Giles as a father figure

[buffyfan21]

Ok, so we all know that Giles was a father figure to Buffy, but if you think about it, he was really a father to everyone in the scooby gang. I mean, Xander was very much estranged from his own father. And Giles was really a father and mentor to Willow regarding her magic usage and overuseage. I think Giles really filled a void in all of their lives. If you think about, none of the scoobs really had good parental relationships. Giles was always there for them, and he protected them as any good parent would try to.

Some say that he seemed to be the hardest on Xander out of anyone else in the group, but I always chalked that up to Giles seeing some of himself in Xander. Same with Willow. I think he was protective of her with magick because he could see himself in her and wanted to protect her from going down that same dark road that he did, which she ended up doing anyway. But who better to bring her back from it than Giles? Someone who had been there and knew first hand what it was like to lose himself to the dark side of magick and how dangerous it could be.

Anyways, what do you guys think?

[Wyndam]

I agree with everything you said. One of my favorite aspects about the first 3 seasons of BtVS was how close Buffy and Giles became. It was a really interesting relationship between the two of them, and I wish it could have stayed that strong throughout the course of the series. One of the things I like the least about the show was how Giles's role diminished each year after Season 3. I understand that "daddy-issues" were a big theme in the Buffyverse (as I discussed in another thread), so it was a natural progression of the story to have Giles and Buffy drift apart over the years (I know Giles isn't Buffy's father, but he was the closest thing to one after she moved to Sunnydale), but I would have liked to see their relationship stay strong.

I had no problems with Giles ceasing to be Buffy's Watcher, as Buffy was always a very unconventional Slayer, but I would like to see Giles become a fully integrated Scoobie and just be there to support Buffy, as Willow and Xander do. It looks like he was starting to do that when Season 7 was coming to a close, and even in the beginning of Season 8. Then Buffy learned that Giles and Faith were doing wet-works behind her back and, well, now they don't speak. I hope they can reconcile soon, because I miss Giles being there with Buffy.

[artiswar]

I thought Giles' most overtly father-like role was in Season 6, not only to Buffy, but to Willow and Anya as well.

Oh no, Daddy's home!

[buffyfan21]

May 17, 2008 20:39:12 GMT -5 Wyndam said:

and even in the beginning of Season 8. Then Buffy learned that Giles and Faith were doing wet-works behind her back and, well, now they don't speak. I hope they can reconcile soon, because I miss Giles being there with Buffy.

I agree. I hope Buffy and Giles get back on track soon.

[Rachster]

One of my favorite Buffy Giles moments is when Wes first turns up and Giles and Buffy are sitting on the table "Giles says please and then i get a cookie" i love that and also in help i think its really established that he is like a father to her.
I do agree that there relationship has been getting weaker since season 3 even in season 6 and 7
I would really like to see Buffy and Giles reconcile in season 8 i miss the good old days.

[henzINNIT]

Giles and Buffy was possibly my favourite love story in Buffy. Shame season 7 shat all over it.