Mutant Enemy

Lore & Background

The seventh season of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, produced by Mutant Enemy Productions, premiered on September 24, 2002 on UPN and concluded its 22-episode run on May 20, 2003. The season dealt with the Potential Slayers, normal girls around the world who are candidates to succeed the Slayer upon her death. It was revealed that Buffy's resurrection caused an instability which allows the First Evil, a spiritual entity that Buffy encountered in the third season, to begin tipping the balance between good and evil. The First Evil has inactive Potential Slayers hunted and killed by Caleb, a sinister and misogynistic preacher turned serial killer, who heads a cult called Bringers who worship the First. Inside the Hellmouth it raises an army of Turok-Han, an ancient and powerful sub species of vampire. Caleb later destroys the Watchers' Council's headquarters in London, killing many Watchers, including Quentin Travers. The season also featured crossovers with the fourth season of Angel, including Willow appearing in the Angel episode "Orpheus" to re-ensoul Angel, and Angel appearing in the Buffy episodes "End of Days" and the series finale.

In Their Own Story

In the series finale, the survivors gather on the rim of Sunnydale's crater. The Scoobies and new Potential Slayers tend to the wounded. Xander mourns Anya's death and is consoled by Andrew. Dawn asks what their next move is and Buffy smiles with a hopeful expression. Earlier, Willow used a spell that activated all the Potential Slayers, granting them some Slayer powers. Anya was killed in the fight, along with some of the new Slayers. Spike's amulet channeled the power of the sun and killed all of the Turok-Han in the Hellmouth, but Spike himself was also consumed and he sacrificed himself to defeat the enemy. In their final moments, Buffy confessed to Spike that she loves him; he replied "No you don't, but thanks for saying it." Spike told her to run. The Hellmouth collapsed due to the force of the amulet and the resulting crater swallowed all of Sunnydale, but Buffy was able to make it out.

Reader's Guide

The seventh season of Buffy the Vampire Slayer was produced by Mutant Enemy Productions. Joss Whedon served as executive producer and wrote two episodes – the season premiere and finale – and directed the finale. Marti Noxon also served as executive producer and was the showrunner, but only co-wrote one episode. Jane Espenson was promoted to co-executive producer and wrote or co-wrote six episodes. Co-executive producer David Fury wrote three episodes, including directing one of them. Supervising producer Douglas Petrie was promoted to co-executive producer midseason and wrote or co-wrote four episodes, including directing one of them. Rebecca Rand Kirshner was promoted to executive story editor and wrote three episodes. Drew Z. Greenberg was promoted to story editor and wrote three episodes. Drew Goddard wrote or co-wrote five episodes. David Solomon directed the most episodes in the seventh season, directing five episodes and was promoted to co-executive producer. James A. Contner (also co-producer) directed three.

Did You Know?

• The seventh and final season of Buffy the Vampire Slayer premiered on September 24, 2002 on UPN and concluded its 22-episode run on May 20, 2003.
• Joss Whedon wrote two episodes in season seven – the premiere and finale – and directed the finale.
• David Solomon directed the most episodes in season seven, directing five episodes.
• The season featured crossovers with Angel season four, including Willow appearing in the Angel episode 'Orpheus' to re-ensoul Angel.
• In the series finale, Spike's amulet channeled the power of the sun and killed all of the Turok-Han in the Hellmouth, but Spike himself was also consumed.