Summary
Although the genre TV classicBuffy the Vampire Slayerinevitably foregrounded its titular character, the Buffyverse was populated with memorable and well-realized characters. Some of these, likethe dangerous vampire Darla, posed a threat to Buffy and the rest of Sunnydale, but she also had plenty of allies to help her combat evil.
The most prominent of her associates made up the Scooby Gang, an ever-changing group of friends, lovers, and reformed evildoers. The Scoobies had Buffy’s back during her various trials and tribulations and, although members came and went, each had an important role to play.
8Dawn Summers
The surprise introduction of Dawn Summers (Michelle Trachtenberg) at the start ofBuffy the Vampire Slayer’s fifth season shook up the status quo and baffled fans in equal measure. Although her arrival was extensive if cryptically foreshadowed, its execution, in which established characters acted as though she had always existed as Buffy’s sister, added an effective sense of mystery to the character.
Themystery of Dawn’s originswould soon be solved, and she grew as a character beyond them. Much to her older sister’s annoyance, Dawn often got herself into danger, although she did mature in later seasons, even spearheading a Scooby Gang of her own at the rebuilt Sunnydale High.
7Daniel “Oz” Osborne
The stoic Daniel Osborne (Seth Green), known as “Oz” to his friends, made sporadic appearances inBuffy the Vampire Slayer’s second season before becoming an undisputed Scooby in the show’s third year. His chilled-out rockstar attitude made him a perfect romantic foil for the often flustered Willow Rosenberg, although their relationship was not without its pitfalls.
One of the greatest obstacles to their happiness was Oz’shidden werewolf nature. His fellow Scoobies were forced to lock him up whenever a full moon was due, although he frequently escaped captivity. It was Oz’s animalistic shadow-self that caused him to leave the Scooby Gang. He became obsessed with another werewolf, Veruca, and his subsequent infidelity ruined his relationship with Willow.
6Cordelia Chase
Cordelia Chase (Charisma Carpenter) appeared throughoutBuffy the Vampire Slayer’s first three years as a sassy, glamorous, and occasionally vacuous socialite who nonetheless possessed hidden reserves of intelligence and insight. As such, Cordelia proved an asset to the Scooby Gang—even though she was rarely a willing participant in the group’s adventures.
Cordelia was further notable for swappingBuffy’s Sunnydale for spin-offAngel’sgritty Los Angeles, where she joined forces with the eponymous vampire to run a supernatural detective agency. She grew substantially during this time and even acquired a powerful gift that granted her visions of people in need, allowing Angel to save them.
5Angel
The brooding Angel (David Boreanaz) initially held a unique position in vampire society as the only bloodsucker to possess a soul. This forced him to confront the terrible crimes that he’d committed in the past, but his guilt put him on the road to redemption. He attempted to better himself by assisting the titular Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Although the pair should have been mortal enemies, they found themselves falling in love.
Once it became apparent thathis relationship with Buffywas unsustainable, Angel left Sunnydale and relocated to Los Angeles, where he swore to “help the helpless” by setting up a vampiric detective agency. This endeavor brought him into conflict with the evil law firm Wolfram and Hart. Although he knew he could never win the fight against evil, he learned the value of doing one’s best, even against impossible odds.
4Rupert Giles
Rupert Giles (Anthony Stewart Head) was working undercover as Sunnydale High’s librarian when he encountered Buffy Summers in the franchise’s first episode. As a member of the Watcher’s Council, Giles was responsible for training Buffy in her fight againstthe forces of evil. Their relationship deepened into an almost familial bond, a development that concerned the Watcher’s Council.
As well as providing information on various demonic threats, Giles' unyielding support for Buffy made him an essential part of the Scooby Gang. He refused to criticize her when her actions caused Angel to lose his soul, reasoning that she would benefit more from his unyielding support. However, Giles had a troubled past. As a young man, he had dealt with powerful dark spells, and these sometimes came back to haunt him.
3Xander Harris
Xander Harris (Nicholas Brendon) appeared in all but one ofBuffy the Vampire Slayer’s 144 episodes, which saw him grow from a randy teenage loser into one of the Scooby Gang’s indispensable core trio. Because he lacked the supernatural powers of his friends, he offered a grounded perspective onthe demonic threats besieging Sunnydale—although his mundanity often inspired feelings of self-doubt.
Xander’s eventful love life demonstrated his terrible taste in women. His conquests included a praying mantis disguised as a high school biology teacher, a resurrected Incan mummy, and a former vengeance demon. Despite his strange romances, his commitment to the Scooby cause never wavered, while his communication skills averted the end of the world on at least one occasion.
2Willow Rosenberg
Willow Rosenberg (Alyson Hannigan) first appeared inBuffy the Vampire Slayeras a shy, bookish nerd better suited to academic study than slaying vampires. However, she became a fearsome opponent after learning how to perform spells and rituals. These powers gave her the edge over many demonic foes, although her fragile emotional state sometimes caused her tomisuse her magical abilities.
Willow was notable as one of genre television’s earliest bisexual characters. Although her early romances were with men, her long-term relationship with Wiccan girlfriend Tara Maclay pushed the boundaries of representation in mainstream media. However, it was Willow’s platonic relationship with best friend Buffy Summers that had the greatest bearing on the Scooby Gang’s success. They relied on one another for support and guidance throughout the series.
1Buffy Summers
Almost inevitably, the most significant member of the Scooby Gang was its leader, Buffy Summers (Sarah Michelle Gellar).Chosen at the age of fifteento spearhead the fight against vampires and other assorted evildoers, she demonstrated impressive strength and reflexes during her various encounters with demonic powers. The great responsibility was a heavy burden, and she was not immune to buckling under its weight—particularly after learning of a prophecy that predicted her impending death.
While Buffy’s success as the Slayer was due in part to her own prowess, this was augmented by the support of her friends, the Scooby Gang. She might have been their leader, but she relied on them to reach her full potential. This fact was noted by cyborg big-bad Adam, who worked to isolate the Slayer from her friends. Without them, Buffy was far weaker, proving that the Scooby Gang as a whole made an essential contribution to her apocalypse-averting activities.
