Buffy issue 10 summary and analysis (spoilers)

[moscow_watcher]

Summary:

Buffy and Willow fly to a Sephrillian demon to ask him for help. Willow levitates in the air, Buffy clings to her. To distract herself from her fear of flying, Buffy fantasizes about Daniel Craig and Willow fantasizes about Tina Fey.

The lair of the demon has a Tardis-like effect: it looks like a small dilapidated house on the outside and like an enormous cave with a staircase on the inside. It's an unstable reality where "time and logic and everything's just bendy in the brain".

The lair is guarded by a "minder" Robin (guest star Robin Balzer who won her role in a letter contest). She says to the girls cryptic words "the important thing is that you rescue the prince" and the girls enter the lair.

Once there, Willow says other cryptic words "ah, l'esprit d'escolier". In French "l'esprit" means spirit and "escolier" is a weird hydrid of the words "ecolier" - "pupil" and "escalier" - "staircase". (I wonder if it's a clue to some future plot twist or just a misspelling). They follow the route, Buffy fantasizes about two Christian Bales at once, then asks Willow about Kennedy - and then a Sephrillian demon appears. It looks like a sand worm from Dune, with a square board attached to his tail. The board features pictures of what look like masks of Greek theater.

Demon informs them that The Twilight's goal is to terminate all demons and all magic. He also tells them they can't accept "the horrible beauty of total awareness" and shows them... ta-dam! Buffy and her slayer squad robbing the Swiss bank... ta-dam! Willow cheating on Kennedy with a half-woman, half-snake. Interestingly, Buffy tries to lie to Willow even when they see the robbery in progress, but Willow quickly realises: "so the mysterious benefactor bankrolling the slayer army..." Buffy tries to justify her actions "It's all insured! It's a victimless crime! And we totally found a Watto the Nazis hid and sent it to the Tate".

In the next scene Willow asks Robin the minder "Has this happened yet?" (?)

Robin shows them Buffy - cut, bleeding, crying - and tells about "betrayal. The closest, the most unexpected".

Willow tells Buffy that she is already betraying her by not letting Kennedy participate in the Slayer program. She is afraid that she'll die like Tara.

The Sephrillian demon speechifies about the upcoming war and weak humans. Buffy, angry, kills him. The place becomes unstable, the girls get thrown out of the lair, and it blows up. Buffy and Willow go away in a bad mood.

In a parallel story Dawn tells Xander that she hasn't slept with Kenny - she has slept with his roommate Nick.

Analysis:

I like Cliff Richards art. A lot. Finally the characters look like young adults, not like children.

I'm saying that because I desperately want to sound positive. I'm afraid I can't - but I don't want to whine and complain. I remember back in 2002-2003 people whined about later seasons (which I love dearly) and were telling that Buffy has lost it's spirit. And now I'm ready to repeat these words. Do I turn into a grumpy hag?

Anyway I'll try to formulate what's wrong different with season 8 in my opinion. I know that many people enjoy it; please, don't throw rotten fruits at me.

To me, Buffyverse's most interesting aspects are stories about love and friendship. Buffy\Spike. Willow\Tara. Xander\Anya. These characters went through hell because of love and I was there with them. In seasons 1-7 BtVS was a drama\comedy about relationships with strong metaphorical subtext. Relationships were the stars of the show; conspiracies were supporting players.

I remember back in 2003 I was mostly concerned if Buffy would confess her love for Spike. I also wanted to know if Xander and Anya would make up; if Faith and Buffy would finally overcome their differences.

Right now I'm wondering who's the traitor. I visit DH board and I notice that other fans are also mostly arguing about the identity of the Twilight's source in the castle. It's understandable: his existence is so hyped; it's mentioned in two consecutive issues, we are teased with it again and again. It's interesting and uninvolving at the same time. It's like Lost. I watch the show with interest but all I care about is the conspiracy. Who lives, who dies, who falls for whom - what's the difference?

Long story short, I think that season 8 is made in different genre. It's a political thriller with detective elements. It's a story about a complex conspiracy with a requisite traitor in the middle of supposedly good guys. Conspiracy is the star, characters serve the plot twists. The plot demands Buffy to rob a bank. She robs a bank. Tomorrow the plot will demand Willow to become a movie star. Or a FBI agent. And she will become the next Julia Roberts or a government spy.

I don't say that Buffy can't rob a bank. Or that Willow can't be a movie star. But I need a motivation. If, say, Buffy did it in a desperate situation to save somebody's life, I'd cheer such plot twist. I love moral dilemmas. But this is not the case. Obviously she did it just because "it's only money". Or maybe she did it for a valid reason but we'll find about it in 5 years when emotionally it won't matter anymore.

I wonder why Joss has switched to another genre. Has he decided that the audience won't be able to care about the relationships of comic characters the way they cared when they were played by actors? Did he find the comic format more suitable for the story about global human\demon stand-off rather than for a more intimate story about relationships? Hard to say.

About the issue 10 per se. The word "unnecessary" comes to mind, and, although I try to chase it away, it refuses to go. What happens to season 8 reminds me the situation with Harry Potter saga. Each new volume was thicker and more extensive than the previous one. I couldn't finish it. I only read the spoilers that has leaked online a week before the publication date of the last book and that was enough. I think that right now Joss is in danger of following in Rowling's footsteps and becoming self-indulgent. He writes just because he likes to write. For example, it takes him four pages to tell that Dawn has slept with one character we never met instead of the other character we never met. And - what? Nothing.

At least now we know why Buffy hasn't exposed general Voll's activities to the American goverment. Because she's also a criminal.

Or not. Current issue is so ambiguous it's really baffling. Willow's question to Robin - "Has this happened yet?" - indicates that even Buffy's mentioning the details of the robbery may be a fluke of unstable reality. What Buffy and Willow saw could be truth or lie. It has either happened or will happen or won't happen. Looks like the goal of the issue is to stir up fans and make them paranoid.

Or maybe Joss just drags it out to make more money.

Or maybe he has a big plan for the whole season.

Questions, questions...

-- Is the Sephrillian demon with Greek masks on his tail the metaphor or art? If that's the case there is a definite echo of Once More With Feeling, where demon Sweet was also the metaphor of art (in his case, singing and dancing) that made people say dangerous truths and get burned by them.

-- Is Robin a good or a bad guy? There is the mention that Robin Balzer relates to Drusilla who is her "fantasy icon" in the letter column. Hmmm...

-- Is Buffy with two Christian Bales a parody on her relationship with her vampires? Bale-the-sweet-charmer from Little Women could be the parody on Spike\William and Bale-the-dragonslayer from Reign of Fire could be a parody on Angel.

-- Is it amorphous "now" or very concrete summer of 2007? Casino Royale premiered in November 2006 and it's summer outside...

Bottom line: I'm not sure I'll go on writing reviews on BtVS. Anyway I'll go on reading them. And I'll definitely continue to read and rec fanfiction, though.

Comments

[beer-good-foamy.livejournal.com]

Or Bale from Mio My Mio, which has evil knights and swords & sorcery and a distinct Connor vibe. Though he was only 13 in that one, so I guess it would be sort of weird.

[stormwreath.livejournal.com]

In Buffy's case we know nothing about the circumstances of the bank robbery. She may be doing it because it's the only way to save the world. Or because she wants to buy a castle and have fun. Or because the wants to rule the world a-la Austin Powers.

I don't want to go on about this because I'm afraid it'll get boring, but I must say one thing:

You list several possible motivations for a random person to engage in theft, yes. But how many of them are possibly motives for the character of Buffy that we've seen developed over seven and a half years to engage in theft? Really?

To me, the answer is so screamingly obvious that the only questions I have are under what circumstances did Buffy come to the conclusion that theft was the only way to save the world; and do her friends and colleagues agree with her or will this cause a rift between them; and what will her guilty consciuence drive her to do next?

[stormwreath.livejournal.com]

That's what I was referring to as well: Buffy lying to Willow about being in heaven, and so forth. She's done it before.

And yes, it was uncomfortable then and I'm pretty sure it's supposed to be uncomfortable now. Like I said in my own review: Buffy and Willow can still fight together in perfect synchronisation; their differences haven't severed the basic bond between them. But it does mean that they can't face looking at each other for a while, and walk off far apart and not talking to each other at the end of the comic. (Which is another trope the TV show often used as the final scene to a sad episode; characters walking away from each other in silence. 'Harsh Light of Day', 'Selfless', 'Tabula Rasa' etc).

[speakr2customrs.livejournal.com]

I like The Long Way Home but #5 The Chain is my fave so far.

It was "The Chain" that killed the comics for me; I got half way through, decided that it was utter drivel, and stopped reading. I haven't been able to force myself to start again.

[moscow-watcher.livejournal.com]

Ethan like Giles aren't so important because they're old, male and don't look good in skimpy clothes

I still hope for some surprise on Giles-Ethan front, but it looks like Giles won't be featured much in the next issues... :(

[moscow-watcher.livejournal.com]

Blimey, you did better then me then. I felt absolutely bugger all for the character. I just can't be arsed to 'emote' for someone I've barely 'met' I'm afraid.

I suppose my background played a role. I met people who fought in Soviet-Afghan war and killed Afghan civilians. And they were regarded as heroes. And I know that they'd sacrifice their lives saving Russian women and children as willingly and without second thoughts as they killed Afghan women and children.

To me, The Chain is a brilliant exploration of a hero as a monster. A regular hero is usually a brainwashed person who is ready to die for a higher purpose. People who fought and died for Stalin, for Hitler. Japanese kamikaze pilots. Al-Qaeda terrorists.

To me, decoy!Buffy is the ultimate existential hero. She fought in the war where both sides are bad guys. She has provoked the demons and unleashed the war in which many creatures of different species died. She was brainwashed by shiny Council slogans and she has done a lot of harm.

Yet she saved without hesitation her schoolmates when she has stopped the truck in the schoolyard. She believed she did the right thing when she has started the war. And she died believing she's a hero.

And, ultimately, it's the only thing that matters.

[moscow-watcher.livejournal.com]

It was "The Chain" that killed the comics for me; I got half way through, decided that it was utter drivel, and stopped reading. I haven't been able to force myself to start again.

It's incredible how differently people see the same stories. I remember that simonf called Buffyverse fandom the most fragmentized fandom ever! I met a lot of people who didn't like The Chain and a lot of people who like it but perceive it from a totally opposite viewpoint.

Re The Chain: I'm copy-pasting my reply to sueworld2003 up the thread:

To me, The Chain is a brilliant exploration of a hero as a monster. A regular hero is usually a brainwashed person who is ready to die for a higher purpose. It's people who fought and died for Stalin, for Hitler. Japanese kamikaze pilots. Al-Qaeda terrorists.

I suppose my background played a role. I met people who fought in Soviet-Afghan war and killed Afghan civilians. And they were regarded as heroes. And I know that they'd sacrifice their lives saving Russian women and children as willingly and without second thoughts as they killed Afghan women and children.

Maybe because of my background, to me, decoy!Buffy is the ultimate existential hero. She fought in the war where both sides are bad guys. She has provoked the demons and unleashed the war in which many creatures of different species died. She was brainwashed by shiny Council slogans and she has done a lot of harm.

Yet she saved without hesitation her schoolmates when she has stopped the truck in the schoolyard. She believed she did the right thing when she has started the war. And she died believing she's a hero.

And, ultimately, it's the only thing that matters.

[moscow-watcher.livejournal.com]

Buffy and Willow can still fight together in perfect synchronisation; their differences haven't severed the basic bond between them.

Or maybe they have planned it before the mission: "If we won't convince the demon to take our side, we'll kill him. You, Willow, should hide your magic mojo. We'll lie to the guardians that we're weaponless and came to talk. And if I decide to kill him and start acting, you'll extract your mojo and throw it to me". :)

Just kidding. It's already three days that I want to read yor review and can't find enough time. First I didn't read it because I wanted to write mine without your influence. Now I'm replying the comments.

But I'll get to you soon! :)

[moscow-watcher.livejournal.com]

Ха, теперь понятно, что Джосс никакого отношения к успеху BtVS не имел! Он просто присвоил себе чужую славу – настоящими создателями являются Ноксон, Гринвальт, Фьюри и проч. А мы то считали эту посредственность «гением».

Это сказано в шутку или как? :)

Честно говоря, у меня сильное подозрение, что у Джосса кризис среднего возраста. Отягощенное упоением возможностью делать все, что взбредет в голову. Когда я увидела "ту самую" панельку с втройничком, я подумала: "Ох, Джосс, телевизионной цензуры на тебя нет!" :)

В войне Твайлайта и людей против демонов и магии, Баффи выберет сторону… демонов.

Ну нет. Она возьмет на вооружение принцип Иллирии: "Не служи никому кроме собственных амбиций" и станет всепланетным диктатором! :)

И продолжайте писать ревьюшки!

Я постараюсь. Как-то скучно мне стало после этого выпуска. Какие-то новые герои, которых я совершенно не знаю...

[moscow-watcher.livejournal.com]

Heh.

< full conspiracy mode >
Don't forget that Bale's first role was Russian tsarevich Aleksei. And in the comic Robin says "the important thing is that you rescue the prince".
< / full conspiracy mode >

[beer-good-foamy.livejournal.com]

And one of Bale's latest roles is in Rescue Dawn! Maybe Dawn's last look out the window means she's about to be kidnapped...?

[mrs-underhill.livejournal.com]

Hmm, it's the first time I didn't even have the energy to comment on the issue in the reviews of others. Because it has so many strange things happening to our heroes and provides so little explanation that I can't find the substance to talk about, and fanwank seems less and less entertaining.
I'll wait for a couple of more issues to see where Joss is taking it, then comment. Right now I just don't want to guess - I want more substance from the authors, more basis for our guesses and fanwank.

I can't say it feels like a detective story/thriller for me. We had a great character study of Faith. We had a lot of philosophical exploration in Chain. We had Twilight plot developing but that also leans towards idea-based storytelling rather than plot-based storytelling. It seems to continue the exploration of "it's all about power" ideas from Buffy-7. Yes, it has much less focus on our heroes and their relationships that B7, but B7 also had a very strong ideology aspect (even though it wasn't a favorite with fans), and that's what I see continuing. Power which corrupts, power and resonsibility which is changing a person. Trying to affect the world, and what are the consequences of that.

It's just - it's so slow, and the things which are revealed are about the characters/ships I have the least investment on the show: Willow, Willow/Kennedy, Dawn. Yes, it looks like it might go into an interesting and unsafe place for everyone. But until it gets there - I'll just wait and see.

I only wanted to note that Willow doesn't come out of it looking any way better than Buffy. She seems to be stunningly delusional about her and Kennedy life and the way she can protect Kennedy from that horrible karma of Buffy. But the irony here is that Willow herself made Kenendy into a slayer, made her like Buffy in every aspect - and even alreday managed to put her through the mystical death similar to Buffy's. And coupling with demons, going further and further from humanity and turning into a powerful magical creature - I can't see how that way of life is safer and more "white picked fense" that being around Buffy (which again was already pointed out by Kennedy being through death and being left for a "magical walk-about"). I'm sorry, but that whole tearful explanation to Buffy and Kennedy was full of BS and self-delusion, and I hope we'll see it at such at some point.

Also I'm absolutely sure that we are meant to be shocked and horrified by Buffy's robbing a bank because a clear parallel was made both by Willow and by the visual clue between Buffy and the Trio/Warren. They too started with just the money, with stealing sparkly things, with robbing banks. And we remember how it ended.

Also - a great point about "terrible awareness" brought on by Sweet in OMWF and by Sephrilian.

[mrs-underhill.livejournal.com]

the only questions I have are under what circumstances did Buffy come to the conclusion that theft was the only way to save the world; and do her friends and colleagues agree with her or will this cause a rift between them; and what will her guilty consciuence drive her to do next?
Heh, those are the most burning questions for me, and until we get answers for them, see the underlying story, I feel there's nothing to discuss. ;) And if we don't get those answers at all - then, well, there *was* nothing to discuss in there in the first place, IMHO.

[mrs-underhill.livejournal.com]

As I noted in my reply: I think it's an idea-based story rather than a plot-based story. Joss is going all philosophical on us, at the expense of the characters. But we saw that happening in S7 as well, when potentials and the ideological agenda took over the characters. Characters are becoming illustrations for the philosophical points.
I think it will continue in this venue, with character development coming mostly from other writers who are more invested into the characters. Like we had with Faith arc.

[mrs-underhill.livejournal.com]

I wonder if Joss doesn't mention Ethan because he prepares a surprise or because he has completely forgotten about him...
I'm afraid that was the last we've seen of Ethan. He always was an episodical character. And he was forgotten well enough for the 3 seasons after Season 4. Can't see why it would be different now.

[moscow-watcher.livejournal.com]

To me, the answer is so screamingly obvious that the only questions I have are under what circumstances did Buffy come to the conclusion that theft was the only way to save the world;

Yet she doesn't say "it was a matter of life and death" or " the destiny of the mankind was at stake". Her first reaction is: "It's all insured! It's a victimless crime! And we totally found a Watto the Nazis hid and sent it to the Tate".

It's just... weird. Could the ubstable reality create the aberrations of people's behavior?

[moscow-watcher.livejournal.com]

But we know a great deal about Buffy and about Joss from all the seasons that have gone before. People's assumptions about the unknown circumstances simply reveal their own interpretations of the character and the writer. Reading back though the comics I can see all kinds of similarities to the way Buffy's reacted before to feeling under pressure (S7), to having done things she's ashamed of or conflicted about (S6). There's also the precedent of Dawn (who we now know all the circumstances of) covering and lashing out. That's the character background. On the external circumstances we have the increase in magical activity in general and demonic activity in particular, demon armies attacking the world used to be the unique innovation of the First Evil. I hardly think the Buffyverse has become a safer, less violent place since its containment. Last but not least, metaphorically just as Angel going to work at W&H evoked the idea of a former Greenpeace activist signing up with Shell Oil, Buffy finding and working with all the other Slayers recalls the way young people discover political activism, although Equality Now is probably a better model than Greenpeace.

Well, maybe. But up the thread quinara and beer_good_foamy discuss the possibility of bank robbery being played "for lolz", and, again, I repeat "maybe". I feel disoriented. I can't understand if we're supposed to be serious about that Buffy who gets distracted by shiny trinket during the robbery. Be it the TV show, I would be guided by the appropriate music, by serious or comical acting, by camera movements. In comic I'm clueless.

it's like that screenshot analysis of the death of the deputy mayor, you're not seeing the wood for the trees, the line for the letters. Misprint or mispronunciation, in context it's funny, clever and true.

I think the scene in Bad Girls is pretty ambiguous even without the screenshot analysis; as to the idiom in question I agree that it could be misspelling or misprint.

[moscow-watcher.livejournal.com]

We had a great character study of Faith.

Written, ironically, by first-time BtVS writer! :)

Willow doesn't come out of it looking any way better than Buffy. She seems to be stunningly delusional about her and Kennedy life and the way she can protect Kennedy from that horrible karma of Buffy. But the irony here is that Willow herself made Kenendy into a slayer, made her like Buffy in every aspect - and even alreday managed to put her through the mystical death similar to Buffy's.

It's still very vague. We know that there is about 1800 slayers and about 500 of them work in Buffy's organization. Are they brainwashed to believe that robbing the banks for the higher purpose is OK? Is Willow afraid that Buffy will turn Kennedy into a criminal? Hard to say.

Also I'm absolutely sure that we are meant to be shocked and horrified by Buffy's robbing a bank because a clear parallel was made both by Willow and by the visual clue between Buffy and the Trio/Warren. They too started with just the money, with stealing sparkly things, with robbing banks. And we remember how it ended.

Good point. Hopefully you're right. Still I can't completely exclude the possibility of playing it for laughs. Do you remember that in Him it turned out that Buffy kept in her house the rocket-laucher Xander and Cordy has stolen in season 2? It was funny - but Buffy was under the spell, so we could easily forgive her...

Also - a great point about "terrible awareness" brought on by Sweet in OMWF and by Sephrilian.

What bothers me is that Joss is recycling his past ideas. Brilliant ideas, but still...

[mrs-underhill.livejournal.com]

Is Willow afraid that Buffy will turn Kennedy into a criminal? Hard to say.
Actually this one is easy to answer because Willow learned about Buffy being a criminal this very second. While she's been keeping Kennedy away for a year. So *that* could not been her motive - and she explained her motive pretty well anyway. One of the few things which was well explained in this issue. She's keeping Kennedy away to protect her from the violent life surrounding Buffy. Heh, what about a violent life surronding Willow? And any generic slayer?

As for playing for laughs: if there's one guy who was treated seriously as a nasty, nasty person that would be Warren. Buffy got compared to Warren. That one Joss would never laugh off.

[aycheb.livejournal.com]

I didn't get much sense of the plot falling into place in this issue, the thing that fell into place for me was the characterisation. Just as I'd begun to think Buffy was acting strangely suddenly it all makes sense. Similarily the odd tension in the Buffy Willow relationship, warmth but only as long as they never touched on anything serious. Even Giles actions have more depth now.

I don't really think it's so easy to separate plot, philosophy and characterisations. Characterisation is what happens when you see how the characters respond to the plot and rom that the themes follow. I liked S7 because even while people seemed to be criticising it because Buffy was a bad leader and the show wasn't following Sun Tzu approved principles management it seemed to me to be all about how the weight of responsibility she had as leader would feel. How it would affect her.

[moscow-watcher.livejournal.com]

Actually this one is easy to answer because Willow learned about Buffy being a criminal this very second. While she's been keeping Kennedy away for a year.

There could be similar incidents on a lesser scale.

As for playing for laughs: if there's one guy who was treated seriously as a nasty, nasty person that would be Warren. Buffy got compared to Warren. That one Joss would never laugh off.

I've just read the transcript of the latest Brian Lynch's podcast. Here's his estimation of Buffy's bank robbery: "It's not the right thing that she's doing, but it's not a terrible thing that's she's doing".

This is the opinion of a person who works closely to Joss. ::shrugs::

[aycheb.livejournal.com]

Up the thread quinara and beer_good_foamy discuss the possibility of bank robbery being played "for lolz"

Their argument seems to be that sometimes Joss did jokes but both examples they give are not only funny, they're also revealing of the characters. Tucker really is that shallow and Spike would so be distracted from his pontificating by a shiny, shiny blowjob.

[moscow-watcher.livejournal.com]

Their argument seems to be that sometimes Joss did jokes but both examples they give are not only funny, they're also revealing of the characters. Tucker really is that shallow and Spike would so be distracted from his pontificating by a shiny, shiny blowjob.

:)))))))))))))))))))

OK, different example: here's what Brian Lynch (who writes AtF) says about Buffy's robbery

It's not the right thing that she's doing, but it's not a terrible thing that's she's doing, and seeing how that plays out is gonna be cool.

The transcript of Brian Lynch's podcast is here

http://community.livejournal.com/angel6_atf/33289.html

Lynch works together with Joss so I suppose he shares his worldview. I wonder if writers look at Buffy's criminal activities more tolerantly.

[shapinglight]

I like her too, but here she's so grotesque I can't feel for her. Every time I see her I can't help remembering Almodovar's film Talk To Her. It features a movie within the movie - a fake old film about an incredibly shrinking man who eventually hides in his beloved's vagina. Every time I see Dawn with Xander I recall this scene and snicker.

Eek! I've never even seen that film but it's such a striking (and unpleasant/ludicrous) image that I suspect I'll be thinking of it whenever I see Giant!Dawn from now on.

[beer-good-foamy.livejournal.com]

That's a good point, though BtVS was always to some extent idea-driven - hell, taking Joss' oft-quoted inspirational idea of the little blonde girl in the alley kicking the monster's ass, the entire premise of the show is - and that didn't usually stop them from making the characters more or less distinct and consistent before. Maybe the comics are simply too one-dimensional to have BOTH ideas, plots, and characterizations, but...