Across its seven seasons, Buffy the Vampire Slayer went from a show that people thought was a joke to becoming one of the most iconic series of all time. A reboot of the failed movie, Buffy dug deep into its horror roots while taking time to look deep into the human condition that few shows have ever done. Along the way, fans laughed, cried, and argued about every moment of the lives of the Slayer and her friends, affectionately called "The Scooby Gang" after the classic animated series.
And while the adventures of Buffy Summers and her team have continued in comics and novels, for most fans, the journey came to a close with the series finale, "Chosen" bringing closure not only to the adventures of the Slayer, but her closest allies as well.
10 Angel Carried On
While Angel moved on from Sunnydale at the end of the third season of Buffy the Vampire Slayer to star in his own show, the Vampire with a Soul was always ready to come and help the woman he loved at the drop of a hat.
In the series finale, Angel brought a magical amulet meant to be worn by someone ensouled, yet more than human that could be used against the first evil. Angel believed he was the one the amulet was meant for, but Buffy disagreed, choosing to give it to Spike instead. Angel then vanished into the shadows, going on to continue his own adventures.
9 Andrew Bettered Himself
Andrew started off as an enemy of Buffy as a member of the Trio; three former classmates of Buffy's who wanted to destroy her life. It was Andrew that the First Evil used to free itself, tricking the naive man into sacrificing his friend Jonathan to open the seal that kept the First Evil from running rampant across the planet.
Despite his role as a villain in the past, the Scooby Gang came to accept Andrew as one of their own. Andrew survived the final battle with the First Evil thanks to the sacrifice of another and would go on to train to become a Watcher, as seen in Angel season 5.
8 Faith Found Redemption
A Slayer who went down a dark path, Faith nearly killed Buffy in the past but had been working with Angel to redeem herself for some time when she returned to Sunnydale to help battle the First Evil in the final season. After a rocky start, the two Slayers came to an understanding and Faith helped Buffy train the remaining Potential Slayers for the upcoming battle and plays an important role in taking out the First Evil. Faith survived the final battle in Sunnydale and went off with Principal Robin Wood to explore their relationship.
7 Anya Gave Her All
A former demon who caused quite a headache for the Scooby Gang in the past, Anya found herself becoming a part of the team after her demon status was revoked. Anya and Xander fell in love and were all set to get married before Xander - in usual Xander style - screwed everything up.
Still, when the time came, Anya was there to help the team battle the First Evil. In the fight, Anya saved Andrew's life, a move that led to her own death. Sadly, Anya would become the only member of the Scooby Gang to die that day.
6 Spike Sacrificed Everything
Another villain turned teammate, Spike was a vampire who had done a great deal of evil in his time, but after becoming romantically obsessed with Buffy, the punk rock bloodsucker underwent a magical incantation to regain his soul, hoping that doing so would win the Slayer over.
While he and Buffy began a sexual relationship, it was clear that she would never love Spike the way he loved her. Still, that didn't stop Spike from using the amulet Angel had brought to land a deadly blow against the First Evil. While Spike appeared to sacrifice himself in the final battle of Sunnydale, he later reappeared in Angel, very much alive.
5 Dawn Had Her Family
Introduced at the start of the fifth season, Dawn was Buffy's magical younger sister who started life out as an immortal item known as "The Key" that was sent to the Slayer for protection from the evil goddess Glory. While Dawn may not have truly been Buffy's sister, the Slayer and her friends quickly came to accept her as part of the family.
While Dawn used to be a magical being, she became fully human when sent to Buffy for safekeeping, but that didn't stop her from playing an important role in the battle against the First Evil. Alongside Andrew and Xander, Dawn took on the roles of a Watcher for the Potential Slayers, prepping them for the fight ahead.
4 Giles Made It Through
Buffy's Watcher, Rupert Giles had been there from the very beginning, and he wasn't about to leave his Slayer at the end. A powerful magician as well as the most knowledgable member of the team, Giles had become a father figure not only to Buffy but to Willow and Xander as well.
As such, Giles stood by his family in the Battle of Sunnydale, taking charge when needed and helping plot the eventual destruction of the First Evil. It was clear that over the years Giles had prepared his Slayer and her friends the best he could, and that was more than enough to keep the world safe.
3 Xander Lost His Love (And An Eye)
No one made it through the seven seasons of Buffy the Vampire Slayer without some serious emotional scars, but Xander is the only one to end up with emotional and physical scars. Once mockingly called the "Zeppo Marx" of the gang, for most of the series run, Xander was the only member of the team without powers, but he was always ready to fight the good fight, even after it cost him an eye.
While Xander survived the Battle of Sunnydale, Anya, the woman he loved, didn't. With a world full of Slayers, Xander would surely be there to help them, but a part of him would never be the same.
2 Willow Gave Everyone The Power
Buffy's closest and most powerful friend, Willow nearly destroyed the world just a year before the Battle of Sunnydale after her girlfriend Tara was murdered by Warren, the leader of the Trio. A powerful witch, Willow learned to better control her powers and emotions with the help of Giles, and none too soon.
Willow used her magical powers to give every potential Slayer across the world the powers of a full-fledged Slayer. This gave Buffy, Faith, and the other Slayers the power they needed to overcome the First Evil's army. Willow survived the final battle and joined her friends in the journey ahead.
1 Buffy Let The Power Out
From the very beginning, the greatest issue Buffy Summers faced was being alone. She had her mother, her sister, and her friends, but none of them knew what it meant to be the Slayer; the one girl in all the world empowered to keep mankind safe from the darkness that surrounded them.
While it was never the life Buffy wanted, it was one she accepted, even in the two moments that killed her. In the final battle against the First Evil, Buffy once again faced unbeatable odds to save the day, and in doing so she was finally freed from her loneliness - now there were thousands of Slayers just like her.