![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
shadowkatDifficult day, and I'm all bad moody. So, to cheer self up, went to comic book store to pick up the latest "Buffy S8" comic, also by Joss Whedon, which had been getting rave reviews from my reliable online sources. But alas, was not to be. The only, the ONLY one that did not make it in - was the Buffy one. Apparently one box got delayed and it was that one. He said it should be here tonight. (It was five pm - when I stopped by.) But, he said, I got the Angel one for you...wait, you stopped on Angel haven't you? (I'd told him only to reserve the Brian Lynch Angel and Spike comics for me, and ignore all the other writers IDW managed to hire. I know, I know...I should give them a chance, but I'm picky. In my opinion the only one outside of the Whedon/Mutant Enemy writers who can write Angel is Lynch, he's not perfect, quite flawed actually, but he's better than everyone else. Angel is admittedly hard to write without going too far in one or the other direction. But out of curiousity I picked up the second issue, thumbed through it, and then said, nope, don't much like Willingham. (which I know is blasphemy - because you know FABLES! But I didn't like Fables as much as I thought I would, and gave mine to a pal, ages ago. Well, rather I did like Fables, up until Willingham went all sexist on my ass, damn him. It is really hard being female and liking certain mediums and genres...which is why I adored Whedon and to a degree Cameron - who, whoa, introduced tough female characters into the genre. As did Brian Henson in Farscape and the guy who did Bab 5, not to mention Ron Moore. Defending my love of Westerns in college was...well, painful. Don't get me started on pulpy, noirish, and super-hero action comic books. Feminism and geekdom can at times be unmixy things.)
Anywho...ever since that whole Twilight Spoiler, well actually both spoilers - I've been re-reading some of the early issues. Picked up the second issue of the Long Way Home, last night and tonight. Mucho interesting.
The issue starts out with Buffy and Giles teaching the slayers to fight - their spiel is:
Superior fighting technique. But it's useless. You're all fighting alone. Getting in each other's way, not protecting each other's flanks, failing to use your single most powerful asset each other. One slayer fighting alone is formidable. Two is formidabler...
Interesting comment when taken in conjunction with:
The Guardian regarding the Scythe: "It is a weapon, but you already have weapons. Use them."
In Season 7 - Buffy is alone and keeps getting defeated, over and over. Then Spike and the Guardian remind her that she is not alone, not disconnected...in two separate speechs..
and she begins to realize that if she shares the power of the scythe with Faith, bands together she will win.
Going back to S5 - Spike more or less tells her the same thing: Every Slayer has a death wish. Alone, fighting. The only reason you've lasted this long is your family and friends, your mom, your kid sis, the scoobies...they keep you connected.
And in a real life context - we do amazing things when we band together. We do need help.
Buffy in S8 feels alone. She's surrounded by people, but she feels cut off from them.
And mentions it at the beginning of the Long Way Home. A Home she can never truly return to.
Here she's a teacher. She compliments Satsu on her new hair and banters with them. Asks them to try and take her down - they don't stand a chance. It's them against her.
Andrew in his own geeky manner - attempts to explain to Simone (who later turns Rogue Slayer in Predators and PRey) why guns are bad and slayers never use them. But he can't think of a good reason, outside of it just is something you don't do. Forshadowing perhaps for the increased use of guns later. Also about power...and not increasing it? Simone argues why not use guns - up the ante - make ourselves unbeatable.
Meanwhile Xander and Dawn have a talk - in which Dawn states that Buffy hates her. Or at the very least, wishes she'd go away. (She may have a point, in part, Buffy has in a way resented Dawn yet at the same time loves her. Dawn has the life Buffy wished for. Dawn meanwhile assumes that Buffy has all these new sisters and can't see her at all.)
Then...we are given a glimsp of the Twilight Operation - with the sign of Twilight on General Voll's chest. They've just rescued Amy and Warren from the crater. The General mentions how they should just nuke Buffy's castle - but is reminded that they will not only get them noticed but hung. And is reminded that since they are dealing with magic - they should leave it to creatures of magic to handle or magicians.
That's when we enter Buffy's dream. It starts with a conversation with Xander about Dawn. In the dream, Buffy sees them as parents to Dawn...she even invites Xander to bed. This is after Xander more or less tells us that Kenny is a thricewise demon, that looks like a feminie hygiene product (which he actually sort of does - so I'm guessing that's not just a slam like I thought) - and Buffy feels guilty. Xander says...again with the guilt. There smells so you.
You've been there so often...with the guilt and the...
And Buffy responds -- I'm sorry, I'm tired, just tell me now, so we don't have to do the whole awkward dance...are you coming to bed?
Xander's response:Buffy we both know what a horrible mistake that is.
She tries to coax him, says she will be gentl, tries to kiss him, but his head detaches and moves away from her. She curses in British - "Oh Balls". Then is grabbed by a demon hand pulling her outside...and she screams - no, no, I can't go outside...I'm afraid of the dark.
Xander responds - Buffy you are the dark.
(This feels like a prophetic dream to me.) She is trying to grab hold of Xander - he seems perfect. Like a second father/big brother to Dawn, a confident, knows her so well, she trusts him - but it doesn't work. He's perfect but it doesn't work. And in Xander's eyes - he isn't Dawn's father or brother, but a friend, and is falling for her. He spends more time with Dawn in this issue and the ones that follow than anyone else. And has for quite some time.
Dawn - unbeknowest to Buffy - sees Xander as her sister's friend, and her own. Buffy is more like a father to her, a distant one, while Willow is more like a mother.
At any rate - when he says...you are the dark. Buffy replies that is what I meant. She sees herself as the dark. And she falls into it, into the demons mouth...
In the present - we have the gang fighting Amy who is attempting to kill Buffy while she's in the magically induced sleep. They prevent her - but then learn that only "the kiss of true love" can wake her. It sounds like a fairy tale - but it is actually a nightmare.
For Buffy does not feel loved. Or if she is loved, she feels unable to return it.
Cut off. Dark. Apart.
Xander meanwhile is being wooed by Renee, while Satsu has a serious crush on Buffy.
But dead things are crawling up the tower to take out Renee...(foreshadowing again).
Xander also has the following conversation with Amy, which while hilarious is also quite important - it tells us exactly what Xander's feelings are for Buffy and what their relationship is to him.
Xander: So this doesn't have to be someone she's in love with?
Amy: No, I said just someone truly in love with her.
Xander:But not friend-love?
Amy:Right. Someone who wants to kiss her, like they're passionate about her.
Xander: And not a sister.
Amy:Well a twisted sister.
Xander: Ha! But no, I hate you.
Xander has more or less said in this back and forth that he is no longer passionately in love with Buffy. Just as Willow is no longer in love with Xander. He loves Buffy as a friend and
as a sister, just as Willow does. Both state it at different points. They love her, but not in that way. It's not romantic love. The schoolboy crush is gone now. Xander has changed.
And Buffy if you play close attention to her dream is not in love with Xander either...she goes to kiss him, he falls apart. And she is snatched into the dark. She sees him as her way out and moving towards him for that purpose. But that is not love. She wants to grasp hold of something...for she is falling.
Which brings us to the next issue...where we meet Ethan Raine...who is dressed like Spike, is thin like Spike, and has cheekbones almost like Spikes, but is not Spike - clearly Ethan, with a similar accent. He says I have so much I need to show you my love...
Buffy: ( And then I threw up in my mouth a little) Ethan Raine?
Raine: In the Flesh, my love.
Buffy: And again a slight barflex, you have to stop calling me that.
Raine: It's an expression pet. Like "PET".
Buffy: Also not okay. How did you get in my dream?
Raine: We haven't oodles of time.
Buffy: You're a chaos-worshipping wannabe sorcerer who takes up none count it none of my subconscious which means you forced your way into my dream.
Raine: I just hitched a ride and we're not in your dream, we're in your dreamscape.
(And he explains - then takes her to her sex fantasy of being chained to a heart with Angel naked on one side and Spike naked on the other, and nurse buffy in the center, with cupids.
Embarrased she races from it...stating it's just ah been a slow year. The other image pulled is Buffy at school with Xander and Willow. Then all her history in Sunnydale. Until finally the cage, the crosses, and triple X - where Ethan is.
Triple X - Triple exs, three ex loves. Riley. Angel. Spike. Riley is referenced by Buffy's grasping at Xander - the perfect guy. The perfect boyfriend. Who'd make her happy. No problems. And Spike is referenced by Satsu...the hot sex, but no love, unrequited,
and the third is Angel who appears as himself, and Riley who has also appeared.
Spike has yet to appear, although he too has been referenced.
Ethane's last phrase to her: Twilight is falling. You're going to need all the help you can get. Pet.
And then the spell is undone by Satsu, who kissed Buffy and wakes her up. Satsu - the unrequited love. The slayer. Someone who is equal to Buffy in strength. But beneath her in level. Her lieutenant.
Fascinating. The story is in some respects one about interpersonal relationships, how they build, how they fall apart, and where they take us. And the need to connect. The struggle to do so.
The power lies in the connection. Buffy in this arc and others is at her most powerful when she's connected, working with others...not alone.
Anywho...ever since that whole Twilight Spoiler, well actually both spoilers - I've been re-reading some of the early issues. Picked up the second issue of the Long Way Home, last night and tonight. Mucho interesting.
The issue starts out with Buffy and Giles teaching the slayers to fight - their spiel is:
Superior fighting technique. But it's useless. You're all fighting alone. Getting in each other's way, not protecting each other's flanks, failing to use your single most powerful asset each other. One slayer fighting alone is formidable. Two is formidabler...
Interesting comment when taken in conjunction with:
The Guardian regarding the Scythe: "It is a weapon, but you already have weapons. Use them."
In Season 7 - Buffy is alone and keeps getting defeated, over and over. Then Spike and the Guardian remind her that she is not alone, not disconnected...in two separate speechs..
and she begins to realize that if she shares the power of the scythe with Faith, bands together she will win.
Going back to S5 - Spike more or less tells her the same thing: Every Slayer has a death wish. Alone, fighting. The only reason you've lasted this long is your family and friends, your mom, your kid sis, the scoobies...they keep you connected.
And in a real life context - we do amazing things when we band together. We do need help.
Buffy in S8 feels alone. She's surrounded by people, but she feels cut off from them.
And mentions it at the beginning of the Long Way Home. A Home she can never truly return to.
Here she's a teacher. She compliments Satsu on her new hair and banters with them. Asks them to try and take her down - they don't stand a chance. It's them against her.
Andrew in his own geeky manner - attempts to explain to Simone (who later turns Rogue Slayer in Predators and PRey) why guns are bad and slayers never use them. But he can't think of a good reason, outside of it just is something you don't do. Forshadowing perhaps for the increased use of guns later. Also about power...and not increasing it? Simone argues why not use guns - up the ante - make ourselves unbeatable.
Meanwhile Xander and Dawn have a talk - in which Dawn states that Buffy hates her. Or at the very least, wishes she'd go away. (She may have a point, in part, Buffy has in a way resented Dawn yet at the same time loves her. Dawn has the life Buffy wished for. Dawn meanwhile assumes that Buffy has all these new sisters and can't see her at all.)
Then...we are given a glimsp of the Twilight Operation - with the sign of Twilight on General Voll's chest. They've just rescued Amy and Warren from the crater. The General mentions how they should just nuke Buffy's castle - but is reminded that they will not only get them noticed but hung. And is reminded that since they are dealing with magic - they should leave it to creatures of magic to handle or magicians.
That's when we enter Buffy's dream. It starts with a conversation with Xander about Dawn. In the dream, Buffy sees them as parents to Dawn...she even invites Xander to bed. This is after Xander more or less tells us that Kenny is a thricewise demon, that looks like a feminie hygiene product (which he actually sort of does - so I'm guessing that's not just a slam like I thought) - and Buffy feels guilty. Xander says...again with the guilt. There smells so you.
You've been there so often...with the guilt and the...
And Buffy responds -- I'm sorry, I'm tired, just tell me now, so we don't have to do the whole awkward dance...are you coming to bed?
Xander's response:Buffy we both know what a horrible mistake that is.
She tries to coax him, says she will be gentl, tries to kiss him, but his head detaches and moves away from her. She curses in British - "Oh Balls". Then is grabbed by a demon hand pulling her outside...and she screams - no, no, I can't go outside...I'm afraid of the dark.
Xander responds - Buffy you are the dark.
(This feels like a prophetic dream to me.) She is trying to grab hold of Xander - he seems perfect. Like a second father/big brother to Dawn, a confident, knows her so well, she trusts him - but it doesn't work. He's perfect but it doesn't work. And in Xander's eyes - he isn't Dawn's father or brother, but a friend, and is falling for her. He spends more time with Dawn in this issue and the ones that follow than anyone else. And has for quite some time.
Dawn - unbeknowest to Buffy - sees Xander as her sister's friend, and her own. Buffy is more like a father to her, a distant one, while Willow is more like a mother.
At any rate - when he says...you are the dark. Buffy replies that is what I meant. She sees herself as the dark. And she falls into it, into the demons mouth...
In the present - we have the gang fighting Amy who is attempting to kill Buffy while she's in the magically induced sleep. They prevent her - but then learn that only "the kiss of true love" can wake her. It sounds like a fairy tale - but it is actually a nightmare.
For Buffy does not feel loved. Or if she is loved, she feels unable to return it.
Cut off. Dark. Apart.
Xander meanwhile is being wooed by Renee, while Satsu has a serious crush on Buffy.
But dead things are crawling up the tower to take out Renee...(foreshadowing again).
Xander also has the following conversation with Amy, which while hilarious is also quite important - it tells us exactly what Xander's feelings are for Buffy and what their relationship is to him.
Xander: So this doesn't have to be someone she's in love with?
Amy: No, I said just someone truly in love with her.
Xander:But not friend-love?
Amy:Right. Someone who wants to kiss her, like they're passionate about her.
Xander: And not a sister.
Amy:Well a twisted sister.
Xander: Ha! But no, I hate you.
Xander has more or less said in this back and forth that he is no longer passionately in love with Buffy. Just as Willow is no longer in love with Xander. He loves Buffy as a friend and
as a sister, just as Willow does. Both state it at different points. They love her, but not in that way. It's not romantic love. The schoolboy crush is gone now. Xander has changed.
And Buffy if you play close attention to her dream is not in love with Xander either...she goes to kiss him, he falls apart. And she is snatched into the dark. She sees him as her way out and moving towards him for that purpose. But that is not love. She wants to grasp hold of something...for she is falling.
Which brings us to the next issue...where we meet Ethan Raine...who is dressed like Spike, is thin like Spike, and has cheekbones almost like Spikes, but is not Spike - clearly Ethan, with a similar accent. He says I have so much I need to show you my love...
Buffy: ( And then I threw up in my mouth a little) Ethan Raine?
Raine: In the Flesh, my love.
Buffy: And again a slight barflex, you have to stop calling me that.
Raine: It's an expression pet. Like "PET".
Buffy: Also not okay. How did you get in my dream?
Raine: We haven't oodles of time.
Buffy: You're a chaos-worshipping wannabe sorcerer who takes up none count it none of my subconscious which means you forced your way into my dream.
Raine: I just hitched a ride and we're not in your dream, we're in your dreamscape.
(And he explains - then takes her to her sex fantasy of being chained to a heart with Angel naked on one side and Spike naked on the other, and nurse buffy in the center, with cupids.
Embarrased she races from it...stating it's just ah been a slow year. The other image pulled is Buffy at school with Xander and Willow. Then all her history in Sunnydale. Until finally the cage, the crosses, and triple X - where Ethan is.
Triple X - Triple exs, three ex loves. Riley. Angel. Spike. Riley is referenced by Buffy's grasping at Xander - the perfect guy. The perfect boyfriend. Who'd make her happy. No problems. And Spike is referenced by Satsu...the hot sex, but no love, unrequited,
and the third is Angel who appears as himself, and Riley who has also appeared.
Spike has yet to appear, although he too has been referenced.
Ethane's last phrase to her: Twilight is falling. You're going to need all the help you can get. Pet.
And then the spell is undone by Satsu, who kissed Buffy and wakes her up. Satsu - the unrequited love. The slayer. Someone who is equal to Buffy in strength. But beneath her in level. Her lieutenant.
Fascinating. The story is in some respects one about interpersonal relationships, how they build, how they fall apart, and where they take us. And the need to connect. The struggle to do so.
The power lies in the connection. Buffy in this arc and others is at her most powerful when she's connected, working with others...not alone.
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2010-01-15 11:47 am (UTC)Although it would be interesting if the season ends with Buffy stripped of her powers and season 9 is about her rebuilding and reinventing herself. I could see Spike being there for her.
no subject
Date: 2010-01-15 01:59 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-01-15 07:27 pm (UTC)Thank you for sharing your unique perspective.
no subject
Date: 2010-01-15 10:46 pm (UTC)*hugs*