Canon-related questions for Buffyologists

[red_satin_doll]

There's a couple of items about Buffy Summers that I've seen in several fanfics and wondered if they were "canon" or "fanon" information. I don't trust my memory, especially when I've probably spent more hours at this point reading fanfiction than actually watching the show. (What that says about me I shudder to imagine.)



By "canon", I am of course referring to BtVS, seasons 1-7 only, not the comics (aka Get behind me, Satan!)

1) Is Buffy's given name "Buffy" or "Elizabeth"?  I've read "Elizabeth Anne Summers" used in several fanfics and it feels like it might have been mentioned somewhere in S1-3 on the show, if at all?

Actually, I just wanted an excuse to post this screencap. But while you're here:

2) Does Buffy refer to herself in third person at any other point on the show except for Life Serial: "stupid Buffy" "freak Buffy"?  A lot of stories have her refer to herself in this way, usually when she's berating herself, although generally not while drunk. (For someone who can't hold her liquor she seems to drink quite a lot of it in LS. Slayer metabolism, apparently.) 

Also, she generally does so whilst kicking herself mentally over something regarding Spike, so do early season/Bangel 'ship writers have her referring to herself in this manner as well?

No, no further questions; I just love SMG in this episode so damn much I can hardly stand it. I mean - come on, Giles, how can you resist that face? Buttons and puppies are weeping in envy.  Now do your duty to your Slayer and hand her the check without making her feel like it's an act of charity on your part. 


I love Giles, I do. But damn it, he can be an ass sometimes.

Comments

[kikimay]

LJ is making me nervous! I hope you can read this answer.
So, Buffy's name is Buffy Anne Summers. I think that Elizabeth is something fanon. She's just Buffy, Anne.
And she's the cutest when she's drunk. OMG, I love her so much! But, if you want to know, sometimes she says: "Note to self: do this and that ..." I don't remember her talking in third person about Angel and the Bangel, but it can be my memory.
And "Life Serial" isn't just the best with the cutest Buffy ever? She's beautiful in all the outfits!

[red-satin-doll.livejournal.com]

Thanks, sweetie!

I remember a commenter at the AV Club saying that Sarah was bad at playing drunk "because she didn't drink in real life" or somesuch. Hello? The two episodes Buffy gets drunk in are Beer Bad and Life Serial and are comedy episodes. Realism is not the point, folks.

"Note to self: do this and that ..." I remember "Note to self: religion, freaky" in "What's My Line" (S2); that's the only "note to self" utterance I remember, which doesn't mean she didn't repeat it.

And as I said - buttons and puppies have nothing her.

[kikimay]

Mh, you know I remember that she said it one more time. I can't be more specific, I don't really know if I'm right!
I also don't drink, but - like you say - it wasn't the point. She supposed to by funny and weird.
I'll let you know if I rewatch an episode and she talks in third person or uses this particular expression.
(Btw, she uses the third person in the first issue of the comics. But, since you don't want to know about it, I just said nothing to you. ò__ò)

[red-satin-doll.livejournal.com]

You mean the S8 comics *sticks fingers in ears lalala I can't hear you*

I actually do like a couple of the "non or semi-canon" comics that were written while the series was still running; ironic that it's the ones produced by Joss himself that I abhor.

[kikimay]

But I think you probably would like Tales of Slayers (it's canon and produced by Whedon and I think it's a lovely selection of tales)
Oh, here it comes! Buffy says "Note to self" also in Tabula Rasa, when she was Joan.

[red-satin-doll.livejournal.com]

Forgot the TR one, thanks! That's actually a fairly common phrase, and I'm sure it predates Buffy (I use it a lot, but more often in writing than in speech.)

But "note to self" isn't a reference to oneself in third person, as "Stupid Buffy" is; it's first person: note to myself, I need to remember this. So I'm still going with the "Buffy only referred to herself in third person once on the show and fandom has just run with it" theory.

[kikimay]

Oh! I didn't know it was a common expression. I want to rewatch some episodes in S4. I'll let you know if I find something. So far I don't remember the third person as common for Buffy!

[infinitewhale.livejournal.com]

"because she didn't drink in real life"

lolwut? There are photos of her drinking. She had champagne at the Buffy Paley panel.

Anyway, yeah. It's supposed to be cute. Also, the one time it was enchanted beer...