Summary
Joss Whedon has confirmed that the biggest influence onBuffy the Vampire Slayerwas a beloved comic book character who got botched in her official movie adaptation in 2006. Described as a cross betweenMy So-Called LifeandThe X-Files,Buffy the Vampire Slayercombines the relatable adolescent foibles of a teen drama with the spooky terror of a monster-infested supernatural horror series. It arrived as a totally unique gem in the television landscape, but it took a disparate range of inspirations to bring the show together.
Whedon has named many influences onhis creation of Buffy Summers, from theAlienfranchise’s Ellen Ripley to theTerminatorfranchise’s Sarah Connor toNight of the Comet’s Sam Belmont. But there’s one character that influenced the creation of Buffy more than any other – a character that Whedon described as both “a huge proto-Buffy” and “the mother of Buffy” (via/Film).The character in question is Kitty Pryde from Marvel’sX-Mencomics, andBuffy’s version of the character was more successful than Kitty’s authorized live-action adaptation in 2006’sX-Men: The Last Stand.
Buffy’s Version Of Kitty Pryde Was More Successful Than The Actual Live-Action Kitty Pryde
X-Men: The Last Stand botched everything – including Kitty Pryde
Kitty was featured in all three originalX-Menmovies, but she only made cameo appearances in the first two. In 2000’sX-Men, she was played by Sumela Kay, and in 2003’sX2, she was played by Katie Stuart. The character didn’t get a major role until the threequel,X-Men: The Last Stand, in which Kitty was recastwith Elliot Page.The Last Standbotched just about everything, from Charles Xavier’s death to Jean Grey’s Dark Phoenix arc, and that includes the handling of Kitty’s character.
X-Men: The Last Standwas poorly received by critics, earning a “rotten” approval rating of 56% on Rotten Tomatoes, and it was deemed vastly inferior to its predecessors.Buffy the Vampire Slayer, on the other hand, was a hit show that was adored by critics and audiences alike. It’s interesting thatBuffywas a huge success using Kitty as the template for its lead character, butX-Men: The Last Stand– using the actual character herself – didn’t enjoy the same success.
How Buffy Adapts Marvel’s Kitty Pryde Character
They’re both young women with supernatural powers
Both Buffy and Kitty are young women who gain supernatural abilities and struggle to control them, but the similarities between the two characters go deeper than that.Buffy and Kitty both use their powers to reclaim some agencyin a world (and a genre) where young women are typically denied any agency.Buffy the Vampire Slayerdid a much better job of exploring that empowering theme thanX-Men: The Last Stand.
Buffy The Vampire Slayer
Cast
Buffy the Vampire Slayer is a television series created by Joss Whedon, focusing on Buffy Summers, portrayed by Sarah Michelle Gellar, a young woman chosen to battle against vampires, demons, and other supernatural forces while navigating the complexities of teenage life.
