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Joss Whedon’s Buffy the Vampire Slayer saw the titular character experience the highs and lows of romance multiple times, but no relationship ever compared to her super-solider boyfriend Riley. The supernatural series debuted on the former WB in the ’90s after Whedon’s film by the same name didn’t live up to his vision. With blonde hair, a pun for every occasion, killer heels, and an even deadlier stake, Buffy quickly became a teenage icon; however, the slayer’s love life isn’t nearly as desirable as her wardrobe. When it comes to Buffy’s relationships, writers frequently honed in on the star-crossed-lovers shtick. While passion and heartache fuelled her vampire relationships, Buffy’s best boyfriend was Riley — not one of her supernatural lovers.
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Following Buffy’s tumultuous break up with her on-again off-again vampire boyfriend, Angel, Riley is exactly the guy she needs for a normal college relationship. While most fans loathe Riley (who does become toxic toward the end of his run on the show), he and Buffy have the most stable relationship during the show’s seven-season run.
Like Buffy, Riley leads a double life fighting the “vampires, the demons, and the forces of darkness.” He’s an average college TA boy-next-door from Iowa during the day, but at night, moonlights as a special ops agent for The Initiative — the secret government agency tasked with researching and neutralizing supernatural threats in the Hellmouth.
Why Riley is Buffy’s Best Boyfriend
Neither of Buffy’s previous boyfriends were healthy relationships — especially given the age gap. A baby-faced David Boreanaz played Buffy’s boyfriend Angel, who isn’t nearly as young as his dimples might suggest. The 241-year-old vampire admits to stalking the fifteen-year-old cheerleader before they even met. Spike, Buffy’s other long-term vampire boyfriend, is slightly younger at around 123 when they meet. Both men try to kill her on multiple occasions, and while the show’s plot finds ways to justify this (Angel didn’t have a soul at the time, Spike has changed, etc.), there’s a predatory undertone in the relationships that can’t be ignored. The Buffy, Angel, and Spike toxic love triangle is a nightmare that won’t end.
One of Buffy’s challenges as a superhuman vampire slayer is having her potential suitors accept her nocturnal extracurriculars, her strength, and her combat training. Buffy’s (super)natural fighting ability pairs perfectly with Riley’s military training, and his access to innovative vampire hunting tech. They make a formidable duo who rely on each other in different ways. Sadly, Riley’s love and devotion to Buffy is stronger than hers for him. She often kept him at arm’s length, and as a result, didn’t notice his deteriorating mental health until it was too late. After his mentor, Professor Walsh, drugged and brainwashed him, Riley began to experience fits of rage and paranoia, and eventually became addicted to vampire bites. While Walsh’s exploitation of Riley doesn’t excuse his actions, Buffy could have done a lot more to help him through it.
A lot of the Buffy the Vampire Slayer fan hatred toward Riley is misplaced. Buffy never gave Riley the chance he deserved, despite his devotion to her, and with a few different choices, the two could have been an endgame couple. Even though they don’t work out, Riley was precisely what Buffy needed at the time, and their relationship is the healthiest of all of her suitors — which, admittedly, isn’t saying much.
