10 Things Non-Fans Don't Understand About Buffy The Vampire Slayer
2. Fundamentally, The Show Is A Coming-Of-Age Story
Despite all the various genres that are thrown into the mix, Buffy the Vampire Slayer is really about growing up.
Whereas most coming-of-age tales focus on the teen years, Buffy’s journey is much longer – she’s actually twenty-two during the second half of Season 7. This gives the show a greater sense of closure when it comes to the final episode because the audience has seen Buffy grow from a teenager to a woman.
And the show is also the ultimate metaphor. The villains and locations aren’t just there to frighten us and give the characters something to do. Many of them represent the struggles of adolescence. Sunnydale High is actually located on the Hellmouth, which – rather obviously – symbolises how high school is literally hell for some people.
You’d struggle to find a coming-of-age story better than Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Rather than being the central focus of the show, the horror, fantasy, and supernatural elements are powerful metaphors for growing up.