10 Best Buffy The Vampire Slayer Characters

There are too many stories where the lead feels bland compared with the supporting characters. This isn’t the case with Buffy the Vampire Slayer. The central heroine is anything but bland.

The reason she works so well is that the writers balanced her strength with plenty of vulnerability. Characters who are good at everything and don’t suffer are simply boring. Buffy – whilst she’s a wicked fighter – is deeply flawed.

She struggles at school, her relationships fail, she makes foolish decisions, and she regularly gets beaten up by demons. In other words, she has to deal with the usual trials and tribulations of adolescence whilst simultaneously battling against the forces of evil.

Sarah Michelle Gellar captures all the nuances of Buffy, balancing friendship and humour with fury and emotional vulnerability. And though Buffy’s arc isn’t as dramatic as some of the other characters, her evolution carries plenty of authenticity due to the strength of the scripts and Gellar’s performance.

And whilst Season 7 isn't the strongest season, Buffy’s story ends on a satisfactory note. When the powers of the Potential Slayers are released, she is finally relieved of the burden which has weighed her down throughout the show.