Question Did Xander Cover for Dawn?

[Buffyverse Fan]

Now I know this has been discussed before, but in light of "Dander" (Dawn/Xander), I think it deserves revisiting.

In the amazing episode Once More with Feeling, Xander takes credit for summoning Sweet when everyone begins to blame Dawn. Now throughout the episode up to that point, Xander showed no indication of even being complicit with the spell, not to mention him being the loudest voice encouraging the rest of the Scoobies to break the spell as fast as possible.

So who thinks Dawn may have been the culprit, and Xander just wanted to protect her from further scorn?

 

[dan k]

It would be logical but i don't think that was the case. I think the writers just wanted us fans to see it as another immature moment from Xander, following up from the love potion that went all wrong.

 

[crazysoulless]

In some ways, I think that Dawn is just as responsible since she was stupid enough to wear a stolen amulet from a magick shop on a Hellmouth.

 

[PrincessBuffy16]

I don't think he was covering for her. I think he was just being Xander, doing his goofy stuff 🙂

 

[ToShanshuInLA]

I don't think Xander was covering. It was just him, yet again, doing something without thinking first. Interesting idea, though. 🙂

 

[crazysoulless]

I don't think he was covering but

Spoiler

Xander dating an 18 year old Dawn

puts everything between them in the previous seasons in a different light.

Does it count as stealing if you steal something that was already stolen? I'd plead the fifth too on that one if I was her. I wouldn't be so adamant about not summoning Sweet if I was wearing a magickal amulet that I had no idea what it did and it looked like Anya's demon pendant. I still cannot believe she stole from Giles & Anya. I still can't believe she stole Buffy's birthday present complete with the security device still attached.

 

[ToShanshuInLA]

Eh? I hope you're not implying what I think you are because...ew. 🙁

---------- Post added at 03:24 PM ---------- Previous post was at 03:16 PM ----------

I was talking about the Highlight to View part.

 

[crazysoulless]

Yeah, that ship is official and with the kissage and declarations of "in love". The only thing I like about it is Buffy calling him a "disgusting child molester" and "cradle-robber". She didn't say it in a bitchy way. More of a snarky hurt way. He admitted he felt like Humbert Humbert at times (Lolita reference).

 

[Buffyverse Fan]

Yeah, that ship is official and with the kissage and declarations of "in love". The only thing I like about it is Buffy calling him a "disgusting child molester" and "cradle-robber". She didn't say it in a bitchy way. More of a snarky hurt way. He admitted he felt like Humbert Humbert at times (Lolita reference).

20s Xander with a 6 year-old 🙁

 

[Vengeance]

Interesting idea. Certainly it is possible; if you ask the writers now, after S8, it wouldn't surprise me if they said "yes", but at the time they wrote it I think not.

 

[Buffyverse Fan]

Interesting idea. Certainly it is possible; if you ask the writers now, after S8, it wouldn't surprise me if they said "yes", but at the time they wrote it I think not.

People were dying, Dawn was kidnapped, and Buffy went off to fight Sweet, and Xander still didn't mention his inside information

 

[dan k]

I always found it a bit strange about Xander not feeling guilty about basicially killing people. By summoning Sweet he sentenced people to death yet he showed no remorse. Can anyone explain that?

 

[ToShanshuInLA]

Yeah, that ship is official and with the kissage and declarations of "in love". The only thing I like about it is Buffy calling him a "disgusting child molester" and "cradle-robber". She didn't say it in a bitchy way. More of a snarky hurt way. He admitted he felt like Humbert Humbert at times (Lolita reference).

That's not a good comparison as Xander wasn't attracted to her when she was 12. I remember that part but I don't remember him saying that or Buffy's inappropriate 'child molester' comment. (She's, what, 18 or 19 and Xander is in his 20s. 🙄)

 

[crazysoulless]

I didn't mean that I think of him like that. I just thought it was funny that Buffy actually said that out loud to him. I knew she'd be upset when they had their confrontation about Dander but I dind't think she'd actually go there.

 

[Buffyverse Fan]

I always found it a bit strange about Xander not feeling guilty about basicially killing people. By summoning Sweet he sentenced people to death yet he showed no remorse. Can anyone explain that?

Xander covering for Dawn would explain why he wouldn't feel guilty...

 

[GrrArghx]

From Older And Far Away:

BUFFY: Dawn, we're just trying to figure out what's going on.
DAWN: (angrily) Figure it out yourself. I'm done being talked to like a kid.
XANDER: Well, 'cause you know, sometimes we do something that seems like a good idea at the time, like, say, invoke the power of a musical amulet? And it turns out, you know, not so much.

I'd say that's guilt.

 

[Buffyverse Fan]

From Older And Far Away:

BUFFY: Dawn, we're just trying to figure out what's going on.
DAWN: (angrily) Figure it out yourself. I'm done being talked to like a kid.
XANDER: Well, 'cause you know, sometimes we do something that seems like a good idea at the time, like, say, invoke the power of a musical amulet? And it turns out, you know, not so much.

I'd say that's guilt.

He'd say about the same thing if he were trying to remind her he covered for her 😉

 

[ToShanshuInLA]

About Xander not feeling guilty, the writers probably just didn't devote much time to it because it wasn't important to everything else that was happening. They did add a reference but they couldn't show it weighing on his mind. He could also have been covering for Dawn, but that's what I think if we're taking things straightforward.

 

[Taake]

From Older And Far Away:


XANDER: Well, 'cause you know, sometimes we do something that seems like a good idea at the time, like, say, invoke the power of a musical amulet? And it turns out, you know, not so much.
.

LMAO, one of my favorite moments and quotes. Love Xander. But I agree, I'd say it's guilt.

 

[The Unspoken]

Xander does or says nothing when Giles mentions that people are burning to death. In 'Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered' he told Giles about the spell although people weren't dying. More importantly, if Xander is some kind of sociopath who doesn't care about people burning to death, why would he continually risk his life helping out Buffy? I mean, I love OMWF, but Joss really dropped the ball here.

Also, it makes more sense that Willow would do it, considered she has abused or attempted to abuse the magicks even before season 6 (Lover's Walk, New Moon Rising, Something Blue), despite the heightened sense of responsibility one might expect from a practicing Wicca.