More symbolism/foreshadowing in Restless by kissthelibrarian

BUFFYVERSE

More symbolism/foreshadowing in Restless

POSTED BY: KISSTHELIBRARIAN
UPDATED: Thursday, April 21, 2005 05:14
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Thursday, April 7, 2005 10:27 PM

Okay I'm just going to bring this up because I haven't heard (well, read) anyone mentioning it before. But I was watching Restless again today and there was something I hadn't noticed before. In the lovely shots of Buffy in the desert, talking to Tara and then to the first slayer. Am I crazy or does the mountain of rock (I'm not sure what the geologically correct term is) behind her in several shots resemble the face of a lion? I don't know if this is intentional or not...would be really freaking cool if it wasn't (well, and cool if it was). Buffy's been referred to as having the heart of a lion, but more importantly the lion has to do with sacrifice. As in, Willow mentions her report on the Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe during her dream. Yes, yes we know the symbolism there is four children going off into a mystical world where they are forced into heroic roles. I read that posted somewhere so thank you to whoever you were. But we all also know that the lion sacrificed himself. I just thought the mentioning of this book, coupled with seeing the lion's face in the rocks, was really cool and REALLY subtle foreshadowing of Buffy's sacrifice a year later. Also, Snyder mentions the "sacrificial stone" to Xander. I only saw Apocalypse Now once so I don't recall if that's actual dialogue from the film (please tell me if it is). But if not, yet another reference to sacrifice, and further more, to the slab of stone the lion (sorry, can't remember the name from the book) sacrificed himself on. Anyway, just curious as to who else saw the lion in the rocks, and if anyone knows more about this subject. Thanks!

"You've got ... a world of strength in your heart. I know you do. You just have to find it again. (whispering) Believe in yourself."

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Friday, April 8, 2005 7:47 AM

KISSTHELIBRARIAN

I should clarify. There's not a carving in the rocks or anything. The rocks themselves, along with some trees, form the profile of a lion's head in the top right corner of the screen when Buffy's talking to Tara and then to the first slayer. Kinda cool.

"You've got ... a world of strength in your heart. I know you do. You just have to find it again. (whispering) Believe in yourself."

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Friday, April 8, 2005 8:17 AM

THIEFJEHAT

Quote:
Originally posted by kissthelibrarian:
Am I crazy or does the mountain of rock (I'm not sure what the geologically correct term is) behind her in several shots resemble the face of a lion?

I believe the term you are searching for is "outcropping". I'll check it out when I get home tonight. As to your question about Apocalypse Now dialouge, Xanders's conversation follows the format of the conversation between the Capt and the Col, but with new dialouge. Example: "Where are you from Capt?" "Ohio" became "Where are you from Harris?" "The basement". On and on like that. I'm fair certain that the col never spoke of a sacrifical stone in Apocalypse Now. That would indicate it was written in by Joss and company and now that you have brought it to light, it could very well be a foreshadowing nugget along with the lion profile you describe.

I love Restless by the way. It's in my list of top 5 favorite Buffy episodes.

Do not fear me. Ours is a peaceful race, and we must live in harmony.

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Friday, April 8, 2005 8:26 AM

EMBERS

The lion's name is Aslan (in Lion, Witch and the Wardrobe),
and I didn't notice a rock formation in Buffy's segment of 'Restless' (I'll have to look for that)
but definitely having Willow's book report on that book may be a tie in to the intended sacrifice at the end of Season 5.

I am always delighted every time I watch 'Restless' because I feel that I notice more and more things in it.

It is funny to listen to Joss' commentary on the DVD because he refuses to get into any of it, he even pretends that the cheese-man doesn't mean anything!

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Friday, April 8, 2005 8:50 AM

SPOOKYJESUS

Sorry honey,

I stuck the DVD in, saw what you were talking about, but they're just rocks and a shadow. I zoomed in to be sure.

No dice.

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Monday, April 11, 2005 9:57 AM

ODDNESS2HER

I re-watched the episode out of curiosity and darned if I didn't see the lion, too! It's probably just a coincidence, but very cool!

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Tuesday, April 19, 2005 4:49 AM

THIEFJEHAT

I finally just saw the lion too. For those still having troubles, pause the DVD when Buffy delivers the line "Let her speak for herself" and look above her head. The lion's profile is looking upwards and to the left.

You can see it better earlier when she initally enters the desert. The camera is focused on her feet, then on her as she walks by a tree/plant. After that the camera further reveals the outcropping showing the lion. It'll stay in frame until the camera rushes away from buffy in a straight upward vertical movement.

The "lion" is indeed shadows and small rocks up close so one can surely argue that it's a fluke. But also, isn't an oil painting a mish-mash of color at a distance of 1 inch? I think that it's 50/50 that the lion is a foreshadowing device/total coincidence. I wouldn't put it past Joss to stick something like that in the episode and not tell anyone. He states in the commentary for Restless that the entire episode was one large endeavor of Free-Association. And we also know that he DID foreshadow something, that being Dawn. Those forshadow events come in the form of Willow and Tara's conversation about Miss Kitty in willow's dream and Tara's statement to Buffy, "be back before Dawn" in Buffy's dream.

I cannot believe that the Dawn forshadowing events were the only predictions in the episode. When you consider Willow's book report was The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe, It seems plausible that this episode has more than one foreshadowing moment. One should further consider that the lion was perfectly placed in the episode, in the wasteland. This is the place where the 1st slayer was created, and it serves as a symbol of the nature of the slayer herself. "The slayer walks alone in this world" To carry the slayers burden is to give up the comforts of this life to fulfill a sacred duty to mankind. It is here in the waste that the lion symbolizes Buffy's sacrifice and it's here also in season 5 that the spirit of the 1st slayer foretold Buffy's sacrifice.

Do not fear me. Ours is a peaceful race, and we must live in harmony.

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Tuesday, April 19, 2005 8:47 AM

BLACKEYEDGIRL

Damn, I need to come back to this thread after I dig up the thingy i wrote on Restless. There's actually A LOT of other foreshadowing in the episode. I will be back when I am not at work!!

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Inara: "Do aliens live among us?"
Kaylee: "Yes. One of them's a doctor."

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Thursday, April 21, 2005 5:14 AM

THIEFJEHAT

I believe I may have found another foreshadowing device in Restless.

At the outset of Xander's dream he snaps awake in the living room of the Summers' home to see Willow gasping for air and Buffy and Giles watching a video. Buffy offers Xander some popcorn to which he asks "Butter Flavor?" and Buffy's response is "New Car Smell". Xander eagerly takes a handful.

The entire season 4 arc for Xander centers around his lack of direction in his life and a nagging need he feels to be important. This has it's roots in the fact that he has always been the "normal" guy in the show. Buffy=slayer, Giles=Watcher, Willow=Witch, Oz=Werewolf, Anya=Former Demon, on and on like that. We find Xander's unhappiness expressed in his constant job hopping throughout season 4 and his general lack of confidence in himself as expressed in comments he makes throughout the entire season. In Restless we see all these things made manifest in the fact that no matter where he goes in his dream, all roads lead back to his parent's basement.

But the inital crux of my post was regarding the "New Car Smell" popcorn flavor. I believe that this moment is a foreshadowing event of Xander's future successes in seasons 5, 6, and 7. At the outset of season 5 we see that Xander has started a career as a carpenter and by the end of the season he's progressed to the level of journeyman (union-speak for tradesman). By season 6 he has become a carpenter crew foreman. Then at the beginning of season 7 he's been elevated past general labor and has become an actual Construction Manager. With all this success he's able to purchase the more expensive apartment he liked and provide for Anya the way she requires. Though we see he still feels unsure of his future as expressed in OMWF when he sings "Will our lives become to stressful if I'm never that successful?" Even though he has doubts, Xander proves his quality again and again. I think that Restless represented the end of the "Directionless Xander" and the beginning of the "Focused Xander"

I love Xander BTW. Last holloween I dressed as him for a party.

Do not fear me. Ours is a peaceful race, and we must live in harmony.

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