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Changes: Gentlemen

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{{Species
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[[File:The_Gentlemen.jpg|thumb|The Gentle Men and one of their Minions. ]]
  
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|Image = Gentlemen.jpg
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{{character
  
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|Type = [[Demon]]
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|Powers = *[[Voice manipulation]]
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*[[Levitation]]
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|Name = Gentlemen
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|Related Species = [[Footmen]]
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|Appear = "[[Hush]]"
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|Actor = [[Doug Jones]]<br>[[Camden Toy]]<br>Don W. Lewis<br>[[Charlie Brumbly]]
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}}
   
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{{Quote|Can't even shout.<br>Can't even cry.<br>The Gentlemen are coming by.<br>Looking in windows,<br>knocking on doors...<br>They need to take seven<br>and they might take yours...<br>Can't call to Mom.<br>Can't say a word.<br>You're gonna die screaming<br>but you won't be heard.|[[Unidentified girl (Hush)|Girl in Buffy's dream]]|Hush}}
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|Title = The Gentlemen
  
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|Image = TheGentlemen01.jpg
  
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|Appear = [[Hush]]
  
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|Classification = Demon
  
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}}
 
   
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The '''Gentlemen''' were a group of [[demon]]s known from fairy tales. They roamed from town to town [[voice manipulation|stealing voices]] in order to gather seven [[human]] hearts. They were served by a group of demonic [[footmen]] dressed in straitjackets who did all the fighting and muscle-work for them.<ref name=":0">"[[Hush]]"</ref>
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{{Quote|Can't even shout. <br> Can't even cry.<br>The Gentlemen are coming by.<br> Looking in windows,<br>knocking on doors...<br>They need to take seven<br>and they might take yours...<br>Can't call to mom.<br>Can't say a word.<br>You're gonna die screaming<br>but you won't be heard.|Girl in Buffy's dream|Hush}}
  
   
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==History==
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'''The Gentlemen''' were a group of [[Demon|demons]] that roam from town to town, seeking out seven human hearts they require to stay alive. They are served by a group of demon [[Gentlemen's footmen|footmen]]. The Gentlemen are best described as humanoid, fanged, clawed, bald, pale, always smiling, mute and wear black suits.
  
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[[Rupert Giles]] had [[Fairy Tales|a book]] with a folktale in which the Gentlemen stole the voices of a kingdom before the princess screamed, causing them to die.<ref name=":0" />
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Additionally, they do not walk, but instead float about a foot above the ground, standing perfectly straight.
  
   
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In 1999, [[Buffy Summers]], the [[Slayer]], had a [[prophetic dreaming|prophetic ‎dream]] about the Gentlemen's arrival in town. A group of six demons came to [[Sunnydale]] in the same night and made all inhabitants silent, gathering their voices inside [[Gentlemen's box|a box]]. They stayed in a [[clock tower]] and managed to collect five hearts, two of them from [[University of California, Sunnydale|UC Sunnydale]] students and one from a fifteen year old girl.<ref name=":0" />
   
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Buffy fought the Gentlemen in the tower with help from the [[Initiative]] soldier [[Riley Finn]]. Riley freed their voices breaking the box, which allowed Buffy to explode their heads with a scream.<ref name=":0" />
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== Appearances ==
  
   
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==Description==
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* ''[[Hush]]''
  
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The Gentlemen were bald, pale humanoids that never spoke, but were always grinning through metallic teeth. They wore black suits and carried satchels with scalpels in them, with which to remove the hearts they required. They did not walk, but instead [[levitation|hovered]] about a foot above the ground, standing straight. They had yellow [[blood]], as seen when the sound of a voice made their heads explode.<ref name=":0" />
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* ''[[Spike: Asylum]]'' <small>(on a poster in the asylum waiting room)</small>
  
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* ''[[Always Darkest]]'' <small>(in dreams)</small>
  
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True to their name, they tended to act and carry themselves very elegantly and politely; gesturing gracefully, kindly passing the scalpel during a heart extraction and applauding another Gentleman each time they added a heart to the collection.<ref name=":0" />
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[[Category:Demons|Gentlemen]]
  
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[[Category:Scooby Gang enemies|Gentlemen]]
  
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They were completely silent, never uttering a single word or sound even when in seeming agony upon their defeat.<ref name=":0" />
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[[Category:Demon species|Gentlemen]]
  
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==Powers and abilities==
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*[[Durability]] — According to the book Giles researched, no known weapon was able to kill the Gentlemen, except for a loud human voice.<ref name=":0" />
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*[[Levitation]] — The Gentlemen were able to hover above the ground instead of walking.<ref name=":0" />
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*[[Voice manipulation]] — They stole the voices of every inhabitant upon arrival in a new town through a magical box.<ref name=":0" />
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==Behind the scenes==
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*They were portrayed by [[Doug Jones]], [[Camden Toy]], Don W. Lewis, and [[Charlie Brumbly]]. Camden Toy also played [[Gnarl]], a [[Turok-Han]], and the [[Prince of Lies]].
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*According to Camden Toy, the original name of the Gentlemen was the "Laughing Men."<ref>Abbie Bernstein, [https://www.assignmentx.com/2017/buffy-the-vampire-slayer-actor-camden-toy-chats-about-joss-whedons-classic-series-exclusive-interview-part-1/ "BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER: Actor Camden Toy chats about Joss Whedon’s classic series – Exclusive Interview – Part 1."] ''Assignment X'', May 11, 2017.</ref>
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*[[Joss Whedon]] describes his inspiration while designing the Gentlemen: "What I was going for with the Gentlemen was very specifically a Victorian kind of feel, because that to me is very creepy and fairytale-like." He also lists the characters [[Wikipedia:Nosferatu|Nosferatu]], [[Wikipedia:Pinhead (Hellraiser)|Pinhead]], [[Wikipedia:Mr. Burns|Mr. Burns]], and a dream he had in which men floated at him as he lied in bed. "I wanted guys that would remind people of what scared them when they were children. I believe the thing that scares us most when we are children is old people. Is the idea of age."<ref>''[[The Complete Fourth Season on DVD]]'': [[audio commentaries]] for the episode "[[Hush]]." [DVD]. [[20th Century Studios]], June 10, 2003.</ref>
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*Two [[Buffy the Vampire Slayer action figures|''Buffy the Vampire Slayer'' action figures]] were based on the Gentlemen, as well as one from the [[ReAction Figures]] line, a [[Buffy the Vampire Slayer busts|''Buffy the Vampire Slayer'' bust]], and a [[Funko Pop!]]
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==Appearances==
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===Canonical===
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*"[[Hush]]"
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*''[[Asylum, Part One]]'' <small>(Only in a picture)</small>
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*''[[Asylum, Part Four]]'' <small>(Only in a picture)</small>
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*"[[Always Darkest]]" {{OV}}
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===Other===
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*''[[Top Trumps Buffy the Vampire Slayer]]''
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*''[[Note from the Underground, Part Four]]'' {{OV}}
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*''[[Wrath of the Darkhul King]]''
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*''[[Dark Congress]]''
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*''[[Doppelgangbang]]''
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*''[[Buffy the Vampire Slayer: A Picture Book]]''
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*''[[The Cursed Coven]]'' {{Om}}
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==References==
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{{References}}
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[[fr:Les Gentlemen]]
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[[Category:Demon species]]
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[[Category:Demon Masters]]
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[[Category:Scooby Gang enemies]]

Latest revision as of 17:17, 12 December 2023

“Can't even shout.
Can't even cry.
The Gentlemen are coming by.
Looking in windows,
knocking on doors...
They need to take seven
and they might take yours...
Can't call to Mom.
Can't say a word.
You're gonna die screaming
but you won't be heard.”
―Girl in Buffy's dream[src]

The Gentlemen were a group of demons known from fairy tales. They roamed from town to town stealing voices in order to gather seven human hearts. They were served by a group of demonic footmen dressed in straitjackets who did all the fighting and muscle-work for them.[1]

History

Rupert Giles had a book with a folktale in which the Gentlemen stole the voices of a kingdom before the princess screamed, causing them to die.[1]

In 1999, Buffy Summers, the Slayer, had a prophetic ‎dream about the Gentlemen's arrival in town. A group of six demons came to Sunnydale in the same night and made all inhabitants silent, gathering their voices inside a box. They stayed in a clock tower and managed to collect five hearts, two of them from UC Sunnydale students and one from a fifteen year old girl.[1]

Buffy fought the Gentlemen in the tower with help from the Initiative soldier Riley Finn. Riley freed their voices breaking the box, which allowed Buffy to explode their heads with a scream.[1]

Description

The Gentlemen were bald, pale humanoids that never spoke, but were always grinning through metallic teeth. They wore black suits and carried satchels with scalpels in them, with which to remove the hearts they required. They did not walk, but instead hovered about a foot above the ground, standing straight. They had yellow blood, as seen when the sound of a voice made their heads explode.[1]

True to their name, they tended to act and carry themselves very elegantly and politely; gesturing gracefully, kindly passing the scalpel during a heart extraction and applauding another Gentleman each time they added a heart to the collection.[1]

They were completely silent, never uttering a single word or sound even when in seeming agony upon their defeat.[1]

Powers and abilities

  • Durability — According to the book Giles researched, no known weapon was able to kill the Gentlemen, except for a loud human voice.[1]
  • Levitation — The Gentlemen were able to hover above the ground instead of walking.[1]
  • Voice manipulation — They stole the voices of every inhabitant upon arrival in a new town through a magical box.[1]

Behind the scenes

Appearances

Canonical

Other

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 1.8 1.9 "Hush"
  2. ↑ Abbie Bernstein, "BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER: Actor Camden Toy chats about Joss Whedon’s classic series – Exclusive Interview – Part 1." Assignment X, May 11, 2017.
  3. ↑ The Complete Fourth Season on DVD: audio commentaries for the episode "Hush." [DVD]. 20th Century Studios, June 10, 2003.
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