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Buffy 1x02 003

The Master from Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

Vampires are supernatural creatures that have to drink the blood of humans or animals in order to sustain their immortal lives. A vampire is a living corpse, commonly referred to as the undead. They were once a living, human being, whom through various circumstances became a victim of vampirism. The means by which one becomes a vampire may vary, but there are several traditions that are acknowledged in most television programs. Vampires are usually created through the actions of another vampire. If a vampire drinks blood from a human victim to the point of death, the victim will die and be reborn three nights later as one of the undead. More modern techniques have added the idea of a human victim being forced to replenish themselves with the blood of the vampire, thus prompting the supernatural changes in their physiology. These vampires are usually subservient to the vampire that created them, but there have been accounts where vampires have been shown to be rebellious against their masters. A vampire can also be created through an act of sorcery, in which a witch or warlock enacts a curse which transforms a living person into a vampire. In almost all instances, this effect is permanent and the curse can only be lifted by the willful action of the original caster. Becoming a vampire has an adverse effect on an individual’s psyche. As they are considered to be creatures of black magic, it is not uncommon for a vampire to commit acts of deliberate evil.

Vampire powers[]

Turning[]

A vampire can transform another human being into a vampire. Once this is done, the secondary vampire is traditionally subservient to the primary vampire, mainly because the primary vampire is stronger and more experienced than its unnatural offspring. This is not always the case however, and some vampires have been known to turn against their masters.

Bite[]

A vampire possesses two fangs, which they can use to puncture the jugular vein of their victims and drink their blood. Vampires also possess the ability to adequately conceal these fangs when they are in the company of those who are unaware of the vampire's supernatural identity. Modern stories have added the idea that a vampire's fangs are retractable. This has been demonstrated in television shows such as True Blood and Being Human.

Mesmerism[]

A vampire has the ability to hypnotize other human beings. In order to do this, the vampire must drink blood from his victim on at least one occasion. Once this is done, the victim will fall into a malaise and the vampire can command the thrall to do its bidding.

Animal summoning[]

A vampire appears to have an unnatural affinity when it comes to certain animals. Canines especially can perceive a vampire’s presence and recognize one as being something unnatural. It is possible that a vampire can maintain limited control over such animals and use them to suit their own purposes.

Weaknesses[]

Wooden stake[]

A sharpened weapon imbedded into the heart of a vampire will destroy them. Traditionally, a wooden stake is the preferred tool for carrying out such a task, but any solid, sharpened object will do, such as a crossbow bolt.

The sun[]

Exposure to sunlight will destroy a vampire. A vampire can only withstand direct solar radiation for a few seconds before he or she will be forced to find shelter.

The cross[]

By holding some form of crucifix in front of a vampire, a potential victim can cause the vampire to halt, or even to turn and flee. Direct physical contact with a crucifix will severely burn a vampire, but will not destroy them.

Holy water[]

Water that has been blessed by a clergyman will burn a vampire if it makes contact with one. A sufficient supply of such water will likely destroy one entirely.

Upir[]

An Upir is a mythological creature from Eastern European folklore. In Russian stories, they are a type of vampire or ghoul, who feeds upon the blood and flesh of their children and family. Upirs differ from traditional vampires in that they can walk about in daylight unencumbered, though many stories also posit that they will sleep in the graves of an unfaithful or sinful person. Russian tradition holds that an Upir is one who has denounced Jesus Christ, and as such, are therefore a servant of the Devil. Some sources also equate an Upir to a dragon while others describe it as an unclean corpse who has been possessed by a demon. [1] In the Elatomsk region of East-Central Russia, an Upir is described as a woman who had sold her soul to the Devil. [2]

In television fiction, Upirs played a major role in the Netflix original series Hemlock Grove. The series observed several details associated with the lore of the Upir, including the murder and consumption of children and family members. Season one of the series presented two characters who were Upir - Olivia Godfrey and her teenage son, Roman. Olivia's story was not fully revealed until the end of the season, but it is established that she is descended from Russian nobility. After having an unorthodox dalliance with a Gypsy commoner, Olivia became pregnant with child. Disgusted at her lot in life, she attempted to take her own life by severing a vestigial tail that she had grown. The show presents the notion that through the act of suicide (possibly limited to the act of bloodletting), an Upir awakens to their true potential and develops their vampire gifts. Olivia was shown to be very old and very powerful. She was very difficult to kill and could easily withstand injuries that would kill a normal human such as a bullet to the chest.

Hemlock Grove posits that an Upir woman may give birth to offspring who have the potential to become Upir themselves. Children born of an Upir who are enshrouded in a red caul harness the potential to become an Upir, while children born without it remain perfectly normal. Throughout her life, Olivia Godfrey sired many children, and always attempted to kill each one that was not born with the Caul. Two of her children are known to have survived. Roman was born with the Caul and so Olivia doted on him, awaiting the day that he would unlock his full potential. Another child, Shelley Godfrey, was not born an Upir and actually died when she was two-year-sold (presumably by Olivia's hands). Through the miracles of modern science however, and an unscrupulous scientist named Johann Pryce, Shelley was resurrected.

Olivia and Roman both possessed strong powers of hypnosis. Olivia actually used her power on Roman to manipulate him into impregnating his cousin, Letha Godfrey. Letha died during childbirth, but the baby survived. Olivia took the infant back to the family's mansion and attempted to force Roman to eat it. Disgusted at the revelation that he was the unwilling father of this child, he chose intead to take his own life. This however, did not kill Roman, but actually awakened his full potential. He turned against his mother, biting Olivia on the neck, drinking her blood and then bit out her tongue, which seemingly killed her.

Known vampires[]

Character Series
Alex Lowe American Horror Story
Alexander Lucard Dracula: The Series
Angel Buffy the Vampire Slayer; Angel
Angelique Bouchard Dark Shadows
Ansel Barbour The Strain
Atlee Being Human (US)
Audrey Dark Shadows
Authority gate guard True Blood
Authority guard 1 True Blood
Authority guard 2 True Blood
Barnabas Collins Dark Shadows
Ben McAllister The Gates
Bill Compton True Blood
Chase Blade
Christian Harper The Gates
Collin Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Claire Radcliff The Gates
Countess Elizabeth American Horror Story
Damon Salvatore The Vampire Diaries
Darla Buffy the Vampire Slayer; Angel
Diane Hardwicke True Blood
Dirk Wilkins Dark Shadows
Donovan American Horror Story
Drusilla Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Dylan Radcliff The Gates
Eddie Gauthier True Blood
Elena Gilbert The Vampire Diaries
Elijah Stormer True Blood
Emma Arnot The Strain
Eric Northman True Blood
Franklin Mott True Blood
Gabriel Bolivar The Strain
Godric True Blood
Gloria Bennett The Gates
Grace Dugan Kindred: The Embraced
Hal Yorke Being Human (UK)
Harmony Kendall Buffy the Vampire Slayer; Angel
Heggeman Being Human (US)
Henry Durham Being Human (US)
Holden Lowe American Horror Story
Iris American Horror Story
James Bishop Being Human (US)
Jeff Westin Being Human (US)
Jesse McNally Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Jessica Hamby True Blood
John Mitchell Being Human (UK)
Kenny Being Human (US)
Klaus Helsing Dracula: The Series
Krista Starr Blade
Lauren Drake Being Human
Lexi Branson The Vampire Diaries
Lilith's siren True Blood
Logan Fell The Vampire Diaries
Longshadow True Blood
Lorena Krasiki True Blood
Luke Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Lynn McAllister The Gates
Malcolm Beaumarchais True Blood
Marcus Damnian Being Human (US)
Marcus Van Sciver Blade
Master, The Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Megan Todd Dark Shadows
Mike Spencer True Blood
Mister Trick Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Molly True Blood
Mother Being Human (US)
Nan Flanagan True Blood
Nick Knight Forever Knight
Niklaus Mikaelson The Vampire Diaries
Nora Gainsborough True Blood
Olivia Godfrey Hemlock Grove
Pam De Beaufort True Blood
Proinsias Cassidy Preacher
Ramona Royale American Horror Story
Rebecca Flynt Being Human (US)
Rebekah Mikaelson The Originals
Roman Godfrey Hemlock Grove
Roman Zimojic True Blood
Rosalyn Harris True Blood
Roxanne Drew Dark Shadows
Russell Edgington True Blood
Sadie Being Human (US)
Salome Agrippa True Blood
Seth Being Human (UK)
Sheila Martini Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Sophie-Anne Leclerq True Blood
Spike Buffy the Vampire Slayer; Angel
Stefan Salvatore The Vampire Diaries
Steve Newlin True Blood
Stolzfus Being Human (US)
Suren Being Human (US)
Talbot Angelis True Blood
Tara Thornton True Blood
Thomas Eichorst The Strain
Tristan Duffy American Horror Story
Tom Jennings Dark Shadows
Vanessa Buckley The Gates
Vicki Donovan The Vampire Diaries
Wayne Bosen True Blood
Willa Burrell True Blood
William Herrick Being Human (UK)

Behind the fangs[]

Includes actors, voice actors and stunt performers who have played vampires.

Person Series
Adrian Lester Being Human (UK)
Adrien Burhop Being Human (US)
Aidan Turner Being Human (UK)
Alexander Skarsgård True Blood
Alexandra Johnes Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Allan Hyde True Blood
Amelia Rose Blaire True Blood
Andrew J. Ferchland Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Andrew Rothenberg True Blood
Angela Bassett American Horror Story
Annabel Scholey Being Human (UK)
Arielle Kebbel The Vampire Diaries
Aunjanue Ellis True Blood
Bill Skarsgård Hemlock Grove
Brian Thompson Kindred: The Embraced; Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Carolyn Hennesy True Blood
Chandra West Kindred: The Embraced
Chanon Finley True Blood
Chloe Holmes True Blood
Chloë Sevigny American Horror Story
Chris J. Johnson The Vampire Diaries
Christopher Meloni True Blood
Claire Holt The Originals
Connor Price Being Human (US)
David Boreanaz Buffy the Vampire Slayer; Angel
David J. Wright True Blood
Damien Molony Being Human (UK)
Deborah Ann Woll True Blood
Deena Aziz Being Human (US)
Denis O'Hare True Blood
Dichen Lachman Being Human (US)
Dominique McElligott Being Human
Don Briscoe Dark Shadows
Donna Wandrey Dark Shadows
Dylan Brown Being Human (UK)
Eric Balfour Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Evan Rachel Wood True Blood
Ezra Masters True Blood
Famke Janssen Hemlock Grove
Finn Wittrock American Horror Story
Geordie Johnson Dracula: The Series
Geraint Wyn Davies Forever Knight
Gloria Votsis The Gates
Guy Flanagan Being Human (UK)
Ian Somerhalder The Vampire Diaries
Isabelle Nélisse The Strain
Jack Kesy The Strain
James Frain True Blood
James Marsters Buffy the Vampire Slayer; Angel
Jason Watkins Being Human (UK)
Jessica Gower Blade
Jessica Malka Being Human (US)
Jessica McDaniel The Gates
Jessica Tuck True Blood
Jill Wagner Blade
Jodie Smith True Blood
John Billingsley True Blood
John Henry Canavan True Blood
Jonathan Frid Dark Shadows
Joseph Gilgun Preacher
Joseph Morgan The Vampire Diaries
Julie Benz Buffy the Vampire Slayer; Angel
Juliet Landau Buffy the Vampire Slayer
K. Todd Freeman Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Kathy Bates American Horror Story
Kayla Ewell Vampire Diaries
Keram Malicki-Sánchez True Blood
Kristin Bauer van Straten True Blood
Kyle Gatehouse Being Human (US)
Kyle Schmid Being Human (US)
Lady Gaga American Horror Story
Lara Parker Dark Shadows
Lennon Henry American Horror Story
Linden Ashby The Gates
Lorne Brass Being Human (US)
Lucy Griffiths True Blood
Luke Mably The Gates
Malcolm Travis Being Human (US)
Mariana Klaveno True Blood
Mark Metcalf Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Mark Pellegrino Being Human (US)
Marsha Mason Dark Shadows
Matt Bomer American Horror Story
Melissa Ponzio The Gates
Mercedes McNab Buffy the Vampire Slayer; Angel
Michael McMillian True Blood
Neil Jackson Blade
Nikolai Witschl The Strain
Nina Dobrev The Vampire Diaries
Paul Blackthorne The Gates
Paul Wesley The Vampire Diaries
Rhona Mitra The Gates
Raoul Trujillo True Blood
Richard Sammel The Strain
Robert Maillet The Strain
Roger Davis Dark Shadows
Rutina Wesley True Blood
Sarah Allen Being Human (US)
Stephen Moyer True Blood
Stephen Root True Blood
Terry Kinney Being Human (US)
Theo Alexander True Blood
Tina Majorino True Blood
Valentina Cervi True Blood
Vincent Leclerc Being Human (US)

Notes & Trivia[]

  • "The Man Trap" episode of Star Trek introduced a creature known as the M-113 salt vampire. Although it was predatory by nature and did sustain itself off the life essence of live prey, it was not in fact a true vampire.

Appearances[]

  1. Vampire Diaries: The New Deal - Stefan, Damon & Rebekah.

See also[]

External Links[]

References[]

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