This 21-Year-Old Angel Episode Introduced a Forgotten Vampire Slayer the Buffy Revival Can’t Afford to Ignore
⚡QUICK LINKS
- Dana the Vampire Slayer appeared in the Final Season of Angel
- Dana’s Story Reinforced Themes of Sisterhood
- Bringing Back Slayers Will Give Fans Much-Needed Nostalgia
It may be natural to be wary about the upcoming reboot of the cult classic Buffy the Vampire Slayer. After all, this isn’t the first attempt to revisit the iconic evil fighter. News about a reboot had been floated a few years ago before creator Joss Whedon was accused of perpetuating toxic workplace environments. Regardless, a new series is full steam ahead, this time with Sarah Michelle Gellar giving her full approval.
In that vein, many fans are angling for beloved characters to return to the fold. The only thing that has been confirmed is that Buffy Summers will make an appearance, but the main vampire slayer will be an entirely new character. Buffy the Vampire Slayer is a series that could work structurally as an anthology series since a new slayer is born every generation. Even so, some things need to be revisited, including a less-known slayer who only appeared in one episode of the Buffy spin-off, Angel.
Dana the Vampire Slayer appeared in the Final Season of Angel
Image via Warner Bros.
Angel didn’t often deal with the lore of vampire slayers, but when it did, it was always dark. Faith was the most infamous slayer who, after getting a taste for blood, went down a dangerous path. Angel was the series that always delved into the dark sides of human nature, so when another vampire slayer was chosen, it followed the same pattern.
During the series finale of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, the one and only elected to give her power to all the potential slayers in the world. This awakened an army of slayers to beat back The First, even some who may not have been in the best place to accept such a mantle. Months after the destruction of the Hellmouth, a Los Angeles teen broke out of an asylum she was being held in, altering Angel’s forces to her presence.
As it turned out, Dana wasn’t possessed by a demon as many had thought. Instead, her mental instability had mixed with the visions of previous slayers before her, creating a maelstrom of trauma that had to be quelled. Portrayed by Navi Rawat, Dana had few lines, but each was more heartbreaking than the last. Once a potential like the rest of Buffy’s army, Dana’s exposure to the power of the slayer merged with her memories of a serial killer who tortured her for weeks.
Memories of former slayers, such as Nikki, whom Spike killed in the ’70s, weighed down an already unstable mind. Dana wanted revenge against the man who hurt her and killed her family, but conflated his face with Spike’s who was in many of her slayer memories. Imbued with faster reflexes and strength, Dana easily became physically empowered, giving Spike what he deserved for killing two slayers in the past.
| Note |
|---|
| Spike killed two slayers: Xin Rong in the Boxer Rebellion and Nikki Wood in New York City |
What happened to Dana was monstrous, but her slayer abilities were able to give her power that had been previously taken from her. Though still incredibly damaged and in need of mental health support — maybe for the rest of her life — the strength of her slayer abilities allowed her to take her power back from being a victim. Dana’s story is one that could not have happened in Buffy when it was on the air.
Though Buffy the Vampire Slayer had a notoriously dark season in Season 6, Angel was the series that explored dark themes with little reprieve. Dana was another example of that, allowing the Buffyverse to show a slayer who may not have a happy ending. Even so, the episode still honored the foundation of what being a slayer was all about.
Dana’s Story Reinforced Themes of Sisterhood
Throughout its years on television, Angel did not have a reputation for supporting women. Though the character himself was a self-proclaimed champion, the series had a habit of torturing its female characters and eventually killing them off. But when Dana appeared in the series, the legacy of the slayers remained intact and even provided more content for fans of Buffy.
In the episode, Andrew returned to the Buffyverse, now a watcher in training under the tutelage of Buffy‘s best resource, Giles. After learning that Dana was a slayer, Buffy sent Andrew to sort out what was going on. Angel and his forces eventually apprehended Dana, but it didn’t go according to their plan. The champion was now in charge of the most evil law firm in Los Angeles, and leaving a slayer in his hands was not an option.
| Premiere Date | Created By | Number of Seasons | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Buffy the Vampire Slayer | March 10, 1997 | Joss Whedon | 7 |
| Angel | October 5, 1999 | Joss Whedon and David Greenwalt | 5 |
Andrew insisted that Dana would be coming with him, something that Angel did not want to agree to. But at the end of the day, Angel and Wolfram & Hart had no ownership over the slayer. Angel had no right to seize her, especially when a representative of Buffy was ready to take her to her own people. Angel stood his ground until Andrew summoned a militia of slayers who had come to support Buffy’s wishes.
Even though Angel had the strength of a vampire as well as the resources of a law firm, the series still supported the ultimate power that the entire universe was built on. As Faith and Buffy later say in the flagship series, “I am the law.” The episode supported the concept that slayers were a force for good, and Dana belonged with them, not men who were slowly being corrupted by the nature of evil.
No fighting took place, and Angel finally agreed to let Dana go with the rest of the slayers. After all, no one would be better suited to help her than links in a long chain of mystical warriors. No matter how much disturbing material was in Angel, themes of sisterhood were still intact when it came to the slayers. The real tragedy of this episode, however, was how brief it was. Fans who had been hungering to know what Buffy and her friends had been up to only got scraps.
Andrew told Angel’s crew that in addition to him learning about being a watcher, Willow and Kennedy were in Brazil, and Buffy was in Rome, where Dawn was going to school. Buffy, in turn, did not appear to know that Spike had come back from his fiery self-sacrifice in the finale. Now, some two decades later, there is ample opportunity to answer these questions and bring the heart of the slayers to the forefront.
Bringing Back Slayers Will Give Fans Much-Needed Nostalgia
Image via The WB
Buffy’s return to live-action was in the works for some time, but now it is finally real. With Sarah Michelle Gellar’s support behind a Buffy reboot, it could mean that this is a project that will honor its foundation while also updating the source material. There are many ways to do that, and the slayers are fundamental to that pursuit. The original series came out at a time when Girl Power was in its infancy. Feminism has become a more nuanced issue in the past 20 years, and Buffy is the perfect vehicle to address those issues.
One of the ways the series can do this is call back Dana’s short time on the screen. Since Angel was the titular character of his series, it was acceptable that the show didn’t go too deep into more Slayer lore. But Dana could have a comeback in the new show, especially since Navi Rawat has had a long career since then. The Buffy reboot could call back to her former trauma and show how far she has come in the intervening years.
Dana’s return to the Buffyverse could give hope and inspiration when the world needs it most. As a series, Buffy was always about looking forward. Even when Buffy was in her darkest moments her character arc always resulted in fighting the good fight. At the end of Season 6, Buffy overcame her depression and realized that the world could still be good even after everything she went through.
Showing Dana had a similar experience would support the themes of Buffy. She didn’t have to falter under the weight of her worst experiences. Becoming a slayer made her strong, as fans saw in her episode. For a short time, audiences saw Dana’s realization of her own strength and resolve to hurt those who had hurt her. Seeing her return would be a natural conclusion to this storyline.
The Buffy reboot could have a chance to bring back a lot of characters who would support this narrative. All slayers should be on the table for at least a cameo, such as Faith. The former rogue slayer also had a fascinating character arc, starting with blood and leading to her ultimate redemption. There would be no one better to return and guide a new slayer. With the recent casting of the new slayer, it has been made evident that this will be her story. Buffy will undoubtedly be used sparingly to allow for a new generation to carry on the torch. But showing classic slayers would be a touching way to connect the previous story with this one.
Original article at CBR
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