Fans of Buffy the Vampire Slayer are familiar with the story of the Slayer, which is often repeated throughout the show. The prophecy describes a “Chosen One”—a girl destined to fight vampires, demons, and other dark forces completely on her own. While this prophecy is meant to define the Slayer’s role in the world, the series consistently challenges it. Buffy repeatedly finds strength and support in her friends, allies, and, later, other Slayers, proving she doesn’t have to fight alone.
A key part of the prophecy, though rarely explored in detail throughout the series, is the history of the Slayer title itself. While the show reveals a few past Slayers, and thousands of years of Slayer history exists, only a handful are actually confirmed. Many of those who came before Buffy Summers are unnamed or have very little backstory, often appearing only briefly in comics or novels. However, each confirmed Slayer, even with limited details, contributes to the overall history in a unique way.
7) Sineya
Sineya first appeared in Buffy the Vampire Slayer during Season 4, showing up in dreams and visions that revealed her as the very first Slayer. She reappeared twice more: in Season 5, when a character called “The Guide” took on her appearance, and again in Season 7, where her backstory was explained. It wasn’t a pleasant one – long ago in prehistoric Africa, three powerful mages combined the spirit of a demon with Sineya, known as “The First Slayer,” so she could battle them.
Sharon Ferguson played the character Sineya on the TV show Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and the character also continued to appear in Buffy comics and novels.
6) The Italian Barmaid (1400s)
The 1992 Buffy the Vampire Slayer movie has a loose connection to the TV show, but certain parts have been confirmed as still being part of the official story. The film hints at previous Slayers throughout history, all played by Kristy Swanson, including a barmaid from 15th-century Italy. While she appears only briefly before being killed by the villain Lothos, this character later reappears in several Buffy comics, including the Fray series co-written by Joss Whedon, solidifying her place in the official storyline.
5) The Dark Ages Slayer (and More)
Following the previous Slayer’s death, a noblewoman in England stepped up to take her place. The comic books later expanded on her story, showing she first hesitated before accepting her destiny. The movie briefly suggests the existence of three other Slayers from the past through Buffy’s watcher, Merrick, who records her dreams of being different people – a Hungarian farm girl, a Native American princess, and a slave from Virginia. While these Slayers don’t appear anywhere else in the series, their presence in Buffy’s dreams establishes them as official parts of the Buffy universe.
4) The Tales of the Slayers Roster
As the TV show Buffy the Vampire Slayer neared its end, a comic book series called Tales of the Slayers came out. This series explored the stories of other vampire slayers throughout history, including Sineya, who was the very first Slayer, and Melaka Fray, a Slayer from the 23rd century who already had her own comic. The series also introduced another Slayer we’ll discuss later.
Four other Slayers from history are revealed in these comics, including:
- Claudine, a French Slayer active during the French Revolution in 1789
- Elizabeth Weston, an English Slayer who would disguise herself as a man and was active around 1813
- Naayéé’neizgháni, a Navajo Slayer who attacked a nest of vampires on a barren piece of land (that would one day become Sunnydale, California)
- Anni, aka “Sonnenblume,” a young German girl who earns her powers in 1938 and decides to use her abilities to fight evil of Nazis as well as vampires.
3) Xin Rong (1900)
Spike, the popular vampire from Buffy the Vampire Slayer, has a significant backstory: he personally killed two Slayers. The first was Xin Rong, a Chinese Slayer he killed during the Boxer Rebellion in 1900. Actress Ming Qiu portrayed Xin Rong, and her history with Spike is referenced throughout both Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel, including being remembered by a later Slayer named Dana.
2) Nikki Wood
Spike killed Nikki Wood, who was the second Slayer, serving from 1970 to 1977. She’s also the third Slayer to have her story told in Tales of the Slayers. Nikki primarily fought vampires in New York City, but also traveled to South America and Mexico. After killing her, Spike took her leather jacket and wore it for many years as part of his signature style.
Buffy fans will also remember that Nikki’s story continued with the revelation that her son was Robin Wood, a key member of the Scooby gang and a skilled vampire hunter. The character of Nikki was portrayed by April Weeden and K.D. Aubert during her two appearances on the show.
1) The Slayer Right Before Buffy
Nikki died in 1977, and Buffy didn’t become the Slayer until 1996, leaving almost twenty years where other Slayers were active but remain largely unknown – though novels offer glimpses of their stories. A recurring question in Buffy’s history is who was the Slayer before Buffy herself, and there are two possible answers.
As a long-time fan, I’ve always been fascinated by the Slayers who came before Buffy. There’s India Cohen, a character originally from the novel The Book of Fours. While interesting, her place in the official story is a little shaky since Joss Whedon didn’t create her, and she’s never really shown up anywhere else. Then there’s a nameless Slayer who appears briefly in Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season Eight comics, specifically issue #34. She tries to take down a vampire but doesn’t make it, and while the artist, Georges Jeanty, hinted she was Buffy’s predecessor, the story itself doesn’t explicitly say so. Honestly, we still don’t know for sure who held the title just before Buffy and what exactly led to her becoming the Slayer – that Slayer’s death is what called Buffy to the role, but the details remain a mystery.
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2025-12-05 02:17