Buffy Reboot: 10 Characters We Need Back — and One We Don't

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3 days ago

One prophecy we thought would never be fulfilled: Another Buffy the Vampire Slayer series.
But the Hellmouth hath frozen over because in February, Sarah Michelle Gellar announced she'd be reprising her titular role in a new follow-up series on Hulu. The 'next chapter in the Buffyverse' will focus on a new young Slayer, with Gellar popping up in a recurring role. And while we don't have too many details yet — besides that the new Slayer will be played by Ryan Kiera Armstrong — we're already eagerly anticipating which OG characters might return to Sunnydale to help Buffy battle vampires, demons and the forces of darkness.
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So we put on our yummy sushi pajamas and called for an emergency meeting of TVLine's most fanatic Scoobies to kick around which 10 characters we want — no, need — to see back on our screens alongside Gellar and Armstrong. And since Queen SMG (now an executive producer) declared that even dearly departed characters could be revived from the dead (hey, even Buffy died twice), no one is off the table in our list below.
We even went so far as to declare one character we don't want to see return. (Just don't go all 'Gingerbread' and try to burn us at the stake, OK?)
View our highly debated picks below, then hit the comments to tell us which characters most want to see back in the upcoming sequel series!
Rupert Giles
What would a Buffy series be without the man, the myth, the legend… one, Rupert Giles? Now, we're not suggesting that Giles should enter combat in his 70s (the man's had enough head injuries as it is!), but surely his expert Watcher knowledge and multilingual capabilities will be needed for something, right? After all, who's going to translate the next ominous demon scripture? Buffy's former Watcher and father figure is never just 'standing in the way,' regardless of what he sang in that 'Once More With Feeling' song. Buffy needs him, the new Slayer will need him… we need him.
Willow Rosenberg
How could any fan of Buffy the Vampire Slayer not want to see Willow Rosenberg back up to her witchy ways? Alyson Hannigan's character had such a huge arc. From nerdy teen to powerful witch to Big Bad, Willow was one of Buffy's most important Scoobies who came in handy with her magic on more than one occasion. (Sure, she tried to destroy the world once, but we'll let that slide.) Now that every potential Slayer has been activated, it would make sense that the woman who made that all happen pops in to say hello. Hannigan can be so effectively funny in Buffy, while also so staggeringly heartbreaking — her tears in 'Wild at Heart,' for example, continue to slay us (pun intended) to this day. So if SMG's looking to call up some of her old pals to join this project, here's to hoping Hannigan's at the very top of that list.
Faith Lehane
The addition of Eliza Dushku's Faith in Season 3 gave the show a bolt of fresh energy, leading to some of the series' best episodes. (Look no further than 'Consequences,' 'Graduation Day Part 1' and 'Who Are You?' for prime examples.) The character's tough-as-nails demeanor mixed with the drama and strife she brought delivered some gripping television, and a brand-new foil for Buffy that wasn't a vampire or a demon. She was just a young woman, like Buffy herself, who traveled down a much darker path. But what would the women's relationship be like after re-teaming to fight the First Evil in Season 7? Are the mended fences still standing strong? Has the formerly nefarious Faith stayed on the straight and narrow? We're dying to know.
Cordelia Chase
We're going to continue shouting this from the highest mountaintop in Sunnydale: JUSTICE FOR CORDELIA! The way Cordy's character was handled in Angel's fourth season left a lot to be desired. (Understatement of the century.) Then for this fan-favorite to return in Season 5 just to be killed off in one episode? As if! Over the course of the Buffy spinoff, Cordelia became part-demon when she took on Doyle's visions. Then, she fell victim to that whole Jasmine business and ultimately became a higher power. She can be brought back in a myriad of ways, so to the gentle writers of Buffy 2.0: Please right this serious Buffyverse wrong because her mishandling and death was my childhood trauma. (Plus, Charisma Carpenter is hopeful for a 'poetic' return, so let's make it happen!)
Drusilla
Hands down, one of our favorite Buffy villains ever, and oddly enough, a vamp who never found herself on the wrong end of the Slayer's stake. Juliet Landau delivered a haunting performance as Spike's former lover, and the young woman who was tortured to insanity and sired by Angelus. If the new Powers That Be are in need of a Big Bad (or even just a Medium Bad!), reuniting Kendra's killer with the Scoobies could make for some big drama and reeeeally creepy moments.
Tara Maclay
Straight up: Tara's death hurt. It hurt her girlfriend (Dark Willow, much?) and it hurt us viewers. Tara's kindness and gentle nature brought out a different side of Willow, and we loved seeing Will explore her identity and sexuality, while growing as a much more confident character than the one we first met in Season 1. That was all thanks to Tara. We were under Tara's spell far before she was bleeding out all over Willow's shirt. (OK, this got dark.) At the risk of detracting from the huge moment that was her shocking death, we can't help it. Seeing Tara revived in any way, shape or form would be magic.
Anya Jenkins
Most fans can agree: Anya Jenkins deserved more. (And no, we're not just talking about Xander.) No one was immune from the Grim Reaper on any Joss Whedon show, but Anya's blink-and-you-miss-it death in the series finale seemed more like a checked box for a 'big' finale moment, rather a justified offing of a character we'd grown to adore. (She was sliced in half by one of the First's Harbingers of Death.) The character's departure always left us wanting… a different fate, an alternate ending, anything! Bringing Emma Caulfield Ford's irreverent mortal-in-training back in any form — ghost, human, vengeance demon, whatever — could correct one of Season 7's most confounding moments.
Daniel 'Oz' Osbourne
First, we've got to figure out what kind of party this new show's going to be. Will it be a gathering, a shindig or a hootenanny? Regardless, we've got to send Sunnydale's pithy, guitar-playing werewolf an invite! A reunion between Oz and Willow would be ideal, but even despite that possibility, we'd love to hear what's new with the former Dingoes Ate My Baby axe man. Where's he been? What's he been up to? How has he controlled his wolfy ways throughout the years? Yes, we may have gotten a bit of insight from some of the follow-up comics, but getting Seth Green back on screen in the Buffyverse would truly be cause for celebration. The Bronze, anyone?
Darla
Julie Benz's Darla has come a long way. Not only was she the first vamp to grace our screens way back in '97, but she was also the first to draw blood. (R.I.P., random high school guy.) After working side-by-side with the Master and getting staked by Angel, Darla was resurrected (as a human!) on Angel, revamped by Dru, had a kid and die again. (Phew!) Despite all that, we still haven't seen enough of Benz's badass mistress of the night. However it happens, reviving Darla would be the ultimate throwback to Buffy's early years. Perhaps she has one last massacre left in her?
Andrew Wells
When the later seasons got all dark and doom-y, Andrew stood tall(-ish) as one of the biggest sources of comedic relief. We'd love nothing more than to see Tom Lenk's lovable Trio nerd reunited with the 'Slayer of the Vaaahm-pires' — whether she likes it or not. He may be like the annoying little brother Buffy never wanted, but Tucker's sibling was always good for some ridiculous one-liners, and elicited top-notch reactions from the clearly peeved characters around him. And what we wouldn't give for a 'Storyteller' follow-up…
We Don't Want Back: Spike
Before you sick a pack of bloodythirsty hellhounds on us, hear us out. There are two legions of Buffy fans — Team 'Bangel' and Team 'Spuffy' — and look. We're just not in the latter camp. But besides not vibing with 'Spuffy' (we won't even get into that trigger warning-worthy moment from 'Seeing Red'), Spike has had his moment in the sun—, err, spotlight. Even after he left Sunnydale and was magically transported to Angel's L.A. compound, Spike continued to dominate storylines, and honestly, we enjoyed his snarky back-and-forths with Angel during the spinoff's fifth and final season.
But enough is enough, already! If this reboot only has a meager 8-12 episodes (speculating here — the official episode count remains TBA), we don't want any more screen time spent on William the Bloody. (#SorryNotSorry) Reuniting Buffy with the white-haired Brit would only retread storylines we've already seen, and we doubt that after 22+ years, our sassy Slayer would need to rekindle anything with that admittedly dashing vamp, soul be damned! And remember the countless crappy things Spike did to the gang in the past, like, you know, trying to kill them a bajillion times? Besides, the Buffyverse is filled with so many charismatic characters, both recurring and regular, that we'd rather leave some room for bigger surprises. And of course, some brand-new Scoobies and Slayers who are dedicated to saving the world a lot.
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