Why Couldn't Buffy Just End at Season 5 Like It Was Supposed To?
Joss Whedon originally planned to end Buffy the Vampire Slayer after Season 5, and he had every good reason to do so.
During its seven-season run, Buffy the Vampire Slayer has become a huge part of pop culture and garnered an enormous following.
Fans still love and rewatch Joss Whedon's show following Buffy Summers, a teenager fighting against vampires, demons, and other supernatural threats.
One of the key elements of the show's success was its complex and nuanced characters, as well as its ability to blend horror, comedy, and teen drama in a way that was unique for its time.
Though the story lasted for seven seasons, it was originally supposed to end with the Season 5 finale titled The Gift. Many fans and critics believe that the show's peak was during its fifth season and that it should have ended at that point. One of the main reasons for this belief is that Season 5 had a strong, cohesive arc that tied together all of the show's themes and characters in a sad but satisfying way.
The season's finale saw Buffy sacrifice herself to save her sister, Dawn, and the rest of her friends in the final battle against a powerful and malevolent demon. In the aftermath, Buffy's friends and family mourned her loss, and Buffy was remembered as a hero who saved the town.
Though tragic and heartbreaking, this episode is still considered to be one of the best of the series and could certainly be one of the best series finales of all time. After all, the whole show had been leading up to that moment.
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Early death is part of being the Slayer, and Buffy had always been well aware of that. By the Season 5 finale, she clearly accepted her prophesied end. Besides, Buffy's sacrifice was hinted at by the Seasons 4 finale and Little Miss Muffet counting down from 7-3-0 in Season 3.
The following seasons were picked up by another TV network and felt increasingly inconsistent in tone and quality. Season 6, which resurrected Buffy, was criticized for its dark, depressing tone, and Season 7 – for its convoluted and unresolved plotlines.
Overall, ending the show after Season 5 would have left the fans with a much stronger and more satisfying conclusion that would have been remembered and talked about for many years to come.