SUNNYDALE, CA – A recently unearthed revelation that a 'Buffy the Vampire Slayer' fan-favorite was originally slated for a dark, villainous turn has sent shockwaves through the global psyche, with economists now linking the unfulfilled narrative potential to a measurable decline in overall human contentment.

According to Dr. Elara Vance, Chief Chrono-Narrative Analyst at the Institute for Fictional Impact Studies, the collective subconscious has been grappling with 'phantom narrative limb syndrome' for decades. 'The human brain, upon learning of a perfectly good evil arc that never materialized, experiences a profound sense of narrative betrayal,' Dr. Vance explained in a press release. 'Our models show a direct correlation between the revelation and a 3.7% decrease in the Global Collective Joy Index, particularly acute among demographics aged 30-55 who owned at least one 'Buffy' season on DVD.'

Local fan, Brenda 'Slayerette' Jenkins, 42, of Sunnydale, expressed a deep, almost spiritual, sense of loss. 'To think we were robbed of such delicious, morally ambiguous character development… it's like finding out your favorite ice cream flavor was supposed to have a secret, even better, evil twin flavor,' Jenkins lamented, clutching a well-worn 'Mr. Pointy' replica. 'My therapist says I'm projecting, but I just feel… incomplete.'

Sources close to the fictional character, who asked to remain unnamed due to ongoing fan outrage, reportedly expressed relief at having avoided the 'arduous and often unglamorous' work of being truly evil. However, the damage to global morale, according to experts, is already done.