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Although this article is based on canonical information, the actual name of this subject is conjectural. |  |
- “So here’s the part where you make a choice. What if you could have that power… now? In every generation, one Slayer is born… because a bunch of men who died thousands of years ago made up that rule. They were powerful men. This woman is more powerful than all of them combined. So I say we change the rule. I say my power should be our power.”
- ―Buffy Summers[src]
This spell performed by Willow Rosenberg in 2003 continuously activated all Potential Slayers around the world, replacing the original Slayer line of “Chosen Ones” into collective, shared power.
History
In 2003, the First Evil taunted Buffy Summers that despite her efforts, she and the Scooby Gang would not fare well against the army of Turok-Hans. The First also taunted Buffy that she would die alone. Because of this, Buffy came to realize that she could change the rules so that she and Faith Lehane were not the only activated Slayers.
Buffy then came up with a plan that would involve the witch Willow Rosenberg to tap into the essence of the mystical Slayer weapon Mʔ, which was tied to the Slayer, and rewrite the set rule of the “Chosen One”, thus activating Potential Slayers worldwide and overruling the Shadow Men’s original magic.[1]
With the eventual end of magic from Earth’s dimension, the Slayer activation chain was broken. Despite previously activated Slayers though the spell remained as such, no more Potential Slayers were called without magic to continue the spell.[2] This was reversed with the birth of a new Seed of Wonder, although the rules of magic were adapted to the Slayer Activation spell, in which “No longer is but one chosen. The power itself becomes the chosen one… and the one who chooses.” This implicated that the combined spiritual force of all past Slayers had then more agency than before, continuing the spell legacy of collective, shared power.[3]
To defeat the Pandora Project’s leader, Joanna Wise, who had turned herself into a magic-infused cyborg much stronger than a Slayer, Buffy performed with Willow a reverse spell of the activation of the Potential Slayers they had done in 2003. Willow explained that Buffy had shared what made her special with all Potentials, and the power had grown in each of them. Using the Scythe once again, Willow was able to put the grown powers of thousands of Slayers back in Buffy, giving her the ability to even cut magic with its blade and resist an attack of Rain of Death. After defeating Wise and eventually healing herself, Buffy and Willow used the Scythe to return all the power back, performing the spell once again.[4]
In the next year, to defeat an army of demons during the Reckoning, Willow and Buffy began to once again use the Scythe to combine the power of all the Slayers into Buffy. Although, this was interrupted when Harth Fray intercepted them with an original Shadow Men's staff and, interlocking it into the Scythe, channeled the power into himself.[5] The Slayer connection, though, was too much for the vampire to handle, and he was killed in this moment of vulnerability. His death allowed the power to flow from him back to its owners, and this new Reckoning changed the future into the collective Slayer line continuing up to the 23rd century.[6]
Requirements
The spell required the Mʔ as a key material. Willow channeled, and almost exhausted, her energy to the Scythe. After a few seconds, the Scythe began to glow, and the spell took effect, endowing Potential Slayers all the powers and abilities of a full-fledged Slayer.[1]
Effects
- “I can feel them, Buffy. All over. Slayers are awakening everywhere.”
- ―Willow[src]
The spell temporarily turned Willow’s hair white, reflecting the good magic of the spell, in contrast to her past dark Willow persona while performing dark magic. Another effect of the spell was that it allowed Willow to sense the Slayers being activated elsewhere, long after the spell has been completed.[1] Not all Potentials were instantly called, but caused them to become receive their true power upon reaching a certain age and maturity. This was notable with the Slayer Soledad, who was activated in her 15th birthday, two years after the spell was performed.[7]
Behind the scenes
- According to non-canon novelization of season 7 "Chosen: The One", by Nancy Holder, the spell’s incantation is as follows: “Words to the Goddess. Prayers to the Goddess. Protector of woman… of women. The power of the Goddess. Queen of the -Moon of the Earth, Air, Fire, Water, of the Angels of Guardians and of Slayers… of Slayers… of Slayers… Goddess Queen of the Moon of the Earth, Air,Fire,Water of the Angels of Guardians and of Slayers… of Slayers… of Slayers of SISTERS.”
Appearances
- "Chosen"
- "Chosen: The One"
- A Beautiful Sunset (Only mentioned)
- One Girl in All the World