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While season 6 ofBuffy The Vampire Slayerwasn’t universally popular, the season 6 finale had a powerful ending that put the spotlight on a beloved, major character. After amemorable season 5Buffyfinalethat focuses on Dawn Summers (Michelle Trachtenberg) as The Key, season 6 ends with Sunnydale, California in danger once again.
Although every season finale ofBuffy The Vampire Slayertends to follow a similar formula ofBuffy Summers (Sarah Michelle Gellar) trying to save the world, the episodes are still action-packed, funny, and heartwarming. The ending ofBuffy The Vampire Slayerseason 6 set the TV series up for an unforgettable seventh and final season.
What Happens At The End Of Buffy The Vampire Slayer Season 6?
Willow Rosenberg (Alyson Hannigan) becomes evilinBuffy The Vampire Slayerseason 6, and her new persona is the focus of the season 6 finale. Inepisode 22 of season 6, “Grave,” Dark Willowwants to destroy the world because she can’t handle the hurt and violence around her. Since Willow has beenone of Buffy’s closest friendssince season 1, it’s unsettling to see them fighting each other.
Rupert Giles (Anthony Stewart Head) plays a key part at the end ofBuffy The Vampire Slayerseason 6 because an English coven gave him magic so he could defeat Willow. Dark Willow interrupts a bonding moment between Buffy and Giles when Buffy says that she needed to become more independent and that he was right to spend some time away. Willow and Giles then fight.
Buffy tries to beat Willow, but she proves to be stronger than both Dawn and Buffy, who are now underground. After Xander passes out, Buffy attempts to save everyone, and Anya Jenkins (Emma Caulfield) shares that Willow wants to use a dark temple calledProserpexato bring on the apocalypse.
While the season 6 finale isn’t widely considered one of thebestBuffy The Vampire Slayerepisodes, it does feature an important scene that proves that Xander Harris (Nicholas Brendon) is a perceptive, clever character. Once Buffy and her friends learn that magic won’t stop Willow, Xander tries to appeal to Willow’s human feelings. He talks to her about how close they are. Xander says:
“I’m not joking… I know you’re in pain. I can’t imagine the pain you’re in. And I know you’re about to do something apocalyptically evil and stupid, And, hey, I still wanna hang. You’re Willow.”
Xander tells her:
“The first day of kindergarten, you cried because you broke the yellow crayon and you were too afraid to tell anyone. You’ve come pretty far. Ending the world, not a terrific notion… But the thing is… yeah, I love you. I love crayon-breaky Willow and I love scary-veiny Willow. So if I’m goin' out, it’s here. If you wanna kill the world… well, then start with me. I’ve earned that.”
Once Willow is herself again, she cries, and Xander is of course relieved that he has stopped her. When Giles brings Anya back to life, he says that when Willow took his magic, she became vulnerable to Xander.
The final two scenes ofBuffy The Vampire Slayerseason 6 set up season 7.Spike is in Africaand gets his soul back. Buffy also tells Dawn that they will become closer and that things will get easier for their family.
What Is Buffy The Vampire Slayer Season 6 About?
Dark Willow plays a big part inBuffy The Vampire Slayerseason 6, along with Buffy’s journey to finding out who she is without Giles. In the two-part season 6 premiere,Buffy is brought back to life. A few episodes later, Anya and Xander get engaged, and Buffy’s family trouble forces her to get a job.Spike, who becomes a good vampire in season 4, is also a prominent character in season 6 as he and Buffy become romantically involved.
AsEntertainment Weeklyexplained, some fans find season 6 ofBuffy The Vampire Slayerto be problematic because of a violent storyline involving Spike and Buffy. Sarah Michelle Gellar told EW in 2017:
“I’ve always said that season 6 was not my favorite. I felt it betrayed who she was. Even just getting to talk to Joss and be able to get his opinion was not as easy when he’s not upstairs. He had three shows. He hadAngelandFireflyso that was hard. But he made sure to dedicate the time to season 7 and that was his promise to me: that we would right all the wrongs and he kept that promise.”
While there arecreepyBuffy The Vampire Slayerepisodesand alsoBuffyepisodes that are dark, season 6 has a mixed tone. There are humorous episodes such as"Older and Far Away"when Dawn wants the other characters to spend time with her and everyone gets stuck at a party to celebrate Buffy’s birthday. There is also"Once More, With Feeling,“the controversial musical episode. No matter what fans think ofBuffy The Vampire Slayerseason 6, it does build up necessary conflict and drama for the final season.
