A few basic questions from a Buffy noob. by AURaptor

BUFFYVERSE

A few basic questions from a Buffy noob.

POSTED BY: AURAPTOR
UPDATED: Thursday, November 30, 2006 12:23
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Wednesday, November 1, 2006 11:23 AM

America loves a winner!

I'm not a complete noob, but these questions might reveal otherwise. I'm watching the Buffy series ( S3 ) on DVD, and with the introduction of Faith, it finally hit me.

How is it that there are so many Watchers when there can only be 1 Slayer?

Also, why was Kendra sent alone to Sunnydale,after Buffy 'died'? Shouldn't she have had her own Watcher, or was she to be entrusted to Giles ?

When Faith saw her Watcher murdered, why wasn't she quickly reassigned w/ a new one ?

And if Giles is in charge of a Slayer, how is it that he's so far on the 'outs' with the Watcher's Council ? Seems he's the last to hear anything concerning the Council or to get a memo concerning their wishes. Can't they just pick up the damn phone and call sometimes?

People love a happy ending. So every episode, I will explain once again that I don't like people. And then Mal will shoot someone. Someone we like. And their puppy. - Joss

" They don't like it when you shoot at 'em. I worked that out myself. "

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Wednesday, November 1, 2006 11:36 AM

GROOSALUGG

I'll try to answer some of those, at least:

1) As you'll find out later, there are many--MANY--potential slayers around the world, and for those that the Council can identify ahead of time (before they're 'Called', in other words), a watcher is assigned to train them. Watchers also seem to be responsible for keeping an eye on mystical/magickal happenings in their area, reporting on them to the Council, and doing what they can to keep them under control, even if they don't currently have a slayer under their charge.

2) This gets back to the answer to the first question. Kendra was given by her parents to her watcher to train when she was very young--so young she doesn't even remember what her last name was. She came to Sunnydale on a temporary assignment, and then returned home to her watcher. (And of course, she then came back a second time, but that's another story.)

3) If you're really interested in Faith, I heartily recommend the new Buffy book "Go Ask Malice". It covers Faith's life, pre-Sunnydale. Short answer: her watcher was killed, and Faith split town immediately (running from Kakistos), before the Council could even think about assigning her a new one...

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Wednesday, November 1, 2006 11:45 AM

GROUNDED

Uber-short answer: they made up the mythology as they went along ;)

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Wednesday, November 1, 2006 12:31 PM

AURAPTOR

America loves a winner!

Quote:
Originally posted by Grounded:
Uber-short answer: they made up the mythology as they went along ;)

Wha....? Ya mean...they made it up ???

Dissillusioned AU

People love a happy ending. So every episode, I will explain once again that I don't like people. And then Mal will shoot someone. Someone we like. And their puppy. - Joss

" They don't like it when you shoot at 'em. I worked that out myself. "

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Wednesday, November 1, 2006 1:47 PM

SIGMANUNKI

Quote:
Originally posted by AURaptor:

How is it that there are so many Watchers when there can only be 1 Slayer?

Every potential slayer gets a watcher and is in training for if they get called.

Quote:
Originally posted by AURaptor:

Also, why was Kendra sent alone to Sunnydale,after Buffy 'died'? Shouldn't she have had her own Watcher, or was she to be entrusted to Giles ?

Kendra had her own area to protect and she started to protect it as the slayer after Buffy's death.

Her watcher found out about a great evil in Sunnydale and sent her to stop it. One mission, then go home. I imagine the her watcher knew about Giles and thought that he could help her during the mission.

Quote:
Originally posted by AURaptor:

When Faith saw her Watcher murdered, why wasn't she quickly reassigned w/ a new one ?

I imagine that it took some time for the council to find out. It wasn't long after that that she got a new one. Plus there's the whole red tape issues of bureaucracy.

Quote:
Originally posted by AURaptor:

And if Giles is in charge of a Slayer, how is it that he's so far on the 'outs' with the Watcher's Council ?

This wasn't always the case and was really only true while he wasn't in there employ.

Quote:
Originally posted by AURaptor:

Seems he's the last to hear anything concerning the Council or to get a memo concerning their wishes. Can't they just pick up the damn phone and call sometimes?

They did when they knew something. But they aren't in the field, so they rely on intelligence from there operatives which is mostly the slayer.

----
I am on The List. We are The Forsaken and we aim to burn!
"We don't fear the reaper"

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Thursday, November 2, 2006 3:09 AM

AURAPTOR

America loves a winner!

Quote:
SigmaNunki wrote:
Wednesday, November 01, 2006 13:47
Quote:

Originally posted by AURaptor:

How is it that there are so many Watchers when there can only be 1 Slayer?

Every potential slayer gets a watcher and is in training for if they get called.

Then why is it that Buffy didn't meet Giles until after she was slaying on her own, while Kendra was taken from her parents at a young age to train with HER Watcher ?

I know, I know.... they made it up as they went along. (sigh)

People love a happy ending. So every episode, I will explain once again that I don't like people. And then Mal will shoot someone. Someone we like. And their puppy. - Joss

" They don't like it when you shoot at 'em. I worked that out myself. "

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Thursday, November 2, 2006 5:05 AM

SIGMANUNKI

Quote:
Originally posted by AURaptor:

Then why is it that Buffy didn't meet Giles until after she was slaying on her own, while Kendra was taken from her parents at a young age to train with HER Watcher ?

I know, I know.... they made it up as they went along. (sigh)

Um, what are you talking about? Sure, the first ep of Buffy does have Buffy meeting Giles for the first time, BUT she does make reference to happenings in the movie. If memory serves, that watcher died. So, Giles would have been her replacement watcher.

----
I am on The List. We are The Forsaken and we aim to burn!
"We don't fear the reaper"

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Thursday, November 2, 2006 6:04 AM

RUGBUG

Quote:
Originally posted by AURaptor:
Then why is it that Buffy didn't meet Giles until after she was slaying on her own, while Kendra was taken from her parents at a young age to train with HER Watcher ?

I know, I know.... they made it up as they went along. (sigh)

Buffy was informed that she was the Slayer by her first watcher, Merrick, who started her training. He was killed, Buffy's parents split up, Joyce and Buffy moved to Sunnydale and there was Giles, ready to take over.

I'm not a big fan of the "they made it up as they went along" answer. While parts of it may be true, the writers/Joss put in a lot of thought to continuity. I guess coming from X-Files fandom, where they truly did make it up as the went along (or "borrowed" from other sources) with little to no thought about continuity, I get tetchy when someone says that of Buffy.

***************
"The power of accurate observation is commonly called cynicism by those who have not got it." - George Bernard Shaw

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Thursday, November 2, 2006 7:25 AM

GROOSALUGG

Quote:
Originally posted by AURaptor:
Then why is it that Buffy didn't meet Giles until after she was slaying on her own, while Kendra was taken from her parents at a young age to train with HER Watcher ?

Am I talking to myself?

Every potential that the Council could identify ahead of time was assigned a watcher to train her. Many still slipped thru the cracks, and Buffy was one of these--the Council didn't find out about her until after she had been Called...

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Thursday, November 2, 2006 7:40 AM

SIGMANUNKI

Quote:
Originally posted by Groosalugg:
Quote:
Originally posted by AURaptor:
Then why is it that Buffy didn't meet Giles until after she was slaying on her own, while Kendra was taken from her parents at a young age to train with HER Watcher ?

Am I talking to myself?

Every potential that the Council could identify ahead of time was assigned a watcher to train her. Many still slipped thru the cracks, and Buffy was one of these--the Council didn't find out about her until after she had been Called...

After she had been called is not equal to slaying on her own.

EDIT: We also don't know what mythology was in Joss' head when writing the movie. It is certain that the series contains a very much more worked out mythology then the movie. I imagine that a lot of it was created after the movie for the series.

----
I am on The List. We are The Forsaken and we aim to burn!
"We don't fear the reaper"

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Thursday, November 2, 2006 1:18 PM

RUGBUG

So for some reason my Buffy posts today just disappeared. Annoying, that.

Anyway, I think we are saying the same things, yes?

Buffy was called and then Merrick found her. There was never really any 'slaying on her own.' Merrick was killed, the gym was burned down, Buffy moved to Sunnydale where the events of Season #1, ep#1 took place.

I'm not seeing much 'slaying on her own.' Or even much monkeying with the mythology.

***************
"The power of accurate observation is commonly called cynicism by those who have not got it." - George Bernard Shaw

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Thursday, November 2, 2006 7:07 PM

GROOSALUGG

Quote:
Originally posted by RugBug:
Anyway, I think we are saying the same things, yes?

...

I'm not seeing much 'slaying on her own.' Or even much monkeying with the mythology.

Agreed. I've never seen the movie, but based on the eps "Welcome to the Hellmouth" and "Becoming, Pt.1", she became the Slayer; Merrick found her, trained her; she fought the vamps at her high school in LA; Merrick was killed; the gym burned down and she was expelled; she and her mom moved to Sunnydale; Giles became her watcher. She made it more than clear during that first episode that she'd had it with slaying after the events in LA--had quit, retired, etc. She was basically dragged back into it, kicking and screaming, so I can't see any way she was doing any 'freelance slaying' during that period where she was watcher-less...

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Friday, November 3, 2006 3:21 PM

AURAPTOR

America loves a winner!

Quote:
Originally posted by SigmaNunki:
Quote:
Originally posted by AURaptor:

Then why is it that Buffy didn't meet Giles until after she was slaying on her own, while Kendra was taken from her parents at a young age to train with HER Watcher ?

I know, I know.... they made it up as they went along. (sigh)

Um, what are you talking about? Sure, the first ep of Buffy does have Buffy meeting Giles for the first time, BUT she does make reference to happenings in the movie. If memory serves, that watcher died. So, Giles would have been her replacement watcher."

So, I'm suppose to know what happened in the movie too ? Told ya I was a noob!

Forgetting about the movie, I recall there being references to Buffy having nightmares of goulish slayings and such. I know Slayers have memories or visions of all the past slayers, and I thought it was there that the whole story was starting.

I forgot about the movie and it's relevence in the timeline.

I'll do better from now on.

People love a happy ending. So every episode, I will explain once again that I don't like people. And then Mal will shoot someone. Someone we like. And their puppy. - Joss

" They don't like it when you shoot at 'em. I worked that out myself. "

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Saturday, November 4, 2006 4:47 AM

EVILDINOSAUR

Someone probably allready answered all of them, but I'll answer them anyway :)

How is it that there are so many Watchers when there can only be 1 Slayer? There are lots of potential slayers that can be trained before they're activated, like kendra, she started her training long before she became a slayer

Also, why was Kendra sent alone to Sunnydale,after Buffy 'died'? Shouldn't she have had her own Watcher, or was she to be entrusted to Giles ? She wasn't meant to come to Sunnydale long-term, Kendra's watcher trusted Kendra to complete her mission on her own

When Faith saw her Watcher murdered, why wasn't she quickly reassigned w/ a new one? She ran away, then wound up with Giles, so she was entrusted to him until Wesley came along.

And if Giles is in charge of a Slayer, how is it that he's so far on the 'outs' with the Watcher's Council ? Seems he's the last to hear anything concerning the Council or to get a memo concerning their wishes. Can't they just pick up the damn phone and call sometimes? I think for the most part he gets the important information, the council usually doesn't have lots of good intel, they're better with what's past opposed to what's present, so buffy could go to them to ask them questions, but not very often did they come to her with specific information that wasn't requested

"Haha, mine is an evil laugh."

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Monday, November 6, 2006 4:21 PM

BABYWITHTHEPOWER

There were really only two 'huge' continuity problems in the whole Buffy series.

One was how, if I'm not mistaken, in the movie she was a Junior or a Senior and in the series she was a Sophomore.

The other (and this one I am quite sure of) is the origin of Spike. It is widely accepted the Drucilla sired Spike. Hell in one flashback they show it happen. But if that's the case, why in School Hard (Season 2, Ep. 15) did Spike say to Angel, and I quote, "You were my Sire, man! You were my Yoda!"?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I'll be in my bunk.
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Monday, November 6, 2006 8:09 PM

AMYEL

Buffy's grade changed from the movie because in a tv series, when it centers around a high school student, they need to actually stay in high school for a little while (Veronia Mars and Gilmore Girls had their main characters start in 10th grade too; I think it's just standard). A lot of the slayer mythology from the movie changed too. There was a slayer mole and if Buffy got near a vampire, she'd get cramps. The cramps especially would get tiresome on tv, so all of that kind of stuff was taken out. The vampires could also kind of hover/fly in the movie. I haven't actually seen the movie since I saw it on tv in 1994 so my memory if kind of iffy. I do know that Joss has been asked in interviews about the mythology difference between the movie and tv and that's basically what he said--television logistics.

About the Spike/Drusilla thing... that does come up a lot. Spike was only meant to last until What's My Line (the organ dropping on him was meant to dust him) but he was so popular and the writers just generally liked to work with him so they had to expand his story quite a bit. In the long run, Drusilla siring him makes more sense. And his Sire/Yoda line still sort of works. Angel is like Spike's vampire grandpa. Like sire once-removed. The blood-line relationship is still there. And although Drusilla turned him into a vampire, Angelus had more of the teacher role in showing him how to be a vampire (Spike explicitly states this in "Destiny" - Drusilla sired me, but you made me a monster).

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Monday, November 6, 2006 10:12 PM

GROOSALUGG

As early as just a couple of months after "School Hard", the writers were explaining that being someone's 'sire', besides the obvious interpretation, can also simply refer to a vampire being from the same 'line'. So for example, Darla can also be considered the sire of both Dru and Spike, and the Master the sire of all four of them...

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Tuesday, November 7, 2006 9:49 AM

CYBERSNARK

Quote:
Originally posted by amyel:
And his Sire/Yoda line still sort of works. Angel is like Spike's vampire grandpa. Like sire once-removed. The blood-line relationship is still there. And although Drusilla turned him into a vampire, Angelus had more of the teacher role in showing him how to be a vampire (Spike explicitly states this in "Destiny" - Drusilla sired me, but you made me a monster).

Also, let's face it, Dru's always been a few bats short of a belfrey.

-----
We applied the cortical electrodes but were unable to get a neural reaction from either patient.

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Tuesday, November 7, 2006 12:13 PM

RUGBUG

Quote:
Originally posted by Groosalugg:
As early as just a couple of months after "School Hard", the writers were explaining that being someone's 'sire', besides the obvious interpretation, can also simply refer to a vampire being from the same 'line'. So for example, Darla can also be considered the sire of both Dru and Spike, and the Master the sire of all four of them...

Eh...I still won't buy it. Angel will always be the sire of Spike to me and EVERY time I hear/see the Drusilla supposedly is, I get perturbed. IMO, they changed it when they came up with the 'vampire drinking blood is like sex' thing. Couldn't let Angel have homosexual leanings when he's the love of Buffy's life, now could we.

***************
"The power of accurate observation is commonly called cynicism by those who have not got it." - George Bernard Shaw

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Sunday, November 26, 2006 8:27 AM

EMBERS

The movie isn't canon (Joss wrote the script but they didn't follow it very closely, in fact the exposition was in Donald Sutherland's hands and he decided to ad lib instead of learn any of his lines, which pretty much gutted the film of all canon information).

However Fray, and Tales of the Slayer (comic, not the short stories) ARE canon, and explain a lot about slayer mythology....

You'll find (as Buffy is better trained) that Giles leaves Sunnydale so that Buffy can 'slay alone', and in fact they mention that Kendra started training long before she was 'called' and would therefore be far advanced in her slayer knowledge/abilities (although of course we see that Buffy has natural abilities which end up being more effective than Kendra's training).

All of the mythology unfolds as you keep watching (we are learning new bits right through the 7th season) and I hope you do keep watching!

visit: http://weekinwhedon.org/wiw/

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Sunday, November 26, 2006 9:01 AM

22CLAWS

Entirely pointy.

Dark Horse Comics released a graphic novel called: Buffy the Vampire Slayer the Origin. It's derived from the original Joss Whedon script for the movie. I think it's canon.

22

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Thursday, November 30, 2006 12:23 PM

TRACYLANE

Also going back to the Kendra thing, you have to remember that Kendra was from a different culture and that culture believed in and accepted that there were vampires. Buffy was never originally trained because in the States people were blind to the entire thing. Giles makes reference of the fact that there are several cultures that accept the Slayer thing and that they begin training much earlier.

Giles is on the outs from the council mostly because he is too close to his slayer. Had to go check my series order here, but this storyline gets worse. When you get to "Helpless" in season 4 you will understand more of this complex relationship. Also, when Buffy fights Glory you can hear her tell the council off. That is just one of my favorite episodes.

As far as the continuity of the story: Let me say this, you never had to worry with Joss that you would see a character and then it would suddenly come up again later and that character was played by some one else. He kept the same actors, he kept true to the storyline and he kept things pretty straight. There are a couple of things that nagged me and now I am going to have to watch the whole series again to figure out what they were, but it is all explained at some point. I never had a problem with the Spike thing as I understood it the way that it is explained...Dru bite and turned Spike, but Angel was his SIRE. Angel was always in control of his little band of thieves not even bowing to the Master. He turned his back on him.

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