Buffy 1.12 Prophecy Girl
P@rick
"You were destined to die! It was written!"
"What can I say? I flunked the written."
The Slayer is the Chosen One. Who gets to choose the Slayer isn't very
well specified, or at all. But what's certain is that the Chosen One
hasn't got a say in who gets to be the Chosen One. In fact, there are
others who bluntly decide when and how the Slayer will die. They are so
certain about it that they put it in writing, calling them the
prophecies of the Pergamum Codex. Again, the Slayer has nothing to say
in this. In fact, she's the last one to find out about these writings on
her faith. So what does she do when she overhears Giles and Angel
discuss the prophecy? Well, what any other sane 16 year old girl would
do: she quits. That's very decisive of miss Summers. But she forgets one
thing: she has no choice in the matter. As she is soon to find out.
Vampires, prophecies, Forces of Evil. Whatever they may be, they have a
way of convincing Buffy to play along with the game. Four boys have to
die for Buffy to realise that she has no choice. Well, she can't quit,
but she does have the 'choice' to try and stop the Master. Of course she
will die one way or the other: by the hands of the Master or by some
other big and no doubt ugly demon that she is very likely to encounter
once the Master has risen and the Hellmouth has opened. But it's the
killing of fellow students and the effect it has on people close to her
that makes Buffy very determined: she's the Slayer and she will have to
keep fighting evil until she dies. She's so determined in fact that she
knocks out Giles to prevent him from putting himself in danger.
At this point we find out why we had this annoying kid on the show all
this time. He's here to guide Buffy to the Master. Couldn't they just
have used signs for that? Or provide Buffy with a map or something?
Anyway, Buffy already knows the drill and follows the little brat. She's
all dressed in full battle gear: her shiny white prom dress. As if
fighting the Master isn't going to be impossible enough. Another
consideration is why the hell Buffy didn't bring back-up. If everyone's
going to die anyway when Buffy fails to stop the Master, why not try
fighting him in a concerted effort to stop him from breaking free? The
more the merrier, right?
And then comes the evil twist: Buffy should have just stayed at home
like she planned to. Or fight some vampires who were teaming up at
school property. Maybe even pick Angel up and go to the prom with him.
Anything but go down to the Master's lair for a battle she knows she
will lose. By reluctantly yet bravely accepting her destiny Buffy
triggers the thing she feared the most. Isn't evil ironic that way?
Buffy should have gone with her first hunch and quit the team.
Or not. Who knows how many other people would have died in order to
persuade Buffy into playing along. There was a lot of vampire activity,
which of course had everything to do with the anticipation of the
Master's rise and the opening of the Hellmouth. And the prophecy said
that Buffy would face the Master one way or the other.
I have to say, Buffy came out better for it. She said it herself after
she was reanimated by Xander: "I feel strong. I feel different". Buffy
proved that those were more than just words by facing the Master for the
second time, and this time putting up a good fight. Which was helped
considerably by the Master's failing hypnotic powers. And with those
gone, he wasn't more than another vampire for the Slayer to slay. A
rather strong vampire, but still a creature that shows an extremely
allergic reaction to wooden stakes through its heart (well, what
creature doesn't).
The question is: how much has Buffy changed from her death experience?
She was supposed to stay dead, but with the help of Xander she didn't.
And did or didn't she stay dead long enough for the next Slayer to be
called. The fact that she retained her powers would indicate that she's
still *the* Slayer. But what caused her to feel different?
She defied the prophecies. Maybe that gave her extra credit. Promoting
her up one level. Or maybe she got 'infected' by the Master when he sank
his teeth in her. Or hey, maybe she received the Slayer powers that the
next Slayer would have gotten, so now she's twice the Slayer. Another
question that jumps to my mind is whether this increase of power will be
permanent.
A chapter that seems to be closed permanently is Xander's crush on
Buffy. He finally broke the news to her but she didn't think it was
breaking news. Although she seemed surprised enough by Xander's
revelation. I guess Xander didn't read the signs close enough. Which is
not surprising, because there weren't many there. Which is of course a
sign in itself. Buffy did say she considered Xander to be one of the
girls. And she showed a more than healthy attraction to the undead
harbinger of bad news. But by all accounts, Xander had to get this off
his cheast and out into the open. Of course it's very ironic (hey,
there's that word again!) that the Rejected One is the same one who
brings back Buffy from her certain death. Note: vampires don't have a
breath. But it's still not enough for Buffy to favour Xander over Angel
I'm afraid.
So what now then, go for second best? Personally, I *so* don't think
that Willow is second best. And Willow doesn't think so herself either.
Or at least doesn't want to be considered as such. That's why she turned
down Xander's offer to go to the prom together. Which must have been
very hard on her, considering how she totally lost herself in playing
Xander's object of affection while she was merely his sparring partner
for the big match. Let's hope that Buffy's rejection doesn't give Willow
(false) hope that Xander will now choose for her. I'm afraid his
blindness is incurable
I was pleasantly surprised to see Jenny Calendar again. And very more so
than Giles was. Poor fellar had too much on his mind to appreciate her
presence. Still she might be a valuable addition to the Slayerettes. She
isn't blown away by revelations such as 'Buffy the meek little girl is
actually the Slayer'. And she knows her way around paganism and the
internet. I hope to see much more of her.
Like I think we'll see more of Cordelia. Whether she likes it or not,
she's drawn into fighting evil together with the Slayerettes. And she
does a pretty fine job at it. One thing's for sure: Cordelia handles the
weels. When did she get her license anyway? I remember she sucked at
driving in 'The Witch'. Then of course she was nearly blind during that
driving class.
Cordy looks level-minded enough to handle the creepy and weird things
that go on in Sunnydale. And she's Cordelia enough to not let vampires
and demons walk over her just like that.
While she considered Willow nothing more than a geek in 'WttH', she now
turns to her for help with the sound system. And Willow seems to
reluctantly accept Cordelia's presence. Though I don't think they'd ever
be close friends, just like Xander and Angel won't.
Big drama when Buffy and also Willow look right into evil's ugly face.
It's not just Buffy's life that has changed radically and permanently
because of the dwelling evil. The days of innocence are over for Willow
when the vampires get personal. The death of four boys she knew
personally in a room she visits every day hits her hard and cold in the
face. She already went through some pretty unpleasant events, but she's
shown things can always get worse. And in the midst of all this
unspeakable fear and grief, she manages to say something nice about
Buffy's dress. The sweetheart.
Joyce tries to be supportive to Buffy, but she just can't grasp what's
really on Buffy's mind. Which gives way to some great dialogue:
Joyce: Nobody asked you?
Buffy: Oh, someone...
Joyce: But not the right someone. See, sometimes I actually do know
what you're thinking.
[...]
Buffy: No, I-I can't go to the dance.
Joyce: Says who? Is it written somewhere?
Poor Joyce. Here she thinks she understands the typical teenage problems
her daughter is experiencing when Buffy actually knows that her hours
are numbered.
The Master wasn't that hard to defeat in the end. Although Buffy had to
die first. But she came back with a big venegeance, stronger than ever.
Which might be considered an easy way out. I like it nonetheless.
This episode is a worthy finale for this season. It shows all the things
that makes BtVS a great show: drama, action, humor, great writing and
great acting.
Bye, Patrick
--
Keeper of the Willowism, "And I'm eating this banana. Lunchtime be
damned!"
Keeper of the Wily Willow Charms
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