| Kennedy | |
|---|---|
| Buffy the Vampire Slayer character | |
| First appearance | "Bring on the Night" |
| Created by | Joss Whedon, Marti Noxon, Douglas Petrie |
| Portrayed by | Iyari Limon |
| Information | |
| Affiliation | Scooby Gang |
| Classification | Slayer (Potential) |
| Notable powers | Supernatural strength, speed, stamina, agility, and reflexes Rapid healing Enhanced intuition Prophetic dreams |
Kennedy is a fictional character in the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Portrayed by Iyari Limon in the TV series, the character was introduced in the final season of the series and goes on to appear in the comic book series Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season Eight which continues the story of the television series.
Kennedy is introduced as a "potential Slayer", one of many girls who might become endowed with supernatural abilities, destined to battle evil creatures such as vampires and demons, like protagonist Buffy Summers. Distinctly, Kennedy is also a love interest for Willow Rosenberg; Kennedy is an out lesbian with an assertive personality, which is intended to contrast with the shyness of Willow's deceased girlfriend, Tara. In the series finale of Buffy, Willow magically activates the potential in all girls like Kennedy to become full-fledged Slayers, like Buffy.
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Kennedy is one of the first three Potential Slayers to arrive in Sunnydale. She comes from a wealthy family in New York City and has at least one sibling, a half-sister. An out lesbian, Kennedy has known about her sexuality since the age of five (commenting that she found out watching Gone with the Wind). Kennedy is immediately interested in having a romantic relationship with Willow when the two meet in the season seven episode, "Bring on the Night".
Kennedy witnessed her Watcher's death; he was murdered by Bringers, the lackeys of The First Evil. That she knew about Watchers (as well as having some comprehension of how the Slayer line works) before being chosen indicates that she was approached by them at some point during her youth, like the late Slayer, Kendra Young.
Kennedy becomes Willow's lover before she completely comprehends Willow's magical prowess and how Willow operates as a witch. In the episode "Get It Done", she gains a first hand understanding when Willow drains a significant portion of her life force in order to reopen a portal for Buffy. This briefly puts a strain on their relationship, but they eventually reconcile.
Kennedy becomes one of the more prominent Potentials, overseeing their training in "Get It Done", and giving orders to them in "End of Days" while Buffy is absent and Faith is incapacitated. She supports Willow in her attempt to activate all Potential Slayers. After Willow's activation spell is completed, Kennedy joins Buffy and the other Potentials in the final battle against the First Evil's army of Turok-Han as a fully activated Slayer.
In Season Five of Angel, a year after the end of Buffy, mention is made that Kennedy and Willow are living in Brazil together.
In season eight, an in-canon comic book series, in the story titled "The Long Way Home, Part III", Buffy catches up with Willow in Scotland, after the latter's year long absence. During this conversation, Buffy asks how Kennedy's doing and Willow reveals that she died, though it was only a short-lived mystical death. However, it still freaked Kennedy out and caused her to slow things down in her and Willow's relationship. In the issue "Anywhere but Here", a flashback recounts a conversation that reveals that Kennedy is worried that Willow keeps her away from Buffy's inner circle because she is ashamed of her. Willow promptly explains that she blames herself for Tara's death because she kept her close to Buffy and therefore to danger. Willow then states that she refuses to let that happen to Kennedy. In Season Eight, Kennedy directs an army of slayers in New York, along with Vi. She and Willow finally reunite in the fourth arc of the series, Time of Your Life, in which Buffy is accidentally sent to the future and Kennedy is helping Willow in an attempt to bring her back.
Kennedy has appeared in 21 canonical Buffyverse appearances