“In every generation there is a chosen one. She alone will stand against the vampires, the demons, and the forces of darkness. She is the Slayer.”

With those opening lines, Buffy the Vampire Slayer introduced TV viewers to a new supernatural horror series anchored by a female protagonist. Over the course of seven seasons, Buffy Summers (Sarah Michelle Gellar) battled vampires and demons up to the source of all evil and became a pop culture touchstone for female action heroes and supernatural shows aimed at young adults. As the series celebrates its 25th anniversary, we take a look back at how Buffy began.

Buffy was first introduced by creator Joss Whedon in the 1992 movie of the same name starring Kristy Swanson. Her popular girl lifestyle was forever altered when she learned that vampires are real, and she was chosen by destiny to kill them as the Slayer. The original vision for the movie was more in line with what the TV series would become, but studio pressure turned it into a horror-comedy with a stereotypical Valley Girl as the lead.

When the TV series debuted on March 10, 1997, it was quickly evident that the tone and the personalities of the characters would be quite different. The series began with a cold open of two teenagers sneaking into the high school late at night. The girl seems timid and frightened of their dark surroundings while the boy is bold and persuasive. It seems obvious that the boy will turn predatory at any moment – that is until the sweet looking girl confirms that they are alone and sinks her vampire fangs into his neck. In just two minutes, the series warns viewers that anybody can be the villain or damsel in this series.

Next, we meet the new version of Buffy and her mother (Kristine Sutherland) who just moved to the small Southern California town of Sunnydale after the events of the movie. Buffy’s hope for a vampire-free life is quickly dashed when she meets Giles (Anthony Head), her new Watcher, and is accosted by vampires. Unlike her movie counterpart, Buffy’s new friends Willow (Alyson Hannigan) and Xander (Nicholas Brendon), and the mysterious handsome stranger Angel (David Boreanaz) are ready to help fight the forces of darkness. Even frenemy Cordelia Chase (Charisma Carpenter) would join the fray from time to time.

From the beginning, Buffy established the key elements that would drive the show’s success. It was a feminist series that dared to take the stereotypical pretty teen blond girl who dies first in horror movies and instead make her the heroine, and did so without marginalizing or ostracizing the male characters. Since Buffy was set when the main characters were in their sophomore year of high school, the writers deftly juxtaposed the inherent challenges of being a teenager with the monsters Buffy faced on a weekly basis. The characters also developed their own lingo and made pop culture references on a consistent basis, which became a hallmark of the show.

As with most freshman series, Buffy hit bumps in road with a few silly monsters of the week and the burden of lower budget special effects. But, those obstacles became part of the show’s charm and as Buffy cemented its style and message, the series gained a cult following of loyal viewers and is still heavily influencing new series 25 years later.