History Characters / BuffyTheVampireSlayerScoobyGang

[[quoteright:350:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/giles_rupert_2227.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:''"The Earth is ''definitely'' doomed."'']]

[[quoteright:350:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/summers_dawn_2085.jpg]]

-->''"Destroyer of the universe. Guess cutting school doesn't seem so bad now, huh."''

* CursedWithAwesome: While being a giant and centaurette were annoying to her, she at least acknowledged they had some good points. Being turned into a doll wasn't funny.
** According to JossWhedon's script notes, Dawn Summers, being technically a clone of her older sister Buffy, should have been a potential Slayer, were it not for the fact that the Key, a force that was infinitely more powerful than the Slayer spirit, was already in residence in her body. Thus, her "potential" to be a potential Slayer was erased.

http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/willow_hannigan_7264.jpg
[[caption-width:255:[[labelnote:Click here]]http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/darkwill_7162.jpg[[/labelnote]] to see Dark Willow]]
->''"You're the Slayer and we're, like, the Slayerettes!"''

[[quoteright:350:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/harris_xander_8943.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:''"I laugh in the face of danger! Then I... hide until it goes away."'']]

%%* {{Adorkable}}: They all have their moments.

[[quoteright:350:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/summers_buffy_anne_7462.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:''"I'm going to give you all a nice, fun, normal evening, if I have to kill every single person on the face of the earth to do it."'']]

[[quoteright:350:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/wells_andrew_8631.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:''"I admit I went over to the Dark Side, but only to pick up a few things."'']]

!!Anya, née Anyanka née Aud

http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/anya_caufield_728.jpg
->''" I was feared and worshipped across the mortal globe and now I'm stuck at Sunnydale High. A mortal! A child! And [[ArsonMurderAndJaywalking I'm flunking math.]]"''

[[quoteright:350:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/osborne_daniel_4797.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:''"Hey, I may be a cold-blooded jelly doughnut, but my timing is impeccable."'']]

[[quoteright:350:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/finn_riley_1497.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:''"Turns out I suddenly find myself needing to know the plural of "apocalypse"."'']]

->''"So, what have you got going on tonight?"''
->''"Patrolling."''
->''"Patrolling?"''
->''"...[[LastSecondWordSwap Petroleum]]."''
->--Riley and Buffy

[[quoteright:350:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/maclay_tara_3205.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:''"Um, that-that was funny if you, um, studied Taglarin mythic rites…and are a complete dork."'']]

* TheOtherDarrin: To anyone who's seen the movie.

* TheOtherMarty: Willow's played by a different actress in the unaired pilot.

* WhatCouldHaveBeen: [[WordOfGod Word of Joss]] says the door was left open for either Xander or Willow to come out of the closet. Willow's backdoor was set up in "Doppelgangland" (see Wishverse Willow), and let's not forget Xander and Larry ("[[MistakenForGay Your secret's safe with me!]]"). Creator/SethGreen left the show to pursue other projects, and this sealed Willow's fate.

* DawsonCasting: Considering how much the show made use of it, Dawn was a pleasant aversion; Michelle Trachtenberg started playing the 14-year-old Dawn when she was 14. It was done to ensure that she would look younger than her sister. Ironically, she became taller than her by Season 7.

* {{Wangst}}: See AgeAppropriateAngst above though it's worth noting there are times she can fall into this even in Season 7 (though not as much as in previous seasons).

* DyeingForYourArt: Originally a brunette (her hair color as a human), but later went blonde.

* PlayingAgainstType: So Creator/SethGreen isn't the PluckyComicRelief?

* HilariousInHindsight: His many similarities to Captain America after Joss Whedon's involvement with the MarvelCinematicUniverse. Whedon himself wrote the script for Cap's movie.

* AbusiveParents: More like Abusive ''Family''. As part of her family's misogynistic tyranny of the women of the clan, they told her she was half-demon her entire life and that if she ever left them for too long, she'd turn into a monster. Her father doesn't even need to raise her voice to terrify Tara, her sister is a vicious bitch and her brother explicitly threatens to beat her up if she doesn't come with them.

* EvilTwin: Two AlternateUniverse versions of him; Ripper from the game ''Chaos Bleeds'', and a vampire EvilOverlord from ''The Lost Slayer'' book series.

!Former Members

[[folder:Angel]]
!!![[http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Characters/AngelInvestigations See Angel Investigations]]
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Cordelia]]
!!![[http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Characters/AngelInvestigations See Angel Investigations]]
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Anya]]
!!Anya, née Anyanka née Aud
->'''Played By:''' Emma Caulfield
http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/anya_caufield_728.jpg
->''" I was feared and worshipped across the mortal globe and now I'm stuck at Sunnydale High. A mortal! A child! And [[ArsonMurderAndJaywalking I'm flunking math.]]"''

Originally a 1,120-year-old vengeance demon who lost her powers and eventually joined the Scooby Gang. She was a LoveInterest for Xander for three seasons before their relationship ended, and she went back to being a Vengeance Demon. Lost her powers and rejoined the Scoobies in early Season 7.

* AbilityOverAppearance: Producers were reluctant to cast Amber Benson as Tara in because they wanted someone with the same slender build as Creator/AlysonHannigan. Specifically, they needed someone to take Willow's place as TheWoobie, since Willow was becoming too powerful to convincingly put in any real danger. However, Benson quickly won them over with her ability to play awkward and vulnerable.
* AbusiveParents: More like Abusive ''Family''. As part of her family's misogynistic tyranny of the women of the clan, they told her she was half-demon her entire life and that if she ever left them for too long, she'd turn into a monster. Her own brother explicitly threatens to beat her up if she doesn't come with them.
* AllWitchesHaveCats: Miss Kitty Fantastico, again! Though Tara was more interested in having a CuteKitten than a witch's familiar.

* TooGoodForThisSinfulEarth: Easily the most straight-forward and nicest person in the cast, with no darker impulses.

%%* WhiteSheep

* HappilyMarried: He returns in season 6 with a wife. Their happiness together is a 180 contrast to the self-destructive Spuffy going on at the time.

* LoveInterest: For Buffy.

%%*ReverseMole: [[spoiler: In the comic.]]

%%* BloodSplatteredInnocents:
%%* BringOutYourGayDead

* [[spoiler:DeadStarWalking: In "Seeing Red"]]

* InstantDeathBullet: Says two words, then dies.

%%* NiceGirl: The closest this series has to one.

* PromotionToOpeningTitles: For one episode.

%%* ShrinkingViolet: In early seasons.

%%* StuffedIntoTheFridge:
* TeamMom: Evolves into this during Seasons 5 and 6, thanks to her maturity [[spoiler: and needed after Joyce's death.]]
* TooGoodForThisSinfulEarth

* WiseBeyondHerYears: Despite being the most innocent of the Scoobies, Tara takes the revelation of [[spoiler:Joyce's death]] much more like an adult than any other member of the gang. We later learn it's because [[spoiler:her own mother died when she was 17, so she's been through this before]].

Wallflower and Buffy's best friend. Started out as the [[TheSmartGuy book-smart girl]], but gradually became an extremely powerful witch, giving her newfound confidence -- and hubris. She came out in Season 4, and is one of the most recognized lesbian characters in fiction.

* WhatTheHellHero: [[spoiler:Leaving Anya at the altar]] was not so suave.

[[folder:Angel/Angelus]]

[[folder:Angel/Angelus]]
!!![[http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Characters/AngelInvestigations See Angel Investigations]]
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Cordelia]]
!!![[http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Characters/AngelInvestigations See Angel Investigations]]
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Anya, née Aud]]
!!Anya, née Aud (Emma Caulfield)
http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/anya_caufield_728.jpg
->''" I was feared and worshipped across the mortal globe and now I'm stuck at Sunnydale High. A mortal! A child! And [[ArsonMurderAndJaywalking I'm flunking math.]]"''

Originally a 1,120-year-old vengeance demon who lost her powers and eventually joined the Scooby Gang. She was a LoveInterest for Xander for three seasons before their relationship ended, and she went back to being a Vengeance Demon. Lost her powers and rejoined the Scoobies in early Season 7.

[[folder:Dawn]]
!!Dawn Summers
[[quoteright:350:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/summers_dawn_2085.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:''"We destroyed TheMall? ...I fought on the wrong side."'']]
->'''Played By:''' Creator/MichelleTrachtenberg

-->''"Destroyer of the universe. Guess cutting school doesn't seem so bad now, huh."''

Buffy's younger sister who was {{Cosmic Retcon}}ned into existence in Season 5. She's actually a [[MacGuffin Key]] that could open dimensional barriers.

* AffectionateGestureToTheHead: Buffy stroking Dawn's hair. [[TheNotLoveInterest Which she does a lot]].
* AgeAppropriateAngst: Joss thought so which is why he "scratched his head" when viewer response wasn't ideal. He later admitted the writers were "hitting the same note" with Dawn in Seasons 5-6.
* AgeIsRelative: Depending on how you look at her, when she first is seen in Buffy's bedroom, Dawn is either 14 billion years old, 14 years old, or mere minutes old.
* AnnoyingYoungerSibling: Buffy thinks of Dawn as a burden to be endured quite often, and not only because of the usual younger sister nonsense.
* ApocalypseMaiden: Spilling her blood creates an interdimensional tear that brings down the walls separating the various worlds, thus destroying the entire multi-verse.
* ArtificialHuman: She only ''looks'' human. Her existence is supernatural.
* BadassAdorable: By the end of the series she's a fairly skilled hand-to-hand fighter, for a normal human, has a base level of competency when it comes to magic, speaks a dozen languages, and is generally Giles' number one backup when it comes to research.
* BarrierMaiden: She's the key to opening dimensional barriers.
* BewareTheNiceOnes:
-->'''Dawn:''' You sleep, right? Because if you hurt my sister, you'll wake up on fire.
-->'''Spike:''' [later, to Buffy] Also, when did your sister become unbelievably scary?
* BigSisterComplex: Dawn both resents and idolizes her superhero sister.
* BrattyHalfPint: [[spoiler: Dark Willow]] threatens to kill her just to put an end to her constant whining.
* BreakTheCutie: Most of the Fifth Season is one long trauma-line for Dawn. She is targeted by a PhysicalGod for murder, her mother dies abruptly, and then her sister commits suicide in order to save her life. Its safe to say that it really was a bad year for Dawn. No wonder she starts acting out...
* CharacterizationMarchesOn: She was originally conceived as a pre-teen, and when Trachtenberg was cast instead there wasn't enough time to rewrite the season's first few episodes to reflect her being a teenager. Around Glory's introduction, this got better.
%%* TheChick
%%* CousinOliver
* CosmicRetcon: When the Monks of Dagon changed the all-powerful orb of glowing green energy she used to be into a 14 year old girl, they also inserted an entire life history for her into the memories of everyone who could possibly have met her.
* CursedWithAwesome: While being a giant and centaurette were annoying to her, she at least acknowledged they had some good points. Being turned into a doll wasn't funny.
** According to JossWhedon's script notes, Dawn Summers, being technically a clone of her older sister Buffy, should have been a potential Slayer, were it not for the fact that the Key, a force that was infinitely more powerful than the Slayer spirit, was already in residence in her body. Thus, her "potential" to be a potential Slayer was erased.
* DamselInDistress: The fact that Dawn is put in danger so often is even lamp-shaded.
-->'''Buffy:''' "Dawn's in trouble. Must be Tuesday."
* DawsonCasting: Considering how much the show made use of it, Dawn was a pleasant aversion; Michelle Trachtenberg started playing the 14-year-old Dawn when she was 14. It was done to ensure that she would look younger than her sister. Ironically, she became taller than her by Season 7.
* FascinatingEyebrow: Though more because she's being sardonic.
* FreakOut: Learning that her existence as a person was the creation of the Monks of Dagon shocked her so much that she sliced her own arm open just to see if she would really bleed.
%%* GenreSavvy: In Season 8.
* HasTwoMommies: As part of the CosmicRetcon, it's stated that she spends the night at Willow and Tara's place whenever she gets upset. Later they semi-adopt her [[spoiler:when Buffy dies]] and move into her mom's old bedroom. When Willow and Tara separate early Season 6, Tara goes out of her way to assure Dawn, "This has nothing to do with you. You know we both still love you." Also, in Season 8, she directly says that Willow is like her mother.
%%* IJustWantToBeSpecial
* IncestSubtext: She wants Willow and Tara to teach her the stuff they do together, [[LesYay and is promptly told to go to her room]]. In another episode, Willow is perving on a girl dancing, to discover it was Dawn. Dawn also curls up in bed with the Buffybot as a way of mourning Buffy after her (temporary) death.
* KleptomaniacHero: After her mother's death and Buffy's return, she gets increasingly sticky-fingered as a way to act out due to the trauma she'd endured.
* TheLoad: {{Lampshaded}} in Season 6.
--> "Dawn's in trouble. Must be Tuesday."
%%* MinoredInAsskicking
%%* MissedTheCall
* TheNotLoveInterest: Joss Whedon has stated that Buffy's LoveInterest for Season 5 is Dawn.
* RapunzelHair: Which Buffy likes to stroke.
* RememberTheNewGuy: A deconstruction. When people, including Dawn, discover her sudden appearance in reality was only recent and their memories of her are fake, they have obviously mixed reactions to both the information and towards her.
* ScreamingWoman: As per the DamselInDistress role.
* ShipperOnDeck: ''Hardcore'' Willow / Tara fangirl because they're sort-of her parents.
* TheSmartGuy: By the last season of the show, Dawn had become an efficient researcher and a master linguist.
* StickyFingers: Suffers from kleptomania.
* TheTeamWannabe: Pesters Buffy to let her patrol. Buffy finally starts training her in Season 7, but still won't let her patrol.
%%* TookALevelInBadass: In Season 7 (technically starting in the season 6 finale).
* {{Wangst}}: See AgeAppropriateAngst above though it's worth noting there are times she can fall into this even in Season 7 (though not as much as in previous seasons).
* WhamLine: Dawn has a couple, inadvertently or otherwise. Like when talking to Riley about Buffy's relationship with Angel:
--> "Everyday was like the end of the world. She doesn't get worked up like that over you."
** Or to her sister:
--> "Buffy, Spike's completely in love with you."
* WrongGenreSavvy: In a lot of Season 7, she seems to think she's in ''Series/{{CSI}}''.
* YoungerThanSheLooks: A 14-year old girl who is more than ReallySevenHundredYearsOld and is technically no more than a few hours old when first introduced.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Tara]]
!!Tara Maclay
[[quoteright:350:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/maclay_tara_3205.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:''"Um, that-that was funny if you, um, studied Taglarin mythic rites…and are a complete dork."'']]
->'''Played By:''' Creator/AmberBenson

Willow's love interest in Seasons 4-6. A capable witch, and a lot wiser about her powers than Willow. [[spoiler:She's killed in Season 6]]. She and Willow are the longest-lasting lesbian couple in network television history, and one of the best known.
----

%%* WalkingTheEarth:

!!Spike, neé William Pratt
[[quoteright:350:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/pratt_william_675.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:''"I may be love's bitch, but at least I'm man enough to admit it."'']]
->'''Played By:''' Creator/JamesMarsters

British vampire who served as the villain for early Season 2. Was planned to die, but his popularity saved him. He showed up in one episode in Season 3 before returning for good in Season 4. Had a chip in his head that prevented him from hurting humans, so he joined up with the Scoobies for survival and so he could get his kicks by fighting demons. Eventually fell in love with Buffy, and had a twisted relationship with her in Season 6. Got a soul at the end of Season 6 and made a HeroicSacrifice in the finale. Reappeared on ''Series/{{Angel}}''.

* AlwaysSecondBest: To Angel/Angelus, as both a hero and a villain. In "Just Rewards," Wesley and Angel outright state that Spike's reputation for evil and bloodshed is second only to Angelus's.
* AmazonChaser: Drusilla, Slayers in general and Buffy in particular - it's not a stretch to say he's only interested in women who can ([[CombatSadomasochist and do]]) kick his ass. Outright stated in the ''After the Fall'' comics.
* AmbiguousDisorder: He managed to improve his social skills over the course of a century, but he has a mixed bag of vaguely bipolar, obsessive, borderline and schizoidal tendencies which come and go with the story. Whenever he's bored, he'll do something ridiculously suicidal just for the hell of it, he stalked Buffy for over a year, and once had a full-blown psychotic episode.
* AntiHero: Was a NominalHero but plowed his way up to becoming an UnscrupulousHero.
* AntiVillain: Before becoming an AntiHero, he was this for his single appearance in Season 3. He was just too heartbroken to go all-out with the evil.
* AtLeastIAdmitIt: He's man enough to admit that he's love's bitch.
* AuthorAppeal: Marti Noxon has an affinity for Naked!Spike.
* {{Badass}}: His fight against Nikki Wood squarely places him in this territory - the man fought and killed a Slayer not because of dumb luck, but just plain skill. Even Buffy at one point calls him the best warrior they had against The First's army. During Season Five, Buffy admitted that he was the only person besides her with a chance of winning in a physical fight against Glory. Bear in mind that Glory is a PhysicalGod.
* BadassLongcoat: Even before [[spoiler:killing Nikki Wood]], Spike was a fan of leather trench coats as a certain dead SS officer can certainly attest to. Didn't really bother removing the swastika armband though (in that regard, Angel mistook ''him'' for a Nazi).
* BadBoss: In Season 2 Spike sacrifices a vampire mook on two separate occasions ("School Hard" and "Halloween") just to get an idea of how the Slayer fights.
* BareHandedBladeBlock: In Season 5's "Spiral," he stops a Knight of Byzantium's sword from stabbing through the roof of their Winnebago and impaling Buffy through the skull, managing to hold it in place long enough for Buffy to get out through the roof hatch and take the fight to the Knights. It's played realistically: his hands are gashed and bandaged for the remainder of the episode.
* BasementDweller: Spends parts of season 4 and 7 hiding out in basements.
* BattleTrophy: His BadassLongcoat is one: he stripped it off the body of the second Slayer he killed.
* BecauseYouWereNiceToMe: He bonded with Joyce and Dawn Summers for this reason, and he shows his better side when Buffy treats him respectfully.
* BeenThereShapedHistory: He was involved in the Boxer Rebellion; it was when he killed his first Slayer.
* BeethovenWasAnAlienSpy: He didn't steal BillyIdol's [[{{Expy}} look]]. Billy Idol stole ''his''!
* BigFancyHouse: In ''After the Fall'', Spike takes over the [[{{Playboy}} Playboy Mansion]] and uses it as his residence after dusting a vampirized Hef.
* BiTheWay / DepravedBisexual: [[ImpliedTrope Implied]] once in a off-hand comment; "Me and Angel have never been intimate... Well, except that one time--" [[ButNotTooBi Apart from this one-off gag, theres no other evidence to suggest he's sexually or romantically attracted to men]], and lots to suggest he's attracted to women.
* BlondGuysAreEvil: Season 4 and part of Season 5.
-->'''Glory''' ''(about Spike)'': What the hell is that, and ''why'' is its hair that color?
* BloodKnight: Fighting isn't all he lives for, but it's a good portion of it. He especially likes it when he really can't tell who's going to win, which Angelus found unsophisticated.
* BondBreaker: In the season four finale. He didn't create the problems the Scooby Gang were facing, but made them likelier to anger and alienate each other. He calls it the [[YokoOhNo Yoko Factor]].
* BookEnds: In his earliest canonical appearance, Spike (under his human identity, William) recites a bad poem to his crush and gets shot down ("Fool For Love", ''Buffy'' S5). Spike delivers the same performance at a poetry slam in the SeriesFinale; this time, the whole audience applauds and cheers.
* ButtMonkey: When he was wheelchair bound, Angelus persistently kept making fun of him and taunting him. Later it was later revealed that he [[ThrowingOffTheDisability was not as wheelchair-bound as he seemed.]] When he was chipped, absolutely ''everyone'' took great satisfaction and pleasure in humiliating him. This was justified, given that he spent the majority of it insulting everybody back and telling them that he was going to kill them all as soon as he got the chip out.
* BreakoutCharacter[=/=]BreakoutVillain: Joss originally intended for him to be killed off midway through the second season, but Spike ended up so popular with audiences that he changed his mind.
* BreakTheHaughty: For a guy that cocky, his face sure does seem to be a fist-magnet.
%%* BruiserWithASoftCenter
* BrutalHonesty
* CasualKink: Is into chains with Drusilla, dress-up games with Harmony, and introduces Buffy to bondage. The sexual enjoyment he gets from slugging it out with Buffy is lampshaded in several episodes.
* ClosetGeek: While the Scoobies are holding him hostage in Season 4, his biggest concern is missing the next episode of ''{{Passions}}''.
* ClosetSublet: With Anya gone, Spike ignominiously moves into a 'spare room' in Xander's apartment.
-->"I know it looks like a closet but [[ImplausibleDeniability it's a room now.]]"
* ClothesMakeTheLegend[=/=]IconicItem: His original trenchcoat gets burned to tatters but Wolfram & Hart immediately supplies him with eleven exact duplicates of the coat.
* CombatSadomasochist: Lampshaded on several occasions, most notably when Spike makes his AnguishedDeclarationOfLove.
-->'''Joyce:''' Honey, did you somehow, unintentionally, lead him on in any way? Send him signals?
-->'''Buffy:''' Well, I do beat him up a lot. For Spike, that's like third base.
* TheConfidant: For Buffy in the first half of Season 6.
* CoolAirship: We don't know where he got it, but it is awesome.
* CoolBike: That he stole from a demon biker in Season 6.
* CulturedBadass: Can quote ''HenryV'' with the best of them. "We band of buggered."
* DeadpanSnarker: His parody of a conversation between Angel and a DistressedDamsel in "In the Dark" is ''awesomely hilarious''.
* DependingOnTheWriter: Spike's level of evilness after being chipped seems to depend on who's writing him. Borders on HeelFaceRevolvingDoor.
** Also how smart he is.
* DidntThinkThisThrough: In the final episodes of Season 4, he schemes to break up the Scoobies by exploiting the existing tensions between the group, and then planting evidence to lure Buffy into a trap as part of Adam's plan. However, after all is said and done, Adam points out that Spike gave Willow said evidence, and Willow won't be speaking to Buffy now; Spike quickly goes out to rectify it.
* DontYouDarePityMe: In Season 4, Willow and Xander take him along with them while going to prevent an apocalypse to prevent him from [[DrivenToSuicide staking himself]]. Spike thanks them by taunting and insulting them, blatantly stating that he doesn't want pity from people who he perceives to be even more useless than he is.
%%* DropInCharacter: In Season 4 and 5 after he's chipped.
* EmbarrassingNickname: "William the Bloody" actually refers to his bloody awful poems, not blood drinking.
* EnvironmentalSymbolism: A sign saying BEWARE OF DOG is shown behind Spike on [[RunningGag several occasions]].
* EntitledBastard: After being [[RestrainingBolt chipped]] and pursued by the Initiative, he fully expects Buffy and the Scoobies to help him despite being one of their worst enemies at the time.
* EternalLove: What he hoped he had with Drusilla. Then they had a falling out.
* EvenBadMenLoveTheirMamas: William's hope was to live in blissful trinity with his vampirized mum and Drusilla (to Dru's consternation). ThePlan went sour when [[IncestIsRelative his mum promptly tried to molest him]].
* EvenEvilHasStandards:
** Spike has a low tolerance for "poseur" vampires who act above their station, believing they give the undead a bad name. Contrary to his love of brawling, he's also adverse to wanton destruction; Spike enjoys the good life and isn't going to let Angelus destroy the world if he can help it.
** He genuinely liked Buffy's mother, and is upset at her death.
* EvilBrit: At first. Now he's more of an anti-heroic Brit.
%%* EvilCounterpart:
* EvilIsPetty: He nonchalantly grabs Xander's radio when packing up to leave Xander's apartment. When Xander calls him on this, Spike replies, "And you're what, shocked and disappointed? I'm '' evil!''"
* EvilerThanThou: At the very end of his debut episode, he personally kills the Anointed One and takes command of the remnants of the Order of Aurelius.
-->'''Spike''': From now on, we're gonna have a little less ''ritual'' and a little more ''fun'' around here!
* ExpansionPackPast: It comes as a surprise to learn his entire persona is a lie. "Spike" is really William Pratt, a wimpy poet who was considered the runt of his original pack.
* FauxAffablyEvil: Before getting [[RestrainingBolt chipped]]. Comparing him to Mayor Wilkins is a good lesson in the difference between AffablyEvil and FauxAffablyEvil.
* FourTemperamentEnsemble: Sanguine (In Angelus' old vampire gang.)
* FreudianExcuse: Two of them.
** The first was Spike siring his mother, who he adored, only for her to try and seduce him as a vampire, leading to him being forced to stake her. Naturally this would be very traumatic and likely sent him off the rails.
** The second is Angelus. It's been discussed in the show that Angelus made Spike evil and Spike hated that Angelus did so in order for there to be someone as disgusting as he was before as Liam and after as a vampire.
* FromNobodyToNightmare: Much like Liam, "William the Bloody" was a pretty unremarkable human being.
* FriendlyNeighborhoodVampire: TropeNamer, though it was on ''Series/{{Angel}}'' and he was being sarcastic. Unlike Angel, he gets roped into saving people by a fork-tongued Lindsey [=McDonald=], attorney at law.
* FullyEmbracedFiend: To better contrast with Angel. The soul leads to insane ranting, self-mutilation and at least one SuicideByCop attempt, but he never particularly angsts about being in a vampire body.
* GeniusBruiser: He might not know all that science stuff and whatnot, but he's as smart and as analytical as he is strong.
* TheGlassesGotToGo: Needed them while alive, but tossed them afterward. His appearance gradually became more unkempt as he worked to build his reputation as a real killer - a street-fighting vampire.
* GoOutWithASmile: In the final episode of season 7. Even as his flesh and muscle is being toasted off and the Hellmouth is crumbling around him, Spike still smirks and laughs as he crumbles to dust.
* GoodIsNotNice: Saves a woman from a vampire in a dark alley in "Soul Purpose", and then chews her out for being dumb enough to walk through an alley alone at night.
* GuiltyPleasures: DawsonsCreek and {{Passions}}.
* HannibalHasAPoint: Spike's legendary "Love's Bitch" speech in Season 3:
--> '''Spike:''' You're not "friends." You'll ''never'' be friends. You'll be in love 'til it kills you both. You'll fight, and you'll shag and you'll hate each other 'til it makes you quiver, but you'll never be friends. Love isn't brains, children, it's blood. Blood screaming inside you to work its will. I may be love's bitch, but at least [[AtLeastIAdmitIt I'm man enough to admit it]].
** Buffy even acknowledges this later:
--> '''Buffy''': I can fool my friends. I can even fool Giles. But I can't fool myself... or Spike, for some reason.
* HeartbrokenBadass: In season 3, when Drusilla breaks up with him.
* HeelFaceTurn: [[CharacterDevelopment Slowly over the course of four seasons]].
* HeelRealization: Oddly occurs well after his HeelFaceDoorSlam. A deranged Slayer kidnaps and tortures him, mistaking Spike for a man who tormented her during her childhood. [[spoiler: At the end, Spike realizes it didn't matter that he never laid a finger on the girl, because he'd done plenty worse to other people.]]
* HeroKiller: He's killed ''two'' past Slayers, a fact he takes much pride in.
%%* HeroicComedicSociopath
* HeroicSacrifice:[[spoiler: In the ''Buffy'' GrandFinale he dies keeping the Hellmouth closed.]] [[Series/{{Angel}} He gets]] [[UnexplainedRecovery better]].
* HeroWithAnFInGood: In seasons 5 and 6, he frequently falls into this trope, often doing things not because it's right but because it's what Buffy would want.
-->'''Spike''': I'm not sampling, I'll have you know. Just look at all these lovely blood-covered people. I could, but not a taste for Spike, not a lick. Knew you wouldn't like it.
-->'''Buffy''': [[WantsAPrizeForBasicDecency You want credit for not feeding off bleeding disaster victims?]]
-->'''Spike''': Well, yeah.
-->'''Buffy''': You're disgusting.
-->'''Spike''': [[ComicallyMissingThePoint What's it take?]]
** It starts back in season 4, when he's ''"forced"'' by his condition (he only could hurt monsters, but not humans) to fight alongside the good guys.
-->'''Spike''': What's this? Sitting around watching the telly while there's evil still afoot? It's not very industrious of you. I say, we go out there, and kick a little demon ass. What, can't go without your Buffy? Is that it? Too chicken? Let's find her. She is the Chosen One, after all. Come on! Vampires! Grrr! Nasty. Let's annihilate them. For justice, and for the safety of puppies, and Christmas, right? Let's fight that evil. Let's kill something. Oh, come on!
* HesBack: Spike gets more than one.
** When he discovers he can hurt demons, he promptly cuts loose and beats the shit out of one.
-->'''Spike:''' That's right! I'm back, and I'm a BLOODY ANIMAL! ''YEAH!!''
** In "Get It Done," he has a pretty epic one, complete with the return of the BadassLongcoat.
* HiddenDepths: He's surprisingly good at predicting Willow's behavior.
%%* IAmVeryBritish
* IWantMyBelovedToBeHappy: In Season 9, he wants Buffy to have as normal a life as possible and is avoiding any romantic entanglement with her because of it. He even says he would be thrilled if Detective Dowling wanted to date her. Both Dowling and Eldre Koh can tell that he's still carrying a torch.
* IronButtMonkey: There's an [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2YWV_Ta-304 entire video here]] detailing how often Spike gets his ass handed to him by just about everyone in the cast.
* JerkWithAHeartOfGold: After his HeelFaceTurn, he's still an asshole but he's heroic now.
* KnightOfCerebus: When Spike comes crashing through the Sunnydale welcome sign, gets out of his car and says "Home sweet home", it marks the beginning of a storyline that takes the entire series in a darker direction.
%%* KnightInSourArmor: After his HeelFaceTurn.
* TheLancer: To Buffy in season 7. He's her lieutenant in all but name, is frequently seen at her shoulder, and always lets her know when he disagrees [[UndyingLoyalty before supporting her anyway]].
* LaughablyEvil: "In the Dark." When he we next see him four seasons later, he's reformed his ways.
-->'''Cordelia:''' Heard you weren't evil anymore. Which kinda makes the hair silly.
* LaymansTerms: This became his gimmick during the gang's expository speeches (on both shows).
* LeeroyJenkins: On more than one occasion, his lack of patience has resulted in him heedlessly screwing up his own [[EvilPlan evil plans]].
-->'''Spike:''' I had ''a plan''!\\
'''Angel:''' You? A plan?\\
'''Spike:''' A good plan! Smart plan! Carefully laid out! ...But I got bored.
* LimitedWardrobe: He's rarely seen without his duster.
* LivingForeverIsAwesome: This sums up the differences between him and Angel in a nutshell; he doesn't regret becoming immortal, he revels in it.
* LivingLieDetector: Combined with BrutalHonesty. Mocks Buffy and Angel's attempts at being "JustFriends", points out that Willow is "hanging on by a thread" after breaking up with Oz, and accuses Buffy (and, by extension, all Slayers) of having a secret death wish in season five.
%%* LovableRogue
%%* LovableTraitor
* LoveHurts: As he says, love likes to make him its bitch.
* LoveMartyr: [[LampshadeHanging Lampshades]] it with both his character quote and the page quote.
-->'''Spike''': I may be love's bitch, but at least I'm man enough to admit it.
* LoveRedeems: Unlike Angel, whose soul was forced on him, he sought out someone to return his soul so he would be more deserving of Buffy.
* ManchurianAgent: In the seventh season, the First forces him to kill again whenever he hears "Early One Morning."
* ManipulativeBastard: When he puts his mind to it, Spike is quite adept at using others' feelings against them, such as when he drove a wedge between the Scoobies with just a few insightful comments.
* MayflyDecemberRomance: With Buffy, the mortal human. Though the trope is less obvious than with Angel, due to Spike being a PopCulturedBadass.
%%* MenacingStroll
* MommasBoy: He turned his mother into a vamp so they can be together forever. It's also the root of his attraction to Drusilla, his sire.
* MrFanservice: Moreso than even Mr. Boreanaz, given his tendency for the WalkingShirtlessScene.
* MusicalTrigger: The First takes control of Spike with the folk song "Early One Morning," which Spike's mother often sang to him when he was human.
%%* NerdInEvilsHelmet
* NoExceptYes: In ''Angel'' season 5, he [[ShootTheHostage stabs through Angel]] to kill a demon behind him. Angel accuses him of just wanting to stab him. Spike is offended- he prefers bashing Angel with blunt objects.
* TheNicknamer:
** Spike's names for Illyria include "The Leather Queen", "[[Comicbook/RedSonja Fred Sonja]]", "Little [[HinduMythology Shiva]]", "[[PaulBunyan Babe the Blue Ox]]", and "[[WesternAnimation/YellowSubmarine Blue Meanie]]".
** Angel is "Ol' Broody-pants" and "Captain Forehead".
** Riley is "Captain Cardboard".
%%* NobleDemon: After the start of his HeelFaceTurn.
* NotEvenBotheringWithAnExcuse: In "Triangle," he brushes off Xander's request that he try to fight Olaf the Troll because he's "paralyzed by not caring very much."
* NotSoHarmlessVillain: Near the end of Season 4. The Scoobies are firmly convinced that Spike, due to his RestrainingBolt, is no longer a threat... until he proves them wrong by manipulating the existing tensions within the group and turning them against one another.
* NotSoDifferent: To Buffy -- they love to fight (and when forced to fight together, cooperate instinctively), refuse to be bound by tradition, and seem addicted to doomed unconventional relationships. Spike pushes this line when trying to court Buffy in Season 5 and 6; unfortunately he's repeating all of Angel's courting tricks but failing to make an impression, either because he's ComicallyMissingThePoint or due to Buffy's refusal to acknowledge this trope.
* NotWorthKilling: In season 4's "Doomed," Xander, during his TheReasonYouSuckSpeech, remarks that, though he knows that he could easily kick Spike's ass as a result of his being [[RestrainingBolt chipped]], he's so pathetic right now that he's not worth the effort.
* OddFriendship: With Joyce. The two shared several [[VillainOverForDinner hot chocolate moments]] together and talk about ''Series/Passions''.
* OnlySaneMan: Quickly assumes he's this when Glory's spell makes everyone forget Glory is Ben every time he explains it to them.
* OpenMouthInsertFoot: Does this often when he's trying to court Buffy.
* OurGhostsAreDifferent: Temporarily turned incorporeal after he burns up in the Hellmouth. Angel's amulet brings him back as a ghost, though one that is radiating heat.
%%* PoisonousCaptive: In season four, Spike was often this to the Scoobies.
%%* PopularityPower
%%* PromotionToOpeningTitles
%%* PropheticName: "Pratt" = "idiot" in English parlance.
* QuizzicalTilt: His CharacterTic is this.
* RealMenWearPink: He knows that he's man enough to admit that he's love's bitch. He's not just saying it too. He's one bad vampire.
** Despite being ready to deride Angel as a prancing poof, he's got an affinity for poetry, gothic jewelry and black nail polish.
* RebelRelaxation: When you're a ghost, there's not much else to do but kick back and annoy the hell out of Angel.
* RedBaron: When Hell-A is split up between various demon "Lords", Spike crowns himself Lord of Beverly Hills. (''After the Fall'')
* ReformedButRejected: Even after his attempts at redemption, he is almost never really trusted by the Scoobies, who continually hound him with abuse and scorn. On the other hand, 120 years of him killing for fun. Plus, when he was originally forced to beg for their help, he spent a lot of time telling them how much he hated them and how he was going to kill them all, first chance he got. The abuse and scorn wasn't exactly one-sided. Even when he started trying to be what Buffy wanted, some of his attempts were... off, and the gang knew quite well that he was motivated by feelings for Buffy rather than a genuine desire for redemption. There's a difference. Even if he was planning not to repeat his past evil actions, he didn't actually feel remorse for them. Speaking pre-Season Seven.
* ReminiscingAboutYourVictims: Is fond of recalling the Slayers he has killed.
* RestrainingBolt: Once the Initiative puts a chip in his head, he was unable to kill the living.
* {{Retcon}}: Angel being his sire and that he respected him. Flashbacks show Drusilla sired him and that he and Angel were always at each other's throats. WordOfGod expains this by saying that vamps refer to anyone in their bloodline before them as their sire, so Spike would refer to Darla and The Master as his sires too.
* TheRival:
** To Angel, as revenge for all those times Angelus humiliated him and stole his girlfriend. Then the Shanshu prophecy mentions a vampire with a soul, not Angel specifically.
** He butted heads with Riley on frequent occasions.
* SayingTooMuch: After his Yoko Factor plan successfully splits up the Scoobies during season 4, Spike has a subsequent encounter with Buffy and mentions her falling out with her friends; as he wasn't actually there when the Scoobies had their big fight, Buffy puts two-and-two together and realizes that Spike set them up.
* SirSwearsALot: Some of this is due to DidNotDoTheBloodyResearch, but it's also a character trait.
* SmokingIsCool: Smokes Morley cigarettes and looks badass doing it.
* SourSupporter: After being chipped, he helps but he hates it. He becomes a more enthusiastic Scoobie after falling in love with Buffy.
* SpotlightStealingSquad: Like it or not, Spike eventually became the center of gravity for the entire cast. This started out gradually, kicking into overdrive once Marti Noxon took the helm. There's a reason it's just him and Buffy on the Season 7 box.
* StalkerWithACrush: How he acts initially after falling in love with Buffy.
* TheStarscream: First to the Anointed One, then to Angelus, both successfully.
* StartOfDarkness: "Fool for Love" talks about Drusilla siring him back when he was "William Pratt".
%%* StreetSmart
* StylisticSuck: Spike's bloody awful poetry.
-->"''Effulgent''"?
* SuspiciouslySimilarSubstitute: Spike was initially brought into the group as a way of filling the gap left by Cordelia. Joss felt the absence of both Cordy ''and'' Oz left the heroes without a dissenting voice.
* ThereIsAnother: Spike gradually takes on the 'Angel' mantle in Seasons 5-7, whereupon he gets treated to guilt, hallucinations, [[ReducedToRatburgers eating rats]] -- the works.
-->'''Robin Wood:''' Because [[EntertaininglyWrong the military gave him a soul]]?
* TheThingThatWouldNotLeave: After he gets chipped, he ends up playing "annoying house-guest" to both Xander and Giles. Among other failings, he eats Giles's entire supply of weetabix.
-->"I thought vampires were supposed to eat blood?"
-->"Yeah, well, sometimes [[TooMuchInformation I like to crumble up the weetabix in the blood.]] Gives it a little texture."
* ThisIsForEmphasisBitch: What's he [[StalkerWithACrush doing outside Buffy's house]]? Five words or less. He's "Out. For. A. Walk." *{{Beat}}* "Bitch."
* ThrowingOffTheDisability: Ends up in a wheelchair after a [[PianoDrop church organ falls on him]], but he gets better in a few episodes' time.
%%* TokenEvilTeammate: Season 4 and part of Season 5.
* TookALevelInBadass: Heralded by adopting the name Spike. After being kicked around a bit in the main series, he also took one in ''Angel'', in which he fought Angel and ''won''. Bear in mind this is the Angel who, after getting his own spin-off, also TookALevelInBadass.
* TookALevelInKindness: While it started as a [[StalkerWithACrush creepy obsession]] about Buffy, he genuinely became a nicer guy around after the time Glory tortured him, and it ''more or less'' continued upwards. [[HeadbuttingHeroes Except towards Angel. He'll always be a dick to Angel.]]
* TrademarkFavoriteFood: Aside from blood, obviously, he fancies those onion blossoms and buffalo wings served at The Bronze, even though he can't digest them. He also likes to sprinkle Wheatabix into his blood bags for "texture."
%%* TrenchcoatBrigade
%%* TroubledButCute
* {{Tsundere}}:
** After he develops a crush on Buffy. "[[MusicalEpisode First he'll kill her, then I'll save her... No, I'll save her]], ''[[IfWeSurviveThis then]]'' [[MusicalEpisode I'll kill her...]]"
-->Spike to Buffy, after he's caught [[StalkerWithACrush lurking outside her house]]: "And I never really liked you anyway, and [[LameComeback and you have stupid hair]] (''{{beat}}'') [''Leaves'']."
** Played shallowly in his fling with Harmony, where the Deredere is mostly an act, partly a rebound crush, and the Tsuntsun is because she's [[MotorMouth that annoying]].
* UndyingLoyalty: After the Scoobies kick Buffy out of the house in favor of Faith, Spike is the only one of them to remain by her side; his support helps Buffy get back her self-confidence and win back the Scoobies' loyalty.
* UnexplainedRecovery: Lampshaded by Spike himself. "Flash-fried in a pillar of fire saving the world. I got better."
%%* UpperClassTwit: Before he met Drusilla.
%%* WallGlower
* WarriorPoet: Literally as he was a poet before he was transformed into a kickass vampire. ''Angel'' shows that he still writes them.
* WhamLine: Several.
** '''Season 2:''' "Oh, I will. [[ThrowingOffTheDisability Sooner than you think.]]"
** '''Season 5:''' "Buffy, [[AnguishedDeclarationOfLove I love you]]. God, I love you so much. [[AllJustADream ...]][[CatapultNightmare Oh, God, no]]. [[LoveEpiphany Please, no]]."
** '''Season 6:''' Not by him, but about him.
--> '''Spike:''' "So you'll give me what I want. Make me what I was. So Buffy can get what she deserves."
--> '''Demon:''' "Very well. We will return...[[spoiler:your soul]]."
* WildCard: Spike has a natural ability to upset the expected order of things, especially with Buffy and Angel/us.
* TheWorfEffect: If someone's ass is gonna get kicked to show how powerful the BigBad, odds are that it'll be Spike drawing the short straw.
* YouAreNumberSix: The Initiative brands him "Hostile 17".
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Riley]]
!!Riley Finn
[[quoteright:350:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/finn_riley_1497.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:''"Turns out I suddenly find myself needing to know the plural of "apocalypse"."'']]
->'''Played By:''' Marc Blucas
->''"So, what have you got going on tonight?"''
->''"Patrolling."''
->''"Patrolling?"''
->''"...[[LastSecondWordSwap Petroleum]]."''
->--Riley and Buffy

Initiative soldier and Buffy's LoveInterest in Season 4 (and early Season 5). PutOnABus, but came back for an episode in Season 6, and later on a recurring basis in the comics.
----

* DefectorFromDecadence: He was initially [[UndyingLoyalty completely loyal]] to the Initiative, but as he uncovered more and more of its corruption, particularly after Professor Walsh attempted to kill Buffy in a DeathTrap, he began to desire to leave. When the Initiative captured Oz, a werewolf, and conducted inhumane experiments on him even after he reverted to human form, that was the straw that broke the camel's back; he promptly turned his back on them in favor of the Scoobies and helped Buffy and co. break Oz out.

%%* FarmBoy

* UnresolvedSexualTension: With Spike. After their relationship fell apart in season 6, they spent most of season 7 walking on eggshells despite still obviously having feelings. Then circumstances were such they had to go their separate ways and didn't reunite until season 9...at which point they still failed to resolve anything.

* AffectionateGestureToTheHead - Buffy stroking Dawn's hair.

* BigSisterWorship: Dawn both resents and idolizes her superhero sister.

%%* IncorruptiblePurePureness: The Key.

%%* TheNotLoveInterest
%%* RapunzelHair

%%* ScreamingWoman

%%* TheTeamWannabe

* TeenAreShort: Much like Buffy she's at least a head shorter than the actress playing her mother.

* MayflyDecemberRomance: With Buffy, the mortal human.

%%* MrFanservice: Moreso than even Mr. Boreanaz.

* WeaponOfChoice: The simple wooden stake, even against non-vampires. What else would a slayer prefer? She even has a crossbow for them.

* BaddassGay: Her being a lesbian does not stop her from being a powerful witch.

* [[Characters/BuffyTheVampireSlayerAntagonists Buffy Antagonists]]
* [[Characters/BuffyTheVampireSlayerRecurringAndMinorCharacters Recurring And Minor Characters]]
* Characters/AngelInvestigations
* Characters/AngelWolframAndHart
* Characters/AngelOtherEnemies

* AtLeastIAdmitIt: See the above quote.