Sarah Michelle Gellar has posted a tribute to her late Buffy the Vampire co-star Michelle Trachtenberg, who died at the age of 39 this week. Gellar kept her tribute brief, writing “‘Michelle, listen to me. Listen. I love you. I will always love you. The hardest thing in this world, is to live in it. I will be brave. I will live… for you’
💔💔💔🗝️”.
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That eulogy will be especially devastating for Buffy fans: Gellar was putting a personal spin on one of Buffy the Vampire Slayer‘s most iconic moments featuring Trachtenberg: The Season 5 finale where Buffy sacrificed herself to save her little sister Dawn (Trachtenberg), who was also “The Key” that could open portals between dimensions, allowing gods of Hell to bring Apocalypse to Earth. The arc of the season saw Buffy learn of her sister’s existence and her ominous purpose, but still manage to bond with her to the point of literally mixing their blood, and taking Dawn’s place as the great sacrifice needed to save the world.
Behind the scenes, Buffy Season 5 saw Trachtenberg trying to enter the bubble of a fickle fandom, and overcome initial resistance to win fans over. Over the years, Trachtenberg and Gellar would discuss how that season really did bond them as young actresses – the exact bond that Gellar succinctly sums up in her tribute.
The gallery of photos that Gellar included in her post includes a scene from Buffy Season 5 of Dawn and Buffy at the funeral of their mother, Joyce Summers (Kristine Sutherland), as well as many photos of Gellar and Trachtenberg together (sometimes with other famous faces) over the years. The photos tell a story that runs deeper than the industry; Gellar shares photos of Trachtenberg being present for significant life milestones like birth of one of her kids; Halloween cosplay and other party events, or just little mini-reunions in real life, when Gellar and Trachtenberg would run into the likes of fellow Buffy co-star Seth Green. The photos are also meticulously selected to show how Gellar witnessed Trachtenberg grow from a young girl to a grown woman, hinting at just how significant a loss this is for Gellar, in particular. We speak for fans everywhere when we say we extend our condolences and any and all supportive energy to her in this time of grieving.
[RELATED: Friends & Co-Stars Remember Michelle Trachtenberg]
It would be one thing if Michelle Trachtenberg had passed when Buffy was still just a nostalgic memory; however, Buffy the Vampire Slayer is getting a reboot series that already has massive hype propelling it. Gellar has been stoking the fires of that hype, promising fans that they were going to deliver an authentic return to the world of Buffy that fans would be able to respect:
“I have always listened to the fans and heard your desire to revisit Buffy and her world, but it was not something I could do unless I was sure we would get it right,” Gellar wrote in a post. “This has been a long process, and it’s not over yet. I promise you, we will only make this show if we know we can do it right. And I will tell you that we are on the path there. I feel so lucky to be on this journey with these four unbelievably talented women, all of whom love Buffy as much as I do. And as much as you do. Thank you to all the fans who never stopped asking for this. This will be for you.”
There’s nothing to do at the moment but process the loss of Trachtenberg, but the foundation of this Buffy the Vampire Slayer reboot suddenly feels far less concrete than it was just days ago. Because how can fans see Buffy return and not be reminded of the loss?
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