The best versions of Daphne in Scooby-Doo

The Scooby Doo the franchise is one of the longest-running animated franchises of all time. Not only has the Mystery Incorporated Gang seen 13 television shows, but also nearly fifty movies released over the past half century. Scooby and Shaggy often take center stage in individual storylines through these adventures, but Daphne Blake has also amassed her own massive fan base.

While Daphne has seen many forms and been played by many actresses since her original appearances in the late 60s, there are some versions and subplots for Daphne that have worked better than others.

Updated November 5, 2024 by Chris Harkin: The Scooby-Doo franchise continues with nothing but constant fun and success in various mediums. It might be hard for fans to believe how many versions there are of Scooby himself and his Mystery Inc friends. Daphne Blake remains an iconic character in her own right, and has been able to travel from animation to live-action and into games and comics without any hesitation and without losing the appeal that her no-nonsense attitude brings to the Mystery Inc. gang. With Daphne and all these characters finding new life around every corner, there will likely be new updates on her various changes in the future.

9 Head Girl Daphne

Surfing, designing swimwear and catching bad guys like a boss

• Appeared in Aloha, Scooby-Doo!
• It appeared in 2005

Daphne often has something going on Scooby Doo films and the variety of things he has accomplished is truly impressive. But one of the most casually stunning of the lot is in Aloha, Scooby-Doo when the gang went to Hawaii to help the locals, who wanted Daphne to create a swimwear line for them.

When a monster seemed to be disrupting the island's surfing contest, Daphne bravely stepped in and showed off her surfing skills, using herself as bait to lure the monster in and capture it. This version of Daphne was a badass and her own boss, brave and strong, as well as a great business mind.

8 Buffy Daphne

The live-action father who changed Daphne forever

• Appeared in Scooby-Doo and Scooby-Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed
• Appeared 2002-2004

The list of the best versions of Daphne has to include Sarah Michelle Gellar. The year 2002 Scooby Doo the film is one of the few truly great examples of live-action casting for an animated property. full Scooby Doo gang was brought to the screen flawlessly and Daphne was no exception as Gellar took the role and made it her own.

The traditional view of Daphne as a damsel in distress was completely blown away by Gellar's performance, which saw the character learning karate and kicking ass on her own. This Buffy-esque interpretation of the character was an ingenious way to bring the role into the 21st century.

7 Reporter Daphne

Not a fighter but a responsible independent woman

• Appeared in Scooby-Doo on Zombie Island
• It appeared in 1998

One of the first Scooby Doo the movies saw Daphne in another role that made a lot of sense. When the gang went to a mysterious island that turned out to be infested with zombies, it was with Daphne who runs and hosts a hit TV show and seeks a bounty from the strange inhabitants.

This Daphne had her own drive and was actually the one leading the gang on this adventure. It was excellent to see her take the lead and pursue the mystery. She was actually Fred's boss, as he worked on her show as a cameraman, giving her an element of control in the group that she had often lacked up to that point.

6 Daphne pilot

Learn new skills while looking fabulous

• Appeared in Scooby-Doo! Moon Monster Madness
• It appeared in 2015

Daphne's Journey In Moon Monster Madness it's a little different, but the character development and the journey he goes through is both important and hilarious. At the beginning of the film, Daphne fails a driving test and laments her attempts to finally gain independence.

But after Scooby and Shaggy win a trip to space, Daphne learns how to do many surprising new things as an astronaut and comes into conflict with Velma, who expects to be the best astronaut. This all ends with Daphne and Velma's relationship being further affirmed and Daphne figuring out how to pass her driving test.

5 Daphne's leader

The first time Daphne took charge

• Appeared in The 13 Ghosts of Scooby-Doo
• It appeared in 1985

The 13 Ghosts of Scooby-Doo it was a strange show. Suddenly, Velma and Fred had been abandoned, and later reconnected to work that summer while Daphne's plane went down and she, Scooby, Shaggy and Scrappy ended up in the Himalayas.

The gang was changed a lot in this show, and Daphne especially, as she suddenly embodied the roles of herself, Fred and somewhat of Velma. It was a huge lead role for her and an impressive character arc that would be seen again in Scooby-Doo and the Curse of the 13th Ghost with Fred and Velma along for the ride this time.

4 Daphne the clown

Becoming something completely different to solve a mystery

• Appeared in Big Top Scooby-Doo!
• Appeared in 2012

Big Top Scooby-Doo was the eventual film where the gang finally fought a werewolf. This happened while they went undercover as part of a circus, trying to figure out the identity of the werewolf that was trying to scare everyone. As such, the gang all learned circus acts and Daphne began training as a clown.

Daphne, a character always obsessed with her appearance, becoming a clown and learning to operate in a completely different set of circumstances was not the easiest. He also had to destroy the other hardened and jaded circus clowns and ended up befriending them. It was a very different time in Daphne's history than normal.

3 Daphne and Fred at last

A lovely and long awaited meeting

• Appeared in Scooby-Doo! Stage fright
• It appeared in 2013

The will they/won't they relationship between Daphne and Fred has long been a source of interest Scooby Doo viewers. Sometimes the two are together, sometimes they tease each other, but often they don't seem to be into each other at all, even though it makes a lot of sense.

Scooby-Doo Stage Fright it's a rare occasion where audiences are treated to finally meeting after so much time spent waiting. The duo are part of a talent show where they will perform together, while the gang simultaneously tries to attract a ghost. Throughout the entire film, they both second-guess each other as they try to figure out how to ask the other, eventually ending up together at the film's climax.

2 Apocalyptic Warrior Daphne

Something totally different that has to be seen to be believed

• Appeared in Scooby Apocalypse
• Appeared from 2016-2019

Rarely has the Scooby gang gotten into as much trouble as they do in the DC Comics series. The Scooby Apocalypsefeaturing the gang in a post-apocalyptic setting where the entire world has been infected and turned into mutant creatures that the gang must remove, giving Daphne a major change as a character.

The crazy stories told as humanity is outmatched and the gang tries to help were shocking, and the things Daphne had to go through were horrific, including dealing with the loss of Fred. But through it all, she proved once and for all that Daphne is the strongest member of the gang and a born survivor.

1 Daphne existential crisis

Seeing how far he had come from the original

• Appeared in Scooby-Doo And The Cyber ​​Chase
• It appeared in 2001

One of the best versions of Daphne is when she had the opportunity to confront her former original version. In Scooby-Doo and Cyberstalkingthe gang meets their exes in cyberspace and have the opportunity to interact with the versions of them that started the original TV show, scooby doo where are you

The simple version of Daphne compared to the more detailed and modernized character was great to see. It showed the past, the original against the modern, and it was a great movie. It was also one of the first direct-to-video films to offer a more mature version of Daphne as a character.