Having debuted on March 10, 1997, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, was one of the most popular shows of its time, having put the WB on the map thanks to its subversive storylines and relatable characters. Despite being advertised as a fun, pulpy action-horror show, the heart of the series came from the relationships of the main cast and how they matured as individuals.
Beyond the groundbreaking stories and relationships, the series is also remembered for its quippy dialogue and pop-culture-laden sense of humor. These two things have made the show ripe for memes, and to celebrate Buffy The Vampire Slayer's 25th anniversary, here are the memes that best sum up the series.
Buffy the Vampire Slayer boasted many power couples across its seven-season run, almost all of which were beloved by fans. As this meme points out, however, none of them made it to the end of the series or ended happily.
Considering how all of the main characters' relationships ended poorly, it's easy to equate Joss Whedon with the Grim Reaper given he had the final say on much of the series' character arcs. While the way most of these romantic pairings ended was realistic, it still left fans sad at the dissolution of so many iconic couples.
A great interpolation of the jealous girlfriend meme, the above image highlights one of the show's central themes of balancing supernatural responsibilities with the desire to be normal. Buffy's only 16 years old when she first starts slaying vampires, and she's forced to grow up quickly as tragedies begin to amount in her life.
Even as Buffy accepts the role of the Slayer as her identity in the show's latter seasons, she still has moments where she wishes to ignore the stress of a night fighting vampires or having to take care of Dawn. In this way, viewers are still able to relate to the character, despite how incredulous her life gets with each season.
Generally speaking, Xander is the least intelligent member of the Scooby Gang, often making a fool of himself every time he opens his mouth. This lent to him being made fun of quite frequently by his peers, and though his closest friends respected him, they still found enjoyment out in his regular pratfalls.
Beyond how Xander's relative lack of intelligence (compared to the other Scoobies) lent to some of Buffy the Vampire Slayer's most comedic quotes, the meme also highlights how Xander's brash personality led him to commit some of the most infuriating actions in the show's history. Even as he mellowed out over time, he still could do something as despicable as leaving Anya at the alter.
Whether it be the near avoidance of death at the hands of demons and vampires or giving up her blood to heal Angel, Buffy has tempted fate numerous times across the show's seven seasons. Thus the meme above is appropriate in expressing her attitude toward death, rejecting it every night as she kills the supernatural with a chipper demeanor.
The meme also proves ironic, however, considering Buffy's actual response to being brought back to life at the beginning of the show's 6th season. While the series might flaunt the way its title character cheats fate, Buffy herself was traumatized by the experience, especially given that she was dragged out of heaven by her friends and awoke in a buried coffin.
Though Buffy's creator has come under fire in recent years for alleged abuse against the cast and crew, there was a time when the writer was heralded by many for his punchy dialogue, inventive storylines, and dynamic characters. Despite how many beloved characters and personalities he was able to create, however, he wasn't afraid to kill them off either.
These character deaths were often unexpected in Buffy the Vampire Slayer and the fates of innocent characters such as Joyce and Tara suggested a callousness in Whedon's personality. Even if these deaths were appropriate for the advancement of emotional arcs, they still came as a shock to viewers and left many angry with Whedon.
A cute meme that some might consider to be the epitome of "relationship goals," it, unfortunately, points to one of Buffy the Vampire Slayer's more complicated romances. Spike and Buffy were enemies during the show's early seasons before the blonde vampire had a chip put into his head that prevented him from hurting humans. It was shortly after this event that Spike's crush on Buffy began to manifest.
Spike longed for the Slayer during much of season 5 and admirably tried to curb his demonic behavior, yet his feelings were never reciprocated by Buffy. Even when the two characters became intimate in season 6, Spike longed for more than just casual sex and chose to be re-souled after he assaulted Buffy, thus lending to the idea that he cared for Buffy more than Angel.
Despite being a hero who's obligated to battle the forces of darkness, Buffy is still a young woman with everyday desires. She pines after guys, goes to the club, and as the above meme implies, loves to dress up and look her best.
While Buffy rocked a slew of outfits during her regular work and school days, she also carried over her signature style into her slaying duties. Whether it be prom dresses, tight leather jackets, or other flashy outfits, Buffy managed to express herself while killing demons on a nightly basis.
As can be inferred from this meme, Joss Whedon wasn't the only writer on Buffy the Vampire Slayer to put the show's characters through hell and back. This is especially true for season 6 when the characters all had to face a new kind of enemy, adulthood.
For the first time, Buffy had to support herself without her mother or Giles, and her friends weren't there to support her because they had their struggles. Tara left Willow due to the latter's addiction to magic, Dawn developed kleptomania, and Xander ended up leaving Anya at the alter. This is to say nothing of the havoc the Trio wrecked on the main characters and how Warren's toxic masculinity broke Willow.
Based on an exchange from the show's 4th season, this meme, while dated due to its focus on 2020, points to how regularly Buffy and her friends prevent the apocalypse from occurring. It happens at the end of nearly every season, and yet with each one, the group becomes less and less fazed by the potential end of the world.
So prevalent are end-of-world catastrophes in the Buffyverse, that one plays out in the background of one of Buffy's best filler episodes, "The Zeppo," for comedic effect. While these events are still treated seriously by most of the show's characters, it's easy for viewers to be as nonchalant about them as the main cast is by the end of the show, even as the stakes raise with each apocalypse.
More than anything else, loss and sacrifice are two of the defining features of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. This is best exemplified in Buffy's choice to sacrifice Angel to save the world in the second season finale.
Wanda Maximoff committed a similar action in Avengers: Infinity War, yet her sacrifice amounted to nothing whereas Buffy succeeded in preventing the apocalypse. In both cases though, the participants were left broken and traumatized by their choices, something which Buffy has to constantly overcome given how many more sacrifices she makes throughout her show.
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