampires; 0 demons; 0 humans
The Weight of the World (episode 21): 0 vampires; 0 demons; 0 humans
The Gift (episode 22): 1 vampire; 0 demons; 1 human

Sixth season (grand total = 12 vampires; 16 demons; 0 humans)

Bargaining, Part I (episode 1): 0 vampires; 0 demons; 0 humans
Bargaining, Part II (episode 2): 0 vampires; 3 demons; 0 humans
After Life (episode 3): 0 vampires; 1 demon; 0 humans
Flooded (episode 4): 0 vampires; 1 demon; 0 humans
Life Serial (episode 5): 0 vampires; 3 demons; 0 humans
All the Way (episode 6): 2 vampires; 0 demons; 0 humans
Once More, With Feeling) (episode 7): 3 vampires; 4 demons; 0 humans
Tabula Rasa (episode 8): 2 vampires; 0 demons; 0 humans
Smashed (episode 9): 0 vampires; 0 demons; 0 humans
Wrecked (episode 10): 0 vampires; 0 demons; 0 humans
Gone (episode 11): 0 vampires; 0 demons; 0 humans
Doublemeat Palace (episode 12): 0 vampires; 0 demons; 0 humans
Dead Things (episode 13): 0 vampires; 1 demon; 0 humans
Older and Far Away (episode 14): 0 vampires; 1 demons; 0 humans
As You Were (episode 15): 1 vampire; 1 demon; 0 humans
Hell's Bells (episode 16): 0 vampires; 0 demons; 0 humans
Normal Again (episode 17): 0 vampires; 1 demon; 0 humans
Entropy (episode 18): 3 vampires; 0 demons; 0 humans
Seeing Red (episode 19): 1 vampire; 0 demons; 0 humans
Villains (episode 20): 0 vampires; 0 demons; 0 humans
Two to Go (episode 21): 0 vampires; 0 demons; 0 humans
Grave (episode 22): 0 vampires; 0 demons; 0 humans

Seventh season (grand total = 29 vampires; 14 demons; 17 humans)

Lessons (episode 1): 1 vampire; 0 demons; 0 humans
Beneath You (episode 2): 0 vampires; 0 demons; 0 humans
Same Time, Same Place (episode 3): 0 vampires; 1 demon; 0 humans
Help (episode 4): 1 vampire; 1 demon; 0 humans
Selfless (episode 5): 0 vampires; 1 demon; 0 humans
Him (episode 6): 0 vampires; 1 demon; 0 humans
Conversations With Dead People (episode 7): 1 vampire; 0 demons; 0 humans
Sleeper (episode 8): 7 vampires; 0 demons; 0 humans
Never Leave Me (episode 9): 0 vampires; 2 demons; 0 humans
Bring On the Night (episode 10): 0 vampires; 0 demons; 0 humans
Showtime (episode 11): 0 vampires; 0 demons; 0 humans
Potential (episode 12): 1 vampire; 6 demons; 0 humans
The Killer In Me (episode 13): 0 vampires; 1 demon; 0 humans
First Date (episode 14): 3 vampires; 1 demon; 0 humans
Get It Done (episode 15): 0 vampires; 0 demon; 0 humans
Storyteller (episode 16): 2 vampires; 0 demons; 0 humans
Lies My Parents Told Me (episode 17): 2 vampires; 0 demons; 0 humans
Dirty Girls (episode 18): 0 vampires; 0 demons; 0 humans
Empty Spaces (episode 19): 0 vampires; 0 demons; 0 humans
Touched (episode 20): 0 vampires; 0 demons; 0 humans
End of Days (episode 21): 3 vampires; 0 demons; 0 humans
Chosen (episode 22): 8 vampires; 0 demons; 17 humans

Cumulative Totals (all seven seasons) = 157 vampires; 74 demons; 18 humans

Other Slayers' kills[edit]

In addition to these totals, by the end of the seventh season, Faith Lehane has killed a grand total of 15 vampires, 9 demons, and 3 humans. The total numbers of Kendra's kills are unrecorded. On addition, Giles, Xander, Willow, Oz, Cordelia, and others have killed a few other vampires.

Friendly casulaties[edit]

Dusted's authors also keep counts of the friendly casualties that Sunnydale's staff and student body suffered during the first three seasons, during which period many episodes took place, in full or in part, in Sunnydale High School. In this article, only the seasons' totals are enumerated:

First Season

Staff casualties = 2
Student casulaties = 10

Second Season

Staff casualties = 4
Student casualties = 7

Third Season

Staff casualties = 3
Student casualties = 14

Cumulative (all three seasons)

Staff casualties = 9
Student casualties = 21

External Links[edit]

For information on Dusted: The Unathorized Guide to Buffy the Vampire Slayer, visit http://www.madnorwegian.com/product.php?item=dusted

http://www.rollins.edu/communication/wschmidt/dramatistic_pentad.htm

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