Harmony Kendall
Encyclopedia
Harmony Kendall is a fictional character
Fictional character
A character is the representation of a person in a narrative work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr , the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its appearance in Tom Jones in 1749. From this, the sense of...

 created by Joss Whedon
Joss Whedon
Joseph Hill "Joss" Whedon is an American screenwriter, executive producer, director, comic book writer, occasional composer and actor, founder of Mutant Enemy Productions and co-creator of Bellwether Pictures...

 for the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer and its spin-off Angel
Angel (TV series)
Angel is an American television series, a spin-off of the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer. The series was created by Buffys creator, Joss Whedon, in collaboration with David Greenwalt, and first aired on October 5, 1999...

. The character is portrayed by Mercedes McNab
Mercedes McNab
Mercedes Alicia McNab is a Canadian-born actress perhaps best known for playing Harmony Kendall on Buffy the Vampire Slayer and its spinoff Angel...

. Originally cast as a minor character, McNab's credited status elevated to guest star and ultimately series regular over the course of her tenure in Buffy and Angel.

Television

Harmony appeared in the unaired pilot as a member of Cordelia Chase
Cordelia Chase
Cordelia Chase is a fictional character created by Joss Whedon for the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer; she also appeared on Buffy's spin-off series Angel...

's clique
Clique
A clique is an exclusive group of people who share common interests, views, purposes, patterns of behavior, or ethnicity. A clique as a reference group can be either normative or comparative. Membership in a clique is typically exclusive, and qualifications for membership may be social or...

, the "Cordettes." She subsequently appears in the second episode of Season One, "The Harvest," and makes minor appearances throughout the first three seasons, and then a slightly larger role in another two. When Cordelia begins dating Xander Harris
Xander Harris
Alexander LaVelle "Xander" Harris is a fictional character in the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer, as well as in numerous items in the series Expanded Universe, such as comic books, tie-in novels and video games...

, Harmony shuns her from their clique and usurps her position as leader of the group. After Cordelia and Xander's breakup, Harmony cruelly tricks Cordelia into thinking she has been re-admitted into the clique, only to humiliate and reject her. After a vengeance demon
Vengeance demon
Vengeance demons are a group of beings that appear in the TV series Buffy the Vampire Slayer. They are immortals who travel the world exacting vengeance on behalf of victims, such as scorned men, women or neglected children...

 grants Cordelia's wish that Buffy
Buffy Summers
Buffy Summers is a fictional character from Joss Whedon's Buffy the Vampire Slayer franchise. She first appeared in the 1992 film Buffy the Vampire Slayer before going on to appear in the television series and subsequent comic book of the same name...

 had never arrived in Sunnydale
Sunnydale
Sunnydale, California is the fictional setting for the U.S. television drama Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Series creator Joss Whedon conceived the town as a representation of a generic California city, as well as a narrative parody of the all-too-serene towns typical in traditional horror...

 in the episode "The Wish
The Wish (Buffy episode)
"The Wish" is the ninth episode of season 3 of Buffy the Vampire Slayer.- Plot synopsis :Following Xander and Willow's kiss in "Lovers Walk", Oz has called a time-out on his relationship with Willow and Cordelia is decidedly avoiding any contact with Xander. Cordelia returns to school only to be...

," Harmony appears in the alternate, hellish reality as a more subdued version of herself, again a follower of Cordelia's "Cordettes."

In the final showdown with Mayor Wilkins during his Ascension in the episode "Graduation Day," Harmony (after being recruited by Xander, under orders from Buffy, to help organize a student resistance) is killed/sired by a vampire. She reappears in the episode "The Harsh Light of Day
The Harsh Light of Day (Buffy episode)
"The Harsh Light of Day" is the third episode of season 4 of the television show Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Written by Jane Espenson and directed by James A. Contner, it originally aired on the WB network on October 19, 1999...

" as a vampire, having retained her characteristic pettiness, susceptibility to stronger-willed people, and an affection for unicorn
Unicorn
The unicorn is a legendary animal from European folklore that resembles a white horse with a large, pointed, spiraling horn projecting from its forehead, and sometimes a goat's beard...

 figurines (which, in Angel
Angel (TV series)
Angel is an American television series, a spin-off of the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer. The series was created by Buffys creator, Joss Whedon, in collaboration with David Greenwalt, and first aired on October 5, 1999...

's fifth season, is undiminished). Harmony begins a sexual relationship with Spike, her "blondie bear." Neither Spike nor Harmony are satisfied with their relationship; Spike is frustrated by Harmony's ignorance and clinginess while she is exasperated with his endless broken promises and repeated attempts to kill Buffy. They separate, although she agrees to rekindle their relationship after Spike escapes from the Initiative. Harmony quickly regrets this decision after recognizing Spike's renewed campaign against the Slayer, and even chases him out of her lair with a stake when he desperately seeks her help in the episode "Pangs
Pangs (Buffy episode)
"Pangs" is the eighth episode of season 4 of the television show Buffy the Vampire Slayer.On Thanksgiving, Buffy encounters the restless and vengeful spirit of a Native American, whose people were wiped out by white settlers...

."

Spike's ambition to kill the Slayer apparently rubs off. After separating from Spike, Harmony wants to be an independent, strong vampire who can get by on her own; accordingly, in the episode "Real Me
Real Me (Buffy episode)
"Real Me" is the second episode of season 5 of the television show Buffy the Vampire Slayer.-Plot synopsis:Buffy trains and works on her strength with the help of Giles and some crystals. She practices a handstand on a block of wood, but falls when her sister, Dawn, knocks over the crystals. In the...

," she gathers her own gang and makes her own attempt to kill Buffy, which ends in disaster. Her minions destroyed, Harmony returns to Spike for protection until it becomes clear that Spike's infatuation with Buffy has become an obsession (cf. "Crush
Crush (Buffy episode)
"Crush" is the 14th episode of season 5 of the television show Buffy the Vampire Slayer.Dawn has a crush on Spike, who reveals his crush on Buffy when he takes her on a stakeout date. When his advances are turned down, Spike kidnaps Buffy and Drusilla, who has returned to Sunnydale. He tries to...

").

Having departed Sunnydale, Harmony is next seen in the Buffy spin-off Angel
Angel (TV series)
Angel is an American television series, a spin-off of the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer. The series was created by Buffys creator, Joss Whedon, in collaboration with David Greenwalt, and first aired on October 5, 1999...

, in the episode "Disharmony
Disharmony (Angel episode)
"Disharmony" is episode 17 of season 2 in the television show Angel.-Plot synopsis:Angel has a difficult time adjusting to the new situation at the hotel where Wesley has taken over his old office and Angel is taking orders from his new employers. A young couple making out in a car is attacked by...

." She visits her old friend Cordelia in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...

, not telling Cordelia she has become a vampire. Harmony tries to connect with Cordelia, but has difficulty controlling her demon side. She enters Cordelia's bedroom at night, driven by bloodlust, but apologizes for her actions and intentions when Cordelia wakes up. Cordelia misunderstands her explanation, believing her to be a lesbian until the matter is cleared up by Willow
Willow Rosenberg
Willow Rosenberg is a fictional character created for the fantasy television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer . She was developed by Joss Whedon and portrayed throughout the TV series by Alyson Hannigan...

 in a phone call. Despite this, Cordelia insists on giving Harmony a chance, while rest of the team grows increasingly frustrated with her habits such as popping gum or tearing pages out of old, irreplaceable books. She accompanies the Angel Investigations
Angel Investigations
Angel Investigations is a fictional detective agency run by the title character Angel previously on the WB television series Angel . It is sometimes abbreviated as AI...

 team on a mission to investigate a new vampire cult, but soon betrays them to their enemies. Cordelia nearly kills Harmony, but, out of some respect for the friendship they once shared, allows her to leave.

Over two years later, Harmony tries to make a life for herself in L.A. She gains employment at the L.A. branch of Wolfram & Hart
Wolfram & Hart
Wolfram & Hart − Attorneys at Law is a fictional international, and interdimensional law firm featured in the television series Angel, as well as other extended materials in Joss Whedon's Buffyverse.-Fictional history:...

, as a member of the secretarial pool. Harmony is attracted by the building's necro-tempered glass windows (designed to protect vampires from sunlight
Sunlight
Sunlight, in the broad sense, is the total frequency spectrum of electromagnetic radiation given off by the Sun. On Earth, sunlight is filtered through the Earth's atmosphere, and solar radiation is obvious as daylight when the Sun is above the horizon.When the direct solar radiation is not blocked...

 which would otherwise cause them to burst into flames), as well as the firm's non-judgmental workplace culture and dental plan. A few weeks into her employment with the firm, Wesley Wyndam-Pryce
Wesley Wyndam-Pryce
Wesley Wyndam-Pryce is a fictional character created by Joss Whedon for the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel...

 hires her out of the blue to be Angel's new personal secretary, after Angel and his staff are given control of that branch of Wolfram & Hart
Wolfram & Hart
Wolfram & Hart − Attorneys at Law is a fictional international, and interdimensional law firm featured in the television series Angel, as well as other extended materials in Joss Whedon's Buffyverse.-Fictional history:...

; Wesley apparently thought a familiar face would be good for Angel. Angel reluctantly agrees, on the strict condition that Harmony continues to refrain from drinking human blood.

Harmony is reunited with Spike when he returns, first as a ghost and then in corporeal form. She tries to connect with him, and initially hopes to renew their relationship now that he has a soul. Spike shows no interest for Harmony until he regains his corporeal form and proceeds to seduce her into a brief, disastrous fling, after which neither of them puts any effort into rekindling their tumultuous relationship.

At this point in her un-life, Harmony feels isolated and alone. She knows that she is incompetent as an evil vampire, but her struggle to lead a more normal life is hindered because she lacks a soul. Angel often treats her with distrust and barely masked hostility, and her input, ideas, and presence are generally ignored by his team. Harmony also experiences an inability to connect with her co-workers, who resent her quick rise to the position of the CEO's secretary. In the episode "Harm's Way," she is framed for murder by Tamika, another vampire secretary who wants her job; Tamika also substitutes human blood for her supply of otter blood, to make it appear as though Harmony drank from the victim. She clears her name and ironically saves a demon summit by staking her scheming rival on a conference table with a pair of chopsticks, since the demons required a W&H employee's death to seal their deal. Despite her incompetence, Harmony manages to prove a 'sort of' asset to the team, 'torturing' Eve (i.e. hitting Eve in the face a few times) to get information, helping Wesley
Wesley Wyndam-Pryce
Wesley Wyndam-Pryce is a fictional character created by Joss Whedon for the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel...

 search for information about Knox's plans, and aiding Lorne in protecting Eve from her replacement as their liaison to the Senior Partners. She strikes up a brief friendship with Fred Burkle
Winifred Burkle
Winifred "Fred" Burkle is a fictional character created by Joss Whedon and introduced by Shawn Ryan and Mere Smith on the television series Angel. The character is portrayed by Amy Acker.-Character history:...

, though her relationship with Illyria, the demon who later inhabits Fred's body, is quite frosty.

Harmony becomes a member of the regular cast starting with the episode "Underneath
Underneath (Angel episode)
"Underneath" is episode 17 of season 5 in the television show Angel. Written by Elizabeth Craft and Sarah Fain and directed by Skip Schoolnik, it was originally broadcast on April 14, 2004 on the WB television network....

". In the series finale, "Not Fade Away
Not Fade Away (Angel episode)
"Not Fade Away" is the 22nd and final episode of season 5, and the series finale of the television show Angel. Written by series creator Joss Whedon and directed and co-written by Jeffrey Bell, it was originally broadcast on May 19, 2004 on the WB network...

," she betrays Angel, revealing his plans to go after Archduke Sebassis to Marcus Hamilton
Marcus Hamilton
Marcus Hamilton is a fictional character that appeared on the final season of the TV series Angel. The character is played by actor Adam Baldwin, who also worked with Angel creator Joss Whedon in the series Firefly, playing mercenary Jayne Cobb....

, the Senior Partners' new liaison, with whom she has a sexual relationship. Angel, however, always expected her to betray him at some point, so he had only confided information he wanted her to reveal. After her betrayal (which Angel blames on her lack of a soul, and she blames on his lack of confidence in her), he fires her, but not before providing her with a letter of recommendation (which he had already written and signed, in anticipation of her disloyalty). As Angel and Hamilton prepare to fight each other, she runs off, wishing them both luck: "May the best man win!"

Literature

In the canonical
Canon (fiction)
In the context of a work of fiction, the term canon denotes the material accepted as "official" in a fictional universe's fan base. It is often contrasted with, or used as the basis for, works of fan fiction, which are not considered canonical...

 continuation of Buffy, Season Eight
Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season Eight
Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season Eight is a comic book series published by Dark Horse Comics. The series serves as a canonical continuation of the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and follows the events of that show's final televised season. It is produced by Joss Whedon, who wrote the...

, Harmony features in the twenty-first issue, "Harmonic Divergence" by Jane Espenson
Jane Espenson
Jane Espenson is an American script writer and television producer who has worked on both situation comedies and serial dramas. She had a five-year stint as a writer and producer on Buffy the Vampire Slayer and shared a Hugo Award for her writing on the episode "Conversations with Dead People"...

, which begins a story-arc about the public revelation of the existence of vampires and Slayers. Harmony becomes a MTV
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....

 reality television
Reality television
Reality television is a genre of television programming that presents purportedly unscripted dramatic or humorous situations, documents actual events, and usually features ordinary people instead of professional actors, sometimes in a contest or other situation where a prize is awarded...

 star in her own TV series, Harmony Bites, which also stars Clem. Harmony came to instant notoriety after she killed a Slayer who attacked her on live camera. Thanks to Harmony, Buffy and her Slayer army were publicly outed by Anderson Cooper
Anderson Cooper
Anderson Hays Cooper is an American journalist, author, and television personality. He is the primary anchor of the CNN news show Anderson Cooper 360°. The program is normally broadcast live from a New York City studio; however, Cooper often broadcasts live on location for breaking news stories...

 on CNN
CNN
Cable News Network is a U.S. cable news channel founded in 1980 by Ted Turner. Upon its launch, CNN was the first channel to provide 24-hour television news coverage, and the first all-news television channel in the United States...

's Anderson Cooper 360°
Anderson Cooper 360°
Anderson Cooper 360° is a one-hour television news show on CNN, hosted by the American journalist Anderson Cooper. It is also broadcast around the world on CNN International....

later that day. Dark Horse Comics
Dark Horse Comics
Dark Horse Comics is the largest independent American comic book and manga publisher.Dark Horse Comics was founded in 1986 by Mike Richardson in Milwaukie, Oregon, with the concept of establishing an ideal atmosphere for creative professionals. Richardson started out by opening his first comic book...

 created a MySpace
MySpace
Myspace is a social networking service owned by Specific Media LLC and pop star Justin Timberlake. Myspace launched in August 2003 and is headquartered in Beverly Hills, California. In August 2011, Myspace had 33.1 million unique U.S. visitors....

 page for Harmony, and the Myspace Dark Horse Presents
Dark Horse Presents
Dark Horse Presents was the first comic book published by Dark Horse Comics in 1986 and was their flagship title until its September 2000 cancellation. The second incarnation was published on MySpace, running from July 2007 until August 2010...

 features a special comic book 'episode' of Harmony Bites written by Jane Espenson. Harmony is now considered a vampire rights spokeswoman. At the end of the twenty-second issue, "Swell", she is seen being interviewed on TV about the destruction of the Vampy Cat toy line by the Slayers, which she blames on their blind hatred of anything vampire-related (in actuality, the toys were possessed demonic creatures). This, in combination with the criminal activities of rogue Slayer Simone Doffler, the destruction of Sunnydale and the machinations of the villain Twilight
Twilight (Buffy the Vampire Slayer)
"Twilight" is the seventh story arc of the Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season Eight series of comic books, based upon the television series of the same name, and is written by novelist and comic book writer Brad Meltzer...

 has forced the Slayers into retreat as the whole world now views them as terrorists.

Powers and abilities

Harmony has the standard powers and vulnerabilities of a vampire. Several episodes make comedy of her subpar fighting skills, though after later training she holds her own against Riley
Riley Finn
Riley Finn is a fictional character created by Joss Whedon for the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Portrayed by Marc Blucas, Riley was introduced in the 1999 season four premiere episode, "The Freshman", and Blucas was part of the series credited cast for the second part of season four...

 and Spike, and in "Harm's Way" she kills another vampire after a long battle. In "Harmonic Divergence", she kills a Slayer, though partially by accident. In the Harmony Bites e-comic, she easily kills Justin, a vampire she sired, by quickly deflecting his attempt at staking her.

In "Conviction
Conviction (Angel episode)
"Conviction" is the first episode of season 5 in the television show Angel, originally broadcast on the WB network. In this episode, Wolfram & Hart C.E.O. Angel and the rest of the group cope with their new, morally ambiguous lifestyle. Their client - an unsavory, violent gangster - threatens to...

", she claimed to "type like a superhero, if there was a superhero whose power was typing."

Canonical appearances

Harmony has appeared in 32 canonical Buffyverse episodes:

Buffy the Vampire Slayer (TV series) : Harmony appeared as a guest in 15 episodes:
Season 1 (1997) - "The Harvest"; "Out of Mind, Out of Sight
Out of Mind, Out of Sight
"Out of Mind, Out of Sight", also known as "Invisible Girl", is the 11th episode of season one of the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer....

"
Season 2 (1997–1998) - "Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered"
Season 3 (1998–1999) - "The Wish"; "Graduation Day, Part One
Graduation Day (Buffy the Vampire Slayer)
"Graduation Day" is the season finale of the WB Television Network's third season of the drama television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer, consisting of the twenty-first and twenty-second episodes. They are also the fifty-fifth and fifty-sixth episodes of the show overall...

" and "Part Two
Graduation Day (Buffy the Vampire Slayer)
"Graduation Day" is the season finale of the WB Television Network's third season of the drama television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer, consisting of the twenty-first and twenty-second episodes. They are also the fifty-fifth and fifty-sixth episodes of the show overall...

"
Season 4 (1999–2000) - "The Harsh Light of Day"; "The Initiative
The Initiative
The Initiative is a fictional secret government organization in the television series, Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel.-Origins:...

"; "Pangs"; "Restless"
Season 5 (2000–2001) - "Real Me"; "Out of My Mind"; "Family"; "Fool for Love"; "Crush"


Angel
Angel (TV series)
Angel is an American television series, a spin-off of the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer. The series was created by Buffys creator, Joss Whedon, in collaboration with David Greenwalt, and first aired on October 5, 1999...

: Harmony joined the cast of Angel
Angel (TV series)
Angel is an American television series, a spin-off of the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer. The series was created by Buffys creator, Joss Whedon, in collaboration with David Greenwalt, and first aired on October 5, 1999...

as a recurring character at the start of the show's fifth season. Harmony became a series regular in the seventeenth episode, "Underneath
Underneath (Angel episode)
"Underneath" is episode 17 of season 5 in the television show Angel. Written by Elizabeth Craft and Sarah Fain and directed by Skip Schoolnik, it was originally broadcast on April 14, 2004 on the WB television network....

," until the series finale, "Not Fade Away
Not Fade Away (Angel episode)
"Not Fade Away" is the 22nd and final episode of season 5, and the series finale of the television show Angel. Written by series creator Joss Whedon and directed and co-written by Jeffrey Bell, it was originally broadcast on May 19, 2004 on the WB network...

." She made appearances in 17 episodes in all with guest appearances in:
Season 2 (2000–2001) - "Disharmony
Disharmony (Angel episode)
"Disharmony" is episode 17 of season 2 in the television show Angel.-Plot synopsis:Angel has a difficult time adjusting to the new situation at the hotel where Wesley has taken over his old office and Angel is taking orders from his new employers. A young couple making out in a car is attacked by...

"
Season 5 (2003–2004) - "Conviction"; "Just Rewards"; "Life of the Party
Life of the Party (Angel episode)
"Life of the Party" is episode 5 of season 5 in the television show Angel.-Plot synopsis:As Halloween approaches, Lorne throws a Halloween party for all the firm’s clients and employees and even gets a reluctant Angel to invite a powerful demon lord, named Archduke Sebassis, to the party...

"; "Destiny
Destiny (Angel episode)
"Destiny" is episode 8 of season 5 in the television show Angel. Co-written by David Fury and Steven S. DeKnight and directed by Skip Schoolnik, it was originally broadcast on November 19, 2003 on the WB network...

"; "Harm's Way"; "Soul Purpose
Soul Purpose (Angel episode)
"Soul Purpose" is episode 10 of season 5 in the television show Angel. Written by Brent Fletcher and it was the directorial debut of David Boreanaz, who plays Angel, and was originally broadcast on January 21, 2004 on the WB network...

"; "Damage
Damage (Angel episode)
"Damage" is episode 11 of season 5 in the television show Angel, originally broadcast on the WB network. In this episode, Angel calls on the Watchers' Council for help in tracking down a psychotic vampire slayer named Dana, who was tortured by a serial killer as a child.-Plot:At Wolfram & Hart,...

"; "You're Welcome
You're Welcome (Angel episode)
"You're Welcome" is the twelfth episode of season five of the television show Angel. Written and directed by David Fury, it is the 100th episode of the series, and originally broadcast on February 4, 2004 on the WB network. In "You're Welcome", former series regular Charisma Carpenter returns as a...

"; "Smile Time"; "Shells
Shells (Angel episode)
"Shells" is episode 16 of season 5 in the television show Angel.-Plot synopsis:Wesley thinks that Fred is alive, if a little blue, but he soon realizes that she's really Illyria. Her expression is blank and her movements are staccato impressions of who Fred once was. Illyria turns and is shocked...

"


Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season Eight
Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season Eight
Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season Eight is a comic book series published by Dark Horse Comics. The series serves as a canonical continuation of the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and follows the events of that show's final televised season. It is produced by Joss Whedon, who wrote the...

: She has appeared in two issues so far:
"Harmonic Divergence"
"Swell"

Further reading

  • Gallagher, Diana G. Prime Evil. Simon and Schuster, 2001. p. 66. ISBN 0743431545
  • Jowett, Lorna. Sex and the Slayer: A Gender Studies Primer for the Buffy Fan. Wesleyan University Press, 2005. p. 83. ISBN 0819567582
  • Kaveney, Roz. Reading the Vampire Slayer: The Complete, Unofficial Guide to Buffy And Angel. Tauris Parke Paperbacks, 2004. p. ix. ISBN 186064984X
  • South, James B. Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Philosophy: fear and trembling in Sunnydale. Open Court Publishing, 2003. p. 70. ISBN 0812695313
  • Stevenson, Gregory. Televised Morality: The Case of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. University Press of America, 2004. p. 233. ISBN 0761828338
  • Wilcox, Rhonda V. Why Buffy Matters: The Art of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. I.B. Tauris, 2005. p. 81. ISBN 1845110293
The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.  The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.
 
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