Buffy The Vampire Slayer
Season Ten Comic Reviews
By John Dorsey
Most people agree that the fifth season of Buffy the Vampire Slayer was one of the more remarkable turnarounds in television history. After a very disappointing fourth season, many people thought that the show had simply run out of steam. But the introduction of Dawn and the beginning of Spike as a potential love interest for Buffy were the two major factors that took the series to new heights in the fifth season.
Similarly, the ninth season of Buffy was also a disappointment on a number of levels (which are discussed elsewhere on this site), and some people including myself had doubts that there was anywhere left for the story to go. So it was to my great relief that Season Ten turned out to be just as amazing a turnaround as Season Five was. In fact, this was the best season since Dark Horse took over the franchise.
What happened? How did Dark Horse manage to reverse Buffy’s fortunes? In a nutshell, it was due to the Buffy/Spike romance. This is a relationship that has defied all the laws of dramatic gravity. During Season Nine, I was certain that Buffy/Spike had gone as far as it could go and that it was on the verge of a Moonlighting-like collapse.
But, amazingly, not only did this not happen, but the Buffy/Spike relationship has soared to new heights as the writers keep finding ways to mine gold out of it. How they keep doing this, I’m not sure. Maybe Spike is such an interesting, complex character that he provides plenty of roads for the writing to travel. Maybe his dynamic with Buffy is just really, really compelling, certainly more than the Buffy/Angel relationship ever was.
The fact is that most romantic relationships presented in a serial format (usually television) only go so far before they just run out of gas. The TV series Moonlighting is the most prominent example out of this. The problem is that the intrigue is always in the chase, the question of when the two people are finally going to get together. Once they actually do get together, the relationship usually ceases to be interesting. Given how long the Buffy/Spike dynamic has been going on, you would think that by now it would have run out of steam as well, but somehow it hasn’t.
Regardless of the reasons why, it was Buffy/Spike more than anything that made Season Ten so strong. The entire season seemed to be building toward the inevitable breakup of the two, and even though it was teased in issues 27 and 28, it thankfully never happened. I was really glad the two stayed together. The only question is whether the writers can continue to find ways to keep the relationship interesting going forward. It'll be one of the more fascinating things to look forward to in Season Eleven.
There were other strong points that really made Season Ten. The Xander/Dawn/Anya arc was also really interesting. The writers found a way to break up Xander and Dawn but not for the typically cliché reasons that we are accustomed to seeing. They brought back Anya as ghost which provided an intriguing mystery for the duration of the season, and the payoff was worth the wait.
Giles returned after being resurrected by Angel. However, he was resurrected as a young boy, and this angle reinvigorated the character as he had to deal with the frustration of being a man in a boy's body. It was a great arc that prevented plenty of humor as well as real drama.
It was also a big plus that artist Rebekah Isaacs came over from Angel & Faith. Her work was top notch, and it made Buffy even better. (Unfortunately, Buffy’s gain was Angel & Faith’s loss).
Among the entire 30-issue run, the only true misfire was #7. There were only two real problems I had with the season. First was the conflict between the members of the Scooby Gang. It just felt forced more often that not. The writers need to be a little more creative about this in the future. Second, there was the cost of each comic. Dark Horse raised the price to $3.99 which just seems a bit much for a comic book. Fortunately, I only buy the online digital comics and would often wait several months until I could buy 3 or 4 issues at half price ($1.99). Reading several issues at once actually made the story much more enjoyable.
Due to both a lack of time and interest, I won’t be covering Angel & Faith. The series wasn’t terrible but wasn’t great either. It was pretty much average, mostly because the writers don’t seem to know how to best use the Angel character (check out my Season Nine overview for more info on that). Also, there didn’t seem to be much point in bringing back Fred and Illyria but not Wesley. Without him, Fred and Illyria just aren’t as interesting.
My Ratings System
As with the seasons eight and nine, these comic reviews are patterned after the episode guides from Spectrum Magazine, a now defunct publication that covered fantasy television and movies. It had great Buffy episode guides, and I'm going to use the same five-star rating system that Spectrum used. For the most part, I'm only going to rate single issues when they contain standalone stories. The three, four and five-issue story arcs will be rated as a group. I will sometimes use half of a star (i.e. two-and-a-half stars).
Five stars - Outstanding
Four stars - Excellent
Three stars - Good
Two stars - Average
One star - Terrible
Similarly, the ninth season of Buffy was also a disappointment on a number of levels (which are discussed elsewhere on this site), and some people including myself had doubts that there was anywhere left for the story to go. So it was to my great relief that Season Ten turned out to be just as amazing a turnaround as Season Five was. In fact, this was the best season since Dark Horse took over the franchise.
What happened? How did Dark Horse manage to reverse Buffy’s fortunes? In a nutshell, it was due to the Buffy/Spike romance. This is a relationship that has defied all the laws of dramatic gravity. During Season Nine, I was certain that Buffy/Spike had gone as far as it could go and that it was on the verge of a Moonlighting-like collapse.
But, amazingly, not only did this not happen, but the Buffy/Spike relationship has soared to new heights as the writers keep finding ways to mine gold out of it. How they keep doing this, I’m not sure. Maybe Spike is such an interesting, complex character that he provides plenty of roads for the writing to travel. Maybe his dynamic with Buffy is just really, really compelling, certainly more than the Buffy/Angel relationship ever was.
The fact is that most romantic relationships presented in a serial format (usually television) only go so far before they just run out of gas. The TV series Moonlighting is the most prominent example out of this. The problem is that the intrigue is always in the chase, the question of when the two people are finally going to get together. Once they actually do get together, the relationship usually ceases to be interesting. Given how long the Buffy/Spike dynamic has been going on, you would think that by now it would have run out of steam as well, but somehow it hasn’t.
Regardless of the reasons why, it was Buffy/Spike more than anything that made Season Ten so strong. The entire season seemed to be building toward the inevitable breakup of the two, and even though it was teased in issues 27 and 28, it thankfully never happened. I was really glad the two stayed together. The only question is whether the writers can continue to find ways to keep the relationship interesting going forward. It'll be one of the more fascinating things to look forward to in Season Eleven.
There were other strong points that really made Season Ten. The Xander/Dawn/Anya arc was also really interesting. The writers found a way to break up Xander and Dawn but not for the typically cliché reasons that we are accustomed to seeing. They brought back Anya as ghost which provided an intriguing mystery for the duration of the season, and the payoff was worth the wait.
Giles returned after being resurrected by Angel. However, he was resurrected as a young boy, and this angle reinvigorated the character as he had to deal with the frustration of being a man in a boy's body. It was a great arc that prevented plenty of humor as well as real drama.
It was also a big plus that artist Rebekah Isaacs came over from Angel & Faith. Her work was top notch, and it made Buffy even better. (Unfortunately, Buffy’s gain was Angel & Faith’s loss).
Among the entire 30-issue run, the only true misfire was #7. There were only two real problems I had with the season. First was the conflict between the members of the Scooby Gang. It just felt forced more often that not. The writers need to be a little more creative about this in the future. Second, there was the cost of each comic. Dark Horse raised the price to $3.99 which just seems a bit much for a comic book. Fortunately, I only buy the online digital comics and would often wait several months until I could buy 3 or 4 issues at half price ($1.99). Reading several issues at once actually made the story much more enjoyable.
Due to both a lack of time and interest, I won’t be covering Angel & Faith. The series wasn’t terrible but wasn’t great either. It was pretty much average, mostly because the writers don’t seem to know how to best use the Angel character (check out my Season Nine overview for more info on that). Also, there didn’t seem to be much point in bringing back Fred and Illyria but not Wesley. Without him, Fred and Illyria just aren’t as interesting.
My Ratings System
As with the seasons eight and nine, these comic reviews are patterned after the episode guides from Spectrum Magazine, a now defunct publication that covered fantasy television and movies. It had great Buffy episode guides, and I'm going to use the same five-star rating system that Spectrum used. For the most part, I'm only going to rate single issues when they contain standalone stories. The three, four and five-issue story arcs will be rated as a group. I will sometimes use half of a star (i.e. two-and-a-half stars).
Five stars - Outstanding
Four stars - Excellent
Three stars - Good
Two stars - Average
One star - Terrible
New Rules
Issues #1-5
To read a summary of this story arc, click HERE.
COMMENTS: The new season kicks off with a fantastic start, and it’s such a stark contrast from the lackluster Freefall story arc that began Season Nine. We quickly learn how different things are when it is revealed that Buffy and the gang are working with a group of vampires in order to wipe out the remaining zompires which can no longer replicate now that magic has been restored.
Buffy has a new hairstyle which is par for the course. She has had a new hairstyle during all 7 seasons of the television series. Her hair here isn’t bad, but it’s probably my least favorite of all the hairstyles she’s had.
Another great moment is when a van pulls up, it opens up to reveal Andrew who says, “Come with me if you want to live”, which of course is a Terminator reference. We also get a hint of Andrew’s true sexuality when he describes Spike to the two girls as this amazing valiant warrior, and when the girls sigh breathlessly he also does the same. Later in the issue, Dawn thinks Andrew wants to come out, but he says that he wants to be a Slayer like Billy. Also, Andrew seems turned on when his shirt is ripped to shreds by Spike. It’s not the first time Andrew has hinted an attraction to Spike. In episode 6.18 Entropy, Andrew says of Spike “He’s so hot.”
This idea that Andrew might be gay is funny here because it is merely implied, but it ceases to be funny later in the season once it is explicitly stated. Memo to the writers: It’s often much more powerful to hint at something than to spell it out.
One of the rescued kids asks Dawn if she has super powers, and she says no but she “drives real fast.” It turns out that something isn’t right between Xander and Dawn. Xander is talking to someone, but we aren’t shown who it is at first. Amazingly, it turns out to be… Anya! She appears to be a ghost that no one but Xander can see.
After the zompires are extinguished, Buffy and the gang learn that vampires suddenly have brand new powers. They’re about to be killed when Faith, Kennedy and a few other slayers show up to help out.
And then there is the introduction of young Giles which is just fantastic. Buffy and Willow immediately recognize who he is when he speaks to them. And the moment when Buffy and Giles hug each other is one of the highlights of the entire season.
In issue #2, we learn that the Vampyr book is now blank. Billy received a vision from the First Slayer.
There is a funny moment when everyone starts asking Giles questions and he throws a temper tantrum, telling them that they need to start getting by on their own. And then they start to do just that, and he feels bad about it.
Dowling seems a bit more interesting than he did last season. Perhaps it’s due to Rebekah Isaac’s artwork. Anyway, it’s for the best that his potential romance with Buffy never went anywhere.
There is a great moment when Buffy awkwardly explains to Dowling why they shouldn’t see each other, and she clearly expects him not to take it well. But then he turns out to be completely understanding about the whole thing. Afterward, Buffy gets pissed off at him. She says she can’t help but think that all her relationships are doomed, but in the process she makes Spike feel bad as well.
Xander and Dawn share an awkward flight to Transylvania. Xander feels certain that Dawn is going to break up with him because he betrayed Buffy. Still, Xander’s betrayal was not on the same level as the betrayals by Willow, Angel, and Giles because he was actually trying to help Buffy when he did it. Angel and Willow actually tried to kill Buffy.
There is another funny moment at the end when Xander and Dawn meet Dracula. Xander attempts to stand up to him, but in the end he just can’t do it. He reverts to calling him, “Master.”
Billy and friends don’t travel with Buffy back to San Francisco. As it turns out, we wouldn’t see them again for the rest of the season. This is actually a good thing as there really wasn’t enough room for the new characters to be in every issue anyway.
In #3, Dracula says that he hired a writer, a reference to the first Dracula novel written by Bram Stoker. We learn that he gained his powers through a sheer force of will.
There is an amusing conversation between Xander and Dracula. Dracula says that there are orgies now, but he’s actually lying to try and make Xander regret leaving. Xander reveals that Dracula can’t make lightning strike; he merely can sense when it is coming.
There is another great exchange between Buffy and Willow when they talk about Dowling:
Buffy: I told him it was safer for him if we keep things professional. He agreed.
Willow: Jerk.
Buffy: Right?
It’s also hilarious when Giles is playing a video game (later revealed to be Pimp Slap IV, an obvious nod to Grand Theft Auto), and Xander tells him, “Rob that hooker. You need the money.” Giles answers, “I will do no such thing. I am a gentleman.” It’s also fun when Andrew dresses up as Dracula and tries to kiss up to him. Later, Andrew tells Xander about Dracula, “You have my admiration. Someone is high maintenance.”
Dracula eventually betrays the Scooby Gang, taking control over Xander and leaving with the Vampyr book. His betrayal wasn’t that hard to see coming, though. We learn that the rules of magic can be rewritten by simply writing them in the book. There’s a powerful moment when Dawn tells Xander she loves him, and he responds, “No. You don’t.” She breaks down crying as a result.
In #4, there is a funny running joke throughout this issue that starts with Andrew saying that Dracula “went all Dark Willow.” Willow responds, “I’m a trope now?” Later, Dawn uses the same reference much to Willow’s annoyance. A short time later, Willow starts to use the phrase herself.
It’s also funny when Spike keeps referring to Dracula as “my lord and master Dracula”, unable to stop himself. We also learn that Dawn lost her feelings of love for Xander due to what happened to her at the end of Season Nine in which she almost died. Magic is the culprit.
Dracula tries to rewrite the rules of magic in a way that benefits him, but it results in a “Monkey’s Paw” effect in which everything that is written goes horribly wrong. When Dracula writes that all vampires recognize him as the lord and master of all vampires, the end result is that every vampire is now out to kill him. Then Xander writes, “Dracula became the most powerful vampire of all”, and this results in Dracula turning into Maloker, the old one who created vampires.
In #5, the battle against Maloker is really well done. We get to see giant Dawn again, and she uses a pointed building to stake him. But Dracula can’t be killed by staking. Afterwards, Dracula is about to turn into Maloker again, but Xander is able to use the book to set him free. The ending resolution with the gang is great, especially the conversation between Xander and Dawn.
New Rules feels like two stories instead of one, but nonetheless it is four fantastic issues that perfectly set up the rest of the season. Amazingly, the writers found a truly original way to break up Xander and Dawn that doesn’t feel forced. All this was much needed to show that Dark Horse was capable of getting Buffy back on track after a lackluster Season Nine. New Rules is everything that fans could have hoped for, and as a result I have to give it top honors.
Issues #1-5
To read a summary of this story arc, click HERE.
COMMENTS: The new season kicks off with a fantastic start, and it’s such a stark contrast from the lackluster Freefall story arc that began Season Nine. We quickly learn how different things are when it is revealed that Buffy and the gang are working with a group of vampires in order to wipe out the remaining zompires which can no longer replicate now that magic has been restored.
Buffy has a new hairstyle which is par for the course. She has had a new hairstyle during all 7 seasons of the television series. Her hair here isn’t bad, but it’s probably my least favorite of all the hairstyles she’s had.
Another great moment is when a van pulls up, it opens up to reveal Andrew who says, “Come with me if you want to live”, which of course is a Terminator reference. We also get a hint of Andrew’s true sexuality when he describes Spike to the two girls as this amazing valiant warrior, and when the girls sigh breathlessly he also does the same. Later in the issue, Dawn thinks Andrew wants to come out, but he says that he wants to be a Slayer like Billy. Also, Andrew seems turned on when his shirt is ripped to shreds by Spike. It’s not the first time Andrew has hinted an attraction to Spike. In episode 6.18 Entropy, Andrew says of Spike “He’s so hot.”
This idea that Andrew might be gay is funny here because it is merely implied, but it ceases to be funny later in the season once it is explicitly stated. Memo to the writers: It’s often much more powerful to hint at something than to spell it out.
One of the rescued kids asks Dawn if she has super powers, and she says no but she “drives real fast.” It turns out that something isn’t right between Xander and Dawn. Xander is talking to someone, but we aren’t shown who it is at first. Amazingly, it turns out to be… Anya! She appears to be a ghost that no one but Xander can see.
After the zompires are extinguished, Buffy and the gang learn that vampires suddenly have brand new powers. They’re about to be killed when Faith, Kennedy and a few other slayers show up to help out.
And then there is the introduction of young Giles which is just fantastic. Buffy and Willow immediately recognize who he is when he speaks to them. And the moment when Buffy and Giles hug each other is one of the highlights of the entire season.
In issue #2, we learn that the Vampyr book is now blank. Billy received a vision from the First Slayer.
There is a funny moment when everyone starts asking Giles questions and he throws a temper tantrum, telling them that they need to start getting by on their own. And then they start to do just that, and he feels bad about it.
Dowling seems a bit more interesting than he did last season. Perhaps it’s due to Rebekah Isaac’s artwork. Anyway, it’s for the best that his potential romance with Buffy never went anywhere.
There is a great moment when Buffy awkwardly explains to Dowling why they shouldn’t see each other, and she clearly expects him not to take it well. But then he turns out to be completely understanding about the whole thing. Afterward, Buffy gets pissed off at him. She says she can’t help but think that all her relationships are doomed, but in the process she makes Spike feel bad as well.
Xander and Dawn share an awkward flight to Transylvania. Xander feels certain that Dawn is going to break up with him because he betrayed Buffy. Still, Xander’s betrayal was not on the same level as the betrayals by Willow, Angel, and Giles because he was actually trying to help Buffy when he did it. Angel and Willow actually tried to kill Buffy.
There is another funny moment at the end when Xander and Dawn meet Dracula. Xander attempts to stand up to him, but in the end he just can’t do it. He reverts to calling him, “Master.”
Billy and friends don’t travel with Buffy back to San Francisco. As it turns out, we wouldn’t see them again for the rest of the season. This is actually a good thing as there really wasn’t enough room for the new characters to be in every issue anyway.
In #3, Dracula says that he hired a writer, a reference to the first Dracula novel written by Bram Stoker. We learn that he gained his powers through a sheer force of will.
There is an amusing conversation between Xander and Dracula. Dracula says that there are orgies now, but he’s actually lying to try and make Xander regret leaving. Xander reveals that Dracula can’t make lightning strike; he merely can sense when it is coming.
There is another great exchange between Buffy and Willow when they talk about Dowling:
Buffy: I told him it was safer for him if we keep things professional. He agreed.
Willow: Jerk.
Buffy: Right?
It’s also hilarious when Giles is playing a video game (later revealed to be Pimp Slap IV, an obvious nod to Grand Theft Auto), and Xander tells him, “Rob that hooker. You need the money.” Giles answers, “I will do no such thing. I am a gentleman.” It’s also fun when Andrew dresses up as Dracula and tries to kiss up to him. Later, Andrew tells Xander about Dracula, “You have my admiration. Someone is high maintenance.”
Dracula eventually betrays the Scooby Gang, taking control over Xander and leaving with the Vampyr book. His betrayal wasn’t that hard to see coming, though. We learn that the rules of magic can be rewritten by simply writing them in the book. There’s a powerful moment when Dawn tells Xander she loves him, and he responds, “No. You don’t.” She breaks down crying as a result.
In #4, there is a funny running joke throughout this issue that starts with Andrew saying that Dracula “went all Dark Willow.” Willow responds, “I’m a trope now?” Later, Dawn uses the same reference much to Willow’s annoyance. A short time later, Willow starts to use the phrase herself.
It’s also funny when Spike keeps referring to Dracula as “my lord and master Dracula”, unable to stop himself. We also learn that Dawn lost her feelings of love for Xander due to what happened to her at the end of Season Nine in which she almost died. Magic is the culprit.
Dracula tries to rewrite the rules of magic in a way that benefits him, but it results in a “Monkey’s Paw” effect in which everything that is written goes horribly wrong. When Dracula writes that all vampires recognize him as the lord and master of all vampires, the end result is that every vampire is now out to kill him. Then Xander writes, “Dracula became the most powerful vampire of all”, and this results in Dracula turning into Maloker, the old one who created vampires.
In #5, the battle against Maloker is really well done. We get to see giant Dawn again, and she uses a pointed building to stake him. But Dracula can’t be killed by staking. Afterwards, Dracula is about to turn into Maloker again, but Xander is able to use the book to set him free. The ending resolution with the gang is great, especially the conversation between Xander and Dawn.
New Rules feels like two stories instead of one, but nonetheless it is four fantastic issues that perfectly set up the rest of the season. Amazingly, the writers found a truly original way to break up Xander and Dawn that doesn’t feel forced. All this was much needed to show that Dark Horse was capable of getting Buffy back on track after a lackluster Season Nine. New Rules is everything that fans could have hoped for, and as a result I have to give it top honors.
I Wish – Part One
Issue #6
Art by Karl Moline and Cliff Richards
To read a summary of this issue, click HERE.
COMMENTS: When I first read this issue, something about it really irked me. It was the moment when Buffy says to Giles, “If the family you were born with can’t or won’t back you up… You can make your own. One that will love you so much.”
You can make your own family. This is a theme that we see all the time in liberal Hollywood. Besides Buffy, another great example would be the television series Friends in which family is deemphasized in favor of friendships. The message seems pretty clear: Families are dysfunctional and make you miserable. Friends are the only ones you can truly count on.
The Buffy TV series pushed this idea as much as anyone. Buffy’s mom was divorced and her dad was never reliable, failing to show up for her birthday in episode 3.16 Helpless. We only see Willow’s mom one time (3.11 Gingerbread), and she is clearly a terrible mother. Xander’s father is a drunken lout, and family fights were a Christmas tradition.
The idea that you can make your own family, that friendships can replace family, is a really nice sentiment, and it certainly would be great if it were true, but it simply isn’t. It’s a fantasy element almost as unrealistic as Buffy having super powers. The idea that you can have a Scooby Gang of friends like Buffy, who always remain at your side through the years and are just as strong as family, just doesn’t happen. Your friends inevitably move on in life. They go to college, get married or move away. That’s how real life works.
Anyway, this issue improved for me on subsequent readings. In a nice change, two artists are used in this comic: Karl Moline and Cliff Richards. Moline is used for the dream sequences, and the transition helps make them seem more dreamlike. The premise of the story is remarkably similar to the Angel episode 2.2 Are You Now or Have You Ever Been? It involves the gang removing a demon from a building and afterwards moving in which is the exact same thing that happened in the Angel episode.
Willow tells Giles that she can’t bring him back to his original age without risking his death. We learn that Giles is unable to access his money. But he left it all to Faith. Couldn’t she just give it to him? It really doesn’t make sense. Nor do we ever get an explanation as to why Giles left all his money to Faith and none to Buffy. It just seems like it was done to give Buffy money troubles, but her money troubles are becoming less and less believable now that she is publicly known as the Slayer. Surely she could get a decent paying job somewhere.
One amusing moment during the dream sequence is when Xander finds his parents loving and supportive and immediately realizes that it isn’t real. He leaves the house and says, “Get away from me, replicants!” This is a reference to the movie Blade Runner in which there are robots called replicants designed to look like humans.
Issue #6
Art by Karl Moline and Cliff Richards
To read a summary of this issue, click HERE.
COMMENTS: When I first read this issue, something about it really irked me. It was the moment when Buffy says to Giles, “If the family you were born with can’t or won’t back you up… You can make your own. One that will love you so much.”
You can make your own family. This is a theme that we see all the time in liberal Hollywood. Besides Buffy, another great example would be the television series Friends in which family is deemphasized in favor of friendships. The message seems pretty clear: Families are dysfunctional and make you miserable. Friends are the only ones you can truly count on.
The Buffy TV series pushed this idea as much as anyone. Buffy’s mom was divorced and her dad was never reliable, failing to show up for her birthday in episode 3.16 Helpless. We only see Willow’s mom one time (3.11 Gingerbread), and she is clearly a terrible mother. Xander’s father is a drunken lout, and family fights were a Christmas tradition.
The idea that you can make your own family, that friendships can replace family, is a really nice sentiment, and it certainly would be great if it were true, but it simply isn’t. It’s a fantasy element almost as unrealistic as Buffy having super powers. The idea that you can have a Scooby Gang of friends like Buffy, who always remain at your side through the years and are just as strong as family, just doesn’t happen. Your friends inevitably move on in life. They go to college, get married or move away. That’s how real life works.
Anyway, this issue improved for me on subsequent readings. In a nice change, two artists are used in this comic: Karl Moline and Cliff Richards. Moline is used for the dream sequences, and the transition helps make them seem more dreamlike. The premise of the story is remarkably similar to the Angel episode 2.2 Are You Now or Have You Ever Been? It involves the gang removing a demon from a building and afterwards moving in which is the exact same thing that happened in the Angel episode.
Willow tells Giles that she can’t bring him back to his original age without risking his death. We learn that Giles is unable to access his money. But he left it all to Faith. Couldn’t she just give it to him? It really doesn’t make sense. Nor do we ever get an explanation as to why Giles left all his money to Faith and none to Buffy. It just seems like it was done to give Buffy money troubles, but her money troubles are becoming less and less believable now that she is publicly known as the Slayer. Surely she could get a decent paying job somewhere.
One amusing moment during the dream sequence is when Xander finds his parents loving and supportive and immediately realizes that it isn’t real. He leaves the house and says, “Get away from me, replicants!” This is a reference to the movie Blade Runner in which there are robots called replicants designed to look like humans.
I Wish – Part Two
Issue #7
To read a summary of this issue, click HERE.
COMMENTS: According to Dark Horse editor Scott Allie, this story is an attempt to recreate the fun Xander-Spike moments from Season 4. Unfortunately, it doesn’t succeed at this level as it just isn't funny. Part of the problem is that Spike was a more naturally humorous character in Season 4. He was held captive by the Scooby Gang, and his forced association with them was just incredibly funny. But he’s a much more serious character now, as well as one of the good guys who is with them willingly, and as a result it's much harder to create humor.
Ironically, it’s the more serious moments that are the most effective such as when Spike suggests Xander use the magic book to reset things between him and Dawn, and when Xander blasts Spike, telling him it’s obvious that he’s not over Buffy. But overall it’s a forgettable story.
Issue #7
To read a summary of this issue, click HERE.
COMMENTS: According to Dark Horse editor Scott Allie, this story is an attempt to recreate the fun Xander-Spike moments from Season 4. Unfortunately, it doesn’t succeed at this level as it just isn't funny. Part of the problem is that Spike was a more naturally humorous character in Season 4. He was held captive by the Scooby Gang, and his forced association with them was just incredibly funny. But he’s a much more serious character now, as well as one of the good guys who is with them willingly, and as a result it's much harder to create humor.
Ironically, it’s the more serious moments that are the most effective such as when Spike suggests Xander use the magic book to reset things between him and Dawn, and when Xander blasts Spike, telling him it’s obvious that he’s not over Buffy. But overall it’s a forgettable story.
Return To Sunnydale
Issues #8-9
To read a summary of this story arc, click HERE.
COMMENTS: Xander and Spike have lost the magic book. After some finger pointing, it becomes clear that Andrew took it.
Willow breaks the fourth wall and makes a reference to it being “Wednesday” which is the day of the month that the comic is released.
We get the origin story of a demon told from a demon’s point of view in which he presents himself as the hero of the tale. It’s clever because all villains see themselves as doing good.
Spike tries to scare one of the party-goers off and it turns out that he’s a fan.
The Buffy/Spike moments are really well done. At one point, Spike and Buffy stumble upon Spike’s old crypt. Spike apologizes to Buffy for trying to rape her and she says she doesn’t blame him for it because he didn’t have a soul at the time. Later, they have a great conversation in which Spike says he didn’t really love Buffy when he was soulless even though he thought he did. He realizes now that it wasn’t real love.
We get a powerful moment with Andrew who is trying to resurrect Tara as a way to redeem himself. He tells Willow that he feels alone because they don’t trust him. He mentions the mistakes that have been made, such as Xander’s betrayal of Buffy after which Xander was forgiven. And then he admits that he doesn’t deserve to be trusted because he was a part of the Trio. Willow answers that he can’t change that by what he’s currently doing, and he hesitantly terminates the spell. The hug between the two is very touching.
The reunion is also really great in which Buffy makes amends with Andrew as long as he promises not to do anything like this again. It’s pretty funny when Andrew attempts to hug Spike and he says no.
In the epilogue, we learn that Andrew apparently has not learned his lesson as he decides to get Jonathon a new body. The fact that Andrew is so immature is what makes the character so much fun. It’s hard to believe that a serious Andrew story like this could be so great when the appeal of the character has always been his humor, but somehow the writers did it. A pretty amazing feat no matter how you slice it.
Issues #8-9
To read a summary of this story arc, click HERE.
COMMENTS: Xander and Spike have lost the magic book. After some finger pointing, it becomes clear that Andrew took it.
Willow breaks the fourth wall and makes a reference to it being “Wednesday” which is the day of the month that the comic is released.
We get the origin story of a demon told from a demon’s point of view in which he presents himself as the hero of the tale. It’s clever because all villains see themselves as doing good.
Spike tries to scare one of the party-goers off and it turns out that he’s a fan.
The Buffy/Spike moments are really well done. At one point, Spike and Buffy stumble upon Spike’s old crypt. Spike apologizes to Buffy for trying to rape her and she says she doesn’t blame him for it because he didn’t have a soul at the time. Later, they have a great conversation in which Spike says he didn’t really love Buffy when he was soulless even though he thought he did. He realizes now that it wasn’t real love.
We get a powerful moment with Andrew who is trying to resurrect Tara as a way to redeem himself. He tells Willow that he feels alone because they don’t trust him. He mentions the mistakes that have been made, such as Xander’s betrayal of Buffy after which Xander was forgiven. And then he admits that he doesn’t deserve to be trusted because he was a part of the Trio. Willow answers that he can’t change that by what he’s currently doing, and he hesitantly terminates the spell. The hug between the two is very touching.
The reunion is also really great in which Buffy makes amends with Andrew as long as he promises not to do anything like this again. It’s pretty funny when Andrew attempts to hug Spike and he says no.
In the epilogue, we learn that Andrew apparently has not learned his lesson as he decides to get Jonathon a new body. The fact that Andrew is so immature is what makes the character so much fun. It’s hard to believe that a serious Andrew story like this could be so great when the appeal of the character has always been his humor, but somehow the writers did it. A pretty amazing feat no matter how you slice it.
Day Off (Or Harmony In My Head)
Issue #10
For a detailed summary of this issue, click HERE.
COMMENTS: This issue has some fun guest appearances as Vicki, Harmony and Clem return. Vicki calls Buffy a life-ist, meaning someone who is biased against those who have eternal life. Harmony proposes they write in the Magic Book that vampires can walk in sunlight but they lose their powers when they do. Buffy and Vicki reluctantly agree to the compromise.
We soon learn that Harmony has a hidden agenda. She and Clem visit Spike. Spike tells her he’s sorry about what happened between them in London, and she says that she was the one using him. Then, just as Spike is talking about how they’ve all grown, Harmony knocks him unconscious and then starts proposing a series of crazy new magic rules. Her wishes are pretty amusing. One of them is that Buffy, Spike and Angel get involved in a polygamous marriage!
In the end, Clem refuses to write the wishes in the book because he knows everything will go wrong somehow. He makes an impassioned speech to Harmony about how she’s perfect and all, but afterwards she still slaps him anyway. Hilarious!
At the end, we learn that Clem did grant Harmony one of her wishes. He made unicorns real! Just a fun issue.
Issue #10
For a detailed summary of this issue, click HERE.
COMMENTS: This issue has some fun guest appearances as Vicki, Harmony and Clem return. Vicki calls Buffy a life-ist, meaning someone who is biased against those who have eternal life. Harmony proposes they write in the Magic Book that vampires can walk in sunlight but they lose their powers when they do. Buffy and Vicki reluctantly agree to the compromise.
We soon learn that Harmony has a hidden agenda. She and Clem visit Spike. Spike tells her he’s sorry about what happened between them in London, and she says that she was the one using him. Then, just as Spike is talking about how they’ve all grown, Harmony knocks him unconscious and then starts proposing a series of crazy new magic rules. Her wishes are pretty amusing. One of them is that Buffy, Spike and Angel get involved in a polygamous marriage!
In the end, Clem refuses to write the wishes in the book because he knows everything will go wrong somehow. He makes an impassioned speech to Harmony about how she’s perfect and all, but afterwards she still slaps him anyway. Hilarious!
At the end, we learn that Clem did grant Harmony one of her wishes. He made unicorns real! Just a fun issue.
Love Dares You
Issues #11-13
For a detailed summary of this story arc, click HERE.
COMMENTS: The first two issues of this arc are drawn by Megan Levens, and her cartoonish style is a big step down from the work of Rebecca Isaacs. In the beginning, Buffy does speed dating, and it quickly becomes clear the challenges she faces due to being the Slayer. It's hilarious when a guy tells her that he just wants to settle down with someone and “live a nice quiet life”, and Buffy immediately tells him that it isn’t going to work out. Other guys, including vampires, recognize her as the Slayer.
Xander and Dawn go see a movie. Afterwards, Dawn tells him there’s too much pressure.
Giles meets Olivia and it’s a bit cringe-worthy as he tries to kiss her. It’s hard to imagine that Giles would think it appropriate that they be together as a couple with him being so young.
Andrew realizes he’s gay and turns into a superhero after drinking a magical potion.
There’s a great conversation between Willow, Buffy and Dawn. Buffy tells Dawn that she and Xander belong together, and Dawn tells Buffy that she won’t give Spike a chance. Later, Buffy kisses Spike.
In #12, Buffy tells Spike she wants to give it a shot. Spike is unsure. He thinks Buffy always wants what she can’t have. Spike doesn’t seem to trust her and is worried that she is being impulsive. He worries that after a month she’ll might move on to someone else, which is kind of a cruel thing to say even if he didn’t mean it that way. Buffy understandably doesn’t take this well. Afterwards, Xander tells Spike he was stupid to say those things because he’s in love with Buffy.
After a big battle, Andrew kisses Clive in what is easily the low point. It is funny, though, how Xander overdoes his support for Andrew who becomes embarrassed and quickly leaves.
Buffy gives Spike a big speech about how it’s best that they stay friends, and Spike responds that he’s in love with her. The dialogue is well-written, and it’s a great moment. The two then make love, and it’s amusing as Xander, Dawn and Giles listen to the sounds of things crashing as this goes on. Later, Spike has a dream in which he murders two people.
In #13, Spike learns that the couple in his dream were actually killed last night. He tells Xander who grabs a stake. It’s pretty funny when they tell Willow and Giles who then use magic to contain Spike just in case he’s dangerous.
Buffy and Xander tell Andrew that it’s okay to be gay. I have a big problem with this whole thing, and not because I’m anti-gay or anything like that. Someone needs to tell the liberal writers at Dark Horse that Buffy is supposed to be an action-adventure comic book, not a self-help book for gay people. We’ve been through all this before with Willow in Season Four (as well as countless other TV shows). Why do we have to keep rehashing this same theme over and over again? If I were a gay person, I think I would start to feel condescended to at this point. But I guess this is what you have to do in the entertainment industry to prove your liberal credentials.
The most disappointing part of this is that it damages Andrew’s character. His appeal has always been the humor he brings, but this new serious side makes him a lot less funny than he was before.
Having to choose an overall rating for this arc is frustrating because the Buffy/Spike scenes rate four-and-a-half stars, but almost everything else drags the story down.
Issues #11-13
For a detailed summary of this story arc, click HERE.
COMMENTS: The first two issues of this arc are drawn by Megan Levens, and her cartoonish style is a big step down from the work of Rebecca Isaacs. In the beginning, Buffy does speed dating, and it quickly becomes clear the challenges she faces due to being the Slayer. It's hilarious when a guy tells her that he just wants to settle down with someone and “live a nice quiet life”, and Buffy immediately tells him that it isn’t going to work out. Other guys, including vampires, recognize her as the Slayer.
Xander and Dawn go see a movie. Afterwards, Dawn tells him there’s too much pressure.
Giles meets Olivia and it’s a bit cringe-worthy as he tries to kiss her. It’s hard to imagine that Giles would think it appropriate that they be together as a couple with him being so young.
Andrew realizes he’s gay and turns into a superhero after drinking a magical potion.
There’s a great conversation between Willow, Buffy and Dawn. Buffy tells Dawn that she and Xander belong together, and Dawn tells Buffy that she won’t give Spike a chance. Later, Buffy kisses Spike.
In #12, Buffy tells Spike she wants to give it a shot. Spike is unsure. He thinks Buffy always wants what she can’t have. Spike doesn’t seem to trust her and is worried that she is being impulsive. He worries that after a month she’ll might move on to someone else, which is kind of a cruel thing to say even if he didn’t mean it that way. Buffy understandably doesn’t take this well. Afterwards, Xander tells Spike he was stupid to say those things because he’s in love with Buffy.
After a big battle, Andrew kisses Clive in what is easily the low point. It is funny, though, how Xander overdoes his support for Andrew who becomes embarrassed and quickly leaves.
Buffy gives Spike a big speech about how it’s best that they stay friends, and Spike responds that he’s in love with her. The dialogue is well-written, and it’s a great moment. The two then make love, and it’s amusing as Xander, Dawn and Giles listen to the sounds of things crashing as this goes on. Later, Spike has a dream in which he murders two people.
In #13, Spike learns that the couple in his dream were actually killed last night. He tells Xander who grabs a stake. It’s pretty funny when they tell Willow and Giles who then use magic to contain Spike just in case he’s dangerous.
Buffy and Xander tell Andrew that it’s okay to be gay. I have a big problem with this whole thing, and not because I’m anti-gay or anything like that. Someone needs to tell the liberal writers at Dark Horse that Buffy is supposed to be an action-adventure comic book, not a self-help book for gay people. We’ve been through all this before with Willow in Season Four (as well as countless other TV shows). Why do we have to keep rehashing this same theme over and over again? If I were a gay person, I think I would start to feel condescended to at this point. But I guess this is what you have to do in the entertainment industry to prove your liberal credentials.
The most disappointing part of this is that it damages Andrew’s character. His appeal has always been the humor he brings, but this new serious side makes him a lot less funny than he was before.
Having to choose an overall rating for this arc is frustrating because the Buffy/Spike scenes rate four-and-a-half stars, but almost everything else drags the story down.
Relationship Status: Complicated
Issues #14-15
For a detailed summary of this story arc, click HERE.
COMMENTS: In issue #14, Buffy goes in Spike’s head to try to learn what is going on. Spike is understandably reluctant to let her see his memories, but she manages to reassure him. She kisses him, saying “For Luck”, and Xander starts to make a hilarious Star Wars reference before Dawn interrupts him. Xander points out that Princess Leia said the same thing to Luke Skywalker before kissing him, and it turned out that they were siblings.
The sequence of Buffy traveling through Spike’s memories is really well done. She experiences his love for her, and then she learns that he slept with Harmony in London!
Also, Buffy discovers that Spike chose to regain his soul. This is a bit of a cheat, in my view. If you go back to episode 6.19 Seeing Red when Spike makes the decision to leave Sunnydale, he pretty clearly indicates he wants to be free of his chip so he can kill Buffy.
Archaeus is introduced as the demon lord who sired the Master, and he is one of the best Buffy villains ever. It’s a powerful moment when he traps Buffy, and the Scooby Gang is able to see wounds being inflicted on her body as she lies on the floor. Afterwards, Buffy lets slip that she fell in love with the same guy twice. Spike notices the word "love."
They find Archaeus in an old warehouse, and he manages to turn Spike to evil. He attacks Buffy, and it’s a fantastic cliffhanger.
In #15, we get a great battle between Archaeus and the Scooby Gang. There are flashbacks showing Spike killing two Slayers, one in China and one in New York. Buffy almost kills Spike but then changes her mind. She makes the incredibly gutsy decision to throw down her scythe and surrender to him, trusting that he won’t be able to hurt her. This breaks him out of the spell he was under.
It’s a tremendous moment when we see the entire Scooby Gang in one panel, and Buffy says, “We’re family.”
Xander saves the day by coming up with a plan to escape. They destroy the warehouse around Archaeus to temporarily bury him. Afterwards, there is a nice conversation between Xander and Dawn in which Xander tells her that they both need to move on.
The gang decides that they need Angel’s help against Archaeus, so Spike decides to give him a call. Giles advises Spike to act with “grace and maturity”, so Spike naturally greets Angel with “Hello Wanker.” Fun moment as we realize we’re headed for one of the most intriguing crossover stories ever!
Issues #14-15
For a detailed summary of this story arc, click HERE.
COMMENTS: In issue #14, Buffy goes in Spike’s head to try to learn what is going on. Spike is understandably reluctant to let her see his memories, but she manages to reassure him. She kisses him, saying “For Luck”, and Xander starts to make a hilarious Star Wars reference before Dawn interrupts him. Xander points out that Princess Leia said the same thing to Luke Skywalker before kissing him, and it turned out that they were siblings.
The sequence of Buffy traveling through Spike’s memories is really well done. She experiences his love for her, and then she learns that he slept with Harmony in London!
Also, Buffy discovers that Spike chose to regain his soul. This is a bit of a cheat, in my view. If you go back to episode 6.19 Seeing Red when Spike makes the decision to leave Sunnydale, he pretty clearly indicates he wants to be free of his chip so he can kill Buffy.
Archaeus is introduced as the demon lord who sired the Master, and he is one of the best Buffy villains ever. It’s a powerful moment when he traps Buffy, and the Scooby Gang is able to see wounds being inflicted on her body as she lies on the floor. Afterwards, Buffy lets slip that she fell in love with the same guy twice. Spike notices the word "love."
They find Archaeus in an old warehouse, and he manages to turn Spike to evil. He attacks Buffy, and it’s a fantastic cliffhanger.
In #15, we get a great battle between Archaeus and the Scooby Gang. There are flashbacks showing Spike killing two Slayers, one in China and one in New York. Buffy almost kills Spike but then changes her mind. She makes the incredibly gutsy decision to throw down her scythe and surrender to him, trusting that he won’t be able to hurt her. This breaks him out of the spell he was under.
It’s a tremendous moment when we see the entire Scooby Gang in one panel, and Buffy says, “We’re family.”
Xander saves the day by coming up with a plan to escape. They destroy the warehouse around Archaeus to temporarily bury him. Afterwards, there is a nice conversation between Xander and Dawn in which Xander tells her that they both need to move on.
The gang decides that they need Angel’s help against Archaeus, so Spike decides to give him a call. Giles advises Spike to act with “grace and maturity”, so Spike naturally greets Angel with “Hello Wanker.” Fun moment as we realize we’re headed for one of the most intriguing crossover stories ever!
Old Demons
Issues #16-18
For a detailed summary of this story arc, click HERE.
COMMENTS: #16 is an outstanding issue despite the fact that not much really happens action-wise. There is an attack by a demon, but this issue wisely devotes most of its pages to the arrival of Angel and how everyone reacts to him. It’s really well done as we get to see Buffy, Angel and Spike reunited for the first time since the end of Season Eight. Spike is fretting about possibly losing Buffy to Angel. Buffy reassures Spike that he has nothing to fear, but afterwards, we see that she was just putting up a brave front and is actually really worried about meeting Angel again because she’s not sure how she’s going to react.
Angel’s entrance is really well done, especially the awkward hug between him and Buffy. The two of them eventually seem to be okay, but then, in the moment we were waiting for, Angel learns that Buffy and Spike are a couple again, and he clearly doesn’t like it.
When you think about it, it’s a shame we couldn’t have had a crossover story like this with Angel back in Season 6 when Buffy and Spike were together. That would’ve really been something!
In #17, Dawn and Angel meet for kinda the first time. It’s possible they may have met during the end of Season 8, but it is a really nice moment. Dawn mentions that she has all these memories of Angel that never actually happened. She also says that she had a crush on Angel, which we were never told before.
There's a funny moment when Angel tries to convince Willow that he’s changed over the years only to realize that he hasn’t. Another funny moment is when Spike keeps going on about Angel, and Buffy eventually loses it.
Eventually, the gang finds Archaeus, but Angel is quickly turned just the way Spike was. We get a good cliffhanger in which Angel stabs Spike with his sword. But there's just one problem with this. Shouldn't it have been obvious to everyone that this was likely to happen? So why call Angel in the first place? There must've been other super-powered beings they could have turned to for help. It's just a gap in logic that damages what is otherwise a great story.
In #18, Spike brings Angel back by reminding him of his dad. Unfortunately, after such a great build-up, the battle with Archaeus seems a bit lackluster, at least compared to the previous battle they had with him.
Archaes flees, and this would be the last we see of him on Buffy as he would become the Big Bad on Angel & Faith. It’s too bad to see him go as he was such a great villain, but fortunately Buffy wouldn’t suffer for it.
Afterwards, Angel has a nice good-bye with Buffy, Spike, and even Xander, but afterwards he's not as magnanimous as he appears when he reveals to Willow that he’s certain their relationship won’t last. A perfect ending.
Finally, the title of this arc, "Old Demons", is clever as it is a riff on the common phrase "Old Friends". Angel and Spike qualify as old demons, as does Archaeus.
RATING:
Issues #16-18
For a detailed summary of this story arc, click HERE.
COMMENTS: #16 is an outstanding issue despite the fact that not much really happens action-wise. There is an attack by a demon, but this issue wisely devotes most of its pages to the arrival of Angel and how everyone reacts to him. It’s really well done as we get to see Buffy, Angel and Spike reunited for the first time since the end of Season Eight. Spike is fretting about possibly losing Buffy to Angel. Buffy reassures Spike that he has nothing to fear, but afterwards, we see that she was just putting up a brave front and is actually really worried about meeting Angel again because she’s not sure how she’s going to react.
Angel’s entrance is really well done, especially the awkward hug between him and Buffy. The two of them eventually seem to be okay, but then, in the moment we were waiting for, Angel learns that Buffy and Spike are a couple again, and he clearly doesn’t like it.
When you think about it, it’s a shame we couldn’t have had a crossover story like this with Angel back in Season 6 when Buffy and Spike were together. That would’ve really been something!
In #17, Dawn and Angel meet for kinda the first time. It’s possible they may have met during the end of Season 8, but it is a really nice moment. Dawn mentions that she has all these memories of Angel that never actually happened. She also says that she had a crush on Angel, which we were never told before.
There's a funny moment when Angel tries to convince Willow that he’s changed over the years only to realize that he hasn’t. Another funny moment is when Spike keeps going on about Angel, and Buffy eventually loses it.
Eventually, the gang finds Archaeus, but Angel is quickly turned just the way Spike was. We get a good cliffhanger in which Angel stabs Spike with his sword. But there's just one problem with this. Shouldn't it have been obvious to everyone that this was likely to happen? So why call Angel in the first place? There must've been other super-powered beings they could have turned to for help. It's just a gap in logic that damages what is otherwise a great story.
In #18, Spike brings Angel back by reminding him of his dad. Unfortunately, after such a great build-up, the battle with Archaeus seems a bit lackluster, at least compared to the previous battle they had with him.
Archaes flees, and this would be the last we see of him on Buffy as he would become the Big Bad on Angel & Faith. It’s too bad to see him go as he was such a great villain, but fortunately Buffy wouldn’t suffer for it.
Afterwards, Angel has a nice good-bye with Buffy, Spike, and even Xander, but afterwards he's not as magnanimous as he appears when he reveals to Willow that he’s certain their relationship won’t last. A perfect ending.
Finally, the title of this arc, "Old Demons", is clever as it is a riff on the common phrase "Old Friends". Angel and Spike qualify as old demons, as does Archaeus.
RATING:
Freaky Giles Day
Issue #19
For a detailed summary of this issue, click HERE.
COMMENTS: The title “Freaky Giles Day” is a riff on the movie “Freaky Friday.” It’s a story with real potential that unfortunately takes some wrong turns.
Willow casts a spell that turns Giles into an adult for 48 hours. He gets to spend time with Olivia, and we even get a nice cameo from Giles’s aunts, Sophie and Lavinia, who are always a blast.
Unfortunately, what soon happens is Buffy acts like a total jerk to Giles for no good reason. Yes, she’s annoyed about having to meet up with her father, but what she says to Giles is just downright cruel. She says they don’t need him as a Watcher anymore; what they really need is advice on how to be normal, healthy adults, and she doesn’t think he qualifies for that. It just isn’t believable that she would lash out at him like that.
This brings up a point that I’ve been wanting to talk about for a long time: Buffy is not really a nice person.
Yes, she’s a hero. She saves the world. She helps people. She cares about people. But she often isn’t what you would call nice. Some examples of this:
Episode 3.20 The Prom: When Angel breaks up with Buffy in the sewer, he says that he is trying to use his head, not his heart. She replies, “What heart? It isn’t even beating!”
Episode 4.2 Living Conditions: The back and forth tit for tat that Buffy engages in with her college roommate who she can’t stand.
Episode 4.19 New Moon Rising: When Oz comes returns to Sunnydale, and Riley has some doubts about him once he learns that Oz is a werewolf, Buffy calls Riley a bigot and just acts like a jerk.
Episode 7.18 Dirty Girls: Buffy, having decided that she doesn’t need a Watcher anymore, tells Giles to go train someone who actually needs a teacher.
And there are other examples besides these. Now, I understand that nice characters tend to make for boring stories. Stories require conflict, and conflict often requires that people get nasty. Still, the writers often have Buffy act in a way that feels forced. I find it hard to believe that someone who is a hero who is willing to risk her life time and again to help so many people would ever act like this. It really damages the character. Plus, in “Freaky Giles Day”, Buffy’s lashing out at Giles just doesn’t seem necessary. It actually comes across as lazy writing. Surely the writers could have figured out some other way to have Giles doubt his role in the world.
If this wasn’t bad enough, the story takes another unfortunate turn when it comes to Buffy and Dawn meeting with their father, Hank. We learn that Hank is now aware that Buffy is the Slayer. He is getting married soon, and he wants Dawn to attend the wedding but not Buffy due to the dangerous life that she lives.
This feels like a missed opportunity. We could have had a really interesting conversation in which Hank questions Buffy about putting her life at risk as the Slayer or how she exposes Dawn to that risk. Or imagine if Hank questioned Buffy about why she hid her identity from him for all these years. He might even have blamed her Slayer activities for the conflict between him and Joyce that led to their divorce. This is an angle that could easily have warranted an entire issue all to itself.
Instead, the writers take the easy, predictable route. Hank is a jerk, a bad father, like almost every other father portrayed in comics and Hollywood. It’s actually kind of nauseating the more I think about it.
In the end, we do get a nice ending with Giles and Buffy on the rooftop in which Buffy says that he’s been like a father to her. This would have been more satisfying if the buildup to it hadn’t been so forced. Still a decent issue overall, but it could have been much better.
Issue #19
For a detailed summary of this issue, click HERE.
COMMENTS: The title “Freaky Giles Day” is a riff on the movie “Freaky Friday.” It’s a story with real potential that unfortunately takes some wrong turns.
Willow casts a spell that turns Giles into an adult for 48 hours. He gets to spend time with Olivia, and we even get a nice cameo from Giles’s aunts, Sophie and Lavinia, who are always a blast.
Unfortunately, what soon happens is Buffy acts like a total jerk to Giles for no good reason. Yes, she’s annoyed about having to meet up with her father, but what she says to Giles is just downright cruel. She says they don’t need him as a Watcher anymore; what they really need is advice on how to be normal, healthy adults, and she doesn’t think he qualifies for that. It just isn’t believable that she would lash out at him like that.
This brings up a point that I’ve been wanting to talk about for a long time: Buffy is not really a nice person.
Yes, she’s a hero. She saves the world. She helps people. She cares about people. But she often isn’t what you would call nice. Some examples of this:
Episode 3.20 The Prom: When Angel breaks up with Buffy in the sewer, he says that he is trying to use his head, not his heart. She replies, “What heart? It isn’t even beating!”
Episode 4.2 Living Conditions: The back and forth tit for tat that Buffy engages in with her college roommate who she can’t stand.
Episode 4.19 New Moon Rising: When Oz comes returns to Sunnydale, and Riley has some doubts about him once he learns that Oz is a werewolf, Buffy calls Riley a bigot and just acts like a jerk.
Episode 7.18 Dirty Girls: Buffy, having decided that she doesn’t need a Watcher anymore, tells Giles to go train someone who actually needs a teacher.
And there are other examples besides these. Now, I understand that nice characters tend to make for boring stories. Stories require conflict, and conflict often requires that people get nasty. Still, the writers often have Buffy act in a way that feels forced. I find it hard to believe that someone who is a hero who is willing to risk her life time and again to help so many people would ever act like this. It really damages the character. Plus, in “Freaky Giles Day”, Buffy’s lashing out at Giles just doesn’t seem necessary. It actually comes across as lazy writing. Surely the writers could have figured out some other way to have Giles doubt his role in the world.
If this wasn’t bad enough, the story takes another unfortunate turn when it comes to Buffy and Dawn meeting with their father, Hank. We learn that Hank is now aware that Buffy is the Slayer. He is getting married soon, and he wants Dawn to attend the wedding but not Buffy due to the dangerous life that she lives.
This feels like a missed opportunity. We could have had a really interesting conversation in which Hank questions Buffy about putting her life at risk as the Slayer or how she exposes Dawn to that risk. Or imagine if Hank questioned Buffy about why she hid her identity from him for all these years. He might even have blamed her Slayer activities for the conflict between him and Joyce that led to their divorce. This is an angle that could easily have warranted an entire issue all to itself.
Instead, the writers take the easy, predictable route. Hank is a jerk, a bad father, like almost every other father portrayed in comics and Hollywood. It’s actually kind of nauseating the more I think about it.
In the end, we do get a nice ending with Giles and Buffy on the rooftop in which Buffy says that he’s been like a father to her. This would have been more satisfying if the buildup to it hadn’t been so forced. Still a decent issue overall, but it could have been much better.
Triggers
Issue #20
For a detailed summary of this issue, click HERE.
COMMENTS: Buffy and Spike investigate an Incubus demon who hypnotized a woman and raped her, and the whole thing keeps reminding them of Spike’s attempted rape of Buffy in Season 6. It all leads to a nice moment between Buffy and Spike at the end. It’s mentioned that the new rules of magic don’t always benefit demons because now people are willing to talk about them and report crimes.
Xander, Giles and Dowling rescue a psychic who has been possessed by a demon. The demon is able to see Anya. After the demon is cast out, the psychic tells Xander that Anya is dead and that the entity Xander sees believes itself to be Anya but isn’t.
In the final scene, Anya speaks to someone (who will later be revealed to be D’hoffryn) and she says she’s not Anya but she can’t remember these meetings afterwards.
Issue #20
For a detailed summary of this issue, click HERE.
COMMENTS: Buffy and Spike investigate an Incubus demon who hypnotized a woman and raped her, and the whole thing keeps reminding them of Spike’s attempted rape of Buffy in Season 6. It all leads to a nice moment between Buffy and Spike at the end. It’s mentioned that the new rules of magic don’t always benefit demons because now people are willing to talk about them and report crimes.
Xander, Giles and Dowling rescue a psychic who has been possessed by a demon. The demon is able to see Anya. After the demon is cast out, the psychic tells Xander that Anya is dead and that the entity Xander sees believes itself to be Anya but isn’t.
In the final scene, Anya speaks to someone (who will later be revealed to be D’hoffryn) and she says she’s not Anya but she can’t remember these meetings afterwards.
In Pieces On The Ground
Issues #21 -25
For a detailed summary of this story arc, click HERE.
COMMENTS: In #21, Satsu shows up and she looks great. She asks Buffy to help the U.S. Army fight demons. Buffy is shown to hate the U.S. military, but her reasons really don’t make any sense. First, the army didn’t come after her on their own. They were given orders to do so. And for Buffy to hate the entire U.S. military is just bizarre. She can’t possibly think that everyone in the military is bad, but this seems to be the case. It’s just a real head-scratching scene.
Buffy and Spike travel by helicopter to VampireCon in Las Vegas in order to facilitate a treaty between vampires and the U.S. military. They find Harmony and Vicki waiting for them. Vicki tells Satsu to “Airwolf out of here”, and Satsu has no idea what Airwolf is. Airwolf was an 80s TV show that featured a helicopter. Of course, it makes sense that a vampire would make dated pop culture references.
Buffy and Spike are told that they each have to engage in “trial by combat” in order to cement the new alliance. Buffy enters a wrestling ring, and Clem is the ring announcer. Clem talks to Buffy using pro wrestling slang. As a former longtime pro wrestling fan, I really enjoyed this. Clem tells Buffy that she is being portrayed as a "heel" (i.e. villain). He also says he "can’t break kayfabe," meaning that he can’t admit that this portrayal of her is untrue. (It isn’t mentioned, but the vampire would be the "babyface" since he’s being presented as the good guy). Of course, the match itself is real enough.
In what has to be two of the most memorable scenes of Season 10, we first get Harmony taunting Spike during Buffy’s match and then Vicki taunting Buffy during Spike’s match. It’s perfectly done, and it’s highly enjoyable even after repeat readings.
Harmony really stings Spike during Buffy’s match, suggesting that he built Buffy up to be something she could never really be, that’s he’ll sabotage the relationship in order to make Buffy be the one to break it off. During Spike’s match, Vicki finds a way to get to Buffy. She says that Buffy will dump Spike sooner or later once she realizes that he’s still a monster.
One the ride home, Buffy and Spike assure each other that everything’s okay between them, but it’s clear that they each now have doubts that they didn’t have before.
In the final scene, Spike meets up with a woman named Dylan. If this were a stand-alone issue and not part of an arc, it would rate five stars. It's my pick for the best single issue of Season Ten.
Issues #21 -25
For a detailed summary of this story arc, click HERE.
COMMENTS: In #21, Satsu shows up and she looks great. She asks Buffy to help the U.S. Army fight demons. Buffy is shown to hate the U.S. military, but her reasons really don’t make any sense. First, the army didn’t come after her on their own. They were given orders to do so. And for Buffy to hate the entire U.S. military is just bizarre. She can’t possibly think that everyone in the military is bad, but this seems to be the case. It’s just a real head-scratching scene.
Buffy and Spike travel by helicopter to VampireCon in Las Vegas in order to facilitate a treaty between vampires and the U.S. military. They find Harmony and Vicki waiting for them. Vicki tells Satsu to “Airwolf out of here”, and Satsu has no idea what Airwolf is. Airwolf was an 80s TV show that featured a helicopter. Of course, it makes sense that a vampire would make dated pop culture references.
Buffy and Spike are told that they each have to engage in “trial by combat” in order to cement the new alliance. Buffy enters a wrestling ring, and Clem is the ring announcer. Clem talks to Buffy using pro wrestling slang. As a former longtime pro wrestling fan, I really enjoyed this. Clem tells Buffy that she is being portrayed as a "heel" (i.e. villain). He also says he "can’t break kayfabe," meaning that he can’t admit that this portrayal of her is untrue. (It isn’t mentioned, but the vampire would be the "babyface" since he’s being presented as the good guy). Of course, the match itself is real enough.
In what has to be two of the most memorable scenes of Season 10, we first get Harmony taunting Spike during Buffy’s match and then Vicki taunting Buffy during Spike’s match. It’s perfectly done, and it’s highly enjoyable even after repeat readings.
Harmony really stings Spike during Buffy’s match, suggesting that he built Buffy up to be something she could never really be, that’s he’ll sabotage the relationship in order to make Buffy be the one to break it off. During Spike’s match, Vicki finds a way to get to Buffy. She says that Buffy will dump Spike sooner or later once she realizes that he’s still a monster.
One the ride home, Buffy and Spike assure each other that everything’s okay between them, but it’s clear that they each now have doubts that they didn’t have before.
In the final scene, Spike meets up with a woman named Dylan. If this were a stand-alone issue and not part of an arc, it would rate five stars. It's my pick for the best single issue of Season Ten.
In #22, Dylan thanks Spike for inspiring her to take a chance and pursue an art career. Spike first met Dylan in the graphic novel Spike: Into The Light which was set during Season 7. In what was a largely forgettable story, Spike rescued Dillon from some muggers and the two shared a kiss.
Later, Buffy and Spike visit Dylan’s art gallery. She’s an interesting character, but the storyline never amounts to anything. Perhaps the writers are setting something up for Season 11. Or perhaps it’s just a cheap marketing ploy to prod people to buy Spike: Into The Light. I kinda suspect the latter.
Buffy goes into a rage when she learns that Willow has been working for the military for past week. This whole argument just seems forced, as it simply makes no sense for Buffy to blame the entire U.S. military for what happened during Season 8. Willow does get in a good shot at Buffy at the end by saying that “everything isn’t about me.” Buffy and Willow make up in a nice moment at the end, but the whole thing never really jells.
In #23, Andrew is approached by the Sculptor who promises to give Jonathan a new body if delivers Buffy’s scythe.
One of Dawn’s friends freak out at the sight of Keiko who looks like the villain from the film The Ring, thinking that they’re going to die because they’ve seen her, but Keiko says that only happens if you watch her wedding video.
D’Hoffryn convinces Buffy to use the magic book to give extra powers to each of the Council members so they can help more in fighting the demon invasions. The powers belong to the office, not the individual, so a vote can strip anyone of their powers if they abuse them. This safeguard will turn out to be all for naught because D’Hoffryn will eventually find a way around it, revealing himself to be Season Ten’s Big Bad.
Andrew appears to steal the scythe, but afterwards it is revealed that he didn’t. He warned Buffy instead, which shows that she can finally trust him.
In #24, Xander decides to ignore Anya. There’s a good battle between the Scooby Gang and the Soul Glutton. A portal is opened that would allow demons from a hell dimension to enter our world. Dawn, being a “key”, is seen as the means to stop it.
In #25, Dawn discovers she has god-like powers in the hell dimension. She has to stay behind to close the portal, but this means she has no way of getting back. Xander stays behind with her. Buffy, in a moment of despair, wishes that the Council had the power to take care of all the demons that threaten them. Anya grants the wish which makes D’Hoffryn much more powerful than he was before. D’Hoffryn then kills the Mistress and the Soul Glutton. He also makes the Anya ghost into a real vengeance demon. And now we know who the Big Bad is for Season 10. A great cliffhanger.
The story arc overall is good but a bit uneven. #21 would have worked fine as a stand-alone issue. Sadly, much of the inner conflict between Buffy and the other members of the Scooby Gang feels forced. Finally, a letter of mine was printed in #25 in which I said that I was very impressed with Season 10.
Later, Buffy and Spike visit Dylan’s art gallery. She’s an interesting character, but the storyline never amounts to anything. Perhaps the writers are setting something up for Season 11. Or perhaps it’s just a cheap marketing ploy to prod people to buy Spike: Into The Light. I kinda suspect the latter.
Buffy goes into a rage when she learns that Willow has been working for the military for past week. This whole argument just seems forced, as it simply makes no sense for Buffy to blame the entire U.S. military for what happened during Season 8. Willow does get in a good shot at Buffy at the end by saying that “everything isn’t about me.” Buffy and Willow make up in a nice moment at the end, but the whole thing never really jells.
In #23, Andrew is approached by the Sculptor who promises to give Jonathan a new body if delivers Buffy’s scythe.
One of Dawn’s friends freak out at the sight of Keiko who looks like the villain from the film The Ring, thinking that they’re going to die because they’ve seen her, but Keiko says that only happens if you watch her wedding video.
D’Hoffryn convinces Buffy to use the magic book to give extra powers to each of the Council members so they can help more in fighting the demon invasions. The powers belong to the office, not the individual, so a vote can strip anyone of their powers if they abuse them. This safeguard will turn out to be all for naught because D’Hoffryn will eventually find a way around it, revealing himself to be Season Ten’s Big Bad.
Andrew appears to steal the scythe, but afterwards it is revealed that he didn’t. He warned Buffy instead, which shows that she can finally trust him.
In #24, Xander decides to ignore Anya. There’s a good battle between the Scooby Gang and the Soul Glutton. A portal is opened that would allow demons from a hell dimension to enter our world. Dawn, being a “key”, is seen as the means to stop it.
In #25, Dawn discovers she has god-like powers in the hell dimension. She has to stay behind to close the portal, but this means she has no way of getting back. Xander stays behind with her. Buffy, in a moment of despair, wishes that the Council had the power to take care of all the demons that threaten them. Anya grants the wish which makes D’Hoffryn much more powerful than he was before. D’Hoffryn then kills the Mistress and the Soul Glutton. He also makes the Anya ghost into a real vengeance demon. And now we know who the Big Bad is for Season 10. A great cliffhanger.
The story arc overall is good but a bit uneven. #21 would have worked fine as a stand-alone issue. Sadly, much of the inner conflict between Buffy and the other members of the Scooby Gang feels forced. Finally, a letter of mine was printed in #25 in which I said that I was very impressed with Season 10.
Own It
Issues #26-30
Part 1: Home Sweet Hell
Part 2: The Centre Cannot Hold
Part 3: Taking Ownership
Part 4: Vengeance
Part 5: It’s On You
For a detailed summary of this story arc, click HERE.
COMMENTS: #26 is a frustratingly uneven issue. Dawn and Xander’s sojourn in Anharra is mostly played for laughs, which is a disappointment. The light-hearted tone just isn’t believable given that this is supposed to be the ultimate hellhole. The two befriend a number of demons. There’s a silly and not very believable scene where Xander gets a demon to break down and weep by appealing to his feelings. We also see demons perform The Princess Bride as well as a really disgusting kiss that I don’t ever wish to view again. The only redeeming part of this is that we see Dawn slowly warming up to Xander.
Back on Earth, the story is much, much better. D’Hoffryn uses his new powers gained from Buffy’s wish to kill each of the Council members one by one. Each time he kills one, his powers increase even more. At the end, there is a great battle in which D’Hoffryn easily defeats the Scooby Gang and takes the book of magic from them. He even makes them look rather stupid in the process, reminding them that they knew all along what his true nature was and thus were foolish to ever trust him in the slightest. It’s a valid point.
In #27, the silliness in Anharra continues as the demons are watching Game of Thrones. As it turns out, Wolfram & Hart has an office in Anharra. Lilah Morgan appears and offers Dawn and Xander a way home. But they refuse, knowing there would be a huge price to pay. Lilah still has the scar on her neck where Weseley chopped her head off. It is pretty cool to see her again.
Jonathon is recruited to be a vengeance demon and he hurts Andrew by making him think that none of his friends believe in him.
Buffy lashes out at Spike and hurts him in the worst way possible, suggesting that Angel is more of a man than he is. She apologizes to Spike later, but then lashes out at him again in a way that just isn’t believable. Spike then suggests that maybe they need to take a break, and it appears that the expected breakup of the two is about to happen.
In #28, Willow is expelled from the military’s operations because she was partly responsible for D’Hoffyrn’s gaining new powers. She breaks up with Lake.
Xander and Dawn travel through numerous dimensions, including the dimension of giant shrimp. Like Anharra, most of the dimensions are played for laughs, but it works better this time around.
The Buffy/Spike scenes really stand out. In the beginning of the issue, Spike is about to break up with Buffy, but she gets him to put the conversation on hold while they deal with their other problems.
Later Buffy argues to Spike that breaking up would be a mistake because it is the easy thing to do, just as trusting the Council was the easy thing to do. She convinces him to give the relationship another try. At the end, Xander and Dawn return and it’s a really nice reunion that sets things up for the upcoming battle with D’Hoffryn.
Issues #26-30
Part 1: Home Sweet Hell
Part 2: The Centre Cannot Hold
Part 3: Taking Ownership
Part 4: Vengeance
Part 5: It’s On You
For a detailed summary of this story arc, click HERE.
COMMENTS: #26 is a frustratingly uneven issue. Dawn and Xander’s sojourn in Anharra is mostly played for laughs, which is a disappointment. The light-hearted tone just isn’t believable given that this is supposed to be the ultimate hellhole. The two befriend a number of demons. There’s a silly and not very believable scene where Xander gets a demon to break down and weep by appealing to his feelings. We also see demons perform The Princess Bride as well as a really disgusting kiss that I don’t ever wish to view again. The only redeeming part of this is that we see Dawn slowly warming up to Xander.
Back on Earth, the story is much, much better. D’Hoffryn uses his new powers gained from Buffy’s wish to kill each of the Council members one by one. Each time he kills one, his powers increase even more. At the end, there is a great battle in which D’Hoffryn easily defeats the Scooby Gang and takes the book of magic from them. He even makes them look rather stupid in the process, reminding them that they knew all along what his true nature was and thus were foolish to ever trust him in the slightest. It’s a valid point.
In #27, the silliness in Anharra continues as the demons are watching Game of Thrones. As it turns out, Wolfram & Hart has an office in Anharra. Lilah Morgan appears and offers Dawn and Xander a way home. But they refuse, knowing there would be a huge price to pay. Lilah still has the scar on her neck where Weseley chopped her head off. It is pretty cool to see her again.
Jonathon is recruited to be a vengeance demon and he hurts Andrew by making him think that none of his friends believe in him.
Buffy lashes out at Spike and hurts him in the worst way possible, suggesting that Angel is more of a man than he is. She apologizes to Spike later, but then lashes out at him again in a way that just isn’t believable. Spike then suggests that maybe they need to take a break, and it appears that the expected breakup of the two is about to happen.
In #28, Willow is expelled from the military’s operations because she was partly responsible for D’Hoffyrn’s gaining new powers. She breaks up with Lake.
Xander and Dawn travel through numerous dimensions, including the dimension of giant shrimp. Like Anharra, most of the dimensions are played for laughs, but it works better this time around.
The Buffy/Spike scenes really stand out. In the beginning of the issue, Spike is about to break up with Buffy, but she gets him to put the conversation on hold while they deal with their other problems.
Later Buffy argues to Spike that breaking up would be a mistake because it is the easy thing to do, just as trusting the Council was the easy thing to do. She convinces him to give the relationship another try. At the end, Xander and Dawn return and it’s a really nice reunion that sets things up for the upcoming battle with D’Hoffryn.
In #29, we first see D’Hoffyrn’s home dimension of Arashmaharr. He resides in an office that looks like it came right from Earth, and it’s hardly believable. You would think the writers could have shown a little more imagination here.
D’Hoffryn tries to use the book but cannot. Buffy got everyone to believe that he can’t change the rules of magic, and thus he isn't able to. I’m not sure I buy this. It just seems really hard to believe that this would work.
Soon D’Hoffryn and his vengeance demons attack the Scooby Gang. He makes a strange comment, claiming that they “seduced” Anya away from him. Actually, that’s not what happened. Anya lost her powers when her medallion was destroyed in Episode 3.9 The Wish. She never willingly chose to be mortal, and she tried to get D’Hoffryn to restore her powers. But he initially refused, and at the time he hardly acted as if she was his favorite. So this seems to be rewriting history for the sake of convenience.
The battle is pretty good, but Buffy and her friends are clearly outmatched. D’Hoffryn decides to kill Xander, but Anya asks him to let her do it. When this happened, I knew Anya was going to betray D’Hoffryn. Anya then “kills” Xander, reducing him to a pile of ash, but I never once believed Xander was actually dead.
In #30, Buffy wishes she’d never given D’Hoffryn the extra powers, and Anya grants her wish. D’Hoffryn loses all the new powers he had gained, and Anya then reveals that Xander is alive.
D’Hoffryn fries Anya, burning her badly. Before she dies, she tells Xander that she forgives him. D’Hoffryn retreats, but Buffy and the gang use the Book of Magic to allow Dawn to open portals. She teleports them to his dimension where they take him by surprise. Buffy tells D’Hoffryn, “We grew up.” He tries to bargain his way out by offering free wishes to all of them, but she decapitates him with the scythe. A great scene.
Buffy and Willow decide to form their own Council. We also learn that Xander and Dawn are dating again.
A strong story arc to end the season. Making D’Hoffryn the Big Bad was a great move as it truly was a surprise that I can't imagine anyone saw coming. One complaint I have is that we were never told what D'Hoffryn's plans were once he acquired absolute power. Presumably he would have done really bad things, but it would’ve made the battle against him seem a bit more important if we were given at least some kind of idea of what he planned to do.
Also, it's not clear what Buffy's plan was to defeat D'Hoffryn, or that she had any plan at all. She couldn't possibly have known that Anya was going to betray him, and when she wishes that she had never given D'Hoffryn the extra powers, it doesn't appear that she ever expected Anya to make it true. This makes her victory appear to be the result of nothing more than dumb luck. It just lacks believability that Buffy would have gone to battle with D'Hoffryn without a real plan to defeat him.
The whole “growing up” theme is a bit problematic as well. For one thing, you could argue that this theme was already done in Season Six (Buffy producer Marti Noxon once said the theme of Season Six was “Oh, grow up!”) But Buffy’s “growing up” struggle in Season Ten isn’t exactly one that the rest of us can relate to. For her, it’s about finding the courage to use an all-powerful book to rewrite the rules of magic. How many of us have faced that dilemma?
I understand that the writers want to try to find themes that people can identify with. This was fairly easy to do during the TV series, as we saw Buffy go through high school and then college. This allowed them to do themes about the various stages of early adulthood. But it may be a mistake to try to keep finding relatable themes now that Buffy’s adventures have become much more larger than life than they ever were on the TV show. Since Buffy is an adult now, the most relatable life themes available would be either having a career and/or getting married and having kids, and I think we can agree that doing any of these would be a huge mistake.
In my letter to Dark Horse printed in #25, I suggested that they do a season in which she becomes a world-famous celebrity and has to deal with all the struggles that go along with it. It might not make Buffy relatable to the average person, but it would be a lot more interesting than having her continue to have money problems.
The forming of a new magic council seems like an original new direction, although it wasn’t at all clear at the time where this would lead. Based on the early issues of Season 11, it appears that this was just a throw-away idea as it hasn’t been explored at all.
Despite my issues, it’s still a great story arc to finish things out, much better than the ones that finished Seasons Eight and Nine.
D’Hoffryn tries to use the book but cannot. Buffy got everyone to believe that he can’t change the rules of magic, and thus he isn't able to. I’m not sure I buy this. It just seems really hard to believe that this would work.
Soon D’Hoffryn and his vengeance demons attack the Scooby Gang. He makes a strange comment, claiming that they “seduced” Anya away from him. Actually, that’s not what happened. Anya lost her powers when her medallion was destroyed in Episode 3.9 The Wish. She never willingly chose to be mortal, and she tried to get D’Hoffryn to restore her powers. But he initially refused, and at the time he hardly acted as if she was his favorite. So this seems to be rewriting history for the sake of convenience.
The battle is pretty good, but Buffy and her friends are clearly outmatched. D’Hoffryn decides to kill Xander, but Anya asks him to let her do it. When this happened, I knew Anya was going to betray D’Hoffryn. Anya then “kills” Xander, reducing him to a pile of ash, but I never once believed Xander was actually dead.
In #30, Buffy wishes she’d never given D’Hoffryn the extra powers, and Anya grants her wish. D’Hoffryn loses all the new powers he had gained, and Anya then reveals that Xander is alive.
D’Hoffryn fries Anya, burning her badly. Before she dies, she tells Xander that she forgives him. D’Hoffryn retreats, but Buffy and the gang use the Book of Magic to allow Dawn to open portals. She teleports them to his dimension where they take him by surprise. Buffy tells D’Hoffryn, “We grew up.” He tries to bargain his way out by offering free wishes to all of them, but she decapitates him with the scythe. A great scene.
Buffy and Willow decide to form their own Council. We also learn that Xander and Dawn are dating again.
A strong story arc to end the season. Making D’Hoffryn the Big Bad was a great move as it truly was a surprise that I can't imagine anyone saw coming. One complaint I have is that we were never told what D'Hoffryn's plans were once he acquired absolute power. Presumably he would have done really bad things, but it would’ve made the battle against him seem a bit more important if we were given at least some kind of idea of what he planned to do.
Also, it's not clear what Buffy's plan was to defeat D'Hoffryn, or that she had any plan at all. She couldn't possibly have known that Anya was going to betray him, and when she wishes that she had never given D'Hoffryn the extra powers, it doesn't appear that she ever expected Anya to make it true. This makes her victory appear to be the result of nothing more than dumb luck. It just lacks believability that Buffy would have gone to battle with D'Hoffryn without a real plan to defeat him.
The whole “growing up” theme is a bit problematic as well. For one thing, you could argue that this theme was already done in Season Six (Buffy producer Marti Noxon once said the theme of Season Six was “Oh, grow up!”) But Buffy’s “growing up” struggle in Season Ten isn’t exactly one that the rest of us can relate to. For her, it’s about finding the courage to use an all-powerful book to rewrite the rules of magic. How many of us have faced that dilemma?
I understand that the writers want to try to find themes that people can identify with. This was fairly easy to do during the TV series, as we saw Buffy go through high school and then college. This allowed them to do themes about the various stages of early adulthood. But it may be a mistake to try to keep finding relatable themes now that Buffy’s adventures have become much more larger than life than they ever were on the TV show. Since Buffy is an adult now, the most relatable life themes available would be either having a career and/or getting married and having kids, and I think we can agree that doing any of these would be a huge mistake.
In my letter to Dark Horse printed in #25, I suggested that they do a season in which she becomes a world-famous celebrity and has to deal with all the struggles that go along with it. It might not make Buffy relatable to the average person, but it would be a lot more interesting than having her continue to have money problems.
The forming of a new magic council seems like an original new direction, although it wasn’t at all clear at the time where this would lead. Based on the early issues of Season 11, it appears that this was just a throw-away idea as it hasn’t been explored at all.
Despite my issues, it’s still a great story arc to finish things out, much better than the ones that finished Seasons Eight and Nine.