Adam: Aggression is a natural human tendency. Though you and me come by it another way.
A very interesting line, possibly for reasons Joss didn't intend. (ie, what does it really matter how one comes by aggressive tendencies?)
I think it's hard to pin down what Riley and Adam stand for because they represent all the things you mentioned. I've noted on several occasions that there are disturbing parallels between the Slayer and Adam, probably prompted by this very scene. On the most basic level, both are fusions of demon and human created to fight demons and protect humanity; both escape from their creator-controllers, although Adam definitely goes more awry than Buffy does (but perhaps not more than the Slayer line as a whole?). Here, in this more primal arena, Adam is "undemoned", leaving us to wonder just what he was before--and whether any of what we see came from the man, or the demon, rather than just the Initiative's programming.
although Adam definitely goes more awry than Buffy does (but perhaps not more than the Slayer line as a whole?)
Considering that the Watcher's Council gets destroyed and Buffy rebuilds it with a completely new system, I'd say Buffy made the Slayer line change a significant amount.
Here, in this more primal arena, Adam is "undemoned", leaving us to wonder just what he was before--and whether any of what we see came from the man, or the demon, rather than just the Initiative's programming.
Very true. And I love how they draw the parallel to Buffy as if she, too, will someday reach that point.
"I'm gonna be a fireman when the floods roll back."
I've just now thought of what that could mean. In the Noah tale, the world was destroyed by flood, but it is promised that the world won't end that way again. There's a famous poem -- can't think right now of the title or author -- that has a line something like, "Won't be water but the fire next time."
And that's essentially what does happen at the end of S5. The world is being destroyed in literally a blaze of Glory, and Buffy -- the fireman -- is the one who stops it.
And I think the line is from a spiritual: "God gave Noah the rainbow sign -- won't be water but the fire next time." This was used as the title of a famous book from years ago, The Fire Next Time by James Baldwin.
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A very interesting line, possibly for reasons Joss didn't intend. (ie, what does it really matter how one comes by aggressive tendencies?)
I think it's hard to pin down what Riley and Adam stand for because they represent all the things you mentioned. I've noted on several occasions that there are disturbing parallels between the Slayer and Adam, probably prompted by this very scene. On the most basic level, both are fusions of demon and human created to fight demons and protect humanity; both escape from their creator-controllers, although Adam definitely goes more awry than Buffy does (but perhaps not more than the Slayer line as a whole?). Here, in this more primal arena, Adam is "undemoned", leaving us to wonder just what he was before--and whether any of what we see came from the man, or the demon, rather than just the Initiative's programming.
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Considering that the Watcher's Council gets destroyed and Buffy rebuilds it with a completely new system, I'd say Buffy made the Slayer line change a significant amount.
Here, in this more primal arena, Adam is "undemoned", leaving us to wonder just what he was before--and whether any of what we see came from the man, or the demon, rather than just the Initiative's programming.
Very true. And I love how they draw the parallel to Buffy as if she, too, will someday reach that point.
Reply
"I'm gonna be a fireman when the floods roll back."
I've just now thought of what that could mean. In the Noah tale, the world was destroyed by flood, but it is promised that the world won't end that way again. There's a famous poem -- can't think right now of the title or author -- that has a line something like, "Won't be water but the fire next time."
And that's essentially what does happen at the end of S5. The world is being destroyed in literally a blaze of Glory, and Buffy -- the fireman -- is the one who stops it.
Reply
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Thanks. Maybe, though, it's far-fetched.
And I think the line is from a spiritual: "God gave Noah the rainbow sign -- won't be water but the fire next time." This was used as the title of a famous book from years ago, The Fire Next Time by James Baldwin.
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