View source for Der Kindestod

{{character
|Image = DerKindestod.jpg
|Appear = "[[Killed by Death]]"
|Name = Der Kindestod
|Status = Deceased
|Classification = [[Demon]]
|Powers = <br/>
* Invisibility to all except the feverishly ill
* Extendable eye-stalks
* Life force absorption
* Razor-sharp fingernails
|Actor = James Jude Courtney

[[Buffy the Vampire Slayer (season 2)|B2]]
}}

{{Quote|The name means "child death". This book says he feeds off of children by sucking the life out of them. Ugh! But anyway, afterwards, it looks like they died because they were sick.|[[Cordelia Chase]]|Killed by Death}}

'''Der Kindestod''' was a [[demon]] that preyed on sick children.

== Biography ==
Der Kindestod killed children by sucking the life out of them. Afterward, it looked like they died of fever. Therefore it preyed on children who were already ill, leaving little evidence to suspect their deaths were unnatural. One of his victims was a girl named [[Celia]], whose death was witnessed by her cousin, [[Buffy Summers]].

In 1998, Buffy encountered Der Kindestod again while being treated for flu at [[Sunnydale Memorial]] Hospital. Der Kindestod killed Dr. [[Stanley Backer]] after he came up with a formula which would treat the children's fever which Der Kindestod was feeding off. As all the sick children tried to escape Der Kindestod, Buffy, though being quickly cured of her illness, purposely made herself sick in order to confront Der Kindestod. After a brief fight where Der Kindestod managed to fed off her for a small time, Buffy killed him by easily breaking his neck.
==Characteristics==
This demon could only be seen by children suffering from high-grade fever. It had a humanoid form and sported clothes and a hat. Der Kindestod had a skeletal face with wispy hair. Its eyes were blank and could extend and open to form fanged stalks which the demon used to feed on its prey's life force. Its lower set of teeth were sharp, with three pairs that grew longer and appear more tusk-like. The exact function of these teeth were never shown as the demon fed using its eyes. Der Kinderstod's claws were sharp enough to tear through flesh.

== Powers and Abilites ==
{{Quote|Uh, the, um, the Kindestod gorges by sitting atop his prey, pinning it down, uh, helplessly. Then he slowly draws out the life. I-it must be, uh, h-horrifying for the victim.|[[Rupert Giles]]|Killed by Death}}

'''[[Invisibility]]'''-Der Kindestod was invisible to all adults and could only be seen by the feverishly ill.<br />
'''Extendable eye-stalks'''- Der Kindstod fed by turning his eyeballs into suckers that extended from his head and latched onto people, leeching their life force. Their dead bodies would then look as if died from the fever.<br />
'''Razor-sharp fingernails'''- Der Kinderstod possessed sharp claws which he used to kill Dr. Backer.<br />
Although it mainly targeted children, Der Kinderstod was powerful enough to fight a [[Slayer]], albeit a feverish one. Its main method of overpowering prey was by sitting on top of it, before attempting to feed.

== Name ==
''Der Kindestod'' is German and literally means "the child's death". In German this term is used in "[[Wikipedia:de:Plötzlicher Säuglingstod|plötzlicher Kindestod]]", the [[Wikipedia:Sudden infant death syndrome|Sudden Infant Death Syndrome]].

== Behind the Scenes ==
*He was portrayed by James Jude Courtney.

== Appearances ==
*"[[Killed by Death]]"
[[Category:Demons|Kindestod]]
[[Category:Scooby Gang enemies|Kindestod]]
[[Category:Males|Kindestod]]
[[Category:Deceased individuals|Kindestod]]