Positive Opinion

[sosa lola]

I did an "What I love about S8" thread a while back, and I'm redoing it now hoping to see more fans express what they enjoy about the season:

I love season 8 for the thing its haters hate it for: the mysteries. I love that it's a whole big mystery with so many clues that do not tell you exactly what the hell is happening, what the hell is Willow doing with Snake Lady and why, why the hell Buffy turned out like this, are Buffy and Giles okay or not? And so on. Some fans can't be patient enough, I don't blame them, the slow pace in the comic medium is killing me as well, especially that we'll get the answers to all our questions in 2010. I think I'm more patient than most.

I love the main storyline. That Buffy's decision to make all potentials slayers had changed the world beyond repair. That Buffy must face the consequences of her decision, the big pressure of taking care of way more girls than the ones she had in S7, the pressure of having the government after her accusing her of being a terrorist who blew up a whole town, the pressure of hiding from society and real life, the pressure of being hated by humans, the pressure of trying to protect her slayers from Twilight, the pressure of not having a warm embrace to cuddle to at night, all that had driven the poor girl to become the woman you see in S8.

I love Buffy's character development, and I'm shocked that many fans feel that it's not natural. Buffy thinking she's above the law? Faith planted the seeds in S3, and Buffy's new "I'm the law" attitude blossomed in S7. S8 Buffy is a better, more believable continuity than TGIQ Buffy, IMO.

I love the strong friendship between Xander and Buffy. They had been close friends but their friendship was never really tight. It was in Seeing Red when they started to grow closer, continued in S7 when Xander was included as Family in Buffy's list of phone numbers, she trusted him the most with Dawn, he was the one she held hands with and stared passionately into his eye in Chosen. I've always knew he'll be her closest, most trusted, most preferred Scooby after S7. And S8 did continuity very well there.

I love that they developed the story with the bond between Xander and Dawn, it started in S7 and continued to grow in S. S8 doesn't do continuity? Please.

I love that S8 made me love Faith. I never cared about her character, but S8 made me more interested in her. If there was no S8, I'd never have appreciated the character Faith.

I love Faith and Giles together, I love how they complete each other, giving the other what they need. They're a perfect team.

I began to respect Dawn a lot after reading her story with Kenny. She was exactly like Anya's male victims, yet she reacted more maturely than them. Using her punishment to save the day, trying to deal with what's happening to her, and thinking she deserved it for cheating on her boyfriend, also not going after Kenny or confessing that it was his doing. She was really mature about it, shouldering the blame and guilt, she's gonna grow up to be like Buffy.

I love that Oz is married. I love that he has a kid. I love that one of the Scoobies is a grown up and moved on with his life instead of pining for Willow and waiting until he gets gray haired and then goes to fetch for her.

I love the new characters, especially Satsu. (Everybody seem to hate her "“obviously because she slept with Buffy- is she gonna be the new Kennedy?) Her unique style, her disappointment with Buffy's inability to return her love, deciding to move on. I also love that she's Japanese.

I love the plenty of opportunities for Missing Scenes fic! I love that I've seen many of that: How Xander ended up being in Dracula's castle. How Buffy decided to live in a castle. Why Buffy decided to rob a bank. And the one I'd love to read but haven't yet: When did Dawn turn into a giant and how did she end up in Buffy's castle?

I LOVE that Willow/Kennedy is together as well as Faith/Wood breaking up!

While I had my objections with Buffy/Satsu, I can see now that's also not a big deal. I believe it's something Buffy will do. Like I said, the girl wants a warm embrace to cuddle to at night, and she's been moaning about not having sex from #1. She's been having sex dreams about Xander, for God's sake. Well, he's the only man in the castle. And she can't ask him to have a one night stand, because he's her best friend and she doesn't wanna wreck that by making it complicated, plus she knows about his feelings for Renee. Knowing that Satsu loves her and admires her made Buffy feel loved, she rejected Satsu at the beginning, then she was reluctant. She wanted the warm embrace. She explained to Satsu that she's not gay, she's not looking for a relationship, and Satsu still accepted to sleep with her.

I love that Buffy's healthiest sexual expreience/relationship was with another slayer. It started with understanding and support from both girls and it ended with understanding and support from both girls. It was the first time Buffy actually ends a sexual experience with a smile, not just from her, also from Satsu. Both girls knew what it was about, knew it could never lead to anything serious, but they still enjoyed their time. I don't think Satsu hated Buffy or regretted what happened. She knew what she was getting herself into and she was okay with it.

I love the whole decoy storyline! I love that it's so morally gray, and that it opens up for so many possibilities and stories for Italy Decoy. Also, The chain? So underrated.

I love how Xander grew up into a guy who accepts his limits "“for example, telling Buffy to choose one her slayers to tag along with her and save Willow. Buffy was as shocked as I was. Xander had always been the foolish kid who throws himself in danger to save his friends, if it was S1 Xander, he would've jumped into the portal before Buffy said a word. But this Xander knows that he's weaker than the slayers under Buffy's command, and there's a big chance he's gonna hold Buffy back instead of backing her up, so he asked Buffy to pick the best slayer for the job. The most important thing is to save Willow, regardless of who saves her.

I love that S8 makes me think: For example the Time of Your Life arc. Speculations and thinky thoughts all over the net!

I love that we finally have a new canon! That it changed fans' minds about the characters even when they're rejecting S8. Now so many fans love the Giles/Faith relationship, believe in the Buffy decoys, see Buffy and Xander as very close, believe Xander and Dawn are perfect for each other, and so many more"¦

 

[AndrewCrossett]

I love that Buffy's healthiest sexual expreience/relationship was with another slayer. It started with understanding and support from both girls and it ended with understanding and support from both girls. It was the first time Buffy actually ends a sexual experience with a smile, not just from her, also from Satsu. Both girls knew what it was about, knew it could never lead to anything serious, but they still enjoyed their time. I don't think Satsu hated Buffy or regretted what happened. She knew what she was getting herself into and she was okay with it.

As this board's biggest Batsu supporter, I also love that we've been repeatedly told that storyline isn't over yet. (For better or worse.)

I'm really happy that Joss had the courage to send Buffy and the Scoobies off on such a new path, so different from the TV show. After "Chosen" it would have been rather ridiculous to have Buffy just go back to patrolling the graveyard and staking random vampires. They changed the world in a very big way at the end of the series, and that big change had to be reflected in the continuing story.

I love that they've almost exclusively used the TV writers to write the comics, and that almost every issue has been well-written, even if a few of them have been puzzling and/or frustrating.

I'm happy that this comic has consistently been the best-selling comic in America by an independent publisher (i.e., not Marvel or DC). For a while, it was outselling Spider-Man.

I love that, for the first time in years, I'm reading a comic that I absolutely have to get on Wednesday when it comes out, rather than waiting for Saturday.

And I love that it's all canon, it's Joss's season 8 of Buffy. It all counts...even when I don't want it to. Just like with the show.

 

[Buffyverse Fan]

I love that Season Eight turned me onto Comic books. It was the first I've read, and I've picked up a few others since.

I loved all of the arcs except Predators & Prey as a whole and the poorly done Batsu relationship. {Sorry Andrew, but I think you've also mentioned its sloppy handling}.

I really loved its sister series After the Fall it was a tight "Maxi-series" that just felt right, and casts the late Andy Hallet's character in a great light, recovering from his severe depression following Fred's death.

I love that we're getting more, even though I wish it was a little tighter like After the Fall.

I love Oz's return and Fray's epic meeting with Buffy.

 

[GrimsWatcher]

I love the first 11 issues.

 

[cranetimothyj]

I don't understand what they hate is about, I LOVE season 8, I started watching when the series finished and I love debateing about it like a true hardcore fan. I reckon when it's all done, on a whole, it'll be the best thing ever, and I love that!