Throughout the series Buffy the Vampire Slayer, there were plenty of instances with the Scooby Gang where their misuse of magic or magical interference was a direct cause of chaos in Sunnydale. Whether it was Xander's botched love spell or Willow's "My Will Be Done" spell creating various problems for other Scoobies, these instances clearly showed just how little control the gang had when using magic to fix their messes.
Still, the Scoobies were fairly lucky as most of these problems never led to any long-term issues. But, of course, that wasn't always the case, and some of these instances did end up leading to serious consequences. Whether intentional or not, some of these magical mishaps caused by the Scooby Gang were definitely worse than others.
Dawn Almost Brought Back Joyce
After Joyce's ing, the Summers sisters are left with plenty of grief and Dawn turns to magic to try to bring back her mother. This spell was not only an improper use of magic, but Dawn already knew better than to mess with spellcasting, as she was told that magic always came with consequences that were typically negative. Still, this magical mishap certainly wasn't the worse act committed by the Scoobies.
However, there could have been serious issues. Bringing Joyce could have reopened old wounds for both her and Buffy - especially if Buffy would have had to kill her mother. It would have certainly hit too close to home for the Summers sisters. Thankfully, Dawn ultimately chooses to stop the spell right as a shadowy figure arrives on the property.
Taking Down Adam Got Everyone Stuck In A Dream
There were plenty of consequences that came from the spell the Scoobies cast to defeat Adam. These repercussions become apparent in the season 4 finale as each Scooby member ends up stuck in a dream where they are forced to deal with their worse fears.
Thankfully the magical mishap has no long-term ramifications as Buffy manages to confront and defeat the First Slayer who attacked the Scoobies in their sleep. In fact, this problematic incantation ultimately helped each member of the gang address some of their own inner conflicts.
Giles's Past With Magic Almost Got Buffy Killed
As a result of Rupert's dabbling in magic as the Ripper, Buffy and the Scoobies are forced to confront Eyghon the Sleepwalker. Though this magical mishap was caused by Giles long before he became a Watcher, its effects still managed to follow him to Sunnydale. Eyghon arrived in town and murdered many of Giles's old friends before coming for him.
The worst consequence of this spell was that it put both Buffy and Jenny Calendar in serious danger. It might not be the worst misuse of magic, but the repercussions were fairly bad as it caused a rift between Giles and Jenny after she was possessed by Eyghon as a result of the incantation.
Willow & Anya Released Olaf The Troll God
This magic mishap definitely had its consequences, after Anya and Willow accidentally release Olaf (a Troll God wielding a powerful hammer) into the Sunnydale population to cause destruction. By the time Olaf is finally sent away to another dimension, he managed to smash up the Magic Box, the Bronze, and various areas in Sunnydale.
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Though these ramifications weren't long-term, the amount of work that went into repairing the damage is certainly nothing to scoff at in of the consequences of magical misuse. Most importantly, it never would have happened if the two Scoobies were paying more attention, and by season 5, both women knew better than to mess around with spellcasting.
Willow's My Will Be Done Spell Could Have Been Worse
This supernatural mishap certainly caused plenty of chaos, even though it clearly wasn't the most powerful magical spell Willow had cast in Buffy. The consequences may not have been long-term, but they caused plenty of problems for the Scoobies. As a result, Willow unknowingly made Giles lose his vision, turned Xander into a "demon magnet," and caused Spike and Buffy to get engaged.
Clearly, the most dangerous ramification was that the demon population had begun to come after Xander. Had Willow's spell not been reversed, he could have wound up in a fatal situation. But, at least this spell didn't cause any lasting damage after Willow finally reversed it.
Willow Gave Everyone Magical Amnesia
The Tabula Rasa spell that Willow decided to perform in season 6, ultimately led to chaotic results. The spell not only caused the entire Scooby Gang to lose their memories, but it also put them in danger when a gang of vampires went looking for Spike.
Still, the worst ramification was how the spell affected Willow and Tara's relationship. Since Willow performed the incantation after she promised Tara she would take a break from magic, fans were heartbroken to see them break up and the trust between them become destroyed.
Xander's Spell Had Everyone Lovestruck
Xander's love spell was definitely one of the most dangerous magical mishaps he caused as this incantation saw several individuals fall in love with him. However, these individuals do turn violent as they try to prevent each other from being with him. It led to some huge consequences as some of the Sunnydale residents that came after Xander were also aggressively coming after Cordelia.
Although the spell was broken right before Xander and Cordelia were seriously hurt, fans couldn't help but be disappointed with Xander's carelessness. Additionally, using magic to force your ex to fall in love with you again is just one of the many choices Xander made that doesn't fly today with Buffy fans.
Willow's Spell To Resurrect Buffy
Using magic to bring Buffy back from the dead is definitely the worst magical mishap that was done by Willow. The consequences for this spell were pretty chaotic as well. Not only was Buffy forced to dig her way out of her own grave, but she also was deeply affected after being pulled out of heaven.
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The spell came with an unwanted side effect as well, creating an incorporeal demon who briefly possessed of the Scooby gang right after Buffy's return. This unwanted demonic spirit could have left the Scoobies in mortal danger had they not been able to rid themselves of the dangerous creature.
Xander's Wedding Doubts Turned The Town Into A Musical
Xander's spell summoning the demon Sweet and his dancing minions was definitely the worst magical mishap and possibly the worst thing Xander did on Buffy. This spell had some major long-lasting and deadly consequences as Sweet forced the residents of Sunnydale to sing and dance themselves to a dark end.
Though Xander claimed that he only summoned the demon in order to see if he and Anya would have a happy ending, fans were a little disappointed over his ignorance and foolishness. Not only did he know better than to mess with magic, but he caused many of town's people to literally dance themselves to death.