A few things hit me recently when i was thinking about the subject of why the first is making her move now.
First of all the implication (by Giles after seeing Baljoxa's Eye) is that it is buffy's recent rebirth that triggered the events. I'm not certain of this for more than one reason. I believe it was the first 'death' and rebirth in season 1 that triggered the events. As specified it would have been the rebirth that is the problem and not the death.
Here is my reasoning:
1: The largest event associated with buffy's first death is the birth of a new slayer. The latest death produced nothing, although the rebirth triggered a spirit and some ill-feelings. Nothing on the scale of a new slayer.
2: The first first became active in the third season and was beaten temporarily in episode 10 'Amends'. It took a full season after Buffy's rebirth (in season 1 finale) for the machinations of the first to become a factor. If you recall the first was after Angel to currupt him, and failing that, to kill him. It failed on both counts as Angel ulitimately was shown to be under the protection of the Powers That Be. Now. In a display of remarkable symmetry, roughly a full season after Buffy's latest rebirth the first is once again trying to (drum roll please) corrupt a Vampire with a Soul. There has to be something to that. Perhaps the first had chosen the wrong vampire initially? If so, this would imply that the events were set in motion earlier on, as the first has actively been persuing this goal (corruption of a souled Vamp) since season 3. The First is still on the same mission!
3: Sometimes we tend to forget some of the names by which Buffy is called. Slayer. Vampire Slayer. Prophecy Girl. Chosen one. It is the title 'Chosen One' that intrests me the most. It implies a choice (conscious or unconscious) on the part of some entity. But who? Not Buffy. Buffy neither chose herself (laugh) nor did she choose Kendra (at least she has no memory of it). Not the watchers. Is it the Powers? possibly. Maybe the spirit of the first slayer? This is an open question. The point is that she was chosen. Now to the point: She was chosen to recieve the powers or spirit of a slayer that gives her her abilities. There was a definate transformation of Buffy that enhanced her abilities in many ways, some we may not be aware of. She was 'gifted' with powers. This ties in in the next few points/thoughts.
4: Buffy still retains all the abilities of a chosen one to the casual eye. The abilities we are aware of anyway. Also, Faith has these same abilities., as did Kendra. That implies that there is not a finite limit to the powers 'spreading' across 2 seperate slayers. To the casual eye!
5: There HAS to be a limit. If there was no limit to the 'slayer power' then the entity choosing would most likely simply choose an army of slayers to get the job done. And that has never happened. That implies that either there is a cosmic rule being observed in the choosing, or there is not enough power or ability to go around, which would necessitate the choosing of only one slayer. This brings us to the next point.
6: Either a cosmic rule has been broken (resulting in whatever repercussions that breach of the rules entails) or the 2 current slayers are 'under-strength'. Now we know that they are are both physically as strong and coordinated as they should be. They both have all the abilities they are supposed to have to our perception. So what is the consequence of having 2 chosen ones?
7: The watcher records on the first are slim to none. The first is considered to be a pretty ancient problem and not one that every slayer faces, or one that a slayer has faced in a long long time, as evidenced by the watchers insufficient data. The first has existed all this time, but has kept it's hands off the slayer, at least directly. But that is no longer the case.
I'm thinking that the consequences of having 2 slayers are there and very real. It may be that there is some mystical energy that protects the slayers (and their line of succesors) from the machinations of The First. Those energies are stretched thin at the moment, and proving insufficient to the task. Another possibility is that the entity that chooses slayers has had it's abilties stretched too thin.
Any thoughts, ideas, rebutals, outright flames? All are welcome.
First of all the implication (by Giles after seeing Baljoxa's Eye) is that it is buffy's recent rebirth that triggered the events. I'm not certain of this for more than one reason. I believe it was the first 'death' and rebirth in season 1 that triggered the events. As specified it would have been the rebirth that is the problem and not the death.
Here is my reasoning:
1: The largest event associated with buffy's first death is the birth of a new slayer. The latest death produced nothing, although the rebirth triggered a spirit and some ill-feelings. Nothing on the scale of a new slayer.
2: The first first became active in the third season and was beaten temporarily in episode 10 'Amends'. It took a full season after Buffy's rebirth (in season 1 finale) for the machinations of the first to become a factor. If you recall the first was after Angel to currupt him, and failing that, to kill him. It failed on both counts as Angel ulitimately was shown to be under the protection of the Powers That Be. Now. In a display of remarkable symmetry, roughly a full season after Buffy's latest rebirth the first is once again trying to (drum roll please) corrupt a Vampire with a Soul. There has to be something to that. Perhaps the first had chosen the wrong vampire initially? If so, this would imply that the events were set in motion earlier on, as the first has actively been persuing this goal (corruption of a souled Vamp) since season 3. The First is still on the same mission!
3: Sometimes we tend to forget some of the names by which Buffy is called. Slayer. Vampire Slayer. Prophecy Girl. Chosen one. It is the title 'Chosen One' that intrests me the most. It implies a choice (conscious or unconscious) on the part of some entity. But who? Not Buffy. Buffy neither chose herself (laugh) nor did she choose Kendra (at least she has no memory of it). Not the watchers. Is it the Powers? possibly. Maybe the spirit of the first slayer? This is an open question. The point is that she was chosen. Now to the point: She was chosen to recieve the powers or spirit of a slayer that gives her her abilities. There was a definate transformation of Buffy that enhanced her abilities in many ways, some we may not be aware of. She was 'gifted' with powers. This ties in in the next few points/thoughts.
4: Buffy still retains all the abilities of a chosen one to the casual eye. The abilities we are aware of anyway. Also, Faith has these same abilities., as did Kendra. That implies that there is not a finite limit to the powers 'spreading' across 2 seperate slayers. To the casual eye!
5: There HAS to be a limit. If there was no limit to the 'slayer power' then the entity choosing would most likely simply choose an army of slayers to get the job done. And that has never happened. That implies that either there is a cosmic rule being observed in the choosing, or there is not enough power or ability to go around, which would necessitate the choosing of only one slayer. This brings us to the next point.
6: Either a cosmic rule has been broken (resulting in whatever repercussions that breach of the rules entails) or the 2 current slayers are 'under-strength'. Now we know that they are are both physically as strong and coordinated as they should be. They both have all the abilities they are supposed to have to our perception. So what is the consequence of having 2 chosen ones?
7: The watcher records on the first are slim to none. The first is considered to be a pretty ancient problem and not one that every slayer faces, or one that a slayer has faced in a long long time, as evidenced by the watchers insufficient data. The first has existed all this time, but has kept it's hands off the slayer, at least directly. But that is no longer the case.
I'm thinking that the consequences of having 2 slayers are there and very real. It may be that there is some mystical energy that protects the slayers (and their line of succesors) from the machinations of The First. Those energies are stretched thin at the moment, and proving insufficient to the task. Another possibility is that the entity that chooses slayers has had it's abilties stretched too thin.
Any thoughts, ideas, rebutals, outright flames? All are welcome.