Buffy As The Hero In Buffy The Vampire Slayer

Buffy the Hero There are many different characters in films and TV shows that one may consider a hero. What is a hero? A hero is “someone who gives of himself, often putting his own life at great risk, for the greater good of others” (What Defines a Hero? Are All Heroes Heroic). A hero displays courage, bravery, selflessness, risk taking, and determination. Buffy Summers, the protagonist in the 1997 TV show, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, is an ordinary high school girl who has been chosen to be the Slayer. Buffy is considered a hero because she displays bravery and selflessness, fights against evil, and uses her strength for good. Hoping to escape her Slayer destiny and live a normal life after having to transfer schools, Buffy's moves to Sunnydale

She learns that the prophecy states she is meant to die in her battle against the Master. Buffy, fearful of the prophecy, tries to leave town for the weekend. When she realizes her loved ones will be in danger, she decides to face her fears in order to save them. This makes Buffy a hero because even though she has fears, she pushes them aside in order to protect others. As well, Buffy displays selflessness. Even though she knows she will die fighting, she accepts her fate in order to stop the Master. Buffy sacrifices herself to save the town, making her a

In the article “Slaying the Patriarchy: Transfusions of the Metaphor in Buffy the Vampire Slayer” by Holly Chandler, the author argues that Buffy is a hero because she defies patriarchal standards and defies typical gender roles. A. Susan Owen writes, “Buffy’s embodied strength, power, and assertiveness destabilize the traditional masculinist power of the vampire character in the horror genre (Owen)” (Chandler). In many film productions, women are portrayed as weak and scared. By showing Buffy as a strong and courageous hero who fights against evil, literally and metaphorically, the show defies the typical depiction of women in film. Additionally, the metaphors in the show further highlight Buffy’s heroism. The vampires in Buffy the Vampire Slayer are not only evil monsters that need to be defeated, but they portray a deeper meaning. The vampires Buffy battles against represent societal issues such as rape, domestic violence, and male-dominated society. In the article, it states that “Vampires on the show do more than embody the dangers of a patriarchal society; they are fluid metaphors, changing to allow the show to reflect different facets of feminist problems” (Chandler). By fighting these vampires, she is essentially fighting against these problems. In conclusion, Buffy is a feminist hero that takes on and challenges