Jump to content

Menu

Do vampires need to breathe?


Terabith
 Share

Recommended Posts

I mean, they're not alive, right, so maybe they don't?  But if they don't need to breathe, they could go scuba diving with no air!  I was thinking they could go hang out in the really deep water where there's no light, but probably the water pressure would be a problem, even for vampires, do you think?  

  • Like 2
  • Haha 5
Link to comment
Share on other sites

OMG, this is why we haven't found any real stories/proof of vampires in the age of video!

They probably figured this out ages ago (yay for immortality) and decided just to get away from the humans and their drama and garlic and set up colonies on the ocean floor. No sunlight, no stakes, just vampires going on with their daily lives. Maybe fish blood is their version of vegetarian. Water pressure doesn't necessarily have to be a problem -- no lungs to collapse, and maybe the immortal-bit of their body can keep its shape under the water despite heavier than air. They are called night-walkers, not necessarily earth-walkers, so water-walkers isn't out of the question by that definition.

Jean-Michel Cousteau, we have a job for you!

  • Like 4
  • Thanks 1
  • Haha 11
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Anatomical question. They speak. But speech is created when air is forced over the vocal cords causing them to vibrate. So if they don't have lungs, and do not breathe, how can they speak? What is the mechanism?

Also, what is their blood circulating? It takes a stake to the heart to kill them, but what is the heart for if not circulating hemoglobin?

Aliens. I am voting that they are aliens, maybe from Jupiter. That seems right. 😁

  • Like 4
  • Thanks 1
  • Haha 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

6 minutes ago, Faith-manor said:

Anatomical question. They speak. But speech is created when air is forced over the vocal cords causing them to vibrate. So if they don't have lungs, and do not breathe, how can they speak? What is the mechanism?

Also, what is their blood circulating? It takes a stake to the heart to kill them, but what is the heart for if not circulating hemoglobin?

Aliens. I am voting that they are aliens, maybe from Jupiter. That seems right. 😁

I assume they CAN breathe, voluntarily.  But is it necessary?  

  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

The books I have read are divided on this point. Largely, if vampires are thought of as dead people resurrected and cursed, no, they do not breathe. If vampires are instead a separate blood drinking species (Dark series by Christine Feehan, Blood and Ash series by Jennifer Armentrout) that we only think of as vampires, then yes, they do breathe. 🤦🤷‍♀️  ETA: neither sets are required to breathe for “life”

Edited by prairiewindmomma
  • Like 2
  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, Faith-manor said:

Anatomical question. They speak. But speech is created when air is forced over the vocal cords causing them to vibrate. So if they don't have lungs, and do not breathe, how can they speak? What is the mechanism?

Also, what is their blood circulating? It takes a stake to the heart to kill them, but what is the heart for if not circulating hemoglobin?

Aliens. I am voting that they are aliens, maybe from Jupiter. That seems right. 😁

You make many good points. I am just going to attribute it to supernatural powers.

  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

They are either undead or blood-sucking creatures, depending on who you ask.  

 

If you believe they are the undead.....making them dead (no breathing) isn't possible. If you try to make them dead, they just undead again!!  It is like they have a handful of reverse, skips and draw 4s.

If you believe they are blood-sucking creatures who are not the undead.....well then they must be dead. And breathing is part of not being dead. Obviously, they can't be a dead undead creature!! That is just silly talk!

Edited by Tap
  • Like 3
  • Haha 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, KidsHappen said:

According to Angel on the first season of Buffy he is not even capable of providing breath to give Buffy CPR when she drowns. 

Which is ridiculous, because he can talk. Spike even smokes! But no, Angel can move his diaphragm to talk but not to pump oxygen into Buffy's lungs? Whatever.

Headcanon: Angel doesn't understand science, because he wasn't interested in the subject as an inebriated human back in Ye Olden Tymes, he wasn't interested in it as an evil vampire, and he wasn't interested in it as a broody ensoulled vampire. He's therefore fuzzy on areas where science and Buffyverse magic intersect, even when it directly affects him.

  • Haha 8
Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, Tanaqui said:

Which is ridiculous, because he can talk. Spike even smokes! But no, Angel can move his diaphragm to talk but not to pump oxygen into Buffy's lungs? Whatever.

Headcanon: Angel doesn't understand science, because he wasn't interested in the subject as an inebriated human back in Ye Olden Tymes, he wasn't interested in it as an evil vampire, and he wasn't interested in it as a broody ensoulled vampire. He's therefore fuzzy on areas where science and Buffyverse magic intersect, even when it directly affects him.

It's possible. Even at the time I thought well certainly he could at least do chest compressions but I understand that the point of that scene was to make Xander the hero. Although later on Angel he was buried in a metal box at sea for maybe 6-9 months and neither the lack of air or pressure killed him. So apparently he could breathe but did not need to. And I do agree that given his age I would have expected him to be a little brighter than he was but then I may be biased as he was never my favorite vampire.

  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have always assumed that they did not need to breath, but could voluntarily do it when necessary to talk or blend in with humans. I am assuming traditional supernatural undead here, not some separate species that is alive in its own unusual way. 
 

being supernatural, and undead, I am imagining underwater colonies might work, but if the pressure was too great they’d just exist in some sort of twilight  sleep until conditions were right to heal and regenerate.

i have always found pictures of underwater wrecks super scary. I cannot tell you how creepy I find the thought of them being colonized by the undead.

  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Well, my vampire knowledge is largely limited to Twilight. I’m not proud of this fact. That said, iirc, Edward says that while he doesn’t have to breathe, he finds it uncomfortable to have his sense of smell blocked, so he breathes. Cause, ya know, predators and smell and all. 

(I’ve also read Discovery of Witches but can’t remember anything relevant…)

  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

45 minutes ago, alisoncooks said:

Well, my vampire knowledge is largely limited to Twilight. I’m not proud of this fact. That said, iirc, Edward says that while he doesn’t have to breathe, he finds it uncomfortable to have his sense of smell blocked, so he breathes. Cause, ya know, predators and smell and all. 

(I’ve also read Discovery of Witches but can’t remember anything relevant…)

The vampires breathe, slowly, and they inhale the smells of others.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I’m going with no breathing, they don’t require air, but can choose to breathe/talk.

Anne Rice vampires — some had the experience of being underwater for long periods. Survived, but not pretty. 
 

Someone needs to ask Sam and Dean.

Edited by Spryte
  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

14 hours ago, Terabith said:

I mean, they're not alive, right, so maybe they don't?  But if they don't need to breathe, they could go scuba diving with no air!  I was thinking they could go hang out in the really deep water where there's no light, but probably the water pressure would be a problem, even for vampires, do you think?  

I think they morph into giant squid and octopus down there. 

I don’t think they are dead? Just a crazy low metabolism that makes them seem dead. Which as a person with low blood pressure and insomnia - I totally identify with.  I think that’s why they always go for the sleeping drugged out acting damsel.  And the only way can make money is just investing.  Not gonna cut it that 9-5 every day work routine.

Poor vampires. So misunderstood. 

  • Haha 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

13 minutes ago, Terabith said:

9-5 jobs would be a huge issue with the whole daylight thing, but I would think they'd be highly sought after for night shift work?  And they have all this time for education...I'd think vampire ER doctors would be highly sought after?  

Except for that whole blood-thirst thing. Maybe ER is not the best place for them. 🤷🏻‍♀️

  • Like 2
  • Haha 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

29 minutes ago, Terabith said:

9-5 jobs would be a huge issue with the whole daylight thing, but I would think they'd be highly sought after for night shift work?  And they have all this time for education...I'd think vampire ER doctors would be highly sought after?  

They would be great to assist with swelling!!

  • Haha 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

 Share

×
×
  • Create New...