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[[File:Snyder_1x09.jpg|thumb|Snyder catches Buffy snooping around after school hours.]]
  
[[File:Snyder_1x09.jpg|thumb|Snyder catches Buffy snooping around after school hours.]]
   
−
Shortly after Principal Flutie was devoured alive by the “[[Pack]]” in 1997,<ref>"[[The Pack]]"</ref> Snyder replaced him as the principal of Sunnydale High School. He forced librarian [[Rupert Giles]] to host the [[Sunnydale Talent Show]], also forcing [[Buffy Summers]], [[Xander Harris]], and [[Willow Rosenberg]] to participate after hearing their desire to “to watch and mock and laugh” at the performances, allowing them to be treated with the same courtesy as punishment for their disrespect towards school events and authority as well as skipping class.<ref name=":0">"[[The Puppet Show]]"</ref>
 +
Shortly after Principal Flutie was devoured alive by the “[[The Pack (group)|Pack]]” in 1997,<ref>"[[The Pack]]"</ref> Snyder replaced him as the principal of Sunnydale High School. He forced librarian [[Rupert Giles]] to host the [[Sunnydale Talent Show]], also forcing [[Buffy Summers]], [[Xander Harris]], and [[Willow Rosenberg]] to participate after hearing their desire to “to watch and mock and laugh” at the performances, allowing them to be treated with the same courtesy as punishment for their disrespect towards school events and authority as well as skipping class.<ref name=":0">"[[The Puppet Show]]"</ref>
   
 
By this time, Snyder was fully aware of the school’s reputation of supernatural occurrences (including how his predecessor died) and by extension the fact that Sunnydale itself was located on a [[Hellmouth]]. Snyder was one of the front men the Mayor [[Richard Wilkins]], put in place to cover up supernatural activities in Sunnydale.
  
By this time, Snyder was fully aware of the school’s reputation of supernatural occurrences (including how his predecessor died) and by extension the fact that Sunnydale itself was located on a [[Hellmouth]]. Snyder was one of the front men the Mayor [[Richard Wilkins]], put in place to cover up supernatural activities in Sunnydale.
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During [[Halloween (holiday)|Halloween]], he forced students to “volunteer” as chaperones for young children trick-or-treating around town, as part of a volunteer safety program.<ref>"[[Halloween]]"</ref>
  
During [[Halloween (holiday)|Halloween]], he forced students to “volunteer” as chaperones for young children trick-or-treating around town, as part of a volunteer safety program.<ref>"[[Halloween]]"</ref>
   
−
When a [[poltergeist]] set upon a plague of snakes in the school cafeteria, Snyder once again had to consult with the police chief and this time blamed the problem on sewer maintenance.<ref name="IOHEFY">"[[I Only Have Eyes for You]]"</ref> After the death of computer teacher [[Janna of the Kalderash|Jenny Calendar]], Snyder appointed Willow to act as temporary replacement for her class due to her academic preformance. Even though Snyder was impressed with her teaching abilities, he disapproved with her rightfully failing [[Gage Petronzi]] as he was an active swim team member during the upcoming state championship, and Snyder asked that Willow raise his grade to passing.<ref name="GF">"[[Go Fish]]"</ref>
 +
When a [[poltergeist]] set upon a plague of snakes in the school cafeteria, Snyder once again had to consult with the police chief and this time blamed the problem on sewer maintenance.<ref name="IOHEFY">"[[I Only Have Eyes for You]]"</ref> After the death of computer teacher [[Jennifer Calendar|Jenny Calendar]], Snyder appointed Willow to act as temporary replacement for her class due to her academic preformance. Even though Snyder was impressed with her teaching abilities, he disapproved with her rightfully failing [[Gage Petronzi]] as he was an active swim team member during the upcoming state championship, and Snyder asked that Willow raise his grade to passing.<ref name="GF">"[[Go Fish]]"</ref>
   
 
===Conspiring with the Mayor===
  
===Conspiring with the Mayor===
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Snyder later forced the student body to sell candy bars in order to fund the marching band. Unbeknownst to him, the candy bars where cursed to make any adult who ate them regress into their teenage selves. This was so the Mayor could partake in the tribute sacrifice to the [[demon]] [[Lurconis]] by offering live babies as a food sacrifice, the lack of authority figures preventing any interference. Despite Snyder being associated with Wilkins’ schemes, he ate some of the candy and became a teenager himself who accompanied Buffy on her mission to prevent the sacrifice, though was not allowed to join Buffy in the slaying of Lurconis as he proved to be a liability. The following day when the effect of the candy wore off, Snyder made the Scoobies clean up the school lockers after they were vandalized by the pubescent-minded adults the night before.<ref name="BC">"[[Band Candy]]"</ref>
  
Snyder later forced the student body to sell candy bars in order to fund the marching band. Unbeknownst to him, the candy bars where cursed to make any adult who ate them regress into their teenage selves. This was so the Mayor could partake in the tribute sacrifice to the [[demon]] [[Lurconis]] by offering live babies as a food sacrifice, the lack of authority figures preventing any interference. Despite Snyder being associated with Wilkins’ schemes, he ate some of the candy and became a teenager himself who accompanied Buffy on her mission to prevent the sacrifice, though was not allowed to join Buffy in the slaying of Lurconis as he proved to be a liability. The following day when the effect of the candy wore off, Snyder made the Scoobies clean up the school lockers after they were vandalized by the pubescent-minded adults the night before.<ref name="BC">"[[Band Candy]]"</ref>
   
−
Months later, Snyder, after going through a paranoid search for drugs, intervened during a trade between Buffy and the Mayor, bringing with him armed police. He backed off when he saw his boss. Then he witnessed the [[Gavrok Box Spiders|inhabitants]] of the [[Box of Gavrok]] escape and kill one of his policemen, and bemoaned that they couldn’t simply be doing a drug deal like “normal people”.<ref>"[[Choices]]"</ref>
 +
Months later, Snyder, after going through a paranoid search for drugs, intervened during a trade between Buffy and the Mayor, bringing with him armed police. He backed off when he saw his boss. Then he witnessed the [[Gavrok Box spiders|inhabitants]] of the [[Box of Gavrok]] escape and kill one of his policemen, and bemoaned that they couldn’t simply be doing a drug deal like “normal people”.<ref>"[[Choices]]"</ref>
   
 
===Death and legacy===
  
===Death and legacy===
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*'''[[Xander Harris]]''' — Principal Snyder considered Xander to be worth nothing and claimed that whatever came out of his mouth was “a meaningless waste of breath. An airborne toxic event”.<ref name="WMLP1">"[[What's My Line, Part One]]"</ref>
  
*'''[[Xander Harris]]''' — Principal Snyder considered Xander to be worth nothing and claimed that whatever came out of his mouth was “a meaningless waste of breath. An airborne toxic event”.<ref name="WMLP1">"[[What's My Line, Part One]]"</ref>
   
−
*'''[[Willow Rosenberg]]''' — Unlike most students, Willow was actually in good terms with Principal Snyder due to her high academic performance, representing the pinnacle of academic achievement despite her “unsavory” associations.<ref name="Doppelgangland">"[[Doppelgangland]]"</ref> Snyder himself said Willow was a team player when she agreed to continue teaching [[Janna of the Kalderash|Jenny Calendar]]’s computer class, something he liked.<ref name="GF" /> However, he did bully Willow into doing things that she wouldn’t like but would benefit the school’s reputation, such as making her unfairly pass a failing [[Gage Petronzi]] and tutor the lazy, held back [[Percy West]]. Even though Snyder never said anything that could be interpreted as a threat, Willow knew he meant something due to the look of his eyes and nostrils.<ref name="Doppelgangland" /> Even 3 and a half years after his death, Willow says Wood is so much cooler than Snyder, indicating she still dislikes him.<ref name="Get_It_Done">"[[Get It Done]]"</ref>
 +
*'''[[Willow Rosenberg]]''' — Unlike most students, Willow was actually in good terms with Principal Snyder due to her high academic performance, representing the pinnacle of academic achievement despite her “unsavory” associations.<ref name="Doppelgangland">"[[Doppelgangland]]"</ref> Snyder himself said Willow was a team player when she agreed to continue teaching [[Jennifer Calendar|Jenny Calendar]]’s computer class, something he liked.<ref name="GF" /> However, he did bully Willow into doing things that she wouldn’t like but would benefit the school’s reputation, such as making her unfairly pass a failing [[Gage Petronzi]] and tutor the lazy, held back [[Percy West]]. Even though Snyder never said anything that could be interpreted as a threat, Willow knew he meant something due to the look of his eyes and nostrils.<ref name="Doppelgangland" /> Even 3 and a half years after his death, Willow says Wood is so much cooler than Snyder, indicating she still dislikes him.<ref name="Get_It_Done">"[[Get It Done]]"</ref>
   
 
*'''[[Rupert Giles]]''' — During his job as librarian in Sunnydale High School, Giles was forced to work under Principal Snyder. He was tolerant of him most of the time, only because he had to be, but referred to him as the Führer when explaining to the Scooby Gang why he had to run the talent show. Giles harbored a distaste of the principal throughout all his years he worked under him, and Snyder had looked down upon him as well, finding him incompetent. He had mostly disliked Giles, due to his inability to understand why he was so close to Buffy and saw so much potential in her; all he ever saw was a irresponsible delinquent. However, Giles had, at one point, threatened Snyder with violence when he didn’t allow Buffy to be accepted back into his school. Giles, along with the rest of the Scooby Gang, did not show any sign of remorse after the death of Snyder.
  
*'''[[Rupert Giles]]''' — During his job as librarian in Sunnydale High School, Giles was forced to work under Principal Snyder. He was tolerant of him most of the time, only because he had to be, but referred to him as the Führer when explaining to the Scooby Gang why he had to run the talent show. Giles harbored a distaste of the principal throughout all his years he worked under him, and Snyder had looked down upon him as well, finding him incompetent. He had mostly disliked Giles, due to his inability to understand why he was so close to Buffy and saw so much potential in her; all he ever saw was a irresponsible delinquent. However, Giles had, at one point, threatened Snyder with violence when he didn’t allow Buffy to be accepted back into his school. Giles, along with the rest of the Scooby Gang, did not show any sign of remorse after the death of Snyder.
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==References==
  
==References==
 
{{References|scroll=1}}
  
{{References|scroll=1}}
−  
 
[[Category:Humans]]
  
[[Category:Humans]]
 
[[Category:Males]]
  
[[Category:Males]]

Revision as of 10:30, 14 June 2019

“A lot of educators tell students: ‘Think of your principal as your pal’. I say: ‘Think of me as your judge, jury and executioner’.”
―Principal Snyder[src]

Snyder was the conservative, paranoid, and authoritarian principal of Sunnydale High School from 1997 to 1999, following the death of the Principal Robert Flutie.

In direct contact with the Mayor of Sunnydale, Richard Wilkins, Snyder spent a good deal of his efforts covering up the otherworldly occurrences that took place in the school through contrived and flimsy explanations. Aside from that, Snyder was also keen on maintaining and improving the school’s image without any real concern for the students that went there.

Snyder was also the last principal to head the school before its destruction during the battle at the graduation of the Class of '99, when Snyder met his untimely demise at the hands of the Mayor.

Biography

Early life

Not much is known about Snyder’s past, but it can be assumed he wasn’t very popular due to his cheerful yet unappealing disposition shown under the influence of the cursed candy bars.[1] During high school, he never dated once, which Snyder himself admitted without shame.[2]

Becoming principal of Sunnydale High

“This place has quite a reputation. Suicide, missing persons, spontaneous cheerleader combustion… You can’t put up with that. You’ve gotta keep an eye on the bad element. Like those three. Kids. I don’t like them. From now on you’re gonna see a very different Sunnydale High. Tight ship, clean, orderly, and quiet.”
―Principal Snyder assumes his position at Sunnydale High.[src]
Snyder 1x09

Snyder catches Buffy snooping around after school hours.

Shortly after Principal Flutie was devoured alive by the “Pack” in 1997,[3] Snyder replaced him as the principal of Sunnydale High School. He forced librarian Rupert Giles to host the Sunnydale Talent Show, also forcing Buffy Summers, Xander Harris, and Willow Rosenberg to participate after hearing their desire to “to watch and mock and laugh” at the performances, allowing them to be treated with the same courtesy as punishment for their disrespect towards school events and authority as well as skipping class.[4]

By this time, Snyder was fully aware of the school’s reputation of supernatural occurrences (including how his predecessor died) and by extension the fact that Sunnydale itself was located on a Hellmouth. Snyder was one of the front men the Mayor Richard Wilkins, put in place to cover up supernatural activities in Sunnydale.

Following the murder of Emily Djiemanowicz, a contestant in the talent show, Principal Snyder connected the mysterious events to a lack of discipline and claimed that things had to change from now on. After he caught Buffy breaking into Morgan Shay’s locker, Snyder immediately became suspicious of her and from then on maintained an ill-opinion of her and her activities. Unbeknownst to him, Buffy was actually investigating the murder[4] as she was secretly the Slayer, responsible for dealing with supernatural threats along with her friends. Due to her involvement in these events, Snyder became a constant source of conflict for Buffy and her friends.

Activities within the school

When Marcie Ross began taking revenge on popular students for ignoring her which lead her to becoming invisible, Snyder was on the scene to tend to the any students that were victimized. This wasn’t in any consideration for their safety or well-being; but Snyder merely acted in order to prevent any lawsuits against the school from ensuing as a result of their injuries.[5]

At the beginning of Buffy’s junior year, Snyder forced Buffy and Sheila Martini to work together to organize parent-teacher night, due to both girls having a history of violence. When the vampire Spike and his lackeys attacked the school, Snyder came into a disagreement with Buffy on how to react to the situation when locked in a classroom with her mother, Joyce Summers, and other staff members. After the danger was over, Snyder consulted with Police Chief Bob Munroe, also an active participant in the cover-up of Sunnydale's bizarre events, and it was decided that the official explanation for the event was gang-related PCP. When Munroe questioned the believability of such claims, Snyder told him that it would suffice in face of the truth.[6]

During Halloween, he forced students to “volunteer” as chaperones for young children trick-or-treating around town, as part of a volunteer safety program.[7]

When a poltergeist set upon a plague of snakes in the school cafeteria, Snyder once again had to consult with the police chief and this time blamed the problem on sewer maintenance.[8] After the death of computer teacher Jenny Calendar, Snyder appointed Willow to act as temporary replacement for her class due to her academic preformance. Even though Snyder was impressed with her teaching abilities, he disapproved with her rightfully failing Gage Petronzi as he was an active swim team member during the upcoming state championship, and Snyder asked that Willow raise his grade to passing.[9]

Conspiring with the Mayor

Snyder 2x22

Snyder gleefully expels Buffy from Sunnydale High

When Angelus’ minions attacked Buffy’s friends at the school library, Snyder alerted the police who arrived right after the death of Kendra Young, and, despite full knowledge of Buffy’s innocence, told the police that whenever there was trouble, Buffy was behind it. Buffy then escaped police custody and later returned to the library, which was now a crime scene, to retrieve a mystical sword. Snyder confronted her at the library and — seeing this as an appropriate time — expelled her, much to his delight. He also boasted that the police would never discover that she didn’t do what she was suspected of because they were “deeply stupid”. As Buffy left, Snyder called the Mayor and informed him of what just happened.[2]

Despite his assessment of the police, they did eventually discover that Buffy was not responsible for either Kendra’s death or the associated attack on the others; nevertheless, when Buffy returned to regain admission, Principal Snyder refused to allow her back, citing her spotty attendance record, poor grades and a “tingling pleasure” that he received when he finally got rid of her. However, Snyder was forced to allow Buffy back after being overruled by the School Board and being physically and professionally threatened by Giles. He nevertheless made it difficult for her by adding a number of terms and conditions.[10][11]

SnyderTeenager

Snyder is turned into his teenage self

Snyder later forced the student body to sell candy bars in order to fund the marching band. Unbeknownst to him, the candy bars where cursed to make any adult who ate them regress into their teenage selves. This was so the Mayor could partake in the tribute sacrifice to the demon Lurconis by offering live babies as a food sacrifice, the lack of authority figures preventing any interference. Despite Snyder being associated with Wilkins’ schemes, he ate some of the candy and became a teenager himself who accompanied Buffy on her mission to prevent the sacrifice, though was not allowed to join Buffy in the slaying of Lurconis as he proved to be a liability. The following day when the effect of the candy wore off, Snyder made the Scoobies clean up the school lockers after they were vandalized by the pubescent-minded adults the night before.[1]

Months later, Snyder, after going through a paranoid search for drugs, intervened during a trade between Buffy and the Mayor, bringing with him armed police. He backed off when he saw his boss. Then he witnessed the inhabitants of the Box of Gavrok escape and kill one of his policemen, and bemoaned that they couldn’t simply be doing a drug deal like “normal people”.[12]

Death and legacy

During the preparation for the graduation of the Class of ‘99, Principal Snyder was praised for his contributions by the Mayor who was also a guest speaker and promised to reward him. At the event itself, Snyder was shocked to see the Mayor’s Ascension into the demon Olvikan. Snyder opposed the disorder he was causing and vocalized his disapproval to the giant demonic snake. In response, Wilkins swallowed him whole before the student body.[13]

One year later, Snyder appeared in Xander’s Apocalypse Now-themed nightmare brought about by the First Slayer.[14]

Personality

“There are things I will not tolerate. Students loitering on campus after school. Horrible murders with hearts being removed. And also smoking.”
―Principal Snyder[src]

Principal Snyder was a strict disciplinarian with an avowed hatred for teenagers. He once compared them to locusts, and when questioned on why he chose to be a high school principal, he claimed he had to keep an eye on them as they were “a bunch of hormonal time bombs” that he aimed to guide, especially when it came to discipline, respect and punctuality - which were, essentially, what he viewed as important in life.[15]

Snyder seemed to value the school’s reputation over the welfare of the students. When Mitch Fargo was nearly beaten to death, Xander and Willow distracted Snyder by claiming Mitch’s dad was a powerful lawyer, allowing Buffy to investigate the scene of the attack as Snyder was adament on preventing the student’s parents from initating civil action. Later on when Harmony Kendall was pushed down a flight of stairs on school grounds by the same attacker, Snyder quickly prompted her not to sue.[5]
Snyder appeared to view supernatural occurrences in the same disapproving vain as undisciplined behavior; putting smoking and loitering in the same sentence with murders as things he didn’t tolerate and standing up to the ascended Mayor for not acting in a disciplined and orderly manner, not once taking any notice of the fact that he had just turned into a gigantic demon and killed two students in front of him.[13]

He favored the sustainability of the grades of students involved in athletics solely because of their participation in competitions. He requested that the lazy swimmer Gage be unfairly marked due to his importance to the school’s victory of the state championship. He, however, seemed to cared for them for that reason only, as shown when hearing of the apparent deaths of the best swimmers.[9]

When transformed into a teenager, Snyder showed a huge contrast to his adult self. He was a fun-loving dork who treated Buffy and her friends kindly, even positively commenting on Oz’s hair.[1]

Relationships

  • Buffy Summers — Principal Snyder developed an early antagonism towards Buffy because of her history of violence and involvement in strange occurrences. He viewed her as a delinquent and openly expressed an interest in having her not only expelled but also locked in jail.[15] After catching Buffy attack an armed and possessed student, Snyder showed his personal agenda against her: “I’m a truth seeker. I’ve got a missing gun and two confused kids on my hands — pieces of the puzzle. And I’m gonna look at all the pieces carefully and rationally, and I’m gonna keep looking until I know exactly how this is all your fault.”[8] Even though Buffy might have not been guilty of Kendra’s murder, Snyder still acted against her, knowing the police would not find out the truth as they were “deeply stupid” (according to him). Expelling her was a moment he wanted to savor and live for over again and again.[2] Keeping her out of school was not only what he thought was his right but something that gave him physical pleasure, although he was ultimately forced to let her back in.[10] Buffy, likewise, cared little for him, took every opportunity to mock him and showed no signs of remorse at seeing his death at the hands (or mouth) of Mayor Wilkins.[13] Considering the implication that he was in contact with the Mayor, it may be that he was encouraged in this view, but he was still far too eager in his treatment of Buffy to be considered a mere victim.
  • Xander Harris — Principal Snyder considered Xander to be worth nothing and claimed that whatever came out of his mouth was “a meaningless waste of breath. An airborne toxic event”.[16]
  • Willow Rosenberg — Unlike most students, Willow was actually in good terms with Principal Snyder due to her high academic performance, representing the pinnacle of academic achievement despite her “unsavory” associations.[17] Snyder himself said Willow was a team player when she agreed to continue teaching Jenny Calendar’s computer class, something he liked.[9] However, he did bully Willow into doing things that she wouldn’t like but would benefit the school’s reputation, such as making her unfairly pass a failing Gage Petronzi and tutor the lazy, held back Percy West. Even though Snyder never said anything that could be interpreted as a threat, Willow knew he meant something due to the look of his eyes and nostrils.[17] Even 3 and a half years after his death, Willow says Wood is so much cooler than Snyder, indicating she still dislikes him.[18]
  • Rupert Giles — During his job as librarian in Sunnydale High School, Giles was forced to work under Principal Snyder. He was tolerant of him most of the time, only because he had to be, but referred to him as the Führer when explaining to the Scooby Gang why he had to run the talent show. Giles harbored a distaste of the principal throughout all his years he worked under him, and Snyder had looked down upon him as well, finding him incompetent. He had mostly disliked Giles, due to his inability to understand why he was so close to Buffy and saw so much potential in her; all he ever saw was a irresponsible delinquent. However, Giles had, at one point, threatened Snyder with violence when he didn’t allow Buffy to be accepted back into his school. Giles, along with the rest of the Scooby Gang, did not show any sign of remorse after the death of Snyder.

Gallery

Behind the scenes

  • In every episode he appears in, Armin Shimerman is always credited with “as Principal Snyder”.
  • Principal Snyder is named in honor of George Snyder, Joss Whedon’s personal assistant at the time.
  • Although his full name is never revealed in the series, on several occasions his name appears as “R. Snyder”, notably in the name-tag over his desk, as well as in Cordelia’s diploma in "Rm w/a Vu".
  • The noncanon novel “One Thing Or Your Mother”, which explores Snyder’s abusive childhood at the hands of his mother, reveals his first name to be "Cecil". This contradicts the initial “R” seen in the television show.
  • Armin Shimerman originally auditioned for the role of Principal Flutie, but lost that role to Ken Lerner. He was the longest running principal on the show. When he was hired to play Snyder, Shimerman was told that each principal would get killed after a handful of episodes as a running gag. But it turned out that the creators liked Snyder enough to keep him through the remainder of the high school episodes.
  • Shimerman also played Quark, a main character on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, at the same time he was performing Snyder on Buffy. He noted his dual roles made his accountant very happy. Line producers on Star Trek and Buffy would try to schedule his scenes so he could tape his Deep Space Nine scenes in the morning, then get out of makeup and drive across town to film his Buffy scenes in the afternoon. There were a couple of Deep Space Nine episodes where Quark was heavily featured and it wasn’t possible for him to do the Buffy episode that week so Snyder’s lines were rewritten as off-camera asides. Shimerman noted that he got fired from both jobs on the same day.[citation needed]
  • In the beginning of "First Date", a large tombstone can be seen bearing the name “SNYDER”. While not confirmed, it is likely to be his.

Appearances

Canonical

Buffy the Vampire Slayer

References

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