Buffy the Vampire Slayer/Characters/Regulars: Difference between revisions

Everything About Fiction You Never Wanted to Know.
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* [[Kick Chick]]
* [[Kick Chick]]
* [[Lethal Chef]]
* [[Lethal Chef]]
* [[Maam Shock]]: For a different reason than normal: when Satsu calls her ma'am, Buffy remarks that she can't believe she thinks that it is hot.
* [["Ma'am" Shock]]: For a different reason than normal: when Satsu calls her ma'am, Buffy remarks that she can't believe she thinks that it is hot.
* [[Magical Girl Warrior]]
* [[Magical Girl Warrior]]
* [[Mama Bear]]
* [[Mama Bear]]
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* [[Cute Witch]]
* [[Cute Witch]]
* [[Did You Just Punch Out Cthulhu?]]: Does a better job at this than even Buffy, having punched out several legitimate gods. Buffy punches out the invincible, Willow punches out ''gods''.
* [[Did You Just Punch Out Cthulhu?]]: Does a better job at this than even Buffy, having punched out several legitimate gods. Buffy punches out the invincible, Willow punches out ''gods''.
* [[De Power]]: {{spoiler|With the destruction of the Seed of Wonder}}.
* [[De-Power]]: {{spoiler|With the destruction of the Seed of Wonder}}.
* [[Does Not Understand Sarcasm]]: Chibo Mato can clog dance!?
* [[Does Not Understand Sarcasm]]: Chibo Mato can clog dance!?
* [[Evil Me Scares Me]]: The way Willow feels about the "Doppelgangland" Willow.
* [[Evil Me Scares Me]]: The way Willow feels about the "Doppelgangland" Willow.
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** There are actually quite a few subtle things she does, like putting stones on a grave (rather than flowers), that are characteristic of a culturally Jewish background.
** There are actually quite a few subtle things she does, like putting stones on a grave (rather than flowers), that are characteristic of a culturally Jewish background.
* [[Intelligence Equals Isolation]]
* [[Intelligence Equals Isolation]]
* [[Is This What Anger Feels Like]]: Which hilariously carried over to her vampire counterpart. "I don't like you!"
* [[Is This What Anger Feels Like?]]: Which hilariously carried over to her vampire counterpart. "I don't like you!"
* [[Lesbian Vampire]]: Vamp Willow, more accurately a [[Depraved Bisexual]].
* [[Lesbian Vampire]]: Vamp Willow, more accurately a [[Depraved Bisexual]].
* [[Light Is Good]]: Bright white haired Willow from the last episode of Season 7.
* [[Light Is Good]]: Bright white haired Willow from the last episode of Season 7.
* [[Linear Warriors Quadratic Wizards]]: By the finale, Willow is considerably more powerful than Buffy, and is one of the most powerful witches on earth.
* [[Linear Warriors, Quadratic Wizards]]: By the finale, Willow is considerably more powerful than Buffy, and is one of the most powerful witches on earth.
* [[Lipstick Lesbian]]: From Season 4 onwards.
* [[Lipstick Lesbian]]: From Season 4 onwards.
* [[Literal Minded]]: [[Kiss]] Rocks? Why would anyone want to kiss-- oh.
* [[Literal Minded]]: [[Kiss]] Rocks? Why would anyone want to kiss-- oh.
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** Completely subverted in that when she and Xander do get together, she decides she doesn't want him. Then, when she was in a rut with Oz, she discovered that she prefers Tara. She actually has a tendency to make the other person the [[Unlucky Childhood Friend]].
** Completely subverted in that when she and Xander do get together, she decides she doesn't want him. Then, when she was in a rut with Oz, she discovered that she prefers Tara. She actually has a tendency to make the other person the [[Unlucky Childhood Friend]].
* [[Unstoppable Rage]]: Willow goes into one when Glory sucks Tara's mind, and again when Warren {{spoiler|shoots and kills Tara}}.
* [[Unstoppable Rage]]: Willow goes into one when Glory sucks Tara's mind, and again when Warren {{spoiler|shoots and kills Tara}}.
* [[Villainous Widows Peak]]: Willow wears one naturally. It becomes this once she morphs into Dark Willow.
* [[Villainous Widow's Peak]]: Willow wears one naturally. It becomes this once she morphs into Dark Willow.
* [[What Could Have Been]]: Word of Joss says the door was left open for either Xander or Willow to come out of the closet. Willow's backdoor was set up in "Doppelgangland" (see Wishverse Willow), and let's not forget Xander and Larry ("[[Mistaken for Gay|Your secret's safe with me!]]"). Seth Green left the show to pursue other projects, and this sealed Willow's fate.
* [[What Could Have Been]]: Word of Joss says the door was left open for either Xander or Willow to come out of the closet. Willow's backdoor was set up in "Doppelgangland" (see Wishverse Willow), and let's not forget Xander and Larry ("[[Mistaken for Gay|Your secret's safe with me!]]"). Seth Green left the show to pursue other projects, and this sealed Willow's fate.
* [[What the Hell, Hero?]]: In Season 6, Dawn slaps her after almost killing her in a car crash and Tara leaves her after she [[Mind Rape|screwed with Tara's head]].
* [[What the Hell, Hero?]]: In Season 6, Dawn slaps her after almost killing her in a car crash and Tara leaves her after she [[Mind Rape|screwed with Tara's head]].
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* [[Non-Action Guy]]: Although he doesn't always accept this.
* [[Non-Action Guy]]: Although he doesn't always accept this.
** And his friends wish he were.
** And his friends wish he were.
* [[Non Action Snarker]]
* [[Non-Action Snarker]]
* [[Number Two]]: To Buffy in the Slayer Organization.
* [[Number Two]]: To Buffy in the Slayer Organization.
* [[Odd Friendship]]: With Dracula. Xander even taught him how to motorbike.
* [[Odd Friendship]]: With Dracula. Xander even taught him how to motorbike.
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* [[Perpetual Poverty]]
* [[Perpetual Poverty]]
* [[Platonic Life Partners]]: With Buffy and Willow
* [[Platonic Life Partners]]: With Buffy and Willow
* [[Pop Cultured Badass]]: Badass enough to not only survive Sunnydale but save the world a couple of times; [[Badass Normal|without powers]], and geeky enough to want to be addressed as [[Nick Fury|Sergeant Fury]].
* [[Pop-Cultured Badass]]: Badass enough to not only survive Sunnydale but save the world a couple of times; [[Badass Normal|without powers]], and geeky enough to want to be addressed as [[Nick Fury|Sergeant Fury]].
* [[Runaway Groom]]
* [[Runaway Groom]]
* [[Sad Clown]]
* [[Sad Clown]]
* [[Sarcastic Devotee]]
* [[Sarcastic Devotee]]
* [[Scars Are Forever]]: His eye.
* [[Scars Are Forever]]: His eye.
* [[Screw Learning I Have Phlebotinum]]
* [[Screw Learning, I Have Phlebotinum]]
* [[Shipper On Deck]]: For Buffy and Riley.
* [[Shipper On Deck]]: For Buffy and Riley.
* [[Stupid Sexy Friend]]: Xander only awakens to his love for Willow when they're both going steady. With other people.
* [[Stupid Sexy Friend]]: Xander only awakens to his love for Willow when they're both going steady. With other people.
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* [[Non-Idle Rich]]
* [[Non-Idle Rich]]
* [[Occult Detective]]
* [[Occult Detective]]
* [[Opening Narration]] / [[Previously On]]: Previouslys just aren't previouslys without Giles' smooth buttery tone.
* [[Opening Narration]] / [["Previously On..."]]: Previouslys just aren't previouslys without Giles' smooth buttery tone.
* [[Papa Wolf]]: Threatening Buffy isn't a wise move if you want to stay healthy.
* [[Papa Wolf]]: Threatening Buffy isn't a wise move if you want to stay healthy.
* [[Parental Substitute]]: Gradually becomes a surrogate father to Buffy and the gang as a whole (all of their biological fathers being sadly lacking in various ways), and partially to Faith in Season 8.
* [[Parental Substitute]]: Gradually becomes a surrogate father to Buffy and the gang as a whole (all of their biological fathers being sadly lacking in various ways), and partially to Faith in Season 8.
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* [[The Smart Guy]]: Giles knows something about everything. Except synchronized swimming.
* [[The Smart Guy]]: Giles knows something about everything. Except synchronized swimming.
* [[Smart People Play Chess]]
* [[Smart People Play Chess]]
* [[Smart People Speak the Queens English]]
* [[Smart People Speak the Queen's English]]
* [[The Obi-Wan]]
* [[The Obi-Wan]]
* [[The Spock]]
* [[The Spock]]
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* [[The Comically Serious]]
* [[The Comically Serious]]
* [[Death Is Dramatic]]: Heavily subverted, to the point of it arguably being a [[Dropped a Bridge On Him|bridge-dropping]].
* [[Death Is Dramatic]]: Heavily subverted, to the point of it arguably being a [[Dropped a Bridge On Him|bridge-dropping]].
* [[De Power]]: Twice.
* [[De-Power]]: Twice.
* [[Dyeing for Your Art]]: Originally a brunette (her hair color as a human), but later went blonde.
* [[Dyeing for Your Art]]: Originally a brunette (her hair color as a human), but later went blonde.
* [[Even Evil Has Standards]]: Was completely freaked out by witnessing an [[Evil Sorcerer]] become an [[Eldritch Abomination]] and go on a rampage via performing a ritual similar to the one the Mayor planned on using.
* [[Even Evil Has Standards]]: Was completely freaked out by witnessing an [[Evil Sorcerer]] become an [[Eldritch Abomination]] and go on a rampage via performing a ritual similar to the one the Mayor planned on using.
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* [[Hidden Depths]]
* [[Hidden Depths]]
* [[Leaving You to Find Myself]]
* [[Leaving You to Find Myself]]
* [[Look What I Can Do Now]]: Oz gains near-total mastery over his werewolf side by the time he returns, able to stand directly under a full moon without transforming.
* [[Look What I Can Do Now!]]: Oz gains near-total mastery over his werewolf side by the time he returns, able to stand directly under a full moon without transforming.
* [[Not a Morning Person]]: He sleeps until 3PM.
* [[Not a Morning Person]]: He sleeps until 3PM.
* [[Only Known By Their Nickname]]
* [[Only Known By Their Nickname]]
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** [[Involuntary Shapeshifting]]
** [[Involuntary Shapeshifting]]
** [[Voluntary Shapeshifting]]: After Tibet.
** [[Voluntary Shapeshifting]]: After Tibet.
** [[Partial Transformation]]: [[Shapeshifter Mode Lock|Mode locked]] during "[[What Do They Fear Episode|Fear, Itself]]".
** [[Partial Transformation]]: [[Shapeshifter Mode Lock|Mode locked]] during "[["What Do They Fear?" Episode|Fear, Itself]]".
** [[Painful Transformation]]: Although his later transformations transpire much more quietly. Nevertheless he agrees with [[Evil Counterpart|Veruca]] when she describes the first few stages as blood boiling.
** [[Painful Transformation]]: Although his later transformations transpire much more quietly. Nevertheless he agrees with [[Evil Counterpart|Veruca]] when she describes the first few stages as blood boiling.
* [[Papa Wolf]]
* [[Papa Wolf]]
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** [[The Bus Came Back]]: "New Moon Rising".
** [[The Bus Came Back]]: "New Moon Rising".
* [[Real Men Wear Pink]]: Literally in the season 2 finale. He also occasionally wears a t-shirt over his monk's robes, which makes it seem he's wearing a skirt.
* [[Real Men Wear Pink]]: Literally in the season 2 finale. He also occasionally wears a t-shirt over his monk's robes, which makes it seem he's wearing a skirt.
* [[Romantic Runner Up]]
* [[Romantic Runner-Up]]
* [[Spiky Hair]]
* [[Spiky Hair]]
* [[Split Personality Takeover]]: Comes very close to invoking this voluntarily after it appears his struggles against his werewolf self are futile.
* [[Split Personality Takeover]]: Comes very close to invoking this voluntarily after it appears his struggles against his werewolf self are futile.
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** [[Badass Longcoat]]
** [[Badass Longcoat]]
** [[Cultured Badass]]: Can quote ''[[Henry V]]'' with the best of them.
** [[Cultured Badass]]: Can quote ''[[Henry V]]'' with the best of them.
** [[Pop Cultured Badass]]
** [[Pop-Cultured Badass]]
* [[Bad Boss]]: In Season 2 Spike sacrifices a vampire mook on two separate occasions ("School Hard" and "Halloween") just to get an idea of how the Slayer fights.
* [[Bad Boss]]: In Season 2 Spike sacrifices a vampire mook on two separate occasions ("School Hard" and "Halloween") just to get an idea of how the Slayer fights.
* [[Basement Dweller]]: Parts of Season 4 and 7.
* [[Basement Dweller]]: Parts of Season 4 and 7.
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** The second is Angelus. It's been discussed in the show that Angelus made Spike a [[Complete Monster]] and Spike hated that Angelus did so in order for there to be someone as disgusting as he was before as Liam and after as a vampire.
** The second is Angelus. It's been discussed in the show that Angelus made Spike a [[Complete Monster]] and Spike hated that Angelus did so in order for there to be someone as disgusting as he was before as Liam and after as a vampire.
* [[Friendly Neighborhood Vampire]]: [[Trope Namer]], though it was on ''[[Angel (TV)|Angel]]'' and he was being [[Deadpan Snarker|sarcastic]].
* [[Friendly Neighborhood Vampire]]: [[Trope Namer]], though it was on ''[[Angel (TV)|Angel]]'' and he was being [[Deadpan Snarker|sarcastic]].
* [[Fully Embraced Fiend]]
* [[Fully-Embraced Fiend]]
* [[The Glasses Got to Go]]: Needed them while alive, with no explanation given as to why he doesn't need them afterward.
* [[The Glasses Got to Go]]: Needed them while alive, with no explanation given as to why he doesn't need them afterward.
* [[Good Is Not Nice]]
* [[Good Is Not Nice]]
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* [[Wall Glower]]
* [[Wall Glower]]
* [[Warrior Poet]]: Literally, although the latter isn't really showcased until Angel.
* [[Warrior Poet]]: Literally, although the latter isn't really showcased until Angel.
* [[Wham Line]]: Several.
* [[Wham! Line]]: Several.
** '''Season 2:''' "Oh, I will. [[Throwing Off the Disability|Sooner than you think.]]"
** '''Season 2:''' "Oh, I will. [[Throwing Off the Disability|Sooner than you think.]]"
** '''Season 5:''' " {{spoiler|Buffy}}, [[Anguished Declaration of Love|I love you]]. God, I love you so much. [[All Just a Dream|...]][[Catapult Nightmare|Oh, God, no]]. [[Love Epiphany|Please, no]]."
** '''Season 5:''' " {{spoiler|Buffy}}, [[Anguished Declaration of Love|I love you]]. God, I love you so much. [[All Just a Dream|...]][[Catapult Nightmare|Oh, God, no]]. [[Love Epiphany|Please, no]]."
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''"Patrolling."''<br />
''"Patrolling."''<br />
''"Patrolling?."''<br />
''"Patrolling?."''<br />
''"..[[Last Second Word Swap|Petroleum]]."''|Riley and Buffy}}
''"..[[Last-Second Word Swap|Petroleum]]."''|Riley and Buffy}}


Initiative soldier and Buffy's [[Love Interest]] in Season 4 (and early Season 5). [[Put On a Bus]], but came back for an episode in Season 6, and later on a recurring basis in the comics.
Initiative soldier and Buffy's [[Love Interest]] in Season 4 (and early Season 5). [[Put On a Bus]], but came back for an episode in Season 6, and later on a recurring basis in the comics.
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* [[The Generic Guy]]
* [[The Generic Guy]]
* [[Good Looking Privates]]
* [[Good Looking Privates]]
* [[Good People Have Good Sex]]: Accidentally sleeping with Faith (in Buffy guise). His tenderness is so alien to her that she nearly [[Freak Out|freaks out]].
* [[Good People Have Good Sex]]: Accidentally sleeping with Faith (in Buffy guise). His tenderness is so alien to her that she nearly [[Freak-Out|freaks out]].
* [[Happily Married]]: After returning in Season 6.
* [[Happily Married]]: After returning in Season 6.
* [[Love Interest]]
* [[Love Interest]]
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* [[Put On a Bus To Hell]]
* [[Put On a Bus To Hell]]
** [[The Bus Came Back]]: "As You Were".
** [[The Bus Came Back]]: "As You Were".
* [[Romantic Runner Up]]: He does have a successful relationship with Buffy for some time, but it's made plain that she doesn't love him the way she loved Angel.
* [[Romantic Runner-Up]]: He does have a successful relationship with Buffy for some time, but it's made plain that she doesn't love him the way she loved Angel.
* [[Scars Are Forever]]: When he comes back in Season 6, he has your standard Awesome McCool scar across his left eye. He also has one from when he cut out Adam's mind control chip, and probably has [[Covered in Scars|another]] from when Adam stabbed him.
* [[Scars Are Forever]]: When he comes back in Season 6, he has your standard Awesome McCool scar across his left eye. He also has one from when he cut out Adam's mind control chip, and probably has [[Covered in Scars|another]] from when Adam stabbed him.
* [[Super Soldier]]: On the mild side of "super", but he and the other Initiative troops are chemically augmented.
* [[Super Soldier]]: On the mild side of "super", but he and the other Initiative troops are chemically augmented.
* [[Wham Line]]: "But she doesn't love me."
* [[Wham! Line]]: "But she doesn't love me."


=== Dawn Summers (Michelle Trachtenberg) ===
=== Dawn Summers (Michelle Trachtenberg) ===
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Buffy's younger sister who was [[Cosmic Retcon|Cosmic Retconned]] into existence in Season 5. Was actually a [[MacGuffin|Key]] that could open dimensional barriers. Spent two seasons as [[The Chick]] before becoming [[The Smart Guy]].
Buffy's younger sister who was [[Cosmic Retcon|Cosmic Retconned]] into existence in Season 5. Was actually a [[MacGuffin|Key]] that could open dimensional barriers. Spent two seasons as [[The Chick]] before becoming [[The Smart Guy]].
----
----
* [[Age Appropriate Angst]]: Or so Joss thought, which is why he "scratched his head" when viewer response wasn't ideal. He later admitted the writers were "hitting the same note" with Dawn in Seasons 5-6.
* [[Age-Appropriate Angst]]: Or so Joss thought, which is why he "scratched his head" when viewer response wasn't ideal. He later admitted the writers were "hitting the same note" with Dawn in Seasons 5-6.
* [[Age Is Relative]]
* [[Age Is Relative]]
* [[Annoying Younger Sibling]]
* [[Annoying Younger Sibling]]
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* [[Big Sister Worship]]: Dawn both resents and idolizes her superhero sister.
* [[Big Sister Worship]]: Dawn both resents and idolizes her superhero sister.
* [[Blue Eyes]]
* [[Blue Eyes]]
* [[Bratty Half Pint]]
* [[Bratty Half-Pint]]
* [[Break the Cutie]]: Pretty much all of Season 5.
* [[Break the Cutie]]: Pretty much all of Season 5.
* [[The Chick]]
* [[The Chick]]
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* [[Dawson Casting]]: Considering how much the show made use of it, Dawn was a pleasant aversion; Michelle Trachtenberg started playing the 14-year-old at 14. Probably done to ensure that she would look younger than her sister.
* [[Dawson Casting]]: Considering how much the show made use of it, Dawn was a pleasant aversion; Michelle Trachtenberg started playing the 14-year-old at 14. Probably done to ensure that she would look younger than her sister.
** Ironically, she became taller than her by Season 7.
** Ironically, she became taller than her by Season 7.
* [[Freak Out]]: After learning she's the Key.
* [[Freak-Out]]: After learning she's the Key.
* [[Genre Savvy]]: In Season 8.
* [[Genre Savvy]]: In Season 8.
* [[Has Two Mommies]]: As part of the [[Cosmic Retcon]], it's stated that she spends the night at Willow and Tara's place whenever she gets upset. Later they semi-adopt her {{spoiler|when Buffy dies}} and move into her mom's old bedroom. Even when Willow and Tara separate early Season 6, Tara goes out of her way to assure Dawn, "This has nothing to do with you. You know we both still love you." Also, in Season 8, she directly says that Willow is like her mother.
* [[Has Two Mommies]]: As part of the [[Cosmic Retcon]], it's stated that she spends the night at Willow and Tara's place whenever she gets upset. Later they semi-adopt her {{spoiler|when Buffy dies}} and move into her mom's old bedroom. Even when Willow and Tara separate early Season 6, Tara goes out of her way to assure Dawn, "This has nothing to do with you. You know we both still love you." Also, in Season 8, she directly says that Willow is like her mother.
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* [[The Team Wannabe]]
* [[The Team Wannabe]]
* [[Took a Level In Badass]]: In Season 7 (technically starting in the season 6 finale).
* [[Took a Level In Badass]]: In Season 7 (technically starting in the season 6 finale).
* [[Wham Line]]: Dawn has a couple, inadvertently or otherwise. Like when talking to Riley about Buffy's relationship with Angel:
* [[Wham! Line]]: Dawn has a couple, inadvertently or otherwise. Like when talking to Riley about Buffy's relationship with Angel:
{{quote| "Everyday was like the end of the world. She doesn't get worked up like that over you." }}
{{quote| "Everyday was like the end of the world. She doesn't get worked up like that over you." }}
** Or to her sister:
** Or to her sister:
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* [[Team Mom]]: Evolves into this during Seasons 5 and 6, thanks to her maturity {{spoiler|and needed after Joyce's death.}}
* [[Team Mom]]: Evolves into this during Seasons 5 and 6, thanks to her maturity {{spoiler|and needed after Joyce's death.}}
* {{spoiler|[[Too Good for This Sinful Earth]]}}
* {{spoiler|[[Too Good for This Sinful Earth]]}}
* [[Wham Line]]: If you thought Willow and Tara were "just friends"...
* [[Wham! Line]]: If you thought Willow and Tara were "just friends"...
{{quote| '''Tara''': I am, you know.<br />
{{quote| '''Tara''': I am, you know.<br />
'''Willow''': What?<br />
'''Willow''': What?<br />

Revision as of 08:36, 26 January 2014


Buffy Anne Summers (Sarah Michelle Gellar)

 "Cool! Crossbow! Check out these babies. Goodbye stakes, hello flying fatality."

The Slayer, main character, and leader of the Scooby Gang (except when she was absent or dead). Started out as a reluctant Slayer, but grew to accept her destiny. For much of the show's run, she was the only really combat-capable character. Died twice.

  • Action Girl
  • All Girls Want Bad Boys: Lampshaded by Buffy herself in "Something Blue" when she worries that a nice, safe relationship would lack the intensity. She falls in love with both Angel and Spike, but her Dogged Nice Guy boyfriend Riley Finn ends up leaving because Buffy doesn't love him as much as he loves her.
    • Deconstructed by Spike in "Never Leave Me".

 "You like men who hurt you. You need the pain we cause you. You need the hate. You need it to do your job, to be the Slayer."

 "Dates are things normal girls have. Girls who have time to think about nail polish and facials. You know what I think about? Ambush tactics. Beheading. Not exactly the stuff dreams are made of."

Willow Rosenberg (Alyson Hannigan)

 "You're the Slayer and we're, like, the Slayerettes!"

Buffy's best friend. Started out as The Smart Guy, but eventually became an extremely powerful witch. Came out in Season 4, and is one of the most recognized lesbian characters in fiction.

 Xander: You need a life in the worst way.

 Willow: It's a little binding. I guess vampires really don't have to breathe. Gosh look at those.

 Vamp Willow (looking Willow over): Well, look at me. I'm all fuzzy.

  • Teen Genius
  • Tempting Fate: Almost a Running Gag with her.
    • "Dead Man's Party": Talking about it isn't helping. We might as well try some violence. (zombies crash into the house)
    • "Beer Bad": Men haven't changed since the beginning of time. (cavemen burst in)
    • "Triangle": I wish Buffy were here. (Buffy enters)
    • "Two to Go": There's no one on this earth who has the power to stop me now. (Giles blasts her with a fireball)
  • Trademark Favorite Food: Mocha coffee.
  • Tragic Womance: Her refusal to lose Buffy pushes her to take more risks with magic than ever before. The resurrection leaves her so high off success that she responds to Giles's concern with threats, setting most of her season six arc into motion.
  • Unlucky Childhood Friend
    • Completely subverted in that when she and Xander do get together, she decides she doesn't want him. Then, when she was in a rut with Oz, she discovered that she prefers Tara. She actually has a tendency to make the other person the Unlucky Childhood Friend.
  • Unstoppable Rage: Willow goes into one when Glory sucks Tara's mind, and again when Warren shoots and kills Tara.
  • Villainous Widow's Peak: Willow wears one naturally. It becomes this once she morphs into Dark Willow.
  • What Could Have Been: Word of Joss says the door was left open for either Xander or Willow to come out of the closet. Willow's backdoor was set up in "Doppelgangland" (see Wishverse Willow), and let's not forget Xander and Larry ("Your secret's safe with me!"). Seth Green left the show to pursue other projects, and this sealed Willow's fate.
  • What the Hell, Hero?: In Season 6, Dawn slaps her after almost killing her in a car crash and Tara leaves her after she screwed with Tara's head.
    • Tara left her because she promised to not do magic for a week but couldn't last even a day.
      • And the Mind Rape, and take into consideration that Glory did something similar to Tara in Season 5.
  • Why Did It Have to Be Frogs?: Suffers from Ranidaphobia.
  • You Are in Command Now: Took charge of the Scoobies when Buffy was absent or incapacitated; most notably between Seasons 2-3 and 5-6.


Alexander LaVelle "Xander" Harris (Nicholas Brendon)

 "I don't like vampires. I'm gonna take a stand and say they're not good."

Buffy's other best friend. Unlike Willow, Xander never gained any powers (apart from some military training). He had a crush on Buffy early on.

  • Abusive Parents: Not explicitly abusive per se, but they're definitely not loving parents. His father is also, at least verbally and emotionally, abusive of his mother.
  • A Day in The Limelight: Several, perhaps most notably "The Zeppo."
  • Adorkable
  • Annoying Arrows
  • Author Avatar: According to Nicholas Brendan, his character is based on Joss Whedon in high school, which is why Xander "gets all the good lines." They also dress alike.
  • Badass Normal: This carpenter can dry-wall you into the next century!
  • Basement Dweller: In Season 4.
  • Beard of Sorrow: Grows one shortly after Renee's death in Season 8.
  • Body Motifs: Xander is the one who sees everything, so Caleb pokes out one of his eyes.
  • Book Dumb
  • Butt Monkey: Quite possibly the Trope Namer.
  • The Captain: Come Season 8, he's the de facto leader of the international Slayers' organization because of his uncanny ability to bring out the best in his girls. See The Heart below.
  • Cartwright Curse: Of his four major love interests, three are dead: Cordelia, Anya, and Renee, and all his other possible love interests turned out to be demons trying to kill him. Hopefully Dawn will have better luck.
  • Class Clown: His personality in the early seasons. In "The Prom," he complains about not winning the Class Clown award.
  • Combat Pragmatist: In a world where most people think they need to use swords, stakes, axes, and other similar melee weapons, Xander come up with the idea to use a rocket launcher to kill the Judge.
  • Crouching Moron, Hidden Badass
  • Deadpan Snarker: Even among an entire cast of snarkers, Xander reigns supreme.
  • Easy Amnesia: Exploited. After Xander is possessed by hyenas, he tells Buffy and Willow he has no memory of it, but when Giles confronts him, he confesses that he was lying so he wouldn't have to talk about it.
    • In Season 2 he inadvertently reveals he was lying.
  • Embarrassing Middle Name
  • Even Nerds Have Standards: His interactions with Andrew Wells.
  • Eyepatch of Power: After he loses his eye in Season 7.
  • Eye Scream: See above.
  • The Face: He lacks the supernatural powers of his teammates, but is best friends with Buffy and Willow to the end. His storylines tends to revolve around interpersonal relationships, and, as the most consistent of the Scooby Gang, he interacts with everyone.
    • The Heart: It's made clear more than once that Xander's strength doesn't lie in battle or conjuring spells, but in his interpersonal skills which hold the group together and keep them sane despite all the insanity swirling around them. He brought Willow back from the brink by telling her he loved her.
  • Fatal Attractor: All of his dates are demons. All of them.
    • In the last Season, it is revealed that he and Willow devised a secret phone code for "My date's a demon who's trying to kill me."
  • Hormone-Addled Teenager:

 Cordelia: Does looking at guns make you wanna have sex?

Xander: I'm 17. Looking at linoleum makes me wanna have sex.

    • And when Buffy reads his mind:

  "What am I going to do? I think about sex all the time. Sex. Help. Four times five is thirty. Five times six is thirty-two... Naked girls. Naked women. Naked Buffy. Oh, stop me."

Rupert Giles (Anthony Stewart Head)

 "You're not, by any chance, betraying your secret identity just to impress, um, cute boys, are you?"

Buffy's Watcher. Very British. Originally just Mr. Exposition, turned out to have quite a past. Also played Team Dad to the Scoobies.

  "'Do you like my mask? Isn't it pretty? It raises the dead.' Americans!"

 ""I know I'm back in America now; I've been knocked unconscious."

  • Heroic Sacrifice: Giles got between a Twilight possessed Angel and Buffy as they fought near the Seed of Wonder, wielding the Scythe to try and destroy the Seed himself and end Twilight's invasion of Earth, or get killed by Twilight and give Buffy the motivation she needed to take the Scythe and end things herself.
  • Heel Face Turn: Pre-series-he used to be pretty much evil in his younger days, practicing dark magic and stuff like that and and was known as Ripper.
  • Helping Would Be Killstealing: Giles in the sixth season of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. He chose to abandon Buffy because he felt that she was limiting herself by clinging to him in a immature way. In principle he had good reasons, but he chose to make his stand right in the middle of a crisis, and forbade everyone else from helping Buffy. That can only vaguely be justified by him following musical logic at the time.
  • Hopeless With Tech
  • Hot Librarian
  • I Am Very British: In the second episode, he asks Willow to "wrest more information from that dread machine... That was a bit...British."
  • I Did What I Had to Do
  • I Need a Freaking Drink: "It's all right... I have more scotch."
  • In-Series Nickname: "Ripper."
  • Killed Off for Real: In the comic, and in a way mirroring Jenny Calendar's death no less.
  • Last-Name Basis: The only people who call him "Rupert" are his romantic interests and Spike.
  • Laser-Guided Amnesia: While in London during Season 6, Giles did a spell to bind a demon, but it required him to lose the memory of one of the happiest days in his life. That day was the day he fell in love with Jenny Calendar, leaving him with a heartache that he felt would never go away, even though he had no idea what the memory was about.
  • Limited Wardrobe: A Watcher scoffs at fashion! One tweed suit is all you need.

 Jenny: Do you own anything else?

Giles: Uh well, not as such, no.

 "Because I've sworn to protect this sorry world, and sometimes that means doing what other people can't. What they shouldn't have to."

 Giles: But that's the thrill of living on the Hellmouth! There's a veritable cornucopia of fiends and devils and ghouls to engage! (Beat) ...Well, excuse me for finding the glass half-full.

Angel, né Liam (David Boreanaz)

 "For a hundred years, I offered an ugly death to everyone I met, and I did it with a song in my heart."

Vampire cursed with a soul, and Buffy's first Love Interest. Loses his soul in Season 2, becoming a formidable Big Bad with a love of torture (both physical and psychological). Later got his own show.

He returned to Buffy in the Season 8 comics, and will be co-starring with Faith in an upcoming comic series called Angel and Faith.

  Buffy: Skip it. I don't have a puppy, I don't want to know. Skip it.

  • Knight of Cerebus: Sort of. The previous villains certainly weren't harmless, but the show did become darker once Angelus was unleashed.
  • Large and In Charge: Angel's a pretty big guy. Good thing he's on our side! ...oh, wait.
  • Loophole Abuse: He gets into the high school to kill Jenny Calendar using this: Vampires can only enter buildings by the personal invitation of the owner or the owner's family, but apparently the sign above the school, which reads "Enter, all ye who seek knowledge" in Latin, qualifies as an invitation.
  • Love Interest: To Buffy.
  • Love Makes You Evil: Literally.
  • Manipulative Bastard
  • Mayfly-December Romance
  • Mind Rape: His specialty. What he did to Drusilla is much, much worse. Actually, Angelus arguably crossed the line from the start by massacring his entire hometown, family included.
  • Mr. Fanservice: He really is something to look at, and he's often chained up and shirtless. He's even been tortured by a vampire dominatrix more than once.
  • Mysterious Protector
  • Nice Job Breaking It, Hero: Creating the Twilight dimension by screwing Buffy, which let thousands of demons invade Earth, which resulted in the destruction of the Seed of Wonder and removed all magic from the world.
  • Not Himself: When he loses his soul after having sex with Buffy.
  • Of Corpse He's Alive: Any fool can eat somebody. Angelus likes to make art with the corpse afterward. He infamously posed Jenny Calender like a doll in Giles' bed (staging the scene to resemble a romantic interlude), and tricked a man into thinking his slain sons were still "asleep".
  • Omnicidal Maniac
  • Politically-Incorrect Villain: Angelus' constant jibes at the wheelchair-bound Spike. He's got a million of 'em, ladies and gentlemen.
  • The Punishment: MAN can those gypsies hold a grudge.
  • Psychotic Smirk
  • Rescue Romance: Strikes one up with Buffy, in Season One.
  • Redemption Equals Death: Just as he casts off the Angelus persona, Buffy runs him through with a sword and he gets pulled into Hell by Acathla.
  • Reduced to Ratburgers: By the time Whistler found him, Angel was homeless and scrounging off of rat blood. (To add insult to injury, he has difficulty catching one.)
  • Restraining Bolt: One moment of bliss will turn him psychotic.
  • Shirtless Scene: The man likes his tai chi.
  • Shoo Out the Clowns: Poor Spike is left to rot in a wheelchair while the significantly less cuddly Angelus steals the spotlight.
  • Sidekick Graduations Stick
  • Spiky Hair
  • Stalking Is Love: Angel has definite tendencies in that direction, in both his evil and not-evil incarnations.
    • He actually met and fell in love with Buffy when she was 15. He then stalked her for a year before revealing himself.
    • And he's still up it on the fifth season of Angel, despite being burdened with a desk job! (He has "a source" keeping tabs on her in Italy.)
  • Star-Crossed Lovers: With Buffy.
  • Stealth Hi Bye

 Xander: Okay, that's it. I'm putting a collar with a little bell around that guy.

  • Suicide By Sunlight: Attempted.
  • Terms of Endangerment: You can always tell when he's crazy because he refers to Buffy as "Buff."
  • Token Heroic Orc
  • Tragic Monster
  • Vegetarian Vampire
  • Villain Cred: Even the Master held Angelus in high regard, intending to appoint him Dragon. The Mayor was keen to have Angelus on his team, as well.
  • Warrior Poet: More like a warrior man of letters -- well-read, multilingual and a talented artist.
  • Weak but Skilled: As far as credible villains go, Angelus is not that much stronger than normal vampires. He's been in the game for two hundred years though, with his greatest asset (aside from a viciousness that would make The Joker proud) being his mind, which he uses to full effect.
  • "Well Done, Son" Guy: As a human, Liam was held in contempt by his father, who believed that his son would never amount to being anything else but being a lazy, promiscuous drunk. When he became Angelus, he sat out to prove his father wrong by making a name for himself, namely by becoming the most famboyantly sadistic vampire ever recorded in human history.
  • What the Hell, Hero?: After he gets exposed as Twilight, everybody has this reaction to him, especially after it is revealed he was an Unwitting Pawn to a evil dimension trying to end the world. After he gets possessed by the real Twilight and kills Giles and Buffy is forced to destroy the Seed of Wonder is destroyed to stop the destruction of the world, the only ones willing to associate with Angel and not try to kill him are Buffy and Faith, and Buffy doesn't even want to be around him anymore.
  • Who Wants to Live Forever?

Cordelia Chase (Charisma Carpenter)

 "Tact is just not saying true stuff. I'll pass."

Started out as the Alpha Bitch, before joining the Scooby Gang and eventually being spun off to Angel.

  "Actually, I'm looking forward to it. I do well on standardized tests." (Beat) "What? I can't have layers?"

 Xander: You're talking about messing with powerful magic, and you're weak.

Willow: I'm okay.

Xander: You don't look okay. (to Cordelia) Does she?

Cordelia: You should listen to him. The hair, it's so flat, and the lips...

Anya, née Aud (Emma Caulfield)

 " I was feared and worshipped across the mortal globe and now I'm stuck at Sunnydale High. A mortal! A child! And I'm flunking math."

Originally a 1,120-year-old vengeance demon who lost her powers and eventually joined the Scooby Gang. Was a Love Interest for Xander for three seasons before their relationship ended, and she went back to being a Vengeance Demon. Lost her powers and rejoined the Scoobies in early Season 7.

  • Annoying Younger Sibling: Her relationship with Willow is meant to be like this; despite being thousands of years older than Willow, she's more naive and immature, which Willow is frequently annoyed by.
  • Ascended Extra: Originally intended as a one-shot character for "The Wish."
  • Badass: When a vengeance demon. However, she did kill a few demons and vampires as a normal human.
  • Being Evil Sucks
  • Break the Cutie: From "Hell's Bells" on.
  • Brutal Honesty: "I hate us! Everybody's so *nice*. Nobody says what's on their mind."
  • Cannot Tell a Joke: Though, with little doubt, she's the funniest character from Season 4 onwards.

 Anya: OK. A man walks in to the office of a doctor. He's wearing on his head-- um, oh wait, there's a duck. Is that right?

Heckler: YOU SUCK!

Anya: Quiet! You'll miss the humorous conclusion.

Daniel "Oz" Osbourne (Seth Green)

 "Huh. A werewolf in love."

Guitarist for a local band who became a werewolf, as well as Willow's boyfriend. Left in early Season 4. Nigh-impossible to faze. In the comics, he married a fellow werewolf with whom he had a son. Together they teach other werewolves to conquer their demons. He later assisted the Slayer Organization during the Twilight crisis.

Spike, né William Pratt (James Marsters)

 "I may be love's bitch, but at least I'm man enough to admit it."

British vampire who served as the villain for early Season 2. Was planned to die, but his status as Ensemble Darkhorse saved him. He showed up in one episode in Season 3 before returning for good in Season 4. Had a chip in his head that prevented him from hurting humans, so he joined up with the Scoobies for survival and so he could get his kicks by fighting demons. Eventually fell in love with Buffy, and had a twisted relationship with her in Season 6. Got a soul at the end of Season 6 and made a Heroic Sacrifice in the finale. Reappeared on Angel. He is Tropetastic.

 "I know it looks like a closet but it's a room now."

 Joyce: Honey, did you somehow, unintentionally, lead him on in any way? Send him signals?

Buffy: Well, I do beat him up a lot. For Spike, that's like third base.

 Spike: I may be love's bitch, but at least I'm man enough to admit it.

 "Effulgent"?

  • Suspiciously Similar Substitute: Spike was initially demoted to comic relief as a way of filling the gap left by Cordelia. Joss felt the absence of both Cordy and Oz left the heroes without a dissenting voice.
  • There Is Another: Spike gradually takes on 'Angel' mantle in Seasons 5-7, whereupon he get treated to guilt, hallucinations, eating rats -- the works.

 Robin Wood: Because the military gave him a soul?

 Spike to Buffy, after he's caught lurking outside her house: "And I never really liked you anyway, and and you have stupid hair (Beat) [Leaves]."

 Spike: "So you'll give me what I want. Make me what I was. So Buffy can get what she deserves."

Demon: "Very well. We will return...your soul."

 Glory (about Spike): What the hell is that, and why is its hair that color?

Riley Finn (Marc Blucas)

"So, what have you got going on tonight?"

"Patrolling."

"Patrolling?."

"..Petroleum."
—Riley and Buffy

Initiative soldier and Buffy's Love Interest in Season 4 (and early Season 5). Put On a Bus, but came back for an episode in Season 6, and later on a recurring basis in the comics.

Dawn Summers (Michelle Trachtenberg)

 "We destroyed The Mall? ...I fought on the wrong side."

Buffy's younger sister who was Cosmic Retconned into existence in Season 5. Was actually a Key that could open dimensional barriers. Spent two seasons as The Chick before becoming The Smart Guy.

  "Dawn's in trouble. Must be Tuesday."

  "Everyday was like the end of the world. She doesn't get worked up like that over you."

    • Or to her sister:

  "Buffy, Spike's completely in love with you."

Tara Maclay (Amber Benson)

 "I want my room to be Willow-friendly."

Willow's love interest in Seasons 4-6. Also a capable witch, and a lot wiser about her powers than Willow. Killed off in Season 6. She and Willow are the longest-lasting lesbian couple in network television history, and one of the best known.

 "Oh my God, I'm cured! I want the boys!" (pretends to run off, only to collapse giggling into Willow's arms)

 Joss: Yeah... this is porn.

  "Sweetie, I'm a fag. I've been there."

 Tara: I am, you know.

Willow: What?

Tara: Yours.

  • White Sheep
  • Wise Beyond Her Years: Despite being the most innocent of the Scoobies, Tara takes the revelation of Joyce's death much more like an adult than any other member of the gang. We later learn it's because her own mother died when she was 17, so she's been through this before.
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