Only A True Buffy Fan Knows How We Lost These Characters
- by Lucas Wesley
- – on
- in Movies and TV
Focusing on a young woman’s never ending battle against the forces of evil, it goes without saying not every character on Buffy the Vampire Slayer survived the entire show. Despite the title character’s best efforts, many of her friends and allies are lost in the war, both damaging the remaining Scooby Gang’s spirits, yet also emboldening their resolve to keep fighting and get revenge. Given Buffy’s incredible powers, she almost always manages to slay the Big Bads, as well, ever so slowly winning the struggle for the heroes.
Almost 15 years after Buffy aired it’s final episode, the show remains one of the most popular and celebrated series of all time. Many fans still gladly binge watch their favorite seasons on Netflix, fondly remembering the hilarious and dramatic antics Buffy and her friends experienced on their journey. For this reason, true Buffy fanatics pride themselves on knowing absolutely everything there is to know about her world.
Because of the incredibly powerful emotions it can cause, in many cases, the most memorable thing a Buffy character can do is shuffle off this mortal coil. Maybe you can’t remember every last detail about Oz’s band, or name all the Potential Slayers, but if you’re really a fan of Buffy, you should at least know the casualties in her fight to save the world. A lot. Keep reading to prove your Buffy fandom with a quiz about how we lost these characters that only a true fan could pass.
Who accidentally slays Jesse McNally?
Warning fans just how brutal his series would be, Buffy creator Joss Whedon wasted no time in having one of Buffy’s friends fall in battle. In the very first episode, one of her potential allies immediately gets captured and turned into a vampire, thus becoming a major threat. Granted, Buffy only knew the guy for about a day, so this didn’t make things much harder for her, but the other Scoobies were dramatically changed by the incident. Not that the person who dusted him necessarily meant to do so, as a third party simply knocked the vampire into their stake.
Where does Buffy slay Luke?
Immediately after Buffy enrolls in Sunnydale, her new Watcher Giles puts the Slayer to work researching The Master and finding a way to stop The Harvest. It doesn’t take long for them to realize the fastest route to this goal would be slaying The Master’s chosen “Vessel” Luke, yet it’s just a little bit too late, as he’s already found a location in which to trap dozens of potential victims. Naturally, Buffy still arrives on scene just in time to stop him after some brilliant trickery that proved right away just how dumb vamps could be.
Who slays Darla?
Before audiences even technically knew who Buffy the Vampire Slayer was, they were introduced to her universe through a deceptively innocent looking vicious vampire who had been sucking the life out of hapless victims for centuries. Unsurprisingly, it turns out she’s a close confidant of The Master, and she also happens to have a very long backstory with one of Buffy’s closest allies. This doesn’t stop them from taking her on directly once she starts causing trouble, ending her reign for good… well, until she gets revived in Angel, anyway.
What animal possesses a group of students before they eat Principal Flutie?
For as wild and crazy as Sunnydale High School can get, Principal Doug Flutie prided himself on being a man of the people who truly understood his students. Unfortunately, this wasn’t quite the case, as he always seemed a bit out of touch with what they were truly up to. Never was this more apparent than at the time of his demise, when he was attempting to council some “rowdy” students. Unbeknownst to Flutie, they had recently been possessed with a demon spirit at the zoo and, well, this caused them to eat him.
How does The Master momentarily eliminate Buffy?
Hopefully, anyone taking this quiz is at least aware of the fact that for all her best efforts, Buffy Summers actually meets her demise twice throughout the course of her series. The catch is that she always comes back very quickly—the first time around, it was a matter of minutes. Luckily, right after The Master fulfilled his prophecy by taking Buffy’s life, her friends Xander and Angel arrived on the scene, and were able to immediately revive her. Rather than get upset about what went down, ever the trooper, the experience made Buffy feel stronger than ever.
Where does Buffy finally slay The Master?
Okay, so The Master did as was foretold and slayed The Slayer, allowing him to reign on Earth yet again—big deal. Little trifles like a mystic curse and a nap in a body of water aren’t going to stop Buffy Summers, so right after her friends revive her, she immediately resumes her mission to Slay the monster that momentarily slowed her down. Apparently, Buffy wasn’t bluffing when she said she felt better than ever, as this time around, it took her a manner of seconds to turn The Master to dust.
Who turns The Anointed One to dust?
According to The Master, the young boy named Collin he turned into The Anointed One was supposed to lead the undead army in his wake. Much like most of the extremely old vampire’s plans, though, that’s not exactly what happened. Mere months after Buffy slayed The Master, bigger and meaner vampires arrived in Sunnydale, and they had absolutely no time for the little kid they called “The Annoying One.” To get him out of the way, one of the vamps trapped the kid in a small cage and exposed it to sunlight.
What does Buffy need to neutralize The Judge?
Buffy notwithstanding, if there’s anything in the world more powerful than a centuries old demon, it’s modern technology. Even if an ancient demon like The Judge firmly believes “no weapon forged” can destroy him, after enough centuries worth of innovation, humanity may well find a way after all. Thanks to Xander’s magically imbued army training, Buffy and company are able to get their hands on exactly the sort of technology we’re talking about, blowing the allegedly indestructible demon to bits. It’s a good thing they could, too, as Drusilla intended on using The Judge to take countless lives.
Who takes Jenny Calendar away from Giles?
Aside from Buffy, the most important woman in the life of Rupert Giles is his love interest, Jenny Calendar. Naturally, the computer teacher is also a big part of every Scooby’s life, which is why it devastates them all to learn she had something to do with Angel losing his soul. Nonetheless, they’re shattered even further when Jenny is suddenly taken away from them for good, with everyone slowly starting to forgive her just before Giles found her body. It nearly lead to his ruin as well, until Buffy could talk some sense into him.
What does Billy Fordham claim is slowly taking his life?
Try as Buffy might to separate things into good and evil, Sunnydale is often filled with shades of grey. Never was this more clear than the time an old crush from Buffy’s previous school arrived in town. Initially, Buffy was overjoyed to see Ford once again, only to become gravely disappointed when she learns he made a pact with a group of vampires that would sacrifice dozens of other students so he could join them on the dark side. However, Ford’s only doing it because another disease threatens to end his life earlier than he could bear.
Who eliminates Kendra the Vampire Slayer?
Even though Buffy immediately gets revived after The Master takes her life, the few seconds she’s gone are enough for a second Slayer to get called in Kendra. Unlike Buffy, this foreign crime fighter has dedicated her entire life to the calling, and initially appears more than prepared to join the Scooby Gang in their fight to save the world. Unfortunately, it quickly becomes apparent that this isn’t quite the case, as Kendra only manages to survive in Sunnydale for a few short days before a mysterious vampire hypnotizes and eliminates her.
What demon does Buffy neutralize by slaying Angel?
Of all the many vampires Buffy has to slay in her career, the hardest is without a doubt the love of her life, Angel. It’s probably the single most powerful moment in all of the Buffyverse, so we won’t even ask what happens, because every fan should definitely know. After Angel loses his soul, he summons a destructive demon that threatens to destroy the entire world, and the only way Buffy can stop it is to send the man she loves to a hell dimension.
Who slays The Mayor’s helper Mr. Trick?
Originally just a sidekick to an older, meaner vampire, Mr. Trick quickly decides the “revenge gig” doesn’t quite fit his style, choosing new means to hunt down Buffy, Faith, and the Scooby Gang. Initially, this means hiring other men to hunt them down in fun games like SlayerFest ’98, but eventually, The Mayor gets Trick to start acting as his number one soldier. Right before he can make the boss proud and stop Buffy for good, though, one of her allies rushes him from behind and turns Trick to dust.
Which vampire eliminates the alternate reality Buffy from The Wish?
Terrifying as Sunnydale can be at times, the town could be a whole lot worse—just imagine how crazy things would get without Buffy around to constantly save the day. Failing to think ahead as always, Cordelia once turns this horrible idea into reality by making a wish to a vengeance demon that Buffy never came to Sunnydale. Even so, it’s only a few short weeks into this alternate reality before Giles 2 starts tracking the fated Slayer down and begs for her help. Unfortunately, it doesn’t pay off, as she’s quickly defeated in battle.
Which white hat stakes Vampire Willow?
For all the laughter it provides, not everyone thinks the Buffyverse proper is all that fun. Vampire Willow comes to this conclusion not long after she gets transported from her home dimension in The Wish to the real world in Doppelgangland, desperately seeking a way to find her way back. Taking pity on her evil half, the real Willow stops Buffy short of slaying the vampire, and helps with a spell that grants her desire. Unfortunately for vampire Willow, the second she’s returned, one of her enemy “white hats” turns her to dust.
Which vampire eliminated Faith’s original Watcher?
Dark, mysterious, and all around bad ass, ask Faith how she’s feeling at any given moment, and she’s bound to respond, “five by five.” However, beneath the surface, there’s a seriously conflicted young woman struggling to keep it all together. Right after she arrives in Sunnydale, this visage quickly shatters upon hearing the news a centuries old vampire who took her original Watcher’s life has continued chasing her down. Scared as she is, with the help of Buffy and the Scooby Gang, Faith get revenge and finally understands the meaning of friendship…for a little while, anyway.
Who accidentally eliminated Deputy Mayor Allan Finch?
In a world of nonstop fighting, it’s tragically inevitable that mistakes will be made. Terrible, horrible mistakes that the people who made them will never be able to undo. Perhaps the harshest example of this in all the Buffyverse comes when the Slayer and her friends are startled while fighting vamps in a dark alleyway, leading one of them to stake a human they honestly believed was some sort of demon. Unfortunately, the fact they didn’t mean to hurt the guy didn’t stop him from losing his life, leading his mistaken slayer down a path of further darkness.
Which political figure devours Principal Snyder?
Immediately upon his arrival at Sunnydale High School, Principal Snyder makes it clear he’s not into the hand holding nonsense of his predecessor, Doug Flutie. According to him, that’s the sort of lightness that can get a man eaten. Ironically, the exact same thing happens to Snyder less than two years later during Buffy and the Scooby’s graduation ceremony. In fairness, Snyder’s demise was a bit more brave, standing up to a giant demon for ruining the student’s (and his) moment of glory. Of course, he immediately became lunch for daring do so.
Who detonates the bombs that blow up The Mayor?
Don’t let the silly Family Circus act fool you. The Mayor of Sunnydale was amongst the most vicious and destructive demons in the entire city, and after he achieved ascension during Buffy’s high school graduation ceremony, it looked like there was no stopping him. At least not through the traditional means of battle, anyway. No matter how big The Mayor got, it was nothing the Slayer and friends couldn’t handle with a few explosions. After Buffy lures the giant snake demon into the library, who pulls the trigger and detonates them?
What long term student dies on Graduation Day?
Knowing The Mayor is about to turn into a giant snake demon, Buffy uses her status as Sunnydale’s Class Protector to unite the entire school against him. While the idea ultimately pays off, there are an unfortunate number of casualties along the way, including a few students Buffy knew quite well. In addition to The Mayor’s menace, plenty of his vampire warriors are breaking the rules and feeding along the way. Everyone in the Scooby Gang gets out of there alive, but this doesn’t make up for the fact not everyone graduated high school that year.
How does Buffy defeat The Gentlemen?
Of all the one time monsters to stroll through Sunnydale, none were quite as terrifying as The Gentlemen. On top of their absolutely ghastly appearance, these monsters first order of business in Sunnydale is stealing everyone’s voices, adding another level of fear to everything they do. Considering they cut out their victim’s still beating hearts, one might question if it was necessary to make things even scarier. In any event, Buffy and friends silently contemplate how they can defeat these monsters, eventually unlocking the all too obvious secret to slaying them.
What does Professor Maggie Walsh call the experiment that takes her life?
From the very beginning, Buffy knows that something isn’t quite right about The Initiative, and her own trusted Professor Maggie Walsh quickly proves her worries correct. Turns out the government agent has been experimenting in some seriously questionable ways, using the parts of slain demons to create their own super-monster for unclear reasons. Unsurprisingly, the plan immediately backfires when the beast is woken up, instantly slaying the woman most responsible for his creation. With Maggie out of his way, the entire world is at risk, forcing Buffy to jump into action.
Which member of The Initiative does Adam defeat and turn into a fellow monster?
Dangerous as Buffy’s job can be, it would be infinitely harder for her to survive without the aide of her superpowers. Case in point, no one in The Initiative is quite so blessed, leading to some heavy losses when they try and do Buffy’s job. As if being unprepared against demons weren’t bad enough, once Adam is awakened and starts destroying his creators, the Initiative pretty much doesn’t stand a chance. One of Riley’s old friends learns this first hand when Adam takes his life and reanimates him as a fellow monster.
What chemical does Buffy need to remove from Adam’s core to slay him?
As a handmade monster, in some respects, Adam was Buffy’s most difficult challenge yet. Unlike any regular vampire or demon, which she could simply Slay in traditional fashion, there was only one way to actually stop this strange Frankenstein’s monster, and it wasn’t easy. Buffy needed to somehow reach into his body and rip out the core power source keeping him alive, and that obviously meant getting really close to him to do it. Luckily, with the help of the entire Scooby Gang, she gets the job done.
How many times does Buffy slay Dracula before he gives up?
By far the most successful demon hunter in Sunnydale, it’s only natural that Buffy’s legend would extend throughout her entire universe. Eventually, tales of the Slayer reach some extremely famous names, including pop culture’s original undead charmer, Dracula. Having survived in the spotlight for centuries, Dracula was able to come up with a few tricks that made him a formidable match for the Slayer, including the fact he apparently can’t really die. However, once Buffy makes it clear she’ll keep Slaying him until he gives up, the Count begrudgingly leaves town.
What ailment takes Buffy’s mother?
Even in a world of nonstop violence and terrible injury, most fans of Buffy agree the saddest loss of all was a completely natural one. Demons and vampires may be responsible for millions of innocent people losing their lives, yet the same is true of worldly disease and other physical ailments. Sadly, Buffy’s mother Joyce contracts such a malady in season five, repeatedly distracting the Slayer’s fight against evil with her struggle to stay alive. Obviously, the biggest distraction comes when the disease suddenly and unexpectedly permanently takes Buffy’s mother away from her.
Who is Buffy trying to save when she self-sacrifices?
Sad as viewers were during Buffy’s first demise, the fact she came back from the dead in a manner of seconds really took the sting out of things. Not so for her second brush with the great beyond, the circumstances of which immediately lead to an intensely emotional situation. While Buffy fell in battle the first time, in season five, she knowing leapt into a dimensional rift that takes her life, because doing so is the only way for her to close it. Well, unless someone else did it instead, but Buffy refused to let them.
Who eliminates Ben, and by extension Glory?
Sure, Angel was an emotional challenge, and Adam was seemingly indestructible, yet Glory brought an entirely new level of difficulty to Buffy’s battle by serving as a living, breathing hell god. This made it virtually impossible to defeat her, unless utilizing a morally problematic loophole—eliminating the completely innocent human with whom she shares a body. Buffy couldn’t bring herself to do this, because she’s a hero. Unfortunately for Ben, not everyone in the Scooby Gang is quite so noble, able to recognize the greater good of such a dark act.
Which of Warren’s girlfriends is his first victim?
Unforgivable as most of the actions committed by demons can be, at least they have a slight excuse in the fact they’re, well, demons. In this sense, the ineffectual Warren Mears may be one of the most vile villains in all of Buffy, because he’s just a totally normal person with no respect for women, let alone any semblance of a moral core in general. The first quality leads an ex-girlfriend to threaten Warren with calling the police after he does something especially heinous, which results in her demise due to the second.
Who carelessly takes Tara’s life?
Soft spoken and reserved, even as she becomes an active member of the Scooby Gang, Willow’s first girlfriend Tara Maclay always possessed an innocent quality that made her seem safer than their other friends. Coupled with how much she meant to the young witch, fans were left absolutely shattered when an errant bullet meant for someone else took Tara’s life completely out of the blue. The pain was made much worse by the fact the couple just reconciled after a huge fight, causing Willow to suffer a breakdown over the loss.
Who magically flays Warren?
Look, on the one hand, we get it. Warren was a massive jerk, and human or not, the Scooby Gang was hot for revenge after what he and the Trio had been doing to them lately. That said, he’s still a regular person, so sending the guy to jail was probably the rational move, and one Buffy wanted to make. Unfortunately, one of her friends was blind with rage, taking him to a secluded forest and enacting a personal punishment more violent than anything a demon or vampire on the show had ever done.
Who sets Halfrek on fire?
Believe it or not, even vengeance demons can get lonely sometimes and need a friend with whom to relate. For Anya, this person was always Halfrek, a fellow avenger who granted wishes for children wronged by their parents. Before audiences knew this, they were also introduced to Halfrek as Cecily, a woman William the Bloody admired prior to becoming Spike. It’s the connection to Anya that spells her doom, however, when a third demon is looking for a way to make her suffer, accomplishing their goal by having Hallie burst into flames.
Who sacrifices Jonathan in an attempt to open the Hellmouth?
Insulted and mocked by his peers for years, it’s hardly surprising put-upon high school student Jonathan Levinson’s interest in dark magic would lead to him working for the forces of evil as Warren’s ally in the Trio. Even so, Jonathan’s meek nature makes it hard to truly accept him as a villain, and indeed, once he realizes the First Evil is afoot, his plan is to warn Buffy and seek redemption. Unfortunately, he doesn’t get a chance, as he was merely a pawn in the First’s plan to open the Hellmouth.
What happens to the Watcher’s Council with Quentin Travers and others trapped inside?
Reject their help as Buffy might, her trusted mentor Giles always accepts his former home in the Watcher’s Council as a powerful ally against the forces of evil. No matter what the circumstance, they have resources at their disposal that often prove invaluable to Buffy’s struggle, making it a serious problem when the entire institution effectively vanishes overnight. Of course, it’s not like the establishment just gave up—an agent of the First somehow infiltrated their premises and found a way to destroy it all at once.
Where did Nikki Wood’s fatal battle against Spike take place?
Long before he meets Buffy and begins an intensely complicated love-hate relationship with her, Spike was already one of the most feared vampires any Slayer could possible encounter. This is because he already “bagged” two of them, as he puts it, first over a century ago during the Boxer Rebellion, and much more recently in New York City circa the 1970s. The second battle would later haunt him after regaining his soul when the Slayer’s son Robin became a key member of the Scooby Gang in their fight against The First.
Which troubled Sunnydale student predicts her own demise?
Theoretically speaking, Buffy’s status as the Slayer makes her a pretty good pick to become a guidance councilor at Sunnydale High School, and that’s why Principal Robin Wood gives her the gig. However, there are some teenage problems for which even the Slayer can’t prepare, like a student who can see the future predicting her own death with 100% certainty. Try as Buffy might to prove this prophecy false, there’s no changing fate, and the poor girl suffers a heart attack right in front of her.
What potential Slayer does The First talk into taking her own life?
From day one into her job as the Slayer, it’s clear not everyone could withstand the emotional toll Buffy is forced to experience. This becomes especially evident when the First starts hunting down and eliminating any Potential Slayers who could possibly replace Buffy and Faith in the event they were no longer around. While some Potentials are quick to adapt, others severely struggle with the idea of fighting evil for the rest of their lives. With the First’s devilish influence, this even leads one of them to eliminating herself.
What special weapon does Buffy need to defeat Caleb?
As the number one foot soldier of The First Evil, it goes without saying the fallen priest Caleb is a seriously powerful entity. Initially, it even looks like he might be able to defeat Buffy, Faith, and all the Potential Slayers without breaking much of a sweat. Luckily, Buffy eventually comes across an incredibly powerful weapon forged specifically for the Slayer, which quickly turns the tide of their battle. While the First’s power does keep Caleb alive for a short while, it can’t put him back together after Buffy slices him apart.
Which object does Spike use to slay the Turok-Han?
Ultimately, it isn’t the work of Buffy Summers that closes the Hellmouth, but rather her second vampiric boyfriend with a soul, Spike. Of course, Buffy plays a huge role in giving him the opportunity, and more importantly, it’s not as though Spike exactly knows what he’s doing. Neither does Buffy, for that matter—all anyone knows is that there’s a mystical object intended for the Slayer’s “Champion,” and she decides that means Spike. While doing so causes his demise, regret is the last thing on Spike’s mind, content in knowing countless Turok-Han are going down with him.
Aside from Spike, which other Scooby falls in the final battle?
Sadly, given the way Joss Whedon operates things, it was inevitable that not everyone was going to survive the final battle. In addition to the heroic actions of Spike, another long term Scooby Gang member meets their demise, and worse than that, Whedon had it happen off camera. All audiences knew about how this character was lost is that they allegedly died “saving Andrew’s life,” though that could simply be one of the storyteller’s many exaggerations. If so, at least this one was for the greater good.