The first, original evil had no physical shape, but could take on the form of dead people, including those who had been dead, such as Buffy. It couldn’t touch anything so couldn’t be fought physically, but it’s power lay in the way it could take on a form and persuade people to do what it wanted. The First came to Sunnydale in 3.10 Amends to persuade Angel to kill Buffy. He was so horrified that he tried to kill himself, but was saved by Buffy and a handy snowfall.
The First was able to enter this dimension due to a fault in the Slayer line, which Anya worked out in 7.11 Showtime must have been when the Scoobies brought Buffy back to life in season six. It began to torment the Scoobies with visions of dead people, and Buffy realised in 7.09 Never Leave Me what she was facing. The First’s plan was to build up an army of Turok-Han, who would kill humans and when the balance had shifted the First could then take on a physical form and rule the world. Buffy defeated the First’s army by giving all potential Slayers their power, and using an amulet given to her by Angel. This destroyed Sunnydale in the process, but not the First which can never be killed.
Related episodes: 3.10 Amends, 7.09 Never Leave Me, 7.11 Showtime, 7.22 Chosen
Comments on this trivia
You must be logged in to post a comment.
Saintsaucey on August 18th, 2005 at 6:56 am
I just watched amends and Jenny touches Angel several times while at the mansion. She also touches Giles at his apartment
Nuke67 on September 4th, 2005 at 4:10 pm
Amazing how tough that first turok-han was, yet by Chosen everyone and their brother was killing them, so it made that army of turok-han as big a joke as the first evil turned out to be by season 7’s end.
Just one of many problems with season 7 and it’s plot holes and storylines that went nowhere or made no sense by the next episode.
Smash on October 23rd, 2005 at 8:43 pm
I sort of figured that since the First touched him, but didn’t actually pick anything up or handle anything, it may just have appeared to be touching him. I may be twisting things so they make sense, but I choose to think that they can get away with it.
And just for the sake of saying it, I loved season seven and I thought the First Evil was a just dandy Big Bad. I know I’m in the minority there, but all things Buffy are wonderful in my book.
Abby M. on October 26th, 2005 at 12:36 am
I loved season 7 as well (not my favorite granted, but I’ve been rewatching it and so it’s growing on me). To make the big bad something they couldn’t defeat was pretty cool.
Anyway, I always thought the First wanted Buffy dead, really badly (knowing she was a strong slayer with the help from her friends and family). And it knew that Angel was quite possibly the only thing strong enough and closs enough to her to kill her. So, it brought him back, tried to tempt him with sleeping with Buffy and if things would have gone the way it liked, he would have gone evil and he would have killed Buffy. Just a theory…
MagicBone on January 28th, 2006 at 3:30 am
In the part (can’t remember what episode) when Caleb and The First ‘merge,’ does that mean that The First can’t be anywhere else, in its incorporeal form?
Also, I am watching Dirty Girls right now and it’s the end after Caleb squishes Xander’s eye, : ( , I love how Spike saves him. Spike saves Xander. I love that.
cjreidy on February 14th, 2006 at 4:32 am
What I don’t understand is this: The first was able to enter the Buffy dimension because of a fault in the Slayer line i.e. Buffy’s ressurection. Then how did the First enter the story in season three? Does it have something to do with Prophecy Girl, and the fact that Buffy died briefly at that point?
Comfortador on March 9th, 2006 at 7:56 pm
Since they delt with the First way back in season 3, shouldn’t they (Giles, the Watcher’s Council etc.) have been able to gather more info on it by season 7? I had more research for my high school science project (tomato- fruit or veggie?) than Giles was able to steal from the Council. Out of sight out of mind I guess.
Bells on April 14th, 2008 at 1:31 pm
The fault in the Slayer line may not be the fact that Buffy was brought back from the dead through magics but when she died the first time & was brought back via CPR another slayer was called, having 2 slayers at the one time could be the fault
HarFang on September 12th, 2008 at 12:46 am
Hey, I just noticed something from watching the last scene in Never Leave Me: when the First taunts Spike while using his appearance, it calls Andrew “What’s-His-Name”, so it doesn’t know him any more than Spike does. But as soon as it shapeshifts to Buffy, it says “I was going to bleed Andrew… but you look much better with your shirt off”.
I take it as proof that the First takes on part of the personality and knowledge of those it impersonates. (And that obviously includes the remark on shirtless Spike ;) )
By the way, is there anybody still alive here?