Cross

“This symbol, these two planks of wood. It confounds me. Suffuses me with mortal dread.”

―The Master^[src]

A cross was an artifact effective as a weapon against vampires.^[1] Like the Holy Bible^[2] and holy water,^[1] crosses burned vampires on contact, producing smoke^{[3][4][5][6][7][8][9]} and potentially growing flames.^[10] Thus, they were employed to ward off vampires with moderate success;^[11] the mere sight of a cross made them fear it^[12][13] and could cause a vampire to recoil.^{[14][5][15][16][17]}

Some exorcism rituals also required the use of a cross.^[18]

History[]

1771[]

Monsignor Rivalli attempted to ward Darla off with his cross necklace, but the 200-hundred-years-old vampire tossed him aside without ill effect.^[19]

1996[]

In her first year as a Slayer, Buffy defeated Lothos by burning him with a cross and using a hair spray as an improvised torch, then staking the flaming vampire. Buffy used the same technique to immolate Amilyn, and the fire grew to burn down a gym and the remaining vampires inside.^[10]

Angel gifted Buffy a silver cross necklace on her first night in Sunnydale. She wore it that night, and the pendant protected her from Luke, burning and repelling him before he could bite her.^[1]

1997[]

Two vampires from the Order of Aurelius ambushed Giles in the Sunnydale Cemetery, but he repealed them with crosses and had time to seek refuge in the funeral home. Inside, Andrew Borba, a fanatical Christian in life and only recently sired, reacted with confusion when the sight of the cross hurt him and made him recoil, but he quickly threw the object aside.^[14]

Lecturing the Anointed One about fear, the Master described that the symbol of the cross "confounded" and filled him with "mortal dread"; however, claiming that fear was in the mind, it could be controlled as much as pain. To demonstrate it, the Master touched a large cross and let it burn his hand, facing his fear and not letting it control him.^[12]

Buffy used her cross necklace to interrogate the vampire Tara; she put the pendant inside Tara's mouth and held it close, torturing the vampire.^[4]

The du Lac cross was a cross Josephus du Lac designed to decode certain mystical texts; he eventually destroyed them all, except one that was buried with him.^[20] In 1997, Spike had the last cross retrieved and used it to perform a vampire restoration ritual on Drusilla, wearing gloves to protect himself while holding it.^[21]

Xander freed Willow from the hands of a recently soulless Angel by sneaking behind him with a wooden cross, making the vampire growl, recoil, and drop Willow with the surprise of seeing the cross next to his face.^[15]

1998[]

Xander, Willow, and Cordelia accompanied a flu-stricken Buffy during patrolling, Angel appeared and threatened the group. The three turned the soulless vampire away by each wielding a cross.^[16]

In her Tento di Cruciamentum, Buffy equipped herself with a cross and other weapons when she, powerless, went to face Zachary Kralik. She wielded the wooden cross against him, which initially made the vampire leap back from her in fear. However, Kralik then grabbed Buffy's arm and pulled the cross against him, laughing as it burned his skin.^[5]

Willow attempted to use a cross to ward off her alternative universe counterpart, but the vampire reacted by knocking it out of her hands. Wesley made the same attempt, and the vampire left him alone out of boredom.^[11]

1999[]

Spike tested Harmony's immunity powers by holding a cross against her temple while she wore the Gem of Amara, which produced no ill effect on her skin. The cross had previously burned him when he was rummaging through the many items they had uncovered, so he held it with a cloth to protect his hand.^[22]

2000[]

Adam persuaded Boone and his pack mates to overcome their fear of the cross, allowing them to invade a church and take the churchgoers hostage in broad daylight.^[13]

In Dracula's mansion, Riley drove the Three Sisters away from Giles by brandishing a cross in their direction.^[17]

2001[]

During an inspection from the Watchers Council into Buffy's team in Sunnydale, a Council member wielded a cross as protection against Spike while Lydia interviewed the vampire.^[23]

2002[]

While possessed by the spirits of the Prima Ballerina and Stefan, Angel and Cordelia kissed until he burned himself with a cross necklace.^[24]

After confessing to Buffy that he had earned his soul, Spike turned to a large cross and draped himself onto it, letting it burn his skin.^[6]

While amnesic, the Angel Investigations team tested who could be a vampire by handing a cross between each one of them. Despite the smoke that came from his hands, Angel kept his identity a secret by withstanding holding the burning cross.^[7]

2003[]

To revenge his mother's death, Robin led Spike into his garage with the walls covered with crosses. In his attempt to fight the vampire until death, Robin held Spike's face against one of the hanged crosses, burning his cheek. Robin intended to stake Spike with a sharp wooden cross, but Spike reacted and won the fight.^[8]

In a duel between Angel and Spike for the Cup of Perpetual Torment, Spike bludgeoned Angel with a large wooden cross while it charred his own hands.^[9]

Behind the scenes[]

• Several Buffy the Vampire Slayer action figures includes crosses as items: eight times as the du Lac cross (Giles and Spike), six times as a gravestone (Spike), and three times as a wooden cross (Wesley and Darla). Two Angel action figures also include a wooden cross for Darla, and two Deluxe action figures include a large golden cross for Spike.
• The Supernatural Defense Kit includes a gold-colored cross.
• Buffy's silver necklace was an available merchandising in the licensed replica Slayer's Cross Necklace, by Genki Wear.

Appearances[]

Canonical[]

Buffy the Vampire Slayer

Angel

Other[]

References[]