Question(s) about Scythe Spell

[mayukhers112]

Just was wondering about this: what if there was a potential slayer born in, say, the 1960/70's, that was still alive at the time of Willow's scythe spell in 2003? Would she have been activated? Or do potentials 'lose' the potential to become a slayer at a certain age? Or do all aged potentials just die? Thanks.

 

[The Arcane]

There are a number of theories on this but as far as i'm aware a potential slayer never stops being a potential slayer. However, as they get older it simply becomes less and less likely that they would ever be chosen.

Under the old rules where one slayer existed at a time it was the case that the power would go to the most appropriate girl. That would include her being of a young and agile age so when a slayer died any potential who was already in her twenties or older would likely be overlooked for one in her teens.

However, once Willow had done her thing with the scythe that rule was out the window and it was no longer a case of the power going to the best choice. Instead it went to all potentials and i see no reason why that would not include the potentials of all ages around the world.

There are probably grannies kicking vamp ass as we speak! 😉

 

[mayukhers112]

Heh, grannies...

But, following the old slayer rule, wasn't the girl picked randomly?

 

[The Arcane]

Very doubtful. Remember that Giles told Buffy way back in Welcome to the Hellmouth that coming to Sunnydale was her destiny. Seems to me like all the girls chosen are picked for a reason.

 

[Lyri]

i've always gone under the theory that when a Potential passes her eighteenth birthday without being called, then she's no longer able to become thr slayer.
but maybe i've been looking at it wrong?
but cnsidering every slayer has to face the crucimentum on her eighteenth birthday, it doesn't seem possible that a slayer could be called after that birthday.

 

[The Arcane]

i've always gone under the theory that when a Potential passes her eighteenth birthday without being called, then she's no longer able to become thr slayer.
but maybe i've been looking at it wrong?
but cnsidering every slayer has to face the crucimentum on her eighteenth birthday, it doesn't seem possible that a slayer could be called after that birthday.

Well, don't forget that the rules of the crucimentum were only based on the way things always had been in the past. All the previous slayers since the test had been put into place would no doubt have been younger than eighteen when they were called and so that age (a coming of age in all senses) likely would have been chosen as an appropriate date.

So it has never really been that a slayer couldn't be called after they were eighteen, just that it had never happen because there were always younger potentials available when a slayer died.

When you think about it, how could anyone possibly know if a potential girl ever lost that potential after a certain age? Just because it never happened that an older girl received the power didn't mean that it wasn't possible.

 

[Lyri]

that's a good point, Watcher. i've never thought of it that way before.

 

[Black Eye Guy]

I am very much undecided on this I did believe that potentials never lost their potentialness, but I was watching 'Potential' the other night and they are about to do the potential locator spell, and Dawn starts saying "Could it be someone in my year in school" and Willow responds with something like "Yeah she should be around that age right?"

 

[The Arcane]

I am very much undecided on this I did believe that potentials never lost their potentialness, but I was watching 'Potential' the other night and they are about to do the potential locator spell, and Dawn starts saying "Could it be someone in my year in school" and Willow responds with something like "Yeah she should be around that age right?"

Again though, how could anyone possibly know? Was there a blood test that the Council used to carry out on a girl to see if she was still a potential even though she had never been called?

It is simply one of those things that was unprovable as long as the old rules remained. As long as there was only one slayer at a time then the power would always go to the best choice available and that would always be a girl of a fairly young age. Even when the rules changed and there were two slayers the power was still going to pass to a girl that suited the slayer life best.

However, once Willow totally rewrote the rule book and sent the power to every possible potentail there was a way of knowing one hundred percent if there was an age limit. Of course that would require tracking down every single slayer in the world and asking them how old they are but at least the answer would be there. If that was done and there were no slayers worldwide older than say twenty then we would know for certain that there was a point where you stop being a potential. If there were girls of all ages then that would be your answer.

Hopefully that is something that will be established in a later story, either on television or in the canon comic series.

 

[Black Eye Guy]

But then also think The first Killed off most of the potentials, to a point where there was only a handfull left, and we allot in Season 7 and season 5 of Angel, there can't be that many left.

Althought maybe potential slayers over a certain age arn't going to get the power because there is better girls for the job. but thy could have been activated by Willow!

Honestly I don't have a clue!

 

[The Arcane]

Well, honestly, i'm going off assumption here myself. All i do know is that i don't know how an age limit could have been established prior to Chosen but that one could possibly be established now.

Like i said, maybe a future story will deal with this issue for us and give us the answer.