Discussion of Buffy 9.01 "Freefall"- Released 9/14/11 (Dark Horse)

I say cut Buffy some slack, all she did was drink too much in a party. So what? I can see why some would think that it's too late for Buffy to party and worry about the future since she's in her mid twenties and should have gone through that stage in her college years, but Buffy did not finish college, she had to drop out, she had to grow up and mature at a very young age.

Right, I don't mean that I don't have sympathy for her as a character, I do, tons! She had a lot thrown on her. But I prefer Buffy when she's moving forward, not when she's regressing IMO. But if anyone has the right to want to go back and try and reclaim her youth a little bit, it's her, I am just hoping that when the time comes, someone will be there to help her get back to dealing.
 
That's a good theory and all, but it shouldn't be up to the fans to explain her (or anyone's) actions. The writers should do it themselves, instead of having characters do random things and just expect the fans to make up plausible reasons as to why they do them.

This is a really good point.

Buffy does need to grow up, I agree. The "high school is Hell" metaphor was terrific for the first three seasons, and 5 and 6 were all about the trials of transitioning to adulthood. But what now? We need something new. Let's not beat a dead theme.
 
All that happened before she hit twenty five. I say cut Buffy some slack, all she did was drink too much in a party. So what? I can see why some would think that it's too late for Buffy to party and worry about the future since she's in her mid twenties and should have gone through that stage in her college years, but Buffy did not finish college, she had to drop out, she had to grow up and mature at a very young age.
Oh, I don't care about all that. I could care less whether or not she gets drunk, I don't judge her for that. Go out and party, OK with me! But to have an entire issue focused on it? No, not interested. Besides, even if we are doing metaphor, there isn't one. Remember how we were speculating beforehand whether this was some spell or some kind of manipulation, that everyone was acting a bit OOC? Nope, nothing, just a party, just drunk Buffy. Yes, she's depressed. Yes, I guess you could say that's a metaphor for her entire reaction to season 8. Critics of season 8 can heap negativity on it, but at least the writers were bold enough to take the storyline in a direction it had never been previously.

Again, I want to restate that I am not judging the entire season on this one issue, I'm willing to continue on and see how it works in the context of the entire arc and season.
 
That's a good theory and all, but it shouldn't be up to the fans to explain her (or anyone's) actions. The writers should do it themselves, instead of having characters do random things and just expect the fans to make up plausible reasons as to why they do them.

But this makes it sound as if I had to go out of my way to concoct some sort of theory; to fan-wank an explanation for Buffy's actions. That's not the case at all. I wasn't like "Oh, how can I possibly defend this issue? Oh I know..." It isn't a theory so much as it's me reading the comic and understanding what I think the writers are trying to say. It's an interpretation that I believe is inspired by what the writers meant. In other words, it was no stretch for me to get there, and to me it was perfectly clear what they were saying. The things the characters did, (namely Buffy), were not OOC or "random." I thought they were very fitting given the circumstances.

I also really don't understand the perspective of "Buffy needs to grow up." I know a lot of people feel that way right now after reading this issue, but I guess I'm confused by it. Buffy did that already. Was grown up for many years. Now she's acting more like a kid. The chapters of her life with regard to maturity are kind of happening in reverse, which totally makes sense considering now is the first time in almost half of her life when she can let loose without disastrous consequences. It doesn't seem weird to me that this is happening...
 
I also really don't understand the perspective of "Buffy needs to grow up." I know a lot of people feel that way right now after reading this issue, but I guess I'm confused by it. Buffy did that already.

Isn't that exactly the problem? When they are selling Buffy as an immature idiot, I not buying that. When the level of competence of the character varies according the needs of the plot this is a dead giveaway for a badly written story.

Buffy never had time or opportunity to get "funky drunky" or whatever, (except for in Life Serial), and this is her moment

Or Beer Bad. And she went to or hosted a lot of parties, especially in S4. It's not as if she lived like Kendra for years and now finally has an opportunity to party a little. I wouldn't mind if she decided to never fight the good fight again since she has gone way beyond the call of duty already but let's not pretend she had had no life outside of Slaying since she was 15.
 
Or Beer Bad.

Beer Bad was the result of a spell, so her total drunkenness and "crazy" behavior were more of an occupational hazard than the result of her deciding to go out and have fun, and enjoy herself. Although that might have been her intention originally, look at how it ended up.

And she went to or hosted a lot of parties, especially in S4. It's not as if she lived like Kendra for years and now finally has an opportunity to party a little. I wouldn't mind if she decided to never fight the good fight again since she has gone way beyond the call of duty already but let's not pretend she had had no life outside of Slaying since she was 15.

First of all, going to a party does not a night of fun and revelry make. Sure she went to some parties but mostly they involved her getting into some sort of situation where she needed to use her slayer capabilities to save the other guests, or had to leave early to go do something that was--again--related to her call of duty. When did we ever see her go to a party and really relax--just be a teenager--without having to deal with some horrible doomsday like scenario that was just around the corner? Every single night that she went to the Bronze, something was hanging over her head, (sometimes literally). There was always something for her to do/save. This is totally different.
And yes, relative to most college students, she was living the life of Kendra. Duty, death, slayage were what she lived and breathed. Even if there was occasionally a party involved.

And her life outside of slaying? What was there? Taking care of Dawn. Getting into awfully messy relationships. Which all basically led right back to slaying. Or being miserable.
 
Sure she went to some parties but mostly they involved her getting into some sort of situation where she needed to use her slayer capabilities to save the other guests, or had to leave early to go do something that was--again--related to her call of duty.

Well, yeah, since if she went to a party, had a lot of fun, maybe got drunk a bit and nothing supernatural happened, this usually wouldn't have been shown in an episode because it wouldn't be dramatic enough. I think we can be reasonably sure this sort of thing happened from time to time. Successfully combining normal life and Slaying was pretty much the point of the show up until Dawn arrived and normal life became a lot less normal.

And yes, relative to most college students, she was living the life of Kendra.

But relative to Kendra, she was living a very mundane life, that's my point. I am not saying Buffy had it easy, just that she is no stranger to having fun despite being the Slayer. If she wanted to go and have fun, more often than not she did just that.

Every single night that she went to the Bronze, something was hanging over her head, (sometimes literally). There was always something for her to do/save. This is totally different.

How so? She is still patrolling.

And her life outside of slaying? What was there? Taking care of Dawn. Getting into awfully messy relationships. Which all basically led right back to slaying. Or being miserable.

The show didn't start in S5. Before it turned into relentless doom and gloom it had plenty of Buffy enjoying her life. If anything Buffy has even less of a reason to enjoy it now than she did in say S4, so I am confused what's your point.
 
Take away the slaying, and I'm not that interested in the story. It becomes an episode of 90210 or the OC or some other teen/YA drama. If she wants to "retire", fine, then end the series there. But if there's no supernatural storyline, it just isn't "Buffy" to me anymore. I'm sure they'll find a way to make that work in a world without magic, they showed glimpses of the threats facing Buffy.
 
Successfully combining normal life and Slaying was pretty much the point of the show up until Dawn arrived and normal life became a lot less normal.

But that never happened. That was the point: Buffy tried to have a normal life and yes, relative to other slayers she did have some semblance of that, with family, friends, boyfriends, etc. But her duty always came first and always got in the way. She couldn't truly have any "normal" experiences. All of the traditional "rites of passage" were somehow ruined by something having to do with her calling. Or the crazy life she lived. She loses her virginity then has to send her lover to hell as a result. An attempt at normal ends in tragedy.
And she was never free from any of it. Season 3 is a great example of this. She launches a campaign against Cordy for homecoming queen in a desperate attempt to fit in. In reference to the prom, she says "That's ok, I'm over the whole 'Buffy has a normal high school experience' thing." She can't go wherever she wants to go to college. Her duty defines her and while she does find time to shop and dream about being a normal girl, it never really happens.

I am not saying Buffy had it easy, just that she is no stranger to having fun despite being the Slayer. If she wanted to go and have fun, more often than not she did just that.

No, she'd try and fail. She'd show up to have fun with her friends and her duty always got in the way. Did she have a piece of it? Sure. Relative to other slayers, tons. But the burden was always there. "To be like other girls, to fit in in this glittering world" is what she's always tried to do. She's well aware that it rarely works out for her.


The show didn't start in S5. Before it turned into relentless doom and gloom it had plenty of Buffy enjoying her life. If anything Buffy has even less of a reason to enjoy it now than she did in say S4, so I am confused what's your point.

There are plenty of examples, (see above for a few), long before season 5 in which we see Buffy repeatedly trying, unsuccessfully, to have a normal life. I'm really not sure at which point in the show Buffy was truly "enjoying" her life. She was strong, yes, and never took anything good in her life for granted. But was she truly happy? Relaxed? At peace? And yes, now in season 9 she isn't truly any of those things, but since the world isn't counting on her for survival for the moment, she can indulge in certain aspects of them. Yesterday there was always an apocalypse around the corner and today there are merely a few vampires to kill.
 
But that never happened. That was the point:

No, it wasn't. Buffy succeeding to combine normal life and Slaying despite the huge odds against her was the point. Yes, she failed sometimes but she often succeeded too. Unlike Kendra Slaying didn't stop her from having friends. Or boyfriend. Or to go out and have fun on a regular basis.

In reference to the prom, she says "That's ok, I'm over the whole 'Buffy has a normal high school experience' thing."

Yes, she says it but that's a blatant lie since she wants Angel to take her to the prom. She also says that she can't be defined by her Slayer status, as this is something-ism.

No, she'd try and fail. She'd show up to have fun with her friends and her duty always got in the way.

Always? Like in the teaser of I Only Have Eyes For You where Buffy danced in the Bronze and nothing bad happened? Or the teaser of Crush? Or when she watched that Indian movie with Xander and Willow and nothing happened? That's like saying that people die around Herculet Poirot all the time because that's what happens in Chrstie's novels in order to have him be around and take over the investigation immediately - otherwise there wouldn't be a story. Most of the times when Buffy had fun without anything bad happened weren't shown to us since drama needs conflict. Doesn't mean these things didn't happen. We didn't see her go to the toilet either but I would assume she did that regularly too. 🙂

I'm really not sure at which point in the show Buffy was truly "enjoying" her life.

Most of S1-4, IMO. She is the type of hero who defies the odds and doesn't care about traditions. Having normal life and being successful in it was a huge part of that. Can't go to the Northwestern? Well, I will go to UC Sunnydale at least. The Council wants to boss me around? I tell them to go jump off some cliff. The government wants to imprison my boyfriend? I rescue him nevertheless. And so on. Later on it become the cool thing to do to heap random misery on Buffy all the time and make her a miserable martyr that hated her life but that wasn't really the case for most of S1-4.
 
Take away the slaying, and I'm not that interested in the story. It becomes an episode of 90210 or the OC or some other teen/YA drama. If she wants to "retire", fine, then end the series there. But if there's no supernatural storyline, it just isn't "Buffy" to me anymore. I'm sure they'll find a way to make that work in a world without magic, they showed glimpses of the threats facing Buffy.

Nobody said there isn't gonna be any slaying. I mean, the last scene shows Buffy going out and patrolling. In the covers of next issues, we see Buffy fighting demons and vampires on her own (#2) or with the new character (#3).

I thought #1 was good, but that's probably just me. It did its job well, it showed us how the characters are coping in a world without magic, we met Buffy's roommates, and then there's the mystery of the dead girl/vampire, not to mention, Simone coming back to cause some trouble. It was an introduction issue.
 
VisionGirl
VisionGirl
And you're probably right!
No, it wasn't. Buffy succeeding to combine normal life and Slaying despite the huge odds against her was the point.

Completely disagree. She didn't succeed, because she was the slayer. She couldn't be the same as any other girl. But she was strong and she kept being a hero in spite of the fact that what she wanted always got crushed by something else. That was the point.

Yes, she failed sometimes but she often succeeded too. Unlike Kendra Slaying didn't stop her from having friends. Or boyfriend. Or to go out and have fun on a regular basis.

Going out? Yes. Having fun? Occasionally, there were temporary distractions from her duty. I wouldn't consider this "fun."


Yes, she says it but that's a blatant lie since she wants Angel to take her to the prom. She also says that she can't be defined by her Slayer status, as this is something-ism.

Exactly, because she is still a girl who wants a normal life. Just because she knows she won't have it doesn't mean she won't stop wanting it. By the end of "The Prom" she realizes that she realizes this. And she never wants to be defined by her status because she thinks that will be the end of all semblance of a normal life. And she has to keep trying.


Always? Like in the teaser of I Only Have Eyes For You where Buffy danced in the Bronze and nothing bad happened? Or the teaser of Crush? Or when she watched that Indian movie with Xander and Willow and nothing happened?

Yeah, always. I don't mean that she literally never had any single good experience, ever. That isn't my point. My point is that when she does something "fun" like dancing, she is still the slayer. She is still the girl who has to kill demons and save people every day and quite often has to fight to save the entire world. Just because she doesn't literally have to be punching the face of a monster while partying or watching movies doesn't mean that she's free from it all. Because most of the time? Horrible things are happening and she has to stop them. That's a fact. And quite a lot of the time, those horrible things happen while she's out having fun, btw.

Most of the times when Buffy had fun without anything bad happened weren't shown to us since drama needs conflict. Doesn't mean these things didn't happen.

Again, moments of fun in the midst of a life of being the slayer does not add up to a happy existence. Because she can't rest and she's never free from the worst of it all. I think there are so, so many examples of this that I don't even need to name them individually. It's sort of the theme of the show.

She is the type of hero who defies the odds and doesn't care about traditions.

Half true: she is the kind of hero who cares about traditions and deeply wishes she had time for them, but makes peace with the fact that she doesn't. That's what makes her incredible.

Having normal life and being successful in it was a huge part of that. Can't go to the Northwestern? Well, I will go to UC Sunnydale at least. The Council wants to boss me around? I tell them to go jump off some cliff. The government wants to imprison my boyfriend? I rescue him nevertheless.

Yes, that is how she handles things, on the outside. That's one of the things I admire about her the most. She gets over the things she knows she can't have because she realizes she has to. But it doesn't mean she isn't miserable inside. Every time she has a chance at something new and normal her face lights up and she gets excited (in earlier seasons) until it becomes apparent that that thing won't happen or end up turning out well, and she moves on. And when something needs to be done, she does it. It doesn't mean she's happy.
 
And quite a lot of the time, those horrible things happen while she's out having fun, btw.

And this doesn't seem to bother Buffy too much when it doesn't affect her directly. Faith is killing people - we need to talk to her, give her a chance. Faith poisons Angel - now she gets a knife in the stomach. Yes, if the show was going for total realism, Buffy, Willow and Xander would have been depressed all the time if only because their classmates kept dying but that's not how the story was told. People died in Graduation Day but Buffy seemed more saddened by Angel's departure.

Completely disagree. She didn't succeed, because she was the slayer. She couldn't be the same as any other girl. But she was strong and she kept being a hero in spite of the fact that what she wanted always got crushed by something else. That was the point.

Everyone in the show got crushed by something at some point, superpowered or not, Chosen One or Overlooked One. But I still think them going on despite that was the point, not their failures.

Having fun? Occasionally, there were temporary distractions from her duty. I wouldn't consider this "fun."

So people in highly responsible positions can't possibly have "real" fun, is that it?

Yes, that is how she handles things, on the outside. That's one of the things I admire about her the most. She gets over the things she knows she can't have because she realizes she has to. But it doesn't mean she isn't miserable inside. Every time she has a chance at something new and normal her face lights up and she gets excited (in earlier seasons) until it becomes apparent that that thing won't happen or end up turning out well, and she moves on.

I still maintain she was quite happy until after Restless and at the time she had achieved almost everything she wanted. After that she became the boring martyr who wished she were dead but I was specifically referring to the early seasons.
 
So people in highly responsible positions can't possibly have "real" fun, is that it?

That's really twisting my words. Buffy's responsibilities are the extreme, and because she literally has to stand between the world and its destruction on a regular basis, there is not a comparable situation in the real world to which I could ever compare this and say that such people can or can't have fun. Seriously. But you know that.

I still maintain she was quite happy until after Restless and at the time she had achieved almost everything she wanted. After that she became the boring martyr who wished she were dead but I was specifically referring to the early seasons.

I think most things she wanted, she didn't have. There are a lot of examples of Buffy wanting things and not getting them. More often than not. She was, however, becoming more and more content with who she was and what her calling was.
 
I think most things she wanted, she didn't have. There are a lot of examples of Buffy wanting things and not getting them. More often than not. She was, however, becoming more and more content with who she was and what her calling was.
ITA. Do you think that she is as accepting of her role as Slayer in season 8 as she was starting to be in the show? I do think the tremendous responsibilities after the Scythe Spell have weighed on her heavily.
 
ITA. Do you think that she is as accepting of her role as Slayer in season 8 as she was starting to be in the show? I do think the tremendous responsibilities after the Scythe Spell have weighed on her heavily.

I actually don't think she was--I think you're on to something that I never really thought about. In season 7, she has really accepted her position as a leader and all that that entails, and in season 8 she is quite immature and flaky for portions of it. I mean, compared to where she was. So I do understand this frustration surrounding her behavior; it's sort of like she's gone downhill from 7. Only now that she's free from most of her duties, I understand the temporary relapse into teenhood...
 
I got my copy last week. I enjoyed it except for the fact there was hardly any mention of Giles. I may have to read it again more carefully. And what is Xander's secret??
 
When you factor in the Angel & Faith book (which sold a little over 20,000), you've got people buying somewhere around 60,000-65,000 Buffy comics a month. In season 8 people only had to buy one title.
 
A Timely Plotline for Today's Young People

All in all, I thought this was a great issue. It seemed more grounded than some of the previous arcs.

We get appearances from Spike, Willow, Andrew, Riley, Xander and Dawn, and we get to meet Buffy's new roommates, one of whom might be starting a band with Spike.

Buffy doesn't really remember everything that happened at the party, and throughout the issue we see flashbacks to it, including one of Spike letting Buffy know danger is on its way.

One flashback that will probably cause some discussion is the one of her and Xander alone in Buffy's room. Xander says at one point that Dawn doesn't have to know. We're led to believe that something might have happened there, but I don't think either would do that to Dawn, or at least I hope not.

The issue ends with Buffy, Spike and Willow being confronted by a monster that wants Buffy to pay......for her student loans!

That last line is what I found most interesting -- and relevant. "Buffy" (and perhaps "Angel") was always about how high school/college/work/adult life is "hell," and now student loans are the next stop in Buffy (and perhaps others) facing the realities of adulthood.

The more I think about it: Buffy and her friends graduate high school one year after I did. Now, they would be roughly 30 since I'm 31. So, the same people who empathized with the trials of high-school romance, the transition to college, and then the work world while watching the TV show are now facing the difficulties of student-loan payments in such a tough economy. Just like all of the characters did at the same times.

Personally, I think it's yet another genius masterstroke on the part of Joss Whedon to keep BtVS relevant to young (and not-so-young!) people today. The show, and now the comic books, have never really been about fighting evil monsters -- it dealing with the problems of daily life for whom the monsters are metaphors.

So, the real question: can Buffy get a student-loan deferment for saving the world? 🙂
 
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