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 ''demon'' includes independent self-reproducing species, former humans that have been parasitically possessed via mystical or pseudo-biological processes, non-sapient species from adjacent dimensions, life forms that have been created or modified to serve some specific purpose, self-modifying individuals of indeterminate origin, and the hybrid offspring of any or all of the above.
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[edit] 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 ''killed'', but did not "die" in the human sense; many such demons were confined in the Deeper Well, a hole running through the center of the world. They continued to be feared for their ability to cheat death. Others escaped to other dimensions, and became unable or unwilling to return to Earth in their true forms. Among these were the cabal known as the Wolf, the Ram and the Hart.
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. 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.
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.
[edit] 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 specific species.
[edit] Fyarl demon
Fyarl demons (pronounced Fyar-əl) are a minor race of Buffyverse demons. They first appeared in the Season 4 episode, "A New Man." Beyond this, little is known about their physiology, culture, or origins.
In the episode, Rupert Giles, feeling left out, goes out for drinks with Ethan Rayne. Giles wakes up in the morning as a Fyarl Demon, and hires Spike to help him, as Spike is the only one who speaks Fyarl. The Initiative tries to hunt him down, with Buffy's help. Eventually, Buffy realizes that it is Giles, and Ethan is forced to undo his curse and then is taken into custody by the Initiative.
Other than what is learned from Giles' experience, little is known of thr Fyarl. They are tall humanoid creatures, with bumpy, orange-pink tinted flesh, curved horns just above the ears and ridges along their shoulders and spine. They are very strong and are usually used as hired muscle. They also might have paralysing mucus, sprayed out their nose. Several characters make reference to the 'mucus thing,' but it is never actually shown. When Giles is transformed into one, he has difficulty controlling his new strength and leaves an accidental trail of destruction. He also experiences a "mindless need to destroy," which is apparently the effect of the demon upon his mind.
In a later interview with Buffy creator Joss Whedon, he says that Fyarl is a name he is particularly proud. The word comes from his quest to create creature names that sound as though they come from other languages and cultures.
[edit] 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 ''evil''. This is a meaningless label if applied to demons as a whole, since some demons are benign (e.g. Lorne and Clem), while others are just very large predators: no friends to humankind, certainly, but no more ''evil'' than tigers or polar bears.
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: ''But while the Mok'tagar can assume many forms and guises, including human, they can always be recognized by others of their kind due to the lack of a soul.''
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.