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 and powerful 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. Both enemy and ally to the Scooby Gang, Dracula maintained a rivalry with the Slayer Buffy Summers and an unusual friendship with Xander Harris.

Based on the cultural icon, Dracula was portrayed by Rudolph Martin in the episode "Buffy vs. Dracula" of the Buffy the Vampire Slayer. He later reappeared in novels and comic books, including the canonical Tales of the Vampires and Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season Eight.

Rise to fame
"I'll tell you what, that glory hound's done more harm to vampires than any Slayer. His story gets out and suddenly everybody knows how to kill us."

- Spike

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 hypnotized 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 beginning to drink 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.

Return
"I loathe Buffy Summers, her whole army makes me want to retch, and I'd just as soon see them wiped off the map once and for all. However, nobody steals from Dracula"

- Dracula

Later, a band of vampires possessing abilities similar to Dracula's executed a raid on the Slayer headquarters in Scotland, successfully stealing Buffy's Scythe. With no other leads, Xander and Renee were dispatched to seek Dracula's aid. Unbeknowst to them, Dracula continued to deal with his crisis by drowning his sorrows in alcohol, having even lost his lust to kill as well. However, the sight of the approaching Xander led him to shave and shapeshift into a younger appearance

After meeting with Xander again, Dracula pretended he led a pleasurable existance with aid of his new manservant, Butterfield, while not hiding his disgust for Renee, whom he referred as "moor". After a while, Dracula revealed that, while intoxicated, he had lost his powers in a bet with a group of Japanese vampires, wagered against a Kawasaki 21000 motorcycle. Outraged with both himself and his opponents, Dracula agreed to assist in the assault on Tokyo, despite his disgust with Buffy Summers and her "army".

"Those filthy yellow swine!"

- Dracula on Toru and his cohorts

Upon arriving in Scotland, Dracula aided Willow Rosenberg in preparing a spell to counter the magical plans of Toru, leader of the Japanese vampires. Toru sought to undo Willow's spell from years before, and remove the powers of the Slayer from the masses of girls that now composed Buffy's army.

Dracula fought in the battle at Tokyo, killing many of Toru's underlings, and providing a magical sword that was able to unmake the vampire's spell before it was completed. Dracula´s Sword was enchanted by demons and was likened to the Slayer Scythe. Willow used the Sword to remove the mystical powers that the vampires possessed. Toru himself was even bested by Dracula, but the killing blow was given to Xander, who struck Toru down to avenge the death of Renee.

It is unclear if Dracula regained his power after the battle.

Personality
"My boy... I was never an ordinary vampire. Or did you forget what I used to be? I've killed more men than God's plagues combined. And that was before I started eating people for fun. The fields of Europe used to steam with the blood of my enemies. Trust me... the vampire's the least of your concerns. It's the old man you need to worry about."

- Dracula

Dracula's personality was similar to that of a vain celebrity; he was deeply convinced of his own superiority and highly aware of his world-wide fame. True to his age and origins, he was also deeply racist, regarding those of asian and african origin as inferior. Spike described him as both a "poncy sod" and a "glory hound". Charismatic and handsome, Dracula often inspired fear and respect from those around him, becoming visibly annoyed if they were not impressed. However, his pretension hid his true feelings of loneliness, and in recent years, he came to resent his status as a pop culture icon rather than a true and feared figure of evil.

Powers and abilities
Besides the regular powers of vampires, Dracula possessed a number of magical abilities seemingly taught to him by the Roma tribes established in his domains. One of these abilities allowed him to transform into animals such as bats, wolves and panthers. He was also capable of transforming into mist and reforming himself after being dusted. His shapeshifting powers also allowed him to feed without assuming the "game face" of common vampires.

Dracula was also a psychic capable of reading, influencing and controlling minds as well as projecting himself into the dreams of others.

Relationships

 * The Three Sisters — 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.

The image of Dracula in a grey outfit and top hat from "Wolves at the Gate" resembles Dracula as played by Gary Oldman in Bram Stoker's 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