Buffy The Vampire Slayer: Every Character Ranked Worst To Best

Willow Rosenberg was a force of nature no matter what era of her development she was going through. Though she started the show as Xander's also-powerless best friend, she soon grew into an all-powerful witch, came out as gay at a time when TV really wasn't willing to go there, and briefly went evil and nearly destroyed the world.

Played by Alyson Hannigan as immeasurably sweet, innocent and empowered, Willow was Buffy's closest friend, a strong-willed bookworm whose intelligence made her an invaluable addition to the gang's increasingly dangerous world-saving misadventures.

Of course, she had her issues - her magic addiction, her manipulation of Tara's memories, the way she endangered her friends' lives, nearly destroying the planet - but all of these heartbreaking flaws just added to how compelling she was to watch and grow with every passing season.

Willow went through hell and then some over the show's seven seasons, and though she often struggled to cope with her hardships, she always came out the other side tougher, stronger and wiser than ever. Without her, who knows where her friends would have ended up?