Different Paths!!!(Character Deaths)

I was driving today and when I stopped at a stop light, I started thinking. What happened if it was Anya or Dawn that was killed by Warren's stray bullet intstead of Tara. What if Dawn indeed did die in Glory's ritual or in that fact, that Spike did fight off Doc in time in order for both Summers women to survive. So I thought of a few realistic instances that if different characters died or no character died at all in Buffy. This no doubt whould have completely changed the stories.

Each Season is viewed as it was aired. The reprocussions from my speculation has no affect on the succeeding seasons.

Buffy Season 1:
What if Xander and Angel were too late and Buffy did drown in the Master's lair?
Well that one would be completely identical to other Slayer's final battles. They square off a demon and lose, therefore another is called. Kendra is called then loses, Faith is called then loses, the cycle continues. If Buffy did die, sure the Master would have risen, thats it. No Angelus trying to suck the world into Hell, the Key would have been some random object and Glory wouldn't have a chance to collapes the dimensional walls, and Angel would most lilkely left Sunny-D and become a more of a moper.

Buffy Season 2:
What if Angel died in Spike's ritual to revive Dru?
Then Buffy would have easily slayed Spike and Dru because they killed her boyfriend. Then Xander/Cordy and Willow/Oz would still be together because no Spike to lock them away in the factory which would lead to no Tara which would have Tara still alive. Also Anya would have never come to Sunnydale to grant Cordy's wish. A more apparent one would be no Buffy/Angel sex therefore the world would never be in danger of Hell-suckage which would have Buffy in Sunnydale which no explusion which also would have Kendra alive. Which leads to no Faith. The possibilities are endless.

At the moment, I can't think of any Buffy Season 3 deaths. Please add some if you can think of any.

Buffy Season 4:
What if Willow did die from Veruca?
Oz would have that on his conscience and most likely he'd leave still, but never to return. Again, Tara would still survive because she'd never meet Willow. Buffy, Xander, and Giles would grieve like in Doppelgangland. All would isolate each other which lead to no Xander/Anya and no Buffy/Riley. Maggie Walsh would have succeeded and Adam would have made the Demon/Human/Robot army since no Buffy to question Initative motives or at most to stop Adam. I remember hearing Joss Whedon considering Xander to be the gay character on his show so there's a chance for Xander to realize he's gay.

Buffy Season 5:
*This is a hard season to judge because two very important character deaths occured: Buffy and Joyce Summers. Therefore I'll visit both possibilities.

What if Joyce's tumor did go into remission and she didn't die?
Buffy would have never had to step up to grown-up responsilibities. Therefore her actions succeeding Joyce's death would be drastically different. She'd enroll back into college therefore she'd never have to work at the Doublemeat Palace. She'd never be vulnerable enough for Spike to be an outlet to be conforted in. Thus the events in Season Six with her and Spike would be never a possibility. Riley would still be around and probably an ally with the fight against Glory. Dawn wouldn't be her volitile self and most likely her kleptomania wouldn't be an issue. Most likely Buffy never would have to question her ties to the world therefore be more assertive in her fight with Glory. No death of Dawn or herself. Thus the entirety of Season Six would never occur.

What if Dawn did die or what if Spike was successful in fending Doc off?
This a big one. If Dawn died, I'd imagine Buffy to "pull a Willow" or to kill herself. To lose her mother and sister so close together would have tremendous reprecussions. I'd be a momumental task of the other Scoobies to get Buffy out of that slump. It's one thing killing yourself to save your sister and the world. It's completely different to fail your sister and the world. At least Buffy had to get back into life. To fail another is drastically different. I'd be another chance for the Scoobies to band together even tighter. Most likely Season Six would have the Trioka, but they'd be easier to eliminate because Buffy still in life and with the support of her friends. Thus Tara alive and Willow good. If Spike was successful in fending Doc off? Now that would be the most "happy" of the possibilies. Buffy and Dawn alive and well. No Season Six hijinks. The most drastic of the possibilites would be no Buffy/ Spike attempted rape, thus no incentive of Spike to reedeem himself. Again no Tara death and no Willow bad.Also Xander and Anya would have announced their marriage sooner and voice their fears thus successfully married. Giles could go to England without fear and Buffy could have grown up without such obstacles as a troubled teen or abusive realationship. This ending along with Dawn dieing instead would have set the tone for the rest of series. No Season Seven. Period. The First would have no loophole to kill off the Slayer line. This death is hands down the most monumental of all of them.

Buffy Season 6:
What if Tara didn't die?
Although on how the series played out, this is the least monumental, but is the most sentimental at least to me. I love Tara along with Amber Benson so to have Willow and Tara to band together to face the First is a plot point I'd much rather see than Willow just become a support character and do occasional magic and get with Kennedy. Season Six would still go along. Spike would still get his soul back, no evil Willow, and Buffy wouuld have to go take care of Warren herself. If a different female lead died instead(Anya or Dawn come to mind) the series would have been a bit different. I believe Buffy would still be the one to defeat Warren because I don't think it would be a Xander thing to do to go "Wes" and bust out the guns to kill Warren. It's a possibility, but not a Xander thing to do. If Dawn died, we'd have a whole new show. Buffy would instead of just defeating Warren, she'd kill him. Then we'd have dark Slayer and most likely the finishing of the Willow recovery woulld be her, Tara, and Xander to save Buffy.

Buffy Season 7:
What if Spike did get slayed by Robin Wood?
This is a huge one being how the series ended. Buffy would have no support with her when she got thrown out of her house. Thus I believe the First would have won. Buffy wouldn't have never got the Scythe or get back with the Scoobies. Another possibilty is that Buffy would have never gotten thrown out of her house. She'd have no arguement with Giles about Spike(if she didn't realize that he was stalling her) Although huge, this doesn't have a millon possibilies.