Vampire Question

[Laura]

I was watching "Where the Wild Things Are" last night, and when Anya commented on how Spike wasn't even in his vampire face anymore, he responded by saying, "Oh. I was just a minute ago. Hang on. Get me mad again."

That sparked two questions in my mind about vampires:
1) Do vampires know when they are vamped up?

2) Can't vampires vamp up themselves? Or do they need to be angry, in a heated battle, ect.

[Glenn]

They can usually just vamp out whenever. In that situation though i think that as Spike knew Anya on a personal level and didnt really have any threatening instincts towards her, getting mad or a painful experience, as we have seen, can cause vamp out to happen without them being able to control it. Conner hitting Angel to make him vamp out for example.

[Laura]

That makes sense, Glenn. It also explains why Buffy had to punch Angel in "Graduation Day" to make him vamp up.

Also, does that mean that vampires usually know when they are vamped up, but because Spike was talking to Anya more personally, he didn't even realize he lost it?

[Glenn]

Yeah, its probably like when someone asks you where there glasses are yet they are right on their face Vamps will get so used to the feeling of vamp face that it can be difficult to tell the difference between the two.

[Allan]

I chalk it up to instict. It's a natural thing, which they can turn on or off at will. Spike wasn't thinking about it at the time.

[Casi]

It's not the only time we've seen him not realize he went all vampy either. In Tabula Rasa, he vamps out and doesn't even notice. You'd think he'd feel it and go, what the hell was that? But nope.

[Glenn]

Well in season three of Angel, when Marcus has taken over Angel's body, he doesn't realise that he has vamped either.

[Sammy]

Maybe it can be like when you frown, and you don't notice you're frowning, or is it just me that gets that? lol.

[Allan]

I get that, too, Sammy, and it's a good way of looking at it.

And also, when I think of you, I smile without realising I'm doing it. It's because I'm overcome with sheer bliss.

25/50

[Laura]

I guess it just depends on the situation. For example, Spike didn't realize had had un-vamped in "Where the Wild Things Are", yet Holden realized he had in "CWDP." I imagine it just depends on what the vampire is doing, who they are talking to, ect. (I also imagine it goes both ways- sometimes vampires probably realize when they vamp up, and sometimes probably not).

You know, Lissa never realizes when she is being annoying . I'm sorry she has to be my sister (Why me??).

[Beck]

I think with Holden, he was a new vampire and not used to it. Older vampires would be much more used to switching from normal face to vamp face and wouldn't notice as much. Though I find it funny that most minions stay in vamp face even when not attacking Is this because its not as natural for them to switch back and forth so they prefer to stay looking threatening most of the time? :dunno:

[Laura]

I've noticed too that a lot of vampires always stay vamped up, and it was usually the ones that we seen as a big villain (i,e. Luke, The Master- though he lost his ability to over the years).

They are probably trying to establish their role as a vampire, and to look threatening as you said. Plus, maybe some of them would feel inferior- like a human- if they unvamped .

Also, maybe some villains always stay vamped up, so viewers don't get confused on who is a vampire or not .

I could see my sister getting confused like that. I'm sorry that she is MY sister.

[Allan]

Yeah, that's my guess - they want to make it obvious that the characters are vampires. I noticed it a lot in the early seasons of Buffy, particularly...

[jeanvic]

Another vampire question: How do vamps get erections without blood flow?

I don't thgink there is any contnuity in the shows with these things. I mean, Marcus had no idea he had vamped out, but Liam knew immediately. Also, Angel sometimes threatens people as he vamps, which tells me he knows about it. I just think that was done for Spike to add a bit of humour. Like Joss says, he will change the contnuity to do what he wants.

[Kana]

I suppose we can always go outside the show to explain the inexplicable. lol. Some of the biggest were the dates and the Ubervamps.

Incidently I think vampires do have a mystical blood flow of sorts. Drugs seem to affect them which implies they may have some blood flow, also they do bleed.