Spoiler! If you had the choice ("Chosen")

[Professor Walsh]

A small warning first: If you are trying to stay spoiler-free for the season 7 finale, I suggest you find something else to read.



Let's, for now, pretend that all the potentials had a choice when Willow did the spell in "Chosen". Let's pretend that everyone born with the potential to be a slayer could choose to stand up, take up the mantle and receive the power or to decline. What would you choose? With your life as it is being part of the package, would you accept the powers, aware of the risks and the responisbilities, or would you decline?

 

[Carrrrgh]

I would choose to be a slayer. Without a doubt, no question.

 

[zobothehobo]

I would choose to be a slayer. The responsibility that comes with it is fine with me... to be able to do that much good... to be able to help the world that way... To be a part of something that big, that beautiful... Andrew was right about it being a metaphor for womanhood and I want to be a part of it.

 

[Kean]

Presuming that I would have a period of time to weigh my decision, I would think long and hard about it. As well as that I would need to seek counsel with my family and closest friends too. I'd probably insist in speaking with other slayers and other people in the know, like the Scoobies, to see what it was really going to entail.

Lets make no bones about it, being a slayer is a thankless, ugly job. I'd really have to trust in the good of it and my potential ability to make a difference.

It wouldn't be a decision I would take lightly, that's for sure.

 

[brinkster130]

That would be a hard decision to make, especially with all the evil that was lurking at that point in time.

I would rather have slayer power and fight than to only be a potential fighting.

Honestly, I would probably choose become a slayer and accept the responsibility more so because of how serious the situation was than because I felt responsibly to fulfill a duty. Buffy and the Scoobies seemed pretty worked up over Caleb and the First so I would have a hard time turning my back on a situation that significant.

 

[Ms.Trick]

I would accept it without a doubt. It's already in my nature to help people, or try to, anyway. I already have been in situations where I thought "If I had a Slayer strength, I could help right away".
I can't stand the fact that people are being attacked. If I was a Slayer, I would be glad to have the power to do something about it, to have the power to help people, protect them.
So yeah, if I could be a Slayer, I would be a Slayer!

 

[sisterofmercy]

I'd definitely accept it. It would be good to have a purpose of some sort and I like helping people. Plus if you're a slayer you'd be strong and therefore (hopefully) be listened to.

 

[PrincessBuffy16]

I would chose to be a slayer. 100% with no thinking.

 

[Professor Walsh]

That would be a hard decision to make, especially with all the evil that was lurking at that point in time.

I would rather have slayer power and fight than to only be a potential fighting.

Honestly, I would probably choose become a slayer and accept the responsibility more so because of how serious the situation was than because I felt responsibly to fulfill a duty. Buffy and the Scoobies seemed pretty worked up over Caleb and the First so I would have a hard time turning my back on a situation that significant.

I'm not talking just about the potentials that were in Sunnydale, if I was there, then, I would certainly see it as my duty to do so. I am talking about all the potentials, all over the world. Bring your life, as it is today, into the equation and imagine that you were offered this power tomorrow.

If I am thinking only about myself, so yeah. Throw me the power, baby, I'm gonna show you that I can be queen of more than just sarcasm. I both have a strong drive to help people, a sort of delusions-of-grandeur to be the fixer of all pain, and a bit of a tendency to yearn for power (even if that is a tendency I don't like and therefore try to temper, it is nonetheless there). I cannot think only of myself, though. No man is an island. I am a mother, a lover, a daughter, a sister, a friend. Should I choose to become an active Slayer, I would at the same time rob my children of their mother, and I would leave my husband to handle the family that we have created together on his own. Is that my right? Is the mission what matters?

No man is an island, entire of itself
every man is a piece of the continent, a part of the main
if a clod be washed away by the sea,
Europe is the less, as well as if a promontory were,
as well as if a manor of thy friends or of thine own were
any man's death diminishes me, because I am involved in mankind
and therefore never send to know for whom the bell tolls
it tolls for thee.


-- John Donne

 

[Kean]

Should I choose to become an active Slayer, I would at the same time rob my children of their mother, and I would leave my husband to handle the family that we have created together on his own. Is that my right? Is the mission what matters?

That's the real question here isn't it? Is "The Mission", whatever that is, bigger than the life you have already made for yourself? Is it bigger than the responsibilities you already shoulder?

 

[prophecygrrl]

I'd want to be a Slayer. I don't think I could handle being THE Slayer, but to be one among thousands of similar-minded, kickass girls and women? If we've got each other's backs, I'll take it.

 

[Seeing Red]

I would SO accept! With out a doubt. Go kick some un-dead butt. Mabey find my own Angel. The possibiltys are endless when you are a hot chick with super-powers. 😀

 

[brinkster130]

I'm not talking just about the potentials that were in Sunnydale, if I was there, then, I would certainly see it as my duty to do so. I am talking about all the potentials, all over the world. Bring your life, as it is today, into the equation and imagine that you were offered this power tomorrow.

As much as I would hope that I would accept the power I honestly don't know that I would. It would all depend on how much information I was given and what sort of evil disasters were in the works. Having blind faith and accepting the power (or responsibility) without knowing more details would be extremely difficult. I would have trouble walking away from my life as it is today.

If I am thinking only about myself, so yeah. Throw me the power, baby, I'm gonna show you that I can be queen of more than just sarcasm. I both have a strong drive to help people, a sort of delusions-of-grandeur to be the fixer of all pain, and a bit of a tendency to yearn for power (even if that is a tendency I don't like and therefore try to temper, it is nonetheless there). I cannot think only of myself, though. No man is an island. I am a mother, a lover, a daughter, a sister, a friend. Should I choose to become an active Slayer, I would at the same time rob my children of their mother, and I would leave my husband to handle the family that we have created together on his own. Is that my right? Is the mission what matters?

These are my thoughts exactly. If it is only concerning myself; why not accept the power? But the reality is I have family and loved ones I would have to consider. From what we have seen with Nikki Wood slayer duties and family responsibilities don't mix well.

As far as "The Mission" goes, I am inclined to believe that it ultimately would be more important than my current responsibilities. But knowing that doesn't make accepting it easy.

 

[frankie]

I would. I think it would be amazing to have such purpose in life. " So, what did you do today " - " I saved the world ". Yup, I could deal with that. I would be very much about the mission though. Kinda like Kendra but with an Irish accent, and, uh, man parts!

 

[LadyLavinia]

A small warning first: If you are trying to stay spoiler-free for the season 7 finale, I suggest you find something else to read.



Let's, for now, pretend that all the potentials had a choice when Willow did the spell in "Chosen". Let's pretend that everyone born with the potential to be a slayer could choose to stand up, take up the mantle and receive the power or to decline. What would you choose? With your life as it is being part of the package, would you accept the powers, aware of the risks and the responisbilities, or would you decline?

I would decline. My life is complicated enough, as it is.

That's the real question here isn't it? Is "The Mission", whatever that is, bigger than the life you have already made for yourself? Is it bigger than the responsibilities you already shoulder?

From my point of view . . . I don't think that "the Mission" is bigger.

 

[Professor Walsh]

This question of the mission being what matters has been on my mind for years (I had to do a search on a different forum to find an old post of mine, and was a bit taken aback to see that more than two years has passed since then). When I was in my early twenties, I did some field work in South Africa and had the privilege to spend some evenings in the company of a woman who, along with her husband, had dedicated a lot of their time to the Struggle (against apartheid, that is). As a result of this, they and their children had spent rather a long time as expats. The children spent several years at a boarding school in Kenya, whereas the parents were in Britain.

As adults, her children told her that this had made them feel that they were less important to their parents than the politics was. Now, I don't doubt for a second that the fight against apartheid was an absolutely necessary one. I am also fully aware that a lot of people suffered more than these children did. But still, my question stands. When is the misson what matters? When is it right to walk away from the responsibilities we already have to shoulder a different burden, to sacrifice someone for the greater good?

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v707/Thinkerbell/Buffy%20meets%20GIMP/TheMission.jpg

 

[Kean]

This question of the mission being what matters has been on my mind for years (I had to do a search on a different forum to find an old post of mine, and was a bit taken aback to see that more than two years has passed since then). When I was in my early twenties, I did some field work in South Africa and had the privilege to spend some evenings in the company of a woman who, along with her husband, had dedicated a lot of their time to the Struggle (against apartheid, that is). As a result of this, they and their children had spent rather a long time as expats. The children spent several years at a boarding school in Kenya, whereas the parents were in Britain.

As adults, her children told her that this had made them feel that they were less important to their parents than the politics was. Now, I don't doubt for a second that the fight against apartheid was an absolutely necessary one. I am also fully aware that a lot of people suffered more than these children did. But still, my question stands. When is the misson what matters? When is it right to walk away from the responsibilities we already have to shoulder a different burden, to sacrifice someone for the greater good?

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v707/Thinkerbell/Buffy%20meets%20GIMP/TheMission.jpg

I think it comes down to whether it is your Mission or not. I feel that if you are choosing it, rather than it choosing you, than perhaps it is not the right choice to make.

I'm starting to re-evaluate the whole concept of being 'Chosen' the more I consider this question. Perhaps there is more wisdom in it then I had earlier believed.

 

[Skanky Vamp]

Is this question valid for X chrom? Because there honestly is a rather large difference in the manner in which an answer can be given. Regardless the answer would be no. There would be no way I would want that. A- too many people relay on me now, dont need no more.. B- you dont have to have superpowers to make a difference. So no, I would rather do the Wesley, Xander, Fred, Gunn, Holtz thing, than the Buffy, Faith, Connor thing.

 

[Professor Walsh]

Is this question valid for X chrom? Because there honestly is a rather large difference in the manner in which an answer can be given. Regardless the answer would be no. There would be no way I would want that. A- too many people relay on me now, dont need no more.. B- you dont have to have superpowers to make a difference. So no, I would rather do the Wesley, Xander, Fred, Gunn, Holtz thing, than the Buffy, Faith, Connor thing.

Yep, this question is definitely valid even if you have just one X chrom. I can see no reason to keep this discussion for females only.

 

[thunderhawk86]

Hell yeah I would. I would join UFC to earn some money to spend on tools and equipment for the slayage. I'd be a modern day batman... if batman fought vampires and demons.