27 Years Ago Today, Buffy Introduced a Character Who Would End Up With One of the best Franchise Arcs

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Today marks the 27th anniversary of the debut of a character who initially received a lot of criticism from fans of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, but ultimately became one of the show’s most compelling figures. Buffy the Vampire Slayer first introduced audiences to Sarah Michelle Gellar as Buffy Summers, a young woman destined to fight vampires, demons, and other creatures. She was guided by Rupert Giles (Anthony Stewart Head), her Watcher. However, in the third season, the Watcher Council sent a new Watcher to train both Buffy and another Slayer, Faith, and viewers immediately disliked him.

Alexis Denisof first appeared on Buffy the Vampire Slayer in the episode “Bad Girls” as Wesley Wyndham-Pryce. Sent by the Watchers Council to train Buffy and Faith, he quickly struggled to make an impact. Fans already loved Anthony Stewart Head as Rupert Giles, and Buffy consistently preferred Giles’ guidance. This led to Wesley becoming a bit of a villain and the target of many jokes, as he wasn’t taken seriously by viewers or the characters.

Wesley’s time on Buffy the Vampire Slayer was often played for laughs. His attraction to Cordelia was awkward, given their age difference—he was an adult and she was still in high school. He also made critical errors when Faith turned bad and committed a murder, effectively ending her chance at turning her life around. When he failed to convince the Watchers Council to help Angel, Buffy cut ties with him. Even his attempts to assist her later in the season were unsuccessful, as he was quickly incapacitated. Despite this, his story wasn’t over.

Wesley Came Into His Own On the Spinoff Angel

Viewers familiar only with Buffy the Vampire Slayer might be surprised to learn that Wesley Wyndham-Pryce ultimately became a heroic and redeemed character. This transformation happened in the spin-off series Angel, where he joined Angel Investigations in Los Angeles to fight monsters and demons. He wasn’t part of the original team; he stepped in after the character Doyle, played by Glenn Quinn, passed away.

Wesley Wyndham-Pryce’s initial appearance on Angel was a bit of a comical attempt at a tough persona – he showed up on a motorcycle in leather, trying to seem intimidating. But this was a far cry from the awkward, rule-following Watcher he’d been when he couldn’t save Buffy. Over the course of Angel, however, he truly transformed. By the end of the series, Wesley had become a valuable and skilled member of the team, a far cry from his early days on Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

Wesley underwent a dramatic transformation throughout the series. Initially portrayed as timid and disliked by many viewers, he evolved into a capable leader willing to make difficult choices, even killing when necessary. His loyalty was tested when he betrayed the team in an attempt to protect Connor, Angel’s son, and he bravely confronted Angel when he believed he was right. A significant part of his story was his love for Fred, whose tragic death and subsequent return as the demon Illyria deeply affected him. By the end of his journey, Wesley’s death in the final battle was profoundly moving for fans who had witnessed his growth. Over the course of 27 years, Wesley Wyndham-Pryce experienced a more complex and unexpected arc than any other character in the Buffy the Vampire Slayer universe.

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2026-02-09 18:40