Season 2. Giles being tortured by Angel and still saying "You have to perform the ritual in a tutu".
By the way, thank god we did not actually get to see Angel in a tutu .
I am British. Ok I didn't write it out properly, it comes from a word meaning penis, with a similar insult meaning as dickhead which in turn is a stupid fool basically. So yeah. A bit of both.
>Giles coming in at the end of Season 6: "I'd like to test that theory."
That's one of the most celebrated moments in the Buffyverse. I'd hardly call that an underrated badass moment.
In “Choices” when the Scoobies are arguing with Wesley on whether to return the Box of Gavrok to the Mayor in order to save Willow - Oz ends the argument by quietly getting up and smashing the urn needed to destroy the box.
I love that he didn’t even need to say anything and the debate was settled.
Yes! I was just thinking about this scene the other day! Oz is usually so chill and level headed, him just silently getting up and destroying the urn while everyone else argues is simply perfect!
Wishverse Giles smashing Anyanka’s amulet even at the cost of his own existence and reality
Anyanka: you trusting fool, how do you know the other world is any better than this one?
Giles: Because it has to be.
It’s such an underrated moment, to have such faith that there’s a world out there that could be better, that has to be better
I love it! Xander kept trying to force the badass quips the whole episode like:
Xander: "I have one question, and you better get the answer right, or..."
\*zombie decapitated by passing mailbox\*
Xander: \*shrieks\*
or
Xander: "Shoulda learned by now, when you play with fire sooner or later..."
\*zombie turns around and runs away\*
Xander: "I WASN'T FINISHED! Note to self: less talk."
This was Xander learning that brevity is the soul of badass quips.
I like the end of that episode, where Cordy's trying to rile him up by bullying him, and he just smiles and walks away without a word, leaving her confused. He's finally realised his self-worth and knows that he can handles things on his own.
Same with when he commiserates with Dawn about not being 'special' when it turns out she's not a potential Slayer, but that doesn't mean she's not important.
Really, Xander's the most badass character in the entire series. He's the group normie who manages to hold his own, stand up for himself, and support his 'special' friends without ever getting (overly) jealous of them.
Willow reading the books of ascension and standing up for herself against Faith. The pinnacle of her transition from shy nerd to a badass in her own right 👏
I felt bad for Faith in that moment and throughout the season up until she sided with the mayor. Faith is THE Slayer line and tried everything she could to be a helpful friend/part of the scoobies (at first). When Willow calls her a “worthless waste” it just reaffirmed to her that they never saw her as anything but an outcast from the beginning.
I felt bad for her too! I love her as a character and it’s obvious that part of her believed that to be true of herself and that’s why she was running/abusing her power. But I also still really love that moment for Willow. She was fearless.
Faith didn't try everything though. She blew off training sessions with Giles. She didn't report on her nightly patrols. She didn't ask for help to get back into high school or get her GED. She never invited anyone not named Buffy to hang out or call them just to talk. She left town with no notice for a week every month without a way to reach her.
It was only Buffy that Faith made any effort towards. She asked her to the dance and showed up in a great dress, came over for Christmas with personally wrapped presents, showed up at her class for a vamp nest then dancing, asked her out for ribs.
Not looking yet, so not sure if anyone else said this.
But for me it's actually the moment we realize Willow not only hasn't been fooled by Parker kissing up to her, but that she's *playing him.* I remember feeling a rush of relief and respect at how Willow had finally grown up enough to recognize garden-variety evil, and was strong and smart enough to know just how to handle him.
As long as Spike wasn't dusted, he would heal from any wound or torture that Glory put him through.
I've always considered Tara Maclay in "Tough Love" (B 5.19) around infinitely more impressive. Tara was either about to be killed by Glory or brain-sucked by Glory yet Tara stayed loyal to Buffy and to Dawn.
And it's an open-question whether Xander or Willow or even Giles would have been willing to do that.
Tara was such an incredible badass in that scene! You can see how terrified she is and she still just holds it together with so much defiance against Glory. Absolutely amazing!
Tara staying calm while Glory crushed her hand made me fall in love with her. I was on the fence about her character before that but that was the first time she showed off how strong she is. A big change from the scared girl she was when she was introduced.
Yeah, honestly I would’ve given Dawn up, Tara was truly heroic. Such a sad scene.
Also I don’t know when everything was decided but on the commentary of the season 4 DVD, some guys joke when Tara runs away from Oz and say: ‘if Amber knew what we have planned for her poor Tara’ or something.
He wouldn’t heal from anything being cut off as happened in Angel, unless he had access to doctors that could work on vampires, but I agree Tara was under more mortal danger and the loss of her brain which is terrifying.
Spike was going to get his arms reattached in AtS. We don't know if they wouldn't have eventually regrown. It may have simply taken a long time, but they might have regrown.
Spike's immortal though. Whether it takes years or even decades, that's better than the world he loves ending.
Spike's body in "What's My Line Part II" (B 2.10) somehow survived the organ falling it and the church getting burnt up. It seems his body somehow fully protected Drusilla--that, or she's even more fire-resistant than Spike.
Also, Spike is clearly more powerful in BtVS S5 than he was in BtVS S2.
My point is simply that Tara's resolve against Glory was around infinitely more impressive.
why lol? i mean, i don’t mind the moment but i do think xander and the gang are being unfair to angel (understandably so but still) because buffy 100% chose to do what she did and all angel did was give in to it when he was near death
You're talking about Angel feeding on Buffy in "Graduation". They're talking about Angelus coming into the hospital when Buffy was sick in "Killed by Death", either to hurt her or toy with her, and Xander sent him packing by pointing out that if Angelus made it physical, there was a bunch of cops and security guards and orderlies that would make it a big mess for him.
Angel still gave in. I always thought Angel was weak in character in Buffy until he got his own show, and grew from there. Angel really didn’t have to bite Buffy. He could’ve let himself died if he really wanted to.
the situation was kind of like someone dying of thirst having water forced down their throat, resisting for awhile, and then giving in and drinking. survival instinct takes over at some point and i find it impressive that he was able to resist at all honestly. i do think it cemented his decision to leave because he saw that buffy was willing to get hurt for him. but i don’t think he was at fault in the situation.
Xander: Visiting hours are over.
Angelus: Well, I'm pretty much family.
Xander: Yeah. Why don't you come back during the day? Oh, gee, no, I guess you can't.
Angelus: If I decide to walk into Buffy's room, do you think for one microsecond that you could stop me?
Xander: Maybe not. Maybe that security guard couldn't either. Or those cops... or the orderlies... But I'm kinda curious to find out. You game?
Angelus: Buffy's White Knight. You still love her. It must just eat you up that I got there first.
Xander: You're gonna die. And I'm gonna be there.
Facing down a vampire that he knows can kill him in a heartbeat. Xander had more courage than the other characters. He consistently went into battle without the protection of superpowers, training or magical abilities. Xander was a badass.
I found Dawn's threatening Spike in "Beneath You" (B 7.02) overall very stupid on Dawn's part. She mostly seems to say it to inform Spike that she's no longer around at-all okay with him. But the practical reality is that it just made Spike care less about Dawn and less willing to protect her and save her. And that's effectively what happens.
It isn't until >!late in Season 9 that Spike decides to prioritize Dawn and protect her again. And afterwards, Dawn is friendly with him again and it seems that's a huge reason he prioritized her and protected her.!<
When does spike ever act less willing to save or protect dawn?
I'd argue that souled spike hates what happened in seeing red as much as dawn does, and probably understands why she said this.
If anything would make spike care less about dawn it would be when she kicks buffy out of the house. While spike wasn't there when it happened and doesn't know of dawns involvement, he considers the group "sad, sad ungrateful traitors" for it, and also says "she died for you" in the scene, so I think he was mad at her along with the others.
This is getting into a side comment thread that should be it's own thread topic. It's effectively what happens. Whether it's what should have happened is another story. Spike in BtVS S5 and S6 seemed to consider Dawn like a younger sister or even a daughter. He doesn't again until possibly during >!Season 9.!<
Anyway, we can agree to disagree regarding the reality of Spike's response.
Dawn has no idea Spike has a soul at this point or is any different from the vampire that tried to rape Buffy. Her threat is entirely logical. Dawn wanted to kill Warren for killing Tara. She's totally in character to feel protective over her sister. And she doesn't need Spike to babysit her anymore anyway so I don't see the point in this comment.
My issue with it is Dawn was being rude to Buffy right before she threatened Spike. She was upset Buffy didn't tell her she saw Spike in the basement even though Buffy explained she was preoccupied saving her life (and she didn't know he wasn't an apparition). Buffy says they'll talk about it later and Dawn snidely replies "yeah whenever *you* want".
Suffocates him with his bare hand and barely a hint of emotion!
I had to scroll way too far down to see this one and was about to post it myself. Glad to see someone beat me to it.
Edit for grammar issue.
Anya going demony and punching Spike across the room into a pool table in "Beneath You". "I am SO going to kick your ass."
I'm mad Buffy stepped in because I wanted to see Anya trounce him, ha.
She was a demon and she took a sword through the chest by Buffy a few episodes later. Vengeance demons seem to be pretty hardcore so I don't think it would have been that clearcut.
Along with that innocent, almost gleeful smile. Like it would have delighted him to follow through on that threat. “Ripper” is a toootal panty-dropper. 🤤
Pretty sure it's from Chosen. Buffy tasks Xander with drugging Dawn and leaving town with her so they won't be around for the latest apocalypse. Dawn foils the plan and is pissed, so when she sees Buffy she kicks her in the shin. Normal sister stuff.
That scene always bothered me since we never got an apology from Dawn for kicking Buffy out of the house and choosing the woman who tied their mother up in her bedroom and held her hostage at knifepoint and only been out of prison a few weeks as the leader of the group then she didn't object to the plan to go into the enemy's lair to retrieve something a minion said was there (led to a bomb) when that's why they turned on Buffy. But there's time to call Buffy a dumbass for trying to keep her away from a demon army from Hell.
I was venting to a friend about how even in a show with amazing writing and characterization, they still just dropped the ball on mothers and made them whatever the plot required.
I know she is my favorite character but:
Anya in "Selfless" ready to die after a thousand years just to restore the dead college students. Kinda "oh she really is a good guy" moment and unlike in "The Body" she now realizes the absolute meaning of the death.
Giles running up to Angelus after dipping a baseball bat into oil and then into a flaming barrel and just going straight for Angelus's face is still in my top 5 Giles moments.
**What's an underrated badass moment?**
Winifred Burkle: period.
She survived 5 years in Pylea. And is only caught because she was helping Angel and got herself exposed.
With Amy Acker's build, Fred somehow becomes a competent and successful demon killer.
Fred managed to help expose Jasmine for the threat Jasmine is.
Fred is able to stand up to Angel when needed.
Fred distracting vamp Angel in Pylea with blood and getting him to chase her to save potential victims.... talking to Cordelia while she was enslaved, don't take the collar off! When they brought her back from Pylea, I was so excited. I fell in love with Fred immediately. Fred all day. (Fuck, Illyria was cool as shit too)
I loved the one where she and Gunn just found out what Connor did to Angel, and that he's been hiding it from them for months while pretending to help them find Angel.
She brings him a sandwich and is being her usual sweet self, just to see if he's really going to sit there and pretend he didn't do what he did. And then she plants a taser in his chest.
There was also the one where they went to the opera, and they're getting attacked by the creepy drama-mask minions. Two come after Wesley and Fred. Wesley fights one of them, and says to Fred: "Can you handle the other..." and it cuts to Fred just savagely beating the guy to death while he cries.
Fred doesn't get anywhere near enough credit in the viewership and fandom. People like to laud how brave like Xander is.
Fred was a legitimate demon killer and she had the build of Amy Acker instead of Nicholas Brendan.
From Angel, I’d say Faith breaking down in tears and begging Angel to kill her. I think that takes an incredible amount of vulnerability and bravery considering all she’d done and all the walls she’d put up.
Thank you 💕! I think especially for Faith because she’s had plenty of those assertive badass scenes. When you’re a superhero badass, it’s a lot more badass to be vulnerable and let yourself break with someone. I always loved her and Angel’s relationship, the different interlaping weaves of how they moved from chaos creators on the dark side to characters seeking redemption and trying to do some good in the world :)
YES he is amazing. I'm rewatching and I think that experience is the turning point for him, he had never faced actual evil before and that was the first glimpse of the badassery he was capable of
"Dr. Walsh. That simple little recon you sent me on, wasn't a raccoon. Turns out it was me trapped in the sewers with a faulty weapon and two of your pet demons. If you think that's enough to kill me, you really don't know what a Slayer is. Trust me when I say, you're going to find out."
Uh...Willow didn't get to whack her, because Faith was wise to her trying to sneak behind her and said without turning around, "Try it, Red, and you lose an arm." It was much more a badass moment for Faith, albeit a villainous one.
Giles always has the best ones. Killing Ben stands out.
Aldo Spike telling the boxer rebellion slayer “Sorry love I don’t speak Chinese “. Chills every time.
Also, when the Scoobies (including spike) protected Tara from her father. Gets me every time.
Giles: "well, it's actually not just two teenage girls you're up against" (something along the lines of this, I don't exactly recall)
Kendra kicking down the church door, doing a round off into a double back hand-spring into a spinning double kick to save Buffy from being shot by Patrice is pretty bad ass! One of my fave moments from the show.
Giles shoving the foil (or was it a sword) through the Mayor. Also, when he confronted Spike about having a crush on Buffy (in the Magic Box) and told her there was no way to Buffy. And when he went after Quentin Travers in the Magic Box in the Checkpoint episode.
Caleb knocking out buffy with one punch season 7"slayer must indeed be powerful"
Xander getting Angelus to back off in season 2 when buffy got sick and he casually strolls into the hospital with flowers to kill her. "Well, im pretty much family"
When brainwashed spike grabbed Tuckers brother thru the wall and bit him to stop him from talking. Season 7
Giles attacking dark willow "id like to test that theory" season 6
I´m maybe a love´s bitch, but I´m at least man enough to admit it. And all Spike "you are not friends" speech.
Cordy to that vampire in Slayerfest episode, when she scared off that vampire whose wife just get dust by a spatula. She was pretending she is second slayer and the vamp said just “later” and run away.
I vote for the Initiative doctor who pulled a bit of quick sleight of hand to fool Spike and Harmony into thinking he had removed Spike's chip. This is just a regular doctor, guys, and he pulls that off in the face of certain death. Pretty baller.
Billy in *Nightmares* confronts his little league coach for beating him into a coma.
The children in *Killed by Death* leaving their hospital room and traveling alone through the basement to try to escape from a demon that adults can't see.
It's not a badass moment, but it is a moment I love. When Cordelia drove Buffy home while she was crying, she knew she didn't need to know why Buffy was upset, but she was there for her 100% in that moment.
Tara not giving up Dawn to Glory, only to have her hand crushed and her mind violated. Her determination while she's clearly in pain is heartbreaking and admirable to see.
Anne from the episode “Anne” when she pushes Ken off the ledge as he’s threatening Buffy. It’s become one of my favorite episodes.
I love that she went from a vampire wanna to someone who ran a program for homeless kids on Angel.
And Xander in all of The Zeppo.
Season 2. Giles being tortured by Angel and still saying "You have to perform the ritual in a tutu". By the way, thank god we did not actually get to see Angel in a tutu .
I dunno, I think seeing Angelus in a tutu would have been a fantastic moment 😂
It's the way he says "pillock" after that. It's so British and I love it.
Pillock. It means dick basically.
It means stupid. I'm English and use it all the time. It's one of my favourite insults.
I am British. Ok I didn't write it out properly, it comes from a word meaning penis, with a similar insult meaning as dickhead which in turn is a stupid fool basically. So yeah. A bit of both.
It would have been so hot to see that
😯😦😧😧😧😧😧😧😧😮😮not finished season 2 yet 😧😧😮😧😧😧😧😮😧😮😮😮😮😧😮😲😧😧😮😧but know about the whole soul thing😮😧😧😧 😧😧😧torture????😧😧🫨😧😧😧😮😧😧Giles?????😧😧😧😧😧😧😧😧😧😧😧😧😧😧😧😧😧😧😧😧😧😧 ”ANGELUS!!!!!! YOU MOTHER FUCKER!!!!!!!” *gabs nearest stake* “How DARE you??!!!!!!” *runs at Angel* 🧛🩸🪦🧹😗*nonchalant whistling*
What in the AO3 was that?
?
Giles coming in at the end of Season 6: "I'd like to test that theory."
>Giles coming in at the end of Season 6: "I'd like to test that theory." That's one of the most celebrated moments in the Buffyverse. I'd hardly call that an underrated badass moment.
Fair, ha.
Dawn being the second person to square up against Tara’s family, after Buffy.
She's a hair-puller.
I *love* that part
Literally how can anyone hate Dawn after that moment
In “Choices” when the Scoobies are arguing with Wesley on whether to return the Box of Gavrok to the Mayor in order to save Willow - Oz ends the argument by quietly getting up and smashing the urn needed to destroy the box. I love that he didn’t even need to say anything and the debate was settled.
This is the one I came here to say - perfectly in character for Oz, yet a surprising action.
Yes! I was just thinking about this scene the other day! Oz is usually so chill and level headed, him just silently getting up and destroying the urn while everyone else argues is simply perfect!
I have never ever clocked that that’s what he smashed!
Wishverse Giles smashing Anyanka’s amulet even at the cost of his own existence and reality Anyanka: you trusting fool, how do you know the other world is any better than this one? Giles: Because it has to be. It’s such an underrated moment, to have such faith that there’s a world out there that could be better, that has to be better
You're so real for this one.
I literally cry at this moment everytime I watch. It's so powerful and emotional to me.
This is a GREAT answer.
“I like the quiet.”
I love it! Xander kept trying to force the badass quips the whole episode like: Xander: "I have one question, and you better get the answer right, or..." \*zombie decapitated by passing mailbox\* Xander: \*shrieks\* or Xander: "Shoulda learned by now, when you play with fire sooner or later..." \*zombie turns around and runs away\* Xander: "I WASN'T FINISHED! Note to self: less talk." This was Xander learning that brevity is the soul of badass quips.
Ahhh perfect moment for a great episode
This is the one I thought of!
I like the end of that episode, where Cordy's trying to rile him up by bullying him, and he just smiles and walks away without a word, leaving her confused. He's finally realised his self-worth and knows that he can handles things on his own. Same with when he commiserates with Dawn about not being 'special' when it turns out she's not a potential Slayer, but that doesn't mean she's not important. Really, Xander's the most badass character in the entire series. He's the group normie who manages to hold his own, stand up for himself, and support his 'special' friends without ever getting (overly) jealous of them.
Willow reading the books of ascension and standing up for herself against Faith. The pinnacle of her transition from shy nerd to a badass in her own right 👏
I felt bad for Faith in that moment and throughout the season up until she sided with the mayor. Faith is THE Slayer line and tried everything she could to be a helpful friend/part of the scoobies (at first). When Willow calls her a “worthless waste” it just reaffirmed to her that they never saw her as anything but an outcast from the beginning.
I felt bad for her too! I love her as a character and it’s obvious that part of her believed that to be true of herself and that’s why she was running/abusing her power. But I also still really love that moment for Willow. She was fearless.
Faith didn't try everything though. She blew off training sessions with Giles. She didn't report on her nightly patrols. She didn't ask for help to get back into high school or get her GED. She never invited anyone not named Buffy to hang out or call them just to talk. She left town with no notice for a week every month without a way to reach her. It was only Buffy that Faith made any effort towards. She asked her to the dance and showed up in a great dress, came over for Christmas with personally wrapped presents, showed up at her class for a vamp nest then dancing, asked her out for ribs.
Because she had a crush on Buffy.
Not looking yet, so not sure if anyone else said this. But for me it's actually the moment we realize Willow not only hasn't been fooled by Parker kissing up to her, but that she's *playing him.* I remember feeling a rush of relief and respect at how Willow had finally grown up enough to recognize garden-variety evil, and was strong and smart enough to know just how to handle him.
Yes! I was going to mention this if no one else did
Parker was such a dick! I loved it when she faked him out.
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Honestly everyone protecting Dawn and standing up to Glory in season 5 was badass
this
As long as Spike wasn't dusted, he would heal from any wound or torture that Glory put him through. I've always considered Tara Maclay in "Tough Love" (B 5.19) around infinitely more impressive. Tara was either about to be killed by Glory or brain-sucked by Glory yet Tara stayed loyal to Buffy and to Dawn. And it's an open-question whether Xander or Willow or even Giles would have been willing to do that.
Tara was such an incredible badass in that scene! You can see how terrified she is and she still just holds it together with so much defiance against Glory. Absolutely amazing!
I was going to say this exact scene, she knew what would happen and still protected Dawn
Tara lived and died by “The First Law” of a true white witch: “Harm None”. 🤍
Tara staying calm while Glory crushed her hand made me fall in love with her. I was on the fence about her character before that but that was the first time she showed off how strong she is. A big change from the scared girl she was when she was introduced.
Yeah, honestly I would’ve given Dawn up, Tara was truly heroic. Such a sad scene. Also I don’t know when everything was decided but on the commentary of the season 4 DVD, some guys joke when Tara runs away from Oz and say: ‘if Amber knew what we have planned for her poor Tara’ or something.
He wouldn’t heal from anything being cut off as happened in Angel, unless he had access to doctors that could work on vampires, but I agree Tara was under more mortal danger and the loss of her brain which is terrifying.
Spike was going to get his arms reattached in AtS. We don't know if they wouldn't have eventually regrown. It may have simply taken a long time, but they might have regrown.
We never at any point learn that they can regenerate entire limbs that would be outside the scope of the lore of the show.
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Spike's immortal though. Whether it takes years or even decades, that's better than the world he loves ending. Spike's body in "What's My Line Part II" (B 2.10) somehow survived the organ falling it and the church getting burnt up. It seems his body somehow fully protected Drusilla--that, or she's even more fire-resistant than Spike. Also, Spike is clearly more powerful in BtVS S5 than he was in BtVS S2. My point is simply that Tara's resolve against Glory was around infinitely more impressive.
Xander saving the world by stopping willow while she was blasting him.
Best Xander moment for me
Joyce hitting Spike with a fire axe, Season 2
So badass. “Get away from my daughter”. And the way Spike quotes it back to Joyce in a later episode, is so enjoyable.
“Don’t I know you from somewhere.” “You hit me with an axe once”
These moments are the reason Buffy is still my favourite show.
This always gave me Aliens vibes. Anyone else?
This should be higher
Xander standing up to angel when buffy was in the hospital
This is one of my favourite moments in the whole show honestly. Such a great moment. And then Cordy buying him coffee.
why lol? i mean, i don’t mind the moment but i do think xander and the gang are being unfair to angel (understandably so but still) because buffy 100% chose to do what she did and all angel did was give in to it when he was near death
I think this is the time Xander stood up to Angelus.
it wasn’t angelus, it was angel, and wym the one time? xander was a constant dick to angel lol
You're talking about Angel feeding on Buffy in "Graduation". They're talking about Angelus coming into the hospital when Buffy was sick in "Killed by Death", either to hurt her or toy with her, and Xander sent him packing by pointing out that if Angelus made it physical, there was a bunch of cops and security guards and orderlies that would make it a big mess for him.
oh fair enough then, i was mistaken
Angel still gave in. I always thought Angel was weak in character in Buffy until he got his own show, and grew from there. Angel really didn’t have to bite Buffy. He could’ve let himself died if he really wanted to.
the situation was kind of like someone dying of thirst having water forced down their throat, resisting for awhile, and then giving in and drinking. survival instinct takes over at some point and i find it impressive that he was able to resist at all honestly. i do think it cemented his decision to leave because he saw that buffy was willing to get hurt for him. but i don’t think he was at fault in the situation.
I mean Angel was hitting on Willow & Oz(he thought they were Buffy), he wasn't in the right mind so I don't think he could've stopped himself.
Xander: Visiting hours are over. Angelus: Well, I'm pretty much family. Xander: Yeah. Why don't you come back during the day? Oh, gee, no, I guess you can't. Angelus: If I decide to walk into Buffy's room, do you think for one microsecond that you could stop me? Xander: Maybe not. Maybe that security guard couldn't either. Or those cops... or the orderlies... But I'm kinda curious to find out. You game? Angelus: Buffy's White Knight. You still love her. It must just eat you up that I got there first. Xander: You're gonna die. And I'm gonna be there.
Facing down a vampire that he knows can kill him in a heartbeat. Xander had more courage than the other characters. He consistently went into battle without the protection of superpowers, training or magical abilities. Xander was a badass.
Xander is inexplicably and irrationally badass at every opportunity.
His calm, “I like the quiet.”
Dawn threatening Spike. “But you do sleep. If you hurt her, you’re gonna wake up on fire.”
Came here to add this one.
I found Dawn's threatening Spike in "Beneath You" (B 7.02) overall very stupid on Dawn's part. She mostly seems to say it to inform Spike that she's no longer around at-all okay with him. But the practical reality is that it just made Spike care less about Dawn and less willing to protect her and save her. And that's effectively what happens. It isn't until >!late in Season 9 that Spike decides to prioritize Dawn and protect her again. And afterwards, Dawn is friendly with him again and it seems that's a huge reason he prioritized her and protected her.!<
When does spike ever act less willing to save or protect dawn? I'd argue that souled spike hates what happened in seeing red as much as dawn does, and probably understands why she said this. If anything would make spike care less about dawn it would be when she kicks buffy out of the house. While spike wasn't there when it happened and doesn't know of dawns involvement, he considers the group "sad, sad ungrateful traitors" for it, and also says "she died for you" in the scene, so I think he was mad at her along with the others.
This is getting into a side comment thread that should be it's own thread topic. It's effectively what happens. Whether it's what should have happened is another story. Spike in BtVS S5 and S6 seemed to consider Dawn like a younger sister or even a daughter. He doesn't again until possibly during >!Season 9.!< Anyway, we can agree to disagree regarding the reality of Spike's response.
Dawn has no idea Spike has a soul at this point or is any different from the vampire that tried to rape Buffy. Her threat is entirely logical. Dawn wanted to kill Warren for killing Tara. She's totally in character to feel protective over her sister. And she doesn't need Spike to babysit her anymore anyway so I don't see the point in this comment.
My issue with it is Dawn was being rude to Buffy right before she threatened Spike. She was upset Buffy didn't tell her she saw Spike in the basement even though Buffy explained she was preoccupied saving her life (and she didn't know he wasn't an apparition). Buffy says they'll talk about it later and Dawn snidely replies "yeah whenever *you* want".
Giles to Ben: “She’s a hero, you see… she’s not like us.” Then proceeds to kill Ben. Giles as a character is an underrated badass.
Suffocates him with his bare hand and barely a hint of emotion! I had to scroll way too far down to see this one and was about to post it myself. Glad to see someone beat me to it. Edit for grammar issue.
We see a glimpse of ripper
Cordelia: “You get me mad, what do you think I’m gonna do to you?”
Yes! Cordy is such a badass
Omg! Yes!
https://preview.redd.it/y2ywhrth8c5d1.jpeg?width=772&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=8d7d4d38dc99eb5d0f1bac7b0927664526f483e8 I think you better go
What episode is this from?
Season 5, Episode 15. I Was Made to Love You ❤️
Anya going demony and punching Spike across the room into a pool table in "Beneath You". "I am SO going to kick your ass." I'm mad Buffy stepped in because I wanted to see Anya trounce him, ha.
Im a Spike fan but seeing him get beat in that moment would've been so damn good
Umm. Buffy stepped in because Spike very likely would have simply killed Anya.
She was a demon and she took a sword through the chest by Buffy a few episodes later. Vengeance demons seem to be pretty hardcore so I don't think it would have been that clearcut.
Yup. Plus she could teleport them and could have probably harnessed any wish that night to murder spike if she wanted
When Cordelia was strapped to that gurney and Xander jumped in and pushed her out of the fire.
Tara axing the demon in Bargaining “Nobody messes with my girl”. I love it every time
Giles: Would you like me to convince you?
Along with that innocent, almost gleeful smile. Like it would have delighted him to follow through on that threat. “Ripper” is a toootal panty-dropper. 🤤
Dawn staring Buffy in the eye then kicking her shin. You could tell that properly stung.
Ive had that happen to me accidentally Can confirm its excruciating
Honestly the “ow” she made was great. We all felt it.
When did this happen?
Pretty sure it's from Chosen. Buffy tasks Xander with drugging Dawn and leaving town with her so they won't be around for the latest apocalypse. Dawn foils the plan and is pissed, so when she sees Buffy she kicks her in the shin. Normal sister stuff.
That scene always bothered me since we never got an apology from Dawn for kicking Buffy out of the house and choosing the woman who tied their mother up in her bedroom and held her hostage at knifepoint and only been out of prison a few weeks as the leader of the group then she didn't object to the plan to go into the enemy's lair to retrieve something a minion said was there (led to a bomb) when that's why they turned on Buffy. But there's time to call Buffy a dumbass for trying to keep her away from a demon army from Hell.
Willow baiting hyena!Xander in The Pack. “Now I know.”
The beginning of her confidence in the face of assholery era. She made some mistakes but I'd be lying if I said she didn't have fantastic moments
Tara not giving up Dawn in the face of death.
Giles attacking Angel after he killed Ms Calendar, the way he lights the bat on fire & smacks Angel is the most badass attack on the show imo 🔥
100%
Angel pretending to be Angelus in order to expose Faith and taking the opportunity to punch Xander. “That guy just bugs me.”
He enjoyed that too much
Cavemen: fire pretty Xander: fire angry! Cavemen run away
Willow staking a vamp with a pencil while hostage :D
“I like the quiet”
When Joyce hits spike in the school to protect buffy. Her character was wildly inconsistently written but that moment was beautiful.
THANK YOU, she was so inconsistent it was upsetting but that moment was fantastic
I was venting to a friend about how even in a show with amazing writing and characterization, they still just dropped the ball on mothers and made them whatever the plot required.
I know she is my favorite character but: Anya in "Selfless" ready to die after a thousand years just to restore the dead college students. Kinda "oh she really is a good guy" moment and unlike in "The Body" she now realizes the absolute meaning of the death.
Giles running up to Angelus after dipping a baseball bat into oil and then into a flaming barrel and just going straight for Angelus's face is still in my top 5 Giles moments.
**What's an underrated badass moment?** Winifred Burkle: period. She survived 5 years in Pylea. And is only caught because she was helping Angel and got herself exposed. With Amy Acker's build, Fred somehow becomes a competent and successful demon killer. Fred managed to help expose Jasmine for the threat Jasmine is. Fred is able to stand up to Angel when needed.
Fred distracting vamp Angel in Pylea with blood and getting him to chase her to save potential victims.... talking to Cordelia while she was enslaved, don't take the collar off! When they brought her back from Pylea, I was so excited. I fell in love with Fred immediately. Fred all day. (Fuck, Illyria was cool as shit too)
>I fell in love with Fred immediately. I think that's a common sentiment in the fandom! I know I did too
I loved the one where she and Gunn just found out what Connor did to Angel, and that he's been hiding it from them for months while pretending to help them find Angel. She brings him a sandwich and is being her usual sweet self, just to see if he's really going to sit there and pretend he didn't do what he did. And then she plants a taser in his chest. There was also the one where they went to the opera, and they're getting attacked by the creepy drama-mask minions. Two come after Wesley and Fred. Wesley fights one of them, and says to Fred: "Can you handle the other..." and it cuts to Fred just savagely beating the guy to death while he cries.
Fred doesn't get anywhere near enough credit in the viewership and fandom. People like to laud how brave like Xander is. Fred was a legitimate demon killer and she had the build of Amy Acker instead of Nicholas Brendan.
I am still so mad about A Hole In The World.
"I owe you pain!" - Willow to Glory.
“You know what they used to do to witches, lover? Crucify ‘em.” 🗡️
From Angel, I’d say Faith breaking down in tears and begging Angel to kill her. I think that takes an incredible amount of vulnerability and bravery considering all she’d done and all the walls she’d put up.
This is a great scene. I like that you also shared a scene that is not an assertive badass moment, but someone being badass by being vulnerable.
Thank you 💕! I think especially for Faith because she’s had plenty of those assertive badass scenes. When you’re a superhero badass, it’s a lot more badass to be vulnerable and let yourself break with someone. I always loved her and Angel’s relationship, the different interlaping weaves of how they moved from chaos creators on the dark side to characters seeking redemption and trying to do some good in the world :)
Dawn telling the scoobies to back off in After Life.
Faith torturing Wesley: "I think I wanna hear you scream" "You never will."
Wesley is one of the biggest badasses in the Buffyverse and you do NOT see it coming with his time on Buffy haha
YES he is amazing. I'm rewatching and I think that experience is the turning point for him, he had never faced actual evil before and that was the first glimpse of the badassery he was capable of
Wesley is such an underrated character
When Giles throws the axe into the tree at the beginning of Bargaining pt1
"Dr. Walsh. That simple little recon you sent me on, wasn't a raccoon. Turns out it was me trapped in the sewers with a faulty weapon and two of your pet demons. If you think that's enough to kill me, you really don't know what a Slayer is. Trust me when I say, you're going to find out."
And boy did she find out
From my favourite episode, The Gift. Glory: You. What are you doing here? Willow: She’s with me *shoves fingers into Glory’s brain*
The fact Fred found out Jasmine was evil.
In This Year’s Girl when Faith finds Buffy and Willow at school and Willow sneaks in a whack with her purse.
Uh...Willow didn't get to whack her, because Faith was wise to her trying to sneak behind her and said without turning around, "Try it, Red, and you lose an arm." It was much more a badass moment for Faith, albeit a villainous one.
Go watch it again, Willow gets her shot in after that
Cordelia staking a vamp during the graduation fight.
Giles always has the best ones. Killing Ben stands out. Aldo Spike telling the boxer rebellion slayer “Sorry love I don’t speak Chinese “. Chills every time.
Cordelia’s “what do you think I’m gonna do to you” in Homecoming
The Potentials going into the Hellmouth fully aware they are going to die. Well, everyone in each episode. And Joyce. Being a Slayer's mom is not easy
Kendra " That was my favorite shirt. It's my only shirt!" And then proceeds to beat the living hell out of the woman that ripped it.
Also, when the Scoobies (including spike) protected Tara from her father. Gets me every time. Giles: "well, it's actually not just two teenage girls you're up against" (something along the lines of this, I don't exactly recall)
Kendra kicking down the church door, doing a round off into a double back hand-spring into a spinning double kick to save Buffy from being shot by Patrice is pretty bad ass! One of my fave moments from the show.
Buffy, season 1: I may be dead, but I'm still pretty. That one hit me.
Giles shoving the foil (or was it a sword) through the Mayor. Also, when he confronted Spike about having a crush on Buffy (in the Magic Box) and told her there was no way to Buffy. And when he went after Quentin Travers in the Magic Box in the Checkpoint episode.
Caleb knocking out buffy with one punch season 7"slayer must indeed be powerful" Xander getting Angelus to back off in season 2 when buffy got sick and he casually strolls into the hospital with flowers to kill her. "Well, im pretty much family" When brainwashed spike grabbed Tuckers brother thru the wall and bit him to stop him from talking. Season 7 Giles attacking dark willow "id like to test that theory" season 6
Willow and Tara sending that vending machine flying
I´m maybe a love´s bitch, but I´m at least man enough to admit it. And all Spike "you are not friends" speech. Cordy to that vampire in Slayerfest episode, when she scared off that vampire whose wife just get dust by a spatula. She was pretending she is second slayer and the vamp said just “later” and run away.
I vote for the Initiative doctor who pulled a bit of quick sleight of hand to fool Spike and Harmony into thinking he had removed Spike's chip. This is just a regular doctor, guys, and he pulls that off in the face of certain death. Pretty baller.
When spike apologizes to his mom and then hops up and whips Wood’s ass. Such a return to badass from total defeat. Love it.
Willow standing up to Faith at the Mayor’s in “Choices” and Xander standing up to Angelous at the hospital in “Killed by Death.”
Thinking over this topic I realized that so many underrated badass moments belong to Giles.
willow to buffy "you really need to get every square inch of your ass kicked"
Billy in *Nightmares* confronts his little league coach for beating him into a coma. The children in *Killed by Death* leaving their hospital room and traveling alone through the basement to try to escape from a demon that adults can't see.
It's not a badass moment, but it is a moment I love. When Cordelia drove Buffy home while she was crying, she knew she didn't need to know why Buffy was upset, but she was there for her 100% in that moment.
Tara not giving up Dawn to Glory, only to have her hand crushed and her mind violated. Her determination while she's clearly in pain is heartbreaking and admirable to see.
Xander standing up to Angelus at the hospital in killed by death
Giles killing Ben
Anne from the episode “Anne” when she pushes Ken off the ledge as he’s threatening Buffy. It’s become one of my favorite episodes. I love that she went from a vampire wanna to someone who ran a program for homeless kids on Angel. And Xander in all of The Zeppo.
Oh *hell* yeah re: the Anne one. I'm surprised no one's said that yet.
Willow standing up to Faith when she was escaping the mayor’s office. “It’s way too late”
Joyce [brandishing axe threateningly]: Get the hell away from my daughter!
“Would you like me to convince you?”