Buffy's Added Strength

[nerd4hire]

In Prophecy Girl Buffy dies. After Xander brings her back to life, she has added strength. She knows where the Master is. Where did that strength, and prescience come from?

 

[Wicked]

I voted for Psychological Insight and greater confidence purely cos I have no idea and it never happens again.

Well actually, that could be wrong. She was bitten by the Master and was then stronger and stuff. Maybe it was nothing to do with her dying.

When Angel bit her and she was in the hospital, she had that dream where Faith showed her what had to be done. MAybe it the same kinda thing.

 

[zombie.apparatus]

I said Psychological Insight and greater confidence... but I also believe it was a bit of slayer power

 

[sizzle-sozzle]

i think it was the fact that she had technically been dead for a little bit of time so when you are brought back to life it changes you a little bit and you feel more confident and strong.

but i could just be talking a load of s***. as i dont really have a clue lol

 

[nerd4hire]

I voted for Psychological Insight and greater confidence purely cos I have no idea and it never happens again.

I don't know. I think maybe it does happen again. There's another kind of similar near-death experience in Chosen, when Buffy rises from a stab wound The First appeared to think was fatal. She appears even stronger when she rises.

The thing that makes me hesitant to accept confidence as as an explanation for the added power is this.

Cut outside. Buffy marches determinedly toward the school with Xander
and Angel close behind.

Xander: So, how do you know where the Master's going?

Buffy: I know.

A vampire tries to block their way into the school.

Buffy: Oh, look, a bad guy.

She punches him on her way by, and he falls flat on his back.

I'm not sure I've ever heard of a case where confidence makes someone psychic.

As long as I'm quoting, here's the other one.

Cut to the Master's lair. Xander and Angel help Buffy up.

Xander: Easy. Easy.

Buffy: (standing now) The Master?

Angel: He's gone up.

Buffy starts to go.

Xander: No. You're still weak.

Buffy: (stops) No. No, I feel strong. I feel different. (looks back at
them) Let's go!

 

[watcher1006]

I voted for "something else".

I thought it had something to do with his biting Buffy, that somehow that act established a blood connection between them (her blood was in him, at least), that's how she had the connectedness that was the source of her insight and renewed strength. He got strength too-he needed her to gain the strength to escape the Hellmouth.

 

[Edmund Blackadder]

I personally believe that 'added' strength was nothing more then a realisation that now the Prophecy was fullfilled and she was still alive, it gave her the confidence to kick butt big stylee....
As for knowing where the Master was, again i don't think its anything magical, she would know that he has come out near the Hellmouth, and he would wish to view the world he believes he is about to dominate, its an ego thing.

In chosen, i think it wasnt that she grew stronger, it was a resolve to beat the First....

 

[Edmund Blackadder]

nerd4hire agrees: I disagree, but I still give you rep points for contributing. Is that class, or what? ; 😀

Which is very big of you😉

HOWEVER, you are keen on looking at the text for answers. No where does it say this new burst of power comes from some source....infact after i wrote my last response, i realised the answer immediately.....

Adrenaline is a hormone produced by the adrenal gland in the body of many animals. When it is produced in the body it stimulates the heart-rate, dilates blood vessels and air passages, and has a number of more minor effects. Adrenaline is naturally produced in high-stress or physically exhilarating situations.

The term "fight or flight" is often used to characterize the circumstances under which adrenaline is released into the body. It is an early evolutionary adaptation to allow better coping with dangerous and unexpected situations. With dilated blood vessels and air passages, the body is able to pass more blood to the muscles and get more oxygen into the lungs in a timely manner, increasing physical performance for short bursts of time.

 

[nerd4hire]

Well, here's why I posted as karma, rather than simply replying.

We're talking about subjective interpretation here. I don't think there is a correct answer, it's just what makes the most sense to you based on the way you view the scene.

Now to me when Buffy says she knows where the Master is, she's not saying she's making a deductive guess, she's saying she knows. You obviously saw the scene differently. I disagree with your conclusion, but it's only based on the subjective. There is no actual proof.

When you start talking about adrenaline, I think, "perhaps", but fight or flight is an instantaneous and temporary response, it doesn't really explain Buffy walking around Sunnydale on a adrenaline high, and if there's ever been a case of someone coming back from a near death experience smarter and stronger, because they're high on andrelaline, I'd really like to see that one. If you choose to interpret it that way though, I don't know, maybe you could re-interpret the scientific fact, and say it works differently on Slayers, or something. Either way it's subjective. Debating the subjective is a waste of energy, I find, so all I can do is disagree.

 

[Edmund Blackadder]

Now to me when Buffy says she knows where the Master is, she's not saying she's making a deductive guess, she's saying she knows. You obviously saw the scene differently. I disagree with your conclusion, but it's only based on the subjective. There is no actual proof.

Prescience, that is what you have labled it, you are making an assumption based on a woman determined to 'beat the bad guy' and two words...'I Know'.
Deductive reasoning(i wouldn't say guess) is far more believable because we are shown time and again that Buffy has a rather acute take on deductive reasoning and believes in that 100%, yet having some mysterious link, some message sent from on high there is nothing. IF it was something like that, i'm sure that over 6 more years, this infact would be explored, heck even in the 6 minutes after the event, she could say something witty about something telling her, but no, all we have is the determination and 'I Know'.

When you start talking about adrenaline, I think, "perhaps", but fight or flight is an instantaneous and temporary response, it doesn't really explain Buffy walking around Sunnydale on a adrenaline high, and if there's ever been a case of someone coming back from a near death experience smarter and stronger, because they're high on andrelaline, I'd really like to see that one. If you choose to interpret it that way though, I don't know, maybe you could re-interpret the scientific fact, and say it works differently on Slayers, or something. Either way it's subjective. Debating the subjective is a waste of energy, I find, so all I can do is disagree.

It actually does explain Buffy running around Sunnydale. Adrenaline(as is nonadrenaline) is constantly produced in the body, in small doses, but in times of high stress or anxiety, the levels soar.
When the two[adrenaline and non adrenaline] combine, these hormones work to try to prepare the body to make it more alert and ready for when extra energy and exertion is needed.
Now, when Buffy is awoken from her supposed death(she didn't actually die), she isnt immediately super strong, it takes a few minutes, indicating its not some new special force immediately imbuing her with the power of the gods(or whatever) but infact a natural chamical reaction within the body.

Also the body will continue to create the adrenaline/nonadrenaline mix until Buffy has lost this anxiety, stress, determination and/or anger.

Another clue to this being an adrenaline rush is something that Buffy says after the fight is over.
One of the other functions of Adrenaline is the collapsing of glycogen to glucose. The glucose is then used up at a faster rate by the blood pumping through the body expending more heat energy through the skeletal muscles that have been altered by the production of....you guessed it...the adrenaline.
This would make anyone who has just had a powerful and prolonged burst of adrenaline very hungry.....which brings me to

Willow: (to Angel) You can come with us, Angel.

Buffy: I'm hungry.

Xander: So what's the story with the car?

Cordelia: Oh, that was me, saving the day!

Willow: (to Angel) Get something to drink.

Buffy: Is anybody else hungry?

Willow: (to Angel) Well, no, don't do that. Just hang.

Buffy: I'm really, really hungry.

Sometimes its nice to look for the 'mystical' connection but sometimes the answer leaves the extraordinary and comes right back to good old fashioned ordinary...which in the mixed up world of heroes and demons is often a nice release🙂

 

[nerd4hire]

OK, getting fun now. 🙂

Buffy has a rather acute take on deductive reasoning and believes in that 100%, yet having some mysterious link, some message sent from on high there is nothing.

Really? Are you sure there's nothing? Does it often snow on a sweltering night in Southern California? It did in Amends. Doesn't a vampire have to be invited into a house? Angel somehow entered Kate's home to save her in Epiphany. He didn't have an invitation.

What explains these things, I don't know, I just know we see them from time to time in Buffy and Angel. One explanation is as good as another if you ask me.

How does Buffy know where the Master is? I don't know. I've seen Prophecy Girl though, and I'm convinced she does. Buffy is walking to where the Master is on top of the school with force in her step, and a definite location in mind. Xander asks her how she knows where she's going. She simply replies "I know". She does so with force and confidence. She doesn't say, "Well I think he'll want to get some place high because he'll want to look around, and enjoy his victory, and I base this on absolutely nothing", she only says 'she knows', but does so in a manner which suggests she just knows. How does she know? I don't know. I just know she does. I don't know how it can snow on a hot night in Southern California, but in the Buffyverse it has happened.

So...as long as we're talking about precedent, and you're offering natural law as the one true, and only possible explanation for Buffy coming back from a near death experience with doubled strength over a lengthy period of time as a result of prolonged, adrenal stimulation why don't you give me one. Tell me of a case where that's ever happened.

*

On the hunger thing, let's play dueling quotes. Here's mine to offer an explanation for the one you posted saying Buffy was hungry after she slayed the Master-

Faith: God, I could eat a horse. Isn't it crazy how slayin' just always
makes you hungry and horny? (gobbles a piece)

and

DAWN: I'll leave a note for Buffy on the refrigerator. That's the first place she goes after patrolling. She's such a pig after she kills things.

 

[arabella]

i'm not so much getting into this cause on the whole i don't care, but...slaying is most likely an adrenaline boosting experience, yeah? and therefore it would be logical to believe that post slayage Buffy and Faith and god that whole household of girls would be super hungry. Her increased strength to me was always her confidence in her ability. And in her increased confidence she was able to go with what her gut (and spidey, err slayer sense) was saying to her about where the master was.
plus...believe in yourself and you will be stronger is way more inspiring than yeah adrenaline rush or fun higher power gifts. just my opinion.

 

[nerd4hire]

You know, I never thought of it before, but yeah the adrenaline rush would possibly explain a slayer's hunger after she slayed.

Interesting though, because it put me on to something else I hadn't thought of. A slayer is always pumping adrenaline. What are we saying buffy wasn't pumping adrenaline the first time she met the master, but she was the second after coming back from a fatal drowning? Is there something about near-death experience that makes people want to jump out of bed and do something super-powered? It's a closely guarded secret if that's the case.

Pesonally, I don't mind the confidence thing, but it doesn't quite get me all of the way there. It still doesn't explain how Buffy knows where the Master is, and the andrenaline thing has problems. If we suggest adrenaline boosts slayer power we're inventing a new rule. If we say it's simple natural law we need to show how a human with an adrenaline boost could kick the Hell out of the master. It's not there. The kind of power we see in Buffy is beyond what adrenaline can explain. There's not even a precedent to suggest someone might be brought back to life, and feel stronger over an extended period as a result of an andreline boost.

I'm assuming it's confidence from conquering her fear, right Arabella? I like that, but as I said it doesn't quite get me where I need to be to accept it as an explanation.

 

[arabella]

ugg, but now i am involved...dang it!

okay...so my theory on how she knew where the master was, which i sorta already said, was still rooted in the confidence thing. Giles had, and continued to teach her throughout the show, to trust her instinct. She knew, she always knew, but she trusted her feelings more following that experience. but I firmly believe that it was always there, she just was confident in her awareness of it at that point. She waivered in this confidence throughout the show at varying degrees, as we all waiver in belief in ourselves....

okay seriously...back to my thesis now...this is way more interesting than that. paint peeling is more interesting tho...so...

 

[nerd4hire]

So Buffy has her confidence now. From now on she's alway going to instinctively know where the bad guy is. Is that what you're saying?

 

[Wanabee-slayer]

I always thought that maybe when the master killed her it kind of joined them bonded them she felt everything he felt she knew what he was thinking and where he was going. As for the strength again i say maybe it was the master bonding them together therefore giving her some of his strength? if that makes sense.

 

[arabella]

sort of, I am saying that part of being a slayer is knowing where the bad is at, feeling it. I am saying that she probably could feel it out if she was super in tune with her self, but she wasn't, no one always is. It isn't an all or none thing, sweetie, it is a moment to moment gut check. you get me?

 

[Wanabee-slayer]

Oh I get what you're saying hun and I tend to agree on some instances but I thought it was just the fact that he killed her made them connected like in WSWB she tells Giles they were close because he killed her and she killed him!

 

[nerd4hire]

sort of, I am saying that part of being a slayer is knowing where the bad is at, feeling it. I am saying that she probably could feel it out if she was super in tune with her self, but she wasn't, no one always is. It isn't an all or none thing, sweetie, it is a moment to moment gut check. you get me?

Not really, but it seems to work for you, so I'll let you get back to your thesis. :thumbsup:

 

[arabella]

lol...well i tend to believe giles 🙂 and i am obviously not so well researched as to have invested time in this.