Watcher (Buffyverse)
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In the fictional Buffyverse established by the television series Buffy and Angel
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[edit] Description
A Watcher is a member of a secret organization, the Watchers' Council, devoted to tracking and combatting malevolent supernatural entities (and particularly vampires), primarily by locating individuals with the talents required to fight such beings and win. More specifically, Watchers are assigned to Vampire Slayers, girls that are part of a succession of mythically powered individuals who are destined to face said foes. Upon a Slayer's demise, her powers are transferred unto a new girl, who is then assigned a Watcher herself. The Watcher's Council trains new Watchers in a private school of some kind. Wesley was Head Boy during his time at the Watcher's Academy.
Notable Watchers include Rupert Giles, Buffy's official Watcher in the beginning of the series and, after being fired by the Council for what was considered an emotional overattachment to the Slayer, her unofficial Watcher for most of the series; and Wesley Wyndam-Pryce, who after Giles' firing became Buffy and Faith's Watcher for a short period of time. Gwendolyn Post was an ex-watcher who was fired from the council for misuse of dark power.
[edit] Powers and Abilities
A standard Watcher has expertise in the dark arts, meaning they have a mild proficiency in the use of magic. They are students of demonology and as such have a wide knowledge of various incarnations of evil, but their expertise is usually the vampire.
Watchers are typically well versed in hand-to-hand combat techniques, though they usually confine themselves to training Slayers or supporting them in battle, as their relative strength limits their effectiveness in directly engaging vampires.
[edit] See also
[edit] Watchers
- Lydia
- Crowley, Bernard (watcher to Nikki Wood)
- Giles, Edna
- Giles, Rupert
- Merrick
- Post, Gwendolyn (Mrs.)
- Sirk, Rutherford
- Travers, Quentin
- Wells, Andrew
- Wyndam-Pryce, Roger
- Wyndam-Pryce, Wesley
- Zabuto, Sam
- Dunworthy (Tales of the Vampires)
