A Harbinger of Death
The Bringers of the First Evil, or Harbingers of Death, are the acolytes of the First Evil in Joss Whedon's TV series Buffy the Vampire Slayer.
History[]
The Bringers are are the high priests and foot soldiers of the non-corporeal First Evil. These demons are former humans that have been corrupted by the First and transformed into demons through rituals that include self-mutilation.
History[]
The Harbingers of Death first surfaced in Sunnydale in December 1998. Three of them set camp beneath a Christmas tree lot and summoned a manifestation of the First Evil to haunt the vampire Angel, whom the First sought to draw to its side. The Bringers' presence scared some of the underground's previous inhabitants, causing them to leave Sunnydale. This information reached Willy the Snitch and, through him, the Slayer, Buffy Summers. The Slayer then learned of the Bringers' ability to render their surroundings sterile and tracked them down to a cave beneath the tree lot, where a group of trees had withered and died. Buffy defeated the Bringers and confronted a manifestation of the First.
"We attend to the needs of infinite Evil. We exterminate girls and destroy the legacy of Slayer. We are everywhere. We are like the ocean's waves. We watch your efforts and are not scared. We will laugh at you as you die."-A Bringer through Andrew Wells, Touched
Years later, in mid-2002, a large number of Bringers rose in many parts of the world in order to hunt down each Potential Slayer they could find. Their master had declared war on the Slayer line and sought to eliminate it. Organized by Caleb, the vessel of the First, the Bringers assassinated a large number of girls. As most Potential Slayers made their way to Sunnydale, so did the Bringers, swarming the town with their numbers. The Bringers unearthed the Seal of Danzalthar and then the Scythe, and also took part in the Battle at the Hellmouth.
Abilities[]
"I am a drone in the mind that is evil -- [...] I am a part of the Great Darkness -- I am only a fragment of The We. We work as one to serve The First."- A Bringer through Andrew Wells, "Touched"
Though Bringers are blind, with their eyelids covered by rune-like scars, and incapable of speech (beyond grunts and moans during physical exertion or when in pain), having had their tongues ripped out, they are perfectly aware of their surroundings. According to Caleb, who would become their "teacher", Bringers are incapable of sweating, and instead they pant.
While not well known among other demons, a few demonologists have written records on these demons, having taken special notice in the poisonous aura Bringers have, which is capable of rendering ground and living beings sterile. Bringers also possess superhuman physical attributes, though apparently inferior to a vampire or a full-fledged Slayer, as Buffy and Spike are capable of defeating several Bringers at once with relative ease.
Despite their apparent disabilities, Bringers are swift assassins capable of highly organized attacks thanks to their collective consciousness, which is under the control of the First. Besides their deadly fighting skills, Bringers are also capable of summoning manifestations of the First to haunt people, and create psychic links between dreamers through their dark rituals.
Appearances[]
Buffy Season 3[]
- Amends
Buffy Season 7[]
- Lessons
- Beneath You
- Sleeper
- Bring on the Night
- Showtime
- Potential
- Dirty Girls
- Touched
- End of Days
- Chosen