Anthony Stewart Head leaves behind an incredible legacy, not least with his work as Rupert Giles on Buffy the Vampire Slayer. The actor, who passed away aged 72, was great and memorable in everything he appeared in, whether it was a one-off role in Doctor Who, playing a recurring villain in Ted Lasso, or even starring in coffee adverts. But in terms of his on-screen work, it’s Buffy he will be most remembered for, which is a testament to his performance on that series, where he brought so much strength, warmth, and humor to what could’ve been a stereotypical stuffy librarian and stern mentor.
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There are so many wonderful Giles moments from across all seven seasons of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and reminiscing about them now does provide a sense of comfort and a reminder of just how good he was. I’m sure everyone will have their favorite, but the one that comes most to mind for me is from the end of Buffy Season 2, Episode 14, “Innocence.” This is after Angel has turned into Angelus and started targeting Buffy and her friends, and a tearful Slayer, in a conversation in Giles’ car, says he must be so disappointed in her. He responds, with real compassion from Head, in a perfect manner:
“Do you want me to wag my finger at you and tell you, you acted rashly? You did, and I can. But I know you loved him, and he has proven more than once that he loved you. You couldn’t have known what would happen. The coming months are going to be very hard – I suspect on all of us. But if you’re looking for guilt, Buffy, I’m not your man. All you will have from me is my support… and my respect.”
Giles Became So Much More Than Buffy’s Watcher
It’s a moment that I think sums up Buffy and Giles’ relationship, and showcases both the strength of Giles as a character and Head’s performance. It would’ve been so easy for it to go down the route of admonishment, or likewise for the moment to have been played too big. Instead, he plays it subtle, soft, sweet, tender, and it comes off as very true and authentic. He provides the kind of support that Buffy desperately needs in that moment, and the kind that many fathers would not want, or would not be able, to give their kids, resonating not only with Buffy but also its audience. It’s a powerful, important message, that many needed to hear.
This is what made Giles such a memorable and key part of Buffy‘s cast. While viewers grew up watching the Scooby Gang go through trials and tribulations that reflected their own feelings, desires, and problems, Giles was the ultimate father figure. To see how he grew from just being Buffy’s Watcher into someone who so deeply cared for and loved her like she was his own daughter, especially when her own dad was hardly in her life, was one of the many beautiful parts of the series, and Head’s performance, and how well he worked with Sarah Michelle Gellar, were a huge part of that, and that small moment in “Innocence” is a shining example.
Of course, there are so many others you could pick, which also showcase Head’s range as an actor and the breadth of Giles as a character. He was wonderful in those heartfelt moments – a few episodes later, it’s Buffy who comforts him when he’s in pain in “Passion,” and Head makes you feel every ounce of his suffering, anger, and loss. Equally perfect is his quote in “Lie To Me,” which Gellar herself included in her tribute to him on Instagram.
He is also great when he gets to cut loose and have fun, such as playing the Fyarl demon in “A New Man,” reverting to a teenager in “Band Candy,” (which was also quietly called back to in a lovely little moment in Season 5, where he listens to the same song after her death), or getting to show off his singing voice in “Once More With Feeling.”
Whether it was as Giles or “Ripper,” the librarian, the Watcher, the father, the romantic, or the magic-wielding badass (“I’d like to test that theory”), Giles was always one of the best parts of the show, there for Buffy, the others (his bond with Anya in later seasons was particularly sweet), and us viewers, and it’s an indelible legacy left behind by Head.
Buffy the Vampire Slayer is available to stream on Hulu.
What’s your favorite Giles moment from Buffy the Vampire Slayer? Share your memories of Anthony Head in the comments below.
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