Buffy The Vampire Slayer had some of the most beloved characters in TV history. However, they also created a few characters that became hated by fans throughout the decades. Fans were having passionate debates over the years about not only supporting characters, but even the importance of some of the "Scooby Gang" members as well.
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Joss Whedon and the other Buffy writers did a great job not only story-wise but in creating interesting, complex, and unique personalities, especially when it came to the female characters. However, some of their choices were questioned and even passionately hated by fans.
10 Worst: Riley
Riley was Buffy's first real boyfriend, but most fans hated him and thought he was a terrible choice for her. While Riley started out in the series as a strong and confident young man, his character almost completely changed over time. Due to his disappointment in the military and his boss, he became lost and made a couple of bad decisions that only caused further troubles for Buffy.
After he lost his superhuman strength he became even less confident and wasn't sure he could make Buffy happy, causing her plenty of painful moments.
9 Best: Anya
Anya was easily one of the funniest and weirdest characters in Buffy. Her relationship with Xander made perfect sense and zero sense at the same time.
She was an ex-vengeance demon who spent thousands of years as an immortal. Buffy fans immensely enjoyed watching Anya explore her human side and understand humanity's modern rules. Unfortunately, Anya died during the battle at the Hellmouth which is still one of the saddest character deaths in the series.
8 Worst: Kathy Newman
Kathy was one of Buffy The Vampire Slayer's most hated characters. She was Buffy's unbearable roommate during her freshman year at UC Sunnydale but thankfully not for long. She made Buffy's first few weeks at her new school stressful and annoying.
Some of her quirks were so over the top that Buffy started suspecting that she's a supernatural being, claims that nobody else seemed to take seriously. However, it turned out Buffy was right, and Kathy was actually an over 3000 years old spoiled Mok'tagar demon who disguised herself as a human. Thankfully, when her kind finally found her, she was taken back to her dimension.
7 Best: Giles
Giles was Buffy's first watcher who also became a father figure for her over the years. Their relationship became stronger as the series went on, and while Gile's emotional support was important for Buffy, it was also the reason why the council decided to remove him.
Giles was always there for Buffy and wasn't afraid to risk his own life if needed. Their relationship continued to evolve and grow even after he was removed as Buffy's watcher.
6 Worst: Kennedy
Kennedy was season seven's most hated character. While most fans were happy that Willow could finally move on, they didn't support the two duo's relationship.
Kennedy was a potential slayer who was activated by Willow's spell. She became an important part of the gang and played a significant part in their fight against the First Evil. Still, most fans would've preferred if the overly confident and often arrogant character got written out of the series.
5 Best: Spike
Spike is probably most Buffy fans' favorite male character. He was a handsome, witty, and dangerous vampire who eventually changed for Buffy. Like all vampires in the show, Spike had a dark past and was one of the shows' main antagonists for a while.
However, everything changed for Spike after he was captured by the initiative. The secret government group implanted a chip in his brain that caused him unbearable pain whenever he tried hurting humans. He got closer to the Scooby Gang after his surgery and soon after he madly fell in love with Buffy.
4 Worst: Xander
Xander Harris was the Scooby Gang's only member who had no supernatural powers. He started out as a lovable goof and most fans enjoyed his self-deprecating humor since it was easy to relate to, especially for awkward teenagers.
However, his character never really changed and he often caused more problems than adding something useful. He was mostly no help when it came to the Scooby Gang's fight against evil, or to their personal relationships either.
3 Best: Willow
Willow started out as a shy nerd who had no friends other than Xander and was often bullied by Cordelia. After she discovered who Buffy really was their friendship quickly started blooming, and she became one of Buffy's most reliable allies and best friends
However, her character started to truly evolve after she started dabbling in magic. Throughout the years she turned into a confident and strong witch who became even more powerful than the Slayer herself.
2 Worst: Dawn
Dawn was disliked by so many Buffy fans so badly that it became an issue for Michelle Trachtenberg who portrayed the character. She was Buffy's little sister who suddenly appeared in the show's fifth season.
Not much later, Buffy learned that Dawn was a mystical power of living energy. She transformed into a teenage girl and choose the Slayer to protect her from Glory, another dimension's hell goddess. While her character had great potential and showed a new side of Buffy, the show's fans couldn't stand the often annoying and spoiled teenager.
1 Best: Buffy
Buffy Summers became an icon who inspired and motivated millions of young girls and women around the world. Sarah Michelle Gellar's portrayal of the Slayer was touching, powerful, and funny. Without a doubt, she had a big part in the show's success.
Buffy's character was something that was completely new at the time and one that's still hard to find today. She has inspired both males and females throughout the decades and was able to break down barriers no other character had broken before.