Buffy the Vampire Slayer may have been about the once-in-a-generation slayer described in its opening narration, but it has always been an ensemble piece. The “Scooby Gang” surrounding Buffy is just as crucial to every mission, whether through Giles’s arcane research, Willow’s witchy knowledge, or Angel's or Spike’s lived experience as vampires.
Then, there’s Xander. Buffy’s “Xander-shaped friend” may have been the most underrated part of the Scooby Gang, but his deceptively complex character bolstered the cast. Actor Nicholas Brendon, who passed away recently at the age of 54, portrayed Xander with a pang of sympathy that made him an essential part of the series. In Season 3, we finally got to see him take center stage in an episode that subverted the very premise of the show itself and established a brand new TV technique.
