Summary
Starting out asa little-known movie,Buffy the Vampire Slayerbecame a cultural icon when the TV show aired, introducing the audience to the world of monsters and the chosen one of every generation who was the only person capable of stopping them. Living right on top of the hell-mouth, the titular slayer had to juggle school life and slaying in equal measure.
Many fans mourned the show after it concluded, though they got more of their fix with the following show,Angel,as well as the comics. And now there is a revival on the way, introducing a new slayer but bringing Buffy back to the franchise. As such, fans can expect some characters to return, but not everyone’s stories need to or can continue.
6Riley Finn
The Initiative Was Not a Fan-Favorite Arc
The Initiative arc was introduced in the show when Buffy and her friends graduated from high school and attended college. It is here that Buffy meets Riley Finn, who would becomeher next love interest, but he hid a rather major secret, and that was his involvement with an organization known as the Initiative.
Both Riley and this arc were not widely loved, as they felt it was out of place in the storyline and stole focus from the core gang, and that Riley might be a touch too bland as a character. Still, this arc was a major part of the show, ending with Riley departing Sunnydale in a surprisingly sad episode, “Into the Woods”, as Buffy chased after him as he left. As such, his involvement in the revival might not make much sense, as Buffy and Riley’s arc, and relationship as a whole, is fully over.
5Drusilla
Though an Amazing Antagonist, the Revival Needs Some Fresh Blood
Many fans recall Spike or Angel being the main blood-suckers for Buffy, but Drusilla shouldn’t be forgotten, either. The lover and sire to Spike, she casts just an intimidating shadow across the show from her introduction in season 2, acting as one ofthe main antagonistsfor this season.
Delightful yet dark, Drusilla’s character was magnetic, and fans simply could not get enough of her. Luckily for them, she did return inAngelto continue her tenure as a villain, but that doesn’t necessarily mean she should return for the revival. Having already featured in both shows, the newestBuffycould use some fresh blood in the villain department, especially since the show is set to star a new slayer.
4Wesley Wyndam-Price
After Departing for the Show Angel and Dying in LA, There is No Room for His Return
Sent as the new Watcher to guide slayers Buffy and Faith, Wesley was a character that didn’t elicit any kind of respect from other characters in the show. He was pompous, cowardly, and highly ineffective at his job. Instead,the Scooby gangcontinued to defer to Giles, much to Wesley’s chagrin. He was intended to be killed off inBuffy the Vampire Slayer,but surprisingly, fans enjoyed his character enough to ensure his survival, though he did depart fromBuffyand joined Angel in LA in the spin-off show.
His character has not only been away from Buffy for so long, but he also died in the final season ofAngel. Both these combined mean that there would be no reason for his character to return, as his story has ended with finality. His dying scene was so tragic that it would be cheapened if his character were to be restored to life.
3Tara Maclay
Tara’s Fate was Ultimately Final
Introduced in season 4, Tara became a key member of the gang,another wicca, and the woman who ultimately won over Willow’s heart. She became a much-loved character among fans as well, her compassionate character making her instantly likable. Unfortunately, she was killed by a stray bullet fired by Warren in “Seeing Red”, which sparked Willow to become Dark Willow as she pursued revenge against her killer.
Though death has been cheated in this show before, that didn’t happen for Tara, who unfortunately remained dead. As such, it would seem that there is no way for her to make a return, as too long has passed for her revival. If fans want more Tara, the only way for that to happen is to rewatch all the episodes featuring this much-beloved character.
2Xander Harris
There Doesn’t Seem Much Justification or Demand for his Character’s Return
Possibly the only ordinary member of the Scooby gang that didn’t deter Xander from trying to help Buffy and co whenever the situation called for it, proving he could be quite courageous. Unfortunately, his fighting skills were never on par with Buffy’s, and his penchant for research couldn’t rival that of Willow or Giles’s, which often made it seem like Xander was left out in the cold.
His character isn’t always popular among fans, as his treatment towards other characters, specifically the women he was surrounded by, did leave a lot to be desired, but his complex relationship with Anya was enjoyable to watch, even if it did end in tears. As such, it seems Xander’s story has reached its bittersweet conclusion. Despite him being alive and making it quite possible for him to return, there doesn’t seem to be much of a reason for his character to rejoin the franchise.
1Daniel “Oz” Osbourne
His Lupine Nature Makes Him a Danger to Others Around Him
Known simply as Oz to those around him, this popular character had a short-lived career inBuffy,as his character departs from Sunnydale after season 3. Hiswerewolf naturemakes him too much of a hazard to be around, which is quite true as the audience, and Willow, could see just how much mayhem he could wreak when transformed.
Oz was, for the most part, a much-loved character on the show as his deadpan snark instantly endeared fans to his characters, though certain actions lost some of that goodwill. Ultimately, it would not make much sense for Oz to return, as so much time has passed that he would have no bonds with any of the characters. Besides that, the curse of lycanthropy is not something that can be cured, which means he would still be far too dangerous to have around.
