And you already know what? Good for her. Dushku actually appears genuinely comfortable, and after going through each sexual assault and harassment throughout her years within the leisure trade, goodness is aware of she’s earned a contemporary begin, nonetheless she needs one.
Nevertheless it’s nonetheless troublesome to not surprise what revisiting Dushku’s Buffy heroine is perhaps like all these years later. Although Religion made solely 26 tv appearances throughout each Buffy and Angel, the character’s arc was one of many franchise’s strongest.
Religion was initially launched as a kind of cautionary story, a reminder of the form of risky, harmful Slayer that Buffy might have simply change into with out the assist system of her family and friends round her. However her story in the end evolves into a lot greater than that. Her evolution from villain to hero is deeply satisfying exactly as a result of it’s so earned, and Religion’s arc is probably the franchise’s finest instance of the concept goodness and heroism aren’t innate qualities, however selections, and that nobody is so misplaced that they can not discover their means again to the sunshine.
Sure, we see Religion kill somebody, succumb to her inside darkness, and actually attempt to steal Buffy’s life. However we additionally see her select to alter, and never due to a way of misplaced obligation or guilt, however from a real want to be a greater individual, and to atone for the flawed she has completed. Religion really goes to jail for her crimes — which, let’s be clear, is extra direct punishment than both Angel or Spike face for his or her worst actions — and spends a lot of time (albeit principally offscreen) engaged on herself and (with some assist from Angel) confronting the darkness inside. By the point Buffy season 7 rolls round, she’s change into the chief she all the time noticed Buffy as, a confidante to the brand new slayer recruits and a accomplice who lastly will get to face on the aspect of the great guys with out apology. It’s laborious to think about a higher lesson to show a brand new Slayer than her story.
And whereas the sequence finale “Chosen” is a satisfying finish to Religion’s story on many ranges, individuals’s lives don’t have such neat bookends. How has Religion used all these classes within the 25 years for the reason that sequence’ unique ending? What sort of Slayer did she change into? Or did she, like her portrayer, stroll away from the world she had recognized for thus lengthy? What would possibly draw her again into it? Alas, it appears we’ll by no means know.
After all, Gellar herself used to swear up and down she’d by no means choose up a stake once more, both. Look how that turned out. Perhaps Religion’s portrayer might have an analogous change of coronary heart in the future.
