Master (Buffy)
The Master is a male television vampire who features in Buffy the Vampire Slayer.
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Biography
One of the oldest vampires on record, the Master led the Order of Aurelius, and lurked below paying tribute to the Old Ones. His name in life was Heinrich Joseph Nest. He sired many vampires including Darla, who sired Angelus, who in turn sired Drusilla, whom sired Spike.
In 1937, the Master journeyed to a church in Sunnydale and attempted to open the Hellmouth, which would bring the Old Ones back to Earth. He was stopped by an earthquake, which buried the church along with the Master deep beneath Sunnydale. The Master himself became trapped between Earth and Hell like a cork in a bottle. In 1997, the Master awoke after a long slumber at the time of the Harvest and sent a group of vampires, led by Luke, to feed off the partygoers at the Bronze to give him the strength to free himself. They were defeated by a young Slayer named Buffy Summers. The Master enacted many schemes to free himself and rid himself of the Slayer, including sending the Three after her and sending Darla to deal with them personally.
Around the time of Sunnydale High's Spring Fling, Buffy learned of a prophecy that the Master would rise and she would die. While hesitant to fight him, she voluntarily allowed the Anointed One to lead her to the Master in the hopes of slaying him and preventing his ascension. The Master easily overpowered Buffy and fed off of her before killing her. Her blood was what freed him and began to open the Hellmouth. Buffy was revived by Xander Harris, who administered CPR to her. She made her way to the roof of Sunnydale High to confront and finally slay the Master, thus closing the Hellmouth.
His bones were buried on consecrated ground, but were stolen by vampires that served the Anointed One in an attempt to resurrect him. Buffy defeated the vampires and shattered the Master's bones. The Master is seemingly permanently gone.
Overview
Personality and attributes
In appearance, the Master was a male vampire with much more ghoulish traits compared to the regular members of his kind. In fact, his near demonic facial features were seemingly permanent, preventing him from assuming a human visage. (Episode: Darla) He had white pale skin, a bald head with pointed ears and yellowish, talon-like nails. His face had the basic vampire brow ridge, wrinkles and fangs, except with red eyes instead of yellow ones; and a snub, bat-like nose. The Master also had a distinctive bloody red stain on his nose down to his mouth. (Episode: Prophecy Girl)
The Master was a ruthless overlord who expected total devotion from his followers and expected them to risk their very own lives for his cause. (Episode: The Harvest)
Powers and abilities
He was the leader of the Order of Aurelius that were a vampire cult that worshiped the Old Ones and sought to bring about their return to the world.
Notes
- The Master was created by Joss Whedon where he was portrayed by actor Mark Metcalf.
Alternate Version
- In an alternate universe created by Cordelia Chase's wish (granted by Anya) that Buffy never came to Sunnydale, the Master was freed, and ruled Sunnydale by night while keeping the populace in fear by day. Vampiric versions of Willow Rosenberg and Xander were among his favorites. Buffy was called in to defeat him several years too late, and she was killed by the Master, just before Rupert Giles could undo Cordelia's wish and restore reality to normal.
In other media
Video games
- In Buffy the Vampire Slayer, the Master appeared in the setting of the 2002 action beat 'em up video game. He was resurrected by a necromancer as a spirit to act as the leader for the Old One Lybach's plot to build a bridge between his Hell dimension and Earth and lead an army of demons to Earth. The Master possesses Angel and uses the remnants of the Order of Aurelias and demons loyal to him to try to build the bridge. He is eventually exorcised from Angel by Buffy and Willow but survives in spirit form to continue on. After Buffy kills the Dreamers, the demons he's using to build the bridge, her friends perform a spell to make him corporeal and she is able to kill him once again.
Comic Books
Appearances
- Buffy the Vampire Slayer:
