On season 4 of Buffy...should I be watching Angel?

[JD]

Not sure how I feel about this revelation of the Principal being the son of one of the slayers Spike killed. It seems just a bit coincidental and having a son seems to contradict Spike's narrative about how the slayers lost because they had nothing to hold onto in the world.

If you are interested in learning more about Nikki Wood, the Principals mother, you need to check out the outstanding official Buffy novel Blackout. Other than an opening and closing scene the entire thing focuses on Nikki and a young Robin in 1970s NYC. It is a great book, and definitely worth a read if you're interested in Spike or the history of the Slayers before Buffy.

 

[gblews]

But it begs the question, how will Angel react when he finds out Spike is allowed to experience contentment? I see some major jealousy here. I don't know yet if Spike will get to sex Buffy again, but I'm not sure how Angel would cope with the idea that another souled vampire can sex Buffy without becoming evil.

There is a late Angel season 5 episode that touches upon this "issue". The episode is utterly hysterical.

 

[JirinPanthosa]

^ What makes you say that?

I mean Andrew seems like he may not be legally capable of moral reasoning. Until Buffy's tears maneuver he always seemed like he believed anybody who cast him as a hero in a fantasy narrative. It's like in Community if Abed hurt anyone as 'Evil Abed'. All Andrew's criminal acts happened when his mental state could not process reality.

Always fun when TV characters have to learn real life doesn't work like TV.

 

[Sparkle Fabulosa]

Ah. Storyteller was fun, wasn't it?

You are almost finished with the citizens of Sunnydale, sad yet?

 

[JirinPanthosa]

I dunno, I'm kind of happy Buffy had a long run and then ended before it had a chance to suck. And if I want to continue there's always the comics.

Why did Fillon decide to use a really fake Southern accent? Did Fillon think all preachers must have the drawl or did the director tell him to talk like that?

 

[Sparkle Fabulosa]

Me too. It's always good when a show leaves you wanting more rather than wishing it was over.

I have no idea about Caleb's accent. Maybe someone else does?

 

[JirinPanthosa]

It's starting to seem a bit weird how the events of Buffy and Angel aren't affecting each other. They've both become so much more than local in scope. Like, you'd think the First would be going after Angel or Sunnydale would start bowing down to Jasmine.

 

[Sparkle Fabulosa]

Maybe the First is only focused on the Slayer because for thousands of years there have been Slayers fighting evil, and the First see's them (in this case, Buffy) as more of a threat than a vampire trying to redeem himself?

 

[JirinPanthosa]

The First tried to make Willow kill herself, tried to sew distrust for Buffy in Dawn, and take control of Spike. It seems concerned for any potential strong ally of Buffy's.

You can explain away the First not interfering in Angel's story, but you can't explain away Jasmine not interfering in Buffy's. Jasmine's reach went well outside LA. The Pope and the President were compromised. Unless nobody in Sunnydale listened to the radio and watched TV through the whole ordeal.

And now you can kill her like Rumplestiltskin, apparently.

 

[Sparkle Fabulosa]

A word of caution: for your own personal safety, don't befriend Buffy Summers.

It's probably because Joss didn't want the shows to overlap too much. Angel may have started on Buffy but he has his own show with his own Big Bads to face.

The Scoobies hardly watch tv anyways, they are too busy saving the world to be couch potatoes.

 

[Timelord79 (he/him)]

Also, it's not like Jasmin turns people into mindless Zombies.
Everybody loves her, yes, but people also just go on with their lifes same as before, just with that one addition which feels entirely normal for them.
Though if Xander or Andrew wore a "Jasmin is great" shirt at some point, that would have been subtle enough.

 

[Forbin]

A word of caution: for your own personal safety, don't befriend Buffy Summers.

And if you get an invite the her birthday party, just tear it up.

 

[JirinPanthosa]

Strangely though, for people in the town of Sunnydale there's actually a lower mortality rate for people she is friends with. It's like how in the high school prom they said 'The lowest mortality rate in school history' even though dozens of students died. I don't know if that trend holds true for the last four episodes, but up to this point, in Sunnydale you're statistically safer when you're near Buffy.

I like that Angel got to give a Captain Kirk speech. "I like my pain!"

 

[Sparkle Fabulosa]

^ Safer but life becomes more complicated.

4 episodes left? Ooh, Touched is a good one!

 

[JirinPanthosa]

One thing I don't get. Why is Buffy acting like Caleb's strength is unprecedented when he has not demonstrated more power than Glory?

I like the way season four ended with Angel making a deal with the devil to give Connor peace. It'll be interesting to see where that goes. Working with Wolfram & Hart can't possibly lead anywhere nice. Maybe in the short term.

I also enjoyed the way that Lilah is like "The prophecy came true! You fought in the side of evil like we hoped!"

 

[Christopher]

One thing I don't get. Why is Buffy acting like Caleb's strength is unprecedented when he has not demonstrated more power than Glory?

Unprecedented for a human, maybe? He was human, right?

 

[DonIago]

That was my thought.

 

[JirinPanthosa]

What ever happened to the troll hammer anyway? It's probably lying around somewhere in the tower remains. Why doesn't she just go grab it? Or are the writers handwaving it because they don't want the same weapon to be successful against two enemies?

 

[Sparkle Fabulosa]

Trust me, Buffy gets a way cooler weapon than some rusted old troll hammer!

The hammer was seen in The Gift, when Buffy used it to beat up Glory. I don't know it's whereabouts now.

 

[RoJoHen]

My personal theory, which is a lot of fun to think about if you ever go back and rewatch the shows, is that The First and Jasmine were rivals, and they're both basically racing to prevent the other from winning. Dueling Apocalypses, if you will. Sunnydale is unaffected by Jasmine because the First is somehow keeping her out.

And in "Angel," when Connor sees the vision of Darla, that's not actually Darla. What is the First's one known power? To take the form of dead people. I think the First knew what Jasmine was up to, so it took the form of Darla in order to prevent Connor from releasing her into the world.