Dawn suddenly appearing?

[vinya]

does it not piss you off as to how they made "Dawn" a permanent part of Buffy's life? i just got started on season 4 (season 3 was hackin' awesome! >_<). I guess, they could have used a more subtle way of making Dawn appear. Michelle is awesome! i see her in Gossip Girl a lot 😀

 

[jesterjay]

It suprised me a lot that's for sure...but after they realize she's the key and keep her alive, what were they gonna do? She's a 15 year old girl who's way weaker than Buffy. She couldn't survive on her own and the Scoobies would never have killed her after Buffy died ya know?

 

[inthedoorway]

At first I thought it was a lame way to introduce a new character, but after the story played out I dig it.

 

[VisionGuy]

I missed the first few episodes of the season when it first aired so when I tuned in I was VERY surprised when I saw Buffy had a sister. I thought maybe she was away with her dad the entire time and decided to move back with Buffy and her mom. But then I saw the episode where everything is explained and was like "Ooohhhhh."

 

[MinwaraYana]

It's funny for me. I mean, I read BtVS characters list before I watch the series. When I started to watch season 1, I was like "Where, where, where is her sister?" 😛

 

[AndrewCrossett]

It was weird, considering Joyce had specifically said in earlier episodes that Buffy was an only child.

Pretty ballsy how they just stuck her in like that, and left it for several episodes before they even addressed the question of why she hadn't been there before. But they made it pay off in the end, and I don't think we've even seen the full repercussions yet.

 

[white avenger]

Introducing Dawn served several purposes. It was, obviously, a key part of the plot line for the season, it presented Buffy with that most feared of nemeses: the younger sibling who mom obviously loves more and can wear your clothes, it gave her someone to share the grief and shock of a lost parent, and, possibly most importantly, the bond between Dawn and Spike served as the beginning of Buffy seeing him as something more than an evil monster, someone who was both powerful enough to protect little sis and devoted enough to her to die keeping her safe. Dawn served as the catalyst for the single most powerful and interesting relationship in the entire series. SPUFFY! Without that, and the controversy it causes, "Buffy The Vampire Slayer" would be just another superhero show.

 

[Perny]

I think it was meant to be like that. To throw the viewers into direct confusion, and awe. BUFFY HAS A SISTER WTF DID I MISS?

Looking at the facts we get through season 5 it's obvious that all the other seasons were happening, and Dawn was never truly there. However, the Scoobies and all around them got false memory of her being there, when she really never was.

I loved that Dawn plot. It was different and fun to figure out.

 

[BillyidolwannaB]

I thought it was genius how they introduced her, and let her story unfold over the next few episodes till No place like home when we find out she's the key.

 

[Willowsgirl]

When I first went through the series and Dawn just "appeared" I was like "WTF, since when does Buffy have a sister??" However, as I have been watching the series again (episode 8 of the 5th season now) there are clues along the way.

For example in Faiths dream, Buffy says something about there being so much to do and Faith says "Got to get things ready for little sis." They are also making a bed, which I'm pretty sure is Dawn's future room. Then again Tara tells Buffy in her dream to "Be back before Dawn." Also Faiths comment about "Little Miss Muffet", in the dream in part 2 of Graduation, could refer to Dawn, because that is what the first crazy man calls Dawn in her first episode.

So there are hints that someone else is going to join the gang in the form of Dawn.

 

[jesterjay]

You know, I've noticed a lot of Dawn hatred, but has someone actually suggested Dawn should have been killed? :O

I don't know, but I just got the idea that it was because Whedon usually kills off big members of the cast that would be the way to extinguish dawn from the Permanent cast.

 

[AndrewCrossett]

Bringing in Dawn was Part One of the plot point to turn Buffy from a dependent "daughter figure" into a responsible "mother figure." Killing off Joyce was Part Two, and moving Giles off center stage was Part Three.

 

[Willowsgirl]

Skytteflickan88 agrees: Yep, those sounds like all the clues. Faith said something about how many days it was until Dawn would show up too.

The whole quote about Little Miss Muffet is: "Oh yeah. Miles to go. Little Miss Muffet counting down from 7-3-0." 730 days or two years. Also, Tara says, after Buffy mentions how late it is, that the clock, which reads 7:30, is way off and that it is later now.

 

[The_Final_Cylon]

I really liked how they brought Dawn in. I thought it was very bold and inventive.
I don't know why they decided Buffy needed a sister, there are a lot of different ideas around but I like that they gave such an interesting reason for her existence. It was nice to see the whole gang realising it was all fake memories, especially when Joyce found out. I found that very powerful.
Also, Dawn was season 5 by the way. Not meaing to sound like a smart-ass just thought I should say. Incase a season's been missed or something.

 

[The Arcane]

Yeah, can't say I had too much of a problem with the introduction of Dawn. I think the only real issue I had was the logic of the way they did it. Seemed to me like having it be a spell where Dawn was created as a teenager and everyone around her therefore had to have artificially altered memories led to too many questions of how far that would have to go.

An easier concept would have been to write it that the monks actually did alter time, sending the Key back in time and having Joyce discover herself to be pregnant. You could have had various monk scenes throughout Buffy vs Dracula as they prepared to carry out their plan, a scene just before the end of the episode as they put it into action and then a flash of light as the timeline adjusts to include Dawn. Therefore exactly the same final scene with Buffy walking in on Dawn and no false memory issue as it really would now have happened as everyone remembered it. Dawn would still be the Key but her life as a human girl would have been real. Just seems a little more logical to me.

 

[Joan the Vampire Slayer]

does it not piss you off as to how they made "Dawn" a permanent part of Buffy's life? i just got started on season 4 (season 3 was hackin' awesome! >_<). I guess, they could have used a more subtle way of making Dawn appear. Michelle is awesome! i see her in Gossip Girl a lot 😀

Yes, it's sopposed to confuse you. That's the fun in it. The reason why she's there is revealed later. 🙂

 

[Revolver]

Doesn't piss me off at all. That whole storyline is great, as long as you ignore the fact that the monks could have easily come up with a much better plan than turning the key into a sixteen year old girl.

 

[vinya]

Introducing Dawn served several purposes. It was, obviously, a key part of the plot line for the season, it presented Buffy with that most feared of nemeses: the younger sibling who mom obviously loves more and can wear your clothes, it gave her someone to share the grief and shock of a lost parent, and, possibly most importantly, the bond between Dawn and Spike served as the beginning of Buffy seeing him as something more than an evil monster, someone who was both powerful enough to protect little sis and devoted enough to her to die keeping her safe. Dawn served as the catalyst for the single most powerful and interesting relationship in the entire series. SPUFFY! Without that, and the controversy it causes, "Buffy The Vampire Slayer" would be just another superhero show.

wait, what? Dawn and Spike? are you serious? oh Jesus..... i'm still in episode 2 but that was a good news actually. shocked but nonetheless happy 😀 i likey Spikey... <3

 

[fly on the wall]

I liked it. I remember when the beginning of Season 5 aired, my parents and I were so confused. The only thing I don't really like about it is the fact that my memories of the Scoobies, pre-S5, are not their memories of themselves. I dunno, bugs me, although it is interesting to hear Dawn reference things that happened before we knew her.

It shows what a great show Buffy is, and what a strong fan base it had/has. They were able to insert a new vital character, tell us she's been there all along, and get away with it. 🙂

 

[Jersh]

I think Dawn got rather annoying throughout the series.