10 Most Powerful Weapons in Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Ranked

When you slay as many vampires, demons, and forces of darkness as Buffy Summers, you need to get creative. Across Buffy the Vampire Slayer’s seven seasons, Sarah Michelle Gellar’s eponymous Slayer sent her undead enemies back to hell using a variety of weapons, both practical and mystical, as showcased in countless epic action sequences that proved how formidable Buffy really was. Likewise, her enemies sometimes needed to whip out the big guns to take on the titular Chosen One.

The Slayer and her foes wield several weapons that are famous in the Buffy fandom, but some are unfairly overlooked even though they’re among the most OP items in the series’ lore. Exactly what counts as a weapon may be up for debate, as many magical artifacts across the show boost or deplete a villain’s power, such as the Gem of Amara that protects a vampire from sunlight. However, those do not strictly count as weapons as they are more akin to supplemental items that augment a fight rather than tools used in the fight itself. When it comes to weapons that pack a real wallop, these are the most powerful in the Buffy canon, regardless of whether they were used in an attempt to save the world or to end it.

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10

Holy Water

Holy water is a classic vampire-repellent, and it’s something that Buffy and the Scoobies use against the undead of Sunnydale on numerous occasions. Holy water is generally employed more as a protective measure than an offensive one, but Buffy is the Slayer for a reason, so she can often MacGyver anything into a weapon to use against vamps. Season 3, in particular, features a couple of highly creative uses of holy water that showcase its true potential.

When holed up in a store with Angel and Spike in Episode 8, “Lovers Walk,” Buffy uses a cache of holy water vials as projectile weapons, tossing them at the vamps attempting to break in like grenades. Similarly, holy water saves Buffy’s life in Episode 12, “Helpless,” when the Watchers Council strip her of her powers and force her to defend herself against vampire serial killer Zachary Kralik, as part of a ritual the Slayer must undergo on her 18th birthday. Kralik periodically takes anti-psychotic pills, and Buffy is able to trick him into drinking a glass of holy water with them, which kills him from the inside.

9

Crossbow

Crossbows are another key part of Buffy’s arsenal in the early days of her Slayer career, though she generally uses them less frequently as the show continues. That said, other Scoobies continue to arm themselves with a crossbow here and there while helping her patrol. The most memorable use of a crossbow has to be when Buffy used one to defend herself upon heading underground to face the Master in the Season 1 finale, “Prophecy Girl.”

Over time, crossbows tend to be used more in Buffy as a source of comedic relief, as they either have little effect on a durable villain or a bad aim results in one of the Scoobies getting shot. Clearly, crossbows are not the most reliably lethal weapon in Buffy’s arsenal, but if aimed square at a vampire’s heart, then they should do the trick. Dawn found out the hard way that they also work on kittens.

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8

Mister Pointy

Stakes are a Slayer’s bread and butter, so naturally, Buffy uses a stake pretty much every episode. They are the most reliable way of killing a vampire and do the job almost every time, except when facing Turok-Han. Typically, they are disposable and replaceable weapons, but one stake does gain iconic status in Buffy, thanks to the tragedy associated with it and the fact it becomes a running gag.

Kendra, the other Slayer activated when Buffy briefly dies fighting the Master, has a lucky stake named Mister Pointy that she lends to Buffy shortly before dying (for real in her case). Though initially mocking Kendra for naming a stake, Buffy keeps Mister Pointy herself as a memento and source of comfort, almost treating it like a stuffed animal. It is often seen in Buffy’s bedroom in Seasons 2 and 3, and she even brought it to college with her in Season 4.

7

Hunga Munga

Although it only appears once in Buffy, the hunga munga has an outsized impact on the show thanks to it featuring as the final shot of the show’s title sequence from Seasons 3 to 5. The weapon’s unusual design, paired with the epic composition of Buffy’s hero shot while wielding it, has cemented it as one of the Slayer’s most memorable weapons, even if it only got the one use.

In Season 3 opener “Anne,” Buffy employs this weapon — identifiable by its unique hammer-and-sickle shape — when battling the demon known as Ken in his hell dimension. In his script, creator Joss Whedon simply specified a weapon that had lots of sides, and it was the prop team who decided to use a hunga munga, also known as a mambele or kpinga, a traditional throwing knife that originates from Central and Southern Africa. The hunga munga is never seen again after “Anne,” so it can be assumed Buffy left it behind in Ken’s dimension.

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6

Faith’s Hunting Knife

Every Slayer has their signature weapon, and while Kendra had Mister Pointy and Buffy has the Scythe (more on that later), Faith had her hunting knife. The beautiful yet deadly blade, recognizable for its intricate design and curved hilt, was given to Faith by the Mayor, and she proceeded to use it on his enemies. Ironically, though, the most notable use of Faith’s knife came not when she was wielding it but when Buffy used it against her.

During their climactic fight in the Season 3 finale, “Graduation Day, Part 2,” Buffy stabs Faith with her own knife, not quite killing her but sending her into a coma for an entire year. Buffy later uses the knife, still stained with Faith’s blood, to goad the Mayor in his demon form into a trap. In Season 4, it’s revealed that Faith spends her coma suffering from nightmares in which Buffy stabs her over and over again with her own weapon. Buffy stealing Faith’s prized possession and using it against her encapsulates their whole rivalry in a nutshell. From Faith’s point of view, it is Buffy who is the villain.

5

The Glove of Myhnegon

Sunnydale is lousy with mystical MacGuffins, but the Glove of Myhnegon stands out from the pack due to its untapped potential and memorable design. Appearing in Season 3, Episode 7, “Revelations,” the Glove was sought after by ex-Watcher Gwendolyn Post, who manipulated Buffy and the Scoobies into helping her find it. For a brief time, Post was able to bond with the Glove and proved to be a fearsome opponent while wearing it.

On screen, the Glove is capable of shooting electrokinetic blasts, but it is heavily implied that the Glove’s wearer becomes more powerful the longer they are bonded with it. The powerful magicks it is imbued with also make it hard to destroy, with its only weakness being an enchanted fire called the living flame. It’s a shame the Glove never made a return in Buffy. After all, gloves do tend to come in pairs.

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4

The Blessed Sword/The Sword of the Virtuous Knight

The Blessed Sword and the Sword of the Virtuous Knight are actually two separate swords, but their origin and fates are closely intertwined. In the Season 2 finale, “Becoming,” the evil Angelus plans to reawaken the demon Acathla, a powerful being who can summon a portal to his hell dimension that would destroy the world. In the distant past, however, an ancient warrior known only as the Virtuous Knight slayed the demon and turned it to stone. Angelus intends to withdraw the Sword of the Virtuous Knight from Acathla’s stone form and allow it to end the world.

The Sword of the Virtuous Knight’s twin is the Blessed Sword, another similar blade blessed by the Virtuous Knight. It is the only weapon in existence powerful enough to slay Acathla if he is reawakened. The result is that Buffy and Angelus do battle, Sword of the Virtuous Knight versus Blessed Sword, in arguably the greatest, most thrilling and most emotionally charged final fight in any Buffy finale. The moment Buffy is able to hone her Slayer instincts and catch Angel’s sword between her hands with her eyes shut is one of her most legendary feats.

3

The Rocket Launcher

No weapon forged can destroy the Judge — that is what Buffy is repeatedly told in Season 2 two-parter “Surprise” and “Innocence.” However, in one of her smartest moves, the Slayer realizes that things have changed since the ancient, powerful demon was last around, and she deduces that even he wouldn’t be able to survive a blast from a rocket launcher. “What’s that do?” the demon says quizzically when laying eyes on the contemporary military weapon, seconds before Buffy uses its immense power to blow him to smithereens.

The time Buffy fired a rocket launcher goes on to become one of the show’s favorite running gags, as it’s often brought up in reference to either how badass Buffy is or how bizarre her life is. Hilariously, the rocket launcher makes a brief reappearance in Season 7’s “Him,” when Buffy — under the effects of a personality-altering love spell — almost fires it at an unsuspecting Principal Wood before Spike stops her just in time.

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2

Olaf’s Hammer

Throughout Season 5, Glory is presented as an unkillable and invincible opponent, but when the finale rolled around, obviously Buffy needed to find a way to defeat the Hell Goddess or else there wouldn’t be a show anymore. In a neat callback to an episode earlier in the season, the Scoobies realize that the only way to defeat a god is to use the weapon of a god — namely, the hammer of Olaf the Troll God, Anya’s ex.

Combined with the Dagon Sphere — which, it had previously been established, left Glory disorientated and weakened — Buffy is able to use the powerful hammer to finally bring Glory to her knees and deliver a serious beating. Marvel fans will get a particular kick out of Olaf’s hammer, as both its design and the fact that only Buffy can lift it make it a clear homage to Thor’s favorite accessory, Mjölnir.

1

The Scythe

It took seven long seasons of Buffy, but the titular Slayer finally got her own signature weapon in the final episodes of the show. When gearing up to face the First Evil in her toughest battle yet, Buffy discovers the existence of an ancient weapon known as the Scythe that has been buried under Sunnydale all along. The Scythe was forged for Sineya, the First Slayer, but it has long been hidden as it was feared the Watchers Council and their ancestors would use it as a means to control the Slayer.

Although called the Scythe, the weapon actually more accurately resembles an axe. In a handy feature, its wooden hilt is also a weapon, as the end has been sharpened into a stake. Likewise, the blade’s red finish is a nice touch considering how often it’s going to be stained with blood anyway. The Scythe’s most useful quality, however, is that it is deeply connected to the Slayer lineage, which is why Willow can channel its immense magical power to activate every Potential Slayer across the globe.

Not only is it a formidable weapon in battle, helping Buffy make mincemeat of an army of Turok-Han, but the Scythe also allowed the Scoobies to change the world for the better. The Scythe isn’t just the definitive Slayer weapon, it’s also the most powerful weapon in all of Buffy.