10) Chosen – Season 7, Episode 22
Not many fans will say that season seven if Buffy‘s finest run – after so many years, it had slightly lost steam – but thankfully, Whedon still managed to pull a terrific series finale out of the hat that gave us everything we wanted. Or, at least, everything we needed.
There’s a massive final battle, shocking, tragic deaths and just about every major character dynamic on the show is wrapped up with admirable finesse and economy. Plus, the ultimate hero of the episode is Spike – the favourite character of about 90% of Buffy fans – who destroys the whole of Sunnydale as he sacrifices himself to save the world.
But at the heart of the episode is the idea that, after seven years of being the Slayer, Buffy gets to share her power with every potential Slayer in the world. Like all the best Buffys, it works on both a character level – finally, Buffy’s burden is lifted – but also on a metaphorical one – women across the world can now feel as empowered as her.