Buffy Summers was the world’s most powerful Slayer for a lot of reasons. But one of her most valuable assets were her friends.

Besides her own ingenuity, strength and passion, Buffy was so hard to beat due to the people she was surrounded by. When she came to Sunnydale High, she was able to make loyal friends that joined with her no matter what was the challenge.

The Scoobies were misfits

In Buffy’s first school – Hemery High in LA – she was popular and well-liked and even seemed “normal.” She was a cheerleader and the Queen of May, and seemed to be bound to a successful high school career. Well until she saw vampires attack her gym and burned it down to kill them all.

Even after that rocky start, Buffy could have been one of the snobby kids in Sunnydale High. She is courted by “Queen C” Cordelia, who rules the school’s mean girls and is the compass by which one’s popularity is determined. Cordelia thinks that she will fit in nicely with her group: pretty, athletic, from LA and somewhat sophisticated.

But Buffy’s vocation makes it impossible to be with the mean girls. First of all she mistakes Cordelia for a vampire and tries to stake her But Cordelia is turned off by Buffy’s choice of friends – she knows that her royalty could be quickly diluted if “losers” are left in. So Cordelia initially rebuffs Buffy’s friendship.

The first people to help Buffy was her Watcher Giles. He knew her destiny and how theirs was to be intertwined.

But the second people who help Buffy are Willow and Buffy. They get tricked into an altercation with some vampires soon into meeting Buffy – and after the shock of learning that there really are vampires they become allies in the fight against them.

Buffy, and her Two Best Friends formed the original Scooby Gang – and Giles watched over all of them

Buffy is of course the Slayer – she is empowered with supernatural strength and senses to fight demons and vampire , and other assorted evils. For her the call is so deep that she finds that she can’t leave the fight even when she is tempted to.
Much of the series involves Buffy hearing the hero’s call, resisting it and in the end doing the right thing and fighting evil.Buffy is a warm -hearted who sees the truth in others. Therefore she is able to take Willow and Xander as best friends , even though there is social damage to be suffered.

Willow is Buffy’s first friend and the first Scooby

Willow as Buffy’s best friend throughout the series. Buffy and Willow were confidants, sharing their loves, fears, and teenage angst. Add to this that they were in a supernatural world, which made them have a rock solid loyalty because they helped each other out of so many eventual supernatural jams.

She appeared shy and mousy at the beginning of the series , but we quickly learn how valuable she is in both cunning and courage. Willow was so meek that when Buffy met her – she moved away from her, just knowing that Buffy would not want to be seen with her. But Buffy reached out to Willow – which endeared us to Willow as well as binding her to what would turn out to be an invaluable ally.

Willow is loving, although watching her hurt through love breaks our hearts. First, their is Xander who was too blind to see her specialness until it was too late. Then there was Oz, who could not control his werewolf ways around her. When she finally gets a true love with Tara – well that ends way too soon.

And Willow is just so, so bright. We are introduced to her as the Jewish, brainy girl that she was. She was top in all the classes but was not the one the boys wanted. Her first power is with computers – her powers as a geek and eventually a computer hacker helped them with many cases. which alienate her from the popular kids at Sunnydale High . Giles was uncomfortable about her hacking at first. However, the skills that alienated them from the rest of Sunnydale High saved Buffy and the group a multiple of times, as she hacked into municipal back rooms or was able to foil the opposition. It was how she eventually got introduced to Oz , another one of Sunnydale High’s brain. She finally got to have some fun when she went to college and her brain was honored.

It just made sense that Willow would be the witch. And her witchcraft was the strongest in the world. As Buffy was learning to live with her destiny as a Slayer – Willow struggles to learn how to harness her magic. What starts as simple research and floating pencils becomes a terror. The magic will take her over and almost destroy her as well as the world. But one of the most wonderful parts of the series is watching Willow learn how to use her magic as healing . Willow is an invaluable ally to Buffy – and is integral in saving the world in the last episode. In the end I wonder – who was the strongest Buffy or Willow .

The second Scooby was Xander

Xander Harris is just a super-powers or strength. At first glance he looks less than the other adolescent guys that surround Buffy. He has more of his share of teenage insecurities and his dysfunctional family give him terrible examples of adult relationships. At first glance he does not have much to offer Buffy. But we soon see evidence of how Xander’s loyalty and caring make him an unexpected strong soldier. When Xander follows Buffy into the vampire’s lair – a place that he has has no place in – we know that Xander is there for Buffy.

Xander fell for Buffy the second he saw her – literally. When Xander saw Buffy on the first day of school he fell off of his skateboard dazzled by her charm.

The relationship between Xander and Buffy was not to be a romantic relationship, But it was one of Buffy’s longest lasting.

Xander is an unlikely warrior.

At first Xander just uses his love for Buffy and desire to do right to propel him.

But he is left with military powers after a mystical Halloween spent on the Hellmouth.

Xander’s real power is in his heart however, not his physical strength or military cunning. He is able to tap into emotions that the warriors cannot . He is the heart in the enjoining spell .  And  he is the one who can reign the grief-ridden Willow in when she is bound and determined to destroy the world. He does that not with might, but with love.

Giles guided the Scoobies to Success

All Vampire Slayers had Watchers: but Buffy hit the jackpot with Giles.

First of all, he had real experience to back him up. In fact he had not been the stiff librarian they first knew but had been known as a hooligan who dealt with demons as a thrill and lark. This was dangerous territory that came back to haunt him when people from his past in particular Ethan Rayne and the demon Eyghon .

But always as a Watcher he had “field experience.” This is obvious if you compare him to Wesley, Faith’s watcher – who had only killed two vampires in “very controlled situations.” Although Giles did not have supernatural strength he was always brave and willing to risk his life for Buffy and the Scoobies.

And of course, he had the expected academic knowledge that he had gained as he studied years in Watchers’ Academy. He spoke many languages, even extinct languages.

Plus he had an extensive knowledge of the demon world , and was their go to person when they were researching a particular threat .

Besides all the practical help that Giles gave to Buffy and the Scoobies – he also gave him his heart. So much to hat he was dismissed from the council because of his feelings for Buffy.

In “Helpless” the watcher Travers said “She passed. You didn’t. The Slayer is not the only one who must perform in this situation. I’ve recommended to the Council, and they’ve agreed, that you be relieved of your duties as Watcher immediately. You’re fired.
Giles: On what grounds?
Travers: Your affection for your charge makes you incapable of clear and impartial judgement. You have a father’s love for the child and that makes you useless to the Cause.”

But actually, Giles would show over and over that he had much to offer- dynamiting the Mayor, and killing Ben to eliminate any chance of Glory coming back come to mind as two examples.

Cordelia, and Oz were Scooby Honorable Mentions

While Buffy, Xander and Willow were together through all the series to the end they did get some well needed help from other people.

Over the course of the series Cordelia developed as an ally of the group. It was hard for her to believe in the supernatural at first , but it seemed that they targeted her another times that she could not resist. She joined in with Scoobie study when she fell in love with Xander against all odds. At the end of season season Three on Graduation Day Part 2 she staked her first vampire. However, she was to move away from Sunnydale to LA and join with Angel fighting crime, and there she really rose to be a hero.

Oz was Willow’s first lover . He was the sexy, silent guy boyfriend of Willow who just happened to be a werewolf as he was bitten by his toddler cousin Jordy. As Oz fell in love with Willow he joined in with researching with Willow. And what an aid he was – he applied his genius to the book research as they waded through huge tomes of ancient text, as well as well as being a fighter in his own right.

The Scoobies had two Vampire allies – Angel and Spike

At different times both Vampires were at mortal enemies and lovers to Buffy.

They also had essential roles as allies to the group in the fight against evil.

Angel the vampire with the soul had been called to watch over Buffy. But he didn’t realize that he was going to fall in love with her. Therefore he was even more dedicated and loyal than he would have been otherwise. And he was the kind of guy who you wanted on your side. Incredible physical strength, and knowledge of the mystical world, as well as 269 years of life experience gave him a lot to offer the group.

He was helpful many times in the Scoobies -success from rescuing Buffy many times, to providing the historical data that was needed to fight many demons and other threats – often as much as Giles.

Soon after meeting Buffy he fell in love with her. Ironically and tragically it was through their love that he lost her soul again -as the one moment of happiness they shared caused his essential soul to disappear and for him to become a monster again.

Spike came to be of help to the group in a much more circuitous route . He was strictly evil for most of the series -at one time threatening to kill Buffy.

And it was not an idle threat – Spike had fought two Slayers in his lifetime and killed both of them.

But he was slowed down by modern science. The Initiative was a hidden military compound that was able to implant a chip into his head that rendered him harmless.

For a while Spike moped around Sunnydale full of ennui and self-loathing. However, at first he started taking bribes from the Scoobies.

And when he found out that his chip allowed him to kill demons – he was a new man.

He became one of the teams most vigorous warriors, and again his knowledge was essential as when he helped Giles who had been turned into a Fyarl. Because he spoke Fyarl, he was about to get Giles to safely. And because he had been captured by the Initiative he was able to provide valuable information about that.

Spike’s change occurred when he fell in love with Buffy. Believe me, he is not happy about it -after he woke up after a passionate dream with Buffy – his first words were “Oh god no.”

More and more he fought to help her. He drove the big bus to get away from Glory and said ” I should have just taken you and little sis and gone away.”

He was an essential part of fighting Glory- the unbeatable foe.

He surprised us all by “giving Buffy what she wants” and having his soul restored – an incredibly tortuous and painful process.

And in the final season he was essential to saving the world.

Both vampires were super sexy – check out this Buffy, Angel and Spike T-shirt to see if you agree.

Three mystical allies Dawn, Anya and Tara were aids of the mystical nature

A Dawn was not brought to Buffy to help her – but because the monks knew that she would save her. Dawn was the precious “Key” which was essential to Glory taking back her evil kingdom.

She was a typical rebellious teenager, but had those mystical origins as well as being the Slayer’s sister.

But in the end , Buffy and Dawn became very close, and Dawn learned how to fight. Buffy tried to keep her away from the fight – but she refused it, even at the final battle.

We first meet Anya season 3 episode 9 “The Wish.” as she starts Sunnydale high. Cordelia Chase is still hurting from the betrayal of Xander – for which he blames Buffy for some reason. Cordelia says to her ” I wish Buffy Summers had never come to Sunnydale” and Anya reveals herself to be Anyanka – the vengeance demon who wishes the grants of scorned women. She makes Cordelia’s wish true – and wishes them into a hell time where the Master was the ultimate ruler and he people were slaves or always running away from the vampires , Giles is able to restore the present by breaking her jewel that Cordelia is wearing – and Anya becomes a regular person. She is not happy about that, but she becomes an aid to the group – much because of her love for Xander. She helps Xander mature into a man. And again, since she was a mystical being that lived over 1000 years – she has much knowledge that she is able to bring to the group. She too fights in the final battle, although sadly she is not victorious.

Tara was Willow’s beloved, who was able to finally give her the love she deserved. She also was a powerful witch and provided knowledge to the group they needed. But also she was strong – and when she and Willow combined – they were almost unbeatable.

The Scoobies were dear friends – with challenging relationships

As the series grew, the relationships between the Scoobies grew more and more.Over and over they would help each other through impossible challenges, and even in getting past personal challenges. But there were times when they were very torn apart; when the challenges just got to be too much.You see one of the most terrifying times above when a grief stricken Willow was set on destroying the world and Xander healed her with love.

Another time was in the episode “The Yoko Factor,” where Spike turns the group against each other by playing on each members insecurities.

Even in the last season, the group had a serious split as the Potential Slayers and even her own family and the Scoobies turned against Buffy and made her literally leave her own house.

But the fact that they were able to reunite shows the strength of their love – and the power they brought to fight evil.

What the Scoobies gave to Buffy

• Hours, upon hours, upon long, long hours researching ancient impossible to read texts in search for a clue on how to beat that season’s unbeatable foe. Plus all the computer research!
• Fearlessly going into battle (even when they were shaking in their boots) whenever they were needed.
• But most of us love for each other – and it is that love that made us love the Scoobies and indeed the series.

The Scoobies made the Slayer what she was.

It was not normal for Slayers to have a gang – in “The Wish” Buffy learns of the Master and then tells Giles ” I work alone” when he to help her. She dies tragically in that episode. However, in the series where the Master does kill Buffy – she is restored to life by Xander who is helped by Angel. The Scoobies made her stronger.

In the mythology that is the Buffyverse – Buffy is the strongest slayer that has ever lived. But it is essential to realize how much her friends were a part of this. In season 6 – “Seeing Red” Xander comes to Buffy and asks where the villain Warren is. She said that the police got two of the members of the “Trio” – Xander says that “He won’t be much without his friends.” Buffy softly says – “No he won’t,” alluding to some splits that are going on it in the group.

But the folks in Buffy were always able to eventually heal their rifts. In the end they were able to join together and conquer impossible odds to make peace in their little corner of the world.

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Even in the last season, the group had a serious split as the Potential Slayers and even her own family and the Scoobies turned against Buffy and literally had her leave her own group.

But somehow they were able to work through their grief and hurt – over and over. And the unity that they brought made them able to save the world at the final battle.

• Hours, upon hours, upon long, long hours researching ancient impossible to read texts in search for a clue on how to beat that season’s unbeatable foe. Plus all the computer research!
• Fearlessly going into battle (even when they were shaking in their boots) whenever they were needed.
• But most of us love for each other – and it is that love that made us love the Scoobies and indeed the series.