Buffy the Vampire Slayer: 5 Times We Felt Bad for Riley (And 5 Times We Hated Him)

Buffy the Vampire Slayer features some epic love stories. There is Buffy’s soul-mate, Angel, and then her developing and complicated relationship with Spike. However, in any list of epic or interesting loves, Buffy and Riley are usually absent.

On one hand, Riley was a good guy. He was almost like a symbol of the normal-world and life that she craved but could never have. Once Buffy discovered his work in the Initiative with killing/subduing monsters, it seemed like he actually represented a healthy balance between the normal and the supernatural world. However, Riley always came across as a bit dull for Buffy. Still, there are times that fans felt bad for him, but there were other times when fans hated him.

10 Felt Bad For Him: The Death of His Friend, Forrest

Forrest once told Buffy that the Initiative was like a family. If that is so, then Forrest was like Riley’s close brother—they are best friends. When they aren’t at work, the two of them are often together.

So, not only does Riley learn that Forrest is dead, but he also finds out that Forrest has been made into a zombie version of himself. This version showcases the worst of Forrest’s characteristics, and, ultimately, will have to be killed. His best friend, then, dies twice.

9 Hated Him: Initial Prejudice Against Oz

Now, Oz is a fan favorite for good reason. He is a calm, interesting, and caring person who really loved Willow and easily fit in with the Scoobies. Oz had always been worried that he would harm Willow in his werewolf state, and he leaves to work on himself. He comes back once he has more control over his werewolf side.

Buffy fills Riley in on this backstory, and Riley responds, “I didn’t think that Willow was that kind of girl… into dangerous guys. She seemed smarter than that.” Buffy is rightfully angry with him for his prejudice against Oz since Oz is a “monster,” and for his comment about Willow.

8 Felt Bad For Him: Taken Advantage Of By Faith

Once Faith wakes from the coma, she seeks revenge against Buffy and switches bodies with her. Faith decides to use Buffy’s body to “play” with Riley, but Riley doesn’t want to play. He’s intimate and sincere, and he makes love to “Buffy.” He doesn’t realize that it’s not Buffy, but rather Faith.

Through Faith’s deception, he’s taken advantage of by not being able to give informed consent. Afterward, the real Buffy is angry at him for “cheating,” but he’s more of a victim in this scenario.

7 Hated Him: His Jealousy

Riley is especially jealous of Buffy’s previous relationship with Angel. At one point, Angel shows up in Buffy’s room just to deliver information and to make sure she’s okay, and Riley tries to start a fight.

Later, Buffy asks him why he doesn’t trust her and if she’d given him any reason to doubt. He responds that she hasn’t, but that he’s just so in love with her that he can’t think straight and gets jealous. His extreme jealousy is not a very attractive trait.

6 Felt Bad For Him: His Health

Due to being experimented on by the Initiative, Riley’s body is breaking down. His heart is in danger. He needs to have surgery in order to correct it and let him survive, but he avoids the surgery for two reasons.

The first reason is that he doesn’t trust the government and former-Initiative colleagues to actually help him. This distrust is understanding due to his past with them. The second reason is because the surgery will transfer him into an average human, and he won’t be able to keep up with Buffy. He worries that he won’t be able to touch her. Buffy tries to assure him that he still can, that she didn’t fall in love with him based on his super strength.

5 Hated Him: “Vampire Brothel,” Lets Vampires Feed On Him

In a weird twist, Buffy finds out that Riley has been going to a “vampire brothel.” He’s paying vampires to feed on him. While he’s not having sex with them, he is being intimate.

Letting vampires feed on him gives him a thrill and makes him feel needed. Riley needs to feel needed, and Buffy is pretty independent. Additionally, she has been distant from him. However, rather than talking to her more directly about her distance, he furthers it by seeking out thrills in this dismal place.

4 Felt Bad For Him: Maggie Walsh’s Manipulations

Riley had been a leader in the Initiative and was often relied on by Walsh. She praises him like a mother. However, Riley finds out he shouldn’t have trusted her. Walsh has cameras in his room and watches him have sex with Buffy. Threatened by Buffy’s influence on him, Walsh tries to kill Buffy. Then, Riley finds out that Walsh had intended to make an “Adam” out of the Initiative members by manipulating their bodies into parts for another Frankenstein.

He believed in the work that he was doing with Walsh. Knowing her intent and manipulations would make him question his own world vision.

3 Hated Him: Resentful of Buffy’s Powers

While he was impressed with Buffy’s powers when he also had super-human strength, this changes when he turns into more of an average human. He doesn’t feel like he is balanced with Buffy. It seems like he even resents her getting spiritually in touch with her slayer-self and destiny. He doesn’t like that she’s stronger than him and connected to a larger purpose.

As much as Riley may blame Buffy for being emotionally distant in their relationship, his insecurity has also put distance between them.

2 Felt Bad For Him: Lack of Purpose

After the Initiative falls apart, Riley isn’t sure what to do with his life. He works best when he has a meaningful purpose. At first, he tries to make Buffy that purpose. Then, he tries to join the Scooby gang and make that his purpose.

But, Riley is without a strong internal compass. Buffy, as good as she can be, can’t be that for him. Still, fans can sympathize with Riley. His whole world and identity came crashing down, and he’s struggling to find his place in the world.

1 Hated Him: His Ultimatum to Buffy

Riley tells Buffy that things between them have to change; he waits for her to arrive before he leaves in a helicopter to start a new mission. If she comes, then he’ll stay with her. If she doesn’t, then he’ll move on. This is unfair in so many ways.

First of all, Buffy hasn’t focused on him for some really special reasons, such as her mom’s poor health. Then, Riley is basing his whole decision on Buffy’s reaction. Maybe it’s a good thing that he didn’t seem her waving her arms and calling out to him from the ground.

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