Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Season 10 #20 - "Triggers"

[laughing_tree]

Trigger warning: Rape







Meanwhile, Xander and Giles investigate a different case for the police: A psychic suffering demonic possession.

Comments

[starwolf_oakley]

Given the references to the TV series, I wonder if "That's not Anya" means the ghost is an "imaginary friend" Xander accidentally created. Many fans wondered the same thing about Tara; that WIllow had an "imaginary friend" she had "magic-ed" into being.

[alicemacher]

I've watched a large part of the TV series but not all of it, so there could be something important here I missed: Does Xander have the ability to create (not-so) imaginary friends, evn accidentally? I thought he was the nonpowered one of the group, the badass normal if you will.

[dr_archeville]

Well, he did accidentally summon the demon that kicked off the Musical Episode, so it could be something similar.

[icon_uk]

Sadly, and it spoils the otherwise terrific episode "Once More, with Feeling" is for me, it wasn't an accident.

He explains he did it deliberately to see if he could find out if he was going to have a happy marriage to Anya, so Xander is implicit in the deaths of all the poor sods that the demon caused to combust... having it be Dawn who did it out of ignorance of the consequences would have worked as a plot point (and explained why the demon kidnapped her). Having it be the much more experienced in the nature of cursed things Xander, made it

[starwolf_oakley]

Yes, that bugged me in "Once More, with Feeling" as well. Arguably the only thing worthwhile about Seasons 6 and 7. And yes, fans argue about it.

"So, a bunch of innocent people died BECAUSE XANDER IS AN IDIOT."

Still, "normal" people can cast spells in the Buffy-verse. Xander was able to in "Superstar" by accident causing Giles to say "Please don't speak Latin in front of the books."

[icon_uk]

Xander has no magical abilities whatsoever, it's one of the reasons I like him.

It's one thing to fight evil when you're a magically empowered Slayer, a kickass witch, a vampire or a werewolf, quite another to fight evil when you're the ordinary guy... he's not even a particularly badass normal, he's just... normal.

For a time he had military training lodged in his head as a side effect of being turned into a soldier by an enchanted costume at Halloween, but that faded fairly quickly.

[raspberryrain]

That's a good likeness of Anya on the cover.

[minervasolo]

That's a better way of dealing with Spike's attempted rape of Buffy than the previous issue. The idea that an awkward, overwrought apology could magic the event away and suddenly allow them to start dating was painful. Allowing the relationship to happen and to acknowledge what happened, and that it's part of the relationship (not an obstacle to it) is a much better approach.

[laughing_tree]

Previous issue?

[minervasolo]

Sorry, not the previous issue, but about five or six issues ago.

[shadowpsykie]

huh... that was dealt with in a really good healthy manner.... i'm worried about Xander though....