Watchers Council...

[Charming Slayer]

I have a quick question about the Watchers Council:

So, as we know, there's only 1 Slayer in all the World. If this is the case, then why is there a need for so many Watchers? Shouldn't there be only a few, and only enough to take over if one should die, just as with the Slayers?

Just curious...

 

[PrincessZombie]

I think that the Watchers don't just watch the slayer, that's just their title. I'm sure they have tons of other things to do. They have to train potentials, research prophecies, get information and weapons, and anything else that the slayer could possibly need. They fight evil too, probably. The watchers have tons of other things that need doing besides training the slayer.

 

[Mulder22]

I agree with Princess Zombie. I am sure they do alot of other things. However, you would think they would be stationed closer to where the active slayer actually is.

 

[PrincessZombie]

I agree with Princess Zombie. I am sure they do alot of other things. However, you would think they would be stationed closer to where the active slayer actually is.

About where they're stationed, maybe they just wanted a central location? I would imagine it to be difficult to move around all those people and all that information (Watchers love their books! 🙂) everytime a new slayer is called, since slayers tend to have short lifespans. But it would be more convenient for the slayer to have them at her disposal.

 

[Mulder22]

About where they're stationed, maybe they just wanted a central location? I would imagine it to be difficult to move around all those people and all that information (Watchers love their books! 🙂) everytime a new slayer is called, since slayers tend to have short lifespans. But it would be more convenient for the slayer to have them at her disposal.

yeah good points. Plus with all or at least most of them being English I guess it makes since to be in England.

 

[Allycat]

I think most of them are English, because the Council is in England, not the other way around.

Also, there have to be a great many of Watchers, because they need to study for years. While you can become a Slayer in a matter of seconds, becoming a Watcher takes you many years and once you're slayer dies... well, why *DO* you have to quit then?

Question: Why does a Watcher who's Slayer has been killed not becoming the Watcher for the next Slayer as well?

 

[PrincessZombie]

Question: Why does a Watcher who's Slayer has been killed not becoming the Watcher for the next Slayer as well?

The only good reason that I can think of is that they don't want to. Even though they're technically not supposed to, I'm sure most watchers get very attatched to their slayers, and feel like they let them down when they die. They probably feel like they aren't good enough for another slayer. Or maybe it's just so someone else can have a turn. 🙂

 

[Joamna]

The only good reason that I can think of is that they don't want to. Even though they're technically not supposed to, I'm sure most watchers get very attatched to their slayers, and feel like they let them down when they die. They probably feel like they aren't good enough for another slayer. Or maybe it's just so someone else can have a turn. 🙂

That's what I thought too, and also; A watcher is suppose to "raise" his or hers potential slayer from when she's very little, like with Kendra, so watchers aren't just there for the actual slayer but for all the potentials too, even though they don't always find their slayer, like in Buffys case..

 

[phoenixrising]

My two cents...

In watching the series endlessly, I have come up with this:

The Watcher's Council is a secret organization, much like the Talamasca in Ane Rice's books, that trains, instructs and guides the Slayer in her duties. They also seek out and train Potential Slayers. The Council also has a vast research organization that researches demons, vampires, etc. to assist the Slayer in her battle against evil. They also have special teams that perform "black ops" such as capturing rogue Slayer and other unsavory matters such as murder.

As with most organizations like this, the Council is hopelessly overbuteaucratic (the reason Giles steals the files on the First in season seven rather that ask the Council for them and wait for the debate to finish) and manned by many that are stuffy to a fault. But given that most Slayers didn't live much past their teens (until the calling of one Buffy Summers), there needed to be a lot of Watchers to train the Potentials in case one of them was the next to be called and lots of new demons to be researched.

What the new Watcher's Council looks like since the mass activation of every Slayer is anyone's guess and new information does not seem to be forthcoming anytime soon.

That's my take anyway.

 

[Pauly00001]

I agree with Princess Zombie, There are many things the Watchers do. Something else not said was the watchers have a Watchers Academy, so they train future watchers.

In one of the Tales of the Slayer books (volume 1 i believe) they mention a Watcher's Council office (is that what you would call it?) in Munich, Germany. And in the Tales of the Slayers graphic novel, Fray is in the futuristic New York City and she enters a Watcher's Council Warehouse where Watcher's Diaries are stored.