Cross

“This symbol, these two planks of wood. It confounds me. Suffuses me with mortal dread.”

―The Master^[src]

A cross was an artifact effective as a weapon against vampires.^[1] Like the Holy Bible^[2] and holy water,^[1] crosses burned vampires on contact, producing smoke^{[3][4][5][6][7][8][9]} and potentially growing flames.^[10] Thus, they were employed to ward off vampires with moderate success;^[11] the mere sight of a cross made them fear it^[12][13] and could cause a vampire to recoil.^{[14][5][15][16][17]}

Some exorcism rituals also required the use of a cross.^[18]

History

1771

Monsignor Rivalli attempted to ward Darla off with his cross necklace, but the 200-hundred-years-old vampire tossed him aside without ill effect.^[19]

1996

In her first year as a Slayer, Buffy defeated Lothos by burning him with a cross and using a hair spray as an improvised torch, then staking the flaming vampire. Buffy used the same technique to immolate Amilyn, and the fire grew to burn down a gym and the remaining vampires inside.^[10]

Angel gifted Buffy a silver cross necklace on her first night in Sunnydale. She wore it that night, and the pendant protected her from Luke, burning and repelling him before he could bite her.^[1]

1997

Two vampires from the Order of Aurelius ambushed Giles in the Sunnydale Cemetery, but he repealed them with crosses and had time to seek refuge in the funeral home. Inside, Andrew Borba, a fanatical Christian in life and only recently sired, reacted with confusion when the sight of the cross hurt him and made him recoil, but he quickly threw the object aside.^[14]

Lecturing the Anointed One about fear, the Master described that the symbol of the cross "confounded" and filled him with "mortal dread"; however, claiming that fear was in the mind, it could be controlled as much as pain. To demonstrate it, the Master touched a large cross and let it burn his hand, facing his fear and not letting it control him.^[12]

Buffy used her cross necklace to interrogate the vampire Tara; she put the pendant inside Tara's mouth and held it close, torturing the vampire.^[4]

The du Lac cross was a cross Josephus du Lac designed to decode certain mystical texts; he eventually destroyed them all, except one that was buried with him.^[20] In 1997, Spike had the last cross retrieved and used it to perform a vampire restoration ritual on Drusilla, wearing gloves to protect himself while holding it.^[21]

Xander freed Willow from the hands of a recently soulless Angel by sneaking behind him with a wooden cross, making the vampire growl, recoil, and drop Willow with the surprise of seeing the cross next to his face.^[15]

1998

Xander, Willow, and Cordelia accompanied a flu-stricken Buffy during patrolling, Angel appeared and threatened the group. The three turned the soulless vampire away by each wielding a cross.^[16]

In her Tento di Cruciamentum, Buffy equipped herself with a cross and other weapons when she, powerless, went to face Zachary Kralik. She wielded the wooden cross against him, which initially made the vampire leap back from her in fear. However, Kralik then grabbed Buffy's arm and pulled the cross against him, laughing as it burned his skin.^[5]

Willow attempted to use a cross to ward off her alternative universe counterpart, but the vampire reacted by knocking it out of her hands. Wesley made the same attempt, and the vampire left him alone out of boredom.^[11]

1999

Spike tested Harmony's immunity powers by holding a cross against her temple while she wore the Gem of Amara, which produced no ill effect on her skin. The cross had previously burned him when he was rummaging through the many items they had uncovered, so he held it with a cloth to protect his hand.^[22]

2000

Adam persuaded Boone and his pack mates to overcome their fear of the cross, allowing them to invade a church and take the churchgoers hostage in broad daylight.^[13]

In Dracula's mansion, Riley drove the Three Sisters away from Giles by brandishing a cross in their direction.^[17]

2001

During an inspection from the Watchers Council into Buffy's team in Sunnydale, a Council member wielded a cross as protection against Spike while Lydia interviewed the vampire.^[23]

2002

While possessed by the spirits of the Prima Ballerina and Stefan, Angel and Cordelia kissed until he burned himself with a cross necklace.^[24]

After confessing to Buffy that he had earned his soul, Spike turned to a large cross and draped himself onto it, letting it burn his skin.^[6]

While amnesic, the Angel Investigations team tested who could be a vampire by handing a cross between each one of them. Despite the smoke that came from his hands, Angel kept his identity a secret by withstanding holding the burning cross.^[7]

2003

To revenge his mother's death, Robin led Spike into his garage with the walls covered with crosses. In his attempt to fight the vampire until death, Robin held Spike's face against one of the hanged crosses, burning his cheek. Robin intended to stake Spike with a sharp wooden cross, but Spike reacted and won the fight.^[8]

In a duel between Angel and Spike for the Cup of Perpetual Torment, Spike bludgeoned Angel with a large wooden cross while it charred his own hands.^[9]

Behind the scenes

• Several Buffy the Vampire Slayer action figures includes crosses as items: eight times as the du Lac cross (Giles and Spike), six times as a gravestone (Spike), and three times as a wooden cross (Wesley and Darla). Two Angel action figures also include a wooden cross for Darla, and two Deluxe action figures include a large golden cross for Spike.
• The Supernatural Defense Kit includes a gold-colored cross.
• Buffy's silver necklace was an available merchandising in the licensed replica Slayer's Cross Necklace, by Genki Wear.

Appearances

Canonical

Buffy the Vampire Slayer

Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Season 1
"Welcome to the Hellmouth" Appears	"The Harvest" Appears	"Witch" Absent	"Teacher's Pet" Absent	"Never Kill a Boy on the First Date" Appears	"The Pack" Absent	"Angel" Appears	"I Robot, You Jane" Absent	"The Puppet Show" Absent	"Nightmares" Appears	"Out of Mind, Out of Sight" Appears	"Prophecy Girl" Appears

Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Season 2
"When She Was Bad" Appears	"Some Assembly Required" Appears	"School Hard" Appears	"Inca Mummy Girl" Appears	"Reptile Boy" Absent	"Halloween" Absent	"Lie to Me" Appears	"The Dark Age" Absent	"What's My Line? Part One" Appears	"What's My Line? Part Two" Appears	"Ted" Absent
"Bad Eggs" Absent	"Surprise" Appears	"Innocence" Appears	"Phases" Absent	"Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered" Appears	"Passion" Appears	"Killed by Death" Appears	"I Only Have Eyes for You" Absent	"Go Fish" Appears	"Becoming, Part One" Appears	"Becoming, Part Two" Appears

Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Season 3
"Anne" Appears	"Dead Man's Party" Appears	"Faith, Hope & Trick" Absent	"Beauty and the Beasts" Appears	"Homecoming" Appears	"Band Candy" Absent	"Revelations" Absent	"Lovers Walk" Appears	"The Wish" Appears	"Amends" Appears	"Gingerbread" Absent
"Helpless" Appears	"The Zeppo" Absent	"Bad Girls" Absent	"Consequences" Appears	"Doppelgängland" Appears	"Enemies" Absent	"Earshot" Absent	"Choices" Absent	"The Prom" Absent	"Graduation Day, Part One" Absent	"Graduation Day, Part Two" Appears

Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Season 4
"The Freshman" Appears	"Living Conditions" Appears	"The Harsh Light of Day" Appears	"Fear, Itself" Absent	"Beer Bad" Absent	"Wild at Heart" Absent	"The Initiative" Absent	"Pangs" Absent	"Something Blue" Absent	"Hush" Absent	"Doomed" Absent
"A New Man" Absent	"The I in Team" Absent	"Goodbye Iowa" Absent	"This Year's Girl" Absent	"Who Are You?" Appears	"Superstar" Appears	"Where the Wild Things Are" Appears	"New Moon Rising" Absent	"The Yoko Factor" Absent	"Primeval" Absent	"Restless" Absent

Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Season 5
"Buffy vs. Dracula" Appears	"Real Me" Appears	"The Replacement" Absent	"Out of My Mind" Absent	"No Place Like Home" Absent	"Family" Absent	"Fool for Love" Absent	"Shadow" Absent	"Listening to Fear" Absent	"Into the Woods" Absent	"Triangle" Appears
"Checkpoint" Appears	"Blood Ties" Absent	"Crush" Absent	"I Was Made to Love You" Absent	"The Body" Absent	"Forever" Absent	"Intervention" Absent	"Tough Love" Absent	"Spiral" Absent	"The Weight of the World" Absent	"The Gift" Absent

Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Season 6
"Bargaining, Part One" Absent	"Bargaining, Part Two" Appears	"After Life" Absent	"Flooded" Absent	"Life Serial" Absent	"All the Way" Absent	"Once More, with Feeling" Absent	"Tabula Rasa" Absent	"Smashed" Absent	"Wrecked" Appears	"Gone" Absent
"Doublemeat Palace" Absent	"Dead Things" Absent	"Older and Far Away" Absent	"As You Were" Absent	"Hell's Bells" Absent	"Normal Again" Absent	"Entropy" Appears	"Seeing Red" Absent	"Villains" Absent	"Two to Go" Absent	"Grave" Absent

Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Season 7
"Lessons" Absent	"Beneath You" Appears	"Same Time, Same Place" Absent	"Help" Absent	"Selfless" Absent	"Him" Absent	"Conversations with Dead People" Appears	"Sleeper" Absent	"Never Leave Me" Absent	"Bring on the Night" Appears	"Showtime" Absent
"Potential" Appears	"The Killer in Me" Absent	"First Date" Appears	"Get It Done" Absent	"Storyteller" Absent	"Lies My Parents Told Me" Appears	"Dirty Girls" Absent	"Empty Places" Absent	"Touched" Absent	"End of Days" Absent	"Chosen" Absent

Buffy the Vampire Slayer: The Origin
The Origin, Part 1 Appears	The Origin, Part 2 Absent	The Origin, Part 3 Appears

Tales
"Prologue" Absent	"Righteous" Absent	"The Innocent" Absent	"Presumption" Absent	"The Glittering World" Absent	"Sonnenblume" Absent	"Nikki Goes Down!" Absent	"Tales" Absent
Broken Bottle of Djinn Absent	Tales of the Vampires Appears		"Father" Absent	"Spot the Vampire" Absent	"Dust Bowl" Absent	"Jack" Absent	"Stacy" Absent
"Some Like It Hot" Absent	"The Problem with Vampires" Absent	"Taking Care of Business" Absent	"Dames" Absent	"Antique" Absent	"Numb" Absent	The Thrill Absent	"Carpe Noctem" Absent

Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Season 8
The Long Way Home, Part 1 Appears	The Long Way Home, Part 2 Appears	The Long Way Home, Part 3 Absent	The Long Way Home, Part 4 Absent	The Chain Absent	No Future for You, Part 1 Absent	No Future for You, Part 2 Absent	No Future for You, Part 3 Absent	No Future for You, Part 4 Absent	Anywhere but Here Absent
A Beautiful Sunset Absent	Wolves at the Gate, Part 1 Absent	Wolves at the Gate, Part 2 Absent	Wolves at the Gate, Part 3 Absent	Wolves at the Gate, Part 4 Absent	Time of Your Life, Part 1 Absent	Time of Your Life, Part 2 Absent	Time of Your Life, Part 3 Absent	Time of Your Life, Part 4 Absent	After These Messages... We'll Be Right Back! Absent
Harmonic Divergence Absent	Swell Absent	Predators and Prey Absent	Safe Absent	Living Doll Absent	Retreat, Part 1 Absent	Retreat, Part 2 Absent	Retreat, Part 3 Absent	Retreat, Part 4 Absent	Retreat, Part 5 Absent
Turbulence Absent	Twilight, Part 1 Absent	Twilight, Part 2 Absent	Twilight, Part 3 Absent	Twilight, Part 4 Absent	Last Gleaming, Part 1 Absent	Last Gleaming, Part 2 Absent	Last Gleaming, Part 3 Appears	Last Gleaming, Part 4 Absent	Last Gleaming, Part 5 Appears
"HARM" Absent	"Harmony Bites" Absent	"Vampy Cat Play Friend" Absent	"Always Darkest" Absent	"Harmony Comes to the Nation" Absent		Willow: Goddesses and Monsters Absent		Riley: Commitment Through Distance, Virtue Through Sin Absent

Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Season 9
"Magical Mystery Tour, Featuring the Beetles" Absent	Freefall, Part 1 Absent	Freefall, Part 2 Absent	Freefall, Part 3 Absent	Freefall, Part 4 Appears	Slayer, Interrupted Appears	On Your Own, Part 1 Absent	On Your Own, Part 2 Absent	Apart (of Me), Part 1 Absent	Apart (of Me), Part 2 Absent	Apart (of Me), Part 3 Absent
"In Space No One Can Hear You Slay" Absent	Guarded, Part 1 Absent	Guarded, Part 2 Absent	Guarded, Part 3 Absent	Billy the Vampire Slayer, Part 1 Absent	Billy the Vampire Slayer, Part 2 Absent	Wonderland, Part 1 Absent	Wonderland, Part 2 Absent	Wonderland, Part 3 Absent	Wonderland, Part 4 Absent	Wonderland, Part 5 Absent
Welcome to the Team, Part 1 Absent	Welcome to the Team, Part 2 Absent	Welcome to the Team, Part 3 Absent	Welcome to the Team, Part 4 Absent	The Watcher Absent	The Core, Part 1 Absent	The Core, Part 2 Absent	The Core, Part 3 Absent	The Core, Part 4 Absent	The Core, Part 5 Absent	Love vs. Life Absent

Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Season 10
New Rules, Part 1 Absent	New Rules, Part 2 Appears	New Rules, Part 3 Absent	New Rules, Part 4 Absent	New Rules, Part 5 Appears	I Wish, Part 1 Absent	I Wish, Part 2 Absent	Return to Sunnydale, Part 1 Absent	Return to Sunnydale, Part 2 Absent	Day Off (or Harmony in My Head) Absent
Love Dares You, Part 1 Appears	Love Dares You, Part 2 Absent	Love Dares You, Part 3 Appears	Relationship Status: Complicated, Part 1 Absent	Relationship Status: Complicated, Part 2 Absent	Old Demons, Part 1 Absent	Old Demons, Part 2 Absent	Old Demons, Part 3 Absent	Freaky Giles Day Absent	Triggers Absent
In Pieces on the Ground, Part 1 Absent	In Pieces on the Ground, Part 2 Absent	In Pieces on the Ground, Part 3 Appears	In Pieces on the Ground, Part 4 Appears	In Pieces on the Ground, Part 5 Appears	Own It, Part 1 Absent	Own It, Part 2 Absent	Own It, Part 3 Absent	Own It, Part 4 Absent	Own It, Part 5 Absent
"Where Are They Now?" Absent

Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Season 11
The Spread of Their Evil Absent	In Time of Crisis Absent	A House Divided Absent	Desperate Times Absent	Desperate Measures Absent	Back to the Wall Absent	Disempowered Absent	Ordinary People Absent
The Great Escape Absent	Crimes Against Nature Absent	Revelations Absent	One Girl in All the World Absent	Girl Blue, Part 1 Absent	Girl Blue, Part 2 Absent	Girl Blue, Part 3 Appears	Girl Blue, Part 4 Absent

Angel

Angel: Season 1
"City Of" Absent	"Lonely Heart" Absent	"In the Dark" Absent	"I Fall to Pieces" Absent	"Rm w/a Vu" Absent	"Sense & Sensitivity" Absent	"The Bachelor Party" Absent	"I Will Remember You" Absent	"Hero" Absent	"Parting Gifts" Absent	"Somnambulist" Appears
"Expecting" Absent	"She" Absent	"I've Got You Under My Skin" Appears	"The Prodigal" Appears	"The Ring" Absent	"Eternity" Appears	"Five by Five" Absent	"Sanctuary" Absent	"War Zone" Absent	"Blind Date" Absent	"To Shanshu in L.A." Appears

Angel: Season 2
"Judgment" Absent	"Are You Now or Have You Ever Been" Appears	"First Impressions" Absent	"Untouched" Absent	"Dear Boy" Appears	"Guise Will Be Guise" Appears	"Darla" Absent	"The Shroud of Rahmon" Appears	"The Trial" Appears	"Reunion" Absent	"Redefinition" Absent
"Blood Money" Absent	"Happy Anniversary" Absent	"The Thin Dead Line" Absent	"Reprise" Absent	"Epiphany" Absent	"Disharmony" Absent	"Dead End" Absent	"Belonging" Absent	"Over the Rainbow" Absent	"Through the Looking Glass" Absent	"There's No Place Like Plrtz Glrb" Absent

Angel: Season 3
"Heartthrob" Absent	"That Vision- Thing" Absent	"That Old Gang of Mine" Absent	"Carpe Noctem" Appears	"Fredless" Absent	"Billy" Absent	"Offspring" Appears	"Quickening" Absent	"Lullaby" Absent	"Dad" Absent	"Birthday" Absent
"Provider" Absent	"Waiting in the Wings" Appears	"Couplet" Absent	"Loyalty" Absent	"Sleep Tight" Absent	"Forgiving" Absent	"Double or Nothing" Absent	"The Price" Absent	"A New World" Absent	"Benediction" Absent	"Tomorrow" Absent

Angel: Season 4
"Deep Down" Absent	"Ground State" Absent	"The House Always Wins" Absent	"Slouching Toward Bethlehem" Appears	"Supersymmetry" Absent	"Spin the Bottle" Appears	"Apocalypse, Nowish" Absent	"Habeas Corpses" Absent	"Long Day's Journey" Absent	"Awakening" Absent	"Soulless" Absent
"Calvary" Absent	"Salvage" Absent	"Release" Absent	"Orpheus" Absent	"Players" Absent	"Inside Out" Absent	"Shiny Happy People" Absent	"The Magic Bullet" Absent	"Sacrifice" Absent	"Peace Out" Absent	"Home" Absent

Angel: Season 5
"Conviction" Absent	"Just Rewards" Absent	"Unleashed" Absent	"Hell Bound" Absent	"Life of the Party" Absent	"The Cautionary Tale of Numero Cinco" Absent	"Lineage" Absent	"Destiny" Appears	"Harm's Way" Absent	"Soul Purpose" Absent	"Damage" Absent
"You're Welcome" Appears	"Why We Fight" Absent	"Smile Time" Absent	"A Hole in the World" Absent	"Shells" Absent	"Underneath" Absent	"Origin" Absent	"Time Bomb" Absent	"The Girl in Question" Absent	"Power Play" Absent	"Not Fade Away" Absent

Spike
Asylum, Part 1 Appears	Asylum, Part 2 Absent	Asylum, Part 3 Absent	Asylum, Part 4 Absent	Asylum, Part 5 Absent	Spike: After the Fall, Part 1 Absent	Spike: After the Fall, Part 2 Absent	Spike: After the Fall, Part 3 Absent	Spike: After the Fall, Part 4 Absent
Alone Together Now Absent	What Happens in Vegas, Slays in Vegas Absent	Everybody Loves Spike Absent	You Haven't Changed a Bit Absent	Bedknobs and Boomsticks Absent	Something Borrowed Absent	Give and Take Absent	Stranger Things Absent	Spike: Into the Light Absent

Angel & Faith: Season 10
Where the River Meets the Sea, Part 1 Absent	Where the River Meets the Sea, Part 2 Absent	Where the River Meets the Sea, Part 3 Absent	Where the River Meets the Sea, Part 4 Absent	Old Habits Vision	Lost and Found, Part 1 Absent	Lost and Found, Part 2 Absent	Lost and Found, Part 3 Absent	Lost and Found, Part 4 Absent	Lost and Found, Part 5 Absent
United, Part 1 Absent	United, Part 2 Absent	United, Part 3 Absent	United, Part 4 Absent	Fight or Flight Absent	Those Who Can't Teach, Teach Gym, Part 1 Absent	Those Who Can't Teach, Teach Gym, Part 2 Absent	Those Who Can't Teach, Teach Gym, Part 3 Absent	A Little More than Kin, Part 1 Absent	A Little More than Kin, Part 2 Absent
A Tale of Two Families, Part 1 Absent		A Tale of Two Families, Part 2 Absent		A Tale of Two Families, Part 3 Absent		A Tale of Two Families, Part 4 Absent		A Tale of Two Families, Part 5 Absent

Angel: Season 11
Out of the Past, Part 1 Absent	Out of the Past, Part 2 Absent	Out of the Past, Part 3 Absent	Out of the Past, Part 4 Absent	Time and Tide, Part 1 Absent	Time and Tide, Part 2 Absent	Time and Tide, Part 3 Absent	Time and Tide, Part 4 Absent	Dark Reflections, Part 1 Absent	Dark Reflections, Part 2 Appears	Dark Reflections, Part 3 Absent	Dark Reflections, Part 4 Absent

Other

Episodes Buffy the Vampire Slayer pilot Buffy the Animated Series pilot Buffy the Vampire Slayer novels Buffy the Vampire Slayer The Harvest Halloween Rain The Angel Chronicles, Volume 1 Blooded The Angel Chronicles, Volume 2 The Angel Chronicles, Volume 3 Power of Persuasion The Willow Files, Volume 2 Spike and Dru: Pretty Maids All in a Row Chosen: The One Chaos Bleeds The Journals of Rupert Giles Little Things "The White Doe" "Unholy Madness" (Only mentioned) "All That You Do Comes Back Unto Thee" (Only mentioned) "Abomination" "Blood and Brine" "House of the Vampire" Carnival of Souls Demons of the Hellmouth (Only mentioned) Buffy the Vampire Slayer: A Picture Book Slayer In Every Generation Bloody Fool for Love Big Bad: A Novel (Only mentioned) The Bewitching Hour Buffy the Vampire Slayer comics Wu-Tang Fang Rogues Gallery "Cursed" The Final Cut Stinger A Boy Named Sue A Nice Girl Like You "The Latest Craze" Love Sick Blues The Food Chain The Blood of Carthage, Part Four The Heart of a Slayer, Part One Cemetery of Lost Love Past Lives, Part Two Past Lives, Part Four Freaks & Geeks New School Nightmare (Only mentioned) Buffy the Vampire Slayer #5 (Only mentioned) "The Mission" "The Eating of Men" Buffy the Vampire Slayer #22 Faith Buffy the Vampire Slayer #23 Buffy the Vampire Slayer #24 Tea Time The Vampire Slayer #6 The Vampire Slayer #11 The Lost Summer (Only mentioned) Angel comics The Hollower, Part One The Hollower, Part Two The Hollower, Part Three "Point of Order" Earthly Possessions, Part Two Earthly Possessions, Part Three The Curse, Part One The Curse, Part Two Angel #8 Spike comics Spike vs. Dracula, Part Two Spike vs. Dracula, Part Three (Only mentioned) Video games Wrath of the Darkhul King

References

↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 "The Harvest" ↑ "Are You Now or Have You Ever Been" ↑ "Angel" ↑ 4.0 4.1 "When She Was Bad" ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 "Helpless" ↑ 6.0 6.1 "Beneath You" ↑ 7.0 7.1 "Spin the Bottle" ↑ 8.0 8.1 "Lies My Parents Told Me" ↑ 9.0 9.1 "Destiny" ↑ 10.0 10.1 The Origin, Part Three ↑ 11.0 11.1 "Doppelgängland" ↑ 12.0 12.1 "Nightmares" ↑ 13.0 13.1 "Who Are You?" ↑ 14.0 14.1 "Never Kill a Boy on the First Date" ↑ 15.0 15.1 "Innocence" ↑ 16.0 16.1 "Killed by Death" ↑ 17.0 17.1 "Buffy vs. Dracula" ↑ "I've Got You Under My Skin" ↑ "Offspring" ↑ "What's My Line? Part One" ↑ "What's My Line? Part Two" ↑ "The Harsh Light of Day" ↑ "Checkpoint" ↑ "Waiting in the Wings"