Question Slayers, locations, and the world almost ending

[Blaze]

So I have a few questions that I don't believe were very well answered in the serie, and I wanted to see what you guys thought. So, Sunnydale had so many demons that the world almost ended a few times, and there was even more apocalypses. Now, assuming that things didn't simply start when Buffy got there, how the hell is the city still standing? I mean, The wishverse touches what the world would be like in Sunnydale without Buffy coming, but how come no demons decided to have an apocalypse before Buffy came. Was it just really good timing from Buffy's part?

The same thing in L.A. Everything seem to get worst after Angel gets there. Are we to assume that there are undercover organisation like the initiative working underground around the world that keep the demons at bay? If not, I'm sure there's plenty of demonic activity around the world, who takes care of those problems? Or are we to assume that the forces of darkness are getting worst and worst with the years and that's why we get to see so many apocalypse in LA and Sunnydale?

I know most of the question are only technicalities, and some couldn't be touched during the course of the show because obviously they won't have Buffy travel to Japan to fight off an apocalypse over there, but I'm just curious as to what people think. Also, I haven't read the comics so I might be missing info on the subject.

 

[Robb Stark]

Yeah, it's a plot hole, nothing more.

Logically, if there are multiple Hellmouths in the world, it doesn't make a whole lot of sense that they aren't as bad, or close to it, as Sunnydale and wouldn't require extra help from the Slayer from time to time. I'm just guessing here, but maybe each Hellmouth or other demon hotspot has their own sort of resistance group, or gets aid from the Watcher's Council? However, if that's true then what's the point of having the Slayer at all?

It also doesn't really make sense that prior to Buffy's arrival there was no overly serious demonic activity in Sunnydale (or in L.A. before Angel got there). Maybe The Mayor was working behind the scenes to keep things under wraps in preparation for The Ascension? Kind of a stretch I know, but it's all I can really think of.

 

[EVIL UU]

[MENTION=8404]Blaze[/MENTION]

Now, assuming that things didn't simply start when Buffy got there, how the hell is the city still standing?

The things started when The Master broke free in "Prophecy Girl".

GILES: This is what we know. Some sixty years ago, a very old, very powerful vampire came to this shore, not just to feed.
BUFFY: He came 'cause this town's a mystical who's it.
GILES: Yes. The Spanish who first settled here called it 'Boca del Infierno'. Roughly translated, 'Hellmouth'. It's a sort of, um, portal between this reality and the next. This vampire hopes to open it.
BUFFY: Bring the demons back.
XANDER: End of the world.
WILLOW: But he blew it! Or, I mean, there was an earthquake that swallowed half the town, and him, too.
GILES: You see, opening dimensional portals is a tricky business. Odds are he got himself stuck, rather like a, uh, cork in a bottle.
XANDER: And this Harvest thing is to get him out.
GILES: It comes once in a century, on this night. The Master can draw power from one of his minions while it feeds. Enough power to break free and open the portal.

In "Prophecy Girl" The Master gets enough power by feeding on Buffy to break free but he doesn't menage to open the portal because Buffy slays him. The cork is gone though and the portal can be opened again. This is why all those apocalypses happen, various demons try to open the portal between Earth and the demonic dimensions to allow the pure demons to enter through the portal and invade...and most likely get their asses roasted on nuclear fire, just saying. Los Angeles? Can't explain that. Personally, I blame Angel.

Are we to assume that there are undercover organisation like the initiative working underground around the world that keep the demons at bay? If not, I'm sure there's plenty of demonic activity around the world, who takes care of those problems?

I don't think it's a one central organization, more like a bunch of independent entities. Demon hunters like Sid, Knights of Byzantium, witch covens, cults, churches, groups of sorcerers like the shadow men, a giant pile of gods and goddesses from every major mythology and their followers, demons that want to keep the world going, even The First in season 7 is arguably trying to save the world.

Also, I haven't read the comics so I might be missing info on the subject.

You're not missing anything interesting or important.

 

[white avenger]

(This is my personal theory on the whole "Buffy came to the hellmouth and all hell broke loose" situation)

Actually, it's quite likely that all of that demonic activity DID start about the time that Buffy arrived in Sunnydale, or a relatively shotr time before.

For the most part, at least as far as we've seen, the Slayers in the past seemed to be sort of roving demon hunters, going wherever the trouble was or the Council sent them. (We don't really have any reason to believe that Nikki Wood, before anyone brings her up, was permanently assigned to New York City. For all that we know, the Big Apple was just her home base, and she moved all over the place most of the time, only coming back for things like having babies and getting killed by bleached blond vampires) Buffy just happened to be the Slayer on duty when trouble started in Sunnydale, and the Council was able to manipulate Joyce into relocating there. Everything during the next 7 years was due to the manipulations of the First Evil, (Remember what Wilkins/First Evil told Faith, and also remember that all of the previous Big Bads returned as personae of the F E in Season 7) or maybe Twilight, with all of the previous "apocalypses," Alcathla, the Ascension, and even Adam's plans for domination being simply opening skirmishes in the real war. Just like blood in the water attracts sharks, all of that evil energy emanating from the hellmouth drew in vampires and demons from all over the world, with Los Angeles being the outer fringe of the demonic hot spot, and as close as the regular, run of the mill demons and vampires could get and still remain relatively safe from the Slayer (remember, Angel didn't purposely and on a regular basis patrol LA for the sole purpose of killing demons and vampires. He pretty much let them alone as long as they didn't interfere with his sole vocation of "helping the helpless." Apocalypses weren't really his business)

 

[Buffyverse Fan]

Maybe The Mayor was working behind the scenes to keep things under wraps in preparation for The Ascension? Kind of a stretch I know, but it's all I can really think of.

You might think your theory's silly, but I think that's spot on. The comics establish that Mayor Wilkins founded Sunnydale for his purposes, and was even the one to name the town. There's also his throwaway line about being amused by Spike's shenanigans in the past, but he wouldn't allow them anymore. It was his city under his rule until Buffy slayed him. Things would only get as bad as he would allow--in the Wishverse, the Master seemed to have gotten the better of him, but none of the other demons did.

As far as LA, they never really go into why there's so much demonic activity there to begin with aside from the opening line of the series when Angel says it being a bright beacon amongst the coast attracts all kinds of things. Yet again, I'd give most credit to the bad guys. It's well established that Wolfram & Hart suppresses evil forces who deviate from their business model. We also see that TPTB have some other operations going in LA--the oracles, and the demon champion Angel accidentally murdered...

 

[Lyri]

I can't remember who came up with it, but there was a theory running around a while ago that suggested that demonic activity wasn't attracted to the Hellmouth, but to the Slayer herself. Wherever the Slayer was, that was where most of the world's demonic activity was located. It would make sense as to why there have been so few Slayers actually sent to serve on an actual Hellmouth - apart from Buffy, the only other Slayer I know of is the Native American Slayer in the comic that [MENTION=8682]Buffyverse Fan[/MENTION] is referring to.

I'm not saying that there isn't demons or vampires in other parts of the world when there's no Slayer there - Gunn's crew in LA proves that there is - but it could be seen as being a lot less than where the Slayer is if someone bothered to look at the data.

LA after Angel arrived could be explained by the fact that he works directly with the Powers that Be, he has a direct line to them, so they could be manipulating events to makes sure that everything happens in LA - in fact, with Jasmine, we know that to actually be the case.

 

[Blaze]

I can't remember who came up with it, but there was a theory running around a while ago that suggested that demonic activity wasn't attracted to the Hellmouth, but to the Slayer herself. Wherever the Slayer was, that was where most of the world's demonic activity was located. It would make sense as to why there have been so few Slayers actually sent to serve on an actual Hellmouth - apart from Buffy, the only other Slayer I know of is the Native American Slayer in the comic that [MENTION=8682]Buffyverse Fan[/MENTION] is referring to.

I've actually thought about this a lot. It would make a lot of sense for the show, even more so because Spike seems to have a liking for killing slayers. I just can't really wrap my head around this theory because we know that all demons are not attracted to the slayer, as shown by the biker group in Bargaining. They were shown to be scared of the slayer to a point of not wanting to go near her, which would make sense for quite a few demons. But again a slayer mainly kills vampires, which is even shown with Buffy, so it's possible it applies more so to them.

 

[ILLYRIAN]

Looks about to see if any unwanted people are listening, facing the important people. Shh, don't repeat this, but I heard that Sir Joss (God to the initiated) had been in conference with 'the powers that be' the 'oracles' and several high ranking demons to ensure that all matter of underworldly creatures, vampires and demons were set loose to the areas that Buffy or Angel resided in. Joss Whedon, as he was known as when he started writing the series, wanted to show to continue for as long as possible. For that to happen he needed a steady influx of demons to the areas where Buffy or Angel were.

It has been said that many slayers were out to get demons, a few highly noted vampire slayers were located on hellmouths. But as Buffy was the most high of vampire slayers, the series was about her.

 

[Zeppelin92]

All of your ideas are really interesting. And honestly I am kind of surprised that the council never contacted Buffy to go on any 'missions' outside of Sunnydale. In the Wishverse episode it is revealed that the council had doubts that there even was a Hellmouth in Sunnydale and had stationed Buffy in Cleveland instead because it was a well known Hellmouth. Also Kendra very soon after becoming the next called Slayer was sent to Sunnydale because they were concerned about the activity going on there, but Buffy was never sent anywhere else not even to another Hellmouth.

Idk I think the fact that we got to see Buffy pretty much grow up in Sunnydale as a Slayer added to the charm of the show. And that whole Mayor Wilkins thing that someone posted earlier seemed very plausible. But how could the Mayor have kept the city from imploding in on itself if he had only become invulnerable during the third season? Up until then he was only able to live without aging until he did that ritual to make himself invulnerable to death in his human form.