#for her portrayal of Buffy Summers

[sunnydaleherald]

The Sunnydale Herald Newsletter, Tuesday, June 18

Faith: Finally decided to tie me up, huh? I always knew you weren't really a one-Slayer guy. Angel: I'm sorry about the chains. It's not that I don't trust you... Actually, it *is* that I don't trust you. Faith: The thing with Xander; I know what it looked like, but we were just playing. Angel: And he forgot the safety word. Is that it? Faith: Safety words are for wusses.

~~Buffy Episode #49: "Consequences"~~

[Drabbles & Short Fiction]

Tease (Angel/Darla, unrated, multiple xovers) by rhodrymavelyne

Home Is Where the Heart Is (Ensemble, E, SPN xover) by

Quitting Us No More (Buffy/Spike, T) by VeroNyxK84

[Chaptered Fiction]

Highlands and Tropical Islands Ch. 10 (Buffy/Faith, M) by

Three's a Crowd Ch. 4/8 (Jenny/Giles, G) by HAL1500

Devil Inside Ch. 2/? (Buffy/Willow, M) by Xyex

In Case You Haven't Noticed... Ch. 19/? (Buffy/Giles, E) by Sdhuskerfan

Ghostsforge's 21st Century Spangel Challenges 586/? (Spike/Angel, unrated) by Ghostsforge

Casts Shadows Ch. 1/? (Ensemble, T) by arcanedreamer

hit rewind Ch. 60/? (Buffy/Spike, M) by untiljanuary

In the Company of Witches and Slayers: Ch. 71/200 (Willow/Tara, E) by VladimirHarkonnen (TheLightdancer)

The Degradation of Duality [Series Part 2], Chapter 4-5 (Buffy/Spike, E) by Ragini

Maclay Down, Chapter 10 (Buffy/Spike, E) by Soulburnt

The Neighbor's Point of View, Chapter 114 (Buffy/Spike, T) by the_big_bad

The Devil's Trill, Chapter 12 (Buffy/Spike, E) by Murray

Boyfrenemy, Chapter 11-13 (Buffy/Spike, E) by Lady Emma

Morning Stretches, Chapter 4 (Buffy/Spike, E) by CheekyKitten

Carnival , Chapter 1 (Buffy/Spike, M) by Alyot

Indirect Sunlight Only, Chapter 2 (Buffy/Spike, T) by scratchmeout

Bruises, Chapter 23-24 (Buffy/Spike, E) by hulettwyo

Ever After, Chapter 3-6 (Buffy/Spike, T) by Desicat

Love Lives Here, Chapter 77 (Buffy/Spike, E) by Passion4Spike

Something Lost Something Found, Chapter 10 (Buffy/Spike, M) by Safire

The Truth Shall Set You Free, Chapter 1–17 (Buffy/Spike, M) by Geliot99

A Piercing Glance, Chapter 1 (Buffy/Spike, M) by Girlytek

Smoky Darkness, Take Me, Chapter 1 (Buffy/Spike, M) by bruskiboo

The Slayer's New Hope Ch. 15 (Ensemble, G, SG-1 xover) by Buffyworldbuilder

Old Fashioned Romance Ch. 11 (Xander, E, MCU xover) by calikocat

[Images, Audio & Video]

Artwork:End of the World: Zippo Photo shoot (Buffy/Spike) by Dynamite

Artwork:Dexter: Devil's Dance illustration (Faith) by DJSpaceInvader

Artwork:ChiBangel #15 (Buffy/Angel) by MamaBewear

Artwork:Spike & Riley by margueritedaisies

Manip:Much Ado About Xander () by revello-drive-1630

Manip:Cheerleader () by revello-drive-1630

Video: Angel & Cordelia | Let Her Go by Jordan McLaren

[Reviews & Recaps]

Chosen by andthesunwillalwaysshine

PODCAST: BTVS 518 - Intervention by Another Buffy Podcast

[Community Announcements]

Tuesday Prompts: Poem Titles by comment_fic

[Fandom Discussions]

it really is nuts by moistvonlipwig

Wesley going to break Faith out of prison by nicnacsnonsense

An important thing to keep in mind by nicnacsnonsense

You know, I think Angel could have spun the “I only eat evil people now” thing so Darla would have accepted it. by nicnacsnonsense

Kudos to Angel for the growth implied by the soul removal spell in AtS s4. by nicnacsnonsense

DARLA SPIKED HERSELF by momsforroadhead

there’s a whole additional level of deranged going on by nicnacsnonsense

You know how when Wesley shows up in s1 of AtS he’s doing that whole rogue demon hunter thing by nicnacsnonsense

i hate to say it i hope i don’t sound rude but i think maybe buffy summers should stop sleeping with vampires by joe-spookyy

One thing that they did right was portrayal about how hard it to integrate into the scooby gang by there-are-many-ways-to-smile

Let’s be real all of Buffy romantic relationships are horrible. by there-are-many-ways-to-smile

by there-are-many-ways-to-smile

TOP 5 fav spuffy moments since they became canon in no particular order by andthesunwillalwaysshine

two people walking next to each other SHOULD NOT HAVE THIS EFFECT ON ME by raisedbythetv89

i’ve always loved buffy x spike by idknikkip

So I was talking to a friend about binge-watching Buffy/Angel by ladymirdan

I don’t think Olivia shows up, (at least as like her actual self), after Hush. by finalgirl1984

Dopplegangland could’ve been a great episode for Willow to bond with Faith actually. by theredpharaoah

Faith has a completely different relationship with violence than Buffy. by theredpharaoah

YOUR TAGS ON THE SPIKE WILLOW TARA SET by sspoike

My Top 100 Ships (#56: Buffy/Giles) by echoes-fandoms

btvs casting clea duvall to play the unpopular girl by lesbianmarrow

just hit I Only Have Eyes For You on our Buffy rewatch by antiquery

Watching Angel S2 alongside Buffy S5 is extremely overrated by AndHerSymbols

Anyone else miss the well timed scream in the first 3 season intros? by AxelNoir

Do you wish we could have seen Buffy, Faith and Kendra in a scene together? by IntelligentPumpkin74

The deeper I get into Angel, the less I like Wesley by KuzyBeCackling

Favorite Willow and Giles moment? by Tytthetha

Who created the spell which doesn’t allow Vampires to enter without permission? by AegeanAzure

People who never watched Angel, please do it. by kindaweird0

How many men watch buffy? by Bpd_embroiderer18

How was it like to watch Buffy come back from the dead when it was airing? by brwitch

Which group or entity was most frustrating as a concept? by InfiniteMehdiLove

I still can’t get over it that they pulled the plug after AtS season 5 by SneakoGonzales

Does Whedon just hate Charisma?? by EuphoricNebula1947

Anyone else find the quality of stunt actors horrendous but hilarious? by Drm5145

Favorite moment between the Summer Sisters? by Tytthetha

Can anyone tell me why these fellas needed 7 hearts? by Soulless--Plague

Just Watched “Passion” Wow! by Organic_Individual52

End of my re-watch. by SharpieD85

Finding Reference Picture by Mysterious-Angle8457

I don't actually hate Xander... here's why by Weary_Tap_8299

even tho i ship spike/buffy, drusilla/darla these two were so iconic by melaniemoth13

Season 7 contradiction? by Kammym1021

SMG stunt double by Kammym1021

Faith, and how the Buffyverse treats redemptions by jogaforacont

"Helpless"; Watcher's Council. by Big-Restaurant-2766

What would Cordelia be like if she magically got the slayer powers instead of Faith? by Eagles56

Examples of teen dialogue written by middle-aged adults by Tuxedo_Mark

Buffy should have let him blow his head off by Wutanghang

Was Faith from a religious background? by IntelligentPumpkin74

Xander's reasoning in OMWF by sxlor

The Actors that Played the Potential Slayers by Tuxedo_Mark

What are Alyson Hannigan and Amber Benson saying here? by Background-Neat-8906

[Articles, Interviews, and Other News]

PUBLICATION: 32 Times Angel Proved Buffy Should Have Picked Him by Cinemablend

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Join the editor team :)

[evilwickedme]

Gail's Blorbo Showdown

On the contenders:

Buffy Summers is the title character and maim protagonist of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, my all time favorite TV show. She is the chosen one, given superhuman strength and reflex to hunt vampires and demons and forces of darkness. Most Slayers die tragically young, but Buffy's different - she's a valley girl got friends!! Also the show is a metaphor for her growing up and her mental mental health and sexuality and stuff. She's pretty funny and a lot smarter than some of the people in her life (including herself) like to give her credit for.

Peter Parker or Spider-Man is easily the most well known character on this blorbo list. Do I... Do I have to introduce him? Really? I mean I guess I will cause everyone else gets a little paragraph, but wouldn't it be funny if one of the most pathetic men in fiction just didn't get the basic thing every other character got? Anyway Peter got bit by a radioactive spider, got a bunch of superpowers, didn't use them responsibly, his uncle died, he became the superhero known as Spider-Man vowing to use his great power etc etc. He's here pretty much equally for the original comics and for Andrew Garfield's portrayal in the Webb movies, which changed my brain chemistry for good for real.

Blorbo Showdown masterpost here

[girldox]

Independent & highly selective multi-muse consisting of characters from predominantly 90s to 2000s sources of media. Taking inspiration from the terrors of girlhood, NyloMag and CosmoGIRL! magazines circa noughties, the "mean girl" trope in film and television, and the start of the internet and myspace age. All characters are headcanon based, often with a twist of supernatural mythology attached to their portrayal. Tracking: #girldox, [she/her, 22, uk]. Muses listed down below! ✩

Film, [ * for highest muse.

Baby Firefly, House of 1000 Corpses (2003). * Faceclaim: Sheri Moon Zombie.

Jasminder "Jess" Bharma, Bend It Like Beckham (2002). Faceclaim: Parminder Nagra.

Jennifer Check, Jennifer's Body (2009). * Faceclaim: Megan Fox.

Karen Shetty, Mean Girls (2024). Faceclaim: Avantika Vandanapu.

Katarina "Kat" Stratford, 10 Things I Hate About You (1999). Faceclaim: Julia Stiles.

Kirby Reed, Scream 4 (2011). * Faceclaim: Elisha Cuthbert.

Lux Lisbon, The Virgin Suicides (1999). Faceclaim: Kirsten Dunst.

Mikaela Banes, Transformers Franchise. Faceclaim: Megan Fox.

Rachel Kelly, Coyote Ugly (2000). Faceclaim: Gabbriette Bechtel.

Suki Suzuki, 2 Fast 2 Furious (2003). Faceclaim: Devon Aoki.

Television, [ * for highest muse.

Adriana La Cerva, The Sopranos. * Faceclaim: Drea De Matteo.

Alison Dilaurentis, Pretty Little Liars. Faceclaim: Sasha Pieterse. Seasons 1-4 based.

Aria Montgomery, Pretty Little Liars. * Faceclaim: Lucy Hale. Seasons 1-4 based.

Ashley Banks, The Fresh Prince of Bel Air. Faceclaim: Tatyana Ali. Seasons 3-6 based.

Blair Waldorf, Gossip Girl, based within American Horror Story "Coven". * Faceclaim: Leighton Meester.

Bonnie Bennett, The Vampire Diaries. Faceclaim: Victoria/PinkPantheress. Seasons 1-3 based.

Chaka Henson, MTV's Downtown (1999). Faceclaim: Jessica Alba.

Claire Kyle, My Wife and Kids (2001). Faceclaim: Jennifer Freeman.

Cordelia Chase, Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1997). Faceclaim: Charisma Carpenter.

Jackie Burkhart, That 70's Show (1998). Faceclaim: Tara Thompson.

Katerina "Katherine Pierce" Petrova, The Vampire Diaries. * Faceclaim: Haifa Wehbe. Seasons 2-3 based.

Lorelai Gilmore, Gilmore Girls (2000). * Faceclaim: Lauren Graham.

Summer Roberts, The O.C. (2003). * Faceclaim: Rachel Bilson.

Miscellaneous, [ * for highest muse.

Yasmin Khan, original character. Faceclaim: Kareena Kapoor. Inspired by Scream 2 & Sorority Row.

[barkingbonzo]

Sarah Michelle Gellar

Sarah Michelle Gellar born April 14, 1977. Is an American actress. After being spotted by a talent agent as a young child, she made her film debut at age six in the television film An Invasion of Privacy (1983). A leading role in the short-lived teen drama series Swans Crossing (1992) was followed by her breakthrough as Kendall Hart on the ABC soap opera All My Children (1993–1995), for which she won a Daytime Emmy Award.

Gellar achieved international recognition for her portrayal of Buffy Summers on the WB/UPN series Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1997–2003), which earned her five Teen Choice Awards, a Saturn Award, and a Golden Globe nomination. Her films have grossed in excess of US$570 million at the worldwide box office, with credits including I Know What You Did Last Summer (1997), Scream 2 (1997), Cruel Intentions (1999), Scooby-Doo (2002), Scooby-Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed (2004), The Grudge (2004), Southland Tales (2006), TMNT (2007), and Do Revenge (2022)

[momsopposed2theoccult]

You can really tell that Kristen Bell’s portrayal of Veronica Mars was at least partially influenced by Sarah Michelle Gellar’s portrayal of Buffy Summers, and that years later Kristen Bell brought a little bit of Veronica into her portrayal of Eleanor Shellstrop, meaning there’s also a little bit of Buffy in Eleanor.

[carlos-tk]

hello beloved and happy nice ask week !!

i know we talked briefly in replies about buddy the vampire slayer, so i wanted to ask what you fav season, character, couple and villain from it are !! + if you wanna use this to gush about any other shows/characters you like feel free to (/nf) <3

Hi my dear Flare 💗

Thank you for giving me a chance to talk about my forever gal Buffy 👩🏼

My favourite character: Of course it has to be Buffy Summers. Strongest girl in the universe. I love everything about her. Her strength, her courage, her personality, her sarcasm and wit, her kindness, how much love she has for everyone around her 💗 She’s dynamic, she’s layered, she makes mistakes and she isn’t perfect. She just feels like a real person that you want to root for. We got to watch her go from adolescent to adult and persevere and survive it all. I could talk about her for hours!! SMG gives such a great portrayal of her and it’s hard to imagine anyone else in the role

Favourite episode god there’s so many good ones! Let me just say ‘The Body’ S5 E16 is one of if not the best episode of television ever, one that you’ll rarely ever want to watch again. It’s a beautiful, heartwrenching exploration of grief and mourning. and in a show that deals with so much death and destruction from monsters the worst loss you have is a human death by natural causes 💔 That episode is so hard to revisit so I’m gonna give you a favourite that is a fun one! ‘Tabula Rasa’ S6 E08. In the episode, a spell goes bad and every character forgets who they are and it’s just so funny. You get a lot of references to earlier episodes and funny jabs about the characters usual selves and the comedy was a nice break from how serious the rest of the season is

My fave couple obviously involves Buffy herself. Spuffy or Spike x Buffy! Vampire slayer and vampire. Literally trying to kill each other enemies to lovers excellence. There’s a lot to say about this ship but the thing I fell in love with most about this paring is the fact they just capture your attention in any phase of their relationship. They're just so interesting!! The constantly changing dynamic is just something special. You’re invested when they're enemies, when they're reluctant allies, when they're lovers, and when they're something undefinable by the final season. Their journey is a long one fraught with so many differences and similarities to become a real love story. But in saying that the ship was definitely toxic and not all that healthy at times but whatever!! and I understand people who don’t like it because the writers certainly made a choice in one particular episode that really does sour the relationship. Also sorry not sorry if you’re a Bangel fan lol 😅 I have some fave ship quotes I can share too because look at the material:

“When I say I love you, it’s not because I want you, or because I can’t have you – it has nothing to do with me. I love what you are, what you do, how you try… I’ve seen your kindness, and your strength, I’ve seen the best and the worst of you and I understand with perfect clarity exactly what you are. You’re a hell of a woman. You’re the one” LIKE they wrote that and I was supposed to be normal about it!! Impossible!!

“No you have to stay”, “You’ve got another demon fighting for you”, “That’s not why I need you here”, “Is that right? Why then?” “Because I’m not ready for you to not be here”(screaming btw!!)

“But I want you to know I did save you. Not when it counted, of course, but after that. Every night after that. I'd see it all again, do something different. Faster or more clever, you know? Dozens of times, lots of different ways. Every night I save you”

“Buffy, shame on you. Why does a man do what he musn't? For her. To be hers. To be the kind of man who would nev... To be a kind of man. And she shall look on him with forgiveness and everybody will forgive and love. And he will be loved”

“I've lived for sodding ever, Buffy. I've done everything. I've done things with you I can't spell, but I've never been close to anyone, least of all you until last night. All I did was hold you, watch you sleep and it was the best night of my life. So, yeah, I'm terrified”

This is them in the final episode btw and I cry everytime 😭❤️

Fave season has to be S3. Buffy’s last year of high school and the introduction of Faith, another slayer! The ‘big bad’ of the season Mayor Wilkins is one of the best too. It had great overarching themes, amazing character development and a satisfying conclusion. The season as a whole is probably the series most consistent and some of the best episodes are from it. It is just stacked with contenders if I sat here and named it would be the whole season 😂 ‘The Wish’ is a goodie, ‘The Prom’ is <3 ‘Helpless’ is just !!!! and the 2 part finale ‘Graduation Day’ is spectacular! It’s a fan favourite with good reason

The best villain is so hard because there’s so many great options, I’d say S3s Mayor Wilkins or S5s Glory. Mayor Wilkins is a reminder that the worst guy in the world is probably a white male politician lol!! he was also a demonic snake for anyone that doesn’t know 😂 and Glory! Buffy battled all kinds of vampires and demons and the S5 rolls around and her enemy is a legit God from a hell dimension😳 and by far the worst has to be S6s pack of complete losers ‘The Trio’ that these days we’d call incels 😂

Thank you for joining me on this journey of my og hyper fixation ❤️ and if anyone wants to ask me more about my fave shows pls do!!

[boopsher]

#BOOPSHER         ,         A   DEPENDENT   PORTRAYAL   OF   KRIS   STATLANDER   FOR   BEACHBREAKHQ.

inspirations for this portrayal include . . . robin buckley , buffy summers , & effy stonem . certified cool girl , ink addict , weird pet owner , and best friend extraordinaire . astrophile , gamer , dungeons & dragons enthusiast . voted most likely to be a pansexual trainwreck for absolutely no reason . this portrayal does not acknowledge her relationship with caleb konley , and is a mixture of both kayfabe and non - kayfabe elements . open to all varieties of plots , ships with strong chemistry only . discord available ♡

[velvethopewrites]

Name 10 Characters from 10 Fandoms that You Love:

Thanks for the tag @moonlightchess 🥰 ! To make it tougher on myself I am going to limit this to tv show characters. *cracks knuckles* Also, this got so long I made a new post, sorry. Let’s see:

Dana Scully, X-Files. One of my first fandoms (and also one of my first girl crushes) I adored the skeptical, scientific redhead right down to her patented leather pumps. She gave as good as she got and I always respected the way Gillian Anderson played her - as a real person, not just some female sidekick, but as a fully formed woman with flaws and strengths and guh. We take it for granted now, but trust me when the X-Files was first on? There was no one else giving us girl boss vibes like Scully. She could hold her own and then some.

Buffy Summers/Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Ah yes, the slayer. I could have easily answered this with Willow (and thus cementing my bizarre need to like every redhead ever) but in the end I went with Buffy. She’s the reason I tuned in every Tuesday night, after all, and I always thought her character was just…I don’t want to say perfect, because she’s anything but - she’s flawed, and she screws up, and boy, does she screw up, but god damn the girl TRIES so hard - she fights, she kicks ass, yes, but she also gets her assed kicked and hell, she even dies (twice) and thanks to a once in a life-time performance from Sarah Michelle Gellar, she is one of the most amazing characters to ever be on a tv series, let alone one of the best female ones. Are some of the episodes now problematic? Of course. Does that take away from my enjoyment and love of the character? No. Buffy blazed a trail and those who would poo-poo her importance can’t remember what a dearth of strong women we had back then. It was bleak, people. Bleak.

Castiel/Supernatural. Yes, yes, Supernatural is on this list. Deal with it. I love him, your honor. Why? It’s not because he’s an angel, it’s not because he’s hot (neither of those things actually hurt him though, heh) but there is something about Castiel that calls to me - his awkwardness, his complete misunderstanding of social cues, his over doof-ness. Also his gentleness and his smite-yness. He makes mistakes, he screws up but he tries, so hard. (Do we see a trend here? 🤔) I just know I would not have continued down the SPN rabbit hole if it hadn’t been for his character. Does this make me Dean-coded or Cas-coded? Don’t know, don’t care. Just give me the damn angel. All the time.

Lois Lane/Smallville Now this one might be a tiny cheat, because I was a HUGE Lois Lane fan girl when I was a kid because of the movies. But honestly, as much as I enjoy Margot Kidder’s performance, Erica Durance’s nuanced, enjoyable, kick-ass (Stiletto, anyone?) portrayal of our intrepid news woman makes my heart pitter-pat and my blood pressure go up. She’s such a great character - she has to be, right? I mean, she has to go toe to toe with freaking Superman. Damn straight she’s gotta kick butt in all the ways. I could watch Lois be Lois for 48 minutes straight and not miss a beat.

Rose Tyler/Doctor Who. Okay, so this list is getting long because I talk too much. Sorry. Suffice it to say I fell in love with Doctor Who much like Rose did. They say you never get over your first doctor but I also say you never get over your first companion. She made a crazy alien guy in a blue box more human and more watchable just by shining her own humanity on things. ‘Nuff said.

Veronica Mars/Veronica Mars. She’s a teenage detective. Hell yeah, I love her. Tv Noir is a thing because of our marshmallow. I honestly wish I were as brave as Veronica, which is the best thing to say about a character, when you get down to it.

Jadzia Dax/Deep Space Nine. Nerd alert: I’m a Star Trek girl. Jadzia is a Trill which means she has a Symbiant in her belly that keeps all of her past lives inside her. So, basically, she’s been alive for over 300 years and has had a handful of different hosts, with all of their experiences and memories converging in one person. She’s been male, female, a father, a mother, a husband, a wife, a pilot, a science officer, etc etc you get the picture. She’s fantastic. One of the best characters in any show I have ever watched, hands down.

Molly Hooper/BBC Sherlock. Yeah. I don’t know. I just really like Molly. Maybe I can (over) identify with her crush on the unattainable male lead, I dunno. Yes, Johnlock is a thing. I get it. I read it. I have to admit to reading Sherlolly as well. It’s all about the wish-fulfillment in this one, I have to admit. I also just really enjoy the character growth Motiss gave her (although it went to shit in series 4, what the hell, of course the whole show sucked in series 4)

Data/Star Trek Next Generation. Like Castiel above, Data is awkward, doesn’t understand social clues and is all an around odd duck. But he longs to one day be human and I say, brother, you’re an android, fuck yeah, you go DO that. Told you I was a nerd.

Zoe Washburne/Firefly. I love Zoe. She’s the type of woman that has always intimidated me (while I also secretly long to be her). For one thing, Gina Torres is amazing. And she plays her so perfectly. Some people might see Zoe as the cold soldier - the woman that doesn’t feel-and Torres throws that in your face and plays her like a human fucking being who’s just really good at shooting people, that’s all. God, I love Zoe. When I grow up I want to be just like her.

Wow. I did not mean for this to be a feminist manifesto of all my favorite characters, but there you go. I tag: @late-to-the-fandom @alonelyturtle @readysetjo and @clarkenting

[thehorrortree]

Continuing the series on actors within the horror genre who have written books is this next entry on those who have ventured into cooking. Among this group of actors-turned-authors who have shared their passion for cooking is horror-film icon Vincent Price, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, aka, Sarah Michelle Gellar, and Machete star Danny Trejo. VINCENT PRICE Starting this list is horror icon, Vincent Price, who starred in many horror classics including House on Haunted Hill, The Fly, Witchfinders General, The Abominable Dr. Phibes and The Last Man on Earth. Besides his prolific work as an actor, Mr. Price was also a connoisseur of fine art and gourmet dining. Mr. Price was also a prolific writer as well, a few of which were cookbooks. Mr. Price's first cookbook was A Treasury of Great Recipes, followed by Come Into the Kitchen, and Cooking Price-Wise. All of them showcase Mr. Price's favorite recipes that he compiled with his wife and daughter, who also shared a love of good food. The featured video below shows one of Mr. Price's favorite dishes that he loves to serve to both family and guests. [video width="1440" height="1080" mp4="https://horrortree.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/Y2Mate.is-Vincent-Price-Cooking-Lesson-Roast-Pork-With-Prunes-QlsNd7sjQxc-1080p-1659003497654.mp4"][/video]   SARAH MICHELLE GELLAR Sarah Michelle Gellar is best known for her role as the titular character in Joss Whedon's television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer, which was itself a remake of the 1992 movie starring Kristy Swanson. Besides her popular portrayal of the vampire-slaying Buffy Summers, Sarah has also played the villainous Kathryn Merteuill in Cruel Intentions and Daphne Blake in the live-action Scooby-Doo movie. It was in the latter that she starred alongside her future husband, Freddie Prinze, Jr. Besides acting, Mrs. Gellar has shown both a passion and talent for cooking. In her book Stirring Up Fun with Food Sarah has compiled several recipes that she created for her kids to inspire both a healthy love of cooking, as well as an appreciation for eating healthy, for all children. In the video below Sarah shares 3 simple recipes for creating healthy snacks. [video width="1280" height="720" mp4="https://horrortree.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/Y2Mate.is-Sarah-Michelle-Gellar-shares-3-delicious-and-simple-snacks-for-kids-qwaVmaa1iKY-720p-1659002313091.mp4"][/video]   DANNY TREJO  Finally, on our list of actors who have written cookbooks is Danny Trejo, nicknamed "The Mexican Charles Bronson." Senor Trejo has starred in such films as Machete/Machete Kills, Predators, Rob Zombies Halloween, and Dead in Tombstone to name but a few of his many films. Besides starring in many popular action and horror films, Danny has written books as well. Trejo: My Life of Crime, Redemption, and Hollywood details his journey from being on the wrong side of the law, to his lucky break in the movies, and how he has used his unique experience to help others who likewise needed a second chance.  In Trejo's Tacos: Recipes and Stories from L.A. , Danny speaks of something else he's passionate about: food. Trejo's Taco's features some of the actor's favorite recipes taken directly from the restaurant chain he owns in Los Angeles. The video below shows a few examples of the kind of recipes that you can find in his cookbook. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6owykbJ2htw That's it for now. May everyone have a blessed Christmas and a happy New Year! Oh...and Bone Appetite!

[solocommaben]

Indie Ben Solo RP Blog

Follow-backs come from @little-miss-buffy

Blog Roll:

Buffy Summers

Hayley Marshall

Angel/Angelus

Chloe Decker

This is an adaptation of Ben Solo AFTER the end of Rise of Skywalker. Instead of dying, Ben gives her enough life force until he hears her breathing and feels a pulse and then gets her back to the rebel base so she can get the proper medical attention. At this point, Kylo Ren is gone, so this is going to be JUST Ben Solo. This is a semi-OC portrayal given that we only see Ben Solo as his old self for eight minutes and all we know about him is that he's a better fighter, he's a combination of his father and his grandfather, he's probably struggling with his guilt and what to do now that he's come home, and right now, he's all about Rey.

Rules

Do I really need to put a "no hate phobic" statement up? You people should know better. That being said, IT'S NOT TOLERATED HERE. Do it and I block you.

DO NOT REBLOG MY RP THREADS IF YOU ARE NOT PART OF THEM. I've had this problem many times. If I have to talk to you three times, you're getting blocked.

If I'm not familiar with a Fandom, I won't write within that Fandom. Please don't try and make me. It's stressful.

If I'm doing something that you don't like, TELL ME UP FRONT. Don't vague-post hoping I'll "take a hint" and then approach you and then send me a nasty message when I ask you what's going on. We're all adults. If I'm doing something you don't like, just say, "Hey, don't do that. I don't like it." We're all adults. Act like it.

Don't hop on any of my closed threads if you're not involved in it or if it has nothing to do with your muse. Especially, if you're just on there to be a bitch.

I have Borderline Personality Disorder and other diagnoses. Please be patient with me.

I'm still learning the ropes of RP. Be patient with me.

I make a lot of edits with characters I ship together, but that doesn't necessarily mean I ship our muses together. I do love shipping, though so we can talk about it.

I'm socially awkward and I sometimes worry about being too overbearing. Please let me know if I am.

This is a NSFW friendly blog. I'll try to remember to use tags. If I don't tag it, remind me.

I have no problem with writing smut, but I'm not great at it.

I also love crossovers and AUs depending on the characters.

My writing style varies. Sometimes my answers are one liners, sometimes they're long. It depends, but bear with me.

[feetpiclovers]

Sarah Michelle Gellar is an American actress. She started her career as a child artist when a talent agent noticed her. Gellar is internationally recognized for her portrayal of Buffy Summers in the supernatural drama series Buffy the Vampire Slayer from 1993 to 1995. She played a lead role in the short-lived teen drama series Swans Crossing in 1992.

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This may develop an interest in the feet pics and they might view Sarah Michelle Gellar's feet pics to enjoy their fetishism. If you are also looking for feet pics, try FeetFinder where you can easily search and buy feet pics. You can choose from a variety of foot pics and order a custom request as well.

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Continue talking about Sarah Michelle Gellar's feet pics, life, and career.

[slaychose]

˗ˏˋ𓆩 † 𓆪ˊˎ˗ someone has to stain their hands,  𝑠𝑜𝑚𝑒𝑜𝑛𝑒 ℎ𝑎𝑠 𝑔𝑜𝑡𝑡𝑎 𝑏𝑙𝑒𝑒𝑑 . . .    a selective and private blog for benicia "buffy" summers from buffy the vampire slayer, strictly show based with influences taken from gothic horror  *  (   HEADCANON & ALTERNATE UNIVERSE HEAVY  + sideblog to @poppyvale

A CLOSER LOOK INTO . . . giving into fate, a savior complex, coming back wrong, the would-be prom queen, an angel's clipped wings, the religious atheist, youth tainted by grief, & the girl everyone has warned you about

ִֶָ MOBILE RULES.

⁰⁰¹ ) this is an independent & private blog for benicia "buffy" summers from buffy the vampire slayer. this is a very anti-joss wh/edon blog he is shit and basically the lore is my city now and i'm playing fast and loose with canon. i have not read the buffy comics nor do i plan on it since i am heavily critical of any post-season 5 content. NOTE: i write buffy as chicana and it is a cornerstone of my portrayal

⁰⁰² ) this is a multiverse / crossover-friendly / multiship blog. this account will be low activity and operating on a mutuals only basis for the sake of my time and comfort. i like to keep my following small and this blog is mostly for friends and other writing partners i'm close with.

⁰⁰³ ) there will be gore / violence / sexual themes present on this blog given the nature of the series. if at any point you feel uncomfortable with this content please feel free to unfollow for your own comfort and safety.

⁰⁰⁴ ) that being said both the mun and the muse are 21+ and i rather no one under the age of 18 follow me for the comfort of both parties involved. i write buffy in her university years and don't really plan on writing any high school-based threads unless heavily plotted.

⁰⁰⁵ )  on principle, i will not be following back blogs that do not have a rules page. i also won't follow blogs that don't have at least some writing on their blog. this is is not to judge people based on their activity level but to see if i feel like our writing styles are complimentary!

⁰⁰⁶ )     all graphics and writing found on this my blog are my own. please do not steal either from me. this same rule applies to any personal headcanons or verses on my blog. if i see any of this content lifted i will notice and i will approach you.

⁰⁰⁷ )     lastly, i’m corazón your local latina jew. i’m 26 years old and go by she / they pronouns. i am a full-time graphic designer so my writing and activity may be sporadic at times so please be patient with me

[avengersrewatch]

M3: The Man in the Ant Hill

For those doing the rewatch on Diseny+, the minisode "The Man in the Ant Hill" is the first part of the 7th episode of the series which has the same title.

These episodes that are compiled out of the minsodes must be really odd to sit through for someone just trying to watch the series. You'd watch the first two and then be like, "man these episodes have a weird structure like they don't know how to plot a show."

Anyway, "The Man in the Ant Hill" introduces us to Hank Pym (Ant-man) and, more importantly, Janet Van Dyne (the Wasp), who I love on this show so much. It's such a fun portrayal of Jan, lighter and more youthful.

I also think she's a really great heroine for young girls (a lot of the superhero cartoons are geared for boys). She's very "girly" in a Buffy Summers way, small, and cute but still able to beat you up. I really wanted a Halloween costume of this version of the Wasp in my size (sadly, adult). And I'm even sadder they never made it in kid size either.

Look how cute she is:

Her boots make a W!!!

I know some people didn't like the art in this series, but I thought it was unique. It took some getting used to but the actual quality of the animation is much better than Avengers Assemble and some of the more recent shows. I don't think they show as much attention to detail.

Goons working for Ulysses Klaw (which was spelled Klaue in Black Panther) attack Ant-Man, who has been brought into a SHIELD base in Africa because SHIELD has discovered a bit of vibranium.

It's interesting to look back on this, because clearly the show doesn't expect a child to be familiar with the words "Wakanda" and "vibranium." There's a lot of build up to Black Panther showing up. I do like this portrayal of T'Challa once he actually shows up. (Wait for it.)

But it's funny how the show expects Hank Pym to be better known to kids than Black Panther. Oh, the past.

Obviously, in the Avengers movie they opted to go with Hawkeye and Black Widow to round out the cast (and actually include a girl--yuck! Cooties). This show decided to keep the original five Avengers from the comic book. The MCU kept the original villain-Loki. EMHU kept the Avengers but changed the villain.

I guess the love for Tom Hiddleston and Black Panther are two things this show did not anticipate.

Hank's first monologue is to his own tape recorder about the supposed uses of vibranium. And while today's child would think

once someone mentions vibranium, this show has Klaue come in and talk about it some more.

Hank tells him to set up an appointment with Janet. I take umbrage to this line. She's not your secretary, Hank. She's your girlfriend.

And I think that is a huge difference between the EMHU and the MCU. EMHU was determined to make Hank happen and the MCU straight bailed.

By this time, newer fans of Marvel were coming to know Hank as the Avenger that beats his wife.

It's an interesting dichotomy, by avoiding the spousal abuse element (as Feige speaks about in the above linked article) and pivoting to Scott Lang's version of Ant-man (who does show up in the EMHU, but later! Spoilers!) it actually made "the Wasp"--whether the Janet or Hope van Dyne version--less important to the films. I'd argue that Hope is a pretty bland character and Janet is better. But that's my opinion. The MCU opted to create this "new" Wasp in Hope but she doesn't have any backstory to her--literally. Janet had 60 years of stories at this point. (The other Wasp, Nadia Van Dyne wasn't created when this show aired in 2010.)

Klaw has his sonic canon in this but has not yet lost his arm. Avengers: Age of Ultron also starts with him having an arm. Many of the villains already have their comic book powers or weapons when this story starts. Klaw gets more storytime because the show uses him to introduce Black Panther. (Again more on that later!)

Hank shrinks everyone down. Klaw is like "oh my gott we are tiny" (I am not sure what this accent is supposed to be).

Janet only shows up at the very end after all the fighting has happened. She flies in worried about Hank but he's doing science and tells her to make sure the guys he beat up aren't eaten by the ants.

Janet makes a funny "ew" face because she's adorable instead of telling him off for asking her to do his dirty work. This dynamic shall continue for some time. And eventually lead younger me to write a fanfiction where Janet ditches Hank for the Hulk.

Rating: Eh, if you're interested.

[marshmallow-the-vampire-slayer]

btvs rewatch ✞ 6x17 Normal Again

[diwatera]

LGBTQ+ Movies I Watched Recently (Part 2)

Happiest Season (2020) dir. Clea DuVall

Short Summary: Abby plans on proposing to Harper when they visit Harper’s family for the holidays. Her plans get derailed when she learns that Harper hasn’t come out to her family yet.

Why you should watch it: Not gonna lie, Mackenzie Davis drew me to this movie; I’ve been in love with her ever since San Junipero came out. Add Kristen Stewart, Aubrey Plaza and Dan Levy to the mix and I’m sold. If you want a sapphic romance with a happy ending, this one’s for you. 

Été 85 (2020) dir.  François Ozon

Short Summary: Alexis recounts his six-week love affair with David during the summer of ‘85. 

Why you should watch it: If you love 80s aesthetic and music, you definitely should watch this. The movie made me nostalgic of that decade and I wasn’t even alive back then! It’s a whirlwind summer romance reminiscent of Call Me by Your Name but with a more devastating twist.

Getting Go: The Go Doc Project (2013) dir. Cory James Krueckeberg

Short Summary: An obsessed college boy pursues his internet crush through the pretext of making a documentary about him.

Why you should watch it: The script and the acting are the one-two punch of this film. The writing is incredibly genuine, and both of the actors’ performances made the lines feel even more natural. I’m not the biggest fan of mockumentary-style films, but this one felt like it was a recording of my own life. Hyper-obsessive college grad with a Tumblr blog? Might as well have called out half the population of this damn site.

Pihalla (2017) dir. Nils-Erik Ekblom

Short Summary: Miku and Elias find themselves, and each other, during a summer in the Finnish countryside.

Why you should watch it: I’m a sucker for gays in the countryside™ and although this one is not quite up there with God’s Own Country and Call Me by Your Name, it still makes for a good watch. Miku as a character and his relationship with his parents was chaotic and fun. His relationship with Elias felt really natural and dreamy. 

You, Me and Him (2017) dir. Daisy Aitkens

Short Summary: Olivia, a mature responsible lawyer, wants to have a baby, but her girlfriend Alex isn’t ready for the responsibility. Things get even more complicated when their flirty neighbour, John, joins the picture. 

Why you should watch it: It is one of the most feel-good lesbian romcoms I have seen in a while. But I warn you, there are some dark parts that can really sneak up on you. Yeah, it’s hilarious, but damn it made me ugly cry, too. Oh, and if you want to see David Tennant as an alpha male douchebag, here’s your chance. (CW: **spoiler alert** p̶r̶e̶g̶n̶a̶n̶c̶y̶ ̶l̶o̶s̶s̶ )

Giant Little Ones (2018) dir. Keith Behrman 

Short Summary: Franky and Ballas have been best friends since childhood, both on the swimming team, both incredibly popular. But after an incident during Franky’s birthday, they quickly fall apart and Franky falls from grace.

Why you should watch it: I think the film captures just how tumultuous coming-of-age stories are. Franky is going through his own journey of self-identity, and I’m happy that the movie didn’t rush in with labels. The conversation Franky has with his dad at the end also hits hard.  (CW: physical assault, allusions to sexual assault)

Our Love Story (2016) dir. HyunJu Lee

Short Summary: A fine arts student meets an attractive bartender, and the two women begin an intimate relationship.

Why you should watch it: It’s a very intimate love story that isn’t rushed or dragged out for too long. We definitely see Yoon-Jo and Ji-Soo’s relationship bloom from start to end, but it’s not mind-numbingly boring to watch. Raw and unembellished, I definitely recommend this to anyone looking for a realistic portrayal of wlw romance.

Die Mitte der Welt (2016) dir. Jakob M. Erwa

Short Summary: The film follows Phil and his relationship with his family, his best friend, and a newcomer at his school, Nicholas.

Why you should watch it: This is technically a second watch for me, and I’m glad I rewatched it, because I was able to catch some glaring red flags that I missed the first time. I love this movie in spite of all the heartache it caused me. The story, especially the deal with Phil’s family, struck a chord in me. And the shots! Visually stunning as well! 

Les Amours Imaginaires (2010) dir. Xavier Dolan

Short Summary: Marie and Francis’ friendship is put to the test when a beautiful boy called Nicolas comes between them. 

Why you should watch it: Watch it for the visuals -- the colors, the costumes, the cast. Seriously, the actors included here may as well be kept in the Louvre: Xavier Dolan, Neils Schneider, Monia Chokri, hell, even a cameo from Louis Garrel! Dolan said it himself that this is a shallow film, but it’s worth the watch just to see Neils Schneider wearing heart-shaped glasses.

Closet Monster (2015)  dir. Stephen Dunn

Short Summary: A creative and driven teenager is desperate to escape his hometown and the haunting memories of his turbulent childhood.

Why you should watch it: Right off the bat, I am going to say that this film is dark. I tried watching it back in college but tapped out within the first ten minutes because something traumatic happens. Then I tried again about a week ago, finished it this time. It’s actually a very moving film. It’s violent and gory in some parts, but also ridiculous and wholesome in other parts. IT HAS A TALKING HAMSTER NAMED BUFFY! BUFFY WAS THE STAR OF THIS MOVIE FOR ME. (CW: gay bashing/sexual assault)

Straight Up (2020) dir. James Sweeney

Short Summary: Todd and Rory are intellectual soul mates. He might be gay but she might not care.

Why you should watch it: The dialogue in this film is undeniably sharp and witty. Loved the fast-paced back and forth between the two main characters as they discuss relationships, sex, gender, and more. James Sweeney and Katie Findlay’s chemistry just pulled you into the screen. It was funny, it was sweet, it was heartwrenching, it was great! (CW: allusions to sexual assault)

Latter Days (2003) dir. C. Jay Cox

Short Summary: A promiscuous gay party animal falls for a young Mormon missionary, leading to crisis, cliché, and catastrophe.

Why you should watch it: I saw this in santiagonex’s top 20 LGBTQ+ films with happy endings, and I honestly thought it was gonna be a feel-good watch. Instead, I got a rollercoaster melodrama filled with early 2000s gay culture, religious guilt, buttcheeks, and Joseph Gordon-Levitt. Needless to say, I got more than I bargained for. (CW: self-harm, conversion therapy)

The Old Guard (2020) dir. Gina Prince-Blythewood

Short Summary:  A covert team of immortal mercenaries are suddenly exposed and must now fight to keep their identity a secret just as an unexpected new member is discovered.

Why you should watch it: Okay, I was debating whether I should include this here, because it’s not necessarily an LGBTQ+ film as much as it is an action film with queer characters. I decided to include it, because JESUS! I have never seen such respectful and well-written representation of queer characters and relationships. Joe and Nicky are the most unproblematic couple in history. PERIOD. Pray for sequels, everyone. This is the kind of representation we deserve in mainstream media. 

. . .

Click here for more LGBTQ+ film recs

[hamliet]

The Girl Who Gets to Have It All: Buffy Summers

So with @linkspooky​‘s encouragement, I have binged Buffy the Vampire Slayer and relived my childhood culture. And, it's a 10/10 for me. Not that it doesn't have flaws, but it's genuinely one of the best stories I've seen, with consistent character arcs, powerful themes, and a beautiful message. It's also like... purportedly about vampires and demons and superpowered chosen ones, but it's actually all about humanity.

Buffy was able to be a teenage girl, allowed to like the things teen girls are scorned for (boys, shopping, etc), to be insecure about the thing teenage girls are insecure about (future careers, dating, school, parents), and to be a superhero with its good and its bad aspects. The story wasn’t afraid to call Buffy on her flaws (sometimes she got in a very ‘I am the righteous chosen one’ mode) and to respect and honor each of her desires (to be a good person, to be loved, and more). The story listened to what she wanted and respected her desires, giving her the challenges needed to overcome her flaws while also never teaching her a lesson about wanting bad boys or romance is silly or any manner of dark warnings stories like to throw at teenage girls. 

It respected teenage girls--nerdy girls like Willow, jocks like Buffy, lonely wallflowers with trauma like Dawn, and popular/snobby ones like Cordelia, girls gone wild like Faith. It never once reduced them to the stereotypes that were lurking right there: each character was fully rounded, human, flawed and yet with respected interests and goals. This is so rare for a story that I’m still in awe. 

The story as a whole follows Buffy from 15 to 21, of her as she grows from teenager to adult. She acts like a teenager and grows to act like a young adult, wrestling with loneliness and duty. The adults, like Giles, Joyce, and Jenny, are not perfect either, but neither are they “bad parents” or “bad mentors” necessarily. Joyce in particular says something terrible to Buffy, but she tries to do better, and it’s rare to see a parent in YA stories shown with such nuance. Basically, it wrote the long-lasting adult characters as human beings, too. 

Speaking of growing up, I appreciated how Buffy’s love interests mirrored this. Angel was someone Buffy loved and admired, wanted to be like, but who was always either extreme good or extreme bad, and combined with Buffy’s own tendencies towards black-white thinking, made for a beautiful relationship to help her grow, but didn’t necessarily form a foundation for a long-term partner. Spike, on the other hand... they both saw each other at their worst and were drawn to each other even then, and were inspired to become better because they couldn’t bear to be a person who treated the other person so wrongly. They pushed each other to become the best them they could be, and believed in each other. Also, Spuffy is an enemies to lovers ship for the ages. 

(Also, most of the other ships were well-done or at least can be understood. Riley was very obviously wrong for Buffy which paralleled Harmony and Spike in being 100% wrong for each other. Cordelia and Xander were a fun ship even if we all knew it would never last, and Willow and Oz were beautiful and cute. But Xander and Anya and Willow and Tara? OTPs. As were Giles and Jenny, the librarian and the computer teacher.) 

That said, it’s not a perfect series. No story is. All of the characters and ships had problematic aspects to them worthy of critique, and the writing is very 90s in a lot of ways. It’s a product of its time, and in many ways it’s good society has progressed beyond some of the tropes/metaphors used in the show. In other way, though, the show was ahead of its time, and in a good way it wasn’t bound by the fear of purity policing with its takes on redemption (many characters would never fly today). 

So, in order of seasons ranked from my very favorite to my “still enjoyed it very much” (no season was actually bad, imo), here’s my review. I’ll also review my top 10 villains in the show, because Buffy does villains very well in terms of the redeemable and irredeemable.  

Season 7:  Yep, the final season was my favorite. 

Overall Opinion: Buffy's finale is literally "f*ck them men, our power is ours" and while it seems cheesy it actually works (also, f*ck in both a literal and figurative sense). The series strongly hit all the themes: love as strength, and redemption. Buffy consistently shows love as her strength--*all* kinds of love. Friendship w Willow/Xander, familial with Joyce/Dawn, romantic with Spike/Angel. These types of love are also never pitted against each other as is so often the case in current-day media. It's beautiful. Also, Spike’s confrontation with Wood was so powerful in terms of exploring forgiveness, redemption, and reconciliation: where they overlap and where they don't, and what it means to move forward. 

Unpopular Opinion: I have seen a lot didn’t like the inclusion of Potential Slayers, and while I agree they could have been better incorporated/characterized, it was a great way to show Buffy’s final stage of growing up to be ending her chosen one status and projecting/multiplying her powers over the world. 

Biggest Critique: Kennedy was female Riley--the anti-Tara to Riley’s anti-Angel (by ‘anti’ I mean opposite in every way). Kennedy was annoying and immature. Her role, like Riley’s, was less about exploring her as a character and more about her just being stamped as “love interest: lesbian.” 

Favorite Episodes: Beneath You, Lies My Parents Told Me, Touched, Chosen

Season 6: 

Overall Opinion: I said this on Twitter, but I felt like this was Buffy’s The Last Jedi or Empire Strikes Back moment. It is polarizing and dark, deconstructing the tropes it stands on--but by digging to the core of these tropes, it actually makes what’s good about them shine brighter. Everyone’s enemy was the worst versions of themselves. Giles left Buffy, Willow's struggle to relate to the world led to her trying to destroy it, Buffy hurt everyone through her anger, Xander abandoned Anya at the altar, Spike... yeah. It ages well as an integral part of the story, and the Trio were eerily prophetic. 

Unpopular Opinion: Dawn is a great character with a good arc. A traumatized teen acting out and struggling to come to terms with loss and identity? She wasn’t whiny; she was realistic. 

Biggest Critique: Willow’s addiction coding (I’ll discuss this below) and Seeing Red as an episode. I see the argument for both of its controversial scenes from a narrative perspective: Willow starts the season not grieving Buffy but instead being determined to fix it with magic and needs to learn to grieve, but. Still. Bury your gays is not a good look. For the Spike scene... he conflates sex/passion and violence (”love is blood, children” is something he said way back in season 3), but like Tara’s death, it had more to do with Spike (as Tara’s death did for Willow) than with Buffy’s arc, and as for the actual execution... they really botched that. Did it like... have to go on that long or go that far? No. Also, the framing was good, but inconsistent with the rest of the series (Xander to Buffy in the hyena episode, Faith to Xander and to Riley, etc.) 

Favorite Episodes: Once More With Feeling, Smashed, Grave

Season 3 (tied with Season 5):

Overall Opinion: The opening continuity of Buffy meeting Lily/Anne after saving her life in Season 2 was sweet. The Witchhunt episode had really powerful subtext: stories of deaths that aren’t even true are actually demons that possess the town and convince them to turn against their children in the name of protecting the children. It’s a good commentary on, oh, everything in society. Faith’s character arc was fantastic, and her chemistry with Buffy was off the charts (look, I may be Spuffy all the way, but Fuffy has rights). The finale was satisfying in so many ways, seeing the entire graduating class unite to destroy the Mayor and the school with it, symbolizing Buffy et al’s readiness to move on to college. Oz's relationship with Willow was very sweet and meaningful for a first romance for Willow. 

Unpopular Opinion: I actually don’t really have one. Maybe that the miracle in Amends was earned? I think you can make a decent case that Season 3 is the best written of the seasons, but can only truly be thematically appreciated to its full potential in the light of subsequent seasons (which finish Faith’s arc and deconstruct Buffy’s).  

Biggest Critique: It forgot Buffy killed the hyena guy in Season 1, making her continual insistence that she can’t kill people very ????? 

Favorite Episodes: Lovers Walk, Amends, Graduation Day Part 2 

Season 5, which ties with Season 3:

Overall Opinion: The entire season is about family and what it means, from Tara’s to Buffy’s to the Scoobies. I loved Glory aka Enoshima Junko as the Big Bad, I loved Dawn’s interesting meta commentary on retconning (like, the fact that she’s retconned in matters), and most of my ships are still alive. Joyce’s relationship with Spike is one of the most heartwarming aspects, and Spike’s arc’s desire is clearly highlighted: he wants to be seen as a person. The episodes after Joyce’s death are the most honest portrayals of grief I’ve ever seen, and absolutely brutal to watch. 

Unpopular Opinion: Buffy’s choice at the end seems a deliberate inversion of her choice at the end of Season 2 (sacrifice a loved one to save the world), but it actually isn’t: much like at the end of Season 2 where Buffy skips town because she’s devastated after killing Angel and doesn’t want to sort out being expelled, her mom knowing she’s the slayer, and her own trauma, Buffy’s sacrifice here was as much about her wanting the easy way out of relationships, family, college, etc. as it was about saving Dawn. Buffy’s death is coded as a suicide, which Season 6 emphasizes as well. 

Biggest Critique: Like Season 3, I don’t have a lot to critique here. I wish the suicidal coding had been a little more obvious in Season 5 itself, but also I’m not sure it could have been more obvious; it’s pretty apparent if you pay attention. Maybe also that Buffy and Riley’s relationship failing should have been more squarely blamed on Riley, you know, being insecure and cheating. 

Favorite Episodes: Family, Fool for Love, Intervention. 

Season 2:

Overall Opinion: Heartbreakingly tragic but exciting and revealing at the same time. It asked the viewer interesting questions about redemption and forgiveness and atonement through Angel being honest about his past, and then decided to show us his past now reenacted, challenging us. And still, we saw them save him in a parallel to saving Willow in Season 6 (but Season 2 was tragic because it wasn’t enough, while Season 6 was not). Jenny’s death was agonizing, and the scene were Angel watches Buffy, Willow, and Joyce get the news through the window was powerful. We didn’t have to hear them to get the grief. 

Unpopular Opinion: Jenny’s death isn’t a fridging; it works for her arc too when you consider her history. She worked to save the person whose life she was tasked to ruin, and it cost her her own--yet she still succeeded, because Jenny brought joy and wisdom to the show. Kendra’s death, on the other hand... was because they needed the stakes to be high--but we already knew that before she died. So, her death was useless. 

Biggest Critique: The subtext was Not It. It was essentially “do not have sex. Your older boyfriend will lose his soul, kill your friends, you’ll lose your family, your school, your home, and have to kill your true love or else hell will literally swallow earth.” 

Favorite Episodes: School Hard, Passion, Becoming Part 2.

Season 1:

Overall Opinion: I really liked it; it’s just lower on this list because the others are just better. It’s a great introduction to the series and to its characters, from Giles to Buffy to Willow to Jenny to Cordelia. It has great subtext a lot of the time (for example, Natalie French as She-Mantis is a literal predatory bug who engages in predatory behavior with students). Additionally, it subverts the typical YA trope of two guys and a girl, in which the girl is usually the least interesting character. Buffy and Willow were both fully fledged characters from the beginning with distinct strengths (even before Willow became a witch, as she wasn’t one in season 1 yet), while Xander was the more ordinary of the group. 

Unpopular Opinion/Biggest Critique: Xander’s arc showed its first flaws that unfortunately continued throughout the series: his writing was either very good or very indulgent in ways it never was for other characters.  (cough, the hyena episode, cough, in which he gets to skirt responsibility--and acknowledges that he is skirting it--for something the show will later hold others to account for). Xander’s just kind of inconsistent, which weakened his character over all. (Which is why both his love interests--Cordelia and then ultimately Anya--were good for him: they did not indulge him.) 

Favorite Episode: Witch, Nightmares. 

Season 4:

Overall Opinion: it’s still a good season. It’s a good portrayal of college and the growing pains of branching out, the strains of college growth on relationships (romantic and platonic). It shows us the first hints of Spuffy, giving us some serious Jungian symbolism between Spike and Buffy early on, and does well in establishing Xander/Anya and Willow/Tara as beautiful OTPs. Faith and Buffy’s foiling is fantastic. The Halloween episode was very fun as well. However, it suffers because its Big Bad, Adam, is not all that compelling thematically--yet, he could have been. See, the final battle pulls off the Power of Friendship in a really strong way but notably the season does not end there. Instead, it ends on dreams of each character’s worst fears, continuing what we saw in Nightmares in Season 1. Why? Because it shows us that the characters’ wars aren’t against monsters, but monsters of their own making: their flaws. Adam, as a literal Frankenstein, exemplifies this, but it wasn’t capitalized on as well as it could have been. 

Unpopular Opinion: Beer Bad isn’t a bad episode, at the very least because Buffy gets to punch Parker. It’s not one of the series’ best, obviously, but it does give Buffy an arc in that she gets her daydream of Parker begging her to come back, but she has overcome that desire and her desire for revenge. If we wanna talk about bad subtext in Season 4, Season 2′s Not It sex subtext continues in the Where the Wild Things Are episode in this season; it’s a powerful callout of abusive purity-culture churches, until the fact that the shame creates a literal curse undermines the progressive message it’s supposed to send. Also, the Thanksgiving episode (Pangs) is a nightmare of white guilt and Oh God Shut Up White People. 

Biggest Critique: Riley is awful. Like Kennedy, he had “love interest:normal” stamped on him and that was it. The thing is, he could have worked as an Angel foil, representative of the normal-life aspect of Buffy to Angel’s vampire/supernatural aspect, but the writers never explore this and seemed to even try to back away from that later on. They threw all the romantic cliches at the wall to see what sticks, from klutzy “I dropped my schoolbooks, that’s how we met” to cliché lines that had me rolling my eyes. Do you know how bad a romance has to be to make me dislike romantic tropes? 

Favorite Episodes: Fear Itself, Hush, Restless

Villain rankings: 

Dark Willow, the only villain to be truly sympathetic. While the addiction coding was insensitive and, while unsurprising for its time, aged extremely poorly. That said, Willow’s turn to the dark side after Tara’s death worked well for her character and the story: it was believable and paid off what had been building since Season 1's “Nightmares” episode (Willow’s inferiority complex). 

Glory managed to be genuinely terrifying, and humorous/enjoyable too. Her minions and their numerous nicknames for Glorificus were hilarious, as was her intense vanity. Her merging with Ben--a human being who genuinely wanted to be kind and good--added complexity and tragedy to her role. 

The First. A really good take on Satan. The seventh season as well as the First’s first appearance in season 3′s “Amends” had kind of blatant Christian symbolism, and so the First being essentially Satan works. Their disguising themselves as dead loved ones and the subtle manipulation they used to alienate people was really disturbing and well done. 

The Mayor, who was a terrible person but a truly good father. He provided an interesting contrast to the normal ‘bad dad’ bad guy character, in that he provided Faith exactly what the other characters refused to: he saw the best in her and offered her parental support, while the heroes didn’t and wound up pushing her away. 

The Trio, who were villains ahead of their time: whiny fanboy reddit dudebros, basically. The stakes seemed so much lower than fighting Glory, a literal god, the previous season. But that’s why they worked so well for Season 6′s human themes, and were especially disturbing because we all know people like them. I also appreciated the surprisingly sensitive takes on Jonathan and Andrew, who got to redeem themselves, but Warren did not, and I don’t think he should have either. 

Angelus + Drusilla. I’m ranking them below the Trio because Angelus was just sooooo different from Angel that it was difficult for me to feel the same way for him. He was still Angel, so it wasn’t possible to enjoy his villainy, but he also wasn’t nearly as sympathetic as Dark Willow, had no redeeming qualities like the Mayor, and wasn’t as disturbingly realistic as the Trio. However, the emotional stakes were excellently executed with him as the Big Bad, in that you were never quite sure how to feel and it just plain hurt. Also, Drusilla was a favorite recurring character. She was sympathetic and yet batsh*t enough to be enjoyable as a villain at the same time. 

The Master, who was just completely camp and really worked as an introductory villain. He was scary enough to believe he was a threat, and was funny enough to introduce the series’ humor as well. He was, like Glory, an enjoyable Big Bad. 

The Gentlemen, the one-off villains of Season 4′s Hush who were genuinely terrifying. It’s not as if they got a lot of explanation or any backstory, but they didn’t need it. 

Caleb, the misogynist priest. Fitting with the First’s Christian symbolism, Caleb serving as a spokesperson of all bad religious beliefs felt appropriate. He was also a good foil to Warren--being actually supernaturally powered instead of a wannabe--and to Tara’s family in being full-out evil. I despised him. 

Snyder. Okay Snyder is not a Big Bad like Adam is, but let’s face it: Adam is lame compared to the other villains. But Snyder as a principal? He was so irritating and yet really well used in the series to critique overly strict, hypocritical teachers. Like, we all know teachers like him. I loved to hate him, and his ending was so satisfying.