Buffy The Vampire Slayer: 10 Characters You Totally Forgot Existed

1. Jesse McNally

Buffy the Vampire Slayer Owen
Mutant Enemy

Jesse MacNally was one of those characters who felt like he was being set up for bigger things. He appeared in the very first episode, Welcome to the Hellmouth, and was introduced as one of Xander's friends.

On the first watch, audiences thought that Jesse would be one of the main characters. Joss Whedon even wanted to go as far as to include him in the opening credits to trick viewers, but money didn't allow for that to happen.

Sadly, Jesse is turned into a vampire and later killed by Xander. It happens by accident when Jesse is pushed into him while Xander holds a stake up to his heart. This incident hurts Xander and the audience, too.

Within the first two episodes, we see someone we were rooting for be turned into a vampire and then killed. It's like they wanted to prepare us early on and teach us the lesson that nobody is safe and anything can happen in the Buffyverse.

Eric Balfour, who played Jesse, is known for shows like Boy Meets World, Six Feet Under and films like the 2003 Texas Chainsaw Massacre reboot.

Contributor

Simon is a writer, cat dad and presenter of a geeky radio show with his husband. He loves Doctor Who (except 10 who can get in the bin…only joking.) He idolises Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Lara Croft and would 100% be a Sith Lord in a galaxy far, far away. He wishes life was like a musical so he’d actually be a good singer.