AlthoughBuffy the Vampire Slayer’s strongest villain could conceivably return in the upcoming reboot, the show shouldn’t bring back The First Evil when the cult hit returns to screens.Buffy the Vampire Slayer’s rebootwas always going to have a hard time justifying its existence. However, the re-imagining of the ‘90s classic has gotten everything right so far.Sarah Michelle Gellar’s return as Buffyis good news, as is, paradoxically, the news that the show won’t feature Buffy as its main heroine, but rather a new slayer.
AlthoughBuffy the Vampire Slayer’s titular heroine was a huge part of the original show’s appeal, a show about Buffy taking on supernatural foes now would feel distinctly different from the original teen hit.Buffy the Vampire Slayer’s reboot must returnto the show’s roots to succeed, and that means telling the story of a seemingly normal suburban teen who learns to battle the paranormal with the help of her friends and mentor. Gellar’s Buffy can now play that mentor role instead of acting as the show’s central lead.
How The First Evil Can Return In Buffy The Vampire Slayer’s Reboot
Buffy the Vampire Slayer’s Biggest Villain Was Never Fully Defeated
AlthoughBuffy the Vampire Slayer’s strongest villainwas central to the show’s final season, it is another element of the hit series that doesn’t necessarily need to return when the reboot arrives. On the contrary,Buffy the Vampire Slayer’s reboot should ignore The First Evilif the show wants to recapture the tone of the original series. Admittedly, it would be comparatively easy to bring back this overpowered villain, but that doesn’t mean it would be a good idea.
A villain as eternal and inconceivably vast as evil itself wasn’t really something that Buffy and the gang could permanently beat in literal terms.
The First Evil was a literal manifestation of the concept of evil itself, meaning it could never really be defeated for good. This made the monsterBuffy the Vampire Slayer’s most powerful villain by a stretch, but it also meant that the ageless entity’s motivations were always muddled and unclear. A villain as eternal and inconceivably vast as evil itself wasn’t really something that Buffy and the gang could permanently beat in literal terms, so, although it is always going to be out there, waiting,Buffy the Vampire Slayer’s rebootdoesn’t need to revisit its existence.
Why The First Evil Shouldn’t Return In Buffy’s Reboot
Buffy the Vampire Slayer’s Strongest Antagonist Was Also Its Least Interesting Villain
Already, viewers saw The First Evil wait for years before attacking Buffy during the original show’s run. If the reboot’s creators do want to bring back a villain from the original show, The First Evil would be the easiest one to use, and its comeback would allow for other characters to return to their season 7 roles. However, The First Evil has been done, and its battles with Buffy were never as epic as they should have been.
In concept, The First Evil is a great villain. In execution, it was just not that interesting, lacking a clear personality, motivations, and weaknesses. EvenBuffy the Vampire Slayer’s other overpowered villains, like season 5’s Glory, had better motivations and felt more like fully rounded, present characters. Furthermore, with a new slayer, it is fair to say thatBuffy the Vampire Slayer’s reboot should focus on slaying vampires before bringing back such a trippy Lovecraftian entity from the show’s most divisive era.
