Reasons Why Buffy the Vampire Slayer Is Iconic and Played a Large Role in Poplular Culture

Buffy the Vampire the television series first aired in 1997, based on its 1992 movie staring Kristy Swanson written by Joss Whedon. The Television series aired its first episode titled “Welcome to the Hellmouth” and we are introduced to a scene of misdirection, a young woman wondering the new high school with a young man who clearly has some intentions he is wanting to express. We immediately make the assumption that he is the vampire looking for blood, very quickly it is revealed that it was she, Darla, who was the danger and with this curve ball the idea of strong women and female empowerment begins. With a new high school, and new characters particularly Sarah Michelle Gellar as Buffy Summers, Nicholas Brendon as Xander Harris, Alyson Hannigan as Willow Rosenburg and Anthony Head as Rupert Giles. We are delivered the foundations for characters and story very smoothly and packed with information within the first fifteen minutes. We know at this point we are seeing a collection of themes that will become very important to popular culture and spawn an ever growing collection of fan fiction and spin-offs, cosplay, discussion and social commentary as topics for study.

"In every generation, there is a chosen one. She alone shall stand against the vampires, demons, and forces of darkness. She is the Slayer." Is first quoted by Giles and continues to establish the topic of female empowerment, an attractive, young, 16 year old woman with two lives. One as a normal teenager struggling with life through high school and social aspects, the other a secret life as a super hero, the Slayer. This introduced the fantasy ideas that where usually reserved for young boys and their comic books to teenage girls. One of the most iconic scenes to r...

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...y ending.

The story however is continued as a comic still running today, and from Buffy the Vampire Slayer spawned the spin-off series Angel.

We still feel such strong emotions of fear, love, sorrow and happiness for this complete fictional fantasy world, perhaps because its so close to our own, the monsters and demons are a metaphor for our own struggles day in and day out. We can basically relate to everything Joss Whedon has presented us with.

Buffy the Vampire Slayer is definitely one of the most iconic artworks of our time, Buffy is an excellent role model for young women, Strong, independent leader who needs no man to do anything for her. The writing is brilliant and the story is complex, everyone is able to relate to something from the characters to the villains and at the end of the day sends some of the most power positive messages to the audience. Iconic.