1. Portrayals of god in Buffy the Vampire Slayer Or, Die, god, Die!

2. If you meet a god in Buffy the Vampire Slayer, chances are you’ll have to kill it… Evil gods - gods are real on Buffy, but they are ALWAYS evil –the “big bad” in Buffy is often divine (or a divine wannabe) –Other “divine beings” also evil - Olaf the Troll God (Triangle, 2001) Die God Die!

3. The Mayor Nice, polite, psychotic, divine wannabe His “ascension” is focus of season 3 Never trust a politician, they think they are gods? Gods/religions devour our youth? Evil dwells beneath calm, bible-belt exterior? High School is Hell? Episode foreshadows Buffy’s solution at end of Season Seven

4. Die God Die: The Mayor

5. Glory Psychotic, self-centered, relentless, multiple- personality (and body!) Big Bad of Season Five Exiled God (parallel to Satan?) God/religion looks attractive, but is deadly? Religion/god is two- faced? (Shares her body with Ben) Even well-intentioned devotees (Ben) are corrupted by religion? Religion is insane?

6. Die God Die: Glory

7. The First The first evil, predating human beings Takes the form of dead humans Origin story of world - began in evil, only after last demon slain, was room made for humans Evil worshipped as divine - root of religion is evil? Fear, doubt, lies - root of religion?

8. (Ex)Catholic priest, abuser of women Servant of the First “a woman-hating jerk” Considers women “dirty,” stained with “Eve’s sin” Religion = anti-woman? Religion destroys women? Worshipper of evil Attempting to become a god - religious quest = evil? Religion = demonic? Power of church, clergy = evil? Caleb

9. Caleb: Religion as Anti- Woman?

10. Caleb: Religion as Demonic?

11. Die [servant of] God Die: Caleb

12. Die God Die Theological implications of gods in Buffy - evil gods are active in the world - no other kind of god is shown in the Buffyverse Even Buffy’s powers are shown to be evil at root Evil and male/patriarchal dominance go hand in hand Buffy’s solution to divine evil is a feminist answer to religion? We will discuss this more next week!