Radical rewrite - Buffy stays dead

[bespangeled]

I put this idea here because it would change the entire series from the end of season 5. We're talking a different show, and I only have vague ideas, but how would the survivors manage life on a hellmouth without a slayer?

Bring Faith out of prison? Mix Angel in a bit more - as a vehicle to bring Faith, at least?

Have the WC kill Faith to generate a new slayer?

How would characters react - and interact? Giles and Spike seem pretty changed with Buffy staying dead. Would the group use the bot?

I always felt the demon invasion was a contrivance to force the issue and bring Buffy back. I mean - no demon invasion occurred before Buffy arrived so let's assume there is none once she is dead.

 

[white avenger]

I think that, if Buffy had stayed dead, either Faith would have somehow been released from prison, if not immediately, then within the first 3 or 4 episodes, or, a new Slayer would have been introduced. That could have been explained by having Faith killed somehow in prison or it would have been discovered that at some point during her coma, her heart had stopped, or some other circumstance that would allow yet another Slayer to be Called. Joss and his writing staff would have come up with something, even if it had been the old saw of having some Slayer from the future or a parallel dimension (maybe the Wishverse) sucked through some sort of portal into the Buffyverse.

As for the other characters, they would probably be sort of put off at first, but would eventually warm to the new girl, or they would have left the show for various reasons, Giles returning to England, Xander and Anya leaving town to escape old memories, Willow and Tara transferring to a different college. Dawn would have gone to live with her father, and Spike would have found some reason to leave.

Basically, without Buffy being there, it would have been an entirely new show, with new characters, but the same old hellmouth.

 

[Black Eye Guy]

I think either Faith would have come back or a new slayer called. The whole Faith being THE slayer only came about cuz no new slayer turned up, if they'd needed a new slayer they could have just called one without having to address the whole THE Slayer issue.

They definitely would have kept the same cast, probably much in the same way Willow and Xander would have been her new watcher, Giles would have left probably not wanting to take on a new slayer.

Spike would have started a relationship with her and that whole dark storyline would still have unfolded. Him leading the new slater down a dark path.

Dawn would have stayed wanting to honour her sister and Anya and Tara would have stayed cuz of Willow and Xander. I think Faith would have been brought back earlier in season 7 though.


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[EVIL UU]

Nothing of importance changes. Buffy is not the lead character of season 6 and the main story is not about her.
[MENTION=12738]bespangeled[/MENTION]

how would the survivors manage life on a hellmouth without a slayer?

Just fine. With resurrection out of the picture Willow could concentrate on just kicking ass and taking names. I mean, she is more powerful than The Mayor and he kept Sunnydale from going apocalyptic for over a 100 years.

Bring Faith out of prison?

Nah. Why even kill off Buffy if you want to substitute her in the next season? Nothing changes.

Giles and Spike seem pretty changed with Buffy staying dead.

Giles runs away, comes back for the finale. Spike is just being Spike, hangs out until he finds another woman to obsess over. Anya maybe?

 

[Blaze]

I see two main option. Change the title to Faith the vampire slayer. For there write the series they intended to write for Faith. This could easily add a few more season.

Or, make Willow the new lead. By s6, Willow is pretty much the lead anyway.

Either way, I think it would require a title change for the series, even if they keep the same cast. Honestly, even if s6 is my absolute favourite, I wouldn't have minded a Faith the vampire slayer instead.

 

[chasesummers]

Would have been a fantastic opportunity to bring Faith The Vampire Slayer in. The end of Season 5 was probably the best way Buffy could have finished, she decided to sacrifice her life to others and mostly Dawn, it was her choice which made it bitter sweet.

Of course I would have missed Buffy like crazy because nobody can replace her, we wouldn't have had season 6 to 7 (plus the comics of course) but the show could have went on through Angel, Faith or even Willow had the potential to make a show because it would be fresh. A slayer, a vampire and a witch 🙂

But, Buffy is too dear to Joss to just let her go.

 

[thetopher]

Make it Faith The Vampire Slayer- there you have not only a lead actress who can hold a scene, but she's an established character that has chemistry with pretty much every other cast member.
Why risk somebody new- I mean they had a hell of a time finding the right Buffy in the beginning.

You also have a completly new dynamic with both Xander and Willow, there's some lingering Faith/Xander tension (plus Anya tension.) and Willow and Faith butting heads would've been cool to see.

Tara could again be a central, 'balancing' character, doesn't know Faith that well (apart from that one unpleasent encounter) and might be willing to give her a chance.

You could keep Giles around, suddenly he's needed more than ever (who needs Wating more than Faith?) or maybe bring in another Watcher type.

You could keep Dawn, the Scoobies are still her family even if Buffy is dead, and she might want to honour her sister by becoming a bit more fight-y, Faith could probably help with that.

Spike...Spike's main connection to the group is now gone, and I doubt he and Faith would bond much. I couldn't really see him sticking around, but maybe the writers could think of something.

And you have a season arc for a lot of them, mourning and moving on, trusting each other, redemption, Faith trying to fill the shoes of the slayer.

You could even keep the Big Bad- The Trio are wierd enough to keep Faith off-balance to begin with and then Willow goes evil, Faith has to tell her that killing a murderer is not cool (an interesting position for her to be in.) and Xander still gets to save the day in the end.
It works- the season would still be very dark, and Buffy's prescence would still be absent for a lot of it. But overall- I think it could've worked. 🙂

 

[bespangeled]

I think that, if Buffy had stayed dead, either Faith would have somehow been released from prison, if not immediately, then within the first 3 or 4 episodes, or, a new Slayer would have been introduced. That could have been explained by having Faith killed somehow in prison or it would have been discovered that at some point during her coma, her heart had stopped, or some other circumstance that would allow yet another Slayer to be Called. Joss and his writing staff would have come up with something, even if it had been the old saw of having some Slayer from the future or a parallel dimension (maybe the Wishverse) sucked through some sort of portal into the Buffyverse.

As for the other characters, they would probably be sort of put off at first, but would eventually warm to the new girl, or they would have left the show for various reasons, Giles returning to England, Xander and Anya leaving town to escape old memories, Willow and Tara transferring to a different college. Dawn would have gone to live with her father, and Spike would have found some reason to leave.

Basically, without Buffy being there, it would have been an entirely new show, with new characters, but the same old hellmouth.

Definitely an entirely new show in a lot of ways. And I agree that Buffy was who and what held everyone together.

Realistically I agree - the memories would be overwhelming. I do like the idea that Faith's heart stopped but I would hate to waste it. Bringing her back to Sunnydale where no one totally trusts her would be nicely problematic, even if her heart did stop. Two slayers - one new and an unknown quantity and the other mistrusted because of specific choices she made (as opposed to general mistrust).

---------- Post added at 04:05 PM ---------- Previous post was at 03:48 PM ----------

I see two main option. Change the title to Faith the vampire slayer. For there write the series they intended to write for Faith. This could easily add a few more season.

Or, make Willow the new lead. By s6, Willow is pretty much the lead anyway.

Either way, I think it would require a title change for the series, even if they keep the same cast. Honestly, even if s6 is my absolute favourite, I wouldn't have minded a Faith the vampire slayer instead.

Faith the VS would have totally flipped the core idea. Instead of a good person doing good in a hard world, we would have had a mortally gray person fighting for redemption.I think I would have really enjoyed the interactions between various character and Faith.

I know that ASH left for personal reasons, but I would love a scene where Faith begs him to stay and be her watcher - and then a butt load of tension between them because Faith is not Buffy. Willow would have a hard choice since she has some very good reasons to dislike and resent Faith. Spike and Faith would have coupled up - two outsiders and another morally gray character - some nice tension with the others over that decision. Anya would resent her and Xander would as well. Dawn would hate her as already shown. Tara would try to like her, maybe even become friends with her (which would cause more Willow and Faith tension).

I think it could have been a good drama - a bit of a minefield. A new slayer would be harder to use - not as much stored emotion.