WARNING: The following contains spoilers for Buffy the Vampire Slayer #29, on sale now
The Scythe is one of the most notable and important weapons in the original Slayerverse. Introduced in the seventh and final season of Buffy the Vampire Slayer as an ancient tool to be used in the fight against the First Evil and its forces, the Scythe proved to be an incredibly useful weapon.
Now, it also appears to be one that exists in other worlds too, as it was just revealed in Buffy the Vampire Slayer #29 by Jeremy Lambert, Marianna Ignazzi, Mattia Iacono, and Ed Dukeshire -- only for it to end up in the hands of a Slayer other than Buffy.
In the history of the series, the Scythe was forged for Sineya, aka the First Slayer. After using the weapon to destroy the last remaining Old One on the planet, the weapon was embedded into stone by the Guardians -- the same organization that would eventually come to be known as the Watcher's Council. In the present day, Buffy and claimed the Scythe and was able to use it to kill Caleb, use it in the battle against the endless waves of Turok-Han that tried to breach the surface, and even work Willow to use it as a conduit to magically activate the Slayer Powers in every potential young woman across the globe. It became a symbol of the Slayers as a whole in the sequel comic stories that followed, and was eventually taken up by Melaka Fray, a Slayer from the 23rd century.
In the original series, the Scythe was the secret weapon that turned the tide against the plans of the First Evil, Seeing it uncovered in the current iteration of the Slayerverse is a good indication that the current circumstances require a serious rebuttal and show of force. But there are some notable differences between it and the one seen in the universe of the original series. For one thing, the Scythe is not embedded in stone to await a proper champion. Instead, the Guardians of this universe kept the blade themselves, watching over it until they deemed an emergency dangerous enough and a Slayer capable enough to wield it. That day has come, with Silas and his Lurkers making their way onto this world and working to consume the minds and memories of anyone he can.
Notably, the Scythe also doesn't end up with Buffy, as she's found herself somewhat opposed to the Watchers. Buffy -- alongside Giles, Willow, Anya, and the previous Slayer Morgan -- have drifted away from the Watcher's Council, who've instead recruited Faith, Robin, Wes, and are making a play for Kendra that could ignite lingering complications into bigger problems. But this also means that Giles' mother Dorothy, the current leader of the Watcher's, has the ability to give the Scythe to anyone she chooses. Ultimately, she gives it over to Faith -- who quickly takes a liking to the Scythe and utilizes it in battle against the Lurkers.
On top of preventing Buffy from taking up a weapon that could likely help her and Willow in their plan to rally a multiversal army to combat Silas and his plans to eliminate every reality, this also arms Faith with a weapon of significant importance and magical potential. Considering that Silas has quietly approached her about the possibility of fighting by his side in exchange for the reward of her full memories restored, this could end up giving some of the Slayerveres' most dangerous figures one of it's most potent and powerful weapons.