Riley Finn

"Well, well. You can take the boy out of the Initiative, but you can't take the initiative out of the boy, can you?"

- Spike

Riley Finn (born in Huxley, Iowa), a covert operative for the United States government was an agent of the Initiative and a short-time member of the Scooby Gang.

Early Life
Native to Huxley, Iowa, Riley grew up in a rural setting with fairly strong and self-reliant females around him. Every Thanksgiving, he and his family would stay at his grandparent's house for thanksgiving dinner before they would take a walk down a river with their dogs. He likened the thought to a Grant Wood painting.

College
Prior to 1999, Riley joined the Army, and was trained in special operations before being selected to join The Initiative. The Initiative was a secret government military organization located in Sunnydale aimed at researching the demons that inhabited it because of its Hellmouth. Their headquarters were underneath UC Sunnydale, where Riley and the other soldiers masqueraded as students. By the time he started graduate school, Riley was already one of the Initiative's high-ranking soldiers and thus led a double life, both a secret agent and a college student residing at the Lowell House. His two friends and fellow initiative agents, Forrest Gates and Graham Miller, as well as many other operatives resided in the Lowell House and used it to enter the Initiative via a secret passage. He was also the assistant teacher to psychology Professor Maggie Walsh, who was one of the leading scientists at the Initiative. He developed a strong mother-son connection with Professor Walsh who also secretly fed him drugs that enhanced his physical attributes.

At the beginning of the 1999 school year, he met freshman Buffy Summers after she accidentally dropped textbooks for Introduction to Psychology on his head. The two then on continued to share an unspoken attraction to each other. He realized his feelings for her after he punched Parker Abrams for making inappropriate comments about Buffy (as Parker previously had a one-night stand with her). While Riley did his best to keep Buffy from finding out his secret life, Buffy also wrestled to keep here secret life as the Slayer. They both came by each other during their duties when the vampire Spike, named "Hostile 17" by the Initiative, escaped and attempted to kill Buffy's friend Willow Rosenberg, but couldn't because of a Behavior-Modification circuit. On the simultaneous rescue Buffy and Riley got into a fight in Stevenson Hall but could not notice each other because Riley was wearing a military face mask, hiding his face while Buffy purposely covered the room in a blinding smoke by firing a flare gun.

The truth eventually came out when a group of demons called The Gentlemen stole everyone's voices, leading Buffy and Riley to catch each other on the job. They quickly worked together to defeat them, killing several of the Gentlemen's footmen. Riley saved Buffy with his taser blaster and Buffy used sign language to tell him of the box containing the voices. Despite the fact Buffy hoped Riley would be her "Joe guy", she still found comfort in the fact he was a regular human and that his ability to fight demons allowed her to worry less about his safety.

Buffy and Riley started their relationship and both fought demons together and continued saving each other's lives and the world, although Riley was never quite let into Buffy's inner circle while Riley suggested Buffy to the Initiative where her strength, speed and stamina impressed him and Maggie Walsh, though her tendency to ask questions and inability to follow protocol led to the other soldiers finding her irritating while Professor Walsh came to loathe her as she thought Buffy was taking Riley away from the Initiative. After Buffy and Riley hunted down a Polgara demon, the two passionately made love for the first time, also being the first time for Buffy to wake up after sleeping with someone and that person still being right by her side. However, Professor Walsh watched them while they were in the act via a surveillance camera, so she attempted to get Buffy killed with a faux mission and a faulty taser gun. After failing, Riley was devastated from Walsh's betrayal and left her mid-conversation despite her orders for him to stay. After hearing Walsh's following death at the hands of the cybernetically-augmented human-demon hybrid named Adam, Riley was greatly effected and started take it on Buffy, though this was largely due to the drugs given to him from the Initiative which started affecting his health. As he started to get violent and irrational, aiming a gun at an innocent civilian in a demon bar, Buffy convinced Riley to get some rest at Xander Harris' basement while she snuck into the Initiative compound with Xander in disguises to find out what project 314 was about. Riley instead followed after her, hurting Willow in the process and along with Buffy, Xander and Dr. Angleman he met Adam who recently made a stir by killing and mutilating a small child, which led Buffy to believe it was the act of a Polgara demon. Riley attacked Adam but was easily beaten along with Buffy and Xander while Dr. Angeleman was killed. After Adam escaped, Riley was treated at the Initiative hospital. Riley, however, kept taking the drugs yet through his own choice.

While everything at that time was sound with Buffy and Riley, problems occurred when Riley slept with Buffy's enemy and fellow Slayer Faith Lehane who switched bodies with Buffy and seduced him. During sex, Faith felt Riley's love for Buffy opposed to the common desire for sex she felt with other men. Because this feeling being alien to her, she left him behind in bed the next morning. After a vampire attack at Riley's church where Buffy got Faith to switch back, Buffy found it difficult to get over what happened with Faith though she eventually managed with the help of Jonathan Levinson in his alternate world.

Originally, Riley was heavily prejudiced against all demons, showing no approval for Willow Rosenberg's relationship with a werewolf Oz, but he soon realized that demons are capable of both good and evil just as humans are after helping to save Oz from the Initiative base, particularly after witnessing his superiors' inhumane treatment of Oz while in his human form. Initially completely loyal to the Initiative, several events, such as Maggie Walsh's failed attempt to get Buffy killed and the discovery that she was the one who created Adam as a super-soldier, caused Riley to desire to leave the organization, but it was only when he helped to save Oz that he realized the extent of the Initiative's corruption and turned his back on them in favor of the Scooby Gang. After that he then relocated in the burnt-down ruins of Buffy's old high school, Sunnydale High. After finding out Buffy visited her ex-boyfriend and ensouled vampire Angel in Los Angeles and witnessing Angel beat a couple of Initiative agents in Sunnydale, Riley assumed Buffy has slept with Angel and that he lost his soul again. The two fought; Angel easily taking out Riley with his bare hands while Riley used every tool he had. Later in Buffy's dorm, Riley barged in with his gun while Buffy and Angel were talking. The men then argued before Buffy broke them up and explained to Riley that Forrest had been killed. Riley then suddenly left.

It was discovered that Maggie Walsh implanted a Behavior Modifier in Riley after he joined The Initiative. Adam exploited this and used the chip in order to pacify Riley before the final battle. Riley, with no other choice, removed the modifier by lacerating himself with a shard of glass and pulling it out of his body with his bare hand. He then fought his best friend Forrest, who had been brought back as a demon-human-cybernetic bybrid like Adam, turned completely evil. Though Riley's efforts where uneven to Forrest's new abilites, Riley managed to kill him by making him hoist a gas canister which exploded after catching a live wire.

The Initiative was destroyed in the summer of 2000, and Riley was relieved of his military standing. He was left at loose ends, and his behavior became reckless.

Recklessness
A year after he met Buffy, Riley became a full time member with the Scooby Gang, though his suggested methods and tactics were foreign to them. Riley began to see himself as beneath Buffy in strength, so he began to push his body well past its limits in the hopes that he would catch up to her. He became increasingly worried with Buffy's relationships with vampires, being jealous at Dracula's allure to Buffy, prompting him to set out in his castle and hunt for him alongside Buffy's Watcher Rupert Giles, as well as noticing Spike's attraction to Buffy while coming to him for information about Dracula.

After learning that the drugs Maggie Walsh had given him were causing his pain receptors to shut down and his heartbeat to spike, Riley initially refused medical treatment from the government out of paranoia, but Buffy eventually managed to convince him. After a brief face-off with Spike and Harmony Kendall, who were attempting to force an Initiative doctor to remove Spike's chip, they successfully managed to get Riley heart surgery, though this reduced him to a normal human being, only adding to his feelings of insecurity and weakness. His relationship with Buffy also began to deteriorate when Buffy continuously failed to give him the emotional intimacy, trust, and honesty he craved. This was mostly due to her mother's illness and her growing interest in spiritually discovering her potential as a Slayer, having a long conversation to Spike about the two Slayers he killed while Riley went out patrolling with Buffy's friends and recklessly destroyed an entire crypt with a grenade to kill two vampires after killing one that staked Buffy.

Seeking thrills, and wondering what Buffy found so appealing about vampires -having allowed both Angel and Dracula to drink her blood- Riley began to let vampires feed from him, becoming a regular at a "Bite Den", an establishment were vampires are paid to bite and feed on the blood of willing customers without draining them completely. Buffy eventually discovered this with Spike's help and destroyed the building where Riley's secreting meetings had taken place. His behavior, as well as Spike's manipulations and a sense that Buffy would never truly love him, led to their breakup. Despite Buffy's best efforts to stop him, Riley rejoined the military and departed.

Marriage
In South America, Riley met Samantha, a fellow soldier who with him initially forged a duo demon-hunters, discussing tactics and missions before discussing about Buffy. They then got married shortly after. Nearly four months since the wedding, Riley returned unexpectedly in the next year, tracking a demon about to hatch eggs that could wipe out Sunnydale, and the one planning to sell them, known simply as "the Doctor". However, he did not return to make up with Buffy but to ask for her assistance with Sam arriving shortly. Nonetheless, when he discovered that Buffy had been engaging in a sexual relationship with Spike, he was clearly affected, though when he discovered them in bed together and when Buffy attempted to explain the situation, he hid his emotions. As it turned out, Spike was the Doctor, and Riley blew up the nest of demon eggs beneath his crypt. His mission completed, Riley and Sam left Sunnydale again after bidding the Scoobies farewell.

One year later, when Spike's chip began to malfunction, Buffy successfully managed to contact Riley for help. Riley personally sent a group of soldiers to help, but told them that what they were to do with the chip (either repair or remove it) was Buffy's decision.

Triple Agent


Over a year later, Riley joined Twilight's followers to spy for Buffy, while convincing the Twilight organization that he was their "inside man" in Buffy's inner circle, and was marked with Twilight's symbol on his chest. He later met with Buffy in New York City. Weeks later, he joined Amy Madison, Warren Mears, and Twilight as they tried to track down the Slayer Organization to Oz's monastery. During a massive battle between Twilight's forces and the Slayer Organization, Buffy saved an injured Riley and reveals to her friends that Riley has indeed been working for her as a double agent in order to find out Twilight's plans and identity. After the war in Tibet, Riley comforted Buffy, who saw herself as a terrible leader by leading the Slayer Organization into the war against Twilight. Riley also got the United States government to grant amnesty to all members of the Slayer Organization.

A few months after the Twilight crisis was averted, Riley was stationed in San Francisco where Buffy and the other Scoobies had settled down. Because magic was banished from this dimension, Riley used a surveillance van to watch out for human terrorists.

Personality
"Riley just seems ... so solid. Like he wouldn't cause me heartache."

- Buffy to Willow

Riley was the stereotypical "nice boyfriend" type. He was often depicted as friendly and very easy to be around with. He also was charming and occasionally witty. Because of his easygoing nature, Riley got along well with Scooby Gang and gained their trust, a sharp contrast from Buffy's previous boyfriend Angel following his return from Hell. Riley was rarely mean to people and very polite in nature, pleasant to just about anyone, the only exceptions being Angel and Spike(Partly because they're vampires and partly because both of them carry a romantic interest in Buffy during his time as her boyfriend).

Buffy herself has described him as very reliable and solid, which was proven to be true on many occasions throughout their dating years. Also, Riley saw himself as "smooth" though upon his first time trying to flirt with Buffy, it only confused her due to his awkward ramblings, much to his embarrassment and frustration. Riley was also shown to be patient and supportive when Joyce's health was deteriorating, expressing understanding towards Buffy despite also feeling disappointed she never truly opened up or allowed herself to be vulnerable with him.

Due to his affiliation with The Initiative, Riley was shown to fit well in a leadership role, effectively leading the Scooby Gang upon Buffy's request during patrol and also with his squads in the miltary. Though because of his involvement with the miltary, Riley also carried a black-and-white outlook when it came to demons and humans. This was seen in his prejudice of Willow dating a werewolf at one point, much to Buffy's annoyance, who had previously been involved with a vampire. Riley seemed to slightly let go of his "all demons are bad" mentality a little during his relationship with her, but remained mostly fixed in that outlook as he openly showed distrust towards Spike, even threatening to kill him despite being harmless. Even Angel has described him as "very humans first".

Despite his outward displays of confidence and carefree nature, he was revealed to have underlying insecurities and lack of self-confidence regarding his relationship with Buffy. This was because he had worried that he wasn't strong enough for Buffy who seemed to be drawn to less-than-human men. Despite briefly casting his worries aside thanks to Buffy, it returned not long after. His character then took on a darker turn, as he became increasing more reckless, driven to the point of allowing female vampires to feed on him for a rush, as he felt more needed with them.

Riley also is seen to have a fierce jealous streak in him, as he had quickly came to blows with Angel in an alleyway while he was on his way to apologize to Buffy and had violently confronted Spike on three separate occasions.

Powers and abilities
Due to his military training, Riley possessed immense knowledge of and expertise in strategy, hand-to-hand combat, vampire hunting, tracking, and weapons handling techniques. He also displayed medical knowledge, competently treating a severe puncture wound that Buffy suffered to the abdomen in "Fool for Love". Also, for a time, he possessed superhuman physical attributes due to the drugs he was secretly fed, though nowhere near the level of a Slayer, but lost these abilities after suffering symptoms of withdrawal from the drugs, including a heart attack.

Romantic

 * Buffy Summers - Riley met Buffy on her first day at UC Sunnydale after she had accidently caused books to fall on top of his head. He was polite to her but took more interest in Willow (intellectual-related reasons, not romantic), finding Buffy herself a bit unusual. He was the teacher's aid to Dr. Walsh and often gave Buffy some advice every once and while but was still turned off by her quirky behavior. While discussing with his friends Forrest and Graham over her, Riley agreed that she was attractive but claimed she was "too peculiar" for him. After seeing Parker Abrams vulgarly brag about his sex with Buffy and then belittling her, he was furious and punched him in the face. Because of this, Riley realized he had a crush on her. Wanting to get some advice and find out more about Buffy, he sought out Willow for some help. After her inital rudeness and disinterest, she gave in. With some help, he approached Buffy during a party at his house only to awkwardly mention homework rather than smoother talk, much to her confusion. Riley tried to talk with her again, only for Buffy to go off to fight Spike. In a mission looking for "Hostile 17", he saw Buffy sitting alone on a bench in the vicinity of their target. Unaware of her slayer status and quickly denying Forrest's offer to use her as bait, Riley tried in vain to send her back home for protection. Later the next day, Riley then managed to work up a proper conversation with her and they began spending time together more frequently. Riley soon admitted to her he liked her and found her a "mystery". After going on a picnic date with her, he would later run into her looking at wedding dresses. Under the influence of a spell, Buffy claimed they should just be friends since she was getting married to Spike. Riley was very confused and betrayed by this, believing that she had been intentionally leading him on. After asking her several questions about "the groom", he eventually became so estranged by her replies that he took off and ordered her not to follow him. After the spell was broken, an embarrassed Buffy told him she had been kidding over getting married. Riley was still puzzled by her previous behavior, but nonetheless glad that she was single. Riley and Buffy openly flirted with each other consistently and Riley soon attempted to kiss her, only for Buffy to become nervous and back off at the last second. Riley, along with Buffy, both expressed their guilt at keeping their secret demon-fighting identities from each other. Being brought together because of the Gentlemen, Riley and Buffy had their first kiss. However, their relationship became strained when both of them had accidently exposed their double lives to each other.  While Buffy remained distant and distrusting of him, Riley was in awe of her abilities despite his initial ignorance of what a slayer was. Riley debated over what to do and decided that he still wanted to be with Buffy. However, due to her fear of another doomed relationship and how dangerous her life was, she rejected him and explained they could not be together. Riley was frustrated and confused by this, attempting to convince her otherwise. They both clashed over their differing views of fighting demons. For Riley, he saw it as noble and an adventure while Buffy saw it as destiny and a burden. Eventually growing completely fed up with her reluctance, Riley became bold and again confronted her of it. He accurately criticized her of being too afraid to be optimistic and take a chance because to her having a "doom-and-gloom" mentality was 'safer'. Buffy was annoyed and initially shut him out again. However, after closing the Hellmouth, Buffy changed her mind. She believed he had a point in his words and kissed him, willingly accepting a relationship. Riley began a serious relationship with Buffy, but struggled to absorb her vast experience in slaying and saving the world, making him a complete amatuer in comparision. While sparring with Buffy, Riley was extremely uncomfortable and surprised by her super strength compared to him when she had accidently kicked him across the room. A direct conflict quickly arised between them as Riley's first instinct was to do things with The Initiative and take orders from them while Buffy ignored this and did what she wanted to no matter who stood in her way. Seeming to accept Buffy's supernatural abilities and very "take charge" approach to things, Riley assured her that he was attracted to those traits of her. Riley would later explain to Walsh Buffy's tendency to rule breaking, but consequently defended her, saying she was good at what she did and that she had the "most truest soul he ever knew." Riley welcomed her in The Initiative and their capturing of HSTs, giving her a tour of the place. However, Buffy was extremely out of place in it due to her tendency to question orders and do things her way. After going with his squad and neutralizing a demon, Riley and Buffy sleep together for the first time, furthering their relationship. When Professor Walsh told him Buffy was dead due to a freak accident, Riley was grief-stricken and in strong denial. However, upon the realization of Buffy still being alive and that Walsh had been the one to try to kill her, Riley was cold towards her, walking away on the spot.
 * Sam Finn - Sam and Riley met in South America when she joined his group of demon fighters there. She helped Riley get over Buffy by talking about his failed relationship. Eventually the two fell in love and became partners in demon hunting.

Intimate Liasons

 * Faith Lehane - Riley unknowingly slept with Faith in Buffy's body. He didn't realize at the time that anything was different about Buffy and turned down Faith's request for sex games. When he told Buffy he loved her afterwards, Faith became uncomfortable and left.

Parental

 * Maggie Walsh - Maggie Walsh ran The Initiative and taught Riley in combat and military tactics. Riley was always the leader in command for the squads, her favorite in the military. Riley had very strong respect and faith in Walsh and her tactics, never questioning any orders she gave to him. However, Riley's trust in her was broken after Professor Walsh attempted to kill Buffy behind his back, believing her to be a treat to The Initiative. Angry and hurt with her betrayal, Riley walked away from her before she could explain.

Friendships

 * Forrest Gates -
 * Graham Miller -
 * Xander Harris - Riley seemed to get along with Xander. Riley was bothered, though, when seeing Buffy leave a party with Xander as it looked like she was romantically or sexually involved with him. Riley also had no problem with punching Xander in the face when he was under Dracula's hypnosis. However, Riley did help Xander move boxes when he moved out of his parent's basement and even admitted to him that he knew Buffy didn't love him. When the two reunited when Riley returned to Sunnydale with his wife, they were at friendly terms and Riley even gave him some advice about taking wedding photos.
 * Willow Rosenberg - Before he dated Buffy, Riley saved Willow by pulling her out of the way of a passing car which she ignored due to finding Oz cheating on her.  Riley approached Willow while she was during the aftermath of Oz's departure. He told Willow he wanted to ask out Buffy and needed to know what she liked. Willow initially refused which Riley respected but she shortly changed her mind an agreed to back him with advice during a party. During that party, one of Dingoes Ate My Baby's songs was played, bothering Willow as it reminded her of Oz. Riley had one of his friends turn it off which Willow was grateful for. When Buffy and Riley started to date, Willow showed an interest into  Riley and Buffy's growing relationship, claiming she needed her "vicarious smooches". Riley did show disapproval when he learnt Willow consciously dated a werewolf, believing she was smarter to not date "dangerous guys". Though after witnessing the cruelty the Initiative put Oz through whist he was human, Riley changed his mind.

Antagonistic

 * Parker Abrams - Riley found Parker's woman-chasing ways and constant usage of casual sex distasteful and wrong, being old-fashioned by nature. He believed in committed relationships, not casual. He soon expressed awareness of Buffy's one-night stand with him and dryly claimed her taste in men was terrible. When seeing Parker talk badly about Buffy and vulgarly insulting her as "clingy", Riley was angry with his words about her and wasted no time in punching him in front of everyone.
 * Adam -
 * Spike -
 * Angel -

Other

 * Rupert Giles - Riley and Giles had a polite and cordial relationship with each other. However, Giles was cautious of his association with The Initiative and warned Buffy to be careful of him.
 * Dawn Summers -

Behind the Scenes

 * He was portrayed by Marc Blucas.


 * Riley was introduced in the fourth season of Buffy the Vampire Slayer as a recurring character in 7 episodes of that season before being promoted to the regular cast in "Doomed", appearing in 20 out of its 22 episodes, being absent in "Living Conditions" and "The Harsh Light of Day" in his recurring span. He then continued as regular in season five for the first 10 episodes before his departure in "Into the Woods" where he was taken out of the regular billing. He then made on final appearance on the series in "As You Were" with Marc Blucas credited as a "Special Guest Star". He overall has appeared in 31 episodes.
 * Marc Blucas was asked how the character was described to him during the audition process, he replied that "They said that Riley is a nice, charming guy, and there's going to be some kind of dichotomy, some kind of double role going on. But that was never really specified."


 * Whedon defended the character of Riley Finn, "The important thing for us was to find a character that was the anti-Angel and to have Buffy go through something very different, part of which was the question, 'How do I get over Angel?' That was the same thing the audience was going through. We knew it wasn't going to be easy and it was very hard trying to find somebody. But Marc [Blucas] has a quality that I love very much: he has sort of an un-David-like, firm, strong, trustworthy quality. I always think of him as Gary Cooper." During the fifth season, writer/co-executive producer, Marti Noxon, noted that they were making Riley a more tortured complex character, "He's starting to fray around the edges. That's very compelling to me - that this straight guy is starting to get a little strange."


 * Actor Christian Kane also auditioned for Riley Finn. Kane went on to play the role of Lindsey McDonald on the spin-off show Angel. Kane says he played his audition for Riley "perhaps a little less than wholesome", which he feels resulted in Joss Whedon later casting him as a darker character.

Buffy the Vampire Slayer

 * Buffy Season 8
 * Time of Your Life
 * Retreat
 * Turbulence
 * Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Riley


 * Buffy Season 9


 * Freefall