Buffy the Vampire Slayer fans rejoiced when, on Feb. 3, it was announced that the fan-favorite supernatural series would be returning for a reboot on Hulu. Unfortunately, the "Scooby Gang" will be missing a member, with the death of Michelle Trachtenberg on Feb. 26.
News of the Gossip Girl star's death was first reported by the New York Post. Police sources said her death is not currently believed to be suspicious, but a formal cause of death is pending an autopsy. She was 39.
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Trachtenberg put herself on the map as a child, appearing in a handful of different Nickelodeon properties. Her first credited role was in the series The Adventures of Pete & Pete, and she followed that up with her first film credit as the titular character in Harriet the Spy.
Related: Michelle Trachtenberg, Buffy the Vampire Slayer Star, Dead at 39: Reports
Trachtenberg joined Buffy in its fifth season as Dawn Summers, the sister of Buffy (Sarah Michelle Gellar). Despite there being no mention of the supernatural slayer having any siblings prior, when Dawn was introduced, the characters made no mention of how new she was, stating that she had been part of the reality all along. It turned out, however, it was all a cover, as everyone in the town of Sunnydale — including Dawn herself — had been implanted with false memories of her existence.
Given Dawn's proximity to Buffy, she quickly rose to becoming a character of prominence. When their mother Joyce (Kristine Sutherland) died, the two sisters' relationship fundamentally changed, and Dawn struggled to accept Buffy as her new parental figure. Despite her initial hesitance to get involved in any of her sister's fated activities as slayer, she ended up becoming a full-fledged member of the "Scooby Gang," and played a role in the destruction of the Hellmouth that ended the series in 2003.
Related: Sarah Michelle Gellar Finally Addresses Buffy Revival, Giving New Insight Into the Status of the Show
Gellar confirmed news of a Buffy reboot on Feb. 6. The Cruel Intentions star revealed that the new series would be coming from writers Nora and Lilla Zuckerman (Poker Face) and director Chloé Zhao (Nomadland). No further details were given, however, including the status of whether the other original series stars — including Trachtenberg — would appear in the reboot.
If Dawn were conceived as a part of the new Buffy show, there are a number of ways they can proceed. She could still be a part of the series, just recast with a different actress in the role. Dawn could be written out of the show, choosing not to return to Sunnydale — or wherever the new setting may be — after the events of the series finale.
Or, as has been the case with some revivals where the actors have died prior to returning to their role, the show could write Dawn's death to mirror Trachtenberg's. That would prove to be a massive emotional trial for Buffy, who had already lost her mother and is estranged from her father. Additionally, a supplementary comic series had Dawn marrying and having a child with Xander (Nicholas Brendon). If the Zuckermans chose to make those stories canonical, it could have a major impact on Xander should he be a part of the reboot.
As Dawn, Trachtenberg was known as the "Key," a concentration of living energy that could smash the veils between worlds. But it remains to be seen how key Trachtenberg was to the plans for a Buffy reboot, and how the show will recover from this shocking loss.
Related: A 'Buffy the Vampire Slayer' Reboot Starring Sarah Michelle Gellar Is in the Works
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