The Mythical Gem of Amara: Unlocking its Powers in Buffy The Vampire Slayer

Highlights

Buffy the Vampire Slayer redefined vampire mythology and set the rules for future movies and TV shows in the genre.

The Gem of Amara, a precious artifact in the Buffy-verse, granted vampires immortality, heightened regenerative abilities, and the ability to endure sunlight. However, Angel, driven by his mission to aid the needy, ultimately destroyed the Gem of Amara.

Buffy the Vampire Slayer explored vampire mythology throughout its successful seven-season run, and even more so when considering its spin-off, Angel. Despite being off the air for nearly two decades, fans still engage in discussions about the show. The Buffy-verse continues to captivate both new and old fans, as it revolutionized the portrayal of vampires, influencing subsequent movies and television series.

The desire for immortality is a common theme among vampires. While they already possess an advantage over humans in terms of longevity, their lives can be abruptly ended by a stake to the heart, particularly when faced with formidable slayers like Buffy. However, within the Buffy-verse, there existed a means for vampires to achieve true immortality - The Gem of Amara.

What is the Gem of Amara?

The Gem of Amara, a green stone encased in a golden ring, held immense significance for vampires. Wearing this gem granted immortality to the vampire, while the ring bestowed them with enhanced regenerative abilities. As a result, they could withstand being staked in the heart, with the wound closing rather than disintegrating the vampire into dust.

Additionally, the ring offered the vampire the incredible ability to freely roam the streets even in broad daylight. This was a remarkable advantage, as vampires typically faced the drawback of burning to death upon exposure to sunlight, with a few exceptions such as Blade in the Marvel universe.

Giles, the character in Buffy, was always the one who provided crucial information about the various vampire mythologies. This held true once again when he disclosed the origins of The Gem of Amara. According to him, during the 10th century, there was immense interest in the gem, with vampires from all over the world eagerly searching for it on Earth. Surprisingly, no one had ever discovered it, leading to the conclusion that it likely never existed in the first place. However, Giles stumbled upon a book that mentioned the gem's supposed location, referring to it as the "valley of the sun" in an underground crypt.

What happens to the Gem of Amara?

The Gem of Amara served as the focal point of the initial crossover narrative between Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel. Spike, a former member of the whirlwind, made a comeback to Sunnydale in the fourth season episode titled "The Harsh Light of Day." He assembled a group of vampires to aid him in the quest for the gem. Spike's girlfriend, Harmony, a former Sunnydale High student who had been turned into a vampire, stumbled upon the coveted ring inside a tomb and adorned herself with it, alongside other valuable items. In a fit of anger, Spike staked Harmony, only to be taken aback when she regenerated soon after.

Spike, adorned with the gem of Amara, made a bold attempt on Buffy's life in broad daylight. However, the determined slayer managed to snatch the ring from him during their intense battle, leaving Spike in retreat, once again defeated by his archenemy. Surprisingly, Spike eventually turned over a new leaf and became an ally to Buffy. Recognizing the potential danger the ring posed, Giles proposed its destruction to prevent it from falling into the hands of numerous vampires. Nevertheless, Buffy suggested that Angel, her trusted companion, should safeguard it. To carry out this plan, Oz volunteered to deliver the ring to Angel during his visit to Los Angeles for a performance.

The crossover event between Buffy and Angel began to unfold when Oz arrived in LA in the third episode of Angel, aptly titled "In the Dark." Unbeknownst to Oz, Spike secretly followed him to ensure that Angel would acquire the Gem of Amara. Spike launched a fierce attack on Angel, convinced that he would be wearing the precious ring. Unknown to Spike, Angel had cleverly hidden the gem. Frustrated, Spike devised a plan to enlist the services of Marcus, a malevolent vampire, to torture Angel until he exposed the gem's whereabouts. Despite enduring relentless torment, Angel remained steadfast in refusing to disclose the gem's location. Consequently, Spike resorted to attempting to manipulate Doyle and Cordelia, former members of the Scooby Gang, by offering Angel's freedom in exchange for divulging the gem's hiding place.

Oz accompanied Doyle and Cordelia to the warehouse where Angel was being held. They exchanged the gem for Angel, but Marcus unexpectedly seized the gem and fled into broad daylight. Despite bursting into flames, Angel bravely pursued Marcus and their struggle led them into the sea, extinguishing the flames. Angel managed to kill Marcus and retrieve the gem from his finger.

In a crucial decision, at the conclusion of the episode, Angel opted to destroy the Gem of Amara. He believed that possessing it would divert his attention from his mission to aid those who couldn't seek help in the darkness, as Doyle had advocated for "helping the helpless". As the sun set, Angel shattered the ring with a brick, causing it to emit a vibrant green flash, forever obliterating the Gem of Amara.

Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel are both available to stream on Hulu.