Willow one-shot "Goddesses and Monsters"

[wenxina]

I think it's entirely up to interpretation. Emmie and I discuss it in our separate reviews on the issue. Emmie's can be found HERE and mine HERE. Coming to think of it, I think Emmie gets more into it than I do. My focus was more on the concept of the ouroboros, and its significance in this story.

[DorothyFan1]

You know - it would be interesting to speculate whether or not Buffy is still dreaming. Could all of this be part of Twilight's master plan while Buffy is in fact sleeping?! Twilight's name does refer to night time. So I'm just wondering if there's a connection.

I still don't believe Satsu actually woke up Buffy with the "Kiss of True Love". Something still tells me it should have been either Angel, Spike or Willow.

[ilovewillow]

Hey guys
I've been reading through all your responses. Emmie's was really detailed and helped me to understand the issue so much more. I have trouble fully grasping what's going on and reading between the lines.

I enjoyed this issue. Seeing Tara again was long over due and a lovely touching moment, despite Willow wiping her away. Knowing that Tara is at peace is comforting. She was one of my fave characters.

The fact that Willow chooses Saga Vasuki as her guide troubled me. She knows she lies so how can she possibly trust anything she says? I think Willow should have chosen someone else.

I also really liked the art.

I can't wait for #31, I miss the Scooby Gang.

x x x

[DorothyFan1]

I think Willow is still punishing herself for Tara's death. So she's allying herself with Aluwyn because she thinks this is her punishment. I also think it's possible Willow thinks she needs to turn evil because that's her fate. The First did alot of psychic damage to Willow in that creepy scene in the Library back in the seventh season. Therefore I don't think Kennedy is the right one for Willow. Willow needs someone much stronger who can really set her on the right path. Right now, ironically this person is...Buffy.

There really is a reason why Kennedy is jealous over Buffy's interaction with Willow. Buffy knows and understands Willow far better than Kennedy.

[Billie Erin]

I agree that Buffy is closer to Willow than Kennedy. I don't think Willow will ever be able to truly move on from Tara- she was her first and only true love and this stands in the way of her relationship with Kennedy keeping them from being really close

[DorothyFan1]

I just had a bizarre thought. In the variant cover to the Willow one shot issue...it shows the symbols that were part of the episode Chosen from Season 7's finale. (Correct me if I'm wrong about this but I can't be sure). These symbols were part of the spell that Willow created that powered up the Slayer Army.

Now...think. who was next to Willow when she cast that spell in Chosen? Buffy. Right? Now, here's the crazy part - I believe Willow not only empowered the Slayer trainees but also herself and Buffy way beyond expectations. This explains why Buffy was able to defeat The First - Buffy was given GOD powers but didn't realize it. The event in Time of Your Life reveals why Willow needed Buffy to kill her with the Slayer Scythe. The reason is this...the Slayer Scythe is the only weapon that can kill a God.

I believe Willow's spell in Chosen has turned her into a god...and she wasn't aware of this. It explains the mysterious talk about Kennedy's mystical death. Willow has discovered her new found powers go way beyond being a witch. She raised Kennedy from the dead AND hasn't told the rest of the Scoobies...yet. She hasn't even told Kennedy about this as well. Willow needed Anya to make this spell when she revived Buffy from the dead back in season 6. Now...Willow can do this on her own because she's crossed over into being a god.

This explains Buffy's sudden new powers - being able to levitate, fly, etc. Willow's plan to have herself killed allowed the powers in herself to bounce back in time and power up Buffy with enough juice to defeat Twilight. So Buffy is now a god as well. But she doesn't know this yet.

[wenxina]

The symbols were on the Seal of Danzalthar. It had nothing to do with Willow's Scythe spell. As for the Moline variant cover... I'm pretty sure that the symbols were kinda random. This is what Moline said about his cover design:

This cover was different from others that I’ve drawn, because we didn’t have a lick of script when I did it. I had to come up with something interesting and ambiguous so that it might fit whatever Joss came up with.

And Kennedy was next to Willow when she performed the spell. Buffy was already literally in the Hellmouth at that point. The Scythe isn't the only weapon that can kill a god. It was forged to kill demons. Nothing ever mentioned about killing gods. But Olaf's hammer which was put to use in S5 was said to be able to kill gods. That's why it was used against Glory.

[AndrewCrossett]

I don't think Willow is a goddess. She may be headed in that direction... the Elementals (and Saga Vasuki) may think she's a strong candidate... but she isn't yet.

When Willow cast the Scythe spell, she simply unlocked a tremendous reserve of power from somewhere (not herself). The Scythe is a conduit that allows the Slayer power to amp up to maximum level, "Slayerizing" all the Potentials in the world and also enhancing Buffy's (and probably Faith's) power at least temporarily... allowing Buffy to regenerate in moments from a wound that should have killed her.

That Willow isn't a goddess yet is indicated by the fact that the Elementals were concerned for her survival when Warren was lobotomizing her. If she was a fellow goddess they'd presumably know she was in no danger... unless Warren's X-acto knife is one of the weapons that can kill a god. And Willow herself admitted her self-healing ability was being pushed to the limit, and she'd need Buffy to save her.

[DorothyFan1]

I don't think Willow is a goddess. She may be headed in that direction... the Elementals (and Saga Vasuki) may think she's a strong candidate... but she isn't yet.

So the question is Willow aware she's getting dangerously close to becoming a god? Kumiko the vampire witch made the curious remark about "watching Willow's ascension". This can't but be a strong hint Willow is climbing the ladder to godhood.

Willow has been awfully secretive about this ritual or initiation rite she's going through. I don't even know if Willow is telling the truth - she's already following Aluwyn in becoming a trickster herself.

[Billie Erin]

Kennedy referred to Willow as a "goddess" in Chosen- so surely they're both aware of her powers?

I thinkt hat Buffy gaining those new powers was a direct result of being picked up by that giant goddess- it stole all their powers and then it channelled them all back into Buffy

[DorothyFan1]

Jan 2, 2010 7:53:46 GMT -5 Billie Erin said:

Kennedy referred to Willow as a "goddess" in Chosen- so surely they're both aware of her powers?

I thinkt hat Buffy gaining those new powers was a direct result of being picked up by that giant goddess- it stole all their powers and then it channelled them all back into Buffy

I've been reading comments saying this is misdirection. In other words, Buffy's new found powers aren't from being dropped by the Hindu death goddess. It's a result from the power loop after Future Dark Willow's death. It would explain the panel preview for the next issue coming January 13th (I believe the release was delayed til this date?) with Willow talking to Oz and she's suddenly zapped by a bolt of energy. It's from Future Dark Willow after her death. Willow seems to realize what happened when she sadly notes "It hasn't happened yet." So Willow now knows Buffy was telling her the truth.

[Billie Erin]

Actually that makes a lot more sense than my hypothesis . . . But I wonder hwy it hit Buffy before it hit willow? And was her unconsciousness a result of the fall or the power loop?

[Billie Erin]

By the way sorry for all the mistypes, I get a bit carried away and my fingers can't seem to type fast enough

[wenxina]

Just hit the "Edit post" button, and edit your posts in the future.

[Billie Erin]

Thanks

[DorothyFan1]

I'm relocating this comment I made in another thread to here because it's relevant to this discussion.

I don't want to break the chain here...but I just looked closely at the variant cover of the Willow one shot...and saw something. If you guys don't know what I'm referring to I suggest you please look at it. Look carefully at the drawing of Willow's right hand in the image. If you look closely...her hand is constructed into a symbol of what would look like a dog if you see a shadow in the background. But think - if you switch around dog...you get god. Was this a deliberate clue given by the production staff and Joss or was this merely a coincidence?

I am a part time artist myself and I can tell you drawing a hand as well as this couldn't have been done by coincidence. I think Joss is sending us a clue about Willow. She's a god.

[CowboyGuy]

Strange coincidence. Maybe you've figured it out haha. Either way that's an interesting catch DorothyFan

[sire]

If this whole season is dream I QUIT. lol. Seriously though i dont think dream, I believe Twilights namesake refers to the last vestiges of magics before they will be wiped out of our reality, like the last glint of light before night. Which we know is what twilight plans/succeeds? in doing.

[AndrewCrossett]

Yeah... pretty sure he calls himself Twilight as a reference to the twilight (that is, end) of magic... like the "twilight of the gods" refers to their end.

[henzINNIT]

Nice little one-shot. I don't have much to say lol

I did notice former member Mikey suggesting familiar things in the Slay the Critics section though. I bet he'll be smug now if any come to pass lol