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“Home, Sweet, Home”: Best Buffy Character Entrances

'Welcome to Sunnydale' sign lit up by headlamps at night

There is an abundance of compelling characters in Buffy the Vampire Slayer; that’s simply common knowledge. From sarcastic librarians to punk vampires (who are equally loveable), Buffy’s got it all. Naturally, the coolest characters must have the coolest introductions, and there are a good number of those across the show as well. So here are a few of the best Buffy character entrances!

Spike

To kick off Season 2, peroxide-blonde punk vampire Spike charges onto the scene in ‘School Hard’. Xander inadvertently introduces this next Big Bad by hoping “nothing bad happens”; cut to a black car crashing into the ‘Welcome to Sunnydale’ sign at night. We immediately know someone’s here to disrupt the peace of the town. Cue rock music! A black boot steps out of the car, and the camera pans upwards to reveal a black trench coat, then Spike in vamp face lighting a cigarette. Ironically, he states, “Home, sweet, home.” The whole scene reeks of badassery, and does a great job of summarising Spike’s attitude. It’s worth mentioning ‘Lovers Walk’ (S3E8) that creates a parallel of this scene when Spike returns to Sunnydale post-breakup, drunkenly stumbling out of the car after crashing into the sign again.

Although it’s not part of his first scene, it’s worth mentioning just how proactive he is in the episode. Straight away, he goes in with a plan to kill the Slayer. Even though he fails, he swiftly kills The Anointed One (one of the main antagonists of Season 1) later on, proving he’s actually taking actions and making a change. He proclaims, “From now on, we’re going to have a little less ritual, and little more fun around here.” It’s great to see Big Bads who just get on with it instead of lurking around needlessly.

Spike in vamp face smoking a cigarette at night

Drusilla

The other Season 2 Big Bad is introduced shortly after her boyfriend, Spike. Drusilla steps into the room so elegantly, instantly drawing everyone’s attention so much that they fall silent. Juliet Landau’s balletic movements and creepily sweet voice is so effective. She commands every scene she’s in. The way Drusilla advances towards The Anointed One, professing that he has “power”, shows her clairvoyant ability to read people. 

Up to this point, we’ve only seen Spike be aggressive and threatening. But the moment he turns towards Drusilla, he transforms back from vamp face, and treats her with such gentle care. I love the moment where Dru drags a nail across Spike’s cheek, and then licks off the blood that has been drawn. The intimacy and tenderness between the two of them is utterly compelling, and shows a different side of the Big Bads. Drusilla’s vulnerability is what makes her all the more terrifying and dangerous.

Glory

Speaking of Big Bads, I think Glory’s entrance is my favourite out of all of them. She quite literally enters a room in Season 5’s ‘No Place Like Home’ by kicking down a huge metal door in an abandoned warehouse. Way to make an entrance! There’s significant build-up to it, what with a group of monks chanting in the building, so we know they’re trying to prevent something from coming through to this dimension. The moment Glory breaks through, we know she must be very powerful. More proof of this is that she starts off by torturing a monk, and shortly afterwards beats the hell out of Buffy. Again, I love Big Bads that don’t mess around! First episode, and she’s already had a boss fight with our Slayer. And won. Like, SO hard. All while wearing an iconic red dress and heels.

Glory’s introduction almost puts her on a similar level as Buffy herself. Both are fashionable blonde women of a similar age (appearance-wise, at least) who love to quip while fighting, and are unexpectedly strong. It’s another subversion based on gender stereotypes. This time it’s different since Glory is using her immense power for evil. Clare Kramer’s performance is a joy to watch as well, with her Cordelia-like attitude and unhinged behaviour.

Glory with a very animated expression as she tortures a monk in her first episode

Dawn

In an unexpected (and I don’t say that lightly) twist at the end of the Season 5 premiere, Buffy is revealed to have a little sister, Dawn. It’s a very brief moment, but it’s effective and already tells us a few things about the character. Joyce tells Buffy, “If you’re going out, why don’t you take your sister?”, implying she isn’t a new addition to the characters. The two sisters yell “MOM!” in unison, instantly setting up an antagonistic sibling relationship. Buffy and Dawn clearly don’t enjoy hanging out, and likely cause their mother a lot of grief in the process of their spats. So there’s a lot packed into the introduction!

We can see Dawn is younger, and is also trespassing in Buffy’s room when we meet her. Therefore, she very much fits the irritating little sister role. It’s a fantastic set-up, and her very presence incites such shock in the audience. I’ve always thought it was a bold move, and the pay-off is worth it.

Angel

Way before getting his own spin-off show, Angel was but a mysterious figure following our protagonist. Buffy senses him stalking her as she’s walking alone at night, and does a really cool handstand on a metal pole, swinging down to attack him. Angel already knows who Buffy is, and gives her a very back-handed compliment by saying, “Truth is, I thought you’d be taller, or bigger—muscles and all that.” I always thought Angel was at his best when he was a bit playful and silly, which is absolutely how he comes across in his first scene. I mean, come on:

Angel: Let’s just say… I’m a friend.

Buffy: Yeah, well, maybe I don’t want a friend.

Angel: I didn’t say I was yours.

What does that even mean?! Whose friend are you, then? I bet he went home afterwards and kicked himself for sounding so stupid. It’s corny and a bit goofy, but Angel maintains his enigmatic persona, evoking curiosity in the audience. Who’d have thought he’d end up heroically fighting a dragon in L.A.? He’s come so far. *sniffs*

Darla in vamp face about to attack

Darla

Darla automatically gets cool points for her introduction being the first scene in the entire show. As Natasha points out in the article, the opening scene flips the classic horror movie trope of a girl being attacked by a male monster. Schoolgirl Darla breaks into Sunnydale High at night with a boy. We think he’s going to be the evil one, when actually she vamp faces and presumably kills him. It’s a nice subversion that sets the tone of the show, creating an instant parallel with Buffy herself too. 

A major Season 1 villain is immediately introduced, wasting no time! Although we know not to underestimate Darla from now on, other characters won’t be so wise just yet, so dramatic tension is created too. Since she’s in uniform, we’re also aware that Darla attends Sunnydale High, so she has easy access to Buffy and other students that will be future victims. Right off the bat, she’s a force to be reckoned with.

Faith

The third Slayer’s introduction is a similar subversion to Darla’s first scene. The Scoobies are at the Bronze when Buffy notices a vampire lure Faith out into the alley to make out. They follow, Buffy thinking she’s going to save a young woman’s life from a vampire attack. However, Faith is one step ahead. She fights and stakes the vamp all while peppily introducing herself to Buffy as the new Slayer in town. It’s another badass entrance that immediately proves her fighting capabilities and holds the audience captive. It also sets up a potential conflict between Faith and Buffy, as two powerful figures embodying the same role in the group. A fitting entrance!

D’Hoffryn

After Willow accidentally casts a spell as an indirect result of her break-up with Oz, she attracts the attention of the boss vengeance demon, D’Hoffryn. He summons her to his own dimension, but instead of threatening her, actually attempts to recruit her. It’s another humorous little subversion of expectations, as we think he’s very sinister judging by the look of him, when he’s really on Willow’s side. Equally, we assume D’Hoffryn will be angry when Willow rejects his job offer, but he’s very chill about it and asks her to call him on his talisman if she changes her mind. He’s almost quite camp, a goofy but effective character. The scene is the very essence of what Buffy is about.

D'Hoffryn offering his talisman to Willow in their first encounter

There are, of course, many more characters of note throughout the show. But these ones had some of the more impactful introductions. It’s hard to forget Glory breaking down a huge metal door in heels in a hurry! Whether they’re scary, comedic, or simply memorable, these are the entrances that stand out. Feel free to comment any others I’ve missed!

Written by Robin Moon

Robin writes for 25YL and Horror Obsessive as much as their scattered brain will allow. They love dark fantasy, sci fi, and most things horror-related, with a huge soft spot for vampires. Don't make the mistake of mentioning Buffy around them or they won't shut up about it. Seriously. They're also a fiction writer and aspiring filmmaker; in other words, they much prefer spending time in made-up places and far-off universes than in the real world.

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