Caleb: Too Little, Too Late?

[OFAWB]

I've got three more episodes to go, and as everyone knows I've got many problems with Season 7.

Caleb, though, is a good villain. He aligns himself with what he considers to be evil while at the same time maintaining the worst of traditionally "moral" thought. He thinks women are evil and filthy: for wanting sex, for appearing in public, and simply for existing.

His misogyny is the antithesis of everything that is BTVS, which I think is a show that champions strong women. So why was he only introduced at the end of the series? I feel like he could have been more impactful had he arrived on the scene a few seasons ago. And his misogyny could be a lot more than just his attitude and occasional murders: He could be a rapist, a sex trafficker, or a Republican politician. (I kid, I kid! 😉 ) If he had been bad enough, he would have made a very convincing Big Bad, especially with the threat of theocracy that has been brewing in the United States since the 1980s.

Does anyone else agree that Caleb should have been more thoroughly evil so as to present a more formidable antagonist, and that he should have appeared in an earlier season?

 

[white avenger]

If I had been planning the Season, I would have had Caleb come in in Episode 1 as the new school principal, and have his sinister agenda build slowly over 4 or 5 episodes before anyone actually finding out just what he was up to. That could answer the question of how Spike, in his then present condition, managed to get back to Sunnydale, when he could barely feed himself, and why he chose the school basement to hide in. Principal Caleb put him there as a lure for Buffy, knowing that would allow him to keep an eye on both of them.

Then Robin Wood, rogue demon hunter, comes to town a few episodes later with plans for revenge on the monster who killed his mother, and joins forces with the Slayer and her merry band.

Unfortunately, Joss just wouldn't listen to reason.

 

[Robb Stark]

I've always felt like Caleb was a knee-jerk reaction after no viable solution presented itself to have Buffy fight a villain she could actually, you know, fight. The First was just lame, really. It couldn't do anything physical, which wasn't overly conducive to a show like BTVS.

I liked Caleb as a bad guy and thought Nathan Fillion did an excellent job with the character, but I fully agree that he should have been brought in much, much earlier. They did an amazing job in "Dirty Girls" of introducing him, but [MENTION=6758]white avenger[/MENTION]'s plan for him would have been vastly superior.

Caleb was just brought in for someone for Buffy to punch, and that becomes clear by the end, when his power levels fluctuate to an almost hilarious extent.

 

[Xin Rong]

If I had been planning the Season, I would have had Caleb come in in Episode 1 as the new school principal, and have his sinister agenda build slowly over 4 or 5 episodes before anyone actually finding out just what he was up to. That could answer the question of how Spike, in his then present condition, managed to get back to Sunnydale, when he could barely feed himself, and why he chose the school basement to hide in. Principal Caleb put him there as a lure for Buffy, knowing that would allow him to keep an eye on both of them.

Then Robin Wood, rogue demon hunter, comes to town a few episodes later with plans for revenge on the monster who killed his mother, and joins forces with the Slayer and her merry band.

Unfortunately, Joss just wouldn't listen to reason.

Why? Did you inform him of your idea before he wrote season 7? 🙂

 

[Lyri]

I liked Caleb, I thought he was a great villain and Nathan Fillion did an awesome job with him,and while I think he might have been better served if he had appeared earlier in S7, I don't think he should have appeared any earlier than that.

The whole point of Caleb was that he was using The First's power to fulfill his murderous desires, and The First could only start to act because of Buffy's resurrection at the beginning of S6.

Before The First's interference, Caleb would have been a villain that couldn't have really been fought. Buffy has killed humans in the past, yes, but it's been in extreme situations. Someone like Caleb, without The First at his back, would have been no match for Buffy, and therefore she would have felt like she couldn't have done anything short of calling the police if she felt it was necessary. But I don't think she could have justified killing him, even if he deserved it, it might have turned into a Warren situation.

 

[EVIL UU]

[MENTION=12533]OFAWB[/MENTION]

He thinks women are evil and filthy: for wanting sex(...)His misogyny is the antithesis of everything that is BTVS

I think that Caleb's bullshit perfectly aligns with the show's bullshit, at least when it comes to Buffy's sex life. Buffy is always punished for having sex, even with Riley she finds herself in a life threatening situation because she dares to have sex with her boyfriend (!) I understand why it is done with Angel and Parker, Buffy's still mostly a teenager, it can be interpreted as an inane, pretentious cautionary tale of sorts and although I don't like it I also understand why it is done with Spike ( his redemption arc etc ) but I completely don't understand why is it done with Riley and more importantly, what is this puritanical sex-negative drivel still doing in the comics, with a character that's way into her 20s.

Of course, Willow is a woman as well and she has a healthy sex life and in her case sex leads to nothing but orgasms but still, more often than not, this franchise demonizes sex and punishes women for having sex. This treatment is exactly like something from Caleb's sermon.

 

[NY State of Mind]

Caleb is an awesome character....helped the season so I wouldn't move him around

 

[Wesley Pryce]

@NY i agree that he's awesome but that is exactly why I would bring him in earlier,he would have made the season stronger. 🙂