While Joss Whedon and the rest of the Buffy the Vampire Slayer writers certainly crafted a unique Sunnydale language, too.
Because of this, Buffy herself is an amazing superhero, but she also had some great moments of puns and quips as she dusted vamps all throughout Sunnydale. Without further ado, here are Buffy's 10 most badass lines from Buffy the Vampire Slayer.
"If The Apocalypse Comes, Beep Me."
One of the most iconic lines of the series, this Buffy quotation comes from the first season and is an early identifier of Buffy's desire to separate her personal life from her Slaying duties as she goes on a date, much to her Watcher Giles's chagrin. It's also a great signifier of the times—1997, to be exact—as the "beep me" in the quotation refers specifically to Buffy's pager, a piece of technology that existed for such a short time many people never had one, and many of today's youth don't them.
"What Was The Highlight Of Our Relationship? When You Broke Up With Me, Or When I Killed You?"
Jumping from the first season to the series finale, this witty retort comes as Buffy and Angel reunite for the last time on screen. A jealous Angel picks up on Buffy and Spike's relationship and tries to tell Buffy that Spike is bad news, only for Buffy to point out the obvious hypocrisy in his concern.
We love to see Buffy put jealous boyfriends in their place by casually reminding them of the time they turned evil, especially after they haven't seen each other in a while. It's a total power move.
"You Smell This Bad When You Were Alive?"
The first line like this on our list, this quip is one of Buffy's classic vampire burns. Buffy the character and Buffy the Vampire Slayer itself are both known for the use of excellent and cheesy puns, and this quotation is one of the best of its kind. There's nothing like watching the world's Chosen One deliver a grade A one-liner to a fresh vamp before dusting him. The casual way Buff handles her business is definitely badass, and we can't get enough of it.
"The Council Is Not Welcome Here. I Have No Time For Orders. If I Need Someone To Scream Like A Woman, I'll Give You A Call."
Sometimes, watching Buffy defeat an overbearing human male can be even more satisfying than watching her slay an undead evil vamp. This was true when she gave her Council-approved Watcher, Wesley Wyndham Price, a verbal smackdown when he tried to tell her what to do about her star-crossed vamp lover, Angel.
Buffy was already outgrowing the Watcher's Council, but this moment proved she was beyond needing the guidance of men—especially guidance for which she didn't ask. It's also a great example of how Buffy's badassery goes beyond fighting evil.
"I'm Going To Give You All A Nice, Fun, Normal Evening If I Have To Kill Every Single Person On The Face Of The Earth To Do It."
Part of what makes Buffy the Vampire Slayer such a special and successful show is the tension Buffy faced between living a normal life and facing her duty to fight evil. This feeling is never more present or palpable than in season three's "The Prom."
Due to her breakup with Angel and hellhounds invading the dance, Buffy quickly realizes she won't have the night she dreamed of. Yet, Buffy decides that, even if she can't have a normal senior prom, she'll do everything she can to make sure her friends do, and that's badass in its own right.
"I'm The Thing That Monsters Have Nightmares About."
The final season of Buffy the Vampire Slayer may not be its strongest or most popular, but it definitely delivers a multitude of dramatic and suspenseful moments as Buffy has to figure out how to fight the First Evil and its army of original vampires.
One of the best moments of season seven comes when Buffy puts her Slayer skills on full display to show the Scoobies that she still has what it takes to win the biggest battle they've ever fought. As Andrew references in the episode, it's a true Thunderdome moment.
"I Am The Plan."
One benefit of Buffy the Vampire Slayer after the Scooby Gang graduates from high school and goes on to college and beyond is getting to watch the eponymous blonde vampire slayer come into her own as she embraces her power and confidence. This includes when she learns of a paramilitary supernatural operation underneath UC Sunnydale. Despite the fact that The Initiative is a government operation, Buffy doesn't overthink what to do. After all, Buffy is the Chosen One. Her response is a good reminder: she is enough, and that is pretty badass.
"Death Is What A Slayer Breathes, What A Slayer Dreams About When She Sleeps."
By the final season, Buffy is not only the best Slayer to have ever lived, but she also has a deep and intimate knowledge and understanding of her identity and history as a Slayer, positioning her to be the perfect trainer for the other future Slayers.
As Buffy reminds the Potentials of their connection with death, it not only resonates with the First Evil's corporeal presence in the form of those who have died, it's also a reminder of what's at stake for all of them in the fight and beyond.
"I'm Pretty Spry For A Corpse."
Similar to the previous quotation, Slayers are intimately connected with death, not only because they are killers, but because they, too, receive their power from the Slayer before them who has died. Within the span of the show, Buffy dies twice, all before the age of 25. Yet, in typical Buffy the Vampire Slayer fashion, she manages to joke about it, even while her shock and grief simmer below the surface. This line is also a good reminder that, no matter what the world throws at her, Buffy takes it and fights back.
"The Hardest Thing In This World Is To Live In It."
Perhaps the most meaningful quotation from Buffy the Vampire Slayer, these words come from the season five finale, which was also meant to function as the series finale had the show been canceled. While out of context these words can sound bleak, they're really a beacon of hope, words that Buffy shares with her little sister to tell her to be brave before Buffy sacrifices herself to save the world. It's one of the most powerful episodes of Buffy the Vampire Slayer and undeniably her most heroic moment.