Hero unveiled transformation of myth through 'Buffy the Vampire Slayer'

The popular television series, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, has transformed the conventional hero myth from a depiction of a brawny, dominating loner to a more complex portrayal of a discerning and developing champion of the people. Despite being an often targeted scapegoat for social and interpersonal ills, television is a storytelling medium that plays a major role in influencing human consciousness by conveying mythic patterns. The popularity of certain mythic images and stories imparted by television signifies collective tendencies and needs. Female superhero images in media provide a heroic portrayal of women and herald the recognition of expressions and contributions of femininity.;Many traditional myths disappoint in their lack of relevance to contemporary culture, particularly in their portrayal of women. History has indirectly criticized accomplished women by leaving their stories untold. Social learning deficits regarding the interaction with and the development of powerful femininity have occurred due to disconnection from the lineage of women in history and myth. Potent feminine qualities have developed in isolation due to this insufficiency in stories.;Jungian dream, film, and fairytale interpretation techniques are used in this inquiry to analyze Buffy the Vampire Slayer as a dream of the collective. Mythological studies assist in discovering the role this television series plays as a modern myth that portrays the development of and relationships to powerful femininity. In the sense that "stories are medicine" (Estes, 1992), this study reveals what instructions---what medicines---are found in Buffy the Vampire Slayer.