#come on girlies we NEED to ally ourselves I love you so much with my masc dude heart

[fireyalex]

B5 with oc's?

Prompt: Hiding an injury.

@badthingshappenbingo

bthb taglist: @vicdehart @northville-high @always-anxious612 @demidork84

Don’t Ask Questions

Characters: Blair Mirren, Bartender, Sienna. (OC content)

Warnings: Violence, threats, fighting, running, bleeding, wounded, mentions of stitches 

    It’s been four years since Blair Mirren has been brought back home, when times were the roughest they’ve been in centuries. Wars were breaking out all over the planet, and her kingdom’s peace treaty with the other kingdoms had become void. It certainly wasn’t what Blair had expected, to go from living peacefully on her own in the woods to finding out she’s the princess, soon to be queen, of a now widely hated kingdom. A kingdom that turned into a war zone.

    Blair’s memories had slowly started to come back now that there were things here to remind her of her past, her childhood.  Before she was sent away, Puonia had been a peaceful place, one that was allies with every other kingdom, loved by everyone. What could have possibly happened in the years she was gone? She desperately wanted to know, but every time the question was brought up, everyone deliberately changed the topic or straight up ignored her. Eventually, she decided that enough was enough and went into town to ask some of her citizens.

    Despite the warnings from everyone, Blair had snuck out of her castle when it was dark out, making sure she wasn’t being followed. She decided to grab her bow and arrows, hidden underneath her jacket, just in case something were to happen while out, though she had plenty of faith in her people. So what if her parents were hated, as well as herself, by practically every person on the planet? Her people at least would still respect her, right?

    Blair gripped her ruby necklace as she held onto her blue jacket with her other hand, giving herself support as she slipped into the darkness. It wasn’t often she went out into town, let alone in the dark. God, her parents were going to kill her if they found out she snuck out, she could only hope to be back before anyone noticed she was away.

    After what felt like hours, she finally found a small building with lights still on. She immediately pulled her jacket’s hood over her head, trying to hide all evidence that she was the princess rather than just a citizen out late at night. She walked up to the building, noting the sign that read Serpent’s Pub.

    Taking a deep breath, Blair pushed the door open and slipped inside. Almost instantly, she noticed how any sound that may have existed has now stopped. It was eerily quiet as she looked around, seeing everyone’s eyes land on her. 

    She watched as the bartender got out from around the counter and stalked up towards her, hand hidden inside his jacket. She took a step forward to greet him, only to be shoved against the door, his hand coming out to reveal a dagger held up against her throat. Her eyes widened as she looked up at him.

    “You better have a good reason for coming in here,” the man drew out, an edge to his voice. “We don’t take too kindly to strangers. ‘Specially timid ones such as yourself, Missy.”

    The man glared her down as she visibly gulped, trying to collect herself before she spoke.

    “I-” She feigned a cough, realizing her accent that would surely give her away. After another moment, she spoke up again, making sure to disguise her voice.

    “I was hoping I could collect some information. This was the only place I had seen that was open,” there was a slight tremor in her voice that she would only hope the man hadn’t noticed. “And for the record, I am not timid, as you so put it. Just because I am small doesn’t mean I can not fight back.” There was a hint of anger in those words as she glared, hoping the man would let her go.

    He didn’t, and only pushed the dagger further against her throat. By then, all the other patrons started to gather around and watch this go down. 

    “Oh yeah? Well you best watch your mouth, little girl, or I’ll show you that you can’t fight back against me and these folk behind me,” he laughed and instantly, everyone around him began to laugh as well. 

    After the laughter died down, he released the hand with the dagger, but still held her firmly against the door.

    “You best not be asking for something that’s none of y’er business, lil’ red. Now talk.”

    She nodded quickly and closed her eyes, taking a deep breath as she attempted to collect herself before speaking.

    “I only wished to ask… What has happened to this kingdom? Was it not once… You know, safe, before? And peaceful?” She felt her fake accent slip near the end, and cringed internally as she hoped she wasn’t recognized.

    Unfortunately, her hopes weren’t exactly granted. The bartender glared his eyes at her, his lips stretching out into a snarl.

    “You came out here to ask that? Well girly, unless you’ve been livin’ under a damn rock, you should already know the answer to that.”

    Blair visibly paled at that. Of course, she should’ve realized that it was a known answer. She gulped once more, trying to force some confidence into her voice.

    “I have not. Exactly been here to know of what has happened. I had a… Vacation, out on Earth, for a while.”

    The room went dead silent. The patrons behind the bartender were staring at each other, and the man’s grip on Blair tightened.

    “Y’er the fuckin’ princess, aren’t you?” He spat out through clenched teeth. “The only person to have gone off-planet for so long, and you end up here.”

    “I-”

    “You know what this means, lads?” He looked behind himself, deliberately cutting her off, as he grinned slow and cruel. “We’ve got ourselves a princess. No more cheap drinks from now on!” 

    Instantly, the patrons cheered as he turned back to Blair, “Now. You’re gonna give us a fortune, missy, or we’ll send ya home with a clear cut message.”

    There was something in his voice that made Blair’s blood turn cold. She had dealt with her fair share of brutes, sure, but no one had compared to him in her experience. No matter what she said, she was screwed. Both by these guys, and by her parents. She shouldn’t even be out here in the first place, she just got too curious for her own good. God, she wanted to cry, but she knew it would only hinder herself, so she stayed as strong as she could.

    “I am afraid that I do not have any money with me,” she replied with only a slight shake to her voice, “however if you let me go, I can go get as much money as you need?”

    Blair flinched as a fist was slammed into the space right next to her head, creating a hole in the wall. 

    “I’ve dealt with my fair share of princesses, red. We ain’t letting you go without money, or sending your mommy and daddy a clear message.”

    Blair looked down at the dagger clenched in the other’s hand, taking a deep breath before kicking him as hard as she could, her hands grasping his wrist with the dagger. The bartender stumbled back in surprise before he looked up, glaring at Blair with a thirst for blood.

    “You’re gonna pay for that, red!”

    He pulled his hand out of Blair’s grasp and swung, just barely missing as she jumped back. 

    Shit. She scrambled to get the door open while avoiding his throws, running out the second it gave way. She didn’t bother looking back as she ran for the castle, trying to lose the bartender and other patrons.

    Next thing she knew, there was a sharp pain in her side, and she could feel the blood spilling onto her hands. Her eyes went wide, but she kept running, despite the agonizing pain running up her spine. 

    Blair turned a corner and without thinking, she rushed into the first door she found, leaning against the door as she breathed hard. She slid down the wooden door, clutching her side, as the tears rolled out. Everything hurt, and she was so afraid. If she were back on Earth, she would have sworn they were the ones who killed her entire village all those years ago.

    Lights turned on as she sobbed, and she didn’t hear the footsteps approaching her until she felt a hand rest on her shoulder. She tried to back away, but the pain quickly stopped her from doing so.

    “I apologize I needed to hide and I could not keep running, I-”

    The woman kneeling in front of her quickly shushed her, a kind expression on her face. 

    “It’s alright, dear. You’re clearly hurt, let me help you. Are you alright hun?”

    Blair quickly shook her head, red hair falling into her face. “N-no.”

    The woman hummed and got up, “I will be right back to get some supplies. Will you be alright here?” Once Blair nodded, she left the room.

----

    A couple of hours later, Blair stumbled out of the kind woman’s home now that she was stitched up. The sun had begun to rise, and she only hoped she would get home before her parents woke up.

    Unfortunately, that wasn’t the case.

    She walked into the castle and immediately encountered her lady-in-waiting, who had been pacing around the entrance. Instantly, Sienna grabbed her shoulders.

    “Oh my gosh, Blair! Where were you? I was worried sick!”

    Blair looked at her and stood as straight as she could, a crooked smile on her face. “I just needed some fresh air, Si. I just was taking a walk. I apologize for worrying you.”

    Blair gently shook Sienna’s hands off, and started walking off to her room. Before she could get far though, the other gently grabbed hold of Blair’s wrist. 

    “Forgive me, princess, but you’re… much paler than usual. Are you alright?”

    Blair looked back and smiled, “I am quite alright. I am positive that it is nothing sleep can not fix. Even if a few short hours.”

    Sienna hesitantly nodded and let Blair go, but watching carefully as she walked back. Suddenly, Blair collapsed in the hall, trying to grab the wall to keep herself upright. Her lady instantly ran to her side, eyes wide. It was then that she noticed the blood stains on her jacket.

    “Princess! You’re injured! Let me help you to the doctor.” Sienna grabbed her arm to put around her shoulders, but Blair pulled back. 

    “I promise I am alright, I just. Need to lie down. Please, I am fine. Simply tired.” Her voice was quavering as she spoke, convincing no one but praying Sienna wouldn’t push further. “Just help me to my room before I pass out, please.”

    “Your highness, I apologize but I must at least inform someone of your status. You are in no condition to go without seeing the doctor, please let me get you help.”

    The princess was quick to shake her head, pleading in her eyes. “Please, Sienna. I am-” she winced at the sudden pain shooting up her side once more, “quite alright. Please, trust me.” I don’t want anyone to find out.

    Sienna froze, before very slowly nodding. “I can’t say I fully approve, but… alright. However if you later require help, please let me get you a doctor. I don’t wish to see you injured.”

    Blair nodded, but didn’t say anything else. She let Sienna help her up and help her move to her room, and help her to change into clean clothes and lie down. Thankfully, the other would just inform Blair’s parents that she simply fell ill and required some extra rest. 

    At least she doesn’t know what happened, and no one else knows I got injured. Thank heavens.

[cortexifansquint]

                        matching pairings & annotations under the cut!

                                             Youtube (x) Spotify ( x)

Buffy / Cordelia / Willow

*  Cloud 69 // Lowell

I'm like dynamite / need a cheerleader / let me throw you down / while I look at her / I'm like "Oh my god / I think I need a girlfriend"

*  Crazy // Au Revoir Simone

you knew me, wanna love to lose and to lose again / seems we're either giving up or giving in / but, uh, you girls, you drive me crazy

Willow / Tara

* There’s a Girl // The Ditty Bops

there's a girl that you might know / she's a friend at least I tell you so / but it might surprise you to find / there's something going on behind the door

* Horizon // Luna Blake 

you tower over me / you are sky and I am sea 

* Truthfully // Lisa Loeb

truthfully, I really can't explain / I'm floating, I'm smiling again 

* Room // Palehound 

she comes over / growing like a clover / in my room / in my room

* Sugar in a Pie //  Erin McKeown

love me sweet like a sugar in a pie / kiss me deep with a dreamy little sigh

Faith / Buffy

* Damn, I Wish I Was Your Lover // Sophie B. Hawkins 

that old dog has chained you up, alright / give you everything you need to live inside a twisted cage / sleep beside an empty rage / I had a dream I was your hero

* Hologram // Katie Herzig

I'm gonna let you down / gonna toss you around / gonna make you want everything you haven't found / I'm gonna hold your hand / then ask you to stand / ten feet away

* Buy her Candy

she's a famous / she's the best / I cannot lay / my heart to rest / she is selfish / she is kind / no one can say / she is mine

* Nights with you // MO

I'll take you out tonight / leave it all at home / don't care about your boyfriend waking up alone

* Portions for Foxes// Rilo Kiley

'cause you're just damage control, for a walking corpse like me, like you (S6 Fuffy edition)

* Last 2nd Chance // Vaughan Penn 

this is the last second chance I’ll ever need / this is the last time you’ll hear sorry from me

Buffy / Cordelia-

* More like you // Hazel English

I could waste all of my time / thinking up ways to catch your eye / and I tried but it just didn’t feel right / and besides I'm just trying to get by

* She // Dodie 

and I'll be okay admiring from afar / cause even when she's next to me / we could not be more far apart  (late S1 - mid S2 coffy, either pov)

* Can’t / Naaz 

in my mind / I can be what we choose / but in life / we can't stand in those shoes

* Midway // Bad Bad Hats 

the shadows you were casting nearly swallowed the night /  but god, I could have kissed you (I imagine this as the night Cordelia drops Buffy home in Helpless or sometime in mid-late S3)

* Touch //  Shura 

I wanna touch you but I'm too late / I wanna touch you but there's history / I can't believe that it's been three years / now when I see you, it's so bittersweet  (if either had showed up in L.A or Sunnydale after Buffy was resurrected)

Tara / Buffy

* If I Could // Sophie Zelmani 

If I could help you with /  this part of life you've got to live /  you could load your weight on me

* Our Eyes // Lucy Rose 

I'm alive / I feel it now / I never knew I'll find it on you / out of line we got ourselves / in a look, wait we are not fine / wait, you are not mine 

* Wire // Alessi Ark 

I'm tired of walking this wire / it keeps me awake for heaven sake / I was made for this girl / I feel lonely / my friends don't seem to know me / like i thought they did

Willow / Cordelia

* Upper West Side // King Princess

I can't stop judging every thing you do / but I can't get enough of you

* Then If I’m Weird I Want to Share // Tender Forever

people told me / that you're too sexy / you're too sexy for me / but actually I just don't care / I think it's bullshit everywhere

Buffy / Willow

* Loners // Maddie Ross

one night alone in the bookstacks / summer to make all the kids sad / next fall we're back in the corner / nice girls love kissing the loners

* Ray of Sunshine // Go Sailor 

yellow hair, fiery stare / nothing's right, 'cause she's not here tonight 

* Explosion // Zolita 

it's a mindless love affair / one hot mess of bleach blonde hair / I could kiss her but your lips taste better / you could kiss him but my words are sweeter

* Sweet Moon // Sundarta 

when the world is big and I’m alone / I call you and I am home

Faith / Tara

* Will You Be My Girlfriend // Alanis Morissette 

I guess I fall and you stay intact is that right? I guess you hear me and won't attack me, is that right? guess I reach out and you reach back, is that right?

* Not gonna Get Us // T.at.u 

soon there will be laughter and voices / beyond the clouds over the mountains / we'll run away on roads that are empty / lights from the airfield shining upon you (teenage runaway mehane)

* Love you Anyway // Jil Nisson & Marlene

I know what you've been getting / coz I sure got it too / don't, don't you forget it / the damage they do

* Walk The Line // Halsey

I keep a close watch on this heart of mine / I keep my eyes wide open all the time / I keep the ends out for the tie that binds / because you're mine, I walk the line

Willow / Amy

* Wherever We Are // Human Life

after the day we're chasing the sun / farther away the faster we run / feet on the ground our head in the stars / finding the sound wherever we are

* When We’re High // LP 

let’s swallow the moon and the stars / let’s wallow just right where we are

Amy / Faith

* Whiskey & Black Leather // Sapphic Lasers

some they want a girl next door / but that ain't what I'm looking for / I first saw your lips across the room / red like a blood moon

* Her Lover // Ally & Stevie 

she is like a cat in the dark / and then she is the darkness

* High Enough // K Flay 

don’t try to give me cold water / I don’t wanna sober up / all I see are tomorrows / oh, the stars were made for us

Cordelia / Anya

*  Only a Girl // Gia

soft touch, warm skin / nothing like my ex-man / slowly falling, I don't want my next man

* I Don’t Do Boys // Elektra 

I don't do boys, I just do girls / just do girls with style and class / I don't do boys, I just do girls / just do girls with kissable ass

Fuffy / Radison

* One More // Elliphant 

stay with me tonight / we can count the street lights / stay with me alright let's bring it all back to life (bad girls & smashed shennanigans)

Dark Willow / Anyanka + Darla / Drusilla + Lilah / Cordelia (Jasmine possessed version)

* Glory & Gore // Lorde

delicate in every way but one, / God knows we like archaic kinds of fun / chance is the only game I play with / baby, we let our battles choose us 

“ Your Lips are Red // St. Vincent

this city's red / this city's red from riding us into the ground / this city's black / this city's black from all the ashes in downtown

Willow / Anya

* Wishful Thinking // The Ditty Bops 

when the cold and lonely hours put your heart to the test / maybe I'll be the one that you like best (S7 Rosekins)

* The Happy Song // Kate Miccuci 

'cause isn't it nice to have the friends that you do? / and isn't it nice that the sky is so blue? / and isn't it nice to say "I love you"? (the cheery & matter -of-factly style of this song reminds me of anya)

Faith / Willow

* So-Called Str8 Grrrl // Gina Young

I think you want me / you know you want me / so why do you talk shit about me

* She’s so Lovely // The Butchies 

she's a rocker dressed like a killer / she's got lips like wine not sugar 

* Sum of your parts // Mary Lambert

I didn't know I was a phoenix till I learned how to speak / even with ashes in my mouth I was still born to breath / I wonder are you like me

* All I Want is To Be Your Girl // Holly Miranda

Well there's ghosts in the night and ghosts in my mind / and if we quit changing we'll be left behind / but I won't take another chance of screwing it up / so I stay where I am / but all I want is to be your girl

Buffy / Satsu

* Cliff’s Edge // Hayley Kiyoko

you turn me on / you lead me on / you got me on / a cliff's edge (satsu’s pov)

* One Night // Charlie XCX 

you are somethin’ special / twenty carats, solid gold / what we had was precious / but I had to let you go

Cordelia / Lilah

* Short Skirt, Long Jacket // Larkin Poe

I want a girl with a mind like a diamond / I want a girl who knows what's best I want a girl with shoes that cut / and eyes that burn like cigarettes

Fuffy + Willow / Kennedy

* We Might be Dead by Tomorrow // Soko

give me all your love / ‘cause for all we know / we might be dead by tomorrow

Kendra / Buffy

* Eleventeen // Kimya Dawson

you may feel strange, well, you are an angel / stuck in tight pants stuck at a high school dance / stuck doing people things not knowing you have wings

* Supergirl // Anna Naklab

you can see in her eyes / that no one is her chain / she's my girl / my supergirl

Cordelia / Faith

* Can I Say Baby // GIRLI 

can I say baby? / I don't wanna be soppy / but I like your style / think you're kinda cool / I'm sort of into you

* Rebel Girl // Bikini Kill 

rebel girl rebel girl / I think I want to take you home / I want to try on your clothes

* Flowers and Rope // Princess Nokia

voices in my head, monsters under my bed / I'm alone again, I lost all my friends / wanna play pretend? hope this never ends

Fred / Faith

* Whiskey // Nicole Reynolds

you accept that i talk too much / i accept that you talk too little / but it's fine / i like a good riddle

In the Margins // Ani Difranco

you are a rare bird / the kind i wouldn't even mind / writing in the margins of my books

Willow / Kennedy

* Pretty Girl // Hayley Kiyoko 

I can tell you’re real smart / world class piece of art / I can see you in the dark / all we have to do is start

* Let it Go // Allie Moss 

darlin' you see / the fear in me / and how I'd finally be / if I were willing to let it go

Buffy / Anne

* Annonymous Club //  Courtney Barnett 

let's start an anonymous club / I'll make us name badges with question marks

* Hideaway // IVY 

under stars and satellites / a thousand miles / from where we've been

Willow/Fred + Buffy/Tara

* I Was Made for Sunny Days // The Weepies

I was made for sunny days / and I was made for you

Faith / Kennedy

* Crimson and Clover //  Joan Jett & the Blackhearts 

ah, now I don't hardly know her / but I think I can love her

“ Honey // Kehlani

I like my girls just like I like my honey; sweet / a little selfish

Cordelia / Fred

* Genius // The Murmurs

she's kinda weird / she's kinda freaky / but I don't know / I think she's a genius

* There she goes // Sixpence None the Richer 

there she goes / there she goes again / racing through my brain / and I just can't contain / this feeling that remains

[markxforother]

20 YEARS OF BUFFY, 10 FEMINIST LESSONS

Buffy The Vampire Slayer turns 20 years of age and as a massive fan who has been watching it since I was 10 years old, here are my top ten feminist lessons and moments from the show.

1. Self Reliance and the Strength Within.

One thing that Buffy as a show tackled well was the importance and downfall of being a self-reliant, independent woman in today’s world. What aided her in her defeat of her abusive vamp ex was also what isolated her from her friends and family. Buffy showed that whilst as a woman it is important to have friends and family but it is vital to draw from the strength within whilst also not being afraid to ask for help. 

Angelus: Now that's everything, huh? No weapons... No friends...No hope. Take all that away... and what's left? Buffy: Me.

2. Joyce - single mother extraordinaire

Joyce Summer’s was the single mother to Buffy and also Dawn (it’s a whole thing)

She was kind, caring and to a point, pretty understanding. She freaked out about Buffy losing her virginity and being a vampire slayer but throughout it all she was always there for her daughter. She squared off power hungry principals, vampires and even a killer slayer, she defended her child and she did it alone. She vowed to protect and love Dawn especially after finding out she wasn’t really her biological daughter and taught Buffy compassion and responsibility in a way she had never faced, despite saving the world numerous times. 

Her death contributed to one of the most heartbreaking tv episodes ever seen (and there’s a lot!) it was real, raw and not like anything television at that time had seen. It was a testament to her character and what she meant to Buffy, her friends and also to the show and its fans.

Joyce: You get the hell away from my daughter!

3. Women and Sexuality 

Buffy the Vampire Slayer pushed boundaries in many ways but one of the most important boundaries was that of the first lesbian sex scene on network television in America. Whilst some aren’t fans of using magic as a subtext of their relationship, Tara and Willow’s relationship grew in one of the most well rounded, healthy and honest relationships on the entire show. Willow’s gradual exploration and realisation of her sexuality is also important. Everyone regardless of how they define their sexuality comes to realise it and navigate it in different ways. 

The show also tackled straight female sexuality, from Buffy’s loss of virginity to who she thought was the right guy but turned nasty, to Kendra’s shy engagement with boys to Faith’s open and care free attitude, there was always a strong message that sex and sexuality was important and different for each female character in the show  and can mean different things at different times in your life. The main message for young women is, as long as your choices are healthy and make you happy, who really cares?!

Willow: ...and I think I’m kinda gay?

4. What it feels like to be just a girl. 

Buffy isn’t a natural superhero, from the film and the flashbacks she was a cheerleading prom loving girl who was Chosen and had her destiny forced upon her.

From the episode Prophecy Girl where Buffy finds out she’s going to die, to explaining what being a slayer is to her mother and lamenting on wanting to just paint her nails, Buffy struggles with what it means to have so much responsibility, face all the darkness in the world whilst just wanting to be a normal girl.

Whether its discrimination in the workplace, our right to abortions, sexual assault, maternity rights and all the problems women face, it can feel like the weight of the world is on our shoulders and that we are fighting daily battles and making sacrifices just to get by. 

But we’re all just girls, we all have dreams, hopes and aspirations. We all have silly things we do to make ourselves feel better and we all want to be loved and respected.

We all want equality for everyone and right now, to do that, we’ve got to keep slaying.

Kid: But you're... you're just a girl. Buffy: ....That's what I keep saying.

5. Male allies

The men in Buffy are definitely second fiddle but are vital. I’m going to start by admitting that re-watching the first couple of season of Buffy, Xander is a bit dick! Right got that out of my system, but just like the women in the show he grew and learnt and became the heart of the group. From his unwavering support of Buffy, his iconic pep talk with Dawn which makes me cry every time, to saving the world by reminding Willow of her humanity. Xander became the best friend you wish you had.

Giles became Buffy’s father figure quite early on in the series and accepted her for all her faults and never judged her for it. He jeopardised his job by standing up to the patriarchal system that made him her Watcher and pretty much tortured her, he was willing to die and kill for her and took all of her friends under his wing as well. 

It’s important to remind ourselves that Feminism is about equality so if you’re lucky enough to have male allies around you, appreciate their value and support.Yes, they are doing as they should but whilst they may benefit from it more that us, they are also victims of the Patriachy as well.  If they’re fighting to good fight and not intimated by your strength, I say hats off to you sirs!

Buffy: But this is all my fault.

Rupert Giles: No. I don't believe it is. Do you want me to wag my finger at you and tell you that you acted rashly? You did. And I can. I know that you loved him. And he has proven more than once that he loved you. You couldn't have known what would happen. The coming months are gonna be hard. I suspect on all of us, but if it's guilt you're looking for, Buffy, I'm not your man. 

All you will get from me  is my support. And my respect.

7. The Slayer, The Mother, The Geek, The Prom Queen, The Killer, The Demon, The Witch, The Key 

Labels are placed on women all the time and can feel suffocated by the expectations around that, where its mother, career women, whore, virgin, girly or tomboy, society rarely allows to be all these things or none. We have to fall into one group or another and if we try and mix them around we get called up on being contrary or worse - attempting to ‘have it all.’

You can label each one of the main women that make up the Buffyverse but each one defies its stereotype growing into complex and realised people, just like everyday women. 

Buffy was a peppy pretty girl with a secret and evolved to a maternal yet isolated warrior who had grown tired of the weight of being a Slayer, to finally embracing her role as a leader a teacher. Willow was a geek and also an all powerful witch, Faith was a killer but was also vulnerable, Anya was a demon who also was a doting girlfriend. 

Their stereotypes are fantasy extremes but each character was one thing at the start and something different by the end, they are real, three-dimensional women growing, learning, falling and rising up again.

Buffy: I'm cookie dough. I'm not done baking. I'm not finished becoming who ever the hell it is I'm gonna turn out to be. I make it through this, and the next thing, and the next thing, and maybe one day, I turn around and realize I'm ready. I'm cookies.

8. Misogyny can kill even the strongest of women

In one of the weaker seasons of Buffy, season 6 did however thrive in tackling the subject of misogyny.  After Buffy comes back from the dead, she is left feeling lost, alone and seeking sexual solace in Spike, a vampire. When she realises that their relationship isn’t healthy and that she’s been sleeping with him for all the wrong reasons, he doesn’t take it well. He in fact, tries to rape her. This is something that women all over the world face and this theme is furthered by her human nemesis Warren who is particularly sexist and when she asserts her physical strength over him/‘emasculating’ him, he responds by coming into her home, shooting her and killing Tara in the process.

Violence and sexual assault against women is a very real problem in society and no matter how much we tell girls to dress a certain way, to not ‘tease men’ and to ‘cater to their ego’ even the Slayer herself can be victim to a system that perpetuates an idea that women are at fault and men are left blameless. We need to stop this because also we don’t have Willow to turn evil and become a vengeful super witch. 

Willow: You never felt you had the power with her, not until you killed her. 

Warren: Women. You know, you're just like the rest of them. Mind games.

9. Diversity and Intersectionality are key

One of the downfalls of Buffy is its lack of diversity. Show runners have admitted it and done their best to learn from it with future shows paving the way for awesome characters like Zoe Washburne from Firefly and Melinda May from Agents of Shield who are both similar in characteristics to Buffy but also women of colour.  

But one way that the show tackled their shortcomings of diversity with previous characters was when we met The First Slayer. 

The First Slayer was an African woman kidnap and imbued her with demonic powers by 3 men who became The Watcher’s Council. 

Now she’s far from perfect and how the whole concept and how its portrayed is problematic as hell, one might even go as far to say that its pretty racist. 

But they could have easily made The First Slayer white, they could’ve made her ethnically ambiguous etc but by making her black they not only recognized the importance of race and Africa in The Slayer’s origins story but also the in human race itself. 

Here presence itself lead to the origins of other Slayers and Potential Slayers to be slightly more diverse and we see it full effect in the seventh and final season of Buffy The Vampire Slayer from dodging accents, varying sexualities, ethnicities, sub-cultures and general characteristics. The Potentials may also be terrible stereotypes but to some people (me in this case) when it comes to early forms of representing intersectional feminism, I’ll take what I can get.

Either way, Buffy as a character and the‘Wheddonverse’ in general are indebted to the First Slayer.

First Slayer via Tara: You think you know what's to come, what you are. You haven't even begun.

10. The Sisterhood

One thing I’ve always loved about Buffy the Vampire Slayer was the sisterhood. They may not all love each other and be best friends but when it came down to it, they had each others back. From Cordelia stepping up to fight the demons and even offering a vulnerable Buffy a ride home to Willow saving Anya’s life even when she had reverted to being a demon to even Faith proudly being by Buffy’s side in the final fight. Buffy’s friendships and female allies taught us that its important to have different types of women from different backgrounds and opinions and that each add value to your life. Female friendships can be challenging and complex in a world when were are constantly pitted against each other but more than ever its important to celebrate and covet what unites us. 

In the final episode Buffy decides to give up her title by having Willow make every potential slayer an actual Slayer, it’s final message of the show was using that sisterhood to pass on the power and strength to a new generation may it be potential slayers or our daughters and students because whilst we may have made progress, we still having many demons to fight.

Buffy: From now on, every girl in the world who might be a Slayer, will be a Slayer. Every girl who could have the power, will have the power. Can stand up, will stand up. Slayers, every one of us. Make your choice. Are you ready to be strong?