Watcher=vigilante?

I'm skimming essays a Slayage as research preparing for an essay (on the episode Halloween, costumes, aspects of the Slayers power, probably a bunch of other things if I think of them... suggestions?)

found the line

Indeed, her mentor Giles refers to himself as a “Watcher”—a close enough translation of vigilant.

Like I said, skimming, so not reading, but

are Watchers vigilantes?

"By the authority of the Watchers Council of Britain" says Wesley (er I should look that up if I'm quoting it)(something close to that)

Wes apparently considers the Watchers to be an authority like, say, governments? People get arrested by the authority of the law, the particular bill, the government, the president. Yesno?

I've always wondered if the Watchers Council is 'of Britain' because that's his local branch, or because they've got some kind of legal authority there?


I have no proper thoughts on this.
Just, the Watchers don't seem to think they are vigilantes. They think they are the proper authorities.
Why?

(no subject)

another essay, another thought

The Beljoxa's eye thing
and the fact that the First Evil was after the Scythe

the bunny thought is, maybe if 2 Slayers = First making havoc, extramany Slayers = recorporealised First. Like a balance thing? That would explain why it was after the Scythe, despite that being a Slayer only weapon. It needed Slayers.


now I look I don't reckon as the Beljoxa bit supports that though


GILES If The First has been around for all time, then why hasn't it attempted something like this before? Why now?

BELJOXA'S EYE The opportunity has only recently presented itself.

GILES Opportunity?

BELJOXA'S EYE The mystical forces surrounding the chosen line have become irrevocably altered, become unstable, vulnerable.

ANYA Something The First did?

BELJOXA'S EYE The First Evil did not cause the disruption, only seized upon it to extinguish the lives of the chosen forever.

GILES Then what has caused the disruption? What - what is responsible for letting this happen?

BELJOXA'S EYE The slayer.

ALLEY BEHIND A STRIP MALL - NIGHT Anya and Giles step back through the portal they created earlier and back into the alley where they opened it. Both are windblown.

GILES Are you all right?

ANYA (limping) Yeah, I just - I don't understand how Buffy's death mucked up the whole slayer mojo. You know, it's not like she hasn't died before.

GILES It's not because she died. The Beljoxa's Eye was quite clear about that in its enigmatic way. It's because she lives. Again. Buffy's not responsible for that.

ANYA Oh. Oh. Willow and me and Xander and Tara. We're the ones who brought Buffy back. We're - we're the reason The First is here, the reason those girls were murdered. No, it's our fault. The would would've been better off if Buffy had just stayed dead. (walks off)



It was a really dumb detour though.

(no subject)

This essay on Slayage has a canon error
says
In Season Three, it is Wesley, the inept and craven representative of the Watchers’ suspect power, who tells Buffy that Faith is the weakness she must exploit in the Mayor.
It was Angel, I just looked it up.

can't find a button to poke to tell anyone about that though :(


Essay is to point out that the plan at the end of season 7 was not so very much the good plan. At all.


I agree. Empowering all the Slayers was 'bloody brilliant' from where Giles was standing because his problem all year had been trying to stop baby potentials getting killed. Make them Slayers, no longer victims in waiting, make them all strong too. Bloody brilliant, if you can manage it.

The part about opening the Hellmouth and jumping in was not.
at all.
that part was stupid.
and did not in fact work.
Spike made it go boom, was what worked. Very big difference.

season 7 has sad profusion of whacking great plot holes.


this essay mostly makes me nod.

(no subject)

http://www.slayage.tv/essays/slayage8/Burr.htm
essay about BBC cuts to Buffy episodes

they cut the line 'this is rape'
???
That's so *wrong*
that line is *key*

... and they cut all references to her death as murder???
WTF???
that makes it make no sense. That's just... stupid and wrong. Important wrong.


I'm glad I didn't watch it on the BBC.


and once again I'm back at, people are actually seeing a lot of different versions.
I don't think thats a good thing at all.

(no subject)

am reading
BFI TV Classics Buffy the Vampire Slayer
'A Critical REading of the Series'

so far I've got that feeling of waiting for the book to start.

I've also found one misattribution of a quote (said Giles said something Snyder said!)

and a few bits where I want to either roll eyes excessively or argue with the book.

latest bit:
about Xander in The Zeppo
it's the hunky guy, who in most other TV series would have been cast as the hero, who's assigned the daft sidekick role traditionally (as in Doctor Who or Adam Adamant) filled by female characters.


So now I'm mentally detouring via male companions (NOT sidekicks) of the Doctor. I've got Arc in Space, so there's that medical guy there. There's Adric, the annoying mathematical one. Turlough, who I saw very little of in my memory. Any more I'm missing?
Jack, of course, new series.
and, very briefly, him who got a window in his head.

and of the female companions, not all of them were daft. Leela, Ace, that scientist woman in Spearhead from Space. Granted, many companions had a 'scream and get in trouble' theme, but not all of them.

/detour

back to read book.

(no subject)

that BFI book is going back to the library
its been lurching between boring obvious and plain wrong

it is arranged as one chapter per season. the first two pages of a chapter are a season summary. then it goes 'in depth' into various issues.

but it says things like characters don't wear the same outfit twice, when actually they do, and sometimes its a bit of a plot giveaway (when Cordelia does it, we know something is up with her income). also that micro mini skirts and camisole tops are what the girls wear. which girls? when? implied is 'all the time' but thats clearly wrong too.

or it called Coyote a Native American demon
trickster, creator, culture hero!

and it asks if the Hellmouth was created by europeans coming in. Well, no, the last pure demon was killed there. tad bit older.


so, page 70, and I'm not going to read the rest. It keeps quoting Joss interviews from websites I know already, so nothing new there. I'm just not finding anything useful.

Highlander season 4: Wrath of Kali

Sort of interesting
thinky bits

Very pretty Richie
working out
with big stick

Richie's really looking for something to believe in
( Read more... )

Highlander season 4: Chivalry

The last disc full I hadn't seen

this one, seen a lot
lots and lots and lots

pretty :)



actually, the naked guys make me giggle.
this is probably not a good reaction in other contexts.


But, Methos, Mac, and Richie all in the same episode
:)

( Read more... )

"I dislike death, but there are things I dislike more than death"
"Therefore there are occasions when I will not avoid danger."
"Death before dishonour."
"For some of us."


I love that exchange.

I love Methos, basically. Just shiny good stuff all over.

:) :) :)


Also, Methos is not a guy you can figure just from what he says. Says and does are quite different worlds. He puts himself on the line, but it isn't for abstract honor. More complicated and more simple. I reckon. For love.



I've got to go sleep, or I'd watch more right now.

*happy bouncy squee*
Methos!