While every season finale ofBuffy The Vampire Slayeris dramatic and impactful, the season 5 finale delves deeply into the storyline ofDawn Summers (Michelle Trachtenberg) as The Key. While the other characters make some huge life decisions, Buffy makes a big choice that affects the trajectory of the popular TV series.

Up until the end ofBuffy The Vampire Slayerseason 5, there have been many threats to the world, and Buffy has fought several vampires and demons. While she always seems in control of the situation and like she can win any battle, the fate of Sunnydale is truly at risk by theBuffy The Vampire Slayerseason 5 finale.

A grave with Buffy’s name on it in Buffy The Vampire Slayer

What Happens At The End Of Buffy The Vampire Slayer Season 5?

Inepisode 22 of season 5, “The Gift,“Buffy is terrified to learn that sacrificing her younger sister Dawn might be the only way to defeatGlory,a god from hell who is obsessed withThe Key. Glory wants to perform aritualthat will open the portal and end the world. Buffy prepares to fight Glory while dealing with the pain in her personal life. While there are manydarkBuffy The Vampire Slayerepisodes, one of the saddest season 5 episodes is season 16, “The Body,” when Joyce Summers passes away. Buffy doesn’t want Dawn to die because she’s scared of saying goodbye to yet another family member.

While there are some minor storylines at the end ofBuffy The Vampire Slayerseason 5, such as Xander Harris proposing to Anya Jenkins, the most important is thebattle between Buffy and Glory. After Willow uses her magic on Glory, arobot version of Buffyhurts Glory using theDagon Sphere. This is a sneaky trick that proves why Buffy is one of thestrongest slayers on the TV series.

Buffy Summers (Sarah Michelle Gellar) and Dawn Summers (Michelle Trachtenberg) in Buffy The Vampire Slayer

Who Are The Characters In Buffy The Vampire Slayer Season 5?

Giles, who is a practical and studious character who usually hangs by the sidelines, springs into action. Glory and Buffy fight each other on the tower that Glory forced her followers to create. After Buffy uses a hammer to hit Glory, Xander attacks her with a wrecking ball from a crane. When Glory becomes Ben, Giles kills him.

Spike also plays an important role in the ending ofBuffy The Vampire Slayerseason 5. The characters don’t have much time left to block Glory’s ritual.Spike, who has become good, fightsDoc, a demon who attacks Dawn. Unfortunately, her blood starts the ritual to end the world.

Throughout all ofBuffy The Vampire Slayer, Buffy faces her mortality, and there are many times when she comes close to dying.Buffy’s journey to become a slayerall becomes worth it in this important moment when she saves her sister. Dawn takes responsibility and says that she will die and, therefore, close the portal to another dimension. However, Buffy chooses to die by jumping into the portal because she and Dawn are siblings and, therefore, have the same blood. In an emotional moment, Buffy tells Dawn how much she cares about her:

“Dawn, listen to me. Listen… I love you. I will always love you. But this is the work that I have to do… Tell Giles that… tell Giles I figured it out, and, and I’m okay… And give my love to my friends. You have to take care of them now. You have to take care of each other. You have to be strong. Dawn, the hardest thing in this world… is to live in it… Be brave. Live. For me.”

In the final scene ofBuffy The Vampire Slayerseason 5, Buffy’s grave is shown with the words:

“She saved the world. A lot.”

What Is Buffy The Vampire Slayer Season 5 About?

Buffy The Vampire Slayerseason 5 focuses on several big changes in Buffy’s life. From her motherJoyce’s death from an aneurysmtoDawn’s arrivalin Sunnydale, Buffy’s personal life takes over and it becomes impossible to care about academics. She leaves college so she can be there for her younger sister. While season 5 might not have the most popular orthe bestBuffyepisodesbecause many fans dislike Dawn, there are still some significant moments and compelling plotlines.

Between Glory’s desire to take over Sunnydale and Spike’s romantic feelings for Buffy, a lot is going on. There are some compelling episodes inBuffy The Vampire Slayerseason 5, including: