Buffy issue 9 summary, analysis and spoilery speculations

[moscow_watcher]

Summary:

Brian K Vaughan uses any opportunity to delve into Faith's past and into her head. This issue starts - again! - with a flashback, this time dedicated to Faith's relationship with Mayor. Obviously he wants to draw a parallel to Gigi's relationship with Roden who now orders her to kill Faith. But Gigi, who has already swung her axe, conveniently hits Faith with its helve. She is mad at Faith at lying to her about her name, her goals, but most of all, about her nationality: "You're not even English?"

Is it written as a joke? I'm at loss here.

Gigi's rage is so devastating that she conveniently plunges her axe into a stone statue. Um, mister Vaughan... have you ever had an axe in your hands? I'm a woman, but even I occasionally hack twigs and branches for campfires. And I know that a metallic blade can't go into a stone.

OK, I accept it as a "suspension of disbelief" moment. Statue looks prettier. And it beautifully constrasts with the dynamics of the fight.

Meanwhile, Willow, following Buffy's order, phones Giles who is still trying to penetrate the mystical barrier around Gigi's estate. Buffy, furious, tells Giles that Faith tried to kill her. Giles has no time to explain - he has to save Faith, so he cuts Buffy short and asks her to put Willow on the line. Buffy feels betrayed.

Meanwhile, Faith-Gigi fight goes on, Gigi conveniently flies through the air and runs herself on her own axe. And, before she dies, she conveniently absolves Faith when the latter says she never meant to kill her - "Yeah. But it's like the song goes..."

Roden immediately tries to recruit Faith to kill Buffy, but, naturally, she rejects his offer and hits him with a Twilight's guidebook he offers her. Furious, Roden tries to kill Faith with a stone fist he conjures up from the earth, but cavalry in the person of Giles arrives in time and saves her. The battle between Roden and Giles is short and ridiculous: while Roden is conveniently standing there and posturing, Faith throws Roden's Twilight's guidebook to Giles, he immediately finds the necessary spell, puts the "mystic field" inside his opponent and Roden's head bursts.

Cut to the next morning. Back in Giles' apartment, Faith declares that she has decided not to quit. She has got her Big Moral Lesson and she wants "to play social worker to the slayers. Maybe I could help walk a few bad girls back from the brink". They decide to work together.

Meanwhile, somewhere in the jungle, a military helicopter lands on a tiny stone plateau. A woman in a military uniform with a Twilight sign on her palm requests the audience. A creature whose boots we saw back in issue 1 descends from above.

According to the woman, whose name is Lt. Molter, "their man on the inside" has reported that Buffy Summers was still alive. Flying Boots, who looks like Terminator in an iron mask, tells her that actually, Gigi and Roden were his targets. He plans to manipulate his enemies "into waging this ugly war, a tactic crucial for bringing the age of magic to a close".

"Night falls soon enough", he promises.

Analysis:

The second arc, as well as the first one, works OK as long as the reader doesn't overthink and overanalyse it. Analysis is a tricky thing here: a reviewer may easily turn into a whiner who complains about the lack of Shakespearean depth in a Shreck movie.

Well...

Brian K Vaughan loves Faith and this story is clearly her show. She's the star and everything else exists to showcase her ability to fight, quip and demonstrate the generosity of her spirit. I read comments from people who disliked her on the show but started to like her after this comic, and it's understandable: Faith really shines here.

But, unfortunately, Faith's greatness comes at the expence of everything else. Other characters's dialogs are either bland or sound like badfic snippets, like "Buffy's narrow ass lives to fight another day".

Vaughan's attempts to spice up Buffy's dialogues end up in some weird choices - "Faith and her droogs", for example. Buffy doesn't strike me as a girl who reads Burgess or watches Kubrick. (Well, she could hear that word from Spike - after all, his chip was a Clockwork Orange rip-off) :)

OTOH, Faith's culturological references sound spot-on ("Conan the librarian" - hee!) while Giles' "maybe I could be the Steed to your Peel" works mainly as an opening to Faith's priceless reply "I hope it's not as gross as it sounds". Have I mentioned that Vaughan loves Faith? I hope Joss will give him the spinoff rights.

Jeanty demonstrates some improvement - his Mayor looks great and Giles has several good panels. Faith is drawn better than in the previous issues, but Jeanty's alternate cover is incredibly ugly! Still there are some inspiring visual decisions in the issue, like Faith-Gigi fight taking place at sunset, with the blood-red sky as a backdrop.

About the story. *le sigh*

The story works great as long as you don't search something deep and significant in it. It's good entertainment, well-paced and provided with a requisite Valuable Moral Lesson. But it's a story of convenient situations, easy choices and artificial conflicts.

I already pointed out at multiple convenient situations in the summary. The ultimale convenience is Vaughan's decision to make Gigi's death accidental. He saves Faith from a hard choice - either kill Gigi or let her go knowing that she may strike again. Obviously, writer is too attached to the character to put her in a no-win situation.

Maybe my problem is measuring up comics by TV show standards. Onscreen Faith (as well as all the other characters) had been constantly put in no-win situations and had to make hard and unpleasant choices. Compared to them this watered down resolution is a shameful cop-out that highlights the very nature of comic-vs-TVshow dichotomy.

There are two types of conflicts between characters in fiction - real and artificial. Real ones are based on characters' different worldviews. Artificial ones are based on misunderstandings. This is the latter kind of conflict, when good guys are angry at each other because of unlucky circumstances. Giles doesn't want to cooperate with Buffy or anybody else in the castle either because he suspects there is a mole there or because he's overprotective. So he chooses Faith. Buffy finds out about his undercover operation in the worst possible situation and snaps at him, demanding the explanation. He can't waste time on explanations when Faith's life is in danger, so he snaps at Buffy, etc.

The problem with artificial conflicts is that they produce artificial resolutions. In the person of Gigi Faith killed her own metaphorical dark side and obsession with Buffy. What has changed? Instead of killing baby vampires she will be mentoring girls who kill baby vampires? I'd rather see her actively fighting.

Spoilery speculations.

1. So, there is a spy in Buffy's inner circle. If I were trying to figure him out using logic and common sense, my prime candidate would be Giles, because during his battle with Roden he acted as a person who knows the Twilight guidebook by heart. But logic and common sense are hardly applicable to BtVS (using logic and common sense I can easily prove that the real Doctor in As You Were is Riley). I'm pretty sure that Core Four are immune. Dear Xander fans, don't sweat and relax - this is a story of convenient situations, easy choices and artificial conflicts. The spy is either inadvertent (for example, New!Initiative managed to hide a bug in Xander's eyepatch) or an extra nobody cares about. Or he hasn't been introduced yet. (Just like the kiss of true love from a character who wasn't there in the room?) :)

2. Is Flying Boots the Big Bad of the season? Joss says he is. Anyway, by now the hierarchy of seasonal villains is already quite complicated to add another one. First we saw Amy and Warren; then we discovered New!Initiative; then we met Roden; now it looks like they are just pawns in Flying Boots's game. His official goal - to get rid of the magic - sounds as a trick to lull military's vigilance. After all, he's able to levitate! Could he be somebody we know? Easily. Military subplot and the promise of Riley return make Adam the best candidate.

3. Curiously, the detail that tortures me the most is the red demon on Faith's t-shirt on the last panels. It looks like the last-minute addition because it's obvious that it wasn't drawed but was copy-pasted from somewhere. The picture of demon doesn't follow the folds of the fabric of the t-shirt. I wonder if it was added to make the panels more vivid or the red demon is a foreshadowing of something sinister happening to Faith?

Bottom line: Interesting albeit not completely successful attempt to bring a bit of Avengers cool to Charlie's Angels universe.

Comments

[elisi]

I only see her hurt and feeling betrayed.
But why does she feel betrayed? Quoting mickeygs:

"As for Giles, this is the guy who she forgave for systematically hypnotizing her, sticking a needle in her arm, lying about it, letting her continue to patrol in this state and subsequently playing a part in almost getting her mother killed. As far as betrayals go, it's hard to top. She forgave him for wanting to kill her sister! Did they not watch EOD? Chosen? They were totally on good terms."

ETA: She also forgave him for leaving her when she most needed him, and for trying to kill Spike behind her back.

As for Giles not 'wanting her a part of this', she very nearly murdered Faith at the end of S3 (aged 18!), to save Angel's life. (Not to mention killing Angel himself in S2.) And she *quipped* about killing Caleb. If it really was a matter of apocalyptic proportions, Buffy would *totally* kill Gigi, and I can't conceive that Giles wouldn't know that. (And interestingly, Wesley got *Faith* to help him capture Angelus, because he knew she wouldn't kill him!)

Oh dear, now I'm ranting again. Very sorry. Do ignore. I just can't get the pieces to fit...

[aycheb.livejournal.com]

Feeling betrayed isn't my interpretation of her mood after giving Giles to Willow. All she talks about is feeling alone.

If it really was a matter of apocalyptic proportions, Buffy would *totally* kill Gigi, and I can't conceive that Giles wouldn't know that.

And yet she wouldn't kill Spike and Giles *totally* knows that. Moreover, even if she would can she, as the public face of her organisation be seen to do so? Would Giles think that was a good idea or something to be avoided at all costs?

[elisi]

All she talks about is feeling alone.
I think I used 'betrayal' because that's what moscow used in her post. The thing is, we've seen a situation like this before, and Buffy was anything but emo:

Angel: "And you can't possibly know what she's going through."
Buffy: "And of course, you do? - I'm sorry. I can't be in your club. I never murdered anybody."

I don't get why Buffy is behaving like a 12 year old, whose father says that she's not his favourite anymore. She a grown woman for crying out loud, and she stopped needing/wanting Giles to look after her *years* before.

And yet she wouldn't kill Spike and Giles *totally* knows that.
Well if you're proposing that she's in love with Gigi, then I'd *love* to hear your theory! ;) But - she said she would be ready to kill *Dawn* to save the world (which was the issue in 'The Gift'). As for Spike, then she killed Angel once - I can't blame her for balking at the same situation. And Spike wasn't evil.

Moreover, even if she would can she, as the public face of her organisation be seen to do so?
Oh obviously she couldn't do it herself. Heck Gigi has pictures of her all over her bedroom. But as the leader she has every right to know what goes on, and - although she wouldn't like it - she'd certainly agree that taking out Gigi would be necessary if it'd stop an apocalypse.

I just don't get emo!Buffy and sneaky!Giles - this is stuff we have done before, and we really need a good explanation. (Issue 10 perhaps?)

[aycheb.livejournal.com]

I know why you used 'betrayal' I was just pointing out that what you were critiquing was moscow's interpretation of the text not the text itself.

Angel: "And you can't possibly know what she's going through."
Buffy: "And of course, you do? - I'm sorry. I can't be in your club. I never murdered anybody."
After which Buffy could only appear more like a twelve year old by adding nah, nah, nah,nah, nah to the end of her line. Whereas in the comic as soon as she figures out what Giles has been up to with Faith she hands him over to Willow with instructions to do what she can. You can read her (literally) black mood afterwards however you want but as stormwreath and I have both tried to point out there are perfectly adult justifications for it.

Well if you're proposing that she's in love with Gigi
That's a very Gilesian interpretation of why she wouldn't kill Spike. That she was a woman blinded by her emo to the risks he presented. (And she said she would let Dawn die not kill her.)

She'd certainly agree that taking out Gigi would be necessary if it'd stop an apocalypse.
Would she? Or would she question the need to kill Gigi rather than at least attempt to reform her as you and others vehemently insisted Faith should have done?

[elisi]

I know why you used 'betrayal' I was just pointing out that what you were critiquing was moscow's interpretation of the text not the text itself.
Sorry. I actually don't have a problem with Buffy feeling betrayed - that's perfectly natural. It's her *reaction* to this that rings false. A betrayed Buffy gets *angry*. Sure you can fanwank it any way you like, but she looks devastated, like Giles was being really, really mean and now she just wants to go off and have a good cry. As others have said, maybe Jeanty misunderstood what he was supposed to draw. *shrugs*

That's a very Gilesian interpretation of why she wouldn't kill Spike. That she was a woman blinded by her emo to the risks he presented.
Well the reason I *like* the situation, is because it isn't as simple as Giles sees it. Yes Buffy is probably in part blinded by her emotions. But Spike is also someone she's trying to save ("I believe in you, Spike"), someone she feels guilty for using, someone who is a great fighter (the best beside her) and (de-triggered) could invaluable*, and someone she trusts and cares about - the same she does her other friends. What about Willow f.ex? Who 'can't even do a locator spell without getting black roots'. Willow gone wrong could do far, far more damage than Spike, and yet there's no conspiracies against her (remember 'The Killer in Me'? Willow was unstable, and couldn't control her magic). She could have wiped out the Potentials with a flick of her wrist. Can you imagine what would have happened if Giles had tried to have *her* killed?

Would she? Or would she question the need to kill Gigi rather than at least attempt to reform her as you and others vehemently insisted Faith should have done?
Well we don't know, but judging from s8 so far, Buffy would have less qualms than f.ex. Willow. "All's fair" as Dawn says... s8 Buffy is a tough cookie. Or so I thought.

Honestly I can't make heads or tails of anything. Maybe BKV just doesn't know Buffy very well.

*And it turns out she is right: Save the vampire with a soul, save the world. ;)

[aycheb.livejournal.com]

Well the reason I *like* the situation, is because it isn't as simple as Giles sees it.
So when you asked if I were proposing that Buffy were in love with Gigi you meant to ask whether I were proposng that Giles believed Buffy to be in love with Gigi? Meaning that Giles should think Buffy would allow him to arrange Gigi's assasination because he believes she's still a little girl who would only have qualms if such an order had someone she had personal feelings for as its target? But I thought you were primarily arguing that Giles knew and respected Buffy better now and that was why it was out of character for the comics to have him keep her out of the loop.

Alternatively Giles does now respect that Buffy's big picture view of not beating evil by doing evil (or killing off potential allies) is based on more than emotional entanglements and concludes that finding him arranging Slayer assasinations without trial will provoke a similar reaction to the one he got when he setting up Spike's summary execution. But Giles does believe in the power of Buffy's name and in the message about the 'chain' of sisterhood and thinks it vital to protect that and not to draw her into his behind the scenes wetworks. He never assented to her crack about the lack of communication being such a bad thing.

I don't know what Buffy is thinking anymore than I knew what miss psycho pep squad really felt about the constant clomping of teenage girly feet in Potential so I look forward to the next issue with great anticipation. But it strikes me that another reason for Buffy's black mood after hearing Giles's refusal to involve her is that she now realises how badly she misjudged Faith and feels guilty about that.

[elisi]

So when you asked if I were proposing that Buffy were in love with Gigi you meant to ask whether I were proposng that Giles believed Buffy to be in love with Gigi?
Umm... it was supposed to be a joke.

I just find Giles to be an enigma. I wish we'd get inside his head, 'cause I can't. (And that's v. unusual - getting inside character's heads is what I love doing. Without that insight, what's the point?)

I look forward to the next issue with great anticipation
Me too. I'm just not raising my hopes very far.

But it strikes me that another reason for Buffy's black mood after hearing Giles's refusal to involve her is that she now realises how badly she misjudged Faith and feels guilty about that.
Well that's a neat idea. I don't think that's it, but it'd be nice.

[goodbyebird]

Save the vampire with a soul, save the world

*suddenly has a mental image of Spike in a cheerleader outfit*
gah!

[stormwreath.livejournal.com]

How many times can you forgive somebody for betraying you before it starts to wear you down?

In S3, Giles was Buffy's beloved father figure. She had a vested interest in forgiving him - and he was so contrite after 'Helpless' that it was easy to do. His betrayal in 'Tabula Rasa' was much harder for Buffy to forgive; but she managed anyway (in 'Grave'). But his betrayal in 'Lies...'? I'm not so sure. I have watched EoD... the only interaction between Buffy and Giles is a sarcastic comment from her about the good guys' lack of communication skills. Hardly good terms. (The same episode also has Faith saying "you and I can never get along" and Buffy accepting that without argument).

Yes, they were friendly enough in 'Chosen', at least after Buffy explains her plan to defeat The First... but still, exception for impending death situations. Personal rivalries tend to seem less important the night before the Apocalypse, or in the first triumphant flush of victory.

Buffy is struggling with the isolation and responsibility of leading an organisation vaster than anything she's known before; and she takes her responsibilities seriously. Giles is undermining her, demonstrating lack of trust in her. No wonder she feels betrayed.

[moscow-watcher.livejournal.com]

Buffy is struggling with the isolation and responsibility of leading an organisation vaster than anything she's known before; and she takes her responsibilities seriously. Giles is undermining her, demonstrating lack of trust in her. No wonder she feels betrayed.

It's hard to argue because we don't know Giles' current status regarding the Slayer organization. He says to Faith that he's the Watcher Council, but it can either mean that he's in charge of the whole Slayer organization or that he's the one and only member of the Council left and Buffy's organization has nothing to do with the "Council".

Inexplicably Giles has enough power and contacts to provide Faith with authentic American passport even after breaking contact with Buffy.

But I think that Vaughan had never asked himself how it was possible so I won't either. And I suspect that Joss is intentionally keeping the reader in the dark about Giles' current rank in the slayer organization. I suppose Joss plans to use Giles as a wild card in his schemes and to do that needs certain wiggling room.

[stormwreath.livejournal.com]

Giles has enough power and contacts to provide Faith with authentic American passport even after breaking contact with Buffy

Or he'd already arranged for Faith's new identity and passport before the mission started?

[elisi]

the only interaction between Buffy and Giles is a sarcastic comment from her about the good guys' lack of communication skills.
And here he is, 18 months later, and he *still* hasn't got the point? Maybe he's senile. Or - maybe that's why she looks so stricken! He's got Altzheimers! They had similar conversations 5 times before, but he can't remember it - and she knows there's no point arguing, because he thinks she's 16!

The same episode also has Faith saying "you and I can never get along" and Buffy accepting that without argument
*throws hands up in frustration*
That scene is - like every other scene in that episode - a long, extended period of two characters giving and receiving support, re-building old bonds. It reminds me most of all of Spike & Angel: We might not like each other all that much, but we *understand* each other/we're not alone. And that is - literally - priceless. Buffy has struggled *all* season with being the sole person in charge, and we saw how it weighed on her. Now - thanks to 'Empty Places'/Touched - Faith has gone through exactly the same thing (right down to getting some Potentials killed). And - Faith lets Buffy know that she 'gets it', and Buffy lets Faith know that feeling crappy and guilty is just normal. It's how she feels all the time.

And as for 'accepting it without argument', then Buffy's reply is: "Also, you went evil and were killing people." Ergo, since Faith is no longer evil and killing people (and in fact is now the only person who understands her), Buffy is saying that they have a chance for getting along.

I *love* this scene:

BUFFY: But you're right. I mean, I... I guess everyone's alone. But being a slayer? There's a burden we can't share.
FAITH: And no one else can feel it. (beat) Thank God we're hot chicks with superpowers.

(Oh and if you point to 'there's a burden we can't share' to prove your point, then I'm going to have your head examined, OK? There 'Cause next you'll be taking 'I signalled her with my eyes' literally.)

Giles is undermining her, demonstrating lack of trust in her. No wonder she feels betrayed.
You know, I'm just going to blame Jeanty. It's either that or accepting that this girl ain't Buffy. At least not a Buffy I care to know or read about. (It happens all the time in fic. Sometimes I even rant - last time that happened I broke almost every Spuffy shippers' heart on my flist. *sigh*)

[stormwreath.livejournal.com]

We might not like each other all that much, but we *understand* each other/we're not alone.

I think we're in violent and bitter agreement on that part, actually. Faith and Buffy were finally able to open up and be honest with each other, after all the passive-aggressive snarking and punch-throwing of the past few days (mostly on Buffy's part, I have to say). They affirmed their common ground; they (re)discovered that they're more alike than any other two people. But they weren't friends again all of a sudden. The potential for friendship was re-opened, I agree; but acknowledging the past and agreeing to make a fresh start is only the start of the process, not the end. It takes more than a joke about being hot chicks with superpowers to do that.

Would I personally have been happier if Joss and Brian had decided to let Faith's incipient reborn friendship with Buffy blossom over the last 18 months instead of apparently being still-born? Maybe so... although "and they all lived happily ever after" makes a better ending to a story than a beginning and middle." But that's not the route they chose.

[elisi]

But they weren't friends again all of a sudden.
I didn't say that. At least I don't think I did, and if I did, that's not what I meant. I pointed out the potential, and - on Buffy's side - I think she now understood Faith far better than before (thanks to S6 etc). The major outcome was that they knew they could rely on each other - a little like Buffy knew she could trust Spike at the end of S5. She might have personal problems with him, but she knew where his loyalties lay.

Would I personally have been happier if Joss and Brian had decided to let Faith's incipient reborn friendship with Buffy blossom over the last 18 months instead of apparently being still-born? Maybe so... although "and they all lived happily ever after" makes a better ending to a story than a beginning and middle."
My problem isn't that they didn't go the friendship way. My problem is that they skipped the story. Using Spike again, it's like the last ep we saw was 'The Gift' and now suddenly we're at 'Beneath You', but don't have a clue what happened in S6. Because the Buffy/Faith interaction in 'No Future For You' is not the result of a 'stillborn' friendship - Buffy's reaction is as violent and angry as it was when she found Faith in Angel's arms. And I can't for the life of me think what happened to make her behave like that - and I doubt we'll be told. They gave us the end of a story, after the merest hint of a beginning, and if I'm to care about a potential friendship gone wrong, I have to see it go wrong. Does that make sense?

ETA: Although a 'Happily ever after' is nice, that's not what I want/need. If Buffy had fallen into Faith's arms, sobbing with relief, I wouldn't have been satisfied either. I'm willing to follow a story in almost any direction as long as the writer makes it believable.

It also occurred to me that 'season 8' is misnamed. It should be 'season 9'.

[stormwreath.livejournal.com]

I didn't say that. At least I don't think I did, and if I did, that's not what I meant.
I was agreeing with you there too, then. :-) I've just watched that scene again - twice - and what I see is a wary respect and recognition of what they've got in common.

Actually, I did see something else... when Buffy says her line about a 'burden we can't share' and Faith adds 'and no-one else can feel it', the camera closes in on Buffy's face and an odd expression passes across it for a moment. I wonder if that's when she got her idea about sharing the Slayer power?

Buffy's reaction is as violent and angry as it was when she found Faith in Angel's arms. And I can't for the life of me think what happened to make her behave like that

I'm going to echo what idiotnighthawk posted in my journal. She's just been kidnapped, thrown up, had a homicidal Slayer attack her, and just when she'd overpowered her enemy Faith intervened and saved Gigi's life by throwing Buffy out of a second storey window. I think a little anger is understandable... And Buffy doesn't get really furious until Faith claims she's working with Giles, which Buffy naturally interprets to mean that either Faith is lying or Giles was deceiving Buffy.

And yes, it effectively is season 9...

[elisi]

I wonder if that's when she got her idea about sharing the Slayer power?
I think it niggled something at the back of her mind, but it didn't blossom until her talk with The First later on.

She's just been kidnapped, thrown up, had a homicidal Slayer attack her, and just when she'd overpowered her enemy Faith intervened and saved Gigi's life by throwing Buffy out of a second storey window. I think a little anger is understandable...
And if that was where it ended, then I *might* just maybe be able to understand it. But issue 9 pretty much puts paid to the idea that it was just the shock and confusing that caused her to lash out. And her extreme reaction to 'I don't want you to be part of this' is still so jarring that it annoys me even more than the artwork. If this was an ordinary fic I'd have walked away long ago. Dunno why I can't this time. I think it's a cross between curiosity, masochism and hope springing eternal.

And I *so* shouldn't be here... *looks at stack of Christmas cards and sighs*

ETA: And yes, it effectively is season 9...
The thing is, I didn't watch Season 3 when the show first aired, which caused some confusion later on. (*g*) However, this I was able to remedy and filling in the blanks was hugely enjoyable. I can't do this with the comics, and I worry that in many cases there quite simply isn't a coherent back-story.