The Yoko Factor

Pivotal episode, in the "things that can't be unsaid" realm. The basic premise is simple: Adam will take care of Spike's chip if Spike helps deal with the Slayer. Getting her friends out of the way--and her distracted by the drama--is Spike's idea. In an insightful explanation, Spike explains that Yoko Ono didn't break up the Beatles, but they broke themselves up under the pressure of fame and time; that's his plan--plant a few seeds, and let them do the dirty work themselves.

It's been clear since season 2 that Spike understands psychology much more intuitively than the Scoobies realize; they discredit him because of his chosen image. But in the process of supplying them info about the Initiative--info which I think does turn out to be important, next episode, making him a double agent--he drops side comments to Giles, Xander and Willow that feed their basic insecurities and lead to a huge argument at the end of the episode, with Buffy walking out, implying that she can't count on Willow and Xander. Who is left? well...Riley--who ends the episode at Adam's lair, for purposes unclear (although avenging his friend Forrest's death seems likely).

Spike tweaks Giles by commenting on his uselessness and lack of control of Buffy--and, appropriately, Giles is singing Freebird when Spike finds him, foreshadowing not just what Spike talks about, but the season 6 song Standing and his ultimate leaving as Buffy's watcher. Giles spends the rest of the episode drunk, even giggling uproariously at the words "Fort Dix." Season four has been rough for Giles--no job, no standing, less than Batman's Alfred, he implies during the argument scene. Spike capitalizes on that.

In a masterful bit of triple-entrendre, Spike hints to Willow that her computer skills are weakening, that being a witch is laughable, and that being with Tara just a phase--because. like Faith, Spike realizes with only small hints that Willow and Tara are involved; something Buffy barely believes even when Willow told her, and Xander and Giles don't realize til the argument at the end of the episode. Willow falls for every one of the lines Spike throws, showing how vunerable to needing Buffy's approval she is. Again, the dialogue where Spike casually throws out those issues is intermixed with other content, making this just throw-away banter that hits home--amazing dialogue writing.

And Xander, who has been as much adrift as Giles this season, quickly believes that his friends think he should enlist. It's curious that no one asks why Spike was in conversations like that with other people--since when does Spike sit and chat? But he is integrated enough with the gang that they do all accept without question that Spike would know; his plan only works because they trust him. Again, they've forgotten that he's "evil." a point he's made repeatedly this season.

There's the whole Angel comes back, and Riley freaks because he thinks Buffy's leaving him for Angel subplot--important in the Riley/Buffy arc, maybe, because he now knows everything about Buffy and Angel (tying in well with Yoko, Xander spilled that by accident, thinking Buffy explained why Angel turned evil). That's as much finishing an arc from Angel as impacting this show, though--Buffy fans who also watched Angel had to see a semi-reconciliation after the serious break that happened on Angel when Angel gave Faith a second chance.

So what's it all about? Simple: in high school, they were without question a gang, committed to each other. Are they going to recommit, or are they going to float apart without regret as they grow up? Thus far in season 4, it seems that they are on a floating apart track--Riley doesn't really become a Scooby, Willow and Buffy don't like Anya, Xander feels like the others don't respect what he'd doing...which, in fairness, is nothing except hanging with Anya., and Willow is hiding her new relationship. Yep, they are going separate ways, to all appearances. All Spike did was tear the band-aid off the wounds.

And....to be continued....

The Dark Age

Eureka! I know why this episode follows "Lie To Me." It's the counterpoint, the answer, to Giles' closing speech--where he tells Buffy (at her request), that life is very simple, the men stalwart and true, good & evil easily identified, etc. He is the wise one, but in doing what Buffy wants--what they both know isn't true--he is still the mage, the Merlin. Ironically, Buffy scoffingly but fondly says "liar," as they walk out of the frame and the credits roll. We know she's right; life isn't black & white, and Giles is lying about the big picture. But the lies he tells there are only the shiny white snow covered tip--and they don't really count because we do see them.

However, "The Dark Age" reveals a Giles whose entire idenity is called into question. Ethan shows up again, and places everyone in danger. That's what he does. No big. But one snitch of dialogue is crucial: Ethan says something along the line of "They (the kids) have no idea who you are, do they? They believe the tweed covered librarian act. They don't have a clue.." And Giles is terse and powerful, making big, strong, definative movements. Ethan calls Giles "Ripper," a symbolic name--especially for a Briton. And Ethan seems to honestly believe that Giles can kill him, will kill him. Ethan, who's known Giles longer than anyone thus far, sees a morally ambigous person capable of unremorsedly killing.

Hmmmm....and Buffy and Willow and Xander see a harmless Dewey Decimal disciple, a font of wisdom and teaching who can handle weapons maybe, but....not the front line unless an obscure language needs translated.

We know Giles can kill--or we will know it, in season 5 when he barehandedly kills Ben after Buffy doesn't. Buffy claims to get confused when things get ethically complex. To a large extent, that's her modus operandi throughout the series. For all the whining and emotional hermit-y stuff she does at various times, her resolutions tend to be simplistic. At first glance, Giles is the barometer for what is good. So far, he is stalwart and true, and the Scoobies count on that. He's choosing that, though--having apparently walked through the fire earlier in his life. Until season 7 when he supports Robin's attempt to kill Spike, Giles consistently chooses good--I think. I'm going to have to watch for that. (Well, and Band Candy...but what's a little B&E?)

While I'm thinking about it: is it possible that Willow wants things black and white, but can't manuvor that; she is essentially gray, living in the moral ambiguities, with the goofy naive reactions as her default? That with the exception of his feelings about Spike, Xander ultimately is the stalwart and true one? And that Spike, who wants to see the world as black & white as Buffy, really understands the gray and sees what the others are---I know, I'm not there yet. And Cordelia, she almost unerringly speaks the truth, not sugar coating; she knows black & white in the deeper ethical sense, but her reality checks are undercut by her overt superficially.

I think there are some undercurrents about what manhood is, but I've gotten sidetracked with other topics this time. But sometime, I should think about what Giles and Ethan are modeling about manhood. Later, though.

Lie To Me

I fell asleep near the end, so I probably should rewatch that, but I'd seen it recently, so....

This has what's one of the sadder scenes in the early seasons: Buffy is losing her innocence, and she tells Giles to lie to her about life (I forget the exact context). He basically says that good and evil are clearly labeled, and good will always triumph, all the men are stalwart and the women beautiful--or something close. She doesn't believe him, he doesn't believe it. But it's a bittersweet father-daughter-y moment, and one of the scenes I clearly recalled long after I watched it.

Alo, Buffy won't kill a human, but she lets her friend from LA die. She's taking baby steps towards situational ethics, but she has more lines that she won't cross than many people, even at the end. She is created to be a hero at least 3 ways: in the superhero-y tradition; in the literary tradition; and in a more mythological sense...I think. Gonna pull out my Joseph Campbell and see if I can defend that, but not tonight. I'm tired.

Interesting: Willow, Xander and Angel go check out the vamp-wanna-be club. Considering the degree of antipathy Xander and Angel have towards each other, they are quietly teamed up very often. Another topic for pondering.

But not tonight. I'm tired.

Reptile Boy

This episode is...ok. That's really the best I can say about it. As I watched, I realized that frat boys are consistently portrayed stereotypically. The BtVS writers have no empathy for frat boys, not ever. Even Riley, who's as close to a frat boy as anyone, they quickly make into military/grad student; if he had an undergrad frat history, it's long over. Wonder if Joss and his merry band of pensmiths were shunned (or worse) by frats? Could the vividness of Xander's humiliating dance at the frat party could stem from personal experience? Gotta wonder...

They don't have the same bias against sorority girls. I can't remember Greek females being mentioned ever, but Cordelia--and Buffy, too--would be prime pledge material. As hard as it is to imagine right now, Cordelia does evolve as a character into a sensitive, smart, capable friend, so potential sorority girls can morph into real people. Frat boys aren't so lucky in the Buffyverse.

The difference between archetype and stereotype is exemplified in this series. Archetypes are evoke primal, universal imagery, adding a layer of meaning to the story or character. Giles is an archetype--the Wise Teacher. The Gandalf, the Yoda, the Master. He is also a stereotype, the prissy librarian, anti-tech, lives with his nose in a book, seemingly uptight and nerdy. As an archetype, we trust that Giles will act certain ways: he will give good advice; he will have special knowledge; he will let Buffy make mistakes, but make sure she learns from them. As a stereotype, we expect Giles to act certain ways: he follows rules; he values knowledge; he trusts books; he likes organization and predictability.

Introducing a character as a stereotype is a shortcut, making it easy for the audience to recognize and relate to it at first. Adding a few quirks or unexpected twists may personalize the character somewhat--Willow was smart nerd girl, but her unfailingly positive disposition and sunny, odd speech patterns differentiated her; now, she's still nerd girl, but she's also smitten, loyal best friend. Her evolution into a person as opposed to a stereotype has begun. Thus far, Giles' is still stereotype; that begins changing soon, I think, but he always has a distance due to age and status as the Wise Teacher that renders him less rounded.

Quick things to notice:

• Buffy lies to Giles. That shocks and upsets Willow, who later slightly reams Giles for pushing Buffy hard enough that Buffy feels that she has to lie. Giles concedes Willow is right, but Buffy and Giles do still have a bit of a discussion about her lying. (Contrast that with times that Willow, Buffy and/or Xander need to clear the air about something and just imply it...the dance, for instance.)
• Buffy drinks alcohol. And it's drugged and she's nearly sacrificed to the snake/boy demon. I think that every time they drink the first four seasons, something bad happens. Beer bad, you know! Gotta watch to see when that shifts--she gets drunk with Spike in season 6, I remember, and nothing bad happens...I think.
• Again, Xander follows Buffy into danger. This time, though, he gets hazed by the frat boys, reminding us that Xander is supposed to be comic--even his entrance into the frat, falling headfirst into the window--is humorous. He does help save her and Cordy, though. Again.
• Gotta think about this: Giles and Angel talk to each other like peers, more than Giles does to anyone else (except maybe Jenny, when he's able to form sentences around her??) It's not just age, either--he's not like that with Spike ever; it's not just the soul, because Giles tries to kill Spike agter Spike earns his soul. I'm watching closely to see what I'm basing this on.

Overall, though--this isn't an episode I'm engaged by. The next one, though, is one I think I liked. We'll see,...