And because I am determined to post about something this week that doesn't suck...

[annathepiper]

Couldn't watch Buffy on Tuesday night just because I was too damned upset. But last night we all watched it on the Tivo (YAY TIVO), just because we needed to do something pleasant. It must also be noted that both mamishka and ssha brought me Mike's Hard Lemonade and the latter brought me mango sorbet. Which I have not yet eaten, but which is going to get some due attention this weekend along with some proper attention paid to some Elvis movies on account of I didn't get to give the King his due last night in honor of his birthday. But at any rate...

On to last night's Buffy. It's been a little weird starting the whole story arc of having the Potential Slayers gathering in Sunnydale under Buffy's protection, because it's taking a bit of a step back and giving us a larger picture of what's going on than I normally most enjoy with this show. Since we're too busy getting the greater, grander events, there isn't too terribly much time for the in-depth character development that I traditionally like. Which is not exactly a complaint, but definitely an observation upon the current nature of the storyline.

The Giles issue is driving spazzkat batshit, as we're still unsure as to whether the hell Giles is actually dead. We are sure that the writers are quite cheerfully playing up to the viewing audience, managing to keep Giles from actually touching anything.

The theory that he is an agent of the First if not the First himself seems to have been shot down, at least. Mimi pointed out and quite rightly that the First generally isn't that subtle -- though now we know that the First sure as hell isn't reluctant to try to infiltrate Buffy's side's midst and try to sow dissention among the ranks by impersonating one of the dead Potentials. So at least one would think that the First is not above trying to do it by impersonating Giles, but then again, Giles so far hasn't done anything really that suggests attempts to undercut the morale of the Good Guys.

This might be because the First can't really get away with pulling the same behavior as Giles... hrmm. I'll have to watch the episode again and see whether there are any camera shots that involve Giles and the First-as-Eve visible at the same time. ;)

I'm glad they finally let Andrew loose... because really, on the grand scale of things, he's pretty pathetic when compared to the larger issues at hand. It'll be interesting to see whether he actually manages to contribute anything useful.

Two thumbs up on Kennedy, the Potential who obviously has her act best together and who also JUST as obviously thinks Willow is a babe. ;D

We're still wondering if Faith is going to show up at all though. Nice to see her existence given another nod in the conversation between the Potentials... but you would think that somebody would want to do something to check on Faith's status and maybe just make sure she's okay. But then again, I suppose that wouldn't exactly be easy. Last we checked Faith was in jail, and if I recall correctly high security jail at that. Can't exactly call up high security jail and go "Um, by the way, do you still have that dangerous young woman locked up there? Oh good, just checking."

It would, I expect, also be a bit of a pain in the ass for the Bringers to get to her in jail. The First would have to use guile and stealth to get its minions into prison to take her out... unless perhaps it managed to get into the prison shapeshifted into an appropriate prisoner and managed to incite somebody into a riot to kill her, or something.

Two thumbs up also on Willow pulling off some magic in a competent fashion, while the plot gives a nod to her deep fear about using her power. Though I do have a bit of a 'wait a minute, when the hell is Willow telepathic?' question going on. I mean, yeah, sure, she's Power Babe and all, and we even saw her clearly getting in tune with the minds and souls of practically everybody on the planet when she went Big Bad... but this was a lot more offhanded than that, and would seem to imply that she can hear people's thoughts without apparently concentrating too hard.

Or is it a matter of Buffy very specifically and very loudly focusing a thought at her? In which case I am still puzzled, because I can't think of any reason that Buffy would know that Willow has telepathic potential.

All that said, the Thunderdome sequence was pretty fine. And two definite thumbs up on decapitating the Ubervamp.

And, lastly, Spike. Big "awwwww" for him mumbling over and over "She will come for me, she will come for me, she will come for me." Last desperate stand of faith; sniffle. It was also effective to see the First trying to ruin that by appearing before him as Buffy.

And a big sniffle for when Buffy actually did come for him, and the realization dawned in his face. And not a word exchanged between them, once he clued in and she got him loose and helped him stagger out of there. Very, very nice.

Comments

[avram]

Giles was accompanying Anya to visit the Big Floating Eye while the First was doing his Eve impression. Could he pull off two at once? (The same question applies to the earlier matter of whether the Joyce Dawn saw was an honest-to-gosh ghost or the First faking her out, since presumably the First was spoofing Willow as Cassie at the same time.)

The First getting at Faith. Hmm. Step 1, have a minion kill the prison guard (at home, where it ought to be easier) who's due to cover an upcoming shift alone. Step 2, the First shows up as the killed guard, relieves the old guard. Step 3, profits!

[princessheacock.livejournal.com]

Willow HAS done telepathy before.

Most notably when she told Spike to go after Dawn at the end of season 5.

I believe she spoke telepathically last year too, when she turned extremely witchy. She jsut doesn't do it very often.

Also, at the beginning of year 6, before Buffy was brought back, Willow directed a fight using telepathy.


And yes, it is kind of odd that Buffy could initiate it.

Unless they have some sort of signal set up that means "Turn on the telepathy" (In the game I was in when I had a telepathy gift, that was the FIRST thing we set up with allies. This is how to get the telepathy turned on if you need to say something in battle/private/etc)

And I did a lot of relaying.

As for the other -- are you watching Angel? Despite the ick, you might want to at least record the next few episodes so if you learn something happened on it that bears on Buffy you can go back and watch it.

[clauclauclaudia]

As agrumer says, it's a big open question whether the First can be two people simultaneously. I think it would be a pretty arbitrary limitation if it *couldn't*. And I don't want to think that that depressing Joyce apparition was real, so I'm tending to yes.

And tending toward Giles being dead. But we'll see. There's no excuse for them not figuring it out next episode if he is, though. They should all be touching each other at regular intervals.

But the telepathy was established in the season 5 closer (telling Spike to get up the tower) and the season 6 opener (when Willow was directing a vamphunt from atop a mausoleum). The Buffy projecting bit is still a bit much.

I really don't want Dawn to be a proto-Slayer. They seem to be hinting that way and grr.

[holyoutlaw.livejournal.com]

I, too, thought that if Giles was dead, he isn't an agent of the First after this episode. Until Jane pointed out to me that he pushed Botox's eye to say that it was bringing Buffy back that gave the First the opportunity to disrupt everything.

So the jury's still out.

Glad to hear you had a nonsucky night. Yeah!

[suntop.livejournal.com]

A theory that's been bouncing around in my circle is that Giles is some sort of Astral Projection...and he was even when he found that other watcher almost dead. We never see the axe fall on his neck or his head roll...he could be holed up somewhere doing fabulous, Witchy research in the Coven or something, and just sent the Projection to Buffy and crew so he can help them out without calling attention to himself by actually going there.

That was a really long run-on. :)

[princessheacock.livejournal.com]

Except that Giles doesn't like superflugous magic use. Would he really stay astral projected for this long if that is what he was doing?

[suntop.livejournal.com]

I think if he had to be, yes. Maybe he's trapped? It's just another theory. I also think he could be already dead and just be a ghost coming to visit...

[annathepiper]

My theories at this point:

1. Giles is fine and Joss is just screwing around with his viewers, because as has been previously determined, Joss is a Right Bastard and will happily just DO THAT. ;)
   
2. Giles is a ghost but is still around because of the noble Purpose of making sure that the First doesn't destroy the entire Slayer line.
   
3. Giles is dead but what we're seeing is some sort of Giles-manifested aspect of the Powers That Be, trying to help out in their own way as long as the First is actively mucking around with things. Seems only fair; if the First gets to muck around like this, they should too. ;)
   

[shaylith.livejournal.com]

Ok, maybe you can help me out here. :) I became a Buffy addict very late in the game, but perhaps those who fall last fall hardest. The only problem is, I can only get the FX reruns of old seasons, which are *like* new cause I've never seen them, but I'm also aware of what's going on in the new season...only I can't get it. Is there anyway a girl can catch the new seasons without UPN or the WB?

~D

[annathepiper]

Go to this site -- they have transcripts of practically every single episode of the entire show. It's not as good as actually watching them, but the transcripts are very thorough and will get you up to speed on that which you have missed.

Seasons 1 through 3, I believe, are available on DVD. They MIGHT be available to rent. If not, if you ever get another opportunity to pop up to Seattle, you're welcome to come to a Buffyfest at the Murkworks. ;D

[avram]

As agrumer says, it's a big open question whether the First can be two people simultaneously. I think it would be a pretty arbitrary limitation if it *couldn't*.

What's arbitrary about it? Most people can't bilocate. Have we ever seen any supernatural being with bilocation abilities in Buffy (or Angel)?

And I'm expecting Dawn's Joyce to be real. And for the prediction she made -- "She won't choose you" -- to come true in an unexpected way.

[annathepiper]

One could also argue that the limitation of "cannot appear as anyone who isn't dead" is kind of arbitrary... especially since it's gotten kind of bent in the case of it appearing as both Spike and Drusilla (undead) and Buffy (resurrected).

Regardless, we do know that the First is limited in that respect, and it is also limited in the respect that it cannot assume corporeal form and must therefore operate through influencing others and its minions. Its power is not limitless. To consider whether it can manifest as more than one entity at once therefore strikes me as a reasonable question... though as near as I can tell we don't have any evidence to suggest one way or another that it can manifest in multiple places at once.

Re:

[annathepiper]

Ah, but even if the First got into the prison impersonating a slain guard... it still couldn't actually kill Faith itself. It can't physically affect things; it can't assume corporeal form. Just the semblance of dead people, apparently.

Re:

[annathepiper]

I'd forgotten about the examples of Willow using telepathy, thanks. :) So that addresses the issue of "since when has Willow been telepathic?"

Now... yeah, I can't remember if Buffy has any past experience with Willow being telepathic. So although it's still a bit questionable in the department of Plot Points, it's not quite so questionable.

We're still watching Angel though not as diligently. The Tivo should have the episode recorded from Wednesday, I expect I will watch it when Mimi dumps it to tape. :) I'm only an episode behind now so I'm only a little behind on current events on that show.

Re:

[annathepiper]

Where are you seeing it hinted that Dawn might be a proto-Slayer? Granted, I've been a bit on the distracted side lately, but this hasn't really leapt out at me. ;)

Me, I think it'd be too easy for her to be a proto-Slayer, myself.

Besides, isn't there at least some sort of understanding that it would require Faith and not Buffy to die, to generate the next Slayer? A lot of the Potentials seemed to believe that if Buffy is slain, one of them would be called. On the other hand, I had the impression from recent commentary from Joss that it would be the last in the Slayer line to cause the next one to be called... and that would be Faith.

On the other other hand, we've also established that Joss will quite cheerfully lie through his teeth, so we'd just have to go by what we've actually observed on the show, huh?

And to date, we have no evidence that Buffy's second death called a new Slayer....

Re:

[annathepiper]

Well, Giles has been aggressive before when required... one could argue that he was simply pushing the critter to make the point because of the urgent need to get the information. ;) Doesn't necessarily mean he's an agent of the First...

And yeah, that night at least was fairly nonsuckful. :)