The Initiative
Encyclopedia
The Initiative is a fictional secret government organization in the television series, Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel
.
" explained that the Third Reich
had a similar program and investigated the possible use of vampires in the war effort with three vampire captives – Spike, Nostroyev and the so-called Prince of Lies. The Nazis had lured the trio to a supposed virgin-blood party in Madrid. This revelation seems to cast the Initiative in the same light as other WWII era projects, such as the nuclear weapons of the Manhattan Project
.
, also a psychology professor at the school. Under her direction, military commandos captured vampires
, demons and other supernatural creatures to be studied by scientists for the covert U.S. government operation. The Initiative experiments on the creatures, a primary goal of this being negate the threat that "hostile sub-terrestrials", demonic entities, pose to human beings. However, a more sinister and ultra-classified goal is to hybridize demons and humans to create super-soldiers. The Initiative's captives have (at various points) included the werewolf Oz and the vampire Spike
, the latter of whom was implanted with a chip that caused him to experience extreme pain whenever he attacked (or intended to attack) a human being.
Buffy's boyfriend Riley Finn
is initially a member of the Initiative, as are other soldiers posing as UC Sunnydale students, including Forrest and Graham. Riley is unaware that Professor Walsh has also been experimenting on him and the other soldiers, enhancing their performance through methods that threaten their lives. In "New Moon Rising
", Riley discovered the extent of the Initiative's corruption and chose to leave it.
Professor Walsh's secret project eventually results in the creation of Adam, a humanoid creature consisting of machinery, human and demon parts. The project goes horribly awry when Adam kills members of Initiative (who are later re-animated as zombies) and escapes. Adam possesses a strong capacity for strategy, as well as physical strength that is far superior to Buffy's, and only through a spell cast by Willow
, Xander
and Giles
was she able to defeat him. His plan was to create a master race of demon/human hybrids.
After Adam, his zombified Initiative members and plans for an army of cyber-demonoids are destroyed, the Initiative's operations are deemed a failure by a panel of government overseers and are officially closed down.
, where FBI agents arrive and capture the mystically invisible Marcie Ross while Buffy is fighting her. Marcie and other invisible people are then trained to be assassins and spies. The Government's modus operandi
here is the same here as it was in the Initiative: seeking to control and exploit supernatural beings, rather than eliminate or rehabilitate them.
Following the Initiative's closure, the Army maintains operations in hunting demons, incorporating many of the trained Initiative soldiers, including Riley Finn. They hunt down demon nests in the United States, as well as foreign countries. The goals of the Army now align closely with those of the Slayer: protecting people from demons and preventing demon threats from spreading. The Government is not seen to engage in any future Initiative-like attempts to control or exploit demons.
The "Twilight Group" in Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season Eight
is often compared to the Initiative by the Scooby Gang.
", Buffy and Spike break into the Initiative to find medicine to dampen the slowly fatal effect of his degenerating chip. While in the abandoned complex, they are attacked by a demon who has managed to survive for over three years. After defeating the demon, they run across operatives sent by Riley Finn
who remove Spike's chip.
In the penultimate episode of Season 4, the government overseers rule that the former Initiative base would be filled with cement to hide evidence of its existence, but in "The Killer in Me", Buffy and Spike are able to access the ruined facility.
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...
.
Origins
The Initiative program seems to be established during or before the 1940s, when it employed Angel's talents to liberate a sunken captured German submarine during World War II. It was originally known as the "Demon Research Initiative." The Angel episode "Why We FightWhy We Fight (Angel episode)
"Why We Fight" is episode 13 of season 5 in the television show Angel. Sam Lawson, a mysterious man from Angel's past, arrives at Wolfram & Hart and takes Wesley, Fred and Gunn hostage. In a flashback to 1943, it is revealed that Angel was forcibly recruited by the Demon Research Initiative to...
" explained that the Third Reich
Nazism
Nazism, the common short form name of National Socialism was the ideology and practice of the Nazi Party and of Nazi Germany...
had a similar program and investigated the possible use of vampires in the war effort with three vampire captives – Spike, Nostroyev and the so-called Prince of Lies. The Nazis had lured the trio to a supposed virgin-blood party in Madrid. This revelation seems to cast the Initiative in the same light as other WWII era projects, such as the nuclear weapons of the Manhattan Project
Manhattan Project
The Manhattan Project was a research and development program, led by the United States with participation from the United Kingdom and Canada, that produced the first atomic bomb during World War II. From 1942 to 1946, the project was under the direction of Major General Leslie Groves of the US Army...
.
Sunnydale
In 1999, the research center of 'the Initiative' is located underground, beneath the University of California campus in Sunnydale. It is commanded by Maggie WalshMaggie Walsh
Professor Maggie Walsh is a fictional character in the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer. The character is portrayed by Lindsay Crouse.-History:...
, also a psychology professor at the school. Under her direction, military commandos captured vampires
Vampire (Buffyverse)
Vampire, in the fictional world of the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel, is a species of demon which inhabits and animates a human corpse...
, demons and other supernatural creatures to be studied by scientists for the covert U.S. government operation. The Initiative experiments on the creatures, a primary goal of this being negate the threat that "hostile sub-terrestrials", demonic entities, pose to human beings. However, a more sinister and ultra-classified goal is to hybridize demons and humans to create super-soldiers. The Initiative's captives have (at various points) included the werewolf Oz and the vampire Spike
Spike (Buffyverse)
Spike, played by James Marsters, is a fictional character created by Joss Whedon for the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel. Spike is a vampire and played various roles on the shows, ranging from villain to anti-hero. For Marsters, the role as Spike began a career in science...
, the latter of whom was implanted with a chip that caused him to experience extreme pain whenever he attacked (or intended to attack) a human being.
Buffy's boyfriend Riley Finn
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...
is initially a member of the Initiative, as are other soldiers posing as UC Sunnydale students, including Forrest and Graham. Riley is unaware that Professor Walsh has also been experimenting on him and the other soldiers, enhancing their performance through methods that threaten their lives. In "New Moon Rising
New Moon Rising (Buffy episode)
"New Moon Rising" is the 19th episode of season 4 of the television show Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Oz returns to Sunnydale after learning to control his werewolf instincts...
", Riley discovered the extent of the Initiative's corruption and chose to leave it.
Professor Walsh's secret project eventually results in the creation of Adam, a humanoid creature consisting of machinery, human and demon parts. The project goes horribly awry when Adam kills members of Initiative (who are later re-animated as zombies) and escapes. Adam possesses a strong capacity for strategy, as well as physical strength that is far superior to Buffy's, and only through a spell cast 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...
, Xander
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...
and Giles
Rupert Giles
Rupert Giles is a fictional character created by Joss Whedon for the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer. The character is portrayed by Anthony Stewart Head. He serves as Buffy Summers' mentor and surrogate father figure...
was she able to defeat him. His plan was to create a master race of demon/human hybrids.
After Adam, his zombified Initiative members and plans for an army of cyber-demonoids are destroyed, the Initiative's operations are deemed a failure by a panel of government overseers and are officially closed down.
Other appearances by the US government
In Buffy, the Government first appears in the season one episode Out of Mind, Out of SightOut 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....
, where FBI agents arrive and capture the mystically invisible Marcie Ross while Buffy is fighting her. Marcie and other invisible people are then trained to be assassins and spies. The Government's modus operandi
Modus operandi
Modus operandi is a Latin phrase, approximately translated as "mode of operation". The term is used to describe someone's habits or manner of working, their method of operating or functioning...
here is the same here as it was in the Initiative: seeking to control and exploit supernatural beings, rather than eliminate or rehabilitate them.
Following the Initiative's closure, the Army maintains operations in hunting demons, incorporating many of the trained Initiative soldiers, including Riley Finn. They hunt down demon nests in the United States, as well as foreign countries. The goals of the Army now align closely with those of the Slayer: protecting people from demons and preventing demon threats from spreading. The Government is not seen to engage in any future Initiative-like attempts to control or exploit demons.
The "Twilight Group" in 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...
is often compared to the Initiative by the Scooby Gang.
Brief reopening
During the Season 7 episode, "The Killer in MeThe Killer in Me (Buffy episode)
"The Killer in Me" is the 13th episode of the seventh and final season of the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer.-Plot synopsis:...
", Buffy and Spike break into the Initiative to find medicine to dampen the slowly fatal effect of his degenerating chip. While in the abandoned complex, they are attacked by a demon who has managed to survive for over three years. After defeating the demon, they run across operatives sent by Riley Finn
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...
who remove Spike's chip.
In the penultimate episode of Season 4, the government overseers rule that the former Initiative base would be filled with cement to hide evidence of its existence, but in "The Killer in Me", Buffy and Spike are able to access the ruined facility.