Despite its seven-season run,Buffy The Vampire Slayeralmost ended after season 5, but one of Buffy’s best quotes shows why it’s a good thing this didn’t happen. There are many iconic quotes inBuffy, as the series is known for its writing, both in terms of comedy and quips and deep, emotionally resonant conversations. However,there’s one line that Sarah Michelle Gellar delivers in the season 5 finalethat demonstrates not only how Buffy sees the world but also what the show wants the viewer to take away from the story.
This quote is so good that it comes to define the remainder of the series,influencing the events of seasons 6 and 7 and being enshrined by the true series finale. There are plenty ofBuffyepisodes with perfect endings, and both the series and season 5 finales are two of them. While they’re both satisfying and full-circle installments of the show, they accomplish this in different ways, focusing on opposing aspects of Buffy’s role as a hero. There are very few episodes ofBuffythat don’t include a memorable line or moment, but these will stick with us forever.
Buffy’s “The Hardest Thing…” Quote Explained
Buffy’s Words To Dawn In “The Gift” Deliver A Moving Message
At the time that theBuffyseason 5 finale, “The Gift,” aired, the writers and showrunners thought that this was going to be the series finale of the show.Thankfully,Buffymoved networks and was able to continueon for two more years. However, the season 5 finale still functions as a potential series finale, paving the way for Buffy to deliver this game-changing line. Arguably the best quote of the entire show, the “hardest thing” line isn’t just moving in the context of the finale but within the fabric of the whole show.
Just as she’s about to make the ultimate sacrifice to save both her sister and the entire world, Buffy imparts one last bit of wisdom to Dawn, who’s been struggling to understand who she is in the world. Buffy says, “The hardest thing in this world is to live in it. Be brave. Live. For me.” Watching this moment and hearingBuffy’s words will always bring tears to the audience’s eyes.She leaves the world knowing she’s created a better place for the people she loves to truly live.
This Buffy Quote Is Made Better By Seasons 6 & 7
Buffy Has To Push Herself To Live In The World During These Seasons
Buffy coming back to life is both heartbreaking and narratively brilliant.It would have been a shame ifBuffyhadn’t come backand wasn’t able to expand upon her words to Dawn, putting them into practice during the hardest period of her life. The last thing Buffy wants to do in season 6 is embrace the day-to-day hardships of living, but by the end of the show’s darkest season, she’s rediscovered her reason to live and is ready to take on life for all that it is, which is cemented in her challenges in season 7.
ThoughBuffyseasons 6 and 7 have a mixed legacy, as they’re intense and tonally different from the rest of the series, they’re a critical piece of the larger story. The characters go through some of their most devastating experiences throughout these seasons, changing them and the show forever. However, every series must evolve in order to stay relevant and continue to reinvent itself. This fact on its own mirrors the message of the quote, aspeople must grow and change to suit their new phases of life as well.
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“Chosen” Lives Up To Buffy’s Potential
The series finale is one of theBuffyepisodes that the reboot won’t be able to top, as it was satisfying, moving, and lived up to our expectations. It was unlikely that Buffy would die in “Chosen,” as she had already died in “The Gift,” and rehashing this plotline for the true finale would’ve felt repetitive and disappointing. Fortunately, “Chosen” took Buffy’s destiny in a completely different direction. Instead of remaining alone with the weight of the world on her shoulders,Buffy becomes one of many slayers and has the freedom to live like a normal person.
This is a far more fitting ending for Buffythan her death in “The Gift.” While it’s moving that she sacrifices herself, and it’s true to her character, her being able to find herself and experience everything life has to offer is what Buffy deserves. The show subverts the ideas of fate, destiny, and being rewarded for doing the right thing. Buffy isn’t given the gift of an easy and carefree life, but achieves what she’s dreamed of all along through hard work: the chance to keep fighting through everything life throws at her.
Buffy’s Reboot Can Once Again Embody The “Hardest Thing…” Quote
The Reboot Has A Great Opportunity To Let This Quote Drive The Story
TheBuffyreboot should change some thingsabout the original show, but it must stay true to the spirit of the “hardest thing” quote. There are plenty of questions about how the next show in theBuffyuniverse will grapple with the many slayers in the world and the concept of being chosen, but this is almost less important than its focus on living life to the fullest. Even when things get hard and the battles seem impossible to win,Buffy continues to prioritize her own life, and her successor must do the same.
There’s a lot of pressure on theBuffyreboot to live up to the legacy of the original show.
There’s a lot of pressure on theBuffyreboot to live up to the legacy of the original show. However, the best way to satisfy fans and critics alike will be to focus on the essential tone and themes ofBuffy. Family, love, friendship, and the quiet moments when life is almost normal are what keep Buffy and her friends going as they take on the world’s most terrifying villains. While it will be hard for the new series to top the originalBuffy The Vampire Slayer, there are plenty of ways it can pay tribute to it.
