User:HorrorFan121/Darla

Darla is portrayed by actress Julie Benz.

Development

Creation and casting

Darla is portrayed by actress Julie Benz. Benz initially auditioned for the title role of Buffy Summers, but the role later went to Sarah Michelle Gellar, who had previously won the part of Cordelia Chase. However, she was offered the small role of the vampire Darla in the pilot episode. Her performance was so well-received that her part was expanded to a few more episodes. In an interview with TheTVAddict.com, Benz said of her casting: "I was supposed to die in the pilot, but about halfway through the pilot Joss Whedon was like, ‘We’re giving you a name and we’re not going to kill you.’ And he did that for a while until it finally came time to kill me, and kill me, and kill me and killed me." She later went on to say, "For me, I was a new actor to Los Angeles, didn’t know the TV business very well so I was just excited to work and play a vampire. I had no clue what I was going to do or how I was going to be scary. Until that is, they put the vampire makeup on me and I went into the trailer and smiled, which I thought was creepy. Joss always said he was intrigued that someone who looked like me and talked like me was like the scariest vampire ever. That’s what he wanted, my sweet voice and demeanour until all of a sudden I’m just this vicious vampire."

The character of Darla was originally killed off in the sixth episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. In the episode, it is revealed that Darla was once romantically involved with Angel and that she made him a vampire. Darla reveals that she was the one who bit Joyce Summers (Buffy's mother), not Angel. Looming up from behind, Angel stakes Darla through the heart, dusting his sire. Benz was asked to return to the role three years later, but not on Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Joss Whedon wanted her to appear on the spin-off Angel, which focused on Angel's adventures in Los Angeles. Benz said in an interview, "I was shocked, really. When they sent me the script [for Angel] I kept asking, ‘Where’s Darla?’ I remember calling my agent asking, ‘Are you sure they want me for this episode because I can’t seem to find me?’ And then I get to the last page and there I am… naked in a box. Awesome. It was exciting." She appeared on the program in twenty episodes, and served mainly as the antagonist.

The character is known for dying the most in the Buffy The Vampire Slayer franchise. She later joked saying, "I just didn’t know how it was going to happen. So when they sent me the script — which I basically had to sign my life away to read — I was sitting in my trailer and I just started to cry. I thought it was such a beautiful ending, it was the payoff and just really brought her whole life kind of to that one moment. So I was really upset my last day of filming because I really thought it was over to me. I had died many times leading up to that, which I thought every time I was dead for good. So that time, everyone was like you’ll be back, and I was like no I won’t, I ‘poofed!’ Once you ‘poof’ you’re not back. So I didn’t get the flowers, big party or anything because they were like we’re tired of doing that for you, you’ll be back."

Characterization

In an interview with TheTVAddict, Benz said "Darla’s just misunderstood. Her intentions are pure, they’re just kind of warped. From her perspective — first she has to eat — she just happens to eat people! Second, she was in love with Angel, and I always viewed Darla as the jilted ex-wife that could never get over being dumped. If you really look at her, you can have sympathy and empathy for her. In the beginning of her life she was a prostitute, Joss and I actually talked about that a lot, that she was probably abused growing up. She did what she needed to do to survive, she just lacked the people skills.”

Storylines

Darla was born in the late 16th century in the British Isles. Her birth name has never been revealed in either series, and she herself eventually forgot it. As a young prostitute, she emigrated to the British Virginia Colony in North America and became independently wealthy but also contracted a fatal case of syphilis. By 1609, Darla lay dying in the luxurious house she owned. She scoffed at a "priest" who came to her deathbed before he revealed his true identity: the Master, leader of the elite cult of vampires known as the Order of Aurelius. Darla despised the clergy and religion, a trait that would follow her as a vampire. The Master turned her into a vampire and named her "Darla," meaning "dear one" in early modern English ("darling"). She spent four centuries torturing innocent people before locating to Sunnydale. Darla's first appearance is in "Welcome to the Hellmouth", the first episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer in 1997. She first appears breaking into Sunnydale High School, with a boy who attends school there. Nervous and on edge, she thinks she heard something and fears something is there. The boy calls out but gets no response, during which the Darla's face morphs into that of a vampire, and bites the boy, revealing to the viewer that she was the only danger all along. Darla later appears in the episode "The Harvest", where she participates the ascension of the Master, a very old and powerful vampire. Darla's role in the series is more prominent in the episode "Angel", where it is revealed that she was Angel's sire and former romantic lover. Darla reveals that she was the one who bit Joyce Summers (Buffy's mother), not Angel. Looming up from behind, Angel stakes Darla through the heart, dusting his sire. She later appears in numerous flashbacks, depicting Angel and Spike's history.

Darla's role in the franchise increases dramatically when she is resurrected by the law firm Wolfram & Hart in the final episode of Angels first season titled "To Shanshu in L.A." In the second season opener titled "Judgement", lawyers Lindsey McDonald and Lilah Morgan question Darla about her past. She talks of how she can feel Angel, and slowly her memory begins to return. In the episode "First Impresions", Angel begins having romantic dreams about his maker. Angel dreams that he returns to the hotel and Darla is there to comfort him. As he sleeps and dreams of his romantic encounters with his sire, Darla climbs over Angel in bed and kisses him. Darla later continues to purge Angel's dreams and reconnect that relationship, while he is unaware that she is back. In Dear Boy, Angel is shocked to see Darla walking the streets. He tells partners Wesley Wyndam-Pryce and Cordelia Chase about seeing Darla in his dreams and in real life but they think he's starting to lose his sanity. Lindsey and Darla talk about Angel and how he's progressing. Angel Investigations spy on a woman having an affair, but Angel spoils their cover by confronting the woman and telling her to talk to her husband. As they're leaving, Angel spots Darla but when he confronts her, she's claims her name to be DeEtta Kramer. She runs away from him and he gives chase, however she gets away by walking outside into sunlight, meaning Darla has not only been resurrected, but is now human.

Darla and Lindsey's plan goes into effect when Angel breaks into her home in time to find himself set up for murdering Darla's supposed husband. Angel grabs Darla and takes her away to the underground facility telling her that he knows she was what Wolfram & Hart brought back in the box. The two kiss and Darla tries to convince Angel to let her make him happy. He tells her she never made him happy, but still she persists and tries to bring his demon out. After learning she will die of syphilis, Darla begs for Angel's help. Angel goes through a series of trials, but leads to know avail as Darla already had a second chance at life in becoming a vampire. Wolfram & Hart bring in Drusilla to make Darla a vampire again. Drusilla and Darla attack Angel and leave Los Angeles. Darla later returns and sleeps with Angel in hopes of removing his soul, but it was not pure happiness. Darla reappears in season three surprisingly pregnant with Angel's baby. Admitting that creating life with Angel was the only good thing they ever did together, Darla makes sure Angel will relay that to their child before she stakes herself through the heart, sacrificing her life for the baby Connor. Darla turns to dust, but the baby remains and Angel picks it up, wrapping it in his coat.

Powers and abilities

Darla has the standard powers and vulnerabilities of a vampire, with a greater lust for blood and destruction than most. Being nearly four hundred years old, she is stronger than most vampires. She is eternally young, regenerates damage, and drains human blood to survive. Darla is vulnerable to holy items and sunlight and can be killed by decapitation and a stake to the heart. She cannot enter the home of a living human without first being invited by someone who lives there.

Psychologically, Darla acts in a self-responsible and conscious way. She generally does not blame others for who or what she is or for her actions; most evidence suggests that she is who she is entirely due to her own choice.

Darla is also capable of sensing the presence of a soul in others, as she did when Angelus was cursed for the first time. However, Wesley states in "Disharmony" that only "some can sense Angel's soul."

Darla often uses her beauty and sexuality to lure unsuspecting prey. Unlike her more aggressive male counterparts (Angelus and Spike), she is rarely seen "hunting"; her prey willingly approaches her, never suspecting their fate until it is too late.

Appearances

Canonical appearances

Darla has appeared in 25 canonical Buffyverse episodes:

Buffy the Vampire Slayer

Darla has appeared in 5 episodes, appearing in the first, second, and fifth seasons.

• Season 1 (1997) – "Welcome to the Hellmouth" (first appearance), "The Harvest", "Angel" (dusted by Angel)
• Season 2 (1998) – "Becoming, Part One" (flashbacks)
• Season 5 (2000) – "Fool for Love" (flashbacks)

Angel

Darla has appeared in 20 episodes, appearing in all seasons. She is the only character who was never a regular to do so.

• Season 1 (2000) – "The Prodigal" (flashbacks), "Five by Five" (flashbacks), "To Shanshu in L.A." (resurrected by Wolfram & Hart)
• Season 2 (2000–2001) – "Judgment", "First Impressions", "Untouched", "Dear Boy", "Darla", "The Trial" (sired by Drusilla), "Reunion", "Redefinition", "Reprise", "Epiphany"
• Season 3 (2001) – "Heartthrob", "That Vision Thing", "Offspring", "Quickening", "Lullaby" (dusted herself to give birth to Connor)
• Season 4 (2003) – "Inside Out" (as an apparition)
• Season 5 (2004) – "The Girl in Question" (flashbacks; last appearance)