application → buffy summers
Your character's name: Buffy Summers
Your character's canon: Buffy the Vampire Slayer
What type of canon is it (Book series, film, etc.): Television series.
Your character's LJ: prophetes.
Is your character living or dead at their time of entry?: Living.
Does your character have any pre-existing disabilities of a medical, physical, or psychiatric nature?:
At the age of sixteen, Buffy drowned after facing The Master- a particularly old and powerful vampire- and was soon resuscitated via CPR. Four years later, she died again, having sacrificed herself in place of her younger sister. This time, she remained dead. For a while.
The first death brought upon the realization that, powerful as she might be, Buffy was not invincible. Winning was not a guarantee and there was no reason she shouldn't suffer the same fate as hundreds of slayers before her. Unlike previous slayers, however, Buffy had survived and gone on to defeat The Master. She had defied death and prophecy, which left some lingering feelings of superiority. While Buffy realized that she could die, she also recognized that she hadn't, and the experience left her with a degree of much needed confidence.
The second death was much more traumatic for Buffy. The world was seconds away from being sucked into a nightmarish hell dimension and the only way to stop it was with blood. Specifically, the blood of the key: Dawn Summers. Unwilling to let her sister die, Buffy offered herself instead. Fearing that Buffy had been sucked into the very hell dimension she had sealed off, her friends turned to black magic and staged a resurrection. It worked, and Buffy returned to the living realm. The one problem with this: she hadn't been in Hell, but in Heaven. It took a very long time for Buffy to come to terms with the fact that her loved ones had ripped her from paradise.
In death, Buffy had finally obtained the peace she so rightfully deserved. Life was a harsh and stark contrast. Adulthood slapped Buffy in the face as the Summers family hurdled toward a terrible debt and social services threatened to deny Buffy legal guardianship of her own sister. Fighting the forces of evil and averting the apocalypse was familiar for Buffy. Facing adult responsibility was not. It was also a period in her life in which she felt more alone than ever before. There wasn't a single person who could understand what she had been through or how she was feeling. The only one she could confide in was a vampire who constantly reminded her that there was a very great chance she had come back wrong, somehow. As if being the slayer wasn't enough, Buffy now had even more reason to question her own humanity. It was, perhaps, Buffy's greatest obstacle to date.
Tell us about your character's background:
The town of Sunnydale, California boasts a favorable climate, picturesque neighborhoods, and an annual death toll in the upper thousands, on a good year. Fortunately, it also happens to be the home of Buffy Summers. In every generation, one girl is chosen to stand alone against the forces of darkness: the vampire slayer. Buffy is the current holder of that prestigious title, and she certainly is living up to the calling. At the end of the seventh season, her status report might read something like this:
VAMPIRES SLAYED
BIG BADS FACED
BIG BADS DEFEATED
APOCALYPSES (APOCALYPSI?) AVERTED
FAVORITE POWDER BLUE CASHMERE SWEATER DESTROYED IN THE PROCESS CASUALTIES OF WAR
1000-2000...+
7+
"
"
1
Since high school, Buffy has fought alongside a small group of committed and supportive friends. Rupert Giles, her watcher, didn't have a choice in the matter, but best friends Willow and Xander did, and they stood by the chosen one. The Watchers' Council didn't take to the idea of a slayer with such strong ties to "civilians", but it has made all the difference for Buffy. It is safe to say that she would not have made it so far without their help. She alone stands, but she does not stand alone.
There have been a great many defining moments throughout Buffy's life. There have been sacrifices, the most significant two being her boyfriend, Angel, who she killed to save the world, and her own life, which she gave in exchange for her sister's. There was The Master, her first great evil defeated, and The Mayor, who threatened to demolish all of Sunnydale after high school graduation, followed by Adam, whose defeat proved the importance of teamwork. Every victory counts and leaves its mark.
The romance department hasn't exactly been kind to Buffy, beginning with Angel, the forbidden love that could never be (lest they risk him losing a soul and gaining an appetite for destruction) and then Riley, whose great fault may have been that he was too normal, followed by Spike, the baddest of bad habits. Friends and family have always been the one constant in Buffy's life. They have helped her through life or death scenarios and personal crises alike, the most important of which was her mother's death after a long year of dread and anxiety. After Joyce passed, Buffy was suddenly thrust into adulthood, Dawn's sole caretaker and provider for the Summers household. She was forced to take her first job, earning next to nothing at the Doublemeat Palace and coming home night after night smelling of grease and desperation. It took a while (a very long while), but Buffy has since gotten the hang of that wacky thing they call responsibility. Currently, she is employed at the new and improved Sunnydale High as an unofficial counselor for troubled students. The world is no longer falling apart around her, even if there is a new evil in town threatening to bring forth the apocalypse. Just another day at the office when you're Buffy Summers.
Your character's personality:
Buffy Summers is a hero, not by way of choice but by fate. Destiny. Being a hero means going to the end of the world and back for what you believe in, sacrificing your own happiness- and sometimes even your own life- for that of others. It means always having to make the hard decisions, the ones others shy away from. Most of all, it means carrying the weight of the world on your shoulders, and that is exactly who Buffy is: the girl who carries the weight of the world.
Bravery is a given; you can't have the vampire slayer cowering away in fear. Buffy is a born warrior: resourceful, competitive, and tenacious. Under no circumstances will she ever give up or back down from a fight. Never a quitter, Buffy is in it to the end, even if the end is a coffin six feet under. But being the slayer is not without its price.
One of Buffy's greatest fears is the loss of her own humanity. She admits that being the slayer makes her feel singled out from all the rest, in more ways than one. There are times when she can't help but feel like she's better than everyone else, like her calling somehow makes her more important. For this, Buffy thinks herself a terrible person. She believes she is undeserving of her friends, their love and their support, because she cannot truly appreciate it.
"You do have a superiority complex, and you've got an inferiority complex about it."
Being the slayer frightens Buffy. She stands the risk of losing her humanity and essentially becoming the very things she hunts. What she doesn't realize is that after more than seven years, this has yet to happen. She has never given up on friends and family, and she never will. Despite constantly doubting its existence, Buffy proves her humanity time and time again.
At the heart of it all, Buffy Summers is just a girl. She got the short end of the straw and she's had to make due ever since, but she's trying, and that counts for much more than she thinks. A devoted sister and a caring friend, Buffy gives just as much as she takes. Bubbly, upbeat, and with more than a touch of snark, anyone would find it hard to believe Buffy Summers was any kind of superwoman. She lives for the moments that don't hang on life or death predicaments; moments when she can lay back and enjoy laughably bad movies with her best friends or take herself younger sister shoe shopping. These normal moments are few and far between, but they're more than worth the struggle.
Why do you want to play this character?:
I originally joined Tabula Rasa in August, with Anabelle Leigh, whom I dropped after a month, give or take a few days. Not the best track record, I admit. Unfortunately, Anabelle's voice left me almost as quickly as it came, but in my short time at TR I grew very fond of the atmosphere. I didn't want to force activity on a character I could no longer feel simply so that I could pick up another come the next quarter. I chose to drop Anabelle, but never intended to stay away for long.
Choosing the right character to return with, however, was a process. I wanted a character I was familiar with rather than a new and exciting character where the novelty soon wears off. It had to be someone who could develop in the island environment, who would both benefit from it and find it challenging. Someone who, when presented with said challenge, would not hesitate to rise to it. It hit me while watching an old rerun, and I knew as soon as the idea occurred that Buffy Summers was the one. I grew up watching Buffy the Vampire Slayers, and this character has been my personal hero since the age of ten. I am excited about the chance to play Buffy, and I know that after watching this character learn and grow for years and years, there is little risk of my suddenly growing tired of her. If anything, I think I can only grow to love her more at this point, and I hope that turns out to be the case.
The island will be an experience like none other for Buffy, who has always relied on her strength and abilities. Life on the island moves significantly slower than it does in Sunnydale, where there's a new monster to face every week, without fail. Taking it slow won't come easy for Buffy. She'll find a way to save or help people, even on the island, even without superpowers. It doesn't matter if it's a drowning person or a young girl reeling from a bad breakup, it's in Buffy's nature to help people however she can, and that is exactly what she will do.
Your character's initial personal inventory:
Buffy Summers arrives from the end of 7x11 - "Showtime" with the following items:
☇ One white Victoria's Secret BioFit® unlined full coverage bra.
☇ One pair white Hanes Women's TAGLESS® nylon boy-shorts.
☇ One thin black elastic hair tie.
☇ One loose white Chinese-collared blouse.
☇ One form-fitting black leather jacket.
☇ One pair light blue faded jeans.
☇ One pair black cotton socks.
☇ One pair black patent leather sneakers.
☇ One pair small white gold hoop earrings.
☇ One additional small silver hoop earring.
☇ One white gold cross on a thin white gold chain.
☇ One worn brown leather wallet containing:
☑ State of California driver's license (Points: II, Organ Donor: Y).
☑ Insurance cards for Buffy Anne Summers (Home, Car, Life, Health) and Dawn Summers (Health).
☑ First Bank Of Sunnydale ATM card.
☑ American Express credit card, $2500 limit.
☑ Collected receipts from the past two weeks.
☑ $37.42 in cash.
☑ Wallet-sized photos of Buffy + Willow + Xander and Buffy + Dawn.
☇ Two and a half feet worth of barbed wire.
Your character's entrance post:
Buffy Summers has never had time for theatrics. It's all that flashy, fancy stuff that tends to get a slayer killed. Sure, she'll throw in the incredibly lame yet clever pun around here and there, but she can't afford much more than that. Dire circumstances are just that: dire, and they can present themselves without a split second's notice. The slayer needs to be prepared, focused, with no room for distractions.
Nevertheless, there is always an exception to the rule. Tonight is that exception.
Buffy stands atop a cement platform, her feet inches apart and planted to the ground and her arms firmly crossed over her chest. Spotlighted under three severe stadium lights, her expression can easily be construed as one of self-satisfaction or overconfidence. This is far from the truth, but it doesn't phase Buffy. Confidence is frightening, intimidating, and she wants the Turok-Han to feel that energy exuding from her in waves (preferably Tsunami scale). In truth, what the others see is not cockiness but determination. This fight is not about killing the monster and it isn't just about winning (although she most definitely will win). It's about sending a message, riling up the troops, and proving a point. The potentials need to know that no monster is invincible, and Buffy intends to show them exactly why. Anyone can declare war but a true leader follows through. A true leader knows how to motivate and inspire, and has a well thought-out strategy. This is Buffy's.
"Looks good, doesn't it?" She calls with a slightest shrug. "They're trapped in here. Terrified. Meat for the beast and there's nothing they can do but wait." She leaps into a forwards tuck off the platform, landing hard on both feet into the perfect fighting stance. A modern slayer's spin on an old cheerleading trick. "That's all they've been doing for days. Waiting to be picked off. Having nightmares about monsters that can't be killed." She inches forward, cautious and calculating. "I don't believe in that. I always find a way. I'm the thing that monsters have nightmares about, and right now, you and me are gonna show them why.
It's time. Welcome to Thunderdome."
She may later admit to having practiced that speech in her head one or ten times. Currently, she has bigger worries. Priority one is the 200 pound ubervamp charging fast toward her. Buffy spins into a round house kick. He ducks, but she soon launches another, and yet another after that. An outsider might watch this fight on the edge of his seat, squinting to catch each move as the two opponents fly at each other. The blows blur into one another, one coming just seconds after the last at a blinding speed. To the spectator, this fight will be over almost as soon as it began.
Yet, for Buffy it's almost as if time itself slows down, offering her a useful advantage. The circumstances are on her side, and although thinking fast is a necessity, Buffy can measure each punch precisely. She's good at this, always a fan of maximum impact. Ballet was never her thing, but there are times in the midst of a great battle when it seems as though each move was choreographed by some unseen, universal force. In these moments, Buffy likes to imagine that she herself is this force, and that she can manipulate each action and counteraction. If she concentrates hard enough, she can control the outcome.
This is easier to believe when she isn't being being tossed face forward into a pile of cinder blocks or hurled upward with such force that the wooden floorboards of the above structure are not enough to to impede her ascent. The planks shatter around her, awarding Buffy a gratuitous amount of splinters in unfortunate places. She lands violently on the structure's second level with no time to compose herself. The neandervamp leaps through the Buffy-shaped hole and barrels straight toward the slayer.
Before she can find her footing, the Turok-Han has its hands clutched tight around her neck, diminishing her already limited air supply. This could very well be it, but Buffy doesn't give fear the chance to sink in. If she's going to get out of this, she can't let panic penetrate her resolve. Think. Think, think, think. How- Her hand extends forward as soon as Buffy spots the arrow still buried deep in the vampire's chest. It snaps effortlessly, and Buffy drives the pointed end into her opponent's eye. She's kicking before it has released her, allowing no time for recuperation. One high kick, two right punches, and an elbow to the nose later, and the Turok-Han may now find their roles mercilessly reversed. Buffy follows up with one more back kick to the torso and a high kick to the jaw which propels the Turok-Han off the structure and onto a pile of conveniently placed brick and plywood. If she had time for a well-crafted one-liner, it might revolve around that safety hazard.
Buffy leaps down to meet her rival, only to be greeted by a jab to the gut. She doubles over, eyes tearing up and vision blurred. She can only just make out a long cord of barbed wire among the rubble. She strikes back, trading a few swift cuffs before she's finally close enough to get a strong enough grip on the demon. Buffy channels as much strength as she can muster into the next maneuver: with a sharp and forceful tug, she lobs her opponent back toward the structure, where skull meets cold hard metal in a deafening clamor. She seizes the line of wire and wraps it around the vampire's throat. It takes all of her might and only a few seconds before the wire pierces through thick skin and the Turok-Han dissolves into a heavy cloud of dust. Dust, just like every vampire before it and every vampire that is still to come. Piles of dust charging unknowingly toward their violent ends.
She turns to address the potentials, to instill them with the hope and the confidence that a slayer thrives on. To assure them that there is no enemy they cannot defeat, only those who present a greater challenge than others. There is no unstoppable force, but if they train hard enough, each and every one of these girls can become the immovable objects that hold the line between good and evil. But Buffy doesn't find herself facing an audience of scared young girls yielding medieval weapons. Before her is the setting of one of her favorite daydreams from behind her cubicle at Sunnydale High. An elusive, intangible paradise stares back at Buffy, the kind of scene that most people only ever see in travel magazines and agency brochures. The sun beats down on Buffy, who sticks out like a sore thumb in tropical nirvana. Her right hand is still clasped tight around an expanse of barbed wire and pain is beginning to pulse from fast-developing bruises all around her body. The wind blows a scattering of sand into the open gash on her cheek and Buffy has to reach up at once, applying as much pressure as she can to dull the sting. So much for accelerated healing and a wide threshold for pain.
"Hello? Willow! Xander!
...Guys?"