Beloved Buffy Actor Hated Her Final Episode

To understand a bit more about why LaMorte Scott hated her last Buffy appearance, you need to know a bit more about the First Evil. This character is the embodiment of all evil and may very well be the oldest creature in all existence. The First is non-corporeal and prefers to psychologically manipulate victims, something made easier by the fact that it can take the form of anyone (human or demon) that has previously died.

When this character first appeared in the Buffy episode “Amends,” the First Evil took the form of Jenny Calendar and other previous victims in order to torment Angel. Unsure of exactly why he was brought back to life and wracked with guilt over his previous murders as Angelus, Angel rebukes the First Evil’s suggestions to kill Buffy and tries to kill himself with a sunrise.

In a touching twist, he is saved by the sudden appearance of Sunnydale’s own white Christmas, something presented as akin to an act of God.

“Amends” is one of the greatest Buffy episodes, and it’s that much more important because it lays the groundwork for the First Evil’s ambitious campaign against the Slayer and her friends in the final season.

In other circumstances, Robia LaMorte Scott might have been flattered to make such a triumphant return to the biggest show she ever starred in. However, the star had become a born-again Christian while working on Buffy the first time, and she hated playing the First Evil because she viewed the character as more or less this universe’s version of the devil.

According to LaMorte Scott, she wanted to back out of this final Buffy episode because of the First Evil being such an openly satanic character but couldn’t find the opportunity to do so. As a new Christian, she felt torn between her faith and her career. She no longer has to worry about such choices, though: LaMorte Scott is effectively retired from acting, focusing her energy and efforts on Christian ministry.

As longtime fans of Buffy know, there is a certain irony to LaMorte Scott discovering her faith and ultimately despising her time playing the First Evil. Her Jenny Calendar was a “techno pagan,” a witchy woman who used her geeky skills to generally stay on top of all things magical, something in tune with the New Age beliefs that LaMorte Scott used to hold.

However, the actor’s own religious conversion (one prompted by a Christian biker gang encounter she saw as a message from God!) made her forsake such characters in favor of her own spiritual journey.

Of course, that leaves us with a big question: if the First Evil is symbolically Satan, does that make Buffy an agent of God? She died, was resurrected, and fought the devil to prevent yet another apocalypse. And unlike a certain Marvel hero we could name, she did it all without giving herself a cool title like “Slayer Jesus.”