Xander & Willow

white avenger

white avenger

white avenger
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How do you think that the series would have been changed, if at all, if Xander had become the powerful magic adept and Willow had remained the shy computer nerd?
 
That would be a pretty big twist. My instinct says Nicholas Brendon probably didnt have the acting chops to pull that off. He was a good Xander but Alyson Hannigan really brought that role to life. I belong to the pebble in the pond school of thought on all things. One small pebble changes the entire ecosystem.
 
Magic gave Willow her confidence, and without it she may have just remained that shy girl forever. It's debatable whether she and Tara would have gotten together in the first place, but if they had, I think their relationship would have lasted because magic wouldn't come between them.

Xander would have been a fantastic warlock (?) and got into so much trouble! I could see a lot of comedy value in Xander being the magical one. Willow took it seriously, whereas I think Xander wouldn't have been too careful. Magic might have given him the edge he needed to be what Buffy needed and he could have been her romantic interest.

I agree with @GoSpuffy that everything would have changed and it would have been a totally different show.
 
The entire show will change. It'll be interesting if Willow became the everywoman. She was already useful as a computer hacker, but she will feel inferior to her powerful friends. Xander as a warlock would be interesting - I can see a future for him and Buffy as a romantic couple. I think Nicholas Brendon can pull it off, he did so well as Hyena Xander and always sold Xander's serious moments - much better than his comedic scenes IMO. When he gets angry at Spike and when he argues with Buffy - always my favorite Nicholas Brendon acting moments.

On the other hand, I kind of love Xander as the guy without superpowers surrounded by powerful women. This is the opposite of all stories starring superpowered males and that one female who plays damsel and emotional support to the men.

So, I'm conflicted.
 
It would definitely change the whole dynamic of the show and I think there wouldn't have been an "everyman" character. Even without the magic, Willow would still be a super smart computer whiz which obviously not everyone is. Xander is more identifiable. He gets a long fine in school but he's not a genius, he's not career driven but he works hard for his money, he'd rather just hang out with his friends and have fun and deals with whatever life throws at him as best he can.

Magic wouldn't suit Xander's personality. Having the odd mishap with it is one thing (Bothered, Bewitched and Bewildered), but he can't be serious with it, if he was it wouldn't be Xander, and if he's constantly having mishaps it would get old fast.
 
If Xander had magic abilities, he'll probably change drastically as the series goes on - the same way Willow did. Willow will probably not change as much as did as a witch. Xander and Tara would probably have a connection, Willow would feel a bit inferior about it.

This needs to be ficced, I'd love to see how the series would change.
 
I think it would have worked just as well, though it would have been the more "predictable" choice. There's always the mousy friend and the dorky guy who gets superpowers...
 
Buffy Summers said:
I think it would have worked just as well, though it would have been the more "predictable" choice. There's always the mousy friend and the dorky guy who gets superpowers...
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Lol, and I was thinking the exact opposite, that it's always the girl who becomes the witch 🙂
 
Why would Xander go dark? Would Anya's death trigger it? Would Anya and magic Xander be dating in the first place? I feel that having magical powers would change Xander's personality a bit - the way it changed Willow's. At least he'd magic a sound proof system in the basement so he wouldn't hear his parents' constant fighting. It would be his pencil floating exercise in S3.
 
Willow: Hey, remember that time I broke a yellow crayon in Kindergarten?

Dark Xander: How is that in anyway relevant?

Willow: I don't know. I guess because you were there?
 
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Willow will finally admit she started the fire at the house next door to Xander's on his 7th birthday, when he wanted a toy fire truck but didn't get one, and then lots of real ones turned up 🙂
 
S
sosa lola
That would be adorable!
The problem with Xander, which will make it extra harder for Willow to convince him, is that when he holds a grudge, he REALLY holds a grudge, so Willow has to bring up as many cute childhood memories as possible! Fire them up one after one, without taking a single breath. I believe she can do it! She can babble like nobody's business. 😀
 
I thought this was going to be some kind of Willow/Xander shipper thread from the title. 😉
 
sosa lola said:
Why would Xander go dark? Would Anya's death trigger it? Would Anya and magic Xander be dating in the first place? I feel that having magical powers would change Xander's personality a bit - the way it changed Willow's. At least he'd magic a sound proof system in the basement so he wouldn't hear his parents' constant fighting. It would be his pencil floating exercise in S3.
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Since Xander worried about relevance and also living in the basement, he might actually use it for money (I'm still rather amazed that Willow didn't use magic to pay the bills in s6, directly or indirectly, when she was using it to even call up balloons or decorations).

But I was actually thinking of him having a gay lover. 'Cause the magicks, when you use them too much, make you gay. 😛 (I was pleasantly surprised when a fantasy novel had the hero fall in love with another man that I think had been written in the 80s, but I'm sure BTVS would've never gotten away with making Xander gay, not even with a wholesome relationship--or close to one that exists in the Buffyverse anyway--and almost didn't even with Willow & Tara.) It's an interesting thought, I'd just hope they didn't have Andrew as his love interest casting spells together.

That aside...Xander is a demon magnet, maybe he could finally do something about that...or maybe he'd at least know WHY (being a natural sorcerer is what drew the demons, probably drew him to Buffy and she to him as well).
 
ChaseRules
ChaseRules
We could have Spike fall for Xander instead of Buffy . That would have been a great way to get them toghter :)
And I just got to wondering how Angel would react to know he'd been brought back from the ether, rescued so to speak, by Xander instead of Willow.

'Course given he was still "waking up" as he was kissed, stabbed, and sucked into Hell, I imagine he's always had some mixed feelings about it no matter who brought his soul back. 😛

I wonder how many fans would argue that Xander timed it that way on purpose because he's such a jerk. 🙄
 
thrasherpix said:
I wonder how many fans would argue that Xander timed it that way on purpose because he's such a jerk. 🙄
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LOL!

I doubt they will make Xander gay if Willow was gay. I feel that since Xander is far more reckless than Willow, adding his bravery to the mix, he wouldn't need Glory sucking the brains of a loved one to march into her home and try to kill her. I can see serious damage done to him, which would make him useless for a couple of episodes.
 
DeadlyDuo
DeadlyDuo
Agreed. Xander isn't much of a thinker.
cryptwarmer said:
Magic Xander would have made short work of Angel and Spike early on
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I disagree. Willow didn't really get powerful until season 4/5 so it's likely Xander wouldn't get powerful much earlier. Lovers Walk would've been interesting if Spike had needed Xander to cast the spell instead of Willow. He really whacked Xander in the head that episode, it's surprising there was no brain damage.
 
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