Every Buffy The Vampire Slayer Season Finale Ranked From Worst To Best

The first half of Buffy's showdown with Angelus saw us taking numerous trips back in time to see how this cold-blooded killer came to be.

We bear witness to the circumstances that caused Angel's vampirism, his eventual re-ensouling, as well as a glimpse at the dire straits his life was in before he met Buffy, showing us in quick succession his rise and fall. A refreshing change-of-pace from the show's usual episodes for sure, but the often wonky Irish accents do somewhat break the illusion.

However, where this episode truly excels is in building up of tension for the climactic battle, and it's the last few minutes of this episode where it really sinks its teeth in. Angelus successfully lures Buffy into a trap whilst a gang of his followers attacks the library. Buffy quickly rushes to save them, but upon arriving finds that Giles has been kidnapped, Willow and Xander have been beaten unconscious, and Kendra has died from a nasty slit throat courtesy of Drusilla.

Before Buffy even has the chance to mourn, a police officer arrives, seemingly catching Buffy in the act. It's an audacious and incendiary ending that still manages to pack a considerable punch, even on repeat viewings.