The ''Buffyverse'' canon consists of materials that are thought to be genuine (or "official") and those events, characters, settings, etc., that are considered to have inarguable existence within the fictional universe established by the television series ''
Buffy the Vampire Slayer
''Buffy the Vampire Slayer'' is an American supernatural fiction, supernatural drama television series created by writer and director Joss Whedon. It is based on the Buffy the Vampire Slayer (film), 1992 film of the same name, also written by W ...
''. The
Buffyverse
The Buffyverse or Slayerverse is a Multimedia franchise, media franchise created by Joss Whedon. The term also refers to the shared fictional universe in which the TV series ''Buffy the Vampire Slayer'' and ''Angel (1999 TV series), Angel'' are ...
is expanded through other additional materials such as comics, novels, pilots, promos and video games which do not necessarily take place in exactly the same fictional continuity as the
''Buffy'' episodes and
''Angel'' episodes. ''
Star Trek
''Star Trek'' is an American science fiction media franchise created by Gene Roddenberry, which began with the eponymous 1960s television series and quickly became a worldwide pop-culture phenomenon. The franchise has expanded into vari ...
'', ''
Star Wars
''Star Wars'' is an American epic film, epic space opera multimedia franchise created by George Lucas, which began with the Star Wars (film), eponymous 1977 film and quickly became a worldwide popular culture, pop-culture Cultural impact of S ...
'', ''
Stargate
''Stargate'' (often stylized in all caps) is a military science fiction media franchise based on the Stargate (film), film directed by Roland Emmerich, which he co-wrote with producer Dean Devlin. The franchise is based on the idea of an alien E ...
'' and other prolific sci-fi and fantasy franchises have similarly gathered complex fictional continuities through hundreds of stories told in different formats.
Definition
Using the religious analogy of a canon of
scripture
Religious texts, including scripture, are texts which various religions consider to be of central importance to their religious tradition. They differ from literature by being a compilation or discussion of beliefs, mythologies, ritual prac ...
(see
Biblical canon
A biblical canon is a set of texts (also called "books") which a particular Jewish or Christian religious community regards as part of the Bible.
The English word ''canon'' comes from the Greek , meaning " rule" or "measuring stick". The use ...
), things that are not canon are considered "
apocryphal
Apocrypha are works, usually written, of unknown authorship or of doubtful origin. The word ''apocryphal'' (ἀπόκρυφος) was first applied to writings which were kept secret because they were the vehicles of esoteric knowledge considered ...
." When a body of work is not specifically accepted or rejected by an authority, "canon" can be a fluid term that is interpreted differently by different people. This is the case with "''Buffyverse'' canon", which has yet to be publicly defined by an authority to the satisfaction and consensus of all observers (see:
links to canon debates). The creator of the Buffyverse,
Joss Whedon
Joseph Hill Whedon (; born June 23, 1964) is an American filmmaker, composer, and comic book writer. He is the founder of Mutant Enemy Productions, co-founder of Bellwether Pictures, and is best known as the creator of several television series: ...
, has implied that additional materials he was not heavily involved in creating were separate from canon.
[Faraci, Devin,]
Exclusive Interview: Joss Whedon
''CHUD.com'' (September 22, 2005) When asked in an interview about canon, Whedon stated:
Canon listing
This is an overview of what has been dubbed official ''Buffyverse'' canon by the series creator Joss Whedon:
*All 144 episodes of ''
Buffy the Vampire Slayer
''Buffy the Vampire Slayer'' is an American supernatural fiction, supernatural drama television series created by writer and director Joss Whedon. It is based on the Buffy the Vampire Slayer (film), 1992 film of the same name, also written by W ...
''
*All 110 episodes of ''
Angel
In various theistic religious traditions an angel is a supernatural spiritual being who serves God.
Abrahamic religions often depict angels as benevolent celestial intermediaries between God (or Heaven) and humanity. Other roles include ...
''
*The 1999 comic series ''
The Origin''
*The ''
Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season Eight
''Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season Eight'' is a comic book series published by Dark Horse Comics from 2007 to 2011. The series serves as a canonical continuation of the television series ''Buffy the Vampire Slayer'', and follows the events of that ...
'' comic series and related one-shots
*The
''Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season Nine'' and ''Angel and Faith'' comic series, as well as spin-offs (Spike: A Dark Place and Willow: Wonderland)
*The
''Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season Ten'' and ''Angel and Faith'' Volume 2 comic series
*The
''Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season Eleven'' and ''Angel'' comic series and Giles spin-off
*The ''
Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season Twelve'' comic series
*The ''
Angel: After the Fall'' comic series (#1–17)
*The ''
Spike: After the Fall'' comic series
*The ''
Spike
Spike, spikes, or spiking may refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media
Books
* ''The Spike'' (novel), a novel by Arnaud de Borchgrave
* ''The Spike'' (book), a nonfiction book by Damien Broderick
* ''The Spike'', a starship in Peter F. Hamilto ...
'' comic series
*The ''
Fray'' comic series
*The ''
Tales of the Slayers
''Tales of the Slayers'' is a Dark Horse Comics ''Buffy the Vampire Slayer'' graphic novel that consists of multiple stories written by Joss Whedon, Amber Benson, and others which tell of different members of the Slayer line.
The stories are ...
'' one-shot
*The ''
Tales of the Vampires
''Tales of the Vampires'' is a five issue American comic book limited series (later collected in a single trade paperback), published by Dark Horse Comics and set in the Buffyverse. It comprises an anthology of short stories written by Joss Wh ...
'' comic series
Comics and novels
Outside of the TV series, the Buffyverse has been expanded and elaborated on by various authors and artists in the so-called "''Buffyverse''
Expanded Universe". The
''Buffyverse'' novels and
''Buffyverse'' comics are licensed by
20th Century Fox
20th Century Studios, Inc. (previously known as 20th Century Fox) is an American film production company headquartered at the Fox Studio Lot in the Century City area of Los Angeles. As of 2019, it serves as a film production arm of Walt Dis ...
, but are generally considered 'less real' within the ''Buffyverse'' (
apocryphal
Apocrypha are works, usually written, of unknown authorship or of doubtful origin. The word ''apocryphal'' (ἀπόκρυφος) was first applied to writings which were kept secret because they were the vehicles of esoteric knowledge considered ...
).
[Naso, Markisan]
Jeff Mariotte: Cursed
, ''Silver Bullet Comic Books'' (2005)
Despite this, they have been licensed as official ''Buffy the Vampire Slayer'' or ''Angel'' merchandise. Furthermore, many authors have said that Whedon or his office have had to approve their overall outline for their novel or comic if not the final product. This was to prevent the stories venturing too far from the original intentions of ''Buffy/Angel'' stories (see below). These works are commonly considered non-canon.
Jeff Mariotte
Jeff Mariotte (born 1955) is an author who lives in Arizona. As well as his own original work, he is best known for writing novels and comic books based on licensed properties.
Biography
Mariotte was born in Park Forest, Illinois, but he moved ...
, author of ''Buffyverse'' novels and comics has said:
Works by ''Buffyverse'' writers and cast
Joss Whedon
Work created with Joss Whedon's involvement has been described as canon by commentators, and by Whedon himself. For example, he announced in 2005:
In a separate interview, Whedon spoke of the planning process for the series:
Whedon has also written the comic mini-series ''
Long Night's Journey'', as well as short stories for ''
Tales of the Slayers
''Tales of the Slayers'' is a Dark Horse Comics ''Buffy the Vampire Slayer'' graphic novel that consists of multiple stories written by Joss Whedon, Amber Benson, and others which tell of different members of the Slayer line.
The stories are ...
'' and ''
Tales of the Vampires
''Tales of the Vampires'' is a five issue American comic book limited series (later collected in a single trade paperback), published by Dark Horse Comics and set in the Buffyverse. It comprises an anthology of short stories written by Joss Wh ...
''.
''
Fray'' is an eight-part comic series written by Whedon, about a Vampire Slayer of the future named Melaka Fray. In the Buffyverse, a powerful scythe used by Buffy is found in centuries to come by Melaka Fray. In 2001, whilst Whedon was still producing ''Buffy'', he spoke about his concern of implications of information established by
Fray (and ''Buffy'' comics generally) affecting the canon Buffyverse:
However, the ''Buffy'' series finale did not match continuity set by ''Fray''. In ''Fray'' no mention is made of the
Slayer's essence being split amongst multiple women. When asked about the apparent contradictions between ''Buffy'' and ''Fray'', Whedon responded:
In an interview with ''TV Guide'', Whedon revealed that he considered TV tie-in comics to be "ancillary" unless written by the script-writers:
Mutant Enemy
Several of the comics have been written by the scriptwriters of
Mutant Enemy Productions
Mutant Enemy Productions is a production company that was created in 1996 by Joss Whedon to produce ''Buffy the Vampire Slayer.'' The company also produced the ''Buffy'' spin-off, ''Angel'', and his two short-lived science fiction series, the sp ...
. Doug Petrie wrote comics ''
Ring of Fire
The Ring of Fire (also known as the Pacific Ring of Fire, the Rim of Fire, the Girdle of Fire or the Circum-Pacific belt) is a region around much of the rim of the Pacific Ocean where many volcanic eruptions and earthquakes occur. The Ring o ...
'',
''Double Cross'', and
''Bad Dog''.
Jane Espenson
Jane Espenson (born July 14, 1964) is an American television writer and producer.
Espenson has worked on both situation comedies and serial dramas. She had a five-year stint as a writer and producer on ''Buffy the Vampire Slayer'' and shared a ...
has written comics (''
Haunted
Haunted or The Haunted may refer to:
Books
* ''Haunted'' (Armstrong novel), by Kelley Armstrong, 2005
* ''Haunted'' (Cabot novel), by Meg Cabot, 2004
* ''Haunted'' (Palahniuk novel), by Chuck Palahniuk, 2005
* ''Haunted'' (Angel novel), a 200 ...
'', ''
Jonathan'', and ''
Reunion
Reunion may refer to:
* Class reunion
* Family reunion
Reunion, Réunion, Re-union, Reunions or The Reunion may also refer to:
Places
* Réunion, a French overseas department and island in the Indian Ocean
* Reunion, Commerce City, Colorado, U ...
''), as well as two ''
Tales of the Slayer
''Tales of the Slayer'' are volumes containing prose short stories. Four volumes of this series have been released, all published by Pocket Books. Each contains a number of short stories surrounding the mythology of past Slayers.
Tales within ...
'' prose shorts ("
Again, Sunnydale" and "
Two Teenage Girls at the Mall"). Rebecca Rand Kirshner also wrote a prose short story for ''Tales of the Slayer'', "
The War Between the States".
''Buffyverse'' cast
Two actors have co-authored comics with
Christopher Golden.
James Marsters
James Wesley Marsters (born August 20, 1962) is an American actor, musician, singer, comic book writer, and audiobook narrator.
He is sometimes credited in various anime series and video games as David Gray and Sam Majesters in the series ''Dr ...
, who portrayed
Spike
Spike, spikes, or spiking may refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media
Books
* ''The Spike'' (novel), a novel by Arnaud de Borchgrave
* ''The Spike'' (book), a nonfiction book by Damien Broderick
* ''The Spike'', a starship in Peter F. Hamilto ...
, co-authored "
Paint the Town Red", whilst
Amber Benson
Amber Nicole Benson (born January 8, 1977) is an American actress, singer, writer, director, and producer. She is best known for her role as Tara Maclay on the TV series ''Buffy the Vampire Slayer'' (1999–2002), and has also directed, produced ...
co-authored ''
Willow & Tara''. Benson also wrote the comic short story "
The Innocent".
Works by other authors
All other ''Buffyverse''
comics
a medium used to express ideas with images, often combined with text or other visual information. It typically the form of a sequence of panels of images. Textual devices such as speech balloons, captions, and onomatopoeia can indicate ...
and
novels were written by authors that were not involved with any level of production of the television series ''Buffy the Vampire Slayer'' or ''Angel''. The creators of these works are generally free to tell their own stories set in the Buffyverse, and may or may not keep to established continuity. Similarly, writers for the TV series were under no obligation to use continuity which has been established by the Expanded Universe, and sometimes contradicted it.
Continuity problems
Usually the authors and editors of these licensed materials try not to contradict information that has been established by canon. However, many of the materials do directly contradict it. Jeff Mariotte has said:
For example, according to ''
Monster Island'', Spike and
Gunn Gunn may refer to:
Places
* Gunn City, Missouri, a village
* Gunn, Northern Territory, outer suburb of Darwin
* Gunn, Alberta, Canada, a hamlet
* Gunn Valley, a mountain valley in British Columbia, Canada
* Gun Lake (British Columbia), a Canad ...
meet in the Hyperion Hotel in Angel Season 3; however, the canonical ''Angel'' TV series later established that Spike and Gunn meet in the Wolfram and Hart L.A. offices in Angel Season 5.
Some of the licensed materials successfully avoid contradicting any information given in episodes. For example, ''
How I Survived My Summer Vacation'' features short stories that take place after Buffy Season 1 but before Season 2.
Joss Whedon's involvement
A number of comments by ''Buffyverse'' writers have indicated that although they know they are not writing ''Buffyverse'' canon, overviews for their stories may still have been checked over by Whedon.
Referring to Whedon, Christopher Golden said:
In a separate interview, Golden said:
Similarly,
Peter David
Peter Allen David (born September 23, 1956), often abbreviated PAD, is an American writer of comic books, novels, television, films and video games.Buxton, Marc (March 29, 2014)"From 'Future Imperfect' to '2099': Peter David's Greatest Hits" Co ...
was asked about his comic, ''
Spike: Old Times'', and said:
Jeff Mariotte has revealed more detail of the approval process:
Mariotte implies that little input is given, only acceptance or rejection of general ideas:
When asked how much attention he pays to licensed works, Whedon said:
Elsewhere, Whedon has pointed out that he has never entirely read a single Buffy novel, and has little time to devote to such material. He therefore knows little of the final product, or of their quality control.
Sanction by Joss Whedon
In one instance, Whedon has endorsed a comic neither written nor supervised by him, ''
The Origin'' by Christopher Golden and
Dan Brereton, as canonical. An adaptation of the 1992
''Buffy'' film which was reworked to fit the television series' continuity, Whedon said this of the comic:
Brian Lynch, writer of ''
Spike: Asylum'' and ''
Spike: Shadow Puppets'', had no involvement in the production of the ''Buffy'' or ''Angel'' television series, but was charged by Joss Whedon with producing the canonical comic series ''
Angel: After The Fall''. Betta George, a character created by Lynch, has since been brought into the official canon. ''Angel: After the Fall'' also makes explicit reference to ''Spike: Asylum'' within its pages. When ''After the Fall'' became an ongoing series penned by various writers, the canonicity of later stories became somewhat nebulous without the explicit say-so of those involved or Whedon himself.
Other ''Buffy'' productions
Excluding the ''Buffy'' and ''Angel'' television episodes, novels, and comics, there have been a variety of other official productions in the ''Buffy'' franchise. They are largely regarded as apocryphal, and some are contradicted by other canonical works.
''Buffy the Vampire Slayer'' (1992 film)
''
Buffy the Vampire Slayer
''Buffy the Vampire Slayer'' is an American supernatural fiction, supernatural drama television series created by writer and director Joss Whedon. It is based on the Buffy the Vampire Slayer (film), 1992 film of the same name, also written by W ...
'', the 1992 comedy film starring
Kristy Swanson
Kristen Noel Swanson (born December 19, 1969) is an American actress. She is best recognized for having played Buffy Summers in the 1992 film '' Buffy the Vampire Slayer'' and appeared in the 1996 film ''The Phantom''.
Her first starring role w ...
as Buffy, was written by Joss Whedon and directed by
Fran Rubel Kuzui
Fran Rubel Kuzui is an American film director and producer. She received her master's degree from New York University and was a script supervisor for a decade, prior to her first film, 1988's ''Tokyo Pop'', which she co-wrote and directed. The mo ...
. In 2001, Whedon described his experience watching the film:
The film contradicts continuity established by the ''Buffy'' television series; for example, the nature of vampires differs in significant ways: in the film, vampires do not have "vamp" faces whilst feeding, and can fly. They also do not turn into dust when killed. As noted above, the canonicity of this film is superseded by ''
The Origin''.
Television pilots
Whedon wrote and partly funded a 25-minute
unaired ''Buffy'' pilot to help sell the series concept, but he was not happy with the final product (he has been quoted in an interview about the pilot, "It sucks on ass"). The story is nearly identical to the plot of the first ''Buffy'' episode, "
Welcome to the Hellmouth
"Welcome to the Hellmouth" is the series premiere of the American supernatural drama television series '' Buffy the Vampire Slayer''. It originally aired on The WB on March 10, 1997 in a two-hour premiere along with the following episode, " The ...
", which supersedes it in canon; there are minor canonical changes, including the recasting of some roles and slight personality changes for some characters.
The unaired
Angel pitch tape was produced prior to that series. It features Angel speaking toward the camera (possibly breaking the
Fourth wall
The fourth wall is a performance convention in which an invisible, imaginary wall separates actors from the audience. While the audience can see through this ''wall'', the convention assumes the actors act as if they cannot. From the 16th cen ...
) and narrating action seen in clips.
Video games
The
''Buffy the Vampire Slayer'' video games do not contradict continuity established by the series. Furthermore, many of the actors from the shows have provided their voices for the games. Joss Whedon was involved in ''
Chaos Bleeds'', and appears in the game's special features.
Undeveloped productions
Mutant Enemy Productions
Mutant Enemy Productions is a production company that was created in 1996 by Joss Whedon to produce ''Buffy the Vampire Slayer.'' The company also produced the ''Buffy'' spin-off, ''Angel'', and his two short-lived science fiction series, the sp ...
have at various times gone into the early stages of development with potential ''Buffyverse'' spinoffs that were ultimately unproduced.
''Faith the Vampire Slayer'',
''Ripper'',
''Slayer School'', and the ''Spike'' movie would have taken place within the same fictional continuity. ''
Buffy the Animated Series
''Buffy: The Animated Series'' is an animated television series concept based on '' Buffy the Vampire Slayer'' created by Joss Whedon. Initially greenlit by 20th Century Fox in 2002, it went ultimately unproduced and unaired when no network was ...
'' might have followed a slightly alternative continuity since promotional artwork has shown that the Sunnydale High library would have looked dramatically different from in the ''Buffy'' episodes.
The David Fury-written script "
Corrupt
Corruption is a form of dishonesty or a criminal offense which is undertaken by a person or an organization which is entrusted in a position of authority, in order to acquire illicit benefits or abuse power for one's personal gain. Corruption m ...
" establishes an alternative continuity after the premiere ''Angel'' episode, "
City of
"City Of is the series premiere of the television series ''Angel''. Written by co-creators Joss Whedon and David Greenwalt and directed by Whedon, it was originally broadcast on October 5, 1999 on the WB network.
Angel (David Boreanaz) was a c ...
". Events that take place in the story are instead superseded by the continuity of the second ''Angel'' episode, "
Lonely Hearts", the episode which was written to replace "Corrupt".
Unofficial works
Various works are not licensed by 20th Century Fox as ''Buffy/Angel'' merchandise, and do not have any involvement from any
''Buffyverse'' cast and crew. These include adult (pornographic) parodies and fan films.
References
External links
Buffy Canon vs. FanonWhedonesque.com – A long debate over what is or is not 'canon'
{{Angel novels
Buffyverse
Canons (fiction)