(OT) - Buffy (spoilers at least in first post)

[Wolfspider]

While I'll admit that this the tone of this season has been fairly grey, the writers have done their best to lighten things with (sometimes over the top) comedy. Remember the three bumbling supervillians? (Although recently even their antics have turned nasty.) Remember Buffy struggling to find a job (even trying out the hardhat of construction worker), finally culminating with Doublemeat Palace.

No, there have been plenty of laughs this season. Buffy always seems to mix pain and pleasure this way. I can't say that last season was very happy either, with Buffy's mother dying and Buffy herself dying. Heck, the entire season ended with the cast in tears. Hardly upbeat.

 

[Cor Azer]

One thing I've yet to notice in write-ups about the Big Bad for this season (if, that is, Warren and the geeks turn out to be the Big Bad) is that they're human.

How can the Scoobies kill them?
Season 1: Master Vampire - killed
Season 2: Angel - killed (well, sort of...)
Season 3: Demon Mayor - killed
Season 4: Adam - killed
Season 5: Glory - killed (well, Giles killed Ben)
Season 6: The Geeks?

Joss has shown many times that Buffy abhors the possibility that she could kill humans. If Warren and the geeks turn out to be the Big Bad, how are the Scoobies going to deal with them finally?

Actually, this also applies if Willow becomes the Big Bad as well, but not so much if Anya becomes a vengence demon again.

 

[Mr. Grimm]

I think there is also the possibility of a "Relapse" with Spike. With all the potential problems, and the change in story style and arc I wouldn't be surprised to see this season end in yet another cliffhanger -- except this wouldn't be the death of Buffy but the birth of the big evil (or evils) for next season.

Although I don't like this season as much as I have others it's better than seasons 3 & 4 with all the nonsense that took Angel 2 years to leave. My biggest beef this year is Buffy's inability to fight -- she's still 'going thru the motions' and it's tiresome. When Riley's wife can come up out of the Peace Corps in a year and be almost as good as Buffy in combat (and she wasn't trying to kill anything), it is pretty sad. The fight sequences need some major work.

Also, Xander's character sucks. Nice guy and all, but maybe he should join the Peace Corps and learn to fight. I thought they would get it right after "The Zeppo" but that was 3 years ago and he still is the comic relief. He doesn't have to be given supernatural abilities or even become a martial artist -- just hold his own. Cancelling a wedding doesn't mean the relationship has to end or you can't talk it over more at a better time. And he leaves Anya to go in front of the wedding guests to tell them it's cancelled?!? WTF! He needs to grow a pair and the writers need to try using less hackneyed plot devices.

My guess is that we've been left to suspect Anya is back to being Anyanka as things begin happeing to the scoobies. And it won't be her but someone else.

 

[A2Z]

[*] Anya: Just got left at the alter for a reason that she stands no chance of understanding since she's never had parents or a family.

Wasn't Anya human a long time ago, before she became a vengence demon the first time?

 

[Methinkus]

Joss has shown many times that Buffy abhors the possibility that she could kill humans

Didn'f Buffy kill like five of those knights when she was fighting them on top of the trailor back when she was running away from Glory? I definatly remember at least on being hit by an axe by Buffy and falling off of the moveing car. . . . . I'm kinda thinking he died

 

[Angelsboi]

issues readressed:

1) Yes, Anya had parents but that was how many thousand years ago?
Season 3 Quote:
"I want a beer."
"ID"
"But im 1500 years old!!"
"ID"
"Fine ill have a coke."

Season 1 started in 96. meaning season 3 was in 99. So 1999 - 1500 = 499 BC. Assuming Anyanka was like 16 when she became a vengence demon (kids married young back then), she would have had to been born in 483 BC. Now tell me what family had a mother back then who bad mouthed her husband and a husband who said his family disgraced him. VERY VERY Few. So no, Anya never had that growing up.

2) Buffy may have killed those 5 knights, BUT they wanted to kill Dawn. her family. Buffy was distraught when she killed the human and Faith blamed her (Season 3), she was distraught when she thought she killed Ted (Season 2) and she was distraught shen she thought she killed that innocent girl (Season 6). When it comes to hurting friends or family, she had no problem killing a human. BUT she doesnt like to kill humans.

 

[Zerovoid]

2) Buffy may have killed those 5 knights, BUT they wanted to kill Dawn. her family. Buffy was distraught when she killed the human and Faith blamed her (Season 3), she was distraught when she thought she killed Ted (Season 2) and she was distraught shen she thought she killed that innocent girl (Season 6). When it comes to hurting friends or family, she had no problem killing a human. BUT she doesnt like to kill humans.

I was really shocked that they didn't go into this in more depth back when it happened. I saw that and I was like "Oh my god, Buffy killed someone." I know she did it to save Dawn, but still, given her reactions to Faith in the past, I thought that was a no exceptions kind of thing. Slayer's don't kill people.

I really liked the Nerds of Doom, they've been very funny every time they were on. Especially when Spike threatened Boba Fett.

Everyone keeps saying that this season isn't as exciting becuase Buffy is fighting Life. Well, that may be a reason, but its not an excuse. If Life is the Big Bad, then it's a pretty crappy Big Bad. There is no reason that the gang can't fight the good fight, and still work out their emotional issues during the downtime. That's how it always was before, and it worked. Nothing is happening very fast as far as character arcs this year. There would still be plenty of time to have deal the Buffy/Spike thing, and the Willow/magic thing even if there was a Big Bad.

Also, I wish Willow wouldn't keep stressing that she's gay, and not interested in men at all. For the longest time I always figured she was bisexual, since she seemed to enjoy her relationship with Oz. Since she and Xander are now both broken up, and the show might not have too many seasons left, I'd kind of like to see them finally get together.

 

[Cor Azer]

Season 1 started in 96. meaning season 3 was in 99. So 1999 - 1500 = 499 BC. Assuming Anyanka was like 16 when she became a vengence demon (kids married young back then), she would have had to been born in 483 BC. Now tell me what family had a mother back then who bad mouthed her husband and a husband who said his family disgraced him. VERY VERY Few. So no, Anya never had that growing up.

Just to check your math, 1999 AD - 1500 years would be 499 AD, not 499 BC, a difference of about 998 years (depends on whether or not you think there was a year 0). Still, I imagine around the start of the Dark Ages, family life wasn't much different than what you describe.

 

[Angelsboi]

i meant AD LOL

And actually, you never heard of single parents back then.

 

[Pielorinho]

Also, I wish Willow wouldn't keep stressing that she's gay, and not interested in men at all. For the longest time I always figured she was bisexual, since she seemed to enjoy her relationship with Oz. Since she and Xander are now both broken up, and the show might not have too many seasons left, I'd kind of like to see them finally get together.

I kinda have Willow pegged as a college lesbian: she's into Tara, sure, but she's way into the identity of it all. :shrugs: whatever floats her boat; she's a great character. If she wants to point out that she's a lesbian at least once a night, it's a minor enough foible.

I'm not aware of any positively-portrayed bisexual characters in mainstream entertainment. Joss' portrayal of Willow's and Tara's relationship has been great, very tender and loving and non-titillating. But I'm not sure he's ready to go so far out on a limb that he'd portray Willow as bisexual. It just ain't done.

Daniel