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Gnarl makes a pretty picture. It's easy when you know how. It's easy when everyone helps. They helped me. Too bad there's no one to help you.
―Gnarl[src]

Gnarl was a demon living in Wilken's Grove, Sunnydale, that fed on human skin.[1]

Biography[]

In 2002, Gnarl hid in one of the caves in Wilken's Grove, making his first victim a boy in the construction pit for the Sunnydale High School gym, where Gnarl left his skinless corpse. Willow located the Gnarl's hiding place by performing a demon locator spell with Anya; meanwhile, Spike guided Buffy, Xander, and Dawn to the cave by following the scent of blood the demon consumed.[1]

Willow arrived at Gnarl's hideout at the same time as Buffy, Xander, and Dawn entered it; however, due to a spell that made Willow undetectable to them and vice-versa, the group left and blocked the cave's entrance, unintentionally trapping Willow with Gnarl. The demon taunted the witch from the shadows and attacked her, cutting her abdomen with his fingernail. With Willow paralyzed by his venom, Gnarl began to slice away slivers of her skin to eat.[1]

Warned by Anya, Buffy and Xander returned to the cave, where the Slayer fought Gnarl. She killed him by gouging his eyes with her thumbs. His death released both Willow and Dawn from their paralysis.[1]

Powers and abilities[]

Gnarl Willow paralysis

Gnarl eats Willow's skin.

Paralysis inducement: Gnarl possessed long, talon-shaped fingernails which secreted a paralyzing poison that rendered his victim completely immobile, though they could still communicate through muffles, and their bodies remained posable. The victim remained paralyzed until Gnarl's death, giving him endless hours to feed their skin alive.[1]

Razor-sharp fingernails: Gnarl's nails were also very sharp, causing cuts in his victims skin to inject the paralyzing poison. He used his nails to flay entire human bodies strip by strip.[1]

Speed: Gnarl was able to appear out of nowhere, strike Dawn and quickly retreat out of the scene. This also proved difficult for Buffy during her fight with him, making her stab him in the foot just to keep him still.[1]

Immunity from magic: Gnarl was immune to magic; Willow tried to cast a spell on him, but it did nothing. Instead, Gnarl claimed he loved spells and kept them as "pets" and they "leave him alone."[1]

Personality[]

They were here. Here they were. And there they went. Gone, all gone, what a pretty song. They sealed you in with me. I love a gifty. Can't wait to unwrap it.
―Gnarl[src]

Gnarl spoke in singsong, almost nursery rhyme-like couplets as well as in third-person. He also taunted Willow by claiming her friends didn't care about her while feeding on her.[1]

Behind the scenes[]

Appearances[]

References[]

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