Old One

“The Old Ones were demons pure. They warred as we would breathe — endlessly. The greater ones were interred, for death was not always their end.”

―Drogyn^[src]

Old One were pure-breed demons that dominated the Earth^[1] during the Primordium Age.^[2]

History

Primordium Age

“For untold eons demons walked the Earth. They made it their home, their Hell. But in time, they lost their purchase on this reality. The way was made for mortal animals, for man. All that remains of the Old Ones are vestiges, certain magics, certain creatures…”

―Rupert Giles^[src]

The Old Ones were brought forth from another, more horrific, dimension during the creation of Earth through the Seed of Wonder.^[3] They shared the Earth with fellow higher beings which would come to be known as the Powers That Be. The rise of the Old Ones led the Powers to flee this world,^[4] while the demons became rulers of vast territories, commanded enormous armies that worshiped them as deities, and constantly made war against each other,^[5] turning the Earth into their home, their hell.^[1]

Banishment

“There were demons, monsters beyond imagination, most of them pure evil. They ruled this dimension as they did so many others. […] Eventually, as mortal animals evolved, under the protection of certain mages and loranites— […] The demons, most of them, found more hospitable dimen… places, and left the Earth to the mortals. For the most part. Some remained, hidden away. Some bred within the human community, their power weakened throughout generations. Some assimilated. And some… infected.”

―Urkonn of the D'Avvrus^[src]

The Old Ones eventually lost their claim over Earth. Some were killed in their own wars while others either fled or were banished to other dimensions.^[5] It was widely believed that the rise of humankind was responsible for the demise of the Old Ones.^[1] Those who were killed were placed in sarcophagi which were hidden at the Deeper Well, a hole in the world running between England (in the Cotswolds) and New Zealand. The remains of the Old Ones were supposed to be kept there in order to prevent their resurrection, as not only their corpses but also their essences were trapped.^[5]

According to the Last Guardian, the mʔ weapon was created to kill the last Old One to walk the Earth.^[6] The Vampyr reported that the last pure demon to leave Earth infected a human with its blood, creating the first vampire.^[1][7] Indeed, when Xander tapped into the Old One Maloker's memories, he saw the time of the banishment of the Old Ones at the hands of humans wielding powerful magicks. Fearful of his imprisonment, Maloker sought to raise an army, and so sired the first vampire.^[8]

Modern day

“All the demons that walk the Earth are tainted, are human hybrids like vampires. The Ascension means that a human becomes pure demon. They're different.”

―Anya^[src]

The demons that remained on Earth were forced to remain hidden and breed within mortal animals, creating weaker offspring as time went on.^[9] However, the legacy of the Old Ones remained not only in the form of the hundreds of demon species,^[10] but also in the form of cults that worshiped them, awaiting their return to bring about the destruction of mankind. These included the Order of Aurelius, led by the vampire known as the Master,^[11] and Illyria's cult, of which the humans Knox and Sparrow were followers.^[12]

Mortal beings could even take on the physical form of an Old One through a complicated ritual known as the Ascension.^[13] They could also be reborn in mortal bodies, killing the hosts in the process. Illyria was resurrected in a human body in 2004,^[5] and Maloker attempted to return through Dracula, transforming his body and overwriting his persona with that of the Old One's in the process, although he was ultimately unsuccessful.^[14]

Biology and powers

“The Old Ones are the mightiest of demonkind… Primordial forces that cannot truly die. They would not hide, any more than a tsunami or hurricane would.”

―Rupert Giles^[src]

Though each Old One had a different form and powers, what they all shared in common was their enormous size; they could shapeshift to become as big as they wished to be.^[14] They were also vastly more powerful than even the strongest hybrid demon races that walked the Earth.^[15]

The Old Ones were immortals in the sense that they could never be completely destroyed:^[5] even if their bodies had perished, their essence lived on, and they could find ways to come back into being.^[16] This was the case of Illyria, inhabiting Fred's human body when she died with the creation of a Seed of Wonder, her soon return also resurrecting Fred.^[17] Wilkins also returned from a deathly explosion thanks to his Old One constitution, spending years pulling himself back together as the Olvikan.^[18]

Known Old Ones

Behind the scenes

• Old Ones from non-canonical sources are the Aegir, Arsgomor, Azogg-Mon, the Cold Bringer, Garth, Ky-Laag, Laibach of the Abyss, Sorm, the Triumvirate, and Baticus' father.

Appearances

Canonical

Buffy the Vampire Slayer

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

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

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

Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Season 5
"Buffy vs. Dracula" Absent	"Real Me" Absent	"The Replacement" Absent	"Out of My Mind" Absent	"No Place Like Home" Absent	"Family" Absent	"Fool for Love" Absent	"Shadow" Mention	"Listening to Fear" Absent	"Into the Woods" Absent	"Triangle" Absent
"Checkpoint" Absent	"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" Absent	"After Life" Absent	"Flooded" Absent	"Life Serial" Absent	"All the Way" Absent	"Once More, with Feeling" Absent	"Tabula Rasa" Absent	"Smashed" Mention	"Wrecked" Absent	"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" Absent	"Seeing Red" Absent	"Villains" Absent	"Two to Go" Absent	"Grave" Absent

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

Fray: Future Slayer
Big City Girl Voice Only	The Calling Absent	Ready, Steady... Flashback	Out of the Past Appears	The Worst of It Mention	Alarums Appears	The Gateway Appears	All Hell Appears

Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Season 8
The Long Way Home, Part 1 Absent	The Long Way Home, Part 2 Absent	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! Mention
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 Absent	Last Gleaming, Part 4 Absent	Last Gleaming, Part 5 Absent
"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 Absent	Slayer, Interrupted Absent	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 Appears	Welcome to the Team, Part 2 Appears	Welcome to the Team, Part 3 Appears	Welcome to the Team, Part 4 Appears	The Watcher Mention	The Core, Part 1 Flashback	The Core, Part 2 Appears	The Core, Part 3 Appears	The Core, Part 4 Appears	The Core, Part 5 Appears	Love vs. Life Absent

Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Season 10
New Rules, Part 1 Absent	New Rules, Part 2 Mention	New Rules, Part 3 Mention	New Rules, Part 4 Appears	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) Vision
Love Dares You, Part 1 Absent	Love Dares You, Part 2 Absent	Love Dares You, Part 3 Absent	Relationship Status: Complicated, Part 1 Absent	Relationship Status: Complicated, Part 2 Absent	Old Demons, Part 1 Mention	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 Mention	In Pieces on the Ground, Part 3 Absent	In Pieces on the Ground, Part 4 Absent	In Pieces on the Ground, Part 5 Absent	Own It, Part 1 Absent	Own It, Part 2 Absent	Own It, Part 3 Absent	Own It, Part 4 Mention	Own It, Part 5 Absent
"Where Are They Now?" Absent

Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Season 12
One Year Later Appears	Future Shock Appears	The Reckoning Appears	Finale Appears

Angel

Angel: Season 2
"Judgment" Absent	"Are You Now or Have You Ever Been" Absent	"First Impressions" Absent	"Untouched" Absent	"Dear Boy" Absent	"Guise Will Be Guise" Absent	"Darla" Mention	"The Shroud of Rahmon" Absent	"The Trial" Absent	"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 4
"Deep Down" Absent	"Ground State" Absent	"The House Always Wins" Absent	"Slouching Toward Bethlehem" Mention	"Supersymmetry" Absent	"Spin the Bottle" Absent	"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" Mention	"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" Absent	"Harm's Way" Absent	"Soul Purpose" Absent	"Damage" Absent
"You're Welcome" Absent	"Why We Fight" Absent	"Smile Time" Absent	"A Hole in the World" Appears	"Shells" Appears	"Underneath" Appears	"Origin" Appears	"Time Bomb" Appears	"The Girl in Question" Appears	"Power Play" Appears	"Not Fade Away" Appears

Angel: After the Fall
After the Fall, Part 1 Absent	After the Fall, Part 2 Appears	After the Fall, Part 3 Appears	After the Fall, Part 4 Appears	After the Fall, Part 5 Appears	After the Fall, Part 6 Appears	After the Fall, Part 7 Absent	After the Fall, Part 8 Appears	After the Fall, Part 9 Appears
After the Fall, Part 10 Appears	After the Fall, Part 11 Appears	After the Fall, Part 12 Appears	After the Fall, Part 13 Appears	After the Fall, Part 14 Appears	After the Fall, Part 15 Appears	After the Fall, Part 16 Appears	After the Fall, Part 17 Appears	Epilogue Appears

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

Angel & Faith
Live Through This, Part 1 Absent	Live Through This, Part 2 Absent	Live Through This, Part 3 Absent	Live Through This, Part 4 Absent	In Perfect Harmony Absent	Daddy Issues, Part 1 Absent	Daddy Issues, Part 2 Absent	Daddy Issues, Part 3 Absent	Daddy Issues, Part 4 Absent	Women of a Certain Age Absent
Family Reunion, Part 1 Mention	Family Reunion, Part 2 Mention	Family Reunion, Part 3 Appears	Family Reunion, Part 4 Appears	The Hero of His Own Story Absent	A Dark Place, Part 1 Absent	A Dark Place, Part 2 Absent	A Dark Place, Part 3 Absent	A Dark Place, Part 4 Absent	A Dark Place, Part 5 Absent
Death and Consequences, Part 1 Absent	Death and Consequences, Part 2 Absent	Death and Consequences, Part 3 Absent	Death and Consequences, Part 4 Absent	Spike and Faith Absent	What You Want, Not What You Need, Part 1 Absent	What You Want, Not What You Need, Part 2 Mention	What You Want, Not What You Need, Part 3 Absent	What You Want, Not What You Need, Part 4 Absent	What You Want, Not What You Need, Part 5 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 Absent	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 Flashback	United, Part 2 Appears	United, Part 3 Appears	United, Part 4 Appears	Fight or Flight Appears	Those Who Can't Teach, Teach Gym, Part 1 Mention	Those Who Can't Teach, Teach Gym, Part 2 Mention	Those Who Can't Teach, Teach Gym, Part 3 Absent	A Little More than Kin, Part 1 Appears	A Little More than Kin, Part 2 Absent
A Tale of Two Families, Part 1 Absent		A Tale of Two Families, Part 2 Mention		A Tale of Two Families, Part 3 Appears		A Tale of Two Families, Part 4 Appears		A Tale of Two Families, Part 5 Absent

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

Other

Buffy the Vampire Slayer novels Immortal Spike and Dru: Pretty Maids All in a Row (Only mentioned) Original Sins (Only mentioned) The Wisdom of War Chosen: The One (Only mentioned) Slayer (Only mentioned) Bloody Fool for Love Buffy the Vampire Slayer Classic The Dust Waltz Double Cross Giles: Beyond the Pale (Only mentioned) Spike and Dru: All's Fair Haunted, Part One (Only mentioned) Angel comics Vermin, Part One (Only mentioned) Vermin, Part Two (Only mentioned) The Curse, Part Three (Only in flashbacks) Old Friends, Part Two Old Friends, Part Three Spotlight: Illyria "Unacceptable Losses" Aftermath, Part One Only Human, Part One Only Human, Part Two Only Human, Part Three Only Human, Part Four Only Human, Part Five A Hole in the World, Part Two (Only mentioned) A Hole in the World, Part Three A Hole in the World, Part Four A Hole in the World, Part Five Lorne: The Music of the Spheres The Crown Prince Syndrome Immortality for Dummies The Trouble with Felicia The Big Dustup Roman a Clef Letters Home: A Jamesian Interlude Bedroom Follies Prophet for Profit, Part One Prophet for Profit, Part Two Prophet for Profit, Part Three Cats in the Cradle The Wolf, the Ram, and the Heart, Part One The Wolf, the Ram, and the Heart, Part Two The Wolf, the Ram, and the Heart, Part Three The Wolf, the Ram, and the Heart, Part Four The Wolf, the Ram, and the Heart, Part Five The Wolf, the Ram, and the Heart, Part Six "Fight for the Remote!" "This One Time" Illyria: Haunted, Part One Illyria: Haunted, Part Two Illyria: Haunted, Part Three Illyria: Haunted, Part Four Angel + Spike #13 Buffy the Vampire Slayer Roleplaying Game "Sweeps Week" (Only mentioned) "Lair of the Wendigo" (Only mentioned) Video games Buffy the Vampire Slayer (Xbox) Spike comics Plush (Only in visions) Doppelgangbang The Devil You Know, Part One Fallen Angel: Reborn Reborn, Part One Reborn, Part Two Reborn, Part Three Reborn, Part Four

References

↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 "The Harvest" ↑ "Time Bomb" ↑ Last Gleaming, Part Two ↑ "Shiny Happy People" ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 "A Hole in the World" ↑ "End of Days" ↑ The Core, Part One ↑ New Rules, Part Four ↑ Ready, Steady... ↑ "Graduation Day, Part One" ↑ "Welcome to the Hellmouth" ↑ "Shells" ↑ "Graduation Day, Part Two" ↑ 14.0 14.1 New Rules, Part Five ↑ "Graduation Day, Part One" ↑ New Rules, Part Two ↑ United, Part Two ↑ One Year Later