Caleb (Buffyverse)
Encyclopedia
Caleb, played by Nathan Fillion
, is a fictional character
in the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer created by Joss Whedon
.
He was introduced, according to Joss Whedon, because the mutable, non-corporeal nature of the First Evil
"meant that we didn't really have anything to push against. We needed... a sidekick. Somebody physical that we can see from episode to episode." Whedon describes him as "the creepiest priest
", adding, "he is the most bold-faced misogynist
we've had since, well, since last year, with Warren
."
responsible for the deaths of at least two girls, whom he lured with his stirring sermons and masculine charm.
Despite remaining unseen until the last five episodes of the series, Caleb is revealed to be one of the prime movers for the events of the seventh season. In an effort to eliminate all threats to the First Evil's resurgence, he directs hordes of Bringers to systematically kill Potential Slayers around the world. He also orders the bombing of the Watchers' Council Headquarters in London, causing the deaths of Quentin Travers and all Watchers and Council Operatives present, and arranged for one of Faith's fellow L.A. prisoners to attack her in prison.
, Faith, and Spike. Before the Scooby Gang retreats, he also violently blinds
Xander
in one eye by forcing his thumb into his left eye socket.
In the last two episodes of the series, "End of Days
" and "Chosen
", Caleb is killed in a final confrontation by Buffy with the assistance of the newly-arrived Angel. With Angel watching, Buffy pierces Caleb's abdomen
with the Scythe, apparently killing him. Much to their shock, Caleb is revived with another power transfusion from the First and immediately knocks Angel unconscious with a devastating blow. Buffy and Caleb exchange blows once again. However, Buffy manages to slice him vertically in half and put him down permanently.
Later in the episode, the First Evil appears to Buffy, manifesting under the guise of the slain Caleb. The First lectures Buffy on the futility of her campaign against it, and it is this meeting that encourages Buffy to come up with her plan to activate the remaining Potentials to full Slayer status using the essence of the scythe taken from the vineyard two episodes previous.
, who were formidable but also interchangeable, and the First itself, which had no fixed form).
Caleb's superhuman
body serves as a vessel for the awesome power of the noncorporeal First Evil. With the exception of Glory
, Caleb's might dwarfs that of Buffy's previous adversaries. When channeling the power of the First Evil, he possesses immense physical strength
and durability greatly exceeding that of most vampires, demons, and Slayers. He can easily punch through solid concrete, and send an opponent flying for dozens of feet with a single blow. In their first encounter, he effortlessly defeated the combined might of Buffy, Faith, and Spike: two full-fledged Slayers and an elder vampire.
However, in order to maintain this power, Caleb must merge with the First to recharge after extended periods. Power transfusions from the First also allow him to return from death
, as long as his body is still intact.
Caleb also possesses psychic
abilities. He is shown to be capable of telepathy
and aura reading.
Behind his priest's collar, Caleb is a sadistic sociopath
with a pathological hatred of women. Impressed by his body's fortitude as well as his single-minded nature, the First Evil makes him the commander of its campaign of carnage and mayhem. He likes to reenact his killings by asking the First to take on the form of the girls he killed, so he may "kill them again."
quotes, frequently even making allusions to his belief the First is actually God
, or perhaps a being even superior to God. Caleb seems to quote the Old Testament
more often than the New Testament
. For example his views on women being evil relate to his views on Eve
, the biblical first female (in the book of Genesis), and how she gave Adam, the first created man and first created human, the forbidden fruit. When the First, in the guise of Buffy, asks him if he thinks it is God, Caleb replies he believes the First is beyond such definition. He states plainly in his debut episode, "I don't truck with Satan
, that was just me havin' fun. Satan is a little man."
When asked about Caleb's religious connections, Whedon said, "I'm not coming down against priests. This guy clearly is not one."
Caleb also comments further on his admiration of the First, when it (under the guise of Buffy) vocalizes its envy of humans' ability to feel lust and engage in primal sexual acts, while several members of the Scooby Gang engage in such activity elsewhere. He dismisses them all as "sinners," commenting enthusiastically the First is miles beyond that, for it is "sin
" itself.
Buffy the Vampire Slayer:
Caleb appeared as a guest in 5 episodes:
Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season Eight
:
Caleb appeared in a dream in the e-comic "Always Darkest".
Nathan Fillion
Nathan Fillion is a Canadian actor, currently starring as Richard Castle on the ABC series Castle. He is also known for his portrayal of the lead role of Captain Malcolm Reynolds in the television series Firefly and its feature film continuation, Serenity.He has acted in traditionally distributed...
, is a fictional character
Fictional character
A character is the representation of a person in a narrative work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr , the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its appearance in Tom Jones in 1749. From this, the sense of...
in the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer created by Joss Whedon
Joss Whedon
Joseph Hill "Joss" Whedon is an American screenwriter, executive producer, director, comic book writer, occasional composer and actor, founder of Mutant Enemy Productions and co-creator of Bellwether Pictures...
.
He was introduced, according to Joss Whedon, because the mutable, non-corporeal nature of the First Evil
First Evil
The First Evil is a fictional character created by Joss Whedon for the TV series Buffy the Vampire Slayer. The First Evil first appeared in the third season episode "Amends", and became the main antagonist of the 7th and final season.A being manifested from all evil in existence, the First is an...
"meant that we didn't really have anything to push against. We needed... a sidekick. Somebody physical that we can see from episode to episode." Whedon describes him as "the creepiest priest
Priest
A priest is a person authorized to perform the sacred rites of a religion, especially as a mediatory agent between humans and deities. They also have the authority or power to administer religious rites; in particular, rites of sacrifice to, and propitiation of, a deity or deities...
", adding, "he is the most bold-faced misogynist
Misogyny
Misogyny is the hatred or dislike of women or girls. Philogyny, meaning fondness, love or admiration towards women, is the antonym of misogyny. The term misandry is the term for men that is parallel to misogyny...
we've had since, well, since last year, with Warren
Warren Mears
Warren Mears is a fictional character portrayed by Adam Busch in the American television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer, as well as its canonical comic book series continuation.-Television:...
."
Biography
Prior to becoming the right-hand man of the First Evil, Caleb was a defrocked priest and serial killerSerial killer
A serial killer, as typically defined, is an individual who has murdered three or more people over a period of more than a month, with down time between the murders, and whose motivation for killing is usually based on psychological gratification...
responsible for the deaths of at least two girls, whom he lured with his stirring sermons and masculine charm.
Despite remaining unseen until the last five episodes of the series, Caleb is revealed to be one of the prime movers for the events of the seventh season. In an effort to eliminate all threats to the First Evil's resurgence, he directs hordes of Bringers to systematically kill Potential Slayers around the world. He also orders the bombing of the Watchers' Council Headquarters in London, causing the deaths of Quentin Travers and all Watchers and Council Operatives present, and arranged for one of Faith's fellow L.A. prisoners to attack her in prison.
Sunnydale
In the episode "Dirty Girls", Caleb murders two potential Slayers (One being Molly; one of the first potentials to appear in series) and effortlessly defeats BuffyBuffy Summers
Buffy Summers is a fictional character from Joss Whedon's Buffy the Vampire Slayer franchise. She first appeared in the 1992 film Buffy the Vampire Slayer before going on to appear in the television series and subsequent comic book of the same name...
, Faith, and Spike. Before the Scooby Gang retreats, he also violently blinds
Eye-gouging
Eye-gouging is the act of pressing or tearing the eye using the fingers, other bodyparts, or instruments. Eye-gouging involves a very high risk of eye injury, such as permanent eye loss. It is disallowed in combat sports, but some self-defense systems teach it...
Xander
Xander Harris
Alexander LaVelle "Xander" Harris is a fictional character in the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer, as well as in numerous items in the series Expanded Universe, such as comic books, tie-in novels and video games...
in one eye by forcing his thumb into his left eye socket.
In the last two episodes of the series, "End of Days
End of Days (Buffy episode)
"End of Days" is the 21st episode of the seventh and final season of the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer.-Plot synopsis:Starting moments after the previous episode ended, "End of Days" begins as Buffy effortlessly pulls the scythe from the stone...
" and "Chosen
Chosen (Buffy episode)
"Chosen" is the series finale of the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer. It serves as the 22nd episode of the seventh season, and the 144th episode overall. The episode was written and directed by series creator Joss Whedon and originally aired on UPN on May 20, 2003...
", Caleb is killed in a final confrontation by Buffy with the assistance of the newly-arrived Angel. With Angel watching, Buffy pierces Caleb's abdomen
Abdomen
In vertebrates such as mammals the abdomen constitutes the part of the body between the thorax and pelvis. The region enclosed by the abdomen is termed the abdominal cavity...
with the Scythe, apparently killing him. Much to their shock, Caleb is revived with another power transfusion from the First and immediately knocks Angel unconscious with a devastating blow. Buffy and Caleb exchange blows once again. However, Buffy manages to slice him vertically in half and put him down permanently.
Later in the episode, the First Evil appears to Buffy, manifesting under the guise of the slain Caleb. The First lectures Buffy on the futility of her campaign against it, and it is this meeting that encourages Buffy to come up with her plan to activate the remaining Potentials to full Slayer status using the essence of the scythe taken from the vineyard two episodes previous.
Powers and abilities
Caleb provided Buffy and her allies with a villain who was both a physical threat (in contrast to the non-corporeal First Evil) and a recognizable individual (as opposed to the nameless Bringers and Turok-HanTurok-Han
The Turok-Han vampires are fictional characters from Joss Whedon's TV series Buffy the Vampire Slayer. They appear in the 7th and final season of the series, making their first appearance in the episode "Never Leave Me", when the Seal of Danzalthar is opened under the basement of Sunnydale High,...
, who were formidable but also interchangeable, and the First itself, which had no fixed form).
Caleb's superhuman
Superhuman
Superhuman can mean an improved human, for example, by genetic modification, cybernetic implants, or as what humans might evolve into, in the near or distant future...
body serves as a vessel for the awesome power of the noncorporeal First Evil. With the exception of Glory
Glorificus
Glory is a fictional character in the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Also known as "Glorificus," "That Which Cannot Be Named," "The Abomination," and "The Beast," she appeared during the fifth season of the program and was portrayed by Clare Kramer.-History:Glorificus is a god from a...
, Caleb's might dwarfs that of Buffy's previous adversaries. When channeling the power of the First Evil, he possesses immense physical strength
Physical strength
Physical strength is the ability of a person or animal to exert force on physical objects using muscles. Increasing physical strength is the goal of strength training.-Overview:...
and durability greatly exceeding that of most vampires, demons, and Slayers. He can easily punch through solid concrete, and send an opponent flying for dozens of feet with a single blow. In their first encounter, he effortlessly defeated the combined might of Buffy, Faith, and Spike: two full-fledged Slayers and an elder vampire.
However, in order to maintain this power, Caleb must merge with the First to recharge after extended periods. Power transfusions from the First also allow him to return from death
Resurrection
Resurrection refers to the literal coming back to life of the biologically dead. It is used both with respect to particular individuals or the belief in a General Resurrection of the dead at the end of the world. The General Resurrection is featured prominently in Jewish, Christian, and Muslim...
, as long as his body is still intact.
Caleb also possesses psychic
Psychic
A psychic is a person who professes an ability to perceive information hidden from the normal senses through extrasensory perception , or is said by others to have such abilities. It is also used to describe theatrical performers who use techniques such as prestidigitation, cold reading, and hot...
abilities. He is shown to be capable of telepathy
Telepathy
Telepathy , is the induction of mental states from one mind to another. The term was coined in 1882 by the classical scholar Fredric W. H. Myers, a founder of the Society for Psychical Research, and has remained more popular than the more-correct expression thought-transference...
and aura reading.
Behind his priest's collar, Caleb is a sadistic sociopath
Antisocial personality disorder
Antisocial personality disorder is described by the American Psychiatric Association's Diagnostic and Statistical Manual, fourth edition , as an Axis II personality disorder characterized by "...a pervasive pattern of disregard for, and violation of, the rights of others that begins in childhood...
with a pathological hatred of women. Impressed by his body's fortitude as well as his single-minded nature, the First Evil makes him the commander of its campaign of carnage and mayhem. He likes to reenact his killings by asking the First to take on the form of the girls he killed, so he may "kill them again."
Beliefs
Caleb delivers quasi-biblicalBible
The Bible refers to any one of the collections of the primary religious texts of Judaism and Christianity. There is no common version of the Bible, as the individual books , their contents and their order vary among denominations...
quotes, frequently even making allusions to his belief the First is actually God
God
God is the English name given to a singular being in theistic and deistic religions who is either the sole deity in monotheism, or a single deity in polytheism....
, or perhaps a being even superior to God. Caleb seems to quote the Old Testament
Old Testament
The Old Testament, of which Christians hold different views, is a Christian term for the religious writings of ancient Israel held sacred and inspired by Christians which overlaps with the 24-book canon of the Masoretic Text of Judaism...
more often than the New Testament
New Testament
The New Testament is the second major division of the Christian biblical canon, the first such division being the much longer Old Testament....
. For example his views on women being evil relate to his views on Eve
Eve (Bible)
Eve was, according to the creation of Abrahamic religions, the first woman created by God...
, the biblical first female (in the book of Genesis), and how she gave Adam, the first created man and first created human, the forbidden fruit. When the First, in the guise of Buffy, asks him if he thinks it is God, Caleb replies he believes the First is beyond such definition. He states plainly in his debut episode, "I don't truck with Satan
Satan
Satan , "the opposer", is the title of various entities, both human and divine, who challenge the faith of humans in the Hebrew Bible...
, that was just me havin' fun. Satan is a little man."
When asked about Caleb's religious connections, Whedon said, "I'm not coming down against priests. This guy clearly is not one."
Caleb also comments further on his admiration of the First, when it (under the guise of Buffy) vocalizes its envy of humans' ability to feel lust and engage in primal sexual acts, while several members of the Scooby Gang engage in such activity elsewhere. He dismisses them all as "sinners," commenting enthusiastically the First is miles beyond that, for it is "sin
Sin
In religion, sin is the violation or deviation of an eternal divine law or standard. The term sin may also refer to the state of having committed such a violation. Christians believe the moral code of conduct is decreed by God In religion, sin (also called peccancy) is the violation or deviation...
" itself.
Writing and acting
- Caleb was referred to by Buffy writers as "The Second," a reference to his boss' nickname, "The First."
Appearances
Caleb appears in:Buffy the Vampire Slayer:
Caleb appeared as a guest in 5 episodes:
- Season 7 – "Dirty Girls"; "Empty Places"; "Touched"; "End of Days"; "Chosen"
Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season Eight
Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season Eight
Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season Eight is a comic book series published by Dark Horse Comics. The series serves as a canonical continuation of the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and follows the events of that show's final televised season. It is produced by Joss Whedon, who wrote the...
:
Caleb appeared in a dream in the e-comic "Always Darkest".