My Favourite Characters - Rupert Giles

Buffy is one of the best ensemble cast of characters that I have ever seen in a television show, almost every character is loveable, but my personal favourite is Giles. Giles is Buffy's Watcher, his job is to train her and prepare her for fighting demons, keeping her physically fit and knowledgeable, he also plays the role of her surrogate father, comforting her when she needs advice and protecting her when she can't help herself.

Throughout the course of the series, Giles goes from the uptight British librarian to the charming and caring father figure of the group. The best kind of relationships are the ones where both people grow because of the other; Giles makes Buffy more responsible while Buffy makes Giles more relaxed, they go from a teacher and student to a father and daughter. The father-daughter relationship between the two is what makes them work so well together, it's charming and you believe the connection, Giles wants to be there to protect Buffy and fight her battles for her, but deep down, as the show goes on, he realises that there is little left he can teach her and he is more than likely just going to end up being a burden to her. But that doesn't change the fact that he is always there for her should she need him for anything, even if he isn't Buffy's real father, he has certainly done more for her than her father ever could.

Giles' first instinct is to always try and talk his way out of a situation, do his research and find a way to solve a problem without violence, but that doesn't mean he won't fight when he has too, he knows how to use weapons, magic and knows every weakness for every demon, he always fights to protect and always gives his opponent a chance to give up peacefully. Personally, those are the best kind of fighters, the ones that don't go out looking for a fight and will always give someone a chance to repent for their mistakes. Because boy Giles is one tough bastard, having to face imprisonment, humiliation, torture and never giving up.

Some other points about him worth mentioning are that he is a very funny character, though mostly there to be the punchline to everyone's joke, especially early on when he is just the snooty exposition master who feels out of place, but as the show goes on and he becomes more comfortable with the Scooby Gang, he also is seen more of an equal, meaning he can deliver the jokes just as quick as being the focus of them. Also he's a damn good singer, seriously, that's one hell of a voice.

Giles has most of what I look for in a character, he's the one that I sympathise with the most in Buffy and also has the most layers to him, he's the best character in the show and one of my favourites.

-Danny