To Kill a Vampire..

M

Mulderzmandy

Mandy
Joined
Oct 20, 2003
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Okay, I'm assuming this post would go here, because I don't know where else to put it. I have a question--well questions-- about the show/shows, that I'm just not understanding.

To kill a vampire, you either stake, burn, decapitate, force it into sunlight, or holy-water it, I get that much. But the breathing thing is throwing me off--
They can't breathe, or they don't breathe--there is a difference. I've definately seen both Angel and Spike 'breathing' so apparently they can breathe... right? I forget what episode I saw last night, but the first (as drusilla) had spike held under water, and he filled with water--how could that have happened if he wasn't inhaling? I mean his body wasn't under the water, so the water wouldn't have naturally flown up there.. This is just annoying me--someone told me they could breathe when under pain? I was just hoping to get some clarification.

Also, they are also repelled by crosses, garlic (sort of), and holy-water, sunlight, fire--am I missing something?

Vampires heal fast, but do their limbs grow back? If you chop them up into multiple pieces, they wouldn't die..? I know Spike's hand was chopped off, but Wolfram & Hart fixed that problem--would his hand have decayed if it hadn't been put back on? I'd think it would, but a vampire is already dead, so its confusing--but if Angel's ancient heart can be started up by Gwen, wouldn't that mean his heart never decayed? I don't know, this stuff is really confusing, and when I'm writing I don't want to write against the rules of the show--but at the same time I want my stories to be interesting--you know?

In an Angel episode, they removed a vampire's heart and that gave him only a few hours to live--if he couldn't be staked--why didn't Angel chop is head off? or set on fire? were those not options--the episode is sketchy to me but I'm still wondering.

I've been wondering this next one for a while now--if you switch two vampires hearts, and stake one--which dies? I mean if you took the heart from vamp A out of his body, and staked it--would he die? Could you even transplant a vampires heart? Wow I think I think too much..
 
Lol those are interesting yet very true questions. You've got some good points there. About the breathing thing...they can breathe if they want to. But they don't have to. It's not like it will kill them if they don't 😉
And the hands and tiny pieces subject....If you didn't eventually chop off their head, maybe they'd still "live". But I really don't know that one lol.
And now the heart transplant thing....well, if you could do a heart transplant on vampires, and then you staked one, I'm assuming that that specific vampire with the other vampires heart would die. Wait. That's misleading. Ok let's say theres vampire one and vampire two. They switch hearts. Then vamp 1 would have vamp 2's heart, and if vamp 1 were staked, vamp 1 should die. I hope 🙂
Hope that helps 🙂
 
Okay, so they breathe when they want--it just sounds werid, but its understandable, but very confusing. The heart thing--you think it wouldn't matter which heart was where? The question just dumbfounds me, I mean if Vamp A's heart was in Vamp B's body when B was staked-- the fact that it was A's heart wouldn't matter? LOL I can see both sides, so I guess it doesn't really matter just a matter of how it plays out in the end..
 
I know the basics, but I'm just wondering...

If you stuck a vampire into a tanning bed, would it kill them?

From various references in Angel we know it is the UV8/UVA rays that are dangerous to vampires, so I'm thinking, hey, tanning bed.
 
Would sunblock be of any use? I mean for temporary relief? If it blocks the UV rays... They cannot bleed to death, but what happens if they lose a lot of blood
 
phoenixrising said:
They did that in 'Blade' and it sucked, so no.
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One of the many corny features that would have probably never been made into a movie if not for the success of Buffy.

And Buffy would so kick Blade's ass!
 
K
killerdwarf
That's what the guy in the back of the theatre thought too when we saw the previews!!!
Kazby said:
About the breathing thing...they can breathe if they want to. But they don't have to. It's not like it will kill them if they don't 😉
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Okay, now that I thought about that, it doesn't make sense. Wouldn't Angel have "Wanted" to breathe to save Buffy's life in that episode he couldn't give CPR? Is it me or does everything contradict everything else?
:help: I think they just throw it in for effect, thats the only thing I can understand LOL.
 
there are two explanations to this: 1) angel *wanted* xander to be the one to do it and 2) the biological explanation, it is possible that what passes for "breath" in a vampire's body does not have the same effect on a human one.
 
The breathing thing, I believe vampires breathe more out of habit. They don't need to but it's something they do since they were used to it in life. Though if they wanted to, they could stop breathing and it would make no difference since when they breathe in, the oxygen does not help them and the air does not get filtered in their lungs. At least that's what I've always heard.

I'm not sure about the chopping off of limbs thing. It could possibly happen both ways. The vamp's arm or whatever might possibly decay after awhile, but since it's a vampire it may not since the vampire's already dead and is technically a demon which took over a human's body, the limb may stay around as long as the vampire or longer. lol. Not really sure about that one.

Vampire heart transplant, I think the heart doesn't really matter and whatever vamp you'd stake would die even if that wasn't really their heart. But this is confusing so, who knows? lol.
 
1) vampires *have* to breathe. you have to breathe in order to speak, it's as simple as that. they don't however, have to breathe to live.
2) you can't perform heart transplant on vampires because if you damage the heart to begin with (to take it out), you kill the vampire instantly.
 
Wicca said:
1) vampires *have* to breathe. you have to breathe in order to speak, it's as simple as that. they don't however, have to breathe to live.
2) you can't perform heart transplant on vampires because if you damage the heart to begin with (to take it out), you kill the vampire instantly.
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You can remove the heart of a vampire, as seen on Angel. Which makes them invulnerable for a while but then they dust a short times afterwards.

Hm, if you transplanted the heart of two demons, would they both stay alive until one of them is dusted, or does the vampire begin to die when their heart is removed.
 
i really don't think you can bring the example of james into it because he went to a special doctor *and* his life was unnaturally prollonged. had that not been the case, i think it's safe to say he would have been instantly dead. either way, heart removal does ensure certain death for the vampire.
 
I would think that any vampire would have to see a "special" doctor. Any normal MD would crap their pants if an immortal showed up in their waiting room.

And there aren't any instances in the transcript where it says his life was naturally prolonged, just that his heart was removed. Maybe some mysticism was involved, but it is never mentioned:

Hearthrob said:
James: "I need it."

Doctor: "It?"

James: "The cure."

Doctor: "You're aware of the price? It's a steep one."

James: "I've already paid it."

Doctor: "Alright then. Sandy, lets prepare the patient."

James is lying on an operating table with Dr. Gregson and Nurse Sandy standing over him.

Doctor: "Now, James, (lifts a scalpel) this shouldn't hurt (starts to slice into James chest) too much."
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Hearthrob said:
Cordy: "Oh. He's invincible, is he? He went to a what? Slog demon? What's that? (to Angel) some kind of doctor demon that collects rare organs. (To phone) Cut out his heart? (To Angel) Absolutely can not be killed. (To phone) Wait. What? - How long? Six what? What? Hello? (looks down at her phone) No signal. (closes it) Okay. The guy's invincible, but it only lasts for so long then he dies."
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the fact alone that he went to see a person that specializes in these things should tell you that it wasn't your ordinary medical procedure. at least that's what it tells me.
 
Wicca said:
the fact alone that he went to see a person that specializes in these things should tell you that it wasn't your ordinary medical procedure. at least that's what it tells me.
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Why? The Slod demon is described as a collector of rare organs, not a mystic.

James needed his heart cut out. He went to an expert.

Also when you say, "heart removal does ensure certain death for the vampire", have you considered the fact that a vampire heart doesn't beat?
 
ok i'm not going to argue about the first thing because it's clearly down to personal perception. but could you just explain to me what the beating or not of the heart has to do with the facts that it's removal or any damage done to it kills the vampire?
 
The human body needs a heart to supply blood to the rest of the body. It does this by beating. When you remove this function the body dies.

The vampire heart does not beat, therefore one can assume it is not required in the same way or for the same reasons a human body needs a heart to function.
 
That what was I was thinking, more of a old habbit.. But if Spike can breathe in to fill his lungs with water, where does the air he inhales go? LOL sorry, don't think I'll eve get this.. I don't think damaging the heart would have any affect, unless it was damaged with wood? Otherwise you could stake a vampire with any old thing, right? And why couldn't Angel have chopped that guys head off? Anything without a head is dead, or at least incapable of attacking, right?
 
M
MentPatient
I remember an episode where Riley came in and staked Spike, but it was a plastic stake. He didn't go poof so I guess it HAS to be something wooden that stabs that heart to make the vamp go poof.
nerd4hire said:
The human body needs a heart to supply blood to the rest of the body. It does this by beating. When you remove this function the body dies.

The vampire heart does not beat, therefore one can assume it is not required in the same way a human body is.
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of course not, simply because a human body is alive while a vampire is dead, but that has nothing to do with what i'm saying.
fact is that a heart is essential to the vampire's existance, otherwise it wouldn't turn to dust once staked, or (however long) after its removed.
 
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