My review for #37
Okay, glad I’m writing this after Scott Allie did that CBR interview
www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=28834 Anyway, to start: It’s interesting and I think telling that Scott Allie’s name is listed after Joss and Georges, yet Scott was the co-writer. I also find it telling that Scott says in his CBR interview that he had to do a lot of re-writing because of notes and such that Joss gave him.
On to the 8.37.
What the seed is: I find that too much has been ‘made up’ in this Season. First it was the whole SuperSlayer thing that doesn’t really make sense. It makes sense why the Council wouldn’t be happy about rogue Slayers or a Slayer like Buffy. But it doesn’t make sense why Merrick would be so fond of Buffy and especially why Giles would and why Giles would be so okay with Buffy being in love with a vampire like Angel. It would seem like all Watchers would never want to have a Slayer that seems too powerful or too capable.
And so while this seed thing gives another reason why the Sunnydale Hellmouth is so important, it’s also something it seems is simply put there for a reason for Willow to be possibly against Buffy.
But it does provide it seems a reason why there are demons besides vampires in the world. None of the other demons’ existence was ever really explained in the Buffyverse. But the seed seems to provide the explanation that the magic or whatever from the seed created the other demons.
Buffy/Spike stuff:
I assume Buffy takes a shower because she knows that Spike didn’t appreciate her smelling like Angel.
It’s telling that Spike belittles Buffy and Angel by mentioning that neither had a higher education.
They way Buffy talks about why she had sex with Angel, she pretty much says she wanted to and it was like a spiritual experience. So, she’s still not ashamed or anything about her having sex with Angel and she still really liked it.
But it’s also telling that she ‘daydreams’ about it with Spike right there.
Spike is nonplussed about Buffy speaking of her sex with Angel and refers to himself as a “creature”, which I find interesting.
Now the part where Buffy explains herself to Spike about her being under an ‘influence’ still, about him being her dark place, the kissing him and having sex with him: all this is in her head. All Spike hears was Buffy dreamily reminiscing her having sex with Angel and he believes she was still doing so while he explained how they can stop the world from being destroyed. He also remarks that he believes Buffy was a crap student – at some point Spike learned that Giles thought so – because she was always thinking about Angel.
It’s also important and telling that Buffy doesn’t do anything to assuage Spike’s belief that she was daydreaming about having sex with Angel while Spike was explaining to her how they can save the world from being destroyed.
Now, why was Buffy thinking about Spike in these ways in her head? I can’t really say. She’s not horny around him later in the Issue. I don’t really like to speculate but…
I don’t think it’s any kind of spell that Spike has in his bedroom that makes women lust for him, though it could be.
Since he actually co-wrote the Issue, I feel fine to quote Scott Allie from the CBR interview: “Well, it just kind of happens when you're her. I think that's part of it. Buffy has these strong feelings about a couple of different people. If you're talking about her mind getting carried away with her after seeing Spike again after not seeing him for so long, I don't know that you necessarily have to attribute that to the residual effects of Twilight. This is just her, and following what goes on in her head is a little easier to do in the comic than in the TV show. And this is her genuine lustful relationship and feelings for him.”
I assume Joss gave him notes and such on the scene so with that and the other quote…: “Different people certainly have different ideas about the relationship between Buffy and Spike, but to me this thing about him being her dark place feels very consistent. That seems to be a very unchanging aspect of their relationship. She could share things with him that she couldn't share with anybody else in part because she knew she wouldn't be judged. And it's not just that he's "the bad boy." There's a real level of understanding between the two of them.”
…I so far conclude that Buffy still wants Spike to be into her, still has feelings for him, and still lusts for him. And so – if she still will be into Angel after all this Twilight stuff – Buffy still wants them both and would most prefer to be able to have them both. But Buffy like in “Chosen” (7.22) completely blows off what she did with Angel and here blows off that she was dreamily reminiscing about having sex with evilAngel and has Spike believe that she was continuing to daydream while Spike was explaining to her how to save the world. And for some reason right after thinking about her sex with Angel, at least in her head she’s wants to still have a connection – physical and mental – with Spike.
With “Always Darkest”, its possible there’s an extrapolation here that Spike also could have been Twilight and given what we know of the Season before #34, it probably would have been easier. But, the PTB or whoever – perhaps like Wolfram and Hart seemed to do – knew that Angel could easily be manipulated with shiny rewards like being able to be cool and have things he wants while it would have been far more difficult-to-simply-impossible for them to get Spike to do such a thing. Spike it’s unlikely could have been sold on being the CEO of Wolfram and Hart Los Angeles. It’s far more unlikely that he could have ever been persuaded to be Twilight. But this is just speculation on Buffy’s dream in “Always Darkest”.
Xander/Dawn:
Doesn’t make sense. Xander is going to move in with Dawn someplace and they both won’t any longer be part of Buffy and Co.? Or at least less so? And isn’t this moving very fast?
Willow:
So snake lady easily convinces Willow that destroying the seed is a bad thing because it would end all magic on Earth including all demons that aren’t vampires and Slayers. This will save the world and be the best thing to do: rid of the threat of Twilight and the world ever possibly ending. But Willow wouldn’t be able to be a powerful witch anymore and Willow simply cannot have that and actually goes to Buffy telling her that they need to protect the seed. This is obviously setting up that Willow’s possibly the one to betray Buffy.
Angel:
They still haven’t redeemed Angel, which would mean that they tell us that he’s been under an influence since coming through that dimensional tear or whatever that was. Angel doesn’t have a duty or obligation to take Buffy’s concerns over the concerns of the entire world. But things he’s done since coming through that tear are inexcusable and unforgivable.
Faith:
Um, WTF?! “Just point me at the threat, and lemme go.” “And I’m the big guns. I’m ready to bring it.” Where is this deluded ego coming from? Buffy and Willow are far more powerful and Spike’s in control of the flying super-tank. How does Faith think she’s “the big guns”?
The fight:
The ship has cannons but Spike doesn’t know if it has shields.
Spike only calls on Buffy and Willow to do fighting. He’s of course right as what could the others do against things so big and seemingly powerful?
Willow actually tells Buffy that they have to protect the seed and that they need to make sure that one gets near it. So, Willow is putting the existence of magic and therefore her own power over saving the world.
So, here we have a parallel with Angel and Willow in Season 8. Angel did a lot of bad things to be able to be with Buffy without competition for her love and affection. And he was sold on having power and a new world for him and Buffy. Willow here is willing to risk the world’s existence because she wants to be able to be a powerful witch and it seems cannot stand the thought of not having powers.
-- Is Spike purposefully touching Buffy’s butt? And is Buffy’s facial expression supposed to convey her determination to win this fight or her being annoyed or whatever that Spike is touching her butt. --
Xander: REALLY?!! It’s bad enough that Xander thought that he had to be there when they went to the vineyard (“Dirty Girls” (7.18)). But now he wants to go with Willow when they are obviously going to be possibly facing someone or thing far more formidable and indestructible than Caleb? At this point, Xander should be killed off because of his sheer stupidity. What help is he going to possibly be with SuperBuffy and SuperWillow there. Spike himself had to hitch a ride with Buffy. Buffy was going to go alone.
And is Dawn actually going to be joining the fight as well? There are fighter jets and tanks and soldiers with machine guns fighting the demons. What exactly do Xander and Dawn have to offer? They’re better off staying in the spaceship. Even Faith and Giles most likely couldn’t be of much help. Spike least is going to be right with Buffy.
-- Spike to Buffy: “You’re a hell of a ride, love, as I’ve mentioned before.” So, Spike not so upset at Buffy that he can’t help but give her such a line.
--
The Master:
Can backhand Buffy hard enough to make her bleed and knock her across the room.
The Master it seems states that Spike could have been what Angel became but that Angel was the one that was supposed to be ‘Twilight’. Interesting.
The Master says that the seed or whatever told him that the Twilight guy would come. Not sure what the Master is saying but he seems to think that Spike wants the seed for his new world or something. And that the Master thinks that Spike brought Buffy for ‘backup’ or protection or whatever. Spike responds that Buffy is simply supposed to be a distraction so maybe Spike aims to destroy the seed.
Buffy’s thrown rock at the Master’s head simply breaks and bounces off. The Master is somehow a lot more powerful than he used to be and seems to be powerful enough to be able to take on at least one of the SuperPeople.
But it’s interesting that the Master assumed that both SuperPeople would have came there and he believes that he’s powerful enough to be about to protect the seed from both of them. It’s also interesting that Spike’s not concerned about the Master’s power and that he possibly only told Buffy about the plan and went along because he wants Buffy to be fighting the protector while he destroys the seed or does whatever he’s aiming to do.
Spike:
The Master it seems believes that Spike has the superpowers that Angel actually has and so would have struck Spike accordingly. Yet, Spike simply gets a bloody nose and falls to the ground. SuperBuffy and SuperAngel seem to be stronger and more powerful strength-wise and impact-wise than Glory or Illyria. Yet Spike’s not that affected by the Master’s blow.
Spike saying, “My hero.” about Buffy after she puts the Master’s head in the ground may be ‘ominous’. Or at least that Spike wants Buffy to be fighting the Master while he does something else.
In this Issue, both Willow and Spike are set up to be the one who betrays Buffy. But destroying the seed would simply get rid of all magic and demons that aren’t vampires and Slayers. The negative for Buffy is probably that she’ll no longer be a SuperPerson and that Angel’s powers would go away as well and therefore Buffy couldn’t have more sex with Angel. Willow putting her wanting to remain a powerful witch over the existence of the world should be considered the bigger betrayal.
The whole Slay the Critics section is Scott Allie addressing his anti-Spike and anti-Spuffy stances. Has readership fallen?
Overall:
Angel only goes to four places to save Slayers before he’s already sitting down telling himself to keep on saving Slayers. Then the Twilight thing comes to him. So, was the voices telling him to do stuff never were from the PTB? Was it always something else? Angel was duped from the start?
Buffy/Spike: Spike seems – unless he’s simply acting – interested in Buffy enough that he doesn’t want her daydreaming about having sex with Angel, telling him she is, and continuing to do so when he’s giving her important information. And he’s still calling her pet names like “pet” and “love” and reminding her that he has a big d-ck and that he really enjoyed the sex he used to have with her. Buffy it’s more confusing as she’s only having romantic and lustful thoughts about Spike when she was in his room and possibly before when he was berating her and brushing her off when she being all angry and rude with him before they went to his bedroom. But the rest of the Issue she’s all-business with him, is possibly annoyed that he was touching her butt while he was hanging on her in sunlight, and didn’t offer for him to go with her to the Hellmouth.
Many seem to think this Issue is Spuffy and ‘makes up for’ or ‘redeems’ what happened with her and Angel in recent Issues. But at most all it delineated is that Buffy still has feelings for Spike, feels she has a connection with him, and still is lustful for him.
The Faith thing is bizarre. She knows how powerful Buffy and Willow is and yet somehow thinks that SHE’s the ‘big guns’. Or is Faith meant to do something else that we don’t know about.
Xander/Dawn is being set up super fast so it’s possible that one or both will be dying soon.
Xander feeling the need to go with Willow to the Hellmouth seems either stupid or delusional or both. Xander is almost acting like this is “Anne” (3.01) or something. Willow is SuperPowerful and Xander is simply a one-eyed man with some muscles.
For Season 9, we know that they plan to do an
Angel series, and have a Spike spin-off and a Willow spin-off. So, we can probably assume that Buffy and Angel are going to be parting at some time in this Season or simply stay apart but also that at least for a time, Spike and Willow are going to be off elsewhere. So, who’s going to be remain in
Buffy ? Faith, Giles, Xander, Dawn, Andrew…? It’s possible that Spike and Willow will both be on
Buffy and that the spin-off will be like a
Spike: After the Fall thing meaning that they will be stories that allow for the characters to still be in Season 9, just also having extra stuff.
I haven’t read Spike #1 yet but hopefully the IDW stuff will explain a lot of stuff.