Opinions on Buffy having a baby...

[MarieVampSlayer]

Buffy having a baby is a great idea in theory. It can be good to subvert the idea of women as caregiver and mothers, but for the human race to survive, most people will have to make babies. Any complete feminist statement needs to tackle motherhood in some form. Buffy is the every girl, so it makes sense that she will eventually become a mother. I think it would make more sense for Willow to be the one who chooses to remain childless.

That being said, I don't see how four issues bringing all the characters together for lots of fighting and time travelling shenanigans will have time to deal with pregnancy or motherhood any more seriously than AtS did.

The child is probably Dawn and Xander's, though. They have long carried the burden of grounding the comics all by themselves.

I agree about this! I love to see Buffy as a mother and I do think she would love that. Saying that making her a mom makes her less of a feminist is ridiculous. Buffy would never be a traditional mom and she would never have the American dream kinda life that would make her conservative. I do agree also that Willow makes more sense as the childless women because I don't remember her expressing any interest in having children and with her mom issues it would not be surprising!

 

[Athena]

My first instinct was "a baby! How cute!"
My second is "a baby! How Cousin Oliver is this going to turn out?!"

It's an interesting perspective, as long as the series subverts the trope. No one wants to see the slayer changing diapers and getting up for feeds.

 

[Skanky Vamp]

No one wants to see the slayer changing diapers and getting up for feeds.

I do. That would be cool. Maybe not a whole 'episode' of it, but throwing in some of the normal stuff like that I actually would like.

 

[WillowFromBuffy]

It would be interesting for about a minute and then there would be a kid around all the time lol

That is why it is perfect for the last season 😉 No need to throw it into Quor'toth to bake.

 

[SunnydaleGlitz]

While I think it might become drab/ narratively boring to have the Slayerverse become all about babies and diapers (which I DON'T want), at the same time, it might be exciting to have the thrill of a baby, for Buffy to buy her fashionable baby clothes (if it's a girl), or Spike to read out fun/chilling bedtime stories, and generally bask in the fun of it.

If Buffy is in a really loving relationship and is completely ready for it (as a Spuffy, for me that's obviously with Spike) I think it could be heartwarming and romantic. I don't want to think that having a baby would be "hampering" Buffy's identity as a Slayer. Theoretically, why should having a kid make her any less strong/ kickass/ glamorous/ committed as a Slayer? It's not like I'm speaking from experience or anything - I don't have kids. But I would want to one day. It's an experience a lot of women at some point will go through - having a baby. It shouldn't diminish her Slayer identity.

It might even be exciting/ romantic if she has a child with Spike. One would get to see a tender side to both of them, and it would be no different, really, than the way she was protective of Dawn, except that this would be a real baby. And we could see how the Buffyverse subverts conventional tropes, as it does for so much else. And if Angelina Jolie could do it and still be kickass, so can Buffy 😛

 

[Mrs Gordo]

I'm *hoping* that this picture indicates that she visits herself in the past- way in the past as a baby.

But Buffy has green eyes.

Otherwise, we're saying we trust Buffy with the fate of the world, but not with a child.

Yeah pretty much this. Buffy would be fine with a baby (we all figure it out eventually right? I really hope so because I want a baby but know nothing about them!). It would be kinda fun to see her taking that next step. Part of the fun of s1-3 was watching Buffy balance slaying with high school and her other relationships. I think we have stepped away from that and it is basically just been Buffy being "all slay all the time." It would be interesting to see Buffy balancing her slaying with something like being a mom.

 

[RomanticSoul]

Otherwise, we're saying we trust Buffy with the fate of the world, but not with a child. Are we that paternalistic? I know it doesn't take exactly the same skill set, but I believe she's smart enough, compassionate enough and protective enough to be a mom.

I don't trust Dawnverse Buffy with the fate of the world. She has made too many attempts to destroy it. And her values and lack of morals is not something that should be imparted on a child. And interpersonal relationships? 'Hey kid, the road to happily ever after is through stalking, abuse and rape. That's romance at it's best, sweetheart.' Yeah, how about not.

I'm all for a well adjusted Buffy from an alternate timeline to be a mother. Our Buffy, hell no.

 

[TamsinValencia]

I think on the one hand it would be great that they are expressing the conventional woman but i feel like many many shows do that. I thought that buffy could work better being more unconventional perhaps by making her do surrogacy or adoption, then she could be someone to look up to and i feel that buffy is the kind of show to take this different approach.

Or a fuffy baby would be wonderful, perhaps willow made it happen somehow with her magic spells!😀

 

[Taake]

No one wants to see the slayer changing diapers and getting up for feeds.

Hence baby Connor's stay on Angel was very shortlived and he was quickly aged-up.

Of course, comics are a completely different format and time can move differently there. That said, the idea of Buffy with a baby completely bores me. Babies are not fashion accessories you just cuddle, buy clothes for and bond with your partner over, which seems like the fate of a Buffy-baby in the long run. Sleep-deprived, parenting is hell, toddlers are nightmares, and oh the baby is sick again, are not particularly interesting storylines. Nor is a "the baby's been kidnapped/is threatened must be Tuesday again" set up.

Basically, babies are limiting.
Buffy is now a comic book character. She can be 25 for eternity if need be. There is all the time in the world for a "Buffy gets a baby plot", but once you go there, you can't un-do it.

So sure, I trust Buffy the character to be a good mother. I've no doubt about it.
Do I want to see her be a mother? Nope. I think that stuff belongs to fanfiction were fans can give it their own take and abandon it if they wish, i.e. won't lock it into canon.

 

[Athena]

Basically, babies are limiting.
Buffy is now a comic book character. She can be 25 for eternity if need be. There is all the time in the world for a "Buffy gets a baby plot", but once you go there, you can't un-do it.

Exactly!

That's why so many TV shows go down the baby route and then they suffer in quality. Angel was different in its approach so it was markedly better, but for most shows a baby sounds the death knell. It's exactly the same for the comic series too IMO. Once you go baby, you never can go back maybe. 😉

 

[DeepBlueJoy]

Thematically, unless you're a soap, watching a baby grow up is limiting, but if this is the grand finale... it could end with her being a mom and still able to kick ass... fade to black. We don't deal with the 'realities'. We assume everyone lives happily ever after.

If they come back to the story periodically, they don't have to focus on the baby, they can focus on the next fight. When we are at work, we work, we don't focus on our kids.

 

[Skanky Vamp]

I thought that buffy could work better being more unconventional perhaps by making her do surrogacy or adoption,

Subsequently that could mean that strong independent women that buck authority cannot be "real" women thus have to rely on others to "donate" their womb.

 

[Professor Walsh]

I think it is interesting how hard it is for writers and filmmakers to weave motherhood - or parenthood - into an established set up, given that it is such an important part of so many lives. If they could give us a sleep-deprived, confused Buffy who's juggling motherhood and slayerhood at the same time, I'm all for it.
 

I think on the one hand it would be great that they are expressing the conventional woman but i feel like many many shows do that. I thought that buffy could work better being more unconventional perhaps by making her do surrogacy or adoption, then she could be someone to look up to and i feel that buffy is the kind of show to take this different approach.

How does becoming a mother by surrogacy make her someone to look up to more than if she becomes pregnant?

 

[Skanky Vamp]

If they could give us a sleep-deprived, confused Buffy who's juggling motherhood and slayerhood at the same time, I'm all for it.

Exactly! I really would like to see her changing nappies and getting spit-up on her favorite outfit and having to deal with being a mother and a slayer. Let her go back to facing minimal threat vampires and various evils- not these world-shattering, catastrophic big bads. Go back to S1 Buffy-type stories, with lil Baby Buffy on board.

 

[Grace]

Buffy is now a comic book character. She can be 25 for eternity if need be.

I have personally found this pretty boring. They have done variations on “taking responsibility” and “coming into her own” for at least three seasons now, if not more. Buffy hasn’t developed any new, lasting relationships in four seasons of comicdom. This is why I’m in favor of the season structure wrapping up. But if they were continuing, moving Buffy into a new stage of life in some fashion would be welcome.

 

[DeadlyDuo]

I think they're damned if they do and damned if they don't in regards to making Buffy a mother. If they do they're gonna have the "feminists" screeching about how a "strong" female character had been relegated to a traditional "little woman" role of motherhood. However, if they don't, then there are going to be questions raised on why only "strong" women reject motherhood, as if it is something that is forced upon women rather than chosen.

Basically there's no reason why Buffy shouldn't be a mother if she chooses to be. However, babies can limit a character's movements to an extent because they now have this responsibility that they can't just up and leave when they choose to. I think what would be interesting is having Buffy STRUGGLE with motherhood. Show that it isn't just a case of good moms/bad moms. There will be days when it's a struggle, lack of sleep will do that and given that Buffy is out slaying, sleep isn't going to be easy. Portraying motherhood realistically rather than the Hollywood version of it would show that, although there are days where it's hard, it's worth it in the end.

 

[Blair]

Realistically, I can't see them portraying all the struggles of motherhood in a 4 issue season. Like, the time restraint of the season is an issue- trying to show Buffy pregnant and all. Unless if they are showing Buffy in the future? Seeing that she jumps forward in the timeline and all?

 

[November]

I hate the idea. Many have already pointed out why I hate it. Children are limiting, they are a responsibility to be taken seriously. If Buffy was to be a mother, she must step down from her dangerous position. Her life is no longer her own if she has a baby.

I dont know why motherhood is seen as the completion of womanhood. We are made for it, but its not our only purpose.

I am sick of the struggling mum thing too - they chose it without acknowledging the realities. I support women who are finding motherhood tough, but it should not be portrayed in media as the norm. Many women thrive in a caring roll, especially when basics like housing and finances are covered. The struggle comes from providing for child, not sleepless nights and poo bums. I mean, that happens with pets too but ya dont see animal carers getting sympathy, cos they've chosen it.

I cant get into the comic format anyway, so my opinion would not matter to their sales. Buffy has already done the mum thing with Dawn. I dont see why it needs to be repeated in canon.

 

[DeadlyDuo]

The struggle comes from providing for child, not sleepless nights and poo bums.

I disagree. Providing for the child is hard without a doubt but don't underestimate what lack of sleep can do. Lack of sleep makes everything 10 times harder.