20 Flawless TV Character Arcs

Over its run, Buffy the Vampire Slayer prided itself on challenging its characters, who changed on a season-to-season basis based on the horrors they faced and the pain they encountered. Of all the characters, no one changed more than Spike, the vicious vampire who grew into a champion.

First arriving in the show's second season as Buffy's biggest threat to date, Spike was renowned for killing Slayers. He wasn't meant to last, but proved such a hit that he was eventually upgraded to main character status, and given an epic arc for the ages.

Falling in love with Buffy after being rendered helpless by a chip planted in his brain, then fighting to reclaim his lost soul, Spike was a bit of everything at one point of another -- villain, comic relief, romantic lead, sidekick, hero -- and his development from monster to selfless warrior was something truly awesome to behold.