A Closer Look at The Long Way Home

[Emmie]

ISSUE 1

A bright new dawn. A brand new beginning. A new chapter in the Buffyverse. The world has changed. Buffy has changed, but she's "still got [her] demons and still got [her] watcher", so things aren't all that different. Or are they? How much has Buffy changed? She's called "ma'am" now, there are two decoys pretending to be Buffy Summers - who is the real Buffy?

Theme of IDENTITY

"What the hell am I doing?" Who is Buffy now? Is she the head of an army or the charismatic leader of a terrorist cell? What does it mean to be a slayer in this bright new dawn?

As Buffy is trying to come to grips with her new role as leader of slayers, she needs to be reminded by Xander to "be [Dawn's] sister", a role she has always been very aware of. She's spent years protecting Dawn and raising her, sacrificed her life for her, but now she's so caught up in being the head honcho of the slayer army.

"You're a big girl now." Buffy has grown up and everything seems so different. She misses her home, she misses her mom, she keeps looking for something to relate to. Where is home now that Sunnydale is gone?

SYMBOLS

A brave new dawn (the first panel) VS. A beautiful sunset (Twilight's symbol). The contrast of these two symbols made me go back and re-evaluate the first panel. Is it really a brave new dawn? Or are we actually looking at the sun setting? It's all about perspective. Is it the dawn of a new era or the end? Is the sun rising or is twilight falling?


QUESTIONS For the Season

1) Who is Buffy now?

2) Is this the beginning of something or the end?

ISSUE 2

Theme of IDENTITY

"I used to be a Watcher." - Giles

Who are you now, Giles? Giles is another character who's identity is transforming to this new global slayer dynamic.

"You're all fighting alone." - Giles

Giles is the first to introduce this concept for season 8, that slayers don't fight well together. This lesson continues as Buffy takes down her three best fighters without breaking a sweat because they're not working together. Willow continues this line of thought about slayers in Issue 17 stating that slayers don't gain strength from their numbers the way that vampires do.

"I'm afraid of the dark." - Buffy
"Buffy, you are the dark." - Xander

Slayer Identity. Buffy continues to fear the darkness inside of her and how it shapes who she is. She fears the darkness of her slayer side. This continues the question of what does it mean to be a slayer in this new world. Simone Doffler questions this older slayer mentality, asking: "Weapons...how come we have to use all this medieval junk?"



Theme of CHANGE

"The scales have tipped of late." -Giles

Is this for the better?


MOTIF

Flying. Buffy and her elite 3 are flying in a helicoptor during the first scene of Issue 1. Later we see General Voll flying in a helicoptor outside of Sunnydale. We see Twilight's feet floating (Issue 1) and later Willow flying (Issue 2).

Are these two groups comparable?

Buffy and her slayer elite mirrors the Army
Twilight, the end of magic mirrors Willow, the all-about-magic girl

ISSUE 3

THEME: All Is Not As It Seems

Actions, situations, tricks and traps abound. What you're looking at in the first glance, it's not the real story. There's more underneath the surface.

"You *think* I'm fighting you. I'm just absorbing your mojo." - Willow

"Light show's a distraction." - Willow
"So's the army." - Amy

"We'll not be led like cattle." - Giles

"We're being played, Xander." - Buffy

ISSUE 4

All Is Not As It Seems

"You're not as proportionally strong as you are large." - Buffy to Dawn

"I'm too big. I'm useless." - Dawn

Size does not necessarily equate to greater strength.

"[Willow's] stronger than all of us." - Xander
"And therein lies...your downfall." - Warren to Willow

And even when you're strong, your strength can lead to your downfall.

CONNECTION

The connection between Buffy and Willow gains a lot of attention.

"If she can't leave then neither can I." - Buffy telling Satsu she won't leave without rescuing Willow

"Did I ever tell you about my best friend? I like to think, in a way, that she's a part of me. That even when she's gone, a part of me is with her. 'Cause it is." - Willow magically connects with Buffy to fight Amy

As Buffy's eyes go dark, it makes me wonder 'Is this connection between Willow and Buffy good?' Buffy and Willow both use their inner darkness to fight for good, but eventually that darkness changes you. Is their connection still healthy?


QUESTIONS for Season 8

What is a slayer? Good? Evil? Are they evil spawn? Are they even human?

What is strength? How is it used? Does the source of strength determine if it can be used for good?

[cheryl]

Hey thanks for putting all that out there. That was awesome.

[Emmie]

Wow, thanks cheryl. I wasn't sure if my ramblings made sense.

I just did a re-read of Season 8 and found a new appreciation for The Long Way Home. Joss packed so much literary meaning and themes in the first arc, as well as amazing symmetry and structure of the story. Plus symbolism, who doesn't love symbolism?

There's truly an elegance to the writing that you can see upon a closer reading.

[cheryl]

Yes, Joss and the team he picked is amazing. ;D You're welcome. I hope we can expect more of your "ramblings". I hated to see it end.

I can't wait to see what everything means in the comic and I love to hear people speculate and theorize. Although I haven't read something so well thought out in YEARS. So once again. Thank you.

[Emmie]

I'm actually getting ready to post my thoughts on The Chain which will take me a little while to get it all down. For some reason, I had nearly as many thoughts for this one issue compared to the entire The Long Way Home arc.

[cheryl]

I look forward to seeing what you have to say.

[Emmie]

Issue 5: THE CHAIN

The Jo Chen cover addresses two of the main themes of The Chain: Identity and the Subjectivity of Reality. Chen gives us a brilliant portrayal of Buffy, except she's pulling off the mask of her face, tirer la coutour, pulling back the curtain to show us what's real. What's real underneath the mask? Who is this girl? Is this Buffy? Is she a good slayer?

The first panel brings us in with the name. The power of that name evokes memories of seven seasons of heroism, human vulnerability and sacrifice. This is Buffy Summers. But wait, what about the mask?

Ah, now we're clued in. This can't be the real Buffy. Buffy can't be dying in the fifth issue of Season 8. So what is the identity of this girl who's masquerading as Buffy Summers? What's real? What's the truth?

IDENTITY

The search for identity continues.

"Who the hell are you?" - Mike Bellenger

"This is a cult, right?" - Decoy Slayer

CONNECTION and UNITY

"Now I won't be the only girl breaking vases!" - Violet

"We're all connected to one another all over the world and through history and make a difference and we're all equal and do for each other." - Decoy Slayer and Giles interchanging

"This is it, this is really it (NOTE: the reality of experiencing it, the connection). We just gotta, we gotta, we gotta...we gotta focus. Adapt. Work together." - Decoy Slayer

"The only way you're gonna survive is to get in this together." - Decoy Slayer

"This is how we live. With each other. For each other." - Decoy Slayer

TRUTH

"The power, the shared memories, the...truth. The unbelievable truth." - Decoy Slayer

"There is no truth." - Rona

CHOICE (or lack thereof)

Allusions are made that compare the Slayer spell that created nearly 2000 slayers to fascism.

"Here's how it works. You didn't get a choice." - Decoy Slayer

"It's so unfair. It's fascism is what it is." - Decoy Slayer before she's called

"I listen. I don't have a choice." - Decoy Slayer

"Modern women and girls are suffering from this unnamed condition." - Andrew

"Alarming yet fun condition." - Andrew

This condition that nearly 2000 girls had no choice in receiving.

SUBJECTIVITY OF REALITY

"What do you *think* it is? What do you think is happening to you?" - Rona

"First I'm going to tell you what you probably already know." - Giles

"The name. The power." - Decoy Slayer

"In the moments that matter, even our own names are just sounds people make to tell us apart." - Decoy Slayer

"There's no truth - there's just what you believe." - Decoy Slayer

DESTINY

"Why me? Did I get the hardest, darkest path to walk 'cause I'm strong, I'm good, I can handle the heavier burden? Or am I weak, expendable, the one that won't be missed?" - Decoy Slayer

"The truth? There is no truth. There's only what you believe." - Decoy Slayer

"The slayer. She will truly face the darkness. Not turn and run into the light?" - Slime Demon

So what's it all mean?

Connection of the many, the unity of the line of Slayers goes into making the name. But the name isn't who you are. We are what we do. Action is *who* you are, what you *do* determines your identity. The choices you make to fight, to walk down that dark path. The name isn't who you are, though names do have power. But ultimately names are just noise. Action is REAL and there is no truth except what you believe.

"You don't have to remember me. You don't even know my name. But I do." - Decoy Slayer's final words

Honorable action comes from self-determined choice, not coercion. And this girl dies not for glory, not for the name. She sacrifices her life to save others. So they may live together, work together, fight another day.

Take action not for what others will think or how they will remember you, but because it is good and right. Because you helped. And take comfort in the knowledge that you did good. Only you know the ultimate truth and value of your life. You are the only full witness to your life's deeds.

Humble sacrifice. That's what makes a hero.



QUESTIONS raised for Season 8

If action determines identity, then who is Buffy in Season 8? A hero? A general? A thief? A queen? A martyr? A tyrant? A terrorist?

What does it mean to be a hero?

What does it mean to be a slayer? Are there different kinds of slayers - the true unnamed hero, the rogue criminal hedonist, the indifferent warrior, the detached "big picture" leader?

Is this nameless decoy slayer masquerading as Buffy more heroic, more true than the real Buffy? Is the facade more of a hero than the reality?

Was the spell to activate all the potentials morally right or was it an abuse of free will?

[CowboyGuy]

Em, the Buffyfest Bloggers are going to need back-up at the end of November...I really think you should take up the offer (once they do email you, which they will) and post this there.

It's freaking amazing!

[cheryl]

Man, that was so sad it makes me want to cry. I never noticed how the decoy was a lot more like the Buffy we know than the one we have now. I really really hope you continue this and then come to some kind of conclusion. Tell us what it all means! LOL

[michellebuffyfest]

Nov 19, 2008 2:31:14 GMT -5 CowboyGuy said:

Em, the Buffyfest Bloggers are going to need back-up at the end of November...I really think you should take up the offer (once they do email you, which they will) and post this there.

It's freaking amazing!

I agree. This would be great on ours site! Perfect timing, too. With the new comic coming out, it will be like a refresher course.

[Emmie]

Nov 19, 2008 9:15:08 GMT -5 michellebuffyfest said:

I agree. This would be great on ours site! Perfect timing, too. With the new comic coming out, it will be like a refresher course.

Sure. I might want to edit the piece a bit before you post on the blog. Deadline? 'Splainy?

[Whedon Fan]

Amazing work Emmie, very well though out. Are you doing this for all the arcs? No Future For You, Wolves at The Gate, Time Of Your Life etc... looking forward to it if you are. You have some very good in sights. *Karma'd*

[Skytteflickan88]

Nov 14, 2008 20:37:37 GMT -5 Emmie said:

ISSUE 1

SYMBOLS

A brave new dawn (the first panel) VS. A beautiful sunset (Twilight's symbol). The contrast of these two symbols made me go back and re-evaluate the first panel. Is it really a brave new dawn? Or are we actually looking at the sun setting? It's all about perspective. Is it the dawn of a new era or the end? Is the sun rising or is twilight falling?

Well *looking at a map of the world*

It could be setting, and we are looking at it from the east and that "lake" we have in the front is...

Nope, I have no idea. ;D

[AndrewCrossett]

Jul 1, 2010 12:19:10 GMT -5 SOMNAMBULIST 2.0 said:

From everything I am hearing about season eight, I really want to read it so when season nine comes I won't be behind, but I have no way to read them. Does anyone know where I can find screen-caps of every page or something? Or a detailed summary of every issue?

The comic is not legally available in online format. You can get fairly detailed recaps by reading the Wikipedia entries for each of the arcs and one-shots (although there is no entry for the "Twilight" arc yet).

The entire series is available in trade paperback format up through "Retreat," and the final two arcs will also be released. You can get them on Amazon and in most bookstores that sell graphic novels, such as Barnes & Noble or Borders.

[wenxina]

We cannot endorse illegal downloading on the forum, and as far as I know, there is no legal way to read S8 unless you buy it.
Amazon.com sells the trades which usually collects individual arcs with the occasional one-shot. Otherwise, Barnes and Noble, TFAW.com, and other vendors also carry the books in one form or another. You can also look on eBay.

[drywallman]

It seems well written and all but you also seem to have skipped over a few things, namely Xander and his role as well as the B/X storyline. I guess I'm just wondering if the oversight was unintentional or if you really don't see those things as important.

[Emmie]

drywallman, it's best to notice the date of when this was posted. It's been nearly two years now. What's now more evident about the significance of B/X was decidedly less so back when this was written.

Nor is this analysis all-inclusive and touches on every single thing, but is looking more broadly at themes. Within the themes, B/X then would be incapsulated in "connection", but do also consider that this post was written as a conversation STARTER, not a post that offered all the ANSWERS.

[Executrix]

Emmie/Angeria, I always fully enjoy reading your analysis on LJ. Everytime I see my friends page on LJ updated I sigh with delight at your posts. I hope you know that you're appreciated immensely.