Dawn provided the series with a breath of fresh air as soon as she arrived. She spent a large portion of her debut season on the show understandably terrified, but Dawn grew and developed in organic ways. Consider how it took other characters five or six years to arrive at the level of maturity and compassion that Dawn hits in three.

But I get why Dawn frustrated the hell out of some people, she was added to the series & thought to have always been there. I just don’t get why they stayed so frustrated.

The intro of Dawn to the show—which, bear in mind, had been a long time coming—was also hugely important thematically. After looking back on what they had done with the previous seasons, it finally occurred to Joss Whedon and co. that, if this was meant to be a feminist TV series, so much of Buffy’s life probably shouldn’t be defined by her boyfriend (and we love her boyfriends)

Buffy and Dawn put more emphasis on female dynamics. Their relationship grew organically. Buffy couldn’t stand Dawn at first, but, following the death of their mother, she felt the need to protect her from everything and finally was able to stand back a little bit and watch Dawn blossom into a powerful young woman.

in S6, she hit the age Buffy herself had been when she became the slayer. In season seven, she hit the age Buffy had been when the series began. Yet, it takes forever for everyone to stop treating her like a kid. In fact, it never really stops, it just lessens. Dawn is a character who puts up with a lot.

Dawn is a teenager grasping onto any role model she can find, but Buffy is dealing with depression, Giles goes back to England, Tara dies and Willow becomes a junkie, leaving her with no one left to latch onto. She still manages to learn to fight & be independent by Season 7.

Dawn has to fight so hard to be her own person, to prove herself on her own terms. Most people are never around to see half of the good she does, most never acknowledge half the contributions she makes, but that doesn’t stop her. No, she doesn’t have any powers. She was never going to be the slayer. She did a pretty damn good job however as a character.