The Mortal Wound

[watcher1006]

This must have been discussed before and I don't mean to nitpick but what, exactly what do you think went on in "Chosen" during the battle in the Hellmouth when Buffy was impaled through her body from behind? She falls and turns the Scythe over to Faith, commanding her to "Hold the Line" and then she sees the First as herself.

The First as Buffy: Oh, no"¦ ow! Mommy, this mortal wound is all - itchy... You pulled a nice trick. You came pretty close to smacking me down. What more do you want?

Buffy: I want you - to get out of my face!

At which point Buffy gets up, apparently revived, to take up the Scythe from Rona (who's received it from Faith) to lead the fight again.

Perhaps it would have been symbolic then for Buffy and Faith to finish their roles and give the weapon over to the army of the new generation but apparently Buffy actually dying was not an option. Is there some mystical explanation for Buffy's quick recovery?

It's actually fine with me if there isn't a definite answer to this question. Whatever, it was a great show.

 

[nerd4hire]

Is there some mystical explanation for Buffy's quick recovery?

There are a series of similar things in BTVS you can interpret on different levels. Off the top of my head there's Buffy coming coming back from death stronger in Prophecy girl, the snow in Amends, and the one you mentioned.

On the Snow in Amends Joss Whedon said he's an atheist, but if you happen to be a Christian, and want to attach a Christian interpretation to what caused the snow, you should feel free to do that. He said something else a couple of times I can't remember the words precisely, so I'll just paraphrase them, spin that, and make the idea my own. What he said sounded like he doesn't believe in God, but he does believe in a kind of metaphysical interpretation within fiction that speaks to a kind of faith within the psyche on a fictional level.

I personally believe however you choose to interpret these things is how they were meant to be interpreted. You can see them as purely physical (like Buffy gets up in chosen, because of andrenaline), mental strength, a sudden burst of slayer juice, the PTB, or an intervention from an external spiritual force. All answers are equally correct.

On the passing of the scythe I've also heard that interpreted as meaning the slayer line was meant to go to Rona next if Buffy hadn't messed with the way the line is passed.

 

[Hero]

I love how The First called it a mortal wound when it barely bled. lol

 

[alexa]

Yeah I took it as adrenaline and her reacting to the First, who just pissed her off and helped motivate her to get up.

Liked the interpretation that Rhona would have been the next Slayer in line (although we don't really know that she just might have been the closest slayer near Faith).

 

[watcher1006]

Oh, thanks for your responses, I'd all but forgotten about this thread I'd started. Anyway I've gone on the presumption that the wound Buffy had received was indeed mortal - impalement through the abdomen certainly could be for a "normal" human being. In other words I assumed the First was speaking the truth.

There are a series of similar things in BTVS you can interpret on different levels. Off the top of my head there's Buffy coming coming back from death stronger in Prophecy girl, the snow in Amends, and the one you mentioned.

I do agree with you about that. There may not be a single "right" answer, but there certainly are interpretations (interesting idea about Rona, BTW.)

In a different script, perhaps Buffy and Faith could both have fallen in the battle at just that moment where the potentials of the next generation had become empowered en masse to fight the First in their place. Or, assuming that the wound truly was mortal (and it doesn't seem like something the First would lie about, even to demoralize Buffy when she was down), perhaps Buffy could have revived from the pure force of her will, finished the battle as her life bled out of her, then fallen when victory was achieved.

A sad way for the series to end, but full of drama and symbolism.

Thus it COULD have been the point where Buffy exited for good. On the other hand I don't think that Buffy dying in that final battle was really an option, because they'd already portrayed her death two seasons earlier to shattering effect in "The Gift". There was no way it could be used again and have the same cataclysmic aura to it. And who'd believe she would stay dead (tongue-in-cheek)?

Instead the episode finishes as if she hadn't been injured at all.

Finally, I don't think it's blasphemous to speculate that there may just have been too many ideas in the mix, in this last ever episode of BtVS, to fully flesh them all out. Angel's return, the empowerment of the potentials, the amulet, etc. Buffy being mortally wounded may have just been one left unfinished, and left for us to fill out ourselves.

 

[SpuffyisEternal]

I think it was her motivation to win the battle that gave her the strength. Plus the whole slayer bit thing kind've put a role in that. Usually when we're willing to do something and want it done to the best of our ability we usually forget all about the pain a wound like that would usually press upon us.

 

[nerd4hire]

Speak for yourself. 🙂 j/k Usually when someone stabs me through the stomach, I usually fall to the ground, and wait for the ambulance, usually. Of course, I haven't had to save the world...lately.

 

[The Arcane]

It could be as simple as Buffy got lucky and the sword missed all the vital organs. As painful as a stab wound in itself would be the only thing she would have had to worry about would be blood loss, in that case.

I'd have to assume that whatever was going on with the slayer power after Willow's spell would have potentially given all the slayers an added "boost" to their powers, including their already enhanced healing and that, coupled with Buffy's stubborn nature, gave her all she needed to get up and carry on the fight.

 

[nerd4hire]

Whatever happened, it appeared to have surprised The First. That was my impression anyway. The First as Buffy mocks the real Buffy by saying "Ooh! Ow! Mommy! This 'mortal wound' is all itchy!". When Buffy rises The First appears suprised.

The First knows about death. It can take on the form of any dead person. It expected to have a new arrival to the dead zone real soon.

 

[The Arcane]

That's true, but then I'd imagine 99% of "sword through the back" wounds would be pretty... well... mortal, hehe.

Again, I reckon Buffy just got lucky and somehow the sword managed to miss all vital organs and do little enough damage to allow her to survive, regardless of how serious it looked.

 

[nerd4hire]

And what turns my crank is Buffy got a power boost from an unknown source, but that's just my reckoning. The only thing I'm really confident in is nobody really knows for sure. I suspect just as with the power boost in prophecy girl, and the snow in Amends that's the way it's supposed to be. You go where your fancy takes you.

 

[hyperballadbrad]

I take it as a literal 'miraculous recovery' or anything. I think it's more a sense of doubt and a fear of losing that, as the Buff always does, she squashes when faced with the alternative.... losing to the Evil. But she fights the fear and doubt (the wound) pulls up her bra straps and fights on!!