Buffy the Vampire Slayer season 8, issue #20 After these Messages We'll be Right Back (Spoilers)
I realized that I forgot to write my thoughts on this issue. I'm trying to write my thoughts on every issue so when this season is over I can go back , read them and laugh at my predictions and perceptions compared to what will actually have happened by the end.
Anyways, I really enjoyed this issue. It was something a little happier then the doom and gloom of Time of Your Life. (LOL...I just reread my last sentence and it sounds funny that I paired the phrase "Time of Your Life" with "doom and gloom.") I'm slightly bitter because this issue made me nostalgic for the eariler Buffy eps and the Buffy cartoon that never was. I also wish the issue had been longer. It was amazing to see Buffy react to people like Joyce and Angel who haven't been in her life in a long time. I would have liked more of that. I think it was interesting that Buffy, despite having a season 8 brain, still behaved almost exactly how she would have when she actually was sixteen. The only real difference being the way she treated Joyce. But I suppose that tied in to the message of the issue. Her problems are different but they are still there. She might wanna party and forget about her responsiblities but she'll do right in the end no matter what it costs her. The dream reminded her, despite all the crazy that's been going on, who she was and is.
The questions I ask myself regarding this issue are as follows. Was this just a normal dream? Xander said she was only asleep for 4 seconds. hhhhmmmmm...sounds mystical to me. If someone implanted this dream sequence was it to help or hurt Buffy? The dream seemed to help Buffy's outlook on things and make her more confident in herself. That seems like the opposite of what Twilight would want. Could it have been Future Dark Willow trying to keep things on track? That's obviously impossible to know because we still aren't clear on her intentions. However, the end of the issue implied the Buffy probably isn't gonna tell Willow about her future. If dark Willow was in fact trying to insure the existance of the future I would think she wouldn't want her past self knowing her fate, at least for now. But now that I think about it. Maybe even if Willow knew about it she wouldn't change it. Dammit! I hate time travel! Naw...actually a part of me likes not being able to predict what's going to happen. What I should have predicted was that Buffy wouldn't tell Willow. Joss tends to take the realist approach on quite a few subjects. Magic and time travel are things that look like they provide instant gradification, but in fact tend to end up fracking everything up. Of course the responsible thing would be to not change anything because we don't know the alternative. And Buffy will most likely do the responsible thing no matter what the cost. Damn you Joss. Your realist approach is making me nervous because I'm afraid bad things will to happen to Willow! GRRRR....ARRRGH.
Moving on, there were so many good jokes in this issue. My favorite was the followers of Morgan Freeman. But I loved the thought bubble sequence that appeared above Buffy's head, the shoe falling on Cordelia, the comments Buffy made to Willow and Xander about their futures, the over dramatic Giles, the Xander sports commentary, the heartbreaking moments she had with her mom, yay Wizard of Oz reference and the disappearing dragon.
Anyways, I really enjoyed this issue. It was something a little happier then the doom and gloom of Time of Your Life. (LOL...I just reread my last sentence and it sounds funny that I paired the phrase "Time of Your Life" with "doom and gloom.") I'm slightly bitter because this issue made me nostalgic for the eariler Buffy eps and the Buffy cartoon that never was. I also wish the issue had been longer. It was amazing to see Buffy react to people like Joyce and Angel who haven't been in her life in a long time. I would have liked more of that. I think it was interesting that Buffy, despite having a season 8 brain, still behaved almost exactly how she would have when she actually was sixteen. The only real difference being the way she treated Joyce. But I suppose that tied in to the message of the issue. Her problems are different but they are still there. She might wanna party and forget about her responsiblities but she'll do right in the end no matter what it costs her. The dream reminded her, despite all the crazy that's been going on, who she was and is.
The questions I ask myself regarding this issue are as follows. Was this just a normal dream? Xander said she was only asleep for 4 seconds. hhhhmmmmm...sounds mystical to me. If someone implanted this dream sequence was it to help or hurt Buffy? The dream seemed to help Buffy's outlook on things and make her more confident in herself. That seems like the opposite of what Twilight would want. Could it have been Future Dark Willow trying to keep things on track? That's obviously impossible to know because we still aren't clear on her intentions. However, the end of the issue implied the Buffy probably isn't gonna tell Willow about her future. If dark Willow was in fact trying to insure the existance of the future I would think she wouldn't want her past self knowing her fate, at least for now. But now that I think about it. Maybe even if Willow knew about it she wouldn't change it. Dammit! I hate time travel! Naw...actually a part of me likes not being able to predict what's going to happen. What I should have predicted was that Buffy wouldn't tell Willow. Joss tends to take the realist approach on quite a few subjects. Magic and time travel are things that look like they provide instant gradification, but in fact tend to end up fracking everything up. Of course the responsible thing would be to not change anything because we don't know the alternative. And Buffy will most likely do the responsible thing no matter what the cost. Damn you Joss. Your realist approach is making me nervous because I'm afraid bad things will to happen to Willow! GRRRR....ARRRGH.
Moving on, there were so many good jokes in this issue. My favorite was the followers of Morgan Freeman. But I loved the thought bubble sequence that appeared above Buffy's head, the shoe falling on Cordelia, the comments Buffy made to Willow and Xander about their futures, the over dramatic Giles, the Xander sports commentary, the heartbreaking moments she had with her mom, yay Wizard of Oz reference and the disappearing dragon.