Faith. Her name alone invokes awe. ‘Faith.’ A set of principles or beliefs upon which you’re willing to devote your life. The Dark Slayer. A lethal combination of beauty, power, and death.
Eliza Dushku as Faith Lehane in Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1997-2003)
Today we honor our fallen hero, ANYA. No made-up maiden name, no married name, no middle names, just ANYA. Though she was not an advocate for a single name moniker in life, it is this writer’s belief that ANYA would welcome the single-name diva status in death. ANYA was ahead of her time, not only as a soul, but also as a style icon.
She began her life as a deceptively simple human. By all accounts, she was a loving wife, a fastidious homemaker, and a passionate animal lover. After a deep betrayal by both her man and her pet rabbits, she shifted effortlessly into a world class demon. After a millennia as a righteous punisher, ANYA’s power was lost to her forever. She was human, again. For the last time. Except for that one time she became a demon, again, because BETRAYAL! But once more, with feeling, her powers were taken. It was then that she finally stuck the landing as a human, and scored a 10 by a panel of invisible judges. (Go with it)
Throughout her incarnations, ANYA experimented with dozens of hair statements. Never at any time did she ask for the opinions of others (nor permission from the producers). She was a renegade with her own philosophy, everyday people like you and me, come on. She was a glitter-filled rainbow, who sprinkled forever-honest fairy dust on friends and foes alike.
Though she died without much fanfare (like, ‘Oh well, Anya’s dead, later!), her courage, her legacy, her selflessness lives on. And that gives me something to sing about.