What is the Hellmouth, anyway?

[Chosen Enemy]

We all know that there is (was) Hellmouth under Sunnydale (RIP), and that there is another one, an active one in Cleveland. And we've seen what's under the seal in Chosen. There are many ubervampires there. And throughout the series we see many demons and monsters coming out from the opening, which used to be in Sunnydale High's library.

But what really is it, the Hellmouth? Is the THE hell? Or just where demons live? Which, by the way, we didn't see when the gang and potentials went down there. We just saw ubervamps, lots of them.

Also, the hellmouth used to draw many weird things, and make weird things, also to people.

Personally, I couldn't understand what was this hellmouth thingy. Because as much as they talked about it during seasons 1-7, we never really got any information about it.

 

[ticonderouga]

I the Hellmouth was a place where all of the other dimensions sort of met and the barrier between them was weak, so the seal with all of the ubervamps was just one of the dimensions that had all kinds of nasty little beasties.

Actually the Hellmouth was mostly just a plot device to explain why so many demons and such would come to a place like Sunnydale, because of this I don't think that Whedon and company ever really explained what it is exactly. It just became whatever they needed it to be for each story.

 

[Kanazaka]

I've always thought of a Hellmouth as just a literal gate to Hell, but I suppose it could also be a gateway to one or multiple demon dimensions. I read somewhere that there is supposed to be a gate to Hell (an actual Hellmouth) in Italy, and keep hoping that one of the Buffy writers will use it in a story 😎.

 

[Konoe]

I the Hellmouth was a place where all of the other dimensions sort of met and the barrier between them was weak, so the seal with all of the ubervamps was just one of the dimensions that had all kinds of nasty little beasties.

Actually the Hellmouth was mostly just a plot device to explain why so many demons and such would come to a place like Sunnydale, because of this I don't think that Whedon and company ever really explained what it is exactly. It just became whatever they needed it to be for each story.

Yes I agree with this but what confuses me yes it was a seal where the Ubervamps were trapped in but also it let out magical energy that when people began to believe things they would happen.

IE. Like that kids head blowing up. (not seen but greatly implied.)

I thought more that it was a seal that was a connection to all these other dimensions that was closed. (Don't know how but it was somehow.) So this closed seal would let out this energy that would make things happened if people did believe in them.

To be the Ubervamps were just something they placed there to end the show. Because sealing the energy (most of it) with Andrew's tears and then how it opened up and they all went into it sorta seemed to be jumbled together.

Unless the Ubervamps were somehow protecting the area since well it could have gone in layers.

Ubervamps first, and then as the levels get lower more stronger demons could have come out if it wasn't destroyed?

Just throwing it out there.