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Spirit

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“Ooh! Sounds like paranormal phenomena.”
―Rupert Giles[src]

Spirit was a disembodied essence or spectral entity of supernatural origin. Types of spirits included ghosts, poltergeists,[1] avenging spirits,[2] apparitions,[3] and manifested spirits.[4]

This term could also refer to a vital or animating force within a living being.[5][6]

Types[]

Ghosts[]

“It doesn't know exactly what it wants. That's the problem. Many times the spirit is plagued by all manner of worldly troubles. But, being dead, it has no way to make its peace. So it lashes out. Growing ever more confused, ever more angry.”
―Rupert Giles[src]

A ghost was the spirit of a deceased being that remained on Earth due to unresolved issues. A ghost could move on to another plane once its unfinished business was resolved or after being subjected to exorcism.[1]

Poltergeists[]

Main article: Poltergeist

A poltergeist was a type of ghost, often violent, capable of wreaking havoc through telekinesis, reality alteration, and possession. Poltergeists could either be the ghosts of deceased individuals[1] or mere apparitions.[3]

Avenging spirits[]

Main article: Avenging spirit

Avenging spirits were the dead who manifested to seek bloody vengeance after years of unrest. They could take corporeal form and could only be banished by the weapons they themselves had once wielded. An example of avenging spirits were Hus and the Chumash warriors.[2]

Apparitions[]

Apparitions were beings born of raw emotion and residual psychic energy rather than the spirits of the dead. They often manifested as poltergeists that fed on physical energy, drawing it from the living until their victims died. An example was the Lowell House poltergeists, manifestations of the children's repressed emotions, even though the children themselves were still alive as adults.[3]

Manifested spirits[]

Manifested spirits were corporeal beings resembling deceased humans at the moment of their death. They were summoned and controlled by a talisman, and destroying it would dispel them.[4]

Physiology and powers[]

“From what I've read, having a ghost pass through you is a singular experience. It's cold, amorphous feeling, makes your hair stand on end.”
―Rupert Giles[src]

Ghosts could only be seen by the human eye through the presence of ectoplasm. They absorbed heat, causing the surrounding temperature to drop several degrees. When Spike was rendered incorporeal following the battle at the Hellmouth, Winifred Burkle's scans determined that he was not a ghost, as he lacked ectoplasm, radiated body heat, and exhibited detectable brainwaves. This suggested the existence of different types of disembodied spirits beyond traditional ghosts.[7]

Different cultures displayed different takes on ghosts. For example, Japanese ghosts were said to have no feet and to be drawn to water.[citation needed]

Though incorporeal, ghosts and other non-corporeal beings could still interact with the physical world through intense concentration.[8] They were able to turn invisible, pass through solid matter such as objects and people, and use telekinesis. When trapped in a temporal fold, some could possess the living by influencing their minds, forcing them to repeat certain acts.[1][9] They could also warp reality by conjuring spectral manifestations such as monstrous hands, wasps, and snakes.[1]

Known spirits[]

Appearances[]

Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Angel

References[]

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