TriBel
Scooby
The embryonic beginnings of that storyline were put down in S7. 7 alluded to new ways of thinking "otherness" that couldn't be sustained by available social formations. Its logic is traceable throughout the comics - through the shift (which started in 6/7) from humanism through the post/trans humanism of S9 etc. I don't know why Preston feels the need to be an apologist - the main thrust of the comics makes perfect sense to me. So yes - the political climate in the US is pertinent but I don't think it was "hashed". I think it was predictable (both from the comics and inferable from the philosophy of historicism/dialectical materialism (and that sentence bored even me🙁). In their basic assumptions, texts make political commentary (even when they're not making political commentary). The Harmony reference - TBH, I expected her and Clem to appear but, on reflection, the significance is in her name and the notion of multicultural integration - non-demonization of the other etc. The sly aside to Hamilton was genius. 😀In addition, Preston he had a rant last time about Wise and missed the point that "Press Secretary" doesn't need a character - it's the post that's important. It has a function independent of who is inhabiting the role (particularly pertinent today because of the fake news/MSM furore we've been immersed in). He seems to ignore the biblical/mythic structures that have always underpinned meaning in BtVS. In all honesty, I think some of the readings above (e.g @Stoney and @nmcil12 - apologies if I've missed others) were far more nuanced and insightful than Preston's (and I usually like Buffington). 🙂
Question - what do folk think of the chances of a BtVS / Angel crossover? I ask because I wasn't sure that dragon went of its own volition - it looked somewhat distracted - as though someone had called it back. And Buffy's hair - obviously not a fashion decision but it does sort of intimate two Buffys. Preston was right when he called it hybrid.
I need to say a word about Angel 11 here (without turning it into the interminable Spuffy/Bangel debate). 😱 I don't read his situation as OOC nor as character assassination (I thought the same of Twilight). He's catholic isn't he? And he's been berating himself for goodness knows how many years about forgiveness? Then he gets an indication from a God that he's lovable? I don't want to say too much because I'm speculating but I actually read it as potentially redemptive. As far as I'm aware there are three stages in the forgiveness of post-baptism sin - penance, confession, and reconciliation. I haven't read all of S11 but my understanding from the first few instalments was that he'd started what could be deemed a therapeutic journey. Has the middle stage been confessional? We've seen a slow transformation in Illyria - perhaps from an "old testament god" to a "new testament god" (or a more secular equivalent)? I always thought OT/NT was suggested in 7 (Buffy as First/Caleb mirroring Buffy/Spike). Is it alluding to a Trinity - Father, Son and Holy Spirit has a certain logic to it. I don't know - I don't know anything (I've followed the structure of Spike's story more closely than Angel's) except I certainly wouldn't write him off yet. If Buffy 11-12 wasS7 revisited are we looking at Angel 11 as A5 revisited - or is this to come?
Most significantly - Illiyria is blue and - I'll be honest - I still want more of the blue fairy!🙂 I need the Pinocchio references to play out. More so since Buffy tries to pacify the dragon as one would a dog and, in the original novel Geppetto (or JOseph) is swallowed by a giant Dogfish. I'm quite intrigued by the similarity between some of the illustrations in both comics and Enrico Mazzanti illustrations of the 1886(?) novel.
There's a lot of overlap between Buffy and Spike that I like - very reminiscent of the conscious/unconscious mutuality of S7.
I think this is important. The elision of difference would be an illusion and the failure to address contradictions would be a dangerous illusion - it leads to the situation we had with Twilight (a premature utopianism or wish fulfilment without addressing the source of the wish). I think it's important that history moves in small increments and sometimes goes sideways! @Priceless - thoughts on the spiral stair case. Stairs seem to be your thing (I indulged in a Third Man moment with it but it got me nowhere!). Spike's hands took me back to Dana and I feel there's some significance to them in the penultimate frame. I also wondered about the autonomous hand of the mummy (Priceless - put the knitting needles down!🙂).That said - @GoSpuffy 's reminder of the end of Chosen was timely (and I'm berating myself for missing the blindingly obvious). Oh - I did like Will's remark about a lesbian vampire! It had just enough of a PC allusion to satisfy my snowflake leanings!
Giles and the new Giles comic. I'm intrigued (I seem to spend a lot of my time in this condition) about the connection between Watchers and Angels - for instance Herzog's exploration in Wings of Desire. There's a glorious drawing of Spike in S9 (when he leaves following the abortion story-line) that always evokes WoD.
Apologies if I've repeated this elsewhere - alternatively - just apologies! 🙂
Also - apologies for length and all the @s - it reads like a bloody Oscar acceptance speech!!
