Once More, with Feeling (Buffy the Vampire Slayer) theaters with the audience invited to sing along. Throughout the series Buffy Summers (Sarah Michelle Gellar), in her role as the Vampire Slayer, is assisted by her close friends, who refer to themselves as the "Scooby Gang". These include Xander Harris (Nicholas Brendon), a young man without particular strengths or talents, but devoted to Buffy and her calling, and Willow Rosenberg (Alyson Hannigan), a young woman who has grown from a shy but gifted student into a strong woman and powerful user of magic. They are mentored by Buffy's "Watcher", Rupert Giles (Anthony Stewart Head), a paternal figure since the
Buffy the Vampire Slayer describe the fictional universe in which "Buffy" and related stories take place. The franchise has inspired "Buffy" action figures and merchandise such as official "Buffy/Angel" magazines and "Buffy" companion books. Eden Studios has published a "Buffy" role-playing game, while Score Entertainment has released a "Buffy" Collectible Card Game. The storyline was continued in a series of comic books produced by Joss Whedon and published by Dark Horse Comics, which serve as a canonical continuation of the television series. The series, which began in 2007 with "Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season Eight", followed by "Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season Nine" in