Hi, shadowkat. I've delurked in a few other journals over the past few weeks. I've long been impressed with your writing on the Buffyverse--I first heard of you back toward when Angel was ending, and I remember you making great posts on ATPOBTVS (comparing "Power Play" to The Wild Bunch, "The Girl in Question" to Rosencratz and Guildenstern are Dead). I think you have a lot of great insights and I like that you both are clear-eyed about the flaws in Whedon's shows and also like and appreciate the final seasons of Buffy which are too often underrated and/or rejected entirely.
As far as this post, I generally agree with what you say about the issue. I'm still hoping that we get more information about Angel's motivations; as is Angel's justifications, as you point out, don't really make any sense, and while Whedon plays fast and loose with the plot I hope he'll at least offer a little bit more. I think that there is a bit of a lantern being hung on how trustworthy a narrator Angel is in this very issue, with Angel's punching Faith and being completely surprised that she's bleeding--clearly he's in his own world and hasn't a clue what the consequences of his actions are.
And on the balance I agree that Buffy's actions are in character, though I think the glow might be affecting her judgment as well. But basically, she really wants to believe Angel and so does. If Angel really did what's best, then why not give in and kiss him? We in the audience have watched Twilight before--we've seen him threaten to kill Giles, Faith or Andrew, execute one of his own men for finding a "spike," stand unfazed as people die on the battlefield because they're mortal, and claim to have set Giles/Faith against Roden/Gigi. Buffy never saw any of this, so Angel has so much more plausible deniability with her than with us.
As an aside: Andrew isn't dressed as Captain America. He's dressed as SEVERAL superheroes. He has a Batman belt, a Spider-Man glove, a...Punisher chest (I think?), Captain America's shield, some other hero's helmet, etc. So saying "It's clobberin' time" is yet another superhero reference (to Thing), not a mistake.
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branchandroot
Hi! (delurking)
Date: 2010-03-10 11:41 am (UTC)As far as this post, I generally agree with what you say about the issue. I'm still hoping that we get more information about Angel's motivations; as is Angel's justifications, as you point out, don't really make any sense, and while Whedon plays fast and loose with the plot I hope he'll at least offer a little bit more. I think that there is a bit of a lantern being hung on how trustworthy a narrator Angel is in this very issue, with Angel's punching Faith and being completely surprised that she's bleeding--clearly he's in his own world and hasn't a clue what the consequences of his actions are.
And on the balance I agree that Buffy's actions are in character, though I think the glow might be affecting her judgment as well. But basically, she really wants to believe Angel and so does. If Angel really did what's best, then why not give in and kiss him? We in the audience have watched Twilight before--we've seen him threaten to kill Giles, Faith or Andrew, execute one of his own men for finding a "spike," stand unfazed as people die on the battlefield because they're mortal, and claim to have set Giles/Faith against Roden/Gigi. Buffy never saw any of this, so Angel has so much more plausible deniability with her than with us.
As an aside: Andrew isn't dressed as Captain America. He's dressed as SEVERAL superheroes. He has a Batman belt, a Spider-Man glove, a...Punisher chest (I think?), Captain America's shield, some other hero's helmet, etc. So saying "It's clobberin' time" is yet another superhero reference (to Thing), not a mistake.