Ethan and Eyghon and the Scythe, Oh My!

[red_satin_doll]

dragonyphoenix is writing a "Giles as Big Bad" fic inspired by my post on the subject back in February, when I asked if any such beast existed; since then I still have not come across any such. I still don't understand why, because the bones of the idea are all over the series. Ethan Rayne will be part of it, of course, and the jist of it is at present: Eyghon has been able to influence and corrupt Rupert over the years. Rupert's plan, as he arrives at the Hellmouth and takes over as Buffy's Watcher, is to corrupt the Slayer line by calling Eyghon down into the Scythe.

Oh yes PLEASE. I love to draw parallels and comparisons across the buffyverse seasons so bringing together the early seasons, so that aspect alone is catnip. And Ethan? The Ripper backstory? All of it was so underused in the series. Yes, I know, aimed at a teenage audience blah blah....I want this so bad you have no idea.  No pressure or anything like that.  *shifty eyes*

In terms of bringing the Scythe into the Buffyverse in earlier seasons I'm slightly reminded of leni_ba's  Buffy/Angelus AU Courting Sin 'verse, in which Angelus gives Buffy the Scythe to make her more powerful, to continue to draw her to him and make her his newest "work of art". The Scythe was dropped into S7 to make the Buffyverse match up to Joss' Frayverse, so it's a deus ex machina and it's "myth"? Pure racist crap and totally up for grabs re: rewrites.

Comments

[red-satin-doll.livejournal.com]

My shipper heart wants to jump up and down and yell at everyone that SPIKE HAS CONFIDENCE IN HER, DAMMIT! and SHE THEREFORE SHOULD BE WITH HIM! and then my feminist heart says SHE DOESN'T NEED AFFIRMATION FROM A MAN ANYONE!

I thought I was the only one who felt 'shipped those two in S7 who also felt that way! I get that the overall theme of the series has been reversing Buffy's isolation as The Chosen One (re: beer_good_foamy's brilliant meta "Buffy the Vampire Slayer vs Buffy, The Vampire Slayer"); and I get that it's part of Spike becoming a better man and returning the care she's given him all season, part of the process of repairing the damage between from the S6; and at that moment Spike is the one person who represents "mater" or the Mother Principal; he's been the male character most deeply connected to women and mothers, including Joyce, so it makes sense that he represents that when Buffy has been kicked out of her own house. And it takes place in the very room where Buffy defended Joyce in Angel and Ted, and was kicked out of the house in Becoming. So, loads of history in that kitchen.

But the "Me" moment in Becoming is SO POWERFUL; and as much as my shippy heart adored it I felt the same reservations that you did about it. But then again I have more issues with whose stories get prioritized S5-7 than i could begin to cover here.

shipperx's posts are some of my FAVORITE observations about the comics in fandom. btw. Spot-on every time, esp the mind-blowing WTF-ery re: Angel. I think I was just rereading the very post you're referring to. How he can still be a "hero" in the comics and the lead of his own title is beyond comprehension.

Re: Origins I had read some of the meta conversation when I first came into fandom, long before I was able to watch the vid, and the statement someone made that Spike was symbolically wearing Nikki's SKIN blew my mind. I've never been able to look at the duster the same way since I read that. But again we're back to the prioritization of Spike's story over that of his victims....Christ, Joss makes it so hard for us sometimes.

I get so excited linking stuff to you! It makes me feel old and wise in fandom, when in reality I'm Iron Age to many people's fandom dinosaurs!

*hugs* I'm glad, because I LOVE getting and sharing links. There is SO much to read in this fandom, I'll never run out of material. EVER. And I've only been in this fandom a year and a half , ergo newbie, and I get giddy when someone says they've never heard of, for instance, the_royal_anna; I'm like, how the hell can this even be?

Of course I've also got ulterior motives; whenever I'm not sure how to express myself when countering an argument or putting forth a POV I can just say "read this".

That just means you can call yourself an Independent Scholar!

*blushes* Thank you! I like this very much and shall adopt this! I can say honestly that I have gotten more intellectual stimulation since I watched Buffy and joined this fandom than I had for the prior ten years! Of course there are other things that theoretically should have accompanied a master's such as status and income but in reality I know that's a friggin' fantasy or PR pitch. I remember doing a menial job in NC grading test papers - everyone had to have at least a bachelor's to get hired, and one of my coworkers had two masters' degrees.

[eilowyn.livejournal.com]

I can say honestly that I have gotten more intellectual stimulation since I watched Buffy and joined this fandom than I had for the prior ten years!

This is exactly my experience. BtVS fandom (particularly the pro-Buffy contingent of Spuffy fans) got me out of a long period of depression, got me back into school, got me interested in fandom studies, and pretty much set the road I am currently traveling on. I changed political parties because of Buffy fandom. I learned about social justice through Buffy fandom, and became able to articulate the more progressive beliefs I had underlying the inbred conservatism I got from my parents through Buffy fandom. I'll forever be sad that my gaffe lost me so many of the friends who really influenced my beliefs and way of thinking, but I'm still grateful I met them because of the person I became because of them.

Shit. Now I'm crying.

[red-satin-doll.livejournal.com]

Oh sweetie, I'm so sorry you've had to endure that. You've shown courage and strength, and you should be proud of yourself. But that doesn't mean it doesn't hurt like hell. I've been there - watched people turn away from me because of one misspoken (foolishly worded) statement, or even for reasons I can't possibly fathom. It always hurts.

Folks here have been incredibly kind and supportive when I've talked about the apartment fire and I hope to pass that on. Whether the source is physical or mental, trauma is trauma. There is no timetable for dealing with the short and long-term wounds and losses.

And I find I am having less and less patience with people who can't find it in their hearts to forgive as I get older, particularly when it comes to something that doesn't amount to a hill of beans, frankly. You read the wonderful post on the subject rahirah wrote a while back, I hope?

To still feel a sense of gratitude for the gifts others have given you, even after they have turned away, is such an amazing and admirable quality of character IMO.

Anyhoo, I'm going to PM you if that's ok.

Now I'm crying too. (But I'm ok with that.)