- “Hey kid. Wanna see a trick?”
- ―Doc to Dawn Summers[src]
Doc was, in appearance, an eccentric, somewhat senile old man with knowledge of dark magic, though he was actually a powerful demon with human appearance and reptilian characteristics. He's portrayed by Joel Grey.
Biography
- “Just because the lights are dim doesn't mean the juice is all gone. What can I do for you?”
- ―Doc[src]
When Dawn Summers was looking for a way to bring her mother back to life, Spike took her to Doc, who had a reputation of knowing about dark magic.
While disturbed by Doc's demeanor, and the fact that she managed to get a glimpse of his short tail, Dawn listened to Doc's instructions regarding the ritual to bring Joyce back from the dead, finding little comfort in his words, though. As it turned out, Joyce wasn't resurrected; her corpse was raised as a zombie, forcing Dawn to break the spell.
- “You think only underworld bottom feeders worship the Beast? Her day is coming, boys. And when she returns - then you're gonna see something.”
- ―Doc to Spike and Xander Harris[src]
Weeks later, Spike and Xander Harris sought Doc to obtain information about Glory. Initially polite, Doc tried to distract Spike and Xander as he attempted to destroy a chest that contained information about Glory's plans. After he was discovered, Doc dropped the crazy old man act and attacked Spike and Xander, revealing both his abilities and the fact that he was a worshiper of "The Beast". Spike and Xander fought back and defeated Doc, though they didn't realize he hadn't been been killed.
Hours later, as the Scooby Gang fought Glory to prevent her from bleeding Dawn, Doc appeared atop the tower constructed by the town crazies for the Glory's ritual. Dawn begged Doc to save her but he ignored her, as he awaited for the exact time to begin the bleeding. Spike interrupted Doc but was defeated by the demon, who stabbed him in the back and threw him off the tower. Having defeated Spike, Doc proceeded to make shallow cuts on Dawn's stomach, allowing the blood to flow, while at the same time keeping Dawn alive. After Buffy Summers reached the top, Doc tried to attack the Slayer but she merely pushed him off the tower. It is unknown whether he survived the fall or not. Since Spike survived, and Doc was more powerful than an ordinary vampire, it sems likely that he was merely injured.
Powers and abilities
- “Doesn't a fellow stay dead when you kill 'im?”
- ―Spike to Doc[src]
Doc had the appearance of an aged human caucasian male. However he also had a small reptilian tail, solid black eyes (which he could morph into appearing human-like) and blue blood.
Doc's powers include superhuman agility and reflexes. He was also capable of surviving and regenerating wounds that would be deadly for humans. Finally, Doc also possessed an extendable chameleon-like tongue and had the ability to "smell" the presence of a human soul in other beings. He also seems to differentiate between vampires and humans, as he knew that Spike was a vampire from the moment he saw him.