Buffy the Vampire Slayer confirms long-running fan theory about key character’s sexuality
Buffy the Vampire Slayer character Faith LeHane might just be queer after all. (20th Century Fox)
A series of Buffy the Vampire Slayer comics have possibly confirmed a significant character’s sexuality.
Sarah Gailey and Hannah Templer’s The Vampire Slayer – a tie-in for the renowned tv series – confirmed that vampire slayer Faith Lehane is queer in its 11th issue.
The character first debuted in season three of the show, becoming one of its most significant characters.
While her sexuality was subtly hinted at in the television series – which caused some criticism by those accusing the show of queerbaiting – it was fully confirmed during the tie-in comic series.
After fellow vampire slayer Willow Rosenberg sinks deeper into the dark arts, Faith tries to talk some sense into her.
But, upon the confrontation, she finds Willow in her room levitating and surrounded by bolts of green electricity.
As Faith tries to talk Willow down from her path into dark magic, she remarks that this terrifying version of Willow is “wicked hot.”
The comment seems to confirm fan theories that argue Faith is queer in some capacity.
While her sexuality isn’t explicitly confirmed, the fact that she has also dated a number of men in the show, while showing attraction towards women could suggest she is either bisexual or pansexual.
Joss Whedon’s vampire slaying universe gained a massive queer following upon its debut in the late 90s.
Vampires being undeniably queer aside, the show also had a number of LGBTQ+ characters, including Willow herself.
Whedon admitted in 2020 that, given the chance, he would have written Willow as bisexual instead of a lesbian.
He told MetroUK that studio pressure prompted him not to make the character bisexual over fears it would appear like a “phase.”
“There are things you can’t do, thanks to [society at the time], it was like, ‘OK, you can’t make Willow bi, you can’t say this is a phase because that’s what people do to deny [LGBTQ+ people] their existence.’
“So if I did it now, I’d be like, ‘Yes, she can be bi.'”
Despite the writer’s regrets on Willow’s sexuality, fans still commend it as a piece of amazing queer fiction which proved that LGBTQ+ heroes can be badass.
