Buffy the Vampire Slayer (2x21) - Becoming, part 1

[fajrdrako]

Buffy (2x21) Becoming pt. 1

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Ah, a historical beginning! This is one of my weaknesses. In Highlander, in Torchwood, even in Forever Knight (which I didn't like and seldom watched) - I'm a sucker for the historical flashback. It's one reason to love vampiric or immortal heroes. You get flashbacks.

And here, with the story of Angel, we see his transformation from drunk to vampire. Was that really Darla? I ask because I thought I remembered from first season that Darla was Angel's sire. I wouldn't have recognized her here, but it's been a while, and a different wig.

Again, I like it when Angel does narration.

1. Angel's doing rather well as the semi-unrespectable bad boy: "Milady, you'll find that with the exception of an honest day's work, there's no challenge I'm not prepared to face." I am reminded of certain Dickens characters.
   
   
2. I like the transition dialogue:

   Angel: I never been anywhere myself. Always wanted to see the world, but...
   Darla: I could show you.
   Angel: Could you, then?
   Darla: Things you've never seen, never even heard of.
   Angel: Sounds exciting.
   Darla: It is. And frightening.
   Angel: I'm not afraid. Show me. Show me your world.
   Darla: Close your eyes.

   Not exactly truth in advertising where Darla is concerned, but that's vampires for you.
   
   
3. And a nice but of foreshadowing and misdirection at the same time:

   Xander: Oh, yeah, finals! Why didn't you let me die?
   Buffy: Ah, look on the bright side. It'll all be over soon.
   Angel: Yes, my love. It will.

   
   
4. I like it that Giles is known as the 'best authority on obscure relics'. I wouldn't have pegged Doug for a museum guy.
   
   
5. I thought you couldn't carbon date stone. Presumably there was plant material in the stone?
   
   
6. Xander's play with the fishsticks reminds me of Wash with the dinosaurs. I found it more endearing with Wash.
   
   
7. I like Willow's confidence with Buffy: "You're gonna pass everything. I will get you through this semester if I have to sweat blood." And then Oz thinks she has cute metaphorical blood. Um... that might be creepier if this was another kind of show.
   
   
8. Snyder ruins there fun. "You! Are we having a chair shortage?" He seems to be the only person connected with this show who doesn't think Oz is cute.
   
   

9. Willow: Do you really expect Angel to turn up tonight?
   Buffy: No, I don't expect him to. But that's usually when he does.

   I like the paradoxical quality of that.
   
   
10. Angel's pretense to be a priest is interesting. He's oddly convincing. Mind you, I don't think Drusilla has a suspicious frame of mind. I love it when he says "God is watching you." and it sounds like a dire threat.
    
    
11. More wonderful Drusilla dialogue in the present: "I met an old man. Didn't like him. He got stuck in my teeth. But then the Moon started whispering to me... All sorts of dreadful things." So Drusilla predicts the tomb and we get a wonderful (typical) exchange of wondrous-to-prosaic of the type Angel and Spike do so well:

    Angel: You can see all that in your head?
    Spike: No, you ninny. She read it in the morning paper.

    If vampires did vaudeville, those two would have a great act.
    
    
12. Then Angel gets scary:

    Drusilla: That's what's been whispering to me. Sh.
    Angel: Oh, yeah. Don't worry, though. Soon it'll stop. Soon it'll scream.

    
    
13. Buffy studying with Willow: and they tease us with the pencil falling off the desk, so close to the floppy disk. Love the "I'm a moron" conversation and Willow's "don't waste my time" speech.
    
    
14. So they find the spell to restore Angel's soul.
    
    
15. Giles says, "Willow. Channeling such potent magics through yourself, it could open a door that you may not be able to close." Is this foreshadowing too?
    
    
16. And Xander doesn't want to restore Angel's soul. Xander is consistent.
    
    
17. I love it that Giles loses his temper with Angel.
    
    
18. Buffy says, "What happened to Angel wasn't his fault." Wasn't it? If that's her only reason for wanting to reinstate the curse and restore his soul, then I think she's on shaky ground. Looks to me as if he went to Darla - went with Darla - with full choice and consent, if not full understanding of what he was doing. He didn't care. I think he's culpable. I just think that the "all is forgiven" approach that Xander scorns is the better one - at least for Angel and Buffy. Maybe not for Xander. But he is neither vampire nor Slayer. In fact, I'm not sure why Buffy lets Xander patrol with her - for company? - because he must be more hindrance than help. Except, I suppose, as vampire-bait.
    
    
19. Then Buffy is jumped by - Kendra? Uh-oh. My first thought on seeing her again was that this must mean she's turning up in order to be killed off. I didn't think she'd survive her first appearance; if she's back for a second, it doesn't look good for her. If anyone was ever expendable, it's the 'spare' Slayer.
    
    
20. I'm not sure the story of Acathla and the Knight makes sense (as told by Angel) but that's okay. It doesn't need to.
    
    
21. Spike says, "The demon wakes up, and wackiness ensues." That sounds way too much like something Xander or Buffy or Joss Whedon would say; not so much Spike. (Circular argument, of course, since Spike said it. But. Seems a little 'off' to me.)
    
    
22. "The tomb of Alfalfa." Cute. I'm not sure if Buffy was thinking of Our Gang or not.
    
    
23. Good Willow line: "I don't want to be our only hope! Uh, I crumble under pressure! Let's have another hope."
    
    
24. I love it that Giles has an Orb of Thesulah just lying around like a paperweight.
    
    
25. Scene with Whistler and Angel a few years earlier in New York. And Angel sees the young Buffy - well, Buffy when she was still in L.A. How - intriguing. Buffy seems to be channelling Cordelia, even though she hasn't met her yet. And Angel decides he wants to help Buffy. In the juxtaposition of down-and-out but apparently-reforming Angel of 1996 and the ritual-performing Angel of 1998, do we see contrast or progression or regression? I'm not sure.
    
    
26. The idea that 'everyone will be safe in the library while Buffy goes in to danger patrolling' backfires here.
    
    
27. Mr. Pointy? Oh dear.
    
    
28. Angel says, "You never learn, do you? This wasn't about you. This was never about you." He's lying. Except in the narrowest sense. But ... why tell Buffy? Why let her go back?
    
    
29. So the vampires get Giles.
    
    
30. I like Whistler's speech at the end, but I can't figure out what his role in the events is. Whistler reminds me of Principal Snyder, which makes me wonder for the first time whether Snyder is a demon.

Comments

[janne-d.livejournal.com]

Which is hypocrisy and makes me want to hit him

For me this is Xander's biggest character flaw, and it is fairly consistent. He does tend to act like he has the moral high ground and pass out judgement when really he's just acting from his personal biases as much as anyone else. Those moments are the reason that he isn't one of my favourite characters, though I tend to like him the rest of the time.

Not that the other characters don't all have a few major flaws, mind. But I think they can be less overt.

I mean the whole vampire thing, the curse really is a curse that dooms them both .... They're back to square one, maybe, with more pain for her and equal chances of disaster.

You've seen part of S3 already, haven't you? Yeah, it really doesn't solve the situation for Buffy and Angel - it just takes out the murder aspect.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

He does tend to act like he has the moral high ground and pass out judgement when really he's just acting from his personal biases as much as anyone else.

Yes - it's the element of judgement, I think, that annoys me. I like characters who don't have that. (Giles, for example, only passes judgement when it's appropriate - and justified.)

Not that the other characters don't all have a few major flaws, mind.

Generally speaking, I like their flaws better. I often have trouble with insecure characters in general.

I tend to like him the rest of the time.

I like him when he has good lines.

You've seen part of S3 already, haven't you?

Yes. Will be commenting on it soon.