Vampire Slaying in Buffy the Vampire Slayer May Result from Disrupted Ion Signaling

Abstract

Buffy the Vampire Slayer (“BtVS”) was an American television show featuring 144 episodes that premiered between 1997- 2003. Early into its seven-season run, it gained a strong cult following and defined itself as an important part of American popular culture (Gross and Altman, 2017; Schwab). It continues to be critically analyzed by academics across a multitude of disciplines such as philosophy (South, 2003) and religion (Mills et al., 2013). Few studies have attempted to view the show from a quantitative perspective (see: ecological stability of vampires [Thomas, n.d.]; gendered biting patterns [Shapiro, 2008]). Here, we use a quantitative approach to connect observational measurements from BtVS to physiological studies. We then build a scientific model for vampire slaying, which we explore to make predictions about novel slayage techniques. This investigation aims to both deepen the lore of the Buffyverse and provide the basis for more robust analyses of BtVS.