Following Your Destiny
Buffy the Vampire Slayer is a famous American TV show that aired from 1997 to 2003 for seven seasons. The show follows the main character Buffy Summers, a high school student who is also a chosen vampire slayer. She has been given the power and responsibility to fight against vampires, demons, and other supernatural beings that threaten the world. Buffy and her friends navigate the dangers of Sunnydale, a town on top of a Hellmouth, which makes it a hotbed for supernatural activity. Throughout her journey, Buffy faces many personal challenges and moral dilemmas, as she tries to balance her duties as a slayer, and her life as an everyday teenager. Buffy the Vampire Slayer is a cult classic with its mix of action, horror, and drama and how their stories can parallel those of real life.
In Season 1 Episode 1 titled, “Welcome to the Hellmouth,” we follow Buffy on her first day at Sunnydale High School after being kicked out of her old school. At the beginning of the episode, Buffy has a nightmare about monsters, vampires, an underworld, and other dark images. We see her mother, Joyce, wake her up, drop her off at school, and say, “Have a good time […] and honey, try not to get kicked out.” This phrase seems to be a catalyst for the episode since all the events leading set the stage for the opposite to happen. Buffy goes to the library to check out some books for class, and she meets her watcher, Mr. Giles, the new librarian. A watcher is someone sent to help train a Slayer, a destiny Buffy was trying to avoid. He tries to give her a book titled, ‘Vampyr,’ but she immediately rejects it and leaves. A dead body is discovered in the gym locker room and when Buffy hears about it, she reluctantly goes to investigate. Her suspicions are confirmed when she sees the body is drained of blood and has two puncture wounds at the neck. Her first instinct is to return to the library and relay all of this information to Mr Giles, which is when she discovers that Sunnydale is on a Hellmouth. After hearing this news and investigating the dead body, Buffy is still against being a Slayer saying, “Can you prepare me for getting kicked out of school and losing all friends.” harkening back to what her mother said that morning and what happened at her old school.
Buffy goes to the Bronze, a nightclub in Sunnydale, and runs into Mr. Giles, where he encourages her to sense if there are any vampires in the room. Buffy points out one man because his outfit is 80’s and out of date. She realizes that the man is talking to one of her friends, Willow, and they’re starting to leave. Buffy goes into action and goes after them, which is when we see that she’s following her destiny. Unfortunately, the man and another vampire lure Willow and Buffy’s other friend, Jesse, into a cemetery with the plan of killing them. While the vampires start circling Willow and Jesse, Buffy rushes in to save them. Willow and Jesse escape and Buffy is able to stake the 80’s vampire.
Though Buffy is reluctant to follow her destiny at first, she quickly realizes what good she’s able to do. Even when she references what her mother said to her and what happened at her old school, that wasn’t enough to stop her from doing what was right and save her friends. To be a Slayer is a big commitment and taking on a huge responsibility and when Buffy follows her destiny and decides to pursue it despite everything, The show is able to inspire others to do what they feel they are capable of and follow their destiny despite the hardships that may come. There’s a lot of good that comes from following a path that could lead to success and greatness.
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