Buffy The Vampire Slayer: Ranking Every Season Finale From Worst To Best

7. Prophecy Girl – Season 1

The first season of Buffy the Vampire Slayer is a fun ride. There’s a warmness to this season which is particularly noticeable upon second viewing. But when compared with the other six seasons, it’s pretty rough around the edges, and the finale is no exception.

The Master simply isn’t an interesting Big Bad. Sure, he’s creepy enough, but he’s a pretty cliché villain – there isn’t much depth to his character at all. And after Buffy is saved by Xander and Angel, her final confrontation with him is pretty brief when compared with the action sequences in some of the other finales.

Yet despite being the weakest finale, Prophecy Girl is one of the best episodes of the first season. Joss Whedon’s dialogue is superb throughout. The scene in the library where Buffy’s emotions overwhelm her and she voices her fear of death is beautifully written and performed. And the same can be said of the moment when Xander asks her out.

As such, this episode is far from terrible. The monster-of-the-week storyline which dominates the rest of the season is replaced with a more character-centric plot. The ultimate defeat of the Big Bad is just a bit pathetic when compared with the other finales.