Giles and his Power by ScottishBrownCoat

BUFFYVERSE

Giles and his Power

POSTED BY: SCOTTISHBROWNCOAT
UPDATED: Tuesday, November 2, 2004 05:55
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VIEWED: 2181
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Wednesday, October 27, 2004 9:58 AM

**If you haven't watched Buffy to at least the six season, then please don't read this****

I have been on an exaustive Buffy Watching Fest the last few weeks, a Friend of mine has the six seasons on DVD(I am now anticipating the release of season 7) and I started from season one and went straight through. I had never watched Buffy before, Firefly was my introduction into the Whedon Universe.

I just got done with season Six and I noticed something about Giles(if this has already been discussed then I apologize)

It seems to me that he is way more powerful than he ever lets on. As if he knows his potential but doesn't act on it.

Which brings me to my question;
Is Giles considered a Sorcerer? I have never heard him referred to as such(except by Ethan Raine), but one would think he was because he is simply too powerful to be considered a dabbler.

I understand that the Coven in Devon Gave him the Magics in the end of sixth season, but I don't believe that a normal magician/Wizard/Witch/Sorcerer would have been able to contain that tremendous amount of power, they would have just wigged out.

Has there ever been more backstory for Giles written in comics or books that is canon that would shed light on this matter?

What do you all think?

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Wednesday, October 27, 2004 10:22 AM

ZEEK

Nah I don't think Giles has much power.

He dabbled during his youth but I don't think he has any real powers.

My take is that he could cast simple spells and that's about it. Otherwise when we see him fighting alongside the group in life or death situations, why wouldn't he whip out the real powers and save the world?

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Wednesday, October 27, 2004 10:26 AM

EMBERS

Quote:
Originally posted by ScottishBrownCoat:

Has there ever been more backstory for Giles written in comics or books that is canon that would shed light on this matter?

What do you all think?

Joss used to talk about doing series called Ripper about Giles, and there was a real hope that one of the made-for-TV movies would focus on him...but that seems to all be set aside for now.
Giles has a great deal of knowledge, as does Wesley, and there are a lot of things a layman can do without actual magical power. But I understood that there was a distinction between Willow, who had her own magical power (but could get a boost off of others, obviously), and Giles (or Wes), who were simply very knowledgeable....

Giles clearly does have a lot of strength of mind in order to be able to be the container for the Wiccan power he carries for the finale of S6 (man I LOVED that finale...when Willow says no one can stop her,
and Giles shows up saying 'I'd like to test that theory'...LOL!)

In the comic books The Tales of the Vampire, there was a tie in w/Gile's background, that was pretty interesting...
but so far nothing that really told us more than we learned on BtVS

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Wednesday, October 27, 2004 11:22 AM

DIETCOKE

We know that in college Giles and a group people did magic as a way to get high. Maybe he has the power but knows how addictive and dangerous it can be.

I love the scene when he starts yelling at Willow for bringing Buffy back and calls her a "rank, amature."

I think he is much more powerful that he lets on but he understands and respects the dangers of magic.

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Tuesday, November 2, 2004 4:59 AM

IDEFIX

I always thought he started out as someone with power very similar to Willow and he went down the wrong road got addicted, set a demon loose and killed a friend. then he went cold turkey ans back to the council. and now he's VERY cautious about letting his own power out. he has real darkness inside him and it shows now and then. mostly when Buffy is in danger somehow or Ethan Rayne is involved somehow. Giles is a killer, as opposed to Buffy who is good to the base of her soul, he's willing and able to do the dirty work that needs to be done.

I'd say it's a toss between him not being able to use his magical power because he'd instantly be addicted to it again and his power being corrupted into dark power (that cannot be used for good) by his misspent youth.

and that scene in Flooded where he yells at Willow for resurrecting Buffy always makes me shiver. you can so easily feel the darkness in Willow start to take hold, see her on the crossroads starting down the wrong path. and then you see the the contained darkness in Giles as he sees his own downfall happen to his young friend, unable to stop her. he seems sorry and furious and afraid all in one second.

but then again there is no canon to draw from really. it's really time that 'Ripper' is shot and aired. they often said there was a plan, maybe some halfwritten scripts. they should just do it and give us some canon backstory to Giles, there's much to gain there I think.

Wesley I don't think ever had any power, and he wasn't tempted by magic in the least. he used it as a tool, same as his demon knowledge and later on his guns and 007 gadgets. but he has a similar darkness to himself as Giles, he's the one making the hard choices, alone, and fully responsible for them. and sometimes he makes the wrong choice he's only human.

Idefix

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Tuesday, November 2, 2004 5:55 AM

DIETCOKE

Idefix, I really agree with your insight. I too wished we had more Giles/Ripper. There is so many different layers to the guy. The soft spoken librarian, caring father figure, and watcher. But there's also the guy with a great sense of humor who drinks when things get tense. And who can forget the former pot smoking vandal who did it with Buffy's mom on the hood of a cop car(Bad Candy.) And still there is the guy who has a hot temper that really scares people when he gets mad. Don't remember the episode name but it was year seven when he is yelling at Willow and Xander about the graveness of the potentials situation and he points to the stick drawing note cards and says: "This is serious." (At which time I burst out laughing looking at the silly stick figures but he scared them so much with his temper that not one would even crack a smile.)

He really is a well written character that I grew to love over the years. Would love to see more.

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