****WARNING! SPOILER**** Take a deep breath, "Buffy" fans. The show's creator, Joss Whedon, promises to return your blond slayer to you.

When the season finale of "Buffy" ended on Tuesday, die-hard fans of the show were left in a state of shock after Buffy (Sarah Michelle Gellar) herself was killed off in the final five minutes of the show.

For months, fan sites and TV gossip columnists had been speculating about which "Scooby Gang" member would die. Although clues from E! Online's "Watch With Wanda", along with hints in the shows leading up to the finale, definitely pointed to Buffy, fans simply didn't want to believe that their beloved slayer would be killed off.

"Giles is almost certainly the one to die," wrote a poster calling himself Stormy 13. "The actor has been with the show for 5 years and his child is a preteen, I'm sure he would like to see some of her childhood. He has stated as much in interviews. Now that there are possible plans for a 'Watcher' series in England with the BBC ... As for Buffy dying -- not going to happen."

Five seconds after the show ended, The Bronze, a message board area on "Buffy, The Vampire Slayer's" official website, buffy.com, was peppered with anguished cries from fans.

"What is going on?," wrote a poster named Rob. "My world is ending as I know it. PLEASE bring Buffy back. I don't even care how hokey the episode would be. You could even use some obscure magic potion. I don't care, just bring her back ASAP!"

"Joss ... I hope your (sic) happy!," wailed one message from a fan named Shauna. "You better fix this mess and fix it right! I'm going to remain calm ... I WANT BUFFY BACK RIGHT NOW!! Angel please come to the rescue! PLEASE!"

TV Guide reports that Whedon finally made an appearance on the message board to try to appease the fans.

"How will we bring her back?," he wrote. "With great difficulty, of course. And pain and confusion. Will it be cheesy? I don't think so. (I've loved some of the theories here on how it might be done.) The fact is, we've had most of next season planned before we ever shot this ep. Same writers you know, same actors you love, same crappy little warehouse we've been shooting in for five years ... Different network.

"But we've never been controlled by the network -- WB was great about that; UPN has already shown they will be too. The only difference is that Marti [Noxon] will share [executive producer] credit with me, and it's about time she did.

"I'm in charge. Okay, that's a lie. The story is in charge, the story that keeps on speaking to me, that says there is much more to tell about all these characters. An ensemble this brilliant could easily carry the show even without the Slayer -- but the fact is, even though she reached some beauty closure, Buffy's story isn't over. When it is, I'll know. And we'll stop. 'Til then, have faith. (Not Faith the character -- she's making movies and stuff.)"

Fans who don't feel sufficiently reassured by Whedon's message board promise should find more comfort in a recent Whedon quote from an interview with TV Guide Online interview.

"'Buffy' starring Sarah Michelle Gellar as Buffy is coming back on UPN next fall," he said. "And I'm just gonna keep saying it to everybody I meet and every chance I get, and UPN is going to start advertising it today. We'll get the word out."

Whedon went on to say that there will be no other cast changes next season, other than the fact that Anthony Stewart Head -- who plays Buffy's Watcher Giles on the show -- will become a recurring character instead of a regular next season.

The actor is moving back to England to spend more time with his family. Whedon is even working on a BBC spin-off series about Giles.

"Buffy" will return this fall with a two-hour season-opener. The air date hasn't been set yet.