25 Years Ago Today, Buffy Got Rid of a Controversial Character (And Their Return Would Eventually Be Great)

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Many fans consider Buffy the Vampire Slayer to be one of the greatest TV shows ever made, but opinions often differ when it comes to Buffy’s romantic relationships. The show sparked a lot of debate about whether she was better with Angel or Spike, and those discussions could get heated. However, most viewers agree on one thing: Riley Finn, played by Marc Blucas and Buffy’s main love interest in Season 5, wasn’t a good match for her.

Season 5 of Buffy the Vampire Slayer was a turning point for the series, as the characters finally graduated from high school. The storylines became more complex and dealt with mature themes, focusing on Buffy’s personal growth alongside her battles with vampires and other creatures. While the season includes some of the show’s most acclaimed episodes, like “The Body” and “Hush,” it also features Riley, a character many fans disliked and who left the show 25 years ago today.

Why Was Riley So Unpopular in Buffy the Vampire Slayer?

Riley initially offered Buffy a refreshing break from her supernatural life – he was a normal college guy with no involvement in vampires or monsters. He even came across as a good person, standing up for someone after a sexist comment. However, it soon came out that this was just a facade. He wasn’t who he seemed; he was hiding a secret identity and working for a government organization called the Initiative, hunting monsters instead of being a hero like Superman.

Buffy unexpectedly met Riley, and it felt like their paths were always meant to cross. This connection became especially clear in the episode “Hush,” which cleverly used the loss of speech to represent the communication issues Buffy and Riley were facing due to their hidden feelings and secrets. They work well as a team and begin to share more with each other, but both are finding it challenging to balance their individual lives with the new relationship.

After Buffy reconnects with Angel, Riley becomes increasingly insecure and starts exhibiting harmful masculine traits – Buffy even calls him out on it, saying he’s acting like he has “testosterone poisoning.” He slept with Faith while she was disguised as Buffy, and didn’t seem to notice, or care, that her behavior was strange. Riley isn’t shown as a villain, but as a flawed person struggling with his own issues. The good qualities Buffy loved were still present, but they were being overshadowed by his growing insecurities and negative behaviors.

Buffy Finally Confronted Riley

Everything came to a crisis point 25 years ago in the episode “Into the Woods.” Buffy discovered Riley had been secretly seeking thrills through dangerous, illicit means, feeling unfulfilled in their relationship. The resulting confrontation was disastrous, bringing out the worst in Riley, who accused Buffy of not being fully invested. During the intense argument, Buffy unintentionally revealed the core issue: Riley struggled with the fact that she was stronger and more capable than him.

From the beginning, it was clear Riley wasn’t Buffy’s equal. When Riley was first introduced to Buffy by his boss, Professor Walsh, Walsh proudly boasted about Riley’s accomplishments – seventeen vampires and monsters defeated. Buffy wasn’t impressed; for a Vampire Slayer, that’s a pretty typical amount. While they both fought the same creatures, Buffy was far more skilled and experienced than he could ever be.

Riley actually made some valid points during his last argument with Buffy. Being the Slayer is a lonely job, and Buffy was trained to keep her distance and not share her struggles because no one could truly understand what she goes through. However, Riley immediately undermined his own complaint by revealing he was about to be sent away on assignment by the Initiative, and he brought it up as a way to pressure Buffy. It was a really sad moment.

The episode of “Into the Woods” concludes with a surprising and upsetting twist. Despite Xander’s own flawed past, he confronts Buffy, leading her to try and reconnect with Riley – only to find he’s already moved on. This makes the scene particularly bleak, as Buffy isn’t even given the chance to react to Riley’s decision, and ultimately, her own feelings don’t change the outcome. While it provides a dramatic end to their high school relationship, the scene has a distinctly harsh and disheartening message.

Could Riley Return in the Buffy the Vampire Slayer Revival?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cyeI8Z6s8jI

A reboot of Buffy the Vampire Slayer is happening, and it’s being led by director Chloé Zhao. In a recent interview, Zhao revealed her preference in Buffy’s love life, saying she’s ‘Team Spike.’ However, she surprisingly added that she’s grown to appreciate Riley Finn as well. She explained that while she preferred Spike when she was younger, she now thinks a relationship with Riley might have been a better fit for Buffy, saying, ‘I actually, in my 40s, appreciated Riley more… When I was younger, I thought, ‘kind of boring. I prefer Spike. And now I’m older, I think, ‘You know what? Maybe a little less Spike, a little more Riley.’’

Fans have started wondering if a grown-up Riley Finn might appear in the new Buffy series, perhaps working alongside the new Slayer, Nova (played by Ryan Kiera Armstrong). Given his past and clear love for the thrill of fighting vampires, it would make sense for him to still be involved in the supernatural world, even after leaving Buffy. The Initiative, the government organization from the original series, could be reintroduced as either helpful partners or opposing forces for the Slayers, which would be an interesting development. This would also allow the show to explore how Buffy’s actions and legacy have continued to affect the world.

If Zhao brings Riley back, she’ll need to be careful how she handles his return. He’s a complicated character who left under difficult circumstances, and that can’t be ignored. However, a successful return could highlight just how strong the “Into the Woods” episode was, framing it as the beginning of another fantastic story arc that fans will enjoy.

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2025-12-19 23:44