Veruca

“You're the wolf all the time, and your human face is just your disguise. Ever think of that?”

―Veruca^[src]

Veruca was a werewolf,^[1] the lead singer of Shy, and a student of University of California, Sunnydale.^[2]

Biography

Veruca was the lead singer of the band Shy. She and Oz knew of each other through the music scene, but their paths did not cross until his freshman year at UC Sunnydale.^[2] She sensed immediately that Oz was a werewolf, though he did not realize she too was a werewolf until much later.^[1]

During one of Oz's wolf nights, he escaped from his cage and slept with a female werewolf, who turned out to be Veruca. She tried to convince Oz to embrace the werewolf instead of fighting it and locking himself away while he transformed. She claimed that, because they shared this affliction, they should be together, free. Oz attempted to protect people from Veruca by locking her, along with himself, in his cage, a place in which they mated again.^[1]

Their affair was discovered by Willow Rosenberg, who tried to use her magic to curse both of them, but could not bring herself to hurt Oz. Veruca sought Willow out with the intent to kill her and almost succeeded. However, Oz, in his werewolf form, fought and killed Veruca by viciously biting her in the throat. He realized he could not go on like this and left Sunnydale in the hopes of finding a cure for his condition.^[1]

Powers and abilities

Veruca possessed the common abilities and handicaps of a werewolf. In addition, she was able to retain memories of the times during the werewolf transformation.^[1]

Personality and traits

“I'm not getting in that stupid cage with you, if that's what this is about. We belong outside.”

―Veruca^[src]

When Veruca was first bitten she was scared, but eventually accepted what she had become, and (unlike Oz) came to consider the wolf to be her true self. Because of that, she felt no need to restrain herself during her transformations, preferring to run free, not caring whether she hurt or killed someone or not.^[1]

Behind the scenes

• She was portrayed by Paige Moss.

Appearances

Canonical

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

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! Absent
Harmonic Divergence Absent	Swell Absent	Predators and Prey Absent	Safe Absent	Living Doll Absent	Retreat, Part 1 Absent	Retreat, Part 2 Mention	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

Other

• Oz, Part One (Only in visions)
• Oz: Into the Wild (Only in visions)

References

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5} "Wild at Heart"
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1} "Beer Bad"