Sire Bond
| Tropes and genres | |
|---|---|
| Synonym(s) | Sire/Childe Bond |
| Related tropes/genres | Vampire, Claiming |
| See also | Angel/Spike, Klaus Mikaelson, Soulbond |
| Related articles on Fanlore. | |
Sire Bond is a trope common in Vampire fandoms. It originated in the Buffy the Vampire Slayer/Angel the Series fandom. In the second season Buffy episode "School Hard," when Spike realizes Angel is trying to trick him, he complains,
- You were my Sire, man! You were my... Yoda!
Fandom took that line and ran with it (as fandom tends to do). It quickly developed into a prominent fanfic trope, especially in the Angel/Spike part of fandom.
Sire/Childe Bond in Jossverse
Sire Bond is most often referred to as Sire/Childe bond by the Jossverse fans as it heavily influences the relationship two vampire characters have.
According to fanon, it's the Sire's duty to take care of his/her Childe, mentor them and teach them everything about being a vampire. The bond between the vampires is very often described as affectionate and full of love. The positive emotions are present even if the Sire tends to torture and murder people and physically hurt their Childe. In many works, it is the Sire's duty to punish their Childe when they misbehave. Very often, the Sire is able to order their Childe to do something using their Sire Voice and the Childe is unable to disobey.
In some fics the bond comes with a physic link allowing the Sire and their Childe to feel emotions the other is feeling (depending on how close their bond is). In other works, newly turned vampires may feel little or no bond with their Sire, for narrative reasons; the death of their Sire allowing a Master Vampire to claim the fledgling.
Due to Angel having a soul, and Spike later regaining his, many works examined the different dynamics in a Sire Bond with a souled vampire. Fic writers employed flashbacks, magic, time travel or soul removal to demonstrate these differences. A bond with an unsouled Sire was often shown to be more brutal, with the Childe given less freedom and agency. Non-con interactions appeared more often in Sire/Childe relationships with an unsouled Sire.
Sire Bond in Vampire Diaries
Sire Bond, while using a similar term to that in Buffy, works a lot differently than the original Sire/Childe bond.
When a vampire is sired (made), and a sire bond appears, the vampire is desperate to make their sire happy and so will follow their every order. It, however, appears to be more of an unconscious act, similar to being compelled, rather than a action the character is fully aware and in control of.[1]
Unlike in Buffy, the Sire Bond in Vampire Diaries has no emotional aspect. Klaus' hybrids all hate him and would love to see him dead, but the bond forces them to follow his orders.
Other Fandoms
True Blood fandom has a similar concept of a bond between the Maker (Sire, in Buffy terminology) and his children. Based on canon evidence, there appears to be a mental link and emotional connection similar to that of a Sire/Childe Bond.
Fanworks Examples
| Examples Wanted: Editors are encouraged to add more examples or a wider variety of examples. |
Buffy the Vampire Slayer
- Finding Home by Luana Araceli, Spike/Angel fic
- Masters and Minions Series by Medea, Angel/Spike/Willow fic.
Archives & Fannish Links
- Childe/Sire Bond(s) and Childe & Sire Interactions works on Ao3
References
- ^ When Klaus orders Tyler (who is sired to him) to bite Caroline and Tyler refuses. But when, later in the episode, he and Caroline make out, Tyler bites her without even thinking about it and is later horrified at what he's done.