In a show called Buffy the Vampire Slayer, it’s assumed that the titular protagonist is the best at what she does, even when more Slayers enter the picture. Though Buffy has felt threatened by Kendra, and later Faith, the show ultimately portrays her as top dog.
When it comes to the latter, Faith is considered the yin to Buffy’s yang. While Buffy certainly has her rebellious moments, she still puts doing the right thing over selfish desires. She has darkness to her, sure, but the viewer knows that she’ll never go full bad guy. Faith, on the other hand, did just that. But even with her (earned) reputation as the “bad Slayer,” there are time where Faith has proven herself to be better at the job than Buffy. So, when the vampire dust settles, who really is the best Slayer?
Faith: Never Died
Really, if Buffy hadn’t died, there would be no Slayer Faith. The former once told the latter that there’s only one rule to slaying: don’t die. Yet Buffy has broken her own rule — twice.
Granted, Buffy didn’t die out of recklessness — ironically, a trait Faith has in speeds. No, both times, Buffy was killed in the line of duty. A noble cause, sure. But Buffy can’t exactly save the world as a corpse, can she? In this regard, Faith’s technical score card is better.
Buffy: Never Evil
So, Buffy’s bit the dust a couple times. But she’s never gone rogue. It doesn’t do much good having a living, breathing Slayer if she’s busy undoing all the good work a Slayer is supposed to do in the first place.
Faith spent half of Season 3 as the evil Mayor’s right-hand man. She killed innocent people. Even when Faith eventually had her about-face and turned herself in, she was still locked up. What good is a Slayer in jail?
Faith: Loves the Job More
They say it’s important to love your job. Well, Buffy could hardly say that about slaying, especially in the early days. How many times did she almost quit? Even though she always performed her duties, at times, it was entirely out of obligation.
On the other hand, Faith has always had a zest for slaying. It’s fun for her. Whereas Buffy probably wasted dozens of good patrol hours whining about not wanting to go, or prioritizing her social life, Faith was already out livin’ large.
Buffy: Cares About Saving Lives
Faith may enjoy the actual slaying more than Buffy, but why? Because Faith is an adrenaline junkie. Like Rocky Balboa, Faith is in it for the thrill of the fight. Of course she saves lives in the process, but that’s a mere byproduct for her.
While Buffy does experience the high that comes after a good kill, if it weren’t for the altruistic aspects of the job, she probably would have quit at fifteen and never looked back. Remember when Faith beat the tar out of a vampire when she could have staked him long ago? Buffy will never waste time on senseless violence.
Faith: Can Assume Any Role
As much as we love Buffy, everyone knows she suffers from major only child-itis. It’s her way or the highway. Sure, a Slayer needs to be an independent thinker and trust her instincts, but there are other times where it’s better for her to assume the role of mercenary and simply do as instructed.
Even though Faith is more rebellious — her infamous “screw that” reaction to Wesley as her new Watcher springs to mind — she is more adept at following leadership than Buffy, provided it’s competent. Before Gwendolyn Post revealed herself to be evil, Faith was able to have a much more traditional Slayer-Watcher relationship with her than Buffy ever was with Giles. And when she came back to help in the battle against the First, Faith easily fell in line under Buffy’s leadership.
Buffy: Better Leader
It’s established that Buffy can be a certified grump when given orders, and we all know she can have an ego the size of the Hellmouth. But guess what? It’s kind of deserved. Buffy may not always be right, and she’s certainly not always pleasant, but between her experience, responsibility, and natural Slayer instincts, Buffy is a born leader.
In one of the more uncomfortable scenes in the show, the Scoobies and Potentials overthrow Buffy as general in the battle against the First. They replaced her with Faith, who was an undeniable disaster in the role. With a bunch of Potentials becoming inexperienced Slayers at the end of the series, they need a true leader. They need Buffy.
Faith: No Distractions
When it comes to their personal lives, Faith and Buffy couldn’t be more different. The former is a family-less dropout, which sounds super depressing, but in a way positions Faith as a better Slayer.
Think about it — Buffy is a high school (and later college) student and a devoted daughter (and later big sister). It might sound cold, but had Buffy been more like Faith, and not had her academic and familial commitments, she would be able to devote more time to slaying.
Buffy: The Scooby Gang
Being a lone wolf like Faith has its slaying perks, but there’s something to be said for Buffy having a group of friends who rally around her when it comes to saving the world. And boy, did she luck out with the Scooby Gang. Giles’ demon knowledge goes above and beyond any Watcher; Willow’s a tech whiz and later, a powerful witch; Xander’s loyalty is unwavering. Furthermore, these are just the OG Scoobies. Cordelia, Anya, Dawn, and Tara have all contributed to the good fight.
While Faith definitely bonded with some Scoobies at one point, and was seen to be tight with the Potentials, her natural tendency is to push people away when they get too close. In doing so, she may be saying goodbye to people who could help her with her slaying.
Faith: Job Comes Before Loved Ones
The Scoobies definitely outshine Faith when it comes to fending off an impending apocalypse. But Buffy’s devotion to them has proven to be a liability. When Glory discovered that Dawn was the Key, she planned to use the youngest Summers to open the portal to get back home. Effectively, this meant killing Dawn and unleashing hell on earth.
However, once the portal closed, all would go back to normal. So, the most pragmatic thing would be to let the seemingly unstoppable Glory do her thing, even if it meant sacrificing Dawn. But Buffy refused. Not only did she put the Scoobies’ lives at risk, but the entire world’s. Sure, she stopped Glory, but it cost her her life. Faith would never put any individual, no matter their relationship to her, above getting the Slayer job done.
Buffy: The Chosen One
In Season 7, we discover that there are thousands of potential Slayers all over the world, and precious few are actually called by the prophecy. That means that since birth, Buffy and Faith were possible candidates to be the Slayer.
Yet, Buffy was chosen first. Faith wasn’t even the back-up, as Kendra was called before her. Had Kendra not died at the hands of Drusilla, Faith may have never been called at all. But Buffy was. Basically, when it comes to Slayers, Buffy is Beyoncé. And nobody beats Beyoncé.
