The Council's Resources

[SlayerThe]

We know that the Council was a very powerful institution that had operatives all around the world, but we really know nothing about it except it's vast library and such.

Many questions that I have about the Council:

1. Did they receive funding from countries or were they a privately funded organizaiton?

2. How much money and power did they actually have?

3. Why were they not able to take Faith back to England in Season 4? They seemed to have some diplomatic trouble.

4. Do Buffy, Giles and the rest of the Scoobs now control the funding that the Council once had? Because hey, there could be billions at their disposal now...

Feel free to discuss this or even chime in with your own Council-related questions.

 

[Mr. Pointy]

The story I'm in the middle of writing suggests that the Council have an awful lot of power, money and influence (especially in London's financial centre) and that, yes, Giles, Buffy et al do have control of it...however this is not necessarily canonical 😉

 

[Primal Slayer]

Well we do know that The Council had some kind of country backup or whatever since they had the power to kick Giles out of the U.S.

I think that The Scoobies are at the Councils money disposel since they have a lot of potentiols to feed and can travel like it doesnt cost a thing.

 

[eset]

The deportation thing migtht not herald any official ties with the US Government: when there are so many things handled in the morass od buereaucracy, they could just have spies everywhere, including a few people at the INS or DHS who are in their employ.

 

[LadyLavinia]

Are the Scoobies now in complete control of the Council? Or is Giles the only one controlling everything? If he is, has he reverted the Council back to its old ways, demanding that the Slayers obey the Council? Or have the rules changed?

Does Buffy have any influence? I guess I find it hard to believe that she would allow Giles complete control, after all that has happened between them. I realize that they have reconciled after what took place between Spike and Wood, but I find it hard to believe that Buffy would ever completely trust Giles again.

 

[SlayerThe]

Are the Scoobies now in complete control of the Council? Or is Giles the only one controlling everything? If he is, has he reverted the Council back to its old ways, demanding that the Slayers obey the Council? Or have the rules changed?

Does Buffy have any influence? I guess I find it hard to believe that she would allow Giles complete control, after all that has happened between them. I realize that they have reconciled after what took place between Spike and Wood, but I find it hard to believe that Buffy would ever completely trust Giles again.

Since the Council was mostly destroyed, I suspect that there was some rebuilding to do. But even Giles disliked most of the Council's methods, for instance the 18th birthday ritual that the slayer had to endure like in "Helpless".

So the rules have probably changed greatly. And remember that the Council was very tedious but there was only one or two slayers in existance then. Since there are probably around 100-200 slayers now, the Council could be a bit more flexible.

And after hearing Andrew speak in Season 5 of Angel, it seems like she is charge. I'd like to think of Buffy as the President of The Watcher's Council with Giles as Vice President. After all, why wouldn't she be? (And do not bring up references from Season 7 like the Vineyard, because in the end she was RIGHT.)

Also in Season 7 after Buffy found the scythe, it seemed pretty obvious that Buffy and Giles had forgiven each other, unspoken, but it seemed that way.

 

[LadyLavinia]

Since the Council was mostly destroyed, I suspect that there was some rebuilding to do. But even Giles disliked most of the Council's methods, for instance the 18th birthday ritual that the slayer had to endure like in "Helpless".

So the rules have probably changed greatly. And remember that the Council was very tedious but there was only one or two slayers in existance then. Since there are probably around 100-200 slayers now, the Council could be a bit more flexible.

And after hearing Andrew speak in Season 5 of Angel, it seems like she is charge. I'd like to think of Buffy as the President of The Watcher's Council with Giles as Vice President. After all, why wouldn't she be? (And do not bring up references from Season 7 like the Vineyard, because in the end she was RIGHT.)

Also in Season 7 after Buffy found the scythe, it seemed pretty obvious that Buffy and Giles had forgiven each other, unspoken, but it seemed that way.

You're probably right that Buffy is the one heading the Council. Interesting, considering that most post-"Chosen" fan fiction has Giles, along with some of his former colleagues, running the organization.

Although Buffy and Giles may have resolved their differences, I did detect an air of slight hostility from Buffy in both "End of Days" and "Chosen".

 

[killerdwarf]

I'm sure there was some lingering resentment between them...it would be strange if there wasn't. But I'm sure Buffy realizes that it was in part due to Giles' decisions and training that she ended up surviving as long as she did. Giles himself disagreed with the methods of the Council, and stood up for his slayer against them. It would be reasonal and prudent to have Buffy as a key Council player. I can see it as Giles being the equivalent of the Director of Intelligence and Strategy, while Buffy is the Director of Operations and Training. He gatheres info and plans things, Buffy revises any action plans, trains the personnel, and carries them out.