Decoding Fandom is a weekly column that dives deep into the world of fan culture and runs on Wednesdays in the Daily Dot’s web_crawlr newsletter. If you want to get this column a day before we publish it, subscribe to web_crawlr, where you’ll get the daily scoop of internet culture delivered straight to your inbox.
Last week, actress Michelle Trachtenberg, best known for projects such as Harriet the Spy, Ice Princess, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and Gossip Girl, died at the age of 39. Across social media, fans reacted with several common sentiments.
Many users on X relayed their feelings in highly emotional terms, using words like “devastated,” “heartbroken,” and “shocked.” One fan wrote that the news “hit [them] like a truck,” while another described her death as “such a gut punch.”
A number of these users expressed surprise at their own reactions, noting that they don’t usually respond to celebrity deaths in this way. “I’m honestly shocked at how badly I’m taking this,” one fan wrote in the r/Buffy subreddit. An X user noted that the only other celebrity death that affected them this much was the death of Brittany Murphy.
Most of these fans have a pretty clear idea of why Trachtenberg’s death upset them so much. On X, the most prevalent comments were about how important Trachtenberg was to these users during their childhood and adolescence.
“We all grew up with her,” one fan noted, while another called her “a generational touchstone star for us Millennials.” Several fans called her a “staple,” “vital” or “foundational” to their childhoods.
Others noted how much of a presence she was in her youth, and how influential her work was on them. Even if such users hadn’t thought about Trachtenberg in some time, her death reminded them of her role in their lives.
Millennials hit hard by Trachtenberg’s death
Because many of these connections were made during fans’ formative years, their relationship to Trachtenberg—or at least her roles—feels especially intimate.
“Whenever she showed up in something I felt like she was an older friend I looked up to,” one fan wrote. “Seeing people that you grew up on pass away is such a weird feeling, like you lost a part of yourself too,” wrote another.
Even if they know logically this isn’t true, many fans felt like they really knew Trachtenberg, in part because of the openhearted nature of her performances as well as the period of their lives in which they first encountered her.
Reactions to her death were divided along generational lines. As many fans noted, she was specifically influential for Millennials, the oldest of which may have first encountered her in Harriet the Spy and Buffy, and the younger set discovering her in Ice Princess and Gossip Girl. Fans across the Millennial spectrum described how they identified with or were inspired by Trachtenberg growing up.
Part of this grief comes from precisely this generational connection. Several of the fans most upset by her death noted that Trachtenberg was a similar age or the same age as them when she died, making the news even more upsetting—and personal.
Recognizing the impact she had on their lives, some fans responded to her death with gratitude, thanking Trachtenberg for the childhood memories she gave them. “Thank you, Michelle, for Dawn Summers,” one fan wrote, referencing her role as Buffy’s sister. “Gone but never forgotten,” wrote another.
‘Buffy’ fans revisiting Trachtenberg’s work
Others wondered if their relationship to her work would change. On the r/Buffy subreddit, some users worried they would never be able to watch certain episodes of Buffy again. But one fan noted that while it may be painful to watch the show now, they will return to the series in the future in order to honor Trachtenberg’s memory and legacy.
On the other hand, some fans took comfort in fandom and the work Trachtenberg left behind. One fan on X spoke about her in collective terms, noting that “The Buffy fandom will always miss you.” Another user wrote “today we mourn together,” encouraging Buffy fans to “post your fave Dawn moments below and hug a Buffy fan today.”
Buffy star Sarah Michelle Gellar also invoked the series in her Instagram post about Trachtenberg’s death, quoting a famous scene between Buffy and Dawn from the season 5 finale. This saddened fans even further—several users on Reddit shared how much the post made them cry—and had some worried about how Gellar is coping with this loss.
Sometimes, individuals are unaware of the effect pop culture has had on them until they’re forced to confront it head on.
Trachtenberg’s death is one such example, as many fans expressed affection for the actress that might have otherwise gone unspoken. If there’s one lesson to be learned here, perhaps it’s about the importance of giving people their flowers while they’re still here.
The internet is chaotic—but we’ll break it down for you in one daily email. Sign up for the Daily Dot’s web_crawlr newsletter here to get the best (and worst) of the internet straight into your inbox.
