Buffy The Vampire Slayer's Final Season Set Up The Perfect Spin-off (and It Doesn't Involve Faith)

20th Television

To this day, "Angel" remains the only "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" spin-off, despite plans for an offshoot based on Eliza Dushku's Faith, which the actor ultimately turned down. 25 years after "Buffy" ended in 2003, it looked as if another spin-off might finally arrive. Then, the news came that Hulu had canceled the "Buffy" sequel series, disappointing fans who'd been hoping for a return to Sunnydale ever since the "Buffy" finale. But there is one potential spin-off idea that could be the perfect way to resurrect the beloved franchise: "Fray."

This spin-off comic book series was written by "Buffy" creator Joss Whedon and published from 2001 to 2003, during which "Buffy" seasons 6 and 7 aired on UPN. It followed a Slayer named Melaka Fray who battled the vampire hordes in a 23rd-century version of New York City. Multiple aspects of the story mirrored elements of the seventh season of "Buffy," with the title character learning the history of the Slayers and discovering an ancient scythe that also showed up in season 7, episode 20 of "Buffy."

In that way, "Fray" told a wholly unique and original story set within the Buffy-verse while still maintaining significant connections to the show proper. As such, it would seem like an easy story to turn into a TV series. "Fray" even provides plenty of opportunities to bring back fan-favorite characters. Later comics actually saw Buffy Summers time-travel to Melaka Fray's future and even depicted Melaka joining forces with the Scooby Gang for a major battle. On the other hand, a "Fray" TV series wouldn't actually need to bring back any characters should the writers deem it unnecessary, and could even follow the "Firefly" playbook by being an animated event series.

Dark Horse Comics

Aside from dealing with a fan-favorite villain group in season 6 of "Buffy the Vampire Slayer," the Scoobies were also reeling from losing the Slayer in the season 5 finale. They eventually managed to resurrect her, only for Buffy to fall into a pit of depression that lasted all season long. In the following season, we learned that this resurrection upended the slayer line, prompting Big Bad the First Evil to hunt down and kill future Slayers while assembling an army of ancient vampires.

Several potential Slayers then gathered in Sunnydale, alongside Faith, who returned to help take down the First Evil. Buffy then assumed a mentor role, preparing this next generation of Slayers for their momentous destiny. Things came to a head when Willow used magic to activate the new Slayers' powers, before several of them perished in the final battle with the First Evil. Thankfully, the Hellmouth was ultimately destroyed, taking Sunnydale with it.

While all this was playing out, Joss Whedon was writing a concurrent story that similarly dealt with future Slayers. "Fray" was an eight-issue comic book series that followed small-time thief Melaka Fray as she tried to survive in a hellish future version of New York City. The slums of the city are populated by vampires known as lurks and mutant crime-lords, and it's in this treacherous environment that Melaka tries to survive, relying on her superhuman abilities. But Melaka has no idea that she has been chosen as a Slayer until she meets a demonic Watcher who guides her toward her destiny.

Dark Horse Comics

After "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" wrapped up in 2003, several comic book arcs penned by Joss Whedon continued the legacy of the Slayer. It began with 2007's "Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season Eight," followed by four more follow-ups, ending with "Season Twelve" in 2018. But the Buffy-verse, as it came to be known, had already been established before the show itself came to an end.

"Fray" was one of the first stories to expand the world of "Buffy the Vampire Slayer." It provided a glimpse of how the Slayer-vs.-the-forces-of-evil battle might play out long after the events in Sunnydale came to an end. What's more, after the eight-issue series finished, Melaka reappeared in several other comic book storylines that saw her meet Buffy Summers and work with the Scoobies.

In a 2008 "Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season Eight" storyline, Melaka appears in issue 16, entitled "Time of Your Life." The issue sees Buffy time-travel to Manhattan in the 23rd century, where she faces off against Melaka, who mistakes her for a shapeshifting demon. Later, in "Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season Twelve," Melaka was called upon to join Buffy, the Scoobies, and other Slayers in a grand showdown against vampire master Harth Fray, who was also Melaka's twin brother. All of which is to say that the connections with the version of "Buffy" familiar to fans are there and could be included in any TV adaptation.

In a sense, the biggest obstacle to a "Buffy" sequel series is Joss Whedon's comics, which have firmly established the Buffy-verse lore. But a "Fray" series would tackle that problem head-on by adapting a foundational Buffy-verse story. Of course, it remains unlikely that such a thing will ever emerge, but it wouldn't be the worst idea.