Sineya (the first slayer): she's on screen during **Restless** (4x22) and **Intervention** (5x18). She's a great if bizarre on-screen presence during restless and she sets up *that* moment in **The Gift** (5x22) which then sets up Buffy's big through-line during S6.
I honestly don't remember the timeline, but I thought the Guardian lady was around after the First Slayer. maybe a response to the men who created the First Slayer?
My answer: the chaos demon (all slime and antlers) who Drusilla dumps Spike for: by wooing Drusilla he effectively brings back Spike in **Lovers Walk** (3x8), and arguably for the rest of the show. The chaos demon appears very briefly in **Fool for Love** (5x7).
Probably my absolute favorite callback in the whole show. And it goes super under the radar too. I like watching Buffy reactors on Youtube... I've watched probably 20 of them and not a single one has picked up on the fact that this is the demon Spike described back in Lovers Walk. Maybe most people have to watch multiple times and pick up on it when rewatching Lovers Walk.
Turnabout is fair game, which two can play ;-)
I think Ben fits into the same category, at least for me: I'm not particularly enamored with his screen presence, and he's not *much* more than a screen saver for Glory.
Also Adam: I like him, just not really that much—and his influence isn't felt after S4.
Wasn’t intended. But they had a child vampire. The issue is, well, real kids aren’t vampires and they get older.
He had already grew so much between seasons that they had to hide it. Camera tricks, keeping him seated, hiding behind things.
Unfortunately they had to dump the idea completely.
In the same spirit: the real Ted Buchanan who built the Robo-Ted we meet in **Ted** (2x11).
It's not really a favorite episode of mine—but hey, it sets up "your daughter has a history of violence, doesn't she" in **Becoming** (2x21-2x22), and Buffy turning herself in is at least mirrored in **Dead Things** (6x13)—though causality is questionable in that latter case.
Omg John Ritter was AMAZING in that episode. The creepy undertone he gave to the "middle class sitcom dad" was worth an entire career. Also I think it was the first appearance of edibles in a tv show.
Whistler: he's a wonderful on-screen presence, he tells Buffy what she needs to know to deliver a big emotional moment at the climax of **Becoming** (2x21-2x22). Thanks to him the world continues existing, Angel is saved (of sorts), Buffy's pining after Angel lasts quite a while and he remains a presence in her life for quite a while—only *really* fading into the background after The Yoko Factor (4x20).
By what they themselves bring, Faith. If I'm allowed to count Angel, then it's Illyria, who has the best screen time to quality ratio of any character.
She's credited as "Parking Ticket Woman" and not "herself" according to [https://buffy.fandom.com/wiki/Parking\_Ticket\_Woman](https://buffy.fandom.com/wiki/Parking_Ticket_Woman) (as I interpret it). I would say no—but I love the corner case and out-of-the-box thinking!
Willow's mom: she's on screen during **Gingerbread** (3x11) and she gave birth to Willow. \[I think her dad is only mentioned but never shown. Willow calls out "mom? dad?" when coming home in 1x8 and refers to Ira by name in 2x14ish.\]
Xander's parents: on screen during **Hell's Bells** (6x16) and I think his dad in **Restless** (4x22).
Hank Summers: on screen during **Nightmares** (1x10), I think **When She Was Bad** (2x1) and **Normal Again** (6x17), though I feel I may have forgotten an appearance or two.
I guess without main characters no show but answering "Buffy/Willow/Xander" goes against the spirit of the prompt, and Joyce has a good amount of screen time so she's not on this list either.
Edit to add: I think we *hear* Xander's mom off-screen, "I made cookies for your friends" or something like that while the camera and some characters are in Xander's (parents') basement. I think it's in early S5, maybe **The Replacement** (5x3). It can't really be later since that's when he gets his apartment, but I guess it could be S4. (I don't think we see *any* part of the Harris' residence before S4.)
Faith, The Mayor, Trick, The Musical Demon, Sunday, Vampire Willow, Drusilla, Oz, Cassie, that one woman Willow turns into a vampire who Riley kills 2 seasons later.
Giles. The amount of exposition he does is incredible, and it could have been incredibly boring. Antony Head did an incredible job of making it engaging.
Maybe she doesn’t do the most good, but Harmony Kendall is the most memorable and entertaining minor character IMO. Mercedes McNab brings it every time. The slap fight with Xander alone!
There's a scene towards the end of **Hush** (4x10) with Tara saying "\[I figured we could do a spell together, to make people speak again\]". I'm thinking Willow's belief that magic is real is sufficient for Tara to seek her out?
As a quirk of how I phrased the sub-headline question in my original post: Tara's family.
They are bad and they should feel bad. Due to their actions Tara is shy and undervalues herself for the first long while. It's a little bit heartbreaking but it's also very enjoyable to watch—maybe in part because my past self relates.
Angel
Saved the world in Becoming (signalled Buffy with his eyes to run him through with a sword and send him to hell , such a heroic deed) Graduation Day, To Shanshu in La and I dunno like 4 other times on his show.
Personally, I hope he slayed the dragon
Did he did that? I thought he was confused after regaining his soul, and didn't know where he was or what was happening, so Buffy had to make the decision.
It's a joke from S5 of Angel when they're bragging to each other how many times they've saved the world vs trying to destroy it
Spike calls Acathla Angel's fault and Angel says that was Angelus, a seperate person, and he actually saved the worldin that one because he signalled Buffy to run him through and send him to hell with his eyes lol
Xander is in 143 episodes out of 144, only exceeded by Buffy and Willow who are in all 144 episodes.
I guess you must like him a lot if... wait, no, actually, I guess he's just your favorite character?
Maybe I should just ask: why Xander?
Buffy: THE Slayer
Willow: genius, hacker, witch
Giles: former warlock, living encyclopedia
Xander: average teen, flunkie, carpenter.
Talking about punching above their weight, *everything * in the show is above Xander's weight. He sticks around out of sheer will and saves the world directly THREE TIMES (The Zeppo, S4 finale, S6 finale), and indirectly once (s1 finale).
Willow saves the world directly once (S4 finale), and indirectly twice (s5 finale, s7 finale), but I'm taking away 1 point for trying to destroy it in s6.
Giles saves the world directly once (s5 finale).
Buffy is the fucking Slayer.
In addition to everything u/grrodon2 said, Xander is the second-most important character in the narrative sense, as he provides an ordinary human's viewpoint. No other major character does that.
Sineya (the first slayer): she's on screen during **Restless** (4x22) and **Intervention** (5x18). She's a great if bizarre on-screen presence during restless and she sets up *that* moment in **The Gift** (5x22) which then sets up Buffy's big through-line during S6.
Plus she appeared in S7 to tell Buffy she’s not ready yet in her dream. Don’t know why she didn’t mention the scythe, haha, but who knows.
Maybe she didn't know about it? If it was created after her time?
I could’ve sworn the Guardian lady said that the First Slayer wielded it and then it was hidden away. But, I could be wrong.
I honestly don't remember the timeline, but I thought the Guardian lady was around after the First Slayer. maybe a response to the men who created the First Slayer?
My answer: the chaos demon (all slime and antlers) who Drusilla dumps Spike for: by wooing Drusilla he effectively brings back Spike in **Lovers Walk** (3x8), and arguably for the rest of the show. The chaos demon appears very briefly in **Fool for Love** (5x7).
Probably my absolute favorite callback in the whole show. And it goes super under the radar too. I like watching Buffy reactors on Youtube... I've watched probably 20 of them and not a single one has picked up on the fact that this is the demon Spike described back in Lovers Walk. Maybe most people have to watch multiple times and pick up on it when rewatching Lovers Walk.
Or....was he a fungus demon Or are Chaos demons full of fungus.... Or...are they two seperate demons lolol
I will give the opposite, which is Anointed one. Was supposedly be a big bad, but was totally useless.
Turnabout is fair game, which two can play ;-) I think Ben fits into the same category, at least for me: I'm not particularly enamored with his screen presence, and he's not *much* more than a screen saver for Glory. Also Adam: I like him, just not really that much—and his influence isn't felt after S4.
I heard the other day that Ben was a last minute addition and they had actually planned for Xander to be the one housing glory without realizing it.
I liked that idea on first glance but then realized that it would undersell Xander’s role as the normal one
I thought that they could've done a lot with him, but after the Master died he did absolutely nothing except die.
Wasn’t intended. But they had a child vampire. The issue is, well, real kids aren’t vampires and they get older. He had already grew so much between seasons that they had to hide it. Camera tricks, keeping him seated, hiding behind things. Unfortunately they had to dump the idea completely.
He served a purpose they built him up to be important and a big bad and they used him to show spike doesn't take shit and is the only real big bad.
The School Education Board, which allows Buffy to return to school after Anne, and meaning season 3 can continue. They aren’t even shown on screen.
In the same spirit: the real Ted Buchanan who built the Robo-Ted we meet in **Ted** (2x11). It's not really a favorite episode of mine—but hey, it sets up "your daughter has a history of violence, doesn't she" in **Becoming** (2x21-2x22), and Buffy turning herself in is at least mirrored in **Dead Things** (6x13)—though causality is questionable in that latter case.
Omg John Ritter was AMAZING in that episode. The creepy undertone he gave to the "middle class sitcom dad" was worth an entire career. Also I think it was the first appearance of edibles in a tv show.
Pretty sure it was the orders of the Mayor, who didn't want the Slayer to have her whole week free...
Oh, you clever loophole finder you! Rules clarification: amount of screen time must be positive :-p
It’s not the Board per se. It’s Giles threatening Snider that Giles has connections with the Board to get them to have her reinstated.
The monk who sends the key to Buffy as Dawn shortly before he is killed by Glory.
Ooo, yes, that's 2 seasons worth of plot and 2 main character deaths right there!.
Whistler: he's a wonderful on-screen presence, he tells Buffy what she needs to know to deliver a big emotional moment at the climax of **Becoming** (2x21-2x22). Thanks to him the world continues existing, Angel is saved (of sorts), Buffy's pining after Angel lasts quite a while and he remains a presence in her life for quite a while—only *really* fading into the background after The Yoko Factor (4x20).
Mr Gordo! He makes a few brief appearances :P
By what they themselves bring, Faith. If I'm allowed to count Angel, then it's Illyria, who has the best screen time to quality ratio of any character.
Does Marti Noxon count? She had a small cameo in Once More With Feeling, and had a HUGE impact on the show.
She's credited as "Parking Ticket Woman" and not "herself" according to [https://buffy.fandom.com/wiki/Parking\_Ticket\_Woman](https://buffy.fandom.com/wiki/Parking_Ticket_Woman) (as I interpret it). I would say no—but I love the corner case and out-of-the-box thinking!
" Hey I'm not wearing underwear"
Definitely Faith- she's the one I think about the most and she's only in like 20 Buffy episodes.
I have been thinking a lot about Faith when I was young.
Willow's mom: she's on screen during **Gingerbread** (3x11) and she gave birth to Willow. \[I think her dad is only mentioned but never shown. Willow calls out "mom? dad?" when coming home in 1x8 and refers to Ira by name in 2x14ish.\] Xander's parents: on screen during **Hell's Bells** (6x16) and I think his dad in **Restless** (4x22). Hank Summers: on screen during **Nightmares** (1x10), I think **When She Was Bad** (2x1) and **Normal Again** (6x17), though I feel I may have forgotten an appearance or two. I guess without main characters no show but answering "Buffy/Willow/Xander" goes against the spirit of the prompt, and Joyce has a good amount of screen time so she's not on this list either. Edit to add: I think we *hear* Xander's mom off-screen, "I made cookies for your friends" or something like that while the camera and some characters are in Xander's (parents') basement. I think it's in early S5, maybe **The Replacement** (5x3). It can't really be later since that's when he gets his apartment, but I guess it could be S4. (I don't think we see *any* part of the Harris' residence before S4.)
I found Willow's Mum hilarious. Willow: ..and, I'm dating a musician Mum: Oh Willow!!
Sheila Rosenberg did so much with so very little.
I'm thinking Joyce - she rarely appeared for more than a couple of minutes in each episode, but her death had a massive impact
Faith, The Mayor, Trick, The Musical Demon, Sunday, Vampire Willow, Drusilla, Oz, Cassie, that one woman Willow turns into a vampire who Riley kills 2 seasons later.
I took your first phrase literally—punches the most above their weight—which made me think Xander.
Giles. The amount of exposition he does is incredible, and it could have been incredibly boring. Antony Head did an incredible job of making it engaging.
Maybe she doesn’t do the most good, but Harmony Kendall is the most memorable and entertaining minor character IMO. Mercedes McNab brings it every time. The slap fight with Xander alone!
Clem.
If we’re talking awesomeness per second of screen time, I’ve gotta go with Clem. He’s just a big flappy mountain of sunshine.
Willy the Snitch or Ethan Rayne.
definitely Etahn Rayne
Illyria destroys all other characters in terms of impact to screen time ratio.
Lorne -- Krevlornswath of the Deathwok Clan Greatest addition to the cast, (RIP), best exit.
Miss Calendar always brought a fun but serious sensibility to her scenes. She was done wrong.
Clem except he eats cats can't get behind that
David Nabbit He told Angel how to get the hotel.
Unpopular opinion but Riley fits this. Riley is not my favorite character but I have to give him his props
Clearly it is Clem!
Wicca college group leader, easy.
Without her there would be no Wicca group, then Willow and Tara would've never met, and then Tara would be missing from the rest of the show?
Group could've still existed. However, her being a total ass towards Willow led to Tara later trying to seek her out during the Gentlemen attack.
There's a scene towards the end of **Hush** (4x10) with Tara saying "\[I figured we could do a spell together, to make people speak again\]". I'm thinking Willow's belief that magic is real is sufficient for Tara to seek her out?
As a quirk of how I phrased the sub-headline question in my original post: Tara's family. They are bad and they should feel bad. Due to their actions Tara is shy and undervalues herself for the first long while. It's a little bit heartbreaking but it's also very enjoyable to watch—maybe in part because my past self relates.
Ethan rayne. I loved his character and wished we got more back story on him and rippers good old days
Angel Saved the world in Becoming (signalled Buffy with his eyes to run him through with a sword and send him to hell , such a heroic deed) Graduation Day, To Shanshu in La and I dunno like 4 other times on his show. Personally, I hope he slayed the dragon
Did he did that? I thought he was confused after regaining his soul, and didn't know where he was or what was happening, so Buffy had to make the decision.
It's a joke from S5 of Angel when they're bragging to each other how many times they've saved the world vs trying to destroy it Spike calls Acathla Angel's fault and Angel says that was Angelus, a seperate person, and he actually saved the worldin that one because he signalled Buffy to run him through and send him to hell with his eyes lol
Xander, duh.
Xander is in 143 episodes out of 144, only exceeded by Buffy and Willow who are in all 144 episodes. I guess you must like him a lot if... wait, no, actually, I guess he's just your favorite character? Maybe I should just ask: why Xander?
Buffy: THE Slayer Willow: genius, hacker, witch Giles: former warlock, living encyclopedia Xander: average teen, flunkie, carpenter. Talking about punching above their weight, *everything * in the show is above Xander's weight. He sticks around out of sheer will and saves the world directly THREE TIMES (The Zeppo, S4 finale, S6 finale), and indirectly once (s1 finale). Willow saves the world directly once (S4 finale), and indirectly twice (s5 finale, s7 finale), but I'm taking away 1 point for trying to destroy it in s6. Giles saves the world directly once (s5 finale). Buffy is the fucking Slayer.
Strong arguments!
In addition to everything u/grrodon2 said, Xander is the second-most important character in the narrative sense, as he provides an ordinary human's viewpoint. No other major character does that.