Summary
- The Buffy the Vampire Slayer reboot may feature a new main character named Nova, not portrayed by Sarah Michelle Gellar.
- The revival should honor the late Michelle Trachtenberg by exploring Dawn Summers’ relationship with Buffy and explaining Dawn’s absence.
- Dawn Summers played a crucial role in the original series, adding mystery and a compelling dynamic that contributed to the success of Buffy the Vampire Slayer.
Ever since the Buffy the Vampire Slayer finale aired in May 2003, fans have hoped to see the tough and charming Buffy Summers (Sarah Michelle Gellar) again. In 2018, Entertainment Weekly reported that there could be a Buffy reboot, although Gellar wouldn’t play the main character. When years passed without fans hearing much more about it, everyone figured it was a lost cause. Thankfully, Gellar recently shared that she is working on a revival, and Daniel Richtman reported that the new main character is a vampire hunter named Nova.
While it would be great to see the original character Giles (Anthony Head) come back, there is another original character who should be honored in the Buffy the Vampire Slayer revival.
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How Can The Buffy The Vampire Slayer Reboot Pay Tribute To Michelle Trachtenberg’s Character Dawn Summers?
Michelle Trachtenberg tragically passed away on February 26th, 2025, and the Buffy the Vampire Slayer reboot should honor her character Dawn Summers. It would be great to see an episode where Buffy Summers reflects on her close but complex relationship with her younger sister. Perhaps there could be a few brief flashbacks of Buffy and Dawn. It would be particularly moving to see Buffy remembering when their mother Joyce (Kristine Sutherland) died in the season 5, episode 16, “The Body.” The revival have as much emotion as that episode did, and if Buffy looks back on this terrible moment in their lives, it definitely would.
There could be a few ways to explain Dawn’s absence. The Buffy the Vampire Slayer revival could honor her by explaining that she passed away, or Buffy could say that Dawn is living a fun life in Europe or New York City. Buffy could also find an old journal or diary of Dawn’s that could give her some hints about a mystery she’s currently solving. Since Dawn is smarter than people assume, that would work well. While of course the original series was so interesting because of the scary vampires that Buffy defeats, it’s ultimately a moving story about the relationships that the characters have. Fans enjoy watching Buffy and her love interest Angel (David Boreanaz), but it’s equally exciting to see more of Buffy’s family life. While her friends and love interests think she’s fascinating and cool, Dawn often rolls her eyes at her older sibling and can see her flaws. Although pop culture depictions of siblings can be boring since they always fight and act like they hate each other, Dawn and Buffy are more exciting to watch.
Although some fans were unsure about Dawn joining the popular series, she played a significant role and it’s impossible to imagine the show being such a success without her joining the series in season 5. Dawn’s reveal as “the key” was a great twist that added some necessary mystery to the series, and her relationship with her older sibling Buffy added a complicated and compelling dynamic. By the time Buffy the Vampire Slayer ends, it’s hard to imagine Dawn not being part of the Scooby Gang.
Trachtenberg knew that not every fan loved watching Dawn, but she took it in stride. In 2017, according to Entertainment Weekly, she said:
“I still get comments like, ‘Oh my God! I think Dawn is so annoying!’ I get it. It’s fine. It used to be a 60-40 ‘I hate Dawn.’ Then, it became 50-50. Now, I think it’s 60-40 being supportive of Dawn. Maybe even 70-30.”
She said that Dawn is no different from any high school character and added:
“I rarely get the ‘Oh she ruined the show.’ I do get a lot of ‘Oh she was so whiny!’ Hi, were you a teenager?”
What Happened To Dawn Summers On Buffy The Vampire Slayer?
Dawn Summers is introduced in Buffy the Vampire Slayer season 5, episode 1, “Buffy vs. Dracula,” and from then on, she’s a typical teenage character who complains, wants more freedom than she is given, and tries to be part of her older sibling’s social circle. After mourning the loss of her mother, Dawn begins stealing in season 6, but after the shocking end of Buffy the Vampire Slayer season 6 when Willow Rosenberg (Alyson Hannigan) turns evil, Dawn finds more confidence. In season 7, she fights to save Sunnydale with Buffy and the other main characters.
While the Buffy the Vampire Slayer series finale shows Buffy and her friends beating the Hellmouth and saving themselves, fans aren’t given any other details on what has happened to them. Since it’s unclear what happens to Dawn after this epic finale, the Buffy revival will hopefully explain what she has been up to in the time that has passed.
- Release Date
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1997 – 2003
- Network
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The WB
- Showrunner
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Joss Whedon
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Sarah Michelle Gellar
Buffy Summers
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Nicholas Brendon
Alexander Harris
More
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