Why Anya is Afraid of Bunnies

[nerd4hire]

Anya: The rapid reproductive rate of our rabbits...has given me an idea. I can give the excess out to the townspeople, exchanging them not for goods or services, but for goodwill and the sense of accomplishment that stems from selflessly giving of yourself to others.
Olaf: Ha, ha, ha! Sweet Aud! Your logic is insane and happenstance, like that of a troll.

So here's my theory:

Anya has always had problems existing in a social environment. People just don't get her, and they prefer to avoid her.

Somewhere within the unique logic that makes up the mind of Anya, she came to the conclusion the path to social acceptance led through rabbits.

I suspect this strategy failed.

In a kind of emotional backlash Anya directed the negative feelings of her social rejection, not towards the people who rejected her, but to the one thing she previously trusted. The thing that (in her mind) failed her: The Bunnies.

This emotional backlash manifested itself in a fear of Bunnies. What would you call that? Bunnyphobia?

Apparently Bunnyphobia is not as rare as you might think. In fact there are groups dedicated to exposing the underlying, malicious and dangerous intent of rabbits.

Here is a link to a website, that warns of the coming Bunny menace:

DevilBunnies.org (http://www.devilbunnies.org/)

http://www3.sympatico.ca/igorborovikov/images/banner-nerd4hire-text.gif

[spike's_bitca]

hmmm... the coming Bunny menace



that sounds promising

[Rayne]

LOL! Man Nerd4hire, you think too much! LOL!

[Lee]

nerd4hire...can I have your brain?

[slayerangel]

Maybe Anya feels that bunnies seem so cute and happy that there's evil deep in them. She could believe that nothing that looks cute is for real. She's been hurt, you know.

[ana8]

Maybe she just hates white, small,fatty animals....

[SoulessSinner]

They are furry...beedy eyes....twitchy noses, big ears...need i say more?...who wouldnt be freaked out

[slayerangel]

I thought of it that way, SoulessSinner. Maybe a bunny was around when something bad happened to Anya, though... Remember the stuffed bunny in "The Gift"?

[Magui]

Originally posted by slayerangel
I thought of it that way, SoulessSinner. Maybe a bunny was around when something bad happened to Anya, though... Remember the stuffed bunny in "The Gift"?

no,i don't remember:( --wut happened?

[Lee]

Originally posted by Magui
no,i don't remember:( --wut happened?

Anya and Xander go into the basement of the Magic Box, to um...do what Anya likes so much heh heh.
She turns and screams, and Xander asks her whats wrong, and she picks up a stuffed bunny rabbit, saying 'who would leave that here!'
Then Anya goes into a state of shock saying ''Its an omen, oh god, its an omen, a higher power is trying to tell me through bunnies that we're all gonna die, oh God!'' Its actually a very funny scene, then Xander calms her down presenting her with a wedding ring, then, next year, he shatters her heart into a million pieces and lets her down by leaving her at the altar! ::fire::

[Ayumi]

I am one of the many people was have a fear of bunnies, since the age of 5. I like you theory. Very nice.

[slayerangel]

I don't see a lot of bunnies that often, so I've never had the chance to be afraid of them.

[Emma Caulfield]

Clears alot up for me! Thanks! :)

[Lee]

Found a very interesting site today you might want to look at, it explores Anya and why it might be that she hates those little fluffers..

Anya Top Ten Bunnies (http://emmalee.com/vague/entries/character/anyatoptenbunny.php)

Enjoy...

[Emma Caulfield]

Has anyone seen that KFC ad in the UK? With all the men dressed in Pink Bunny Suits...Anyas worst nightmare!!

[nerd4hire]

No, I haven't. Is it funnier than Anya in a Pink Bunny suit in Fear itself?

Xander:
Wear something scary.

[Joan]

LOL! I love the top ten reason thing! Number one is the best!

[Xander]

Can you imagine Anya having to overcome her fear to put on that bunny outfit.

Interesting theory Nerd4Hire and Lee I never noticed the omen thing (well its link to Hells Bells)

"7. Anya used to date the Easter Bunny and it ended badly. Enough said."

Lol, interesting theory as well. And as I said, Donnie Darko would be a film she loves yet hates.

[Miss_Sunnydale]

I think that I am one of the only people that like bunnies. They are soooooo cute. With their floppy ears, and little hoopy legs. I agree with slayerangel. Thats always what I thought happened. That was funny I like the this one Anya was swimming in a lake, and was attacked by the Loch Ness Seabunny, cousin to the much better known monster of Loch Ness. This furry fatality attempted to eat her alive.

[FahrbotDrusilla]

Maybe Anya feels that bunnies seem so cute and happy that there's evil deep in them. She could believe that nothing that looks cute is for real. She's been hurt, you know.
My brother is like that twords koala's (weird being we don't live anywhere near where koala's live lol) so I beleave that there may be truth in this theory.

[JustAnnie]

I love bunnies! i've had two as pets! Gave me lots of cuteness and cuddles!:D And lots of love to!

Anyway...I agree with nerd4hire! I think that could very well be the reason!

[Lethe]

LOL! I love the top ten reason thing! Number one is the best!


Gotta agree!

In my Donnie Darko obsessed days, I researched the symbolism of bunnies. It turns out that rabbits represent change or rebirth (hence Frank in Donnie Darko). I kind of found this funny since I would consider Anya, a 1000 year old vengeance demon, someone afraid of change.

[eset]

I definitely think you may be on to something N4H. Maybe she also associated bunnies with Olaf, his actions, and how they led to her becoming a vengence deamon. Maybe, deep down, she blamed the bunnies for the deaths of all the people she killed as a demon, and was projecting her guilt into fear of bunnies.

Of course, your explaination makes a lot more sense...

[AngelicSlayer00]

Thanks for that, thats quite interesting :)

[Destructo Girl]

Everybody's mocking!! That's not cool, cause I am seriously, terrified of bunnies. My mom said it started when i was a toddler. I can't get near the things. They scare me!

[ProphecyGirl]

Does anyone believe Anya developed this phobia pre-demon days and carried the phobia over?

[Wicked]

So here's my theory:

Anya has always had problems existing in a social environment. People just don't get her, and they prefer to avoid her.

Somewhere within the unique logic that makes up the mind of Anya, she came to the conclusion the path to social acceptance led through rabbits.

I suspect this strategy failed.

In a kind of emotional backlash Anya directed the negative feelings of her social rejection, not towards the people who rejected her, but to the one thing she previously trusted. The thing that (in her mind) failed her: The Bunnies.

This emotional backlash manifested itself in a fear of Bunnies. What would you call that? Bunnyphobia?

Apparently Bunnyphobia is not as rare as you might think. In fact there are groups dedicated to exposing the underlying, malicious and dangerous intent of rabbits.

Here is a link to a website, that warns of the coming Bunny menace:

DevilBunnies.org (http://www.devilbunnies.org/)

http://www3.sympatico.ca/igorborovikov/images/banner-nerd4hire-text.gif
you think like me. thats scary. i came up with the same thing. :)

[eponinethen]

There's really nothing weird with being afraid of bunnies.. I used to be.. They're a bit like frogs, they hop, which means they can just.. be somewhere else.. really fast.. whitout you really noticing.. That if anything is scary to me, mhm..

[Drusilla's_Evil]

I don't think that necessarily being afraid is funny, but it's just the way that Anya is afraid of bunnies, that makes it absolutely hilarious!! I was laughing so hard, that tears were running down my face when she arrived at the Halloween party in a bunny suit!!! *falls off of seat from laughing at the memory*

[Xin Rong]

I always thought she had a phobea of bunnies becaue she dressed up as one for haloween in series 4 and they all nearly died etc, so then she associated bunnies with near death and things going wrong

[nerd4hire]

No, no, no XR. She dressed in the Bunny suit, because Xander told her to wear something scary.

[Nessima]

That is a very interesting theory........ you are very smart!!

[TabulaRasa]

I dont have an explination of why she fears them, and all of yours sound very good. All I can say is that I will never get tired of her fear, and I will laugh as often as I watch episodes with Anya and bunnies.

[Chasing Cordy]

I have not gotten to the point of where the bunny fear starts, but a couple things strike me as odd...

Bunnies only? Is this assumed to be all rabbits and hares as well?

If she is so afraid of them (for whatever reason) why does she make herself out to be singing with her bunny tune. Seems to me like if you're afraid of them, don't mention them at all. Sounds like self-destruction.
(though I do love her bunny tune in season six)

Emma...yummy.

[eponinethen]

I don't get why you guys are debating this. It seems perfectly rational to me. Bunnies are very scary.

[zombie.apparatus]

scary! they are sooooo cute.... with their soft fur and their long ears

breaks into song.........

"they got them hoppy legs and twitchy little noses"

i love bunnies.... so cute :nana:

[eponinethen]

I am really sorry to say this but... I used to like them but.. then I realized they're sort of a mix between rats and frogs – both of those scare me oh so much.. Hm.. You never know where they are, they just... hop...