Buffy The Vampire Slayer: 10 Quotes We’ll Never Forget

Buffy the Vampire Slayer, which ran from 1997-2003, is bursting with memorable couples, episodes, seasons, scenes, clothing, good guys, bad guys and some of the best dialogue ever written for a teen drama. Even today, fans still know these quotes by heart.

Whether it’s the bevy of Buffy one-liners she unleashes before finishing off a monster, to Xander’s trademark sarcasm to Cordelia’s mean-girl takedowns The language is singular to the series. Here are 10 quotes from Buffy the Vampire Slayer we’ll never forget.

10 “You think you know what’s to come, what you are. You haven’t even begun.”

Season 4 of the series isn’t its strongest thanks to the “Initiative” storyline, but the finale, “Restless,” hints at changes moving forward for the Slayer. Buffy’s prophetic dreams are densely packed, and after she and the Scoobies channel the spirit o the first Slayer, there are some side effects. She’s not the only one to undergo REM stage weirdness, but Buffy’s portends a more intimate journey. “You think you know what’s to come, what you are. You haven’t even begun.”

After a season of fractured friendships, the first Slayer serves as a reminder of the conflict that exists between Buffy’s calling, and her trying to have any semblance of a normal life. Those close to her are a liability but essential to her success as well.

9 “The Big Moments Are Going To Come. You Can’t Help That. It’s What You Do Afterwards That Counts.”

“Bargaining, Part 1,” narrated by Whistler, bookends the opening and closing moments with cryptic dialogue. “The big moments are going to come. You can’t help that. It’s what you do afterward that counts. That’s when you find out who you are.”

Buffy isn’t the only one with a destiny to fulfill, and while some events may be pre-determined, both Buffy and Angel’s futures can’t account for every variable that comes along — love, sex and a moment of true happiness. Their paths diverge, and as the Slayer, Buffy continues to make sacrifices for the greater good while Angel is accountable for the choices he makes as Angelus.

8 “When You Kiss Me I Want To Die.”

For most 16-year-old girls, every mini-drama is a matter of hyperbolic life or death, but for Buffy, matters of life or death are literal. The love between a vampire and a beautiful teenaged girl isn’t the stuff of fairy tales. Angel is quick to remind her on Season 2’s “Reptile Boy” that he’s no Prince Charming. Buffy’s got it bad for this big … bad. “When you kiss me I want to die.”

Buffy’s word choice could straight up mean she entertains the idea of adopting vampirism as a lifestyle, or she can’t imagine life without Angel, but it’s more likely he invokes feelings in her that are so intense, she doesn’t know how to deal.

7 “I May Be Dead, But I’m Still Pretty.”

The Season 1 finale “Prophecy Girl” is a bleak one for Buffy. Doomed to face the Master and die, she throws a Slayer-sized tantrum and even considers bailing on her responsibilities. The Master is a low-rent villain, and he and Buffy’s initial showdown is as feeble as the banter.

Not only is the show still finding its footing, but Buffy’s Spring Fling dress choice also doesn’t stand the test of time. Prophecies always have loopholes, so the Slayer lives to fight another day, and she gets her one-liner juju back as well. “I may be dead, but I’m still pretty.”

6 “Dawn, The Hardest Thing In This World Is To Live In It. Be Brave. Live…For Me.”

Buffy undergoes a bit of an existential crisis during Season 5. She finds herself fighting battles she can’t win, including trying to protect a brand spanking new little sister who is also all that stands between hell being unleashed on earth.

Wavering when it comes to her purpose in life and certain that only death is her gift, Buffy figures out she has another on “The Gift.” Yeah, it’s the world, again. But it’s also Dawn who is comprised of all the best parts of Summers’ blood. “Dawn, the hardest thing in this world is to live in it. Be brave. Live…for me.”

5 “I Don’t Understand About Theology Or Dimensions, Or Any Of It, Really, But I Think I Was In Heaven.”

Buffy returning from the dead at the start of Season 6 isn’t shocking. Learning that Willow dragged her deceased bestie from heaven and Buffy feeling obligated to be thankful is surprising. Buffy choosing Spike as her confidante is mind-blowing.

Buffy is happiest when she’s not on the outside looking in and this revelation effectively reinstates her status as someone who doesn’t quite belong. “I don’t understand about theology or dimensions, or any of it, really, but I think I was in heaven. And now I’m not. I was torn out of there. Pulled out…by my friends.”

4 “And If Giles Wants To Go After The, Uh, Fiend That Murdered His Girlfriend, I Say, ‘Faster, Pussycat, Kill, Kill.'”

After Angel kills Jenny on Season 2’s “Passion,” Xander is all for Giles exacting his revenge. “I’m sorry, but let’s not forget that I hated Angel long before you guys jumped on the bandwagon. So I think I deserve a little something for not saying ‘I told you so’ long before now. And if Giles wants to go after the, uh, fiend that murdered his girlfriend, I say, ‘Faster, pussycat, kill, kill.’”

At long last, Xander feels vindicated, having never been a fan of Angel’s even before the angsty vamp loses his soul. Xander also throws in an arcane reference to the Russ Meyer cult classic about three strippers on a murderous rampage whose motivation lacks the justification or honor of Giles’ mission.

3 “In Every Generation, There Is A Chosen One. She Alone Shall Stand Against The Vampires, Demons And Forces Of Darkness. She Is The Slayer.”

For Buffy the Vampire Slayer’s first two seasons, sandwiched between the cold open and credits is a reminder of what the show is about. “In every generation, there is a chosen on. She alone shall stand against the vampires, demons and forces of darkness. She is the Slayer.”

Keywords like “chosen one” come up over and over again, reinforcing that there is only one Slayer: a position inevitably linked with isolation. The description also evolves as other Slayers emerge, and Buffy hardly stands alone: she assembles a “Scooby Gang” to have her back.

2 “Embrace The Pain. Spank Your Inner Moppet. Whatever.”

After being killed by the Master, Buffy pushes everyone away because getting close means she’s got more to lose. The threat of death is one thing but actually dying leaves a mark on Buffy’s psyche. Cordelia calls out Buffy’s uncharacteristically cruel behavior on Season 2’s “When She Was Bad.”

“Embrace the pain. Spank your inner moppet. Whatever. But get over it, because pretty soon you’re not even gonna have the loser friends you’ve got now.” Cordy proves, at times, to be fairly insightful and blunt.

1 “Passion Rules Us All, And We Obey.”

Season 2’s “Passion,” narrated by Angelus, chronicles his dark obsession with Buffy. It’s a stark contrast to the previous episode “Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered,” which takes a comedic look at love gone awry.

Angel’s provocative behavior finally goes past the point of no return. “Passion. It lies in all of us. Sleeping, waiting, and though unwanted, unbidden, it will stir. Open its jaws, and howl. It speaks to us, guides us. Passion rules us all, and we obey.” This results in unchecked emotional responses from the usually subdued Giles and causes Buffy to suffer further consequences for giving in to her own passion with Angel.

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