Dracula

"I'm sure you've heard the stories. The tales. The legends.  Do try to contain your fear.  Would be a shame if terror dulled this extraordinary event.  After all, it's not every day you meet... Dracula."

- Dracula

Count Dracula was a famous vampire. Possessing amazing abilties uncommon to vampires, he sold his story and became a huge celebrity in both demon and human society, but is now considered by many to be a myth. He has several rivals, one of them being the Slayer, Buffy Summers.

Dracula was portrayed by Rudolph Martin in the episode "Buffy vs. Dracula" of the Buffy the Vampire Slayer television series. He later reappeared in Buffy literature, including both canon and non-canon comic books.

Rise to fame
At some point in his life, Dracula was associated with gypsies, from whom he learned his unusual supernatural abilities. During the 14th century, he met and "hung out" with Anyanka, a vengeance demon and Patron Saint of Scorned Women. Anyanka had recently cursed a man by making him incredibly obese, and Dracula complimented her by claiming the man was doomed forever. In the 19th century, Dracula's story was published in Bram Stoker's novel Dracula, which caused concern amongst the vampire community who labelled him a sell-out for making their vulnerabilities public knowledge to humans. He also formed a rivalry with the vampire Spike, at least partially over a debt of eleven pounds, though Spike later claimed that Dracula "forgot all about his foes" due to his increasing fame from the novel and it's various adaptations.

Battle with Buffy Summers
"I have searched the world over for you. I have yearned for you. For a creature whose darkness rivals my own."

- Dracula to Buffy

In 2000, Dracula came to Sunnydale, a Californian town which lay on a Hellmouth and was home to the Slayer, Buffy Summers. He had heard the stories about the world-famous Slayer and wanted to meet her for himself. Introducing himself to the starstruck "Scooby Gang", Dracula hypnotised Buffy's friend Xander Harris into becoming his servant and later seduced Buffy into letting him bite her. Xander eventually led Buffy to Dracula's castle on the outskirts of Sunnydale, where she tried to take control and kill him, but once again fell victim to his "thrall". After willingly drinking some of Dracula's blood, Buffy regained her senses and battled the vampire, staking him. Upon her apparent departure, Dracula tried to reform from mist, but Buffy reappeared and staked him a second time, telling him she was wise to his tricks, having seen his movies. Accepting that the Slayer was too strong for him, Dracula left Sunnydale.

Mid-life crisis
"The world cycles... each generation must negate the generation before it. Overstay your welcome, and you'll become a tall tale for children. Fodder for terrible films and television serials.  All because you committed the one cardinal sin — you aged."

- Dracula

Some time after the destruction of Sunnydale, a lonely Dracula kidnapped Xander and put him under his thrall for a second time. Discovering Xander's location, Buffy arrived at Dracula's castle and demanded her friend be returned to her, brushing off his attempts to frighten her. While fighting Buffy, Dracula lamented how he had become a joke and warned Buffy that she too would become antiquated one day. Buffy simply ridiculed Dracula for his "mid-life crisis". He eventually agreed to release his "manservant" from his trance, but not before bidding him an emotional goodbye and genuinely thanking Xander for the time they spend together.

Personality
Dracula's personality is similar to that of a vain celebrity; he is deeply convinced of his own darkness and evil and highly conscious of his world-wide fame. Spike has described him as both a "poncy sod" and a "glory hound". Charismatic and handsome, Dracula often commands fear and respect from people and becomes visibly annoyed if they are not impressed. However, his pretension undermines his true feelings of loneliness, and in recent years, he seems to have come to resent his role as a pop culture icon rather than a true figure of evil.

Relationships

 * The Harpies — Dracula has three Brides who he refers to as "the Harpies". Although presumably loyal to Dracula, the Brides have also attempted to seduce Rupert Giles and dress Xander up like a "bobby".
 * Anyanka — Anya told the Scooby Gang that she and Dracula "hung out a few times" back in her demon days. She claimed "He's pretty cool.  You know, from a whole... evil thing perspective."  Dracula was impressed with Anyanka's work as a vengeance demon, and Anya thought his compliments were "really sweet".  However, she doubted he would remember her anymore, as she was "just a silly young thing.  I mean, like seven hundred or so."
 * Buffy Summers — Dracula was enamored with the infamous Slayer, viewing her as his equal. According to Willow Rosenberg, Dracula liked to make a connection with his victims before he sired them, and, describing her as "magnificent", seduced Buffy into letting him bite her.  Buffy was initially starstruck by the vampire, and rather flattered that he held her in such regard.  Nevertheless, when she broke free of his thrall, she ridiculed him for his cliched routines and defeated him relatively easily.  When next they met, Buffy was distinctly unimpressed by Dracula, mocking him for his attempts to intimidate her.
 * Xander Harris — When first they met, Dracula was confused by Xander, referring to him as "strange and offputting". Xander, like Buffy, mocked Dracula and was not particularly frightened of him, even challenging him to a fight.  Dracula effortlessly put him under his thrall, turning him into a loyal servant with a compulsion to eat insects.  When the spell was broken, Xander expressed anger at being reduced to a "spider-eating man bitch".  Dracula seemed to miss Xander, as he later went to the effort of putting him under his thrall once more, apparently for no other reason than to offer himself company.  The two spent an unknown part of a year together, with Xander showing Dracula how to ride a motorcycle and other activities.  When Buffy tried to rescue her friend, the brainwashed Xander remained loyal to his "master", slapping Buffy in an pathetic attempt to repel her.  Realizing he belonged back with the Scoobies, Dracula reluctantly told Xander to leave, but thanked him for his company.

Behind the scenes
The writers for Buffy the Vampire Slayer came up with the idea of using Dracula because Marti Noxon wanted a Dracula-like character who was "just another vampire who rode a horse and was all cool". Joss Whedon was the one who said, "Why not Dracula? He's public domain."

Actor Rudolf Martin also played Dracula in the film Dark Prince: The True Story of Dracula.

Canonical appearances

 * Buffy the Vampire Slayer
 * "Buffy vs. Dracula"
 * Tales of the Vampires
 * "Antique"
 * Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season Eight
 * "Wolves at the Gate"

Expanded universe
A short prose story in the novel Tales of the Slayer Vol. II. In London, 1897, the Slayer Angelique Hawthorne struggled to determine whether she was under the thrall of Dracula or not, and tried to find a way to defeat him.
 * Tales of the Slayer
 * "House of the Vampire"

This comic explores in depth Dracula's hinted-rivalry with Spike. It is revealed that Dracula was a powerful ally of the gypsies who cursed Angelus, and when Spike, Drusilla, and Darla massacred the clan in vengeance, Dracula promised they would pay. Upon meeting him, Dracula started a rivalry with Spike when he threw his signed first edition of Bram Stoker's Dracula, costing eleven quid, into a fire. In 2002, Dracula came to the Los Angeles branch of demonic law firm Wolfram & Hart to solve the legal problem of losing his Sunnydale castle to the Hellmouth. Little did he know that Angel was now running W&H, with Spike his reluctant ghostly ally. When faced with the prospect of being haunted by ghost Spike, Dracula simply paid him the eleven pounds to get rid of him, but got the last laugh since the incorporeal Spike couldn't pick the money up.
 * Spike vs. Dracula

The novel Blackout hints at a rivalry between Dracula and the 1970s Slayer, Nikki Wood.
 * Blackout