The First Slayer: a few questions

[NightLady]

We have seen the First Slayer I think four or five (?) times in all the show and every time she is portrayed as aggressive, creepy and scary. Quite "˜bad', actually. My questions are:

1. was she only a projection of Buffy's imagination or can we state she was really like that?
2. in the first case, why should Buffy imagine the First Slayer as being "˜bad'? do you think that it could be that in her subconscious she felt a slayer's work was not so good?
3. in the second, why was the First Slayer like that? Why did she so aggressive with Buffy and her gang?

What do you think?

 

[Black Eye Guy]

I think she was really like that, but I dont think she was bad.

I think the fact that she was created by being chained to a wall and infused with a demon would make her not the nicest person, plus in Tale of the Slayer she is kicked out of a village she saves, so she's basically shunned from people.

She has had to work alone, so when the scoobies call on the slayer line she seems to get mad that the Slayer is not working alone, she doesn't actually kill anyone she only does it in a dream, so even when being violent it's just to send a message to the slayer.

After that she seems to change her opinion on the slayer working alone, since any other time she pops up it's to offer help. In season 5 she sets Buffy up for whats about to happen and helps her realize that her death will be a gift, in season 7 she tells Buffy what they haven't isn't enough, and starts her on a part to creating an army of slayers, then in season 9 she passes along a message that the Scythe is the key to restoring magick to Willow.

So I dont think she is bad, I think she is just the definition of the lone slayer, kinda similar to Kendra, but throw in the more hostile world she live in and I think you can kinda understand where she is coming from.

 

[NightLady]

... and I think you can kinda understand where she is coming from.

Thank you. In the light of all this information about her history, now I understand her behavior so much more! May I ask where did you learn them? Also, what's the Tale of the Slayer?

 

[Blaze]

BEG said it quite well, but I'll just add my 2 cent. In this case, I believe it's fair to say that the first slayer was real. Slayers seem to have some premonitory powers, and I believe encountering and being linked to the first slayer is possibly another of the many obscure power they have. After all, the first slayer is the essence of the slayer line, it makes sense that she and Buffy would be connected somehow.

Again, BEG said it well, the first slayer wasn't bad as much as she was primitive, Even before becoming the slayer, she was probably part of some tribe, since she seem to be fairly old (century wise). The culture, firstly, must have been very different from Buffy. I don't remember if they said the slayer originated from a specific country? So perhaps someone remembers if they said anything to that regard.

Secondly, she was part demon, which would make her I imagine, at least somewhat more aggressive and obviously powerful. Also, she mostly communicated to Buffy in riddles and actions. The actions had to be powerful enough to create a meaning, hence why I love Restless, which is packed with symbolism.

 

[NightLady]

BEG said it quite well, but I'll just add my 2 cent. In this case, I believe it's fair to say that the first slayer was real. Slayers seem to have some premonitory powers, and I believe encountering and being linked to the first slayer is possibly another of the many obscure power they have. After all, the first slayer is the essence of the slayer line, it makes sense that she and Buffy would be connected somehow.

yes, it makes sense!

I don't remember if they said the slayer originated from a specific country? So perhaps someone remembers if they said anything to that regard.

I remember nothing from the show...maybe there are more info in the comics?

The actions had to be powerful enough to create a meaning, hence why I love Restless, which is packed with symbolism.

I have to watch Restless a second time because I have a very confused memory of the episode, also I think it's the kind that reveals some more every time you watch it

 

[Black Eye Guy]

Thank you. In the light of all this information about her history, now I understand her behavior so much more! May I ask where did you learn them? Also, what's the Tale of the Slayer?

Sorry should have said Tales of the Slayers. There are books called Tales of the slayer, which are a collection of short stories of past Slayers, and there is a graphic novel collection called Tales of the Slayers, which are written by some of the Buffy writers and tell the stories of some slayers throughout history, the first one is a story about the First Slayer, and her being kicked out of an African village and realizing she'd have to work alone.

I don't remember if they said the slayer originated from a specific country? So perhaps someone remembers if they said anything to that regard.

I think from the Shadow Men, and the story from Tales of the Slayers it's implied it's Africa, but I'm pretty sure it's prehistoric times so countries wouldn't have been defined.

 

[Blaze]

I think from the Shadow Men, and the story from Tales of the Slayers it's implied it's Africa, but I'm pretty sure it's prehistoric times so countries wouldn't have been defined.

Thanks for the clarification! I didn't even think of the timeline and when they created the slayer, this definitely make sense as to why the first slayer was a bit rougher around the edges.

[MENTION=12490]NightLady[/MENTION], it's a good idea to rewatch Restless! I definitely like that episode now a lot more than when I first saw it, mostly because at first I was very confused as to why it was a season finale, but now, I find it's actually the perfect finale for season 4. You really do find more and more revealed in the episode upon rewatch!

 

[NightLady]

Sorry should have said Tales of the Slayers. There are books called Tales of the slayer, which are a collection of short stories of past Slayers...

So, they are books not comics? Never heard of them! And they are canon, I understand?

 

[Black Eye Guy]

So, they are books not comics? Never heard of them! And they are canon, I understand?

There is both books and comics, I think (although I can't remember 100%) the books aren't cannon, as they were by other writers, but the comics are cannon, the comics were written by Whedon and a few of the other writers.

I actually bought the first book years ago by mistake online, thinking it was the comic, before I realised there was a difference between Tales of the Slayer and Tales of the Slayers, Still haven't read it.

 

[Robb Stark]

[MENTION=5973]Black Eye Guy[/MENTION] gave a really good explanation.

Personally, I never cared for the First Slayer. I get she was a vehicle to drive the "Buffy is always alone" theme they kept pushing, but I thought the concept of the original Slayer could have been done much better, and in a far more interesting way. She just never did anything for me.

 

[tbessie]

I think from the Shadow Men, and the story from Tales of the Slayers it's implied it's Africa, but I'm pretty sure it's prehistoric times so countries wouldn't have been defined.

Not that this calls for a shot of reality, but the fact that the Shadow Men were speaking in Swahili and wearing complex woven cloth clothes would mean they couldn't have been THAT far back on history. But that might be too picky a point. 😀

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[Lyri]

There is both books and comics, I think (although I can't remember 100%) the books aren't cannon, as they were by other writers, but the comics are cannon, the comics were written by Whedon and a few of the other writers.

I actually bought the first book years ago by mistake online, thinking it was the comic, before I realised there was a difference between Tales of the Slayer and Tales of the Slayers, Still haven't read it.

You should read them. Although not considered canon, some of the stories are so good and so well written that they're now MY canon. Though one story was slightly debunked by the recent Nikki storyline in S9. I think it's the only story in the series that is contradicted by the main canon. Some of the stories are written by writers for the show, so there is a connection.

 

[Zeppelin92]

I'm not sure if this was already mentioned but The First Slayer being the original human infused with the essence of a pure demon took more qualities of the demon than later Slayers did. Even though she was always a warrior of good, she had an animalistic side to her and aggressiveness that we can pretty much assume is the demon essence within her.

My theory that goes along with this is that The First Slayer represents the actual Slayer power within Buffy every time she appears in dreams. Its to create a separation between Buffy 'the person' and the power inside of her trying to help and guide her (Or occasionally kill her friends).

 

[EVIL UU]

[MENTION=12490]NightLady[/MENTION]

was she only a projection of Buffy’s imagination or can we state she was really like that?

She was really like that. Buffy's not that different, take away the human culture and Buffy's friends and First Slayer is exactly what's left.

in the second, why was the First Slayer like that? Why did she so aggressive with Buffy and her gang?

To protect Buffy. First Slayer attacks Wilow, Xander and Giles because they assume the roles of Shadow Men and cast their spell. First Slayer hated the sorcerers for obvious reasons but there's more to it. The spell makes Buffy much more powerful but the price she pays for it is the loss of humanity. The feral First Slayer actually tries to protect Buffy's humanity she herself mostly lost by making sure Scoobies never get to cast that spell again.

 

[NightLady]

[MENTION=12490]NightLady[/MENTION]


She was really like that. Buffy's not that different, take away the human culture and Buffy's friends and First Slayer is exactly what's left.

I would take away her heart too 😉

To protect Buffy. First Slayer attacks Wilow, Xander and Giles because they assume the roles of Shadow Men and cast their spell. First Slayer hated the sorcerers for obvious reasons but there's more to it. The spell makes Buffy much more powerful but the price she pays for it is the loss of humanity. The feral First Slayer actually tries to protect Buffy's humanity she herself mostly lost by making sure Scoobies never get to cast that spell again.

thank you. I don't remember the scene of the attack and the spell... can you tell me the episode?

 

[Black Eye Guy]

To protect Buffy. First Slayer attacks Wilow, Xander and Giles because they assume the roles of Shadow Men and cast their spell. First Slayer hated the sorcerers for obvious reasons but there's more to it. The spell makes Buffy much more powerful but the price she pays for it is the loss of humanity. The feral First Slayer actually tries to protect Buffy's humanity she herself mostly lost by making sure Scoobies never get to cast that spell again.

I dont know about that, there's nothing in the show that says that, I mean we can assume she hates the Shadow men but nothing suggests she tried to kill them becasue they represent the Shadow Men.

The First Slayer says in restless Buffy shouldn't have friends, and when Buffy tells her the world has changed and she is more then just a slayer, she's a person The First slayer gets mad and when Buffy says that she wont give up her friends the First Slayer tries to kill her too.

It's pretty clear from the script, she's there becasue she wasn't happy with Buffy working with other people.

 

[janas]

She was really like that. Buffy's not that different, take away the human culture and Buffy's friends and First Slayer is exactly what's left.

I very much agree with this. Without her friends, Buffy would not be much different from the first slayer. We too, stripped from our culture, after all we are beings much more instinctual than rational.

I always thought that the First Slayer was African, as were the Shadow Men. I've never seen she bad. Aggressive and animalistic yes, but not bad. She is the slayer in its purest form, and what emerges is especially his loneliness. She lives only for the mission. She appears at a particular moment in the life of Buffy, maybe when Buffy is losing the sense of mission and of his true essence slayer ..and in the season nine, once again, gives to Buffy some important revelations.