I've always had this strong feeling about Buffy being "the mother", since I watched Season Five for the first time. It would be more evident if Dawn would be portrayed by a baby actress (Michelle is perfect for the role, but she was already an adolescent) but still, in the ways Buffy provides for Dawn and cares for her ... that's a mother caring for a child. And I'm not talking only about the final dialogue with Giles and the gang (When Buffy actually states that Dawn "is a part of her") but also about the fact that Buffy, for example, explains her breakup with Riley to Dawn. I wonder if Joyce ever explained her divorce to her daughters. It seems that Buffy's role is not only to protect, but also to explain, to share, to make things more easy for the youngest. To show the world (which is a very maternal statement) Maybe that's why I write so much about Buffy having a child! XD