A phenomenon like Buffy the Vampire Slayer is one that can never hope to be replicated, despite the abundance of TV and streaming options. Over seven seasons, we lived through apocalypses, romantic crises, and high school hell alongside the Scooby Gang, often feeling like an honorary member ourselves.
The adventures of Buffy and co. have continued on in graphic novels, but for many, Buffy began and ended with the series. This makes the characters’ final outcomes all the more important. See if you agree on which characters’ stories wrapped up perfectly and who drew the short stake.
Deserved More: Percy
This is a deep pull, but diehard fans will understand. Percy was a hotshot jock at Sunnydale High who tried to bully Willow into doing his homework. But Vampire Willow scared him straight, and Percy not only feared Willow for the rest of high school, but the pair became unlikely friends. Percy even began to take pride in his academic accomplishments.
After graduation, nobody thought they’d ever see Percy again, but Willow bumps into him at a college party. Later, she overhears him making fun of her to his date, calling her an “egghead” and insulting her appearance. Though he could be talking smack to assuage a jealous girlfriend, it’s a crashing disappointment to see him behave this way, considering how far he had come in high school.
Fitting: Dawn
Saying that Dawn didn’t get off on the right foot with viewers is an understatement. Not only was it an unwelcome shock that Buffy suddenly has a younger sister, but Dawn could not have been brattier in her debut episode.
After this, no matter what she did, viewers could not bring themselves to like the littlest Summers. Which is a shame, because Dawn undergoes a tremendous character arc throughout her time on the show. She goes from whiny kid to a humble, brave young woman determined to find alongside her big sister despite having no superpowers of her own. Dawn’s look of admiration as Buffy leaps from building to building in the final moments of the series says it all; she may not be a Slayer, but Dawn will grow up to be just as much of a badass as her sister.
Deserved More: Warren
To be clear, we’re talking about a sadistic misogynist who met his end getting skinned alive by a powerful witch — and that’s still not satisfying enough for this wannabe Big Bad creep. Did we want to watch Dark Willow torture Warren for hours on end? No. But this is a guy who preyed upon women, killing (at least) two. Viewers would have thoroughly enjoyed an episode watching Warren run for his life, and slowly come to the realization that rather than the puppet-master alpha male he fancies himself, he’s nothing more than a powerless, cowardly waste of skin.
Fitting: Anya
This may be a controversial pick as many fans believe Andrew should have been the one to die in the final battle rather than Anya. But her putting her life on the line, and ultimately losing it, to fight against evil wholly encapsulates her character coming full circle.
Ever since she lost her powers, Anya has been grappling with the concept of mortality, both her own, and the idea as a whole. Who could forget her devastating “why?” speech as she comes to terms with Joyce’s death. Anya sees humans as moronic for risking their lives but in Season 7, something finally clicks, and she gets it. Though she’s terrified of dying, turning her back on the good fight — like she did on Graduation Day — is no longer an option.
Deserved More: Jonathan
Jonathan was a fascinating Buffy character. From casting the “Superstar” spell to his stint with the Trio, he did some truly awful things, but the viewer is still endeared to this underdog and his eternal desperation to fit in.
Fans were disappointed that Andrew became the only surviving member of the Trio, and the one to join the Scoobies in the final battle. His development seemed more fitting for Jonathan, a character we had known for much longer. But the First manipulated Andrew into killing him for a blood sacrifice at the end of the last season, and just like that, that was the end of Jonathan. At least he was at peace before he died.
Fitting: Faith
Bad girl Faith’s journey from morally ambiguous Slayer to full-on villain, and finally back to the good side was a thrill to watch.
No matter which side of the good-or-evil coin Faith has fallen on, she has always prided herself on being a self-sufficient lone wolf. People, particularly men, are hers for the using. So Faith surprises even herself when she learns the benefits of being part of a team, and of allowing herself to have feelings for a man after they’ve spent the night together. After fighting alongside Buffy, the Scoobies, and the Potentials, it looks like her recent lover, Robin Wood, is down for the count. But when he lives, Faith is not only overcome with relief, but is able to finally believe that sometimes things work out for the best, and that it’s okay to allow herself to be happy.
Deserved More: Spike
We know that more than one Scooby had to die in the battle of the First for things to be believable. And it makes sense that Spike’s redemption arc concluded with him sacrificing himself to save the world. That’s all fine. But it felt like Angel showing up and delivering the amulet meant to be worn by a “champion” felt rather rushed and random.
Furthermore, it seemed like the Spuffy storyline had already been wrapped up with the two spending a romantic albeit chaste night together, complete with Spike’s “hell of a woman” speech. There’s an undeniable amount of love these two share for each other, but Buffy’s last-minute love confession came out of left field and felt forced. A dying Spike even called her out for it. Thankfully, he came back in Angel, because his end in Buffy was anything but satisfying.
Fitting: Buffy
The final season is definitely not loved by the fans, but at least we can say our Slayer got a proper send-off. Buffy almost achieved the death hat trick in the final battle, but through her strength, agility, and Slayer wits, she leads her army to victory against the First.
Watching the Hellmouth crumble into oblivion was a triumphant symbol of Buffy’s win. When Dawn asks, “What are we gonna do now?,” Buffy’s hopeful smile was the perfect final image for both the character and her beloved series.
Deserved More: Tara
It never bodes well for a character to rekindle a relationship after moving past a traumatic breakup. Just ask Jenny Calendar. Fan favorite Tara Maclay suffered a similar fate.
Any fan who says they didn’t cry at Willow and Tara’s touching reunion is lying. It was one of the most heartwarming moments of the show…only for Tara to be ripped away from both Willow and the fans one episode later when she caught a stray bullet intended for Buffy. If Tara had to die, it should have been doing something brave and heroic, not because Warren is a trigger-happy psychopath.
Fitting: Willow
Leagues of fans identified with Willow Rosenberg, and loved following her evolution from shy wallflower to the strongest member of the Scooby Gang. Willow never had anything handed to her like Buffy. Instead, Willow earned her powers through hard work and willpower.
Of course, she had some bumps on the way, what with getting addicted to magic and turning into Dark Willow. But just when you think she can’t get any stronger, Willow harnesses her powers for good, and casts the most powerful spell the world has ever seen, turning all Potentials into Slayers. And just to prove that she hasn’t completely lost her nerdiness, her response to the spell says it all: “That was nifty.”
